Subject: Re: FINAL NOTIFICATION FEDERAL HIGH COURT BENIN REPUBLIC From: fbidirectorusa91@gmail.com Department Of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I) J. Edgar Hoover Building, 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C 20535-0001 Ref: VOL/FBI/DC/US/2016 Attention I got your message and let me bring to your notice that no matter what you have done to close the website of US Monitoring division, we have taken note of that, they just reported to me now that you and your bank manager have reported them and their site as scam and the site has been blocked and black listed by their email service provider. It will interest you to hear that I will go to any length to ensure that you are been apprehended for judgement under the offenses of money laundering and sponsors of terrorism because of this single act. I noticed that such will happen while because you are patronizing fraudsters in Africa for so many years despite my advise to you, but now that is obvious your fund is here in the States and the fund in question was raised as inherited fund/Lotto Winners prize, I will do everything within my power to alleged you as one of the patronage and sponsors of ISIS since you think that you are wise while you are not. I will remain cam until my dictating operatives are out from the investigating room, if you are playing game with people you will not escape this one because I noticed that this has been your usual way and am assuring you that after you been apprehended, that your bank manager you believe on with you will definitely been indited for sponsorship of ISIS and money laundering etc. Yours Faithfully Mr. James B. Comey, Jr. FBI Director IN GOD WE TRUST. Date: Sun, 1 May 2016 23:28:33 +0100Subject: Re: FINAL NOTIFICATION FEDERAL HIGH COURT BENIN REPUBLICFrom: fbidirectorusa91@gmail.com From: James Comey < fbiboss001@yahoo.com > Date: Tue, May 3, 2016 at 1:34 PM Subject: From Department Federal Bureau Of Investigation Proceed With The final payment Get Your Funds ok. To: James Comey, Senior Office Department Federal Bureau Of Investigation FBI.WASHINGTON DC Know More About Me: http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/executives/director Dear i just received an update from Mr Moses Emmanuel this morning regarding the shipping update of your package and he also told me he will assist you with some part of the charge fee and this is the best he can do for now. I know you have spent a lot recently but you need to know this is the last fee required and once the fee is paid Mr. Moses Emmanuel Next flight will be this evening and i want him to act as your diplomat and deliver the package to you. TRY YOUR BEST AND GET A LOAN OF $150 FROM A FRIEND OR RELATION AND PROMISE TO PAY THEM BACK WITHIN 48 HOURS SO THIS TRANSACTION CAN COME TO AN END TODAY AND ONCE THE CHARGE FEE IS PAID YOUR PACKAGE WILL BE DELIVERED TO YOU WITHIN THE NEXT 48 HOURS. YOUR PACKAGE DETAILS A VISA CREDIT CARD WHICH CONTAIN $22 MILLION USD AND THE 2ND CONTAIN A VERIFIED BANK OF AMERICA CASHIER CHECK WHICH CONTAIN $5 MILLION USD WITH ALL BACK UP DOCUMENT EVERYTHING WAS MADE IN YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND THE PACKAGE INCLUDE AN INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO MAKE WITHDRAW WORLD WIDE AND ALSO CASH-OUT THE CHECK WITHIN 18 HOURS BECAUSE IT IS VERIFIED CASHIER CHECK. Use the details below to send the fee $150 USD via western union to the U.S embassy official agent Mose Emmanuel once you receive this email so everything can come to an end. RECEIVER NAME: Moses Emmanuel ADDRESS:LAGOS STATE: LAGOS COUNTRY: NIGERIA ZIP CODE: 23401 TEXT QUESTION: LAND OF ANSWER: HOPE Once payment is made get back to me with the required payment confirmation details so i can forward it to him and i will instruct him to board the next available flight once the required fee is paid. Await your reply and the required payment confirmation details. James Comey, Senior Office Department Federal Bureau Of Investigation FBI.WASHINGTON DC Know More About Me: http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/executives/director rbranchi@alice.it > Attention: Beneficiary, This is the final warning you are going to receive from us, do you get me? I hope you understand how many times this message has been sent to you? change your email password because they hacked your password and if you change it do not send it to anyone another time, We would also send a letter to the company/agency that you are working for so that they could get you fired until we are through with our investigations because a suspect is not supposed to be working for the government or any private organization. Your ID which we have in our database have been sent to all the crimes agencies in America for them to inset you an their website as an internet fraudsters and to warn people from having any deals with you. This would have been solved all this while if you had gotten the CERTIFICATE ENDORSED AND STAMPED as you were instructed in the e-mail below. This is the federal bureau of investigation (FBI) am writing in response to the e-mail you sent to us and am using this medium to inform you that there is no more time left to waste because you have been given a mandate. As stated earlier to have the document endorsed, signed and stamped without failure and you must adhere to this directives to avoid you blaming yourself at last when we must have arrested and jailed you for life and all your properties will be seized and bank account will be confiscated too. You failed to comply with our directives/instruction and that was the reason why we didn' t hear from you, as our director has already been notified about you get the process completed yesterday and right now the WARRANT OF ARREST has been signed against you and it will be carried out in the next 48hours as strictly signed by the FBI director. We have investigated and found out that you didn' t have any idea when the fraudulent deal was committed with your information/identity and right now your ID is placed on our website as a wanted person, I believe you know that it will be a shame to you and your entire family because after then it will be announce in all the local channels that you are wanted by the FBI. As a good Christian and a Honest man, I decided to see how i could be of help to you because i would not be happy to see you end up in jail and all your properties confiscated all because your information' s was used to carry out a fraudulent transactions, i called the EFCC and they directed me to a private attorney who can help you get the process done and he stated that he will endorse and stamp the document at the sum of $68 usd only and i believe this process is cheaper for you. You need to do every possible thing today and tomorrow to get this process done because our director has called to inform me that the warrant of arrest has been signed against you and once it has been approved, then the arrest will be carried out, and from our investigations we learnt that you were the person that forwarded your identity to one impostor/fraudsters in Nigeria when he had a deal with you about the transfer of some illegal funds into your bank account which is valued at the sum of $10,500,000.00 only. I pleaded on your behalf so that this agency could give you till this week-end so that you could get this process done because i learnt that several e-mails has been sent to you without getting a response from you. Bear it in mind that this is the only way that i can be able to help you at this moment or you would have to face the law and its consequences once it had befallen on you. You would make the payment through western union money transfer with the below details. RECEIVER ' S NAME:Henry Chuma ADDRESS: Benin Republic, CITY. . . . COTONOU TEXT QUESTION: BETTER ANSWER: BEST AMOUNT: $68 Senders Full Name: Sender Full Address: Direct Phone Number: MTCN::::::::::::: Send the payment details to me as stated above and make sure that you didn' t hesitate making the payment down to the agency by today so that they could have the certificate endorsed, signed and stamped immediately without any further delay. After all this process has been carried out, then we would have to proceed to the bank for the transfer of your compensation funds which is valued at the sum of $10.500,000.00 usd which was supposed to have been transferred to you all this while. Note: All the crimes agencies have been contacted on this regards and we shall trace and arrest you if you disregard this instructions. You are given a grace today to make the payment for the document after which your failure to do that will attract a maximum arrest and finally ygu will be appearing in court for act of terrorism, money laundering and drug trafficking charges, so be warned not to tryn anything funny because you are been watched. change your email password because they hacked your password and if you change it do not send it to anyone another time, Yours in service, James B Comey 2016-05-03 18:22 GMT-04:00 JAMES B. COMEY On Thursday, May 5, 2016 8:17 PM, Mr George Venizelos < johnson@mhcable.net > wrote: Attention; NOTE: If you received this message in your SPAM/BULK folder, it is because of the restrictions imposed by your Mail/Internet Service Provider, we urge you to treat it genuinely. How are you today? Hope all is well with you and family? You may not understand why this email came to you. In regards to the recent meeting between the United Nations, Cyber Crimes Commission (CCc), Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) and the United States Government to restore the dignity and Economy of Nations based on the Agreement with the World Bank Assistance Project to help and make the world a better place. We have been having meetings for the past 3 months with the Secretary General of the United Nations. This email come to those who are yet to receive their compensation/inheritance/winnings and who have been scammed in any part of the world, this includes every foreign contractors that may have not received their contract sum, and people that have had an unfinished transaction or Compensation payments that failed due to Government problems etc. Recently we the Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) arrested internet fraudsters and Scammer with large amount of money so if you are receiving this email its means you where select to be compensated as a scam victim among 100 selected victims with part of the money recover from the internet fraudsters account, . The UNITED NATIONS have agreed to compensate you with the sum of $850,000.00 USD (Eight Hundred and fifty Thousand United States Dollars). 100 people where selected across the Globe for this, and Your name and email was in the list submitted by our Monitoring Team observers and this is why we are contacting you, this have been agreed upon and have been signed, so you are advised to contact Mr George Venizelos of the United Nations Compensation Commission, as he is our representative in United State Of America. Contact him immediately for your Compensation payment of $850,000.00 USD (Eight Hundred and fifty Thousand United States Dollars) which will be released directly to you in accordance with legal clearance and procedures. It is my pleasure to inform you that your ATM Card Number; 5571342020375603 have been approved in your favor. Your Personal Identification Number is 6062. The ATM Card Value is $850,000.00 USD (Eight Hundred and fifty Thousand United States Dollars) You are advised that a most withdrawal value of $15,000.00 USD is permitted on withdrawal per Day and we are duly Inter Switch and you can make withdrawal in any Inter Switch site and ATM Center of your choice. However, you should send him your Full Name/ Telephone Number/ your Residential Address/ Gender: Occupation: New email address for this safety of this transaction Contact Mr George Venizelos immediately for your compensation payment Mr George Venizelos Director- General, ATM Card Payment New York Field Office Phone Number: OR Text Message + 1 719-428-3792 Email: george.v6610@email.com Info: https://www.fbi.gov/newyork/our-leadership/image/george-venizelos-assistant-director-in-charge-new-york-field-office/view He is obliged to give you a call and treat your case with utmost urgency as soon as you contact him and fill out your correct details including all reachable phone numbers for him to get in touch with you via phone and email. NOTE: Under normal circumstances the collection of your ATM CARD the IMF and the Finance Ministry insisted that you pay for the SECURITY KEPPING FEE ONLY of your ATM CARD via western union money transfer OR Money Gram, which will cost you just $300 USD only, the western union payment receipt of $300 USD to the nominated courier company that will carry out with the delivery to your door step to be documented in your file as proof your collection. Ask Mr George Venizelos for the instruction on how to send the delivery fee of $300 to him, Please note that the delivery fee can not be deducted from your ATM CARD due to the fact that no one has the authority to unlock and use your ATM CARD on your behalf because you alone will be the one to first use the card for the first withdrawal with your secret code. We also advise that you stop further communications with these importers and forward any correspondence / proposal you receive from them to Mr George Venizelos in other for the FBI to bring justice to them. Good luck and kind regards, Making the world a better place! Mr.James B. Comey, Jr. THE NEW FBI DIRECTOR http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2013/june/president-nominates-new-fbi-director De: FBI Mesa Diretora (Hon. James B. Comey) info.fbiofficebj14@gmail.com > Data: 2016-05- 09 00:10 GMT-03: 00 Assunto: Conta ATM # 520087621345 Para: Atencao Por favor, (Codigo: 371) Bem, eu sou Hon. James B. Comey, Do diretor do FBI, Washington Headquarters & Departamento de Investigacao, gostaria de acusar a recepcao do correio, o conteudo e bem compreendida. Desculpe pelo atraso na resposta, Seu US $ 1.200.000,00 e, actualmente, apresentar aqui na sua Conta ATM # 520087621345. por isso antes de login para a conta ou usa-lo on-line para fazer qualquer transferencia, e necessario obter o PIN de acesso da FMF como clientes nao residenciais, de modo que voce pode acessar a conta e fazer-transferencia on-line em qualquer conta de sua escolha. Em face do exposto, para obter o PIN de acesso vai custar-lhe o total de US $ unica 75.9Usd, o s razao que multado que para receber o seu cartao Multibanco vai demorar muito tempo por isso eu fui ao banco desde segunda-feira na Republica do Benin e estou de volta para os EUA na semana passada sexta-feira em meu lugar escritorio de Washington. Por favor resposta agora e ligue para o agente de entrega, o Sr. David John, Tele: +1 (747) -248-7095 . Por favor, use Western Union ou Money Gram Ou azimo (Money Express) apenas com as informacoes abaixo: EM FORMACAO __________________ RECEPTOR NOME: JOSEPH ENYERIBE ULOR PAIS: Republica do Benin. CIDADE: COTONOU Add: NO 13 Seme kpoji Rd. Cotonou-Benin. PERGUNTA TEXTO: Para que? RESPOSTA TEXTO: PIN Valor: $ 75.9Usd MTCN: _______ Nome do remetente:_______ Esta prevista para encaminhar o MTCN, nome e endereco do remetente para mim imediatamente depois de fazer o pagamento de hoje, para que eu possa transmitir-lhe todos os detalhes que permitira que voce para acessar a conta ou usar o seu cartao ATM on-line para transferir para qualquer conta . Por favor, envie-nos os numeros de telefone MTCN / seu endereco residencial / Direct A espera de ouvir de voce em breve. Obrigado, Hon. James B. Comey Jr. Codigo: 371. De:Data: 2016-05- 09 00:10 GMT-03: 00Assunto: Conta ATM # 520087621345Para: Subject: Mr. James B. Comey (Director of the FBI ) Date: Thu, 12 May 2016 09:58:56 +0100 FBI Headquarters 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C USA Attn: Sir/Madam, Following report reaching us from Nigeria today You have in the last one year being directly link in a transaction with some syndicates from Nigeria and Canada, USA who under false pretence, have been obtaining money from you on account of remitting Money into your account. On this account we decided to investigate this matter and discovered that this people contacting you are all fraudsters and impersonators. Please is warning about your activities with this people as named below? 1) Rev. Daniel Madu of International Monetary Fund (IMF). 2) Mr Edward Hong from United States Of America, Bank of East Asia 3) Mr. Patrick Brown of Fidelity Trust And Finance Bank Plc 4) MR.LARRY JOHNSON 5) Mrs Cynthia Harisson 6) Barrister Ucheuzo Williams 7) Mr. Ernest Chukwudi Obi 8) Dr. Patrick Aziza Deputy Governor - Policy / Board Member 9) Mr. Tunde Lemo Deputy Governor - Financial Sector Surveillance / Board Member 10) Mrs. W. D. A. Mshelia Deputy Governor - Corporate Services / Board Members 11) Mrs. Okonjo Iweala After having met with the Nigeria Government and the United Nations Anti-Fraud Department, it has been agreed that some kind of Compensation be paid to the innocent Citizen of this our dear Nation (America) who has in one way or the other falling victims of this Cyber Criminal from Nigeria and Africa in General. The FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI) has applied for the immediate release of this Compensation funds to you. After having discovered that our Agreement has not been met with up till this moment Therefore, The Authority of the FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI) through our intelligence Monitoring Network have discovered that some group of unscrupulous elements have fraudulently using the federal government of Nigeria letter headed paper to misinform creditors like you causing a lot of problems and irregularities towards the release of your long overdue payment because of all this fraudulent act this office has been duly intervened on the release of your funds May we advice the source of the fund and also confirmed it's legitimacy and because of this so many imposter, we have decided to assist you so that you receive your funds. We want you to report directly to us and we shall relate your information's to the appropriate body responsibly for the release of your Compensation fund I am mandated to write you so that we can be able to help you recover your funds and get them remitted to you with immediate effect. Note that the FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI) is assured you that your funds will be remitted to you in a shortest period of time. You have to send to us your Contact Details. The exact amount of your fund that was supposedly to be paid you and the total amount you have supposedly paid to that effect. We need this information's to be able to work on your claims as fast as we can. Finally, you are advice to contact the Chairman, ANTI FRAUD UNIT, under the auspices of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. (E.F.C.C), Dr. Ibrahim Magu, to verify how your funds will get to you. Contact his private email address: dirnfpia2016@gmail.com . Contact him immediately, and get back to us furnishing us with all developments. We are here to fight crimes and serve humanity the best way we can. We shall further monitor your funds until you receive your fund. We look forward to your maximum cooperation in anticipation. Yours sincerely, Acknowledge the receipt of this e-mail as soon as possible. God bless America. Yours sincerely, Mr. James B. Comey (Director of the FBI ) Anti-Fraud Unit. Federal Bureau of Investigation Tel: (425) 749 4299 From: fbiupdate@outlook.comSubject: Mr. James B. Comey (Director of the FBI )Date: Thu, 12 May 2016 09:58:56 +0100 > Date: Wed, 18 May 2016 08:43:39 +0000 > From: diplo.michaelwalke44@yahoo.com > Subject: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) > > Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) > Anti-Terrorist And Monitory Crime Division. > Federal Bureau Of Investigation. > J.Edgar.Hoover Building Washington Dc > http://www.fbi.gov/libref/directors/directmain.htm > > Attn:Beneficiary > > I am Mr.James B. Comey, The FBI Director; After proper investigations,we discovered that your impending payment that have been withheld by imposters, claiming to be GODWIN EMEFIELE (Governor of the Central bank of Nigeria), Mr. Patrick Aziza, Mr. Frank Nweke, None existing officials of the Oceanic Bank of Nigeria and Zenith Bank, UK winning Lottery, Andy Lear of Hsbc bank, Coca-Cola winning lottery and among a list of others is now under our custody with the help of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Local Police Force. Investigations revealed that you have spent a lot on your personal earned money just to conclude the successful transfer of your funds to your nominated bank account by obtaining transfer documents as requested by the imposters, costing you a lot of money but all to no avail. The FBI had to send some financial crime investigators from our headquarters in Washington DC to Africa in other to carry out proper investigation, after receiving series of other reports similar to yours as you are not the only person awaiting the legal transfer of funds from Africa. > > The FBI has giving authority to the International Monetary Funds (IMF) to assist the Federal Ministry of Finance and all the organization involved, such as the Central Bank, Zenith Bank, and Legit lottery organizations to immediately commence with the compensation of all the beneficiaries awaiting the successful transfer of their funds. With the help of some of the best Internet investigators attached to the FBI, we traced your information from the Internet as one of the beneficiaries awaiting the successful transfer of funds to your nominated account. I am pleased to inform you that a meeting was held as regards the best way to carry out with the compensation exercise for transparency and most especially to avoid reoccurrence of the delay in transferring your funds and the high cost of procuring transfer documents and came to a final conclusion as all head of organizations involved was duly represented. It was approved to be issued to you as a valid international ATM card cashable at any ATM machine designation in the world. The ATM account has already being credited with two million, five hundred thousand United States dollars. ($2.5,000, 000.00USD) , with a daily Limit of withdrawal of Ten thousand United States Dollars. ($10.000, 00USD).The ATM card has already being packaged and approved to be delivered to your door step via express courier delivery service. > > Contact MR. ANTHONY SAAC {Our FBI ATM Rep.} at the ATM PAYMENT CENTER and reconfirm your delivery information as stated below and your security code with five digit (FBI12) number has to be submitted alongside with your delivery information for security reasons. > > DELIVERY INFROMATION: > FULL NAME AND AGE: > DELIVERY ADDRESS: > CELL PHONE NUMBER: > CURRENT OCCUPATION: > CONTACT INFORMATION: > > NAME: AGENT MR. ANTHONY SAAC > EMAIL ADDRESS: anthonysaac25@yahoo.com > CELL PHONE NUMBER: +234-706-577-4011 > > HAVE IT IN MIND THAT THE DELIVERY FEE OF YOUR PACKAGE DELIVERY TO YOUR DESTINATION HAVE BEEN SETTLED BETWEEN WE AND THE COURIER COMPANY IN CHARGE OF YOUR ATM CARD DELIVERY.SO YOU ARE MANDATED TO PAY FOR THE SECURITY KEEPING FEE ONLY FOR YOUR ATM CARD TO BE DELIVERED TO YOU. A RELIABLE AND A TRUSTED COURIER COMPANY HAVE BEEN CONTRACTED TO DELIVER YOUR PACKAGE TO YOUR DESTINATION,AS SOON AS YOU CONTACT MR. ANTHONY SAAC HE WILL UPDATE YOU WITH THE COURIER COMPANY EMAIL CONTACT ADDRESS IN OTHER TO AVOID ANY UNDUE DELAY OF YOUR ATM CARD. > > NOTE: Under normal circumstances you are suppose to come and collect your ATM CARD in person and sign some documents as proof of the collection of your ATM CARD but the IMF and the Finance Ministry insisted that you pay for the SECURITY KEEPING FEE ONLY of your ATM CARD via western union money transfer, which will cost you only $380.00 USD to cut down travel expenses in other for the western union payment receipt and the receipt of payment of $380.00 USD to the nominated courier company that will carry out with the delivery to your door step to be documented in your file as proof your collection. We hope that is very clear. A receipt to this effect will be sent to you and a copy kept in your file for future documentation. We also advise that you stop further communications with these imposters and forward any correspondence / proposal you receive from them to Mr. BEN JOHNSON in other for the FBI to bring justice to does still at large. > > GOD BLESS US! > REGARDS > MR.JAMES B. COMEY James Comey fbiboss001@yahoo.com > Date: Thu, May 19, 2016 at 12:23 PM Subject: From Department Federal Bureau Of Investigation Proceed With The final payment Get Your Funds ok. To: James Comey, Senior Office Department Federal Bureau Of Investigation FBI.WASHINGTON DC Know More About Me: http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/executives/director Dear i just received an update from Mr Moses Emmanuel this morning regarding the shipping update of your package and he also told me he will assist you with some part of the charge fee and this is the best he can do for now. I know you have spent a lot recently but you need to know this is the last fee required and once the fee is paid Mr. Moses Emmanuel Next flight will be this evening and i want him to act as your diplomat and deliver the package to you. TRY YOUR BEST AND GET A LOAN OF $150 FROM A FRIEND OR RELATION AND PROMISE TO PAY THEM BACK WITHIN 48 HOURS SO THIS TRANSACTION CAN COME TO AN END TODAY AND ONCE THE CHARGE FEE IS PAID YOUR PACKAGE WILL BE DELIVERED TO YOU WITHIN THE NEXT 48 HOURS. YOUR PACKAGE DETAILS A VISA CREDIT CARD WHICH CONTAIN $22 MILLION USD AND THE 2ND CONTAIN A VERIFIED BANK OF AMERICA CASHIER CHECK WHICH CONTAIN $5 MILLION USD WITH ALL BACK UP DOCUMENT EVERYTHING WAS MADE IN YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND THE PACKAGE INCLUDE AN INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO MAKE WITHDRAW WORLD WIDE AND ALSO CASH-OUT THE CHECK WITHIN 18 HOURS BECAUSE IT IS VERIFIED CASHIER CHECK. Use the details below to send the fee $150 USD via western union to the U.S embassy official agent Mose Emmanuel once you receive this email so everything can come to an end. RECEIVER NAME: Moses Emmanuel ADDRESS:LAGOS STATE: LAGOS COUNTRY: NIGERIA ZIP CODE: 23401 TEXT QUESTION: LAND OF ANSWER: HOPE Once payment is made get back to me with the required payment confirmation details so i can forward it to him and i will instruct him to board the next available flight once the required fee is paid. Await your reply and the required payment confirmation details. James Comey, Senior Office Department Federal Bureau Of Investigation FBI.WASHINGTON DC Know More About Me: http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/executives/director From:Date: Thu, May 19, 2016 at 12:23 PMSubject: From Department Federal Bureau Of Investigation Proceed With The final payment Get Your Funds ok.To: Sent: Thu, May 19, 2016 12:41 pm Subject: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. Anti-Terrorist and Monitory Crimes Division. Federal Bureau Of Investigation. J. Edgar. Hoover Building Washington D.C FRAUDWATCH@FBI-ONLINE-INC.US.TT , FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. ATTENTION, Have you received your package from DHL DELIVERY EXPRESS? we got a call from DHL's Rev. James Long saying that you have not contacted them about the delivery of your package in their custody, we want to know what happen because your delivery was sanctioned since last month. Get back to us very urgent and let us know why you have not contacted them about the delivery explain to us your reason of not contacting them your address as the FBI have instructed them. Your urgent response is needed now. BEST REGARDS James Comey Federal Bureau of Investigation J. Edgar Hoover Building 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20535-0001, USA Note: Disregard any email you get from any impostors or offices claiming to be in possession of your ATM card, you are hereby advice only to be in contact with Rev.Dr.James Long who is the rightful person to deal with in regards to your payment and forward any emails you get from impostors to this office so we could act upon it immediately. Help stop cyber crime. From: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION < cllobos@speedy.com.ar >Sent: Thu, May 19, 2016 12:41 pmSubject: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. From: DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FBI < cmassey380@gmail.com > Sent: 23 May 2016 18:23 Subject: Federal Bureau of Investigation United States Department Of Justice Fbi New York 26 Federal Plaza 23rd Floor New. York 10278-0004 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FBI < cmassey380@gmail.com >23 May 2016 18:23Federal Bureau of Investigation United States Department Of Justice Fbi New York 26 Federal Plaza 23rd Floor New. York 10278-0004 Federal Bureau of Investigation United States Department Of Justice FbiNew York26 Federal Plaza 23rd Floor New.York 10278-00 04 Attn:Mr/miss I, JAMES B. COMEY (DOG) is hereby announcing to you that your consignment box worth $10.700.000.00usd received at JFK airport since year 2016 from Benin Republic government authorities and Every necessary fees/charges hasbeen paid by senders except $250.00 for CCC custom clearance certificate but a Lady Mrs. Jane Frederick came forward and claimed you sent her to claim your $10,700,000.00 because you are dead that you are having kidneyproblem in a process of surgery you died . Did you order her to pay for Custom Clearance Certificate (CCC) to claim your fund consignment box ? Also be informed that we came to an agreement with the U.S Custom Authority at (JFK) John F. Kennedy Int'l Airport NYC that you will send $250.00 latest tomorrow morning. This is to bring to your notice that we have just been informed through secrete source that the U.S Custom Authority at (JFK) John F. Kennedy International Airport New York are making arrangement to have your contract fund wired into the Bank account of Mrs. Jane Frederick, the lady that contacted them, earlier and presented some documentations evidencing your claim purported to have being signed personally by you for the release of your contract fund to her, since you have chose to ignore their messages and refuse to pay the required $250 for Custom Clearance Certificate charges as imposed, despite the advise we gave to you. I want to personally assure you once again that you will have every course to smile and be happy upon conclusion of this project, as we will continue monitoring all your services with them at all level as well as your correspondence, until you have received your Metal Trunk Box accordingly. As a LEGAL OWNER, we are here to protect your interest and that is the reason why we are doing all we can to make sure all goes well, this is a huge amount of money which we don't wish for you to lose. We understand that the imposed fee might be too much for you to pay so to further make things easier for you, we have discussed with the U.S Custom Authority at (JFK) John F. Kennedy International Airport New York pleaded on your behalf for them to give you the grace of sending half of the charges $125 for now after which the Diplomatic Agent makes the delivery of your consignment trunk boxes to you then once you receive your fund, you can then pay the balance of $125 , All we want you to do right now is to send the half of the money with the name listed below so we can forward it to Benin Republic Customs authority to help us bobtail the Custom Clearance Certificate and the diplomat will make the delivery to your home address tomorrow morning by 9:00 AM Receiver's Data / information: Receivers Name: Fred Ogene Country: Benin Republic City : Cotonou Text Question: Urgent Answer: Urgent Amount: $ 125 Sender s Name. .MTCN#. . Description of Consignment box to be delivered: Type:. . . CONSIGNMENT TRUNK BOX Size:. . . / 2:1 CM. Weight:. .5.6KG. Colour:. . .BROWN BOX Registration NO: #98952457 Serial #1256784315 Pin number * * * Contact us right away and let me know when you send half of the charges as we discussed with them to enable them route your fund to you with immediate effect. This is a life time opportunity and we will advise you take advantage of it, before it is too late to do so. God bless you! Thanks. Yours in service, Best Regards, JAMES B. COMEY (DOG) BADGE JTT0471011111 FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535 On Wednesday, May 25, 2016 11:46 AM, "James B. Comey," < contact@crownoflifeafrica.org > wrote: FBI HEADQUARTERS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION J. EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING 935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535-0001 Terrorist Screening, checkmating Money laundry/Trafficking, Bank Fraud Scam. Attention: Security Interception of Unsolicited Business Transaction. I am James B. Comey, Jr, the new FBI director nominated by President Barack Obama to replace the previous director Robert S. Mueller due to internal logical protocols guiding international and local transactions, my tenure represent peace, equity and justice and rule of law shall prevail, my duty is to ensure global maximum security and to protect fundamental human rights. FBI has increased their priorities because of the recent global terrorist threat; find below the interception information of the sum $15.5 million United States dollars manifested in your name as the beneficiary, we have every evidence to prosecute this case, movement of funds from different countries based on the security Intel exposing links of terrorism sponsorship. 1) FBI global security wire tape has confirmed that the sum of $15.5 million United States dollars have been severally attempted to be release in your name through different methods like automated card payment system method (ATM) Consignment Diplomatic Delivery, Bank Wire Transfer. Every attempts by your partners to move this funds according to your instructions have been futile and frustrated by the FBI global security hard disc which is been controlled by World Bank international security server , the amount in your name have been abandoned under government security vault which is against international law of money movements, terrorism and trafficking, i met your file at the security strong room with every other transaction's relevant documents without the other three compulsory documents mentioned in this message. 2. Our security Intel have confirmed your email address on the payment manifest booklet, I have clinically crosschecked the manifest and discovered that several business transactions have been linked to your email address, you have consented by either sending money to them or aid the transactions by providing your information for the movement of the funds through several means, your email address is on the hard disc. Security Order: The amount registered in your name is $15.5 million United States dollars which you have to secure the below documents to enable our appointed agents to release your funds according to international government protocols or I will submit your file for legal prosecution if you refuse to pay the official fee of $295 United states dollars through the accredited representative. Use the below information to contact the representative for payment instructions to secure the below three government documents for immediate release of your intercepted funds according to FBI security description. A) IRREVOCABLE PRESIDENTIAL RELEASE ORDER CERTIFICATE B) CONTRACT DEED OF AGREEMENT BLUE PRINT C) 3 YEARS TAX CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE FROM THE UNITED STATE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (IRS.) I.E., PAST 3 YEARS AS THE BENEFICIARY OF THIS SAID FUND. Bellow is the contact of our AGENTIN in Indonesia to make the payment, contact them now and make the payment to them today Contact Officer: HENRY SHAWN Email address: djb.c@hotmail.com Finally, you have to contact him once you receive this message to secure the above mentioned certificates if you do not want legal prosecution at the international court of justice, this message supersedes every other FBI message you have received in the past with this registered serial number TSGFB/13-PL.3R49. We are now waiting for the three certificates so that your funds will be released according to government international security law, you should either follow the instructions or accept court prosecution, do not allow ignorance to affect your sense of reasoning. You should put behind your past dealings with crooks from different country now that i have contacted you, you have only two working days to submit the above mentioned certificates if you do not want to blame yourself for ignoring security instructions, you will be issued an official receipt once you observe the official fee. Regards, James B. Comey, Jr (TSGFB/13-PL.3R49) New Director FBI Cc: Homeland Security Council Cc: CIA Cc: International Police If you received a similar letter, please ignore it. Do not answer it. If you do, you will end up on more of the mailing lists used by the criminals behind this fraud. Read more.... : 1000 - , , , 1000 . In experiments with isolated cystic fibrosis lung cells, University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers and colleagues from two other institutions have partially restored the lost function of those cells. The work is proof-of-concept for using a yeast genetic model to find therapeutic targets, in this case for people with the most common cystic fibrosis mutation, called F508-CFTR. This mutation affects close to 90 percent of patients with cystic fibrosis, and half of those have two copies of the mutation. "The research is the first preclinical study, to our knowledge, that demonstrates therapeutic levels of F508-CFTR function in primary patient cells," said John L. Hartman IV, M.D., associate professor in the UAB Department of Genetics and the Gregory Fleming James Cystic Fibrosis Research Center. The work was recently published in PLOS Biology, and it will next be tested in animal models of cystic fibrosis, says Kathryn Oliver, the graduate student who did the laboratory work at UAB. Cystic fibrosis is a progressive genetic disease marked by persistent lung infections that lead to lung damage and severe difficulty in breathing. The lungs of healthy people produce about two quarts of mucus a day. This mucus is transported up to the throat by the waving motion of hair-like cilia on the cells that line the respiratory tract, a conveyor-belt-like activity that removes bacteria, viruses and small particles that were inhaled into the lungs. The defective gene in cystic fibrosis results in a thick, viscous mucus that resists transport. The gene product, called CFTR, is a tiny channel that pushes chloride ions across the cell membrane of secretory epithelial cells. Water moves along with those ions to lubricate the extracellular cilia and, consequently, the mucus. In cystic fibrosis patients, the channel is broken, so the cilia and mucus do not get hydrated. UAB researchers, along with colleagues at McGill University, Montreal, Canada, and Emory University, Atlanta, restored the chloride channel by the additive effects of suppressing a ribosomal protein called Rpl12 and use of the investigational drug VX-809, or Lumacaftor. Together, these two treatments were able to restore CFTR chloride transport to 50 percent of the normal activity in bronchial epithelial cells. This level, if achieved in patients, could be enough to produce healthy lung function. This work is proof-of-concept for discovering novel therapeutic targets for patients, using genomewide gene interaction analysis with a yeast homolog. The common ancestor of yeast and humans diverged about a billion years ago, but there is still enough functional conservation between some pairs of yeast and human genes that they can be substituted for each other. "We are curious about the extent to which yeast genetic models can reveal gene interaction networks relevant to human disease," Hartman said. "For cystic fibrosis, this yeast phenomics approach appears to be very useful." Details Cystic fibrosis (CF) occurs when a person inherits a dysfunctional copy of the CFTR protein from his or her mother and father, yielding two mutations in that patient. CFTR stands for the CF transmembrane conductance regulator, an ATP-powered ion channel that spans the cell membrane. The most common CF mutation, F508-CFTR, is a deletion of one phenylalanine amino acid residue from the CFTR protein. This deletion interferes with proper folding of the CFTR protein inside the cell, leading to degradation of the nascent polypeptide at the endoplasmic reticulum. Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today Yeast has a homolog to CFTR called YOR1, a pump that exports the mitochondrial toxin oligomycin, making the yeast resistant to oligomycin. From an evolutionary perspective, YOR1 is in the same protein family as CFTR and possesses the equivalent mutation to human F508-CFTR, known as F670-YOR1. F670-YOR1 is misfolded and degraded in yeast cells in a manner similar to F508-CFTR in human lung cells. Thus, F670-YOR1 was introduced systematically into every one of approximately 4,700 different yeast strains, each harboring loss of function in a single yeast gene. The purpose? To find targets for rescuing the misfolding of F670-YOR1. F670-YOR1 function is measured by changes in oligomycin resistance that were detected by new technology developed in the Hartman laboratory quantitative high-throughput cell array phenotyping, or Q-HTCP. This technology collects tens of thousands of growth curves simultaneously, allowing precise and accurate quantification of the growth response of all 4,700 mutants to inhibitory treatments like oligomycin. In these unbiased yeast studies, numerous genes, including RPL12, were identified as potential targets that could restore proper F670-YOR1 folding and prevent endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation, and therefore, by analogy, also rescue F508-CFTR activity. Based on the yeast results, experiments with human CF cells were conducted using small interfering RNA to suppress levels of the corresponding target proteins, particularly RPL12, a ribosomal stalk protein involved in translation of mRNA. This inhibition of RPL12 increased the plasma membrane density, function and stability of F508-CFTR at the apical surface of primary bronchial epithelial cells isolated from five different patients carrying F508-CFTR. Suppression of RPL12 slows the rate of translation elongation of nascent F508-CFTR protein at the ribosomal surface, which may reduce the amount of misfolded proteins during synthesis. When RPL12 inhibition was combined with the small-molecule corrector VX-809, CFTR function in mutant cells increased to 50 percent of the wild-type level, which is well above the 30 percent threshold believed to be beneficial for patients with CF. VX-809 acts as a molecular chaperone to promote folding of F508-CFTR, but the drug showed only modest benefits in clinical trials with patients who have two copies of the F508-CFTR mutation. Taken together, this work provides the first evidence that novel therapeutic strategies for human patients can be identified based on yeast studies, and that targeting a ribosomal protein (Rpl12) together with VX-809 can rescue CFTR function to therapeutically relevant levels. A person is admitted to the hospital with a stroke, but not much is known about whether or not that patient will undergo neuroimaging. A team led by Achala Vagal, MD, associate professor at the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine and a UC Health radiologist, wanted to see whether differences in race, sex and/or age mattered when it came to neuroimaging use, and these findings, which showed a difference for young patients, men and African-Americans, will be presented at the American Society of Neuroradiology's annual meeting May 25 in Washington, DC. "Rates of diagnostic workup in stroke have increased over time; however, less is known about differences in utilization of neuroimaging for stroke from a population perspective," she says. "In this study, we found that age, sex and race do matter as far as neuroimaging use is concerned." This study used data from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Stroke Study for which UC Department of Neurology's Brett Kissela, MD, and Dawn Kleindorfer, MD, are co-principal investigators. The dataset includes cases from hospitals, clinics, coroners' offices, nursing homes and physician offices from a five-county region that is representative of the United States for age, percentage of African-American residents, median income and educational level. Patient charts and imaging records from stroke patients in calendar years 2005 and 2010 were pulled by research nurses and reviewed by study physicians. The proportion of imaging use within two days of stroke occurrence or hospital admission date, including head CT without contrast, head MRI, CT angiogram, MR angiogram and carotid ultrasound, was calculated. Researchers also calculated odds of using advanced imaging, adjusting for insurance, the baseline using the NIH stroke scale, patients who came to the emergency room first and the hospital typeacademic versus community hospital. "In 2005, there were 3,471 stroke or mini-stroke (transient ischemic attack) events with imaging data available in 3,226 patients, and in 2010, there were 3,431 events with imaging data in 3,213 patients," Vagal says. "We found that a higher proportion of males received MRI, 55 percent versus 51 percent, and MR angiogram, 36 percent versus 31 percent, as compared to females in both 2005 and 2010 with no gender differences in use of the other imaging techniques. "A higher proportion of African-Americans received head CT imaging without contrast, 96 percent versus 92 percent, MRI, 59 percent versus 51 percent, and MR angiogram, 41 percent versus 31 percent, as compared to Caucasians with no racial difference in the other imaging modalities. All imaging use except CT without contrast and carotid ultrasound was higher in younger patients, aged less than 55 years, as compared to older patients." The odds of receiving advanced imaging was higher in younger patients (less than 55-years-old), African-American patients and patients who came to an academic center or were seen by a stroke team/neurologist. She says results also showed that odds of receiving a head CT scan without contrast did not differ significantly by age, sex and race. "The differences discovered in this study may be partly driven by age, with younger patients getting more extensive workups and partly by access to stroke expertise," she says. "However, further understanding of the contributors can provide an important basis for newer lines of inquiry into environmental, socioeconomic and access to health care issues." WHO Member States today agreed to one of the most profound transformations in the Organization's history, establishing a new Health Emergencies Programme. The programme adds operational capabilities for outbreaks and humanitarian emergencies to complement its traditional technical and normative roles. The new programme is designed to deliver rapid, predictable, and comprehensive support to countries and communities as they prepare for, face or recover from emergencies caused by any type of hazard to human health, whether disease outbreaks, natural or man-made disasters or conflicts. WHO will provide leadership within the context of the International Health Regulations and health, in relation to the broader humanitarian and disaster-management system. As health cluster lead, it will draw on the respective strengths and expertise of a wide range of partners and Member States. In order to fulfil these new responsibilities, delegates agreed a budget of US$ 494 million for the Programme for 20162017. This is an increase of US$160 million to the existing Programme Budget for WHO's work in emergencies. Delegates welcomed the progress WHO has made in developing the new Health Emergencies Programme, noting the new implementation plan and timeline, and the establishment of an Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee for the new programme. They encouraged the ongoing collaboration with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to align the management of disease outbreaks and other biological emergencies with the mechanisms and capacities of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee. They requested the WHO Director-General to report to the Seventieth World Health Assembly on progress made in establishing and operationalizing the programme. Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, addressed the World Health Assembly today. She stressed the links between climate change and health, including those related to the spread of vector-borne diseases. Her address was followed by a technical briefing that underscored the need for multisectoral action in order to achieve the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and agreement on a new resolution on meeting those goals. Climate change and health Ms Figueres thanked Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General, for first insisting on the need to reach an agreement on climate change because of its effects on health. Congratulating the worlds heads of states for reaching last years Paris Agreement on climate change, she called on governments to act on the agreement. She encouraged health ministers to take the lead, noting that one of the most urgent aspects of climate change is its impact on health. Nevertheless, only 15% of the countries that have drawn up plans for climate change refer to health in those plans. Ms Figueres also stressed the importance of taking action to prevent health problems, noting that the great majority of health interventions currently focus on treatment. She ended with a warning that if the world does not fundamentally change its approach to energy within the next five years, there is a risk that damage to the atmosphere will be irrevocable and continue to impact on health for decades. Sustainable Development Goals Delegates agreed to strengthen national health systems to progress towards universal health coverage, as a key way of achieving the health-related Sustainable Development Goals. The resolution highlights the need to strengthen a range of essential public health functions. This will involve investing adequate, sustainable resources in health-system strengthening; enhancing the education, recruitment and retention of health workers; tackling social, environmental and economic determinants of health; and improving the monitoring and analysis of health outcomes. In September last year the United Nations General Assembly adopted the SDGs, an ambitious set of 17 goals with 169 targets for achieving a fairer, safer and healthier world by 2030. The health-related targets are concentrated in, but not limited to, Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. They include a target of achieving universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all. Universal health coverage, supported by resilient national health systems based on strong primary care, is widely regarded as the best defence countries can have against outbreaks of infectious diseases such as Ebola and Zika, as well the burgeoning burden and costs of noncommunicable diseases such as cancer and diabetes. With its focus on equity, it represents an essential strategy towards the fulfilment of one of the core principles of the SDGs: leaving no one behind. Of all the celebrities in the world, the ones most commonly mistaken with each other are Daniel Radcliffe and Elijah Wood. It's not that they look very much alike. If one looks closely, they do look quite different. But because they have worked in similar projects in the same time period, people have created the idea that the 'Harry Potter' star and the 'Lord of the Rings' star share the same face.Actor Daniel Radcliffe has addressed this issue in the past in a Reddit AMA. "I have signed a picture of Elijah Wood and I think we've also both said in interviews that we would like each other to play each other in films of our lives, but I was on a red carpet in Japan, and this Japanese man gave me a picture of Elijah, and I knew I wasn't going to get past the language barrier to explain, so I wrote 'I am not Elijah Wood, signed Daniel Radcliffe.'"But all that aside, the internet still likes to poke fun of the fact that they do look similar. Reddit user JamAndPickles created a GIF of Daniel Radcliffe transforming into Elijah Wood , or is it the other way round? Either way, the GIF created the most hypnotic effect and you will for a moment get confused as to who is who. But this isn't the first time something like this happened.Another Reddit user XxKittenMittonsXx had created something similar last year and as the one before, this too is on point.Guess we'll always mix up Harry Baggins and Frodo Potter. New Delhi: The Indian community in Congo is facing the wrath of the natives over the killing of a Congolese man in Delhi. Several protesters took to streets in Congo's capital Kinshasa demanding appropriate action from the Indian government into the murder case of 23-year-old Congolese national MK Olivier. Hundreds of protesters allegedly forced Indian shopkeepers to keep their business shut till and even attacked their property demanding appropriate action in the case. There are about 5,000 Indians in Kinshasa. India on Wednesday had assured the African countries of safety of their nationals. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her junior minister VK Singh went into damage-control mode after the African Heads of Missions (HoMs) sought deferment of the African Day event, expressing outrage over the recent killing and demanded steps against "racism and Afro-phobia". Swaraj said she had asked Lt Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung to take necessary steps and ensure that the murder case is tried by a fast track court. The External Affairs Ministry, in a statement, said Swaraj was personally monitoring the matter and assured the African envoys that safety and security of their nationals would be ensured. The prime accused Mobin Saifi was arrested a day after the incident while his accomplice Prakash was arrested two days ago. The third accused Mukesh is still at large. Police are trying to trace Mukesh. He is suspected to be hiding in one of the three states -- Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Mukesh was earlier arrested in a case of cheating and became friends with Saifi in Tihar prison in 2015. Saifi himself was arrested earlier in cases of criminal assault and molestation. Olivier was a French teacher at a private institute in Delhi. He was allegedly beaten to death by the three men while he was returning from a friend's house in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj area on the night of May 20. While Olivier's friend and other African nationals in the area who rushed to his rescue alleged that the attack on Oliver took place on racial lines, senior police officials denied the allegations and claimed that this was not an incident of hate crime. The fight between Oliver and the group broke out over hiring an auto-rickshaw, police claimed. (With inputs from PTI) Bengaluru: Come June 4, something unprecedented may happen in Karnataka. The police constables across the state are threatening to go on strike on that day. The police force has never gone on strike in the past and rules also dont permit them to abandon duty and protest. Karnataka State Police Association president Shashidhar has asked police constables to go on one day mass casual leave in protest against increasing political interference, low salaries and poor working conditions. Karnataka has over 73,000 police officials. Of them, over 60,000 are police constables and over 10,000 of them have already applied for a days leave on June 4. Other constables are hesitating to join the strike fearing loss of job. Alarmed by a possible state-wide strike by the constables, Karnataka Director General of Police Omprakash has ordered all ADGPs, IGPs, Police Commissioners and SPs not to sanction the mass casual leave on June 4. Speaking to News18.com over telephone he said, "I have asked all top police officers and SPs to visit all police stations to listen to the grievances of constables. They will also explain what the state government has done for them in the last two years. The government has done a lot for them and will do more in the days to come. I have personally done maximum for them. Many basic allowances have been revised. We are handling the situation well." According to government records, Shashidhar is a suspended constable. Moreover, rules dont permit police constables to form associations and trade unions. The Karnataka State Police Association itself is illegal, the state government has claimed. Reacting to the development, Shashidhar said, State government has not done anything for us. After all our attempts failed to draw the attention of the people in power, we have decided to go on a strike. Constables are being treated like second class citizens. Senior officers treat them like slaves. In the name of discipline, we are constantly harassed." He demanded that police constables should have their own wage board and police reforms should be implemented. He also claims that constables get paid much more in neighbouring states than what they get in Karnataka. However, Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara said that nobody had contacted him with the demands. New Delhi: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday slammed the Centre after the Supreme Court allowed Italian marine Salvatore Girone, who is one of the accused in the 2012 killing of two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast, to go home. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Pinky Anand, appearing for the Centre, had told the Supreme Court that the government does not object if conditions are relaxed on the same lines as was done in the case of Massimiliano Latorre (another accused in the case). The court then allowed Girone to return to Italy subject to certain conditions. But Vijayan took on the Centre. "On Italian Marines case, Centres stand is unacceptable. Italian marines must be tried in India," he said just a day after taking oath as the Chief Minister of Kerala. Earlier in the day, Girone was allowed to return to Italy by the SC during arbitration into the 2012 deaths of two Indian fishermen. It also said that they shall be brought to India as and when required. Girone is one of the two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast. The other accused in the case, Massimiliano Latorre, is already in Italy. He was allowed to go Italy by the apex court in September 2014 on health grounds. Here are some important reports from the biggest newspapers of India: 1.) No Confirmed Seat in Rajdhani? You Can Fly Air India If your Rajdhani train ticket is not confirmed then you can fly Air India to your destination at the same fare as AC first class, as the national carrier has entered into an agreement with Indian Railways' ticketing arm to sell those tickets, The Economic Times reported. The fares will be AC first fares for AC first class passengers while AC II passengers will be charged AC II fares plus Rs 1,500, he said. The facility is, as of now, being launched only for Rajdhani trains, Air India chairman Ashwani Lohani said on Wednesday. Travel analysts welcomed the move, saying this will help the airline fill seats. 2.) Jaish came close to striking Delhi in Dec 2015 In the winter of 2015, when Indian agencies were busy tracking down alQaida modules, two Jaish-e-Muhammed terrorists had quietly sneaked into the capital. Intelligence sources said the duo rented a room in Lajpat Nagar, assembled six improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and recced at least four places for a strike, including the Taj Mahal and two city spots -Iskcon temple and the Select Citywalk mall in Saket. The IEDs were specially prepared, using ingredients such as shampoo, a highly placed source told The Times of India. By mid-December, the two were ready to carry out the strike. A control room was set up in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and instructions were being passed by the handler, who was in touch with the mastermind, codenamed MAR. 3.) Modi govt to give Aadhaar in the cradle Newborns may soon start getting Aadhaar as part of the Narendra Modi government's efforts to provide the unique identification number to all residents by March 2017. Plans are afoot to click infants in the hospital cradle itself and link their pictures to the details of their parents for generating Aadhaar numbers, UIDAI director general Ajay Bhushan Pandey told The Economic Times. This follows PM Modi's directive to UIDAI, after the authority crossed the 100 crore mark in April, to expedite Aadhaar enrolments and cover the remaining 28 crore residents. 4.) Juhu Beach is for our runway, says AAI; halts beautification The plan to beautify Juhu beach is set to become the subject of an ugly spat between the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and local politicians, The Mumbai Mirror reports. The AAI has raised objections to any changes to the beach, saying they would obstruct the planned extension of Juhu airport's runway into the sea, a long-debated project that now seems "certain" for a take-off. 5.) Hot yoga guru back in India as US empire sinks under bad publicity Bad publicity continues to dog hot yoga guru Bikram Choudhury, who was in the news early this year when he paid $7.5 million as punitive damages to his former lawyer who accused him of sexual harassment. As a string of harassment and rape lawsuits began to sink his yoga empire in the US, the 69-year-old packed his bags and moved to India, making Lonavlas Aamby Valley his base. Meenakshi Jaffa-Bodden, the woman who won the lawsuit against Choudhury in January, told MidDay, "Bikram closed his international headquarters and flagship studio in Los Angeles following the verdict in the case, and has moved his teacher training to a resort in India at Aamby Valley. In the US, we understand his teacher training numbers are significantly down, with less than 50 paid attendees. 6.) Are you waiting for god to solve problems, asks Delhi HC to govt Pulling up the Delhi government again over the delay in formulating building rules and bylaws, the Delhi High Court Wednesday gave it a 'final opportunity' to file the finalised rules within four weeks, The Indian Express reported. These are man-made problems. Are you waiting for god to come down and solve them, asked the bench of Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva after the government yet again informed the court that it was working on the new building bylaws. The government also blamed the municipal corporations for the large number of unauthorised buildings across the city. 7.) Cigarette packs to list penalty for sale to kids? All tobacco products and liquor bottles may soon carry a label warning sellers and buyers that giving or selling the intoxicants to a child may land them in jail for seven years or bring a fine of up to a lakh, or both, The Times of India reported. The provisions are part of draft rules under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, and come at a time when tobacco companies are resisting a recent directive that mandates them to print pictorial warnings depicting the ill effects of its various products on 85% of the surface area of packets. The draft rules, released by women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi on Wednesday, also mandate that tobacco products or liquor not be sold within 200 metres of a child care institution or Juvenile Justice Board office. 8.) Traffic snarls on DND-Ashram route may continue for 2 days Commuters in and around DND and Ashram area have spent hours stuck in traffic snarls in the last two days following the dislocation of a gantry crane at an under-construction Metro site at Ashram Chowk during the dust storm Monday evening. Traffic authorities have been forced to cordon off the DND-Ashram carriageway. Officials said it will take at least two more days to clear the area. Vehicles on their way to Badarpur from Barapullah were also affected by the blocked road, The Indian Express reported. 9.) Pals use CBI officer to rob teen of car In a dramatic incident, four persons were arrested by Byculla police in a kidnapping and extortion case on Wednesday. As per the police, two friends of the complainant are accused in the case as they kidnapped him by sending a fake CBI officer and demanded Rs 10 lakh for his release. The accused later pretended that he had paid Rs 10 lakh to the CBI officer for his release and to get that money from the victims father they took his Skoda car. The car, a police plate and another vehicle, Xylo, used for kidnapping have been recovered, The DNA reported. 10.) 'Banned software used to call don' Stating that the so-called phone call from the underworld don Dawood Ibrahim was made using a banned softwares like CrazyCall, revenue minister Eknath Khadse on Wednesday informed that the Cabinet meeting was also apprised of the same and it has expressed concern over the issue. Khadse revealed that he has received vital call details from Pakistan and he has handed over the details to the investigating agencies. An IT professional also demonstrated the software in front of the mediapersons at Khadses cabin. The software enables one to call anyone from anywhere in the world and phone number of any person can be displayed on the phone which receives the call, The DNA reported. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russian companies are keen on buying infrastructure assets in Greece. "Russia could also help streamlining the Greek transport infrastructure. We are referring to the participation of Russian business entities in the forthcoming Greek tenders for the purchase of assets of railway companies and the Thessaloniki port facilities," Putin wrote in an article for the Greek newspaper Kathimerini ahead of his visit to Greece. "Also on the agenda are a number of other projects that can considerably enhance the potential of bilateral cooperation," the president noted. "I hope that we will further intensify our dialogue in various fields and jointly implement our plans," Putin wrote. New Delhi: Italian marine Salvatore Girone has been allowed to return to Italy by the Supreme Court (SC) during arbitration into the 2012 deaths of two Indian fishermen. "Having considered submissions of the parties subject to conditions the Italian marine Salvatore Girone's bail conditions are modified. An undertaking by the Italian Ambassador shall be filed in the Supreme Court saying that he shall return to India within a month of the tribunal's order holding the Indian government has jurisdiction," said a vacation bench of Justices PC Pant and DY Chandrachud on Thursday. "The Italian marine shall be brought to India as and when required by Supreme Court order," the bench said. Girone is one of the two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast. The other accused in the case, Massimiliano Latorre, is already in Italy after being allowed by the apex court in September 2014 to return home. Recently, Italy requested the SC to urgently enforce a United Nations arbitration tribunal's decision for immediate return of Girone to Italy. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Pinky Anand, appearing for the Centre, had said the government does not object if conditions are relaxed on the same lines as was done in the case of Latorre. Srinagar: Normal life was disrupted in Kashmir Valley on Thursday due to a strike called by separatist groups to protest against the "proposed plans" to establish Sainik Colony, settlements for migrant Kashmiri Pandits and induction of new industrial policy in the state. Most of the shops, business establishments and petrol pumps were shut in Srinagar, while government offices and banks witnessed thin attendance. Public transport was also off the roads, while private cars, cabs and auto-rickshaws were seen plying normally. Private schools also remained closed due to the strike, the officials said. They said reports of shutdown were received from other districts of the Valley as well. Both the factions of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF, on Monday, had jointly called for a shutdown against the "proposed plans of creation of the separate clusters for the Pandits, establishing of Sainik colonies, induction of new anti-Kashmir industrial policy and the attempts of demographic changes in Jammu and Kashmir". On May 23, Chairman of moderate Hurriyat Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF Chief Mohammad Yasin Malik called on hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani at his Hyderpora residence and held a closed door meeting for about one-and-a-half hours in which they decided to call for the general strike on May 26, a statement issued by hardline Hurriyat said. While the chairman of hardline Hurriyat Conferences Syed Ali Shah Geelani continued to be under house arrest, moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq was put under house detention on Wednesday. At present, there are about 62,000 registered Kashmiri migrant families in the country, who have moved from the Valley to Jammu, Delhi and other parts of the country after the state was rocked by militancy in 1989. New Delhi: Bollywood's outspoken actress Richa Chadha has come out in the open about her battle with bulimia, which began when she was asked to "gain weight, then lose weight, fix my nose and inflate my lips" for her showbiz journey, something which led her "confidence to evaporate". She spoke about the eating disorders that exist among industry members , a "best kept secret" at a TedX Talks, a platform that helps people share ideas that will motivate and inspire others. Richa, who has found popularity with unconventional roles in films like 'Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!', 'Fukrey', 'Gangs Of Wasseypur' and 'Masaan', spoke about how she thought she was beautiful and intelligent as a child, but her self-confidence took a beating when she headed out to chase her Bollywood dreams. As a part of the TEDx Talks, Richa, whose latest release is 'Sarbjit', said: "Till I lived in Delhi, with my parents, I always felt beautiful and intelligent. It was only when I became an actor that I felt my confidence evaporate. "Self-doubt exists in everyones minds. But I do feel actors have it a lot worse. We deal with rejection on many levels on a daily basis. While we deal with civilian (yes, that's what I call people that dont work in showbiz) issues, we also have to listen to, in my cheeky humble opinion, people that arent so blessed themselves tell you that you are very unsuitable looking." Sharing some secrets, she said: "I was told I should gain weight, then lose weight, fix my nose and inflate my lips, get a b**b job, lose the puppy fat, grow my hair out, or cut it, get highlights, or fake eyelash extensions, squat for a bigger b**ty, get fake gel nails, run in heels, wear spanx, pout will talking, focus on dilating the pupils, and listen attentively. "I crumbled under the pressure like a wrecking ball had hit me." Bulimia, she said, was the 'Big B' that she had to deal with. "Anyone know what that is? It's when you consistently hate what you look like, and compulsively induce vomiting, throw up all the food you eat, accompanied often by binge eating, general anxiety and sadness and believing basically that you are unworthy. "What are the implications of it? You become drastically unhealthy, low on nutrition, with lack of sleep and basically over time have little zest for anything at all. I hated myself, gained weight in a strange way and felt like a failure. "Eating disorders are the best kept secret of showbiz." The TedX Talk featuring Richa will be showcased online next week. Mumbai: Actress Sonam Kapoor and international star Sir Ian McKellen inaugurated the Kashish Film Festival, here late Wednesday. "I'm here for Kashish, and I'm here because I strongly believe in what this film festival stands for, that it's a basic human rights; it's not about being lesbian, gay, female, male, transsexual, anything, it's about being able to be who you want to be and somebody who is just themselves. I'm a strong supporter of basic human rights," Sonam said. McKellen is also a homosexual, who is known for his work in films such as 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit'. He was present along with superstar Aamir Khan to discuss William Shakespeare at the MAMI Film Festival a few days back. "I just want to say how happy I am to be at Kashish; it's my first visit to Mumbai. I made many friends already and I hope this evening to make many more. I've come to Mumbai to celebrate Shakespeare and to celebrate the connections between the United Kingdom and your country. And I've also come to support those who want to get rid of section 377 (which criminalizes homosexuality)," McKellen said. Kashish Film Festival is the South Asia's biggest LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) film festival and this is the seventh edition of the festival. Even as the Narendra Modi government is celebrating its second year anniversary, the Congress has claimed that the BJP-led NDA regime is only repackaging the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) schemes. Addressing the joint press conference, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Kapil Sibal and Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that the two years of the Modi government has been full of "hollow promises". "Modi is all talk and no work. Farmers are battling drought. In Bundelkhand, they are being forced to eat grass and chapati. (Bhasan veer Modi Karamveer Modi nahi ban paye, Kisan sukhe se grasth hain. Bundelkhand main roti aur ghaas khane par majboor hain)," Surjewala said. "This government is only repackaging the previous government schemes. Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) is now Swachch Bharat Abhiyan, Planning Commission is now Niti Ayaog," Azad said. Terming the performance of two-year-old Modi Government as the "most disappointing" for any dispensation since Independence, Congress said there is little to celebrate for the country. "I want to ask Modiji why this celebration. Is there prosperity all around in the nation? Youths haven't got jobs, farmers are still committing suicide, farmers are not making any profits so why this celebration," Sibal added. The opposition party alleged that the NDA government is "surviving just on advertisements" and challenged it for debate. The AICC also released a short film titled "pragati ki tham gai chaal, do saal, desh ka bura haal (The pace of progress has been halted, the country in a bad shape in two years)", slamming the government on 10 issues, besides making a power-point presentation which projected the government's performance as "abysmal". A vehicle in the convoy of former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manhji was set on fire in Dumaria, in Gaya district of the state, on Thursday morning. The pilot vehicle was attacked by a large group of people when Manjhi was on his way to Dumaria to meet a group protesting against Lok Janshakti Party's leader Sudesh Paswan's murder. LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan targeted the Nitish Kumar government for the attack on Manjhis convoy and the murder, "Is this the Mangal Raj they promised? He is not the first LJP leader who has been killed. Chirag Paswan has gone there to protest against the murder," he said. Sudesh and his cousin, who was a panchayat poll candidate, were killed by suspected Maoists on Wednesday evening. The LJP leader was going with his cousin Sunil Paswan and some supporters when they were attacked near Dubat Tola, Additional Superintendent of Police Manoj Yadav said. The deceased LJP leaders wife Maya Rani is mukhiya of Kachar panchayat where she is seeking re-election in on-going panchayat polls. Sunil Paswan was a candidate for member of Kachar panchayat. The attackers also burnt a car, a mini truck and a motorcycle moving with the deceased LJP leader. As Narendra Modi completes two years in power, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ally Shiv Sena has yet again trained its guns at the Prime Minister. In its mouthpiece Saamana, the Sena hit out at Modi's foreign tours. It said that Prime Minister will have to decide whether he is a resident of India or a Non Resident Indian (NRI). While BJP is celebrating its success in Assam, the Sena claimed that the party failed to do well in four other states. "BJP was only able to win Assam but failed to secure a major chunk of seats in other states despite BJP President Amit Shah's big push, the editorial said. Sena also alleged that when Modi came to power, several schemes were announced but they are yet to reach the common man. It said that the Centre, in the past two years, has taken no significant action to tackle black money. "Modi said he will bring back the black money and deposit it in the bank accounts of the citizens. But this has not happened even in two years and farmers have been committing suicide," Sena said. This is not the first time the Sena has attacked the BJP. After the BJP's victory in Assam assembly elections, Sena leader Sanjay Raut had said, "Achche din for BJP in Assam but regional parties are strong. They will only get stronger. BJP couldn't fight these regional parties in other three states despite Modi wave. It's a threat to BJP." Prime Minister Narendra Modi has completed two years in office. Like US President Barack Obama, Modi also rode to power on audacity of hope. After two years, the voters and political rivals are questioning him over his two years of achievements. His two years in power have fluctuated from extreme adulation to extreme criticism. Like any other leader, Modi also has his highs and lows, some achievements to flaunt and some controversies to hide. Highs of Modi Government Brand Modi helped BJP to win Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand and Jammu & Kashmir Assembly elections within six months of him coming to power at the Centre. He got crucial bills like Real Estate and Aadhaar Bills passed in Parliament. The Land Border Agreement (LBA) with Bangladesh was finally signed and re-drawing of boundaries with the eastern neighbour became a reality after almost 70 years. His government has been so far scam free with no major allegations of financial corruption or nepotism. He has consolidated his hold over both the government and the party, silencing his critics and rivals. His initiatives like Make in India, Digital India, Swach Bharat, Yoga Day, Beti Bachao Beti Padao, Jan Dhan Yojana, etc. have yielded mixed results. BJPs win in Assam and opening of its account in Kerala Assembly have convinced the party that Brand Modi is still strong. Another major feather in his cap has been the signing of the deal to develop Chabahar port in Iran which means India will no longer depend on Pakistan to reach Afghanistan and Central Asian countries. Lows of Modi Government The first major blow was BJPs complete demolition at the hands of Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP in Delhi elections in February 2015. It took some sheen off Brand Modi. A few months later, the BJP suffered yet another humiliating defeat in Bihar at the hands of Nitish KumarLalu Prasad combine even though Modi had campaigned extensively in the state. He has failed to get the contentious Goods & Services Tax Bill passed in Parliament. Motormouth MPs and ministers like Sakshi Maharaj, Giriraj Singh, Sadhvi Niranjan, General VK Singh and Uma Bharti caused him much embarrassment in the last two years. Their remarks on various issues led to a huge furore. He is also accused of not doing anything to rein in his colleagues. His olive branches to Pakistan yielded nothing. Pakistani leadership embarrassed him by continuing with terror attacks and other subversive activities across the border. The unprecedented drought in over 200 districts has also raised serious doubts over the efficacy of his government. Recently, the BJP miserably failed to make any impact in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry Assembly polls. Controversies Galore In the last one year, Modi has battled controversies on a daily basis. The suicide of PhD scholar Rohit Vemula at the Hyderabad Central University, sedition charges against some JNU students, debate on nationalism, Bharat Mata Ki Jai controversy, minority issues, revocation of Presidents rule in Uttarakhand by the Supreme Court, National Herald case, failed foreign policy in neighbouring countries like Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, etc. have also attracted sharp criticism. His many foreign tours have also come under attack by the opposition. Modi has three more years to go before he faces another Lok Sabha election which will decide his and BJPs future. If India receives a good monsoon this year and the BJP manages to do well in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab Assembly elections in 2017, Modi can heave a sigh of relief and can say that he has delivered. New Delhi: India has said Apple Inc must meet a rule obliging foreign retailers to sell at least 30 per cent locally-sourced goods if it wishes to open stores in the country, a senior government official told Reuters. Apple is hoping to expand its retail presence in India, one of the world's fastest-growing smartphone markets, at a time when sales in the United States and China have slowed. A change in legislation last year exempted foreign retailers selling high-tech goods from the rule, which states 30 per cent of the value of goods sold in the store should be made in India. However, Apple's products were not considered to be in this category, said the official, who has direct knowledge of the matter. He declined to be named as the decision by the finance ministry is not public. A finance ministry spokesman was not immediately available for comment. "They did ask for a waiver but didn't provide any material on record to justify it. The decision was taken only after a thorough examination of their application," the source said. The waiver is available only for investment in "state of the art" or "cutting-edge technology", he added. An Apple spokesman declined to comment when contacted by Reuters on Wednesday. Most Apple products are made in China. The decision is a setback for the US-based company just days after a four-day trip to the country by Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook who met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last Saturday. The trip was supposed set the stage for Apple's expansion plans. Sources have said Apple planned to open at least three stores in India by the end of 2017. Separate sources had previously told Reuters that Apple held talks with Indian government officials about a relaxation of the rule before it filed an application to open stores in January. Huawei has filed lawsuits for patent infringement against Samsung in the United States and China, including District Court for the Northern District of California and Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court. In these lawsuits, Huawei seeks compensation for Samsungs infringement of Huaweis intellectual property, including valuable patents relating to cellular communications technology and software used by Samsung's mobile phones. As a major holder of standard essential patents relating to cellular networks, Huawei is committed to licensing these patents on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms, but it believes that it is entitled to reasonable compensation from firms that use its technology without such a license. Samsung is yet to reply with its statement over this issue. Russian domestic meat production has already reached such as level that there is no longer a place in the country for European meat, Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev said on Wednesday. "We have learned to produce fairly competitive products, devaluation helped us in this. If all barriers were to be removed now and French beef or German pork came here, they would cost more taking into account logistics. We're very competitive, which means there is no place in Russia for European meat," Tkachev told reporters. Consumers have also already become accustomed to domestic production, the minister said. Speaking at a ministry meeting on Wednesday, Tkachev shared his impressions from a recent meeting in Paris meeting with representatives of France's Agriculture Ministry and the European Union. Representatives of these countries still see Russia as a region to which it is only possible to ship their products, a "territory suitable for the sale of products, foremost livestock farming products," Tkachev said. They still believe that there is a huge food shortage in Russia and that Russians cannot feed themselves, he added. "On one hand, I felt a feeling of bitterness that we are seen as a country for sales, but on the other hand, I felt pride that the 'golden age' when everything could be shipped to Russia unimpeded has passed, and even if the sanctions [restricting food imports into Russia] are lifted, their products are no longer needed," Tkachev said. "We're on the right path," Tkachev said, speaking about the export orientation of Russia's agricultural sector. Tkachev also said that one of the issues discussed at the recent meeting of the International Epizootic Bureau that he attended was giving Russia the status of a country free of foot-and-mouth disease. "This is very important for us, particularly for exports of livestock products," the minister said. Virginias State Corporation Commission held its only scheduled public hearing on the proposed $48 billion merger of Anthem Inc. and Cigna Corp. on Wednesday, during which opponents voiced concerns that the merger could have a detrimental impact on state consumers by reducing competition and increasing premiums. Anthem, Virginias largest insurer, announced its intention to acquire Cigna last year. Along with Aetnas proposed acquisition of Humana, the move would reduce the number of top national insurance companies from five to three, along with UnitedHealthcare. The SCC, which regulates certain Virginia businesses, has the power to regulate or even block the merger in Virginia, while the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission are still scrutinizing it at the federal level. During the public hearing, commissioners questioned opponents of the merger as well as Anthem executives. The five-hour public hearing, which was held in the Tyler Building in downtown Richmond, did not result in a decision from the SCC regarding the merger. Commissioner Mark C. Christie said the agency is still awaiting a report from the SCCs Bureau of Insurance that will highlight the potential implications of the merger on the Virginia market before reaching a conclusion. The report was originally to be released in early May but is not yet available. It is critical that the report be available to the public and a reasonable comment period be allowed, Karen Cameron, who has advocated for more transparency in the SCCs process, said during Wednesdays hearing. Cameron is the director of Virginia Consumer Voices for Healthcare, which works to ensure access to quality health care across the commonwealth. The public comment period lasted a little less than two hours and was mostly filled with individuals representing groups that have already submitted comments to the commission regarding the proposed merger. Concerns included the mergers potential to reduce options for consumers, further concentrate an already concentrated market and allow the combined insurance company to boost premiums. Anthem took only 30 minutes to respond to those comments, stating that it is and remains committed to improving delivery of health care and affordability, Jay Wagner, the companys vice president and counsel, told the commission. The value of this combination is that it will bring together complementary platforms in a way that will uniquely benefit consumers, he said. Anthems argument is largely that Cigna and Anthem work in different parts of Virginias insurance market. Cigna focuses mostly on self-insurance products sold to large companies, while Anthem has a much smaller role in that market. Because of this, Anthem claims, the merger will not cause a substantial increase in premiums or loss of competition. But Christie countered this argument, pointing out that, in any sector, if a company obtains a great deal of market power, it will likely exercise that market power. The Affordable Care Act includes a medical loss ratio, which requires health insurance companies to spend at least 80 to 85 percent of premium dollars on care for patients. While you have to pay out 80 to 85 percent, youre still making money in the 20 or 15 percent ... so wouldnt you still have an incentive to raise prices, not withstanding the (medical loss ratio)? Christie asked Wagner. Wagners response was simply that he does not believe that will be the case, and did not elaborate on why. Ill take that as your answer, Christie said. The commissioners also countered arguments raised by those representing various Virginia groups. Christopher S. Bailey, executive vice president of the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, warned the agency of the impact of the insurance companies consolidation. But the commissioners pointed out that hospitals have been consolidating a great deal in Virginia already, showing a pattern of consolidation in health care that could logically spread to insurance companies. David Balto, an antitrust attorney with his own firm in Washington, D.C., addressed that point and said that the Anthem-Cigna merger cannot be justified just because there have been other areas of consolidation in health care. There is no merger decision that says two evils make a good, he said to the commissioners. Making someone else bigger to justify another merger doesnt work. Two individuals unaffiliated with consumer groups also spoke in opposition to the merger. One, Alexandria resident Maureen Murphy, told of her experience trying to get insurance while recovering financially from the 2008 recession. She had had a stroke and was seeking a policy that would cover the drugs she needed to prevent another. I cant tell you how frustrating it is, she told the commission. There are no words. You get blocked at every turn ... I really wish you would not do this and put the consumer first. An insurance broker who has worked with both Anthem and Cigna addressed the commission and praised the two companies, but said there are already limited options in the insurance market as it is, and that the merger would only make things worse. Anthem submitted a written response to the online comments submitted to the SCC in which it explained how much its shares in different Virginia markets would increase following the merger, saying that the increases will be very small. Richmond has the largest projected share increase of 2.8 percent. The lowest increase is in Danville at 0.4 percent. Balto said Anthem already has a significant market share in Virginia and even an incremental increase could have a detrimental effect on consumers. Any incremental increase in market shares is anti-competitive, he told the commission. As of June 2015, Cigna held 1.99 percent of the states accident and sickness insurance market, compared with Anthems 22.14 percent, according to the SCC. Ukrzaliznytsia: court decision to halt purchase of lubricants is unfair, company to challenge it Public joint-stock company Ukrzaliznytsia has said that a decision of judge of Kyiv's business court Maryna Lytvynova in case No. 910/9053/16 dated May 23 is unjustifiable. The judge banned the company from implementation of the agreement to ship lubricants to railways. The press service of Ukrzaliznytsia said that the shipment agreement was signed on May 11 between Trade Commodity LLC and the Ukrzaliznytsia's branch Center for Production Maintenance. "Due to the court ruling in favor of one of bidders in the tender Miroil LLC the sector would be left without lubricants in several days. Railways would not be able to be engaged in transportation, including to the ATO zone," the company said. Ukrzaliznytsia will file a counterclaim to Kyiv's appeal business court. Lubricant stocks supplied by Trade Commodity LLC are enough for a week. Railways consume 28 tonnes of lubricants a day on average. "This was the only supplier of lubricants, as the results of the tender for three lots were annulled by Ukraine's Antimonopoly Committee due to a claim of Miroil," the company said. Kang the Conqueror - the powers and origin of the next big MCU villain Here's everything you need to know about Kang the Conqueror, the next big MCU villain Home News Sports Social Obituaries Events Letters Looking Back Health Jewels Stitch in Time Couldnt make last Fridays Farm Tour? The full story on Farm Tour 2016 May 26, 2016 by Mary Fioravanti Editor's Note: Boundary County's Farm Tour has become an informative and fun annual event, the result of many hours of dedication, coordination, and hard work by the Boundary County Soil Conservation District and the Idaho Farm Bureau, who work together every year to put together and sponsor the Farm Tour. Our writer Mary Fioravanti traveled on the Farm Tour last Friday. Following is her report on her experiences and impressions on the tour. The annual Farm Tour organized by the Idaho Farm Bureau was fascinating! Friday, May 20 a large group of about 60 people traveled to various places around Boundary County, and got a personal look at our local habitats and farms. The Farm Tour always presents a unique opportunity for local production insights, and is never quite the same because it changes destinations from year to year. Featured on this year's tour were visits to the Kootenai Tribe's Sturgeon release into the Kootenai River, the dikes along the river at Copeland, then we made our way up to the Houck Farm in the Porthill area where we observed multiple projects. Starting off with sturgeon In the morning, we met at the fairgrounds and our Farm Tour day began with a presentation from the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho's Fish and Wildlife Department about their restoration plan for the Kootenai River. They have been putting an aquaculture system into place and constantly trying to improve the fish and wildlife habitat of the river. The Tribe's Twin Rivers Sturgeon and Burbot Hatchery, located at the confluence of the Moyie and the Kootenai Rivers, is meant to help restore viable fish populations in the river. The hatchery tracks over 1,000 fish breeds native to the river. They are quite worried that the White Sturgeon population may soon go extinct if they can't raise the numbers again fairly quickly. Burbot fish are also becoming increasingly threatened. When our Farm Tour Bus traveled down to the Search and Rescue dock at the Boundary County Waterways Building, there were thousands of juvenile White Sturgeon in tank trucks waiting to be released into the Kootenai River. As part of the magical experience, every person was permitted and encouraged to personally release a baby Sturgeon themselves. This was a rare and exciting chance for Boundary County residents to participate in such an influential way in this significant operation. Don't laugh too hard, but I was frightened at first that the Sturgeon might cut me with their fins, but they were smooth and compliant. When I released one into the water, it just gently glided away into the depths. Many people may disagree, but I found the baby Sturgeon to be so cute! (It's funny how all babies are naturally cute t o some degree). Along with many others on Friday's Farm Tour, this was my favorite part of the day. Slowly but steadily, the Kootenai Tribe has been adding nutrients to the river that are essential for the fish. As you may know, the Tribe managed several construction projects on the river last summer and fall to increase the depths and supply rocks so the fish can have spawning nests. Additionally, many people have asked why the islands constructed as part of those projects now look so cluttered. We learned that, in order to protect trees and plants on the river islands from beaver and geese damage, the workers strategically placed shrubs and brush around the newly-planted vegetation on the island. It is those protective shrubs and brush that give the islands their cluttered look. Eventually the new vegetation will appear. Part of the restoration plan includes capturing male and female Sturgeon to collect eggs and semen. They complete the fertilization process and regulate the growth of the Sturgeon until they are of age to be released into the river. When it is time for them to be released, all of them are tagged or marked with identification which alerts the Tribe that they were once in the hatchery, if the same fish are caught in the future. We were informed that Sturgeon released in the spring have a much higher survival rate than those released in the fall. White Sturgeon in particular live from 50-100 years, and physically cannot mate until they are 30 years old. They told us that if the current Sturgeon survival rate holds up, there may be less than 50 by the year 2030. Each year the Tribe releases thousands of juvenile Sturgeon into the river at springtime, but there is a survival rate of only about 7-10%. Dikes and flooding on the Kootenai River After the Sturgeon release, we piled back on the tour bus and drove up to Copeland for a short time and got off at the river bank there. While there, we listened to a presentation given by Bob Olson, a third generation farmer who operates a 3,000 acre farm in the Porthill area. Mr. Olson has lived through and witnessed years of Kootenai River flooding. His presentation was about the dike inserts around the river banks. Mr. Olson said there had to be miles of dikes for both sides of the river banks, partly because the river twists so much. The dikes were built onto the banks to help protect the farms on surrounding lands from high water charges. It was interesting to hear his observation that the land around the river is highest at the river edge. He said that the biggest flood was in 1892, and the most recent and likely last floods from the Kootenai River were in the late 1960's. When Libby Dam was built, it again helped to control flooding of the river. Formerly when flooding was prominent, kids used to go on dike patrol for flood watch, Mr. Olson told us. Learning about the role of forest management in fire prevention Next, we traveled up to the Houck Farm. We first watched an astonishing forestry demonstration up close to show us the impact of keeping our forests managed effectively. The demonstration, presented by Lee Colson of the U.S. Forest Service, was a diorama of two miniature forests. Keeping everything safe and contained, Mr. Colson lit the two forest comparisons on fire and we watched them go up in flames. The wild-looking example caught everything on fire in less than 20 seconds, and the cleaner one took a couple of minutes. Mr. Colson made his point clear about the importance of forest management, and after elaborating more on the subject, he gave us a Q & A session. The presentation on the causes of Boundary County's forest fires of last summer was simply intriguing. One cause mentioned was all of the peat found underground in the Copeland valley and around the mountains. It was hypothesized that all of the peat had come from the debris of the last ice age when the glaciers carved through our area. Interestingly, we were all informed that peat has attributes similar to those of charcoal. The peat is actually a compressed layer of organic matter under the ground, extending anywhere from the surface to 10 feet below. It acts as an unrelinquishing chamber to hold fire. When the peat gets hot it burns underground, even if the surface with existing vegetation is cool. The peat can burn for miles underground, which is scary because the peat is always hot and ready to ignite the surface. Sparks would then seem to come from nowhere when a fire starts, but the cause is the peat. Only farmers in the area knew of the peat, but were unaware of its damaging effects. While we waited for our lunch to arrive, we were also able to get a good look at the noxious weeds invasive to North Idaho. There was a display board showing noxious weeds in our area, and why we shouldn't let them get out of hand. When lunch had arrived, it was delicious and a pleasant break for everyone! Lunch included smoked steak slice sandwiches, cole slaw, beans, desert and more! (All catered by Big Daddy's Grill in Porthill). It was truly a high-end meal. Visiting the Houck Farm At the Houck Farm, there were so many things to see. After lunch was finished and the rain had passed, we listened to Tim Dillin talk about the Houck Farm, started by his grandfather, and all of the renovations it has gone through. In addition to being a long-time farmer in Boundary County, Mr. Dillin serves on the Board of the Soil Conservation District, one of the groups who annually organizes the Farm Tour. The Houck Farm is about 1,600 acres. The crops grown on the farm include wheat, barley, canola, garbanzo beans, and new experiments with quinoa. The farm has a lot of local support in our area. Woods Meat of the Bonner County area is one client, feeding barley from the Houck Farm to their cattle. The farm's flour also reaches the shelves of Super 1 Grocery and the Harvest Foods Market in Bonners Ferry, Boundary County's Bread Basket Bakery, and health food stores in both the Sandpoint and Bonners Ferry areas, along with other area merchants. The newly constructed flour mill on the farm started out just as a hobby, but as you can see in the photograph, their mill developed so much business that sales took off! Lastly, the farming equipment is super impressive! Mark Awbrey, an employee of Houck Farm, along with Jeff Hood, explained that the tractors are all linked to about 13 different satellites that map out where the tractor needs to go. This maps out the routes for the tractors so that the crops are harvested perfectly, and they aren't being damaged by being driven over twice. In fact, the tractors have a built-in mode to drive themselves when you punch your desired route into the system. We got to test this when they let us ride in the auto-driven tractor to see for ourselves that it does indeed work! One large tractor we saw had multiple attachments with two commodity tanks and a 36 foot long harvester. They said just this alone equaled about $150,000. Wow! You could buy a house for that price. When the tour came to an end, I was well satisfied. The day was very eventful, educational, and fun! I never thought I would ever be riding in an auto-drive tractor or releasing a juvenile White Sturgeon into the Kootenai River with my bare hands! Everything was a really great experience and entertaining as well. I highly recommend to others going on the Farm Tour in the future if you have the chance. You'll learn a thing or two, and enjoy what Boundary County has to offer. That's all for now! Questions or comments about this article? Click here to e-mail! Public joint-stock company Ukrhydroenergo intends to sign a loan agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank to build Kaniv pump-storage plant (PSP) in September and October 2016, Ukrhydroenergo Head Ihor Syrota told reporters in Kyiv on Thursday. "We are to answer all questions asked by the banks by June 28. In July or August we would hold a repeated public discussion We seeks to have the project approved by the banks' boards of directors [EBRD and the World Bank] in August and in September or October we would be able to sign the agreements," he said. Some $1.25-1.3 billion would be raised for the project. The loans are to cover 98% of the project cost. Syrota said that in August or September 2016 the company intends to start preparations for the project using own funds. It will last for around one year. Doing business in Venezuela Responding to Business Days query about the subject, the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce (Chamber) said it was confident that any agreement that the Government has entered through bilateral talks and initiatives with neighbouring nation states will be airtight, secure and designed to ensure that our local manufacturers are protected. The TT Manufacturers Association (TTMA) board was in a meeting on Tuesday and was therefore unable to comment at the time of publication. However in an early morning television interview on Tuesday, TTMA Director, Christopher Alcazar, said while the association welcomed the deal, it was concerned about Venezuelas ability to pay in a timely manner. The biggest issue is (Venezuela) getting US dollars to pay us and so what were looking at here is for the Trinidad Government to act as the guarantor to ensure that we are receiving payment for the goods that are going to Venezuela. Alcazar, whose substantive post is Director of National Brands at Vemco Limited, said the deal is expected to have a positive impact on local manufacturing plants, since they are currently operating below full capacity. We have excess capacity to sell and Venezuela is taking up some of that excess capacity. In terms of how much they want, how much we can supply, again these things need to be ironed out but were not talking about creating a shortage on the local side of things, not in any means. What were talking about here is taking up excess capacity and, for instance, in one of our (Vemco Limited) factories, were running right now at 60 percent. This is going to give us the ability to utilise the equipment better, Alcazar said. Other leading business organisations either requested more time to review available information on the deal before commenting or their spokespersons were overseas at the time of publication. The US $50 million fund, announced on Monday during the one-day visit of Venezuelan President Nicol?s Maduro to this country, would see items such as chicken, butter, ketchup, rice and black beans being exported by local manufacturers to the South American nation. Speaking with the media on Monday afternoon, Trade Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon assured there would be easy and swift payment to manufacturers within a reasonable time frame as well. According to the 2015 edition Trinidad and Tobagos Bilateral Trade Agreements and Incentive Regime, produced by State agency exporTT, during the period 2009 to 2014, trade with Venezuela has fluctuated; TT experienced trade deficits in 2009 and 2012 but surpluses in other years. Total exports and imports have also fluctuated during this period, with exports being at its highest level in 2011 and imports at its highest in 2012. In 2014, the top ten exported products comprised mainly petroleum oils, iron and steel products, toilet paper, cement and other chemical preparations. The top ten imports included molasses, lead products, steel products, machines and parts and medical products, exporTT stated. Trade between both countries falls under Trade and Investment agreement signed by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Venezuela, signed on October 13, 1992 and entered into force on January 1, 1993. This preferential agreement is aimed at promoting CARICOM exports to Venezuela by providing one-way duty-free access to this market. Tariffs were eliminated on 22 percent of products, (mostly fresh produce, confectionery, cosmetics, jams and jellies, medicines, wooden furniture, horticultural products, spices, processed foods, and toilet preparations). ExporTT said the other 67 percent of products enjoy tariff reductions while the remaining products face the full tariff duty upon entry into Venezuela. Overall, the average tariff applied by Venezuela to CARICOM imports is 1/3 lower than Venezuelas MFN (most favoured nation rate) tariff. The Agreement also seeks to foster investment in the region and to facilitate joint ventures between both parties. In addition, provisions are made to apply measures to counter unfair trade practices, such as export and domestic subsidies and dumping. Disputes which may arise under this Agreement can be resolved through the use of the Joint Council established under this Agreement, whose judgements, though not binding, are in the form of recommendations, exporTT stated. Business Day asked the Chamber about current levels of trade between its members and Venezuela. Although information on the handful of members who export products to the South American country was limited at the time of our query earlier this week, the Chamber did say some of our members have expressed interest in exploring opportunities for increased trade with Venezuela. Based on available statistics, the Chamber told Business Day some of the goods that TT exports to Venezuela include tissue paper products, diesel and gas oil, cement and fish products, machinery and beverages. Our members and manufacturers of other products have expressed interest in trading with Venezuela once secure payment arrangements are in place. TT currently has duty-free access to the Venezuelan market for some goods through the Agreement on Trade, Economic and Technical Cooperation between CARICOM and Venezuela. Some of the goods currently exported are covered under this agreement. Questioned about the level of difficulty in conducting trade with Venezuela, the Chamber identified the product registration process, language barriers and regulatory requirements. This holds true for trade with Venezuela, however, the current economic and political stability is not encouraging for local businesses. The unique situation in Venezuela has raised concerns among exporters in securing payment for their shipments/exports as a direct result of the foreign exchange complications and restrictions. Venezuela may be seen as an opportunity for the future, once the current socio-political climate changes. Asked if trade with Venezuela has gotten harder in recent times due to the economic crisis there, the Chamber said, Yes. It has become more difficult for exporters to secure payments for their exports to Venezuela, which has eroded at bilateral trading relations. The Chamber had been involved in talks in 2015 which explored means of improving the situation. Details of how the fund would work are to be worked out next week when Venezuelas Vice Trade Minister and a delegation of Venezuelan private sector representatives visit TT. Loran/Manatee closer to reality On the conclusion of those talks, Rowley and Maduro announced that both countries had reached consensus in the areas of trade, energy and national security. On the energy front, Maduro said historic agreements were signed for the benefit of both countries, where we will use gas in our shared fields. Maduro said a joint venture will be established to conduct all the investments required in order to tap those resources to the benefit of both countries. Rowley made reference to efforts by both countries to monetise natural gas in the Loran-Manatee field which straddles the countries maritime border. Loran- Manatee has an estimated 10.25 trillion cubic feet of gas, of which 26.25 percent belongs to TT. We have agreed and signed the relative memoranda which allows Venezuela and TT to now direct operating companies to proceed on our cross-border initiatives, the Prime Minister stated. He said this could see the monetisation of cross-border gas, Venezuelan gas in Trinidad plants and together, TT and Venezuela can approach the international market. Speaking afterwards with reporters, Olivierre said, One of the other agreements signed, outlined the parameters under which the unit operator of that field would be operating. Saying significant progress has been made in the last couple of years regarding the monetisation of gas reserves in Loran/Manatee, Olivierre said, We have reached the stage whereby we feel we are that much closer to actually signing off on the unitisation and unit operating agreement which would then lead to the submission of a development plan. She explained this would identify details such as production profile and exactly how many platforms would be needed. We are getting closer, Olivierre said. The Minister also said this country has the opportunity to tap into natural gas reserves in the Dragon Field, which is totally in Venezuelan waters. What is new about this arrangement is that we now have an opportunity to purchase gas directly from Venezuela, she stated. She said a pipeline would have to be built so gas from the Dragon Field can be fed into this countrys gas transmission system and the closest point for that connection would the Hibiscus Platform in the North Coast Marine Area on TTs side of the maritime border. Olivierre said gas from the Dragon Field could greatly help to ease the natural gas shortage this country is facing across the board. The Mariscal Sucre Dragon field is around 25 mi (40 km) north of the Paria peninsula, state of Sucre, at a water depth of 328-427 ft (100 -130 m). Olivierre said there were no discussions about TT supplying LPG to Venezuela or PetroCaribe at Mondays bilateral talks. Told about a conversation which President Anthony Carmona had with Maduro prior to coming to the Diplomatic Centre, Olivierre said there was not much opportunity for this country with Venezuela in terms of electricity generation. They have generation capacity that is waiting for gas production. Not develop their gas fields, she said. Competing in a global setting poor work ethic A major finding coming out of the GCI was poor work ethic in the national labour force. This ranked first among the most problematic factors for doing business in this country. A good work ethic is a set of principled morals an employee uses in his job and as such, a strong work ethic is critical to a company achieving its goals. It speaks to matters of integrity, a sense of responsibility and productivity among other things. To keep a company or an organisation functioning at its peak, every employee - from the CEO to entry-level staff - must have a positive work ethic. Previous Global Competitiveness Reports showed crime and theft or inefficient government bureaucracy being ranked as the number one most problematic factor. In the last report, however, poor work ethic was ranked as number one, after being consistently cited on the chart for the last five years. In contrast, an examination of reports over the same five-year period reveals that some of the most successful economies such as Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands have a high work ethic. Though many factors account for economic development, one can safely assume that work ethic has contributed significantly to these nations being among the top five competitive countries in the world. The Chamber has assessed TTs performance in key Global Competiveness Indicators (GCIs) within the reports. This assessment reveals the major factors undermining local work ethic. One such indicator is co-operation in labour-employer relations. In the current review period, TT faltered at 137 in the world out of 140 nations in the index of co-operation in labour-employer relations. It is indeed disconcerting that TT has consistently held a poor ranking in such an important competitiveness indicator. Antagonistic work relations decrease the productivity of an organisation, threaten secure employment, employment opportunity and by extension employees attitudes to work. There must therefore be a concerted effort by employers, employees and the trade union body to address this barrier in order to improve our the competitiveness. While our work ethic is deemed problematic, the GCI revealed that this countrys quality education system is a major area of competitive advantage for the country. In this regard, TT is ranked 37th in the world. However, our education system appears inter alia to not inculcate a positive approach to our work life. As a result, TTs productivity continues to lag behind both emerging economies and advanced nations. If the current status quo in Trinidad and Tobago is to shift so that we realise greater competitiveness in the world economy, we as a nation must comprehensively address our poor work ethic. Only through this re-orientation of our attitudes would we set the stage for progress Investing in education Across the Caribbean and Latin America, this message has been heard loud and clear. Over the last 50 years, on average public investment on education has been increasing. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Education for All 2015 Regional Review, public spending on education as a percentage of GDP, rose from 4.6 percent in 2000 to 5.2 percent in 2013. But despite the Caribbeans progress in education overall, in real terms, spending on higher education has been falling in comparison to primary and secondary education. Average public investment in higher education per pupil plummeted across countries in the region, from 39.4 percent of per capita GDP in 2000 to 27.2 percent in 2013. Higher education has become increasingly essential in todays working world; a prerequisite for a number of career choices. Global superstar and Bajan native Rihanna recently launched a scholarship programme to help students with the cost of studying. Each applicant must be a citizen or native of Brazil, Barbados, Cuba, Haiti, Grenada, Guyana, or Jamaica and has to have been accepted into an accredited four-year college or university for the entire 2016-2017 academic year. Once selected, the recipient may be eligible for $5,000 to $50,000 in scholarship money. Some countries are making significant strides in their development of higher education. The St Lucian Government worked in partnership with the University of the West Indies, to establish the UWI Open Campus for degree programmes online. The University of the West Indies (UWI) Open Campus began operations in St Lucia in 2008 after being transformed from a Distance Education Centre. Prior to its development there wasnt a public university on the island. The GATE programme in Trinidad and Tobago is another example of Government investment in higher education. Although there are many jobs that do not require a higher education qualification, research shows that a better educational attainment directly links with higher earnings and lower unemployment rates. Unfortunately, the reality is that financial constraints hinder many students from being able to go to university. Students from mainly high-income backgrounds and urban areas have been able to access higher education. For those school leavers that have the talent and the desire but lack the financial means, a professional or vocational qualification can be an alternative route to success. Finance is certainly an industry that embraces alternative forms of study. Just because you dont go to university for three years to study, it doesnt make the alternative qualifications any less challenging, rigorous, or respected. The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification is currently being studied by 455,000 graduates and non-graduates worldwide. Job prospects for these individuals are promising. With much of the ACCA course centred on ethics and professionalism, qualified accountants are in high demand in the Caribbean. Public investment isnt the only option for improving education in the Caribbean. There are dual benefits available if education institutions work together or build relationships with corporate partners, whose additional support can even offer students more access to recruitment opportunities. ACCA and the University of London recently joined forces to launch the first ever world-class Masters programme integrated with a professional qualification. blink | bmobile says yes to youth ICT entrepreneurship An average of 130 young people from East Port-of-Spain and their parents have benefitted to date through the programme that focuses on youth entrepreneurship, self-empowerment and parent empowerment. The programme, which was started in 2013, targets children 5 to 16+ years and provides mentorship and ICT, entrepreneurship and educational classes at the ROYTEC, Charlotte Street building on Saturdays. Founder, Nichola Harvey said, The WSY programme was started as a response to the increase in gun violence and crime in these communities and a need to create more success stories out of these areas. The programme teaches the children not to be dependent on the government but to be self-supporting by tapping into their entrepreneurial abilities, talent and potential, and to give back to their community. The central theme of giving back to the community is evident as many of the WSY staff are volunteers from the East Port of Spain areas. In addition, TSTT staff and graduates from the three-year WSY programme also volunteer as teachers and supporting staff. Camille Campbell, TSTTs Chief Marketing Officer said, Research has shown that ICT has a significant and positive impact on student achievement. The WSY initiative falls within the scope of the blink | bmobile Foundations objectives which is to contribute to the positive development of the nations youth through education, sport, culture and health. We are proud to be a partner in this wonderful programme and we will continue to be a part of this community team effort. Makesi Francis is a WSY graduate and won a scholarship from the programme which will be used to assist with his university expenses in September. The 18-year old Laventille resident is now a WSY board member and volunteer and highly recommends WSY. He said, I like to be active and not stay in the house. This provided positive activities for me to do. Im also a shy person. Ive since opened up a lot and I have developed leadership and teamwork skills. I intend to start my own business in the future using the knowledge I gained here. Kimberly Buckmire from Port-of-Spain has four children in the programme. She said her 12-year-old son Jean-Marc was the quiet one in the family but since attending WSY he is adjusting and becoming more interactive with his peers. She continued, I often recommend WSY to other parents. The programme is great because it exposes children to a different environment and removes them from just being on the block liming. Buckmire added, I placed my kids in WSY because I wanted them to meet new people and know that there are other things they can do besides becoming a policeman or fireman. Thanking blink | bmobile for their continued support Harvey noted, Our programme saves lives because its a way of giving the kids positive opportunities to become positive citizens. I am grateful to blink | bmobile for their continued sponsorship, as well as for the contribution of their staff who come out selflessly week after week to teach and mentor the children. Research has shown that ICT has a significant and positive impact on student achievement. The WSY initiative falls within the scope of the blink | bmobile Foundations objectives which is to contribute to the positive development of the nations youth through education, sport, culture and health. We are proud to be a partner in this wonderful programme and we will continue to be a part of this community team effort. CAL focussing on its brand The themes as suggested by him are: We Care; We Connect; We Create; and We are the Caribbean. He said, These themes are being manifested in everything we do our culture, our operations, our values and every aspect of our behaviour, both internal and external to our organisation. Other elements of the strategy include: maximising hard currency revenue; and improving connectivity over Piarco. Still others are implementing state of the art customer-centric systems, for example, the upgrade of the reservations and airport system to the Amadeus Passenger Service System and transitioning the Caribbean Loyalty programme to Amadeus Hit It Loyalty rewards. We expect this project to be complete later this year and it will put Caribbean Airlines ahead of our competitors with the most customer friendly programme in the market, allowing for superior self-service technology to our valued customers, Tang said. On the matter of themes he said the airline was undertaking detailed passenger market research and improving fleet utilisation which had already improved the jet fleet utilisation by 23 percent, contributing directly to lower unit cost. Tang said, The road ahead offers tremendous opportunity for Caribbean Airlines to cement our place as the leading airline serving the Caribbean. When asked about reported low employee morale, Tang said, As part of its employee engagement activities which are a part of the airlines strategic direction, Caribbean Airlines through an independent third party undertook a comprehensive organisational culture survey which identified positive and negative aspects and provides the basis for management to reinforce the positives and to mitigate the negative. Through a programme of activities, the company is engaging with employees in order to improve morale. Tang in giving examples of the companys efforts for employees pointed out that for the recently concluded Administrative Professional Week, employees engaged in a number of activities centred on the theme We Care; We connect; We create and We are the Caribbean. He said that for Mothers Day the company carried out a full programme of activities involving mothers across its entire network; and the recently launched HUM campaign has a major internal component and employees have been actively participating. Tang writing in the current edition of Caribbean Beat said, Although Caribbean Airlines is just shy of its tenth anniversary, we recognise our strategic role within the region and the influence we have to connect, unite, energise and uplift the people of the Caribbean. Juvenile centres cruel and unusual punishment The judge yesterday delivered a watershed decision in a case on the suitability of the YTC and the Womens Prison as remand facilities for juveniles. In a 150-page ruling, Kokaram held that neither facility was a community residence as provided for in the Childrens Act of 2012, which provides that minors awaiting trial should be housed at a community residence. Having regard to the history of the legislation, the evolution of the rights of the child and the purpose of the juvenile justice system, in my view, there is a revulsion in the treatment meted out to both juveniles, he said. A prison is a place of extreme detention. A place no child under a modern system of juvenile justice is to be housed, he said, as he ordered that the male juvenile be placed in a community residence to be determined by the Childrens Authority within seven days, failing which he is to be discharged or granted bail on conditions to be determined by the court. The judge was presiding over a judicial review claim and a separate Constitutional claim brought by the two juveniles which questioned the suitability of the YTC and the Womens Prison as remand facilities for young offenders. According to the legislation, the YTC is not characterised as such and is considered, under the Youth Offenders Act, an institution at which convicted juveniles are imprisoned. Justice Kokaram agreed. In this instance the children have been detained in conditions in breach of their fundamental rights as children. They have been deprived of the opportunity to be rehabilitated. They are from not well off circumstances and it is not too hard to connect the dots from their assessed backgrounds and their current difficulty, the judge said. He noted that the children were sent to prison and an institution for reform offenders when at the first encounter with the law, they should have been immediately surrounded by positive influences. They have spent about one year in conditions which do nothing for their rehabilitation in a prison and in the YTC force fitting reformation programmes without treatment plans is equally disastrous. There is an opportunity lost for those years, he noted. He granted several declarations for both siblings, holding that their detention at the two facilities were unlawful and illegal. The court also held that the Chief Magistrate had no jurisdiction to order the juveniles to either the YTC or the Womens Prison and that their detention at the facilities were in breach of their constitutional rights and freedoms. Kokaram also declared that the failure of the State to provide a licensed Community Residence upon the coming into force of the Childrens Act of 2012 and the Childrens Community Residence. Foster Homes and Nurseries Act of 2000 was in breach of the juvenile siblings rights. He also issued directions on the right to bail for children charged with capital offences. such as murder. Clearly the child is not to be detained in a prison and so one must read into that section (of the Bail Act) that upon not granting bail, the child is to be detained in a community residence. But that does not end the matter. If there is no community residence then it would be illegitimate to detain the child where there is no place of detention, he ruled. Presenting submissions on behalf of the siblings from Diego Martin were Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan. Gerald Ramdeen, Darryl Heeralal and Jayanti Lutchmedial while Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes appeared for Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar, whose order of detention for the male juvenile had been challenged. Also appearing for the Chief Magistrate were Karel Douglas and Kendra Mark while Deborah Peake,SC. Elena Da Silva, Jenna Gajadhar and Cherisse Nixon appeared for the Commissioner of Prisons and the Attorney General. Amalgamated security guard shot dead at hotel According to reports, Curtis Noel of Mausica Road, DAbadie was at Corner Pocket Guest House located at Piarco Road, Arouca at about 2 am in company with a 29-year-old Jamaican woman, when the two stumbled upon a robbery in progress. Two persons - one male and the other a female - both armed with guns, entered the establishment and was in the process of robbing the manager of cash and valuables after tying up two female attendants, when Noel and his companion were walking out of a nearby room. One of the gunmen rushed towards Noel and attempted to rob him of his valuables, but he put up a struggle while his female companion screamed out. During the struggle Noel was shot once in the left side of the neck and as he slumped to the ground one of the bandits removed the hard drive from a computer hooked up to the CCTV camera surveillance system in the hotel before fleeing the scene. Newsday understands that other patrons of the hotel on hearing the gunshot scampered out of their rooms and looked on in shock as Noel lay bleeding on the ground. A report was made to the Arouca police and a party of officers led by Snr Supt Rajkumar, Acting Inspector Joseph and officers of the Homicide Bureau went to the scene and Noel was rushed to the Arima hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The manager of the hotel, the 29-year-old Jamaican woman who was with Noel and other eyewitnesses were interviewed by police. Yesterday, friends of Noel said he drove an Amalgamated truck and was well-known by both prison officers and prisoners kept at Golden Grove prisons as he interacted with them on a regular basis. They added that he was an extremely cool person and will be sadly missed. Police sources told Newsday that arrests are imminent in the shooting death of Noel. PM: All threats treated seriously What we do know is that it has not been determined, that it is something that has an origin that we can identify as being realistic, the Prime Minister told reporters. He continued, We also know there are elements, persons and entities whose interests will be served if TT is destabilised in this kind of way. We treat all threats seriously and we take very careful note of those who will destabilise us. When asked if this meant the alleged threat was real, Rowley replied, We dont have information in our hands now to say that particular threat is real. what we do know is that, that kind of information, real or otherwise, has the potential to be a destabilising influence. Asked whether local law enforcement agencies had the ability to locate the source of the voice notes, the Prime Minister said, we have some capacity but I dont know that capacity has been able to deliver to us the source. However he indicated TT has the ability to access assistance from countries such as the United States and United Kingdom in such situations. Rowley explained that one of the reasons for his visit to both of these countries earlier this month, was to ensure that we maintain that line of communication and the understanding of the assistance that we require and the cooperation that we engage in between our major partners in national security. He added, That assistance has been very forthcoming from the major countries that we interact with, US and the UK. The Prime Minister also disclosed, There are concerns with respect to some areas of our ability to handle and share information with these metropolitan countries. Rowley gave no details but stated, That is an area of serious concern to us at the level of the NSC and we work very assiduously towards that. Rowley declined to say whether or not security arrangements for the countrys top office holders (including himself) had been heightened as a result of this alleged threat. Ukrtatnafta asking court to levy almost UAH 1 bln from Ukrtransnafta Public joint-stock company Ukrtatnafta has asked Kyiv's business court to levy UAH 951.085 million from public joint-stock company Ukrtransnafta for storing crude oil used to fill pipelines. Ukrtatnafta uses oil storage agreement signed on January 29, 2009 for the calculation of the debt. Earlier the court void all oil tank leasing agreements signed with the previous top managers of Ukrtransnafta with Ukrtatnafta and other oil refineries under control of Privat Group. In spring and summer 2014 some 628,400 tonnes of crude oil was pumped out of Ukrtransnafta's pipelines. Ukrtransnafta stores 232,600 tonnes of oil, Ukrtatnafta - 239,900, Naftokhimik Prykarpattia 101,900 tonnes and Halychyna refinery 46,700 tonnes. PM: President knows his powers Addressing the post-Cabinet news conference yesterday at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair, Rowley said, It is not for me at this time to comment on the Presidents bounds. He knows what powers he has. Were not going to take any issue with that. On criticisms made by the PNMs Womens League against the appointment of Dr Kriyan Singh as a temporary Independent Senator, Rowley observed, The PNMs Womens League is free to express its view on any matter, even a matter on the Government. Noting the statement made by the Womens League, Rowley said, I have no further comment to make on that. The Government is not at this time commenting on the Presidents appointment except that we acknowledge that it is the responsibility of the President to make appointments to the Senate and elsewhere. The Prime Minister added, We expect that the President will act in the best interest of the people of TT. In its statement, the Womens League said Singh by his conduct, has shown that he is unfit to hold the office of Independent Senator, and by his postings on social media, has not only demonstrated a clear preference for the Opposition UNC but also his abhorrence of the PNM. The Womens League claimed in his postings, Singh admitted to posting semi-nude photos of himself and threatened to expose his testicles to a female reporter who had exposed his clear UNC bias. The Womens League said while it acknowledged the constitutional power of the President to appoint persons as Independent senators, Carmona should think twice about persons like Singh to serve on the Independent bench The Bear Attacked, So She 'Popped It Right in the Nose' A couple of stone rings discovered in a French cave believed to have been created by Neanderthals about 176,500 years ago indicate that the ancient humans exhibited behavior more advanced than possible. Experts used hundreds of pillar-shaped mineral deposits called stalagmites, chopped them to a similar length and made two oval patterns that were about 40 centimeters in height. Even though they had been found in 1990 after having been untouched for tens of thousands of years, no one thought then that it could have been possible for Neanderthals to have created them. Sophisticated dating techniques showed that the stalagmites had been broken off of the ground about 176,500 years ago. Jacques Jaubert of the University of Bordeaux, France, says that the finding makes "these edifices among the oldest known well-dated constructions made by humans." "Their presence at 336 meters (368 yards) from the entrance of the cave indicates that humans from this period had already mastered the underground environment, which can be considered a major step in human modernity," the researchers wrote in the study. The rings could not have been created by either chance nor animals like bears and wolves, believe scientists. "The origin of the structures is undeniably human," Jaubert said. "It really cannot be otherwise." The reason for the construction is not totally clear, yet they seem symbolic or ritualistic. "A plausible explanation is that this was a common meeting place for some type of ritual social behavior," said Paola Villa, an archaeologist at the University of Colorado at Boulder who wasn't involved in the study. Wil Roebroeks, a Neanderthal expert, explains that this may be just one of many Neanderthal cultural relics that have not yet been discovered. "Bruniquel cave (shows) that circular structures were a part of Neanderthals' material culture," he said, calling the rings "an intriguing find, which underlines that a lot of Neanderthal material culture, including their 'architecture,' simply did not survive in the open." The reason for their creation or purpose is still not clear. "One could even envisage that groups of Neanderthal teenagers explored this underground environment deep in the cave, as teenagers tend to do, building fires, breaking off stalagmites and gradually turning them into the structures that 175,000 years later made it into (the journal) Nature," Roebroeks said. The findings were published in the May 25 issue of the journal Nature. Cofco Agri Ukraine to retain crop exports from Ukraine at 2.6 mln tonnes in 2016/2017 MY Cofco Agri Ukraine, belonging to China's Cofco Corporation, one of the largest global manufacturers and suppliers of agricultural and food products, plans in the 2016/2017 marketing year (MY, July-June) to retain the volume of agricultural crop exports at the level of the previous year 2.6 million tonnes. "Taking into account the launch of a new terminal, we'll export 2.6 million tonnes, including 2.3-2.4 million tonnes of grain. We have about the same plans for next year," company CEO Volodymyr Osadchuk told Interfax-Ukraine. According to him, Cofco Agri Ukraine operates mainly in the spot market of grain purchases, forward contracts account for 10-15% of total purchases and they are signed with reputable companies. In Ukraine the company owns four elevators: one in Kherson and Donetsk regions and two in Dnipropetrovsk region. The elevator in Donetsk region is not working because it is located in the territory not controlled by Ukraine. In addition, Cofco Agri Ukraine owns an oil extraction plant in Mariupol. As reported, Cofco Agri Ukraine invested $75 million in the launch of a grain handling terminal of 2.5 million tonnes per year in Mykolaiv seaport. Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High 26F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 16F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High 27F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 16F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. The OSCE is ready to assist normalization at the only checkpoint between the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) and Ukraine in Stanytsia Luhanska, OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) Principal Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug said. This is the only checkpoint between the two sides, and it should be at least safe, Hug told reporters during his visit to the Stanytsia Luhanska checkpoint. OSCE monitors release information about violations of the Minsk agreements on the bridge and will continue to do so, he said. In the end, the sides should agree on pulling back weapons, he said, adding that the OSCE was ready to assist with this. The OSCE principal deputy chief monitor also said that the SMM had observed a decline in the number of truce violations during Easter holidays but that the monitors continued to see 'violations related to violence' in Stanytsia Luhanska. The OSCE SMM forward patrol base in Stanytsia Luhanska also registered violations overnight, he said. The conflicting sides in Donbas should not come into contact with one another; the distance between them should be sufficient to prevent or minimize the reach of weapons, and the civilian population will eventually benefit from this solution to the security problem, Hug said. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always been slammed by opposition for being out on foreign trips. And, this has never impacted his will to meet leaders from all corners of the world. During the second year at his office he visited nothing less than 23 countries including the latest one to Iran, which Pakistan, China and United States closely monitored. With these trips he also earned titles like the first Indian Prime Minister to visit UAE in 34 years, first Indian PM to visit UK in decade and many more. They say, the motive behind such extensive outgoings is to actually pull investors in the nation. 'Make in India' is one of the initiatives PM Modi has always kept on sale during these visits. ( Also Read: 2 years of Narendra Modi govt: Top 10 flagship schemes) On May 26, 2016, NDA government complete 2 years in office. And on the occasion we bring you a brief about PM Modi's visit to 23 nations. Bangladesh (June 06, 2015): Soon after celebrating first anniversary in office, PM Modi packed his bags for Bangladesh. He visited the nation on the 6th & 7th June 2015. PM Modi held talks with PM Sheikh Hasina and there were signing of multiple MOUs. In a bid to strengthen ties, India and Bangladesh also signed the Land Boundary Agreement. Central Asia (July 06, 2015): After one month, PM Modi embarked on a journey of Central Asia. He visited Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The visit was historic and special because it was a significant effort to expand Indias cooperation with the Central Asian Nations on an unprecedented scale. UAE (August 16, 2015): On 16th August 2015, PM Modi visited United Arab Emirates (UAE). This was the first Prime Ministerial visit in 34 years. PM Modi's visit to the UAE ushered in a golden era of strong India-UAE ties. The visit strengthens economic ties, enhances security cooperation and brings the two nations much closer. (Also Read: Have undertaken maximum reforms, says PM Narendra Modi) USA (September 25, 2015): This time PM Modi landed to a very tight schedule as he first addressed a summit on 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals at the UN, then went fora summit hosted by President Obama on peacekeeping forces. PM Modi also held talks with G4 leaders on reforms in the UNSC. He pitched 'Make in India' campaign to global investors in San Jose. Then he also visited offices of many global companies like Google, Facebook and Tesla Motors. UK (November 12, 2015): PM Narendra Modi paid a historic visit to the UK from November 12th to 14th. It was the first Prime Ministerial visit in over a decade. PM Modi held extensive meetings with the UK PM Cameron at Chequers, met Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. He also met several investors from the UK. The PM addressed the British Parliament and the City of London at an event at The Old Library, Guildhall. (Also Read: 2 years of Narendra Modi govt: A look at security related issues) Malaysia (November 21, 2015): PM Modi visited Malaysia from November 21to 23. He attended the ASEAN-India Summit and the 10th East Asia Summit. PM Modi met PM Najib Razak of Malaysia and discussed bilateral ties with him. Russia (December 23, 2015): Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Russia from December 23 to 24. He attended the 16th Annual India-Russia summit. PM Modi met President of Russia Vladimir Putin in Moscow and held extensive deliberations to further India-Russia ties. 16 key agreements were inked between both the countries during PM Modi's visit. Singapore (November 23, 2015): PM Narendra Modi visited Singapore from November 23 to 24. The visit marked fifty years of strong India-Singapore relations. PM Modi met President Tony Tan Keng Yam, PM Lee Hsien Loong, Emeritus Senior Minister Mr. Goh Chok Tong and held wide-ranging talks to further strengthen India-Singapore ties. Saudi Arabia (April 02, 2016): PM Narendra Modi visited Saudi Arabia on 2nd and 3rd April. Shri Modi met and held talks with H.M. King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and other important members of the Royal family. The Prime Minister also attended a business event in Riyadh. Iran (May 21, 2016): Last but not the least he visited Iran recently at the invitation of President Rouhani. During his visit, he met Honble Supreme Leader of Iran, President Rouhani and several other leaders. His visit was aimed at enhancing connectivity, trade, investments, energy partnership, culture and people to people ties. Conclusion of the Chahbahar Agreement left countries like China, Pakistan and United States watch Indias move closely. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Superstar Amitabh Bachchan refuted hosting the BJPs mega event to celebrate the second anniversary of the Narendra Modi government. He also informed that he will only host a small segment of the programme based on the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign, of which he is the brand ambassador. Earlier, the Congress sought to embarrass the Narendra Modi government on the association of the mega start when he is being probed in the Panama papers expose. Would it be fair? ....What message it would send to investigating agencies going into siphoning of funds abroad illegally when they see the Prime Minister sharing dais with the accused, partys chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told. Raising several questions over the issue and recalled PMs vow to punish those who are involved in black money issue. He even went on to say, how PM can share the dais with Senior Bachachan, when such serious allegation are labeled against him. Giving a befitting reply on the issue, BJP said Big B is more popular than Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and people love him. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: As the Narendra Modi government completes two years in office, here we list the top 10 flagship schemes of the NDA Sarkar: 1. Digital India Programme: Launched on July 1, 2015, the programme aims at empowering the nation digitally. The programme ensures government services are electronically available to the citizens. Also, a boost to the digital industry in the country. 2. Skill India: Launching Skill India on 15th July, 2015, PM Narendra Modi had said that India should emerge as the 'human resource capital'. PM Modi said that Skill India Mission is a part of the government's 'war against poverty'. The programme aims at equipping over 40 crore people with adequate skill by 2022. (Also Read: Two years of Modi government: 23 countries PM visited after first year) 3. Atal Pension Yojana (APY): Keeping in mind the monetary ordeals faced by senior citizens who have no pension rights post retirement, government launched Atal Pension Yojana (APY). APY aims to provide monthly pension to subscribers from 60 years of age. The scheme pivots low waged workers of unorganised sector and is open to Indian citizens who are between 18-40 years of age. 4. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana: With a budget of whopping Rs. 756 billion, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana(DDUGJY) was launched by NDA government in 2015. The scheme aims to provide 24*7 power supply to all homes in rural India. (Also Read: Have undertaken maximum reforms, says PM Narendra Modi) 5. Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana: The ambitious programme of Narendra Modi Government aims to provide Rs 2 Lakh for accidental death, paying a premium of Rs. 12 an year. In case of partial disability, a person will be provided an aid of upto Rs 1 lakh. This scheme is available for people whose age is between 18 to 70 years. 6. Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana: This is also an insurance scheme which gives a life insurance of Rs 2 lakh with a premium of Rs 330 per year. 7. Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT): The scheme aims to provide robust development and better living for people living in Urban areas. It aims at revamping the urban planning and development to meet the needs of population residing in cities. 8. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY): Launched on June 25, 2015, the PMAY is a Housing for All scheme aiming better living urban poor. Primarily, 305 cities and towns are in focus of Government for implementation of this scheme 9. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is a social awareness programme launched by NDA Government with a collective target of increasing sex ratio and providing necessary education to the girl child. The programme was launched on 22 January, 2015. (Also Read: 2 years of Narendra Modi govt: A look at security related issues) 10. Make In India: Make in India is arguably the most ambitious programme launched by PM Narendra Modi. Launched on 25th September, 2015, it aims at getting huge foreign investments by multination companies in India. India had received $63 billion investment under the programme in the year 2015. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today met the 13-year-old girl, who was brutally raped and has been admitted to AIIMS, and raised the issue of granting full statehood to Delhi in order to curb such incidents which occur repeatedly. Delhi is not a full state as a result of which such problems are coming up repeatedly. Every crime incident reminds that somehow law and order should be under democratic control so that the law enforcement agencies and public could work together, he said. Kejriwal said he has sought time to meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss how such incidents could be stopped by working together in the existing system. I have sought an appointment to meet Rajnath Singh. Full statehood will take time but even in the existing system we can function together so that such incidents could be stopped. If there is greater democratic control over the agencies at local level and public is taken along, a solution could be found for this, he said. The Chief Minister also assured all possible help of Delhi government to the family members of the girl. The girl was brutally raped and dumped near a railway track in South-east Delhis Pul Prahladpur area allegedly by a teenager who lives in her neighbourhood. The minor girl, who is an orphan and mentally challenged, is admitted in AIIMS and her condition is stated to be stable now. The victim lives with her maternal aunt at a village near Pul Prahladpur. She went missing on May 17, and a search operation was conducted but she could not be found. In the wee hours of May 18, locals spotted the girl lying unconscious near the railway track and raised an alarm, a senior police official said. The accused was apprehended yesterday by the police who are trying to verify his age. Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal met the girl at AIIMS and the commission yesterday issued notice to the Pul Prahladpur Police Station seeking to know why it was not informed about the incident. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In an interview to the Wall Street Journal on completing two years in power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has claimed to have undertaken maximum reforms, while responding to criticism that he failed to pursue "big bang reforms". "I have actually undertaken the maximum reforms," PM Modi said, but added: "I have an enormous task ahead for myself." "Today, unlike before, India is not standing in a corner," Modi said on Wednesday. (Also Read: 2 years of Narendra Modi govt: A look at security related issues) Modi said that he opened up more of the economy to foreign investment, filled gaps in rural infrastructure, made doing business easier and checked corruption. Modi also said that he expects the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill will be passed this year. The GST bill, a major reform measure, has been stuck in the Rajya Sabha. (Also Read: News Nation survey: Narendra Modi government's 2 year report card) Narendra Modi will be visiting Washington next month and will meet President Barack Obama and address a joint session of the US Congress. "President Obama had sent me an invitation in March. And later when I went for the Nuclear Security Summit, he had personally requested me. And it was on my request that he had visited India again. Naturally it was my responsibility too. And we've also developed a kind of friendship where we can speak freely with each other," he said. Wall Street Journal said two years later, while PM Modi has pursued a "series of incremental, and not always glamorous, changes aimed at re-energizing a struggling economy, he hasn't emerged as the rapid liberalizer that some investors had hoped." "When I came to the government, I used to sit down with all the experts and ask them to define for me what is the 'big bang' for them. Nobody could tell me," he said on critics accusing him of failing to bring in big bang reforms. ( Also Read: 2 years of Narendra Modi govt: Top 10 flagship schemes) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed an Italian marine, who is accused of killing two Indian fishermen, to return to his home Italy. The apex court has also asked Salvatore Girone to not to make an attempt to influence the witnesses or destroy evidence in the case as he returns to Italy. The court has also asked the Italian ambassador to provide an undertaking that Girone would be brought back to India to face trial on time. The United Nations tribunal has however decided on a jurisdictional issue between India and Italy. Another Italian marine Massimiliano Lattore, also accused of killing the fishermen, was allowed by the apex court earlier to return home on health grounds. Recently, the court had extended his stay in Italy until September 30. The two marines are accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast after allegedly mistaking them for pirates on February 15, 2012. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Gaya: In last few days, crime has rose apparently in Bihar. There were series attacks against BJP and allies leaders. Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's convoy was attacked today in Gaya. There were clashes between the police and protesters over the killing of a politician, allegedly by Maoists. The former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi was on his way to meet the family of the Lok Janshakti Party leader Sudesh Paswan, who was killed yesterday when his car was caught in the clashes. The police had to use batons and fired in the air to control the crowd. Protesters set a vehicle in Manjhi's convoy on fire. Jitan Ram Manjhi, a former leader of Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United, was Bihar chief minister for nine months until February last year. After he was expelled by the ruling party, he formed his own outfit. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New York: The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the largest international pre-college science competition in the world, was held in the US on May 24. Students from across the globe participated in Intels prestigious science and engineering fair. The ISEF was organized by Society for Science & the Public in partnership with the Intel Foundation in Phoenix. Among the students, there were from India and of Indian-origin who took part in the event. Several of them have emerged winner in the science competition. The winners belong to 9th through 12th grades. To be able to compete at the Intel ISEF Awards 2016, they won top prizes at a local, regional, state or national science fair. 17-year old Shreyas Kapur of Modern School Barakhamba Road, New Delhi won the third award in the biomedical engineering category. The USD 1,000 prize was awarded to him for his work on cellphone based optometry using hybrid images. 15-year-old Suhani Sachin Jain and 16-year-old Divya Kranthi from Centre Point School in Nagpur also won the third prize of USD 1,000. They had worked on innovative strategy using endophytes for effective biocontrol of insect pests in cotton. In the Translational Medical Science category, 18-year-old Vasudev Malyan from Maharaja Agarsain Public School, New Delhi won the third prize. He had carried out a diagnostic test for multiple sclerosis using a novel paper sensor. Apart from these Indian students, many Indian-origin students fron the US and Australia emerged winner at the Intel ISEF. 17-year-old Swetha Revanur from Evergreen Valley High School, San Jose, California was awarded with the Dudley R Herschbach SIYSS Award. The SIYSS is a multi-disciplinary seminar that highlights some of the major remarkable achievements of young scientists from across the world. She won for a machine learning framework for multi-omics discovery and characterisation of gene co-alterations impacting disease. 18-year-old Rajeev Jha, who is the President of the Theodore Roosevelt High School in Honolulu, Hawaii, got no less than three awards. He won in the trip to EU contest for biochemical characterization and imaging of arc: Insights into Neurodegeneration and Alzheimers Development. He also won two awards in the behavioral and social sciences category, including the Intel ISEF Best of Category Award of USD 5,000. Prashant Godishala of Breck School in Golden Valley, Minnesota won best of category award of $5,000. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Narendra Modi-led NDA government has completed its two years. This year has been a mixed bag for the Modi govt with many hits and failures. For PM Modi issues relating to internal and external security was a major concern from the very first day. The govt has faced issues like ISIS to Pathankot attacks to Chinas conspiracy to illegal immigrants from Bangladesh to JNU issue. The main problem was ISIS treat, which is probably one of the biggest. The govt handed the issue with perfection and with national security advisor, Ajit Doval it took every possible step to stop the surge within the youths. Many people were counselled, who have been radicalised on the internet to join the organization. (Also Read: Have undertaken maximum reforms, says PM Narendra Modi) The second major issue was Border security, there was many lapses but the govt has ensure that is not compromised. A committee has been formed to step up the security across the borders. It was a commendable decision to seal the Indo-Bangladesh border, which will stop the illegal immigrants and free flow of terrorists from the neighbors. One of the main issue Modi govt faced is tussle with Pakistan. PM Modi faced both criticism and praise for his sudden trip to Pakistan from Afghanistan. What those people need to understand that war is not an option with that country. The only way out of the problem is continue talking. Engaging Pakistan in trade has a direct impact on curbing incidents of terror from that country. ( Also Read: News Nation survey: Narendra Modi government's 2 year report card) After PM Modis visit to Pakistan, there were a series of attacks including Pathankot attacks, Udhampur attacks and many more infiltrations in the valley. The porous border between India and Pakistan in Punjab region have been helping drug smugglers to operate well. The way was used by terrorists to sneak in and cause the huge damage. There was a complete lapse at the border and the complaint by the Punjab SP about being abducted by the terrorists was not taken seriously. The first problem was that at first many doubted the SP and secondly sending NSG ahead of the Special Forces is also a very debatable decision. The K issue is on the boil from day one between India and Pakistan. From Udhampur attack on the BSF personnel to twin strikes in Srinagar in just few hours was also a major wake up call. The govt has not been able to tackle the separatists well in the valley after being a part of the ruling govt. The govt is trying to bring back the Kashmiri Pandits, those who have shifted out by providing employments. ( Also Read: PM Narendra Modi to launch second anniversary celebrations at Saharanpur) The relations with China has been worsen in past few days. The dragon has been trying create problems for India in all fronts. India was the only country to supply essential items to Nepal from last 50 years but now China entered the Himalayan country has a competitor. Its been a success for the Modi government from last one years as there have been no major attacks by Maoists. They have curbed the menace of the internal which was a major issue the UPA government. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Thane: At least three workers were killed and nearly 25 others injured in explosion at an industrial unit in Dombivali township of Thane district today, police said. The mishap occurred when cylinders exploded leading to a fire in the chemical manufacturing unit of Herbert Brown Pharmaceutical & Research Laboratories at Shivaji Udyog Nagar of MIDC phase-II area in Dombivili (East), District Disaster Control Officer Dinesh Kurhade said. Visuals from site of fire break out after a blast in a boiler of a chemical factory in Mumbai, Maharashtra. pic.twitter.com/WHQIfy7tku ANI (@ANI_news) May 26, 2016 Three workers were killed in the explosion and about 25 others injured, a senior IPS officer told PTI. An eyewitness said that the intensity of the blast was so much that window panes in several adjoining buildings were shattered and people were seen running helter-skelter. More than a dozen fire tenders were at the site to douse the flames, Kurhade said. Chaos prevailed in vicinity of the industrial unit where the blast occurred. The injured workers were rushed to various hospitals. Thane District Collector Dr Mahendra Kalyankar and Municipal Commissioner E Ravindran were monitoring the rescue operation. Maharashtra: Blast in a chemical factory in Dombivali, three dead and more than 20 injured. Firemen douse the flames pic.twitter.com/B03DUykwrm ANI (@ANI_news) May 26, 2016 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Today we jointly with U.S. looking for new options of cooperation in aerospace Ukraine and the United States are engaged in a dialog on the expansion of bilateral cooperation in aerospace. The countries together are looking for new options of technological and industrial cooperation in the space sector, Head of the State Space Agency of Ukraine (SSAU) Liubomyr Sabadosh has said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine. The discussion of new opportunities for implementing the potential of cooperation would continue during his working visit to the United States this week. Sabadosh will participate in a meeting of the Ukrainian-U.S. working group for cooperation in aerospace "The agenda of the first meeting covers a wide set of issues. First, this is deepening of cooperation of between Ukrainian aerospace enterprises and U.S. Orbital ATK and Boeing. This is the expansion of partnership under the Antares missile carrier project and cooperation under the Zenit missile carrier project, maybe in a new upgraded version," Sabadosh said. He said that the United States showed its interest in the proposals of the Ukrainian side in the issue. The negotiations are underway. There is a potential investor. "Earlier many parts for Zenit [missile carrier] were bought from Russia. Today there is an opportunity to rearrange cooperation, as chief designer of Zenit missile carrier is located in Ukraine," he said. Sabadosh said that he would also discuss the creation of a liquid missile engine for a U.S. missile carrier that can be used for the first stage of the upgraded Zenit carrier. "I am sure that we could give a high-quality product to the market in the set terms and at the beneficial price, which is really important," he said. He said that cooperation in the Antares missile carrier project was our first and easiest step in industrial cooperation with the United States. He said that the potential of partnership in the sphere of technologies to combat so-called space waste. "Today the issue is on the global agenda: bottom space is overloaded with space activities waste," he said. "The problem is not only of the ecological, but also the economic character: putting spacecrafts to higher orbits brings more additional expenses on organization of the launch," Sabadosh said. He expressed confidence that Ukraine could become a leader in this promising direction of partnership. Los Angeles: Cold war-set spy drama "The Americans", currently in its fourth season, has been renewed by FX for two final seasons. The show, starring Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys, will have a 13-episode fifth season that will air in 2017, followed by a 10-episode sixth and final season next year, according to the Hollywood Reporter. FX Productions, meanwhile, has signed creators Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields to develop their next series. The pair have signed overall deals with FX Productions to develop new projects for the network. The critically-acclaimed drama revolves around two KGB spies posing as a married American couple during the Cold War. The show premiered in 2013. The ratings of the show have not been as big as other shows but it has drawn praise for being one of the best dramas on American television right now. New Delhi : Bhumata Brigade chief Trupti Desai who has been campaigning for womens rights to break ban on the entry of women in some religious places. Desai today offered prayers at the famous Kapaleshwar temple here, but refrained from entering its 'garbha griha' (sanctum sanctorum). The famous Kapaleshwar temple, situated on the banks of river Godavari in Panchavati area of the city. Amid tight security arrangements, Desai and other women activists offered prayers from outside the 'garbha griha'. Last Thursday, Desai had to return without offering prayers following strong opposition from locals, priests and trustees of the temple. Desai has already faced wrath of priests and temple trustees earlier also on her unconventional move to enter temples sactum sactorum where woman are forbidden. Notably, men are also not allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum where only priests are permitted to perform the regular puja. When Desai and her colleagues arrived in the temple, its trust members and police officials explained to her the rules and traditions, following which she offered prayers but did not enter the sanctum sanctorum. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Ise-Shima: World leaders today kicked off talks dominated by the global economy and worries over Chinas growing cloutand were told by Beijing to keep their noses out of its business. Presidents and prime ministers from the Group of Seven rich nations are huddling in Japan for two days of discussions focused on how to stoke demand and encourage growth. But Chinas growing assertiveness, particularly in bitter territorial disputes in the South China Sea was providing ever-louder background music, with European Council President Donald Tusk saying the group needed to take a tough stance on the hot-button issue. Beijing swiftly launched a stinging broadside against the G7 -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the USwhich it said should not pursue selfish interests. G7 should focus on its own duties, that is economic cooperation, it should not point fingers at something outside its portfolio, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular briefing in Beijing. The Xinhua news agency, Beijings official mouthpiece, reinforced the point with a blunt commentary that said the group should mind its own business and accused Japan of exploiting its host status to try to isolate China. Both Washington and Tokyowhich is locked in a separate dispute with Beijing over islands in the East China Sea have warned against China stoking tensions in the contested waters. Beijings rebuke came as the G7 opened its 2016 summit at Ise-Shima, a mountainous region about 300 kilometres southwest of Tokyo. Leaders, including US President Barack Obamawho is making a historic trip to the atomic-bombed city of Hiroshima tomorrowvisited Ise Jingu, a shrine complex that sits at the spiritual heart of Japans native Shintoism. Abes decision to take his counterparts to the site also a hotspot for domestic touristshas raised eyebrows among some critics, however, who say Shinto retains some of the nationalist overtones with which it was imbued when it was the state religion. Several bilateral meetings were expected throughout the day, with Trudeau lined up to meet Germanys Angela Merkel and French leader Francois Hollande. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Ise-Shima: US President Barack Obama today said that global leaders are rattled by some of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps policies, blasting the ideas as demonstrating ignorance of how the world works. Trump, the billionaire US real-estate mogul and reality TV star, has dominated headlines since launching his presidential campaign last year with a mix of incendiary comments and policy stances seen as insulting Mexicans, Muslims and women, among others. He has proposed building a giant wall along the US border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants and vows that he will get the southern neighbour to pay for it. Trump has also proposed a temporary ban on Muslim immigration, citing fears of jihadist attacks such as those that have occurred in Europe and the US city of San Bernardino. They are not sure how seriously to take some of his pronouncements, Obama told reporters on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit, referring to global leaders. But theyre rattled by them, and for good reason, he added. Because a lot of the proposals that he has made display either ignorance of world affairs or a cavalier attitude or an interest in getting tweets and headlines. Trump has disdained the usual cautiousness of past candidates for the countrys highest office - Republican or Democrat - who while appealing to their base constituencies have often tried to take positions closer to the centre that would appeal to broad cross sections of the electorate. Obama is coming to the end of this second term and hopes to pass the mantle to fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton, his 2008 rival for the White House and who served him as secretary of state. But recent opinion polls show Democrat Clinton and Trump in an increasingly tight race were they to meet, as expected, in Novembers election after winning formal nominations at their party conventions this summer. Clinton is vying to become the first female president in US history and while she leads challenger Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Senator has remained competitive and drawn support from younger voters. Clintons camp has grown increasingly frustrated with the tenaciousness of Sanders, who has vowed to take his fight to the convention even as Clinton remains ahead in delegates, who decide the nomination. Obama tried to downplay the rivalry. What is really important to remember is that unlike what you have seen in the Republican primary, for the most part there is not that big a difference in terms of the issues. They are both good people, I know them both well, he said of Clinton and Sanders, both of whom he served with in the Senate. He called it important for us to try to end this in a way that leaves both sides feeling proud of what they have done. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have lowered their holding in BSE-200 companies to USD 291 billion during the January-March quarter and heavy selling was seen in sectors like banking and pharma, says a report. In comparison, FPI ownership in the BSE-200 index was at USD 304 billion during the December quarter, according to the Kotak Institutional Equities report. In percentage terms, FPI holdings in BSE-200 companies came down marginally to 24.5 per cent in the March quarter against 24.8 per cent in the preceding quarter. A sector-wise analysis shows that heavy selling was seen by foreign portfolio investors including American Depository Receipts (ADRs) and global depository receipt (GDR) in banking, pharmaceuticals and automobiles sectors. Meanwhile, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) increased their stakes in sectors such as banking, utilities and pharmaceuticals. DII holdings in BSE-200 companies increased to 11.1 per cent in the March quarter from 10.9 per cent at the end of the previous quarter, the report noted. Sector wise, FPIs are overweight on banking and technology sectors and underweight on consumer, industrials and energy space. Meanwhile, mutual funds are overweight on industrials and banking sectors; underweight consumer, technology and energy. The analysis covered mark-to-market, India equity portfolios of USD 291 billion for FPIs (including ADRs/GDRs) and USD 49 billion for mutual funds. In the January-March quarter, the 30-share benchmark index Sensex has lost over 819 points which translates into a little over three per cent. FPIs have sold maximum stake in Shriram Transport during the quarter under review 9.2 percentage points followed by LIC Housing Finance (8 percentage points). Overseas investors also trimmed their holdings in ICICI Bank, Lupin, Tata Motors, Punjab National Bank, Jaiprakash Associates, DLF, Suzlon Energy, Cipla and India Cements. On the other hand, Max Financial Services saw substantial sequential increase in FPI holdings - 8.4 percentage points, followed by SKS Microfinance and The Ramco Cement (4.3 percentage points each). For all the Latest Business News, International News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : A Delhi court today sought status report from police on the probe in a sedition case against JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar and others for deciding the maintainability of AAP governments separate plea seeking action against some media houses. The courts direction came while hearing a complaint filed by Delhi government seeking prosecution of three news channels for allegedly showing doctored videos related to a controversial event held inside JNU campus on February 9 where anti-India slogans were allegedly raised. The court also refused stay the proceedings in the matter on an application filed by the editor-in-chief of a news channel. It had sought the stay on proceedings of Delhi governments present complaint, claiming that the same video is the subject matter in the main FIR lodged on February 11 in the JNU protest at Vasant Kunj North police station as well. It claimed that the Delhi police is already probing the matter and it will decide whether the video was doctored and, therefore, the current complaint filed by the Delhi government should be stayed. However, senior advocate Hariharan, appearing for Delhi government, told the court that the subject matter in this matter is entirely different from the one in the main FIR registered in the sedition case. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Sumit Dass refused to stay the proceedings in the present complaint and fixed the matter for further hearing on July 12. I am not staying the proceedings as much as I am calling a status report from Delhi Police Special Cell, the CMM said. The court had earlier fixed the matter for today for consideration of Delhi governments complaint in which it was said the channels reported about clash between students groups at JNU and showed footage of the incident which happened at the university campus on February 9. The court is yet to pass any order on the governments complaint. The governments counsel had said the video was inaudible so the channels had showed a bubble on the screen with an alleged text Pakistan Zindabad and the the anchor/reporter suggested that such anti-national slogans were being shouted by the JNU students which would not be tolerated by the country. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Raipur: Claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modis popularity was declining, senior Congress leader C P Joshi today said there will be a Modi-mukt Bharat after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. There will be Modi-mukt Bharat (Modi-free India) after 2019 (elections), he said, speaking to reporters as the NDA government at the Centre completed two years in office. States like Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, which send a sizable number of MPs, will decide who becomes the PM and BJP has no presence or allies in these states, he said. In West Bengal, when Modi was aspiring for the Prime Ministers post, BJPs vote share was 17 per cent. Now its 10 per cent (in the Asembly elections). More than 200 of its candidates lost deposits in Tamil Nadu. They lost in Delhi and Bihar. This clearly shows Modi has lost his popularity, he said. On Congress plans of stiching up major alliances in future, Joshi said, Wherever we are strong, we are going alone. Wherever we feel we have to defeat BJP taking the secular parties together, we are forming secular alliances. Accusing the Modi government of making hollow promises, he said it neither brought back the black money nor created jobs for youths. On the pretext of Make in India, the Modi government was promoting specific companies which did not have experience in the sectors concerned, he alleged. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi would soon visit Telangana for the foundation laying ceremony of a National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) power plant, Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said here today. The NDA government has provided power to the state, which was facing severe shortage of electricity and also allocated funds to the tune of thousands of crores, the Union Minister of State (independent charge) for Labour, said. He was speaking at a BJP meeting organised here on the occasion of the NDA government completing two years in office. Dattatreya, who dwelt on the development and welfare initiatives of the NDA government, said the Prime Minister is also keen on the Hyderabad Metro rail project and its timely completion. Noting that BJP should emerge as the alternative to ruling TRS in Telangana for the 2019 Legislative Assembly elections, he said party chief Amit Shah would guide the partymen during his visit to Hyderabad on May 29. Stressing that employment generation is a top priority area for the NDA government, the Union Labour Minister said one crore jobs will be created over the next two years. He said the Narendra Modi government has become synonymous with corruption-free governance and development, adding that it has demonstrated sab ka sath-sab ka vikas in action. There have been no communal clashes and the minorities have increasingly become a part of national mainstream, he claimed. Telangana BJP president and MLC K Laxman, BJP MLA NVSS Prabhakar and party MLC N Ramachandra Rao and several other party leaders attended the meeting. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The opening of a new forward patrol base (FPB) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Special Monitoring Mission (OSCE SMM) to Ukraine will broaden the mission's ability to monitor the situation in Donbas, the mission's press service told Interfax on Thursday. "The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine opened a new forward patrol base in the government-controlled town of Schastia in the Luhansk region today [on May 25]. The FPB will increase the Mission's ability to monitor the security situation in both government- and non-government-controlled areas," the press service said. OSCE SMM Principal Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug, for his part, said that "the newly-established FPB is located less than 500 meters from the contact line." "This will bring our monitors closer to the areas where most violations take place and will help them follow up on reports about incidents faster," he said. "The SMM's permanent presence should also encourage the sides to adhere to the ceasefire and the Minsk agreements more eagerly," Hug was quoted as saying by the OSCE press service. "The SMM informed the Joint Center for Control and Coordination [JCCC] of the opening of a new FPB and secured support from both the Ukrainian and the Russian Federation sides to the JCCC [...]. The Mission is looking to open more such bases on both sides of the contact line to enhance its monitoring and reporting," the press service said. A Russian "humanitarian convoy" consisting of 114 half-empty vehicles arrived in occupied territory in Donbas on Thursday morning, press secretary of the Ukrainian State Border Service Oleh Slobodian said. "Two columns of the so-called 'humanitarian convoy' comprising 114 vehicles passed through the Russian checkpoints of Donetsk and Matveyev Kurgan [Rostov oblast, Russia] in the period from 06:38 a.m. to 07:30 in the morning. As Russia traditionally breached every existent international and Ukrainian norm, we exercised only visual control and did not perform controlling functions," Slobodian told Interfax-Ukraine. The visual inspection of some trucks showed that they were carrying food, he said. "As per tradition, the trucks were only half full," Slobodian said. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has announced he tendered a resignation letter as leader of the Bloc of Petro Poroshenko "Solidarnist." "I'd like to announce that I've applied for resignation as Solidarnist leader because the law [on civil service] bans the combination of the positions of [city] administration head and chairman or member of a political party. It will be considered by the political council. And then it will follow the procedure the decision should be authorized by the congress, which both elects and dismisses a chairman of the party," Klitschko said at a Kyiv City Council meeting on Thursday. In August 2015, delegates of the Bloc of Petro Poroshenko "Solidarnist" gathered for a congress to elect former leader of the UDAR Party, Kyiv Mayor Klitschko to replace Yuriy Lutsenko, who is now Prosecutor General. EU Council President Donald Tusk says that the European Union was not going to cancel sanctions against Russia over Ukraine. Tusk said that the anti-Russia sanctions would be in effect as long as Russia fails to comply with the Minsk agreements, Russia's Izvestia reported with reference to Bloomberg. "The European Union will continue its current policy in relation to the Russian Federation, including economic sanctions. This position by the EU requires the complete implementation of the Minsk agreements," Tusk said. He said that the decision to renew the sanctions would be taken within two or three weeks. As was reported, the anti-Russian sanctions imposed by the EU may be partly cancelled. This is connected with huge disputes between the EU members. Some members are against their automatic prolongation and demand relaxing the restrictions imposed on Russia. Two Ukrainian servicemen have been wounded over the past 24 hours as a result of attacks by militant groups in the Anti-Terrorism Operation (ATO) zone in eastern Ukraine, the Presidential Administration's ATO spokesman Oleksandr Motuzianyk has said. "Over the past 24 hours two Ukrainian servicemen have been wounded in hostilities. No troops were killed," Motuzianyk said on Thursday at a regularly scheduled briefing in Kyiv. According to him, the Ukrainian troops were wounded by enemy snipers in the villages of Zaitseve and Novotroitske. Six attacks were registered in the Luhansk sector in the last day. For two hours, the enemy was shelling Ukrainian positions in the village of Novozvanivka. The village of Stanytsia Luhanska also came under fire. In the Donetsk sector, Russian proxies have been still shelling areas near the town of Avdiyivka, the villages of Zaitseve and Luhanske. A total of 12 attacks were registered in that sector. Three of them were from heavy weapons. The situation in the Mariupol sector remains unchanged. The enemy continues shelling Ukrainian troops along the entire front line from the town of Krasnohorivka to the village of Shyrokyne, which is not far from the Ukrainian-controlled strategic port city of Mariupol. Ten militant attacks were registered in that sector in the last day. Russias new Satan 2 nuclear missile system cant be stopped, but can destroy an entire nation in a flash Is the world about to enter a dangerous new nuclear phase that will once again heighten global tensions between superpowers? Yes, if one recent report is to be believed. As noted by the UKs Mirror, Russia is gearing up to test-fire a nuclear weapon which supposedly is powerful enough to wipe out entire countries in a single massive strike. The Satan 2 is rumored to be the most powerful nuclear design ever, and whats more, it is believed to be equipped with new stealth technology to make it invisible to enemy radar systems. In what some will surely call a doomsday weapon, when fully developed and deployed it may never have to be used in order to put Moscow at the head of every negotiating table for the foreseeable future. And it is most likely keeping U.S. military and intelligence officials up at night, if it exists, as current missile defenses are quite probably ineffective against such a weapon. The weapons official name is the RS-28 Sarmat, and it is slated to replace existing but aging Soviet-era R-36M missiles, which NATO code-named Satan back in the days of the [first] Cold War. In this sense, the Sarmat missile will not only become the R-36Ms successor, but also to some extent it will determine in which direction nuclear deterrence in the world will develop, the Russian news network Zvezda reported. As noted by The National Interest: The first prototype missiles have already been built. The first test launches are scheduled for later this year. Should the tests prove successful, the Sarmat will enter into full production so that it enters operational service in 2018. The development of the Sarmat silo-based missile system with a heavy missile is nearing completion, Col. Gen. Sergei Karakayev, commander of Russias Strategic Missile Forces told the Moscow-based TASS News agency. It will replace the Voyevoda missile system in the Uzhur missile division and the Dombarovsky position area. There is not much hard data available on the massive missile, but what information is publicly known suggests a system that is extremely formidable, like the appropriately named Satan system it will replace. That said, Russia did not develop the Sarmat completely from scratch, The National Interest (TNI) reported. The new missile uses a modernized variant of the Voyevodas liquid-fueled rocket motors; it will be equipped with four RD-274 engines to power it through its first phase. The Mirror noted that some believe the 100-ton missile, which has a 10-ton payload, packs enough nuclear explosive power to destroy a country the size of France (or a U.S. state the size of Texas, where a sizable portion of U.S. military power is based). TNI noted further that U.S. and Western intelligence estimate that the Sarmat may carry as many as 15 independently targeted nuclear warheads, and has a range of 6,000 miles. Once it is deployed it will become the largest ICBM ever built. Like other modern Russian ICBMs such as the Yars, Topol-M and the Bulava, the Sarmat is being designed specifically to overcome ballistic missile defenses using a combination of decoys, a host of countermeasures and sheer speed. It might also be equipped with maneuvering warheadswhich would make it much more difficult to intercept, The National Interest reported. As for the U.S., the Air Force has launched preliminary development on a new Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent system which includes a new bomber, the B-21, to replace existing Minuteman III ICBMs. Currently, the service is upgrading the missiles, but Air Force officials have testified before Congress that they dont believe it will provide assured deterrence as enemy missile defenses rapidly improve. In the nuclear age, global conflict on the scale of the world wars is viewed as impossible to fathom, not just unlikely to occur. But if you remove the nuclear-deterrent factor if somehow, someday, they are taken out of the response equation and not replaced with a weapon equally destructive we will see war on a global scale once again. Submit a correction >> Georgia woman suing Snapchat for tempting her to speed, because she was using the app when she crashed her car This story is supposed to be about a women flying down the highway over 100 miles per hour and plowing into another vehicle, whose driver is now brain damaged. Even more egregious, the driver that caused the crash was allegedly grabbing a photo via her Snapchat app. But maybe she wasnt, according to WFSB.com: A lawsuit filed in Spalding County claims Snapchat tempted a woman to drive too fast, causing a major crash. But CBS46 tracked down a witness who said the lawyers have it all wrong. Henry Williams is one of three other passengers who were in the car when the crash occurred in September. He said he was sitting right beside Christal McGee, the young lady named in the lawsuit for Snapchatting behind the wheel. All the proof weve seen so far of McGee using Snapchat that night is a selfie she took from the ambulance stretcher but that was after the crash. Its Williams opinion the plaintiff, not the defendant in the Snapchat lawsuit, is the one who caused the crash. He pulled out in front of us, and instead of speeding up, he never speeded up, said Williams. According to the official police report, Lovejoy police never blamed either driver for causing the crash, and never accused anyone of speeding. Lovejoy police said their investigation is not over, and they had nothing to do with creating the theory that Snapchat is responsible for the accident. So, if there was no Snapchat used, why is there a law suit? For one reason, the lawyers are itching for them. As reported by WFSB.com: It turns that out law firms all over the country have had their eyes on Snapchats speed filter for a while, and theyre actively looking for cases they can use as an excuse to sue the multi-billion dollar company law firms [are] soliciting this idea from coast to coast. CBS46 asked Williams if anyone in the car was using Snapchat the night of the accident. No sir, replied Williams. So, lying is one element of this story. A big element. Consider the interests. Self driving cars arent mainstream quite yet, but they are forthcoming, for our own protection of course. And then theres the larger theme. The transference of guilt, a human state, onto a digital application, as if it had some sort of autonomous way to determine right from wrong. Media chatter concerning culpability of a computer application gives a gloss of moral credence to the 4th industrial revolution, a bio-synthetic, genetically enhanced transhuman utopia. Fast forward to technological subservience where a computer consciousness will make decisions about your usefulness as an eater. And, while the beast determines your future, bow down. And if a lawsuit does continue, even under the auspices of lies, expect national discussions about personal responsibility of humans in a technologically driven world. This leads to more discussions, philosophizing and scientific jargon about singularity and how important it is to just accept our fusion of digital, physical and biological worlds. Contrived lawsuits can create global social engineering waves. Soon, and very soon, the specifics on the legal rights of robots will most likely be spelled out. But in the meantime, Im going to be driving my twenty year old chariot of fire and take personal responsibility on the highways and byways. I dont want robots, chips, iPhones or apps to track my whereabouts. Who in their right mind wants the prison of a driverless car controlled by robot bureaucrats? Sources: Wfsb.com Science.NaturalNews.com Submit a correction >> This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DANBURY An influx of new residents has arrived downtown as Kennedy Flats ramps up efforts to lease its luxury apartment complex on Main Street. About a year after construction started on the $80 million complex, nearly 100 units have been completed and about 75 percent of those are occupied, according to officials with Greystar, the national development company building the complex. Weve been seeing a lot of working professional from the Danbury area as well as a lot of Westchester residents looking to move into the state, said Justin Gaboury, the senior property manager for the complex. We already have quite a few residents in the buildings. Downtown merchants say they also begun to see new customers from the complex, long touted by city officials as one of the cornerstones to downtown revitalization efforts. Weve been seeing some new faces, and if the complex continues to fill up, it will be a nice boost for everyone in the downtown, said Maurie Samaha, owner of the Danbury Liquor Store on White Street. He said some of the new customers include several tenants of the complex who commute daily to New York City using the nearby Danbury railroad station. One of the guys brought a bunch of friends up from New York City the other day who wanted to check out the area, Samaha said. Thats the kind of thing we like to see. Hopefully this is the start of even better things to come. Plans call for the complex to have 345 units including both apartments and townhomes that should be completed by the end of the year. The amenities at the complex came online earlier this month including an in-ground pool, fitness center, a multilevel resident lounge and even a dog-washing station. Single-bedroom apartments at the complex rent for about $1,800 a month. Gaboury noted that with more people shopping online these days, the complex also offers a concierge package service that will notify tenants by text or email when a package is received. They can then pick up the package at the complex 24 hours a day using a special code theyve been provided. These days people are looking for high-end finishes and heavily amenitized communities, Gaboury said. And what we offer is a full-resort amenity package. P.J. Prunty, the executive director of CityCenter, said hes already met several of the new residents and is thrilled with many of the new faces. What I've seen is a lot of young professionals or married couples without children who have been interested in the complex, he said. I've come across people at the complex who work at Pitney Bowes, who are executives at Boehringer Ingelheim and other area corporations. Its a good demographic. Prunty said hes also spent more time in recent months showing prospective businesses some of the retail vacancies available downtown. There are some entrepreneurs who recognize the opportunity and are trying to take advantage of it, he said. There are also some existing shop owners who are changing around their businesses to better accommodate the new residents. Weve had some good progress so far and its exactly what we were hoping for. dperrefort@newstimes.com Twenty-two businesses in southwest Connecticut are celebrating their new accreditation by the Connecticut Better Business Bureau (BBB). The Connecticut BBB accredited 75 businesses in April, 22 of which reside in southwestern Connecticut. The businesses range from home improvement and contracting services to media and toys across Fairfield County. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Towns and cities will have to handle the bodies of about 100 people a year who die of natural causes and dont require autopsies, Dr. James Gill, the chief medical examiner, announced Thursday. The news, ending a long-held courtesy to communities, prompted Republicans to criticize the Democratic budget that takes effect July 1. We suggest that municipalities work with the local police to develop a plan to transport and store these remains, as the police are usually at the scene of death, Gill said in a communication to towns and cities, citing existing state statutes. He said the new procedure would take effect on July 1, the start of the new fiscal year, because of budget reductions and storage limitations. Gill recently complained to state lawmakers that while funding for his agencys $6.2 million budget will be cut by 11 percent, the caseload has increased by 50 percent in recent years, particularly by the opioid epidemic that claimed about 720 lives in Connecticut last year. Gill said that in cases of people, including the elderly, who die in their homes, they will no longer be transported to Farmington for examination. And for the deceased who are unclaimed by relatives, towns and cities will have to take possession of the bodies once the medical examiners finish their work. Gill expects the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association to help towns and cities with arranging assistance. The medical examiners office has seen a sharp increase in autopsies in recent years, from 1,382 in 2012 to 1,723 in 2014. Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, in reaction to Gills statement, said the new mandate will become a burden on towns and cities for which they have not planned. How much more inhumane can you get? Fasano said in a statement. Democrats have cut the Chief Medical Examiners Office to the point where they can no longer do their job, and it will now be up to individual municipalities to process human remains. NEW MILFORD School and town officials will go back to the drawing board after voters narrowly rejected a proposed school budget on Tuesday. Even though the municipal budget was approved by voters, both must go back to referendum within three weeks, according to the town charter. The $62.2 million Board of Education budget was defeated 734 to 716, while the $36.6 million town budget passed 841 to 608. Overwhelmingly in two advisory questions on the ballot, voters said they didnt want either budget increased should a second vote be necessary. The combined proposed budget of $100.3 million was about $300,000 more than the current fiscal year. This included a spending increase of $1 million for the school budget, $182,000 more for the town budget, and $1.6 million for capital projects, which is about $872,000 less than the current fiscal year. Im disappointed in the budget being defeated, Board of Education Chairman David Lawson said. It was a very low budget, but were going to make it work. He said the school board will meet in the near future to discuss its options. We look forward to maintaining our programs for the upcoming school year, he said. Results for an advisory question on the ballot show 970 voters dont want to see the school budget increase, while 441 said they do. Mayor David Gronbach views the new referendum as a chance to present a more accurate budget using final state aid and health insurance figures. He is in the process of organizing a Town Council meeting to discuss the budget. Theres going to be a discussion about if the town budget needs tweaking to reflect the state budget, he said. The proposed budget includes $448,000 the Board of Finance added to the mayors original budget. The Board of Finance's budget would have increased the tax rate by 2 cents to $26.77 per $100,000 of assessed value, or 0.06 percent. Gronbachs budget would have decreased the tax rate by about the same amount. He plans to include input from the school board on what a decrease would mean for the schools. Well see what happens with this next budget, Gronbach said. Following Tuesdays vote, Gronbach said the school budget could have failed because the Republican Town Committee had campaigned against the budget. Michael Barnes, chairman of the New Milford Republican Town Committee, said in a statement Wednesday that the mayor was giving the committee too much credit. He said the the committee only submitted one letter about the issue to the paper. He said voters were aware some school employees received salary and benefits increases. Most businesses I know are foregoing pay increases because their insurance costs have risen so much due to Obamacare, he wrote. Taxpayers arent getting raises so these BoE costs should not be pushed onto them. The BoE should cut their budget so that employees understand that if some want large pay or benefit increases it will come out of the BoE budget, not from taxpayers. Barnes said he was thankful the Board of Finance added the $448,000 to the budget. As the Mayor pointed out, it can cover income we may not receive from the state, Barnes wrote. The town had a turnout lower than normal. Only 9.16 percent of registered voters in town voted on the budget. I think the people saw it as non-controversial this year and decided to stay home and not vote and let others go out and vote, Gronbach said. kkoerting@newstimes.com; 203-731-3345; @kkoerting Norm Cummings / Norm Cummings/Spectrum Town and school officials have called special meetings to address New Milfords budget, which will return to referendum after voters rejected the school budget Tuesday. The Board of Education will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Friday in the board room of the Lillis Administration Building, 50 East Street. The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has imposed a five-year entry ban on former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, as SBU spokesperson Olena Hitlianska told Interfax-Ukraine on Thursday. "It's true, we have barred [Gorbachev] for five years in the interests of national security, particularly for publicly supporting Crimea's military annexation," Hitlianska said. The SBU said later on Twitter: "Mikhail Gorbachev is barred from entering Ukraine for 5 years for publicly supporting Crimea annexation." The Sunday Times magazine earlier quoted Gorbachev as saying, in an exclusive interview, that he backed Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to reincorporate Crimea into Russia, and that he would have acted the same way as Putin if he had found himself in a similar situation. Following this, Ukrainian parliamentarian Anton Heraschenko of the Popular Front faction announced his plans to send a proposal to the EU Delegation to Ukraine to bar Gorbachev from entering EU countries. He also said Gorbachev would be put on the Ukrainian black list. Gorbachev told Interfax-Ukraine in commenting on this, that he had not planned and was not planning on travelling to Ukraine under its current leadership. PetSmart CharitiesTM of Canada Quickly Delivers Funds to Animal Welfare Partners on the Front Lines TORONTO, May 25, 2016 /CNW/ - Canadians have stepped up to help the pets and pet parents affected by the wildfire crisis in Fort McMurray, contributing more than $176,000 in just 14 days to PetSmart Charities of Canada through PetSmart stores and PetSmartcharities.ca. On May 6, PetSmart Charities of Canada announced that, through May 20, all donations made at PetSmart stores across the country and at PetSmartCharities.ca would be directed to supporting pets, their families and the Fort McMurray community. "$176,000 raised in 14 days speaks to the incredible generosity of our customers and to the empathy Canadians have for the pets and pet parents affected by the disaster in Northern Alberta," said John DeFranco, President of PetSmart Canada and Chairperson of PetSmart Charities of Canada's Board of Directors. "On behalf of PetSmart, PetSmart Charities of Canada and our local partners, we want to thank everyone who has donated." In support of the relief efforts, so far, through quick action and wiring the funding in most cases, PetSmart Charities of Canada has already committed more than $139,000 in Emergency Relief Grants to the following animal welfare organizations working on the front lines in Alberta: Fort McMurray SPCA Edmonton Humane Society Infinite WOOFs Animal Rescue Zoe's Animal Rescue Society Barrhead Animal Rescue Society Alberta Spay Neuter Task Force Society Food drives in Alberta PetSmart stores have also generated nearly 2,000 pet food items that will be distributed to partners in the Fort McMurray area. Additionally, PetSmart Charities of Canada and PetSmart committed to contributing at least $100,000 in relief, including pet food and other pet supplies, to several animal welfare organizations. Funding from this initiative will continue to support rebuilding efforts and other community needs in the months ahead. About PetSmart Canada In Canada, PetSmart is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we believe pets make us better people. That's why we create more moments for people to be inspired by pets. This mission impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates, and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 3,500 associates and operate 113 pet stores across Canada with 7 operating in-store PetSmart PetsHotel dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents including PetSmart.ca , Pet360.com and petMD.com offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in North America. Through its in-store pet adoption partnership with PetSmart Charities of Canada, PetSmart has helped save the lives of 200,000 pets since 1999. In addition, PetSmart supports organizations that make communities a better place to call home through our philanthropy program, PetSmart Gives Back. By giving back to the communities where we live and work, PetSmart not only celebrates the power of pets to enrich people's liveswe live it. Find PetSmart on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PetSmartCanada/ See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart About PetSmart Charities of Canada PetSmart Charities of Canada is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that saves the lives of homeless pets in Canada. Each year more than 20,000 cats and dogs find Canadian homes through our adoption program in nearly all PetSmart stores across Canada and our sponsored adoption events. A leading funder of animal welfare, PetSmart Charities of Canada has granted more than $9 million to help pets in need with a funding focus on adoption and spay/neuter programs that help communities solve pet overpopulation. PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered charity, independent from PetSmart. SOURCE PetSmart Canada Image with caption: "PetSmart Canada (CNW Group/PetSmart Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160525_C6436_PHOTO_EN_699604.jpg Image with caption: "PetSmart Charities of Canada (CNW Group/PetSmart Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160525_C6436_PHOTO_EN_699607.jpg For further information: For more information, or to speak with someone from PetSmart Charities of Canada, please contact: Michael Bouliane, PetSmart Charities of Canada: [email protected], 647-201-1155; PetSmart Media Line: 623-587-2711 Data from three Phase 3 studies showed BRIVLERA significantly reduced the frequency of partial-onset seizures over placebo1 TORONTO, May 26, 2016 /CNW/ - UCB Canada Inc. today announced that BRIVLERA is now available across Canada as adjunctive therapy in the management of partial-onset seizures in adult patients (18 years of age) with epilepsy who are not satisfactorily controlled with conventional therapy. Approved by Health Canada on March 9th 2016, BRIVLERA is the culmination of more than eight years of clinical trials involving more than 2,400 adult patients with partial-onset seizures. "Canadian epilepsy patients will benefit from BRIVLERA, a new anti-seizure medication that works differently from those currently available in Canada. It showed significant treatment response with good tolerance in pivotal trials taken in combination with other seizure medications," said Dr. Neelan Pillay, Adult Epileptologist, Clinical Professor at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary, Alberta. "We are pleased to introduce BRIVLERA as a new therapeutic option that may make a difference in the lives of people living with epilepsy in Canada," said Ian Tu, Head, Neurology Patient Value Unit, UCB Canada. "The development of this new innovation builds upon our longstanding heritage in developing meaningful treatment solutions for people living with epilepsy." The approved indication is based on data from three pivotal Phase 3 studies in which BRIVLERA demonstrated efficacy over placebo in reducing partial-onset seizure frequency during the treatment period.1 The most frequently reported adverse events (>10%) with BRIVLERA treatment were: somnolence (14.3%) and dizziness (11.0%). Somnolence and fatigue were reported at a higher incidence with increasing dose. The most common adverse events requiring clinical intervention (dose adjustment/interruption or requiring additional therapy) were cough (1.5%), nausea (1.0%), and fatigue (0.8%). The discontinuation rate due to adverse events was 6.0%, 7.4%, and 6.8% for patients randomized to receive BRIVLERA at the recommended doses of 50 mg, 100 mg, and 200 mg/day, respectively, and 3.5% in patients randomized to receive placebo. The adverse reactions most commonly leading to discontinuation were dizziness (0.8%), depression (0.5%), and fatigue (0.5%).1 About PrBRIVLERA (brivaracetam) BRIVLERA is a new molecular entity that was rationally designed and developed by UCB. BRIVLERA displays a high and selective affinity for synaptic vesicle protein 2A (SV2A) in the brain, which may contribute to the anticonvulsant effect. However, the precise mechanism of action by which BRIVLERA exerts its anticonvulsant activity is not known. BRIVLERA will be available in three formulations (film-coated tablets, oral solution, and intravenous).1,2 BRIVLERA is a trademark of the UCB Group of Companies. About Epilepsy3,4 Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder affecting approximately 65 million people worldwide, including about 1 in 100 people in Canada. While epilepsy has the highest rate of new cases in seniors and young children, it can affect people of any age, race and sex. Next to migraine headaches, epilepsy is the most common neurological disorder. There are many different types of epilepsy but the main characteristic of the condition is recurrent seizures. Seizures are classified by the pattern of onsetpartial seizures start in one part of the brain and generalized seizures are characterized by widespread involvement of the whole brain. About UCB in Epilepsy UCB has a rich heritage in epilepsy with more than 20 years of experience in the research and development of anti-epileptic drugs. As a company with a long-term commitment to epilepsy research, our goal is to address unmet medical needs. Our scientists are proud to contribute to advances in the understanding of epilepsy and its treatment. We partner and create super-networks with world-leading scientists and clinicians in academic institutions, pharmaceutical companies and other organizations who share our goals. At UCB, we are inspired by patients and driven by science in our commitment to support patients with epilepsy. About UCB Canada Inc. Inspired by patients and driven by science, UCB Canada Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe auto-immune and central nervous system diseases. For more information, please consult www.ucb.com/worldwide/canada. References 1. BRIVLERA Product Monograph, March 9, 2016. 2. Klein, P et al. brivaracetam for the treatment of epilepsy. Expert Opin Pharmacother, 2016. 3. Epilepsy Ontario: http://epilepsyontario.org/about-epilepsy/what-is-epilepsy/, April 14, 2016. 4. Canadian Epilepsy Alliance: http://epilepsymatters.com/information-resources/epilepsy-faq/explaining-epilepsy/#whatisepilepsy, April 14, 2016. SOURCE UCB Canada Inc. Image with caption: "UCB Canada Inc. (CNW Group/UCB Canada Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160526_C3641_PHOTO_EN_699572.jpg For further information: Corporate Communications: Melissa Lee, Cohn & Wolfe, 647.259.3266, [email protected]; Ben Faienza, UCB Canada Inc., 905-287 5115, [email protected] TORONTO and EDMONTON, May 26, 2016 /CNW/ - Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) and Alberta's Climate Change and Emissions Management Corporation (CCEMC) are partnering to bolster cross-provincial efforts that support innovative technology breakthroughs for reducing carbon emissions. In an announcement in Edmonton today, Premier Rachel Notley and Premier Kathleen Wynne announced the signing of an agreement between OCE and CCEMC to focus on the strengths of both provinces to accelerate solutions that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Five months ago, the Ontario government entrusted OCE with managing and executing its $74 million greenhouse gas innovation initiative. This multifaceted program aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging large GHG emitters to adopt leading-edge technologies and by supporting entrepreneurs in developing creative solutions. In an effort to provide increased support for projects and drive improved outcomes, OCE is leveraging additional financial investments from industry and other public sector partners. They include longstanding partner the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and a new partnership announced last month with Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC). "We welcome this opportunity to work in partnership with CCEMC as a means of maximizing the impact of clean technology innovation," said OCE President and CEO Dr. Tom Corr. "We share their strong commitment to working collaboratively with industry to commercialize creative new technologies that help to address today's climate change challenges while stimulating economic growth." CCEMC has committed more than $320 million in funding to over 100 projects to help Alberta address climate change. Funding for CCEMC comes from Alberta's Large Final Emitters who choose to pay a levy into the Climate Change and Emissions Management Fund to comply with legislation that sets emissions limits for facilities. "CCEMC will continue to work with industry and our newest partner, OCE, to advance the development of new clean technologies that we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Alberta," said CCEMC CEO Steve MacDonald. "By strategically investing the carbon levy, we will help create jobs, diversify the economy and advance Alberta's Climate Leadership Plan." On Tuesday, Alberta introduced the Climate Leadership Act. The Act will ensure the carbon price currently applied to large emitters will be invested to the benefit of all Albertans. Alberta will continue to pursue technologies and initiatives that help large emitters reduce their carbon footprint. "Alberta is taking a leadership role in combating climate change with our Climate Leadership Plan, which values partnerships and knowledge sharing," said Alberta Premier Rachel Notley. "This collaborative effort will ensure knowledge and expertise crosses borders to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create new high tech jobs, and protect the health of Alberta's and Ontario's residents." Last year, Ontario became the first province in Canada to set a mid-term greenhouse gas emission reduction target of 37 per cent below 1990 levels by 2030. The province can also boast the largest greenhouse gas reduction initiative in North America to date by putting an end to coal-fired power. "Ontario is already a North American leader in clean energy solutions," said Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne. "This new agreement will open the door to more joint initiatives between top innovators and scientists from Ontario and Alberta to help reduce carbon emissions and create more economic opportunities." OCE already has a valued partnership with Alberta Innovates, which brings industry and academia together in cross-provincial collaborations to solve key industry challenges in both Ontario and Alberta through research and development. About CCEMC (http://ccemc.ca/) CCEMC is a board-governed, not-for-profit organization established in 2009. Its mandate is to identify and accelerate innovative solutions that secure Alberta's success in a lower carbon economy. CCEMC funding comes from Alberta's Large Final Emitters who choose to pay a levy into the Climate Change and Emissions Management Fund to comply with legislation that sets emissions limits for their facilities. The CCEMC model enables Government to leverage industry funds to support climate change innovation and help drive improvements in environmental and economic outcomes. About OCE(www.oce-ontario.org) OCE drives the commercialization of cutting-edge research to build the economy of tomorrow and secure Ontario's global competitiveness. A champion of leading-edge technologies, best practices, innovation, entrepreneurship and research, OCE invests in such areas as advanced health, information and communications technology, digital media, advanced materials and manufacturing, agri-food, aerospace, transportation, energy, and the environment including water and mining. We foster the training and development of the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs and are a key partner with Ontario's industry, universities, colleges, research hospitals, domestic and foreign investors, and government ministries. OCE is a key partner in delivering Ontario's Innovation Agenda as a member of the province's Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs (ONE), which helps Ontario-based entrepreneurs and industry rapidly grow their companies and create jobs. SOURCE Ontario Centres of Excellence Inc. Image with caption: "Tom Corr, President and CEO of Ontario Centres of Excellence and Steve MacDonald, CEO of Alberta's Climate Change and Emissions Management Corporation sign agreement to collaborate on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. (CNW Group/Ontario Centres of Excellence Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160526_C6139_PHOTO_EN_700857.jpg For further information: Media contacts: CCEMC: Celia Sollows, Media Relations, 780-239-4150 (cell), [email protected]; OCE: Stuart Green, Manager, Media Relations, 416-861-1092 x 1022, [email protected] Ukrainian MP Nadia Savchenko has been freed on conditions, which she put forward herself, she didn't ask for pardon, hasn't acknowledged her guilt, her defense lawyer Mykola Polozov has said. "Nadia Savchenko is free on conditions that she put forward herself. She did not ask for clemency, did not admit her guilt," he said at a press conference in Kyiv on Thursday. Highlights Include: Creates Canada's largest independent investment dealer with Cdn$33 billion in client assets under administration. largest independent investment dealer with in client assets under administration. 3Macs advisors and their clients will benefit from access to Raymond James' world class wealth management expertise. world class wealth management expertise. 3Macs advisors will have access to Raymond James' Equity Research providing coverage on more than 1,300 firms across the globe. Equity Research providing coverage on more than 1,300 firms across the globe. Raymond James will continue to support the charitable focus of 3Macs through the Raymond James Canada Foundation. will continue to support the charitable focus of 3Macs through the Raymond James Canada Foundation. Key members of 3Macs' management team will remain under the leadership of Randy Ambrosie , President & CEO, who will report to Paul Allison , Chairman & CEO of Raymond James Ltd. , President & CEO, who will report to , Chairman & CEO of Raymond James Ltd. Tim Price , Chairman of 3Macs, will join Raymond James Ltd.'s board of directors. MONTREAL and TORONTO, May 26, 2016 /CNW/ - Raymond James Ltd., the Canadian arm of North American investment dealer Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE: RJF), today announced it has entered into a definitive purchase agreement to acquire 3Macs (MacDougall, MacDougall & MacTier Inc.), a respected independent investment firm founded before Confederation in 1849. 3Macs complements Raymond James Ltd.'s existing private client business by adding 72 advisors who manage approximately Cdn$6 billion of client assets under administration on behalf of individual investors and families. "We are very excited about this new partnership with 3Macs and the opportunity to create a new legacy of excellence serving Canadians and Quebeckers with their total wealth management needs," said Paul Allison, Chairman & CEO of Raymond James Ltd. "Not only will this acquisition significantly accelerate our growth strategy across Canada and Quebec, it meets our highly selective parameters for cultural fit, growth in a strategically important marketplace, and ease of integration. We are confident that our firm's core values of putting clients first, conservatism, independence and integrity are mirrored and embraced by the people of 3Macs." In recognition of 3Macs' important legacy and its long and distinguished history of serving Canadian families over many generations, it will continue to operate under the 3Macs brand as a division of Raymond James, following the closing. "We respect the deep affinity the people of 3Macs and their clients have for its legacy, and we are proud to welcome our new colleagues under this historic name," said Allison. "The opportunity to continue our legacy at 3Macs was an important part of our decision to join Raymond James," explained Randy Ambrosie, President & CEO at 3Macs. "With our history of over 17 decades of serving the wealth management needs of multiple generations of clients and their families, choosing the right partner was our primary focus throughout this process. Raymond James offers a culture of respect and client service; the opportunity to deliver world class wealth management solutions; plus enhanced technology solutions to further safeguard the privacy and security for our clients. Its long-term commitment and vision for growth in Canada and in Quebec is exciting and will greatly benefit our clients, advisors and employees alike." "We are selective when considering all acquisitions, and the advisors and portfolio managers at 3Macs are quality individuals who fit the profile of successful professionals that we recruit to Raymond James every day," said Allison. "In terms of integration, we believe this will be seamless to 3Macs advisors and their clients, and our focus will be on ensuring this process is executed with thoughtful consideration and minimal impact. We are also committed to ensuring a smooth transition for 3Macs clients and will be contacting them in the near future to communicate further." The transaction is subject to customary approvals including regulatory and shareholder approval and is expected to close in the fall of 2016. Raymond James Ltd. and Davies Ward Phillips Vineberg acted as financial and legal advisors to Raymond James; Deloitte Corporate Finance LLC and Fasken Martineau acted as financial and legal advisors to 3Macs. Call with Media: Raymond James and 3Macs will hold a conference call for media on Thursday, May 26 at 1:30 p.m. eastern time. To participate (listen only connection), please call (800) 686 2396 ten minutes before the call. About Raymond James Raymond James Ltd. is the Canadian arm of Raymond James Financial, Inc., and has operated in Canada since January 2001. Today Raymond James Ltd. employs over 1,000 people across Canada, including over 370 advisors and Portfolio Managers operating out of 117 locations. Raymond James Ltd. was named among Canada's Top 100 Employers in 2016. Our parent firm, Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE: RJF) is a leading diversified financial services company providing private client, capital markets, asset management, banking and other services to individuals, corporations and municipalities. The company has approximately 6,700 financial advisors serving in excess of 2.8 million client accounts in more than 2,700 locations throughout the United States, Canada and overseas. Total client assets are approximately US$522 billion. The Raymond James Investment Banking team, consisting of more than 300 investment bankers across North America, provides a complete range of capital markets services with strong expertise in mergers & acquisitions, public offerings, private placements and syndication. Raymond James offers equity research coverage on more than 1,300 Canadian and U.S. firms, as well as access to capital markets, innovative institutional equity teams, and leading-edge financial products and services. About 3Macs 3Macs (MacDougall, MacDougall & MacTier Inc.) is one of Canada's most respected independent employee-owned investment dealers, serving investors and their families with their wealth management needs since 1849, before Confederation. Beginning with the belief that a client's interests are best served through careful analysis of their current situation, future goals and individual circumstances, 3Macs is home to some of Canada's most experienced advisors and portfolio managers, who provide custom tailored solutions and highly personalized wealth management services. 3Macs has 72 advisors and portfolio managers, and approximately $6 billion in client assets under management. Additional information is available at www.3Macs.com. SOURCE Raymond James Ltd. For further information: Raymond James Media Contact: Peter Kahnert, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications & Marketing, (416) 777-7052, [email protected]; 3Macs Media Contact: Randy Ambrosie, President & CEO, 416 597 7953, [email protected] TORONTO, May 26, 2016 /CNW/ - RSA Canada is urging Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo customers impacted by the Fort McMurray wildfires to exercise extreme caution as they prepare for the voluntary return to their homes between June 1 and June 15 as announced by the Alberta government. Premier Notley cautioned that critical conditions must be met before the more than 85,000 evacuees will be permitted to return to the community on a voluntary and phased-in basis, including the sufficient taming of the massive wildfire, improved air quality and the restoration of basic services. "Safety has always been the number one priority through this disaster and it remains so as residents start returning to Fort McMurray on or soon after June 1," says Paul MacDonald, SVP Claims, RSA Canada. "Many of these people will be seeing their homes for the first time since the wildfires took hold, and naturally they'll want to see if their properties have suffered any damage, but we can't stress enough the importance of safety in this situation," MacDonald says. "Residents need to listen to the authorities. Customers won't be allowed to re-enter their homes if they have been deemed unsafe, and they will need to get formal permission from a fire inspector before re-entering." "There will be a number of extra resources on the ground, including field adjusters, media, emergency authorities and other members of the general public who will be interested in what's happened. Our advice is to consult with the local authorities to determine when the best re-entry time is for you." In preparation for residents re-entering the region, the RSA claims team has ramped up its operations and is ready to handle the increased volume of calls that will likely follow once damages have been observed. RSA Canada offers some simple tips for Fort McMurray customers on the next steps with their insurance claims: Do not re-enter the house unless an authorized fire service representative has given approval. When accessing your property for the first time, make sure you are wearing the appropriate clothing, like boots, safety glasses and rubber gloves. Extreme caution is advised when re-entering your home as structures may have been damaged or moved. Once you've accessed your property and know the condition, call your adjuster or contact your broker to update them. They'll be able to provide assistance on what the next steps are. Take photos where possible and provide to your insurer. They will be used to assess the damage to your home and contents. Listen to the authorities and local media for instructions. The most up-to-date information for local residents is available at www.rmwb.ca. Check food and water supplies for contamination and spoilage. The Canadian Red Cross has some helpful tips on re-entering your home after a fire here. Customers can contact RSA Canada on 1 800 319 9993 with any questions. Johnson customers can call 1 844 229 1272 with any questions. More information about making a claim is available here: http://www.rsagroup.ca/make-claim. Follow us on Twitter (@RSACanada) for ongoing updates. About RSA With a 300 year heritage, RSA is one of the world's leading multinational quoted insurance groups. Focusing on general insurance, RSA's core markets are the UK and Ireland, Scandinavia and Canada with the capability to write business across the globe. We have around 14,000 employees across the core business and, in 2015, our net written premiums were 6.8 billion. About Johnson Johnson Inc. is a licensed insurance intermediary in Alberta. Morgex Insurance is a division of Johnson Inc. Servus Insurance Services | Home and Auto, a division of Johnson Inc., is not a subsidiary of Servus Credit Union, it is a tradestyle of Johnson Inc.used under license from Servus Credit Union. JB Insurance Services is a trade name of Johnson Inc. Home and auto insurance is available through Johnson Inc.. Policies are primarily underwritten by Unifund Assurance Company (Unifund). Unifund and Johnson Inc. share common ownership. About RSA Canada RSA Canada includes Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Company of Canada (www.rsagroup.ca), The Johnson Corporation and its affiliates (www.johnson.ca), RSA Travel Insurance Inc. (www.rsatravelinsurance.ca) which operates as RSA Travel Insurance Agency in British Columbia, Canadian Northern Shield Insurance Company (www.cns.ca), Western Assurance Company (www.westernassurance.ca), Ascentus Insurance Ltd., and Quebec Assurance Company. 2016 Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Company of Canada. All rights reserved. RSA, RSA & Design and related words and logos are trademarks and the property of RSA Insurance Group plc, licensed for use by Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Company of Canada. RSA is a trade name of Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Company of Canada. SOURCE RSA For further information: Amalia Kyriacou, Communications Manager, RSA Canada, [email protected] A 16-man technical committee to negotiate a new minimum wage for workers was yesterday constituted after a meeting between the Federa... A 16-man technical committee to negotiate a new minimum wage for workers was yesterday constituted after a meeting between the Federal Government and Labour.The meeting was a follow-up to talks on the way forward after the hike in petrol pricefrom N86.50 per litre to N145.The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) last weekend suspended its strike, which it initiated to protest the increase in petrol price.The Federal Government, also yesterday, reconstituted the board of the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), which is empowered to regulate prices of petroleum products and set up the template.The government said it was unaware of the existence of factions within the NLC but said it was working with everybody to address issues raised by Labour.Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, who announced the reconstitution of the board after the meeting with Labour led by its President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Alhaji Muhammadu Buba as the Chairman.He said: I am happy to report that we had a successful discussion and with an outcome that will make every Nigerian happy.On the side of the government, we want to thank the NLC for their magnanimity in calling off the strike and we thank Nigerians for their patience while the strike lasted. This meeting arrived at some major decisions.Labour had also raised the issue of being involved in the implementation of the half a trillion naira included in the budget as palliative for Nigerians.Labour had also requested that government reconstitute the board of the PPPRA which they believe if it had been in existence, most of the issues that arose as a result of price modulation would not have arisen.This evening, I am proud to announce that a 16-member technical committee has been set up to discuss the issues concerning the minimum wage and advice on the modalities for discussing the minimum wage.You realize that this minimum wage involves all segments of the society. It is not just federal,government and its workers, the states are also stakeholders, local government and the private sector are also stakeholders.The technical committee will also consider the implementation of the palliatives in the budget. They are to work and bring their report to the committee of the whole within two weeks.On the issue of the PPPRA, I am glad to announce that the President has agreed and approved the appointment of Alhaji Muhammadu Buba, a former Managing Director of Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) as the chairman of the board. It is a 25-member board with other members being statutory members from the NLC, TUC and other non-governmental organisations . We have sent out letters and the other bodies have started sending in their nominees. So, that issue has been settled.Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, dismissed claims that the government. was working with factions within the congress, saying the government is not aware of the existence of factions within the NLC.We are waiting for the NLC as per this discussion to forward the names of their own nominees so that the committee will be inaugurated.We dont know about any faction in the NLC. When we had our problems, the government discussed with everybody. We have the NLC and TUC which are the two labour Centres known to government. We will not pry into other peoples problem, but we believe that if they have in house problems, they will solve it. Government will be willing to make sure that we have one indivisible NLC.NLC President Wabba said they have decided to work we the technical committee set up to work out modalities for addressing the issues raised by congress and also expressed happiness about the decision to reconstitute the board of PPPRA.Under organised Labour, we are coming with about eight persons to the technical committee to look at other issues ancillary to this price increase. I think the major success is that of the PPPRA where the template and other issues can well be examined for the benefit of all Nigerians.On the minimum wage, we believe that by the time the committee is constituted, these are some of the variables we are going to look at in order to arrive at an acceptable figure that can address the challenges we have enumeratedEdo State Governor Adams Oshimhole, the mediator, said: I think that the leadership that has been demonstrated is what is important. Under this tense atmosphere, there is a shared commitment to find acceptable solution to the problem that confronts all of us. As part of the ongoing probe of the laundering of over $200billion loot in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by former political office hol... As part of the ongoing probe of the laundering of over $200billion loot in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by former political office holders, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) yesterday stormed the office of a Dubai property firm, The First Group Company, in Abuja.The company is also being investigated for allegedly defrauding unsuspecting Nigerians by luring them to invest in real estate in Dubai.A prominent Nigerian lost about $402, 000 (N136.6m) in a phony real estate transaction with the company, it was learnt.Two officials of the company were arrested. They were undergoing interrogation at the anti-graft agencys office last night.Some documents and a Central Processing Unit (CPU) containing a list of high profile patrons were retrieved by the EFCC.The EFCC team raided the companys seventh floor office at the Bank of Industry building in the Central Business District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) after obtaining a search warrant.An EFCC source said: Our operatives searched the office as a result of a plethora of complaints received through petitions from concerned Nigerians about the activities of The First Group Company, a real estate outfit incorporated in Dubai (UAE).We executed a duly endorsed search warrant and vital documents as well as CPU relevant to the facts in issue were recovered.They specialise in aiding and abetting money laundering and foreign exchange malpractices by top civil servants and Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs).The EFCC is working on clues that some former governors, ministers and top civil servants laundered money through the company to buy choice properties in Dubai, using such proxies, including their children and relations.Two employees of the company (an accountant and the senior client service/ legal executive) were arrested and are being interrogated, the source said.The investigation of the company is said to be in line with the agreement between the Federal Government and the UAE to trace about $200billion loot stashed away in the Emirate by ex-governors and ministers.The source said the First Group Company was also being probed for allegedly swindling some Nigerians.So many unsuspecting Nigerians have fallen victims of their antics by parting with their hard-earned money running into millions of dollars. Iinvestigations into the allegations are ongoing, the source added.Under searchlight for stashing funds or acquiring properties in Dubai are seven ex-governors, six former ministers, a former presidential aide implicated in the $2.1billion arms deals, ex-military chiefs under probe, agents / fronts of some of these public officers and about five chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who are undergoing interrogation.A Federal Government team, comprising the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Magu and detectives from the anti-graft agency some months ago met with their UAE counterparts to collate intelligence notes on the PEPs.President Muhammadu Buhari in January signed a Judicial Agreement on Extradition, Transfer of Sentenced Persons, Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters, and Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal and Commercial Matters, which includes the recovery and repatriation of stolen wealth with UAE.Calls were made to both the Abuja office and Dubai Headquarters of the affected office last night but these did not how through.While Dubai line +97144550100 was on automatic answering machine, the Abuja lines of +2349903600 and +23494611454 did not connect.Although some of the cases involving The First Group were handled by Barrister Ismail Muftau from Jackdon, Etti and Edu, it was difficult to get the counsel when this newspaper went to bed.(The Nation) The President of ECOWAS, Mr Marcel De Souza, on Thursday, expressed frustration over the paucity of fund being experienced by the commis... The President of ECOWAS, Mr Marcel De Souza, on Thursday, expressed frustration over the paucity of fund being experienced by the commission.De Souza, a Beninoise, was speaking in Abuja when he led a delegation from the commission to a courtesy visit on the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Khadijat Abba-Ibrahim.He appealed to Nigeria and other member states to rescue the commission by paying up their outstanding levies.We have certain challenges that we are facing. The first is our financial situation that has become quite precarious.The situation is tied to the economic condition in the member states and the fact that the price of oil has dropped.The community levy which represents 90 percent of our funding is no longer regularly paid by most member states; Nigeria is not alone in this regard, also Cote DIvoire, he said.He said that Cote DIvoire, Cape Verde and Senegal were major defaulters, but the greater challenge was Nigeria.We see that the greatest challenge lies with Nigeria. The arrears that Nigeria is owning is 694,000 dollars because there was no payment made between 2015 and 2016.Because of the debt burden it carries, ECOWAS is now losing its credibility, the president said.According to him, Transcorp Hilton where meeting of all Heads of State was held in 2015 had not been settled by the commission.He added that the bills of peace building troops sent to Guinea Bissau and Mali were yet to be paid, stressing that peace would always come with a cost.So, we wish to see our credibility restored. We appeal to Nigeria that the outstanding bill between 2015 and 2016 be paid.Without Nigeria and without Nigerias contribution we will not be able to sustain our activities neither we will be able to restore our credibility, he said.The minister congratulated the president on his appointment, stressing that his vast experience would help in addressing the challenges of the commission.She said that the issue of finance raised should be brought before President Muhammadu Buhari in as much that ECOWAS delegation would visit him later.She said that other issues raised would be discussed in due course.The minister said that she would discuss the issue of accommodation raised earlier by the ECOWAS leader with her counterpart in the Federal Capital Territory.She pledged to assist the commission to secure a guest house for its president through the FCT minister so that it would not incur further hotel bills.According to her, the issue of security is a thing of general concern and that it is necessary that troops are paid on time to give them the incentives to fight terrorism. Most of the population does not support the idea of early parliamentary elections in Ukraine, according to public opinion poll conducted by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation and the Razumkov Centre from May 11-26, 2016 and by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology on December 15-25, 2015. The idea of early parliamentary elections is rejected by 43% of Ukrainians, while 37% speak in its favor, according to the sociological survey, released in Kyiv on Tuesday. Should early parliamentary elections happen, 56% of the respondents would vote. If early parliamentary elections were held in the nearest future, six parties would have passed the election threshold - five currently present in the parliament and the Civil Position party. In the meantime, the Batkivschyna All-Ukrainian Union would have collected the most - 12% of the popular vote. Those prepared to vote would give their voices to Samopomich (10.6%), the Petro Poroshenko Bloc (9.9%), the Opposition Bloc (9.1%), the Radical Party of Oleh Liashko can count on 8.4.% of the vote and the Civil Position Party - on 6%. Compared to December 2015, Batkivschyna, the Radical Party, the Civil Position and the Opposition Bloc (4% each) have improved their electoral position. Over the last six months the number of respondents ready to vote but who are still undecided about which party to support significantly decreased from 40% to 13%. At the same time, only a quarter of the population believes that in case of early elections the newly elected composition of the Verkhovna Rada would be better than the current one. A total of 41% of respondents are convinced that the new parliament would be the same as the present one, while 8.5% believe it will be worse. These are the results of a nationwide survey of the Ukrainian population, conducted by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation along with the sociological service of the Razumkov Centre on May 11-16, 2016. Some 2,016 respondents older than 18 years of age were polled in all regions of Ukraine, except for the occupied territories Crimea and parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The margin of error is 2.3%. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Enugu zonal office, on Thursday took its anti-corruption crusade to major streets of Enugu a... The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Enugu zonal office, on Thursday took its anti-corruption crusade to major streets of Enugu as part of activities marking the 2016 Democracy Day.The South-East Zonal Head of the commission, Mr Obioha Okorie, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Enugu that the rally was in solidarity with the current administrations efforts at reducing corruption.The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the country began to celebrate the Democracy Day on May 29, 1999 when former President Olusegun Obasanjo assumed office.Okorie said that other stakeholders such as the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, the police, youth corps members and students were involved in the rally.The essence of the rally is to sensitise the people ahead of this years democracy day and the agenda of the current government at ensuring that corruption is reduced.Corruption has become a global issue and it should be the desire of everybody to fight for a better Nigeria as it is now a moral burden in this country, he said.Okorie said that the onslaught against corruption had far exceeded what an institution could do, adding that a holistic approach needed to be put in place to tackle the menace.He said that the commission had achieved a major landmark in its bid to curb economic and financial crimes in the country.We are now fighting to sustain what we have achieved over the years by involving the relevant stakeholders.The fight is continuous and we call on the clergy, the civil society organisations and all other partners to come together in order to sustain the ongoing efforts to reduce corruption in the country, Okorie said.EFCC officers and other stakeholders displaying various placards marched from Ozubulu Street in Independence Layout through Presidential Road to Ogui Road terminating at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.Some of the placards had such inscriptions as;`No hiding place for the corrupt, Corruption is a threat to our democracy.Yahoo, Yahoo is not a job, be warned, Kill corruption before it kills Nigeria and `Economic and financial crime is a crime against humanity.The theme of the rally is A corrupt free Nigeria is possible. The Federal Government says it has made provisions in the 2016 budget to help communities reclaim lands damaged by open cast mining. The... The Federal Government says it has made provisions in the 2016 budget to help communities reclaim lands damaged by open cast mining.The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said this in Abuja.According to him, the ministry has a law that gives conditions for environmental complaints.Talking specifically about the conditions in places like Jos and Enugu if you look our budget this year, you will see specific allocation for reclamation of those mines that have been damaged through open cast mining.We feel that in areas where mining is no longer taking place, we really should assist the community and the constituencies to reclaim the land and put it back to use and we are doing it within the limit of resources available to the ministry.He said the ministry was collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Environment to address the lead poisoning problem in Niger and Zanfara states.Fayemi said that in an effort to address complaints on the damaged lands, the ministry had a directorate dedicated to entertaining environmental complaints.We have environmental complaints offices in every state of the federation in the country to monitor and then report back to us what is happening.They will find out if the companies that are operating under the mining act adhere strictly to the provision of our environmental complaints directorate. A former Minister of Communications, retired Maj.-Gen. Tanko Ayuba, who died on Wednesday in a Lagos hospital has been buried in Kebbi. A... A former Minister of Communications, retired Maj.-Gen. Tanko Ayuba, who died on Wednesday in a Lagos hospital has been buried in Kebbi. Ayubas body was flown to Birnin Kebbi and moved to his country home at Dirin-Daji in the Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi.He was buried on Thursday at his family compound. Ayuba, 71, was a Senator between 1999 and 2007.He was also a former Governor of the old Kaduna State after which he was appointed Minister of Communications. He was survived by wife, Mrs Ronke Ayuba, a former broadcaster, eight children and eight grand children. (NAN) The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria has appealed to Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, to relax the ban on herd... The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria has appealed to Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, to relax the ban on herdsmen and their grazing cattle.Baba Ngelzerma, the secretary general of the association, said this when he appeared as a guest on Channels Television.Ngelzerma asked the governor to show statesmanship, blaming most of the attacks on criminals.He announced the readiness of the group to negotiate with Ekiti government.Our doors are open, we can still go to the governor, we can still discuss and find solutions to these problems, he said.We had a meeting with our elites from different fields of human endeavours to find solutions to these problems. We are calling on the governor of Ekiti state to show a lot of statesmanship.These things are perpetrated by criminals. No doubt what happened is sad but before investigations are conducted, people jump to conclusions that things were done by herdsmen; it may be so, but at least as a governor he should wait and find out who the perpetrators are before apportioning blame.The whole of Ekiti state is his responsibility today including strangers that are in the state. Even the cows that are in Ekiti state today, the governor has a responsibility on them.You cannot blame an entire group for a crime committed by few. There was a situation in Ore where a watchman killed a herdsman, we did not take law into our hands, instead we reported to the police.We cannot say that the Yoruba people are responsible for that. If you stop the Fulanis from grazing, where should they go?.Stating actions that have been taken, Ngelzerma expressed the readiness of the association to put an end to the situation.He said the association had been collaborating with security agencies to find a last solution to the problem.A lot have been going on regarding this issue and different factions of the government have been looking into it. We have been having meetings with the defence headquarters and the police, hands are on deck to resolve the issue.Meanwhile, Fayose has said he has nothing against the Fulani, explaining that he only decided to act in order to check to the excesses of herdsmen.He said his decision to ban grazing was not political, but a standard practice which obtained in developed countries.The issue of incessant attacks on communities across the country by the herdsmen is a time bomb and it should not be allowed to get out of hand. The earlier will stop the menace the better for us as a nation, he said at the funeral ceremony of Viola George, mother of Bode George, top chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).This has nothing to do with politics or where one comes from in the country. Who knows who the next victim could be? The attack is spreading across the country and I call on other state governors as well as political, religious and community leaders across the country to see the issue as a national one that we all must address.Like I have said earlier, the solution is that those rearing cows should have ranches to keep them. In advanced nations, they engage in animal husbandry too and they dont allow their animals to just roam about. Brent oil futures climbed above 50 dollars a barrel on Thursday for the first time in nearly seven months. This is an indication that ... Brent oil futures climbed above 50 dollars a barrel on Thursday for the first time in nearly seven months.This is an indication that the global supply glut that plagued the market for nearly two years is showing signs of easing.Oil prices had rallied in recent weeks after a string of outages due mainly to wildfires in Canada and unrest in Nigeria and Libya.4The outages had knocked out nearly four million barrels per day of production.Above 50 dollars a barrel, oil was seen by many market players as breaching a psychological barrier that could lead producers, particularly among U.S. shale companies to revive operations scrapped in recent years.Global benchmark Brent crude oil LCOc1 was up 36 cents at 50.10 dollars a barrel, the highest in nearly seven months.The upsurge was due to a larger-than-expected draw in U.S. crude oil inventories last week indicated buyers are starting to mop up spare supply.U.S. crude futures CLc1 were up 29 cents at 49.85 dollars a barrel, after touching 49.97 dollars, the highest since mid-October.Certainly (50 dollars) is a psychological barrier, there is a momentum, people will try and push it up over that, said Ric Spooner, Chief market analyst at Sydneys CMC Markets.A source at oil producer Chevron said on Thursday its activities in Nigeria had been grounded by a militant attack, worsening a situation that had already restricted the supply of hundreds of thousands of barrels.A meeting of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries on June 2 in Vienna to discuss the oil market added further support.However, the recent rise in oil prices and friction between key members; Saudi Arabia and Iran needs intervention to ensure prices are slim.(Reuters/NAN) The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has voiced concern over what it considered attempt by some northern group to start a pogrom against... The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has voiced concern over what it considered attempt by some northern group to start a pogrom against South-easterners.Vanguard reports that in a statement jointly signed by IPOB spokespersons Mr Emma Mmezu and Dr. Clifford Iroanya, the group said the faceless group was setting the track for violence and claimed this tactic was employed in 1966 to create the track for the killing of women and children in the north.The statement read: 50 years ago, faceless groups sprung up in Zaria, Kaduna, and Kano among others; all alleging that the January 1966 coup detat was an ethnic coup. Northerners, they claimed, were being killed in the East.These sponsored groups, stoked the embers of hatred and prepared the ground for the horrendous pogrom of May 29; June 2; July 29; August 2; September 29 and October 2, 1966 respectively in which thousands of Easterners mostly women and children, were systematically slaughtered all over the northern Nigeria.Those faceless groups, that prepared the grounds for the unprecedented genocide, quickly disappeared into thin air.In 2016, another faceless group, Northern Consensus Movement, which claims to be a coalition of northern groups, even though only the Miyetti Allah turned out the only recognizable group among obviously fake others, alleged that hundreds of Northerners are being killed in the south east, and went on to advise the Federal Government to treat IPOB the way it treated Boko Haram.It is instructive, that the entire south west based media houses have never noted any attacks on Northerners in the South East. It is also surprising that these false allegations are coming only from President Buharis own organization, Miyetti Allah. It is also quite interesting to note that no Nigerian has heard of any attack of northerners in the South East, except this strange coalition.They did not give date, instance or town in the South East where in their own words, hundreds of innocent law abiding citizens of northern extraction living in the south eastern part have been killed in cold blood; with their businesses and properties destroyed. The Kogi State government says the state chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Onuh Edoka, is a ghost worker, and has fired him. ... The Kogi State government says the state chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Onuh Edoka, is a ghost worker, and has fired him.Mr. Edoka was one of about 9000 people sacked following a screening exercise to weed out illegal workers from the 21 local government areas of the state.Mr. Edoka, who serves as head of both the Medical Health Workers Union and the NLC in the state, said he was employed in 1989, and currently serves as a Disease and Surveillance Officer in the state.He said he was baffled by the result of the screening exercise headed by Paul Okuntimo, a retired general, who gained notoriety for his role in the incarceration of the late activist, Saro Wiwa.The Generals committee claims that I submitted the wrong bank statements. But they only asked for my statement of accounts for the past two years which I submitted, Mr. Edoka said in a telephone interview on Wednesday.Speaking on behalf of the state chapter of the NLC, Mr Edoka said the workers union would take to the streets to challenge the governments actions.The government just got a bailout based on the current staff strength. Suddenly they want to retrench workers to divert the funds even though some of these workers have not been paid for over 23 months, he said.The NLC is saying that these people are not ghost workers. They are living beings and we are ready to bring them out on the streets of Lokoja so that the world can see that they are not ghosts but real workers of Kogi state, Mr Eboka said.The government said the screening process was transparent and designed to identify persons who gained employment or obtained promotions fraudulently.Gbenga Olorunpomi, a media aide to Gov. Yayaha Bello of Kogi State, said some of the workers who failed the screening exercise did not furnish the committee with the required information.For example, many of them refused to supply their BVNs [Bank Verification Numbers]. This automatically brings up the question of why they dont have BVNs if they dont have anything to hide, he said, adding that the current list is merely a preliminary list and that the said workers would be given the opportunity to rectify any deficiency.The governor has assured the people that no legitimate worker in Kogi state will be sacked. But there are some people who got into the system fraudulently. For those people, we have no apologies, Mr. Olorunpomi said.A new list, which will clarify the reasons for the screening failure, is expected to be released within the week. Omotade Johnson, a former staff with Intercontinental bank now make ends meet selling puff puff at Igando bus stop in Lagos state. Omotade... Omotade Johnson, a former staff with Intercontinental bank now make ends meet selling puff puff at Igando bus stop in Lagos state. Omotade, a graduate of Mass Communications told a news correspondent that he was among the people that lost their jobs due to bank liquidation in 2009.He explained that he groaned a little, swallowed his pride, and decided to move on as a man with the puff puff business.Formerly, I worked with Intercontinental Bank PLC. That happened shortly; I lost the job when the bank got liquidated and everything went flat. But, as a man, you have to work and I cant see anything I cant do. So that was why I joined the new trendOmotade was interested in the puff-puff trade when he relocated to Lagos in 2012. He met his friends who were into confectionery business. He subjected himself to thorough learning and know-how.Unlike some who despise their occupation for the right or wrong reasons, the former banker loves what he is doing. According to him, I love the business. Its quite a profitable one. Of course, if its not, this my team you see working here wouldnt have been here. Because you cant just wake up early in morning, stay here till night without going home with something that is worth the time and you continue working.Omotade has also been able to establish good rapport with his regular customers. He knows them by their names and even categorised them by the motive of their patronage.Photo: (Johnson (spotted in white T-shirt), mixing flour together with his partner) The federal government of Nigeria has had its attempt to repatriate a 300m stolen by late Gen. Sani Abacha from the State of Jersey (an ... The federal government of Nigeria has had its attempt to repatriate a 300m stolen by late Gen. Sani Abacha from the State of Jersey (an autonomous British territory) blocked, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, has revealed.According to reports, the process has been stalled, by a last minute legal objection by the people who spirited the money to the island.Although Onyeama did not mention those who raised the objection, fingers are being pointed at the Abacha family or their lawyers. The other person mentioned in the Jersey loot was a former military governor of Lagos state. It was not clear whether he was the one who raised the objection .The money was laundered on behalf of Abacha by Mr Raj Bhojwani, an Indian businessman who was sentenced to six years in prison by a Jersey court in 2010."Everything had been done to repatriate the money; it was no longer contested and then at the last minute, it was contested by the people who were supposed to forfeit the funds," Onyeama said. So of course, the authorities in Jersey had to oblige. As much as they would have liked to just go ahead to repatriate it, they had to go through some legal procedures because that party will have their lawyers and then we will have to start going through legal issues all over again. So, that is the challenge. The family of the former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh has described as absurd, the... The U.S. may begin the process of easing sanctions against Russia if the latter complies with the Minsk agreements, but so far this is not on the agenda, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt has said. When asked in Kyiv on Thursday about the possibility of relaxing Washington's sanctions against Russia because of the release of Ukrainian MP Nadia Savchenko, Pyatt said that so far it is too early even to talk about easing of the sanctions. The action plan on easing the sanctions is very clear. It envisages the implementation of the Minsk agreements, the ambassador said. Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, has said that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will continue to remain a firm and united party i... Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, has said that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will continue to remain a firm and united party in the country, noting that no single individual can destroy it.The governor in a statement by his media aide, Mr Simeon Nwakaudu said, that Senator Modu Sheriff made desperate move against the Port Harcourt, Rivers State convention of the party when it dawned on him that he was not qualified to contest for the office of national Chairman of the party by the result of the screening committee.He said: We have seen that there is a hidden agenda. But nobody can destroy the PDP. PDP will wax stronger. Those around the former acting National Chairman have questionable character. They are people who think that they can use the judiciary to cause crisis.In my entire political career , I have never seen a man with many opponents as Senator Sheriff. Modu Sheriff should apologise to the party, Governor Wike noted . The main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party PDP, has alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari is critically ill and set to be flown... The PDP likewise claimed that the avengers short-changed Ibe Kachikwu by bombing Chevrons Escravos tank farm in Delta this morning. See tweets below FLASH: President Buhari critically ill. PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) May 25, 2016 Mr. @IbeKachikwu appealed to the representatives of Niger Delta Avengers to plead to the militants to stop vandalization of pipelines. May 25, 2016 Still on the illness of the president, although he is now receiving treatment, he will be going abroad next week for medical checkup. PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) May 25, 2016 Fraudsters duped Federal Government of $10m yesterday as Niger Delta Avengers bomb Chevrons Escravos tank in Delta State this morning. PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) May 26, 2016 The main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party PDP, has alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari is critically ill and set to be flown out for medical treatment.It will be recalled that the presidency announced that Muhamamdu Buhari was unable to go to Lagos state as planned for unclear reasons, however he received Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun at the state house same day.PDP also accused NNPC boss Ibe Kachikwu of bribing representatives of Niger Delta avengers with $10m. The amount was given to them after a meeting held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel,Abuja. United States of America, USA, Consular General to Nigeria, His Excellency , John Bray, yesterday, expressed his countrys preparedness ... United States of America, USA, Consular General to Nigeria, His Excellency , John Bray, yesterday, expressed his countrys preparedness to help Nigeria establish peace and end the ongoing violence in the South -South region by Niger Delta Avengers and other militant groups. The Consular General stated this on Wednesday when he visited the former national chairman of Association of Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria, ATROMPCON, and Pere of Seimbiri Kingdom, Delta State, HRM Charles Ayemi-Botu at his Edjeba Palace Annexe, Warri. Bray, who was visiting Warri for the first time, asserted: We are looking at whatever we can do to assist the Nigerian Government in establishing a peaceful, prosperous region in the South-South of Nigeria. Shedding light on the visit, HRM Ayemi-Botu said the United States Consular General was in his palace to seek solution to the recent bombings of oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta.The monarch asserted : He said he was coming to visit me as the Niger Delta is boiling viz-a-viz the recent bombing of oil pipelines and that he would like to find out the solutions to stop the bombing. He observed that immediately after the elections of last year, things were very peaceful, but from January this year, things started changing, so he wanted a way out Physically, they had wanted how they can create an enabling environment to ensure that peace reigns because it is when there is peace that there is development, Ayemi-Botu added.Speaking his mind, the traditional ruler called on the President Muhammadu Buhari -led Federal Government to dialogue with the militants and see the region as part of his primary constituency , instead of engaging them with guns to save the economy from further collapse. The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Ibe Kachikw... The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, said on Thursday that the corporation did not have the mandate of President Muhammed Buhari to privatise the three functional refineries in Nigeria.Kachikwu reiterated that the Federal Government had no plan to sell the nations refineries in Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Warri, adding that President Buhari only endorsed investing in the facilities.The minister spoke at the official presentation of the ISO 9001:2008 Certificate to the Port Harcourt Refining Company in Eleme LGA, Rivers State.Represented by the Chief Operating Officer of the refineries, Mr. Anibor Kragha, the minister said, We have the mandate to deliver value and money to Nigeria.So, we will not privatise our refineries. Rather, we have the approval to seek funding that will take us to a higher level in production.The House of Representatives had stopped a move to privatise the three refineries by NNPC, pointing at a gross violation of the Bureau of Public Enterprises Act Section11, 2009.Meanwhile, receiving the award in Port Harcourt, The minister thanked PHRC for being outstanding among the three refineries in the country.Kachikwu said the Port Harcourt refining company had placed Nigerian refineries in the world class standard.He stated that the award was well deserved, stating that PHRC had always performed in the effort to change the fortune of the nation. HACKENSACK - The accused leader of a multi-state gambling ring, arrested with 45 other people this week, has a history of arrests for similar crimes dating back to 1986 - but rarely served jail time, records show. Robert D'Alessio, 62, of Little Falls, was arrested Tuesday and accused of leading more than 50 gambling agents who raked in tens of millions of dollars in wagers using 1-800 numbers and a wire-room in Costa Rica, authorities said Wednesday. Charged with racketeering, promoting gambling, money laundering and conspiracy to promote gambling, D'Alessio was held Thursday in the Bergen County Jail awaiting a bail hearing. D'Alessio, who records show has used the aliases "Elvis" and "Andrew Dice Clay," was charged with money-laundering and promoting gambling 10 years ago when police raided Satin Dolls on Route 17, the famous location for "The Sopranos" Bada Bing club. "As an example of the size of this illegal enterprise, over $1 million per week in illegal wagers were being placed, and an average of $500,000 per week was being paid out and/or collected by D'Alessio and his co-conspirators," said John Molinelli, who was the Bergen County prosecutor at the time. The 2006 raid resulted in more than 50 arrests and led to the seizure of six guns, piles of cocaine and marijuana, several cars and $3 million. Like the recent raid, the 2006 probe focused on suspects in New Jersey, New York and Florida. D'Alessio pleaded guilty to third-degree gambling and the money laundering charge was dismissed in a plea deal, records show. He served about eight months in jail and was released on Feb. 26, 2009, records show. In Oct. 2015, D'Alessio was arrested for gambling in Fort Lee. Details for that arrest were not immediately available. Court records show D'Alessio was arrested in New Jersey as far back as 1986, when Wayne Police Detective Thomas Reimer busted him for gambling. The charges were reduced to possession of gambling records and promoting gambling and the case was sent to municipal court, records show. In 1990, Reimer arrested D'Alessio again for gambling, according to court records. The charge was later dismissed. (Research Editor Vinessa Erminio and Reporter Myles Ma contributed to this report) Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. HACKENSACK -- The alleged leader of a multi-state gambling ring had his bail reduced Thursday, but won't go free until he can track down his passport. Judge Frances McGrogan reduced the bail of Robert "Elvis" D'Alessio from $750,000 to $500,000 but won't let him leave the Bergen County Jail until someone can go to his apartment and find his passport to surrender it to authorities. D'Alessio's attorney, Kevin G. Roe, asked the judge to release D'Alessio with the condition that he surrender the passport Friday morning. D'Alessio said the document might be difficult to find after investigators searched his house. McGrogan refused, citing the concerns of attorneys for the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, who said D'Alessio frequently leaves the country to travel to Costa Rica and Cuba. She said a friend could retrieve the passport for D'Alessio. "I don't think it's an unreasonable request given the risk of flight," she said. D'Alessio, 62, of Little Falls, was arrested Tuesday and accused of leading an organization of more than 50 gambling agents who collected tens of millions of dollars in bets using 1-800 numbers and a wire room in Costa Rica, authorities said Wednesday. He's charged with racketeering, promoting gambling, money laundering and conspiracy to promote gambling. He was arrested on similar charges in 2006 after police raided Satin Dolls on Route 17, the location for the Bada Bing club in "The Sopranos." That raid also yielded more than 50 arrests. Dante Monaco, Alfonc Pilinci and Robert Beatty, whom authorities identified as managers in the enterprise, also had their bails reduced. Gregory Farace, charged with promoting gambling and conspiracy, planned to post $100,000 bail. Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. RIDGEFIELD PARK - Parents of eighth-graders at the local high school were notified via email Wednesday that their children must delete sexually suggestive images from their phones or face juvenile delinquency charges. The email went out one day after an eighth-grader at Ridgefield Park Junior-Senior High School sent a sexually suggestive photo to another student via cell phone, according to police. The photo "was of a sexual nature (but) more suggestive than anything else," police Lt. Joseph Rella stated in an email. The deadline for deleting suggestive images and video is June 1. "Any student who fails to comply with the designated deadline to delete any and all inappropriate or suggestive images/video may be subject to having charges signed against them for juvenile delinquency," Rella said. Administrative staff at the school contacted police after finding out about the sexting incident on Tuesday and detectives responded to the school, Rella said. "A comprehensive and thorough investigation was conducted in unison with school administration," Rella said. "In addition, the case detectives received guidance from the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Computer Crimes Division." Rella would not comment on specifics of the incident "out of respect for the kids and families and the fact (the investigation is) still pending." Rella added he did not know whether the student who sent the text would face charges. The prosecutor's office outlined a 5-point action plan that included identifying students responsible for the images, Rella said. The plan also called for the school to notify parents. "The high school has also provided the affected juveniles counseling," Rella said. Rella said school staff will conduct an assembly to educate and warn students about laws and "dangers that potentially exist with the possession and transmission of such images and content." New Jersey's teen sexting laws are tough. In Little Falls two years ago, a teen boy sent nude pictures and sexually explicit videos of one girl to another girl. Soon after, both sender and recipient were charged with distributing child porn. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. CAMDEN -- The city was only a week into the new year when gun violence claimed 2016's first murder victim -- a 13-year-old shot who was shot in the back by a fellow teen. In the five months that followed, another 20 names would join the growing list of homicides detailed on the county prosecutor's website: A couple engaged to be married, a mother allegedly at the hands of her son and four men over a span of as many days in late May. At this point last year, the city was faced with half that figure -- 10. As summer approaches, when crime rates almost always spike, the Camden community wonders what's around the next corner. "This is only the beginning. This is the spring. What does the summer hold?" pastor, community activist and former mayoral candidate Amir Khan said Wednesday when asked about the recent spate of city shootings. It's been three years since the Camden County Police Department officially took over policing duties in the city, and in those years, the city's murder rate was cut nearly in half compared to 2012 when it saw a record high of 67. In that year, however, 23 people were killed before June -- a rate that the city is about to match. "When you're not making way for jobs, this is the result of it," Khan said, adding that of all the current, former or incarcerated supposed gang members he's spoken with, there's one common bond: "They don't want to be out there." Despite all the recent business developments in the city, from the Philadelphia 76ers new waterfront facility to Holtec International's sprawling footprint along the Delaware River, Khan said more must be done to employ city residents if the tide of violence is to ever be stemmed. As a man of the cloth -- and demonstrably his word -- Khan, former mayor Milton Milan and other pastors rented a helicopter in 1999 so they could pray above the city for an "end to violence, prosperity upon the residents and peace in the streets." And it worked, Khan said. At least for awhile. It was three years ago in May that the CCPD was formed as a cost-saving regional force, with Camden City being the first -- and only municipality to date -- to come aboard. "We are diligently working with the [Camden County] prosecutor's office to solve the murders that have occurred and the FBI to prevent the next act of gun violence," police Chief Scott Thomson said Wednesday in a statement. "Homicide solves are up over 50 percent of this year as we also enhance our investigations of violent drug gang members." Indeed, Tuesday was a dramatic day in Camden County Superior Court as three young men -- charged with felony murder in the shooting death of a 19-year-old city man -- reeled when learning they could be behind bars for decades to come. Kelly Francis, president of the Camden County NAACP, has lived in Camden since 1949 and has seen four generations of Camden cops patrolling his streets, walking his sidewalks and protecting his neighborhoods. It wasn't until the early 1970s when residency requirements for New Jersey police and firefighters went into effect that Francis, whose NAACP chapter has regularly documented turnover rates at Camden metro, saw things take a turn. "It's a revolving door of rookies," he said of their ranks. "They are coming in, getting trained and getting jobs elsewhere. It's very smart on their part." Contrast that, Francis said, to the Cooper Grant section of the city near Rutgers University that hasn't seen a homicide in more than a decade. He argues that's because there are "experienced" and "career" members of law enforcement serving on the Rutgers force, Camden County Sheriff's Office, Delaware River Port Authoriy and New Jersey State Police protecting that area. Thomson, touching on the ranks of his force, said "staffing and diversity challenges" are being addressed with the state Civil Service Commission while the CCPD awaits assistance. "We are doubling down on community policing with the recent academy class of 61 officers who will be partnered with seasoned training officers and deployed to walking beats in our most challenged areas with the mission of hitting 'tipping points' by building relationships and getting good people to enjoy their streets," Thomson said. Asked what he thinks the next few months hold for Camden, Francis said suburbanites will keep coming to Camden to score and, in turn, fuel the drug trade, spill more blood and perpetuate the cycle of violence. "I don't see how that can be mitigated" by a "rookie" police force, he said, who can't tell "an honors student from a drug dealer." Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find NJ.com on Facebook. The Supreme Court of Chechnya has sentenced Ukrainian citizens Mykola Karpiuk and Stanislav Klykh to 22 and a half and 20 years in a high-security penal colony, respectively, defense lawyer of the Ukrainians Ilya Novikov has said. "The verdict for Karpiuk is 22 years and a half. That for Klykh is 20 years. But as we found out yesterday, sometimes these words on paper mean less than nothing," Novikov wrote on Twitter on Thursday. Exclusive interview with the CEO on the Ukrainian operations Burisma Mr. Taras Burdeinogo news agency "Interfax-Ukraine"We expand our business due to equipment investments, people and technology. At the moment, we have assembled the best experts and the most innovative equipment, which allows us to drill slanted wells 2900 m deep in three weeks. This year Burisma plans to drill 16 wells over 4000 m, and 5-7 wells under 4000 m. At the moment, seismic surveys are being conducted at four units at the same time. We put into operation a well with a depth of 5620 m, which provides a profit of 280 thousand cubic meters of gas and 25 thousand cubic meters of condensate per day. And we have not uncovered the most powerful horizons yet. According to the results of the well exploration, it was taken a decision to drill another well within the Vodyanovsk field. In May, we plan to drill a well with a planned depth of 5800 m, and to accomplish it in five or six months. In 21 days, there was drilled a well 2870 m deep with an inclination angle of 45% within the Proletarian field. All this allows us to reach the planned production volume of 1.8 billion cubic meters of gas, but this year we plan to increase the volume of gas production up to 2 billion cubic meters of gas.We built an additional gas piplene between Kharkiv and Shebelinka, which cost us 18 mln uah, and conveyed it to Transgaz system for free. This made it possible not only to facilitate the work of Kharkov ring, but to operate the Ukrainian gas transport system more efficiently. With this ring all the gas companies (including state-owned ones) operating in Kharkiv region can increase the output without violating the regulations. This is a net investment in the government project for the more efficient gas production. Today there are no similar investments, where private companies would invest in the state system of gas transmission. Burisma also launched a gas pipeline over 30 km long in Krarkiv oblast, which connects gas transport providers nets to our company fields. This will increase production and ensure transmission of 4 million cubic meters of gas per day.The project cost amounted to more than 150 million uah. It is noteworthy, that it was built and put into operation within three months. Easements were signed with more than 200 landowners. So, in order to accelerate the construction, we announced a tender among private companies for the construction of a10-kilometer stretch. We implemented the other important and promising project on liquefied gas. We are the first company in Ukraine to design and launch installations for extracting propane-butane fraction by adsorption unit and modular turboexpanders. This will enable additionally liquefied gas extraction from natural gas. The plant capacity will amount to more than 1.5 million cubic meters per day. There are no analogues of such a facility in our country. We also implemented the other interesting project on methanol recovery. Our methanol recovery technology allows us to minimize the import dependence. For example, some time ago, six tons of methanol would be purchased at the one of our fields daily, today only two tons. As a result, we save up to 60-70%, which equals to 100 thousand uah per day. In addition, innovative methods of horizontal drilling, used in more than 50% of our wells in complex geological conditions, enables Burisma to be welcome partners within large international projects.Even though, the Holdings activities differ in these two countries (in Italy, the holding company develops geothermal field), we convey our competences to international markets. First of all, our service and our drilling technologies. Burisma owns the largest rig fleet in Ukraine, including heavy drilling rigs, that enable to reach the depth of up to10 thousand meters. In Kazakhstan, we signed an agreement with the National Oil and Gas Company KazMunayGas and its subsidiaries. For example, we signed a contract with KMG Drilling & Services to perform a drilling of a directional appraisal well at the Urikhtau field. In Italy, its a new aspect, specializing in the electricity production from renewable and environmentally friendly geothermal sources in Europe. An international group Gesto Investimento e Gestao (G.I.G.) became our partner in the Italian project, and now we cooperate on three projects. Companies in Mexico and the United Arab Emirates would also like to see us, as their investors and partners. Currently we estimate the prospects of a series of projects; we will be able to tell you more about it later.But, in spite of macroeconomic and political risks, we continue to invest in Ukraine. Our principled position is to form an energy independent state and develop the Ukrainian gas production market. The future of Ukraine depends on having an energy independent state, which would be able to provide completely its market with domestic extracted gas. Despite market expansion, the Ukrainian market remains strategic for us. Burisma is the most recognizable Ukrainian gas company in the world. We promote the made in Ukraine brand in the world as a part of the qualification potential of Ukrainian universities and the technological possibilities of the Ukrainian companies. The company became a guide of energy independent implementation in terms of Ukrainian national policy. Despite the difficult situation in the country and unfriendly fiscal policy in 2014-2015, we continue working on our projects on the natural gas exploration and production. In 2014, production amounted to 692 million cubic meters, in December 2015, we managed to increase the production volume to 1.2 billion cubic meters in annual equivalent. Last year our companies paid about 3 billion uah of tax charges. According to this number, the group is among the three largest industrial taxpayers of the country, which demonstrates the social orientation of the company and compliance with international practices.We actively upgrade our rig fleets. This year we purchased a new drilling rig SK 3000 with the load capacity of 750 tons. This is the most powerful rig, not only in Ukraine but also in the CIS. We also bought a new US fleet for hydrofracturing, which consists of 15 pumps with a total capacity of 35 thousand hp. We can say, that this national project will give an opportunity to participate in tenders for services of various companies, including the largest state-owned gas producer Ukrgasdobycha. We have already signed a cooperation agreement with leading American company ProPetro, which performed more than 10 thousand successful hydrofracturings and is ready to cooperate if we win the tender. We also purchased seismic equipment, which lets us cover large areas and provides high quality seismic information. In this field we cooperate with Dawson Company.Burisma is not just a co-founder, it was the initiator of the Association establishment. We wanted to bring together, over the idea of an energy security, not only responsible businesses, but also politicians and experts, who maintain an open dialogue on the necessity to develop a transparent gas market and integrate it into the European energy community. In order to put the words into action, we started to develop an attractive market for investment: not the one we have today, which depends on imports, but energetically and politically independent from any country-suppliers of energy sources.Speaking of legal aspects, we are sure about the legitimacy: in January 2015, the British court found in favor of Nicholai Zlochevskiy. In Ukraine, an active legal work is being performed, and we hope that the Ukrainian judicial system will be as objective, as the British is. It is a kind of a test of compliance with European legal standards of our country. "This year Burisma plans to drill 16 wells over 4000 m, and 5-7 wells under 4000 m. At the moment, seismic surveys are being conducted at four units at the same time. We put into operation a well with a depth of 5,620 m, which provides a profit of 280 thousand cubic meters of gas and 25 thousand cubic meters of condensate per day. And we have not uncovered the most powerful horizons yet. According to the results of the well exploration, it was taken a decision to drill another well within the Vodyanovsk field. In May, we plan to drill a well with a planned depth of 5800 m, and to accomplish it in five or six months. In 21 days, there was drilled a well 2870 m deep with an inclination angle of 45% within the Proletarian field. All this allows us to reach the planned production volume of 1.8 billion cubic meters of gas, but this year we plan to increase the volume of gas production up to 2 billion cubic meters of gas," he said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine. He said that last year Burisma launched a well of 5,620 meters deep. Its daily production rate was 280,000 cubic meters of gas and 25,000 cubic meters of gas condensate. "We built an additional gas pipeline between Kharkiv and Shebelynka, which cost us UAH 18 million, and conveyed it to "Transgaz" system for free. This made it possible not only to facilitate the work of Kharkov ring, but to operate the Ukrainian gas transport system more efficiently. With this ring all the gas companies (including state-owned ones) operating in Kharkiv region can increase the output without violating the regulations. This is a net investment in the government project for the more efficient gas production. Today there are no similar investments, where private companies would invest in the state system of gas transmission. Burisma also launched a gas pipeline over 30 km long in Kharkiv oblast, which connects gas transport providers' nets to our company fields. This will increase production and ensure transmission of 4 million cubic meters of gas per day," he said. The project cost amounted to more than UAH 150 million. It is noteworthy, that it was built and put into operation within three months. Easements were signed with more than 200 landowners. So, in order to accelerate the construction, Burisma announced a tender among private companies for the construction of a10-kilometer stretch. "We actively upgrade our rig fleets. This year we purchased a new drilling rig SK 3000 with the load capacity of 750 tons. This is the most powerful rig, not only in Ukraine but also in the CIS. We also bought a new U.S. fleet for hydrofracturing, which consists of 15 pumps with a total capacity of 35 thousand hp. We can say that this national project will give an opportunity to participate in tenders for services of various companies, including the largest state-owned gas producer "Ukrgasdobycha." We have already signed a cooperation agreement with leading American company ProPetro, which performed more than 10 thousand successful hydrofracturings and is ready to cooperate if we win the tender. We also purchased seismic equipment, which lets us cover large areas and provides high quality seismic information. In this field we cooperate with Dawson Company", Taras Burdeinyi has said. Burdeinyi noted that in 2015 the group's companies paid some UAH 3 billion of taxes to the Ukrainian budget. "Even though, the Holding's activities differ in these two countries (in Italy, the holding company develops geothermal field), we convey our competences to international markets. First of all, our service and our drilling technologies. Burisma owns the largest rig fleet in Ukraine, including heavy drilling rigs that enable to reach the depth of up to10 thousand meters. In Kazakhstan, we signed an agreement with the National Oil and Gas Company "KazMunayGas" and its subsidiaries. For example, we signed a contract with "KMG Drilling & Services" to perform a drilling of a directional appraisal well at the Urikhtau field. In Italy, it's a new aspect, specializing in the electricity production from renewable and environmentally friendly geothermal sources in Europe. An international group Gesto Investimento e Gestao (G.I.G.) became our partner in the Italian project, and now we cooperate on three projects. Companies in Mexico and the United Arab Emirates would also like to see us, as their investors and partners. Currently we estimate the prospects of a series of projects; we will be able to tell you more about it later," he said. A doctor examines a dead body shifted to a civil hospital in southwest Pakistan's Quetta, May 22, 2016. Bodies of two people who are suspected to be killed in a Saturday U.S. drone strike in Pakistan have been shifted to a hospital in Quetta for DNA test. Afghan Taliban top leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor was reportedly killed by a U.S. drone strike launched at a small town in Pakistan's southwest province of Balochistan along the Pak-Afghan border, reported local Urdu TV channel ARY on Sunday. [Photo: Xinhua] KABUL, May 25 -- The Afghan Taliban on Wednesday confirmed the death of its leader Mullah Mansoor in the airstrike over the weekend in a online statement on Wednesday. The Taliban has appointed Haibtullah Akhondzada as its new leader to replace Mansoor, the militant group said in the statement. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close They are set to be the future of stealth transport for soldiers - and can run on electricity and everything from petrol to olive oil. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, has shown off the two projects is had backed to create next generation stealth motorbikes. The Silent Hawk by Logos and the Nightmare from LSA Autonomy are both being funded by the agency. The Logos Silent Hawk. The hybrid engine bike would use diesel, gasoline or jet fuel for normal operations. But when it gets closer to the enemy, it would run almost silently on electricity. The two prototypes have been shown at the National Defense Industrial Association's Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in Tampa. Both bikes feature cutting-edge hybrid multi-fuel engines that can burn a variety of combustibles from jet fuel to olive oil. 'If it's gasoline, tell it it's gasoline, tell it it's something else. It will figure it out,' Alex Dzwill, and engineer with Logos, told Defence One. When asked if you can run it on other fuels, such as olive oil, he said ' Theoretically, yeah, said Dzwill. The bikes have two modes, a traditional 'loud mode', and a quiet mode that switches the bike to operating from a battery. The loud mode is akin to a garbage disposal at around 80 decibels, while quiet mode is 55 decibels, about as loud as an indoor conversation. The idea is that for normal operations, the bike would use diesel, gasoline or jet fuel. But when it gets closer to the enemy, it would run almost silently on electricity. Two women accused of trying to sell meth from car in rural area Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, answers questions at a regular press conference in Beijing, capital of China, May 25, 2016. Ma Xiaoguang said Wednesday that Taiwan's new leader Tsai Ing-wen must, without any equivocation, clarify her stance on cross-Strait ties. A Chinese mainland spokesperson said Wednesday that Taiwan's new leader Tsai Ing-wen must, without any equivocation, clarify her stance on cross-Strait ties. Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at a regular press conference that Taiwan must clarify this issue with practical action and allow the examination of the people and history. In her inaugural address Friday, the new Taiwan leader chose to be ambiguous, despite cross-Strait relations being the utmost concern to the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, Ma said. Tsai did not explicitly recognize the 1992 Consensus and offered no concrete proposal to ensure the peaceful and stable growth of cross-Strait relations, he said. "The issue is a question that must be answered -- it cannot be evaded," said Ma. "I want to reiterate that the mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China, and cross-Strait ties are not state-to-state relations," added Ma. The spokesperson said the mainland opposes all separatist activities advocating "Taiwan independence" in the name of "law amendments." "No one shall test our resolution and capability to safeguard our national sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said. Ma praised the years after 2008 as being "best setting" for cross-Strait relations since 1949. With the common political foundation of the 1992 Consensus, cross-Strait affairs authorities from both sides have signed 23 agreements since 2008, when a regular communication mechanism was established, which have facilitated cross-Strait cooperation in all areas and benefited people from both sides. But Ma warned that only affirmation of the political foundation that embodies the one-China principle can ensure continued and institutionalized exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. The spokesperson went on to stress that the one-China principle should also be safeguarded with regard to Taiwan's participation in regional economic cooperation. "[Without the one-China principle,] There would be no political trust and adverse impacts are sure to follow," Ma told the press conference. "Attempts to engage in separatist activities for 'Taiwan independence', pursue 'two Chinas' or 'one China, one Taiwan' will without doubt reach a dead end." The Chinese mainland deals with Taiwan's external relations under the one-China principle, Ma said, adding that Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly since 2009 has been a special arrangement based on the one-China principle. The federal government plans to pour $125 million into the fight against a mysterious disease that has ravaged corals in Florida and much of the Caribbean, and now poses a dire threat to the treasured reefs off the Louisiana and Texas coasts. WASHINGTON (AP) The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has issued a subpoena to Donald Trump. The nine-member panel sent a letter to the former president's lawyers on Friday, demanding his testimony under oath by mid-November and outlining a series of corresponding documents. The decision by lawmakers to exercise their subpoena power comes a week after the committee made its final case against the former president, who they say is the "central cause" of the multi-part effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. It remains unclear how Trump and his legal team will respond to the subpoena, if at all. Five days after inauguration, Taiwans new leader Tsai Ing-wen has already run into problems. On Wednesday, Tsai Ing-wen had a meeting with Marcus D. Jadotte, Assistant U.S. Secretary of Commerce. Awkwardly, Tsai could not find the right words at the beginning of the meeting. She tried to gather her thoughts about 10 seconds, and then eventually said in English, I have problems saying that in the Chinese language. Im sorry. Tsai's behavior came as a shock to many and drew criticism as her stance on cross-Strait ties is closely watched. Taiwanese media has claimed that Tsai is politically close to the West because of her overseas study experience. "She tried to forget the Chinese language in order to eliminate Chinese culture," a Taiwanese netizen mocked. Though she may struggle with Chinese, Tsai has no problem propagandizing Taiwans intentions to participate in the second round negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP). We are looking forward to the United States publically supporting Taiwan in joining the second round of negotiations, said Tsai. File Photo: Taiwans new leader Tsai Ing-wen Several days ago, Tsai claimed that Taiwan took no position on the issue of whether Okinotorishima is a rock or an island. Her declaration pleased the government of Japan while disappointing many people in Taiwan. A Kuomintang member of Taiwans legislative body criticized the stance, saying that it was a real humiliation for the Democratic Progressive Party to behave so obsequiously toward Japan right after coming into power. A Taiwanese author, Wong Chi-yin, called Tsais claim a generous gesture to open Taiwans gates to Japan, so that Taiwan could soon became a happy colony of Japan. On the issue of cross-Strait relations, Tsai did not explicitly recognize the 1992 Consensus, nor did she offer any concrete proposals to ensure the peaceful and stable growth of relations. Chinese mainland spokesperson Ma Xiaoguang urged Tsai on Wednesday to clarify her stance on cross-Strait ties. Chinese research on neurodegenerative diseases has made progress recently, and the new developments are poised to have a huge impact on the treatment of Alzheimer's. The latest research was conducted by Professor Jiang Qinghua at the School of Life Science and Technology of Harbin Institute of Technology. Alzheimer's disease is the most common degenerative disease of the central nervous system. Clinically, it is characterized by worsening cognition and memory. Preventing cognitive impairment is an important issue facing society. Discovering the genetic loci that affect cognitive decline is a key step in the treatment of the disease. In 2015, researchers from University of California found a unique genetic mutation that might protect against cognitive decline and prevent neurodegenerative diseases. To verify this finding, Jiang and his doctoral student, Liu Guiyou, analyzed 17,989 samples of children's cognitive function, 106,736 samples of adults' cognitive function, and 101,069 samples of adult education levels. Studies show that the genetic variant discovered at the University of California does not affect childrens cognition abilities. There was also no clear link between the variant and adult cognition levels. However, the findings do provide new ideas and clues for further research on Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. Community Its now easier than ever to connect and chat with others in your local area. You can connect with your community by asking general questions, give area updates and recommendations and even let your community know about local events that are taking place. Driving the eight-wheeled infantry fighting vehicles, soldiers of a mechanized infantry regiment under the 54th Group Army of the PLA Ground Force participate in training to temper troops in a near-real-war environment on May 24, 2016.(81.cn/Photo) Data Science Transforming Biomedical Research at Feinberg New data science initiatives propel Feinberg to 'the future of medicine' Highlights 8.4 million patient records allow scientists to develop precision medicine No other institution is approaching big data as holistically as we are Scientists analyze genetic information to develop more personalized, effective treatments Connecting faculty is key to impactful data science research CHICAGO --- Data Science is transforming biomedical research at the Feinberg School of Medicine, propelling important discoveries in rare and common diseases and beginning to translate those findings into new treatments and individualized patient care at an accelerated pace. Findings gleaned from deep dives into data are already informing research in such fields as cardiovascular disease, cancer and care for critically ill children at Northwestern. To support the burgeoning data science field, Feinberg is recruiting faculty, creating a major new center, training graduate students and connecting scientists to each others data. Data science storage Much of the research is possible because of the oceanic depth of research and clinical data housed in Northwestern Medicines Enterprise Data Warehouse (NMEDW)-- one of the leading and most mature depositories in the country with 8.4 million unique patient records. That includes 95 million inpatient admissions and outpatient visits and 101 billion data elements (a patient lab test, for example) -- a number updated by 14 million new data elements every night. The depth of the data on those individuals now allows us to drill down in a way thats never been possible before and really understand individual responses to treatments, said Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones, chair of preventive medicine and director of Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. Its allowing us to develop true precision medicine so we can better tailor treatments to the people who are most likely to respond and least likely to have adverse effects. Thats the end game of this. Thats the future of medicine. Researchers use of the Enterprise Data Warehouse has soared 250 percent since 2011, supporting 858 research projects in the last four years. Feinbergs holistic approach to data science As data science in biomedical research begins to explode, Feinberg is investing heavily to position itself as a leader in the nascent field. It has recruited 20 new faculty members, created the new Center for Data Science and Informatics (CDSI), established data science classes for all graduate students and is developing the equivalent of match.com for scientists to connect them to each others' research data. In addition, Feinberg recently netted a prestigious $1.25 million, five-year National Institutes of Health grant to train the next generation of tool builders to answer critical questions in data science better and faster. The Biomedical Data Driven Discovery Training Program will recruit three new students a year (and support each for two years) from Feinberg and the McCormick School of Engineering. I dont know of any other institution that is approaching big data as holistically as we are, said Justin Starren, the director of CDSI. We are treating this as a fundamental skill that should be part of the general education of a biomedical graduate student. Increasingly, biology is transitioning from a small team, small data world to a big team, big data world, Starren said. The way you approach a problem when you think about it as a big data problem is different. Training graduate students today in biomedicine without giving them exposure to data science would be equivalent to not giving them exposure to statistics. Translating findings into treatments Thanks to data science, a patient with heart failure is selected for a life-changing clinical trial. Learn about Feinberg School of Medicine's Role Most of the Feinberg faculty has not been trained in data science, so the new center, which absorbs and expands on the Northwestern University Biomedical Informatics Center, will help them integrate data science into their research by linking them to newly recruited data science collaborators. Research data sets will soon be shared by other scientists for their use through the upcoming Data Index Project, an index that will compile searchable data sets from Northwestern studies. One aim of the project is to spark collaborations between scientists, a top priority throughout the University. The more we can connect scientists studying big data to each other, the more productive and impactful our research will be, Starren said. Data science and the heart A perfect example of how data science is shaping care at Northwestern is the research of Dr. Sanjiv Shah, an associate professor of medicine in cardiology at Feinberg. He uses NMEDW electronic health records to identify patients for enrollment in a specialized heart failure clinical program and clinical trial, and then uses a combination of deep phenotyping and machine learning to discover new ways to understand the disease process and ultimately improve treatment. We view this as a paradigm for how we want to help a number of clinical programs evolve, Lloyd-Jones said. We are helping them align their clinical and research missions by harnessing the analytical power of data science. Its allowing us to develop true precision medicine, so we can better tailor treatments to the people who are most likely to respond and least likely to have adverse effects. Thats the end game of this. Thats the future of medicine. Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones Chair of preventive medicine and director of Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute Data science and critically ill children Dr. Mark Wainwright, professor of pediatrics and neurology, and his team are looking for the signals from data science to improve the outcomes of critically ill children at Anne & Robert H. Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago. This group is developing tools to integrate and analyze data from all the different monitoring devices attached to a critically ill child in order to provide earlier warning of changes in a patients condition that require intervention by the medical team. By analyzing the trajectory of thousands of pediatric patients in intensive care, they will have computers develop an algorithm of signals to warn of an unstable situation that needs immediate attention. This would be invaluable, allowing us to catch much earlier the subtle signals that a child is getting worse, Wainwright said. We could then intervene and prevent a cardiac arrest or other serious complications. Data science and cancer care Data science also is on the cusp of transforming cancer care as scientists analyze volumes of critical genetic information to develop more personalized and effective treatment for individual patients. Ramana Davuluri, director of the Informatics Cancer Core at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, is developing methods for analyses of multi-omics data sets from patients with glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive malignant brain tumor as well as prostate, breast and ovarian cancers. The goal is to parse the genetic differences between groups of patients within each cancer to determine which treatments will best help them. Mind-Boggling Amounts of Data and Supercomputers The enormous volume of data generated in genomic data mining requires a tremendous amount of computing power, far more than the average desktop computer can handle. Dr. Elizabeth McNally, who recently took the helm of the Center for Genetic Medicine, is well acquainted with the challenges of analyzing mind-boggling amounts of data. She is leading an NIH-sponsored project to examine whole genome sequencing from 300 individuals with cardiomyopathy, a common cause of heart failure. As a clinician, McNally leads the Program in Cardiovascular Genetics at the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Medicine. She works with a team of physicians and genetic counselors where they routinely use genetic testing in patients and families with inherited cardiovascular and neuromuscular diseases to determine the gene variants contributing to their diseases. This information helps establish a diagnosis and guides a therapeutic approach. Each genome is composed of 3 billion base pairs, the building units of the genome, and each of us have four or five million differences between us, McNally said. We are trying to figure out which one or two of these variants causes disease in that individual. Its like looking for a needle in a pile of needles. It would be impossible without powerful computers. If I tried to analyze 250 genomes and the millions of differences in genes on my desktop computer, it would take 50 years to do it, McNally said. She uses the supercomputer at Argonne National Laboratory for the computing power to quickly sequence and analyze her patients genomes in just a few days. Now she is looking forward to working with Quest, Northwesterns high-performance computing cluster. Data Science and Electronic Medical Records Other important research driven by data science is NIHs Electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE) project led at Northwestern by Rex Chisholm, the vice dean for scientific affairs and graduate education, and Maureen Smith, clinical director of NUgene. Chisholm, Smith and their team have analyzed clinical data and genome sequences from individuals in the NUgene biobank to learn which genetic abnormalities cause certain diseases and determine which drug is most effective for individuals, depending on their gene variant. Now eMERGE is building and testing a computer-decision support system integrating genetic variant data into the electronic health records to help doctors prescribe the correct drug. Listen: Dr. Elizabeth M McNally, director of the Center for Genetic Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, describes how large data sets have impacted her work. Audio Transcript What's next in the data science race? Scientists are racing to keep up with statistical methods and develop ever-more sophisticated techniques to extract true meaning from the data. The analytical skills and the methodological skills are being invented everyday, because there are new problems and challenges," Lloyd-Jones said. This is a massive amount of data and we need to understand what is random variation and what is important variation that can lead to disease. China urges Japan to spare no efforts in destroying old chemical weapons An undated photo shows a burial site of Japanese abandoned chemical weapons in Haerbaling, Dunhua, Jilin province. (Photo/Chinamil.com.cn) China has urged the Japanese government to honor their promise to recover, recycle and destruct abandoned chemical weapons, said the vice-chairman of China's Central Military Commission, Fan Changlong, during his inspection tour in Dunhua, Jilin province on Thursday. The news was posted on the website of China's Ministry of National Defense. Abandoned chemical weapons have been found in over 90 locations in 18 provinces, cities and autonomous regions around China. In Haerbaling, Dunhua the Japanese buried around 330,000 chemical weapons. The weapons are set to be fully disposed of by 2022. U.S. President Barack Obama (L) meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the G7 Summit held in Ise Shima, Japan, on May 25, 2016. [Photo: sina.com.cn] US President Barack Obama has sought to ease Japanese anger over the death of a woman on Okinawa, expressing his "deepest regrets" and saying his country would cooperate in the prosecution of an American arrested over the crime. President Obama, who's in Japan for a G7 summit of world leaders, said he supported Japan's efforts to bring the offender to justice. "The United States will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation and ensure that justice is done under the Japanese legal system." A series of crimes, including rapes, assaults and hit-and-run vehicle accidents by US military personnel, dependents and civilians have for years sparked local protests on the crowded island that hosts numerous US military bases. Public anger boiled over last week after police arrested a former US Marine in connection with the death of a 20-year-old Okinawan woman who had been missing since late April and was reportedly raped and murdered. The case has threatened to overshadow a planned visit to Hiroshima immediately after the G7 summit ends on Friday. Obama attempted to clear the air by saying his trip to Hiroshima would focus on the two nations' common goal of realizing a nuclear weapon-free world. "Our visit to Hiroshima will honour all those who were lost in World War II and reaffirm our shared vision of a world without nuclear weapons as well as highlight the extraordinary alliance that we have been able to forge over these many decades." Obama will become the only sitting US president to visit the world's first atomic-bombed city. The Hiroshima visit by Obama, who has a record of calling for global denuclearization, has been well received in Japan. But the heavy US military presence on Okinawa has long been a thorn in the side of the two countries' relations. 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Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Ivy Tech Community College Chancellor Thomas G. Coley thinks Northwest Indiana is advancing economically and believes growing partnerships with Region businesses will continue to help students reap benefits. This concept of one region has been so impressive and has opened the doors to get people talking and creating solid relationships to help the area, Coley said. There are so many people that are vested in seeing our communities flourish. Coley points to Ivy Techs ability to develop curriculum based on the needs of todays businesses, helping the workforce tailor its skills. We were able to start a gas technology partnership with the help of NIPSCO, Coley said of the local utility. We have process technology programs in place now because of BP (Whiting refinery), quality healthcare initiatives, and other stakeholders coming to us, telling us exactly what kind of employee they are looking for. Although some of the two-year colleges overall enrollment numbers are down, Ivy Tech still has close to 20,000 students among the four campus sites in the Region. Its a common trend that every time employment numbers increase, theres always a decrease in enrollment, Coley said. We are still very happy with our numbers and the quality of courses we have to offer. Coley said Ivy Tech continues to excel, because partnerships are key and relationships continue to develop. Coley believes local businesses and their commitment to find skilled workers are the reason they are able to offer innovative and cutting-edge opportunities, which remains the colleges priority. We just graduated a student who was 72 years of age, Coley said. Whether its a non-traditional student like that, or one who lost their job during the recession and came to us to start over, theres great fulfillment in meeting and addressing their needs, no matter what they are. Ivy Tech is currently partnering with Indiana University Northwest on construction of a $45 million state-of-the-art 126,300-square-foot arts and sciences facility the two schools will share. We are really proud of this expansion and the opportunities that will come from this investment, Coley said. It all comes back to answering the needs of our students and making sure we put them in a position to succeed. Coley has more than 35 years in higher education and is the former president of Scott Community College in Iowa. He is currently chancellor for Ivy Techs North Central region and for the campuses in Gary, East Chicago, Valparaiso and Michigan City. A dozen steel trade associations from across the globe are encouraging the G7 nations to do something about steelmaking overcapacity, which is estimated to be as high as 700 million tons internationally and at the root of the steel industrys ongoing troubles. The American Iron and Steel Institute and 11 other trade associations called upon the Group of Seven finance ministers and central bankers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States to do something about the glut of steel mills when it meets in Japan for a summit that began Thursday. Government support measures and other policies have contributed to significant global excess capacity in steel, unfair trade and distortions in steel trade flows around the world, the trade associations wrote in a letter. Among other things, these market-distorting government policies have prevented adequate industry adjustment in some markets in response to changes in global demand. A study by the Wiley Rein law firm in Washington D.C. found the world has an unprecedented 700 million tons of excess capacity above what is needed to satisfy current demand for steel. It found the U.S. steelmakers were using less than 65 percent of their capacity and cannot withstand the current market conditions for much longer. Wiley Rein dismissed Chinas promise to cut 150 million tons of capacity as inadequate and unlikely to actually happen. Trade associations from America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany and France say government intervention is necessary to defend against exports from countries in which market economy conditions do not prevail. The trade associations stated they appreciated governments working together to solve the problem and said it was necessary to build on the work of a conference held in mid-April in Brussels. It is critical that all major steel-producing nations participate in efforts to eliminate trade-distorting policies that are contributing to the current steel crisis, the trade associations wrote in their letter to the G7. The trade associations fear state-supported enterprises will survive at the expense of efficient companies operating in environments with minimal government support. Sloths love life in the slow lane above all else - and this is where adorable orphaned babies of the species are able to carefully get into the swing of a leisurely life. These pictures show impossibly cute baby sloths at the Sloth Institute in Costa Rica. The centre is a lifeline for them as they probably wouldn't have stood a chance if left alone in the wild. The centre was set up by Sam Trull - known as 'Mother of Sloths' - and Seda Sejud, in a bid to enhance their well-being and assure their conservation. Some of their babies are smaller than the size of a human hand, with one image showing a cheeky sloth snuggled up in a mug. The heartwarming collection was captured for a book called Slothlove by Trull, who has been helping sloths return to the wild since 2013. Her work helps with research around the world on wild and captive sloths as she collaborates with other institutions and, with them, helps to educate the public about the species. These images show how being motivated to help the cute creatures must come quite easily... Best friends: Snuggling up to its teddy, this bright-eyed baby sloth is enjoying a happy recovery after being orphaned as a youngster Some of their babies are smaller than the size of a human hand, with one image showing a cheeky sloth snuggled up in a mug Chicagoland's hardest working songwriter, Jim Peterik,will step out on stage to deliver a fresh take on some of his biggest hits at The Acorn Theatre in Three Oaks, Michigan on June 4. Although this second of only four currently scheduled acoustic-driven, roots performances will likely sell-out, tickets ($20-$30) were still available at press time for the 8 p.m. show. More: acorntheater.com or (219) 756-3879. The Acorn Theatre gig is one of a handful currently being done to promote Peterik's latest album, "The Songs," a collection of some of his greatest commercial rock hits re-imagined and re-recorded in alternate musical styles. For instance, the CD and live show feature Peterik offering up a bluegrass treatment of his biggest career hit "Eye of the Tiger." Songs that are given a fresh treatment on the albums and at the live performances include such enduring classic hits written by Peterik as Eye of the Tiger and High on You, The Ides of March's "Vehicle" and "You Wouldn't Listen," the Beach Boys Thats Why God Made The Radio," .38 Special's "Caught Up In You," and Sammy Hagar's Heavy Metal." Earlier this week, Peterik chatted about the new album and his current live show supporting it. Here are some of the highlights of the conversation. The Times: What was the concept behind re-inventing your old hits? Jim Peterik: When you look at a song from a different angle, you see it in a whole new light. Like when Eric Clapton re-did 'Layla' as a waltz, it became a whole new song. When I was singing the song 'Heavy Metal' live with just my guitar and a wailing blues harp it was a revelation even to me. Times: What were your thoughts while revisiting these songs and performing them so differently? Peterik: When I met Fred Mollin, I knew I had met a master producer. He did some of my favorite unplugged CDs such as '10 Easy Pieces' by one of my songwriting heroes Jimmy Webb. He's been after me for years to do an unplugged and re-imagined project of my most popular songs and I finally thought the time was right. When Fred first suggested that I include my most iconic song 'Eye Of The Tiger,' I was resistant. Once I tried it, I realized that if the song is good you can re-imagine it in many ways, each with a different kind of power. To do 'Caught up in You' with just a string quartet or 'Eye of the Tiger' as a bluegrass song was a real revelation. Times: Where did you record and what was the recording process like? Peterik: I can't believe how much I enjoyed making this record down in Nashville at the iconic Sound Emporium with some of Nashville's finest musicians. Engineering was done by Larry Millas (of The Ides of March). Most of it was done live in the studio with instruments such as banjo, fiddle, dobro, upright bass and pedal steel. Times: The album has been out a few weeks now. What has the public response been to it thus far? Have your fans embraced the new versions of some of their favorite songs? Peterik: So far, I've gotten only one semi-negative review. But we are all bound to get those. I take faith in the audience response at my premier show at Chicago's City Winery on May 4, where we played to a capacity audience voicing their approval and lining up for a copy of the album after the performance. I started relaxing after that. That show gave me all the encouragement I needed to feel that I had something that would really resonate with the public. Times: Talk about your live show that you are bringing to Acorn Theatre on June 4 and the kind of accompaniment you will have at that show. Peterik: The show will feature the instrumentation I used on the CD and at the winery concert with one exception. The group is led by Andrew Ohrlich on fiddle and mandolin and features Garrett Degnan on upright bass, Brian Wilke on pedal steel, and Goldin Winker on banjo. Dan Inginthron will be on piano for this show instead of (Jim's son) Colin Peterik. Times: Do you have any other shows with this line-up where you will showcase "The Songs" treatment of your tunes? Peterik: Yes. But just a few right now. Right now we have two more dates on the calendar - SPACE in Evanston on July 17 and The Rau Center in Crystal Lake on July 25 - because I'm also preparing for Ides of March shows and more 'Cornerstones of Rock' shows. See website for those dates: theidesofmarch.com or jimpeterik.com. MUSIC NOTES One of the Region's finest musical combos, in this writer's opinion, has long been jazzy-rock group Freek Johnson. The stellar group will be dishing out its renowned sound from 8 p.m. to midnight on Friday at Leroy's Hot Stuff (333 W. U.S. Hwy. 20) in Porter as part of the venue's AYCA Fish Fry night. Then on Saturday, fresh from a successful tour of Europe and bringing the blues and tunes from their latest worldwide album release ("Shake Your Faith") to Leroy's stage is The Steepwater Band. More: leroyshotstuff.com or (219) 926-6211. Long time regional rockers M&R RUSH will headline the Wildrose Brewing Company's First Anniversary Bash Saturday. It's an outside event. Showtime is 6 p.m. following a day's worth of live music, which starts at 1 p.m. Wildrose is located at 1104 East Main Street in Griffith. More: (219)-595-5054. Tickets: wildrosebrewing.brownpapertickets.com or at the door. Hobart Parks & Events has released its roster of free family concerts at the Festival Park Band Shell. The 6 p.m. concerts in June will feature Jim Bulanda (6/2), The Code Names (6/9), One Band (6/16), Eaten Alive (6/23) and Island 49 (6/30). More: (219) 942-2987. Cousin Dave Neeley (formerly of The Bedlam Bros.) has been building up a bit of a following at The Town Pub (214 E. Commercial Ave.) in Lowell for his weekly "Open Mic Night" every Wednesday (7 to 11 p.m.). More: (219) 690-1947. Star Production's CEO and President Charlie Blum will guest live in studio on 89.1FM-Lakeshore Public Radio's weekly "A Look at the Arts" program at 1 p.m. Friday along with call in commentary from members of Under The Streetlamp and others to discuss the Northwest Indiana summer singing competition "Harmonies For Healing: Under The Streetlamp," a three-part PBS-TV series taping throughout the summer at Star Plaza Theatre. Stream it live in real time at lakeshorepublicmedia.org. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy HAMMOND An East Chicago man accused of shooting into a car full of teenagers last fall in Hobart and wounding a 15-year-old Valparaiso-area girl now faces a federal indictment, court records show. The indictment alleges Nestor Sanzon, 20, used a firearm Oct. 11 during a crime of violence and that he engaged in a racketeering conspiracy with other members of the Latin Kings to distribute marijuana and cocaine. Sanzon was arrested Tuesday in East Chicago, according to U.S. District Court records. His attorney, L. Felipe Sanchez, declined to comment on the federal case Wednesday. Sanzon had been scheduled to appear Tuesday morning for a hearing in Lake Criminal Court, but Sanchez advised the court Sanzon had been arrested earlier that day, online court records show. East Chicago residents reported seeing FBI vehicles Tuesday morning in the 4800 block of Grasselli Street, and East Chicago police said they assisted another agency in serving a warrant in that area. The Lake County prosecutors office Wednesday dropped several charges against Sanzon, including aggravated battery, battery by means of a deadly weapon and six counts of criminal recklessness. Police said after the shooting in October that the suspect, later identified as Sanzon, apparently mistakenly believed words the teens had jokingly exchanged were directed at him. An affidavit filed in the state court case said Sanzon fired shots into a car filled with six teenagers about 12:30 a.m. Oct. 11 at the Amstar gas station at U.S. 6 and Ind. 51. The 15-year-old girl was shot in the neck and was taken to a Chicago-area hospital for treatment. One of the teens identified Sanzon from surveillance photos, and he also was identified by a relative, according to the affidavit. CROWN POINT A Gary man was sentenced last week to two years in prison after he admitted to bringing a gun to Lake County Jail. Eric R. McClinton III, 20, pleaded guilty to being a prisoner in possession of a deadly weapon, a Level 4 felony. Lake County Criminal Judge Salvador Vasquez on May 18 sentenced McClinton to two years in prison, which was the maximum amount of time he could have faced under the terms of the plea agreement. McClinton admitted that on Dec. 10, 2015, he was arrested after refusing to identify himself to an officer during a traffic stop. He was placed into a holding cell at Lake County Jail following a medical examination. According to the agreement, McClinton placed his .38-special revolver into a toilet and used toilet paper to conceal it. McClinton had also been accused of bringing cocaine into the jail, but charges associated with that allegation were dismissed as part of the plea agreement. According to court records, Vasquez determined that McClintons criminal history was an aggravating factor that warranted the two-year prison sentence. He was on probation in a Gary City Court case when the arrest happened. The gun was found by a correctional officer who was doing a routine check at the jail when he spotted the handle of the gun. Lake County Sheriff John Buncich at the time called the incident a human error. An officer is supposed to pat down inmates before the person is screened by the jails medical staff. The incident prompted the Sheriffs Department to add two additional checkpoints where inmates would be searched before being booked into the jail. Police said a 14-year-old boy was seriously hurt in a crash near Wanatah and had been drinking when he took off behind the wheel. LaPorte County police on Wednesday said the boy was taken by helicopter to a hospital in South Bend following the 3 a.m. Sunday collision in the 9800 block of W. 1350 South The investigation shows the boy drove off in the vehicle without permission to take a friend home. Police did not release details of the crash except that it occurred after the friend was dropped off. Charges that include illegal consumption of alcohol are being pursued against the driver, who could face a drunken driving charge depending on the results of a blood alcohol test, police said. PORTAGE A CVS employee was arrested Wednesday night and charged with stealing $5,713 of medication over a three-year period. Tammie Armstrong, 57, of Portage, was charged with felony theft. According to police, officers were called to CVS, 3240 Willowcreek Road, just after 5 p.m. Wednesday. The loss prevention officer at the store said they had been investigating Armstrong regarding the theft of medication from January 2013 to the present. The loss prevention officer told police Armstrong had been removing tablets of Phentermine from the store. According to the Drugs.com website, Phentermine is similar to an amphetamine and is usually prescribed for weight loss. Armstrong told police she had been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder and when she lost her medical benefits, she stole the pills to self-medicate. She told police she took a few pills at a time and concealed them in her pocket. In all, the 3,717 missing tablets were valued at $5,713. Armstrong was transported to Porter County Jail. CROWN POINT A special prosecutor said Thursday he found no evidence a former Lake County sheriff menaced a Lake Superior Court judicial officer last month in an argument over election politics. Rogelio Roy Dominguez said Thursday he is pleased to be cleared of what he considered to be politically motivated allegations surrounding his argument with Magistrate Catheron Paras in her judicial chambers. Ive always conducted myself as a gentleman. So Im particularly pleased, and feel vindicated, by the special prosecutors decision, Dominguez said in a prepared statement. Stanley M. Levco, a senior state prosecuting attorney, said, I didnt think he did anything criminally. There certainly wasnt any evidence he touched her. There wasnt any battery. There certainly wasnt any confinement. That (office) was her place. I looked at the statutes. I just didnt think there was anything that applied. Paras couldnt be reached Thursday for comment. Dominguez, who served as county sheriff from 2002 to 2006, said, It has always been my position that the allegations made against me are a complete fabrication. They never happened, and they were made maliciously and purely for political purposes. I have worked long and hard to establish a positive reputation over my years in practicing law and politics. He faulted Magistrate Paras and Sheriff John Buncich, his longtime political rival. Buncich couldnt be reached Thursday for comment. He has served as sheriff from 1995 to 2002. Buncich ran unsuccessfully against Dominguez in 2006. Buncich was again elected sheriff in 2010 and 2014. Levco said, When a judge makes a complaint, you almost have to have somebody independent look at it. The fact a special prosecutor was appointed was appropriate. The allegations arose from the impassioned campaign for Lake Circuit Court judge that found the countys Democratic Party leaders choosing sides between incumbent Judge George C. Paras, who was seeking re-election, and his challenger, Marissa McDermott, wife of Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. Magistrate Catheron Paras is Judge George Paras wife. She and Buncich supported the incumbent judge. Dominguez sided with Marissa McDermott despite his past feud with her husband. That tension boiled over the morning of April 13 when Dominguez appeared in Lake Superior Court, County Division, representing a client in a minor criminal matter. Dominguez said Magistrate Paras stepped down from the bench and summoned him to her private office. He said she lectured him about opposing her husband and supporting Marissa McDermott. He said he told her to stop interjecting politics into a judicial proceeding and left her chambers. Magistrate Catheron Paras called the Sheriffs Department to complain that Dominguez had screamed and advanced in a threatening manner, and she was only able to avoid him when her court bailiff intervened. County police Detective Michelle Dvorscak stated in her report, Magistrate Paras did appear to be upset as she related this incident to detectives and stated several times that she was frightened that Rogelio Dominguez might attempt to harm her. The Sheriffs Department forwarded the results of its investigation to Lake County Prosecutor Bernard A. Carter. Carter, who is a political ally of Dominguez, called for the Lake Superior Court to appoint a special prosecutor. Levco was named to the case May 2 and officially declined to bring any charges in a letter dated Monday. Marissa McDermott defeated Judge George Paras in the May 3 Democratic primary. HAMMOND Two additional men have been charged in connection with the 2013 death of a Gary man who was shot during a home invasion. Bruce Casper Hendry, 30, of Hobart, and James Dough Boy Landrum, were indicted May 19 by federal grand jury. The superseding indictment was unsealed Tuesday. Mark Knuckles Cherry, 21, of Lake Station, was named in the initial indictment filed in April. The U.S. attorneys office on Wednesday did not yet have age and last known address information for Landrum. Federal court records show Landrum and Hendry were arrested Tuesday in Hobart. Both men are accused of using a firearm as part of a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana and to commit a robbery. Rolando A. Correa, 22, of Gary, was shot during the incident and later died at a hospital. Cherry was wounded in the shooting. He had faced charges In Lake Criminal Court in connection with the Dec. 1, 2013, home invasion in the 6200 block of West 29th Avenue in Gary. The Lake County prosecutors office on Wednesday dropped charges of murder, two counts of attempted murder, attempted robbery, criminal confinement and two counts of battery by means of a deadly weapon against Cherry. Prosecutors filed the motion to dismiss because of Cherrys federal indictment, according to online Lake County court records. Authorities were investigating the discovery of a womans body Wednesday along U.S 421 in LaPorte County in what could be a homicide. Its too early to know exactly what transpired, but its suspected the victim was struck by a hit-and-run driver, LaPorte County police Capt. Mike Kellems said. The woman did not have identification, though investigators think she is from the Porter County area, Kellems said. An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday. U.S 421 was closed from U.S 6 to U.S 30 to allow investigators to comb for evidence and to preserve the suspected crime scene. It appears the female was hit by a vehicle judging by how the body was positioned and other evidence he would not disclose because of the ongoing investigation. Kellems said the death was initially viewed as suspicious as part of standard operating procedure. Anytime we got a scene like this and were not sure what happened and it was not witnessed, we treat it as a homicide until we determine otherwise, Kellems said. Police were called about 2:30 p.m. when a passer-by discovered the body in a roadside ditch about a quarter mile north of U.S 30. Kellems said its believed the victim was struck between 1:55 and 2:15 p.m. Anyone who may have witnessed a white woman walking in the area of Wanatah or any vehicles stopped along U.S. 421 north of U.S. 30 during that time frame is asked to call detectives at (219) 326-7700, ext. 2443 or 2539. LANSING An East Chicago man suspected in a retail theft at a Lansing Ultra Foods ran from police, shot an officer during a struggle and was fatally shot by another officer Thursday, police said. Warren Christian, 43, was taken to Franciscan St. Margaret Health hospital in Hammond and pronounced dead, officials said. The officers wound was not life-threatening. Lansing police responded to the grocery store at The Landings shopping center in the 16800 block of Torrence Avenue about 3:30 p.m. for a report of a retail theft in progress, village spokesman Fabian Newman said. The officer arrived, saw a man fleeing and gave chase. When the officer caught up with the suspect, they struggled and the officer was shot in the lower leg, Newman said. Police Chief Dennis Murrin Jr. declined to comment on whether the officer was shot with his own weapon. When the suspect continued running with the gun another officer shot the suspect, officials said. Christian died from a gunshot wound, according to the Lake County coroner's office. The shooting is being investigated by the Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force, which is standard protocol, officials said. Police cordoned off a large area to the north of Ultra Foods, near a vacant Wal-Mart. Witnesses standing outside a nearby Carsons outlet store said they heard shots while making purchases in the Carsons and employees quickly locked the doors. When Robert and Deb Delcorio walked out of the store, they saw police officers carrying assault rifles, an ambulance and a firetruck. The Delcorios were among a number of shoppers who were not being allowed to retrieve their vehicles from inside the crime scene. Several officers told the group about 5 p.m. that Illinois State Police were en route to help gather evidence and they might have to wait at least another three hours. The Delcorios said they were celebrating their 27th wedding anniversary Thursday. Itll be one we never forget, Robert Delcorio said. Photo taken on April 5, 2016 shows the lighthouse on Zhubi Reef of Nansha Islands in the South China Sea, south China. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli) BEIJING, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Interfering in the South China Sea dispute has demonstrated the United States' real intention of maintaining domination over global issues. A number of military acts and diplomatic moves of the United States in recent months have laid bare its attempt to seek to preserve a footstep in the South China Sea dispute. It increased close reconnaissance in this region, and its warships and military aircraft keep violating China's territorial sea and airspace in the name of "freedom of navigation or overflight." China's construction in the region is aimed at strengthening its defense and civilian capabilities. It has not undermined and will not undermine freedom of navigation in one of the busiest international sea routes. But why does the United States want to poke its nose into the region? It's not only about U.S. strategic supremacy there, but also maintaining its status of dominating global hot issues, in a bid to face the fancied threat from China's rise. In his article published in The Washington Post on May 2, U.S. President Barack Obamasaid the United States, not China, should write rules. Even though the article was on the topic of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, it is clear evidence that making sure China abides by U.S.-made rules has always been a major target in the country's China policy. However, China's increasing say in the international rule-making process and growing influence on regional order establishment have made the United States uncomfortable, pricking its fragile ego as a hegemonic power. Therefore, the key of Washington increasing military presence in the South China Sea and sowing discord among regional countries has been a show of force to demonstrate its predominance in regional and global affairs. China is capable and confident of working with the countries directly involved to solve territorial disputes through peaceful negotiations. Meanwhile, China will take all necessary measures as needed in response to threats to regional stability. And more importantly, China does not need the United States, an outside party, to solve the issue, nor does it need others to set the rules. It looks like the United States, the global sheriff, is going to lose face. Washington needs to keep in mind the United States and China, as two major powers, have more to benefit from good interactions within the Asia-Pacific region. As an effort to fulfill the two sides' commitment of building a new type of major-country relations that features win-win cooperation, the United States should stop meddling in the South China Sea issue, and meet China halfway to promote peaceful settlement. VALPARAISO The Indiana Department of Education announced this week it designated Immanuel Lutheran School as one of the states Four Star Schools for the 2014-15 school year. It also named 31 other schools throughout Northwest Indiana. Immanuel, 1700 N. Monticello Park Drive, has an enrollment of 291 students from preschool to eighth grade classes. It last won Four Star honors in the 2011-12 school year. Josh Bachman, the school principal, said the Immanuel Lutheran Church was founded in 1864 and opened a school, which it closed after the state began funding public education. He said the church leadership reopened the current Immanuel School in 1950 in what was the education building on the Valparaiso Universitys campus. They opened the current location in the 1960s. Democratic newcomer Jim Harper is seeking to unseat incumbent Republican State Sen. Ed Charbonneau. Harper, of Valparaiso, said he is running to bring new energy and independent leadership to the State Senate. Over the past four years, Indianas reputation and economy have suffered as the Legislature and the Governor advanced an extreme agenda, he said. In the Senate, I will always put Hoosiers interests ahead of loyalty to party leaders in Indianapolis. Harper, who received his law degree with honors from Georgetown University, practices in Porter County. He serves on the board of a nonprofit law firm that provides free and reduced-cost legal services to veterans, as well as the Hilltop House, a Valparaiso non-profit that provides early-childhood education and other services to Porter County families. He is son of Porter Circuit Court Judge Mary Harper and Bob Harper, a local attorney, who has served as a Porter County prosecutor and commissioner. Charbonneau ran unopposed during the primary election earlier this month. SAUK VILLAGE A 28-year-old Chicago woman was killed Wednesday on Ill. 394 when she tried switching lanes and clipped a semitrailer, causing her car to spin out off the expressway and into a tree, police said. The woman was driving north of Sauk Trail in a 2006 silver Toyota when she tried changing from the far left lane to the far right lane of traffic, which was occupied by a white 2006 Freightliner semitrailer, police said. The rear of the Toyota clipped the front left side of the semitrailer, causing the Toyota to spin out in front of the semitrailer. Both vehicles veered right off the expressway into a grassy field, and the Toyota hit a tree. The driver side of the Toyota took the initial impact. The semi's trailer then pinned the Toyota against the tree while the truck veered into an abandoned house along Ill. 394, police said. Both drivers were wearing seat belts and there were no passengers in either vehicle. The driver of the semitrailer, a 68-year-old Chicago man, declined medical attention at the scene. All lanes of Ill. 394 remained closed Wednesday afternoon as the crash was being investigated. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. PORTER The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore has received a donation of more than 30 acres of land surrounding the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Visitors Center. Officials there plan to protect the wetlands and forest of the donated land and also develop a hiking trail and a nature play zone, said IDNL Superintendent Paul Labovitz. The donation was announced at a ceremony on Thursday morning at the Visitors Center on Ind. 49 at U.S. 20. Grace Lee, the executive director of the National Park Trust, said the land was purchased through the National Lakeshore Trust, with a donation from NIPSCO, and will become a permanent part of the park. An additional 5 acres of land also was purchased and will be split between the National Lakeshore and the neighboring Discovery Charter School, which had fourth-graders in attendance at Thursdays ceremony. Benjamin Felton, vice president of power delivery at NIPSCO, challenged the Discovery Charter School students to go to all of the national parks in their lifetimes. Felton then went on to ask the students about conserving energy and also provided them with advice on how to continue doing so. He said NIPSCO partners with organizations like the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore to expand and restore properties so that future generations can enjoy it. Labovitz thanked NIPSCO, and his co-workers who helped get the donation. This ... property is going to add value to this great stop because (it) is the gateway to our national park and our state park, Labovitz said. After all the speakers, Discovery School students Zoe Crofton and Meryck Gonzalez presented Felton and Labovitz with dolls of the national parks mascot, Buddy Bison for their work. Then the fourth-graders were presented their park passes as part of the Obama administrations Every Kid in a Park program. This program gives fourth-graders and their families across the country passes so they can go into national or state parks for free. PORTAGE A bank robber fled with an undetermined amount of cash Thursday morning following an armed robbery of Chase Bank, 6200 Central Ave. Police believe he fled in a grayish/silver vehicle, possibly a Chrysler 300, with a black Labrador retriever inside. The man entered the bank at about 9:18 a.m., according to a news release from Portage Police Chief Troy Williams. He handed the teller a note and opened up his jacket to reveal a handgun tucked in his pants. No one was injured during the robbery. After being handed the cash, he fled out the front door, heading north, until he entered the car. If you have any information regarding the suspect or car, contact Capt. Joe Reynolds at (219) 764-5704 or Facebook message Williams on the Portage Police Department Facebook page. VALPARAISO Dozens of children found relief from Wednesdays heat thanks to park officials who turned on the splash pad at Central Park Plaza. The opening, which usually happens over the Memorial Day weekend, brought lots of kids and their parents out to enjoy the weather, and served as a fun summer activity. Me and my son come to the splash pad every year, so this is awesome that its open this early, said Kristin St. Germain, Its so hot already, they need something to do. I actually asked the parks department when it was going to open and they said as soon as the weather would be warm enough, and Im glad its open early, said Dana Maer. It gives us something to do. The splash pad will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m over the summer. We hear the cautionary tales of unsafe driving so often, it becomes unregistered white noise in some cases a mindless lull. But as the Memorial Day weekend approaches, let's revive ourselves with a cup of black coffee and listen to the people who know, first-hand, the importance of safe and unimpaired driving. Just this past weekend, police working roadside safety checkpoints in Hobart and Lowell arrested or cited 19 drivers for various driving safety infractions. Four of those drivers were arrested on suspicion of drunken driving. One of those drivers, a 48-year-old Lowell man, told police he had been drinking at home and then took to the roadways. He blew a .227 on a police portable alcohol breath test nearly three times the legal limit and now faces a felony operating while intoxicated charge because he is a repeat offender. Marie Buckingham, of Crown Point, knows the tragedy that frequently comes with impaired driving. On Thanksgiving Day 2010, an intoxicated semi driver slammed into the vehicle of her son, Ryan, 25. The semi pushed Ryan's SUV 600 feet, ultimately killing the young man. Buckingham now heads the Northwest Indiana chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, bringing her cautionary tale of tragedy to local groups and advocating for victims of drunken driving-related accidents. There has been a lot of pain and tragedy to go around. In 2013, 198 people died on Hoosier roadways in accidents where at least one driver had a blood-alcohol percentage over the legal limit of .08, according to the federal governments Fatal Accident Reporting System. And the danger goes beyond intoxicated driving. During that same year, a total of 783 people died on Hoosier roadways for various causes, an average of more than two fatalities per day. The Lake County DUI Task Force and other Region police tirelessly work to pull unsafe drivers off the roadways. But it doesn't prevent all hazards. It's up to all of us, this Memorial Day holiday and throughout the year, to take responsibility for our own actions and make the right decisions behind or even before we get behind the wheel. SPRINGFIELD The Illinois Senate is considering a different overhaul to the states education funding formula than the one it approved earlier this month. The new bill, sponsored by Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, would transition the state from its current funding formula, which is widely believed to do a poor job getting state money to the districts that need it most, to a new evidence-based model beginning with the 2017-18 school year. For next school year, the state would use the formula created in the earlier bill, sponsored by Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill. Lightfords bill would create a four-tiered system to direct state money to the districts with the highest need and make sure all are adequately funded. Ralph Martire, executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, worked with school officials to develop the new formula, which is based on 27 factors that have a strong statistical correlation to student success. If we do in fact fund an evidence-based model, you will see test scores go up, graduation rates go up, dropout rates go down, college attendance rates go up, college completion rates go up, Martire told the Senate Executive Committee on Thursday. Youll see the kinds of outcomes from the educational system we want. The model is designed to adequately fund the practices that research has shown will improve those measures, he said. Lets ensure every school has the resources it needs to educate the children that walk through its doors, predicated on their requirements, Martire said, adding that the formula takes into account demographic factors such as English proficiency, socioeconomic background and disabilities. Republicans on the Senate committee objected to being asked to vote on the bill without projections from the Illinois State Board of Education on what it would mean for individual districts. Supporters said those figures arent available because next years funding level hasnt been set. The new plan is expected require hundreds of millions of dollars in additional funding. Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, questioned whether it would be wise to go through three different school funding formulas in as many school years. Republicans also raised questions about whether Chicago Public Schools would get more than its fair share of funding. The GOP has called for fully funding elementary and secondary schools next year under the existing formula, an increase of $55 million compared with this year. The House, meanwhile, has passed a budget bill for next year that would increase school funding by $700 million without changing to formula. While the Senate committee was hearing testimony on the bill, the voices of students, teachers, parents and others from Chicago Public Schools could be heard echoing under the Capitol dome. They were holding a rally in the rotunda in support of Manars bill, chanting,Fair funding! Now! Its official: On Wednesday night, Amnesty International released its long-awaited policy on an incredibly contentious issue, calling on governments around the world to decriminalize consensual sex work. Amnesty also wants countries to include sex workers in the development of laws that affect their lives and safety and ensure they are protected from harm, exploitation and coercion. The hullabaloo over Amnestys stance on sex work started last summer, when 500 delegates from 80 countries voted in favor of an initial recommendation to decriminalize. The recommendation was denounced by groups whose goal is to end prostitution, which they see as a source of sexual inequality and harmful to women. Amnesty drew support from public-health advocates and activists who see decriminalization as the best means of reducing the harms associated with the sex industry, including underage prostitution, trafficking and violence. The debate will surely repeat itself, and it will almost as surely be rife with accusations of betrayal. The opposing sides in the decriminalization debate agree that its wrong to arrest people (mostly women) who engage in prostitution. You might think that common ground would matter more than the differences between them. Thats what I imagined when I started reporting a cover story for the magazine about this topic several months ago. But it doesnt. Groups that want to curtail prostitution by ending demand, some of which call themselves abolitionist, advocate for the arrest and prosecution of men who buy sex and of third parties in the sex trade. This legal framework is called the Nordic Model. Sex workers rights groups (including, in the United States, Sex Workers Outreach Project USA, the Desiree Alliance and the Best Practices Policy Project) generally oppose it. And now Amnesty has come out against the Nordic Model, issuing a lengthy report on Norway to explain why. (The human rights group also issued reports on sex work and the law in Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea and Argentina.) Norway adopted the Nordic model in 2009 (following Sweden, which did so in 1999). Amnestys researchers spoke to 54 people in Norway, including police officers, prosecutors, academics, social science providers and 30 sex workers, including three victims of trafficking. (Many of the other sex workers said they sold sex because of economic hardship. Recognizing this, Amnesty also called for broader access to education and other employment.) Amnestys basic finding is that Norways laws punish people who sell sex not through arrest but in a variety of other ways. One researcher told Amnesty that police forces in Oslo often use terms like they are going to crush or choke the [prostitution] market, and unsettle, pressure and stress the people in the market. Or as an expert adviser to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security put it: It comes back to the question of is it a problem that people in prostitution are in trouble. No one has said at a political level that we want prostitutes to have a good time while we also try to stamp out prostitution. (Global Times) 09:58, May 26, 2016 Illustration: Liu Rui/GT US President Barack Obama announced a complete lifting of the arms embargo to Vietnam during his visit to the country. The US military is eager to get something in return, such as access to Vietnamese seaports, especially the strategically-significant Cam Ranh Bay. This is a new move by the US to advance its rebalance to the Asia-Pacific strategy, displaying Washington's desire to reinforce military cooperation with China's neighboring countries. The lengthy Vietnam War produced a long-standing feud between Vietnam and the US, and the war was a nightmare in US history. After losing the lives of more than 58,000 US military personnel on Vietnamese soil, the US admitted its defeat. Then US secretary of defense Robert McNamara said the US failed in Vietnam because "We underestimated the power of nationalism to motivate a people to fight and die for their beliefs and values." Now, Washington is ironically trying to manipulate Vietnam's nationalism to counter China. US Senator John McCain, a prisoner in the Vietnam War and now Chairman of Senate Armed Services Committee, plays a key role in rescinding the decades-old ban on the sale of lethal arms to Vietnam, believing it will rope in Hanoi to counter China's rise. From 1984 when the Ronald Reagan government officially prohibited sales of military weapons to Vietnam to 2014 when the Obama administration partially relaxed the arms embargo, the policy change has reflected the evolution of the regional geopolitical landscape: The South China Sea dispute offers the US a chance to draw Vietnam over to be a new security partner. In late April, US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter testified at a congressional hearing, saying it is imperative to improve Vietnam's strength against China. More importantly, US defense contractors are keen to reach Vietnam's arms market, whose scale will help boost US employment in the arms industry. According to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Vietnam's imports of weapons accounted for 3 percent of the global weapon sales from 2011 to 2015. Vietnam ranks eighth on the list of major weapon importers. Vietnam has purchased Kilo-class submarines from Russia and fighter jets from France, Sweden and Israel. The Americans won't leave this big market behind. Vietnam has reportedly already included P-3C Orion surveillance aircraft on its purchase list. A new Maritime Security Initiative launched by Carter at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore last year has come into effect. Washington is planning to offer $400 million worth military aid to some Southeast Asian countries. Vietnam is a priority. Besides military cooperation, Washington is also trying to rope in Hanoi economically. After joining the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Vietnam hopes its products can enter the US market under more favorable terms. But more profitable market access does not come easily. Vietnamese garment manufacturers will not be allowed to import raw materials from non-TPP countries, and it will be a setback for Vietnam since one third of its textile raw materials are imported from China. Severing Vietnamese manufacturers' business ties with Chinese companies will distort the global supply chain. In that circumstance, US customers might have to pay more for Vietnamese-made garments. Thus, the majority of US garment manufacturers oppose the TPP. Vietnam should weigh in the question of gun versus butter. The proportion of debt in Vietnamese GDP rose from 35 percent in 2009 to 81 percent in 2015. According to Vietnam's official data, the military budget in 2014 was $4.3 billion. Therefore, if Hanoi transfers resources that should have been used to develop the economy to arms deals, the burden will become unbearable. Although the South China Sea dispute is still the crux of the difficult relationship between China and Vietnam, both sides are employing risk control measures and keeping the bilateral relationship on track. China and Vietnam have successfully demarcated their borders on land and the Beibu Gulf. They can find more wisdom to address the South China Sea dispute. China is laying the foundation for perennial peace between both countries. Under China's initiative, the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation has been carried out, with China offering $11.5 billion in concessional loans for countries along the river. Vietnam will be a major beneficiary of the new program. Beijing has always been enhancing strategic mutual trust with its neighbor Hanoi. The US shouldn't look for Vietnam and other ASEAN nations to pick sides between China and the US, nor should the US turn Vietnam into an ally. Both scenarios will jeopardize regional security. The author is a research fellow with the Charhar Institute in Beijing and an adjunct fellow at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China. [email protected] Katie Holmes and Luke Kirby portray bipolar poets who fall in love in Touched With Fire. Bernadette Lafont, the French New Wave muse, deals marijuana in Paulette. And more than 65 celebrities help raise money for children in need in The Red Nose Day Special. Whats Streaming TOUCHED WITH FIRE (2016) on iTunes. Two manic-depressive young poets Carla (Katie Holmes) and Marco (Luke Kirby) meet at a group-therapy session in a mental hospital and fall in love against the advice of their doctors and parents. Soon, feeling omnipotent, they decide to stop taking their medication and move in together, painting the walls of their apartment with a copy of van Goghs The Starry Night. He was bipolar, too, Marco assures Carla. Writing in The New York Times, Stephen Holden called this film by Paul Dalio an extraordinarily sensitive, nonjudgmental exploration of bipolar disorder and creativity that flirts with madness (some would say dangerously) while not going over the edge. PAULETTE (2012) on Amazon and iTunes. A crotchety woman (Bernadette Lafont) with cash-flow issues decides to follow the lead of the punks in her building and starts dealing marijuana. Ms. Lafont, a muse of New Wave auteurs, died in 2013, a year after this comedy became a sensation in France. $2,411,412,137,427. That figure $2.4 trillion for those with an untrained eye for very large numbers is in the same ballpark as the annual economic output of France. It is also exactly the amount that people around the world claim they lost when Mt. Gox, the Tokyo-based virtual currency exchange, collapsed into bankruptcy in 2014, after huge, unexplained losses of the volatile digital currency Bitcoin. As with most of the people who lost money with Bernard L. Madoff, the investment manager who was convicted of running a Ponzi scheme, most of those who put their Bitcoin in Mt. Gox will be disappointed: The Japanese trustee overseeing the case said on Wednesday that only $91 million in assets has been tracked down to distribute to claimants a small portion of the more than $500 million in assets that Mt. Gox claimed it had in the weeks before it went bankrupt in February 2014, and a tiny portion of the amount that claimants have requested. The giant gaps between those numbers are an indication, if nothing else, of the sheer number of dishonest people who have been drawn to the fiasco around Mt. Gox and Bitcoin. They are also the latest reminders of the topsy-turvy nature of the digital-currency realm. A currency designed to bring computer precision and traceability to money has been marked by multiple unsolved mysteries swirling around it. He continued, Its not like it is some sort of speaking truth to power or something going on here. The way Ive thought about this is that Gawker has been a singularly terrible bully. In a way, if I didnt think Gawker was unique, I wouldnt have done any of this. If the entire media was more or less like this, this would be like trying to boil the ocean. Mr. Thiel said he had not targeted any other media companies. But the revelation this week that Mr. Thiel was covertly backing Mr. Bolleas case as well as others has raised a series of new questions about the First Amendment as well as about the role of big money in the court system specifically the emerging field of litigation finance, in which third parties like hedge funds and investment firms pay for other peoples lawsuits. Roy D. Simon, a professor emeritus of legal ethics at Hofstra University School of Law, suggested that the practice has helped level the playing field by providing resources for people to mount cases against big institutions that would be impossible otherwise. But he said there was a risk when a lawsuit was funded by a single person with a potential agenda. I am troubled by Thiel, Professor Simon said. I guess that one guy is much more likely to have an agenda driven by revenge or personal dislike or wanting to prove a point. But other legal experts said that the mere fact of Mr. Thiels involvement did not change the case. And while there is no legal requirement that underwriters like Mr. Thiel reveal their involvement to the opposing side or the jury, it is considered fair game for lawyers to ask questions about financial backing something that Gawker Media did on Wednesday in court as part of its efforts to overturn the Hogan judgment. If you really do have concerns about the merits of this case, finding out who bankrolled it doesnt really help you at all, said Mary Anne Franks, a professor at the University of Miami School of Law. Absent any indication that there is something unlawful about how the funding took place, she said, you would still need to show that theres something substantively wrong with the ruling. In a statement, Nick Denton, the founder of Gawker Media, who was also personally named in the Hogan suit, said: Just because Peter Thiel is a Silicon Valley billionaire, his opinion does not trump our millions of readers who know us for routinely driving big news stories including Hillary Clintons secret email account, Bill Cosbys history with women, the mayor of Toronto as a crack smoker, Tom Cruises role within Scientology, the N.F.L. cover-up of domestic abuse by players and just this month the hidden power of Facebook to determine the news you see. Volkswagen is challenging allegations made by the Justice Department over its diesel emissions scandal, questioning the American authorities jurisdiction and contending that the accusations against it do not justify penalties. The Justice Department sued Volkswagen in January, saying that the company had installed illegal devices in nearly 600,000 vehicles sold in the United States that impaired emissions controls, increasing harmful air pollution. Volkswagen admitted in September that it had installed software to cheat on emissions tests in 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide. But in a response to the Justice Department, filed Tuesday in San Francisco, the German automaker appeared to back away from its mea culpa, saying that the facts of the case remained unclear and that it was still conducting an internal investigation. It also challenged the courts jurisdiction over Volkswagen, and over its subsidiary Audi, saying that cars in the United States were sold through local businesses and not the parent companies. It said that the statute of limitations voided any conduct at Volkswagen before 2010. But writing articles about serial killers and interviewing relatives of women who suffered violent deaths leaves a darker, more chilling mark on the psyche, despite the emotional armor you develop as a reporter. In March, I traveled to northern Canada to write about the Highway of Tears, the name locals have given a 450-mile stretch of Highway 16 that has been stalked by tragedy. I knew it would be intense, but the experience became more personal than I expected. Along with Ruth Fremson, a Times photographer, I was joined on the journey by Brenda Wilson, whose sister Ramona was one of the victims, and who now works as a community activist. One Saturday night in June 1994, Ramona left her home in the town of Smithers to attend a dance several miles away in a community further up on Highway 16. She was last seen walking toward Main Street. Her remains were found in April 1995, buried in a shallow grave. Nobody knows who killed Ramona. Well, thats not entirely true. The killer knows. And maybe others, too. A few months after she went missing, an anonymous caller called Ramonas mother on her home phone to say that the 16-year-old girls body was by the Smithers airport. The police dismissed the call as a prank, the mother, Matilda, told me. Over 20 years later, her family is still reeling from the anguish and anger that has fermented over their lost loved one. I could hear it in Brendas voice as she rode in our rented Jeep past the thick forests, which may hide other bodies. Matilda was visibly shaken as she recounted the desperate days, weeks and months after her daughters disappearance. But there was also fear. Despite the breathtaking vistas of snow-capped mountains and tranquil lakes, people who live in the region, especially the indigenous residents, are often wary and suspicious of outsiders, an emotion I felt as I scanned passing cars and trucks carrying heavy mining equipment. PARIS Free trade have become dirty words in the United States and much of Europe, seen as the source of a host of ills traced to the globalized marketplace, from the loss of manufacturing jobs to the rise of immigration to the threat of dubious food imports. Donald J. Trump, the presumptive Republican Party nominee for president, gives these themes their most virulent spin when he accuses China of raping the United States, or threatens to build a wall on the Mexican border. In the Democratic Party, Bernie Sanders has pilloried Hillary Clinton for her support of past trade treaties. In Europe, particularly in Germany and France, the campaign against a proposed free trade treaty between the United States and the European Union has taken to the streets, as protesters raise the specter of American chlorine-washed chicken, and hormone-fed beef invading their supermarkets. Yet most experts agree that free trade is not entirely to blame for the dislocations and anxieties now so prevalent in the developed world. Nor, they say, should the remedy be a rejection of globalization, but rather a concerted international effort to address deeper and broader economic changes that many people see as unfair. Southeast Asias economic promise is emerging as a global growth driver after years of being overshadowed by the China story. At the heart of the Asean Economic Community, the regions newly introduced single market, are three countries: Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia, home to nearly 450 of the regions 600 million people and with a combined gross domestic product of more than $1.3 trillion in 2014. These three countries have young populations, growing middle classes and projected growth of 5 percent to 7 percent this year. As they face their own developmental challenges, however, they must also contend with maritime friction with China, resulting in tricky political and economic choices. All three are also on the South China Sea, the majority of which is claimed by China, which has overlapping claims with Vietnam and the Philippines, as well as the fellow Asean members Malaysia and Brunei. Indonesia is a non-claimant. A Rikers Island inmate beaten by correction officers in 2012 was not a victim but rather a dangerous criminal who had to be forcibly restrained after resisting orders to drop a weapon, lawyers for the officers argued on Wednesday. The defense lawyers offered this explanation for the beating of Jahmal Lightfoot during their closing arguments in the trial of nine current and former correction officers in State Supreme Court in the Bronx. They had rested their case on Monday, without calling any officers to testify or presenting any other witnesses or evidence. The lawyers maintained, as they have from the start, that the officers had committed no wrongdoing and were simply trying to do their jobs. They replayed videotape from the jail, reviewed court transcripts and sought to pick apart Mr. Lightfoots credibility by highlighting his criminal record and what they saw as discrepancies in his testimony. He keeps on changing his story, and the reason people change their story is because theyre not telling the truth, Raymond Aab, a lawyer for Eliseo Perez Jr., a former assistant chief for security, told the jury. Mr. Aab added, Lightfoot is a liar. The Halal Guys food cart in front of LaGuardia Community College in Queens looks pretty much like any other cart on that stretch of Thomson Avenue, and its prices are low enough not to scare away the students: $5 for a falafel sandwich, $7 for gyro over rice and $5 for chicken wrapped in pita and doused in sauce. But on Thursday, the Halal Guys, whose familiar yellow carts have expanded into a global franchise, will hand over a $30,000 donation to LaGuardia. Thats 6,000 sandwiches, in check form. It must be good if theres a line this long! said Kyle McCloud, a man from Jacksonville, Fla., who was about to sample his first chicken platter. The original Halal Guys are three immigrants from Egypt Mohamed Abouelenein, Ahmed Elsaka and Abdelbaset Elsayed who started out with a hot dog cart in Midtown Manhattan. They switched to Halal food in the early 1990s after noticing demand among taxi drivers. ALBANY The State Legislature has given its final approval to a bill exempting tampons and other feminine hygiene products from sales taxes. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, a Democrat, said he would sign the exemption into law. It will take effect in the subsequent sales-tax quarter. The bill exempts tampons, sanitary napkins and panty liners from the 4 percent state sales tax and from local taxes, which are generally about 5 percent. State Assemblywoman Linda B. Rosenthal, a Democrat whose district covers part of the West Side of Manhattan, said the bill was not limited to those items and would exempt menstrual products introduced in the future. (Global Times) 10:00, May 26, 2016 In a statement released Tuesday, members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) stressed that the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea and other international laws should be the basic principle when addressing the South China Sea issue. All disputes should be addressed through negotiation and consultation, without intervention from the outside. The statement also called on all relevant parties to abide by and implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. By opposing external intervention, the SCO explicitly stands with China in the South China Sea issue. It shows the real opinion of the international community when the US and Japan attempt to pressure China at the G7 summit and to forge a scenario that all countries are against China. While the US has started early to rope in other countries and build a favorable international climate over the South China Sea issue, it would have been surpassed by China since China has always objected to turning the issue into an international one. Between the two's claims, which is more credible? Although China is overwhelmingly more powerful than the other claimants, it never resorts to force. China controls fewer islands and reefs than the two countries and they both conduct construction work in the South China Sea. However, the US has stepped in with an illegitimate purpose and flared up tensions in the waters. No one would believe that the US would come all the way to the South China Sea to benefit the countries and peoples in the region. Instead, what they are more familiar with is a bossy US in noble disguise. China has more island disputes with Vietnam than with other countries, but meanwhile they have forged a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. There is a slim chance that conflicts will break out between China and the Philippines. Yet the biggest risk of military clashes in the waters comes from the US, and the risk is rising. Over the South China Sea issue, China will outperform the US in garnering support worldwide as it safeguards national security while the latter sustains its hegemony. The US probably garners most support from the G7, its Asia-Pacific allies and several claimants, but China can be backed by the SCO, other BRICs nations and countries in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. Apparently the US can find little benefit in escalating the dispute. Nor can the US militarily threaten China since in essence it is merely a paper tiger. All in all, the South China Sea issue needs to be addressed by countries in the region, with no space for the US to weigh in. China has the determination and patience to help the US figure out the reality. (Want to get this briefing by email? Heres the sign-up.) Good morning. Heres what you need to know: California race tightens. A new poll shows Hillary Clinton leading Bernie Sanders among likely Democratic primary voters in the state, 46 percent to 44 percent. Both parties hold contests there June 7. Mrs. Clinton is playing down a report by the State Department inspector general that sharply criticized her use of a private email server as secretary of state. She said used the server to protect her personal information. Randy Berry joined the State Department in 1993, a time when gays and lesbians in the federal work force tended to lie low. He was circumspect about his personal life early in his career with good reason. When President Bill Clinton signed an executive order in 1995 barring the government from denying security clearances solely on the basis of a persons sexual orientation, the Family Research Council warned that in all healthy societies, homosexuality is recognized as a pathology with very serious implications for a persons behavior. In 1999, when Mr. Clinton announced the first nomination of an openly gay person for an ambassadorship, then-Senator Chuck Hagel questioned whether an openly, aggressively gay diplomat could do an effective job. Today, Mr. Berry, the State Departments first envoy for the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people, draws on that history often as he makes the case abroad that societies can and should become more inclusive. I know what it feels like to face a certain amount of discrimination and exclusion, Mr. Berry, who has been in the job for a little over a year, told me. I look back at how the movement progressed and how it opened doors for people of my generation. So weve established that Donald Trump can lead Hillary Clinton in a poll, indeed in several polls. This should concern liberals and Democrats and anyone who fears a Trump presidency, but it shouldnt inspire raw panic. Trump is benefiting from having clinched his nomination; Clinton is suffering through the last stand of Bernie Sanders. Trump has climbed to about 43 percent, not 50 percent; Hillary has lost support that she should be able to win back once its just the two of them. Barring the unforeseen, Trumps path to the presidency is still obscure, his likely coalition insufficient, his chances of losing by a comfortable margin quite high. But the unforeseen does have a way of happening. So with the race in a temporary dead heat, its worth pondering what unexpected events might pave Trumps still-unlikely path to the White House. A lot of people would start with the economy, where the idea that were just one financial meltdown away from a Trump presidency has become the pessimists conventional wisdom lately. Im not so sure thats the right way to look at Trumps appeal, however. Hes done well with working-class voters, and his promise to bring back jobs has resonated, but its not as if hes been riding to victory amid a swooning economy, or even an economy with the high unemployment rates that prevailed in 2012. Like Bernie Sanders, his populism has fed on stagnation and diminished expectations, not panic or collapse: Its success is the fruit of an unsatisfying stability, not a vertiginous decline. A real collapse might actually not be good for his prospects, since the idea that America needs him to blow things up in Washington might seem considerably less appealing if the world economy were actually blowing up on its own. ON THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL, Calif. Every spring or summer, in lieu of professional help, I ditch civilization for the therapy of the wilderness. Ive just been backpacking with my 18-year-old daughter on the Pacific Crest Trail in California, abandoning our material world for an alternative reality in which the aim is to possess as little as possible because if you have it, you lug it. Our lives were downsized to 10 pounds of possessions each, not counting food and water. We carried backpacks, sleeping bags, jackets, hats, a plastic groundsheet, a tarp in case of rain, a water filter and a tiny roll of duct tape for when things break. Few problems in life cannot be solved with duct tape. O.K., I know Im supposed to use my column to pontificate about Donald Trump and global crises. But as summer beckons, let me commend such wilderness escapes to all of you, with your loved ones, precisely to find a brief refuge from the pressures of the world. This isnt for everybody; astonishingly, some folks prefer beaches and clean sheets. But for me at least, a crazy jaunt in the outdoors is the perfect antidote to the absurdity of modern life. So the courts reference last week to the substantial clarification and refinement in the positions of the parties presents a puzzle. Whats been clarified, it seems to me, is how far apart the two sides really are. Its highly likely that the four federal appeals courts that rejected the nonprofits position in the first place will reiterate the conclusion that nothing in the Religious Freedom Restoration Act or the First Amendment requires the government to go through the contortions being demanded of it. Then the justices however many there are at that point will have decided what to do. To clear my head of the weeds in which this case has become entangled, I went back to take a fresh look at the appeals courts opinions to see why judges across the political spectrum, including some of the judiciarys most liberal and most conservative members, found the religious nonprofits position so lacking in merit. Perhaps the most illuminating is the opinion written by Judge Cornelia Pillard for a unanimous panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in Priests for Life v. United States Department of Health and Human Services. All the plaintiffs had to do to opt out of the obligation to cover contraception, Judge Pillard said, is express what they believe and seek what they want via a letter or two-page form. She continued, That bit of paperwork is more straightforward and minimal than many that are staples of nonprofit organizations compliance with law in the modern administrative state. A valuable part of this opinion was the context Judge Pillard provided for understanding who the plaintiffs were (most, although not all, Catholic-related) and how broadly their claim to a religious exemption swept: Catholic nonprofits have a long and broad history of service that goes far beyond worship or proselytizing. Nationally, Catholic hospitals, clinics, universities schools, and social service groups provide many services that are not inherently religious. Catholic-identified nonprofits employ and enroll as students millions of adults, not all of whom are coreligionists or share the Catholic Churchs religious opposition to contraception. I quote this passage because there is a widespread misunderstanding that the case is about nuns, specifically the Little Sisters of the Poor, a religious order whose mission is to run nursing homes for the elderly poor. Commentary following last weeks decision perpetuated this misunderstanding. Surely the Obama administration could find a way to provide contraception to women without involving a group of Catholic nuns, Ramesh Ponneru, a senior editor of National Review, wrote in a Bloomberg News post titled The Culture War Obama Didnt Have to Wage. Richard W. Garnett, a law professor at the University of Notre Dame, wrote on Scotusblog that the Obama administration had aggressively and unlawfully overreached in its strange insistence that a community of nuns who take vows of poverty and care for the elderly poor must serve as a vehicle for delivering free contraception to their employees. In a Wall Street Journal column titled Big Win for Little Sisters, William McGurn wrote that though it was more a TKO than a straight-up ruling, the Little Sisters prevailed at the Supreme Court Monday in their fight against the Obamacare contraceptive mandate. By my count, the Little Sisters of the Poor (who, as Ive noted before, advertise themselves as equal-opportunity employers in the nursing home enterprise) are only one of 30 petitioners in the seven Supreme Court cases. The other 29 include Catholic and Baptist colleges, Catholic high schools, individual bishops, two chapters of Catholic Charities, other charities, and several individuals. Granted, its more compelling to hear about the travails of the Little Sisters (who even merited a photo op with Pope Francis last September) than about the objection to contraception coverage held by the named plaintiff in the lead case, the Most Reverend David A. Zubik of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. SHOULD it be a crime to report a crime? Many top officials in Washington seem to think so, at least in the case of Edward Snowden. June 6 will be the third anniversary of The Guardians publication of top-secret documents provided by Mr. Snowden that showed that the National Security Agency was collecting the telephone records of tens of millions of Americans. Outraged by this assault on the Fourth Amendments prohibition of unreasonable search and seizure, Tea Party Republicans and progressive Democrats joined to block reauthorization of the USA Patriot Acts surveillance provisions last year. Only after the N.S.A. was required to obtain warrants to examine such records was reauthorization approved. But Mr. Snowden, the whistle-blower who set this reform in motion with his disclosures, is persona non grata in the nations capital. Democrats and Republicans alike have denounced him as a traitor. NATIONAL A National Briefing item on May 12 about Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona signing a bill asserting the states ownership over a herd of horses along Salt River misstated the number of horses involved. It is 100 horses, not 500. NEW YORK An article in some editions on May 18 about claims that Covenant House, a youth shelter, had inflated the number of people it serves misstated the status of funding it receives from New York City, using information from city officials. The city has continued to make payments on its contract with the organization; funding has not been suspended. A picture caption on Tuesday with an article about a Chinese-language ambulance service in Brooklyn misspelled, in some editions, the surname of a medical technician whose reflection could be seen in a rearview mirror. He is Jason Lau, not Lou. BUSINESS DAY An article in the DealBook special section on April 7, about financial technology start-ups, rendered incorrectly the original name of the online bank Simple. It was BankSimple, not SimpleBank. The error was only recently called to The Timess attention. SAN FRANCISCO Silicon Valley likes to keep the media on a tight leash. Tech executives expect obedience, if not reverence, from reporters. They dole out information as grudgingly as possible. Sometimes they simply buy a chunk of a publication, a time-honored method of influencing what is deemed fit to write about. Valleywag declined to play the game. It was a gossip sheet for the digital age: abrasive, knowing, cynical, self-promoting, sometimes unfair. It dispensed snark by the truckload, printing things that people knew or surmised but were off the table. It said Google co-founder Larry Page had dated his then-colleague, Marissa Mayer. That the Google chairman Eric Schmidt was a playboy and a scamp. That the Napster co-founder and early Facebook executive Sean Parkers wedding was seriously over the top. Most notoriously, at least in retrospect, the tech gossip blog said in late 2007 that Peter Thiel, who co-founded PayPal and was an early and significant investor in Facebook, was gay. Outing famous people has a long and not particularly respectable history, but Valleywag said it was celebrating Mr. Thiel. The point, as Valleywags then-editor Owen Thomas wrote in his post, was that even in Silicon Valley, a gay investor has no way to fit into the old establishment. That frees him or her to build a different, hopefully better system for identifying and rewarding talented individuals, and unleashing their work on the world. Amazon Web Services, the biggest of the cloud-computing providers, has a new line of work: Taking other cloud-computing giants into other countries. On Wednesday, Salesforce.com announced it would use A.W.S. to expand in Canada and Australia, in a deal valued at about $400 million. If successful, the value of the transaction will most likely get much bigger. For sure, were talking of billions of dollars in services over the next several years, said Marc Benioff, the co-founder and chief executive of Salesforce. Salesforce already uses A.W.S. for some of its businesses, but this is the first time its key applications will be on someone elses computers. SOUTH South Carolina: Ban on Abortions After 20 Weeks Becomes Law Gov. Nikki R. Haley, a Republican, signed legislation Wednesday that immediately outlaws most abortions in South Carolina at 20 weeks beyond fertilization. The only exceptions are if the mothers life is in jeopardy or a doctor determines the fetus cannot survive outside the womb. Doctors face up to $10,000 in fines and three years in prison for each violation; prison time is mandatory on a third conviction. These bans are now in effect in at least 13 states and blocked by court challenges in several others. Supporters cite the disputed claim that a fetus can feel pain at 20 weeks. Opponents say later-term abortions usually happen with wanted pregnancies that go horribly wrong. (AP) SOUTHWEST Arizona: Arrest in Highway Shootings A gunman armed with a rifle, body armor and extra ammunition opened fire at cars on a highway on the outskirts of Phoenix, leaving at least two people injured before the police captured him near a stolen vehicle that crashed into a ditch, the authorities said Wednesday. Police officials identified the suspect as James David Walker, 36, of San Tan Valley, Ariz. They said he was being booked on suspicion of attempted homicide, aggravated assault, endangerment, armed robbery, theft of means of transportation and possession of dangerous drugs with additional charges pending. He is suspected of carjacking a vehicle at a gas station and shooting at a state troopers cruiser during a manhunt Tuesday night that began when drivers began reporting that a man had fired at them. The officer was not injured, but one person was grazed on the head with a bullet and another was hit in the leg during the highway shootings. Six vehicles were struck by gunfire, including one troopers vehicle that was shot several times. The authorities said they believed the gunman was shooting from a vehicle or the side of State Route 87. There was no indication the gunfire was tied to shootings on Phoenix-area freeways that gained national attention last August and September. (AP) Li Chen, one of China's most popular actors, visits the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust on May 24, 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com / Xing Yihang] Li Chen, one of China's most popular actors, is in Kenya's Nairobi to attend the second session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-2) and promote sustainable lifestyles to the public. Arriving in Nairobi on Monday, Li attended an UNEA press conference on air quality and he will deliver a speech on China air quality roundtable discussions among scientists and representatives from the Beijing Environment Bureau, with his role of "Beijing Environmental Charity Ambassador". Earlier on Tuesday, Li had visited the renowned David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi, where young elephants, many of whom have been orphaned due to poaching, are cared for and often returned to the wild. With World Environment Day approaching, Li shared his wishes with the public, calling for actions against all the illegal wildlife trade through CRI. "I hope all the people, including those who intend to buy the ivory products, can realize nowadays how harsh the living environment of the wildlife is. Please do not make them be killed only to fulfill the happiness that you want to buy the products made from them." For the following activities he will attend in the UNEA-2, Li told the report that he want to make good use of his personal platform as a channel to call on sustainable lifestyles to the public. Li Chen is among one of the most recognized faces in China and accounts over 40 million followers on Chinese social media networks among his many fans. In 2015, Li became a celebrity partner of the United Nations Environment Programme. He has helped promote activities on World Wildlife Day and World Environment Day to call on the public to lead sustainable lifestyles and fight against the illegal wildlife trade. A bitter divide over the Middle East could threaten Democratic Party unity as representatives of Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont vowed to upend what they see as the partys lopsided support of Israel. Two of the senators appointees to the partys platform drafting committee, Cornel West and James Zogby, on Wednesday denounced Israels occupation of the West Bank and said they believed that rank-and-file Democrats no longer hewed to the partys staunch support of the Israeli government. They said they would try to get their views incorporated into the platform, the partys statement of core beliefs, at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in July. Justice for Palestinians cannot be attained without the lifting of the occupation, Dr. West, one of Mr. Sanderss five representatives on the platform committee, said in an interview. Dr. West said that while he recognized the necessity to provide for the security of Jews, who for thousands of years have been a hated people, he thought that the platform needed to bring more balance to the plight of an occupied people. The presence of Dr. Zogby and Dr. West on the 15-member panel, which also has six appointees of Hillary Clinton and four from the party chairwoman, does not guarantee their views will prevail. But it raises the prospect that one of the partys most sensitive issues will be open to public debate while Mrs. Clinton is in a fight to unify her party and appeal to voters turned off by Donald J. Trump. WASHINGTON The Clinton campaign on Wednesday released a 203-word statement largely dismissing the criticisms in the inspector generals report on the email practices of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. It reprised many of the arguments Mrs. Clinton has made throughout the 14-month drama over her use of a personal email and server. Now, though, the statement can be compared directly with the findings in the 79-page report. From the statement: The inspector general documents just how consistent her email practices were with those of other secretaries and senior officials at the State Department who also used personal email. Only one other secretary of state Colin L. Powell exclusively used his personal email for official communications. Condoleezza Rice said she did not use personal or government email. Madeleine K. Albright did not use email, which was in its infancy when she was in the job. Secretary of State John Kerry said he occasionally used personal email, mostly to reply to people who emailed him on his personal account. But the report said that after discussing the issue with his aides and other staff members, he began primarily using his department account to conduct official business. _____ The report shows that problems with the State Departments electronic record-keeping systems were longstanding and that there was no precedent of someone in her position having a State Department email account until after the arrival of her successor. For more than a year, Hillary Clinton has traveled the country talking to voters about her policy plans. She vowed to improve infrastructure in her first 100 days in office, promised to increase funding for Alzheimers research and proposed a $10 billion plan to combat drug and alcohol addiction. But as the Democratic primary contest comes to a close, any hopes Mrs. Clinton had of running a high-minded, policy-focused campaign have collided with a more visceral problem. Voters just dont trust her. The Clinton campaign had hoped to use the coming weeks to do everything they could to shed that image and convince voters that Mrs. Clinton can be trusted. Instead, they must contend with a damaging new report by the State Departments inspector general that Mrs. Clinton had not sought or received approval to use a private email server while she was secretary of state. On the eve of a major energy policy speech by Donald J. Trump, two former United States senators are urging him to hold the ground that he carved out during the Iowa caucuses in support of the ethanol industry. While campaigning in January in Iowa, a major source of the corn-based ethanol, Mr. Trump supported an ethanol mandate, which is set to expire in 2022, and he criticized Senator Ted Cruz, one of his main rivals, for opposing it. But Mr. Trump is now being advised by Representative Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, who does not favor extending the Renewable Fuel Standard, the act that provides for the mandate, and believes in letting market forces determineit.. Mr. Trump is set to give a speech on energy on Thursday at the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference in Bismarck, N.D. Donald J. Trump announced on Wednesday that Rick Wiley, whom he hired as his national political director six weeks ago, is no longer a part of the campaign. Mr. Wiley, who managed the 2016 presidential campaign of Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin and has deep ties to the Republican Party, was brought in by Paul Manafort, a top Trump adviser, to help streamline the campaigns operations in Washington. But Mr. Wiley quickly clashed with state party officials several of whom complained directly to Mr. Trump, according to an aide. Mr. Wiley did not immediately return messages on Wednesday evening seeking comment. Mr. Wiley also clashed with Karen Giorno, who ran Mr. Trumps operations in Florida, where he defeated Senator Marco Rubio in his home-state primary by nearly 20 points. The Islamic State has slashed fighters salaries in Raqqa, the groups de facto headquarters in Syria, by up to 50 percent, American intelligence analysts say. The United States and its allies still drop most of their bombs nine out of every 10 on Islamic State fighters, weapons or other targets that pop up on the battlefield. The goal is not only to punish the Islamic State, but also to help Iraqi troops, who announced a push toward Falluja this week, and friendly Syrian militias. The biggest shift in the past year, however, has been in the remaining 10 percent of targets: mostly fixed sites behind the front lines that specialists are taking much more time to analyze. General Brown insisted on increasing the quality of these so-called deliberate targets, which include headquarters, barracks and storage facilities, to ensure that the strikes would have a deeper strategic effect on the Islamic State. The military caught its first big break last May, when it seized information about the leadership structure and financial operations of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. The information was gathered during a Delta Force commando raid in eastern Syria in which Abu Sayyaf, a leader of the terrorist group, was killed and his wife, Umm Sayyaf, was captured. In the past year, the United States has increased the number of spy planes and other surveillance aircraft over Iraq and Syria, as well as the number of targeting specialists assigned to the mission. Hundreds more Special Operations forces are now on the ground in the two countries, sending back valuable information, as are thousands of Iraqi troops and Syrian militia members whom the Americans and their allies are training and advising. We do have a much better sense now for what this enemy looks like, how this enemy operates and how theyre structured, said Col. Steve Warren, the militarys chief spokesman in Baghdad. Lawrence P. ODea III, the police chief in Portland, Ore., and a group of friends took a hunting trip last month to the rural eastern part of the state. But instead of bagging squirrels, the chief accidentally shot one of his friends in the back and then apparently tried to cover it up, police officials said Wednesday. The friend, whose name has not been released, was not seriously injured. Once news of the shooting became public, Charlie Hales, Portlands mayor, suspended Chief ODea, 53, pending the results of investigations into the shooting and the chiefs subsequent actions. During a period in which several big-city police chiefs have been forced out after the emergence of videotapes showing officers shooting or abusing unarmed African-American boys and men, Chief ODeas problems have little to do with policing. Im very thankful that my friend is O.K., and Im tremendously upset this happened, Chief ODea said in a statement, which called the episode the result of a negligent discharge. Under pressure for its imprisonment of an investigative journalist who had exposed official corruption, Azerbaijan freed her on Wednesday in a move welcomed by international rights groups. The released journalist, Khadija Ismayilova, had been serving a seven-and-a-half-year sentence on charges that included embezzlement and tax evasion, which her supporters described as part of a government effort to stifle dissent. Criticism of Ms. Ismayilovas prosecution and incarceration last September had turned into an embarrassment for President Ilham Aliyev, who says Azerbaijans nine million residents enjoy freedom of speech. An order for her release, conveyed by the countrys Supreme Court, came a few weeks after Ms. Ismayilova was awarded an annual press freedom prize sponsored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or Unesco. CAIRO Egypt has asked European companies to help search for the black boxes of an EgyptAir plane that crashed on May 19 in deep water in the Mediterranean Sea, the airlines chairman said on Wednesday. Nearly a week after EgyptAir Flight 804 crashed with 66 people on board, including 30 Egyptians and 15 from France, investigators have no clear picture of its final moments. The EgyptAir chairman, Safwat Musallam, did not name the French and Italian companies involved but told a news conference they were able to carry out searches at a depth of 3,000 meters, or 3,280 yards. The plane and its cockpit data and voice recorders, commonly known as the black boxes, which could explain what brought down the Paris-to-Cairo flight as it entered Egyptian airspace, have not been found. The black boxes are believed to be lying in up to 3,000 meters of water, on the edge of the range for hearing and locating their signals . Maritime search experts say acoustic hydrophones must be towed in the water at depths of up to 2,000 meters in order to have the best chance of picking up the signals. Batteries powering the signals sent from the black boxes typically last only 30 days, but EgyptAirs deputy chairman, Ahmed Adel, said the search would continue beyond then if necessary, using other means to locate the recorders. There are many examples in similar air accidents when 30 days passed without finding the box yet these planes black boxes were found, he said. Mr. Musallam said that the jet had shown no sign of technical problems before taking off from Paris. He said the Airbus 320 was given a regular check by an Egyptian engineer and two Egyptian technicians at the airport in Paris. The engineer and the pilot both signed the aircraft technical log, which stated that the check found that all the planes machines were safe, he said. With no flight recorders to check and only fragmentary data from a handful of fault messages registering smoke in the plane in the minutes before it crashed, investigators are also looking to debris and body parts for clues. Hisham Abdelhamid, head of Egypts forensics authority, said it was too early to draw conclusions based on the examinations to date. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan asked a judge on Wednesday to deny bail to Reza Zarrab, a prominent gold trader based in Turkey who has been jailed in New York pending trial on charges that he conspired to violate United States sanctions on Iran. Mr. Zarrabs lawyer had asked the judge, Richard M. Berman of Federal District Court, to allow his client to be released on $50 million bond, secured by $10 million in cash, along with a proposal that Mr. Zarrab remain in his New York residence under 24-hour armed guard and GPS monitoring. But prosecutors in the office of Preet Bharara, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a memorandum to the judge that no bail conditions would reasonably assure Mr. Zarrabs appearance in court. Zarrabs proposed bail conditions, Mr. Bhararas office wrote, are an attempt to use his tremendous wealth to obscure the flight risk through a facade of security that is beyond the reach of all but a small subset of fabulously wealthy defendants. By Zheng Jinran in Beijing and Tian Xuefei in Harbin ( China Daily ) 08:09, May 26, 2016 Chinese President Xi Jinping visits an Ecological Economic Development Zone in Yichun, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, May 23, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] President Xi Jinping used a field inspection trip to Heilongjiang province this week to spread the message about the central leadership's decision to revive China's northeastern industrial belt. He called for more action on economic reform and on environmentally friendly development in Heilongjiang and the northeast region. The central leadership has issued a new plan to revitalize the economy in the northeast, which has long been hampered by a lack of reform and industrial upgrading. The region, consisting of Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces and the eastern part of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, was an industrial bastion in the 1950s and 1960s. During his three-day tour, Xi traveled to Heilongjiang's forest areas, farming areas, the homes of ethnic minority groups, and technology companies in Harbin, the province's urban center. In Yichun, a city with 4 million hectares of forest that used to be known for its lumber trade, residents have abandoned the industry since 2013. Xi applauded the former forestry workers' efforts on forestry protection and the development of diverse new environmentally friendly industries. "A good environment is also a resource. A good environment is also a form of productivity," Xi told the residents. He encouraged them to seek sustainable business from the protection and conservation of local natural resources. "But you can always count on the central government's care," Xi said. Wu Peishan, 33, who lives in Yichun, started her business in Beijing, selling the high quality honey collected from 30 households, 10 of which used to depend on the lumber industry. "Annually, they can make 30,000 to 50,000 yuan ($4,570 to $7,600) on average, higher than their wages before," she said, adding that the best performing household could make as much as 80,000 yuan a year. Jiang Yongbin, another former forestry worker, now earns a living from aquatic farming with his former colleagues. "I thank President Xi for bringing good policies to us," he said. At the Prospect.1 biennial in New Orleans in 2008, three years after Hurricane Katrina, the Berlin artist Katharina Grosse covered a dilapidated house in the Lower Ninth Ward with orange and yellow. Now, four years after Hurricane Sandy, she is bringing her spray paint to Fort Tildens decaying aquatics building in Queens, covering it in the fiery red of a Rockaways sunset. Beginning on Fourth of July weekend and continuing through Thanksgiving, Ms. Grosses outdoor exhibition is part of Rockaway!, MoMA PS1s programming that began in 2013 with Bloomberg Philanthropies. Fort Tilden, a former military base, is part of the Gateway National Recreation Area. Klaus Biesenbach, the director of MoMA PS1, said that Ms. Grosse is going to use the landscape and architecture as a canvas. The show provides a bracing picture of both the extent and the unity of Moholy-Nagys art as it moves up the ramp, superbly styled for the occasion by Kelly Cullinan, the museums senior exhibition designer. Her scheme separates Moholy-Nagys achievement into separate strands and then braids them together fluidly. The abstract paintings and sculptures dominate the museums signature bays; most films are displayed in small alcoves between the ramps. Moholy-Nagys extensive writings and graphic design are displayed on each level in vitrines, whose bright rectangular lids manage to evoke the colorful trapezoids in his paintings. And his complex involvement with photography is played out on free-standing partitions, enabling close study of the interplay of documentary, photomontage and camera-less photograms a term he invented sometimes made using his own sculpture. Certain forms and motifs reappear in different mediums, and the give and take between photography and painting is one of the shows driving forces. The Guggenheim spiral looks as it sometimes can for other shows as if it were built for this phenomenal exhibition. Indeed, Moholy-Nagy was one of several artists collected in depth by Hilla Rebay, the German-born artist, and Solomon R. Guggenheim, as the museums founders. The show represents the combined efforts of the Guggenheim, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and their respective curators, Karole P. B. Vail, Matthew S. Witkovsky and Carol S. Eliel. The composer, writer and Kafka confidant Max Brod once described Prague as 100 percent Czech, 100 percent German and 100 percent Jewish. That kind of bad math makes for a good joke. But when you think of how that cultural symbiosis would be pried apart and destroyed under Nazi occupation and persecution, the statement takes on a tragic hue. A case in point is the Czech composer Erwin Schulhoff (1894-1942), who was the subject of an illuminating retrospective on Wednesday at the Center for Jewish History in Manhattan. Schulhoff, who was Jewish and who took on Soviet citizenship early in the war, was deported to a concentration camp in Bavaria, where he succumbed to tuberculosis. For a first-time listener (like me) who has principally associated his name with the grim circumstances of his death, the vitality of his music fun, sexy and energized by bracing infusions of jazz and Eastern European folk traditions can come as a shock. The retrospective was jointly presented by the American Society for Jewish Music and the Leo Baeck Institute and included a helpful biographical introduction by Michael Beckerman, a musicologist at New York University. With the help of slides and brief music samples, he charted Schulhoffs progression from a child piano prodigy to an omnivorous composer who studied with Reger and Debussy all while nursing what Schulhoff himself had called his boundless enthusiasm for nightclub dancing. Its rarely a compliment to describe a composer as academic: the word is usually applied to those perceived as being sequestered on campus creating esoteric, dreary works. Conversely, being too accessible (i.e., not challenging enough) has also been deemed a negative. But theres nothing pejoratively academic or accessible about any of the Yale faculty composers featured during a concert on Wednesday at WQXRs Greene Space in SoHo. David Lang, Hannah Lash, Christopher Theofanidis, Aaron Jay Kernis and Martin Bresnick represent an accessible aesthetic that draws on multiple stylistic influences. Some of their music has been championed by Bang on a Can, the lively genre-bending collective whose three founders, all Yale alumni, include Mr. Lang. The vocalist Helga Davis hosted Wednesdays event, part of the NY Phil Biennial, and interviewed each composer and Alan Gilbert, the Philharmonics music director, onstage. Fittingly, the two-hour lineup (performed without intermission and streamed live) opened with songs by Charles Ives, who studied composition at Yale and became an insurance salesman after graduating in 1898. The songs, expressively conveyed by the soprano Jessica Pray, represented Ivess aesthetic range, including the impressionistic Mists, the jovial Very Pleasant and West London, a setting of a sonnet by the 19th-century British poet and critic Matthew Arnold in which Ives quotes an American hymn. Matt Bomer, Kelsey Grammer, Lauren Ambrose, David Krumholtz, Jessica Pare, David Arquette and Zoe Kravitz will be among the stars included in the latest slate of Amazon pilots, debuting on June 17. The company announced eight new shows on Thursday, including six for children, that it will consider turning into series for its streaming service, based in part on viewer feedback. The pilots are available for the public to watch at Amazon.com, typically for around 30 days, with any resulting series available only to the companys Prime subscribers. The Emmy-winning Transparent and Golden Globe-winning Mozart in the Jungle each began as Amazon pilots, as did The Man in the High Castle, the Amazon original series most streamed by Prime members globally. The Interestings, adapted from the Meg Wolitzer best seller, follows a group of artistic teenagers from summer camp in 1974 through several decades of adulthood. Ms. Ambrose stars as an actress who uses her wit to compensate for what shes lacking in glamour, money and talent. Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Four Weddings and a Funeral) directed the pilot, which also features Mr. Krumholtz and Ms. Pare. FROM THE BOOKSHELF Something Fresh by P. G. Wodehouse. Whenever a friend is down in the dumps, I purchase a stack of Bertie and Jeeves novels and pop them in the mail, on the theory that there is no blight of the soul that cant be healed by their company. Yet I have never read a single one of Wodehouses Blandings novels, which seems like both a literary sin and a crime against my own mood. So heres to the first of the lot, which Im guessing wont just be something fresh, but something marvelous. John Williams YOULL GROW OUT OF IT by Jessi Klein (Grand Central Publishing). Earlier in the 2000s, I occasionally caught Ms. Kleins sharply nerdy stand-up comedy in New York. Shes since built a formidable career mostly behind comedys scenes, including her current role as the head writer for Inside Amy Schumer. Now shes publishing a book of autobiographical essays, and her brain seems particularly well suited to make the transition from stage to page. (July 12) Image Credit... Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times NINETY-NINE STORIES OF GOD by Joy Williams (Tin House Books). Ms. Williams deservedly expanded her fan base last year with a collection of new and selected stories, The Visiting Privilege. This bite-size follow-up is a stunt of sorts, 99 very short pieces some just a sentence or two directly or indirectly about the divine. I imagine the subject and Ms. Williamss mordancy will make a good match. (July 12) FROM THE BOOKSHELF Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Theres a blurry place in my memory where books I was never assigned overlap with books I was assigned but neglected to read. Im already 200 pages in, so this is a seasonal aspiration very likely to be fulfilled. I might follow it up with Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights. Opinions seem to vary, and in interesting ways, about which book is superior. Id like to join the jury. Alexandra Alter HOMEGOING by Yaa Gyasi (Alfred A. Knopf). This ambitious debut novel opens in 18th-century Ghana and follows seven generations of a family that descends from two half sisters who never knew each other: Effia, who marries an English colonial officer and lives in a coastal palace; and Esi, who is captured and sold into slavery. The novel spans more than 250 years and several continents as the sisters and their descendants wrestle with the physical and psychic scars of slavery and colonialism. (June 7) Brendan R. McGuire, a senior federal prosecutor in Manhattan who helped to win convictions in some of the nations most prominent international terrorism cases, will join the law firm WilmerHale as a partner in September, the firm said on Thursday. Mr. McGuire, 40, who has spent a decade in the United States attorneys office for the Southern District of New York, most recently under the top prosecutor Preet Bharara, has overseen terrorism and international narcotics cases since 2014. In the three years before that, he ran the offices public corruption unit, supervising the prosecutions of more than half a dozen former elected state and city officials, including former State Senator Carl Kruger and former Councilman Larry B. Seabrook, as well as three businessmen who were convicted of defrauding New York City in the so-called CityTime case. Mr. McGuires deputy, John P. Cronan, 39, is expected to succeed him as chief of the Southern Districts terrorism unit. Mr. McGuire, who will leave the United States attorneys office in June, will work in WilmerHales white-collar practice in New York and in its national security practice, which is based in Washington, the law firm said. At the firm, he will join a group of former senior Southern District prosecutors, including Boyd M. Johnson III, who is Mr. Bhararas former deputy; Sharon Cohen Levin, who ran the offices money laundering and asset-forfeiture unit; Todd Blanche, who oversaw the violent crimes unit; and Anjan Sahni, who was chief of the Wall Street task force. PARIS McDonalds French headquarters have been raided by financial investigators, the latest salvo in a campaign by President Francois Hollandes government to make multinational corporations pay more in taxes. A police official, who could not be named under departmental policy, said Thursday that documents were removed during the raid on May 18. McDonalds confirmed the search and said in a statement that it was cooperating fully with the authorities on this matter. The company did not respond to requests for additional comment. As was the case in a raid on Googles French headquarters on Tuesday, the police are investigating claims that McDonalds deliberately manipulated its corporate accounts to understate its French revenue and profits and in that way reduce its tax liability. Claims of tax avoidance by multinational corporations have pitted European countries against one another, and prompted European Union officials to investigate whether some of the blocs members are dangling unfair tax inducements to attract companies. One of those European Union inquiries, begun in December, is examining whether Luxembourg granted McDonalds overly generous tax breaks. Kevin Kerslakes documentary As I AM: The Life and Time$ of DJ AM is a breathless, cautionary account of a phenom who conquered the electronic dance-music scenes on the West Coast and in Las Vegas and New York, only to meet a sordid demise at 36. DJ AM (whose real name was Adam Goldstein) lived longer than, say, Kurt Cobain, yet his trajectory is painfully familiar. He was born in Philadelphia to a mother who, while estranged from her husband, conceived him with another man before returning to her spouse. When her husband discovered the boys paternity, he essentially disowned him. Mother and son then left for Los Angeles, where the young Goldstein, a truant at school, battled obesity. Through a friends mixing equipment, he found his calling. As his spinning skills grew, he entered rehab and acquired the usual pop trappings: famous girlfriends (Nicole Richie, for one), TV appearances, $1 million contracts, countless drugs. His sobriety led to a gig on the MTV series Gone Too Far, in which he counseled young addicts. But a 2008 plane crash in which four died but he survived with the Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker, though both were significantly burned induced survivors guilt, post-traumatic stress and a regimen of anti-anxiety medication. His abstinence snapped, and he overdosed in New York in 2009 on cocaine and pharmaceuticals. As I AM rockets through its subjects life, teeming with testimonials from the superstar producer-D.J.s Mark Ronson and Paul Oakenfold, among many others. And then it ends, leaving you spent. And wistful. In a professional career of two decades, the director Jia Zhangke has distinguished himself as one of the most singular and stalwart talents in contemporary Chinese cinema. His movies, including Platform (2000), The World (2004) and A Touch of Sin (2013), combine humanist empathy with a sharp eye for how societal change affects personal relationships. They often encounter resistance from Chinese censors Platform, which was banned from Chinese theaters, made Mr. Jias name there through pirated DVDs. The Brazilian director Walter Salles, whose work has somewhat similar themes to Mr. Jias, has produced an admiring documentary portrait of the filmmaker, Jia Zhangke, a Guy From Fenyang, shot a few years back when Mr. Jia was preparing A Touch of Sin for release in China, which was subsequently denied. It begins with Mr. Jia revisiting his hometown, Fenyang, in the Shanxi province of northern China, and looking at the now-ruined locations of his early films. He speaks with relatives and actors from the old days. A generous number of clips from Mr. Jias films accompany lengthy ruminations on their themes. In certain great films about great filmmakers Jacques Rivettes Jean Renoir, le Patron or Chris Markers Tarkovsky portrait, One Day in the Life of Andrei Arsenevich the presence of portrait-maker and subject can be felt equally. Mr. Salles keeps himself absent, and maintains a discreet distance from Mr. Jias private life while Mr. Jias longtime lead actress, Zhao Tao, is interviewed, the film doesnt disclose that she and Mr. Jia married in 2012. The movies most moving sequence is near the end, when Mr. Jia discusses his father, who faced awful hardships during the Cultural Revolution. In other respects, the movie is a decent and conscientious, though unremarkable, companion piece to Mr. Jias crucial films. Several of them will play at Anthology Film Archives during this documentarys run, and all are recommended. Premier Li Keqiang (2nd R) talks with an exhibitor before the opening ceremony of the China Big Data Industry Summit & China E-commerce Innovation and Development Summit in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, May 25, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] China will create a more transparent and equal market to attract foreign investment in big data and e-commerce with streamlined administration, Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday. "Industries related to big data and e-commerce are booming in China with great growth potential, and enterprises from all countries are welcome to invest in these sectors," he said. "We will create a more transparent and equal business environment for them." Li made the remarks in a keynote speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the China Big Data Industry Summit in Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou province. The summit was attended by leading Chinese and multinational companies, including computer maker Dell Inc and SAP, a German-based multinational corporation that makes enterprise software to manage business operations and customer relations. Li said China is promoting another round of reform and opening-up while creating a nondiscriminatory business environment for all enterprises registered in the country, both domestic and foreign ones. The government controls 80 percent of data and information generated in China and will publicize more information, apart from that concerning areas such as national security and business secrets, the premier said. "By doing this, the government can create a market for fair competition while integrating with the internet and big data to streamline administration," he added. Before the opening ceremony, Li inspected an exhibition staged by 56qq.com, a local online platform for logistics. The platform enables 1.7 million drivers and 300,000 member logistics companies to locate their optimal partners to transport freight. Li said the platform has increased efficiency and reduced energy consumption a good example of Guizhou moving quickly in this area since February as a national comprehensive pilot zone for big data. The premier told more than 1,000 participants at the ceremony that many people would be surprised to know that Guizhou is hosting a summit for high-tech industries, as the province is one of the least developed regions in western China. While talking with business leaders on the sidelines of the summit on Tuesday, Li said that he welcomed foreign investment in China, particularly in central and western regions. He told them that there is a development disparity between eastern and inland regions, where there is great growth potential and plenty of investment opportunities. He also pledged that China will focus on protection of intellectual property rights, the respect for and protection of trade secrets, and enhancing cybersecurity. Huang Qunhui, director of the Institute of Industrial Economics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said China's big data and e-commerce industries need more participation by multinational companies and foreign investment to boost infrastructure and train professionals. Transparency and fair competition are keys to a market economy, in which all players can benefit, Huang added. Theres much to admire in the thriller The Ones Below. Like most effective suspense films or horror movies, it is grounded in a potent subtext, in this case childbirth and its stresses on parents. And the director, David Farr, a former associate director for the Royal Shakespeare Company making his feature debut, tightens the tension with almost clinical precision. Kate (an impressive Clemence Poesy, grown up from her days as Fleur Delacour in the Harry Potter movies) is a costume expert married to Justin (Stephen Campbell Moore), a journalist. They are about to be parents, after long weighing whether to do so, and moving into an upstairs flat in a two-story London townhouse. Their new neighbors are Jon (David Morrissey), a banker, and the platinum-haired, half-Finnish Theresa (Laura Birn). Jon and Theresa are expecting as well, after seven years of trying to conceive. Theresa cultivates Kates friendship, inviting her to a pool at a private club. But despite Theresas unwavering daily lunch dates with Jon, her marriage has dark undercurrents: She refuses to hold a job, as if to please him, and behind his back she drinks. When Theresas fetus dies after a stairway accident, events grow more ominous. Soon she insists on babysitting Kates newborn, and a weary Kate and Justin contend with jarring nightly car alarms and unsettling sounds over the baby monitor. Toward the end, Mr. Farr employs familiar cinematic sleights of hand, but with a finely calibrated touch. The final shot is sublime in its perversity. The director Jean-Jacques Zilbermann has reached back to his mothers own war story to examine female friendship in the pretty, pastel drama To Life. Helene (Julie Depardieu), Rose (Suzanne Clement) and Lili (Johanna ter Steege) became friends in Auschwitz, a hell we experience as dark and icy in the film. The action centers on Ms. Depardieu (daughter of Gerard), who plays a tailor. Since the war ended, she has advertised in search of Lili. Helene credits her own survival to the sliver of advantage Lili secured with her German-language skills. She is certain, too, that Rose is dead. She is wrong. When, years later, Helene finds Lili, they arrange a reunion, in 1962, at a French beach resort. To Life is at its best in the revelations the women have when they reconnect: the guilt, the vastly divergent accounts of the past, the lies they tell themselves. The unprecedented safety shutdown of Washingtons subway for a day in March laid bare the deteriorating conditions that created a crisis. But the Metro, which opened four decades ago and shaped the Washington region, is not the only transit system in the Northeastern United States showing its age. The subways in New York City and Boston, both more than half a century older than the system in Washington, need billions of dollars to replace aging infrastructure and to meet rising demand. All three cities, home to most of the nations busiest subways, are growing and attracting young people, who prefer mass transit but have become frustrated by delays. As transit officials in Boston, New York and Washington focus on improving the subways, their efforts are being closely watched by planners and business groups who fear economic growth in the region could slow if the systems cannot keep up. MELBOURNE, Australia Tim Flannery, a scientist and environmentalist who was named Australian of the Year in 2007, lost his job in 2013. The right-wing government of then-Prime Minister Tony Abbott shut down the Climate Commission that Flannery headed in a peremptory move designed to demonstrate its contempt for climate change. The commission had been established two years earlier to provide authoritative information to the Australian public. Abbott, of the conservative Liberal Party, had no time for such information. Climate change, he argued in his autobiography, was bunk. It had been happening since the earths beginning. Therefore it made no sense to impose certain and substantial costs on the economy now in order to avoid unknown and perhaps even benign changes in the future. To Abbott, I was the devil incarnate, Flannery told me. Throughout the developed world from the Drill, baby, drill! crowd in the United States to Abbotts ax-the-tax attack on clean-energy legislation in Australia denial of climate change has become a tribal, almost masonic badge of the coal and fossil-fuel loving right. In todays culture wars its as much of a wedge issue as any. Through crowdfunding, Flannery raised enough money in short order to turn the state-funded commission into the Climate Council, an independent nonprofit organization with the same role. Earlier this month, he headed for the Great Barrier Reef to see what benign changes, as Abbott would have it, global warming has produced in the worlds largest coral reef. He found what he saw northeast of Port Douglas on the outer rim of the reef devastating. To the Editor: Re State Dept. Report Faults Clinton on Email Server (front page, May 26): I know that a lot of Hillary Clinton supporters consider her use of a private server a nonissue, but I think it reflects traits that make her a poor selection for leader of the United States. First and most important, it demonstrates her utter lack of interest in working within rules and the law. It is as if she believed that she had the right to make her own rules with regard to security matters and that nobody was going to tell her how to operate, even those who were the experts on security matters. It demonstrates an arrogant autocracy that is breathtaking. This is not the kind of behavior one wants in a national leader. I hate to consider what she might do as president because she believes she has the right regardless of what others might think or prevailing norms. Second, this episode demonstrates her obsession with secrecy and a lack of transparency. It reminds me of when she headed the health care reform committee early in Bill Clintons administration. That committee was all about secrecy, and the result was failure. The Amazon gladiator frog is a fighter. But it could become a ghost. Extinction threatens 40 percent of amphibian species worldwide, and they are vanishing at alarming rates. This March, Robin Moore, a photographer and the communications director for the organization Global Wildlife Conservation , traveled to Panama to search for a single photo that would convey the gravity of the global extinction crisis threatening frogs, toads and other amphibians. After eight days of waiting for the right frog, at the right place and the right time, he captured that picture, which he titled, The Vanishing. Its single long exposure was designed to give the frog a ghostly appearance and communicate that amphibians are disappearing forever around the world. Since 1980, more than 200 amphibian species have disappeared from the planet as a result of habitat loss, killer fungi, viruses, pollution, and the exacerbation of these threats from climate change. But in recent years some amphibian species that were thought to be lost have in a sense, emerged from the dead, leading scientists to study how they escaped extinction. In 2010, Mr. Moore and his colleagues created a Top 10 Most Wanted poster for lost frogs and launched The Search for Lost Frogs, a campaign that took 100 scientists across 19 countries to find these Lazarus frogs. Its success led to a book, In Search of Lost Frogs, published in 2014. Since then, the journey has continued and conservationists are working to establish ecotourism and nature reserves to protect the vital habitats where the lost frogs are found. Stonehenge eroding under the forces of extreme weather. Venice slowly collapsing into its canals. The Statue of Liberty gradually flooding. Images like these, familiar from Hollywood climate-catastrophe thrillers, were evoked by a joint report, released on Thursday by Unesco, the United Nations Environment Program and the Union of Concerned Scientists, that detailed the threat climate change could pose to World Heritage sites on five continents. (The Australian continent was originally included in the report, but its government requested it be removed because of concerns that the information would hurt its tourism industry.) Adam Markham, the deputy director for climate and energy at the Union of Concerned Scientists and the reports lead author, said that while many of the sites were bound to be affected by factors including a rise in sea levels, intense storms and wildfires, planning could go a long way toward protecting them. While there is an expectation in open-source projects that the software tweaks of others will be given back to the community working on the software, open source often requires a license as well. But where software licenses typically forbid touching code or sharing code with anyone, open-source licenses usually insist on sharing. They detail what can and cannot be used by other companies in their products. And they often require people to share their work with other developers. The idea is that, collectively, people working at many companies or even out of their homes or college dorms can build better technology than what is created behind the closed doors of one corporation. From the start, this was a trial neither side intended. Oracle first sued Google in 2010, accusing it of patent and copyright violations in Android. The outcome of that case, which was decided in 2012, was largely favorable to Google. But in 2014, a federal appeals court found that certain parts of Java were protected by copyright, providing Oracle with fresh ammunition. When the Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of that decision last year, the case was sent back to the lower courts to hear the copyright aspect of the case again. In this iteration of the courtroom fight, Eric E. Schmidt, executive chairman of Alphabet, Googles parent company, testified that Sun knew Google was using Java and approved of that use even though Google did not obtain a license. Jonathan Schwartz, who was chief executive of Sun before Oracle bought it, backed up that view, and a blog post he wrote praising Android was a major piece of evidence in the trial. Oracle provided a series of emails and meeting documents that countered that view, suggesting that Larry Page, a founder of Google and chief executive of Alphabet, had pressed the Android team to develop the product quickly. Mr. Page denied the suggestion on the stand. SAN FRANCISCO Snapchat, the disappearing message service with big media ambitions, has finished raising $1.8 billion, according to a Wednesday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. While most start-ups raise money by putting together a group of investors who buy a specified amount of stock at a particular time, Snapchat collected the capital over more than a year. Snapchat, based in Los Angeles, said in the filing that it began raising the latest round on Feb. 17, 2015. Over the last year, new investors, including General Atlantic, Sequoia Capital, T. Rowe Price and the hedge fund Lone Pine, have bought stakes in Snapchat, according to people who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the talks were private. Not long after Snapchat began to collect money, the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba also agreed to invest $200 million at a valuation of $15 billion. Snapchats final valuation could not be learned. As a private company, Snapchat is not required to disclose the identities of investors or its valuation. A representative for Snapchat declined to comment on the funding. The start-ups previous investors include Fidelity Investments and Coatue. TechCrunch earlier reported some of the new investors. Chris Kyle was decorated for killing scores of enemy fighters as a Navy sniper during four deployments in Iraq. His best-selling book, American Sniper, detailed his adventures as the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history, and the 2014 film of the same name became the top-grossing military movie of all time. But a new report suggests that Mr. Kyle may have not been awarded some of the combat medals he claimed. Mr. Kyle, a member of the Navy SEALs, wrote in American Sniper that he was awarded two Silver Stars and five Bronze Stars with valor. On Thursday, the Navy confirmed a report by the website The Intercept that found that Mr. Kyle had been awarded one Silver Star and three Bronze Stars with valor. Mr. Kyle, who was killed in 2013 by a combat veteran he was trying to help, attained celebrity status for the tales of his adventures in Iraq and other places, including a claim that he had 160 confirmed kills as a sniper more, he said, than any other member of the SEALs. His memorial service was moved to Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Tex., to accommodate the crowd. (Global Times) 09:49, May 26, 2016 Chinas top discipline watchdog to compile book Liu Zhijun, former railway minister, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve on July 8, 2013. "As a farmer's boy, I could have been able to contribute more to China's railway cause ," he wrote in a confession letter. Liu Tienan, former deputy chief of the National Development and Reform Commission, cries at a court hearing in 2014. Photos: CFP "If I could go back, I would choose to keep my integrity I used to be such a person. Corruption ruined myself, my child and my family," wrote Liu Tienan, the former deputy chief of the National Development and Reform Commission, in his confession. Such confessions, written by Party officials probed or busted for discipline violations, will be compiled into a single book, the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said in a report on its website on Tuesday. "The confessions must be a 'vivid textbook' for Party members," said the report. Writing confession letters is a practice with a long history in China and has been widely used by the modern justice system, Zhu Lijia, a public policy professor at the Chinese Academy of Governance. Having a record of an investigation written from the point of the view of the person in trouble for corruption helps discipline inspection officials get feedback on the process and their anti-graft measures as well as to understand the mentality of corrupt officials, said Zhu. Varied styles Several confession letters written by officials busted for corruption are available on the website of the CCDI and jcrb.com, a website affiliated with the Supreme People's Procuratorate that began to publish such letters in 2006. About one fifth of the 100 confession samples collected by the Jilin-based New Cultural Newspaper start with "I was born in a family of farmers," and expressions such as "I am the son of a farmer" have been used in many confessions including Su Rong's, former vice chairman of China's top political advisory body. In general, confessions often express loyalty to the Party, regret over misconduct and usually conclude with pleads for light punishment, though the way these things are expressed can vary, being figurative or plain, emotional or rational, Zhuang Deshui, an anti-graft expert at Peking University, told the Global Times. "I took whatever people gave, from a few thousand yuan to over 100,000 yuan ($15,240). I opened my hand but never thought I would end up with an inspection from the Party," wrote Shi Lianwen, the former director of Liaoning Radio and Television who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2014. "The Party made many efforts to raise me from a poor child to a senior official but my behavior returned kindness with ingratitude," wrote Song Yong, former vice chairman of the Liaoning Provincial People's Congress Standing Committee in Northeast China. "Greed has made me a slave of money and a monster," said Song, who received a suspended death sentence in 2011 for taking bribes worth over 10 million yuan, according to the CCDI. Most officials write the confessions when they are probed, tried, or in jail. The Xinhua News Agency reported that many officials who are being probed or tried write confessions in the hope that they will help them get a lighter sentence. "With the confession, the procuratorate might see that they have a good attitude, so the judges might take a few months or even a year off their sentence," Liu Tao, a prosecutor in Guizhou Province told the Phoenix Weekly. To ensure they manage to write a persuasive confession, some officials even copy others' admission of personal guilt. Wang Guochang, former head of the Fujian Provincial Department of Environmental Protection repeatedly asked discipline inspectors to give him a sample confession he could copy, the China Discipline Inspection Daily reported in December 2015. To warn and learnIn February 2015, the CCDI launched a special section on its website to publish the confession letters of corrupt officials after the anti-graft drive kicked off at the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012. The section has published sections of eight letters as of press time. The move came one month after Wang Qishan, head of the CCDI, requested that all officials who were found guilty of serious violations after the Party congress should be made to write confessions, in order for them to reflect on their mistakes and to provide a warning to others. Separately, the Procuratorial Daily, a newspaper under the Supreme People's Procuratorate, has been publishing such confessions since September 2006 in a special column. According to the Phoenix Weekly, corrupt officials' confessions have already been made into documentaries that are now being shown at educational seminars held for officials of all levels. Confessions can help the disciplinary authorities conduct quantitative analyses and learn when and where violations occur most often and in which manner, as well as perform qualitative research into the reasons for corruption, said Zhuang. The police in Florida have arrested a man in connection with the killing of an internationally known criminal-law professor in 2014. The suspect, Sigfredo Garcia, 34, was arrested on Wednesday night by the Hallandale Beach Police Department in Broward County based on a homicide warrant in the killing of the professor, Dan Markel, 41, the Tallahassee Police Department said on Thursday. Mr. Markel was a professor at the Florida State University College of Law and a leader in the world of online legal scholarship. Mr. Garcia was arrested at a gas station in Hallandale Beach, just north of Miami, according to a spokeswoman for the department, Maj. Sonia Quinones. The suspect, who has a Miami Beach address, was also charged with cocaine possession, a police affidavit said. Hate crime statutes originated as a response to bigotry, a special penalty for singling people out for abuse based on factors like race, ethnicity, sex, religion, sexual orientation or, most recently, gender identity. On Thursday, Louisiana became the first state to add law enforcement officers to that list. A bill signed into law by Gov. John Bel Edwards on Thursday set off a debate over whether the measure was really needed to protect officers, or whether, as civil rights groups charged, it was an effort to dilute the basic meaning of hate crimes and to undermine the movement protesting the use of force by the police. A similar bill is pending in Congress. The action comes at a time of fierce national debate over policing and race. The high-profile deaths of African-Americans at the hands of the police from Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., to Eric Garner in New York City have prompted intense criticism of law enforcement. That criticism has come in street demonstrations and on social media, spawning the Black Lives Matter movement. Some law enforcement groups have charged that those protests have led to an increase in attacks on police officers, though there is little data to support that. Still, some supporters of law enforcement have adopted the slogan, Blue Lives Matter. Ive read various accounts of people who I would say were employing a deliberate campaign to terrorize our officers, said State Representative Lance Harris, a Republican and the author of the Louisiana measure. I just wanted to give an extra level of protection to the people who protect us. LOS ANGELES Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are locked in a tight race in California, the nations most populous state and one that until recently seemed strongly in Mrs. Clintons corner, a new statewide poll has found. The poll, released Wednesday night by the Public Policy Institute of California, showed Mrs. Clinton leading Mr. Sanders among likely voters, 46 percent to 44 percent within the margin of error. A survey by the organization in March found Mrs. Clinton with a lead of 48 percent to 41 percent over Mr. Sanders. The survey came as both Mr. Sanders and Mrs. Clinton have stepped up their campaign appearances here in anticipation of the June 7 primary. Mr. Sanders, after initially saying he would not advertise on television here California is one of the most expensive states for television advertising, given its size and the number of media markets took to the airwaves this week. And Mrs. Clinton has quickly responded, with ads set to begin running on Friday in the Los Angeles, Fresno and Sacramento markets: one narrated by the actor Morgan Freeman, another highlighting Mrs. Clintons endorsement by the civil rights activist Dolores Huerta. The Clinton campaign will also run Spanish-language ads aimed at Latino voters, and translated commercials in Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese and Korean. Hillary Clinton has declined an invitation to debate Senator Bernie Sanders before the California primary election next month, but he may have found a willing replacement: Donald J. Trump. The idea of a debate between the two men came up on Wednesday when Mr. Trump was appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live and Mr. Kimmel said that Mr. Sanders had passed along an invitation to Mr. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee. Mr. Trump, who opted out of a debate in Iowa in January and decided that he would no longer participate in primary debates after the Republican field narrowed to three candidates, said he would be open to debating Mr. Sanders if the proceeds were donated to charity, although there were conflicting reports about how serious he was. If I debated him we would have such high ratings and I think we should take that money and give it to some worthy charity, Mr. Trump said. If we paid a nice sum toward a charity, I would love to do that. Wednesday began with quickly disputed reports that the House speaker, Paul D. Ryan, was about to endorse Donald J. Trump, the Republican Partys presumptive nominee. It ended with Mr. Trump firing his national political director, Rick Wiley, who had been hired to great fanfare just six weeks earlier. In between, Mr. Trump insulted his former primary rivals at a rally in California. Whatever pretense was made, soon after Mr. Trump lost the Wisconsin primary, of his being on the verge of behaving like a more traditional candidate is now gone. Mr. Trump is back in peak midprimary form. That would be fine if he werent already the presumptive nominee. But the general election will feature at least 100 million voters who have not taken part in either partys primary, a majority of whom Mr. Trump will need. And drama around his campaign has engulfed him on a nearly ceaseless basis. LOS ANGELES Johnies Coffee Shop Restaurant, the famous vacant, slant-roof, Googie-style former diner on the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue here, is in the middle of a temporary makeover as a Bernie Sanders-themed media installation. We view this as an art piece, said Howard Gold, who was busy on Wednesday afternoon painting and fixing at the former diner. It closed in 2000, but it is still available for film shoots. The idea, said Mr. Gold, whose family owns the property, is to deck the place in Sanders murals, posters and diner-style logos the Bernie Sanders chicken bucket faces Wilshire then open on Thursday for a reception that is expected to draw artists, movie stars and Sanders supporters. Mr. Gold and his associate, Jay Ponti, said they expected the actresses Shailene Woodley and Frances Fisher to be among the guests. They also expect Jeff Dowd, a film producer and political activist who is perhaps best known as being the real-life inspiration for The Dude, played by Jeff Bridges in The Big Lebowski. Agents posing online as young girls and women helped lead investigators in Tennessee to the arrests of nearly three dozen people, including two ministers, this month, part of an intensified yearlong effort to combat prostitution and human trafficking in minors. The two ministers had responded to ads on backpage.com, a website often used to solicit sex partners, placed by what they believed to be a 15-year-old girl, and were charged with felony human trafficking and prostitution, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a statement issued last Friday. In addition, 25 men were arrested on charges of promoting prostitution, a felony, or patronizing a prostitute, which is a misdemeanor. Five women were cited for prostitution, the statement said. This sting, called Operation Someone Like Me, was the fifth effort of its kind since Gov. Bill Haslam signed legislation into law in May 2015 giving jurisdiction over trafficking cases to Tennessees bureau of investigation. The 32 arrested this month represent the largest group yet, an assistant special agent in charge, Margie Quin, said on Thursday. Many of you in this room are descendants of fighters who practiced guerrilla warfare against the French, the British, the colonial forces of Europe, General Milley told senior military officials from 37 African countries. Embedded in your armies is the knowledge of how to fight guerrilla warfare. But defending soft targets military jargon for hotels, restaurants, movie theaters, shopping malls and other places where unarmed civilians congregate is difficult for sophisticated militaries, let alone the continents fledging security forces. American law restricts the Pentagons direct work with African police forces that is done through the State Department so the American military often finds itself struggling to make sure that its training is going to the people most likely to be charged with carrying out missions like rescuing hostages. Its going to take time, General Milley said during his speech at the Arusha meeting, but were going to do this selectively, without abusing people. In the conference hallways and around dinner tables, much of the talk was of the most recent big attack at Grand-Bassam in Ivory Coast, a country that is distant from the regional base of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, usually operating in the deserts of northern Mali. But on a quiet Sunday in March, six gunmen opened fire at the beach resort, killing 16 people. Their response time was fast the Ivorian military got there in less than 20 minutes, one West African general was overheard telling his dining companions, as the group dissected the response to the attacks. The Grand-Bassam attack followed an attack on the Hotel Splendid and the Cappuccino Cafe in Ouagadougou, in January, and one on the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako, Mali, in November. In all, dozens have been killed and many more wounded. And that toll does not include attacks by Boko Haram in the markets and towns of northern Nigeria. MEXICO CITY In the history of modern war, fighters are much more likely to injure their enemies than kill them. But in Mexico, the opposite is true. According to the governments own figures, Mexicos armed forces are exceptionally efficient killers stacking up bodies at extraordinary rates. The Mexican authorities say the nations soldiers are simply better trained and more skilled than the cartels they battle. But experts who study the issue say Mexicos kill rate is practically unheard-of, arguing that the numbers reveal something more ominous. BEIJING Could the solution to Chinas urban gridlock be a flying bus? A model for a giant, elevated bus was presented over the weekend at the Beijing International High-Tech Expo, though it was not the first time that what has been called a straddling bus had been proposed. The bus first made an appearance at the Beijing expo in 2010, but doubts about the project led to the cancellation of a trial run. Six years later, Song Youzhou, the designer of the bus, says that prototypes are being constructed. In an interview this week, he said that five Chinese cities Nanyang, Qinhuangdao, Shenyang, Tianjin and Zhoukou have signed contracts with his TEB Technology Development Company for pilot projects that will involve the construction of hundreds of miles of tracks starting this year. The cost of each bus will run about 30 million renminbi, or about $4.5 million, which Mr. Song put at one-sixteenth the price of a subway train. Buses were already under construction in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, he said. The elevated bus attracted international attention when the design was first unveiled in 2010 and was chosen by Time Magazine as one of the 50 best inventions that year. But it also attracted skepticism that the proposal could deliver on its promises. XI'AN, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the W20 meeting on Wednesday. The following is the full text of Li's speech: Promote Women' s Equal Participation and Foster Innovative Development of the World Economy Remarks by Vice-President Li Yuanchao At the Opening Ceremony of the W20 Meeting 25 May 2016, Xi'an Distinguished Ministers, Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends, Today women representatives of G20 members and relevant international organizations gather in China's historical capital of Xi'an for the W20 Meeting. I would like to extend, on behalf of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chinese government, warm congratulations to the W20 Meeting and warm welcome to all the participants. China holds the G20 presidency in 2016. President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the W20 Meeting. He hopes that all parties build consensus for positive outcomes and make contribution to the success of G20 Hangzhou Summit and invigoration of the world economy. The G20 is an important mechanism of global economic governance and an important platform for international economic cooperation. The success of the G20 summit 2016 is crucial for global economic recovery and growth. As women are important participants, contributors and beneficiaries of the world economic development, the theme of this year's W20 - "Equal Participation and Innovative Development" carries great significance. Last September at the Global Leaders' Meeting on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, with a view to carrying forward the spirit of the World Women's Conference in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping chaired the meeting and made an important speech, calling for women's development in tandem with social and economic development, protecting women's rights and interests and fostering a global environment favorable for women's development. The four points embody the global consensus on women's equal participation and gains broad recognition by the international community. We should work together to translate the initiative into reality and consensus into deliverables and promote common progress of women in the world and innovative development of the global economy. First, efforts should be made to promote women's entrepreneurship, employment and equal participation in the development process. Women hold up "half of the sky" of human society. Women' s businesses and employment is a key driving force behind innovative development. In recent years, the level of women' s participation in economic development has been on the rise, but women still face many challenges in opening their own businesses and finding jobs, and there is a lacking of social recognition for women' s potential, talent and contribution. According to the World Bank reports, elimination of all forms of discrimination against women workers and managers will raise per capita productivity by 40%. It is all the more important to pool women' s wisdom and strength at a time when the global economic recovery remains fragile. As the Chinese economy moves into a New Normal, efforts are made to encourage mass innovation and entrepreneurship and women are essential in this endeavor. To support women entrepreneurship, the government and women' s organizations have worked with financial institutions to issue a total of over 290 billion yuan of government subsidized micro-credit to women. Handicraft industry with women characteristics has developed quickly in Sichuan Province. For 7 years, it has helped 230 thousand women get flexible employment to work from home, with an annual output value of 4.6 billion yuan. Women have unique strengths in the internet economy and currently account for 55% of the entrepreneurs in this sector. Internet Sister in Jilin, an e-commerce start-up project, provides skills training and helps open online shops free of charge for women wishing to run businesses on the internet and has created nearly 3000 online shops so far. Women are major forces behind technological innovation. In China 40% of scientists and technicians are women. An increasing number of women are entering the technology and knowledge intensive industries, and women take up over half of university enrollment. Tapping the full potential of women is an important feature of a modernized human society. Countries should adopt proper development strategies in accordance with their national conditions and women' s situations, promote women' s equal participation in development process with innovative policies and encourage more women to add impetus and make contribution to economic growth. Second, it is important to give play to the unique role of women and promote their equal participation in social management. UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon stated that better results will be produced with women' s participation no matter in which field. To achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls has been included into the UN' s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as a main goal. Countries should strengthen women' s capacity building, raise their abilities to participate in political, economic and social activities and in decision-making and management, and foster more women leaders in the political, business and academic communities. Families are basic cells of society and places where women seek happiness and women are often the decisive figures in making their families happy. In recent years, Chinese women' s federations at all levels have launched the "Most Beautiful Family" Campaign. The campaign has received 250 million votes and over 3 million families have been awarded the title of the "happiest family" , thus making unique contribution to family happiness and social harmony and inclusiveness. Third, women' s rights and interests should be vigorously protected to ensure they have equal share of development benefits. Economic development does not necessarily bring improvement of women' s status and development levels. Women and children bear the brunt of war and diseases. In this world more women are poor or illiterate than men. There will be no development without women' s participation and women are entitled to share development benefits. Countries should actively foster a gender culture of inclusiveness and equality, break away with obsolete perceptions, rules and traditions that discriminate against women; ensure women' s equal access to public services, including education, healthcare, pensions and social security; improve legal systems and policy support that uphold women' s interests and ensure women' s equal access to development opportunities and resources. Poor, disabled and elderly women and other vulnerable women groups require more attention, so that women' s development and life will be supported with full-fledged social policies. China now enjoys steady economic growth. In 2015 its GDP registered a mid-to-high growth rate of 6.9% and its contribution to the global economic growth was over 25%. In the first quarter this year, the GDP growth was 6.7% year-on-year, better than expected. China is implementing the 13th Five-Year-Plan and realizing the concept of innovative, coordinated, green, open and inclusive development, pushing through the supply-side structural reform and nurturing new growth drivers. The long-term trajectory of the Chinese economy remains sound. China' s development provides many opportunities for the development of Chinese women. China will fully implement the basic state policy of equality between men and women, and support women in their efforts to fully tap their talents and make accomplishments. We will vigorously enforce the Law on the Protection of Women's Interests and Rights, the Law against Domestic Violence and other laws and regulations, and ensure women' s equal access to education and employment. We will foster a social and cultural environment for gender equality, advocate for a family culture of equality and harmony and create favorable conditions for women' s all-round development. China actively implements international conventions on gender equality and women' s development, conducts broad multilateral and bilateral exchanges and cooperation in the field of women' s affairs and strengthens friendly engagements with women' s organizations of all other countries. Last year, the Chinese government announced its donation to the UN Women, and conducting the "health projects for women and children" and the "happy campus projects" and training of women professionals for other developing countries. Work in these fields has made steady progress. China is ready to work with all other countries to meet the goals on women' s advancement set in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, make greater efforts to narrow the development gap for women in all countries and promote women' s all-round development, so that each and every woman in the world will be able to realize their own dream for happiness. Full text of Vice-President Li Yuanchao's remarks at opening ceremony of W20 meeting in Xi'an Source: Xinhua2016-05-26 09:23:33 XI'AN, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the W20 meeting on Wednesday. The following is the full text of Li's speech: Promote Women' s Equal Participation and Foster Innovative Development of the World Economy Remarks by Vice-President Li Yuanchao At the Opening Ceremony of the W20 Meeting 25 May 2016, Xi'an Distinguished Ministers, Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends, Today women representatives of G20 members and relevant international organizations gather in China's historical capital of Xi'an for the W20 Meeting. I would like to extend, on behalf of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chinese government, warm congratulations to the W20 Meeting and warm welcome to all the participants. China holds the G20 presidency in 2016. President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the W20 Meeting. He hopes that all parties build consensus for positive outcomes and make contribution to the success of G20 Hangzhou Summit and invigoration of the world economy. The G20 is an important mechanism of global economic governance and an important platform for international economic cooperation. The success of the G20 summit 2016 is crucial for global economic recovery and growth. As women are important participants, contributors and beneficiaries of the world economic development, the theme of this year's W20 - "Equal Participation and Innovative Development" carries great significance. Last September at the Global Leaders' Meeting on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, with a view to carrying forward the spirit of the World Women's Conference in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping chaired the meeting and made an important speech, calling for women's development in tandem with social and economic development, protecting women's rights and interests and fostering a global environment favorable for women's development. The four points embody the global consensus on women's equal participation and gains broad recognition by the international community. We should work together to translate the initiative into reality and consensus into deliverables and promote common progress of women in the world and innovative development of the global economy. First, efforts should be made to promote women's entrepreneurship, employment and equal participation in the development process. Women hold up "half of the sky" of human society. Women' s businesses and employment is a key driving force behind innovative development. In recent years, the level of women' s participation in economic development has been on the rise, but women still face many challenges in opening their own businesses and finding jobs, and there is a lacking of social recognition for women' s potential, talent and contribution. According to the World Bank reports, elimination of all forms of discrimination against women workers and managers will raise per capita productivity by 40%. It is all the more important to pool women' s wisdom and strength at a time when the global economic recovery remains fragile. As the Chinese economy moves into a New Normal, efforts are made to encourage mass innovation and entrepreneurship and women are essential in this endeavor. To support women entrepreneurship, the government and women' s organizations have worked with financial institutions to issue a total of over 290 billion yuan of government subsidized micro-credit to women. Handicraft industry with women characteristics has developed quickly in Sichuan Province. For 7 years, it has helped 230 thousand women get flexible employment to work from home, with an annual output value of 4.6 billion yuan. Women have unique strengths in the internet economy and currently account for 55% of the entrepreneurs in this sector. Internet Sister in Jilin, an e-commerce start-up project, provides skills training and helps open online shops free of charge for women wishing to run businesses on the internet and has created nearly 3000 online shops so far. Women are major forces behind technological innovation. In China 40% of scientists and technicians are women. An increasing number of women are entering the technology and knowledge intensive industries, and women take up over half of university enrollment. Tapping the full potential of women is an important feature of a modernized human society. Countries should adopt proper development strategies in accordance with their national conditions and women' s situations, promote women' s equal participation in development process with innovative policies and encourage more women to add impetus and make contribution to economic growth. Second, it is important to give play to the unique role of women and promote their equal participation in social management. UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon stated that better results will be produced with women' s participation no matter in which field. To achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls has been included into the UN' s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as a main goal. Countries should strengthen women' s capacity building, raise their abilities to participate in political, economic and social activities and in decision-making and management, and foster more women leaders in the political, business and academic communities. Families are basic cells of society and places where women seek happiness and women are often the decisive figures in making their families happy. In recent years, Chinese women' s federations at all levels have launched the "Most Beautiful Family" Campaign. The campaign has received 250 million votes and over 3 million families have been awarded the title of the "happiest family" , thus making unique contribution to family happiness and social harmony and inclusiveness. Third, women' s rights and interests should be vigorously protected to ensure they have equal share of development benefits. Economic development does not necessarily bring improvement of women' s status and development levels. Women and children bear the brunt of war and diseases. In this world more women are poor or illiterate than men. There will be no development without women' s participation and women are entitled to share development benefits. Countries should actively foster a gender culture of inclusiveness and equality, break away with obsolete perceptions, rules and traditions that discriminate against women; ensure women' s equal access to public services, including education, healthcare, pensions and social security; improve legal systems and policy support that uphold women' s interests and ensure women' s equal access to development opportunities and resources. Poor, disabled and elderly women and other vulnerable women groups require more attention, so that women' s development and life will be supported with full-fledged social policies. China now enjoys steady economic growth. In 2015 its GDP registered a mid-to-high growth rate of 6.9% and its contribution to the global economic growth was over 25%. In the first quarter this year, the GDP growth was 6.7% year-on-year, better than expected. China is implementing the 13th Five-Year-Plan and realizing the concept of innovative, coordinated, green, open and inclusive development, pushing through the supply-side structural reform and nurturing new growth drivers. The long-term trajectory of the Chinese economy remains sound. China' s development provides many opportunities for the development of Chinese women. China will fully implement the basic state policy of equality between men and women, and support women in their efforts to fully tap their talents and make accomplishments. We will vigorously enforce the Law on the Protection of Women's Interests and Rights, the Law against Domestic Violence and other laws and regulations, and ensure women' s equal access to education and employment. We will foster a social and cultural environment for gender equality, advocate for a family culture of equality and harmony and create favorable conditions for women' s all-round development. China actively implements international conventions on gender equality and women' s development, conducts broad multilateral and bilateral exchanges and cooperation in the field of women' s affairs and strengthens friendly engagements with women' s organizations of all other countries. Last year, the Chinese government announced its donation to the UN Women, and conducting the "health projects for women and children" and the "happy campus projects" and training of women professionals for other developing countries. Work in these fields has made steady progress. China is ready to work with all other countries to meet the goals on women' s advancement set in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, make greater efforts to narrow the development gap for women in all countries and promote women' s all-round development, so that each and every woman in the world will be able to realize their own dream for happiness. Since violent ethnic protests and riots erupted in the western borderlands of China in 2008 and 2009, many scholars have been trying to pinpoint the sources of the unrest. They include Ben Hillman, a senior lecturer in comparative politics at Australian National University, and Gray Tuttle, associate professor of East Asian languages and cultures at Columbia University. They have edited a volume of papers and essays looking at the roots of these tensions, Ethnic Conflict and Protest in Xinjiang and Tibet: Unrest in Chinas West, recently published by Columbia University Press. The issues explored range widely, be it environmental degradation in Tibet or economic disparities between ethnic Uighurs in their homeland of Xinjiang and Han migrants from other parts of China. In an interview, Mr. Hillman and Mr. Tuttle discussed the grievances behind recent protests and the likelihood of their resolution. Q. One of your contributors, James Leibold, draws a distinction between ethnic conflict and ethnic protest. Could you explain? Ben Hillman: It is important to properly characterize the unrest in Chinas western regions. The term ethnic conflict generally refers to conflict between ethnic communities, whereas ethnic protest refers to protests by an ethnic community against state policies. The vast majority of mass incidents that have taken place in recent years can be characterized as ethnic protests. Although intercommunal violence has been on the rise in recent years, both in Tibetan and Uighur areas, it has not reached the level of ethnic conflict. SHIMA, Japan President Obama said on Thursday that he was preparing to visit Hiroshima on Friday to emphasize that decades after the end of the Cold War, the world still faces the threat of nuclear war. I do think that part of the reason Im going is because I want to once again underscore the very real risks that are out there and the sense of urgency that we all should have, Mr. Obama said during a brief news conference at the Group of 7 meeting in this southern Japanese resort city. Mr. Obama said that the city of Hiroshima was not just a reminder of the terrible toll of World War II, a conflict that ended 70 years ago. It is also a reminder that the jobs not done in reducing conflict, building institutions of peace and reducing the prospect of nuclear war in the future. Mr. Obama cited some of the successes of his efforts to slow and even reverse the proliferation of nuclear weapons, including the nuclear deal with Iran, a weapons treaty with Russia and the Nuclear Security Summit meetings, which have eliminated nuclear material from some countries. HIROSHIMA, Japan Tokyo is Japans political and commercial capital. Kyoto is its temple-filled repository of traditional culture. But Hiroshima obliterated by an American atomic bomb 71 years ago, then rebuilt with a newly peaceful and prosperous country is in many ways the heart of Japans modern national identity. From a militarist empire whose armies tore across Asia in the first half of the 20th century, Japan, seared by the most horrific consequence of war, embraced democracy and nonbelligerence seemingly overnight. It has not sent a soldier into combat since 1945, a record of pacifism that exceeds even that of its onetime ally Germany. Yet as President Obama travels to Hiroshima on Friday, bringing renewed attention to the city and its legacy, many worry that the ideals Hiroshima has represented for so long are fading in Japan. The deep aversion to military entanglements is being challenged as never before by an ambitious conservative movement led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Crimes by Americans on the Japanese island of Okinawa, home to about half the 47,000 United States troops in Japan, have chronically irritated ties between the countries. But the arrest of a Marine veteran last week in connection with the murder of a woman whose body was found in the woods has escalated into a crisis that may complicate the Pentagons Okinawa operations. The case has inflamed Japanese emotions to the point that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe raised it with uncharacteristically public anger this week in his welcome to President Obama, who is visiting Japan for the Group of 7 summit meeting and a precedent-setting trip to Hiroshima, where the United States dropped an atomic bomb almost 71 years ago. The Okinawa victim, Rina Shimabukuro, 20, an office worker from the city of Uruma, disappeared in the evening on April 28 after having gone out for a walk, according to Japanese news accounts. The suspect, Kenneth Franklin Gadson, 32, who goes by his Japanese wifes family name, Shinzato, was arrested exactly four weeks later, on May 19. When President Obama arrives in Hiroshima, Japan, on Friday, he will be the first sitting American president to visit the site where the United States first used an atomic bomb, killing about 140,000 people and leading to the end of World War II. The visit has presented the White House with fraught choices, none of which will make everyone happy. Where should Obama visit? The White House has said that the president will visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and lay a wreath at the cenotaph commemorating the bombing victims. In the context of Hiroshima, these sites are fairly politically neutral, honoring peace and lost lives. But the inscription on the monument reads rest in peace for the error shall not be repeated, raising the charged question of which or whose error it refers to. The White House has not said whether Mr. Obama will visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, a more difficult choice given its overwhelming portrayal of Japan as victim, with little reference to its role as a wartime aggressor. In the 1990s, the museum responded to criticism that it does not sufficiently acknowledge Japans own atrocities by adding material describing Hiroshimas role as a wartime manufacturing site. But because of a renovation, much of that content is not currently on display. Should he meet with survivors? This may be one of the trickiest issues because critics in the United States are casting the visit as another stop on an apology tour. Even if Mr. Obama does not apologize, it could be difficult to meet any survivor without expressing some regret and sympathy for what they have suffered. About 84,000 survivors of the atomic bomb still live in Hiroshima Prefecture, and an additional 48,000 in Nagasaki. According to a poll Wednesday by the Japanese public broadcaster NHK, close to 60 percent of them said they wanted the president to meet with them and hear their stories. LONDON With a referendum on British membership in the European Union four weeks away, new figures released on Thursday showing a rise in immigration re-energized the debate over an issue that has been seized on by the campaign to leave the bloc. Net migration rose to 333,000 in 2015, an increase of 20,000 compared to the previous year and the second-highest figure on record, according to the estimates from the Office for National Statistics. The figure was still far above the goal set by the government, which once promised to reduce net migration to less than 100,000 a year. At the same time, the numbers did nothing to support claims by opponents of European Union membership that the country was leaving itself vulnerable to a huge and uncontrollable migrant influx. Although the office described the increase as statistically insignificant, the report immediately assumed political importance as the June 23 referendum approaches. But when the compromise became public last month, it provoked an uproar from educators and politicians across the ideological spectrum. Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga, a social democrat, argued that shaking hands with a teacher was an important part of Swiss culture. Beat Zemp, the president of the Swiss teachers union, also spoke out against the decision, saying that the rules should apply to all students and that it sent the wrong message, since the boys would need to shake hands with colleagues, both male and female, as their lives progressed. After the backlash, the school decided to refer the issue to the regional authorities. On Wednesday, the cantonal board for education, culture and sport in Basel-Landschaft said that the integration of foreigners and the fostering of gender equality were in the public interest and that this consideration trumped the private interests of the two students (their names have not been made public). It acknowledged that forcing the students to shake their female teachers hand was an intrusion on their religious beliefs but said that it was a proportionate one since, in its view, it did not involve the central tenets of Islam. In addition, shaking hands was an important social gesture for ones future career, it added. The decision by the Swiss school board comes as Europe is grappling with how to integrate more than a million migrants, many of whom have been arriving from conservative Muslim countries. It also comes amid a simmering culture war in Europe over immigration. LONDON With a blend of rose-glow nostalgia and incredulity, some baby boomers of a certain vintage here recall vacations in Europe long ago when the sight of a rare British license plate on the arrow-straight roads of northern France inspired much waving and tooting of horns in mutual recognition. In those times, they will say, Britons emerging from the gloom of postwar austerity discovered a land of pungent cigarettes and fine cuisine, vin ordinaire and menus du jour that titillated palates grown stale on bland and rationed British fare. There were time-consuming border crossings, too, and sharp-eyed customs agents; currency controls; carnets de passage; and coupons that permitted outsiders to purchase gasoline, sometimes in villages with hand-pumps that recalled much earlier technologies. Decades later, Europe has ironed out many of its idiosyncrasies. No one waves anymore. Border controls have largely disappeared. The clothing chains offer the same brands in London, Paris, Madrid or Berlin. With the possible exception of military veterans visiting the erstwhile battlefields of loss and glory, the novelty of returning in peace to the loci of war has faded. KIEV, Ukraine A group of United Nations inspectors investigating allegations of torture in Ukraine has suspended its work, the teams leader said this week, citing a lack of cooperation from government security services. Sir Malcolm Evans, leader of the four-member team from the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, said in a statement Wednesday that his group had been denied access to sites under control of Ukraines domestic intelligence agency, known as the SBU. The end of the teams weeklong trip a day earlier than scheduled comes at a time when Ukraines government is trying to demonstrate that it can be a bastion of European values, even as it is engaged in a bloody conflict in eastern Ukraine with Russian-backed rebel militias. Most of the accusations of rights abuses in the war have involved the rebels. But the United Nations team had been in Ukraine since May 19 trying to investigate what rights groups have said are signs of detainee abuse by the SBU. Another room was stacked with herbs. Eucalyptus leaves, indigo, black curd, turmeric, acorn shells and alum, ingredients for the different colors. The Iranian carpet is 100 percent organic, Mr. Zollanvari declared. No machinery is involved. It is a scene that seems as ageless as the women who sit before the looms and weave the rugs, a process that can take as long as a year. And now even the factory is threatened. With six years of Western sanctions on the carpet business and punishing competition from rugs machine-made in China and India, these are hard times for the craft of Persian rug making. Many veterans wonder whether it can survive. Over the centuries invaders, politicians and Irans enemies have left their mark on Irans carpets, said Prof. Hashem Sedghamiz, a local authority on carpets, sitting in the green courtyard of his restored Qajar-dynasty house in Shiraz. The outsiders demanded changes, started using chemicals for coloring and, most recently, imposed sanctions on the rugs. Those were blows, he said, damaging but not destructive. But now, Mr. Sedghamiz said, the end is near. Ultimately he said, it is modernity that all-devouring force that is changing societies at breakneck speed that is killing the Persian carpet, Irans pride and joy. People simply are no longer interested in quality. A crew member takes part in a fire drill on China's largest and most advanced patrol vessel Haixun 01 on the South China Sea, April 4, 2016. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli) VIENTIANE, May 26 -- Certain countries should stop playing up the issue of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea as it has never been a problem, Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan has said. Speaking at the 6th China-ASEAN Defence Ministers Informal Meeting in the Lao capital on Wednesday, Chang noted that the traditional and non-traditional security threats of the region are still prominent while the awareness of regional community of destiny is increasing. China will stick to the road of peaceful development, never ease its efforts to push for regional cooperation, never waver on its sincerity to resolve disputes peacefully and coordinately, and never shirk its responsibility to protect regional peace and stability, the Chinese defense minister stressed. To further boost defense and security cooperation between China and ASEAN, the Chinese army hopes to hold a joint drill with the armies of the ASEAN countries in the South China Sea at an early date, including code on unplanned encounters at sea, the minister said. China is willing to further boost the anti-terrorism cooperation between the two sides and push forward the exchange and cooperation between its Southern Theater Command and the armies of ASEAN countries, said Chang. Regarding the so-called issue of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, Rear Admiral Guan Youfei, director of the Office for International Military Cooperation of the Chinese Central Military Commission, said the issue itself is a false proposition. Guan told the media after the meeting that over 100,000 vessels pass through the South China Sea each year, and none has claimed to have encountered any hindrance, trouble or danger. The situation points to the fact that freedom of navigation is never threatened in the South China Sea and therefore not a problem. China has always respected and defended all countries' freedom of navigation and fly-over in the South China Sea and other places in the world according to the international law, he said. As to the South China Sea arbitration initiated by the Philippines, Guan insisted that the Chinese government will not accept or participate in the case and will not recognize or implement the result whatever it might be. Peace, development, cooperation and win-win have become the trend of the times, he said, calling on all concerned parties to follow the trend and play a constructive role in maintaining regional peace, stability, development and prosperity. The 6th China-ASEAN defense ministers' Informal Meeting was held Wednesday after the 10th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting. ISLAMABAD, Pakistan Pakistan officially confirmed the death of the former Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour for the first time on Thursday, five days after the American drone strike that killed him on Pakistani soil, raising diplomatic tensions. The official announcement came from Sartaj Aziz, the chief foreign affairs adviser to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, at a news conference in Islamabad. All indicators confirm that the person killed in the drone strike was Mullah Akhtar Mansour, who was traveling on a fake identity, Mr. Aziz said. The DNA test will also be available in a day or two. Denying earlier reports, including from the Taliban, that the body of the insurgent leader had been handed over to his relatives, Mr. Aziz said the body was still in the custody of the Pakistani authorities and would be handed over after the results of DNA testing were in. In recent days, even after the United States, Afghanistan and the Taliban had all confirmed the death, Pakistani officials had maintained that they were still trying to confirm that Mullah Mansour was among the two people killed in the strike on Saturday, in a remote corner of Baluchistan Province. Pentagon officials said the Americans were not involved in any combat role on the ground. A Syrian militia commander told the photographer that the American troops had fired missiles from the rooftop of a house to destroy a booby-trapped car in the village, a characterization that Pentagon officials challenged. We have been conducting advise-and-assist operations with elements of the Syrian Democratic Forces for many weeks, Col. Steve Warren, the chief military spokesman in Baghdad, said in an email. Nothing has changed in our relationships or our distance from the front lines of combat. Colonel Warren said the American commandos in the photographs were operating east of the Euphrates River, an area where he said Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters had been operating. FRANKFURT The debate in Germany over Chancellor Angela Merkels open-door policy toward the flood of asylum-seekers in the past year has played out in street demonstrations, beer halls and on the floor of Parliament. Now, the curators of the countrys pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale are weighing in, with an exhibition focusing on ways to integrate and house migrants. The show at the Biennale, which opens Saturday, titled Making Heimat. Germany, Arrival Country, makes a case for continuing Germanys welcome culture by presenting case studies and success stories, as well as an inventory of projects to provide shelter for migrants in Germany and elsewhere. The word Heimat can be roughly translated as homeland, and the pavilion posits it as a fluid concept that must be established through policy, culture and of course, architecture. Merkels selfie with a refugee in September was this iconic image of Germanys openness, so this was our starting point for the pavilion, said Peter Cachola Schmal, the director of the German Architecture Museum in Frankfurt, which was commissioned by the German Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety to curate the exhibition. Featuring works from 37 countries and running until Nov. 27, this years Biennale is curated by the Pritzker Prize winner Alejandro Aravena under the theme of Reporting From the Front, which the Biennale describes as bringing to a broader audience, what it is like to improve the quality of life while working on the margins, under tough circumstances. The novice photographer often took portraits of women her own age, toting packages or children. Married at 18 and now the mother of two young daughters, Diane recognized children for what they were: not the spun-sugar creations of adult fantasies, but suspicious, skeptical, forlorn, dreamy or furious creatures inhabiting their own sphere. In late 1956, she was feeling not only burdened but also fragile so light and insubstantial that she could blow away. She photographed the tracery of dead leaves on autumnal trees, a flyaway newspaper tumbling down a dark street, a discarded Raggedy Ann doll on the ground. Diane frequented the usual hunting grounds for New York street photographers: 57th Street near Fifth Avenue, Central Park, Coney Island and the Lower East Side. Unlike most of her peers, however, she wasnt snaring her subjects unawares. She captured them at the moment that they looked up and saw her shooting. Late in her life, she praised a magazine picture in which a photographer clicked the shutter as a man fired a gun at him. It was like the ultimate photograph, she said, because it was the proof that he was shot. From the very beginning of her career, she was taking photographs to obtain a vital proof a corroboration of her own existence. The pattern was set early. When she was 15, she described to a friend how she would undress at night in her lit bathroom and watch an old man across the courtyard watch her (until his wife complained). She not only wanted to see, she needed to be seen. As a street photographer, she dressed at times in something attention-grabbing, like a fake leopard-skin coat. She didnt blend into the background, she jumped out of it. And she fascinated her subjects. People were interested in Diane, just as interested in her as she was in them, John Szarkowski, a longtime director of photography at the Museum of Modern Art, once told me. That immense seductiveness was essential, because she relied on others responses to feel alive. She puzzled her close friend Pati Hill by asking what it was simply like to be happy, as if she, on the other hand, had not experienced this emotion and wished to, Hill recalled to me in 2011. As if it were cigarettes or a hay ride. In later years, when Diane was seeing a psychotherapist, she complained how she had felt so little throughout her life. Childbirth and menstruation were the two experiences that gave her a twinge of joy, she confided, because they provided intense feeling and physical evidence of her being. The lively interaction between Arbus and her subjects is what sustained her. Her reflection in the eyes of others formed her self-image. There is a commonly held misperception that her explorations in the margins of society, communing with professional freaks and mentally unbalanced eccentrics, deepened her depressions and contributed to her suicide in 1971. The opposite is closer to the truth. Diane was absolutely delighted by the people that she met, the painter and art director Marvin Israel, who was a central figure in her life, said in a 1972 radio interview. And perhaps the one thing that gave her total enthusiasm and energy was the possibility of finding more of these people. The story in Cleverman, a six-part drama that begins Wednesday, June 1, on SundanceTV, is inspired by Australian Aboriginal folklore, but this unusual series has allegories relevant to just about anywhere. In the near future, a particular race is singled out for oppression and relegated to a sector known as the Zone. In this case, that race is known as the Hairies, a descriptive name indeed. Some people view the treatment of Hairies as a human-rights atrocity, but the cultural resistance to equality is strong and ingrained: When a young Hairy dies during a police raid, the headline on the TV news reads, Subhuman Minor Killed. The series is a science-fiction story that soon becomes a superhero story and this superhero is Aboriginal that is drawing considerable attention in Australia, where racism toward indigenous populations is deep-seated. Music and Its Message To the Editor: In his review of The Noise of Time, by Julian Barnes (May 15), Jeremy Denk undermines his own argument against the statement that you cannot lie in music. Characters in opera certainly lie, but the lying is in their words, which the music transmits truthfully. If it failed to do so, we wouldnt believe that the characters were lying: Iago would be deceiving only himself. To prove that instrumental music, like a symphony, lies would be a laborious project indeed. TILDEN RUSSELL NEW HAVEN The writer is a professor emeritus of music at Southern Connecticut State University. To the Editor: Jeremy Denks review reflects the struggle by critics, both musical and political, over whether Shostakovichs music contained messages to the outside, particularly his Fifth Symphony, written after his opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk was denounced in Pravda as muddle instead of music. At one point Denk asserts that music is reticent about meaning, although he later adds that music can be an intentional lie. In the Soviet Union, art and politics were tightly combined under the flag of realism. If Shostakovich was communicating his beliefs via music (as his son and others have asserted), he was doing exactly what Nikolai Bukharin did during the last of the Moscow show trials in 1938. Bukharin was in part the model for Rubashov, the hero of Arthur Koestlers Darkness at Noon. Accused of the most enormous crimes (counterrevolution, espionage, wrecking), Bukharin had no choice but to plead guilty to the sum total of crimes, while simultaneously adding numerous phrases clearly meant as messages to the outside like whether or not I took a direct part in any particular act; using terms like palace coups and Caesarism; and, reaching for the heights of absurdity, I am afraid of making an error from the entire material. What are your favorite books about New England, or about Nantucket specifically? Even before writing Mayflower, Id come to regard William Bradfords Of Plymouth Plantation as the fundamental book about the region. My favorite book about Nantucket is the 1835 novel Miriam Coffin; Or, The Whale-Fishermen, by Joseph Hart. The book is an essential historical source (which Herman Melville used when writing Moby-Dick) masquerading as a melodramatic potboiler. What moves you most in a work of literature? A sense of what it was like to be alive in a different time and place. It still astonishes me that the written word is capable of placing us in another persons shoes. Who is your favorite fictional hero or heroine? Your favorite antihero or villain? Its got to be Ishmael (hes so funny, curious and empathetic) and Ahab (damaged, demented and terrifyingly charismatic) from Moby-Dick. What kind of reader were you as a child? Which childhood books and authors stick with you most? In elementary school I read every book about World War I and II that I could get my hands on: Ted Lawsons Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, Paul Brickhills The Great Escape, Robert Donovans PT 109. The one very notable exception was Mark Twains Huckleberry Finn, which I read in sixth or seventh grade. Hucks voice seemed so real, and the scenes on the river were mesmerizing for a kid from Pittsburgh. Whats your favorite book to recommend to children? For the very young, theres nothing better than Mother Goose and anything by Dr. Seuss for the rhythms and language. Once they get to reading chapter books, theres Esther Forbess Johnny Tremain and then its on to Harry Potter. What book did you hate reading as a student? I hated the fact that I had to read Moby-Dick as a senior in high school. My father was an English professor at the University of Pittsburgh who taught (and raved about) Melvilles novel just about every year, and the last thing I wanted to do as a 17-year-old in 1974 was read what I assumed was an incredibly tedious and boring book. I ended up loving it, of course, but didnt enjoy having to admit that my father had been right all along. If you could require the president to read one book, what would it be? I dont know how you could not recommend Machiavellis The Prince, but if she or he has already read that classic Id recommend two Shakespeare plays: Julius Caesar and Coriolanus both political cautionary tales. THE first tweet arrived as cryptic code, a signal to the army of the alt-right that I barely knew existed: Hello ((Weisman)). @CyberTrump was responding to my recent tweet of an essay by Robert Kagan on the emergence of fascism in the United States. Care to explain? I answered, intuiting that my last name in brackets denoted my Jewish faith. What, ho, the vaunted Ashkenazi intelligence, hahaha! CyberTrump came back. Its a dog whistle, fool. Belling the cat for my fellow goyim. With the cat belled, the horde was unleashed. The anti-Semitic hate, much of it from self-identified Donald J. Trump supporters, hasnt stopped since. Trump God Emperor sent me the Nazi iconography of the shiftless, hooknosed Jew. I was served an image of the gates of Auschwitz, the famous words Arbeit Macht Frei replaced without irony with Machen Amerika Great. Holocaust taunts, like a path of dollar bills leading into an oven, were followed by Holocaust denial. The Jew as leftist puppet master from @DonaldTrumpLA was joined by the Jew as conservative fifth columnist, orchestrating war for Israel. That one came from someone who tagged himself a proud future member of the Trump Deportation Squad. The imaginings by my tormentors of me as an Orthodox Jew in wide-brimmed hat and Hasidic garb were, of course, laughable. The truth is, I have become largely disconnected from Jewish life and faith over the years, and like many American Jews I have been lulled into complacency. Our politics have dispersed between the parties. Our coreligionists grace our movie screens, lead the cities of Los Angeles and Chicago, help oversee the Senate Intelligence Committee, succeed without apology, but also struggle like everyone else. National Theater, London (through June 15) SEATS 111 The shows European premiere is the third production of The Flick overseen by David Zinn, a Tony Award nominee this year for his set design of The Humans. The chairs in London are the same he used for the shows 2013 premiere at Playwright Horizons there were 105 seats there and for its commercial transfer last year at the Barrow Street Theater, which featured 77 seats. They came from the Great Eastern Seating Company, a Pennsylvania company that sells new and used chairs. We added some gum to them in the front row, but all that wear is how they came, which is why we love it so much, Mr. Zinn said. Its nice to know that theres a warehouse somewhere filled with dirty movie theater seats. The on-set projector, flown overseas after being used at Barrow Street, proved to be a challenge, and not just because London theaters run on a different voltage than those in the United States. Whats complicated is that we are asking a film projector to behave unlike a film projector: Start immediately and shut off immediately, he explained. We had to Frankenstein projectors together to allow that to happen. Although the restaurant is open, the blinds are barely turned, the gold-seamed curtains drawn. Its been like this since 2008, when Aissata Kaba, a native of Guinea, took over this corner storefront across from an overgrown lot in the South Bronx that is still waiting for the city to make it a park. But now the windows are framed in winking neon ellipses. The dusty burgundy awning has given way to three-dimensional letters glowing over bands of flame. The restaurant, once called Bate, after the region in Upper Guinea where Ms. Kaba grew up, has been reborn as Nabaya, loosely translated on the menu as where everyone is welcome. (Both names appear on the sign outside.) According to Emily Lynn Osborn, an associate professor of African history at the University of Chicago, nabaya was a policy established in Bate in the 18th century to draw settlers with the promise of land and arranged marriages. Here the enticements are photographs of food, posted in the windows and bearing only a faint resemblance (ignore the eerily symmetrical cheeseburger) to what is found within. For years, Ms. Kaba cooked breakfast at Sylvias in Harlem and catered from her home, often cooking for the local mosque. Her menu here is best understood as a wish list; on my visits, only a few dishes were ever available. A young woman in Chinas Zhejiang province recently received a special birthday gift. Her father, in order to keep a promise he made to her, rode 328 kilometers on bicycle to see her, anhuinews.com reported on Wednesday. The girl, Wang Yixian, will graduate from Zhejiang University of Technology this summer. Her father, Wang Jinlong, once promised her that he would ride his bicycle to visit her before she graduated. In order to keep his word, Wang Jinlong started his trip on April 13, together with three friends from Ma'anshan, Anhui province. The 328-kilometer journey took him two and a half days to complete. He finally arrived in Hangzhou on April 15, his daughter's birthday. In order to arrive on time, he had to ride about 150 kilometers every day. Wang Jinlong was diagnosed with a fatty liver when he was young. In order to get healthier, he started to run and cycle. To prepare for the trip to Hangzhou, the 50-something man intensified his exercise regime a month ago. Moved by what her father did, Wang Yixian gave him a big hug after his arrival. She also shared the story on social media. Wang Yixian said her father really encouraged her with this special birthday gift. He wants her to stubbornly pursue her dreams after graduation. On Wednesday, about 80 female students slept on the playground of Wuhan University of Technology Huaxia College, attracting the eyes of lots of people. It was an activity organized by a mental health association of the university. The organizer said that the activity aimed to call for students' attention to sleep quality since staying up late is prevalent among university students. Josh Haner/The New York Times Maternity care and childbirth cost far more in the United States than in other developed countries, but studies show that their citizens do not have less access to care during pregnancy than Americans. Read Article Villagers searched for their belongings in the rubble of their homes on Wednesday in the village of Barpak, Nepal. Daniel Berehulak for The New York Times Women You can be fined for wearing a cloak that is too tight ($25), not wearing socks or gloves ($30), possessing a pack of cigarettes ($23) or showing your eyes ($10). The rules of social behavior dictated by the Islamic State are often the most strictly enforced. As the group has lost territory, it has created new rules and even allowed people to pay additional fines in lieu of corporal punishment for some violations in order to get more money out of the population it still controls. Farmers You can be taxed for each irrigated hectare of farmland ($46 per year), the wheat you produce (10 percent) and any crops you sell at your local market. You can also be punished if your sheep wear bells (sheep confiscated). At least 30 percent of the Islamic States taxation revenue comes from agriculture. The militants also confiscate farming equipment, which farmers then have to rent. Non-Sunnis You can be required to pay for a certificate of repentance if you are a Shiite or non-Muslim ($200-$2,500) and renew it four times a year. Certificates used to be valid for a year, but the renewal period was shortened as pressure to find new revenue increased. Former civil servants or police officers who worked for the government before the Islamic State took control are also required to obtain certificates of repentance. Residents of Raqqa You can be fined for smoking a cigarette ($25) or installing a satellite dish ($50). To leave the city, you have to pay a fee ($800), and you can be punished if you do not return within 15 days (property confiscated). Regulations usually originate in Raqqa, the Islamic States de facto capital. It is then up to the governors of other regions in the groups territory to set taxes and fines for their areas. In Falluja, for example, it costs $1,000 to leave the city. Drivers You can be fined if your car does not have an official Islamic State license plate ($43), for failing to correctly answer religious questions at checkpoints ($20), for giving a ride to violators ($23 per passenger) or for driving on the wrong side of the road ($25). COLUMBIA, S.C. Republican Gov. Nikki Haley signed legislation Wednesday that immediately outlaws most abortions in South Carolina at 20 weeks beyond fertilization. The only exceptions are if the mothers life is in jeopardy or a doctor determines the fetus cant survive outside the womb. Doctors face up to $10,000 in fines and 3 years in prison for each violation; prison time is mandatory on a third conviction. These bans are now in effect in at least 13 states and blocked by court challenges in several others. South Dakotas ban takes effect July 1. Women nationwide have the right to obtain abortions under the U.S. Supreme Courts 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, which said states could restrict abortions after viability the point when a fetus has a reasonable chance of surviving outside the uterus. Viability is usually placed at about seven months (28 weeks) but may occur earlier, even at 24 weeks, the ruling said. The Supreme Court has yet to rule on bans that would limit even earlier abortions. As in other states, South Carolinas law ties the fetus age to conception, rather than a womens monthly cycle. But since this date cannot be scientifically pinpointed, the ban actually refers to what doctors consider a gestational age of 22 weeks. Supporters of the bill cite the disputed claim that a fetus can feel pain at 20 weeks. Opponents say later-term abortions usually happen with wanted pregnancies that go horribly wrong. The reality is that abortion later in pregnancy is extremely rare and often takes place in complex and difficult situations where a woman and her doctor need every medical option available, said Alyssa Miller, a Planned Parenthood spokeswoman for South Carolina. South Carolinas definition of fetal anomaly makes it illegal to abort a fetus with a severe disability if the child could live. Such anomalies are generally detected around 20 weeks. Advocates for abortion rights contend these measures are aimed at restricting womens access to a safe, legal abortion. The sponsor of South Carolinas law, state Rep. Wendy Nanney, said the killing needs to stop, and sees this law as a step to eventually get rid of abortion altogether. Haleys signature comes only days after Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin vetoed legislation to outlaw the procedure at any stage, by making it a felony for doctors to perform an abortion. Fallin, a Republican who opposes abortion, said the measure would not withstand a legal challenge. Abortion-rights supporters rallied Tuesday at the Statehouse to ask Haley to veto the measure. But Haleys signature was no surprise. Im strongly pro-life, very pro-life and not because my party tells me to be, but my husband was adopted, and so every day I know the blessings of having him there, Haley said during her 2010 campaign for governor. As a House member that year, Haley voted to end abortion coverage for victims of rape and incest in the state health plan for employees. The Senate defeated that proposal. In 2012, Haley signed a bill intended to ensure that a fetus surviving an abortion attempt is not treated as medical waste. It defined a person as anyone who is breathing and has a beating heart after birth, whether by labor, cesarean section, or abortion, copying a 2002 federal law enforceable on federal property. The ban would affect only hospitals, since none of the three abortion clinics in South Carolina provide abortions beyond 15 weeks. On average, fewer than 30 abortions yearly are performed at 20 weeks gestation or beyond in South Carolina, according to data since 1990 from the states public health agency. Most of these women have been white, married and older than 24, according to the agency. A week after a group of protesters disrupted the viewing of a film about Israeli soldiers on the UC Irvine campus, three dozen Jewish organizations signed a letter to the UCI chancellor Wednesday condemning the incident and asking the administration to take action. The signers said they are deeply concerned about the long-standing and pervasive problem of anti-Semitic anti-Zionism that has incited hatred of Jews and acts of aggression and violence against Jewish and pro-Israel students on the Irvine campus. They want UCI to enforce the UC Regents recently adopted statement of principles against intolerance, which condemns anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination. Led by the Amcha Initiative, a group that documents and combats anti-Semitism on college campuses, the signers include UCIs Students Supporting Israel. UCI Chancellor Howard Gillman responded that the university is taking the May 18 incident very seriously. But the characterization of pervasive anti-Semitism on campus is wrong, he said. We are consistently praised for our efforts at creating an outstanding environment for our Jewish students, Gillman said. Our Jewish students have become so frustrated by the false and malicious characterizations of their experiences on our campus that they have posted their own YouTube video to try to correct the record. On May 18, 40 to 50 students demonstrated outside a classroom where about 10 members of UCIs Students Supporting Israel were watching a film about Israeli soldiers. The Jewish students felt trapped and pulled on the door to keep it closed from the protesters, who chanted anti-Israel messages, such as Long live the intifada, as well as profanities against police. Police arrived and escorted the Jewish students to their cars after the film. Gillman responded with a campus-wide message saying the incident crossed the line of civility and the administration will investigate whether disciplinary or legal action will follow. Concerns about anti-Semitism at UCI have been aired since at least 2010, when a protest led by Muslim students resulted in a rare prosecution and conviction of the protesters. But Lisa Armony, executive director of the Hillel Foundation of Orange County, said UCI is very misinterpreted. Armony was at the film screening and she called what happened both anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist. But that doesnt mean UCI or its administration are either, and they shouldnt be blamed for the actions of a few, she said. There is anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism on college campuses throughout the country. I dont think its fair to characterize UCI as an anti-Semitic campus, Armony said. Another Jewish organization, The Rohr Chabad, is holding a festive Jewish pride rally on campus around noontime today in response to last weeks incident. Pro-Palestinian advocates including UCIs Jewish Voice for Peace say last weeks incident has been blown out of proportion and used as propaganda by pro-Israel groups. The UCI protesters were exercising their free speech rights and no one violated the law or university regulations, they said. Contact the writer: 714-796-7829 or rkopetman@ocregister.com SACRAMENTO State lawmakers are directing the state auditor to assess potential fraud in the program that gives out parking permits for the disabled. Theyre concerned that too many California drivers are acquiring special parking permits that allow people to bypass parking rules. The Joint Legislative Audit Committee approved the audit of the Department of Motor Vehicles program 12-0 Wednesday. The request followed a KXTV Sacramento report that said about 2.5 million people or about one in nine California drivers had a disability placard. Republican Assemblyman Eric Linder of Corona and Democratic Assemblyman Mike Gatto of Glendale requested the audit. They say doctors often refuse to justify placards they approve to protect patients personal information. Investigators will review a sample of existing placards as well as DMV protocols for preventing abuse. LONDON On Dec. 29, 1170, four knights loyal to King Henry II crept up on the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, in the citys cathedral and murdered him with their swords after he clashed with the monarch. More than eight centuries later, a bone fragment believed to be from Beckets elbow traveled this week from Esztergom Basilica in Hungary, where it had been kept for centuries, back to England, where it will make several stops before returning to the site of his assassination. Medieval scholars say the reasons for how and why the bone fragment wound up in Hungary are still a matter of debate. But at a time when Britain is contemplating whether to leave the European Union and Hungary is being accused of failing to uphold European values, the relics journey to England is being touted as a symbol of European unity. It is also seen as a testament to reconciliation between the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. This is a chance for Hungary to show its European values, said Naomi Howell, an associate research fellow in medieval studies at the University of Exeter in England. It is also a symbol of the ongoing reconciliation of the Catholic Church and the Church of England, and the healing of the wounds still felt from the Protestant Reformation. Hampton Court Palace, where King Henry VIII broke off ties with the papacy in 1530 to divorce his first wife, held its first Roman Catholic service in more than 450 years in February. (He married his mistress, Anne Boleyn, whom he later beheaded.) Becket had been a dear friend of King Henry II, with whom he played chess and hunted. But after he became archbishop of Canterbury, he resisted the monarchs attempts to tame the churchs power. The knights, thinking the king wanted the archbishop dead, killed him. Becket was canonized in 1173, and he became one of the most revered saints in England. His shrine in Canterbury Cathedral became a popular pilgrimage site, and it was immortalized in Geoffrey Chaucers Canterbury Tales, which followed the journey of a group of pilgrims to his tomb. In medieval times, Beckets bones were viewed as having mystical powers. According to legend, they could stop dogs from barking, and they cured a man who said he had suffered for 30 years from nocturnal attacks by a demon called the Incubus. In another account of Beckets prowess, a young girl who misplaced some cheese and who feared being beaten for the transgression prayed to Becket, who was said to have led her back to it, according to William MacLehose, a lecturer in the history of science and medicine at University College London. The journey of the bone relic, which is held in a gold case, was celebrated Monday with a Holy Mass at Westminster Cathedral in London attended by President Janos Ader of Hungary and Cardinal Peter Erdo, archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest. Along its journey, the elbow fragment will be temporarily reunited with a piece of Beckets skull normally kept at Stonyhurst College in northern England before stopping at Rochester Cathedral on Friday and Canterbury Cathedral on Saturday. It will then return to Hungary. Beckets murder has long captured the popular imagination in Britain and around the world. T.S. Eliot depicted the archbishops assassination in a verse drama, Murder in The Cathedral, in 1935. In 1964, Richard Burton starred as the archbishop in the film Becket, alongside Peter OToole, who played King Henry II. In Hungary, Becket was viewed as a potent emblem of resistance to state oppression in the communist era. Mystery surrounds the question of how Beckets remains ended up in Hungary. Howell said a leading theory is that the elbow fragment was taken to Hungary by Bishop Lukacs Banfi, who had studied with Becket in Paris and who was helped by Margaret of France, Henry IIs daughter-in-law. In any case, its presence in Hungary helped protect it when the shrine containing part of Beckets remains was destroyed during the Reformation in England, when the Catholic practice of revering saints was castigated. SAN DIEGO A California man was sentenced to 26 years in prison Wednesday for killing his girlfriend in Panama, dismembering her body with a machete and disposing of her remains in the jungle. Brian Brimager had entered a guilty plea to second-degree murder, saying he stabbed 42-year-old Yvonne Lee Baldelli of Dana Point in the back before disposing of her remains on a Panamanian island where the couple lived for two months in 2011. Just hours after killing Baldelli, the ex-Marine, formerly based at Camp Pendleton sent an email to a friend, saying: Hey bro, whatcha up to? I got stories for days. Im living on an island off the coast of panama loving life and living semper free!!!!!! He later joked on a social media post that he had a machete for sale that had only been used once to dismember someone and was almost like new, according to the prosecution. Brimager withdrew money from Baldellis account after her death and sent emails on her laptop to make friends and family members think the Orange County woman was still traveling, according to court documents. He also admitted to killing her two dogs and disposing of a blood-stained mattress, clothing and jewelry. A Panamanian citizen found her skeletal remains inside a backpack in 2013. During the hearing, Brimager, 40, faced her family and said he was sorry. Baldellis sister, Michelle Faust, told the court: Today we got an apology a hollow last-minute attempt to save himself. Last night we talked about forgiveness. But forgiveness is for those who repent, not for those who cover their crimes, not for those who confess only when their backs against the wall. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey T. Miller said he handed down 26 years because the crime was so horrific. This murder was particularly cruel and depraved, he said. The lengths Mr. Brimager went to avoid detection were particularly brazen and ultimately shattering to the Bardelli family. I dare say they will never recover. A day may never go by without them thinking of Ms. Baldellis murder and the images seared into their psyches. Prosecutors told the court that witnesses in Panama saw Brimager beating, punching, choking and threatening to kill Baldelli numerous times. The evidence showed that he broke her teeth and nose and stabbed her multiple times before dragging her to the shower, where he dismembered her body, according to court documents. He then put her remains in a military-style duffel bag and garbage bags, hiked more than a mile on the island in the jungle and threw them down an embankment, according to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Conover said Brimager killed Baldelli because she discovered that he had a girlfriend and daughter in San Diego. After he returned from Panama, Brimager married his girlfriend in San Diego, Conover said. When evaluating important medical decisions, health care professionals ought to consider what is best for their patients. When evaluating important policy decisions, legislators ought to consider what is best for their constituents. These two realms are currently converging in Sacramento, where two bills are making their way through the Legislature that would expand the scope of practice of nurse practitioners (Senate Bill 323) and optometrists (SB622). While perhaps well-intentioned, these pieces of legislation pose real risks to the health of Californians. By expanding the authority of nurse practitioners and optometrists to make key health care decisions and perform medical and surgical procedures that they have neither the qualifications for nor the regulatory oversight to perform, we create the potential for harm to our citizens. In California, all physicians, including primary care doctors and ophthalmologists, answer to the Medical Board of California, which establishes uniform standards of care and ensures that our residents have confidence that a standard of medical care will be upheld no matter which physician attends to them. If these bills were to pass, NPs and optometrists would answer not to the Medical Board, but to the Board of Registered Nursing and the State Board of Optometry, respectively. However, none of the individuals on these boards have the requisite experience on the care and procedures that they would be responsible for regulating. Considering the complications that can occur during or as a result of such care and procedures, the lack of appropriate regulatory oversight should be extremely troubling for lawmakers and make both bills nonstarters. These boards dont exist for the fun of having them. They play a crucial role in giving Californians every assurance that the care they receive is of the highest caliber. When neither the health care professional performing the procedure nor the board to which they are accountable can adequately evaluate what decisions or actions are safe and effective, then they should not be allowed to critically impact the collective health of Californians. Without reliable and consistent standards, patients are subject to unacceptable uncertainty and risk. Proponents of SB323 and SB622 have argued (over the past several years) that the ever-growing population of newly insured individuals under the Affordable Care Act requires that health care professionals do more to support the additional burden on the health care system. In reality, however, they are asking us to take shortcuts. The ACA was intended to improve the quality of health care in addition to access, not improve one at the expense of the other. These bills irresponsibly put the health of Californians on the line by granting practice and surgical authority to individuals underqualified based on education and training. There have been previous attempts to push these or similar bills through the Legislature, but legislators have smartly rejected them. The fact that they continue to resurface demonstrates a failure to recognize the risks to public safety. The best interests of Californians are served by voting down SB323 and SB622 yet again. James J. Strebig, M.D., F.A.C.P. is a board-certified physician practicing in Irvine and the California Medical Associations Board of Trustees representative for Orange County. To a large extent, the Constitution assumes that government officials will act in good faith, and there often is no remedy when they fail to do so, even when it violates the Constitution. Literally, every day I am asked why there cannot be a lawsuit to force the U.S. Senate to hold hearings and to vote on the Supreme Court nomination of Merrick Garland. I believe that Republican senators are violating their constitutional duty in refusing even to consider Judge Garlands nomination, but there is nothing a court can do about it. To begin with, there are insurmountable procedural obstacles to bringing such a suit. In order to sue in federal court, there must be a plaintiff who has standing to sue. This requires that there be a person who has been injured, whose injury has been caused by the defendant and whose injury would be remedied by a favorable federal court decision. Perhaps Garland could sue and claim he is injured by the Senates inaction, though he surely will not sue. Other than him, it is hard to think of anyone who could meet the injury requirement. Also, unfortunately, there is no one who can be sued. Members of Congress and, for that matter, state legislatures and even local legislative bodies, cannot be sued for money damages or for injunctive relief for their legislative action or inaction. They have what the Supreme Court has termed absolute immunity from suit. The Constitution in Article I, section 6, says that the choices of members of Congress in speech or debate shall not be questioned in any other place. This has been interpreted broadly to prevent suits against lawmakers for anything done in a legislative capacity. Nor can the Senate or the government be sued and named as a defendant. The principle of sovereign immunity applies here and protects the government, and its branches, from suit. Although there are limited exceptions to sovereign immunity where a federal law authorizes a suit, none applies here. Even if these obstacles could be overcome, the federal courts surely would dismiss the case as a political question. Throughout American history, the Supreme Court has said that some alleged constitutional violations are for the other branches of government, not the courts, to resolve. For example, the court, at times, has dismissed challenges to the presidents conduct of foreign policy as raising political questions. Over two dozen lawsuits were filed, arguing that the Vietnam War was unconstitutional because the president was waging war without a congressional declaration of war. All of these lawsuits were dismissed. More recently, the court has ruled that challenges to partisan gerrymandering where the political party that controls the legislature draws election districts to maximize safe seats for that party are political questions that the courts cannot resolve. A court undoubtedly would say that the challenge to the Senate Judiciary Committee for failing to hold hearings and to the Senate for failing to take a vote on Judge Garland is a political question. Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution says that each house determines the rules for its own proceedings. But even if all of these obstacles could be overcome, what could a federal court do? In theory, it could order the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold hearings on Judge Garland. Even assuming that the Republican senators would comply and hold more than a sham hearing, then what? Could a court really order the Judiciary Committee to take a vote, or force the entire Senate to vote on Garland? It would be unprecedented for a court to force a legislative body to hold a vote and would raise obvious separation-of-powers problems. Ultimately, though, Senate Republicans even if they were willing to comply could simply vote no on Garland. Is there any limit on the ability of the Senate to do this? What if Hillary Clinton is elected president, and the Republicans keep control of the Senate? Could the Senate refuse to confirm a Supreme Court nominee for the next two or even four years? Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done to force a confirmation, now or ever. The hope must be that the political costs of such obstructionism make it highly unlikely. Ultimately, this aspect of governing, like so much, depends on the good faith of the officeholders. I believe that Senate Republicans are acting in bad faith in refusing to hold a hearing and a vote on Merrick Garland. Someday, when the situation is reversed, they will rue their choice. Alas, though, the Supreme Court just will have to function for the rest of this term and likely most of next with only eight justices. Erwin Chemerinsky is dean of the UC Irvine School of Law. Robert Grant will step down as chief executive of Alphaeon, an Irvine-based lifestyle health care company he founded in 2013. Robert Grant, as founder, is transitioning from his CEO role at Alphaeon to focus more on Strathspey Crown activities, stated Bill Link, chairman of Alphaeons board in a post Wednesday at eyewiretoday.com. In a statement, Link said he and the board of directors will begin looking for a suitable successor immediately. Grant, an ophthalmic industry veteran, founded Alphaeon as a subsidiary of Strathspey Crown LLC, a private equity firm in Newport Beach. Though planned for some time, Grants transition will be completed by June 30th. SAN CLEMENTE Leaders of the Save San Clemente Hospital Foundation are asking a judge to issue a court order to bar Tuesdays planned closure of the 73-bed hospital that provides emergency room services for the southern end of Orange County. Drs. Gus Gialamas and Steve Cullen, along with local resident Terri Anne Plunkett, filed suit Monday in Orange County Superior Court against the Orange County Emergency Medical Services agency and the California Department of Public Health. The lawsuit asks for a temporary restraining order and a permanent injunction to keep MemorialCare Health System from closing Saddleback Memorial San Clemente and its emergency room at 654 Camino de los Mares. Its the only emergency room over a nearly 40-mile area from Mission Viejo across Camp Pendleton to Oceanside. San Clemente officials have voiced concerns that losing it, at a time of worsening I-5 traffic and continuing population growth, would increase ambulance transport times and place further burdens on remaining emergency rooms already unable at times to accept new patients. Gialamas said other hospital providers have offered to purchase the San Clemente hospital but have been ignored, as best we know. Were on the eve of MemorialCare abandoning the community, he said. Were pleading with a judge who hopefully will see the value of lives over profit is a more important public benefit. Tony Struthers, hospital administrator, said Saddleback Memorials attorneys are reviewing the lawsuit and will respond. From my perspective, were still planning on closing the hospital, said Struthers, who has said the hospital was not viable. Spokespersons for the state Department of Public Health and Orange County EMS said the agencies cannot comment on pending litigation. The complaint says Orange County EMS was required to evaluate the impacts the closure would have on public access to emergency care. It states a resulting seven-page analysis was inadequate and the Department of Public Healths decision to allow the closure through inaction will cause irreparable harm to the community. Several statutory and regulatory requirements for obtaining the state departments approval of the closure were not met, the lawsuit claims. Struthers has said the citys decision to rezone the six-acre site to require an acute-care hospital makes it impossible to carry out a plan to provide more convenient, less-expensive comprehensive outpatient services with advanced urgent care. MemorialCare is suing the city, seeking to overturn the zoning restriction and carry out the plan. The City Council said it took the action in January to try to preserve critical emergency services. At a San Clemente City Council budget workshop Tuesday, council members discussed a need for expanded ambulance coverage to help make up for longer transport times to other emergency rooms, keeping San Clemente ambulances and emergency personnel out of service for longer periods. Mayor Bob Baker voiced concerns of increased mortality rates due to longer transport times. He praised recent months efforts by city staff, council members, state legislators and the public to keep alive the emergency room. Baker said May 31 will be a sad day in San Clemente. Its going to be a dangerous day, Councilman Chris Hamm said. ALAMEDA A San Francisco Bay Area distillery is making vodka out of a distinctly San Francisco ingredient: fog. Last week, Hangar 1 in Alameda released a first-of-its-kind vodka that has been cut and blended with water from San Francisco fog. The fog was gathered with fog catchers at Sutro Tower, in El Sobrante, in the Berkeley Hills and the citys Outer Sunset district. KPIX reports that head distiller Caley Shoemaker says 60 percent of vodka is water. Shoemaker says they chose to use fog to save water as California endures a fifth year of drought. Shoemaker says that Hangar 1 worked with FogQuest, a non-profit that installs fog-and rain-collection systems. Each collector captured between three and five liters per day of fog water for six months. Money from sales will go to water conservancy in the state. The millennial generation has surpassed the baby boomer generation as the United States largest living generation, says a new report from the Pew Research Center. This could be beneficial for the baby boomer generation, said Berna Torr, Cal State Fullerton associate professor of sociology. Because the millennial generation is now the largest, the number of young people in the workforce will outnumber the aging and retired population, which, in turn, means more support for the baby boomer generation, she said. The U.S. Census Bureau reports 75.4 million millennials are living in the country, compared with 74.9 million baby boomers. More broadly, I think it is a good thing, as it will help alleviate some of the issues that arise from having a smaller working-age population relative to older population, Torr said. Millennials are defined as individuals ages 18-34 in 2015; Generation X is defined as ages 35-50; and baby boomers are defined as ages 51-69. Because of a rise in the number of deaths in the baby boomer generation and a decline in the number of older immigrants, the millennial generation will continue to outnumber the older generation, Torr said. The baby boomer generation was so interesting because it was a specific period of really high fertility that created the baby boom, she said. This is not the case with the millennial generation. Instead of a baby boom, millennials large numbers come from a surge in immigration a significant portion of the generation are immigrants or children of immigrants. According to a 2014 White House report, about 15 percent of millennials were born outside the United States. This nearly matches the peak of about 20 percent in 1910, when the United States experienced its last sizable wave of immigration. (Millennials) are growing up in a world that is much more ethnically diverse than the baby boomers in the United States did, Torr said. As a result, they have much more varied experiences, contexts, cultural, religious and linguistic backgrounds, she said. Its diverse makeup makes the millennial generation more tolerant of diversity, less tolerant of discrimination and more open-minded about a whole range of social issues, Torr said. Millennials also are registering to vote at a rapid rate. I think the biggest influence might be in the political sphere, Torr said. I think we are definitely seeing that with the millennial support for Bernie Sanders. They tend to be less conservative as a whole. They are certainly a big and seemingly more politically active youthful generation. Technology plays a huge role in millennials lives; this generation has a stronger connection to technology than prior generations. The White House report states: While all generations have experienced technological advances, the sheer amount of computational power and access to information that millennials have had at their fingertips since grade-school is unparalleled. The way they think about the world and information is really different than in previous generations, Torr said. Millennials also have grown up in a different economic environment than older generations. The baby boomers came of age in this time of rapid expansion of the economy, Torr said. Federal and state funding for college was much more prominent during that time than it currently is, she said. College is almost required (for millennials), but we are de-investing, Torr said. There were huge sets of investments when the baby boomers were moving into college. Generation X, which has been dubbed the baby bust generation, is expected to surpass the baby boomer generation by 2028. When the baby bust was occurring and coming of age, people were very concerned about the dependency ratios, Torr said. There were really big concerns about whether this was going to be sustainable, she said. Now, with a generation that outnumbers the baby boomers, there could be a fix in sight. I think (millennials) will take some of the pressure off, Torr said. Contact the writer: amarcos@ocregister.com Re: Commencement condemnation? [Letters, May 26]: Apparently, Ted Stulz and Phil Enns have forgotten that the leading Democratic presidential candidate is Hillary Clinton. Hillary is claiming ignorance of the law in her email server not being secure. Since she is ahead in the race for the Democratic nomination, there must be a lot of Democrats who believe ignorance is a virtue. Jessie Baggerly Mission Viejo Letter-writer Ted Stulz commented about people expressing their partisan outrage over President Obamas ignorance is not a virtue statement during his address to the Rutgers graduates last Sunday. Apparently, Mr. Stulz seems to think everyone thought the president was referring to Donald Trump with his ignorance remark. I, on the other hand, knew immediately this statement was directed at Hillary. Rodger Clarke Santa Ana Funny, but I took President Obamas statement ignorance is not a virtue as his own self-indictment. How virtuous has his presidency been? Everyone has an opinion, Im sure. Bob Torres Orange By re-reading the speech, you will note that President Obama first referenced his minimum of knowledge upon election to the presidency. So, obviously, he was referring to his own ignorance, and that it was no virtue, as displayed in his divisive and failed two terms in office. Richard W. Lee Mission Viejo Trump for president Many people are asking themselves, Is Donald Trump the right candidate for me to support? Well, all you have to do is take a look at the protesters at his rallies in Albuquerque, Costa Mesa, Anaheim and so forth across the country. Once you figure out who is against him, youll know whether or not you should be for him. Michael R. Sumners Santa Ana A bitter divide over the Middle East could threaten Democratic Party unity as representatives of Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont vowed to upend what they see as the partys lopsided support of Israel. Two of the senators appointees to the partys platform drafting committee, Cornel West and James Zogby, on Wednesday denounced Israels occupation of the West Bank and Gaza and said they believed that rank-and-file Democrats no longer hewed to the partys staunch support of the Israeli government. They said they would try to get their views incorporated into the platform, the partys statement of core beliefs, at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in July. Justice for Palestinians cannot be attained without the lifting of the occupation, West, one of Sanders five representatives on the platform committee, said in an interview. West said that while he recognized the necessity to provide for the security of Jews, who for thousands of years have been a hated people, he thought that the platform needed to bring more balance to the plight of an occupied people. The presence of Zogby and West on the 15-member panel, which also has six appointees of Hillary Clinton and four from the party chairwoman, does not guarantee their views will prevail. But it raises the prospect that one of the partys most sensitive issues will be open to public debate while Clinton is in a fight to unify her party and appeal to voters turned off by Donald Trump. It also laid bare a steady shift in the Democratic Party, whose members have been less willing to back Israels government than in years past. According to a Pew Research Center survey in April, self-described liberal Democrats were twice as likely to sympathize with Palestinians over Israel than they were only two years ago. Forty percent of liberals sympathized more with Palestinians, the most since 2001, while 33 percent sympathized more with Israel. Sanders, who is Jewish, has himself criticized Israels military posture in the Palestinian territories, saying, among other things, that it used disproportionate force in responding to rockets launched from Hamas-controlled Gaza in 2014. I have always and will always be 100 percent supportive of Israels right to exist and live in peace and security, Sanders wrote in a statement. I also believe that lasting peace in the region will not occur without fair and respectful treatment of the Palestinian people. I believe that most Democrats agree with that position and that a strong consensus will be achieved at the Democratic National Convention. In the interview Wednesday, West, a public intellectual who is well known for his provocative statements he once called President Barack Obama a Rockefeller Republican in blackface went further than Sanders has gone. West accused the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, of war crimes and said that the role of money and lobbies makes it difficult for there to be a candid dialogue on Israel. Zogby, the president of the Arab American Institute, a veteran of Democratic politics and a longtime advocate of the rights of Palestinians, framed the drafting committees work as a healthy consensus-seeking mission. But it is one in which he depicted Sanders as having the leverage. Any honest assessment would say that the debate on this issue has shifted over the last 30 years and the platform has reflected that but lagged slightly behind, and its now time to catch up, he said in an interview. Clearly most Democrats agree. But we will see what happens. As a candidate, Clinton has been less inclined to criticize Israel, emphasizing that it had a right to defend itself. In a statement Wednesday, Jake Sullivan, Clintons chief foreign policy adviser, indicated that her appointees to the platform committee would resist Sanders attempt to shift the center of gravity on the Israel debate. Hillary Clintons views on Israel and the U.S.-Israel relationship are well documented, and shes confident that her delegates will work to ensure that the party platform reflects them, Sullivan said. The reaction was less reserved among those who champion a more traditional support for Israel. Malcolm Hoenlein, the executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, said he found the inclusion of West on the committee disturbing. He said that the presence of other representatives of Sanders on the platform committee, including U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, a Muslim who has supported the rights of Palestinians, raised concerns that the party could adopt positions that could be seen as hostile to Israel. For us, the concern is that it legitimizes and potentially puts into a major party platform a point of view that undermines the principles of the Israeli-U.S. relationship that have been bipartisan for decades, Hoenlein said. ( PARIS As if ordering room service, Andy Murrays latest unheralded French Open tormenter requested that a can of Coke and a Mars bar be brought to him right there on Court Philippe Chatrier for sustenance during their five-setter. Truth is, it was Murray who appeared in need of a jolt of some sort, especially while he was losing 16 points in a row during one stretch. I lost my way on the court today, Murray said, for quite a while. For now, Murray is still in the mix at Roland Garros, reaching the third round by coming from behind yet again to win 6-2, 2-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 on Wednesday against French wild-card entry Mathias Bourgue, who was playing in the second tour-level match of his life. The second-seeded Murray acknowledged he cant keep getting pushed to the limit if he has designs on adding a third Grand Slam title to his collection. I need to go and rest, said Murray, already on court for 10 sets and more than 7 hours. Its been a tough, tough few days. Sure has. Murray, three times a semifinalist in Paris, has never won consecutive five-set matches in any tournament. But he twice overcame a set deficit before edging 37-year-old qualifier Radek Stepanek, 3-6, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, 7-5, in a first-round match suspended by darkness Monday and completed Tuesday. Then, against Bourgue a 22-year-old buoyed by a partisan crowd that repeatedly regaled their man with standing ovations and jeered line calls that didnt go his way Murray dropped eight straight games, including that 16-point drought, and fell behind two sets to one. I couldnt believe it myself, Bourgue said. I was very happy. I was very proud. I knew I was on top of things at that point. Not surprisingly, it didnt last. This is, after all, someone who is ranked 164th. Someone who usually plays on the lower-tier Challenger tour and never before faced anyone ranked better than 55th. Someone who never before contested a fourth set and so leaned on advice from another French pro, Gilles Simon: If exhaustion sets in, ask for a soda and a candy bar (a ball boy eventually did bring Bourgue a drink and a Twix on Wednesday). To scout him, Murray asked some French players what they knew about Bourgue hes good on clay, they warned and watched video of his match from Monday. Not much else to go on. Murray is more familiar with his next opponent: No. 27 Ivo Karlovic, who hit 41 aces to beat Australian wild-card entry Jordan Thompson, 6-7 (2), 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (4), 12-10, and become, at 37, the oldest man to reach a majors third round since Jimmy Connors at the 1991 U.S. Open. Its the only time when being old is OK, Karlovic joked. Murray is 6-0 against the 6-foot-11 (2.11-meter) Karlovic. Physically, the average rally length will only be a few shots maybe three, four shots max. So thats a positive there, Murray said. At least I get a days rest now. But you cant continue playing matches like that and then expect to win the tournament. Not since Gaston Gaudio in 2004 has a man been taken to five sets in each of the French Opens first two rounds and gone on to lift the trophy. Most of the other top seeds in action Wednesday won in straight sets, including defending champion Stan Wawrinka, No. 5 Kei Nishikori, No. 8 Milos Raonic and the last two American men, No. 15 John Isner and No. 23 Jack Sock. Among the women, No. 2 Agnieszka Radwanska, No. 4 Garbine Muguruza, No. 10 Petra Kvitova, No. 11 Lucie Safarova and No. 19 Sloane Stephens advanced in two sets. For a segment of his 3 1/2 -hour match against Murray, Bourgue could do no wrong, whether with big swings from the baseline or perfect drop shots. He ended up with more winners, fewer unforced errors and more total points, 138-137. Its a pity I lost, Bourgue said. Bourgues level eventually dropped, but Murray deserves credit for limiting his own mistakes down the stretch. Murray made a combined 10 unforced errors over the last two sets, after having at least that many in each of the first three. When it was over, Murray looked at his guest box and pointed at his heart. Maybe not feeling or playing my best, Murray said, but found a way to win. BERLIN Chancellor Angela Merkels cabinet Wednesday backed a plan seeking to better integrate migrants, virtually assuring that Germany will move ahead with efforts designed to stop the creation of ethnic ghettos and compel refugees to learn German and European values. The plan is now expected to pass parliament this summer reflects wider questions across Europe on how to assimilate the huge flow of migrants and asylum seekers from the Middle East and beyond that overwhelmed the continent last year and continue to arrive despite attempts to curb the exodus. Germany has become a key test as both the nation handling the largest number of migrants and a center for debates over how to balance the needs of the new arrivals while safeguarding Western traditions and culture. The carrot-and-stick approach backed by Merkels ruling coalition is almost assured passage in parliament. The law creates new economic opportunities for migrants to find work, while taking benefits from those who fail to comply. Merkel hailed the bill as a milestone. We are a country that makes a good offer to those who come to us, to those who are fleeing war, persecution, terrorism, she said. But were also saying very clearly because we have learned from the past when we did not provide these integration opportunities that were also expecting people to accept this offer. Although the migrant waves have dramatically slowed following European steps to block sea and land routes, Germany still faces the prospect of managing and integrating more than a million newcomers. The most contentious aspect of the bill is the bid by the government to prevent the rise of new and larger ghettos in big cities across Germany. In places like Berlin and Hamburg, waves of guest workers from Turkey settled down in the 1960s and 1970s, with many them living and working in largely Muslim neighborhoods that critics say became isolated from mainstream German life. Under the new plan, refugees would be compelled to stay at least three years in the municipalities they were first assigned to when arriving in Germany unless they have a concrete job offer elsewhere. That could leave many migrants stranded in small towns and villages far away from the urban neighborhoods where refugees have tended to find easier prospects for jobs and community ties. Critics say the measure fails to recognize that such communities offer a soft landing for migrants, providing the chance to socialize with people who speak their own language and share their religious faiths. But the government counters that the new law will create employment for migrants in places across Germany by subsidizing the creation of 100,000 new jobs. At the same time, the new law will make it easier for private employers across Germany to hire refugees, meaning the newcomers could enjoy more economic prospects even in small- and medium-sized communities offering a better chance to assimilate into mainstream German life. This is the first time in Germany and I think we are also the pioneers in Europe that certain obligations are laid down in law, said Jens Spahn, a member of parliament from Merkels center-right Christian Democratic Union. Yes, we are helping, but we are expecting something in return. At the same time, refugees would also face the prospect of new penalties for failing to attend language and integration courses. Spahn argued it was an essential change, since many of the migrants were coming from countries where there are big cultural differences when it comes to the division of religion and state, the equality of women and attitudes towards gays and Jews as well as the use of violence when solving conflict, he said. The move to penalize non-participation appeared particularly aimed at those from more conservative Muslim countries. Germans reacted with outrage following a string of incidents on New Years Eve, when suspects including migrants allegedly engaged in large-scale sexual harassment and sexual assault of women. Among other things, it prompted an outcry from critics who claimed Germany was taking in masses of migrants without a serious plan on how to integrate them. Under the new law, refugees failing to take integration classes would not be deported. But they would risk losing a portion of their government benefits and could complicate their bids for permanent residency. Critics, however, called it the wrong approach. What conservative politicians say is that the refugees have to learn our Christian values, our European values, said Bernward Ostrop, an expert on asylum at the Berlin office of the Catholic charity Caritas. But, he added, it is better to encourage them to learn than to demand that they learn. Many police departments, although sometimes reluctantly, have embraced body cameras on officers. Video of encounters with citizens both provides evidence of crimes, while restraining police from potential abuses of their authority. A 12-month University of South Florida study released last year found that cameras are an effective tool to reduce response-to-resistance (R2R) incidents and serious external complaints. Unfortunately, last week the California Assembly passed, 59-1, Assembly Bill 2533, by Assemblyman Miguel Santiago, D-Los Angeles. The bills legislative summary says it would require a public safety officer to be provided a minimum of three business days notice before a public safety department or other public agency releases on the Internet any audio or video of the officer recorded by the officer. The bill was proposed by the Peace Officers Research Association of California, which says it represents more than 66,000 public safety members and is the largest law enforcement organization in California. According to a statement by PORAC, the delay in releasing the videos is needed because, [o]ftentimes, officers involved in critical incidents face real and tangible threats from criminals or angry members of the public. However, in such cases, police already can obtain a court order to block release of videos. Thats not good enough, according to Mr. Santiago, who explained in the legislations analysis, If the officer is receiving threats, this process can create a state of panic as the officer scrambles to find an attorney, complete all the necessary paperwork and obtain a restraining order before [the video] is released. Yet, nowadays, most people have smartphones and other cameras that capture video of interactions with police and which are uploaded to the Internet within minutes. Thats the world of surveillance all of us including police now live in and have to get used to. The sole vote against AB2533 was by Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen, R-Riverbank. To encourage more civic engagement and trust, we must make government more transparent, she told us. I have been, and continue to be, a staunch advocate for reforms that will improve government services that people have to rely on including public safety services. But we cannot do that without providing open and transparent information to the public. And not all police brass are on board with the bill. We believe this decision is best left with departmental management, wrote California Police Chiefs Association President David Bejarano and lobbyist Jonathan Feldman to the Legislature, as reported by the Associated Press. With the instances of police abuse that have occurred across the country in recent years, we believe this bill should be defeated in the state Senate. Who watches the watchmen? as a Roman poet asked. Nowadays, everybody can, and should. LADERA RANCH A man who barricaded himself in a Ladera Ranch home for about three hours and is suspected of starting a fire there surrendered late Wednesday afternoon. The incident began around 1:25 p.m., when police received a call that a man in a residence on Linden Wood Farm, a small street in Ladera Ranch, was threatening to commit suicide, said Orange County Sheriffs Lt. Mark Stichter. The man, who was not identified, also apparently started a fire in the home, which belonged to a relative, Stichter said. The man barricaded himself inside the house, he added. No one else was inside. When deputies arrived, the man began breaking the homes windows and throwing out items, Stichter said. A portion of homes second story caught fire, he added. The man threw out books, paper and clothes through the master bedroom glass door onto the balcony, smashing the glass, said witness Ginger Wightman. He then lit a fire on the balcony, a small fire that turned into big flames within seconds, she said. Thats when I knew something was really wrong. Thank God he surrendered; I feel sorry for the guy. When he came out with his hands over his head, I said a prayer for him that he can get the help he needs. The man and his wife are going through a divorce, neighbors said. Orange County Fire Authority personnel fought the fire from outside because of the possibility that the man was armed, said Capt. Larry Kurtz. SWAT team members responded and a Sheriffs Department negotiator persuaded the man to surrender peacefully around 4:15 p.m. He was transported to Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo for cuts to his arm and chest, possibly self-inflicted, Kurtz said. After the man surrendered, OCFA fighterfighters entered and extinguished small pockets of fire inside the house. Thirty firefighters responded. The fire caused moderate damage to two rooms and a balcony. A building inspector will determine if the house can be repaired and when residents can return, Kurtz said. The incident is under investigation and there may be charges filed, Stichter said. Marie Ekberg Padilla contributed to this report. Contact the writer: 714-796-7767 sschwebke@ocregister.com Twitter: @thechalkoutline Tipping. Everybody has an opinion about it, and nobody is completely happy with the practice. Recently, plans to raise the minimum wage in California and New York to $15 have renewed the debate over eliminating gratuities. And some industry leaders are trying alternatives: Prominent New York restaurateurs Danny Meyer (Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Blue Smoke) and Tom Colicchio (Craft) have drawn a lot of attention by banning tipping entirely in favor of a surcharge added onto the bill that is distributed equitably to the staff. Chez Panisse, Alice Waters legendary Berkeley restaurant, has been adding a 17 percent surcharge to its checks since the late 1980s. The money reportedly is distributed among the staff as an enhancement to wages and benefits. To tip or not to tip? Last month, critically acclaimed local chef Noah Blom instituted a hospitality included program at his two restaurants, Arc and Restaurant Marin. Instead of a surcharge, though, the extra cost is built into the menu. In some cases, that means a 20 percent hike in prices. Servers and bartenders, in turn, get higher wages up to $25 an hour. Blom said the menu sticker shock is scary for some customers. At Marin, a breakfast sandwich is $22, and refillable coffee is $7. But it all comes to fruition when you get your bill: You sign, and youre done, he said. Still, tip-free restaurants and bars across the country are rare. The National Restaurant Association sees no industry-wide trend. The move towards a nontipped environment is a new and somewhat small concept with only a handful of restaurants testing it nationwide, said association spokeswoman Christin Fernandez. As the industry of hospitality, weve found the practice of tipping has traditionally attracted millions of employees to our industry and still has strong support from American diners. Dann Bean, owner of Main Street Wine Co. in Huntington Beach, agreed. Our regular customers are especially generous to my employees and appreciate good, friendly service. I personally am a little turned off by business owners who have raised their prices to accommodate tips for their employees. I am a little old-fashioned and believe service will eventually suffer. Casual dining chain caves New signs have emerged to show that America isnt ready to do away with tipping yet. This month, Joes Crab Shack said it was scaling back on its no-tipping test six months after it launched the program at 18 of its 130 locations nationwide. After listening to customer and employee feedback, we have decided to keep the no-tipping model in four Joes Crab Shack locations, said Bob Merritt, CEO of Ignite Restaurant Group. Orange County servers say theyd rather hold on to their tips, according to an informal study by UC Irvine Professor Emeritus Richard B. McKenzie. McKenzie surveyed 40 servers working for moderately priced sit-down restaurants. He asked what hourly wage they would need to voluntarily forgo their current minimum wage and all tips. The hourly pay rate given ranged from $18 to $50, with a median hourly rate of $30. All the servers were quick to assert that if tipping were replaced by a fixed hourly rate of pay, service would suffer significantly, at least on average, according to McKenzies study, published in March for the think tank National Center for Policy Analysis. Blom and his partner and wife, Marin Howarth, are unfazed by the no-tipping naysayers. The math works for them as a boutique restaurant group. For us, hospitality included is not an experiment, but the future of our industry, Howarth said. Their servers, in fact, have embraced the no-tipping policy. No one has quit, and some are actually working even harder because theyre working for Arc, not themselves, the couple said. The staff has responded well, and we havent seen a drop in work ethic, Howarth said. Once considered distasteful Those who travel outside the U.S. know that our rules about tipping are not recognized universally by any means. In Fiji, Japan and Iceland, among many other countries, its frowned upon most Japanese consider it an insult. Even in countries that allow tipping, the American norm of 15 percent to 20 percent for a restaurant meal is considered excessive. (Restaurants in some countries, though, add a 10 percent to 15 percent service charge to the bill, a la Chez Panisse. Its easy to miss if youre unfamiliar with the practice.) So were a nation of unparalleled generosity when it comes to services rendered. Lets set aside the whys and wherefores for a moment to consider this: Not so long ago, our country was more like the rest of the world. Historically, rewarding the servant was an act of noblesse oblige and social dominance practiced by the aristocracy. Think of Shakespeares high-born characters, always paying off their underlings with little sacks of silver to ensure obeisance and performance of their dirty work. In the 16th century, guests at English mansions had to provide a tip, called a vail, to each of the owners servants at the end of a stay. (In larger mansions with more servants, the practice could be quite costly.) Widespread tipping for services has also been traced to England. The word itself, according to some sources, is an acronym for To Insure Promptitude, a phrase that could be found on jars near the entrances of British taverns beginning in the 1600s. (Snopes, a website that discredits myths and old stories, says theres little evidence to back that theory.) Others claim that the word came from the criminal underworld. John Hendel, in his 2010 Atlantic magazine article The Case Against Tipping, claims that in 17th-century rogues circles, tip meant the unnecessary and gratuitous gifting of something somewhat taboo or illicit money exchanges. The first literary instance of tip as a verb, in George Farquhars 1706 play The Beaux Stratagem, implies a monetary reward to a lowly employee: Then I, Sir, tips me the Verger with half a Crown. (A verger was a caretaker at a church.) Benjamin Franklin has the last say Its understandable that a practice designed to reinforce the class system would not make its way across the Atlantic, particularly in the years after the American Revolution. But after the Civil War and the rise of fine dining in larger cities, tipping slowly began to take hold. At first the custom was practiced by worldly and moneyed travelers who had encountered it in Europe. Yet for decades, tipping was treated with general disdain in the United States. In his popular 1916 book, The Itching Palm: A Study of the Habit of Tipping in America, William Rufus Scott decried the rise of flunkyism, which he defined as a willingness to be servile for a consideration. He proclaimed it democracys greatest foe. Scott invoked the passions of the Founding Fathers when he declared that tipping, and the aristocratic idea it exemplifies, is what we left Europe to escape. In a republic where all men were supposed to be equal, some cannot be superior until they grind other men into dust. Tipping comes into a democracy to provide that relation. Scott wasnt a lone voice in the wilderness. In 1904, the Anti-Tipping Society of America was created in Georgia. Its 100,000 members had to pledge not to tip a soul for a full year. Tipping was banned in several American states. Washington was the first to pass a law in 1909, followed by Arkansas, Iowa, South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. Labor leader Samuel Gompers and William Howard Taft, the 27th U.S. president, were among the leaders of the anti-tipping movement. But by the 1920s, tipping in its modern form existed throughout the country. By 1926, every anti-tipping law at the state level had been repealed. So how did something that was so universally despised become common practice in only a few years? One word: Prohibition. According to Kerry Seagrave in Tipping: An American Social History of Gratuities, the ban on alcoholic beverages in 1919 severely affected the revenue of hotels and restaurants. The resulting financial pressure quickly changed proprietors and especially servers minds about the practice. In other words, tipping replaced lost cocktails. In the 1960s, tipping became even more deeply ingrained in American culture when Congress passed a law that workers could receive a lower minimum wage (presently $2.13 an hour) if at least $30 of their monthly salary was earned in tips. Most states allow employers to pay tipped workers less than the state minimum hourly rate (in 19 states its pegged at the federal minimum, which hasnt changed since 1991), and the real value of this tipped minimum wage has declined about 60 percent since 1968. Many people are aware of this situation, which leads to another level of motivation for paying your server, one that turns its aristocratic origin on its head. We tip because we feel guilty about having people wait on us, writes Cornell University professor Michael Lynn, an expert in the psychology of tipping. Benjamin Franklin captured the dilemma even more succinctly: To overtip is to appear an ass: to undertip is to appear an even greater ass. Contact the writer: 714-796-7979 or phodgins@ocregister.com It was his original red meat message, the one that brought Donald Trump to this improbable moment as the presumptive Republican nominee for president the message the crowd in Anaheim was hungry to devour over and over again. Were going to have that wall Trump told the crowd, waiting for what is now a familiar response. The crowd delivered in a full-throated chant: Build that wall! Build that wall! Build that wall! Speaking in a city that is majority Latino, Trump focused on illegal immigration during parts of his nearly hour long speech Wednesday at the Anaheim Convention Center. About 3,000 people from around the state came to Anaheim Trumps second stop in still Republican Orange County less than a month after a riot-marred Trump event in Costa Mesa and less than 24 hours after protesters broke windows at a Trump event in New Mexico. While there were protesters in Anaheim on Wednesday including an incident in which a child threw an egg at a Trump supporter, and with Trump supporters pointedly seeking identification from anti-Trump protesters only a handful made their presence felt inside the arena. All were removed peacefully by security as Trump urged their ouster and the crowd serenaded them with boos. The last protestor to be escorted out was a man standing solitary in the upper seats of the arena behind Trump. He defiantly ripped a placard bearing the real estate moguls name as security officials moved toward him. As he was removed, a woman joined him and flipped the crowd off. Trump made sure to acknowledge the protestors. The safest place to be in America is a Trump rally, he said to cheers. Protesters have been a regular occurrence at Trump rallies. But supporters in the arena said they werent worried about what was happening outside and instead were simply excited to see the candidate who will likely capture the needed delegates in the California primary. Michael Arajuo was attending his second Trump rally and planned to be at the reality television show stars San Diego event on Friday as well. Dressed in a one-piece American flag jumpsuit, the 42-year-old Anaheim resident said he couldnt back Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton and said he believed Trump could win the general election in November. He speaks from the heart, Arajuo said. Sometimes he mangles his words and gets off-course, but hes genuine and I think people are responding to that. Trump managed to savage Democratic presidential nominee frontrunner Hillary Clinton, who spoke at a union hall in Buena Park on Wednesday. At several points, Trump referred to Clinton as Crooked Hillary. Another theme in Trumps speech was gun control. Hillary Clinton wants to abolish the Second Amendment, he said. Not going to happen, folks. He added that stronger gun rights for citizens could prevent tragedies like the San Bernardino shooting, where 14 were killed. If you had guns, you would have had a much different outcome. The rally kicked off with Maria Espinoza, a liberty-loving Latina and congressional candidate from Texas, took the podium and spoke before the billionaire walked on stage. She called for tougher borders to stop illegal immigration and linked it to criminal activity. You must vote to make America safe again, she said. You must vote to make America great again. The crowd responded by chanting Trump! Trump! Trump! The speech ended with Trumps campaign slogan the one he adopted when he first announced his candidacy last summer. He asked the crowd if they wanted to hear it. Primed, they were ready. Were going to make Trump started. Great again! the crowd yelled. Alicia Whitney might be the only person in Huntington Beach who cant wait for summer to be over. Whitney, who runs the successful SeaLegs Wine Bar in Huntington Beach, has been scrambling since early March to refurbish by Memorial Day four concession stands at Bolsa Chica State Beach. Two food stands, vacant for two years, will reopen to beachgoers Saturday morning, serving a range of gourmet comfort foods: breakfast burritos, fish tacos, ceviche, craft beer and wine. The other two stands, still under construction, will open by Labor Day. And at that point, Whitney said she can finally rest. Everything will have been done, and we can say we survived, she said during a tour of the food stands Wednesday. In February, Whitney and state beach officials announced plans to create four distinct dining venues along the 2.8-mile stretch of Bolsa Chica coastline. By adding beer and wine to the 42-year-old walk-up concessions, state officials are hoping to boost Bolsa Chica visits. The state-run beach gets about 3 million visitors a year, most of it seasonal. The two stands opening Saturday are SeaLegs at the Beach and Pacific Kitchen. They will be open year-round, though the hours might change during the offseason, Whitney said. The most elaborate is SeaLegs, whose menu and decor is modeled after Whitneys award-winning wine bar on Beach Boulevard. Whitney has transformed the plain cinder-block food stand into a luxury day club, complete with cushy lounge chairs, cabanas, fire pits, Adirondack chairs and swings with seats made from wine barrels. The menu features an assortment of California wines paired with menu items such as Chianti chicken tacos, ceviche, lobster rolls, stinky fries and salads. You feel like youre in Cabo, Whitney said of the resortlike experience at SeaLegs. I dont think theres anything else like it along the coast in Southern California. SeaLegs, which sits on 1 acre, will offer a mix of reserved seating as well as open seating for walk-in diners. Most diners will be offered table service. Food also can be ordered from a walk-up window. Opening for the holiday weekend almost didnt happen. Whitney expected a delay in getting her alcohol permit approved. But a local legislator swooped in to help speed up the approval process at Pacific Kitchen and SeaLegs. Weve been pulling off miracles every day, Whitney said of the three-month, $750,000 renovation of the four stands. While SeaLegs is more of a sit-down restaurant experience, Pacific Kitchen will offer first-come, first-serve seating. Outside the turquoise and dark gray building is the main attraction: a 120-foot-long concrete bar facing the ocean. She added the long counter so dozens of people could sit on bar stools, sipping Mexican beer while eating tacos from the Baja-influenced menu. With her hair blowing in the wind, Whitney took in a deep breath of ocean air as she surveyed the panoramic ocean view. How can you not take advantage of this? You are sitting on the ocean. Contact the writer: Two Muslim women walked into an ice cream shop in Orange on Monday afternoon to grab a treat. Instead, what they got was a taste of Islamophobia. I dont want them in my country, a man yells at the women, who are wearing head scarves, shown in a cellphone video shot by one of the women. KABC identified them as Malaak Ammari and Nura Takkish. Takkish posted the video shot by Ammari on her Twitter feed and it went viral, getting more than 24,000 likes and 22,472 retweets, as of Wednesday afternoon. Cindy Ramsay, who owns Andrews Ice Cream in Orange along with her husband, Greg, said both she and her employee, Jesse Noah, refused to serve the man who was complaining about waiting in line behind the two women and was saying negative things about them. How could anyone be so angry and hateful toward someone youve never even met? she said. Noah escorted the man out of the store as he continued to shout at the two women, said Ramsay who also works as a special education teacher at Franklin Elementary School in Santa Ana. After he left, the women came over and hugged me, she said. I told them there are bad apples in every barrel and not to judge all of us based on the actions of a few. Hate incidents involving Muslims in Orange County doubled in 2015 compared to the previous year, particularly after the Paris and San Bernardino attacks, said Hussam Ayloush, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Many Muslims dont even report these incidents because it is becoming normal for them to endure such harassment in public places, which is a very dangerous trend, he said. Ayloush said there are two sets of heroes in this ice cream shop incident. The store owner and employee who stood up for whats right and showed there is no room for hatred in America, he said. And, the two young women, who held their composure and responded in a courageous and dignified manner. Contact the writer: 714-796-7909 or dbharath@ocregister.com WASHINGTON After nearly 12 years in the Senate, North Carolina Republican Richard Burr holds a dubious distinction: A lot of people in his home state dont know if hes any good at his job. The trouble for Burr was laid bare in a recent poll revealing that 28 percent of his constituents cannot form an opinion about whether they approve of his job. Hes tied for 10th in lowest name recognition of all 100 senators, according to a Morning Consult survey measuring senators popularity in their home states. Burr is not alone among potentially vulnerable incumbents with low name recognition in key states that will decide which party controls the Senate in 2017. Of the 25 least-known senators, ten are running for reelection nine of them Republican as relative unknowns, with roughly 30 percent of their voters unable to form an opinion of them. That list includes Sens. Rob Portman (Ohio), Mark Kirk (Illinois) and Patrick J. Toomey (Pennsylvania), all Republicans. A prime cause of this fight for name recognition is the increasingly fragmented media in which partisans largely receive their news from cable news and social media. Middle-of-the-road voters, reliant on their local news, are often left in the dark. Overall, there are more reporters covering Congress than ever, but they increasingly write for inside Washington publications whose readers are lawmakers, lobbyists and Wall Street investors. A Pew Research Center study released this year found that in 21 states, there are no local newspapers with reporters dedicated to covering Congress. We go six years with no coverage, Burr said in an interview this week. So its like you werent here for six years. Your name ID drops into the 40s. Run $5 million in ads, he said, it pops right back up to the 80s. The Morning Consult study points to another distinction about todays Senate: Iconoclasts stand out. After little more than three years in elected office, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, has reached near saturation level with Bay State voters, with just 12 percent having no opinion of the liberal firebrand. Meanwhile, Sen. Edward J. Markey (D) an institution in Massachusetts politics after 37 years in the House and three in the Senate does not register with 30 percent of his constituents. Its the same dynamic in Texas with the states two Republican senators. Ted Cruz an erstwhile presidential contender has held elective office not even three-and-a-half years, yet all but 14 percent of his voters have a strong view of him. A third of Texans cannot form a view of John Cornyn, the Republican whip with nearly 14 years in the Senate who is likely to be the next GOP floor leader. Most of these low-profile senators are not unpopular; 44 percent of North Carolinians approve of Burrs job performance while just 29 percent disapprove, according to Morning Consult. Portman is also well-liked, with an almost 2-to-1 approval rating. But the fear is that too many voters dont know these senators and that the only way to reach them is through advertising. Portman, with almost a third of Ohioans registering no opinion of his performance, has already reserved $15 million worth of ads on Ohio TV stations. If Portman doesnt make the push, national Democrats and challenger Ted Strickland (D) will do the job for him through attack ads. One Democratic video recently tied Portman and other Republicans to controversial statements by presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. This lack of identity can create real problems in how a senator runs for reelection, particularly in growing states such as North Carolina and Colorado. Burr estimates that there will be 500,000 new residents in the Tar Heel state since his 2010 campaign. When Burr arrived in the mid-1990s for five terms in the House, before winning his Senate seat in 2004, three North Carolina newspapers had thriving Washington bureaus. Now, there are none. I can give a major policy speech, and no newspaper in Charlotte or Raleigh or Winston-Salem will even cover that I was there, much less that I gave a policy speech, said Burr, whose long climb up the ladder last year landed him the chairmans gavel of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Sen. Michael Bennet (Colorado) is the only Democratic incumbent in danger of losing his seat, in a state where about 100,000 new residents arrive each year. Despite being appointed in 2009 and winning a full six-year term in 2010, Bennet is less well-known than his junior colleague, Sen. Cory Gardner (R), who took office 16 months ago. Thats largely because Gardners 2014 Senate race, costing nearly $100 million on all sides, remains somewhat fresh in voters minds, while Bennets razor-thin victory six years ago is long forgotten. Republican strategists think that Gardners opponent, Mark Udall, made a critical mistake at the outset of the campaign. Udall, after six years as a low-profile senator, kicked off his 2014 campaign with a vicious set of ads against Gardner on abortion issues. That theme continued throughout the campaign, and Republicans believe it hurt Udall as much or more than Gardner. Perhaps cognizant of that, Bennets first ad this spring is an amusing look at his work to ease regulations on the states growing beer brewery industry. Gardner noted the problem of a distracted electorate. You have far more ways to communicate with constituents, but that means constituents have far more ways to look at other information, he said. Indeed, Portman devoted Tuesday afternoon to meeting with students from Chagrin Falls Middle School, east of Cleveland, getting a round of applause and taking questions on the Senate steps. He posed for a photo and within an hour his 52,000 followers on Twitter got blasted that picture. Retired Filipino accountant Hernando Guanlao has found a wonderful way to spend all his free time hes set up a public library right outside his home and he regularly hands out books to poor children for free. Hernandos little library is very relevant to the society he lives in, where many children drop out of school to support their families. He says that he set up the library to honor his parents and the only inheritance they left him an insatiable love for learning. As a Filipino who didnt have the opportunity to go to other places, I wanted to do something before I turned 70 that would help other Filipinos, he added. And books are my means to do that, so I can bring people joy, and help them not feel left behind. It seems to me that the books are speaking to me. Thats why it multiplies like that. The books are telling me they want to be read they want to be passed around. Readers are allowed to take as many books as they like, and return them whenever they please. According to Hernando, The only rule is that there are no rules. Hernando started this unique initiative in the year 2000, as a reading corner stacked with his own childhood books. Youd expect all his books to have disappeared in no time, but he actually ended up gathering more books, and the corner slowly evolved into an informal library with thousands of titles. He regularly receives donations of large boxes filled with books, without him even needing to ask. Every inch of his home is covered with books that he gives away for free, but more books always seem to make their way to his place. According to Al Jazeera reporter Marga Ortigas, Manila has about 50 public libraries, but they arent easily accessible to everyone. There are fees to be paid and strict rules to comply with before a library card is issued, she said. None of that applies here. So Hernandos reading corner plays an important role in the lives of children like 14-year-old Stella Monsanto, whose parents can no longer afford to send her to school. She helps her family earn a living by scavenging rubbish, and spends her free time reading books from the library. When you read, you forget time, she said. Because the pages take you away. And you can learn about other things through these books. Hernando is interested in expanding the concept of his library outside of Manila as well. In 2012, The BBC reported that hed given several boxes of books to a man who was trying to set up something similar in Bicol province. He also helped a friend who wanted to set up a book boat library to serve the islands of Sulu and Basilan. You dont do justice to these books if you put them in a cabinet or a box, he said. A book should be used and reused. It has life, it has a message. As a book caretaker, you become a full man. Hernando Guanlaos efforts to improve poor childrens education remind us of other extraordinary individuals that weve featured on OC this year, like Kamal Parmar, an Indian factory worker who has set up an outdoor school for slum kids in Ahmedabad, or Saber Hosseini, the Afghan teacher who turned his bicycle into a mobile library and delivers books to kids in remote villages. Photos: Reading Club 2000/Facebook Westhampton Beach officials were in communications lockdown today, refusing to provide terms of an agreement that would put permanent Jewish eruv markers on 46 utility poles. A vote on the proposed agreement with the East End Eruv Assn. is scheduled for Thursday, June 2, at 7 p.m. Mayor Maria Moore has indicated the five Trustees who govern the village would sign the agreement. Citizens can only guess that it is similar to an agreement signed last year by Southampton since Moore will not provide a copy either to this website or on the WHB website. The last entry under Eruv Litigation on the WHB website is for June 30, 2015. This website, which cannot get replies from either Moore or WHB outside legal counsel Brian Sokoloff, yesterday filed a Freedom of Information application for public access to records. The FOIL was faxed yesterday afternoon to the WHB Mayors office. Can Take 20 Days to Process The form says, Please allow 20 business days for processing before contacting this office. It also notes that FOIL requires that an agency respond within five business days that it has received the request but adds, There is no specific time limit to produce the documents. FOIL does not seem to hold out much promise that this website or the citizens will get to see the proposed agreement with EEEA before the meeting next Thursday. Extensive efforts to find any of the lechis that are needed to mark the eruv in WHB have been unsuccessful. Southampton Press reporter Kyle Campbell wrote a front-page article for the March 19, 2015 Press that had the headline, Eruv Markers Remain Elusive. He had obtained, via a FOIL, a map showing the location of the markers on 46 poles but staffers for the paper were unable to find any of them. Public Space Becomes "Private" An eruv, for believers, converts public space into the private domain or home of the observant which frees them from many restrictions related to carrying and pushing objects. Keys may not be carried unless they are attached to something worn on the body, such as a bracelet. Even in an eruv, an umbrella could not be opened during rain because that would be building a tent. No work is allowed on the Sabbath and that includes turning lights on or off. Robert Sugarman of Weil, Gotshal & Manges, lead attorney for the EEEA, noted the lack of visibility of the markers to Campbell and said the eruv would not cause any type of damage to WHB residents who do not follow Orthodox Judiaism. Residents who dont want the eruv say it will be widely publicized and could eventually result in control of the local government and school board passing into the hands of the Orthodox. This has happened in Lawrence and some other Long Island towns, they note. Jewish law requires that a local government officially approve an eruv before it can be valid. This is why the EEEA is seeking the agreement with WHB officials rather than just declaring, on its own, that an eruv exists. The OECD Observer online archive takes you on a journey through half a century of public policy and world progress. Since November 1962, the OECDs experts and leading guests offer insights on the questions facing our member countries with concise and authoritative analysis, and provide our audiences with an excellent opportunity to understand policy debates and consider solutions. Each edition of the OECD Observer reports on a core theme of the OECDs on-going work, from economics and society through governance, finance, and the environment, and articles are bolstered by tables and graphs. Loading... OilVoice will be with you shortly... Cabelas, the outdoors retailer under pressure from an activist investor, will outsource its division that produces catalogs and other advertising, the company said Wednesday. The retailer, based in Sidney, Nebraska, will sub out its creative services division to an outside company, which said it would open an office in Sidney. Nathan Borowski, a Cabelas spokesman, wouldnt say how many employees would be affected, but said the new company, Quad/Graphics, expects to hire many current Cabelas employees with relevant experience. Cabelas employs more than 2,000 people in Sidney, a Panhandle city of about 6,800 people six hours west of Omaha. Quad/Graphics, based in Sussex, Wisconsin, will open the Sidney office in early August. The company will handle catalog and advertising designs, concepts, layouts, page production, photography and videography for Cabelas, among other things. Cabelas will retain some employees from its creative services division to work with Quad/Graphics, Borowski said. He said the company would be continuing business and business relationships as usual. Joel Quadracci, Quad/Graphics chairman, president and chief executive, said the company will look forward to sharing the knowledge weve gained over many years performing similar work for 20 other retailers. We are confident that we will help Cabelas advance both the efficiency and effectiveness of its marketing spend, Quadracci said. Hedge fund Elliott Management Corp., since declaring its 11 percent ownership stake in Cabelas last October, has been pressuring the company to sell all or parts of the business. On recent earnings calls with investors, Cabelas executives have been touting the cost-cutting measures they are employing to boost profits. Cabelas stock is down about 5 percent over the past year. It closed Wednesday at $49.03 a share on the New York Stock Exchange, up about 1 percent on a day the broader market gained about 0.7 percent. Contact the writer: 402-444-1414, paige.yowell@owh.com DETROIT John Krafcik, CEO of Googles self-driving car project, said Wednesday that the tech giant will open a 53,000-square-foot development center in suburban Detroit. Krafcik, in a Google Plus post, said the development center will serve as a hub that Google will use to work with a number of partners in the automotive industry. Google has been working on self-driving cars for more than six years. Last month, Google announced a partnership with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to transform 100 of the companys 2017 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivans into self-driving vehicles. For the past few years, members of our team have been working from the Greater Detroit area. Now its time to lay down roots: Were establishing a self-driving technology development center, Krafcik said. Many of our current partners are based here, so having a local facility will help us collaborate more easily and access Michigans top talent in vehicle development and engineering. Krafcik said Google will be moving in this year. He did not provide an exact location. While Google parent company Alphabet also has offices in the university town of Ann Arbor and another Detroit suburb, this would be the tech companys first office in Michigan for the testing and development of autonomous vehicles. In the Omaha South High School band room Thursday, scattered among instrument cases and uniform suit bags were bright pillows and fuzzy blankets, hoodies and headphones. The band was ready to leave on a 22-hour bus ride. What began as an uphill climb for the group to raise money for a trip to the National Memorial Day Parade ends this weekend in a smooth march down Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C. The band arrives Friday afternoon, and its 94 members will spend the weekend hitting the highlights of the capital city before marching in the parade Monday. The journey wasnt easy. When Rep. Brad Ashford, D-Neb., nominated the band last spring to represent Nebraska in the parade, its director, Joe Homan, wasnt sure the school could afford it. Donations from the public began pouring in, and the group worked to raise money on its own. All said, the group got $140,000 a chunk of change more than the $110,000 it needed, Homan said. The extra money went for new equipment, such as flags and uniforms for the color guard, as well as dry cleaning of the bands uniforms. Homan said much of the funds came from a public outpouring of support, about 300 individual donations. One donor was in marching band in the 1940s and knew what the trip would mean to Souths students. The band didnt rely on donations alone. The students worked hard. Members sold meat sticks and candy bars to friends, teachers and neighbors to add to their funds. They also faced doubt. A lot of the school didnt think that it would happen, said Anthony Grimaldo, a trumpet section leader who just graduated. But what started as a source of anxiety Would they be able to go? turned into a source of relief. During the past weeks of practice, if a band member was slacking or goofing around, Homan had a ready threat: No D.C. for you. It was always a joke. For the past month, the band has practiced every Monday night. This week, band members took five laps around the South track, a distance longer than the one theyll march in D.C., which covers a mile and passes the Washington Monument and the National Mall. This is Homans last event with the band. Next school year, he takes over as the director of Papillion-La Vista Souths program after three years with Omaha South. Im going to miss them, he said, but I cant think of a better way of going out than sharing this trip of a lifetime with them. Pablo Hernandez, a drum major who will be a senior next year, said Homan worked tirelessly to make the trip a reality. Its sad, Hernandez said of Homans departure, but he has done a lot for this program. Brenda Esqueda, the color guard section leader, who just graduated, said part of Homans impact has been making what felt like an unreachable dream a reality. I didnt think we would ever get out of Omaha, she said. Parades around 24th Street thats about it. While in D.C., the students will travel to a number of historical sites. Ashford arranged to have his staff give members a tour of the U.S. Capitol. Im so proud of these kids, and to be able to connect them with Washington and the country is great, Ashford said. For Grimaldo, the trumpeter, hitting such historical hot spots is a dream come true. Im a huge history nerd, he joked. The 22-hour ride will be long, but the band is prepared specifically with snacks. Hot Cheetos and bottles of hot sauce are staples at Omaha South, said Esqueda, Grimaldo and Hernandez. Vicky Alvarado, a soon-to-be senior who is the flute section leader, collected a few bucks from each of her section members to buy granola bars and gummy worms. Homan was the only one who thought to bring water, Esqueda said, laughing. The kids? Starbucks and Gatorade. I feel like were going to get very tired of each other, Alvarado said, giggling. Esqueda doesnt think so. Band kids spend a lot of time together, she said. In the parade, the band will play American Pride, a mashup of patriotic songs including Youre a Grand Old Flag and My Country, Tis of Thee. On the band rooms whiteboard, faded letters read Countdown to Washington, D.C. That countdown started with a seemingly impossible task raising $110,000. The days ticked down through fundraisers, nervous what ifs, weekly practices and Homans final days with the band. The South High bands final countdown is over. Its zero days to D.C. The band is ready to play. Contact the writer: 402-444-1151; reece.ristau@owh.com * * * On the schedule The Omaha South band plans to hit a number of historic monuments and other D.C. destinations, including: Smithsonian Natural History Museum Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Thomas Jefferson Memorial Lincoln Memorial United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Arlington National Cemetery Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Marine Corps War Memorial National Archives War memorials for Vietnam and Korea Fords Theatre Mount Vernon Six Flags America Prashant Kishor claims Nitish Kumar in touch with BJP says don't be surprised if he joins hands with it again Modi@2 years: Focus is on UP election for a happier third anniversary Feature oi-Shubham By Shubham Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party---the BJP---might feel relaxed that an overwhelming majority still support them but they will also be cautious over the fact that the third anniversary of their coming to power in 2017 could be less relaxing if things don't go well in Uttar Pradesh early next year. Congress's rout in 2012 UP poll flagged off its decline after 2009 LS victory The Congress-led UPA, which had done well in the 2009 Lok Sabha election but fell flat in the UP election three years after, is an example. If the UP test was an indicator, the 2014 general election turned out to be the worst for the grand-old party and it could win just two seats in the state. [Modi at 2 years] BJP chose Saharanpur not without a reason The BJP top brass is also aware of the fact. It was not a coincidence that Saharanpur in western UP was chosen as the venue for an event of PM Modi on May 26, flagging off the BJP's exercise of highlighting the government's achievements in the last two years. The areas in and around Saharanpur-Muzaffarnagar had seen communal clashes even a few years ago and the BJP leadership has now chosen to speak about its development work there to back its case ahead of the crucial state polls. BJP's national executive meet is in Allahabad next month In fact, several of Modi's top ministers, MPs, MLAs and other leaders will campaign across UP for the next 15 days to gear up for the election. The saffron party will also hold its national executive committee meeting in Allahabad next month in a bid to reach out to the electorate. The top leadership, including Modi and party president Amit Shah will also be present on the occasion. BJP wants to remain ahead of others in the key race for Lucknow throne The BJP wants to remain ahead of the rest in the build-up to the UP election. It also feels that the battle for the Lucknow throne will be easier as compared to that in Assam, where it came to power this year, since the NDA has 73 Mps in the state who will help the BJP in preparing a strong ground for the 2017 election. The BJP is confident that the Centre's work for the development of the Dalits and other backward sections will pay off in the UP poll. BJP's concern will be, however, a CM face One of the BJP's major concern, however, will remain its face for the election. Although an OBC leader in KP Maurya has been made the party's state chief but the BJP is still not sure whether to go for a CM candidate or not. While, the lack of a strong local face cost the party in elections in Delhi and the neighbouring Bihar lasr year, projecting Sarbananda Sonowal---a local hero-as its CM face in Assam paid off this year. The party's battle could turn difficult if the Congress goes on to make Rahul or Priyanka Gandhi as its CM candidate for the polls. The two regional parties, on the other hand, have their main faces in Akhilesh Yadav, the current chief minister, and Mayawati, who many is considering to be the favourite in the next year's election. Ministry of AYUSH gets Stylish Website Feature oi-Lisa By Lisa Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik launched the new website of the Ministry of AYUSH and web portal for International Day of Yoga(IDY) in New Delhi. Hon'ble Minister of State (IC) Shri Shripad Yesso Naik, Launching the website of Ministry of AYUSH and New... https://t.co/EjRz8y9TAA Ministry of AYUSH (@moayush) May 25, 2016 Minister of State for AYUSH Shri Shripad Yesso Naik launched the new website of the Ministry of AYUSH and web... https://t.co/JPumMSS1AV Ministry of AYUSH (@moayush) May 25, 2016 The website http://ayush.gov.in has been developed as part of digital India programme, using content management framework (CMF) approach. About website: The website is compliant to Government of India guidelines for Websites (GIGW) and it is developed on open source platform by NIC. This website is mobile friendly and CMF approach would adapt to all screen sizes across all platforms which are Android, IOS and Windows. Hon'ble MoS (IC) for AYUSH, Launching the website of Ministry of AYUSH and New International Day of Yoga Portal. pic.twitter.com/SyTswOv0HB Ministry of AYUSH (@moayush) May 25, 2016 User friendly: The new portal for IDY has a provision for news to provide all the updated and relevant information relating to International Day of Yoga-2016. It has a social wall where all the social media interactive platform shall be available for the visitors to keep track on the discussions and participate in them. The portal will also have linkages of all the important web pages of the Government of India such as Swachh Bharat, Make in India etc. Joint Secretary Shri Anil Kumar Ganeriwala elaborating the presentation on Action Plan for International Day of... https://t.co/xkcQQ37jxt Ministry of AYUSH (@moayush) May 25, 2016 About Ministry of AYUSH: The Ministry of AYUSH is formed in 9th November 2014 for providing more healthcare to the public. The Department of Indian Medicine and Homeopathy (ISM&H) was created in March 1995 and renamed as Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) in November 2003, with a view to providing focused attention to development of Education and Research in Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy systems. Hon'ble MoS (IC) for AYUSH, interacting with media persons after Launching website of @moayush and New IDY Portal pic.twitter.com/vV1ewRVJRf Ministry of AYUSH (@moayush) May 25, 2016 Objectives: To upgrade the educational standards in Indian Systems of Medicines and Homoeopathy colleges in the country. To strengthen existing research institutions and ensure a time-bound research programme on identified diseases for which these systems have an effective treatment. To draw up schemes for promotions, cultivations and regeneration of medicinal plants used in these systems. To evolve Pharmacopoeial standards for Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy drugs. In foreign policy, Modi has scored less on Pakistan and Nepal in 2 years Feature oi-Shubham By Shubham Foreign policy is one field where the Narendra Modi government has done well since it came to office on May 26, 2014. The prime minister's politics of mobilisation around the world to boost India's stature has definitely created a momentum---something which seemed to be absent during the previous regime of Manmohan Singh. Follow our other stories on Modi govt's completion of 2 years But despite that, the NDA government's foreign policy has also witnessed some low points and being the face of the government, Modi needs to take responsibility for them, just like he gets all the credit whenever his government tastes success. [Modi defends his economic reforms in interview with WSJ] Modi's pakistan policy has not taken off like it has with other countries Two countries where Modi's foreign policy is yet to see success are Pakistan and Nepal. Although the Modi government has done well in reaching out to the United States and Iran to indirectly deal with Pakistan from a position of strength, its policy vis-a-vis Pakistan has been accused of being unclear. Modi tried unconventional ways of dealing with Pak but still there are challenges It is also true that Modi tried various unconventional means to shape its Pakistan policy---like arranging talks in neutral venues like Bangkok or paying a surprise visit to Islamabad---but events like Pathankot terror attack and the way the Indian establishment has handled it have raised questions over the fate of bilateral dialogues between the two neighbours. [2 years of Modi govt: The ups and downs] Shashi Tharoor and Lalit Mansingh think Modi's foreign policy is yet not totally successful Congress MP and former Union minister Shashi Tharoor, who is also considered to be an expert on international affairs, termed Modi government's Pakistan policy "incoherent, showing ups and downs, and inconsistencies that cetainly lead to a considerable amount of confusion to what our policy is". Lalit Mansingh, a former foreign secretary, said Modi took a bold step in visiting Lahore last year but added that India has no clarity in its policy towards Pakistan. He said it is not clear whether the government wants continuation of dialogue with Pakistan or not. Mansingh feels the Modi government has done brilliantly and shown a lot of dynamism in diplomacy but when it comes to strategy, it has not been so successful. Tharoor, too, felt Modi's foreign policy "is at best mixed". Chabahar pact could be a scorer in Modi's Pak sheet However, sealing the Chabahar Port deal with Iran just a few days ahead of his completion of two years in office, Modi has succeeded in taking a strong strategic step vis-a-vis China-Pakistan axis. Now it is to be seen how much India can benefit from this in the long run. Modi govt also goofed up in Nepal Besides Pakistan, the Modi regime has also made a major goof-up in Nepal even after starting it on an impressive note. The northern neighbour was among the earliest that Modi paid a visit and he followed it up with another visit during the Saarc Summit towards the end of 2014. The mismanagement of the relations with Nepal proved that too much centralisation of authority in the PMO, disregard for the popular sentiments in Nepal and taking a rigid stand over that country's new constitution made up a hollow Indian policy vis-a-vis Kathmandu. The result was foreseen: Nepal leaning in favour of the Chinese, something it has always done whenever New Delhi has let it down, bringing Beijing's influence closer to India's borders. The Modi government needs to shed the foreign office's 'superiority complex' when it comes to dealing with the small neighbours. Many a times in the past, this has cost India dearly as China have got an opportunity to take them closer to it, alienating New Delhi. [With agency inputs] Ghazwa-e-Hind in Assam: NIA roped in as Islamists plan destruction of India New Assam govt has just one minister with pending criminal charge Feature oi-Vicky By Vicky The newly sworn in Assam government has only one minister with a pending criminal charge. Out of the 11 ministers who were sworn in Naba Kumar Doley has a pending charge against him for giving false evidence. The data analysed by the Assam Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms analysed the self-sworn affidavits of all 11 Ministers including the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal from Assam State Assembly 2016. Criminal Background Only 1 minister has declared criminal cases against himself. He is Naba Kumar Doley of BJP from Dhakuakhana constituency with 1 charge related to giving false evidence, 1 charge related to fabricating false evidence and 1 charge related to false evidence in his affidavit. Financial Background Out of the 11 Ministers, 9 (82%) are crorepatis. The average assets of 11 Ministers are Rs 2.67 crores. The minister with the highest declared total assets is Naba Kumar Doley from Dhakuakhana constituency with assets worth Rs. 7.30 crores. Himanta Biswa Sarma and Rihon Daimari with assets worth Rs 6 crore and Rs 3 come second and third in the list respectively. Parimal Suklabadya with Rs 37 lakh has the lowest assets. Pallab Lochan Das and Keshab Mahanta with Rs 54 lakh and Rs 1 crore come second and third in this list respectively. A total of 3 ministers have declared their age between 30 to 50 years and 8 Ministers have declared their age to be between 51 and 70. The youngest minister is Pallab Lochan Das of BJP aged 38 from Rangapara constituency. The oldest minister is Pramila Rani Brahma of Bodoland Peoples Front aged 65 from Kokrajhar East (ST) Constituency. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, May 26, 2016, 9:27 [IST] 1 lakh children go missing every year- WB tops list, Maharashtra second India oi-Vicky New Delhi, May 26: Statistics would show that at an average 1 lakh go missing every year. As per the data available between the years 2011 and 2014 3.5 lakh children have gone missing. Cases of child prostitution and bonded labour are being cited as the main reasons behind this grim scenario. Only last month in the Ministry of Home Affairs released the statistics which also goes on to show that West Bengal has the highest case of missing children. With 14,671 cases, Bengal accounts for 21 per cent of the cases in the country. Further the statistics country wide also show that out of all the cases reported, 70 per cent of the missing children are girls. What is ironic is that India beats Pakistan and China in these statistics. Pakistan reports at an average of 3,000 cases every year while China reports 10,000. Trafficking tops the list: West Bengal, Maharashtra Assam, Odisha and Bihar top the list of such cases. Nearly 75 per cent of the cases across the country are reported from the above mentioned states. Another grim statistic would indicate that nearly 50 per cent of these cases are related to child trafficking. The cases in Maharashtra are reported at around 10,000. There are various factors behind such cases. In most of the cases, it has been found that the girls are forcibly taken away and sold off at brothels in Mumbai and Delhi, in others, parents themselves facing a financial crisis have sold off their children. [International Missing Children's Day on May 25: Bengal presents sorry picture in India] There is a network of persons across the country who indulge in such acts. It is an organised crime syndicate. There are such persons in almost all states who are interconnected. They hire persons to identify young girls and boys. In the case of the boys some are sent away abroad and asked to work as bonded labour. Girls are sold off at brothels in India or to rich persons abroad. The police say that in some of the cases, girls in the age group of 15 and 16 are lured by the youth into marriage. They fall trap easily and go away with the man only to land up in a brothel. Tracing such cases is a nightmare for the police. The country wide statistics show that around 30 per cent of the cases have been detected and the children rescued. However the police also say that in most cases, the parents do not come forward and report it. In the case of a missing girl child, the parents quote social stigma. In other cases it is the parents themselves due to economic constraints send the girl away for a price. OneIndia News This Diwali, UP CM Yogi asks govt employees to celebrate festival with needy, deprived families Modi govt 2nd anniversary celebrations: BJP gets ready for 'Mission Uttar Pradesh 2017' India oi-Preeti New Delhi, May 26: As PM Narendra Modi-led NDA government completes two years of its formation today (Thursday, May 26), the Centre government has organised various mega events to mark the occasion. In Uttar Pradesh, 45 Central ministers and over a dozen of senior party leaders will gather in the state to commemorate the second anniversary of the Modi government. The Central government will celebrate its second year anniversary in Uttar Pradesh, while keeping in mind that the state is all set to hold assembly elections in 2017. Week-long celebrations in the form of "Vikas Parv" (Development Festival) will take place in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, besides in other states. BJP UP spokesperson Vijay Bahadur Pathak said that the main purpose of this event is to highlight the achievements of the Modi government and spread them to the masses. BJP National president Amit Shah is scheduled to hold rallies till June 10, to mark the second anniversary celebrations. Amit Shah on Wednesday, May 25 had said the party has not decided if it will project a chief ministerial candidate for the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls next year and that the ruling Samajwadi Party would be the BJP's main rival. Shah said he was confident of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coming to power in Uttar Pradesh, adding that "maladministration" of the Samajwadi Party government will be the main issue in the assembly elections. "The SP is the main challenge in Uttar Pradesh as it has strong base and its cadre is also comparatively staunch," Shah told select group of journalists here at a function to mark two years of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will be in Lucknow and Minister of Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari will meet the people of Kanpur. HRD Minister Smriti Irani and BCCI chief Anurag Thakur will hold meetings in Gorakhpur. Health minister J P Nadda and Labour minister Bandaru Dattatreya will meet people of Varanasi. Minister of Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Minister of state for Railways Manoj Sinha will take charge of Agra. Other senior BJP leaders who are expected to meet people of Uttar Pradesh in different districts are-- External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, defence minister Manohar Parrikar, Parliamentary Affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Jayant Sinha, Birender Singh and Ramesh Pokhriyal. OneIndia News Seventh Pay Commission: Doctors in govt hospitals go on strike, demand 'better increment' India oi-Mukul New Delhi, May 26: Unhappy with the increment proposal by the Seventh pay Commission, resident doctors of all the government hospitals in Delhi, went for a strike on Thursday. Seventh Pay Commission: Government employees threaten strike from June 2 Reportedly they are peeved with the recommendations of pay commission and demanding increase in their salaries and allowances. Doctors have also threatened to go on an indefinite strike from June 1 if their demands are not fulfilled. Reportedly, the doctors will also hold a protest march from Lady Hardinge Medical College at 1 pm. One of the doctors was quoted as saying, "If the changes like reducing Non Practicing Allowance from 25 to 20 per cent are not reverted, doctors across the country may go on an indefinite strike from June 1". The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), an umbrella organisation of 15,000 resident doctors across 41 government hospitals in the national capital, has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to revise the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission which they termed were "particularly discriminating to doctors". OneIndia news (With inputs from PTI) 'We demand for RSS to be banned too', says Congress MP on PFI Ban After RTI activist Baliga murder RSS relegates divisional secretary to Samparka Pramukh India oi-Shreyas Mangaluru, May 26: The killing of RTI activist Baliga, subsequent hiding of Yuva Brigade leader Naresh Shenoy and other slew of issues have forced the RSS to replace Mangaluru Vibhaga Karyavaha ( Divisional Secretary), Prakash P S from this powerful position. Prakash has been recently relegated to the post of Dakshina Samparka Pramukh by the top brass of the RSS in view of a few controversies and failures marred Prakash's tenure. Prakash is also the CEO of a news paper that owes its allegiance to RSS in Karnataka. For new readers, Vibhaga Karyavaha is a powerful post as Mangaluru Vibhaga covers Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Udupi and Kasargod districts. Karyavaha is a secretary post and enjoys decision making powers in those belts for RSS. However Dakshina Samparka Pramukh has less powers standing in comparison with earlier post. According to highly placed sources in the RSS a key reason to transfer Prakash from this post was killing of RTI activist Vinayak Baliga after which former NaMo Brigade and now Yuva Brigade's top leader Naresh Shenoy name was picked up by the police as a prime suspect. It is reliably learnt from the sources, Prakash P S heralded Naresh Shenoy to high fame inside the RSS thus facilitating to gain mileage in the public arena. Soon after Naresh Shenoy came to lime light during 2014 general elections by floating NaMo Brigade to galvanise support for Narendra Modi, Shenoy was made to assume the post of convener of Citizen Council. It is a prominent RSS backed council in Mangaluru that organises speeches by leaders of national level stature. It is under Prakash's interest Naresh held convener post. Besides this, Prakash had made mandatory the presence of Naresh Shenoy in all meetings (Bi-Tech) on the requests of Naresh Shenoy. The murder of Baliga forced the RSS to rethink on Prakash. When Naresh Shenoy was feeding the rift between Bajrang Dal and VHP in Dakshina Kannada, Prakash allegedly did not bothered to stop him from doing so, instead encouraged Shenoy. Former Divisional Secretary went on to the extent of handing over responsibility of planning of spending of election funds in general elections to Shenoy, sources in RSS said. Prakash has been backing Shenoy in all of his endeavors. Along side, former MLA Mangaluru South, Yogish Bhat's defeat in 2013 assembly polls too had come up in the minds of RSS decision making body while discharging the decision. However this fresh move has benefited Prabhakar Bhat. In the RSS circles, it is known fact that Prakash had cornered Bhat and power Bhat enjoyed was seized by Prakash. This turn over in the RSS puts Bhat again at the power center. It is likely, in 2018 assembly polls Bhat's favorites will be issued tickets. OneIndia News Bihar: Girls protest after being asked to remove Hijab during exam Bihar: When asked to take off hijab to check for bluetooth device, Muslim student leaves exam centre Central team roped in as dengue cases in Bihar rise to over 5000 Bihar's Gopalganj by-poll to see a tough fight between BJP and RJD Bihar: Former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's convoy attacked India oi-Mukul New Delhi, May 26: Former Chief Minister of Bihar, Jitan Ram Manjhi had a miraculous escape on Thursday after his convoy was attacked by angry villagers in Gaya district. Reportedly, the incident took place while Manjhi was on his way to Dumaria village to meet with the family of LJP leader Sudesh Paswan, who was murdered allegedly by Maoists on Wednesday. As per news reports, villagers who were protesting against the murder of LJP leader, set one of the car of Manjhi's convoy on fire too. A police official told that the villagers were angry over the delay by Manjhi, a local legislator, in meeting the family members of two brothers -- Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Sudesh Paswan and his brother Sunil Paswan. However, Manjhi's party Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and the LJP, both allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), blamed the supporters of the ruling Grand Alliance of Janata Dal-United (JD-U), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress for the attack. LJP leader Sudesh Paswan and his brother Sunil Paswan were killed in broad daylight near Tola Dubat in Gaya, about 100 km from here, by Maoists on Wednesday. Maoists also torched two cars and a motorcycle used in the campaigning in support of the slain LJP leader's wife, who is in the fray for the village chief's post. OneIndia News (With inputs from IANS) Italian Marine can go back to Italy, says Supreme Court India oi-Vicky New Delhi, May 26: The Supreme Court on Thursday, May 26 allowed Italian Marine Salvatore Girone to return home. He is one of the marines accused of murdering two fishermen along the Kerala coast in 2012. The Supreme Court allowed his return home subject to conditions. When the matter came up for hearing, the centre was asked for its opinion. The centre did not object to his plea on humanitarian grounds. The Supreme Court had agreed to hear the plea by Italian Marine Salvatore Girone. He had sought relaxation of bail conditions enabling him to return to Italy. Girone and Massimiliano Latorre are facing charges of murdering two fishermen off the Kerala coast in 2012. On May 2 the UN's Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague recommended that the bail conditions of Girone be relaxed. It had stated that he is under the Indian authority and hence the Supreme Court of India should exercise its jurisdiction over him. Further the tribunal had also ordered that Italy and India move the Supreme Court for relaxation of bail conditions. It had also observed that Girone report to an Italian authority designated by the Supreme Court of India and he should also surrender his passport and be prohibited from leaving Italy unless the Supreme Court of India grants him permission. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, May 26, 2016, 11:48 [IST] Karnataka: Police constables plan to go on mass leave; top cop says none applied for leave India oi-Shreyas Bengaluru, May 26: Never before this happened in the history of Karnataka. Police constables going on mass leave to stamp protest against harassment by senior officers. Akhila Karnataka Police Maha Sangha (AKPMS) claims that over 50,000 cops would go on leave on June 4 to mark protest against harassment to constables by the senior police officers. The leave will be termed as 'harassment leave' and the association says many constables on this day will not appear for duty. But the top cop from the police department tells none so far applied for leave. Founder President of AKPMS, V Shashidhar speaking to OneIndia said protest is the only means to resolve the problems of constables. Shashidhar says many constables approached him to find a solution to the trouble they are facing on a daily basis, following which movement was planned. "65,000 constables in the state are the most harassed section in the department. They are forced to work for 15 hours a day and requests on grant of leave are thrown into bins," lamented V Shashidhar. Besides, in all emergency, it is the constables who have to bear the brunt. The police who approached Shashidhar choked the idea of going on mass leave and requested him to lead the movement as there are no forums in the state for the police constables to fight for rights . "If the protest turns our to be a successful, it is a big set back for the government," Shashidhar opined. According to Shashidhar what constables are facing is a gross violation of human rights. Albiet repeated requests made to the government to solve the problems, nothing was heard. Hence, the police have decided to send a message to government this time, divulged Shashidhar. None applied for leave: Top Cop The top cop in the police department told this news portal that, so far none applied for leave. He said, all constables will register for duty on the day as policemen going to protest will lead to law and order crisis. According to certain sources, ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act 1968) is a tool that could be used to stop this movement. On those, who will go on leave ESMA would be invoked, which will effect the cancellations of pensions, if done so. This is a message sent to the constables by the top brass in the Karnataka police department. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, May 26, 2016, 13:39 [IST] Should Kashmir be given to Pakistan: Row erupts after this question appears in MP civil service exam Kashmir burns on fiction and distorted facts: Intelligence Bureau India oi-Vicky New Delhi, May 26: Kashmir is on the edge with the separatists calling for a shut down protesting the decision to rehabilitate the Pandits and also sainik colonies. Hours after the separatists who came together called for a shut down, terrorist organisation the Lashkar-e-Tayiba (LeT) backed the move. The security is on their toes and the intelligence bureau warns that a small incident could trigger off major chaos in the state. Beware of fiction and cooked up facts, the IB has warned. Almost all major protests in Kashmir have turned violent after some elements have spread rumours and put out fictitious stories which have led to stone pelting and extreme violence. Beyond facts and fiction: In Kashmir one has noticed a pattern in the past several years. Protests that have started out on a peaceful note have turned so violent that the state has stared a shut downs that have lasted months. Stone pelting has been the most common form of protest in the past few years. In most of these cases it has been found that the protest has turned violent due to fiction and distorted facts. Intelligence Bureau officials say that the organisers of the protest wait for a while and when they realise that the situation is peaceful, they begin indulging in rumour mongering. The latest episode is the one relating to the girl who had claimed that she had been molested by an army personnel. The case saw many turns with the girl later saying that the original story was wrong. She however changed her version again after her parents alleged pressure by the security forces. " title="Viral Video: Handwara girl says "Army men didn't molest her"" />Viral Video: Handwara girl says "Army men didn't molest her" On the edge: The state remains on the edge. First and foremost after 2008 the three main separatists, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik and Syed Ali Shah Geelani have come together and called for a shut down. This is the first worrying sign for the state. The last time they came together despite having different ideologies was in 2008 to protest the transfer of land to the Amarnath Yatra Board. The other issue is that this is a high tourists season and this has added to the nightmare of the security forces. The most recent incident in which three police personnel were gunned down in two separate incidents is also a factor adding to the already existing tension in Kashmir. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, May 26, 2016, 13:29 [IST] Maken terms Kejriwal 'mini Modi' for spending on ads India oi-PTI Jalandhar, May 26: DPCC president Ajay Maken today termed AAP convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as a "mini Modi", charging him with spending large sums of money on advertisements at a time when residents of the National Capital were reeling under water and power shortage. "The way PM Modi is spending crores on advertisements without concern for anyone, Kejriwal is also wasting the money of the people of Delhi," Maken told reporters here. "Instead of performing his duties, Kejriwal is busy spreading lies through advertisements. He is like a mini Modi," he said. Maken said Kejriwal was trying to gain publicity by listing the achievements of his government through newspaper advertisements in other states, while Delhi residents were suffering due to shortage of water and power. Instead of wasting time in other states, the AAP chief should look after Delhi first, Maken said. Maken also hit out at the Modi government's performance, saying they had failed to control the main issues of unemployment, corruption and price rise over the past two years. "Modi had promised to provide employment to 4 crore people in the past 2 years , but only 1.34 lakh have found jobs, according to the government's website," he claimed. "Everyone is familiar with the corruption in BJP-ruled states like Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra etc. Apart from that, there are the scandals involving Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya. Also, they still have not been able to bring back black money in these two years," Maken said. The Congress leader admitted that the party was going through a trust deficit, but expressed confidence of bouncing back from setbacks. "Congress is going through a trust deficit (vishwas ke sankat), but this is not the first time it has faced such a situation. We had gone through such a situation in 1977 but came back to power several times after that. We will easily regain our old momentum. The results of MCD election in Delhi prove that," he said. PTI Mamata miffed for not being invited to be part of Bangaldesh PM's India visit 'Another feather in cap': Mamata on WB's highest success rate in All India Trade Test 'Is this acceptable?' Mamata Banerjee on Hindu Mahasabha's depiction of Mahatma Gandhi as Asura Mamata Banerjee oath ceremony: Kolkata's Red Road turns Blue India oi-Shalini Kolkata, May 26: The historic Red Road in Kolkata has been closed to traffic for the last four days. The decision has been taken to facilitate the preparation of the oath taking ceremony of Mamata Banerjee who voted back to power in the assembly elections. Mamata Banerjee who is fondly called as 'Didi' wants everyone to join the oath taking ceremony scheduled to be held on May 27. She will take oath as Chief Minister of West Bengal for the second time in Kolkata. Red road which connects one of important Fort William, where army headquater is situated has now been converted into blue and white Mamata Banerjee's prefered colour. Earlier the oath ceremony was conducted at Governor's house or Raj Bhawan. But this time the change in venue has marked controversy over cost and traffic diversion. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) expecting to host around 1 lakh people on the ocassion of oath taking ceremony. Special gusets for the day Former Bihar CM and RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and son Tejaswi Yadav are also among the guest list, apart from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Venkaiah Naidu and Nitin Gadkari, Mukesh Ambani, YC Deveshwar. OneIndia News Modi conspired against CMs; people targeted in Bharat Mata's name: Kejriwal India oi-IANS By Ians English New Delhi, May 26: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying in his government's two years, Modi only conspired to destabilise chief ministers in various states while people are being targeted in the name of "Bharat Mata". "Two years ago, you promised that Team India shall not be limited to PM but include CMs. Now you conspire to destabilize CMs. Dear PM sir, those who say Bharat Mata ki Jai in Kashmir and those who don't say it outside Kashmir are being attacked," Kejriwal said in a series of tweets. Kejriwal slams Modi government for overexpenditure on advertisements Dear PM sir, those who say Bharat mata ki jai in kashmir n those who don't say it outside kashmir are being attacked Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 26, 2016 He said that minorities and Dalits are being attacked, and traders and jewellers are disappointed and angry with the central government. "Dear @narendramodi ji two years ago, you promised education for Dalits but remained silent on Rohith Vemula's institutional murder," he said in another tweet. Dear @narendramodi ji 2 years ago, u promised education for Dalits but remained silent on Rohith Vemulas institutional murder. Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 26, 2016 Accusing Modi of remaining silent over several key issues, Kejriwal posted: "Two years ago you promised corruption-free governance but are silent (like Manmohan Ji) on Vyapam, Lalitgate, mallya, khadse (issues)." "Dear @narendramodi ji two years ago you promised to reduce Non-Performing Assets (NPA) of banks but allowed defaulter Vijay Mallya to flee from India." "Dear @narendramodi ji two years ago you promised farmers minimum profit of 50 percent over input cost but despite thousands of suicides you refuse to act." Dear @narendramodi ji 2 years ago u promised farmers minimum profit of 50% over inputcost but despite thousands of suicides u refuse to act Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 26, 2016 IANS Toddler who filed 'FIR' against mom gets bicycle, chocolates from MP minister 5-year-old dies after being attacked by pack of dogs in MP Modi government failed to fulfill people's aspirations: Congress India oi-IANS By Ians English Bhopal, May 26: Congress leader Girija Vyas on Thursday attacked the Narendra Modi government saying that the "dreams" it had shown to the people two years ago are slowly vanishing. Vyas, addressing reporters here, said the Modi government had come to power alluring people with their "flowery language and kindling dreams", but that people have now realised their "hollow truth". Kejriwal slams Modi government for overexpenditure on advertisements The Congress has launched a nationwide campaign -- 'Modi Sarkar ke do saal, bure haal desh badhaal' -- to demonstrate the "hollow truth" of the Modi government's two years in office. Vyas said the ruling BJP at the Centre has failed on every front. Vyas said that before the 2014 elections, Modi made promised to deposit a sum of Rs.15 lakh in the account of the poor, reduce price rise, retrieve black money and fight foreign forces etc. But when Modi rose to power, he failed to deliver on his promises, she said. IANS In a case of bad karma Taliban outs Pakistan on what India had always said on Azhar Mullah Haibatullah: Why has Taliban chosen a scholar over a warrior? India oi-Vicky New Delhi, May 26: The decision by the Taliban to chose Mullah Haibatullah Akhunzada a religious leader over a warrior to head the outfit was quite a surprising move. Many believed that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar one of the co-founders of the Taliban would be made the leader. The might of the Taliban leaders is based on their contribution during the Soviet war. Haibatullah a former deputy of the Chief Justice, Afghanistan was not even part of the war with the Soviet. In fact during the entire duration of the war he was away in Pakistan which makes the decision to make him head today even more surprising. Avoiding conflict: Haibatullah who belongs to the Noorzai tribe hails from the Panjwai district of the southern Khandahar province. Although he has nothing to boast about his fighting skills, he is a very respected scholar. In fact both the young and older lot in the Taliban hold him in very high esteem. He would also issue decrees on behalf of the Taliban which were respected by his entire clan. These are some of the facts that could have led to his appointment as leader. Moreover since he is highly revered in the Taliban, the question of a revolt too is remote. The Taliban was a fractured unit when Mullah Mansour took over following the death of Mullah Omar. Mullah Haibatullah was a deputy to Mullah Mansour and he had played an active part in trying to douse the fire in the outfit. In fact one of the big tasks that he undertook as the deputy was successfully negotiate a cease fire with the dissident Taliban faction. India watches closely: India has been watching the developments closely. Peace in Afghanistan is of extreme importance to India which is looking to open up the trade route through the Chabahar port deal signed with Iran. However the position of Haibatullah on the peace talks with the Afghanistan government continues to remain unknown. There are conflicting views on his position on the peace talks. Some feel that he will take the Mullah Omar path. He will try and put the Taliban in a position that it had when Mullah Omar was the chief. This would essentially mean bringing the young and old together and instil the loyalty factor. It would also mean unleashing terror on the enemies. However there is also another section which feels that this would be the best time to negotiate with the Taliban and get the peace talks rolling. He is the man who can unite the Taliban and hence becomes the best bet to talk peace. However Mullah Haibatullah is a man who would go by the Shura Council of the Taliban and will not work independently of the decision making body. At the moment there is no clarity on his position but the following months would make it clear. OneIndia news For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, May 26, 2016, 10:41 [IST] NEET 2016: Online application process for second phase begins at www.aipmt.nic.in India oi-Jagriti New Delhi, May 26: The online application process for the second phase of National ELigiblity cum Entrance Test (NEET) started from Thursday. The second phase of the NEET for admissions to medical and dental colleges will be held on July 24. Aspirants can login to www.aipmt.nic.in to submit online application for the same. Candidates can get details like syllabus, eligiblity criteria on the website. The second phase of NEET is being organised for those students who failed to appear in NEET I held on May 1 or those having the apprehension that they had not prepared well, subject to submission of an undertaking to give up their candidature for NEET-I, can apply in NEET-II. Combined result of NEET I and II will be announced on August 17. NEET: All you need to know about the controversy President Pranab Mukherjee recently signed an order that allows state boards to skip the uniform medical entrance examination - NEET - for a year. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, May 26, 2016, 13:00 [IST] Pathankot attack probe: NIA finds a pattern by JeM to rake up Afzal Guru issue India oi-Vicky Bengaluru, May 26: The Pathankot probe may be going no where in Pakistan, but in India, the National Investigation Agency continues to get more evidence. The Jaish-e-Mohammad which was behind this attack had one single agenda while carrying out the attack at Pathankot and two in Jammu and Kashmir. They were attempting to rake up the Afzal Guru issue. The Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists who carried out the attacks left behind notes which clearly indicate that they were fighting for the cause of Afzal Guru who was hanged after being held guilty in the Parliament attack case. The forensic examination of the notes has certified them as genuine. Raking up Afzal Guru: Apart from the Pathankot attack, the Jaish terrorists were involved in two attacks in Jammu and Kashmir on March 20 and 21 2015. They then followed it up with an attack on the Pathankot air force station. There is a pattern behind these attacks an NIA official informed Oneindia. The attacks were all on the armed forces and each one had a common message and that was they were avenging the killing of Afzal Guru. These terrorists wanted to make the Afzal Guru issue an emotive one. They were trying to provoke the people of Kashmir to rake up this issue. Under protection: Meanwhile in Pakistan, the probe into the Pathankot attack is moving at a slow pace. There has been no action taken against Maulana Masood Azhar or his brother Asghar Rauf. Instead they continue to be under protective custody at Bhawalpur which is the base of the Jaish-e-Mohammad. Pakistan has constantly maintained that Azhar is under protective custody. Indian officials term this as a joke and question the need to protect a terrorist who was involved in an assassination of their own former President General Pervez Musharaff. Moreover, there has also been no communication from Pakistan as yet on the dates for the NIA to visit. The NIA has been saying that they want to visit Pakistan to probe the case. However, Pakistan is yet to respond to the request. While the NIA feels that they would be given dates soon, the chances of questioning Azhar is impossible, they also say. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, May 26, 2016, 8:28 [IST] Smriti Irani Launches Bharatavani Portal News oi-Lisa By Lisa The Union Human Resource Development Minister, Smriti Irani launched the multilingual knowledge portal www.bharatvani.in at Lucknow yesterday. While launching the app the Minister said that under the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Digital India Mission, Bharatavani App will perform the task of bringing about digital revolution in the county. The most unique achievement of the app was that it became the largest online repository of dictionaries in India on its very first day. HRM @smritiirani launched #Bharatavani portal & app to learn Indian languages, dictionaries, textbooks & literature.https://t.co/Lk9fMankC2 Ministry of HRD (@HRDMinistry) May 25, 2016 The Government's mission is to showcase the Indian culture and heritage to the world through the medium of technology. This project is in line with the HRD Ministry's efforts to not only ensure universalisation of education but also towards creation of a knowledge society in the digital age. Grateful for your continued support and appreciation @IrinaBokova https://t.co/GKAyJbdHN7 Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) May 25, 2016 The Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysuru is implementing this ambitious project of MHRD. This is what makes Bharatavani a unique portal. One Point language resource: Bharatavani is the first knowledge portal of its kind in India which focuses on becoming a single point source for multiple language learning, content and technology. Given India's diversity, Bharatavani is an attempt to bring the people of India under one portal, its goal being to bridge the Digital and language divide, with the idea to publish as well as involve people in the Open Knowledge movement. Window to language diversity: Government of India with the launch of this multilingual portal reiterates its commitment to the protection, preservation and inclusion of all Indian languages through technological development without discrimination. India's diversity includes a treasure trove of knowledge and indigenous culture and the Government will take all measures required to develop the spread of Indian languages across communities and cultures. More than 130 dictionaries, glossaries & terminology books posted on #Bharatavani Web portal, available in Text & PDF formats. Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) May 25, 2016 Fostering National Integration: By its very nature, Bharatavani aims to foster national integration by emphasising on multilingual and cross-lingual learning tools and technologies. Many cross-lingual grammar books, learning courses, will not only enable learning of languages but their transliteration will enable us to learn another language instantly. This can be experienced by way of the Bharatavani App, which has been so designed to enable users to read any language in any script through any language interface. Catalyst to Language Technology Development: Technology Development for Indian Languages will be made much easier with Bharatavani turnout to be India's largest language Corpus. Digitisation of hundreds of multilingual, multi-topic dictionaries, will provide Bharatavani a massive data set of linguistic terminologies, thereby leveraging research and development. Bharatavani aims to establish itself as a single point online window to knowledge in and about Indian Languages, dictionaries, language IT tools and textbooks. Unique multiple source of words: Along with the Bharatavani portal, MHRD has also launched the Bharatavani Multi-lingual App called Bharatavani. This App will enable users to search for one language text in another language as well as get meanings in different languages. Currently the App has 35 multilingual Dictionaries and MHRD aims to extend it to 250 dictionaries in a year's time. This App, on the day of its launch becomes India's first and largest multilingual dictionary. Our endeavour is to make it the world's biggest online multilingual dictionary source. #Bharatavani App currently has 35 multilingual dictionaries, @HRDMinistry aims to extend it to 250 dictionaries within a year. Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) May 25, 2016 The salient features of Bharatavani are: Bharatavani makes available knowledge already published by Government and publicly funded institutions all over the country and puts its across for free and fair public usage, by deploying a robust, interactive, user friendly web tools. Its content is protected by fair usage clauses under the Indian Copyright Act. The Bharatavani Portal would publish the content in the following main sections: Paa Thyapustaka Kosha: Textbooks by various authorities Jnana Kosha: Encyclopedic Knowledge base in all languages Shabda Kosha: Dictionaries, Glossaries, Terminologies, Bhasha Kosha: Language learning books Suchanaa Praudyogikii Kosha: It tools (right now linked to TDIL) Bahumaadhyama Kosha: Multimedia content Significantly, more than 130 Dictionaries, Glossaries and Terminology books have been posted on the web portal. These dictionaries are available in text and PDF formats. Many institutions both at National and State level have declared their support to this initiative and have already signed MOUs with Bharatavani. All content in print and other formats will be completely digitised and put onto the portal in the form of searchable text. The portal has been launched in 22 scheduled languages, which eventually will be extended to 100 more languages. Fact Check: Did Trump thank Musk for welcoming him back to Twitter Delegates in hand, Donald Trump says he's got GOP nomination International oi-PTI Bismarck (US), May 27: With a triumphant pile of delegates in hand, Republican Donald Trump on Thursday claimed support from "almost everybody" in his party and turned his attention to his likely Democratic presidential opponent, Hillary Clinton, who is still locked in a divisive primary contest. The New York billionaire reached the number of delegates needed to clinch the GOP nomination hours earlier, according to the Associated Press count, just before a North Dakota campaign stop. US election 2016: Donald Trump wins Washington primary It completed his unlikely rise that has upended the political landscape and set the stage for a bitter fall campaign. "Here I am watching Hillary fight, and she can't close the deal," he told reporters. "We've had tremendous support from almost everybody." Trump's good news was tempered by his own continuing campaign problems. Those include the abrupt departure of his political director and continuing resistance by many Republican leaders to declare their support for his upstart candidacy. Trump was put over the top in the AP delegate count by a small number of the party's unbound delegates who told the AP they would support him at the national convention in July. Among them was Oklahoma GOP chairwoman Pam Pollard. "I think he has touched a part of our electorate that doesn't like where our country is," Pollard said. "I have no problem supporting Mr Trump." It takes 1,237 delegates to win the Republican nomination. Trump has reached 1,239. With 303 delegates at stake in five state primaries on June 7, Trump will easily pad his total, avoiding a contested convention in Cleveland. Trump, a political neophyte who for years delivered caustic commentary on the state of the nation from the sidelines but had never run for office, fought off 16 other Republican contenders in an often ugly primary race. Many on the right have been slow to warm to Trump, wary of his conservative bona fides. Others worry about his crass personality and the lewd comments he's made about women. But millions of grass-roots activists, many of them outsiders to the political process, have embraced him as a plain-speaking populist. Steve House, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party and an unbound delegate who confirmed his support of Trump to the AP, said he likes the billionaire's background as a businessman. "Leadership is leadership," House said. "If he can surround himself with the political talent, I think he will be fine." PTI Discrimination case against Disneyland Paris should be dropped International oi-PTI Meaux, May 25: Discrimination charges against Euro Disney over job adverts that called only for "European" candidates should be dropped, prosecutors today said. The trial was triggered by a complaint from anti-racism groups nine years ago over job adverts in the commuter paper 20 Minutes in 2006, looking for "cast members" but stipulating that they had to be "of European nationality". The prosecutors said that it had not been established that the discriminatory infraction had been committed by the company or the person who designed the job ad. In its defence Euro Disney, which runs the theme park east of the French capital, spoke of "human error" saying the advert was a one-off that had been badly worded. Adverts for the same positions placed at job centres and on its official website did not use the same wording. French activist group SOS Racisme claimed the adverts were discriminatory and made an official complaint in February 2007. The trial at a courtroom in Meaux near Disneyland Paris, was due to be concluded on Wednesday but judgement was delayed until June 7. A guilty verdict would carry a possible 225,000-euro (USD 250,000) fine, but prosecutors recommended to the judge that the charges be dropped. Prosecutors had already called, in 2013, for the case to be dropped, but a group of former SOS Racisme campaigners appealed that decision. "Do prosecutors serve the interests of discrimination victims of Euro Disney?" said Samuel Thomas, now with anti-discrimination group Maison des Potes, who made the initial complaint and appeal. Euro Disney has a turnover of 1.3 billion euros and employs 15,000 people. It says it has some 100 nationalities speaking 20 languages among its staff, and won a "Diversity Label" status from the government in 2008 in recognition of its efforts to build a mixed workforce. With nearly 15 million visitors per year, Disneyland Paris is the most popular private tourist destination in Europe. It is also the biggest private employer in the Paris region. AFP India always views war as last resort, but... : PM Modi to armed forces in Kargil "Joint address will give Congress an opportunity to welcome Modi" International oi-PTI Washington, May 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled address to joint session of the Congress next month will give American people an opportunity to welcome him and illustrate their admiration and commitment as strategic partners to the Indian people, a US lawmaker has said. "This historic address gives Congress and the American people an opportunity to welcome our friend Prime Minister Modi and further illustrate our admiration and commitment as strategic partners to the Indian people," Congressman Pete Sessions, Chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee said. Modi is scheduled to address a joint meeting of the US Congress on June 8 at the invitation of Paul Ryan, Speaker of the US House of Representatives. "I am delighted to welcome Modi to the US Capitol and sincerely look forward to hearing his remarks on the deep ties and relationship between the US - the modern world's oldest democracy and the world's largest democracy, India," Sessions said in response to a question. Modi will only be the fifth Indian Prime Minister to address a joint session of the US Congress. Others being Manmohan Singh (July 19, 2005), Atal Bihari Vajpayee (September 14, 2000), P V Narasimha Rao (May 18, 1994) and Rajiv Gandhi (July 13, 1985). The tradition of foreign leaders and dignitaries addressing Congress began with Marquis de Lafayette of France, who spoke in the House chamber on December 10, 1824. Pope Francis was the last foreign leader to address a joint meeting of the Congress in September 2015. Given that this is an election year, Modi might be the only foreign leader to have the distinction to address a joint meeting of the Congress this year and into early next year. Sessions said as the branch of government most closely tied to the American people, the United States Congress seeks to consider legislation that would be beneficial to both the countries. PTI Pakistan confirms death of Mullah Mansour International oi-PTI Islamabad, May 26: Pakistan today confirmed the death of Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a US drone strike in the country while travelling under false name and with a fake Pakistani identity document. Mansour was targeted by drones operated by US special forces in Balochistan's Noshki district on May 21 when he headed towards Quetta in a rented car. "All indicators confirm that the person killed in the drone strike was Mullah Akhter Mansour who was travelling on a fake identity. The DNA test result will be available shortly," said advisor to Prime Minister Sartaj Aziz at a briefing. He also said that the drone action was a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty as well as breach of the principles of the UN Charter governing the conduct of the states. "We have conveyed our serious concern to the United States on this issue," Aziz said. His comments came after Afghan Taliban yesterday announced Haibatullah Akhundzada as their new chief. Aziz said that the death of Mansour has added to the "complexity of the Afghan conflict". Mullah Mansour- An uncomfortable Taliban commander "We believe that this action has undermined the Afghan peace process," he said. He said that day before the attack, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the US and China had agreed in a meeting on May 18 that politically negotiated settlement was the most viable option. "This understanding has not been respected," he said. "Earlier in July 2015, peace talks were scuttled at a key stage when the issue of reduction in violence was to be discussed and in less than a year, peace process has been scuttled twice," he said. "In our view there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. The use of force for past 15 years has failed to deliver peace," he said. He said this approach will further destabilise Afghanistan, which will have negative implications for the region, especially due to the presence of large number of terrorist groups in the war-torn country. Aziz said that Pakistan believes that politically negotiated settlement remains the most viable option for bringing lasting peace to Afghanistan as the military approach has been tried for 15 years and could not achieve the objective. PTI Solar Impulse could be stuck in Japan for a year: pilot Solar Impulse past 'point of no return' from Japan to Hawaii Solar Impulse lands in Pennsylvania on record-breaking flight International oi-PTI Washington, May 26: The sun-powered Solar Impulse 2 aircraft has landed in the US state of Pennsylvania, completing the latest leg of a record-breaking flight around the world to promote renewable energy. After taking off from Dayton, Ohio early yesterday, the plane piloted by Swiss explorer Bertrand Piccard arrived at 8:49 pm (0049 GMT Thursday) at Lehigh Valley International Airport after a flight that lasted just under 17 hours. On its next stage to New York's JFK airport, scheduled for after May 30, Solar Impulse is expected to pass over the Statue of Liberty for a much-anticipated photo opportunity before landing at one of the world's busiest airports. "The mood is extraordinary," Andre Borschberg, the plane's alternate pilot, said on the ground just as Piccard prepared to land. "We are close to New York!" The slow-moving, single-seat plane with the massive wingspan of a Boeing 747 has traversed much of the globe in stages since taking off March 9, 2015 from Abu Dhabi, with Piccard and Borschberg, a Swiss businessman, alternating in the cockpit. The aircraft, clad in thousands of solar cells, was scheduled to depart Ohio on Tuesday but the flight was postponed after its inflatable mobile hangar was damaged when the air fans holding up the structure temporarily failed. However, the plane's performance on Wednesday was "like it should be" Borschberg said. "It's a fantastic airplane." The flight to Lehigh Valley was the 13th leg of Solar Impulse's projected 16-leg east-west circumnavigation, traveling at average speeds of a mere (30 miles) 48 kilometres per hour. "Fantastic moment," Picard tweeted from the cockpit at one point during the flight. "I just got in touch with Air Traffic Control of New York Center. We've crossed the USA!!!!!" "The flight is part of the attempt to achieve the first ever Round-The-World Solar Flight, the goal of which is to demonstrate how modern clean technologies can achieve the impossible," Piccard and Borschberg said in a statement. It hasn't all been smooth sailing, however. The aircraft was grounded in July when its batteries were damaged halfway through its 21,700-mile (35,000-kilometre) circumnavigation of the globe. The crew took several months to repair the damage caused by high tropical temperatures during a 4,000-mile flight between Nagoya, Japan and Hawaii. The plane was flown on that stage by Borschberg, whose 118-hour journey smashed the previous record of 76 hours and 45 minutes set by US adventurer Steve Fossett in 2006. AFP Sooner or later China will change: Tibetan PM-in-exile International oi-IANS By Ians English Dharamsala, May 26: Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay, who will take the oath of office for his second consecutive term here on Friday, is hopeful that sooner or later China will change for the better. He's believes in Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama's dictum: "Hope for the better, but prepare for the worst too". "The issue of the dialogue between the envoys of the Dalai Lama and Chinese representatives is delicate and sensitive," Sangay said. "However, it's clear that there is no lack of effort on our part on restarting the dialogue under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama," said the 48-year-old Harvard-educated elected head of the Central Tibetan Administration. He replied in affirmative when asked: Are you expecting some changes in the mindset of the Chinese over granting greater autonomy for Tibetans? "I remain hopeful that sooner or later, China will change for the better." Sangay was re-elected on April 27 after defeating his only rival, Penpa Tsering. He polled about 57 percent of the 58,740 votes cast across the globe on March 20. It was the second election since the Dalai Lama stepped down as head of the government-in-exile in 2011. Since then, the significance of the prime minister's post has gone up. About on the ongoing deadlock over talks between the Dalai Lama's envoys and the Chinese since January 2010, Sangay said: "It's evident that we must put maximum efforts in achieving genuine autonomy for all Tibetans based on the middle-way approach". "However, as advised by His Holiness the Dalai Lama time and again, we must hope for the better but prepare for the worst. We may have to continue our struggle for many years. Therefore, it's critical that we are able to sustain our cause" A confidant Sangay believes in dialogue. "We remain committed to the middle-way approach and reiterate that dialogue is the most realistic approach and the only way to find a mutually beneficial solution to the Tibet issue." "The middle-way approach neither seeks separation from the People's Republic of China nor high degree of autonomy but genuine autonomy for all Tibetan people under a single administration," he said. "The Chinese leadership should adopt a policy that keeps up with the ground reality," added Sangay, who did his early education from a refugee school in Darjeeling and studied law from Delhi University before moving to Harvard for his doctorate. His priorities in his second and last five-year stint would be to resolve the issue of Tibet, besides making efforts to introduce new projects wherever and whenever necessary to improve political and administrative efficiency. Asked about the possible shape and size of his new Kashag (cabinet), he replied diplomatically, saying the most suitable candidates would be inducted, irrespective of their experience or gender. According to him, the coming 15th cabinet will also continue the many tasks started by the previous cabinet based on the founding principles of unity, innovation and self-reliance. Sangay reiterated: "We are ready to have dialogue with China anytime and anywhere." In his first stint, Sangay toured the globe trying to build up support for the Tibetan cause. European Council President Donald Tusk told Chinese premier Xi Jinping during a press conference last year that the Tibet issue should be resolved through dialogue. In 2011, the White House released a press statement after President Barack Obama met with the Dalai Lama, applauding the middle-way approach. The Dalai Lama has lived in India since fleeing his homeland in 1959. The Tibetan administration in exile is based in this northern Indian hill town. IANS Hasina's Hilsa diplomacy: Bangladesh gifts Mamata 20 kg of fish ahead of oath-taking Kolkata oi-Shubham Kolkata, May 26: Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina might not make it to the oath-taking ceremony of Mamata Banerjee, who is set to become the chief minister of West Bengal for the second consecutive term, but the former has not forgotten to send her gift to the latter. And guess what the gift is: Twenty kilograms of Hilsa fish from the Padma River! The gift will be handed over to Banerjee by representatives of Hasina on Thursday, a report in Ananda Bazar Patrika said. Banerjee will take oath in a star-studded occasion at Red Road in Kolkata on Friday (May 27). Her Trinamool Congress (TMC) swept this year's election by winning 211 of the 294 Assembly seats alone. Hasina is also sending her industries minister Amir Hossain Amu to be present at Banerjee's oath-taking ceremony, Besides, Bangladesh's Deputy High Commissioner in Kolkata Zokey Ahad will also be present, the ABP report said. [Left, Congress not to attend Mamata's oath-taking ceremony] A gesture to take forward Bangladesh-India relations? Diplomatic circles believe the gesture of Hasina of sending both Hilsa and an important minister to Kolkata suggests that the Bangladeshi leadership is eyeing friendship between Dhaka and Kolkata, the report added. The deputy high commissioner also hoped that Banerjee would play a positive role in strengthening the bonds between Bangladesh and India, the report said. Banerjee has been an important player in India-Bangladesh relations Banerjee is considered an important player in the future growth of India-Bangladesh relation for she is chief minister of the bordering state of West Bengal. In 2011, the Bangladeshi establishment was dissatisfied with the TMC chief after she refused to accompany former prime minister Manmohan Singh during his trip to Dhaka. As a result of the disharmony from the Indian side, the Teesta water-sharing pact between the two countries got stuck. Howeever, Banerjee made up for the loss in 2015 when she went to Dhaka with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two sides also went ahead with their historic enclave-swapping pact in August. Diplomatic experts feel by sending the Hilsas, Hasina is reminding Banerjee about the pending water issue. Oneindia News 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. Washington Post 08 Aug 2022 The death of Omar Khalid Khorasani dealt a potentially serious blow to peace talks being negotiated between his extremist group and.. Rumble 25 Oct 2022 Is it just me or are you finding that the mere act of buying groceries is needing to take out a personal loan these days? Well,.. Our website uses cookies to improve your experience. Learn more PAPUA New Guinea is among a small group of developing countries invited to the 42nd Group of Seven (G7) meeting in Japan this week. Prime Minister Peter ONeill said PNG would participate in the outreach meeting in Ise-Shima, Japan from today to Saturday. ONeill said the meeting would provide an opportunity to advance development support and co-ordination issues with seven of the largest countries in the global economy. The G7 Group of states have a shared interest in working to enhance infrastructure in developing nations, he said. This meeting will provide the chance to share Papua New Guineas experience and create new opportunities for expanding infrastructure in our country. Further topics for discussion that are relevant to PNGs economy and development include promoting the engagement of women in the economy, and healthcare enhancement. Following the successful outcome of the Climate Change talks in Paris last year, there will be a further decision on climate change and global activities to reduce the impact this has on developing nations. ONeill will also meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan to discuss ongoing co-operation and opportunities to expand ties with PNG and Pacific island countries. ONeill is also expected to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi of Italy, President Francois Hollande of France, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The delegation led by PM ONeill will include Central Governor Kila Haoda, PNG ambassador to Japan Gabriel Dusava and Government officials. The G7 countries include Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and the United States. The European Union is also represented. When I began hearing reports of the "violence" in Albuquerque, I set out to do some original reporting by contacting the police department there. I wanted to talk to someone firsthand and not depend on others' accounts, but it became quickly apparent that the police were not handling well the media response. When I emailed the main media contact for the Albuquerque Police Department, Tanner M. Tixier, I got this reply: On the morning of May 25th, Trump tweeted, "The protesters in New Mexico were thugs who were flying the Mexican flag. The rally inside was big and beautiful, but outside, criminals!" Trump Compliments Himself at Albuquerque Rally, Makes Use of Elocution Lessons (screen grab) (Image by Shawn Hamilton) Details DMCA According to a report by the LA Times, Albuquerque lawyer Doug Antoon described seeing broken glass and flying rocks as he left the convention center Tuesday night. "This was not a protest; this was a riot. These are hate groups," he said hyperbolically. While some may find his comment ironic considering the nature of the Trump rally, the reaction to Trump by Albuquerque protestors may foreshadow exactly what we can expect on the national stage should he be installed as "president". It's never popular these days to draw Hitlerian comparisons, but I must. Using people's base fears and hostilities to garner support is exactly the technique Hitler used to sway disaffected Germans in the 1930s--the same rhetoric--save the homeland and protect the culture; the same target audience--lower-class, pissed off workers; the same issues--foreigners taking "their" jobs. Hitler knew he was conning people, and so does Trump. Am I comparing Trump to Hitler? I'm trying not to. Each is a product of his time. I am comparing their approaches to public discourse. As I listened to some of Trump's Albuquerque speech, I strongly sensed he didn't believe the nonsense he was spouting. The people in the crowd believed it though, and Trump seemed to be having a good time playing them. I have a few initial thoughts on Trump although I'm new to the sport of Trump-watching. I fear we may have too much time to consider him over the next several years. From what I have seen so far, Trump's main issues are jobs, immigration, and the bolstering of our impoverished military. He has a two-pronged approach to job creation: Build a wall: "Oh, we're going to build a wall," Trump likes to say although he never speaks of building a wall to protect us from illegal Canadian immigrants. Canadians, despite their being forced to benefit from "socialized medicine", just don't flock to the US for some reason (maybe it's too warm for them). Trump's Great Wall is intended, specifically, to protect the US white population from brown people who are stealing all those great service industry and fruit-picking jobs from Trump supporters. Trump might consider his great wall a jobs program, but he would no doubt be unable to find enough American workers willing to do such hard labor for minimum wage. He'd end up hiring the same people to build the wall that the wall is supposed to keep out. Fight ISIS/Create more crisis: More great jobs with the US government! This jobs creation plan isn't novel; it's been a mainstay of all recent administrations--socialize perpetual warfare using public funds, then privatize the profits. It's a great arrangement if you're on the receiving end of the largesse and aren't troubled by ethics or conscience. Trump, employing Richard Nixon's "Silent Majority" slogan on his podium sign, says, "I'm going to bomb the sh*t out of ISIS." (adding that he "doesn't care"). You can take that to the bank (if you're one of his friends). On social issues Trump is clear and unwavering: Health Care: Trump's revolutionary healthcare plan involves undoing the Affordable Care Act (ACA)--and that's it. I once heard him say he'd "replace it" although with what he didn't say. It may look something like the "Can't Afford Care Act" (CACA). He will use money saved on repealing ACA to keep bombing ISIS and further fund engineered crises to justify more bombing--to keep the economy moving! In fairness to Trump, I must point out that this arrangement has been in place for a long time. He would just add magnificence and glory to the hustle as he is wont to do. Military Funding: According to the New York Daily News, Trump said he would restore military funding "to where it was at the height because we're in such trouble." As anyone familiar with 20th century history will recognize, US military funding was at its height during World War 2. Trump's pledge to restore military funding to "world war" levels makes me a little nervous since, unlike Trump, I don't have a lavish subterranean bunker to retreat into when his policies come home to roost. Will Trump really become the next US president? Or is his function, perhaps, simply to scare people enough to acquiesce to the anointing of HRC, Inc.? (Article changed on May 29, 2016 at 17:03) Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). My guest today is investigative reporter, Steve Horn. Welcome back to OpEdNews, Steve. Joan Brunwasser: The issue of Hillary's emails, hacked, deleted or insecure, is beginning to grow legs, despite major mainstream media apathy for several years. Your new piece that you co-wrote with Lee Fang just appeared in Intercept.com is: Hillary Clinton's Energy Initiative Pressed Countries to Embrace Fracking, New Emails Reveal. This is a new wrinkle. Can you get the ball rolling for us, please? Steve Horn: Thanks for having me again! Okay, so it's important to differentiate our article with those based on the emails Hillary Clinton handed over that were on her private server. I've written articles based on those emails (known these days thanks to Bernie Sanders as the "damn emails," which he said "America is sick and tired of hearing about") too. My stories on those "damn emails" centered around how she pushed oil/gas sector privatization in Mexico and how the State Department -- in handing over those emails she had stored on her private server at her private home over, which the State Department Inspector General recently berated-- redacted the entire job description of David Goldwyn, who headed up the Global Shale Gas Initiative that's the centerpiece of our article. Goldwyn now works as an industry lawyer, consultant and unregistered lobbyist. The emails we tapped into for our story on The Intercept were obtained, like the private server ones, via the Freedom of Information Act. Tellingly, as our request was made before the private server request took place, there are NO emails in our hundreds of pages we received that emanate from Clinton or her closest aides that used the clintonmail.com email domain names. But we still got back interesting stuff, which expanded upon the great 2014 Mother Jones investigation about how Hillary Clinton's State Department sold hydraulic fracturing ("fracking," a horizontal drilling technique) of shale oil and gas around the world. Our emails show that GSGI involved coordination among a plethora of federal agencies and it's important to note it wasn't just a State Department thing, but a "whole of government" approach touted by Goldwyn as such. State Department created its own Bureau of Energy Resources, under which sat GSGI. GSGI brought in delegations to the U.S. and sent delegations abroad for the purpose of selling U.S.-style fracking around the world. Clinton now campaigns as a cautious supporter of fracking (and aired a fairly secretive anti-fracking ad in New York State that her campaign hasn't put up on YouTube like the rest of the ads its run), given certain conditions only under which she'd support it, but there's no evidence these conditions were part of her team's plan for selling fracking under the auspices of GSGI. So, it could just be pandering and to be honest, it probably is. Why wouldn't it be? This is U.S. electoral politics after all! The irony of the story is that fracking has only reached commercial-scale levels in the U.S., Argentina, Canada and China. Everywhere else, due to either geology or low oil prices, it has failed. So in some ways, GSGI was a mission failed. But it does show or at least portend that this type of activity could continue under a Hillary Clinton Administration, just as it did under Obama's. And that is nothing but bad news from a climate change and ecological perspective. JB: Lots to talk about here. First, a bit of clarification, please. You said that you got information via FOIA, but "tellingly" there were no emails from Clinton or her aides using the clintonemail.com domain. You were able to piece this story together without them? SH: She had a team of her closest advisers that used the private server. Most miss that part of the story, but it's key. Her closest friend, basically second daughter, Huma Abedin, also used that private server as did close friend and adviser Cheryl Mills and a small group of others. It's outlined pretty well in a New York Times piece published back in March 2015 titled, "Membership in Clinton's Email Domain Is Remembered as a Mark of Status." In Putin's Russia, we call these types of folks "loyalists" to the regime. In the U.S., we call them "aides." So, we got no emails from any of them even though I'm sure they had something to say about GSGI's operability. That's because technically their emails were not in State Department possession. They were in Clinton's possession, stored in a server tucked into a room in her New York state home. We weren't able to piece together the whole story of course due to the private server issue. And there is still another round of emails to come through this request, as they're giving them to us on a rolling basis. FOIA is notoriously slow under the Obama Administration, the worst Administration in U.S. history on the issue. But we got a lot of the story filled in from these, on top of the Mother Jones investigation. We can now accurately say Clinton served not only as the Secretary of State, but also the Global Secretary of Fracking. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). 'Betterness' as a Moral qualitative standard (Image by Daniel Penisten) Details DMCA When We The People engage in legislation decision of governance, don't We always do so in order to make Our Lives and Nation Better? This should be the why of it. Whether its solving problems, correcting "mistakes" or trying to develop new ways to enhance More of Our Lives, We always have Better in Our Minds. To some "Better" means to recapture that that has become lost. It would be "Better" to get certain lost things back. Usually because these things felt good, or We come to realize that they were more important to Us, than We thought. This might be called "Reaching Back For Better". To others "Better" might mean being kinder, or gentler to Ourselves. Or tasting new pleasures. "Reaching Forward for Better". Some of Us might be focused on removing certain laws that are unfair to some, while these give advantages to others. We seem to sense an unbalance in this phenomena"and that it would be Good to change it, to bring Better Balance into it. The Wisest of Us see all of these social governance needs and are dedicated to bringing their fulfillment into Our Culture. In the "Spirit of Betterness", to make Our Sovereign Nation Better. But, in Our quest for all of this improvement for Better, We must remember that even "Betterness" can go too far, too fast"and become a worse thing. "Betterness", to be the real deal, has to be well considered and deliberated upon. Steps are usually more serviceable than leaps. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Reprinted from Paul Craig Roberts Website Yesterday State Department deputy propaganda spokesperson Mark Toner reminded US companies that there are economic and reputational risks associated with doing business with Russia until Russia gives Crimea back to Washington's puppet government in Kiev. I see the matter differently from the US State Department. The only risk American corporations face from doing business in Russia is from the US government. Washington will punish the US companies unless, of course, the companies are part of the corporate oligarchy which has been granted immunity to the sanctions. The risk involved is to Russia. Here are some of the risks: ...When a Russian company does business with an American one, the American firm obtains economic information about Russia, which is given to the CIA. ...When the Russian Central Bank sells Russian bonds, Wall Street, acting for the CIA, can purchase the bonds and then dump them at inopportune times to embarrass Russia by driving down their price. The price decline will then become propaganda that Russia is failing and its bonds are worthless. ...When the Russian government allows the ruble to be traded in currency markets, the Russian government enables Washington to speculate against Russia's currency and to drive down its value. The decline in the ruble is then reinforced by propaganda that the ruble is worthless. ...When the Russian government permits foreign investment, Washington can have the money pulled out of Russia at inopportune times and, thereby, destabilize the Russian economy. The Russian government should forget all about Washington's sanctions. In fact the sanctions have helped Russia tremendously. Prior to the sanctions, Washington had Russia set up in the global economy as a Third World supplier of raw materials and dependent on foreign imports. This was Washington's way of controlling Russia. As a result of sanctions, Russia has become more self-sufficient and focused on producing for its own needs instead of for the needs of the West. Rather than worrying about Washington's sanctions, the Russian government should put sanctions on Russian companies for doing business with the US. In their activities abroad, American corporations are agents for the CIA, and they are agents in behalf of Washington's policy of destabilizing Russia and China. To see the truth of this, look at the history of Latin America. Every reformist government in every Latin American country in which the US has a business presence has been destabilized and overthrown. Russia's goal should be to insulate itself from the West, not integrate itself into the West. To be integrated into the West means to be a vassal state. Together Russia, China and India comprise by far the largest potential market in the world and also the largest geographical area. These three countries should focus on integrating their economies and insulate themselves against the West. Modern Monetary Theory, which is associated with outstanding economists such as Michael Hudson, makes it clear that countries should finance their infrastructure and any productive investment by creating money not debt. The use of government debt simply allows private banks to create the money, and the debt has to be serviced with interest paid to the banks, which drains the economy of spending power. Moreover, the debt can end up in hostile hands and be used to destabilize the economy. If Russia is going to allow the West to control its economy, it may as well allow Washington to control its armed forces. Unfortunately for the Russian government and the Russian people, Russia's Central Bank and neoliberal economists are too naive and gullible to be able to protect Russia from destabilization. Until Russia finds much better economic advice, the country's future remains uncertain. Note: In the above URL to the Sputnik article, Sputnik reports: "Toner added that Washington has sent a 'clear signal' to Moscow through 'combined sanctions, restrictive measures, and reduced diplomatic engagement' that it should fulfill its commitments under the Minsk ceasefire deal and end its 'occupation of Crimea.'" Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "Human survival depends on learning to organize the way all successful living communities organize as they adapt to ever changing local conditionsfrom the Bottom-Up. A timely contribution to confronting the transformation imperative confronting humanity." David Korten, author of When Corporations Rule the World, The Great Turning, and Change the Story, Change the Future Progressive Content Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their progressive content after publishing. To see if the progressive content was renamed or re-published, please click here. Global Computerized Physician Order Entry Market - Numerous Advantages Over Traditional Paper-based Order-Writing Systems http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2294 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/cpoe-system-market.html Computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system is a form of software system that allows the direct entry of medical prescription orders and other instructions for the treatment of patients by a doctor. These orders by physicians are filled by other medical staff such as pharmacists, radiologists, nurses and pathologists who are communicated through computer network. This system is a substitute to paper-based ordering system.A CPOE system offersnumerous advantages over paper-based ordering system; some majors are as follows:Reduces delay in order completionReduces errors related to poor handwriting or transcription of medication ordersAllows point of care as well as off-site entry of physicians ordersMaintains an online recordOffers safety alerts when an unsafe order is enteredStreamlines workflowGet Free Report Brochure,Download Link:These advantages are playing a key role in replacing paper-based ordering systems by CPOE systems and thus are contributing in the market growth.Governmental regulations pressurizing healthcare providers for implementing CPOE systems, growing trends of IT integration across healthcare facilities and growing concerns towards patient safety are some other factors driving the market growth worldwide. However, factors such as high implementation cost which also includes training, and implementation causing disruption to existing healthcare settings are responsible for the slow adoption rate of CPOE systems.Geographically, North America represents the largest regional market for computerized physician order entry (CPOE) systems. In the United States, healthcare providers have governmental pressure to implement CPOE across their facilities. Growing adoption of other healthcare IT systems in the region such as electronic medical record (EMR) is also contributing in the market growth of CPOE systems as CPOE systems are integrated with EMR. In developing nations of Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World, reluctance of medical professionals towards the adoption of IT systems, low training and exposure to high-tech softwares are major reasons affecting the market growth in the region.Eclipsys Corp., IDX Systems Corp.,Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc., GE Healthcare, McKesson Corporation and Siemens Healthcare are some major players operating in this market space.This report provides comprehensive analysis ofMarket growth driversFactors limiting market growthCurrent market trendsMarket structureMarket projections for upcoming yearsBrowse Full Report With TOC:This report is a complete study of current trends in the market, industry growth drivers, and restraints. It provides market projections for the coming years. It includes analysis of recent developments in technology, Porters five force model analysis and detailed profiles of top industry players. The report also includes a review of micro and macro factors essential for the existing market players and new entrants along with detailed value chain analysis.About Us:-Transparency 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 ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Processed Pork Market - Global Industry Analysis Market Size Share Trends Analysis Growth and Forecast 2016 - 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/processed-pork-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=10919 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Processed Pork Meat market consists of processed meat of Pig or Swine. Due to advantages such as year round availability, convenience and enhanced shelf-life, processed meat is preferred over fresh meat by foodservice industry, fast food restaurants and fast casual diners. The meat is either smoked or seasoned or treated with certain chemicals to convert it into processed form which enhances the taste of the pork. It also makes the pork less susceptible to micro-organisms.Browse Full Report With ToC:The global Processed Pork Meat market is segmented by application such as bacon, sausage, pork chops, ham and others. Geographically, market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World. Segmentation is also done by product type as Fresh Processed, Pre-Cooked, Raw-Cooked, Raw-Fermented, Dried, Cured and Others.The key drivers of this market include technological advancements in Pork production, higher disposable income of households and growing restaurant industry specially fast-food and fast-casual dining. Some of the restraining factors are growing obesity concerns and Government regulations on animal raising and meat processing. Moreover in regions such as Middle-East among others, pork is considered to be a traditional taboo and is strictly prohibited to consume pork products.The Processed Pork Meat market across the globe is expected to grow with a significant single digit CAGR over the period of 2013- 2019. Frozen food market is expected to grow and would complement the growth of processed pork market in different regions of the world.Some of the key players in Processed Pork Meat Market are JBS SA, Pilgrims Pride Corp., Smithfield Foods, Inc., Sysco Corp., Hormel Foods Corp., Tyson Foods Inc., Cargill Inc., Sanderson farms among others.Enquiry before Buying@The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.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.ContactMr.Sudip S90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Online market place www.wind-turbine.com acquires Dutch portal Bernd Weidmann (right) and Henk van den Bosch sign the acquisition Copyright: WIV GmbH www.wind-turbine.com www.wind-turbine.com http://www.wind-turbine.com Acquisition accelerates growth of the leading online market place for the wind industry The move has added 2,300 international customers Online marketing with the focus on energy transition and export promotionGelnhausen/IJzendoorn, 25 May 2016. WIV GmbH, successful operator of online market place, announces its acquisition of the Dutch windturbines-marketplace.com portal. Takeover and merger of both portals strengthen the market position in the innovative online business of the expanding wind industry.Teaming up of both portals is a logical milestone for wind-turbine.com in order to step up our global expansion efforts and gain further market share. At the same time, we are obtaining expertise from our Dutch partner, portal operator Windbrokers Europe, in the international repowering market, explains Bernd Weidmann, managing director of WIV GmbH and founder of wind-turbine.com.We are looking forward to collaborating with wind-turbine.com, because their innovative business model and the portals modern design have convinced us and are setting a new standard, says Henk van den Bosch, managing director of Windbrokers Europe.Worldwide customer enquiries create new momentumThe acquisition of windturbines-marketplace.com enables wind-turbine.com to win some 2,300 international and active customers, who have shown special customer-loyalty to the Dutch online market place, (which has been online since 2009). These customers are leading companies such as Vestas, Siemens and Enercon, which frequently are also represented with their foreign subsidiaries in the portal.Active online-customers also include large and medium-sized European utilities, project developers, operation & maintenance businesses, engineering offices and service providers from Sweden, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Belgium, Poland, Turkey, India, UK, Canada and the US.Facilitating new business deals and paving the way for renewables throughout the worldOur goal is to continue positioning wind-turbine.com in a way that fosters the worldwide energy transition and provide our customers with real business opportunities. We create transparency in the global wind community, points out Bernd Weidmann, whilst at the same time strengthening sales and marketing of our corporate customers by professional online and Google marketing.Accelerating wind energy projects around the world and promoting exportsThe portals success reflects worldwide growth of the wind industry, In 2015 this amounted to at least 55,000 megawatts which is equivalent to an increase by more than 15 percent compared to 2014.Today wind-turbine.com already has more than 4,700 wind turbines, components, services and projects monthly on offer for ca. 20,000 potential customers from about 200 countries. Currently, some 1,800 providers put new and second hand wind turbines online, or present products from the supplier sector and services ranging from project development to logistics. Moreover, the group of investors increasingly use wind-turbine.com to make their single investments and also commercial-scale ones visible.About WIV GmbHWIV GmbH has been active as a professional Internet agency and portal operator and supporting small and medium sized companies since 1999.About wind-turbine.comis an online market place for the wind industry bringing together sellers and buyers. Customers can find new and used wind turbines, products, services, projects amongst others under the portals roof.Editor and press contact:Bernd WeidmannWIV GmbHManagement wind-turbine.comClamecystrae 14-1663571 GelnhausenGermanyPhone: + 49 (0) 6051-97110Fax: + 49 (0) 6051-971122Email: weidmann@wind-turbine.comInternet:Agency: wiv-gmbh.de Global Biomass Molding Fuel Industry Overview by 2016 Market Trends, Demands, Major Growth Drivers, Challenges, Analysis & Shares http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-biomass-molding-fuel-market-professional-survey-report-2016.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com This research report focusing on the global Biomass Molding Fuel market has been compiled using primary and secondary research methodologies. For a detailed analysis of the market, the research report uses Porters five forces analysis to point out the bargaining power of customers, the bargaining power of suppliers, the threat of substitute products or services, the threat of new entrants, and the threat of established rivals. This analysis addresses a range of problems and issues that might be present in the global Biomass Molding Fuel market to help the businesses and readers formulate strategic moves to maximize their profits. The report also assesses the feasibility of the new investments that are likely to flow into the market, breathing life into several projects in the coming years.The investigative approach taken by this report provides an exclusive insight into the market segmentation. The global Biomass Molding Fuel market has been segmented on the basis of application, service, technology, product, and geography. The segmentation allows the readers to understand the factors that are likely to drive these segments and the ones that will hamper the growth of certain segments in a given geographical location. The report has also factored in the economic indicators, important market highlights, market size, and forecast.The research report dedicates a special chapter to the competitive landscape of the global Biomass Molding Fuel market. It delves into the nitty-gritties of the financial overview, investment outlook, research and development activities, business and marketing strategies, branding ideas, and expansion plans of the important players of in the global Biomass Molding Fuel market. This chapter also provides clarity on matters of management styles of these companies and the changes that market enthusiasts need to expect in the foreseeable future.Browse Complete Report with TOC @QYresearchreports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.QYResearchReports1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com The eighth Open Source Data Center Conference - Review 2016 www.osdc.de www.netways.de www.netways.de Nuremberg May 25, 2016The Open Source Data Center Conference was organized by NETWAYS for the eighth time and once again offered a high-level conference program for the 146 participants.In addition to speeches on the subjects Infrastructure as code, Containers and databases and Tools & infrastructure three workshops were offered on the topics Advanced graphing- with graphite, Docker- virtual containers and Logstash- enterprise logfile management.The event offered a wide range of talks on open source data center solutions in large IT environments, with 25 speeches by international experts such as Colin Charles from MariaDB, Jan Lieskovsky from Red Hat; Jan-Piet Mens from JPM Consulting and Kris Buytaert from Inuits. Jorg Schad, for instance, offered an insight on DC/OS, which was released as an Open Source Stack by Mesosphere a week prior to the conference. Pere Urbon-Bayes tracked his own running activities for a whole year, and evaluated these live with the latest alpha-version of Logstash, Elastic Search and Kibana, and Jonathan Boulle presented news regarding container runtimes and orchestration. The slides and videos from the conference can be found in the OSDC archive.Based on the feedback received so far, the conference was once again a success.The OSDC offered an outstanding platform for strengthening the Open Source community, for sharing opinions with international IT-professionals, users and known Open Source experts.All information on the conference, as well as the conference archive are available on the official websiteAbout NETWAYS GmbHNETWAYS GmbH has been supporting companies in the management of complex IT environments based on open source software for more than 20 years. NETWAYS is market leading in open source systems management based on Icinga, Puppet and Elastic.Our customers are companies and organisations from all sectors such as Deutsche Post AG, Deutsche Welle, REWE group, Rakuten, Audi AG, Continental AG and GFK AG.NETWAYS has also made a name for itself as organizer of various conferences training courses on open source monitoring and open source data center solutions.For more information:NETWAYS GmbHDeutschherrnstr. 15-1990429 NurembergGermany Spire Client Entertainment Night December 2017 Spire Singapore hosted its second Client Entertainment Night of the year. Our business associates and partners joined us for a dinner reception followed by the movie screening of Star Wars: The Last Jedi the eight episode of the Star Wars saga. The event was held at Cathay Cineleisure Orchard. It was an opportunity for everyone to let their hair down and take a break from the office. In the movie, Daisy IV International Conference Black Sea Oil Trade-2016 will take place on September 7, 2016 http://www.blackseagrain.net http://www.blackseagrain.net UkrAgroConsult is glad to announce IV International Conference Black Sea Oil Trade-2016will take place on September 7, 2016 in Hilton hotel, Kiev, Ukraine.International Conference Black Sea Oil Trade is an effective platform for networking with oilseed industry operators and discussion of the developments in oilseed&vegoil sector of Ukraine and Black Sea region. Event provides an excellent opportunity to learn about the latest drivers of oil&fat sector from the industry's leading experts, as well as to expand a network of professional contacts and establish effective communication with international market operators.In 2016 Black Sea Oil Trade Conference will address the following issues: Global tendencies in the oilseed market. Main producing regions Black Sea region: oilseeds& vegoils Price trends in the new 2016/17 season Where to find margins in a falling market? Expanding oilseed and by-products exports to the countries of South-East Asia Deep processing of oilseeds as one of the strategic priorities of Ukrainian Oil&Fat Industry Food industry and vegoil processed productsIn 2015 International Conference Black Sea Oil Trade attracted 220 delegates from 23 countries and 150 companies. The conference is annually attended by producers and crushers of oilseeds, traders, enterprises for deep processing of vegetable oils, investment companies, banks, consulting, shipping, brokerage, insurance and survey companies.Conference Agenda and further details will be available soon at the conference websites.UkrAgroConsultAgricultural market consulting firm UkrAgroConsult provides with in-depth analysis of ag markets in Black Sea region, Ukraine, agriculture news, research services, commodity futures and spot prices. Follow grain, oilseeds and logistics markets online on our website.UkrAgroConsultAddress:Kyiv, Ukraine, 0420529V Tymoshenko Str., office #5Tel.: +38 (044) 451-46-34 - multichannelTel/Fax: +38 (044) 451-46-34 Santana Equipment Trading Company Announces New Location for Phoenix, Arizona Operations Santana Equipment West Division Santana Equipment Trading Company, a leader in the used material handling equipment market, today announced the opening of a new facility for its Phoenix, Arizona operations.Santana Equipment West Division (Phoenix) opened its doors in June of 2012 as the companys first satellite location. With the help of its headquarters office, located in the Chicago, Illinois area, the Phoenix branch quickly became one of the top sellers of used forklifts in its local market. The new facility is conveniently located near both Interstate-17 and Interstate-10 in West-Central Phoenix. It adds an additional 10,000 square feet of warehouse and office space from the companys old location.Alex Stuckey, Santana Equipments West Division Manager, notes We are very excited about the move. Our new facility will allow us to stock more equipment so we can offer customers a wider selection of quality forklifts. We plan to hire additional staff to meet the rapid-growing demand for our products in the southwest region of the United States and in Mexico. Santana Equipment plans to continue its expansion in Phoenix over the next several years.For more information about Santana Equipment, visit santanaequipment.com or call 602-283-5466Santana Equipment Trading Company is an industry leader in the used material handling equipment market. Santana Equipment primarily buys, sells, and trades used forklifts and related equipment - working with Fortune 1000 companies, banking institutions, dealerships, and industrial businesses in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Santana Equipment Trading Company is a privately held organization headquartered in the Chicago, IL area.Santana Equipment3670 N. 36th AvenuePhoenix, AZ 85019Attn: Alex Stuckey Beige Market Intelligence Identifies Top 5 Vendors in Bluetooth Smart Market Bluetooth Smart Market Research by Beige Market Intelligence http://www.beigemarketintelligence.com/reports/research-report-ict-market/bluetooth-smart-report/ http://www.beigemarketintelligence.com/reports/research-report-ict-market/bluetooth-smart-report/ Beige Market Intelligence published a new market research report Strategic Assessment of Bluetooth Smart Market Forecast Till 2021Bluetooth Smart Market is a new report recently published by Beige Market intelligence with a worldwide coverage as well as a segmentation by device type (Bluetooth smart device, Bluetooth smart ready device) by shipment (classic Bluetooth module shipment, Bluetooth smart module shipment, Bluetooth smart ready module shipment) by application (automotive, consumer electronics, healthcare, home automation, industrial automation, retail and wearables) and by geography (APAC, EMEA, Latin America, and North America). The market research report provides growth trends, analysis and forecasts for the period 2016 2021 and predicts the market to be worth close to US$ 3 billion by 2021.Industrial IoT is one of the largest end-markets for Bluetooth Smart. The market is expected to extend from personal area networks (PAN) to wider area networks (WAN). The Industrial Internet Consortium was founded in March 2014 to bring together the organizations and technologies necessary to accelerate the growth of Bluetooth smart within this sector. The organization is backed by companies such as AT&T, Cisco, Intel and IBM.To know more about the Bluetooth Smart Market, please visitAPAC to contribute to more than 50 percent of the revenue in the Bluetooth Smart Market in 2021The demand for Bluetooth smart modules in the APAC region is driven by the rapid growth of organized retail in the region. As the regions growth centres such as India, Indonesia, China and Thailand ease their FDI policies in multi-brand and E-commerce retailing, an influx of investments into the regions retail sector is expected to exceed $20 billion during the forecast period. The high adoption of wearables will also add to the growth for Bluetooth smart in the region especially in the fitness segment with an emphasis on healthcare.Healthcare sector expected to contribute to close to US$ 100 million of the Bluetooth Smart Market in 2021The healthcare sector consists of devices such as hearing aids, blood pressure monitors, glucose monitors, smart drug delivery devices and thermometers. All of these are expected to contribute to the growth of the market. Continuous glucose monitors are a significant segment in healthcare sector owing to the growing prevalence of diabetes in the emerging economies of Latin America and Asia Pacific. Within the healthcare sector, North America is expected to contribute to the most of the Bluetooth smart market.Close to 4 billion Bluetooth Smart Ready Modules to be shipped in 2021With the introduction and realization of Internet of Things (IoT) in every aspect of a consumers life, ranging from health, fitness and wellness to retail and smart homes, Bluetooth Smart technology is turning out to be the de-facto standard for wireless connectivity. Bluetooth smart has also enabled the rise of several low cost pieces of hardware that eventually established new application segments itself. One such device, whose horizon of application is constantly expanding is beacons. Shipments of beacons, working on proximity sensing is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 50% between the period 2016-2021.Key Vendors in the Bluetooth Smart MarketThe Bluetooth Smart market has a number of large players that are playing a pivotal role in the market. These companies are Broadcom, Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR plc), Dialog Semiconductor, Nordic Semiconductor ASA, Silicon Labs and Texas Instruments (TI).Other vendors operating in the market include Apple, Bluegiga Technologies , Blueradios, Cypress Semiconductor Corporation, Lapis Semiconductor, Marvell Technology Group, Ltd, Mediatek, Inc, Microchip Technology, Murata, NXP Semiconductors, STMicroelectronics and Toshiba.To read the full report, please visitPlease contact Beige Market Intelligence atMail: contactus@beigemarketintelligence.comUS: +1 347 903 9949UK: +44 20 323 99499APAC: +91 99 012 75473Beige Market Intelligence: We are a new-age provider of competitive business intelligence, working across various industry verticals. Our expertise and knowledge ensures that the market analysis Beige provides is comprehensive, detailed and complete. The analysis helps our client organizations become aware and make educated decisions, as far as investing or devising a marketing strategy is concerned. The actionable insights delivered through our market research provide a comprehensive market analysis for every level of market segmentation in an industry. Beige Market Intelligence is a quality driven high end Market Research organization. Our team of experts ensure the analysis you receive is not just analyzed and smartly presented, but is completely customized based on the clients requirement. Our deliverables guarantee our current global client base does not look beyond Beige when it comes to any kind of industry and market analysis.Name of the company: Beige Market IntelligencePostal Address: Chinnapanahalli Main Road,Doddanekundi Village, Bangalore Bangalore KA 560037, IndiaPress Contact: Jency Jacob (media@beigemarketintelligence.com) Akzo Nobel, BASF, DOW, DuPont and Lanxess Are The Top 5 Vendors In A Billion Dollar Specialty Chemicals Market Specialty Chemicals Market Research by Beige Market Intelligence http://www.beigemarketintelligence.com/news/press-releases/akzo-nobel-basf-dow-dupont-and-lanxess-are-the-top-5-vendors-in-a-billion-dollar-specialty-chemicals-market/ http://www.beigemarketintelligence.com/news/press-releases/akzo-nobel-basf-dow-dupont-and-lanxess-are-the-top-5-vendors-in-a-billion-dollar-specialty-chemicals-market/ Beige Market Intelligence expects worldwide Speciality Chemicals market to be worth more close to US$ 1 billion by 2021The specialty chemicals market is expected to be worth a little less than US$1 billion by 2021. With market posing such a potential there are a number of companies that have started capturing a share in this market and many more expected by the end of the forecast period. As of date, Beige Market Intelligence analysts have identified Akzo Nobel, BASF, DOW, DuPont and Lanxess as the top 5 leading vendors in the Strategic Assessment of Worldwide specialty Chemicals Market Forecast Till 2021.The evolving landscape of the chemical industry has allowed for numerous participants to enter this market which was once dominated by the large players in the chemicals market. As of date, there are more than 5 key applications of specialty chemicals that by themselves are driving the vast portion of the specialty chemicals market. Other factors such as the consensus between federal governments across the world on reduction of carbon emissions to counter climate change is also driving the market for specialty chemicals which are being used to increase energy efficiency to reduce carbon footprint.APAC to account for more than 40 percent of the specialty chemicals market by 2021The APAC region as of date is the leading the specialty chemicals market and is continued to continue by the end of the forecast period. On account of cheap factors of production, progressive government policies and huge domestic consumption, the region is the hub for chemical manufacturing, as the leading chemical companies across the world set up their manufacturing locations in the region. While the developed markets in Europe and North America are unable to keep pace with the growth of emerging markets of Asia, these markets are growing both in consumption size and purchasing power. The region is expected to account for a little less than US$ 500 million by 2021 in the specialty chemicals market.Dynamic competitive landscape in specialty chemicals marketThe global specialty chemicals market is dominated by chemical majors such asAkzo Nobel, BASF, DOW, DuPont and Lanxess. These companies have an expanded portfolio of specialty chemicals with integrated distribution network and rely on their proprietary manufacturing technologies. They have manufacturing facilities located across the world and operate capacities through strategic partnerships and joint ventures. New capacities are being setup by them to ensure proximity and easy access to the fast growing markets of China, India, and other Southeast Asian countries.The global specialty chemicals market is fragmented in nature because of the presence of a number of players. The factors play that major role in defining the competitive structure of this market are proprietorship over technology, economies of scale, R&D capabilities and level of vertical integration. R&D plays an important role as it enables a vendor to identify new applications for the product and gain first mover advantage. Production technology is an avenue that attracts intense R&D expenditure by major vendors as proprietorship over technology can turn out to be a promising revenue earning tool.The report by Beige Market Intelligence has more than 130 pages of insights on the changing dynamics of the specialty chemicals market.To download the full report, please visitWorldwide specialty Chemicals market research report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the worldwide specialty chemicals market for the period 2015-2021. The report provides in-depth analysis of market size and growth of worldwide specialty chemicals market. This market research report includes a detailed market segmentation of the worldwide specialty chemicals Market by the following segmentation typesBy Application1) Paints and Coatings2) Polymers and Plastic Additives3) Agrochemicals4) Food Additives5) Homecare Surfactants6) Water Management Chemicals7) Leather and Textile Chemicals8) Construction Chemicals9) Lubricant and Fuel Additives10) Pulp and Paper Chemicals11) Geographic segmentationAPAC1) Europe2) Latin America3) Middle East and Africa4) North AmericaMarket share analysis1) APAC (Degree of competition and fragmentation of vendors in the region)2) Europe (Degree of competition and fragmentation of vendors in the region)3) Latin America (Degree of competition and fragmentation of vendors in the region)4) MEA (Degree of competition and fragmentation of vendors in the region)5) North America (Degree of competition and fragmentation of vendors in the region)Why should you buy this market research report?A) Specialty chemicals are those specific chemicals that are used for a single or a very limited number of applications. Commodity chemicals on the other hand can be used for a variety of applications and hence, when the commodity chemicals are manufactured in large volumes, there is no problem as there is always a market for these chemicals. The situation today however is very much different. There are a number of companies today that are targeting the specialty chemicals potential and this is possible because of the various factors that have contributed to this growth.B) The study will tell the reader how the market has been performing over the last few years and how it is expected to perform over the next five years. Detailed analysis of the performance of the market is provided thereby providing the reader with key insights into what is taking place and how the market is being affected, both positively and adversely. Further to this, the specialty chemicals market is one where companies need to be aware of high potential applications in order to tap them today.C) In short, the study will provide a holistic view of the specialty chemicals market, which are the companies that are involved in the production and what are the factors that contribute to this market. The report will also provide information on what are some of the trends that have started to surface and are expected to be a strong driving force in the market over the next five years.To know more the Specialty Chemical market research report, please visitPlease contact Beige Market Intelligence atMail: contactus@beigemarketintelligence.comUS: +1 347 903 9949UK: +44 20 323 99499APAC: +91 99 012 75473Beige Market Intelligence: We are a new-age provider of competitive business intelligence, working across various industry verticals. Our expertise and knowledge ensures that the market analysis Beige provides is comprehensive, detailed and complete. The analysis helps our client organizations become aware and make educated decisions, as far as investing or devising a marketing strategy is concerned. The actionable insights delivered through our market research provide a comprehensive market analysis for every level of market segmentation in an industry. Beige Market Intelligence is a quality driven high end Market Research organization. Our team of experts ensure the analysis you receive is not just analyzed and smartly presented, but is completely customized based on the clients requirement. Our deliverables guarantee our current global client base does not look beyond Beige when it comes to any kind of industry and market analysis.Name of the company: Beige Market IntelligencePostal Address: Chinnapanahalli Main Road,Doddanekundi Village, Bangalore Bangalore KA 560037, IndiaPress Contact: Jency Jacob (media@beigemarketintelligence.com) Global Market for Organic Personal Care Products to Reach 16 billion by 2020, Growing at CAGR of 9.5% by 2020 http://www.marketresearchstore.com/report/organic-personal-care-products-market-z37562 http://goo.gl/yIDNfZ http://www.marketresearchstore.com/report/organic-personal-care-products-market-z37562 http://www.marketresearchstore.com This market research report by Zion Research analyzes estimates and forecast the global Organic Personal Care Products Market demand. The demand is estimated in terms of revenue during the forecast period of five years from 2015 to 2020. The study offers a holistic view of the market with the review of market drivers, challenges and opportunities. It also provides the level of impact of drivers and restraints on the market between 2015 and 2020.Browse the full "Organic Personal Care Products (Skin Care, Hair Care, Oral Care, Cosmetic, and Others) Market - Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast, 2014 2020" report atThis study analyses the market in and across value chain. Value chain analysis begins with analysis of feedstock materials and ends with the analysis of end-user industry. The report uses Porters five forces model and market attractiveness analysis to analyze the different factors affecting the growth of the market. Porters five forces model analyses the factors such as degree of competition, bargaining power of suppliers and buyers, threat of substitutes and threat of new entrants. Market attractiveness analysis provides the information about the most attractive and least attractive market segments by product and region.The report includes detailed competitive landscape of the global organic personal care market. It includes company market share analysis, product portfolio of the major industry participants and buying criteria of the buyers. The report provides detailed segmentation of the organic personal care market based on product segment, and region. On the basis of product segment the report has been segmented on the basis of skin care, hair care, oral care, cosmetic, and others.Get Request Sample Chapter 1. Introductiono 1.1. Report descriptiono 1.2. Market segmentation 1.2.1. Global organic personal care products market segmentation, type and geographyo 1.3. Research scopeo 1.4. Research methodology Chapter 2. Executive Summaryo 2.1. Global organic personal care product market revenue, 2014 - 2020 (USD Million)o 2.2. Global organic personal care products market snapshot Chapter 3. Organic Personal Care Products Industry Analysiso 3.1. Organic personal care products: Market dynamics 3.1.1. Segmentation of organic personal care producto 3.2. Value chain analysis 3.2.1. Value chain analysis of global organic personal care marketo 3.3. Market drivers 3.3.1. Drivers for organic personal care products market: Impact analysis 3.3.2. Increasing health awareness among consumers 3.3.3. Widening distribution channels 3.3.3.1. Global organic personal care market, distribution channel share, 2014 Read more atMarket Research Store is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations. Market Research Store is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air. We have market research reports from number of leading publishers and update our collection daily to provide our clients with the instant online access to our database. With access to this database, our clients will be able to benefit from expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends.Contact US3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442,USATel: +1-386-310-3803GMT FREETel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651 FREEWeb:Email: sales@marketresearchstore.com High Performance Film Market Projected to Reach 42.25 Billion USD by 2020 High Performance Film Market http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/high-performance-film-market-154875937.html http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=154875937 http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/chemical The report "High Performance Film Market by Material (Polyester, EVA, Polyolefin, Others), by Type (Barrier, Safety & Security, Others) by Application (Automotive, Aerospace, Electrical & electronics, Packaging, Construction), by Region - Global Trends & Forecast to 2020", The high-performance film (HPF) market is projected to reach USD 42.25 Billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 7.51% during the forecast period. This growth is fueled by increasing advancements in film technology, growing demand from application areas (such as packaging, automotive & transport, aircraft/aerospace, electrical & electronics, and construction), and increasing number of new product launches and agreements & collaborations.Browse 143 tables and 58 figures spread through 184 Pages and in-depth TOC on "High Performance Film Market - Global Trends & Forecast to 2020"Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.Fluoropolymers: The fastest-growing material type in the HPF marketFluoropolymers can be defined as semi-crystalline engineering thermoplastics, which possess a combination of good chemical resistance, excellent electrical insulation properties, and favorable mechanical properties. They are highly weather-resistant and can function in extreme temperatures. Fluoropolymers have a low coefficient of friction. The market for fluoropolymers is currently witnessing high growth, due to rising demand from key industries such as electrical & electronics, automotive, and transportation.Packaging: The largest market for HPFThe packaging industry is the largest market for HPF, and accounted for the largest market share, in terms of value, in 2014. Packaging has become an essential everyday item, with its usage growing broadly in line with the global economy. Barrier resins, primarily nylon and polyolefin-based films, are the primary products used in this segment. HPFs offer lightweight and high performance characteristics such as resistance to corrosion and abrasion, reduced processing costs, self-lubrication, easy assembly, reduced finishing time, and design flexibility. They are widely used for packaging applications, due to their low cost and efficient performance. The packaging segment of the HPF market is driven by factors such as the high heat resistance of HPF.Asia-Pacific: The largest market for HPFAsia-Pacific is the largest market for HPF, with major developments witnessed in China, Japan, India, South Korea, and Indonesia. The region is also projected to be the fastest-growing market for HPF. This high growth can be attributed to factors such as expansion of production capacity and competitive manufacturing costs. The rising disposable income of the middle class and the increasing demand for processed food are key drivers of the HPF market in Asia-Pacific. The region is witnessing substantial growth, owing to rising investments in infrastructure development and construction projects.Request for Sample PDF:Major players, such as The 3M Company (U.S.), Dow Chemical Company (U.S.), Solvay S.A. (Belgium), Covestro (Germany), E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company (U.S.), Evonik (Germany), and Honeywell International Inc. (U.S.), have adopted development strategies such as expansions, agreements & collaborations, and new product development to achieve growth in the global HPF market.This report covers the HPF market, in terms of value and volume, and forecasts the market size till 2020. It segments the market by material, type, application industry, and region. It also provides company profiles and details the competitive strategies adopted by major players in the global HPF market.About MarketsandMarketsMarketsandMarkets is the worlds No. 2 firm in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors.M&Ms flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers.We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository.Contact:Mr. RohanMarkets and MarketsUNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZMagarpatta city, HadapsarPune, Maharashtra 411013, India.Tel: +1-888-600-6441Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.comVisit MarketsandMarkets Blog @Visit MarketsandMarkets @ marketsandmarkets.comMarketsandMarkets is the worlds No. 2 firm in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals.Markets and MarketsUNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZMagarpatta city, HadapsarPune, Maharashtra 411013, India. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) market size worth $67.6 Billion by 2023: Global Market Insights, Inc. https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/personal-protective-equipment-PPE-market https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/373 www.gminsights.com Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Market size is forecast to hit USD 67.6 Billion by 2023; as per a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc. Rising employee safety and health concerns, along with high number of industrial fatalities in unregulated regional industries will drive the global personal protective equipment (PPE) market size.Browse Research Report with Chart and Figure @U.S PPE market, being one of the most regulated regions, dominated demand, with over USD 12.5 Billion revenue in 2015. Product innovation, with changing needs for protective gear that combines safety with attractiveness in terms of appearance will augment industry expansion.Safety guideline set by OSHA, especially in the U.S. will be a key growth facilitator. Rising fatality rate in core industries, including automotive, refining, metal processing and oil & gas will be a key parameter for demand development.Get Research Report @Hand protection, including industrial safety gloves market, is forecast to grow at 7% CAGR, from USD 8.7 Billion in 2015. Food manufacturing, heavy chemicals, clinical diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, mining and metals are key application areas for this segment.Personal protective equipment manufacturers design and supply products for different end-use industries by employing unique and innovative technologies. Most of them either have their own proprietary technology or license it from other industry participants.Key insights from the report include: Global personal protective equipment market size was over USD 38 Billion 2015, with 7.3% CAGR growth forecast from 2016 to 2023. Industrial protective clothing market size, dominated by flame retardant apparel, is forecast to witness 7.4% CAGR growth, from USD 8.5 Billion in 2015. Protective footwear market is likely to witness moderate gains, with over USD 12.5 Billion revenue estimate by 2023. Strong construction indicators in South East Asia and Africa will likely result in a surge for head, eye and face protection demand over the forecast period. Hearing protection devices increase communication capabilities for high noise environments where communication is paramount. Positive oil & gas outlook with rising number of shale plays in the region is anticipated to augment hearing protection demand in near future. APAC is expected to be the fastest growing hearing protection market with 6.7% CAGR forecast. U.S. and Europe PPE market share is likely to be stagnant, with most of the industry being regulated with strict safety guidelines and product specifications. APAC should continues being an attractive regional industry, with Japan, China and India personal protective equipment market share being over 86% regional demand in 2015. India PPE market size is set 8.2% CAGR growth from 2016 to 2023. Global personal protective equipment market share is moderately concentrated over 60% global demand being met by top 5 participants in 2015. Core PPE manufacturing companies include RockFall Ltd., 3M Co., Alpha Protech, Ltd., Honeywell, JAL Group and DuPont.Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Global Market Insights Inc.8, The GreenSuite #4594Dover, DE 19901United StatesWeb: 10 Interns of Wuhan Textile University Participate in Elabscience Interview http://www.elabscience.com Elabscience announced that the cooperation with Wuhan Textile University has been launched. 10 foreign postgraduates participate in Elabscience interview. Elabscience HR Huxu said "We long for talented person. Though it is the first time for our company to try cooperation with university, but we look forward to its effects."The 10 foreign postgraduates are majored in Business Administration. As graduation is coming, they need an internship opportunity which will help them know more about the real enterprise business operation process. For Elabscience, they clearly know different market, people's habits are different. They need employees especially those who know local market situation, and then they can provide better service to local distributors and customers.According to information, the provided job positions are market assistants. The interview process is simple, mainly for both sides to better understand each others need. Elabscience introduced their company culture, products, service and current market situation. The interns introduced themselves, including their countries, hobbies, special talents Finally, the interview comes to a successful conclusion.After the interview, one of the interns Wayne said Real enterprise is positive and active, not the still knowledge on the book. I like Elabscience: interested in their biotechnology field, like their working atmosphere. Im willing to join them!About this cooperation, the leader teacher of Wuhan Textile University said Its a good chance for students stepping into the society, and get their first job. We will continue to strengthen the cooperation with Elabscience. The CEO of Elabscience Yibin Leng said Market is changing every second; we need more outstanding talents to join us. In the future, recruit employees directly from university, cultivate them will be a new normal for Elabscience.Each year thousands of graduates hunt job, at the same time, enterprises face difficulties in recruiting proper employees. If more universities and enterprises adopt this cooperation mode, the both will get benefit from it. In addition, the employment rate will be improved.About ElabscienceElabscience Biotechnology Co., Ltd is a high-tech biotech corporation, specializing in reagents of immunodiagnostic technology. It offers more than 40,000 products, including ELISA kits, CLIA kits, Antibodies, and Proteins. Good quality control for every kit by every lot. Reduce any differentiation between lots and lots to keep your experiment getting more consistent results. Optimize the most convenient method for the manipulation.Contact DetailsAddress: Building 4, Room 403,Guandong Science and Technology Industry Park, Wuhan, Hubei Province,P.R.ChinaPhone: 86-27-87805095Fax: 86-27- 87645690Email: techsupport@elabscience.comWebsite: Global Steel Multi-Tool Industry 2016 Leading Market Vendors(Gerber,Westward), Major Applications, Revenues(USD, Pounds) & Analysis http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=722493&type=E http://www.qyresearchreports.com The research on the global Steel Multi-Tool market is a combined effort taken by analysts to highlight important information about the market. The report is strategically prepared through a detailed primary and secondary investigation. For accurate facts, analysts have used internal and external factors. With this, suitable information and valuable market-oriented facts of the global Steel Multi-Tool market are recognized. Interviews with executives, key market experts, and directors are conducted by analysts to generate accurate information. The global Steel Multi-Tool market is segmented into various segments and sub-segments to accurately evaluate numerous factors. A birds eye view is presented by the reports authors to highlight the global Steel Multi-Tool market, which gives companies a broader perspective of the current trends and developments.The report covers vital elements of the global Steel Multi-Tool market, such as products, different applications, supply and demand dynamics, various specifications, and the industry trends. The report provides information about different segments of the global Steel Multi-Tool market with respect to their dominance. The projected growth of all segments and sub-segments is contained in the report. The information presented in the study includes profiles of key companies operating in the global Steel Multi-Tool market, their important developments, major acquisitions, mergers, partnerships, and production capacity. Growth strategies and the launch of new products by leading players are emphasized in the report. The analysts have highlighted changing trends and the nature of competition in the global Steel Multi-Tool market.By using the SWOT analysis tool, analysts highlight the weaknesses, strengths, opportunities, and threats of leading players in the global Steel Multi-Tool market. The feasibility of new projects is also studied by using the SWOT analysis tool. Key players are profiled in the report with information such as capacity production, geographical coverage, and gross revenue.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @QYresearchreports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.QYResearchReports1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com Must-have features of business mobile app http://mobisoftinfotech.com/services/mobile-app-development-company Mobile apps are widely used by businesses to increase their visibility and reach wider audience. A well-designed app can help business build a strong customer base, whereas a badly designed application can push them away. Hence, few important features are essential for business apps to make a mark in the competitive world.Pune, Maharashtra, March 25, 2016: Mobile apps are used for varied purposes; right from connecting with potential customers to engaging with current customers to selling the products to building brand. One app and so many features. This definitely calls out for a team of experienced mobile app developers who can address the requirement of a mobile app.Since, you dont have any experience in mobile application development, it is obvious for you to miss out on certain features that can accelerate your businesss presence in the competitive market. Hence, make sure that your business app has the following features:1) Social integration: No app can survive the competitive market without social media integration. People love sharing their activity and update on social media, thus having one can boost up your companys mobile app. Allow people to like or comment or even share events through easy-to-use buttons.2) Personal customization: Today, people want options to personalize the application as per their choice. The application that offers this feature has a chance to get noticed easily and can survive the market as well.3) Feedback: Your app is for your users and you should know what they think about you. Hence, make sure you have a feedback column wherein users can express themselves and speak about their likes and dislikes.4) Gamify: Games application attract users faster and quicker than other applications; these are difficult to build as well. So, try to add some game features into your application and try to attract as many users as possible.These four must-have features for a mobile app can improve your apps visibility and can help you get noticed in the crowded app stores. It is always better and advised to opt for experienced mobile app developers who are aware about the latest trends and are able to incorporate them into the application.For more information log on toAbout the Company:Mobisoft Infotech provides mobile, web and cloud solutions to startups, SMEs and enterprises. It addresses their issues with latest mobility solutions. With the help of innovation, companies can maintain their strong foothold in the competitive world. Mobisoft delivers customized innovative solutions to organizations thus helping them meet their specific requirement.1811 Bering Dr, Suite 200,Houston,TX,USA,77057 Delhi School of Internet Marketing- DSIM crosses the milestone of 200th batch with 7815+ trainees http://dsim.in/ DSIM, Indias driving digital marketing training institute has today reported the thriving launch of its 200th batch, scheduled to get started in the 3rd week of May 2016. With the recent batch launch, the institute has contributed to the accomplishments of more than 7815 trainees through its digital marketing training program. DSIM began its journey in the March 2011 and achieved this milestone in its initial 5 years of operations.DSIM gives training in the most recent and inclusive program titled Advanced Digital Marketing Training Program, a 3-month in-class digital marketing master certification course. The course covers 17 vital modules of digital marketing and ensures that a learner has aced the abilities to effectively grasp most recent marketing prerequisites and digital trends.DSIM started unassumingly being confident that it would deliver on its promise to oblige the digital marketing wave and to address the challenge that marketers face in the new, profoundly digitized world. There has remained an absence of capable people in the circle and DSIM has contributed wonderfully in establishing much needed industry standards for digital marketing skills bringing trained learners.At present, DSIM conducts weekday classroom sessions with Google certification for students, along with weekend/evening instructional sessions for occupied marketers and business visionaries. DSIM has likewise propelled the training sessions in live-online instructor led format, to provide solace and ease of study to the aspiring marketers over the globe.DSIM trained the trainees from Corporate like Amazon, Google, HP, Ola, Fortis, Kotak, Costa coffee, Paytm, Genpact, HCL, Godrej, Snapdeal, McAfee, Jabong, ICICI, Shopclues, Philips, CCD, AajTak, Aircel, etc.Talking on the occasion, DSIMs founder Mr. Kunal Choudhary, said, Feeling great and a bit of extra conscientious now, major achievement for DSIM. The marketing dollar spend for each player, be it a fortune 500 , start up or a nearby seller, has seen real moves from customary marketing ways to digital developments which have turned out to be more focused on, quick and over all convey a improved return on initial capital investment (ROI). This has made an enormous interest for digital personnel with 10 lac plus jobs at present in India however digital promotion as yet being in its early stage, the supply has so far missed the mark.He further includes, A digital marketer can definitely enhance ROI for organizations, make new and imaginative marketing campaigns to basically address target group which were obscure and unmanaged prior. Our Honable Prime ministers Mr. Modis Digital India initiative has just accelerated the procedure and we are all going to witness the real advancements.DSIM provides eight certifications to the trainees on successful consummation of the program including one certification from DSIM and other seven from Google. DSIM is the first digital marketing training institute to showcase the identity of all the 7815+ trainees.Considering the perpetually growing significance of digital marketing skills and solid reach among its 7,500 plus alumni across India, DSIM is coming up with the additional batches for digital marketing course.About DSIMDSIM is one of Indias leading digital marketing training companies. Since 2011, DSIM has added to the development of more than 7,800 trainees from hundreds of startups, entrepreneurs and companies such as Zara, Woodland, Dell, TATA POWER, rediff, McAfee, GENPACT, Aegis, amazon, Justdial, eBay, Reliance, Google, ibibo, HCL, Dabur, Air India, ITC, Godrej, WIPRO, IBM, URBAN LADDER, Aaj Tak, cvent, EA Sports, costa coffee, ESSAR, Bank of America and others through its digital marketing training programs. For more detail kindly visit:Delhi School of Internet Marketing is a trademark of Kixx Media Pvt. Ltd. as a leading Internet Marketing Training provider for Corporate, Professionals, Entrepreneurs and Students.Delhi School of Internet MarketingB-26, Shivalik, Malviya Nagar New Delhi-110017Helpline: 8800290309Phone: 011-40624179 WaveOC Offers Salesforce Consulting Services https://www.waveoc.com/ WaveOC, an established developer of Salesforce solutions for businesses that require automation and integration, delivers all-inclusive consulting services for businesses that want to implement or integrate with Salesforce. WaveOC consulting team consists of certified specialists in a number competence areas who are able to come up with simple solutions to complex problems.Consulting services are provided by skilled WaveOC experts in Salesforce Sales Cloud, Salesforce Service Cloud, and Salesforce Pardot. They possess the necessary knowledge and experience to deliver a comprehensive and clear answers to multiple Salesforce related question.Based on the environment and peculiarities of the client's business, WaveOC consultants define the optimum configuration and develop a roadmap for platform implementation. With advanced technical and economic expertise in Salesforce, WaveOC specialists can effortlessly identify and outline possible problems, or explain complicated IT environment to the client companys managers and employees.When dealing with cloud products, WaveOC relies on strategic thinking, performance, and customization to help clients forward to success. By offering detail oriented consulting services, WaveOC specialists ensure smooth operation of Salesforce-based solutions.With cloud-based solutions becoming a commonly shared trend among the world's leading corporations, forward-looking companies aspire to implement these up-to-date tools in their workflow. The Salesforce platform relies on multiple databases and enables access for thousands of users, which, however, implies complex processes and functionality nuances for businesses, says a WaveOC manager. WaveOC has a team of certified and experienced Salesforce consultants who ensure that the platform is implemented properly and performs with expected efficiency.WaveOC is a certified Salesforce expert delivering tailored cloud services to businesses across a number of domains. WaveOC specialists customize, implement and integrate Salesforce capacities to align with business needs in a variety of segments: sales, marketing, customer services, reporting and analytics.WaveOC:Singapore10 Anson Road #29-05A International Plaza Singapore (079903)Belarus220007, Minsk, Tolstogo 10, 481 Systech Illinois Will Display Leading Permeation Analysers at Propak Asia in Bangkok on 15 18 June 2016 http://www.propakasia.com/ www.systechillinois.com www.systechillinois.com Systech Illinois will display their leading permeation analysers at the 2016 Propak Asia in Bangkok.Systech Illinois are global suppliers of permeation analysers for the packaging industry. They will be showcasing their leading range of oxygen permeation and water vapour permeation analysers at the 2016 Propak in Bangkok. Systech Illinois provide a range of water vapour and oxygen permeation analysers which offer testing for many different packaging applications. Their oxygen permeation analysers offer reliable and versatile testing for bottles, packages and films with their bestselling instruments delivering the fastest permeation results available. These permeability analysers provide extremely fast purge down time; accurate readings at the lowest levels and the highest quality sensor on the market. Systechs water vapour permeation analysers utilise the Proprietary Coulometric P2O5 sensor, the primary method for absolute moisture measurement of films and packages.They also intend to display their range of oxygen and carbon dioxide headspace gas analysers for the food and pharmaceutical packaging industry and oxygen analysers for process applications. Please come and visit them at Propak Asia, BITEC, Bangkok, Stand 6C09, Hall 106.The Propak Asia exhibition takes place from the 15th to the 18th June 2016 in Bangkok, Thailand. Propak is Asias leading trade event for the food, drink and pharmaceutical processing and packaging industries. Presenting over 1,900 exhibitors from 47 countries, over 4,500 machines from across the world and expecting over 40,000 professional visitors across its 4 days. Further information on this trade event can be found at. The company locally, can be contacted at:Illinois Instruments (Thailand)6th fl Nopnarong Bldg No7Ladprao23, Jatujak, Bangkok 10900ThailandTel: +66 (0)2938 0798Fax: +66 (0)2938 1058E-mail: sales.ap@systechillinois.comMore information about Systech Illinois and their extensive range of gas analysis instruments, products and services can be found on the Systech website atSystech Illinois specialises in online, portable and laboratory gas analysis equipment. With 30 years as one of the leading experts in gas and moisture measurement, Systech Illinois' application and technology knowledge provides efficient gas analysis solutions in many industry sectors worldwide.For the packaging industry, Systechs oxygen permeation and water vapour permeation analysers offer testing of all packaging film, finished package and PET bottles. Systechs headspace range provides fast, easy to use, accurate gas analysis of gas flushed food packages and headspace analysis of food and pharmaceutical packaging.For the process industry, Systech offer a wide range of gas analysis solutions including measurement of moisture, oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and many other gases. In addition, Systech manufacture intrinsically safe units for use in hazardous areas.Systech Illinois is a multinational company with offices and gas analysis equipment manufacturing facilities in the UK and the U.S. Systech is very proud of its well developed and well trained workforce, which enables it to offer customers a continuing high level of service, and become known globally as a leading supplier of gas analysis instrumentation.Systech IllinoisBeth FaulknerPhone: +44 01844 216838Web:Systech Illinois17 Thame Park Business CentreWenman RoadThameOX9 3XA Global Data Center Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Industry 2016 Advancements, Leading Company Investments, Projects, Applications and SWOT Analysis http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=722969&type=E Global Data Center Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Industry 2016 Market Overview, Size, Share, Trends, Analysis, Technology, Applications, Growth, Market Status, Demands, Insights, Development, Research and Forecast 2016-2020.The research on the Global Data Center Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Market is a combined effort taken by analysts to highlight important information about the market. The report is strategically prepared through a detailed primary and secondary investigation. For accurate facts, analysts have used internal and external factors. With this, suitable information and valuable market-oriented facts of the global Data Center Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) market are recognized. Interviews with executives, key market experts, and directors are conducted by analysts to generate accurate information. The global Data Center Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) market is segmented into various segments and sub-segments to accurately evaluate numerous factors. A birds eye view is presented by the reports authors to highlight the global Data Center Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) market, which gives companies a broader perspective of the current trends and developments.The report covers vital elements of the global Data Center Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) market, such as products, different applications, supply and demand dynamics, various specifications, and the industry trends. The report provides information about different segments of the global Data Center Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) market with respect to their dominance. The projected growth of all segments and sub-segments is contained in the report. The information presented in the study includes profiles of key companies operating in the global Data Center Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) market, their important developments, major acquisitions, mergers, partnerships, and production capacity. Growth strategies and the launch of new products by leading players are emphasized in the report. The analysts have highlighted changing trends and the nature of competition in the global Data Center Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) market.By using the SWOT analysis tool, analysts highlight the weaknesses, strengths, opportunities, and threats of leading players in the global Data Center Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) market. The feasibility of new projects is also studied by using the SWOT analysis tool. Key players are profiled in the report with information such as capacity production, geographical coverage, and gross revenue.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @QYResearchReports.com is the trusted source of market research reports among clients that include prestigious Chinese companies, multinational companies, SMEs, and private equity firms. Our market research reports focus on categories including but not limited to: Chemicals, Energy, Alternative and Green Energy, Machinery, Manufacturing, Glass, Pharmaceuticals and Materials.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States Global Fast Food Market to Display 4.40% CAGR from 2013 to 2019, Changing Eating Habits in Asia Pacific Propel Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/global-fast-food-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=2366 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Transparency Market Researchs new market study on the global fast foods market delves into the trends and opportunities of the said market for the 2013-2019 period. The report says that the global fast foods market will be valued at US$617.6 bn by 2019 increasing from US$477.1 bn in 2013. This will translate into a CAGR of 4.40% over the reports forecast period. The title of this report is Global Fast Food Market - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2013 - 2019 and it is available for sale on the companys website.Browse Full Report With ToC:Fast food refers to mass-produced food that can be prepared and served very quickly. First popularized in the U.S. in the 1950s, it is believed to have less nutritional value compared to other foods. Fast food draws from various culinary styles to offer consumers food items that are high on the taste quotient.The global fast foods market observed significant expansion in North America in its early years. This is the region where the markets foundation was laid. North America is still a large market for fast foods. In the coming years, however, the non-traditional fast foods markets are expected to generate a significant chunk of the global revenue these include Asia Pacific and Rest of the World. In these regions, an expanding population base coupled with economic growth and increasing disposable income levels are the major factors driving the fast food market. Peer pressure among consumers to switch to Western eating habits is also a key factor fueling the growth of this market.However, in traditional fast food markets such as North America and Europe, due to an evident shift in consumer food choices from fast foods to natural foods, the growth of the overall market will be negatively impacted. Consumers are increasingly becoming conscious about the ill-effects of food additives in the long run. Thus, market players are compelled to switch to natural ingredients, hormone-free meats, and organic produce to make their products attractive for consumers. On the contrary, in the developing countries of Asia Pacific, the recently gained economic prosperity and surging income levels have led to higher spending on contemporary foods, which include fast foods as well.Request a Brochure of this Report :The report segments the global fast foods market on the basis of delivery chain, food type, and geography. By product type, burgers/sandwiches, pasta/pizza, seafood, chicken, Asian/Latin American, and snacks are the segments of this market. The market of pizza/pasta and burgers/sandwiches will display a higher CAGR compared to Latin American food or chicken during the forecast period. Nevertheless, developed markets will witness a rising preference for Latin American food and chicken due to their bold flavors and health benefits.Geographically, in 2013, North America stood as the largest market for fast food followed by Asia Pacific. In North America, the busy lifestyle of individuals that does not leave adequate time for fresh cooking on a regular basis and dependence on convenient restaurant food are driving the market. Drive-thru food joints and food-on-the-go are a commonality in North America where people eat out frequently. In 2013, Asia Pacific and North America collectively held a share of more than 64% in the global fast food market.Top players in the global fast food market are Burger King Worldwide Inc., McDonalds Corporation, Jack in the Box Inc., Wendys International Inc., Yum! Brands Inc., Dominos Pizza Inc., and Doctors Associates Inc.The market is categorized into the following segments:Global Fast Food Market by TypeBurger/SandwichPizza/PastaChickenAsian/Latin American FoodSea-FoodOthers (Snacks, Mexican etc.)Global Fast Food Market by TypeQuick Service Restaurant (QSR)Street VendorsOthersGlobal Fast Food Market by GeographyNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificRest of the WorldAbout UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global 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. TMRs 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.ContactMr. Sudip S90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Nuremberg May 24, 2016 The official Call for Papers as well as the Early Bird Phase for the 11th OSMC have started. Interested speakers may suggest talks until June 30 via the official CfP form. The subjects of the conference range from speeches at beginner level to expert presentations on special solutions for large and complex IT environments. In addition to the presentations, on the first day of the conference the organizer Oxygen, the life giving gas in the atmosphere, has potential to destroy aroma, vitamin C and the taste of many different beverages. While the packaging material of PET bottles is down gauged year by year, the barrier properties are being improved in order to extend the products shelf life, despite the fact that the overall material content is being significantly reduced. As the packages become more sophisticated it is recommended Prchard Parks Maya Clinard Orchard Parks Maya Clinard, far right, took runner-up in singles at this past weekends Section VI Girls Tennis Championships at... Boys soccer peaking into sectionals It was not an ideal start to the 2022 season for the Orchard Park boys soccer team, dropping its first... First Congrgational Church fire Fire crews work to extinguish a three-alarm fire around 3 a.m. May 25, 2016 at 1220 N.E. 68th St. The fire was the first of two church fires within a 24 hour period. Investigators suspect arson and have offered a $10,000 reward for information leading the arrest of the arsonist. (Clark County Fire District 6) UPDATE: Authorities set up task force to investigate recent Clark County church arsons Two Vancouver churches sustained fires within 24 hours, and investigators are looking for suspected arsonists and offering a reward. Both fires began about 3 a.m. The first was Wednesday at the First Congregational Church, 1220 N.E. 68th St., then Thursday at the Liberty Bible Church of the Nazarene, 12401 N.E. Salmon Creek Ave. It's too early to say if the fires are connected, said David Schmitke, Clark County Fire District 6 spokesman. Wednesday's fire started outside the church's west end and set off an alarm. When crews arrived, they saw smoke coming out of the church. "We went to a second alarm, and then really quickly that fire took off, and they called a third alarm," Schmitke said. Within an hour the fire was extinguished. "We were able to limit the fire to one end of the sanctuary," he said. Damages to the structure are estimated at $630,000 and $1.2 million for the contents inside, including furniture, carpet and other belongings, he said. "It's a very unique structure built in the early '60s," Schmitke said about the 26,000-square-foot building. He said the Fire Marshal's Office has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the suspected arsonist. "The fire marshal is not releasing details on how that one got started," Schmitke said. A fundraising website has been created a page to help the church with repair costs. On Thursday, someone threw a flaming item through the window of the Liberty Bible Church, Schmitke said, but the building's sprinkler system quickly extinguished it. No one was injured in either fire. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is assisting the county on the investigation, a standard practice when suspected arsons happen at churches, Schmitke said. Anyone with information can call the Clark County Fire Marshal's office at 360-397-2076. -- Tony Hernandez thernandez@oregonian.com 503-294-5928 @tonyhreports PDX Portland International Airport aerial Portland International Airport shown on June 3, 2011. (Bruce Ely) Portland International Airport had a record four perimeter fence breaches in 2015, including one instance in which a person scrambled over the fence to avoid being hit by gang gunfire. In three other 2015 breaches, people crashed their cars into the fence; in June, after driving through a fence, the driver and passenger fled and were later arrested. Last year saw a big jump in security breaches at Portland, which has five others going back to 2004. Portland airport spokeswoman Kama Simonds says none of the 2015 breaches appear to be intentional. Airport officials revealed the incidents during an Associated Press investigation which documented at least 345 perimeter security breaches at 31 of the nation's busiest airports between 2004 and mid-February. Airports say their outer defenses are strong. -- The Associated Press Paul Light slid his pontoon boat onto Lake Shasta last Thursday and surveyed the coming attraction. Light, a floor installer in nearby Redding, watched a flotilla of house boats glide across the Northern California lake toward Slaughterhouse Island, just like he'd done for most May weekends for the better part of two decades. Here comes the armada, Light said as he watched the spectacle from about a quarter-mile away. "Sixty boats traveling across the water at one time," he said in an interview. "You just know it's going to be a bunch of dysfunction going on, man." Light, a Shasta County resident for most of his life, avoids the lake during the annual May tradition for students from Oregon State, Oregon and other universities descend on the popular lake for a few weekends of sun and fun. By the time he returned Monday, Light witnessed the aftermath. Students abandoned brand new tents and sleeping bags. Piles of garbage sat near the water's edge. Some tents had human feces in them. Intermixed throughout the garbage were grocery bags, sandals, hats and other gear with University of Oregon logos. The photos of what Light saw went viral, and Shasta County is still reeling from the weekend and the national attention. "What happened last weekend was completely overwhelming and shocking," said Sgt. Rob Sandbloom, a Shasta County Sheriff's deputy with the boating safety unit. "I've basically been on the phone nonstop with reporters since Monday. "It's nonstop. It's on everybody's mind." Sandbloom has worked for the department since 1999 and been assigned to Lake Shasta full-time since 2009. Everyone knows about the May weekends, he said. Usually Memorial Day weekend is the weekend of choice for the Ducks and students from the University of California-Davis and Chico State University, among others, Sandbloom said. He wasn't working last weekend and said he couldn't confirm UO students were on the lake. But he acknowledged seeing the Oregon logo "everywhere" in photos. This is a difficult time of year, Sandbloom said, for law enforcement officers. "It's very stressful. I don't sleep much in the month of May, just because I don't want to see anybody get hurt or killed." Sandbloom was working in 2005 when an OSU student committed suicide at the lake. Tobin Klinger, a UO spokesman, said the school still can't confirm that students from Eugene were there last weekend for an unsanctioned fraternity and sorority weekend. The school said it is investigating the situation. It issued as a statement decrying the behavior as "unacceptable." "It would be helpful if anybody with first-hand knowledge would come forward in an effort to do the right thing," Klinger said. As of Wednesday afternoon, that hadn't happened, Klinger said. Shasta County welcomes the infusion of college students each year, both Sandbloom and Light said, because the area depends on the tourist revenue. They also want students to enjoy their time on the lake. But Light said he's worried the situation has become unrulier in the past five or six years. "I think it has gotten worse. Nobody ever has done anything about it," he said, "no one has ever checked them on this." He just wants students to pack their gear in and out of the area. Light and his wife, Lori, clean up trash from the lake after the college rowdiness each year. But this year was unlike any he'd seen. Light walked away with eight brand new sleeping bags, piles of river shoes, 30 new tarps and a slew of other personal items. "I spent four hours piling trash into tarps," he said. He briefly considered burning it. "I literally couldn't get it all. I got overwhelmed." Light did see a purple cooler emblazoned with the Greek lettering for the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. The photo of that cooler went viral, and the fraternity has since apologized for the situation. "This ice chest is nationally famous now. I kind of grabbed it as joke at first," he said. Light, who said he is not a drinker, said the cooler had seven Kirkland Signature Light beers in it. He kept the tarps but donated other items, including 19 beach towels, to the Redding Goodwill. The weekend trashing comes right before Memorial Day, which is typically one of the busiest recreation weekends of the year at the lake. Sandbloom said he was a bit concerned about it. When asked what he expects for this coming weekend, Sandbloom said he knows there will likely be citations for operating a boat while intoxicated, and other issues. But, he said, the goal is "no one dies." "For us, that's an awesome weekend," he said. -- Andrew Theen atheen@oregonian.com 503-294-4026 @andrewtheen Hillsboro residents might have noticed an unusual sight this week: a 10-foot-tall spinning lantern in front of a downtown home. The house is actually a Buddhist temple that's been a spiritual hub for Sri Lankan Buddhists for more than a decade. Inside the Oregon Buddhist Vihara, there's a shrine and meditation space. Two Sri Lankan monks live there, and the Sri Lankan community gathers at the house for cultural events throughout the year. The yellow, green and red lantern on the lawn this week was part of a recent holiday celebration. Vesak, which fell on May 21 this year, commemorates the birth, enlightenment and passing of Gautama Buddha. Buddhists around Asia celebrate the holiday with a variety of lantern-related traditions. You might be most familiar with images like this one from Indonesia, where people light lanterns that float in the air like miniature hot air balloons: Buddhist followers release lanterns into the air during celebrations for Vesak Day on May 21, 2016 in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. (Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) In Sri Lanka, people build colorful, rotating lanterns 30 to 40 feet tall, said Inuka Gunawardana, a member of the Oregon Buddhist Vihara. Villages, friends or family groups design and build the lanterns together, he said, then display them in public places. "Making the lanterns brings us together as a community," said Dulan Weerasinghe, another member of the temple. Here's a video showing a particularly impressive, carousel-like lantern in Sri Lanka: This was the Oregon Buddhist Vihara's second year building a lantern. Gunawardana said it took about a month for the community to finish. They'll keep it on display through the end of this week. "It attracts a lot of attention and is a conversation starter," Gunawardana said. "We need to attract people from outside. Not for proselytizing -- Buddhism is not about that -- but for letting people know we are here." Anyone -- Buddhist or not -- can attend monthly meditation at the temple or join in Sri Lankan cultural events. The monks also teach bi-weekly dharma class for kids. Around 100 people are involved with the Oregon Buddhist Vihara, said Gunawardana, but Sri Lankans of other faiths often come for cultural events. People came from Eugene and Corvallis for the most recent New Years party. The community is quickly outgrowing the small house, Weerasinghe said. The meditation space can only fit 10 to 15 people, and community gatherings have to happen outside. They're in the process of applying for a building permit to construct a new temple that would not only accommodate more people, but would be more in line with the style of Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka. Drawings attached to a public notice show a temple with two main buildings attached by a glass walkway. The northern building, which would face Southeast Walnut Street, would contain a meditation hall for services. The southern building would house the two resident monks, Sunday school space and a library. -- Melissa Binder mbinder@oregonian.com 503-294-7656 @binderpdx A Forest Grove man sentenced last year in Washington County to more than half a century in prison for sexually abusing at least five children was convicted in federal court Tuesday for traveling to the Philippines to commit similar crimes and produce child pornography. Steven D. Rockett, 47, is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 30 for producing child porn outside of the United States, engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places, attempting to produce child porn, producing or attempting to produce child porn and possession of child porn. At least five children were identified victims in the federal case. It was the first foreign sex tourism trial held in Oregon, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. According to court records, Rockett solicited children in the Philippines and Oregon to take and send him sexually explicit photos of themselves. He also hid cameras in walls and clocks in his home in Forest Grove, a past home in Aloha, and in hotel rooms in the Philippines to record children undressing and showering. He was convicted of producing child porn from January 2000 to January 2013, court records show, and traveled to the Philippines at least five times between 2000 and 2010. Rockett's ex-wife was among those who reported his illegal activities to police in 2013, court documents show. He met her in the Philippines in 2000 and they married when he returned there later that year. She said they went back several times so she could visit her family. The ex-wife told police that Rockett would often "get kids" and go to a hotel with them and that she once followed him to a room and found him playing strip poker with several boys from the neighborhood, court records show. According to court documents, federal agents interviewed several Filipino children and young adults who interacted with Rockett in Cebu City, Philippines between 2000 and 2012 who said the 47-year-old would lavish them with gifts and meals and offer his hotel room for them to watch TV, play games and take showers. Many of them were from impoverished areas. Some described how he would come into the bathroom while they were nude and take photos of them and fondle them, court documents said. Several of them said Rockett had developed a reputation in the community for having sexual interest in children and that they believed he would give them cash or electronic devices for sexual favors or nude photos. -- Everton Bailey Jr. ebailey@oregonian.com 503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey You can understand Ariana Scipioni's obsession with lead dust, in the house where she sleeps and the street where she lives. Last September, her daughter's one-year-checkup betrayed elevated levels of lead in Francesca's blood. "That was a Friday," Scipioni says. On Monday, a lead-hazard assessor rummaged through her 1917 Northeast Portland home. "He found lead everywhere." Lead is so uniquely toxic that the Centers for Disease Control argues there is "no safe blood lead level for children." "Many believe that children are poisoned by chewing on a windowsill or a paint chip," Scipioni says. "It only takes a fingertip's worth of lead dust to poison a child and the damage is permanent." In the last eight months, then, Scipioni has been relentless in checking her house for fingerprints. The door jambs. The window sills and stairway, long seeped in lead-based paint. The new wood floor upstairs. But her alarm rose to another level entirely when the aging house just north of hers on Northeast 32nd Place caught fire, and she watched a renovation crew go to work. "They were taking sledge hammers to the kitchen with the door open," says Scipioni, a wildlife biologist. "I said, 'Guys, what are you doing about the lead paint?' "They said, 'What lead paint? We don't know anything about lead paint.'" The lead paint the U.S government banned for residential use in 1978, eight years before banning lead in gasoline. The lead paint that still chips and peels in aging Portland neighborhoods like Irvington and Sellwood, where 95 percent of the homes were built, and color-touched, before 1978. The lead poisoning problem that Alyssa Isenstein Kruger, with United Neighbors for Reform, argues "is much more far reaching than Bullseye Glass." The lead debris that dusted the Concordia neighborhood sidewalk and swirled out of the drop box each time the wind kicked up. The subcontractors hired by Fire Industry Restoration Experts asked Scipioni if she and her family might simply leave the neighborhood for several days. "I said, 'Really? While you contaminate the whole north side of my house?" "Where are the plastic bags, guys?" Scipioni asked. "Where are the Hazmat suits? The dust masks? I pulled out a lead-check swab, tested it in front of them, and said, 'God, you're poisoning yourselves.' Their bodies are covered with dust. Lead dust! "And they're starting to realize I'm not just being an ass, but that I care about them. I don't want to poison themselves or my daughter." Scipioni called the state's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which opened a "health inspection" at the site with the general contractor, Fire Industry Restoration Experts. I called Greg Philo, the company owner. "We checked for asbestos. Apparently, it didn't get checked for lead," Philo told me. "That's part of the subcontractor agreement we had, that they had to check for everything." Then Philo added this about lead: "It's not a new problem; it's just in the spotlight. All the general contractors are trying to figure out the new rules. There are bigger problems out there than subs not doing it right." Bigger problems? Where to begin. Yes, the Environmental Protection Agency has relatively new regulations on lead-based paint hazards. But total home demolitions are specifically exempted from state and federal requirements on lead exposure. So are projects in which the homeowner is raising dust inside or outside his castle. The state's regulatory agency, the Construction Contractors Board, has only three investigators monitoring renovation and repair projects from Hillsboro to Hood River. "Consider that scenario on a summer's day in Portland where you can throw a stone anywhere in the city and hit someone sanding and scraping paint," says Perry Cabot, a lead-hazard program specialist with Multnomah County. What's worst, Cabot says, is that if a contractor fails to obtain a special lead-based paint renovation license, the Construction Contractors Board fines the contractor only for the oversight, not the violations of lead-safe work practices. Why is that? "Presumably, you don't know you've violated the regulations because you haven't had the certification," says Stan Jessup, the board's enforcement manager. "We are every bit as protective as the EPA rules, we're just not as punitive," Jessup adds. But he concedes, "Contractors don't put the effort into knowing the industry's requirements." Fancy that, given that fines provide little incentive. Of the 83 levied by the state board in the last 17 months, 64 were simple $1,000 penalties for that lack of certification. OSHA's fines for lead abatement are even more amiable. The average penalty levied in the 2015 fiscal year for 40 worker-safety violations: $120. "I've been trying to get this dealt with for years," says Tamara Rubin, who launched the Portland-based Lead Safe America Foundation. "This is all of our homes. The percentage with lead-paint hazards is huge. And our schools are deteriorating outrageously." Case in point? The Portland School Board was informed Wednesday that six water fountains at Creston School and the Rose City Park campus exceeded federal standards for acceptable lead levels two months ago. So it is that Gov. Kate Brown issues a cease-and-desist order for Bullseye Glass, even as lead fills the air, contaminates the soil and ebbs from the school water fountains in other Portland neighborhoods. "It's an atrocity that all of these old homes are being destroyed with a bulldozer and a hose," Scipioni says. "It's 2016 and we know so much, yet we do so little to protect the vulnerable." You can understand her vigilance. Her children, Niko and Francesca, are still little. Her children are so vulnerable. And someone, God knows, needs to sound the alarm. -- Steve Duin stephen.b.duin@gmail.com By David Ignatius ANKARA -- A tour of the war zones in Iraq and Syria with the top American commander ends, appropriately enough, here in Turkey, the strongest power in the region and the place where the modern troubles began a hundred years ago with the collapse of the Ottoman empire. The abiding strategic fact about the current war against the Islamic State is that it's part of a bigger process of reordering the post-Ottoman structure of this part of the world. We don't know yet what the outcome will be or what the borders will look like; America isn't even sure what it wants, as the local powers scramble for their selfish interests. But this is the big story we often miss, amid the drone strikes and terrorist bombings. My trip with Gen. Joseph Votel, the Centcom commander, distilled two themes: -- American military power remains overwhelming. We're still the arsenal of democracy, to use that hoary phrase, and once the American war machine gets going, it brings devastating firepower on adversaries such as the Islamic State. Now that our military is finally being employed more aggressively against the terrorist group, this enemy is in retreat and, unless we lose patience, it will eventually be shattered. -- American political power, by contrast, is limited and confused. We have conflicting goals. We talk about maintaining unitary states in Syria and Iraq, yet we've now created what amounts to a safe zone for Syrian Kurds and their allies in northeast Syria. As "Operation Provide Comfort" did for Iraqi Kurds 25 years ago, this will encourage an autonomous Kurdish zone. If American strategists have a vision to reconcile these conflicting aims, I don't see it. During my travels this past week with Votel, I kept encountering little nuggets that illustrated some of the realities of this conflict that the warriors see, but the public usually doesn't. Inside one of the combat operations centers that run the war, below the massive screens that help the military coordinate surveillance drones, current offensive operations, and air assets across the theater, you can see three reminders about how to process all this information: "Is a decision required?" "Who else needs the information?" "Does it change a commander's estimate?" I wonder if there's a similar checklist at the White House. Traveling with the U.S. military, you're inside a bubble of optimism that emphasizes what's going well and suppresses the negatives, with the effect that victory always seems nearer than it really is. One officer, in the middle of a briefing about U.S. operations against the Islamic State, summed up the situation this way: "One side is going to the playoffs, and the other is going to the parking lot." A likable American assessment, but that's not the way conflicts work in this part of the world. The losers never go to the parking lot, unless they're obliterated by genocidal violence. They retreat, and come back in new forms. Another comment that may reflect our misplaced optimism came from Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, who's running the war from Baghdad and is one of the best U.S. commanders around. He said of the Islamic State's recent upsurge in terrorist attacks against Shiites in Baghdad: "In some ways it's an indication of our success that the enemy is forced to change tactics." I've heard similar upbeat comments for a decade in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the unfortunate fact is that suicide bombings, however desperate, still keep this region unstable and in some ways ungovernable. Military commanders should be careful about outrunning their political bases of support. One commander rightly said the Islamic State is like cancer. In killing it, you need to make sure you don't kill the patient. Another used the Arabic expression, "slowly, slowly," in describing the right strategy for chipping away at the Islamic State's capitals of Mosul and Raqqah. If we see these wars as part of a broader, decades-long process to reshape the post-Ottoman order, we realize how easy it is to make lasting mistakes. The scheming colonial powers of 1916 have been replaced by scheming regional powers such as Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia, which are playing local proxies against each other to maintain their national interests. We see the plucky Kurds, once again playing for a national status they deserve but that the region may not be able to accommodate. And we see America: powerful, impatient, unsure of how to integrate its ideals and interests. My takeaway this week is that the military side is going well, but the political needs a lot more work. David Ignatius' email address is davidignatius@washpost.com. (c) 2016, Washington Post Writers Group Hillary Clinton Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at the home of Nathan Smith during a campaign stop in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, Sunday, May 15, 2016. (Andrew Harnik/Associated Press) 'Failing neoliberal agenda': President Obama's campaign slogan -- "Yes we can" -- has been replaced by a dull, lifeless call for "pragmatic incrementalism" by Hillary Clinton's campaign. Her rhetoric in addressing critical economic, military and environmental issues inspires little. Conversely, Bernie Sanders challenges the status quo and calls us back into optimism and action. A similar forward-looking attitude led to Obama's successful bid for the presidency. At the very least we need to challenge the Democratic Party's dependence on money and a failing neoliberal agenda represented by both parties. Tony Williamson Northeast Portland Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Comedian Jeremy McLellan, from Charleston, South Carolina, had his first open mic night three years ago. It went badly, McLellan said. But I was like I can do better. So then I just started writing. I was looking for something to do and people had been telling me before that I should be doing stand up. For three years he performed locally in the Charleston, South Carolina area, until a few months ago when he decided to quit his day job and be a full-time stand up comedian. My dream was always to do stand up comedy full time, McLellan said. I was getting a lot of offers to do stand up out of town where I would have had to take off time from work. Its because of this decision to go full-time and travel outside South Carolina that McLellan will be performing at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 27 at Creative 360. After two shows in Michigan, McLellan will move on to perform in Toronto, Washington, D.C. and Houston. Office manager of Creative 360 Joannah Lodico connected with McLellan through her sister and brother-in-law. The two had been friends with McLellan in college. When Lodico and the other staff at Creative 360 heard that McLellan would be in Michigan for a show in Bellaire, their first thought was to try and bring him in. This will be the first time Creative 360 hosts a stand up comedian. Executive Director Carol Rumba hopes this wont be the last. We sort of take the pulse of our attendees to find out what they like to see and what they like to experience, Rumba said. We certainly hope its something we can continue to do. Rumba said shes very optimistic about McLellans performance. She and the other staff believe he will be very popular, she said theyve had a good response so far. Hes very well known in the Detroit area and other areas in the state, Rumba said. Were hoping that, because its a holiday weekend, people will come from all over Michigan to see him live. Attendees should expect a PG-13 performance. McLellan gets his inspiration from many different places; including politics, personal experiences, traveling experiences, conversations, and more. Anything thats going on can be inspiration, McLellan said. I really like his Facebook posts, Rumba said. We laugh in the office all the time. Itll be wonderful to actually meet him in person and see him on our stage. Snacks will be provided at the event, but attendees should bring their own beverages. Tickets are $5 per person using cash or a check and $8 per person using debit or credit card. McLellan said hes enjoyed being able to travel as a stand up comedian full time. Its changed (my life) completely, McLellan said. My days are free now, I can take any gig I want, theres nobody telling me what to do, which is great. Im my own boss. I can write and say whatever I want, its great. McLellan said he likes being able to do everything himself. He has the freedom to choose what he says, where he says it and when, without any interference. Its all me, McLellan said. Theres nobody telling me what to say or what not to say and I can just be myself. Thats what I love about doing comedy. And also just entertaining people and having people have a good time because of me. For more info on the performance, www.becreative360.org. American Legion Post 165 is inviting Midland County residents to the communitys Memorial Day events on Monday. Activities for the remembrance of Memorial Day are scheduled to commence at 8 a.m. at the veterans section of the Midland Cemetery. Retired Judge John Hart will recite General Order Number 11 at the 8 a.m. ceremony at the veterans section in the city cemetery, which he has done for many years in honor of all fallen military. Immediately following there will be a Naval Ceremony at the Upper Bridge on Currie Parkway for deceased Navy personnel. At 9 a.m. there will be the presentation of wreaths at the Midland County Veterans Memorial, located in the front of the Midland County Courthouse. This will be hosted by American Legion Post 165 Auxiliary President Tina McIntosh. U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar will be the keynote speaker with state Sen. Jim Stamas and State Rep. Gary Glenn as guest speakers. The annual Memorial Day parade will commence at 10 a.m. The parade route will begin at West Main Street to Rodd Street and ending at Nelson Street. Parade marshal will be World War II Army Air Corps veteran Albert Pruss, who served from De. 7, 1942 to Jan. 9, 1946 in the Technical and Training Army Air Corps Command. U.S.S. General Pruss is an active member of the Berryhill American Legion Post 165. Gold Star Mothers will be represented by Kim Burgess and Deb Ullom in honor of their sons, Ryan and Aaron. Following the completion of the parade, the Memorial Day ceremonies will conclude at the Central Park Band Shell, where the guest speaker will be Vietnam veteran Captain Michael D. Miller. Miller is a West Point graduate of 1964 and received his MBA from Harvard University. He is the author of a non-fiction book named A Terrible Beauty which provides personal insight into the heroism of soldiers of the Vietnam War. Miller also spent time traveling through Afghanistan working in construction management. Music will be provided by the Bullock Creek School Marching Band. American Legion Post 165 Commander Bill Sofoulis asks everyone in the community to have a safe as well as a happy holiday weekend and urges everyone to participate in Memorial Day activities to remember the service and sacrifice of U.S. veterans from Midland County. In case of severe, inclement weather, turn to the Midland County 911 Facebook page or the Midland American Legion Post 165 Facebook page for parade cancellation information at 8:30 a.m. on Monday. Delta College Quality Public Television, Q-TV, recently received two Michigan EMMY nominations for the locally-produced 2015 historical documentary, SETTLING IN: Immigrants & Cultures that Built Mid-Michigan. Robert Przybylski, producer/director, and Christine Santiago Drake, independent producer and writer, received the nomination in the Historical Documentary category, and Pat Cronley of Flint garnered a nomination for his work on the musical soundtrack for the documentary. SETTLING IN: Immigrants & Cultures that Built Mid-Michigan examines how ancestral groups shaped mid-Michigan and explores how their local communities survived and thrived amidst the challenges of starting a new life in a strange and unfamiliar land. This is Przybylskis fourth nomination and Santiago Drakes third. Cronley won in 2010 for his work on the Q-TV 2010 documentary RESTORED TO GLORY - Classic Automobiles, Collectors & Their Stories. This award confirms to us that other experts see the quality of the local documentaries we produce, said Tom Bennett, Delta College Quality Broadcasting general manager. But, we know that our community values the local programs too, because they call in to tell us when they see them on the air. As a matter of fact, during our recent on-air fund drive, we heard from 272 people who invested another $35,500 in our programming. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony held at the Motor City Casino in June in Detroit. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Looking to avoid the normal barbeque and backyard games for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend? Want to get out of town and explore nearby Michigan destinations? Here are some suggestions for those wanting to wander over the Memorial Day weekend: Take a trip to the past at the Hi-way Drive-in located in Carsonville: Restored by co-owners Lisa and Steve Kursinsky, this drive-in movie theater will not only revive your nostalgic side but also offer a unique adventure for the whole family. Things to know ahead of time: Park your RV, van or SUV in the back rows. The drive-in does have a weapons-free policy, so leave those items at home along with alcohol, laser pointers, glass bottles, grills or barbeques. Shoes are required. How to get there: From Midland, take I-75 South to M-46 East. The address is 2778 E. Sanilac Road (M-46) in Carsonville. This destination is about an 1 hour and 37 minutes away. For more information: Call (810) 657-6684 or visit http://bit.ly/205Vihq. Go for a hike at Sanilac Petroglyphs Historic Park in Cass City: You will have the first chance to see the Sanilac Petroglyphs, the only known prehistoric rock carvings attributed to Native Americans in Michigan, starting Memorial Day weekend. Viewing is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Labor Day. Things to know ahead of time: Bring plenty of bug spray, and make sure any pets are on a leash. Guides will be at the petroglyphs in order to provide interpretations of the rock carvings and offer a more in-depth experience, at no cost. How to get there: From Midland, take U.S. 10 to M-25 East. The address is 8251 Germania Road in Cass City. The park is about 1 hour and 20 minutes away. For more information: Call the Michigan Department of Natural Resources at (989) 856-4411. Double your fun with two festivals in Frankenmuth: Michigans Little Bavaria is hosting the Balloons over Bavaria and Dog Bowl, both free events that draw thousands of visitors. More than 15 pilots are competing during Balloons over Bavaria over the weekend. Dog Bowl is a two-day event that runs from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Things to know: Keep your pets on a leash and bring plenty of water for both human and canine companions. Stay later on Sunday to catch the fireworks show at 9:45, or the Balloon Glow from 9 to 10 p.m. How to get there: River Place Shops is located at 925 Main St. in Frankenmuth. This destination is about 45 minutes away. For more information: on Balloons over Bavaria, contact (989) 652-7200 or email info@bavarianinn.com. For Dog Bowl, contact (989) 652-9043 or email Michael@bavarianinn.com. Travel to the west side of the state to experience Michigans Adventure: Go a little further to accommodate the thrill-seekers in your group, who will have a blast spending the day riding rollercoasters or shooting down waterslides at WildWater Adventure. One-day general admission for both parks starts at $31, and a two-day pass starts at $49. Things to know: The theme park and water park are open different hours through Memorial Day weekend, so check the website ahead of time. The water park does not open on days when the air temperature does not reach 65 degrees within 2 hours of opening. For more tips, go to http://bit.ly/1XmPOzJ. How to get there: Start out taking M-20 west, or try a different route to get to Muskegon. This destination is about 2.5 hours away. For more information: Visit miadventure.com to buy tickets, see height requirements or get driving directions. Stay local, support a business with Cops & Doughnuts in Clare: Havent yet made a stop at a bakery totally owned by former and current cops? Better schedule a trip fast, because Cops & Doughnuts are making headlines with their freshly-made products and police-themed business. Its worth the gas for a Bacon Squealer! Things to know: There is parking along McEwan Street for patrons looking to get in and get out with some treats fast. Be prepared for a line: Cops & Doughnuts has a loyal local following, but also draws in out-of-state and international visitors stopping in to appease their sweet tooth. How to get there: Head out on U.S. 10 west and then take the U.S. 10 BR exit toward U.S. 127 S/Clare. Cops and Doughnuts is located at 521 North McEwan St. in Clare. This destination is about a half hour away. For more information: Call (989) 386-2241 or visit copsdoughnuts.com. The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Wednesday, May 25 12:07 p.m. Police were sent to a loud party in the 1400 block of Airfield Lane. Tuesday, May 24 7:10 a.m. Property was stolen in the 1900 and 2100 blocks of Hillgrove Parkway. 9:29 a.m. Police investigated a hit and run traffic crash in the 900 block of Joe Mann Boulevard. 8:01 p.m. A deputy was sent to Edenville Township for a report of speeding vehicles. Both drivers were spoken with and agreed to pay more attention to their driving. 9:09 p.m. A Lincoln Township woman, 25, reported the back window of her vehicle was shattered by a rock thrown by a lawn mower while she was driving in Larkin Township. Monday, May 23 7:15 a.m. Police were called to investigate a case of fraud in the 300 block of Washington Street. 8:05 a.m. Officers investigated a hit and run traffic crash at Jefferson Avenue and East Wackerly Street. 8:36 a.m. Property was stolen from the 6200 block of Jefferson Avenue. 9:49 a.m. Officers responded to a hit and run traffic crash at North Saginaw Road and Jefferson Avenue. 11:38 a.m. Police investigated a case of fraud in the 3800 block of Nottingham Terrace. 2:36 p.m. A motorist was arrested at St. Andrews Road and Jefferson Avenue for driving on a suspended license. 5:35 p.m. Officers investigated a case of fraud in the 1100 block of Wallen Street. 8:57 p.m. Police responded to a retail fraud in the 1600 block of North Saginaw Road and made an arrest for heroin possession. 9:10 p.m. Police investigated a driver license violation at Jefferson Avenue and Capitol Drive. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy New openings Alice Through the Looking Glass 108 min.; 2-D/3-D; PG (fantasy action/peril, language) Alice returns to the whimsical world of Wonderland and travels back in time to save the Mad Hatter. X-Men: Apocalypse 144 min.; 2-D/3-D; PG-13 (violence, action destruction, brief strong language, suggestive images) The world's first mutant, Apocalypse, re-emerges, forcing the X-Men to unite to defeat his extinction plan. Ongoing The Angry Birds Movie 97 min.; 2-D/3-D; PG (rude humor, action) An island populated by happy, non-flying birds is invaded by mysterious green piggies. Captain America: Civil War 147 min.; 2-D/3-D; PG-13 (extended sequences of violence, action, mayhem) Political interference in Avengers' activities causes a rift between Captain America and Iron Man. The Jungle Book 105 min.; 2-D/3-D; PG (scary action, peril) An orphan boy is raised in the jungle with the help of a pack of wolves, a bear and a black panther. The Man Who Knew Infinity 108 min.; PG-13 (thematic elements, smoking) A poor native of India becomes a pioneer in mathematical theories. Money Monster 98 min.; R (language throughout, sexuality, brief violence) A financial TV host and his producer are put in an extreme situation when an irate investor takes over their studio. Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising 92 min.; R (crude sexual content, brief graphic nudity, language throughout, drug use, teen partying) A sorority moves in next door to Mac and Kelly, and it's even more debauched than the fraternity before it. The Nice Guys 116 min.; R (violence, sexuality. nudity, language, drug use) A private eye investigates the apparent suicide of a fading porn star in '70s L.A. and uncovers a conspiracy. At the Normal Notorious 101 min.; unrated Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1946 thriller about an undercover spy operation in post-war Brazil. (May 26 and 28) Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words 114 min.; unrated The life and times of the young Swedish girl who became one of the most celebrated actresses in cinema history. (May 27 and 29). Spies Like Us 102 min.; PG (language) Two bumbling government employees discover they are actually decoys for nuclear war. (May 27) Music, like food, often tastes better in the open air ... especially if it's free. Following is this season's tempting menu of Bloomington-Normal's regularly scheduled summer concert series in parks, pavilions, lawns, downtown squares and other open-air spaces (your backyards excepted). All you need to bring is a lawn chair, a blanket and/or a bottom that doesnt mind making direct contact with terra firma. Celebrate America!: The annual Pantagraph Holiday Spectacular-produced flag-waving musical extravaganza on the Miller Park Bandstand stage, at 7 p.m. July 3 and 4. Connie Link Amphitheater Concerts: The town of Normals outdoor venue off Linden Street in Normal is already under way with its fair-weather series of free music events, continuing through mid-September. Scheduled: Denise LaGrassa, 5:30 p.m. Thursday; New & Slightly Used, 5:30 p.m. June 2; Kevin Hart & The Vibe Tribe, 4 p.m. June 5; Glenn Wilson & The Jazzmaniacs, 4 p.m. June 26; Bones Jugs, 5:30 p.m. June 30; Midnight Crisis, 5:30 p.m. July 7; Brian Choban Quintet, 4 p.m. July 10; Mary & The Troublemakers, 2 p.m. July 24; Brass Band of Central Illinois, 5:30 p.m. July 28; Prairieland Dixie Band, 5:30 p.m. Aug. 6; Heartland Jazz Orchestra, 4 p.m. Aug. 14; Biscuits n Gravy Band, 6 p.m. Aug. 16; The Shanties, 5:30 p.m. Aug. 25; Jim Markum Swing Band, 4 p.m. Aug. 28; Sweetwater, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 1; Twilight Zona, 4 p.m. Sept. 9; Wagon Load A Trouble, 4 p.m. Sept. 11; Marc Boon & Old Solo Trio, 4 p.m. Sept. 25; Turas, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 29. Downtown Lunchtime Concert Series: Downtown Bloomingtons free Wednesday noon-hour concert series are at Withers Park a block to the east of its original moorings on the downtown square. Performances are 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Scheduled: Marc Boon, June 8; Patrick Campbell, June 15; Austin Found, June 22; Prairieland Dixie Band, June 29; Brian Choban Quintet, July 6. Franklin Park Thursday Night Concert Series: Another longstanding summer concert tradition returns to Bloomingtons historic Franklin Park, with weekly ice cream socials and pops performances by the Community Concert Band, under the baton of Michael Wallace. This years socials and concerts are set for June 16, 23 and 30; and July 7, 14 and 21. The socials begin at 6 p.m., followed by the concerts at 7 p.m. GLT Summer Concert: This venerable hot-weather music tradition is on the downtown Bloomington square, running from late afternoon (3:30 p.m.) to 10 p.m. June 9. Headlining this year's opus is Stray Cats' rockabilly guitarist Lee Rocker, preceded by Eden Brent and The Brazilionaires. ISU Concerts on the Quad: Another beloved open-air music ritual returns to the northwest corner of Illinois State Universitys quad every Monday, starting June 27 and continuing through July's end (7/4 included!). All performances are free and start at 7 p.m., with concertgoers encouraged to bring their own seating and, if their appetites move them, picnic suppers. In case it rains, the show goes on, in the Center for the Performing Arts, just across the quad. Scheduled: Roundstone Buskers (contemporary Celtic), June 27; 33rd Illinois Regiment Band (Civil War-era music), July 4; Harpeth Rising (string/vocal quartet), July 11; An Evening of Jazz (with Tom Marko & The Inner Light), July 18; Singing Under the Stars (with ISU faculty and guest vocalists), July 25. Loungeabout the Roundabout: Now in its third year, this relatively new kid on the summer music series block ... OK, the Uptown Circle in Normal ... offers free sounds on assorted Thursday nights from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Scheduled: Stone & Snow, June 9; Joe Zaklan, June 16; Patrick Campbell, June 23; PAGU with Elis Art, July 14; Andrew Hedges, July 21; Old Smoke Band, Aug. 4; Toucan, Aug. 11; War Painted Horses, Aug. 18; Unemployed Architects, Sept. 1; Big On Blondes, Sept. 8. Make Music Normal: Also in its junior year is this town-wide music event from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 18 at multiple locations, including Connie Link Amphitheater, Fell Park, Normal Public Library, Normal Theater, Uptown Circle, Uptown Normal (North & Broadway) and Emack & Bolio's Courtyard. The full schedule was still TBA at press-time. Music Under the Stars: The longstanding Miller Park Bandstand concert series returns with its free lineup, on assorted Sundays and Tuesdays. All shows are free and start at 7 p.m. this summer. Scheduled: New & Slightly Used, June 12; Dangerous Gentlemens, June 14; Turas, June 21; Shuga Beatz, June 26; Heartland Jazz Orchestra, July 12; Biscuits n Gravy Band, July 17; Kevin Hart & The Vibe Tribe, July 19; The Brazilionaires, Aug. 2; Brass Band of Central Illinois, Aug. 9; Jim Markum Swing Band, Aug. 16; Marc Boon & The One Night Band, Aug. 21; The Shanties, Aug. 28. Shakespeare Fest Jazz: Glenn Wilson & Friends are back swinging every Friday night in the Ewing Manor Courtyard at 6 p.m. July 8, 15, 22, 29 and 31, Aug. 5. BLOOMINGTON The Bloomington Police Department is seeking help from the public in locating a missing person. Missing is Marquaysha Brooks of Bloomington who was last seen at 7:30 a.m. on May 17. She was reported missing the following day. Officials believe she may be in the Chicago area. Marquaysha is a 17-year-old 5-foot-8-inch black female, weighing approximately 185 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. It is unknown what she was last wearing. Anyone with any information about her location is asked to contact the Bloomington Police Department at 309-820-8888. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 By Aygun Badalova - Trend: Azerbaijan is committed to the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) project, which will play substantial role in the diversification of natural gas suppliers to Europe, Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said in an interview with The Business Year, magazine on annual economic resources on national economies. "Two important projects, the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), are now being implemented within the framework of the SGC, which has the potential to meet up to 20 percent of Europe's gas needs in the future," Mammadyarov said. Azerbaijan is currently the only country producing for the establishment of the SGC project, he added. Energy infrastructure projects have significantly strengthened Azerbaijan's relationship with its close partners and intensified the regional cooperation with Turkey and Georgia, he said. The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian Sea region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey. At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor projects. Other sources can also connect to this project at a later stage. As part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz development, the gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline and Trans-Adriatic Pipeline. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @AygunBadalova BLOOMINGTON A 79-year-old Iowa man will not receive a new trial on criminal sexual abuse charges involving four female victims. In a ruling handed down Thursday, Judge Casey Costigan rejected arguments by lawyers for Harlan Mohr that the state failed to provide specific information about the allegations ahead of his January trial. Costigan set an Aug. 2 sentencing date for the Keokuk man who faces up to 28 years in prison. In his decision, Costigan found that "this was a case where the jury was tasked with judging the credibility of witnesses. The Court believes they believed the alleged victims." The ruling follows an April hearing where defense lawyer Juliet Boyd argued that "thousands of instances of uncharged conduct" were heard by the jury about the alleged sexual misconduct involving Mohr and the girls with whom he was acquainted. Boyd also claimed the victims' testimony lacked specific details of where and when the abuse occurred between January 2004 and January 2009. All the victims were minors at the time. Costigan disagreed, saying his review of court testimony showed the victims' statements as to how they were abused in McLean County was consistent and their recollections of uncharged abuse in other states was offered as evidence of Mohr's propensity for sexual misconduct. At a September 2014 hearing, a prosecutor said the state had provided as much detailed information as possible "but what we cannot do is pick a week out of a five-year period in which a child says 'this happened to me on these times." The victims accounts were linked to certain holidays or events in their youth when they saw Mohr. The McLean County charges involved incidents in Bloomigton but some testimony also was offered about alleged abuse in Iowa and Missouri. Open house to honor local vet BLOOMINGTON Dr. Greg Ekdale's 27 years of service at Highland Pet Hospital will be celebrated with an open house 3 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Highland, 118 Greenwood Ave. The open house is "people only, please," said a Highland announcement. Ekdale worked in small animal practices in River Grove and in Dubuque, Iowa, before purchasing Highland Hospital for Animals in 1989. Cluster dog show starts Friday BLOOMINGTON The Heart of Illinois Dog Show Cluster Show is Friday to Monday at the Interstate Center, Bloomington. The conformation show judging begins at 8 a.m. and concludes with Best in Show late in the afternoon. Each day includes a competition for junior handlers, ages 9-18. The event is free. Only entered dogs should be brought to the grounds. More information is at CornBeltKennelClub.org or call 309-287-2418. BLOOMINGTON President Barack Obama's visit to Vietnam this week likely will help businesses in both countries, but a veteran who does humanitarian work there doesn't expect it to help poor people who are still struggling years after the war ended. Mike Boehm, executive director of Madison Quakers, who spoke Wednesday at Illinois Wesleyan University, said that for a supposedly communist economy, there is a large gap between rich and poor. There will be some trickle down, Boehm said of the impact. It's just bread crumbs. Boehm said the American people still owe a profound spiritual debt to the people of Vietnam. A U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969 but did not see combat, Boehm told students in professor Thomas Lutze's history class, The Vietnam Wars, that he felt he had been duped by the U.S. government. It caused him to be angry going so far as to reject college assistance through the G.I. Bill because he considered it blood money, Boehm said. But it wasn't until he went to Puerto Rico to help rebuild homes after Hurricane Hugo in 1991 that he wondered whether he could do the same thing in Vietnam. His involvement started with a micro-loan program for women in the village of My Lai, where hundreds of Vietnamese had been massacred by U.S. soldiers in 1968. Those small loans enabled the women to start businesses such as pottery making, weaving, marketing fish and raising poultry. As the loans were repaid, money was lent to others, and the program continues, Boehm said. This is more than economic aid. It's what I have to call aid to the spirit, he said. In addition, his group has been involved with helping Vietnamese build a medical clinic, schools, a peace park, wells, water filtration systems and compassion homes for people with special needs, he explained. It gives them hope, Boehm said. And when you give people hope, it gives them life. Although the war essentially ended in 1975 with the fall of Saigon renamed Ho Chi Minh City it hasn't ended for those, including children born decades later, who have been killed or injured by unexploded bombs that still litter the country, said Boehm. They are still paying the price for that war, he said. Lutze, professor of East Asian history, said the impact of the war is still felt in other ways in the United States, too, in what is sometimes called Vietnam Syndrome the ongoing reluctance to commit troops to overseas military actions. Vietnam was such a divisive war, Lutze said. That legacy has continued. Part of that legacy is a lack of trust in government, according to Lutze. He said that is reflected in the support that has been generated for presidential primary candidates Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders because they've been doing a lot of questioning about the way things have been carried out by our president and Congress. The students in his class, which Lutze has taught off and on for about 20 years, have heard from other veterans with varying views on the U.S. involvement in Vietnam and studied the history of other wars in Vietnam. BLOOMINGTON From Boy Scouts to marching bands, equestrians to Shriners and politicians to beauty queens all are part of the Americana celebrated in holiday parades in small towns and big cities across the nation. But on Memorial Day, it's the dozens of military veterans striding among a sea of fluttering American flags who are the focus of attention from throngs along the parade route in Bloomington. The annual Memorial Day Parade will start at 9 a.m. Monday at the intersection of Front and Madison streets, then head west on Front Street to Lee Street, south on Lee to Wood Street, then west on Wood to Miller Park. Parade lineup will begin at 8 a.m. and participants will need to be in line by 8:30 a.m. Any veterans wishing to march in the parade with the combined color guard are invited to do so; uniforms are not required. "There are many veterans from various veterans organizations in McLean County that will be involved in the parade either by marching, riding or helping out with the lineup or ceremony," said Barbra Oldenburg. She and Roy Jones are co-chairing a committee that is organizing the parade. Local Rotarians and Boy Scouts will carry about 100 flags. As of Wednesday, there were about 50 parade entrants "with more coming in daily," said Oldenburg. "I would estimate around 60 entrants by the time it's all said and done." There are two marching bands registered so far: Bloomington High School and Normal Community High School. A ceremony at the Miller Park bandstand immediately following the parade will feature an address by Major Elaine Nussbaum of the Illinois National Guard. An additional ceremony will follow at the Korean Vietnam Memorial. VFW Post 454 will hold a ceremony at 12:30 p.m. Monday at the grave of John Kraus in the Danvers Cemetery. Kraus was the first McLean County soldier to die in World War I. He was killed in a battle on July 18, 1918. American Legion Post 635 will conduct services at noon Monday at Evergreen Cemetery. American Legion Post 56 will conduct its Memorial Day ceremony at 1 p.m. Sunday at Park Hill Cemetery. BELLFLOWER McLean County sheriff's police are investigating a one-car rollover crash in which two people were injured about 2 miles west of Bellflower. Police said the accident occurred about 10:15 p.m. Wednesday on McLean County Road 3600 East at 400 North. One woman, who is believed to be a passenger, was treated at a Bloomington-Normal hospital and released. A man who apparently was driving the Chevrolet Cavalier was airlifted to Carle Hospital in Urbana. His name and condition were not available Thursday. The LeRoy Police Department assisted at the scene. It is often said that the problem with immigrants is that they're poor and contribute only their cheap labor when they get here. But rarely discussed is the fact that the United States does a terrible job of enabling the immigrants who already have post-secondary certifications, college degrees and professional work experience to continue their careers once they've arrived. To start, a foreign-trained professional has to make his or her way to this country legally, navigating the red tape of visas and permissions, and, of course, master the English language. Then they must maneuver the thicket of proving their credentials and work experience. If you've had to pull copies of your college transcripts in the last few years, you know it couldn't be easier. It's generally a short order on a website and a credit card payment, and you get PDFs within 48 hours. But if you're an immigrant or a refugee who has arrived here from a war-torn country, one decimated by a natural disaster or from a place where the government bureaucracy is slow and impenetrable, you're in for an uphill battle. Not only to prove your credentials to professional certification boards, but also to show potential employers that you have documented experience. And then it gets worse. According to the Migration Policy Institute, there is no single federal structure governing professional certification in regulated occupations. "A profusion of overlapping, sometimes contradictory, local, state or national rules, procedures and examinations makes it complicated, time-consuming and expensive for immigrants and refugees to become recertified in the United States," the institute said in a 2013 report. "The vast patchwork of organizations involved in the credential-recognition process from professional associations and state or federal regulatory bodies to credential-assessment services and private- or public-sector employers requires considerable effort to understand and work with." The stereotype of the brilliant, degreed immigrant taxi driver is not an urban myth. Let me introduce you to Guillermo Saavedra Sr., a former college-educated accountant who today works two jobs far below his expertise to keep his family afloat. "Back in the '90s, things in our native Peru were very difficult, the economy was bad and there was a crisis, so we got visas and came to this country. But it's never how you think it will be," said Saavedra, who settled in Herndon, Virginia. "I was very qualified in my country, but it was the language that was a real challenge. Then you start looking into how to get back into your profession and it's so hard. I asked around and was told I'd have to enroll in college again and study for another two years and it was going to cost thousands of dollars. It really felt impossible." Saavedra simply couldn't put his family's livelihood on hold, and he took a string of jobs in food service and retail to make ends meet and help his children through college. To this day he works two jobs: one at a McDonald's and one at his local Target store. "It's not easy and it's a widespread problem the immigrants come here and have families, so what are they going to do but take whatever job they can get?" said Saavedra. "It's a problem because we come here as professionals, as engineers, medical staff, but they don't see us that way." According to the Migration Policy Institute's most recent data on foreign professionals, an estimated 1.9 million college-educated immigrants in the U.S. are working below their educational and skill levels, or are unemployed. There are no easy fixes to the issue. Even starting by simplifying the recertification processes in high-barrier (and high-need) disciplines like medicine and engineering would require a broad coalition of gatekeepers and licensure organizations to come together and work on system-wide solutions. And while the benefits to society would be obvious, the problem tends to be seen as a small one affecting a tiny segment of immigrants. Saavedra's son, Guillermo Jr., who contacted me to ask that I speak out on behalf of others like his dad, refers to this blind spot as a "growing problem that has stolen the professional identities of a large portion of the educated immigrant community." The U.S. is in global competition for talented individuals in disciplines where there are shortages. Surely we can do better than to squander the talents of our own nation's immigrants. If all goes as planned, there will be a time in Illinois' future where inmates will receive the level of mental health care they deserve. That's the goal of the state's prisons director, who detailed his plans during an interview with The Pantagraph's Edith Brady-Lunny after a federal judge agreed to a settlement between the state and a group of inmates who sued for better care. It's important to realize, and Director John Baldwin acknowledges, that it will take years and millions of dollars to get the project completed. But it's a key move forward: The state's prison system houses more than 47,000 people, and 11,000 of them have mental health problems. Fifty of those are so seriously ill that they need immediate hospitalization, the lawsuit claimed. "Our goal is to set the standard," Baldwin told The Pantagraph, adding he wants "Illinois to be a national model" in mental health care for its network of prisons. Unlike other department directors, Baldwin actually has a background that will work well with the project: He managed Iowa's only forensic psychiatric hospital during his long career in that state. There's an argument to be made that Illinois' financial problems are so severe that prisoners should be last on the list for new money, if there's any to be had. But this program is long-term, and its goal is to as much as possible have the inmates return to outside life as whole beings who can contribute positively to society while remaining connected to needed services offered by the state's Department of Human Services. There are people who belong in prison because of bad behavior driven by money or drugs, and there are those who are in prison because of behavior caused by untreated mental illness. "Untreated" is a crucial distinction between those inmates and those who follow a bad path regardless of successful treatment. The settlement, as previously reported, will cost about $30 million for additional staff and $60 million to renovate space and build four residential treatment units for seriously mentally ill prisoners. One already is open; a second opens this month at the Logan Correctional Center for women. IDOC is looking at ways to save money while implementing the program. One two-day training program was free, offered by an outside agency. In another instance, a few employees are being trained and then will become trainers of other staff. In every county in our state, there are people whose mental health needs go unserved or are underserved. In some cases, those people stay within the law, living difficult lives without treatment, or in group homes or shelters. Others can find better treatment options in jail. The IDOC/inmate settlement cracks open the door for a better future for many Illinoisans living with mental health problems. Unfortunately, the door won't fully open until the state can focus on something other than its financial mess. Sudanese security forces have used sexual violence and intimidation to silence womens rights defenders around Sudan. These defenders are women that are involved in protests, write in newspapers, and provide legal aid. The Sudanese government is doing everything it can to get rid of them. When women activists protest that they are raped, they are threatened by security not to tell. In contrast, males who speak out are less vulnerable to sexual assault. These terrible abuses have rapidly increased in the last few years as protests have increased. The Sudanese government is trying its best to cover up all the horrific acts of violence it has committed. One example was in 2011 when security officers sexually assaulted a member of the group Girifna (we are fed up) named Safiya Ishaq. The government denied the rape, and several journalists were charged with crimes simply for reporting it. Its time for the world to stop being ignorant about these horrible atrocities. Its time for the U.S., other countries, and the United Nations to take action. We need to get rid of government officials in Sudan. They are acting inhumanely toward these women. They are charging journalists with false crimes, just so their voices cant be heard by the rest of the world. Camron Hinman, Normal Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 By Azad Hasanli - Trend: The Azerbaijan Banks Association worked out a package of measures for ensuring manat's liquidity and submitted it to the government, Javanshir Abdullayev, director of the Azerbaijan Bank Training Center, told reporters May 26. "In order to increase the liquidity, first of all, the market should be completely open for foreign investment. This will support the capitalization of banks and attraction of additional liquid assets," he said. "This will also make it possible to increase the confidence in the banking sector. This is one of the right ways to increase liquidity." Abdullayev added that the second way is related to the assets of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ). "The Central Bank can't increase the liquidity at once, it can do it gradually alongside with the increase of GDP. But currently, ensuring the growth of GDP and real sector of the country's economy demands funds," he said. "Now there is such a dilemma: if the Central Bank starts to print currency and put it on the market, this can put pressure on the currency market. Therefore, we propose to deposit 5 percent of SOFAZ's assets in manats. This won't affect the market," he explained. "SOFAZ could allocate those funds to the companies that have investment promotion documents or direct them to the spheres that are priority for the government," added Abdullayev. He said that another way of increasing manat's liquidity is to create a hedge fund so that the banks would be able to convert dollars into manats and direct them to the real sector of the economy. Voith to Open Roll Cover Facility in Chile by End of 2016 May 24, 2016 - Voith Paper Chile's new roll cover facility is set to be installed alongside the unit that has been operating in the region of Concepcion, Chile, since 2006, and is due to enter service in the second half of this year. When the roll cover facility is fully operational, Voith will be able to provide customers on the South American Pacific coast with the same roll cover technology and quality it had been importing from other units, without the risks that come with transport over long distances. Moreover, the Service Center's proximity to pulp and paper mills will reduce lead times in fulfilling its customers' operating demands. Voith Paper Chile, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2016, is the country's first and only service center to focus on paper machine rolls and equipment. It is capable of offering specialized services, such as: overhauls of all types of rolls and cylinders; mechanical, machining, grinding, and balancing services; as well as a range of engineering solutions for all kinds of pulp and paper machine equipment. "As it approaches its 10th year of active presence in Chile, Voith Paper once again reasserts the importance of the region to the company by announcing this significant investment. By expanding our Service Center with this new cover facility, Voith Paper will not only be able to provide OEM services, but also original roll cover services," says Cesar Schneider, President of Voith Paper Fabric & Roll Systems South America. Voith Paper, a division of the Voith Group, offers new machines for the production of graphic papers, board and packaging grades, specialty or tissue papers. The company also offers rebuilds, and pulp and paper related products and services. For more information, visit www.voithpaper.com. SOURCE: Voith Softwood Fiber Prices in Eastern Canada at 15-Year Low May 24, 2016 - Wood costs for pulp mills in Eastern Canada have fallen dramatically the past four years, and the region has some of the lowest wood fiber costs in North America, according to the North American Wood Fiber Review (NAWFR). In 2012, pulp mills in Ontario and Quebec had some of the highest wood fiber costs on the continent. Softwood fiber prices in Eastern Canada have been in steady decline for over four years, and in the 1Q/16 were at their lowest levels in almost 15 years. The shrinking pulp industry in Ontario and Quebec has become more competitive with fiber costs matching many other regions of North America in early 2016, as reported in the NAWFR. In US dollar terms, softwood chips and pulp logs costs were down 37% and 27%, respectively in the 1Q/16 as compared to the 1Q/12. Although much of the decline can be contributed to a stronger US dollar, wood chip prices have also fallen substantially in Canadian dollar terms. Softwood chip prices in Canadian dollars were 16% below 2012 levels, and they are actually at their lowest levels since NAWFR started tracking wood fiber prices in Eastern Canada in 1988. Chip prices in Quebec and Eastern Ontario are currently on par with prices in Western Canada and the US South, and they are substantially lower than in the US Northwest, the Lake States and the US Northeast. This has been quite a remarkable turn-around from four years ago when the region's pulp mills had some of the highest wood fiber costs in North America. Pulpwood prices (in Canadian dollar terms) in the Maritime Provinces fell in the 1Q/16 for the second consecutive quarter, according to the NAWFR. The primary reasons for the recent price declines were full fiber inventories at the region's pulp mills, and good access to the forests which resulted in a healthy flow of logs to the manufacturing plants. The collapse of the softwood log market in neighboring Maine has also had an impact on fiber prices in Eastern Canada over the past six months. The hardwood pulp log price eased modestly in early 2016 due to healthy fiber inventories. Despite the fact that there has been a plentiful supply of logs over the past winter, hardwood log prices have not come down as much as have softwood logs, and are still near their highest levels in 20 years (in Canadian dollar terms). The North American Wood Fiber Review is published by Wood Resources International LLC (WRI), an internationally recognized forest industry-consulting firm. To learn more, please visit: www.woodprices.com SOURCE: Wood Resources International LLC International Paper Demonstrates Ongoing Commitment to Food Safety May 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- International Paper (IP) today further solidified their ongoing commitment to improving food safety throughout the supply chain. The Company announced the Shelbyville, Illinois facility has achieved food safety certification by exceeding the standards of the benchmarking procedures as dictated by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). International Paper further declared the goal of meeting or exceeding the GFSI standards at all their U.S. Foodservice Facilities by the end of 2016. GFSI is a non-profit, international benchmarking organization created to standardize food safety rules and has been rapidly recognized as the 'gold standard' for international food safety. These global specifications promoted by GFSI address food, packaging, packaging materials, storage and distribution. Certification is a very stringent and demanding process that requires a facility to organize its Quality Management System (QMS) to address components in the manufacturing process such as procedures, policies, work instructions, document control and record maintenance. Supplier owned audits are a significant part of the process as well. "Safety as a whole is an ingrained part of our everyday operations and our number one priority," stated Tracy Pearson, Vice-President and General Manager of International Paper's Foodservice Business. "We are proactively doing our part to ensure we have the systems in place to eliminate food safety risks in the packaging arena and continue to provide a top quality product." Requests for GFSI-benchmarked audits have been quickly growing which is no surprise given the scope of the initiative touches all aspects of the food industry. Many large retailers and foodservice industry brands are calling for this type of certification as a pre-requisite to doing business. Tracy Pearson commented, "International Paper continuously strives to exceed our commitment of excellence to our customers. As the needs of our customers continue to grow, we are well positioned to meet those needs." International Paper (IP) is a global leader in packaging and paper with manufacturing operations in North America, Europe, Latin America, Russia, Asia and North Africa. Its businesses include industrial and consumer packaging along with uncoated papers and pulp. To learn more, please visit: internationalpaper.com. SOURCE: International Paper Verso Receives Bankruptcy Court Authorization to Reject Specialty Paper Supply Contract with Expera May 26, 2016 (Press Release) - Verso Corporation (VRSZQ) announced today that the bankruptcy court presiding over Verso's Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding yesterday authorized Verso to reject a specialty paper supply contract with Expera Specialty Solutions. The contract with Expera, which was an element of the sale by International Paper Company of its industrial papers business to Thilmany, LLC in 2005, had a 12-year term expiring in 2017. The contract required Verso, as the assignee of International Paper, to manufacture specialty paper on the A5 paper machine at its Androscoggin mill in Jay, Maine, for sale to Expera, as the successor to Thilmany, at a price essentially equivalent to Verso's cost of producing the paper. By virtue of the bankruptcy court's order, the Expera contract now is rejected, which is essentially a termination of the contract that is authorized by federal bankruptcy law. Moving forward from the rejection of the Expera contract, Verso intends to continue producing for its own account a portfolio of proven lightweight machine glazed papers for release liner, oil and grease resistant and flexible packaging applications. Verso intends to begin accepting and fulfilling customers' orders for these products starting today. Verso's goal is to ensure that customers continue to receive uninterrupted access to the specialty paper produced on the A5 paper machine. "The capabilities of the A5 paper machine make it a natural fit in Verso's manufacturing network and existing specialty papers portfolio," stated Mike Weinhold, Verso's Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Product Development. "Although, for the past 11 years, Verso's name has not been directly associated with the products made on the A5 paper machine, Verso has operated the machine and has ensured that the paper produced on it maintains a reputation for high quality and consistent performance. Verso's expertise in and commitment to the specialty papers market will allow us to seamlessly return the A5 paper machine to our flexible manufacturing network and to derive considerable benefits for Verso, the Androscoggin mill, our specialty papers customers, and other stakeholders." Verso is the leading North American producer of printing and specialty papers and pulp. For more information, please visit versoco.com SOURCE: Verso Corporation Every high school girl's dream is to have a memorable prom night. Pennsylvania student Aniya Wolf did not only have one but two prom nights, the other one kicking her out before she even got to step foot on what would have been one of her most precious moments in high school. According to The Huffington Post, Aniya Wolf is a lesbian and had been wearing t-shirt and pants for her three years in Bishop McDevitt High School. She did not feel the need to be on a gown at her prom night when she would rather wear a suit. The Catholic school said it told parents that the girls should wear dresses and those who would not follow will not be allowed to join the prom. Since Aniya Wolf did not comply with the rules, a school official during the prom took her arm and threatened to call the police if she would not leave. As per Independent, Carolyn Wolf, mother of Aniya, said she had already bought her daughter a suit for prom. She did not think that not following the dress code would ban her daughter from attending prom. "I told them that I had read the dress code that was given to students and I didn't think that it precluded her from wearing a suit. I said that this was very unfair, particularly at the last-minute. We had gone out and bought a new suit. I think my daughter is beautiful in a suit," she told ABC 27 (via Independent). William Penn High School came to the rescue and invited the female student to the school's prom at a York banquet hall last Saturday. Brandon Carter, the principal of the school, said "we do embrace all" and welcomed Aniya Wolf to their prom night without hesitation (via The Associated Press as per Kentucky). This is not the first time for a prom night incident like this to happen. A lot of girls don't get to attend their prom nights or enjoy it because of imposed dress codes by their respective schools. Cosmopolitan listed 9 girls who experienced being kicked out for wearing either too revealing, "immodest" clothes or pants. Bishop McDevitt High School released a statement saying, "Bishop McDevitt will continue to practice love and acceptance for all our students. We simply ask that they follow the rules that we have put into place" (via Independent). Do you think that Aniya Wolf should have been barred from attending her prom because she wore a suit instead of a dress? Share your opinion below on our comments section! The White House is determined to take advantage of artificial intelligence or AI in its services. In fact, it will be hosting public AI workshops. According to reports, the University of Washington is hosting the first AI workshop. AI Workshops In Progress According to UW Today, the four public AI workshops will be held in Washington, D.C.; Pittsburgh, PA; and in New York City. The first workshop session will focus on legal policy issues around AI. Several speakers were invited to the event including Oren Etzioni, chief executive officer of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence and a UW professor of computer science and engineering. Etzioni is tasked to provide an overview of the current state of AI, followed by two panel discussions. It will also cover issues in making decisions in the private or public sector using AI. AI Workshops To Examine Its Pros And Cons Per the report, the AI workshops aim to examine the advantages and drawbacks of AI, especially that the administration is all-in using AI for its services. For instance, Barack Obama's Precision Medicine Initiative and Cancer Moonshot will both rely on AI to identify patterns in medical data and assist doctors in diagnosing disease and determining treatment plans. Aside from this, Parent Herald previously reported that Obama would employ AI for public good. The White House is hopeful about AI-driven programs in delivery services related to the urban system, smart cities, social welfare, criminal justice, environment and more. Despite the potential of AI, the White House also recognizes that it comes with risks. "Artificial intelligence carries some risk and presents complex policy challenges along several dimensions, from jobs and the economy to safety and regulatory questions," the White House wrote. For instance, AI can lead to job displacement and may affect the economy, safety and current regulatory. If you are interested, here is a list of schedules for the next AI workshop: May 24, 2016: Legal and Governance Implications of Artificial Intelligence in Seattle, WA June 7, 2016: Artificial Intelligence for Social Good in Washington, DC June 28, 2016: Safety and Control for Artificial Intelligence in Pittsburgh, PA July 7: The Social and Economic Implications of Artificial Intelligence Technologies in the Near-Term in New York City Are you excited to see the government employing AI in its services? Do you agree that AI is helpful? Does AI scare you? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. The upcoming film "Iron Man 4" has been one of the favorite topics online. The fourth installment of Tony Stark's adventure has not been confirmed and there are rumors that Robert Downey Jr. is done with "Iron Man," which leave fans disappointed until the versatile actor expressed his interest to play one more "Iron Man" film. Although "Iron Man 4's" future is brighter this time, fans can't expect it this year. No 'Iron Man 4' This Year In an interview with Nightline, the highest paid actor, Robert Downey Jr. expressed his interest to do another "Iron Man" solo film. This gave fans hope that "Iron Man 4" is possible. In fact, Parent Herald reported that the actor wanted Mel Gibson to helm the film, suggesting that "Iron Man 4" is in consideration or maybe is in progress already. However, per Ecumenical News, it is unlikely for "Iron Man 4" film to come out this year. We agree that it is impossible to expect the film this year, given that Iron Man just appeared in "Captain America: Civil War" and will be busy with "Sherlock Holmes 3" at the end of the year. 'Iron Man 4' To Feature Two Villains The report added that Iron Man might face two villains in "Iron Man 4." These include Fin Fang Foom and Spider-Man. Fin Fang Foom is a dragon-like extraterrestrial creature and is one of Iron Man's nemesis. As for his feud with Spider-Man, it is difficult to tell. There might be a little fight, but it is unlikely to be the plot. There are rumors that Tony Stark will also appear in "Spider-Man's" solo film starring Tom Holland. He will be the new mentor of the teenage superhero. Thus, it is impossible for the two to keep bad blood against each other. Meanwhile, Parent Herald previously reported that "Iron Man 4" might feature Tony Stark's face to face battle with the Ten Rings and the Real Mandarin. The group is behind Tony Stark's kidnapping at the original "Iron Man" movie and fans are still hoping that this plot will finally be closed, especially if "Iron Man 4" will be Robert Downey Jr.'s last. Whom do you want to see as villains in "Iron Man 4?" Is it Fin Fang Foom, Spider-Man, the Ten Rings or the Real Mandarin? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 By Anakhanum Idayatova - Trend: The dramatic increase of violence in April along the line of contact of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops is a matter of serious concern, Austrian President Heinz Fischer said in an interview with The Business Year magazine. The president said that the OSCE Minsk Group is the only practical platform for Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution. "Austria, in general, attaches great importance to multilateral diplomacy," he said. "The Austrian OSCE chairmanship will build on the excellent work of the current German OSCE Chairmanship." "We, therefore, hope that that Azerbaijan will continue to work closely with the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group and within all other structures of the OSCE," he said. The president said that economic relations between Austria and Azerbaijan can be qualified as well-established and on a solid base. "Bilateral trade between Austria and Azerbaijan has increased nearly tenfold in the last 10 years," he said. "In 2010, the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber opened an office in Baku, with the aim of contributing to the development and expansion of bilateral trade relations." The president also expressed hope for further strengthening of the economic cooperation between the two countries. The president added that Austria appreciates that Azerbaijan, under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, is trying to introduce reforms and diversify its economy. Starting from April 27 evening until 04:00 (GMT + 4) April 28, the Armenian armed forces were firing at the Azerbaijani settlements and the Azerbaijani army positions in the Terter and Aghdam districts of Azerbaijan. Two people were killed and many more wounded as a result of the Aghdam shelling. At least 84 houses in the district were heavily damaged, some of them completely destroyed. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum Archaeologists unearthed the oldest beer-making facility in China, which showed signs of advanced beer-making techniques. More so, barley may have been the secret ingredient to a 5,000-year-old Chinese beer recipe. Advanced Beer Making Technology Ancient "beer-making toolkits" were found in underground rooms built around 3400 and 2900 B.C in Central Plain of China via NPR. Surprisingly, the beer-making technology indicates that early brewers had developed specialized and advanced beer-making techniques. The beer-making tools discovered include funnels, pots and specialized jugs. Scientists examined the ancient beer-making tools found at the Mijiay archaeological site in China's Shaanxi province, CBS News reported. The result of the examinations reveals traces of oxalate, a by-product of beer-making. Oxalate forms a scale called "beer stone" in the brewing tools and equipment. More so, the scientists also found residues of various ancient grains and plants, including broomcorn millets, tubers from plant roots, and barley. "All indications are that ancient peoples, [including those at this Chinese dig site], applied the same principles and techniques as brewers do today," NPR quoted Patrick McGovern, who is known as the "Indiana Jones" of ancient fermented beverages. Although not involved in the research, he is a biomolecular archaeologist at the University of Pennsylvania Museum in Philadelphia. Barley Is The Secret Ingredient Fox News reported that the presence of barley was particularly interesting. This could only mean that barley was already present in China 1,000 years earlier than previously thought according to a report published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday. More so, the grain residue found inside the ancient pots and jugs showed evidence that they had been damaged by malting and mashing. These are the main processes in beer-making. The recipe is a mix of fermented grains mentioned earlier: broomcorn millets, barley, Job's tears, tubers and a chewy Asian grain also known as Chinese pearl barley. Now, how would all these taste like? According to Jiajing Wang, an archaeologist from Stanford University guessed it would be a little sour and sweet at the same time. Do you find this discovery amazing? Hit us up with your comments below. Meanwhile, check out how the modern day makes beer in this video. The innocence of actor Michael Jace of "The Shield," during the murder trial of his wife's death, was put into question after the opening statement was made by the prosecutor. The prosecutor said that Michael Jace even told his wife to "try running to heaven" after he shot her. Wife Wanted Another Man Allegedly ABC 7 reported that the death of Michael Jace's wife transpired in May of 2014. Jace was prosecuted and believed to be the primary suspect in his wife's death. Prosecution wanted to establish that Jace murdered his wife because the latter wanted another man. The Wrap reported that April Jace wanted to have a divorce, and that Michael Jace became very resentful of this. The divorce that April was allegedly planning was the reason behind the killing. Premeditation Attendant Although Michael Jace's attorney dispels premeditation as attendant in the crime, reports had it otherwise. According to officials, Jace waited for his wife to come home, and when she arrived, he shot her in the back, then in her legs. Worse, prosecutors said that Michael Jace's sons saw what happened. April Jace, Michael Jace's wife, was a member of the Elite Health Club track team. Hence, she got support from the club during the opening statements of the trial. That said, it was alleged that Michael Jace was also bitter about his wife running for a co-ed team. Son's Testimony One of the much-awaited testimonies was from the couple's 8-year-old son, who testified that Michael Jace said to April, "You like to run so much, why don't you try running to heaven?" The mother of April Jace, Kay Henry, also testified about a text message that Michael Jace allegedly sent her after killing his wife. According to Kay Henry, the text message was, "Come to the house. I shot April." Although the trial has not yet ended, more and more evidence are being adduced against Michael Jace. Whether he'll be convicted or not is in the hands of the jury. Baby Will was born without a portion of the back of his skull. His parents were previously told by doctors that he will be born for only a couple of minutes, yet the feisty little Utah infant, defied all odds. At 23 weeks pregnant, Alyssa Reidhead and husband went to the doctor to check the sex of their baby. However, instead of getting the usual "baby girl" or "baby boy" response, they received a heartbreaking news from the doctor, who said that their baby was suffering from a rare condition called encephalocele. The Rare Disease Encephalocele Encephalocele is characterized by the baby's brain growing out of his skull. Adding insult to injury, they were nonchalantly told by the doctor that their baby will only live for a couple of minutes after being born. They were even told that the little one will "pass away during labor," reported Fox News. Alyssa and husband dreaded the loss of their baby, yet they were also being realistic. Instead of buying the basic baby essentials such as layettes and feeding bottles, they bought a casket for their little one. Miracles Happen There are simply things that doctors don't foresee. When the day arrived for Baby Will to be born, his parents were surprised, elated and very much happy when they heard their little one cry like any normal baby. He was delivered via a C-section at the Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City. Although a discovery of another rare disease came about, the parents were simply happy to have their baby alive and well. Baby Will is suffering from cutis aplasia, a condition characterized by a missing back portion of the skull. His brain is covered by a thin layer of membrane, said KTLA. The condition is not without a medical remedy. Living with the condition may not be easy but the parents find strength in Baby Will. Now, they are looking for generous people who can help them augment the expenses through their GoFundMe page so that Baby Will can undergo the procedure that will treat his condition. The Duggars went through tough times last year when the eldest child of the "19 Kids and Counting" clan, Josh Duggar was involved in a molestation scandal. Following the said controversy, Josh also admitted that he cheated on his wife, Anna Duggar. Now, the disgraced son of Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar is back and according to reports, he wants to return to the small screens. Josh Duggar Broke, Unemployed And Desperate For Cash Josh Duggar is back from rehabilitation and he is determined to enjoy the luxuries he enjoyed once. In fact, according to some sources, the eldest Duggar wants to have an interview with Dr. Phil or Megyn Kelly to rebuild his reputation and find his way back to TV again because he is broke, unemployed and desperate of cash per Examiner. "He'll stop at nothing to get back in front of the cameras again, especially because he's broke and has no prospect of work," one source told US Weekly. "Josh is having Anna reach out to people like Dr. Phil and Megyn Kelly so he can have his 'mea culpa' moment." Parent Herald previously reported that Josh Duggar was spotted over the Mother's Day weekend in Florida. In a separate instance, he was seen trying to sell a used car to a potential buyer. Josh Duggar was wearing his wedding ring and even smiled to the photographers nearby. Anna's Family Has Forgiven Josh Anna Duggar did not receive the support of her fans for choosing to stand by Josh amidst his infidelity and addiction to porn. According to News Everyday, it seems that the rest of her family has also forgotten Josh Duggar's trespasses. Per Inquisitr, Josh Duggar was spotted in several photographs with the Kellers during the funeral of Anna's grandmother. There were shots of Josh and David Waller, Anna's brother-in-law. In a separate shot, Josh was with Daniel Keller, Anna's brother who called Josh a "pig" while encouraging Anna to seek divorce. The report notes that this is an indication that Josh Duggar and the Kellers are all good. Perhaps, Daniel has accepted the fact that his sister Anna, is not leaving Josh. What do you think of the Keller's decision to forgive and forget? Do you agree that Josh deserves a second chance? Meanwhile, does Josh also receive another chance to return to the small screens? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. Whoever thought that skinny jeans will disrupt learning? Apparently, the school board in New Hanover County in North Carolina thinks so. It is now proposing to ban skinny jeans much to the chagrin of students. The dress code, #Policy8520 is proposing to put a restriction in the wearing of leggings, skinny jeans and every other type of tight fitting pants. CNN reported that the only way that students can wear skinny jeans is to use a top that will cover the entire posterior area. It could even be a dress, for as long as what's needed to be covered stays hidden. When the school wanted to find out how its students would react, it asked its students a question on Twitter, as to what they think of the new policy. As expected, the most violent of reactions came forth. Students: What do you think about changes made to district's Student Dress Policy? https://t.co/jmEoe6aFpa#policy8520 New Hanover Co Sch (@NewHanoverCoSch) May 16, 2016 According to Valita Quattlebaum, school's spokesman, the proposal to an incomplete banning of skinny jeans was upon the suggestions of the faculty. The board also got some input from the principals. They were simply staying ahead of things that could be "disruptive" to the learning environment. #Policy8520 NHC parent here: if bullying is the impetus, do a better job of teaching the kids to be nice. Don't tell them how to dress. chrisfurner (@chrisfurner) May 17, 2016 Premises considered, skinny jeans are simply included among the "disruptive" attire, which could mean anything that invites bullying or unwanted attention. Clothing that leads to distractions are considered disruptive as well. WECT reported that sanctions will be imposed on students who violate the proposed dress code. Students who don't follow the dress code must change. In addition, if they continuously deviate from the dress code, they would be facing out-of-school suspension. One student tweeted that banning skinny jeans will not work as it is the only type of clothing they own. Another student asked if they should be wearing curtains to school instead. @NewHanoverCoSch Has anyone on the board gone to the actual store for teens and noticed you can't buy anything but skinny jeans.... Suzie F. (@OSPSuzie) May 18, 2016 Students are clearly outraged at the proposed dress code. Whether or not this will be implemented is something that many are in the lookout for. Helen Hunt may not visit another Starbucks again as a barista mistook her lovely face for Jodie Foster's. While it isn't a bad case of mistaken identity, after all, Jodie Foster is equally famous, it can always tickle the ego especially if you know that you have starred in some of Hollywood's biggest films. Oh well, Helen Hunt was a real sport and did not bash nor diss the Starbucks barista. What happened was when the "As Good As It Gets" actress was ordering a drink at Starbucks, she asked the barista if he wanted her name. Eater said that the barista looked at her, confidently winked an eye and said, "We gotcha!" So just when Helen Hunt thought that he really knew her name, a different one appeared on her cup. It was "Jody." Clearly, the barista thought that the one standing in front of him was the "Flight Plan" actress Jodie Foster. Ordered my drink @Starbucks Asked the barista if she wanted my name. She winked and said. "We gotcha" #JodieFoster pic.twitter.com/ItjBZoJzP2 Helen Hunt (@HelenHunt) May 23, 2016 Helen Hunt quickly took to Twitter and posted the picture of her drink with the clear handwritten name of "Jody." She captioned her tweet with, "Ordered my drink @Starbucks Asked the barista if she wanted my name. She winked and said. "We gotcha" #JodieFoster." In an effort to apologize to the award-winning actress, Starbucks was quick to issue an apology. It made a somewhat humorous effort to correct the Hollywood case of mistaken identity by tweeting, "@HelenHunt Sorry about that! We hope the drink was still as good as it gets." @HelenHunt Sorry about that! We hope the drink was still as good as it gets. Starbucks Coffee (@Starbucks) May 23, 2016 Reports have it that the way they referenced one of Helen Hunt's famous movies "As Good As It Gets" with award-winning actor Jack Nicholson, was funny. Clearly that barista had no idea what movies Helen Hunt starred in. ABC News said that the Starbucks case was not the first time that Helen Hunt was mistaken for Jodie Foster. She had the experience of being mistaken by a supermarket cashier too. This is far from the first time Hunt has been confused with Foster. In a 1994 appearance on the "Late Show with David Letterman," she discussed being mistaken for Foster by a cashier in a supermarket checkout line. She said crime boss John Gotti remarked on their similar looks, as well. In the first season of Netflix's original series "Narcos," viewers saw how Pablo Escobar was able to "surrender" and be locked in a prison under his own terms. There were parties and gamblings and women being brought in the prison. He was also still able to run the cocaine cartel while inside the prison. But things would have been different if he was extradited to the United States. Pablo Escobar's Biggest Fear Drug lords might look like they have nothing to fear anymore. But according to Pablo Escobar's top assassin, Jhon Jairo Velasquez, there is one thing kingpins like Escobar fear the most - extradition to the United States, South China Morning Post reported. According to the report, while kingpins can use much of their influence in Latin American prisons, they lose their powers under the U.S. legal and prison systems. They won't be able to continue their businesses or bribe any officials, and they will be cut off from their families. Velasquez, more known as Popeye, revealed another fear of the likes of Pablo: "wanted" posters. This is because when their faces are already on the posters, people know they have huge amount of money on top of their heads and their lives would be in danger. The Case of El Chapo Velasquez comments came as drug trafficker Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman has been transferred to a jail in Ciudad Juarez, near the U.S. border, from the maximum security Altiplano prison. TeleSUR reported that the leader of the Sinaloa cartel will be extradited to the U.S. as the Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Relations approved the requests of Texas and California. The approval was made after the assurances that El Chapo will not be sentenced with death penalty. Meanwhile, Netflix and Univision are working on a new series that would feature the story of El Chapo. "El Chapo" will be aired on UniMas in 2017 and will also be available to Netflix streaming subscribers. "Narcos" Season 2 is expected to premiere in August. Speculations have emerged that some priests from Vatican rape children. Though these accusations were not yet verified, the case of one priest from India who raped two adolescents was justified. New York Daily released a report stating that Fr. Joseph Jeyapaul pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor. The Vatican reinstated Fr. Jeyapaul after he was found guilty of sexual abuse. His victim was a 14-year-old devotee, Megan Peterson who he raped "in his parish office." The sexual abuse continued for a year and it was noted that some attacks took place inside the confessional. A controversial rumor spread in 2014 wherein it was discussed that priests from Vatican "systematically" allowed other priests to rape minors. The mind-boggling news was reported by NBC News, wherein it was discussed that United Nations demanded that child molesters should be removed from the clergy. United Nations Committee on the Right of a Child claimed that the "Holy See" tend to cover up child molesters to preserve the reputation of the church. These allegations were not proven as Vatican's rebuttal said these were "attempts to interfere with Catholic Church teaching." The child abuse scandal in Vatican came into a hush after no further details were added to support the claims. Two years after the Vatican rape issue subsided, a controversial film surfaced revealing the scandal that's going on inside church. "Spotlight" gathered several Oscar nomination and sparked speculations that the Vatican is a breeding ground for pedophiles. Daily Mail noted that the fictional film was based on a true story of a rape victim who exposed Vatican's dirty secret. The story was said to be inspired by Phil Saviano who was raped by a priest before his 12th birthday. As he broke his story, the Boston Globe's team set an investigation to come up with the information needed for the film. Upon doing so, they uncovered the story on how the church tends to conceal the heinous crimes involving child rape cases. "If I hadn't had AIDS, I would have been at the top of my career in public relations and coming out as having been sexually assaulted as a child would have been very difficult for me," Saviano exclusively told the Daily Mail. "AIDS freed me up to do something I would not have done otherwise." As of this date, Vatican remained mum about the issue as no solid evidence was found regarding some allegations. Follow our story as we continue to dig deeper into child molestation cases to protect the children. If you happen to come across any speculated child abuse, please contact 1-800-4-A-CHILD)1-800-422-4453) There is no doubt that artificial intelligence or AI has a potential to improve our way of living. However, many are still hesitant to support AI without reservations due to safety concerns. According to reports, AI is also a threat to humanity. AI A Huge Threat When In The Wrong Hands According to Express, the humanity is in danger from killer AI, which has the sole objective to "abuse and torture humankind." Per the report, while AI is beneficial it will be a huge threat if it falls into the wrong hands. A new report warns against terrorist organizations, corrupt governments or psychopaths who may develop AI to cater their motives. When untrustworthy and irresponsible individuals develop AI with selfish motives, it could be a disaster. AI Could 'Abuse And Torture' Mankind Meanwhile, according to Mirror, two individuals from the academe sketched a terrifying vision of the future with super intelligent machines that aim to wipe the humanity. Based on their paper, a malevolent AI can create a digital hell to torture everyone for all eternity. "A malevolent superintelligence may attempt to... abuse and torture humankind with perfect insight into our physiology to maximize amount of physical or emotional pain, perhaps combining it with a simulated model of us to make the process infinitely long," wrote Roman V. Yampolskiy and Federico Pistono. "If the goal were to exterminate humanity, one of the easiest paths would be to design an extremely deadly virus or bacteria, which can stay dormant and undetected until it reaches the entirety the world's population, and is then activated wirelessly via nanobots simultaneously and ubiquitously, killing all humans in a matter of minutes or hours," they added. The pair also disclosed that this malevolent AI can even eradicate a significant portion of the Solar System and the universe. Killer AIs were seen in films like "ARIAA Eagle Eye," "V.I.K.I - I, Robot" and "Terminator" to name a few. Do you agree that AI can be a threat to humanity? Do you believe that AI's pros still outweigh its cons? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. Apple CEO Tim Cook has commented that coding should be taught as a second language to all primary school children. He said that failure to teach students how to code at a very young age would be a "disservice." Coding As A Second Language To Primary School Children Wired reports that Tim Cook told the audience of the Startup Fest Europe in Amsterdam that coding should be introduced to all primary school children alongside with the alphabet. The Apple CEO said that just like any other language, coding should be taught to children at an early age as it is the perfect timing to stimulate their interest in the subject matter. "Coding should be a requirement at schools. We are doing our kids a disservice if we are not introducing them to coding," Tim Cook commented. The Apple CEO explained that there is a growing need to teach primary school children how to code because coding is being "absorbed by everything." He added that students who are taught to code at an early age will acquire deeper and thorough understanding of the logic and advanced thinking behind programming, a skill that will be massively in-demand in the future. Tim Cook also pointed out that there is a need to invest in people who can properly teach coding to primary school children. "We can't expect our children to learn coding overnight, as they will need the proper guidance and environment to do so," the Apple CEO stated. America Failed To Teach Children How To Code In the past years, America has exerted several efforts to introduce coding to children. But according to Idit Harel, an entrepreneur and CEO of Globaloria, schools in the U.S. lack strong curriculum that will enable kids to achieve deep and broad mastery of coding. She said that American children's learning was limited to the "light and fluffy version" of coding. "We are doing a disservice to kids by assuming that they can't grasp industry-standard languages, complex computer science topics, and applications," Harel opined. "By limiting them, we undermine their capabilities and stifle their creative and inventive potential." Do you agree with Apple CEO Tim Cook that coding should be taught to primary school children? Share your thoughts below. Moscow, Russia, May 26 By Orkhan Yolchuyev - Trend: Russia continues the work as part of the OSCE Minsk Group and keeps in contact with the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict sides, said Mariya Zakharova, Russian Foreign Ministry's spokesperson, Trend's correspondent reported. "We are quite active in this work," she said. "We are quite constructive in this issue." Zakharova also said Russia is working to help the parties to reach a peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. She added that Russia actively works with its Western colleagues interested in the conflict's settlement. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. South Korea doesn't recognize same-sex marriage. This stance was once again proved when a district court in the country rejected a lawsuit filed by a film director, who is seeking legal same-sex marriage status with his partner. Homosexuality is legal in South Korea, but that legality doesn't extend in same-sex marriage. The country continues to be extremely conservative about sexual identity, and some South Koreans -- especially older people -- view homosexuality as a phenomenon brought by foreigners, CNN wrote. South Korean Couple Challenges Country's Legal System Filmmaker Kim Jho Gwang-Soo and his long-time partner, Kim Seung-Hwan, decided to challenge South Korea's ruling and held a wedding ceremony in Seoul in September 2013, the Guardian reported. A local government office, however, rejected the couple's marriage registration form. In July 2015, the two filed a lawsuit to challenge the local authority's decision. Just this week, Seoul's western district court favored the local authority. According to the district court, same-sex union cannot be recognized as marriage because of South Korea's legal system including the constitution and civil law. Ryu Min-Hee, the duo's lawyer, said South Korea's civil law should have a gender-neutral side that supports equal rights provisions in the constitution. Both the couple and their legal team expected the district court judge to reject the legalization of their same-sex marriage. However, the couple said they are planning to appeal against the district court's ruling, the Guardian further reported. How South Korea's LGBT Community Fares LGBT South Koreans typically keep their heads down due to the country's negative beliefs about homosexuality. According to a study from the Pew Research Center, 57 percent of South Koreans find homosexuality intolerable, as opposed to the 18 percent who are not against the LGBT community. Kang Myeongjin, who serves as the organizer of the Korea Queer Culture Festival, or KQCF, said LGBT people cannot be openly gay in the country because there's a huge chance that they will be rejected and isolated from their families, neighborhood, workplace and society, CNN reported. Conservatives protesting against KQCF think that the pro-LGBT public displays are sinful and are bad influences for children. Edhi Park, a transgender counselor, said South Korean schools should teach the problems LGBT people face. The country's LGBT community, however, is hopeful that South Korea's views about homosexuality will change now that the U.S. has legalized same-sex marriage. Micky Kim, a gay South Korean, said his country likes to copy American trends and may become more gay-friendly in years to come. Zika virus has been linked to birth defects in newborn babies. Now, experts fear that the mosquito-borne virus may be giving eye damage to infants as well. Researchers from Stanford University want babies affected by Zika to undergo eye checkups after they found abnormal bleeding, blood vessel growth and torpedo-shaped lesions in the eyes of three baby boys, BBC reported. The infants all caught Zika from their mothers, who have been infected with the virus while they're pregnant. The abnormalities were located at the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the retina, which can be found at the back of the eye. Dr. Darius Moshfeghi, one of the researchers, said some of the eye damages can be treated, but others can cause irreparable vision damage to the babies. Aside from eye problems, the three babies also have microcephaly, a congenital condition where infants have abnormally small heads and incomplete brain development. Another recent research published in the JAMA Network found eye problems among babies affected by Zika. Microcephaly Risk Women who acquired Zika during the first trimester of their pregnancy are 13 percent more likely to give birth to babies with microcephaly, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health said there's a negligible link between Zika and microcephaly for women who got the virus during their second and third trimesters. Zika, which originated from Brazil, has already reached more than 40 countries including the Americas and the African archipelago of Cape Verde. In the U.S., southern states are more vulnerable to the virus because of their warm and humid climate. Those states also have some impoverished areas, where American homes do not have air conditioning and window screens that protect them from mosquitoes carrying Zika, the Washington Post wrote. Mosquitoes that carry the virus thrive in regions with warm climates. Uncovered stagnant water serves as these insects' breeding grounds. Americans Tested Positive For Zika As of May 18, the CDC said there are already 544 Zika virus infections in the continental U.S., Miami Herald reported. According to NPR, 157 pregnant women in U.S. states and the District of Columbia are being monitored, and only 49 percent of them are displaying symptoms of Zika. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rashes, joint pain, headache, muscle pain and conjunctivitis, or red eyes. Some people infected with the virus usually recover quickly and do not require hospitalization. This is why many individuals do not realize that they had Zika. Learning about climate change in Portland is about to change in a big way. The city's Board of Education has voted in favor of eliminating textbooks and other learning materials that either deny the existence of climate change or suggest that it has no links with human activities. Resolution 5272, which was made public via the Portland Public Schools site, received unanimous votes from the board. It cites that schools should be committed to climate literacy among students to let them "probe the causes and consequences of the climate crisis," including guiding them to find potential solutions. This resolution was the result of months of deliberation among teachers, students, parents and experts, as well as activists. It received over 30 endorsements from different organizations after it was recognized that the current teaching materials slanted towards the fossil fuel industry. "A lot of the text materials are kind of thick with the language of doubt, and obviously the science says otherwise," said former teacher Bill Bigelow who testified to the board, per Think Progress. Bigelow wants the misinformation about climate change to stop and it begins with teaching the young students on the actual facts. Progress! Portland has banned school materials that cast doubt on #climatechange: https://t.co/efKQsU86Nx pic.twitter.com/UJqbQYhS7p Greenpeace USA (@greenpeaceusa) May 25, 2016 However, a spokesperson for the district denied reports that some books will have to be banned. "We're updating scientific materials for our students," said Christine Miles, per Los Angeles Times. Even Bigelow and his partner in rolling the resolution, Mike Rosen, an environmental scientist, agree that the source materials for students need to have updated texts. "I'm not saying that we're going to burn the textbooks," said Rosen. In February, a survey revealed that at least a third of educators in the United States are themselves misinformed about climate change. Many teachers are apparently in the belief that "global warming is likely due to natural causes," which is emphasized in the text books, per Take Part. The survey also highlighted that state tests don't include climate science and there are still no standards that teacher must adhere to regarding the subject. But the bright side to this is that most schools in the United States at least spend an hour in class to discuss climate change regulrly, so there is interest and awareness. The challenge now is to ensure that the kids are learning the right ideas. Some parents are uncomfortable letting their children sit next to a complete stranger in airplanes. Airlines are taking advantage of this predicament by requiring parents to pay more to ensure they are seated next to their children. In the so-called family fee, carriers like Frontline Airlines are charging parents extra fee for advance set assignments. With this, parents must pay more money aside from the airline fare so their kids are sitting with them. Parents who don't want to pay extra fees often resort to another measure in which they ask other passengers to switch seats so they can sit side-by-side with their kids, the Wall Street Journal wrote. Some carriers' advance seats are available and don't require additional payment, but they are middle seats that would put family members one behind the other instead of side-by-side. British Airways, for example, charges extra fees for advance seat assignments, which cost from $51 to $58 per flight. For a family of four, the fee can reach more than $800 for the entire trip. A spokeswoman for British Airways defended the family fee and said it has become really popular among passengers. Those who don't want to pay extra fee can secure a seat 24 hours before departure, while families with young kids can get seating arrangements 72 hours before departure, British Airways noted. Senate Intervenes The backlash against family fee has gained so much noise that the U.S. Senate unanimously approved a provision in the Federal Aviation Administration's yearly funding bill. In April, the Senate required carriers to seat a parent or a family member next to their child as part of the Forbidding Airlines from Imposing Ridiculous (FAIR) Fees Act, Time wrote. Airlines must also offer free seat assignments to families. Carriers that charge additional fees for all advance seating arrangements, like Allegiant Air, Frontier and Spirit Airlines, should offer the least expensive choice to families. Carriers Providing Options On the issue of seating assignments, American Airlines have begun checking three days before departure for families on the same flight without seat assignments and putting them in side-by-side seats. United Airlines, meanwhile, have revived early boarding for families with kids under two years old to give them ample time to be seated based on their needs. Aside from seating arrangements and family fees, the Congress is also working on better ways to improve travelers' airline experiences, including fixing some issues blamed on the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA. Gizmodo wrote that the TSA is creating three hours-long lines for travelers, and is accused of incompetency, corruption, understaffing and not owning up to their mistakes. The cry for Marvel's Captain America and Bucky Barnes to hook up is being taken up on Twitter. Much like "Star Wars Episode 8" is seeing Oscar Isaac's Poe Dameron being paired up with John Boyega's Finn, so did LGBT proponents see the potential in Captain America and Bucky Barnes. Bucky Barnes As Boyfriend For Captain America According to Time, LGBT proponents have been staging the campaign to give Captain America a boyfriend on Twitter. A number of users have been using #GiveCaptainAmericaABoyfriend to promote this campaign for the Marvel characters. Seeing Chris Evans as Captain American risk life, limb and affiliation to save his long-time friend Bucky Barnes, played by Sebastian Stan, inspired the boyfriend campaign. In "Captain America: Civil War" Steve Rogers went against all odds to support the reform of Bucky Barnes, the erstwhile Winter Soldier. 'Star Wars' Pairing Similar To Captain American And Bucky Barnes This type of brotherhood and friendship, so to speak, between Oscar Isaac and John Boyega's characters in "Star Wars" inspired LGBT proponents to call see boyfriend potential between them. Similar to Captain America and Bucky Barnes, Poe Dameron and Finn were pushed into life-threatening situations in "Star Wars," from which they aided each other. What About Platonic Love? Fusion, however, points out that rather than turning Captain America gay, Marvel has many other LGBT characters in its roster to choose from. Marvel can give LGBT proponents the superhero films they want to see without changing the heterosexual leaning that's been developed for Captain America. Captain America, Poe Dameron, Princess Elsa LGBT Compromises? In the same vein, Refinery 29 proposes that platonic love, such as shared by good friends and exemplified by Captain America and Bucky Barnes are just as valid. At the same time LGBT proponents have more superhero options to consider. Addressing recent demands for "Frozen 2" to be a coming out story for Elsa, a Newsweek articles suggests that such a demand is in fact a week compromise. According to Newsweek, rather than have Elsa (and in this article Captain America, Bucky Barnes, Poe Dameron) turn gay, LGBT proponents should demand for an intentional film that stars a gay character from the beginning. Pay gaps are still an existing trend in the United States, especially among women and minorities. A new report found women and minorities who have recently graduated from college are facing lower incomes than their white and male counterparts. According to a new report from the Economic Policy Institute, or EPI, young women and 8.1 percent of minorities have wages lower than what white men are getting. The wage gaps and unemployment rates are dimmer for women of color, as well as transgender people of color and disabled individuals of all races. Young men who have graduated from college saw their wages rising by around 8.1 percent since 2000. Young women, however, have seen their incomes plummeting by 6.8 percent during the same period. In addition, recent college graduates who are black have a 9.4 percent unemployment rate. Reasons Behind The Pay Gap A survey from Glassdoor found that 93 percent of Americans think everyone should have equal pay for equal work. Despite this, there has been no notable change in the pay gap issue in the last decade. The survey found that women are less likely than men to apply in companies that have pay gaps existing in their systems. Young adults in the U.S., U.K and Canada are also less likely to apply for jobs if men and women aren't equally compensated in a company. Biases And Discrimination Exist Employers may also be practicing biased hiring practices based on employees' gender and race, according to the Huffington Post. For example, some employers tend to overlook employees with Latino surnames and instead choosing to prioritize people with American surnames in the belief that the latter are more qualified. Workplace discrimination should be considered as well. The pay gap isn't necessarily due to education or experience differences, and 41 percent of the gap's origins are still unexplainable, Time reported. Women employees are earning 91 percent of what their male counterparts even though they are doing the same work. It should be noted as well that women outdo men in college enrollment and graduation rates, which makes the gender pay gap unacceptable. Some U.S. states have larger pay gaps than others. In Washington, D.C., women earn 90 percent of men's wages, while female workers in Wyoming only earn 64 percent of the men's salaries, Time further reported. In European nations like Spain and Norway, gender gaps have reportedly closed and went beyond 90 percent. When students and supporters lined up outside Lincoln Park Student Center at De Paul University, they expected to hear a talk about safe spaces for freedom of speech from the controversial journalist, Milo Yiannopoulos. What no one expected to happen transpired at the middle of the lecture --- activists went to the stage and held a protest against the journalist without intervention from authorities. Edward Ward, an alumnus of De Paul University who founded Men of Vision and Empowerment was joined on stage by a student, Kayla Johnson while Milo Yiannopoulos was having his talk. They chanted "Black Lives Matter" and "Feel the Bern" in front of 550 attendees who were mostly supporters of the journalist (via The De Paulia). In an interview with Heatstreet, Edward Ward remains unfazed. He believes that Milo Yiannopoulos public remarks or "hate speech" put his safety at risk. "When I went, I was open to listen to what was being said, I was open to listen and try to understand. But when it's coming from a point of ignorance, when you make these blatant statements about feminists, when you make blatant statements about the LGBTQ community, when you make statements about black people, then it becomes a problem--because when you use this kind of hatred, people like us end up dead," he told Heatstreet. During the protest, the security personnel were confined to their stations and did not intervene. Milo Yiannopoulos then called his supporters from the audience to join him as he marches to the President's office and complain about the passive response to what happened (via Breitbart). When they went outside the auditorium, Milo and his supporters faced a group of activists. They shouted at each other but no one was reported hurt (via Breitbart). After failing to return to the Student Center and resume the talk, Milo Yiannopoulos went home instead (via The De Paulia). According to The Tab, Milo Yiannopoulos is an anti-feminist who thinks that modern feminism is just blatantly man-hating. He is an avid supporter of Trump who he calls "Daddy." "Feminism used to be about raising women up and giving them equal access to the institutions and to opportunities and to the workplace. But feminism has gone beyond that into outright man-hating, and it is now, in my view, principally defined by man-hating, not by supporting women," he told The Tab. When The Tab asked about why he supports Donald Trump for president, he answered, "Whether its economic, or worries about national security, he has gone in and said things that the Republican establishment was too scared of seeming racist or seeming whatever to say. But there are other groups of people who love Trump too, like me, who just want to see the system burn down because its broken and its not fit for purpose anymore." Milo Yiannopoulos is a conservative who values freedom of speech and inquiry. He said during the talk at De Paul University that he usually clashes with protestors who are part of the "Black Lives Matter" movement (via The De Paulia). Do you agree with Edward Hall that Milo Yiannopoulos' remarks are hate speech and an inappropriate practice of freedom of expression? Or do you believe Milo has the right to assert his beliefs? Comment below which side you are on and why. Employees are resorting to extreme measures to work for longer hours. It was found that some workers are taking a drug that the military usually uses to stay awake for long periods of time. Employees are reportedly putting their health at risk by taking a narcolepsy prescription drug called Modafinil. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, billable hours and performance ratings are pressuring these employees to work longer hours and sacrifice their sleep. Some workers guilty of resorting to this are people working in law firms, hospitals and financial markets. Ian Hickie, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Centre, said Modafinil keeps users awake without drastic effects. However, this can only be done for a small period of time before a person's mood, behavior and sleep-wake cycle collapse. Hickie said turning people into "24-hour functioning machines" can endanger their health, the news outlet reported. Modafinil may be originally intended for narcoleptic patients so they stay awake, but pilots, military members and surgeons are also using the drug to increase their alertness while they're doing their duties. Last year, around 1.4 million prescriptions were issued for Modafinil and drugs for ADHD management like Adderall and Ritalin. Are Cognitive-Enhancing Drugs Smart? Stimulant drugs like Modafinil are making employees work harder and longer in billable hours, so some people believe that the drug is making them smarter. Carl Hart, a professor at the departments of psychology and psychiatry at Columbia University, said Modafinil makes people productive and more focused, but it definitely doesn't make them smarter. Workplace culture can also be contributing to the increasing trend of people resorting to cognitive-enhancing drugs. Scientists believe that cognitive-enhancing drugs are promising as long as they are regulated properly, Newswatch reported. Regulators are urging pharmaceuticals to conduct research about whether cognitive-enhancing drugs have long-term consequences to a person's health. Students Resorting To Cognitive-enhancing Drugs Around 20 percent of Ivy League students admitted that they have used cognitive-enhancing drugs due to the pressure on their academic performance, Harvard Business Review wrote. In 2008 the magazine Nature found that out of 1,400 respondents from 60 countries, one in five have used cognitive-enhancing drugs for non-medical reasons, mainly to sharpen their memory and focus more on the task they need to accomplish. Modafinil's legal status differs in each country. In the U.K., Modafinil can be legally obtained even without a prescription, but that isn't the case in the U.S. You can learn more about Modafinil on Drugs.com. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 Trend: Azerbaijan is ready for comprehensive and substantive talks on resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Hikmet Hajiyev, spokesman for Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry, told Trend May 26. Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov is expected to meet with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs in late May, he added. "Armenia's foreign minister is again distorting the essence of the [May 16] Vienna meeting. The time is over for wordplays," said Hajiyev. "The proposals put forward as a result of the Vienna meeting are interrelated." "The purpose of the ceasefire regime is to create grounds for the start of comprehensive and substantive talks," said the spokesperson. "The main part of the comprehensive political settlement to the conflict is changing the inadmissible and inconsistent status quo and withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied Azerbaijani lands." Hajiyev noted that if Armenia wants a ceasefire regime, it is necessary to put an end to the occupation of Azerbaijani lands and to the presence of Armenian troops on Azerbaijani territories. "The basic principles of resolving the conflict have long been known. Armenia's foreign minister should make his people ready for peace and provide accurate information about the process of the conflict's settlement," he said. "Unfortunately, we see the opposite in reality." The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Patently Apple first covered the VirnetX vs. Apple patent infringement case back in November 2011. Since then it's bounced around the courts (One, two and three) with VirnetX winning their case in February 2016. Today we're learning that VirnetX is going for the jugular and asking the Court to shut down Apple's popular FaceTime and iMessage features while the case goes to appeal. Today Law360 reports that VirnetX has asked a judge to shut down Apple's infringing products FaceTime and iMessage. At a post-trial hearing Wednesday, Texas technology company VirnetX argued that although an injunction blocking Apple's popular video chatting and messaging features, along with a virtual private network on demand feature, may seem like a harsh remedy, it is necessary because of the irreparable harm Apple's infringement caused the company. Because of the chaos this would bring to Apple's customers, it's hard to believe that the judge is going to expedite such an injunction prior to a proper appeal on Apple's part. It's a tactic that makes a lot of noise but is unlikely to prevail. I don't even want to think of the consequences of a ruling in VirnetX's favor. We'll deal with that should it ever occur. About Comments: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit comments. Patna: Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) state President Pashupati Kumar Paras, at a press conference in Patna on Wednesday, asked for imposition of President's Rule in Bihar saying the state was completely in grip of criminals as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, to fulfill his dream of becoming the Prime Minister of India, had all but abandoned Bihar. "Law and order has collapsed in Bihar but Nitish Kumar is not concerned about it at all as he is too busy dreaming about becoming the Prime Minister of India," Paras, who is the brother of LJP President and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, said. The LJP leader, speaking just hours after the murder of party leader Sudesh Paswan and his cousin Sunil Paswan in Dumaria purportedly by Naxals in Gaya, said that since last November, 642 murders had been committed in Bihar along with 1723 kidnapping for ransom, 1428 rapes, 1114 armed robberies, 2762 riots, and 342 cases of loot on roads and highways. "This is the example of Nitish's good governance in Bihar," Paras said while demanding the imposition of President's Rule in the state. As reported, Sudesh and Sunil Pandey were gunned down by Naxal ultras in Dumaria as the two campaigned for Panchayat elections in which Sudesh's wife is a candidate. Police recovered Naxal posters and hand-written notes from the crime scene in which they took responsibility for the crime. News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism. Imprisoned Iranian Physicist Given Two-Week Medical Furlough After Losing Cancerous Kidney 05/26/16 Source: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran Imprisoned physicist Omid Kokabee has been granted a two-week medical furlough upon payment of five billion rials ($164,000 USD) bail, an informed source told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. Omid Kokabee On Wednesday (May 25, 2016) Kokabee was transferred from the hospital to his family home in Tehran where he will be continuing to receive treatment for the next two weeks. While in hospital, surgeons had to remove his right kidney because of an advanced cancerous tumor. The advanced stage of his cancer was a direct result of years of denied and insufficient medical care while in prison in Iran. Political prisoners are frequently denied proper medical treatment in the Islamic Republic. The medical leave can be extended every week, possibly for a period of one to three months, the source added. We hope it will continue until Omids full recovery. artwork by Keyvan Varessi, Ghanoon daily Kokabee, 34, is serving a 10-year prison sentence for contact with enemy states. He was a post-doctoral student in physics at the University of Texas at Austin visiting his family in Iran when he was arrested on January 30, 2011, at Tehrans Imam Khomeini Airport on his way back to the U.S. to continue his studies. In a letter from prison, Omid Kokabee wrote that he is being punished for refusing an offer to work on a military project for the Islamic Republic. Kokabees lawyer, Saeed Khalili, had repeatedly requested his release on medical grounds based on Article 502 of Irans Criminal Code which allows prisoners to receive treatment outside prison for emergencies. Article 502 states: If a prisoner is suffering from physical or mental illness and his imprisonment would make his illness worse or delay his recovery, the judge can postpone the sentence being served until the prisoner regains his health after consultation with his physician. Can OPEC Agree on Oil Production Policy? 05/26/16 By Alex Stout (source: LobeLog) The fall in the price of oil from $115/barrel in mid-2014 to $27/barrel this year has had a devastating impact on petro-states all over the world. Whereas the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the worlds top oil producer and exporter, cut production in the 1980s to raise oil prices, officials in Riyadh have been determined to avoid a repeat of this experience, which cost Saudi Arabia market share. Yet the kingdom has paid a major price for this geopolitically motivated oil production policy, which has resulted in Saudi Arabia running a historic budget deficit of $98 billion last year and adopting austerity measures as a result. Last month, officials from 19 oil-producing states met in Doha to reach agreement on an oil-production rate cap. Yet any optimism over reaching an agreement faded quickly once Saudi Arabia told its fellow meeting participants that Riyadh would not sign the deal, which Venezuela and non-OPEC producer Russia advocated, should Iran not agree to limits its oil production. Below the surface, the issue is not about a fair oil production cap. Instead, the conflicting geopolitical interests of Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Russia explain the failure to reach an agreement in Doha. As the global oil industry collectively waits with bated breath for a resolution and the resumption of a semi-stable environment, the back-and-forth rhetoric among the three nations only adds to the uncertain future of petroleum, which has seen prices reach 12-year lows. Crude Race After the OPEC meeting in Doha, Russian oil officials responded to Riyadhs threat to flood the global market with much larger volumes of crude by saying that they are prepared to raise Russian oil production to historic levels. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told the media at a global energy summit in Moscow that the Saudis have the ability to raise output significantly. But so do we. Novak added that although Riyadh has the capabilities to drastically boost its daily production rates, Russia has the theoretical ability to raise its daily production rates from 10.8 million barrels per day to as high as 13 million barrels per day. Iran, meanwhile, has attempted to regain a foothold in the global oil market following the landmark lifting of sanctions connected to the 2015 nuclear deal. It has wasted no time in joining what has become the petroleum equivalent of the infamous arms race of the Cold War. A senior Iranian government official told Reuters that the country has 55-60 oil tankers at its disposal, with sources within the oil industry noting that 25-27 of these tankers are located in sea lanes near Assaluyeh and Kharg Island. According to Reuters, since the lifting of Irans sanctions, eight foreign vessels have delivered approximately eight million barrels of Iran crude to European buyers. The latest failed discussions, having done nothing to quell worries within the industry, seem to have opened the door for Riyadh to make good on its threats to boost daily production rates to levels never before witnessed, further adding to an already devastating glut. Saudi oil officials have shown no indication that they will back down from threats to further boost production. Given the unflinching stances of all three major players, OPECs next meeting in Vienna on June 2, 2016 will likely produce a result very similar to what happened in Doha. At a time when governments and companies alike are suffering at the hands of an oversaturated market, companies such as Royal Dutch Shell and BP are seeking to cut costs and scale back operations while Saudi Arabia is expected to raise its output level to over 11 million barrels per day (though some outside sources speculate that the number could be closer to 12 million barrels per day). Citing what Saudi oil officials have described as an expected increase in global demand this year, state-owned Saudi Aramco is planning to increase daily Saudi oil production despite an international oil glut. Saudi Aramco CEO, Amin Nasser-whether truly concerned with meeting a perceived global demand or attempting to mask Riyadhs bid to starve out competitors such as Russian and Iran-has said that the company predicts global petroleum demand will increase by approximately 1.2 million barrels per day throughout 2016. Irans Gambit Bemoaning recent calls for production rate caps from its longtime foe, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zangeneh ridiculed Riyadhs demands for an Iranian daily production cap as the nation attempts to regain market share following years of sanctions. It is very ridiculous, they come up with the proposal on freezing oil production and call for this freeze to take place in their 10-million-barrels-a-day production vis-a-vis Irans 1 million barrels a day. In further criticizing attempts to limit Iranian production, Zangeneh continued, If Irans crude oil production falls, it will be overtaken considerably by the neighboring countries. Tehrans discontent with Riyadhs petroleum stance is no surprise, especially given Irans geo-sectarian cold war with Saudi Arabia. However, with a Russian energy sector now playing a prominent role in this contentious situation, all three parties have a great deal to lose should they make concessions in their petroleum outputs. This regional power struggle for petroleum supremacy not only affects the region and its balance of power but also threatens to have a long-lasting and highly destabilizing impact on the worlds energy market. Iranian attempts to revitalize an economy devastated by years of sanctions, Riyadhs refusal to engage in talks surrounding production limits without an Iranian compromise, and a Russian oil industry poised to challenge daily barrel output rates of its Saudi competitor do not invoke feelings of security for the global oil market. Venezuelan Oil Minister Eulogio Del Pino, noting the oversaturated global market, said, We are close to 90 percent of inventory levels already...We could see a steep fall in oil prices in the next few weeks. While Riyadh, Tehran, and Moscow exchange barbs and denounce production limit demands, pressure on the remaining oil-producing countries mounts at a dizzying rate. Venezuelas oil minister highlighted the dire situation facing the oil market, saying that the current global supply exceeds demands by approximately 1.5 million to 2 million barrels per day and that oil-producing nations, whether members of OPEC or not, must continue to engage in discussions. Although other producing nations have engaged in talks to halt what has been a historic free fall of petroleum prices, Riyadh, Tehran, and Moscow have made it quite apparent that their interests lie not in the preservation of a stable global market but instead in their geopolitical agendas. As these three governments engage in quite public petroleum posturing, OPEC members and other producing nations alike have voiced their hopes that a deal will soon be reached. But the chances that these three governments will acquiesce to one anothers demands within the spectrum of oil production remain as small as the chance that these three actors will soon reach an amicable solution regarding their involvement in proxy wars in Syria and Yemen. About the author: Alex Stout is a contributor to Gulf State Analytics (@GulfStateAnalyt), a Washington, DC-based geopolitical risk consultancy. Austria's Oberbank and Raiffeisen Bank connected to Iran market 05/26/16 Source: Press TV A senior Iranian trade official says Austrias Oberbank and Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) are now connected to Iranian banks. Tehran Chamber of Commerce Chairman Masoud Khansari said that the two Austrian banks have started opening letters of credit (LCs) for Iranian businesses, facilitating trade transactions between the two countries. Khansari announced the news in Tehran on Wednesday on the sidelines of a meeting between Tehran Chamber of Commerce and a trade delegation from the state of Carinthia in southernmost Austria, headed by Christian Benger, the regional minister for economy, agriculture and tourism. He added that a number of Swiss banks have also been linked to the Iranian banking system, noting that although smaller European banks are active in the country, the well-known banks have not yet been connected to Iranian banks. He also expressed hope that the two countries could expand their banking cooperation very soon. In his turn, Benger mentioned problems with the money transfer as the main obstacle for business in Iran, noting, I think this will be solved in the very near future. Raiffeisen Bank is one of the main Austrian banks in the international business. Its the Austrian control bank, which controls every international money transfer. This bank and all other banks are active and support resolving this problem. So, solutions will be seen in the near future, he told Tehran Times. I think we have big opportunities on both sides, so we are here to enforce these possibilities into potentials for both sides. Oberbank is an independent regional bank located in the heart of Europe and headquartered in Linz in the north-center of Austria and Raiffeisen Bank International is the central and the largest institution of the Raiffeisen Banking Group. In September 2015, Austrian companies signed a number of agreements with Iranian partners at an economic forum in Tehran to become the first Western firms to put down concrete stakes in the Islamic Republic since it reached the landmark nuclear deal with the P5+1 in July 2015. The Financial Times reported in early April that Belgiums KBC, Germanys DZ Bank, and Austrias Erste Bank have started handling transactions on behalf of European clients doing business in Iran following the removal of sanctions against the country. US banks are still banned from dealing with Iran as part of an old US trade embargo that still remains in place. Accordingly, this is believed to have already effectively blocked any transactions with Iran which is based on US dollars because they would ultimately have to be cleared in the US. Indications had been specifically growing lately that a legacy of hefty fines by the US on banks that are caught for violating Iran sanctions is deterring businesses from trading with Iran. Iran and the P5+1 group -- the United States, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany -- reached the nuclear agreement, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in July 2015 in the Austrian capital Vienna. The agreement went into effect on January 16. Under the JCPOA, Iran agreed to put some restrictions on its nuclear energy program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions that had been imposed on the Islamic Republic based on the unfounded accusation that Tehran is pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear program. The best 2-in-1 laptop 2022: our picks of the best convertible laptops These are the best 2-in-1 laptops you can buy right now Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 By Anakhanum Idayatova - Trend: The commanding general of the US Army Europe Ben Hodges is in Azerbaijan on a visit, the US Embassy in Baku told Trend. Hodges will hold a number of high level bilateral meetings, and the sides will discuss possibilities of expanding cooperation. The meetings in Baku and Brussels are held to analyze the fulfillment of the activities and objectives of the "Partnership for Peace" program between Azerbaijan and NATO as part of the fourth stage of the Individual Partnership Action Plan for 2015-2016 and the Planning and Review Process (PARP) together with the NATO International Staff. Azerbaijan is an active partner of NATO in peacekeeping operations. Around 27 of 41 tasks of the partnership adopted by Azerbaijan within PARP refer to the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan. Some adopted objectives of the partnership have been fulfilled. The work is underway to fulfill other long-term objectives of the partnership. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum The activity of Romanian hacker Guccifer, who has admitted to compromising almost 100 email and social media accounts belonging to U.S. government officials, politicians, and other high-profile individuals, is the latest proof that humans are the weakest link in computer security. Marcel Lehel Lazar, 44, is not a hacker in the technical sense of the word. Hes a social engineer: a clever and persistent individual with a lot of patience who a Romanian prosecutor once described as the obsessive-compulsive type. By his own admission, Lazar has no programming skills. He didnt find vulnerabilities or write exploits. Instead, hes good at investigating, finding information online and making connections. Lazar pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to charges of unauthorized access to a protected computer and aggravated identity theft. Low-tech hacking, high-profile targets According to the Department of Justice, Lazar admitted that from at least October 2012 to January 2014, he gained unauthorized access to the email and social media accounts of around 100 Americans with the intention of obtaining their personal information and correspondence. His victims included an immediate family member of two former U.S. presidents, a former U.S. Cabinet member, a former member of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, and a former presidential adviser, the DOJ said. While the victims werent named in the indictment, Guccifer is known to have released documents, pictures and information that were stolen from the personal email accounts of former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and several members and friends of the Bush family, including Dorothy Bush Koch, daughter of 41st U.S. President George H.W. Bush and sister of 43rd U.S. President George W. Bush. In an interview with online publication PandoDaily in 2015, Lazar said that he gained access to Powells AOL email account by guessing the password, which was based on the former secretary of states grandmothers name. There he found correspondence between Powell and a Romanian politician named Corina Cretu, which led to him targeting her as well. In the same interview, Lazar claims that he broke into Cretus Yahoo email account after guessing the answer to her security question: the street where she grew up. First he found the name of the primary school that she attended on her public Facebook page. Then he methodically tried out street names close to Cretus childhood school until he found the right one, correctly assuming that she attended a school close to her home. This shows how apparently harmless information like a schools name can help criminals and why people should be careful with what they disclose about their lives online. Preventing social engineering attacks Of course, celebrities, politicians and other public figures cant always avoid information about their personal lives appearing online. If they dont disclose it themselves, someone else probably will, in Wikipedia pages, news articles, gossip blogs, biographies and so on. It might be a good idea then, especially for high-ranking politicians, to attend training courses on how to protect themselves and their online accounts from social engineering attacks. Other politicians whose personal email accounts were compromised in the past by hackers using social engineering techniques include former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and CIA Director John Brennan. Once they achieve a certain level of fame that could make them a target, everyone should go back and review their online accounts: Do those websites really need so much real personal information or can some be removed? Are passwords strong enough and different between accounts? Do the websites offer two-factor authentication? What account recovery or password reset options do they offer? Are they easy to bypass using public information? Are the answers to security questions for those accounts easily guessable? Are those accounts even needed anymore? If not, is there an account delete option? These are good issues for anyonenot just the rich and famousto address. It might be a time-consuming process, but not more than having to later deal with a potential data breach and having your private conversations with friends, family, or past lovers dumped in the public domain. Already in prison Guccifer was extradited earlier this year to the U.S. from Romania, where he was already serving a prison sentence for hacking into the email accounts of various local public figures. His sentencing in the U.S. is scheduled for Sept. 1. After that he could be returned to his home country to serve out his sentence there, as the Romanian courts granted extradition for a maximum of 18 months. In Romania, Lazar is serving two prison sentences, for a total of seven years. In June 2014 he was sentenced to four years in prison for hacking into the personal email account of George Maior, the former head of the Romanian Intelligence Service and current Romanian ambassador to the U.S. However, at that time he was already under a six-year supervised release term after receiving a three-year suspended prison sentence in 2012 for hacking into the email accounts of other Romanian celebrities. Because he violated the release terms, the older three-year prison sentence got activated and he must serve seven years. Its not clear if the U.S. sentence, which can carry a punishment of between two and seven years in prison, will be served separately. Salesforce has named Amazon Web Services its preferred public cloud provider for services like Sales Cloud, Service Cloud and App Cloud, expanding an existing partnership to provide the backend for the software-as-a-service provider. AWS already hosts several Salesforce services like Heroku, SalesforceIQ and the recently-announced IoT Cloud. This latest deal will help Salesforce to expand internationally without having to build its own data centers in order to comply with local data sovereignty laws. Thats important as Salesforce tries to pick up more customers in countries that have strict requirements about where data is stored. Salesforce isnt the only company to turn to AWS in this capacity: Dropbox will store data with AWS in Germany starting later this year. The news means that Amazon, already the public cloud leader, will be getting money from one of the biggest success stories in the SaaS market. It comes at a time when Amazon is locked in a tight battle with other providers, including Microsoft and Google. For Amazon, the deal means it should get more revenue from Salesforce as that company continues to grow. Its also a vote of confidence for AWS that could help it win more SaaS customers. Not surprisingly, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff heaped praise on Amazon. There is no public cloud infrastructure provider that is more sophisticated or has more robust enterprise capabilities for supporting the needs of our growing global customer base, he said in a statement. Thats an implicit snub at Microsoft, Google and Amazons other competitors in the public cloud market, which Salesforce could have chosen as part of this push. Of course, it would be strange for Salesforce to bet on Microsoft Azure. While its partnered with the Redmond-based company in some areas, the two compete against each other in the CRM market. A new bill in Congress would require U.S. law enforcement agencies to obtain court-ordered warrants before demanding the emails of the countrys residents when they are stored overseas. The International Communications Privacy Act, introduced Wednesday by three senators, would close a loophole that allows law enforcement agencies to request emails and other electronic documents without warrants. Congress has been working since 2010 to rework the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), a law that sets down rules for law enforcement access to electronic communications, but the focus has been on requiring warrants for emails and other communications stored in the cloud for longer than 180 days. Congress, however, should also protect privacy for emails stored overseas, given that customer data can be stored anywhere in the world, said Senator Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican and lead sponsor of the new bill. We need also to recognize the critical importance of data privacy on an international scale, he said Thursday. Given the globalization of the Internet and electronic communications, Congress must also act to safeguard data throughout the world from unauthorized law enforcement access. We need also to recognize the critical importance of data privacy on an international scale, he said Thursday. Given the globalization of the Internet and electronic communications, Congress must also act to safeguard data throughout the world from unauthorized law enforcement access. Right now, the U.S. Department of Justice believes it can compel cloud vendors and other companies holding data outside the U.S. to turn over customer data without a warrant, Hatch said. The bill would also limit U.S. courts ability to issue warrants to communications providers for the electronic communications of citizens of other countries. The issue of warrants for foreigner communications has been in the news since late 2013, when a New York court issued a warrant allowing the U.S. Department of Justice to obtain a foreign suspects emails stored on a Microsoft server in Ireland. Microsoft has fought the warrant. Hatchs bill would allow U.S. law enforcement agencies to seek court warrants for the personal data of foreigners only if the government of the country where the data is held does not have a so-called Law Enforcement Cooperation Agreement with the U.S. or if the country does not object to the warrant. Such agreements often allow countries to issue their own warrants for materials sought by a partner nation. While Hatch pushed the Senate Judiciary Committee to consider his bill, the panel on Thursday postponed a vote on a second email privacy bill. The Electronic Communications Privacy Act Amendments Act would require court-ordered warrants for email and other documents stored in the cloud for more than 180 days. Under U.S. law, police need warrants to get their hands on paper files in a suspects home or office and on electronic files stored on his computer or in the cloud for less than 180 days. But under ECPA, police agencies need only a subpoena, not reviewed by a judge, to demand files stored in the cloud or with other third-party providers for longer than 180 days. The House of Representatives passed a similar bill in a unanimous vote in April, but some senators said they have concerns about the scope of the Senate bill A jury in San Francisco on Thursday cleared Google of copyright infringement in a case brought by Oracle over Googles use of Java in Android. The jury of eight women and two men took three days of deliberation to reach its verdict. Oracle was seeking up to $9 billion in damages, making it a huge victory for Google and its legal team. Oracle is expected to appeal, however, which means the case may yet drag on. Your work is done, Judge William Alsup told the jury after the verdict was read. Oracles lawyers sat stoney faced. The reaction from Googles legal team was also muted at first, though they stood smiling and embraced after the jury was led out of the room. Judge Alsup said he wished to thank the jurors personally in the jury room. They announced they had reached their verdict just moments before they were due to break for the day. A previous jury failed to reach an agreement on the fair use question, and there was a chance this jury might have done the same. At issue was Googles decision to copy 37 Java application programming interfaces, including thousands of lines of declaring code, into its Android operating system. Since the trial began on May 10, the jury has heard evidence from a parade of Silicon Valley bigwigs including Googles Eric Schmidt and Larry Page, Oracle CEO Safra Catz, and former Sun Microsystems CEO Jonathan Schwartz. Googles message to the jury was that Sun intended Java to be free for anyone to use, which is why it made the Java language open source in the first place. It cited a blog post from Schwartz, congratulating Google on Androids release, as evidence that Sun had no problem with Googles use of Java. Oracles lawyers painted a very different picture. Google was desperate to get its mobile operating system to market quickly, they told the jury, and after failing to secure a licensing deal with Sun, Google went ahead and used Java anyway. They dismissed Schwartzs blog post as a way to make Android look like a win for Sun. They knew they were breaking the rules, they knew they were taking shortcuts, and they knew it was wrong, Peter Bicks, an attorney for Oracle, told the jury in his closing statement. But the jury didnt buy Oracles argument. The outcome is a small victory for software developers, who were alarmed by an earlier decision in the case that application programming interfaces can be protected under U.S. copyright law. Many developers had assumed APIs werent eligible for protection, viewing them as functional elements of software that are required to make two programs interoperate. The earlier decision that APIs are protected still stands, meaning some developers may be wary of using another companys APIs without permission. But the fact that Googles fair use defense prevailed could make large vendors like Oracle think twice about bringing similar lawsuits in future. Oracle accused Google of infringing its copyright when it decided to use 37 Java application programming interfaces in its Android OS. Android has gone on to dominate the smartphone market, netting Google billions of dollars in profit. Google originally argued that APIs like those in Java arent eligible for protection. The federal district court judge in the case agreed, but an appeals court overturned his ruling. Google asked the US Supreme Court to reconsider the matter, but it declined. Googles defense turned next to the legal doctrine of fair use, which allows copying of creative works under limited circumstances, most commonly for things like criticism, satire and educational use. The jury had to consider four factors in deciding whether Googles use was fair. They included whether its use of Java was transformative, or whether it created something new and different from the original copyright work, which in this case was Java Standard Edition. They also had to consider the extent to which Android harmed Java in the marketplace. Googles lawyers argued that Sun never succeeded in the smartphone market because it never built a decent smartphone OS not because of Android. Its a civil case, which means Google had to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that its use of Java was fair. Thats a lower burden than in a criminal trial, when Google would have had to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. The jury was required to reach a unanimous decision. A previous trial over the same issue ended with a hung jury, so the case had to be retried. In the earlier case, a majority of jurors concluded Googles use of Java was fair. More banks have reportedly launched investigations into potential security breaches on their networks after hackers stole US$81 million from the Bangladesh central bank earlier this year through rogue SWIFT transfers. Security firm FireEye, which was hired to investigate the Bangladesh bank attack, was also called in to look for possible compromises at up to 12 additional banks, Bloomberg reported Thursday, citing an unnamed source familiar with the investigations. Most of the banks are from Southeast Asia but include banks in the Philippines and New Zealand, Bloomberg reported. The Bangladesh bank heist was pulled off with the help of custom malware that was designed to interfere with the software used by banks to perform transactions on the SWIFT global financial network. Similar malware was later found on the systems of a bank in Vietnam. The Brussels-based Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), a cooperative society owned by thousands of financial institutions, recently warned customers it is aware of a number of fraudulent payment cases where affected customers suffered a breach in their local payment infrastructure. SWIFTs own network, services, and software were not compromised, the cooperative said. But SWIFT launched an initiative to share cyberthreat information with customers and help them protect their own environments from intrusions and malware. These latest attacks that sought to abuse the SWIFT infrastructure are part of a larger trend observed over the past two years in which cybercriminals have targeted financial institutions directly instead of going after their customers. FireEye declined to comment on the new investigations mentioned in the Bloomberg report, but the company has recently published research about targeted attacks against banks in the Middle East. Those attacks consisted of rogue emails with macro-enabled XLS attachments that downloaded a modified penetration testing tool called Mimikatz, which can be used to steal sensitive credentials from Windows systems. Last year, security researchers from Kaspersky Labs identified three separate cybercriminal groups that used malware programs to infect bank systems and steal money. One of them used a malware program called Carbanak to steal millions of dollars from hundreds of financial institutions in at least 30 countries. Security firm Trend Micro recently analyzed the malware used in an attempted cyber theft attempt at Tien Phong Commercial Joint Stock Bank in Vietnam. The malicious program was designed to interact with the SWIFT messaging system and had the SWIFT codes of eight banks hardcoded inside. The Trend Micro researchers did not name the targeted banks but said six of them are located in the Asia Pacific region and the other two are from the U.S. and Europe. We believe that its no coincidence that most of their targets are based in Asia, the Trend Micro researchers said in a blog post. These cyber crooks are perhaps familiar with the banking landscape and challenges of cybersecurity in the region. Despite major improvements in security, certain banks in Asia still lag behind those in U.S. and Europe. Amazon announced Wednesday it will open a fulfillment center in Eastvale, its sixth for the region and ninth for the state. The online retail giant has five existing fulfillment centers in Moreno Valley, Redlands, Rialto and two in San Bernardino, where it also has a sortation center. Amazons second fulfillment center in San Bernardino was announced in March and began shipping merchandise in late April, using hundreds of circular robots to fetch merchandise for employees. Amazon will also open a fulfillment center, its second, in Tracy, a San Joaquin Valley community. It also has a fulfillment center in Patterson, part of the Modesto metropolitan area. The Eastvale center will occupy about 1 million square feet. It will create hundreds of full-time jobs, according to spokeswoman Ashley Robinson. The city has grown so fast, Mayor Ike Bootsma said in a phone interview. We need to bring in retail, as a public service to the city. Having Amazon will encourage retail that appeals to Eastvales millennials and help bring businesses such as sit-down restaurants, Bootsma said in a phone interview The fulfillment center will be in Goodman Commerce Center Eastvale, according to Bootsma. The 183-acre mixed-use development project is intended for commercial retail as well as a business park, a hospital and warehousing. Putting retail in an industrial corridor can be beneficial under the right circumstances, according to Paul Galmarini of Progressive Real Estate Partners, who is representing such a retail project, the new Perris Marketplace. Obviously if youre in that industrial corridor youre going to cater in large part to employees in that industrial setting as well, and/or youve got to have good regional transportation access. The Goodman Commerce Center has access. It borders the 15 freeway south of the 60 freeway in a portion of Eastvale known as the panhandle. The area is currently an enormous construction zone as workers widen Hamner Avenue on the west and Bellegrave Avenue on the south. Bootsma said the roadwork will enable the streets to handle traffic coming to the center. The deal between Amazon and developer Goodman Birtcher took about a year to close with input from the city, according to Bootsma. We didnt want all warehouses, he said. The Amazon deal supports real estate experts predictions that the warehousing boom will continue throughout 2016. In its Industrial Insight report for the first quarter, professional services company JLL described both the east and west of the Inland Empire as peaking markets. The devision is roughly at Rialto. Year-to-date construction for warehouse and distribution is at 1,791,634 square feet on the west side and 4,462,303 on the east side, according to JLL. Space under construction is at 9,261,525 square feet for the west and 6,503,130 square feet for the east. Vacancy rates are 2.2 percent for the west and 6.8 percent for the east. JLL researchers also note the rise of the million-square-foot user with 102.3 million square feet of new leases in this range between 2010 and 2015. The Inland Empire leads the nation with an excess of 20 million, followed by Dallas/Fort Worth and Chicago. Bootsma said the arrival of Amazon is a benefit to a young city, incorporated in 2010, with residents median age at 31.9 years, according to Goodman Birtcher. Its fantastic, he said. Were moving forward. Contact the writer: fbuck@pressenterprise.com or 951-368-9551. On the outdoor downtown Riverside mall, in front of the Cesar Chavez statue, Ben Cohen dished out ice cream late Wednesday afternoon while urging people to vote June 7 for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Would you care for some Feel the Bern ice cream? Cohen, a co-founder of Ben & Jerrys, asked 25-year-old Kevin Evans as he walked up to a table set up for the occasion along busy University Avenue. When Evans said he intended to cast his ballot for Sanders, Cohen exuded: Give him some more ice cream. Cohen, 65, has traveled 3,000 miles from his home in Williston, Vermont Sanders home state to sweeten Sanders rock-star-like campaign in California against Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton. Hes the only presidential candidate in my lifetime whos been working for the people the regular people, the people who have been marginalized, the people who are in poverty and the people of the middle class, Cohen said. Cohen wore a red hat with the label, Feel the Bern, as well as a gray T-shirt that read Bernie 2016 on the front and not for sale on the back. Early in the year, Cohen said he made 45 pints of a flavor he concocted in his kitchen called Bernies Yearning to make a point, featuring a layer of solid chocolate on top of a block of mint ice cream to call attention to the concentration of wealth in the top 1 percent of society. On Wednesday, Cohen returned to the original recipe. He dug into buckets of ice cream in five Ben & Jerrys flavors purchased with his own cash, noting he sold the company years ago and emphasizing this was his initiative. While serving scoops of strawberry-raspberry sorbet, butter pecan, lemon sorbet, chocolate chip cookie dough and Tonight dough on a plastic spoon, Cohen jovially interacted with downtown workers and mall visitors. Hes quite the showman, whispered Pat Schramm, a registered nurse who had traveled from Northern California to campaign for Sanders. Event organizers had said actress Rosario Dawson was scheduled to join Cohen, but a medical emergency involving her travel team prevented that. Judging by the reactions, the flavors satisfied most. But Criselda Broadlick of Riverside said she would have preferred something besides a scoop of strawberry-raspberry. Wheres Chunky Monkey? Broadlick asked. Contact the writer: 951-368-9699 or ddowney@pressenterprise.com Details added (first version posted on 11:56) Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 By Anakhanum Idayatova - Trend: The commanding general of the US Army Europe Ben Hodges is in Azerbaijan on a visit, the US Embassy in Baku told Trend. Hodges will hold a number of high level bilateral meetings, and the sides will discuss possibilities of expanding cooperation. The meetings in Baku and Brussels are held to analyze the fulfillment of the activities and objectives of the "Partnership for Peace" program between Azerbaijan and NATO as part of the fourth stage of the Individual Partnership Action Plan for 2015-2016 and the Planning and Review Process (PARP) together with the NATO International Staff. Azerbaijan is an active partner of NATO in peacekeeping operations. Around 27 of 41 tasks of the partnership adopted by Azerbaijan within PARP refer to the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan. Some adopted objectives of the partnership have been fulfilled. The work is underway to fulfill other long-term objectives of the partnership. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum The election day prospects may not be bright for a Riverside ballot measure that would create a city prosecutors office. A campaign is raising money to fight the initiative, which has no organized support. And city budget problems have residents and local officials wary of funding a new program. But the concept that evolved into Measure A started with friendly meetings between Riverside City Attorney Gary Geuss and Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin, who is now one of the measures strongest opponents. How did the issue get so politicized? Only a few key players know why Geuss and Hestrin parted ways, but its clear that some peoples views of the ballot measure changed as election season progressed. Inaccurate assumptions and misinformation about the measure also have circulated. Measure A would change the city charter to give the city attorney power to prosecute misdemeanor crimes, such as assault, prostitution, commercial burglary, animal cruelty, graffiti, child abuse and domestic violence, that are now handled by the district attorney. Geuss has estimated it would cost his office about $2.23 million annually to take on about 5,000 to 6,000 cases a year. He has emphasized the neighborhood prosecutor aspect of the measure, which would involve city attorneys working closely with police and community groups to solve problems without necessarily filing charges. Hestrin and other opponents say the measure would cost too much and would result in worse service to residents. TAKING SIDES Some powerful foes oppose Measure A, including the Riverside County Deputy District Attorneys Association and Riverside Police Officers Association, former mayor Ron Loveridge and the Riverside County GOP. The two associations are funding the no campaign. Police association President Brian Smith cited money as a key reason for his groups stance, a position that puts it at odds with police Chief Sergio Diaz, who endorsed the measure. The cost to enact Measure A would pay for 15 and a half cops on the street, Smith said. A projected multi-million dollar deficit next year has all city departments facing at least a 4 percent cut. Smith also said he doesnt think city officials tried hard enough to work out the matter with Hestrin. The two sides initially hoped to reach an agreement under which Hestrin would delegate authority to city lawyers to handle specific crimes. That would not have required a public vote. At the City Councils direction, Geuss talked to Hestrin after the issue was set for the ballot. Hestrin made a proposal, but nothing came of it. Scott Mann, who chairs the Riverside County GOP central committee, also pointed to the cost of the measure and said the committee thought the city was moving too fast and hadnt fully vetted the idea. Geuss said the measure can be seen as a policy direction, but if it passes it doesnt automatically transfer responsibility for misdemeanors to the city the next day. The measure was planned before officials knew of the projected deficit, and if voters approve it, city leaders could postpone creating a city prosecutors office until the budget is in better shape, he said. In a Dec. 31 letter to Riverside council members, Hestrin suggested Geuss had significantly underestimated the cost of his proposal and said the city attorney lacks the expertise to effectively carry it out. In Geuss view, opponents campaign has been about fear youre wasting your money, they dont have the authority to do this, theyre incompetent, he said. I dont understand the mentality that says we shouldnt do anything different even though we realize that crime is a real problem. SHARED GOALS? Some earlier Measure A supporters have shifted their positions. Janice Bielman of the Magnolia Area Neighborhood Alliance said she signed a ballot argument in support of the measure. Now the deficit has left her unsure. If the moneys not there, its not there, she said. If it means cutting our police and our senior services, then I have a problem with it. Soon after the measure was announced early this year, Geuss talked to Bielmans group about it and Everybody seemed to really like it, Bielman said. Then the budget problems emerged and several community leaders became vocal in their opposition. The councils vote to put Measure A on the ballot was split: 4-3. Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey initially endorsed the initiative, but backed away from it earlier this month, saying at a candidates forum that the council had supported the concept until we got into a political fight and debate with the district attorney and the county. Why that fight happened isnt clear. Hestrin and Geuss both say they had a couple meetings last spring to discuss cooperating, but after that their accounts diverge about what each was willing to agree to and why discussion stopped. Geuss said he made several compromises Hestrin wanted, but ultimately saw the proposed program whittled down to where it would be nearly useless. He was also told by DA officials that an audit of Hestrins office would delay any agreement for months, he said. In a February interview, Hestrin said that early on he supported delegating some misdemeanor authority to Geuss because we share the same goals, and they seemed to be in accord as they hammered out details. One of Hestrins assistants told Geuss the matter would have to be delayed until March, Then the next thing we knew there was this ballot measure, Hestrin said. Hestrin has said hes willing to resume discussions about an agreement if Measure A fails, and Geuss said hes completely willing to cooperate in any way regardless of what voters decide June 7. Asked about the likelihood of the two reaching agreement after how the campaign has gone, Geuss said, Hope springs eternal. Contact the writer: 951-368-9461 or arobinson@pressenterprise.com The Press-Enterprise has recently published two articles regarding pay raises for California state prison officers, one by Sal Rodriguez [No time to throw money at prison guards, Opinion, April 7] and the other by Adam Summers [Sending taxpayers to debtors prison, Opinion, April 28]. Having spent nearly 30 years working in Californias prisons, I would like to suggest that both of these writers should spend a few days inside a prison to see the dangers that our correctional officers (15 percent female staff) face every day. The violence and daily stress confronting our correctional peace officers in state prisons is real, but another reality is that these peace officers are at the bottom of the pay scales among all peace officer categories in California. The base salary of a sergeant for the bankrupt city of San Bernardino is $125,000 per year, not counting overtime. Mr. Rodriguez, and other writers, likes to print that the California Department of Corrections officers routinely earn $100,000, with overtime. This figure pales in comparison with the incomes of the areas sheriff department and police forces, where you may find many earning over $200,000 with overtime. Forced to work overtime on a weekly basis is not a benefit, it can wreak havoc on officers families. The correctional peace officers of California deserve every dollar they earn. I would like to see this depth of reporting of other labor organizations such as in the medical profession. When the Press-Enterprise covers the labor scene for medical, they dont publish the pay scales for nurses during labor negotiations, just the percentage of increases. We have no idea how much pay they receive, and you would be surprised how much they make. Your reporting is biased against a dedicated group of professionals. Matthew Martel San Bernardino retired warden, California Department of Corrections Trump for president As one who was not quite sure who to vote for in November, I would like to extend my deepest thanks and gratitude to the anti-Trump protesters across the nation. From Costa Mesa, to Albuquerque to Chicago I watched as you threw rocks and bottles at law enforcement. I saw you physically assault others who peacefully disagreed with your point of view. I watched as you flashed gang signs, broke windows, tagged buildings and jumped up and down on police cars like wild animals. The most decisive action that gave me clarity on who to support was when I saw you proudly waving Mexican flags during your protests. You now know that your free ride is over. My choice is now very clear. Thank you all once again. Trump for president. Doug Kelley Riverside The Perris Valley Womans Club recently awarded $1,000 scholarships to three seniors in the Perris Union High School District. The award winners are Gabriela Ordonez from Heritage High School, who is headed to University of California, Santa Barbara; Amy H. Pineda from Nuview Bridge Early College High School, on her way to UC Riverside; and Quyerah Revilla, Perris High School, who will attend UC Irvine. The Riverside Sheriffs Association has not endorsed anyone in the race for the Third District seat on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors. But its pretty clear who they dont like. The association, in conjunction with the California Homeowners Association, paid for mailers that cite public records in portraying Murrieta Mayor Randon Lane as financially irresponsible and wasteful of taxpayer dollars. Among the allegations: Lane refused to pay his own taxes and personal bills, leading to an IRS lien of more than $23,000 and his wages being garnished. Lane charged taxpayers over $50,000 to go to lunch and dinner and to fly on junkets around the country and once asked taxpayers to pay for $3.40 in chips and soda at a tequila bar. Randon Lane even charged taxpayers to meet with a land developer who gave him a personal loan of over $10,000. Lane, Hemet Councilwoman Shellie Milne and incumbent Supervisor Chuck Washington are on the ballot in the June 7 primary for the Third District seat, which represents Hemet, San Jacinto, Murrieta and Temecula on the board of supervisors. If no one candidate gets a majority of the vote in that election, the top two vote-getters will compete in November. In a phone interview, Lane said he experienced financial problems in the past. But he said he never refused to pay a debt and worked out a payment plan with the IRS that led to the lien being lifted. Lane added that he explained all this to RSA when the union interviewed him. Campaign finance records show the homeowners association making two donations one for $19,075, the other for $18,696 to Milnes campaign in May. In both cases, the association was listed as an intermediary for RSA Public Education Fund. Milne said the donations were in-kind in nature not monetary and reflected the mailers cost. She said she had nothing to do with mailers and didnt ask for them to be sent. (Lanes) anger and mean spiritedness, its just directed at the wrong person, she said. But according to Lane, the donations show that Milne is a hypocrite given her stated stance against public employee unions. Milne and RSA President Robert Masson are good friends, Lane said. Its typical politics, he said. You say one thing and you do another. Milne said she supported Massons unsuccessful 2014 bid for a Hemet council seat because I staunchly support law enforcement. Its the most important role for government that I see. I wanted that kind of insight at the city council level. Masson said hes friends with Milne and Washington and was friends with Lane. He said all three candidates sought RSAs endorsement. Its one of those things where he became very upset with the whole notion that we didnt support him, Masson said. It was a decision that our PAC made. Its not just a decision that Robert Masson makes. Its a group decision based on interviews, based on background checks and the research weve done. Randon is not the right person to be a supervisor based on his financial background, his financial troubles, (and) his voting record, Masson said. Were not making this stuff up. He needs to understand that you have to take care of your own personal finances before you take on the big task of being a supervisor. A jury began deliberating Wednesday, May 25, in the case of a San Bernardino police officer who is accused of beating and injuring a man at a Temecula winery while he was off-duty in 2014. Jesse Lee Shank, 42, was charged with one misdemeanor count of battery causing great bodily injury. Authorities say he attacked Michael Keller at Falkner Winery in Temecula on Aug. 31, 2014. During his closing argument, prosecutor Michael Maloney repeatedly told the jury that a drunk Shank had been out of control, attacking a 64-year-old man with health problems simply because he was jealous the man had interacted with his girlfriend. Shanks defense attorney, Virginia Blumenthal, argued that Shank had acted not in a fit of rage, but in self-defense. Keller told sheriffs investigators Shank started the fight after Keller helped Shanks girlfriend, Martha Ruiz, by grabbing her wrist because she was about to fall. Investigators said in court documents that Shank pushed Keller, injuring Kellers right rotator cuff and causing his right arm to go numb. After an exchange of words, court documents say, Shank struck Keller and both fell to the ground. The officer continued to beat on the man until the officers friends pulled him off, according to court documents. Michael Keller did nothing wrong that day more so than being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Maloney told the jury. But Blumenthal said it was Keller, not Shank, who pushed first, a version of events she said was supported by witness testimony. In this particular situation, Mr. Shank is the one who was victimized, she said. Blumenthal argued that Shank had thrown some punches, but out of self-defense because an angry Keller had pursued a fight. She said the lacerations and bruises Keller had after the fight had, at least in part, come from him falling into some shrubbery at the winery. Blumenthal showed the jury a picture of Shanks hands taken after the fight. In the photo, the hands show no signs of bruising or cuts. You hit a person in the face 20-30 times, guess what? Youre going to get some injuries on your hands, she said. Thats pretty strong physical evidence, thats pretty strong circumstantial evidence that show Mr. Kellers statements are so bad. Maloney was quick to point out that those witnesses who had said Keller started the fight often contradicted each other on other details, such as where the fight took place and who left the winery with Shank. Not one single person said that fight happened in the same place, Maloney said. If they cant even get where the fight happened, why should you believe what they say? And most importantly, theyre all big fans of Jesse Shank. He also refuted the argument that Kellers multiple bruises and cuts came from shrubbery. When do you fall into a bush and come up with bruises like this? Never, Maloney said, showing a picture of Keller, whose face is swollen, bruised and cut in multiple places. You get bruises like this from falling into someones fist. If convicted as charged, Shank faces up to a year in custody, according to District Attorneys Office spokesman John Hall. Shank remains on modified desk duty with the San Bernardino Police Department until his case is resolved, spokeswoman Eileen Hards said. Contact the writer: 951-368-9693 or agroves@pressenterprise.com UPDATE (Thursday, May 26): ADDS graf beginning It is not clear ; Hillary Clinton has declined an invitation to debate Sen. Bernie Sanders before the California primary election next month, but he may have found a willing replacement: Donald Trump. The idea of a debate between the two men came up on Wednesday when Trump was appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live and Kimmel said that Sanders had passed along an invitation to Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee. Trump, who opted out of a debate in Iowa in January and decided that he would no longer do primary debates after the Republican field narrowed to three candidates, said he would be open to debating Sanders if the proceeds were donated to charity. If I debated him we would have such high ratings and I think we should take that money and give it to some worthy charity, Trump said. If we paid a nice sum toward a charity, I would love to do that. Sanders, who faces a big delegate deficit against Clinton, was quick to seal the agreement. Game on, he wrote in a post on Twitter. I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary. Sanders and Clinton had agreed to doing another debate before California primary, and last week Fox News extended invitations to both candidates to participate in one. While Sanders was eager to debate, Clinton, who is trying to turn her attention toward Trump, declined the offer. DECISION 2016: Coverage of Sanders, Clinton Inland visits An interparty debate between Trump and Sanders, before the Democratic nomination is wrapped up, would create an unusual spectacle and could leave Clinton in the dark as her two rivals soak up the political spotlight. It could also provide Trump with an opportunity to openly shop himself to Sanders supporters, who he has been hoping will turn to him instead of Clinton in a general election. It is not clear what network would host the debate, but Fox News has expressed interest in getting Trump and Sanders on the stage together before. After being rebuffed by Clinton to debate on the network, Fox in February discussed such a face-off. Trump initially expressed interest at the time but later backed away, citing scheduling reasons. For Sanders, a debate with Trump would provide a burst of publicity ahead of the contest in California, where he is in a tight race with Clinton. Asked if the offer to debate Trump was a serious one, Michael Briggs, a spokesman for Sanders, said it was real. RELATED MORE VIOLENCE: Things get ugly at Trump rally in New Mexico CASSIE MacDUFF: Now that youve found us, dont be a stranger! Clinton takes Democratic campaign battle to UC Riverside Bernie Sanders promises change at Riverside, San Bernardino rallies Sanders takes aim at Disney during speech in Anaheim Clinton, Sanders put Inland Empire on the political map Poll says Clinton over Sanders for president, Harris and Sanchez for Senate Where to go Wednesday to see the presidential candidates Donald Trump reached the number of delegates needed to clinch the Republican nomination for president Thursday, completing an unlikely rise that has upended the political landscape and set the stage for a bitter fall campaign. Trump was put over the top in the Associated Press delegate count by a small number of the partys unbound delegates who told the AP they would support him at the national convention in July. Among them is Oklahoma GOP chairwoman Pam Pollard. I think he has touched a part of our electorate that doesnt like where our country is, Pollard said. I have no problem supporting Mr. Trump. It takes 1,237 delegates to win the Republican nomination. Trump has reached 1,238. With 303 delegates at stake in five state primaries on June 7, Trump will easily pad his total, avoiding a contested convention in Cleveland. Trump, a political neophyte who for years delivered caustic commentary on the state of the nation from the sidelines but had never run for office, fought off 16 other Republican contenders in an often ugly primary race. Many on the right have been slow to warm to Trump, wary of his conservative bona fides. Others worry about his crass personality and the lewd comments hes made about women. But millions of grass-roots activists, many of them outsiders to the political process, have embraced Trump as a plain-speaking populist who is not afraid to offend. Steve House, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party and an unbound delegate who confirmed his support of Trump to the AP, said he likes the billionaires background as a businessman. Leadership is leadership, House said. If he can surround himself with the political talent, I think he will be fine. Trumps pivotal moment comes amid a new sign of internal problems. Hours before clinching the nomination, he announced the abrupt departure of political director Rick Wiley, who was in the midst of leading the campaigns push to hire staff in key battleground states. In a statement, Trumps campaign said Wiley had been hired only on a short-term basis until the candidates organization was running full steam. His hiring about six weeks ago was seen as a sign that party veterans were embracing Trumps campaign. A person familiar with Wileys ouster said the operative clashed with others in Trumps operation and didnt want to put longtime Trump allies in key jobs. The person insisted on anonymity because the person was not authorized to publicly discuss the internal campaign dynamics. Some delegates who confirmed their decisions to back Trump were tepid at best, saying they are supporting him out of a sense of obligation because he won their states primary. Cameron Linton of Pittsburgh said he will back Trump on the first ballot since he won the presidential primary vote in Lintons congressional district. If theres a second ballot I wont vote for Donald Trump, Linton said. Hes ridiculous. Theres no other way to say it. Trumps path to the Republican presidential nomination began with an escalator ride. Trump and his wife, Melania, descended an escalator into the basement lobby of the Trump Tower on June 16, 2015, for an announcement many observers had said would never come: The celebrity real estate developer had flirted with running for office in the past. His speech then set the tone for the candidates ability to dominate the headlines with provocative statements, insults and hyperbole. He called Mexicans rapists, promised to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico and proposed banning most Muslims from the U.S. for an indeterminate time. He criticized women for their looks. And he unleashed an uncanny marketing ability in which he deduced his critics weak points and distilled them to nicknames that stuck. Little Marco Rubio, Weak Jeb Bush and Lyin Ted Cruz, among others, all were forced into reacting to Trump. They fell one-by-one leaving Trump the sole survivor of a riotous Republican primary. His rallies became magnets for free publicity. Onstage, he dispensed populism that drew thousands of supporters, many wearing his trademark Make America Great Again hats and chanting, Build the wall! The events drew protests too with demonstrators sometimes forcibly ejected from the proceedings. One rally in Chicago was canceled after thousands of demonstrators surrounded the venue and the Secret Service could no longer vouch for the candidates safety. When voting started, Trump was not so fast out of the gate. He lost the Iowa caucuses in February, falling behind Cruz and barely edging Rubio for second. He recovered in New Hampshire. From there he and Cruz fiercely engaged, with Trump winning some and losing some but one way or another dominating the rest of the primary season in votes or at least in attention and ultimately in delegates. Republican leaders declared themselves appalled by Trumps rise. Conservatives called the onetime Democrat a fraud. But many slowly, warily, began meeting with Trump and his staff. And he began winning endorsements from a few members of Congress. As with other aspects of his campaign, Trump upended the traditional role of money in the race. He incurred relatively low campaign costs just $57 million through the end of April. He covered most of it with at least $43 million of his own money loaned to the campaign. He spent less than $21 million on paid television and radio commercials. Thats about one-quarter of what Jeb Bush and his allies spent on TV. Trump entered a new phase of his campaign Tuesday night by holding his first major campaign fundraiser: a $25,000-per-ticket dinner in Los Angeles. Trump, 69, the son of a New York City real estate magnate, had risen to fame in the 1980s and 1990s, overseeing major real estate deals, watching his financial fortunes rise, then fall, hosting The Apprentice TV show and authoring more than a dozen books. Your browser does not support the iframe HTML tag. Try viewing this in a modern browser like Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Internet Explorer 9 or later. RELATED MORE VIOLENCE: Things get ugly at Trump rally in New Mexico CASSIE MacDUFF: Now that youve found us, dont be a stranger! Clinton takes Democratic campaign battle to UC Riverside Bernie Sanders promises change at Riverside, San Bernardino rallies Sanders takes aim at Disney during speech in Anaheim Clinton, Sanders put Inland Empire on the political map Poll says Clinton over Sanders for president, Harris and Sanchez for Senate Where to go Wednesday to see the presidential candidates Two policemen (names yet unknown) are currently battling for their lives at the Begoro District Hospital in the Eastern Region, after they were reportedly shot by a group of hooligans on Monday. DAILY GUIDE gathered that the officers were ambushed by the gang following the arrest of two of their members for breaking a bail bond. The Deputy Eastern Regional Commander, ACP James Abass Abaah, hinted that the officers sustained severe injuries. According to him, the gangsters, who were granted bail for the possession of weapons and stealing of cattle, escaped and went into hiding at Begoro. He said that the police had a tipoff about their whereabouts and asked the two cops to go and arrest them. On their way back to the police station, the other gang members ambushed the police officers and shot them to enable their accomplice escape, ACP Abass Abaah assered. Meanwhile, ACP Abass said his outfit had mounted a manhunt for the gangsters. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The infamous attack by Presidential Staffer Stan Dogbe on a journalist of state broadcaster, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), in August last year has contributed to Ghana being dropped among countries ranked as having robust press freedom. According to media rights group, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Ghana has dropped from Free to Partly Free in the latest global world press freedom ranking conducted by US-based Freedom House partly due to the presidential staffers action. A news release from the foundation on Tuesday said that the murder of radio broadcaster George Abanga, aka King George, in the Brong Ahafo Region and the absence of Right to Information Law are also among the key factors for Ghanas poor showing. MFWA noted that for ten years now Ghana has remained one of two or three countries on the African continent rated as having a free press freedom environment. This ranking has always reflected extremely positively on Ghanas reputation in the global community as far as press freedom is concerned, adding, But in its recently released ranking for 2015, Ghana has been downgraded from Free to Partly Free. According to the foundation, Freedom House cited its extensive contribution towards ranking Ghana, saying freedom House notes that Ghanas decline in ranking is as a result of stepped-up attempts to limit coverage of news events and confiscation of equipment; increases in violence directed at journalists by the police, the military, political party members, and ordinary citizens. Other reasons for the decline, according to the report, are violations against journalists that went unpunished by the state; inaction by the President on a petition by 155 journalists on the attack by his staffer on a journalist; and attacks on journalists by political party activists and security forces. The GBC declined to file a police report, treating the case as an internal matter. Subsequently, the MFWA and 155 journalists jointly petitioned Mahama to sanction his aide, but they did not receive a response from the president by years end, the report noted. Censorship The report also cited censorship attempts through a Content Authorisation Law by the National Media Commission and a directive of the Information Services Department (ISD) requiring journalists working with foreign media organisations to seek approval from ISD before filming and after filming, as well as submission to the ISD for approval before filming as being responsible for the drop in ranking. Also cited is the power crisis that had a heavy toll on media businesses in the country. According to MFWA, the decline in press freedom ranking comes after it had warned about increasing incidents of press freedom violations and the possibility of such trends affecting the countrys ranking. The MFWA urged the government, security agencies and political parties to act in ways that fosters press freedom and protects press freedom, adding, the MFWA wishes to also remind President Mahama about the petition submitted by the foundation and 155 journalists to which he has since not acted on. The foundation also called on journalists to adhere to professional standards and safety principles in the discharge of their duties. According to the Freedom House report, Ghana has a total of 58 authorised television operators and 390 FM radio stations, of which 37 are state-owned, 273 are private, 63 are community-owned, and 17 are operated by universities. Dozens of newspapers, including two state-owned and two private dailies, publish regularly. Use of the internet is growing, but penetration remains low, at approximately 19 percent in 2014. Blogging and social networking have increased in urban centres. Economic sustainability is a challenge for Ghanas media. The GBC receives inadequate funding from the government and must sell advertising to support operations, which leaves the outlet dependent on the large corporations that can afford its rates. Meanwhile, electricity fluctuations, known as dumsor, had adverse effects on media houses in 2015, forcing them to turn to costly alternative power sources in order to publish or broadcast. Journalists are poorly paid, and many are willing to accept money in exchange for covering particular events. In April, Mahamas chief of staff came under criticism for giving between 500 and 1,000 cedis ($130 and $260) to prominent journalists he had invited to a meeting, including some known for criticism of the government. Most reportedly accepted the money. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A member of Parliament for Atiwa West Constituency, Hon Kwasi Amoako-Attah is enthused that the just-ended New Patriotic Partys (NPPs) three-day retreat in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional Capital commands a lot of hope to recapture power from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the November 7 polls. According to him, the peaceful retreat which encompasses the NPP National Executives led by the Acting Chairman Freddie Blay, all Regional Chairmen, Former Ministers of Kufuors regime, the Minority Caucus in Parliament as well as all new NPP Parliamentary candidates contesting the 2016 election and the involvement the partys Flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo has electrified the hope of the party to victory. He maintained that the NPP retreat in Koforidua transpired under the atmosphere of peace and unity as all and sundry were seen working assiduously with the various report from all the regions and constituencies. Hon. Kwasi Amoako-Attah insisted that the emphasis placed on the vision of the party for the country, coupled with the partys preparedness, assures that this years general election, God will hand over Ghana to NPP if EC does its work well. . . we know that this years election if EC is able to do its work well, whether we vote on November 7 or December 7, we know that per our readiness and preparation, God will hand over Ghana to us to save Ghanaians from this hardship and suffering, he indicated. We concluded the retreat with a resounding joy and zeal to our various constituencies and regions and this shows we are ready for the NDC. With our policies, we know God will give Ghana to the NPP to build up the wretched nation again, he assured. He however indicated that the just-ended NPP Koforidua Retreat marks his first meeting since he joined the NPP that has ended in such a peaceful and joyous manner with the greatest hope for the party. Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com.gh Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received a delegation led by Chairman of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Turkey Zuhtu Arslan. Saying that the bilateral relations were successfully developing in all areas, the president noted that Azerbaijan and Turkey were allies, and friendly and brotherly countries. President Aliyev hailed Azerbaijani-Turkish cooperation in all fields, including between justice authorities. The president said important issues would be discussed during Arslan's visit, adding that cooperation in this sphere would contribute to the development of relations. Recalling his recent visit to Turkey, President Aliyev congratulated the country on successfully hosting the first World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul. The president noted the importance of developing relations in all areas, including in political, economic, energy, transport ones, as well as in the field of justice system. Arslan said he last visited Azerbaijan in 2010, adding that Baku had completely changed to become a new city. He congratulated the president on these accomplishments. Arslan noted that Azerbaijan and Turkey enjoyed high-level relations in all areas, underlining the necessity of maintaining these relations between justice authorities as well. The sides also discussed cooperation prospects. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has reiterated his assurance that Ghana will not be the same as it is today when given the nod as the next president. According to him, when elected into office as the next president on November 7, his government, with the support of all well-meaning Ghanaians, would work assiduously to rebuild the countrys economy like South Korea has done. We will emulate the successes of Korea, the astute politician and statesman said. The NPP leader was responding to questions posed by Nana Dr. SKB Asante, Omanhen of Asokore Mampong in the Ashanti Region, during the 10th anniversary celebration of the passing away of Professor Albert Kwadwo Adu Boahen, the 1992 presidential candidate of the NPP. The Omanhen, who chaired the public lecture which coincided with the launch of the Adu Boahen Foundation, had questioned why Ghana, with all its natural and human resources, had not been able to match up with South Korea over the years in terms of economic development. Nana Addo, who was given the opportunity to make a few remarks at the lecture, stated emphatically that achieving the successes of Korea was something a government to be headed by him could do. He hinted that when given the nod, his government would work hard to transform the nations economy from its current state of hopelessness. Great Figure Nana Addo described the late Adu Boahen as a historian and politician who broke the culture of silence prevailing in the country during the PNDC era, saying he (Adu Boahen) was one of the great figures of modern Ghana. According to him, Prof. Adu Boahen fought assiduously to restore democratic rule in the country. His influence on our lives is tremendous. It appears that today there is no serious opposition to democratic rule; and Adu has a lot to do with that, Nana observed. Columnist and former editor of the state-owned Daily Graphic, Cameron Duodo, delivering the keynote address on the occasion, spoke extensively about the life of Prof. Adu Boahen from the academics to politics and humanity. Prof. Adu Boahen, he said, was very meticulous in his research works and strived hard to teach his contemporaries that they all had a key role to play in building their country. That, Mr Duodu said, was evidenced in his (Profs) struggle for freedom and justice something that led him to break the culture of silence in the country at the time during his famous discource at the 1998 Busia Lecture held at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences. According to the prolific writer, Prof. Adu Boahen drew his inspiration in the fight against injustices in his society at the time from the late Asante queen mother Yaa Asantewaa. Prof Kwasi Prempeh, a Ghanaian law lecturer, argued that the proliferation of the media in Ghana today, which is a mark of Prof. Adu Boahens struggle for freedom and justice, had not earned the country a significant governance dividend. According to Prof Prempeh, some key information emanating from the corridors of power which are necessary for public consummation, are for some conspicuous reasons never published by the media. What we are experiencing as voice today is a voice without any sustained collective action behind it, he noted. He urged journalists to use their watchdog role to bring back sanity in the Ghanaian body politics. Prof. Adu Boahen, the first indigenous lecturer of history at the University of Ghana (UG), was born on May 24, 1932, and died on May 24, 2006 after a long battle with stroke. In attendance at the lecture were top NPP members, including Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, vice presidential candidate of the party. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video THE UNITED Front Party (UFP) is charging a staggering GH100,000 as nomination fee for the partys presidential candidate position. National Chairman of the party, Nana Agyenim Boateng aka Gyataba, made the announcement whilst addressing newsmen at Kunsu. He said people interested in national positions in the UFP would also cough up GH10,000 before they could get nomination forms. Gyataba announced also that the nomination forms for the regional and constituency positions would go for GH5,000 and GH500, respectively. He said that the nomination forms would be on sale at the partys offices across the country from May 26 to June 3, this year. Gyataba was speaking during a short ceremony to re-commission the Kunsu DA Primary and JHS which he used his own money to rehabilitate. The school was said to be in deplorable state so authorities appealed to Gyataba for help, and he responded positively by giving the school a facelift. The UFP chair said the party would vet people who would pick the nomination forms hopefully in two weeks time to determine those who are eligible to contest for the various positions. He announced that the UFP would organize its national delegates congressto elect its flagbearer and other executives in Kumasi at a date to be announced soon. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Member of Parliament (MP) for Bantama, Henry Kokofu has called on government to stop celebrating African Union (AU) day as a national holiday. Hon. Kokofu, speaking on Peace FM's Kokrokoo on Thursday, was appalled by the number of holidays in the nation. According to Hon. Kokofu, there are numerous holidays that don't make Ghana progressive. One of the things making him upset, he noted on 'Kokrokoo', is the shifting of a holiday to Monday when it falls on a Sunday. To him, such practice must stop because it does not contribute to the nation's progress. Hon. Kokofu stressed that the country is already "unproductive" and the holidays are just making it worse. May 25 has become a statutory holiday in the Republic of Ghana. The day is set aside to recognize and celebrate African Union, and also discuss issues pertaining to the African continent. He further wondered why celebrating AU day should be deemed a holiday, claiming there's nothing about the AU holiday that represent national interest. Source: Adu Gyamfi Ameyaw/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana/email address: [email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video How drunk would you have to be to think that swimming in the Yarra River in Melbourne is a good idea? Beyond slaughtered, right? Well, that could perhaps change soon. (Not you getting drunk, but you having to be drunk to consider swimming in the Yarra.) A concept was brought to the table last night, as part of Australias Venice Biennale Exhibition which is opening this week. It was this: Non-for-profit group The Yarra Swim Co and engineers from Arup wants to change all your preconceived notions by building a floating swimming pool that would cost somewhere between $6 million and $8 million. The plans suggest that the pool could be built on the banks of the Yarra, next to Enterprize Park where Melbournes settlers first set down in 1835. The group argued that the concept of waterway pools is a fast-growing global idea, and that theres already plans under way for both New York and London. Yarra riverkeeper Andrew Kelly was a fan of the concept, saying it would help improve public consciousness of the rivers health because currently, the normal profile of someone wholl swim in the Yarra was someone who is from overseas, here on a visit, and drunk. So, firstly very cool. Secondly, everyone, please stop the tourists jumping in the Yarra while theyre pissed, please? Okay? Its bad. Source: The Age. Photo: The Age. The cases for and against legalised euthanasia have been spinning around the national consciousness for decades, but in the past couple of years, Australia has undergone some serious soul-searching about how to best accomodate assisted dying if at all. Well, in reaction to shifting attitudes towards the practice, a newly-commissioned survey from the Australian Medical Association may cement the peak bodys stance on the issue. While the exact findings of the 4,000-strong responses havent yet been released, the ABC reports several members of the AMA suggest the findings could shift their official take into neutral territory. Thats a far cry from their current position, which states doctors shouldnt be involved in any practices that have the primary intention of ending a patients life. If the AMA did adopt that neutral standpoint and altered their wording on the issue to essentially allow leeway for physicians to act upon their patients wishes and their conscience itd still require a massive change in Australias laws for it to become legal. The survey also coincides with National Palliative Care week; in a statement, the AMAs Vice President, Dr Stephen Parnis reiterated it was a time for reflection, and that talking about dying wont kill you. For what its worth, the majority of Australians do support the case for euthanasia in some way, and the cause boasts several high-profile campaigners. Earlier this year, Andrew Dentons podcast Better Off Dead served as a catch-all on the topic and demonstrated how humanely the process is handled in jurisdictions where it is legal. Bob Hawke, bless him, also had a red-hot crack at the issue, saying opposition to the practice doesnt meet any requirements of morality and good sense. The exact change to the AMAs policy if any should be unveiled later on in the year. If it chooses not to take a side, itd be a dramatic and, arguably, much-needed change to the official perception of the practice in the medical community. Source: ABC. Photo: Christian Marquandt / Getty. LOL MYKI LOL. The horrendously borked public transport ticketing system thats been thoroughly confusing Melburnians ever since it was introduced many moons ago is finally undergoing something of a renaissance period. A few days ago came the announcement that the notoriously slow and laborious smart card system would be receiving sorely-needed upgrades in the form of tap-and-go technology on vending machines, and faster, digital validators. But today, dear friends. Oh boy are you gonna get a kick out of this one. The Andrews State Government has announced that Mykis highly contentious on-the-spot fine system will be scrapped, as part of an overhaul to the public transport networks fine system. The on-the-spot fines, for those unaware, worked under the theory that Authorised Officers could give passengers caught without a valid ticket the option of paying a $75 fine right there and then, rather than be issued the full $223 infringement notice in the mail. It was devised as a means of alleviating the strain of challenges to fines being felt by the Magistrates Court, which was buckling under the weight of some 40,000-odd cases. In practice, however, it could not have been more different. Rather than being used as a lighter option, the fines were repeatedly used as bullying tactics by overbearing and heavy-handed ticketing officials, who often exhibited little-to-no sympathy for people caught because of genuine human error, faulty validating machinery, or people who were either homeless, mentally unwell, or understood little English. Worse still, the irony of the system allowing tram passengers to pay their fines but not being able to buy a ticket whilst on board was lost on absolutely no one. In fact, the staggering number of successful fine challenges that the courts either threw out or overturned (in 2014, it was an unbelievable 93% of all cases that made it to a court hearing, even despite 80% of people pleading guilty) meant that the on-the-spot fines were merely viewed as more of an attempt to more-or-less extort money out of passengers, rather than run the risk of issuing them a legally-flimsy infringement notice. (Authors Note: I Ive got a lot of feelings about Myki, ok?) The new system will completely scrap the on-the-spot fine option, and will be geared significantly more towards leniency for people who make genuine mistakes or suffer from equipment errors. Instead, the overhauled fine structure will be geared towards targeting repeat, systemic fare evaders (i.e. everyone). Under the old system, a person could never touch on, pay 20 on-the-spot fines in a 12-month period, and still pay less than the price of a yearly, full fare, zone one and two Myki pass. The new system will see ticket inspectors empowered with the discretionary ability to hand out warning notes WARNING NOTES! to commuters, instead of straight-up dropping mad fines on them. A raft of other changes to the system will also help alleviate the stress of navigating Denis Napthines labyrinthine system that he lovingly queefed out unto the Victorian capital as a final measure of revenge, including reducing the processing time for online top-ups from 24 hours down to 90 minutes, increasing the volume on Myki reader beeps, and the aforementioned faster, digital ticket validators. Victorias Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allen heralded the new changes as a move towards making the system less-hostile towards honest commuters. The system we inherited from the former Liberal government is confusing, unfair and inequitable. It penalises and intimidates the most vulnerable while providing an incentive to travel without a ticket. You still, however, will not be able to buy a tram fare whilst actually on board a tram, or at the absolute majority of tram stops for that matter. The new system is set to be implemented on January 1st, 2017. Keep your wits about you until then. Source: The Age. Photo: Michael Dodge/Getty. Who knew Sydney council amalgamations would get this wild? The big yarn over the past few days in local government has been the Inner West Council established in a controversial amalgamation move by Mika Baird which scooped up the Marrickville, Leichhardt and Ashfield councils into one behemoth. Many residents arent chuffed by the change, because their democratically elected mayors and councillors have been booted until the next election, and an administrator appointed to steer the ship until then. Believe me: local government scuffles can get very, very real and nowhere more so than Sydneys inner west. Graphic artist Nicky Minus got attention on Tuesday night when she spat on Richard Pearson, the administrator of the Inner West Council, during a nuts council meeting racked by protests. The media promptly lost their shit, as if this act which could be charitably described as quite gross was like Al-Qaeda had showed up in Marrickville. 1 of main agitators at @IWCouncil meeting admits spitting attack by demonstrator Nicky Minus crossed the line. https://t.co/cwmBJ0a7y8 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) May 26, 2016 Well, turns out that Minus is being charged. Pearson said he did not want to press charges, but the police did so anyway. She faces one charge of offensive behaviour, and will appear in Newtown Local Court next month. Meanwhile, James McCallum, who was captured on film slapping papers out of Pearsons hands, says he doesnt regret it but he condemns what Minus did. I believe what I did was peaceful, called for, productive, it was an action designed to protect the community in the public interest. I regret that Pearson was assaulted, he said. Expect a lot more kerfuffles and protest over council amalgamations. Spitting or otherwise. Source: The Daily Telegraph. Photo: Seven. Were taking a little moment from our regularly scheduled program of snarky recaps (although pls keep reading them, for your clicks sustain my bitter soul) to talk about a thing that happened on last nights chaotic episode of MasterChef Australia. No, it wasnt anything to do with the challenge itself although that said I did channel my burning inner frustration into making this spicy meme No, instead we need to talk about Matt Preston. And, specifically, his continual sartorial choices, which inarguably reached peak last night with this fetching little number. Check out all his majesty. Tall. Strong. Resplendent in head-to-toe magenta, looking less like a nationally renowned food critic and more like the fanciest plantation owner in all the Mississippi Delta. Here he is mingling amongst the commoners for a photo opportunity, to show off an air of being in touch with the common cretin. Its also interesting to note that, with that sunhat and dress combo, Nigella Lawson wound up looking like Prestons saucy wife who unbeknownst to everyone has been secretly having it off with the young stable boy every night. Maybe Ive thought too much about this. Regardless, I definitely wasnt the only one whose eye was caught by the perfectly tilted fedora, the dangling fob watch, and the immaculately pressed everything. Not even close. Some noted a striking similarity between Preston and Governor Ratcliffe from Pocahontas others noted the resemblance to a certain employee of Ronalds House of Flavour Holy shit Matt Preston is dressed like a couture Grimace #masterchefau Kiera (@UnderYourPorch) May 25, 2016 matt preston looks like grimace in that purple suit #masterchefau pic.twitter.com/Q5assUk6Fo reese (@reesessippi) May 25, 2016 some people (even a current MasterChef contestant) thought he might be better suited to classic childrens television Who wore it best: Matt Preston or Barney? Slaying the top-to-toe purple. #MasterChefAU Karina Recchi (@KarinaRecchi) May 25, 2016 whilst others simply went for a wide array of on-point gags. Matt Preston is dressed by Studio Ghibli this evening. #MasterChef James Raynes (@jimmyraynes) May 25, 2016 Sorry but why is Matt Preston dressed like a pimp on tonights episode ?! ?????? #masterchefau aimee trusler (@akaimeee) May 25, 2016 Matt Preston is doing a disastrous impression of an Old West prospector Sara A (@sarqthemighty) May 25, 2016 Why is Matt Preston dressed like Carmen Sandiego? #MasterChef Sean Peter-Budge (@SeanPeterBudge) May 25, 2016 Waiting for Matt Preston to steal a very overpriced cupcake from a small child. #movievillain #MasterChefAU Princess Awesome (@totalfrog) May 25, 2016 Looks like Matt Preston has raided Darryn Lyons wardrobe. #samelove pic.twitter.com/zIvnIge0mk Airbourneunicorn (@LeashiHarris) May 25, 2016 Joke of the night, however, went to our good m8 Osher Gunsberg in a canter, purely for the vivid amount of detail that went into this glorious mental picture: I love what youre wearing tonight @MattsCravat. You look like an informant waiting for Indiana Jones in a North African cafe #MasterChefAU Osher Gunsberg (@oshergunsberg) May 25, 2016 Not to be outdone by anyone commenting from the sidelines, however, Matt Preston himself got ahead of the curb with his own trademark brand of self-deprecating humour. Tonight on @masterchefau I channel how Barney the dinosaur would dress if he ran a Colombian drug cartel. 7.30pm #turnonten A photo posted by Matt Preston (@mattscravat) on May 25, 2016 at 1:36am PDT I wanted to keep my look just on the right side of Huggy Bear https://t.co/vWOYZwwXSg Matt Preston (@MattsCravat) May 25, 2016 And yet even despite all of this, all I can think of is where? Where do you get these ridiculous and amazing outfits from, Matt Preston you sharp-dressed bastard? Do you get a regular suit and soak it in food dye? Has the Channel Ten wardrobe department acquired old outfits from Dancing With The Stars? Do you just roll up large on a Spotlight and shout FUCK ME UP, FAM? I WILL LEARN YOUR SECRETS, MATT PRESTON. YOU MARK MY WORDS. Photo: Channel Ten. PEDESTRIAN.TV has teamed up with the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences to applaud stylist / muse / icon / designer Isabella Blow and everything she did for the fashion industry which, let us tell you, was a whole helluva lot. You can catcha glimpse of what were talking about at the Isabella Blow: A Fashionable Life exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum Sydney from 14 May 28 August, 2016. Grab your tix online HERE, and read our review of the exhibit. Muses are an integral part of the fashion industry, and have been inspiring designers for fkn ever. Sometimes, though, the muse-designer relationship goes the extra mile, morphing into a truly phenom creative friendship. Take besties Isabella Blow (stylist/muse/icon/designer champion) and Alexander McQueen, for example: they took their own lives within years of each other, in 2007 and 2010 respectively, but not without leaving a game-changing mark on the fashion industry with their collective eccentricity, individuality, creativity and A+ outlandishness. From awkward beginnings to completely fahbulous in-betweens and unfortunate, tragic endings heres a rundown of a fashion friendship thats legit one for the ages. A photo posted by @mysmutart on Apr 18, 2016 at 10:20am PDT HOW THEY ACTUALLY MET Like most introductions, Isabella and Alexanders first exchange didnt exactly run smoothly. The young designer had just shown his graduate collection as part of the St Martins College of Design show back in 1992, with then-British Vogue contributor Isabella calling his 10-look range (which had his pubic hair sewn into the pieces, mind you) the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. The pieces went past me and they moved in a way I had never seen and I wanted them, she said. I just knew he had something really special, very modern, it was about sabotage and tradition, she continued, recalling Alexanders use of human hair and blood reds in the anatomy-inspired collection. Isabella ventured into the St Martins building soon after, to meet the man known then as Lee Alexander McQueen. She kept saying she wanted to buy his collection, but he was very sceptical about it all, whether she would really buy it, Reva Mivasagar, Alexanders former flatmate, who witnessed the intro, said. She was very flamboyant about who she knew, all her connections, and Lee thought she was bloody crazy. Isabella continued to be persistent as all hell. She rang him, and his mother, relentlessly wanting the collection, eventuating in Alexander selling the entire range to Isabella, piece by piece. Blow paid him in instalments over the next months, in exchange for Alexanders designs stashed into black bin liners. HOW ISABELLA CAME TO MENTOR ALEXANDER Alexander wasnt aware of who Isabella was, or her impressive CV spanning work with Anna Wintour, Andy Warhol and Liz Tilberis, at first. But Isabella is now credited for discovering the likes of Jeremy Scott, Phillip Treacy and Alexander, something that, as seen in a BBC doco, dubbed Alexander McQueen Cutting Up Rough 1997, didnt appear to sit so well with the young designer himself. These designers think that you made me No they dont. They do! They say it all the time in the press! Oh, Isabella Blow responsible for Phillip Treacy & Alexander McQueen. But the thing is, its never been about that for me and you. She does it because she loves my clothes not because she loves me. Exactly thats the point. It quickly became a widely accepted concept that Isabella had somewhat created Alexanders career, right down to the name of his label. His real name was Lee. Everyone else calls him Lee. But I call him Alexander because I think of Alexander The Great, Isabella mentioned in the same doco, and it is believed that he used his middle name under her guidance. A photo posted by World of Lola (@world_of_lola) on Apr 20, 2016 at 2:35am PDT HOW THEY ACTUALLY BECAME M8S While, as his mother, Joyce McQueen, said She bought his collection. She wore it. She promoted him. She talked about him. Shes been incredible and I think shes helped him quite enormously, its clear that their relationship was so much more than a networking venture. In Andrew Wilsons Alexander McQueen: The Blood Beneath The Skin, the book explains that the bond between McQueen and Blow went much deeper than a simple patron-artist relationship. As Lee learnt more about her past something she talked about with the same nonchalance with which she would flash her breasts he discovered that, for all her upper-class privileges, she was just as damaged as him. A beautiful friendship had been formed theyd talk on the phone up to four times a day and when they were together their dirty, filthy cackling was never-ending. Theyd dine with the big dogs like Manolo Blahnik but maintain their down-to-earth nature and have tea with Alexanders mother, Joyce, on the reg. In fact, Isabella and Joyce were fast friends. HOW BITTERNESS BETWEEN THEM GREW Alexander has become a big name in the fashion industry, and in 1996 LVMH announced that he would become head designer at Givenchy. Champagne Supernovas by Maureen Callahan asserted that Isabella assumed shed be named muse and be put on a salary as result, but apparently, when she wasnt, she was heartbroken. She gave Lee everything, said designer Julien Macdonald. All her money, all her time, all her energy. She introduced him to everybody. And then, when he went to Givenchy and he had money, he told her to piss off. He had millions and she was penniless, and he gave her nothing. He just shut the door. After gettin buzzed during a profile for Daily Telegraph, Isabella let it all out. The role of a muse is changing. Traditionally we havent been paid, but as Bryan Ferry once said to me, one should be paid for ideas as well as the physical manifestation of them. If Alexander uses some of his ideas in his show, and he has, I dont get paid. He does Ive decided from now on Im going to get paid now too. Before this, the only reward was seeing the people Ive discovered taking off, and that drives me nuts, because they leave me behind. Photo: Dave Bennett / Getty. Alexander wasnt about Isabellas comments, fretting that everyone except his mother was using him. Shed ask, Do you remember the good old days? You knocked me up, to which hed reply, That world is gone, Issie. The exchange was rough, not only because Isabella felt like she had lost her friend, Lee, but also because, despite trying, she could not have children. Despite all the he said/she said, Isabella appeared to always be backing Alexander at the end of the day. Sitting front row for his debut Givenchy show, she bit back at the mixed reviews and snipes, saying, Alexander is dealing with an old albatross. McQueen and Givenchy are like an old love affair, and weve got to give them a chance. When the Gucci Group acquired 51% of Alexander McQueens label in December 2000 and he became the labels creative director, Isabella said, I said to Tom [Ford], Buy McQueen. It was totally me. And McQueen was, like, snorting and huffing away, and I said, Get out of fucking bed and ring him up! He fancies you. Even years on from Isabellas death, her husband, Detmar Blow, to whom she was married 18 years, believes that Alexander betrayed her. Money changed him and then drugs changed him. I remember reading of how he had flown his boyfriend somewhere for 130,000, he told the London Evening Standard in 2010. What did Issie get? Some clothes. I find that quite shocking. HOW IT ALL ENDED Isabella committed suicide in 2007 by consuming weed killer 20 times the amount needed to take her life. Vanity Fair reported that while many of her friends, including Philip Treacy, came to visit her in hospital when she was dying, Alexander was not among them. Isabella was dressed in a red-and-gold brocade dress by Alexander, and he helped dress the body alongside Phillip and her sister, Julie. Alexander at Isabellas funeral. Photo: Antony Jones / UK Press / Getty. Alexander collaborated with Phillip to dedicate his S/S 08 show to Isabella. The room was sprayed with her favourite Robert Piguet scent and the invites were illustrations depicting her in one of Alexanders dress and Phillips headpieces on a horse-drawn carriage ascending to heaven. Just three years later, in 2010, Alexander also took his own life. He ingested cocaine and sleeping pills before slashing his wrists and hanging himself. HOW THEY LEFT BEHIND A LASTING LEGACY We can research as much as we want about these two, but, at the end of the day, well never truly know what transpired or how they felt about each other and the end of their whirlwind romance. Whats for sure, though, is that Isabella and Alexanders relationship is one for fashions history books, and a beautiful reminder that friendships are rarely, if ever, black and white. Isabella Blow: A Fashionable Life runs from 14 May 28 August, 2016, at the Powerhouse Museum, including all pieces from Alexander McQueens post-graduate collection. Grab your tix online HERE. Photo: David LaChapelle. The lads in The Strokes have been keeping it on the down low when it comes to new music their last album was in 2013, and we havent hard much new from them since. Today, Julian Casablancas used his new radio show on Sirius XM, Culture Void, to announce brand new EP Future Present Past and to premiere the track OBLIVIUS. Then another track, Drag Queen was played on Zane Lowes Beats 1 show. A third track, Threat of Joy popped up on BBC Radio. A veritable Strokes onslaught, and now all tracks plus a remix are available for a cheeky stream. Check em out below. Its pretty standard fare: guitar-driven garage rock, but with a tight, arty electronic edge. Yup, its a Strokes EP. Whodathunkit? And wow! Just in time for Splendour! Fancy that! Guess well be seeing one or two of these tunes up in Byron. The EP formally drops on June 3. Source: Billboard. Photo: The Strokes. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 Trend: A group of MPs of Bulgaria's Patriotic Front Party illegally visited the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, according to Armenian media outlets, Hikmat Hajiyev, spokesman for Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry, told Trend May 26. This visit, which wasn't coordinated with anyone, is considered by Azerbaijan as an attempt to promote the fictitious regime created in the wake of the military aggression, occupation, and bloody ethnic cleansing in its Armenian-occupied Azerbaijani territories, he said. This illegal visit shows that some people in Bulgaria are seriously bothered by the country's friendly and strategic partner relations with Azerbaijan, Hajiyev added. "Unfortunately, Yerevan is busy committing such unnecessary and meaningless provocative acts instead of preparing the basis for the comprehensive and substantial talks mentioned at the Vienna [presidential] meeting," said Hajiyev. "With regard to the illegal and provocative visit, the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Bulgaria will appeal to this country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the National Assembly (Parliament) and convey Azerbaijan's concern," he said. After the necessary specification, their names [of Bulgarian MPs] will be added to the list of undesirable persons of Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry, Hajiyev said. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 Trend: Newly appointed ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Carole Crofts has presented a copy of her credentials to Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov. The British ambassador said she would spare no efforts to contribute to the expansion of relations between the two countries. They hailed development of the bilateral ties between Azerbaijan and UK, and highlighted the importance of energy cooperation. They also praised the long-term and trusted partnership between Azerbaijan and BP. The sides also noted the key role of the joint intergovernmental commission and high-level reciprocal visits in developing relations between the two countries. Mammadyarov provided an insight into the negotiations to solve the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. The FM said the escalation of tension on the frontline as a result of Armenia's provocation in early April reaffirmed unacceptability and unsustainability of status-quo. "Life is like the Star Wars movies," Comic Book Guy told Tufts University's graduating class of 2016. "Some of it is great, some of it sucks. But you have no choice but to sit through all of it. (It's) very similar to the commencement speech you're listening to right now." The Simpsons voice actor Hank Azaria returned to his alma mater to deliver a commencement address Sunday, May 23, in Medford, Massachusetts, according to Yahoo! Celebrity. During his speech, he gave students not-so-useful advice as characters from the television show, including Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum, Apu and Sea Captain McCallister. "Kids, you didn't hear this from me," Wiggum said. "But if a cop even thinks you're going to throw up in their backseat, they will immediately let you go." The 52-year-old actor and comedian also said he wasn't much of a student while he was at Tufts University, but it's where he discovered his love for acting and theater, according to Yahoo! Celebrity. He was two credits shy of graduating in 1985, but the administration still let him walk with his classmates. Azaria completed his degree in 1987 while looking for work in Los Angeles. Azaria was one of six people who got honorary degrees at the ceremony. He has voiced characters on The Simpsons since it first started in 1989 and acted in other television shows and movies, such as Friends and The Smurfs, according to the Internet Movie Database. The Simpsons' 28th season starts this fall, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Charleston Shooting FILE - This June 18, 2015, file photo, provided by the Charleston County Sheriff's Office shows Dylann Roof. The Justice Department intends to seek the death penalty against Roof, the man charged with killing nine black parishioners last year in a church in Charleston, South Carolina, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Tuesday, May 24, 2016. (Charleston County Sheriff's Office via AP, file) COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- The husband of a woman gunned down at a historic black church in Charleston with eight other people said Wednesday he won't be at peace until the man charged in the slayings is put to death. Arthur Hurd, whose wife, Cynthia, was among those killed June 17 during Bible study, is one of several family members of victims who want to see Dylann Roof die if he is convicted. "What would give me full closure would be if I were the one who pushed the plunger on the lethal injection, or if I were the one to pull the switch on the electric chair or if I was the one to open the valve on the gas chamber," he told The Associated Press. When "Roof's body is cold, sleeping in the ground -- that's closure." Federal prosecutors announced Tuesday they were seeking the death penalty against Roof, who is facing hate crimes and other charges. He is also facing a death penalty trial in state court, which is scheduled for next year. No date has been set for the federal trial. The killings reignited discussions about race relations and led to the removal of a Confederate battle flag from the South Carolina Statehouse. Roof, who is white, had previously posed for photos with a rebel flag. Roof's federal attorneys have said their client would be willing to plead guilty if the maximum punishment weren't on the table. Due in part to problems in obtaining lethal injection drugs, no one has been executed in South Carolina since 2011. The federal government hasn't put anyone to death since 2003. In Columbia, the slain pastor of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, was honored with the unveiling of a new portrait in his beloved Senate chamber. Pinckney's widow, Jennifer, and his two young daughters were among dozens of family members, fellow senators and friends who filled the Senate chambers. The two girls pulled a purple drape from the picture and stood smiling. Pinckney is shown standing in his revered church, nicknamed "Mother Emanuel" because of its role sheltering and inspiring slaves, even after white slave owners ordered all black churches closed before the Civil War. His hand sits on a pew, with light coming through one of the church's stained glass windows. Jennifer Pinckney remembered her husband as "a man that would pray for you and with you." Authorities said Roof attended most of the hour-long Bible study before he started shooting. "When we look at the portrait of Sen. Pinckney we need to be reminded of both how he lived and why he was killed in a massacre," Sen. Gerald Malloy said. "He was killed because of ignorance and intolerance." Jennifer Pinkney said her husband might have been too humble to think he deserved to have his image among alongside Vice President John C. Calhoun and U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond. "You're well-deserving to be with these great men. Because you were great," she said. Clementa Pinckney is only the second African-American honored among the roughly 30 portraits in the state Senate. UPDATE: The victims have been identified JIM THORPE, Pa. (AP) -- Authorities say one person died and another was seriously injured following a fall at a popular eastern Pennsylvania hiking spot. Rescue crews in Carbon county were called to Glen Onoko Falls in Jim Thorpe shortly after noon Wednesday. Deputy Fire Chief Vince Yaich said crews found one male dead and a second injured in an area called the second falls. Glen Onoko is a series of three waterfalls that have been the scene of dozens of serious accidents over the years. Two years ago, a 20-year-old Catasauqua man fell to his death from the second falls, considered the highest of the three. Transgender Bathroom A new building code might take the steam out of the debate over gender neutral bathrooms. Some public entities have adopted gender neutral bathroom facilities. In this file photo, Annie Smith stands at the door of a gender neutral restroom at the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vt. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot) (Toby Talbot) EDITORS NOTE: This story was edited to clarify that the gender neutral designation would apply in cases where buildings required six or more toilets. A new building code is about to take some of the steam out of the debate over gender-neutral bathrooms for transgender people. The newly adopted code by the International Code Council calls for all new construction to have single-user, unisex bathrooms, where occupancy standards apply. Specifically, the code outlines that for "assembly and mercantile facilities" where six or more water closets (toilets) are required, at least one of the toilet rooms be provided with a single water closet and a single lavatory. These gender-neutral toilet rooms would be intended for family/assisted-use but would also be available for single users. The plumbing code - under the latest International Building Code - requires all single-user toilet facilities to be labeled for use by either sex or gender-neutral. The change will not be entered into the organization's policy books until 2018. The new provision, however, is available immediately for adoption by any state or local government entity that wants to implement the code. Trey Hughes, a spokesman for ICC, explained that the new provision in reality is more of a change to the existing international code on plumbing, which among other provisions pertains to the number of bathrooms based on building occupancy. Under the new provisions, single-lavatory bathrooms would not be designated for use by gender. "It doesn't matter," Hughes said. "It's no longer men or women. It doesn't go into detail about what the signage should say, except to say it can be used by either sex." These types of bathrooms are currently often labeled family-assisted. Sara Goulet, spokeswoman for the Department of Labor and Industry, which has jurisdiction over building codes, said the state's Uniform Construction Code Review and Advisory Council will decide whether to adopt the recommendation when it reviews the next triennial code revisions. The state review and advisory council, a 19-member council appointed by the governor, draws from construction industry trades and professions, and local government. The debate over gender-neutral bathrooms to accommodate transgender and non-binary individuals has exploded across the country in the wake of legislation adopted by a handful of states that mandate that individuals wishing to use bathroom facilities in public buildings must use the bathroom that correspondence to their birth gender. Last week, the U.S. Justice Department sued North Carolina over a state law requiring people to use the public restrooms that correspond with the gender on their birth certificate. The federal government says the law violates U.S. civil rights laws. Advocates from the transgender community say gender neutral bathrooms provide a safer and more comfortable facility for them and other gender-neutral individuals, including pansexual and non-binary individuals. North Carolina and the government of Houston, Texas recently adopted laws that contain stringent language with regards to birth gender and bathrooms. The International Code Council is a member based association that sets codes and standards for design, construction and compliance. Most communities - including the 50 states and dozens of international entities - subscribe to the standards set by the organization. The codes run the gamut of construction components and considerations, including fire safety, materials, plumbing, energy and fuel and design. The codes represent minimum building standards, and are not mandates. "Obviously states and local jurisdictions have the option to add amendments or deletions," he said. "It's a baseline for minimum construction requirements." Changes to codes entails a drawn-out process that includes public hearing and comment opportunities. Hughes said he was not aware of any pushback during the public hearing phase of the new code. The code was submitted in 2014 by the American Institute of Architects, and in particular one mechanical engineer from Aiken, S.C. Bruce Pitts said he had a good reason - a disorder - for lobbying in support of the new code. "I can't pee if anybody is in the vicinity," he said. "I need a private restroom. There are a lot more of us out there than there are transgender groups." Pitts said that when he introduced the code, the issue of gender-neutral bathrooms for transgender people was not on the national radar. The debate over gender neutral bathrooms erupted last month at Santee Education Complex in South Los Angeles. The principal of the Los Angeles high school where a scuffle broke out with adult protesters over a new gender-neutral bathroom praised his students as "trailblazers" for campaigning to install the restroom. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) "It's ironic that after all this time, just as soon as it was approved that's when this whole transgender thing hit the fan," he said. "It was amazing... like the next day or next week, all of the sudden the transgender thing was hitting the news big time. I say here's the solution. I'm educating people right now." Proponents of single-user bathrooms argue that the private facilities allow parents - who might worry about predators in a public bathroom - to accompany their young children to the bathroom. Pitts said it's just a matter of time before all new buildings have single-user bathrooms. "In 1903 when Henry Ford built his Model-T there were still horse and buggies around. They stayed around for a while but it was the turning point. It has to start somewhere." Neil Grover in court.jpg Harrisburg Solicitor Neil Grover answered reporters' questions after Thursday's hearing over the business license of the Third Street Cafe at Third and Calder streets. HARRISBURG- Does Harrisburg have the authority to regulate a business that serves liquor if city officials say it poses a threat to public safety? That question took center stage Thursday during a hearing over the business license for the Third Street Cafe, an embattled bar in midtown that the Mayor of Harrisburg is seeking to close. Frank Karnouskos, one of the owners of the Third Street Cafe, stood with his attorney, Chris Wilson (at right) after Thursday's hearing in Dauphin County Court. Mayor Eric Papenfuse is admittedly using a novel approach against the bar, by refusing to grant a 2016 city business license. City officials say they are within their rights to regulate businesses in the city to protect the public's health and welfare. But Chris Wilson, the attorney for the bar, said the city is preempted from any regulation of establishments that serve liquor under Pennsylvania law. He said a state process already exists to close down nuisance bars and that is the proper avenue through a judge instead of a mayoral-appointed city board. The decision by Dauphin County Judge Andrew H. Dowling in the case could serve to either sanction or slam the city's new approach to address businesses it considers nuisances. Dowling did not make a decision after Thursday's one-hour hearing. Instead, he asked attorneys to file any written legal arguments within seven days. Some time after that, he will issue his ruling. The hearing drew several bar owners and managers from other clubs, worried their establishments could be next. The owners of the Third Street Cafe at Third and Calder streets and several supporters also attended. For the city's side, Papenfuse attended and sat at the lawyer's table with City Solicitor Neil Grover and Tax Enforcement Administrator Mike Hughes. No residential neighbors of the bar showed up, even though city officials sent out a press release and notifications over social media encouraging people to show up. Local developer Doug Neidich, who reportedly spent $50 million in public and private investments in midtown, attended as well as Alice Anne Schwab, the executive director of the Susquehanna Art Museum, and a woman who works for a nonprofit along North Third Street. The bar owners have previously complained that the city was trying to shut them down because the decades-old bar no longer fits into the city's economic plans for the neighborhood, with the new museum and other development. The mayor also owns eight properties near the bar, which he bought prior to becoming mayor for more than $1 million. The bar owners have questioned the mayor's motives in going after them, but the mayor defended his choice by noting police had identified it as one of three problem businesses in the city. Wilson opened the hearing with several arguments against the city, saying it violated his client's constitutional rights by not providing proper notice before going after the business license. He also raised equal protection questions, saying the midtown bar has a fraction of the crime as several other bars in the city. But Wilson's main argument questioned the city's authority to go after a liquor establishment. He noted that the city's legal threshold to pull a business license is higher than the threshold at a state liquor board hearing. To pull a business license, the city would have to prove that the owner allowed crime to occur, whereas the state process only requires that the bar be a nexus for crime. But Grover said the city process allowed hearsay with support of other legal documents, which meant the city didn't have the onerous task required at the state level of bringing in multiple witnesses to establish every legal point. Dowling seemed to agree that the city's process carried a higher standard and he peppered City Grover with questions about what city officials expected the bar to do to prevent crime beyond adding lights, cameras and other security measures. Grover contended employees did nothing to protect customers after a shooting erupted just outside the bar's doors in December. He said the employees didn't seek to shut or lock the doors. Instead, the employees continued washing glasses and carrying about their duties as if nothing happened. But Dowling asked what the employees should have done prior to the shooting, that could have averted the violence. Grover said bar employees should not have let Glenn Walker Jr., or other customers, loiter in the back of the bar near the restrooms, where they allegedly arrange drug deals. Walker was involved in the December shooting and arrested for drug possession at the bar twice last year. "You're arguing they should be questioned?" Dowling asked. "How long do you have to be in the bar before you're questioned?" Grover testified that a shooting in December just outside the bar's front doors occurred months after the city moved to yank their license and despite additional security ehancements. "Things did not get better, they got worse," Grover said. "We don't have to turn a blind eye to that." But Dowling noted that the single shooting was the only criminal incident from 2015 reported at the bar. Grover argued that the Legislature included language in the Third Class City Code that allows municipalities to protect residents' health and safety. He argued that the bar's interpretation of preemption would result in the city basically "handing over the keys" to the bar and letting them run the city. "Or you could call the DA and try to proceed under a 611," Dowling said, referring to the state's nuisance bar process. This is the second time Dowling has had to weigh the case against the Third Street Cafe. The city tried to yank the bar's business license in 2015, and both sides went through several hearings, but the case was declared moot after the calendar year expired. The issue of preemption came up during last year's hearings, but as a smaller percentage of the case. During last year's proceedings, the attorneys spent a lot of time arguing about what criminal incidents could be linked directly to the bar and whether the bar owner was responsible for the crimes. LEETSDALE, Pa. (AP) -- A Pennsylvania school district is apologizing after quotes from Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin and an Islamic State terrorist leader were printed in the graduating class section of this year's high school yearbook. Quaker Valley School District officials tell the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that, "Though the content of the quotes was reviewed thoroughly, the attributions clearly were not." The Hitler quote is "Words build bridges into unexplored regions." Stalin's statement is more menacing: "Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, so why would we let them have ideas?" The third quote is from Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: "Be just: the unjust never prosper. Be valiant. Keep your word, even to your enemies." Islamic State group leader, Hitler, Stalin quoted in Quaker Valley High School yearbook https://t.co/RzHuPTShOT pic.twitter.com/8UlTBgzUGO Bobby Cherry (@bc_Trib) May 26, 2016 Students can get a refund on the books, which cost more than $69 apiece, or stickers to cover up the quotes. According to the Tribune-Review: District spokeswoman Angela Yingling said students bring quotes in for approval and that "publishing the quotes is a shared responsibility of the yearbook staff, sponsor and administration." She did not say if students or the yearbook sponsor would face punishment. Steve Marroni | smarroni@pennlive.com Homicides this week in Pa. Don't Edit Teens among those found dead this week around Pennsylvania Two teens were among those who were found dead around Pennsylvania in the past week. The case of a 17-year-old girl whose remains were discovered on a former llama farm in Pike County is still under investigation. The autopsy results have not yet been released in the death of Leanna Walker, and the investigation is ongoing. In Chester, a 14-year-old innocent bystander was killed in a hail of gunfire Saturday. Police are still trying to find the gunman who killed Zenas Powell and wounded two others. Numerous other killings were reported around the state this week, too, including the case of a 63-year-old woman investigators say shot her ex-husband in suburban Philadelphia. Don't Edit Thomas Boyer, left, has been charged in the stabbing death of Theodore McCarty, right. Submitted Harrisburg man charged eight months after neighbor's stabbing death Theodore McCarty was stabbed to death in his Harrisburg home back in September, and though one of his neighbors was a suspect, that neighbor was not charged until last week. Thomas Boyer, 27, is now facing charges of criminal homicide and instruments of death in connection with McCarty's death. Investigators say they did not charge him until now due to a lack of evidence. The continuing investigation, though, brought about enough evidence that Boyer confessed to stabbing McCarty during an argument that turned physical, Harrisburg police said. McCarty had recently moved into an apartment on the first block of South 19th Street before his death. He lived with a woman with mental disabilities who believed he was sleeping. Don't Edit Leanna Walker. Police photo. Remains ID'd as missing Pike County girl The human remains found last week near a Milford-area llama farm have been identified the missing 17-year-old Pike County girl. Investigators made the positive identification of Leanna Walker on Friday, WNEP is reporting. She had been missing since April 18. Don't Edit The remains of 17-year-old Leanna Walker were found at this Milford-area former llama farm. Screenshot/WNEP Cause of death for 17-year-old Pike County girl under investigation Charges have not been filed and the results of the autopsy have not yet been released in the case of the 17-year-old Milford girl whose remains were positively identified last week. Investigators say Leanna Walkers boyfriend, 24-year-old Sky McDonough, was a person of interest during her missing-person case. He was in custody in an unrelated burglary and had escaped when he led police to the woods where he said they had been staying after she was reported as a runaway. Investigators found him shortly later at a makeshift campsite, the Pocono Record reported. The investigation is ongoing. Don't Edit Don't Edit The scene of a Chester shooting that killed a 14-year-old boy and injured two others Saturday. Screenshot/6 ABC Teen killed in Chester shooting A 14-year-old boy was killed and two people were injured after a shooting in Chester Saturday. And investigators say the three victims were innocent bystanders, 6 ABC is reporting. The shooting occurred on the 1100 block of Pike Lane around 8 p.m. Saturday. Numerous shell casings were found, and as police investigated, they placed nearly 30 evidence markers around the street and near a car with a shattered rear window. Don't Edit Zenas Powell, victim in fatal Chester shooting. Screenshot/6 ABC 14-year-old was bystander in fatal Chester barrage of gunfire Police identified Zenas Powell as the 14-year-old bystander who was killed in a shooting Saturday in Chester. Police are still searching for the gunman whose barrage of gunfire killed Zenas and critically injured his cousin, 16-year-old Quamar Powell, 6 ABC is reporting. Janene Shipley, 32, was wounded, as well, when a bullet struck her shoulder as she talked to the teens outside of a store. "It hurts to see my baby hurt and I can't fix it. I know my son cried for mom," Zenas mother, Stephanie Powell, told reporters. The investigation is continuing. Don't Edit Hsiu-Chin Lin, 63, of North Wales, is accused of fatally shooting her ex-husband. Screenshot/NBC 10 Deadly domestic dispute lands 63-year-old Montgomery County woman behind bars A 63-year-old Montgomery County woman is behind bars after police say she fatally shot her ex-husband. Hsiu-Chin Lin was sitting at the kitchen table of her North Wales home with a .38-caliber handgun in front of her when police were called to a reported domestic dispute Sunday afternoon, NBC 10 of Philadelphia is reporting. Officers found her ex-husband, Chien-Kuo Lin, lying dead in the garage. Investigators did not say what instigated the deadly shooting. Don't Edit This house in Pittsburgh's Crafton Heights is the scene of a fatal home invasion. Screenshot/WTAE Man, dog, killed in Pittsburgh home invasion Police are investigating a home invasion that left one man dead in Pittsburghs Crafton Heights neighborhood. Two men forced their way into the Steuben Street home around 11 p.m. Tuesday and shot and killed 40-year-old Thomas Cheeks, WTAE is reporting. Cheeks wife and teenage son were unharmed, but the intruders shot and killed the family dog. Police are looking for the suspects, who ran away after the shooting. Don't Edit A 25-year-old man was shot and killed in this parking lot in Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood. Screenshot/6 ABC 25-year-old gunned down in Philadelphia shooting A 25-year-old man was killed in a shooting in a grocery-store parking lot in Philadelphia. The shooting occurred around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday on the 200 block of Chelten Avenue in the city's Germantown neighborhood, 6 ABC is reporting. Police are investigating. Witnesses told reporters the shooting occurred after a confrontation between two groups of unknown men. Don't Edit MEDIA, Pa. (AP) -- A man has vowed in court to resume stalking a Philadelphia TV news reporter as soon as his probation for doing so expires in 15 years. The Delaware County Daily Times reports 32-year-old Christopher Nilan made that promise at Wednesday's sentencing in Delaware County. Police say Nilan became obsessed with a female KYW-TV reporter and kept trying to contact her, sometimes through a male reporter at the CBS affiliate. A station spokeswoman isn't commenting. Nilan's attorney stressed that his client never threatened to harm the reporter. Nilan told the judge: "I'm not going to give it up. I want to be with her. I'm the only person who can protect her." From the Daily Times: Assistant District Attorney Geoff Payne said the victim agreed with the plea, but stressed the importance of placing restrictions on Nilan to ensure he does not contact her or the station during his supervision. Payne said the commonwealth would ask for full back-time on a first violation. The judge agreed, warning Nilan that if he even tweeted the station or anywhere else the victim might be working in the future, he could face significant jail time. Mallon told Nilan he needed to "give up" his fixation on the victim, prompting Nilan's comments that he is the only person who can protect her. He must spend 23 months on court monitoring, including outpatient mental health treatment, followed by 13 years' probation. Details added (first version posted on 19:05) Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 By Anakhanum Idayatova - Trend: Azerbaijan and the US have a lot of spheres where they can strengthen cooperation, the commanding general of the US Army Europe, Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges told reporters in Baku May 26. Hodges reminded that soldiers from Azerbaijan are serving along with American soldiers in Afghanistan. It is planned to hold some exercises with Azerbaijani soldiers in Romania this summer, he said, adding that Azerbaijan's continuing the support for operations in Afghanistan shows that the country is interested in security and stability. In recent years, Azerbaijan has been actively participating in the NATO peacekeeping missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Azerbaijan and NATO cooperate within the Partnership for Peace (PfP) program. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum The union that represents ChildLine caseworkers is applauding recommendations made in state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale's interim report released Tuesday. DePasquale's office launched a performance audit of ChildLine in November 2015, and an interim report on the state's child abuse reporting hotline highlighted multiple issues, including thousands of calls going unanswered in 2015 and long wait times. The report also said that the hotline suffered from constant understaffing, resulting in mandatory overtime and higher turnover. The report recommended that the state Department of Human Services, which oversees ChildLine, immediately "determine the minimum number of staff needed based on call volume" and online reporting, and to hire and train those employees. DePasquale, during a press conference Tuesday on the report, said that ChildLine needed better technology and more resources to effectively carry out its mission. State Department of Human Services Secretary Ted Dallas said that with an additional $1.8 million in Gov. Tom Wolf's 2016-17 budget request to support ChildLine, the program could sustain the progress it has made and "even surpass it." Service Employees International Union Local 668, which represents ChildLine caseworkers, responded to the report Wednesday, saying in a news release that the union has reported "much of what the [auditor general's] interim report showed" on Tuesday. The news release said that "chronic understaffing" dates back to the 2006 passage of Act 179, and that combined with the amendments to the state's Child Protective Services Law have "impaired the Commonwealth's ability to address child abuse reports." Tom Herman, the union's president, said, in the release, that the interim report "has illustrated what the caseworkers we represent already know. The implementation of well-meaning laws without increased funding, combined with existing understaffing put the children of our Commonwealth at risk." "SEIU Local 668 commends the recommendations made to DHS and are encouraged that their implementation will greatly improve the quality of the services to protect the Commonwealth's children from abuse," Herman said in the release. "We also commend DHS Secretary Ted Dallas for working to backfill as many vacancies as possible and implementing the reports other recommendations as quickly as possible." "We now call on the State Legislature to ensure there is sufficient funding for adequate staffing and technology resources for ChildLine caseworkers in the future," Herman said. "$1.8 million is a small price to pay to keep our children safe." Solar Impulse 2 landed Wednesday night at Lehigh Valley International Airport, having traveled two-thirds around the world fueled only by solar energy. Pilot Bertrand Piccard piloted the single-seater 17 hours from Dayton, Ohio, on the 13th leg of the endeavor launched in March 2015 from Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates. Piccard's fuel for the trip? "Passion," he said during a news conference outside the temporary hangar erected at the airport in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, as home for the aircraft until at least Memorial Day. Nearly 150 people -- invitees, media and members of the plane's 60-strong ground crew -- awaited the arrival of the plane, which touched down just after dark, about 8:50 p.m. Piccard, smiling and clear-eyed, said he was struck by the number of children brought out to glimpse the Solar Impulse 2's bid at making history as the first solar-powered plane to circumnavigate the globe. "When I see children here I hope they will remember that they have seen the first solar-powered airplane that can fly day and night," Piccard said, turning to the children: "And when you will speak to your children, maybe you will tell them that there was a time that airplanes were burning fuel." Applause greeted the vision. "That there was a time that airplanes were burning fuel," he continued. "But maybe when you will have children, all of the airplanes will be electric or solar. You have to dream. You have to believe that we can have a better world, that we can have new technologies to protect the environment. That's the challenge of the 21st century." Courtney Coffman, of Newtown in Bucks County, brought her 1 1/2-year-old son, Pax, to see the landing. Her husband, John Coffman, works for the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation in the United States, and this summer will mark Pax's seventh time flying, as they head to the French city of Monaco -- where Solar Impulse 2's mission control is housed. "I think it's a great thing," Courtney Coffman said. "Now having kids, you realize how finite the resources are and how scary it is for future generations." Pax Coffman, son of Courtney and John Coffman, of Newtown, Pennsylvania, watch Solar Impulse 2 circling above Lehigh Valley International Airport on Wednesday, May 25, 2016, as it came in for a stopover during a bid to make the first around-the-world flight powered solely by solar power. (Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com) Solar Impulse 2 was developed in Switzerland, home to Piccard and fellow pilot Andre Borschberg. They alternate piloting legs of the trip, with Borschberg having flown five days and five nights consecutively from Japan to Hawaii in July 2015. "It only runs on sun energy," Solar Impulse 2 spokeswoman Elka Neumann said. "There is no backup. There is no gas." The plane's 17,248 solar cells built into the wings power four batteries that can keep the plan aloft all night, churning four electric engines and the propellers in a system that wastes only 7 percent of its energy. "It could run, theoretically, perpetually," Neumann said. Wednesday's flight began about 4 a.m. and was delayed by a day when fabric from a mobile hangar used at some stopovers deflated, and the fabric contacted the fragile aircraft. Solar Impulse 2 weighs about 5,100 pounds, as much as an SUV, and its 236-foot wingspan is wider than a Boeing 747. Four engineers working with the flight crew inspected the plane rigorously to ensure it was airworthy to continue the effort. "We have experienced so much emotion in Dayton when we could have lost, in fact, this airplane," Borschberg said alongside Piccard during the news conference at LVIA. "You can imagine how fast our hearts started to beat when we saw the mobile hangar which protects the airplane coming down." No pun intended, life with the Solar Impulse 2 is a lot of ups and downs, he said. "What makes it special is to have the kind of encounter that we have tonight," Borschberg said. J. Michael Dowd, president of the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority that owns LVIA, was among those on hand to welcome Piccard as he climbed out of the cockpit -- barely wider than a business-class seat on an airliner. "You create a vision, you create a sense of opportunity," Dowd, joined by authority Executive Director Charles Everett, told Piccard and Borschberg. "I think you provide a vision for young people that is absolutely exciting. I really thank you very much for doing that and thank you for joining us." Solar Impulse 2 is to remain at LVIA until Monday or Tuesday, when it leaves for a flyover of the Statue of Liberty en route to New York City. Then it's off to either Europe or northern Africa, depending on where weather conditions are most favorable. The goal is a return to Abu Dhabi. An extreme #selfie while flying above Pennsylvania to bring Si2 to the gateway of #NYC #futureisclean pic.twitter.com/9A1gIExPFl Bertrand PICCARD (@bertrandpiccard) May 26, 2016 Piccard said hearing air-traffic controllers Wednesday night in New York drove home how far he and Borschberg have flown, as he remembered hearing their counterparts guide him out of Honolulu. That was a month ago, following a layover of about nine months to address overheating in the plane's batteries. "At that moment I just realized how much distance we have traveled with Andre," Piccard said. "We flew the Pacific, we flew across America, several stopovers, sometimes Andre flying, sometimes me. "And when I heard 'New York Center calling Solar Impulse 2,' I thought, wow it's true, it's not a dream anymore. We are here. We are on the East Coast." Screen Shot 2016-05-26 at 2.28.17 PM.png Screenshot of interview of Ted (right) and James (left) Dresnok, sons of an American defector to North Korea. It was 1962 when James Joseph Dresnok, a American GI who was stationed in South Korea, walked across the North Korean border and officially defected. A long-time member of the North Korean propaganda machine, his sons are now taking up his mantle, according to the Washington Post. Ted and James Dresnok, who go by the Korean names Hong Sun Chol and Hong Chol respectively, have appeared in a new video on Minjok Tongshin, a pro-North Korean news service based in the U.S. In it, the brothers urge the United States to drop its policies that Ted Dresnok called "hostile." "I want to advise the U.S. to drop its hostile policy against North Korea. They've done enough wrong and now it's time for them to wake up from their delusions," Ted Dresnok said, according to a Post translation. Ted Dresnok works at a defense education facility and James Dresnok is a member of the North Korean army--his rank is the equivalent to a captain in the U.S. Army. "The U.S. keeps talking about the North Korean threat, but it seems that's the only way they can justify their East Asian strategy," James Dresnok said. "When the enemy makes nuclear weapons and threatens us with them, we make nuclear weapons to defend ourselves." Like their father, the brothers are stars of North Korean television and movies, often portraying Americans because of their Caucasian features. Their mother was a Romanian woman named Doina Bumbea, who was abducted and died in 2004, according to another American defector, Charles Jenkins. Jenkins was allowed to leave North Korea in 2004. James Joseph Dresnok married again, this time to the daughter of a North Korean woman and Togolese diplomat, and has another son named Tony. The life of James Joseph Dresnok was the subject of a BBC documentary called "Crossing the Line." "I wouldn't trade it for nothing," he told the BBC in the documentary. James Joseph Dresnok has not been heard of in several years, according to the Post. Instead his sons are taking up his role to praise the virtues of North Korea, though, the Post points out, it's unclear whether the men are being told what to say or extolling the virtues of the place they were born because they believe it. The Post has a longer translation of the interview, and the untranslated version can be seen below: The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has overturned a ruling that barred news groups across the state from accessing records about PPL's response to a major power outage during a snowstorm in October 2011. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court overturned a Commonwealth Court ruling that said PPL and the Public Utility Commission did not have to give the records to the news groups, including PA Media Group, publisher of PennLive.com and The Patriot-News. The news organizations sought paperwork detailing the PUC's investigation of PPL's response to a freak snowstorm on Oct. 29, 2011. The storm knocked out power for about 388,000 customers, many of whom were without electricity for more than 24 hours. The records include an anonymous letter a PPL employee sent to the PUC. The letter claimed PPL violated its own electric restoration policy during the storm, when it inexplicably sent crews from a high-priority area to a lower priority area. PPL settled with the PUC and paid a $60,000 fine in November of 2011. The Morning Call of Allentown and the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader each sought records about the PUC investigation through Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law in 2013. The PUC rejected the request. However, the state Office of Open Records said the records should be released under the state Public Utility Code. Other news groups, including PA Media Group, the Associated Press and Philadelphia Media Network, joined the fight to obtain the records, and the case wound its way through the courts. In issuing its ruling Wednesday, the Supreme Court said the law "clearly and unambiguously obligates disclosure." The ruling marks the end of a years-long court battle that brought news groups across the state together in the name of transparency. "This is good news for all Pennsylvanians and a big victory in the fight for open records in our state," said Cate Barron, vice president of content with PA Media Group. "It was also great to see media from across the state present a united front in this important effort." British Columbia Premier Christy Clark addresses the LNG in BC Conference in Vancouver, B.C., on Wednesday October 14, 2015. In Premier Christy Clark's vision of British Columbia's economic future, natural gas is the headliner as the province gears up to export billions of tonnes of liquefied natural gas from proposed West Coast projects.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, left to right, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, President of France Francois Hollande, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. President Barack Obama, Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, European Council President Donald Tusk, British Prime Minister David Cameron visit the Ise Grand Shrine (Ise Jingu) in Ise, Japan during the G7 Summit on Thursday, May 26, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick The head of the French oil industry lobby, Francis Duseux of the Union francaise des industries petrolieres, answers questions during an interview with The Associated Press at his office in Paris, France, Thursday May 26, 2016. Francis Duseux said gasoline shortages are improving however since the government started sending police to force open fuel depots blocked by striking workers. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 Trend: During a meeting of the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of Europe (PACE) in Tallinn, it was decided to send a delegation to observe the upcoming repeated parliamentary election in Azerbaijan, Samad Seyidov, head of Azerbaijani delegation to PACE, tweeted May 26. The repeated parliamentary election in the 90th Aghdash constituency has been scheduled for June 18. "Bureau unanimously adopted the proposal to send a delegation to Azerbaijan for elections observation," said Seyidov. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form A new reality star is born! Kourtney Kardashian and boyfriend Scott Disick have welcomed their second child, a daughter named Penelope Scotland Disick, born early Sunday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, reports E! News. Scott and I are overjoyed to welcome our precious angel Penelope Scotland Disick into our lives. We are forever blessed. Mommy and baby are resting comfortably, the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star who, with Disick, is already parent to 2-year-old son Mason told E! News. Their new arrival weighed 7 lbs., 14 oz., and was delivered via all-natural birth, according to the report. PHOTOS: Kourtney Kardashians Edgy, Eclectic Maternity Style It was a great. She had an easy delivery, matriarch Kris Jenner told E! [Penelope] is so cute. She looks just like Mason. Shes so beautiful. We are so happy. On Monday, sister Kim shared her elation on her blog, writing, The whole family is so thrilled to finally meet her! She is absolutely perfect! I am so excited to be an aunt again and cant wait to spoil little Penelope. I know Mason is going to be the best big brother in the whole world. And her sister, Khloe followed suit: Im an auntie again!!!!!!!!!! As Im sure you all know, my beautiful big sister gave birth yesterday to the most perfect baby girl youve EVER seen, she wrote on her blog. The entire family is literally exploding with joy and have not stopped fawning over our new little girl. And Mason is already loving being a big brother! This is just such a special and happy time for my family. Describing her pregnancy with Penelope, Kardashian, 33, told PEOPLE in April: I feel really good [though] this time I had a little more morning sickness. I think its a little bit harder being pregnant when you have a toddler Im chasing after. Last time I could nap more. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend: The Caucasian Muslims Office has issued a fatwa on the beginning of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. A meeting of the Board of Cadis of the Caucasian Muslims Office was held May 26, where a fatwa was issued on the beginning of the month of Ramadan. According to the fatwa, this year the first day of the month of Ramadan will fall on June 7, while festive prayer (namaz) will be committed on July 6. The holy month of Ramadan was sent down for the Muslims in the second year of Hegira. Ramadan teaches people to love Allah, to test their will and patience. It also teaches people to be wise and honest. EJPS receives COPS School Violence Prevention grant The district was one of eight in the state to receive funding for improving safety technology throughout the buildings. France uses strategic oil reserves to counter oil workers refinery blockade AFP Strike-hit France dips into fuel reserves PARIS Petroleumworld.com 05 26 2016 France has started using its strategic oil reserves for the first time since 2010 to counter union blockades of its refineries, the French oil industry federation said on Wednesday. Unions protesting against a planned labour reform are picketing refineries around the country. Coupled with some panic buying, the disruption has led to fuel shortages in large parts of France including Paris over the past week. France has strategic oil reserves worth several months of consumption on which it can draw in emergencies. They were last used when unions blocked refineries for several weeks in protest against pension reforms in 2010. Experts say French strategic oil reserves do not physically rise or fall, but that operators allocate volumes blocked in strike-hit refineries to strategic reserve obligations, freeing up other volumes in accessible locations. Union Francaise des Industries Petrolieres (UFIP) President Francis Duseux told RMC radio that the industry had been using the strategic reserves for two days. A spokeswoman confirmed that "a small quantity" had been used. "Every day we use the equivalent of about one day of consumption. At worst, if the situation remains very tense, we can do this for three months," Duseux said. He added that even if all refineries were stopped, France's pipeline system would still allow the industry to operate. Industry experts confirmed that the reserves - set up following the 1973-74 oil crisis and stored in some 85 sites around the country - account on average for about three months of consumption, or longer during the summer months when there is no fuel consumption for heating. They are composed of 44 percent of crude oil and 66 percent of refined products. Pemex and Lukoil discusses potential business opportunities Pemex discusses potential business opportunities with Lukoil MEXICO CITY Petroleumworld.com 05 26 2016 The chief executives of Mexican state oil company Pemex and Russian oil major Lukoil on Tuesday discussed potential joint business opportunities and the possibility of future cooperation, Pemex said on its Twitter account. Pemex's Jose Antonio Gonzalez Anaya and Lukoil's Vagit Alekperov met in Mexico, the Mexican company said, without stating what sort of cooperation they discussed. A Pemex spokesman could offer no further details. The Mexican government ended Pemex's 75-year-old oil and gas monopoly with a 2013 energy reform and since then the company has been on the lookout for partners for projects. I International Forum of Human Sciences "Great Steppe" organized by the International Turkish Academy has been held in the capital of Kazakhstan Astana. The Forum held at Nazarbayev Center was dedicated to the 25th Anniversary of the Turkic- speaking countries' Independence and Turk Writing Day. The State Secretary of Kazakhstan Gulshara Abdilkhalikova, official representatives from Turkish- speaking counties, as well as from many countries of the globe, heads of international organizations, representatives of diplomatic missions and experts and scientists from 20 countries participated in the Forum. A number of scientists were awarded the gold medal for their contributions to the development of Turkism by the Turkish Academy within the Forum. In addition, an outstanding representative of modern literature and a well- known public figure Olzhas Suleymanov was presented the "Honorary Diploma of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan" by Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Kazakhstan Rashad Mammadov. Azerbaijan was represented in a presentable event by the Vice- president of the National Academy of Sciences, Academician Isa Habibbayli, Rector of Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC), Chairman of the Turkish World Union of Economists, Professor Adalat Muradov, Director of ANAS Institute of Linguistics named after Nasimi, Professor Mohsun Naghisoylu, Professor of ANAS Institute of Archeology and Ethnography Zaur Hasanov and the members of Milli Majlis (Parliament) Javanshir Feyziyev and Sevinj Huseynova and the others. Rector of Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC), Chairman of the Turkish World Union of Economists, Professor Adalat Muradov made a report on "A New Field of Scientific Cooperation in Eurasia: The Turkish World Union of Economists" within the I panel of the Forum on "Scientific Cooperation and Integration in Eurasia: Research for Modern Approaches". Rector stressed in his speech the importance of necessity for closer scientific cooperation and integration in Eurasia. He said that the centuries- old scientific research related analysis and evaluation of the Turkic world states that the least explored habitat of this area is the economy. No doubt, it will always be difficult to nominate healthy scientific proposals without relying on an economic basis with the past and future of the Turkic world maintaining control of an important part of the world resources and opportunities with great cultural projects in history. Exactly in this logic, we UNEC have made long- term discussions with the International Turkic Academy and decided to create a new scientific cooperation plane to stimulate economic researches of Turkish world and conduct joint economic investigations. Emphasizing the core of work to be done as part of the scientific activities within the TWUE, Rector touched upon the issues which are necessary to give special attention. He said TWUE considers it necessary to conduct studies on economic history, prospects for economic development and evaluation of modern economic potential of the Turkish World. "To reveal the significant contributions to the production and trade culture of the world by the Turks who oversaw the international trade routes such as "Great Silk Way", "Fur Road" and "Spice Route", engaged in animal husbandry, agriculture, mining, textile, leather goods and crafts and called by ancient Chinese resources "smith" and its bringing to the world of science is of great importance in terms of both the Turkish economic history and the world economy", said A. Muradov. Referring to the modern economic potential of the Turkish Republics in his speech, A. Muradov said the Turkish Republics focused on themselves significant economic potential of the world and region with 140 million populations, 4.8 million km2 territories and 1.5 trillion dollars in GDP. These republics are, in addition, from the significant geographies where the world's energy resources are concentrated. Today, 3.5% of the world's oil reserves and 6.9% gas reserves are accounted for Turkish republics. In addition, their location in the world's most important trade and energy transit and transfer corridors preconditions to have a transit transportation, vast fertile and high potential of agriculture. As well as the rich history and nature shows its tourism potential and young, dynamic and well- educated population the heist human potential. The proper assessment of this capacity and reflecting the implementation of their national economic development programs, no doubt, will depend on the conduct of scientific research in this area. Muradov stressed the importance of economic research and educational empowerment of all Turkish language dialects. "Among the studies in this area could TWUE do we consider particularly important are the development of economic terms in Turkish Language, establishment of the prestigious economic journals in Turkish, the formation of social science citation index in Turkish and the development of a common teaching facilities to be used in higher education institutions. One of the most important steps to be taken in this direction can be the organization of Scientific Forums by TWUE on the "Turkish- speaking Countries' Cooperation Day" held on October 3 every year. We think it to be more effective to be held each of these forums in different cities of the Turkish World". Saying, we believe that one of the greatest services of TWUE can be the preparation of multi volume "Turkic World's Economic Encyclopedia", rector pointed the importance of developing the tradition of the Turkish ensyclopedists among the economists of the Turkic world. At the same time, he noted as one of the most necessary thing to be done in this area is the development of the catalogue of the theses written in Economics in Turkish Republics that can give a serious impetus to the rapid development of scientific cooperation in various fields among the economists. TWUE Chairman proposed the development of analytical publications and reports related with the Turkic world: "These can both contribute to the development of economic thought and be a convenient and reliable source of information to make economic decisions in this region. We have already made decisions in this area. Firstly in September of this year we are planning to implement e- edition of the "Turkic World Economic Monthly" of the TWUE. At the same time we have set a goal to publish a statistical report on "Socio- economic Indicators of the Turkic Republics" each year. Creating TWUE, we have taken the foundation of a new plane of the Turkish world, in general in Eurasia, said A. Muradov and highlighted that the activities of this organization and the activities it intends will open up new opportunities in our counties for the development of the training of economics and will contribute to the work on the implementation of the decisions made by our President including Cooperation Council of the Turkish- speaking Counties in science, education and economy. At the end of the event, Rector of UNEC invited the participants to be a member of TWUE and take active part in its performance. He noted that to be a member one should fill in the form from the official webpage of the Union http://turkib.unec.edu.az (individual or corporate) and email to TWUE Secretariat at [email protected] Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 Trend: Head of Nizami Ganjavi Scientific Centre at the University of Oxford on behalf of Azerbaijan professor Nargiz Pashayeva and head of Nizami Ganjavi Scientific Centre on behalf of UK, professor of Islamic History Robert Hoyland have held a meeting with the Member of the British Parliament, co-rapporteur of Council of Europe on Azerbaijan in 2003-2006 Lord Malcolm Bruce. Lord German, member of the House of Lords, co-chairman of the society on behalf of the UK, also attended the meeting, which featured the establishment of the British Foundation for the Study of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus. Bruce stood for parliament for a third time at the newly created seat of Gordon, based largely on the former Aberdeenshire West. Fairgrieve retired, and at the 1983 general election he was very narrowly elected and became the Liberal MP for Gordon with a majority of just 850, and has held the seat for more than twenty-five years. He is politically moderate, an outspoken opponent of coalition with the Labour Party. He also became Rector of the University of Dundee in 1986 for three years. In 1989 he was appointed as the Environment spokesman, before having the Scotland portfolio after 1990. After the 1992 general election, at which he narrowly held Gordon by just 274 votes, he again became the Trade and Industry spokesman. By 1994 he had become the Treasury spokesman. Whilst a Treasury spokesman, it was Bruce who developed the idea of a 'penny on income tax'. Bruce won Gordon for the fifth consecutive time at the 2001 general election with a still rising majority of 7,879. Following his re-election, Bruce became the Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in 2003. He is currently the Chairman of the International Development Committee. As the Chair of the International Development Select Committee since 2005, he has been scrutinizing the work of the Department of International Development. Professor Nargiz Pashayeva said the meeting was held on the eve of the 98th anniversary of the founding of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. She said Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was of special importance for Azerbaijanis. Professor Pashayeva highlighted the activity of Anglo-Azerbaijan Society, which she has co-chaired since 2007. She also spoke of the activity of the Scientific Centre of Azerbaijan and Caucasian Studies named after Nizami Ganjavi. Professor Nargiz Pashayeva hailed activities of head of the Nizami Ganjavi Scientific Centre on behalf of UK, professor of Islamic History Robert Hoyland, Professor of Persian Studies Edmund Herzig, Professors Paul Wordsworth, Nikoloz Aleksidze, Marek Jankowiak, Nick Evans, historical and anthropological archaeologist Irina Shingiray, and Maroussia Bednarkiewicz. Professor Nargiz Pashayeva proposed establishing the British Foundation for the Study of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus. The idea was born as a result of consultations with scholar and historian specializing in the medieval history of the Middle East Robert Hoyland, Professor at the University of St Andrews Andrew Peacock and Professor of Arabic Studies at University of Exeter Robert Gleave. The scholars are members of the Board of Trustees of the British Foundation. Professor Nargiz Pashayeva was elected as chairperson of the Board. Professor Pashayeva said the Foundation aimed to contribute to bilateral scientific, cultural, educational ties between the two countries. "The establishment of the British Foundation is a historical and cultural necessity," she said. Professor Nargiz Pashayeva invited Lord Malcolm Bruce to become a member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation. Lord Malcolm Bruce accepted the invitation. They agreed to hold the presentation of the Foundation in London in near future. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 Trend: The representatives of Azercell Telecom continue to meet students in the frame of "Career Days" events. This time the company joined a career event "First step in career" that took place at the Azerbaijan University. The representatives initially gave the visitors detailed information about Student Programs, including Summer Internship Program. It was informed that the Summer Internship Program started on May, 16 and over 200 applications have been received so far. The deadline for application is scheduled for May, 25. They pointed out that young students qualified in the selection process of Summer Internship Program will get an opportunity to work and get experience for three months in the company. Initial round of selection process involves the evaluation of application forms. Selected students and graduates will take various tests, exercises and also be interviewed by the company representatives. The selection is conducted based on academic achievements, knowledge and interests of the applicants in the field of specialization. In the final round, shortlisted candidates will take interviews. Internship at Azercell, leading company in telecommunications market, provides students with unique opportunities to apply their academic knowledge in a real working environment. In addition, students can get knowledge straight from the source in telecommunications industry and become engaged in exciting and demanding projects. The program also helps the further career development of the young fellows. Following the detailed information about student programs, the representatives gave some advice to young specialists striving to build career with Azercell. A special electronic address was created for enquiries. They also answered the questions of those wishing to get recruited by Azercell. Azercell Telecom continuously assists talented youth to build career and find their places in labor market. With its own initiative, Azercell has organized Career Days on a regular basis. Azercell Telecom LLC was founded in 1996 and since the first years sustains a leading position in the market. Azercell introduced number of technological innovations in Azerbaijan: GSM technology, advance payment mobile services, M2M,MobilBank, GPRS/EDGE (mobile internet), 24/7 Customer Care, full-time operating Azercell Express offices, mobile e-service "ASAN imza" (ASAN signature) and others. With 48,2% share of Azerbaijan's mobile market Azercell's network covers 99,8% of the country's population. In 2015, the number of Azercell's subscribers reached 4,5 million people. In 2011 Azercell deployed 3G and in 2012 the fourth generation network - LTE in Azerbaijan. The Company is the leader of Azerbaijan's mobile communication industry and the biggest investor in the non-oil sector. Azercell is a part of Telia Company Group of Companies serving 186 million subscribers in 17 countries worldwide with 27,000 employees. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 By Elena Kosolapova - Trend: The cooperation between Latvia and Azerbaijan has deepened in recent years, Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis said in an interview with The Business Year magazine. "I consider that there is still huge potential for the further expansion of our relations, especially in political, economic, and cultural areas," the president said. "I strongly believe that new initiatives to enrich our bilateral relations will be started and implemented during my four-year term as the president of Latvia," he added. The president stressed that Latvia highly appreciates open and constructive political dialogue with Azerbaijan. "Latvia is interested in expanding the cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of education," he said. "We also have good cooperation between Latvian and Azerbaijani experts at the local government level regarding the issues of healthcare, education, and migration, and we hope to facilitate this cooperation even more." "Apart from the already existing good cooperation between our countries in the field of transport and logistics, there is still much potential," he said. "The container train project ZUBR is one of the best practical examples for our further cooperation in this field," he said. "The ZUBR project could serve as a connector of transport systems between the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea." The president stressed that Azerbaijan is an important partner of the EU in the energy and transit sectors. "We highly value the role of Azerbaijan in the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor and the ongoing work on the expansion of the South Caucasus Pipeline, the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP), and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP)," he said. "Latvia, as a firm supporter of strengthening the relations between the EU and Azerbaijan, believes that the cooperation in the framework of the Eastern Partnership should be continued," the president said. The president stressed that an individual approach should be applied in cooperation with each Eastern Partnership country. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 By Anvar Mammadov - Trend: The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) sold $20 million to 11 banks through an auction held by the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA), SOFAZ said May 26. Meanwhile, CBA itself acquired $30 million at the auction. SOFAZ will continue selling foreign currency through auctions in 2016. The foreign currency is sold as part of SOFAZ's transfers to the Azerbaijani state budget, which are envisaged to stand at 7.615 billion Azerbaijani manats in 2016. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 By Anvar Mammadov - Trend: A special working group has been created in Azerbaijan for implementation of the Rasht-Astara railway project, said the message from Azerbaijan's Economy Ministry May 26. The construction of Rasht-Astara railway was discussed during a meeting between Azerbaijan's Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev and Iran's Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mahmoud Vaezi, said the message. Shahin Mustafayev is on an official visit to Iran. During the meeting, the ministers emphasized the importance of cooperation in the sphere of transportation for expanding the relations between Iran and Azerbaijan. They also reviewed the process of construction of the Qazvin-Rasht railway line and preparations for the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway. During the meeting, it was noted that the first stage of the work on the North-South transportation corridor is planned to the completed by late 2016. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Anvar_Mammadov Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 26 By Huseyn Hasanov- Trend: Turkmenistan has great prospects for partnership with the EU in the Turkmen gas supply to Europe, said Myratgeldi Meredov, Turkmen oil and gas minister. Meredov made this statement at the 7th International Gas Congress held in Avaza national tourist zone May 20-21. Meredov said that for this purpose, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey and the EU agreed on a declaration on the development of cooperation in the field of energy. A meeting was held with the participation of energy ministers of Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey and representatives of the European Commission in Ashgabat about a year ago. The priorities on diversification of the routes for supplying energy resources to the world markets, as well as in the European direction, envisaging the creation of a joint multi-variant pipeline infrastructure were discussed at the meeting. Turkmenistan, which ranks fourth in the world on biggest gas reserves, is one of the key players on the energy market in the Caspian region and Central Asia. "I would like to stress that a powerful resource base gives grounds to conclude long-term contracts on stable supply of energy resources," Meredov said, adding that at present, Turkmenistan exports its gas to China and Iran. The minister added that the East-West gas pipeline will play a role in ensuring the stability and reliability of Turkmen gas supply to the international markets. "It is possible to supply gas both in eastern and perspective western directions via the East-West gas pipeline, constructed in December 2015," the minister said, adding that this will further strengthen the guarantees of security and reliability of energy supplies to the international markets." Ashgabat believes that the consent of the sides, covered by the project, that is, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, is sufficient for laying the pipe through the bottom of the Caspian Sea, the legal status of which has not yet been defined. Azerbaijan expressed its readiness to deliver its territory, transit opportunities and infrastructure for implementing the project. It's a great time to go outdoors and look at planets. I have three glorious planetary portraits to share today, sent to me by amateur astronomer Jean-Luc Dauvergne. He's been observing for the last week, he said, from Pic du Midi Observatory in the French Pyrenees, using a 1-meter telescope built in 1963 to perform lunar mapping to prepare for the Apollo missions. Mars is much in the news right now, as it was at opposition on May 22 and it will be closer to Earth than it has been for 11 years on May 30. Its orange glow is easy to spot in the night sky, even from inside a building. That means that it's an especially good time to view it from Earth-based observatories. Enjoy the clouds above Mars' great volcanoes, and give a little wave to Gale crater, where Curiosity is toiling away. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 By Aygun Badalova - Trend: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has started talks with Azerbaijan and Turkey on its possible financing of the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline (TANAP), Reuters reported with the reference to Svitlana Pyrkalo, the EBRD's principal adviser. "We have started talks with the Azerbaijani government on the issue of financing, but it's too early to talk about figures," Pyrkalo said. She said that issue was a key topic in talks between Azerbaijani officials and EBRD President Suma Chakrabarti in Baku. TANAP project envisages transportation of gas of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field from Georgian-Turkish border to the western borders of Turkey. Turkey will get gas in 2018 and after completing the construction of Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), it will be delivered to Europe in early 2020. The project's total cost is estimated at $9.8 billion. Currently, the shareholders of TANAP are: SOCAR - 58 percent, Botas - 30 percent and BP - 12 percent. Earlier EBRD managing director of energy Riccardo Puliti said in an interview to Reuters that bank is considering financing of up to 1.5 billion euros for TAP. "We are considering up to 500 million euros of our own money for TAP plus we will try to arrange with other banks up to 1 billion euros in a syndicated loan," Puliti said. Tehran, Iran, May 25 By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend: It is true that Iran has nearly reclaimed its pre-sanctions oil output, but whether the country will consider a freeze to the output growth depends on the government's policies, said Mohammad Ali Khatibi, former Iranian representative in OPEC. Therefore it is not clear how the country will respond to the freeze trend at the upcoming OPEC meeting, Khatibi told Trend May 25. Iran increased its oil output from 1 mbpd in January when it was about to be released from sanctions to the current 2.2 mbpd. The country has defied calls from other oil producers to hold their outputs at their January levels. Iran says since it suffered a decline from 2.3 mbpd to 1 mbpd under sanctions, it is entitled to seeking its old quota before considering any freeze. Speaking about how OPEC handles the market, Khatibi said the organization can regulate the market only if it first manages to reach some internal harmony. Saudi Arabia was among the countries that tried to represent Iran as the rebellious OPEC member by refusing the freeze. But Iran, which had been left alone for years by world powers, now felt the OPEC was intending to have a similar approach to the world powers. Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said the call to freeze was only another set of sanctions in disguise, arrived just in time to replace the previous oil embargo. Plans for a deal between OPEC and non-OPEC producers to shore up crude prices by freezing output fell apart in April when Saudi Arabia demanded that Iran, its main rival for influence in the region, participates as well. Iran's refusal caused crude prices jump by 2 percent on March 14. Tehran, however has boosted crude output at the expense of prices. The oil-dependent country is severely short of incomes, and is still fighting the foreign pressure. A meeting of the OPEC exporter group, including Iran, is scheduled for June 2. That event will probably be a scene to see whether Iran will try to punish its rival for triggering a downward price race over a year ago or it will prove to be more of an OPEC member to help improve prices now that it has redeemed its rightful quota. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print * The following is an opinion column by R Muse * Over the past few years Americans who arent African American have learned that there are more than a few things law enforcement officers will not tolerate from Blacks. For African American males, regardless of age, something as innocent as walking, driving, shopping, or selling a cigarette can result in police shooting them to death or being beaten and choked within an inch of their lives only to die in jail. For a young teen in Virginia, picking up his free school lunch carton of milk in the cafeteria lunch line didnt get him shot and killed by a school police officer; he was fortunate. But it did get him roughed-up, handcuffed, charged with theft, suspended from school, and ordered to appear in juvenile court to face the charge of larceny. All for being Black while picking up a carton of milk as part of the free lunch program; and being fidgety during interrogation after being handcuffed and charged with theft. The incident reported by WTVR occurred at the Graham Park Middle School in Triangle Virginia when Ryan Turk picked up his milk in the cafeteria lunch line. That act apparently did not sit well with a Prince William County police officer who accused the student of stealing the milk and then becoming disorderly when the officer grabbed and handcuffed him. The teen did not deny pulling back from the police officer after he was grabbed; I yanked away from him I told him to get off of me because hes not my Dad, the middle school student said. The student was then handcuffed and hauled to the principals office and searched for drugs; likely because he was one of those kinds of African Americans who was not enthralled at being handcuffed and accused of stealing his free school lunch carton of milk. Because he had the temerity to pick up his free milk from the lunch line, young black teen Ryan Turk was charged with larceny and ordered to appear in Juvenile Court. The youngsters mother, Shamise Turk, said what any parent would say in a similar situation regardless of their racial makeup. This is ridiculous this is beyond embarrassing. Im angry, Im frustrated, Im mad. It just went too far. They are charging him with larceny, which I dont have any understanding as to why he is being charged with larceny when he was entitled to that milk from the beginning. As his mother stated, Ryan Turk was entitled to that milk because he is enrolled in the schools free lunch program. Still, the school and police charged him with larceny because they claimed he tried to conceal the milk; it is a claim Ryan Tucker denied and frankly doesnt make any sense whatsoever. Racism hardly ever makes sense though. A spokesperson for the school said that in addition to law enforcement charging the student with larceny, administrators were anxious to take their own punitive action. They suspended the child for theft, being disrespectful at being manhandled, handcuffed, interrogated and charged with theft, and for using his cell phone. The schools spokesperson defended the suspension saying, The need for disciplinary action is determined by how a student behaves throughout any given incident. Apparently being fidgety while handcuffed and under interrogation warrants disciplinary action if the student is African American. The school and police asserted that Ryan, after being grabbed by the cop, handcuffed and taken to be interrogated was fidgety during questioning in the principals office. Of course he was fidgety; any middle school student would be fidgety after being grabbed by a police officer, handcuffed, charged with theft and hauled to the office for interrogation. The sad fact is this is not an unusual scene in the nations schools any more than unarmed African Americans being murdered on the streets by law enforcement officials. According to Think Progress, the increased police presence in schools coupled with a lack of law enforcement training where conflicts have to be resolved differently, creates a nasty environment for students; especially students of color where they receive harsh discipline for minor indiscretions. In Ryan Tuckers case, it was harsh treatment, unfair discipline, and a criminal charge for no crime; unless being Black in the cafeteria lunch line is now a crime. In fact, there is overwhelming documentation that students of color, disabled students and LGBT students receive a disproportionate amount of discipline. In a report from the Center for Civil Rights Remedies at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) that analyzed U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights data, African American students are four times as likely to be suspended as white students. Stanford University research reveals that racial bias even factors into teachers decisions about discipline even though teachers in the study likely didnt let racial stereotypes guide their reaction to a students first infraction. However, after the second infraction, no matter how minor such as coming in late for class, teachers judged African American students more severely than white students. This is a troubling fact because any incident of school disciplinary action, even without police involved, affects the students entire academic career; particularly if the apply to attend college where they are required to answer questions about discipline. Those answers, and a students cumulative file, as well college background checks definitely influence whether a student is admitted to a place of higher learning according to several surveys. Destroying a students chance of being admitted to an institution of higher education based on disciplinary records is such an issue that the U.S. Department of Education urged colleges, and the nonprofits devising admission applications, to either change the way they ask these questions or avoid doing so at all. In the Virginia middle school students case, even though he did nothing more than pick up his free lunch carton of milk and fidget while being handcuffed and interrogated, when he applies to a college his non-crime, unfair suspension, and appearance in juvenile court will negatively impact his admission. Experts claim better training for law enforcement officers posted in schools will remedy the problem, but no amount of training is ever going to remedy racism. It is bad enough that an African American male, no matter what age, has to endure the daily risk of being shot and killed by police for walking, driving or shopping while Black. But it is beyond the pale and a dirty abomination that they have to fear being grabbed, handcuffed, suspended from middle school, and appear in juvenile court for picking up their free carton of milk in a cafeteria lunch line. It informs that America is devolving back into the pre-Civil War nation where it is dangerous just existing as a person of color. And, it is precisely the kind of nation a very significant number of Americans lust after and why Donald Trump is the Republicans nominee for president. RUSH LIMBAUGH (HOST): Mike in Washington D.C. lets get started on the phones here. Great to have you here sir. Hello. MIKE STARK: Hey Rush, just one second here, you caught me in the library and I didnt think you were going to get through this hour. Ok Im good Im outside. Sorry, I apologize. I wanted to say that Im reminded so much of the 90s after this IG report. You know there are a lot of good reasons people wouldnt want to cooperate that have nothing to do with guilt or innocence. Look at all the people in the 90s that were bankrupted over legal fees. The cheapest way to avoid that, is to say nothing to the prosecutors, they dont tell you what theyre investigating. You know knowledge of the law is no excuse. The cheapest thing to do is to just say nothing. I mean this is kind of like you not announcing the price of your next contract is a tacit admission that flush Rush got you bad man. LIMBAUGH: I gather what you are talking about here is the back to the Clinton scandals in the 90s. I guess you are talking about tort reform somewhere in there. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print While speaking to reporters in North Dakota, Donald Trump announced that Bernie Sanders is going to have to pay to debate him, and he would have to get $10 million from Sanders to participate in the charity debate. Video: Trump said: Oh, Id love to debate Bernie. Hes a dream. Well, I said, and I said last night on Jimmys show, it was a question that was posed, and I said Id love to debate him, but Id want a lot of money to be put up for charity, so what well do is if we can raise maybe for womens health issues or something if we can raise $10 or $15 million for charity, which would be a very appropriate amount. I understand the television business very well. It would get very high ratings. It should be in a big arena somewhere, and we could have a lot of fun with it. Id love to debate Bernie. Actually, I mean the problem with debating Bernie is that hes gonna lose. .. The biggest problem I have is if Bernies not going to win, but Id debate him any way if theyd want to put up money for charityIts true, but theyd have to pay a lot of money for it, because look, Im in first place. I won. Id say something over $10 million. Trump knows that the Sanders campaign does not have $10 million extra dollars. The Sanders campaign began May with $5.8 million and is dealing with a cash crunch. Bernie Sanders is also trying to win the remaining primary states. What Trump is suggesting is that Sanders take money that could be used to win in California and spend it on funding a debate with Donald Trump. Trump is trying to get out of debating Bernie Sanders by specifying that the money had to come for Sanders. The Sanders campaign nor the candidate has that kind of cash, so Donald Trump is weaseling out of debating Bernie Sanders by imposing an impossible to meet condition on the debate. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print During his speech supposedly on energy policy in North Dakota, Donald Trump told voters that only rich people can be great. Video: https://youtu.be/74MIwmvDuFc?t=48m8s Trump said, There is one more thing that we have to do to make America wealthy again, and you have to be wealthy in order to be great. Im sorry to say it..Well build the wall. Were going to build the wall. Believe me. Were going to build the wall. In Donald Trumps view greatness only comes with wealth. People who dedicate their lives to helping others for low pay arent great. Public servants who risk their lives as police officers, firefighters, or serving in the military arent great. To Trump, greatness is defined by the size of your bank account. Everything that Democrats have been saying about Trump is true. The Republican nominee just confirmed it himself. All that matters to Trump is money. Trump defines the worth of human beings by their own personal wealth. Trump doesnt believe in economic opportunity for others. He is only concerned with making money. Donald Trump really doesnt care about bringing jobs back the US that have gone overseas. Trump isnt about workers. US workers are losers who arent rich. Donald Trump sells himself as the populist billionaire, but the Republican Party is now going to be forced to defend Trumps belief that only the wealthy are capable of greatness. Republicans already had a ton of problems heading into this election, but the fact that their nominee has turned into Mitt Romney on steroids is the last thing that they needed. If the message behind Trumps campaign is going to be that everyone who isnt wealthy is incapable of greatness, its going to be a very long election for the GOP. Trump is taking the mistakes that Mitt Romney made in 2012 to a whole new level, and in the process creating massive headaches for the Republican Party. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 By Aygun Badalova - Trend: More gas will be available for the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project, which envisages the transportation of the Caspian gas to European markets, the Voice of America reported referring to Founder Director of the Global Energy Center at the Atlantic Council, former US ambassador to Azerbaijan, Richard Morningstar. "There are other opportunities off the coast of Azerbaijan. There is still possibility to import gas from Turkmenistan. Eastern Mediterranean gas could ultimately go into that pipeline, as well as gas from the Kurdish fields in Iraq," Morningstar said. "There are definitely other possibilities," he added. TAP project, is not the only solution to the European energy security, but it will help, according to Morningstar. There will be 10 billion cubic meters coming to Europe through the TAP pipeline, which will add competition to the European market, he said. "But Europe has to do a whole a lot of other things - building interconnections, importing more LNG, developing its renewable markets, developing more storage facilities, energy efficiency, and all the rest," Morningstar added. TAP project envisages transportation of gas from the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas and condensate field to the EU countries. The 870-kilometer pipeline will be connected to the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) on the Turkish-Greek border, run through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Italy's south. TAP's shareholding is comprised of BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam S.p.A. (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagas (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent). A ceremony marking the beginning of construction for the project was held on Tuesday, 17 May in Thessaloniki. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 By Anvar Mammadov - Trend: Azerbaijan has produced 398 million tons of oil from the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) block of oil and gas fields since November 1997, said Khoshbakht Yusifzade, first vice-president of Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR. He made the remarks at a meeting held in the House of Scientists of Azerbaijan's National Academy of Sciences May 26. Yusifzade added that 220 million tons of this volume accounted for Azerbaijan's profitable oil. The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) received $1.493 billion in January-April 2016 as part of the implementation of the ACG project. The contract for developing the ACG field was signed in 1994. The proven oil reserve of the block nears 1 billion tons. The shareholders of the project are: BP (operator in the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli) - 35.78 percent, Chevron - 11.27 percent, Inpex - 10.96 percent, AzACG - 11.65 percent, Statoil - 8.56 percent, Exxon - 8 percent, TPAO - 6.75 percent, Itocu - 4.3 percent and ONGC - 2.72 percent. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Anvar_Mammadov Portfolio English Edition's premium content is available only for subscribers Learn about the hottest news of the day, along with immediate follow-up analyses and 1000's of exclusive articles with full access to the premium content. Register and apply for a 14 days free trial period. Northwest Rochester could be home to a new Kwik Trip and lots of other businesses. A developer on Wednesday received approval for a preliminary plat, nearly five years after establishing a general development plan with the city of Rochester. Northwest Investments, a development subsidiary of Kwik Trip, proposed to develop 50 acres at the northwest corner of West Circle Drive Northwest and Valleyhigh Road Northwest. The company plans to place a Kwik Trip convenience store on Valleyhigh Road near the intersection with Superior Drive Northwest, according to Hans Zietlow, Northwest Investments director of real estate. The preliminary plan laid out 17 lots and one outlot. The vacant lots could be poised for development by other, high-end users, Zietlow said. "There's some interesting people knocking on the door," Zietlow said. "I do believe that there are some high-end uses that are not presently in Rochester that are looking, and if we can get this thing pad ready and with the streets in, and free-standing lots with city streets ... we have a chance to draw in some interesting higher-end folks into the city." The Rochester City Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the plan by an 8-0 vote, adding 17 conditions. The commission removed one condition that had been recommended by Olmsted County Public Works the condition would have ensured the county was not responsible for construction of a traffic signal on the new roads in the development. ADVERTISEMENT Commission chairman Michael Walters said he was unsure it was the commission's duty to decide who should and should not fund construction of the traffic signal. Northwest Investments had a general development plan approved for the site in October 2011. The preliminary plat will move to the Rochester City Council for its review. Also at the meeting: Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge will add a second building to its facilities at Assisi Heights to create a 74-bed women's drug rehabilitation center. The organization on Wednesday received approval for a conditional-use permit from the city of Rochester, clearing the way to construct a second, 30,000-square-foot building. The organization already has a 100-unit men's rehabilitation center at the Assisi Heights site. The Academy of Our Lady of Lourdes the corporate title of Sisters of the Third Order Regular of Saint Francis of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes submitted a letter of support for the group residential facility. The Rochester City Council approved a plat for the new facility at its May 16 meeting. The City Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday voted 8-0 to approve a conditional-use permit granting the group residential use. A final plat will have to be approved for the site before building permits are issued, according to city planning staff. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 By Fatih Karimov - Trend: Iran's Ghadir Investment Company has reached preliminary agreements with several European companies on various oil, gas, petrochemical, power plant, cement, ICT and infrastructure projects worth some three billion euros, said the company's managing director Gholamreza Soleimani. Agreements on certain projects worth about one billion euros will be finalized soon, Soleimani, said, adding that technical negotiations are underway regarding the other projects, Iran's IRIB news agency reported May 26. Alongside firms from Italy, Greece, Germany, Spain, Czech and France, the Iranian investment company has signed MoUs with Asian firms from China, South Korea and Singapore, Soleimani said. He further said that Ghadir works with foreign firms in three forms including Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing Contracts (EPCF), Joint ventures and Project Finance. Transfer of technology into Iran is also one of the issues which is envisaged in the signed deals, he added. Ghadir currently is implementing various projects worth $8.5 billion across the country, Soleimani said. The Iranian government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht said in mid-May that the Islamic Republic has issued permissions for $3.418 billion foreign direct investment following the implementation of the nuclear deal last January. Iran will receive $73 billion in credit lines from international financial institutes as well, Nobakht added. Earlier Iranian Deputy Minister of Economy Mohammad Khazaei said Tehran considers luring in $25 billion worth of foreign investment to spend on the country's development projects. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 By Umid Niayesh - Trend: Iran sees OPEC as an organization that has lost its control over the oil market, says Fereydoun Barkeshli, the National Iranian Oil Company's former general manager for OPEC and international affairs. He made the remarks May 26 responding to Trend's question regarding Iran's possible support for the oil freezing plan at the upcoming OPEC meeting, which is scheduled for June 2. Barkeshli, currently a private energy consultant and president of the Vienna Energy Research Group, said the upcoming 169th OPEC meeting will resemble the meetings held in the 1980s and 1990s. "At that time [in 80s and 90s] there was the Iran-Iraq war, there was killing of Iranians in Mecca. Ministers [of OPEC countries] were so much at odds with each other that sometimes even inside the conference halls they did not look at each other and had no eye contacts," he said. "However, even during those bad and difficult days some important decisions were made that helped stabilize the oil market." "And now Iran and Saudi Arabia have no political relations or embassies. And there is the killing of some pro-Iranian religious leaders [in Saudi Arabia], and the Yemen war. There are so many geopolitical disturbances, and the oil price and market stability stand in the middle of all this," Barkeshli explained. OPEC's meetings this year for freezing oil output - first between Saudi Arabia, Russia, Venezuela and Qatar and then between nearly all the OPEC and non-OPEC producers - failed because Iran refused to cooperate and discontinue the output boost after removal of oil embargos, says the expert. He said Iran doesn't see the output freeze as the business of an organization which is entrusted to regulate and stabilize the oil market. Barkeshli further noted that for Iran, OPEC began to lose its control over the oil market back in November 2014 when the organization officially abandoned the production ceiling. "Price band or price target was left to the international market forces even before that. As such, OPEC is now an organization with no production ceiling and no price target," he said. "Having said that, the output freeze policy is a positive move towards OPEC's getting back on its feet again, but provided that major non-OPEC giant, Russia cooperates," according to Barkeshli. "OPEC has to put its house in order, needs production ceiling, quota and price level or price band," he further said, adding the current consensus amongst most OPEC members is around $65 to $75 per barrel and market fundamentals show positive responses. On the other hand, Barkeshli said, some OPEC producers, such as Venezuela, Nigeria and Angola, have long ago signed barter arrangements with some countries, as for instance with China, India or South Koreas and as such, the low oil prices are in the interests of China and some other South Eastern Asia and eastern European countries. "This indicates that those countries are trying hard to keep oil prices low, so that they receive more oil for their barter trades," he added. "As for Iran, the country doesn't favor the [output] freeze, though it has no objections if other [OPEC] members opt for that policy," said Barkeshli. The Islamic Republic has earlier defied calls from other oil producers to hold its output at the January levels. Iran says since it suffered a decline from 2.3 million barrels per day of crude export to 1 million barrels per day under sanctions, it is entitled to seek its old quota before considering any freeze. One of the most important issues in the June 2 Ministerial OPEC Conference is the appointment of a new OPEC Secretary General that will certainly enhance the performance of OPEC Secretariat. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 By Emil Ilgar - Trend: Iran and Russia discussed the construction of the second nuclear power plant in Bushehr on May 26, reports the official website of Iran's Embassy in Russia. According to the report, Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, as well as Mehdi Sanaei, Iran's ambassador to Moscow, met with Rosatom CEO Sergei Kiriyenko in Russia. "The date of the groundbreaking ceremony for the second nuclear power plant was discussed," the report said, without giving further information. The report said the two countries have reached an agreement on the framework of the nuclear power plant construction project. Russia, which completed the construction of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, says it eyes the construction of new nuclear plants in the Islamic Republic. Russian TASS news agency quoted a source at Rosatom as saying on May 17 that Rosatom intends to start engineering of the Bushehr-2 nuclear power plant in Iran before late 2016, after endorsement of parameters by the customer. TASS reported that the construction of the new nuclear power units in Iran may start in the next two years. Meanwhile, Alexander Novak, the Russian energy minister, said last October that the construction of the Bushehr-2 is estimated to cost about $11 billion. In November 2014, Tehran and Moscow struck a deal to build eight more nuclear power plants in Iran. PRESTON A Spring Valley man faces multiple felonies after authorities say he kicked in the door of a woman's house and wouldn't let her leave for hours. Travis Garrett Hyland, 30, made his first appearance Monday in Fillmore County District Court, where he's been charged with two counts of first-degree burglary, two counts of kidnapping, one count each of second- and third-degree burglary, two counts of fifth-degree assault and one count each of domestic assault and false imprisonment all felonies. He's also been charged with gross misdemeanor counts of domestic assault, fifth-degree assault, assault, and interfering with an emergency telephone call. Hyland remains in custody in lieu of $10,000 conditional bond and is due back in court June 6. The case began about 7 p.m. May 16, when a relative of the victim asked the sheriff's office to check on her. ADVERTISEMENT The woman invited the deputy into her home; as he entered, the deputy saw the trim from the door lying on the floor. The door was dented, with a shoe print in the middle of the dent. The victim said Hyland had kicked her door in and "wrecked stuff inside," the complaint says. She told the officer Hyland had come over the night before with more than $100 worth of methamphetamine and was allegedly very high. Hyland owed her money, court documents say, so the woman agreed to let him work off the debt by helping her with projects. Hyland mowed her lawn, then began to get angry, so the woman told him to leave. When Hyland walked outside, the woman locked the door of the house, which is when he reportedly kicked the door open. Hyland grabbed the victim's phone and broke it, the complaint says, then grabbed the woman by the hair and dragged her down the basement steps. Hyland "begged her to kill him" with a large kitchen knife, the reports say, then made the victim sit in a chair "and look at herself in the mirror" for about 30 minutes. The woman said Hyland held her down several times, allegedly holding his hand over her mouth to keep her quiet. The deputy saw broken glass in the basement that appeared to be a meth pipe, and noted injuries to the woman, including a bruised arm, a bruise on her chin and a cut on her upper lip. A review of Hyland's criminal history indicates three misdemeanor domestic assault convictions in 2015, all against the same woman the alleged victim in this case. A Rochester man accused of assaulting a woman, then stealing her money and medication, was sentenced Wednesday to a stayed prison term and jail time already served. Kevin Ladell Mitchell, 30, was charged in August with one count each of first-degree aggravated robbery and domestic assault, both felonies. He pleaded guilty in November to the assault charge; in exchange for the plea, the robbery charge was dismissed. In addition to the 18-month prison term stayed for five years Olmsted County District Court Judge Pamela King ordered Mitchell to complete treatment for chemical dependency and domestic abuse and to obtain his General Education Diploma, among other conditions. The charges stem from an incident July 8, when a woman called police to report an assault by Mitchell. The woman said the two had been in a relationship, but were separated while Mitchell was in prison. When the victim came home that morning, Mitchell became angry, pulled her hair and punched her in the face while holding her by the throat, the complaint says. ADVERTISEMENT After the alleged assault, Mitchell took $500 in cash and three bottles of prescription medication out of her purse and fled, court documents say. Witnesses at the apartment complex said they'd seen Mitchell run through the yard and climb over a 6-foot privacy fence a few minutes before officers arrived. According to the complaint, the woman had bleeding scratches on her chest and redness on her left cheek. A review of Mitchell's criminal history reveals two prior convictions for domestic assault as well as multiple drug convictions. The Rochester police officer accused of posting "racially charged and offensive" messages to social media earlier this year will be suspended without pay for 10 days. Officer Ben Schlag has been on administrative leave since Feb. 18, the day after a citizens group contacted Rochester Police Chief Roger Peterson and other city officials to point out offensive and racially charged posts on a Facebook page that allegedly belonged to Schlag. The department began an internal investigation but later concluded that due to a possible conflict of interest, a third-party investigator was needed. The department also placed its professional standards manager, Scott Hildebrand, on paid leave. Hildebrand would have conducted the internal investigation. The city then hired Twin Cities-based attorney Michelle Soldo to conduct the investigation. A Twin Cities-based group called Me to We Racial Healing sent a letter on Feb. 17 to Peterson and Rochester Mayor Ardell Brede calling for an immediate investigation of Schlag. That letter included screenshots of Facebook posts on Schlag's page. They included an image posted Nov. 17 of a car running over protesters and the words "Nobody cares about your protest." Written above the picture were the words "GET A JOB." Two days before the post, Jamar Clark, a 24-year-old black man, was fatally shot by police in Minneapolis. The next day, Black Lives Matter Minneapolis led a demonstration on Interstate 94 in the Twin Cities. ADVERTISEMENT On Nov. 26, an image was posted on Schlag's Facebook page that stated "studies show that Muslim Radicals are less prone to violence after they've been shot in the (expletive) face." Snapshots of several other posts also were shared in the letter. The group wrote that those posts "indicated significant prejudice towards black people, Muslims and civil rights activists." The posts soon were removed from public view. While acknowledging the images are "unacceptable" and "clearly offensive to our community, they were not reflective of the values Ben has demonstrated in his personal and professional life," Peterson said in a statement. "I know many people believe Ben should be terminated as a result of this incident," he went on. "I understand that and, to be frank, that would be the easy thing to do in this case. I don't, however, believe it would be the right thing to do." In addition to the 105 hours of unpaid leave, Schlag "will attend classes and complete assignments relating to cultural dynamics and their impact on his work and his relationships with the community," Peterson said, paying for the classes himself. W.C. Jordan, president of the Rochester chapter of the NAACP and a member of the Rochester Police Oversight Committee, is one of the people who believes Schlag should have been terminated from his job. "I believe he has the right to express his opinion, but at the same time, in the position that he has, where he's going to make decisions in the moment, with all of the diverse population that we have here if those are the thoughts in the back of his mind those decisions are not going to be fair and equitable," Jordan said this morning. The department didn't have a social media policy before the incident, "so it fell on the (police department's) Code of Conduct to make some kind of decision," he said. "But regardless where the decision is coming from, it shows a certain amount of support from police administration over this kind of racial stance," Jordan continued. "Chief Peterson has to be the chief of police for all of the people, not just some of the people. The posts were very direct toward the minority communities." ADVERTISEMENT The decision made to suspend Schlag for 10 days, he said, makes "it look more like the police department is not coming out denouncing that kind of behavior." Instead, "it's one where they're going to tolerate that kind of behavior from people who pull black and brown people over every day and have to make a decision on whether they're going to arrest them, whether they're going to Taze them or whether they could possibly even be killed," Jordan said. A draft of a social media policy has been given to a POC sub-committee for review, but "in light of this decision, the Police Oversight Committee probably needs to give stronger recommendations, independent of the police department," he said. Schlag, a veteran who served in Iraq, has been with the Rochester Police Department for five years, receiving 12 letters of appreciation and a life-saving award. Until the social media posts, he never had generated a complaint, Peterson said. Still, "if we are to gain from that experience, we have to be willing to do what is required of us to rebuild relationships and restore the faith and trust of those we serve." Soldo was paid on an hourly basis: $140 per hour plus travel expenses, said Linda Hillenbrand, city human resources director. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 By Khalid Kazimov - Trend: The Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov and Deputy Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Reza Seifollahi discussed expansion of bilateral ties at a meeting in Russia's Chechen Republic. Seifollahi arrived in the Chechen Republic to attend the 7th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues, IRNA news agency reported May 26. According to the report, at the meeting Ramzan Kadyrov called for expansion of bilateral ties with Iran. In turn, Seifollahi welcomed bilateral cooperation and praised Kadyrov's contribution to establishing security and stability in the Chechen Republic. The two-day conference discussing fight against extremism and terrorism wrapped up in the Chechen capital of Grozny on May 25. Some 75 countries participated in the conference. Bilateral trade exchanges between Iran and Switzerland will triple in the next two or three years, Swiss Ambassador to Iran Julio Hass said on Thursday, IRNA reported. He made the remarks during his visit to the city of Kashan, a common tourist destination in Isfahan Province, south of Tehran. The envoy voiced optimism over boosting bilateral ties between Iran and Switzerland, adding that several Swiss companies are planning to invest in Iran. Hass also said his country is interest in investing billions of dollars in Iran. There is good potential for investment in Kashan, he said. Dear Answer Man, in the April 21 paper , an article stated that preliminary plans call for adding 16,000 parking spaces in Rochester. Is this in the DMC area only, or all of Rochester? If limited to the DMC area, how much parking is there now? -- Steve Harper That's a lot of parking, isn't it? Every man, woman and child in Byron, Kasson, Dodge Center, Hayfield and Brownsdale could have one of those new parking spaces and there'd still be room for all the residents of Dexter. That figure was cited by Rochester's Assistant City Administrator Gary Neumann, who said that over the next 20 years, about $1.8 billion in infrastructure spending is planned as part of Destination Medical Center , including $720 million to add 16,000 more parking spaces. I took a spin through the Biblical-length DMC Development Plan and was able to find a factoid about $79 million to be spent on creating 3,147 new parking spaces as an "early phase improvement" for DMC, but frankly, I have potato salad and pies to make for Memorial Day weekend and don't have time to review both the Old Testament and New Testament. I contacted Gary and he said that on short notice, he's also hard-pressed to find the precise source of that 16,000 figure, but it's accurate, he said, and it just applies to the DMC development district area, which is mostly downtown and around the Saint Marys Hospital area. FYI, the current array of city ramps downtown have about 3,000 parking spaces . ADVERTISEMENT Here's another quick DMC-related question before I get back into the kitchen: Dear Answer Man, refresh my memory: When were the DMC "sub-districts" created and were they put into state law or can they be modified? Was the Saint Marys Place sub-district expanded to accommodate the proposed luxury apartment project west of the hospital? This is an excellent question, and frankly, the Post-Bulletin archives are fairly mute on how the lines of the district were drawn. One of my associates talked with a DMC official a few weeks ago and was told that the boundaries of the sub-districts were laid out in the 2013 enabling legislation , but that's not quite accurate. The statute says only that "as part of the development plan, the (DMC) corporation may create and define the boundaries of medical center development districts and subdistricts at any place or places within the city. Projects may be undertaken within defined medical center development districts consistent with the development plan." The six sub-districts were included as part of the DMC Development Plan ( page 13 of the executive summary, if you bother to open the PDF online) , which was approved in March 2015 . (There was council discussion about the exact outlines of the sub-districts at that time.) The boundaries of the development district are important, needless to say, because it's the property owners and features within those boundaries that are eliglble for the pot of gold of DMC money, tax breaks, etc. Mary Welder, communications director for the DMC Economic Development Agency, says the Saint Marys sub-district hasn't been expanded. "The development plan, which includes the district boundary, may be updated at any time and at least every five years. Per statute, modification of the plan must follow the same process that adoption of the plan did, including public hearing and posting, board approval, and council approval. "Bottom line: the plan only changes following public input and approval by DMC Corp. and the City Council," she said by email. ADVERTISEMENT Who was involved in drawing up the sub-districts? In the end, it was the city, county, Mayo and an army of consultants: Hammes Co., EE&K, Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Inc., Kimley-Horn & Associates, AECOM, Himle Rapp, and Dorsey & Whitney LLP. It's interesting to look at the district boundaries and wonder how and why decisions were made. With the Saint Marys sub-district, for example, there's a teeny-tiny extension that protrudes across U.S. HIghway 52 on the north side of Second Street. Why is that? Someday maybe we'll find out. Prosecutor in police shooting to enter alcohol program MINNEAPOLIS The prosecutor whose office won a recent conviction in the high-profile case of a Minneapolis police officer who killed an unarmed woman says he will be entering a treatment program for alcohol issues. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman issued a statement Friday saying he was evaluated for alcohol issues and agrees he needs treatment. Hell be entering a program Monday. Freeman announced last week that he was taking a medical leave, but didnt say why. His Friday statement says he has also worked to stabilize his "unacceptably high blood pressure." He says hes determined to reclaim his health and hopes to be back to work in mid-June. ADVERTISEMENT Last month, a jury convicted Mohamed Noor of murder in the 2017 fatal shooting of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Australia who called 911 to report a possible crime. Minnesota seeks to add Purdue Pharma owners to opioid suit ST. PAUL Minnesotas attorney general is asking a state court for permission to add the owners of drugmaker Purdue Pharma to a lawsuit that seeks to hold the company responsible for the opioid addiction crisis. Connecticut-based Purdue Pharma makes OxyContin and has been the subject of legal action in nearly every state. Attorney General Keith Ellison wants to add eight members of the Sackler family to Minnesotas lawsuit. He says the Sacklers, who own and operate Purdue, were involved in deceptive marketing tactics and strategies to sell more opioids, despite knowing the risks. If a judge approves, Minnesota would become at least the 11th state to take legal action against one or more members of the Sackler family. A family spokeswoman issued a statement denying the allegations, calling the lawsuit a misguided attempt to place blame where it doesnt belong. Man holed up in hotel surrenders to police ADVERTISEMENT BROOKLYN PARK Authorities say a standoff at a Brooklyn Park hotel ended after more than six hours when a man suspected of assaulting his girlfriend surrendered to police. SWAT officers and crisis negotiators were called to the La Quinta Inn early Friday after a woman reported she was being assaulted by her boyfriend and threatened with a gun. Police say the standoff began at 3:30 a.m. and ended when the man was arrested at about 9:50 a.m. Authorities say the woman was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. Police say the 31-year-old suspect was not carry9ing a gun but it was unclear if there were any weapons in the room. The suspect, who has not been formally charged, has previous convictions for drug possession, motor vehicle theft, aggravated robbery, making terroristic threats, drunken driving and burglary. Jail inmate accused of running prostitution ring MORA An inmate at the Kanabec County Jail is charged with running a prostitution ring from his cell. Thirty-eight-year-old Daniel Ellington is charged in Washington County District Court with two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of promotion of prostitution. Prosecutors say Ellington communicated with a prostitute by text and "promoted and profited" from her activities in Woodbury last month. ADVERTISEMENT East Metro Sex Trafficking Task Force director Imran Ali says Ellington was 100 miles away and incarcerated, yet was promoting prostitution and profiting from it. The task force began investigating after a Woodbury detective found an online ad entitled "Blonde Bombshell." The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports Kanabec County Sheriff Brian Smith says Ellington used a jail-issued iPod to text and paid a certain price for each message. Associated Press The city of Rochester Ethical Practices Board has formally asked Mayor Ardell Brede and the Rochester City Council to review the process for appointing community members to advisory boards and commissions. In a letter to the mayor and council, the Ethical Practices Board asks for a review of five areas: a consistent and transparent process; how new positions and vacancies are public announced; how interviews for positions are conducted; the need for reasonable time between the mayor's selections and the council's review; and the need for a more concerted effort to include greater gender and ethnic diversity on advisory boards and commissions. Brede on Wednesday said he had received the letter but had not yet had a chance to review its contents or suggestions. The request for a review of the appointment process was included in a letter dated May 24. The letter also included recommendations for changes to the city's Code of Ethics regarding conflicts of interest. The board had reviewed the city's ordinance language for conflicts of interest in response to a question posed by city council member Michael Wojcik, who earlier this month asked the board whether a person who is paid to lobby the city of Rochester should be appointed to serve on public boards that steer policy or direct public funds. ADVERTISEMENT Wojcik's question stemmed from the appointment of Taylor Ridderbusch to the Heart of the City Community Advisory Committee. Ridderbusch is public affairs director for Rochester Area Builders. The committee is tasked with recommending a consultant to lead public space improvements in a Destination Medical Center sub-district; some of the consulting groups who applied for the project include companies that are members of Rochester Area Builders. In its letter, the board concluded it was "without legal authority to pass judgment on this or any other appointment made by the city council or any other city entity." The board's jurisdiction is limited to review of whether violations of the Code of Ethics have occurred. No such complaint has been filed regarding the Heart of the City committee. In a written statement to the Post-Bulletin, Ridderbusch said: "I'm pleased with decision that came from the Ethical Practices Board. I was in attendance and the EPB quickly concluded that my appointment was proper." In a broader discussion of conflicts of interest, the board recommended a revision to city code to clarify when conflicts of interest occur. The board recommended a change that would clarify a person engages in a conflict of interest when they represent private interests before the city council or any advisory board when that person has participated in a review of those interests as a member of an advisory board. The change would allow persons who hold professional positions or private interests to participate in advisory board reviews as long as they do not then represent their personal interests before the city council. The board used an example of members of the City Planning and Zoning Commission, some of whom are industry professionals who represent private clients. The commission member would recuse him or herself from a project review at the commission level if he or she intended to represent the project at the city council level. "They shouldn't be penalized from doing their day job as an architect or a lawyer or a real estate person simply because they happen to sit on the Planning and Zoning Commission, particularly when they recuse themselves when a particular matter comes before the commission and then they become personally involved in that matter," explained City Attorney Terry Adkins. ADVERTISEMENT As the board's letter states, the distinction is that "a person cannot perform both tasks," to participate in an advisory board review and also advocate for that item at the city council. On the specific situation of Ridderbusch and the Heart of the City committee, Adkins could not give a clear answer it would be a hypothetical situation. "Obviously he's got to follow the Code of Ethics as everybody does, so if they are personally involved in a matter that comes before the Heart of the City committee, (he will) have to make a choice," Adkins said. Rochester Police Chief Roger Peterson issued this statement today regarding the complaint against Officer Ben Schlag: Officer Schlag Complaint Disposition Earlier this year the Rochester Police Department received a complaint in regard to one of our officers, Ben Schlag, posting messages to social media that were "racially charged and offensive". Officer Schlag was subsequently relieved of duty while an independent investigation into this matter was completed. There has been considerable discussion regarding the context of those posts. There has been no debate, however, about their adverse impact on the faith and trust of those we serve. That is not acceptable and I apologize that this occurred in our community. Equally important, Ben apologizes for what he recognizes in retrospect hurt, not only people he is sworn to protect, but the people that he works with. ADVERTISEMENT I know many people believe Ben should be terminated as a result of this incident. I understand that and, to be frank, that would be the easy thing to do in this case. I don't, however, believe it would be the right thing to do. This incident had serious consequences and punishment is warranted. As such, Ben will be suspended without pay for 10 working days (105 hours). Punishment alone, however, doesn't actually solve problems. If we realistically expect our response to this incident to have meaningful impact, we have an obligation to do more than simply discipline, we have to do the hard work necessary to actually better ourselves. As hard as this has been, this incident has required us to confront some very difficult issues and provided us the opportunity to learn from that experience. If we are to gain from that experience, we have to be willing to do what is required of us to rebuild relationships and restore the faith and trust of those we serve. We are committed to doing that. Ben is committed to doing that as well. In addition to the discipline imposed by the Department, Ben will attend classes and complete assignments relating to cultural dynamics and their impact on his work and his relationships with the community. Ben has committed to doing this on his own, spending his own time and money in order to learn from this experience. I believe he should be given that opportunity. While Ben's social media posts were clearly offensive to our community, they were not reflective of the values Ben has demonstrated in his personal and professional life. Ben has been devoted to public service, enlisting in the military shortly after 9/11 and serving honorably in Iraq. He has worked hard for this community for the past five years receiving 12 letters of appreciation as well as a life-saving award. Until this incident, he had never generated a complaint. The people that work with Ben offer no excuses or alibis for his insensitive social media posts but they also recognize those posts don't represent Ben as the person they know. Those values were evident in Ben's response to this issue. Instead of denials or rationalizations, he was very sorry and ashamed that he had acted in a way that had offended people. Before we were even aware that a complaint was pending, he had locked down his social media account and provided his user name and password to the Department so that any evidence would be preserved not destroyed. ADVERTISEMENT Although Ben wasn't aware of the gravity of his social media posts, he was acutely aware of the need to take personal responsibility for his actions. Had he not immediately done so, any decisions about "the right thing to do" would have been much easier. As it is, Ben has a long road ahead of him and he is not alone. It will take a lot of work by a lot of people to regain the confidence of people that have been impacted by this event. We are willing to do that work and we will be a better Department for that effort. This will not be an easy thing to do but it is something we must do. We can learn from our mistakes. We have to as learning is the only way to create change, not just in individuals, but in organizations and professions. Tehran, Iran, May 25 By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend: Seventeen workers of the Iranian Agh-Darreh gold mine, who had been convicted of disrupting public business by illegal gathering, have faced their sentences. Their prison sentences were pardoned by the mine director as the plaintiff, but they had to pay cash fines and get lashed as yet other parts of their sentences, Vahid Yari, their lawyer, said, ILNA news agency reported May 25. Their sentences were put to action a few days ago and now they are all free, he noted. The 17 workers were also facing charges of destroying the uniform of and insulting the mining company's guard, and damaging the company's sign. Some of the workers had been given 150 lashes and five years in prison each, which were commuted to 50 lashes and 37 months imprisonment in revision. Other workers had been fined up to $150 each. The company downsized by 350 people in January 2015, after which the workers took to protests outside its premises. During the protests, one of the workers committed suicide. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 By Khalid Kazimov - Trend: Iranians spend about $216 million on alcoholic drinks per year, an Iranian official said. Mohammadreza Qadirzadeh, an official with the Iranian Legal Medicine Organization, told Jahan-e Sanat newspaper May 26 that the provinces of Tehran, Alborz, Kermanshah and Lorestan have the highest level of alcohol consumption in the country. Qadirzadeh said 81 people died in Iran due to the alcohol consumption between March 2014 and March 2015. He added that there are 23 factories producing alcohol in Iran. In February 2013, Iran's then Police Chief Esmaeil Ahmadi Moqaddam said there are about 200,000 people in Iran with alcohol addiction. Under the Sharia law, alcohol consumption is forbidden in Iran and offenders may face harsh punishments. China's top graft-buster agency recovered 332,000 yuan ($50,624) in misspent funds from the finance ministry in the first quarter of this year, according to a statement on its website on Thursday, Reuters reported. Several party members were disciplined for accepting inappropriate financial and other gifts while one former company head was found to have taking advantage of his position, the Central Commision for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) also said in the statement. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 26 By Anakhanum Idayatova - Trend: Europe applies double standards to Turkey, political scientist, associate professor of the Department of International Relations at the Ankara-based TOBB University of Economics and Technology Togrul Ismayil told Trend. The EU simplified visa regime with many countries, with which it has association agreements, he said, adding that Turkey is a candidate for accession to the EU, but Europe doesn't agree to introduce visa-free regime with it. Previously, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said the EU may introduce a visa-free regime with Turkey in autumn 2016 if Ankara implements all the necessary requirements. An association agreement between the EU and Turkey was signed in 1963. Ankara filed an application for the EU membership in 1987, but the negotiations on Ankara's accession to the EU started only in 2005. Ismayil added that the issue of visa-free regime has turned into a political controversy between the sides. "Turkey must fulfill another five conditions of the EU for a visa-free regime," said Ismayil. "But the criteria are not the case. The EU will establish a visa-free regime if it ever wishes to do so." He said that the issue of visa-free entry into the EU is not fundamental for Turkey. "Currently, the more important issue for Turkey is what will further happen to the refugees from Syria," said the expert. "After all, the problem of refugees is not just Turkey's issue. On one hand, the EU tells Turkey that it is necessary to close borders and not to let the refugees cross into Europe. On the other hand, the EU tells Greece it will be excluded from the Schengen Area if the country receives refugees. Again we see a double standards approach." Ismayil said that the EU is trying to shift the whole burden of the refugees issue to Turkey. "There are not only refugees from Syria among those which the EU tries to return to Turkey, there are also refugees from other countries and from Africa," said Ismayil. Currently there are more than two million Syrian refugees in Turkey. Syrian refugee camps in that country accommodate about 300,000 people. The rest of the refugees are spread throughout the provinces and cities of Turkey. In Istanbul alone, there are currently 40,000 refugees from Syria. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum ST. PAUL Minnesota lawmakers are honing their recipe for closing out a legislative session: Start with hours upon hours of private meetings, easy on the details of millions of dollars in spending, then throw it all together for a quick vote in the final minutes. Add in some blaming, a pinch of yelling and you're done just be sure to leave some bills sitting out on the table unfinished. Twice in the last two years the Legislature's last-minute rush has fallen fell short, leaving piles of unfinished work that triggered a special session in 2015, with another possible overtime meeting in store this spring. A $1 billion-plus package of public works projects and a major transportation funding bill a top priority for the last two years both failed to pass this year. No matter who's in charge Democrats, Republicans or the split-party control of the past two years a rush to wrap up work at the deadline is a regular occurrence at the Minnesota Legislature. But the latest brush with deadline pressure and the high-profile failure of a bonding bill at Sunday's midnight deadline is prompting some calls for change. Gov. Mark Dayton admonished lawmakers for the latest sloppy conclusion, saying he needed time to read tax and budget bills "which somebody needs to do," he quipped before deciding whether to sign them. "In the haste of the final moments there, democracy was not well served," he said Monday. ADVERTISEMENT Lawmakers entered the 11-week session dedicated to finalizing plans for tax relief, extra spending and road and bridge repair. But the private negotiations between major players in the Democrat-led Senate and Republican-controlled House didn't kick off until just a week remained, and details on the bills they managed to strike deals on didn't come out until hours before they passed Sunday. The last-minute rush comes at a cost. An agreement on the size and scope of a public construction package didn't come until just 30 minutes remained in session, and errors littered the ensuing bill including one that would have limited the state to borrowing just $823,000, not the $1.2 billion lawmakers meant to approve. Projects meant to be included were left out. That bill later failed, and is in the spotlight as Dayton weighs whether to call lawmakers back to St. Paul for a special session. "I think we're all frustrated. I don't think any of us like the process that crams everything into the last few hours," House Speaker Kurt Daudt said. But how can that change when it comes down to a basic bargaining tactic. Hold out, hoping the person across the table folds under deadline pressure first? After session concluded, House Minority Leader Paul Thissen renewed his call for some rule changes meant to avoid the deadline scramble. They include setting a 24-hour window for bills to be published before they can get a final vote and requiring legislative leaders to hash out major spending agreements two weeks before adjournment. This year, those deals weren't finalized until Saturday night. Former Sen. Roger Moe spent two decades as one of those top leaders. But the former Democratic Senate Majority Leader said he and his counterparts left most of the bargaining up to teams of negotiators who met in public conference committees. That's rarer today, he said. "You can write all the laws you want, you can write all the rules you want. None of that makes any difference if individuals don't want to get along," he said. ADVERTISEMENT After one final, chaotic end to session, Sen. Bev Scalze will leave the Legislature early next year. She's not optimistic her successor will find a different dynamic. "It seems to work for a few certain people, so it's not going to change," the Little Canada Democrat said. "That's unfortunate, because we're all along for the ride." Turkey's top officials convened a National Security Council meeting on Thursday where they discussed measures against terrorism. The meeting chaired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the presidential complex in capital Ankara lasted for five-and-a-half hours. A statement issued after the meeting read: "The activities carried out to maintain public order and peace and security of our citizens, the stage [the country] reached regarding fighting terrorism and terrorists, and the measures taken against the Parallel State Structure which threatens our national security were discussed." Headed by Fetullah Gulen, a U.S.-based preacher who runs a network of schools and commercial enterprises in Turkey and around the world, what is known as the "parallel state" allegedly represents a clandestine group of Turkish bureaucrats and senior officials, embedded in the country's institutions, including the judiciary and the police. The meeting was the first for Binali Yildirim as new prime minister and his cabinet, which was announced on Tuesday. The statement said the terror organization PKK and its political affiliate could not represent Kurdish citizens living in Turkey, referring to the People's Democratic Party (HDP), which is represented in parliament. The PKK - designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU - renewed its armed campaign against the Turkish state this summer. Fighting the Daesh terror organization was also discussed in the meeting. "The fighting against Daesh and its attacks against our country were discussed, and the necessity of implementing a no-fly zone and safe zone cleared of terror was put forward once more." Ankara has long called for a safe zone in northern Syria to protect civilians from airstrikes. China launches Shenzhou X. (Photo : Getty Images) China is building a space monitoring base in Argentina, raising concern among critics because of the intense mystery surrounding the project. On Tuesday, The Diplomat reported how the Chinese army's space station in Patagonia is nearing completion, leaving critics to say that Argentina "has been turned over" the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Advertisement The Space Monitoring Base According to the report, the space tracking, telemetry and command facility, which would be under the PLA, is the first of its kind outside of China. The base would include steerable computer and engineering facilities, quarters for the technical staff, parabolic antennas that are 13.5 meters and 35 meters in diameter, and $10 million worth of electric power plant. According to Breitbart, the Latin American and Asian nations initially wanted the establishment of the space station to be part of a program dedicated for "moon exploration and other space activities." However, Argentina's former representative to the Arms Trade Treaty said that the space station would have "the capacity to interfere with communications, electronic networks, electromagnetic systems" and receive information "about the launching of missiles and other space activities, including of drones, and movement of strategic arms." It is also expected to be capable of gathering "information of enormous sensitivity in the eventuality of a military competition," the Diplomat cited. The Controversy Since the creation of the base involved a certain level of secrecy, critics noticed that there may be something fishy going on. Because of this, Argentina's President Maurico Macri promised to make a certain amount of confidential information to be available to the public. However, China remained quiet about the project, which can be a source of doubt for critics since the Asian giant has so much to gain from it. "The station will be located in the Patagonia region of Argentina, which provides flat expanses that are suitable for space exploration work," the Breitbart report stated. "The location also provides China the ability to conduct research from the Southern Hemisphere." Aside from that, there are also concerns that China would use the base in military activities, something authorities tried to ease by declaring that the facility would solely be used by civilians. "We're also planning to have spacecraft circumvent the moon, land and return to Earth," China's Yu Xueming told Merco Press. "This is clearly civilian, with no possible military use. The antenna only rotates at a very low speed to cover great distances and in no way can be used for military actions." An employee walks outside the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant in Qinshan of Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China, June 10, 2005. (Photo : Getty Images) China National Nuclear Corp. (CNNC) has signed two framework deals with Sudan to develop the countrys nuclear power capabilities including the construction of a 600-megawatt atomic reactor, the first of its kind in the country. The deals may involve a blueprint for nuclear power development in the next decade for Sudan and building the first nuclear power station in the nation, according to a statement issued by the Chinese state-owned nuclear giant on Tuesday, Advertisement The agreements were signed on Monday during a three-day visit to Sudan by a Chinese delegation. It was led by Nur Bekri head of the National Energy Administration and deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission. CNNC Chairman Sun Qin told China Daily that the company will cooperate with Sudan's Ministry of Water Resources and Electricity through the deal. The company did not disclose the contract value or the type of nuclear technology to be used for the nuclear plant. However, industry experts believe that the homegrown reactor Hualong One, a type of third-generation technology, will be used for the reactor. "Hualong One is most likely to have been chosen for Sudan," said Chai Guohan, chief engineer at the Ministry of Environmental Protection's Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center. "China is looking to popularize this nuclear technology at home and abroad," Chai said. China is home to the world's largest number of nuclear reactors under construction and has made significant inroads into global nuclear markets, including Britain and Argentina. CNNC has entered agreements with Argentina to construct two nuclear plants in the country, while CGN, another domestic energy firm, partnered with Electricite de France to build three reactors in the U.K. Sudan has been plagued by power shortages in recent years and is seeking two 600-megawatt pressurized water reactors to meet the burgeoning demand for electricity, with the construction of the first one slated to begin in 2021. Sudanese Finance Minister Badr-Eddin Mahmoud said the agreements reviewed all energy issues facing the country and will seek solutions for these and for new projects in the future. Are you a low-income parent seeking to prepare your child for kindergarten? The Minnesota Department of Education has awarded funds to Families First for the Early Learning Scholarship program. These funds must be awarded by June 30 Families First's Early Learning Scholarship program offers scholarships for low-income 3 and 4 year old children in southeast Minnesota. This program builds on the success of the state's Parent Aware system. Families use Parent Aware Star Ratings to find programs using best practices that prepare children for kindergarten. The partnership among Early Learning Scholarships, Parent Aware, and families ensures children enter kindergarten ready to succeed in school and life. Please call Families First at 1-888-450-2773 to ensure your child is on the path to success. Barb Miller ADVERTISEMENT Rochester The city is growing. Growth is coming to Rochester. We need to make room for growth. Does this policy encourage growth? We hear it over and over again, this refrain of growth. The word is slowly becoming a synonym for "good" in official meetings. For those living on the margins, though, the word has other connotations, as we saw in the aftermath of the Center Street Hotel's closure in October. After receiving notice to vacate from the landlord, dozens of the building's residents floundered in their attempts to find new places to live. The sisters of St. Francis raised $9,000 to help. A housing fair organized by entities including Olmsted County Community Services, Salvation Army, Family Services Rochester, Three Rivers Cap and others connected people with housing providers, alternative housing and services. ADVERTISEMENT Still, difficulty placing people in permanent, or even long-term, housing persisted. Some former hotel residents went to an emergency shelter for 14 days, then lived in their car until eligible to return to the emergency shelter. "Years ago, when they were developing downtown Minneapolis, we saw this, where individuals were completely displaced due to development, and that's going to happen with DMC," said Monica Bogucki, chairwoman of St. Vincent De Paul's Voice of the Poor program. Her group called on the county to amend its emergency assistance programming. We were encouraged to learn that county officials were already busy adapting their approach. "We were surprised it happened so fast," said Paul Fleissner, director of Olmsted County Community Services, "and we didn't have a great coordinated response." To prevent a repeat crisis, his department increased funding by roughly $100,000 this year and reduced the amount of administrative dollars they spend. It formed the Guiding Partners to Solutions team with Family Service Rochester to get people to the right services, like receiving advances of security deposits to help defray the often prohibitive costs of moving into a new place. Those changes still don't address one of the roots of the problem: Rochester's glaring need for affordable housing. Not just workforce housing, but also low-income and transitional housing with supportive services. "We're already starting to see the emergency shelters are turning people away," Bogucki said. "The challenge downtown now, is as there's been all this speculation and property values have skyrocketed, it's almost impossible to create affordable housing down there." ADVERTISEMENT For those close to homelessness, proximity to downtown and resources like the public library, courthouse, food co-op and medical services is crucial. "If I had to move out of here, I'd be in a world of hurt," said James Cox, a resident of the county-owned Francis building, a hotel converted into long-term living for the homeless, "I wouldn't be able to live anywhere else, because I wouldn't be able to get anywhere to get food or any of the other necessities that I need." The Center Street residents were legally displaced, meaning there was no city involvement and no requirement for city supports. Bogucki suspects more of the same will follow. The Center Street Hotel crisis was a wake-up call. Here's another one: "I don't know how to really explain homeless. You have to live it before you'll ever truly understand it," Cox said. "Here's something I'm going to tell you that's going to surprise you. You can be homeless in the next 30 days, just like anybody else, and be in a situation where you have nothing." We encourage those shaping the city's growth to consider that the next time they close their eyes and envision their empires of development built on our city's reputation for care. I occasionally refer to myself as a borderline hoarder. Then, there are those who point to a garage full of items dating back to my childhood and say I've crossed that border a long time ago. Collections of books, music and cameras aside, one of my collections continues to grow without requiring extra physical space. As a writer, I've collected quotes throughout the years. The collection may not be as noteworthy as bound volumes of quotes from notable literary types though I have a couple of those in the aforementioned book collection. These are quotes dropped, sometimes incidentally and sometimes repeatedly, by local elected officials and average citizens. Those of most value tend to offer new ways of thinking about important issues. Kolloh Nimley of the Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage provided one such quote. Introducing her role as the council's Rochester representative, she's been known to say, "My job is to create discomfort, so we can reach a level of comfort." ADVERTISEMENT Each time I hear those words, they are both welcoming and challenging. They highlight her role in putting a spotlight on racial inequities, but they also embrace a desire to shine a light on a path toward a better future for all. Last week, I gathered another quote that made me think differently about local discussions and policy shifts. Patrick Seeb, the director of economic development and placemaking for Destination Medical Center efforts, was talking to In the City for Good participants, a collection of individuals hoping to help spur changes on a variety of issues as Rochester grows. The quote that piqued my interest came as he was asked about controversial issues that have arisen since the introduction of DMC plans. "We should use every controversy that emerges," he said, pointing to heritage preservation concerns and the lack of agreement that ended a proposal to build a Holiday Inn on Second Street Southwest. "The more we can find those controversies that occur in good faith, the more empowerment the community will feel." He noted that some points of view will only surface amid controversies that make average citizens speak out about how they want their city to grow and what they want to remain the same. Once those concerns are revealed, all involved can start working toward solutions. Instead of shying away from controversy, we need to embrace it and see if it can help lead to new opportunities. Later in the discussion, Seeb said debates and discussions about smaller policies can be considered seeds planted to see what will grow. "I think things like food trucks are not insignificant," he told the crowd of about 70. "I think they are metaphors for bigger things." He noted the food truck conversation developed as it should: A concern was raised by the public, all sides had opportunities to be heard, and change was implemented based on citizen input. ADVERTISEMENT While everyone involved may not have gotten what they wanted out of the new ordinance, it is a starting point. It is a change from past practices being guided by today's spirited preferably not mean-spirited discussions. Seeb noted more can be expected. "This community is changing, but you know what? Every community is changing," he said. "Every city is moving, is changing." Which takes me to another collected quote. Speaking with a group of Byron residents about the impact of DMC efforts last year, the city's administrator Mary Blair-Hoeft said, "DMC just needed a name. It's been happening for years." In other words, what we see today and what we can expect for tomorrow are just parts of a longer view. It makes one look at things from another angle, hoping to find a few fresh ideas along the way. Randy Petersen is the Post-Bulletin's editorial page editor and can be reached at rpetersen@postbulletin.com or 507-285-7709. We have reached many milestones and witnessed plenty of success stories at the Guam Department of Labor during my current tenure, but I will b Read moreGDOL wants to be a part of your employment solutions General atmosphere of Samsung Unpacked 2015 featuring the Galaxy Note 5, not the Galaxy Note 7 or the Galaxy Note 6 (Photo : Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Samsung) Samsung is entirely skipping the Galaxy Note 6 as they will be releasing the Galaxy Note 7 instead to follow the Galaxy S7 line as not to confuse their customers and fans. There has been a consistent release of Samsung's phablets after the Galaxy S series in a year. This time, the South Korean tech giant s expected to release a Galaxy Note 7, skipping the Galaxy Note 6 entirely. Advertisement Another possible reason for the name skip is that Samsung wants all of their products to compete with Apple's iPhone 7 line, which is yet to be revealed. All of their products will have the same numbering every year. One representative from the tech industry told South Korea's Electronic Times that Samsung wants to maximize the marketability of their Galaxy Note 7. A similar move has already been made by Apple themselves when they skipped iPhone 2 for iPhone 3G. Samsung's move does make sense considering that their flagship phone line and their phablet does not have the same numbers. It could lead to a more consistent product line in the end. The Galaxy Note 7 or the Galaxy Note 6 would also be featuring a dual-curved-edge Super AMOLED display, Venturebeat has learned. The resolution has not been confirmed yet but reports are claiming that it could be 4K or at least 2K with its 5.9-inch screen. Other specs of the new phablet from Samsung include a 4000mAh battery to power the large device. It could also feature the new 6GB LPDDR4 RAM that the company recently unveiled. Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 could also feature the company's first Iris scanner for an added layer of security. The company was reported to have filed trademarks for "Samsung Iris" and "Samsung Eyeprint." The rebranding and skipping of the name would do the new phablet good. Their new tech inclusions in the device would go well with a new name that fans and consumers will easily remember. Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy Note 7 or the Galaxy Note 6 in August. The unveiling is also speculated to be at the upcoming Computex 2016 event. Paul noted yesterday the bizarre and disquieting attack Donald Trump made Tuesday on New Mexicos Republican Governor Susana Martinez. Is there an intelligible reason he might think this is a politically shrewd thing to do, or is this just another example of Trump improvising as he goes and letting loose some inner misogyny? I dont know whether Martinez is a good or a bad governor. Ive heard both, but havent had the time to investigate it much. I suspect its a balanced scorecard. But even if shes been a bad governor, youd still want the help of Republican governors in states that might be in play in November, and New Mexico has been close in some recent elections. In the same appearance, I note that Trump once again talked about how Bernie Sanders has been poorly treated by the Democratic Party, suggesting Bernie should run as an independent, which would guarantee Trumps victory. That calculation is transparent and rational, if remote. Maybe Trump is actually running as a de facto independent. Certainly in his issue stands hes departing from Republican orthodoxy. He says hes open to higher income taxes on the rich (depending on the time of day), flirts with outright trade protectionism, threatens to upend the entire architecture of our postwar alliances, andthe most important departure of allpledges not to make any changes to key entitlement programs (Social Security, Medicare), whose dominant share of the federal budget and inevitable insolvency cannot be avoided for very much longer. It is possible to make out some shrewdness if not seriousness to some of these positions. Michael Lind, whom I often find tedious and annoying, has an interesting article up in Politico this week showing that Trumps positions on many of these issues are actually closer to the majority views of rank and file Republican voters: In March of this year, a Pew Research Center poll showed that 68 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning voters opposed future reductions in Social Security benefits almost the same amount of support found among Democrats and Dem-leaning voters (73 percent). Republicans who supported Trump were even more opposed to Social Security benefit cuts, at 73 percent. And even among those who supported Kasich, 62 percent opposed cuts in Social Security benefits even though Kasich, himself, is in favor of cutting entitlements. As country-and-western Republicans have gradually replaced country-club Republicans, the gap between the partys economic orthodoxy and the economic interests of white working-class voters in the GOP base has increased. House Republicans repeatedly have passed versions of Paul Ryans budget plan, which is based on cutting Social Security and replacing Medicare with vouchers. Except for Trump, all of the leading Republican candidatesCruz, Bush, Rubio, Kasichfavored some version of the Ryan agenda. By contrast, Trump was the only leading GOP candidate who expressed the actual preference of most Republican voters, declaring his absolute intention to leave Social Security the way it is. Not increase the age and leave it as is. Likewise Trumps views on trade and foreign policy likely have considerable strength with many Republican voters, which is one reason why he broke from the pack. (Incidentally, if Trump is serious about the trade business, he might propose the following Hamiltonian deal: protection for American workers in exchange for eliminating 80 percent of the government regulations that inhibit new business formation and growth. Lets see how that divides the Democratic coalition.) Did he do this out of calculation, knowing that someone who breaks decisively from the usual party pathways would be in a position to score a shattering win in November? If so it might make sense to show his independence from Republican orthodoxy by attacking actual Republicans and not just Republican issue positions. No wonder both party establishments are terrified of him. Im skeptical that Trump has thought it through this way. The dismissal yesterday of a top campaign strategist, alongside persistent stories of infighting among his top two campaign managers (Lewandowski and Mannafort), is not a good sign of Trumps control of things. Every White House has its share of senior staff rivalry and infighting, but campaigns arent usually as fraught as Trumps seems to be. Political management is not the same as business management, just as political compromise is not the same thing as business deal making. To what extent does Trump understand this? I dont think anyone besides Trump knows, and he may not even know the questions. PAUL ADDS: By attacking Martinez, Trump might have been sending this message to elected Republicans who havent endorsed him: Get on board or I will come after you where you live. I dont think the message is likely to have its intended effect (assuming this is what Trump intended). Elected Republicans probably believe that Trump needs them more than they need Trump. Thps view could change if Trump pulls clearly ahead of Hillary Clinton. Right now, though, I dont think elected Republicans are afraid of Trump except in the sense that they fear his negative effect on the Party. Well, I went to the trial yesterday and a fight broke out. Waiting in the hallway to enter the courtroom at the appointed hour, the hallway was thick with those of us wanting to take a seat inside. I stood directly behind a young Somali lady wearing a hijab. As she started pushing and shoving, she repeatedly dropped the F-bomb at maximum volume within shouting distance of the jury. One of the many FBI agents on hand dropped her to the floor and handcuffed her hands behind her back. And here I thought Id seen it all. The fight, as it turns out, was between the mother of Abdirizak Warsame and her daughter, Warsames sister. As Warsame was about to resume testifying against the three defendants under a cooperation agreement with the prosecution, daughter took went after mother. The conflict represented their divided loyalties in the case. The Star Tribunes Stephen Montemayor picks up on the trials undercard here. Warsames sister put up a better fight in the hall than Warsame did on the stand. Warsame was the third and weakest of three key witnesses called by the government. He completed his testimony yesterday. The government seems to me to be ending its case on a low note. Thats generally not how youre supposed to do it. Without going into details, it seemed to me that defense counsel Bruce Nestor turned Warsame to use on behalf of his client, Abdirahman Daud. I may be missing something, but Im not sure whether, on balance, Warsame was more helpful to the government or to the defense. Warsame made me reflect on my understanding of the case against the Minnesota men. In a sense, they are products of the vacuous America of 2016. They have been Americanized in that sense. These young men had boundless opportunities of a conventional sort before them, yet they chose to squander them. They are talented and resourceful, yet they represent a great threat. They are seriously misguided young men. What happened? Warsame is a graduate of the Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy in Inver Grove Heights. With a little help from the Minnesota chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, the school has now been shuttered. I wore out a keyboard writing about the school before it closed. For years the school operated, illegally in my opinion, as a publicly funded Islamic charter school. From TIZA Warsame proceeded to Heritage Academy, a mostly Somali high school in Minneapolis. This year the Minneapolis school district moved to retake control of Heritage from its board. After high school Warsame attended a local community college and worked for several employers. Indeed, he worked for two on the tarmac at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport while he was pursuing his interest in ISIS. Islam filled the life of Warsame and his friends. It filled the vacuum now served up by American culture to immigrants. The Minnesota men could have succumbed to drugs or alcohol in a pattern that has devastated the lives of so many American families. In this case, however, they fell prey to Islam. It was Islam that intoxicated them. Judge Davis himself took up this point with Warsame yesterday. You understood that if you committed jihad you would die, the judge said. What attracted you to that? The reward you would get and the fact that this life is temporary, Warsame said. If you were to go sacrifice yourself and go fight in jihad, the reward would be bigger. Youd save your family and save yourself. America, what you got for that? The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday re-arraigned alleged fraudster, Fred Ajudua, before Justice K.A Jose of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on a 28-count charge of offences bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence. The offence, the EFCC said in a statement by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, is contrary to Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 13 of 1995 as amended by Act No. 62 of 1999. One of the charges reads, That you, Fred Chijindu Ajudua, Alumile Adedeji a.k.a Ade Bendel (still at large), Mr. Jonathan (still at large), Mr. Kenneth (still at large), Princess Amabong Williams (still at large) and others still at large on or about 16 December 2004 at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court; with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of $1,000,000 (One Million Dollars) from Lt. General Bamaiyi by falsely representing that the said sum was part payment for the professional fees purportedly charged by Chief Afe Babalola to handle Lt. Gen. Bamaiyis case and to facilitate General Bamaiyis release from prison custody. Another charge reads, That you, Fred Chijindu Ajudua, Alumile Adedeji a.k.a Ade Bendel (still at large), Mr. Jonathan (still at large), Mr. Kenneth (still at large), Princess Amabong Williams (still at large) and others still at large on or about 27 December 2004 at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court; with intent to defraud, obtained the sum $350,000 (Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars) from Lt. General Bamaiyi( rtd) by falsely representing that the said sum was part payment for the professional fees purportedly charged by Chief Afe Babalola to handle Lt. Gen Bamaiyis case and to facilitate Lt. General Bamaiyis release from prison custody. The defendant pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him and counsel to the EFCC, Saidu Ateh proceeded to ask the court for a trial date. At the last adjourned date, the defendant had compiled the record of appeal and had it transmitted to the Court of Appeal, Lagos State Division on the 10th of March 2014 and also filed a motion at the Court of Appeal on the same day. The former trial judge, Justice O. Ipaye had opined that The mere transmission of a record of appeal to the Court of Appeal does not immediately assume jurisdiction of the matter. Speaking Thursday before Justice Jose, counsel to the defendant, S.A Quakers, urged her lordship to be bound by the decision of the Court of Appeal granting the defendant bail. Justice Jose asked that counsel file a new application for bail which will be heard on the next adjourned date. The matter was adjourned to 15, 20, 21 and 22 September for trial. Mr. Ajudua is being prosecuted by the EFCC for allegedly collecting various sums of money from Mr. Bamaiyi while the duo were in custody at Kirikiri Prison, Lagos. The defendant and his accomplices had approached Mr. Bamaiyi, who was facing trial for the attempted murder of Alex Ibru, the late Publisher of The Guardian newspaper, and convinced him they could secure his freedom. The Federal Government says it plans to open up Nigerias abundant coal deposits to investors interested in using coal to generate electricity. The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kayode Fayemi, stated this when he featured on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja. We actually have coal in abundance in Nigeria, and we have decided in this government that we need to take advantage of it to open it up to investors, who are interested and get them to come and site plants near the coal deposits. They can then use it to generate the shortfall that we are experiencing in the power supply situation in the country. And I believe it is only when we have done that, our people even have electricity that we can start talking about the dangers but I dont think that should stop us from getting power to the people which is a priority for Nigerians right now, he said. He said the government had identified the places it needed to reclaim as part of efforts to boost mining in the country. The minister said the brown field project had been reopened and allocated to people who would work in the areas, adding that the tin mines in Plateau had been privatised. He said the ministry did not have enough money to reclaim all the mining sites in the country. Mr. Fayemi said the N400 million required for the preliminary phase of the work had been captured in the 2016 budget of the Ministry of Power. According to him, the project cannot be realised without the active involvement of the Ministry of Solid Minerals. We are working with the Federal Ministry of Work, Power and Housing on the Okaba mines and the Onyema mines in Enugu with a view to ensuring that we assist in the coal-to-power generating plants project. We will site those GENCOs nearer the reserve where they are rather than take them thousands of miles away where you now have to spend money on transmission lines. Mr. Fayemi said coal was clearly a factor in the energy mix of the country. He spoke of the need to address the power situation in the country considering the role it plays in driving the economy. (NAN) Former Chadian dictator, Hissene Habre, who has been on trial in Senegal for war crimes, torture and crimes against humanity, will know his fate on Monday, as the court is set to deliver judgement on the landmark case on the day. The trial of Mr. Habre, which kicked off in July 2015, was the first time a court in one African country would prosecute the former leader of another country accused of human rights crimes. The implication of trial is that dictators who commit widespread abuses in their countries are no longer immune from prosecution if they run to other countries after being kicked out of office. Mr. Habre ruled Chad between 1982 and 1990 and was accused of extensive human rights abuses, extrajudicial killings and systemic torture. He received the backing of the United States and France, which provided him weapons and training and used him in their fight against late Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi. In 1992, the Chadian Truth Commission accused Mr. Habres government of political murder and systematic torture of 40,000 people. Most of the abuses were carried out against mainly two ethnic groups, Hadjerai and the Zaghawa, whose leaders were perceived as threats to Mr. Habres government. The judgement came after 25 years of campaign by victims of his brutality. The Extraordinary African Chambers, which were established in February 2013 to prosecute the worst crimes during his rule, indicted Mr. Habre in July 2013. It took 25 years of relentless campaigning by Hissene Habres victims to make this trial happen, said Reed Brody, counsel at Human Rights Watch, who has worked with the survivors since 1999. The Hissene Habre trial is a watershed in the fight for accountability for the worlds worst crimes, he added. The Federal Government on Wednesday named the chief executives of six agencies under the Ministry of Information and Culture. The appointments were announced in Abuja by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed. The new appointees are Ishaq Modibo Kawu Director-General, Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC); Mansur Liman Director-General, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN); Yakubu Mohammed Director-General, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). Others are Garba Abari Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Bayo Onanuga Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and Osita Okechukwu Director-General, Voice of Nigeria (VON). The new appointees replaced the chief executives of the parastatals who were removed on February 15, 2016. Ishaq Modibo Kawu Director-General, Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Before his appointment, Mr. Kawu was the Chief Executive Officer of Abuja-based media firm, Word, Sound and Vision Multimedia Limited. He holds a Bachelors degree in Mass Communication and Masters Degree in Political Science. Mr. Kawu has deep and varied experience having reported for Radio Nigeria, Radio France International, Radio Netherlands and BBC World Service. He was one of the pioneer staff of Radio Kwara, pioneer general manager of Kwara State Television Authority and editor of Daily Trust Newspaper. He was later appointed chairman of the Daily Trust Editorial Board. It was from there he started his own company, Word, Sound and Vision Multimedia Limited. He is from Kwara State, North-central Nigeria. Mansur Liman Director-General, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Mr. Liman was the head of the British Broadcasting Service, BBC, Hausa Service. Garba Abari, Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA) Garba Abari was born on the December 15, 1955 in Potiskum, Yobe State, North-east Nigeria. He had his early education at the Central Primary School, Potiskum and Fika Government Secondary School also in Potiskum. He holds a Ph.D in Political Science and has taught at the College Of Basic Studies, Maiduguri and the University Of Maiduguri. Before being appointed DG of NOA, Mr. Abari was a senior lecturer in the Department of Political Science, University of Maiduguri. He is a member of many professional bodies including the Nigerian Political Science Association, African Political Science Association, Nigeria Society of International Affairs and the Nigeria Economic Summit Group. Osita Okechukwu Director-General, Voice of Nigeria (VON) Mr. Okechukwu is an indigene of Eke community in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State in Nigerias South-east. He is a graduate of the University of Nigeria, UNN, having bagged a Bachelor of Science degree from the institution. Mr. Okechukwu is a former governorship candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, and the South-East spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress, APC. During an interview shortly after Muhammadu Buhari became president, Mr. Okechukwu said that his support for the president was not for personal gains. My unalloyed support for President Buhari in the presidential campaign elections of 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015 was more than personal. I mean sincerely that it is more of national than personal interest, he had said. Bayo Onanuga Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Mr. Onanuga was born on June 20, 1957 in in Ijebu-Ode, South-east Nigeria. He attended Ijebu Muslim College, Ijebu-Ode, Federal Government College, Odogbolu and the University of Lagos where obtained a Bachelors degree in Mass Communications. After graduation, Mr. Onanuga worked as client service executive at Practions Partners, and later joined Ogun State Television in 1982. He joined the Guardian Newspaper as a sub-editor in July 1983 but in January 1985 moved to National Concord as senior features writer and later same year as senior correspondent for the weekly magazine, The African Concord. He was appointed editor of African Concord in 1989. In April 1992, he resigned his appointment and with his colleagues found The News Group in 1993. Mr. Onanuga had remained editor-in-chief of The News Group before his latest appointment. He is a fellow of the Nigerian Guild of Editors and a member of the World Association of Newspapers. Yakubu Mohammed Director-General, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Not much is known about him at this point. We learnt he was a former executive director at NTA, and currently Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Bauchi State Governor. EDITORS NOTE: We initially thought the Yakubu Mohammed appointed to run NTA was that of Newswatch. But we have since learnt it is a different person. This post has been updated to reflect the new information. The new militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, on Thursday claimed responsibility for another attack on a gas pipeline belonging to Chevron in Delta state. The group announced the attack on the Escravos tank farm near the main electricity feed pipeline through which power is supplied to the oil facility. The latest attack in the early hours of Thursday was confirmed through the groups Twitter handle, @NDAvengers. We warned Chevron, but they didnt listen. NDA just blew up the Escravos tank farm main electricity feed pipeline, the groups said. The NDA explained that the oil facilities were sabotaged following attempts by Chevron to carry out repairs of main Escravos crude oil pipeline it blew up earlier. Reuters quoted sources as saying that the companys onshore operations in the Niger Delta had been shut down following the attack, which involved the main electricity line leading to its Escravos terminal. It is a crude line, which means all activities in Chevron are grounded, the source told Reuters. After the initial attack, the group had warned against moves to repair the facility until their demands were fully met. Spokesperson of the group, Mudoch Agbinibo, had earlier this month warned the Nigerian government of further attacks if their demands were not met. Last week, Chevrons Makaraba crude oil line was attacked on the offshore Okan manifold in the region. The attack followed previous ones on the companys facilities at Abiteye, Utunana and Makaraba platforms in Warri South-West area of Delta State resulting in the loss of over 40,000 barrels of oil per day. The management of Chevron Nigeria Limited declined comments on Wednesdays attack. Sola Adebawo, manager communications and government relation at CNL said the oil firm would not immediately comment. We are not able to comment at this time, Mr. Adebawo said in a text message on Thursday. Residents in the area said that an explosion occurred on Wednesday night. Eric Omare, Spokesman for Ijaw Youths Council confirmed the incident but did not provide details. Samsung is rumored to release its Galaxy Note 6 device this year. (Photo : YouTube/Mrwhosetheboss) In the same way that Apple is rumored to move up from iPhone 7 to iPhone 8 in 2017, skipping the 7S, Samsung is also reportedly mulling a Galaxy Note 7 label for its 2016 phablet flagship release date plans this this. The move is mostly for better alignment with the Galaxy S7 that Samsung has earlier launched. Advertisement Picking up a story published by Korea-based ETNews, Samsung fan site SamMobile reported that the Galaxy Note 6 release is not happening at all and in its stead is what essentially would be the phablet follow up to the Galaxy S7. So from Note 6, the sixth original phablet installment from the South Korean tech giant will be branded as the Galaxy Note 7. It is understood too that the rumored specs and features attributed so far to the Note 6 will be part of the Galaxy Note 7 unveiling. The jumbo smartphone, with a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display, is reportedly powered by Snapdragon 823 processor, which is the enhanced version of the SD 820 found on the GS7, that is paired to 6GB of RAM or more than the RAM provision given to the S7. And like the GS7, the Note 6 or Note 7 will bring back a number of key features that Samsung had introduced with the Galaxy S5 in 2014. One returnee is the waterproofing and dust protection that would give the upcoming phablet extra features designed for rugged use. Another comebacking killer feature is the microSD slot that likely will support up to 200GB of extra memory just like the Galaxy S7 does. Speculations are rife that a Note 6/7 version will have up to 256GB of internal memory and the memory card brought back to the new phablet, users can potentially enjoy 400GB plus of total memory space. Also, "Samsung intends to bring the dual-curved edges to the Galaxy Note 7," SamMobile said, indicating that a Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is likely in the works and should hit the market alongside the regular Note 7. Recent reports from South Korea suggested that Samsung's second flagship effort this 2016 will likely be among the first recipients of Android N. If correct, the Galaxy Note 6 or Note 7 release date should be set August 2016 as Google's next Android version is rumored too to come out in the month, which is in line too with the recent leak issued by Evan Blass that the Note 6/7 launch date is August 15. Brent oil futures climbed above 50 dollars a barrel on Thursday for the first time in nearly seven months. This is an indication that the global supply glut that plagued the market for nearly two years is showing signs of easing. Oil prices had rallied in recent weeks after a string of outages due mainly to wildfires in Canada and unrest in Nigeria and Libya. The outages had knocked out nearly four million barrels per day of production. Above 50 dollars a barrel, oil was seen by many market players as breaching a psychological barrier that could lead producers, particularly among U.S. shale companies to revive operations scrapped in recent years. Global benchmark Brent crude oil LCOc1 was up 36 cents at 50.10 dollars a barrel, the highest in nearly seven months. The upsurge was due to a larger-than-expected draw in U.S. crude oil inventories last week indicated buyers are starting to mop up spare supply. U.S. crude futures CLc1 were up 29 cents at 49.85 dollars a barrel, after touching 49.97 dollars, the highest since mid-October. Certainly (50 dollars) is a psychological barrier, there is a momentum, people will try and push it up over that, said Ric Spooner, Chief market analyst at Sydneys CMC Markets. A source at oil producer Chevron said on Thursday its activities in Nigeria had been grounded by a militant attack, worsening a situation that had already restricted the supply of hundreds of thousands of barrels. A meeting of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries on June 2 in Vienna to discuss the oil market added further support. However, the recent rise in oil prices and friction between key members; Saudi Arabia and Iran needs intervention to ensure prices are slim. (Reuters/NAN) The Nigerian government on Thursday asked Nigerians to be hopeful of a better future, saying a long suffering people always enjoy enduring prosperity afterwards. The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, gave the message of hope at a meeting with members of the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) ahead of the one year anniversary of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration. In the words of Henry David Thoreau, all misfortune is but a stepping stone to fortune, the minister said. Change is no instant coffee, it is a process. We are now laying a solid foundation for our country. The road will be rough, but as the saying goes, the darker the night, the brighter the morning. Our long suffering people will surely smile again. he said. Mr. Mohammed also praised Nigerians for their support, endurance and perseverance. The meeting with BON was attended by four other ministers who spoke on the achievements and challenges in their ministries and interacted with those in attendance. They are Ministers of FCT, Mohammed Bello; Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; and Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah. Mr. Mohammed appreciated the unprecedented trust Nigerians reposed in the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to steer the ship of state to safe shores. He acknowledged that the nation was passing through a very difficult situation with the loss of more than 60 per cent of national income due to the crash in the price of crude oil. The minister assured citizens that the government would deliver on its election campaign promises to Nigerians. This administration is aware that it was not elected to make excuses, but to put the nation back on a sound economic footing, ensure the security of lives and property and banish corruption. We have therefore decided to turn the disaster that we inherited into a blessing by diversifying our economy away from the mono-product of oil, leveraging on agriculture, solid minerals as well as culture and tourism, among others. The minister reassured Nigerians that the change promised was real, in spite of the tough situation of the moment. Mr. Mohammed stressed that if the government had not been elected, there would have been no economy in the country. On the scorecard of the administration in the past one year, Mr. Mohammed said significant achievements were recorded in security, economy and the fight against corruption. (NAN) A member of the House of Representatives criticised over a controversial pro-Sharia bill which he sponsored, has said he was advised by the speaker, Yakubu Dogara, to quietly speed the bill through a second reading to avoid controversy. In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES Thursday, Abdullahi Salame, representing Gwadabawa/Illela federal constituency, Sokoto State, said Mr. Dogara recognised that the bill could draw public outrage, and urged him not to make noise about the bill. I wrote the bill. I presented it. It was in the gazette. It went through first reading and second reading. So, the Speaker, in his wisdom you know there are some issues that is not necessary to publicly discuss them or deliberate on them to avoid problems asked me not to make noise about it, Mr. Salame told PREMIUM TIMES. Mr. Salame was widely criticised on social media on Wednesday, after it became clear that his bill, which seeks to amend the Constitution to give more powers to the Sharia Court of Appeal, had quietly passed the second reading last week Thursday. Mr. Salame said the Speaker directed him to quietly work the bill through second reading for it to be sent to the Constitution Amendment Committee for consideration. The Speaker considers this bill one of the bills that do not require much argument. Because many people could misunderstand it. At the committee, they will see the nitty-gritty of the bill. So it was the Speaker that did not allow us to publicly debate on it and he advised that we refer it to the constitutional amendment committee, Mr. Salame said. The speaker, Mr. Dogara, is a Christian. When reached for comment, Mr. Dogaras media office did not confirm nor deny Mr. Salames claims, pointing instead to a statement issued by a spokesman for the House about the nature of the bill and how the legislative body handled its presentation. Read the full response below: The Bill came up on the floor and was automatically referred to the ad-hoc committee on constitution review. There was no debate on it either for or against because the House is a democratic representatives chamber of the Nigerian people Even if five people only have an issue with any section of the Constitution, the House will give it a listening ear. The ad-hoc committee on Constitution review has one member per state and women and other representation. The precedence is that it is in this committee that these kind of matters are thrashed out. Any bill that has potentials to divide the country on religious or tribal lines or to reopen settled constitutional issues will most likely fail in the committee. It should be noted that constitutional review bills are special bills that undergo many stages unlike an ordinary bill. These include committee stage, plenary stage for voting by 2/3rd of the House, 2/3rd of all the state Houses of Assembly before it comes back again to the National Assembly for voting again and finally it must receive presidential assent. We are still at a very early stage in the process and Nigerians should not worry about bills of this nature as the House has shown over the years to be the protector of Nigerians national unity and interest. Signed: Hon. Jonathan Gaza Gbefwi Deputy Chairman Houss Committee on Media and Publicity. Justice F. N. Yunusa of the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu on Wednesday sentenced one Eugene Okpala, a 62-year old retired colonel to seven years imprisonment in a case of conspiracy, and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N34.5million (thirty-four million, five hundred thousand naira) brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The matter, which was earlier slated for trial on Wednesday took a different turn when the convict decided to change his plea from not guilty to guilty. Mr. Okpala, allegedly in 2008, approached one Vincent Obetta of Igwurube Chambers and a member of Dominion City Church under the pretext of having large portion of land for sale at N40million (forty million naira). The complainant, Dominium City Church, in need of a landed property to build their school, negotiated and eventually bought the land for N34.5million (thirty-four million, five hundred thousand naira). The church also paid additional five percent of the sum, which is N1,750,000.00 (one million, seven hundred and fifty thousand naira) as agency fee to Igbwurube Chambers. Consequently, in September 2010, the church started developing the land, but another lawyer came up to tell them that the land belonged to one Philip Asiodu. Investigation was launched into the matter and the convict was found culpable and was arraigned. During trial, the counsel to the EFCC, I. I. Mbachie tendered 13 exhibits which were admitted in evidence and marked as exhibit C1-13. Having changed his plea, the defence counsel, E. O. Isinu, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy saying, his client was a first time offender. Justice Yunusa consequently sentenced Okpala to seven (7) years imprisonment on each count preferred against him. The sentences are to run concurrently. Former Kaduna governor, Ahmed Makarfi, appointed Saturday as chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party caretaker committee, has denied reports that his committee had been sacked by a court. Mr. Makarfis appointment was annulled by Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday, before another court countered the order. In a statement on Thursday, Mr. Makarfi said it was a misinformation to say that the caretaker committee had been sacked. This is not true. It is reckless misrepresentation of facts, and distortion of information by certain aggrieved members of our party, to mislead the members of the public, he said. He said that Mr. Buba did not make an order dissolving the Caretaker Committee, arguing that an order of Court could only be made if the court was presented with either a Motion Ex-Parte or Motion on Notice which the Court hears and makes appropriate order as deemed necessary. The Plaintiffs in Suit No FHC/L/CS/613/2016 had on Monday May 23, 2016 filed a Motion on Notice for the purpose of setting aside the National Convention of the Party held on Saturday May 21, 2016, Mr. Makarfi explained. The Motion on Notice is yet to be served on the Defendant (the PDP being the 2nd Defendant in the suit) as at today Wednesday 25 May, 2016. The suit comes up Friday May 27, 2016 for the hearing of all pending applications, including Motions for Stay of Proceeding/Execution of the Order of May 12, 2016 pending the Appeal already filed against the suit; Motion to Set-Aside and/or Vacate the order of May 12, 2016; Motion for joinder of certain persons; Motion on Notice by way of Notice of Preliminary Objection on ground of jurisdiction, among others. He said that during the proceedings of Tuesday May 24, 2016, counsel to the plaintiff, R. A. Oluyede drew the attention of the court to the fact that the order of Court dated May 12, 2016 had not been complied with and that the 2nd Defendant had gone ahead to conduct election into the offices of: i. National Chairman, ii. National Secretary, iii. National Auditor. He said the PDP was aware of the Order of Mr. Buba to the effect that the PDP should not conduct election in the offices of :-i) National Chairman, ii) National Secretary, (iii) National Auditor. Mr. Makarfi noted that in compliance to the order, the National Convention of the PDP did not conduct election into the above offices or any offices at all. The National Convention of the PDP, in the exercise of its powers under section 12.88 of the PDP Constitution, dissolved the National Working Committee and appointed some of its members as Caretakers Committee for the next ninety (90) days, to enable it pursue true reconciliation of its disputant members towards peaceful, amicable and political settlement of the disputes leading to the cases in court, he further submitted. No orders of injunction or any order whatsoever is granted or exists against appointing Caretaker Committee for the PDP. The PDP is aware of the ruling of the Federal High Court sitting in Port-Harcourt (as advertised) in Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/524/2016, which orders are extensive, far-reaching and self-explanatory. Mr. Makarfi said certain members of the PDP who were affected by the resolution of the National Convention had resorted to desperation and manipulation of judicial proceedings. He noted that on the grounds that the court had directed the Inspector General of Police to ensure compliance with the order, the PDP, as party, would cooperate fully with the IGP and the Nigeria Police in ensuring maximum compliance with the Court order dated May12, 2016 to the effect that no election should be conducted into the above offices, namely National Chairman, National Secretary, and National Auditor pending the resolution of the cases in Court. As a matter of fact, it is for this reason that the Supreme Organ of the Party, the National Convention resolved not to conduct election into all the offices of the Party, he said. As at today, the only order that is direct, specific and subsisting on the National Convention is that of A. M Liman of the Federal High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt. Mr. Makarfi argued that the ruling of Justice Buba neither touched nor concerned the National Convention of the Party, but acknowledged that a Motion on Notice to that effect was pending before Buba. But until that motion is moved and/or granted or struck-out there is no adverse judicial pronouncement on the proceedings at the National Convention of the PDP held on Saturday May 21. 2016, he stated. Moreover, a Court of coordinate jurisdiction (another Federal High Court) sitting in Port Harcourt, has given orders deemed appropriate (in the well-considered views/opinion of the Court) in respect of specific issues bordering on the outcome of the National Convention held on Saturday May 21, 2016. The said order of Liman J. subsists and specific on the issue as against that of Buba J. which only granted an injunction against conducting elections into certain offices as listed above, and the Party never conducted election into those offices as directed by the Court. Mr. Makarfi urged members to be law abiding, and appealed to aggrieved members to consider the ultimate interest of the party, as their individual aspirations could only be realized with a united and well positioned PDP. He assured that steps were already being taken to reconcile aggrieved members and all grievances within the 90 days tenure of the caretaker committee. The family of the immediate past spokesperson of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, has pleaded with Nigerian authorities not to let its son die without receiving proper medical attention. Mr. Metuh is currently facing prosecution for allegedly receiving N400 million from the office of the National Security Adviser in 2014. A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday refused Mr. Metuhs request to be allowed to travel abroad for surgery. Mr. Metuh is currently on admission at the National Hospital Abuja for spinal cord injury. The family in a statement on Thursday said it had become clear to them that Mr. Metuh was being persecuted because his offer to refund the alleged N400 million was refused, while all other suspects were allowed to make refund. Find below a statement by the family: Press Statement (Being text of press statement by the family of Chief Olisa Metuh) The entire Metuh family has been following the issues regarding our son, Chief Olisa Metuh and his ordeal since his arrest, detention and arraignment by the EFCC since January this year. We are aware that the matter regarding our son is subjudice hence we shall only comment on matters that are already in the public domain. For the avoidance of doubt, we want to make the following clarifications. In December 2015, when the issue of the N400 million came up and our son was invited by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), he immediately reported at ONSA. He then made enquires regarding the source of the money with a clear statement to ONSA that if the source of the money is from government coffers, he was willing to refund accordingly not minding that the money has been expended as directed by the former President. At that time, ONSA did not make the necessary clarifications. Upon his arrest on the 5th of January 2016, the EFCC went to town mentioning several figures that were not the exact amount of money transferred to our sons account. They alleged that N1.4 billion arms deal money was traced to his account and that he has been receiving N4 million monthly from ONSA. They kept him in detention for a period of 9 days after which he was transferred to Kuje prison where he spent another 13 days. Nigerians are aware that of all the people who have been facing the predicament of having worked for either the PDP or the previous Federal Government, our son has been the only one that was brought to court in handcuffs, paraded as a common criminal and treated without any dignity whatsoever. Eventually our son was granted bail under one of the most stringent conditions ever in the history of our country. Fortunately, we were able to meet the bail conditions and our son has been facing trial since then. He has been cooperating with the judiciary and done all required of him in the course of the trial. May we also point out that since his arrest and even up to about a week ago, our son has made several overtures to the arresting authority for him to refund the money since they now claim in court that it came from government coffers. All efforts have been unsuccessful. It is instructive that out of over 300 names listed as having received money from the ONSA, all those who offered to refund money were not arraigned in court. Our son is the only one whose offer to refund money was rejected and has been arraigned in court and his case given accelerated hearing. On each trial date the hostility in the courtroom is palpable. As we speak to you the offer to refund the money to the federal government is still open and the government is yet to accept the offer. It is therefore clear to us that the intention is not the recovery of funds but a clear persecution of our son. Our son was diagnosed with a spinal cord problem in 2004. He has consistently managed it over this period. However, due to the treatments he received while in custody, the situation got aggravated. In the course of his trial, the situation deteriorated, especially after he fell at a meeting in the party office for which he was rushed to the National Hospital and was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit. Notwithstanding the grave medical condition, he still kept his court date the very next morning in spite of medical advice by the doctors. On another such occasion he vomited in court and had to be rushed back to the hospital where he is lying critically ill. Upon doctors recommendation, our son made application to be granted leave and his international passport released for him to travel to a recommended neurological hospital in London for immediate, critical delicate corrective surgery to save him from imminent irreversible paralysis. We are therefore shocked that with all the information available to the court regarding his grave medical condition and the critical need for him to have this corrective surgery, the Federal High Court Abuja refused his application. It is also instructive to note that the Federal High Court Abuja on the same day granted leave to someone facing similar trial to go abroad for one month for prayers while our ailing son is not allowed to travel for urgent medical attention. We are also aware that a few others facing similar trials, within the same federal high court jurisdiction, have been granted leave to travel for medical treatment and their passports released to them by the same court where they were granted bail. It is absurd that the main reason given by the court for refusing the application is that there are several teaching hospitals in Nigeria that can handle such critical spinal problems, especially as this dramatic claim by the trial Judge has no medical basis whatsoever. This is clearly one of the tactics being used by the court in an attempt to whip up public sentiments against our son in this courtroom media trial moreso when it is judicial notice that even public officers are allowed to travel abroad on ordinary medical check-up and at public expense. Our request is on the basis of a life-threatening ailment and will be undertaken with our own private resources. Sadly, as we speak, our son is lying on admission at the National Hospital where his spinal ailment is fast deteriorating and doctors fearing the worse for his life. He currently relies on palliatives being given to him at the National Hospital Abuja waiting for the opportunity of a corrective surgery. The essence of a criminal trial is to achieve justice and no justice can be achieved if someone dies in the process. We feel more convinced that this is a political vendetta considering the fact of his efforts to pay back the money if it came from government coffers not minding that the money has been expended as directed by the former President. Till date, the powers that be have shown that they would rather prosecute our son than accept a refund of the money. For those who are conversant with the goings on in the court, it is no longer news that our son was not informed that this money came from a source other than from the former President. Why then this concerted effort to silence him finally. Our concern now is that that our son should not be sentenced to a life in a wheel chair especially as we believe that the paramount interest of the authorities should rather be more on the recovery of funds. In this case, our son has from the onset shown his willingness to refund the money rather than dragging in other party members involved in the said assignment. Finally we want Nigerians to note that our son has never held any public office, has never worked for any arm of government and is not being charged for stealing and/or corrupt enrichment. Signed: Chief Gilbert Metuh. For and On behalf of the Metuh family. Workers in Ekiti State on Thursday began an indefinite strike over governments inability to pay five months salary arrears and for failing to refund deductions made from their December 2015 salaries. The strike brought the state capital to a halt as government offices and public schools remained shut. But the state governor said for as long there was no money to pay salaries, he would have to wait for the workers to return. The state councils of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiation Council (JNC) had on Tuesday last week issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the government to pay the December deductions amounting to N512million or face industrial action. But the strike was overtaken by the national strike called by the NLC which was called off on Monday. Thursdays strike followed the expiration of a fresh 24-hour ultimatum on Wednesday, after the governments failure to accede to the workers demands. Other demands of the workers include the release of the staff audit and verification conducted in April 2015; disclosure of the monthly internally generated revenue; payment of arrears of salaries, pension and gratuities; payment of September 2014 salary to primary school teachers; and payment of 2014 and 2015 leave bonuses. The workers are also asking the government to implement the promotion for 2013, 2014, 2015; approval of inter-cadre transfer; remission of 10 percent IGR to local government and stoppage of Joint Allocation Committee account; resuscitation of LG staff pension fund and release of running grants to secondary schools and local governments. Your Excellency Sir, we have remained calm since these days hoping that respite will soon come our ways, but hope is becoming a mirage. Besides, there is a limit to endurance, said the labour leaders, in a letter addressed to the state governor, Ayo Fayose. The governor, while responding to the strike, said the state only got N751million allocation from the federation account. I know workers have not been coming to work, but I dont have the moral right to stop them . But I can only deploy what I receive from the federation account, Mr. Fayose said. If workers want to go on strike, I sympathize with them but we will be here waiting till when they come back. I cant sell myself to pay workers. Even the government house where I live does not have diesel to power generator at times. I want the workers and members of the public to show understanding. This is not about Ekiti, it is an issue that affects all of us. A 24-year old man, Haruna Tukur, who works as a bus conductor in Kaduna, has been accused of serially raping a five-year old girl (name withheld). Mr. Tukur was arrested and charged to a magistrate court in Kaduna on February 29, this year, for allegedly raping the minor. But that didnt deter him. He was said to have began raping her again immediately he was set free on bail, thereby prompting an outrage on the social media. The travail of the little girl trended on the social media after one concerned Nigerian, Munirat Abdusalam, tweeted it, and afterwards granted an interview on the matter to the VOA radio programme on Hausa language, Yau Da Gobe. Mr. Tukur is said to be feared within the Malali village, a suburb of Kaduna, because of his alleged membership of a notorious criminal gang in the area. The victims mother (name withheld) said Mr. Tukur had been raping her daughter since she was three years old. She revealed to me that he (Tukur) usually lured her into a graveyard near her Islamic School, or an uncompleted building, or to an isolated refuse dump near LEA Primary School Ungwan Gado, to have sex with her and (then) give her a bottle of Maltina drink, the victims mother told PREMIUM TIMES at their one room apartment in Malali. Some people advised us against reporting to the police since we did not catch him in the act, she said. So, we got scared and kept mute. The hospital we took her to had been treating her for pile. The hospital later seized her card when they discovered it was a rape case, and insisted we provide police report. The family alleged that Mr. Tukur, even while on bail from the court, threatened to attack them, if they failed to allow him continue to have his way with their little daughter. We are forced to withdraw our daughter from both western and islamic school because she still comes back home in pains with sperm all over her private part and her panties, the girls mother said. Even last Tuesday, she said Haruna (Tukur) still lured her to uncompleted house and had sex with her, and (then) gave her Maltina. We reported the case again to Malali Police Station, and then we took her to Yusuf Dantsoho Hospital. The victims father said the Village Head of Malali, Yahaya Umar, and the suspects family had been putting pressure on him to withdraw the case from court. When PREMIUM TIMES contacted the head of Malali village, Mr. Umar, he admitted putting pressure on the girls father to withdraw the case from court, and take his daughter away from the area. He said, when the case was reported to him, he insisted that the suspect must be caught in the act first before reporting the case. If I were the father of the girl, I will make sure I catch the suspect red handed, and then I will simply take my daughter far away from the area as the only solution to this case, said the village head, who is a father of 17 children. The Director of Public Prosecution in the state, Dari Bayaro, said Mr. Tukurs bail would be cancelled soon, and then he would be re-arrested for rape. Mr. Bayaro said, We have filed application in the high court under section 350 of the criminal procedure to cancel the bail and re-arrest the suspect. Ese Oruru, the 14-year old girl, allegedly abducted from Yenagoa and taken to Kano, on Thursday gave birth to a baby girl at the Government House Clinic in Yenagoa. Charles Oruru, Eses father, said in a telephone interview that his granddaughter and daughter were in good health. Ese delivered a bouncing girl and she and the baby are in good health, I just left the clinic where I went to see them, Mr. Oruru said. Ese was allegedly abducted by one Yunusa Dahiru and taken to Kano. Mr. Dahiru was on March 8 charged with abduction, kidnapping, unlawful carnal knowledge and sexual exploitation by the Police. Mr. Dahiru, aka Yellow who had pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against him was granted bail to the tune of N 3 million and two sureties He has remained in prison custody following his inability to meet the bail conditions. Abdullahi Salame, the lawmaker representing Gwadabawa/Illela federal constituency, Sokoto State, has dismissed insinuations that his controversial pro-Sharia bill is aimed at expanding the Islamic legal system across a secular Nigeria. Mr. Salame said his constitutional amendment proposal is actually designed to protect Christians from wanton attacks in Northern Nigeria. The long form title of the bill is: A bill for an Act to alter Sections 262 and 277 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to increase the jurisdiction of the Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory and Sharia Court of Appeal of a State by including Criminal Matters and Hudud and Qisas and for other related Matters. Mr. Salame came under intense public ridicule on Wednesday after Nigerians learnt that his bill had surreptitiously scaled the second reading. Christian groups issued strongly-worded statements reprimanding non-Muslim lawmakers for allowing the legislation to go that far in the parliament without challenge. In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES Thursday, Mr. Salame said his legislation only seeks to alter the Constitution to give Sharia Court of Appeal the jurisdiction to hear criminal matters in Sharia-compliant states. Mr. Salame said the two sections the deal with the court currently permit the Sharia Court of Appeal the jurisdiction to try civil matters only, saying the only way to strengthen the court for its purpose is if its given the constitutional backing to try both civil and criminal matters. I just want them to add only two words and criminal to Sections 262 and 272 so that after the civil there will be followed with and criminal matters, Mr. Salame told PREMIUM TIMES. Mr. Salame said his proposal only seeks to widen the powers of the Sharia Court of Appeal in places where Sharia legal system currently exists. Were not trying to expand the Sharia as other people perceive it that were trying to take Sharia to other states that have not adopted Sharia like Enugu or Abuja, Mr. Salami said. No, were not saying that we should expand Sharia. Were talking about the jurisdiction of the existing Sharia court. Mr. Salame said, if accepted, his amendment will deter Muslims from continuing with their current behaviour of killing Christians and other non-Muslims upon any slight provocation in the north. When theres little argument it will become ethnic and religious crisis. Many non-Muslims are being unjustly killed. People are doing injustice to non-Muslims by attacking non-Muslims just because theyre not Muslims, Mr. Salame said. With the passage of this bill, no Muslim will ever attempt even to harm, much less, kill non-Muslims, because you know Sharia can attend to criminal cases and you will be dealt with. And, in Islam, when you kill a non-Muslim, you will be killed. These Boko Haram and other groups that hide behind any little crisis to attack Christians and other non-Muslims would be easily punished. Mr. Salami said the bill conforms with APCs Change agenda because it will help improve security which is one of the partys main agenda. One of the objectives of the APC government is to ensure peace and security in the country. This bill, when passed, will certainly improve security and a peaceful co-existence between Muslim and non-Muslims in the states that practice Sharia, he said. Mr. Salami, therefore, urged Nigerians to put aside their ethnic and religious affiliations and support the bill, adding that his colleagues in the House, especially those from Sharia-compliant states, are in support of it. First all-sky microwave image of the universe soon after the Big Bang, released by a team of astronomers from NASA and Princeton University on February 10, 2003 in Washington, DC. (Photo : Getty Images/Handout) Recently, the former chief technologist at Microsoft, Nathan P. Myhrvold, accused NASA of using "bad science" and flawed methods to estimate the size of the asteroids. Now, NASA has hit back on him for making "profound calculation errors" while making the claims. Myhrvold jot down his calculation in a 110 pages long paper that has not been peer-reviewed yet. In his thorough analysis, Myhrvold shot an aim at NASA's Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer spacecraft (WISE) that specifically looks at the heat signatures of asteroids that may, someday, hit Earth. Advertisement These heat signatures are specifically converted to size estimated with the help of empirical models that are a part of a project called Neowise. These mathematical models have been created by NASA researchers, based on what they have observed so far about individual asteroids. A report published by the New York Times first revealed about the nature of Myhrvold's study. The report explains how Myhrvold's study debunks the statistical methods used by NASA scientists to estimate the size of the asteroids covered in the Neowise Mission. According to the techie - who happens to hold a degree in physics, but has no experience with asteroids - NASA scientists do not take into consideration the Kirchoff's law of thermal radiation and the margin of error while making the calculations. Meanwhile, NASA researchers have slammed back at Myhrvold saying that he does not even have an idea about any of the statistical methods used by them. "For every mistake I found in his paper, if I got a bounty, I would be rich," Ned Wright, principal investigator for WISE told Science Magazine. On the other hand, Amy Mainzer, the principal investigator for Neowise says that much of her project's calculations have already been reproduced and confirmed. Observations taken by Neowise match the data gathered by Japan's Akari, a recently operated infrared telescope. Moreover, Mainzer's work has already been peer-reviewed, unlike Myhrvold's paper. While experts seem to have found no error in her paper, Myhrvold has plenty to point out. Myhrvold has submitted his paper to journal Icarus for publication, however, it has not been approved yet. The following video shows Nathan P. Myhrvold talk about his fascinations in life: Within the last six months, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, secured more than 140 convictions and recovered billions of dollars in stolen funds from unscrupulous individuals, the anti-graft bodys chairman, Ibrahim Magu, has said. Mr. Magu spoke Thursday at a rally organised by the EFCC to sensitise Nigerian schoolchildren and teenagers on the perils of corruption to national development. In a statement signed Thursday by EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, Mr. Magu said the agency also blocked several channels that people of questionable character used to launder their ill-gotten wealth. In just six months of this year, we have secured over 140 convictions, including some elusive high profile criminals. We have recovered billions of dollars worth of stolen funds and blocked numerous avenues of money laundering, Mr. Magu said while speaking on a theme: We Must Win The War on Corruption and Impunity. Mr. Uwujaren later told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr. Magu meant within the last six months. Mr. Magu said he is enlivened by the growing optimism of Nigerians in the fight against corruption. Citizens are now more disposed to pre-emptively act against corruption; and where the act has been committed, they are willing to work with EFCC to fish out the criminals, Mr. Magu said. However, in order to ensure that justice is fully served to the victim, the perpetrator and the society, it is important for us all to continue to hold everyone in the justice delivery chain accountable. Mr. Magu urged the citizens to increase their scrutiny of the nations judiciary. Nigerians must also take more seriously their watchdog role over the judiciary to meet the yearnings of Nigerians for justice, Mr. Magu said. A former minister, Oby Ezekwesili, decried the miserable turn of events for Nigeria. Nigeria is a country that the whole world agreed had incredible potentials to be one of the leading countries of the world. As a matter of fact, at the time of Nigerias Independence, many around the world took a bet that Nigeria was the black nation that would likely put in hot pursuit all other nations of the world in terms of greatness that it had. Sadly, 56 years after Independence, when some of those nations that took a bet on Nigeria look at what has become of the country, they ponder what has gone wrong. But what has gone wrong is what the EFCC has been established to tackle, Mrs. Ezekwesili said. Apart from youngsters in primary and secondary schools, Clean Hands Campaign drew a mammoth crowd of civil society actors in the fight against corruption, including Citizens for Anti-corruption Corps, Rivers State and the Patriotic Forum. Governor Mohammed Abubakar has described the banning of cattle grazing by the Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, in the wake of incessant clashes between farmers and cattle herders, as unbefitting of national leaders, especially state governors. He said the Mr. Fayoses statement was as condemnable as the crises between the farmers and herders. Mr. Abubakar said he was worried that Nigeria had not been able to find lasting solutions to such clashes that have resulted in the death of hundreds of Nigerian lives in different parts of the country. In a democracy, provisions have been made for anybody that is aggrieved with anything in the country to seek redress. Instead of resorting to making such public pronouncements, there are laid down laws to follow. On this matter, I am gladdened with efforts of both the presidency and the national assembly which is conducting public hearings with a view to putting an end to such incessant and senseless killings, Mr. Abubakar said. Mr. Abubakar said Nigeria was in dire need of everybodys contributions for it to be great again and for the economy bounce back. The Bayelsa State government on Thursday said it had uncovered payroll fraud in the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), with the discovery of over 765 illegally employed teachers in the states local government councils. Fifty dead persons were also found on the payroll of Ogbia Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) alone, a statement by the state, sent to PREMIUM TIMES, said. The discovery of illegal workers cut across the eight local government areas, with Ogbia Local Government Education Authority, (LGEA) leading with 230 illegal employees. Others are Southern Ijaw LGEA (192); Sagbama LGEA (136); Ekeremor LGEA (108); Brass LGEA (9); Nembe LGEA (25); Yenagoa LGEA (25); and Kolokuma/Opokuma LGEA (40). The Executive Secretary of SUBEB, Walton Liverpool, said on Thursday in Yenagoa that by the end of the verification exercise, the government would be saving over N100 million monthly. Mr. Liverpool said, These sets of workers were illegally employed by fraudsters and now parading as civil servants. As you are all aware, since the inception of the present administration, an embargo has been placed on fresh employment, but some people went behind to employ their cronies and backdated it to 2007. In the course of our investigation, after cross checking the 2007 nominal roll and vouchers with the recent ones, it was discovered that over 765 names have been infused. This has been the practice of some unscrupulous officers in the LGEAs. Some of the affected workers are being aided by the LGEA staff. As I am talking to you now, one of them is cooling off at the State Criminal Investigations Department and more will still be arrested. It will interest you to know that there are some people on the payroll that are residing in Lagos, Abuja and even Ghana and are drawing salaries in Bayelsa. I am not exaggerating, it is happening. By the time, we conclude this exercise, more names will be discovered. I have my facts; those perpetrating the atrocities are not from the Board Headquarters, but from the LGEAs. With this discovery, the state government has been able to save N100 million from SUBEB alone. At the end of the exercise, the state government will save over N100 million from the education sector. As you are all aware, the State governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, has directed all the headmasters and principals to prepare their monthly vouchers. A former governor of Edo State, Oserheimen Osunbor, on Thursday said he would re-contest the position on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Mr. Osunbor told newsmen in Abuja on Thursday that he was back in the race by popular demand of Edo people. Mr. Osunbor was elected governor of Edo in April 2007 but the Edo State Governorship Election Tribunal declared the election invalid on March 20, 2008. He said during his stint in the Edo Government House, he left his footprint in the area of infrastructure, civil service reforms, health and education sectors. I also fought for the accreditation of 30 out of 31 degree awarding courses in the Ambrose Ali University. Since governance entails continuity, Oshiomhole continued with my legacies and I promise to continue from where he stopped. On whether Mr. Oshiomhole had an anointed candidate, he said: at a meeting in March, Oshiomhole publicly declared that he had no anointed candidate and I believe him even if you dont. He said although there were lots of qualified candidates in the race, Edo people should vote for the first among equals, adding that he would bring his experience to bear as a professor and senator. Mr. Osunbor brings to nine the number of aspirants vying for the Edo number one seat on the platform of the APC. The gubernatorial primary will come up on June 18. (NAN) Lifetime humanitarian award to D R Mehta w ( Read 6224 Times) 26 May 16 Share | Print This Page Jaipur. The founder and the chief patron of the Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS) D R Mehta was honoured by HOW International with the lifetime humanitarian award at a function in Santa Barba ra in United States. HOW International is an international organization working in the field of handicapped rehabilitation. The ceremony which was held at Santa Barbara in California state of United States was attended by large number of persons. D R Mehta was honoured at the New Victoria Theatre by HOW International for Mehtas contribution for the rehabilitation of the handicapped through Jaipur Foot. It was under the leadership of Mehta t hat Jaipur Foot is recognized all over the world with its presence in 27 countries.Jaiapur Foot today is the biggest organization for the handicapped in the world and for this achievement the credit goes to Mehta who contributed immensely for the handicapped. The BMVSS has rehabilitated over 15 lakh handicapped persons in In dia and in 27 other countries under the leadership of Mehta. Mehta is a celebrated humaniatarian and HOW feels proud in honouring him with the lifetime humanitarian award said John Mullen, the founder of HOW International. During the gala function a documentary- Florencia An Accidental Story was also filmed. This documentary was made by the students of Santa Barbaras Multi Media Arts and Design Academy. This film is on the life of a 16-year-old girl Florencia of Mozambique who lost one of her leg in an accidental landmine blast. This documentary film shows how HOW International helped her by t aking her to Jaipur where she was fitted with the Jaipur Foot and Florencia started walking. The film was shot bot h in Jaipur and in Mozambique. The film show the frames of thee sequence on how the Jaipur Foot was fitted and how Florencia regained her mobility and dignity. HOW International founders, John Mullen and Douglas Bowman, told the story of their discovery of Florencia and the journey to change her life.. In re-capping the meeting, Douglas Bowman said, It was a great night for HOW,. It was so striking to me that the audience were moved by the story of D R Mehta and his compassion and services and the Mozambique girl Florencia. HOW will closely work with Mehtas Jaipur Foot orgaanisation This Article/News is also avaliable in following categories : National News Your Comments ! Share Your Openion EV Charging Station (Photo : Twitter) Apple is showing interest in building charging stations for electric cars by starting talks with companies and hiring engineers who have experience buildings the devices. This suggests that the tech giant could still have plans to build an "iCar" that would compete with other electric vehicles (EVs) including Tesla's all-electric Model S sedan. Last year hints that a robotic Apple car might be in the works included a meeting with California's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) about the rules of the road for self-driving cars, and a report that the company was searching for a site in the San Francisco Bay area to road test autonomous vehicles (AV). Advertisement Reuters first reported the news about Apple's interest in EV charging stations. The company is researching the tech required for charging stations used to power its electric cars. Apple has not officially reported talks with experts in charging station tech. It also is not related to changing EVs of Apple employees, which the company already provides as a service, according to 9to5 Mac. Apple will likely want to focus on the charging stations if it does not build an iCar. They replace gas stations and are a new market in the world of green cars. It is unclear why Apple is interested in charging stations and the technology they use. It could build a system like Tesla's Supercharger network. Apple might also have plans to financially support third-party charging stations without being officially involved. Apple is responding to the big problems of recharging electric cars' batteries that include the limited number of charging stations and hours wasted juicing up an EV, according to Reuters. It could invent another game-changing design for consumer electronics. Apple's Project Titan is the company's top-secret EV car team that includes about 600 employees. The company is reportedly scouting a 800,000 square-foot (244,000 square-meter) area for the group. Earlier this year Apple CEO Tim Cook answered questions about the company's rumored EV project. He said that it will be "Christmas Eve" for a long time. At a different event Cook stated that the company is only committed to a new product when it spends a lot of money to develop it. Here's how an EV charging station works: The United States called on Russia on Monday to press Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government to cease air strikes against opposition forces in Aleppo and the Damascus suburbs, the State Department said. Washington also urged the Assad regime to end escalating attacks on Aleppo and Daraya, as well as besieging towns and obstructing humanitarian access, the department said. "Secretary Kerry raised these concerns in a call with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov earlier today and urged him to press the regime to cease at once airstrikes against opposition forces and innocent civilians in Aleppo and the Damascus suburbs," the statement said. Search Keywords: Short link: 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. Christians' homes were burned and an elderly woman was stripped naked in public by a mob of Muslims angered by a rumoured affair between her son and a Muslim woman The Coptic Orthodox Coptic Church said in a statement on Wednesday that a mob attacked Christian homes in a village in Minya last Friday, and stripped an older Christian woman of her clothes during the assault. "A group of 300 people carrying various types of weapons went at 8pm on 20 May to attack seven houses owned by Christians, burgling some of them and torching others," said the statement, estimating the financial losses at EGP 350,000. "The attackers also stripped an old Christian woman of her clothes in front of a huge crowd in the street," read the statement, which was issued by the diocese of Minya and Abu Qirqas. The sectarian attack in the village of El-Karm followed a rumour that a Muslim woman and a Christian man were involved in an affair, according to the statement. The woman attacked and stripped naked was the accused man's mother, the statement added. The incident was first reported on social media and by activists several days ago. The Christian man who was the subject of the rumours has been forced to leave the village after receiving threats. "His parents already filed a complaint at Abu Qirqas police station about receiving threats on 19 May and that they expected those threats to happen the next day," read the church's statement, adding that the man's family had reported the incident to the authorities. According to the church, security forces reached the area at 10pm on Thursday, arresting six people who are under investigation. "We trust that such behaviour is not accepted by any respectable person; we also trust that the state apparatuses won't stand by as a spectator and thus we thank in advance the security apparatuses as we believe it will all arrest all those involved and hold them accountable," read the church's statement. The governor of Minya, Tarek Nasr, however, denied in a TV interview with anchor Ahmed Moussa on Sada El-Balad Wednesday night that the woman was stripped naked, describing the whole incident as a "regular" fight. Nasr also blamed the Muslim Brotherhood for exploiting the incident and spreading rumours. The governor confirmed that the sectarian tension in the village was caused by a rumour about a Christian man having an affair with a Muslim woman, adding that questions of love affairs and honour in Upper Egypt are usually "sensitive" issues. "Some irrational youth threw flammable missiles at the houses of Christians in the village and some women ran away in their nightgowns," Nasser said denying that an a older was stripped naked and insisting that the matter has been resolved. Similar sectarian-motivated attacks on Christians have taken place in Minya and other parts of Egypt in the past several years. Many social media users reacted angrily to the news of the incident, with some launching a hashtag in Arabic which reads Egypt is stripped naked. Social media users demanded legal action from the authorities, criticising the government's reliance on customary conflict resolution and reconciliation assemblies which are regularly held by religious and community leaders to resolve sectarian tensions among Muslims and Christians in an extra-legal manner in Egyptian villages. These sessions have often been criticised by both Muslims and Christians for being an inadequate, informal means of resolving conflicts that require government intervention. Search Keywords: Short link: The ASV was formed in 2012, in recognition of the specific needs of African scientists and health-care professionals, after a poll of 13 countries' venom experts showed strong support for improved epidemiology, clinical studies, training, and national snakebite and scorpion sting management programs. Studies conducted by ASV members demonstrated that the ongoing sub-Saharan antivenom shortage was attributable to limited information about local needs, infrastructural weaknesses, and loss of confidence based on years of experience with inadequate antivenom products. ASV member doctors and scientists determined to break the vicious circle through mobilization of the private and public sectors. Together they launched epidemiology studies, trained healthcare personnel, promoted safe, appropriate antivenoms, and improved access to proper care at all levels. This week, they are at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, to share the results with the world. "Today, the ASV forms a panel of experts who meet regularly and can help the authorities as needed," said Jean-Philippe Chippaux, a representative of the French Institute for Research and Development, who conducts clinical and epidemiological studies and is based in Benin. "Appropriate antivenoms, lyophilized for heat stability and purified for safety, are now registered in at least 15 countries and available in many health care facilities." "The proactive strategy has begun to bear fruit," said Achille Massougbodji, President of ASV. "At last the vicious circle has begun to change to a virtuous circle, with increased distribution and use of appropriate antivenom in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Senegal and Togo. Cases are now routinely reported in at least five member countries. And the governments of Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Togo are all subsidizing treatment, so doctors can deliver better antivenoms, to more people, faster than in the past." INOSAN BIOPHARMA is proud to have worked closely with ASV members since the beginning, to develop safe, effective new antivenoms that have now been field tested across the region. INOSAN's products for treatment of snake and scorpion venom injury are used in over 20 countries in Africa, and we are pleased to have been able to fulfill all requests in the continent, during a rapid escalation in demand. "It seems clear that local problems in Africa can only be solved by African experts," said Juan Silanes, President of Inosan Biopharma. INOSAN is an innovation-oriented pharmaceutical company leading the world in the development of immunotherapeutics. For more information, see our website, find us on the web at inosanbiopharma.com or send an inquiry to info@inosanbiopharma.com Related Links http://www.inosanbiopharma.com SOURCE INOSAN BIOPHARMA, S.A. BASINGSTOKE, England, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ARCHON+, one of Poland's most respected house-planning design companies, relied on Infortrend's redundant unified storage systems' full compatibility with virtualized infrastructures and guaranteed 24/7 high availability to provide the ideal storage solution for their VMware Cluster environment. Owning a catalogue of over 1000 architectural house plans, ARCHON+ successful operations require high availability to ensure their plans are accessible to clients online at all times. Looking for a solution that facilitated that sharing of data resources within VMware virtualized environments, ARCHON+ selected Infortrend's redundant unified storage system, which provided them with no single point of failure, RAID protection and data protection features to minimize unplanned system downtime, as well as SSD Cache for performance acceleration. Grzegorz Myca, IT Manager at ARCHON+ said "Infortrend unified storage systems are very easy to deploy and maintain, which is important for our small IT team. Since deploying them, we've enjoyed great peace of mind about of our data's availability and look forward to continue working with Infortrend in future expansion projects." Teddy Lin, General Manager of Infortrend Europe commented: "We pride ourselves in providing storage solutions with high availability, advanced features and full compatibility with a wide range of virtualization environments. We are happy to have exceeded ARCHON+'s expectations and wish them continued success with their new solution." To read ARCHON+'s full success story, please click here. About ARCHON+ ARCHON+ was founded in 1990. In the late 90's they introduced a catalogue with Architectural house plans of the time including ca. 1000 ready to use plans. In 2013 Archon+ began to offer Online Shopping services with house interior accessories. Today a team of 60 takes care of their customer's satisfaction and business development. For more information, please visit: http://archon.pl About Infortrend Infortrend (TWSE: 2495) has been developing and manufacturing storage solutions since 1993. With a strong emphasis on in-house design, testing, and manufacturing, Infortrend storage delivers performance and scalability with the latest standards, user friendly data services, personal after-sales support, and unrivaled value. For more information, please visit www.infortrend.com Infortrend, EonStor, ESVA, SANWatch, and EonPath are trademarks or registered trademarks of Infortrend Technology, Inc. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Infortrend Europe Ltd. Agnieszka Wesolowska Tel:+44-1256-305-220 E-mail:marketing.eu@infortrend.com Related Links http://www.infortrend.com SOURCE Infortrend Technology, Inc. DUBAI, UAE, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Reem Al-Hashimi, Minister of State and Director General of Bureau Expo Dubai 2020 Managing Director of the Dubai World Expo 2020, spoke very highly of Kazakhstan's efforts to prepare for the International Specialized Exhibition Astana EXPO-2017. She expressed this opinion at a bilateral meeting with Akhmetzhan Yessimov, Chairman of the Board of National Company Astana EXPO-2017. The parties met in Dubai at the first meeting of international participants in EXPO 2020 Dubai. Moreover, Reem Al-Hashimi appeared interested in exchanging experience with Astana EXPO-2017. In his turn, Akhmetzhan Yessimov spoke about Kazakhstan's international initiatives to promote the theme of the exhibition in Astana and preparation for the event. At the meeting, the parties reached an agreement on signing a memorandum on cooperation between Astana EXPO-2017 and EXPO 2020 Dubai. The document is to be signed in January 2017 at a summit on future energy in Abu Dhabi. Mr. Yessimov also held meetings with the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Hussain Nasser Lootah, Mayor of the city of Dubai; and Vicente Loscertales, Secretary General of the International Exhibition Bureau (Bureau International des Expositions, BIE). The head of Dubai city said that on his visit to Kazakhstan he had been impressed by the country. At the meeting with Vicente Loscertales, Secretary General of the BIE, Akhmetzhan Yessimov elaborated on the progress of construction, the content of the exhibition and the arrangement of the Best Practices Area, which will feature over 20 world's best projects in production, conservation and transportation of renewable energy sources. As Chairman of the International Selection Committee, Mr. Loscertales pointed out that he was to arrive in Kazakhstan in September. About Astana EXPO-2017 The International Specialized Exhibition Astana EXPO-2017 with the theme "Future Energy" is an expositional and recreational event that expects over 100 participating countries and over 10 international organizations, and 5 million visits. The subthemes of EXPO-2017 are: Reducing CO2 emissions. The environmental challenge: to protect our environment and promote trends that lead to environmental enhancement. Energy conservation. The economic challenge: promote energy efficiency and the rational use of energy. Energy for all. The social challenge: energy access as a basic human need and right. SOURCE National company Astana EXPO-2017 BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Azerbaijan is requesting an objective and comprehensive response from the White House to its petition, which is calling for the Obama administration "to assist in the liberation of the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia and the prevention of a humanitarian catastrophe in the region." The petition was launched by the President of the Association for Civil Society Development in Azerbaijan, Elkhan Suleymanov, in early April, following renewed fighting in the Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh and other territories occupied by Armenia. It has received over 330,000 signatures, more than three times necessary to warrant a reply by the White House. Suleymanov pointed out that the United States is one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council as well as co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, the mediators also consisting of Russia and France, which has made "no progress towards the liberation of our occupied territories," as the petition states. "The White House's response will demonstrate the extent of its objectivity as a center of superpower and guarantor of democratic development, international security and international law principles," Suleymanov said. Earlier this year, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe or PACE - the continent's voice of democracy and human rights - called for the immediate withdrawal of Armenian forces from the Azerbaijani territories and further accused Armenia of "environmental aggression" and "deliberately depriving" Azerbaijanis of water flowing from the Sarsang reservoir, which is located in the Armenian-occupied territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Suleymanov said the Armenian government would be held accountable in case of a possible humanitarian catastrophe at the occupied Sarsang reservoir. He added that the response by the White House, which is expected in early June, "will demonstrate the U.S. attitude to decisions of the Council of Europe" and expressed hope that the U.S. will state its "clear opinion for the prevention of this catastrophe." "Should the U.S. ignore and not support our call," Suleymanov added, "the whole world community will be responsible for this possible humanitarian catastrophe." The Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding provinces were occupied by Armenia during the post-Soviet power vacuum, resulting in about 30,000 deaths and nearly one million refugees and internally displaced people. In addition to PACE, many other international bodies, including the United Nations, European Parliament and the OSCE have called for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from the Azerbaijani territories. SOURCE Azerbaijan Monitor PUNE, India, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Black Start Generator Market by Type (Diesel and Others), by Power Ratings (Below 1,000 kW, 1,000 kW-2,000 kW, 2,000 kW-3,000 kW, and Above 3,000 kW), by Industry (Power, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas, and Others) and by Region - Trends & Forecasts to 2021"published by MarketsandMarkets, The market is expected to grow from an estimated USD 1.24 Billion in 2016 to USD 1.50 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 3.8% from 2016 to 2021. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 60 market data Tables with 51 Figures spread through 154 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Black Start Generator Market" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/black-start-generator-market-13209679.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. Increasing investment in power generation infrastructure and growth of manufacturing sector are driving the market for black start generators across the world. Black start diesel generator to dominate the market during the forecast period Amongst the three commonly used types of generators which are diesel, gas, and hybrid; diesel generators have the quickest response, easier fuel sourcing, lowest running cost, and longer running life which are also the factors driving the growth of the diesel generator segment in the Black Start Generator Market. Diesel generators held over 90% of the market during the forecast period and are expected to grow at a higher rate as compared to gas and hybrid generators for black start. Gas and hybrid generators are mostly preferred in countries having developed gas distribution network like the U.S, U.K., and Canada. Power industry to hold the major share of the Black Start Generator Market during the forecast period The Black Start Generator Market is segmented on the basis of industry which includes power plants, manufacturing, oil & gas, and others. The power industry is the major buyer of black start generators and is the key driver for the market. High urbanization and industrialization in emerging economies such as China, India, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia among others has resulted in high demand for electricity leading to the growth of the power industry across globe, thereby driving the Black Start Generator Market. Developed economies such as Germany, the U.S., and Canada have a high power plant retirement rate and are also investing in constructing new power plants, which will further add to Black Start Generator Market. Make an Enquiry: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=13209679 Asia-Pacific would see the highest growth for the Black Start Generator Market The report covers five regions namely Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa, North America, and South America. The Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness high growth in construction of thermal power plants from 2016 to 2021. Moreover, new policies favoring industry and huge foreign investments are likely to fuel the growth of industries, in this region. The report also provides an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, along with profiles of the leading Black Start Generator Market players such as Caterpillar Inc. (U.S.), General Electric (U.S.), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Limited (Japan), Cummins, Inc. (U.S.), and MTU Onsite Energy (Germany) among others. Dominant players are trying to penetrate the emerging economies and are adopting various methods such as signing contracts and agreements, expansions, mergers and acquisitions, and new product launches to increase their market share. Market share analysis by revenue for key companies is included in the report. The scope accordingly aids market participants to identify high growth markets and helps managing key investment decisions. For this report, major players in the Black Start Generator Market have been identified using various primary and secondary sources, which include annual reports of top market players, interviews with key opinion leaders such as CEOs, directors, and marketing people. Based on this research, the market shares have been evaluated and validated. Browse Related Reports: Generator Sales Market by Type (Diesel And Gas), by Power Rating (Below 100 kVA, 100-350 kVA, 350-1000 kVA, Above 1000 kVA), by Application (Standby, Prime Or Continuous Power, Peak Shaving), by End User (Industrial, Commercial, and Residential), & by Region - Global Forecast to 2020 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/generator-sales-market-47544335.html Power Rental Market by end user (industry, Utilities, Oil & Gas, Construction, Quarrying & Mining, Events, Shipping, and Others), Application (Peak Shaving, Base Load, & Standby), Type of Generator (Diesel, Gas, and Others), Power Rating (0-80, 81-280, 281-600,> 600kW), & by Region - Global Trends & Forecasts to 2020 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/rental-power-generation-market-744.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is the world's No. 2 firm in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers. We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository. Contact: Mr. Rohan Markets and Markets UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ Magarpatta city, Hadapsar Pune, Maharashtra 411013, India +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit MarketsandMarkets Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/energy-and-power Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets LONDON, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Business Worldwide Magazine this week unveiled the winners of its second annual CEO Awards. The leading business publication attracts nominations for its CEO Awards from around the globe. Sectors represented in the 2016 CEO Awards include utilities, renewables, telecoms, banking, technology and science. The Awards are open to CEO's, managing directors, heads of service and other C-level executives. They seek to recognise individuals whose philosophy, methodology and leadership skills have made a major contribution to their company's ongoing success in categories such as financial results, corporate culture and customer satisfaction. A spokesperson for Business Worldwide Magazine said: "We would very much like to congratulate all our winners this year. Our judges were very impressed at the way each and every one of these individuals is forging ahead and making a name for themselves in their chosen sector. "In terms of the actual judging process, all scored highly for traits such as credibility, empathy and competence. The Awards are, after all, about celebrating an individual rather than company success and we hope the winners will go on to become role models for others who are keen to emulate their success. "The economic situation in many countries is loosening up but the after effects of the 2008 recession are still there with many consumers still reticent about spending. This goes on to make our winners accolades even more deserving." The spokesman went on to give special thanks to all the colleagues and clients who endeavoured to nominate their CEOs or senior management in the first place. It is this initial recommendation that proves the starting point for judges, who then go on to conduct their own research. More detailed information on our Business Worldwide CEO Awards can be found at http://www.bwmonline.com/awards/ceo-awards-2016-winners/ Note to editors Business Worldwide Magazine is the leading source of business and dealmaker intelligence throughout the world. Our quarterly magazine and online news portal enables an established audience of corporate dealmakers to track the latest news, stories and developments affecting the international markets, corporate finance, business strategy and changes in legislation. This readership includes of CEO/CFO - Banks, Corporate Lawyers and Venture Capital/Private Equity Companies to name a few. http://www.bwmonline.com Contact David Jones Awards Department E: david.jones@bwmonline.com W: http://www.bwmonline.com SOURCE Business Worldwide Magazine Echoing the 2014 consumer alert issued by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) on the growing trend of technicians performing hair restoration surgery and the serious consequences this practice poses for patients, the ISHRS is urging consumers who may consider traveling to another country for hair restoration surgery to thoroughly research their hair restoration physician and medical facility amid increasing reports of patients receiving shoddy hair transplants by technicians abroad, and not realizing this practice is illegal. "No one should think that even a minor cosmetic surgery isn't surgery, as medical decisions need to be made constantly during cosmetic procedures and some type of medication is administered to the patient that needs to be monitored, and in some cases adjusted, during surgery," said Sharon A. Keene, MD, FISHRS (Tucson, Ariz.), member of the ISHRS Executive Committee. "We're finding that some patients seeking hair transplants abroad are being lured by a doctor's credentials, but then there's a classic 'bait and switch' model happening where the actual surgery is being performed by a technician who is not licensed to perform surgery. This is a dangerous practice that places patients at serious risk." In Turkey, for example, recent restrictions by the Turkish Health Ministry on where surgeries could be performed prohibited hair transplant surgery from being performed outside of a hospital setting -- making hospitals the only place where hair transplants could be performed legally. These restrictions led to black market surgeries, with technicians illegally performing hair transplants in private hospitals or clinics. This resulted in lower-priced surgeries that are very appealing to unknowing patients from other countries seeking hair transplants, which has made Turkey a medical tourism hotspot. In fact, the TURSAB (a committee working with the Turkish Health Ministry) reports that Turkey's income from health tourism in 2015 topped $4.5 billion (USD). Despite the lower price oftentimes offered for hair transplants illegally performed by technicians, it can come at a high price by placing patients at risk of misdiagnosis, failure to diagnose hair disorders and related systemic diseases, and the performance of unnecessary or ill-advised surgery. The ISHRS strongly believes that these potential risks jeopardize patient safety and treatment outcomes. "Black market hair transplant clinics in Turkey prey on medical tourists who are not aware of this growing practice and attracted by the cheaper surgery -- especially patients from Arabic countries who are not doing their homework by researching these practices," said Tayfun Oguzoglu, MD, (Istanbul, Turkey), member of the ISHRS. "Patients must take extreme precaution and thoroughly research whether their hair restoration surgeon is actually an experienced doctor and that all aspects of the surgery, from start to finish, are being performed by the doctor and not a fake doctor. This problem is not unique to Turkey. It is growing and infecting Europe, the Middle East, and the U.S. There are reports of clinics in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium in which illegal Turkish technician groups perform surgery under the auspices of licensed Turkish doctors." Hair restoration surgery is at an all-time high, with the ISHRS reporting in its 2015 Practice Census that 397,048 surgical hair restoration procedures were performed in 2014 -- a 76 percent jump from 2006. The largest gains were reported in the Middle East, Mexico/Central and South America, and Asia. To help patients make educated decisions about hair restoration surgery, the ISHRS advises potential patients to ask the following questions, as well as questions regarding costs, risks, and short- and long-term benefits and planning: Who will evaluate my hair loss and recommend a course of treatment? What is their education, training, licensure, and experience in treating hair loss? Who will be involved in performing my surgery, what role will they play, and what is their education, training, licensure, and experience performing hair restoration surgery? Will anyone not licensed by the state be making incisions or harvesting grafts during my surgery? If so, please identify this person, explain their specific role and why they are legally permitted to perform it. Is everyone involved in my surgery covered by malpractice insurance? When performed by the right physician, today's hair restoration surgery safely and effectively creates natural-looking, permanent results that are virtually undetectable. For more information about hair loss and hair restoration surgery, or to find an ISHRS member physician by state or country, visit the ISHRS website at www.ishrs.org. For a full reprint of the ISHRS 2015 Practice Census Report, visit Hair Restoration Statistics. Related Links http://www.ishrs.org SOURCE International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery DUBLIN, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "DPP IV Inhibitors - Global Strategic Business Report" report to their offering. This report analyzes the worldwide markets for DPP IV Inhibitors in US$ Million. The Global market is analyzed by the following Drugs: Sitagliptin, Vildagliptin, Saxagliptin, and Other DPP-IV Inhibitors. The US market is analysed in terms of sales and number of prescriptions, by the following Drug Segments: Sitagliptin, Saxagliptin, Linagliptin, and Alogliptin. The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of World. Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for the period 2015 through 2022. The report profiles 23 companies including many key and niche players such as - AstraZeneca Plc Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH Eli Lilly and Company Merck & Co, Inc. Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation Key Topics Covered: 1. INDUSTRY OVERVIEW 2. A REVIEW OF SELECT APPROVED DRUGS, AND PIPELINE ANALYSIS 3. DIABETES INCIDENCE AND PREVALENCE 4. DPP-IV INHIBITORS 5. PRODUCT APPROVALS/INTRODUCTIONS 6. RECENT INDUSTRY ACTIVITY 7. FOCUS ON SELECT GLOBAL PLAYERS AstraZeneca Plc. Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH Eli Lilly and Company Merck & Co, Inc. Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation Novartis AG Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited 8. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/sdv4jl/dpp_iv_inhibitors Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets HSINCHU, Taiwan and SANTA CLARA, California, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Faraday Technology Corporation (TWSE: 3035), a leading ASIC design service and IP provider, is showcasing its turn-key ASIC design service based on UMC 28HPCU technology platform accompanied by the full home-grown IP portfolio at the 2016 Design Automation Conference (DAC) from June 6-8, in Austin, Texas. During this apex event, Faraday will exhibit its AMP (Asymmetric Multi-Processor) prototyping platform and IP subsystem that drastically reduces the time-to-market for customers' SoC ASICs requiring ultra-low power consumption and high performance. Faraday's AMP platform consists of a high performance dual-core Cortex A9 MPCore processor and a low power controller core, with options of Cortex M0+, Cortex M3 or Faraday FA606TE. With a well-defined hardware and software architecture, the AMP platform enables fast software development and application porting. "We are proud to present our high quality ASIC design service to the SoC design community," said Spencer Chu, vice president of worldwide sales at Faraday Technology. "Since being founded in 1993, we have positioned ourselves as the driver of design service innovation. We believe our best-in-class IP quality and turn-key service model is the right solution for our customers worldwide." Visit the Faraday booth at No.1822 and find out the latest offerings from Faraday. Exhibition When 10:00am - 6:00pm , June 6-8, 2016 Where Faraday Booth No.1822, at Austin Convention Center, Austin, Texas , USA Demo Faraday AMP Prototyping Platform IP subsystem Comprehensive IP Portfolio Automotive Advanced Heads-up Display About Faraday Technology Corporation Faraday Technology Corporation is a leading fabless ASIC and silicon IP provider. The broad silicon IP portfolio includes I/O, Cell Library, Memory Compiler, ARM-compliant CPUs, DDR2/3/4, low-power DDR1/2/3, MIPI, V-by-One, MPEG4, H.264, USB 2.0/3.1 Gen 1, 10/100/1000 Ethernet, Serial ATA, PCI Express, and programmable SerDes, etc. Headquartered in Taiwan, Faraday has service and support offices around the world, including the U.S., Japan, Europe, and China. Faraday is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange, ticker 3035. For more information, please visit: www.faraday-tech.com. Related Links http://www.faraday-tech.com SOURCE Faraday Technology Corporation RZESZOW, Poland, LONDON and HONG KONG, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- G2A.COM won the Outstanding Fast-Growth Business at the Global Business Excellence Awards 2016 in London. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160524/371610 ) G2A.COM is a multi-award winning company and the world's fastest growing digital gaming marketplace developed by professionals in diverse fields including gaming, management, finance, IT, public relations and marketing expertise. G2A won the Outstanding Fast-Growth Business at the Global Business Excellence Awards in London, UK in April 2016. Every day G2A works hard to create an outstanding digital marketplace for video game enthusiasts http://www.g2a.com. Commenting on G2A.COM as a winner in the Outstanding Fast-Growth Business category, the chairman of the judges of the Global Excellence Awards said: "By focusing on online security for payments and great customer service, digital gaming marketplace G2A.COM, only launched in December 2010, is experiencing supersonic growth. It offers more than 30,000 digital gaming products, which has attracted a staggering 10 million customers globally. On top of this, thousands of new customers are welcomed every month. G2A has more than 67 million organic search, desktop hits (Similarweb Search Marketing Benchmark Report 2015). Growth doesn't get much faster than this. It just shows that if you invest in the right places and understand your customer, digital businesses can go global almost overnight." http://www.gbeawards.com Upon hearing about the award, Bartosz Skwarczek, Co-founder/CEO of G2A.COM said: "We are humbled that our everyday work in developing G2A Shield and G2A Pay and more than 100 international payment methods, was noticed and judged by an international judging panel. It's an honour to be the winner of this award and it's a motivation for our teams. Happy customers created G2A.COM." https://pay.g2a.com/ The Global Business Excellence Awards has a large panel of independent expert judges who select winners according to strict criteria for each category and sector; focussing on financial results, innovation, customer, employee, investor and community benefits. It is a serious competitive process with an international impact. Jacqueline Purcell, Head of Global Public Relations at G2A said: "The Global Business Excellence Awards are one of the world's highest profile awards and winning this accolade speaks volumes about the quality of G2A's work. Due to their high profile, the Awards attract a wide range of entries from across the world, from large International PLCs and public sector organizations to dynamic and innovative SMEs." She added: "All the winners have one thing in common - they are truly outstanding at what they do and G2A.COM have proved this by winning this impressive Global Business Excellence Award for the Outstanding Fast-Growth Business in 2016." Visit: http://www.g2a.com http://www.facebook.com/G2Acom Author: Jacqueline Purcell - jpurcell@G2A.com SOURCE G2A.com Each protester is required to pay EGP100,000 (about $11,000) to be released from jail A Giza appeal court rejected the requests of 47 defendants who were convicted of protesting against the Red Sea islands deal to pay their fines in installments. The defendants will have to pay EGP 100,000 (about $11,000) each in order to be released from custody. On Tuesday, the court overturned the five-year jail sentences of the 47 but upheld their fines. According to Egyptian law, the defendants will serve three months in jail if they fail to pay the fine. After the three months, the defendants will still have to pay the fine to the court. Thousands of people, including activists and politicians, protested last month against the government's decision to acknowledge Saudi sovereignty over the Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir. In April, the defendants were referred to court by the prosecution for "illegally protesting, attempting to overthrow the government, rioting, inciting against state institutions, disturbing public peace and disrupting traffic." Search Keywords: Short link: DUBLIN, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Sunitinib Malate Market Forecast for Pancreatic Cancer in G7 Countries, (U.S., Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Spain, Japan) - 2016 to 2017" report to their offering. The sunitinib malate market for pancreatic cancer is projected to reach USD 76.7 Million by 2021, at a CAGR of 13.9% from 2016 to 2021. This report provides quantitative assessment of the sunitinib malate market for pancreatic cancer in terms of epidemiology, number of drug-treated patients suffering from pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET), percentage of patients eligible for taking sunitinib malate, and year-on-year market size of sunitinib malate for pancreatic cancer from 2010 to 2021. The overall sunitinib malate market for pancreatic cancer is expected to witness rapid growth owing to the increasing number of patients suffering from pancreatic cancer and growing adoption of sunitinib malate drug for pNET treatment. This report has divided the market in seven country-level segments, namely, U.S., Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Spain, and Japan. The U.S. is expected to be the largest market for sunitinib malate for pancreatic cancer, primarily due to the higher number of patients suffering from pancreatic cancer in the country. However, the market in the U.K. is expected to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period. This study provides an analytical framework to understand various factors that influence the growth of the sunitinib malate market for pancreatic cancer. These factors include incidence rate of pancreatic cancer, five-year survival rate of pNET patients, penetration of drug therapy for pancreatic cancer treatment, penetration of sunitinib malate in pNET patients, and trends in the adoption of sunitinib malate, among other factors. The importance of these parameters differs from country to country. Countries Covered: U.S. Japan Germany France U.K. Italy Spain Report Structure: 1.1 Disease Overview 1.2 Clinical Staging 1.3 Product Profile 1.4 Facts and Assumptions 1.5 Terminology 1.6 U.S.: Sutent Market for Pancreatic Cancer, 2010-2021 1.7 Germany: Sutent Market for Pancreatic Cancer, 2010-2021 1.8 France: Sutent Market for Pancreatic Cancer, 2010-2021 1.9 U.K.: Sutent Market for Pancreatic Cancer, 2010-2021 1.10 Italy: Sutent Market for Pancreatic Cancer, 2010-2021 1.11 Spain: Sutent Market for Pancreatic Cancer, 2010-2021 1.12 Japan: Sutent Market for Pancreatic Cancer, 2010-2021 1.13 View 1.14 Sources For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/hlgbhr/sunitinib_malate Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets Shenzhen is considered China's "Silicon Valley" and home to some of China's most successful high-tech companies, including Tencent, ZTE, TP-Link, DJI, OnePlus and Huawei. Gemsense will represent Shenzhen city at the national finals which will be held on May 27, 2016 in the city of Guangzhou where it will compete against 16 other companies who qualified (out of 4,000) in other major cities. The company was represented by Mr. Raphael Genis from 'Genis & Genius' who will also represent it in the national finals. Avi Rabinovich (Gemsense CEO): "We see the Chinese market as a great opportunity for growth and distribution and creating value for the investors in a short time. We develop and sell our products in various industries such as: Smart Toys, Smart Furniture, Wearable Technologies and Natural Interfaces in VR / AR. These days the company is in touch with major VCs for an upcoming Series A round." Yael Mittelman, (hiCenter CEO): "We're very proud of Gemsense's success. The company which grew in our incubator integrates technological innovation in the hottest fields today with a business understanding and a presence you just can't ignore. The company operates in strategic markets such as China, Taiwan, US and Europe which makes them a very promising startup. I have no doubt you'll hear more about this fascinating company." About Gemsense The company developed a unique offering called a "Gem" - Based on a tiny hardware solution with algorithms, software libraries and connection to cloud technologies which allows its clients to rapidly build and develop a wide range of smart devices and connect them to the digital world. The company offers a complete solution from prototyping to mass market and works closely with partners to enable extremely short TTM. The company was founded in 2014 by Avi Rabinovich (CEO), an entrepreneur who served in executive positions in a few global hi tech companies and Jonathan Schipper (VP Products), a wearable expert and pioneer, lecturer and the lead for the Israeli wearable tech community (Wearable Tech Israel, The Wearables Group). The company was founded at the hiCenter Incubator in Haifa, Israel. About Hi Center A private incubator and center for entrepreneurship in Haifa, is a subsidiary of the Haifa Economic Company which invests in tech companies. The incubator invests in companies who wish to settle in the city of Haifa and develop their activity in the city, as growth engines for the city's economy. The incubator has new offices located in the lower city and has been a major drive for its growth in the past few years. In addition to the incubator, hiCenter offers entrepreneurs a wide range of activities and services such as co-working space and offices for young companies who enjoy the infrastructure and a fertile hi-tech environment. Gemsense contact, website, dev corner and social media links: General inquiries: contact@gemsense.cool VP Product: Jonathan Schipper johnny@gemsense.cool +972-54-5794555 Website: http://gemsense.cool/ Dev Corner: http://dev.gemsense.cool/ Facebook: http://fb.cool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gemsense Twitter: @tinycomputers Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4jAvHZoCSg Related Links http://gemsense.cool/ SOURCE Gemsense LONDON, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Angelus, the only UK charity dedicated to raising awareness of the risks from 'legal highs', has achieved its goal of a ban on their sale. The Psychoactive Substances Act comes into force today, which will "demolish" the high street trade in 'legal highs'. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140722/697697-a ) The legal change will radically disrupt the new psychoactive substances market and reduce harms to young people. Angelus has also made clear the law alone is not enough; proper drugs education is vital to alert young people to the risks of taking these substances. Angelus has campaigned for seven years against the open sale of 'legal highs' and is thankful for the Government taking such decisive action. However, the Government has spent no money raising public awareness, neither about the new law nor more generally on drugs education in schools. It has fallen to Angelus to produce its own education films exposing the dangers of these substances. The latest film, Drug News - Legal Highs to Be Banned, launched today, highlights the potential harms to young people as well as the legal change. Angelus Founder, Maryon Stewart said, "It has taken seven long years of hard work and today represents a real milestone for Angelus. We are still lobbying Government to fund awareness campaigns that will prevent young people being harmed or dying needlessly like my daughter, Hester. I am immensely proud of Team Angelus who have battled against bureaucratic forces and those who would not see what a danger these substances pose. "We now expect the high street headshop trade to be demolished. These shops have been pushing untested and often addictive substances for huge financial gain. It is a pernicious trade preying on people's vulnerability. Thankfully it is over for them - we can now move forwards with more young people safe from the harms of 'legal highs'. While it won't give me back my beautiful, talented 21 year old daughter, it is a comfort to know that other children will remain well and lives will be saved." Chief Executive of Angelus, Jan King said, "This is a special day for Angelus. It is the culmination of a huge effort to finally get a grip on the open sale of these dangerous substances. We have seen so many cases of young people damaged by these legal drugs, often fooled into thinking they would be mild and safe. The legislation is a landmark for us but there are still many areas where legal highs have taken hold of communities. Angelus has still much to do spreading awareness of their risks and to make communities properly 'Drug Aware'." Notes to editors: 1. The Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 will impose a blanket ban on 'legal highs' and will disrupt the market considerably. It comes into force on 26 May. 2. Angelus's Founder, Maryon Stewart, lost her 21-year-old daughter, Hester, to GBL in 2009 and established the Angelus Foundation. It is the only drugs charity dedicated to combating legal highs. They regularly claim lives and cause damage to both the physical and mental health of significant numbers of young people causing psychosis, collapse, even heart attacks and robbing them of their potential wellbeing. Brodie Harrison and a friend tried the legal high AMT in 2015 and both died as a result. 3. Angelus has produced several films making young people more aware of the harms and unpredictability of substances. A new Angelus film 'Drug News' highlighting the legal change can be found here. 94 percent of young people aged 4-18 who have seen the Angelus film 'Not What It Says on the Tin', changed their minds about experimenting with 'legal highs'. SOURCE Angelus Foundation TEL AVIV, Israel, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Asif Kassam, CTO at Skyband: "With the JET Beamforming solutions we've built the fastest, most reliable network in Malawi" RADWIN (http://www.radwin.com ), the global provider of sub-6 GHz broadband wireless solutions, today announced that Skyband - Malawi's leading ISP - has deployed the RADWIN JET Beamforming point-to-multipoint (PtMP) solutions in the licensed 3.x GHz band to serve major corporate customers including banks and government organizations in Blantyre and Lilongwe. Skyband is a long-standing RADWIN customer since 2011. Beacon Telecom, RADWIN's certified partner, was the distributor for the project. Asif Kassam, CTO at Skyband: "RADWIN JET PtMP Beamforming solutions will allow Skyband to stay ahead of the competition and provide valued enterprise clients with ultra-capacity SLA service. It was an easy choice for us to upgrade to the JET platform as the demands on our network grew based on the excellent experience we've had with the RADWIN 5000 products these past five years." Faizal Seedat, Network Operations Center, Skyband: "The major challenge in this deployment was the high interference in the cities where many of our customers operate. JET's Smart Beamforming technology mitigates interference and allows us to maximize frequency planning and channel reuse." Peter Turvey, GM Africa RADWIN: "RADWIN JET is a game-changer in the wireless industry. A solution built for service providers serving corporate clients who demand high capacity and SLAs. JET is a solution borne of two decades of wireless expertise, and we are proud to grow and evolve with the Skyband network now and in the future." About RADWIN RADWIN is a leading provider of Point-to-Multipoint and Point-to-Point sub-6 GHz broadband wireless solutions. RADWIN's systems are deployed in over 170 countries and incorporate the most advanced technologies such as a Beam-forming antenna and an innovative Air Interface, RADWIN's systems deliver optimal performance in the toughest conditions including high interference and obstructed line-of-sight. http://www.radwin.com About Skyband Skyband is the only service provider in Malawi with a true MPLS network both in-country and Internationally. Skyband also provides world class hosting solutions as well as co-location and data centre services. Contact Delamere House, Victoria Avenue P. O. Box 2461 Blantyre, Malawi Tel: +265(0)1-824255/ 311 Fax: +265(0)1-824011 RADWIN Sales HQ: +972-3-769-2820 US: +1-201-252-4224 Email: sales@radwin.com _indent> Media Contact Tammy Levy RADWIN Tel: +972-3-766-2916 Email: pr@radwin.com SOURCE RADWIN BRUSSELS, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- BICS' Fraud Prevention Solution Proactively Prevented Criminal Activity Targeted at its Customers' Networks Across the Globe BICS, a global wholesale carrier for voice, mobile data and capacity services, today announced its crowdsourcing fraud prevention platform, FraudGuard, detected and blocked more than 10 million fraudulent call attempts on its customers' networks during the first three months of 2016. FraudGuard enables wireless operators to proactively protect against fraud on their network. By crowdsourcing details of suspicious network activity across BICS' global customer base, the platform is able to identify and block activity to known fraud destinations. Its comprehensive fraud database now contains over 400,000 numbers around the world associated with criminal activity. The Communications Fraud Control association estimates global telecoms fraud costs the industry 3.3bn each year, with the most prevalent types being International Revenue Share Fraud, PBX hacking and Wangiri. BICS' fraud prevention solutions are powered by a global anti-fraud crowdsourcing platform which, in addition to offering other value added services, is designed to proactively protect mobile networks from current and common fraud threats. Among the tier one operators to adopt FraudGuard is French provider Bouygues Telecom. In the first three months of 2016, BICS blocked over 200 attempted attacks on Bouygues, saving the operator an estimated 130k. "The advent of all-IP networks has magnified the speed and magnitude of attacks aimed at the telecoms industry," said Katia Gonzalez, Head of Fraud Operations, BICS. "Being a truly global industry means attacks can come from anywhere at any time, so it's imperative network operators share knowledge of incidents to enable proactive measures to be taken by their peers. Only by collaboration and adopting proactive measures can the industry beat this growing problem." Thierry Nedellec, Wholesale Manager at Bouygues added: "Protecting revenue from fraudulent activity is a key priority for Bouygues and we have already reaped the benefits from adopting BICS' FraudGuard platform, with over 200 fraud attempts blocked at the start of this year and no incidences of legitimate calls being prevented - all with minimal input from our operational team." About BICS BICS is recognized in the wholesale communications market as a top global voice carrier and the leading provider of mobile data services. We aim at bridging the telecom world with the new unconventional communication providers worldwide. Our innovative suite of solutions for Voice, Messaging, Data & Connectivity, Business Intelligence & Analytics, Fraud & Security, Roaming, MVNE and Asset Monetization are designed to bring value to our customers' businesses. BICS is headquartered in Brussels with regional offices in Bern, Dubai, Madrid, New York, San Francisco and Singapore. We also have a satellite office in Beijing and local representation in Accra, Cape Town, Miami, Montevideo, Quito, Nairobi and Toronto. For more information visit http://www.bics.com SOURCE BICS LONDON, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, who has spent decades bringing spiritual insight to the public conversation through mass media, popular lectures and 25 books, will receive the 2016 Templeton Prize at a ceremony at Central Hall Westminster, London at 8pm today. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/371901 ) Performers at the ceremony include the Shabbaton Choir, the Sacks Morasha School Choir, and organist Gerard Brooks from Central Hall Westminster. In prepared remarks, Rabbi Sacks warns about the dangers of outsourcing morality. "You can't delegate moral responsibility away. When you do, you raise expectations that cannot be met. And when, inevitably, they are not met, society becomes freighted with disappointment, anger, fear, resentment and blame." HRH The Prince of Wales hosted a private reception in honour of Rabbi Sacks at Clarence House earlier this spring. Rabbi Sacks, 68, first gained attention by leading the revitalisation of Britain's Jewish community while Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth from 1991 to 2013. Central to his message is appreciation and respect of all faiths, with an emphasis that recognising the values of each is the only path to effectively combat the global rise of violence and terrorism. Valued at 1.1 million (about $1.6 million, 1.4 million), the Templeton Prize is one of the world's largest annual monetary awards given to an individual and honours a living person who has made exceptional contributions to affirming life's spiritual dimension, whether through insight, discovery, or practical works. Rabbi Sacks joins a group of 45 former recipients. The 2015 Prize Laureate was Canadian philosopher Jean Vanier, founder of L'Arche. Czech priest Tomas Halik was the 2014 Laureate, preceded by Archbishop Desmond Tutu in 2013 and the Dalai Lama in 2012. Established in 1972 by the late investor and philanthropist Sir John Templeton, the Templeton Prize is a cornerstone of the John Templeton Foundation's international efforts to serve as a philanthropic catalyst for discoveries relating to the Big Questions of human purpose and ultimate reality. A video of the ceremony will be available from http://www.templetonprize.org on Friday 27th May. Images will be available from http://filetransfer.ctn.co.uk User ID: tp2016 Password: accessTP2016 from 10.30pm on 26th May. SOURCE Templeton Prize NEW YORK, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Everyone knows about Virtual Reality - a technology which creates a whole new fantasy world around one which they think is real. This is the future technology which will change the way one looks at the things around. It replicates an environment which is may be real and may be imagined. Where VR impresses everyone, some have their criticism too, but all one can see right now is its positive side which is going to utilize VR at its best and a better future of course. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160309/794763 ) There are many areas where people get to see the magic of Virtual Reality such as gaming, mobile applications, advanced camera features, film studios etc., but most handy tool to experience this technology is game development and mobile application development. Hyperlink Infosystem is one of the leading mobile application company which has done tremendous work on virtual reality both in game development and mobile apps. This company has created one of the world's top games on Virtual Reality which will thrill one to the core. 'Zombie Abomination' is one of its master piece and there are many more to come. According to the CEO of Hyperlink Infosystem, Mr. Harnil Oza, many game development companies are right now on the path of creating high-end gaming apps on Virtual Reality but they want stand out from the crowd and make difference. He is of the opinion that the world will soon experience the power of Virtual Reality and they would love the change it will bring. This promising company is surely leading the way to become the most successful Virtual Reality game development company. The company sees a bright future for Virtual Reality through these kinds of game app development. About Hyperlink Infosystem Hyperlink Infosystem is one of the most prominent app development companies that has laid its foundation back in the year 2011. It is also considered to be one of the best Virtual Reality Game Development Company. The company is engaged in providing excellent and reasonable mobile application solution in all the available platforms to its clients. Hyperlink Infosystem also contributes in off-shore solutions across various countries like Canada, Japan, UK and USA with its software development hub situated in India. Contact Details: Hyperlink Infosystem Harnil Oza +1 805-744-1224 info@hyperlinkinfosystem.com SOURCE Hyperlink Infosystem TUNIS, Tunisia, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Laureates of the WISE Prize for Education and the Nobel Peace Prize meet for the first time The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), the leading global initiative driving innovation and collaboration in education, today opens the Tunis Forum at the IHEC Carthage in Tunis, Tunisia, with the aim of exploring how education fosters peace and development in communities and nations. This high-level engagement brings together for the first time one of the recipients of the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, Ms Ouided Bouchamaoui, and the WISE Prize for Education Laureate, Dr Sakena Yacoobi, to demonstrate the major role of education in strengthening peace and national reconstruction. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160526/372488 ) Dr Yacoobi affirmed her belief in the transformative power of education, stating, "To unlock the human potential, education is the key. It is such a powerful tool to overcome poverty and rebuild. If we are to overcome terrorism and violence, we need education. That is the only way we can win." Ms Bouchamaoui, President of UTICA (the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts) and a representative of the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, stated "The stability of a country's economy relies on three main pillars, namely, the strength of its civil society, education, and women's empowerment." Mr Stavros N. Yiannouka, CEO, WISE, one of the speakers in the plenary session, noted: "WISE recognizes the potential of education as a driver of peace and growth. Awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to the Tunisian Quartet signifies that Tunisia has been recognized as a model for national dialogue and peaceful transition. WISE is honoured to host for the first time in this country, so full of potential, a gathering which puts the transformative power of education at the very center of the discussions." Other high-level speakers will include Ms Lila Pieters, UNICEF Representative in Tunisia and Mr Chiheb Bouden, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Tunisia. The WISE Tunis Forum is intended to make a valuable, timely contribution to global dialogue on the importance of education for development and peace. It also seeks to address issues of importance to Tunisian society, bringing tangible solutions and best practices that can strengthen growth through innovative and market-relevant approaches to education. For further information about the Tunis Forum, visit http://www.wise-qatar.org/wise-tunis-dialogue-peace-education-reconstruction-and-development SOURCE The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) Meanwhile, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi issued a statement calling on officials to hold accountable the perpetrators of Friday's attack in a village in Upper Egypt The head of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church Pope Tawadros II called for restraint and coexistence after a sectarian attack by a mob of Muslims against Christians in Upper Egypts Minya governorate. In a statement issued by the Church, the pope warned against anyone who would use what happened in Minya to incite sectarian strife, adding that he was closely following the case. The attack on Christians erupted in El-Karm village on Friday after a rumour circulated that a Muslim woman and a Christian man had an affair, with a mob of Muslim men attacking several Christian homes in the village. The elderly mother of the Christian man was also dragged by the mob from her house and stripped of her clothes in public. On Thursday afternoon, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi issued a statement ordering officials to hold accountable the perpetrators of the attack. El-Sisi urged the government to take "necessary measures to preserve public order, protect [citizens] and property within the rule of law." The pope, who is currently visiting Austria, said he is in contact with security and state officials, who promised to arrest the perpetrators and bring them to justice. Egypts Al-Azhar institution the leading religious authority in the Sunni Muslim world also denounced the attacks in a statement issued Thursday, rejecting all insults or aggression regardless of the beliefs of those involved. Al-Azhar announced that members of the Family House organisation, made up of Al-Azhar sheikhs as well as Coptic Orthodox Church officials, would head to Minya to help resolve the matter. Al-Azhar also warned that some may use the incident to incite sectarian conflict. Bishop of Minya Anba Macarius said Thursday in a TV interview that he was promised by Governor Tarek Nasr of Minya that all perpetrators of the incident would be prosecuted. According to media reports, Nasr held a meeting with elders from El-Karm village in order to resolve the matter. In the House of Representatives, Minya MPs presented a request to parliaments Human Rights Committee to investigate the incident. Search Keywords: Short link: The ASV was formed in 2012, in recognition of the specific needs of African scientists and health-care professionals, after a poll of 13 countries' venom experts showed strong support for improved epidemiology, clinical studies, training, and national snakebite and scorpion sting management programs. Studies conducted by ASV members demonstrated that the ongoing sub-Saharan antivenom shortage was attributable to limited information about local needs, infrastructural weaknesses, and loss of confidence based on years of experience with inadequate antivenom products. ASV member doctors and scientists determined to break the vicious circle through mobilization of the private and public sectors. Together they launched epidemiology studies, trained healthcare personnel, promoted safe, appropriate antivenoms, and improved access to proper care at all levels. This week, they are at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, to share the results with the world. "Today, the ASV forms a panel of experts who meet regularly and can help the authorities as needed," said Jean-Philippe Chippaux, a representative of the French Institute for Research and Development, who conducts clinical and epidemiological studies and is based in Benin. "Appropriate antivenoms, lyophilized for heat stability and purified for safety, are now registered in at least 15 countries and available in many health care facilities." "The proactive strategy has begun to bear fruit," said Achille Massougbodji, President of ASV. "At last the vicious circle has begun to change to a virtuous circle, with increased distribution and use of appropriate antivenom in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Senegal and Togo. Cases are now routinely reported in at least five member countries. And the governments of Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Togo are all subsidizing treatment, so doctors can deliver better antivenoms, to more people, faster than in the past." INOSAN BIOPHARMA is proud to have worked closely with ASV members since the beginning, to develop safe, effective new antivenoms that have now been field tested across the region. INOSAN's products for treatment of snake and scorpion venom injury are used in over 20 countries in Africa, and we are pleased to have been able to fulfill all requests in the continent, during a rapid escalation in demand. "It seems clear that local problems in Africa can only be solved by African experts," said Juan Silanes, President of Inosan Biopharma. INOSAN is an innovation-oriented pharmaceutical company leading the world in the development of immunotherapeutics. For more information, see our website, find us on the web at inosanbiopharma.com or send an inquiry to [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372414 SOURCE INOSAN BIOPHARMA, S.A. Related Links http://www.inosanbiopharma.com PITTSBURGH, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Local Western Pennsylvania company, Ainsworth Pet Nutrition (APN), manufacturer of the Rachael Ray Nutrish line of super premium pet food, announced today that it has stepped in to help nearly 40 displaced cats suffering from severe malnutrition after they were rescued from an animal hoarding case in Brookline, Pa. The company will donate a year's supply of Rachael Ray Nutrish Cat Food to each family that adopts one of the rescued cats, which were taken to two local animal shelters, the Homeless Cat Management Team in Tarentum, Pa. and Animal Friends 10 minutes north of Pittsburgh. Several of the cats are also being cared for by foster families affiliated with the Homeless Cat Management Team. The company will also donate more than 900 pounds of cat food to the Homeless Cat Management Team to provide for the 32 cats in their care, including those in foster homes, that are awaiting adoption. Ainsworth also currently donates Rachael Ray Nutrish pet food to Animal Friends through an exclusive feeding program that has been in place for several years. "While The Homeless Cat Management Team will always be willing to help cats in need in our region, situations like the Brookline Hoarding case are not only especially heartbreaking, but they also put a huge strain on our resources," said Michelle Miller, a board member with the Homeless Cat Management Team. "Knowing we will be able to nurse these animals back to health with quality nutrition, and that their new forever families will be able to continue to feed them the best is a great relief. We're very grateful." "At Ainsworth, we believe that all pets deserve love, and that's why helping animals in need is such a big part of what we do," said Steve Joyce, Vice President of Marketing for Ainsworth Pet Nutrition. "When we heard about this story right in our own backyard, we knew we needed to do something to help." Mr. Joyce went on to explain that since 2008, proceeds from the sales Rachael Ray Nutrish have helped fund more than $15 million in donations to animals in need through Rachael's Rescue, an organization dedicated to providing food, medical supplies and treatment to shelter pets. Families interested in adopting one of the Brookline cats or learning more about the Homeless Cat Management Team or Animal Friends should visit their respective websites at http://www.homelesscat.org/ and http://www.ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org/. To learn more about Ainsworth Pet Nutrition or how to help animals in need through the purchase of Rachael Ray Nutrish, visit www.ainsworthpets.com. About Ainsworth Founded in 1933, Ainsworth Pet Nutrition is a fifth generation, primarily family-owned and operated company headquartered in Western Pennsylvania and focused entirely on pets. With a goal of changing the way consumers shop for Super Premium pet food, Ainsworth's mantra is "Pet Store Quality. Supermarket Easy." They achieve this promise by providing consumers with the high-quality pet food where they currently shop for the rest of their families. The company makes multiple brands and types of dog and cat food, including the Rachael Ray Nutrish line, as well as Super Premium retailer specific brands. Ainsworth Pet Nutrition is committed to food safety and prepares all of its dry pet food in the United States using high-quality, natural ingredients with added vitamins and minerals. To learn more, visit www.ainsworthpets.com. Contact: Samantha Bridger 724-272-1757 SOURCE Ainsworth Pet Nutrition LLC Related Links http://www.ainsworthpets.com Ms. Kimberli Cornell joins Ankura as Senior Managing Director leading Ankura's Client Intake and Conflict Management team. In this critical role, she will work with Ankura's leadership and its clients in the resolution of potential conflicts of interest and other relationship issues to ensure that Ankura's clients can access the full value of the firm's service offerings. Ms. Cornell has more than 20 years of experience dealing with conflict of interest identification issues and resolution policies and processes, including the implementation and monitoring of ethical walls. Ms. Cornell was most recently with FTI Consulting. Ms. Carolyn Hughes joins Ankura as Senior Managing Director working with the Turnaround & Restructuring practice in a strategic business development and advisory capacity. Ms. Hughes has nearly 25 years of experience in providing research, marketing and knowledge management support in the consulting industry. Ms. Hughes was most recently with FTI Consulting. "Strong client relationships are imperative in the consulting industry, and sustaining them over the long-term is a key value of Ankura," said Roger Carlile, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ankura. "Adding Kim and Carolyn to the Ankura team ensures that we are able to offer the broadest array of services to our clients, manage our relationships with them in a manner consistent with our core values, and position ourselves to maximize new business opportunities not only during this time of rapid expansion, but also for long-term growth." About Ankura Consulting Group Ankura Consulting Group is a business advisory and expert services firm. Its deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges clients face enables its team to provide impactful, senior-level counsel. As an independent firm built on five key principles Integrity, Quality, Diversity, Collaboration and Longevity Ankura's relationships extend beyond one engagement or issue. The firm empowers its industry experts to provide a high-touch, unique approach for its clients in critical times. Ankura's offering includes a wide range of compliance, corporate investigation, data analytics, disputes/litigation support, expert witness, economic and financial analysis, forensic accounting, geopolitical advisory, mass dispute resolution, risk advisory and management, transaction advisory, trust services, turnaround and restructuring, valuation, visual communications and business advisory services. For more information: www.ankuraconsultinggroup.com. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372303 SOURCE Ankura Consulting Group Related Links http://www.ankuraconsultinggroup.com PUNE, India, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Black Start Generator Market by Type (Diesel and Others), by Power Ratings (Below 1,000 kW, 1,000 kW-2,000 kW, 2,000 kW-3,000 kW, and Above 3,000 kW), by Industry (Power, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas, and Others) and by Region - Trends & Forecasts to 2021"published by MarketsandMarkets, The market is expected to grow from an estimated USD 1.24 Billion in 2016 to USD 1.50 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 3.8% from 2016 to 2021. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 60 market data Tables with 51 Figures spread through 154 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Black Start Generator Market" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/black-start-generator-market-13209679.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. Increasing investment in power generation infrastructure and growth of manufacturing sector are driving the market for black start generators across the world. Black start diesel generator to dominate the market during the forecast period Amongst the three commonly used types of generators which are diesel, gas, and hybrid; diesel generators have the quickest response, easier fuel sourcing, lowest running cost, and longer running life which are also the factors driving the growth of the diesel generator segment in the Black Start Generator Market. Diesel generators held over 90% of the market during the forecast period and are expected to grow at a higher rate as compared to gas and hybrid generators for black start. Gas and hybrid generators are mostly preferred in countries having developed gas distribution network like the U.S, U.K., and Canada. Power industry to hold the major share of the Black Start Generator Market during the forecast period The Black Start Generator Market is segmented on the basis of industry which includes power plants, manufacturing, oil & gas, and others. The power industry is the major buyer of black start generators and is the key driver for the market. High urbanization and industrialization in emerging economies such as China, India, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia among others has resulted in high demand for electricity leading to the growth of the power industry across globe, thereby driving the Black Start Generator Market. Developed economies such as Germany, the U.S., and Canada have a high power plant retirement rate and are also investing in constructing new power plants, which will further add to Black Start Generator Market. Make an Enquiry: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=13209679 Asia-Pacific would see the highest growth for the Black Start Generator Market The report covers five regions namely Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa, North America, and South America. The Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness high growth in construction of thermal power plants from 2016 to 2021. Moreover, new policies favoring industry and huge foreign investments are likely to fuel the growth of industries, in this region. The report also provides an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, along with profiles of the leading Black Start Generator Market players such as Caterpillar Inc. (U.S.), General Electric (U.S.), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Limited (Japan), Cummins, Inc. (U.S.), and MTU Onsite Energy (Germany) among others. Dominant players are trying to penetrate the emerging economies and are adopting various methods such as signing contracts and agreements, expansions, mergers and acquisitions, and new product launches to increase their market share. Market share analysis by revenue for key companies is included in the report. The scope accordingly aids market participants to identify high growth markets and helps managing key investment decisions. For this report, major players in the Black Start Generator Market have been identified using various primary and secondary sources, which include annual reports of top market players, interviews with key opinion leaders such as CEOs, directors, and marketing people. Based on this research, the market shares have been evaluated and validated. Browse Related Reports: Generator Sales Market by Type (Diesel And Gas), by Power Rating (Below 100 kVA, 100-350 kVA, 350-1000 kVA, Above 1000 kVA), by Application (Standby, Prime Or Continuous Power, Peak Shaving), by End User (Industrial, Commercial, and Residential), & by Region - Global Forecast to 2020 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/generator-sales-market-47544335.html Power Rental Market by end user (industry, Utilities, Oil & Gas, Construction, Quarrying & Mining, Events, Shipping, and Others), Application (Peak Shaving, Base Load, & Standby), Type of Generator (Diesel, Gas, and Others), Power Rating (0-80, 81-280, 281-600,> 600kW), & by Region - Global Trends & Forecasts to 2020 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/rental-power-generation-market-744.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is the world's No. 2 firm in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers. We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository. Contact: Mr. Rohan Markets and Markets UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ Magarpatta city, Hadapsar Pune, Maharashtra 411013, India +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit MarketsandMarkets Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/energy-and-power Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets PANAMA CITY, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Banco Latinoamericano de Comercio Exterior, S.A. ("Bladex" or the "Bank"; NYSE: BLX) announced today the successful closing of a US$40 million 3-year senior unsecured Trade Facility for MetroBank, S.A. ("MetroBank"). Established in Panama in 1991, MetroBank is the eighth largest Panamanian-owned bank in terms of consolidated assets and net loan portfolio. The bank is 100% owned by Metro Holding Enterprises, a financial group of Panamanian entrepreneurs with extensive experience in diverse industries. Bladex was the Sole Lead Arranger and Bookrunner, and Administrative Agent for the Facility. The transaction, which constitutes the first international syndicated facility for MetroBank, attracted several financial institutions from Curacao, Guatemala, Panama and Trinidad and Tobago, of which all represent new sources of funding for MetroBank. Proceeds from the facility will be used to support the growth of MetroBank's trade-related operations. The success of this transaction underscores Bladex's growing presence in the Latin American syndicated loan space, and its access to a wide network of regional and international financial institutions. Bladex is a multinational bank originally established by the central banks of Latin-American and Caribbean countries, to promote foreign trade finance and economic integration in the Region. Bladex is listed on the NYSE in the United States of America (ticker symbol: BLX). Bladex's shareholders include central banks, state-owned banks and entities representing 23 Latin American countries, as well as commercial banks and financial institutions, institutional and retail investors through its public listing. The Bank, headquartered in Panama, has offices in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and the United States of America, to support the expansion and servicing of its client base, which includes financial institutions and corporations. For further information, please access Bladex's website at www.bladex.com or contact: Mr. Christopher Schech, Chief Financial Officer E-mail address: [email protected], Tel.: (+507) 210-8630 Head Office Address: Torre V, Business Park, Avenida La Rotonda, Urb. Costa del Este, Panama, Republic of Panama Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150721/239065LOGO SOURCE Banco Latinoamericano de Comercio Exterior, S.A. (Bladex) Related Links http://www.bladex.com The Black Edition pairs the award-winning technology from Bluesmart's incredibly successful inaugural product, the Bluesmart One, which touts the only true GPS+3G tracking capabilities in the market, with a sleek design aimed for the savvy jet-setter that appreciates style and ease when traveling. With the new product comes a complete rebrand of the company from logo to website to match the aspirational design level of the new Black Edition. The suitcase has been completely redesigned with every detail rethought from scratch and rigorously tested to bring customers a seamless and design-forward suitcase. The soft/hard hybrid exterior is made of a nylon and polyester combination, with a double layer PU coating, making the suitcase water and scratch resistant. The interior linings are like silk to the touch, the fibers are individually dyed, and the design form fits the case to get the most of the space. High-density microfiber protects the electronics from scratches, dust and dirt. The removable mesh divider gives the user the control over how they want to pack. The Bluesmart Black Edition will also include the following features: Location tracking: Global location tracking powered by GPS and 3G SIM card based communication system in partnership with Telefonica Power: USB charger with 10,000 mAh capacity -- enough to charge a smartphone up to six times. The battery is compliant with FAA/TSA/DOT regulations Locking: TSA-approved, Bluetooth-enabled remote locking, with automatic distancing locking. Weigh: Built-in weight sensors inform via app whether suitcase is within airline limits Convenience: Additional pockets and tailored laptop/tablet compartment to maximize internal storage that can fit any 15" device and easy removal on airport security controls Ease: Silent wheels and a reinforced bumper to make it as quiet as anything on the market Space: Airlines regulation compliant carry-on size suitcase at 22"x14"x9" dimensions. Perfect for 2-3 day business trips New Operating System: BlueOS 2.0 introduces performance improvements on all software features As Bluesmart shifts its focus to bring its design in-line with its category leading technology, the company brings on Charlie Clifford, former CEO and Founder of TUMI Inc. as an advisor. Clifford founded TUMI in 1975 and introduced a series of award-winning and iconic travel luggage products, creating one of the most admired brands in the travel industry. Clifford will focus on supporting the Bluesmart team to further develop its product roadmap and go-to-market plans as the company scales for global growth, defines new markets, and launches new products and services. "We wanted to create a suitcase that pairs high-end style and function to meet the lifestyle of the tech-savvy traveler and we're thrilled to have a veteran innovator such as Charlie Clifford to advise us at such a pivotal moment in our growth. His expertise and experience will help us establish a solid foundation as we scale from a small startup to a global franchise," says Diego Saez-Gil, co-founder and CEO of Bluesmart. "As the creators of the first smart luggage, we're excited to pave the way for innovation and design by providing customers with the ultimate travel experience." Bluesmart is accepting pre-orders today for its Bluesmart Black Edition and will start shipping online and be available exclusively in MoMA stores in 30-days. The new product will pre-sale for $549 and retail for $599. Find out more and pre-order Bluesmart Black Edition here:http://www.bluesmart.com/ About Bluesmart Bluesmart is a global travel company that became famous for creating the world's first smart connected luggage. Its first product, the Bluesmart One, launched in October 2014 through Indiegogo and raised more than $2M in pre-orders from more than 10,000 backers in 120 countries worldwide. It was named "Top Innovative Product and Service" by Forbes Magazine, awarded "Best Travel Gear" by Fast Company and "Best of the Best" Red Dot Design Award. The company is backed by Y Combinator and other top Silicon Valley venture investors. Bluesmart is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in Hong Kong, China and Argentina. Related Links: Contact Information: Ken Li Head of Marketing Bluesmart 9176184218 [email protected] This release was issued through WebWire(R). For more information visit http://www.webwire.com. SOURCE Bluesmart Related Links http://www.bluesmart.com SAN DIEGO, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- It's a scary statistic. Approximately every 3 minutes one person in the United States is diagnosed with a blood cancer, according to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. That's why one San Diego law firm is on a mission to help those impacted by leukemia, lymphoma as well as other types of blood cancers. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372362 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372363 "For the last two years, we've set out to help lighten the financial load of law school for a student impacted by blood cancer," stated Richard Renkin, the firm's founder. "We feel very fortunate to be able to help someone achieve their educational goals through our scholarship." Thanks to advances in medical technology, more and more people are surviving their leukemia or lymphoma diagnosis. The overall five-year relative survival rate for leukemia has more than quadrupled since 1960. For those battling lymphoma, the five-year relative survival rate has nearly doubled for the same time period. "I am a lymphoma survivor. I'm proof that it doesn't have to be a death sentence," explained Renkin. "Through this scholarship, I hope to help change the public perception of those battling the disease. A patient's life doesn't end with a diagnosis. These kinds of cancer can be beat." Through the scholarship, Renkin also hopes that more people will be inspired to understand curable blood cancers and help contribute to research that allows patients like Danielle Taylor, the first recipient of the firm's scholarship, to thrive. "Danielle is truly an inspiration. She was diagnosed with leukemia at age seven yet continues to beat the odds," stated Renkin. "Her energy, commitment, and perseverance should serve as inspiration for individuals who are living with curable blood cancers." This year, Renkin hopes to select the firm's second scholarship recipient. From now through July 31st, current or incoming laws students who meet the scholarship's criteria are encouraged to apply. Students must also be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen and be able to provide an official copy of undergraduate and/or law school transcripts with GPA of at least 3.0. To fill out the application, prospective applicants can click here. The $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to an applicant who submits the required application and essay by the deadline. About The Law Office of Renkin & Associates: The Law Office of Renkin & Associates is an experienced law firm representing clients in divorces and other family law matters. Based in San Diego, the law firm is dedicated to protecting the substantial assets and the parental rights of each of their clients. With more than twenty years of legal experience, their attorneys have a record of success when it comes to assisting clients in high net worth divorce cases. Media Contact: Paula Renkin (619) 299-7100 SOURCE The Law Office of Renkin & Associates LOS ANGELES, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Members of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World hosted a roundtable discussion with John Redman, Executive Director of Californians for Drug Free Youth (CADFY), at the Church of Scientology Los Angeles. Exploring public health issues related to today's marijuana, topics included increased potency, acute and long-term effects on the body, and the public health crisis and social cost of increased marijuana use. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160526/372579 The roundtable reviewed alarming statistics from the state of Colorado where average past-month use of Marijuana for youth ages 12 to 17 increased 32 percent from 2008 to 2013, according to the SAMHSA National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2012 and 2013. There has also been a 34 percent increase in drug-related suspensions and/or expulsions during this same period. "We have a profound responsibility to support sound drug policy that will explicitly protect our youth," stated Redman. According to the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, the use of cannabis has continued to rise. Evidence suggests that more drug users are suffering from cannabis use and that cannabis may be becoming more harmful, as reflected in the high proportion of persons seeking first-time treatment in several regions of the world. The Church of Scientology is dedicated to eradicating drug abuse through education. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, "For every dollar spent on prevention, at least ten can be saved in future health, social and crime costs." Community Alliances for Drug Free Youth, CADFY, is a nonprofit organization that works at state, national and international levels to encourage policies that target illicit drug use and related problems, promote research-based prevention strategies and programs, and create initiatives that support drug awareness and education. The Church of Scientology Los Angeles makes its conference rooms and seminar rooms available to like-minded groups and hosts seminars, roundtables and open-house events on topics of importance to the community. This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE Church of Scientology Los Angeles Related Links http://www.scientology-losangeles.org BALTIMORE, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Baltimore-based, award-winning marketing and public relations firm Clapp Communications is pleased to announce Belair Road Supply as its newest client. Clapp Communications will be providing marketing and public relations services to the firm. "Clapp Communications is looking forward to working with such a well-respected local family owned business," said Barb Clapp, President and CEO of Clapp Communications. "We are excited to partner with Belair Road Supply as they approach their 100 year Anniversary, a tremendous accomplishment in today's marketplace. We truly look forward to helping them achieve their marketing goals." Celebrating its 100 year anniversary in 2017, Belair Road Supply is a family-owned and operated construction trades supplier serving the Mid-Atlantic region since 1917. Its core business is providing the construction trades with water and sewer, masonry, stone, hardscapes, and industrial tools and products. Belair Road Supply has 5 locations - 3 in Maryland, including its Baltimore headquarters, and 2 in Delaware. For more information about Belair Road Supply, visit www.belairroadsupply.com. For more information about Clapp Communications' services, visit www.clappcommunications.com. About Clapp Communications Clapp Communications is a full-service marketing agency, whose expertise spans public affairs, media planning and buying, brand development, public relations, event planning, marketing strategy and product launch, as well as creative development. Clapp Communications is customer service driven and tailors individual programs to meet clients' needs. Customers consist of local, regional and large national brands in sectors including education, healthcare, government, associations, non-profit, corporate, hospitality and economic development. SOURCE Clapp Communications Related Links http://www.clappcommunications.com WASHINGTON, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Clutch published a report highlighting Top Digital Agencies in the Washington D.C. Metro Area, the latest in a series of reports featuring state and city-specific leaders in the digital agencies category. The research leverages Clutch's Leaders Matrix methodology, which plots each firm's focus on digital strategy, design and marketing against their ability to deliver reliably on client expectations. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372379 Top Digital Agencies Washington DC 2016 The leading digital agencies in Washington D.C. are: R2integrated, Bluetext, Interactive Strategies, Digital Management, Inc., Borenstein Group, Inc., Imagine, The Web Development Group, BlueTreeDigital, PBJ Marketing, and new target. "It is becoming increasingly important for companies to have a unique and strategic digital presence all their own," explained Clutch Analyst, Alexa Rosenstein. "The companies featured in this report have demonstrated their prowess through the execution of complex, innovative digital campaigns." Clutch's assessment is based on a variety of qualitative and quantitative factors including market presence, industry recognition, company experience, and client reviews. Clutch's effort to identify leading digital agencies is ongoing, and they encourage firms to apply for inclusion in future research updates. Upcoming reports will highlight User Experience Agencies and Seattle Digital Agencies. The full research can be found by following the below links: https://clutch.co/agencies/digital/washington-dc https://clutch.co/agencies/digital/washington-dc/leaders-matrix About Clutch Clutch is a Washington, DC-based B2B research firm that identifies top service providers and solutions firms that deliver results for their clients. The Clutch methodology is an innovative research process melding the best of traditional B2B research and newer consumer review services. To date, Clutch has researched and reviewed 1000+ companies spanning 50+ market segments. Contact Alexa Rosenstein 202-930-4752 Email SOURCE Clutch Related Links https://clutch.co FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- For the third consecutive year, independent aviation consultant Conklin & de Decker's report, US Jet Memberships Compared, has found that the Air Partner JetCard continues to surpass all major US competitors in terms of both cost and flexibility. Commissioned by Air Partner, the comprehensive report concludes: "Air Partner is the best priced in all categories." (pg. 10) "Air Partner appears to remain the most flexible of the US jet membership programs." (pg. 13) The report, which includes Sentient Jet, Marquis Jet, Wheels Up, and Delta Private Jets, uses the cost of a 25-hour jet membership and "effective hourly rates" based on round-trip discounts to compare pricing, but also highlights important flexibility aspects such as global service, fully refundable, non-expiring hours, and the ability to interchange aircraft categories. "We are very proud that once again the research by Conklin & de Decker has recognized the Air Partner JetCard," commented David McCown, Senior Vice President. "With the abundance of jet card offerings available on the market, clients are looking at more than just price. Many of our members have migrated to Air Partner because they found that our JetCard offered complete freedom and flexibility. The findings in this study are a testament to that." In the pricing segment of the report, Conklin & de Decker illustrated how Air Partner's 25-hour JetCard beats the competition in all cabin categories, but is increasingly competitive when members apply Air Partner's unique round-trip discount of 20%. Using the discount to generate "effective hourly rates," or the overall hourly rates when a traveler uses 50% of their card hours for round-trip travel, the report shows that Air Partner offers even greater savings. In the flexibility section, Conklin & de Decker assembled a qualitative comparison of each of the five jet membership programs. Criteria covered eleven different categories, including global coverage, expiring hours, interchange fees, peak-day surcharges and refundable account balances. The Air Partner JetCard was the only program of the five to offer fully refundable account balances, without any penalty or fees, and complete global coverage. The report also comes on the heels of a strong financial performance for Air Partner, whose Private Jets division closed the last financial year with an underlying operating profit increase of over 200% and JetCard utilization up by 33%. The company also completed the acquisition of Cabot Aviation Services Limited, an aircraft remarketing company, and Baines Simmons Limited, a world leader in aviation safety consulting in 2015. Conklin & de Decker is a trusted, independent analyst with over 30 years of experience in aviation information. The company offers cost and performance data comparison across a wide range of aircraft and helps consumers better understand the costs of aircraft acquisition, maintenance and management. About Air Partner Founded in 1961, Air Partner is a global aviation services group that provides worldwide solutions to industry, commerce, governments and private individuals. The Group is structured into four reporting divisions: Commercial Jets, Private Jets, Freight and Baines Simmons. The Commercial Jet division charters large airliners to move groups of any size. Cabot Aviation, which is formed within the Commercial Jet division, provides comprehensive remarketing programs for all types of commercial and corporate aircraft to a wide range of international clients. Private Jets offers the company's unique pre-paid JetCard program and on-demand charter. Air Partner Freight charters aircraft of every size to fly almost any cargo anywhere, at any time. Baines Simmons is a world leader in Aviation Safety Consulting which specializes in aviation regulation, compliance and safety management. Air Partner is headquartered alongside Gatwick airport in the UK. Air Partner operates 24/7 year-round and has 20 offices globally. Air Partner is listed on the London Stock Exchange (AIR) and is also ISO 9001:2008 compliant for commercial airline and private jet solutions worldwide. www.airpartner.com SOURCE Air Partner Related Links http://www.airpartner.com PUNE, India, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Corrugated Boxes Market by Material (Linerboard, Medium), Printing Ink (Water-Based, Solvent-Based, UV-Curable, Hot Melt-Based), Printing Technology (Digital, Flexography, Lithography), Type (Slotted, Telescope) - Global Forecast to 2021" published by MarketsandMarkets, The market size is projected to grow from USD 63.29 Billion in 2016 to reach USD 76.76 Billion by 2021, at an estimated CAGR of 3.94%. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 213 market data Tables with 68 Figures spread through 269 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Corrugated Boxes Market" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/corrugated-boxes-market-123154454.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. The global Corrugated Boxes Market is driven by factors such as recyclability of corrugated boxes, strong growth in the food & beverage and electronic goods industries, and increase in the spending by consumers for packaged products. Rising e-commerce industry and increasing demand for packed product present a great opportunity for this market to grow in future. The Corrugated Boxes Market is witnessing demand owing to the rise in manufacturing activities. However, factors such as greenhouse gas emission during production and rising raw material cost inhibit the growth of the market. Food & beverage is estimated to be the largest segment during the forecast period The food & beverage segment is projected to be the largest market in the next five years. The demand from the food & beverage sector is expected to experience a higher growth rate, mainly because of the growing demand for packaged and branded products, and consumer awareness toward the safe packaging of the product. Beverage manufacturers widely use corrugated boxes owing to the safe shipment they offer. Digital printing is estimated to be the fastest-growing printing technology during the forecast period Corrugated Boxes Market, by printing technology, is classified into digital printing, flexography printing, lithography printing, and others (gravure, screen, and offset printing). The digital printing segment accounted for the fastest-growing segment in 2015 with its numerous benefits such as high-quality, time-saving, and cost-effective solution for manufacturing corrugated boxes. Digital printing also uses ink-jet printing to print images on uneven and thicker substrates. Make an Enquiry: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=123154454 Asia-Pacific projected to attain the largest share in the Corrugated Boxes Market Asia-Pacific with emerging economies like China and India will drive the Corrugated Boxes Market. China is projected to have the largest market share and dominate the Asia-Pacific Corrugated Boxes Market from 2016 to 2021. Developing markets such as China and India are emerging as growth economies for corrugated boxes. Growing economies, the increasing population, and the resultant disposable income of people are acting as the main drivers for increased opportunities in these countries. The major players include Mondi Group Plc (South Africa), International Paper Company (U.S.), WestRock Company (U.S.), DS Smith Plc (U.K.), Smurfit Kappa Group (Ireland), and Rengo Co. Ltd. (Japan). Companies have adopted mergers & acquisitions to cope with the increasing demand in the emerging markets. The scope of the report covers detailed information regarding the major factors influencing the growth of the Corrugated Boxes Market such as drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities. A detailed analysis of the key industry players has been done to provide insights into their business overview, products & services, key strategies, and recent developments associated with the market. The Corrugated Boxes Market is segmented by material, type, printing inks, printing technology, end-use industry, and region. Browse Related Reports Paper & Paperboard Packaging Market by Grade (SBS, CUK, FBB, WLC, Glassine & Greaseproof, Label Paper), Application (Food, Beverage, Healthcare, Personal & Home Care), & by Type (Corrugated Box, Boxboard, Flexible Paper) - Trends & Forecast to 2020 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/paper-paperboard-packaging-market-23392290.html Aseptic Packaging Market by Type (Cartons, Bottles & Cans, Bags & Pouches, Vials & Ampoules, Pre-filled Syringes), Material (Plastic, Metal, Glass, Paperboard), Application (Food, Beverages, Pharmaceutical & Medical Applications & Others), & by Geography - Trends and Forecast to 2020 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/aseptic-packaging-market-785.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is the world's No. 2 firm in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers. We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository. Contact: Mr. Rohan Markets and Markets UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ Magarpatta city, Hadapsar Pune, Maharashtra 411013, India 1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit MarketsandMarkets Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/packaging Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets LAS VEGAS, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Credit One Bank, a major employer in the Las Vegas community, is bringing together two of their longtime partnersHomeAid Southern Nevada and U.S.VETS Las Vegas to better meet the needs of at-risk veterans in Southern Nevada. A $434,000 commercial kitchen remodel, funded in part by Credit One Bank and designed and built by HomeAid, will enable U.S.VETS to more effectively serve three meals a day to formerly homeless veterans now living in the Las Vegas residential facility. U.S.VETS has provided transitional and permanent housing along with employment services to veterans in the Las Vegas community since 2001. HomeAid Southern Nevada was founded in 2004 with the goal of supporting the valley's homeless population through housing and community outreach. Through Credit One Bank's involvement with both organizations, the bank recognized that U.S.VETS Las Vegas was in need of a new kitchen to more efficiently serve veteran residents, and that HomeAid, which is sponsored by Southern Nevada Home Builders Association, could build one. "After supporting both of these organizations and seeing the impact they have on our local community, we knew it would be a perfect fit to bring U.S.VETS Las Vegas and HomeAid together to make this project happen," said Lenny Chide, community reinvestment officer, Credit One Bank. "We are proud to be involved with this initiative, and we look forward to seeing how the new kitchen benefits those who have served our country." Staff members and volunteers at U.S.VETS Las Vegas have prepared more than 400 daily meals using limited equipment since they moved to their existing space in 2001. The new facility will feature a walk-in refrigerator, walk-in food storage area, a commercial size oven and stovetop, and will be wheelchair accessible. "The new kitchen will allow us to improve the food quality, provide better service, and eventually help teach culinary skills to veterans who want to learn to cook in preparation for permanent housing," said Shalimar Cabrera, executive director, U.S.VETS Las Vegas. We believe that while we help veterans get jobs, and prepare them for permanent housing, we should set all the right conditions for them to succeed. This means meeting their basic needs too, which is why providing them with nutritious meals is so important. We are very excited for them to have a state-of-the art kitchen which they so deserve." The expansion will add 1,000 square feet to the current kitchen space. Construction is expected to start in August with the goal to be fully functional and serving veterans by Thanksgiving. In addition to serving hundreds of meals per day, U.S.VETS hopes to bring in local chefs for cooking demonstrations and classes to empower veterans in the Las Vegas community to become more self-sufficient. "We're excited to be able to build U.S.VETS a commercial kitchen here in Las Vegas as it will enhance their meal service and provide veterans with an inspiring place to learn basic life skills," said Caitlin Shea, executive director, HomeAid Southern Nevada. "This project further fulfills our dedication to engage the local community on the issue of homelessness and helps get homeless veterans back on their feet." During the three-month construction project, U.S.VETS Las Vegas will bring in ready-made meals and work with nonprofit groups, volunteer groups and local businesses to sponsor meal donations to ensure that its veteran community continues to receive the services they need. To donate meals during this time, please contact U.S.VETS Las Vegas directly at [email protected] or 702-947-4478. Credit One Bank has been giving back to the Southern Nevada community for nearly 20 years. Since 2011, the bank has provided nearly $3 million in grants to 30 different nonprofit organizations, and an additional $3 million to a qualified community fund used to generate loans for low to moderate income individuals and families when buying a home. To further supplement the bank's values, Credit One Bank employees sit on numerous nonprofit boards, volunteer for community service projects, and regularly raise donations to assist local communities. About Credit One Bank Credit One Bank, N.A. is a U.S.-based national bank that specializes in credit cards. Established more than 30 years ago, Credit One Bank is one of the largest and fastest growing issuers of credit cards in the industry and provides a broad spectrum of credit card products. Credit One Bank offers millions of card members cash back rewards, credit education tools, and free online access to their credit score each month. For more information, please visit www.CreditOneBank.com. About HomeAid of Southern Nevada Founded in 2004, HomeAid Southern Nevada's mission is building new lives for Southern Nevada's homeless through housing and community outreach. This mission is carried out through care days, education and awareness in the community and shelter projects. The HomeAid Southern Nevada chapter is sponsored by the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association (SNHBA). Since opening its doors, more than 95,000 square feet have been renovated, and more than 1,500 homeless children and adults have been served through the great work of countless builders, trades, sponsors and volunteers involved with HomeAid Southern Nevada. For more information or to volunteer, visit www.homeaidsn.org, call 702.794.0117 ext 100, follow on Facebook or Twitter. About U.S.VETS The mission of United States Veterans Initiative (U.S.VETS) is the successful transition of military veterans and their families through the provision of housing, counseling, career development and comprehensive support. Founded in 1992, U.S.VETS is the largest non-profit organization of its kind in the United States, providing an array of support services to at-risk veterans across six states and the District of Columbia, including the Las Vegas operating site established in 2001. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160212/332735LOGO SOURCE Credit One Bank Related Links http://www.CreditOneBank.com WOONSOCKET, R.I., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- MinuteClinic, the retail medical clinic of CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) which operates more than 1,100 retail medical clinics in CVS Pharmacy and Target stores across the United States, has introduced a new digital tool that allows patients to view wait times at most locations and hold a place in line from the convenience of their smartphone, computer or tablet. The new system is currently available to patients visiting MinuteClinic locations inside CVS Pharmacy stores and Longs Drugs in Hawaii. It will be expanded to Target-based clinics later this year. The service debuts at the same time as MinuteClinic expands its suite of health care services and surpasses 30 million patient visits. "Since introducing the first store-based, walk-in clinics in 2000, MinuteClinic has consistently developed new ways to evolve its model to make health care services more convenient for today's consumer," said Andrew Sussman, M.D., President of CVS MinuteClinic and Executive Vice President and Associate Chief Medical Officer of CVS Health. "We know patients are demanding added convenience as they interact with the health care system. The option to hold a place in line gives patients more choices and flexibility and will allow for prompt care when arriving at our clinics. We think of it as the 'cure for the common wait'." To use MinuteClinic's new digital tool, patients start by viewing current wait times online at the clinic they'd like to visit. They then enter the reason for their visit and provide an email address or phone number in MinuteClinic's secure system to receive a confirmation code and reminder messages via email or text. Patients are given an estimated time to arrive at the clinic. Once at the selected clinic, they sign in at the kiosk and enter their unique confirmation code. They are then ready to be seen as soon as the practitioner is available based on the order in which the confirmation was received. While bringing more convenient care options to its growing patient base, MinuteClinic has also added a variety of new medical services that include treatment of sprains and strains, gout, joint pain, indigestion and heartburn, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. In addition, MinuteClinic is expanding women's health and counseling services to include contraceptive care. Available to patients over 18 years of age (19 in some states), MinuteClinic practitioners can see women interested in starting birth control or changing their present method of contraception to develop a customized plan. Increasing patient demand is the impetus for adding these new services, according to Sussman. "We've worked closely with our collaborating physicians, health system affiliates, and our practitioner team to develop a consistent and thoughtful approach to expand and introduce new services that are within the scope of practice of our nurse practitioners and physician assistants," said Sussman. "We employ evidence-based guidelines in our treatment plans. Having seen more than 30 million visits in 16 years, we hope to continue to bring innovations and convenience to the way health care is delivered today." Nurse practitioners and physician assistants at MinuteClinic specialize in family health care and can diagnose, treat and write prescriptions for common family illnesses such as strep throat; ear, eye, sinus, bladder and bronchial infections; nausea, vomiting and diarrhea; indigestion. Acne, rashes and skin conditions; sprains and strains; and minor wounds and abrasions are also treated. Common vaccinations are available at most locations, such as influenza, tetanus, pneumonia and Hepatitis A & B. Prevention and wellness services include screening and monitoring for diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, tuberculosis (TB) testing, contraceptive care, motion sickness prevention and smoking cessation. At the conclusion of each visit, patients receive educational material, a prescription (when clinically appropriate) and a visit summary. A copy of the diagnostic record can be sent electronically, or by fax or mail, to a primary care provider with patient permission. About MinuteClinic MinuteClinic is the retail medical clinic of CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), the largest pharmacy health care provider in the United States. MinuteClinic launched the first retail medical clinics in the United States in 2000 and is the largest provider of retail clinics with more than 1,100 locations in 33 states and the District of Columbia. By creating a health care delivery model that responds to patient demand, MinuteClinic makes access to high-quality medical treatment easier for more Americans. Nationally, the company has provided care through more than 30 million patient visits, with a 95 percent customer satisfaction rating. MinuteClinic is the only retail health care provider to receive four consecutive accreditations from The Joint Commission, the national evaluation and certifying agency for nearly 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. For more information, visit www.minuteclinic.com. SOURCE MinuteClinic Related Links http://www.minuteclinic.com HERNDON, Va., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Deltek, the leading global provider of enterprise software and information solutions for project-based businesses, recently announced that it has been awarded a 2016 Confirmit ACE (Achievement in Customer Excellence) Award. The accolade demonstrates Deltek's outstanding commitment to Customer Support and marks the 9th year that Deltek has been recognized for outstanding customer support satisfaction with a prestigious ACE Award. The Confirmit ACE Awards program celebrates outstanding achievement in delivering an outstanding customer experience. Receiving a Confirmit ACE Award demonstrates the recipient's rigorous application of Voice of the Customer processes and its outstanding performance as measured by those procedures. An elite group of Confirmit clients qualified for an ACE Award. Deltek earned the Confirmit ACE Award not only for its high customer satisfaction scores, but also because achieving world-class customer satisfaction and delivering an optimal customer experience are ingrained in Deltek's culture. "Being recognized with the Confirmit ACE Award for nine straight years is quite an achievement for Deltek," said Brian Daniell, SVP of Customer Care at Deltek. "Our global Customer Care team is a critical component of Deltek's success our team helps over 22,000 customers and millions of users around the globe get the support they need at any given time. We rely on our support team to focus on delivering the best experiences possible and year after year, they deliver. This award is further evidence of our team's continued commitment to customer satisfaction, and on behalf of everyone at Deltek, I'm honored to accept this award." "As a 2016 Confirmit ACE Award winner, Deltek has demonstrated a genuine commitment to listening to its customers in an effort to better understand their needs and drive positive change across the business," said Henning Hansen, President and CEO of Confirmit. "We continue to be impressed with the caliber of entries we receive each year and are delighted to honor those undertaking exceptional customer experience activities." Tweet this: For 9th year in a row, @DeltekCustCare named Winner of the @Confirmit ACE Awards! Congrats @Deltek! http://ow.ly/23ee300BLxs About the Confirmit ACE Awards The ACE (Achievement in Customer Excellence) Awards program was established in 2005 to recognize outstanding achievement in customer experience. Receiving a Confirmit ACE Award is a distinct honor that demonstrates both rigorous application of customer feedback processes and outstanding performance as measured by those processes. All Confirmit customers are eligible for Confirmit ACE Awards for their company, business units, or segments of a business. To be eligible for a 2015 Confirmit ACE Award, organizations must have conducted one or more customer surveys between January 1 and December 31, 2015. About Confirmit Confirmit is the world's leading SaaS vendor for multi-channel Voice of the Customer, Voice of the Employee, and Market Research solutions. The company has offices in Oslo (headquarters), Chengdu, Grimstad, London, Moscow, New York, San Francisco, Sydney, Vancouver, and Yaroslavl. Confirmit's software is also distributed through partner resellers in Madrid, Milan, Salvador, and Tokyo. Confirmit powers Global 5000 companies and Market Research agencies worldwide with a wide range of software products for feedback / data collection, panel management, data processing, analysis, and reporting. Customers include Aurora, British Airways, British Standards Institution, Cross-Tab, Dow Chemical, GfK, GlaxoSmithKline, GMO Research, JTN Research, Keep Factor, Morehead Associates, Nielsen, Research Now, RONIN, RS Components, Sony Mobile Communications, Swisscom and The Wellcome Trust. Visit www.confirmit.com for more information. About Deltek Deltek is the leading global provider of enterprise software and information solutions for government contractors, professional services firms and other project- and people-based businesses. For decades, we have delivered actionable insight that empowers our customers to unlock their business potential. 22,000 organizations and millions of users in over 80 countries around the world rely on Deltek to research and identify opportunities, win new business, recruit and develop talent, optimize resources, streamline operations and deliver more profitable projects. Deltek Know more. Do more. www.deltek.com Follow us on Twitter @Deltek or fan us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/deltekinc Deltek Contact: Lauran Cacciatori Senior Director, Corporate Marketing and Communications [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160406/352355LOGO SOURCE Deltek BEIJING, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 26, Founder and CEO of DHgate.com Ms. Diane Wang and top cross-border e-commerce exporter Mr. Tom Chen shared their experiences and insights about cross-border e-commerce with small business owners from New Zealand at the Go Global International Business Forum, New Zealand's biggest international business event. Their presentation, called "Disruptive and Transformative," streamed live to Auckland, New Zealand from the cities of Beijing and Shenzhen, China. 'DIANE WANG - DISRUPTIVE AND TRANSFORMATIVE' Diane Wang's presentation was called "Disruptive and Transformative," because of the profound effect that B2B cross-border e-commerce has had on the international trade industry, due to the maturing ecosystem of cross-border e-commerce that includes integrated solutions in areas such as international logistics, payment, internet finance, marketing, tax assistance. She explained the opportunity for New Zealand small businesses to be able to ship their fabulous products all over the world, despite their remote southern location. Wang highlighted the e-commerce boom in China that has directly created 15 million jobs and 30 million indirectly. She said, "Today, even in the most rural parts the country, village elders can sell handmade baskets to tourists in Las Vegas, and housewives from suburban China can ship their homemade dresses to women in Paris." Wang predicted the future of e-commerce, saying "as we are adopting ecommerce, ecommerce is also quickly adopting the new behavior of global business. Online or offline, there is no line at all. The different business formats are merging to provide global business people with the friendliest purchasing experience. The boundary between the two businesses formats is becoming more and more vague; what is left is the quality of goods and service." Her closing remark was: "I hope you can take away from today that cross-border e-commerce is an inevitable global trend. In business, only those who adapt to new environments, and adopt new market rules can survive and prosper." 'TOM CHEN - TOP CROSS-BORDER E-COMMERCE EXPORTER' Mr. Tom Chen, who is the top seller on DHgate.com, and Director of Operations of the Shenzhen Value in Action Technology Company Limited shared his success story. Mr. Chen's operation now has over 210 employees, with operations centers and product distribution warehouses in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Spain, the US, and the UK. Chen's largest brand is called Tronsmart. Tronsmart products consist of: quick chargers for portable electronics, Android media players, Windows mini PCs, and miracast adapters. Tronsmart products have now reached 100 countries and 5,000 cities. Mr. Chen stressed the keys to cross-border e-commerce success are: maintaining a reputation for high product quality and reliability; and that good customer service is very important to selling via cross-border e-commerce, because as a cross-border e-commerce seller, you will never actually physically interact with your customers, so maintaining a high sense of trust and safety is so important, that your success actually depends on it. 'ABOUT DHgate.com' DHgate.com is the first to market and the biggest transactional cross border B2B e-commerce marketplace in China. We aim to provide global buyers with quality products at competitive prices. Founded in 2004, DHgate.com has approximately 10 million global buyers from 230 countries and regions, with 1.2 million global sellers offering 33 million products. DHgate.com's business enables buyers to directly access global manufacturers of the world's top brands with rich product selections. DHgate.com is an all-in-one platform with integrated services for international logistics, cross border payments, internet financing, etc. DHgate.com's US product distribution warehouses allow for 24 hour delivery and convenient product returns & refunds, bringing great convenience to buyers at http://www.dhgate.com. SOURCE DHgate.com Related Links http://www.dhgate.com NEW YORK, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- DirectView Holdings, Inc. (DIRV) ("DirectView" or the "Company"), a company focused on ownership and management of leading video and security technology companies, today announced that it has teamed up with TACLENS, LLC. ("TACLENS") to deploy its DVX1 body worn cameras to the Hawk Cove Police Department ("HCPD") located in Hunt County just east of Dallas, Texas. As recently highlighted on May 20, 2016 in The Quinlan-Tawakoni News http://quinlan-tawakoninews.com/node/3133, Police Chief Rhonda McKeehan of the HCPD issued a plea for help to deploy body worn cameras despite the town's constrained budget. As TACLENS and DirectView recently entered into a co-marketing agreement regarding DirectView's new line of body worn cameras, Mr. Flinn Carrington, Executive Director of TACLENS, saw this as the perfect opportunity to kick off the new relationship in the field. Together, the two companies worked with the department to deploy the DVX1 body worn cameras and TACLENS has also been instrumental in helping with the SOP (Standard of Protocol) for the department's body camera deployment and usage. Commenting on the Hawk Cove deployment, Mr. Flinn Carrington, Executive Director of TACLENS, stated, "We chose to team up with DirectView because the team there is dedicated to providing cost effective solutions for law enforcement. For HCPD, the choice was clear, as we have reviewed many manufacturers and find the quality and clarity of the DirectView DVX1 cameras to be excellent. We are confident that this will serve as great reference point in Texas as we begin to market this highly effective product to law enforcement members throughout the state." Chief Rhonda McKeehan of the HCPD commented, "Hunt County is innundated with meth and now heroin use is on the rise. As a result, I put officers out there on the street at risk. They do it, but I want them to go home to their families at night. The DirectView cameras will be a great tool for safety as well as officer accountability and I look forward seeing them used in the field to protect the safety of both our citizens and our staff." Richard Mireles, Business Develop Manager at DirectView, stated, "We are very proud and honored to work with TACLENS to help the HCPD deploy the DirectView DVX1 body cameras to its officers in the field. As we begin to roll out our cameras, having a reference site in the state of Texas will be very helpful for us to prove out our belief that we have the best and most cost effective solution in the market. We look forward to adding more departments in Texas and other areas of the country through our growing network of marketing partners like TACLENS." About DirectView Holdings, Inc. DirectView Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides video surveillance solutions and teleconferencing products and services to businesses and organizations. The company operates in two divisions, Security (Video Surveillance) and Video Conferencing. The Security division offers technologies in surveillance systems providing onsite and remote video and audio surveillance, digital video recording, and services. It also sells and installs surveillance systems; and sells maintenance agreements. The company sells its products and services in the United States and internationally through direct sales force, referrals, and its Websites. The Video Conferencing division offers teleconferencing products and services that enable clients to conduct remote meetings by linking participants in geographically dispersed locations. It is involved in the sale of conferencing services based upon usage, the sale and installation of video equipment, and the sale of maintenance agreements. This division primarily provides conferencing products and services to numerous organizations ranging from law firms, banks, high tech companies and government organizations. For more information visit our website at http://www.DirectView.com and connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google+. About TACLENS TACLENS is a budgetary solution to intelligence and training in law enforcement. In addition; TACLENS also specializes in product development, placement, corporate training, and assessments. Please visit http://www.TACLENS.com for more information Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements Forward Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding the outlook of the Company's business and results of operations. By nature, these risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated. Generally speaking, any statements using terms such as "will," "expect," "anticipate," or "may," or which otherwise predict or address future results or events, are likely to contain forward-looking statements. It is important to note that actual results may differ materially from what is indicated in any forward-looking statement. Readers should consider any forward-looking statements in light of factors that could cause actual results to vary. These factors are described in our filings with the SEC, and readers should refer to those filings, including Risk Factors described in those filings, in connection with any forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contact: DirectView Holdings, Inc. Roger Ralston +1-212-858-9100 EXT. 111 http://www.DirectView.com [email protected] SOURCE DirectView Holdings, Inc. FAIRFAX, Va., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ECS Federal, LLC ("ECS"), a rapidly-growing provider of mission critical solutions to U.S Defense, Intelligence Community and Federal Civilian customers, announced today that it received the Private Company Deal Team of the Year Award from the Association for Corporate Growth ("ACG"). In 2015, ECS completed several successful strategic acquisitions to strengthen the company's position in the defense and intelligence communities and enter the defense healthcare information systems and research fields. These acquisitions also allowed ECS to secure a significant presence at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command Center, Charleston. During 2015, ECS also secured a partnership and significant financial investment from Lindsay Goldberg LLC, a New York-based private investment firm that specializes in making long-term investments in privately-owned businesses. In addition, ECS amended its existing credit facility to significantly increase its available credit and added Capital One, National Association, TD Bank, N.A., Regions Bank, and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania as lenders. SunTrust Bank, acting as administrative agent, and Bank of America, N.A. continued as lenders to the company under this facility. The investments leveraged decades of focus in engineering disciplines, advanced research, cloud engineering, data visualization, and secure communications that enable information sharing across multiple defense and intelligence agencies and between coalition partners. The acquisitions allowed ECS to further increase its market share in DARPA/IARPA and in advanced DoD special projects supporting mission critical systems designed for sea, land, air, and space applications. ECS also was able to branch into the area of light manufacturing of Radar Cross Section Measurement Systems used in stealth programs and Flight Termination Systems used on test ranges. Since 2011, ECS has nearly tripled its revenues through a combination of above market organic growth and strategic transactions. "ECS is proud to have received this award from the National Capital Chapter of ACG" said George Wilson, CEO and President. "Our team has worked hard to grow organically at above industry levels and selectively source strategic acquisitions in mission critical areas to achieve our growth objectives. We could not have done so without the great support of our employees, our investor group and the syndicate of commercial banks that partner with us." About ECS Federal, LLC ECS delivers engineering, scientific, and technical expertise and mission critical solutions to Department of Defense and Federal Civilian agencies. As an externally assessed CMMI Level 3 company, as well as an ISO 9001:2008, ISO/IEC 20000 and ISO/IEC 27000:2013 certified company, ECS' award-winning expertise and commitment to quality services are critical in meeting the missions of our customers. Headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, ECS has nearly 2,000 employees throughout the United States and has been recognized as a Top Workplace by the Washington Post. For more information, visit our web site at www.ecs-federal.com. SOURCE ECS Federal, LLC Related Links http://www.ecs-federal.com BOSTON, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A federal judge in Washington DC will decide the future of 7 captive chimpanzees at Emory Yerkes' National Primate Research Center on or before September 1, 2016. On Tuesday, NEAVS and its coalition succeeded in their efforts to halt the export of the Emory Yerkes chimps to an unaccredited zoo in England until the full case is presented. The chimps' supporters are fighting so that Agatha, Elvira, Faye, Fritz, Lucas, Tara and Georgia get a chance to spend the rest of their lives at one of 5 U.S. chimp sanctuaries after being in a laboratory their entire lives at Emory University's Primate Research Center. The judgement is now up to Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson of the U.S. Federal Court for the District of Columbia. Leading a coalition of U.S. chimp sanctuaries, animal groups, and former Emory Yerkes employees, NEAVS sued U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to block Emory Yerkes' permit to export the chimps to Wingham Wildlife Park in England. NEAVS and the coalition say exporting the chimps to an unaccredited commercial zoo: puts the chimps at risk of an international cargo shipment only to be placed on commercial exhibition, does nothing to enhance species survival, and makes no sense when 5 U.S. chimpanzee sanctuaries, including four in the southeast, with decades of combined experience in the care of hundreds of chimpanzees from labs are eager and willing to take the Emory Yerkes' chimps. At Tuesday's Preliminary Injunction hearing to halt the export until the full case is presented, Judge Jackson questioned the lawyers from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Emory Yerkes, and NEAVS about the export permit. She repeatedly expressed concerns about Fish and Wildlife's position that the permit would "enhance the survival" of the chimpanzee species, as required by the Endangered Species Act simply because Emory Yerkes and Wingham promise to make future financial contributions to a new "human health" program without providing specifics of the program or its benefit to chimpanzee species survival. The Judge questioned if this arrangement met the stringent test governing the export of an endangered species, as the export has nothing to do with conservation, and is being permitted to allow a commercial zoo to display the chimps for profit. Following Judge Jackson's questioning, Emory Yerkes and U.S. Fish and Wildlife recessed and agreed to halt the export until the full case is before Judge Jackson. Reacting to Emory Yerkes' surprising capitulation, Theodora Capaldo, NEAVS' CEO, stated, "It is clear that Judge Jackson has thoughtful questions, particularly with Fish and Wildlife's use of a 'pay-to-play' deal allowing facilities to engage in otherwise unlawful activities with an endangered species as long as they pay someone money in the name of conservation." Capaldo added, "It is becoming increasingly bizarre that Emory Yerkes insists on sending these 7 chimpanzees to Wingham. Chimpanzee and conservation experts around the world have warned that this proposed arrangement will set a dangerous precedent for the commercialization of an endangered species, and blow a huge hole in the integrity of the U.S. Endangered Species Act's protections. Five U.S. sanctuaries are offering to give these chimpanzees a home. Very early on, NEAVS offered to assist Emory Yerkes and pledged life-time care in sanctuary for Georgia, the eldest. Emory Yerkes never approached a U.S. sanctuary for options before its deal with Wingham and continues to not even make reference to a sanctuary, Project Chimps, just 90 minutes northwest of Emory University's campus that will also welcome them. A drive to any of the U.S. sanctuaries with caregivers throughout their journey is obviously much easier on the chimps, than a long and dangerous transatlantic cargo flight. Emory Yerkes' refusal to commit to a U.S. sanctuary transfer is inexcusable and challenges their claimed commitment to their animals' well-being. In February, Abby - one of the original 8 chimps Emory Yerkes plans to export - died in Emory's care, leaving only 7. Her death was only disclosed in a footnote in the Emory Yerkes/U.S. Fish and Wildlife documents." At stake is whether the U.S. Fish and Wildlife's June 2015 decision giving captive chimpanzees full U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections will really protect laboratory chimps, or let them still be traded like commodities so unaccredited zoos like Wingham with no experience in chimpanzee care can profit from exhibiting them commercially. All of the chimpanzees at Emory Yerkes have been in labs their entire lives, up to four, even five decades. NEAVS and the chimps' other advocates, say it's time for their release to sanctuary where the sole commitment is to their well-being. More than 27,000 comments were submitted to Fish and Wildlife strongly opposing the chimps export. Among the chimpanzee and conservation experts vehemently opposed are: Dr. Richard Wrangham , Professor, Harvard University and Founder, Kibale Chimpanzee Project; , Professor, and Founder, Kibale Chimpanzee Project; Michele L. Stumpe, Esq. , Chair, Pan African Sanctuary Alliance; , Chair, Pan African Sanctuary Alliance; Dr. Richard Leakey , Chairman, Kenya Wildlife Service and United Nations Great Apes Survival Partnership Ambassador (GRASP); , Chairman, Kenya Wildlife Service and United Nations Great Apes Survival Partnership Ambassador (GRASP); Doug Cress , Executive Director, GRASP; , Executive Director, GRASP; the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums; the British and Irish Association of Zoos & Aquariums; Pan African Sanctuary Alliance; the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance; the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria; and, the European Endangered Species Programme In responding to yesterday's developments, Jen Feuerstein, one of the Plaintiffs who attended the hearing, expressed deep sadness at the news of the unexpected death of Abby, who Ms. Feuerstein had cared for as a young chimpanzee when she worked at Yerkes, and vowed to continue to, "be a voice for Abby and the other members of her social group" and to do everything in her power to ensure they all end up in a U.S. sanctuary, "where they can live out the remainder of their lives in peace, free from commercial exploitation." Supplemental briefs will be filed by all sides during the summer. Judge Jackson plans to issue a ruling at the beginning of September. NEAVS et al. are represented by Katherine Meyer, of the Washington, D.C. public interest law firm, Meyer Glitzenstein & Eubanks LLP. Contacts: Nancy Finn, Director of Communications, NEAVS (o) 617 523 6020 (c) 781-258-5813 Theodora Capaldo, CEO, NEAVS (c) 617-413-0611 SOURCE NEAVS Related Links http://neavs.org ARMONK, N.Y., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Waterfund LLC announced today that EnerTech, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Technology Enterprises Company -- itself a subsidiary of Kuwait Investment Authority -- selected the Waterfund Insight Service to model and prioritize its strategic water technology investments. IBM developed the Waterfund Insights Service, a Cloud Business Solution, to provide national and local governments the ability to better understand and forecast the actual costs of water under different hydrological and financial scenarios, creating the financial transparency required to stimulate capital investment in fresh water. Waterfund Insight Service provides data visualization decision support service delivered on IBM Cloud, enabling water utility managers, corporate water managers and government agencies around the world to make informed, data-driven decisions for effective water management. The cloud-based service provides a better understanding of the impact on local water costs from changing climate conditions, capital spending and business factors with "what-if" scenario analysis and data visualization. "Kuwait is more than ninety percent dependent on desalination to meet the needs of its growing population. Managing our water resources is a critical consideration and it's important to have an understanding of the true cost of water production and to evaluate the efficacy of new water efficient technologies. Together IBM, Waterfund, and Kuwait will develop a customized index to quantify the true cost of water production, transportation and distribution and assess the cost reduction potential of emerging water efficient technologies," said Abdullah Al Mutairi, CEO of EnerTech Holding Company. IBM and Waterfund's Insights Service is based on the Water Cost Index (WCI), an innovative financial benchmark developed by Waterfund. It partnered with IBM Research to calculate the true cost of water production in cities that represent over one-quarter of global GDP. As part of the agreement, Kuwait will be added to the Global Water Cost Index, using the big data platform developed by Waterfund and research scientists from IBM. EnerTech will use the Waterfund Insight Service to analyze, forecast and measure the financial performance of competing new technologies that can benefit Kuwait and the broader Middle East. "Our mission is to provide a world-class data and investment platform that helps Kuwait secure its water future with best-in-class technology solutions from around the world," said Scott Rickards, CEO of Waterfund. "The service will eventually be deployed throughout Kuwait so that local water managers will be able to derive realistic cost estimates as they adjust for depreciation, capital expenses, subsidies, operating and non-operating revenue, and total water produced." "The market has demonstrated an undeniable need for the insights on water investment and production that are derived through IBM's work with Waterfund," said Jason Kelley, vice president, Solutions and Design, IBM Global Business Services. "There is no limit to the value in strategic insights amassed from virtually endless data, derived quickly and rendered simply. This new partnership opens up the potential for new innovation based on weather data and cognitive computing capabilities, enabling Kuwait to become a hub for water innovation in the region." For more information on IBM Cloud Business Solutions, visit https://www.ibm.com/cloud-computing/solutions/cloud-business-solutions ABOUT WATERFUND LLC Waterfund LLC was founded in 2012 by Scott Rickards with the goal of building the first flexible financial products tailored for the water industry and to increase water infrastructure investment. A range of data products and index-linked solutions are now available. Waterfund LLC uses publicly available data to measure the full cost of water on a recovery basis. For more information about Waterfund LLC, visit: www.worldswaterfund.com Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO CONTACT: Katie Leasor, 212-671-9356, [email protected]. SOURCE IBM Related Links http://www.ibm.com SAN FRANCISCO and SAN RAMON, Calif., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Nick Tan has joined the firm as Surety Manager. Tan will be based in EPIC's San Ramon Construction Services Practice, reporting to Regional Director, Property & Casualty, Brian Quinn. Tan will be responsible for providing surety consulting services and a wide range of bonding solutions to EPIC's Construction Industry clients in California and the West. He will work closely with other EPIC Construction Surety specialists across the country, including Sharon Rusconi, who is based in EPIC's Sacramento, Calif. office. Prior to joining EPIC, Tan was vice president and surety manager at Atlas Insurance Agency, Inc. in Honolulu, Hawaii. Said EPIC's Brian Quinn, "Nick will work closely and collaboratively with our Construction brokers and their service teams to deliver creative, cost effective surety solutions to our Construction Industry clients. We look forward to the significant value that his experience, knowledge and strong, positive relationships with sureties across the country will deliver to our clients." Tan attended the University of California at Davis where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Managerial Economics. Nick Tan can be reached at: EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants 3000 Executive Parkway, Suite 325, San Ramon, CA 94583 nick.tan[at]epicbrokers.com 925-244-7706 direct 808-343-6886 cell About EPIC: EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property & casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence. EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally. EPIC now has more than 850 team members operating from offices across the U.S., providing Property Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 13,000 clients. With more than $200 million in revenues, EPIC ranks among the top 20 retail insurance brokers in the United States. Backed by the Carlyle Group, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country. Information: http://www.epicbrokers.com/. *PHOTO: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/16-0526-Nick-Tan-300dpi.jpg MEDIA CONTACTS: Dave Hock 650-295-4608 [email protected] Nicole Conley 650-422-3156 [email protected] This release was issued through Send2Press, a unit of Neotrope. For more information, visit Send2Press Newswire at https://www.Send2Press.com SOURCE EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants Related Links http://www.epicbrokers.com PENNINGTON, N.J., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Eastern Environmental Law Center (EELC), on behalf of New Jersey Conservation Foundation (NJCF) and the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, today filed a letter urging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to suspend its preparation of a draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and withdraw its Notice of Schedule For Environmental Review for the proposed PennEast pipeline. The letter highlights PennEast's continued inability to respond to requests from FERC and other federal and state agencies to provide extensive missing data within PennEast's application. EELC submitted this letter to FERC given PennEast's latest failure to answer FERC's repeated data requests. "PennEast has been asked repeatedly by state and federal agencies to submit this additional information for its application, and has again failed to do so," said Tom Gilbert, campaign director for NJCF. "FERC must uphold the integrity of its review process and its duty to protect public interest, by assuring that PennEast's application is completed before proceeding with its review." Following is a list of the top deficiencies within PennEast's application: 1. Despite a requirement by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1970, PennEast has again failed to consider alternatives for its proposed pipeline route. It also did not address FERC's repeated requests to evaluate avoiding wells that supply public drinking water. Why it's important: PennEast would impact and damage more than 40 years of land conservation. It would cause irreparable harm to 4,300 acres of taxpayer-funded preserved land and farmland, protected streams and wetlands. In addition, geophysical analysis suggests the high incidence of sinkholes along the route create an unstable setting for a 36-inch pipeline. 2. PennEast's proposed measures to mitigate environmental impacts do not meet FERC standards. PennEast would destroy 26 of New Jersey's most pristine, irreplaceable wetlands, and the company's proposal to replace these sensitive habitats fails to meet minimum legal environmental mitigation standards. Why it's important: PennEast's plans to "replace" the wetlands are inadequate from legal and environmental standpoints. Their proposed replacement wetlands would be of much lower quality and smaller scale, located more than 20 miles away from the original wetlands. 3. PennEast failed to complete a stream-by-stream analysis, a requirement for all new proposed pipelines, to avoid destroying sensitive wetlands and watersheds in the region. Why it's important: PennEast's current proposed 118-mile route would be situated near many "Tier 1" public water supply wells and would cross 32 critical "C1" streams. The pipeline could impact the drinking water supply for 1.5 million people. 4. PennEast submitted an insufficient arsenic study, the flawed design of which was purposely and specifically engineered to produce a favorable outcome for PennEast. Why it's important: PennEast's arsenic study is inadequate because it focused on large grain particles, a much less rigorous analysis than the small-grain studies required by FERC and common scientific protocol. This heightens the risk of PennEast construction causing arsenic to contaminate New Jersey's drinking water wells. 5. PennEast claims that it is unable and unwilling to comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) directive to measure the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its pipeline.i Why it's important: Assessment tools are readily available to conduct the analysis requested by EPA. The impact of methane as a GHG is widely-documented and must be addressed by PennEast. The company's advertising states that the proposed pipeline would lead to cleaner air. PennEast should be required to substantiate this claim. 6. PennEast's surveys of its proposed route are woefully insufficient: Most of PennEast's surveys were conducted as desktop vs. in-field surveys. The company neglected to submit a visual resources survey, did not complete a Cumulative Impact Analysis, and most of its wetlands surveys are missing. Why it's important: Without a comprehensive set of surveys, it is impossible for FERC to conduct a thorough draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for this project. PennEast also continues to ignore an October 2015 data request from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJ DEP). PennEast's incomplete application indicates that the company is unable to comply with standard regulatory procedures. "There continues to be overwhelming regional and bipartisan opposition to PennEast, and every NJ county and municipality along the proposed route has passed resolutions against it. The potential for environmental damage with PennEast is incalculable," said Jim Waltman, executive director for Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association. "With no market need or public demand for this pipeline, it is difficult to understand why such an environmentally damaging proposal is still being considered. PennEast's failure to provide complete and accurate answers to these outstanding questions after nearly two years is telling. Instead of fossil fuel projects like PennEast, New Jersey should be moving toward renewable sources of energy." As alternatives to a new gas pipeline, energy efficiency and demand response approaches are less expensive, less carbon-intensive, and less risky for captive ratepayers.ii Further, the U.S. Energy Information Administration has concluded that renewables are competitive with natural gas, despite PennEast's unsubstantiated assertion to the contrary.iii PennEast claims that using natural gas leads to cleaner air and lower carbon emissions.iv However, the use of fossil fuels like natural gas in recent decades has increased emission levels and harmed our air quality. Natural gas is a dirty fossil fuel. Pipelines like PennEast leak methane into the air, soil and water. PennEast's claims of market need for this new pipeline are unfounded. Independent energy analysts have found that New Jersey already has nearly 50% more natural gas supply than needed by firm contracts, even for the most severe winters.v About New Jersey Conservation Foundation New Jersey Conservation Foundation is a private nonprofit that preserves land and natural resources throughout New Jersey for the benefit of all. Since 1960, New Jersey Conservation has protected 125,000 acres of open space - from the Highlands to the Pine Barrens to the Delaware Bayshore, from farms to forests to urban and suburban parks. For more information about the Foundation's programs and preserves, go to www.njconservation.org or call 1-888-LAND-SAVE (1-888-526-3728). About Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association The Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, a member-supported nonprofit organization, protects the 265-square-mile region of central New Jersey that is drained by the Stony Brook and Millstone River an area spanning 26 towns and five counties. As central New Jersey's first environmental group, the Watershed Association has been protecting clean water and the environment through conservation, advocacy, science and education since its founding in 1949. For more information about the Watershed and its programs please visit www.thewatershed.org or call 609-737-3735. About Eastern Environmental Law Center The Eastern Environmental Law Center (EELC) advocates on behalf of organizations and community groups to resolve environmental problems that threaten people, natural resources, and communities throughout New Jersey and the surrounding region. EELC represents national, state, and local citizen groups that generally cannot otherwise afford such assistance. EELC's representation includes general client counseling to our 35+ clients and advocacy to promote effective environmental and land use regulations, to restore, maintain, and enhance the quality of water bodies, to protect communities from disparate impacts, and to promote smart growth and energy choices. i "Responses to April 29, 2016 Environmental Information Request of PennEast Pipeline Company, LLC under CP15-558." Pg. 34. http://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/file_list.asp?accession_num=20160516-5382 ii "Power System Reliability in New England: Meeting Electric Resource Needs in an Era of Growing Dependence on Natural Gas", Analysis Group, Inc. November 2015. http://www.mass.gov/ago/docs/energy-utilities/reros-study-final.pdf iii EIA Annual Energy Outlook 2015, p. 9. iv http://penneastpipeline.com v "Analysis of Public Benefit Regarding PennEast Pipeline." http://rethinkenergynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/PennEastNotNeeded.pdf SOURCE New Jersey Conservation Foundation Related Links http://www.njconservation.org Reilly uses Thiel's own words to illuminate the world view of the man who co-founded PayPal and Palantir, became both the first outside investor in Facebook and the first institutional investor in the newly-legalizing marijuana industry, and is now a pledged Donald Trump delegate. "Players, Companies, Life" recounts the board meeting where Mark Zuckerberg turned down Yahoo's $1 billion offer for Facebook; proffers Thiel's brutal appraisals of tech giants; and tells how a chess grand master's strategy inspired his approach to investing. Jason Pontin, Editor in Chief and Publisher of MIT Technology Review, calls "Players" "an innovative and delightful book that captures the technologist's restless, original intelligence. Reilly has performed an invaluable service by creating the definitive oral history of Thiel in the entrepreneur's own words." "'Players' captures a revealing snapshot of technology's most controversial operator," Reilly says. "He continues to evolve quickly on many fronts. He has deep connections to both Silicon Valley and the highest levels of the U.S. intelligence community. He's involved with SpaceX, Tesla, Spotify and bioscience startups. He favors legalizing marijuana and is backing companies that sell it. Now he's hustling for Donald Trump as a delegate. With his wealth and intelligence, Thiel is an entrepreneur whose life ambitions affect all of us." Thiel was unmasked this week by Forbes as the mysterious investor bankrolling Hulk Hogan's devastating lawsuits against Gawker Media. "'Players' gives readers a candid peek into the mind of one of the world's most powerful citizens - and what can happen to those who cross him," Reilly says. Richard Byrne Reilly is an award-winning investigative journalist and author who has covered technology, venture capital, security, intelligence, military, celebrity and crime. His work has appeared in the National Enquirer, New York Magazine, the New York Post, FoxNews.com, the San Francisco Examiner, Red Herring, VentureBeat, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and many European publications. Reilly's first book, "The Frigate Bird," a spy thriller set in Massachusetts, was released in 2013. A Bay Area native, he lives on California's Central Coast. Media Contact: Stephanie Pache [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160526/372465 SOURCE Richard Byrne Reilly Related Links http://www.richardbyrnereilly.com MIAMI, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In response to the growing disparity in income and prosperity among Miami-Dade County residents, FIU's Metropolitan Center and Citi Community Development today launched a "Prosperity Agenda for Miami-Dade," a groundbreaking research-based community action plan that identifies specific wealth-building strategies to improve economic opportunity and self-sufficiency. A two-year pilot program, the plan would directly impact as many as 2,300 low-income families, as well as the broader economy and residents across the income spectrum. The plan's recommendations to be implemented by a collaborative of private, public and non-profit partners include the creation of three social enterprise incubators and accelerators, providing $20,000 in seed capital for 32 businesses per year over two years. The plan also calls for the use of community land trusts to develop 100 units of affordable workforce housing, the creation 2,000 children's savings accounts, and funding to develop five employee-owned business cooperatives. Additionally, the plan recommends the establishment of a community benefits agreement policy to require developers and business owners to provide specific benefits as part of their expansion or relocation. "This research details the trends and challenges affecting Miami-Dade County's economic landscape from income to housing and provides a roadmap for targeted policy and action," says Bob Annibale, Global Director of Citi Community Development and Inclusive Finance. "We are proud to join Miami-Dade County, FIU and our community partners in proposing a set of innovative solutions for building an inclusive, resilient economy for Miami-Dade residents." During the event unveiling the report's findings, community leaders from the public, private and government sectors stepped up to announce plans to implement the study's recommendations. FIU is developing several business accelerators and incubators, including Startup FIU, which will launch three innovation hubs this year. Miami-based nonprofit Catalyst Miami and the Mourning Family Foundation are working to implement children's savings accounts, and Health Foundation South Florida is supporting employee-owned business cooperatives. Miami-Dade County commissioners, including Commissioner Danielle Levine Cava, who commissioned the prosperity study, highlighted recently passed legislation to establish community land trusts, as well as efforts to increase affordable housing and implement community benefit agreements. "I led the efforts to commission this report because we need solid data to confirm the growing disparities in our community, and to outline innovative solutions,'' said Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava. "We can invest in the kind of economic development that benefits everyone and creates greater opportunity for all. I am committed to taking action and I will propose policy solutions that address the recommendations outlined in the report. Thank you to the FIU Metropolitan Center and Citi Community Development for their collaboration and commitment to building an inclusive Miami-Dade." The recommendations emanate from the Miami-Dade County Prosperity Initiatives Feasibility Study, a landmark report by FIU's Metropolitan Center and Miami-Dade County with funding from Citi Community Development. The study, authored by senior research fellow Kevin T. Greiner and contributing author Edward Murray, identified for the first time a growing "prosperity gap" affecting not just the county's lowest income earners but also workers, households and families across all income and occupational spectrums. "Our FIU Metropolitan Center has created a set of very specific, data-driven recommendations that we know can have a tremendous positive impact on our entire community," said John F. Stack, founding dean of the Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs. "I am grateful for the support of Citi Community Development, Miami-Dade County and so many others that have united to put these real-life strategies into action." According to the Center's research, over 20 percent of the county's population lives below the poverty linea proportion that is 33 percent higher than the national poverty rate. This makes Miami-Dade County the 18th most income-unequal county in the U.S. Furthermore, median incomes in the county have dropped 13 percent since 2000, compared to a national drop of 7 percent during the same time. If fully implemented, the projected cost of the two-year pilot will be a combined investment of $9.6 to $10.3 million. To download the full report, please click here. For more information, email [email protected]. Media Contact: Amy Ellis 305-348-5360 [email protected] news.fiu.edu @FIUNews SOURCE Florida International University Related Links http://fiu.edu "Our Global Day of Service has become part of our fabric and DNA at GENBAND and it's something that our team members take extreme pride in every year," said Robin Wright, Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Corporate Operations at GENBAND. "The activities, individuals and organizations that we serve have special meaning to us and spending time giving back to them during not only this day, but throughout the year, is our way of showing our appreciation for all of the great services that these organizations provide in communities throughout the world." Wright, along with CEO David Walsh, other GENBAND executives and local team members will be volunteering at GrowNYC, a non-profit created in 1970 whose mission is to empower all New Yorkers to secure a clean and healthy environment for future generations. GENBAND employees in Galway, Ireland will be working with Jigsaw Galway, a non-profit that supports local youth with mental health issues. On May 27th employees from the GENBAND Galway office will be participating in a fundraising "Pop-Up Shop" during which they will be selling new clothes, electrical goods, gift ideas and toys with proceeds benefitting Jigsaw Galway. "Everyone at Jigsaw Galway is so honored and delighted to have been selected by the team at GENBAND Galway to be their chosen charity for GENBAND Day," said Justin McDermott, Fundraising Manager at Jigsaw Galway. "It has been such a pleasure working with them to develop the GENBAND fundraising Pop-Up Shop. Not only are the funds that we will raise of vital importance, but the awareness generated in our community around supporting young people and their mental health is fantastic. One-in-three Galway youth experience mental health distress. This day and GENBAND's support will assist us in ensuring that when young people come to us in need of help, we will be there for them." For more information on the GENBAND Global Day of Service, please visit the Global Day of Service page at www.genband.com/gbday and watch the video of 2015 worldwide volunteer activities here. Follow GENBAND on Twitter and Facebook for updates on its 2016 Global Day of Service and use #GBDay16 to join the conversation. In addition to many global individual activities planned by GENBAND teleworkers and remote employees, below is a summary of the company's volunteer events for GENBAND Day. Frisco and Plano, Texas Billerica, Massachusetts Little Community Farm field work Town of Newbury Port Beach clean-up Restore (Habitat for Humanity) Raleigh, North Carolina Other US Regional Offices Volunteer Activities GrowNYC (New York) Queeny Park Gardening ( St. Louis, Missouri ) ) Habitat for Humanity (Ft. Lauderdale) Ottawa, Toronto and Canadian Regional Offices Regional Offices in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Asia Pacific Regional Offices Caribbean and Latin America Offices About GENBAND GENBAND is a global leader in real-time communications software solutions for service providers, enterprises, independent software vendors, systems integrators and developers in over 80 countries. Kandy, its award-winning, disruptive real-time communications software development platform, is built from the company's global telecommunications network and security technologies. The platform enables these companies to easily embed a full suite of voice, video, chat, screen-sharing and collaboration capabilities into their existing business, web and mobile applications. The company's Network Modernization, Unified Communications, Mobility and Embedded Communications solutions enable its customers to quickly capitalize on growing market segments and introduce differentiating products, applications and services. GENBAND's market-leading solutions, which are deployable in the network, on premise or through the cloud, help its customers connect people to each other and address the growing demands of today's consumers and businesses for real-time communications wherever they happen to be. To learn more visit genband.com. GENBAND, the GENBAND logo and icon are trademarks of GENBAND. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372310LOGO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160121/324822LOGO SOURCE GENBAND Related Links http://www.genband.com TUKWILA, Wash., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Genoa, a QoL Healthcare Company (Genoa), announced today the opening of its 300th pharmacy in Tamarac, Fla., within Henderson Behavioral Health (Henderson). Genoa's unique on-site pharmacy model helps overcome the barriers many people with mental illness face by providing medicines at the same place these patients receive their care. This increases patients' medication adherence improving their health and saving the healthcare system millions of dollars through lower rates of hospitalization and lower emergency department use. "Our country needs an increased focus on providing care for those suffering with mental health challenges," said Genoa CEO, John Figueroa. "Genoa is committed to partnering with behavioral health organizations to help people with mental illnesses and addictions overcome the many barriers they face and improve their lives. The tremendous growth we've achieved in the past few years is a testament to the innovative ways we help people on their path to recovery. We are excited to celebrate our milestone 300th pharmacy opening with Henderson." Dr. Steve Ronik, CEO of Henderson Behavioral Health, said he welcomes the opening of a Genoa pharmacy in his center. "Our amazing team of professionals is passionately committed to our patients and their families," he said. "The addition of Genoa pharmacists on-site will lead to even better outcomes with our expanded and improved interdisciplinary teams." Genoa pharmacists and technicians work closely with prescribers, nurses, and caseworkers at behavioral health clinics to provide compassionate, personalized care for each patient. Centralization of medical care that offers comprehensive services, including pharmaceutical care, in one physical location is considered an ideal model. Genoa pharmacies are just steps away from the prescribing doctor which makes it easier for people to pick up their medication. Convenience in obtaining medication can remove a significant barrier for those who lack transportation. In behavioral health, proper medication management has become a cornerstone of treatment. Genoa pharmacists develop a trusted relationship with their patients because they understand the needs and challenges of people with mental illness and have solutions to help them manage their therapy. Genoa solutions include convenient adherence packaging that features a color-coded system developed specifically for people living with severe and persistent mental illness. This system organizes medicine by day and time and helps patients and their caregivers keep track of the medication regimen, significantly improving adherence and quality of life. Genoa has been steadily growing for the past two years and is the sixth-largest drug chain in the United States by store count, according to the 2016 Chain Drug Review State of the Industry Report. The company's expansion is helping to address national shortages in access to care for people with mental illnesses and addiction disorders. In addition to pharmacy services, Genoa provides telepsychiatry services to help address the national shortage of psychiatrists. Genoa's investment in telepsychiatry was in direct response to needs and requests of the mental health centers they serve. About Genoa, a QoL Healthcare Company Genoa has been serving the behavioral health community for over 15 years. The company provides pharmacy and telepsychiatry services to more than 500,000 individuals annually in 41 states and the District of Columbia, filling more than 10 million prescriptions per year. For more information, please visit www.genoa-qol.com or contact the Public Relations/Marketing Department at: (651) 583-7099 or [email protected] About Henderson Behavioral Health Henderson Behavioral Health is a private, not-for-profit behavioral healthcare system providing comprehensive, recovery-focused services to people of all ages. Henderson provides a continuum of high quality, community-based prevention, education, treatment and rehabilitation services by utilizing best practice and evidence-based treatment models to maximize recovery. For more information, visit www.hendersonbh.org SOURCE Genoa, a QoL Healthcare Company Related Links http://www.genoa-qol.com LONDON, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The report covers the important ethanolamine global markets. It further divides the market on the basis of application and geography. The market data for is given in terms of volume (kilo tons) and value (USD million). The market value of ethanolamine was estimated to be $4.2 billion in 2014 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.3% from 2014 to 2019. The data mentioned in the report are based on the global demand for ethanolamine. The total market for global ethanolamine has been analyzed giving an idea about the current proceedings in the industry at the commercial level. The study provides the value chain analysis with respect to ethanolamine raw materials, manufacturers, and end users. The value chain describes the key contributors to the materials market at different stages, from product development to end use. It represents the top players which are contributing to the global ethanolamine industry. The impact of different market factors, such as drivers, inhibitors, and opportunities is also illustrated in the report. This gives an idea about the key drivers, such as increasing demand in the herbicide, detergent and personal care industries, low cost of production, the ever rising demand in the developing economies of Asia-Pacific and Europe, and high ethanolamine consumption; and inhibitors such as volatility in the prices of raw materials and time- consuming manufacturing process. Rising demand from China and the U.S., along with the development of new applications and market, such as glyphosate herbicides, wood preservation, construction chemicals, and so on are expected to be the major drivers for the global ethanolamine market. The global ethanolamine market is also classified based on different applications. The important applications include personal care, textile chemicals, gas treatment, agricultural chemicals, and others. The personal care market is expected to show rapid growth in the future. The key companies in this market are BASF SE (Germany), Dow Chemical Corporation (U.S.), Akzo Nobel (The Netherlands), Huntsman Corporation (U.S.), SINOPEC (China), and others. These companies are consistently focusing on expanding their production capacity to achieve a competitive advantage and thereby serving the customers more effectively. Investments in expansion of plant capacities, followed by acquisitions were the most preferred strategies adopted by the top players in the year 2013 & 2014 which in turn drives the demand of ethanolamine. Their strategy to capture the market in developing economies includes expansions and agreements. The North American region emerged as the driving factor for this market, contributing about 33.9% of the global demand in terms of consumption in 2014. The U.S. is the leading country in the consumption of ethanolamine, due to the availability of cheaper raw materials and low labor cost. Important emerging economies such as China and Latin America are further lined up for a brighter future in this market. The report also presents a competitive landscape covering different strategies and developments, such as mergers & acquisitions, expansions, and agreements undertaken by the leading ethanolamine companies during the past few years. Furthermore, different ethanolamine market participants are also profiled in the report. Scope of the Report The global ethanolamine market has been covered in detail in this report. In order to provide an all-round picture, the current market demand and forecasts have also been included. The report segments the global ethanolamine market - On the basis of applications: - Personal Care - Textile Chemicals - Gas Treatment - Agricultural Chemicals - Others Each application is described in detail in the report with volume and revenue forecasts for each application. On the basis of geography: - Asia-Pacific - North America - Europe - RoW The market is further analyzed for key countries in each of these regions. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/3859386/ About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers http://www.reportbuyer.com For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 208 816 85 48 Website: www.reportbuyer.com SOURCE ReportBuyer Related Links http://www.reportbuyer.com LONDON, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Report Details This independent 194 page report guarantees you will remain better informed than your competitors. With 134 tables and figures examining the LPG market space, the report gives you an immediate, one-stop breakdown of your market. PLUS capital expenditure forecasts, as well as analysis, from 2016-2026 will keep your knowledge that one step ahead of your rivals. It is essential reading for stakeholders in the global LPG market or for those wishing to enter this developing market space. Do not miss an opportunity to remain informed of key market dynamics and investment opportunities. Visiongain's forecasts indicate that the LPG infrastructure market will see CAPEX of $4.56bn in 2016. The report will answer questions such as: - What will dictate investment in LPG infrastructure over the coming 10 years? - What is the future of LPG trade? - What course is demand for LPG most likely to take? - Where will the capital be deployed to produce LPG? - What type of LPG projects will witness the most expenditure and why? - What influences the development of greenfield LPG production plants in the US? What is the likely trajectory of investment and why? - How will Middle Eastern exporters deal with increased export competition from the US? - How will the Indian demand for LPG evolve and what impact will this have on the Indian LPG infrastructure market? - What impact will Iran have on the market now that the sanctions on them have been lifted? - What will the capital expenditure on LPG infrastructure projects be over the coming 10 years? - What LPG projects are under construction and planned? - Who are the leading companies in the industry? - What will be the LPG supply & demand centres of the future? Five reasons why you must order and read this report today: 1) The report provides CAPEX forecasts and analysis of the global LPG Infrastructure Market from 2016-2026 2) The report provides CAPEX forecasts and analyses for the 6 main regions that will be investing in LPG infrastructure projects from 2016-2026 - US - Canada - India - Middle East - Asia - South America - Rest of the World 3) The report provides CAPEX forecasts and analyses for the 3 main types of LPG projects from 2016-2026 - LPG Production Plants - LPG Import/Export terminals and Storage - LPG Pipelines 4) The report also includes Portfolio Details & Analysis of the Leading Companies involved in the LPG Infrastructure Market - Phillips 66 - Petroleum Engineering Development Company (PEDEC) - Sunoco Logistics Partners - Sonatrach - PTT Public Company Limited - Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Ltd Liability Company - Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) - Oman Refineries and Petrochemicals Company (ORPIC) - Oman Gas Company (OGC) - Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) - PDVSA (Petroleos de Venezuela SA) - Martin Midstream Partners 5) The analysis in the report is underpinned by our exclusive interviews with leading experts: - Gerry Goobie of Gas Processing Management Inc. (GPMi) - Jonathan Benchimol of Fogas - Antonio Neves Costa of European LPG Association AEGPL Who should read this report? - Anyone within the LPG value chain - CEOs - COOs - CIOs - Business development managers - Marketing managers - Technologists - Suppliers - Investors - Banks - Government agencies - Contractors Don't miss out This report is essential reading for you or anyone in the energy sector with an interest in the LPG market. Purchasing this report today will help you to recognise important market opportunities and understand the possibilities there. Order the Global Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Propane & Butane) Infrastructure Market 2016-2026 now. We look forward to receiving your order. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/3661008/ About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers http://www.reportbuyer.com For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 208 816 85 48 Website: www.reportbuyer.com SOURCE ReportBuyer Related Links http://www.reportbuyer.com New business ideas come from everywhere and everyone, but only a fraction of them go beyond the initial stage to become something bigger. In a recent survey conducted by GoDaddy, 67 percent of respondents reported having come up with a concept for a business, product or service, but only 15 percent actually pursued it. The biggest barriers for not taking action: people didn't know what to do next (30 percent) and fear/self-doubt (15 percent). Nearly 55 percent said they regret not taking the next step with an idea. "Everyone has ideas, but too often they don't go anywhere," said Rene Reinsberg, vice president of Emerging Products at GoDaddy. "We created Flare because we recognized the need for a community where people can get impartial feedback on ideas and connect with others to help them turn those ideas into something meaningful. Whether you've just had a fleeting thought and want to explore where you might be able to take it, or you've been dreaming of creating your own business your whole life, Flare is the first place to go for someone that wants to take the next step." Flare also enables people to give back to the community by becoming advisors. It gives people the opportunity to share their knowledge in a given field or discipline with others seeking advice. By supporting a concept, advisors can play an active role during its developmental journey. Followers can also pledge to be a future customer, providing a valuable signal to the entrepreneur about demand and marketability of his or her new product or service. Flare Features: A simple, easy-to-use, elegant interface reminiscent of popular social media feeds Quickly give feedback by swiping left/right to dismiss or be reminded of an idea if it becomes popular Tap on an idea to learn more. Love an idea to follow its progress and shape its direction Spread ideas by easily sharing them via social media Explore ideas that are nearby Quickly poll your followers for directional feedback regarding pricing, desirability, feasibility, among other things See all of your followers, across all ideas, and their expertise Gauge interest of your followers in being future customers via pledging Flare represents the latest example of GoDaddy's ongoing commitment to develop innovative technologies and products designed to empower entrepreneurs whether they're looking to simply get started with a new idea, get online, or grow a business. Flare is available immediately in the Apple App Store. It will launch in June on Google Play for Android devices. About GoDaddy GoDaddy's mission is to radically shift the global economy toward small businesses by empowering people to easily start, confidently grow and successfully run their own ventures. With more than 14 million customers worldwide and more than 62 million domain names under management, GoDaddy gives small business owners the tools to name their idea, build a beautiful online presence, attract customers and manage their business. To learn more about the Company, visit www.GoDaddy.com . 2016 GoDaddy Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372190 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150330/195302LOGO SOURCE GoDaddy Inc. Related Links https://www.godaddy.com Meanwhile, the Egyptian PM Sherif Ismail said on Thursday that the perpetrators of Fridays attacks will face justice; interior ministry vows to protect lives and honour of all citizens Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi called on officials to hold accountable the perpetrators of an attack by a Muslim mob on Christians in a village in Upper Egypt, according to a Thursday statement by his office. El-Sisi urged the government to take "necessary measures to preserve public order, protect [citizens] and property within the rule of law." The Friday assault in Minya's El-Karm village was sparked by rumours that a Christian man was having an illicit relationship with a Muslim woman. Interfaith pairings are considered taboo in most of the country. Muslim villagers set ablaze seven Christian homes and assaulted the Christian man's elderly mother, parading her naked in public, the Coptic Orthodox Church said in a statement. El-Sisi issued directives to the provincial governor to restore all damaged buildings in coordination with the Armed Forces within one month and at the government's expense. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said he regrets the "unfortunate" incident, adding that the matter is now in the hands of the justice system and that no perpetrators will "get away without punishment." The interior ministry said in a statement on Thursday that police arrested five men suspected of taking part in the attack, including a main perpetrator identified as Nazir Ishaq Ahmed. The ministry added that security forces have continued their efforts to "restore security and order" in the village, while emphasising its "full keeness to protect the lives, property and honour of all citizens. On Wednesday, the head of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church Pope Tawadros II called for restraint and coexistence, warning against anyone who would use what happened in Minya to incite sectarian strife. Christians, who make up about 10 percent of Egypt's population of 90 million, have persistently complained of discrimination and sectarian attacks in the predominantly Sunni Muslim country. Search Keywords: Short link: SAN FRANCISCO, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Guardant Health announced today the launch of an ambitious initiative, Project LUNAR, which will extend the technology behind the company's market-leading comprehensive liquid biopsy, Guardant360, into early-stage cancer detection. The company is partnering with leading academic, industrial, and patient advocacy groups to study what would be a novel, first-in-class technology. "The existence of a minimally invasive, highly sensitive and specific test for early-stage cancer holds the promise of a universal screening test that could change the face of cancer treatment forever," said Guardant Health co-founder and CEO Helmy Eltoukhy, PhD. "In fact, the development of such a test has been Guardant Health's goal from day one. We started with late stage disease, and over the last four years have worked methodically through iterative technology development to arrive at this point. We understand that with any promise of this magnitude comes a responsibility to fully understand its implications, so we continue to bring in experts from advocacy, academia, industry, and public health to support our efforts." Oncologists and researchers have long sought a minimally invasive, highly sensitive and specific multi-cancer test as a more effective way to catch cancer in its earliest stages, when treatment and prognosis are most promising. "As a BRCA-carrier with a family history of pancreatic cancer, I know just how important a highly sensitive and specific test can be for a patient," said Dr. Pamela Munster, a UC San Francisco clinical oncologist and co-director of the Center for BRCA Research at UCSF, and one of the Principal Investigators of the LUNAR-Ovarian study. "Particularly for cancers where prophylactic surgeries may not be acceptable, early detection can save lives and can also alleviate anxiety, as well as guide specific screening. Cancer prognosis is nearly always better when the disease is detected early." LUNAR is an umbrella protocol that Guardant Health is launching with researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, UC San Francisco, Samsung Medical Center, the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, and other institutions that will study the ability of Guardant Health's technology to detect cancer at early stages in high-risk populations. Guardant Health has already collected samples from multiple trial sites in breast, ovarian, lung, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers, with pilot data expected in the second half of 2016. Guardant expects to enroll thousands of patients in multi-site, multi-arm prospective clinical trials that will demonstrate first the feasibility and then efficacy of early detection of the deadliest cancers, through the integrated use of cell free DNA, imaging, germline risk assessment, and other highly complementary technologies. "The LUNAR technology, with its great sensitivity necessary for early detection, will establish a new frontier in cancer diagnostics, allowing use of a biological signal instead of standard imaging, and possibly one day replacing invasive procedures," said Dr. Massimo Cristofanilli, Associate Director for Precision Medicine and Translational Research at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University and Professor of Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and one of the Principal Investigators of the LUNAR-Breast study. "The potential applications in breast cancer and other solid tumors can go far beyond early detection to monitor the efficacy and detect resistance to systemic therapies in adjuvant and neo-adjuvant settings." The company presented an early proof-of-concept study to the American Association for Cancer Research in April that demonstrated its ability to detect cancer in 86% of early-stage colorectal cancer patients with ultra-high specificity. Project LUNAR (an acronym for L iquid biopsy U sing N GS to A ssay high- R isk patients) will use a newer, more sensitive version of the company's technology than was used in that trial. "The knowledge gained from processing tens of thousands of Guardant360 patient samples has enabled us to iteratively push the performance limits of our technology to develop an affordable LUNAR assay that can detect a single mutated DNA fragment among hundreds of thousands of genome copies," said Guardant Health President and co-founder AmirAli Talasaz, PhD. "Such a test may potentially have a clinical sensitivity approaching 90% for many cancer types, and could be priced in the hundreds of dollars." Guardant Health has established its advanced cancer product, Guardant360, as best in class in terms of both sensitivity and specificity, with validated analytical specificity of 99.9999%. High specificity is critical when screening asymptomatic people who are at a high risk for developing cancer. "False positive findings cause real harm, both in terms of anxiety and the unnecessary invasive procedures they often result in, and have been the downfall of many screening methodologies, especially for lung cancer," said Dr. Anil Vachani, Associate Professor of Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and one of the Principal Investigators of the LUNAR-Lung study. "Guardant's ctDNA approach may provide the positive predictive value we need to assist in the management of suspicious findings frequently identified using currently employed imaging studies in oncology practice." There are two reasons why Guardant Health expects its approach to have superb positive predictive value for cancer. First, while many screening signals, like dense tissue on a scan, or an elevated protein biomarker like CEA or PSA, are loosely correlated with a particular cancer, oncogenically-altered DNA is considered to be the major universal pathogenic driver of the disease. It is causal, not correlative. Second, Guardant Health's digital sequencing platform uses advanced molecular biology, novel chemistry, and a bioinformatics digital inference engine to maximize nucleic acid yield and nearly eliminate the errors intrinsic to sequencing. The potential for extremely high specificity is exciting for the many patient advocacy groups that are learning more about project LUNAR. Eltoukhy said, "The voice of the patient is critical in developing screening methodologies that are not only clinically and scientifically sound, but reflect the real-world needs of patients. That's why Guardant Health has built an advisory committee with the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation, The BRCA Foundation, Bright Pink, HeritX, and the Lung Cancer Alliance." Guardant Health will be kicking off Project LUNAR at an event in San Francisco on May 26 that will feature dozens of leading experts and advocates in oncology including a panel conversation between Dr. Eric Topol, endowed Chair of Innovative Medicine at Scripps, and many of the project's collaborators. About Guardant Health Guardant Health, headquartered in Redwood City, Calif., is focused on developing breakthrough diagnostics that can transform cancer from a silent killer into a manageable disease. Guardant Health was founded in 2012 by a team of serial entrepreneurs with expertise in next-generation sequencing, single-cell genomics and cancer diagnostics. The team is committed to positively and significantly impacting patient health through technology that addresses long-standing unmet needs in oncology. UC Disclaimer The information stated above was prepared by Guardant Health and reflects solely the opinion of the corporation. Nothing in this statement shall be construed to imply any support or endorsement of Guardant, or any of its products, by The Regents of the University of California, its officers, agents and employees. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140212/SF64352LOGO SOURCE Guardant Health MIAMI, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Tomas R. Guilarte, dean of the Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, has made a discovery that could potentially help put off or prevent the onset of debilitating diseases such as Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's. The discovery follows a previous study, in which his research team first described an association between translocator protein 18 kDaor TSPOa neuroinflammation protein marker, and NADPH oxidase (NOX) derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling in microglia. His newest publication proposes a mechanism through which the TSPO-NOX interaction ROS signals to maintain redox homeostasis in microglia. "This new line of investigation will provide a greater understanding of TSPO glial cell biology, and the knowledge gained may prove beneficial in devising therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases," said Guilarte, who led the recent research with Columbia University doctoral student Meredith K. Loth and research associate Sara R. Guariglia. The team's findings have been published in the paper, TSPO Finds NOX2 in Microglia for Redox Homeostasis, which appears in the latest issue of the scientific journal, Trends in Pharmacological Sciences. In it, the researchers suggest TSPO may serve a protective role within cells by defending against toxic ROS that is generated by microglia as a result of brain injury. It's possible that at a certain point, however, TSPO levels can no longer regulate ROS, resulting in a chronic "toxic state" that leads to neurodegeneration. The paper goes on to explain how TSPO levels can help provide a real-time picture of inflammation related to neurodegenerative diseases, which will eventually allow doctors to track how treatment reduces inflammation. For example, currently diagnosis of Alzheimer's relies largely on documenting mental decline, like forgetfulness and a decreased ability to maintain focus and solve problems. But the ability to visualize and measure TSPO levels in the living brain using noninvasive neuroimaging techniques can provide a virtual window to identify and treat Alzheimer's as well as other diseases linked to neuroinflammation. TSPO levels allow researchers to see a real-time picture of where inflammation is occurring, and eventually it will allow doctors to track how treatment reduces inflammation. "This line of investigation is important because through use of a biomarker like TSPO, future treatments could target neurodegenerative disease in its earliest stagesbefore irreversible brain damage or mental decline occurs," said Guilarte. Media Contact: Jean Milan 305-348-4974 [email protected] news.fiu.edu @FIUNews SOURCE Florida International University Related Links http://fiu.edu CARY, N.C., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Jim Tobin, president of Ignite Social Media, announced today that, for the first time ever, the agency will be hosting a Master Class featuring best practices in community management. The event, to be held on Tuesday, June 14, 2016 at 1:00pm EST is for social media marketers and community managers interested in detailed instruction. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372147 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372148LOGO "For the last 9 years, our community managers have had success for the world's best brands. For the first time, we're sharing that knowledge with anyone who wants to attend the 3-hour online class for a small registration fee," Tobin said. The agency's Master Class centers around the topic of community management best practices for 2016, and will be hosted by Ashlie Lanning (Vice President, Community Management), Meghan Hardy (Director, Community Management) and Azad Abbasi (Director, Community Management). It will touch on: The evolution of the Community Manager Methods for collaborating with your larger team Content and channel strategy Content calendar and editorial process Optimizing content Reactive community management Social listening Proactive community building And much more. For a limit time, the discount code EARLYBIRD reduces the class fee of $299 by $100 (through May 31) and by $50 (through June 6). ABOUT IGNITE SOCIAL MEDIA Ignite Social Media, known as the original social media agency, launched in 2007 with the mission to transform the world of marketing through social media. This ideology still holds true today, as they continue to serve some of the world's largest consumer brands. Media Contact: Jennifer Salerno 919-653-3338 SOURCE Ignite Social Media ISELIN, New Jersey and READING, England, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Indegene (http://www.indegene.com), a leading global provider of clinical, commercial and marketing solutions to life science, pharmaceutical and healthcare organisations and TranScrip (http://www.transcrip-partners.com), a renowned global provider of innovative scientific support throughout the product lifecycle, today announced the extension of their existing alliance with the launch of IntraScience. Indegene Lifesystems Pvt. Ltd. - Logo (PRNewsFoto/Indegene Lifesystems Pvt_ Ltd_) (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141208/720248 ) IntraScience covers the full-spectrum of business process solutions to clinical, regulatory, safety and medical affairs from early drug development to mature products. It uniquely combines a full-range of global operational activities provided by large operational, pharmacovigilance and medical affairs CROs with a solid base of highly experienced big pharma and biotech-trained therapeutic and functional staff from Europe and the US. For large pharma clients, IntraScience seamlessly integrates Indegene and TranScrip staff with client teams for cost-effective, high-quality deliverables. For smaller clients, IntraScience offers comprehensive managed services, such as end-to-end pharmacovigilance/drug safety, throughout product development and lifecycle. For both large and small clients, the service will reduce risk and create value through innovation coming from experienced teams of scientists, physicians, software developers, business development experts and project managers. The flexibility of the IntraScience team allows a responsive customer relationship adding value whether the client is a small biotech with early development pipeline and no registered products or is one of the top 20 pharma companies with an extensive portfolio of marketed products. Mr. Manish Gupta, CEO, Indegene, said, "Indegene is excited to set up IntraScience with TranScrip, a uniquely experienced biopharma support organisation. Through this partnership, our highly experienced drug development and medical affairs teams will provide global delivery of end-to-end pharmacovigilance and regulatory services including medical monitoring and call centres across five continents." Dr Flic Gabbay, Managing Partner, TranScrip said, "The IntraScience model, where offshoring and nearshoring are combined, will resolve many of the resourcing challenges within big pharma and biotech and bring a more personal touch to this kind of service. We are thrilled to have Indegene as our partner. Our combined value proposition will help address several of the unmet needs of the industry." About Indegene: Indegene is a leading provider of clinical, commercial and marketing solutions to global pharmaceutical and healthcare organisations. By seamlessly integrating analytics, technology, operations and medical expertise (ATOM), Indegene partners with clients to increase both productivity and revenues by delivering better patient outcomes, optimising cost, enhancing R&D agility and improving sales and marketing effectiveness. Indegene applies deep scientific knowledge, flexible delivery models, proprietary technology, and a client-centric approach to drive transformational initiatives in drug safety, regulatory and medical affairs, e-learning and development, data analytics, multi-channel customer engagement. With offices in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, China, India, and Australia, Indegene partners globally with clients; leverages a global talent pool of clinicians, technologists, creative specialists, domain experts and business process specialists; deploys global infrastructure assets; and harnesses global healthcare knowledge to solve client challenges. About TranScrip: TranScrip supports the development and lifecycle management of biopharmaceutical products. TranScrip provides expertise, resourcing and strategic oversight from translational medicine to successful registration and market access. With more than 100 clients including many top 20 pharmas in its portfolio, TranScrip's insightful virtual teams have delivered one or two MAAs and NDAs every year alongside a range of many other services covering drug safety, translational medicine, clinical development, medical affairs and commercial projects. TranScrip has offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Ghana, Hong Kong and Australia. TranScrip teams offer a depth of expertise in different therapeutic areas including oncology, respiratory, infectious diseases, internal medicine, inflammation and CNS/pain. Media Contact: Urvi Mehta [email protected] SOURCE Indegene NEW YORK, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Iranian American journalist launches perfume line after being fired for wearing perfume and nail polish at work in Tehran. New York-raised Shaghayegh Farsijani returned to the US after experiencing the weight of gender and religious oppression while working as a broadcaster at IRIB Channel 6 in Iran. Despite returning to the US, she has not allowed the oppressive fundamentalist regime to stop her from expressing herself. She has created feminine and human awareness that promotes the value of 'self choice' through her new perfume line, Desert35, and her eye opening novel, The Burden of My Red Lips in Tehran, which highlights the lives of young women in Tehran. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372404 She says, "I never thought I would understand the value of choice in a capitalist country and living the American dream after being criticized for gender and religious reasons in Iran. I grew up in Brooklyn, New York and was just being my own female self in Tehran. I didn't think my gender had such an important role in my success." Shaghayegh Farsijani's story is a story of working hard to live a simple yet fulfilling life, while living her creative potential in a country that didn't approve of her personal growth. Now, she is using those experiences to her advantage. "This awareness is based on what I have created from my mind and soul; I chose not to be affected. I chose to not be nor remain a victim," she says. She sacrificed a lot in a country that did not permit her to think independently, without judgments related to religion, gender or assumptions. "I knew I was headed for massive transformation with the pain that I was experiencing in Iran. Now, I value the pain, and I am determined to stay on the path for other females in the same position whether within or outside of Iran." For further information please contact: Shaghayegh Farsijani Desert35, LLC Email: [email protected] Tel: (917) 589-4722 This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE Desert35 The contest will award the best unpublished works self-published through Kindle Direct Publishing. For further information, please visit www.IsmaelCala.com/concursoamazon. MIAMI and SEATTLE, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Communicator, inspirational author and international lecturer Ismael Cala has been invited for the second consecutive year to serve as ambassador of the Concurso Literario de Autores Independientes en Espanol, ('Literary Contest of Independent Authors in Spanish') for the United States and Latin America. In announcing the opening of the competition, Amazon stated that authors could enter their own original works, both fiction and non-fiction, from July 1st to August 31st through its Kindle Direct Publishing platform (http://kdp.amazon.com). "It's an honor for me to be contest ambassador for the United States and Latin America for the second year in a row, and shows a commitment to promoting literary talent in Spanish," said Ismael Cala, who thanked Amazon for " continuing with this event, which constitutes a great opportunity for writers in the region." "I hope that many independent authors take part in the contest this year, and see their efforts appreciated," Cala added. Through this contest, authors will be able to make their stories available to millions of readers all over the world. The books will be assessed based on criteria such as creativity, originality, commercial viability and quality of writing. Five finalists will be selected, from whom a winner will be chosen and will have the opportunity to be published in print, digital and audio editions by Amazon Publishing and Audible; and also translated into English and published in digital, print and audio formats in English by AmazonCrossing. "We are very excited to have established an annual contest that connects authors in Spanish with a growing audience of digital readers all over the world. Myriam Millan, winner of the 2015 contest, is originally from Seville, Spain, and has managed to reach first place on the best-seller lists in Spain and Mexico, as well as the list of books in Spanish for the United States," said Charles Kronbach, director of Kindle Direct Publishing. Last year, more than 1,200 authors signed up from 37 countries. For more information, please visit: www.IsmaelCala.com/concursoamazon ABOUT ISMAEL CALA Cala is a regular participant on Univision's Despierta America ('Wake up America'), and writes a weekly column for more than 50 publications in Latin America and the United States. He is the author of the bestsellers El analfabeto emocional ('The emotional illiterate') (2016) Cala y Cruz: Las dos caras de la comunicacion ('Cala and Cruz: the two faces of communication'), (2016), El secreto del bambu ('The secret of bamboo') (2015), Un buen hijo de P ('A real S.O.B.') (2014), and El poder de escuchar ('The power of listening') (2013). Cala was born in Santiago de Cuba (1969) and has a degree in Art History from Universidad de Oriente. He graduated with honors from the School of Communication at York University in Toronto, and holds a degree from Seneca in Television Production. ABOUT AMAZON.COM Amazon opened its virtual doors in July of 1995. The Company is guided by four principles: a focus on the consumer instead of on the competitor, a passion for invention, a commitment to excellence in its operations and a long-term vision. Customer reviews, 1-click purchasing, customized recommendations, Prime, Amazon Logistics, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo and Alexa are some of the pioneering products and services offered by Amazon. www.IsmaelCala.com/concursoamazon Contact: Michel Suarez, +1 305 514 9013 SOURCE Cala Enterprises REDWOOD CITY, Calif., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- OpenGov, the market leader in cloud-based financial intelligence, planning, and transparency for government, today announced that John Chambers, Executive Chairman of Cisco, has invested in the company and joined the Board of Directors. The addition of Chambers rounds out an all-star board which includes Palantir Co-Founder Joe Lonsdale, Marc Andreessen, and OpenGov CEO Zac Bookman. Investors in the company include Andreessen Horowitz, 8VC, Thrive Capital, Intuit founder Scott Cook, Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary's Sound Ventures, and Glynn Capital. OpenGov's web-based solutions foster widespread internal and external understanding of complex government financials and performance data, enabling data-driven decision-making, optimizing the budgeting and planning process, and building trust inside and outside the organization. Unlocking access to this information leads to improved operational efficiency, years of time saved, and, ultimately, better policy decisions. The OpenGov platform also enables public administrators to engage citizens online, where they are in this digital era and provide unprecedented insight into their government's finances. "Governments that embrace the power of a new digital world can completely transform how citizens, businesses and the public sector interact. Governments that lead in this new digital era will see the results in efficient services to their citizens, job creation, and economic growth. This transition is at an inflection point in all city, state and national governments around the world," said Chambers. "OpenGov applies the best in technology to bridge these gaps so that governments can truly serve their communities. This is no small task, but an absolutely vital one, and I believe that OpenGov can play a pivotal role in this transition and beyond." As OpenGov scales to serve tens of thousands of local and county governments, special districts, school districts, and state/federal agencies, it will draw on Chambers's vast expertise in building companies and divisions to scale. At Cisco, Chambers grew the company from $70 million when he joined, to $1.2 billion when he assumed the role of CEO, to record revenues of $48.6 billion in FY13. In addition to his tenure at Cisco, Chambers also spent nearly two decades working on various initiatives that bridge tech and government, dating back to 1997, when he co-founded TechNet, an organization created for the tech industry to educate and engage with Washington, D.C. and state capitals across the country. "While the nation is transfixed with the current presidential election cycle, it's easy for the role of state and local government to get lost, but these governments serve on the frontlines. They need to operate as efficiently as possible to provide optimized services, collaborate with and across other state and federal agencies, and be ready to show citizens how investments of public money address a community's most urgent problems," said Zac Bookman, OpenGov Co-Founder and CEO. "We believe that implementing great technology is the only way these governments will function most effectively. We are delighted to welcome John and inspired by a shared vision and the challenge of overhauling present systems for a better future." State and local governments across the country are adopting OpenGov at a rapid pace, as more than 1,000 governments now use the platform, including recent launches in Washington D.C. Tallahassee, and San Diego. Additionally, OpenGov has analyzed more than $500B in budgets across 46 states. "OpenGov was founded with the belief that cloud-based technology could transform the way local, state, and federal governments do business, just as it is transforming the business and consumer worlds," said OpenGov Co-founder and Chairman Joe Lonsdale. "Now is the time for networked financial and performance management and budgeting to make its mark on the way our country functions. We couldn't be more excited to bring government into the 21st century." About OpenGov OpenGov is transforming the way the world analyzes, shares, compares, and allocates public money. With more than 1,000 government customers across 46 states in a rapidly expanding network, OpenGov is the market leader in cloud-based performance intelligence and financial transparency. Founded in 2012 with headquarters in Silicon Valley, and offices in Washington DC and Portland, OpenGov works with leading governments of all sizes such as The State of Ohio, Washington DC,Minneapolis, MN, San Antonio, TX, Palo Alto, CA, Northglenn, CO, and Edgewood, KY. Advisors include former U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan, former U.S Secretary of State George Shultz, former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers, former Mayor of Indianapolis Stephen Goldsmith, and former Mayor of Washington D.C. Adrian Fenty. Learn more at www.opengov.com. CONTACT: Marisa Lam, OnPoyntPR, 650-544-3350, [email protected] SOURCE OpenGov Related Links http://www.opengov.com ATLANTA, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Landis+Gyr announced that Heather McNay has been named 2016 Outstanding Specialist Counsel at the fourth annual Corporate Counsel Awards. The awards were sponsored and presented by Atlanta Business Chronicle in partnership with the Association of Corporate Counsel Georgia Chapter. McNay is Group Intellectual Property (IP) Counsel at Landis+Gyr, where she is responsible for leading Landis+Gyr's global IP counsel team on IP strategy, management of the patent portfolio and complex patent litigation cases. The Corporate Counsel Awards recognize in-house corporate attorneys based on their leadership, resourcefulness and outstanding work to support their organization's legal operations. "I am honored to be recognized among such an impressive group of finalists across different industries," said McNay. "It's my pleasure to provide legal advice and insight for Landis+Gyr, a company dedicated to providing state of the art technology throughout the world. It is an especially exciting time for Landis+Gyr as our inventors continuously work to develop patentable innovations that help utilities solve their most complex problems, including renewable integration, operational excellence and maintaining delivery of highly reliable and affordable energy." McNay joined Landis+Gyr in 2009 as Associate Counsel and has held successively broader roles, focusing primarily in the practice of IP law. Before joining the company, she was an Associate General Counsel at TSYS and IP Attorney at Credigy Solutions, Inc. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Georgia. For more information on the awards, visit http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/event/143602 About Landis+Gyr Landis+Gyr is the leading global provider of integrated energy management solutions for the utility sector. Offering the broadest portfolio of products and services to address complex industry challenges, the company delivers comprehensive solutions for the foundation of a smarter grid including; smart metering, distribution network sensing and automation tools, load control, analytics and energy storage. Landis+Gyr operates in 31 countries across five continents as an independent growth platform of the Toshiba Corporation (TKY:6502) and is also 40% owned by the Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ). With annualized sales of more than US$1.5 billion, the company employs 5,700 people with the sole mission of helping the world manage energy better. More information is available at landisgyr.com SOURCE Landis+Gyr Related Links http://www.landisgyr.com PHILADELPHIA, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Lannett Company, Inc. (NYSE: LCI) today announced that it expects to repurchase $50 million of the $250 million aggregate principal amount of the 12% Senior Notes due in 2023 in open market transactions. The company intends to complete the repurchase today. "BMO Capital Markets was instrumental in bringing about this opportunity and acted as our advisor," said Arthur Bedrosian, chief executive officer of Lannett. "Paying down a portion of our Senior Notes well before the due date will significantly lower our interest expense going forward. Our business is strong and continues to generate positive cash flow, which we intend to use to further reduce our outstanding debt." About Lannett Company, Inc.: Lannett Company, founded in 1942, develops, manufactures, packages, markets and distributes generic pharmaceutical products for a wide range of medical indications. For more information, visit the company's website at www.lannett.com. This news release contains certain statements of a forward-looking nature relating to future events or future business performance. Any such statements, including, but not limited to, the continued pay down of debt, whether expressed or implied, are subject to risks and uncertainties which can cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors which include, but are not limited to, the difficulty in predicting the timing or outcome of FDA or other regulatory approvals or actions, the ability to successfully commercialize products upon approval, including acquired products, and Lannett's estimated or anticipated future financial results, future inventory levels, future competition or pricing, future levels of operating expenses, product development efforts or performance, and other risk factors discussed in the company's Form 10-K and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. These forward-looking statements represent the company's judgment as of the date of this news release. The company disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements. Contact: Robert Jaffe Robert Jaffe Co., LLC (424) 288-4098 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150417/199461LOGO SOURCE Lannett Company, Inc. Related Links http://www.lannett.com Many college students and graduates enter the 'real' world not realizing how their credit score will affect their entire adult life. In fact, thousands of Millennials are graduating college and entering the workforce with poor credit or no credit at all. According to NerdWallet, about one third of Millennials have never even applied for a credit card, which means they are not building credit and will have a hard time when they need a credit history. "Millennials struggle with achieving good credit, a critical piece when making major life purchases. Lenny aims to make financial empowerment a key focus, not an afterthought, for a generation often overlooked by financial institutions and products," said Joe Bayen, founder and chief executive officer, Lenny. "Giving our users free access to their FICO Score is just one more step in our commitment to helping young adults succeed financially." Lenny users can press a button in the app to view their FICO Score as well as a historical graph representing how their score has changed over time. FICO Scores range from 300 to 850, with higher scores representing lower credit risk and eligibility for preferable credit terms. "By providing FICO Scores to young adults, Lenny is demonstrating its leadership and commitment to this important group of people as they embark on their financial journeys," said Jenelle Dito, principal consultant, FICO. "As young people move through life, access to financial services becomes increasingly important. It's crucial that they receive the kind of education and service that Lenny provides in order to understand their creditworthiness in the eyes of lenders. Naturally, that begins with knowing their FICO Scores the scores used in more than 90 percent of lending decisions in the U.S." Lenny offers credit lines from as little as $100 to $10,000 with zero percent interest when balances are repaid in full and on time. Lenny uses a credit-deciphering algorithm to determine risk. Once a credit line has been approved, users can cash out to their bank account or instantly pay their friends using the peer-to-peer payment function. Lenny was co-founded by entrepreneur Joe Bayen, who experienced first hand how a negative credit rating can impact and hurt future purchases. Lenny ensures that no other students or graduates find themselves crippled by a damaging credit rating. For more information, visit www.getlenny.com and download the app from the iTunes App Store. FICO is a trademark or registered trademark of Fair Isaac Corporation. About Lenny Lenny is the first exclusively mobile-led lending app aimed at helping millennials manage and secure their credit scores. Founded by CEO Joe Bayen and COO Francesco Matteini, Lenny helps users secure credit and boost their credit rating to help in later life. Lenny is a licensed lender in the State of California. All credit lines subject to approval. Rates and terms will vary. Terms and conditions apply. About FICO FICO (NYSE: FICO) powers decisions that help people and businesses around the world prosper. Founded in 1956 and based in Silicon Valley, the company is a pioneer in the use of predictive analytics and data science to improve operational decisions. FICO holds more than 165 US and foreign patents on technologies that increase profitability, customer satisfaction and growth for businesses in financial services, telecommunications, health care, retail and many other industries. Using FICO solutions, businesses in more than 100 countries do everything from protecting 2.6 billion payment cards from fraud, to helping people get credit, to ensuring that millions of airplanes and rental cars are in the right place at the right time. Learn more at www.fico.com . Media Contact: Melissa Barto JCUTLER media group [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372250 SOURCE Lenny Related Links https://getlenny.com The death toll from a wave of bombings claimed by the Islamic State group in the heartland of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime has risen to 154, a monitor said on Tuesday. More than 300 people were also wounded in the Monday attacks in the Mediterranean coastal cities of Jableh and Tartus, some of them critically, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Most of the dead were civilians, among them eight children. The two cities, which are majority Alawite -- the offshoot of Shiite Islam followed by Assad -- had been relatively insulated from Syria's five-year civil war. The IS group claimed the blasts in a statement, saying they were in retaliation for air strikes by the regime and its Russian ally and threatening "more devastating and bitter attacks". The Syrian foreign ministry blamed "the regimes of hate and extremism" in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, the leading supporters of rebels fighting to overthrow the regime. More than 270,000 people have been killed since the conflict erupted in 2011. Millions more have been driven from their homes. Search Keywords: Short link: NEW YORK, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- London Mayor Sadiq Khan has signed on to Mayors United Against Anti-Semitism, an AJC initiative calling on municipal leaders across Europe and the U.S. to publicly address and take concrete actions against rising anti-Semitism. "I am proud to sign the Mayors United Against Anti-Semitism pledge, and I will encourage other Mayors across the country and Europe to do the same, in order to help send the message far and wide that anti-Semitism is totally unacceptable and can never be justified," said Khan. "Sadly, for many Londoners, anti-Semitism is a very present problem," Khan said. "As a British Muslim, I am no stranger to discrimination and prejudice. That's why, as Mayor for all Londoners, I am determined to fight racism in all its forms and will make challenging hate crime a priority." Khan, elected May 6, joins more than 180 mayors from 30 European countries and more than 300 U.S. mayors from all 50 states and the District of Columbia who have signed to date. AJC CEO David Harris enthusiastically welcomed Mayor Khan's signature and announcement. "Mayor Kahn's support for this initiative is special for three reasons," said Harris. "First, as Mayor, he has demonstrated continuity in opposition to all forms of anti-Semitism, as his predecessor Boris Johnson was also a signatory. Second, with all the recent concerns expressed about currents within Britain's Labour Party regarding anti-Semitism, this is a particularly welcome and important development, since he is such a prominent member of the Labour Party. "And third, Sadiq Khan is the first mayor of the Muslim faith of a major Western capital. Thus, his signature sends a very powerful message not only to the London Jewish community, but well beyond, about potential friendship, support and cooperation." Harris thanked AJC's British Jewish partners the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Community Security Trust, and London Jewish Forum for reaching out, together with AJC, to Mayor Khan. "Anti-Semitism is one of the greatest challenges facing Jews in London and across the country," said Jonathan Arkush, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. "Just weeks into the job, Sadiq Khan has signed up to AJC's campaign against anti-Semitism. Taken together with his attendance at the Yom HaShoah Holocaust commemoration event, this sets a very positive tone that we hope will be replicated throughout his mayoralty." AJC, the global Jewish advocacy organization, launched the Mayors United Against Anti-Semitism campaign last July, and expanded it to Europe in the fall. The Mayors United Against Anti-Semitism statement affirms a core set of principles, including the condemnation of anti-Jewish hatred in all forms; rejection of the notion that anti-Semitic acts may ever be justified by one's view on the actions or existence of the State of Israel; a declaration that anti-Semitism and any prejudices due to religious differences are inconsistent with core democratic values; and the belief that the promotion of mutual understanding and respect among all citizens is essential to good governance and democratic life. The statement pledges a commitment to working within and across European and American communities to advance the values of respectful coexistence, and to affirm that anti-Semitism is incompatible with fundamental democratic values. SOURCE American Jewish Committee Related Links http://www.ajc.org TULSA, Okla., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE: MMP) announced today that Michael Mears, chief executive officer, will present at the 2016 Investor Conference hosted by the Master Limited Partnership Association at 8:00 a.m. Eastern on Thurs., June 2 in Orlando, Florida. A copy of the slide presentation and audio webcast will be available live on the day of the event on the partnership's website at www.magellanlp.com/webcasts.aspx. A replay of the webcast also will be available for 30 days at www.magellanlp.com. About Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE: MMP) is a publicly traded partnership that primarily transports, stores and distributes refined petroleum products and crude oil. The partnership owns the longest refined petroleum products pipeline system in the country, with access to nearly 50% of the nation's refining capacity, and can store more than 95 million barrels of petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel fuel and crude oil. More information is available at www.magellanlp.com. SOURCE Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. Related Links http://www.magellanlp.com The website is now compatible with all mobile device's browsers and allows for optimal customer engagement. Marshall Services aims to make the home services experience as seamless as possible to help in all circumstances routine maintenance, inspections, installations and emergencies. "We've built a trusted brand for more than 70 years, and it's important for us to be adaptable to the needs of our community," said Glenn Dickey Jr., owner of Marshall Services. "This all-new website will allow residents to get a better idea of who we are and how we can assist them." Marshall Services' new website features: A fully responsive design that is compatible with any screen size Updated coding that features contact information more easily throughout the site Updated content that reflects the rebrand as well as the added services such as electrical offerings Though Marshall Services has modified its name, the company's 70-year-old legacy of delivering high quality customer service and expert maintenance and repairs to their clients remains the foundation of its success. Marshall Services will continue its success and trust to Montgomery County and Eastern Pennsylvania residents. Marshall Services partnered with Seequs Marketing Technologies, a business that focuses on internet marketing and web design, to create a web design that resonated with homeowners in the Skippack and greater Philadelphia area. "Our new website allows customers to locate the specific services they offer in a new user-friendly design layout," said Dickey, Jr. "Our team collaborated with Seequs to put focus on what customers want the most when they visit the website. As a result, it's much faster for customers to find the information they need easily in the palm of their hands." To find out more information on Marshall Services, visit https://marshallservice.com/ or call (610) 422-3810. About Marshall Services Marshall Services is a family owned and operated business serving Montgomery County and the surrounding areas. Founded in 1945 the company offers a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee on all services, no-nonsense pricing, and knowledgeable, friendly service experts for your plumbing, air conditioning, heating and heating oil, water treatment, indoor air quality, drain cleaning and sewer repair needs. Marshall Services has a proud 70-year history of servicing the Montgomery County community and donates a portion of every service call and installation to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Visit Marshall Services' website: https://marshallservice.com/ MEDIA CONTACT: Heather Ripley Ripley PR 865-977-1973 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372324 SOURCE Marshall Services Related Links https://marshallservice.com NEW YORK, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- MARV Capital, Inc., a boutique broker dealer firm specializing in structured credit sales and trading, today announced the appointment of Alexey Dronov as Managing Director and Head of Structured Credit Sales & Trading. Alexey will lead the sales team and expand the firm's initiatives in the structured credit market, especially, the secondary CLO market. Before joining MARV, Alexey was a trader and an associate portfolio manager at Highland Capital, where he helped manage a portfolio of Collateralized Loan Obligations (CLOs). Along with his team, he was responsible for the analysis and trading of a large portfolio of mezzanine and equity CLO investments over the course of three years. Alexey also played a key role in constructing and placing several CLOs under the ACIS shelf. "The volatility that we have seen in the past year has created an interesting CLO trading and investing landscape and is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. Alexey's leadership will help MARV provide considerable liquidity and expertise to our clients," said Maneesh Awasthi, a co-founder of MARV. "Alexey is a seasoned trader within the CLO market," said Viru Raparthi, a co-founder of MARV. "We expect his deep knowledge of the market and the asset class to assist clients in repositioning their portfolios in these uncertain markets, and identifying opportunistic investment themes." Alexey is CFA Charterholder and has a Bachelor of Science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He brings more than 10 years of experience structuring, trading, and investing in CLOs on both the sell side and the buy side. About MARV Capital, Inc. MARV, a boutique broker dealer, specializes primarily in structured credit trading CLOs, CSOs, RMBS, and CMBS. In addition to these asset classes, MARV is well known in the industry for analyzing and valuing esoteric and complex assets. MARV is headquartered in New York, and has offices in Dallas and Newport Beach. Contact: Viru Raparthi, 212-244-7563, [email protected] SOURCE MARV Capital, Inc. Related Links http://www.marvcapital.com "Matisse in His Time" will be on view from June 18 through Sept. 18, 2016 at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive in Oklahoma City. The museum is one of only three international venues to host the exhibition, and is the only one outside Europe. "This exhibition will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we are honored to host it in Oklahoma City," said OKCMOA President and CEO E. Michael Whittington. "Already, we've received requests for tickets from across the U.S. and we anticipate record-breaking crowds to see this stunning exhibition of modern masterworks." Tickets are on sale at www.okcmoa.com/matisse. Demand is expected to be high, so visitors are encouraged to buy tickets early to secure their preferred day and time. The exhibition is organized from the collection of the Centre Pompidou, one of the world's leading modern and contemporary art institutions. Henri Matisse is one of the most important artists of the 20th century, and this exhibition showcases important works from each phase of Matisse's career, demonstrating his significance to many key art movements of the 20th century. Oklahoma City-based Inasmuch Foundation provided a grant for the exhibition in honor of its founder Edith Kinney Gaylord. Gaylord created the foundation in 1982 and would have celebrated her 100th birthday on March 5th, 2016. In addition to the fine arts, Inasmuch Foundation supports education, health and human services and community enhancement initiatives that enrich the quality of life for Oklahomans. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160526/372564 SOURCE Oklahoma City Museum of Art Related Links http://www.okcmoa.com NEW YORK, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mesothelioma Victims Center says, "We are urging a US Navy Veteran who has recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma, or their loved ones, to call us anytime at 800-714-0303 to ensure they are talking to one of the nation's most experienced and skilled mesothelioma attorneys. At the same time, we are warning diagnosed persons with confirmed mesothelioma to be cautious about some mesothelioma ads on the Internet. As we would like to explain anytime, when it comes to mesothelioma compensation and/or mesothelioma lawyers, the Internet can be a minefield for a US Navy Veteran who has mesothelioma and or their family members. Asbestos Warning Sign US Navy Veteran Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372405 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372406 "We know gimmick lines like 'no lawsuit needed' or 'federally sponsored mesothelioma claims center' sound like wonderful ideas, but in reality, to get the best possible mesothelioma financial compensation a diagnosed Veteran or person with this rare cancer is going to need to hire one of the nation's best of the best mesothelioma lawyers that have more than a decade of getting the best possible compensation for their clients, and a lawsuit might be needed. Furthermore, there is no mesothelioma claim's center sponsored by the federal government or the US Navy. "The most worrisome part about the mesothelioma Internet minefield is US Navy Veterans getting stuck with the results of a mesothelioma marketing law firm or inexperienced car accident law firm; we're talking about not being properly compensated and being overcharged. We recently noticed some mesothelioma marketing law firms now charging over 40% of the settlement plus expenses." http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.com Vital tip about hiring a mesothelioma lawyer for a US Navy Veteran or their family members from the Mesothelioma Victims Center: The nation's most highly regarded mesothelioma attorneys actually do want to talk to any US Navy Veteran who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, and can typically come up with a compensation value after a discussion of how or where the person was exposed to the asbestos. Call us at 800-714-0303 and we'll introduce a diagnosed person with mesothelioma to some of these attorneys because our bottom line is making certain all diagnosed people with mesothelioma get the best possible financial settlement results. You don't need a mesothelioma middleman marketing law firm to talk to these incredibly skilled mesothelioma compensation legal experts. http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com High risk work groups for exposure to asbestos include Veterans of the US Navy, power plant workers, shipyard workers, oil refinery workers, steel mill workers, miners, factory workers, railroad workers, plumbers, electricians, auto mechanics, machinists, welders, pipefitters, insulators, and construction workers. Typically the exposure to asbestos occurred in the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, or 1980's. http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com The average age for a diagnosed victim of mesothelioma is about 72 years old. This year between 2500, and 3000 US citizens will be diagnosed with mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. The Belluck & Fox Mesothelioma Victims Center says, "If you call us at 1-800-714-0303, you will be talking to some of the nation's skilled and experienced lawyers, and we make house calls. In other words we go to visit the person who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma at their home almost immediately. The more we understand where or how the person who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma was exposed to asbestos the better we can represent them." http://www.belluckfox.com/ According to the CDC the states indicated with the highest incidence of mesothelioma include Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Washington, and Oregon. However, based on the calls the Mesothelioma Victims Center receives a diagnosed victim of mesothelioma could live in any state. For more information about mesothelioma please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mesothelioma.html Media Contact: Michael Thomas 800-714-0303 SOURCE Mesothelioma Victims Center Related Links http://mesotheliomavictimscenter.com CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Vivoom, a mobile media company that enables brand-safe storytelling with consumers at scale is announcing a new user-generated marketing alliance with Microsoft that will encourage the creation and distribution of branded, consumer-created content. With Vivoom, Microsoft's audience will be able to easily create and share mobile videos with brand filters and custom calls-to-action added automatically. Also, with Vivoom's platform, Microsoft will have the ability to flag and remove any off-brand or inappropriate content instantly, regardless of where it was shared, and to republish the best content across the company's own marketing and social channels. Microsoft will be taking the lead on a new trend in user-generated marketing, leapfrogging other tech giants by embracing the medium that is taking the digital world by storm. Brand filters are exploding as a fun and authentic way for consumers to connect with their favorite brands but, until now, have been isolated to specific social networks. With Vivoom, Microsoft can offer this capability to its consumers where they are already spending time, through its apps, its mobile web site and across numerous social channels. "Microsoft has dozens of compelling applications and platforms, a huge social reach and a massive web audience," said Katherine Hays, founder and CEO of Vivoom. "Through this relationship with Vivoom, Microsoft will be able to enlist consumers to create and share authentic, brandsafe videos with friends and followers across any of their social channels. The first campaign will enable the promotion of Microsoft Office with a brand filter automatically added to their videos. Microsoft will retain the rights to the content so it can celebrate and amplify the great videos that are created while using our platform to remove any off-brand content." For Microsoft, the quality and flexibility of the video filters, and the ability to add customized, relevant calls-to-action to each and every video created were also critical factors in selecting Vivoom as its worldwide user-generated marketing partner. Vivoom allows Microsoft to enable user-generated content creation across the channels and communities the company has invested so much to nurture and grow. Whether on social media, in Microsoft's own apps or mobile website, on the Xbox or any other channel, Microsoft can encourage people to shoot and share branded videos. Vivoom adds campaign-specific assets and filters automatically and the content creator can then share their creations with friends and family via social media, email or SMS. And because the content lives in Vivoom's cloud, Microsoft can manage it to ensure brand safety is preserved. About Vivoom Vivoom is a mobile media company that enables brand-safe storytelling between advertisers and consumers at scale. The company has built a platform that allows brands to put people at the center of their entire mobile marketing process - from content creation, to targeting and distribution - and then provides the reporting, moderation, curation and republishing capabilities brands need. This innovative mobile marketing model generates high quality mobile content at scale that is authentic, highly relevant for consumers and brands, 100% brand-safe and outperforms other mobile marketing options. Located in Cambridge, MA, Vivoom is funded by Insight Venture Partners, Stage1 Ventures, and Boston's Converge VP. Learn more at www.vivoom.co. Lisa van der Pool [email protected] 781.966.4142 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150803/254338LOGO SOURCE Vivoom Related Links http://www.vivoom.co IMPERIAL, Calif., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mokulele Airlines announced today that they are celebrating Memorial Day weekend by offering free standby flights to U.S. armed service members with valid Military ID* flying between (IPL) Imperial / El Centro and (LAX) Los Angeles International Airport. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160526/372588 "Being a veteran myself, I have great admiration and appreciation for all the members of our armed services," said Ron Hansen, CEO of Mokulele Airlines, "That's why to thank the military for their services we're inviting them to try a little of ours free of charge from May 27th-May 30th." "On behalf of the entire Mokulele family, let me extend a sincere and heartfelt Mahalo to all of our military personnel and their families," said Hansen. "We have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for all of those who serve, and have served, this great country of ours. We look forward to showing you some Aloha! Welcome aboard." *Active Duty Military (not including DoD). Those not in uniform will be allowed to travel when they present their military I.D. Departure taxes and fees not included. About Mokulele Airlines - The family-owned and operated airline has quadrupled its number of flights since 2011 when CEO Ron Hansen purchased the company from Mesa Airlines. Mokulele is based in Kona, Hawaii and employs nearly 250 employees. Mokulele operates 16 late-model Cessna Grand Caravans and provides over 150 daily flights between nine airports on O'ahu, Maui, Moloka'i, Hawai'i in addition to daily service between Imperial / El Centro and Los Angeles. To book your flight, visit http://www.mokuleleairlines.com This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE Mokulele Airlines Related Links http://www.mokuleleairlines.com WASHINGTON, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA will host a media teleconference at noon EDT Friday, May 27 to provide an update on the expansion operations for the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) installed on the International Space Station. The teleconference will stream live on the agency's website. To participate in the teleconference, media must contact Cheryl Warner at [email protected] or Tabatha Thompson at [email protected], or call 202-358-1100 for call details. NASA and Bigelow Aerospace engineers are evaluating why, during its first two-hour attempt Thursday, the BEAM did not fully expand as internal pressure was gradually increased. They will monitor the module for structural changes that could result in either larger volume or lower internal pressure, as they assess next steps for expansion. The BEAM is a technology demonstration to study expandable habitats in space. It was launched April 8 to the orbiting laboratory aboard a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, and was installed April 16. Expandable habitats are designed to take up less room on a spacecraft, but provide greater volume for living and working in space, once expanded. This first test of an expandable module will allow investigators to gauge how well the habitat performs and, specifically, how well it protects against solar radiation, space debris and the temperature extremes of space. The module is an example of NASA's increased commitment to partnering with industry to enable the growth of the commercial use of space. The International Space Station serves as the world's leading laboratory for conducting cutting-edge microgravity research, and is the primary platform for technology development and testing in space to enable human and robotic exploration of destinations beyond low-Earth orbit, including asteroids and Mars. Listen to the media teleconference online at: http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio Get more information about the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module at: http://www.nasa.gov/beam Learn more about the International Space Station at: http://www.nasa.gov/station Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO SOURCE NASA Related Links http://www.nasa.gov SUNNY ISLES BEACH, Florida, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- New Colombia Resources, Inc. (OTC: NEWC), a U.S. listed Colombian company with natural resource assets in Colombia, is pleased to announce that yesterday the Colombian Congress approved Medical Marijuana during the final debate over its legalization. The law was approved with 83 votes in favor and 3 against, the House of Representatives approved the law that will regulate the cultivation, production, fabrication, acquisition, importation, exportation, storage, transport, commercialization, distribution, use and possession, of cannabis seeds, its derivatives, and byproducts for medical and scientific use. The law does NOT approve the recreational use of marijuana. This decision is made at the same time the Ministries of Health and Justice initiated the socialization of Resolution 1816 of 2016 which defines the special conditions to obtain a license for production and fabrication of Medical Marijuana. On December 22, 2015, President Juan Manuel Santos signed an executive order legalizing the medical use of marijuana. This executive decree will be replaced by law once approved by the Constitutional Court. These historic steps taken by the Executive and Legislative branches bypasses the prohibitionist stance with the goal of offering Colombians with chronic and terminal illness a compassionate tool for the management of pain and suffering. The law is guided with the principals of access, security, quality, and price. All Colombians must have equal access regardless of economic or social circumstances. Security is the guarantee of hygienic processes of fabrication, commercialization, and final use of any Medical Marijuana substance. All products should have quality control standards accepted by the scientific community, and finally the government looks to regulate pricing for medical marijuana pharmaceutical substances, guaranteeing a price that permits all patients with chronic and terminal illness access to this treatment. "This approval is a testament to the forward thinking of all bipartisan lawmakers of Colombia for the benefit of the people, but especially the fortitude of President Juan Manual Santos and Senator Juan Manuel Galan, sponsor of the law. They are an example to leaders around the World, millions of patients and their doctors will have them to thank for relief. Because of the lives that will be saved due to their convictions, in my opinion, a 100 years from now there won't be enough concrete in Colombia to build statues big enough for these two public servants," commented John Campo, President of New Colombia Resources, Inc. New Colombia Resources' subsidiary, Sannabis SAS, enjoys first mover advantage in Colombia's new medical marijuana industry, legally producing medical marijuana products on an Indian reservation in Colombia since 2014. Sannabis has thousands of medical marijuana plants in production and tens of thousands they intend to plant. Sannabis has applied for medical marijuana licenses with the Ministries and was invited to the socialization of Resolution 1816 by the Ministry of Health on Tuesday. Sannabis organic medical marijuana products are made with security and quality control standards implemented by the new law. Construction of their new laboratory was completed earlier this year with these standards in place. New Colombia Resources is in contact with several U.S. and European medical marijuana purveyors that will provide expertise in equipment procurement and product and strain development. Sannabis has redesigned several products that are now posted on their website along with "Stories of Life" testimonials from patients. These can be viewed at http://www.sannabis.co. Sannabis proudly provides cannabis oil to the Fundacion Cultivanda Esperanzas, a foundation for children with epilepsy. To learn about the Cultivando Esperanzas (Cultivating Hope) Foundation, follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/fundacioncultivandoesperanza/ . Sannabis donates and offers special pricing to Cultivando Esperanzas so no sick child is left behind, to make a donation to the foundation contact [email protected]. Additionally, the Company has more bulk sales to announce soon. To view or purchase Sannabis products visit http://www.sannabis.co . Follow Sannabis on Facebook for photos and testimonials at https://www.facebook.com/sannabis.cannamedicinal New Colombia Resources, Inc. New Colombia Resources, Inc. is focused on the acquisition and development of high-quality metallurgical coal properties and other available resources in the Republic of Colombia. They expect to have several revenue producing businesses including; metallurgical coal mining and rock quarry aggregates for domestic Colombian highway and railroad building projects. The Company owns 100% of La Tabaquera metallurgical coal mine in Colombia with an estimated 15- 17 million tonnes of reserves. They have another pending acquisition for 390 ha and a solicitation contract for 184 ha metallurgical coal concession. New Colombia Resources also holds a significant position in Sannabis SAS which legally produces medical marijuana products in Colombia, visit http://www.sannabis.co. For more information on the Company visit http://www.newcolombiaresources.com. Forward Looking Statements This Press Release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. A statement containing works such as "anticipate," "seek," intend," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "project," "plan," or similar phrases may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Some or all of the events or results anticipated by these forward-looking statements might not occur. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include financing, the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company's reliance on existing regulations. New Colombia Resources, Inc. does not undertake any duty nor does it intend to update the results of these forward-looking statements. Company/Media Contact: New Colombia Resources, Inc. John Campo President/Chairman +(1)-410-236-8200 USA [email protected] Sannabis SAS Cali, Colombia http://www.sannabis.co SOURCE New Colombia Resources, Inc. U.S. President Barack Obama said on Thursday he expects the Taliban to continue a strategy of violence following the appointment of a hardline leader, adding that the United States aims to uphold Afghanistan's fragile democratisation and prevent its use as a base by Islamic State. "This continues to be an organisation that sees violence as a strategy for obtaining its goals and moving its agenda forward in Afghanistan," said Obama, told reporters during a Group of Seven summit at Ise-Shima in central Japan. "In the short-term, we anticipate that the Taliban will continue to pursue an agenda of violence and blowing up innocent people." "Our goal right now is to make sure (Afghanistan's) constitution and democratic process is upheld (and) maintain the counter-terrorism platforms that we need in the region so that al Qaeda and now ISIL are not able to take root and use it as a base to attack us in the United States," he said, using an acronym for Islamic State. The selection of cleric Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada as the new Taliban chief on Wednesday all but dashes Obama's hopes for opening peace talks before he leaves office, one of his top foreign policy goals, current and former U.S. defense and intelligence officials said. Akhundzada, a conservative Islamic scholar from the Taliban's stronghold in southern Afghanistan, succeeded Mullah Akhtar Mansour four days after he was killed in a U.S. drone strike. Some U.S. officials had expressed hope that Mansour's death would eliminate an obstacle to peace negotiations between the Taliban and the government of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Search Keywords: Short link: NEW YORK, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) is the process of inspecting, testing, or evaluating materials, components, or assemblies for discontinuities or differences in characteristics without altering the original attributes. It has the property to determine the discontinuities and differences in material characteristics. Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) is broadly divided into NDT equipment and NDT services market. Key NDT inspection methods covered in the report are ultrasonic testing, magnetic and electromagnetic testing, Infrared (IR) thermography testing, shearography testing, radiographic testing, liquid penetrant testing, eddy current testing, and visual testing. Out of the Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) methods ultrasonic testing, radiographic testing, and eddy current testing are expected to capture most of the market size owing to the various applications across end user segments. Ultrasonic testing has been the prime choice among the end users for fault determination as it is non-hazardous to operators or nearby personnel and does not affect the material being tested and provides instantaneous results and with the continuous innovation in the ultrasonic NDT testing. Radiographic testing is likely to intercept conventional technologies in the near future. The demand for the NDT equipment used in inspections and quality has observed a significant growth and is expected to grow due to the increasing importance for quality control among industry players across various industry verticals. North America holds the largest market size in the NDT equipment due to increasing use of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) in maintaining and inspecting the aging infrastructure and strict safety regulations implemented by the U.S. government which forces manufacturers to regularly engage in inspection activities. The key drivers for non-contact NDT market are strong government safety regulations, user friendly software, automation, and robotics. The Asia-Pacific region is expected to observe significant growth due to rapid growth in infrastructure and power generation in the countries such as India, China, and Japan. This creates an ample of opportunities for the Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) companies in these countries. Since the NDT equipment used are very complex in their kinematics and very expensive, and they not only differ widely but there is also lack of NDT equipment knowledge among the end users, all these are acting as a driver for the growth of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) services market such as Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) inspection, Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) training, Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) renting services, and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) consultation services are growing rapidly with high growth potential in the future. There is a lot of opportunity for the existing players and new entrants to innovate and differentiate the products range. Key players in the Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) include GE Measurement & Control (U.S.), Olympus Corporation (Japan), Nikon Metrology (Belgium), Mistras Group, Inc. (U.S.), and Zetec (U.S.). Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p03858923-summary/view-report.html About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. http://www.reportlinker.com __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links http://www.reportlinker.com VANCOUVER, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (TSX: NDM; NYSE MKT: NAK) ("Northern Dynasty" or the "Company") announces that it has filed prospectus supplements dated May 26, 2016 with the securities commissions in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, and in the United States with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") in connection with an offering of units (each, a "Unit") of the Company (the "Offering"). The Canadian prospectus supplement has been filed pursuant to the Company's base shelf prospectus dated March 7, 2016. The U.S. prospectus supplement has been filed pursuant to the Company's U.S. base shelf prospectus filed pursuant to its registration statement on Form F-3, which was declared effective by the SEC on March 30, 2016. The Offering will be conducted by Global Securities Corporation (the "Lead Agent") and Industrial Alliance Securities Inc. (together with the Lead Agent, the "Agents") and will consist of 31,111,111 Units at a price of $0.45 per Unit (the "Issue Price"), with each Unit consisting of one common share (a "Share") and one common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will be exercisable into one common share (a "Warrant Share") at an exercise price of $0.65 per Warrant Share for a period of five (5) years from the closing of the Offering (the "Closing"), which is expected to be on or about June 10, 2016. The Agents will market the Offering on a commercially reasonable efforts basis (i) publicly in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario; and (ii) in the United States only to "Qualified Institutional Buyers" (as defined in Rule 144A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended). The Company has granted the Agents an option (the "Over-Allotment Option"), exercisable, in whole or in part, at any time, and from time to time, upon mutual agreement between the Company and the Lead Agent, until and including 30 days following the Closing, to purchase up to an additional 4,666,667 Units at the Issue Price to cover over-allotments, if any. In addition, the Company intends to offer an additional 2,222,222 Units directly to United States "accredited investors" in a direct offering for additional proceeds of up to $1,000,000 (the "Direct Offering"). The Company will file a prospectus supplement with the securities commissions in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario and with the SEC with respect to the Direct Offering. The Offering and the Direct Offering are expected to raise gross proceeds of $15,000,000 in aggregate if all offered Units are sold (or up to $17,100,000 if the Over-Allotment Option is exercised in full). The net proceeds of the Offering will be used to fund the Company's multi-dimensional strategy to address the United States Environment Protection Agency's proposed pre-emptive regulatory action under the United States Clean Water Act and to prepare the Pebble Project to initiate federal and state permitting under the United States National Environmental Policy Act, costs to keep the Pebble project in good standing, costs to advance a potential partner(s) transaction and for working capital and general corporate purposes. Closing of the Offering will be subject to customary closing conditions, including listing of the Shares on the TSX and the NYSE MKT, the listing of the Warrants on the TSX and any additional required approvals of each exchange. The Company has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) and a prospectus supplement with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the Company has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Company and the Offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml. Alternatively, the Company or the Lead Agent will arrange to send you the prospectus, as supplemented, if you request it by contacting the Company at the contact information below or the Lead Agent at: [email protected]. This news release shall not in any circumstances constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the applicable securities laws of any such jurisdiction. Copies of the final short form base shelf prospectus and prospectus supplement can be found on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Company appointed Mr. David Laing and Mr. Christian Milau as directors on May 12, 2016. About Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. Northern Dynasty is a mineral exploration and development company based in Vancouver, Canada. Northern Dynasty's principal asset is the Pebble Project in southwest Alaska, USA, an initiative to develop one of the world's most important mineral resources. Ronald W. Thiessen President & CEO Forward Looking Information and other Cautionary Factors This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, such as those that address the in-progress financings and plan to complete certain regulatory filings permitting it to offer securities to the public are forward-looking statements. These statements include expectations about the likelihood of completing the financings, the amount of funds to be raised, the use of proceeds of the financings and the ability of the Company to secure required Canadian and US regulatory acceptances. Though the Company believes the expectations expressed in its forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are subject to future events and third party discretion such as regulatory personnel. For more information on the Company, and the risks and uncertainties connected with its business, Investors should review the Company's home jurisdiction filings at www.sedar.com and its filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. SOURCE Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. CHICAGO, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Kellogg Innovation Network's (KIN) annual summit, to be held in Miami Beach, FL on June 1-3, will attract more than 300 thought leaders across all continents and industries to explore innovation, political economic shifts, and social and environmental change. In an innovative approach to spreading information from some of the world's best thought leaders, KIN has partnered with IDM Brand - which has offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Naples - to provide real-time participation in the summit by amplifying the discourse through social media, and exploring new ways to engage Northwestern's and KIN's worldwide community. Global delegates attending this year's KIN summit include a former president of Mexico, former senior advisor to the prime Minister of India, presidential appointee to the US State Department, the CEO and chairman of Zurich Insurance Group, and other visionaries from 29 countries. Alannah Sandehl, chief innovation officer for IDM Brand The 2016 KIN theme is "New Worlds," and attendees will explore such topics as Feeding the World: The Future of Agriculture and Healing the Healthcare Ecosystem. "As a member of the Kellogg community," says Alannah Sandehl, chief innovation officer for IDM Brand, "I am excited to learn from global thought leaders and game changers at the KIN event, while innovatively utilizing established and emerging platforms like Periscope to engage participants and to share important info instantly worldwide. I am eager to see how social media reacts and contributes to some of the more challenging topics discussed at KIN." IDM Brand promises to inspire hundreds of people who attend KIN to become brand ambassadors and story tellers by using innovative tools to bring a large crowd of people together to be active participants on social media platforms the goal is to create serendipity! KIN's partnership with IDM Brand seems a natural next step to a long relationship: as an alumna of the Kellogg School of Management, Alannah Sandehl is excited to support the ongoing collaboration and continuing innovation at KIN Global 2016. Innovation is a central tenet of Alannah's philosophy and IDM Brand's founding principles, and is key to her professional path and success. "In 1991 I was dying to go to the Northwestern University, but being a newly arrived refugee from Ukraine, my parents could not subsidize the tuition. Flash-forward to 2016, my agency is a media sponsor of the event and I am a Kellogg Management Institute Alumni - the feeling is priceless. Cheers to innovation!" IDM Brand has created many impactful campaigns for clients like Amazon, Mayo Clinic, Lifeway Foods and Rotary International, among many others. More about IDM Brand: http://idmbrand.com/social-media-partnership More about KIN: http://www.kinglobal.org/ CONTACT: Dori Wilson Public Relations [email protected] Office: 312.951.7575 Cell: 312.965.7575 Alannah: 847.722.3062 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372279 SOURCE IDM Brand Related Links http://www.idmbrand.com QUEBEC CITY, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Novik, a premier manufacturer of shakes, stones and accessory products that replicate the natural beauty and texture of wood and stone materials, has been awarded the HubSpot Quarterly Impact Award in the Growth-Driven Design category for its newly designed website at www.novik.com. The award recognizes Novik's agency, Falls Digital based in Cleveland, OH, for creating a web design in both English and French Canadian that delivered excellent web metrics under a short deadline. HubSpot is an inbound marketing software platform that helps companies attract visitors, convert leads, and close customers. The HubSpot Impact Awards, given quarterly in six different categories, will be presented at the annual Inbound Conference in November 2016. "Novik, with premier brands NovikShake and NovikStone, is very pleased to be recognized for its newly launched growth-driven website," said Ralph Bruno, President, Novik Sales Corp. "The website design has re-organized and prioritized our product content, improved functionality and optimized our lead generation in a very short timeframe. Most importantly, the new site is driving business to our dealer network, increasing their business while making Novik easy to buy." The Falls digital team was tasked with revitalizing the Novik website in November 2015, in time for Novik's big trade show, the International Builders Show in mid-January 2016. By utilizing a growth-driven, launchpad methodology and HubSpot platform, the website launched on time and with excellent performance data. Less than a month after the launch, the more robust, functional website has yielded an impressive increase in total traffic by 32.5%. And during the same short time period, 1,262 visitors viewed the Dealer Locator page. NovikStone and NovikShake with StainNatural technology, are poised to define completely new categories in the building products industry. To learn more, visit www.novik.com . About Novik Novik is a premier manufacturer of NovikShake, NovikStone and accents that replicate the natural beauty and texture of wood and stone materials. At the forefront of technology, Novik offers attainable luxury that is attractive and easy to install. Novik products are a perfect fit for builders, contractors, facility managers and consumers who take pride in the aesthetic appearance of their home or building. For more information, visit www.novik.com. SOURCE Novik Related Links http://www.novik.com Proceeds from the license plate will help fund nursing scholarships and research grants from the Ohio Nurses Foundation the charitable arm of the Ohio Nurses Association whose mission is to advance nursing through education, research and scholarships. "We're thrilled that the Ohio Nurses Foundation has a nursing-themed license plate in Ohio which will fund educational scholarships and research in nursing. It's specifically designed for not only nurses, but for all who support nurses. Anyone can purchase the plate to benefit nursing and its future advancement," stated Lori Chovanak, CEO of the Ohio Nurses Association and President of the Ohio Nurses Foundation. "I was pleased to work with the Ohio Nurses Foundation to get this measure introduced and enacted into law," Hughes, the bill's sponsor, said. "Nurses are a critical component to our national healthcare system and are always ready to aid Ohio residents whether it is a simple procedure or a grave diagnosis." "I am very happy to learn that the monies raised from the sale of these license plates will go directly to the Ohio Nurses Foundation to fund scholarships for those who want to become a nurse, one of the oldest and most highly regarded professions in the country," Hughes added. The Ohio Nurses Association and the Ohio Nurses Foundation began the journey of securing a license plate in 2015. The groups presented three possible images for the license plate and had the public vote for their favorite, with the winning image unveiled May 6, 2015 the first day of National Nurses Week. The groups also collected well over 500 petition signatures, with many more nurses calling in asking how they could support the passage of this bill. The bill now sits on Governor Kasich's desk and will be available for purchase 90 days after it receives his signature. The plate will cost $35 and will be available at local Ohio BMVs. About ONA: Formed in 1904, the Ohio Nurses Association is a powerful network of registered nurses who are committed to advancing nursing through education, political action and workplace advocacy. ONA is the leading voice of the approximately 190,000 professional registered nurses in Ohio. To become a member of the Ohio Nurses Association, visit www.ohnurses.org. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160526/372580 SOURCE Ohio Nurses Association Related Links http://www.ohnurses.org/ "Not everyone has the time to come out to an On The Border location near them," explained Ashley Zickefoose, Chief Marketing Officer with On The Border . "Offering home delivery is a solution we're excited to be able to provide." Participating On The Border restaurants' full menus will be available for home delivery during normal operating hours, which means sizzling fajitas, refreshing salads, spicy grilled favorites, burritos, chimichangas, tacos, and appetizers like fresh-made guacamole and toasty-warm queso are all among choices at-home diners will have. Party platters can now be delivered as well, making party planning a delicious and easy endeavor. "With Summer coming up around the corner, we wanted to let people know they can enjoy On The Border no matter where their fiesta may begin. It's as simple as a tap on the DoorDash app or click on the DoorDash website to have a Party Platter or other custom orders brought right to them," Zickefoose added. To order, guests need only visit the DoorDash website, or download the app from the Apple Store or Google Play Store. Once users have created an account with the delivery address and other important details, they can search On The Border to find the menu selection. After all items have been chosen for an order, users check out, and within the hour their delivery will arrive, unless otherwise specified. For more information on DoorDash, visit www.doordash.com. About On The Border On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina is the world's largest Mexican casual dining brand, offering an extensive menu of great-tasting, classic and contemporary Mexican food, like sizzling mesquite-grilled fajitas, and Margaritas as big and bold as the border itself. On The Border is owned by Border Holdings, LLC, with more than 150 restaurants in 34 states, Puerto Rico, Asia and the Middle East. Follow and 'like' On The Border on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OnTheBorderMexicanGrillandCantina, and @OnTheBorder on Twitter. For more information, visit http://home.ontheborder.com/. DoorDash DoorDash is a Silicon Valley technology company that brings the very best of the city to your doorstep by connecting customers with local businesses. Founded in the summer of 2013, DoorDash empowers business-owners to grow their businesses by offering on-demand delivery, data-driven insights, and better in-store efficiency. By building the on-demand delivery infrastructure for local cities, DoorDash is bringing communities closer, one doorstep at a time. Learn more at www.doordash.com or on the DoorDash blog. Contact: Jessica Chacoff 888.869.7899 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160526/372649 SOURCE On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina Related Links http://home.ontheborder.com "Opening a casino and partnering with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians is another step toward the Washoe Tribe's long term goal of economic self-sufficiency," remarked Washoe Tribal Chair, Neil Mortimer. He continued, "We are excited about the partnership and pleased to create job opportunities for our Tribal members, as well as local residents. The partnership between our Tribe and the Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama is the first of its kind. The Washoe Tribe is excited to partner with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians and we are looking forward to increasing the gaming and dining experience in the Carson Valley for both residents and visitors." The 13,500 square foot facility boasts a 4,600 square foot gaming floor featuring 130 state-of-the-art games. Visitors will also be able to enjoy a restaurant that comfortably seats 80 guests as well as a bar. An additional 4,000 square feet is designated for future expansion of the gaming floor. In addition to the construction jobs that the casino development produced over the past few months, the completed Wa She Shu Casino is generating approximately 70 new jobs. Stephanie Bryan, Tribal Chair and CEO of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians said, "It wasn't so long ago that we were building our first gaming facility in hopes that it would provide a brighter future for our people. We believe that it is part of our obligation, as Indian people, to support others in their efforts to achieve financial security. We are thrilled that we can play a role in making sure that the Washoe Tribe can use its land to better the lives of their Tribal members." The revenues from the casino will provide funding for essential services for Washoe Tribal Members including infrastructure needs and healthcare. The complete project investment totaled an estimated $8 million. Arthur Mothershed, Vice President of Business Development for Wind Creek Hospitality (the Poarch Creek's gaming business) and a Poarch Creek Tribal Council Member, noted, "Our Tribe knows all too well the challenges faced by the Washoe Tribe. Fortunately, in the last ten years, we have been able to overcome many of those obstacles, and we are both honored and excited to have had the opportunity to share our good fortune and knowledge with the Washoe Tribe as their partners on this vitally important project." The Wa She Shu Casino is adjacent to the Wa She Shu Travel Plaza which the Tribe opened earlier this year, also in partnership with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. The casino offers a "hometown" atmosphere and 360-degree views of the Sierra Mountains. There are designated areas for trucks and RVs within the lighted off-street parking. About the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California The Washoe Tribe has inhabited an area in western Nevada and eastern California of high mountains and deep valleys and is known as our historic occupation homeland. The pristine Lake Tahoe known as "Da ow aga", edge of lake, is the heart of the tribe. Located 50 miles to the south of Reno, tribal headquarters are located in Gardnerville, Nevada. About the Poarch Band of Creek Indians The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is the only federally recognized Indian Tribe in the State of Alabama, operating as a sovereign nation with its own system of government and bylaws. The Tribe operates a variety of economic enterprises, which employ hundreds of area residents. The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is an active partner in the state of Alabama, contributing to economic, educational, social and cultural projects benefiting both tribal members and residents of these local communities and neighboring towns. About Wind Creek Hospitality Wind Creek Hospitality is an authority of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. WCH manages the Tribe's gaming facilities including: Wind Creek Atmore, Wind Creek Wetumpka and Wind Creek Montgomery as well as racetracks in Alabama and Florida. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/371207 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/371208LOGO SOURCE Wind Creek Hospitality Related Links http://www.windcreekhospitality.com HACKENSACK, New Jersey, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Panaya, the leader in ERP change analytics and cloud-based testing that delivers quality assurance to implement and manage ERP application changes, today announced the record time migration of its 50th HANA project. In just under 9 months, Panaya completed CSN, Companhia Siderurgica Nacional's business transformation project to SAP HANA. Using Panaya CloudQuality Suite (PCQ), a SaaS cloud platform that delivers powerful ERP change analytics and actionable recommendations to effectively plan, scope, test and report change implementation. CSN, one of the largest integrated steel companies in Latin America with shares traded on the Sao Paulo and New York stock exchanges, initially reached out to Panaya for an assessment on an EHP 7 upgrade but ultimately decided that the organization would most benefit from migrating to SAP HANA. According to the company's calculations a direct route to SAP HANA would bring greater business innovation. Using PCQ as a scientific tool to ensure objective assessment, planning and execution the organization was able to estimate time, effort and risk to better understand the business case and determine a cost. SAP HANA is a primary growth driver for its ERP applications, but businesses struggle with the business case, cost and time a HANA project requires. Panaya's ability to reduce project time, effort and risk by more than 50% bolsters HANA adoption for SAP customers on the path to digital transformation. "CSN wanted innovation with the upgrade to SAP HANA, and using Panaya they were able to take the more direct and aggressive route, meeting their goals without a hitch," said Doron Gerstel, Panaya CEO. "Panaya CloudQuality Suite offered clear visibility from the initial assessment of the HANA upgrade, through the go live process," says Sebastiao Casagrande, IT coordinator at CSN. "Panaya's precise scope and testing accelerators ensured that we went live with no surprises." Using Panaya CloudQuality Suite, CSN Brazil's migrated to SAP HANA with an ECC6 upgrade to EHP 7 which enabled the HANA platform. Simultaneously, other systems such as HCM, BW, Portal and the ERP with Unicode were all upgraded as well with the same successful go-live date. "Panaya is helping customers pioneer their migration to HANA", says Gaby Koren, EVP Sales Americas, Panaya. "With 50 HANA migrations already completed, our customers enjoy the crowd insights of validated and proven implementations that deliver actionable recommendations to better plan, optimize and benchmark ERP changes." The next step in change for ERP is SAP S/4HANA. Early adopters of S/4HANA start with Panaya CloudQuality Suite for their SAP HANA migration. Learn more: http://go.panaya.com/s4hana-upgrade-now.html. About Panaya With Panaya, an Infosys company, organizations reach ERP agility faster - with zero time to change, zero risk, and zero defects. Panaya CloudQuality Suite enables all types of SAP and Oracle EBS changes. Panaya CloudQuality Suite delivers insights that tell you what will break, how to fix it, and what to test, helping organizations manage the testing process and collaborate between IT and business during the entire release process. Since 2008, 1,600 companies in 62 countries, including a third of the Fortune 500, have been using Panaya CloudQuality Suite to achieve ERP agility. http://www.panaya.com . Media Contact: Rafi Kretchmer VP of Marketing, Panaya +972-9-7618030 [email protected] SOURCE Panaya HAZLETON, Pa., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) today welcomed local officials and the public to the grand re-opening of the rebranded Fine Wine & Good Spirits store at the Church Hill Mall, 1091 N. Church St., Hazle Township, Luzerne County. With almost 3,150 square feet of retail space, the redesigned store will feature about 250 more wines and spirits than were in the old store. Products include the popular Chairman's Selection wines, which offer consumers select, highly rated wines at significant savings over nationally quoted prices. This rebranded retail outlet offers a warm, welcoming atmosphere for consumers to browse the extensive selection. The focal point of the store is the center table, where customers can find staff to answer questions or provide recommendations. The center table provides counters for highlighting promotional items and educational materials for customers such as: Answers to frequently asked questions about wine and spirits A vintage chart A food pairing outline A party planning guide A calorie chart Tips for responsible hosting and consumption Additionally, the rebranded store has a "Made in Pennsylvania" section to highlight wine and spirits produced in the commonwealth. Throughout the design and construction, the PLCB was committed to developing a store that is attractive and environmentally responsible. The majority of the lighting is state-of-the-art LED or energy-efficient compact-fluorescent lighting, using a fraction of the energy of traditional lighting. The Hazle Township Fine Wine & Good Spirits store will be open from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM Monday through Saturday and from noon to 5 PM Sunday. To find additional store locations and hours, visit www.FineWineAndGoodSpirits.com. The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates more than 600 wine and spirits stores statewide and licenses more than 20,000 beverage alcohol producers and retailers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups and licensees. Taxes and store profits totaling more than $14.5 billion since the agency's inception are returned to Pennsylvania's General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania's schools, health and human services programs and law enforcement and public safety initiatives across the state, among other things. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit www.lcb.state.pa.us. MEDIA CONTACT: Shawn Kelly, 717.303.8522 SOURCE Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Related Links http://www.lcb.state.pa.us NASHUA, N.H. and NEW YORK, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Plexxi, a pioneer of application-defined data center infrastructure, and Perseus, the world's leading provider of managed services for high-precision, high speed connectivity, received the Global Telecoms Business (GTB) Innovation Award for the World's Largest Software Defined Network (SDN) at the GTB Innovation Awards 2016 in London last night. The GTB Innovation Awards recognize collaboration between operators and vendors. This award acknowledges Plexxi and Perseus' contribution in building the world's largest SDN across six continents in just a matter of months, leveraging the Perseus global network and Plexxi's next-generation networking and software toolsets. "The strength of our partnership with Perseus allowed us to deploy the world's largest (non-captive) SDN network of more than 100,000 miles," said Dave Husak, founder and CTO of Plexxi. "Perseus' plans for a global expansion demanded a next-generation network. Using our technology, Perseus was able to rapidly scale and diversify its offerings while developing a system that was dynamic, centralized and agile." The Perseus-Plexxi partnership pushes the boundaries of network innovation and improves the flexibility, scalability and agility of global networks. Perseus has deployed a next-generation network leveraging Plexxi's high-performance, photonically-interconnected switches to create a Layer 2 SDN fabric for a self-healing and dynamic network. This converged network infrastructure and single switch platform reaches across the globe, including Asia, Europe, North America and Latin America, and allows Perseus to deliver a broader range of services to clients 30% faster than prior technology. "Working with Plexxi, we have been able to quickly deliver new and different types of services to our clients," said Andrew Kusminsky, COO & CSO of Perseus. "Building a resilient, global backbone enables us to scale for future growth as our clients demand it and continue to deliver the resiliency and agility that they depend on." The GTB Innovation Awards are presented annually to the most innovative and exciting projects within the global telecoms industry. Global Telecoms Business, the only publication written specifically for senior management at telecoms carriers worldwide, was founded in 1993 by Euromoney Institutional Investor to help these decision makers stay up to speed with the latest analysis, data and news about the issues that most affect the industry. About Perseus Perseus is the world's leading provider of managed services and high-precision, high-speed connectivity. With clients spanning the Financial, Digital Commerce, Media and iGaming sectors, Perseus offers a fully managed suite of services across the trade lifecycle as well as many of the world's fastest market-to-market routes. Wall Street and Fortune 500 companies choose Perseus to provide LiquidPath and EdgePath managed infrastructure services, custom-designed global networks, PrecisionSync time stamping, colocation and turn-key trading solutions with industry-leading, 247 support. Serving 70+ markets in 24 countries on six continents, Perseus offers proximity hosting for more than 175 exchanges globally. For more go to www.perseus.co @PerseusCorp #speedmatters About Plexxi Inc. Plexxi delivers converged, application-centric network infrastructure tools and systems for building software-defined data centers and Public / Private Clouds. Plexxi solutions enable Cloud Builders to harness the power of a single, simple platform to create private, hybrid cloud and data center networks. Plexxi's converged infrastructure and application defined networking solutions provide a comprehensive suite of tools, from hardware to management and application integrations that dynamically help applications to perform better and operate at the speed of business. Headquartered in Nashua, N.H., Plexxi investors include GV (formerly Google Ventures), Lightspeed Venture Partners, Matrix Partners and North Bridge Venture Partners. For more information, visit www.plexxi.com or follow us on Twitter @PlexxiInc. Contact: Jackie D'Andrea InkHouse for Plexxi [email protected] 781-966-4143 Andrew Hennessy 3Points Communication for Perseus [email protected] 312.725.7950 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150804/254487LOGO SOURCE Plexxi Related Links http://www.plexxi.com The son of Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, one of Africa's longest-serving leaders, has rejected claims that he plans to succeed his father, reports said Thursday. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, speaking on Wednesday after he was promoted from Brigadier to Major General, heading the Special Forces Command (SFC), said he was "happy with being in the military", the government-owned New Vision newspaper reported. He called claims by opposition supporters that Museveni is grooming him to take over as a "red herring" and that he was happy to remain in the army "for some time." A former intelligence chief turned government critic David Sejusa fled into exile in Britain in 2013 after a confidential memo he wrote was leaked to the press, causing a political storm. The memo claimed Museveni was preparing Muhoozi to succeed him and that those in the army opposed to the supposed succession plan risked being assassinated. Muhoozi, aged 42 and who trained at Britain's military academy Sandhurst, dismissed the reports of a plan to push him into power as "non-existent", the Daily Monitor reported. "I do not have the ambition to be president," Muhoozi said. The Monitor however reports many have "long-simmering suspicions" he will take over the reins of power once Museveni steps down. Museveni, 72, in power since 1986, was elected to a fifth term in February elections with 61 percent of the vote. He has rejected claims his victory was won through fraud. Search Keywords: Short link: PASADENA, Calif., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- QLess (www.qless.com), the global leader in customer experience and wait management solutions, was named the winner of a Gold Stevie Award for Best Computer Services at the 14th Annual American Business Awards. This is the fourth consecutive year that the company has won the top honor. The QLess cloud-based solution is used in a wide range of industries, including government, DMVs, education, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, hospitality, and logistics. Users are able to enter a virtual queue remotely via app, phone call, text, website, or at an on-site kiosk. Timely updates and two-way communication through the QLess platform alert users as they move to the front of the line so they can tend to other business while they wait. "We founded QLess to provide a global solution to a global problem: waiting in line. Since then, QLess has helped businesses save over 1,600 years of time for more than 50 million customers. We give time back to people who would have otherwise wasted it standing in a physical line," said Dr. Alex Backer, CEO of QLess. "Around the world, QLess enables companies to improve customer satisfaction by 20% to 100%, increase demand by up to 50%, reduce no-shows up to 75%, reduce delays by 40%, reduce perceived wait times by 60 to 97%, saving millions of dollars while boosting staff productivity and morale. We are honored by this recognition from the American Business Awards to be selected four consecutive years is a testament to the excellence of our entire team." The Orange County Tax Collector Office in Florida uses the platform to allow its citizens to schedule FlexAppointments online to pay taxes, apply for licenses, and obtain official documents. "QLess has opened up a channel of communication with our citizens like we've never had before," says Jim Cochrane, Chief Information Officer for the Orange County Tax Collector. "The feedback we receive allows us to make changes to our operations for even better service. Since we implemented the QLess solution, we have roughly 35% fewer people waiting in line for service at any time." The American Business Awards is the nation's premier business awards program. All organizations operating in the U.S.A. are eligible to submit nominations public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small. QLess was chosen for the top prize from more than 3,400 nominations submitted this year by organizations across a wide range of categories. Details about The American Business Awards and the list of 2016 Stevie winners are available at http://www.StevieAwards.com/ABA. For a demonstration of how QLess technology works, please click here. About QLess QLess is the global leader in customer experience, wait management, and mobile check-in technology. The cloud-based platform eliminates lines and time spent in waiting rooms, reduces operating costs, increases staff productivity, and boosts customer satisfaction. Clients span five continents and include Vodafone, Renown Medical Group, the University of Texas, and government offices in 35 states. SOURCE QLess Related Links http://www.qless.com/ Solution allows more effective management of Queensland's penalty debt levels Stock Market Symbols GIB (NYSE) GIB.A (TSX) www.cgi.com/newsroom BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - CGI (NYSE: GIB) (TSX: GIB.A) announced today that it has commenced a contract with the Queensland Government's State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER) to implement and service a debt recovery solution that will enable faster collections while balancing fairness with effectiveness. CGI's Collections360 solution will provide SPER with a single integrated system that will enable an increase in collections and a reduction in the age of debts, using analytics to drive automation and enhance productivity. The contract is valued at AU$58.8 million (CAD$57.6 million) which covers five years of service and an optional two years' extension. This service is expected to begin following completion of the implementation project in the second half of 2017. "CGI's responsive solution will provide global best practices in debt recovery, customer profiling, payments and channel management. The tailored solution will include advanced data analytics, behavioural economics and system reporting and will be a powerful tool, allowing SPER to more effectively manage Queensland's penalty debt levels," said Colin Holgate, President of CGI in Asia Pacific. "CGI has a 30-year track record of successful collections implementations for Governments across the world and 11 projects alone have so far secured revenue benefits of $5.7 billion. This is money that our clients have independently certified would not have been collected without our solutions," he added. "Our work with SPER will result in debts being collected faster while ensuring that vulnerable debtors are afforded appropriate advice and assistance from the outset. We are confident that the Queensland Government will quickly see the benefits of implementing CGI's solution." About CGI Founded in 1976, CGI Group Inc. is the fifth largest independent information technology and business process services firm in the world. Approximately 65,000 professionals serve thousands of global clients from offices and delivery centers across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, leveraging a comprehensive portfolio of services including high-end business and IT consulting, systems integration, application development and maintenance, infrastructure management as well as 150 IP-based services and solutions. With annual revenue in excess of C$10 billion and an order backlog exceeding C$20 billion, CGI shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB). Website: www.cgi.com. Forward-Looking Statements All statements in this press release that do not directly and exclusively relate to historical facts constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of that term in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. These statements and this information represent the intentions of CGI and Sears Canada, plans, expectations and beliefs, and are subject to important risks, uncertainties and other factors, of which many are beyond the control of the Company. These factors could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. These factors include but are not restricted to: the timing and size of new contracts; acquisitions and other corporate developments; the ability to attract and retain qualified members; market competition in the rapidly evolving IT industry; general economic and business conditions; foreign exchange and other risks identified in the press release, in CGI's and Sears Canada's annual and quarterly Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") and in other public disclosure documents filed with the Canadian securities authorities (filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (filed on EDGAR at www.sec.gov), as well as assumptions regarding the foregoing. The words "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "anticipate", "foresee", "plan", and similar expressions and variations thereof, identify certain of such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. In particular, statements relating to future performance are forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. CGI and Sears Canada disclaim any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements or on this forward-looking information. SOURCE CGI Group Inc. Related Links http://www.cgi.com/ INVERNESS, Fla., May 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The United States is quickly approaching Memorial Day. A day of remembering the men and women who died while serving, and protecting our freedom. The Mission in Citrus will be participating in honoring those Veterans on Monday. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372273 Veteran's RV Sadly, many Veterans are dying while waiting for a home, or much needed services. Promises have been made and broken. Results from a larger scale effort have yet to be seen. Veterans are being placed into shelters like the Mission in Citrus and still await help. Help that comes slowly or not at all. The Mission in Citrus has been helping Veterans since 2008. Not a single dollar has been received towards helping those Veterans from the VA. The Mission in Citrus provides shelter, food, and other services from donations and grants. If the VA would provide help, then there would be a noticeable decrease around the US. While there is no shortage of homeless Veterans, there is a big shortage of help. They are concentrating on larger cities, while basically ignoring rural Veterans. And that is where the numbers climb. Many do not want to tell people they are Veterans or provide information to officials. Many recent homeless Veterans scams have plagued those on the front lines. The Mission in Citrus encourages donors to look up charities on GuideStar, Great Nonprofits and more before giving. There are many good hard working Veteran's groups out there. But when you can spend millions on commercials and advertising. How many Veterans could have been placed into homes? The Mission in Citrus has reached a record for homeless shelters. Their employment rate is 73% in Citrus County Florida which is the highest level ever reached in the US. In a county that has few jobs and a high poverty rate. They have just found out that they will not even be receiving the ESG grant. Funds were cut 70% in their four county area. This means more disaster for them and many others. And the Mission in Citrus is the only Emergency Shelter for many miles around. At a time when more help is needed. Funding is being cut by HUD. They have contacted Congress members and are going all out to fight the problem. Hopefully President Obama will hear their voice. Or someone who can relay the truth. The saddest part is that have proven their program to work. Most of the staff are formerly homeless and volunteer. They have time and time again proven themselves. But the Government does not look to those on the front lines for real answers. And are they really looking? There is more on their website http://www.adoptourveterans.com. They are hoping that many reach out and contact Congress, the VA, and provide help to shelters that are making a difference. Our homeless Veterans need a voice. This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE Mission in Citrus AIRPORT CITY, Israel, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Shikun & Binui Ltd. (TASE: SKBN.TA) ("Shikun & Binui" or the "Company"), a member of the Arison Group and Israel's leading infrastructure and real estate company, announced that it will be releasing its first quarter 2016 results on Monday, May 30, 2016. The Company will also host a conference call on Tuesday May 31, 2016 starting at 10am Eastern Time. Management will host the call and will be available to answer questions after presenting the results. To participate, please call one of the following teleconferencing numbers. Please begin placing your calls at least 10 minutes before the conference call commences. If you are unable to connect using the toll-free numbers, try the international dial-in number. US: 1-888-281-1167 UK: 0-800-051-8913 Israel: 03-918-0610 International: +972-3-918-0610 At: 10am Eastern Time, 7am Pacific Time, 3pm UK Time, 5pm Israel Time For those unable to participate, the teleconference will be available for replay on the company's website at http://en.shikunbinui.co.il/ beginning 24 hours after the call. IR Contact Company External IR Inbal Uliansky Ehud Helft +972 (3) 6301058 GK Investor Relations [email protected] +1 617 418 3096 [email protected] About Shikun & Binui The Shikun & Binui Group is a global construction and infrastructure company that operates in Israel and internationally in seven segments: 1) infrastructure and construction contracting outside of Israel; 2) infrastructure and construction contracting within Israel; 3) real estate development within Israel; 4) real estate development outside of Israel; 5) renewable energy; 6) concessions; and 7) water. The Group's activities focus on large, highly complex projects carried out for entities in private and public sectors with a focus on sustainability. The above noted in this release includes forward-looking statements based on Company data, as well as Company plans and estimations based on this data. The activity, results and other data may be substantially different in reality given uncertainty and various risks, including those discussed under risk factors in the Company's financial statements and Director's reports. SOURCE Shikun & Binui Ltd. Related Links http://en.shikunbinui.co.il/ SAN DIEGO, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Management of Sotera Wireless, a leader in the drive to make healthcare safer through continuous multi-parameter patient monitoring, will present at an educational session during the upcoming AAMI 2016 Conference and Expo taking place next month in Tampa, Fla. The presentation "Advances in Surveillance Monitoring: Improving Patient Safety Outcomes," to be held on June 6 at 7 a.m., will highlight the potential for improved patient safety in those hospitals implementing broader patient surveillance. Rosemary Kennedy, chief nursing officer, and James Welch, executive vice president, product development, will address the growing concern of avoidable patient incidents on the general floor and the prospects for improving early detection of patient deterioration through new patient monitoring methods. Attendees will also learn about strategies to guide their hospital in adopting and sustaining an emerging standard of care. "Multi-parameter surveillance of patients is becoming an important new standard of care, aimed at reversing the unacceptable level of avoidable patient incidents," said Kennedy. "We hope this session will equip attendees with a greater understanding of technologies that address the full complement of vital signs, their utility and integration capabilities, and how the value of improving patient safety outcomes can be measured." The presentation will reference a paper "Framework For Alarm Management Process Maturity"1 co-authored by Welch and published in the May/June 2016 issue of Biomedical Instrumentation and Technology. The paper discusses a framework intended as a guide for continuous improvement efforts to reduce non-actionable alarms of all types originating from medical devices. Throughout the meeting Expo, Sotera representatives will be available at booth #442 to discuss and demonstrate how the Company's ViSi Mobile System is contributing to patient safety in hospitals throughout the world. The System is a wireless, wearable platform that continuously monitors all patient vital signs and communicates data to clinicians. By alerting clinicians to vital sign fluctuations that signal patient deterioration, the ViSi Mobile System can bolster a hospital's rapid response system. The ViSi Mobile System aligns with evidence demonstrating that the highest-specificity indicator for at-risk patients is a combination of heart rate, respiratory rate, systolic blood pressure and change in mental status. The System captures all of these quantitative measurements, along with SpO 2 , pulse rate, and skin temperature. About Sotera Wireless Sotera Wireless, Inc. is a San Diego-based healthcare technology company dedicated to a new generation of comprehensive vital signs monitoring. Sotera's mission is to improve patient safety by empowering clinicians to detect early signs of deterioration in virtually any care setting and enable early intervention and rapid response, all without limiting the patient's freedom of movement. More information on the company or its ViSi Mobile System can be obtained at soterawireless.com or by sending an email to [email protected]. For more information on the ViSi Mobile System stay connected via: ViSi Mobile on Facebook ViSi Mobile on Twitter ViSi Mobile on YouTube Sotera Wireless on LinkedIn Sotera and ViSi Mobile are registered trademarks of Sotera Wireless, Inc. 1 Welch J, Rayo M, Kater B, Bagian T, Jaobs K, Shanawani H, Jaffe R, Conti M, Razzano L. Framework for Alarm Management Process Maturity. Biomed Instrum Technol. 2016 May-Jun;50(3):165-79. doi: 10.2345/0899-8205-50.3.165. SOURCE Sotera Wireless Related Links http://www.soterawireless.com BIRMINGHAM, Ala., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Earlier this week, three teams from Southern Nuclear were each honored with a Top Innovative Practice (TIP) award at a ceremony in Miami in conjunction with the Nuclear Energy Institute's 63rd Annual Industry Conference and Supplier Expo: Nuclear Energy Assembly. TIP awards are the nuclear industry's highest honor. Entries from across the industry were selected for four vendor awards and eight process awards. Southern Nuclear's development of equipment for evaluating shroud cracking in boiler water reactors at Plant Hatch won the GE Hitachi vendor award. In partnership with colleagues across the industry, the entry for response to post-Fukushima seismic safety won a process award for Plant Support. Finally, Southern Nuclear's National SAFER Response Center solution received a special recognition for its impact on the entire industry. "I was excited to see our teams receive awards for their innovative work in achieving excellence in performance by utilizing researched-based solutions," said Steve Kuczynski, President and CEO of Southern Nuclear. "Our teams demonstrated leadership by considering impacts, benefits and results to strategically solve problems, and these awards are a testament to our commitment in delivering nuclear's promise of clean, safe, affordable and reliable energy." Following are descriptions of the award-winning innovations by Southern Nuclear employees. Hatch Shroud Denver Atwood, Alliance Vendor Manager; DeLisa Pournaras, Materials Principle Engineer; Eric Stinnett, Site Project Lead; Andrew Gordon, BWRVIP Engineer; Kevin White, Senior Nuclear Technical Specialist The nuclear units at Plant Hatch are boiling water reactors, and operators of BWRs throughout the industry have observed indications of cracking of the core shroud from intergranular stress corrosion. Indications of cracking have been observed primarily on the inside diameter of the core shroud and in orientations that standard ultrasonic inspection techniques and equipment were not designed to detect. A qualified technique to interrogate indications outside the heat-affected zone (HAZ) and at off-axis angles did not exist in the industry. Southern Nuclear worked in collaboration with the Boiling Water Reactor Vessel Internals Project and GE Hitachi to develop and demonstrate a new phased array ultrasonic tool and technique that "followed" indications outside the HAZ and at angles that were not perpendicular or parallel to welds. The equipment also has the ability to physically scribe a location on the material at a site of interest. Plant Hatch used this tool and technique to verify there were no issues with the core shroud of units 1 and 2, and the tool and technique have benefitted the industry in maintaining the highest level of safety and integrity of the core shroud in BWRs. Post-Fukushima Seismic Melanie Brown, Fleet Design Engineer, in partnership with colleagues across the industry As a result of the Seismic Special Operations Team's steadfast efforts and determination, the nuclear industry has made extensive progress in reaffirming and enhancing seismic safety following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The team proposed and built a compelling coordination, cost control and quality of end result charter to take the entire U.S. nuclear energy industry lock-step through resolution of the post-Fukushima seismic requirements. This provided clarity in path, lessons learned, teamwork and compounding benefits for an approach where all utilities implemented a consistent resolution for their company/station. This led to significant shared accomplishment, progress, innovation and continuous learning. The U.S. nuclear energy industry has a simple, yet effective, approach to seismic safety: expect the unexpected and prepare for it. Nuclear plants are designed and built with layer upon layer of protection against earthquakes. The FLEX approach developed based on lessons learned from the Fukushima accident builds on existing safety approaches to provide another layer of backup safety equipment in multiple locations, both at plant sites and at national response centers in Phoenix and Memphis. SAFER David Crawley, PIM SAFER Project Manager; John Giddens, Licensing Project Manager; and Jim Ripple, Supply Chain Director Pooled Equipment Inventory Co. partnered with AREVA Inc. to develop the National SAFER Response Center (NSRC) strategy as the industry's offsite response to Beyond Design Basis External Event preparedness. The NSRC strategy consists of two emergency response centers, one in Memphis and one in Phoenix. Each of these secure, 80,000-square-foot facilities has five sets of equipment that can be transported by truck or air to a plant site anywhere in the United States in 24 hours. The equipment at the centers is the same as the equipment at the plant sites. It would only be sent if something happened to the existing onsite equipment and onsite backup equipment during an extreme and unexpected event. The backup equipment both at the plant sites and the emergency response centers ensures that plant operators can maintain key safety functions even if offsite power sources are curtailed. It will be used to maintain reactor core cooling, used fuel pool cooling and containment integrity. This TIP Award represents the success of a special first-of-a-kind project through creative solutions. About Southern Nuclear: Southern Nuclear, a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), is one of the nation's leading nuclear energy facility operators. Producing safe, reliable and environmentally friendly nuclear energy, Southern Nuclear operates a total of six units for Alabama Power and Georgia Power at the Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant near Dothan, Ala.; the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant near Baxley, Ga., and the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant near Waynesboro, Ga. Southern Nuclear is the licensee of two new nuclear units currently under construction at Plant Vogtle, which will be the first nuclear units constructed in the United States in more than 30 years. Southern Nuclear employs more than 3,500 skilled and dedicated professionals who are committed each day to nuclear and personal safety and the health and safety of the public. The company's headquarters is based in Birmingham, Ala. Twitter: @SouthernNuclear; Facebook: facebook.com/southernnuclear; www.southerncompany.com/southernnuclear About Southern Company: With more than 4.5 million customers and approximately 46,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast through its subsidiaries. A leading U.S. producer of clean, safe, reliable and affordable electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and affordable prices that are below the national average. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, Southern Company and its subsidiaries are inventing America's energy future by developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including nuclear, 21st century coal, natural gas, renewables and energy efficiency, and creating new products and services for the benefit of customers. Southern Company has been named by the U.S. Department of Defense and G.I. Jobs magazine as a top military employer, listed by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the 40 Best Companies for Diversity and designated a 2014 Top Employer for Hispanics by Hispanic Network. The company earned the 2014 National Award of Nuclear Science and History from the National Atomic Museum Foundation for its leadership and commitment to nuclear development, and is continually ranked among the top utilities in Fortune's annual World's Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility rankings. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080801/SOCOLOGO SOURCE Southern Nuclear Related Links http://www.southerncompany.com LINDON, Utah, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/-- Sunroc Building Materials, a leader in building supplies and services in Utah and Idaho today announced it has opened a facility in Heber, Utah. The Heber store marks the company's tenth location. The Heber location will offer lumber, windows, millwork, trusses, insulation, timbers, siding, hardware, decking, and railing materials. This facility will service customers in Heber, Park City, Midway, Vernal, Kamas Valley, Coalville and surrounding communities. "This growth is all about better meeting the needs of our customers," said Sunroc Building Materials President Jeremy Hafen. "Our priority is to be as accessible and as serviceable to our clients as possible; opening a Heber facility allows us to better serve our customers in the Wasatch and Summit County areas." An official Grand Opening event was held Tuesday, where customers, employees, city officials and city residents celebrated with lunch and giveaways. The Heber Valley Chamber of Commerce was gracious to assist in a ribbon cutting ceremony. "We are excited to have Sunroc Building Materials join the Heber Valley business community," said Ryan Starks, Executive Director of Heber Valley Tourism and Economic Development. "Sunroc's reputation for quality building products and services will undoubtedly be of great value to our growing region." The Heber location will be managed by Steve Wilmoth, a building materials industry veteran and Oakley City resident who has been with Sunroc Building Materials since 2005. Wilmoth comes to Heber from his position as Location Manager at the Salt Lake City Sunroc Building Materials facility. Sunroc Building Materials' Heber Store is located at 700 west 100 south and is open Monday through Saturday from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. About Sunroc Building Materials Sunroc Building Materials (www.sunroc.com) is a leading building material supply company serving the Utah and Idaho markets. Seventy-five years of experience allows us to provide our customers with the highest quality building materials around. We are proud to say our age-old reputation of 'getting it right the first time' stands firm today. Sunroc Building Materials is a proud member of the Clyde Companies family. Media Contact: David Przybyla, Marketing Manager Clyde Companies, Inc. 1.801.802.6900 [email protected] SOURCE Sunroc Building Materials Related Links http://www.sunroc.com 2,943 students and 34 teachers benefited from Inspirus's donation. Suzanne Savall, Principal at Otis Orchards Elementary School said, "It means so much to us to have businesses that actually take care of our schools for the requests that we need to help our precious students succeed." Six teachers at Otis Orchard had projects fully-funded. Teachers nationwide can use DonorsChoose.org to post funding requests for unmet classroom needs such as: Calculators Microscopes New desks and chairs Field trip experiences DonorsChoose.org is an online crowdfunding site where teachers can post their classroom needs. Donors, like Inspirus, can go online, choose a project to donate to, and fund the project. Last year, Inspirus donated more than $70,000 to Washington teachers through DonorsChoose.org. "We're passionate about education and giving back to the education community," said Vice President of Marketing, Sherry Lotze. "Considering that many of our employees are former school teachers, we understand how difficult it can be for teachers to get the classroom supplies they need," said Lotze. "This kind of giveback goes to the heart of our mission." Each year, teachers across the country spend an average of $400 out of their own pockets to buy supplies for their classrooms, according to Forbes. To celebrate its 80th anniversary, Inspirus Credit Union plans more random 100 percent flash funds of Donorschoose.org requests in cities throughout the state. About Inspirus Credit Union Founded in 1936 by a Seattle teacher, Inspirus serves more than 80,000 members across Washington who share a passion for education. With $1 billion in assets, Inspirus operates branches in Seattle and Spokane. Its philanthropy model includes education-giveback programs that allow members to direct charitable contributions to schools in their communities. Employees donate upwards of 800 volunteer hours a year in support of education. In addition, community education representatives provide free financial seminars, professional development, and recognition to school employees statewide. For more information, visit inspirusCU.org. Video - http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/Inspirus-Credit-Union-donation.mp4 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160201/328369LOGO SOURCE Inspirus Credit Union Related Links http://www.inspirusCU.org RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Ohio, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Yesterday, a federal judge from the United States District Court for the Northern District in Cleveland granted a request from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Teamsters Airline Division and Local 1108 to order Flexjet and Flight Options to bargain with the union and to recognize the integrated seniority list presented by the Teamsters. The decision follows months of delay tactics by One Sky, LLC, the parent company of Flexjet and Flight Options, which provides luxury private jet transportation. Senior management refused to negotiate with the Teamsters, did not recognize the integrated seniority list following a Teamster organizing victory in December 2015 and countersued the union without basis. "I applaud the judge for making the correct decision," said Capt. David Bourne, Director of the Teamsters Airline Division. "The court has sent a clear legal message to Flight Options: stop the anti-union actions against our pilots. We are ready to negotiate a contract for these workers and the company should come to its senses and do the same." "The court upheld what we've long maintainedthat Flexjet and Flight Options pilots deserve fair negotiations sessions," said Capt. Efrem Vojta, President of Teamsters Local 1108. "It is not unreasonable to ask a company to recognize the results of a fair and certified election. It is not unreasonable to ask a company to negotiate a fair contract for their workers. It is a shame that we have to go through the legal system to attain these baseline recognitions for our members. With today's ruling, I am hopeful that will change." Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters. Contact: Kara Deniz, (202) 624-6911 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100127/IBTLOGO SOURCE Teamsters Local 1108 Related Links http://www.teamster.org AUSTIN, Texas, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Mutual Insurance Company announced today that its board of directors voted unanimously to approve a company-record $240 million dividend distribution in 2016. Qualifying policyholder owners across Texas will share the dividend, which will be distributed beginning in July. This is the 18th consecutive year the board has voted to distribute policyholder dividends, bringing the total to over $2 billion. Over $1 billion of that has been paid since 2012. Texas Mutual is owned by its policyholders, not stockholders, which means the company shares its success by distributing dividends to policyholder owners who have made a commitment to preventing workplace accidents and helping injured workers get back on the job. "Texas Mutual has a long history of rewarding our policyholder owners for their contributions to our success," said Bob Barnes, chairman of Texas Mutual's board. "These dividends reward safe business practices and also help our policyholders' bottom lines. Our policyholder owners play an important role in Texas' economy, and we know the difference these dividends can make for them." Texas Mutual President and CEO Rich Gergasko said the dividend distribution is about more than just financial success and that it also signifies the commitment the company and its policyholders make to keeping workplaces safe. "Texas Mutual measures success not just in terms of dollars and cents but also in the number of lives saved and accidents prevented when employers place an emphasis on workplace safety," Gergasko said. "We're proud to share our success and reward the safety efforts Texas employers make with this year's dividend distribution." Gergasko noted that while Texas Mutual has awarded dividends each year since 1999, they are based on performance and therefore are not guaranteed. Additionally, dividends must comply with Texas Department of Insurance regulations. About Texas Mutual Insurance Company Austin-based Texas Mutual Insurance Company, a policyholder-owned company, is the state's leading provider of workers' compensation insurance. Texas Mutual provides coverage to 40 percent of the market, representing over 64,000 companies, many of which are small businesses. Since 1991, the company has provided a stable, competitively priced source of workers' comp insurance for Texas employers. Helping employers prevent workplace accidents is an important part of Texas Mutual's mission. texasmutual.com twitter.com/texasmutual Media contact: Jeremiah Bentley (512) 224-7647 [email protected] SOURCE Texas Mutual Insurance Company Related Links http://www.texasmutual.com Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed in an article published Thursday that the EU would not be a global player without his country's help as he prepared to visit the bloc for the first time in almost a year. Putin, who starts a two-day visit to Greece on Friday, also called for an energy alliance with Europe and the relaxation of visa rules for Russians travelling to the EU. "A rightful position of the Old Continent in the new international realities can only be secured by combining capacities of all European countries, including Russia," Putin said in the article in the Kathimerini daily. "We believe our relations with the EU do not face any problems that we cannot solve. To get back to a multifaceted partnership, the deficient approach of one-sided relationships should be abandoned. There should be true respect for each other's opinions and interests." Trade and economy will top the agenda of the visit, Moscow said. Greece and Russia will sign a "number of bilateral agreements," the Kremlin said without providing further details. EU-Russia relations are at a low ebb over the conflict in Ukraine that broke out in 2014, with European sanctions still in force against Moscow. The sanctions on Russia's banking, defence and energy sectors expire in July. Extending them will require a unanimous vote, and EU leaders are expected to discuss the issue next month. Putin is due to meet Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Athens on Friday. Putin and Tsipras will also unveil the famous icon by Andrei Rublev, the Ascension, which is on loan from the Tretyakov Gallery to the Byzantine and Christian Museum. On Saturday, he will join celebrations for the 1,000th anniversary of the Russian presence at the ancient monastic community of Mount Athos in northern Greece, one of Orthodox Christianity's holiest sites. Greece has repeatedly sought the help of Russia, a fellow Orthodox country, as it descended into economic crisis over the past six years. Tsipras is believed to have requested Russian financial assistance last year as the country teetered on the verge of bankruptcy, although Russian officials have publicly denied any approach. Russian companies have also been repeatedly linked to Greek energy and transport privatisation deals that were never completed. However, Putin indicated in Thursday's article that Russia remains interested in tenders involving Greek rail assets and the port of Thessaloniki. Kathimerini said a deal between Russian oil giant Rosneft and Greek refiner Hellenic Petroleum could be signed during the visit. Citing estimates from Russia's state tourism agency Rostourism, the Kremlin added that around one million Russians are expected to visit Greece this year -- with Greece accounting for the largest number of booked package tours from Russia so far -- as Athens seeks to benefit from a Moscow boycott of Turkey and Egypt. Putin was last in Europe in June, when he visited Italy and held talks with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Pope Francis. Tsipras visited Moscow for talks with Putin twice last year, in April and June, ahead of his re-election in September. Search Keywords: Short link: MCLEAN, Va., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ThanksUSA, a national non-profit organization dedicated to providing educational opportunities for America's military families, today launched $100 Million Strong, a campaign to grant more than 25,000 scholarships to military spouses and children in need over the next 10 years. To lead the campaign, ThanksUSA announced that the former executive director and founder of Hiring Our Heroes, retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Schmiegel, will assume the role of president, effective June 1, 2016. "After reaching a scholarship milestone of '$10 Million Strong' in our first decade, we realized that we had to grow significantly as an organization to meet what remains an unfilled need for thousands of military families each year," said ThanksUSA Chairman and CEO Bob Okun. " Kevin Schmiegel's experience as the founder of one of our nation's largest veteran and military family non-profits will help us deliver results on a bold, new vision for ThanksUSA." "The need to close the financial gap for military families seeking higher education is clear and compelling, and the $100 Million Strong campaign will help to do just that," said Schmiegel. "While the post-9/11 G.I. Bill has supported many, it simply isn't enough for the hundreds of thousands of families serving on active duty with multiple children and only one source of income." According to the 2014 Demographics Report published by Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy, the ratio of active-duty members to family members is 1 to 1.4 with more than 560,000 service members claiming 1.1 million children as dependents. "With 700,000 spouses and more than 100,000 children aged 17 to 22 in active-duty households across the country, college affordability has become one of the greatest burdens on military families," added Schmiegel. "Yet, it is an issue that goes largely unnoticed by corporations, organizations, and individuals who are looking for meaningful ways to support men and women serving in the armed forces." To achieve "$100 Million Strong" over the next 10 years, the charity will work together with 25 to 30 companies through its newly formed ThanksUSA Corporate Council with a commitment to 1) granting scholarships in locations where the companies have a large presence and in academic disciplines that match specific needs or skills gaps in the industries they represent; 2) engaging their employee resource groups to provide tutoring, mentoring, and networking events for scholarship recipients; 3) providing internship and work-study programs that allow scholars to apply what they are learning at school; 4) offering, where practical, full-time employment for scholars who graduate and have proven themselves as valued employees during internships and work-study opportunities; and 5) sharing best practices to help other members of the Corporate Council achieve excellence. Launched in 2006, ThanksUSA has provided scholarships for university, college and post-secondary vocational education to nearly 3,700 recipients in all 50 states and the District of Columbia with a total value of $11.1 million. In 2015, ThanksUSA awarded 257 scholarships, reaching roughly 11 percent of the 2,400 military spouses and children who applied. About ThanksUSA: ThanksUSA is a non-partisan, charitable effort to mobilize Americans of all ages to "thank" the men and women of the United States Armed Forces. The organization provides college, technical and vocational school scholarships to the children and spouses of military personnel. For more information, visit www.ThanksUSA.org. CONTACT: Michele Stork 703-855-4108 [email protected] SOURCE ThanksUSA Related Links http://www.thanksusa.org NEW YORK, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Love, Live & Screw Ups is not only among the most highly anticipated web series of the summer, but it is also the first web series to come out of Bollywood. Celebrities and media are expected to attend the launch that is slated for June 16th in New York. Love, Live & Screw Ups is presented by Movies Masti Magic Studios in association with Shantketan Films and Gulamani Production House. Shadab Kahan Zeenat Aman The world of pop-culture is ripe for a romantic comedy, but it takes New Delhi's popular radio announcer and television anchor, Shadab Khan, to capture it with love for the fans. As a beloved cast member, Khan makes his acting debut in the web series that will be ten interconnected episodes that follows a group of young people around as they strain under the weight of their friendships, relationships, love affairs and break ups. The series is led by director Kapil Kaustubh Sharma who announced a cast of Bollywood legends Zeenat Aman, Dolly Thakore, Mita Vashist, Kapil Kaustubh Sharma and Yuvraaj Parashar and opted for a diverse cast from television actors, reality stars and supermodels. The show also features music from Nikhil Kamath and veteran composer, Bappi Lahiri. Web makers are counting on this all-star cast to draw in the large Indian communities as they are launching the series in additional US cities, Europe and Mumbai. Upon returning to India, Shadab Khan will continue co-hosting Good Morning Anjan and is already preparing for a second web series. Additionally, he will be appearing on a television serial and has a leading role in an upcoming Bollywood movie. Media Contact Shauky Gulamani (323) 804-1738 Email Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160526/372568 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160526/372567 SOURCE Gulamani Production House CHICAGO, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- When Middle School music teacher Mr. Justin Taylor Nixon gave his students at Sacred Heart Schools Chicago an assignment to write a poem, lyrics, rap or spoken word, he didn't know what to expect. He simply asked, "What do you want to say?" He intentionally left the creative writing assignment broad so his students were compelled to write what was on their minds. What he didn't expect was that the news of the day the Paris bombings, the San Bernadino shooting, racial tensions in the U.S. would have such a profound impact on the students and what they were feeling. From more than 200 writing submissions, a common theme stood out one of social justice, action and acceptance of all. Inspired by their words, the song Stand Up was written and set to music. It was first performed at the Middle School Music Concert in January and immediately Mr. Nixon and his students felt the power of their message and knew they wanted to share it with the world. After months of preparation, Stand Up debuts today on iTunes and Google Play for $0.99 and, to help spread their message of peace and impel greater action, the students and Mr. Nixon agreed that 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit Howard Area Community Center, which serves disadvantaged youth and families in neighboring Rogers Park. "It is a dream come true to finally share our song with our friends and family, and now the world," said Gellila A., 7th grade Academy student whose spoken word is included as the rap portion of Stand Up. "I hope the messages in the song inspire our generation to stand up and make this a better world for all." Mr. Nixon, a published composer and accomplished performer, has worked in the Sacred Heart network of schools for more than 8 years, but has only been at the Chicago school for 3 years. He said he was so struck by the compassion and motivation in the student's writings, that he knew he needed to put the words to music. "I realized about 70% of the students wrote about issues surrounding diversity, injustice, terrorism, the need to stand up for our beliefs, the need to reach out to those hurting, the need to be strong in our beliefs and ideals," said Mr. Nixon. "I was overwhelmed by this and realized this needed to be the theme of our collective project. I'm so happy that our song is being shared beyond our school and will benefit our global community. It's an incredible opportunity for our students to see their work help others." Inspired by the Goals & Criteria of Sacred Heart Founded in 1876 as the Academy of the Sacred Heart for Girls, and in 1935 adding Hardey Preparatory for Boys, Sacred Heart Schools are independent, Catholic elementary schools that serve 700 children in kindergarten through 8th grade. The schools are committed to academic excellence in a diverse and inclusive Christian community. The essence of this educational vision and tradition is articulated in the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart Schools. The five goals and criteria include: A personal and active faith in God A deep respect for intellectual values A social awareness that impels to action A building of community as a Christian value Personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom Nat Wilburn, Head of Schools, recognized the importance of this song and the collective work of Mr. Nixon and his Middle School Students, which is why he decided to give the students an opportunity to professionally record and distribute Stand Up. Members of the Glee Club accompanied Mr. Nixon to Uptown Recording, 4656 Clifton Ave in Chicago, to lay down the professional track. "I'm so proud of this collaboration from our Middle School led by Mr. Nixon," said Wilburn. "This song is a true example of our students living the mission of Sacred Heart to teach social awareness and impel action. I hope this song inspires others to live this way too." Stand Up is now available on iTunes, Google Play and other sites for $0.99 and 100% of the proceeds from the song will be donated to Howard Area Community Center, on behalf of the Sacred Heart Schools Chicago. The mission of Howard Area Community Center is to assist low-income individuals and families in the greater Rogers Park and adjacent communities to stabilize their lives and to develop the social skills necessary to become effective community members. In order to accomplish this mission, the agency's programs provide emergency intervention, family stabilization, and promote developmental growth. For more information about Sacred Heart Schools Chicago, visit shschicago.org. For more information about Howard Area Community Center, visit howardarea.org. About Sacred Heart Schools Founded in 1876 as the Academy of the Sacred Heart for Girls, and in 1935 adding Hardey Preparatory for Boys, Sacred Heart Schools are independent, Catholic elementary schools that serve 700 children in kindergarten through 8th grade. Rooted in the 200-year history and traditions of the Society of the Sacred Heart and shared with the Network of Sacred Heart Schools located on every major continent, including 24 schools in the United States and Canada, the schools are committed to academic excellence in a diverse and inclusive Christian community. SOURCE Sacred Heart Schools Chicago Related Links http://shschicago.org HIGH WYCOMBE, England, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Spinnaker Support, the fastest growing third-party support, managed services, and consulting services provider for SAP and Oracle software applications, reports that switching to third-party support from software publisher-provided support has been identified by Dun & Bradstreet as a "smart strategy" for optimising business costs in India. These findings were releases on 13 May 2016 at the Business Connect Conclave event hosted by Dun & Bradstreet in association with Spinnaker Support and Star Business Partners. The inaugural event grew out of the need for Indian organisations to share "smart strategies" for optimizing business costs. New Research Report Available Now: Smart Strategies for Business Cost Optimisation An Indian Perspective This report brings out the importance of business cost optimisation, specifically in terms of support servicesfor ERP systems. Througha selection of case studies, the report highlights the strategies implemented by enterprises to reduce their business costs through the effective use and maintenance of ERP systems. The report's Experts View section encapsulates the growing importance of cost optimisation in Indian businesses today. Showcased in the report is an Insights Section, which involved conducting a study on prominent enterprises having operations in India. Access a copy of the report. Inaugural Event: Business Connect Conclave 2016 Dun & Bradstreet's new research was introduced to over 100 senior executives attending the Business Connect Conclave 2016, an event hosted by Spinnaker Support, Star Business Partners, and Dun & Bradstreet. 70% of the attendees are currently running SAP applications with the remainder running Oracle applications or technology. "The Conclave was tremendously well received by attendees, exceeding even our lofty expectations," stated Nigel Pullan, Vice President of EMEA and Asia-Pacific for Spinnaker Support Ltd, "Enterprises are taking a closer look at the value received from their software support and maintenance spend. Although technology models have changed dramatically over the last 25 years, the maintenance model has largely remained the same except it has become more expensive. Increasingly more Indian companies are looking to Spinnaker Support to reduce maintenance costs and redirect investment towards more innovative areas like cloud, mobile technology, and big data." The Business Connect Conclave 2016 event showcased a panel discussion entitled, The Strategic Shift from Cost Reduction Measures to Business Cost Optimisation. Panelists included CIOs and CFOs from Jindal Steel and Power Company, Canon India Private Ltd, Micromax Informatics Ltd, and UEM India Private Ltd. "Third-party ERP support providers are helping businesses achieve their cost optimisation goals with higher quality and more responsive support," said Vipal Anand, Group Chief Information Officer of Jundal Steel and Power Company. "Indian organisations are finding that third-party support is a smart way to minimise the disruption in business continuity caused by coerced ERP upgrades - especially since the desired functionality already exists in their current, stable versions." About Spinnaker Support Spinnaker Support is now the fastest growing global provider of third-party support, managed services, and consulting for Oracle and SAP enterprise software and database applications. According to our more than 500 clients, spanning 77 countries, we consistently deliver a higher caliber of service for a fraction of what they've previously paid to the ERP vendors. Spinnaker Support is headquartered in Denver, Colorado with regional operations centers located in London, Mumbai, Singapore, and Tel Aviv. We support more than 4,000 instances of Oracle E-Business Suite, JD Edwards, Siebel CRM, Oracle Technology, Hyperion, SAP, and Business Objects for enterprises of all sizes and industry segments. To learn more about Spinnaker Support, visit www.spinnakersupport.com, call +44 (0)20 8242 1785 internationally or 877-476-0576 in the U.S./Canada. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, or Google+. About Dun & Bradstreet Dun & Bradstreet grows the most valuable relationships in business. By uncovering truth and meaning from data, we connect customers with the prospects, suppliers, clients and partners that matter most, and have since 1841. Nearly ninety percent of the Fortune 500 and companies of every size around the world, rely on our data, insights and analytics. Customers use D&B Risk Management Solutions to mitigate risk, increase cash flow and drive increased profitability, D&B Sales & Marketing Solutions to manage your master data, analyse markets, locate prospects and increase revenue from new and existing customers. D&B Economic Analysis Group for solution-oriented analyses of strategic economic and business developments, thereby aiding informed decision making. D&B Learning Solutions to facilitate professional growth. About Star Business Partners Star Business Solutions India is the market Leader in SAP consulting and a premier technology solution provider. As a trusted advisor to some of world's most respected brands, the team is made up of SAP professionals who have rich consulting and business mapping experience. They have a successful track record of working with domestic and international clients offering industry specific solutions, and they have a proven track record of client satisfaction and on time project completion. Learn more at www.starbusiness.co.in. Spinnaker Support Contact: Michelle Wilkinson 720-457-5442 [email protected] SOURCE Spinnaker Support Related Links http://www.spinnakersupport.com At The Carrington Companies, our Associates take great pride in providing ongoing support to Veterans. Our Carrington Charitable Foundation (CCF) ( carringtoncf.org ) proudly honors the sacrifices made by our military members and their families, directly through our Signature Program, Carrington House, and through donations to organizations like the Veterans Airlift Command, which provides free air transportation to wounded Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan). CCF's signature program, Carrington House, funds and builds custom adaptive homes across the United States that meet the unique needs of wounded Veterans. All of the money raised by Carrington House is allocated directly toward the construction of these homes. Carrington House currently has two homes in progress: one for U.S. Army Major Scott Smiley and his wife, Tiffany, and their three children, and one for U.S. Army Master Sergeant David Glenn (Ret.) and his wife, Robin, and their two children. CCF has purchased the land, and construction has started on the future home site of U.S. Army Major Scott Smiley and family. Major Smiley, a Ranger and combat-diver-qualified infantryman, is the Army's first active-duty blind officer, and the first blind company commander. On April 6, 2005, Major Smiley lost the use of both eyes when a suicide bomber blew himself up 30 meters in front of his vehicle. Major Smiley was decorated with the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, was named "Soldier of the Year" in 2007 by The Army Times and was honored with the 2008 ESPY Award as the World's Best Outdoor Athlete. The home for U.S. Army Master Sergeant David Glenn, a retired Special Forces medic, and his family is currently in the planning and design phase in North Carolina. In 2004, Master Sergeant Glenn ran over a large explosive device during his third tour in Afghanistan, leaving him in a coma for a month. He lost his right leg, ring finger, teeth and suffered brain damage. His left leg was amputated a year and half later. The Glenn family is in conversations with architects to discuss their needs, and we expect to break ground for their home site in August. At Carrington, we are proud to support Major Smiley, Master Sergeant Glenn and their families, and look forward to the day we can welcome them into their new homes. As our nation remembers the service and sacrifice of previous generations, we recognize the men and women serving in uniform today continue an honored tradition of service to our country. Nearly 200,000 of these soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines currently serve the cause of freedom beyond our shores, protecting us far from home, and will not be able to spend this holiday with their loved ones. This Memorial Day, on behalf of The Carrington Companies, we thank our nation's Veterans. We are forever grateful for their dedication and sacrifice. Media Contact Edward Pittman Office: (469) 344-4465 Mobile: (214) 533-6741 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160526/372793 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150329/195104LOGO SOURCE The Carrington Companies Related Links http://www.carringtonhc.com NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Leadspace, the predictive analytics choice of more leading B2B brands than any other vendor, today announced three pioneers of enterprise B2B demand generation have joined their Customer Advisory Board. They will provide Leadspace with advice and guidance to meet the evolving business challenges faced by B2B marketers. Board Members Are Pioneers in B2B Marketing, Lead Generation and Account-Based Marketing The new Customer Advisory Board members are: Charles Eichenbaum, Director of Marketing Technologies and Operations, Microsoft Eric Lewis, AVP of Demand Generation, RingCentral Jason Seeba, Chief Marketing Technologist, BloomReach B2B Demand Generation Succeeds with the Best Analytics and Data, Combined with Domain Expertise "Predictive analytics has become a valuable component in the marketing technology stack for B2B marketers who want a more effective, data-driven approach to find new customers, increase lead conversion and ultimately, drive more pipeline. But some B2B marketers haven't seen the results they expected," said Leadspace CEO Doug Bewsher. "For predictive analytics to provide real value, it absolutely must integrate with a marketer's existing technology and workflow, and solve the business problems they define," he continued. "Predictive analytics must serve the marketer, not the other way around. The best way for a vendor like Leadspace to ensure that is to continually validate our approach with experienced marketers like Charles, Eric and Jason." Board Member Charles Eichenbaum Recognized by SiriusDecisions with 2016 ROI Award for Microsoft's Demand Creation Engine Eichenbaum was honored with the 2016 ROI Award for demand creation Wednesday at SiriusDecisions' 11th Annual Summit in Nashville, Tennessee. The award is a highlight of the event and was presented during a main keynote. SiriusDecisions singled out Microsoft to receive its highest ROI recognition in the category of demand creation because of "Microsoft's construction of a next-generation, comprehensive demand creation engine at significant scale." All Three Board Members Have Driven Significant ROI with Leadspace Eichenbaum used Leadspace as a core component of Microsoft's demand creation engine, in conjunction with Microsoft Azure Machine Learning, to provide predictive scoring and contact enrichment. Lewis, AVP of Demand Generation at RingCentral, transformed the cloud business communication solutions provider's inbound lead program with an account-based marketing approach, using Leadspace for lead enrichment and lead-to-account matching. The program led to a significant boost in pipeline while reducing data costs and boosting sales productivity. Seeba, Chief Marketing Technologist at BloomReach, created a net-new lead discovery program with Leadspace and was an early adopter of account-based marketing. BloomReach provides organic search, personalized site-search and digital marketing and merchandising applications. Since becoming a Leadspace customer three years ago, BloomReach has sourced nearly 80 percent of the leads that later turn into pipeline directly from Leadspace. Smart Customers Push Predictive Analytics to Greater ROI "These are three of the most innovative, data-driven and results-oriented lead-generation marketers in B2B," said Leadspace CEO Doug Bewsher. "They are the best kind of customer, continually pushing us to make Leadspace more valuable as a platform in concrete, bottom-line, ROI terms." "The advances they have driven in Leadspace benefit all our customers," said Leadspace Founder and CTO Amnon Mishor. "It's a pleasure to work with such smart people. The insights we get from them are vital to making sure we're providing what our customers need most." About Leadspace Leadspace is the only vendor offering predictive applications built on a Virtual Data Management Platform for B2B demand generation. Used by four of the five largest enterprise software companies, Leadspace helps marketers find and target ideal prospects through net-new discovery, on-demand enrichment and predictive scoring. Leadspace is trusted by more than 120 leading B2B brands including Oracle, Microsoft, Marketo, RingCentral and BloomReach. The company is based in San Francisco and Tel Aviv and backed by Battery Ventures, JVP and Vertex. www.leadspace.com SOURCE Leadspace Related Links http://www.leadspace.com NEW YORK, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Everyone knows about Virtual Reality - a technology which creates a whole new fantasy world around one which they think is real. This is the future technology which will change the way one looks at the things around. It replicates an environment which is may be real and may be imagined. Where VR impresses everyone, some have their criticism too, but all one can see right now is its positive side which is going to utilize VR at its best and a better future of course. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160309/794763 ) There are many areas where people get to see the magic of Virtual Reality such as gaming, mobile applications, advanced camera features, film studios etc., but most handy tool to experience this technology is game development and mobile application development. Hyperlink Infosystem is one of the leading mobile application company which has done tremendous work on virtual reality both in game development and mobile apps. This company has created one of the world's top games on Virtual Reality which will thrill one to the core. 'Zombie Abomination' is one of its master piece and there are many more to come. According to the CEO of Hyperlink Infosystem, Mr. Harnil Oza, many game development companies are right now on the path of creating high-end gaming apps on Virtual Reality but they want stand out from the crowd and make difference. He is of the opinion that the world will soon experience the power of Virtual Reality and they would love the change it will bring. This promising company is surely leading the way to become the most successful Virtual Reality game development company. The company sees a bright future for Virtual Reality through these kinds of game app development. About Hyperlink Infosystem Hyperlink Infosystem is one of the most prominent app development companies that has laid its foundation back in the year 2011. It is also considered to be one of the best Virtual Reality Game Development Company. The company is engaged in providing excellent and reasonable mobile application solution in all the available platforms to its clients. Hyperlink Infosystem also contributes in off-shore solutions across various countries like Canada, Japan, UK and USA with its software development hub situated in India. Contact Details: Hyperlink Infosystem Harnil Oza +1 805-744-1224 [email protected] SOURCE Hyperlink Infosystem OAK BROOK, Ill., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- TreeHouse Foods, Inc. (NYSE: THS) will host a live audio Webcast of its second quarter earnings results conference call on Thursday, August 4, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. EDT. Management will discuss the results for the second quarter and its outlook for the balance of 2016. An earnings release will be issued before the market opens on the same date. The Webcast will last approximately one hour and will be accessible by visiting http://www.treehousefoods.com and by clicking on "Investor Relations," "Investor Overview." In order to listen to the Webcast, users will need to have installed either Real Player or Windows Media Player software, which can be detected and downloaded by visiting the site. A Webcast replay will be available for one year following the event within the "Investor Relations," "Earnings Call Archives" section of the Company's website. ABOUT TREEHOUSE FOODS TreeHouse Foods, Inc. is a manufacturer of packaged foods and beverages with more than 50 manufacturing facilities across the United States, Canada and Italy that focuses primarily on private label products for both retail grocery and food away from home customers. We manufacture shelf stable, refrigerated, frozen and fresh products, including beverages and beverage enhancers (single serve beverages, coffees, teas, creamers, powdered beverages and smoothies); meals (cereal, pasta, macaroni and cheese and side dishes); retail bakery (refrigerated and frozen dough); condiments (pourable and spoonable dressing, dips, pickles, soups and sauces) and healthy snacks (nuts, trail mix, bars, dried fruits and vegetables). We have a comprehensive offering of packaging formats and flavor profiles, and we also offer natural, organic and preservative free ingredients in many categories. Our strategy is to be the leading supplier of private label food and beverage products by providing the best balance of quality and cost to our customers. Additional information, including TreeHouse's most recent statements on Forms 10-Q and 10-K, may be found at TreeHouse's website, http://www.treehousefoods.com. SOURCE TreeHouse Foods, Inc. Related Links http://www.treehousefoods.com LAVAL, Quebec, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. (NYSE: VRX) (TSX: VRX) ("Valeant") today announced that Sam Eldessouky has been named Senior Vice President and Corporate Controller effective May 31, 2016. Mr. Eldessouky, who has over 20 years of experience in accounting and finance, joins Valeant from Tyco International Plc, where he served since 2004, most recently as Senior Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer. As a Senior Vice President and Corporate Controller, Mr. Eldessouky will be responsible for directing global accounting and financial reporting activities to ensure accurate and timely compliance with all internal and external requirements, and he will drive efficiencies and standardization throughout the global accounting function to enhance the monthly close, consolidations, controls and reporting processes. Mr. Eldessouky will report directly to Valeant's Chief Financial Officer, Robert Rosiello. "Sam is an experienced professional with a proven track record of delivering results in a complex, global public company, and we're pleased to have him lead Valeant's financial reporting efforts going forward," said Robert Rosiello, executive vice president and chief financial officer. "Financial reporting remains a key area of focus for us, and we look forward to Sam's contributions as we enhance and bolster our reporting structure and policies, and rebuild trust among investors," stated Joseph C. Papa, chairman and chief executive officer. As Senior Vice President, Controller, and Chief Accounting Officer for Tyco since 2011, Mr. Eldessouky was responsible for overseeing the finance shared services functions, external reporting, technical accounting, operational controllership, valuation and M&A accounting, treasury accounting, global consolidation, internal controls, accounting policy and training programs. During his tenure, Mr. Eldessouky led the efforts to redesign the controller's organization and the implementation of Enterprise Performance Management framework, and he played a significant role in the wholesale turnaround of Tyco's business. He also played a key role in executing the spin-off of Covidien and Tyco Electronics in 2006 and ADT NA and Flow Control in 2012. Prior to this role, Mr. Eldessouky served in a variety of positions at Tyco including Vice President and Assistant Controller. Before joining Tyco, Mr. Eldessouky spent ten years at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), where he held several roles of increasing responsibility and served in PwC's National Office providing technical accounting guidance on complex accounting matters. Mr. Eldessouky has a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from Ain Shams University, and a Masters in Accounting and Finance from the University of Liverpool. He is a Certified Public Accountant and Chartered Global Management Accountant. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Financial Executives International. Mr. Eldessouky served as a member of the Global Preparers Forum, an external advisory body to the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) from 2007 2013 and currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustee of the Financial Executives Research Foundation (FERF). About Valeant Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. (NYSE/TSX:VRX) is a multinational specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of pharmaceutical products primarily in the areas of dermatology, gastrointestinal disorders, eye health, neurology and branded generics. More information about Valeant can be found at www.valeant.com. Contact Information: Laurie W. Little 949-461-6002 [email protected] Elif McDonald 905-695-7607 [email protected] Media: Renee Soto or Chris Kittredge/Jared Levy Sard Verbinnen & Co. 212-687-8080 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101025/LA87217LOGO SOURCE Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. Related Links http://www.valeant.com MEMPHIS, Tenn., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Verso Corporation (OTCPink: VRSZQ) announced today that the bankruptcy court presiding over Verso's Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding yesterday authorized Verso to reject a specialty paper supply contract with Expera Specialty Solutions. The contract with Expera, which was an element of the sale by International Paper Company of its industrial papers business to Thilmany, LLC in 2005, had a 12-year term expiring in 2017. The contract required Verso, as the assignee of International Paper, to manufacture specialty paper on the A5 paper machine at its Androscoggin mill in Jay, Maine, for sale to Expera, as the successor to Thilmany, at a price essentially equivalent to Verso's cost of producing the paper. By virtue of the bankruptcy court's order, the Expera contract now is rejected, which is essentially a termination of the contract that is authorized by federal bankruptcy law. Moving forward from the rejection of the Expera contract, Verso intends to continue producing for its own account a portfolio of proven lightweight machine glazed papers for release liner, oil and grease resistant and flexible packaging applications. Verso intends to begin accepting and fulfilling customers' orders for these products starting today. Verso's goal is to ensure that customers continue to receive uninterrupted access to the specialty paper produced on the A5 paper machine. "The capabilities of the A5 paper machine make it a natural fit in Verso's manufacturing network and existing specialty papers portfolio," stated Mike Weinhold, Verso's Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Product Development. "Although, for the past 11 years, Verso's name has not been directly associated with the products made on the A5 paper machine, Verso has operated the machine and has ensured that the paper produced on it maintains a reputation for high quality and consistent performance. Verso's expertise in and commitment to the specialty papers market will allow us to seamlessly return the A5 paper machine to our flexible manufacturing network and to derive considerable benefits for Verso, the Androscoggin mill, our specialty papers customers, and other stakeholders." About Verso Verso Corporation is the turn-to company for those looking to successfully navigate the complexities of paper sourcing and performance. The leading North American producer of printing and specialty papers and pulp, Verso provides insightful solutions that help drive improved customer efficiency, productivity, brand awareness and business results. Verso's long-standing reputation for quality and reliability is directly tied to our vision to be a company with passion that is respected and trusted by all. Verso's passion is rooted in ethical business practices that demand safe workplaces for our employees and sustainable wood sourcing for our products. This passion, combined with our flexible manufacturing capabilities and an unmatched commitment to product performance, delivery and service, make Verso a preferred choice among commercial printers, paper merchants and brokers, converters, publishers and other end users. For more information, visit us online at versoco.com. Forward-Looking Statements In this press release, all statements that are not purely historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "plan," "estimate," "intend," "potential" and other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on currently available business, economic, financial and other information and reflect management's current beliefs, expectations and views with respect to future developments and their potential effects on Verso. Actual results could vary materially depending on risks and uncertainties that may affect Verso and its business. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, please refer to Verso's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Verso assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement made in this press release to reflect subsequent events or circumstances or actual outcomes. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151104/283769LOGO SOURCE Verso Corporation Related Links http://versoco.com Greek police on Thursday completed the evacuation of the sprawling border camp of Idomeni by removing nearly 800 migrants, a police source said. "We're done. No more people remain, just tents with supplies belonging to aid groups," the officer told AFP. In the space of three days, police transferred about 4,000 migrants by bus from Idomeni to newly-created camps in the industrial outskirts of Greece's second city Thessaloniki. But most of the 8,400 people at the camp when the operation began on Tuesday refused to join the operation, the officer said. "Most of them have gone outside gas stations and hotels nearby, or have walked to camps on their own," the officer said. Idomeni camp had become a potent symbol of human suffering and chaos as Europe struggles with its worst migrant crisis since World War II. The camp reached over 12,000 people, who spent a brutal winter in freezing rain and mud after Macedonia and other Balkan states closed their borders in mid-February to stem the influx to northern Europe. Many tried to force their way across the border, sometimes resulting in violent encounters with Macedonian police. Search Keywords: Short link: The online curriculum used at WYVA is rigorous and engaging, including courses in language arts/English, math, science, history, world languages, art and music, as well as over 100 elective and Advanced Placement courses for high school students. College- or career-minded students can choose from a broad range of profession-focused CTE courses in order to gain a competitive edge for the future, discover their path after high school or explore a possible college major. "Our graduates are embarking on their next journey higher education, technical training, service experience or the first steps in a career," said Nicole Tiley, Head of School at Wyoming Virtual Academy. "We are so proud to have been part of their preparation for that journey and of the way these students have learned to thrive and take initiative." Tina Borcher delivered an address to the graduates during the ceremony, which also included a formal presentation of diplomas. Many WYVA teachers and staff were in attendance to recognize the students' achievements. Graduates are expected to pursue higher education at institutions including University of Wyoming, Ohio State University, Colorado State University and Wyoming Community College WYVA senior (Name) Thomas Mitchell is this year's Valedictorian, and he addressed his fellow graduates at the ceremony. He plans to attend the University of Wyoming and study computer science. For more information about Wyoming Virtual Academy, visit http://wyva.k12.com/ About Wyoming Virtual Academy Wyoming Virtual Academy (WYVA) is an accredited, full-time online public school that serves Wyoming students in grades K through 12. A school program of Niobrara County School District #1, WYVA is tuition-free, giving parents and families the choice to access the award-winning curriculum and tools provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's largest provider of proprietary curriculum and online education programs. For more information about WYVA, visit http://wyva.k12.com/. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150325/194429 SOURCE Wyoming Virtual Academy SHANGHAI, May 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Yooya has appointed John Steere as the company's Chief Marketing Officer, effective immediately. Steere returns to Greater China where he has a fifteen-year track record in marketing and advertising agency management. Working closely with Yooya CEO Rick Myers, Steere will join the company's leadership team and be responsible for leading Yooya's sales and marketing efforts across Greater China and Asia Pacific. "John brings tremendous China marketing experience to his leadership of the Yooya team," said Myers. "He will play a vital role in expanding Yooya's partnerships with leading brands and agencies in Greater China and across the region." John has had a long career in consumer and shopper marketing, digital, and strategic planning. He first arrived in Chongqing in 1984, and was most recently Regional MD for Asia Pacific at Vivid Brand, a leading shopper marketing agency that was purchased by Publicis Groupe in 2015. Prior to that, Steere was CMO at McCann Worldwide Greater China, as well as MD for Momentum China. John has held various management roles throughout China and Asia on both the client and agency sides, with Saatchi & Saatchi, Visa International, Gartner, and others. Steere's career successes include working with local and multinational brands to increase engagement with consumers in China and Asia Pacific. Steere was born in Vietnam and is of Chinese and American ancestry. John Possman, Chairman of Yooya, commented, "With the technology, distribution and content partnerships we already have in place, the vital next step for us was to bring on Steere, a seasoned China professional, to further drive our brand and sales efforts." John Steere said, "I'm delighted to return to China, home to the largest and most dynamic online video market in the world and nearly 500 million avid video consumers. I'm excited to be part of the Yooya mission to deliver to brands and advertisers the most effective solutions available for connecting with this amazing audience." About Yooya Yooya is one of China's fastest growing online video networks and provides comprehensive content distribution, rights management, and video-based advertising solutions. Yooya's one-stop, technology-driven approach to online video in China delivers broader distribution, better data & analytics, superior monetization, and more effective video advertising solutions. Media Contact: John Steere, Chief Marketing Officer Tel: +86 (21) 6385-8880 Email: [email protected] Website: www.yooya.co SOURCE Yooya Related Links http://www.yooya.co/ Related Microsoft sues US over secret warrants to search email Microsoft Corp announced more big cuts to its smartphone business on Wednesday, just two years after it bought handset maker Nokia in an ill-fated attempt to take on market leaders Apple and Samsung. The U.S. company said it would shed up to 1,850 jobs, most of them in Finland, and write down $950 million from the business. It did not say how many employees currently work on smartphones in the group as a whole. A Finnish union representative told Reuters the cuts would essentially put an end to Microsoft's development of new phones. "My understanding is that Windows 10 will go on as an operating system, but there will be no more phones made by Microsoft," said Kalle Kiili, a shop steward. Microsoft said in a statement it would continue to develop the Windows 10 platform and support its Lumia smartphones, but gave no comment on whether it would develop new Windows phones. Microsoft bought Nokia's once-dominant handset business for about $7.2 billion in 2014, but failed to turn the business around and last year announced $7.5 billion of writedowns and 7,800 job cuts. Global market share of Windows smartphones fell below 1 percent in the first quarter of 2016, according to research firm Gartner. Earlier this month, Microsoft sold its entry-level feature phones business for $350 million. The company said on Wednesday it expected to cut all 1,350 jobs at its Finnish mobile phone unit and close down a research and development site in the country. A further 500 jobs will go in other countries, it said, without giving details. "We are focusing our phone efforts where we have differentiation," said chief executive Satya Nadella in a statement. "We will continue to innovate across devices and on our cloud services across all mobile platforms." Nokia dominated around 40 percent of the world's mobile phone industry in 2008 before it was eclipsed by the rise of touch-screen smartphones. As a result, Nokia and Microsoft have slashed thousands of Finnish jobs over the past decade, and the lack of substitute jobs is the main reason for the country's current economic stagnation. "We have a very difficult situation at hand... We must quickly secure that new jobs can be found and created," Economy Minister Olli Rehn told a news conference. Nokia, now focused on telecom network equipment, just last week said it was cutting around 1,000 jobs in Finland following its acquisition of Franco-American rival Alcatel-Lucent. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's energy subsidy bill reached 41 billion Egyptian pounds ($4.62 billion) during the first nine months of the 2015-16 financial year, down 27 percent from 56 billion in 2014-2015, an oil ministry official told Reuters on Thursday. Oil Minister Tarek El Molla said on Tuesday that the bill would reach between EGP45 and EGP48 billion for the full year. Egypt set the subsidy bill for the next fiscal year, due to start this July, at EGP35 billion. The new budget slashes its total subsidy bill by 14 percent in the coming fiscal year 2016/17 compared to the current fiscal year to end in June, according to the latest data from the finance ministry. The 2016/17 draft budget published on the ministrys website on Sunday showed the total subsidy registering EGP 130.1 billion. Egypt embarked on a fiscal reform programme in July 2014 in an attempt to curb the growing state budget deficit through cutting subsidies and introducing new taxes, including the value added tax. Search Keywords: Short link: Related Egypt raises drug prices to battle shortage Egypt imposed a EGP 6 ceiling per pack on the increase in the price of medicines, after a number of pharmacists and drug companies circumvented an earlier decision to raise fixed prices, MENA agency quoted health minister Ahmed Emad Eddin as saying on Thursday. The ceiling limits the increase in prices of packs, not strips, of all medicines. Last week, Egypt increased the price of medicines under EGP 30 by 20 percent in an effort to tackle a shortage in supply driven by rising costs. Since then, local media have reported that some medicines priced per tablet strip saw price hikes more than 20 percent as the number of strips per pack decreased. The ministry of health has prepared a list of 1,200 medicines specifying their prices after the increase to limit any room for manipulation, said Emad Eddin on Thursday. The decision is effective immediately and the new lists prepared by the health ministry will be the reference for the fixed prices, added Emad Eddin. The local drug industry has long demanded raising the fixed prices for medicine to cope with rising prices and costs of raw materials. The industry has also been hit by a hard currency crunch, hampering the imports of raw materials representing more than 90 percent of input. Search Keywords: Short link: New Delhi, May 24 : Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said there is no threat to India from Islamic State (IS) as people of the Muslim community are against the IS. "Along with the alertness of the security, the Muslims in India are against the IS. They cannot grow in India as Muslims won't allow them," Singh said in an interview to ETV. Speaking about underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, Singh said: "He would be nabbed and brought back to India." "Dawood is an international terrorist and there is need to take the help of international agencies to nab him. All the relevant documents against Dawood have been given to Pakistan," the home minister said. Singh claimed that in last two years the internal security of the nation has been strengthened and Terrorism, Naxalism and Maoism was controlled to a large extent. He said both official and non-official reports justify this. On Pathankot attack, the minister said the security agencies have given right reply to the January 2 attack. Singh also said Congress was gradually "losing people's faith". "In coming days Congress will lose its political clout," the minister said. When asked about the "surgery" needed in Congress, Singh said: "It is their internal matter", adding that there was a need for Congress to introspect. Washington, May 26 : The US has lifted all nuclear-related sanctions as promised in the nuclear deal with Iran, but has not changed the primary US embargo on Tehran, said an official of the US Treasury Department on Wednesday. The US will continue to prohibit Americans from investing in Iran, importing or exporting to Iran most goods or services, or otherwise engaging in commercial or financial dealings with most Iranian persons or companies, Xinhua quoted Adam Szubin, acting under secretary of the Treasury Department, as saying. He said the embargo long pre-dates Washington's concerns with Tehran's nuclear programme. "Along these lines, let me also say clearly that we have not promised, nor do we have any plans, to give Iran access to the US financial system," Szubin said before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. On Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Szubin reiterated that it was in the national security interest of the US to ensure that the deal "works as intended and stands the test of time". "Iran's breakout time has been extended to beyond one year, and we are all safer because of it," he said. On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif urged the US and the European countries to take practical steps to implement the nuclear deal. The countries involved in the nuclear talks and the concluding agreement with Iran have abided by their JCPOA commitments, however, Iran expects more practical steps from them, Zarif said. Vatican City, May 26 : Pope Francis has prayed for both the victims of the string of the noxious terror attacks that rocked Syria this week, and those responsible for the blasts asking for God's compassion to "convert" their hearts. While speaking during his weekly audience in Saint Peter's Square on Wednesday Pope Francis asked God to "convert the hearts of those who sow death and destruction," RT online reported. He also prayed for "eternal rest to the victims" and "consolation to their relatives." He strongly condemned the fact that most victims were innocent civilians and voiced grief over the deaths of eight children. It was the duty of everyone to protect children, most of all those exposed to a high risk of exploitation, trafficking and deviant behaviours," the Pope said according to Catholic Herald. He went on to say that although "prayer is not a magic wand", it is "our daily bread, our powerful weapon and the staff for our journey." This is not the first time the pontiff has asked for God's compassion regarding the perpetrators of terror attacks. In 2015 he prayed for the culprits of the Charlie Hebdo shooting, when two gunmen opened fire at the satirical newspaper's office in Paris killing 12 people including the magazine's editor. "We pray, in this Mass, for the victims of this cruelty A so many of them A and we pray also for the perpetrators of such cruelty, that the Lord might change their heart," he said. On Monday a series of seven deadly coordinated blasts targeted Syrian cities of Tartus and Jableh killing over 150 people including children. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks that hit purely civilian sites including bus and railway stations and a hospital. Ranchi, May 26 : Districts without colleges, schools without desks, benches and electricity, and students moving out of the state to pursue an education. It's a grim reality but Jharkhand's Raghubar Das government is gearing up to change this for the better, an official said. "In the current financial year construction of 100 colleges, including polytechnic and technical institutions, have been undertaken which will be completed in the next two to three years," Higher and Technical Education Secretary Ajay Kumar Singh told IANS. A case of better late then never! Even 15 years after being carved out of Bihar, Jharkhand's education sector is in a shambles. Of the 81 assembly constituencies, 35 have got no college at all. In 11 districts there's not a single college for women. Jharkhand is one of the poorer states of India where poverty often forces youngsters to take up menial jobs or to simply migrate to other states. Education could have mitigated the situation, but lack of sufficient infrastructure often nixes that possibility, experts said. Jharkhand has 428 colleges, which includes polytechnics and technical colleges, but the state needs at least 1,000 such colleges, the experts say. According to Singh, the state government is moving in a phase-wise manner. There are plans to open at least one degree college in each assembly constituency. For bachelor's and master's degrees, there are only 65 constituent and 62 affiliated colleges in Jharkhand. If the number of students passing out is considered, then the state requires at least 300 such degree colleges. "We are trying to establish such institutions with private partners. To improve the quality of education and bring in investment in the education sector, five private university acts have been passed by the assembly. The five private universities will invest Rs.1,432 crore in the next five years," Singh added. The secretary also said that the government is planning on demand- and choice-based education which will focus on a student's employment prospects. "The state government will soon establish four professional colleges. There's not a single women's college in 11 districts and steps have been taken to address that," Singh asserted. In fact, the government has already allocated funds for setting up women's colleges in Simdega, Gumla, Lohardaga, Khunti, Koderma, Chatra, Ramgarh, Pakur, Sahebganj, Seraikela-Kharsawan and Latehar, sources said. However, as one education department official pointed out, huge funds are needed for establishing these colleges. "The state government has earmarked Rs.425 crore for 2016-17. But if the colleges are to be established as per the UGC guidelines then each college would require at least Rs.50 crore," the official said. Thus, the state government has flagged the union human resource development ministry. Funds have also been sought to improve the school infrastructure across Jharkhand. How has this lack of educational infrastructure impacted the state? It's a bleak picture as of now. Due to shortage of colleges and institutions, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Jharkhand is lower than the national average. According to an education department official, in Jharkhand there are eight institutions for every 100,000 students, while at the national level the figure is 25 institutions for every 100,000 students. GER is calculated on the basis of the number of colleges available for every 100,000 students in the age group of 18-23 years. "The national GER is 19.4 but in Jharkhand the GER is just 8.1," the official said. Secretary Singh said the government aims to notch this up to 32 percent by the end of 2022. Pushed by the government's efforts, several colleges have now begun evening classes to accommodate more students. The system will be replicated in polytechnics as well. Another problem that plagues educational institutions in the state is vacant posts of teachers. According to Singh, there are plans for mass recruitment to ensure the right teacher-student ratio in higher educational institutions. It now remains to be seen how successfully these strategies are implemented to improve Jharkhand's education indices. The sons and daughters of the state are waiting for the day when the state would shrug off its rickety image and be an equal partner in the nation's growth story. (Nityanand Shukla can be contacted at nityanand.s@ians.in) New Delhi, May 26 : Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that international pressure must be put on Pakistan to act against underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. "International pressure should be put on Pakistan to act against underworld don Dawood Ibrahim," Rajnath Singh said in an interview to a TV channel here marking two years of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. Dawood, the chief conspirator of the 1993 Mumbai blasts, is believed to be in Pakistan. The Indian government has from time to time provided Pakistan details of the underworld don's Pakistani passports and reported addresses there so as to locate and hand him over to New Delhi. Referring to the January 2 Pathankot airbase attack, Rajnath Singh said this kind of attack must not be repeated in the future. Terrorists of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohamed had attacked the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, killing seven security personnel. Attacking the Congress party for raising the Batla House encounter issue, the BJP leader said, "Politics over Batla House encounter must stop." He also refuted the opposition claims that the Prime Minister's Office is a super PMO. "Allegations of super PMO are baseless as all the decisions are taken after the cabinet meeting." Rajnath Singh said that the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is still intact and it was clearly visible during the recently concluded assembly elections in five states. The BJP won in the northeastern state of Assam for the first time. Patna, May 26 : Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's convoy was attacked on Thursday near Dumariah in Bihar. A police official told IANS that the villagers were angry over the delay by Manjhi, a local legislator, in meeting the family members of two brothers -- Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Sudesh Paswan and his brother Sunil Paswan -- killed by Maoists. According to police officials in Gaya, a vehicle of Manjhi's convoy was also set ablaze by the angry people. However, Manjhi's party Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and the LJP, both allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), blamed the supporters of the ruling Grand Alliance of Janata Dal-United (JD-U), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress for the attack. LJP leader Sudesh Paswan and his brother Sunil Paswan were killed in broad daylight near Tola Dubat in Gaya, about 100 km from here, by Maoists on Wednesday. Maoists also torched two cars and a motorcycle used in the campaigning in support of the slain LJP leader's wife, who is in the fray for the village chief's post. United Nations, May 26 : Argentine Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra has shaken up the race for the new UN secretary general with her late entry that makes her the 10th candidate and the fifth woman in an election tipped to favor a female. Malcorra, who put in her bid Monday about a month after the nine others had made their pitches to the General Assembly, is likely to have an inside track challenging European claims to the position. She was UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's Chef de Cabinet from 2012 to late last year and that position brought her in direct contact with most world leaders, foreign ministers and the highest levels of the international bureaucracy. An electronic engineer by training, she is a former IBM executive and has strong administrative credentials in the private sector and across the UN. On an issue of importance to India, Malcorra has continued Argentina's opposition to expanding the permanent membership of the Security Council. She has also served as the head of the UN Department of Field Operations, which provides logistic support to peacekeeping operations where India is heavily invested. Under the tradition of geographic rotation, it is the turn of a European to take the top global diplomatic post and East Europeans had staked their claim, asserting that no one from their region had held the job. Some countries and civil society organisations have been pressing the case for a woman to be made the secretary general for the first time in the UN's 70-year history. The eight East Europeans running for the office could now face tough competition from Malcorra as geographic rotation is only a tradition and not a rule. Already two others outside Eastern Europe -- Antonio Guterres, the former Portuguese prime minister and UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and Helen Clark, a former New Zealand prime minister who currently heads the UN Development Programme, are contesting. New Zealand belongs to the Western Europe and Others Group (WEOG) in the UN, giving Clark some claim to the geographic rotation, unlike Malcorra. Irina Bokova, a Bulgarian who is the director general of UNESCO, was considered a strong candidate as she met the criteria of being East European and a woman, while holding a high-level international office. Only one Latin American, Javier Perz de Cuellar of Peru, has been a secretary general, a position he held from 1982 to 1991. Till now, the secretary general was chosen in a secretive process of backroom bargaining by the Security Council - in reality by its five permanent members - and rubber stamped by the General Assembly. Although the permanent members of the Security Council still have the final say, for the first time the veil of secrecy has been lifted a bit. The candidates have been publicly announced and have appeared before the General Assembly to state their positions and answer questions from member states as well as representatives of civil society organisations. They have also been visiting national capitals, meeting privately with diplomats and appearing at other public forums. Now Malcorra - and any other late entrants - will also have to face the General Assembly. Malcorra has made several visits to the UN since taking over as foreign minister in December, keeping up her international profile. "The issue of making room for women is generally seen as a matter of justice, and it certainly is, since women account for more than half of the population," she recently said while launching the Campaign for Gender Parity in International Representation in Argentina. In a vision statement - a virtual campaign manifesto - she made development the centrepiece. "Only by cultivating greater resilience through sustainable development can we collectively manage the challenges to come, effectively prevent some of them and mitigate their effects on people and the planet," she said. The 61-year-old Malcorrra has also served as the CEO of Telecom Argentin and as Chief Operating Officer of the World Food Programme. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in) Dharamsala, May 26 : Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay, who will take the oath of office for his second consecutive term here on Friday, is hopeful that sooner or later China will change for the better. He's believes in Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama's dictum: "Hope for the better, but prepare for the worst too". "The issue of the dialogue between the envoys of the Dalai Lama and Chinese representatives is delicate and sensitive," Sangay told IANS in an interview here. "However, it's clear that there is no lack of effort on our part on restarting the dialogue under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama," said the 48-year-old Harvard-educated elected head of the Central Tibetan Administration. He replied in affirmative when asked: Are you expecting some changes in the mindset of the Chinese over granting greater autonomy for Tibetans? "I remain hopeful that sooner or later, China will change for the better." Sangay was re-elected on April 27 after defeating his only rival, Penpa Tsering. He polled about 57 percent of the 58,740 votes cast across the globe on March 20. It was the second election since the Dalai Lama stepped down as head of the government-in-exile in 2011. Since then, the significance of the prime minister's post has gone up. About on the ongoing deadlock over talks between the Dalai Lama's envoys and the Chinese since January 2010, Sangay said: "It's evident that we must put maximum efforts in achieving genuine autonomy for all Tibetans based on the middle-way approach". "However, as advised by His Holiness the Dalai Lama time and again, we must hope for the better but prepare for the worst. We may have to continue our struggle for many years. Therefore, it's critical that we are able to sustain our cause" A confidant Sangay believes in dialogue. "We remain committed to the middle-way approach and reiterate that dialogue is the most realistic approach and the only way to find a mutually beneficial solution to the Tibet issue." "The middle-way approach neither seeks separation from the People's Republic of China nor high degree of autonomy but genuine autonomy for all Tibetan people under a single administration," he said. "The Chinese leadership should adopt a policy that keeps up with the ground reality," added Sangay, who did his early education from a refugee school in Darjeeling and studied law from Delhi University before moving to Harvard for his doctorate. His priorities in his second and last five-year stint would be to resolve the issue of Tibet, besides making efforts to introduce new projects wherever and whenever necessary to improve political and administrative efficiency. Asked about the possible shape and size of his new Kashag (cabinet), he replied diplomatically, saying the most suitable candidates would be inducted, irrespective of their experience or gender. According to him, the coming 15th cabinet will also continue the many tasks started by the previous cabinet based on the founding principles of unity, innovation and self-reliance. Sangay reiterated: "We are ready to have dialogue with China anytime and anywhere." In his first stint, Sangay toured the globe trying to build up support for the Tibetan cause. European Council President Donald Tusk told Chinese premier Xi Jinping during a press conference last year that the Tibet issue should be resolved through dialogue. In 2011, the White House released a press statement after President Barack Obama met with the Dalai Lama, applauding the middle-way approach. The Dalai Lama has lived in India since fleeing his homeland in 1959. The Tibetan administration in exile is based in this northern Indian hill town. (Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in) Thiruvananthapuram, May 26 : The red flag of the Communist Party of India-Marxist is flying high in Kerala and Pinarayi Vijayan is in firm control of the affairs. Within hours of taking charge as the state's chief minister, the veteran Communist leader has etched the stamp of his authority on the government, giving plum cabinet berths to his chosen ones, and keeping the Home and Vigilance portfolios with himself. Though poles apart, Vijayan is like Prime Minister Narendra Modi who too has the government and the party in his grip, say observers here. Vijayan was the CPI-M state secretary for 18 years till 2015. By the time he stepped down, he had the party under his control and was its unquestionable leader. Not surprising then that it was Vijayan who handpicked candidates for the 2016 Kerala assembly election. The rest is history -- the Left Democratic Front (LDF) won 91 seats in the 140-member assembly. With Vijayan's ascendancy, V.S. Achuthanandan -- the old war horse and former chief minister -- has been edged out. The nonagenarian, who was hoping to be the chief minister, may be sulking now but he has to live with this reality: he is not the chosen one. His arch-rival Vijayan has had the last laugh in their bitter contest through the decades. So how is Chief Minister Vijayan taking control in his hands? In selection of his cabinet colleagues, Vijayan has certainly ensured that he has the final word. Unlike the previous UDF government, when the portfolios were distributed on the basis of caste and religion, as demanded by the community leaders, Vijayan has ensured that the selection of ministers is not jolted by any such controversy. His message has been clear: he's the leader and others have to follow him. While senior leader A.K. Balan was given less important portfolios, Vijayan banked on his trusted lieutenants even though they didn't have much of administrative experiences as ministers. His closest aide T.P. Ramakrishnan got the excise ministry, E.P. Jayarajan has been given charge of the industries, A.C. Moideen got cooperation and tourism, K.T. Jaleel got local self government, Kadakampally Surendran has been put in charge of electricity, K.K. Shailaja is the health minister and C. Ravindranath is in charge of education. To ensure his authority, Vijayan kept several top leaders out of the cabinet. These leaders include state secretariat member M.M. Mani, popular legislators Suresh Kurup and Raju Abraham, and former minister S. Sarma. As the Vijayan juggernaut rolled out, the allies in the LDF accepted his writ. Even the Communist Party of India -- the second largest ally -- had to remain content with whatever portfolios it was offered. Vijayan has now directed his ministers that they have to remain present in their offices five days in a week. And the staff they would select for the ministries must be young and energetic, not anyone who's above 60 years of age. The chief minister has also dropped a hint that the weekly media briefing after cabinet meeting may not be a regular affair anymore. In other words, the media may not have the chance to snoop on the government as it earlier used to. With these measures, Vijayan made it amply clear that he is the ultimate boss and there should not be any doubt about that. Thus, the winds of change are certainly blowing in Kerala now. How strong they will be depends on how fast Vijayan manages to shake up the bureaucracy and the police. Once he achieves that, the 72-year-old son of a toddy tapper will be steering God's Own Country with his iron fist. (Sanu George can be contacted at sanu.g@ians.in) Los Angeles, May 26 : Legendary boxer Mike Tyson will star in the upcoming film "Kickboxer: Retaliation", a sequel to yet-to-be released martial arts film "Kickboxer: Vengeance". "Kickboxer: Retaliation" is currently in production in California and Nevada, and will head back to Thailand in June for final principal photography, reports variety.com. Tyson will portray a tough convict forced into a world of fighting behind bars. "This is a monumental moment for us. We have already signed on 14 champions from the sporting world, mostly decorated fighters from the UFC, being able to add Mike Tyson as a cast member adds a whole new element and excitement to the film," producer Robert Hickman said. "Kickboxer: Vengeance", which has been directed by John Stockwell, stars Alain Moussi, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dave Bautista, Gina Carano, Georges St-Pierre and Darren Shahlavi. The film is a remake of the original 1989 film "Kickboxer". "Kickboxer: Vengeance" is slated to release in September. In El-Romady (Gray), theatre director Abir Ali proposes a new take on George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984). Performed by the El-Messaharati troupe "Please do not go out of the way. Trust us, we always tell you the right path to follow, we hear a voice say from the speakers at the entry to the Hanager Theatre where the play El-Romady (Gray) is taking place. Curious, we follow the instructions in order to discover this dark world where everything is systematised. The screens capture the audience in the hall, zooming in and out the images. The actors appear in uniform. They hold scarves of different colours. Hearing the mechanical phrases, they move towards the stage, putting the scarves away. They stand behind the screen, looking at us astonished, muttering incomprehensible words. Are they imprisoned? Or did they choose voluntarily this excessively structured world? We enter the world of theatre director Abir Ali, who gives her take on George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, adapted by Amal El-Marghani and staged by the independent troupe El-Messaharati. The performance opened on 14 May and runs until 27 May. The famed novel presents the world of Winston Smith, member of the Outer Party in Oceania, one of Orwells fictional super-states, believed to reference the Americas, the British Isles, Iceland, Australia and New Zealand. Freedom of expression does not exist. All thoughts are monitored, and large banners on the streets remind everyone that "Big Brother is watching you." Not convinced with the principles of the party, Smith dreams of a change, of a rebellion. Together with Julia they become close to OBrian, a mysterious and conflicting character; a member of the party and yet, as Smith suspects, also an anti-party Brotherhood member. Later on, Smith and Julia are arrested and the couple is sentenced by the Ministry of Love, a body that maintains law and order, for the crime of thinking. The beliefs of both are shaken through torture and they betray one another. Director Abir Ali, a winner of the Ezzedine Gannoun Memorial Theatre Award, reveals that adapting Orwells novel for stage was not her idea. I read the novel and I hardly thought it would fit for the theatre. Also, the main theme is very different to topics that usually attract my attention. However, Amal El-Marghani, who did the adaptation and who is also my friend, encouraged me to look into it again." On the visual level, Ali paid attention to many details which aim at transposing us to the meticulously monitored universe. She used the screens and cameras that duplicate scenes from life: video projections show war scenes, landscapes, etc. All serves to emphasise the idea of a mechanical life. There is neither a place for thinking nor for questioning the regime in power. Ali deprives the actors of colours, dresses them in gray uniforms and short black wigs. These details trigger the audience laughter, especially when the actors talk about gender equality. Women defend the wearing of uniforms in order not to turn into sex objects. Black humour betrays painful and paradoxical messages long propagated by the Islamists and male society. To ease the tension and resume everyday images, Ali opts for a simple, everyday dialect. The songs written and performed by Mohamad Ali, who plays the protagonist (Smith), summarised some ideas and scenes from the novel. Having completed their sentence, Winston Smith and Julia meet by chance. They reveal their weakness and admit their treachery. But Smith is now a broken spirit, he gives up on Julia and accepts to love the Big Brother. The actors put their hands on a screen and look at us, speechless, with frozen expressions. Yet, despite this rather sad end, Ali still wanted to close on a hopeful note. The rhythmic music plays, as the actors take off their gray uniforms, sing, dance and celebrate life. "Despite the hard times, there will be certainly a time to sing freedom, their lyrics end the show. Catch the last two days of the performance on 26 and 27 May at Hanager Arts Theatre, Cairo Opera House grounds, until the end of May This article was first published in Al-Ahram Hebdo For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: New Delhi, May 26 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said in the two years in office his government has made policy changes to curb corruption and opened up more of the economy to foreign investment while filling gaps in rural infrastructure. "I have actually undertaken the maximum reforms," Modi said in an interview to the Wall Street Journal on the eve of his second anniversary in office. But, he added, "I have an enormous task ahead for myself." The prime minister said he has set a path for accelerated growth that the states now need to help navigate. Modi said that many of the changes he has put in place would have been regarded in previous administrations as difficult to implement, but now that he has done them, to his critics they no longer qualify as "big bang". He said he has "opened up more of the economy to foreign investment and made changes to curb corruption, filled gaps in rural infrastructure and made it easier to do business". The prime minister also said he would look to states to further liberalise the country's rigid labour laws. "Labour reform should not just mean in the interest of industry. It should also be in the interest of the labourer," Modi said. He said he expects the long-pending Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill to be passed this year. The bill has been stuck in the Rajya Sabha of parliament, where the government is in a minority. Modi said in the last two years, India played a prominent role in global affairs. "Today, unlike before, India is not standing in a corner," he said. Modi will visit Washington early next month where he is to meet President Barack Obama and address a joint session of the US Congress. He took office as prime minister two years ago, pledging to improve the nation's fortunes. Harare, May 26 : Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has pardoned more than 2,000 jail inmates, mostly women and juveniles, in a move aimed at decongesting the country's overcrowded prisons, the media reported on Thursday. Following the presidential pardon, nearly all female prisoners throughout the country were freed except two females serving life sentence, Xinhua news agency reported. Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service public relations officer Priscilla Mthembo was quoted by the state-run Herald newspaper as saying that the presidential pardon, gazetted this week, would help decongest the country's overpopulated prisons. The presidential pardon benefited all juveniles, all prisoners with life sentences convicted on or before December 25, 1995 and all prisoners sentenced to 36 months and below if they had served a quarter of their sentences. All terminally ill inmates serving long sentences and those above 60 years who had served two thirds of their sentences were also freed. Prisoners at Connemara Open Prison, around 200 from Harare, were freed as well as those convicted of stock theft. Inmates convicted of murder, treason, rape, armed robbery, car-jacking, sexual offences or violence driven offences did not qualify for the presidential pardon. "Our 46 prisons nationwide are overpopulated. We have a holding capacity of 17,000 but we have been holding over 19,900 prisoners," Mthembo was quoted as saying. She said the presidential pardon will help improve living conditions for the remaining inmates. The country's constitution allows the president to extend amnesty to prisoners whenever he wishes and Mugabe has regularly done this. New Delhi, May 26 : As the Narendra Modi government completes two years in office, Mahesh Sharma, Minister for Culture and Tourism said that the 'award return' movement, one of the major controversies that rocked the government last year, was politically motivated to taint the nation and accused writers of colluding with the Congress party. Sharma charged writers of "committing a crime" by declaring India as intolerant, fuelling a worldwide debate, joined by scientists and people from other countries. "It's unfortunate that writers became political and played into the hands of Congress party. They have tainted the image of the nation," the minister said in an interview to IANS at his Rajaji Marg residence here. The minister said the movement was orchestrated for the Bihar elections. "It started with Bihar elections and ended after the elections," he said. Over 41 writers had returned Sahitya Akademi awards last year protesting the killing of writers and rising intolerance in the country. "The murders happened in two states, which are not ruled by BJP. A group of literary people headed by poet Ashok Vajpayee initiated the movement, who were against Modi becoming the PM," Sharma said. Taking stock of the two years of his ministry, the minister said that he had initiated a major revamp in 42 institutions under his ministry including Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) and Indira Gandhi National Centre For the Arts ( IGNCA). "We have 42 organisations and most of them were in bad shape. Especially the Asiatic Society, which was ruined by labour issues. We set the ball rolling everywhere,". The ministry drew criticism last year after the resignation of Mahesh Rangarajan, director of NMML, as the opposition and intellectuals alleged that he had been made to quit under pressure from the BJP government. The post is still lying vacant. "In the case of Rangarajan, it was an illegal appointment. The new head will be decided soon," said Sharma adding that changing the heads of institutions was a "routine process" by the government. Similarly, the Director-General post of National Museum is still open after Venu Vasudevan was removed last May, without citing any reason. "The process of appointment is going on," the minister said. According to reports, over 50 positions are to be filled in 15 organisations under the ministry. The ministry's recent move to rejig the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) has raised many eyebrows as the move was seen to be aimed at filling posts with BJP loyalists. Opposition parties have criticised the government for "saffronising" the IGNCA. The government had appointed journalist Ram Bahadur Rai, a former national president of the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad, as its head. Sharma, however, defended the decision. "Earlier, IGNCA constituted of people like Sonia Gandhi, Narasimha Rao and all. The new list has no political people and its mostly artists," he said. The minister also chose to bypass the issue of renaming Akbar road as Maharana Pratap road, as suggested by his colleague V K Singh, the minister of state for external affairs. "I have not suggested any name change. It's the government's call and my ministry has no role in it," he said. The Culture Ministry's stand on bringing back the Kohinoor diamond to India from the United Kingdom had created a stir last month when it told the Supreme Court that the diamond was a gift to Britain and it was not taken away forcefully. However, in an about turn after protests from many quarters, the ministry changed its stand. "It was the Solicitor General who made the statement in the court. They took some information from the Culture Ministry. However, the government's stand is that we are committed to bring it back at any cost," he said.. Asked if he had run into trouble by calling the lynching of a 50-year-old man allegedly over cooking beef in Dadri as 'an accident', he denied saying so. "I didn't make any statements on beef. People asked me whether it was a conspiracy by RSS. I never had to withdraw my statements and I was never arrogant," he insisted. Asked if he was expected to play a bigger role in the Uttar Pradesh elections next year, the minister said " I am content in what I am doing. However, as a party worker, I will follow whatever the party wants me to do". He also said that the world cultural festival held by his ministry recently showcased Indian heritage to the world through institutions. According to him, the agenda for the third year was to strengthen the institutions. "I am satisfied about the last two years of the ministry. We fulfilled the promise of releasing Subhas Chandra Bose files and we will do more," he said. (Preetha Nair can be reached at preetha.n@ians.in) New Delhi, May 26 : The Supreme Court was moved on Thursday, challenging the NEET ordinance exempting Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Punjab for this year from the ambit of National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for medical colleges. The PIL, moved by Anand Rai, the whistle-blower in Madhya Pradesh's Vyapam admission and recruitment scam and on whose petition the apex court had ordered CBI probe in the scam, said the ordinance has been promulgated "with the sole intention of upsetting the orders" to the top court, shows the government's "ill intent" and was discriminatory as students - other than those in the exempted states - will have to appear in NEET. In his new petition, Rai has challenged the NEET ordinance which was signed by President Pranab Mukherjee on May 24, contending that the ordinance was contrary to the stand taken by the central government before the top court wherein it had said that it "favoured unified, standardised medical entrance exam for the whole of India". Speaking to IANS, Vaibhav Srivastava, advocate for Rai, said that petition says that "lakhs of students are confused as to what will happen after the promulgation of ordinance as the state governments have been given a choice to conduct their own medical entrance examinations for the seats in the government medical colleges as well as for the government quota seats in private medical colleges". He said that PIL notes that the ordinance is "in direct conflict" with the stand taken by the government in the case of NEET as they were "eager to conduct unified, standardised medical entrance examination for the whole of India" and sought to know the reasons for the change. "What is the compulsion, why the U-turn," asked Srivastava. Seeking a direction to quash the ordinance, Rai has contended the "ordinance making power is not invoked lightly but only when absolutely necessary to do so" and while urging the court to ask the government not to go ahead with its enforcing, his petition recounted the sequence of events on April 27 and 28 when the government, recognising the NEET's need, had itself given its schedule. Referring to constitution's Article 14 guaranteeing equality before the law, the PIL says that the ordinance makes exception for the states having their own separate mechanism for entrance examination for admission to undergraduate medical courses and is "unfair and arbitrary to lakhs and thousands of students in other states who do have to give the common entrance test (NEET)". It cited the apex court's April 28 order on holding on NEET after the government and others' submissions, it said the issuance of the ordinance was completely in contradiction to the stand taken by the government then. Srivastava said that the PIL is likely to be mentioned on Friday before the vacation bench of Justice Prafulla C. Pant and Justice D.Y.Chandrachud for an early hearing but if it does not happen, then it would certainly be mentioned on Monday. President Mukherjee had signed the ordinance on May 24 after seeking clarifications from the government including legal opinion from legal luminaries and government's senior law officer. The NEET ordinance permitted these seven states to enrol students in undergraduate medical courses on basis of exams they conduct, after the apex court on May 9 refused to modify its April 28 order making NEET mandatory for admission to such courses across the country for academic year 2016-2017. Meanwhile, Gujarat-based student Jugal Nikhil Shah filed a caveat seeking to be heard in the event of any challenge to the NEET ordinance. Kolkata, May 26 : Lauding her for emerging victorious against all odds, Bengali actress Rituparna Sengupta urged Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, who is set to become West Bengal chief minister on Friday for the second time, to provide state aid in producing regional films. "Earlier the state government used to produce many films. If they can do so now then it will help us a lot," Sengupta said here. The National Award winner also drew attention to the city's heritage buildings. "Kolkata is a very historic city. If we can preserve the heritage properties, then we can enhance tourism and employment. That is my request to the chief minister," Sengupta said referring to the heritage walk showcased in her forthcoming film "Praktan". "Praktan" from the makers of the critically-acclaimed and commercial hit "Belaseshe", Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee, will release on May 28 in Kolkata as well as in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New Jersey, New York, Dallas, Seattle, Toronto and Dubai. Banerjee will be sworn in as chief minister on Friday. New Delhi, May 26 : Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday said there was "101 percent" political interference in the AgustaWestland helicopters deal, and added that the then defence minister A.K. Antony "did not have the guts" to order a CBI probe in time. The defence minister, in an interview to IANS, also said that he never named Congress president Sonia Gandhi as an accused as there is no evidence so far. "I never named Sonia Gandhi. I never named her in the debate. I said big leaders like Sonia Gandhi are named in the judgment. But I did not name her as an accused of corruption," Parrikar told IANS. The minister said he can name anyone only when he has proof. "I did not name because the day I have any proof against any person, the name will come out," Parrikar said. "Investigation has to reveal that; how do you expect the ministry of defence to find out. I do not have the resources to find that out... Police should find that out; it's the CBI's job, not mine," Parrikar said. The Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate are probing the case of corruption in the deal to buy VVIP choppers from AgustaWestland. "This is my stand throughout my life. Unless there is evidence against a person, it is not right to name a person... I followed it as chief minister of Goa also," the minister said. He, however, said that there was "political interference" in the chopper deal. "There is no need to say that... 101 percent there was political interference. Antony, who has never acted, acted every time his name came into cloud in this case," Parrikar said. "He was fearing that some day the whole issue will come out. It was immediately given to CBI when (former CEO of AgustaWestland and Finmeccanica, Guiseppe) Orsi was arrested. It should have been given to CBI earlier but he did not have the guts," the minister said. Taking a jibe at the former defence minister, Parrikar added: "He must not have gotten a phone call to do so in national interest." Orsi was arrested on charges of corruption. He was later acquitted of the charges, but jailed for false invoicing. In April this year, Orsi and AgustaWestland ex-head Bruno Spagnolini were jailed on corruption charges. The Italian court judgment has mentioned the names of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Congress leader Ahmad Patel, and former Indian Air Force chief Air Marshal S.P. Tyagi, though it does not indict any of them. Asked to comment on the claims by officials under the previous government that all procedures had been followed, the minister responded in affirmative, but added that those procedures were used to benefit one vendor -- AgustaWestland. "The process is fine, I will put it like this -- All things have been done within the powers granted, but done in a manner where they have favoured one particular vendor," said Parrikar. "The primary indicators of corruption are proved. The exemption is not justifiable, so it is a fraud. Powers exist but powers have to be used with proper justification," he said. Asked if the role of bureaucrats in the deal was being looked into, the minister said: "Give me some time... I have to finish Rafale, I have to go to Singapore, and then also have to finalise the DPP (Defence Procurement Procedure). How do you do all these things. Everything takes time. Lot of people want me to dig up 10 different cases, would I do just that?" On his remarks in parliament that "invisible hands" were behind the Agusta deal, Parrikar said: "I am moving around with a box of paint to catch those invisible hands. You must have seen Mr. India..." The reference was to the Bollywood film "Mr India" in which the hero could become invisible. Parrikar added that while the defence ministry is not monitoring the CBI probe in the case, it would ask about the progress. The multi-crore-rupee AgustaWestland helicopter deal scam resurfaced last month after the names of some Congress leaders, including of party chief Sonia Gandhi, were said to have figured in the judgment of the Italian court. AgustaWestland was alleged to have paid Rs.375 crore in bribes to secure the Rs.3,700-crore contract to supply 12 AW101 helicopters to the Indian Air Force. The choppers were to fly VVIPs like the president, prime minister and others. The contract was signed in 2010. The previous UPA government scrapped the deal in 2013 after Spagnolini and Orsi were arrested on charges of bribing middlemen to secure the deal with the IAF. (Anjali Ojha can be reached at anjali.o@ians.in) New Delhi, May 26 : Terming the killing of a Congolese national in the capital as unfortunate, Mahesh Sharma, tourism and culture minister, said that even African countries are not safe. "India is a large country and such incidents will give a bad name to India. It is an unfortunate incident. However, even Africa is not safe," Sharma told IANS in the course of an interview. "Such incidents happen in other parts of the world too," he added. He narrated how he had to cut down his morning and evening walks during a visit to South Africa because of safety concerns, and said that it is unfair to paint India as an unsafe country. "When I went to South Africa, I was stopped from going for a morning walk at 6 a.m. by the hotel people citing security reasons. My post dinner walk was also dropped for the same reasons. It's not fair to say that India is unsafe," said the minister. The murder of the Congolese youth has snowballed into a diplomatic issue as the envoys of the African nations initially expressed apprehension about attending the 'Africa Day' celebrations on Thursday. Later, they came around after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj gave an assurance about the safety of African nationals. The Congolese youth was beaten to death last week in Vasant Kunj area over a petty dispute. Sharma added that the tourism ministry has introduced measures to ensure safety of foreign nationals in the country. "The tourism ministry has introduced a helpline no 1363 for foreign nationals who visit India. We also issue certain do's and don'ts for them here," said the minister. Guwahati, May 26 : Congress leaders C.P. Joshi and Ambika Soni will address the meeting of the Congress legislature party here on Friday where its leader will be elected, it was announced here. "The basic idea is to elect the leader of the CLP. Both Joshi and Soni will meet all the elected Congress MLAs this time and the meeting is expected to elect the CLP leader," said senior party spokesman P.L. Punia at a press conference at Rajiv Bhavan, the party headquarters here. Asked about the party's debacle in the recent assembly election in the state, he said that the Congress accepts the mandate with humility and respect. "Former chief minister Tarun Gogoi is one of the most senior leaders of the party. It is a great satisfaction for us that there is not a single allegation against the chief minister in Assam, who was in power for three consecutive terms," he said adding the party would analyze the reasons for the debacle at a proper time. State unit vice president Ripun Bora, who was also present on the occasion, however, ruled out the possibility of an immediate change in party leadership and said that the high command would take a decision in this regard after a detailed analysis of the debacle. "We do not believe, that a change of guard would help the party at this moment. There was a wave for the BJP and its allies in Assam ahead of the polls and the BJP and its allies have spread false propaganda against the ruling party. So it is not correct to blame any particular person for the defeat," he said. His statement assumes significance as a section of leaders in the party had already started a campaign for ousting state chief Anjan Dutta, blaming him solely for the humiliating defeat. The party, which had won 78 out of the 126 assembly seats in 2011 assembly polls, could bag only 26 seats in the 2016 election. Beijing, May 26 : President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday said that India and China were poised to join the ranks of leading world powers and noted that the two sides should work to ensure that the coming generations were not burdened with their unresolved problems and differences. He also outlined eight pillars of "people centric" approach that can enhance and strengthen co-operation between the two countries. "Today, at a time of global economic uncertainty, our two countries, despite the pressure of having 40 per cent of the world's human population, have managed to maintain unity and growth. Our joint contribution to the world economy as well as regional and global stability, cannot be underestimated: India and China are poised to join the ranks of leading global powers," Mukherjee said. "The two countries are emerging economic powers and should remain equally focussed on nurturing global regional and global prosperity," he added. Delivering a lecture on India-China relations at Peking University in Beijing, Mukherjee also said that "political understanding" between India and China is vital for closer developmental partnership. "One of the ways it could be developed is through enhanced political communication. To build a people-centric partnership, there must be mutual trust predicated on mutual respect and a better appreciation of respective political and social systems. This can be achieved by closer contacts at all levels," he said. Outlining eight "pillars" for the future of India-China relations, Mukherjee said, "I am confident that by placing these eight pillars at the foundation of a "people centric" approach we can successfully enhance and strengthen our co-operation to the mutual benefit of both our peoples." "To build a people-centric partnership we must have mutual trust predicated on mutual respect and a better appreciation of our respective political and social systems. This can be achieved by closer contacts at all levels," he added. Underlining the steps for people-centric India-China relations, the President said that both India and China were young societies and the youth share common aspirations and perceptions. "The annual exchanges between India and China have been fruitful but both sides need to synergise their potential. In a digital age, joint film productions could be useful instruments for creating positive perceptions among our people," he said. He added: "Travel can also be a very important binding factor between the two countries. Indians would like to have more opportunities to travel to their holy sites in China and, in turn, welcome more Chinese visits to Buddhist pilgrimage centres in India." He called upon the entrepreneurs in India and China to jointly innovate new model for business and said that trade and commerce can be the most powerful agents in boosting the ties. Mukherjee, who is on a four-day official visit to China, also voiced appreciation of Indian educational institutions linking up with Chinese varsities. Addressing a round table conference of Vice-Chancellors and heads of higher education institutions of India and China, he said, "I am happy to see central institutes of higher learning from India are signing Memorandums of Understanding for cooperation with partner institutions of China." "These understandings will create a collaborative platform for academic cooperation in the areas of research and education, joint seminars and exchange of faculty and students", he added. He said the government of India, in partnership with Indian and international partners was taking a number of far reaching initiatives to create and revive the centres of excellence that can be ranked among the leading institutions of the world. New Delhi, May 26 : Leading bread makers on Thursday said that they will give up the use of potassium bromate and potassium iodate in wake of a Centre for Science and Environment study flagging their harmful effects on health, including causing cancer. The CSE welcomed the decision. The bread makers' decision not to use these chemical additives came days after Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banned use of potassium bromate. Meanwhile in West Bengal, production of bread in over 4,000 bakeries has been hit by about 30 percent in wake of the study, said industry associations. At press conference here, All India Bread Manufacturers' Association said they will not use the two chemicals. Aadil Hassan, managing director of Harvest Gold Industries, who addressed the media, said they had been earlier using the additives as they had been allowed by the government. "We will not use potassium bromate and iodate if people don't like it. We were using them as their use was allowed by our government and scientists. We have other enzymes and emulsifiers as their alternate," he said. Identifying potassium bromate was an oxidizing agent used in the process of making bread and admitting its overuse was harmful, he said that "if used with sophistication, it only adds to the (softness) of the product". "Potassium iodate never had any use for us. We were using it since government had mandated its use for breads," he said, adding that the AIBMA has decided to give up use of both additives because "there is a confusion among the consumers regarding its use." The CSE report, released on May 23, said that most of the breads made by the Indian companies are found to contain potassium bromate and potassium iodate - food additives banned in many countries for their adverse effects on human health. The CSE welcomed the AIBMA decision. "We have heard what the bread-making association has announced. We are happy that they have decided to stop using potassium bromate and potassium iodate within two-three days. This will reduce public health risk from these chemicals," said CSE deputy director general Chandra Bhushan in a statement. He said CSE researchers had pointed out that potassium bromate can possibly cause cancer and use of potassium iodate can lead to excess intake of iodine, which could affect thyroid functions. Bhushan said CSE had welcomed FSSAI's move to ban potassium bromate. "We urge FSSAI to also ban use of potassium iodate in bread-making," he said. However, speaking at an event in Delhi, AIIMS director M.C. Mishra said that use of these chemicals might pose some danger but no individual eats entire loaf of bread everyday. "Majority of people eat a piece or two at the most, so in the long-term, there is no need to panic much as has also been said by the FSSAI," he said. In Kolkata, West Bengal Bakery Co-ordinators Committee and West Bengal Baker's Association said they will carry out sampling and testing of breads from the bakeries. "Our daily production ranges from 10 to 12 lakh pounds, but after the reports of bread allegedly causing cancer started doing the rounds on media, our production was affected by 25 to 30 percent in the last couple of days," Sheikh Ismail Hossain, secretary of the committee, told the media. Hossain and his associates claimed the chemicals were not used in the bakeries in the state. "They are not used at all. We use lipase and alpha amylase here," he said. The committee said it has approached the Central Food Laboratory in Kolkata to conduct analysis from bread samples. Trinamool Congress MP Idris Ali, who is a bakery baron, urged people to not shun bread. "It seems a part of some conspiracy. Bread is safe," said Ali, who is also secretary, Joint Action Committee of West Bengal Baker's Association. Meanwhile, Nahoum and Sons, the celebrated 113-year-old Jewish bakery in Kolkata, said its sales have not been affected at all. A Cairo appeals court rejected on Wednesday an appeal for the release on bail of five activists and a prominent rights lawyer arrested earlier this month on various charges connected with their opposition to the recent Egyptian-Saudi island deal, a judicial source said. The court upheld a 15-day extended detention for journalists Amr Badr and Mahmoud El-Sakka, who were arrested during a raid on the country's press syndicate. Badr and El-Sakka were among many ordered arrested ahead of the 25 April protests against Egypt's decision last month to acknowledge Saudi sovereignty over two Red Sea islands. The defendants are facing an investigation by prosecutors over accusations of "inciting to protest" and "attempting to destabilise the country and planning a coup." Dozens of protesters were rounded up during demonstrations against the agreement. Badr and El-Sakka were initially given 15 days in detention pending investigation when they were first arrested in early May, with the order later extended. The raid by security forces on the press syndicate, which union officials said was a first in the syndicate's 75-year history, sparked outrage among media and critics and promoted calls for the sacking of the interior minister. The court also rejected on Wednesday an appeal against the detention pending investigation of prominent rights lawyer Malek Adly, who had raised a lawsuit against the Egyptian-Saudi agreement. Adly, who was arrested on 6 May, faces similar allegations but is being investigated in a separate case, the source added. The appeals in both cases were submitted by the same defence team, which consists of a number of rights lawyers. A total of 29 journalists are currently behind bars in Egypt, with some in custody for almost three years and facing charges of "publishing false news" or aiming to "topple the state," according to press union chief Yehia Kalash. Search Keywords: Short link: New Delhi : Milan (Italy), 26 May (IANS/AKI) A court in northern Italy has sentenced a Pakistani and a Tunisian Islamic State sympathiser to six years in prison for terrorist threats against targets including a Nato base and iconic national monuments. Pakistani citizen Muhammad Waqas and Tunisian national Lassaad Briki will be deported once they have served their sentences, the Milan court ruled late on Wednesday. Briki's sister told journalists he was innocent. "He never did anything," she said. "We did not expect such a severe sentence," added Briki's lawyer. In social media chats and wiretapped phone conversations, Waqas and Briki threatened to attack Italy's Ghedi air base near the northern city of Brescia, as well as Brescia train station, Italian security forces and a fruit and vegetable company where Briki worked as a cleaner. The two men were arrested in July last year in Brescia on suspicion of setting up a Twitter account from which they posted messages threatening to attack Milan's Duomo and the Colosseum in Rome. The threats were accompanied by photos of the monuments and written in Italian, French and Arabic. "We are on your streets, we are everywhere," one post read. "We are in Rome and our knives are sharpened. It won't be long." "We are identifying the targets and await the X hour." The pair also downloaded from internet a jihadist manual 'How to Survive in the West' giving guidance on bomb-making, transporting arms and on concealing their Islamist extremist identities. Among phone intercepts was a conversation in which Waqas and Briki agreed to: "Bring down at least one Church". In another wiretap, Briki told Waqas he wanted to "carry out an act" before they left Italy to join the ranks of IS in Syria and Iraq. Briki and Waqas, a labourer, had lived in Italy with their families for years, were legal residents and were apparently well-integrated in the town of Manerbio near Brescia, where they worked. The prosecutor who spearheaded the investigation had asked for jail terms of six years for Briki and Waqas despite admitting there was no evidence the pair had moved to enact any of their threats. Mumbai, May 26 : Renowned film-maker Shekhar Kapur on Thursday launched his new documentary on humanitarian spiritual leader, Mata Amritanandamayi, known simply as 'Amma' to million of her devotees, describing it a "spiritual search and scientific quest". The 50-minute documentary entitled "The Science of Compassion" investigates the source of human compassion and creativity of Mata Amritanandamayi, who is based in Kerala's Kollam district. Shot at her ashram for four days during her 60th birthday celebrations in September 2013, it includes a rare private interview with Amma, Nobel laureate scientist Leland Hartwell and other celebrities who discuss her unique approach to life and how love transformed their lives. "The search for what lies beyond our own individuality has been with me since I was 15 years of age. I have been grappling with questions - What is the true nature of love, is there love beyond ownership, what is compassion," said Kapur at the launch. He wondered whether if a person becomes more compassionate, does it alter his/her physiology, make them more intuitive, and is it an act, state of mind or state of being. "It is not only a spiritual search for me, but a scientific quest. Meeting Amma on her 60th birthday was a huge opportunity to investigate these deeper truths," Kapur said, describing the "unique experience" of being in her presence and feeling "the energy radiating from her". "When you ask infinite questions, you cannot expect answers in finite ways - in fact, there are no answers. There is only experiencing. When you go to Amma, you go for the experience of her - I have not remained unaffected," he added. Mata Amritanandamayi Math vice chairman and Amma's seniormost disciple, Swami Amritaswarupananda lauded Kapur for capturing her unique combination of beauty, grace, humility and wisdom through the biopic. Shillong, May 26 : Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling on Thursday said the northeastern states can be the organic food producers for not only India but for the rest of the world. "A quick survey can be done to ascertain which states are ready for this exercise and we also need to look at the marketing," said Chamling at the North Eastern Council meeting. The meeting, which was chaired by union Development of North Eastern Region Minister Jitendra Singh, was attended by governors and chief ministers of the northeastern states barring Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul and his Tripura counterpart Manik Sarkar. Noting Sikkim started its journey for organic agriculture and farming under his leadership in 2003, Chamling said: "Despite many hurdles, challenges and opposition we persisted to complete this exercise in 2015. We implemented this policy and program in mission mode. "In fact, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 18, had declared Sikkim as a fully organic state of India. Sikkim's ICAR has been designated as the National Organic Farming Research Institute (NOFRI). "The process requires a huge exercise in changing the mindsets of farmers who are now solely relying on inorganic fertilisers. They need to be educated on the benefits especially that of health so that they take to organic farming." Stating that Sikkim did not receive any budgetary support from the central government for the past 12 years for its organic farming efforts, Chamling informed that his government has now received the first grant of Rs.42 crore and sought provision for adequate budget for it. Mumbai, May 26 : Award-winning British actor and Shakespeare ambassador Ian McKellen was special guest at a reception hosted by the British Deputy High Commissioner Shekhar Iyer here on Thursday evening to celebrate the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. "It is wonderful to be here today. The queen has never asked me to be for her birthday party before. I did see her quite recently when I met her to pickup a medal which was for my services to drama and equality," said Sir Ian, who is known for playing Gandalf in the "Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" film franchises. "I am thankful to the British Council who got me here. It's touching to make contact with other people from theatre, film and Bollywood," he added. The reception also celebrated the works of William Shakespeare. British High Commissioner Dominic Asquith was also present but Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis could not attend following a major blast at a chemical plant in neighbouring Thane district. This annual celebration of the queen's birthday is traditionally the British Deputy High Commission's biggest event of the year. It is hosted by British embassies and high commissions across the world any time in a period from April (the queen was born on April 21, 1926) and June, since it has long been the British tradition o celebrate the monarch's birthday on summer day, regardless of their actual date of birth. London, May 26 : Leading British popular content producer and distributor Barcroft Media will stream latest movies and trending videos on over the top content (OTT) platforms in India. "We have signed an agreement with PressPlay TV, a Delhi-based next generation OTT platform, which offers latest movies and videos across the internet to about 50 channels, including Bollywood," Barcraft said in a statement here on Thursday. As part of the deal, Barcraft will be a premium content partner with PressPlay and its television channel will feature on the latter's platform, which streams content spanning comedy, music, food, travel and sport. Barcraft also signed an agreement with Planetcast Media Services Ltd to feature its live TV and video-on-demand on its new OTT platform, to be launched soon. "We are partnering with PressPlay TV and Planetcast to bring our TV to India and expand our footprint in a thriving market, which has 1.3-million OTT paid video subscribers," Barcraft chief executive Sam Barcraft said in the statement. There are also 66 million connected video viewers across the country. Barcroft TV is available on digital platforms worldwide, including Yahoo, YouKu, Gyao! AOL On, Onet and MSN and YouTube, with two million subscribers and clocked 1.8 billion video views to date. Barcroft TV channel achieves about 100 million video views per month. "Our content focuses on a diverse selection of long and short form films from natural history to jaw dropping real life stories, documenting athe amazing side of life," Barcraft added. Washington, May 27 : Real-estate mogul Donald Trump has exceeded the minimum number of delegates needed to secure the Republican nomination, media reports said on Thursday. By securing 1,238 delegates, one more than the magic number required, Trump has wrapped up victory in the Republican primary season and avoided a contested convention that some of his political enemies within the Grand Old Party had been seeking, EFE news reported. The candidate was pushed over the top when a small group of unbound delegates said they would support him at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in July, according to media reports. Trump is expected to further add to his delegate count after June 7 primaries in California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota. Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), May 27 : The three-day "Mahanadu" (Mega Convention) of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) will be held in the temple city here beginning Friday on the backdrop of supposed dissatisfaction of state Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for not getting the state recognised as a special category state. The three-day conclave also comes amid efforts being made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to strengthen its fledgling state units in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Naidu will address the inaugural function at Nehru Municipal High School grounds. All senior leaders, ministers, members of parliament, MLAs, MLCs and other top functionaries of the party from Andhra Pradesh as well as newly created Telangana would participate in the meeting. The Mahanadu is being organised as three-day Cadre Festival on May 27, 28 and 29. The occasion also coincides with the birth anniversary of N T Rama Rao, founder of TDP and former chief minister of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. "This year's Cadre Festival is especially significant in the context of Andhra Pradesh government sustaining pressure on the centre for designating the state as a special category state," a party source told IANS here. In fact, on 17th May, Naidu, whose party is a partner in the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), had submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and tried to revive his demand for Special Category Status and other assistance from the central government again. "In recent times, especially with the recent announcements that Andhra Pradesh may not be granted Special Category Status, an impression has been created that the assistance provided by the central government has been modest, which is not commensurate with the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, commitments in the Parliament, and the development assistance required by the State," Chief Minister Naidu wrote in his missive to the prime minister. According to sources, the party convention would also discuss about issues like grant for bridging the resource gap relating to 2014-15 financial year; Polavaram National Irrigation Project; financial assistance from centre to the new capital city, Amaravati; incentives for industrial development; issues concerning development of Rayalaseema and north coastal districts and adequate investments for economic progress and railway zone at Visakhapatnam. There are also talks in the party for projecting Naidu's son Nara Lokesh as the next generation leader of the party and the future inheritor of the legacy of his father Chandrababu and grandfather N T Rama Rao. Amsterdam, May 27 : The 32-year-old Frenchman Anis B. , suspected of planning a attack in France, will be surrendered to French judicial authorities, Amsterdam district court decided on Thursday. The man was arrested on March 27 this year in a house in Rotterdam, after which the French authorities requested his extradition on suspicion of involvement in a criminal terrorist organisation, related to the Paris and Brussels attacks, several weapons offenses, fraud, handling stolen goods and forgery, Xinhua news agency reported. No appeal is possible against the decision. Anis B. will be extradited within 10 days. The French Institute in Egypt will host the famous French economist Thomas Piketty on Thursday, 2 June, on the occasion of the Arabic publication of his landmark book, Capital in the Twenty-First Century, which is published by Dar Altanweer. The book was trnaslated to Arabic by Wael Gamal and Salma Hussein, two prominent economy journalists in Egypt. Piketty will give two public lectures on Thursday, 2 June. The first will be held at Cairo University at 11:00am, at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science (FEPS). The lecture will be followed by a discussion with economists from the faculty and guest speakers. The second will be held at 6:00pm at the American University in Cairo (AUC), at Ewart Hall in the Downtown campus, in partnership with the Middle East Studies Centre and School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP). The lecture will be followed by a discussion with Ziad Bahaa Eldin. After a discussion with the audience, the Arabic edition of Capital in the Twenty-First Century will be launched with a book signing session and cocktail reception in honour of Professor Piketty. The two lectures will focus on the theme: "Capital in the Twenty-First Century: A Middle East perspective." Thomas Piketty, 45, will introduce some of the main findings and debates that have surrounded his best-selling book, Capital in the Twenty-First Century. He will also present a regional perspective on the global inequality debate. Search Keywords: Short link: Egyptian authorities have reached their domestic wheat procurement target for this harvest season, Egypts Ministry of Agriculture announced on Wednesday. The government has bought 4.07 million tonnes of wheat from Egyptian growers, meeting the target of 4-4.5 million tonnes announced in March by the vice chairman of Egypt's state grain buyer Mamdouh Abdel-Fattah. Egypts government has long bought wheat from local farmers at a subsidised, higher-than-international price to encourage domestic production and provide for its nationwide subsidised bread programme that feeds tens of millions. Authorities offered a subsidised price of EGP 420 per ardeb for local wheat this season, reversing an earlier decision to buy from local farmers at the international price while granting them a direct cash subsidy of EGP 1,300 per feddan of wheat in order to prevent graft. Last year, the government announced buying a record 5.3 million tonnes of wheat from local farmers, compared to 3.7 million in the previous year. This prompted speculation from industry experts that as much as 2 million tonnes may have been imported wheat passed off as local grain to take advantage of the subsidised price. The Arab world's most populous nation, Egypt is the worlds largest importer of wheat, bringing in an estimated 11 million tonnes during the 2015/16 marketing year (July/June) according to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Search Keywords: Short link: Responsive Web Design Where Creativity Connects. Canadian Web Design and Online Marketing Agencies are able to boost US business success through real-time digital expertise, exchange rate cost effectiveness, easy communication, and duty-free services. Currently the US dollar can go a long way in the Canadian market. Many US businesses are cashing in by outsourcing their web design and online marketing to our friendly neighbors to the north! Ted Halabi & Chad Thomas, Managing Partners at SOS Media Corp in Canada state, There has been a surprising change in the amount of American companies inquiring about web design as the strong US dollar makes it very cost effective to get work done in Canada. SOS Media Corp is a full-service, innovative marketing and design agency in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They specialize in Web Design, Social Media Marketing & Management, Corporate Branding, Graphic Design, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), and Media Buying. They are well-known for developing powerful marketing strategies for all methods of communication. No challenge is too big and no business is too small for the team at SOS! For more information, you can visit them online at http://www.sosmediacorp.com . According to Chad Thomas of SOS Media Corp in Edmonton, Alberta there are a number of reasons that American companies are choosing to outsource to Canada instead of India or other countries. Cost Effectiveness At time of press release, the US dollar is worth $1.29 in Canada. With the extra money in your pocket from outsourcing your business to Canada, you can invest even more into your marketing plan, which could lead to even more conversions! If it interests you, the money you save could go towards taking a trip to the beautiful Rocky Mountains, to the refreshing Pacific Ocean, or along the vast Canadian prairies; the sky is the limit! Easy Communication Outsourcing overseas is not ideal for communication. This can be attributed to a number of influences; namely, the language barriers and the time differences. With your business in Canada, you can be reassured that there will be clear verbal and written communication, no more than a few time zones away! You are more than welcome to give us a shout whenever you want to discuss your latest and greatest ideas. Duty-Free Services NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, has been a large contributor to increases in trade and investment between the US and Canada. The consequential benefits of this include new business opportunities, strong partnerships, and increased conversions. Stay competitive in your industry by outsourcing your social media management needs to Canadian agencies that understand your market! For all these reasons and more it is likely that American companies will continue to find new ways to leverage Canadian dollars to help their bottom line without loosing quality. No matter if it is used cars, web design, or other services it looks like this is a trend that will continue while the US dollar remains strong against the Canadian dollar. In Chad Thomas's opinion "its a win-win for everybody". The successful completion of our Health Canada inspection is the direct result of the hard work and dedication of everyone at Dalton as well as our ongoing commitment to providing the highest quality standards to our clients, said Peter Pekos. Dalton Pharma Services, a leading Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization, is proud to announce that it has successfully completed another Health Canada inspection and has received a compliant rating from the Health Products and Food Branch Inspectorate of Health Canada. The rating resulted from a Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) inspection conducted at Daltons facility during March 2016. The inspection covered the scope of sterile and non-sterile drug products, Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) and laboratory operations, and included clinical products. The compliant rating means that the company has successfully demonstrated these activities are in compliance with the high standards of the Canadian Food and Drugs Act and its associated regulations. The successful completion of our Health Canada inspection is the direct result of the hard work and dedication of everyone at Dalton as well as our ongoing commitment to providing the highest quality standards to our clients, said Peter Pekos, President and CEO. I believe this compliant inspection is a direct result of having ingrained GMP and compliance into our core company values. The positive result of this inspection will allow Dalton to improve upon our processes as we strive to consistently provide the highest quality for our clients. said Karina Lahnakoski, Director of Quality. As a result of achieving the compliant rating, Dalton will continue to provide manufacturing, filling, packaging and testing services to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Dalton continues to build an impressive regulatory track record, having now completed 6 successful Health Canada inspections, and will continue to uphold the highest quality standards while serving its clients. About Dalton: Dalton Chemical Laboratories Inc. o/a Dalton Pharma Services is a Health Canada approved and FDA registered GMP contract service provider of integrated chemistry, drug development and manufacturing services to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. We bring 30 years of experience to our client's projects and emphasize speed, flexibility, and quality. Dalton can accelerate your drug discovery and development program by integrating process development, API manufacturing and finish dose manufacturing all at a single location. Our full range of services in-house (drug discovery, flow chemistry, formulation development, process development, custom synthesis, cGMP API manufacturing, cGMP sterile fill/finish and aseptic liquid and powder filling) all at one location enables us to be adaptable, flexible and cost-effective. To learn more about Dalton visit http://www.dalton.com Our CMO 2016 Leadership Awards in the categories of Quality, Reliability, Capabilities, Expertise and Compatibility including On-Time Delivery and Right First Time from Life Science Leader reflect our ongoing commitment to our clients, peers and the business community. In Madeira Beach Florida, a small town with 4,300 residents on a barrier island connected to the mainland by a single drawbridge, citizens formed an organization, Madeira Beach United, to oppose two development projects undertaken by their city government that would increase already congested traffic and change the small town center to a high rise urban environment. According to the Tampa Bay Times on May 20, Madeira Beach city officials approved negotiating contracts for the Holiday Isles and Madeira Beach Town Center projects with a total of eleven buildings, all over the height and density allowed by pre-existing zoning laws. 69% of the voters voted against a referendum to approve the sale of city property to the developers. Despite this public opposition, city officials proceeded with negotiations. In response, concerned residents formed Madeira Beach United. As a result, Madeira Beach United took legal action to ensure decisions were made by voters and placed on a ballot. Attorneys Ken Weiss and Tim Weber also instituted legal action for their clients, Jennifer McCoy Parker and Linda C. Hein with the Pinellas County Circuit Court that would nullify the citys rezoning action (Case No. 16001524CJ). On May 17, the Madeira Beach United Petition Committee filed a petition (Ord. 2014-8) for a referendum with the City Clerk in accordance with Section 13.2 of the City Charter. This petition requires the Board of Commissioners to reconsider the addition of a Planned Development District to the Establishment of Districts in the City and, if the Board does not repeal this action, to have it placed on a ballot for a general election by the voters of Madeira Beach. At the same time, residents filed complaints about other alleged unethical actions by city officials with the State of Florida Commission on Ethics (petitions 16-072 and 16-079). Venerated Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis said, the greatest menace to freedom is an inert people. He put his trust in enlightened citizens. Samuel Baker, a member of Madeira Beach United, commented, We formed a group of citizens to ensure that or city officials act in our interests. The Foundling Museum, which celebrates how artists have helped improve childrens lives for over 275 years, has selected Microsoft Dynamics NAV from The NAV People as its new enterprise resource planning solution following an extensive upgrade of IT systems. The Foundling Museum has replaced manual tills with an electronic point of sale solution that now integrates into MS Dynamic NAV. The combined solution has driven significant efficiencies across operations and has streamlined the monthly VAT returns process that previously used to take 2 days and is now completed in less than 10 minutes. In addition, monthly company accounts for 2 organisations that previously took 2-3 days each month can now be completed in less than 5 minutes. Nigel Cudlipp, Financial Director at The Foundling Museum comments: Upgrading our accounting systems has increased revenues and improved governance through the efficient tracking of restricted funds. The impact on my time has been significant; tasks that previously would take 5 days each month can now be completed in less than an hour. This has allowed me to focus more time on the business development side of the museum, resulting in increased revenues that we plough back into improving the museum, which is enjoyed by more than 50,000 visitors each year. As registered charity, the museum is able to claim Gift Aid on donations from individuals; previously the process would take the Finance Director approximately 8 days per year to correlate the data to claim the much-needed funds. The NAV People developed functionality to simplify the collating of the required donor declaration; today the process has been completely automated and the reporting takes minutes to complete. Ian Humphries, Managing & Product Director at The NAV People comments; The NAV People only advocate impactful solutions that we know will deliver real business value, evidenced by the benefits achieved by The Foundling Museum in a short period of time. The museum has invested in an IT solution that will evolve with their business and continue to deliver significant improvements for years to come. A copy of the full case study is available from The NAV People website: http://thenavpeople.com/us/why-people-love-us-2/foundling-museum -ends- NOTES TO EDITORS About The Foundling Museum The Foundling Museum explores the history of the Foundling Hospital, the UKs first childrens charity and first public art gallery, and through a regular programme of events and exhibitions celebrates the ways in which artists of all disciplines have helped improve childrens lives for over 275 years. The Foundling Hospital, which continues today as the childrens charity Coram, was established in 1739 by the philanthropist Captain Thomas Coram, as a hospital for the maintenance and education of exposed and deserted young children. Instrumental in helping Coram realise his vision were the artist William Hogarth, who encouraged all the leading artists of the day to donate work, and the composer George Frideric Handel, who gave annual benefit concerts of the Messiah. In doing so, they created Londons first public art gallery and set the template for the way that the arts could support philanthropy. For more information visit: The Foundling Museum About The NAV People The NAV People started trading in the UK in 2009 and the business has grown through word of mouth. They are now the countrys no.1 reseller who solely concentrate on Microsoft Dynamics NAV. The NAV People set out to create a company with simple but really important aims; treat customers fairly, provide value for money and make them happy, while treating staff as members of an exceptional family and not merely employees. The aims of The NAV People are what everyone should expect from a partner in business, a high level of expertise, amazing product innovation and the absolute best standard of customer service. The NAV People believe fairness is the key to good business and profit is the end result of successful business relationships, not a goal to aim for. The NAV People operate from three locations in the UK; Newbury, Cardiff and Manchester and also have a US corporate office in Atlanta. For anyone who is looking for a committed, friendly and knowledgeable reseller of Microsoft Dynamics NAV, The NAV People are the ideal partner. For more information: The NAV People Follow us on Twitter @TheNAVPeople Editors Contacts Jenny Ferguson Marketing Manager The NAV People 02083289818 jenny.ferguson(at)TheNAVPeople(dot)co.uk Andreina West/Mary Phillips PR Artistry 01491 639500 andreina(at)pra-ltd(dot)co.uk FactRight, the leading firm for outsourced risk management and analytical due diligence for the alternative investment community, announced today that Barbara Halper, JD, MBA, a founding partner, will step down from day-to-day corporate operations later this year. Halper has focused on due diligence and risk management related to alternative and direct securities investments for the past thirteen years, previously serving as a due diligence officer of a large national broker dealer and chief operating officer of a company bringing alternative investments to the broker dealer community. Halper cofounded FactRight in 2006 and has been an integral part of the companys management team and its affiliates over the companys 10-year history. Most recently, she led the companys consulting division and oversaw its corporate legal work. Barbara played a critical role in the creation and growth of FactRight, said CEO Scott Smith. FactRight due diligence reports are widely distributed to the financial services industry today. Our success as a reporting firm is due, in large part, to Barbaras early work on our reporting products. Halper will remain with the company through the ADISA annual conference scheduled for Sept. 30. While I am saddened to be leaving FactRight, I leave it in good hands, Halper said. I am ready for new opportunities and challenges. Halper is a board member of ADISA, the Alternative and Direct Investment Securities Association, and is an active participant on their Conference Planning Committee. In 2015, she chaired the ADISA Spring Symposium and is the Chair of the 2016 ADISA annual conference. Barbara is also a member of the American Bar Association and has held FINRA Series 22, 39, and 63 registrations. About FactRight, LLC Founded in Minnesota in 2006, FactRight is an innovative service organization providing outsourced risk management and analytical due diligence to the alternative investment community. The FactRight team features highly credentialed professionals who specialize in complementary disciplines. Our staff includes licensed attorneys, certified public accountants, certified fraud examiners, internal auditors, chartered financial analysts, and former due diligence officers of financial services firms. Our multidisciplinary approach enables us to fill in risk management and due diligence voids faced by many of our clients. By having a partner that proactively keeps pace with an ever-changing industry, independent broker dealers can be confident that they have the guidance they need to meet regulatory challenges. Additional information, including details on our sister company, FR Risk Management LLC, can be found by visiting http://www.factright.com. OmniVere announced today the addition of industry leader Leyda Mata as Senior Vice President & Director of Operations of its Legal Services Segment. Leyda will be based out of OmniVeres New York City offices, adding her expertise to an ever-expanding team of chief industry experts nationwide. Leyda Mata is an accomplished recruiting, operations and business development professional with demonstrated expertise in the management of national eDiscovery and staffing teams in the legal and compliance areas. For the past 10 years, Leyda has been working within the legal and compliance staffing and eDiscovery industries, first serving as an eDiscovery Project Manager and then as Managing Director of Recruitment & Operations for several national legal staffing companies. A thought leader within the industry, Leyda has published several articles in industry publications. In addition, she has served as a keynote speaker and panelist on the topics of eDiscovery and staffing best practices. She is active in various industry associations, including Women in eDiscovery and the Association of Legal Administrators, and remains active in the Vassar College Alumni Association. Leyda is fluent in Spanish, French and Italian and is a graduate of Vassar College and Tulane University Law School. We are excited to add yet another industry leader to the team, said Craig Brown, President of OmniVeres Legal Services Segment. As we continue to grow, Leyda brings to OmniVere her significant operations and legal staffing industry experience that will enhance our ability to scale with all our clients needs About OmniVere: OmniVere is a global services firm responding to the most difficult data risk management challenges. With decades of experience in all stages of the corporate data lifecycle, from pre-matter consulting through legal hold, trial and ultimate disposition of data, OmniVere is uniquely positioned to minimize corporate risk while delivering unparalleled efficiency before, during, and after legal, regulatory and compliance proceedings. The firm provides services to companies in the energy, financial services, healthcare, insurance, technology and government sectors and to their legal counsel. For more information about OmniVere go to http://www.omnivere.com or follow @OmniVere on Twitter. Media Contact: Dan Bellopede Dan(dot)Bellopede(at)OmniVere(dot)com Center for Social Dynamics CSD now offers home-based and clinic-based autism treatment therapy to children in 13 Northern California counties. Center for Social Dynamics (CSD) is pleased to announce that it has brought its evidence-based autism therapy approach to Sacramento and has intensified its Bay Area service delivery with a new facility in San Bruno. CSD now offers home-based and clinic-based autism treatment therapy to children in 13 Northern California counties. The expansion into Sacramento comes on the heels of continuing growth in the San Francisco Bay Area in response to unprecedented demand for autism care including diagnosis and treatment. CSD addresses this need by providing a unique process that is culturally competent and, and many instances, delivered in languages other than English. The new Sacramento office is east of downtown Sacramento near Sacramento State University at 881 Folsom Boulevard. CSD founder and President Pete Pallares expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunity to further CSDs culturally-sensitive approach to autism by saying, Our growth not only broadens our ability to care for children with autism, but allows us to have an impact on the profession as we continue to cultivate qualified clinicians. The San Bruno location will also address a growing need for autism services among a diverse population on the San Francisco Peninsula. The facility, located at 1001 Sneath Lane, is conveniently located among the 280, 380, and 101 freeways and is proximate to BART and Caltrain stations. Founded in 2012, CSD offers autism diagnosis, assessment and ABA therapy in addition to social skills groups to children of all ages in the greater San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento County. CSD accepts numerous insurance carriers as well as private pay clients. If you are interested in learning more about how CSD can support your child with autism or if you are interested in a career with us please call us at 510-268-8120, send an email to media(at)centersocialdynamics(dot)com, or visit our webpage at http://www.centersocialdynamics.com. Spring-Green Lawn Care is proud to announce Ezra Payment, owner of Pro-Lawn Care Etc., has taken over as owner of the Spring-Green Lawn Care in Silverdale, Washington. As a landscape professional with almost 15 years of experience on his own, Payment was excited about the opportunity to expand his business when Spring-Green approached him about the possibility of purchasing this established territory. I started in landscaping in high school, and I enjoy the work, he said. Landscaping chooses you, you dont choose landscaping. Spring-Green appealed to Payment for several reasons, most importantly because of the stability the 40-year-old franchise company offered to its owners. My challenges were employees and marketing, Payment explained, adding, As you grow bigger, your problems become bigger. Spring-Greens industry-leading marketing and support programs provide assistance to help Payment as he scales his business. He likes that this diversification of services offers higher profit margins without the necessity of more tools or other upfront costs. One of his goals with the new franchise is to provide more financial security for himself, as well as to expand his knowledge of landscaping and lawn care. I believe in the process Spring-Green provides, and I see a great future with them. Payment is proud to have funded his new franchise without outside financing, as he believes strongly in living a debt-free life. Ezra exemplifies the diversification possibilities that Spring-Green offers existing green industry business owners, and we are excited to have him join the family, said James Young, president of Spring-Green. We expanded the market area, so Ezra is now servicing Bainbridge Island, Belfair, Bremerton, Gig Harbor, Hansville, Indianola, Kingston, Olalla, Port Orchard, Poulsbo, Seabeck, Silverdale and Suquamish. About Spring-Green Lawn Care Founded in 1977, Plainfield, Illinois-based Spring-Green Lawn Care has been delivering lawn and tree care services nationwide for more than 39 years. Its service is centered on the beautification of residential and commercial customers in middle-class and affluent neighborhoods and communities. Spring-Green is an attractive opportunity for entrepreneurs and existing green industry business owners who want to align themselves with a business model that has proven economic resilience, healthy profit margins, industry leading business and marketing intelligence, recurring revenue and retirement and succession planning. For more information, visit http://www.springgreenfranchise.com. Contact: The Burris Agency, Inc. Jack Burris 704-557-0304 jburris(at)burris.com 2016 Dealers' Choice Award "StoneEagle is honored to be recognized by the dealer and technology user community as the recipient of the prestigious Dealers' Choice Gold Award in the F&I Technology category." StoneEagle was honored with a Gold 2016 Dealers Choice Award in the F&I Technology category from Auto Dealer Today Magazine. The Dealers Choice awards are voted on by dealers and dealership personnel, and recognize the industrys best product and service providers. This years awards program featured 34 distinctive categories including: product or service itself, customer support and service, value, and whether they would recommend the company to another dealer. To qualify for an award, a company must be among those that scored above the group average score in each category. StoneEagle is honored to be recognized by the dealer and technology user community as the recipient of the prestigious Dealers' Choice Gold Award in the F&I Technology category, said Thomas Elliott, president, StoneEagle. Our outstanding team is committed to developing and delivering innovative software and providing unmatched customer service to drive maximum efficiency and profitability in dealerships. StoneEagle will receive its Dealers Choice Award in a special ceremony in August 2016, at the Industry Summit in Las Vegas. For more information about the awards, please visit http://www.autodealermonthly.com About StoneEagle Formed in 1989, StoneEagle provides three robust F&I technology offerings to the retail automotive industry: SEcureMetrics performance management analytics software, SEcureMenu interactive F&I menu presentation software and the SEcureAdmin F&I product administration platform. Our applications are designed to ensure compliance efforts, increase productivity, improve efficiency, and drive profitability for dealerships and their corresponding F&I product and income development partners. For more information on StoneEagle, call 855-937-8729, email sales(at)stoneeagle(dot)com, or visit http://www.stoneeagle.com. (Beijing) Renowned writer, translator and playwright, Yang Jikang, better known by her penname Yang Jiang, died May 25 at a hospital in Beijing. She was 105. Her death was confirmed by her publisher, the People's Literature Publishing House, the Paper, a news website in Shanghai reported. Yang was an iconic literary figure in China known for her novels, plays, essays and translations. Yang was the first to produce a Chinese translation of the Spanish classic Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. Her translations, including that of the French novel Gil Blas, have remained the authoritative versions of these masterpieces among Chinese readers. She was the widow of Qian Zhongshu (1910-1998), an acclaimed novelist. He was known for Fortress Besieged, a story about the lives of Chinese intellectuals in the 1930s, the final years of a cultural renaissance that started with the fall of the Qing Dynasty in the early 1900s and was smothered by the Japanese invasion. Her 2003 essay collection "We Three," about her family life and professional collaboration with her late husband and their daughter, who died of cancer in 1997, was a best seller. Born in 1911, to an educated family in Beijing, Yang studied at Soochow University in Suzhou, in the eastern province of Jiangsu, and then at Tsinghua University in Beijing in the 1930s. She started writing while in college and her first short story Don't Worry, Lulu appeared in the literary supplement of a Tianjin newspaper Ta Kung Pao in 1934. Yang met her husband Qian at Tsinghua University. The couple married in 1935, and left for Britain for further studies at Oxford University and the University of London. They returned to China three years later and started teaching at Tsinghua. In the 1940s, Yang started writing stage plays under the penname Yang Jiang. Her first four-act parlor drama, Heart's Desire, became an immediate success. Her other theatrical pieces including The Cheat (Nengzhen Chengjia) and Sport with the World (Youxi Renjian) made her a famous playwright. Yang was fluent in English, French and Spanish. The prestigious Literature Research Institute in Beijing, the predecessor of the Institute of Foreign Literature of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, appointed her to a group studying foreign classics in 1952. This was what launched her translation career. A renowned academic in aesthetics studies, Zhu Guangqian, once said "Yang's prose translations were the best" in China at that time. Yang started translating Don Quixote in 1958 and spent seven years on it, but the publication of the work was delayed by more than a decade due to the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) when Western literature was banned. During this period, thousands of intellectuals, including Yang and Qian, were tortured and forced to work in collective farms in rural areas. The couple was sent to Xinyang, a village in the impoverished central province of Henan, to do hard labor as part of what authorities called a "reeducation" program. Yang continued to write despite these hardships. Her 1983 memoir, Six Chapters about My Life Down Under, chronicles the difficulties she and her husband faced during these years with a touch of humor. Her translation of Cervantes' classic was published a few years earlier, in 1978, by the People's Literature Publishing House. More than 700,000 copies of the book were sold as of 2014, data from the publisher showed. Her 1988 novel Baptism, on how intellectuals were affected by the political upheavals in the 1950s and 1960s, was another success. It was "a combination of Dream of the Red Chamber and The Scholars," said novelist Shi Zhecun, referring to two Chinese classics. Her husband was critically ill from 1994 until his death four years later. "As Qian got weaker, he could no longer speak," a family friend, Wu Xuezhao, said. "But every day when Yang arrived in hospital, he opened his eyes to greet her, no matter how difficult it was for him." After Qian's death, Yang compiled and edited her husband's unpublished works. She remained prolific even late in life. In 2001, she started to translate Plato's Phaedo. Her reflective essay, Arriving at the Margins of Life, came out in 2007, when she was 96. In 2014, aged 103, she published a sequel to her novel Baptism. Yang donated more than 10 million yuan earned in royalties from books to her alma mater, Tsinghua University, to set up a scholarship fund to support low-income students. In 2011, when she became a centenarian, Yang was interviewed by a Shanghai newspaper, Wenhui Bao, in which she said "I have reached the margins of life and I have no idea how far I can go. The number of years left is not within my control but I know clearly that I will 'go home' soon I shall live everyday peacefully and prepare 'to go home.'" Sample Section 105 Medical Reimbursement Plan Zane Benefits, the leader in individual health insurance reimbursement for small businesses, announced today the publication of a new resource, "Sample Section 105 Medical Reimbursement Plan." The guide helps small businesses understand and set up an individual health insurance reimbursement program. According to Zane Benefits, a significant milestone for small and growing businesses is offering employee health benefits. For most small businesses, however, traditional employer health insurance is out of reach. The cost is too high or the company cannot meet eligibility requirements. As a result, small businesses are approaching employee health benefits a little differently. Instead of contributing to employer health insurance coverage, businesses are setting up Section 105 Medical Reimbursement Plans to reimburse employees for individual health insurance coverage. Individual health insurance reimbursement is being widely adopted because small employers need affordable, financially sustainable healthcare options. Individual health insurance offers employees permanent, quality health insurance and Section 105 Plans offer employers a way to contribute to employees' healthcare expenses. The new guide provides small business owners and leadership teams with practical tools, information, and worksheets to understand how to use Section 105 Plans for individual health insurance reimbursement. The 13-page eBook is available for free download at the zanebenefits.com website and covers the following topics: Setting up and designing a Section 105 plan Plan document requirements Three options for plan administration Compliance considerations Evaluating the cost of a Section 105 plan About Zane Benefits, Inc. Zane Benefits was founded in 2006 with a mission to consumerize employee benefits for small business. We have a vision for the world where employee benefits are actually employee benefits rather than employer benefits. "Consumerize" is the word we use to describe that vision. When small businesses offer Zane Benefits instead of traditional benefits, they save time and money by empowering employees with tax-free dollars. Using our online software platform (PeopleKeep), small businesses help employees purchase their own benefits with real dollar contributions. Visitors to Redlands and San Bernardino county will now be assured they are staying in the best hotel in Redlands when they choose Ayres Hotel Redlands as the hotel property was just named the 2016 Best Hotel in San Bernardino County by readers of The San Bernardino Sun and Redlands Daily Facts newspapers. Every March, the papers publish print and online ballots with over 135 categories asking readers to vote for their favorite businesses in the community. This year, Ayres Hotel Redlands came out on top as the best hotel in the area. Boasting 107 comfortable guestrooms and an exceptional team focused on providing the most welcoming hospitality experience possible, Ayres Hotel Redlands opened its doors to guests in 2008 and offers a distinctive boutique ambiance punctuated by Spanish-style decor. Guests of the hotel are treated to a wealth of complimentary amenities including a hot buffet breakfast, Wi-Fi, and parking. Guestrooms feature plush Ayres Celestial Sleeper beds, custom furnishings, microwaves, refrigerators, and more. Ayres Hotel Redlands is truly an extraordinary hotel with a team that celebrates the community and has immense gratitude for this award. We are honored the readers of The San Bernardino Sun and Redlands Daily Facts voted for our hotel as the best in Redlands. It is such a pleasure to be a part of this community and to service its members, so we are beyond grateful to be recognized as one of their favorite businesses, said General Manager Marissa Harding. Winners in all categories can be viewed in The San Bernardino Sun and Redlands Daily Facts Annual Readers Choice Special Section published in May. ABOUT AYRES HOTELS In the hotel business since 1984, Ayres Hotels are a family owned and operated collection of handcrafted boutique hotels in premier California locations dedicated to excellence in hospitality and providing an unparalleled product. The collection is built on a foundation of inviting, personalized service while being a supportive organization that reflects a culture of caring for its guests and team members. The Ayres family has been a leader in the California residential and commercial real estate industry for more than a century. Visit the company online at http://www.ayreshotels.com or call 714-384-3150. AssuredPartners is deeply rooted in the senior living sector and adding Brian, Michael and Ricky's experience and talent will greatly help us in our ongoing efforts of growth and excellence. said Tom Riley, President and COO of AssuredPartners, Inc. AssuredPartners, Inc. is pleased to announce the recent addition of Executive Vice President Brian Lindahl, Vice President Michael Randall and Account Executive Ricky Schwarz. Brian will serve as the Director of Senior Living for AssuredPartners with his teams focus on expanding the senior living practice throughout the country through organic growth and acquisition. Brian has been providing creative insurance products and solutions to the senior living industry for over thirty years. Most recently, Brian held the position of Senior Vice President at Brown & Brown where he has worked since 1989. Throughout his career, he served as head of the Senior Living practice as well as being the recipient of several top awards throughout the organization, including a three time Top Gun Leading Producer achievement. Michael has had a strategic focus on the senior living sector since 2009 as a Producer and Vice President with Brown & Brown. With his knowledge of the senior living space, he will bring this focus to serve the many AssuredPartners clients as a national resource and will focus on expanding the markets and services across the country. Both Brian and Michael will receive production support from Ricky Schwarz, CPCU, who has focused solely on Senior Living since beginning of his career in 2011. He will bring an entrepreneurial focus to the team as they continue to expand. Ricky was honored most recently by his previous employer as Rookie of the Year, an award given to the highest revenue producing rookie throughout the country. I am excited about this new chapter in my career and am very proud to join an agency that is focused on growth and providing the absolute best products and services in the industry to their clients. said Executive Vice President Brian Lindahl. AssuredPartners is a known national leader in the senior living space and Im grateful to be a part of expanding this focus nationally. AssuredPartners is deeply rooted in the senior living sector and adding Brian, Michael and Ricky's experience and talent will greatly help us in our ongoing efforts of growth and excellence, said Tom Riley, President and COO of AssuredPartners, Inc. Brian will work to support our objectives and execution of strategic initiatives. We are looking forward to adding the aptitude of Brians team and experience to our organization as we welcome them to the AssuredPartners family. ABOUT ASSUREDPARTNERS, INC Headquartered in Lake Mary, Florida and led by Jim Henderson and Tom Riley, AssuredPartners, Inc. acquires and invests in insurance brokerage businesses (property and casualty, employee benefits, surety and MGUs) across the United States and in London. From its founding in March of 2011, AssuredPartners has grown to $600 million in annualized revenue and continues to be one of the fastest growing insurance brokerage firms in the United States* with over 125 offices in 30 states and a London office. Since 2011, AssuredPartners has acquired more than 150 insurance agencies. For more information, please contact Dean Curtis, CFO, at 407.708.0031 or dcurtis(at)assuredptr(dot)com, or visit http://www.assuredptr.com. *As ranked by Business Insurance in the July 20, 2015 edition, featuring the 100 largest brokers of U.S. business. ### NetWolves Managed Network Provider, announced today that it has been honored with an XCellence Award for Best Solution Provider at The Channel Companys Midsize Enterprise Summit (MES) East on May 3, 2016. The CIOs and senior IT executives attending the annual event determine the XCellence Awards winners, voting for the most distinguished midmarket products, services, programs and presentations. The award reflects NetWolves continued commitment to providing innovative products and solutions designed to accelerate ROI for the midmarket. NetWolves presented event attendees a comprehensive IT Network solution covering the areas of Networking, Mobility, Security, Management, and Analytics. The company works with diverse organizations in need of a dedicated team of U.S.-based technical experts who design, provide, and support IT services to fill resource needs, increase efficiencies, and reduce TCO. Given the demands placed on todays IT organizations and the pace of technology innovation, NetWolves fills a gap in the market that is critical. An MES XCellence award represents a stamp of approval from the midmarket community, said Lisa MacKenzie, Senior Vice President of Events, The Channel Company. We congratulate this years winners for their knowledge and commitment to the midmarket, and look forward to their continued success. We are thrilled to support the Midsize Enterprise Summit East and to join leading IT professionals to discuss challenges and capabilities needed, said Michael Grossman, Vice President, NetWolves. The fact that such executives and technical experts selected NetWolves as the events Best Solution Provider among nearly 60 exhibitors and sponsors is validation of the value of our network services and difficulties faced by customers. The Channel Company hosted the Midsize Enterprise Summit East at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis from May 1-3. Hundreds of midmarket CIOs and senior-level IT decision-makers gathered to meet with top technology vendors and Gartner industry analysts to forge new contacts and discuss technologys role in the midmarket landscape. Through content developed in cooperation with Gartner, attendees learned new business-building strategies and explored industry best practices that will help them exceed their organizations IT goals. About NetWolves NetWolves, a Tampa based company and division of VasoTechnology is a Managed Network Provider (MNP) that designs and delivers efficient and cost-effective multi-network and multi-technology solutions that work. The company provides a complete single-source IT solution that includes design, network redundancy, security, application device management, real-time network monitoring, reporting (Analytics), and support systems, from one single partner. NetWolves services more than 1,100 customers across the U.S. and Internationally. http://www.netwolves.com About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. http://www.thechannelco.com VetFriends.com - the largest website for reuniting U.S. military veterans - has created an online Casualty Memorial honoring and paying tribute to fallen U.S. military service men and women. The VetFriends memorial at https://www.vetfriends.com/memorial is a place to honor and pay respect to the fallen U.S. service men and women who have sacrificed the ultimate serving their country from the Korean War to Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraqi Freedom. The VetFriends.com Casualty Memorial is sourced by the federal National Archives and allows visitors to search by first and last name, state, military branch and war to view memorial pages of service men and women spanning back to the Korean War. Each listing shows the date of birth, hometown, military branch of service, along with the date of his or her death. Family and friends can submit bio information, personal notes, along with a collection of photos in honor of their fallen loved ones. Visitors, family members and friends are invited to leave a comment on the tribute page of fallen military personnel, along with a memorial tribute candle. With Memorial Day approaching, VetFriends encourages all to visit the Memorial to honor and give thanks to U.S. veterans and active military personnel. With the approach of Memorial Day 2016, VetFriends.com has initiated its 16th annual Memorial Day 'Honor, Reflection & Remembrance' campaign tribute - offering a nationwide Memorial Day parade directory at: https://www.vetfriends.com/memorialparades/. Visitors are invited to submit and register community parades and events in the directory to help promote the support and memory of veterans and the fallen service men and women. All listings will be posted on VetFriends.com for over 500,000 visitors per month to view. Other features available on VetFriends.com include: search the member database of over 2,000,000 people to make contact with old service friends from the Korean War to Vietnam to the Cold War through the present; information on how to obtain military records and medals; veteran job postings; message boards; upload past and present photos; military lingo; search and post reunions; military products and discounts; along with a variety of other features and services. Additionally, the VetFriends.com photo collection at https://www.vetfriends.com/militarypics is made up of thousands of pictures in honor of U.S. military personnel. Visitors can search for images by specific military branch, year, war, state and country. Each picture contains background information along with a brief message and/or description. Pictures can be viewed at regular size or enhanced for a larger close up view. This Memorial Day and all year long, VetFriends.com encourages all Americans to honor and support U.S. veterans and active military of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard -- all heroes of our nation. Founded in 2000 by a U.S. military veteran, thousands of people have been reconnected through VetFriends.com, spanning from World War II through to Operation Desert Storm and the present. For further information and/or interview opportunities, please contact VetFriends.com at 1-800-975-1618 or via the provided e-mail. We are excited that our student applicants will have even more opportunities to find a world-class college that best fits their passions and interests, while ensuring that this deeply valuable education is well within their financial reach. QuestBridge is excited to announce the newest colleges to join as partners: Macalester College, located in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Claremont McKenna College, located in Claremont, California. The addition of these top colleges brings the total number of QuestBridge college partners to 39. Along with its college partners, QuestBridge is committed to connecting academically outstanding students from low-income backgrounds with educational opportunities at highly selective liberal arts colleges and research universities, with the goal of increasing their presence on college campuses. Claremont McKenna, the third Claremont College to join QuestBridge, allows students to benefit from a consortium of colleges, just an hour away from Los Angeles. Our partnership with QuestBridge provides an exciting opportunity to work with a leading organization on identifying and recruiting talented, high-achieving students from modest-income families, said Georgette DeVeres, Associate Vice President and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid at Claremont McKenna College. We are so thrilled to team up with QuestBridge as we continue to build an exceptionally strong and diverse student body who will make lasting contributions to our close-knit college community and the world beyond. The addition of Macalester College offers students excellent experiential learning opportunities in the vibrant metropolitan area of St. Paul, Minnesota. Lorne Robinson, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Macalester College, says, "QuestBridge has been extraordinarily successful in helping outstanding low-income students realize their potential and attend wonderful colleges around the country. We're excited and looking forward to our partnership." Macalester and Claremont McKenna, along with Duke University (who joined as a QuestBridge partner in January 2016), are the newest partners to offer full four-year scholarships and admission to outstanding high school seniors from low-income backgrounds through the 2016 QuestBridge National College Match. Qualified applicants must plan to enroll in college in the fall 2017. The free online application opens in summer 2016 and is due on September 27, 2016. We are thrilled to welcome Claremont McKenna and Macalester into the QuestBridge partnership, says Ana McCullough, QuestBridge Co-Founder and CEO. We are excited that our student applicants will have even more opportunities to find a world-class college that best fits their passions and interests, while ensuring that this deeply valuable education is well within their financial reach. For more information about Macalester College and Claremont McKenna College, please visit http://www.questbridge.org. About QuestBridge: QuestBridge, a national non-profit based in Palo Alto, California, connects the nations most exceptional, low-income youth with leading institutions of higher education and further life opportunities. By recruiting, developing, and motivating these students beginning in high school through college to their first job QuestBridge aims to increase the percentage of talented low-income students attending the nations best colleges and to support them to achieve success in their respective careers and communities. ### South Carolina DUI Attorney Steve Sumner "It was an honor to address my Upstate South Carolina colleagues on one of the most significant legal decisions in American history -- Miranda v Arizona." DUI lawyer Steve Sumner was recently the featured speaker at the Greenville County Bar Associations Law Week Luncheon on April 25th. The event was held at the Poinsett Club. Sumner addressed this years theme -- Miranda: More than Words. The presentation consisted of the significance of the Miranda v Arizona decision, along with significant subsequent court cases addressing Miranda rights issues. The luncheon speech was part of LAW WEEK 2016. President Dwight Eisenhower established the first Law Day in 1958 to mark the nations commitment to the rule of law. In 1961, Congress issued a joint resolution designating May 1 as the official date for celebrating Law Day. Every president since then has issued a Law Day proclamation to celebrate the nations commitment to the rule of law. Sumner primarily handles misdemeanor and felony DUI/drunk driving cases. He is a former DUI prosecutor and has been in private practice since 1994. In 2016, Sumner was named to "The Best Lawyers in America" in the field of DUI defense. He is a lifetime charter member of the "Best Attorneys in America - Rue's Ratings". Sumner has been recognized as a South Carolina Super Lawyer in the field of DUI defense and has been a member of the National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 Trial Lawyers for criminal defense in South Carolina since 2013. He is a member of the National College for DUI Defense and has held a judicially endorsed AV-Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and a "Superb" (10.0 out 10.0) ranking with Avvo since 2011. Sumner currently represents clients in over 25 courts in Upstate South Carolina. These courts include Greenville, Anderson, Spartanburg, Pickens and Laurens counties; as well as the city/municipal courts of Greenville, Anderson, Spartanburg, Simpsonville, Mauldin, Greer, Fountain Inn, Easley, Clemson, Central, and Laurens. AIM Health, a new hybrid primary care clinic that offers both a concierge and traditional patient model in West Linn, Oregon, announces the addition of a new family practitioner, Dr. Kathryn Kolonic, formerly at Providence Health in Canby. Dr. Kolonic will began accepting new patients at AIM Health starting May 23, 2016. Dr. Kathryn Kolonic is a skilled family medicine physician who believes time fosters her relationship with each patient. She is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and is a member of the Obesity Medicine Association. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of San Diego and her Masters in Public Health focusing on Health Education and Health Promotion from Portland State University. She then earned her medical degree from Touro University in Henderson, Nevada. She completed her residency in Family Medicine at the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Las Vegas. In her medical practice, Dr. Kolonic emphasizes shared decision-making, health maintenance, and preventive care. She has a special interest in medically supervised weight loss. This is a great opportunity for me and my patients, said Dr. Kolonic. AIM Health offers both traditional and concierge payment models. Because of this, I am able to schedule longer appointment times and spend more time researching and better understanding my patients conditions so I can practice better medicine. This luxury of time is not something traditional clinics can do when a physician is seeing in 2530 patients a day. Prior to joining AIM Health, Dr. Kolonic practiced at the Providence Medical Group in Canby, Oregon. Dr. Kolonic is a native Portlander, whose family has lived in the area for more than 120 years. We are excited to have Dr. Kolonic, said Dr. Amy Gillcrist, medical director and internal medicine physician at AIM Health. As a family physician, she helps to expand our offering and provide more services for families in West Linn, Lake Oswego, Canby, and the surrounding Portland area. Learn more at http://www.aimhealthnw.com. AIM Health provides an affordable membership model to ideally bring the concept of concierge medicine to a wider range of audiences. Concierge medicine, the idea where patients pay a monthly fee to gain better access to their physician, has been on the rise nationally, with more than 4,500 physicians practicing in the U.S. According to a 2014 Kaiser Health News article, todays traditional fee-for-service healthcare model rewards physicians for seeing patients in bulk, thereby reducing time spent and the physicians ability to manage more complex issues in a typical 15-minute doctor visit. AIM Health combats this issue by keeping the patient load smaller for the clinic overall. This way both membership and traditionally paying patients gain more time and attention from their physician. AIM Healths membership is $100 per month and gives members longer, more personal visits, same day or next day appointments, and 24/7 access to their doctor by cell phone, text or email. The clinic is expanding to include Dr. Kolonic and a new medical assistant. In addition, the physicians will be building a new clinic location in West Linn. AIM Health is currently accepting new patients and has a temporary location at 18603 Willamette Drive in West Linn. AIM Health accepts most insurance plans and, contrasting another national healthcare trend, AIM Health actively accepts Medicare patients. About AIM Health, LLC AIM Health is a primary care medical practice located in West Linn, Oregon, and was founded on the belief that better healthcare is possible. The desire to go back to the way it used to be when your doctor was more like family; before profit became more important than patients. Drs. Amy Gillcrist, Kathryn Kolonic, and Sue Lewis are a team of highly skilled physicians who guide patients through a range of health issues from advising on preventive care to complex chronic disease and medication management. The clinic is unique in that it offers both traditional and membership based payment options. Membership is an upgrade fee per month that provides 24/7 access to your physician. The clinic is temporarily located at 18603 Willamette Drive, West Linn, Oregon 97068. Find out more at aimhealthnw.com or call (503) 908-1590. Duck Donuts in Middletown will be giving away its famous made-to-order donuts on June 3 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. to celebrate National Donut Day. Each customer visiting the store that day can receive one free cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar or plain donut. Duck Donuts will also be serving free donuts at the Red Bank Salvation Army Corps, located at 180 Newman Springs Road in Red Bank, starting at 10 a.m. on June 3. The Salvation Army started National Donut Day during the Great Depression as a way to raise funds and bring awareness to the organizations social service programs. The Red Bank Corps serves those in need who live in northern Monmouth County. Duck Donuts specializes in warm, delicious and made-to-order donuts. Customers can choose from a variety of topping combinations, including traditional favorites such as chocolate icing with sprinkles and more adventurous creations such as maple icing with bacon. The Middletown store, which celebrated its one-year anniversary in April, recently debuted a new menu that includes donut ice cream sundaes. The family-friendly spot offers a viewing area where children and adults alike can watch their donuts being made. Duck Donuts also sells coffee, tea, breakfast sandwiches and more. About Duck Donuts Duck Donuts opened in North Carolinas Outer Banks in 2006, serving made-to-order donuts onsite. The franchise has repeatedly received a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor(R), and devoted fans have sung its praises far and wide. For more information, visit http://www.duckdonuts.com. About Red Bank Salvation Army Corps For more information, please contact Jesabel Cruz at 732-747-1626 or visit http://newjersey.salvationarmy.org/NewJersey/redbank. "At OpenSymmetry, our work culture is driven by encouragement and motivation to help global employees engage and grow personally and professionally, both in and outside the office. OpenSymmetry, the worlds largest consultancy firm specializing in the implementation of Sales Performance Management solutions, was named in Inc.s inaugural 50 Best Workplaces, the first such measurement of American companies with up to 500 employees that deploy state-of-the-art techniques to keep their staff happy and productive. Working with employee engagement and culture experts Quantum Workplace of Omaha, Nebraska, Inc.s list is a magnifying glass on how innovative companies can truly raise the bar in hiring and keeping the best talent. We hear it over and over again from the fast-growing businesses we cover: The biggest challenge that any business owner faces is finding and keeping the best people. Thats why building a workplace culture that allows your staff to grow with your company is absolutely crucial, explains Inc.s President and Editor-In-Chief Eric Schurenberg. Recipients of the Inc. Best Workplaces Awards have done so in spades. They should be celebrated and emulated. We are honored to be recognized in the Top 50 Best Workplaces, says Todd LeBaron, CEO and Co-Founder, OpenSymmetry. We are 100% committed to providing our employees the best work environment. Our work culture is driven by encouragement and motivation to help global employees engage and grow personally and professionally, both in and outside the office, Todd adds. The 2016 Inc. Best Workplaces Awards assessed applicants on a collection of multiple choice, scaled, and open-ended items. Responses were evaluated by the research team at Quantum Workplace. Core components of the scoring include company practices around management, employee recognition, performance communication, benefits, and other elements of the employee experience. To qualify, companies had to be U.S.-based, privately held, and independent--not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies. The minimum revenue required for 2015 is $2 million, in business at least three years, with full time employees count ranging between 5 and 500. About OpenSymmetry OpenSymmetry is the worlds largest independent consulting company specializing in the implementation of Sales Performance Management Solutions. Weve helped over 500 organizations plan for, select, deploy, and benefit from technology by the industrys leading vendors, resulting in reduced costs, increase revenues, greater visibility, and lower risk. Founded in 2004, OpenSymmetry is head quartered in Austin, Texas with offices in London, Sydney, Chennai, and Kuala Lumpur. Clients range from SMB to Fortune 500 companies across various industries. For more information, please visit http://www.opensymmetry.com. About Inc. Media Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today's innovative company builders. Winner of Advertising Ages The A-List in January 2015, and the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. Total monthly audience reach for the brand has grown significantly from 2,000,000 in 2010 to over 13,000,000 today. For more information, visit [http://www.inc.com/. About Quantum Workplace Quantum Workplace is an HR technology company that serves organizations through employee engagement surveys, action-planning tools, exit surveys, peer-to-peer recognition, performance evaluations, goal tracking, and leadership assessment. For more information, visit http://www.quantumworkplace.com. Earlier this month, social media sites in China were littered with comments linked to an online post that suggested telecom equipment manufacturer Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd, might move its headquarters from the southern city of Shenzhen to Dongguan, a smaller city bordering it. The online article, Don't Let Huawei Run Away published by an anonymous Internet commentator, said the company has been expanding its businesses in Dongguan, where land and property are much cheaper. This will diminish the company's contribution to the economy in Shenzhen, where it had been a major player for decades. Huawei released a statement days later saying it had no plans to relocate. But the heated online debate on the issue underscores widespread concerns over the impact of rising property prices on businesses in large cities such as Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing. Many fear that escalating land values and house prices in these mega cities, which affected homebuyers and small businesses for years, are now starting to hurt big firms like Huawei. It is not the first time Shenzhen has been at the center of a public discussion on the rivalry between cities to attract top businesses. In 2003, an Internet commentator who wished to remain anonymous wrote a popular entry on Shenzhen's waning competitiveness titled Shenzhen, By Whom Will You Be Abandoned, warning that big companies might shift to places such as Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. The author raised the alarm over the possible departure of the big four headquartered in the city, China Merchants Bank, Pingan Insurance (Group) Co., ZTE Corporation and Huawei, due to bureaucracy and government inefficiency and lapses in enforcing law and order. Shenzhen was one of the first four special economic zones set up in the earlier 80s at the start of China's reform and opening up process. But its reform process has been choked by growing red tape. For example, migrant workers are required to get a temporary residence permit to live and work in the city and one needs to get 11 stamps from various government agencies when applying for this document. Rival southern cities such as Guangzhou, however, moved swiftly to ease restrictions after a national outcry when a migrant worker, who arrived in the city without the proper documents, was beaten to death at a local detention center in 2003. After Guangzhou pushed ahead with reform, Huang Liman, the party secretary of the city at the time, told officials to assess the possibility of Shenzhen losing its competitive edge to other rivals. Huang said the city cannot just rely on preferential policies rolled out by the central government when the special economic zones were launched decades ago, because others were catching up. The city was at a disadvantage geographically in comparison to rivals like Shanghai even though living expenses and the costs of doing business were rising at a comparable pace, he said. The southern metropolis has come a long way over the past decade after authorities raced to improve governance and efficiency. The big four firms are still in Shenzhen. However, land and house prices have risen quickly in that time, and this has once again raised concerns on whether the metropolis will lose business to a smaller bustling rival like Dongguan. The costs of land, capital, technology and information jumped by more than half in Shenzhen in 2015, according to a report released by the China Center for Promotion of SME Development, a government-backed non-profit organization. As a result, a rising number of small- and medium-sized manufactures have moved their factories out of Shenzhen and large companies are likely to follow suit. Although Huawei denied it has any plan to relocate, the company has quietly built a cluster of research and development centers and factories outside Shenzhen. The company's founder, Ren Zhengfei, during a recent interview, warned that land is becoming increasingly expensive, and this has limited the potential for businesses to develop in China. Governments are relying on selling local land to property developers to fill their coffers amidst slow growth. The property market, however, has strayed far from its role as an industry to provide homes or work spaces and become a tool used by local governments to prop up their economies. This has pushed up costs and is threatening to push out businesses from big cities. Authorities in some regions often use land policies as a leverage to replace traditional manufacturing with high-tech companies and suppliers of value-added services. However, if regional governments take these policies too far, it could force out manufactures in traditional sectors, and high-tech firms and suppliers of modern services may also be reluctant to move in. Xue Hongyan is a senior research fellow of Suning Institute of Finance in Beijing ERA 2016 DuPont is pleased to congratulate the winners of the 2016 Environmental Respect Awards and applauds their accomplishment in environmental stewardship Four top farm supply retail businesses have been selected as Environmental Respect Award regional winners in North America. The winners are: Eastern US: Crop Production Services, Vanceboro, North Carolina, USA Central US: Crop Production Services, Palmyra, Missouri, USA Western US: Crop Production Services, Salinas, California, USA Canada: Crowfoot Ag Solutions, Strathmore, Alberta, Canada The Environmental Respect Awards, sponsored by DuPont Crop Protection and CropLife magazine, are the agricultural industrys highest recognition for environmental stewardship. The Awards are given to agricultural retailers, those who serve farmers and ranchers with the nutrients, crop protection and agronomic information and services critical to effective crop production. 2016 marks the programs 26th year honoring stewardship, safety and community outreach efforts of the worlds leading agricultural retailers and distributors. DuPont is pleased to congratulate the winners of the 2016 Environmental Respect Awards and applauds their accomplishment in environmental stewardship, said Tim Glenn, president, DuPont Crop Protection. These leaders are helping to advance environmental safety as well as the safe use of agricultural products, and we hope they will inspire others who share our passion and commitment to elevate environmental stewardship around the world. Its through the conscientious efforts of these ag businesses and the crop producers they serve that this nation is assured of a safe and bountiful food supply, said Paul Schrimpf, executive editor of CropLife magazine. Were delighted to be able to provide them recognition for their environmentalism. These businesses were selected by a panel of industry experts and won the award based on excellence in site design, in-plant storage and handling procedures, proper application and leadership in safety and stewardship among customers and employees. Members of the 2016 selection committee included Rick Welder, CropLife Magazine; David Frabotta, AgriBusiness Global magazine; Brian Reuwee, Agricultural Retailers Association; Rhea Cohen, DuPont Crop Protection; Don Clagg, DuPont Crop Protection; Reshma Arrington, CropLife America; Eric Sfiligoj, CropLife Magazine; Laura Dotterer, DuPont Crop Protection; and Jim Fargo, Centennial Ag. Paul Schrimpf, CropLife magazine chaired the committee and moderated the selection process. These winning agribusinesses are also competing for the North America Environmental Respect Award. Regional winners will receive their trophies and one of them will be named Ambassador of Respect North America, at the Hotel du Pont in Wilmington, DE, during a special ceremony in July to honor Ambassadors of Respect and Regional honorees from North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Europe/Middle East/Africa. ### For 26 years, the Environmental Respect Award has been the premier award in agricultural stewardship among agricultural retailers and distributors around the world. Since its inception in 1990, more than 7,000 businesses in the U.S. and Canada have shared their stories of environmental stewardship, sustainability, product safety standards, and customer and community outreach. More than 650 have earned state/provincial awards. Over the last 11 years, the international extension of the Environmental Respect Awards has seen involvement from more than 560 businesses in 33 countries. ERA 2016 marks the second year of a fully integrated and global selection and recognition process. The program is sponsored by DuPont Crop Protection and is managed and conducted by CropLife magazine and AgriBusiness Global magazine, Meister Media Worldwide publications. Find more information on the Environmental Respect Awards at http://www.EnvironmentalRespect.com. "CXO-Cockpit has given us the platform to leverage our IT infrastructure and systems, to have key information available at our finger tips, in an incredibly user friendly way" CXO-Cockpit, global provider of integrated Strategic Performance Reporting solutions for leading Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) systems, is proud to announce our newest member of the CXO-Cockpit Customer Community. Summit Materials, Inc., a leading vertically integrated construction materials company, has chosen CXO-Cockpit as their single point of entry for their management reporting, directly connecting to their Oracle Essbase and Oracle Hyperion Financial Management (HFM) Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) data to ensure speed with control: faster decision-making coupled with full end-to-end single point of truth governance of reporting processes. Implementing CXO-Cockpit at Summit Materials is a game changer for us in our ability to access information at all levels of our organization, from our individual operating companies to our senior executive team. CXO-Cockpit has given us the platform to leverage our IT infrastructure and systems, to have key information available at our finger tips, in an incredibly user friendly way. Says Tony Keenan, Senior VP of Finance at Summit Materials Inc. From the initial proof-of-concept through to execution, in less than two months we developed a great partnership and collaboration with all levels of the CXO-Cockpit organization. We are excited at the future possibilities and opportunities that CXO-Cockpit will bring us. Together we will continue to develop new reporting formats and leverage the capabilities of the CXO-Cockpit strategic reporting platform to its fullest. We are proud to support Summit in achieving its finance transformation goals, says Hugo Ehrnreich, Group CEO of CXO-Cockpit. Leveraging CXO-Cockpits concept of agile reporting to help unleash the full power of its Oracle Hyperion investment and talented finance team. It is a great pleasure to welcome Summit to the CXO Community in this exciting next stage of our US growth, adds Wouter Born, CTO & CEO CXO-Cockpit USA Inc. Monastic Academy Not only an ideal training environment to discover true and lasting happiness but also to acquire the precious real world skills needed to live a life of purpose, meaning and engagement. This is the real deal. - Daniel Thorson, former resident This June and July 2016, the Center for Mindful Learning (CML) will be hosting Open Weekends for Potential Residents to their Monastic Academy in Johnson, VT. Visitors will get a taste of modern monastic training in a small, supportive mindfulness community. These Open Weekends are by-donation basis. Due to limited spaces, participants are required to RSVP. Anyone interested in becoming a Monastic Academy resident is welcome to sign up. The open weekends will happen on the following dates: Thursday, June 23, 2016 until Sunday, June 26, 2016. Thursday, June 30, 2016 until Sunday, July 3, 2016. CML's Monastic Academy is a full-time residential training program designed to create wise, powerful, and loving leaders who are an unstoppable force for social, economic, and environmental justice on Earth. Residents train in rigorous meditation and challenging project-based learning. The residential program has been running for over three years with dozens of residents having gone through the program. The Open Weekend is an opportunity to meet the current residents and future potential residents before deciding whether to join full time. "Not only an ideal training environment to discover true and lasting happiness, but also to acquire the precious real world skills needed to live a life of purpose, meaning and engagement; this is the real deal," said Daniel Thorson, a former resident of the Monastic Academy. "Not only an ideal training environment to discover true and lasting happiness but also to acquire the precious real world skills needed to live a life of purpose, meaning and engagement. This is the real deal." said Daniel Thorson, former resident of the Monastic Academy. Monastic Academy residents commit to a minimum of one year of training. Residents pay a one-time training fee of $6,000. In addition, significant financial aid is available for those with financial need to reduce the training fee. Residents receive free room, board, a monthly stipend, a week-long silent retreat each month, and daily one-on-one meditation practice interviews. The Monastic Academy is committed to inclusivity to welcome people from all walks of life. The Monastic Academy recognizes that suffering is real and compounded by forms of oppression because of race, class, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, mental and physical differences, political party, religious identification, or other beliefs and positions. We are working continuously to make our training available to everyone and welcome people from any background. The Monastic Academys vision is to create centers across the country. Each center specializes in a specific facet of bringing contemplative practice to life and to serve their local community. With the help of a team of trusted donors and advisors, MAPLE has already raised over $1.5 million dollars to establish a second training center in the San Francisco area. This center will feature programs and training designed to enhance the work of entrepreneurs and startups through intensive mindfulness training. Center for Mindful Learning is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Johnson, Vermont. In addition to the Monastic Academy, CML runs a variety of programs including a month-long monastic coworking program and a mindfulness in schools program. CML also pioneered with local partners to do the Mindful City Project, a continuing initiative to bring mindfulness to all facets of the city of Winooski, Vermont including its police force, school district, and businesses. ERA 2016 Crop Production Services (CPS) has been selected as The 2016 Spirit of Respect Award Winner, one of 16 agribusiness companies worldwide to receive recognition for their efforts in promoting environmental stewardship. Winners were selected in early April at the headquarters of Meister Media Worldwide in Willoughby, Ohio. The Environmental Respect Awards, sponsored by DuPont Crop Protection and presented by CropLife and AgriBusiness Global magazine, are the agricultural industrys highest recognition for environmental stewardship. The Awards are given to agricultural retailers worldwide, those who serve farmers and ranchers with the nutrients, crop protection and agronomic information and services critical to effective crop production. Each year a panel of industry experts gathers to recognize achievement in environmental stewardship, professional excellence, and community involvement. The Spirit of Respect Award honors a former Regional Award winner for their continued improvement and ongoing dedication to the ideals and goals of the Environmental Respect Awards program, with 2016 marking the programs 26th year honoring stewardship, safety and community outreach efforts of the worlds leading agricultural retailers and distributors. This facility won its first regional award in 2009. DuPont is pleased to congratulate the winners of the 2015 Environmental Respect Awards and applauds their accomplishment in environmental stewardship, said Tim Glenn, president, DuPont Crop Protection. These leaders are helping to advance environmental safety as well as the safe use of agricultural products, and we hope they will inspire others who share our passion and commitment to elevate environmental stewardship around the world. Its through the conscientious efforts of these ag business and the crop producers they serve that this nation is assured of a safe and bountiful food supply, said Paul Schrimpf, group editor of CropLife magazine. Were delighted to be able to gain them some recognition for their environmentalism. Along with the Spirit of Respect Award winner, 15 regional winners will receive their trophies and four of those 13 will be named Ambassador of Respect; one each from North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Europe/Middle East/Africa. Find more information on the Environmental Respect Awards at http://www.EnvironmentalRespect.com. ### For 26 years, the Environmental Respect Award has been the premier award in agricultural stewardship among agricultural retailers and distributors around the world. Since its inception in 1990, more than 7,000 businesses in the U.S. and Canada have shared their stories of environmental stewardship, sustainability, product safety standards, and customer and community outreach. More than 650 have earned state/provincial awards. Over the last 11 years, the international extension of the Environmental Respect Awards has seen involvement from more than 560 businesses in 33 countries. ERA 2016 marks the second year of a fully integrated and global selection and recognition process. The program is sponsored by DuPont Crop Protection and is managed and conducted by CropLife magazine and AgriBusiness Global magazine, Meister Media Worldwide publications. Find more information on the Environmental Respect Awards at http://www.EnvironmentalRespect.com. Our partnership allows MSPs to leverage a best of breed monitoring platform along with a world class endpoint security solution. NinjaMSP, a leading Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) solution targeted at MSPs, announced today a partnership with Webroot, the market leader in next-generation endpoint security and cloud-based collective threat intelligence. The integration will provide a one-stop shop for MSPs looking to offer remote monitoring and management with a proven next-generation endpoint protection within a profitable and easy to deploy and manage solution. This partnership marks the latest in NinjaMSPs efforts to expand offerings, solutions and integrations to MSPs. The cloud-based Webroot management console requires no dedicated servers, and endpoints can be remotely managed and remediated from anywhere. The fast and lightweight Webroot agent can be installed remotely on a managed endpoint in under a minute, virtually eliminating impact on end user productivity and significantly shortening the time required to roll-out a new security solution. Webroot technology also features unique rollback and remote remediation capabilities, greatly reducing the need to re-image infected machines. NinjaMSPs RMM solution saves the MSP time and money by reducing the need to go onsite. One of the pain points that Ninja wanted to solve was to reduce costs and improve efficiency with less technician training time. Instead of weeks of training, an MSP technician can learn everything they need to start using Ninjas cloud-based, SaaS RMM tool during an hour-long onboarding session. We wanted to make an RMM that is really easy to use, everything in the UI is clickable and intuitive, says John Reumann, Vice President at NinjaMSP. Ninjas RMM has been on the market since last summer, and the NinjaNMS version was released in January. "We recognize Webroot as the premier provider of endpoint security solutions, added Reumann. Our partnership allows MSPs to leverage a best of breed monitoring platform along with a world class endpoint security solution so that they can focus their internal team on the activities necessary to grow their business in the most efficient way possible. We partnered with NinjaMSP to offer the MSP community more value from their investment, said Charlie Tomeo, vice president of channel and technical sales at Webroot. Ninjas RMM platform has fostered a rapidly-growing following. With Webroots proven next-generation endpoint protection, MSPs can offer better protection and performance, and also increase operating margins by significantly reducing the complexities and inefficiencies associated with managing a traditional security solution. Availability The NinjaMSP and Webroot SecureAnywhere Business Endpoint Protection integration is now available for the Ninja RMM platform. For more information contact NinjaMSP at sales(at)ninjamsp(dot)com or 866.677.3256. About NinjaMSP NinjaMSP is a Silicon Valley based company that has a wealth of experience building products for MSPs. Our team has backgrounds at Dell, Quest Software, Sonicwall, PacketTrap, LassoLogic and Anchor. Designed for MSPs, the Ninja platform offers an easy and simple to use web interface that includes zero training time, one-click drill down with integrated search as well as one-click remediation. With 360 degree monitoring, Ninja gives MSPs a measurable way to provision, monitor and manage their infrastructure. Additional resources can be found at http://www.ninjamsp.com. About Webroot Webroot delivers next-generation endpoint security and threat intelligence services to protect businesses and individuals around the globe. Our smarter approach harnesses the power of cloud-based collective threat intelligence derived from millions of operational devices to stop threats in real time and help secure the connected world. Our award-winning SecureAnywhere endpoint solutions and BrightCloud Threat Intelligence Services protect tens of millions of devices across businesses, home users, and the Internet of Things. Trusted and integrated by market-leading companies, including Cisco, F5 Networks, Aruba, Palo Alto Networks, A10 Networks, and more, Webroot is headquartered in Colorado and operates globally across North America, Europe, and Asia. Discover Smarter Cybersecurity solutions at http://www.webroot.com. Social Media: Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook 2016 Webroot Inc. All rights reserved. Webroot, SecureAnywhere, Webroot SecureAnywhere, Webroot BrightCloud, BrightCloud, and Smarter Cybersecurity are trademarks or registered trademarks of Webroot Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners. Eating Recovery Center, Washington (ERC Washington), a trusted provider of comprehensive treatment for eating disorders, is opening a brand new child and adolescent residential treatment center on June 1. The 18-bed, state-of-the-art facility will provide individuals ages 8-17 and their families with even more specialized eating disorder treatment and access to life-saving care. To celebrate, ERC Washington will host an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, June 1, from 5-8 p.m. PST, at the facility located on the third floor of the Overlake Medical Pavilion, 1231 116th Ave. NE, in Bellevue, Washington. The event will feature a presentationThe Art and Science of Parent Empowerment in Family Centered Care of Children and Adolescents with Eating Disordersby Dr. Ovidio Bermudez, Chief Clinical Officer and Medical Director of Child and Adolescent Services of Eating Recovery Center, and Lisa Geraud, Executive Clinical Director of ERC Washington. Jenni Schaefer, ERCs National Recovery Advocate for the Family Institute and author of "Life Without Ed," will also share her story of battling an eating disorder at a young age. Attendees will be offered a tour of the new facility and a chance to meet the child and adolescent treatment team while enjoying refreshments by Thomas Cuisine, ERC Washingtons new culinary team. ERC Washington is committed to providing the very best care to patients and families, said Geraud. Because we now have a dedicated residential treatment center exclusively for children and adolescents, as well as a residential center exclusively for adults, we can further support the individual needs of each age group with developmentally appropriate care, and we can support patients families even more effectively, too. ERC Washingtons child and adolescent residential treatment center will provide: Treatment for individuals ages 8-17, as well as support for their families An innovative family program that involves Family Centered Care, focused on empowering parents to assist their children in the healing process Developmentally appropriate treatment plans incorporating psychological, medical, psychiatric and nutritional interventions Evidence-based mindfulness models, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) Age-appropriate care for younger patients, including expressive art therapy with sensory features, sandy tray storytelling and games A fully-equipped learning center staffed with dedicated tutors Nutritious and appealing meals and snacks prepared by Thomas Cuisine Management Treatment for a full spectrum of eating and related disorders, including avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) For additional information about ERC Washington and its programs, call (425) 437-1158, email info(at)eatingrecoverycenterwa(dot)com or visit http://www.eatingrecovery.com to speak with a Masters-level eating disorder clinician. About Eating Recovery Center Eating Recovery Center (ERC) is the only national, vertically integrated, health care system dedicated to the treatment of serious eating and related disorders at any stage of the illness. ERC offers best-in-class treatment programs for all patients, no matter their age or gender, struggling from: anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, eating and weight disorder, unspecified eating disorders, as well as comorbid, co-occurring and dual diagnoses. Led by the worlds leading experts in eating disorder treatment, ERC provides a full spectrum of eating disorder recovery services through an unmatched network of 23 locations in seven states. The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) awarded Hacienda Tres Rios Resort, Spa & Nature Park, in the Riviera Maya with the prestigious ARDY award in the Green Sustainable Program within a Resort category. As part of the 2016 ARDA World Convention, held from May 1st to the 4th in Hollywood, Florida, the eco-tourism property, part of Sunset World Resorts & Vacation Experiences received the coveted award as the hotel with the best sustainable practices internationally and was also a finalist in the Special Events and Interior Design categories among the top contenders in the vacation club industry. The ARDY awards honor those who have reached the highest levels of excellence and those whose achievements and dedication stimulate the industry to reach greater heights, stated Annie Arroyo, Corporate Director for Branding and Communication at Sunset World Resorts & Vacation Experiences. The sustainability and environmental care program presented by Hacienda Tres Rios surpassed the proposals by important tourist industry groups such as Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Wyndham Vacation and Sheraton Vistana Resort, she added. The competition for this award has positively stimulated the tourist industry, the resorts and vacation clubs to offer high quality services and their members are the first to benefit from these achievements as they are the ones that enjoy the best quality possible, pointed out Mrs. Arroyo. Sunset World was a finalist in the Special Event category of the ARDY awards with its traditional sporting event, the 2015 Hacienda Tres Rios Triathlon, and was among the six best events presented by well-known tourist industry companies such as Disney Vacation Club, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, International Cruise & Excursions, Holidays Vacation Club and Starwood Vacation Ownership. In the Interior Design category, the Mexican Caribbean group participated with La Herencia II, a luxury section of the Hacienda Tres Rios property, and was among the finalists among projects presented by Disney Vacation Club, Hilton Grand Vacations, Marriot Vacations Worldwide, Welk Resorts and Wyndham Vacations Ownership. During the 2016 ARDA World Convention conferences were held about issues of great relevance to the vacation club industry such as Marketing Fundamentals, Social Media and Reputation Management, Health in the workplace, The State of the Industry, The Millenial generation as market niche, Data as an added value and the Recreational Experience. With 40 years in the industry, ARDA is a well-known association with headquarters in Washington that was born out of the need to support and boost tourist development and the time share industry and every year it awards the best in the vacation property sector and the time share industry for outstanding performance and achievements in areas such as resort operation, design, publicity, sales and employment practices. It is important to point out that Sunset World has been granted the ARDY award in several occasions since 2009 in categories such as Best Corporate Brochure, Best Sustainability Program in a Hotel, Best Social Media Campaign, Best Food and Beverages Program, Best Marketing Program, Resort Architecture, Design and Use of Complex Map, Interior Design, Hotel Unit and Signage. Authors from Today's Inspired Latina Vols. I and II join with Jackie Camacho-Ruiz, center in blue and black, to celebrate the launch of Today's Inspired Latina Vol. II. From my personal involvement with this event, it was very clear to me that theres something very special going on and that people and Latinas are ready for inspiration. For the second consecutive year, The Todays Inspired Latina book series presented more stories of courageous and successful Latinas with Volume II May 5 with a festive Chicagoland event. More than 600 guests listened to several of the 27 authors from Illinois, California, New York and Florida who shared life stories and successes in the face of adversity. In addition to the authors, Latina leaders and personalities showed their support such as Lourdes Duarte of Chicagos WGN-TV Channel 9 News and Neli Vazquez-Rowland, the events keynote speaker and co-founder and president of A Safe Haven Foundation, a Chicago nonprofit that helps people break the cycle of poverty and homelessness. Last year, Todays Inspired Latina Vol. I kicked off the book series and gained positive responses from audiences in Chicago, New York and Miami. Jackie Camacho-Ruiz, director of JJR Marketing, Inc. and author of Todays Inspired Latina Volume I and Volume II, sees growing interest from other Latinas to be part of this empowering movement. From my personal involvement with this event, it was very clear to me that theres something very special going on and that people and Latinas are ready for inspiration, Camacho-Ruiz said. Ive already gotten several phone calls from people who want to be part of Volume III even though I wasnt really sure that I was going to do it. As a way to help future Latinas build solid foundations for their lives, part of the events ticket proceeds benefited The Fig Factor Foundation, a nonprofit organization created by Camacho-Ruiz that unleashes the amazing in young Hispanic women. The evening raised over $4,000. Camacho-Ruiz thanks the authors, the marketing and media partners as well as event sponsors such as Wintrust Community Banks, Farmers Insurance, Henry Alegria, New York Life, Brazil Express Churrasco Grill and Christian Giannotti for their participation. Im so humbled and honored for the magic that weve been able to create together and really excited of whats to come in the future, she said. The book series is going to keep getting better, better and better. For more information about Todays Inspired Latina, visit http://www.todayslatina.com. For more information about Jackie Camacho-Ruiz, visit http://www.jackiecamacho.com/ About the Book Series: Todays Inspired Latina, Volume I and Volume II, is a series of inspiration and hope, a poignant collection of personal stories that will activate your passion. These are success stories that need to be told, to motivate our community and generations to come. By overcoming language barriers, self-doubts and other obstacles in their way, these strong Latinas are a great example of how inspiration and perseverance can lead you to happiness and success in business and life. Its a positive, empowering read for anyone sitting on a dream and thinking it cant come true. Todays Inspired Latina shows that it can! Learn more at http://www.todayslatina.com About Fig Factor Foundation: The Fig Factor Foundations mission is to become a powerful catalyst for Latinas aged 15 25 to pursue their dreams by providing educational leadership platforms, mentorship and powerful experiences through a context of sisterhood. It was founded in September 2014, after six months of hard work to assemble the team, the program, build infrastructure and raise initial funding. Their positive impact was immediately felt at smaller local events and provided the impetus to grow. The foundations goal is to implement the program nationwide before expanding globally. Learn more about the foundation at http://www.thefigfactor.org. ### The Lung Institute has partnered with the Gulfcoast North Area Health Education Center (AHEC) to host a six-week smoking cessation class starting June 6 at their clinic in downtown Tampa. The class is complimentary for the public. Register online through AHECs website, http://www.gnahec.org. Additionally, the Lung Institute has created a free downloadable 4 Week Smoking Cessation Guide for those who are unable to attend the class. Our staff sees patients every day who have a lung disease as a result of smoking, said Lung Institute Executive Vice President Lynne Margnelli. If we can help community members quit today, then were helping them have healthier lungs tomorrow. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is commonly caused by smoking, and is the third leading cause of death in the United States. The Lung Institute treats COPD patients using stem cell therapy. The treatment is a three-day, minimally invasive outpatient procedure using cells taken from a patients own body. A pilot study conducted by the Lung Institute found that 84 percent of 100 COPD patients reported an improvement in their quality of life after receiving stem cell therapy. American actor Leonard Nimoy (Star Trek) suffered from COPD prior to his death on February 27, 2015. About a year before his death, he tweeted, Smokers, please understand. If you quit after youre diagnosed with lung damage, its too late. Grandpa says learn my lesson. Quit now. LLAP. [Live long, and prosper.] Through its partnership with AHEC, the Lung Institute seeks to promote lung health in the community. Later this year, they will roll out a month-long Healthy Lungs Challenge anyone can participate in to improve their lung health. Through initiatives like AHECs smoking cessation classes and the Healthy Lungs Challenge, the Lung Institute strives to help the local community breathe easier. The six-week smoking cessation classes will be held at the Lung Institutes Tampa clinic. Lung Institute 201 E. Kennedy Blvd., Suite 425 Tampa, FL 33602 Class schedule: Every Monday June 6th July 18th 4:00pm 5:00pm June 6 June 13 June 20 June 27 July 11 July 18 ***No class on July 4th*** To register, visit http://www.ghahec.org, or contact Kadie Kluttz at (813) 929-1000. About the Lung Institute The Lung Institute is a leading medical provider of regenerative cellular therapy for lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis and interstitial lung disease in the United States. Founded in 2013 in Tampa, Fla., the Lung Institute has treated over 2,000 patients and operates clinics in Tampa, Fla., Nashville, Tenn., Scottsdale, Ariz., and Pittsburgh, Pa. and Dallas, Texas. For more information, visit http://www.lunginstitute.com or call (800) 382-8095. # # # Angie Nichols, Account Manager of The Rogers Agency My goal is to help [companies] with their media, creative or PR needs so that they can focus on other areas of their business. The Rogers Agency recently welcomed Angie Nichols to its team as Account Manager. David Rogers, President of The Rogers Agency, stated that we needed additional account management help to supplement our continued growth so that we can continue to meet our clients needs as best as possible. Coming from St. Louis, Angie brings with her over 20 years of experience in the media industry, with most of that time spent in media buying. In addition to the media industry, she has experience in real estate and, most recently, small business ownership. She understands what its like to be on the clients side of the business, and knows how busy it can be. My goal is to help them with their media, creative or PR needs so that they can focus on other areas of their business, she shared. Angie likes working with people to find solutions for their businesses, and she is excited to work for The Rogers Agency because their goal to help clients grow and drive business lines up perfectly with my background and work history. Through getting to know her, David saw that Angie would be a great fit for The Rogers Agency not only because of her extensive experience, but also because of her spirit of teamwork, her willingness to do whatever is needed, and her creative insight about how to best serve clients. Angie shared that she is most looking forward to getting to know the many clients and business partners that we have throughout Hampton Roads. The addition of an account manger will allow for extra focus to be placed on clients and their needs, and The Rogers Agency is excited to see Angie help make this happen. About The Rogers Agency The Rogers Agency is a full-service advertising and marketing firm that specializes in drawing more qualified customers to its clients through smart advertising campaigns. From marketing research, media planning and buying to video production, Internet marketing, social media, and creative development, The Rogers Agency provides strategic advertising campaigns that lead to solid customer-client solutions. The Rogers Agency has worked with companies nationwide, but concentrates its efforts in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach, Richmond and Raleigh-Durham markets. World Beer Cup To have two of Connecticuts craft brewers strike gold in this prestigious competition shows that this state is to be reckoned with. Were honored to help lead the charge. Branford, Conn, May 26, 2016 Stony Creek claimed a gold award in the 2016 World Beer Cup, a global beer competition that evaluates beers from around the world and recognizes the most outstanding brewers and their beers. Gold, silver and bronze awards in the competitions 96 beer-style categories were presented May 6, 2016 during the World Beer Cup award ceremony at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Stony Creek Brewery was awarded a gold award in the Vienna Lager beer style category for Dock Time Amber Lager, its flagship beer modeled after the historic Amber Lagers of Mexico. Dock Time is a remarkable smooth and malty lager with a clean dry finish. Stony Creek Brewery is a microbrewery located in Branford, Connecticut that specializes in beers that are a fusion of clean, bold and aggressive west coast flavors and east coast balance and drinkability. They call this Aggressively Laid-Back Beer. In celebration, Stony Creek Brewery will host a public event at the Brewery Thursday May 26, from 3 to 7pm. Joining Stony Creek Brewery is Black Hog Brewing who also won gold for their Granola Brown Ale in the American-Style Brown Ale category. Uniquely this year, two Connecticut breweries won gold awards making them the state with the highest win percentage in this years competition. I couldnt be more excited for our brewing team and for the Connecticut brewing community. To have two of Connecticuts craft brewers strike gold in this prestigious competition shows that this state is to be reckoned with. Were honored to help lead the charge, said Andy Schwartz, Brewmaster at Stony Creek Brewery. World Beer Cup winners were selected by an international panel of 253 beer judges from 31 countries. Regarded as the Olympics of Beer Competition, the World Beer Cup saw an impressive field of 6,596 entries from 1,907 breweries in 55 countries. Presented by the Brewers Association, the World Beer Cup has been held every other year since 1996, to celebrate the art and science of brewing by recognizing outstanding achievement. For more additional information, visit the World Beer Cup website. Stony Creek Brewery, LLC, is a member of both the Brewers Association and the Connecticut Craft Beer Guild and is distributed through Dichello Distributors, Inc., Hartford Distributors, Inc., Levine Distributing, Inc., Rhode Island Distributing and Massachusetts through Horizon Beverage, Quality Beverage, Williams Distributing and Girardi Distributors. For more information on Stony Creek Brewery, call Manuel Rodriguez at 203/433-4545, email him at manuel@stonycreekbeer.com, see them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/StonyCreekBeer or visit the Stony Creek Brewery website at http://www.stonycreekbeer.com. Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites Denver Downtown Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton and Homewood Suites Denver Downtown Convention Center welcomes Barenaked Ladies to Denver this June. The Alternative Rock band will play Colorados famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre Sunday, June 5th; at 6:30 pm. Barenaked Ladies are expected to perform fan-favorites, such as, One Week, Pinch Me, as well as, new songs of their brand new album- BNL Rocks Red Rocks. Opening acts for the band include Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Howard Jones. Tickets start at $85 and all ages are welcome. Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton and Homewood Suites Denver Downtown Convention Center are just twenty minutes from Red Rocks Amphitheatre. For more information, please visit http://redrocksonline.com/concerts-events/detail/barenaked-la-6-5-2016. At Hampton Inn & Suites, each guest room welcomes travelers with great amenities including free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, complimentary daily breakfast buffet, 24-hour fitness center and business center, premium in-room movie channels and much more. The hotel offers guests a choice between king and queen rooms as well as accessible rooms, based upon availability. Located 20 minutes from Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Hampton Inn & Suites Denver Downtown is in the heart of Downtown Denver. For more information or to make reservations for the Hampton Inn & Suites Denver Downtown Convention Center, guests may call (303) 534-7800 or visit http://www.hamptoninndenver.com. At Homewood Suites, all guests check in to comfortable suites with plenty of room. Each suite includes a kitchenette, complete with a full-size refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, stove and utensils. Suites also feature a welcoming dining area, inviting king-size bed and much more. High-speed Wi-Fi and breakfast are complimentary. Mountain View and accessible rooms are available upon request, based on availability. This hotel offers a Welcome Home reception, Monday through Thursday nights, with complimentary small plates and alcohol; guests must be of legal drinking age. For more information or to make reservations for the Homewood Suites Denver Downtown Convention Center, guests may call (303) 534-7800 or visit http://www.thedenverhomewood.com. Both the Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Denver Downtown Convention Center and the Homewood Suites Denver Downtown Convention Center are proudly managed by Stonebridge Companies in Denver, Colo. Founded in 1991 by Navin C. Dimond, Stonebridge Companies is a privately owned, innovative hotel owner, operator and developer headquartered near Denver. This diverse listing of properties includes select-service, extended-stay, mid-scale and full-service hotels in markets throughout the U.S. For detailed information, visit the website at http://www.sbcos.com. Saint Francis Hospital & Medical Center has been working to enhance surgical safety efforts for several years, and the efforts have paid off. Since implementation of these efforts, surgical errors and readmissions have significantly decreased. These efforts include new standards of care to enhance perioperative patient experiences and reduce costly complications. Since implementation in 2011, safety efforts have: Saved an estimated 150 lives Prevented over 400 readmissions Saved $7.5 million in healthcare costs Experienced a 20% reduction in surgical site infections Improved surgical safety efforts are part of a statewide initiative led by the Connecticut Surgical Quality Collaborative (CtSQC), founded by Scott Ellner, DO, and Philip Corvo, MD, in 2011. Today, the Collaborative boasts 22 hospitals, the support of three medical associations throughout Connecticut, and is one of the largest surgical safety collaboratives in the nation. These statewide efforts have been supported in part by major grants from the Coverys Community Healthcare Foundation, Inc. In a partnership with the CtSQC, Saint Francis received an initial grant of $227,000 in 2015, and subsequently a second grant this year, promising $990,000 to continue the Collaboratives success over the next three years. The grant will help Saint Francis to lead the charge toward exceptional surgical quality across the state, reported David S. Shapiro, Chairman of Surgery at Saint Francis Hospital. Moving forward, the grant will be used to enhance perioperative patient and family experiences, involving multiple interventions to improve recovery. The Collaborative will continue critical training across all programs to improve patient safety and the goal of enhanced patient engagement at every stage becoming best practice for surgery. In the truest spirit of collaboration, the Coverys Community Healthcare Foundation and the Saint Francis Foundation are together assisting the CtSQC to make Connecticut among the safest states in the country to have surgery, said Philip Corvo, MD, President and co-founder of the Collaborative. Coverys is proud to support the Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center and the Collaborative, said Donna M. Norris, MD, committee chair of the Coverys Community Healthcare Foundation. To date, the Collaborative has proven to have a significant impact on each hospitals advancements to improve patient safety during the perioperative process. Through continued support from the Foundation, we look forward to the programs future achievements. About Saint Francis Care Saint Francis Care is an integrated healthcare delivery system established by Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, an anchor institution in north central Connecticut since 1897. Licensed for 617 beds and 65 bassinets, it is a major teaching hospital and the largest Catholic hospital in New England. Other major entities of Saint Francis Care include The Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital, the Connecticut Joint Replacement Institute, the Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute of Connecticut, the Saint Francis/Mount Sinai Regional Cancer Center, the Joyce D. and Andrew J. Mandell Center for Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Care and Neuroscience Research, and Saint Francis HealthCare Partners. Johnson Memorial Medical Center, parent organization of Johnson Memorial Hospital, Evergreen Health Care Center, and Home and Community Health Services is also a Saint Francis Care Partner. Saint Francis Cares services are supported by a network of five major Access Centers and eight additional medical office centers sited throughout the region. About Coverys Coverys is a leading medical professional liability insurance provider dedicated to protecting the livelihood of physicians, hospitals, dentists, podiatrists and advanced practice providers. Coverys uses data intelligence to help policyholders anticipate, identify and manage risk in order to reduce errors, eliminate inefficiency and improve outcomes. Headquartered in Boston, MA, Coverys has regional offices in East Lansing, MI, Columbus, OH, Maple Valley, WA and Omaha, NE. For more information, visit http://www.coverys.com. About Coverys Community Healthcare Foundation Through funding, the Coverys Community Healthcare Foundation positively reinforces charitable organizations and innovative programs that improve patient care and safety, promote healthy lifestyles, address obesity and support individuals and organizations that provide healthcare services, including causes in which Coverys employees are involved. The development of the Foundation exemplifies Coverys dedication to being an affirmative and active corporate citizen in the healthcare community and the communities in which it operates. Media Contact PAN Communications for Coverys Lauren Winer, 617-502-4396 lwiner(at)pancomm(dot)com MadgeTech will exhibit at the aerospace show next week MadgeTech will be showcasing its line of data logging products, all of which are designed, engineered, and manufactured in Warner, New Hampshire at the MadgeTech headquarters. With products sold in more than 100 countries around the world, MadgeTech is known to provide reliable monitoring solutions trusted by government agencies, including NASA. In 2012, NASA strategically set up 17 RHTemp101A MadgeTech data loggers around its Vehicle Assembly Building inside the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The loggers recorded the temperature and humidity of the building for one year to demonstrate temperature differentials that could impact the launch of the spacecraft. Often used for research, development, testing and studies, MadgeTech data loggers monitor and record shock, temperature, voltage, pressure and humidity. The collected data provides a complete environmental profile which can be used to ensure aircraft component reliability during operation and storage, as well as monitoring engine functionality. MadgeTech also makes it easy to compile reports and analyze recorded data with easy to use, Windows-based software. The MadgeTech 4 Data Logger Software is equipped with a variety of customizable features and reporting capabilities making it simple to examine, export and print reports with the just the click of button. MadgeTechs strength in the aerospace and defense sector is attributed to product reliability and a diverse selection of data logging solutions to accommodate clients with a wide variety of application needs. MadgeTechs knowledgeable and technical sales engineers are available to assist with selecting the right devices and solutions for the task. Services such as on-site validation, including IQ/OQ/PQ protocol and installations are also available as needed. A MadgeTech certified operator or sales engineer will not only help install and validate the data logging system, but also assist in providing a comprehensive final report for even the strictest regulatory agencies. For facilities that require continuous wireless monitoring MadgeTech offers a wide selection of wireless data loggers including the 2000A series. All MadgeTech wireless loggers are compatible with MadgeTech Cloud Services which allows users to monitor real-time data remotely from any smartphone or internet enabled device. This system can be set up to first send data to a central PC within the location and then instantly on to the cloud, or configured using the new RFC1000 Cloud Relay to transmit directly to the cloud via Ethernet connection with no PC required. Affordable and flexible, this system is designed to fit the needs of a single logger application or scalable to accommodate hundreds of loggers in multiple locations around the world. MadgeTech also provides ongoing service and maintenance of devices including calibration certificates from the MadgeTech Lab. To ensure device accuracy and compliance, annual data logger calibration is recommended for the life span of the device. To view MadgeTechs selection of data loggers for aerospace related applications, click here, or stop by the New Hampshire Aerospace and Defense 2016 Conference Wednesday, June 1st from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Manchester to speak directly with a MadgeTech technical sales representative. Multivariate Optical Element Gas Sensor "Multivariate Optical Elements can be designed to detect and/or measure any gas that has an optical spectral signature." Dr. Ryan Priore Multivariate Optical Element innovator, CIRTEMO, announced today that Dexter Research will showcase a new class of infrared chemical sensors at Sensors Expo 2016 in San Jose, CA June 22-23, 2016. Sensors Expo and Conference, hosted at the McEnery Convention Center, is North Americas premier exhibition for researchers, engineers, product developers, and purchasers who are focused on sensors and sensor-integrated systems We are excited to work with Dexter Research. For decades, they have produced the highest quality Infrared detectors available in the marketplace said Jason Williamson, CIRTEMO founder. Now by combing Dexters Infrared detectors with Multivariate Optical Elements (MOE), we are enabling customers to develop low cost, high value chemical sensors which rival the performance of laboratory instruments. MOE sensors can be leveraged in all sorts of industries and applications, from automotive to medical and life science to industrial and defense. CIRTEMO designs and manufactures patented optical filters, called Multivariate Optical Elements, which are encoded to detect/measure complex chemical compounds and attributes. Its patented Multivariate Optical Element platform enables optical systems to perform high value detection and analysis at the speed of light, to a variety of industries. Multivariate Optical Elements are ideally suited for point detection sensors and hyperspectral imaging systems. Multivariate Optical Elements provide our customers with the ability to design detector and sensors packages for specific chemical signatures or attributes of interest. explained Robert Toth, Jr., president of Dexter Research. Once combined with our Infrared detectors, Multivariate Optical Elements create powerful, application specific chemical sensors. CIRTEMOs Multivariate Optical Element technology gives our customers an additional tool set to help solve their toughest applications when traditional optical filters just will not work. During the Sensors Expo 2016 conference, members of the CIRTEMO team will be at the Dexter Research booth #629 to provide a technology overview of how companies and end users can leverage the patented Multivariate Optical Element with Dexters Infrared detectors for advanced chemical sensing applications. Multivariate Optical Elements can be designed to detect and/or measure any gas that has an optical spectral signature. explained Dr. Ryan Priore, Chief Technology Officer of CIRTEMO. More importantly, Multivariate Optical Elements can detect or measure a specific gas or classes of gases in the presence of other spectrally overlapping gases. This is not possible with traditional band pass filter sensors. CIRTEMO primarily partners with Optical Filter Manufactures (OFMs) and Optical Component and System Manufacturers (OCSMs). The Multivariate Optical Element platform allows OFMs and OCSMs to differentiate their offerings with a well-protected IP position and enable their customers to tackle new applications that are not possible with traditional optical filters and coatings. CIRTEMO is the second company to be founded to commercialize the patented Multivariate Optical Element platform that was invented by Dr. Michael Myrick at the University of South Carolina. Prior to founding CIRTEMO, Jason Williamson founded Ometric in 2005. Ometric successfully commercialized the Multivariate Optical Element platform in a wide variety of large industrial sectors, including pharmaceuticals, chemicals, pet nutrition, mining, food and many others. The company was sold to Halliburton in 2011. Although the exact sale price of Ometric is considered confidential, Halliburton paid more than eight figures for the company, and the transaction generated the largest royalty payment in history ever paid to the University of South Carolina ($2.7M). About CIRTEMO CIRTEMO designs and manufactures patented optical filters, called Multivariate Optical Elements, which are encoded to detect/measure complex chemical compounds and attributes. CIRTEMOs patented Multivariate Optical Element platform enables optical systems to perform high value detection and analysis at the speed of light, to a variety of industries, including life sciences, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, medical devices, agriculture, food and beverage, semiconductors, pet nutrition, environmental, plastics, and multiple cleantech applications. For more information, visit http://www.cirtemo.com or call 803-467-4189. About Dexter Research Center, Inc. Since 1977, Dexter Research Center, Inc. has been the preferred provider of infrared thermopile detectors for science and industry. Whether its a standard or a custom designed detector, an integrated module, or the opportunity to use 30 plus years of infrared detection knowledge and engineering services to design your product, Dexter Research Center, Inc. is positioned to be your partner. For more information, visit http://www.dexterresearch.com or call 734-426-3921. ### Jennifer McLaughlin, Editor-in-Chief, Los Angeles Travel magazine There are so many interesting aspects to L.A. that visitors and locals can explore various neighborhoods such as Koreatown, West Hollywood and Venice Beach Apparently Huey Lewis was onto something when he wrote L.A., Hollywood, and the Sunset Strip is something everyone should see. And that goes for the locals too. ExpertFlyer recently sat down with Jennifer McLaughlin, Editor-in-Chief of Los Angeles Travel magazine to discover some of the hidden treasures of L.A. that go well beyond the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and how out-of-towners, as well as local Angelenos, can enjoy the attractions that make L.A. home to the stars and discover a few hidden attractions off the beaten strip. Ms. McLaughlin admits that studio tours, star-gazing, and strolls down Rodeo Drive continue to be some of the favorite activities for out-of-town guests but recommends that visitors and locals alike should explore many of the citys art museums and other cultural attractions that have become the heart and soul of the city. There are so many interesting aspects to L.A. that visitors and locals can explore various neighborhoods such as Koreatown, West Hollywood and Venice Beach, explains Ms. McLaughlin. Our Endless Summer issue will focus on health and wellness, food and wine, and our popular Staycation Guide, which will give our readers great ideas for spending an afternoon, an evening or an entire weekend exploring all the wonderful things you can do in and around L.A. For business travelers with a couple of leisure days or locals who simply need to get away for a long weekend, McLaughlin recommends visiting Napa, Carmel, San Diego, and Laguna Beach. By plane or car, these beautiful getaways can be accessed in two hours or less. Of course, if money is no object, McLaughlin suggests pulling out all the stops. You can rent an estate in Beverly Hills or Hollywood, dine at Barton G. where every dish is a work of art, and shop on Rodeo Drive. Los Angeles is an eclectic mix of glitz, glamour, culture, and beautiful oceanfront communities, explains Chris Lopinto, president and co-founder of ExpertFlyer.com. Whether you want to dine at the finest restaurant in town, spend a day on the Santa Monica Pier, explore art and history museums, or just take a walk down Hollywood Boulevard, there is something unique and exciting for every person and every budget. To read the entire interview with Jennifer McLaughlin from Los Angeles Travel magazine, please visit ExpertFlyer's blog. About Los Angeles Travel Magazine Los Angeles Travel magazine is devoted to inspiring and informing travelers through stories & photographs showcasing the worlds best destinations & travel experiences. The magazine has become the ultimate resource for the west coasts savviest travelers. About ExpertFlyer.com Each month, ExpertFlyer's One-on-One blog goes face-to-face with the travel industry's leading decision makers to discuss and address topics relevant to many of today's business and frequent travelers. ExpertFlyer.com was conceived and created by an eclectic team consisting of a veteran elite tier frequent flyer, an airline captain and corporate travel manager, and information technology professionals to deliver a 24/7 real time powerful air travel information service. The company provides its subscribers and corporate travel managers alike with a complete, concise and efficient way to access the ever-changing details of worldwide air travel information. For more information, please visit expertflyer.com. Stuck in the middle seat again? Download the free Seat Alerts app from ExpertFlyer and get the window or aisle seat without hassle or frustration. # # # NFI, a leading supply chain solutions provider headquartered in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, announced the promotion of Bill Long to Vice President of Sales. Long will lead sales efforts for the dedicated fleet team in the eastern region. Long has been an asset to NFIs sales team for many years, said Bill Mahoney, NFI Senior Vice President of Sales. His extensive understanding of NFI supply chain solutions coupled with the leadership he has exhibited makes Bill the perfect fit to lead our dedicated fleet sales team during this high growth environment. NFI has seen tremendous growth in transportation with over 2,300 tractors and 8,800 trailers, operated by more than 2,600 company drivers and 250 owner operators. With more than 27.5 million square feet of warehousing, distribution, and cross-dock space in North America, NFI also provides real estate capabilities, and global transportation solutions. NFIs broad industry portfolio includes retail, food and beverage, apparel, e-commerce, and consumer products. Long held the position of Director of Sales prior to his promotion and has 32 years of supply chain sales experience. # # # About NFI -- NFI is a fully integrated supply chain solutions provider headquartered in Cherry Hill, NJ. Privately held by the Brown family since its inception in 1932, NFI generates more than $1.2 billion in annual revenue and employs more than 8,000 associates. NFI owns facilities globally and operates 27.5 million square feet of warehouse and distribution space. Its company-owned fleet consists of over 2,300 tractors and 8,800 trailers, operated by more than 2,600 company drivers and 250 owner operators. Its business lines include dedicated transportation, warehousing, intermodal, brokerage, transportation management, global, and real estate services. For more information about NFI, visit http://www.nfiindustries.com or call 1-877-NFI-3777. Rick D. Bailey Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh & Jardine, P.C. attorney Rick D. Bailey will be presenting important information on ethical decision-making by lawyers and judges in lawsuits in the Faculty of Federal Advocates presentation, "Psychoanalytic Observations on Unconscious Factors that can Influence Ethical Decision-Making. Findings from the cognitive neurosciences have supported what psychoanalysts have long argued, i.e. that a lot of what we think, feel, say, and do is heavily influenced by factors of which we are mostly or entirely unaware. The presentation will examine some of the psychological influences that can operate below awareness and discuss how these processes can influence decision-making in a lawsuit in both positive and negative ways. The talk will also include some discussion as to how lawyers and judges can recognize and mitigate negative effects from these influences before they result in ethical mistakes, errors in advocacy, or failures in justice. The presentation will be held Friday, June 24 at 12 pm MST at the Alfred A. Arraj Courthouse in downtown Denver. Full pricing, registration information, and details are available at http://www.facultyfederaladvocates.org/current-events/. Rick D. Bailey tries complex commercial disputes in federal and state courts and before arbitration panels and regulatory authorities. Such disputes have included breach of contracts, leases and software licenses, breach of fiduciary duties, fraud and unfair competition, theft of trade secrets, breach of non-competes, regulation and tariffs, business valuation, business, corporate, partnership, and LLC formation and dissolution. Mr. Bailey received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin, graduating cum laude, in 1982. He is also a 1979 graduate of Illinois State University, having received a BS, with honors, in Political Science. Mr. Bailey is licensed to practice law in Illinois, Colorado, Wisconsin, and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. About Burg Simpson With offices in Denver, Cincinnati, Phoenix, Cody, and Steamboat Springs, Burg Simpson is a firm of award winning trial lawyers practicing in the areas of personal injury, class action, mass torts, medical malpractice, dangerous drug litigation, defective products, insurance bad faith, employment law, workers compensation, commercial litigation, and construction defect litigation. # # # Media Contact Corey Wheeland Marketing Director (303) 792-5595 cwheeland(at)burgsimpson(dot)com After eight years of record or near-record residential sales, the Miami real estate market is normalizing with steady growth, various prominent local market experts said during a recent MIAMI Association of REALTORS (MIAMI) event. The fast-sales growth of Miami mid-market properties, the continued high-percentage of all-cash buyers, preconstruction condo inventory in the rapidly-growing Downtown Miami area and South Floridas overall population and job increases are boosting the market, experts said during the recent Real State of the Miami Market event at the Biltmore Hotel. 2013 and 2014 were extremely strong for the Miami market for fundamental reasons, said Anthony M. Graziano, the events keynote speaker and the senior managing director of Integra Realty Resources. One of the reasons was pent-up demand. When we look at our numbers today, we are getting back to normal. Its OK that our market is not growing 15 to 20 percent every year. In fact, its a good thing. I want to grow 5 percent a year because at some point our wage growth cant keep up. Edgardo Defortuna, the president of Fortune International Realty, applauded MIAMI for hosting the event in the wake of several unbalanced and inaccurate media articles. One thing that affects our market the most is perception because eventually perception becomes reality, Defortuna said. We need to change the perception. We need to combat the negative headlines because the reality of our market is completely different. When people say Miami (preconstruction condo) developers are reducing their cash deposit requirements from 50 to 30 percent; its taken totally out of context. These buildings are reducing deposit schedules because they dont need the money anymore. They are already 80, 90 percent sold and close to completion. Mid-Market Property Sales on the Rise Single-family homes priced between $200,000 and $600,000 saw a 5.8 percent year-over-year increase in April, growing from 685 to 725. The sector represented 63.0 percent of total Miami single-family home sales in April 2016. Existing condos priced between $150,000 and $300,000 saw a 2.7 percent-rise in sales in April, increasing from 485 transactions to 498. This sector represented 39.2 percent of total existing Miami condo home sales in April 2016. Miami bargain prices compared to other world-class cities and the lack of available land are also key factors in todays market, experts said. A 120-square meter condo in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach cost $149,900 on average, according to the National Association of REALTORS (NAR). Prices for the same condo in London ($960,840), Hong Kong ($776,280), and New York ($1.6 million) are at least five times higher. The lack of Miami-Dade County available land means the value of local single-family homes will rise and more residents will purchase multifamily units. Preconstruction Condo Market in Better Position than Last Cycle Most Miami preconstruction condo developers require a 50-percent cash deposit on new units. The deposit is not only one of the highest in the United States but is significantly higher than the 20 percent required during the last real estate cycle. The large all-cash deposits are a strong sign home buyers are committed and invested in the Miami market. The majority of new construction is happening in Downtown Miami, and developers are being cautious not to overbuild. About 85 percent of condos under construction in Downtown Miami are sold, according to Integra Realty Resources and the Miami Downtown Development Authority. Downtown Miami has about 7,200 units under construction, a 61.2 percent smaller inventory than the 18,500 units under construction in 2006. About 78 percent of new construction Downtown Miami units closed all cash in 2015. About 64 percent of all resale inventory closed all cash in 2015. The reason downtown Miami is important is because it is what is leading Miami in the marketplace. Its our urban core, Graziano said. Downtown is the poster child of what is happening in the market. While noting preconstruction sales have normalized compared to the previous record-activity, Graziano believes developers are taking a break and doing site plans before announcing future plans. The overall percentage of all-cash buyers (48.6 percent) remains double the national average. In hot submarkets such as Brickell in Downtown Miami, the all-cash percentage is 82 percent. South Floridas Population, Job Growth South Floridas growing population will continue to fuel more home sales, experts said. The Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach metro area recently became the eighth-most populous region in the U.S., eclipsing 6 million residents for the first time, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data. South Florida gained almost 500,000 new residents in the past five years. Another strong indicator for housing is job growth. The number of employed Miami-Dade County residents increased 2 percent, growing from 2.13 million residents in 2013 to 2.18 million in 2014. The percentage of Miami-Dade residents earning more than $75,000 a year increased 4.1 percent in the same time period. The local population is also getting more educated, a key factor in a growing economy. The share of Miami-Dade residents with graduate degrees increased 7.5 percent from 2013 to 2014. The population has seen a 12 to 17 percent growth in associate, bachelor and graduate degrees. Downtown Miami is the epicenter for population and wage growth in South Florida. Downtown has grown from 40,466 residents in 2000 to 80,000 today, according to the Miami Downtown Development Authority. Brickell has seen the largest increase, growing from 12,904 residents in 2000 to 32,489 today. The Future of the Market The remainder of the 2016 will see fewer sales than last year and pricing will be hard to predict, Graziano said. Waterfront properties or other unique projects will outperform. The pricing for properties below $1 million will remain strong but inventory expansion should be watched. The overall average pricing remains strong in South Florida. Sellers should expect to see more competition as buyers become more selective. South Floridas economic growth and population increases will play key roles in the direction of 2016 residential pricing. Miami is one of the fastest growing cities in the world and I dont see that slowing down, Cervera Real Estate Managing Partner Alicia Cervera Lamadrid said during the recent MIAMI event. One of the great things that is happening is we are being connected by All Aboard Florida rail. We are now becoming a commutable tri-county, which is so important. I think we will see more of that connectivity. About the MIAMI Association of REALTORS The MIAMI Association of REALTORS was chartered by the National Association of Realtors in 1920 and is celebrating 96 years of service to Realtors, the buying and selling public, and the communities in South Florida. Comprised of six organizations, the Residential Association, the Realtors Commercial Alliance, the Broward Council, the Jupiter Tequesta Hobe Sound (JTHS) Council, the Young Professionals Network (YPN) Council and the award-winning International Council, it represents more than 42,000 real estate professionals in all aspects of real estate sales, marketing, and brokerage. It is the largest local Realtor association in the U.S., and has official partnerships with 136 international organizations worldwide. MIAMIs official website is http://www.miamire.com ### We are excited for our customers to get the chance to visit such a beautiful location while exchanging their analytic insights and experiences, Rapid Insight, the leading provider of easy to use predictive analytics and data intelligence software, is hosting its 2016 conference from June 26th to June 28th. The conference will be held at the North Conway Grand Hotel near the company headquarters. This years conference will host a number of speakers presenting on a diverse set of analytic projects. Presenters include analysts and academic professionals from Dickinson College, University of North Carolina-Greensboro, Yale University, Longwood University, St. Charles Healthcare System, and more. The event provides a venue for Rapid Insight customers, staff, and industry leaders to discuss best practices in predictive analytics, data analysis, and the use of Rapid Insight software. For the third year in a row, a pre-conference session titled RI University, will include hands-on learning opportunities on a variety of Rapid Insight software concepts. It is great to be holding our conference back in the Mount Washington Valley this year. We are excited for our customers to get the chance to visit such a beautiful location while exchanging their analytic insights and experiences, noted Mike Laracy, CEO of Rapid Insight. Complete information, agenda, and registration can be accessed at: http://www.rapidinsightinc.com/conference About Rapid Insight Inc. Rapid Insight Inc. is a leading provider of predictive analytics software and solutions that provides organizations with the ability to make data-driven decisions. Focusing on speed, efficiency, and usability, Rapid Insight products enable users of any skill level to quickly turn their raw data into actionable information. The company's analytic software platform simplifies the extraction, analysis, reporting, and modeling of data for clients ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. For more information, visit: http://www.rapidinsightinc.com. unstoppable book Learn how to live a powerful life Yanni Raz, a local real estate tycoon, has announced the release of his new book titled Unstoppable. The book highlights the long road that Raz has taken to achieve financial and personal success, while explaining how overcoming struggles can create indomitable personality traits that can lead to a fulfilling and gratifying life. Brief Synopsis of Unstoppable Unstoppable follows the struggles Raz experienced during his ascent from meager beginnings to real estate profitability. From being pronounced dead at the age of 19, while serving in the Israeli military to sleeping on the streets of New York City as a musician, the book outlines how the author discovers the keys to success, despite overwhelming odds. Unstoppable really originated as a means of remembering where I came from, states Raz. Because it is so easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of professionalism, I wanted to be sure that I took a moment to appreciate not only what Ive overcome, but the people who Ive met along this wonderful journey. Because truthfully, caring about others is one of the most important aspects to a successful and fulfilling professional career. Raz continues: Strangely enough, the tale includes my discovery of poker, of all things, which helped me to better manage my finances, while making sound and educated decisions with incomplete information. He then laughs, I guess, now that I think about it, sitting at the poker table is a lot like being in business. If this book can empower just ONE individual, then I feel that it has served its purpose, he concludes. Sharing knowledge can inspire change. Things are never as bad as they may seem we just have to keep pushing forward. Los Angeles Book Release Party Unstoppable will be released to the public on Thursday, June 9th at Stir Restaurant and Lounge in Sherman Oaks, CA. The event begins at 8pm, and the author will be on hand to discuss the book, as well as sign copies for interested attendees. Books will be available for purchase at a discounted price of $14.99 for the release. National distribution for Unstoppable will ensue, as it will be available at all major retailers in the United States. The book will retail for $24.95. About the Author Yanni Raz is a principle partner of HML Investments, a Los Angeles-based real estate firm. In addition to managing the company, he also has a popular Facebook and YouTube segment titled Tips of the Day. The segment draws entrepreneurs from across the country together to discuss various elements of business, finance, and real estate, while also highlighting some keys to success that they have discovered throughout their respective careers. For More Information For more information on Unstoppable, the author Yanni Raz, or the books upcoming release, please contact Name: Yanni Raz at http://www.YanniRaz.com Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1746493475598502 https://www.facebook.com/yanniraz https://www.Instagram.com/yanniraz Residence Inn Denver Cherry Creek Hotel Exterior Residence Inn by Marriott Denver Cherry Creek welcomes weekend travel seekers to staycation in Denver this weekend and experience all Denver has to offer. Great events happening around the city this weekend include Denver Day of Rock, ArtStir Denver, Colorado Rockies vs. San Francisco Giants, Colorado Remembers Memorial Day celebration and much more. Denver Day of Rock raises money for non-profits around Denver and features five stages of live music along 16th Street Mall all weekend. ArtStir Denver is an art market exclusively showcasing Colorado art, music and style. Rates this weekend begin at $149 per night- perfect for families looking to make the most of their Memorial Day plans. For more information or to book, please visit http://www.marriott.com/denrs. Residence Inn by Marriott Denver Cherry Creek is an all-suite hotel with 135 suites for guests to enjoy. With complimentary parking, free daily breakfast, free high-speed internet access, fitness center and more, Residence Inn embraces the fact that its Its not a room. Its a Residence. Pets are welcome in this Cherry Creek Denver area hotel making guests stay a little brighter. For more information or to make reservations, please visit http://www.residenceinncherrycreek.com or call (303) 758-6200. Residence Inn Cherry Creek is proudly managed by Stonebridge Companies in Denver, Colo. Founded in 1991 by Navin C. Dimond, Stonebridge Companies is a privately owned, innovative hotel owner, operator and developer headquartered near Denver, Colorado. Its diverse listing of properties includes select-service, extended-stay, mid-scale and full-service hotels in markets throughout the U.S. For detailed information, visit our website at http://www.sbcos.com. Top to bottom: Nampa host dad Al Lough, host mom Louise and exchange student Salim from Kenya Weve traveled a lot with Salim, and hes seen many lovely places, but what we noticed is his appreciation and respect for all people in every walk of life. Ayusa International hopes to find families throughout Idaho who will volunteer to open their homes to an international exchange student for the 2016-2017 school year. Families like the Loughs, who welcome exchange students on a regular basis, contribute to the global community as public diplomats for greater international understanding. Currently, Ayusa is seeking host families in the following cities: Nampa, Boise Post Falls, Coeur dAlene Twin Falls, Pocatello The Lough family from Nampa has hosted Ayusa exchange students continuously over the past several years, including young people from Ghana, Finland and Malaysia. This year, Louise and Al took in Salim from Kenya, who has been attending Liberty Charter School since last fall. Salim has joined in with everything weve done, never complaining or saying that he wants to do something else, said host mom Louise. This shows its very important to him to be a part of a loving family. She added that the number of hours of community service he has put in is amazing I stopped counting at 340, but hes still doing more. He feels that he has learned more from helping others than anything he has done to benefit them, she added. Weve traveled a lot with Salim, and hes seen many lovely places, but what we noticed is his appreciation and respect for all people in every walk of life, Louise continued. For example, hes visited my elderly parents in Twin Falls several times and absolutely loves them. Mom told him last time he was there that he had to come back to the U.S. soon, because she was really going to miss him. Ayusa works with families from all backgrounds who are interested in hosting. Many families are not the typical nuclear family that so many think of as American. Families with or without children, empty nesters, military families, retirees, and single people are all welcome. Ayusa families come from all over the country and reside in rural, suburban and urban communities. Cathy Galli-Vaneveld, the regional manager who supports the state, notes that Idaho is a particularly popular state for exchange students. Our students are excited about spending a year with a host family in Americas historic Wild West, and learning about our culture, she said. Host families volunteer to provide their exchange student with three meals a day and a bedroom (private or shared). Each host family, student, and school is supported by a professionally trained Ayusa representative throughout the program year. Ayusas exchange students are 15-18 years old and come from more than 60 countries around the world. Students are fully insured, bring their own spending money, and are proficient in English. How to Host an International Student Interested families can learn more about the program and available exchange students and request additional information by visiting http://www.ayusa.org or calling 1-888-552-9872. The process to apply is simple. Families complete the online application, which includes questions about themselves and local high school, references, and a background check. The local Ayusa Community Representative conducts an in-home interview. They can also help each family with any questions they may have about the application or process. After families are fully approved, they can select the Ayusa student they would like to host. About Ayusa Ayusa International (http://www.ayusa.org) is a 501(c)3 non-profit student exchange organization founded in 1981 and an official U.S. Department of State designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor. In addition, Ayusa administers high profile grant programs funded by the U.S. Department of State and other organizations. Ayusa is a sister company of Intrax, a family of organizations that provides a lifetime of high-quality educational, work and volunteer programs that connect people and cultures. Intrax is headquartered in San Francisco with offices on four continents. Bostick brings over 25 years of experience managing successful national and international transportation and distribution operations to the Merit Logistics team Were always looking for ways to strengthen our organization and expand our market share and Gregg has the knowledge, contacts and reputation to help us accomplish both, says CEO Michael Bletko. Merit Integrated Logistics, announced today the hiring of Gregg Bostick as the companys new Chief Commercial Officer. The hire symbolizes Merits continuing commitment to expanding its client base by recruiting the best and brightest minds in the industry to spearhead new company initiatives. With Bosticks diverse retail background and proven industry insight, its a hire that is sure to bring new perspective and value to this rapidly growing logistics services provider. Being able to add Greggs unique talents, insight and experience to the Merit team was an opportunity we couldnt pass up, says Michael Bletko, Merit CEO. Were always looking for ways to strengthen our organization and expand our market share and Gregg has the knowledge, contacts and reputation to help us accomplish both. Bostick joins a company with more than 50 years of experience in helping retailers become more productive, efficient and profitable through its superior logistics services. The synergy between Merit and Bostick makes the hire a natural fit for an organization known for its outstanding service and dedication to providing innovative industry solutions. Prior to Merit, Bostick served as Vice President of Logistics for Unified Grocers in Los Angeles, CA. He was responsible for Unifieds transportation and distribution centers while maintaining an impeccable 99.6% service level. He also has successful tenures with Americold Logistics, Suervalu and Pinnacle Foods Corp., and initially broke into the industry with Penske Logistics where his results-oriented approach catapulted him to regional VP. In addition to his professional background, Bostick has a degree in Organizational Management & Administration from Pennsylvanias Eastern University, and boasts a dedication, commitment and detail-oriented approach that were finely honed through four years in the U.S. Air Force. From the Air Force to the retail organizations Ive been fortunate to serve, Ive always taken great pride in working diligently to raise the bar on team performance, says Gregg. Merit is no different, and Im excited to bring my own personal drive, expertise and commitment to this winning organization. Merit Logistics is a national third party services provider based in Southern California. Since its inception, Merit has proudly helped many of the nations largest retailers achieve peak performance and higher profitability through its superior logistics services. For more information on Merit or its innovative services and programs, please contact Bob Shade, Director of Marketing at 949-481-0685 ext. 611. The Woodlands at John Knox Village in Pompano Beach is Floridas first Life Plan Community Green House project offering a new model of care for living and healing. This is an incredibly fulfilling time for John Knox Village as we celebrate the culmination of our vision to change the face of care and rehabilitation services in South Florida. The Woodlands at John Knox Village, Floridas first Life Plan Community Green House Project offering a new model of care for living and healing, celebrated its grand opening, today. The Woodlands at John Knox Village is based on three core values: Meaningful Life in a Real Home provided by Empowered Staff. This is an incredibly fulfilling time for John Knox Village as we celebrate the culmination of our vision to change the face of care and rehabilitation services in South Florida, said Gerald Stryker, president and CEO of John Knox Village. Our residents dedication and determination has fostered an incredible sense of community a home where families and elders will come together and set a new progressive standard for healing as set forth in The Green House Project model. The seven-story, 144-suite residence, located on the existing 70-acre campus of John Knox Village, serves the more than 900 residents and those in South Florida requiring greater levels of care. With the main floor reserved for common and social areas, the remaining six floors each have two Green House homes with 12 private bedroom suites with personal bathrooms surrounding a hearth living room, open kitchen and dining room to enjoy gourmet meals. Residents are cared for by the Shahbazim (a Persian word defined as royal caretaker) who are Certified Nursing Assistants trained to go above and beyond protecting, sustaining and nurturing in order to develop a deep knowing relationship with the elders and their family members. There are six dedicated Shahbazim per home. One of the most compelling and interactive features of The Green House Project is participation; the elders and family members, if able to, can become as involved as they wish with the daily activities; including housekeeping, laundry and helping prepare the fresh meals. The innovative, $34 million project also features the Palm Bistro, rehabilitation services, the Rejuvenation Salon & Spa, the Wellness Center and the Life Enrichment Center available for social gatherings and other occasions. The Woodlands offers a highly sophisticated level of care, said Mark Rayner, director of health care services at The Woodlands at John Knox Village. These private residences were designed to protect our elders privacy, honor choice and assure their dignity. The institutional feel of a hospital or rehab facility has been removed, creating a home-resort-like environment which is the fundamental philosophy of The Green House Project; where individuals thrive. Key assets that separate The Woodlands from other choice rehab facilities is the John Knox Village residents involvement, sense of community and dedication to maintaining a superior model of care. The project will be utilized as a training ground and operational model for other future planned residences incorporating The Green House Project philosophy. The Woodlands at John Knox Village was designed by RDG Planning & Design (Architects John Birge, Scott Pfeifer and Kevin Ruff). The Weitz Company served as the construction manager, and William Gallo, of Gallo Herbert Architects, worked with John Knox Village as the Owners Authorization Representative. The John Knox Village Foundation was instrumental in researching and raising more than $5 million to build the innovative care residences. The Woodlands is the first Green House to be initiated by resident involvement, said Nancy Lee Matthews, one of several John Knox Village residents sharing input when the project was being planned. It was us, the residents, who initially researched The Green House and presented the information to administration and the board of directors. John Knox Village is a Life Plan Retirement Community that includes independent living residences for active senior residents, plus assisted living and skilled nursing care options. The 70-acre, not-for-profit community is home to more than 900 residents with a caring staff of 650 employees. Residents have access to a choice of more than 30 different types of lifetime housing residences, from convenient apartments to single-story villas, plus home maintenance, social activities, numerous amenities and on-site nursing care. For additional information about The Woodlands at John Knox Village, please call (954) 783-4041 or visit http://www.WoodlandsJKV.com. Discover more about The Green House Project by visiting http://www.thegreenhouseproject.org. Sharp 90-degree inset walls add to the Lyras monolithic concrete design. Outdoor living spaces are no longer a simple trend in the industrytheyre part of a lifestyle. Eldorado Artisan Fire Bowls provide an outdoor retreat for the home, filled with a warm ambiance. Eldorado Stone, manufacturer of the worlds most believable architectural stone products, debuts six all-new fire bowls as part of the Eldorado Artisan Fire Bowls collection. Homeowners and designers now have the opportunity to create an elegant outdoor atmosphere with fire bowls that bridge rustic and polished design to create a beautiful, one-of-a-kind aesthetic. Our new fire bowls add a warm modern sensibility to any outdoor space, said Ramsay Hawfield, Vice President of Marketing and Product Development at Eldorado Stone. Outdoor living spaces are no longer a simple trend in the industrytheyre part of a lifestyle. Eldorado Artisan Fire Bowls provide an outdoor retreat for the home, filled with a warm ambiance." TWEET THIS: Modern meets natural with six all-new Eldorado Artisan Fire Bowls from @EldoradoStone. http://bit.ly/1JYhfXm #outdoorliving Each of the handcrafted fire bowls display subtle variations in color and texture similar to natural limestone and offer a distinctive, unique piece for every home. Equipped with high-performance brass burners, Eldorado Artisan Fire Bowls provide an extended burning time with a 10-year warranty, despite the one-year industry standard. The new collection includes the Lyra Artisan Fire Bowl, exuding a modern linear design with a gently sloped fire feature, and the Equa Artisan Fire Bowl, a modest option for smaller patios or balconies. All Eldorado Artisan Fire Bowls include four color optionsBlack Sand, Oak Barrel, Aged Teak and Oyster Shellin either honed or travertine finishes. More information about Eldorado Artisan Fire Bowls can be found on the newly redesigned Eldorado Stone website at eldoradostone.com. # # # About Eldorado Stone Eldorado Stone, LLC is the manufacturer of the worlds most believable architectural stone veneer and is headquartered in San Marcos, California. It is a subsidiary of Headwaters Incorporated (NYSE:HW), a world leader in creating value through innovative advancements in building products. For more than 45 years, Eldorado Stone has demonstrated an undeniable passion for creating authentic products that elevate quality and design, including architectural stone and brick veneer, natural stone veneer, fireplace surrounds, fire bowls and outdoor living products. The company currently operates manufacturing facilities in several states with regional distribution centers across the U.S. For more information and to view a gallery of beautiful installations, visit http://www.eldoradostone.com. APCON With advanced network monitoring technologies, users can experience complete traffic visibility to proactively fight against emerging threats. APCON, a provider of intelligent network monitoring solutions, announced today its HyperEngine packet processor now offers the industrys highest capacity NetFlow processing platform. APCON will demonstrate the HyperEngines capabilities at Cisco Live on booth 1349, Jul. 10 14, 2016. The combination of APCONs IntellaFlex platform and the HyperEngines NetFlow processing capability ensures that network and security professionals can instantly identify key information about their network traffic, users, data movement, applications and security threats, said Richard Rauch, president and CEO of APCON. With advanced network monitoring technologies, users can experience complete traffic visibility to proactively fight against emerging threats. The HyperEngines NetFlow data processing of unsampled or sampled network traffic flow can be forwarded to one or multiple industry-standard NetFlow collectors for fast traffic insights. NetFlow records provide insight on network traffic, including session information, top talkers, protocols and data movement. Network monitoring using network flow data is very effective at detecting anomalous behavior, stated Craig Lawson, Research VP at Gartner, in his April 2016 report, Addressing the Cyber Kill Chain. The HyperEngine can process up to 200 Gbps of ingress traffic from any 1G, 10G, 40G or 100G input on an APCON platform. When combined with APCONs TitanXR centralized management software, network and security professionals have access to dashboards and can automatically forward alerts to the APCON Mobile App for remote monitoring. The HyperEngine provides a flexible set of monitoring services including deduplication and NetFlow, with additional features coming later in 2016. APCONs NetFlow license for the HyperEngine is immediately available for purchase. Media representatives can schedule an APCON product demonstration by contacting the public relations team at 469-291-6902. About APCON For more than 20 years, APCON has consistently delivered smart, stable and scalable technology solutions to service providers and businesses seeking total data center visibility and security. Its customers range from midsize companies to Fortune 1000 enterprises in more than 40 countries. APCON assures superior network monitoring while supporting traffic analysis and streamlined network management and security. For more information, visit http://www.apcon.com or follow us on Twitter @apcon. Wine Grapes in Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country "We are in a new era of grape growing, and water will always be part of the equation." It was predicted to be an epic weather event of almost historic proportions but the highly anticipated El Nino of Winter 2015-2016 failed to materialize in Southern California Wine Country. According to the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center, the threat of El Nino has now past. However, they do expect La Nina to influence our weather this summer through winter, which means warmer temperatures and less rainfall than normal. Though not exactly music to the ears of local vintners and growers, they are finding that less water is producing a smaller crop with more concentrated sugar and more complex flavor. Grapevines thrive in less-than-desirable conditions. Their roots reach deep to find water. In fact, according to the University of California Drought Management program, In the production of wine grapes, it has long been recognized that water deficits can lead to improved fruit quality--especially in red wine varieties, the hallmark of Temecula Valley Wine Country. According to local vineyard owner and winemaker David Bradley of Vindemia Winery, To grow grapes in Temecula Valley, we need snow in Colorado, which, in turn feeds the Colorado River, one of the Southwests main water sources. Recent snowstorms give hope for what could be a very dry period ahead for Temecula Valley Wine Country. Bradley says that, with so many warm winters over the past few years, budbreak occurs earlier and harvest now begins in July and August, rather than the traditional September start. Gus Vizgirda, Winemaker at Wilson Creek Winery, has been crafting wines and tending vines in the valley for decades and has kept meticulous records, including rainfall totals, daily high and low temperatures, grape tonnage and harvest times. Hes observed that, over the last 10 years or so, as harvest time has gotten earlier, the length of the crucial growing season has become shorter. Other growers and winemakers have noticed a similar pattern and are taking steps to adapt. Last year, for example, local vineyards began to adjust their water usage, when supply was cut by 10% by the Rancho California Water District. Vineyards that didnt comply faced stiff, and expensive, penalties. It is important to remember that, while striving to regulate water application, the overall health and well-being of the vine is paramount. Balancing the crop load, vine vigor and water uptake are all important facets of ultimate grape quality. We are in a new era of grape growing, and water will always be part of the equation, states Jon McPherson, Master Winemaker for South Coast Winery and Carter Estate Winery. One way to conserve water, said Craig Larson, winemaker for Callaway Vineyard & Winery, is to constantly monitor the vineyards and water the vines for short, more frequent periods, to avoid over stressing the vines. Conditions can change rapidly. Last harvest, Larson noted, it wasnt uncommon to make a harvesting decision only to find, a few days later, that the grapes had already begun to dehydratesomething you didnt see several years ago. Proper and selective canopy management and monitoring nutrient requirements are key with these drier, warmer conditions and, adds Bradley, Mulch, soil temperatures and pest health will also need greater attention. El Nino may not have delivered its expected downpours and who knows if La Nina will bring the dry conditions predicted. Whatever nature brings in the coming months, Temecula Valley growers and winemakers will accept the challenge, and continue to craft another stellar vintage. ABOUT THE TEMECULA VALLEY AND VISIT TEMECULA VALLEY With natural gifts of climate and geography, Temecula Valley is widely recognized for its scenic vineyards, award-winning wines, and friendly wineries as Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country. The destination includes the Temecula Valley A.V.A. (American Viticulture Area) as well as Downtown, Old Town Temecula, and Pechanga Resort & Casino. Visit Temecula Valley is online at VisitTemeculaValley.com; TemeculaCVB on Facebook and @Visit_Temecula on Twitter. The Temecula Valley Visitors Center is located in Old Town Temecula on Mercedes Street adjacent the Old Town Parking Garage. For visitor assistance, call 888/363-2852 or 951/491-6085. Bio-Logic Aqua Research Water Life Science Founder Sharon Kleyne On May 23rd during the National Eye Institutes Healthy Vision Month, Sharon Kleyne, founder of Bio-Logic Aqua Research Water Life Science and international water advocate, was honored by Ashram, Inc. as the worlds foremost water visionary. Sharon Kleyne is a descendant of the women in ancient Egypt who knelt on the banks of the Nile to fill their red clay pots with life-sustaining water. Said Ashram co-founder Robert McDowell. She belongs to the lineage of Brigid priestesses of the Celtic world who tended the Goddesss sacred wells. One could say that more recent members of her spiritual tribe include Marie Curie, Jane Goodall and Rachel Carson. Kleyne, whose weekly globally syndicated, education-oriented radio show, the Sharon Kleyne Hour Power of Water, is heard weekly on VoiceAmerica (Health and Wellness, and Variety Channels) and Apple iTunes (for the live broadcast, or podcasts of past shows, go to http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/2207/the-sharon-kleyne-hour), was recognized for her groundbreaking research and educational outreach efforts to find solutions to the global fresh water and dry air crisis. She was also recognized for her creation of Bio-Logic Aqua Research Water Life Science, the only company of its kind in the world, and its signature products, Natures Tears EyeMist (for the treatment of dry eye and ocular dehydration) and Bio Med Wash (used by the US military and emergency respondents nationwide). In 1989, Kleyne discovered a natural spring in the Rogue Valley, an event she intriguingly describes as an intervention. She subjected the water to rigorous scientific testing and discovered that its unique pH make-up, unlike any other water, closely matches the human skins slightly acidic 5.5 to 6.5 pH. Before anyone else, Kleyne perceived the real dangers of dehydration and the DES (Dry Eye Syndrome) that imperils life on this planet. Im a study nerd, Kleyne said at the gathering. When I was a girl, she continued, my parents always said Id have to wait till I was older to find out certain things. So I like aging and learning! Kleyne, who drinks twelve glasses of water a day, encourages everyone to drink at least eight glasses, adding that the number varies from individual to individual. She reminds us that aging is just dehydration; by re-hydrating every day, we stave off its effects. Sharon Kleyne is a modern-day Water Deva, McDowell said, and all of us at Ashram are proud to honor her singular scientific health and environmental achievements. 2016 Bio-Logic Aqua Research Water Life Science. All rights reserved. Howard Kim, Director of Business Development Korea Catalent Pharma Solutions, the leading global provider of advanced delivery technologies and development solutions for drugs, biologics, consumer health and global clinical supply services, today announced two key appointments and the opening of a new sales office in Korea to support the companys continued investment and strategic growth plans in the Asia Pacific region. Howard Kim has joined the company in the role of Director of Business Development in Korea, and will work between Catalents new sales office in Seoul, South Korea, and the companys Somerset, NJ, headquarters. Mr. Kim will manage business development activities across all of Catalents business units in the expanding Korean market. Prior to joining Catalent, Mr. Kim was responsible for developing businesses for Korean pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. and in Europe. He has also worked for Novartis, Sandoz, Schering-Plough, Wyeth, and Merck in the areas of product supply and planning. In a second appointment, Erin Vlack has been promoted to Manager of the companys new Clinical Supply Services site in Kakegawa, Japan, which is to provide secondary packaging, labeling, storage and distribution capabilities locally. In this role, Ms. Vlack will establish and lead the sites clinical supply operations, driving the business strategy, achieving necessary regulatory standards, meeting on-time delivery, quality, and efficiency targets, and establishing safe working practices within the sites cGMP environment. Ms. Vlack has twelve years of progressive project management experience, a decade of which spans Japanese business strategy, contract manufacturing, pharmaceutical and clinical trial logistics, and supply and depot management. Since joining Catalent in April 2015, Ms. Vlack has held the role of Project Manager at the companys Morrisville, North Carolina facility in the US. Prior to this she lived, studied and worked in and around Japan for over 20 years. Catalent has offered clinical supply services in the region since 2005, and within the past three years has made significant capital investments totaling more than $10 million with additional personnel to expand its overall Asia-Pacific footprint to meet growing customer demand. Today, the companys network spans nine audited depots and three fully-owned and operated clinical packaging facilities in China, Singapore, and Japan when it opens for business later this year. Available services include primary and secondary packaging, demand led supply services, clinical storage, cold chain services, global distribution, comparator sourcing, project management, clinical supply management, regulatory consulting, and returns and destruction. About Catalent Catalent is the leading global provider of advanced delivery technologies and development solutions for drugs, biologics, consumer health and global clinical supply services. With over 80 years serving the industry, Catalent has proven expertise in bringing more customer products to market faster, enhancing product performance and ensuring reliable clinical and commercial product supply. Catalent employs approximately 8,700 people, including over 1,000 scientists, at 31 facilities across 5 continents, and in fiscal 2015 generated more than $1.8 billion in annual revenue. Catalent is headquartered in Somerset, N.J. For more information, visit http://www.catalent.com More products. Better treatments. Reliably supplied. Mediaclip Inc., a leading provider of white-label software solutions that allow customers to offer the personalization of any product, proudly announced today that Mediaclip Hub, their innovative cloud-based solution, is fully integrated within the HP PrintOS cloud-based ecosystem. HP revealed the news about PrintOS in February, and this new operating system will be officially launched at drupa 2016. Helping print service providers efficiently run their businesses, HP PrintOS is a cloud-based print production operating system featuring a suite of intuitive web-based and mobile applications that enable printing companies to maximize their investment in HP print infrastructure and automate the production process for more efficient and higher quality output. As part of this new integration with HP, Mediaclip will be showcasing the workflow between Mediaclip Hub and HP PrintOS at drupa 2016 within the HP Booth (Hall 17) from May 31-June 10. Visitors will get a first-hand look at how PrintOS can streamline the workflow between the award-winning front-end of the Mediaclip Product Designer and the HP presses. The entire order cycle can be automated for a more efficient production process that can be tracked even on mobile devices. Mediaclip is known for its drive to provide leading-edge photo personalization, said Gershon Alon, manager of workflow solutions, Indigo division, HP. We are proud to collaborate with Mediaclip to enable customers to deliver high-quality products faster than before and expand their offerings into new market segments. Were honoured to be able to collaborate with HP on this exciting project, adds Marion Duchesne, CEO at Mediaclip. Combining the ability to offer any printable product for personalization through Mediaclip Hub and the revolutionary way for printing businesses to automate print production via PrintOS has the potential to offer customers a grand opportunity for growth. Mediaclip Hub is a hosted, SaaS-enabled online service allowing printers, retailers, and manufacturers to create and sell an infinite number of products including photobooks, personalized packaging, wall art, canvas, gifts, calendars, business products, and more, on their own branded webstore. The solution comes with all the imaging infrastructure required to offer personalization, removing the typical technological barriers and retaining the flexibility to choose an e-Commerce platform that best leverages your marketing strategy. Mediaclip Hub also significantly lowers the TCO and enables a complete technical integration to take place in just matter of days. It is the easiest way for Printers to diversify their business model and generate new printing revenues. For more information on Mediaclip Hubs integration with HP PrintOS, book a meeting with us at drupa (marketing(at)mediaclip.ca). If you are not attending the tradeshow, please contact info(at)mediaclip.ca and a representative will assist you with your query. ABOUT MEDIACLIP Mediaclip develops easy-to-use software solutions enabling the creation of any personalized products from consumer and professional photos for businesses, brands and licensed images. Our solutions are offered in a wide range of business models to address the specific needs of our customers' market strategy. Available on premise or as a hosted solution. A privately-held company headquartered in Montreal, Mediaclip offers worldwide support. Our software solutions are currently integrated into hundreds of leading photo websites around the world. Badger gardens and building in Gilsum, NH Whats wonderful is that many of the unique benefits we offer, such as Babies at Work, are the result of employee feedback and suggestions. W.S. Badger Co. Inc., the maker of certified organic and truly natural skin care products, has been honored with a 2016 When Work Works Award for its use of effective workplace strategies to increase business and employee success. This prestigious award, part of the national When Work Works project administered by the Families and Work Institute (FWI) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), recognizes employers of all sizes and types in New Hampshire and across the country. We believe that happy employees make for a happier, healthier workplace and receiving this award is both an honor and a validation of our efforts, said Emily Hall-Warren, Director of Administration at Badger. Whats wonderful is that many of the unique benefits we offer, such as free organic lunch, Babies at Work, company childcare, extended and paid extended parental leave, are the result of employee feedback and suggestions. So in many ways, we truly are an employee-led company. The award is the result of a rigorous assessment. Worksites must first qualify by ranking in the top 20 percent of the country based on a nationally representative sample of employers. Two-thirds of the evaluation of applicants comes from an employee survey. Applicants are evaluated on six research-based ingredients of an effective workplace: opportunities for learning; a culture of trust; work/life fit; supervisor support for work success; autonomy; and satisfaction with earnings, benefits, and opportunities for advancement all factors associated with employee health, well-being, and engagement. These employers have excelled at creating effective workplaces yielding tremendously positive results for business success, as well as for their employees well-being and productivity, said Ellen Galinsky, president of FWI. Effective workplaces recognize that employees are an organizations greatest resource and make a critical difference in the organizations ability to not only survive, but to thrive. The 2016 When Work Works Award winners confirm that leading employers are continuing the movement toward effective workplace strategies that benefit both business and employees, said Lisa Horn, director of SHRMs workplace flexibility initiative. These innovative strategies are what sets these organizations apart, allowing them to attract and retain top talent, giving them a competitive advantage. To learn more, check out this interactive map, which includes winning organizations by state: http://www.whenworkworks.org/be-effective/2016-when-work-works-award-winners-state-listing When Work Works is a national project that shares research results on what makes an effective and flexible workplace with the business community. For more information about the When Work Works initiative and the When Work Works Award, visit http://www.whenworkworks.org Media: For more information, contact Deirdre Fitzgerald at 603-283-5220 and deef(at)badgerbalm(dot)com or Barbara Norcia-Broms at 212-465-2094 and bnorcia-broms(at)familiesandwork(dot)org About W.S. Badger Badger is a family run and family-friendly company that has been making products for a healthy planet since 1995. Badger was born when Badger Bill, a carpenter at the time, created a recipe of natural ingredients strong enough to soothe his rough, dry cracked hands. Now a team of over 70 employees, Badger produces almost all of its products in Gilsum, N.H. Inherent in Badgers DNA is its status as a B Corporation, a certification earned through B Lab, a third party nonprofit that requires companies to meet rigorous standards of transparency as well as environmental and social performance. Badger has been a certified B Corp since 2011 and in 2015 became one of New Hampshires first businesses to register legally as a Benefit Corporation, a for-profit status that incorporates the pursuit of positive environmental and social impact in addition to profit. Visit http://www.badgerbalm.com, follow us on Twitter @BadgerBalmUSA, and join the conversation on Facebook.com/BadgerBalm. About When Work Works When Work Works is a national initiative, led by the partnership of the Families and Work Institute (FWI) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), to help businesses of all sizes and types become more successful by transforming the way they view and adopt effective and flexible workplaces. When Work Works is one of the foremost providers of resources, rigorous research and best practices on workplace effectiveness and flexibility in the nation. The initiative administers the prestigious annual When Work Works Award, which recognizes exemplary employers for creating effective workplaces to increase business and employee success. Visit http://www.whenworkworks.org and follow us on Twitter @WhenWorkWorks @FWINews and @SHRMPress, and join the workflex conversation on Facebook.com/FWINews. Mature Services, Inc. will host their first Annual Health and Services Fair on June 7, 2012 from 10 am to 2 pm. The event takes place at Mature Services offices located at 415 S. Portage Path in Akron, Ohio. Attend for an afternoon designed to learn about programs offered by Mature Services and other community service agencies. Meet with representatives from Axess Pointe Community Health Center, Akron Canton Regional Food Bank, Ohio Means Jobs, The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, and the Social Security Administration. Be sure to prepare questions and come to the fair! According to Karen Hrdlicka, CEO and President of Mature Services, We have been administering the Farmers Market program for Direction Home for a few years, however the vouchers are limited. A federal and locally funded program allows for the distribution of food vouchers to low income seniors to provide them with access to locally grown produce. We wanted a way to give back to our older adults as a whole whether or not they received vouchers, so we are mixing our distribution with a health and services fair. Mature Services provides services and collaborates with many other agencies to support older adults in our community. This event is a celebration of the success of that collaboration. During the event, the Akron Canton Regional Food Bank will be giving out fresh produce and shelf-stable foods to health fair attendees. Please bring a shopping bag. Mark the calendar for the health fair, and plan to learn more about Mature Services and the solutions they provide to help older adults and their caregivers remain active, healthy, and independent so they can continue to age with dignity. For more information, contact Valerie Henderson, Community Outreach Representative at Mature Services, at 330-253-4597, ext. 169. Mature Services provides high-quality programs to empower the economic, social, physical, and mental well-being of adults as they age. Founded in 1975 as a senior citizen program, it has since become an independent, nationally respected organization with offices throughout the state. To learn more about Mature Services, Inc. visit http://www.matureservices.org. Penn Community Bank is proud to support the Women in Business scholarship program to enable Bucks County women to access the education and job training they need to succeed in securing economic advancement and stability for themselves and their families. Penn Community Bank, Bucks Countys leading independent, mutual financial organization, is proud to help sponsor the 2016 Women in Business Scholarship Dinner, to be held June 9 at Spring Mill Manor in Ivyland. The annual scholarship dinner is a program of the Women in Business Committee of the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce. The annual evening includes networking, dinner, and the presentation of scholarships to women over the age of 25 who are furthering their education to re-enter the job market or to make a career change. It can be difficult for mature women to return to the workforce or to shift careers later in life, said Penn Community Bank President and CEO Jeane M. Coyle. Penn Community Bank is proud to support the Women in Business scholarship program to enable Bucks County women to access the education and job training they need to succeed in securing economic advancement and stability for themselves and their families. The largest committee of the Central Bucks Chamber, the Women in Business committee accepts applications for the scholarships throughout the year and raises money to fund the scholarships through its annual Gourmet Getaway. The 2016 scholarship dinner will be held Thursday, June 9, from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Spring Mill Manor, 171 Jacksonville Rd., Ivyland, PA. To register, click here. About Penn Community Bank: Created in 2015 by the unification of long-standing community banks First Federal of Bucks County and First Savings Bank of Perkasie, Penn Community Bank holds more than $1.8 billion in assets and employs more than 300 people at 22 bank branches and two administrative centers throughout Bucks County. As an independent, mutual financial institution, Penn Community Bank is not publicly traded and operates with its long-term mission in mind: to help businesses grow and prosper, to support individuals and families throughout their lifetimes, to strengthen the local economy, and to partner with local organizations to act as a catalyst for positive growth in every market it serves. These top-level organizations recognize how vital quality training is for their admin staff; they understand that sending their admins to the APC results in extraordinary ROI for the organization. The American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP) reports a record-breaking number of administrative professionals representing organizations from around the world will be attending the 2016 Administrative Professionals Conference (APC) this September. Hundreds of leading organizations from private business, public and non-profit, and government sectors have registered their administrative staff to attend the APC this September. "Were excited that so many major organizations are investing in the training of their admins, said Judy Geller, Executive Director of the APC. We know there are other options for admins, such as 1-day seminars, 1-hour webinars, or in-house training. But theres no other admin event that comes close to offering the breadth, depth, and value of the 4-day APC experience. These top-level organizations recognize how vital quality training is for their admin staff; they understand that sending their admins to the APC results in extraordinary ROI for the organization. In its 24th year, the APC will be held in Chicago for the first time this September, and event organizers expect the conference to fill the Hyatt Chicago Regency. The 4-day all-inclusive admin training and networking event will be introducing new programming and features this September, including: lowest pricing options since 2006; an APC Investigates session covering what executives really need from their assistants; free Internet access; new on-site admin certification review and test option; over a dozen new Admin MeetUps to facilitate focused topic discussions; an optional Chicago Dine-Around event, and an expanded agenda geared towards helping admins keep up with their ever-evolving roles. In addition to the new features, the 2016 APC program includes a full agenda of over 75 learning opportunities geared towards helping todays admin adapt to and leverage new technologies, increased workloads, evolving roles, and expanding responsibilities. In between educational sessions, attendees will have the opportunity to network, socialize, and discover new solutions and products to bring back to their offices at the expanded APC Exhibit Hall. # # # # # About ASAP: The American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP) is the largest free association and resource center for administrative professionals and executive assistants. To its membership of over 55,000 admins from around the world, ASAP provides access to online training, the PACE Certification for admins, live and on-demand webinars, a monthly newsletter, and articles and features curated for admins. ASAP is a business unit within Diversified Communications, a global organization operating on four continents and a major independent producer of events and media worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.asaporg.com Marbeled Murrelet In a continuing effort to support California State Parks Crumb Clean initiative, Web of Life Field (WOLF) School is introducing new practices for the summer 2016 camping season to further educate visitors and protect wildlife at Little Basin Cabins and Campgrounds. WOLF School is headquartered at Little Basin, part of Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Boulder Creek, CA. Little Basin is a 534-acre family and group campground that was added to Big Basin Redwoods State Park in 2011 thanks to a partnership with the Peninsula Open Space Trust and Sempervirens Fund. Through an innovative approach in park operations and a public/private partnership, Little Basin is now run by the long established non-profit management organization United Camps, Conferences, and Retreats (UCCR). UCCR named Heather Butler as Site Director of Little Basin; Butler is also the Director of WOLF Schoolan environmental youth education program supported by UCCR and operating at multiple UCCR-managed camps throughout northern and central California. WOLF School moved their administrative office to Little Basin, and thus began their partnership with California State Parks. In 2014, California State Parks initiated the Crumb Clean campaign in an effort to educate campers on the dangers and ramifications of exposing wildlife to human foods. The goal is to inspire each California State Parks visitor to become an environmental steward: never feeding wildlife, properly disposing of all garbageeven crumbs, and storing food in airtight containers. The result is a safer California State Park for visitors, who become endangered by aggressive animals associating people with food, and better habitats for wildlife, whose natural feeding and life-cycles are disrupted by human food exposure. With a mission of building respect, appreciation and stewardship within the web of life, WOLF School was quick to adopt the California State Parks Crumb Clean campaign at Little Basin, and with one very specific goal in mind: saving the Marbled Murrelet. The first Marbled Murrelet nest was found in 1974 in Big Basin Redwoods State Park. A rare sea bird, Marbled Murrelets use the old growth redwood forest as nesting habitats to lay their single egg each season. Ravens and jays, whose populations have increased at Big Basin and Little Basin due to food left by campers, have learned to spot the speckled egg of a Marbled Murrelet, eating both eggs and chicks when they find them. Although this is not their main food source, it is an easy one and the Murrelet population is decreasing significantly as a result. By going Crumb Clean, Little Basin is reducing the raven and jay populations to natural numbers, giving the endangered Marbled Murrelet a chance to once again flourish high atop the redwood canopy. WOLF Schools trained naturalists will attend the California State Parks annual interpreters training for the 2016 summer season, and WOLF School has designed programs to educate Little Basin visitors on the Marbled Murrelet and the California State Parks Crumb Clean campaign. Little Basin campers will sign a Crumb Clean Commitment, WOLF Schools Little Basin interpreters will hold educational talks and campfires geared towards adults and children, and as a keepsake every visitor can take their photo with the new Marbled Murrelet mural painted by WOLF Schools Terra Dawson, which scientifically illustrates this remarkable species and captures the impact of California State Parks Crumb Clean initiative. Green Collar Foods (GCF), a Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) business, has officially secured a partner in Bridgeport, Connecticut to construct an indoor farm. GCFs mission is to empower inner-city farmers with an affordable CEA business solution that is technologically intuitive and financially profitable. It is also committed to growing high quality, clean food in communities so often overlooked. Pivot Community Development Corporation (CDC), the commercial arm of Pivot Ministries Inc., an organization assisting men challenged by alcohol and substance abuse, has invested in the construction of a small-scale grow facility in Connecticut by GCF, which is set for unveiling on June 15. Pivot CDC has also committed to raising further funding for a larger-scale grow facility in Bridgeport planned for 2017. The facilities will grow kale, arugula and cilantro for sale into local institutions and retailers keen to find local supply. Pivot CDC learned about GCFs strategic plans, their progress in Detroit Michigan, and overall approach in January 2016. Intrigued, they asked GCF for a proposal on the speed and type of CEA implementation possible in Bridgeport. The founders of GCF, deciding to leverage years of commercial and engineering experience while building on the recent success of its indoor farm in Detroit, Michigan, agreed to establish a small scale, Stage I paid marketing hub so various Pivot CDC stakeholders and future private funders of the full scale GCF Bridgeport location could see their approach and process in real time. The Bridgeport grow facility is located next to 1190 Pembroke Street, a location that Pivot CDC recently worked with Bank of America and private financial donors to renovate. Pivot Ministries Inc. and Pivot CDC are committed to showcasing sustainable community impact. More importantly, they are using these projects to showcase what a broader vision can look like to serve the city of Bridgeport. Pivot also sees the GCF partnership and the future 6,000 sq. ft. CEA grow facility as a natural extension of their existing greenhouse in the back of their property at 485 Jane Street. As noted by Thomas Orr, President, Pivot CDC: Our engagement and partnership with the team at Green Collar Foods has been truly exceptional to date. Rarely is this type of business execution, professionalism, technology and agricultural skills made available within inner city environments. We are so proud to be a part of this exciting and impactful growth story, and look forward to realizing our collective vision of a full scale GCF Bridgeport grow facility in 2017. Unsurprisingly, GCF is keen to ensure that every new partnership represents another blue-print on how their business model can accommodate the various types of future growers who will ultimately carry the GCF brand. With this success now complete, and with experience navigating elements of local Bridgeport community development, GCF takes one step closer to completing one of five shovel-ready inner-city ventures in their pipeline. Pivots CDC, as well as industry insiders, recognize the unique approach of Green Collar Foods in helping to rejuvenate inner cities, by creating jobs, growing healthy local food and establishing sustainable business enterprises. GCF was recently added to AgFunder.com, the premier marketplace for the most promising Ag and AgTech start-ups seeking to raise investment capital from accredited investors. Michael Dean, LLM, Co-Founder and CIO of AgFunder noted: Green Collar Foods continues to impress with not only their novel approach and insights into the CEA market, but their ability to secure partners and Universities in areas so often overlooked. Their early success in Bridgeport Connecticut is another example of why we are so happy to have them as part of the AgFunder platform and our growing alumni network. How To Contact: GCF contact: Ron Reynolds - 1-800-569-6941 Pivot CDC contact: Thomas Orr - tomorr(at)optonline.net About Green Collar Foods: Green Collar Foods (GCF) is a simple, yet influential controlled environment agriculture (CEA) platform designed for societys most promising, yet challenged, inner-city environments. GCF is focused on empowering its business owners with the agricultural, commercial & technological tools required to successfully produce specialty crops that yield financial returns. Green Collar Foods leverages its technology platform, which combines Microsoft Azures IoT suite with GCFs centralized machine learning platform and proprietary farm management software to create the GCF AgCloud. This enables continuous learning for GCF, its clients and University partners to extract efficiencies, record plant recipes and improve yields. The GCF AgCloud was built in collaboration with technology partner and investor Shaping Cloud. If you want to learn more Green Collar Foods, see our website greencollarfoods.com About Pivot CDC: Pivot Community Development Corporation seeks to equip those in need with the economic and life skills necessary to become more productive members of the community of Bridgeport, and throughout the State of Connecticut. Pivot CDC will accomplish this mandate by providing jobs training programs, and through offering transitional housing, and social services. All of the training and services offered through our programs will be conducted under the highest standards of moral excellence, with the goal of empowering residents to engage their communities as a positive and sustaining inuence. The pact will allow our doctors and technical experts, on invitation, to periodically visit and train JKCIs medical staff keeping them abreast with latest developments in medical sciences, said Mr Naresh Kapoor, Executive Director, BLK Hospitals. The New Delhi-based BLK Super Speciality Hospital has announced a special pact with the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI), Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania with broader aim to promote cooperation and mutual understanding between the two countries. The MoU aspires at knowledge sharing, transfer of skills and capacity building with an objective to help JKCI become an advanced healthcare destination for the people of Tanzania and East African Region. This partnership aims to set up a platform for both the hospitals enabling each to share their experiences and expertise. The two institutions in particular will develop educational, scientific and medical cooperation through surgical camps, workshops, observerships and Continuing Medical Education (CME) programmes, in Dar es Salaam and at BLK Super Specialty Hospital in New Delhi. The collaboration will remain in operation for five years. The MoU was signed by Prof. Mohammed Janabi - Executive Director, Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute of Tanzania and Mr Naresh Kapoor, Executive Director, BLK Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi. We are extremely happy with this partnership between the two countries. We shall assist JKCI achieve its objective of becoming a preferred destination for cardiac care in the East African Region by knowledge sharing, transfer of skills and capacity building, informed Mr. Naresh Kapoor. The pact will allow our doctors and technical experts, on invitation, to periodically visit and train JKCIs medical staff keeping them abreast with latest developments in medical sciences. We shall also offer observership courses at BLK Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi for the duration of a week to one month in Cardiology for the doctors and paramedical staff of JKCI. In addition to these, BLK Super Speciality Hospital shall facilitate telemedicine facilities at JKCI to help the patients and medical fraternity of JKCI access important medical opinion from their counterpart doctors at BLK Hospital, New Delhi, added Mr Kapoor further. Prof. Mohammed Janabi said, It is a matter of privilege for us to collaborate with BLK Super Speciality Hospital in a host of programs. This Pact shall give us opportunities to develop and establish our institute as the leading and advanced healthcare destination for the people of Tanzania and East African region. Such exchange of programs will surely help us in strengthening our patient care as well. BLK Super Speciality is one of Indias leading healthcare institutions of excellence with world-class infrastructure and talented pool of doctors. Over the years, the Hospital has established credible linkages across Asian and African nations through a number of understanding and collaborations. This agreement with Tanzania comes as a series of such programs that the hospital has been driving to promote excellence in medical care through collaboration. About BLK Super Specialty Hospital BLK Super Specialty is one of the largest private hospitals in the National Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi with a capacity of 650 beds including 140 critical care beds. The outpatient services are spread over two floors with 57 consultation rooms. All ambulatory services are smartly designed to ensure quick access to interventional services. The Hospital has 17 state-of-the-art well equipped modular operation theaters and a world-class pathology lab. The Hospital is equipped with most modern infrastructure, and eminent doctors drive its Centers of Excellence. The hospital has Asias largest Bone Marrow Transplant Units. We have deployed very high-end technologies such as Cyberknife VSI, TriologyTxLinear Accelerator, Bi Plane Neuro Interventional lab which are geared to address complex medical needs of patients. Our infrastructure and services stand testimony to BLKs philosophy of A Passion for Healing. The hospital is owned and managed by Radiant Life Care, which also manages Mumbais iconic Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital. For further information please contact us @ Ms Mamta Singh +91-9958290363 http://www.blkhospital.com The College of the Extended University (CEU) Open University (OU) Program at California Polytechnic State University, Pomona is currently offering reduced pricing for its summer session, saving undergraduate and graduate students a total of $30 per unit. Most of the courses offered are more than one unit potentially saving students hundreds of dollars per course. The reduced pricing saves the students money, and it also rewards these students by encouraging them to complete coursework quickly, without the added cost associated with the shorter sessions. Its a win-win. said Cal Poly Pomona College of the Extended University & International Center Dean, Dr. Howard E. Evans. An additional 10 percent discount is available to current Cal Poly Pomona faculty/staff members and to current members of the alumni association. Summer enrollment began on Monday, May 16, and petitions are now being accepted. Classes will begin on June 20 for the first five-week session and the full 10-week session, and petitions will be accepted until the deadline on June 30. The second five-week session will begin on July 27. Students should note that prerequisites may be required to enroll. Payment for OU may be made by credit card or e-Check and paid online through BroncoDirect. If students are unable to pay their entire tuition at once, they are given the option to sign up for an installment plan, which will allow them to pay tuition in three small monthly payments. Cal Poly Pomonas College of the Extended University (CEU) extends educational opportunities to the public, business, and international communities. Open University (OU) allows individuals not currently admitted to Cal Poly Pomona to enroll in undergraduate and graduate level courses on a space available basis. More information about the current summer session registration, fees, payment options, dates and policies can be found at, http://bit.ly/1WXnJjY. # # # For additional inquiries about this, please contact Sam Carpenter at 909-869-2257 or email at lscarpenter(at)cpp(dot)edu. We are thrilled to be among such an exclusive group and commemorate our inclusion into the Chicago Business Hall of Fame. We believe this validates our commitment to excellence in what we do, says Michael Camodeca, President of SkyView Technology. SkyView Technology, located at 70 West Madison Street, is among an elite group of companies that have earned the Best of Chicago Award for eight consecutive years. This exclusive selection by the Chicago Awards Program qualifies SkyView Technology, Inc. for the 2016 Chicago Business Hall of Fame. The Chicago Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the Chicago area. Each year, the Chicago Award Program recognizes companies that have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category despite difficult economic times. Winners are determined through data gathered from both internal and third party sources. SkyView Technology was selected as the sole winner for their business category in Chicago. Their ability to serve Chicago clients with high quality, trusted computer consulting and IT services and give them a long-term value on their investment is what garnered SkyView Technology this esteemed award. SkyViews commitment to customer service has enhanced the positive image of small businesses in the community, which is a valued element of the Chicago Awards Program. We are thrilled to be among such an exclusive group and commemorate our inclusion into the Chicago Business Hall of Fame. We believe this validates our commitment to excellence in what we do, says Michael Camodeca, President of SkyView Technology. SkyView Technology offers a full menu of services in computer consulting, networking solutions, IT compliance as well as support and data security. They pride themselves on serving clients with customized IT solutions that often require heightened network security, compliance, and networking. SkyView provides complete outsourced IT services to companies of all sizes, including those in the legal, medical, and non-profit industries. More about SkyView Technology: SkyView Technology was established in 2002 in Chicago, and has since extended their services to Charlotte and Charleston. They offer expertise and experience in designing, consulting, managing and maintaining all levels of business IT requirements. SkyView Technology, Inc. is a member of the USCA US Commerce Association and recognized as a Microsoft Small Business Specialist, and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer. To learn more about SkyView Technology, visit their website at skyviewtechnology.com/index.html. Dorran Godfrey, aged 13, Discusses His Goals to Study Music at Interlochen and Julliard A decent education should be a basic human right, not something for the rich or having to work years to pay off Car Trek The Karaoke Cab, a regular advocate for the arts, is helping to launch the Go Fund Me online crowd funding campaign for Dorran Godfrey, aged 13 of Traverse City. Godfrey is pursuing a career in music with the goal of studying at Interlochen and Julliard. However, the education funding required per year is more than $49,000. With the rising costs of college education, much of the burden is falling upon students who, of necessity, are getting creative in their own education funding process. Godfrey is well known locally, grass roots crowd funding with his saxophone downtown, raising money for his goal to become a full time musician. Although proving inspirational in the local community with his creative approach, Godfrey is realistic about his college education funding. Godfrey candidly notes, this is more money than he earns in a year I dont think I can count on my dad to solve this one for me. Car Trek showed its support by funding Godfrey to produce a video and crowd funding page at Go Fund Me, showcasing his musical goals and his unique spirit and drive. Car Trek is also working locally and online to help secure education funding for Godfreys music goals. Financial support is, of course, always welcome. However, the community can help Godfrey in other simple ways by sharing his video and crowd funding page at http://gofundme.com/entertainer, helping with musical instruments or being willing to act as a mentor. Realizing how expensive tuition can be for music art schools like Interlochen and Julliard, Godfreys video and crowd funding page creatively explains his step by step plans to achieve the much needed music education funding. With regard to his desire to study at Interlochen and Julliard, Godfrey reasons that it is doubtful whether such music education costs can be covered, without help from the crowd funding community. This is why Car Trek is strongly supporting his music education funding efforts. Although Godfreys approach is unique, his college education funding problems are not. According to Forbes, the education funding requirements this year to study at a public college in the United States averages $28,387 (including fees, books and housing). In disciplines such as engineering or the arts, certain courses are only taught at private schools, requiring about $59,341 in higher education funding. On the other hand, the Department of Numbers reveals that the average household has a median income of $53,657 and the income per person is just $28,889. A year of funding a college education now thus requires more than the median annual income in the United States. Although financial aid and scholarships have helped, two other Car Trek customers note that, like Godfrey, crowd funding was an important strategy for them too. Martin Cooksey, an electrical contractor from Cadillac, MI describes needing a second mortgage of $45,000 to fund daughter Melanies college. With a lot of help from other family members raising money for us she still needed a couple of student loans. Even with grass roots crowd funding efforts of family members, fully two thirds of students in the United States graduate with college debt, totaling more than $1.2 trillion. Cooksey added, A decent education should be a basic human right, not something for the rich or having to work years to pay off. Many nations appear to agree. Several countries offer free or minimal cost college education funding for United States students, such as Norway, Slovenia, Finland, Sweden, France and Brazil. Germany, too, is actively seeking foreign students to meet its shortage in the workforce. A fact that Maria Ellis, aged 19 from Kalkaska, MI is happy to exploit while studying International Business Management at Hochschule Furtwangen. Crowd funding through the local community again proved helpful in raising her travel costs. Regardless of other efforts to solve college education funding, it seems likely that, in the future, crowd funding strategies like Godfreys will become increasingly necessary. -------------------- M. F. Godfrey was born in England and has lived in the United States since 1996. Previously an educator in Massachusetts and Michigan, he currently owns and operates Car Trek The Karaoke Cab Sources Low Fee Education Countries United States Household Incomes Projected College Education Funding IRISS is proud to announce that as part of its annual ISO9001 review, the company has also been awarded ISO14001 accreditation for environmental management. This environmental standard is a systematic framework to manage the immediate and long term environmental impacts of an organization's products, services and processes. The internationally acknowledged ISO 14001 Environmental Management System certification recognizes companies that have adopted environmental responsible practices in their business processes. In line with its sustainability strategy, IRISS strives to minimize its environmental footprint. IRISS does this by increasing its energy efficiency and continuously improves and implements measures taken to protect the environment and people when serving customers and providing agreed technical services. IRISS is the global leader in Electrical Maintenance Safety Devices (EMSD's) and designers of the world's first patented industrial- grade IR window solutions. The attached video demonstrates our dedication to safety and efficiency in manufacturing through our state of the art equipment. Martin Robinson the CEO of IRISS, commented, Achieving ISO14001 is a major milestone and reflects the responsibility that our management has always taken to ensure that we look after our employees, our customers and our business at all times. This code of conduct captures IRISSs core values of safety, excellence, respect and commitment which are embedded within every aspect of our business. ITsavvy, a leading technology products and solutions provider, just announced the creation of 30 new jobs in its Chicago Loop office. ITsavvy was recently recognized by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel as part of his commitment to growing the citys next generation economy as a technology hub through the World Business Chicago (WBC) initiative. Chaired by Mayor Emanuel, WBC drives regional economic growth. The public-private collaborative creates jobs and cultivates talent, with the goal of putting Chicago at the forefront of the global economy. WBC President and CEO Jeff Malehorn said, Chicago is home to a uniquely engaged tech community that works together to advance the city. We are pleased to witness ITsavvys development within the tech community and look forward to continuing to work together to drive growth within the company and the community. The new positions at ITsavvy will include entry-level sales, tenured sales, and several tiers of engineering with an emphasis on virtualization and storage expertise. John Skeffington, Director of Talent Management for ITsavvy, said, We have an internal culture that encourages individual entrepreneurship within a corporate environment. We are looking for individuals with unique personal stories and an out-of-the-box approach to problem-solving. We often recruit recent college grads who may not have majored in technology but who have inquisitive minds and a thirst to spread their wings. ITsavvy recently enhanced its technology capabilities with a state-of-the-art datacenter and best-in-breed network operations center (NOC) in Cedar Knolls, N.J. Coupled with a second datacenter in Oak Brook, Ill., ITsavvy now provides 24x7x365 monitoring and management of clients data and infrastructures with a fully U.S. based tech team. As evidence of its commitment to excellent client service, ITsavvy earned an A+ Better Business Bureau rating and was recognized for extensive vendor certifications in CRNs Tech Elite 250 list. ITsavvy is a leader in tailored, end-to-end IT product and service solutions. ITsavvy built its reputation as a value-added reseller with industry-leading product availability, design and implementation, client support and delivery speed through 46 distribution centers across the U.S. ITsavvy also has datacenter locations in Cedar Knolls, N.J. and Oak Brook, Ill. The companys user-friendly website provides concise, leading-edge IT decision-making resources, including an e-commerce site with real-time pricing and availability. ITsavvy is headquartered in Addison, Ill., with offices in Chicagos Loop; Hauppauge, N.Y.; New York, N.Y.; Naples, Fla.; Miami; Indianapolis; Warren, N.J.; Aurora, Ill.; Davenport, Iowa; Hayward, Calif.; and Beavercreek, Ohio. Call 855.ITsavvy (855.487.2889), email info(at)ITsavvy(dot)com, visit http://www.ITsavvy.com. Full release at: http://www.itsavvy.com/itsavvy-receives-major-recognition-outstanding-jobs-recruitment ### PlushBeds 12" Luxury Bliss Premium Coil Mattress With Natural Latex Just in time for the companys Memorial Day Weekend sale, online luxury sleep brand, PlushBeds.com, has introduced an attractive new luxury natural mattress to its well-established product lineup. The 12 Luxury Bliss is a motion-isolating fabric-encased coil system designed with plush natural latex encased in an organic cotton cover. Piggybacking off of the notable success of PlushBeds one-of-a-kind GreenGuard Gold certified Botanical Bliss organic latex mattress, the Luxury Bliss is constructed with the same skilled craftsmanship of this flagship mattress. Setting the Luxury Bliss apart from traditional innerspring mattresses are up to 1,188 individually-wrapped premium steel coils, which eliminate motion transfer, with a 3 upper layer of luxurious organic latex. To finish the mattress, it is encased in an organic cotton cover quilted with up to 10 lbs of 100% natural wool as a natural fire barrier. PlushBeds Chief Executive Officer, Michael Hughes, had this to say, With an introductory sale price of $1,499 for a queen size mattress and $1,799 for a king size mattress, the 12 Luxury Bliss is an exciting addition to our already popular latex mattress collection at a fraction of the cost of similar luxury mattresses sold in retail stores, which typically are in the $3,000-$5,000 price range. As one of the largest manufacturer-direct, natural mattress brands in the United States, were able to utilize our purchasing power to provide mattresses made from the finest natural materials, direct to consumers, at a price point that wont keep you up at night. We knew this mattress could be a hit, and are delighted with the initial feedback received so far. Our customers are raving over the comfort and individual support the Luxury Bliss provides, and have found it extremely well-suited for side sleepers and couples. It keeps the spine in alignment during sleep, relieves pressure points particularly well on the shoulders and hips, while isolating motion between partners. Overall, it provides an amazingly comfortable and natural sleep surface typically only found in expensive luxury mattresses. One of the companys biggest promotions of the year, the PlushBeds Memorial Day Sale, offers up to $1,200 off of all latex mattresses with 2 free organic latex pillows, free Egyptian sheet set, and free mattress protector. PlushBeds is also extending their Memorial Day sale to the company's collection of adjustable bed foundations, one of the largest collections available online. Any buyer who purchases an adjustable bed during the Memorial Day sale will receive a free 10-year extended warranty, normally sold for $349. PlushBeds also offers free shipping on all mattresses and a 100 night risk-free guarantee. If youre not completely satisfied within the first 100 nights, PlushBeds will come to your house to pick up your mattress, and give you 100% of your money back, without any hidden shipping charges. We are truly excited about the benefits our luxury mattresses provide, Hughes said. Having one of the lowest return rates in the industry enables us to offer a superior, risk-free sleep trial. We stand behind our luxury mattresses, and don't believe a sale is final until you are sleeping peacefully and happily in the comfort of your new mattress. About PlushBeds: Headquartered in Wilmington, DE, PlushBeds is a leading manufacturer and online retailer of natural latex mattresses, memory foam mattresses, hybrid coil mattresses, adjustable beds, and other specialty sleep products. PlushBeds is unique in the latex mattress industry in that their mattresses offer a full money-back guarantee, free shipping, are customizable, are endorsed by multiple third-party organizations, and have garnered hundreds of 5-star customer reviews. To learn more, call toll free 1-888-PLUSH-BEDS or visit http://www.PlushBeds.com. QuoteWerks is a highly effective tool that seamlessly integrates into our [Tech Data] system Aspire Technologies, Inc., the market leading provider of sales quoting and proposal software solutions, announced today the release of QuoteWerks version 5.1 build 6, which provides customers access to Tech Data quotes, created by their Tech Data sales representatives, using Tech Datas quoting system. We partner with Application Service Providers (ASPs) like QuoteWerks because we want to provide the best customer experience for our resellers, said David Spindler, director, e-Business at Tech Data. QuoteWerks is a highly effective tool that seamlessly integrates into our system, removing human error and increasing productivity for our partners. Professionals in the information technology (IT) industry routinely rely on their distributors sales representatives to assist them with product selection pricing, specially configured systems and other value-added services. QuoteWerks integration eliminates the need for custom-tailored quotes to be manually entered into a resellers quoting tool, removing the potential for human error. Additionally, QuoteWerks customers can quickly customize, format, finalize and deliver the quote to customers via an interactive quote delivery system. QuoteWerks Product Content Subscription, powered by Etilize, refreshes line items in a QuoteWerks document with pictures, customer friendly descriptions, marketing summaries, optional items and specification sheets. The process, which once required users to review multiple websites, manually transfer and update information into the document, is now fully automated through the QuoteWerks integration. QuoteWerks is the leader in this space, innovating in areas not previously explored in the industry, said John C. Lewe, QuoteWerks founder and president at Aspire Technologies, Inc. This strategy has solidified QuoteWerks as the integration leader by offering integration options not available in other applications. QuoteWerks has more integration points than any other ASP currently partnering with Tech Data. Integration points between QuoteWerks and Tech Data include: Retrieval of real-time pricing and availability Placing of online orders directly from QuoteWerks Tracking shipping statuses and serial numbers for ordered items in real-time Importing/exporting of shopping cart items from the Tech Data website Importing Tech Data Excel and SAP quotes into QuoteWerks Aspire came to Tech Data with this innovative integration request, and their e-Business team implemented it very quickly for such a large organization, continued Lewe. Known for their technical innovations, Tech Data recognized the importance of reducing the time it takes for a reseller to get quotes to their customer, and were proud to partner with them. QuoteWerks is the first Configure Price Quote (CPQ) solution to implement the new Tech Data XML API service, which allows IT sales professionals to retrieve available quotes directly through Tech Data. About Aspire Technologies and QuoteWerks Aspire Technologies, Inc., the developers of QuoteWerks, is one of the early pioneers of the Quoting Software space. QuoteWerks has received numerous awards and is the market leading sales quoting and proposal solution serving over 78,000 users in over 101 countries. QuoteWerks integrates with leading CRM, PSA, and accounting packages, along with IT distributors D&H, Ingram Micro, SYNNEX, and Tech Data, enabling businesses in all industries to integrate QuoteWerks seamlessly into their existing environments. Aspire Technologies is headquartered in Orlando, Florida and is an ASCII and CompTIA member. QuoteWerks is a registered trademark of Aspire Technologies, Inc. Other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners. Lone Star Court, Austin, TX "We have a heavy heart for those who are trying to get back on their feet, and we hope our guests can help by letting us lighten their suitcase load by donating professional attire." says Amy Trench, Corporate Director of Marketing & Public Relations Each summer, Houston-based Valencia Group embarks on a community initiative that seeks to connect guests and its national portfolio of hotels with deserving beneficiaries. Beginning on June 1, Hotel Valencia Riverwalk in San Antonio, TX, Hotel Valencia Santana Row in San Jose, CA, Hotel Sorella CITYCENTRE in Houston, TX, Hotel Sorella Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, MO, and Lone Star Court in Austin, TX will be asking travelers to Give Us the Shirt off Your Back. The campaign, which will run June 1 through August 31, will serve as a major drive for Dress for Success and Career Gear, two acclaimed non-profits whose goal is to empower low-income individuals to enter or return to the work force by providing gently used professional suiting and accessories for interviews, as well as a host of career guidance services. All clothing with be laundered and dry cleaned as necessary by the properties prior to drop off. According to Amy Trench, Corporate Director of Marketing & PR for Valencia Group, Our hotel teams eagerly look forward to summer to engage with clients and their communities in a truly impactful way. We have a heavy heart for those who are trying to get back on their feet, and we hope our guests can help by letting us lighten their suitcase load by donating professional attire. All five properties will be accepting monetary donations for each organization, as well as womens suits, business-appropriate apparel, shoes and accessories, including handbags and portfolios for Dress for Success. At Hotel Valencia Riverwalk in San Antonio and Hotel Sorella CITYCENTRE in Houston, guests will also have the option of leaving mens items for Career Gear such as suits, solid color blazers and sport coats, belts, briefcases, watches, cufflinks, overcoats and dress pants, shirts and shoes. To further promote this program, hotels will be overseeing a range of independent activities on site. For more information on Valencia Groups partnership with Dress for Success, click here. About Valencia Group Houston-based Valencia Group is a fully integrated hospitality company that provides management, development, branding and repositioning services for independent, full-service hotels owned by the company, in addition to third parties. Exceptional service, style and location have become brand trademarks. Earning both national and international recognition for their distinctive designs, amenities and settings, Valencia Group properties are destinations and gathering places within their respective communities, some further benefitting from and enriching their space within the cultural heart of a city. The company continues to forge a niche with hotels that anchor and add value to urban, mixed-use environments, which further support or enhance the guest experience with superior residential, restaurant, retail and office components. The Valencia Group portfolio currently includes Hotel Valencia Santana Row in San Jose, CA; Hotel Valencia Riverwalk in San Antonio, TX; Hotel Sorella CITYCENTRE in Houston, TX; and Hotel Sorella Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, MO. Its newest concept, Lone Star Court, is a reinterpretation of the nostalgic motor court. The flagship is located at The Domain in Austin, TX, and a second, Cavalry Court, is underway in College Station, TX. Also In the development and construction phase are The George, which will debut in tandem with Cavalry Court in fall 2016, plus Valencia Groups first five-star property, Hotel Alessandra Houston - anticipated to become a downtown landmark in early 2017. For more information, please visit http://www.valenciagroup.com. Which Wich Superior Sandwiches, the award-winning fast-casual sandwich concept, will launch its 7th annual Flag Your Bag campaign at Which Wich locations nationwide on Memorial Day, Monday, May 30, 2016. The campaign is designed to honor active and veteran U.S. servicemen and women with care packages sent following Independence Day celebrations in July. During the campaign, Which Wich guests are encouraged to write their own heartfelt messages on the brands iconic brown bags, which are then stuffed with non-perishable donations and thank you notes by employees and volunteers to be passed out to military bases and veteran support organizations in local Which Wich markets across the country. The bags are part of the brands creative ordering system, where guests use red Sharpie markers to select their bread, cheese, spreads and toppings. The wiches are then prepared to each guests exact specifications, toasted to perfection and delivered in the personalized bags. As the Flag Your Bag program continues to grow, some Which Wich locations have partnered with larger organizations to ship donations overseas to active military members in Iraq and Afghanistan, including Which Wich franchise owners in Phoenix, AZ and Birmingham, AL. Individual Which Wich locations have contributed as many as 2,000 bags each to local military bases. This is one of Which Wichs most important annual efforts and a project close to the heart of our brand, said Which Wich founder, chief executive officer and chief vibe officer Jeff Sinelli. Flag Your Bag has become something our franchise owners, employees and our loyal fans look forward to contributing to every year, and its something they are especially passionate about at a local level. Were constantly looking for new opportunities to give back and were honored to have the opportunity to help show our support to the men and women who put their lives on the line to serve our country. Flag Your Bag has continued to exceed yearly expectations since it was first created in 2008. In 2015, the brand collected more than 12,000 bags during the month long campaign, and is aiming even higher in 2016, with plans to distribute at least 18,000 bags this year to increase the programs outreach and impact. Which Wich is also proud to partner with veterans all year long through the brands affiliation with VetFran. Under the program, all honorably discharged veterans are eligible for $10,000 off the initial franchise fee for their first Which Wich location. Americas military heroes are some of the smartest, most driven individuals our nation has to offer, so its a simple decision for us to partner with them as Which Wich continues to grow, said Sinelli. We want to show our support to those make selflessly sacrifices to keep our nation safe, both while theyre in harms way, and when they return home. Which Wich currently has locations in 39 states and the United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Panama, Guatemala, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. New territories remain available across the United States with a heavy focus on the addition of new locations beyond the Northeast in Chicago, Phoenix, Houston, Miami, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Washington D.C./Baltimore metro areas. The brand is also focused on international expansion across Europe and Asia. ABOUT WHICH WICH: Which Wich Superior Sandwiches was founded in Dallas in late 2003 by restaurant entrepreneur Jeff Sinelli. The national sandwich franchise chain is best known for its customizable sandwiches, creative ordering system, and personalized sandwich bag. In 2014, QSR named Which Wich one of their "2014 Best Franchise Deals" and Forbes listed Which Wich as one of their 2014 30 Best Franchises To Buy. Which Wich is also the recipient of the 2015 Nations Restaurant News MenuMasters Healthful Innovations award. Which Wich currently has 400 locations open or in development in 39 states and 10 countries. For more information, visit http://www.whichwich.com. If ever in the history of this nation there was a need for a real alternative to this two party system the time is now! --Peter W. Sherrill Presidential candidate Peter W. Sherrill announces the Right 2 Write-in" Campaign for the 2016 election to empower voters who are deeply concerned with Americas Border Security, Economy, Health Care and educational future. The "Right 2 Write-In" Campaign is a political movement to provide Americans with a real solution to the chaos that continues to overshadow this Presidential election. Sherrill believes the Right 2 Write-in Campaign offers the American voter a wholesome, honest, democratic alternative and a voice to remind America, come this Election Day by writing in Peter W. Sherrill you can send a historical, unprecedented message to politicians in Washinton D.C. Sherrill is calling on all concerned American citizens to unite and join with him to be a catalyst to challenge the chaotic Two Party System. "Considering the levels of disenfranchisement between political Parties and as our National Security lays in the balance, we cannot continue to risk the safety of this nation. As the whole world continues to watch how divided we remain as a nation, so too do the terrorists, says Sherrill, which is one of the main reasons he is seeking the Office of Commander in Chief. The former Director of Homeland Security and Civil Defense who has trained extensively with First Responders throughout this Nation for the War on Terror and in Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) is determined to eradicate terrorism and committed to securing America and its borders. In addition, his twenty-five years of experience in Corporate America is the foundation for his America First Initiative (AFI). The America First Initiative is a comprehensive economic venture with Government and Corporate America that focuses on the rebuilding and modernization of specific American industries to be more competitive globally and create major investment opportunities and significant employment opportunities for Americans. This venture will decrease Americas reliance on foreign natural resources and imports. It will increase demand for production in America, and ensure our economic growth for the future. Sherrill believes once the American people become aware of his extensive experience in Homeland Security, his commitment to Securing America and its Borders, in conjunction with AFI, voters all across America will unite to take back this country from the wealthy, the elite, special interests and lobbyists. "America it is time to unite. This two Party system has kept us divided as a nation long enough. If ever in the history of this nation we need to exercise our political voice - the time is now!" Join Peter W. Sherrill in his Right 2 Write-in campaign to defy traditional politics and lets create a government truly elected by the people that defies the richest 1% approach to power. Cookies What are cookies ? How do we use cookies? How to control cookies? 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You can delete all cookies that are already on your computer and you can set most browsers to prevent them from being placed.Most browsers allow you to:If you chose to delete cookies, you should be aware that any preferences will be lost. Also, if you block cookies completely many websites (including ours) will not work properly and webcasts will not work at all. For these reasons, we do not recommend turning cookies off when using our webcasting services. Legendary Scribner editor Max Perkins, who discovered some of the 20th century's most iconic American authors in F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe, continues to fascinate. To that end, a new film about Perkins and his relationship with Wolfe, called Genius, will hit theaters on June 10. A. Scott Berg, whose 1978 National Book Award-winning biography of Perkins serves as the basis of the film (which stars Colin Firth and Jude Law), explained how this literary editor entered the pop culture lexicon. Why do you think there is a re-awakened interest in Perkins? Its less of a reawakening than a growing awareness. [Perkins] spent his entire career avoiding the limelight. When Dutton published my book, I was surprised to learn that, even in publishing, few knew little more than Perkinss name. Since the publication of the book, Perkinss renown has steadily increased. Youll now find him in dictionaries and encyclopedias; I often see metaphorical references to him as a guardian spirit. I now find that almost everybody in publishing knows who he was, and many newcomers to the business read my book as a rite of passage. What initially stoked your interest in Perkins? A high school passion for Fitzgerald drove me to Princeton, his alma mater. By my second day on campus, I was wading through [Fitzgerald's] papers in Firestone Library and Perkinss name kept popping up. I decided to spend one day in the library searching for everything I could find about Perkins. I discovered shockingly little. Scribners had just donated its company archives to Princeton. So there I was, reading the massive correspondences between Perkins and not just Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Wolfe, but also Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Ring Lardner, Erskine Caldwell, Marcia Davenport, Taylor Caldwell, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, and hundreds of others. The fact that nobody had ever mined this collectionwhich showed how Perkins not only changed the course of American literature but also turned the job of editing into a creative professionstoked my interest. Perkins worked with, and nurtured, so many great 20th century American writers, but the film zeroes in on his relationship with Wolfe. Why? The friendship between Perkins and Wolfe was the most extreme relationship in either mans life. That work yielded four epic novels--Look Homeward, Angel; Of Time and the River; The Web and the Rock; and You Cant Go Home Again. John Logan, the screenwriter of Genius, recognized these two men were perfect foils for each other. Perkins, the repressed Yankee, was a cautious slave to duty, responsibly looking after others all his life. Wolfe, the wild Southerner, was oversized in his emotions, self-consumed and reckless, leaving no thought unexpressed. Each needed the other to become his best self; no matter what the subject or situation, drama between them was inevitable. At BEA, which just wrapped in Chicago, Scott Turow was bemoaning the fact that today's publishing houses do less and less of the work that once made publishers so essential. Do you think that Perkins was part of a golden age in publishing that is now gone? Theres some truth to what Scott Turow said. As in the past, I think editors are still looking for the next new thing, just as Perkins had been when he discovered Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Wolfeall of whom, I should point out, had been rejected by other publishers. I do think were missing out on the development of authors today. Scribners, in Perkinss time, often banked on an author through a decade of commercially unsuccessful booksbelieving, say, that Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings might strike artistic and commercial gold on The Yearling, after two books that had been quickly forgotten. Certainly the financial pressures of publishing are much greater now, because publishing houses are part of larger conglomerates that demand certain quarterly numbers. But there are many truly gifted people in publishing today who love books, to use a favorite Perkins expression. My most recent biography, Wilson (Putnam, 2013), benefited from skillful editing and beautiful design and productionresulting in a book as handsome as any in Perkinss day. While that may no longer be typical, I believe the passion for publishing great books is still very much alive. This interview has been edited and condensed. Update: An earlier version of this story misstated the release date for Genius and has been corrected. Penguin Random House is also, on June 7, releasing a movie tie-in edition of Berg's Max Perkins: Editor of Genius under its Berkley imprint. The Authors Guild recognized Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins with its Distinguished Service to the Literary Community honor at its annual dinner on May 25 in New York City. The annual dinner benefits both the Authors Guild Foundation and Authors League Fund, and marked the first time that the event highlighted childrens literature. Collins accepted the award with a speech that addressed the impetus for her work. As a child, she was influenced by her father, who loved the Socratic method more than Socrates, and recounted an event in which she found a penny on the ground, and in asking her father if she could keep it, was sucked in to a long conversation on whether such an act was right. Ultimately, however, the morality of taking something not rightly yours dawned on her, when he asked, Does it benefit you to live in a world in which someone takes this penny? That driving question, Does it benefit you to live in a world in which, inspired her to create the Hunger Games series, which investigates poverty and just war theory. Whether or not children can understand this is irrelevant to Collins no adult author has ever said, And everyone got exactly what I intended, though she does feel that children are introduced too late to these weighty concepts, and therefore to nonviolent solutions to acts of war and atrocity. Following Collinss speech, childrens authors rounded out the evenings program. Magic Tree House author Mary Pope Osborne paid tribute to former Authors Guild executive director Paul Aiken, who died of ALS in January. Following her tribute, three childrens authors, chosen by Collins herself, shared why they write for children. However, at no point during the evenings speeches did The Phantom Tollbooth author Norton Juster, Percy Jackson and the Olympians creator Rick Riordan, and Scholastic editor and author Andrea Davis Pinkney ever seem to be apologists for childrens literature. Rather, all three authors shared a sense of joy in doing their work along with the opportunities that writing for children affords in affecting real change in the world. Collinss sentiment echoed throughout the evening in her statement that in writing for children, I found an audience on which I could really have an impact. Wal-Mart this week announced it has hired 130,828 veterans since launching its Veterans Welcome Home Commitment in May 2013, including 3,640 in Illinois, a 46 percent increase in veteran hires in the state in just the last year alone. Of those 130,828 veteran hires, 15,176 have been promoted to jobs with higher pay and greater responsibility. Working for Wal-Mart feels like family the same way the military did, said Elsie Moyer, a service writer at the Silvis Wal-Mart Auto Care Center. Before joining Wal-Mart, Ms. Moyer was in the Navy, Army and Air Guard for a total of 34 years. At Wal-Mart, I feel connected, needed and like someone always has my back," she said. "When I started here, I only planned to stay for six months. But after five years, Ive found my home. Wal-Mart's Veterans Welcome Home Commitment guarantees a job offer to any eligible, honorably discharged U.S. veteran who was within 12 months of active duty. The initial goal was to hire 100,000 veterans by the end of 2018. In May 2015, Wal-Mart announced it was expanding the project with the goal of hiring 250,000 veterans by the end of 2020. Wal-Mart also has changed the eligibility from within 12 months of active duty to any veteran honorably discharged since May 2013. As a veteran, I know how critical it is for our men and women in uniform to have a strong support structure when transitioning back to civilian life, said retired Brig. Gen. Gary Profit, senior director of military programs for Wal-Mart. Veterans are among some of our strongest associates and we are pleased to see the growth and success they have achieved at Wal-Mart. For more details, visit walmartcareerswithamission.com. CHAPMAN, Kan. (AP) Severe weather spawning numerous tornadoes roiled large stretches of Kansas for a second day Thursday, prompting residents to anxiously watch the skies but causing only scattered damage in rural areas and no injuries or deaths. A late afternoon tornado warning in the Kansas City area prompted a brief precautionary evacuation of Kansas City International Airport in Missouri, forcing travelers and other visitors into parking garage tunnels, local media reported. The airport was back in operation by early evening. The area was on high alert a day after a half-mile-wide tornado stayed on the ground for about 90 minutes near Chapman, Kansas, Wednesday night and traveled 26 miles. The National Weather Service began issuing tornado warnings early Thursday afternoon, with the first sighting of a tornado near the tiny northeast Kansas town of St. George in Riley County about 2 p.m. An hour later, five tornadoes were reported in a cluster of counties in northeast Kansas, where law enforcement reported baseball-size hail that damaged cars and homes in Meriden northeast of Topeka. At the same time, several southwestern Kansas counties were under tornado warnings, but no twisters had touched down. Early Thursday evening, the weather service said a tornado knocked down tree limbs and damaged some outbuildings near the 4,400-resident northeastern Kansas town of Wamego, though the intensity of that twister would not be assessed until Friday. In neighboring Missouri, an Air Force worker at the Whiteman base roughly 70 miles southeast of Kansas City reported a tornado had touched down. The tornado on Wednesday night near 1,400-resident Chapman, 140 miles west of Kansas City, Kansas, damaged or destroyed about 20 homes but edged past Chapman's southern side after forecasters declared a "tornado emergency" for the town. "Numerous" miles of power lines were extensively damaged, along with a set of railroad tracks, Kansas officials said Thursday. A survey team from the National Weather Service office at Topeka rated the tornado as an EF4 on a scale of tornado strength EF5 is the highest with estimated peak winds of 180 mph. In Kansas' Dickinson County, a tornado Wednesday was blamed for destroying eight homes and heavily damaging as many as 20 others and farmsteads. "It's amazing how this tornado missed those centers of population," said Paul Froelich, a Dickinson County fire district. "And we had outstanding early warning on this. ... People knew well in advance of this storm. Consider also, this is Kansas. This is Tornado Alley." A typical tornado dissipates within 10 minutes after losing the proper balance of winds flowing into and out of the storm. Tornado researcher Erik Rasmussen of the University of Oklahoma said Thursday that conditions were right to keep the Chapman storm churning no storms were nearby to disrupt it. A twister at Chapman June 11, 2008, tore a path of destruction six blocks wide. Officials said one woman died, 100 homes were destroyed or heavily damaged, and 80 percent of the town was damaged. "I think it would be bad for us as a party, but I think it would be worse for the general public," UK Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake told Tova O'Brien 4 hours ago "This is an important step forward, paving the way for the signing and publication of the declaration of public utility, which will take place by June 8," says secretary of state for transport Mr Alain Vidalies. The government endorsed the implementation of GPSO in September 2015 even though a public inquiry, which was completed in March 2015, identified "deficiencies and weaknesses" in economic, financial, and environmental aspects of the project. An independent study carried out by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne in 2014 (PDF link) concluded that the project is technically and economically viable. The Bordeaux Toulouse high-speed line is expected to open in 2024 and will build on the journey time improvements that will be achieved with the opening of TGV SEA between Tours and Bordeaux in 2017, reducing the Paris Toulouse trip to 3h 10min. The line will have two intermediate stations which will be located near Agen and Montauban. The Bordeaux Dax line is due to be completed by 2027, reducing the Paris Bayonne journey time to 3h 25min. A second phase will extend the high-speed line beyond Dax to Hendaye on the Spanish border by 2032. The total length of both phases will be around 420km, including links to the conventional network. Welcoming the Council of State's decision, Aquitaine regional president Mr Alain Rousset described GPSO as "an investment for a century" and called on the government to secure the necessary resources to implement the project. The French government has not yet disclosed how it intends to finance GPSO. Welcome to Railway Gazette. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of these cookies. You can learn more about the cookies we use here. OK At a summit meeting in Warsaw in early July, NATO will consider how best to deter Russia. Ukraine and the Baltics will be at center stage. But Georgia deserves a signal in Warsaw that it will not be forgotten if Russia adopts a harsher policy. Georgia's security always seems to be precarious. In August 2008, Russian troops assaulted Georgia amid its shelling of the separatist enclave of South Ossetia. The invasion came after NATO agreed that Georgia would become a NATO member but set no timetable. The war led to the loss of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, their declaration of independence, and Georgia breaking diplomatic relations with Moscow. Since then the Georgian survival strategy has been to thread the needle between drawing closer to the West and maintaining the semblance of a peaceful relationship with Russia, which opposes Georgia's Western-leaning foreign policy. Russian pressure on Georgia is unrelenting. It has turned Abkhazia and South Ossetia into military and criminal outposts. Russian troops regularly move South Ossetian boundary fences, step by step, deeper into Georgia. An onslaught of Russian propaganda claims that the European Union and NATO will never admit Georgia, and that Russian and Georgian values are traditional, not like those in the liberal West. Poverty and declining living standards are contributing to the declining popularity of the current government. A February-March poll by the U.S. National Democratic Institute (NDI) found that over the previous two-and-one-half years 42 percent of respondent households saw themselves as worse off, and only 10 percent better off. Parliamentary elections will be held next October and the campaign has already produced incidents of violence. Despite their travails and the Russian soft power onslaught, Georgians maintain their focus on moving westward. In the NDI poll, 61 percent of respondents wanted Georgia to join the European Union, versus 20 percent who preferred the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union. By 68 percent to 19 percent, Georgians favored joining NATO, and 47 percent saw Russia as their biggest threat compared to 2 percent for NATO. The prospect of visa-free travel to EU member states garnered 84 percent approval.... The remainder of this commentary is available on nationalinterest.org. Denis Corboy is a visiting senior research fellow at King's College London and was European Union ambassador to Armenia and Georgia. William Courtney is an adjunct senior fellow at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation and was U.S. ambassador to Kazakhstan and Georgia. Follow him on Twitter: @courtneywmh. Kenneth Yalowitz is director of the Conflict Resolution Program at Georgetown University and a Global Fellow of the Woodrow Wilson Center, and was U.S. ambassador to Belarus and Georgia. This commentary originally appeared on The National Interest on May 25, 2016. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis. Han Kang, the winner of the Man Booker International Prize, on Monday told reporters she felt "strange" on winning the award for a novel published nine years ago. "The Vegetarian," was completed 11 years ago but only published in English last year. Kang spoke of her amazement at winning an award overseas. The novel follows the story of a woman who decides to stop eating meat due to a traumatic experience in her childhood, and believes she is turning into a tree. First published in 2007, "The Vegetarian" sold 20,000 copies until last year, but sales have surged since the English translation won the prize. Changbi Publishers said it has printed another 250,000. So far, publishing rights for the novel have been sold in 27 countries. "Human Acts," another novel by Han, has also been translated into English and publishing deals have been signed in 10 countries. Speaking at an event in Seoul, Han praised Deborah Smith, the Briton who translated "The Vegetarian," for her superb job bringing to life the meaning and subtle nuances she intended. The occasion was the launch of her new novel, "The Elegy of Whiteness," which she said expresses the resilience of human beings in the face of lifelong suffering. Han says she is planning a new novel and wants to start writing as soon as possible. She urged readers to approach her books not to seek answers, but to be exposed to more questions and to open their hearts and minds in embracing Korean literature. Much has changed since the book Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know was first published four years agoso much so that at least 60 percent of the material in the second edition is new, says Beau Kilmer, co-director of the RAND Drug Policy Research Center and a co-author of the nonpartisan primer. In this Q&A, Kilmer addresses developments in marijuana policy and why reasonable people can disagree about marijuana legalization. How did you become interested in drug policy research? Drug policy is a fascinating topic that also intersects with a number of social issues that are important to me. It all started when I spent my senior year of high school arguing about drug policy as a member of the debate team. I wrote op-eds about it when I was at Michigan State and was lucky enough to get a summer internship at the RAND Drug Policy Research Center after my junior year. I continued working with RAND throughout undergrad and grad school and after I finished my Ph.D. I knew it's where I wanted to be. What was the genesis of the book Marijuana Legalization? Around 2009, the conversation started getting serious about legalizing marijuana in California. A legalization bill had been introduced in the legislature and there were discussions about what would end up being Proposition 19, the marijuana legalization initiative that ultimately failed53.5 percent voted no. In 2010, I coauthored a few RAND reports intended to help voters and policymakers in California and elsewhere think critically about the topic. Around the same time, Jonathan Caulkins, Angela Hawken, and Mark Kleiman, were working on a book, Drugs and Drug Policy: What Everyone Needs to Know for Oxford University Press. It seemed like an interesting way to get research on marijuana to an outside audience, and they asked me to join them in writing about marijuana legalization. What does marijuana legalization look like today in the United States? Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington state are creating commercial models, where profit-maximizing firms are producing and selling it in marijuana-only stores. But Washington, D.C., is doing something different. They have legalized home production, possession, and made it legal for adults to give marijuana away to other adultsbut you can't buy it in stores. In the book, we review the latest statistics on what is happening in Colorado and Washington as well as highlight the developments in Uruguay and Jamaica. In November at least three states will vote on this issue, including California. Some state legislatures are also grappling with legalization. In Vermont, the state senate passed a for-profit commercial model but the House rejected it a few weeks ago. I expect marijuana policy will remain a hot topic in Vermont. To the north, Justin Trudeau, Canada's new prime minister, made marijuana legalization part of his platform, and his minister of health recently announced plans introduce legislation to legalize marijuana in 2017. What other models of marijuana legalization are there? In the United States much of the discussion is focused on a false dichotomy. Debates typically focus on prohibiting marijuana or establishing a for-profit commercial model. But there are a number of middle-ground options such as the home production that's being allowed in the District of Columbia or cannabis social clubs that we see in Spain and Uruguay. Those models aren't going to generate serious revenues but they can help reduce the size of the black market and interactions with the criminal justice system. But if you care about generating revenue, there are other options. For example, you could have a government monopoly on supply, aimed at shutting down the black market, controlling price, and preventing marketing. RAND's report on marijuana legalization for the State of Vermont discusses this option (and others) as does an article my colleagues and I wrote that was published in the American Journal of Public Health. Participation in the market could be restricted to nonprofit organizations, such as those that focus on child welfare or public health, or even for-benefit corporations that focus on people and the planet as well as profits. The bottom line is that there are options for bringing in revenue and decreasing the size of the black market short of adopting a for-profit commercial approach similar to the U.S. alcohol model. Every choice has trade-offs and no one really knows how legalization will play out. Over time, jurisdictions might try different approaches. But if you go from prohibition to a for-profit model and eventually decide that you want to try something else, you should realize it's a lot harder to make changes once the industry develops and the lobbyists are entrenched. Is it hard to find funding for marijuana policy research? Yes. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation used to have a separate stream focused on substance abuse policy research but that dried up in 2009 or so. The National Institute of Drug Abuse is now putting some money into legalization evaluations and a few foundations are funding one-off projects in this area. There isn't a foundation or private donor that has made a public commitment to funding objective marijuana policy research, especially when it comes to thinking about the design issues and implementation of alternative marijuana policies. Having a source of funding for objective research could make a real difference in improving public health and public safety. Can reasonable people disagree about marijuana policy? Absolutely! When we wrote the first edition of the book, all four authors were in agreement about the information in the first 15 chapters. We diverged in chapter 16 when we each decided to write a few pages about our own opinions about marijuana policy. We didn't plan it this way, but it turned out we were all over the map. Just goes to show that people can agree on the facts but differ on what should be done. For some people, how to vote on legalization is an easy decision. Those opposed to the government telling them what they can put in their bodies and those committed to ending the drug war will probably vote yes. Those morally opposed to substance use and intoxication will probably vote no. But for those wondering whether legalizing marijuana will end up being a net benefit or cost for public healthin terms of accidents, diseases, mental health, mortality, and quality of lifeit's a harder decision. We really don't know how it is going to play out. So what's next for you? I really enjoy co-directing RAND's Drug Policy Research Center (with Rosalie Pacula), where we work on all issues related to substance use and drug policynot just marijuana. I've been doing a lot of research on reducing heavy alcohol consumption and creating credible deterrent threats that reduce both crime and incarceration. My research on 24/7 Sobriety programs has led me to ask whether those whose drinking leads them to repeatedly threaten public health and safety should lose their license to drink. And, of course, I will continue to collect data on marijuana legalization and work hard to understand the consequences, both good and bad. This Q&A was also published in Newsweek on June 12, 2016. During President Barack Obama's visit to Vietnam this week, he announced that, more than four decades after the end of the war and 20 years after the two countries normalized relations, Washington is lifting its decades-old ban on sale of lethal defense articles to Hanoi. What led to this week's dramatic new deepening of ties with America's former enemy, which continues to be a one-party Communist dictatorship with a poor human rights record? At least four factors contributed to the president's decision to lift the ban. First, Obama's signature foreign policy initiative is his administration's rebalance to the Asia-Pacific, and this constitutes an important element of the backdrop against which the deepening of U.S. military ties with Vietnam is unfolding. The rebalance is a whole of government effort that seeks to develop broader and deeper relations with Asian allies and partners, including emerging middle powers such as Vietnam. In the course of executing the rebalance, then-Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta visited Vietnam's Cam Ranh Bay in 2012 to sign a deal on supply, logistics and repair facilities. In 2015, Obama welcomed Vietnamese Communist Party General-Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to the White House. At its most basic, the Obama administration is seeking to improve relations with Vietnam as part of its outreach to the region. Second, closer ties with Vietnam have been accompanied by U.S. efforts to encourage Hanoi to relax its constraints on civil liberties; permit labor unions to organize legally; and carry out further economic (and ultimately hopefully political) reforms aimed at transparency, accountability and better protection of human rights. These steps in the political, economic, diplomatic and military spheres will not only help smooth the way for closer political relations with Washington. They will also facilitate Vietnam's participation in and compliance with the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement that the United States and Vietnam negotiated with 10 other Pacific Rim nations. A Vietnam that is more closely linked to the United States on diplomatic and security issues is a Vietnam that is less likely to feel anxious about any perceived threats to the regime that might stem from liberalizing its economic or political spheres. Third, the U.S. strategy for enhancing political relations with Southeast Asian nations includes efforts to build partner capacity in the military realm. Traditionally, the militaries of most Southeast Asian nations, including Vietnam, have been dominated by their ground forces. This has meant that they typically lack sophisticated capabilities for monitoring what happens on the sea and in the airspace above it. In 2015, the Pentagon launched a $425 million initiative to help Vietnam and the Philippines in the areas of maritime domain awareness and patrol. This suggests that leading candidates for early U.S. sales to Vietnam may include surface vessels; coastal radar; and manned and unmanned intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms that can help Hanoi form a better and timelier picture of what is happening in the maritime spaces to which it lays claim. Additionally, the United States has tended to use arms transfers not merely to earn point-of-sale revenues but also to establish ongoing relationships of security cooperation that include both follow-on sales of spare parts and repairs as well as opportunities for educational exchanges, training and exercises. While the relationship may start with limited sales, it could in time lead to a much more comprehensive defense relationship even absent sales of major platforms. Finally, the lifting of the arms embargo is occurring in part because Vietnam's security environment has grown far more challenging in recent years as neighboring China has turned its attention toward disputed claims in the South China Sea. This is something that the United States recognizes and feels concerned about as well, giving Washington and Hanoi a measure of shared threat perception. Beijing's willingness to endure substantial criticism over drilling activities in Vietnamese-disputed waters in 2014 and its rapid construction and militarization of artificial islands in the Spratly Islands chain have shocked Hanoi and spurred fears that China may be preparing to undertake further measures that would come at Vietnam's expense. These could include announcing a South China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone and/or an announcement that Beijing will escort or evict Vietnamese forces off of the land features in the Spratlys that they are currently occupying. While U.S. arms sales are not likely to be able to dissuade China from undertaking such steps, they could ultimately help improve Vietnam's situational awareness during a rapidly unfolding contingency and stiffen its willingness and capacity to stand up for itself. The lifting of the arms embargo needs to be understood as part of the long process of normalizing relations with a former U.S. enemy and building toward a more cooperative, economically dynamic and strategic future-oriented relationship. While problems remain in Vietnam's domestic record on human rights, it may be possible to encourage further economic and even political reforms through an emphasis on security cooperation premised on shared regional interests and a common threat perception stemming from Chinese actions. Over the long run, U.S. arms sales are likely to help further enhance U.S. ties to, and influence in, Vietnam and the Southeast Asian region. Scott W. Harold is associate director of the RAND Center for Asia Pacific Policy, a political scientist at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation and a member of the Pardee RAND Graduate School faculty. This commentary originally appeared on Newsweek on May 25, 2016. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis. In a burst of activity, leading satellite operator SES has closed a number of contracts in Africa and Asia providing direct-to-home (DTH) services for free-to-air (FTA) and cable TV operators. Through its SES Platform Services (SES PS) subsidiary, the company has strengthened its partnership with K-NET, an ICT and Telecoms platform services company based in Ghana, to create a joint venture.The new partnership will contract SES capacity, SES PSs and K-NETs services, and aim to bring high picture quality content to the homes of millions of viewers by strengthening the DTH platform and also providing digital terrestrial television (DTT) services via SESs prime orbital position at 28.2 East.The joint venture will use SES capacity, K-NETs teleport services and SES PSs video platform services to offer a unified bouquet of high quality FTA and free-to-view channels, from all over West Africa, as well as some popular international channels, to millions of viewers in the region.80 further east, the SES-9 and NSS-11 satellites will be used to broadcast DTH services under the auspices of a multi-year, multi-transponder agreement with Sky Cable, the largest cable television provider in the Philippines.The contracted capacity will enable Sky Cable to effectively roll out a nationwide DTH satellite TV service across 251 cities and municipalities in the Philippine archipelago, complementing its existing cable offerings. The recently launched SES-9 is scheduled to enter service mid-year to provide incremental and replacement capacity at the prime neighbourhood of 108.2 East which reaches 22 million homes. Detention of former vice-governor of Altai and his wife upheld MOSCOW, May 26 (RAPSI) The Altai Krai Court has upheld the lower courts ruling to place the former vice-governor of the region Yury Denisov and his wife Tatyana Denisova in detention till September 11 in a bribery criminal case, RIA Novosti reported on Thursday. Denisovs are staying in detention since March 2016. Former official is charged with receiving a bribe while his wife is accused of mediating the bribe. Both face 12 years in prison. According to investigators, in 2016 Denisov offered a manager of the subsidiary education department to transfer a bribe for signing some of the financial documents. Investigators allege that Tatyana Denisova, acting as an intermediate received a 200,000-ruble (nearly $3,000) bribe from the manager in March 2016. Leader of Russian gang sentenced to 25 years in prison for numerous crimes MOSCOW, May 26 (RAPSI) A court in the Siberian Zabaikalsky region has sentenced Igor Osintsev, leader of the criminal gang Osintsevskiye to 25 years in prison for committing 11 counts of serious crimes including murders, RIA Novosti reported on Thursday. Osintsev has been charged with organization of a criminal group, gangsterism, murders, attempted murders, robbery, illegal acquisition, possession and carriage of weapons, car theft. Osintsev along with another gang leader Igor Melnichuk have been earlier convicted and served prison terms from 1993 to 2001. However, the criminal group organized by Osintsev in 1991 survived and continued to commit offenses. After release Osintsev and Melnichuk kept leading the criminal group. According to investigators, leaders and members of the gang killed 17 people, attempted the lives of two persons, stole several vehicles and committed assault related to robbery in the Zabaikalsky region, other Russian regions and Moscow between 2001 and 2007. Damage caused to victims is estimated at more than 7 million rubles ($106,200). Denial of parole for opposition activist Udaltsov upheld MOSCOW, May 26 (RAPSI) The Tambov Regional Court has upheld refusal to release Russian opposition activist Sergei Udaltsov on parole, his attorney Violetta Volkova told RAPSI on Thursday. The court thus dismissed an appeal filed against a lower courts ruling. The penal colony administration argued against the early release of Udaltsov because he pleaded not guilty and did not earn any favors while being imprisoned. A new motion for parole of Udaltsov will be lodged within six months, Volkova said. Udaltsov has been sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for organizing the Bolotnaya Square protests in central Moscow in May 2012. On March 11, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has given top priority to an application filed by Udaltsovs lawyers claiming that opposition activists rights to fair trial, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly were violated. Over 400 people were arrested and scores injured in the Bolotnaya Square protest that turned violent in May 2012. Dozens were later charged with inciting mass riots and using violence against law enforcement officers. The case against Udaltsov and another opposition activist Leonid Razvozzhayev along with other opposition figures was initiated after the "Anatomy of Protest 2" film was shown on the NTV broadcasting network. The film claimed that the opposition was organizing a coup using funds from abroad. It showed Udaltsov and his companions allegedly talking with Georgian politician Givi Targamadze, who at the time headed Georgia's Parliamentary Defense and Security Committee, and is said to have been involved in masterminding revolutions in Georgia and Ukraine and mass riots in Belarus. Udaltsov and Razvozzhayev were accused of organizing mass protests, convicted and sentenced in July 2014. realclearworld Newsletters: Europe Memo BUCHAREST - This three-word slogan catches your eye, in Romanias capital and beyond: Basarabia e Romania. The name of one state, joined in affirmation with a dormant name from history. (Basarabia, or Bessarabia in English, included the country of Moldova, once a part of Romania before it was taken by the Soviets in the Second World War.) Bessarabia Is Romania. Its equal parts marketing pitch and battle cry, and you run into it with stuttering frequency: Spray-painted on a bench in Bucharests Old City; on a poster in vivid green letters, hanging from a modern apartment balcony behind Calea Victoriei; emblazoned feet-tall in the concrete outside a train station in the Carpathians; screen-printed onto a teenagers T-shirt. It struck me as odd to see it on the wall of an old residential building in Cluj, the striking architectural gem at the heart of Transylvania, and a city which itself sits inside the borders of Romania against the irredentist impulse of some of its ethnic Hungarian residents -- some of whom hold dual citizenship, attend Hungarian schools, and refer to their city as Kolozsvar. That last juxtaposition -- a printed call for Moldovan-Romanian unity in a stretch of territory actively courted, if not contested, by another neighboring capital -- vividly brings to mind the challenge that faces Romania. The lines of the modern nation-state in this region are superimposed over a very different history -- a history of imperial ambitions that didnt so much draw strict borders here as they held sway over shifting borderlands. Indeed, the challenge Bucharest has always faced is one that is relevant again as the post-Cold War era fades and geography returns as a central concern in international politics: That of trying to consolidate its own national vision amid the ambitions of competing powers. In the past, some of those powers have been hostile, and strong. In the present, the reality is murkier. Potential allies are offset by probable adversaries. The strength of the one and of the other, and their very durability, is in flux. To visit Romania in 2016 is to see a country at a crossroads once more, though a crossroads of a different kind. Work in progress It is important to understand where Romania is not right now. It has not yet gone down the path of Poland, a traditionally europhile nation whose current government is challenging some of Brussels most cherished norms. Nor is it anywhere near Hungary, whose Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, issued that challenge long ago and a good bit more overtly, and is openly pliant to Kremlin influence. Romania sits outside the routes of migration from the Middle East to the heart of the Continent -- so far, the refugee crisis has not strongly marked national politics. So where is Romania, then? Optimistically, it is a state at work consolidating itself. That starts with cleaning up its internal politics, and with accelerating momentum an attempt to do just that has moved visibly forward. Call it state-building by subtraction: In one single year, the countrys anti-corruption agency handed down a jaw-dropping 1,250 indictments against public officials. Former Prime Minister Victor Ponta was among them, and when his government fell in November 2015 in the aftermath of a tragic nightclub fire in Bucharest, a technocratic government took over on a one-year mandate. That mandate is set to expire later this year, when Romania will head to elections. Recalling an interview late last year with author Robert Kaplan, I think he was right to say that Romanias deliberately slower progress toward full-fledged democracy has helped Bucharest. Here is what Kaplan told me at the time: "Romanians will argue with me. But I believe that the fact that after the coup against [Romanian dictator Nicolae] Ceausescu, it was taken over not by democrats but by Reformed Communists, was actually a good thing, because it gave the country about six years of stability without which Romania could have descended into violence -- like Yugoslavia did. Remember, Romania didn't have a normal communist society, it had a Stalinist society. it was much further back than Poland and Czechoslovakia. Therefore it needed another layer of transition, which the Reformed Communists provided. Yes, they stalled a lot of reforms, but they kept things stable. The worst never happened. Where to now? Between what never happened and what comes now, the European Union has been a mindful steward. It has provided another layer. The EUs presence is constant, from the Co-operation and Verification Mechanism that Romania has reported to since its accession in 2007, to the shiny new rail, sponsored by EU funds, under construction and running parallel to your own train as you very slowly cross the miles between Brasov and Sighisoara. What one senses when talking to Romanians, be it at conferences or around the kitchen table, is twofold: on one hand, a skepticism about whether the country is ready to claim political maturity. Perhaps of deeper concern, there is an increasing nervousness about the evolution of Europes crisis right as a familiar foe, Russia, rises to Romanias east. The echoes of history here are unmistakable. Nicolae Ceausescu consolidated his control of Romanias communist state in part by using direct opposition to Moscows actions after the Soviets crushed the Czechoslovak uprising in 1968. As described by Misha Glenny, the totalitarianism of Romanias Little Stalin stripped the country of institutional know-how, as the dictators opponents were marginalized and officials were forced to rotate in and out of functions they barely had time to learn. Bucharest itself is physically scarred by the experience: Ceausescu demolished districts of the city. Among other things, he replaced the wreckage of the old with the Palace of the Parliament, a striking behemoth hewn of arrogance and Transylvanian marble that defies architectural notions of scale and function and still hosts the elected government. If Romanias path to democracy was delayed, Ceausescus actions can be seen as much a reason. If the impulse toward nationalism one sees in Hungarys Orban and his Polish counterparts is in this country blunted, the visitor suspects that this history may help explain why. Budapest and Warsaw, after all, have memories of a golden age, however faint. Bucharests memories are largely of true powers periphery. Now as Europe awakens to the return of history, historys darker hues are easier to describe from Bucharest than they are from London and Berlin. The Brexit debate offers a case in point: If Britain pulls out of the European consensus, that increases the diplomatic distance from here to Washington, while increasing the importance and relative weight of Berlin. Caught between a hostile Russia and dependent on a Germany that is amicable but, as an exporting power, economically aggressive, is no geopolitical idyll for Romania. But past does not have to be prelude. Russia is weak, and its belligerence is drawing the increased focus of Romanian allies. Indeed, just before my most recent arrival in this city, the United States launched a new ground-based missile defense system in Romania. The gesture is mostly symbolic, but Romanias geography, west and south of Ukraine and perched on the Black Sea, makes it increasingly important to U.S. interests. If Romania continues reform, its opportunities to serve as a military pivot could grow -- witness suggestions by Ukrainian leadership that Romania, Ukraine, and Bulgaria could field a joint military brigade. If it parlays lessons learned from its EU tutelage, it could put those to use in its own region, most especially in Moldova, a country outside the EU and with a Russian presence in its breakaway Transdniestria region. The idea of Basarabia e Romania, after all, illustrates how far the latter has come, and implies it is something to aspire to. On March 19, the FBI arrested Turkish-Iranian businessman Reza Zarrab upon his arrival in Miami for evading sanctions against Iran, money laundering, and bank fraud. Zarrab, who pleaded not guilty in Manhattans District Court, is now awaiting trial. The Zarrab trial may look like proof that the Obama administration -- even after last years nuclear deal with Iran -- is serious about upholding its sanctions policy. In fact, much like Secretary of State John Kerrys recent efforts to assuage European banks about doing business with Iran, the Zarrab trial might end up helping Iran recover assets lost during a decade of sanctions evasion. Zarrab allegedly worked with Babak Zanjani, the ringleader of one of the most prominent sanction-evasion and money-laundering networks ever established on behalf of the Iranian regime. Zanjani, along with an associate, is currently on death row in Tehran for having embezzled $2.8 billion from that operation. The Obama administration sanctioned Zanjani in 2013, but missed the other two. A key question Zarrabs court case may reveal is why the U.S. failed to pursue them until after the Iran nuclear deal, given that their illicit corporate schemes kept Tehrans economy afloat at the height of the sanctions era. Turkish prosecutors already arrested Zarrab in December 2013 for allegedly buying off Turkish government officials to grease the wheels of Irans money laundering schemes. Turkish media had also linked him to Zanjani, with whom Zarrab allegedly worked to turn illicit oil sales into gold through Zanjanis companies in Dubai, Turkey, Tajikistan, and Malaysia. Zanjanis London-based associate Mehdi Shams helped invest those revenues. Eventually, all three drew Tehrans ire for keeping huge sums to themselves. In September 2013, Iranian authorities arrested Zanjani for embezzling nearly $3 billion. Tehran was also likely behind leaked news to the press that the Turkish low-cost airline Onur Air, which Shams had bought in May 2013, was a Zanjani asset. Three months after Zanjanis arrest, Zarrab was detained in Istanbul as part of a massive graft probe. Prosecutors accused him of running a large gas-for-gold money-laundering scheme that reportedly facilitated the transfer of 87 billion euros ($120 billion) in gold to Iran. Luckily for Zarrab, the corruption scandal also included high-level Turkish officials. Ankara promptly intervened, replacing law-enforcement officials involved in the probe with loyalists who put it to rest. The entire case was dropped within months. Zarrab was released without charges, and none of the ring of companies named by Turkish investigators -- now implicated by his U.S. indictment -- was ever sanctioned. Turkeys ruling Justice and Development Party doubled down on its effort to exonerate him, and last year gave Zarrab a top exporter award from the Turkish Exporters Assembly, a pro-government business group. The Turkish governments cover-up might have been harder to accomplish had its heavy-handed efforts to silence the law not dovetailed with Washingtons desire to pave the way to an Iran nuclear deal. The Obama administrations coveted detente with Tehran had removed any incentive for new sanctions. With Zanjani already designated by the European Union in 2012, Washington had no choice but to follow suit and blacklist him the following year. Targeting his accomplices would have been natural but impolitic while nuclear negotiations with Iran were underway, especially if it meant spoiling Americas relations with Ankara. Pressure from Turkeys ruling party quashed the investigation. Zarrab was eventually let free in March 2014. U.S. authorities could have confirmed those allegations while he was in Turkish custody, but in doing so, they would have revealed Zarrabs complex corporate scheme to do Tehrans bidding. In the process, they might have undermined Turkeys government and compromised negotiations with Iran, neither of which seemed desirable to Washington at the time. Ironically, Iran -- anxious to recoup Zanjanis embezzled money -- would not let either Turkey or the United States bury the story. In February 2014, Tehran requested that Ankara turn over Zarrabs assets, but to no avail. The following May, Iran sent a delegation to Turkey to investigate the Zarrab-Zanjani connection. Eventually, failed diplomatic efforts led to lawsuits. Then, in October 2015, Irans Oil Ministry sued Onur Air, claiming it as one of Zanjanis hidden assets. Corporate filings for the airline available from Turkeys Official Gazette confirm that Zanjanis associate Shams was a significant stakeholder in its shares until as recently as February 2015. It is astounding that Shams too avoided U.S. sanctions. Shams (who changed his name from Shamszadeh) worked as commercial director for the Islamic Republic of Irans Shipping Lines, or IRISL, until early 2005 when the firm dispatched him to London to run its British subsidiaries. Within months he resigned, going on to establish dozens of companies with Iranian partners who were later designated for sanctions evasion. By 2013 -- when Turkish media accused him of acting on Zanjanis behalf -- Shams ran a small corporate empire active in finance, aviation, precious metals, investment, and shipping, with companies across Europe and Turkey. After Iranian prosecutors implicated him as a key associate of Zanjanis sanction-evasion schemes, he returned to Iran to face trial. Western sanctions agencies somehow missed that connection. Tehran is apparently so confident that sanctions wont be reinstated that it has no qualms about exposing its own past violations. That confidence was bound to hurt Turkey, which has played a key role in facilitating those sanction-evasion networks. Had Iran kept quiet, Turkeys collusion might have been forgotten. With evidence emerging daily from Tehrans court proceedings, it is impossible to ignore. Revelations that are now bound to emerge from Zarrabs trial will only fuel Tehrans resolve to seize his assets in Turkey, and hurt Ankaras already eroding international image. But they may also embarrass Washington. Days after Zanjanis death sentence, Zarrab -- perhaps mindful that his life and wealth were now in danger -- reportedly put his extravagant property portfolio up for sale and flew to Miami, only to be arrested on arrival. Whether he plea-bargained with U.S. authorities for his safety or came to America unaware of his pending indictment remains to be seen. Either way, he may have reasoned, it was better to hang out in a federal penitentiary than hang from a crane in a Tehran square with his former business partners. Zarrabs trial is now bound to shed light on why Washington waited so long to go after Tehrans top sanctions evaders. Turkeys collusion with Irans fraudulent middlemen and the corruption it fed exposes the rotten nature of Ankaras ruling party. The indictment and prosecution of a sanctions evader after those international penalties are gone raise questions about Obamas sanctions strategy against Iran. After all, the cases of Shams, Zanjani, and Zarrab reveal the presidents reluctance to hold the Islamic Republic accountable during nuclear negotiations, something that will severely undermine Washingtons credibility to confront Irans bad behavior post-deal. Punishing sanctions evaders and corrupt politicians, it seems, was not Obamas priority in 2014. Now that the Iran deal is done, ironically, the Zarrab trial may only serve Tehrans efforts to recoup its assets. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 05/25/2016 ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. Obama said the U.S. will continue to cooperate in the investigation of the killing "to ensure justice is done under the Japanese legal system. We want to see this crime prosecuted," just as if it occurred in the United States. The two leaders discussed the incident just days after Japanese authorities arrested Kenneth Franklin Shinzato, a 32-year-old former U.S. Marine, who they said confessed to stabbing and strangling the woman, Rina Shimabukuro, and then dumping her body in a wooded area near the American base where he worked. Obama said he expressed "our sincerest condolences and deepest regrets over the Okinawa incident. The United States is appalled by any violent crime that may have occurred or been carried out by any U.S. personnel or U.S. contractors. We consider it inexcusable." "I'm just speechless," Abe said at a news conference after discussing the slaying with Obama in a face-to-face meeting before the G7 summit of the world's wealthiest countries in Ise Shima. "The entire Japan is deeply shocked by this latest incident." Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told President Barack Obama of his country's "profound resentment" over a former U.S. Marine's confessed involvement in the killing of a 20-year-old Japanese woman outside an American military base in Okinawa. Discussion of the killing was hurriedly tacked on to the Obama-Abe discussions that also touched on slow economic growth throughout the world's major economies and Obama's visit Friday to Hiroshima, the Japanese city where the United States dropped an atomic bomb in 1945, killing tens of thousands of Japanese and hastening the end of World War II. The young woman's death has brought back memories of the 1995 rape of Japanese schoolgirls by U.S. military personnel on Okinawa, which triggered huge demonstrations there against the American bases. The latest crime could become a further impediment to Abe's push to relocate a U.S. Marine Corps air station to another part of Okinawa's main island, a move that already has been facing significant local opposition. The Abe-Obama meeting is seen as unlikely to soothe the feelings of many Okinawans. "My sense is that they're just doing it for show as a reaction to calm down the situation in Okinawa," said Masaaki Gabe, professor of international relations at the University of the Ryukyus. "If Obama meets the people of Okinawa it'll have more impact for the Okinawans," similar to the U.S. president's planned meeting Thursday with atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima, Gabe told VOA. "I don't expect anything to come out of the Abe-Obama exchange about Okinawa," said Gabe. Okinawa's governor, Takeshi Onaga, was rebuffed by the central government after he requested to meet this week with the U.S. president. "We think that issues related to security and diplomacy should be discussed between the central governments of countries involved," said chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga in Tokyo. Kennedy Visit U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy is planning to visit Okinawa for talks with Governor Onaga, according to Japanese government officials quoted by local media. The governor, who repeatedly has stated that Okinawa is unfairly burdened with the bulk of U.S. military installations in the country, is calling for a "drastic review" of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) that governs the presence of American military personnel in Japan. "The issues or the concerns that the government of Japan has with the SOFA can be addressed in implementation of the SOFA, rather than a wholesale revision," Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis said on Monday. "We'll continue to do that going forward." U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter has called his counterpart in Tokyo, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, to convey "his sadness and his regret," about the killing of the Japanese woman, according to a Pentagon statement. Nakatani, according to Japanese media, replied "the occurrence of an extremely brutal and atrocious incident through a despicable act is abominable and extremely regrettable." Nakatani reportedly told Carter that efforts should be made to prevent a recurrence and to heighten discipline of Americans in uniform and the civilian workers on U.S. bases in Japan. There are 53,000 U.S. military personnel based in Japan, plus 43,000 family dependents, and 5,000 Department of Defense civilian employees. Fifteen of the 23 American bases in Japan are located in Okinawa, which was occupied by the United States from the time of Japans World War Two defeat in 1945 until 1972. The Okinawa bases encompass about 10 percent of the total land of the southern prefecture, which is a chain of semi-tropical islands. Taiwan's new president is "extreme" in her politics because she's an unmarried woman lacking the emotional balance provided by romantic and family life, a member of China's body for relations with the self-governing island wrote in a newspaper opinion piece. In Beijing's harshest attack on Tsai Ing-wen since her inauguration last week, the new president was denounced as a flawed human being and strident advocate of Taiwan's formal independence from China, something Beijing says it will use military force to prevent. Tsai, Taiwan's first female president, has been criticized by Beijing for refusing to explicitly endorse the "one-China principle" that defines Taiwan as part of China. But previous criticisms were not in such personal terms. "Analyzed from the human angle, as a single female politician, she lacks the emotional encumbrance of love, the constraints of family or the worries of children," said the piece, written by Wang Weixing, an analyst with China's People's Liberation Army and board member of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, the semiofficial body in charge of contacts with Taiwan. "Her style and strategy in pursuing politics constantly skew toward the emotional, personal and extreme," Wang wrote, adding that Tsai was prone to focus excessively on details and short-term goals rather than overall strategic considerations. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Brent Gill and his son, Justin, kneel among 4,203 fallen heroes at the gravesite of Brents uncle, Albert C. (Bud) Allumbaugh, in the American Cemetery in Florence, Italy. Dutch actor and artist Jeroen Krabbe poses in front of his painting which tells the story of his grandfather Abraham Reiss, left, who was murdered in the Sobibor Nazi German extermination camp, during a press preview at the National Holocaust Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Thursday, May 12, 2016. More than 70 years after tens of thousands of Dutch Jews were deported and murdered by the Nazis, the Netherlands is finally getting a national Holocaust museum. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong) SHARE AMSTERDAM (AP) More than 70 years after tens of thousands of Dutch Jews were deported and killed by the Nazis, the Netherlands is finally getting a national Holocaust museum. It will be three years before the new museum is completed, but on Monday it opens its doors to host a harrowing exhibition of paintings by actor and artist Jeroen Krabbe. The location of the museum, a former teacher training school in the heart of Amsterdam's old Jewish quarter, is a small but hugely significant ray of light in the dark history of Jews in the Dutch capital during World War II. Some 600 Jewish children were spirited to safety via the school from a neighboring kindergarten where they were being held while awaiting deportation, said curator Annemiek Gringold. On the other side of the street stands the Hollandsche Schouwburg, a theater used by the Nazi occupiers as a gathering point for Jews who were rounded up often with the help of Dutch collaborators paid a bounty for each person they betrayed and transported to their deaths. In all, 104,000 Dutch Jews were among the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust. The theater is now home to a memorial to those victims. Nearby are also the Jewish Historical Museum and a 17th-century Portuguese Synagogue. The nine paintings on show Monday are collectively titled "The Demise of Abraham Reiss." They trace the life of Krabbe's grandfather, who was murdered by the Nazis in 1943 in the Sobibor death camp in occupied Poland. From a man sitting in a forest of birch trees on the edge of Amsterdam, the paintings trace Reiss' life in pre-war Amsterdam to his detention in the Westerbork camp in the northeastern Netherlands and his arrival at Sobibor, where he was greeted by a snarling dog and shadowy, faceless guards. The final painting shows thick smoke billowing out of the chimney of Sobibor's gas chamber and a flock of geese, whose honking was intended to drown out the screams of Jews being murdered, according to a text accompanying one of the paintings. The artist said he couldn't bring himself to visit Sobibor. So instead he drew on the memories of camp survivor Jules Schelvis, who wrote a book about his experiences and built models of the camp and its gas chambers. The models are exhibited in the same room as Krabbe's paintings. Schelvis, who died last month, survived his time in the camp but lost 18 relatives there, including his wife, Rachel. In 2009, he recalled his Sobibor experiences in the Munich trial of John Demjanjuk, a retired Ohio autoworker who was convicted of 27,900 counts of accessory to murder but always denied serving as a Sobibor guard. Krabbe said he also used his acting skills to imagine how his grandfather would respond to the horrors unfolding in his life. "I wanted to get under his skin," Krabbe told The Associated Press. "To imagine how it would be to experience what happened to him and how he would have reacted. It was like I had to play a role." The holocaust museum will stand among other institutions in the Netherlands charting the history of Jews and their killings during World War II, including Amsterdam's Anne Frank House. That museum, built around the hidden apartment where the teenage Jewish diarist hid with her family from the Nazis until being betrayed and dying in the Nazis' Bergen-Belsen camp, attracted more than 1.2 million visitors last year. Gringold said the holocaust museum will shine a light on other victims. "There is one Anne Frank, but 104,000 Dutch Jews died and we have to tell their story, too," she said. ____ If you go: Entry to the exhibition is via a ticket costing 15 euros ($17), which also gives access to a group of museums and other sites in what is known as the Jewish Cultural Quarter including the Jewish Historical Museum, the Hollandsche Schouwburg, Jewish Historical Children's Museum and the Portuguese Synagogue. The holocaust museum is at No. 27, Plantage Middenlaan in Amsterdam. Tram lines 9 and 14 stop nearby. Get off at the stop called Artis. SHARE The Taste of History event will include a guided tour of Mae Helen Bacon Boggs' art collection. Boggs is pictured here. By Tim Holt Wining and dining, a tour of Old Shastas world-class art collection, students and adults in vintage 19th century costumes, live and silent auctions all that and more are part of the Shasta Historical Societys Taste of History event held this evening at the Shasta State Historic Park. All proceeds from the event will go to fund the Historical Society's ongoing operations. Youll have a chance to meet one of the legendary ladies from Old Shastas history, Mae Helene Bacon Boggs, who donated her impressive art collection to the park. Art historian Sue Lang, dressed up as Boggs, will give two tours of the state parks floor-to-ceiling art collection, one that includes portraits of Joaquin Miller, Robert Louis Stevenson, Mahatma Gandhi, and Ethel Bret Harte, daughter of the famous Gold Rush era author. On the tour youll also see landscape paintings of Marin, Monterey and Mount Shasta and more landscapes by William Keith, a friend of John Muir, and by Otis Oldfield, whose murals grace the inner walls of San Franciscos Coit Tower. Some people think I may be channeling Mrs. Boggs, Lang jokes. Like her, Im just under 5 feet tall, and I appreciate all kinds of art. Frank Martinez, a self-described historical transvestite, will be on hand in his 19th century grocers costume. Martinez often travels around the state in his Spanish and Mexican military costumes from the 18th and 19th centuries, but on this occasion hell play the part of a mild-mannered grocer, showing off the gold pans, ladies hats, and other items that were imported from all over the world and carried in an Old Shasta store thats preserved in its original condition at the state park. Students from the Stellar Charter School will also be there in vintage costumes, playing Gold Rush era card games and portraying historic figures from Old Shastas history. Coming up in October at the Cascade Theatre, the Shasta Historical Society will be presenting its annual Indigenous Peoples History Day, featuring native dances and music with Native American bands. go now What: 4th Annual Taste Of History When: 5:30 to 8 p.m. today Where: Shasta State Historic Park in Shasta, on Highway 299 six miles west of Redding Tickets: $35 in advance, $40 at the door. Call 243-3720 or go to shastahistorical.org SHARE A fire that burned vegetation Wednesday evening east of Ono was fully contained just after 8 p.m. The Fiddler Fire originally was reported at 30 acres, but was recalculated at 11 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Cal Fire said the fire was near Fiddler and Straight Arrow roads eight miles east of Ono. The fire was reported about 4:50 p.m. A water tender heading to fight the fire rolled over in the area of Gas Point and Black Pine roads. The California Highway Patrol reported the apparatus was on its wheels next to the road and a heavy-duty tow truck was needed to upright it. The driver was not injured, but the passenger suffered minor injuries, according to the CHP website. SHARE Updated at 3:18 p.m. The Anderson Fire Protection District water tender that landed on its side after a roll over is considered a total loss. The driver failed to successfully turn while responding to a vegetation fire, said Fire Captain Steve Lowe. No other vehicles were involved in the collision, but a fence did receive some damage. The crew notified the Redding Command Center after the roll over to let them know the vehicle was out of commission. Both the driver and passenger were treated at Mercy Medical Center in Redding and released several hours later, said Lowe. The California Highway Patrol is conducting an investigation of the roll over, along with the Anderson Fire Department, who will determine if any department policies were violated. Original story The Anderson Fire Protection District totaled a water tender Wednesday night en route to a wildfire in the Igo-Ono area, the agency said Thursday morning. Fire Captain Steve Lowe confirmed the water tender belonged to Anderson. The California Highway Patrol reported the vehicle rolled over in the area of Gas Point and Black Pine roads, where Gas Point turns north toward a few miles south of the Northern California Veterans Cemetery. The water tender was en route to assist fighting the Fiddler Fire, which burned 11 acres Wednesday evening near Fiddlers Road and Straight Arrow Road, southwest of Ono. CHP Officer Jason Morton said the driver may have been going too fast - about 45 mph in an area with a suggested speed of less than half of that. The water tender also crashed through a barbed wire fence and damaged about 60 feet of the wire, Morton said. The driver was not injured, but the passenger suffered minor injuries. Both complained of pain and were taken to Mercy Medical Center to be treated and released, Morton said. "They're pretty lucky. I saw the pictures," he said. Anderson Fire Chief Rick Weigele is expected to provide more information and comment later Thursday, Lowe said. SHARE By Jenny Espino of the Redding Record Searchlight Republican incumbent Doug LaMalfa is headed toward the June 7 primary with a large financial advantage over his six opponents. Financial disclosures for the two-term lawmaker's campaign show he's amassed about $421,000 in contributions through the end of March and had nearly $300,000 cash on hand. His closest rival in the cash race was Republican challenger Joe Montes who loaned himself $50,000 and raised $75,790 almost exclusively from Butte County donors. Democratic rival Jim Reed reported about $25,000 in contributions. But the figures also indicate some difficulty LaMalfa has had in fundraising locally. Less than a fifth, or about $81,000, came from within the North State's 1st Congressional District. There were only two reportable contributions from Redding. "The way the scheduling works, (LaMalfa) has not had an opportunity to do fundraising in the district," his campaign manager, Dave Gilliard, explained. And even when those fundraisers happen, LaMalfa does not raise large amounts of money here, Gilliard said, noting that the rural district is not wealthy compared to those that cover the San Francisco Bay Area where high-tech millionaires live. Montes, a Chico businessman and conservative to LaMalfa's right, had a differing view. He said an internal poll for his campaign shows LaMalfa is vulnerable. Asked to release the poll by the Utah-based MLP Holdings, Montes declined but said among things cited by respondents was the congressman's disconnect from the district. "I can beat him and I will beat him," Montes said. Even though Republican attorney Doug Wright was in the race less than two months before he suspended his campaign in March, his candidacy showed a potential to shake up the landscape. In its six weeks, the campaign raked in about $25,000, with more than a two-thirds coming from local donors. The campaign refunded the contributions. Mimi Moseley, a Redding resident, posted on Facebook earlier this month that she wanted to see LaMalfa supporting residents in the North State. "'Open comment to him You CANNOT count on my vote just because I have voted Republican in the past. Nor can any other candidate think they can carry on as is because I'll vote that way. No longer,'" she wrote. LaMalfa's largest contributions came from political action committees for the California Dairies, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, Honeywell International and Norene Ranches. Tribes from California to Alabama to New York figured among some of his biggest campaign donors. Included was the Barona Band of Mission Indians in Lakeside. "He is a big believer in Native American sovereignty and that's probably what it reflects," Gilliard said. Reed was unconcerned about fundraising in the primary. All Democrats running for office in a conservative district already are at a fundraising disadvantage, he said. Nonetheless, he was confident he would advance to the General Election for which he would have an easier time finding financial support. "(LaMalfa) outspent me eight-to-one in 2012," Reed said, "and I still came pretty close to beating him." Voters decided for LaMalfa 57 percent to 43 percent. Democrat David Peterson, Republicans Gregory Cheadle and Gary Allen Oxley and independent Jeff Gerlach did not report any contributions. Cheadle lamented the influence of money in the race, saying he preferred to see contributions per entity capped at $2,000. "Any candidate who is raising money for a campaign is the type who is going to encourage government spending" and caught in a perpetual campaign mode to get elected another term. "It woefully affects the job they should be doing," he said. "Unfortunately, a lot of people who get into office are interested in power and money." In the 1st Senate District race, Republican incumbent Ted Gaines also holds a significant cash advantage over his Democratic opponent Rob Rowen. Republican rival Steven Baird did not file a report. The disclosures through the end of April, show Gaines raised about $304,000 and had $205,000 cash on hand. Rowen loaned himself about $1,000 to file for candidacy and raised $1,363. Related Links Database: 2016 Candidate Contributions Use the interactive database to search campaign finance information ahead of the June 7 Primary Election. Three North Koreans who recently defected from China worked in a joint-venture shabu-shabu restaurant in Weinan, Shaanxi Province, defectors' magazine News Focus International said Wednesday. The three had earlier worked in a North Korean restaurant in Shenyang, Liaoning Province but moved to Weinan a few months ago with other North Korean workers because business was bad, according to Kim Yong-hwa of NK Refugees Human Rights Association of Korea. All three are women in their 20s. They are in a Southeast Asian country waiting to fly to South Korea. Record Searchlight file photo A federal class-action lawsuit alleges the Shasta County Jail violates the Americans with Disabilities Act and discriminates against jail inmates. Sheriff Tom Bosenko denied the claims. SHARE A federal class-action lawsuit claiming disabled inmates at the Shasta County Jail are routinely discriminated against by their jailers was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Sacramento. The 36-page lawsuit alleges the jail routinely ignores and fails to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and restricts the ability of disabled inmates to sleep, use the restroom, shower, worship, exercise and move around the facility. Furthermore, it claims that disabled inmates who complain or file grievances about their treatment and the facilities are retaliated against by jail staff. For example, it said, one was reportedly denied his cancer medication while others were served tainted and inedible food. Other punishments for speaking out include body cavity searches, being locked in solitary confinement and having their canes taken away or destroyed, the lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit names the Shasta County Sheriffs Office, Sheriff Tom Bosenko, Shasta County and the California Forensic Medical Group Inc., as defendants. Bosenko, who could not be reached for comment after business hours Wednesday, adamantly denied Thursday the claims that disabled inmates or any inmates, for that matter are retaliated against and have been served tainted or inedible food or denied their medication. We completely deny those allegations, he said. In a news release issued Thursday by the sheriffs office, Bosenko said Shasta County has long been in negotiations about disability access with disability rights groups who are a part of the lawsuit. And, he said, those negotiations would continue. Bosenko, who said the jail has been part of a countywide ADA improvement program for years, noted that the state prisoner alignment program, often referred to as AB 109, has added more pressure on the jail when it comes to disability access. Thats because, he said, theres a growing number of long-term inmates housed at the jail, some of whom present different and greater disability challenges. According to the lawsuit, disabled inmates are provided with inadequate accommodations, such as showers without grab bars and benches, segregated from the general population, placed in 23-hour lockdown, excluded from jail programs and services and subjected to multiple and pervasive conditions. These, and many other conditions, result in a system that violates the fundamental rights of people with disabilities within the jail, the lawsuit states. Starting with the time they are processed, persons with mobility disabilities face myriad discriminatory conditions and physical barriers. And, it alleges, the result is a system that imposes some of the worst conditions on people with mobility disabilities while at the same time excluding them from the most beneficial programs within the jail, including religious services. These conditions have dire mental and physical consequences are in flagrant violation of the law, it states. The lawsuit was initially filed in 2013 by Everett Jewett, a former jail inmate who is now serving a nine-year prison sentence at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville in connection with a home-invasion robbery. But it since has been amended to include three other plaintiffs, including a Shingletown man accused of murdering his best friend. The San Francisco-based and nonprofit Legal Services for Prisoners With Children is also named as a plaintiff. As an organization of currently and formerly incarcerated people, we are very concerned about the human rights violations against all people in jails and prisons, its executive director, Dorsey Nunn, said in a news release. People do not shed their humanity at booking. We hope this litigation will result in Shasta County properly caring for the people in their custody. Disability Right Legal Center attorney Kara Janssen said in that same news release that prisoners with disabilities at the Shasta County Jail are held in truly abhorrent conditions that not only worsen their existing disabilities but also have devastating psychological effects. Everyone deserves dignity, Taylor Gooch, co-counsel for the plaintiffs, said in the news release. Were seeking to protect that dignity and restore the legally protected rights of persons incarcerated by Shasta County. Record Searchlight file photo There won't be a lack of Memorial Day observances Monday in the North State as America pays tribute to its fallen veterans and honors those still living. SHARE By Jim Schultz of the Redding Record Searchlight Traditionalists will most certainly be pleased with the upcoming Memorial Day holiday. That's because this year's holiday, which has long been a bone of contention for many older veterans, falls on the traditional May 30 Memorial Day date. That tradition was changed in 1971, when President Richard Nixon declared Memorial Day a federal public holiday to be observed on the last Monday in May. But that move still angers some Memorial Day diehards who claim the traditional May 30 date, established in 1868 to honor fallen Civil War veterans and then known as Decoration Day, was being sacrificed so government employees and others could have a three-day weekend. But that won't be an issue this year. And, as is always the case, there won't be any shortage of Memorial Day observances on Monday in which to pay tribute to this nation's fallen veterans and to honor those still living. "It's going to be an amazing day," said Celestina Traver, vice president of the Shasta County Veterans Affiliated Council, which sponsors one of the two Memorial Day remembrances being held Monday in Redding. The first observance begins at 10 a.m. at Redding Memorial Park on Continental Street in downtown Redding with a free breakfast served starting at 9 a.m. The 83rd annual observance includes speeches, prayers, music by the Enterprise High School band, a possible flyover and other tributes to veterans. Retired U.S. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Rob Burroughs, who served two tours in Iraq, is the keynote speaker, while guest speakers are Fred Salanti, founder of the Missing In America Project, and Vietnam War veteran Eddie McAllister. That ceremony will followed at 11 a.m., by the observance sponsored by the Shasta County Veterans Affiliated Council at the Veterans Memorial Grove near the Redding Civic Auditorium. Vietnam veteran Patrick Carr of Redding is the keynote speaker at the event, which includes a heartfelt wreath-laying ceremony and other tributes. Music will be provided by the Foothill High School choir and band. U.S. Air Force veteran Bob Dunlap is the master of ceremonies. A free luncheon will be served following the ceremony. The largest Memorial Day observance is at 5:55 p.m. at the Northern California Veterans Cemetery on Gas Point Road in Igo. That ceremony, which begins with a military fly-over, includes a musical tribute to the armed forces by the Foothill High School Band, a wreath-laying, rifle salute, bell-ringing, bagpipe players and the playing of "taps." The keynote speaker is retired U.S. Coast Guard Master Chief Petty Officer Michael Leavitt. Elsewhere on Monday, 11 a.m. Memorial Day ceremonies are also being held at the Burney Cemetery on Mountain View Drive and at the Anderson Cemetery on Cemetery Lane off Bruce Street west of Highway 273. MEMORIAL DAY CLOSURES Heres a list of whats open and closed on Monday in observance of Memorial Day: Government: State, federal, county and city offices closed Mail: No delivery. Schools: Closed. Redding Area Bus Authority: Buses not operating. Trash: All routes one day late. Commerce: Banks closed; most retail stores open. Redding Rancheria: Tribal Administration Office and Tribal Health Center closed. Tribal Administration Office and Tribal Health Center closed. Movie theaters: Open. Newspaper: The Record Searchlight will be closed. Newspapers should be delivered by 6 a.m. The circulation department will answer phones from 6-10 a.m. Call 246-9888 or 800-666-2772 outside Redding. Related Links Fourth-grader needs help replacing flags SHARE REU schedules flag-raising event Redding Electric Utility's headquarters in east Redding will be the site of a California and American flag-raising ceremony Thursday morning. The event, which will mark the first raising of the flags, was planned to coincide with Memorial Day weekend. Several veterans will be in attendance, REU said. It is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. at 3611 Avtech Parkway, off Airport Road. Mayor Missy McArthur will preside over the ceremony. A local honor guard will present the colors and raise the flag, and Emilia Gray, fire Chief Gerry Gray's daughter, will sing the national anthem. For more information, contact REU at 339-7300. Vegetation fire snuffed east of Ono A fire that burned vegetation Wednesday evening east of Ono was fully contained just after 8 p.m. The Fiddler Fire originally was reported at 30 acres, but was recalculated at 11 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Cal Fire said the fire was reported about 4:50 p.m. near Fiddler and Straight Arrow roads eight miles east of Ono. A water tender headed to the fire rolled over in the area of Gas Point and Black Pine roads. The California Highway Patrol reported the apparatus was on its wheels next to the road and a heavy-duty tow truck was needed to upright it. The driver was not injured, but the passenger suffered minor injuries, according to the CHP website. Shasta County Jail subject of lawsuit A federal class-action lawsuit claiming disabled inmates at the Shasta County Jail are routinely discriminated against by their jailers was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Sacramento. The 36-page lawsuit alleges the jail routinely ignores and fails to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and restricts the ability of disabled inmates to sleep, use the restroom, shower, worship, exercise and move around the facility. The suit also claims disabled inmates who complain or file grievances about their treatment and the facilities are retaliated against by jail staff. The lawsuit names the Shasta County Sheriff's Office, Sheriff Tom Bosenko, Shasta County and the California Forensic Medical Group Inc., as defendants. Bosenko could not be reached after hours Wednesday for comment. The lawsuit was initially filed in 2013 by Everett Jewett, a former jail inmate who is now serving a nine-year prison sentence at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville in connection with a home-invasion robbery. But it has since been amended to include three other plaintiffs, including a Shingletown man accused of murdering his best friend. Mountain lions seen at college Shasta College officials said two mountain lions were spotted on campus Wednesday morning. The two juvenile mountain lions were seen by staff members near the outer edge of the campus. An alert sent by campus security did not specify where the two animals were seen. The alert urged students, staff and visitors to be on the lookout. Graduation was last week and classes are no longer in session for the spring semester. Anyone who comes in contact with the animals is encouraged to contact campus safety at 242-7910. California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials were assisting campus officials, the alert said. Arson blamed for fire in residence An investigation into a Redding house fire determined it was intentionally set, the Redding Fire Department said. Someone broke into the residence in the 2160 block of Court Street and set the fire, officials said. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire after it was reported at 3 a.m. Wednesday at Court and Terrace streets near downtown Redding. No one was living inside the single-story home, Redding Fire Department Battalion Chief Sean Coleman said. The arson fire caused $35,000 in damage to the building and $1,500 in damage to the contents, fire officials said. Greg Barnette/Record Searchlight A tow truck driver attempts to move a big rig that flipped Wednesday on Shasta Caverns Road. SHARE By Amber Sandhu of the Redding Record Searchlight LAKEHEAD An overturned big rig closed Shasta Caverns Road for most of the day Wednesday, stranding about 70 children who were at Lake Shasta Caverns for a school field trip. The big rig overturned shortly before 11 a.m. near the Shasta Caverns Road off-ramp off northbound Interstate 5, according to the California Highway Patrol. A small amount of diesel fuel spilled from the big rig and the CHP shut down both lanes of the road, which leads directly to the popular tourist destination, Lake Shasta Caverns. Guests take a boat trip across the lake before getting on a caverns bus for a ride to the caves. "It's a very narrow road," said Matt Doyle, general manager of Lake Shasta Caverns. He was at the crash location and said the truck looked like it could go down the ravine. About 60 students from Boulder Creek Elementary School in Redding and 18 students from Capay Joint Union Elementary School in Orland were on field trips. Doyle said another school group was headed to the caverns, but had to be turned away due to the incident. "This just kind of threw a wrench in everything," Doyle said. Scotti Gleason, principal of Boulder Creek Elementary, said school officials notified parents about the temporary delay as soon as they got the call. Gleason said they decided on an alternative route and sent another bus to Bridge Bay to pick up the children, who would get there by boat. "We had to do a work-around and get them transported by boat," Gleason said. She told parents that the CHP discouraged parents from meeting the children at Bridge Bay due to traffic. Jim Scribner, principal at Capay Joint Union Elementary School, said his students and the chaperones would need to wait for the road to clear before returning to Orland. Scribner said the children were safe and added the caverns trip was popular among parents who wanted to chaperone. "We had about eight dads go on," he said. About 3 p.m., 8-year-old Paul Ahern Jr. was being picked up by his father, and was laughing and jumping. He said the trip was fun and played tag during the wait, but the second boat ride was a bit different. "We got much wetter, it was much longer," Paul Jr. said. "We took the boat to the destination where the bus was waiting for us." But more than anything, Paul Jr. was happy that the delay caused him to miss his dental appointment. Around 3:30 p.m., California Highway Patrol officers opened up a lane on Shasta Caverns Road to evacuate other people from Lake Shasta Caverns. They anticipated the road will be temporarily closed again to remove the overturned big rig. SHARE By Teresa Wiltz, Stateline.org WASHINGTON Jamaill never knew his mother. When he was 1, his father was incarcerated, and Jamaill got to know him largely through letters and phone calls. Twice a year, he would trek from Brooklyn to an upstate New York prison to visit a trip that involved a plane ride, a long drive and an overnight stay in a motel. Now, the 10th-graders father has been transferred to another prison even farther away. So theyll stay in touch with televisits, video-conferenced meetings. Jamaill doesnt think it should be so hard for kids to see their imprisoned parents. And thats what he told New York state legislators in March. Incarcerated parents need to be closer to home, said Jamaill, 15, who lives with his grandmother and doesnt want his last name used because he doesnt want to further stigmatize his father. Some people have to drive nine, 10 hours to see their parents and then only have 30 minutes to talk to them. Many states are beginning to look at a growing body of research that shows that having a parent behind bars can have a destabilizing effect on an estimated 1.7 million children like Jamaill. The separation can have costly emotional and social consequences, such as trauma and trouble in schools, homelessness, and bigger welfare and foster care rolls. Some states are encouraging greater contact between the children and their parents by using new technology such as televisiting, or by placing parents in the closest correctional facility. And some are trying to intervene when a parent is charged, tried and convicted of a crime to provide emotional support and a stable home for the children. In New York, for example, the Senates corrections committee advanced a bill in March that would create a pilot program that places sentenced parents in the nearest jail or prison. The federal government allows states to use funding from the National Family Caregiver Support Program to provide grandparents and other elderly relatives who care for the children with services such as counseling. Washington, for example, has a statewide network of kinship navigators that connects families and extended relatives with legal services, health care and parenting classes. Some states also are looking at ways to better reconnect children with their parents after they leave jail or prison, and to help ease the parents back into society to provide a more stable family life for their children. In Georgia, a statewide council on criminal justice reform tailors policy and services designed to reduce the barriers to employment after a parent is released from prison. In California, the state suspends child support payments for anyone who is incarcerated for more than 90 days. This prevents late fees on child support payments from piling up while parents are locked up, which can often create insurmountable debt when they are released. In San Francisco, a coalition of nonprofits, representatives of government bodies and advocates work together to ensure the well-being of children of incarcerated parents at every step of their involvement with the criminal justice system. This includes protocols on steps police officers should take to minimize trauma on children who witness a parents arrest, sentencing guidelines and life after prison. The trauma associated with having an incarcerated parent is like that of divorce or domestic violence, said Scot Spencer of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a research and advocacy group that focuses on child welfare. Theres an emotional and an economic impact. More than 5 million children, or 1 in 14, in the U.S. have had a parent in state or federal prison at some point in their lives, according to the Casey Foundation. Their numbers swelled by 79 percent between 1991 and 2007, according to U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) figures, largely driven by tough drug laws and mandatory sentencing. Thirteen percent of the children in Kentucky have had a parent behind bars, the largest percentage of any state, according to an April report from the Casey Foundation. Indiana follows at 11 percent. New Jersey has the lowest, at 3 percent, followed by New York, at 4 percent. Children of color are much more likely to have a parent in prison. One in nine African-American children had a parent behind bars in 2008, according to a Pew Charitable Trusts report (Pew also funds Stateline). One in 28 Latino children had an incarcerated parent and one in 57 white children did. Sixty-two percent of women in state prisons reported having minor children and 51 percent of male state prisoners did, according to the BJS. Maintaining close connections with a parent behind bars appears to be good for a childs emotional well-being and for the parent, said state Sen. Gustavo Rivera, sponsor of the New York bill to set up a pilot project to move incarcerated parents closer to their children. Closer family bonds tend to reduce recidivism, he said, and his project can help demonstrate that. Having that connection is a positive for the child; its positive for the incarcerated individual, Rivera, a Democrat, said. And its a positive for society. When we have people that are working, productive members of society, theyre not wasting (taxpayer) money. Kiara, an 18-year-old high school senior from Brooklyn, agrees that its important for children to be close to their incarcerated parents. Her father has been in and out of prison since she was a baby. Mostly, theyve kept in touch through letters and email, and an occasional visit. These days, her dad is incarcerated at New Yorks Coxsackie Correctional Facility, more than a two hours drive north from Brooklyn. The last time she saw her dad was in November. Visiting him is a hassle, she said, because it involves long lines and hours of waiting. Then I only have an hour to talk to him, said Kiara, who doesnt want her last name used because she said she doesnt trust anyone but her family and counselors with information about her fathers incarceration. But the effort to stay close is worth it, she said. We grew a good relationship, Kiara said. Theres no negativity, only joy. I can tell him things I wouldnt be able to tell my mom. He gives me good advice. He tells me he doesnt want me to end up like him. Many children can fall through the cracks when a parent is sent to prison, especially if the parent was the childs sole support, some childrens advocates say. And it can be difficult for states to help them. In New York, for instance, no city or state agency is solely responsible for coordinating services and tracking the well-being of the more than 100,000 children with a parent behind bars, said Tanya Krupat, program director for the NY Initiative for Children of Incarcerated Parents at the Osborne Association, a nonprofit based in Brooklyn. Incarceration also often forces families deeper into poverty and debt, the Casey Foundation report said. Their families are more likely to rely on public welfare programs such as food stamps and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. And these children may be more likely to join the other 400,000 children throughout the U.S. in state foster care. When an incarcerated parent is released, the families continue to struggle with finding work and a place to live because of the stigma attached to a criminal conviction. Thats prompted some states to pass so-called ban the box laws that prohibit employers from asking about a persons criminal history in job applications as a way of encouraging employment after prison. Georgia, which has an incarceration rate 32 percent higher than the national average, has taken several steps in the past few years to help ease the transition from prison to society and help former inmates gain employment with a goal to help provide stability for their children. This year, the Legislature passed bills to lift the states lifetime ban on food stamps for people with felony drug convictions, allow judges to seal the records of first-time offenders at sentencing, help ease the way to get occupational licenses and provide retroactive reinstatement of drivers licenses revoked for drug offenses. Lawmakers also created a tax incentive program that encourages employers to hire parolees. If former prisoners cant take care of themselves, they cant take care of their own families, said Doug Ammar of the Georgia Justice Project, an Atlanta-based advocacy group that worked with the Legislature in crafting the laws. In Brooklyn, Jamaill is counting the days until his father is released from prison, although he will be 20 by then. He plans to be in college, so hes not sure if hell be living with his father, or if his father will have to live in a halfway house. There is one thing he is sure about, however. The second they tell me hes out, Im driving out there, he said. Im going to be right there, waiting for him. 2016 Stateline.org Visit Stateline.org at www.stateline.org Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Vector control specialists Yessenia Avilez, bottom, and Randy Garcia, top, spot an adult aedes albopictus mosquito, also known as the asian tiger mosquito, in a residential backyard during a house call in the Silverlake neighborhood on March 25, 2016 in Los Angeles. Vector control specialists are particularly on the look out for Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti, both invasive species not native to California and have gotten public health agencies on high alert because it can transmit the Zika virus to humans. (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times/TNS) SHARE By Soumya Karlamangla, Los Angeles Times LOS ANGELES Randy Garcia points a flashlight into a bush and shakes the leaves. Martin Serrano climbs a ladder to peer into rain gutters. Yessenia Avilez ducks under stairs and flips over a plastic tarp collecting water. In a Silver Lake backyard resembling a small jungle, the team dressed in khaki shirts tucked into blue slacks searches for its target. Serrano and Garcia spot a tub filled with rainwater, leaves floating on the top. Theres movement just below the surface: hundreds of swimming creatures, like tiny tadpoles. Then something flies out of the water, inches from their faces. Its an Aedes mosquito, the villain in the Zika virus epidemic that has broken out in dozens of countries this year. Nationwide, mosquito control workers like these ones are waging a war against the insects, but it will be a difficult one to win. Aedes mosquitoes, which arent native to the Americas, are hardier than mosquitoes were familiar with here and local officials have struggled to curb their spread. With the threat of Zika virus looming and summer approaching, that bug problem has turned into a pressing public health concern. This is very, very, very serious, said Edward McCabe, chief medical officer for the March of Dimes and an emeritus professor of pediatrics at UCLA. We wouldnt want L.A. to turn out to be ground zero for endemic Zika in the U.S. Though parts of Texas and Florida are at highest risk for Zika, health officials warn that outbreaks could be expected this summer across the U.S., including in Southern California. Experts say limiting mosquito populations is the first line of defense against Zika, but worry insect control agencies arent prepared. Zika spreads when Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, bites an infected person and then bites another. Unlike most types of mosquitoes that prefer the blood of animals, Aedes like to bite humans. With other kinds of mosquitoes, one worker in a truck could spray a quarter of a small city with pesticide in one night and eliminate most of the bugs, said Michael Doyle, head of vector control for the Florida Keys. But spraying doesnt work well against Aedes mosquitoes and their eggs usually need to be destroyed by hand. So to cover that same area you need 10 people working for a week, going door-to-door, he said. When Aedes mosquitoes began transmitting dengue, another viral disease, in 2009 in Key West, the agency had to bring in 30 inspectors to work 10 hours a day, six days a week to scour every yard in the city for mosquitoes, Doyle said. After more than 90 cases of dengue were confirmed in the outbreak, the district added $1 million to its budget for 10 inspectors to continue the check-ups. But thats not a solution for agencies across the country, he said. We just cant afford to double our staffs in most of those places, he said. On that chilly spring morning in Silver Lake, Serrano and Garcia, vector control specialists with the Greater Los Angeles Vector Control District, dumped out the water and larvae in the tub. Garcia drilled holes in its bottom, as well as in other buckets in the yard. Theyre diligent about eliminating places where water can collect because the mosquitoes can breed using as little as a teaspoon of water. Weve seen them in Doritos wrappers, Serrano said. In the L.A. region, Aedes mosquitoes are believed to have arrived several years ago in shipments of bamboo plants coming from China to El Monte. Theyre now found in at least 12 counties in California, according to the state health department. Avilez picked up a watering can and aligned one eye with its narrow spout. The mosquitoes tend to lay their eggs so small theyre nearly invisible to the human eye at the waterline of buckets and containers. The eggs can survive several months of drought, waiting to hatch when they come in contact with water. When the Sahara dried up and became a desert thousands of years ago, Aedes aegypti evolved to survive without a natural source of water, breeding using the water in pots outside peoples homes, said Marten Edwards, a professor at Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania who studies the species. Theyre so hard to eradicate because theyre essentially domesticated, he said. Unlike the more common Culex mosquito that comes out only at dawn and dusk, Aedes bite during the day when people are active. Often considered the cockroach of mosquitoes, they can even survive inside peoples homes, he said. These aggressive, invasive mosquitoes have become a burden for insect control agencies in California. In September, when Aedes numbers peaked in Southern California, service requests for Aedes made up 90 percent of all requests to the L.A. district, said Kelly Middleton, the districts director of community affairs. When Serrano would pull up in his truck to inspect a home, neighbors would flock toward him, asking him to also inspect their backyards. We couldnt leave a street, he said. That was before the Zika virus arrived. An obscure disease once believed to have only mild symptoms, Zika was declared an international public health emergency this year after an outbreak in Brazil coincided with a spike in babies born with microcephaly. Scientists have since confirmed that the illness, now spreading in more than 30 countries in the Americas, causes many other birth defects as well. No one in the U.S. has yet been infected by a mosquito here, though approximately 500 Americans who traveled to countries with outbreaks have returned infected with the virus, according to the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Health officials say that widespread transmission in the U.S. is unlikely because most homes have air conditioning and screens on windows that keep out mosquitoes. Still, federal health officials recently estimated that 30 states have climates that could sustain Aedes mosquitoes, and held a summit last month on improving mosquito control in a time of Zika. Everything we look at with this virus seems to be a bit scarier than we initially thought, said Dr. Anne Schuchat, the CDCs principal deputy director at a recent news briefing. So while we absolutely hope we dont see widespread local transmission in the continental U.S., we need the states to be ready for that. In the Central Valley, mosquito workers were baffled when Aedes first showed up in their region in 2013, said Steve Mulligan, head of vector control for a district encompassing parts of Fresno and Kings counties. They were even more surprised when they werent able to stop their spread, Mulligan said, adding, It really does not lend itself to control with conventional or traditional methods. The agency is trying a new tactic this summer. As part of a trial with the University of Kentucky, they plan to release male Aedes aegypti that are infected with a bacteria that prevents their eggs from hatching. A similar pilot project in El Monte last year significantly reduced the female mosquito population, said Susanne Kluh, scientific technical director for the greater L.A. district. But such new control methods require federal approval and will likely take several months before widespread use is possible. For now, mosquito control agencies are watching to see what summer brings. Last year, the Aedes population in San Diego County grew because of the unusually warm weather, said Chris Conlan, supervising vector ecologist for the county. He said theyre now tracking the mosquitoes, thought to have come from Mexico in 2014. But the bottom line is were going to have to wait and see what Mother Nature throws at us, he said. Because if we get rain again this year, its probably going to become impossible for us to get these things under control. 2016 Los Angeles Times Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. SHARE Mary Sanchez Recognize this woman? She's sandwiched between the needs of aging parents and the demands of young children. Her frustration is palpable. She's fed up with her employer's inflexibility over her schedule and with her boss's attitude that equates motherhood with undedicated slacking off. True, her schedule has to accommodate occasional doctor's appointments and school events for children, as well as the emotional roller coaster of watching her parent's health decline. But she has a full-time career and a track record of success in a business that she dearly loves. Guess what. This woman is now a man. Among the more interesting findings of a new report on work/life conflicts is the dramatic rise in lawsuits by men who feel discriminated against as they try to manage it all. Welcome to the workplace, gentlemen. It's a sad commentary on gender, but the fact that men are increasingly being moved to sue their employers over family responsibilities will help change attitudes and policies. And they have to change. The massive rise in discrimination lawsuits involving family responsibilities like child care, elder care, and maternity and paternity leave is "the biggest challenge employers never (saw) coming," according to Cynthia Thomas Calvert, the author of "Caregivers in the Workplace." More fathers than mothers now report work/life conflict, according to the study conducted by the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California, Hastings. That shift is reflected by an astonishing 269 percent rise in lawsuits decided in the last decade that involved family responsibilities. The 4,400 cases studied cost employers nearly a half-billion dollars in verdicts and settlements between 2006 and 2015, yet these likely constitute only a fraction of what actually went through the courts. Most of these cases go forward through a patchwork of protections. But Calvert also points out that no federal law exists that explicitly bans discrimination based on family responsibilities. The majority of cases studied involved pregnancy and maternity leave. But men, as their numbers grow as caregivers, are now fighting attitudes that working women have long faced. WorkLife Law, a nonprofit advocacy group focused on ending employment discrimination against caregivers, runs a hotline, and 25 percent of the calls are now from men. Increasingly, it is fathers who are offended when denied a plum assignment based on the perception that they won't be as committed to their company. Now it is men who are angered that they are denied paternity leave or are passed over for promotion because they spend time caring for a disabled child. A lot of the problems are the result of employees being penalized at work not for their actual job performance but based on assumptions and biases that too often are not recognized at least until the lawsuit is filed. Calvert's study shows that the complaints occur in virtually every industry and at every level of employment, including top managers. And all races and genders were represented in the cases studied although racial bias can further complicate workplace assumptions about how employees with family duties will or should behave. Most employees will at some point in their careers become a caregiver. The study found that of the 43.5 million adults who gave unpaid care to either an adult or a child with special needs in 2014, nearly a quarter were millennials. It's tempting to believe that the country is sorting these issues out and heading in a better direction, that the gains of technology and awareness of our aging population are causing workplaces to realign policy and practices. In reality, we are in the midst of ideological battles about work in general. Consider the fights over efforts to strip workers of their right to collective bargaining, debates about the minimum wage and the growing gap between what CEO's earn and the salaries of everyone employed beneath them. The relationship between work and life is in turmoil in America. So much of modern politics skirts these issues. However, judging by this 44-page report, they are urgently important to most voters. Forget the culture wars, Donald Trump's bluster and Hillary Clinton's email server. The concerns of the average voter are closer to home and work. Yet who is speaking for families struggling to manage it all? Mary Sanchez is an opinion-page columnist for The Kansas City Star. Readers may write to her at: Kansas City Star, 1729 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Mo. 64108-1413, or via email at msanchez@kcstar.com. The top end BR-V has been priced at Rs 12.90 lakh as opposed to Rs 14.43 lakh for Cretas top variant Compact SUVs are the new sedans - everyone wants one! Hyundai took the market by storm with Creta last year and has received over 100,000 bookings. Honda wants a slice of this market as well and has introduced the BR-V to take a bite. How do the two stack up? Let's find out! The Creta looks more like a proper scaled-down SUV than an overgrown hatchback. On the other hand, the BR-V has heavy influences of the Mobilio MPV. Both cars get common details such as projector headlamps, LED light guides and plenty of matte-black cladding that envelopes the lower half of the cars. In terms of styling, we have to give it to the Creta. It looks young and appealing and, most importantly, has the presence that an SUV should have. On the other hand, the BR-V just isn't as aggressive looking. While it is the longest in its class, it is also the narrowest. This robs it of the butch stance that one looks for in an SUV. On the insides, the biggest USP of the Honda BR-V comes to the fore. Unlike any of its rivals, it features an extra row of seats. What's more, the top-spec variant that you see in the pictures get some good quality leather upholstery as well. That said, other than the leather, there's not much to talk about in terms of kit on the BR-V. The feature list is rather spartan, and skips on essentials such as a touchscreen infotainment system and reverse parking camera. The Creta on the other hand, is packed to the gills with features. Design wise, Hyundai has opted for a safe beige-black combo, whereas the Honda features an all-black cabin. In terms of space, the Creta is slightly more accommodating for five. Being wider, there's better shoulder room on offer. Honda has scooped out the back of the front seats and shortened the seat squab to make more legroom. However, this eats into the under thigh support of rear seat occupants. That said, the second row of seats in the BR-V can be slid or tumbled away altogether for access to the third row. The last row itself is decently spacious, but not for long journeys. The Honda BR-V is available with a 1.5-litre i-DTEC motor that develops 100PS of power and 200Nm of torque. The Creta, on the other hand, features a slightly larger 1.6-litre VTVT engine that generates 128PS and 260Nm. Needless to say, it is the Hyundai that feels sprightlier thanks to the extra power and lower weight. There is noticeable turbo-lag in both motors, which can be slightly annoying within the confines of the city. However, out on the highway, both cars feel relaxed. Where the Creta outshines the BR-V particularly is in the ride quality and NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) department. The suspension is evidently softer on the Hyundai that makes low-speed commutes really comfortable. At higher speeds, there is a slight hint of bounce, but nothing that is upsetting. The BR-V's motor does sound slightly gruff on the move. Honda has worked on cutting the noise out a fair bit, but we reckon the noise levels are still a tad higher than we would have liked. In terms of handling, the BR-V trumps the Creta. The neutral steering and the stiff springs give the Honda predictable corner manners. Yes, there is a hint of body roll when you chuck it in a corner, but that is purely because of how tall the car is. Talking about fuel economy, it is the Honda that is more frugal. ARAI rated fuel efficiency stands at 21.9 kmpl for the diesel. In comparison, the Creta returns 19.67kmpl. The top end BR-V has been priced at Rs 12.90 lakh as opposed to Rs 14.43 lakh for Cretas top variant. Now, one does have to pay quite a lot extra for the Hyundai. However, it is better built, has better features, and is more powerful as well. In our books, the Creta is the better package amongst the two, if you do not need the extra row of seats. Powered by CarDekho.com offers the best platform in India to research cars online. Make better car buying decisions using features like car research, reviews, car comparisons, discounts, on-road prices etc. on CarDekho.com. Potassium bromate is used to strengthen dough, improve the shelf life of bread The recent study by the Delhi-based Centre for Science & Environment on white bread, bun, pav and pizza bread in New Delhi has put the spotlight firmly on potassium bromate, a chemical compound commonly used for baking. The additive is used to strengthen dough and improve the shelf life of bread. It is also an affordable additive in comparison to ascorbic acid, a naturally occurring organic compound that is used to strengthen dough, says Ramesh Mago, president of the All India Bread Manufacturers' Association. "This makes potassium bromate a viable alternative for the bread industry, since ascorbic acid cannot be used on its own. "It has to be combined with some other enzymes to improve the quality of dough, which is key to the baking process," he says. Potassium bromate, say experts, also helps bread to rise during the baking process, which is why it is a popular additive with local bakers. "While the US hasn't banned potassium bromate, the European Union and some other countries such as Canada, Brazil, Argentina and China have," says Ashwin Bhadri, chief executive, Equinox Labs, a Mumbai-based food testing and consulting company. Bread makers say the permissible limit for potassium bromate in bread in the US is higher, at 75 parts per million, in comparison to Indias 50 ppm. Mago argues its use is widespread in the US, though there are breads available that do not use it. KNOW YOUR POISON Potassium bromate is used to strengthen dough, improve the shelf life of bread It is also an affordable additive in comparison to ascorbic acid EU and countries such as Canada, Brazil, Argentina and China have banned it In its study, CSE noted that potassium bromate was a Category 2B carcinogen, meaning it could cause cancer, while potassium iodate could trigger thyroid disorders. We found 84 per cent of the samples positive with potassium bromate/iodate. We re-confirmed the presence of potassium bromate/iodate in a few samples through an external third-party laboratory. "We checked labels and talked to industry and scientists. Our study confirms the widespread use of potassium bromate/iodate, as well as presence of bromate/iodate residues in the final product," said Chandra Bhushan, its deputy director-general. The Food Safety & Standards Authority of India has said it would issue a notification shortly to remove potassium bromate from its food additives list. However, bread makers argue that working out a replacement in manufacturing will take time and they should get three to six months for a switch. Image: A worker displays baguettes (French stick), bread made with organic flour, at a bakery in Paris. Photograph: Benoit Tessier/Reuters. The image is used for representational purpose only. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday inched a little closer to admitting his ambitions for the presidency. "When I return on Jan. 1 next year, I'll be a Korean, whereas until now I've held a UN passport," Ban told reporters on Jeju Island, where he is attending a forum. "I'll contemplate and decide then what I should do as a Korean citizen." Ban has been mooted as a contender for the presidency for a while but has so far been coy about the prospect. He urged reporters to refrain from speculation. "They say I've met the president seven times, but that was all in public places," he said. But he was keen to quell claims that he is too old, pointing out that the U.S. Democratic Party candidates are both pushing 70. "I've never taken a day off sick," he claimed. "There are no problems with my physical condition." Ban said he "never thought about becoming president. For now I have to complete my job at the UN," he said. "But I'm really proud of being cited as a potential presidential candidate." He added that too much speculation about his potential presidential bid has placed him in a somewhat "awkward" position in the international community. But he also pointed to his record in trying to engage Pyongyang. "I think I may be the only one to have maintained a dialogue channel between two Koreas," he said. "If there is an opportunity, I will continue to make efforts." While only the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has voiced its concerns so far, Flipkart says it has done so due to the ongoing restructuring of its business. Flipkarts decision to defer joining dates of new Indian Institute of Management (IIM) recruits has put students and authorities on a sticky wicket. Sources said the joining dates have been deferred from June to as late as December. So far, IIM-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) is the only one to have expressed concern. The e-commerce major has claimed that it has taken this step because of ongoing restructuring in its business. The authorities at IIM-A have sent a strongly worded letter to Flipkart, marking other premier B-schools such as IIM-Bangalore, IIM-Lucknow and the Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi. Both IIM-B and IIM-L confirmed they have received a communication from Flipkart, and were mulling further action. We have not talked to Flipkart. We are in consultation with our students on what actions can be taken. The students will have to decide whether they would want to wait or look for alternative opportunities, said Sapna Agarwal, head, career development services, IIM-Bangalore IIM-A has proposed a joint call with stakeholders and other B-schools. Asha Kaul, chairperson, placements, was unavailable for comments; an e-mail sent to the institute went unanswered. Flipkart, in a public statement, said the delay in the joining dates of new campus recruits was because of ongoing organisational restructuring that involves creating new business units and merging some. It cited examples of integrating its engineering organisation while creating a new unit - the customer shopping experience group. As a part of this ongoing restructuring, the campus program will also go through a comprehensive overhaul to ensure that it is in line with our new business structure and that our campus recruits start working towards larger company goals from Day One, the company said. Flipkart had extended offers to about 10 candidates each at IIM-A and IIM-B, while it made offers at IIM Lucknow, too, among other B-schools. At the outset, let me share that this was a difficult decision for us to arrive at and we feel the disappointment of students. At the same time, it is important for us to land our campus hires into Flipkart at the right time and into meaningful roles which gives them opportunity to learn and grow, said Nitin Seth, chief people officer, Flipkart, wrote in a letter to the IIMs. Neeraj Dwivedi, chairperson, placements, IIM Lucknow, said the decision was not welcome. He added the institute was trying to gather more information before taking a call. Flipkart has communicated to us about the deferred joining. However, we have not initiated communication with them yet. We are willing to join IIM-A in the call. However, students are not here on campus. So we are going slightly slow on this. Obviously, no one welcomes this, he said. The placements representative of one of the older IIMs said some of the candidates who were supposed to join on Monday came to know about deferred joining only the previous Friday. Ola on right track Ola Cabs, on the other hand, maintained it was on track as far as joining dates were concerned. We are on track in terms of joining dates for on-campus hires. All students hired, are joining according to the given dates and we look forward to welcoming them. We are looking to hire and onboard top talent through the off-campus route as well, the company said in an official statement. Candidates are exploring various alternatives before taking a decision and the institute will work accordingly, the representative said. Earlier GirnarSoft, which owns CarDekho.com, had confirmed deferring joining dates of recruits from IIM-A, IIM-B and IIM-Udaipur. The start-up cited work in progress at office space as the reason for the deferment. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi completes two years in office, there has been much debate on how the NDA government has steered the economy. Image: I have actually undertaken the maximum reforms, says Modi. Photograph: Reuters On the eve of his government completing two years in office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the Wall Street Journal in which he spoke expansively on his administration's achievements, and the path ahead. India, he said, has opened up its economy to foreign investment, boosted infrastructure, curbed corruption and made it easier to do business. Here are some of the key points that Prime Minister Modi highlighted in his interview: The CCC had earlier found Patanjali's advertisement claim for its product Patanjali Kesh Kanti Natural Hair Cleanser and Oil as false and misleading Advertising sector watchdog ASCI has rapped Patanjali Ayurved for "false and misleading" claims in its various advertisements, including its hair oil and washing powder brands. The watchdog has ruled that the advertisements of the group associated with Yoga Guru Ramdev "unfairly denigrates" other products in the market. The Customer Complaints Council (CCC) of Advertising Standard Council of India (ASCI) has also upheld complaints against advertisements by Johnson & Johnson, Amazon and ITC, among other companies. In March, the CCC received 156 complaints, out of which it upheld as many as 90 complaints, terming them as "false and misleading". The upheld complaints included 32 in the education category, 30 in the healthcare and personal care category, and further 10 in the food and beverages category. The CCC found Patanjali's advertisement claim for its product Patanjali Kesh Kanti Natural Hair Cleanser and Oil that "mineral oil is carcinogenic in nature and may cause cancer" was false and misleading by ambiguity and by gross exaggeration. It also upheld complaints against Patanjali Ayurved's Patanjali Kachi Ghani Mustard Oil. "The advertisement's claims 'Other than Kacchi Ghani process most of the other edible refined oils and mustard oils are made using neurotoxin hexagon solvent extraction process. To make profits at the cost of consumers' health many companies mix cheap palm oil in mustard oil", were not substantiated and the claims were misleading," it said. "The statement also unfairly denigrates other oils/mustard oil," the advertising watchdog added. The advertising watchdog also upheld complaint against Patanjali Ayurved's Patanjali Herbal Washing Powder, cake and dishwash bar. Vijay Sankeshwar is a believer in dreaming big but also likes to do things differently. Vijay Sankeshwar, 66, chairman and managing director and promoter of VRL Logistics, has always bet against odds: He is planning to enter aviation again after his plans for the sector failed to take off a decade ago - in 2006. Every time he started a new venture, the stocky business owner has always defied naysayers. The truck business Sankeshwar started four decades ago against the wishes of his family has now spawned into a logistics empire of over 4,000 vehicles delivering parcels and ferrying passengers on luxury buses across India. He started the Kannada newspaper - Vijay Karnataka - in the early 2000s as the largest-selling daily in the state before he sold it to the Times group for a profit. In 2012, after a five years, he launched another Kannada paper - Vijaya Vani - naming himself as the editor. In his teens, Sankeshwar had revived his father's printing business before venturing out on his own. Sankeshwar is a believer in dreaming big but also likes to do things differently. When he built the transport business or launched his luxury bus service, he steered away from hiring people from the transport sector. "They come with a set mindset," Sankeshwar, who prefers to chat in Kannada or Hindi, said a few years ago. Hiring professionals from outside, he focused on building an integrated business, which means, owning the buses, the garages, and even the parking lots, to optimise costs. For vehicle makers such as Ashok Leyland and Volvo, VRL is among their largest customers. Just when the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) was building its base in Karnataka, Sankeshwar emerged as a natural choice for the party. He got elected thrice from Dharwad to Parliament on a BJP ticket. Propelled by his popularity in north Karnataka, he quit BJP to start Kannada Nadu party in 2006, hoping he could become the chief minister. Sankeshwar lost the elections and soon merged his party with Janata Dal (Secular). Around the same time, Captain G R Gopinath, who floated Air Deccan, the country's first low-cost airline, was gaining prominence. Sankeshwar, who saw the success of the fellow Karnataka business owner, also set his ambitions to launch a regional airline. He had placed an order for Beechcraft planes but the venture did not take off. Air Deccan was also floundering due to competition and rising fuel prices. Gopinath sold his airline to Vijay Mallya, whose Kingfisher Airlines soon failed. Now, Sankeshwar has set his eyes once again on the airline venture. VRL investors have punished the stock for his move, but Sankeshwar is defiant. Will the third attempt by a Karnataka business leader in the aviation space be lucky? Only time will tell. Image: the Packaging of the NDA goals is now giving it a new dimension. Photograph, courtesy: Press Information Bureau In the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Arun Jaitley, then contesting from Amritsar and now Union finance minister, had said in an interview to Business Standard: We will roll out the red carpet for industry, replacing the red tape that has been prevalent during the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) regime. That was a defining line for the Bharatiya Janata party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as it came to office. Cut to May 2016 as the government is celebrating two years in power and the narrative has changed. Venkaiah Naidu, minister for urban development and parliamentary affairs, told this newspaper: Our agenda is development for all gareeb (poor), mahila (women), yuva (youth), kisan (farmers) What Jaitley said in 2014 and Naidu two years later arent necessarily contradictory. However, the packaging of the NDA goals is now giving it a new dimension. That has prompted many to think there has been a transition from a business-focused (suit-boot ki sarkar) to a more populist government for the masses. A top former civil servant, now on prominent company boards, said the pro-business image was more to catch the popular imagination after five years of UPA-2, when industry was disillusioned by the so-called policy paralysis. Perhaps, it was more optics than real, he said. No shrewd politician can be genuinely right of the centre. In fact, in the next 20 to 30 years, any government in India is likely to be left of centre. Indeed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who as Gujarat chief minister was considered close to certain business groups and industrialists, has hardly been seen with any Indian business head. His interactions with international business personalities, especially from the world of information technology and start-ups - Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg, Amazons Jeff Bezos, Googles Sundar Pichai, Microsofts Satya Nadella, Apples Tim Cook and so on - are documented. However, Modi is not known to have met big businesses of the country, other than in events where he announced signature schemes like Make In India and the tycoons had queued. Apart from being conscious of his image (a reason why hes comfortable being clicked with international CEOs but not so with Indian industrialists), Modi as PM has also realised that governance at the national level is far more complex than in any state, say political pundits. There are very many effective stakeholders here at the Centre. They could be as diverse as political opposition, bureaucracy, defence forces, diplomats, independent regulators such as the Reserve Bank of India, an analyst pointed out. Also, Modi must have realised that the political configuration and therefore political management is very different at the Centre compared to the states, he added. Even the judiciary is new for him to deal with as PM. So, theres a definite change from being a chief minister to a PM. As for transformation from pro-business to pro-people, people familiar with his CM days believe that coming from Gujarat, industry was known to Modi. So, he was positioned like that. That was a plank, and a signal. Now, hes looking at mass appeal. But, according to Naushad Forbes, president of the Confederation of Indian Industry, its not an either-or issue. While its important for a government not to be close to industry as it might lead to crony-capitalism, it is important for it to be pro-market, he said. Forbes added that theres no disconnect between steps that are pro-market and pro-poor; its a myth that these are opposites. Pro-poor does not have to mean subsidies and giveaways. Rather, it should mean development and opportunities. The discourse should shift from offering subsidy to creating opportunities. Although few in business spoke of any major transformation or transition in the Modi government from 2014 till now, they admit that expectations were very high when the NDA took charge. Now, one is taking a realistic view as many things still need to be done, in areas such as taxation, foreign direct investment rules and ease of doing business, among others, they said. The focus of this government is now almost completely on the social side, a bureaucrat said. No big revival of the economy is likely anytime soon, another reason for the government to pursue social agenda to return to power in 2019. With legislation such as a national goods and services tax nowhere near passage, the social agenda seems to work more than the economic one. Harshavardhan Neotia, president, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry, thinks the government has done a fair bit in policy but theres a long way to go. Also, Yeh dil maange more, always, he said, and added that business had not fully sensed the result of the steps taken by the Modi government because of the moderate rate of growth, huge idle capacity in companies and global slowdown. That will change once the capacity stress in companies improves, theres a good monsoon (after two bad ones) and public investments yield fruit, Neotia felt. The designer suit that Modi wore with his name printed intricately in the pin stripes while doing a joint address with US President Barack Obama last year was something the PM could have avoided, as it gave an impression of this government being the opposite of pro-poor, said onlookers. Even so, Rajiv Kumar, senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, argues several steps this government has taken in the past two years are inclusive but not necessarily populist. He named the Jan Dhan Yojana and direct benefits transfer for cooking gas as examples. The Modi government has not really sacrificed good economics and efficiency to stay in power, Kumar believes. Modi has learnt a lesson or two from the Vajpayee government after all, he added. The India Shining kind of marketing blitz that the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government brought as an election plank in 2004, and which boomeranged, will be kept at a safe distance under Modi, for sure. PM SPEAK On January 30, 2016, at the ET Global Business Summit Does this difference in language reflect a difference in our attitude? Why is any dole for industries called incentive or subvention, while for farmers it is derogatorily called subsidy? On October 2, 2014, at the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission The work is to be done by all Indians. This campaign is for 1.2 billion people and, I repeat, it 1.2 billion times. This work is not only about a prachar abhiyan. It is a big effort but we have a lot of time. At Urja Sangam on March 27, 2015, marking the beginning of the #GiveItUp campaign I had made a small mention about giving up LPG subsidy. As many as 2.80 lakh people have responded positively... and this will lead to a saving of at least Rs 100 crore. This Rs 100 crore can be utilised for the welfare of the poor. On August 15, 2014, during his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort I can promise you. If you work 12 hours, I will work for 13. If you work 14 hours, I will work for 15 hours. why? Because I am not a Pradhan Mantri but a Pradhan Sevak. At Madison Square Garden on September 28, 2014 People ask what is your vision, What is your big vision? I say bhai, I got here by way of selling tea. I am a simple man. I like focusing on simple and small tasks. I want to accomplish big things for the little guy. The company says if the ban on diesel vehicles continues, around 13% of its sales will be hit. With the new ban on diesel vehicles above a certain engine capacity (2,000 cc) in Kerala, on the lines of the earlier one in the National Capital Region, Japanese automobile maker Toyota said it would look at launching a petrol version of its popular Innova brand, and of other products. The company said if the ban continued, 13 per cent of its sales would be hit. Its Innova and Fortuner have taken a hit. The uncertainty might hit capacity utilisation of its Rs 1,000-crore new diesel unit, expected to soon go on stream. Its capacity would be 110,000 units a year, for the domestic market. The company's sales in the NCR (National Capital Region) have already dipped by about eight per cent. On Kerala, the NGT (National Green Tribunal) has said new diesel-run vehicles above 2,000cc should not be registered and those more than 10-year-old should not run in six cities of the state. Akito Tachibana, managing director, Toyoa Kirloskar Motor, told this newspaper on Wednesday diesel was the victim of mistaken perceptions. We need a long-term vision. All of a sudden, our car is banned, after putting so much of investment. We don't have a future if they ban diesel, said Tachibana, noting it takes close to five years to develop a new car. T S Jaishankar, deputy managing director, said government policy lacked a long-term view. If this uncertainty continued, it would be a question mark on the 'Make in India' initiative. Enough time should have been given before taking such steps as a ban, he said. Quite unlike the clear road map for switching to Euro-VI fuel standards, with companies getting time to shift. If diesel is bad, said Jaishankar, why not ban all vehicles operating on it? Why only those above a certain engine capacity? The major hit has been on the Innova and Fortuner. Before the NCR ban in December 2015, sales of the former were 5,800-6,000 units a month; these are now 4,400 a month. Fortuner sales are now 900 units a month, down from 1,600 units due to ban in NCR. However, Toyota Kirloskar welcomes the part of the NGT order on banning diesel vehicles above 10 years of age. Shekar Viswanathan, vice-chairman, said it would improve air quality by getting rid of older and higher polluting vehicles. "At the same time, we respectfully disagree with the order of banning the registration of diesel vehicles above 2,000cc in Kerala...The unintended beneficiaries are those who produce less than 2,000cc vehicles with the same diesel that is said to be polluting." Asked if the company would invest in a petrol engine plant, Jaishankar said it was too early to discuss that. "We are waiting for the apex court's decision. We will take a call after that, he said. Two years of Modis foreign policy can be best remembered for its flip-flops on Pakistan and the PMs blockbuster speeches to delirious non-resident communities and the grand receptions he has received, reports Archis Mohan. In year one of his tenure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi surprised all who had doubted his ability to negotiate the esoteric world of international diplomacy. Modi came across as a conjurer with a bag of tricks, the likes of which were seldom seen from his predecessors, making even his worst critics reassess their opinion of the former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh pracharak. But, foreign policy reverses in year two have given his political rivals an opportunity to point not at the conjurers magic trick but his sleight of hand. In the past two years, Modis visits across the world, including the surprise one to Pakistan, have garnered much social and mainstream media coverage. He has also successfully reached out to the substantial Indian diaspora, particularly the wealthier sections living in Europe and North America. There is, however, little to show in terms of brass-tacks -- whether geopolitically or investment-wise. But, the PM has continued undeterred to beguile with his foreign policy initiatives, the element of surprise being the leitmotif of his foreign policy. His inviting South Asian leaders to his swearing-in ceremony, his subsequent visits to the neighbouring countries, the rapturous reception he received from the Indian diaspora in the US and other countries, the surprise invite to US President Barack Obama to be the chief guest at the Republic Day and the audacious visit to Pakistan in end-December -- all were delivered with the finesse of a master at work. Modi, as he completes two years, has continued to surprise -- this time with his West Asia outreach. His visits to the United Arab Emirates in August, Saudi Arabia in April and to Iran in May, and his forthcoming visit to Qatar have again left foreign policy wonks intrigued. Year three of Modis tenure is likely to see some more surprises -- a historic first visit by an Indian PM to Israel is in the works as is a multi-nation visit to the African continent, including to such countries with significant presence of the Indian diaspora such as South Africa and Kenya. Unfortunately, surprise as a strategy, if employed frequently and in the face of evident reversals, has diminishing returns. In the PMs case, the embarrassment was the terror attack on Pathankot on January 2, barely within a week of his Lahore visit. More so because the PM, if you were to ask him about his favourite world leader, would likely reply without batting an eyelid: Nawaz Sharif. The two men get along famously and Modi will probably be the man most disappointed outside of Pakistan if Sharif were to be deposed in a military coup. Similarly, the PM would name Japan as his favourite country as he finds a resonance of India in the strong Japanese family ties. While the hand of friendship he has proffered to Islamabad has been spurned by that countrys deep state, with Tokyo the promised investments have not materialised. Given that the world economy is on a decline, few investments committed by countries like the UAE, Japan, the US and others during Modis visits reached India. Whats worse is the seeming weakening of Indias geopolitical clout in its immediate neighbourhood. China has added some more to its string of pearls around India. Sri Lanka recently awarded contracts to China, giving Beijing operational control of the Hambantota port. Bangladesh has also awarded key contracts, while Kathmandu has drawn ever closer to Beijing in these past months when Nepal reeled under scarcity because of Madhesi protests. Chinese construction of the Gwadar port and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor continue at a slow but worrisome pace for Delhi. India, meanwhile, has continued to look towards the US and the PMs June visit to Washington could throw more light on how that relationship is likely to shape up once the post-Barack Obama administration comes to hold the reins. Two years of Modis foreign policy can be best remembered for its flip-flops on Pakistan and the PMs blockbuster speeches to delirious non-resident communities and the grand receptions he has received in several countries. But, catering to the PMs vanity has not been easy for Indian diplomats. They have had to walk the extra mile to request foreign governments to go out of their way to make the PMs public engagements a grand success. Hopefully, in year three, the PM will conjure up surprises of a more durable and deliverable nature. Narendra Modi seems to prefer that Hindu strongman image remain tucked in reserve, to only come when called; life's been more complicated, says Aditi Phadnis. Does anyone know what happened to the NaMo mandir in Bhagwanpur village, Kaushambi, near Allahabad, where a deity with a strong Modi likeness was installed in 2014 during the general elections? And, people started coming and praying before it, addressing the statue as Swami Narendra Modi? Originally, by the way, it was a Shiva temple. The practice of devotees offering daily prayers to the deity and also reciting a 'Modi chalisa', besides lighting a lamp (akhand jyoti), kept lit for 125 days to pray for Modi to become prime minister, began in 2014. The whole thing was stopped and shut down when Modi himself apparently stepped in. He has since become prime minister but is yet to visit Ayodhya and the Ram Temple site, although he is called Hindu hriday samrat (thats how UP BJP MLA Sangeet Som referred to him at a public meeting in Muzaffarnagar.) In Faizabad, the workshop created by the Vishva Hindu Parishad in 1989 with a corpus of Rs 2.75 crore collected during the rathyatra and temple tourism found sculptors working diligently to create a Ram Mandir. The interest on the money collected multiplied. With Rs 7.5 crore in the kitty, most of it was spent on materials. In 2007, work in the workshop stopped, to be revived in 2012. Right now, it is on again but in 2014, again, just after Modi became prime minister, the 84-kosi parikrama that the VHP had organised attracted all of 15 people. No BJP member from the state offered to be arrested. Cut to the March 2016 meeting of the partys national executive. It was the height of the Kanhaiya Kumar-nationalism debate and a member of some unknown Hindu group had announced a Rs 1 lakh bounty on Kumar's head. "Will someone please ask this gentleman if he even has Rs 1 lakh in his savings account," Modi acerbically asked at the meet, letting them know he was well aware of such routes to political notoriety and what he thought of those opting for this. This much has to be said -- in the two years since he became PM, Modi has never publicly endorsed any brand of Hindutva. His politics has been about development and nationalism. You could argue that he should have taken the opportunity to apologise for the Gujarat riots of 2002 or had the 2007 Mecca Masjid bombing (in which several Muslims boys were arrested by a Congress government, but acquitted many years later because no evidence was found against them) re-investigated. Or asked that the 2008 Malegaon bomb blasts to be reinvestigated, as with the acquittal of Pragya Thakur and others charged with conspiring, effectively it is as if no one was responsible for these. On the other hand, his party and affiliated organisations have been pushing the Hindu agenda where they have got a chance. Cow protection, otherwise a non-issue, is now cause celebre. Emboldened by 'hamari sarkar', small Hindutva outfits have sprung up. Encroachment on public land to set up temples is now unchecked, and permission to Art of Living to hold a convention is the benchmark of the new permissiveness of the government to Hindu groups. Minister of state for External Affairs V K Singh has sought the renaming of Akbar Road as Maharana Pratap Marg and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma has said the Gita and Ramayana were ideal books because they taught moral values, while the Bible and Quran were purely religious books. This suggests a deep identity crisis which demands repeated reassertion of Hindu identity. Modi and some of his senior ministers are, on the other hand, emphasising on building roads, providing power and better railway lines, asserting that these have no religion. Several leaders of the Bihar unit of the BJP, in hindsight, say it was party president Amit Shahs campaign statement that if the 'BJP loses Bihar, it will be Diwali in Pakistan' which cost them the election. It was a salutary lesson and statements of this nature were not repeated in elections to the five legislative assemblies just gone by. That's the tension. The Modi who stands before us would like us to forget how he was the one to insist Jaswant Singh be thrown out of the party for his book about Jinnah, and just carry on with the task of governing. But, everyone around him can't forget he is the Hindu hridaya samrat! 'Obama's visit to Hiroshima must generate a fresh debate in the international community about how to reduce the salience of nuclear weapons in international politics and how to disarm the world from these monstrous weapons forever,' says Sanjeev Shrivastav. IMAGE: US President Barack Obama arrives at the Chubu Centrair International airport in Tokoname, Japan. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters United States President Barack Obama's visit to Hiroshima on May 27 is of immense historic value as well as of great importance for contemporary times and the future. He is the first US President who will visit Hiroshima, nearly 71 years after the city was obliterated by an American nuclear bomb. Soon after assuming the office of President, Obama showed his commitment to nuclear disarmament when he delivered a speech in Prague on April 5, 2009 (external link). It was not a surprise that after this speech, Obama was chosen for the Nobel Peace Prize. In his Prague speech, Obama stated, 'And as a nuclear power, as the only nuclear power to have used a nuclear weapon, the United States has a moral responsibility to act. We cannot succeed in this endeavour alone, but we can lead it, we can start it. So today, I state clearly and with conviction America's commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.' The Nobel committee took note of Obama's noble intentions for nuclear disarmament as well and while conferring on him the Peace Prize, the committee stated, 'The committee has attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons....The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations.' Obama had wanted to visit Hiroshima during his presidency, a visit which is now taking place in his final months in office. Obama's visit highlights the fact that even the United States, the only nation which has used nuclear weapons in war, realises the futility of these monstrous weapons. A devil's advocate may argue that the use of nuclear weapons delivered the ultimate blow to the Japanese war effort, ending World War II. What these weapons achieved was instant massive devastation of thousands of people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and thereafter, a constant existential fear of such a war which could lead to the extinction of humankind itself. Nuclear weapons were not used in a war just once, but twice. First, in 1945, in Hiroshima on August 6. Even after witnessing the massive devastation and mass destruction caused by this monstrous weapon, the Americans used it again in Nagasaki three days later, on August 9, which raises the apprehension and fear that it can be used again. In this regard, President Obama's visit to Hiroshima is a great symbolic gesture which would help mitigate such apprehensions and fears as well as strengthen a regime of deep trust and understanding aimed at ensuring that these weapons of mass destruction shall never ever be used again. The May 27 visit will certainly add to President Obama's legacy and he will go down in history as a leader who remained committed and strived for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament from the very beginning till the end of his presidency. During his first term, Obama negotiated a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (external link) with Russia in April 2010, started the Nuclear Security Summit process in 2010, which was aimed at addressing the danger of nuclear terrorism by way of securing and minimising nuclear material, upgrading cooperation in the international community to check and prevent nuclear material from illegally falling into the hands of terrorists as well as strengthen the nuclear security system globally. During his second term, Obama made greater efforts for a nuclear deal with Iran, which was signed in July 2015 between Iran and the P5+1 nations (the US, the United Kingdom, China, Russia, France and Germany). This historic agreement will immensely help in reducing the nuclear arms race in the Middle East and indeed around the world as well as strengthen the global regime for nuclear security. Obama's visit to Hiroshima boldly reiterates the fact that nuclear weapons are not weapons of war. Obama's visit to Hiroshima must generate a fresh debate in the international community about how to reduce the salience of nuclear weapons in international politics and how to disarm the world from these monstrous weapons forever. It is essential to note that nuclear disarmament is not possible by one single nation alone. It must necessarily be a global effort. A single nation will not give up its nuclear weapons at the cost of its own security. Obama's nuclear weapons modernisation programme of $1 trillion in 30 years -- which is the largest programme in history -- should be viewed with this perspective. Unilateral efforts will not succeed. Nuclear arms control and disarmament efforts can only succeed if these are global and collective involving all nations and civil societies around the globe. The international community must strive hard to ensure that nuclear weapons never fall into the hands of terrorists and also how to secure these weapons when it is in the hands of unstable and rogue regimes like North Korea. The Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, DC on March 31 and April 1 was called the 'final summit'. This visionary process Obama initiated must continue even after he leaves office because the threats related to nuclear weapons and material remains. The Nuclear Security Summit's recommendations must be vigorously followed. The implementation needs to be regularly monitored and the progress reviewed constantly. A global regime of concern and trust for nuclear arms control and disarmament must constantly be developed and nurtured. President Obama's visit to Hiroshima will greatly help nurture such a regime. Sanjeev Shrivastav is a researcher at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi. An American drone killed Taliban chief Maulana Akhtar over the weekend. Rajeev Sharma examines what his death means for various stakeholders in the region. Taliban chief Maulana Akhtar Mansour's death in an American drone strike in Balochistan last Saturday, May 21, has enormous strategic implications for multiple State and non-State actors in the region. From New Delhi's viewpoint it is good news for India. Let's see what it means for different actors: The Taliban It's not easy to have the world's sole superpower as your enemy number one. The Afghan Taliban, which is the original Taliban and once led by the feared Mullah Omar, has done precisely that. The US put the Taliban on notice by launching a drone attack on Mansour's car in Balochistan while he was returning to Quetta from Iran by road. Balochistan had been a no go territory for American drones. This is the first time that the Americans launched a drone attack in Balochistan. It demonstrates a significant shift in US strategy and also American resolve to take on the Afghan Taliban anywhere in Pakistan. Significantly, this is the first time since Osama bin Laden's killing five years ago that the Americans have conducted a military strike to eliminate the top man of a major terror outfit. Mansour's death may lead to closer cooperation among various Taliban groups, if not reunification. Iran The Mansour episode confirms how deeply involved Iran is in the activities of non-State actors in the AfPak region. Mansour, an Afghan national with a Pakistani passport, was a frequent visitor to Iran. His assassination strengthens Iran's geopolitical leverage for all players in the AfPak region and offers yet another compelling reason for India to have closer political ties with Iran. Iranian spy agencies must be loaded with vital real time intelligence on Pakistan-based terror outfits. Russia The simple thumb rule in today's geopolitics is that wherever Iran is involved in a big way, Russia too is on board given the close ties between Tehran and Moscow. Mansour is known to have travelled to Russia several times. Russia -- which in its earlier incarnation, the Soviet Union, suffered the humiliation of having to withdraw its military from Afghanistan in 1988, nine years after it invaded the country -- is an avid follower of cloak-and-dagger games in the AfPak region. This is one reason why Russia's political relations with Pakistan have improved in recemt years. Pakistan The Mansour episode marks yet another low in US-Pakistan relations. By launching an unprecedented drone attack in Balochistan, the US has shown that its patience is wearing thin with Pakistan over Islamabad's various sins of omission and commission on the terror issue. Like it did when it struck against bin Laden in the heart of Pakistan in May 2011, this time too the Americans did not take the Pakistanis into confidence. Islamabad's deep anger with Washington was reflected in the fact that Pakistan's powerful army chief General Raheel Sharif -- and not Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif -- met US Ambassador David Hale to convey Pakistan's views about the Americans crossing the 'red line' yet again. Needless to say, the Americans will remain unflinching despite Pakistani remonstrations at the highest level. India Mansour's death and US-Pakistan relations will inevitably come up during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's discussions with US President Barack Obama in Washington on June 7. The anticipated spike in bloody violence in Pakistan in the aftermath of Mansour's killing will keep Pakistan engaged with its own affairs, leaving little time to plot terrorist activities against India. Rajeev Sharma, an independent journalist and strategic analyst, tweets @Kishkindha A ship operated by cash-strapped Hanjin Shipping has been impounded by the owner due to unpaid charter fees. Hanjin on Wednesday the bulk vessel was detained in South Africa on Tuesday and talks with the owner are underway. The vessel is a 82,158 DWT bulker called Hanjin Paradip, which has been used to transport grain and minerals. But the company's severe liquidity shortage has prevented it from paying the charter for months. The owner asked a South African court to impound the ship. One shipping industry insider said, "Until Hanjin pays the back fees, there is little chance of the ship being allowed to sail. Other ship owners may also seek to detain or impound ships operated by Hanjin." Hanjin operates 95 container ships and 56 bulk carriers, 91 of them chartered from foreign owners. A Hanjin staffer said, "This happened because we have yet to receive the money raised by selling ships and equity. We should be able to resolve the problem in negotiations." When Hanjin fell into the hands of its creditors last month, it announced plans to raise W410 billion by selling off assets (US$1=W1,184). But it is still having problems raising money. It takes time for the paperwork to be completed and the money to arrive in Hanjins accounts, and in the meantime the company does not even have enough money for its daily operations. An industry insider pointed out that Canadian ship owner Seaspan and others have already refused to reduce Hanjin's charter fees, "so talks with other vessel owners will not be easy." 'Make sure your public hospitals work.' 'Don't allow people to go shopping for expensive services; provide them yourself as the government and then charge them very little or nothing at all.' Jeffrey Hammer, professor at the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University and someone who worked for 25 years at the World Bank, has been working on public health issues in various developing countries for several decades. In 2004, he authored the World Development Report on 'Making Services Work For Poor People.' Professor Hammer was in India recently and spoke to Anjuli Bhargava on what he thinks is wrong with the way the Indian government is approaching public health and what is the way ahead. Tell me a little bit about your research and what you think is wrong with the way the Indian government is handling public health. When I first started working on these issues in the Indian context, I was struck by how little attention was being paid to the provision of basic public goods like water, sanitation, pest control, draining of swamps, getting rid of mosquito, sewage systems -- issues that most developed countries addressed back in the 19th century. I first worked on health in India in 1997 (as part of my World Bank job). I could see the sewage systems or rather the lack of them, the challenges of providing clean, safe water, et cetera. These are some problems that the government really needs to tackle. If the government doesn't do it, it doesn't get done at all. The second one is the health insurance market. Most rich countries have had to deal with managing the insurance system for their citizens for expensive treatment requiring hospitalisation. In India, treatment is expensive. Most people can't afford it. You don't save for hospitalisation. That's what insurance is for. In most countries, they make sure that the insurance function is handled by the State. You may have private practitioners providing care, but the government runs and manages the insurance system. This is one of the things that the government really has to do. The rhetoric in the health sector in India was always about universal primary health care. In India (1995 NSS) shows that the private sector has been providing almost 80 per cent of this. Good or bad, it is there and has been doing it. After 10 years of the National Rural Health Mission, the private sector still forms 80 per cent of the total universal primary health care. But here the government -- both rhetoric and resources -- seem focused on this -- which the private sector can well do -- and they seem to be ignoring what the government absolutely has to do. So, the government is doing the things it doesn't absolutely have to do and ignoring the essentials. When did the US system begin to go wrong? People here feel that India is heading the same way. I'm not an expert on the US system, but our problem arose with the whole third party payment problem. When someone else is paying the bill for hospitalisation, there is no incentive for the doctor or the patient to keep costs low. The costs are passed on to the insurance company. And, now there are a lot of vested interests in keeping the system the way it is. It is now costing us 18 per cent of the GDP -- according to latest estimates -- whereas in most countries it is half that amount. So, we are paying for it, but it is not clear that anyone is really paying attention on keeping the costs down. The government in India has not really been expanding or investing in public or district hospitals. How do you view this? That's exactly the opposite of what should happen. It is focusing on the relatively cheap things -- say a doctor visit for an infection -- which even the poor can pay for to some extent, but they can't conceivably pay for a hospital stay. One hospital stay can drive them deep into debt. Hospitals episodes drive people into desperate straits, not a common infection or a fever. But here in India the authorities keep arguing that universal primary care is the most important thing for developing countries -- a bit like a stuck record. Often, government officials are sceptical when they get advice that runs contrary to what they believe, dismissing it as rhetoric of a certain interest group. It doesn't get taken as seriously. What ought to be the way ahead in India? What more does the government need to do? Either the government needs to deal with insurance or it should work out an insurance scheme where a doctor can bill the government directly. This carries a risk of insurance fraud. The alternative might be to make sure your public hospitals work. Don't allow people to go shopping for expensive services; provide them yourself as the government and then charge them very little or nothing at all. Ensure that the government hospital system works well -- don't go by just institutions like AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital -- but at a district level. At the district level, you may often find doctors missing or not up to the mark or unwilling to work because there is no accountability. Failure to perform means that the doctor may get reassigned to another district or village -- that's all. I also think this is partly a long-term consequence of focusing so much on primary health care. Any additional resources the government has should be spent on preventing the spread of diseases by providing better sanitation -- this could help more than sending doctors anywhere. The government needs to spend on a wider and working public hospital system and on the financial protection for the poor. The focus needs to shift totally. It may be better to withdraw a bit from primary health care and focus on ensuring that hospitals work. IMAGE: People gather at the chemical manufacturing unit of Herbert Brown Pharmaceutical and Research Laboratories in Dombivili (East), Thane after a cylinder explosion on Thursday. All Photographs: Sahil Salvi/Rediff.com At least five workers were killed and 140 others injured when a massive blast ripped through an industrial unit in Dombivli township of the district near Thane on Thursday, the police said. The mishap occurred at about 11.30 am when cylinders exploded triggering a blaze in the chemical manufacturing unit of Probace Enterprises at Shivaji Udyog Nagar of MIDC phase-II area in Dombivli (east). Such was the intensity of the blast that the shock wave generated by it shattered window panes of adjoining buildings and shocked people were seen running helter-skelter, an eye-witness said. IMAGE: Rescuers give preliminary treatment to cattle injured in the mishap . "The death toll stood at five and the number of injured is 140," said District Disaster Control Officer Dinesh Kurhade. Meanwhile, clarifying the name of the company, the district publicity department tonight stated in a release that the correct name of the firm is "Probace Enterprises" and not "Herbert Brown Pharmaceutical and Research Laboratories (a unit of the Acharya Chemicals) as it had stated earlier. Probace Enterprises mainly deals in hazardous chemicals. Due to the explosion, roof of some of the houses in the vicinity flew away while some huts were damaged. The explosion has created a big crater at the site. Among the injured are those who were hit by flying glass shards. District Collector Mahendra Kalyankar said a huge operation was underway for clearing the debris whereas the injured people were admitted in local hospitals. He said National Disaster Relief Force personnel were also involved in the rescue operation, along with fire brigade and the police. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited the blast site and also the hospital where some of the injured are admitted. IMAGE: Thane Joint Police Commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre said rescue operations were on as some more persons could be trapped in the debris. Over a dozen firefighters from Thane, Kalyan, Ambernath, Ulhasnagar, Badlapur and Navi Mumbai were rushed to the spot to extinguish the flames. Police said the rescue team was facing a tough task in clearing the debris as chemical barrels and drums were lying buried under it. The district collector is likely to hold a meeting with the Directorate of Industrial Safety, police, MIDC, and Kalyan Dombivili Municipal Corporation officials to find out if safety norms were followed by the chemical unit. Thane District Regional Disaster Management Cell in-charge Santosh Kadam said the rescue operations were affected because of the fire and it was not immediately known how many persons were trapped inside. At least 15 ambulances were rushed to the site, he added. IMAGE: The intensity of the blast was so high that window panes in adjoining buildings were shattered and shocked people were seen running helter-skelter, an eyewitness said. "The state government will bear all the expenses for their medical treatment," he said, adding that an in-depth enquiry will be conducted into the incident. Fadnavis said, "this is a serious and major incident whose impact was felt in a long distance. The government would conduct a detailed inquiry". Industries Minister Subash Desai said the chemical units in the belt would be kept shut for eight days from Friday. Thane Joint Police Commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre said rescue operations were still on. The impact of the explosion was felt in an area of around five kilometres in which many vehicles were damaged. Over a dozen firefighters from Thane, Kalyan, Ambernath, Ulhasnagar, Badlapur and Navi Mumbai were rushed to the spot to extinguish the flames. After initial reluctance in the wake of killing of a Congolese youth, African envoys on Thursday attended a government-hosted Africa Day event here even as some of them talked about "barbaric attacks" and "racism" against their nationals. At the event, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh denied that the attack on the Congolese Masonda Ketada Oliver was a racial one and hoped that such incidents will not ecur. The envoys, who had earlier threatened to keep away from the event organised by Indian Council for Cultural Relations, were persuaded on Wednesday by Singh as he assured safety and security of African nationals in India. Meanwhile, there was a backlash against Indians in Congo's capital Kinshasa where their establishments and shops were attacked. MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said a Note Verbale was issued to Congo's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Speaking at the event, Sola Enikanolaiye, acting high commissioner of Nigeria, said, "Racism against black Africans in India is a major concern. Ugly incidents like what we consider barbaric attacks on Africans, murder in cold blood have met with outrage. "Recent incidents in Bangalore, Hyderabad and in Delhi last week and several such incidents in last three years, counting Goa, has given cause for a very serious concern." He said ideas of brotherhood and friendship will remain "hollow" if Africans don't feel safe in India. Earlier, speaking to reporters, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said the incident had an impact on ties. "Certainly, I will not deny.... The fact that African HoMs (heads of missions) were forced to issue a statement shows that there was depth of concern on their part," he said. At the same time, he said, the government had proved its credentials by taking steps immediately.He said government will continuously monitor the situation besides putting in place a regular interaction mechanism for African HoMs with the Indian foreign ministry leadership so that any issue that may come up in future can be nipped in the bud. Oliver was beaten to death last week in Vasant Kunj area of South Delhi following a brawl over hiring of an autorickshaw. Outraged over the killing, the African envoys had issued a statement on Wednesday, demanding concrete steps against "racism and Afro-phobia". The Africa Day celebration was attended by envoys and representatives of around 30 African countries. Swarup said it would be unfortunate that a few isolated cases are generalised to portray a climate of insecurity for African students. "It is also not right to characterise criminal acts as being racially motivated. As is clear from the CCTV footage of the attack on Oliver by some goons, some Indian bystanders tried to protect Oliver but they in turn were also thrashed by the same goons. "I would like to reiterate that India remains open to our brothers and sisters from Africa and there should no cause for concern," he said adding, "the relationship must be preserved and we should not be deterred by any such unfortunate incident." Speaking at the event, Singh said Government of India condemned the heinous crime adding it was not racial and premeditated. "Immediate action was taken. Two people were nabbed, one is on the run and the police has assured us that he will be nabbed soon. The Lt Governor has assured us that he is going to press for daily hearings so that we can pursue the case as fast as possible. "We do not look at these incidents as something which can be forgotten. We want to look at it as an incident that sternly needs to be taken note of and acted upon," said Singh. Enikanolaiye said, "The authorities need to take a more proactive step for speedy justice and take concrete action to prosecute and ensure that those responsible are punished." "The police also needs to respond in a timely manner because in all the reports we get that when police is called after some of these incidents, they respond very often after the damage has been done," he said. He also pitched for relaxing visa norms for African students. "There is a need to grant visas of long duration to African students. Currently even the visas for four-year programme are limited for six months. As a result they keep going to the FRO office, which takes so much of their time and energy," he said. IMAGE: Mos for External Affairs V K Singh meets with African Heads of Mission during the Africa Day Celebration at ICCR in New Delhi on Thursday. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Attacking the Centre, Kerala on Thursday blamed its wrong response for the Supreme Courts decision to relax the bail conditions of one of the two Italian marines accused of killing two fishermen off Kerala coast in 2012. A big foul play had been done by the Centre right from the beginning in the case, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram. Vijayan was reacting to the apex courts decision to relax the bail conditions of Salvatore Girone, one of the two Italian marines accused of killing two Kerala fishermen off the state's coast in 2012 and permit him to leave for Italy till an International Arbitral Tribunal decides the jurisdictional issue between the two countries. The other marine Massimiliano Latorre is already in Italy on health grounds and his stay there was recently extended by the apex court till September 30 this year. It is here that the examination and trial has to be held. But a big foul play has been held in this case right from the beginning by the Centre. We were against the Centres approach before also and we had strongly criticised it, Vijayan said. It is the wrong response of the central government that led to the court passing this order. That is what I understand, he said. The marines, who were on board ship Enrica Lexie, are accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast on February 15, 2012. Donald Trump on Thursday reached the magic number of 1,237 delegates, making the real estate mogul the sole claimant to be the Republican party's presidential nominee for the November polls. RealClearPolitics.com, which keeps an unofficial count of state wise delegates, on Thursday said Trump now has the support of 1,238 delegates, one more than the half way mark of 1,237 to become nominee of the Republican party for the November general elections. Trump, 69, who joined politics less than a year ago, is the sole Republican left in the race to the White House which was crowded with as many as 17 candidates at the start of the year. The billionaire would be officially anointed as the GOP presidential nominee at its four yearly convention at Cleveland in July. Trump in his controversial speeches that dominated media headlines called Mexicans "rapists," vowed to construct a wall between the US and Mexico and impose a temporary ban on Muslim immigrants. Trump and his potential Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state, are currently in a virtual tie according to most of the latest national polls. Clinton has yet to clinch the nomination. She is facing a tough opposition from Senator Bernie Sanders from Vermont. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party today announced to launch a "Stop Trump Fund" to prevent him from becoming the President of the US. Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in Jupiter, Florida. Joe Skipper/Reuters IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the BJP's Vikas Parv rally to celebrate two years of the NDA rule at the Centre, in Saharanpur on Thursday. Photograph: PTI Photo Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asserted that a mood of development and hope pervaded the country replacing hopelessness that prevailed under the United Progressive Alliance rule as he pitched his government as one dedicated to the poor and farmers which prevented the loot of public money. Addressing the first of his four public rallies here in Uttar Pradesh, which will have assembly polls next year, to mark the second anniversary of his government, Modi reached out to the electorate, calling himself a UP wala who cared for the farmers. He said his government had taken a series of measures to help repay the dues of sugarcane farmers, a politically important constituency in the region, while other governments were not concerned about them. Recalling that in his address after he was elected the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance following the Lok Sabha win he had promised his government would be dedicated to the poor, Modi said every decision he had taken ever since was in that direction. If you look at my work of two years, you will see one decision after the other was taken to empower the poor to fight poverty, to strengthen the poor against poverty so that they could defeat it. No poor man wants to bequeath poverty to his children. I have always tried to work for the common man, he said. Development, he said, was the solution to all problems and all other talk was meant to win elections and cater to vote bank politics. With the NDA dispensation facing criticism over alleged intolerance, Modi said his governments conscience was clear and it wanted to develop all sections of society. Citing Swachh Bharat initiative, Mudra loan scheme, Prime Minister crop insurance scheme, free liquefied petroleum gas connections to poor and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign, he said these programmes were meant to serve everybody, irrespective of caste and religion, while schemes launched earlier were made keeping in mind castes and vote banks. Without naming the UPA government, he attacked it over alleged corruption and flagged his governments honest credentials. How much money was looted? Now I am in government and I am shocked over it as whether people are given chair to loot public money. I had pledged to stop this. I want to ask you have you ever heard any news that the Modi government had pocketed money? Have even our rivals levelled such allegations? Two years ago nobody had the courage to give their report card to lakhs of people like this, he said. That is why, Modi said, his government was observing vikas parv (festival of development) and all his ministers would travel across the country to give to the people an account of their work. Asserting that India was growing at the fastest rate, Modi said only two years ago many thought the country had sunk. They would say India has sunk and things cannot change. There was a mood of hopelessness while there is enthusiasm today. Earlier there was a mood of unease, now it is about moving forward, he said. Speaking about the ongoing electrification of over 18000 villages, Modi said media highlights any gap in the claims made by his government and added he welcomed criticism. Over 7,000 villages have received power and UP had the largest share, he said. Attacking previous governments for making LPG connections a thing for the rich, Modi said his government had distributed it among the three crore poor families and five crore more will be covered in the next three years. The Prime Minister noted over one crore families had given up LPG subsidy at his call. In the last 60 years, the work for womens empowerment like this has never happened, he said noting that health of poor women suffered due to burning of wood as fuel. Claiming his government had shown how the poor can be empowered, Modi said over Rs 1.25 lakh crore was distributed among 3.25 crore such families under the Mudra loan scheme. He told the gathering that being an MP from UP he was a UP wala (from UP) and wanted to seek their blessings as he recalled it was around this time two years ago that his government had taken oath. As the Pradhan Sewak, a term he has often used for himself, Modi said he is giving an account of his work to people. Modi said the ratio of divisible resources between Centre and the states earlier was 65:35 which his government changed and now 65 per cent of the share was going to the states. Over Rs 2 lakh crore was given to panchayats, Modi said, underlining his government's commitment to development of states and villages. When he had taken over the reins, the dues of sugarcane farmers ran up to Rs 14000 crore, which had come down to about Rs 700-800 crore now due to measures taken by his government, Modi said and warned the sugar mill owners against treating the farmers the way they did in the past. We have taken a pledge that when the country celebrates 75 years of independence in 2022, we will double the income of farmers through implementation of various policies," he said and listed a host of schemes launched for their benefit like soil health card and crop insurance. Modi also called for judicious use of water, saying adequate amount of it will help farmers against all odds. I request you to save as much water as you can, he said. Modi is expected to address three more rallies in different parts of the country in the coming days. When it came to dealing with the media and academia, it has been a roller coaster ride for the National Democratic Alliance, observes Nitin Sethi. These two years have been about the Bharatiya Janata Partys civil society versus the others. Entrenching the first in the heart of policy making and atmosphere-building eco-systems has gone hand-in-hand with controlling the dissent of others. The attempt has been to redraw the governments engagement with civil society and also recast the latter. Think tanks seen linked with the BJP, such as the Vivekananda International Foundation, India Foundation and Council on Energy Environment and Water, have finally arrived in Lutyens Delhi. Associations of NRI friends got occasions to showcase their adulation for Prime Minister Modi and get it beamed back to build an atmosphere. Civil society in India has always had several hues -- think tanks, funding-based non-government organisations, state-supported last-mile service delivery shops, mass-based local groups linked by ideology and individual intellectuals. In these two years, the BJP has given greater bandwidth to two other hues. One, social media-propelled shrill celebrity endorsers carving their niche in public conversations. Second, the enterprising spiritual-religious endorsers, with their legions of devotees. Of course, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sanghs numerous affiliates have expectedly been rendered central to public conversations as well. At the same time, the others civil society, the left-liberal, has suffered a chilling effect. The administration has harped on due process, while stories on tax and Foreign Contribution Regulation Act notices against them have drawn attention. An attempt has been made to label public display of dissent against government policy and practice as anti-national. The previous government would do no better at times but was contained by internal arguments. The BJP leadership, on the other hand, still acting as the invader breaching the bastions, has so far found no good reason to be contrite about it. Academia If an unfortunate but marquee event was to highlight the two years of the National Democratic Alliance government and how academia fared under it, the tragic suicide of Rohith Vemula would be it. The incident turned into a full-fledged political battle, with the opposition parties coalescing around the emerging Dalit political aspirations, cornering the NDA. The campus ignited and before one knew, the right-winged had stoked up a counter-debate centred at the Left bastion of JawaharlalNehruUniversity, anchored in a jingoistic nationalists versus others debate. As Kanhaiya Kumar and others got targeted with a heavy-handed state action and subsequent attack in the courts, the trench fighting reached its jingoistic worst and the NDA government engaged furiously on it. Venkaiah Naidu, senior minister, pitched the argument for the party: Congress and Left parties were trying to hijack public discourse and create social unrest and dissension at a time when the government was straining every sinew to make the economy vibrant and bring it out of the deep morass created by the decade-long scam-tainted UPA rule. A positioning that helped the BJP drive the discourse away from the question of Dalit politics. The flashpoints between some academic hubs that stereotypically are seen leaning Left and the government became so heated by the end of two years that casual memory would forget the scuffles NDA had, say, at the Film and Television Institute of India or the general abrasive relations between some academicians at the helm in academic institutions and combative Human Resource Development minister Smriti Irani. Or, for that matter, the expected traces of the government mainstreaming RSS-supported ideas and individuals into academics. In this rather heated and rapidly deteriorating milieu, one could tend to forget the return of awards by writers, initially spurred by the murder of rationalist and academic M M Kalburgi, and largely against what these writers termed as intolerance. But, for the BJP, returning to power after a long period out of government, the friction with segments of academia could also be seen as its wrestling with what Finance Minister Arun Jaitley recently described as one of the last bastions of the Left. He said one couldnt grudge their remaining presence in the academics, the NGOs and the media. The NDA government has displayed a different and less accommodating tack though. Media Once in power, the National Democratic Alliance government quickly sprouted routes for one-way communication with the mainstream media. There was a blast of dazzling announcements, well-orchestrated events and synchronised social media storms. This happened in parallel with a more restrictive direct media engagement with officials and ministers. The government tried to bypass the traditional media and reach the public directly, such as the prime ministers un-moderated Mann ki Baat. Media readjusted as its informal access routes dwindled and the controlled, intensive and uniform messaging drive of NDA took root, a sharp contrast to the cacophony of UPA days. The antagonism occasionally flared, such as when V K Singh gave currency to the coinage presstitutes. An undercurrent of the antagonism prevailed as journalists, especially women, perceived as anti-BJP got viciously trolled on social media. It has been possible to let this remain unchecked by blaming the social behaviour which the anonymity of social media provides anyway. Labelling a section of critical mainstream journalists as pro or anti-government became a public affair. At times, the ugliness came into the real world as when a Rajdeep Sardesai was heckled at the prime ministers function or a Siddharth Varadarajan held hostage by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad cadres at AllahabadUniversity. A greater impunity was at display when journalists got randomly beaten and harassed by hoodlums in Delhi when covering the Kanhaiya case in court. The debate about intolerance, love jihad and other such socially-polarising features of the past two years has further bruised the already nebulous relations between the two pillars of democracy. All through, the government has also enjoyed almost undiluted support from some quarters of the media. To misuse the oft-ridiculed post-riot statement from police authorities, in the two years the relations have been tense but under control. MARQUEE INCIDENTS AND EVENTS >> Intelligence reports termed select NGO activities as anti-national >> Greenpeace employee offloaded at airport; NGOs registration suspended after notices and investigations >> Face-off over Ford Foundations status in India >> Rise of celebrity civil actors and religious-spiritual enterpreneurial leaders >> V K Singh calls sections of media presstitutes >> Journalists covering Kanhaiya Kumar case in Delhi beaten by hoodlums with no consequent legal action >> Government limits informal access of journalists and simple propagation of information increases >> Rohith Vemulas suicide snowballs into a controversy over rightwing capturing a varisity politically >> Jingoistic anti-nationalism debate at JNU after Rohith Vemulas death >> Murder of M M Kalburgi >> Award wapsi by select academics over intolerance >> Vicious attacks on select critical journalists on social media, especially women -- With inputs from Akash Kumar Pakistan on Thursday confirmed the death of Mullah Akhtar Mansour, left, five days after the Taliban chief was killed in a United States drone strike in its troubled Balochistan province while travelling under a false name and fake ID card. "All indicators confirm that the person killed in the drone strike was Mullah Akhtar Mansour who was travelling on a fake identity. The DNA test result will be available shortly, the prime ministers advisor Sartaj Aziz said at a briefing. Mansour, in his mid 50s, was targeted by a drone operated by the US special forces in Balochistans Noshki district on May 21 when he headed towards Quetta in a rented car. Aziz said they are also waiting for the DNA test report. The body will not be handed over till we get the DNA report, he said. Pakistan was earlier reluctant to confirm Mullah Mansours killing. On Tuesday, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had said that the body recovered on Pakistani soil, near the Afghan border, was charred beyond recognition. Aziz said that the drone action was a violation of Pakistans sovereignty as well as breach of the principles of the UN Charter governing the conduct of the states. We have conveyed our serious concern to the United States on this issue, Aziz said. Pakistans confirmation came a day after Afghan Taliban on Wednesday announced the death of Mullah Mansour and appointed Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada as the groups new chief. Pakistan has long been accused by both Afghanistan and the US of providing shelter and support to some Taliban leaders. Aziz said that the death of Mansour has added to the complexity of the Afghan conflict. We believe that this action has undermined the Afghan peace process, he said. He said just before the attack, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the US and China had agreed in a meeting on May 18 that politically negotiated settlement was the most viable option. This understanding has not been respected, he said. Earlier in July 2015, peace talks were scuttled at a key stage when the issue of reduction in violence was to be discussed and in less than a year, peace process has been scuttled twice, he said. In our view there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. The use of force for the past 15 years has failed to deliver peace, he said. He said this approach will further destabilise Afghanistan, which will have negative implications for the region, especially due to the presence of large number of terrorist groups in the war-torn country. Aziz said Pakistan believes that politically negotiated settlement remains the most viable option for bringing lasting peace to Afghanistan as the military approach has been tried for 15 years and could not achieve the objective. Pakistan has signed a deal with Italy-based aerospace giant Leonardo-Finmeccanica for purchasing an undisclosed number of helicopters for search and rescue operations. The contract for the AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters was signed in Islamabad in the presence of Italy's Ambassador to Pakistan Stefano Pontecorvo, the company said in a statement. The Express Tribune reported that the contract is part of a fleet renewal programme spread over several batches and includes a logistic support and training packages. Deliveries of the AW139 helicopters, which will be used for search and rescue duties, are expected to begin in 2017. Pakistan already operates 11 AW139 helicopters, five of which are used by the government for civil protection and transport tasks. The AW139 is a 15-seat medium-sized twin-engined helicopter used by some 38 countries in a variety of roles such as law enforcement, search and rescue, emergency medical services, disaster relief, maritime patrol and fire-fighting. The aircraft has a service ceiling of around 20,000 feet which allows it to be used for high-altitude rescues. The Italian major is currently facing a barrage of negative publicity in India, where it has been accused of bribing politically powerful leaders in the former United Progressive Alliance government, to bag an order for a dozen VVIP helicopters. Though India is yet to blacklist Finmeccanica, the parent of AgustaWestland, the ministry of defence has, however, initiated the process by sending all the documents obtained by it on the Rs 3,600-crore VVIP chopper scam for legal vetting. The blacklisting process has now started because the Italian court has clearly declared that there is a crime, and a bribe has been given. So, there are enough documents with us and we have sent the file for legal vetting on the decision, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told media persons. Photograph courtesy: Jbarcena/Wikimedia Commons 'We have petitioned the district collector and MEA to put pressure on the Saudis for compensation, but nothing has happened.' A Ganesh Nadar/Rediff.com travels to Vellore to report on the plight of Kasthuri Munirathinam, who lost an arm while working in Saudi Arabia. It has been eight months since she returned from Saudi Arabia and life has only gotten worse for Kasthuri Munirathinam. Back minus an arm, she lives in her daughter's home in Mungileri village, 130 km from Chennai, where things seem bleaker than they had been. She had been a year away from retirement when she decided to go to Saudi Arabia and work as a house maid. A washerman's wife in the neighbouring village had taken up a job in Dubai, and that family showed visible material benefits. This inspired Kasthuri to give it a shot even though no one from her village worked anywhere in the Middle East. She had borrowed heavily to get her two daughters married off, the debt weighed on her, and the family had no house of their own. Her husband is an invalid, and both her sons-in-law are, well, unemployable. Considering all this, it made sense for the Class 9 pass Kasthuri to take up a job abroad and pay off all her debts. "I had no house and lots of debts, so I decided to go to the Middle East," she says. "I had a passport. I had got it made many years ago to go to Malaysia to attend a marriage. The agent told me he would get me a two-year working visa, but it was actually a three-month tourist visa. He told me he would send me to Dubai, but sent me to Saudi Arabia instead." Mungileri in Tamil Nadu's Vellore district is a village dotted with small houses. There are no large houses to be seen here, only a huge factory at the entrance to the village. Kasthuri felt the money she earned abroad could help the family build a house and live with dignity. So she went to Saudi Arabia last year and after working there for two months realised that what she had hoped would be a dream was in fact a nightmare. "I did not like my employer," she recalls. "They were abusive and did not even give me enough to eat. I tried to talk to Tamils there to help me get back home, but no one was willing to help. Everyone is scared of their employers." One day last September she tried to escape from her employer's home by climbing down from the balcony. "I got scared that they would physically harm me, so I tied my sari to the balcony railing and climbed down. I heard a loud sound and fell down. I thought someone had cut off my arm, but I don't remember seeing anyone," she says, through tears. No one knows what exactly happened, but she ended up losing her right hand which was cut clean at the shoulder. Regaining consciousness in the hospital, Kasthuri realised she had lost her right hand. Doctors took down her statement, the police came, but did not talk to her. She was treated for her hip injuries and the severed hand. A metal plate was implanted in her hip. She says she cannot sit continuously for a long time. "The government hospital in Chennai gave me a rubber arm, it was useless, so I took it off," she says, showing me the prosthetic arm. "I eat with my left hand, I do everything with this hand, I have to," and the tears start to flow again. She was flown back to the country by the Indian embassy, with two months of salary. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa announced a Rs 10 lakh (Rs 1 million) grant for her. "I did not meet Amma, her officials met me," she says. The money was invested in a Tamil Nadu government concern and she gets Rs 8,333 a month as interest that goes straight into her bank account. "I cannot take out the money," she says, "after I die my children will not get the interest." Since her return to India, the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia has not contacted her, nor have the Saudi police. She has no clue about what happened to her case. Her son Mohan, who works in a vegetable market in Chennai, told Rediff.com, "I have petitioned the district collector and the ministry for external affairs to put pressure on the Saudis for compensation, but nothing has happened." Kasthuri currently lives in her daughter's home with husband Munirathinam, their son, his wife, his two children, her daughter and her daughter's three children. She says she has loans of Rs 25 lakhs (Rs 2.5 million) to pay off. "I used to roll bidis," she says, "and now I cannot do even that anymore." IMAGES: Kasthuri Munirathinam with her family in Mungileri village, Tamil Nadu. Photographs: A Ganesh Nadar/Rediff.com The move demonstrates just how much technology Chinese companies have amassed in a short period. Huawei began as a communications equipment manufacturer in the 1980s and invested more than 15 percent of its annual sales into research and development, growing to become one of the world's top three communications equipment makers along with Nokia of Finland and Ericsson of Sweden. The suit says most of Samsung's smartphones from the Galaxy S2 to S7 illegally used Huawei's patented technologies. Samsung is considering a counter suit. This is the first time a Chinese smartphone maker from a manufacturing culture predicated mostly on copycatting has sued a firm in a more advanced economy. The Chinese smartphone maker said on Tuesday that it filed the suit in a northern California district court as well as a court in Shenzhen, China, accusing Samsung of infringing 11 of its communication-related patents. It is now the world's third-largest smartphone maker after Samsung and Apple and last year ranked first in the number of patents it filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization with a whopping 3,898. The two companies held talks over a cross-licensing agreement by which each side can use the other's patented technologies. But the talks broke down and Huawei is taking the matter to court. An executive at Huawei's Korean operation said, "Huawei has signed cross-licensing agreements with Apple, Nokia and other major IT companies. We urge Samsung to take part in negotiations." Huawei appears to have prepared meticulously for the lawsuit. Last year, it sent out 50,000 of its patents to experts in China, Europe and the U.S. for analysis and compiled a list of alleged violations by rivals. Kim Joo-mee, an intellectual property lawyer at Rothwell, Figg, Earnst & Manbeck in Washington D.C., said, "Huawei talked to a lot of attorneys in the U.S. in order to prepare for its U.S. lawsuit and has a strong chance of winning." Samsung, meanwhile, plans to counter-sue and is gathering information on similar legal disputes. Experts do not expect this lawsuit to drag on for years like the one between Samsung and Apple. One said the current suit concerns standard patents that are essential in manufacturing smartphones, so violations can be clearly distinguished. The Apple-Samsung suit, by contrast, was mostly about design. Huawei and Samsung could settle out of court. Not only is Huawei a major client of Samsung, buying more than W1 trillion worth of memory chips annually, but its vice president William Plummer said it is better to resolve disputes through negotiations rather than a lawsuit. That suggests the suit is a strategic move in negotiations rather than an end in itself. Alleging post-poll violence in West Bengal, the state Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday said it would boycott the swearing-in of Mamata Banerjee as chief minister on Friday, even as some Union ministers, including Arun Jaitley, would attend the programme. We are boycotting tomorrows swearing-in ceremony. When our workers are being attacked throughout the state, how can we join the swearing-in ceremony? state BJP president Dilip Ghosh said. State BJP sources, however, confirmed the participation of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and said a few other central ministers would also be in attendance. Both the Congress and the Left Front, which fought the assembly poll together, have decided against participating in the ceremony and said they would organise protests against post-poll violence. Asked if the central BJP leadership, including Union ministers, who have been invited, will also boycott the programme, Ghosh, who was in Midnapore, said, I cannot comment on it. But we will try to convince them not to join the swearing-in as it would harm the party. They (central leadership) will decide what they will do considering protocol. But we have apprised them that we are boycotting the programme, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has maintained good relation with all the states pursuing with the policy of strengthening the federal structure, he pointed out. Reiterating their stand on boycotting the programme, Left Front chairman Biman Bose wondered, How can we go there when people are being attacked? The state Congress leadership had earlier stated they would not attend the oath-taking ceremony. The Afghan Taliban, under its new leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, has rejected peace talks as a viable solution to bringing Afghan insurgency to an end, and have said that the fighting will continue. An audio message has been released in Pushto, circulated by Taliban commanders, where Akhundzada said, "Taliban will never bow their heads and will not agree to peace talks," Dawn reported. Haibatullah added, "People thought we will lay down our arms after Mullah Mansour's death, but we will continue fighting till the end." Following the group's chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour death in a US drone strike, the insurgent group said its new leader was Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, a former head of the Taliban's judiciary and one of two Mansour's deputies. In a statement released by the insurgent group, Sirajuddin Haqqani, head of a network blamed for many high-profile bombs attacks in Kabul in recent years, and Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, son of former leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, will serve as deputies, Zabihullah Mujahid. Mansour was reportedly killed in Pakistan on Saturday when his vehicle was struck by a US drone. The Afghan Taliban also released a photograph of the group's newly-appointed supreme leader. The militant group gave no further details regarding Akhundzada's background. However, former Afghan Intelligence Chief Rahmatullah Nabil has said that Akhundzada was a village Mullah and has no military or political experience, reports Khaama Press. He also tweeted, "Haibatullah, a village Mullah, 56, no military and political experience, Yaqoub, 24, no mil & politic exper, Saraj will b defacto leader." Nabil meant that other deputy, the leader of the Haqqani terrorist network, Sirajuddin Haqqani will be defacto leader of the group. IMAGE: President Pranab Mukherjee with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping attend a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on Thursday. Photograph: Kim Kyung-Hoon/ Reuters India on Thursday sought Chinas cooperation in international fora like the United Nations in the fight against terrorism making it clear that there was no good or bad terrorists and told Beijing that it should play a positive role in ensuring a predictable nuclear regime as New Delhi seeks to join the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group. The two issues came up during President Pranab Mukherjees talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang at the Great Hall of the People on the penultimate day of his four-day maiden state visit to China. Largely, there was appreciation of the Presidents visit by the Chinese leadership and all the three leaders acknowledged his positive role in building the bilateral relationship during his long political career in different capacities. However, there was acknowledgment of differences. Briefing the media on the 80-minute talks Mukherjee held at delegation level with Xi, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said they were frank and both sides acknowledged the need to respect each others sensitivities and concerns. The President raising the issues of cooperation in combating terrorism and the need for a predictable nuclear regime assumes significance in the context of Chinas action in blocking the United Nations move to blacklist Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist and the bid to block India's admission to the NSG on the ground it has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Essentially, what was conveyed to China during the discussions was that it was a global fight against terrorism and India and China are affected by it. There are strong sentiments on the issue in India because many lives have been lost. For the elimination of international and cross-border terrorirsm there is no such thing as good terrorists or bad terrorists. They dont have any ideology. We must have an expansion of cooperation both bilaterally and multilaterally through close cooperation in the UN. Broadly, there was acceptance on this position. We want cooperation in the UN, the foreign secretary said. Asked whether the JeM issue was specifically raised, he said, The President specifically referred to the menace of transborder terrorism. There was no good or bad terrorism and they should take into account each other's sensitivities. We have spoken on cross border terrorism and zero tolerance on terrorism. No good or bad terrorists and they should cooperate closely in the UN on this issue. While flagging the need for India's attempts to bridge the growing energy deficit without compromising on climate change, Mukherjee asked Xi to give personal attention to this matter. Interestingly, in the Chinese briefing to the media after talks between Mukherjee and Xi, officials said though there was no direct discussion about India's access to NSG, the two leaders mentioned the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and agreed to strengthen cooperation and exchanges in this regard. About terrorism, they said the two leaders discussed the counter-terrorism cooperation agreed to work under the framework of global institutions like the UN and BRICS. On the civil nuclear programme, the broad approach Mukherjee took was that like many other countries India suffered from acute shortage of power with over 300 million people having no access to energy. At the same time, it was conscious of the responsibility of the need to balance requirement with responsibilities on climate change. We need to have a predictable environment. We work closely very with China on climate change and we are reasonably confident that in our move in the quest for civil nuclear power China will play a positive role, he said. On the vexed border issue, both sides acknowledged the fact that differences should not come in the way of improving ties in other areas. The main intention was to maintain peace and tranquility while addressing the boundary question. Besides, Xi and Li, the President also met the Chairman of the National Peoples Congress Zhang Dejiang. Mukherjee told the Chinese leadership that there was a multi-party consensus on improving ties with China. The fact that he was accompanied by a delegation of MPs from different parties was a demonstration of this fact. He also spoke about the global uncertainty now because of the economy and how India and China could play a role in international fora. The message of heightened responsibility was something that came through very clearly. There was a fair amount of discussion on economic issues with the President highlighting Indias trade deficit with China. Trade deficit between India and China has risen to $44.7 billion during April-January period of 2015-16. Mukherjee extended an invitation to Xi to visit India which he accepted. 'If the leadership gets wrong information, what results you can expect?' Rashme Sehgal reports for Rediff.com Should Congress stalwarts Ghulam Nabi Azad, Digvijaya Singh, Ambika Soni, Ahmed Patel and a host of others be forced to take a sabbatical? This is the opinion of former Union minister Kishore Chandra Deo who has demanded the time has come for "15 to 20 Congress leaders to be sent on a forced holiday." Deo did not spell out the names, but it was obvious his ire was directed at leaders who have been at the helm of affairs and who he believes been consistently giving wrong advice to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, thereby bringing the party to this pass. "These leaders play a game of musical chairs in senior positions at the AICC (All India Congress Committee or as PCC (Pradesh Congress Committee) and have gone on to become Union ministers when the party had catapulted to power," says Deo, a five-time MP. "They are misleading both Sonia and Rahul. If the leadership gets wrong information, what results you can expect?" asked Deo. This is the first time that a leader from the south has demanded that the stranglehold of the Congress old guard be broken to make way for a team of talented and credible youngsters who can make their way up within the party echelons. "Indira Gandhi gave Devraj Urs and J Vengal Rao the opportunity to become chief ministers of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh respectively even though they were not known leaders," says Deo. "They proved their mettle and continue to be remembered in their states till today." "There is no dearth of talent in the Congress," emphasises Deo. He scoffs at the idea of 'major surgery' suggested by Digvijaya Singh, insisting that all "defeated chief ministers should have been sent back to their states to revive the party at the grassroots level. The party has already done too much introspection and now needs to go in for action." His views are seconded by Dr M Shashidhar Reddy, former chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Marri Chenna Reddy's son who insists the time has come for a major party reshuffle. "The existing general secretaries need to be dropped," says Dr Reddy. "They have been consistently providing wrong inputs and even the best computer will go wrong if it receives wrong data." Party veteran Kamal Nath has also called for a reorganisation of the party, demanding a new AICC, a new team of general secretaries and a fresh team of state leaders to revive the party. "The Congress got more (assembly) seats if we combine all states (in the recent elections). We got 140 seats while the BJP got jut 64," says Kamal Nath, confident that the Congress will make a comeback, pointing out that nothing is static in politics. Former information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari endorses this view. "We lost Assam because of anti-incumbency, the Kerala elections follow a cyclical pattern. In Tamil Nadu the vote percentage of the alliance (the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-Congress) did not fructify, but in West Bengal we have emerged as the principal opposition. The results followed expected lines though they were a disappointment," explains Tewari. The clamour for greater accountability by Congress leaders is matched with the demand to come up with a long term strategic vision document on both how to revive the party at both the central and state levels and then to implement it. "We need to think through very carefully what is our trajectory for the next 36 months and who will carry this narrative through before discussing personalities," says Tewari. "The key is what will this narrative be. Will the narrative be an extension of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) philosophy or will we come up with an alternative narrative?" asks Tewari. "Ultimately, if there is dysfunctionality at the party hierarchy, it needs to be corrected." Congress spokesperson Tom Vadakkan admits a major obstacle in the party functioning has been infighting between different groups within each state. He cites the example of how Kerala state Congress President V M Sudheeran had pushed for prohibition without consulting other senior leaders. "The chief minister's views were the diametric opposite of the state president. No doubt drinking has to be controlled and is bad for health," says Vadakkan, adding, "Sadly, Kerala has more bars than schools. In one street, there will be six bars and one school, but the CM could have tackled the situation in a different manner. The liquor lobby in Kerala was the main factor behind our defeat in the state." "The problem with the party is that it follows an extremely democratic style of functioning," feels Vadakkan. "If a request comes from the state, it is considered and followed through even when the Congress president is not too enthusiastic about it." With the threat of a Congress-mukt India, the party realises that the moment of reckoning has arrived. If the Congress fails to pull up its socks, Deo warns the nation will witness the further mushrooming of regional parties. He cites the example of the Aam Aadmi Party capturing power in Delhi and believes such a phenomenon will be witnessed in another 15 to 20 states where there are "no established regional parties at present." With no strong central leadership, he believes this can prove detrimental for the country. Congress leaders believe another key area lies in winning the battle of perception so that the party regains public confidence. It is in this perception battle that the BJP is way ahead of the Congress. A failed economy, a poor foreign policy and a complete fiasco in handling the drought situation that has hit half the country has not stopped the BJP from tom-toming its victories, Congress leaders say, reflecting how successful the ruling party is in the art of media management. Italy on Thursday vowed to comply with the bail conditions set by Indias Supreme Court for Salvatore Girone, one of the two Italian marines accused of killing two fishermen off Kerala coast in 2012, while allowing him to return home. The Supreme Court relaxed the bail conditions of Girone and allowed him to go to his country till an International Arbitral Tribunal decides the jurisdictional issue between India and Italy. The other marine Massimiliano Latorre is already in Italy on health grounds and his stay there was recently extended by the apex court till September 30 this year. The (Italian) Foreign Ministry expresses satisfaction over todays decision of the Indian Supreme Court to immediately enforce The Hague Court of Arbitrations decision of 29 April, as recently requested by Italy, the ministry said in a statement. In line with the decision of The Hague Court of Arbitration, Italy and India have cooperated during the last few weeks in order to define the terms and conditions of Girones return and permanence in Italy while awaiting the conclusion of the arbitration proceeding on the Enrica Lexie case, the statement said. The Italian Foreign Ministry pledged to abide by the bail conditions. While waiting to finally welcome home Salvatore Girone, the government renews its commitment to comply with the terms and conditions established by the Supreme Court of India, it said. Italian Premier Matteo Renzi also expressed satisfaction with the Indian Supreme Court's decision. We confirm our friendship with India, its people and its government, Renzi tweeted. And we welcome marine Girone, who will be with us on June 2, he said. June 2 is Italys Republic Day national holiday. Renzi, who is currently in Japan for the G7 summit, has spoken to Girone, Italian news agency ANSA reported quoting sources. The marines, who were on board ship 'Enrica Lexie', are accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast on February 15, 2012. Italy and India have been making contrary claims over the right to prosecute the two Italian marines in the case. President Park Geun-hye on Wednesday embarked on a three-nation tour of Africa and France. It is her first visit to Africa, true, and aims to establish a foothold for Korean business there, but it also happens to coincide with the G7 Summit in Japan, which she had to miss. It is also true that Park would only have attended as an observer because Korea is not part of the G7, but the meeting is the most important gathering of world leaders in Northeast Asia at a time when the international community is pursuing concerted sanctions against North Korea. Indeed, the G7 leaders plan to adopt a joint statement lambasting North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs in the strongest possible language. It is likely that Park, who has implemented potent sanctions against the North, would have been treated as more than an observer. The failure of her office to fit the Africa trip around the G7 is a grave diplomatic faux pas. Japan considered inviting Park as it prepared for the G7 Summit early this year but was told she would be away. There can be no doubt that Africa holds huge potential as a trading partner rich in natural resources with a middle class estimated to swell to 500 million people by 2030. Park will deliver a speech at the African Union on Friday, the first Korean leader to do so, so it is not a negligible trip. But national security is more important than marketing. If Park had made even a slight change to her African itinerary, she could have fitted in both. Last year, Park's trip to Latin America led to the education minister attending the 60th anniversary meeting of non-aligned nations in Indonesia on her behalf, another sorry miscalculation by her office. A pattern is beginning to emerge. Read this article in Korean Azerbaijan: Journalist Khadija Ismayilova free but conviction must be quashed Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 25 May 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, Azerbaijan: Journalist Khadija Ismayilova free but conviction must be quashed, 25 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/574690044.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. The release of Khadija Ismayilova by Azerbaijan's Supreme Court is a welcome step but she will not have obtained justice until her conviction is quashed, said Amnesty International. Khadija Ismayilova was sentenced to seven and a half years imprisonment at a trial in September 2015 under trumped-up charges of embezzlement, illegal entrepreneurship, tax evasion and abuse of office. The Supreme Court today reduced her sentence to a suspended term of three and a half years, after it reversed two of the initial four charges against her. "Khadija Ismayilova must be fully acquitted if she is ever to obtain justice for her wrongful imprisonment," said Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for Europe and Central Asia. "Numerous other prisoners of conscience are still in jail for exercising their right to freedom of expression in Azerbaijan and must also be freed to break this dangerous pattern of fear and repression." Khadija Ismayilova, who worked for Radio Free Europe, was investigating and reporting on corruption at the highest levels in Azerbaijan's government, including family members of the President, Ilham Aliyev. Amnesty International recognized her as a prisoner of conscience and, along with other human rights groups, campaigned extensively for her release. Khadija Ismayilova received the UNESCO World Press Freedom prize in earlier this month. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International EU: Halt arms transfers to Egypt to stop fuelling killings and torture Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 25 May 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, EU: Halt arms transfers to Egypt to stop fuelling killings and torture, 25 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/574690674.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Almost half of European Union (EU) member states have flouted an EU-wide suspension on arms transfers to Egypt, risking complicity in a wave of unlawful killings, enforced disappearances and torture, Amnesty International said today. Despite the suspension imposed after hundreds of protesters were killed in a show of grossly excessive force by security forces in August 2013, 12 out of 28 EU member states have remained among Egypt's main suppliers of arms and policing equipment. It is feared that EU Foreign Ministers could soon decide to scrap the current, already insufficient, suspension. "Almost three years on from the mass killings that led the EU to call on its member states to halt arms transfers to Egypt, the human rights situation has actually deteriorated," said Magdalena Mughrabi, interim Deputy Middle East and North Africa Programme Director at Amnesty International. "Internal repression by the security forces remains rife, and there has been virtually no accountability. Excessive use of force, mass arbitrary arrests, torture, and enforced disappearances having become a part of the security forces' modus operandi. "EU states transferring arms and policing equipment to Egyptian forces carrying out enforced disappearances, torture and arbitrary arrests on a mass scale are acting recklessly and are risking complicity in these serious violations." EU complicity in repression In 2014 alone, EU states authorized 290 licences for military equipment to Egypt, totalling more than 6 billion (US$6.77). The items have included: small arms, light weapons and ammunition; armoured vehicles; military helicopters; heavier weapons for use in counter-terrorism and military operations; and surveillance technology. The EU countries who have been supplying arms to Egypt through exports or brokering since 2013 are: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and the UK. According to Privacy International, companies from several EU countries, including Germany, Italy and the UK, have also supplied the Egyptian authorities with sophisticated equipment or technologies destined for use in state surveillance, which Amnesty International fears may be used to suppress peaceful dissent and violate the right to privacy. Egypt's violent crackdown on dissent In recent years, the Egyptian authorities have presided over a crackdown under the guise of restoring stability in the country after the military ousted President Mohammed Morsi in July 2013. Heavy-handed measuresincluding the use of arbitrary and excessive force with firearms, armoured vehicles and other equipment, have resulted in the unlawful killing of hundreds of protesters. Thousands more people have been arrested and faced mass trials which are grossly unfair. Detainees have routinely reported torture and other ill-treatment. The security forces have boththreatened and used armed force to strike fear into those who would peacefully challenge the government's legitimacy or openly criticize its policies. Meanwhile, the repressive new Protest Law (November 2013) and Counter-terrorism Law (August 2015) have effectively sanctioned the use of excessive force. Egyptian security forces are routinely armed with pistols and rifles. They often use batons, shotguns, water cannon and tear gas, supported by various types of armoured vehicles, to disperse protests and other politically charged public gatherings. The 2013 Protest Law allows security forces to respond "proportionately" to the use of firearms by protesters in order to protect lives, money and property - but this is interpreted in flagrant violation of international standards which only permit security forces to use lethal force in response to an imminent threat to life or serious injury. Since the law came into force, security forces have used excessive force to ruthlessly dismantle protests, often with lethal results. In January 2015 at least 27 people died in protest-related violence, many at the hands of armed security forces. They included Shaimaa Al-Sabbagh, a political activist, poet and a young mother, who was shot dead by a police officer in central Cairo. Despite images of her dying moments going viral and sparking international outrage, the member of the security forces originally found responsible for her death has had his conviction overturned by Egypt's highest court and now must face a retrial. Armed security forces have also conducted mass arrests of the government's critics and political opponents. Almost 12,000 people were arrested on suspicion of "terrorism" in the first 10 months of 2015 alone, according to an Interior Ministry official quoted in the Egyptian press. In January 2016 more than 5,000 residences in central Cairo were raided by armed security forces in a security sweep around the fifth anniversary of the 2011 uprising, with many activists detained. Armed security forces arrested hundreds of people while dispersing mostly peaceful protests on 25 April against the government's decision to transfer two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia. Those arrested in the crackdown around the protests included human rights defenders, journalists and activists. On 14 May, courts sentenced more than 150 people to between two and five-years' imprisonment for involvement in the protests. A wave of enforced disappearances has seen hundreds of people abducted by armed security forces over the past year. They are held incommunicado for extended periods without access to their families or lawyers, and tortured by state security forces into "confessing" to terrorism-related offences. There has been no accountability for serious human rights violations committed during and since the 2011 uprising. So far, the Egyptian authorities have failed to conduct effective, independent and impartial investigations into the hundreds of cases of enforced disappearances, torture and unlawful killings documented by human rights groups. Military operations in the Sinai The Egyptian army has been increasingly engaged in military operations against armed groups, which have launched attacks against civilians and security forces, particularly in the north of the Sinai Peninsula. The Egyptian military is known to have used heavy weapons in such operations, including armoured vehicles, tanks, Apache gunships and F-16 fighter jets. Amnesty International is concerned about the total lack of transparency over the army's operations against armed groups. A media blackout has been imposed on reporting about military operations in the Sinai, and journalists and independent civil society organizations have been banned from entering the area. Meanwhile, EU states have signed off on transfers of heavy weapons and equipment purportedly to help Egypt's fight against "terrorism", despite a lack of transparency and human rights guarantees regarding their use. This is particularly concerning given the complete lack of accountability for gross human rights violations perpetrated during the army's rule following the 2011 uprising. The EU fuelling internal repression While the records show that many EU states have all but ignored the 2013 call for a suspension of transfers of arms used for "internal repression" in Egypt, there are fears that upcoming talks could result in a further loosening or even a discontinuation of the suspension. This follows last year's decision by the USA to resume military aid to Egypt to the tune of $1.3 billion annually. "Supplying arms that are likely to fuel such internal repression in Egypt is contrary to the Arms Trade Treaty, to which all EU states are party, and flouts the EU's Common Position on arms exports," said Brian Wood, Head of Arms Control and Human Rights at Amnesty International. "The EU should immediately impose an embargo on all transfers of the types of arms and equipment being used by Egypt to commit serious human rights violations. The EU and its members must stop rewarding bad behaviour by Egypt's police and military with a bonanza of arms supplies." Some of Egypt's biggest suppliers of arms that could be used for internal repression include: Bulgaria issued a total of 59 licences for 51,643,626 worth of military equipment to Egypt in 2014 with over 11 million for small arms/light weapons and ammunition. Exports to Egypt included 10,500 assault rifles, 300 light machine guns and 21 sub-machine guns. The Czech Republic has been a consistent supplier of small arms to Egypt. In 2014 the Czech government issued 26 licences for military goods to Egypt worth 19.9 million - the majority for small arms and ammunition. The Czech authorities reported to the UN that they exported 80,953 pistols and revolvers to Egypt between 2013 and 2015. Egypt's Interior Ministry had also ordered 10 million 9mm calibre cartridges from Czech arms companies in February 2014. France issued export licences worth more than 100 million in 2014 under the category of "bombs, torpedoes, rockets, missiles and other explosive devices" and "ground vehicles and components". Exports have included more than 100 Sherpa trucks, which are advertised for use by law-enforcement officials. Italy issued 21 licences of military equipment totalling 33.9 million in 2014, nearly half of which was small arms. In 2015, Italy sent more than 4 million worth of small arms and related parts and accessories, and has already registered the export of 73,391 worth of pistols or revolvers to Egypt in 2016. Amnesty International is calling on the EU and all EU member states to: Impose and fully implement a binding embargo on transfers of security and policing equipment to Egypt of the types of arms used to commit or facilitate serious violations of human rights. Failing to do so would risk ongoing breaches of the EU's Common Position on arms exports, as well as the human rights provisions of the global Arms Trade Treaty. Impose a 'presumption of denial' policy on transfers of arms intended for use by Egypt's armed forces and air force. Reports of some aerial attacks that resulted in fatalities and serious injuries have not been effectively, independently and impartially investigated. Human rights violations committed by the armed forces during the uprising in 2011 and in the year of military rule that followed also have not been effectively investigated. Any potential export to Egypt of such items should not be authorized unless a thorough human rights risk assessment demonstrates that the Egyptian armed forces' recipient will use the equipment lawfully, including by upholding its international human rights law obligations,and unless a binding guarantee to that effect is agreed by the exporting state with the Egyptian government. Maintain this embargo and 'presumption of denial' policy until the Egyptian authorities put in place effective safeguards to prevent further serious violations by security forces, and carry out full, prompt, independent and impartial investigations into violations since the 2011 uprising with the aim of prosecuting those responsible for crimes in fair trials. CORRECTION: A reference to Serbia's arms transfers to Egypt has been removed from the original text, and the number of EU member states that reported arms transfers to Egypt in 2014 has been revised down to 12 rather than 13. Serbia is currently negotiating accession to the EU. As such, it claims to abide by EU arms export policies and reports its arms transfers and brokering activities to the EU. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Out of the Shadows: Fighting for the Rights of Sex Workers Publisher Amnesty International Author Catherine Murphy Publication Date 26 May 2016 Related Document(s) Amnesty International Policy on State Obligations to Respect, Protect and fulfil the Human Rights of Sex Workers Cite as Amnesty International, Out of the Shadows: Fighting for the Rights of Sex Workers, 26 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5746915e4.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. "Six police officers did sex to me one by one. They were armed with guns so I had to do it," Mona, a mother of two in her late thirties told us, tears streaming down her cheeks. The gang rape took place in a public park in Papua New Guinea's capital city Port Moresby in August 2012 and, while clearly extremely traumatized, Mona has never reported it. "It was so painful to me, but then I let it go," Mona sighs. "If I go to the law, they cannot help me." The reason Mona's attackers are unlikely to ever face justice, is that Mona is a sex worker. And the harsh reality in many countries is that when you're a sex worker, you get very little protection from abuse. For many years Amnesty International has documented human rights violations against sex workers in countries all over the world, highlighting the fact that they are consistently at heightened risk of abuse. Today we launch four detailed research reports into the situation for sex workers in Argentina, Hong Kong, Norway and Papua New Guinea. The picture is grim. Across the four locations, in spite of strikingly different economic, social and cultural backdrops and different legal frameworks, sex workers told us stories of exploitation, harassment and violence. It is these stories, and these voices, that have helped guide Amnesty International in formulating its policy on protecting sex workers from human rights violations and abuses which is also published today. The policy outlines a range of steps for states to take that will help ensure better protection for sex workers from the rampant violence and injustice they face worldwide. To help achieve this, the policy supports the decriminalization of consensual adult sex work. Both in our own research, and in the work of other organisations, there is a growing body of evidence that shows that criminalizing sex work further endangers and marginalizes sex workers and impedes their ability to seek protection from the police and other legal and social services. Mona in Papua New Guinea is just one example of this, but we hear about many, many others. Sex workers in Norway - which operates under the so-called 'Nordic model' and focuses on criminalizing buyers, rather than sellers of sex - told us that, in spite of high levels of rape and violence by clients, they seldom reported crimes to the police for fear of repercussions. They said that the broad laws around sex work - including those that criminalize the promotion of sex work and letting out premises that will be used for sex work - mean that they are subjected to police scrutiny and are often penalized in order to stop sex work from taking place. One sex worker in Oslo told us "The Norwegian police go after everybody. Not traffickers and pimps. But everybody. It's crazy." Several of the women that Amnesty interviewed in Norway also described living in fear of being evicted from their accommodation. A significant number of evictions that Amnesty learned of were carried out by landlords fearing prosecution. Many such evictions were conducted in a matter of hours and in a way that would classify them as 'forced evictions' which are illegal under international law. A young Nigerian sex worker called Eunice said "I have been given minutes to leave my apartment. You don't have time to get all your things. [I had to go and] sleep in the train station." Laws must make sex workers' lives safer; this includes addressing the violence experienced by sex workers and ensuring that they can leave sex work if and when they choose to. We want states to ensure that sex workers are not exposed to violence or forced to work in unsafe conditions, and that no person is subject to forced labour or trafficking. Decriminalization is not a panacea; it alone will not end all the human rights abuses that sex workers face. But it is a necessary first step and, in combination with the other measures outlined in the policy, we believe that it will enable governments to do more to protect people who do sex work. Other measures include tackling the gender stereotypes and discrimination that often drive marginalized groups, including transgender people, into sex work. They include ensuring that sex workers have access to education, employment opportunities, healthcare and other public services. And they include ensuring that sex workers are treated equally in the eyes of the law. The genesis and development of this policy has been protracted, difficult and controversial; we didn't expect anything less. We recognize that there are fundamental differences of opinion on the issue of decriminalization of sex work and we respect the views of those who are not supportive of the position we have taken. We need an open, honest and respectful discussion about how to best protect the human rights of sex workers. Fundamental to this is listening to the hundreds of sex workers from all over the world who have offered us their insight, opinion and first-hand experience; sometimes at great personal risk. They have told us unequivocally that laws that criminalize sex work force sex workers further into the margins of society where they are confronted by walls of discrimination and abuse. Mona put it this way: "Police hit us, chase us, say sex work is not allowed We say you are not going to feed us, clothe us, help our children so we need to do this. We fight for our rights. It's the only way to benefit and live." From today, Amnesty International will be standing in solidarity with her, and many others around the world like her, fighting for these rights. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International "I feel scared all the time." A Jamaican sex worker tells her story Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 27 May 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, "I feel scared all the time." A Jamaican sex worker tells her story, 27 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/574691cf4.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 'Apple' is a 38 year old street sex worker in Jamaica, she has been a sex worker for almost 12 years. She was arrested for the first time six weeks ago, and forced to sign a confession. Apple told Amnesty that the statement read on her behalf at the court hearing was "pure lies". She described how she and the other female sex workers are regularly harassed and abused by a particular police officer who demands free sex in return for not arresting them. I've worked in many different categories of sex work. I started out in a massage parlour and then worked as an exotic dancer. Most recently I have been involved in street sex work. The majority of our sex workers here in Jamaica work on the streets and they are the ones that are most prone to being arrested by the police and locked up. And also of being robbed, beaten and killed. Last month I was arrested for the first time. It really was a horrific experience. I was picked up by the police along with 11 other females and we were just shoved into the back of a small truck. It was a really tight space and we were just crammed in there. When we arrived at the police station we were ridiculed and chastised. We were being looked down on as being trash and not being good persons. They used many negative words against us 'prostitute', 'old whore', 'nasty girl'. No one explained what was happening. No one offered me a lawyer. I didn't even realize I was under arrest; nobody told me that." I was forced to sign what is called a station diary but I wasn't aware of what was written in it. At first I refused to sign but then the police officer threatened to throw me in jail. It was my first time being in that situation so I wasn't aware of what to do. Being claustrophobic I didn't want to be in jail, so I just signed it, even though I didn't know what it said. After that the police said I could call someone to bail me. I was brought to court about two weeks later. The statement that they read to me was pure lies. The only thing I was asked is if I was guilty or not guilty. I didn't want to plead guilty but I did so because I understood that the fine would be minimal for my first time and I just wanted to get the case over with. I didn't have a lawyer to advise me so it seemed the best thing to do. It was very frightening. I am part of the Sex Workers Association of Jamaica (SWAJ); we have around 600 members now but there are still so many challenges. I was getting in touch with some of the girls who were picked up by police to see if we could record what happened to them. But the women are afraid to talk, even to us. Only one girl gave me her name, the others don't want to be identified as sex workers because they don't want more trouble with the police officer who arrested us. They are very scared of him. He constantly harasses us girls on the streets. He wants to have sex with the girls but he doesn't want to pay. If you refuse when he [the police officer] makes his advances, then he will return another night and then claim to be enforcing the law and arrest you. What he is actually doing is abusing the law." I also think that one of the reasons he is doing this is because of how the law is set up in Jamaica. The fact that sex work is illegal, he is using that power over us. There is no one we can complain to because even the night I was arrested the senior officer was there. They were all in agreement with us being arrested. If sex workers are arrested and brought to court, they always just plead guilty and pay the fine. Most times because they don't know their rights and they don't understand the court system; they don't want to have the case drawn out. That's how our justice system is here. The case is drawn out for years and years and so to keep going up to court each time, it will cost more for the transport than to pay the fine. And also if one was to get a lawyer to represent them it will cost more than the fine. The result is that nobody ever challenges these laws. I feel scared all the time. I should be looking out for the police and feeling faith [in them], but I actually feel even more threatened by the police." Raids have been happening a lot recently. A few weeks ago there was a raid where 27 girls were arrested. Some were beaten, some were pepper sprayed. As well as the police we have to be looking out for robbers and other bad guys. There are killings and there are rapes. Sometimes it gets to the news, sometimes it doesn't; it happens a lot. Sometimes these things happen because we have to go to areas that are not safe because we are illegal and we have to hide from the police. But then when we go to these places that are supposedly secretive, there are persons there who watch the sex workers and prey upon the sex workers, because they think we always have money on us. So when we go to these secret places to work then we are pounced upon, robbed, raped and sometimes even killed. I think if this work is decriminalized the police would be duty bound to protect us and if persons were to have an incident with a client or even a robber we could go and report it and that person could be brought [in by police]. I think then there would be a reduction in things like that and our work would become more safe. Buying should be decriminalized as well, because if buying sex is still illegal then there would still be problems with the police officers and even the robbers as well. The police would constantly put pressure on the clients and so we would still have to be in hiding, and if there is any kind of agitation then the police still wouldn't do anything. Some of us have tried before to make a complaint to the police but when they do, they are more chastised for being a sex worker than receiving the help they should from the police. Sometimes they are sent away from the station, or their statements are never taken." We are starting to get organized as sex workers and the Sex Workers Association of Jamaica is growing, but we are embryonic and there are so many challenges. Our main call is just for human rights, we want our rights respected. We are very inexperienced but we know what it is that we want for sex workers and that is the main thing. Everything else we can learn. In Jamaica it is illegal to solicit the sale of sex, keep a room or premises where sex work occurs, or live off the earnings of sex work. Public order laws are also used against sex workers. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International Thailand: Press Junta to End Torture, 'Disappearances' Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 24 May 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Thailand: Press Junta to End Torture, 'Disappearances', 24 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/574693294.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. The Thai government should promptly act on pledges to make torture and enforced disappearance criminal offenses, Human Rights Watch said today. On May 24, 2016, Thailand's government announced it would submit a bill to criminalize torture and enforced disappearances to the military-appointed National Legislative Assembly. It also said Thailand would ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. The government, however, provided no time frame for taking action on these pledges. "Officials who committed torture and enforced disappearances in Thailand have frequently avoided the severe punishment they deserve because the country's laws don't recognize these heinous crimes," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "The government needs to take swift and concrete action to make torture and enforced disappearance criminal offenses and effectively implement the new laws." If passed, the bill will be the first Thai law to recognize and criminalize torture and enforced disappearance including for crimes committed outside Thailand with no exemptions for political or security reasons. The draft law provides penalties for government officials who commit torture of up to 20 years in prison, 30 years if the torture leads to serious injury, and life imprisonment if the torture results in death. Officials who commit enforced disappearance will face up to 20 years in prison, up to 30 years if the enforced disappearance leads to serious injury, and life imprisonment if death results. Any commanders or supervisors will face half of the penalty if they intentionally ignore the knowledge of torture or enforced disappearance committed by their subordinates. Human Rights Watch has repeatedly urged successive Thai governments to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which Thailand signed in 2012, and to amend its penal code to make enforced disappearance a criminal offense. Human Rights Watch called on the current government of Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha to make these reforms in the January 14 letter. Human Rights Watch has expressed serious concerns regarding the junta's repeated use of secret military detention, both under section 44 of the 2014 interim constitution against political dissenters and suspects in national security cases, and under the 1914 Martial Law Act against insurgent suspects in the southern border provinces, especially in the aftermath of the May 2014 coup. "Enforced disappearance" is defined under international law as the arrest or detention of a person by state officials, or their agents, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty, or to reveal the person's fate or whereabouts. Enforced disappearances violate a range of fundamental human rights protected under international law, including prohibitions against arbitrary arrest and detention; torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment; and extrajudicial execution. Since 1980, the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has recorded 82 cases of enforced disappearance in Thailand. None of these cases have been successfully resolved. Human Rights Watch and other human rights groups working in Thailand believe that the actual number of such cases in Thailand is higher due to some families of victims and witnesses remaining silent for fear of reprisal and because the government lacks an effective witness protection system. Torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment are prohibited under international treaties and customary international law. Since October 2007, Thailand has been a party to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which specifically places an obligation on governments to investigate and prosecute acts of torture and other ill-treatment. Article 4 of the convention states that a government should "ensure that all acts of torture are offences under its criminal law. The same shall apply to an attempt to commit torture and to an act by any person which constitutes complicity or participation in torture." The government should also "make these offences punishable by appropriate penalties which take into account their grave nature." Torture has long been a problem in police and military custody in Thailand. Since the military coup in May 2014, many individuals taken into military custody have said they were tortured or mistreated. Alleged methods of torture include beatings, electric shocks, and near suffocation. The junta has often dismissed allegations that the military, police, or other security forces have tortured and ill-treated detainees. Besides denying the allegations, the authorities have frequently accused those making allegations of making false statements with the intent of damaging Thailand's reputation. "Concerned states should step up now to insist the Thai government makes good on its pledges to combat torture and enforced disappearance," Adams said. "These deeply rooted problems, which are glaring proof of lawlessness and disrespect for basic rights, will require a strong and sustained effort to eradicate." Copyright notice: Copyright, Human Rights Watch Sudan: Students, Activists at Risk of Torture Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 25 May 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Sudan: Students, Activists at Risk of Torture, 25 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/574696304.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Sudanese national security officials have detained dozens of students and activists many of whom are still in custody without charge since mid-April 2016, during protests on university campuses. Some have been held for more than a month. Others are held in locations that the government has not revealed, without access to lawyers or contact with family, putting them at increased risk of torture. "Sudan is cracking down on activists, students, and even their lawyers, with abusive and thuggish tactics," said Daniel Bekele, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "The government should put a stop to these tactics, immediately make the whereabouts of all detainees known, and release anyone being held without charge." The Sudanese government has repeatedly and violently cracked down on protests, including in September and October 2013, when security forces killed more than 170 protesters. Authorities have arbitrarily detained, tortured, and otherwise ill-treated detained protestors, including using sexual violence on female students. Starting in mid-April 2016, government security forces, including national security and riot police, clamped down on student demonstrations against the sale of Khartoum University buildings, as well as earlier detention of protesters and a range of other issues at other campuses across Sudan. Government forces have used tear gas, rubber bullets, and batons and in some cases live ammunition to break up protests and arrest scores of protesters. Reports that armed pro-government student groups are helping government security forces to break up protests, including with live ammunition, are of particular concern, Human Rights Watch said. Two students were killed and many more injured in El Obeid on April 19, and Omdurman on April 27. The government accuses the protesters of using violence and has brought murder charges against one, Asim Omer, a 25-year-old student. During the crackdowns, Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) have detained dozens of protesters, including young students and older graduates. Human Rights Watch received credible reports that many of those detained have been beaten and subjected to other forms of ill-treatment. Most have not been charged or had access to family or visits from their lawyers. If the authorities have credible evidence that any of those detained have committed legitimate offenses, they should have already charged the detainees. Anyone not already charged should be released pending any potential charges the authorities intend to bring, Human Rights Watch said. Among those held without charge for more than a month is Ahmed Zuhair, in his early 20s, who was arrested on April 13, from a hospital where he and others were being treated for injuries sustained during a protest. Murtada Habani, a civil engineer in his late 50s, and Mohammed Farouk, an engineer in his 40s, were among a group arrested on April 23, during a peaceful demonstration in front of Khartoum University. Authorities have also detained lawyers and student activists during legal consultations. On the afternoon of May 5, a group of about 15 armed national security officials raided the Khartoum law offices of a prominent lawyer, Nabil Adeeb, and arrested a group of students, their family members, and office staff. The students were getting legal advice on appealing a May 3 university decision to suspend or dismiss the students. The security officers separated the lawyers from their clients, forced most from both groups to squat on the floor, and beat many of them, before forcing about 16 people into police cars, witnesses told Human Rights Watch. The authorities also confiscated Adeeb's laptop. Security officials also arrested several other students who were not at the meeting, but whom the university had previously dismissed or suspended. Most are held at unrevealed locations, without access to visitors. All NISS detainees are at risk of ill-treatment and torture, Human Rights Watch said. Badr Eldin Saleh, a 25-year-old first-year student who was detained on April 13 for 10 days, was beaten while in detention. Family members told Human Rights Watch that when they met him he told them he had been beaten and insulted, was unable to walk easily, and had marks of beating on his back. Saleh was rearrested on May 5 at Adeeb's office and remains in detention at an undisclosed location. Female students arrested in April, but since released, told Sudanese monitors that NISS staff sexually harassed them during interrogations. At least three women, including Mai Adil, a student leader in her early 20s and women's rights activist, were arrested again recently and are being held by NISS at Omdurman Women's Prison without charge or access to visitors. Sudanese authorities have stifled reporting on the protests and restricted media freedoms. Editions of Al Jareeda, a daily newspaper, have been confiscated five times, most likely because of its reporting on the demonstrations. Zuhair, one of those arrested in April at a hospital, had been attempting to report on the demonstrations, credible sources said. In late May NISS confiscated another publication, Al Mustaqila, twice, without providing any reason or grounds. Human Rights Watch is also concerned about other detainees in NISS custody, some of whom have been in detention for many months. Abdelmonim Abdelmowla, a Darfuri graduate, was arrested in December 2015 with a Darfuri student, Ali Omar Musa. While Musa was released in May 2016, Abdelmowla remains in NISS detention without charge, his lawyers told Human Rights Watch. "There is no justification for Sudan using or condoning violence and abuse to silence protesters and activists, or arbitrarily detaining them and denying access to lawyers and other due process protections," Bekele said. "Authorities should immediately put an end to these abuses and respond to public protest in a manner that respects basic freedoms of expression and assembly." Copyright notice: Copyright, Human Rights Watch Afghanistan: End 'Moral Crimes' Charges, 'Virginity' Tests Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 25 May 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Afghanistan: End 'Moral Crimes' Charges, 'Virginity' Tests, 25 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/574696bb4.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Afghanistan's government should urgently act to end wrongful imprisonment and humiliating, scientifically invalid "virginity exams" of women and girls, Human Rights Watch said today. Despite a pledge from President Ashraf Ghani in a February 2016 letter to Human Rights Watch to "prevent the imprisonment of women accused of running away from their family," Afghan police and prosecutors continue to engage in the abusive practice. "President Ghani's promise to end the practice of arresting women and girls for 'running away' is an important step forward for women's rights in Afghanistan," said Heather Barr, senior women's rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. "But to make a real difference, the president needs to issue a clear and binding order that immediately changes how every police officer and prosecutor handles complaints against women and girls. For too long, women and girls fleeing violence have been treated as criminals while their abusers go free." The government should take concrete steps to implement the promised reform and ensure that women and girls who have been the victims of violence are protected by the legal system, Human Rights Watch said. In Afghanistan today, hundreds of women and girls are imprisoned on charges of "moral crimes," Human Rights Watch said. These so-called crimes include "running away" from home, and committing or attempting to commit zina, or having sex outside of marriage. Human Rights Watch estimated in 2013 that half of all women in prison and about 95 percent of girls in juvenile detention in Afghanistan have been arrested on "moral crimes" charges. Human Rights Watch research found that in most cases, the women and girls accused of these "crimes" were fleeing forced child marriage or domestic violence. In some cases, women and girls who have been raped were charged with zina, alongside their rapist. In a March 2016 letter to President Ghani, Human Rights Watch outlined five steps the government should take to fully implement the president's commitment to end imprisonment of women who run away from their families (see appendix). The steps include reforming the law so that "moral crimes" are no longer grounds for arrest. Zina is currently a crime under the Afghan Penal Code and is punishable by five to 15 years in prison. "Running away" is not a crime under Afghan law, but police and prosecutors often treat it as a crime, sometimes bringing charges as "attempted zina." The Afghan government is currently drafting a new penal code. The new penal code should bring Afghanistan into compliance with international law by ending criminalization of consensual sex between adults, Human Rights Watch said. It should also include comprehensive penal provisions providing a clear and inclusive definition of sexual assault, incorporating rape and marital rape. The penal code should also adopt a clear provision regarding the age of consent to sex identical for boys and girls, set tough penalties for an adult who has sex with a child below the age of consent, and ensure that such children are treated as crime victims and not targeted for zina accusations. "Adopting a modernized penal code would be a crucial advance for Afghan society," Barr said. "President Ghani should ensure that the new law upholds women's rights under both the Afghan constitution and international law, by removing all references to 'moral crimes' and adding new provisions to protect women and girls from abuse." Human Rights Watch also called on the government to ban all use of "virginity examinations." At present, women and girls accused of "moral crimes" are routinely subjected to invasive vaginal and rectal examinations by government doctors. These examinations purport to provide information regarding whether the woman or girl is a "virgin" and whether she recently or habitually engaged in sexual intercourse. Reports describing these findings are used in criminal prosecutions and frequently contribute to convictions and long sentences for women and girls found guilty of "moral crimes." In reality, so-called "virginity tests" have no scientific validity. Their use is based on the mistaken belief that "virginity" can be determined by examining a woman or girl's hymen to determine whether it has been broken during sexual intercourse. In fact, some girls are born without a hymen, hymens often break during daily non-sexual activities, and some hymens remain intact after sexual intercourse. These factors make "virginity examinations" so unreliable that the World Health Organization has said that they have no scientific validity and health workers should never conduct them. "President Ghani can end the abusive and unscientific use of 'virginity exams' with the stroke of a pen," Barr said. "It's well past time he did so." Human Rights Watch letter to Ashraf Ghani regarding "moral crimes" and "virginity exams" Appendix to March 17, 2016 letter from Human Rights Watch to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan responding to the January 29, 2016 "Statement by the Government of Afghanistan on the Human Rights Watch Report" Re: Government of Afghanistan reforms regarding "moral crimes" charges This memo is a response to the following passages in the statement issued by the Afghan government: In order to prevent the imprisonment of women accused of running away from their family, the President recently asked the Supreme Court to issue a ruling on the application of article 130 of the Constitution that is the basis for the courts' decision to sentence such women. In December 2015, the Supreme Court issued a judicial ruling that bars judges from imprisoning women for running away from family. Running away from home is not defined as a crime by law, but from the misinterpretation of a constitutional provision that has created a wrong practice, which is now being stopped. Since the statement was issued, Human Rights Watch has made requests to the President's Office for a copy of the Supreme Court judicial ruling alluded to above, and has received some clarifications regarding the contents of the ruling, but not a copy of the actual ruling. We understand that it is accompanied by a second document, a paper prepared by the research and studies directorate of the Supreme Court that responds to questions from the President's Office regarding whether zina charges should be brought against victims of rape. Our understanding is that this paper states that the scholars have reached a consensus that a haram act of zina has occurred only when a mature person with full consent has committed it, therefore a person who has not consented to zina but has been forced to engage in sexual intercourse is instead under law a victim of rape. We would be very grateful if you could share with us a copy of the full text of these two documents. Our comments below are based on the statement above and the clarifications we have received from the President's Office. We commend the Afghan government, and in particular President Ghani, for taking up these two important issues: 1) the practice of charging women and girls with the so-called offense of "running away"; and 2) the practice of charging women and girls with the offense of zina when they have been the victims of sexual assault or statutory rape. Human Rights Watch has been calling for reform on these issues for many years, including most recently in a 2012 report based on 58 interviews with women and girls imprisoned for "moral crimes," as well as several follow-up statements, which documented a sharp increase in the number of women and girls imprisoned on these charges. The previous administration had been unwilling to pursue reform on this issue. We also noted with dismay the memos issued by the Supreme Court in 2010 and 2011, in which the Court advised that "running away" should be treated as a crime if a woman or girl flees somewhere other than to a relative. We appreciate the steps that your government has now taken, and hope that the government will follow through vigorously to ensure that the proposed changes are fully implemented and have the desired effect of ending these harmful and illegal practices. The following are some key steps that we believe are necessary in this regard: 1) Reform the Penal Code provisions on "moral crimes" and sexual assault Under international law, Afghanistan has an obligation to end all arrests and prosecutions of "moral crimes." International law does not support the criminalization of consensual sex between adults. As part of the revision of the Penal Code, the government should remove articles 426 and 427 from the Penal Code, and replace them with comprehensive penal provisions providing a broad and inclusive definition of sexual assault, incorporating rape and marital rape. The government should also adopt clear law regarding the age at which a young person can consent to sex, set tough penalties for an adult who has sex with a child below the age of consent, and ensure that such children are treated as crime victims and not targeted for zina accusations. We urge the government to consider the guidance from the United National Handbook for Legislation of Violence Against Women in regard to formulating these provisions. Until Afghan law is reformed to abolish "moral crimes," we recommend that the government take the following steps to stop the harmful practices of charging women and girls with "running away" and charging rape and statutory rape victims with the offense of zina. 2) Abolish not only "running away" charges but also "attempted zina" charges As the Supreme Court has noted, "running away" is not an offense under the Penal Code, and should never be used as grounds for arrest, detention, prosecution, or conviction. However, Human Rights Watch's research indicates that ending the practice of charging women and girls with "running away" will not be sufficient to end abuses by justice officials in "running away" cases. The use of "running away" charges seems to have diminished in recent years, in recognition that "running away" is not an offense under statutory law, but that does not appear to mean that women and girls who would have been charged with "running away" now go free. Instead, police, prosecutors and judges appear to be moving ahead with arrest, prosecution and conviction in many of these cases, but doing so under the rubric of "attempted zina" rather than "running away." Police, prosecutors, and judges have argued to Human Rights Watch that, in their view, "attempted zina" charges are justified when there is evidence that a woman or girl left their family's home without permission, or was in a location where "shady things are happening," or was in the company of a man who is not a halal relation. In our view, this is a misapplication of Afghan law, as well as a violation of Afghanistan's obligations under international law. None of these circumstances meet the requirement of Penal Code article 34, which requires that in order for a finding of criminal intent, "the will of the doer to commit an act which produced the crime." Charging an individual with a crime based on the attempt to commit any offense, including zina, also requires that the facts satisfy the following requirements of article 27 of the Penal Code: (1) Initiation of a crime is the starting of an act with the intention of committing a felony or misdemeanor, but whose effects have been stopped or offset by reasons beyond the will of the doer. (2) Only the decision to commit a crime or performance of preliminary works is not considered initiation of crime. The fact that a woman or girl has fled her home, has spent time in an unsafe or unsupervised location, or has been in the company of a man who is not a halal relation cannot reasonably be seen as sufficient evidence that this woman or girl has "started the act" of committing zina. It is very difficult, in fact, to identify circumstances in which zina has not occurred, but the evidence would legitimately support a finding that an individual has started "an act with the intention of committing" zina. Charging individuals with attempted crimes makes sense in cases where it can be clearly determined that an attempt has taken place but has not been completed: for example, a murderer fires a gun at the intended victim, but misses, or a burglar breaks the window of a home but is attacked by a dog before entering. There is no comparable set of facts in regard to the offense of zina; rather the charge of "attempted zina" has been used by prosecutors to continue the practice of prosecuting women and girls for "running away." The government's decision to end the prosecution of women and girls for "running away" will not have its full effect or perhaps even an incremental effect unless the government also prohibits police and prosecutors from pursuing "attempted zina" charges. We urge you to do so. 3) Direct justice officials to inquire into consent in all zina prosecutions The government has taken an excellent step by instructing that victims of rape should not be charged with zina. However, this reform should not require rape victims to bear the burden of defending themselves from a charge of zina by raising lack of consent. Instead, the government should instruct all police and prosecutors that in all zina cases they should investigate whether women and girls gave their consent to sex, from the earliest stages of arrest and throughout the duration of the case. Judges should be offered training on this issue. In the event that evidence indicates that one or more individuals did not consent to sexual intercourse or were below the age of consent, those individuals should be treated as crime victims. There should be no criminal charges brought against victims, and any pending charges should be dropped immediately and victims informed of this. As warranted by the evidence, the perpetrator or perpetrators should be charged with sexual assault (under a revised Penal Code) or rape under the Law on the Elimination of Violence Against Women (article 17). Police should also be informed and trained regarding their responsibility to detect cases of sexual assault and rape and to refer for prosecution all matters where evidence suggests that a rape or sexual assault has been committed. 4) Inform justice officials of new rules on "running away" and rape cases, and ensure full compliance. In Afghanistan, as in many countries, there are often significant gaps between the instructions issued by the central government and the practice of police and prosecutors at the provincial and district level. In order to ensure that full implementation of the government's ban on the use of "running away" charges and the charging of rape victims with the offense of zina, the government should take steps to distribute clear and compulsory guidance on these two issues to all police station and prosecution offices. Justice officials who do not comply with the new rules should face employment sanctions up to and including dismissal. This information should also be made available to judges at the provincial and district level. 5) Ban all use of "virginity exams" As the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) documented in a recent report, the vast majority of women and girls accused of "moral crimes" are subjected to vaginal and rectal examinations sometimes repeatedly performed by government doctors. These doctors then prepare reports, which are used in criminal prosecution, which purport to provide information regarding whether the woman or girl is a "virgin" and whether she recently or habitually engaged in sexual intercourse. In the AIHRC study, out of a sample of 53 women and girls as young as 13 who had been accused of "moral crimes," 48 had been sent for "virginity exams." Twenty were examined more than once up to four times in two cases. One woman said that there were six people in the room watching the examination. So-called virginity examinations have no scientific validity. Many people mistakenly believe that virginity can be determined because the hymen is always broken when a woman or girl has sexual intercourse for the first time. In fact, some girls are born without a hymen; hymens often break during daily non-sexual activities; and some hymens remain intact after sexual intercourse. Purported virginity exams are so unreliable that the World Health Organization has said that they have no scientific validity and health workers should never conduct them. There is no requirement in Afghan law that "virginity exams" be conducted or submitted into evidence in criminal proceedings. President Ghani should immediately, by decree, ban all government doctors from performing "virginity exams" and ban all prosecutors from submitting reports gathered through such exams into evidence. Copyright notice: Copyright, Human Rights Watch Uzbekistan: Fines, rape threat for religious literature Publisher Forum 18 Author Mushfig Bayram Publication Date 25 May 2016 Cite as Forum 18, Uzbekistan: Fines, rape threat for religious literature, 25 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57469c314.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Of four female Jehovah's Witnesses detained by Samarkand police for meeting for worship, one faced rape threats, Forum 18 has learnt. Three were fined for "illegal" religious literature. Two Protestants one spent 16 days in prison - have fled Uzbekistan to escape "police persecution". 'The will to advance towards peace clearly exists' in the Middle East UN envoy Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 May 2016 Cite as UN News Service, 'The will to advance towards peace clearly exists' in the Middle East UN envoy, 25 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5746af5140c.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 25 May 2016 - The United Nations envoy for the peace process in the Middle East today warned the Security Council that, as circumstances on the ground continue to deteriorate, lamenting the disappearance of a negotiated two-state solution has become a "default narrative" for many. "The will to advance towards peace clearly exists. What remains glaringly absent is the political will and bold leadership to make genuine progress a reality," said Nickolay Mladenov, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, in a briefing to the Security Council at New York Headquarters this afternoon. "We need collectively to ask ourselves whether those Israelis and Palestinians who today support a return to negotiations will continue to do so next year, or two years from now, if the prospects for peace remain out of reach. Prolonging the current impasse will sap any remaining optimism for finding a solution to the nearly 50-year occupation," he added, citing a recent study conducted by Tel Aviv University, which shows that close to 60 per cent of the Jewish population and more than 70 per cent of Palestinians remain in favour of conducting peace negotiations. The envoy underscored that over the past decades, a broad consensus has been built around the understanding that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict can only be resolved through negotiations and on the basis of a two-state solution. Indeed, this consensus is at the core of the work of the Middle East Quartet - the European Union, Russia, the United States and the UN, which continues to work with the parties and the region to bring about the necessary conditions for the resumption of meaningful negotiations and is finalizing its first report on the impediments to the two-state solution and the way forward, he said. Fragility of security dynamics on the ground Mr. Mladenov noted that in a few days, several countries and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will come together in Paris to reaffirm their commitment to a negotiated two-state solution and to discuss how they can constructively support both parties in achieving this goal. In At Tur, near Al Maqassad hospital in East Jerusalem, one of several roadblocks, placed by Israeli forces in October 2015 in Palestinian neighbourhoods, as the wave of violence across the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel continued. Photo: OCHA "All these efforts, important as they are, cannot be divorced from the stark reality on the ground that is affecting the lives of Palestinians and Israelis alike," he stressed. The envoy said that despite a general downward trend in violence, on 18 April a Hamas-affiliated Palestinian teenager detonated a bomb on a bus in Jerusalem, injuring 21 people, several of them seriously. Welcoming President Abbas's firm rejection of the attack, Mr. Mladenov said it is "deplorable, however, that some Palestinian factions chose instead to praise it." "I reiterate the UN's firm conviction that there can never, under any circumstances, be a justification for acts of terror," he said. He went on to say that days later, on 27 April, a pregnant, 23-year-old Palestinian mother and her 16-year-old brother were shot and killed under "questionable circumstances" at a checkpoint close to Jerusalem, reportedly by Israeli private security contractors, after allegedly attempting to carry out a knife attack against Israeli security forces. Noting that Palestinian eyewitnesses refuted the claim and that the case has once again raised concerns about the need to calibrate the use of force, the envoy said that Israeli authorities have initiated an investigation, and encouraged them to conduct it in a swift and transparent manner. Escalation of violence Mr. Mladenov said that the beginning of May saw the biggest escalation of violence between Israel and Hamas since the 2014 conflict. Two tunnels were discovered and Israel carried out 14 incursions into Gaza to destroy them and seek out others. In the violent exchanges that followed, militants fired 40 mortars and eight rockets at Israel and the Israel Defense Forces conducted 13 airstrikes on targets in the Gaza Strip. In addition, a Palestinian woman was killed by shrapnel and several others were wounded, the envoy said. "These incidents in recent weeks underscore the fragility of the security dynamics on the ground, particularly the tin-eat to the ceasefire in Gaza, which needs to be vigorously upheld by all sides if we are to avoid slipping into another devastating conflict," the envoy said. Against this backdrop, the Ad-Hoc Liaison Committee met in Brussels on 19 April and expressed concern over the damaging consequences of the current political impasse, the importance of preserving the two-state solution, and the sharp decline in donor aid to the Palestinian Authority, Mr. Mladenov said. "I am encouraged that both sides agreed to work with donors over the coming two years to build a more sustainable Palestinian economy by reducing the budget deficit and stimulating long-term economic growth," he said. The envoy also emphasized that as Palestinians face mounting financial and institutional challenges, negative developments continue in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. "Talks between Israeli and Palestinian officials on security arrangements for Area A have all but reached an impasse. I urge both sides to continue to work to bridge existing gaps." Continuation of demolitions of Palestinian structures The envoy also noted the continuation of demolitions of Palestinian structures in the West Bank. While the pace has somewhat slowed compared with last month, the number of structures that have been demolished or confiscated across the West Bank in 2016 exceeds the total for all of 2015, and at least 900 people have been displaced, he said. Although many of the structures that have been demolished are not dwellings, the loss of water wells, solar panels and animal shelters has impacted the livelihoods of more than 2,500 people, the envoy said. Situation in Gaza 'desperate and highly volatile' Turning to Gaza, Mr. Mladenov said the situation continues to be "desperate and highly volatile." Homes damaged in Gaza during the devastating conflict in 2014. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe "We in the international community have a responsibility not to fail the Palestinians in Gaza, to help them recover from the physical and emotional traumas of war, to assist them in rebuilding their lives and livelihoods and, ultimately, to see Gaza and the West Bank reunited and the closures lifted," he said. Mr. Mladenov recalled that in early April, Israel suspended private import of cement following the diversion of a substantial amount from its intended legitimate beneficiaries. After 45 days and "intense efforts" by the UN team on the ground, the suspension was lifted, he said, adding that all sides must ensure that cement is used solely for civilian purposes. In addition, the envoy stressed that Palestinians in Gaza are "growing ever more desperate," seeing their prospects for living a normal life and recovering their economy blocked by Hamas's military build-up, Israel's security measures and closures, the lack of Palestinian unity, and the insufficient fulfilment of aid pledges by donors. "Recent events clearly demonstrate that the spectre of violence looms ominously over the territory. Unless radically more is done to address the chronic realities in Gaza, it is not a question of 'if', but 'when' another escalation will take place," he said. In addition, Mr. Mladenov said that in a "most worrying recent development," Hamas had announced their intention to implement a number of death sentences. "International law limits the application of the death penalty to the "most serious crimes" and pursuant to a trial and appeals process that scrupulously follow fair trial standards. I have serious doubts as to whether capital trials in Gaza meet these standards," he said. Lastly, Mr. Mladenov welcomed the recent statement by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi expressing Egypt's readiness to mediate a reconciliation between rival Palestinian factions so as to pave the way toward a lasting peace agreement with Israel. "His call also to Israelis and Palestinians to continue the historic step towards peace taken by Israel and Egypt 37 years ago must not go unheeded, not in Israel, not in Palestine, and certainly not in the Arab region," the envoy said. "I urge Palestinian leaders in Gaza and the West Bank to take up this opportunity and to deliver, at long last, to the Palestinian people an end to the issues that divide, and a commitment to strengthening the ties that bind them. And I also urge Palestinian and Israeli leaders to engage, through the initiatives that have been put forward, to bring a just, comprehensive and enduring peace to the people of Israel and Palestine," he said. Citing obstruction, UN torture prevention panel suspends Ukraine visit Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 May 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Citing obstruction, UN torture prevention panel suspends Ukraine visit, 25 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5746af7240c.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 25 May 2016 - The United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) has suspended its visit to Ukraine after being denied access to places in several parts of the country where it suspects people are being deprived of their liberty by the Security Service of Ukraine, the SBU. This denial of access is in breach of Ukraine's obligations as a State party to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture. It has meant that we have not been able to visit some places where we have heard numerous and serious allegations that people have been detained and where torture or ill-treatment may have occurred, said Malcolm Evans, head of the four-member delegation, in a statement issued by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The delegation concluded that the integrity of the visit, which began on 19 May and was due to end on 26 May, had been compromised to such an extent that it had to be suspended, as the SPT mandate could not be fully carried out. Under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT), the SPT is mandated to visit all States parties and can make unannounced visits to any places of detention. This is only the second time the Subcommittee has halted a mission such suspensions are made in cases where a lack of cooperation by the State party prevents the SPT from fulfilling its OPCAT-mandated duties. The SPT expects Ukraine to abide by its international obligations under the Optional Protocol, which it ratified in 2006, said Mr. Evans. We also hope that the Government of Ukraine will enter into a constructive dialogue with us to enable the SPT to resume its visit in the near future and so work together to establish effective safeguards against the risk of torture and ill-treatment in places where people are deprived of their liberty, he added. The focus of the SPT's visit was to evaluate how its recommendations made after its first visit in 2011 had been implemented. The work of the SPT, which is composed of independent human rights experts, is guided by the principles of confidentiality and cooperation, the SPT said. The Subcommittee delegation to Ukraine consisted of: Sir Malcom Evans (United Kingdom), Mari Amos (Estonia), June Caridad Pagaduan Lopez (Philippines) and Victor Zaharia (Republic of Moldova). At Crime Commission, UN official urges stepped-up responses to curb human trafficking Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 May 2016 Cite as UN News Service, At Crime Commission, UN official urges stepped-up responses to curb human trafficking, 25 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5746afa2410.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 25 May 2016 - Despite all of the positive effects of migration, the unprecedented flow of people is generating new criminal opportunities, the head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said today at a high-level event on the recently launched UN-European Union initiative aimed at curbing human trafficking and migrant smuggling. At-risk migrants, especially children, have become easy targets for abuse and exploitation, and clearly more needs to be done to reduce vulnerabilities, enhance protection and stop the criminals, said UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov. The continuing crises which we're witnessing makes it even more critical that we take steps to address these shortcomings and strengthen criminal justice responses, he added Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (2015-2019), or GLO.ACT, aims to prevent and address the two crimes within 13 strategically selected countries by identifying proven good practices and lessons learned. These nations are Belarus, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Pakistan, South Africa and Ukraine. The event was held in Vienna, Austria, on the side-lines of this week's 25th session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ). Together with UNODC we can stop a culture of impunity for those who treat human beings as commodities, said EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator Myria Vassiliadou. The current migration and refugee crisis has made it all the more important to jointly and comprehensively address these distinct, yet often overlapping, complex crimes. Criminal networks seize opportunities to generate illicit profits at the expense of States and people and right now, organized crime groups are taking advantage of the gaps that exist in the laws, strategies and operational capacities of States. The four-year initiative marks a significant milestone in the global fight against trafficking and smuggling, and being delivered in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). UNODC's work, moreover, is directly relevant to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the facilitation of orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration, such as through decreasing profit opportunities for criminal networks, the provision of access to justice for all, and the building of effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. Security Council condemns terrorist attacks in cities on Syria's coast Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 May 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Security Council condemns terrorist attacks in cities on Syria's coast, 25 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5746afe640b.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 25 May 2016 - The United Nations Security Council has strongly condemned the terrorist attacks in Syria claimed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) that killed and injured more than 100 people on 23 May, expressing condolences to the victims' families and a speedy recovery to the injured. In a press statement, the Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security and cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality or civilization. After the attacks on the Syrian coastal cities of Jableh and Tartous, the Council voiced concern over the continuation of terrorists from ISIL and groups loyal to ISIL, Jabhat al-Nusra, and other individuals, groups, and entities affiliated with ISIL or Al Qaeda to operate in Syria. Council members condemned the negative impact of the terrorists' presence, actions and violent extremist ideology on the stability of Syria, neighbouring countries and the region, while noting the devastating humanitarian impact on the civilian populations. They stressed the need for Member States to abide by their obligations under relevant Council resolutions while underlining that those responsible for the terrorist attacks be held accountable and that the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism be brought to justice. Any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed, reiterated the Council members. In accordance with the UN Charter and international law, the Council reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. They stressed the importance that measures be taken to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorism, terrorist organizations and individual terrorists in accordance with resolutions 2199 (2015) and 2253 (2015). The members also reiterated their condemnation of indiscriminate attacks on civilians by any party to the Syrian conflict. They backed the International Syria Support Group's 17 May statement expressing serious concern over growing civilian casualties in recent weeks, making clear that the attacks on civilians by any party are completely unacceptable. The ISSG comprises the United States, the Russian Federation, the UN, the Arab League, the European Union, and 16 other countries and has been working since late last year to resolve the Syrian crisis. The members of the Security Council called for a new round of negotiations, under UN auspices, to be convened at an appropriate time and urged the parties to engage constructively in the process. They reiterated their call for safe, unhindered, immediate and direct humanitarian access throughout Syria and, pointing to Security Council resolution 2254, also called for immediate humanitarian assistance to reach all people throughout the country, particularly in besieged and hard-to-reach areas, including those in the Damascus Suburbs. Citing resolution 2258 (2015), they stressed that border crossings remain open for humanitarian relief. DR Congo: Ban 'profoundly concerned' over reports of rising political tensions Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 May 2016 Cite as UN News Service, DR Congo: Ban 'profoundly concerned' over reports of rising political tensions, 25 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5746b00b40d.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 25 May 2016 - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed profound concern over reports of increasing political tensions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) linked to the continuing uncertainty surrounding the country's electoral process. In a statement from his spokesperson, the Secretary-General called for the "strict respect of the fundamental freedoms and rights enshrined in the Constitution," urging all parties in the central African nation to exercise restraint and express their views peacefully, including in the context of demonstrations scheduled to take place tomorrow. The Secretary-General called on all Congolese political stakeholders to "place the interests of their country above their own by engaging constructively in a meaningful political dialogue aimed at peacefully resolving their differences," according to the statement. The UN chief also urged the political stakeholders to extend their full cooperation to the African Union (AU) Facilitator for the National Dialogue in the DRC, Mr. Edem Kodjo, and reiterated the full support of the UN for his efforts. Security Council ends 13-year sanctions regime on Liberia Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 May 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Security Council ends 13-year sanctions regime on Liberia, 25 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5746b03040b.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 25 May 2016 - Acknowledging the sustained progress made on rebuilding Liberia after the 1999-2003 civil war, the United Nations Security Council today terminated an arms embargo against the country and dissolved the related mechanisms, namely the sanctions Committee and the expert panel. While taking such measures, the 15-nation body, through a unanimously adopted resolution, also encouraged the Government to establish a necessary framework to combat the illicit trafficking of arms and ammunition. Following the Council's action to lift the measures, most of which have been in place since 2003, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in a statement issued by his spokesperson, welcomed the decision. According to the statement, the UN chief noted that targeted sanctions measures have accompanied the consolidation of peace and the rebuilding of State institutions in Liberia since 2003, and that these measures have been progressively adjusted as Liberia has met the benchmarks set out by the Council. "Today's lifting by the Security Council of the remaining arms embargo on non-State actors further signals the significant progress made by Liberia and the sub-region in maintaining stability," the statement said. The Secretary-General echoed the resolution's call on the Liberian Government to ensure that all appropriate steps are taken to establish the necessary legal and administrative framework to combat the illicit trafficking of arms and ammunition, the statement added. South Sudan: Senior UN relief official condemns killing of health worker Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 May 2016 Cite as UN News Service, South Sudan: Senior UN relief official condemns killing of health worker, 25 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5746b04740d.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 25 May 2016 - The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan has strongly condemned the killing of Veronika Rackova, a Slovakian nun and medical doctor who was shot on 15 May in Yei, while on a humanitarian mission, and later succumbed to her wounds. "I am deeply saddened by this senseless act and send my deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Sister Veronika Rackova," said the humanitarian coordinator, Eugene Owusu, in a statement issued by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). "I welcome steps being taken by the authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice and urge them to act swiftly." The health worker was driving an ambulance in Yei, in southwest South Sudan, on her way back from a medical centre when she was attacked. Her death brings the number of aid workers killed in South Sudan since the beginning of the conflict in December 2013 to 54. "Violence against humanitarian workers and humanitarian assets is categorically unacceptable and must stop," said Mr. Owusu. "I urge the Transitional Government of National Unity to endeavour to strengthen the safety and security environment for aid workers and will work intensively with them to achieve this." UNESCO welcomes Azerbaijan's decision to free investigative reporter Khadija Ismayilova Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 May 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UNESCO welcomes Azerbaijan's decision to free investigative reporter Khadija Ismayilova, 25 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5746b07140d.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 25 May 2016 - The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has welcomed Azerbaijan's Supreme Court decision to free an award-winning investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova. "Some three weeks after UNESCO awarded [Ms. Ismayilova] the prestigious UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, I welcome her release from prison as a major step for freedom of expression, due process and the rule of law in Azerbaijan," said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova in a press release. "UNESCO's commitment to stand by journalists around world is unwavering," Ms. Bokova added. Ms. Ismayilova, a freelance journalist and contributor to the Azerbaijani service of Radio Free Europe, was detained in December 2014. In September 2015, she was sentenced to seven and a half years' imprisonment on charges relating to abuse of power and tax evasion. "Our mandate to enhance the safety of journalists and fight impunity for crimes against them, to defend freedom of expression and media freedoms has never been so important. This requires the commitment of all actors and every Government," Ms. Bokova said. UN rights office 'deeply concerned' about possible imminent executions in Gaza Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 May 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN rights office 'deeply concerned' about possible imminent executions in Gaza, 25 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5746b08340b.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 25 May 2016 - Expressing concern about possible imminent executions in Gaza, the United Nations human rights office today urged the authorities in Gaza to uphold their obligations to respect the rights to life and to a fair trial and not carry out death penalty. We also urge the Palestinian President to establish a moratorium on executions in line with the strong international trend towards ending the use of the death penalty, said spokesperson Rupert Colville of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). He said that the office is deeply concerned about recent statements made by the authorities in Gaza, including the Attorney General, of their intention to implement a number of death sentences, and fear that the first executions may be imminent. The Gaza authorities' statements follow the demands of several families for the death penalty to be carried out against individuals accused of killing their relatives. Death sentences may only be carried out in extremely limited circumstances, and pursuant to a trial and appeals that scrupulously follow fair trial standards, he said, adding that the office has serious doubts as to whether capital trials in Gaza meet these standards, and is concerned about reports indicating that these executions will be implemented without the approval of the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, which is required under Palestinian law. Media reports indicating that the sentences could be carried out in public also raise alarm, as this is a practice prohibited under international human rights law, the spokesperson said. Burundi's peace talks going nowhere Publisher IRIN Author Samuel Okiror Publication Date 24 May 2016 Cite as IRIN, Burundi's peace talks going nowhere, 24 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5746b5a34.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. The purpose of peace talks is to engage your opponent across the negotiating table. But the Burundi government sees things differently and by picking and choosing who it talks to, on Tuesday sank the latest mediation effort to resolve the country's political crisis. Four days of an "inter-Burundi dialogue", mediated by former Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa, has been labeled a "monologue" by the opposition. They are furious over the government's decision to reject talking to key members of the umbrella National Council for the Restoration of Arusha Agreement and Rule of Law known by the French acronym "CNARED". The government of President Pierre Nkurunziza has been steadfast in its refusal to talk with opponents implicated in a coup attempt last year aimed at stopping his bid for a third-term in office. Instead the 21 to 24 May "dialogue" in Arusha, Tanzania, featured only government officials, two former heads of state, and a selection of like-minded individuals. In a limp statement on Sunday, Mkapa's office regretted the absence of key opposition figures, and said Mkapa would "meet all the stakeholders who were invited to attend the Arusha dialogue and were not able to come due to various reasons in due course." Some members of the CNARED alliance had been invited to Arusha. But it was in their private capacity, not as representatives of the body, which is recognized by the African Union and the East African Community as the legitimate voice of the opposition. "The negotiations that exclude the real stakeholders in the crisis, including CNARED, civil society, armed movements, religious representatives, media, women and youth are a waste of time," said a CNARED statement. "Those who have gone to Arusha know themselves, they have no atom of [a] solution to the crisis that [has] rocked Burundi." The humanitarian fallout The UN estimates that at least 474 people have died as a result of political violence since April last year. More than 79,000 people have been internally displaced and 250,000 have fled the country. The crisis has crippled Burundi's economy, worsening already poor development indicators. CNARED insists it will not accept any post-crisis arrangement that allows Nkurunziza to stay in office. They argue that his third-term bid was prohibited by the constitution and also violated the 2000 Arusha peace accord that ended Burundi's decade-long civil war. But in a controversial ruling the courts allowed Nkurunziza to stand, and he went on to easily win elections in July 2015. "For the government, allowing CNARED to participate in the dialogue without changing its position on the future of Nkurunziza is seen as an early capitulation that could have serious consequences on the future of the ruling party," said Reverien Mfizi, a doctoral candidate in political science at the State University of New York. "As long as the opposition maintains that position, we are not likely to see the government changing its position on the inclusion [in talks] of coup plotters and opposition armed groups," he told IRIN. But without the participation of all parties to the negotiations, including armed groups involved in attacks on the security forces and government officials, a political solution to end the 13-month conflict is unlikely, analysts warn. "Tensions on the ground are escalating. Government raids on opposition neighborhoods and abductions (often of relatives of members of civil society or opposition groups) continue," said Joseph Siegel of the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies at the National Defense University in Washington DC. "Given these actions and the perceived futility of negotiations, a growing number of Burundians are of the mind that change will only come through armed opposition," he told IRIN. "The situation in Burundi demands a more urgent response," said Carina Tertsakian, Human Rights Watch's senior researcher for Burundi and Rwanda. "The most urgent thing is for parties to put pressure on the Burundian government to take concrete measures to stop the killings and other abuses immediately." The International Criminal Court has opened a preliminary investigation into the allegations of gross human rights, including torture, rape and disappearances. CNARED's participation has been a longstanding sticking point for the East African Community-mediated talks, both back when Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni was facilitator and now under the direction of Mkapa. But given the implacability of the Burundi government, the former Tanzanian leader may have had no option at the moment but to meet CNARED separately in the search for common ground. No leverage? "The problem is that the [African Union] and international community more broadly, has little leverage over Nkurunziza in pressuring his government to include CNARED absent the credible threat of sanctions or intervention," said Alex Fielding, senior analyst at Max Security Solutions, a geopolitical risk consulting firm. "Nkurunziza called the AU's bluff back in December when the regional bloc resolved to intervene militarily with or without consent, correctly predicting that neither the AU leaders nor the UN Security Council had the political will to intervene militarily against a hostile Burundi," he told IRIN. "One has to remember how difficult it was for the region to bring the CNDDFDD [Nkurunziza's party], then a rebel group, to the negotiating table in the nineties to understand that the situation requires a whole new level of intervention," Carine Kaneza, spokesperson for the Women and Girls Movement for Peace and Security in Burundi, told IRIN. "If CNDDFDD was resilient and defiant [then] what will it take today when they control all national instruments of state power?" The Arusha Accords, a power-sharing arrangement that merged the army with rebel forces, remains the reference point for a political solution today. "Nkurunziza must consider political concessions - such as increasing the power of opposition parties over key decision-making areas - that will appease the protesters," said Phil Clark, a Great Lakes expert at the School of Oriental and African Affairs, University of London. "Given that Nkurunziza will continue refusing to step down, he must find other ways to respond to protesters' demands, including on ceasing daily violations against citizens, tackling state corruption and delivering development in the Burundian countryside," he told IRIN. To bring that about, how willing is the international community to consider more robust measures? The deployment of a UN police force to protect civilians has been among the options the UN Security Council has been considering since April. So far, Burundi has opposed anything beyond 20 unarmed police advisers. "The only feasible solution involves the government agreeing to an external observer mission that ensures an end to the government's violations - including killings - against opposition leaders and supporters. That must be the first process put in place," Clark told IRIN. For now, the likelihood of Bujumbura voluntarily agreeing to that remains remote. Sudan and Eritrea crackdown on migrants amid reports of EU incentives Publisher IRIN Author Kristy Siegfried Publication Date 25 May 2016 Cite as IRIN, Sudan and Eritrea crackdown on migrants amid reports of EU incentives, 25 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5746b6194.html [accessed 25 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Authorities in Sudan have launched a crackdown on Eritrean migrants - arresting those living in the capital, Khartoum, and intercepting hundreds travelling north through the country towards Libya, the launching point for smugglers' boats heading for Europe. Reports that 900 Eritreans were rounded up in Khartoum on Monday and that a further 400 arrested en route to Libya have been deported to Eritrea, come amid recent revelations in the British and German media that the EU is planning to deepen its cooperation with a number of African countries, including Sudan and Eritrea, to stem migration towards Europe. Kibrom*, a 16-year-old Eritrean refugee who used the route through Sudan and Libya to reach Europe in 2015, told IRIN that his twin sister was among a group of 130 Eritreans captured by Sudanese soldiers in the town of Dongola, about halfway between Khartoum and the Libyan border, earlier this month. "I passed the same way. When we were travelling, we had to bribe the police. My sister used the same smuggler, but when he tried to bribe the police, it didn't work," he said. Kibrom's sister, along with the rest of the group, were taken to a prison in Khartoum where they spent three days. Kibron said he tried to alert the UN's refugee agency, UNHCR, but failed to make contact. "Only the Eritrean Embassy was informed. They took them in an open truck at night time to the Eritrean border," he said. "From there they were taken to a prison located in my city Teseney." Leaving Eritrea without permission is a criminal offense and Kibrom is extremely concerned about his sister, who was trying to evade military conscription, as well as his mother and two younger brothers who are still living in Teseney. "My mother can't even try to see my sister or she will be arrested as well," he told IRIN over the phone from Sweden where he has applied for asylum. "I'm so worried what's going to happen to them." A spokesperson with UNHCR's office in Khartoum confirmed that a number of migrants, including Eritreans, had been intercepted in northern Sudan heading towards the Libyan border. Of those being held at the Aliens Detention Centre in Khartoum, UNHCR had only identified six individuals who had previously sought asylum and been recognized as refugees. None of those six had been deported and the spokesperson did not comment on the other deportations but said: "If an individual does not apply for asylum through the channels provided and subsequently does not express a wish to seek asylum, Sudan may be within its legal right to pursue deportation of irregular migrants from its territory. "For UNHCR, the principle prohibiting forcible returns or non-refoulement only takes centre stage when the affected individuals are persons of concern to UNHCR, which does not appear to be the case in this particular instance." It is unclear whether UNHCR had access to all of the Eritreans detained in Khartoum prior to their deportation. Meron Estefanos, an Eritrean activist based in Sweden who has been in touch with the relatives of some of the deportees, told IRIN that another group of around 300 Eritreans arrested while making their way to Libya were deported last Friday. Sudan has a prior record of deporting Eritreans without allowing them access to asylum procedures, a practice that UNHCR has condemned in the past as amounting to refoulement. Increased border controls In addition to the arrests of migrants in Sudan, Estefanos said there has also been a noticeable increase in controls on the Eritrean side of the Sudan-Eritrea border in the last two months. "Leaving Eritrea to Sudan is becoming hard now," she told IRIN. "People are being intercepted and sent back." Last year, a UN inquiry found evidence that Eritrea is a totalitarian state responsible for "systemic, widespread and gross human rights violations" including a system of indefinite national service that amounts to forced labour. Eritrean soldiers are instructed to shoot at anyone they discover trying to leave the country illegally, a policy that hasn't prevented thousands from fleeing across the border every month. While the majority of Eritreans remain in camps in Sudan and Ethiopia, over 70,000 applied for asylum in Europe during 2014 and 2015, according to EuroStat figures. Last week, Der Spiegel and the New Statesman reported on a leaked plan to increase cooperation with African countries of origin and transit for migrants. The articles alleged that the EU plans to use funding from the recently launched Emergency Trust Fund for Africa to send equipment and vehicles to help Sudan police its border with Eritrea and to assist with the construction of two closed reception centres in Gadaref and Kassala. Eritrea would be given assistance to develop or implement human trafficking regulations. A spokesperson with the EU's Office for International Cooperation and Development, said the reports were inaccurate and that there are currently no plans to provide equipment to the Sudanese government, or to help them build reception centres. "Any decision to provide civilian equipment will be taken on the basis of a forthcoming appraisal mission to Sudan from the EU," she said, adding that any future donation of equipment would comply with EU sanctions against Sudan, which include a ban on the provision of services related to military activities. "The activities related to Sudan are part of a broader regional project in the Horn of Africa, worth EUR 40 million, financed under the EU Trust Fund for Africa and designed to improve migration management," said the spokesperson, noting that the main objective was to cooperate on fighting trafficking and smuggling. "No funding will be channelled through the beneficiary countries' government structures." EU outsources migration policy The EU has increasingly sought the cooperation of African states to control the flows of migrants headed for its shores by using the promise of aid and trade agreements. Critics argue that such policies have contributed to states viewing migrants as bargaining chips to be leveraged for maximum political capital with disastrous results for their safety and human rights. Europe's engagement with Sudan and Eritrea, and other countries along the Horn of Africa to Europe migration route, dates back to the Khartoum Process, launched in November 2014. The EU spokesperson said such initiatives were important for "keeping a dialogue going" with the otherwise isolated Eritrean regime. But sceptics argue that the Khartoum process risks legitimizing the governments of Sudan and Eritrea by treating them as partners in tackling irregular migration, when in fact those countries' own policies are a major factor in driving migration and fuelling migrant smuggling and trafficking. Sudanese officials have repeatedly been accused of colluding with or turning a blind eye to traffickers who kidnap Eritrean refugees and hold them for ransom. A former journalist from Eritrea, who asked not to be named, said that Eritrea's stepped up border controls were partly related to security concerns as it celebrates 25 years of independence, but that they were also about "trying to make themselves look like a good partner" to the EU. "They're helping the trafficking networks become smarter, because people will still look for a way out," he told IRIN. "If these people stay in power, there's no way to stop migration." *Not his real name Title Submission to the Committee Against Torture in relation to its examination of the Third Periodic Report of the Philippines Publisher World Organisation Against Torture Publication Date 28 April 2016 Country Philippines Cite as World Organisation Against Torture, Submission to the Committee Against Torture in relation to its examination of the Third Periodic Report of the Philippines, 28 April 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5746b9284.html [accessed 25 October 2022] See what to expect in coming months along I-69 Finish Line corridor As the leaves begin to fall and air temperatures begin to cool, the 2022 road construction season will soon slow down. Welcome to Club News, a weekly roundup of the latest news in the Big Country. To be included: in 75 words or less, send meeting highlights, guest speakers, officers elected, donations made or received, etc. We don't need the full minutes just the decisions made or the fun things that happened. Information needed: when and where (with a full street address) the club meets and daytime contact information for questions. Only typed submissions can be accepted. To email the information, please put 'club news' in the subject line and send to PublishMe@reporternews.com by 2 p.m. each Monday. iPhone/iPad Group Thursday marks the last class before summer break. Tom Miller will repeat the presentation from Monday. During the May 12 class, topics included keeping passwords in Notes, seven tricks to free up storage on iPhone, removing unused apps, and ransomware. Slides used in the class are posted at tommillermachelp.com. Classes will resume Sept. 8. Next meeting: 1-2:30 p.m. Thursday (12:30 p.m. sign-in). Mockingbird Branch of the Abilene Public Library, 1326 N. Mockingbird Lane. Contact: Tom Miller, 518-6662, tommillermachelp.com or tdmill@me.com, or Barbara Kelly, 692-1087 or abilenemacuser2@gmail.com. Kiwanis Club of Abilene This week, we had a special Memorial Day program by McMurry University's K.O. Long about the Doolittle Raid of Japan during World War II. Our club recently award four $1,000 scholarships from our foundation to four graduating seniors from Taylor County: Emily Votaw, Owen Crawford, Reese Cook and Madasen Briggs. We also recognized the valedictorians and salutatorians from Abilene High, Cooper, Wylie, ATEMS and Premier high schools. Congratulations to these outstanding students. Regular meeting: noon Wednesdays, Abilene Country Club, 4039 S. Treadaway Blvd.; club satellite, 6 p.m. first Tuesday of the month, Boys & Girls Club of Abilene-Martinez, 1301 Clinton St. Contact: Jamie Breed, 672-7200. Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene David McCaghren will present the program speaker, Detective Erin Bennett with Abilene Police Department. She will talk about child safety issues in Abilene. If you are interested in joining a great civic organization, please contact a member for information. Regular meeting: noon Thursdays, Beehive Restaurant, 442 Cedar St. Contact: David McCaghren, 829-3030. Macular Degeneration Support Group The group, which normally meets at 1:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month at Rose Park Senior Activity Center, has suspended meetings until September. MacUsers Group Tom Miller, Mac consultant and trainer, presented Mac basics at the last meeting before summer break. Classes resume in September. He reminded users to keep the iOS (operating system) up to date for the best performance. Other topics included managing icons on the desktop; quick look-up to view pictures and files; using spotlight to locate files; and using right click. All slides are posted at tommillermachelp.com. Contact: Tom Miller, 518-6662, tdmill@me.com or tommillermachelp.com; Barbara Kelly, 692-1087 or abilenemacuser2@gmail.com. Rotary Club of Abilene Marguerite Martin Gray, a French teacher at Cooper High School and author of 'Hold Me Close,' will be guest speaker this week. Members got to enjoy the subzero wonders of Antarctica without having to go there as Rotarian Bruce Bixby entertained Rotarians last week with his presentation of his recent trip to that continent. Congratulations to Rotarian of the week, Jim McNiece. Regular meeting: noon Fridays, Beehive Restaurant, 442 Cedar St. Contact: Mary Beth Kilgore, 518-5288. Texas Retired Teachers Association District 14 Leaders from local units met May 12 for the spring leadership conference to receive training from current officers and committee chairs for carrying out their assigned duties for 2016-2018. After the business meeting, Fran Plemmons, state president, installed the incoming district officers: Bob Gillette, Abilene, president; Judy Gibson, Stephens County, first vice president; Sharon Daugherty, Abilene, second vice president; B.A. Honey, Abilene, treasurer; Oleta Hoffman, Abilene, secretary; and Sharon Daugherty, parliamentarian. Contact: membership@trta.org or call 800-880-1650. Ernest 'Butch' Wayne Adams ABILENE Ernest 'Butch' Wayne Adams, 53, died Monday, May 23, 2016. Arrangements pending with North's Funeral Home, 242 Orange St. Robert Bryant ABILENE Robert Bryant, 78, passed away Sunday, May 22, 2016. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, May 26, 2016, at Elmwood Funeral Home, 5750 Highway 277 South. Service will be at 1 p.m. Friday, May 27, 2016, at Texas State Veterans Cemetery at Abilene, 7457 West Lake Road. www.elmwoodfuneral.com. Lester Tauey Cheney ABILENE Lester Tauey Cheney, 86, passed away Sunday, May 22, 2016. Service will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 25, 2016, at First Baptist Church. Burial to follow in the Dewey Cemetery in south Taylor County. Arrangements by The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Atha Lee Eller HAWLEY Atha Lee Eller, 71, passed away Tuesday, May 24, 2016. Graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Friday, May 27, 2016, at Bethel Funston Cemetery with family receiving visitors from 5-6 p.m. Thursday, May 26, 2016, at Kinney-Underwood Funeral Home of Stamford. Online guest entries may be given at www.kinneyunderwoodfuneralhome.com. Charles Garraway ABILENE Charles Garraway, 78, passed away Monday, May 23, 2016. Arrangements pending with The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Bob Grant Hallmark CISCO Bob Grant Hallmark, 91, died Monday, May 23, 2016. Service will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 25, 2016, at Kimbrough Funeral Home Chapel. Burial to follow in Oakwood Cemetery in Cisco. Angela Guerrero SWEETWATER Angela Guerrero, 66, passed away Sunday, May 22, 2016. Rosary is at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 25, 2016, at Cate-Spencer & Trent Funeral Home Chapel. Mass will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 26, 2016, at Holy Spirit Catholic Parish. Burial to follow in the Sweetwater Cemetery. Arrangements by Cate-Spencer & Trent Funeral Home. Robert Hagins BLANKET Robert Hagins, 81, formerly of Snyder, passed away Monday, May 23, 2016. Memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Friday in the Heartland Funeral Home Chapel. Heartland Funeral Home of Early is in charge of arrangements. Sabrina Ann Hutchins Price BROWNWOOD Sabrina Ann Hutchins Price, 55, passed away Monday, May 23, 2016, in Cisco. Services will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 25, 2016, at Higginbotham Funeral Home Chapel in Cross Plains. Internment in Cross Plains Cemetery in Cross Plains. Emali Jones ABILENE Emali Jones, 14, passed away Monday, May 23, 2016. Arrangements pending with The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Online condolences may be left at www.hamilfamilyfuneralhome.com. Delbert Lefevre SAGERTON Delbert Lefevre, 93, passed away Monday, May 23, 2016. Service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 26, 2016, at Sagerton Methodist Church. Burial to follow in the Fairview Cemetery in Sagerton. The family will receive friends at the Tankersley Funeral Home from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Wanda Neal HAMLIN Wanda Neal, 84, passed away Sunday, May 22, 2016. Service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 26, 2016, at First Baptist Church of Hamlin. Burial to follow in the Hamlin Memorial Cemetery, directed by Adams-Foster-Ray Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 25, 2016, at the funeral home. J.S. Ripley GORMAN J.S. Ripley, 80, passed away Monday, May 23, 2016. Service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 26, 2016, at the Higginbotham Funeral Home Chapel with David Currie and Craig Rhoton officiating. Burial will be in Oaklawn Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Texas 4-H Foundation Youth Livestock & Agriculture, Memo: Ripley at P.O. Box 11020, College Station 77842 or texas4hfoundation.org. Nona Mae Sheets SNYDER Nona Mae Sheets, 81, passed away Sunday, May 15, 2016. Memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Friday, May 27, 2016, at Emmaus Baptist Church, 16001 S. Western Ave., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Private family graveside service will follow at Fairview Cemetery in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Arrangements by Bell-Cypert-Seale Funeral Home. Robert 'Bob' LeRoy Spence BALLINGER Robert 'Bob' LeRoy Spence, 79, passed away Monday, May 23, 2016. Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Monday, May 30, 2016, at Grace Fellowship Church of Ballinger. Arrangements by Lange Funeral Home of Ballinger. Sona' Olivia Trucks ABILENE Sona' Olivia Trucks, 40, passed away Monday, May 23, 2016. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Friday, May 27, 2016, at Elmwood Funeral Home, 5750 Highway 277 South. Service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 28, 2016, in the Elmwood Funeral Home Chapel. Billie Edwards Weston SWEETWATER Billie Edwards Weston, 89, passed away Sunday, May 22, 2016. Memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 28, 2016, at Hoyt Place in Sweetwater with the Rev. Kary Fry officiating. Graveside service will be held at a later date in Alpine. Online condolences may be expressed at www.mccoyfh.com. Betty 'Jolene' Williams RANGER Betty 'Jolene' Williams, 66, passed away Saturday, May 21, 2016. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, May 26, 2016, at Edwards Funeral Home of Ranger. Graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Friday, May 27, 2016, at Evergreen Cemetery in Ranger. Frank Young Jr. ROSCOE Frank Young Jr., 64, passed away Sunday, May 22, 2016. Service will be at 2 p.m. Friday, May 27, 2016, at First Baptist Church of Roscoe. Interment to follow in the Roscoe Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, May 26, 2016, at McCoy Funeral Home of Sweetwater. Online condolences may be expressed at www.mccoyfh.com. After a contentious race for Texas Senate District 24, Austin ophthalmologist beat out state Rep. Susan King by a significant margin Tuesday's Republican primary runoff. King won her home county, Taylor, with 9,197 votes to Buckingham's 5,020, representing 56 percent of the vote. But with 346 precincts out of 348 reporting, Buckingham led with 26,007 votes to King's 16,338. District 24 is a sprawling district made up of 17 counties, including most of Taylor, Callahan, Brown, Comanche and Mills in the Big Country. In a statement, King said she wanted to thank supporters and volunteers across the district for their support, particularly 'my neighbors in Taylor County.' She said she was grateful both for the show of support and for 'allowing me to serve our local community in the Texas House of Representatives for the past five terms.' 'It has been, and continues to be, an honor and I thank you,' she said. King will finish out her term as representative for House District 71. King won the most votes in the March 1 primary, when she and Buckingham defeated a field of four other candidates to secure their right to a runoff. 'Susan was very heavily outspent,' said King's spokesman Bryan Eppstein on Tuesday night. 'The other side had more resources to drive a message outside the local area where Susan was known, and I think it just comes down to that.' Eppstein noted that legislative committees use their interim period to study issues for the next legislative session. 'So as chairman of the Committee on Defense and Veterans Affairs, she'll be chairing those interim hearings to prepare for next session,' he said. 'Those are issues that are very important for Dyess Air Force Base and Fort Hood.' Eppstein told King supporters gathered at Cypress Street Station that she had chosen to stay home with family, rather than make a personal appearance. The race was often bitter, with the war between the two candidates starting over requests that the city of Abilene release medical information, including the contents of a 911 call, which King maintains are private. King, who suspended her campaign temporarily in late 2015 to seek treatment for depression, now has an injunction to prevent the information from being released until a Nov. 21 trial date. The candidates further clashed over topics such as Buckingham's financial ties to National American University in South Dakota, which King's campaign said 'preys upon and dupes veterans'; the fate of the Abilene State Supported Living Center; and Buckingham's reported contributions to Democrats between 2005 and 2012. Speaking to the Reporter-News on Tuesday night, Buckingham said the time had come for unity. Democratic candidate Jennie Lou Leeder will square off against the winner in November. 'It's time to come together, coalesce and get this race won,' Buckingham said via telephone, adding that she felt 'truly blessed to have received such widespread support from across the district.' 'Our conservative message resonated with the voters,' she said, noting that her campaign ran a 'very strong ground game,' knocking on doors and talking to voters. Buckingham said the race was between a 'political outsider and a more established, career politician,' but said she planned to equally 'represent everyone in this district.' 'You're going to see me, you're going to know me,' she said. 'You're going to feel like you have a voice in your senator's district. We're going to be honest about where we stand and why. We know we're here to represent everybody, and we're going to do that well.' After a contentious race for Texas Senate District 24, Austin ophthalmologist Dawn Buckingham beat out state Rep. Susan King by a significant margin in Tuesday's Republican primary runoff. King won her home county, Taylor, with 5,146 votes to Buckingham's 4,051, representing 56 percent of the vote. With all 348 precincts reporting, Buckingham won with 26,413 votes to King's 16,645. District 24 is a sprawling district made up of 17 counties, including most of Taylor, Callahan, Brown, Comanche and Mills in the Big Country. In a statement, King said she wanted to thank supporters and volunteers across the district for their support, particularly 'my neighbors in Taylor County.' She said she was grateful both for the show of support and for 'allowing me to serve our local community in the Texas House of Representatives for the past five terms.' 'It has been, and continues to be, an honor and I thank you,' she said. King will finish out her term as representative for House District 71. King won the most votes in the March 1 primary, when she and Buckingham defeated a field of four other candidates to secure their right to a runoff. 'Susan was very heavily outspent,' said King's spokesman Bryan Eppstein on Tuesday night. 'The other side had more resources to drive a message outside the local area where Susan was known, and I think it just comes down to that.' Eppstein noted that legislative committees use their interim period to study issues for the next legislative session. 'So as chairman of the Committee on Defense and Veterans Affairs, she'll be chairing those interim hearings to prepare for next session,' he said. 'Those are issues that are very important for Dyess Air Force Base and Fort Hood.' Eppstein told King supporters gathered at Cypress Street Station that she had chosen to stay home with family, rather than make a personal appearance. The race was often bitter, with the war between the two candidates starting over requests that the city of Abilene release medical information, including the contents of a 911 call, which King maintains are private. King, who suspended her campaign temporarily in late 2015 to seek treatment for depression, now has an injunction to prevent the information from being released until a Nov. 21 trial date. The candidates further clashed over topics such as Buckingham's financial ties to National American University in South Dakota, which King's campaign said 'preys upon and dupes veterans'; the fate of the Abilene State Supported Living Center; and Buckingham's reported contributions to Democrats between 2005 and 2012. Speaking to the Reporter-News on Tuesday night, Buckingham said the time had come for unity. Democratic candidate Jennie Lou Leeder will square off against the winner in November. 'It's time to come together, coalesce and get this race won,' Buckingham said via telephone, adding that she felt 'truly blessed to have received such widespread support from across the district.' 'Our conservative message resonated with the voters,' she said, noting that her campaign ran a 'very strong ground game,' knocking on doors and talking to voters. Buckingham said the race was between a 'political outsider and a more established, career politician,' but said she planned to equally 'represent everyone in this district.' 'You're going to see me, you're going to know me,' she said. 'You're going to feel like you have a voice in your senator's district. We're going to be honest about where we stand and why. We know we're here to represent everybody, and we're going to do that well.' The movement of population from rural to urban areas, as well as the size of the vastly sprawling Texas Senate District 24 itself, helped contribute to state Rep. Susan King's loss to Austin ophthalmologist Dawn Buckingham, experts said Wednesday. Buckingham bested King in the Republican primary runoff for the seat with 26,413 votes to King's 16,645. King won in Taylor County, earning 56 percent of the vote here, but she carried none of the remaining 16 counties in District 24. King's spokesman Bryan Eppstein said that King, who did not attend a watch party with supporters Tuesday night at Cypress Street Station, was taking time off to be with family and friends before resuming her public schedule. McMurry University political science professor Paul Fabrizio said the King-Buckingham runoff was a symptom of a larger geopolitical reality that Abilene must confront. 'The population growth is not taking place here,' Fabrizio said. 'Politicians can ignore us, and we will have to work together as a community to be heard.' Fabrizio said King had a 'very difficult' road to victory in the 24th District. 'In addition to the fact that in most of the district she was unknown, the bulk of the population is in the southern part of the district, which is a boon for a candidate from that region,' he said. 'Geography was destiny in this case.' Geography is a factor both in state Senate and congressional races for Abilene candidates, Fabrizio said. 'Too many people live in parts of the districts that don't have much contact with us or connection to us,' he said. 'While we are an important economic and political hub in the Big Country, when our might is compared to that of Lubbock or Austin we are found wanting.' Jon Ashby, King's longtime treasurer for multiple campaigns, including King's time on the Abilene ISD school board, agreed. 'As population shifts away from Abilene, it's going to move to Lubbock and it's going to move to Austin,' Ashby said Tuesday night. 'So the representation of rural counties, rural issues is diminishing. So it's going to be more a rural-urban problem than a Republican-Democrat problem.' Health issues reported by King and her family did not help her campaign, Fabrizio said. King temporarily suspended her run in December, citing issues with depression. Controversy over her medical records connected to that period added to the problem. King now has an injunction to prevent that information from being released until a Nov. 21 trial date. King's health crisis limited her availability to meet voters for a time and 'raised some issues about her ability to continue to be a representative,' Fabrizio said. 'However, her doggedness on the campaign trail after that health crisis should have dispelled concerns about her abilities,' he said. Fabrizio said that in his opinion 'anti-establishment tea party-groups' were not in King's favor. 'So she lacked a native, organized constituency when she traveled to counties she had never represented before,' he said. 'While other groups certainly supported her, these other groups sometimes lack a pool of activists and volunteers so essential to a successful campaign. A campaign needs both volunteers and money to win.' Eppstein, King's campaign manager, blamed her loss in part on a combination of 'secretly funded attack campaigns' and an opponent who attacked her with 'no regard for the truth.' He said King was a 'political victim' of such a 'perception-versus-reality paradigm,' the runoff best described, in his opinion, as a 'tale of two elections in that some voters acted upon actual knowledge of King, whereas others may have voted upon perceptions that were completely false.' 'Dark money' attack ads 'played upon the district's strong opposition to abortion and anger against (President Barack) Obama,' Eppstein said, one organized campaign even allegedly painting King as performing abortions. Further advertisements misrepresented a 2013 vote in the Legislature in which opponents contended that King voted to expand Obamacare, he said. Ashby said that with Buckingham's win, he expected that issues of interest to rural Texas, such as water, oil and land use, might go by the wayside. 'Our senator's seat has been gerrymandered all the way to Austin, all the way up here, and so the population center for it has moved to South Central Texas to the Belton area, then down to Austin,' he said, a change that 'diminishes very greatly the knowledge base, the experience base of the person holding the office,' at least when it comes to issues important to rural Texans. A successful politician does not need Abilene or Abilene voters to win the state Senate or congressional districts, he said. 'As we thank Susan King for her years of representation, this community must ask itself how it gets heard from here on out,' Fabrizio said. Today in history: On May 26, 1965, as the Vietnam War rages, 800 Australian troops are sent to the country the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regimen and New Zealand announces it is sending an artillery battalion. Australia sent an aviation detachment and an engineer civic action team in 1964. By 1969, Australian forces in Vietnam totaled 8,000 personnel. New Zealand would have more than 1,000. The countries were part of the Free World Military Forces asked to aid the U.S. and South Vietnamese. Justin Holloway, Abilene Regarding John Casada's rebuttal (Reporter-News, May 22) of my guest column (Reporter-News, May 15), may I say this: I became aware of the transgender bathroom-locker room-showers issue when I read of Houston Mayor Annise Parker and the City Council passing an ordinance requiring all businesses, etc., with public restrooms to allow a person to use the bathroom of the gender with which they identified. The city of Houston issued subpoenas to a select group of pastors for any sermons that discussed homosexuality or gender identity. After much uproar, the subpoenas were rescinded. In a referendum, the voters of Houston overturned this ordinance. A 17-year-old teenage boy in Illinois who identified as female was given a private restroom, shower, etc., to use because of his 'truth.' But the district was sued on behalf of this individual and the school was forced to allow this teenage boy identifying as a female to use the female restroom, showers and locker rooms. I made mention that most men would not care in general if a female who identifies as a male came into their restroom, nor feel threatened or unsafe. I also pointed out the obvious, that the frailty of this suggested law would allow any man to say he identified as a woman and could put women and children in harm's way. Indeed, Jesus always stood for the marginalized, but I would not say he did not love a transgender teenage boy who identified as a female if the he suggested to that boy that showering with a group of anatomically correct teenage females was not wise. Would you? Common sense and love can coexist. Robert N. Dennis, Abilene The opinion pieces by Dr. Casada and Mr. Powell (Reporter-News, May 22), I believe the objections of most Christians and Americans are being missed. It is not the legality of sexual immorality by man's law, but is it following God's law. I would first point out that Christians are charged to forgive the sinner, not the sin. In Jesus' interaction with the lady found in adultery in John 8: 1-11, He forgave her and told her 'to sin no more.' Secondly, it's not the thought that is condemned, but the acting on that thought that sin occurs. Those who would like to study more on this social dilemma, start out in Roman 2. Especially verse 14. Some things are by nature laws. Whose law is being spoken of? God's law as capsulized in Lev. chapters 18-20. It gives insight as to how God views all sexual immorality. You might say, 'That's the Old Testament.' Please find in Matthew 5: 13-20 Christ's statement that he did not come to abolish law but fulfill it. His various teachings did not counter God's law but expounded and clarified on them. Sexual immorality is further discussed by the Apostles in Romans 1 and First Corinthians 6. As to what our Founding Fathers did with the codification of our documents, I would suspect that the thought of homosexuality and transgenderism would not have even been considered since it was against the given law of the One they based their deliberations on and asked His blessings on. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below This just in... This screenshot from an RFA broadcast shows Cambodian police preparing to raid the Cambodia National Rescue Party headquarters in Phnom Penh, May 26, 2016. Cambodian security forces raided the headquarters of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party on Thursday as Prime Minister Hun Sens government appears to be ramping up its efforts to prosecute CNRP members. The raid by about two dozen heavily armed police marked the boldest attempt yet to apprehend Kem Sokha, the acting head of the CNRP. The opposition politician is facing charges related to an alleged affair and has refused to appear in court in a defamation lawsuit related to the scandal. We dont know whether the authorities have an arrest warrant or not, because they didnt discuss it with us, an attorney for Kem Sokhas defense team, Sam Sokong, told RFAs Khmer Service. They just came and they left. He added: We urge the court and relevant authorities to follow the law carefully and not to use it to abuse their power. So far, there has been no explanation from authorities in Phnom Penh regarding the armed raid. A spokesman for the city of Phnom Penh, Ly Sophanna, told RFA the prosecutor in charge of the case is examining the documents and legal procedures for further measures against Kem Sokha. On May 26, the prosecutor in the case ordered the police to find and arrest Kem Sokha because he twice failed to appear in court when ordered, according to a prosecution document obtained by RFA. Blame game Chheang Von, a senior official with the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party, told RFA that Kem Sokha is the one causing the problems because he has refused to testify. He must appear in court to answer the questions, he said. Its up to him to fulfill his duty according to the warrant summoning him to testify as a witness. While Kem Sokha has refused to appear in court or directly address the affair allegations, in a CNRP appearance on May 11 he dismissed the charges as politically motivated. Why do they spend so many human resources on my personal issue? he said at the time. If it is just solely Kem Sokhas personal story, they might not spend this much. Shortly before the raid, police stopped Kem Sokhas car, but let it go after they found that he was not in the vehicle, CNRP senior official Eng Chhai Ieng said. Yim Sovann refused to talk about Kem Sokhas whereabouts, other than to say he is safe. He said he did not know what CNRP is going to do next, but said his party wants to solve the issue peacefully. To ensure the smooth and fair process of the upcoming elections, the government should stop its persecution of the opposition party, he said. Reliable sources from both parties have hinted that there are urgent negotiations going on now, and that authorities have agreed to hold off on arresting Kem Sokha for a day or so. Thursdays move by Prime Minister Hun Sens government marks an escalation in Phnom Penhs efforts to quell opposition ahead of local and national elections in 2017 and 2018. Hun Sens Cambodian Peoples Party was surprised in the 2013 elections by the strong showing of the CNRP. The CPP lost 22 seats in the legislature compared to the previous election. There were widespread accusations of voter fraud in that election. Both the EU and U.S. expressed concerns about possible irregularities, and Human Rights Watch issued a statement that read that "the ruling Cambodian People's Party appears to have been involved in electoral fraud. Thursdays raid prompted the U.S. and Swedish Embassies in Phnom Penh to warn citizens to avoid CNRP headquarters. U.S. wants talks In a statement published on the U.S. embassys Facebook page on Thursday, the U.S. expressed concern about the Cambodian governments use of armed forces to raid CNRP headquarters. The U.S. Embassy is deeply concerned about the recent events in Cambodia, the embassy wrote in its post. The deployment of paramilitary forces at the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) headquarters and armed confrontations with CNRP supporters on May 26 are disproportionate and dangerous steps. In the post, the U.S. urged the two parties to negotiate an end to the political crises. We call on the government to refrain from using unnecessary force and urge the government and CNRP to resume dialogue immediately to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis, the embassy wrote. Chheang Von told RFA that negotiations are difficult because the CPP isnt sure who to talk to, because the CNRP does not have an official chief in the country. Sam Rainsy, the party president, has been staying in France or traveling since an arrest warrant was issued for him in November over a 2008 defamation case, and he was removed from his office and stripped of his legislative immunity. But Yim Sovann called that an excuse to stay away from the negotiating table, saying that Kem Sokha has full authority and that CNRPs leadership is the CNRPs responsibility. Speaking to RFAs live radio show on May 26, CNRP official Eng Chhai Ieng told listeners that Kem Sokha is unwilling to surrender to authorities, because there is no reason for Kem Sokha to turn himself in. We have done nothing wrong that requires us to give ourselves up to the authorities, he said. He also denied rumors that the CNRP is in the process of appointing a new party chief. We work as a team, he said. We are not thinking about having a new acting head of the party besides the current acting head of the party, Mr. Kem Sokha." More petition trouble Thursdays raid comes as police arrested a CNRP commune council member in Takeo province as he was collecting thumbprints on a petition asking King Norodom Sihamoni to release four officials with the human rights organization ADHOC and an election commission official who were arrested in connection with the Kem Sokha case. Kheang Sam Ath of the Human Rights Party was interrogated for two hours and was asked to sign an agreement to stop collecting thumbprints on the petition, CNRP executive committee chief in Takeo province Mao Sophal told RFA. Authorities have been stopping, interrogating and detaining people circulating the petitions for the past few days. Thumbprints are used as signatures in Cambodia. I think thumbprinting for a petition to be submitted to the king is not against the law, Mao Sophal said. Because thumbprinting people who are unhappy about something and want to submit it to the king or to the national assembly or to the government, is the peoples right. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Yanny Hin. Written in English by Brooks Boliek. A group of activists from the eastern Chinese province of Shandong gathers to mark the anniversary of the 1989 military crackdown on the pro-democracy movement, May 15, 2016. Authorities in China have placed dozens of rights activists and dissidents under house arrest after they tried to mark the 27th anniversary of the 1989 military crackdown on student-led democracy protests on Tiananmen Square, while others have been ordered to leave town ahead of the politically sensitive anniversary. Police in the eastern province of Shandong are holding retired university professor Wenguang under house arrest after he tried to meet up with around 10 fellow veterans of the 1989 pro-democracy movement to mark the bloodshed that left an unknown number killed in the crackdown by People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops. said his house arrest started after he and around 10 other activists made plans to hold a public discussion event marking the Tiananmen Square democracy movement and the subsequent crackdown on a local square. The square was quickly cordoned off by police officers in four vehicles, who whisked back to his home and placed him under house arrest, he told RFA. "[My fellow activists] tried to come to my house, but there were about four police officers standing guard outside who wouldn't let them in," he said. "Then more people arrived and they pushed their way through, and we held a brief event [in my home], and recorded it on video," said. Beijing dinner blocked In Beijing, police also prevented a group of activists from eating dinner together to mark the anniversary, they told RFA. Around a dozen scholars, former officials and democracy activists had planned to get together to mark the anniversary a few weeks early, to avoid tight security in the Chinese capital at that time of year, Beijing democracy activist Zha Jianguo said. "A couple of days beforehand, they contacted us to say we mustn't go, and then on [ ] there were a couple of police officers outside my door who tried to stop me leaving," Zha said. "I managed to push past them, but they just followed me." Former agricultural official Yao Jianfu said he hadn't set out for the dinner after he received a message from police ordering him not to attend. Bao Tong, a former aide to late premier Zhao Ziyang, whose ouster came at the height of the 1989 student movement, said he had no choice but to comply with the order. "You have to comply; if they want to sentence you to jail, then that's what they'll do," Bao said. "If they say 'don't go and eat dinner together,' then if you do go, they'll just bring you back again." Forced 'vacation' for Bao Bao said in an earlier interview that police have also told him he must leave town with them on a forced "vacation" over the anniversary period. "I think I'll be going somewhere else, but where, I don't know," he said in an interview on . "They told me to prepare my things, including medications and the like, but there has been no final confirmation." Meanwhile, members of the Tiananmen Mothers victims campaign group said they would be marking the anniversary with a visit to their loved ones' graves. Zhang Xianling, who lost her 19-year-old son Wang Nan during the crackdown, said she hasn't heard from police, who usually accompany the family, about the arrangements yet. "They haven't started surveillance yet, nor have they been in touch for a chat," Zhang said. "In previous years, they would have done so by now; I hope they've changed the way they do things this year." "But just because they haven't come yet doesn't mean they're not coming at all." In the 26 years since the bloodshed, the group has repeatedly called for a reappraisal of the student-led democracy movement, which the government has styled a "counterrevolutionary rebellion." They want a public apology, compensation, the release of details of the crackdown held in secret by the government, and the political rehabilitation of victims and their families. Zhang said she hopes to visit the Wan'an cemetery in a westerns suburb of Beijing, where her son's ashes are held. "We are old, and we are dying one by one, or getting sick, but that won't stop us from carrying out memorial activities and from protesting," she said. "We are determined to keep doing that." In the central province of Hunan, activists from Zhuzhou city said they were called into a police station for questioning after they planned to wear black clothes with slogans commemorating . "The police ... warned us not to carry out any activities of that kind," activist Guo Sheng said following the questioning. The death toll from the night of -4, 1989, when PLA tanks and troops entered Beijing, clashing at times with civilians armed with makeshift weapons, remains unknown to this day. While the Chinese government once put the death toll at "nearly 300," it has never issued an official toll or list of names. Other estimates run in the thousands. A 2009 map published by the Tiananmen Mothers listed more than 250 names garnered from confirmed eyewitness accounts and hospital records of those known to have died in the days after . Reported by Hai Nan for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Qiao Long for the Mandarin Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie. The Myanmar government will allow exiled opposition activists who are still on an official no-entry blacklist to return to the Southeast Asian country within 100 days, said deputy foreign affairs minister Kyaw Tin on Thursday. The move is the latest effort by the new civilian-led government under President Htin Kyaw and State Counselor and Foreign Affairs Minister Aung San Suu Kyi to make right the wrongs of the past in their push for democratic reform and development in Myanmar. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working on granting full rights and protections to those who return, the same as they have received in the countries where they have been living, as well as remove their names from the countrys immigration blacklist, Kyaw Tin said. Thousands of Myanmar students, former political prisoners, and war refugees who fled the country as far back as the 1988 pro-democracy protests, which led to a military crackdown and international isolation, reside abroad primarily in the United States, Europe, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore and Japan. We will ensure that people who went to foreign countries on account of their political beliefs can return within 100 days by working with relevant ministries, but this does not include those who cannot return home because they have committed crimes, Kyaw Tin said. He also said that the foreign affairs ministry is considering changing its visa rules to expand their opportunities to remain in Myanmar since many of those in exile lost their citizenship when they were blacklisted by the military junta that ruled the country for 50 years until 2011. We welcome the Ministry of Foreign Affairs plan to remove people from the blacklist and extend visa terms, said Naing Aung, a leader of the All Burma Students Democratic Front formed in the aftermath of the crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 1988. Naing Aung, who had been living in Thailand, returned to Myanmar briefly in August 2012 after he was removed from the blacklist of potential state enemies under former President Thein Sein. He had tried back then to persuade the government to extend the reprieve to all exiled dissidents. We are trying to return home because we want to work with the new democratic government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, he told RFAs Myanmar Service. It would not be a bad idea to let people who have been working on democracy and human rights since 1988 return home. Prisoner releases Aung San Suu Kyis first act as state counselor after her National League for Democracy (NLD) party took office in early April was to arrange for the release of political prisoners and detained students in the countrys jails, although some still remain behind bars. Thein Sein, who also released scores of political prisoners during his five-year administration, removed the names of nearly 2,100 opposition activists and dissidents living in self-imposed exile from the juntas blacklist in August 2012 as part of his political reforms. Foreign activists, journalists, historians, United Nations officials, and Aung San Suu Kyis two sons who are British nationals were also among those whose names were removed. About 4,000 others remained on list at the time. The foreign affairs ministrys move came as two advocacy groups issued a report on Wednesday about the problems that former political prisoners have experienced upon their release. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners and Former Political Prisoners Society, which jointly issued the report, have urged the government to change Myanmars constitution and other laws to reduce the number of political prisoners held in the countrys jails, the Myanmar Times reported. Reported by Nay Rein Kyaw for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Authorities in southwestern Chinas Sichuan province have detained two Tibetan monks living in Ngaba prefecture, taking them separately into custody on charges that are still unclear, sources in the region and in exile said. The present condition and whereabouts of both remain unknown, sources said. Lobsang Dargye, 35 and a monk at Ngabas restive Kirti monastery, was taken away by police at night on May 23, a local source told RFAs Tibetan Service, speaking on condition of anonymity. He had been arrested once before and was sentenced in 2011 to a three-year term in prison, and after serving his three years he returned to Kirti monastery to continue his studies, RFAs source said. No word was immediately available regarding why Dargye was detained, but local police had required the monk after his release to regularly report to them on his daily activities, the source said. He never complied with this order, he said. This may have been the reason they detained him again, the source said, adding, Apart from this, he is not believed to have engaged in any illegal activities or broken any laws. Dargyes Kirti monastery has been the scene of repeated self-immolations and other protests by monks, former monks, and nuns opposed to Chinese rule in Tibetan areas. Politically sensitive writings Just over a week before, Chinese police detained another Ngaba monk, the monks cousin living in Paris said. Jamyang Lodroe, a monk at Ngabas Tsinang monastery, was taken into custody sometime during the evening of May 14 in front of the Barkham (in Chinese, Maerkang) county Peoples Hospital, the source named Choephel said. His whereabouts, too, remain unknown. Though the reasons for Lodroes detention are still unclear, local Tibetans believe it may have been because of his writing and publication online of politically sensitive articles, and because he had shared these with other Tibetans, Choephel said. "He is 35 years old, and his fathers name is Tsakto and his mothers name is Chokre. Sporadic demonstrations challenging Beijings rule and calling for the return of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama have continued in Tibetan-populated areas of China since widespread protests swept the region in 2008. A total of 145 Tibetans living in China have now set themselves ablaze in self-immolations since the wave of fiery protests began in 2009, with most protests featuring calls for Tibetan freedom and the Dalai Lamas return from India, where he has lived since escaping Tibet during a failed national uprising in 1959. Reported by Kunsang Tenzin and Sonam Lhamo for RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney. U.S. President Barack Obama has said the Taliban are unlikely to come to the table for peace talks with the Afghan government "anytime soon." Obama was speaking on May 26 on the sidelines of a G7 summit in Japan, a day after the Taliban appointed Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada as their new leader. Akhundzada replaced Mullah Akhtar Mansur, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike last week. "My hope, although not my expectation, is that there comes a point at which the Taliban recognizes that they are not going to simply be able to overrun the country and what they need to be doing is to enter into serious reconciliation talks" Obama said. "I am doubtful that it will be happening anytime soon," the president added. With reporting by AFP The contrast between the hero's welcome Nadia Savchenko received in Kyiv and the subdued reception the two Russian intelligence officers exchanged for her got in Moscow was revealing. Ukrainians are justifiably proud of Savchenko, a military pilot who was captured defending her country -- and who was defiant in captivity. The Kremlin, on the other hand, would prefer to forget about Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Aleksandr Aleksandrov, the GRU operatives who were caught illegally fomenting an armed rebellion in eastern Ukraine. It's also pretty revealing that Vladimir Putin stuck to the Kremlin's big lie, even after releasing his hostage. Putin made a point of saying that he made the decision to pardon Savchenko after being asked to do so by relatives of two journalists she was absurdly accused of helping kill. As everybody paying attention to this case knows, the two Russian journalists in question were killed by mortar fire in eastern Ukraine after Savchenko was already in captivity. But never mind. If you repeat a lie enough times, plenty of gullible people will believe it. Meanwhile, the real motive for releasing Savchenko probably lies elsewhere. Her release came just days after Putin held a conference call with European leaders -- and just weeks before the EU will decide whether or not to extend sanctions against Russia for its intervention in the Donbas. In recent weeks, the signals coming out of Brussels indicated that sanctions would most likely be extended. If that tone changes in the coming weeks, and if sanctions are not extended when European leaders meet next month, it would probably indicate that some kind of deal was cut. And that would send an unmistakable signal to the Putin regime: hostage taking pays. Keep telling me what you think on The Power Vertical's Twitter feed and on our Facebook page. Ukraine and its allies have adamantly rejected Russia's claims that Kyiv is developing a "dirty bomb" to use against Moscow's forces, and Ukraine's foreign minister says he has invited experts to visit Ukrainian facilities to see for themselves that Ukraine has nothing to hide. Russia's claims that Kyiv is planning to deploy a so-called dirty bomb -- a conventional warhead laced with radioactive, biological, or chemical materials -- came in a series of calls between Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his counterparts from several NATO countries. 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. Britain, France, and the United States issued a joint statement on October 23 dismissing the claim after Shoigu's calls with their defense ministers in which the Russian minister presented no evidence for the claim. "Our countries made clear that we all reject Russia's transparently false allegations that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory," according to the statement. But Russia doubled down on its assertions, which come after weeks of military defeats for Russia in southern and eastern Ukraine. "According to the information we have, two organizations in Ukraine have specific instructions to create a so-called dirty bomb. This work is in its final stage," Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov said on October 24. Later the same day, the chief of the Russian General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, spoke by phone with British Chief of Defense Staff Tony Radakin, who rejected Russia's allegations that Ukraine is planning actions to escalate the conflict. "The military leaders both agreed on the importance of maintaining open channels of communication between the U.K. and Russia to manage the risk of miscalculation and to facilitate de-escalation," the Defense Ministry said in a statement. Gerasimov also held a phone call with his U.S. counterpart, General Mark Milley, to discuss the risks of the use of a dirty bomb in Ukraine, according to the Kremlin-controlled RIA Novosti news agency. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg weighed in on Moscow's repeated allegation on October 24 , saying NATO also rejects it. Stoltenberg said he had spoken with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace "about Russia's false claim that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory." "NATO Allies reject this allegation. Russia must not use it as a pretext for escalation. We remain steadfast in our support for Ukraine," he said on Twitter. Moscow's claims that Ukraine could employ a dirty bomb raised concern that Russia could use such a device and blame Kyiv. A senior U.S. military official said the United States has seen no indication that Russia has decided to use nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons in Ukraine, including a dirty bomb. The official, who spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity, also said the Ukrainians are not building a dirty bomb. U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price also said the United States has not seen any indication that Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon but said there would be consequences for Russia whether it used a dirty bomb or any other nuclear weapon. "It would certainly be another example of [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin's brutality, if he were to use a so called 'dirty bomb.' There would be consequences for Russia whether it uses a 'dirty bomb' or a nuclear bomb. We've been very clear about that," Price told reporters. He did not provide details about those consequences. Ukraine earlier called the accusation that Kyiv was building a dirty bomb absurd, and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog accepted his request to send experts to Ukraine to refute Moscow's claim. Kuleba said he invited the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to "urgently send experts to peaceful facilities in Ukraine which Russia deceitfully claims to be developing a dirty bomb." Kuleba said Ukraine has always been transparent and has "nothing to hide." The IAEA said later on October 24 that it was preparing to send inspectors to two Ukrainian sites. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi confirmed in a statement that both locations are under IAEA safeguards and have been visited regularly by the agency's inspectors. The IAEA "is aware of statements made by the Russian Federation on [October 23] about alleged activities at two nuclear locations in Ukraine," Grossi said, adding that both were already subject to its inspections and one was inspected a month ago and no undeclared nuclear activities or material were found. "The IAEA is preparing to visit the locations in the coming days," it added. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Kuleba in a phone call on October 23 that the world would "see through any attempt by Russia to use this allegation as a pretext for escalation [of the war]." Blinken and Kuleba discussed the U.S. and international commitment to continue supporting Ukraine with "unprecedented security, economic and humanitarian assistance for as long as it takes, as we hold Russia accountable," the State Department's call readout said. They further noted ongoing efforts to manage the broader implications of the Kremlins war in Ukraine, it added. With reporting by AFP BAKU -- Investigative reporter Khadija Ismayilova says the Azerbaijani government decided to release her from prison because her detention had become an embarrassment and had failed to frighten other reporters from pursuing stories about high-level corruption. In a May 26 interview one day after Azerbaijan's Supreme Court unexpectedly ordered her released from a Baku prison, the RFE/RL journalist also vowed to continue her work and shrugged off fears for her personal safety. "My mother joked about this. She said: 'When you're in prison, you're safer than when you're free because they wouldn't just kill you like that [in prison],'" she said in an interview with RFE/RL at her home in the Azerbaijani capital. She said she had no way to influence the government if it wanted to kill or harm her now that she is free. "Therefore, I can't let it bother me. I can only answer for my own person. I'm preparing to do my work and do the work that I was doing," she said. Ismayilova, who celebrates her 40th birthday on May 27, was detained in December 2014 and sentenced last September to 7 1/2 years in prison after being convicted on charges widely seen as retaliation for her award-winning reporting on the secretive wealth of the family of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Her most notable investigations include a report on how Aliyev's relatives personally profited in the construction of a $134 million concert hall built for the 2012 Eurovision pop song contest in Baku. Coming amid a mounting campaign against independent media, civil society activists, and opposition politicians, Ismayilova's arrest elicited international condemnation against the Aliyev government. Western governments and press-freedom groups had repeatedly called for her release. The Supreme Court reversed her convictions on May 25 and reduced her punishment to a suspended sentence after upholding earlier convictions for illegal entrepreneurship and tax evasion. Ismayilova said the decision was unexpected for her given the continuing pressure against journalists and activists. "I wasn't convinced that the government was prepared to show goodwill toward political prisoners and prisoners of conscience," she said. "But evidently, the pressure put on the authorities to release me was very effective, and the government realized in the end that holding me in prison was more costly than letting me go, and therefore they simply released me." WATCH: Ismayilova says she was able to remain optimistic in custody, despite her ordeal. She said that, while in prison, she tried to keep her spirits high and smiled regularly, which caught the attention of her guards. "Even the prison officials were asking why I'm smiling all the time," she said. Ismayilova said that by arresting her, the government had clearly hoped to frighten reporters and others from investigating high-level corruption and cronyism. "This didn't happen. There weren't fewer [reports]. In fact, there were more. There were a greater number of investigations published both in the international media and the national press. Therefore, they didn't succeed," she said. She called on Azerbaijan's government, which denies that it has political prisoners, to allow RFE/RL to reopen its Baku bureau, which was shuttered by authorities in December 2014. "It's important for the Azerbaijani people to receive the professional and unbiased news coverage that was provided by [RFE/RL] so far," she said. "It's very important for the Azerbaijani audience that the radio staff should be able to continue to work." Asked about celebrating her birthday so soon after her release, she said she wished others would continue to work to free other political prisoners still being held in Azerbaijan. "My birthday wish is: Keep doing whatever you can to get someone out of prison, because it is important," she said. "It worked with me. It can work with others." WASHINGTON -- Elated but defiant, RFE/RL journalist Khadija Ismayilova walked out of prison in Baku today after Azerbaijans Supreme Court suspended her jail sentence, vowing to take the Azerbaijani government to court to hold it accountable for concocting a case against her on political grounds. My arrest was an injustice, declared Ismayilova, whose reporting linking Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his family members to corruption has been cited by rights groups as the reason for her imprisonment. She told RFE/RLs Azerbaijani Service moments after her release, I will continue my journalism, and nothing will keep me from working as a journalist. Even in a country like Azerbaijan, I will continue to do my job. The Baku court issued its verdict on May 25 in response to the journalist's appeal of her September 2015 conviction. The court acquitted her on the charges of misappropriation of property and abuse of position, but upheld her convictions for illegal entrepreneurship and tax evasion -- charges that RFE/RL has rejected as baseless. Her sentence was reduced from 7 1/2 years in custody to a suspended term of 3 1/2 years, with a five-year ban on traveling outside of the country without permission. A written judgement explaining the terms of Ismayilovas release is expected shortly. RFE/RL Editor in Chief Nenad Pejic welcomed the news, saying, "This is a great day for Khadija, and for all journalists and for free speech everywhere." "We are overjoyed for Khadija and her family and can't wait for her to get back to work," he said. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) recorded video statements in support of Ismayilova the day before her release. Addressing a message to her directly, Sen. McCain told Ismayilova, People around the world, and in the United States, are with you. And we will do everything we can to see that not only you are free, but your colleagues and others are able to exercise... freedom of the press. Rep. Schiff thanked her for the "courage and integrity that you have displayed. In written statements issued after Ismayilovas release, Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), the Ranking Member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he was heartened to hear of her release and welcomed "Khadijas strong statement that she will continue to do the work that she loves," while noting "that it was wrong for her to be in prison. Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), the Ranking Member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Ismayilovas release removes an obstacle to better relations between the United States and Azerbaijan, while calling on Azerbaijani authorities to allow [Ismayilova] to continue her work and to permit RFE/RL to reopen [its bureau in Baku]." BBG Chairman Jeff Shell applauded the revision of what he called an unconscionable and unacceptable sentence in retaliation for [Ismayilovas] corruption reporting, while urging Azerbaijani authorities to clear her name of all wrong-doing and remove the conditions restricting her freedom. Shell also called on Azerbaijan to reopen RFE/RLs Baku bureau, which was forcibly closed by state agents following Ismayilovas arrest in December 2014. Azerbaijan is ranked 189th out of 199 countries and territories surveyed in Freedom Houses 2016 Freedom of the Press survey, and 163rd out of 180 countries and territories ranked in Reporters Without Borders' 2016 World Press Freedom Index. Freedom House says there are still more than 80 political prisoners in Azerbaijan. Russian performance artist Pyotr Pavlensky says he plans to give the money he'll receive from his Vaclav Havel International Prize for Creative Dissent to a group of men jailed for a series of attacks against police. Pavlensky, who is in pretrial detention in Russia, could not attend the award ceremony in Oslo on May 25. His friend Oksana Shalygina, who received the award on his behalf, read out a statement in which he announced that he will give his prize money to the so-called Primorye Guerrillas. The group carried out attacks against police in Russia's Far East in 2010 in which two officers were killed. Six members of the group were later sentenced to lengthy prison terms. Pavlensky is facing criminal charges for setting fire to a door of the Federal Security Service's (FSB) headquarters in Moscow in November. He has staged a series of political protest performances that have included nailing his scrotum to Red Square. Pavlensky says his performances draw attention to the indifference of many Russians to widespread FSB control. The other laureates of the 2016 Vaclav Havel International Prize for Creative Dissent are Iranian cartoonist Atena Farghadani and Uzbek photojournalist Umida Akhmedova, who is also an RFE/RL contributor. The prize winners will share 350,000 Norwegian crowns ($42,000). In the summer of 2004, a group of activists near the city of Saransk made a gruesome discovery: Some 500-700 corpses buried in shallow mass graves in a forest. They were the bodies of victims of Josef Stalin's Great Terror in the 1930s. According to local historians, the victims were Orthodox priests, Muslim clerics, local teachers, collective farmers, and workers. Their names are unknown because the archives of the Soviet and Russian secret police remain closed. "We brought our information about the grave to the government, to academic circles, and to civil society," activist Nikolai Kurchinkin told the Saransk edition of the government newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta. "But there was only silence." The activists hoped that the bodies would be exhumed and buried properly in the city cemetery. They hoped that a monument would be placed on the spot where the victims were dragged out into the forest and shot in the back of the head. On May 23, however, a monument was unveiled on the site, one of the few monuments in Russia devoted to "the victims of political repressions during the 1930s." But after a single line noting that fact, the monument's text then dedicates 12 lines to honoring one particular victim of Stalin's Terror: Valter Vand, the former head of the local branch of the NKVD, as the secret police tasked with carrying out executions and many other forms of political repression at the time were known. The unveiling was organized by the Interior Ministry of the Republic of Mordovia. The speakers at the ceremony included the deputy head of Mordovia's Interior Ministry and Vand's granddaughter, Nina Freiman. The ceremony was timed to mark the 78th anniversary of Vand's own execution, probably somewhere near that very spot. "This monument is not only for the victims of political repressions," Freiman said, "it is a monument to their families as well, who in an instant became 'enemies of the people,' outcasts. This monument is for them, who shared the fate of their relatives, who did not betray them, who struggled for their good name until the end of their days." Stalin 'Really Lives On' It is well known that many communists were among Stalin's victims. Among such "victims," one must count Vand's boss, Nikolai Yezhov. Yezhov, who slavishly presided over the worst years of the Terror as head of the NKVD, was himself arrested, tortured, and executed in 1940. One of the crimes he was allegedly killed for was ordering the purge of about 14,000 NKVD officers and other security officials. One of whom was Valter Vand. Vand didn't stand out much among the NKVD officers of his time. He was born in Germany and served as a German officer in World War I. He was taken prisoner in Russia and decided to remain in the country following the Bolshevik coup in 1917. He began his career in the Soviet repression machine in 1920, becoming the head of the Mordovia secret police in 1932. Interestingly, according to the blog of Russian writer Boris Akunin, Vand only became a Soviet citizen in 1932 after he was already heading the Mordovia police. "He was so thoroughly suffused with Russian patriotism and love for this expansive country," said Mordovia Deputy Interior Minister Tolkunov at the unveiling, "that he chose to dedicate his life to serving the good of Soviet Russia. Despite the fact that his fate turned out tragically -- [Vand was arrested in June 1937 and] was shot on May 23, 1938 -- he remained true to his principles and convictions until the very end." Soviet Russia seemed to be enduring an epidemic of "tragic fates" at the time. The local party boss reported to Yezhov shortly after Vand's arrest that "his successor, comrade Veizager, in three months has done dozens of times as much chekist work as comrade Vand did in many years." But it wasn't enough. Sigizmund Veizager was arrested on November 21, 1937, and executed on May 9, 1938 -- two weeks before Vand met the same fate. Vand was rehabilitated in 1957, and Veizager in 1994. Both of them, very likely, are in the unmarked graves with their victims. Nobel Prize laureate Svetlana Alexievich commented in October 2015 on the shadow of Stalin. "Deformed people have emerged from socialism because a prison camp deforms both the torturer and the victim," she said. "What has remained is the deformed intelligentsia who do not know where good and evil are." "This is something I only realized while I was working on Second-Hand Time," she continued, in a reference to her recent book, which examines the post-Soviet mentality two decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union. "I did not think that so much of Stalin's legacy has remained in our countries. It turns out that he is more alive than all the living. He really lives on -- he continues to be a kind of landmark. The rulers want this." Russia says the release of Ukrainian military pilot Nadia Savchenko after nearly two years in captivity is unlikely to help improve Moscow's relations with the European Union. Savchenko returned home on May 25 after being exchanged for two Russians held by Ukraine. "The return of our guys to Moscow and the pardoning of Savchenko and her return to Kyiv can hardly be considered as something that is able to significantly change the current atmosphere, which of course we would like to see as more constructive," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on May 26. Savchenko's handover, which had been demanded by the West, comes a few weeks before the EU decides whether to extend sanctions against Russia over its actions in Ukraine. The EU sanctions, which were adopted in 2014 in response to Russia's occupation and illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and Moscow's military support for separatists in eastern Ukraine, are due to expire at the end of July. Based on reporting by Reuters and TASS Sweden's parliament has voted 291 to 21 to give NATO more access to the neutral Nordic country for training exercises and in the event of a war. Sweden is outside of NATO, but has moved closer to the alliance recently because of heightened tensions with Russia, cooperating with NATO states like Denmark, Norway, and Iceland and participating in operations in Afghanistan. "This deal will not change our relationship with NATO nor our security policy. We will remain nonaligned," Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist said. "There will be no NATO troops on Swedish soil without an invitation." Sweden's closeness to NATO has already angered Moscow. In April, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the daily Dagens Nyheter that Russia would take unspecified action if Sweden joined NATO. But Russia's annexation of Crimea and backing of separatists in Ukraine have heightened fears in the Baltic region. Sweden has accused Russian warplanes of carrying out simulated bombing runs near its border and it has warned of Russian spies in the country. Sweden's center-left government has said it will not join NATO. However, opposition parties favor membership and polls show many Swedes agree. Based on reporting by Reuters and TheLocal.se ON MY MIND As I noted in today's Daily Vertical, and as several commentators noted in pieces highlighted below, the contrasting images of Nadia Savchenko's triumphant return to Ukraine and the deafening silence surrounding the repatriation of GRU officers Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Aleksander Aleksandrov couldn't be sharper. In fact, they are something of a metaphor for Ukraine and Russia's respective approaches to the conflict. Ukraine openly says it is fighting a war to defend its independence, and is therefore proud of Savchenko -- who is a hero and a symbol of resistance in that war. Russia is also fighting a war, one to destroy Ukraine's independence -- but they are pretending that they are not. They are relying on covert operatives like Yerofeyev and Aleksandrov to foment an armed rebellion in the Donbas. And now, Russia cannot acknowledge Yerofeyev and Aleksandrov as heroes because that would be a tacit admission of what they are doing. LATEST FROM THE POWER VERTICAL BLOG In my latest Power Vertical blog post, "Ukraine's New Hope," I argue that Savchenko could become something Ukraine "has long lacked -- and badly needs: a political figure with clear and unambiguous moral authority." IN THE NEWS Sweden's parliament has approved a host nation agreement with NATO that would give the alliance more access to the country for training exercises and in the event of war. Oil prices have topped $50 a barrel for the first time in 2016. EU Council President Donald Tusk has said he is "quite sure" sanctions against Russia will be extended. The United States has sentenced a Russian banker to 30 months in prison for conspiracy to spy. A court in Yaroslavl has overturned a fine levied against a local lawmaker for installing a plaque honoring slain Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov. WHAT I'M READING Some Savchenko Reax Leonid Bershidsky argues that Ukraine is the moral victor in the prisoner swap that freed Nadia Savchenko. "Savchenko's colorful defiance and her country's spirited defense of her were more pure, more human than Russia's official rejection and reluctant rescue of Alexandrov and Yerofeyev," Bershidsky writes. "Besides, Savchenko has a much better explanation of how she ended up in captivity than the Russian servicemen: She was defending her country. The GRU men had been following orders they didn't question, fighting against a neighboring country that had not attacked Russia. In that sense, the exchange was not equivalent. Ukraine got the moral victory." Writing in Slon.ru, Oleg Kashin notes "Russia's awkward silence" about the two military intelligence operatives, Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Aleksander Aleksandrov, who were exchanged for Savchenko. In contrast to Savchenko, who was publicly honored by President Petro Poroshenko and appears to be headed for a bright political career, Yerofeyev and Aleksandrov "will not be publicly rewarded because it would mean a public recognition by Russia of its war in Ukraine" and they will not enter politics because that could set a dangerous precedent. The best they can hope for, Kashin writes "is an interview on Vesti Nedeli." In Euromaidan Press, Ukrainian journalist and political commentator Vitaliy Portnikov also contrasts Savcehnko's welcome to that of Yerofeyev and Aleksandrov. On The Atlantic Council's website, Ukrainian analyst Kateryna Kruk argues that Savchenko's return could set off a "political earthquake" in Ukraine. One thing worth watching will be her relationship with Yulia Tymoshenko. "In fact, there can hardly be a suitable political role for Savchenko," Kruk wrotes. "She is a living legend, a symbol, and a national hero. She has immense support from society and international leaders. At the same time, she is not a politician. She is straightforward and honest in telling exactly what she thinks -- a rare quality in politics unlikely to bring her more political friends." Atlantic Council fellow Irena Chalupa also takes a look at Savchenko's political future. "Even before her release, she was the subject of much speculation; many opined that perhaps having someone as principled and honest as Savchenko would not be convenient for the cynical and corrupt Ukrainian political milieu," Chalupa writes. "What would she do in the political circus that is Ukraines parliament, they asked? One weekly magazine featured a serious Savchenko on its cover with the headline The next president of Ukraine? And Russian analysts are speculating that there was more behind the Savchenko exchange than meets the eye. Ukraine's Other Savchenkos The website of the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group has a rundown of the Ukrainian citizens who remain incarcerated in Russia on questionable charges. "There is little or no progress on freeing the other Ukrainians unlawfully held in Russia, with the 'extradition procedure' in the case of filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, civic activist Oleksandr Kolchenko and others looking increasingly like a delaying tactic.There is also a large, and increasing number of Ukrainians, most of them Crimean Tatars, imprisoned in Russian-occupied Crimea." The F-Word Mikhail Khodorkovsky's Open Wall has a post, "If It's Not Fascism, Then What Is It?" that looks at the role of the F-Word in Russian discourse. Here's a teaser: "In Russia, everyone compares everything to Hitler. Not only on the Internet, mind you, but offline as well: on TV, in newspapers, during rallies, and simply in everyday situations. It would appear that the Nazis have come to occupy a crucial mythological niche in the worldview of contemporary Russians: epitomising absolute evil, and representing the strongest possible term of abuse, Fascism is effectively the zero-point of Russias new moral coordinates system. Indeed, a world without Fascism and without "permanent victory" over the same (a la Trotsky's "permanent revolution") -- has become well-nigh inconceivable. This Fascism, furthermore, is constantly manifesting itself in ever-new guises: for Putin, "Fascism" means Ukraine, for the opposition it means Putin, for the federal channels it means the opposition, and so on and so forth." Syria Strategies Vedomosti has a piece titled "How To Fight After The Armistice," that looks at the respective Russian and U.S. strategies in Syria going forward. The U.S. House has voted to bar the U.S. government from purchasing heavy water from Iran in the future, undercutting President Barack Obama's nuclear pact with Tehran. The House attached the prohibition to an essential funding bill for the U.S. Energy Department with a 251-168 vote. A similar amendment was blocked by Democrats in the Senate last month shortly after the Obama administration completed an $8.6 million deal to buy 32 tons of heavy water from Iran. The White House threatened to veto the Senate measure. The House amendment wouldn't reverse last month's purchase, but it would stop future purchases. However, there are no plans for further U.S. purchases of heavy water. The heavy-water sales help Iran carry out its obligations under the nuclear deal. Iran has also sold heavy water to Russia. Under the deal, Iran is allowed to use heavy water in its modified Arak nuclear reactor, but must sell any excess supply of both heavy water and enriched uranium on the international market. With reporting by AP Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. A Guatemalan national who was deported in 2011 and returned to the U.S. illegally has been convicted of sexually assaulting a co-worker last fall in the parking lot of the Maruchan Virginia Inc. noodle plant in Chesterfield County. Tomas Gomez Manuel, 25, on Tuesday entered an Alford plea to sexual battery, reduced from rape, in the Nov. 24 attack on a 34-year-old married co-worker, also from Guatemala. Authorities said she was threatened and harassed by the defendant two weeks before the assault because she didnt give in to Manuels sexual demands. Under terms of the plea agreement, Manuel was sentenced to 12 months in jail with two months suspended on the misdemeanor sexual battery count, and 12 months with 10 months suspended on his conviction of providing false identification to police. Manuel has been jailed since his arrest last November and will receive credit for time served. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed a detainer on Manuel on Nov. 25, and he likely will be deported after he completes his sentence. The immigration agency previously removed Manuel from the U.S. in October 2011, said spokeswoman Carissa Cutrell. Court records indicate that Manuel had been in the Richmond community about seven months before his November arrest. According to a summary of evidence by Chesterfield Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Susanne E. Bielaski, Manuel and the victim worked on the assembly line packing noodles at the Maruchan plant at 8101 Whitepine Road. After another co-worker on Nov. 25 noticed the victim was upset and crying, that worker alerted a supervisor. The victim said she had gone outside with Manuel to his car the night before during a work break. The victim reported that while in Manuels car, he removed her pants and raped her. The victim further advised that two weeks earlier, Manuel and his wife gave her a ride home after her shift had ended earlier. The victims husband also worked at the plant, but he was off that day. The victim said Manuel dropped off his wife and then drove her around for about 20 minutes before stopping the car near the Chesterfield-Richmond line on Hull Street Road. He asked her to remove her pants and when she questioned why, Manuel became upset and told her to get out of the vehicle. He kind of left her in the middle of nowhere, Bielaski said. She didnt know where she was. Following that encounter, the victim told police that Manuel harassed and threatened her at work, telling her that he was going to hurt her if she didnt do what he wanted to do. When police asked the victim why she went outside to Manuels car Nov. 24, she said she was afraid of him, Bielaski said. The victim said she told Manuel no when he made advances and he held her upper body down during the assault, the prosecutor said. Manuel acknowledged to police that he had sex with the victim but said it was consensual. Bielaski said she agreed to the plea deal because the victim was from a region of Guatemala where residents dont speak traditional Spanish and there would have been a communication problem, even with an interpreter, if she testified at trial. In addition, Bielaski said federal immigration authorities had already placed a detainer on Manuel after determining he had been deported previously and had re-entered the U.S. illegally. I figured it might be best to work something out where he would go into federal custody immediately after serving his time. LYNCHBURG The latest crime-fighting tool in the Lynchburg region has four legs and a wet nose. His name is Wyoming, a 2-year-old yellow Labrador retriever who is the newest addition to the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce. Canines arent new to law enforcement, but Wyomings snout is finely tuned to sniff out electronic storage equipment hidden by suspects in child exploitation cases. Wyoming and his handler, investigator Nick Shockley with the Franklin County Sheriffs Office, recently graduated from an electronic storage device training course that taught the pup how to recognize the scent of a chemical commonly used in these devices. During a demonstration at the ICAC office in Forest on Wednesday, Wyoming methodically made his way through the room with his twitchy nose glued to the walls. He sat down and nudged to three spots along the way, where Shockley had hidden an iPhone, part of a computer hard drive and a USB drive. Each time he was rewarded with a reassuring good boy and a treat from Shockley. Gov. Terry McAuliffe said Thursday that he has never lobbied in the U.S. on behalf of a foreign government, adding that federal investigators looking into his foreign connections are focused on a very specific lobbyist registration issue. I have never lobbied for a foreign government here. Ever, McAuliffe said during a morning radio appearance on Richmonds WRVA. The Democratic governors remarks came a day after his attorney said the Department of Justice is looking into a potential violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, a federal statute meant to limit foreign influence in U.S. policy. In the first report on the investigation Monday, CNN reported a focus on $120,000 in political contributions to McAuliffe linked to Chinese businessman Wang Wenliang. The media was wrong. Shocking, McAuliffe said when asked about the changing accounts of the investigations target. McAuliffe has said he was not contacted by investigators before media reports surfaced. Wang, through a spokesman, said he too had not been contacted. McAuliffes attorney, James W. Cooper, said the DOJ told him it has no evidence of a violation. Much about the investigation remains unclear. The DOJ generally does not comment on active investigations. Asked why the investigation is continuing if theres no evidence of wrongdoing, McAuliffe said he did not know. Hopefully itll be shut down pretty quickly, McAuliffe said. FARA, which requires agents of foreign entities to register and disclose their activities, is not limited to lobbying on behalf of foreign governments. The law also applies to individuals and companies whose principal place of business is outside the U.S. It covers a broad range of political activity to further foreign interests, including publicity, consulting and the solicitation or disbursement of funds or other things of value for or in the interest of a foreign entity. The restriction on foreign political contributions was originally a part of FARA, according to a Federal Election Commission brochure aimed at foreign nationals, but was later incorporated into federal election law. McAuliffe has said the contributions linked to Wang were valid because the businessman has held a green card since 2007, which makes him eligible to contribute. The donations did not come from Wang personally, but were made by West Legend Corp., a New Jersey-based affiliate of Wangs business enterprise. According to the FEC, companies located in the U.S. cannot make political donations if the contribution is financed by a foreign owner or directed by individual foreign nationals. Wang is connected to the Chinese government as a representative to the National Peoples Congress, Chinas largely ceremonial parliament. McAuliffe also responded Thursday to a Time Magazine report that said he had invited Wang to a 2013 fundraiser at the home of Hillary Clinton, a longtime friend of McAuliffes. The guy was invited to a fundraiser with many people at it, McAuliffe said. People come to fundraisers. McAuliffe, who has accused the DOJ and FBI of leaking information about the probe, said the investigation has nothing to do with Virginia or Virginia politics because its focused on his work as a private businessman. This is a political world were in. Theres a big presidential campaign going on, he said. Im a big boy. I get it. Though McAuliffe has said hes confident hell be cleared and stuck to his published schedule of official events, signs of fallout are beginning to show. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported late Wednesday that McAuliffe will no longer appear at a fundraiser next week for former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat now running for U.S. Senate. In a radio appearance Wednesday, House of Delegates Speaker William J. Howell, R-Stafford, said hes reserving judgment. By Todd Stottlemyer and Taylor Reveley Recently concerns have arisen about a decision made six months ago by William & Marys Board of Visitors. Important facts were missed. In 2013, the Board of Visitors approved a comprehensive, multiyear 10-point plan, known as the William & Mary Promise, to provide tuition predictability for in-state students, affordability to Virginias low- and middle-income families through greater financial aid, and expanded access by increasing in-state undergraduate enrollment. We also made important commitments around business innovation, academic quality and productivity, a robust merit pay system for faculty compensation, and increasing the enrollment of first-generation college students. We did not choose the word Promise casually. We meant it. We are keeping the promise we made in 2013. Under the W&M Promise, our tuition model is unlike that of any other public institution in Virginia. We set tuition for entering in-state undergraduates and guarantee that rate for the duration of their four years in college. Other institutions set tuition for all students each spring, meaning their students dont know how much tuition they will pay to earn their degree. That is not true at William & Mary. The tuition cost is fixed for four years, with no increases along the way. William & Mary is also committed to meeting the full demonstrated financial need of all Virginians, so that limited means will not prevent a student from attending. In keeping our Promise, William & Marys rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors from Virginia will see no increase in their tuition. Thats zero percent increase for three-quarters of our in-state student body. Not one cent more in tuition for all continuing in-state undergraduates. William & Mary freshmen enrolling in fall 2016 will pay tuition 12 percent higher than the class that entered the prior year. Rather than limit the tuition increase to the 2016-2017 academic year which was what the state asked of its public institutions William & Mary has limited it for the next four years for our Class of 2020. Their tuition will not increase through their senior year. Not one cent more in tuition increases for the next four years. Since our Board of Visitors set tuition last November, students applied to William & Mary knowing what it would be. We had a record number of in-state applicants for the Class of 2020 and will, as usual, enroll a compellingly able group of freshmen. In keeping our Promise, William & Mary has remained affordable for Virginians through generous financial aid. According to the U.S. Department of Education, our net price after aid for in-state students is the third-lowest of any public university in Virginia. Only Norfolk State and U.Va.-Wise are lower. For William & Mary students from families earning less than $110,000 and demonstrating financial need, our net price actually declined under the W&M Promise. And the percentage of our graduates with student debt has declined to 39 percent compared to a statewide average of 59 percent. Notably, more than 60 percent of our graduates leave William & Mary with no education loans. Even more important, William & Mary makes available to our students one of the very best undergraduate educations in the United States. Indeed, according to U.S. News & World Report, William & Mary provides the best undergraduate teaching of any public university in America. Only Princeton, Dartmouth and Brown are ranked higher in this category. These universities charge tuition nearly three times that of William & Mary. William & Marys commitment to our students, their families, and the commonwealth is to provide a magnificent undergraduate education while remaining one of the best values in American higher education for our in-state students. This is precisely what we are doing under the W&M Promise. In releasing his list of potential Supreme Court nominees, Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has begun to solidify his support among conservatives as perhaps no other announcement could do. The record of any of the 11 judges currently serving on federal or state benches may calm the fears of those who are not committed NeverTrump-ers. A clear sign of how well these men and women would perform on the court is the reaction by Hillary Clinton, who calls them extreme ideologues. Today, if one wishes to return to the boundaries set for government by the Constitution, the left considers that extreme. Violating constitutional boundaries is considered progressive. CNN.com writes, John Malcolm, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation who compiled and published the foundations list of eight potential Supreme Court nominees in March, called Trumps selections excellent ... and (the list) should be reassuring to those conservatives who have had doubts about Trumps judicial appointments. Malcolm responded to my request for an analysis of their philosophy and rulings: Steven Colloton, who serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2003. He earned a law degree from Yale and clerked for the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist, a conservative icon. Allison Eid is an associate justice on the Colorado Supreme Court. Prior to her judicial service, Eid was Colorados solicitor general and a law professor at the University of Colorado. She clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas, another conservative favorite. Raymond Gruender was named to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit by President Bush in 2004. Among his decisions that will delight conservatives was a written opinion that the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 did not give female employees the right to insurance coverage for contraceptives used solely to prevent pregnancy. Judge Gruender also dissented from a panel ruling that upheld an injunction striking down a South Dakota law requiring abortion providers to inform patients that an abortion will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being. Joan Larsen is an associate justice of the Michigan Supreme Court and before that was a professor at the University of Michigan School of Law. She clerked for the late Justice Antonin Scalia, which would make her nomination poignant. Of interest to conservatives is her statement after being named to the Michigan court. Promising to be a strict constructionist, she said, I believe in enforcing the laws as written by the legislature and signed by the governor. I dont think judges are a policy-making branch of government. Thomas Hardiman of Pennsylvania has been a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit since 2007. His ruling that a jail policy of strip-searching all arrestees does not violate the Fourth Amendment was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2012. The following year, he dissented from his courts decision on a New Jersey law requiring applicants for licenses to carry handguns in public to show justifiable need, citing the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The others on Trumps list also have stellar conservative credentials. The question is: Will he follow through, or change his mind, as he has done on so many other issues? A Washington Post editorial said that by publishing their names now, Trump has practically guaranteed that none of the judges he offered will be seen as fair over the next several months, their every ruling scrutinized for evidence that they are applying for the job even if they try to conduct their duties evenhandedly. The Post also chastised Clinton and Sanders for applying litmus tests to judges they would nominate, but its no secret that liberal presidents name liberal judges and conservatives presidents mostly, but not always, nominate conservatives. The Heritage Foundation would be a good source for Trump, as it was for Ronald Reagan, who used its 1980 Mandate for Leadership as a guide for his first term on many domestic and foreign policy issues. Trump would improve his credibility and knowledge of important issues if he did the same. It looks like nothing was found at this location. Maybe try a search? Search for: Search A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. For the 28th year, RAYSAC (Roanoke Area Youth Substance Abuse Coalition) and area sponsors will host an After Prom Grand Finale, continuing its tradition of awarding a new car to a local student who attended his or her schools after prom party. This years After Prom Grand Finale will be held on Sunday, June 5, at Valley View Mall in Roanoke beginning at 1 p.m. The event is held as an incentive for high school students to remain at their after prom parties where they are safe until the very end. It is extremely important for schools, parents and the community to support after-prom parties for their students, said Kathy Sullivan, RAYSAC Director. We have not had an accident that resulted in injury or death to a student at a participating high school since the program started 27 years ago. RAYSAC has partnered with First Team Auto, WFXR TV and Danny and Zack from The K92 Mornin Thang to produce the event. Throughout prom season, WXFR anchors and Danny and Zack have been broadcasting short messages to teens and their parents about the importance of attending their schools after-prom party. Danny and Zack will emcee the After Prom Grand Finale event. At the event, qualifying students from each participating school will get a chance to win the Grand Prize, a 2016 Hyundai Elantra, donated by First Team Auto. This is the 26th year that First Team has donated a car for APGF. Students will also have the chance to win one of several door prizes that are also provided by First Team Auto. We believe strongly in giving back to the community, said David Dillon, president and general manager of First Team Auto Mall in Roanoke. Year after year, we hear from the students that the car is the incentive. We are happy to be part of a program thats working. Schools from across the region were encouraged to hold an After Prom party and participate in the After Prom Grand Finale on June 5. Any public or private school within the region was eligible to participate. For additional information, contact Kathy Sullivan at KSullivan@brbh.org. RAYSAC is a group of concerned citizens striving to keep the youth of the Roanoke Valley and Southwest Virginia alcohol, tobacco and drug-free. RAYSAC is dedicated to reducing substance abuse among our youth and throughout the Roanoke Valley. Our efforts and resources are focused primarily on educating and mobilizing our communities, parents and youth about the problem of youth substance abuse and the dangers of underage drinking. Submitted by Stefanie Brown The International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA), the representative body of the world's diamond manufacturers, concluded its meetings at the 37th World Diamond Congress in Dubai, UAE, on May 19 with the election of a new President and Executive Board. Ronnie VanderLinden is the new President, while Philippe Roolant is Vice President. Kim Lanny is the new Secretary General and Stephane Fischler is Treasurer. IDMA President VanderLinden said the IDMA meetings were "challenging, energetic and sometimes very forceful." In the outgoing IDMA President Maxim Shkadovs speech, which was read by VanderLinden, Shkadov reiterated his concerns about the health of the industry. "The pulse of the manufacturers remains weak. Why? Because we're undernourished and anemic and while we're working our fingers to the bone, after a day's work, we are not making enough to keep our strength up. True enough, the diamond manufacturing business is not dead yet, but we're very unhealthy," Shkadov wrote. VanderLinden also noted that he and his colleagues were very pleased with the participation of younger representatives. "It was inspiring to meet new delegation leaders and members, and have them participate actively, and sometimes forcefully, in our discussions, he added. Newly elected Vice President Roolant said he had taken upon himself to begin liaising with leading diamond manufacturers and to help coordinate the strengthening of IDMA's industry network. The topic of synthetic diamonds was also featured on the agenda. While the IDMA membership took care to recognize the legitimacy of the synthetic diamond business, it strongly denounced the synthetic sellers' current marketing practices that seem to focus on generating negative publicity about natural diamonds. At the close of the IDMA meetings, VanderLinden praised Maxim Shkadov for his service as president since 2012, recognized the outgoing vice presidents David De Toledo, Eduard Denckens and Suresh Shah, and thanked parting IDMA secretary Linda Vancauwenberghe for her many years of service. Aruna Gaitonde, Editor-in-Chief of Asian Bureau, Rough&Polished Huso Investments, which is set to be acquired by Trustco Holdings, has engaged an unnamed firm to establish a joint venture for a geo-economic evaluation, development and exploration of a diamond claim in Sierra Leone. The Namibia Economist reports that Huso Investments was yet to be part of the Trustco group in Namibia, owing to outstanding issues including shareholder approval. "While the Huso transaction has not yet closed, the company wishes to advise shareholders that Huso has entered into advanced negotiations with a target company in Sierra Leone relating to a potential partnership for a geo-economic evaluation, development and exploration of a diamond exploration license as secured by the target company in June 2015," Trustco said in an update to shareholders. "Should Huso and the target company be satisfied with the outcome of an independent due diligence review, they will use their best endeavours to negotiate and agree to a definitive agreement. Trustco said the outcome of the independent due diligence was expected within 15 business days. Huso had interests in a diamond processing and polishing factory in Namibia. Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished Initially, the school ruled that the two children would not have to shake any teachers hand, whether male or female but later a debate about immigration and integration erupted in the Swiss press. The concept of religious freedom was opposed to the other of the Swiss tradition of gender equality. Discrimination was invoked and the school districts decision was reversed saying that in a such situation a fine will be applied. The social gesture of handshake is important for the employability of the students in their later professional lives, authorities said. Muslims are thought to constitute about 5 percent of Switzerlands population and other disputes involving education existed. At this time even prominent Muslim exponents in Switzerland consider accepting shaking hands as a duty to be achieved despite the religious precepts. Can the denial of shaking hands be more important than the Islamic commandment of mutual respect? Montassar Ben Mrad, president of Federation of Islamic Organizations in Switzerland, had said in the statement. Indian shares traded higher for the third straight day on Thursday, with positive global cues and better-than-expected quarterly results from Larsen & Toubro boosting investor sentiment ahead of the F&O contract expiry. The rupee rose marginally to 67.28 per dollar after rebounding to close at a one-week high in the previous session. The benchmark BSE Sensex was up 150 points or 0.58 percent at 26,030 in early trade after climbing 575 points to mark its biggest single-day gain in nearly three months on Wednesday. The broader Nifty index was up 38 points or 0.48 percent at 7,973. Larsen & Toubro soared almost 10 percent after the construction and engineering major reported a better-than-expected 18.53 percent rise in quarterly net profit and said it would decide on when to launch the IPO of L&T Infotech in a week's time. Tata Steel rose 0.7 percent after narrowing its Q4 loss to Rs 3,214 crore from Rs 5,674 crore in the year-ago period. United Spirits, Jet Airways and ONGC rose between half a percent and 1.3 percent ahead of their quarterly results due today. Gas utility GAIL rallied 2 percent on reporting a 51 percent increase in Q4 profit. Yes Bank advanced 1.2 percent. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has cleared the proposal to increase foreign investment limit in the bank to 74 percent from 41.87 percent. Shares of Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail fell over 6 percent. The company, formerly known as Pantaloons Fashion, has signed a pact to acquire the online and offline rights of American fast-fashion brand Forever 21 in the Indian market. NALCO tumbled 3 percent after its board approved a proposal to buy back 64.43 crore shares worth about Rs. 2,835 crore. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis The New Zealand government forecast the budget surplus to increase through 2020 as the expands at faster pace. "We have solid economic growth and the Government's books are in good shape - giving us options we didn't have eight years ago," Finance Minister Bill English said in his annual budget on Thursday. The government forecast a surplus of NZ$719 million in the year to June 2017 versus prior projection of NZ$356 million estimated previously. A surplus of NZ$668 million was projected for the year to June 2016 instead of NZ$401 million. The government estimated a NZ$2.5 billion surplus for 2017-18, before rising to NZ$5 billion in 2019 and NZ$6.7 billion in 2020. Net debt is expected to peak at 25.6 percent of GDP next year and to fall to 19.3 percent in 2020/21. The treasury projected real GDP growth of around 2.9 percent over the coming year, and 2.8 percent on average over the five years to June 2020. In the budget, the government allocated NZ$761 million for the Innovative New Zealand package that will encourage entrepreneurship, skills and economic growth. The budget provided extra funding for housing development which includes NZ$100 million to free up surplus Crown land for housing in Auckland. Further, the government will invest NZ$11 billion in early childhood, primary and secondary education in 2016/17, English said. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Sweden's producer prices declined at a faster pace in April, figures from Statistics Sweden showed Thursday. Producer prices decreased 4.2 percent on a yearly basis in April, following a 3.7 percent drop in March. Compared to March, producer prices declined 0.9 percent, when it rose 0.8 percent. Export prices fell 1.1 percent from March and decreased 6.3 percent from the same period of last year. Similarly, import prices decreased 1.2 percent on month and 7.4 percent on a yearly basis. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. As he meets with other world leaders at a G7 summit in Japan, U.S. President Barack Obama suggested some of his counterparts are concerned about the candidacy of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Obama told reporters at a press conference that some of his fellow world leaders are not sure how to take some of Trump's controversial pronouncements. "They're rattled by him - and for good reason," Obama said. "Because a lot of the proposals that he's made display either ignorance of world affairs or a cavalier attitude." The president suggested Trump's proposals reflect an interest in getting tweets and making headlines rather than actually thinking through what is required to keep America safe. Obama noted that the world pays attention to U.S. elections and said even critical nations ultimately know the international order does not hold together so well if the U.S. isn't making good decisions. When asked about the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, Obama downplayed the ongoing battle between frontrunner Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. The president acknowledged that people get "grumpy" during the primaries but argued that the Democratic candidates aren't that ideologically different from each other. In remarks in Vietnam on Wednesday, Obama expressed optimism the U.S. will endure what seems likely to be a bitter fight between Clinton and Trump. "I think sometimes other countries look at our election system and people think, 'Wow, what a mess,' but usually we end up doing OK because the American people are good people," Obama said. He added, "Sometimes our doesn't express all the goodness of the people, but usually the voters make good decisions and democracy works, so I'm optimistic we'll get through this period." The president's comments come as recent polls have shown a tight race between Clinton and Trump in what could be a highly vitriolic campaign. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News The Toyota Fortuner BS6 is set to be launched in a few days and we have the variant details of the updated premium SUV. It was reported earlier that, just like the Innova Crysta BS6, the udpated Fortuner will ditch the 2.8-liter diesel engine and will resort to the 2.4-liter unit borrowed from the MPV. However, the latest document puts the uncertainty to rest and confirms that the existing 2.8-liter oil burner will indeed continue to power the off-roader. A total of 7 diesel and 2 petrol variants will be on offer. In its BS4 avatar, the 2.8-liter four-cylinder diesel engine develops 177 hp and 420 Nm of torque when mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. The 6-speed AT (with paddle shifters) variant benefits from an additional torque output of 30 Nm. We expect the figures to remain largely unchanged by the changes necessary for BS6 compliance. The diesel Fortuner will continue to be available in both 2WD and 4WD configurations. The gasoline engine is 2.7-liter four-cylinder unit which also serves the Innova Crysta. The naturally aspirated motor dishes out 166 hp and 245 Nm of torque. This motor can be had either with a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed AT with paddle shifters. To market the shift from BS4 to BS6 standards, Toyota has changed the variant suffixes. We dont expect the ladder-frame SUV to have any styling changes although the automaker could use this opportunity to rejig the feature list based on the customer feedback. Depending on the variant, the Toyota Fortuner BS6 will be available either with dark brown or chamois interior colour theme. Prices of the Toyota Fortuner BS4 starts at INR 28.18 lakh and goes all the way up to INR 34.2 lakh (all prices are ex-showroom, New Delhi). We expect the BS6 diesel variants to get more expensive by a significant extent. The Toyota Fortuner will continue to lock horns with the Ford Endeavour, Isuzu MU-X, and Skoda Kodiaq. It is to be noted that the Endeavour is set to receive a new 2.0-liter twin-turbo diesel engine as a part of BS6 update. The Fortuner has been leading this segment comfortably and there is no reason that should change after the update. Cultural, academic events planned for Shanghai Radio Festival From:Shanghai Daily | 2016-05-26 15:52 A series of cultural and academic events are planned for the second Shanghai Radio Festival, which will be held from October 27-30, officials from SMG Radio announced today. Innovative radio programs from all over the world will be honored at an awards ceremony on October 27. Some of the award-winning programs will be played on air by local radio channels. Veterans and industry insiders will discuss the new trends and developments at a forum. The festival will also exhibit charity radio projects of China. Over the years, a lot of radio anchors have been involved in a program that narrates and interprets the movies for people who are visually impaired. The weekly radio concert, initiated by the Classical Music Radio 947 more than 30 years ago, has promoted classical music to the general public. The festival will also feature a 10-hour long live broadcast of original radio shows, display of outstanding car radio programs and performances of traditional regional operas and childrens chorus. Millennial Moms Review: 2022 Acura MDX is pretty close to the perfect family car I dont know if perfect is attainable, especially considering weve got the world of options when it comes to modern vehicles. Were spoiled and, as such, we have very specific needs and wants. Driving-wise, the 2022 Acura MDX is one of my favourite ... By SA Commercial Prop News The City of Cape Town proposes to withdraw an inner city road scheme which will release both prime private and City-owned property for development in the eastern city precinct. If this release is successful it has the potential to unlock substantial development potential in the city that will help promote economic growth and development in Cape Town. Last week the Mayoral Committee agreed to obtain Councils permission for the withdrawal of the CanterburyMaynard link road scheme that was proclaimed in 1973. The item was approved at Council yesterday. The road scheme affects more than 100 erven and is limiting the development possibilities of more than 1,4 hectares of valuable Central Business District (CBD) land. The CanterburyMaynard link road scheme is located between Darling and Mill Street and was earmarked for a double carriageway as part of a ring road around the CBD. If the scheme is withdrawn new development potential will be realised for the Fringe that is located between the CBD, Woodstock and Zonnebloem. The final approval, however, rests with the Provincial Minister of Transport and Public Works, says Councillor Brett Herron, Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Roads and Stormwater. Technical studies have shown that the Tennant Street road scheme on the periphery of the CBD is a more effective scheme to complete the envisaged ring road. The existing road alignment and road reserves of Canterbury and Maynard Streets will not be affected by this process. The status of the road will change from a proclaimed Provincial main road to a municipal street and the proposed widening of the roads will be scrapped, he says. Although this is a complex process, it will serve as a valuable pilot project for the withdrawal of other road schemes within the municipal area. Due to the many role players involved, there will be an extensive public participation process, says Cllr Herron. I give my consent to Sakshi Post to be in touch with me via email for the purpose of event marketing and corporate communications. Privacy Policy Outpouring of tributes at Yang Jiang's death From:chinadaily.com.cn | 2016-05-26 12:14 Students in Tsinghua Univeristy express their condolences at a image of Yang Jiang in Beijing, May 25, 2016. [Photo/IC] WeChat and Weibo were flooded with tributes to the celebrated Chinese writer Yang Jiang who died at 105 in Beijing yesterday. Many people expressed their condolences about the death of Yang by posting Yang's photos and quotations on the Internet. "You three can finally get together in heaven," a netizen called "Vincent van Gogh has ears" said on the Sina Weibo. Yang's husband Qian Zhongshu, one of the greatest scholars in China in the 20th century, passed away in 1998 and their daughter Qian Yuan died in 1997. Yang is the only one left. Her autography The Three of Us (Wo Men San) written when she 93, featured the three family members and moved readers deeply. A Weibo user "lilyqwer702_983" said, "I started to read Yang's books when I was young. She is always so optimistic and her positive attitude moved me. She is my idol." Yang Jiang was not only highly respected by her readers, but also her friends and other writers and scholars. "To me, she is a magnificent lady of the 20th century. I rarely find anyone who can be as great as her in our time," said Ye Tingfang, a celebrated Chinese translator, also an old friend of Yang. Ye, 80 years old, still remembers the first time he saw Yang in the summer of 1964. "When I saw her, I thought she is a real lady. So elegant," Ye said. Ye also thought highly of Yang and her husband's relationship. "They are a good example of a perfect couple, affectionate to each other, and communicating like friends," Ye added. Quite apart from her fame as a writer and scholar, Yang's soul shone while she was on earth. Bai Ye, a literary critic, said, "She is straight. She will directly let people know who she likes or dislikes. To some extent, Yang is very innocent. When she aged, she was even a little childish." The death of Yang surprised Bai, who visited her right before the 2016 Chinese Lunar New Year. "At the time, her listening was not as good as before, yet her sprit was high as ever," Bai said. Yang's death has prompted many to take up her books again. 18 prose works, 9 novels, 3 plays and 3 essay collections are her legacy to her readers and followers. Among her Chinese translations of 4 classic novels, Don Quixote de la Mancha is regarded as the best Chinese version of the Spanish classic. Students in Tsinghua University place candles in front of a image of Yang Jiang in Beijing, May 25, 2016. [Photo/IC] Here's some biographical information on billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel, who has been secretly funding Hulk Hogan's lawsuit against Gawker Media, according to published reports: ___ NAME: Peter Andreas Thiel BORN: Oct. 11, 1967, in Frankfurt, Germany. COMPANY CONNECTIONS: Thiel co-founded PayPal in 1998 and was its chairman and CEO. PayPal was sold to eBay in 2002 for $1.5 billion. Thiel then founded the hedge fund Clarium Capital Management and helped launch the software firm Palantir Technologies. He also started the venture capital firm Founders Fund, co-founded the investment firm Mithril Capital Management and was Facebook's first outside investor and board member. NET WORTH: $2.7 billion, according to Forbes' most recent list of the world's billionaires. This makes him No. 638 on the list. POLITICS: A self-described libertarian, Thiel is a California delegate for Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate. He has also donated to the campaigns of former GOP presidential candidate Carly Fiorina and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks political fundraising and spending. NOTABLE INTERESTS: Thiel raised eyebrows when he endowed the Thiel Fellowship, which provides $100,000 to young entrepreneurs who want to leave school to pursue a business or scientific idea. (Critics said he shouldn't encourage people to halt their education.) He's backed other unusual projects, including an effort to try new forms of government on man-made islands that would float outside the territory of current nations. He's also supported the Human Rights Foundation, the Committee to Protect Journalists and the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence. QUOTE: "In our time, the great task for libertarians is to find an escape from politics in all its forms from the totalitarian and fundamentalist catastrophes to the unthinking demos that guides so-called 'social democracy,'" he wrote in 2009 on Cato Unbound, a blog of the libertarian Cato Institute. EDUCATION: B.A. in philosophy from Stanford University and a J.D. from Stanford Law School. -AP Success in life comes when we simply refuse to give up, with goals so strong that obstacles, failure and loss only act as motivation. For 52 year old Rev. Aumua Seuga Aumua, this saying has made him strive for the best and take all the obstacles and the challenges that he faced as motivation for himself. Rev. Aumua said he is very humble about his achievements and it was no easy journey for him. Time was definitely a challenge for me because I only took the last part of the course for my Masters within two weeks, he said. The last part usually requires 10-11 weeks but I only took it for two weeks because I am currently based in New Zealand and had other callings from God so it was down to two weeks. I had to come here to Samoa to finish my last papers in order for me to graduate and so tonight I can happily say that I did it. He said that within those two weeks of the last part of his Masters, there was no opportunity given to ask any questions as the lecturer didnt have time for questions. It was very hard for me because at my age, there are things that I wanted to ask but I didnt want to because that would take up the lecturers time, he said. So I depended on God to guide me through these hardships that I was facing with my school work. Not only that, but there are a lot of assignments as well so I had all these assignments that needed to be in on time and then on the other hand, the course was just extra hard and so I was faced with sleepless nights and assignment after assignment and at times, it just felt too hard for me. However the 58 year old said those challenges didnt discourage him but rather it motivated him to finish what he had started. It gave me strong motivation because my God is bigger than my problems, he said. Another thing that really pushed me to keep going was that my calling from God has been changed for being a pastor for 36 years, to being in the apostolic ministry and evangelist. So it was time for me to upgrade my knowledge and sharpen my mind because I am now on another level of spreading the word of God. I came from being a pastor to local churches, to national churches and now its global so I had to make sure I had more understanding and knowledge of the work of God. I also believe that when we move from one ministry to another, we must upgrade and sharpen our minds for the different calling from God. Rev. Aumua said age doesnt matter because the calling is from God. This is one of the hardest works any man can do, he said. Because we are required to go out to the world to tell the people about God and there will be countries and places where it will be difficult for them to accept what we say. We will be at risk, our lives will be in danger because of this but always remember that God has called us for this work and so He will never forsake us because He is with us all the time. So whatever calling God has called you to do, do it with all your might because there is a reward waiting for us in heaven and if people reject us, move on and pray for them because God will work in mysterious ways. Rev, Aumua Seuga Aumua was a graduate of the Samoa Bible College in Tafuna, American Samoa from 1975-1979. He also attended the Jonathan David Permanent School of Prophets in Malaysia in 2003. He is now officially confirmed to be graduating with a Masters of Art in Biblical Studies from the Asia Pacific Theological Seminary in the Philippines. The graduation was the first ever M.A. graduation to be held in Samoa at the Harvest Theological College as APTS M.A extended programme. The graduation took place at the Assemblies of God conference in Samoa on the 23rd of May, 2016. THEIR SERVICE IN SAMOA: Rev. Aumua and Pastor Marilyn Aumua are the pioneering pastors of the Break Through Ministry in Lotopa from 1979-2015. He is also the founder of the Harvest Theological College in Lotopa. He planted churches in Samoa including the English language speaking church in Apia. There are now more than 20 men and women who have become pastors, missionaries and teachers that originated from his leadership. His first lady Marilyn Aumua graduated from the Rhema Training Bible Centre in Samoa with a Diploma in Theological Studies in 2003. She also graduated with a B. A in the Theological Studies from the Harvest Bible College in 2011. Currently she is pursuing her M.A degree in Biblical Studies with the APTS M.A extended programme, They have five children, Suliveta Jnr, David Tariu, Dawn Vicky, Junior Seuga and Chester Fred and they have eight grandchildren. Rev. Aumua was the president of the Sunday School district and was selected as the secretary of the Samoan district and also the secretary of the general conference for Samoa and American Samoa. He was also the Presbyter of the Samoan District. Now God has called them to another new ministry. They have stepped forward from the pastoral ministry and have passed on the baton to the next generation after being church pastors for 36 years. God has called them to New Zealand as evangelist teachers and apostolic ministry, although they are here to help Bible Schools, local churches and extend their ministry to international countries including Samoa. The Pacific islands are one of the areas which are highly affected by the effects of climate change. To fight these effects, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (S.P.R.E.P.) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (J.I.C.A.) have now signed a contract to build a specialized Climate Change Centre in Samoa. The Centre will be located on the S.P.R.E.P. campus in Apia. This project has been in the planning for a couple of years. Now, with the goodwill of the government of Japan as well as the government of Samoa, this collaboration with S.P.R.E.P. will benefit from a Climate Change Centre which is not limited to our area, but is also an enrichment for the whole Pacific area, said Dr Netatua Pelesikoti, Director of Climate Change at S.P.R.E.P. She spoke of a visionary support in helping to provide a valuable resource against the consequences of climate change in the area. The Centre will function as the hub for climate change training provided for policy and decision makers. According to Mr Kazunao Shibata, the director of J.I.C.A.s Global Environment Department, the signing marked a opportunity for all the participating institutions to work together against the effects caused by climate change. As he stated, the centre will also serve as a training facility and a place for strategy planning, which will include a datacentre and high speed computers to guarantee an accurate simulation of climate change effects in the future. He mentioned that the centre hopefully will set an example for the efforts of the Samoan government against climate change, but also [for] regional efforts by the Pacific Island countries. As Lavea Tupaimatuna, C.E.O for the Ministry of Finance, explained as a representative of the Samoan government, the signing for the future Climate Change Centre could be considered as a significant milestone [] that certainly demonstrates the governments priority to the environment and the climate change agenda. The construction phase of the new centre, which will be in line with environmentally-friendly designs including rainwater harvesting, anaerobic digesters and water saving bathrooms, will start in June 2017, right after the tender process. It should be completed by July in 2018. Today we are publishing the continuing story of a 5 part editorial. To appreciate the entire set of events, we invite you to continue reading over the next three days. Around that time a Chinese woman arrived at Auckland Airport heading for Samoa. She was travelling on a Chinese passport. However when she was searched a Western Samoan passport was found in her underclothes. One evening at home, sitting in the patio up front enjoying the cool breeze, we discussed the passport scam. It was in everyones mind. In those days they talked about it everywhere. Many even joked about it. How do you carry a Samoan passport? In your Chinese underpants. What is Jin Jipei having for dinner at Tafaigata tonight? A boiled banana, a finger of mutton flap, and a Samoan passport. When is a passport an illegal Samoan passport? When its trail starts from inside the P.M.s office, crosses the world towards Samoas embassy in Washington D.C., backtracks towards Samoas honorary consulate in Hong Kong, then it swings backwards to lead straight into the Samoan P.M.s office in Apia, where boxes of brand new passports are found ready to be sold. What is our Prime Ministers new name? Mr. Tusifolau (passport). Those were the jokes in those days. They kept everyone sane. So that our discussions would naturally veer on to the Foreign Investments Bill; it was so natural a transition it could not be stopped. Everyone has heard about the Foreign Investments Bill but no one has seen it. We knew it had been drafted by a private law firm but it was never tabled in Parliament. What had happened to it? What no one knew was that it had been ordered shelved by the Prime Minister. That evening I said to Jean wistfully: Wouldnt it be good to have a copy of the Foreign Investments Bill. Everyones talking about it but no one has seen it. Taken by surprise she did not respond immediately. However after mulling the matter over for a while, she said: It would be good, but its just not possible. Why not? Because its the governments most well-guarded secret today. I know, I said. But somehow we should get a copy. Well, she replied, perhaps one will show up. And it did. In those days every time the government tried to hide a controversial document a copy of it would show up. It might have been sooner or later but it always appeared. A few days later, on 24 May 1997, a Saturday, one did. On the floor just inside the offices door that morning was a thick, brown envelope; it had been slipped in under the door. Inside the envelope was the Samoan version of the controversial Foreign Investments Bill 1994. No word or message was on the envelope, outside or inside it. Our unfailing, nameless hero, whoever he was, was characteristically cautious, cool-headed. The controversial document that everyone has been talking about has finally arrived. Now going through it seemed clear enough that the bill had actually been designed to legitimize the selling of Western Samoan passports and visas to foreigners, especially rich Chinese. On the front page of the Sunday Samoan the next morning the story titled Bill gives P.M. power was published. It said the legislation was designed to give the Minister of Immigration he was also the Prime Minister at the time - absolute power to issue passports when the bill became law. He would have the absolute authority to grant Western Samoa citizenships, permanent residency permits, temporary residency visas and business licenses to foreigners. In addition the law would require investors to submit confirmation of foreign exchange they had available for investment to a body known as the Foreign Investments Committee. F.I.C. would then recommend to the Prime Minister whose decision would be absolute, it cannot be changed. The document also said foreigners who would be granted Western Samoan citizenships would be required to swear on oath to respect Western Samoan sovereignty and abide by the countrys laws. Once the bill became law, it would empower the Attorney General to make necessary changes to it from time to time to ensure investment funds kept overseas were properly managed. As for the Prime Minister, he would be empowered to revoke business licenses granted to foreigners who broke the law. The bill would also legalize passports that have already been issued to foreigners when it became law. But then it was shelved and it had not seen the daylight until now, and yet the government has been stubbornly denying any knowledge of passports being sold overseas. Now it cannot do that any more. In its editorial that day the Sunday Samoan said the leaked draft of the bill erases any doubt about the P.M.s central involvement in the passport scandal. Indeed, it is clear the bill was designed to legalize the selling of passports to foreigners willing to invest in Western Samoa. Whats more, it was in anticipation of this bill becoming law that Western Samoan passports and visas were being advertised for sale in Hong Kong. The editorial added that the bill was also aimed at legalizing passports that have already been issued illegally to foreigners in the past. On 11 June 1997 Jin Jipei appeared before His Worship Tagaloa Enoka Puni. He was charged with using an unauthorized passport illegally. That was two months and five days after Jin Jipei had had arrived in Samoa. He had spent all of that time minus some hours behind bars. In court that day an astounding revelation was made. The court was told the Western Samoan passport Jin Jipei had tried to use to enter the country had been intended for someone else. Senior immigration officer Aneseto Ale told the court Passport No T086609 had been prepared for a person named Ena Vaai. He, Mr Ale, had personally prepared the passport but it was not issued right away since photos of Vaai were not available. Later the passport went missing along with other passports from inside the Immigration Office, Mr Ale told the court. Then on 7 April 1997 it surfaced at Faleolo Airport in Jin Jipeis possession. Jipei had denied the charge saying he thought the passport was a legal document when he bought it in Tonga. And yet it also now appeared the passport was not new when Jipei bought it. Questioned by Jipeis counsel, Mr Ale confirmed that the passport had been used to enter American Samoa, Fiji and Tonga, before it was confiscated from Jipei at Faleolo Airport. He objected to the argument by the defense that if the passport had been accepted by the authorities of those countries then it must follow it was a valid document, saying: The passport is not valid since the applicant and the authorizing signature are not known to the local authorities. Suspended Chief Immigration Officer Tuipoloa Suisala also gave evidence. He denied he had told junior officer Siapo Pepe to put Jipei back on the plane on which he had entered the country. That was a lie, Tuipoloa told the court. Tuipoloa said what he told Pepe was to get the Police to hold Jipei for questioning. He also told the court he told Pepe to keep the documents he had confiscated from Jipei with him and bring them to the office the next morning. Tuipoloa was a subject of the Police investigation underway. Like Ale, Tuipoloa insisted the passport used by Jipei was not valid. However, both did not dismiss the possibility of an immigration official issuing the passport by putting the official stamp on it, and signing it fraudulently. They also denied knowing how the passport ended up in Tonga, or receiving an application for a Western Samoan passport from either Jin Jipei or his alias, Kim Kwan, a Korean. Asked if they knew Western Samoan passports were being sold to foreigners, both said: No. Tomorrows Part 3 editorial, Tuala Falenaoti: But what is happening is that the Samoa Observer has been publishing the truth. T.I. arrives at the grand opening of 'Jennifer Lopez: All I Have' show at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. (Photo: Omar Vega/Invision/AP, File) T.I. arrives at the grand opening of 'Jennifer Lopez: All I Have' show at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. (Photo: Omar Vega/Invision/AP, File) Police searched Thursday for a man captured on surveillance footage firing a gun in a packed hip-hop concert where artist T.I. was set to perform. Four people were shot, one of them fatally. A fistfight that started in a performers' lounge of Manhattan's Irving Plaza concert hall spilled into a second-floor balcony VIP area where shots rang out Wednesday night, police said. The shooting occurred shortly after rapper Maino entered the VIP area following a performance onstage with artist Uncle Murda, though investigators don't know whether the rappers played any role in the shooting, Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce told reporters outside the concert hall. Surveillance video released by the police shows a man calmly emerging from the green room where there were no security cameras and surveying the VIP area for a target before firing off a shot. Five 9-mm shell casings were collected at the scene following the roughly five-minute long fight, Boyce said. No arrests have been made. Investigators described the shooting as particularly brazen: There were nearly 1,000 people in the concert hall and at least one of the victims, Christopher Vinson, 34, was shot in the chest on the venue's ground level after a bullet traveled through the floor, Boyce said. Ronald McPhatter, 33, was found near the bar of the VIP area with a fatal gunshot wound to the stomach, Boyce said. McPhatter's brother, Shanduke McPhatter, who runs an anti-violence group called Gangstas Making Astronomical Community Changes, said his brother was working as a security guard for Brooklyn-based rapper Roland Collins, who goes by the stage name Troy Ave, when he was shot. Collins, 30, was shot in the leg, as was Maggie Heckstall, 26, who investigators don't believe was involved in the fight, authorities said. Witnesses described a frantic, frightening scene at the venue, noting lax security to get in. Detectives are investigating whether the security, which included metal detectors and guards, was adequate, Boyce said. Concertgoer Liv Hoffman told The Associated Press that a woman next to her in the balcony VIP area was shot at close range, then carried out by some men. "For two to three minutes, we still heard firing, still heard shots," she said. "We were clutching each other making sure no one was getting hit." Police Commissioner William Bratton said in a radio interview that it was unclear so far whether anyone in the performers' entourages was involved, and many were unwilling to talk with police. He called rap artists "basically thugs" on WCBS radio, describing "the crazy world of these so-called rap artists who are basically thugs that basically celebrate violence they did all their lives." That prompted an angry response from McPhatter's relatives and a city lawmaker, who derided the comments as insensitive and divisive. "When white people are doing this violence, I don't hear the same language being used," said City Councilman Jumaane Williams, a Brooklyn Democrat who said he had worked with the McPhatter brothers on anti-violence initiatives. A representatives for Irving Plaza's management referred questions to police. In a post on his Instagram account, rapper T.I., born Clifford Joseph Harris Jr., sent his condolences to the victims, adding that "our music is intended to save lives, like it has mine and many others." The shooting marks the third time in a decade that shootings have occurred during or after concerts where T.I. was to perform. A member of the rapper's entourage was killed and three others were injured during a gunbattle following a party after a concert where T.I. performed near Cincinnati in 2006. Last March, two people were shot and injured in a Charlotte, North Carolina, nightclub where he was to perform. In 2010, the Atlanta rapper was sentenced to 11 months in prison on federal gun charges. T.I. released his debut album in 2001 and became one of rap's success stories on the pop charts, thanks to Top 10 hits such as "Bring 'Em Out," ''Whatever You Like" and "Live Your Life" with Rihanna. He has won three Grammy Awards and appeared on screen in a number of films, most recently "Get Hard" opposite Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart. He also appears on the VH1 reality show, "T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle," with his wife and children. -AP Residents at Leone are cautiously optimistic that their businesses will soon be back to normal after the government announcement they will begin rebuilding the bridge next month. Leone businesswoman, Mrs. Anita Wilson was delighted when the government announced the fixing of the long waited bridge at Leone. A meeting was held earlier this year with government officials, she said. It was there that they informed us that construction of the bridge would begin in June. As a businesswoman, I was very happy because my business was one of many around this area that was closed after cyclone Evan. My family relied heavily on the business for our source of income but it totally disappeared when the bridge closed, I believe that our business was not the only one affected. Mrs. Wilson said that her biggest hope is for the bridge to be completed as soon as possible. Were ready to get back to our normal business and family commitments once the construction is completed. Were also looking to get our customers back. I want to thank the Prime Minister and the government; it is a great relief. Another resident, Sauta Tolua, said the failure to restore the bridge in a timely manner resulted in a huge impact on the nearby villages. We need the bridge, he said. I guess at least we now have something to look forward to, "All businesses in the area were affected...its like some things just stopped after we lose the bridge. Were hoping that everything will return to normal once the new bridge is in place. Cabinet has awarded the building contract to the China Railway First Group Fiji Co. Ltd. for thereconstruction. The tender was advertised for public interest and four companies submitted bids. An assessment was conducted by the Sub Committee before a recommendation was tabled before Cabinet for the final decision. In 2013, Anita Wilson, was very disappointed at the continued failure by government to rebuild the bridge. "After cyclone Evan, they started appearing with all these long lenses on their cameras, but it seems like they only surveyed Leone Bridge for plans to construct other bridges," said Ms. Wilson. "This is sick, we dont want photographers; we want engineers to rebuild and construct the bridge." "I am a business woman and it has slowed down money our family gets from customers, and I am not just talking about myself, but the rest of those people around this area." "As you can see, those are the logs that have been lying there since then. It is like golden logs in memory of cyclone Evan," she said. Instead of carrying customers bringing money, the damaged bridge was now attracting youths bringing booze, she said. The ongoing debate on the freedom of religion in Samoa was recently enflamed by Reverend Maauga Motu. The Secretary General of the Samoa Council of Churches had stated that among the Muslim community, there were dangerous people [] who might come and threaten our peace. He therefore claimed a banishment of the Religion in the country. A banishment accompanied by a possible change of Samoas constitution. The government however reacted quickly on the subject, as Prime Minister TuilaepaSaileleMalielegaoi explained that any amendments to the constitution would focus on making it clearer that Samoa is a Christian country. At the same time, he excluded a possible banishment of certain religious communities in the country by telling that the constitutions Article 11, which deals with freedom of religion would unlikely be touched. With 98 % of the countrys population being related to Christianity, the statement uttered by the P.M. about Samoa being a Christian country can hardly be refuted. Nevertheless, Samoa has some religious minorities and even though the Bahaii community is in fact just that, namely a minority, it is still one of Samoas bigger religious orientations with roughly 1500 members living in Samoa and the neighbouring country American Samoa. The national governing council of the Bahai Faith in Samoa and American Samoa has expressed their concerns when asked some responses to the potential possibility of the banishment of all religions in the country except for Christianity. The Bahai council explained that, the small community is indeed worried about the issue which for now can be seen as defused by the P.M.s explanation: We are naturally worried but are also confident that the principle of world unity the Bahai espouses, will continue to strengthen in Samoa as well as throughout the world. When being asked about the fact that the freedom of religion in the country might be threatened by a constitutional change, the Bahai council pointed to other parts of the world, where they see a real danger for the Bahai faith. When we look to our brothers and sisters in Iran, we can see a place where the faith is severely persecuted. Although their conditions are dire in terms of the deprivation of their basic freedoms, they are still able to act and serve their local and national communities in an integrative, unifying and harmonizing way. For the unlike case of a constitutional change and therefore the banishment of their faith in Samoa, the Bahai community is sure that it certainly does not need a name to believe and practice a certain religion. If that is really the will of the state in the end of the day, then as Bahais, we will abide by it. But like our Bahai friends in Iran, well still be able to speak and act as Bahais, for religion is more than a name. I have to admit that even in this unlikely situation, our Faiths spiritual and moral teachings would guide those conversations and actions, which in fact are completely in harmony with those of Christianity as well as those of other religions. If the state would force us to leave the country, we can only tell that Bahais had such experiences in some other countries and depending on circumstances and degrees of the severity of such bans, some leave their home countries for other places where their freedom to practice are allowed but some remain under very difficult conditions, the Bahai council told Samoa Observer. As a matter of fact, the communitys council also stated that the banishment of any religious faith can never be part of a solution in the debate, as history has demonstrated that such a situation is not conducive to a long term solution for all concerned. Religion need not be a source of division in the world and in Samoa. On the contrary, we believe that religion is the principal means by which religious intolerance can be permanently eliminated. They also explained that the principles underlying any solution to religious intolerance may be found in the teachings of all religions and in all spiritual traditions in the world. We are, therefore, convinced that religious communities have a special responsibility, because of their own teachings, to work toward dissolving divisions, ending conflicts, and establishing security, so that fear can be gradually replaced by trust. After all the fundamental purpose of religion is to safeguard the interest and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst all of mankind. The wait for construction of a new parliament house at Malae Tiafau is finally over. After many delays, involving funding and tenders, the work is at last underway. Workers from Craig Construction were at the site yesterday preparing the area for building. In an interview with the Samoa Observer, Site Supervisor, Tofaeono Peter Savea said the workers are clearing the site so they can bring in building material. The existing foundations will remain. One cause for delays was that the project was tendered twice. According to Tofaeono the first time it was tendered, Craig Construction won. It was again re-tendered and this time, the companys bid was successful. I believe that it was re-tendered because Cabinet did not like the first design, he said. But the second time they reviewed it, they accepted it. it will cost about more than $20million funded by Australia and our government. Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi had recently discussed the project which Australia had offered to build as their gift for Samoas 50th Independence celebrations. But Australia has since had changes in government making it very difficult to proceed. One of the issues involved Australia cutting its foreign aid budget. It was later that I met with the Deputy Prime Minister (of Australia) and I reminded her about the project and she reassured me they would discuss it, Tuilaepa said in a recent interview. I told them that in our culture, when a person gets a tattoo, its an embarrassment if they dont finish it. Sometime after that, Tuilaepa said Australia committed the funds on the understanding that Samoa would also contribute to the project. The former Parliament building was officially opened in 1972, a gift from the government of New Zealand. It was demolished in August last year and construction work for the new building was supposed to have begun in November last year. In the summer 1932, more than 17,000 American veterans marched on Washington, D.C., along with 26,000 family members and supporters, demanding payment of the bonuses promised in the World War Adjusted Compensation Act, or Bonus Act, of 1924. The bonus, which was intended to make up the difference between what they were paid as soldiers and what they would have earned as civilians, entitled every veteran to $1 for each day of domestic service (up to $500) or $1.25 for each day of overseas service (up to $625). Veterans were issued certificates for these bonuses that totaled $3 billion in all, but there was a catch: The certificates couldnt be redeemed until 1945. Then the Great Depression hit. With the support of veterans groups, Congress, over the presidents veto, allowed veterans to borrow up to half the face value of their bonus certificates. But by 1932, veterans felt an urgent need for immediate full payment. So they marched on Washington to pressure Congress for an early disbursement. The so-called Bonus Army crowded around the Capitol, camped out on public grounds, and built shantytowns on the banks of the Potomac River. In June, they presented their case to the House of Representatives, which soon voted for an early complete payment of the bonuses. When the resolution moved to the Senate, though, it was defeated on June 17. At this point, many veterans simply headed home. Other veterans stayed put, having very little reason to leave, and hoped President Hoover would help them. On July 28, the Attorney General ordered the Washington police to remove the veterans from the capital. The veterans resisted; two were shot and killed by police. President Hoover, far from helping the remainder of the Bonus Army, ordered the current Army to complete the job. Commander Douglas MacArthur, disobeying orders, launched a full assault on the veterans. Cavalry and tanks backed up foot soldiers who drove the Bonus Army from their shanties, which were then burned. Writing in the Post two months later, Al Smith, former governor of New York, blamed the summers calamity on the American Legion and the House of Representatives for encouraging the marchers in spite of the economic infeasibility of paying the bonuses early. But he names the overall politics that led to the Bonus Act and its various amendments and expansions as the larger perpetrator: [blockquote]If left to the veterans themselves and to the officials of the Government who have to deal with it, there is no doubt that a just and equitable system of compensation and reward could be arrived at, but the unfortunate thing about it all is that it is bedeviled by politics. [/blockquote] Smith believed it was irresponsible to offer benefits that the budget couldnt afford. The politicians had used the veterans for their own purposes, and it would happen again. Smith worried about the snowballing expense of veterans benefits. He estimated that, by 1945, the federal government will have spent $23.5 billion on veterans benefits. He couldnt have known that amount would be dwarfed by the cost of caring for the next generation of veterans, from an even larger war. Smiths concerns remain a problem today. Between 2000 and 2011, aid to disabled veterans rose 166 percent, from $14.8 billion to $39.4 billion. The presidents 2017 budget includes more than $180 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs, most of it dedicated to disability compensation and pensions. In the 1930s, an economist predicted that the cost of armaments and lost production would soon make war too expensive to wage. That didnt prove to be true. Perhaps the cost of caring for disabled veterans will eventually make war too expensive to be considered as a solution for international conflicts. Veterans and Taxpayers By Alfred E. Smith Originally published on September 17, 1932 No questions in government are so difficult as those that give rise to emotions in the hearts of the people. Nobody will take the negative side of the question that the man who offers himself to the country in time of trouble should be rewarded. Nobody who remembers the returning American heroes who went to France to decide the war would be willing to subscribe to any theory that these soldiers should not receive from the hands of the American people the recognition for that service to which they are entitled. If left to the veterans themselves and to the officials of the Government who have to deal with it, there is no doubt that a just and equitable system of compensation and reward could be arrived at, but the unfortunate thing about it all is that it is bedeviled by politics. It cannot be disputed that the recent gathering in Washington of veterans demanding the immediate payment of the bonus was certainly encouraged by the attitude of members of Congress. These men received the bulk of their encouragement from the fact that the House of Representatives, the popular branch of the National Legislature, that one which is closest to the people, actually did pass a bill for immediate payment of the bonus. Who can deny that politics entered there into an economic question? Public opinion throughout the country is absolutely right when it lays some part of the blame for what occurred in Washington upon the statesmen hi the Lower House who, by their votes, their speeches and their actions, lent encouragement to that gathering of the veterans. Though I dislike to say it, I feel it is true, also, that they did this in the face of the fact that they could not have believed that their action on the bill was to meet with final success. The Growing Costs of War Students of American history knew that when a large Army was being mobilized to strengthen the position of the United States in the World War, the American people for generations to come were incurring liabilities. That lesson was forcefully impressed upon the American people at the close of the Civil War, and the gradual increase every decade in appropriations for pensions revealed the activity of a group organized to exact as much as possible from the Government. Appropriations for Civil War pensioners, between 1880 and 1920, jumped from $55,000,000 to $203,000,000, and in 1930, after the passage of 65 years, the total cost of Civil War pensioners remained at the figure of $125,000,000. All this was brought about by a series of enactments extending veterans pensions and benefits, engineered through Congress by a powerful pension lobby. Pension-Agent Activities There are times when newspaper cartoons more clearly depict the situation than do columns of reading matter, and while viewing the present situation with respect to veterans, my mind is carried back to a cartoon by Keppler in Puck. The picture displays the pension agent auctioning off the soldier vote. The pension agent, with his arm around the veteran soldier, is offering him to the two political parties. The Democratic Party is represented on one side and the Republican Party on the other, and the pension agent exclaims: What am I bid? At the time that cartoon was published, everybody knew exactly what that meant. It meant that the pension agent, who received a liberal commission for pensions which he was able to secure, was offering the soldier vote to the highest bidder of the two great political parties. There is within my own recollection a pension agent whose office was in my neighborhood. I remember people who sought him out and the thoroughly satisfactory income, which he appeared to be making from pressing their pension claims. The United States was able to survive all the abuses that crept into the law as the result of the activity of organized pension agents, because of the phenomenal growth of the country and her industries and her population in the period that immediately followed the Civil War. During the World War, President Wilson, a careful student of history, sought to protect the United States from the abuses that followed the Civil War by laying down a wise and farsighted plan for payments to soldiers. He began by obtaining a scale of payment for men in the service higher than anything ever paid before in this or in any other country. He established, as a further part of this program, the principle of full and complete care of those wounded or disabled during the war and those whose disabilities are traceable to the war, full care and protection for widows and orphans of soldiers who lost their lives in the war, and a system of insurance for all veterans on a sound actuarial basis, with contributions by the Government and the veterans, so that, in 1917, Congress, desiring to avoid the abuses of our 100 years history of pensions, passed the war-risk insurance, disability and compensation act. This, as I have outlined, was planned to take care of veterans killed or injured in the line of duty, or their dependents, and to offer to all veterans term insurance upon an actuarial basis. At the time that this program was put forth, it was accepted by the entire country, and the great army of American veterans subscribed to it 100 percent. In other countries it was regarded as the most generous plan of government cooperation in the pensioning and care of soldiers and their dependents ever offered in this or, for that matter, in any other Country. Within six years of the close of the World War, however, the bonus bill had been passed and hospitalization had been thrown open to veterans not disabled in line of duty. When the Minority Rules After the war, the organization of a formidable lobby not only brought about provision for Federal and state bonuses in addition to the other benefits, but the whole Wilson theory was scrapped by the large number of amendments to the veterans laws, all of which had for their purpose the payment of hundreds of millions of dollars to hundreds of thousands of veterans and their dependents, whose disabilities and other problems were not remotely connected with the war. It is a matter of fact, and can be proved and let us hope that it will be by the congressional committee charged with its investigation, that much of the huge sum now being paid is, in fact, given to men who never saw active service and to dependents of men who never had and never could have any legitimate claim on the Government. Gradual changes in these laws have put the United States in the position of paying large sums every year to more than 400,000 veterans whose disabilities resulted from causes other than military or naval service. These figures have been issued by a group of veterans themselves, and have never been refuted. Undoubtedly they will form the basis for the congressional investigation, to take place in the fall, of all the statutes passed since the original Wilson plan was adopted by the country. Now, it goes without saying that unless the rank and file of the American people, who must bear this burden through taxation, pay some attention to these statutes, organized groups will, from time to time, fasten new obligations upon the people, which will result in mounting costs, additional taxation and all the hardship growing from these. The return of prosperity by the encouragement of business and individuals to invest their money in commercial enterprises will thereby be the longer delayed. It must be borne in mind that by no means all the veterans subscribe to this form of legislation. It is, in all human probability, the well-organized minority which has been successful in securing the enactment of these measures, which are entirely outside of the original program laid down, accepted by all, and adopted. The real fact of the matter is that those in a position to know have made an unchallenged statement that 75 percent of the countrys veterans are not members of the American Legion and they may or may not agree with its views. This is in accordance with the history of the activity of the Grand Army of the Republic immediately following the Civil War. It presents another example of what can be accomplished in our country by the organization of a group, even though it may be a minority one. Nor is the American Legion the only active organization of veterans of the World War. There are a number of veterans organizations of the World War, to say nothing of those whose membership dates to other wars. The Legion Falls in Line Even the Legion as a whole, to do it justice, judging by the records of its conventions, came reluctantly to some of this program. At its first organization meeting in St. Louis, only a small minority favored a bonus payment to every soldier, and the plan was turned down. When a bonus resolution was introduced into the 1919 convention of the Legion, its action was reported as follows: While the American Legion was not founded to promote legislation in its selfish interest, yet it recognizes that our Government has an obligation to all service men and women to relieve the financial disadvantages incidental to military service . . . but the Legion feels that it cannot ask for legislation in its selfish interest and leaves with confidence to Congress the discharge of this obligation. It must have been the minority even in its own organization that finally forced it into action after the first bonus bill, entitled The Fourfold Adjusted Compensation Measure, was introduced in Congress. From that time on, through all its vicissitudes from 1920, through its postponement at President Hardings request, and his veto of the bill when passed in 1922, until it was finally passed over President Coolidges veto in May, 1924, each successive Legion convention took a more and more decisive, positive and peremptory attitude. This Adjusted Compensation Act was a compromise of the bonus idea. It gave extra compensation to every service man at the rate of a dollar for each day of home service and a dollar and a quarter for each day of overseas service. It limited the base amount to $500 for home service and $625 for overseas service. The money was to accumulate as an insurance fund for 20 years, the Government putting aside $112,000,000 a year to meet the total, which would be due in 20 years. The maximum amount due any one man would at that time be in the neighborhood of $1600. It was possible for veterans to borrow up to 22 percent of the full amount. Agitating for Payment in Full This compromise lasted for six years. Then came the business depression, and brought with it renewed demands to pay the full amount immediately and in full. In February 1931, over President Hoovers veto, a compromise was again made. It permitted veterans to borrow 50 percent of the face value of adjusted-compensation certificates. Nearly $1,500,000,000 has already been advanced in such loans, and the original purpose of using it as insurance has been defeated. Nor was this enough. Agitation to pay all of it at once continued, and the President himself went to the last convention of the Legion at Detroit and succeeded in averting the demand temporarily. Still the Legion seemed to be ruled by indecision and was not unanimous. I quote an address made to the department commanders of the Legion at the end of 1931: Now, on the so-called bonus legislation some departments are for it, some are adamant against it, in some others a very close split. That is so right on throughout the Legion. Others cannot make up their minds as to what should be the proper procedure. I do not think this Legion can afford to oppose the efforts of any group who are asking for the payment of the bonus, in full or in part. At a very recent meeting of one of the Eastern departments of the Legion, resolutions were passed, from which I quote partially, which indicate that there is a growing consciousness in that organization of the situation and that they do not wish to be held responsible for all such abuses which they rightly say are often sponsored by other veteran organizations, by politicians or by individuals, sentimental, thoughtless or self seeking. In the resolution itself this department of the American Legion, to which I refer, declares itself in favor of a return to the strict policy of liberal and just compensation to the actual dependents of those who lost their lives as a direct result of their war service, and compensation and care for those who were, in fact, disabled thereby; and declares itself opposed to all legislation giving special privileges, hospitalization and compensation to veterans or their dependents for death and disabilities not so incurred. Yet, in 1932, the bonus bill for full payment was passed in the House and defeated in the Senate. That is another evidence of the encouragement received by the bonus army in its advance on Washington. To cap the climax, President Hoover, on July 21, signed the bill, which broadens the power of veterans to borrow on their adjusted-service certificates and reduces the rate of interest charged by the Government on the money advanced. This will cost the Government an additional sum of $385,000,000, according to the Treasury statement. How many people in the United States today have paid any attention to these various enactments as they have occurred since the time of President Harding up to the present? It is only when we run into a period of terrible depression and financial difficulty, when the burden of taxation means something to the people, that they begin to consider some of the things to which in the past they paid no attention whatever. In 1932 the people of the country have suddenly awakened to the burden placed upon them by additional taxation to meet the deficits in the Treasury of the United States, and are inquiring into the causes. The Rising Tide of Relief Measures In studying the Federal budget for 1933, let us pay some attention to the largest single item in it, which is for veterans relief. It amounted this year to $928,387,795, or approximately one-fourth of the total Federal appropriations for the conduct of the National Government in every detail. From the close of the war in 1918 to June 1931, more than $6,000,000,000 has been spent by the Federal Government in various forms of relief to veterans of the World War, their dependents and beneficiaries. State governments acting by themselves, either for hospitalization, special acts for relief of veterans or direct bonus, have spent more than $580,000,000 additional. Statisticians have figured out that by 1945, only 13 years from date, the Government will have spent $23,500,000,000, even under existing relief commitments. It is noteworthy that this sum is practically equivalent to the total cost of this countrys actual participation in the war. Twenty years later, if Congress maintains the existing laws and should add the new laws, which are proposed by veterans organizations, the veterans will be costing the American people annually, not one-quarter of the present cost of the Federal Government but the whole of the cost of the present Government, which is close to $5,000,000,000. There is probably no group in the United States today that would be more resentful of a dole system than would the American Legion and those veterans of the World War not members of it, but it is, nevertheless, the fact that the general tendency of all legislation changing the basis of veterans relief has had for its purpose diverting increasing amounts to men who suffered no disability due to war service. Veterans relief in this respect is certainly in danger of becoming a thinly disguised dole system. As a matter of fact, the United States spends in a single year nearly twice as much for veterans relief as the British Government spent in 11 years for its unemployment insurance its so-called dole. Unless and until all the facts are known, public men will be besieged on all sides by people who, for sentimental reasons, are with the soldiers without any understanding of what is sought to be done. I have had my personal experience. After I spoke about this situation in a nation-wide hook-up over the radio on May 16 of this year, I received a great many letters from well-meaning people finding fault with me for my attitude, and the general tenor of the letters was along the line that I was out of sympathy with the veterans and unwilling to be with the country in its attempt to take care of them. Of course, nothing could be farther from the fact. These letters came from people who, on the one hand, are finding fault with the cost of the Government and, on the other hand, finding fault with those who would point out injustice and inequalities and waste and extravagance because of the enactments fostered by an organized lobby and not approved even by the American Legion itself. When Taxicabs Are War Risks For instance, how many people know that under existing statutes a man who served for 90 days in an American cantonment and who never left this country, but received an honorable discharge at the close of the World War, if he was unable to pay income tax for a full year before he applies for relief, might be injured in a taxicab and, sustaining a permanent injury, become the beneficiary of a pension, ranging from $12 to $40 a month, during the rest of his natural life? One of the proposed enactments, passed in the House of Representatives, but defeated in the Senate, would grant a pension to the widow of a soldier whom she may have married any time after the war, upon his death from natural causes not traceable in any respect to his service to the country. He may also have been one who had never left the United States, but received an honorable discharge. Headaches in the Pension Systems In a recent publication, the example is cited of a former soldier who, for example, may get recurring headaches in 1923. He is told that if they can be traced to a wartime origin he can be paid for them. He then recalls that while unloading potatoes in training camp, a sack hit him on the head. He looks about for witnesses to support his story, and since the Government cannot prove that his headaches do not date from the potato-sack episode, he becomes the recipient of a monthly allowance. The Disabled Emergency Officers Retirement Act, passed in 1928, awarded three-quarters retirement pay to civilians who were officers in the World War and who are now considered to be 30 percent permanently disabled because of their war service. Some 6000-odd emergency officers of this category are at the present time drawing an average of $139 a month. One of the ways this operates is shown in the case of a physician who receives a salary of $8000 from the Veterans Bureau. In view of his service as an emergency officer in the war, he requested a disability record. He was examined by the staff of the bureau, found partially disabled, and awarded $150 a month. Another doctor, earning $5000 a year as examining physician for the bureau, had himself examined, declared unfit for work and placed on the retired list; consequently, he gets, in addition to this salary, $125 a month. I have not gone into the problems of preference to veterans in the civil-service laws of the nation and the various states, because I wish to deal here with the economic phase of the situation and the financial injustices brought about by these laws. There is a vast difference in responsibility for the care of injured and disabled veterans who met with their disability in the war or who thereafter were rendered helpless or died from causes directly traceable to the war. They should be provided for to the limit of the countrys ability. Their dependents should also be cared for. It is an entirely different matter to pass out hundreds of millions of dollars a year to men to say nothing of their dependents who received no injury in the war, who saw no real service and who incurred no disability as a result of their enlistment under the colors of their country, pursuant to the call of the President. It is, to say the least, a bit discouraging to the youth of the country to think that the high and idealistic patriotism spoken of during the time of the war is sought to be cashed in dollars and cents when the war is over by a small percentage of the people, who, in the height and glory of the situation calling for the defense of the flag and the principles for which it stands, were ready to take their place beside Nathan Hale, who regretted that he had only one life to give for his country. When Leaders Are Misled The distressing part of this whole thing is that it seems, to me, to be like a snowball going downhill. As it is encouraged, it gathers strength and momentum, and I am afraid that the public authorities in Washington have not heard the real facts from those in control. On the other hand, those agitating for these additional benefits have been encouraged by the attempt of the House of Representatives to make their pilgrimage to Washington successful. Every one of those who came to Washington with the bonus army must know of the present economic situation. Every one of them must have heard of the universal distress in all parts of the country; and certainly they would not, if their patriotism is genuine, desire to be made a favored class of the community to receive relief at the expense of countless millions just as unfortunate in their present position as they are. They were petitioning the Government, a fundamental American right. The Government made no reply to the petition, as far as anybody is able to see, and, on the other hand, they were sufficiently encouraged to permit the situation to become so aggravated that the United States was compelled to assert its sovereignty by the force of arms. In times of stress a great many well-meaning people and they will be found particularly in the ranks of men willing to offer themselves to the Government in times of need are ready victims of a false and misleading propaganda flowing from people who may not, deep in their hearts, have any great regard for the veteran himself, but who would seize upon such a gathering as the bonus marchers as an opportunity to give vent to some political doctrine contrary to the principles upon which this Government is founded. There is no doubt in my mind that many of the marchers who left the various big cities to camp in Washington were encouraged on their way by groups who had not themselves the desire or the courage to face the hardships. It certainly must have encouraged the organized minority to have the economy bill suggested by the President though only a drop in the bucket, with its possible saving of about 5 percent of the total veterans appropriations entirely disregarded by the House of Representatives and immediately thereafter to find the House passing, without debate of any kind, a new bill to include widows and children of deceased war veterans who die of a disability not acquired in the service. This legislation, if adopted, would have added a further burden to the American people of $100,000,000 in the next five years, and more thereafter. How many people in the United States today, paying these additional taxes, suffering silently because of their imposition, hidden and unforeseen victims of an impost on capital that prevents it from pouring its money into the channels of trade and increasing the chances for employment, really realize that the House of Representatives not only refused to relieve but voted to add to their burden? Robbing the Just for the Unjust I desire to have myself placed clearly and fairly on the record. I believe that unfair, unjust and inequitable payments to veterans who are not deserving tends to operate against the deserving veteran. It is impossible for any group to receive veterans benefits unjustly and unfairly without interfering with that group which is justly entitled to every single thing that this Government can do for them. In my speech before the Jefferson Day dinner at Washington on April 13, this year, I made the definite suggestion that Congress should publicly air the whole question of veterans relief. I had in my mind not only economic but substantial justice to the deserving veteran as against a waste of public money to the organized group which succeeded in securing laws beneficial to those who were not entitled, by any stretch of the human imagination, to the money of the people of the United States. Yet I deplore the published information that the investigation of the veterans laws by the joint congressional committee is to be delayed to a point where right and proper consideration cannot be given to it prior to the convening of Congress. It appears that the committee has notified at least one organization of veterans that it will not meet until the latter part of November, although it is to report to Congress on January 1, 1933. Recently there has been organized a National Economy League, which is a nonpartisan citizens organization stating its general purpose: To revive and restore the American principle that our Government shall truly be a Government for the benefit of the whole people a Government of law and order economically administered for all the people, and not for the benefit or at the dictation of any special or sectional interest. Though their immediate objective is to attempt to eliminate the abuses, which have crept into the administration of veterans laws generally, they state they desire, to cooperate with other nonpartisan citizens organizations concerned with the reduction of governmental expenses and taxes. Veterans and Party Platforms Their membership and their advisory board entitle them to the respectful consideration of thoughtful American citizens. I cite their advisory board because that should inspire confidence in the nonpartisanship and disinterestedness of the body. It contains Elihu Root, who, having been signally honored during his lifetime by the people of his own state, to say nothing of the Federal Government, must certainly be considered to speak for this country as a whole; Calvin Coolidge, honored by election to the presidency, must also be admitted to be able to speak for the country; Newton D. Baker, former Secretary of War, progressive, able and thoroughly acquainted with the problem from his personal experience in aiding with the drafting of the early legislation of President Wilson; Rear Admiral Sims and General Pershing, who must certainly have at heart the good of the men who served under them; I leave myself to the last because I am not actuated by any motive other than what is best for the whole country and all its people, including its veterans. Another vital consideration at the present moment is where the two major parties stand with reference to this question. The Republican platform, citing the achievements of the Republican Party for the benefit of veterans and other dependents, ends the section dealing with the subject by saying: Disability from causes subsequent and not attributable to war and the support of dependents of deceased veterans whose death is unconnected with war, have been to some measure accepted obligations of the nation as a part of the debt due. A careful study should be made of existing veterans legislation with a view to eliminating inequalities and injustices and effecting all possible economies, but without departing from our purpose to provide on a sound basis full and adequate relief for our service-disabled men, their widows and orphans. The Democratic platform is brief on the subject. It merely says: We advocate the full measure of justice and generosity for all war veterans who have suffered disability or disease caused by or resulting from actual service in time of war, and for their dependents. So much for the platforms. The American people have a right to know where the candidates stand. Let us have pretty plain talk the American people are entitled to hear it. They should not only be afforded opportunity for study of what has happened in the past, and its relationship to the whole question of public money, but they are entitled to know what their candidates for high office intend to recommend with respect to the future. There can be no mistake about the gratitude of the American people to the soldiers. Individual states, irrespective of Federal statutes, in the outpouring of their gratitude, incurred large bonded indebtedness for the purpose of showing the states individual gratitude to the soldiers who enlisted. In my own state of New York, the people themselves, by their own act, amended their Constitution so that they might bond the state for $45,000,000 to be distributed to the veterans of the World War who enlisted from the state of New York. Nobody can question the feeling of the people generally for the veteran, but when the burden becomes so great that it oppresses everybody, these forms of gratuities and compensation that are not actually related to the disability or suffering as a result of the World War should be stricken out, and undoubtedly would not be found in the Federal statutes if it were not for the organized lobby. Where Government Aid Belongs It is also undoubtedly true that the veteran has a spirit of patriotism, and he must stand in the position of being entirely unwilling to have improper payments made for the benefit of less than 5 percent of the people of the United States when that relief must fall directly or indirectly upon 120,000,000 people through taxation. I am satisfied that I reflect the opinion of a great majority of the veterans that they were fighting for a great principle when they offered themselves in defense of the flag of our country. They were striking at those who would question the sovereignty, the dignity and the majesty of the greatest republic in the world. They could not have had in their minds the fact that they were later to become favored charges upon the Government. As to the men who were disabled, again I say, with emphasis: To those who were killed, to their relatives and their dependents and beneficiaries, the gratitude of the American people cannot even be expressed in dollars. For them, I say, everything; but, for those accidental beneficiaries of an organized lobby, it is time to call a halt. I earnestly hope that a time will never come when the people of the United States will be lacking in expression of their gratitude to the men who offered themselves to the country in her time of trouble, but we must, of necessity, realize that this organized effort on the part of representatives of an organized group must cease when they go beyond the limits of justice, fair dealing and fair play to the rank and file of the American people who must foot the bills. London, England -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/26/2016 -- According to the international salary-comparison website Glassdoor not only is Switzerland a truly captivating and stunning place to live but it also offers the highest standard of living within Europe.Many have previously thought that this cannot be as in Switzerland costs of living are incredibly high, but when comparing this to the averaging wages of 72,000 euros this is compensated for completely. In conjunction with this information coming to light, leading London based removals company Top Removals have now started to visit Switzerland on a weekly basis to assist people looking to move to the beautiful country as part of their plans to conquer Europe. This company are now also assisting with moves to Austria and Belgium along with a number of other key countries. Top Removals are a company whom are increasing in size and whose services are being recommended as the best in London each and every day. In addition to their plans to take-over Europe, this company have also recently won a fantastic four year contract for the provision of removals for Harrow Council where they will in turn cater for council tenants' requirements. Top Removals was keen to comment on their recent expansion and a spokesperson had this to say: "We are incredibly pleased to now be able to offer our services on a broader basis and about our recent award from Harrow Council. We do not however want our clients and potential clients to worry that we may be too busy, as we have catered for this expansion, employing new staff members and adding a range of new vehicles to our fleet." About Top Removals Top Removals are the leading choice for reliable and secure professional removal services in London, and no also Europe. For further information you can visit their website: www.top-removals.co.uk Contact details Company name: Top Removals Ltd. Tel: 020 7205 2525 Address: Unit 76, London Industrial Park ,Roding Road ,London ,E6 6LS Contact person: Emil Perushanov Email: info@topremovals.co.uk Website: http://www.top-removals.co.uk/ [NAIROBI] Africa needs to urgently invest in the mapping of its natural capital or natural resources to develop evidence for fighting extreme poverty that afflict majority of the people on the continent, a forum has heard. Investing in technologies and capacity for mapping the continents natural capital will not only help governments address poverty but it is also crucial in charting successful pathways for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Some delegates at the 2nd session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in Kenya this week (23-27 May) observed that Africa is one of the worlds regions most endowed with natural resources yet extreme poverty still afflict a large proportion of its population. We need to talk the language of financing and planning around these resources, capture our priorities and put the right institutions for monitoring. Hussein Abaza, Ministry of Environment of Egypt According to Hussein Abaza, senior advisor, Ministry of Environment of Egypt, Africa has to invest in technological and human capacity as key cornerstones for evaluation, ensuring cost-efficient and sustainable use of its natural resources, and improving the wellbeing of people on the continent. We need to talk the language of financing and planning around these resources, capture our priorities and put the right institutions for monitoring as well as strong governance systems to effectively reap from them, he says. According to a fact sheet of the United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP) shared at the meeting, Africa holds a huge proportion of the worlds natural resources. For instance, it has 30 per cent of the worlds mineral reserves, eight per cent of global natural gas, 12 per cent of oil reserves, 40 per cent of its gold and 80 to 90 per cent of its chromium and platinum. Yet the continent loses an estimated US$195 billion annually of its natural capital through illicit financial flows; plundering of resources; environmental crimes such as illegal logging, illegal trade in wildlife, and illegal mining practices; degradation of ecosystems and environmental loss, UNEP adds. Ugandas minister for water and environment, Ephraim Kamuntu, says that if Africa lacks the capacity to monitor its natural capital then it has to create or hire that so that it can quantify and put the value. Africa has no choice. You cant have a continent so endowed with natural resources yet remains so poor like it is, Kamuntu observes. Juliette Biao Koudenoukpo, director and regional representative, Regional Office for Africa at UNEP, says that research and development of technologies for building data on African natural capital is key to sustainable growth of the continent. There will be no innovation without research needed to develop the continent from its natural capital base, Koudenoukp adds, noting that the continent should invest in research. Haddijatou Jallow, executive chairperson of the Environment Protection Agency, Sierra Leone, told journalists at the meeting: In Africa we always sleep on laurels and until we put value to these resources we will not manage to reduce the losses.According to Jimmy Opelo, deputy permanent secretary, Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism of Botswana, putting value and usage of natural capital must be done in the context of inclusivity, accountability to the people by governments and zero-tolerance approach to corruption. This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Sub-Saharan Africa English desk. A senior Egyptian forensic official said that an explosion may have brought down the EgyptAir Flight 804 in the east Mediterranean. This is because the human remains that were retrieved from the aircraft showed signs of burns. An air crash investigator says human remains retrieved suggests an explosion brought down EgyptAir MS 804. #TMS7 https://t.co/FKEB0B6cqU The Morning Show (@morningshowon7) May 24, 2016 EgyptAir Flight 804 crashed and killed all 66 people that were on board the flight from Paris to Cairo last Thursday. The official, who is part of the investigating team, examined the remains at a Cairo morgue, according to ABC 7. Officials collected DNA from relatives of #EgyptAir MS804 victims to help identify body parts retrieved from sea. https://t.co/6ZSIcWRp0R GMA News (@gmanews) May 25, 2016 He said that the logical explanation is that an explosion brought down the aircraft. He added that there isn't even a whole body part, like an arm or a head and that one piece was the left part of a head. He also said that at least one part of an arm has signs of burns. On the other hand, he said he cannot say what caused the blast. The Egyptian authorities believe that terrorism would likely be the caused rather than equipment failure. Some aviation experts said the erratic flight reported by the Greek defense minister implies a bomb blast or a struggle in the cockpit. On the other hand, there is no evidence yet. Meanwhile, ABC News reports that Hisham Abdel-Hamid, the head of the Egyptian government's forensic agency dismissed the implication on explosion. He said that whatever has been published is the baseless and mere assumption. On the other hand, the France's aviation accident investigation agency did not make a comment regarding information that implies explosion as the cause of the falling of the aircraft. India has successfully tried its first small space shuttle which is a part of its efforts to create low-cost reusable spacecraft. The Indian Space Research Organization said that the shuttle lifted off on a rocket from a launch pad in the southern part of India on Monday and completed a successful 13-minute test flight. Pallava Bagla, a space expert writing for science magazines said that the test made it possible for India to start their low-cost space missions. He also said that the United States and other countries have abandoned the use reusable winged spacecraft, but India hopes to lower down the cost of access to space by 90 percent, thus using reusable vehicles. According to a report by ABC News, the space agency released a statement saying, "In this flight, critical technologies such as autonomous navigation, guidance and control, reusable thermal protection system and re-entry mission management have been successfully validated." "We are very excited," said Deviprasad Karnika, a spokesman for ISRO. "The team has been working on the project for the past 10 years, with the past five spent on designing the actual model." However, Karnik warned that they still have a long road ahead of them. "This is just an experiment, which is a baby step to the final reusable launch vehicle which will take years to realize," he told CNN a week prior to the launch. There is no concrete next step for the team, but to analyze the data for now, he added. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent quick congratulations to the team on a successful launch. He tweeted from Tehran, where he is meeting with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani. Launch of India's first indigenous space shuttle RLV-TD is the result of the industrious efforts of our scientists. Congrats to them. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) 23 May 2016 The dynamism & dedication with which our scientists & @isro have worked over the years is exceptional and very inspiring. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) 23 May 2016 India is trying their best to become a player in the multibillion-dollar space launch market, and has successfully placed light satellites into orbit in recent years. It also hopes to be able to send astronaut into space in the future. In September 2014, it successfully guided a spacecraft into orbit around Mars. Only the United States, the former Soviet Union and the European Space Agency have been able to do that before. A team of Italian astrophysicists have recently found evidence that offers the best todate explanation about the origin of supermassive black holes. The researchers used data from Hubble and two other space telescopes to study how the cosmic giants developed. According to a report, there has been a long debate about the earliest development of supermassive black holes, and their consequent quick formation after the Big Bang. Now, the researching astrophysicists have pointed out to two objects present in the early Universe that seemed to have caused the birth of supermassive black holes. Moreover, the two objects have been found to be the most likely candidates that seeded the phenomena. The group from Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa (SNS) in Italy used computer models and applied a new analysis system to data from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, NASA Spitzer Space Telescope and NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory to detect and identify the two objects. The two likely black hole seed candidates were seen in a period of less than a billion years following the Big Bang, with an initial mass 100000 times greater than the Sun, and could explain the formation of the cosmic giants. "Our discovery, if confirmed, would explain how these monster black holes were born," said Fabio Pacucci from SNS. At present, scientists believe that there are two main theories that explain the creation of supermassive black holes in the early Universe. According to one assumption, the seeds develop out of black holes with a mass that is 10 to 100 times greater than the Sun, due to the collapse of a massive star. Subsequently, mergers with other black hole seeds and gas pull from the surrounding environment, makes the original black hole seeds larger. However, the black hole seeds have to grow at unusually high rates to attain the mass of the supermassive black holes detected in a one billion year old Universe. The new discovery by the scientists supports another assumption, according to which at least some very massive black hole seeds with a mass 100000 times that of the Sun were created directly following a massive cloud of gas collapse. The theory indicates that the growth of black holes would get a kick start and then would continue more quickly. The team plans to continue follow up studies in X-rays and in the infrared range to determine whether the two objects have more black hole seed properties. Earth's planetary neighbor, Mars will soon be in sight as the red planet is set to be in opposition, meaning the Sun and Mars will be on opposite sides of Earth, which will put it at its closest distance from our planet after more than a decade. Oppositions happens about once every 26 months because Mars' orbit taking around twice as long as Earth's. Some are also better than others due to Mars' elliptical path versus Earth's more circular one. This just happens to collide with an opportunity to see Mars closely, gizmodo.com reported. NASA said that the red planet will be 46.8 million miles away from the Earth, but compared to its usual position, it's considered to be a lot closer. While stargazers and Mars enthusiasts have this to look forward to, it also brings up a scary possibility that planets may be colliding in the future. According to Clapway, Mars and Earth will get cozy starting May 30th until June 3rd. NASA also said that the red planet will appear both bigger and brighter to people on Earth. Telescopes or binoculars will not be needed to see the red planet since it will move closer to Earth than it has in 11 years. Interestingly, those who are not astronomically inclined will have an easier time recognizing it. NASA also said that the best time to look for the planet is around midnight Eastern Time. Mars will be for the brightest object in the southeastern sky that seems to have a reddish tint to it. However, for those who won't be able to see Mars this month, NASA said there is still another time when Mars will appear clearer for humans to see up close. The space agency calculates that Earth and Mars will be even closer next year on July 31, 2018. However, how close is too close though? After computer simulations, a theory has been revealed that disturbance of planetary orbits could possibly lead to a collision of Earth with other planets like Mars, Venus or Mercury in the coming years. The probability of that happening is low, but even if a planet like Mars does not collide with Earth and does with something else, the results could still be a disaster. A change in a planet's orbit like this could lead to total destabilization of the inner solar system in about 3.3. billion years. This may trigger other collisions as well. At present, planets' orbits may appear stable, however they are far from it and NASA predicts it will get even worse over the years. So what exactly happens when two worlds collide? If it happens in our lifetime, we probably won't be able to do much observation. Thanks to the wonders of technology, we are able to roughly simulate what impact would look like. Bruniquel Cave is a pitch-black cave with pools of water covering the floor. Stalactites hang down from the ceiling, and none of these features are surprising to find in an inactive subterranean cave. However, what was found in the middle of the cavern floor left experts in awe. As if building these structures isn't that fascinating for you, experts reveal that the cave has been sealed off and inaccessible to humans for tens of thousands of years. So who broke off and wrestled about 2.4 tons of rock into neat stacks? Experts who found these mysterious structures in Bruniquel Cave said it has to have been done by Neanderthals, which implies they weren't such simple animals. "Neanderthals were inventive, creative, subtle and complex," study co-author Professor Jacques Jaubert of France's Bordeaux University said. "They were not mere brutes focused on chipping away at flint tools or killing bison for food." According to ABC News, Neanderthals wrenched fragments of stalagmite from the cave's floor and stacked them into walls, some forming rough circles, and standing up to knee high. Deep inside the cave, more than 300 meters from the entrance, they built six such structure, one almost seven meters wide, tens of thousands of years before the first Homo sapiens arrived in Europe. The structures are approximately made some 176,500 years ago by firelight, possibly for rituals. It also ranks the French walls among the oldest-known human constructions. According to the multi-national research team, Neanderthals broke stalagmite pillars into about 400 similarly-sized pieces with a total length of 112.4 meters and weighed about 2,000 kilograms. This only meant that Neanderthals knew how to work as a group. "It adds to the ongoing idea that Neanderthal was more modern than generally thought before," study co-lead author Sophie Verheyden, a geologist at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, tells The Christian Science Monitor in an e-mail. "We never thought he would go so far underground, something that is generally attributed to the modern human" much later. Because they had already learned how to control fire, some of the stacked stalagmites have burn marks on them and some of the structures appear to be hearths of some sort. "It's the first really good evidence that we have that Neanderthals penetrated very deep into caves and did something extremely unusual," Michael Bisson, an associate professor of anthropology at McGill University who was not part of the study, tells the Monitor in a phone interview. And, he says, "it's one of the earliest bits of evidence for the structured use of space in the European archeological record." This suggests that early Neanderthal society was remarkably complex and cooperative, compared to how they were perceived years ago. There are more than one thousand universities in the country and it is no small feat to be one among the Top 30. The ICFAI Foundation for Hi... He said LMT was still conducting feasibility studies to determine if the port could be built on a 46ha site. Facilities at the port will include a vessel pier, mechanical cargo handling at the berth barge and larger storage area. With another port, we can handle 7m tonnes of cargo compared with 3m tonnes handled now and we can also separate clean cargo such as limestone, fertilisers, sugar, wheat and other grains, he said. On the development of the Lumut Port in Kampung Acheh into a modern port, Mubarak Ali said expansion plans, at a cost of MYR300m ($73.6m), was now underway including the construction of a new berth barge. The Kerala visits of the some of the arrested are also being investigated. Researchers have sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of a 2,500-year-old Phoenician, showing the ancient man had European ancestry. This is the first ancient DNA to be obtained from Phoenician remains. Known as "Ariche," the young man came from Byrsa, a walled citadel above the harbor of ancient Carthage. Byrsa was attacked by the Roman general Scipio Aemilianus "Africanus" in the Third Punic War. It was destroyed by Rome in 146 B.C. 2,700-Year-Old Phoenician Shipwreck Discovered Ariche's remains were discovered in 1994 on the southern flank of Bursa hill when a man planting trees fell into the ancient grave. Analysis of the skeleton revealed the man died between the age of 19 and 24, had a rather robust physique and was 1.7 meters (5'6) tall. He may have belonged to the Carthaginian elite, as he was buried with gems, scarabs, amulets and other artifacts. Now genetic research carried out by a team co-led by Lisa Matisoo-Smith at New Zealand's University of Otago has shown the man belonged to a rare European haplogroup - known as U5b2cl - that likely links his maternal ancestry to the North Mediterranean coast, probably on the Iberian Peninsula. Published in the journal PLOS ONE, the findings provide the earliest evidence of the European mitochondrial haplogroup U5b2cl in North Africa, dating its arrival to at least the late sixth century BC. Ancient Anchors from Punic Wars Found Off Sicily "U5b2cl is considered to be one of the most ancient haplogroups in Europe and is associated with hunter-gatherer populations there," Matisoo-Smith said. She noted that mitochondrial group was found in two ancient hunter-gatherers recovered from an archaeological site in north-western Spain. "While a wave of farming peoples from the Near East replaced these hunter-gatherers, some of their lineages may have persisted longer in the far south of the Iberian peninsula and on off-shore islands and were then transported to the melting pot of Carthage in North Africa via Phoenician and Punic trade networks," Matisoo-Smith said. Why Did Ancient Europeans Disappear 14,500 Years Ago? The haplogroup is very rare in modern populations today. In Europe, it appears at levels of less than 1 percent. "Interestingly, our analysis showed that Ariche's mitochondrial genetic makeup most closely matches that of the sequence of a particular modern-day individual from Portugal," she added. On the contrary, mitochondrial DNA of 47 modern Lebanese people showed none were of the U5b2cl lineage. Thought to have originated from what is now Lebanon, the Phoenicians were seafarers and traders who spread their culture across the Mediterranean and west to the Iberian Peninsula where they established settlements and trading posts. The city of Carthage in Tunisia, North Africa, was first established as a Phoenician port and later became the center for Punic trade. Video: Humans Are Still Evolving! Despite the significant impact of their culture on Western civilization - they introduced the first alphabetic writing system the Phoenicians faded from history after being defeated in a series of wars with Rome. They then remained somewhat elusive. "We still know little about the Phoenicians themselves, except for the likely biased accounts by their Roman and Greek rivals," Matisoo-Smith said. "Hopefully our findings and other continuing research will cast further light on the origins and impact of Phoenician peoples and their culture," she added. SEELEY LAKE - In Missoula County, feelings of hopelessness, drug use and suicide rates continue to rise among its middle and high school students. So how can this wave of alarming trends be reversed? Brightways Learning, a Missoula-based educational nonprofit organization, and Seeley Lake Elementary School District (SLE) announced that they will be hosting two youth development events in June that will make a positive difference in the lives of Montana youth, families, schools and communities. Kaleidoscope Academy, a two-day youth development training event for adults who care about and support youth, will be held June 13-14 at the Missoula Childrens Theatre. Participants will learn about the power of the full-spectrum approach to Integrative Youth Development, based on the worlds best social-emotional research and will practice measurable methods of connecting with youth to help them build resilience and avoid risk-taking behaviors. They will learn to recognize, appreciate and amplify what is right and strong about a youths individual ecology, thereby assuring the youths chance to succeed and flourish. Montanans used to assume that their teens would make it through adolescence into adulthood without too much hurt or harm, says Derek Peterson, Academy facilitator and international child/youth advocate. Sure, some kids failed but they were other peoples children. Our world has changed. Teens are more disconnected from adults and their community than ever before. Fortunately, we have the solution to help improve their lives and make the world a better place. Then on June 15-18, students from Seeley Lake and other rural schools nearby will gather at SLE to participate in Phlight Club, an intensive and interactive three-day youth leadership and empowerment experience, funded in part by the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation. Students will learn lifelong resilience-building strategies and how to identify and measure their webs of support comprised of caring adults. They will practice working together to solve problems using their heads, hands and hearts while keeping each other safe, focused, respected and involved. We are very excited to host Phlight Club for our area students, said Chris Stout, Superintendent of SLE. Research shows that the tighter the web teens have, the more likely they will succeed in school, help others and avoid alcohol and drugs. Phlight Club will concentrate on building and sustaining a web for all participating students, both inside and outside of the classroom. We know this approach makes sense and works and that the skills the students will learn will help them even after they leave our school - supporting them through high school and beyond. Adults interested in attending the Kaleidoscope Academy can learn more and register at StudentSupportCard.com. Teens, students and young adults are also welcome to attend. OPI Renewal Units are available for educators and Montana Department of Labor and Industry credits are available for professional counselors and social workers. The Phlight Club event is targeting the rural communities of Seeley Lake, Swan Valley, Potomac, Clinton and Lolo. Students in sixth-eighth grade, school staff and other adults from those communities are invited to participate. Registration ends June 3. Contact SLE 677-2265 for more information or to sign up. Press Release May 26, 2016 MARCOS CAMP NOTES UNUSUALLY HIGH UNDERVOTE FOR VP ON FIRST DAY OF OFFICIAL CANVASS The Counsel for Vice Presidential candidate, Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday night pointed out the unusually high number of undervotes in the Vice Presidential race seen in the Certificates of Canvass opened on the first day of the official canvass. At the closing of the first day of canvass, Marcos' counsel George Garcia noted that from the COCs that the joint canvassing committee of the National Board of Canvassers has opened so far, a huge difference in the votes cast for the position of President and Vice President is evident. "We have accounted undervotes your honor, that's totaling the votes cast for the Vice President vis-a-vis the votes cast by the voters, it would appear that such number was discovered from the COC's your Honor that totals 623, 174," said Garcia. Garcia said he raised the issue so it can be entered into the records of the canvass. When the official canvass was suspended as of 9:26 Thursday night, a total of 48 COC's have been opened but only 45 were officially included into the canvass. Consideration of three COCs, specifically from the provinces of Laguna, Ilocos Sur, and Davao del Norte were suspended after discrepancies were found, including missing hash codes and differences in the electronically-transmitted COCs. The joint canvassing committee has ordered the Provincial Board of Canvassers in the three provinces to appear before them to explain why there were such discrepancies. For instance, in the very first COC opened, that of Davao Del Norte, consisted of 5 electronically-transmitted COCs and one physically transmitted COC. However, the first electronically-transmitted COC did not conform with the remaining four. Earlier, the camp of Marcos raised concern over the undervotes for the Vice Presidential race which they discovered in their own quick count, saying that in the partial results they already found some 3.3 million undervotes for the position. The camp of Rep. Leni Robredo downplayed the issue, saying undervotes for Vice President is normal in Philippine elections. However, Marcos lawyers earlier pointed out that in such a hotly-contested race such a high number of undervote is unusual and a cause for concern. But poll watchdogs and Information Technology experts had earlier said undervotes don't usually exceed one percent of the total votes cast or for the 2016 elections, not more than 400,000 undervotes at 81 percent voter turnout. Marcos had also requested the Commission of Elections to allow a system audit of its central and transparency servers done by his own IT experts, under the supervision of the poll body, and with the participation of other interested parties. The Senator sought the audit following reports a Smartmatic technician introduced a new script into the transparency server without proper authorization. The Comelec confirmed the script change. Marcos pointed out that shortly after this was done his lead over his closest rival started to decrease and he was eventually overtaken. He insisted that only a system audit would show if the script change only resulted in a "cosmetic change" as the Comelec claimed, or affected the results of the election. Unless this is done, Marcos said a cloud of doubt would hang on the results of the elections. In addition to these irregularities, Marcos said they have evidence of other forms of poll cheating such as vote-buying and the use of intimidation to prevent voters from casting their votes. Press Release May 26, 2016 Villar cites enactment of pet bills on agriculture Sen. Cynthia Villar in welcoming the enactment of two of her priority bills said the needed reforms are now in place to help the agriculture sector. Last May 16, President Aquino signed into law Republic Act (RA) No. 10816 or the Farm Tourism Development Act, and RA 10817 or the Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Act. "Although there's still a lot to be accomplished in terms of legislative support for the agriculture sector, we are thankful to the President for seeing the merit of these bills in helping our farmers and farm workers create additional sources of income," Villar said. Villar, chair of the Committee on Agriculture and Food, defended the passage of the two bills at the Senate. RA 10816 encourages the development of farm areas to attract tourists for production, educational and recreational purposes. "Farm tourism will be a major contributor in bringing back the glory days of agriculture in our country given the potential to increase the income of people involved in agriculture as well as to help solve the problem of urban migration," Villar said. Villar also noted that long before the farm tourism label, small, family-owned, and community-based farms are already thriving in many parts of the country. With this law, local farm tourism practitioners and operators will be able to level up their farm operations or activities. RA 10817 creates the Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Board to promote the growth and ensure the integrity and quality of Philippine Halal exports. Villar said the law enables local industries to compete in the expanding Halal industry, especially with the implementation of the regional economic integration under the ASEAN Economic Community. "Without a halal export legal framework in place, our products become susceptible to doubts from receiving countries. Some "fly-by-night" certifying bodies may issue certification without duly inspecting the goods," she stressed. Halal means permitted or lawful. Halal foods are those allowed to be eaten according to the Islamic Sharia law. "The impact of government support for Halal industry will significantly benefit the agricultural and manufacturing sectors in Mindanao, including conflict areas," Villar said. Under the law, the Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Program will be formulated to cover the entire value chain for food, products and services- from production of raw foods and materials, agricultural production, processing, manufacturing, Halal industry promotion and development, export and marketing assistance, business enterprise development, development and application of Halal certification standards, and forging of international agreements to harmonize domestic standards with international standards. The Halal Board will oversee the formulation and the monitoring of the program. It will be composed of the Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as chair; Secretary of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) as vice-chair; and heads of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Tourism (DOT), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) as member government agencies, and two Muslim Filipinos who have experience in Halal industry development. Mitchell Layton/Getty Images SEATTLE - Jed Lowrie came off the disabled list Wednesday as planned, and the second baseman is in the lineup and batting fifth against the Mariners. In addition, the As recalled right-hander Zach Neal to start at Safeco Field. Left-hander Daniel Coulombe, who retired all five batters he faced Tuesday night - including Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz with two men on in the fifth - was sent back to Triple-A Nashville but he is likely to return whenever there is a need after such a strong performance. Pacific Gas and Electric Co., charged with criminal violations of pipeline safety laws in the wake of the deadly San Bruno gas explosion, is accusing federal prosecutors of lying and concealing evidence showing that federal investigators were also part of a state probe of the blast that gave them direct access to the utilitys records. The alleged deceptions allowed prosecutors to obtain evidence without court approval and mislead the grand jury that indicted PG&E in 2014, lawyers for the utility said in a court filing late Tuesday. They asked a federal judge to exclude a large amount of tainted evidence and to consider dismissing some or all of the 13 felony charges. These misrepresentations have harmed the defendants right to a fair trial, the utilitys lawyers said. Jury selection June 14 Abraham Simmons, spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office, declined to comment. The trial is scheduled to begin with jury selection on June 14. The prosecution stems from investigations of the September 2010 San Bruno gas pipeline explosion and fire, which killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes. The utility is charged with 12 violations of federal laws that require operators of gas pipelines to maintain accurate records, identify risks to lines and inspect or test when pipe pressures exceed the legal maximum. Prosecutors also charged the company with obstructing the San Bruno investigation by trying to conceal its policy of testing older lines for welding problems only if gas pressure exceeded the federal maximum by 10 percent. The California Public Utilities Commission has fined PG&E $1.6 billion for the explosion, and the utility faces additional fines of up to $500 million if convicted of the criminal charges. No PG&E executives or employees have been charged. PG&E officials said they found evidence of prosecution misconduct in 600,000 pages of documents recently disclosed by prosecutors. One falsehood, PG&Es lawyers said, was the prosecutions assertion to the trial judge, in opposing disclosure of records from the California PUC, that members of the prosecution team did not participate in the state commissions investigation of the explosion. Prosecutions 4 experts In fact, PG&E said, as many as four private citizens who have worked as expert consultants for the prosecution also served as consultants to the state commission, where their fees and other costs of the investigation were paid by PG&E. One was Margaret Felts, who during the state investigation attributed the San Bruno explosion to PG&Es shoddy record-keeping. The utilitys lawyers said she has charged the PUC $856,000 for her work so far and has been a paid consultant to federal prosecutors since at least 2013, although prosecutors recently dropped plans to call her as a witness. Felts declined to comment Wednesday. Whether she and the other consultants are members of the prosecution team is a question for U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson, who is presiding over the case. But PG&E said the consultants, in their work for a state agency that regulated the utility, gave prosecutors access to PG&E personnel, records, facilities and other evidence without having to go to court, producing at least one of the criminal charges. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. In addition, PG&E said, prosecutors systematically disclosed secret grand jury information to Felts and at least one other consultant, who as private citizens should not have received it. On other issues, the utility argued that the federal grand jury that issued the criminal indictment against the company in 2014 had received misleading information from prosecutors about the number of pipelines subject to regulation and the records that PG&E was required to keep. Tainted evidence Henderson should prohibit prosecutors from introducing wrongfully obtained evidence, including any evidence tainted by the involvement of Felts and the other consultants, PG&Es lawyers said. They also said the judge would be well within (his) discretion to dismiss this case or any counts outright for the systematic misconduct and deceitful behavior they described. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: egelko Who doesnt want free college? Its an idea being championed by presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, and understandably popular among young people faced with the prospect of years of paying off student debt. However, the proposal is not only politically dubious, but it also may not be the best way to extend educational opportunities to those who cant afford them. Too much of the federal money that would come to California to pay for Sanders plan, policy experts say, would go to tuition for rich students Sanders proposal covers anyone attending a public college or university. That, critics say, defeats the point of giving an edge to those without the resources. There are two ways to think about spending additional higher education dollars, explained Hans Johnson, a senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California and director of the organizations higher education center. Provide aid to low-income students, or spend it on everyone. In California, most students from low-income families already get their tuition costs covered. About 57 percent of undergraduates in the University of California system pay nothing, while about 75 percent get a free ride in the state university system. Community colleges waive fees for a little more than half of their students. What would really boost college opportunities for Californians, say Johnson and others, is helping low-income students pay their nontuition costs like living expenses, which are a common deterrent to college, as well as building out the states public university systems. When we look at access issues at UC and CSU, the big issue were facing right now is lack of space, Johnson said. If I was going to make college more accessible, I would use the money to provide more spots. Though Sanders plan, as laid out in legislation proposed last year, might not be ideal for California or other states, its helping spotlight the important issue of college affordability, something thats never been such a big issue in a presidential contest. I want every child in this state and Vermont and in America to know that if he or she takes their schoolwork seriously, does well in school, that regardless of their income, they will be able to get to college at a public college or university tuition-free, Sanders told The Chronicle. I have not the slightest doubt that this idea will come about in the United States. This is not a radical idea, you know. Sanders proposal calls for the federal government to pay states two-thirds the cost of public tuition and fees, or about $47 billion a year, with that money generated from a tax on stock, bond and derivative transactions. States would pick up the rest of the tab, or about $23 billion. Whether states would agree to the deal is uncertain. Political experts say some are likely to refuse to participate, as is the case with the Affordable Care Act, out of fear that their share of the bill would grow in the future. The other presidential candidates also have addressed the problem of high college costs, though none has called for such sweeping reforms. Democrat Hillary Clinton has introduced plans to reduce debt for low-income students. Republican Donald Trump has been less clear, although he has suggested that the government charges too much interest on student loans. Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: kurtisalexander This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Sign postings leading to the surf of Cowell Beach, just west of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, ban all the usual transgressions: diving, fires, litter, smoking, feeding the birds and sea lions. But one advisory, from the Santa Cruz County health department, warns against a seemingly innocuous beach activity touching the water. Even wading in ankle-deep is frowned upon. Thats because, for the third straight year, Cowell has been crowned the worst beach in California for water quality, due in large part to animal excrement, according to a report released Thursday by environmental watchdog group Heal the Bay. Thanks to persistent drought conditions, though, Cowell is one of the outliers: 89 percent of beaches in Northern California and 95 percent statewide are very safe for beachgoers during the dry summer months, the report said. The groups annual report card of beaches doesnt look at trash on the sand for which Cowell wouldnt be the biggest offender but at the level of fecal indicator bacteria, microorganisms naturally found in the human gut, whose prevalence in the water suggests the presence of other pathogens. This is very much about human health whether or not were going to get sick, said John Largier, a UC Davis coastal oceanography professor who wasnt involved with the report. The fecal indicator bacteria itself doesnt tell you anything about other risks to the ocean ecosystem. Water with high levels of the bacteria, such as E. coli, often comes from sewage, septic tank drainage or urban runoff funneled into the seas by rainfall and, if swallowed, has the potential to make surfers and swimmers sick. Some enclosed beaches, though, are at the mercy of their geography, said James Alamillo, Heal the Bays water quality manager. When you have water thats in essence still-like or pond-like, it has a greater opportunity to come in contact with a source, he said. When it does get contaminated, theres not a mechanism to flush it out. Such is the case at Cowell Beach, tucked into a cove-like section of the coast adjacent to the Santa Cruz Wharf. In addition to the Santa Cruz beach, two in the Bay Area made the top 10 beach bummer list: Sunnydale Cove at San Franciscos Candlestick Point was No. 8, followed by San Mateo Countys Pillar Point Harbor in ninth. Bay Area beach grades The Bay Area counties included in the report Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo and Sonoma tallied just six beaches, out of 76, with grades of C, D or F during dry summer months, defined as the period between April and October when its not raining or within three days of rain. Overall, water quality at Northern California beaches was slightly worse this year compared with the previous five-year average, probably because of the heavier El Nino-driven rainfall, Alamillo said. At Cowell, excrement largely from seagulls and sea lions, coupled with relatively calm waters, may be giving the beach its place at the top of the list, experts say. Since 2010, it has occupied the No. 1 or 2 ranking for worst in the state, prompting local officials to convene a working group to tackle the problem. The group plans to install bird fencing under the pier in the next two months, according to Heal the Bays report, to limit roosting and, thus, bird droppings in the water. John Ricker, water resources division director for the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency, said the samples that fall short of state standards tend to be concentrated right below the wharf, and hes hopeful the bird exclusion screens will significantly improve the water. Though Cowell has gained a reputation among locals, its ideal conditions for beginner surfers and family outings mean that many dont heed the health warnings. I swim in it every day and Ive never gotten sick, said Santa Cruz surf instructor Alex Philippides, 25, after a 20-minute swim. I feel like a million bucks. Its like cryotherapy. Careful with water But Philippides said hes careful not to swallow the water, as did a colleague once, becoming violently ill for several days. The county public health agency, though, has never received significant reports of illnesses or needed to close the beach, Ricker said. Jose Gonzalez, 28, brings his three children to the beach when the currents arent too strong to educate them on the ocean. Even within 72 hours of rain, a time frame officials warn sees the highest levels of bacteria, Gonzalez will surf in the water, though he wont bring the kids. Honestly, he said, I think if the public went to city meetings, they could definitely change this. Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: kveklerov 10 worst beaches in California 1. Cowell Beach, Santa Cruz County 2. Clam Beach County Park, Humboldt County 3. Shoreline Park, San Diego County 4. Monarch Beach, Orange County 5. Santa Monica Pier, Los Angeles County 6. Mothers Beach, Los Angeles County 7. Redondo Pier, Los Angeles County 8. Sunnydale Cove, San Francisco 9. Pillar Point Harbor, San Mateo County 10. Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo County To view the entire report, go to www.healthebay.org/ Outside the university bookstore at Cal State East Bay, two supporters of presidential candidate Bernie Sanders didnt have much trouble luring passersby to their campaign table. Students at the Hayward school, many of whom commute to campus and work when theyre not in class, were coming to them, sometimes waiting in line for a Bern against the machine button or one with an image of Sanders riding a unicorn. I think they finally have a candidate they think is worth fighting for, said Raisa Donato, 27, who was working the table and counted hundreds of visitors during her first week. Not since 2008, when Barack Obama ran on a message of hope and change, has the college-age crowd seemed so excited about an election, both in California and across the nation. In large part, its because of Sanders and his similar big ideas for the future. But whether that enthusiasm will carry to the general election, where the Vermont senator is unlikely to be the Democratic nominee even if he ekes out a win in Californias June 7 primary, remains to be seen. Whats clear is that the turnout of young voters in November will be a big factor in the likely contest between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. In tight races, theres enough of them to make a difference, said Mindy Romero, director of the California Civic Engagement Project at UC Davis, which studies voter participation. The question is: Will Bernies youth supporters go to Hillary if hes not part of the general. Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle Youth vote tough to gauge The younger demographic, while it skews Democrat and independent, is tough to gauge, largely because of its history of sitting out elections. Since at least the 1960s, people under 25 have voted at much lower rates than any other age group, U.S. census reports show. A sense of disconnect on top of a lack of time, interest and know-how are among the reasons, experts say. But many, like Romero, sense that things are different this year, not only because the group makes up more of the electorate, with Millennials matching Baby Boomers in eligible voter numbers for the first time, but because many young adults feel they have a real stake in the outcome of the election. Of course Im going to vote, said Julia Miranda, 20, a Cal State student from Castro Valley who rattled off a number of issues that are important to her, including the rising cost of college. Its the first time I can vote for president. Young voter turnout high In other states, young voters have been showing up for the primaries at near-record levels, and in California, voter registration among younger people in advance of the primary is up. A third of the roughly 1.8 million Californians who registered to vote online this year before Mondays deadline are between the ages of 17 and 25, according to Secretary of State Alex Padillas office a level that exceeds the normal rush from a group with many first-time voters. We saw a much earlier surge than we normally see. When its early like that, people are paying attention, Romero said. We would expect those people to be a lot more likely to turn out. Passion during the primary, though, doesnt necessarily assure interest in the general election, especially when a popular candidate is on the verge of elimination. But there are reasons to believe young people will remain engaged, from enticing local and state issues in November, such as Californias marijuana legalization initiative, to continued interest in the presidential race, which is likely to continue getting unprecedented media coverage even without Sanders. The framing of the Bernie Sanders campaign really seems to have resonated, (but) its not just about Bernie Sanders, said Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, director of Tufts Universitys Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, which studies the political activity of young adults. Its the idea of a movement. This year, young people seem to be saying theyre fed up and want to see change. ... Its really about a broken system not working for them. On the Hayward campus, the biggest concern appears to be the economy. The students grew up during last decades great recession and many have seen family or friends lose a job or a home. Theyre concerned about their future, especially as Bureau of Labor Statistics suggest unemployment rates for teenagers and young adults are yet to recover fully. Facing reality In two years from now, Im going to be on my way out of college and trying to find a job, said Natasha Brown, 20, a second-year Cal State student from Los Angeles who wants a career in communications. I try not to think about it, but its a reality Ill have to face soon. Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle For Brown, Sanders economic platform, with its focus on income inequality and calls for higher minimum wage, universal health care and free public college, is appealing. She and other students also see him as suited to help with the burdens of college debt and the Bay Areas high housing costs. As much as any political issue, though, Sanders popularity on campus seems to reside in his character. Even though Sanders is three times the age of most students, his blunt talk about reform and willingness to buck the establishment appeal to a generation thats been shown to reject the traditional Democrat-Republican paradigm. At first, I didnt know who he was, said Nasario Sylvester, 18, a first-year Cal State student from Richmond who recently registered Democrat but said he has no real party loyalties. Someone asked me if I was going to support Bernie, so I looked him up. Why he likes Sanders Sylvester, who is studying computer science, said he liked what he saw not necessarily any single position the candidate took but that he was someone who seemed genuinely willing to fight to make things better. While many Sanders supporters arent ready to concede that Clinton might be the party nominee, they may be motivated to come out for the former secretary of state in November not because of her, but because of Trump. Favorability ratings for the Republican candidate, who has frequently made divisive comments about women and minorities, are very low among young voters. Some say theyll do whatever it takes to keep him out of the White House. Either Bernie or Hillary, Im just not voting for Trump, said Cal State student Marsha Cranford, 27, of Oakland, echoing the chorus of disdain on campus for the billionaire. A recent poll by Rock the Vote and USA Today found that 65 percent of Sanders supporters under the age of 35 would likely back Clinton in a general election, while 20 percent would sit out and 9 percent would vote for Trump. Kawashima-Ginsberg, at Tufts, said the number of people switching to Clinton, while significant, may not be enough for her to win battleground states in November. In the 2012 race, Obama needed the support of roughly two-thirds of voters under 30 from both parties to put him over the top against Republican Mitt Romney in such places as Florida and Pennsylvania, according to data from Tufts. While Clinton might not have that much backing, her consolation is that Trump is not endearing himself to young people either, Kawashima-Ginsberg said. Outcome unpredictable We cant predict exactly whats going to happen in November, she said. But whoever is going to win the election, especially as polls show the likely race between Clinton and Trump narrowing, is going to have to appeal to these voters. Theres a lot that the candidates and parties can do to get the young vote, said Kawashima-Ginsberg. Sanders and Obama were good about telling people how they can be a part of the big picture. Thats an important strategy. Whether or not Clinton and Trump can carry such a message of inclusiveness, she added, is far from certain. Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: kurtisalexander This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When Apple announces plans to set up retail stores in the United States, local governments rush to welcome the Cupertino tech giant. But India thinks different. A recent visit by CEO Tim Cook generated headlines as he promised to boost the companys investments in India. Analysts say, though, that it will take far more than that to turn around Apples tiny market share in the country. The company may need to make fundamental changes in how it builds and prices products changes it has been loath to make in other markets. With a population of nearly 1.3 billion the worlds second largest, behind only China the country could become a key market for the iPhone and give a much-needed boost to Apples sagging global sales of smartphones and other devices. But its been a slow dance between Apple and Indias government. Apple has yet to receive approval to open its first retail store in the country, and an effort to market cheaper used iPhones is in limbo. And it faces determined competitors like Samsung, which has seen far greater success in selling electronics in India. Apple must find ways to crack the India code, said Gene Munster, an analyst with investment bank and asset management firm Piper Jaffray. Few people in India can afford iPhones new or used. The average Indian made $1,582 a year in 2014, and India is one of the most expensive places to buy an iPhone in the world because of taxes on products not manufactured there. A basic iPhone 6S costs $935 in India, nearly $230 more than the price of the same phone in the U.S., according to a Deutsche Bank report. But Apple needs this market, as it has already saturated the developed world with iPhones, and in China, a big source of growth for the company in this decade, sales have fallen from a year ago, due to consumer jitters and people holding out for next-generation phones. Untapped markets For Apple to continue its growth in the market, it would need to capture the last remaining frontiers, said Kiranjeet Kaur, a manager with the IDC research firm in Singapore. Thats why Cook has turned his attention to India, where IDC says Apples smartphone market share is still small just 3 percent in the first quarter. In a recent call with Wall Street analysts, Cook touted how iPhone sales in India grew 56 percent compared with a year ago in the quarter that ended March 26. I view India as where China was maybe seven to 10 years ago, he told the analysts. I think theres a really great opportunity there. Expanding its presence in the market has been an uphill battle. One idea was selling lower-priced used iPhones in India, as Apple already does in the U.S. and other markets. But Bloomberg reported earlier this month that the Indian government has nixed that proposal. No Apple Store in India Apple has showy stores all over the world like the new flagship it opened last weekend in San Francisco. But it has none in India. Opening an Apple-run store would allow experienced salespeople to show off the iPhones bells and whistles without having consumers eyes wander to cheaper phones running Googles Android operating system. Today, iPhones are sold in electronics stores in India and have to share shelf space with cheap Chinese knockoffs, said Kyle Mayer, a professor of business strategy at USCs Marshall School of Business. They need to really show the value of the iPhone, Mayer said. They can do that better in their own retail store. Indias rules require that smartphone manufacturers that want to have their own stores manufacture locally 30 percent of the products sold. IPhones for the Indian market are made in China. India understands why people want to come there, Mayer said. They want to leverage that. You have to share the wealth. Rule not waived There is an exemption to that rule. The government can waive its locally made requirement for cutting-edge technology, Mayer said. On Wednesday, Bloomberg reported that Indias finance minister would require Apple to meet existing guidelines. An Apple spokesman declined to comment. Still, Apple hasnt given up trying to woo the Indian government. Last week, Cook flew to India and gave an interview to Indian TV network NDTV. He met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi who could overrule the finance minister on granting Apple a waiver to open stores. And Cook unveiled plans to open one office in Bangalore to help Indian developers build iPhone and iPad apps and another in Hyderabad that will add up to 4,000 jobs. But even if Apple is able to one day get more access to India, dont expect the companys iPhone sales to improve anytime soon, analysts said. One of the biggest challenges is that the gross domestic product per capita in India is five times lower than in China, Munster and fellow analyst Douglas Clinton wrote in a research note. The average cost of an iPhone in 2015 was $612, while other competing smartphones averaged $132 in India, IDC said. (In many markets, Apple sells older models at a lower cost alongside its newest phones.) There is a disconnect between what Apple charges as far as products and the percentage of the Indian population that is in a position to buy those products, said Above Avalon analyst Neil Cybart. Its something they are going to work on over time. New products are key Analysts such as Munster and Clinton believe the real sales growth will come when Apple unveils splashy new products, like a rumored electric car. Bigger picture, we believe the best way for Apple to drive long-term growth is through new products and new product categories, the analysts said in the note. In his interview with NDTV, Cook said that India is different than China and the company was taking a step back in viewing India strategically. India is a different place and we are going into India very humbly, Cook told NDTV. Wendy Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: wlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: thewendylee Can an auto dealer who fixes your car for free require you to sign a liability waiver? Chad VanTassell of Crockett said he was driving his 2005 Toyota Tacoma to work on Feb. 11, 2015, going about 60 mph on the freeway, when he heard a clunk, and his airbag accidentally deployed. Though unable to see, he maneuvered his truck safely to the side of the road. There was no front-end collision, the event that normally causes airbags to inflate. He had the car towed to his place of work and called Toyota, which told him not to touch the vehicle until it could be inspected, he said. He paid to have the car towed to Toyota of Walnut Creek. Due to scheduling delays, it was not inspected until June, he said. VanTassell said Toyota refused to give him the inspection report. However, in a letter Aug. 3, Toyota Motor Sales USA offered to fix the driver and passenger airbags, U-joint, drive shaft and other damage as a customer good will only, if he would sign a waiver releasing Toyota from any claim arising from the incident. VanTassell consulted attorney Todd Walburg, who advised him not to sign. I never saw a dealership ask a customer to sign a liability waiver like that. Thats what caught my attention. That is almost an indicator of a liability problem for them, said Walburg, who is assisting VanTassell pro bono. VanTassells truck is not on a list of vehicles being recalled to replace airbag inflators supplied by the Japanese firm Takata. Toyotas larger truck, the Tundra, is on the list for model years 2003 through 2006. If VanTassells truck did have a Takata inflator, signing the waiver would prevent him from participating in any settlement that could arise from class-action suits over the airbag, Walburg said. Walburgs firm, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, has filed several suits against Takata. Ruptures of the Takata inflators have been tied to 10 deaths and more than 100 injuries in the United States, according to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Before this month, the administration ordered auto dealers to recall 28.8 million Takata inflators from cars sold in the United States. On May 4, it said it will add 35 million to 40 million inflators to the list in phases ending in December 2019. On Monday, Toyota expanded its own recall list by 1.6 million vehicles, including the Scion and Lexus brands. VanTassell bought his car in South Carolina, where he said he lived until two years ago. Takata inflators in older cars in warm, humid climates appear to have the greatest risk of failure. Toyota would not say whether VanTassells truck has a Takata inflator. However, Bryan Thomas, a spokesman for the safety agency, said Toyota informed him that, the inflator at issue in this vehicle was not a Takata inflator. We are working directly with Mr. VanTassell to address his questions and concerns in an effort to resolve this claim, Toyota spokeswoman Cindy Knight said in an email. She added, We have previously explained to him the results of our vehicle inspection. When a dealer agrees to repair something that was not under warranty for free, it means there was a defect of some type, said Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, a nonprofit consumer group. You dont see this (request for a liability waiver) where a consumer goes in and pays for the repair, he said. The willingness of Toyota to pay for the repair is unusual. The waiver of future liability is very common in this situation. Meanwhile VanTassell has been without his car for more than a year. The dealership, he said, is demanding that he move it or pay storage fees. He said he offered to have the car repaired, and sign the waiver, if Toyota also paid him $8,000 to compensate him for loss of use, insurance, smog testing and a new set of tires, since the old ones likely will be shot. Ditlow suggested that VanTassell sign the waiver, have the car repaired and then take it to a Toyota dealer for sale or trade in. Since Toyota did the repair, it will be aware of the issue. Its the cleanest way of doing it, he said. The California Bureau of Automotive Repair has no laws or regulations that address whether dealers can ask for liability waivers, said Joyia Emard, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Consumer Affairs. Thomas could not say how common it is for repair shops to demand waivers when they fix a vehicle. He said that consumers in VanTassells position should file a vehicle owners questionnaire, a safety complaint form, with the administration. This is a big way NHTSA becomes aware of potential defects, Thomas said. If we are able to spot trends, it can start an investigation. Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: kathpender This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Show More Show Less Investigators are searching for a 15-year-old girl last seen bleeding and screaming for help while being dragged away by an armed 19-year-old man in Vallejo Wednesday morning, authorities said. Pearl Pinson had not been seen since around 7 a.m. She never arrived to school. She was last seen wearing a black and turquoise backpack, according to a statement from the Solano County Sheriffs Office. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The dead woman found floating in a Concord duck pond this month was pregnant, police said Wednesday, a day after a suspect wanted in her killing surrendered to authorities at a Nevada church. The suspect, 26-year-old Erick Lamar Nelson, turned himself in at a church off Robb Drive in northern Reno on Tuesday afternoon, said Cpl. Christopher Blakely, a spokesman for the Concord Police Department. Nelson, who had been described by Concord police as armed and dangerous, told staffers working at the church that he was wanted for murder and asked them to call authorities, Blakely said. Officers who arrived at the church reported that Nelson had minor injuries from crashing a suspected stolen car earlier in the week and was looking for a safe place to turn himself in, Blakely said. Nelson was taken to the hospital for treatment before being booked at Washoe County Jail in Reno, where he remained locked up Wednesday on a parole violation and one count of murder. Police launched a hunt for Nelson on May 16, the same day the body of 25-year-old Poinsettia Parks was discovered floating in a duck pond at Newhall Community Park at about 2:30 a.m. The Contra Costa County medical examiner later determined that Parks, a Concord resident, was six weeks pregnant. Officers said Nelson was acquainted with Parks. Blakely said fetal material taken from the victim will be analyzed at a laboratory in an attempt to determine if Nelson helped conceive the fetus and whether her pregnancy was the motive for her slaying, Blakely said. Authorities originally suspected Nelson was on the loose in the victims four-door 2003 Kia Spectra, but said that they found that vehicle in good condition in Stockton. Police are unsure how Nelson made it to Reno, but Blakely said they suspect he stole a car after abandoning Parks vehicle in Stockton. He apparently crashed the suspected stolen vehicle on Monday before making it to Reno. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Concord detectives were heading to Reno Wednesday in hopes of conducting an interview with Nelson. Officials said further details would be released as they become available. Right now its an open investigation, Blakely said. Why did he commit this murder? Right now there are many different angles. He said authorities plan to extradite Nelson to California within the next few days. Kevin Schultz is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kschultz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: KevinEdSchultz Guests of HackCancers fourth annual White Party were easy to spot in the low-lit lobby of the W Hotel on Saturday night. Sure, they were decked out in nothing but bright white, but there were other clues as well. Women on the sunny side of 30 wore 6-inch heels strapped to the ends of their impossibly tan legs. Confident dates sported popped collars and crisp white suits purchased just for the occasion. Regular W guests in dowdy blues and browns awkwardly pushed their way through, looking like outsiders in their own hotel. And that was just in the lobby. The real party was on in the hotels third-floor ballroom, where HackCancer co-founder Anjou Ahlborn Kay managed to demurely scream the organizations concept over dance music. A lot of people say tech doesnt give back, or tech doesnt do good, said Ahlborn Kay, clad in spotless white right down to her nail polish. I wanted to leverage the friends I had in the tech and VC community. And also, I really like to throw parties. Together with co-founder Steve Chen and philanthropically minded pals in the tech community, Ahlborn Kay, a senior account executive in the tech industry, created HackCancer. An enthusiastic cadre of young go-getters surrounded Ahlborn Kay throughout the party, popping in for handshakes and offers to buy rounds of drinks. The fundraising group hosts four parties a year, all with a tech-heavy vibe. Each event selects a cancer organization as the recipient of the nights proceeds. Saturdays net, in the ballpark of $20,000, will go to Cancer Commons. As the White Party filled up around 11 p.m, stilt-walkers wearing white wigs and white bustiers, draped in white tube lights and fanning flowing white silk banners, tottered around the third floor posing for pictures. MAC makeup artists offered abstract face-painting, and guests patiently chatted in line while waiting to pose for custom photo flipbooks. HackCancer always does fantastic parties, said Chris Tosswill, who recently left Facebook to launch his own dating startup. They do two or three a year, and theyre always awesome. Tosswill was hard to miss, wearing an LED and fiber-optic vest hed purchased on Etsy and controlled via pocket remote. Without missing a beat and presumably reflecting half the other conversations going on in the Ws purple-lit ballroom, Tosswill charmingly began to pitch his week-old startup, EntrigueMe a site where people anonymously post their sexual fantasies and then arrange to meet up with those who wish to fulfill them. Meanwhile, in the ladies room, the nucleus of any party, women whod just met were friending each other on Facebook. One young lady at the sink read off a list of their shared male contacts, while from inside a stall, her new pal announced, Oh! All the Jewish guys. Many of the 700 White Party guests might be part of San Franciscos massive technology industry, but few were the nerdy programming type. Saturdays packed dance floor was filled with people who obviously frequent the nightclubs, score tables at trendy restaurants and find dates without the help of the apps they work so hard to invent. Perhaps the stereotype of the tech nerd is evolving, or perhaps the kind of people who fork over $45 to pay for drinks at the W Hotel arent the kind of people who code in their underwear. Over deafening hits from Justin Timberlake and Pharrell, the cool computer kids were having fun. By midnight, the stilt-walkers had joined the crowd on the dance floor. Party-goers seemed to spend just as much time dancing as they did posing for photos, or even more popular, posting videos to Facebook Live. The combination of hundreds of people wearing spotless white fit nicely with the W Hotels color scheme purple-and-pink lighting of the kind most often seen in a Virgin Airlines cabin. One of the few party guests old enough to have hair color that matched the partys theme wandered into the ballroom in a blue business suit. The middle-aged hotel guest was in town on a work trip and allowed HackCancer volunteers to charm him into buying a ticket. After a brave visit to the face-painting station, the grinning traveler spent the remainder of his night with his face covered in what resembled a glitter version of van Goghs Starry Night. Patrick held up a vodka drink and looked around the ballroom. Im from Texas, he offered, perhaps by way of explaining his bemusement. And this is great! Beth Spotswoods column appears Thursdays in Datebook. As a child, while most kids were busy watching cartoons, my Saturday mornings were spent with PBS cooking shows hosted by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin. But my personal favorite at the time was Jeff Smith, better known as the Frugal Gourmet. Each week, Id eagerly await the start of Smiths show with its cheerful intro, which featured the host galavanting in the kitchen and sampling different foods on his travels, all set to a tune by 18th century composer George Frideric Handel. Smith made being in the kitchen and trying new foods look approachable, and above all, fun. It made me want to learn to cook. The very first recipe I ever cooked by myself was one Id seen Smith make on his show: a Norwegian spaghetti salad with shrimp. I made the dish to serve at my grandparents 45th anniversary party. I was 9 years old. For 30 years, I have held tight to that memory because making that dish for my family and friends was the first time I can recall having a sense of pride and accomplishment for making something on my own. But through the years, even as I began cooking professionally, thats all it was: a memory. Courtesy of Sarah Fritsche About a month ago, my aunt sent me some old family photos. As I flipped through decades of family history, I came across some taken at my grandparents anniversary party including a snapshot of me in the kitchen, preparing that Norwegian spaghetti salad. More for you Recipe: Shrimp and Orzo Salad with Dill I was blown away. I had no idea that such a photo existed of this seminal kitchen memory. That photo discovery inspired me to make the recipe once more. I tracked down the original episode in which the dish was madeand found a cheap copy of the cookbook on Amazon. The recipe was as I remembered it: a cold pasta salad with shrimp, peas and a tangy sour cream and mayonnaise dressing perked up by chopped dill pickles and capers. Plus, I could see how it was straightforward and easy enough to not require much adult supervision. It incorporated one my favorite foods shrimp along with unfamiliar ingredients that I had been eager to try for the first time (dill! capers!). These were exactly the kinds of flavors I loved as a child. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Thirty years later, not so much. Truth be told, the recipe now felt dated and unnecessarily heavy. Tossing 2 cups of a sour cream and mayonnaise-based dressing with just a half pound of pasta, plus frozen peas and carrots and bay shrimp, will do that. However, that didnt mean that the recipe was without potential. Though it does bear some resemblance to skagen, Swedish shrimp salad, Im still not exactly sure what makes this Norwegian. (Smith swore it was the dill and the fact that he himself was of Norwegian descent.) While the original is perhaps best left to memory, I created a modern version of the recipe more in line with my current taste buds and sensibilities: a lighter dressing that uses fresh dill instead of dried; substituting fresh spring peas and sustainably harvested fresh shrimp for their frozen counterparts. Yet it retains the spirit of the original. Its a party-friendly dish that I can once again take pride in sharing with friends and family. Sarah Fritsche is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sfritsche@sfchronicle.com The death of a family member is never easy. For Edward Martinez, saying goodbye to Jose, his 35-year-old brother, was heart-wrenching. The two brothers grew up together in Fresno, where they fell into gangs in their teenage years. In subsequent decades they both managed to escape that life. Edward, now 30 and the executive pastry chef at Cadence in San Francisco, found his calling in the restaurant industry. But Jose could not escape complications from long-term alcohol and drug abuse; he died in February. Weeks later, the wound remains fresh for Edward Martinez, and thinking of his late brother his idol, his protector gives the soft-spoken chef pause. I would bring him into every restaurant I worked in. No matter where I was, Id bring him in to come and eat, he says. Id sit him at the chefs counter or somewhere special. Id feed him. Id try to impress him and show him what I was doing. He was my biggest fan. Martinez traveled to Fresno for the funeral. The next day, he was back in the kitchen in San Francisco. Thats what his brother would have wanted, he says. But finding solace in the kitchen is nothing new for Martinez. On his left cheek, just below his eye, a tiny yet menacing skull tattoo hints at a life surrounded by death (although Martinez says he just really likes skull imagery). A delicate black anchor on the other cheek serves as a reminder to stay grounded. On his long, well-worn knuckles, the word obsessed is spelled out in elegant black and red block capital letters, a reference to his infatuation with restaurant kitchen life. While heavily inked chefs are fairly commonplace these days, Martinez carries a tattoo collection that tells the story of both a troubled past and a promising future. Mine are from a previous life, says Martinez. I had these before it was cool. That previous life is revealed on the inside of his left wrist, which bears the words Baby Gangster. It was a name given to Martinez by his older brother when Martinez was jumped into the notorious Central California street gang, the Fresno Bulldogs. He was 13 years old. Martinez was born in Fresno, but spent his early years in San Jose. Then, following the death of his mother when he was 7, Martinezs father who grew up working the fields outside of Fresno and eventually earned a full scholarship to Stanford University moved the family back to Fresno to be closer to Martinezs mothers side of the family. Some of the family members were also active in gangs, but for a young Martinez, hanging around them made him feel closer to his mother and her family. They were always talking about her, so I wanted to be with them, Martinez says. Trouble followed. He spent his teenage years in and out of juvenile hall for various crimes like possession of firearms and narcotics, as well as theft. At the age of 20, he picked a fight with a guy hitting on his girlfriend at a restaurant; he was arrested for assault and battery and was looking at eight years in prison. I was pretty sure I was going to do all of it, so my dad ended up getting a lawyer, Martinez says. As a last-ditch effort, Martinezs lawyer encouraged him to make a plea, and in the process, pitch the judge a new, better way of life that could become an alternative to prison. His lawyer had a simple idea: Martinez should go back to his cell and think about what made him happy during his childhood. I dont have a lot of memories of being happy, Martinez says. My dad he hates the fact that I tell him that I dont remember being happy. After my mom passed away, I wasnt a happy kid, but the times I do remember, it was with her. I started thinking about when I was little, before all this gang stuff. And then it hit him: I remember baking with my mom. I remember being happy just in the kitchen with her, making cakes and cookies, he says. Thats when I was really, truly happy. Those memories of their time together in the kitchen would prove to be his salvation. Martinez told his lawyer that he wanted to go to pastry school and become a chef. The judge agreed, with the caveat that if Martinez screwed up, hed face the full sentence. I think he only let me do it because he thought I was gonna mess up right away, Martinez says. Newly paroled, Martinez chose a program at the Institute of Technology in Fresno because it was affordable and he didnt want to burden his father, who had just spent thousands of dollars on attorney fees. Culinary school was something he wanted to do himself. Michael Short/Special To The Chronicle From the start, Martinez stood out. One of his instructors, Tomas Mendoza, recalls that Martinez challenged himself daily to go above and beyond. He was not really competing with others, but with himself, says Mendoza. In addition to taking his own pastry-focused courses, Martinez was allowed to audit the savory classes: I was there 13 hours a day, he says. My chefs really saw that I wanted to do it and that I was passionate. Martinez never missed a day of school and never got less than a 98 percent on anything. In 2005, he graduated at the top of his class. Michael Short/Special To The Chronicle It was hard to keep up with him because he always wanted to do so much more, Mendoza says. With his talent, I see him becoming one of the top chefs around. Its a drive and work ethic that continued throughout Martinezs pastry career, which has now lasted nearly a decade and led him to work in high-profile restaurants like Philippe Jeantys Bistro Jeanty in Napa, Michael Minas Bourbon Steak in San Francisco and Tyler Florences El Paseo in Mill Valley. It seemed like I was getting all these shots, Martinez says. Opportunity knocked again when he was working as pastry chef at Enotria in Sacramento. During a special event at the restaurant, Martinez was listening to San Francisco rapper Andre Nickatina at his station. He looked up and saw Joey Elenterio, the nights guest chef, singing along. Im like, dude, you know about this? Martinez says. The two chefs remained in touch over the years, and their friendship came full circle when Martinez landed a job at San Franciscos Wayfare Tavern, where Elenterio was chef at the time. Soon thereafter, when Elenterio was looking to open a new project on Market Street, he convinced Martinez to follow him to help launch a new project with restaurateur Jay Bordeleau, to be named Cadence. Next door there would be an adjacent bar, Mr. Tipples Recording Studio. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. A bromance of sorts was born, one that led Martinez, once again, to get matching tattoos with someone only this time, the tattoos that grace Martinez and Elenterio depict the logo of Passmore Ranch, a sustainable fish ranch in the Sierra Foothills. Serving as a mentor for Martinez is a role that Elenterio seems to relish. I see the passion and the love he has. Im trying to help him to the next echelon of what he can be and will be, Elenterio says. When asked about his approach to cooking, Martinez says he doesnt really have a style; he prefers to draw upon what Elenterio is doing, although he does note that he likes creating unexpected desserts with multiple components. Take a recent dish at Cadence that incorporated celery root in both a Bavarian cream and a gelee, alongside a white chocolate cremeux, strawberry sorbet and tart pickled strawberries. For Martinez, who is not a fan of overly sweet desserts, it captures his favorite flavors tart, bordering on almost savory. It also displays a honed knowledge of both classic French technique and more modernist cuisine styles. Next door at Mr. Tipples, Martinez balances out Cadences higher-end fare with playful riffs, like the green chartreuse-flavored ice cream drumstick topped with a chocolate shell and candied cocoa nibs. Michael Short/Special To The Chronicle The biggest thing hes learning is restraint, but restraint without losing himself, Elenterio says. At the heart of it, Elenterio feels that Martinezs desserts are a representation of the chef himself: Theres an unexpected edge, but also an overriding sweet side. Thats kind of who he is, says Elenterio. He may be covered in tattoos but hes really a soft teddy bear underneath. That softer side can really be seen when he talks about his four children three boys and one girl, ranging from 4 to 10 years old. His oldest son also wants to be a chef. Its also evident when he talks about his relationship with his late brother, who before his death had continued to look out for Martinez and encourage him in his work. Thats been Edwards life, says teacher Mendoza, one hurdle to leap after another, but he continues to do so. Hes always looking into the future constantly: Whats next? Whats next? Whats next? Now into his 30s and divorced, Martinez continues to push himself to grow as a chef. He dreams of running his own business in New York City, perhaps a shop where he can be as creative as he wants. When hes not with his kids, hes thinking constantly about new dishes and how he can challenge the publics perceptions of what exactly a pastry chef should be. Im not expected to be what I am, Martinez says. I love it. Sarah Fritsche is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sfritsche@sfchronicle.com Donn Chappellet, who founded Chappellet winery in 1967 and built it into one of Napas most acclaimed brands, died on Sunday of natural causes. Widely regarded as one of Napa Valleys modern-era pioneers, he was 84. According to Mr. Chappellets son Cyril, he died completely peacefully at his home, alongside his family. We were all with him he said. Mr. Chappellets health had been declining for the past eight months; his mind, however, remained lucid to the end. Mr. Chappellets lasting achievement was not only to bring his own winery to greatness, but also to establish Pritchard Hill, the slope on which his property lies, as a sought-after area for grape-growing. In a very unusual move, Mr. Chappellet who preceded his current neighbors, including Colgin, Ovid, Continuum and Bryant, by at least 25 years trademarked Pritchard Hill, never allowing it to become an official American Viticultural Area. To this day, Chappellet remains the only winery permitted to use Pritchard Hill on its label. Its also been an incubator for some of Napas greatest talents: current winemaker Phillip Corallo-Titus, on board since 1990, followed Helen Turley, Mia Klein, Cathy Corison, Tony Soter and Philip Togni. Astute businessman Born in Los Angeles in 1931, Mr. Chappellet attended Pomona College and married his wife, Molly, in his senior year. Like many winery owners in Napa, he struck it big in another industry before coming to wine. In 1954, after graduating from college, he founded Interstate United Corp., a distributor of vending machines that produced hot coffee on demand. A methodical businessman, Mr. Chappellet built Interstate United into a nationally traded stock with 7,000 employees. It was fun, it was entrepreneurial, and he loved doing it, Cyril Chappellet said. But after 12 years, that changed. He wasnt being entrepreneurial anymore; he was just running the business. At 34, he was too young to retire, and so he began to think about his passion: wine. He went about it like any businessman would, Cyril said. What are the best places to do this? An avid collector of Bordeaux and Burgundy, Mr. Chappellet decided that the highest potential lay in the Napa Valley, and in hillside vineyards. Few wineries existed in Napa then; fewer still pursued the level of quality that Mr. Chappellet hoped to achieve. He got in touch with Beaulieau Vineyards Andre Tchelistcheff, who led Mr. Chappellet to the 1,600-foot peak above Sage Canyon Road known then to its neighbors as Pritchard Hill so named for Charles Pritchard, who had owned land there in the 19th century. So in 1967, Mr. Chappellet brought Molly and their five (soon to be six) children to St. Helena, where they set to work planting a vineyard and building a winery on their new, 320-acre property. 45 Mouton, 61 Latour those were his benchmarks, said Cyril Chappellet, referring to prized French wines. He wanted to see if he could make wines of that caliber. Many would argue that Mr. Chappellet came as close as any in California to realizing that goal. With the help of his family and wisely chosen staff a few of whom have now been with the winery for 47 years the Chappellet winery thrived, in quality and business alike. The winery itself, strikingly shaped like a pyramid, has become an architectural icon. Today it produces 30,000 cases of wine, and now an additional 15,000 cases under the Sonoma-Loeb label, whose wines had long been made at the Chappellet facility when the family purchased the brand in 2011. Family ownership key Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Paramount for Mr. Chappellet was keeping the business family-owned. I dont know if there was anything more important to him, Cyril said. The string of winery sales in recent years to larger corporations left him deeply disappointed. All of Donn and Molly Chappellets six children have worked at the winery, and Cyril was named chairman in 2013. We have the business structured in such a way that no one family member could ever radically change the ownership, Cyril said. As far as were concerned, the winery will never go outside the family. Standing 6 feet 4 inches and not particularly social, Mr. Chappellet much preferred one-on-one interactions to large groups, often leaving Molly to take one of their sons as her date to wine-industry functions. His precise, orderly manner, Cyril believes, was what made him so good at running a business. He loved perfection. In his final hours, he told his family he expected them to keep making 100-point wines. The saddest thing for me, Cyril said, is I dont think my dad had any idea of what he really created. He never took credit for any of it. He was proud of other people and proud of their accomplishments. When we got a high score for wine, it wasnt him doing it it was the winemaking team, or it was the vineyard. He is survived by his wife, Molly; his sister, Sybil; his six children, Lygia, Cyril, Carissa, Jon-Mark, Alexa and Dominic; 11 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Funeral arrangements will be shared at a later date. Esther Mobley is The San Francisco Chronicles wine, beer and spirits writer. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: Esther_mobley Instagram: @esthermob People of all ages have found themselves transfixed over the last couple of years by YouTube clips of Dutch environmental artist Theo Jansens enormous wind-propelled kinetic sculptures. In the compulsively watchable videos, Jansens skeletal Strandbeests (beach animals in Dutch) walk across Hollands expansive North Sea beaches with the 68-year-old artist-engineer coaxing the creatures to improbable life. These spindly-legged beests, which Jansen has been creating in increasingly complex iterations for 26 years, move with an unexpected grace and lifelike energy that belie their humble components: PVC piping, zip ties and empty water bottles. Until now, with the arrival at the Exploratorium of Jansens first major U.S. touring exhibition, very few people have had the opportunity to witness his work in person. The Exploratorium is the exclusive West Coast venue for Strandbeest: The Dream Machines of Theo Jansen, and a fitting home for these unique creations that blur the traditional boundaries between art, science, engineering and even biology. People ask, Is it art or science? The distinctions are irrelevant to me. It always starts from practicality, said Jansen, speaking by phone from his home in the Netherlands. Six of his acclaimed Strandbeests, including his 43-foot-long Animus Suspendisse, will be on display in San Francisco through Labor Day. Visitors will be able to interact with the creations at designated times. (Jansen uses faux Latinate names for every Strandbeest to emphasize their association in his mind with mammalian evolution.) The Exploratorium exhibition also includes the artists sketches, videos and Lena Herzogs black-and-white photography documenting seven years of Jansens creative process. Jansen, who studied to be a physicist, found his lifes creative calling in 1990 in response to a real-world problem: the rising sea levels that threatened to flood the Netherlands. Jansens first Strandbeests, made of PVC piping and string, were intended to do something useful, to fortify the dunes. But first they had to survive the storms and the wind, he said. I thought, How have animals survived in the past? Evolution. Gabrielle Lurie/Special to The Chronicle In conversation, and in his 2007 TED talk, Jansen stresses that his project is evolutionary rather than primarily artistic in nature. I dont want to make an imitation of nature as it is now, he said. I really want to make new animal life forms. As strange as it sounds, Jansens Strandbeests have evolved (hes now on his 39th version) and adapted, with each generation less reliant on human intervention. His current ambition is to create animals that will anchor in storms by burying themselves in the sand, lifting and shaking themselves off every hour. Jansen, who cites Buckminster Fuller and M.C. Escher as influences, works on new models every winter. I bring the new animals to the beach every spring, work on experiments over the summer and declare some of them extinct by fall, he says. His moonshot, he revealed, is to build Strandbeests that can live on beaches on their own in herds. Unfortunately, I dont have a few more million years to work on them, but they are already replicating, Jansen says. Twenty-five years ago he wrote an algorithm, available on his website, at www.strandbeest.com, which determines the proportions of every Strandbeests tubular crank-leg system. Using 3-D printers, students are making Strandbeests all over the world, he said. They are reproducing using the Internets zeroes and ones rather than genes. Despite the Strandbeests elegant motion, Jansen said, I try not to work toward beauty because when you try to make something beautiful, it can become artificial. Instead, I focus on function, but then am surprised when beauty sort of comes in the back door, he added. When a horse walks, its beautiful because it functions so well. Jansens youthful enthusiasm for hands-on experimentation and solutions-based design is a great reminder that the maker and tinkering movements are more than mere buzzwords. Ive never stopped playing, he said. When I am on the beach working, I feel more like an Eskimo living 10,000 years ago who did what you could call technical research, and made art, and didnt realize what a museum or even an artist is. I can forget what art and even beauty are, and still make beauty without realizing it. Jessica Zack is a freelance writer who frequently covers art and film for The San Francisco Chronicle. Strandbeest: The Dream Machines of Theo Jansen: Walking demonstrations 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. daily; 7 and 9 p.m. Thursdays for ages 18 and older. May 27-Sept. 5. $19.95-$29.95. Free for children age 3 and younger. Exploratorium, Pier 15 (Embarcadero at Green Street), S.F. (415) 528-4444. www.exploratorium.edu. Conversation with Theo Jansen: With Marina McDougall, director of the Ex p loratoriums Center for Art & Inquiry. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 26. $10-$30. 18 and older. Lena Herzog: The photographer will discuss her years documenting Jansens work with McDougall. 8:30 p.m. Thursday, June 2. $10-$15. 18 and older. A school bus company has agreed to pay $11.5 million to settle a whistle-blower lawsuit claiming that the firm used unsafe buses to transport San Francisco students, plaintiffs attorneys said Wednesday. Two mechanics with First Student Inc. filed the lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court, claiming that the companys buses, provided through the subsidiary Laidlaw Transit, had threadbare tires, worn brakes and other problems because of improper maintenance. The San Francisco Unified School District will receive $3.5 million of the settlement, and the mechanics and their attorneys will receive the rest. The lawsuit claimed that the alleged safety violations happened from 2006 through 2011. While the California Highway Patrol performed inspections annually as required during that time, officers did not identify issues. The mechanics, William Padilla and Manuel Contreras, provided records that showed the company misrepresented the safety of the vehicles, attorneys said. Over a nine-month period, for example, First Students records showed 300 violations of the requirement that company mechanics inspect vehicles every 45 days, the attorneys said. In addition, the bus company ignored reports from mechanics and drivers about the condition of the buses, including metal-on-metal sounds when braking, the attorneys said. This case is a clear example of predatory corporate conduct, where profits are placed at a higher priority than the safety of children, said Russell Budd, one of the plaintiffs attorneys. First Student representatives could not be reached for comment. The company replaced its San Francisco fleet of 230 buses last fall after signing a new, five-year contract with the school district. The mechanics filed the suit in San Francisco Unifieds name. When the district heard the allegations, we met with First Student and demanded proof that they were maintaining our buses, school district spokeswoman Gentle Blythe said in a statement. First Student assured us that these allegations were untrue and, based on our records, we have not been made aware of any safety incidents related to these allegations. The district, however, required First Student to submit more frequent evidence that it was complying with safety requirements. Attorneys for the plaintiffs said First Student is now meeting those requirements. Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: jilltucker Editor's note: This is the third installment in an SFGATE series of the "most San Francisco" restaurants. The first two slideshows featured the city's "true classics" and "new classics." We've been attempting to categorize what restaurants best emulate San Francisco. And this might be our favorite batch. Above is a slideshow of what we consider the most "Only in SF" restaurants you can find in our city. This project started with a simple request of a visiting friend, who requested to dine at a "very San Francisco" restaurant. Wondering what it really means to be a true "San Francisco" restaurant, we polled our staff and revisited Chronicle archives to make a list. There were so many worthy contenders we realized we needed to create three categories: the true classics, the new classics and the "Only in SF" eateries (above). Most of these "Only in SF" places could have easily qualified for either our "true classics" or "new classics" lists, but when considering how each of them have qualities that are so uniquely San Francisco, they deserve their own recognition. They could be a perfect and constantly-adapting example of the Bay Area dining ideology (hi, Zuni) or a beloved eatery that started a local trend, like Cha Cha Cha ushering in small plates or Burma Superstar paving the way for so many of the Bay Area's Burmese eateries or, how, thanks to the Tonga Room, San Francisco is not a tiki bar-shy city. Many of these wonderfully eclectic eateries have proven they have the ability to adapt to our ever-changing city. Others are dining spots representing a mix of old and new San Francisco. And we also had to throw in a few of our staff's personal favorites, just because. Some of these restaurants are notably "SF" for their food, while others are just quirky enough in concept or ambiance to make the list. For those of you who have really been paying attention, this author ended up taking that friend who requested a "very SF restaurant" to one of her favorite SF restaurants, Lolo, which is included in this list. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee said Thursday that there has to be consequences for the city police sergeant who fired into a car last week near the Bayview neighborhood, killing an apparently unarmed woman and prompting the resignation of Chief Greg Suhr. Although the May 19 fatal shooting of 29-year-old Jessica Williams remains under investigation, Lee told The Chronicles editorial board that in my view, generally, this was not supposed to happen. At the heart is the issue of whether the sergeant should have fired at the car. In recent years, the Police Department has strongly discouraged shooting at moving cars because of the danger to both police and the public if the driver is hit. The citys Police Commission is considering restricting officers from doing so. Police have released few details about the circumstances that led to the shooting on Elmira Street near Interstate 280. Before he resigned, Suhr said the sergeant and another officer had tried to question Williams because she was in a stolen car, but that Williams drove off, crashing into a utility truck a short distance away. At some point the sergeant fired a single shot, killing Williams. At the scene, Suhr said no weapon had been found on her. The Police Department has said only that the sergeant is a 17-year veteran of the force but has not released a name, saying it has 10 days from the time of the shooting to do so. Lee, who appointed Suhr in 2011, asked for his resignation as chief at a City Hall meeting after Williams death. I dont know what the circumstances were in the Bayview that caused the officer to need to shoot, the mayor said Thursday. I just dont know that, and until we hear what that is, it generally falls in my opinion in the category of, Thou shalt not. So lets find out what happened here, Lee said. What went wrong? Because I think it was, in my view, generally, this was not supposed to happen. For Chief Suhr and I, to be very candid with you, that was the conversation that we had that led to the change. Sgt. Michael Andraychak, a police spokesman, said, I think its important to point out that this incident occurred a week ago and is still under active investigation. Department policy allows officers to fire at vehicles under the narrowest of circumstances: if the driver is threatening to use another deadly weapon, such as a gun, or is about to run down an officer who has no way to retreat. Officers also can shoot at drivers who have already committed a violent crime and are an immediate threat to do so again. The Police Commission has been working to pass a draft policy crafted by Suhr that would allow an officer to shoot into a moving vehicle only if someone inside is threatening to use a deadly weapon other than a car. That would follow a 2008 recommendation by the Police Executive Research Forum, a nonprofit policy group. It would also be similar to guidelines adopted by New York City police. Lee did not specify what consequences the sergeant should face for last weeks shooting, but said that before the Police Departments culture can be changed, there needs to be accountability, discipline from the highest levels. Chief Suhr also apprised me of a number of cases where the officers did follow the practice of not shooting and even when the car missed them, they did not shoot in, he said. They adhered. As chief, Suhr typically held community meetings after police shootings. Acting Chief Toney Chaplin, however, has no plans to hold such a session concerning the Williams shooting because recent meetings have been unproductive and disruptive, Andraychak said. Community members have expressed concerns to the Police Department that they felt unable to speak at these events, Andraychak said in a statement. Town hall meetings play a role in transparency, and we want to keep something like that in order to keep the public informed. Acting Chief Chaplin has stated that he will consider holding a town-hall-type meeting in a case-by-case basis. Chronicle staff writer Emily Green contributed to this report. Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: VivianHo This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Authorities in the East Bay hope recently uncovered security video will help them track down the killer of a 30-year-old scientist who was gunned down last month in his quiet Oakland neighborhood. The video shows Brian Bole, described by a friend as peaceful, gentle and friendly, encountering people minutes before the slaying, which occurred as he walked home around midnight on April 10 after a night out with friends, police said. The gunman opened fire on the usually quiet 3000 block of Richmond Avenue, and Bole, a former NASA contractor, died. With no identified suspects in the case, detectives continue to seek a motive, and investigators turned to the public for help Thursday. Oakland police officials and the FBI released grainy photos of three persons of interest and a vehicle of interest, a 2003 to 2007 silver Honda Accord, captured on security cameras at businesses along the route he walked. Weve done an intensive canvass of the area and reviewed hours and hours of surveillance footage, the lead detective, Sgt. Leonel Sanchez, told reporters during a briefing at the slaying site. He said video showed Bole coming into contact with several people as he walked from a Telegraph Avenue bar to the dimly-lit, tree-lined street where his body was found. Sanchez did not provide details of the encounters but said the people are considered persons of interest who may have information about the shooting. We know we cant do this alone, Oakland police Lt. Roland Holmgren added. Were asking anyone to come forward with any piece of information. Bole had a lot of personal effects still on him, Holmgren said, but investigators have not ruled out a robbery-gone-wrong as the motive. Boles friends, family and co-workers are struggling with the loss of the brilliant data scientist, who most recently worked for Armus, a San Mateo health care software company. He was the most peaceful, gentle, and friendly person you could ever imagine, Boles employer, Gyula Sziraczky, said Thursday. At Armus for the past year, Bole crunched data for cardiologists in preventive health care programs. He considered it his dream job, several friends and co-workers said. Colleagues have been overcome with sorrow at the loss of Bole and the sight of his empty work chair, Sziraczky said. I wake up at night and my stomach hurts, he said. A native of Florida, Bole held a mathematics degree, and earned a doctorate in electrical engineering from Georgia Tech University. As a student, he began a NASA fellowship at Ames Research Center in Mountain View and soon fell in love with California and the outdoors, friends said. The FBI, which assists Oakland in some homicide cases, added a $20,000 reward Thursday to the $10,000 already offered by the city of Oakland for information leading to the arrest of the killer. Police said anyone with information about the case should call Oakland police at (510) 238-7950. Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: EvanSernoffsky Ruling in the case of a Richmond teenager serving 50 years to life for a 2011 killing, the California Supreme Court said Thursday that youths serving potential life terms for murder are entitled to parole hearings within 25 years under a new state law. The court also ruled 6-1 that the teenager, Tyris Franklin, should have another hearing before his trial judge in Contra Costa County to allow witnesses to describe his mental state, lack of maturity and other factors that might have contributed to the crime. That evidence wasnt allowed at Franklins sentencing hearing, because the 50-to-life term was required by law, but it could be important for the future parole board that considers his case, the court said. The ruling set new procedures in California for juveniles tried as adults and sentenced to lengthy terms. The opinion by Justice Goodwin Liu, and the state law on which it relied, followed a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2012 barring mandatory life-without-parole sentences for juveniles, and a California Supreme Court decision later that year striking down a youths sentence of 110 years to life as the equivalent of life without parole. Those rulings said the laws most severe penalties should not always be applied to youths, even for serious crimes, because of their relative lack of mental and emotional development and potential for rehabilitation. Thursdays ruling, and particularly its requirement of a new hearing before the trial judge, represents a small step toward encouraging courts to take a close look at the people who come before them, rather than just looking at the crime, said Heidi Rummel, a University of Southern California law professor who filed arguments in the case for USCs Post-Conviction Justice Project. She said the state law cited by the court, which took effect in 2014, already has led to improved behavior and reduced violence among juveniles serving lengthy sentences who now have the prospect of parole after 25 years. Its the power of hope, Rummel said. Franklin was 16 when he shot and killed Gene Grisby, 16, a student at El Cerrito High School, outside Grisbys Richmond apartment in January 2011. Franklin said Grisby belonged to a gang whose members had fired shots into Franklins home and, hours before the killing, had beaten up Franklins 13-year-old brother. Grisby apparently was not involved in those attacks, but when Franklin saw him walking down the street, Franklin got out of a car and shot him, the court said. After a jury convicted Franklin of first-degree murder, Superior Court Judge Leslie Landau said the law required her to sentence him to 50 years to life 25 years for the murder, 25 for the use of a gun while lamenting that weve got two young mens lives destroyed. In appealing the sentence, Franklins lawyer argued that the term would keep him behind bars at least until age 66, and was virtually equivalent to life without parole, comparable to another teens 110-to-life term that the court struck down in 2012. The lawyer sought a new sentencing hearing that might cut Franklins term in half. Liu said the court had no need to address that argument because of the new law, sponsored by Sen. Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley, that requires a parole hearing in 25 years and orders the parole board to give great weight to the offenders age and maturity at the time of the crime and any evidence of growth in prison. Defense lawyer Gene Vorobyov said he was disappointed that Franklin would not get a new sentencing hearing, but hoped the new procedures would give Franklin and other youths a better chance at parole. The case is People vs. Franklin, S217699. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: egelko An armed man who allegedly dragged a bleeding and screaming 15-year-old girl into a car on a Vallejo pedestrian overpass was killed in a shootout with authorities in Santa Barbara County on Thursday. The Solano County Sheriffs Office, which has been investigating the disappearance of Pearl Pinson since Wednesday, said the suspect, 19-year-old Fernando Castro, shot at deputies, then drove into a Solvang mobile home park. There, he jumped into another vehicle and continued shooting at law enforcement officers before being fatally shot by return fire, authorities said. A 14-year-old student at Vanden High School in Fairfield was arrested Wednesday after police said he brought a gun and ammunition to school then stashed the gun in a campus restroom and hid the bullets in another students backpack to avoid getting caught. The teen, a Fairfield resident whose identity was not released, was booked into the Solano County Juvenile Detention Facility on suspicion of being in possession of a firearm on school grounds, being a minor in possession of ammunition, and destroying or concealing evidence. Go west, young man (or woman)? Sorry, Horace Greeley, not this year. New college graduates can take advantage of much better opportunities in the East and Midwest, according to a report released Thursday by Trulia and LinkedIn. Using LinkedIn data on jobs and its own research into housing markets, Trulia determined the 10 best cities for graduates to move to after receiving their sheepskin. The factors included entry-level job availability, rental affordability and the share of recent graduates in 40 of the largest metropolitan areas across the country. San Francisco enjoys the highest median starting salary for grads in the nation at $48,000, but its astronomical rents and relatively lower proportional amount of available entry-level jobs banished it to the cellar. It was rated 10th weakest for graduate opportunity. In fact, if you've recently worn a mortar board on your head, you'll probably want to stay as far away from California as possible. The bottom 10 is well-represented with Golden State metro areas: 10. San Francisco 9. San Diego 8. Riverside-San Bernardino 7. Oakland 6. San Jose 5. Sacramento 4. Portland, Ore. 3. Orange County 2. Los Angeles 1. Miami While some of these cities offer high wages, the lack of affordable housing and entry-level jobs may make them less attractive in terms of quality of life than those ranked in the top-10, which can be seen in the above gallery. Trulia's methodology follows: "Our Graduate Opportunity Index ranks metropolitan areas based on three criteria: (1) the LinkedIn New Grad Job Score, which rates metros based on the share of job openings suitable for recent college grads, (2) Trulia's New Grad Affordability Score, which is the share of rental units designated as affordable (less than 30% of monthly income) to the median income college graduate between the ages of 22 and 30, and (3) the share of total population that is between the ages of 22 and 30 with a college degree, as per 2014 American Community Survey data We combine these to create a weighted average of each metro's ranking in each category. The weighting scheme is as follows: LinkedIn New Grad Job Score (33%), Trulia's New Grad Affordability Score (33%), and share of total population that is between the ages of 22 and 30 with a college degree (33%). The index ranges from 0 100, with 100 being the best scoring and 0 being the worst. WASHINGTON Theres a new movement percolating, a Blue Lives Matter push that seeks to raise penalties for violence against police and first responders but that also could serve as a controversial counter to the Black Lives Matter movement. In Louisiana, the legislature voted to expand its hate crime laws to include law enforcement and first responders, in addition to victims targeted because of race, age, gender, religion or sexual orientation. Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards signed it into law Thursday. Similar proposals are pending in both the U.S. House and Senate and starting to creep into the 2016 campaign, framing a debate over law enforcement and its relationship with minority communities. Police organizations say the increased protections are needed because they are under siege on the streets. Opponents argue that the Blue Lives Matter bills and other proposals are election-season messaging that ignores policing issues underscored by incidents in Ferguson, Mo., North Charleston, S.C., Staten Island, N.Y., Chicago and San Francisco. Its an issue thats growing in importance and you cant rule out that it will become an issue in the presidential campaign and several Senate races, said G. Terry Madonna, director for the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Pennsylvanias Franklin & Marshall College. Americans are concerned, despite the fact that the number of police deaths in the line of duty is declining. There have been a few highly publicized attacks on police. In 2014, two New York City police officers were fatally shot execution-style as they sat in their patrol car. The gunman, who took his own life, posted on social media that he was going to shoot officers to avenge the police-involved deaths of two African American men earlier in the year. But FBI statistics released this month showed that 41 police officers in the U.S. and Puerto Rico were intentionally killed in the line of duty in 2015 10 fewer than 2014 and the second-lowest total in 12 years. A California law requiring online services to post their privacy policies for customers doesnt apply to an airlines data-gathering mobile app because federal law tightly restricts state regulation of airlines, a state appeals court ruled Wednesday. The First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco said the state law cant be enforced because the federal Airline Deregulation Act, signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1978, prohibits states from enforcing any law related to a price, route or service of an air carrier. The ruling upholds a judges dismissal of a 2012 lawsuit by Attorney General Kamala Harris against Delta Air Lines. The airlines Fly Delta mobile application, available since October 2010, allows passengers to buy tickets online and stores information the customer provides during the purchase, including name, residence, email address, credit card numbers and frequent-flyer account. The suit accused the airline of violating Californias Online Privacy Protection Act, which requires operators of commercial websites and other online services doing business in the state to post privacy policies that describe the information they collect and to identify others who may have access to the data. The federal law doesnt forbid all regulation of airlines, which remain subject to state minimum-wage laws and other restrictions unrelated to services. But the appeals court said the terms of the law have been interpreted broadly for example, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that states cant regulate airlines advertising of their fares, or allow suits under state law alleging violations of their own frequent-flyer rules, because of the ultimate impact on airline prices and services. Similarly, the California privacy law would require Delta to meet state standards rather than the market forces currently dictating Deltas selection and design of the mobile app, Justice Martin Jenkins said in the 3-0 ruling. If other states could enforce their own privacy laws, he said, the airline might have to use different versions of the software in each state, and might ultimately be unable to use a mobile application as a marketing mechanism, one of the services it provides. Lawyers for Delta and Harris office werent immediately available for comment. Attorney Robert Span, who filed arguments for the Air Transport Association of America, said the ruling should help airlines avoid a patchwork of different regulations around the country. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: egelko Theranos Inc. is being accused in a San Francisco lawsuit of misleading consumers about the accuracy of its blood test results and reliability of its technology. The suit is the latest setback for the Palo Alto startup since the Wall Street Journal last year raised questions about its test results. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, federal prosecutors in San Francisco, and federal and state health regulators are investigating the company. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The San Francisco Ballets annual Student Showcase doesnt resemble any other dance concert. Wednesday, July 25, at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater, the second half of the performance witnessed a profusion of bun-headed women in sweats, their labors concluded, filling the audience to root for their colleagues. Small hands grasped small bouquets. After a number, the cheers from behind the curtain vied in volume with the ovations in the audience. And there was much to celebrate in Associate Director Patrick Armands feast of 19th century and contemporary classicism. But first came the school demonstration, which opened with a crowded stage crammed with phalanxes of dancers arrayed in fifth position in perfect unison. Will any dance concert this year offer a comparable thrill? Parrish Maynard choreographed a Tchaikovsky-accompanied extravaganza that recruited, at one moment or another, no fewer than 181 students (from Levels 2 through 8), and they all looked like essential fragments of a glorious mosaic. For many on the stage, the experience was transformative. Level 6s Jasmine Jimison, 14, told me at intermission that she has already decided on dance as a career and will devote the summer to dancing. Although he is only 11 and still in Level 2, James Beckman-Maldonado has been inspired by an uncle to pursue ballet for a living. Their parents indicated that they are all for it. The majority of the program found members of the preprofessional division working their way through a variety of dances and styles that will probably prepare them to work with choreographers they have not yet encountered. This may be where the senior companys vaunted versatility originates. Armand set the Pas de Trois of the Odalisques from Petipas Le Corsaire, and although its nothing more than a hunk of Maryinsky froufrou, it revealed both the strengths and the aspirations of the three dancers, Martina Prefontaine, Won A. Park and Natasha Sheehan. The last, who has been engaged for next season as a member of the corps de ballet by Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson, seems headed for a major career. Maynards Symphonic (Francks Symphonic Variations) flattered the 18 dancers cast in this romantic fantasy, a swirl of duets and ensembles all dressed in red and black. The choreography is eminently musical, blessedly fluid, well crafted and blessedly economical, and the cast relished its sweep and variety. In contrast, S.F. Ballet soloist James Sofranko contributed the more intimate Means to an End, set to a fetching jazz-pop score by Anouar Brahem. The piece explores duets and, after a stop-and-start beginning that recalls the opening of Jerome Robbins Glass Pieces, it takes flight. The dancing was terrific; of the eight dancers, four Alexandre Cagnat, Nathaniel Remez (keep an eye on him), Davide Occhipinti and Shene Lazarus will join the company as apprentices next season. For more modern fare, a quintet of performers negotiated the deep arabesques and windmilling arms of Focus, an invention of newly promoted soloist Wei Wang, set improbably to a Beethoven piano sonata. Lead Yumi Kanazawa goes to the Joffrey Ballet in the fall. A mercifully abridged version of John Neumeiers youth ballet, Yondering, ended the program on an exuberant note. The dancers brought their energy and preprofessional savvy to the settings of Stephen Foster songs. Allan Ulrich is The San Francisco Chronicles dance correspondent. San Francisco Ballet School Showcase: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 26; 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 27. $45-$60, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater, 700 Howard St., S.F. (415) 865-2000. www.sfballet.org See the 2015 Showcase preview at www.sfballet.org/studentshowcase. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Despite her rapidly tightening presidential primary battle in California, Hillary Clinton came out swinging Thursday against presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump rather than Democratic rival Bernie Sanders at rallies in San Jose and San Francisco. What Trump is saying is dangerous and divisive, Clinton told a crowd of about 1,000 at her first stop, Parkside Hall in downtown San Jose, repeating President Obamas comment Thursday from the Group of Seven summit in Japan, saying that foreign leaders are rattled by what the New York businessman has said on the campaign trail. The former secretary of state barely mentioned her battle with Sanders, who recent polls show has a solid chance of winning the June 7 California primary. Later, during a 29-minute speech in San Francisco, Clinton ran through a litany of Trumps proposals, including withdrawing from NATO and banning Muslims from entering the United States, and said, Based on what we have already heard, Donald Trump is an unqualified loose cannon who cannot get near the most powerful job in the world. Instead, Clinton said she was proud of what she called the forward-looking, issues-oriented campaigns that she and the Vermont senator have run. All on the same page We are all on the same page, Clinton said in San Jose. We are going to come together as a unified Democratic Party to make the case against Donald Trump. There was more than a bit of wishful thinking in that part of Clintons half-hour address in San Jose. Win or lose in California, Sanders has promised to take his campaign all the way to the Democratic National Convention in July, where he would both fight for his progressive agenda and try to pull unpledged superdelegates away from Clinton. Clintons delegate count virtually guarantees she will exit Californias primary with the support she needs for a first-ballot nomination. Still, a loss here would send her limping into the national convention in Philadelphia. It also would give Sanders and his backers more fuel for the argument that he would be the stronger candidate in November. A Public Policy Institute of California poll released Wednesday showed Clinton with a 46 percent to 44 percent edge over Sanders, down from her seven-point lead in March. And with Sanders barnstorming through the state in such out-of-the-way spots as Riverside Countys Cathedral City, population 51,200, Clinton is being forced into an all-out California campaign she never really wanted. While she has rejected a one-on-one debate with Sanders in California, Clinton was forced to schedule a $1 million-plus TV ad campaign when the senator made his own $1.5 million buy. And shes traveling across California, trying to get an early start on her fall campaign against Trump, but unable to ignore Sanders and the millions of people who have flocked to his cause. In San Francisco, she was introduced by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and, before him, Mayor Ed Lee, who was booed as he walked onstage by many in the audience of 1,000. Their catcalls echoed off the marble walls inside the recently remodeled Hibernia Bank building in the gritty Tenderloin. Just a few hundred feet from the event, many homeless people lay sprawled on the sidewalk, and Clinton supporters walked past them to get to the event. Wheres Our Debate? Before Clintons San Jose speech, a half dozen Sanders supporters stood across the street from the hall, holding signs asking, Wheres Our Debate? and Say No to Unfair Trade Deals. But even Sanders and his backers couldnt complain about her verbal assault on Trump, saying the estimated $25 billion it could cost to build his proposed wall on the Mexican border could pay for 1,500 new elementary schools or the college costs for 300,000 military veterans. Heartbreak and despair Clinton also brought up Trumps comments in 2007 about how he was almost rooting for a housing downturn because of the money he could make as a real estate developer. Five million homes lost. Think of the heartbreak and despair, Clinton said. We know a lot about Donald Trump. He roots for himself ... and thats the type of person who should not be president of the United States. In San Francisco, she railed on Trump because he has refused to release his tax returns, a perfunctory disclosure for years for candidates from both parties. She wondered whether it was because he hasnt given many charitable donations or hadnt paid his fair share of taxes. If you have paid federal income tax, show us, she said. She closed with a call for help in the June primary, urging the audience to vote and bring their friends to the polls. If you will vote for me, California, I will work my heart out to give you the future you deserve, Clinton said. John Wildermuth and Joe Garofoli are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com, jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: jfwildermuth @joegarofoli Hillary Clinton is clinging to a narrow lead over Bernie Sanders in the June 7 Democratic primary, with a growing number of independent voters poised to decide the final result, a new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California shows. Clinton holds a 46 to 44 percent edge over Sanders among likely primary voters, who include not only Democrats but independent voters who choose to cast ballots in that primary. Among Democrats alone, Clinton leads, 49 to 41 percent. Vermont Sen. Sanders, who in the past couple of weeks has been pulling in crowds of enthusiastic supporters to rallies across the state, has trimmed the gap between the two Democrats from the 48-to-41 percent margin found in the institutes March survey. The election has gotten very close, said Mark Baldassare, the institutes CEO and the polls director. The addition of independent voters adds a degree of uncertainty to the race. On the Republican side of the primary, two-thirds of the GOP voters said they would back businessman Donald Trump, who is virtually guaranteed the partys presidential nomination. Another 26 percent say they will vote for one of the other four Republicans on the primary ballot, although all of those candidates have dropped out of the presidential race. Trump trails Democrats Nothing in the poll suggests California will be in play during the fall campaign, with both Clinton and Sanders holding solid leads over Trump. In head-to-head presidential matchups, Clinton leads Trump 49 to 39 percent, while Sanders margin is 53 to 36 percent. In the fall, the difference is support among independents, Baldassare said, noting that independent voters in California tend to be younger and are more likely to be college graduates than the states voters as a whole. Both those groups have strongly backed Sanders in other states. While both Clinton and Sanders have the support of 85 percent of California Democrats, Sanders attracts 61 percent of independent voters, compared with 51 percent for Clinton, a former secretary of state. The senator also leads Clinton, 15 to 9 percent, among GOP voters in November. Despite the harsh words between the two Democratic campaigns, theres little indication they wont unite to defeat Trump in the fall. While 85 percent of Clintons supporters said theyd back Sanders if he were the nominee, 75 percent of Sanders people say they would pick Clinton in a November vote. Theres little good news for Republicans in the poll. While more than half of Democrats are pleased with their choices for president, only 36 percent of Republicans are satisfied. That number has fallen every month since December, Baldassare said. Republicans sour mood While its no surprise that 70 percent of the residents in a deep-blue state like California would have an unfavorable impression of the Republican Party, the poll found that even 57 percent of Republicans are dissatisfied with their party. Most Republicans say they support Trump, but clearly the favorability of Republicans toward their party has taken a hit during the primary season, Baldassare said. But the prospective nominee of the Republican Party has been saying harsh things about the party and its leaders, so California Republicans have been hearing it from all sides. That unhappiness with the party could express itself in other ways, he added, starting with the Senate race and possibly continuing down the ballot. Trumps immigration policy, which calls for mass deportations, is also a nonstarter in California. The poll found that 83 percent of the states adults, including 58 percent of Republicans, believe there should be a way for immigrants in the country without legal permission to stay here legally. Most oppose wall While 71 percent of Californians oppose Trumps call for a wall along the Mexican border, that plan does have the backing of 59 percent of the states Republicans. The poll also found that Democrats and Republicans have very different views of the states past and future. While 51 percent of Californians believe the state is moving in the right direction, only 19 percent of Republicans agree while 66 percent of Democrats agree. Half the states adults believe good financial times are coming in the next 12 months, but only 25 percent of Republicans are upbeat about the financial future 58 percent of Democrats are optimistic about the economy. Democrats and Republicans couldnt be more polar opposites, Baldassare said. Going into the June primary, California Democrats are happy with the status quo while Republicans are dissatisfied and looking for major changes. The poll is based on a telephone survey of 1,704 California adults, including 996 likely voters, that was taken May 13-22. The sampling error is plus or minus 3.3 percent for all Californians and plus or minus 4.3 percent for the likely voters. John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: jfwildermuth Mayor Ed Lee sees an unexpected group of culprits in the rising rate of property crimes in San Francisco judges. Lee said Thursday that judges ought to be held accountable if they fail to hand out adequate punishment to people repeatedly charged with home burglaries, car break-ins and other property crimes. When you go in court and you go through these cases, many judges will say these are low-level property crimes, and therefore the consequences that we expect especially with repeat offenders is not getting that level of attention, he said. Judges do get elected. They have to be accountable. Lee made his comments at a meeting with The Chronicles editorial board. He assigned partial blame for the sharp increase in property crime to a lack of punishment. He also suggested that voters should elect judges based on how they treat low-level criminal defendants and that they should vote judges who are too lenient off the bench. Retention elections The governor appoints Superior Court judges, although an election is held when judges retire or die in office. All S uperior C ourt judges face a retention election every six years. This year, there is a three-way race for a seat on the San Francisco County Superior Court because a sitting judge retired. The mayor has endorsed two of the judicial candidates, Victor Hwang and Paul Hender son. San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi criticized the mayors remarks. The mayor should not be telling judges what to do, he said. The mayor is overstepping his power by attempting to direct state court judges to jail people regardless of the facts of their case. Its very important that judges are independent, he added. What that means is they are able to do their jobs without interference from elected officials or others. Thats part of the separation of powers. I have grave concerns with what the mayor appears to be saying. Property crime in San Francisco soared last year there have been large numbers of vehicle break-ins, which jumped 31 percent from 2014, according to figures from the San Francisco Police Department. Overall, property crime increased 64 percent from 2010 to 2015. Many police officers attribute the increase to Proposition 47, which California voters approved in 2014 and which reduced punishments for drug possession and low-level property crimes. But San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon, who championed the measure, said Prop. 47 has done what it was intended to do address prison crowding. Also, under the states prisoner realignment program options for less-severe sentences were introduced. Lee said members of the public should show up in court and pressure judges to impose tougher sentences. Thats what happened in the citys campaign against graffiti, he said, as residents grew frustrated that their neighborhoods were being tagged repeatedly. Citizen watchdogs We have to have a group of citizens ... that will monitor what happens in court, particularly with individuals we identify as repeat offenders, and hold the judges accountable, Lee said. Nobody is monitoring those cases of (property crime). And the judges know that. Lee said the community volunteers would testify that this individual or group has caused quite a number of car break-ins and thefts. He also said he believed insurance companies would help fund a volunteer group of citizens to keep pressure on judges. San Francisco Superior Court Presiding Judge John K. Stewart said there are reasons judges may not impose serious punishment on property-crime offenders. Many, if not most, low-level property crimes are committed by people with drug addiction and mental health problems, Stewart said. We have set up special programs and courts to deal with these issues which have been enthusiastically supported by, and in some cases funded by, the city. Now is not the time for one branch of government to be pointing the finger at the other. We should all be working together to remedy these problems. Former California Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald M. George said the mayors comments raised concerns. Without being privy to the latest crime statistics and the evidence that has led judges to rule as they have in cases that came before them, George said, I believe that respect for the rule of law and for the independence of our courts requires that we refrain from threatening to remove judges from office because of individual rulings that one may disagree with. Emily Green is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: egreen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: emilytgreen San Francisco Sheriff Vicki Hennessy and the Board of Supervisors reached a deal Tuesday on the citys sanctuary law, which restricts cooperation with federal immigration agents. The agreement averts a showdown between the supervisors and Hennessy, who threatened to set her own rules independent of the board. The board unanimously passed the legislation 10 months after a man living in the country illegally was accused of killing a woman on Pier 14 on the Embarcadero, leading to a national outcry over San Franciscos sanctuary city policies. Last year was a really challenging moment for our sanctuary city policy, said Supervisor John Avalos, who spearheaded the negotiations with Hennessy on behalf of immigrant rights advocates. But here, today, we have an update to our policy that we get to vote on to ensure that as a city we can unite all together on what the standard is going to be. As has been the case since 2013, the legislation bars city law enforcement officials from notifying U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents when an individual will be released from local custody, except in limited circumstances. But those circumstances are more expansive than immigrant rights advocates wanted and more limiting than Hennessy had sought. Christine Falvey, spokeswoman for Mayor Ed Lee, said he will review the specifics of the legislation in the coming days. Lee must sign the ordinance for it to become law. Avalos and immigrant rights advocates wanted the legislation to mirror the citys 2013 law, called Due Process for All, which states that the only time law enforcement officials may hold an inmate with no legal status for federal immigration agents is when the inmate has a violent felony conviction in the past seven years and is facing another violent felony charge. Since then, the Department of Homeland Security has changed its policies so that it no longer asks local law enforcement to hold inmates. Instead, it asks for notification of their release. The 2013 law doesnt address the issue of notification. Former Sheriff Ross Mirkarimis policy barred communication with immigration officials in virtually all circumstances. But Hennessy, who was elected sheriff in November, wanted the discretion to notify immigration agents if the inmate had a violent or serious felony conviction in the past seven years or three or more lesser felonies arising from different events in the past five years. The deal gives her notification discretion under both those circumstances. Hennessy may also notify immigration agents if the defendant has a conviction for a serious felony like murder or rape within five years. What she gave up and immigrant advocates won is that before notification a judge has to determine there is probable cause to hold the defendant on the current charge. That was the missing piece, Avalos said Tuesday after the vote. Without probable cause the detainees have due process rights taken away. Hennessy said her office will notify immigration agents before the defendant is released if a release date has been set. If a judge sets a a inmate free, notification would occur after the defendant is released, Hennessy said. She said the negotiations were very difficult but that both sides operated in good faith. We came together on something that still works for us both in different ways. She added: I could have ignored this. But I thought it was important to the city, particularly with what the city has been going through with the different communities, that we come together on this a reference to the ouster last week of Police Chief Greg Suhr following an outcry over fatal police shootings of minorities and revelations of racist text messages sent among some officers. The newly crafted legislation would not have prevented the shooting death of Kathryn Steinle on Pier 14 along the Embarcadero last July. Prosecutors have charged Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, an undocumented immigrant, with murder. Lopez-Sanchez had been brought to San Francisco after serving 46 months in federal prison for unlawful re-entry into the country. Though the federal government wanted to deport Lopez-Sanchez a sixth time, Mirkarimi released him in April because he said the city sanctuary law restricted his office from turning him over to federal authorities. That is still the case under the newly passed legislation his felony convictions were not considered serious. Saira Hussain, a staff attorney with the Asian Law Caucus, said she and other immigrant rights advocates in the Free SF Coalition support the deal as a political necessity, even though its members disagree with the carve-outs allowing for cooperation with immigration agents. She said its important that San Francisco stand by the standards it has established in this legislation, even if the Department of Homeland Security abandons its program of notification. I can tell you as someone who tracks immigration enforcement, three years from now there will be a new program, Hussain said. And three years after that there will be another new program. And if the new programs are only slight shifts that continue to entangle our local law enforcement in federal immigration enforcement, we need to have a standard we can point to over and over again as a city. Supervisor David Campos, who came to the United States from Guatemala without legal standing as a child, hailed the compromise deal. Its great to see this outcome. Its who we are as a city and a country, he said. Emily Green is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: egreen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: emilytgreen SACRAMENTO A San Francisco surgeon preparing to perform a life-saving liver transplant from an HIV-positive donor to an HIV-positive patient ran up against an unexpected problem this month. The procedure, although allowed under federal law, is illegal in California. On Wednesday, UCSF transplant surgeon Peter Stock stood before a group of lawmakers at the state Capitol and pleaded for an immediate law change that would allow him to try to save his patients life. And legislators are rushing to fix the California law this week in hopes that the change comes before its too late. We had been given the green light to proceed less than a month ago from the institutional review board, Stock told The Chronicle. Everything came to a halt when we found out its still illegal in California. SB1408 would delete a provision in California law that makes it a crime punishable by up to six years in prison for a person with HIV or AIDS to donate blood or organs under any circumstance, even if it is to help a person already infected with the virus. The bill would allow transplants from HIV-positive donors to HIV-positive recipients and ensures the state Medical Board cant penalize doctors for conducting such procedures. Stock described his patient, whom he called Patient A, as a man who is quite ill with a failing liver and other serious conditions. A living donor with HIV wants to donate part of his liver to save the patient. But Stock said Patient A may become too ill in the coming weeks to receive a liver transplant if lawmakers dont act fast. He said there is also another HIV-infected patient awaiting a liver transplant who suffers from recurring infections that are life-threatening and can cause death within hours. State Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica, said he hopes to bring the bill for a vote in both the Assembly and state Senate on Friday. SB1408 has an urgency clause that requires a two-thirds vote in both houses so that if passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, the law would immediately go into effect. Seeking quick action Were hoping to have the governor sign it this weekend, Allen said. We are hopeful to get it through in time to do this transplant to save a life and then save more lives. Stock said Wednesday that every day that passes increases the chance that his patient will become too ill to receive the liver transplant. If performed, the surgery would be the first known transplant from a living HIV donor to an HIV patient, Stock said. The bill has the support of both the Democratic and Republican leadership and passed the Assembly Health Committee on Wednesday on a bipartisan 14-0 vote. Attorney General Kamala Harris sent a letter urging lawmakers to include the urgency clause after hearing from the University of California regarding the patient at UCSF. This is about saving lives, said Assembly Republican Leader Chad Mayes of Yucca Valley (San Bernardino County). We shouldnt let parliamentary procedure get in the way. The law was enacted nearly three decades ago when very little was known about HIV and AIDS. San Francisco Assemblyman David Chiu said Wednesday at the Assembly Health Committee that the ban in California stems from homophobia and hate mongering from the 1980s and needs to be overturned. In 2013, President Obama signed the federal Hope Act, which repealed a 1988 U.S. ban on organ donation from HIV-positive people in order to allow scientists to research organ donation from donors with HIV to patients with HIV. At the time, Obama said the ban was outdated. Guidelines for transplants from HIV-positive donors under the Hope Act were approved last year, and doctors began moving forward with the procedures this year. In March, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine became the first hospital in the world to perform a transplant from a deceased HIV-positive liver donor to an HIV-positive patient. UCSF is one of four hospitals in the country that meets criteria to perform the transplants using HIV donors, and the hospital has 65 HIV-positive patients waiting for kidneys or livers. Doctors say repealing the law in California will benefit all transplant patients by allowing people with the virus to receive transplants from other HIV-positive donors, thus freeing up a spot on the lengthy waiting lists for people who dont have HIV. Of the 123,000 people waiting for an organ transplant across the nation, 22,000 are in California, and most of those need a kidney. Last year, doctors in California performed 3,000 transplants, while 1,100 people died in California waiting for an organ, said Monica Johnson, board chair of Donate Life California, which supports SB1408. In San Francisco, 715 people are waiting for an organ donation, and in Alameda County, 1,433 people are on the list. For people with HIV on the waiting list, the ability to receive donations from HIV-infected donors could drastically shorten their waiting time. Eligible donors In 2011, a study found about 500 HIV-positive people die in the United States each year from non-virus-related causes, which means their organs could be eligible for donation. What we have heard from bereaved families is one of the most important aspects of this law it allows their deceased loved ones to provide a legacy so they can still give rather than be remembered as a disease with a fair amount of stigma, said Nikole Neidlinger, chief medical officer for Donor Network West and a transplant surgeon in San Francisco. California is one of 17 states with laws prohibiting HIV-positive organ donations and transplants. The laws, like the repealed federal ban, were in place to protect uninfected people from becoming infected via blood or tissue donation. Doctors said that the idea that HIV-positive organ donors could help HIV-positive patients was initially overlooked because patients infected with the AIDS virus were not expected to live long. But antiretroviral drugs have significantly prolonged the lives of men and women living with the virus, leaving some suffering from kidney and liver damage. Doctors have successfully performed organ transplants from virus-free donors to HIV-positive patients for more than 15 years. We are losing a lot of people every day, Stock said. For that reason, any donor we have that has the potential for several organs is saving lives. Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: MelodyGutierrez Najim Rahim/Associated Press WASHINGTON Nearly 960 people have been killed worldwide in attacks on medical facilities in conflicts over the past two years, the World Health Organization said in a report Thursday that highlighted an alarming disrespect for the protection of health care in war by both governments and armed groups. The study by the U.N. heath agency detailed 594 attacks on hospitals and clinics in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere in 2014 and 2015 that killed 959 medics, support staff, patients and visitors and left over 1,500 injured. ROME A refugee boat sank off Libyas coast Thursday, with about 20 bodies spotted in the sea. Officials said 88 people had been rescued. The Libyan coast guard also reported finding four bodies as well as also two empty boats, suggesting there could be many more victims as smugglers working amid Libyas lawlessness take advantage of calm seas and warm weather to pack people into unseaworthy boats for the trip to Europe. Photos tweeted by the European Unions Mediterranean mission showed a bright blue dinghy submerged under the weight of refugees waving their arms to the EU aircraft hoping for rescue. None had a life jacket. Two Italian coast guard vessels and the Spanish frigate the Reina Sofia intervened at the scene, said Navy Lt. Rino Gentile, an EU spokesman. The scene was some 30 miles off Libyas coast. Gentile said 77 people had been rescued. Italian Coast Guard. Cmdr. Cosimo Nicastro gave the figure of 88 rescued; the discrepancy couldnt be immediately explained. Gentile said about 20 bodies had been spotted in the sea. In other rescues, a Libyan navy spokesman said a total of 766 refugees were rescued by the Libyan coast guard on Thursday. Col. Ayoub Gassim said they were found in two groups: one of 550 near the western coastal city of Sabratha and the second of 216 off Zwara. He also said that two boats were found empty in the area between the two cities, and only four bodies were retrieved while the rest of its passengers are feared dead. He said he had no details about the empty boats. Nicastro said there were 22 operations underway on Thursday alone, with 4,000 people rescued at sea. On Wednesday, the Italian navy released dramatic images of another rescue of passengers of a huge smuggling ship that overturned off Libya, with refugees clinging to the ships sides and being thrown into the sea. In that operation, the navy initially said seven bodies had been recovered but then lowered the number to five. Before that incident, the International Organization for Migration had said that only 13 people had drowned so far in the month of May, compared with 95 in May last year and 330 in May 2014, which it said indicates that migrant fatalities may at last be declining thanks to beefed-up coast guard monitoring along the North African coast. However, weather conditions appear to have led to an increase in the number of refugees risking the crossing. Also Thursday, Greek authorities said they have completed the evacuation of the countrys biggest informal refugee camp on the Macedonian border. Public Order Minister Nikos Toskas says the Idomeni camp is now empty. At its peak, it hosted some 14,000 people trapped by Balkan border closures. 1 Missi ng plane: Three pieces of debris found washed ashore in Mozambique and the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius will be examined by investigators in Australia to see if they came from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, officials said Thursday. Two of the pieces were found in Mauritius, and one was discovered in Mozambique, Australian Transport Minister Darren Chester said. Other debris from the Boeing 777 that vanished two years ago has previously been found in both countries. 2 Gaza strike: Israeli aircraft struck two Hamas militant sites in southern Gaza on Thursday in response to rocket fire toward Israel, the Israeli military said. No one was harmed in Thursdays air strikes or in the rocket attacks that preceded them. Gaza militants have carried out only sporadic rocket fire toward Israel since the end of a 50-day war in 2014. The military says nine rockets have struck Israel so far in 2016, a steep drop off from previous periods. Israel typically responds to the attacks with pinpoint reprisals against Hamas installations that cause no casualties in order to prevent a further escalation. Budget Deal Reached in Santa Fe Santa Fe City Councilors have agreed to , and now you can expect to pay higher parking and recreation fees. The budget does not address the pending sunset of the states 'hold harmless' payments, the effect of which will be to see another budget shortfall next year of $1.4 million, and $700,000 each year to follow until those payments fully taper off in 2030, reports SFR's Elizabeth Miller. First Lady to Deliver SFIS Commencement Speech First lady Michelle Obama will give the commencement speech today at the Santa Fe Indian School. If you cant attend the 1 pm ceremony, . Republicans Defend Martinez Dan Boyd reports, High-profile GOP figures, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and former presidential candidates Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush and John Kasich, came to [Gov. Susana] Martinezs defense after and mused about launching a New Mexico gubernatorial run of his own. Convention Preview New Mexico Political Reports Andy Lyman, who is getting ready to head to Florida, has a preview of this weekends . D'Antonio Files Ethics Complaint Heath Haussamen has been covering the 3rd Judicial District Attorneys primary campaign in Las Cruces and reports that incumbent Mark DAntonio has against his Democratic Party primary opponent, James Dickens. Pearce Jumps Into Water Access Battle US Rep. Steve Pearce, R-New Mexico, has joined the fight between ranchers and the federal government over saying the state can do more to protect the private property and water rights of its citizens, according to an Associated Press report in the New Mexican. PRC Hires Chief Nearly 10 months after the last chief of staff of the Public Regulation Commission suddenly resigned, a top administrator at the state Department of Transportation, has agreed to take the job, reports Steve Terrell. The commission voted to offer Archuleta the job in a split decision earlier this month, with two of the five commissioners voting against him. Carlos Padilla, a spokesman for the commission, said Wednesday that Archuleta will be paid $128,000 a year, a substantial increase over the $90,000 that the previous chief of staff, Vince Martinez, was paid. Capital Blunder KRQEs Larry Barker found in the City of Albuquerque. The money was used to buy equipment for a 4-D theater at the International Balloon Museum, but it never got built. The equipment is still in storage. Legislative Finance Committee Chairman, Senator John Arthur Smith tells KRQE News 13, In my district a million dollars is a lot of money. Id dearly love to have it for my streets and my local government whether its Lordsburg, Deming, T or C or Las Cruces. Its sort of a sad day in government when you hear about incidents like this. Its not just a reflection on the legislature. Its a reflection on all elected officials, Senator Smith said. In an effort to salvage its $1,000,000 investment, Balloon Museum officials have now decided to retrofit exhibit space and install portions of the equipment to create a 3-D theater. However, the decade old equipment is no longer under warranty and the Museum has yet to figure out how it will pay for movies to be shown on the big screen. Sunport Escapes Long Screening Line Backups Weve been hearing about long security screening lines at airports around the country and a shakeup at the TSA, but at the start of the summer vacation season. Santa Fe Reporter Trilogy International, which yesterday said it bought a stake in a Chilean rosehip producer, more than doubled annual profit as sales of its skincare and home fragrance products soared and it benefited from the acquisition of cosmetics and fragrance distributor CS Company. Net profit climbed to $9.4 million, or 15 cents per share, in the 12 months ended March 31 from $4.5 million, or 7 cents, a year earlier, the Auckland-based company said in a statement. Revenue jumped 127 percent to $83.1 million, in line with Trilogy's March guidance. "As we anticipated, FY16 has been an incredible year of growth and change for the Trilogy International business, both at an organisational and brand level," chief executive Angela Buglass said. "The August acquisition of leading NZ beauty distributor CS&Co added to our overall revenue and profitability and will allow us to further develop our home market of New Zealand as we align our new distribution arm with the skincare division." Trilogy yesterday said it bought 25 percent of Chile's Forestal Casino for US$8 million in cash and shares, giving it certainty of supply for an oil used in skincare products. The deal will add to earnings, but won't generate a dividend with surplus cash reinvested back into the business. The board declared a final dividend of 5.45 cents per share, payable on June 24 with a June 13 record date. That was up from 3.6 cents in 2015. Trilogy didn't provide firm earnings guidance for the 2017 year other than to say it expects to outperform the market. The company's Trilogy and Goodness natural products business was the biggest contributor to earnings, as revenue climbed 112 percent to $34.5 million and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation jumped 116 percent to $11.5 million. The Ecoya home fragrance unit boosted sales 23 percent to $20.1 million and boosted earnings 99 percent to $2.5 million, while the CS distribution division contributed sales of $28.6 million and ebitda of $4.8 million. Trilogy funded the CS acquisition with bank debt, and had drawn down on $34.8 million of its $55 million facility as at March 31. The company's finance costs rose to $1.8 million in the year from $391,000 in 2015. The shares last traded at $4.23 and have jumped 46 percent so far this year, outperforming the 8.3 percent gain on the S&P/NZX All Index over the same period. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: October 25th Morning Report Mainfreight Investor Day / Market Update GFI - Greenfern - Offer closes 27th Oct MCY - Quarterly Operational Update VCT - Operational performance for the 3 months ended 30 Sept 2022 NZL - Forestry Estate Acquisition October 21st Morning Report Air New Zealand Limited Retail Bond Offer Books Close Spark welcomes C-band spectrum allocation AIA - 2022 Annual Meeting Chair & Chief Executive Addresses iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) -- Senate Democrats brought out healthy children to talk urge more funding for the battle against the Zika virus and vent their frustrations at Republicans. Toddlers and infants joined four senators and Heidi Murkoff, the author of What to Expect When Youre Expecting and its related titles, to make an argument for increased federal funding to combat Zika based on the people most affected by the virus: mothers and their babies. There are no red or blue babies. There's only healthy babies like these, Murkoff said at the press conference. Zika has been linked to the birth defect microcephaly -- where the baby's head is smaller than expected. Coons, who invited Murkoff, previewed the battle lines for the Senate as the two chambers reconcile their competing proposals: the Senates, which at $1.1 billion was still too low for Democrats, and the Houses bill, which funds Zika efforts at $622 million for the next five months. We've done our job in the Senate. I think for us to move further by accepting what would be demonstrably inadequate funding coming from an unacceptable source, you're asking us to go beyond compromise and well into simply giving up, he said. Despite the serious issue, the senators couldnt help but smile -- and even get down on the floor to play with the children. Sen. Chuck Schumer sounded particularly pleased to see the children. It reminds me of the thing most missing in my life: Grandchildren, he said. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Electricity producers, transport fuel providers and industries with high carbon emissions will lose access to the subsidy that requires them to offset only half their emissions, Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett announced in the Budget. Major emitters who dont face export competition are currently subject to a one-for-two subsidy scheme over the next three years, with a benefit to the government in avoided costs of $356 million over the next four years, assuming carbon valued at $12 a tonne. The subsidy elimination was widely anticipated. Bennett also announced there will be no change to the upper limit for the price of New Zealand Units of carbon of $25 a tonne. We looked at it closely but think that $25 is fair and reasonable, Bennett told BusinessDesk. Certainly, at around that 14 to 15 dollar mark were going to be growing a lot of trees and forestry starts stepping in. The government had no intention of further reviewing the ETS, beyond the current examination of a variety of technical aspects of its operations, within the next two years, she said. NZUs have been trading above $14 a tonne in recent weeks, with plantation forestry incentivised to begin planting once the price gets to between $15 and $18 a tonne. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: October 25th Morning Report Mainfreight Investor Day / Market Update GFI - Greenfern - Offer closes 27th Oct MCY - Quarterly Operational Update VCT - Operational performance for the 3 months ended 30 Sept 2022 NZL - Forestry Estate Acquisition October 21st Morning Report Air New Zealand Limited Retail Bond Offer Books Close Spark welcomes C-band spectrum allocation AIA - 2022 Annual Meeting Chair & Chief Executive Addresses NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday signed a $100 million (about Rs 677 crore) loan agreement with multilateral lending agency World Bank for Karnataka Urban Water Supply Modernisation Project. The project aims to provide access to a continuous piped water supply in various cities in Karnataka and strengthen the service delivery arrangements at the city level, a finance ministry statement said. Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development & Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) is the implementing agency for the project, it added. The project will have four broad components - capital investment programme, institution building, technical assistance for sector development and project management. It will be implemented over a period of six years, initially in the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad, with provision for other eligible cities to join the project at a later date, the statement said. It will help the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation set up a city-level water utility that will take over water supply operations from the professional operating company at the end of its contract period. It will benefit about one million residents of Hubballi-Dharwad, including estimated 160,000 slum dwellers. The agreement was signed by Department of Economic Affairs Joint Secretary Raj Kumar on behalf of India and World Bank's India Acting Country Director Michael Haney on behalf of World Bank. Read Also: Tech Mahindra Posts 829.54 Crore Profit In Q4 Indian Economy Has Macro Stability: Rajan BEIJING: Chinese investments in India grew six-fold in 2015 to USD 870 million from the previous year while more investments are in the pipeline following easing of restrictions on Chinese firms and favourable tax rates, a state-run daily said ahead of President Pranab Mukherjee's visit. Investment in India by Chinese companies in 2015 reportedly rose six-fold from 2014, partly thanks to low investment restrictions and favourable tax and land rent policies in the country, Global Times quoted Chinese business experts as saying. China's investment in India soared to around USD 870 million in 2015, six times that in 2014, the report said noting that the figure for 2015 was also twice the amount from April 2000 to the end of 2014. Indian trade officials say that the figures reflect how Chinese investments trickled in small quantities into India. India stepped up efforts to get Chinese investments in Make in India campaign since last year. Over 300 Chinese investment officials and investors are expected to take part in India-ChinaBusiness Forum to be addressed by Mukherjee in Guangzhou city tomorrow. The total FDI from China in India so far is about USD 1.24 billion, according to Indian official figures. Chinese officials say that money has been committed for a number of projects in India and the cumulative figure was expected to go up. During Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to India China has committed USD 20 billion investments in India. India, which has liberalising the investment climate for Chinese investors by removing visa and security restrictions, is insisting for more investments from China as the bilateral trade deficit has touched over USD 48 billion in favour of China in about USD 71 billion trade last year. Chinese enterprises have been expanding their presence in India in recent years. One of China biggest banks, the Industrial Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), had set up a special team in its Mumbai branch in 2015 to provide its Chinese clients with consultation services for mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in India. The move was taken partly because of the increasing interest in M&As among Chinese enterprises operating in the country, the Global Times report said. China's property giant Dalian Wanda Group announced in January that it would spend USD10 billion in building an industrial park in north India. And in February, construction machinery manufacturer Sany Heavy Industry Co revealed a plan to invest USD One billion in India in the next decade. "More Chinese firms are showing their enthusiasm for investing in India due to its huge market potential, along with low costs and strong demand," Pang Guoteng, a research fellow at Shanghai-based M&A information provider Morning Whistle Group, said. (Reopens FGN 21) The Indian economy is also growing rapidly. The IMF estimated in August 2015 that India will see GDP growth of 7.5 per cent in 2016. Besides, the "Make in India" campaign is helping to attract overseas investment, Pang noted. "The Indian government hopes overseas investment can boost India's productivity," said Pang, adding that local sectors like infrastructure and the Internet offer good investment opportunities for Chinese enterprises. Experts also said the policy environment in India is a big part of the reason why the country is attracting more investment from China. "Currently, there are no laws or regulations restricting Chinese firms from investing in India," Li Qin, a Chinese legal counsel with India-based law firm D H Law Associates said. "Not only that, the Indian government also provides favourable tax and land rent policies for big investments that can create a large amount of job opportunities or bring advanced technology to India," Li noted. For instance, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, projects that create 2,000 jobs are accorded special status and are given tailor-made benefits by the local government, according to the local industrial development policy for the 2015-20 period. Pang noted that Chinese enterprises still need to pay close attention to tax rules, as they vary a lot in different states in India. While India offers potential for Chinese firms, there are also challenges. "The language, culture and market environment there are very different from those in China," a representative from Chinese smartphone maker Vivo, who wished to remain anonymous said. Vivo opened a factory in India in late 2015, and had more than 8,000 employees there by the end of the year. But competition in the country is intense, the representative said. Read Also: Foreign Investors Buoyed By Indian Investment: USIBC To Obama Indian Tablet Market Grows 1.3pct; Datawind Tops, Samsung, Lenovo Follow: IDC WASHINGTON: Asserting that India has demonstrated an "increased willingness" to address concerns of the industry while balancing its domestic interests, a top American trade advocacy group has told US President Barack Obama that foreign investors are buoyed by the vibrancy of India's investment landscape. Encouraged by the advancements made by the two governments, US India Business Council (USIBC) in its letter dated May 23, said it looked forward to continuing dialogue and progress on matters related to innovation, technology transfer, movement of professionals, and other non-tariff barriers in the upcoming commercial and strategic dialogues. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has demonstrated an increased willingness to engage in dialogue to address the concerns of the industry while balancing India's domestic interests," Mukesh Aghi, president USIBC said in the letter. "Relations between the US and India are at an all-time high, due to in no small measure to the work you have accomplished with Prime Minister Modi," he said in the letter, a copy of which was made available to PTI yesterday. With Modi's upcoming visit to Washington DC in early June, the fourth visit in the last two years, USIBC believes that this is an opportune time to reflect upon the successes of the US-India strategic and commercial partnership and the avenues in which they can continue to secure the progress of the two nations. "Despite deep legislative challenges, Modi has incrementally worked on micro-level reforms to boost investor confidence. These include accelerated infrastructure investment, greater openness to foreign direct investment in defense, civil aviation, railways, and insurance, passage of a bankruptcy code, and facilitating a transparent auction of key natural resources," the USIBC letter said. Observing that India is improving its tax regime, the letter noted that the two countries recently finalised bilateral advance pricing arrangements under which they have resolved more than 100 pending transfer pricing cases. The tax reforms presented in the latest budget were unprecedented and lay the ground work to create an attractive environment for foreign investors. "As you will agree, consensus-building is challenging in democracies and the above-mentioned reforms have been critical for foreign investors, who continue to be buoyed by the vibrancy of India's investment landscape," Aghi said. "All of these reforms have resulted in improving India's Ease of Doing Business index according to the World Bank," he said. India and the US are more aligned than ever before on matters of defense cooperation, homeland security, joint training, and cybersecurity, he added. The recent introduction of "Advancing US -India Defense Cooperation Act" in the US Senate and its companion bill in the US House of Representatives, which was adopted into the 'National Defense Authorisation Act,' elevates India as an important partner that can uphold security in Asia and around the world. Read Also: UPI Threat: Mobile Wallet Providers Forced to Expand Their Business Strategies Tatacliq.Com Ties Up With Genesis To Retail Intl Luxury Brands BENGALURU: PayUs CEO, Laurent le Moal has raised a big debate in the corporate world of India with his comment that the era of mobile wallet is over. Companies like Paytm, MobiKwik are rebuffed with the recent remark of PayUs CEO, but they are admitting that major diversification is required in this regard to combat with Unified Payment Interface (UPI). The entry of UPI in Indian online payment market has changed the market shape with its one-window option. It allows peer-to-peer transactions on mobile phones through virtual ID provided by banks. With UPI users will not have to deposit their amount into third party wallet and they will have direct access through their registered mobile or virtual ID. The mobile wallet market is expected to gain a growth of 30 percent from 2015 to 2019 but UPI has forced mobile wallet providers to raise their eyebrows and diversify the business strategy. It is going to be hard for new startups and SMEs as they have to go through major transformation to stay in the competition reports Business Insider. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the prime authority for all retail payments made in India is working closely with banks and has collaborated with 29 banks to provide UPI services. NPCI is the main hand behind UPI and is trying to bring the convenience for those people who only have the bank accounts to reduce the use of direct cash, says AP Hota, Managing Director, NPCI told Economics Times. Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder of One97 Communications, the parent company of Paytm told Economic Times that his company is moving towards becoming a payments bank, from an online wallet provider. Read Also: Tatacliq.Com Ties Up With Genesis To Retail Intl Luxury Brands India Provides Huge Investment Opportunities: Goyal BHOPAL: U.S. Ambassador Richard R. Verma on Wednesday said India and America have strengthened their bilateral ties and the two countries now want to join hands to scale up the partnership in every sector. Verma was here on a day-long visit, during which he met Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan. According to a statement from the chief minister's office, the two held detailed discussion about investment opportunities, women empowerment and religious freedom in the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh. The U.S. ambassador hailed the social and economic development of the state and said that Madhya Pradesh has a huge potential for clean and green energy. The chief minister informed the envoy about the world's largest 750MW solar power plant to be built at Rewa for which the state government has already invited global tenders. The plant is expected to be commissioned in the next two years. Verma was also told about Asia's largest 135MW solar power plant established in Neemuch district. Chauhan told Verma that the state has initiated unprecedented efforts for water conservation. The government would soon launch a public campaign to revive rivers, Chauhan said. He said the government has decided to launch a drive for tree plantation in one-km radius of the banks of Narmada. The drive would be launched in partnerpship with people and farmers have been asked to plant fruit trees. The chief minister said the state was organising a three-day global investor's meet from October 21 this year in Indore and American investors were invited for the event. The ambassador wanted to know about the ease of doing business in Madhya Pradesh. The chief minister informed him that his government has launched a single-window system for processes like land acquisition and other administrative formalities required for setting up business houses in the state. Read Also: HRD Launches India's Largest Online Repository Of Dictionaries Good Policy Essential To India's Stability: Rajan NWS Gambling Staten Islanders Imer Draga, Kenneth Pabon and Victor Romano are among 46 suspects arrested in a money laundering, gambling and racketeering probe by the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office in New Jersey. (Courtesy of Bergen County Prosecutor) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A probe of a multi-million dollar money laundering, gambling and racketeering operation that stretched from New York to Costa Rica resulted in the arrests of three Staten Islanders and 43 other suspects, authorities announced. About $2 million in cash was seized in the probe that nabbed Staten Islanders Imer Draga, also known as Michael Dolce, 47; Victor Romano, 37, and Kenneth Pabon, 62, according to a statement from the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office. Robert (Elvis) D'Alessio, 62, of Little Falls, N.J., allegedly was the mastermind behind the illegal enterprise based in Bergen County, N.J. The operation included over 50 bookies who collected money and paid out winnings to about 320 bettors. D'Alessio ran the operation with the help of an off-shore wire room located in Costa Rica that used various "800" numbers and a website for receiving and managing bets, authorities allege. The entire gambling operation is estimated to have processed tens of millions of dollars in wagers per year. Esteban (Steve) Cueli, 56, of Doral, Fla., a former brother-in-law of D'Alessio, served as a bookie and also assisted in laundering proceeds, authorities allege. The duo allegedly conspired with Enrique Larach, 54, a businessman in Miami, Fla., to launder proceeds. Draga, a restaurant owner, Romano whose occupation is unknown, and Pabon who is retired, all have been charged with promoting gambling and conspiracy to promote gambling. The investigation was conducted by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Special Investigations Squad, under the direction of Chief Carmen Martino. McMahon.jpg DA Michael McMahon is one of two Staten Islanders on the governor's new task force. (Staten Island Advance/Anthony DePrimo) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Following the Heroin Task Force at the CYO-MIV Community Center in Pleasant Plains, Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon took a moment with the Advance to answer five questions regarding the borough's drug crisis and the necessity of Wednesday's meeting. From the urgency of community input, to changes in government laws, McMahon explains how Staten Islanders can turn the "Island of epidemic" to the "Island of hope." See below for the interview with McMahon: Q: "Why do you feel the Heroin Task Force needed to get together and hold this meeting on Staten Island?" A: "We're currently in the throws of a terrible crisis here on Staten Island -- and it's becoming a contagious plague. We're losing friends, family, neighbors and fellow Islanders at a rate of almost one person every one or two days." "We need help at every level of government. The governor and members of the task force have to listen, and hear, and almost touch Staten Island in order to really understand how urgent the situation is here." Q: "How important is the feedback and suggestions you receive from concerned Staten Island residents at forums like these?" A: "For me, it's great to have the experts, but to hear those people whose lives are directly effected, it is the most powerful and moving message that stresses the urgency of this war. When elected officials, law enforcement, service providers and members of the community come together, we can win this fight." Q: "Why was it so imperative that Governor Cuomo be in attendance for this meeting today?" A: "When you can attend something like this, see the amount of people, the passion and the willingness to work together, it's important for him to leave here with Staten Island on his mind -- knowing we need help." Q: "Can you list some of the specific resources you're seeking to obtain?" A: "We need resources in terms of counselors for families, more assistant district attorneys to prosecute the drug dealers, more detectives and investigators. We just found out we are receiving 15 more narcotis detectives, which will help -- but it's not enough." "A mandated education program, with drug counselors in all of the schools, is the big one ... We are battling to help this generation of drug abusers. But, we don't want to let it get to the next generation." Q: "If you could get one message across to those unfamiliar with the drug crisis on Staten Island, what would it be?" A: "Going down the path of prescription and illegal drug abuse is life-changing. You will have that addiction as part of your life forever. And, although you can recover and get your life together, it will always be a part of you." "We need to change the mindset of every American, New Yorker and Staten Islander when it comes to prescription drugs and the heroin crisis." SEARCH AND RESCUE DEMONSTRATION On Saturday, there will be a U.S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue Demonstration, from noon to 12:30 p.m. at the USS Sullivans Pier. During the demonstration, a rescue crew will drop a mannequin into the water to simulate a person in distress. A rescue swimmer will then jump into the water to secure the mannequin. Both the rescue swimmer and the mannequin will then be lifted securely back into the helicopter, and the helicopter will depart the area. The event is free and open to the public. ANNUAL REMEMBRANCE DAY On Saturday, from 2 to 4 p.m., the Annual Remembrance Day will take place at Lake Cemetery, at Forest Avenue and Willowbrook Road in Graniteville. The event will honor the contribution of women in wartime, including American Legion Auxiliary, Gold Star Mother's, and active duty females. The event is free and open to the public. MUSIC FESTIVAL The Fleet Week New York Community Music Festival will take place on Sunday at noon at the Flagship Brewery, located at 40 Mintnhorne St. in Tompkinsville. Military and local bands are schedule to perform. The event is free and open to the public. BX201_3014_9.JPG The New York State Legislature voted Wednesday to exempt Tampons and other feminine hygiene products from state sales taxes. (Associated Press) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Score one for the women. The New York State Legislature voted Wednesday evening in Albany to exempt tampons and other feminine hygiene products from state sales taxes. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to sign the measure into law. It will take effect in the next tax quarter, the New York Times reported. The bill exempts tampons, sanitary napkins and panty liners from the 4- percent state sales tax and from city sales tax, which together adds more than 8-percent to a purchase. Assembly member Linda Rosenthal, a Manhattan Democrat and sponsor, said the bill isn't limited to those items, and would also exempt future menstrual products. She said the tax was "sexist" because other medical necessities like bandages, medicine, and even condoms, are exempt. Earlier this year, the City Council agreed to a pilot program to make free Tampons and feminine hygiene products available to girls in city public high schools. The city will place free tampon dispensers in girls' bathrooms in the high schools, as well as middle schools, starting with 25 schools located in some of the city's low-income neighborhoods. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- If you happened to visit the Staten Island Advance/SILive Instagram feed last Friday, you noticed something unusual -- in a good way. We turned our account over to Port Richmond High School for the day, so their staff could take us around the school -- inside and outside the classrooms -- to showcase every aspect of students' lives. Assistant Principal Lisa Pollari was the key player behind the scenes, using Instagram to introduce us to students and staff all over. As part of the day-in-the-life experience, we visited the college guidance office, hung out during senior night, stopped by a Junior ROTC event, met exchange students, checked in with the Port Richmond Science Alliance, and learned what's cooking with the Culinary Arts program, just to mention a few things. It was a big hit online, garnering more than 1,300 "likes" while showcasing the diverse range of activities at Port Richmond. Check out a sampling of Instagram photos from the day embedded below, or visit the #IGtakeoverPRHS hashtag for the complete rundown of photos and videos that were posted. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- At age 20, Ed Jorge, says he was a "climber" working for an automotive company in the fast-paced world of corporate America. "I got to the rung of the ladder that I set as my goal. I made it to district manager -- all before my 21st birthday. After my climb came to an abrupt stop and my job ended when I was 23, I started my own company," said Jorge, who is now 24 years old. Suddenly, he was no longer driven by the salary, title, bonus, expenses and benefits. Instead, Jorge said he was "driven by the work." To start his business, he paired up with long-time buddy, Saul Martinez, 23, a military veteran who was in charge of his platoon while he was an infantryman in the U.S. Army. As partners, the two men came up with the concept for Cleaner Days -- a company offering a host of cleaning services, from home and commercial cleaning services to graffiti removal. "I was driven by building something from scratch, doing the work that I love and seeing the rewards in the clients I help. It was a definite transition and one that I had to embrace daily. I discovered that my pride now came from a different place. I had to learn to let go of things that I began to see were connected with my ego," he admitted. "Instead, I had to connect with my spirit and the idea of simplicity. I was doing what I loved, and I was succeeding in a whole new way," Jorge added. Jorge and Martinez launched Cleaner Days in August 2015. "The company has a goal to be the biggest cleaning company in the United States. We are in the entrepreneur business so we plan on taking this company to the top," said Jorge. KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP Jorge said he knew when he wanted to launch his own business it needed to be with someone who shared his ambition for success. "My business partner, Saul, and I have known each other since high school and we always used to tell each other how someday we will work for ourselves," said Jorge. "After high school I went to college and Saul went to the military. He learned a lot there from being a leader, to working with all types of people from different demographics. It has been a great thing for him because he works really well with our employees. He leads them in the right direction by showing them what comes from hard work," he added. Ed Jorge & Saul Martinez, owners Cleaner Days Address: 84 Seneca St, West Brighton Website: Telling Trait: "We have a hunger for success." THE PARTNERSHIP'S KEY TO SUCCESS Jorge and Martinez's believe their passion to be the best will help them succeed in the cleaning industry. "In this business, or any business, I believe wanting to be number one is the desire to succeed," said Jorge. "To be on top, to be the best. To have your clients love you. Our clients drive us to be the best because we ask for honesty at all times." If you have a new business on Staten Island, e-mail porpora@siadvance.com. FOLLOW Tracey Porpora on STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It makes sickening sense. If one of your good customers gets busted -- say, for having a couple of bags of your heroin -- and gets released, kill'm. Not with a gun or a knife, but with "a favor." Chances are good that the addict, if the arrest didn't shock him (or her) into getting help, will be in withdrawal and craving a fix when released in a day or two. So, sell -- or even give -- the desperate customer more. But this time, spike one or more of the bags with something like the high-powered painkiller fentanyl. The reason, according to a former dealer who now works in the treament field, is simple. The "hotshot'' kills the addict and eliminates the risk that he might rat on the dealer to appease prosecutors and face a lesser charge -- or none at all. Intentional or not, given the rising overdose rate, the relentless effort to investigate overdoses and bust the dealers must continue. And those who are peddling death should be prosecuted for doing just that. You have to give Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon -- and the work his office has been doing in cooperation with the NYPD -- credit for shining a blinding light on the borough's drug epidemic. The DA reported that there have been 46 fatal drug overdoses on Staten Island so far this year -- including six deaths and two near fatalities over an eight-day stretch. That number now stands at at least 48. In response, NYPD Chief James O'Neill told the City Council on Monday that 15 seasoned narcotics investigators will be reassigned from other boroughs to Staten Island in the next month or two to investigate drug overdoses following a shocking surge. "We're also taking cases on all ODs in Staten Island," O'Neill said during a budget hearing at City Hall. "If there's an OD, a detective's going to investigate that to see where it came from and see if we can get some prosecutions out of that." According to data tracked by the NYPD and McMahon's office, the borough's overdose rate has been on a dramatic rise, going from a reported overdose every five days, to one almost every day. Those figures only account for reports received by McMahon and the NYPD. McMahon cautioned that the numbers may be as much as 30 percent higher. Police and prosecutors began working more closely together at the beginning of the year to track overdoses. In February, the district attorney unveiled the Overdose Response Initiative, an innovative law enforcement program designed to investigate overdose deaths. At the same time, there has been an aggressive effort to bust dealers. A prime example: Earlier this month, McMahon and NYPD Commisioner William Bratton announced drug arrests and the city's top cop praised Island law enforcement on social media for its "Operation New Blood" gang-related drug investigation that netted 13 arrests on the North Shore. Another example: Late last month, police raided a home in Richmond following a series of undercover drug buys, leading to the arrest of four people who allegedly peddled opioids and Xanax. When McMahon revealed the shocking OD numbers, he didn't pull any punches: "If Staten Island were faced with 46 shooting homicides since Jan. 1, there would be a police officer on every street corner and an uproar on a citywide, statewide, and national level to match the severity of such tragic circumstances," said McMahon in a statement. Adding, "These overdoses are no less tragic and the rampant availability of heroin and illegal opioids on our streets are proving to be as dangerous a weapon as any we face. We are at a critical mass in this fight and it has never been more important for Staten Islanders and for our partners in government to understand the urgency of this crisis." McMahon and Borough President James Oddo have requested a meeting with Mayor Bill de Blasio to discuss how to develop a plan to help fight against the drug crisis, and the mayor readily agreed. "We need more detectives to get the dealers, and more treatment slots for the addicted. We also have to mobilize the whole Island in our campaign to better educate our loved ones," McMahon said. Well, more detectives are on the way. McMahon's office is providing a crucial public service by making these numbers public long before "official" counts are released by the Health Department. So, is there a connection between the rise in arrests and a wave of overdoses? The former addict and part-time dealer who now works in a treatment facility we spoke to said: "It's not a coincidence, it's business. It's an easy way to cut the risk." By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent. Agree Alls well that ends well, but Katie Zaferes endured nerve wracking anxiety before her ticket to the Rio Olympics was punched by USA Triathlon. Before USA Triathlon announced Tuesday that Zaferes was on the team, a complex set of selection procedures had to unfold after she finished 6th overall and second U.S. competitor to Gwen Jorgensen at the May 14 WTS Yokohama womens event. After Gwen Jorgensen and Sarah True made the U.S. womens squad for their 1st and 4th place finishes at the Rio Olympic Qualifying event last summer, one slot was left open. The top U.S. woman, excluding already qualified Gwen Jorgensen, to finish on the podium at WTS Yokohama would automatically earn the third U.S. Olympic spot. When Zaferes missed the Yokohama podium, the USA Triathlon Elite Athlete Selection Committee was tasked to consider whether or not to select a third woman triathlete best suited to serve as a domestique. A domestique must be considered because the top qualified U.S. athletes finished in the top 8 at Rio, which USA Triathlon criteria deemed gold medal capable. While Zaferes finished 6th at Rio and thus was also gold medal capable, there was no mention in the selection criteria how to measure that against the potential value of a domestique. Because no U.S. man achieved a performance eligible for aid by a domestique all three U.S. men were named on the Olympic team immediately after the Yokohama event based on their standing in the USA Triathlon Objective Rankings System. While the Elite Athlete Selection Committee was required to validate the women and the men, there was no stipulation in USA Triathlon Olympic team selection criteria that the organization could not publicly announce the mens team before receiving the official vote of the Elite Athlete Selection Committee. In contrast to the immediate announcement for the mens team, Zaferes had to wait 10 days until the four-person Elite Athlete Selection Committee was chosen. This allowed the committee to look over all relevant data to determine whether or not a domestique was warranted, explained USA Triathlon communications manager Lindsay Wyskowski. The [four] potential committee members had been tapped prior to WTS Yokohama, but they were not confirmed until after the race to ensure there was no conflict of interest and that fairness was in play for all athletes. The final decision by the Elite Athlete Selection Committee to eliminate the domestique option for men and women was made simultaneously. The decision was made during a discussion by the Elite Athlete Selection Committee to bypass the discretionary pick and use the Objective Rankings System for both the men and the women, Wyskowski explained. No other issues than the domestique option were considered by the Elite Athlete Selection Committee. Based on the USA Objective Ranking System which included 2015 performances in Rio, WTS Stockholm, WTS Edmonton and the WTS Grand Final in Chicago as well as 2016 WTS Yokohama, Zaferes led all contenders for the third Olympic spot with 1,563 points to 1,024 for Kirsten Kasper, 400 for Erin Jones and 348 for Summer Cook. Not included in the Olympic selection criteria but hard to forget was Zaferes remarkable 2015 season which included six WTS podium finishes, just one behind Sarah Trues career total of 7 WTS medals. Slowtwitch: How did you feel when you got the word you were on the team? Katie Zaferes: I was pretty relieved just because I thought I deserved it. But I was obviously stoked - really excited and really happy. ST: Competing for Olympic teams is often a heart breaking business. Emma Snowsill lost out twice just one of many sad stories. Were you aware of the long list of disappointments? Katie: I was confident I would get picked but there was a little doubt in my mind. You just never know. I didnt rest easy the whole week. I never thought, Oh I've got this in the bag. I definitely didnt feel like that. ST: How nervous were you going into Yokohama? If you did not finish on the podium, did you think that the third spot might be open not only to a domestique, but also to a selectors' choice - and you needed to beat all the other U.S. contenders save Gwen, who already made the team? Katie: I had pre-race nerves typical of all my races. I knew there were other American women who showed great results and were getting better and better through every race. That definitely creates anxiety but also I was really proud of myself because I got to the point where you just have to show you are the better person that day. I realized those people are going to make me better. Because whatever level they raise their game to, if I want to go to the Olympics, I just have to take it higher. ST: After the swim you were in 30th place, 15 seconds off the front and behind Summer Cook, Kirsten Kasper, Erin Jones, Gwen Jorgensen and just ahead of Renee Tomlin and Lindsey Jerdonek. Why were you further back than usual? Katie: I lined up on the left side of the pontoon. When I first looked over, the whole right side was in front of our group to the left. I still dont know what happened. That definitely made the swim harder. Once I figured out where I was, it made the rest of the swim all about coming up to save the best position possible. When I got out I was pretty far back. ST: After the bike, you were 33rd, behind Kirsten Kasper, Renee Tomlin, Lindsey Jerdonek and Gwen Jorgensen. How anxious were you? Katie: It was a pretty imperfect race until the run. I just never let my mind tell me that the race was over. I felt I was behind everybody starting the run. I definitely saw Kirsten Kasper and Renee Tomlin up there. They started with a vengeance on that run. ST: How did you keep your cool? Katie: I tried to not let my emotions play into it at all. I knew the American were ahead. So I decided to work at what I could control picking off as many people as I could throughout the 10k. ST: You ran 33:46, behind only Gwen Jorgensen (32:15) and Ashleigh Gentle (33:34) and placed 6th, second American. Katie: After the race, I was in a hard spot in my heart. I knew if I had positioned myself better coming into T2, I could have finished on the podium and had zero wait to find out I was in the Olympics . ST: Any explanation why it took 10 days? Katie: As soon as I finished I knew I hadnt automatically qualified. Therefore they could take until June 15th to make a decision. One of the first people I saw when I crossed the line was [USA Triathlon High Performance Manager] Andy Schmitz. I remember asking, When will you know? He told me he would try to expedite the process as much as possible and maybe by Friday [May 20] I would have an answer. [Answer came Tuesday May 24] I knew it would take some time. ST: They had option of picking a domestique. During the wait, what did you say about that? Katie: I said I think I deserve to go on my own merit, but if that was the only way I would go to the Olympics, Id be proud to be a domestique for the USA team. I'm a team player. I felt I am a medal contender, but if I said no to an opportunity go to the Olympics just because of my ego or pride, Id regret it. I could have said no - I have the chance to go in 2020. But you never know what can happen. ST: Why did you have such a hot streak of six WTS podiums in 2015? Katie: I think I found where I belonged. Starting in 2015, that was the first time I worked with someone other than my USAT coaches. Coming up through the USAT recruitment program was awesome because I was with athletes like myself who were all learning and at the same skills level I was. At some point I felt I outgrew that. USA Triathlon thought that too. That is why they leave you in the program for only so long before you graduate out. I was fortunate to join coach Joel Filliol and work with a team that was above my level. They included Mario Mola, Carolina Routier, and Richard Murray. Rachel Klamer. Vendula Frintova, Marvin Van Riel. Emma Jackson and Rebecca Robisch. They were so much more experienced than me and had different strengths that challenged me in daily workouts that made me so much better. I was also fortunate to travel with Tommy my husband. ST: Why did Joel Filliol accept you? Katie: I think I had my in because Tommy was already part of the squad. He vouched for me and said my personality would be a good fit with the team. Also, I spent a lot of time talking to Joel before he decided to accept me. I assured him I was in it for the long haul with him and I would be the team player. So between my results and having people vouch for me it was like a job interview. You want to have the right mix of personalities on the team. ST: What made the biggest difference? Katie: A lot of it was being pushed by the team. Also, Tommy started helping me train as well. He would not watch pace times. But if he saw me breathing easy he would say Well, were going to pick it up. And a lot of it was having fun. I loved rising to new levels. ST: It seems that you plateaued a little at the end of 2015 and early 2016. You started finishing off the podium. Were you tired or suffering from small injuries? Katie: I think a lot of it was many people were starting to rise up because this was an Olympic year. And there were people from the USA who reached a whole new level because they had been competing as elites for a whole year. I dont know if I was necessarily under-performing. I would say of Yokohama, OK, I wasnt that happy with much of my race. With [2016] Abu Dhabi [DNF] I was overly tired. When I got to the race I was exhausted. ST: Why? Katie: We were in the base training period and I didnt taper for that race. I should have been able to finish. But it was never a target race. Afterwards, Joel looked back and thought, Oh we should have done a few things differently. That is one of the things about still learning the sport. I dont have a lot of experience to draw upon to determine what wasnt working. I am still trying new things to make me better. And if they dont work, I am trying something else. ST: When you were a kid, did you dream of being an Olympic athlete? Katie: Everyone might think this answer is kind of strange. But I respected people in the Olympics so much. I think I put them on such a high pedestal. I still do. I just never thought of myself as an Olympian in any sport. When I started triathlon, I started my adventure at the Olympic Training Center. Once you are there, you really cant avoid getting that I want to go to the Olympics fever. The atmosphere, the quotes on the wall, the rings, the torch! All the Olympians are there. Even though it is pretty much an individual sport, you get a team vibe. Being twice on the podium with Sarah and Gwen, those were my proudest moments. To hear the national anthem played for all of us is a feeling you cant describe. But it makes your heart really full. ST: How did you celebrate making the team? Katie: We havent done anything specific yet. Last week we had a week off training. It was Tommys 30th birthday. So we celebrated that. My family is coming out to Santa Cruz on my birthday, June 9. I havent seen them since Christmas. ST: What did Joel say? Katie: He sent me a flexing arm emoji. Its funny. Because as much as we are happy I made the Olympics, there was a lot I didnt get right in the race itself. He wasn't that stoked with my race at Yokohama. But Id much rather have that honest approach than clapping me on the back. Slowtwitch: We asked Katie's coach Joel Filliol for his own thoughts on Katie being selected, and he responded with the following. Joel Filliol: It was a tough wait for Katie, but Im delighted now that she is confirmed for the US Team for Rio. Katie has had a rapid rise through the sport, and many outstanding performances over the last 18 months. We are really looking forward to now focusing on the preparation for this opportunity to race the best at the Rio Games. Best Canadian Blog 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 About Kate Why this blog? Until this moment I have been forced to listen while media and politicians alike have told me "what Canadians think". In all that time they never once asked. This is just the voice of an ordinary Canadian yelling back at the radio - "You don't speak for me." (goes to a private mailserver in Europe) I can't answer or use every tip, but all are appreciated! Katewerk Art Support SDA I am not a registered charity. I cannot issue tax receipts. Reconnaissance Man Economics for the Disinterested ...a fast-paced polar bear attack thriller! Want lies? Hire a regular consultant. Want truth? Hire an asshole. Weather Shop Click to inquire about rates. Dow Jones What They Say About SDA "Smalldeadanimals doesn't speak for the people of Saskatchewan" Former Sask Premier Lorne Calvert "I got so much traffic after your post my web host asked me to buy a larger traffic allowance." Dr.Ross McKitrick Holy hell, woman. When you send someone traffic, you send someone TRAFFIC. My hosting provider thought I was being DDoSed. - Sean McCormick "The New York Times link to me yesterday [...] generated one-fifth of the traffic I normally get from a link from Small Dead Animals." Kathy Shaidle "Thank you for your link. A wave of your Canadian readers came to my blog! Really impressive." Juan Giner - INNOVATION International Media Consulting Group I got links from the Weekly Standard, Hot Air and Instapundit yesterday - but SDA was running at least equal to those in visitors clicking through to my blog. Jeff Dobbs "You may be a nasty right winger, but you're not nasty all the time!" Warren Kinsella "Go back to collecting your welfare livelihood."Michael E. Zilkowsky Intelliweather Seismic Map Comments Policy Read this Best Of SDA Hide The Decline The Bottle Genie (ClimateGate links) You Might Be A Liberal Uncrossing The Line Bob Fife: Knuckledragger A Modest Proposal (NP) Settled Science Series Y2Kyoto Series SDA: Reader Occupation Survey Brett Lamb Sheltered Workshop Flakes On A Plane All Your Weather Are Belong To Us Song Of The Sled The Raise A Flag Debacle (Now on Youtube!) (.mwv Video) Abuse Ruins Life Of Girl Trudeaupiate Kleptocrat Jeans Child Labour I Concede Small Dead Feminist Protein Hoser: THK Interview The Werewolf Extinction Dear Laura (VRWC) We Wait Blogging The Oscars Jackson Converts To Islam Just Shut The HELL Up Manipulating Condi Gay Equality Rights System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28: 29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. 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Wallabies and Brumbies player David Pocock talks about his struggle to speak up and find his voice in a new video campaign by beauty company Dove. Credit:Jessica Hromas The Journey to Strength video series shows the rugby union player talking about finding his voice and speaking up about his beliefs. Brumbies star David Pocock has been named as the face of a new campaign by beauty company Dove Men to challenge ideas about masculinity. "I guess we grow up with so many different notions of what it is to be strong and I think that pausing to think about that and maybe re-evaluate some of the vices we have is really important," Pocock said about the campaign. "I decided to be involved in the project because I think it's such a great conversation and such an important conversation to have with men and young people. As we think about what does it mean to become a man? I guess you grow up as a boy and you feel like at some point you'll just be a man and know the right things to do and say and act." Pocock is well-known for his activism, refusing to officially marry his partner Emma Palandri until same-sex marriage is legalised in Australia. In November 2014 he also made headlines when he was arrested for taking part in a coal-mine protest at Maules Creek, NSW, chaining himself to mining equipment. The rest of the Journey to Strength episodes will be released on YouTube from June 11, in line with the 2016 Cook Cup Rugby Test Series against England. Three Supreme Court judges from Victoria are set to decide on an appeal that could determine whether David Eastman faces retrial over the shooting death of ACT police chief Colin Winchester. Eastman was freed from jail in 2014 after serving nearly 19 years behind bars for the killing of Mr Winchester, who was assistant Federal Police commissioner at the time. David Eastman is arrested in December 1992 in relation to the murder of Colin Winchester. Credit:Graham Tidy Mr Winchester was shot twice in the head as he got out of his car in his neighbour's Canberra driveway in January 1989. Eastman was tried and found guilty of murder in 1995, but an inquiry later exposed significant flaws with the forensic evidence used to link him to the crime scene. That inquiry eventually led to his release from custody. The ACT government's pledge to erase old convictions for consensual homosexual acts has still gone unanswered seven months since the scheme was launched. Disturbingly, consensual homosexuality was considered a criminal offence in the territory until 1976, 12 years before self-government started in the ACT. Advocates say more needs to be done to raise awareness of schemes to expunge convictions for consensual homosexuality. Credit:Getty Images The ACT government followed other states last year by introducing laws to extinguish past convictions for homosexuality. The scheme came into effect in October, and the government urged people to come forward, saying it was "unacceptable" that Canberrans could still have homosexuality "forming part of the criminal history". The Canberra arm of an international freight company will be keeping a watchful eye on Canberra's new connecting route to southeast Asia when the first flight takes off in September. But DHL Express Australia's vice-president of commercial Phil Corcoran said the company will continue to export internationally via Sydney until the route is more established. DHL Express Oceania CEO Gary Edstein, global chief of express services Ken Allen and local branch manager Careg Pretorius with courier Tony Kingston at the new freight forwarding facilities in Fyshwick. Credit:Elesa Kurtz "We're going to review those developments and see what opportunities there are around the timings," Mr Corcoran said. "Whether the routing direct or via Sydney will work in terms of our transit time offering are all yet to be determined but we're watching these developments with real interest." US hedge funds are not having the best of years. Profits are hard to find, they're underperforming and the punters are losing patience, withdrawing US$15 billion ($20.8 billion) in the March quarter. They're expected to withdraw more this quarter. To try to stem that tide, the American hedgies have increased their bet against Australia in general, and our banks in particular. The schadenfreude would be entirely understandable if that bet sent the hedge funds broke. The vast majority of the funds missed the Big Short of book and movie fame. Quite a few of them think they can make up for that by shorting Australia's banks now. After all, housing prices have indeed soared here, just like they did in the US before the GFC, right? Except the Australian housing mortgage market and banks are actually rather different. That's something the hedge funds don't seem to understand. Imposing a tax on the big four banks in exchange for the implicit support lenders receive from taxpayers would raise almost $15 billion for the public coffers over the next few years, according to new costings of a Greens policy. The Greens have seized on Reserve Bank analysis released this week, which found the major banks receive a benefit worth up to $3.7 billion from the assumption they would be bailed out in a crisis. A 2015 RBA internal paper, released under Freedom of Information laws, estimated the major banks benefited by between $1.9 billion and $3.7 billion because the assumption of taxpayer support gives them cheaper funding than otherwise. On Thursday, Greens treasury spokesman, lower house MP Adam Bandt, released new costings from the Parliamentary Budget Office, arguing that a levy was the right response to banks being "too big to fail". Unlicensed builders have been revealed as the worst offenders in a NSW Fair Trading crackdown on unfair business practices, with fines for dodgy builders netting more than $420,000 in the three months to March this year. Demands for excessive deposits, unlicensed contracting and failures to comply with rectification orders were among the offences "continuing to plague the home building industry", said Fair Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe. "While our investigators and complaint handling services can call dodgy builders to account, the best consumer defence is always thorough research. Check your builder's bona fides online before any contract is signed or any money changes hands." Australians have a history of being hard workers, especially the generation that reads this column. I take my hat off to them. My 95 year-old father had to work three jobs to hold our family together. He worked at the sawmill five days a week, the local poultry farm all weekend and on his holidays he worked on the wheat trucks. It wasn't uncommon for people to work that hard. No talk of Sunday loadings, just responsibility for the family and the dignity of work. Illustration: Cathy Wilcox I think he was fifth or sixth generation Australian and our "new Australians", as we used to call them, carry this great tradition. I've told the story before about Blaga, now 90 years old and in a care facility. She arrived in Australia from Macedonia in 1974. As a widowed mother of three, she took up work in the Ukrainian and Macedonian communities looking after families with only one parent. High-rise Harry Triguboff has topped the BRW Rich List, amassing a personal fortune of more than $10 billion from an apartment building empire that has literally left its mark across the skylines of Sydney and the Gold Coast. Mr Triguboff's ascension marks the end of the domination of miners of the list over the past decade, reflecting the winding down of the mining boom but also a rise in property valuations and strong demand for more stock driven by Asian investors. At 83, Mr Triguboff is still to be seen on building sites around the east coast wearing his trade mark hard hat bearing his initials HOT, Harry Oscar Triguboff. Some people describe the Olympic Dam ore body as being shaped like a frying pan, but McGill likens it to a guitar. Olympic Dam is one of the world's largest and most complex deposits. Credit:Aaron Bunch Photographer Over the past 25 years, the Olympic Dam team has been mining the "stem" or the "neck" of the guitar, while the vast majority of the copper, gold, silver and uranium lies in the broader body of the guitar, which is the "southern area". The push into the southern area should deliver a 10 per cent improvement in copper grades in coming years, meaning Olympic Dam will produce more copper even though it will be mining the same amount of earth. Jacqui McGill asset president Olympic Dam (left), Aimee Allen general manager surface operations, and Rob West, Manager Production Surface Credit:Aaron Bunch The mine should achieve 200,000 tonnes of copper this financial year (compared to 184,000 tonnes in the 2014 financial year) and up to 230,000 tonnes by 2021. The extra copper production should allow the refinery on site to run at full capacity and therefore reduce costs through greater efficiency. The aim is for Olympic Dam to be producing copper at a rate of $US1 per pound; a reduction of close to 60 per cent compared to four years ago. Credit:Aaron Bunch Photographer Dollar per pound target Within the next 13 months, McGill wants Olympic Dam to be producing copper at a rate of $US1 per pound; a reduction of close to 60 per cent compared to four years ago. At $US1 per pound, Olympic Dam should be matching the production costs at BHP's flagship copper mine, Chile's Escondida, and would help McGill convince the BHP board to spend money growing the South Australian mine. "I think at $US1 per pound we have earned a seat at the table," she said. "Seventy per cent of our resource we haven't touched, and demonstrating to the board and to the CEO that we can operate this site safely and reliably, and that they can count on us to deliver cashflow into the organisation means we have an ever increasing chance of getting the share of the capital." Ambition aplenty A study is now under way into whether production at Olympic Dam could be lifted to 280,000 tonnes within a decade by expanding and de-bottlenecking the processing facilities at the mine, particularly the smelter. Longer term, the ambition is to grow production to 450,000 tonnes of copper per year, but that is dependent on the heap leach trials under way in the Adelaide suburbs. Production of 450,000 tonnes per year would also require a second smelter to be built beyond the expanded version of the existing smelter, and that would require spending money from the board. While such a target would represent significant growth compared to the 125,000 tonnes produced in the 2015 financial year and the 184,000 in fiscal 2014, it is still less than the 750,000 tonnes of copper that Olympic Dam would have been producing had BHP gone ahead with the $30 billion open-pit expansion in 2011. McGill's head of resource planning Justin Bauer said the heap leach option was expandable, but he said it was unlikely to raise production to near 750,000 tonnes even if it were successful. Copper shortage brewing? The more transparent growth pathway for Olympic Dam is timely for two reasons: firstly, the expansions are likely to be delivered into a stronger copper price, with most miners believing that a copper shortage will emerge around 2019. And second, because the indenture agreement that was struck for a possible expansion of the mine in 2011 is due to expire in October. The indenture agreement was agreed on between BHP and the South Australian government, and it set the terms upon which the two parties would work together, including royalty rates, if BHP went ahead with the $30 billion expansion. Given the big expansion has never occurred, the indenture agreement never became active, but it remains to be seen whether the new, more modest growth pathway for Olympic Dam is enough to convince the South Australians to extend the deadline for the agreement. South Australia disappointed "I know certainly in South Australia there was a lot of disappointment in terms of the [rejected 2011] expansion. But the reality is the world changes, and we have to respond to those economic demands. I think the beauty about South Australia and the moves we've made in terms of making Olympic Dam competitive could demonstrate you can run a competitive business in remote South Australia. It is possible," said McGill. "If you look at our staged growth plan ... and see how we are delivering on the sustainable improvement over time, I think that will restore people's confidence in Olympic Dam and what it can do." A spokesman for the South Australian government's Olympic Dam taskforce said BHP had until October to advise it of its plans. "The revised indenture only comes into force should BHP Billiton provide a project notice for the proposed open-pit expansion. BHP Billiton has until October to formally advise the government of its intentions," he said. BHP Billiton will take another three years before deciding if heap leaching technology will ultimately allow a big expansion of the Olympic Dam copper and uranium mine, as it first pursues a more sedate underground mining push into the large, untouched part of the ore body originally earmarked for a massive $30 billion open pit. But the boss of the Olympic Dam mine, Jacqui McGill, says the current smaller-scale stepping up of production at what she concedes is the most complex of the 40 operations in BHP Billiton's global mining stable, won't allow the mining giant to fully maximise the sweet spot of global copper demand. Olympic Dam asset president Jacqui McGill (at rear) inside the cab of a Jumbo driller about 440m underground at BHP Billiton's Olympic Dam mine, 570km north of Adelaide. The drill operator is Tony Richter. Credit:Aaron Bunch BHP Billiton's own forecasts put a looming global deficit of copper supply really kicking in by 2020, by which time the company will still be deliberating about how to fully harness the Olympic Dam ore body, the fifth largest copper deposit in the world, and the world's largest uranium deposit. Ms McGill, asset president of Olympic Dam, is now preparing to hire an extra 120 workers after a phase of severe job cutting, as the company moves into a new section of underground mining at what is known as the Southern Mine Area, where 120 kilometres of new underground tunnels are planned over the next five years. Business investment contracted sharply in the March quarter, as non-mining expenditure again failed to much of the slack left by Australia's resources downturn. The Australian Bureau of Statistics said on Thursday that private sector March-quarter capital expenditure on buildings, equipment, plant and machinery shrunk 5.2 per cent, seasonally adjusted, from the previous three months, leaving it down 15.4 per cent year-on-year. Mining investment was down 12 per cent for the March quarter, and manufacturing fell more than 10 per cent. Outside these traditional areas, there was a 1.8 per cent pick-up in capital expenditure. Credit:Fullframe Photography The fall follows a surprise improvement in the December quarter. Mining investment, however, was down 12 per cent for the March quarter, and manufacturing fell more than 10 per cent. Outside these traditional areas, there was a 1.8 per cent pick-up in capital expenditure. Reserve Bank governor Glenn Stevens held off giving politicians both barrels in his Trans-Tasman Business Circle remarks on Tuesday. But it shouldn't be overlooked that he still delivered two sharp slaps: one at the lack of a plan for getting the budget deficit under control, the other at the real estate spruiker antics of the prime minister and his treasurer. With an election campaign underway, it's understandable that Stevens chose his words carefully he always does. But the twin messages were nonetheless there. "The budgetary situation will be OK if nothing else goes wrong," he said. "You can't really assume in life that nothing will go wrong over an extended period. I suspect there are quite some years of hard repair work ahead for whomever is the government over the period ahead." The Israeli government earmarks $US0.5 billion each year specifically for start-ups administered by the Office of the Chief Scientist with the aim of enhancing Israel's R&D and encouraging entrepreneurship and technological innovation. The OCS acts as both a conduit and a magnet for entrepreneurs and investors alike. It is not an accident that global IT giants have R&D hubs in Israel employing thousands of researchers working collaboratively with institutions, start-ups and government. The first is commitment, which must be both substantial and long term. In 2015, Israel, a nation of 8.5 million people, attracted about $US5 billion in start-up venture capital funding. In stark contrast, Australia, with 24 million people, attracted about $US250 million or 20 times less. I recently had the privilege of accompanying NSW Premier Mike Baird and a group of distinguished business, institutional and government people on a delegation to Israel in order to learn how Israel has achieved this status. We learnt that there are a number of key systemic, attitudinal and societal factors. Innovation! Start-up! Entrepreneurship! Translation! These terms have been bandied about a lot lately, and rightly so. We aspire to become the innovation nation, so it is only natural to look around the world and ask the question, "Which countries stand out as exemplars?" When it comes to medical technology, biotechnology, nanotechnology, agricultural advancements, cyber security and financial investments, one country continually floats to the top, or near the top of the list. Israel! The second, and arguably the most important, is incentive alignment. This has to be seen from a holistic point of view, and starts at the basic research undertaken by universities such as Hebrew University and research institutes like the Weizmann Institute of Science. The success of academic researchers is measured primarily by the number of patents they generate rather than citations and publications. This raised the question about how basic research is treated versus translational research. The Hebrew University technology transfer desk told us this distinction is not made; there is only good research and bad research, and lead times are not the primary driver. Good research will eventually lead to positive outcomes for society. This represents a very definite difference in mindset. In addition, entrepreneurship is embedded institutionally. Although the university owns the patents, the researcher named on the patent receives 60 per cent of all royalties resulting from their patents, with the university taking 40 per cent. The third is product centricity. In Israel we saw a subtle but important shift in the way the start-up investors such as venture capitalists approached their investment decisions. The development of a product or service was foremost in their thinking. When it comes to high-risk, long-lead-time sectors like biotechnology drug discovery, this has meant a willingness to work towards a marketable product as the outcome. This is rarely the case in Australia. We do great research but, with very few exceptions, we have not embedded the "D" part of R&D. Having been involved in this area for decades, I have too often seen the pressures (usually financial and clinical) to exit that Australian biotechnology companies face. Consequently, the development decisions they make are too often with a view to early packaging of their product for sale to multinationals that will bring it to market. In Israel, translation is a learnt process that has been practised for a long period of time and their efforts are up there with Silicon Valley and Boston. For Australia, the consequence of not embedding translational "D" is a disjointed approach to funding at all levels. There are enormous opportunities here for any government or venture capitalist willing to adopt the Israeli approaches. Grenville Rose Lidcombe Barnaby Joyce is doggedly determined to control animals coming in to Australia ("Joyce laughs off Depp 'inbred tomato' jibe", May 26) but has no beef about animals leaving the country. Jim Dewar North Gosford When Barnaby, as finance minister, didn't know the difference between billions and trillions, and then, as agriculture minister, made the ridiculous claim that under a carbon tax lamb legs would cost $100, we thought we had heard it all from our now deputy PM. However, his latest claim that the government of Indonesia was prepared to risk lives to be lost at sea as punishment for the live export ban, surely takes the cake. Jerry Stiel Lilyfield Barnaby Joyce's bizarre contribution to the regional leaders debate reminded me that I was briefly in Armidale when his move to the seat of New England was being canvassed. A local wrote to the Armidale newspaper saying that he had first met Mr Joyce when our now deputy PM was working as a bouncer at the New England Hotel, adding "he was out of his depth then". What more need be said? Ian Lowe Marcoola, (Qld) No nuanced whistling from Barnaby. For him the dog foghorn. Unfortunately Indonesia may hear this as more of the megaphone diplomacy it deplored in relation to executing Australian drug smugglers. Geoffrey Briot Stanmore While we laugh at the antics of Donald Trump we shouldn't ignore the fact that our deputy PM is running him a close second in making inane and ill-considered statements. William Franken Rose Bay Australia bans live cattle exports to Indonesia, boats start arriving. Joyce says he is Johnny Depp's Hannibal Lecter, Johnny Depp's wife files for divorce. Do the maths! Don Genford Granville I don't care what happens to Depp but is it true Barnaby will get custody of Boo and Pistol? John Fryer Ryde Community feels robbed of its representation Your report ("Leader extends olive branch to ex-mayors" May 26) completely misrepresents the issue at stake. We, the people of Marrickville, Leichhardt and Ashfield, have been robbed of our democratic representatives by the Local Government Minister, Paul Toole's pen stroke. This situation can only be rectified by the de-amalgamation of these councils. The unelected administrator has, in the community's eyes, no authority to "offer an olive branch". He is on the record as saying he is preparing to review the former councils' opposition to West Connex. Is he also suggesting that he will not hold council meetings where the public can attend, thereby silencing the community's voice further? Eva Johnstone Marrickville As a resident of Marrickville I attended the shut down meeting of the "Inner West Council" on Tuesday night. I am alarmed at the dismantling of local democracy by the Baird government. Our democratically elected council, which was performing well, was summarily dismissed by the state government. Our councillors have gone, as has the former Marrickville general manager. Also the community advisory committees have been dissolved. I was a member of one of the community advisory committees and was informed by email that the committee had been dissolved and the next scheduled meeting cancelled. No meeting with the administrator to explain the situation. With no formal avenue for the expression of community views the community response on Tuesday night was the only avenue available to express our disgust at the way in which the state government has trampled on our rights. John Butcher Marrickville Obviously, local councils were "fit for office" when Paul Toole was mayor of Bathurst not so long ago. Geoff Lewis Raglan Planning for an ugly and unliveable city Elizabeth Farelly's piece ("Why Sydney will be unrecognisable", May 26) is written in an urgent, passionate rush of words. And well it might be, but why is her description of Sydney's demise happening? It's happening because Baird and his bunch want to proclaim a huge economic growth rate at the end of their term. Look what we've done, they'll say: this state has grown by X, has outperformed every other state etc. How simplistic. How philistine and how depressingly familiar.Their crowing won't mean we have invested in new industries. It won't mean we have exported more. It won't mean we have enriched the cultural fabric of the state or enhanced the ambience or liveability of Sydney. It won't mean we have developed our regional areas. It won't mean we have tackled the hard task of ameliorating population pressure in Sydney by decentralising. It will just mean Sydney has become an ugly, gridlocked and unliveable city. David Catchlove Newport As always, Elizabeth Farrelly accurately and eloquently describes the terrifying farce masquerading as the Department of Planning and Environment. As someone directly affected by the Westconnex, I can confirm that even basic courtesies, such as advising residents of impending drilling in their area, never occurs until the drilling has actually commenced. There remains one common denominator with all of the decision-makers in this current process of "planning" for Sydney; none is adversely affected by the decisions they make on behalf of others. Neither Mike Baird nor Duncan Gay live in my street. If they did, Westconnex would be surely diverted to another, more "appropriate" route. Jacinta McManus Rozelle. How spot on is Elizabeth Farrelly. The planning department. seems to mean no planning at all, just a tick the box for approval. But just in case there was ever going to be a decision in favour of the environment, the government is planning to take the biodiversity portfolio from the environment minister, to primary industry. I'm sure primary industry will welcome the ability to make all the decisions relating to something it knows nothing about. Wipe out all NSW biodiversity and there won't be a problem any more. Peggy Fisher Killara Why wait for the ghetto slums of tomorrow when you can build them now and avoid the rush? Ross Sharp Riverwood Dying in dollar terms Having read Kate Aubusson's article on palliative care ("When goodbye comes far too soon," May 26) I now better understand the reluctance of doctors at RPA to put my dying, 94-year-old mother on to a palliative care program. They insisted on "treating" her. I had to go through a slanging match with staff to get what my mother needed : three C's compassion, care and comfort. And it was all about money. No wonder there is so much angst in society about euthanasia people with terminal illnesses and those who love them are worried that they will be left to linger and die incrementally because of budget bottom-lines. Genevieve Milton Newtown Uren home not on walk It is certainly appropriate that Tom Uren should be remembered by a harbour walk ("Uren's vision for the people's harbour lives on", May 26). He was a big man in every sense of the word. It should be noted, however, that the walk does not include his modest family home in Pashley Street where he grew up. There is a plaque on this house commemorating its history. Marina Garlick Balmain Wealth is the motivator In response to Mr Bradshaw's question in his letter (Letters, May 26) as to why the Liberals continue to attack Medicare and the public education system, I would suggest that it is for the same reason that they are also ambivalent about climate change. Wealth, or the possibility of future wealth, is an insulation against the need for the first two and is a protection against the third. Ron Kerr Ballina Speculators' market driving out the young No one with Gen Y children living in or near Sydney should be surprised by the story of Jodie Watt, a 20-year-old nursing student who sees no future in her very own "global city''. ("Gen Y fear they have no future in Sydney", May 26.) The high social, cultural, economic and inter-generational price that we will all pay for turning our homes into an international speculative market is, I suspect, going to be extraordinarily high. If young people no longer see a place for themselves amongst the glossy brochures of real estate spruikers and gleaming towers for the high rollers, I wonder what a city of real estate-rich octogenarians is going to look like? Richard Bryce Shellharbour As an octogenarian in failing health I have become familiar with my local public hospital. I have nothing but praise for the service provided by the doctors and nurses but can't help noticing the apparent indifference of those responsible for the waste of money in providing television sets that nobody watches. Getting rid of these of these superfluous objects would help to solve the state government's problem ("Mind their gap: it's $17 billion", May 26), quite apart from the consideration that the electricity wasted is probably derived from coal-fired generators and hence contributing to global warming. Mr Baird and his cabinet need to act. Ian Edwards Glebe Was Turnbull's visit a towering co-incidence? I have three life-threatening illnesses requiring a priority landline and a vital call. I moved into an area, advertised by Telstra as covered by 3G so that my mobile should work in the house, should there be a blackout, and outside beyond areas covered by the vital call ("Telstra wins deal to manage cancer records", May 26.) Unfortunately this is not the case. Three months ago, I was told that I needed a roof top aerial at my expense, despite being in an area ostensibly covered by 3G. Two months ago, there was no mention of a tower nearer to Bodalla. I live in a bellwether seat and suddenly, after Mr Turnbull was in Merimbula, a tower, is being built in Bodalla within a month. Co-incidence? Dr Lyndal Camden Bodalla Black-balled If, as Peter Fyfe explains (Letters, May 26) black holes are indeed spherical, why aren't they called black balls? Think of the fun Scott Morrison and Mathias Cormann could have if that was so. They could enjoy measuring the size of Labor's black balls. Peter Hooper Hanging Rock Horizontal Olympics Finally, at Rio, a total satisfaction and a good time is guaranteed to each and every one of the athletes by providing them all a level (meaning a horizontal) playing field ("With all the sex in Rio, will the athletes have time to compete?", May 26). When was the last time anyone voted for anyone? Barack Obama in 2008. Maybe Kevin 07? Other than that, examples are thin on the ground. Australians didn't vote for anyone at all in 2010, voted against Labor (and certainly not for Abbott) in 2013, and have now very quickly fallen out of love with Malcolm Turnbull almost as thoroughly as we dropped Rudd. This year Americans will either vote against Donald Trump and put Hillary Clinton in the White House, or they'll vote against politics altogether and put Trump there. An average of national polls this week put Trump slightly ahead. Yes. Meanwhile, Austria came within a whisker of electing a far-right president. It's largely a ceremonial role, but it's hardly a token result. Norbert Hofer is the kind of character who has now become an utterly familiar part of the political landscape: he has obvious counterparts in Slovakia, in Hungary, in Poland, in Switzerland, in Greece, in Sweden, in the Netherlands, even in France and Britain in the forms of Marine Le Pen and Nigel Farage. Now note the ubiquitous description of these figures: anti-immigrant, anti-EU. It's a surging movement defined overwhelmingly by what it's against. But here's the kicker: Hofer didn't even lose to a usual suspect. He lost to a fellow outlier: a former Green running as an independent, who'd be considered radical by the standards of conventional politics. But that's just it. Convention has been obliterated. Austria's two major parties, even with their votes combined, would have come third in this race. They didn't even get to the second-round runoff election. If the politics of the 20th century was a battle between liberalism and socialism, it's becoming something else entirely in the 21st. The problem is that's all it's becoming: something else. Liberalism and socialism were competing, well-formed social visions. They identified grand aims, and proposed means of achieving them. They ground out theories about the role of government and the rights of the citizen. In short, they asked us to buy something positive, even if they were quite negative about each other. And in turns, they earned the approval of voting majorities. The new Australian pavilion, a dark granite cube containing a white box on the edge of the canal, was the talk of the Giardini when it was unveiled at last year's Venice Biennale of Art. Now the pavilion is set to make another splash, this time as part of the Venice Architecture Biennale with a swimming pool. A young swimmer takes a dip in The Pool installation by Aileen Sage Architects' in the Australian Pavilion at the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale. Credit:Brett Boardman Photography The 60-square-metre pool (filled with water 30 centimetres deep) almost fills the main room of the Denton Corker Marshall-designed pavilion. Visitors to the installation can sit by the pool in sun loungers made by the Centre for Appropriate Technology, a not-for-profit Aboriginal organisation in Alice Springs, and listen to the voices of Australians, including Olympic swimmers Ian Thorpe and Shane Gould, as they talk about their connection to what is one of Australia's most important architectural features and social spaces. Australian actor Anthony Warlow has been named best actor in a musical at one of America's most prestigious theatre awards. Warlow won the prize at the 32nd Helen Hayes Theatre Awards in Washington for his "powerful leading performance" in the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Man of La Mancha. Man of the moment: Anthony Warlow as Don Quixote in Shakespeare Theatre Company's Man of La Mancha. Credit:Scott Suchman Reprising the character of Don Quixote in 2015, a role he has previously played on the Australian stage, won Warlow rave reviews from US critics. "The charismatic Warlow leads the charge in one of those cases when a role just flat-out fits," gushed the Washington Post review. Copyright or copy wrong? Federal Arts Minister Mitch Fifield would seem to have knocked on the head the recommendations in the interim report from the Productivity Commission that an author's copyright should be reduced to between 15 and 25 years after a book has been published, rather than the 70 years after the death as it now stands. Fifield issued a statement saying that copyright protection was crucial to Australia's creative industries. Referring to the recommendations, he said: "This is not something the government has considered, proposed or intends to do." He said the government was committed to ensuring "that the intellectual property system provides appropriate incentives for innovation and the production of creative works. We also need a system that does not unreasonably impede further innovation, competition, investment and access to goods and services. Australian literature is vital to our cultural and intellectual life and the Coalition values the unique role that literature and books play in communicating Australian stories." While Senator Fifield made no specific reference to the report's recommendation to scrap parallel importation restrictions, it would seem illogical after his remarks for a re-elected coalition government to accept it. But that won't stop the publishing industry and authors from campaigning against a reform that would do significant damage to the local book industry. Melbourne publisher Henry Rosenbloom argues his case at scribepublications.com.au A question of cash How does money help an author? Obviously a lot these days when the average earnings are $13,000 a year. But too much can be a problem, apparently. Visiting British novelist William Boyd was talking with his colleague Julian Barnes about one of his favourite novelists, the late J. G. Farrell, and particularly his novels Troubles and The Siege of Krishnapur. The latter won the Booker Prize in 1973 and the money allowed Farrell to extensive research for his next book, The Singapore Grip, including going to Singapore. The result was a huge amount of research went straight into the book, including about eight pages about rubber-making technique. "Writers shouldn't be paid too much," said Barnes. "And don't win the Booker," replied Boyd looking pointedly in the direction of Barnes, who of course won a few years ago for The Sense of an Ending. "Yes," Barnes sighed, "it's been a disaster." Hillary Rising JAMES D. BOYS Hillary Rising by James D Boys is a comprehensive look at the life of a woman on the brink of the US presidency. BITEBACK, $29.99 When the young Hillary Rodham arrived at Wellesley College, Massachusetts in 1965 she was a Republican, a reflection of her conservative, Methodist upbringing. By the time she left, prior to meeting Bill Clinton, she was a Democrat. Unlike Bill, it wasn't the Kennedy legacy that changed her, it was Martin Luther King jr. It's just one of the many interesting details in this comprehensive, solidly written political biography about the woman who may well win the top US job. It charts the learning curve of a woman who from the start stood out at school and Yale: the marriage that became one of the most formidable teams in modern politics, Arkansas, victory, defeat, the return of the "comeback" kids, becoming first lady, missing the nomination in 2008 to a virtual unknown up to now, her star rising and on the brink of the presidency. The latter is true for Sydney Dance Company's CounterMove program, in which Alexander Ekman's incisive, hilarious and poignant Cacti overshadows Rafael Bonachela's muddy and half-baked Lux Tenebris. While the best double bills curate works that might be artistically complementary or deepen our viewing in some way, the most disappointing ones reveal weaknesses in specific works that might otherwise not be so apparent. Alexander Ekman's Cacti, part of Sydney Dance Company's CounterMove double bill. Credit:Elesa Kurtz Ekman's work (created for the Nederlands Dans Theater six years ago) takes its aim at the critics, questioning how meaning can be determined in abstract contemporary dance and moreover, whether the few should decide on the meaning for the many. Text, movement, live musicians and potted cacti clutter this work with opposing and deconstructed ideas and analysis, while the dancers become a human orchestra, practise inner desires and relationships, or channel the mostly imperceptible 'life pulses' in plants. But the best surprise in Cacti is its humour, exhibited through absurdist movement shapes and silly comments from disembodied voices that make for an entertaining work. In contrast, Bonachela's Lux Tenebris is choreographically bloated and unfocused, and frustratingly transparent in its structure. This work finds some success in the performances from the polished and powerful company of dancers, as well as from Benjamin Cisterne's lighting design, which provides drama and depth. Nick Wales' sound composition is similarly complex and layered, but perhaps structurally at odds with Bonachela's artistic rhythms. We see nods to Wales' primal beats in the movement, with dancers dropping in and out of deep lunges, but the reliance on gymnastic tricks leg mounts, handstands and overextended leaps feels like a series of flashy shortcuts. Los Angeles: Anne Hathaway and US late night host James Corden tore into each other in rhyme during an epic rap battle. The Oscar-winning actress appeared on The Late Late Show with James Corden on Tuesday, and the pair took each other on in the show's popular Drop the Mic rap segment. Anne Hathaway hurls insults at host James Corden on The Late Late Show. Credit:YouTube / CBS James, 37, began the segment by dissing her performance as Catwoman in Batman blockbuster The Dark Knight Rises as inferior to Halle Berry's in 2004's standalone Catwoman film. "I admit that Anne is both talented and sweet, and it's hard to say anything about her that's mean, but I'm gonna try my best and air it out like tank tops, and like her movie Get Smart, her rhymes are gonna flop," he rapped. There is no way to spoil the end of HBO's All the Way. The final scene is the same as it was in the 2014 Broadway play on which it's based and the same as what happened in November 1964. Lyndon B. Johnson wins, and it's a landslide. A bungalow in the foothills an hour northwest of Hollywood stands in for the patio of Johnson's Texas ranch. Here at dusk on a cool September evening, vans began dropping off the 120 extras from a base camp several miles away. The night's scene was an intricate Steadicam shot that would travel 360 degrees around Bryan Cranston and Melissa Leo, who play President and Lady Bird Johnson. All The Way, with Bryan Cranston as L.B.J., American President Lyndon B. Johnson. Credit:Showcase "This is the night of the election," said the director, Jay Roach, standing on set a few hours before the overnight shoot was to begin. "L.B.J. gets the news here with this vocal party of Democratic operatives and Hubert Humphrey and Lady Bird." All the Way is about the turbulent year from the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963 to Johnson's victory over Barry Goldwater. It has the same frontman and writer as the play: Cranston, who won a Tony Award for his Broadway performance, and Robert Schenkkan, who faced the challenge of adapting his play to the screen and staying true to history. Glen is Jarrod Slade, a wealthy self-made businessman and CEO of Slade Industries, who is an educated and approachable type (think Richard Branson), who appears to want to help the Hairies but may have an ulterior motive. Iain Glen, as Jarrod Slade, and Frances O'Connor, as his wife, Charlotte Slade, in ABC TV's Facing him edgily at the dinner party is Waaru West (played by Rob Collins), the self-appointed leader of the Hairies, and the estranged brother of Koen (Hunter Page-Lochard), who has, to Waaru's fury, inherited special abilities making him a Cleverman, a healer and a conduit between the Dreaming and the present. Directed by Wayne Blair (The Sapphires) and Leah Purcell (Redfern Now, Janet King), Cleverman follows how a series of murders in the city sparks authorities to clamp down on runaway Hairies from The Zone, where the poor and vulnerable live. In this controlled ghetto-like area, patrolled by the Containment Authority, the Hairies have found a haven from being hunted down as sub-humans in the city. While Koen struggles to deal with his new destiny, he and his older brother, Waaru, must find a way to unite and save their culture. Filmed on locations including the rail sheds of Redfern and the former cliff-top home of advertising titan John Singleton in Coogee. Cleverman has an 80 per cent Indigenous cast, including Deborah Mailman (The Sapphires), Collins (The Lion King), Jack Charles and rapper Briggs, who also contributes to the series' score. It also features Frances O'Connor (The Missing, Mr Selfridge) as Slade's wife, Charlotte, a morally-focused doctor who does pro-bono work in the Zone, and Stef Dawson of The Hunger Games. The inhabitants of The Zone in Credit:ABC Griffen spent five years respectfully and sensitively gathering stories from elders in Indigenous communities in NSW and the Northern Territory. The idea began as a children's story but Griffen, with Goalpost producer Rosemary Blight, soon realised it was a genre drama for an adult audience. "The original idea for Cleverman came to me over a weekend while I was playing dress-ups with my son," Griffen says. "Both of his parents are light-skinned Aboriginals and it was about finding a way to bring culture to him but also bringing the love of superheroes. He loves Batman, Ninja Turtles, all that sort of stuff, as do I." Blight says it is very rare for such a distinct and compelling idea to be offered nowadays. "We said: 'OK, let's give it a go, that sounds absolutely nuts'," she says. "What appealed was the idea was from a young Aboriginal-Australian voice, which is again very rare. And also that Ryan is a sort of pop culture, geeky guy, who brings something that we don't often do in this country. "We do drama very, very well but this was a bolt of fresh storytelling. Very rarely does someone walk in the door and say: 'From the stories that I grew up with, I'm going to take these stories and put them into a super-power world, of X-Men, Superman'. "It was simply: 'Wow, I've never heard of that before'. And we live in a world where there is so much drama that, in concept, we have seen time and time again." Uncle Jimmy (Jack Charles) and Waaru (Rob Collins) in Credit:ABC TV Cleverman, Griffen says, is a new way of telling Indigenous stories. "We're telling ancient stories but putting a twist on them that's universal," he says. "The benefit of that is that even in our own country, a lot of people don't know our stories." For years, Blight says, broadcasters have been asking for the Australian equivalent of Merlin or The Walking Dead. "But the Knights of the Round Table, or Harry Potter are not our stories," she says. "And what are our stories? Cleverman is our stories. And these stories have been here 60,000 yers and they've just been waiting to be told by the right people, by the people who are the keepers of the stories." Danny's siblings, compromised detective John (Kyle Chandler), vulnerable lawyer Meg (Linda Cardellini) and substance-abusing hothead Kevin (Norbert Leo Butz), are not only brilliantly cast; they're also being squeezed by a boa constrictor of their own making. It's not just the cops, the drug traffickers and their mother (Sissy Spacek) sniffing around the secret that so miserably binds them together. Last season Ben Mendelsohn was mesmerising as Danny Rayburn, a seriously black sheep whose return to his family's little kingdom in the Florida Keys ended very badly. Will Bloodline be able to maintain the same level of interest now that Danny is essentially only available in flashback form? Early indications are that it will and not just because those flashbacks are fairly frequent and illuminating. There's also Danny's son, Nolan (Owen Teague), who has turned up unexpectedly and who has more than a little of his father about him in terms of his looks, his surly menace and the delight takes in unnerving his family. When he asks John "Are you afraid of me?" you have to wonder what, exactly, the kid knows and where he got it from. By the end of the first episode the plot has thickened considerably, and it seems as though something will have to break. Given Kevin's erratic, impulsive nature and his access to commercial quantities of cocaine, it seems likely to be him. Series creators Todd A. Kessler, Daniel Zelman and Glenn Kessler (who also made Damages together) have fashioned a plot that feels like a noose. The cast which includes the likes of Chloe Sevigny, John Leguizamo and two-time Tony Award winner Katie Finneran as supporting players is more than equal to the task. Florida's blinding sunlight, murky mangroves and sultry night continue to provide suitable backdrops for every shade of misery, fear and foul deed. Marvellous. SBS2, 8.30pm Over the past few years TV presenter Stacey Dooley has styled herself as a younger, female Louis Theroux, shining a light in dark places all over the world. Worst Place to Be A Woman sees her travel to the Central American republic of Honduras, where it's none too good to be a man, either. The death rate there is the highest in the world, with women routinely killed as a result of their partners' jealous rages. It's almost part of the culture if a woman is murdered, especially for (allegedly) cheating on their partner, she had it coming, while the men are allowed to have multiple partners. Dooley meets with a range of women who represent what it is to be a female in Honduras. She visits the scene of the crime where Miss Honduras 2014 and her sister were murdered and meets their bereaved mother. She speaks with a female gang member who estimates she has killed more than 40 people, visits a prison full of men unrepentant for their crimes against women, tags along with a rebel group of young women tacking pro-choice posters up around town (abortion is illegal in Honduras), and holds the hand of a 13-year-old rape victim as she gives birth in a room full of other women doing the same. She tells Dooley she wanted a boy. "Us girls suffer more," she says, through tears. That Dooley is a woman, and an everygirl at that, with her broad regional accent and fuss-free appearance, undoubtedly helps her explore places even Theroux might have trouble getting access to like the birthing room of a hospital. She has a nurturing presence that seems to make these women feel comfortable with her, and the result is a revealing, sad snapshot of a culture where females are grossly subordinate. Annabel Ross Pay: Wentworth SoHo, 8.30pm Pamela Rabe has been every bit as terrific as you'd expect this season as her character, governor-turned-prisoner Joan "The Freak" Ferguson, has begun adjusting to life on the inside. Rabe's masterful but judicious command of her own physicality enables her to play Ferguson as multiple different characters within a single scene which is handy when it comes to manipulating the women of Wentworth. It also helps keep the viewer emotionally wrong-footed to a certain extent. After last week's stomach-churning sexual violence it's unclear whether Ferguson is still in control or finally out of her depth. Whatever the case, it has brought out a surprisingly tender side of the fearsome Kaz Proctor (Tammy Macintosh), and those scenes are surprisingly affecting. Ditto the one with Boomer (Katrina Milosevic) and the conjugal visit. Wentworth is in some of its best form at the moment: tightly plotted, full of pathos and eminently watchable. Brad Newsome In 10 years, there will no longer be any renovation shows on television, just a live cam of people shopping at Bunnings. But before that happens we're still subjected to these over-produced and highly-scripted dramas with-a-hammer-and-nails. This episode promises to be the "most ambitious" yet, with the sixth and final full renovation on the boil. The crew has added an extra level to Claire and Hagan's house, which also raises another level of stress to everyone else's lives (see what I did there?). There's a lot of time talking about an Alice in Wonderland-themed bedroom, which is as exciting as it sounds. There's more ridiculous drama than a week's worth of Bold and the Beautiful episodes, but if that's your thing, do indulge. I'm going to stick my head in a bucket of dog hair instead. Alana Schetzer Nat Geo Wild, 7.30pm Now this is what the documentary channels should be specialising in: real nature docos that teach us something about the world and instil an appreciation of nature through jaw-dropping footage of creatures we've never seen before. Tonight Great Blue Wild heads to Cocos Island, 500km off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The reefs clinging to the steep sides of the volcanic peak are home to spotted eagle rays as long as limousines, huge turtles that snack on sea cucumbers, and countless reef sharks that look docile by day but turn into a hungry, writhing swarm at night. When the doco-makers get into a little submersible we get to see even more amazing sights. These include the translucent glass octopus and a pyrosome - hundreds of thousands of tiny bioluminescent creatures that have formed a tube big enough for a human to swim into. Brad Newsome Movie: Bewitched (2005) 7Flix, 8.30pm Bewitched is so stridently unappealing that you start to feel sympathy for the prominent cast flailing away. The original sitcom, which ran on American TV from 1964 to 1972, had a subtle grasp of sexual politics, using Samantha Stevens' witchcraft her ability to fix her husband's mistakes, to achieve anything she wanted as a metaphor for female equality. The film uses a more tired idea: that the workings of the film business are funny. Jack Wyatt (Will Ferrell), a movie star trying to resurrect his career, elects to play Darrin, Samantha's husband, in the show's remake. Self-centred, he demands that an unknown play Samantha, settling on Isabel Bigelow (Nicole Kidman), an actual witch who wants to be what she imagines is normal. Director Nora Ephron, who co-wrote the movie with her sister, Delia, let Ferrell rampage through scenes, while Kidman gets sappy lines like, "Isn't there a spell that can stop you crying?" Craig Mathieson A bleak story from our Indonesia correspondent Jewel Topsfield. She reports President Joko Widodo is proposing castrate or execute child sex offenders. (Australia took a very strong stance against the execution of convicted drug runners last year.) Until I read Jewel's piece I did not realise Indonesia had become the top destination for Australians involved in the grim crimes of child sex tourism. 3. Lambie shines on Kitchen Cabinet Senator Jacqui Lambie with Annabel Crabb from ABC's Kitchen Cabinet. Credit:ABC Annabel Crabb has a brain the size of Jupiter and the very genuine charm to match, so her popular television show Kitchen Cabinet was always destined to be a success - her sixth series began airing on Thursday. Crabb's mission is to execute what so many of us political journos wish we could show - that sometimes with a glass of vino and a good steak these politicians are a bit more complex than the reporting of them, and their own behaviour would suggest. Having said that, Kitchen Cabinet can be a little excruciating at times. Politicians can't act and fall into the trap of trying too hard to be funny because they are around Annabel. Bill Shorten's in particular was one example where it's best to leave the jokes to the fabulously witty Crabb. But Jacqui Lambie, who is one of the more... shall we say outspoken characters in the senate, absolutely shone on last night's episode, basically because with her there is no pretence. She is what she is, raw, funny, self-deprecating and completely unvarnished. I don't think Cory Bernardi, is going to enjoy her choice description of him as a Liberal "born with a silver spoon up his rear-end," this morning. Full program on iView here. On the trail yesterday a win for the sensible heads in Labor - Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen has managed to convince the shadow cabinet to drop a plan to restore the Schoolkids Bonus worth $4.5 billion. But it was not a good day for the opposition all up because not everyone in the Labor party seemed to be up to speed with the decision. However as is the trend of own-goals this election, the government spent yesterday cleaning up Barnaby Joyce's comments linking the live-cattle trade to asylum boats. In other politics news: West Australian Premier Colin Barnett, once the leading light of conservatives, is now unpopular and says if it comes to it, he'll walk the plank rather than go to a leadership contest. 5. UK migration figures This is a big deal. The net migration figure for 2015 was 333,000 and the second-highest on record. And this puts the Brexit debate firmly back into the corner of the Leave campaign who have been battling to fend off the onslaught of warnings from the Remain camp about the damage leaving would cause to the British economy. 6. Jose Mourinho is Manchester United's new manager This story has dominated the news here in football-mad Britain today. Liberal MP Fiona Scott's battle to retain her bellwether seat of Lindsay is under mounting pressure after a Penrith councillor and former Liberal nominated against her. Marcus Cornish, a hard-right Tony Abbott supporter who resigned from the Liberal Party on day one of the election campaign, confirmed he will run against Ms Scott in the marginal western Sydney electorate. "Whilst it has been a difficult decision to leave the Liberal Party and run as a conservative independent, I believe I would do a better job representing the people of Penrith and Lindsay than the current member, or the other alternatives," Cr Cornish said. Outgoing Northern Territory senator Nova Peris has rebuked critics of her shock resignation by insisting that her legacy was intact and pointing to the challenges faced by Indigenous Australians. In an emotional press conference, Senator Peris said she "walked into Parliament as the first Aboriginal woman and until you are an Aboriginal person, do not criticise me for the decisions I have made". She was backed up by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, who said the senator's "choosing the terms on which she leaves" shows her dignity and does not diminish her accomplishments in the Parliament. Bill Shorten will travel to the remote community of Maningrida in West Arnhem Land on Friday to announce that Labor will double the number of Indigenous rangers if it wins government. The Labor leader will meet rangers employed under the Working on Country Indigenous Ranger Program who work on weed and fire control and crocodile management programs. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten at a Sorry Day event in Darwin on Thursday with ALP candidate for Territory seat of Karama, Ngaree Ah Kit, senator Pat Dodson, Eileen Cummings who was removed as a 4-year-old and senator Nova Peris. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen "This is how we can close the gap: one meaningful, practical step at a time," Mr Shorten said. The program was established in 2007 and employs 775 Indigenous people across Australia. Mr Shorten will promise to employ 1550 rangers by 2020-21, at a cost of $200 million over five years. Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie has hit out at conservative Liberal senator Cory Bernardi, describing the South Australian as displaying a "born with a silver spoon up my rear end" attitude and referring to him as an "arsehole". A self-deprecating Senator Lambie, who appeared on the ABC's Kitchen Cabinet on Thursday night, also called for Tasmania's parliamentary representation to be halved, with the number of Senate seats to be slashed from 12 to six. She joked she had only won her seat because of her extended family - her mother has 19 siblings. "How do you think I won my seat? We're all related down here in Tasmania," the senator from Burnie joked. The former soldier, who has openly discussed her battles with depression, a suicide attempt and past addiction to pain killers, proved to be one of host Annabel Crabb's more natural guests, showing off her ball gown collection, which she said she kept to show that women in the military can carry a weapon in the day but still frock up at night. Heard cited "irreconcilable differences" in her divorce petition filed on Monday, just three days after Depp's mother died, US gossip site TMZ said . Actor Amber Heard has reportedly filed for divorce from Hollywood star Johnny Depp, 15 months after they wed. It is believed Heard, 30, is asking for spousal support from Depp, 52, but he has asked the judge through his lawyer, Laura Wasser, to reject her claims. Amber Heard and Johnny Depp will settle their divorce case. Credit:Getty Images It has also been reported that there is no prenuptial agreement. The pair were married on the beach of Depp's private island, Little Halls Pond Cay, in the Bahamas, on February 3 last year with just 24 guests in attendance. Depp and Heard caused controversy in Australia last year when they smuggled their two Yorkshire terriers, Pistol and Boo, into the country without going through quarantine. It got sporty with Alexander Wang and brought military-style bang with Balmain, and now H&M is teaming with French label Kenzo for its next designer collaboration. Models backstage at the Kenzo show at this year's Paris Fashion Week. The French label has announced a collaboration with Swedish fast-fashion chain H&M. Credit:Getty Imges Known for its tribal prints in wild colours and its tiger motif, the Kenzo collection will include pieces for women, men and accessories. Fans of the brand will be praying for sweatshirts with tigers, the brand's signature espadrilles in bold prints and colours for the Australian summer, and more logos than you can shake a selfie-stick at. The Auditor-General's report, released on Thursday, says that in the four years up to 2014-2015, the government spent $350 million less than was budgeted for early childhood education, including holding back $227 million in funds received from the federal government. The opposition says that means disadvantaged children who would benefit the most from early childhood education are the ones most likely to miss out. The Auditor-General says the state government has hoarded hundreds of millions in funding budgeted for the early childhood sector, while high fees keep many families from sending their kids to childcare or preschool. Meanwhile, in 2015, only 77 per cent of children in the year before school were enrolled in the minimum standard of 600 hours of early childhood education (15 hours per week), well short of the government benchmark of 95 per cent. The report blames poor targeting of funding. More funds for preschool places. Credit:iStock NSW childcare and preschool fees are the highest in the country, where the government invests less in early childhood education than any other state: $202 per child, compared to $357 in Victoria, $598 in Tasmania and $644 in South Australia, according to the Productivity Commission. Labor's early childhood education spokeswoman, Kate Washington, said the Auditor-General's report was "damning". "Seeing that 77 per cent of kids only in NSW are accessing 15 hours or more of preschool each week, which is well below every other state and territory in Australia, and far below the benchmark. We know it comes down to the basic thing that preschool and long-day-care fees are the highest of any other state or territory, and that's due to the lack of government investment in early childhood education. The scars of child abuse linger in the bodies of victims long after they've grown up, manifesting in physical symptoms that hint at their trauma, an Australian psychiatrist says. It could be pelvic pain and stomach aches in a woman who suffered repeated sexual abuse as a young child, or back pain in a man who was beaten by his father, or more-complex conditions such as autoimmune disease, asthma, psoriasis and type 2 diabetes. "There's something about early childhood trauma that makes you more vulnerable to illness later in life, independent of coping mechanisms like smoking, alcohol or overeating," psychiatrist Dr Michelle Atchison told delegates at the Royal Australian College of Physicians congress in Adelaide this month. The younger a victim is and the more frequent the abuse, the more likely they are to develop complex post-traumatic stress disorder, Dr Atchison said. A babysitter who was involved in a crash in northern NSW last year, in which her four-year-old passenger died, has been charged with dangerous driving occasioning death. The crash became a story of unimaginable tragedy for NSW Police Sergeant Steven Underhill, who was called to the scene only to discover his daughters were trapped in the wreckage. Courteney Matthews, 18, was driving a red Mazda 323 with sisters Elle, 4, and Elaina, 2, in the back seat on December 18. A third girl, aged seven, was in the front passenger seat, Ms Matthews' car was torn in half when it was involved in a collision with a Subaru Liberty about 10 kilometres east of Casino about 1.20pm. An alleged Islamic State sympathiser, accused of carving lettering representing the group's "eye for an eye" mantra into his cell mate's forehead, has appeared briefly in a NSW court via videolink. Bourhan Hraichie, 19, allegedly used a sharp object in April to etch "e4e" into the forehead of Michael O'Keefe, 40, while the pair were incarcerated at Kempsey, on the state's Mid North Coast. It is also alleged that Hraichie choked O'Keefe and poured boiling water on his face. O'Keefe, who claimed to be a former soldier, allegedly suffered a broken sternum in the attack. Hraichie, who has since been relocated to Goulburn's Supermax prison, sat with his arms crossed during his brief video appearance in Port Macquarie Local Court on Wednesday. It is understood that Mr Belan wanted the information from the electoral roll in order to help a friend locate a rival in a relationship dispute. In what could prove to be a severe embarrassment to the federal party in the middle of an election campaign, the former general secretary is being prosecuted for allegedly leaking confidential enrolment details to his factional ally, the disgraced union boss Derrick Belan. A former head of the NSW branch of the Labor Party, Jamie Clements, has been charged by the NSW Electoral Commission for disclosing protected information. Mr Clements, who was forced to resign earlier this year over sexual harassment claims, has been served with a court attendance notice to appear at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on June 7 charged with two breaches of the Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Act. According to a statement issued by the NSW Electoral Commission, the commission alleges that a former senior NSW Australian Labor Party official in May 2015 disclosed protected information for a purpose not permitted under the act. The statement goes on to say that "in June 2015, the man used the information, that had been lawfully provided by the Electoral Commissioner ... for a purpose not permitted under the act". Mr Clements faces potential fines of $22,000 for each breach of the act. Earlier this year Mr Clements told News Corp: "I have never accessed any information from the electoral roll. No information was provided to Derrick Belan. These claims are false and part of an attempt to smear me." A senior police negotiator has conceded one of Lindt cafe gunman Man Haron Monis' demands should have been used as a tool to get hostages out of the deadly siege. It adds weight to the suggestion Monis' demand for the lights outside the cafe to be turned off on the night of December 15, 2014 might have been a missed opportunity for police. As the siege neared its 12th hour that day, a hostage relayed the demand in a call to a police negotiator just after 8:30pm. A police officer who was leading the negotiation team on the ground has told an inquest how he pushed the demand up the chain of the command but never got an answer. A man has been charged after he allegedly fled from police who were trying to arrest him, leading to a car chase lasted almost five hours from the Central Coast to western Sydney. The chase began at 11am on Thursday after police arrived at a house in Wattanobbi, near Wyong, to arrest a man on outstanding warrants. When the 40-year-old saw officers, he allegedly picked up a two-year-old boy who was also in the house and fled in a flatbed truck. Police began a pursuit, which was called off when they saw the child. Officers and the police helicopter continued to follow the truck from a distance. Overcrowding on trains running through central parts of Sydney in the morning peak is getting worse, new figures show, making it more difficult for services to run on time. Average passenger loads on trains across all lines in the morning have surged 10 percentage points in the past year to 114 per cent, a sign of the rapidly rising demand for public transport and the strain that is placing on the aged rail network. Trains stopping at Redfern Station on the Inner West Line have the highest average passenger loads between 8am and 9am, at 141 per cent. Passengers begin to suffer from overcrowding when trains have loads of 135 per cent, which is the benchmark used by transport officials. A man has been charged after allegedly indecently assaulting a young work experience student at a licensed club in Sydney. The 16-year-old girl had gone to the club in Smithfield on Monday as part of her high school's work experience program. A NSW Police spokeswoman said the girl was working in the catering department of the club during the day on Monday when a club employee allegedly indecently assaulted her. The girl reported the incident to police, who launched an investigation. Police on Thursday arrested a 38-year-old man and charged him with two counts of aggravated indecent assault. Diverting recycled water to irrigate hundreds of millions of dollars worth of crops on the Darling Downs and the Lockyer Valley is back on the federal government agenda after almost two decades. The ballpark figure for the cost of the NuWater "Recycled wastewater to Darling Downs project" is estimated at "less than $600 million." A new study into using recycled wastewater on crops on the Lockyer Valley and the Darling Downs is underway. Credit:Shelley L. Dennis Lockyer Valley alone produces more than $263 million in agriculture and vegetables each year, with the Darling Downs providing considerably more. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Thursday promised $650,000 to look again at using recycled effluent from Southeast Queensland to water crops in the Lockyer Valley and Darling Downs. Member for Cook Billy Gordon has to "explain himself", Leader of the House Stirling Hinchliffe says. "Personally, I think it's a failed model," Mr Entsch said. "While he (Mr Pearson) has some great ideas, they shouldn't be at the expense of the community." Noel Pearson has fired back at criticism from federal MP Warren Entsch. Credit:Peter Eve In return, Mr Pearson questioned what Mr Entsch had done for Indigenous peoples and Far North Queensland in general. "What would he know? Absolute truths, what would Warren know?" he told ABC radio. "All of that is just motivated by his enmity for me. "Why would you compromise success with aboriginal children and learning just because you have enmity for Noel Pearson, and it is a long-standing enmity that Warren and I have had. Quite frankly, it's mutual." He also compared living and working conditions for teachers in the town to Afghanistan. "There is a terrible insecurity in relation to the premises that teachers live in," he said. "It's disgusting. To go out to remote areas, the hardest gigs in education, this is the Afghanistan of teaching, it's that hard. "The least they should expect is good accommodation that is safe, quiet and we haven't guaranteed that." Speaking to News Corp, Aurukun Mayor Dereck Walpo said welfare reform in the town hadn't worked and labelled the current education system an "abysmal failure". The publication reported council support for a plan for Aboriginal elders to teach the next generation of youth old songs, dances and hunt bush tucker. Mr Gordon said it was time for the state's leaders to open their minds, as well as their ears, and help the community move forward. "I think anytime senior women in an aboriginal community speak, we all have to sit down and listen and take notice. I've heard Bruce Martin on ABC radio this morning in far North Queensland this morning talking about listening to elders and women particularly, and I pleased to hear, obviously, women felt the need to first of all - outline their concerns and their feelings. "The Premier is going up to Aurukun tomorrow and I am having a meeting a little later tonight to confirm that she is going to be sitting down with key people up there, particularly the women. "Unfortunately, I can not go, I have had a death in the family, so I have to go back to my family, but I have had a briefing with the Premier's people this morning, where they have outlined some of their thinking. "But it is, interesting to hear the comments - Bruce made a very valid point that we have to start listening to women and elders. Should there have been more consultation before closing the school? "It is a tough situation, when you have got, obviously the teaching workforce feeling like they can't perform their job, you know, there are conflicting priorities here, in terms of respecting somebody's right to feel safe in their work place and where they live, but also understanding for every reaction there is a reaction and a reaction of this size, where we are going to have this void for six weeks, where anyone who knows anything about Aboriginal communities, particularly communities like Aurukun, the schools are such an epicentre of goodwill and good things, a source of pride for a community - so I shared my views and feelings about that as well. "I do know the Premier's people and the government and the education department and other relevant agencies are working hard to fill that void, by rolling out some programs through the PCYC up there next week, and taking up a couple of teachers and some other people, an experienced principal from what I understand, obviously that is no substitute for the school operating up there, but it is the best situation that I think this extraordinary situation...it is the best situation, approach to this extraordinary situation that the government finds itself and the community finds itself in. Should the Premier have attended the first meeting a fortnight ago? "I think sending up Curtis Pitt, the Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, was the right move at the time. "Obviously things have escalated and I applaud the Premier for intervening and putting her hand up to visit the community. "First of all, it shows all stakeholders that she is committed and concerned with this issue, and it has obviously elevated, escalated to where she has felt compelled and I think there is some public pressure for her to actually travel to the community and see for herself and talk to people herself, I think that was the key. "I called on Curtis, or the government, a fortnight ago, when there was the initial evacuation which occurred for the government to attend a community meeting up there, that Curtis and I eventually attended, so they have been responsive in that regard. "Nobody saw that we saw that we would be in this situation a few days after the teachers returned. Hindsight is a great thing, but I think right now, the way the government and the Premier has responded has been sufficient. Are you concerned the community will be demonised and further marginalised by these incidents? "I do have concerns, because there is a lot of great things that happen in this community, it is community rich and strong in culture and it's history and as Derek would tell you, the Mayor, Dereck Walpo, there are some great things happening there and there are 100 or so kids who have actually been doing the right thing. "It is not what happens inside the school, it is the dysfunction and the disadvantage around them which contributes to a lot of the trouble. "I have been hearing today that things are fine in the school environment, it is things outside and their level of personal safety outside, the level of violent behaviour and the lawlessness that has contributed to this issue and also, this latest evacuation." The government has increased the number of police from eight to 21, with another four to arrive this weekend. Has their reaction been fair? "Every other government agency and service delivery agency that operates in that community, it is operating in an extreme environment - they are operating and dealing with all these things coming at them that they are not prepared for, so they are acting on the run and I think that plays over to policing. "But where people break the law, they need to be punished, we can not turn a blind eye to where laws have been broken. "They need to be dealt with appropriately. I know issues about resourcing, [police minister] Bill Byrne I note is going up with the Premier tomorrow, so I have asked for a full briefing from the government, particularly on all of those areas, health, education and law and order, upon their return - because I am really keen on what are the outcomes of this trip. "Right now, we need to be able to go up there with a clear mind, an open mind, listen to concerns to everyone in the community, particularly those elders and women and come back with a clear idea about a way forward. "I did ask for more people to be engaged, particularly indigenous educators - moving on, we don't want to be here in another six months time where teachers are being evacuated again - let's come up with a model of sustainability of delivering education in that community, that teachers are prepared, supported [and from the community as well]." Do more employment opportunities need to be part of the solution? "I think that's it, the other thing too, is we have a huge cast of other people coming into the community and delivering services there - and I have been talking about economic development opportunities there, and I have seen that first thing in the Gulf Communities when the Century Mine kicked off, all of a sudden you created this black middle class, where people had six figure salaries all of a sudden they were owning their own cars, they were sending their kids to boarding school, they were going on family holidays - they are the building blocks of strong healthy vibrant communities and families, but we need to get to that point there of creating job opportunities. "The amount of money the government and non-government agencies are spending on delivering services there is immense. "If we could start creating opportunities for people, it would improve their self-esteem, have a greater sense of purpose about their lives. "I mean, you are living in an isolated community, where there are limited services. "You can't go down to the corner coffee shop, you can't go to a movie, you can't go to South Bank to have a meal with friends, you are very isolated and very isolated in terms of services- health, education, mobile phones, internet access, and you have unemployment and they are all recipes for a feeling of hopelessness. "And we have to start addressing that. "I don't think we plan for a day where we don't need a health service here, because everyone is healthy, we don't plan to cross the finish line. "I don't think we do enough of that in Aurukun. It disturbs me that, in my time working in the Cape and working in indigenous affairs, long before politics, that Aurukun seems to be, it has to be the litmus test on how well successive governments respond to the issue there. "What we don't want is buck passing and we are seeing a bit of that today, but we also have to be honest about what is working and what is not. "I do embrace an open and honest debate about what is working and what isn't working and how we go about changing that. We have an obligation to the state tax payers to make sure that government expenditure within communities on resources, that we are getting our bang for our buck. "But that we are also making a difference to the lives of the people that matter. That's what is about." Does there need to be an end to successive governments changing policies and strategies in this space? "It is kind of like my view of vegetation management - let's come up with a piece of legislation that stands the test of time. "Because as a legislator, I don't want to be back here, at the next change of government, debating another vegetation management bill. Let's get it right now. "It is the same thing [here]. We just need to put in place sensible policies. Just because it has a ALP or LNP stamp on it, doesn't change the merits of it. "It is about changing people's lives for the better. Chopping and changing [policies] government's changing over a period of time, it is disheartening. "I have seen it often enough in Aboriginal communities, where we have got good programs that all of a sudden have to change because all of a sudden we have new policy about this particular problem that this particular program was dealing with. Brisbane City Council's Labor opposition has warned of an upcoming rates hike to pay for the Liberal National Party administration's planned $1.54 billion Brisbane Metro public transport system. Lord Mayor Graham Quirk told a Brisbane Metro industry briefing on Wednesday the project would come with some "financial pain" for the council. The seven-kilometre Brisbane Metro is expected to cost $1.54 billion. "It will stretch council's resources, there's no question about that," he said. Labor opposition leader Peter Cumming seized on those remarks and said they pointed to the prospect of a rates hike. Apple has injected $1 billion into Chinese ride-sharing company Didi Chuxing, further fuelling tech industry moves to amalgamate self-driving car systems, electric vehicles and ride sharing so that companies can sell rides in self-driving vehicles, generating revenue day and night. Apple boss Tim Cook said recently that investing in the leading Chinese ride sharing service could expand its presence in that "very, very important" market, and serve other ends as well. Ford is one of several big auto makers aiming to dominate the self-driving car market. "We are making the investment for a number of strategic reasons, including a chance to learn more about certain segments of the China market, and we also see lots of opportunities for closer co-operation between the two companies. Of course, we believe it will deliver a strong return for our invested capital over time as well," he said earlier this month. Analysts said Apple's investment also could bolster relations with the Chinese government, and put a roadblock in the way of rivals Alphabet and Uber, among others, looking to profit from re-making the personal transportation market. Women used warmer, gentler words in their status updates on Facebook compared to men, who were more likely to swear, express anger and use argumentative language, a study of 10 million postings has found. In a bit of a surprise, the study showed that women used slightly more assertive language, said H. Andrew Schwartz, an assistant professor of computer science at Stony Brook University and one of its authors. Are women gentler on Facebook than men? A new study indicates that they are. Credit:iStock The study, "Women are Warmer but No Less Assertive Than Men: Gender and Language on Facebook," was a data-driven analysis of the words used by more than 65,000 Facebook users who gave researchers permission to examine their status updates. That shift in assertiveness might reflect the cultural and societal changes brought about by a generation that heavily uses social media, said Margaret L. Kern, a senior lecturer at the Centre for Positive Psychology at the University of Melbourne and one of the study's authors. In the study, the user's average age was 26. A Children's Court security guard has been found guilty of the sexual penetration of a 14-year-old girl he met while at work. Franco Abad, 32, was a Wilson Security guard working at the entrance of the Melbourne Children's Court when he first met the 14-year-old girl on July 20 last year. The security guard and the young girl began a relationship when they shared a cigarette outside the Children's Court. Credit:Andrew De La Rue The vulnerable girl, who had turned 14 just a couple of months earlier and who was under the care of the Department of Health and Human Services, was there for a court matter. On Tuesday, the County Court was told the pair had a cigarette together outside, got talking, and exchanged numbers. The French government has thrown fresh doubt over the future of the Hazelwood power station, signalling the owner will close or sell the greenhouse-intensive Victorian plant as part of an "exit plan" from coal. In a documentary aired on public broadcaster France 2 that highlighted the impact of the 2014 Hazelwood coal mine fire, French Environment Minister Segolene Royal said the part-government owned utility ENGIE would "disengage" from the Australian plant. The French government has signalled the owner of the Hazelwood power station will close or sell the Victorian plant. Credit:Joe Armao Ms Royal spoke after she was presented on camera with a postcard from green group Environment Victoria. The postcard, sent as part of a mass mailing campaign, has a picture of the mine fire with "Greetings from Victoria". It called on the French government to retire the plant, which generates up to a quarter of Victoria's electricity and employs about 500 people. ENGIE, which owns 72 per cent of Hazelwood, announced last year that it would not invest in new coal plants. Its new chief executive, Isabelle Kocher, told a French Senate committee on Wednesday that it was considering closing or selling Hazelwood, but did not offer a timeframe. He was last seen in Bacchus Marsh wearing no shoes. Now grave fears are held for Toolleen grandfather Keith Foggin, who has been missing for eight months. The last sighting of Mr Foggin was at a mechanics workshop on Millbank Street in Bacchus Marsh at around 10.30am on Thursday, September 24, 2015. Mr Foggin visited a supermarket and hardware store on the day he disappeared. Credit:Victoria Police The 47-year-old has not used his phone or accessed his bank accounts since. His daughter Cassie Davies, who lives in Queensland, said she became extremely concerned about her father after a few days passed and she had not heard from him. Former Labor premier John Cain has lashed the state government and opposition over a tit-for-tat war in parliament about releasing secret government documents. Mr Cain criticised the secrecy surrounding many documents, including a confidential Grand Prix report, saying taxpayers had a right to know how their money was spent. Former premier John Cain has criticised the secrecy surrounding many documents. Credit:Jason South He also called for a review of what constituted "cabinet-in-confidence" with too many reports and contracts hidden from the public eye. Mr Cain slammed both sides of politics for refusing to adequately reform freedom-of-information laws to give the public greater access to government documents. Somewhere out there, most likely in Victoria. is a person who has won $40 million and doesn't even know it. Tatts is on the hunt for the mystery winner of Tuesday's Oz Lotto jackpot. The winning, unregistered ticket was purchased in the South Gippsland town of Leongatha, about 135 kilometres south-east of Melbourne. As news spread on Thursday, Leongatha locals were frantically checking their lotto tickets. Books, plays and films studied for VCE will soon be screened to ensure they don't offend religious and cultural groups. Education Minister James Merlino has ordered the Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority (VCAA) to review its text selection process for VCE English, literature, drama and theatre studies. Cast of the play, Tales of A City by the Sea, when it premiered in 2014. Credit:Simon Schluter A spokesman for Mr Merlino said the Minister requested to "extend" the guidelines to "ensure that the views and sensitivities of cultural and religious groups are considered". A professional gambler was found in possession of an unregistered pistol during a police search of a hotel room in Melbourne's Crown casino complex, a court has heard. Chinese national Renxiong Xu, 26, had a French military semi-automatic pistol and five bullets inside in a Louis Vuitton handbag that was next him while seated in a room in the Crown Towers Hotel last Thursday, Melbourne Magistrates Court heard. The professional gambler had a French military semi-automatic pistol and five bullets in his room at the Crown complex Credit:Jessica Shapiro Police discovered the gun and ammunition when they searched the room, according to court documents released on Thursday. Mr Xu is charged with possessing an unregistered weapon and possessing ammunition without a licence. Fancy a swim in the Yarra River? Watercraft regulations make it illegal and water quality makes it questionable - especially after it rains - but a not-for-profit group wants to change that by building a floating swimming pool on the river's edge that would cost at least $6 million. The Yarra Swim Co has released a concept design for the pool it suggests could be built on the banks of the Yarra next to Enterprize Park, where Melbourne's settlers moored their ship in 1835. The concept was released on Thursday night as part of Australia's Venice Biennale Exhibition, opening this week. Tasmanian man Rye Duval Hunt has been declared missing in Rio De Janeiro after disappearing from the city's international airport on Saturday. Mr Hunt, 25, disappeared from the airport on May 21 and has not accessed his bank accounts or social media accounts since. Rye Hunt has now been missing for two weeks. He had been working in Western Australia when he left the state indefinitely on April 7 for what he described on Facebook as "an adventure to see the world". "Unsure of what the future has in store for us, stay safe everybody, hope to see you all upon our return," Mr Hunt said in his post. A Perth company has been fined after one of its workers suffered serious acid burns in a chemical spill. The man, a supervisor for the Bassendean-based chemical supply firm, walked into a specially-built containment structure shortly after sulphuric acid was spilled in March last year, sustaining serious burns to his leg, which required skin grafts. Agent Sales and Services was fined $5000 for failing to report the incident to the West Australian Department of Mines and Petroleum, which was only made aware of the incident after being contacted by WorkSafe and the injured man's wife. - AAP Joe Dresnok in front of a statue of the late president Kim Ul Sung as seen in the documentary Crossing the Line. "No, I mean the very top leaders of the US," James clarified. Ted and James are the sons of Dresnok and a Romanian woman, Doina Bumbea, who was reportedly abducted by North Korea. Charles Jenkins, another US serviceman who defected to North Korea but was allowed to leave in 2004, described Bumbea as a Romanian abductee in his memoirs and said she died of cancer in 1997. James and Ted Dresnok are interviewed by Roh Kil-nam, who is a naturalised US citizen. Credit:Screegrab Dresnok is then thought to have married the daughter of a North Korean woman and a Togolese diplomat, and they are said to have had a son, Tony. (North Korea is big on blood purity and won't allow foreigners to marry Koreans, meaning that the foreigners get matched up among themselves.) Ted and James said that Tony was at school at the time they did the interview, which was apparently carried out in Pyongyang after the much-hyped congress of the Korean Workers' Party this month. James Dresnok: "Due to the worsening situation on the Korean peninsula, I decided to work for the military." Credit:Screegrab All three sons, along with Dresnok's third wife, appeared in Crossing the Line, a British documentary about the former American and his life in North Korea. That film showed the older boys speaking English with a Korean accent. Dresnok came from a difficult background and was going through a difficult period - his wife had left him and he was in trouble with his superiors - when he decided to cross the demilitarised zone into North Korea in 1962. He was 21. Ted Dresnok was born in Pyongyang "under the generous care of Kim Jong ll". Credit:Screegrab He taught English and appeared in television shows and movies - always playing the "evil American". Now 75 and in poor health, Dresnok hasn't been heard of for several years. But his sons were apparently trotted out to extol the glories of the "socialist paradise" into which they were born. Each contact with the media is highly scripted in North Korea, but it's impossible to tell whether the men were saying what they'd been told to say or if, after spending their entire lives in North Korea, they really think this. Here's what they said: Ted: He said he was born in Pyongyang on December 13, 1980. "Under the generous care of Kim Jong ll," he went to an elementary school and foreign language schools and then the Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies, majoring in English and Japanese. He said he is now working at a defence education facility, part of the Workers' Party. He is married to 36-year-old Ri Ok, and they have a 7-year-old daughter and a 6-year-old son. James: Prompted, he said he volunteered to join the military in 2014. "Thanks to the general's hospitality, we receive gifts on every national holiday. I'm very grateful for the socialism system. Due to the worsening situation on the Korean peninsula, I decided to work for the military." He said he met his wife through workmates, and that they have a 6-year-old daughter. On their father: Ted: I heard a lot about his life. The more I hear, the more I think he chose the right path. Had he not come to North Korea, it wouldn't have been possible for him to live as he does. He was much loved by the country and his small achievements were appreciated greatly. I think about the different life I would be living had my father been living in the US. James: He was an orphan, but his misery wasn't due to his or his family's fault, rather it was due to American society. It's due to policies made by the privileged in the US. On their dreams: Ted: My precious dream is to become a Workers' Party member and pay back my gratitude to my general [Kim Jong Un]. I want to stand in a unified country by my general. James: My lifelong dream is similar to my brother's. I want to serve my mother country with my life and bring about the unification of the Koreas so the world will see the superiority of Kim's Korea. On North Korea-US relations: Ted: As Kim Jong Un said at the congress, the US should sign a peace treaty with North Korea and withdraw its forces and nuclear weapons from the Korean peninsula. It's the quickest way to solve the current issue. James: The US keeps talking about the North Korean threat, but it seems that's the only way they can justify their East Asian strategy. When two kids fight, and one kid hits the other with a wooden stick, the other kid picks up a wooden stick too. When the enemy makes nuclear weapons and threatens us with them, we make nuclear weapons to defend ourselves. Suggestions for the United States: Ted: The US wants to make a big deal out of North Korean human rights issues. We are enjoying very equal and free lives here. But look at the US. A white police officer shoots a black citizen in clear daylight, treating black people's lives as if they were as worthless as flies. I want to tell Americans to break away from their leaders' mindsets and begin peace negotiations with us. That's the only way to save yourselves. Yoonjung Seo in Seoul contributed to this report. Jakarta: Child sex offenders could be executed or chemically castrated in Indonesia under a crackdown following the brutal gang rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl. Indonesia, especially Bali, is a blackspot for Australian paedophiles - in 2014 it eclipsed Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia to become the number one destination for Australian child sex tourists. Australian man Robert Andrew Fiddes Ellis, currently in jail in Bali on child molestation charges. Indonesian President Joko Widodo this week announced a regulation - effective immediately - that would allow judges to sentence child rapists to death or order that they be chemically castrated. Bangkok: The Turnbull government is attempting to salvage Australia's $55 million agreement to send refugees to Cambodia at a time when the country's leader, Hun Sen, has launched the worst crackdown on freedoms in recent memory. Australian officials on Nauru have convinced two Iranian refugees to take a one-way ticket to Phnom Penh by portraying the south-east Asian nation as a kind of tropical utopia with no violent crime, refugee advocates say. But Cambodia's security forces are behind escalating political intimidation, the suppression of political expression and restrictions on freedom of assembly, according to opposition figures and human rights groups. In a report released on Thursday, Human Rights Watch linked Mr Hun Sen's bodyguard unit to an attack outside Cambodia's parliament last October in which two opposition MPs were dragged from their cars and beaten, kicked and stomped unconscious. For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser PHILIPSBURG:--- The Board of directors of the St Maarten Chamber of Commerce and Industry (COCI) has taken keen notice of Governments decision to discontinue the issuance of the Hurricane passes to the St Maarten Business Community.. COCI, has pooled its membership, there in a number of hotels and guest house properties owners and managers, in an effort to obtain their sentiments on the decision of the government, ( published via the local media on May 3rd 2016, In its press release stating: hurricane pass application process starts May 3rd, no passes for business owners and hotel staff) to suddenly cease the issuance of Hurricane Passes for the 2016. In recent years the Government issued photo ID hurricane passes to business owners and key hotel personnel, upon approved request, but decided to drastically change this policy, without any prior consultation on the matter. COCI Board, through its Executive Director Mr. Claret Connor has requested a meeting with representatives of the Emergency Disaster Management Group of St Maarten Mr. Paul Martens and Fire Chief Mr. Clive Richardson to discuss the reasons for the change and solutions that could mitigate its effect. COCI will in discussion with the Disaster Management Group share the information obtained from its membership and will make recommendations to Government on the policy change The Board of Directors of COCI beliefs that additional measures and/or conditions to the use of hurricane passes could have been considered and implemented to address concerns of first responders and still permit key business owners access to a pass. Given that it is unclear which exemptions may apply for specific industries, a meeting is believed to be essential in addressing this policy and its concerns. COCI takes this opportunity to remind and encourage all business and property owners to ensure that their internal hurricane procedures and disaster plans are updated, and to remain vigilant and proactive during this years hurricane season. COCI will continue to keep the business and local community abreast of this issue. GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- An Emergency Committee (EC) regarding yellow fever was convened by the Director-General under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) on 19 May with respect to the urban outbreak of the aforementioned in Angola and its national and international spread to the Democratic Republic of Congo, China and Kenya. The Collective Prevention Service (CPS), a department of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA), is urging persons who plan to travel to in particular Angola or Kenya, or continental Africa, to consult their family physician about their yellow fever vaccination status. Persons who would like additional information about yellow fever should consult their family physician. Yellow fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. Symptoms of yellow fever include fever, headache, jaundice, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. A small proportion of patients who contract the virus develop severe symptoms and approximately half of those die within seven to 10 days. Yellow fever is prevented by an extremely effective vaccine. A single dose of yellow fever vaccine is sufficient to confer sustained immunity and life-long protection against yellow fever disease. The vaccine provides effective immunity within 30 days for 99 per cent of persons vaccinated. The EC has taken the decision that the urban yellow fever outbreaks in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo is a serious public health event which warrants intensified national action and enhanced international support. The Committee decided that based on the information provided via teleconference on 19 May, the event does not at this time constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. One of the immediate measures to be taken by the at-risk countries and countries having land borders with the affected countries is the assurance of yellow fever vaccination of all travelers, and especially migrant workers, to and from Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo. Canada May 26, 2016 J. F. Conway No CCF Government will rest content until it has eradicated capitalism and put into operation the full programme of socialized planning which will lead to the establishment in Canada of the Co-operative Commonwealth. Regina Manifesto, 1933 The years of compromise and moderation were about to bear fruit in 2015. In 1933 the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) proudly declared itself a socialist party dedicated to the eradication of capitalism and building a socialist economy and society. Voices of moderation within the party appealed to the partys rank-and-file to be more pragmatic, less ideologically pure. A sustained attack by the capitalist press joined the chorus from outside the party. These voices became more urgent as the CCF achieved some electoral success, most importantly the 1944 victory in Saskatchewan. The capitalist press now combined the usual nasty red-baiting with sage advice to the CCF about not being too dangerously radical. The road to victory in Ottawa required a softening of the partys language, a moderation of its hard program, and friendly assurances to business to overcome capitals fears. M. J. Coldwell, J. S. Wordsworths successor as national leader, bitterly complained the Regina Manifesto was a millstone around the neck of the party. It had to go. In 1956 it was replaced by the moderate Winnipeg Declaration. As the years went by, the language of the party, and its programs, became increasingly moderate: no more talk of socialism, public ownership of resources and industry, nationalization. Each failure to advance electorally was met with yet more moderation and so it went. This pact with Satan progressed as the party traded pieces of its socialist soul for the elusive promise of electoral victory. In the end all that was left was a commitment to moderate social democracy, the welfare state, and the use of a cautiously interventionist state to win incremental advances in social and economic justice. In private, and at party conventions, the word socialism was still uttered from time to time, usually to defend the strategy of socialism by stealth from the partys left. Embracing Neoliberalism The final surrender occurred in response to the triumph of global neoliberalism in the 1990s characterized by a successful assault on the welfare state and activist governments. NDP premiers Bob Rae of Ontario, Roy Romanow of Saskatchewan, and Mike Harcourt of BC, and federal leader Audrey McLaughlin, abandoned social democracy and embraced neoliberalism. From then on NDP election campaigns jettisoned basic social democratic program proposals while critically supporting neoliberalism, arguing it should not be so harsh, but characterized by a human face and a helping hand. The inner circle insisted the party retained social democracy as an ultimate goal, pointing to the partys constitution promising the application of democratic socialist principles to government. This final compromise seemed to bear tangible electoral fruit after Jack Layton became leader, leading the party in four elections (2004, 2006, 2008, 2011). Each election saw a significant gain in seats culminating in the outstanding showing in 2011, 103 seats with 31 per cent of the vote. As Official Opposition the NDP was one election away from federal power. The long cherished hope of replacing the Liberals was finally realized. Laytons flirtation with neoliberalism was viewed by the party establishment as a pragmatic electoral tactic. No one doubted Laytons core commitment to moderate social democracy. In creating the conditions for the NDP sweep of Quebec in 2011 (59 of 75 seats), Laytons political savvy combined with historical circumstances. Layton recruited Tom Mulcair to the NDP, made him his Quebec lieutenant, convinced Mulcair could assist in making gains in Quebec, long a wasteland for the party. This was a controversial choice since Mulcair, though a party member of the federal NDP in Quebec, served in the cabinet of Jean Charests Liberal government (1994-2007), where he established a reputation of being on the right on economic policy: a committed fiscal conservative who embraced the core economic ideology of neoliberalism. Mulcair made history as the first NDP MP elected and re-elected in Quebec, winning the 2007 by-election in Outremount, long a Liberal bastion, winning re-election in 2008. He was named co-deputy leader by Layton. Mulcairs political and organizational skills, Laytons charismatic charm, the NDPs Sherbrooke Declaration (a referendum on sovereignty required 50 per cent plus 1), the collapse of the Liberals over the Sponsorship Scandal, and the loathing of Stephen Harper across Quebec, combined to bring about the Orange Crush in 2011. But federal power was a possibility built on a foundation of illusion. The NDPs dramatic sweep of Quebec was not reflected in significant gains in the other regions: 15 of 92 seats in the West; 22 of 106 in Ontario; 6 of 32 in Atlantic Canada; 1 of 3 in the North. To win power the NDP had to consolidate its support in Quebec while persuading voters in other regions it was time to give the party the mantle of power. A daunting task. Layton might have been up for the challenge, but his death in August 2011 left the party leaderless at the most important conjuncture of electoral forces in its history. Total Retreat from Social Democracy The outcome of the leadership contest was the final element in a total retreat from social democracy, even as a core belief hidden from public view. Tom Mulcair won the leadership narrowly (57 to 43%) after a divisive campaign against the established moderate social democratic leadership core, led by Ed Broadbent and Brian Topp, Mulcairs rival and Laytons chief of staff. They argued Mulcair was not a social democrat and the NDPs core values would disappear under his leadership. But the tantalizing dream of imminent power was too much for the party. Enough delegates were convinced Mulcair could secure the Quebec seats and go on to win power. Mulcair put his autocratic stamp on the party, including amending the constitution to eliminate the partys commitment to apply democratic socialist principles to government. Mulcair was convinced the NDP must transform into a mature, responsible, and non-ideological government in waiting. Above all it had to convey the image of a party able to manage the economy with prudence. When Harper called the 2015 election, polls revealed that two in three voters wanted change, i.e., Harpers defeat. Voters appeared prepared to vote strategically en masse for the party best able to achieve change. At first the NDP was the obvious contender, as the Official Opposition with early polls recording a tie between the three parties. The odd poll showed the NDP ticking ahead of the Liberals. Then the Mulcair campaign imploded. Campaigning on the slogan ready for change, Mulcair presented a cautious plan for change: balanced budgets and no new taxes on the wealthy were the first priorities, while all the good social programs promised would only be realized over years of careful spending and balanced budgets. Trudeaus Liberals pounced with the slogan real change, promising deficit spending immediately upon election to renew infrastructure and enhance program spending. The rest is a sad chapter in NDP history as Mulcair stumbled to a third place finish. Mulcairs apologists insist his principled stand against the proposed Tory ban on women wearing the niqab during citizenship oaths began his decline. This is not what hurt Mulcair, since Trudeau took the same position. Mulcairs problem was that a number of Quebec NDP MPs and candidates publicly equivocated on the issue, creating a controversy with legs in Quebec and across Canada. The public divisions hurt the party. But the niqab was a side issue. The real issue was the Liberal party had risen from the ashes of defeat to seize the mantle of the social democratic option in the election, promising big changes now. Mulcair paid the price for the partys sins and his role in the final temptation. The April 2016 federal NDP convention ousted him from the leadership in a 48 to 52 per cent vote, uncannily reflecting a reversal of the margin of his leadership victory. A coalition of the core social democratic establishment, which had resisted his leadership, joined ranks with labour, the left, and Alberta delegates to end his career. He had promised victory and failed. The party was deeply embarrassed at being so badly outflanked on the left by the Liberals. Albertas delegates were angry over his refusal to enthusiastically support new pipelines and his willingness to accept the green Leap Manifesto as a basis for internal debate on the partys renewal. Wither the post-Mulcair NDP? What was left of the partys credibility as an agent of change toward a socialist and green economy and society is in tatters. Even if the Leap Manifesto is adopted, either it will be watered down to platitudes or suffer the same fate as the Regina Manifesto. Already the right of the party has called it political madness and has been dutifully joined by the capitalist press, declaiming the NDP is again on a left-wing path to suicide. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, in an echo of Coldwell, has made it clear that even talking about the manifesto is a millstone around the neck of her government. Thanks to the Mulcair episode, the NDP has earned a place in the dustbin of history, but is unlikely to go there willingly. It will need a push from the growing left outside the party. Kauf und Ubertragung einfach und sicher Uns vertrauen Kunden weltweit May 25, 2016 US Foods Teamsters escalate labor actions across U.S. WASHINGTON Teamsters working at US Foods facilities across the country are ramping up actions against the nations second-largest food service provider, building off the efforts of fellow Teamsters in Severn, Md. who began an unfair labor practice strike against the company on April 27. Over 200 Teamsters walked off the job in Phoenix to protest the company's refusal to review and correct the paychecks of workers who believe they are being overcharged for health insurance . US Foods has been asked repeatedly, yet refuses to review and correct the problem. Meanwhile, more than 700 Teamsters at three US Foods distribution centers in Michigan, Washington and Colorado honored picket lines extended by the striking Maryland Teamsters. The walkout was the second for the Michigan workers and the first for those in Washington and Colorado. Similar pickets have been held this month across Southern California, as well as in West Seneca, N.Y., Twinsburg, Ohio and Phoenix. In all, more than 1,700 Teamsters working at U.S. Foods have either gone out on strike or honored their picket lines in the last month. The Severn workers are on strike to protest allegations that US Foods violated federal law that protects workers rights. Steve Vairma, Teamsters International Vice President and Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division, said, We have seen a pattern of abusive behavior by US Foods for years. Its no surprise that their workers have no choice but to go on unfair labor practice strikes to protest how they are being treated. US Foods is willing to destroy good jobs and local economies so that its private equity owners KKR and CD&R can wring every last penny out of the company before they try to sell it. Im proud of our members who are standing up for their rights and of our brothers and sisters who are honoring their picket lines. Teamsters know that an injury to one is an injury to all. The current labor disputes are not new to US Foods. In February, more than 200 Teamsters at the Phoenix facility went on a four-day unfair labor practice strike. In 2011, an unfair labor practice strike by maintenance employees in Streator was extended to more than 10 US foods facilities across America. More than 2,000 Teamsters honored extended picket lines during the 2011 strike. US Foods is owned by Wall Street private equity behemoths KKR and CD&R, which added nearly $5 billion of debt to US Foods books when they bought it in 2007. US Foods announced its IPO in February, trying to raise up to $1.2 billion from investors so KKR and CD&R can get rid of the company. In January 2016, KKR and CD&R took nearly $670 million in cash out of the company to distribute to its two owners half of it borrowed even though it is already operating under a mountain of debt. The company earned $23 billion in annual revenue in 2014. US Foods provides 350,000 products and services to 200,000 customers including restaurants, hospitals, schools, military bases and hotels. US Foods has 25,000 employees and 75 distribution facilities. The Teamsters represent 4,300 US Foods employees, with 44 contracts at 29 facilities. May 25, 2016 Arizonans encouraged participating in Project Blue Light after Phoenix officer shot ARIZONA The Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) Arizona chapter is encouraging Arizonans to light homes and businesses blue after a Phoenix officer was shot in the line of duty. Project Blue Light aims to radiate the publics support of law enforcement. C.O.P.S. Project Blue Light is a way to honor the officers who serve and protect while remembering those who have died in the line of duty. It began in 1988 in Philadelphia when Dolly Craig wrote a letter to Concerns of Police Survivors stating that she would be honoring her late son-in-law, Philadelphia Police Officer Danny Gleason, during the holiday season by placing a blue light in her window. In 1999 the Horsham Township Police Department planted a tree in Deep Meadow Park on Horsham Road as a memorial to those officers. The evergreen tree is decorated every holiday season with 1,000 blue lights representing all Law Enforcement Officers. We would like to ask each of you to please consider placing a blue light in your window during the holiday season to show your support for your police officers. Arizona has lost 9 officers within the last 2 years. According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, as of today, 35 officers have died in the line of duty in 2016 nationwide 17 by firearms. On average, between 105 and 203 officers die in the line of duty each year, 50,000 officers are assaulted in the line of duty each year and 14,000 officers are injured in the line of duty each year. C.O.P.S. Arizona financially assists survivors to attend National Police Week and to attend retreats. If the public would like to help assist fallen officer families and co-workers, donations are always accepted via C.O.P.S. Arizonas website at www.copsarizona.org. Contributions to C.O.P.S. Arizona are tax deductible under I.R.S. rule 501(c)3 and receipts are sent with every donation. Additionally, Arizonans can pay respect to fallen officers year-round by purchasing a Fallen Officer specialty license plate for their vehicle. State citizens can order an Arizona C.O.P.S. specialty plate through ServiceArizona.com. May 25, 2016 Deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. (MST) Tuesday, June 14 CAVE CREEK With Councilman Thomas McGuire absent, council appointed John Ford to fill the vacancy on council left by Mark Lipskys resignation by a vote of 3-2 with Mayor Vincent Francia and Vice Mayor Steve LaMar dissenting. Neither Ford nor Russ Carlson, who was also under consideration, were interested in running for council but were willing to serve out the rest of Lipskys term. May 25, 2016 ARIZONA The Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) Arizona chapter is encouraging Arizonans to light homes and businesses blue after a Phoenix officer was shot in the line of duty. Project Blue Light aims to radiate the publics support of law enforcement. C.O.P.S. Project Blue Light is a way to honor the officers who serve and protect while remembering those who have died in the line of duty. It began in 1988 in Philadelphia when Dolly Craig wrote a letter to Concerns of Police Survivors stating that she would be honoring her late son-in-law, Philadelphia Police Officer Danny Gleason, during the holiday season by placing a blue light in her window. In 1999 the Horsham Township Police Department planted a tree in Deep Meadow Park on Horsham Road as a memorial to those officers. The evergreen tree is decorated every holiday season with 1,000 blue lights representing all Law Enforcement Officers. We would like to ask each of you to please consider placing a blue light in your window during the holiday season to show your support for your police officers. May 25, 2016 PHOENIX The Arizona Game and Fish Department is grateful for the support of Governor Doug Ducey and the state Legislature in passing Senate Bill 1361, and helping to preserve Arizonas 16 Heritage Fund properties that are essential to the states native wildlife and important habitats. Sponsored by Senator Gail Griffin, Senate Bill 1361 grants the Arizona Game and Fish Commission the ability to spend a portion of the Heritage Fund monies that are allocated to the department on the operation and maintenance (O&M) of properties that have been, or will be, purchased to support endangered, threatened and sensitive wildlife species. May 25, 2016 See 21 of the world's 24 species of crocodilians, hundreds of other reptile species SCOTTSDALE See what crocodiles and other reptiles do after dark! The Phoenix Herpetological Society (PHS) is holding a Twighlight Croc Walk on Saturday, May 28, from 6 to 9 p.m. Get your kids away from the TV and video games, and let them experience nature at night with some of the world's most exotic creatures. As part of the Twighlight Croc Walk, visitors to PHS will: Have dinner Watch the crocodiles and alligators eat Learn about nocturnal reptiles Find crocs and gators in their enclosures after dark, using a flashlight to see their reflective eyeshine Guest Editorial By Frosty Wooldridge | MAY 25, 2016 Four Tribes Competing For Supremacy In 21st Century America (Part 2) Read the book by Thomas Chittum, Civil War Two: The Coming Breakup of America. Diversity has been the death of every advanced civilization on the face of the earth. The fact that Americans have elected a Muslim communist twice to the White House as a presidential pretender should be an indicator. U.S. Army officers statement to me in a letter. Part 1 of this series hit a serious cord with readers all across America and beyond. Several German readers said, We face civil war. A Swedish respondent said, We are losing our culture and our future. Three Michigan writers said, Get ready to lock and load. Several readers made note of the fact that I left out several important tribes that affect America. Native Americans once dominated North America: European-Americans slaughtered them with their mechanized violence and placed them into internment camps known as reservations in the late 1800s where they remain today. Around 522 tribes from Canada to Mexico enjoyed limitless freedom, food, clean water and wildlife. Unfortunately, they lost their languages, cultures, religions and way of life. Today, Native Americans suffer from illiteracy, alcoholism, poverty and difficult lives as they wade through what they once were and whats happened to them in the white mans world. Remember, all tribes compete for dominance. If you look at the Jewish tribe, you see enormous financial power in Congress and the Wall Street Bankers. You see American taxpayers giving $3 billion in foreign aid to Israel annually because they constitute our ally in the region. In reality, they wouldnt last a year in the Islamic world that wants to kill all Jewsif not for American money and arms. The fact remains: we dont need them for anything, but the Jewish tribe dominates the financial purse strings. What tribe took over all the independent motels across our country? Answer: immigrants from India. They enjoy chain-migration to the point that you will see only Indians running and cleaning motels from the Atlantic to the Pacific. How did they do it? Congress, driven by some powerful Indian forces, gave unlimited loans to buy up motels by Indian immigrants. Today, they chain-migrate their relatives and buy up more motels to maintain a monopoly. Who wouldnt be happy to leave the slum-hole, hellhole, population bomb of India to come to America? Ironically, African-Americans could run motels just as easily, but they didnt have any powerful voices in Congress to gain such loans. It shows you how corrupt or how powerful different tribes wield their power in the United States. Of no small note, Chinese immigrants gained a foothold, and today, via their power in Congress, notice that nearly all manufacturing goods bought by Americans read, Made in China. That tribe outsmarted Americans within America and outside America. We owe China over $1.4 trillion in trade debts. You must know that huge amounts of money changed hands over the years into the wallets of U.S. Senators and the House of Representatives members. We received free trade and they took us for a ride. Our unemployment of our minorities and uneducated middle class with 48 million Americans subsisting on food stamps---tells the cautionary tale. Not to be outdone, Asians now dominate academia in Californias colleges and job market. They come from the orient. You can see they fail to assimilate into America because California features over 100 languages. New York City boasts 800 different languages. As Asians numbers grow, so will their reach for power. Of course, illegal Mexicans and Central Americans enjoy more than 8 to 10 million of them undercutting jobs from Americans. They cost American taxpayers $346 billion across 15 Federal agencies annually, but members of Congress wont stop their violation of our laws. Why? Because the majority of Congress remains corrupt. Notice big, illegal employers like MacDonalds, Chipotle, Hormel, Tyson Chicken, Marriott, Holiday Inn, construction companies, landscape companies, et al, get away with hiring illegals because they are paying off many people in Congress. (Source: Economist Edwin Rubenstein, Cost of Illegal Immigration.) The U.S Chamber of Commerce promotes illegal alien labor. Also, note the Mexican tribe sends $25 billion back to Mexico annually. A total of $80 billion streams out of the USA annually via cash transfers to immigrants families around the world. They bleed your tax dollars. Finally, the dominant tribe, Caucasian-Americans, while still on top with 54 percent, dont seem to see or care that their country slips out of their hands faster and faster with endless immigration. Additionally, if you look at the physical and intellectual shape of Americans, you see 67 percent of them fat or obese. The Average American male watches 4.5 hours of TV every night, seven days a week. You see only 50 percent voting in national elections and 10 percent voting in local elections. Chicago journalist Dave Gorak said, Americans dont deserve the country they inherited. With 1.5 million legal and illegal immigrants flooding into America annually, you can bet the competition for jobs, water, resources and turf expects to accelerate. Again, America faces an added 100,000,000 (million) more immigrants within 30 years. Once that immigrant juggernaut lands, everybody becomes a victim. As you can see, this immigration thing will become really ugly. "Any culture that will not defend itself against displacement through mass immigration faces extinction. That includes both time-tested and successful cultures. Embracing diversity results in cultural suicide. Americas multicultural path guarantees its destruction via cultural clashes and conflict with Islam, Mexican and African cultures that diametrically oppose American culture. The more diverse a country, the more destructive and broken-down its future. The more people, the more it destroys its quality of life and standard of living. The more it adds immigrants, the more destruction to its environment. The more it imports refugees, the faster America, Canada, Europe and Australia lose their own ability to function and worse, their identities. Exponential growth of any civilization leads to ultimate collapse. You see it in Africa, India and China today. You will see it in Europe, Canada, Australia and America in the coming years, IF" Western countries don't stop all forms of immigration. If you dont want a Paris, France or San Bernardino event in your community, its time to call for a total Immigration Shutdown Now. Call your senators and House rep: 1 202 224 3121 or 1 888 995 2086. Demand a stop to all immigration and stop to any Syrian immigration. Frosty Wooldridge has bicycled across six continents from the Arctic to Antarctica to see the effects of immigration, environment and overpopulation up close and personal. He authored: America on the Brink: The Next Added 100 Million Americans. Guest Editorial By pastor carl gallups | MAY 25, 2016 Why the D.C. Establishment hate Donald Trump Here is why the establishment elite of Washington hate Donald Trump so badly. It really is this simple. The Muslim world is largely divided between its two largest camps of distinction; Sunni and Shia. The divide between Sunnis and Shia is the largest and oldest in the history of Islam. Both groups are card-carrying Muslims, hardcore Islamists, that are looking for the Middle East (and world) to one day be dominated by Islam and Sharia. While they most certainly have a few "doctrine" and ideological differences, their biggest beef with each other is determining which of the two main groups will get to be in charge of the new Islamic world they wish to create. And so, they constantly fight and kill each other. However, if an infidel shows up in their midst - one is who not "one of them" - they will join forces to fight that outsider to the death. Why? Because there would then be an outside possibility that the infidel would defeat them and then neither of the two groups would get to "run the kingdom." Now let's talk about establishment Republicans and Democrats. They undoubtedly have ideological and "doctrine" differences. But they ultimately want the very same end goal. They are each looking to build a "new world order." Representatives from both groups routinely use that "globalist" terminology for their dreams of their "kingdom on earth." One used to be considered a "conspiracy theorist" if you pointed out this fact - but no longer. The elitist spokespeople (from the Bush family to John Kerry and everyone in between) constantly use the terms. They have spilled the beans. They are basically two sides of the same coin. They both hold to the same "religion." So what are they fighting about in Washington? It is what they have always fought about - who gets to run the show! They will fight each other, impeach each other, threaten each other, attempt to outmaneuver each other, lie to each other, and cheat each other - until ... an outsider comes along and threatens to wipe the whole slate clean and perhaps turn it all back over to We The People. That prospect is unthinkable to them. It would snatch their dreams, wealth, and power right out from underneath them. In order to prevent that from happening, they will hold their noses, compromise, and strike deals to let the "other side" have the "power" for a while until they can regroup and try to retake their "territory." Into the room steps Donald Trump. The man that Newt Gingrich said, "Couldn't be controlled or manipulated. He's an outsider. He doesn't belong to the secret societies. Watch and listen to Gingrich's comments here: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO-NA73FsW8)" The bottom line is that Trump scares the elitists to death. He gives the establishment crowd sheer nightmares. He's not one of them. He's an infidel. He has the potential to be the exterminator. He has a different worldview. He is much more of a nationalist. They are globalists. He probably can't be bribed - he's already richer than all of them combined. He most likely can't be manipulated, blackmailed, or controlled - if he doesn't allow himself to be. Listen to what Donald Trump is promising and remember - THIS is what the Washington insiders hate him for: Protect our borders - build a wall if necessary Stop illegal immigration and refugees Stop Islamists who wish to destroy us from entering our country Restore America's military might and greatness Restore America's economic engine of greatness Return America's Corporations back to the mainland Create new, good, high-paying jobs Get people off welfare and into a viable job market Respect our constitution, heritage, and Judeo-Christian heritage Deal firmly with those who hate us - not genuflecting and cowering to them (probably won't kiss the Saudi King's ring) And for this - the establishment hates him. Some of them are even saying "I will vote for Hillary before Donald Trump!" Really? Yes! Of course they would. They must! And now you know why. Here is who hates Trump: The Washington elite and establishment shills The liberal media The socialists The communists The entitlement mentality crowd The racist Black Lives Matters - type groups Islamists ISIS Globalists The Chinese The Russians The anti-Israel nations and groups Those who hate Christians Those who hate America Those who hate the Constitution Those who want America's borders open to the world Now you know at least a part of what's really going on in Washington these days. Carl Gallups - is the senior pastor of Hickory Hammock Baptist Church in Milton, FL (since 1987), an Amazon Top 60 best selling author, and a conservative talk radio host heard nationally and internationally (since 2002). He is also a TV, radio, and print media guest commentator, and a former decorated Florida law enforcement officer. He is a current sworn Special Deputy with the Maricopa County Arizona Sheriff's Office under the appointment of Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Guest Editorial By Russell Pearce | MAY 25, 2016 Sheriff Joe in contempt of liberal judge, not the law Sheriff Joe Arpaio in contempt in federal court. Really??? Judge Snow should be held in contempt of the Constitution. He issued an illegal order telling Sheriff Joe NOT to enforce the law. The law is the law and must be enforced. We cannot allow this corrupt judiciary to continue to dismantle the rule of law and the Constitution. It is a daily happening. Just like our own state Judge Arthur Anderson who decided the law passed in 2006 by 75 percent of voters that forbid illegal aliens from receiving in-state tuition or taxpayers subsidies was no longer valid because Obama decided to ignore the law. It is illegal under federal law and very specific it is illegal under Arizona law. Yet Judge Anderson decided the law does not matter. Judge Anderson, the Maricopa County Community College Board and the Arizona Board of Regents who voted for in-state tuition for illegals should all be arrested, or at least removed from office and held in contempt of law, contempt of taxpayers and for violation of their Oath of Office. I would go to jail before I allowed a Judge or anyone else who ordered me not to keep my Oath, my duty to the Constitution and Constitutional law. Federal law and Arizona state law forbids illegal aliens from receiving in-state tuition period. It is their duty to keep one's Oath of Office. No Judge has a right to ignore the law and okay others to break the law. Judge Anderson and Judge Snow forgot they took the same Oath. And Arizonas law SB1070 and Arizonas Legal Workers Act, were upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Of course the radical left and the leftist Arizona Republic loves this Judges attempt to thwart any efforts to enforce our laws on immigration. Perhaps they should move to Godless and lawless state of California and join Californias San Franciscos efforts to give California, Nevada, Arizona and Texas to Mexico and divide up the nation by race. Facts: No law was broken. In fact just the opposite, the Sheriff was enforcing the law. Sheriff Joe, broke no law. The only law broken was by Judge Snow. Judge Snow decided he does not like the Sheriff enforcing immigration laws. That is simply corruption and Judge Snow has NO authority to order the Sheriff not to enforce the law, I dont care if he likes the way it is being done or not. If he wants to change the law he ought to run for office. It reminds me of another similar act when a Judge ordered Kim Davis of Kentucky who broke no law, charged with no crime, had no trial, whos only offense was to defy an illegal courts order who ordered Kim Davis to issue a marriage licenses to gay couples in violation of the Kentucky Constitution. She was sent to jail by a Judge for breaking NO law, but simply refusing to violate Kentuckys Constitution protection of traditional marriage and her 1st Amendment rights. No federal authority on marriage, it is a states right under the Constitution and the 10th Amendment. Kentucky along with 33 other states passed Constitutional protection of marriage between a man and a woman. Judge Snows ruling could be very costly to the taxpayers of Maricopa County and a slap in the face to law abiding citizens as it will reward law breakers. Why is it so hard to understand illegal? It reminds me of the 70s when the Ninth Circuit decided that inmates needed law libraries, weight rooms, hotel like accommodations, etc. It cost Maricopa County millions of dollars as we had to build jails. The Ninth Circuit doubled needed jail space requirement for our inmate population. Again, no law was cited. Because no law was broken. Yet Judge Snow a liberal attorney dressed up like a Judge on his own decided the Sheriff and Command Staff engaged in multiple acts of misconduct, dishonesty, and bad faith with respect to the Plaintiff class and the protection of its rights," Snow wrote. Judge Snow should go to jail. I would happy to talk to the Sheriff and get him a tent with a view. I have not heard from our Attorney General on this issue. He should be filing a petitions against an out of control judge. The problem is lawyers never want to cross a judge as most of them envision themselves as future judges. Where is our Elected Attorney General in going after Maricopa County College Board and Arizona Board of Regents who are in direct violation of the law (Prop 300) and at a cost of millions to Arizona taxpayers? I dont dislike our Attorney General, but he must be a warrior in defense of the law and all those we elect to enforce our laws. It is their legal duty to stop the abuse of this Judocracy. The courts are is a greater threat to this Republic than the corruption and malfeasance of Obama. I have always been proud of a Sheriff that is not a coward, who does not bend to every whim of a corrupt judiciary, leftist politicians, radical open border groups, cheap labor Chamber, or a Department of Justice that is really the Department of In-Justice who prides itself in supporting lawlessness, hatred for police, pro radical Islam, open border, pro illegal alien and clearly has contempt for Americans, our God given rights and wants to put our children at risk of perverts in a gender bias order. Where is the outrage? Where are our leaders on this issue? Speaking of which, how about a stupid and dangerous order by the Obama administration on gender neutral bathrooms that puts our children at risk. We the people of Arizona WILL NOT comply with this immoral order by Obama that puts our children at risk. It simply will not happen under my watch. Dont even try!!! Judge Snow was angry that the Sheriff had decided to take the illegals and drop them off at Border Patrol as the Feds decided they would even pick them from Maricopa County, again in violation of law. Thats what you do when the Obama administration decides it will not pick them up, you deliver them to the feds. A clever and right thing to do. If need be I would hand cuff them to a border fence if we had one. Whatever it takes as the Feds have refused to do their job in direct violation of the law. I will do whatever it takes to protect American from those who break our laws. It is our duty. Then Judge Snow in direct violation of federal law decided that Sheriff Joe was wrong to arrest them if they had not committed additional crimes. I guess we wait until they commit rape, murder, theft or whatever before we enforce the law. They are in violation of the law if they are illegally in Arizona. It is already a crime. Again a personal open border opinion, but in direct violation. Russell Pearce is a Republican former member of the Arizona State Senate who rose to national prominence as the primary sponsor of Arizona SB1070 which was signed into law in 2010. May 25, 2016 Border Report Nogales CBP Officers intercept meth shipment at port TUCSON Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a 29-year-old Tucson woman, Wednesday, May 18, after finding nearly $121,000 worth of methamphetamine hidden within her vehicle. Following questioning by officers working at the Port of Nogales Dennis DeConcini crossing, the woman was referred for a secondary inspection. A search of the vehicle revealed multiple packages containing more than 40 pounds of the drug concealed in the vehicles seats. Officers seized the vehicle and drugs, and the subject was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations. CBP Officers intercept ammo headed for Mexico A southern California man was arrested May 17 for attempting to smuggle ammunition into Mexico through the Port of Nogales. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducting outbound inspections selected a Hyundai sedan, driven by a 21-year-old man from Long Beach, for further inspection. During the search, officers found 12,000 rifle rounds throughout the vehicle. Officers seized the vehicle and ammunition, and referred the subject to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations. Nogales CBP Officers Find Drugs in Car, Taped to Mans Legs, in Womans Underwear Customs and Border Protection officers arrested two men and a woman involved in separate attempts to smuggle a combined 46 pounds of methamphetamine and heroin through the Port of Nogales on May 16. Officers at the Nogales West (Mariposa) crossing, working with a CBP narcotics-detection canine, located more than 38 pounds of meth, valued at almost $115,000, in the spare tire of a Dodge truck driven by a 54-year-old Rio Rico man. Later in the day, officers and a drug canine at the DeConcini vehicle crossing were searching a Toyota sedan driven by an 18-year-old man from in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, when the canine alerted to mans legs. Officers then searched the man and discovered more than 2 pounds of heroin, worth close to $41,000, taped to his legs. On the same day but at the DeConcini pedestrian lanes, officers questioned and then searched a 47-year-old Tucson woman. The search turned up more than 5 pounds of meth, valued at nearly $16,000, hidden within her underclothing. Officers seized the drugs and vehicles, and turned all three subjects over to Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations. CBP Officers find marijuana in gas tank, armpits Customs and Border Protection officers arrested two Arizona men in separate incidents May 16 for attempting to smuggle a combined 117 pounds of marijuana through the Raul Hector Castro Port of Entry in Douglas, Arizona. The first arrested was a 32-year-old Phoenix man with more than 114 pounds of marijuana, worth roughly $57,000, within the quarter panels and fuel tank of his Acura Coupe. Later, officers at the pedestrian crossing caught a 65-year-old Douglas man with a marijuana package taped underneath each armpit. Officers estimate the marijuana, weighing more than 3 pounds, is worth approximately $1,600. CBP officers seized all drugs and vehicle, and turned both subjects over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations. Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. CBP's Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within Homeland Security tasked with an anti-terrorism mission at our nations ports. CBP officers screen all people, vehicles and goods entering the United States while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. Their mission also includes carrying out border-related duties, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration and trade laws, and protecting the nation's food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases. By Linda Bentley | May 25, 2016 Guccifer enters plea deal in computer hacking case ALEXANDRIA, Va. On Wednesday morning, Marcel Lehel Lazar, the Romanian national also known as the hacker Guccifer, who claims to have easily hacked into Hillary Clintons email server, entered into a plea agreement, pleading guilty to one count of unauthorized access of a protected computer and one count of aggravated identity theft, which was accepted by U.S. District Judge James C. Cacheris. In exchange, the court agreed to dismiss seven other counts, which included wire fraud, unauthorized access of a protected computer, cyberstalking and obstruction of justice. Lazar, while residing in Arad, Romania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 12, 2014, was extradited to the United States and taken into custody on March 31, 2016. Lazar specialized in gaining unauthorized access to the online accounts of high-profile individuals and publicly releasing his victims information, including the content of emails, personal identifying information and other private property. In a previous scheme, Lazar called himself Micul Fum (Little Smoke) in connection with similar hacking activity, where he unlawfully accessed the email accounts of Romanian celebrities and athletes and released their private information on the internet. In this case, the victims, who were not named, included a family member of two former U.S. presidents, a sanitation engineer, a former U.S. Cabinet member, a former member of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, a journalist and former presidential advisor, and a foreign national who was a former senior foreign government official. According to the Statement of Facts supporting his guilty plea, beginning in at least October 2012 and continuing into January 2014, Lazar intentionally gained unauthorized access to numerous personal email and social media accounts, including those belonging to high-profile individuals in the United States. Lazar is said to have victimized approximately 100 individuals in the United States, including former government officers or employees and the immediate family members of former government officers or employees. In an effort to conceal his identity, Lazar accessed the victims accounts from proxy servers located in other countries, including Russia. After accessing one victims Facebook account, Lazar changed the passwords and then posted the following, among others, as public messages: You will burn in hell, Bush! and Kill the illuminati! Tomorrows world will be a world free of illuminati or will be no more! Lazar signed some of his content with the alias Guccifer. After accessing victims accounts, Lazar would reset the account password and security questions to retain control of the accounts. Lazar would send correspondence from one victims breached account to another victims account and, in some instances, sent emails from one victims account to multiple media organizations attaching content, dubbed the Guccifer Archive, he had unlawfully obtained from another victims account. In December 2013, Lazar destroyed a computer and mobile phone with the intent to impede the investigation into the matter, which he knew was within the jurisdiction of a department and agency of the United States, and in contemplation of an investigation by federal authorities into his fraudulent and unauthorized access of protected computers. On Jan. 6, 2014, The Smoking Gun published a story based upon the contents of the Guccifer Archive that included a list of previously unknown victims along with details about the hacks and the contents Lazar illegally obtained from his victims hacked accounts. The maximum penalties for the offense of unauthorized access to a protected computer are: a maximum term of five years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, full restitution, forfeiture of assets, a special assessment of $100, and one year of supervised release. The maximum penalties for the offense of aggravated identity theft are: a mandatory minimum term of two years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, full restitution, forfeiture of assets, a special assessment of $100, and one year of supervised release. After being convicted in Romania in February 2012 on charges of gaining unauthorized access to the online accounts of Romanian nationals, Lazar received a suspended sentence of three years imprisonment. Lazar was arrested again on Jan. 22, 2014 by Romanian authorities and subsequently convicted of gaining unauthorized access to the online accounts of Romanian nationals, including the personal accounts of the then-director of the Romanian Intelligence Service. In June 2014, Lazar was sentenced to a term of four years imprisonment for those crimes plus three years for his prior offenses for a total of seven years. Lazar is scheduled to appear at 10 a.m. on Sept. 1, 2016 for sentencing and remains in custody as a flight risk. It wasnt clear from court documents if Lazar will serve his sentence in the United States first or if he will serve his sentence in Romania first. There was mention of an international agreement, under which Lazar could possibly serve his entire sentence in Romania, if he were to make such a request and if it is approved. May 25, 2016 Resolution Copper project comment period extended Additional Meeting Scheduled PHOENIX The Tonto National Forest has extended the public scoping period for the proposed Resolution Copper mine and associated land exchange Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EIS will analyze the environmental effects of: a mining proposal submitted to the Tonto National Forest by Resolution Copper Mining, LLC; the exchange of 2,422 acres of federal land near Oak Flat for 5,344 acres of privately held land elsewhere in Arizona; and any necessary amendments to the Tonto National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. The proposed mine is located on Tonto National Forest, private and state lands near Superior, Arizona. The Tonto National Forest initiated the EIS to comply with Section 3003 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. Buck McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (NDAA) and Forest Service regulations. The Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS was published on March 18, 2016, with a 60-day public scoping period listed. At the request of numerous individuals and organizations, the Forest has extended the public scoping period through July 18, 2016. An additional public scoping meeting will be held on June 9, 2016, at the Central Arizona College San Tan Campus, located at 3736 E. Bella Vista Rd, San Tan Valley, Arizona 85143. The meeting will run from 5 8 p.m., with the presentation beginning at 5:30 p.m. The public is invited to submit public comments during the initial scoping period, which has been extended through July 18, 2016. Comments may be submitted in a variety of ways including via email, through the project website, by mail, facsimile, and verbally by leaving a phone message. Written comments may be sent to: Resolution EIS Comments, P.O. Box 34468, Phoenix, AZ 85067-4468, via email to: Comments@resolutionmineeis.us, submitted via the website at: www.resolutionmineeis.us, or by sending a facsimile or leaving a voicemail message at 1-866-546-5718. May 25, 2016 Riders USA 10th Annual Memorial Day Rally Flags For Our Fallen WHERE: National Memorial Cemetery of AZ. 23029 N. Cave Creek Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85024 (Riders USA field headquarters will be located at the southeast corner of Pinnacle Peak Rd. & Cave Creek Rd.) WHEN: Memorial Day - Monday, May 30th 2016 TIME: 5:30 8 a.m. This is the 10th consecutive year that the men and women of The Riders USA organization will be sponsoring their signature event, Flags for Our Fallen, an annual tribute to the warriors and heroes of Americas Armed Forces who have made the ultimate sacrifice in protecting and securing the lives and liberties of our citizenry and the American way of life. Approximately 350 American Flags on 10 foot poles will be planted and displayed along adjacent roadways leading into the Veterans National Memorial Cemetery of AZ. Each Flag will have a special ribbon attached with the names of those warriors who have given their lives in service to country. Ribbon tributes to Veterans (deceased or living) and active duty Military will be honored as well, if so requested. In addition to the 350 Old Glories flapping in the breeze, an honor guard of approximately 200 Motorcycles and Hot Rods will be positioned next to the flags. The riders and drivers will be greeting and offering respects to the Families and Friends motoring by who are on their way to ceremonies and to visit with loved ones interred inside the Cemetery. The aura of patriotism and love of country will be displayed in noteworthy fashion that honors all who have and are serving with special focus on those who have given their all. By Linda Bentley | May 25, 2016 Obamas dangerous mix of Communism and the Muslim Brotherhood WASHINGTON On Jan. 10, 1963, Rep. Albert S. Herlong, Jr., D-Fla., read into the congressional record excerpts from Cleon Skousens 1958 book: The Naked Communist, identifying the 45 stated goals of Communism to achieve the dissolution of our countrys constitutional republic. We published an article titled Muslim Brotherhood and Communist plans for America in the July 1, 2015 edition of Sonoran News listing those goals and noted the U.S. Supreme Court a week earlier had checked off Goal 26: Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as normal, natural, healthy. When the U.S. Supreme Court declared homosexual marriage a basic constitutional right, it also checked off goal 16: Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights. Number 1 on the list was: U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war. President Barack Obama is plowing ahead with his plans to seed cities throughout the country with Syrian refugees, despite our own intelligence claiming they cannot be properly vetted and ISIS proclaiming it has infiltrated that population. Goal 3 states: Develop the illusion that total disarmament [by] the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength. The Arms Control Association (ACA), founded in 1971 by leading military, defense, and diplomatic officials involved in the early years of nuclear and chemical arms control and nonproliferation, touts 45 years of accomplishments. Since its founding, ACA says it is proud to have played a part in advancing and securing major arms control and nonproliferation successes that have helped avoid bad situations from becoming much worse. The ACA has shown it can deliver authoritative information, ideas, and analysis that help shape the public policy debate in Washington, across the United States, and around the world. ACA claims, Enhancing U.S. national security by verifiably reducing superpower nuclear arsenalsa counter-intuitive idea to somehas a long bipartisan tradition. In June 2013 in Berlin, Obama, who negotiated the New START Treaty with Russia in 2010, calling for a bilateral reduction of nuclear weapons, said, We can ensure the security of America and our allies, and maintain a strong and credible strategic deterrent, while reducing our deployed strategic nuclear weapons by up to one-third. However, the ACA also notes our most pressing security threats today are not war with Russia or China, but nuclear terrorism and proliferation. While the ACA states the United States needs to sustain a strong international coalition to secure nuclear materials across the globe and turn back nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea, it claims U.S. arms reductions are essential to such goals and states, Excessive U.S. nuclear forces have no meaningful role to play in this regard. Meanwhile, Obama has foisted a deal with Iran upon us ensuring it will be able to produce nuclear weapons while providing the country with ample funding to achieve that goal. Goal 4 states: Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war. Obama pushed through the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which reads right out of the United Nations Agenda 21 playbook; recently lifted sanctions against Cuba; and on Monday, announced the United States is lifting the ban on the sale of military equipment and arms to Vietnam. The 45 goals of Communism now appear to be seamlessly blended with the Muslim Brotherhoods strategic goals to take over North America, which was entered into evidence in the 2008 Holy Land Foundation terror financing trial. Although the Council on AmericanIslamic Relations (CAIR) has been identified by the FBI as an unindicted co-conspirator of the Holy Land Foundation, Congress has yet to brand it a terrorist organization, thus allowing money to flow through CAIR, as a nonprofit organization, to fund terror. So, where the Communist goal 45 states, Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party, CAIR has successfully pushed for Islam to be recognized as a religion, a means to expand its base, one of the Muslim Brotherhoods strategic goals for North America. Subsequent goals include: Presenting Islam as a civilization alternative and Supporting the establishment of the global Islamic State wherever it is. Following the mandate of Goal 15, Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States, the Democratic Party appears to be almost completely infiltrated by Communists, which has pushed the Republican Party farther to the left. Goal 17 states: Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers associations. Put the party line in textbooks. Goal 41 states: Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents. The goals go on to push for gaining control of newspapers, key positions in radio, TV, motion pictures, art critics and directors of art museums with a plan to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art. Piss Christ, a photograph of a small plastic crucifix submerged in a jar of artist and photographer Andres Serranos urine, was the winner of the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Arts Awards in the Visual Arts competition in 1987. It should be noted, Serranos piece was sponsored, in part, by the National Endowment for the Arts, a U.S. government agency that provides support and funding for artistic projects. The goals seek to transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies and treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders, which no one but psychiatrist can understand, while goal 39 seeks to dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals. Goal 40 encourages discrediting the family as an institution, encouraging promiscuity and easy divorce. The Obama administration is now pushing to establish transgenderism, a mental disorder affecting approximately 0.3 percent of the U.S. population, as something mainstream rather than as gender dysphoria, the official psychiatric term, formerly labeled gender identity disorder. Dr. Paul McHugh, University Distinguished Service Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Medical School and former psychiatrist in chief at Johns Hopkins Hospital, addressing the assumption that the exchange of ones sex is possible, stated, Transgendered men do not become women, nor do transgendered women become men. All become feminized men or masculinized women, counterfeits or impersonators of the sex with which they identify. McHugh points out gender dysphoria, the feeling of oneself being of the opposite sex, belongs in the family of similarly disordered assumptions about the body, such as anorexia nervosa and body dysmorphic disorder. He states, Its treatment should not be directed at the body with surgery and hormones any more than one treats obesity-fearing anorexic patients with liposuction. The treatment should strive to correct the false, problematic nature of the assumption and to resolve the psychosocial conflicts provoking it. The Obama administration recently issued a mandate to schools across the country to reinterpret the term sex to include gender identity rather than biological sex as a way to force intermingling of the sexes in bathrooms and locker rooms under the threat of losing federal funding. Other goals call for: eliminating prayer or any phase of religious expression in schools as a violation of the separation of church and state; discrediting the U.S. Constitution by calling it inadequate, old fashioned, out of step with modern needs; belittling all forms of American culture and discouraging the teaching of American history; supporting socialist movements to give centralized control over any part of the culture; discrediting and eventually dismantling the FBI; infiltrating and gaining control of unions and more. Groups such as Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter seems to meet the demands of goal 42: Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems. As we live through the last several months of the Obama presidency, he appears to be adamant about fulfilling the goals of Communism and the Muslim Brotherhood. My View MAY 25, 2016 Our retiring Mayor Vincent Francia has been honored for being a Buddhist. I guess it is rare for a white guy to be a Buddhist and although he tends to hide his religion most of the time, he speaks and acts from the Middle Way. There are also other views, such as an ex-mayor of Cave Creek who wonders how a Buddhist could be running a race track which is not only about gambling but involves associating with shady characters. Guest Editorials: By Russell Pearce | MAY 25, 2016 Sheriff Joe Arpaio in contempt in federal court. Really??? Judge Snow should be held in contempt of the Constitution. He issued an illegal order telling Sheriff Joe NOT to enforce the law. The law is the law and must be enforced. We cannot allow this corrupt judiciary to continue to dismantle the rule of law and the Constitution. It is a daily happening. By Frosty Wooldridge | MAY 25, 2016 Read the book by Thomas Chittum, Civil War Two: The Coming Breakup of America. Diversity has been the death of every advanced civilization on the face of the earth. The fact that Americans have elected a Muslim communist twice to the White House as a presidential pretender should be an indicator. U.S. Army officers statement to me in a letter. By pastor carl gallups | MAY 25, 2016 Here is why the establishment elite of Washington hate Donald Trump so badly. It really is this simple. The Muslim world is largely divided between its two largest camps of distinction; Sunni and Shia. The divide between Sunnis and Shia is the largest and oldest in the history of Islam. Both groups are card-carrying Muslims, hardcore Islamists, that are looking for the Middle East (and world) to one day be dominated by Islam and Sharia. While they most certainly have a few "doctrine" and ideological differences, their biggest beef with each other is determining which of the two main groups will get to be in charge of the new Islamic world they wish to create. And so, they constantly fight and kill each other. By Dr. Mark Hendrickson | MAY 25, 2016 I can't believe that I'm writing an article about using the bathroom. But then, I can't believe that at a time when our country is faced with immense challenges such as international Islamist terrorism and fiscal and monetary insanity in Washington, the current presidential administration is obsessing about who uses which bathrooms, going so far as to order public schools nationwide what their bathroom-use policy must be. Who did it best: Cast your vote for the high school football player of the week #Korean Air Korean Air plane heads to Cebu to bring back stranded passengers An alternative Korean Air plane departed for the Philippines on Tuesday to bring home passengers stranded after another plane run by the air carrier overran the airport runway in C... #(G)I-dle I-dle tops local music charts with 'Nxde' Girl group (G)I-dle topped daily and weekly charts of five major local music streaming services with its release "Nxde" on Tuesday, a week after it dropped. "Nxde," the main tra... Welcome to SwanseaOnline - your home for the best news, sports and what's on coverage of the city. Never miss a Swansea story with our daily newsletter Sign up to comment on our stories here Follow us on Facebook and Twitter | Swansea City news | Ospreys news | InYourArea A new book chronicles the 50-year odyssey that culminated in the first direct detection of gravitational waves. The book sets aside the science to focus on the personal passions and sacrifices of the experiment's champions. "Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space" (Knopf, 2016), the newest book by astrophysicist and author Janna Levin, may have had the most fortuitous release date of any book in science-writing history. The story that Levin recounts took place over 50 years, and the book itself has been cooking for about five. But somehow, Levin managed to finish her first draft of the manuscript the same week the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) made the first ever direct detection of gravitational waves (to the surprise of just about everyone involved with the experiment, Levin said). But LIGO's success doesn't factor into Levin's book beyond an epilogue added just before publication, and she emphasized that she wouldn't have it any other way. The book is not a story of scientific success, but rather "a story of ambition and risk and obsession and success and failure," she said. Despite the very complicated science that went into the LIGO instrument, the story of its construction is universal. [Gravitational Waves Simply Explained With A Cube And Marble | Video] Space.com talked with Levin about the LIGO story's epic arc, the science behind the discovery and the personalities who made it happen. The book is currently available in hardcover. Astrophysicist and author Janna Levin. (Image credit: Sonja Georgevich) Impossible goals "Have you ever seen the movie 'Fitzcarraldo?'" Levin asked me over Skype in April. I haven't, but I know it's a film about a man trying to move a massive steamboat over a dry mountain in the Andes, in order to cash in on natural resources in an isolated section of the forest. It's inspired by true events, but serves as an allegory for the pursuit of the seemingly impossible goals people set for themselves. Later, a documentary chronicled the incredibly difficult process of making the movie itself, giving the entire story a third level of symbolism. "[In 'Fitzcarraldo,'] they build a boat and they try to drag it over a dry mountain. To me, [LIGO] is a similar story," Levin said. "It's really about exploration, and this crazy ambition and sort of the inability to turn away once the thing has taken hold of the mind. I think that's what it's really about." Physicist Rai Weiss first conceived of the basic design of the LIGO experiment in 1967. For decades, he fought setbacks and engaged in political and professional battles gaining allies and facing adversaries because he believed so strongly that building a gravitational wave detector was worthwhile. Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of reality, or what scientists call space-time. This fabric is not a rigid backdrop, but rather a flexible web that can be twisted and warped by gravity. The gravitational waves detected by LIGO came from two black holes circling each other and colliding. "Imagine mallets banging on a drum," Levin said. The drum is space-time; the mallets are various astrophysical phenomena that create gravitational waves. "And the motion and size and shape of the mallets determine how the drum rings. . And it rings in response to mallets of all kinds. You can push out on it like an explosion. You can bang on it like two black holes. You can swish it like a paddle, and they will all make different sounds in the shape of the drum." The idea of gravitational waves as sound is even more apt because the waves detected by LIGO have the same frequency as sound waves that can be heard by the human ear. "In some sense, you can think of LIGO like a musical instrument," Levin said. "It's recording the shape of the ringing drum, and it's playing it back through an amplifier. So it's very close to the concept of sound. You really could say it's a sound resonating through the medium of space-time, just like some sounds propagate through a wall or water. These are waves propagating through space-time." (Although gravitational waves are not pressure waves, she noted.) But just like sound waves propagating through the air, gravitational waves lose energy as they travel, getting weaker and weaker and requiring an increasingly sensitive instrument to detect them. Weiss realized by the late 1970s that a device sensitive enough to detect these cosmic signals would need to be very large, and fairly expensive, and he'd need to find an agency willing to back the instrument over what might be a decade or more of construction. The fruit of Weiss' labors is LIGO. The experiment actually consists of two separate instruments, one located in Hanford, Washington, and the other in Livingston, Louisiana. At each facility is an instrument that has two 2.48-mile-long (4 kilometers) arms arranged at right angles to each other in an "L" shape. If a gravitational wave passes by, it can stretch the length of one arm compared to the other, and this is what scientists measure. But the degree of change between the two lengths is less than the width of a single proton. If the arms were larger than the entire solar system, the change would still be less than the width of a human hair. The LIGO instruments have to be as large as they are in order to pick up such small distortions. [Hunting Gravitational Waves: The LIGO Laser Interferometer Project in Photos] Scientists to the end LIGO began operations in 2002, collecting data through 2007. While the machine operated as planned during that stretch of time, it didn't hear any gravitational waves. Many scientists doubted whether the machine would ever be sensitive enough to find the grail it sought, Levin said. In 2008, LIGO shut down and construction began on an upgraded, more sensitive version of the machine, called Advanced LIGO. And still, scientists were prepared to wait. "A lot of people told me to drop the book," Levin said. "They were like, 'Nobody's going to be interested. LIGO's not going to succeed until 2018 or 2019.'" More pessimistic estimates held that LIGO wouldn't detect a signal until at least 2020. During a test run of the instrument on Sept. 14, 2015, the Advanced LIGO detectors finally picked up the signal of a gravitational wave passing by the Earth. Levin is not a member of the LIGO collaboration, and was not privy to the discovery. But she said that on that same day, two copies of her book manuscript were printed, and then later that week were sent to Weiss and astrophysicist Kip Thorne for their review. Thorne was another early proponent of LIGO and one of its champions throughout the ordeal of getting the facility funded and built. She met with Weiss in person, and they went through the manuscript page by page, reviewing every date and every claim. The book goes into some of the personal interactions that Weiss had with other scientists, not all of them pleasant. Sometimes, Weiss and Thorne disagreed about who said what, or when. It was an exhaustive process, but not an unpleasant one for Levin, she said. "I so admire that neither of them said, 'I don't like this. You have to take it out.'" she said. "They might have said, 'Let me give you a counterpoint to what so-and-so said.' They really acted like scientists to the end. There was no, 'That's insulting to me. You're not allowed to say that.'" At one point, Weiss even told Levin that even though certain details are technically public record, "It doesn't have to be in your book." She laughed, and added that quote to the manuscript. A signal arrives in time With the review completed, Levin's book was nearly ready to go to print, but the story ended on a cliff-hanger would LIGO succeed? Weiss asked Leven what she would do if there was a detection would she rewrite the story and completely change the ending? It would turn her astrophysical version of "Fitzcarraldo" into a tale focused on success rather than struggle. "No way!" she told him. "I couldn't have tricked myself into writing it that way if I actually knew you had succeeded and made a detection." But Levin told Weiss that if or when LIGO made a detection, she'd add an epilogue. In December 2015, Levin received a note from David Reitze, current director of LIGO, titled, "Confidential communication from LIGO." "I freaked out!" Levin said. "My heart's pounding. I jump up. I can barely read on!" The note informed her of the Sept. 14 detection. It was signed by "Dave, Rai and Kip," who added that "we want to give you a chance to write your epilogue." It's been less than a year since the detection, and Levin agreed that those days of intense doubt about whether LIGO would ever pick up a signal seem far away. Still, she said members of the public sometimes mistakenly think that the scientists "just turned it on and got a signal on the first day." "I have to be like, no, wait a minute, you guys! It was like 50 years, and then they turned it on and they got a detection!" she said. A new kind of astrophysics The gravitational waves detected by LIGO came from two black holes circling each other and colliding. Scientists were surprised by the mass of those two black holes (slightly larger than the sun, but not as massive as the monsters that live at the centers of galaxies). The detection also indicated that black hole mergers like this might be more common than scientists previously thought. As a theoretical physicist, Levin has a lot to look forward to as LIGO starts collecting more data, she said. Hopefully, that includes finding more black holes, as well other powerful gravitational-wave emitters like colliding neutron stars (the collapsed corpses of stars that aren't quite dense enough to become black holes, but are still incredibly massive), she said. "It's suddenly given new enthusiasm for this field of black hole astrophysics, because we've detected our first black holes in some sense," Levin said. Previous detections of black holes actually rely on detecting material around the black holes (since the objects themselves don't radiate light). Looking beyond this detection, Levin said she's excited by the possibility that gravitational waves could reveal an as-yet-unknown phenomenon in the universe something that can be detected only with gravitational waves. After all, most of the universe is made up of dark matter and dark energy, neither of which radiates light. Perhaps gravitational waves are the key to accessing more of this dark sector of the cosmos, Levin said. The payoff from LIGO is only just beginning to come to light, but Levin said she holds to her belief that LIGO's story is important not because of its success but because it demonstrates the need for risk-taking in science. "I talk [in the book] about how people who weren't afraid to be wrong did bolder things than people who were afraid to be wrong. But some people who weren't afraid to be wrong were wrong," she said. "It's risky. There's no guarantee of success if you're going to take a risk. That's why it's called a risk. So there are some people in the story who fail. And some people in the story who succeed. But they both have in common the bravery. But I think I pretty clearly say that if we don't take risks, this experiment would have been totally grounded. This never would have happened; we wouldn't be talking about it. And that's a pretty huge sacrifice." Follow Calla Cofield @callacofield. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. The north polar ice cap of Mars is seen in this mosaic view, which scientists made by combining data from the European Mars Express spacecraft and NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The spiral features help scientists understand how ice ages on Mars work. Mars is emerging from an ice age, a finding that could shed light on the past and future climates of both Mars and Earth, researchers said. The orbit of Mars regularly undergoes changes that greatly affect how much sunlight reaches the planet's surface, which in turn can strongly alter the Red Planet's climate. Similar orbital variations called Milankovitch cycles are known to happen on Earth. Previous Martian climate models suggested that such orbital changes could lead to ice ages on Mars, when ice would cover most of the planet. Now, researchers said they have found evidence of these ice ages on Mars. [Flowing Water on Mars: A Discovery in Photos] Whereas ice ages on Earth involve polar ice caps growing in size, prior work suggested that Martian ice ages would involve shrinking polar ice caps. Meanwhile, on the Red Planet, glaciers at midlatitudes away from the poles would grow; during the interglacial periods between ice ages, ice would rapidly accumulate at the poles, while midlatitude glaciers eroded away. This is because Mars can tilt more than Earth, causing the Red Planet's poles to receive more direct sunlight than its midlatitudes, making for longer summer days with higher temperatures, said study lead author Isaac Smith, a planetary scientist who did this work at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and who is now at the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona. This image shows a two-dimensional cross section of Mars' northern polar ice cap (as seen by the Shallow Radar on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter). The top 100- to 300-meter layers of ice show evidence of changes between ice age and inter-glaciel periods. (Image credit: Southwest Research Institute) Hunting an ice age on Mars To look for evidence of the comings and goings of ice ages, scientists examined radar scans of Mars' polar ice caps taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft. The researchers focused on the extensive layers of ice at the north pole of Mars, since the ice layers at the southern ice cap of Mars are much less extensive. The researchers detected multiple signs of an ice age and an interglacial period at the northern Martian ice cap. For example, ice ages and interglacial periods would lead to clusters of relatively thin and thick layers of ice, respectively, at the Martian poles. This is what the researchers found in the data. Moreover, as ice erodes, spiral troughs and other distinct features can result within the ice, and the scientists found that the motions of these spiral troughs could sometimes abruptly increase in slope, reverse direction or get completely buried, evidence of ice accumulation and thus changes in climate. "All around the ice cap, there is evidence for a climate change from ice age to interglacial period," Smith told Space.com. The researchers said their findings suggest that Mars recently emerged from an ice age, with ice beginning its retreat about 370,000 years ago. Since then, the scientists estimated that about 20,900 cubic miles (87,000 cubic kilometers) of ice have accumulated at the poles of Mars, enough to cover Mars in about 2 feet (60 centimeters) of ice. Most of this ice accumulated at the north pole of Mars, the researchers added. Scientists with the Southwest Research Institute used this 3D perspective view of Mars polar ice cap to look for signs of climate change, including an emergence from a recent ice age. (Image credit: Courtesy of Fritz Foss and Nathaniel Putzig) The climate on Mars and Earth? These findings could help fine-tune Martian climate models, the researchers said. "We're still in the beginning phases of really understanding what happens in Martian weather patterns and longer cycles," Smith said. "Observations of current and recent processes keep giving us more information." Moreover, these findings could help improve models of Earth's climate, he said. "Mars is relevant to Earth, because it has the same processes going on as Earth does, namely Milankovitch cycles," Smith said. "Mars serves as a simplified laboratory for testing climate models and scenarios, without oceans and biology, that we can then use to better understand Earth systems." Although the researchers found evidence for a past ice age on Mars, Smith noted they still do not perfectly understand the rates at which such events happen. The scientists now want to examine "the lower portions of the north polar ice cap to find evidence of previous glaciations, which we believe are present," Smith said. "We also want to understand the south polar cap better and are working to do that with three-dimensional imaging." The scientists detailed their findings in the May 27 issue of the journal Science. Follow Charles Q. Choi on Twitter @cqchoi. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. 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Optimization Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should? Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools. One innovation that Juncker introduced when he began his term could actually turn out to be a boon for him now: the bureaucracy check. Each new law must undergo an additional review by Juncker's Dutch deputy, Frans Timmermans -- and he also holds the right to veto. The measure was intended to send a message to Europeans that the Commission would spare them from laws that are overreaching or have no real purpose. Now, though, the measure serves to slow down all measures that might anger the British. Since the beginning of 2015, more than 80 legislative initiatives have been halted using the new procedure. Silence in Berlin But British Prime Minister Cameron hasn't leave anything to chance: He also wants to avoid any unpleasant surprises from EU member states prior to the referendum -- in the form of overly ambitious proposals made in Brussels, for example. It's a request the Brits made directly to the Chancellery in Berlin, in addition to an appeal from Cameron that Chancellor Angela Merkel stay out of the referendum debate. Even comments intended to provide support are not helpful, the Chancellery was informed. Merkel, say sources close to her, has made it clear internally that she wants to respect that wish. Berlin plans to stay completely out of the Brexit debate in the coming weeks. It seems likely that not everyone in the Chancellery is pleased with the reason the British invoked in making their request. Merkel's reputation in Great Britain has plummeted dramatically since the refugee crisis, one British diplomat said. Her market value in Britain at the moment is about at the level of a European commissioner. "It's better not to have her on your side," the source said. MADRID (Spain) May 26, 2016 (SPS) - human rights activist Aminatou Haidar reaffirmed in an interview published in the Spanish daily "Publico" Wednesday that Spain "required to stand by the Saharawi people side because Spain is responsible of their plights. Aminatou Haidar said clearly in an interview on the sidelines of her participation in the Forum of the Oslo Freedom" in Norwegian capital that "she does not understand the attitude of the Spanish government, which contrasts perfectly with the citizens' attitude," adding in Spain " we have great popular support contrary to the official position." Human rights activist went on saying that "Spain should take their responsibility towards the Saharawi people, stressing about the proposal to expand the mandates of MINURSO to monitor the human rights that "Spain impede any possible progress in the field of protection of human rights in Western Sahara because it is always on the side of France."SPS 125/090/TRA HARTFORD - The Connecticut Supreme Court has upheld its landmark ruling declaring the states death penalty unconstitutional and abolishing capital punishment. The court released its 5-2 decision Thursday in the appeal of Russell Peeler Jr., who had been on death row for ordering the 1999 killings of a woman and her 8-year-old son in Bridgeport. The boy, B.J. Brown, was to testify against Peeler in another murder case Peeler now faces life without the possibility of release. We welcome todays Connecticut Supreme Court ruling, which takes the prudent step of ending the states failed death penalty and the possibility of any future executions, said Sheila Denion, project director for the Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty. Todays ruling ensures that we can move beyond this flawed policy to the total abolition of capital punishment in our state. More News Ken Dixon: Dwellers of unDeath Row Bridgeport States Attorney John Smriga declined to comment on the ruling. I appreciate having been granted the opportunity to present the states position on all of the issues the present court raised about Connecticuts death penalty, said Chief States Attorney Kevin Kane. The court has now spoken and, as always, we respect its decision. As such, we will move forward to re-sentence the individuals currently on death row to a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of release. The Division of Criminal Justice and I extend our deepest sympathy and condolences to the victims of these crimes and to their families. Cruel and unusual Last year, the states highest court ruled the General Assemblys 2012 repeal of capital punishment freed all 10 death row inmates from execution, not just those convicted of capital felony after the repeal, as the legislators and Gov. Dannel Malloy had intended. Todays decision reaffirms what the court has already said: Those currently serving on death row will serve the rest of their life in prison with no possibility of ever obtaining freedom, Malloy said in a statement after the ruling. In the last half century, Connecticut has only executed two inmates, both of whom volunteered for that punishment. Capital punishment is an emotional issue, and my opposition to it arose after many years as a prosecutor, then as an attorney, and finally as a public servant. Our focus today should not be on those currently sitting on death row, but with their victims and those surviving family members. My thoughts and prayers are with them on this difficult day. Associate Supreme Court Justice Richard N. Palmer, like Malloy a former prosecutor, wrote in the courts decision that even though the legislative intent of the 2012 law was to affect only those convicted of capital murder after April 25 of that year, once the death penalty was repealed for anyone, execution became cruel and unusual punishment and unconstitutional, even for those on death row. But in his request for the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision, Assistant States Attorney Harry Weller said the courts ruling was flawed and ignored members of the General Assembly who said during the protracted committee and floor debates of 2012 that the repeal would not extend to death row. Before that bill was signed, the death penalty was fully constitutional, Weller told the seven justices. The Democratic process in Connecticut worked in this case. This courts ultimate responsibility is to uphold the Constitution, to get the law right, to do it in a way that is clear to the public, that it reflects, when it has to, the standards of our society. The will of the people is to execute these guys. Murdered witnesses Peeler, a Bridgeport drug kingpin, was convicted of ordering the murders in January 1999 of Brown and his mother, Karen Clarke, to protect his drug operation. The boy was scheduled to testify against Peeler in another murder case when he and his mother were found shot to death in their Bridgeport home. The death of the young boy, who was shot execution-style in the back of the head, shocked the country and was later responsible for strengthening the penalties against the murder of witnesses. This appeal of the defendants death sentences is controlled by State v. Santiago in which a majority of this court concluded that executing offenders who committed capital crimes prior to the enactment of P.A. 12-5 (the 2012 law) would offend article first, 8 and 9, of the Connecticut Constitution, Supreme Court Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers and associate justices Palmer, Dennis Eveleigh, Andrew McDonald and Richard Robinson wrote in Thursdays decision. But in dissenting opinion, Justice Peter Zarella called the majoritys opinion, Completely devoid of any legal basis. And Justice Carmen Espinosa called the decision, Disdainful. Both accused the majority of trying to save face in light of its previous bad death-penalty decision. Ken Dixon contributed to this report. Metro-North Railroad has received a financial green light to proceed with a $695 million project that will give Connecticut commuters a direct line to Penn Station and the West Side of Manhattan. The money is part of a $27 billion, five-year capital plan approved this week for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority the largest MTA infrastructure investment in New York State history. Today marks a major step forward, said MTA Chairman and CEO Tom Prendergast. With historic levels of funding through the capital plan, we have the resources and support we need to renew, enhance and expand our transportation infrastructure. The direct route to Penn Station begins at New Rochelle, N.Y., where commuter trains from Connecticut will veer onto revamped Amtrak tracks and continue directly to Penn Station. Four new stations will be built in the Bronx along the new line. All Metro-North trains now go to Grand Central Station on Manhattans East Side, forcing commuters heading to the West Side to take a taxi or subway. The Penn Station project is targeted for completion in 2022 and involves no Connecticut funding. Grand Central will still be the main hub, said Aaron Donovan, a Metro-North spokesman. This is an added destination, Donovan said. It will give folks from Connecticut another way to get into Manhattan. And in terms of disruptions, like during the (recent) fire, this provides an alternative way to get into (and out of) Manhattan. A fire last week under a Harlem viaduct stranded passengers at Grand Central for hours and delayed commuters throughout the line. If the direct route to Penn Station had been operating, many commuters could have left the city that way, Donovan said. Everyone is excited about what this means for commuters, Donovan said. Good news The $27 billion dollar improvement plan also includes the purchase of more than 2,340 buses, 1,450 subway cars, additional tracks for the Long Island Railroad and an East Side Access project that will allow Long Island riders to go directly to Grand Central Terminal, relieving congestion at Penn Station. Jim Cameron, founder of the Commuter Action Group, said a direct line to Penn Station is good news for Connecticut commuters, adding the project has been in the planning stage for years. It has always been my understanding that we will not get access to Penn Station until the Long Island Railroads East Side Access project into Grand Central is completed, Cameron added. Penn station is just maxed out and cannot handle any additional trains until the Long Island Railroad is able to send some of theirs to Grand Central, Cameron said. Donovan said the East Side Access project will be done at the same time improvements are made to allow a direct line to Penn Station, which includes adding a third rail to power the trains. I think it will help some, Cameron said. It might help folks who work on the West Side. Final step New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said the plan has received final approval from the Capital Plan Review Board, the last step in a lengthy process. The MTA is the lifeblood of the New York metropolitan areas transportation network and we must ensure it has the capacity to meet the travel demands of the next generation and fuel one of the largest economies on the globe, Cuomo said in a statement. By investing in the most robust transportation plan in state history, we are reimagining the MTA and ensuring a safer, more reliable and more resilient public transportation network for tomorrow, Cuomo added. Metro-North said in its capital plan that only three miles of new track, and no tunnels, are needed for the Penn Station access project. For the most part, Metro-Norths New Haven Line will take advantage of existing track, owned by Amtrak, to go directly to Midtown Manhattans West Side, the MTA wrote. Were planning a project that will provide critical system resiliency by protecting service for more than 275,000 daily customers if Metro-Norths service to Grand Central Terminal is ever interrupted, the capital plan notes. I nvestment bankers normally go to disgraceful lengths to try to grab credit for deals they had very little to do with. They do it so they can appear to be more important than they are and enhance their position in the dealmakers league tables, which they then use to generate more business. It was therefore particularly satisfying and indeed a unique experience to see a representative of Goldman Sachs do the very opposite this week. Giving evidence on Monday to a Parliamentary inquiry into the sale of now-collapsed retail group BHS by Sir Philip Green to a former bankrupt with an off-the-shelf business called Retail Acquisitions, Anthony Gutman of Goldman could not have been more clear that neither he nor his firm were seriously involved. Goldman was an informal adviser to Green. It is understandable why Goldman wants to position itself on the sidelines because it has been burned this way before. Few in the City will now remember but Goldman had a starring role a quarter of a century ago when it was discovered that publisher Robert Maxwell had pillaged the pension funds in his care. Goldman was not in any way complicit in the knavery but it had earlier set in place a complex put and call arrangement with the Bouncing Czech. This was profitable for the firm but, unknown to Goldman, it was being used by Maxwell at least some of the time to provide cover for his mischief-making. In those days, Goldman was still a partnership that did not support hostile deals, and it was so mortified by this unfortunate association that alongside other Maxwell advisers it voluntarily made a multi-million-pound donation into a fund set up to provide some restitution for the much-depleted pension funds. Even when wholly innocent, that is what City firms did when things went wrong in those days. Less so now. The main target in this inquiry is not Goldman; it is, of course, Sir Philip partly because he is rich, partly because there is a long list of people who have had occasion to find him unpleasant to deal with over the years, and partly because, superficially at least, he seems to have left the pension fund to its fate. That, if you like is the case, for the prosecution. But while the following is no doubt an unpopular view and Sir Philip is certainly not someone I ever thought I would seek to defend he may not be the main villain here. He is arguably the victim of a dysfunctional regulatory system. The problem is that when a struggling business has a struggling pension fund, its options are limited. Any plan to restore the fund to solvency requires increased contributions, usually from the company. The plan will then have to be spread out over many years because that is the cheapest way to do it and probably the only way a cash-strapped sponsoring firm in this case BHS can commit anything meaningful to the cause. "He may not be the main villain. He is arguably the victim of a dysfunctional regulatory system." But such deals have to be approved by the pensions regulator, and that office does not like rescue plans with a long time frame because something is likely to go wrong that will drop the fund back into the mire long before the plan matures. The regulator is also loath to sanction any deal where promised benefits are cut which is another way to make any rescue cheaper because if one struggling firm is allowed to do it, it fears they all will. But the failure to strike deals when companies are afloat has prompted a string of less scrupulous owners to put businesses into receivership on a Friday, ditch the pension fund over the weekend and then buy back the business on Monday without those liabilities. Sir Philips efforts to put the fund on a sustainable footing in his final years of ownership failed to get the necessary approvals before the board of BHSs sister company Arcadia, decided they could no longer afford to guarantee the loans that were keeping BHS afloat. Time ran out for the retail group. Without that support, the options for BHS were receivership or a quick sale to a mug buyer. Sir Philip chose the latter, though apparently without finding any evidence of the buyers mug status in the due diligence process. But the key point is that by the time things got to this stage, the pension fund was stuffed anyway, and arguably less stuffed with a buyer than it would be in a receivership. What Green did is not unusual. Business Secretary Sajid Javid probably will not thank me for pointing it out but he, in his own way, is doing a Philip Green as he tries to find a rescue buyer for Tata Steel. No details have been released but there has been a fair amount of loose talk about getting the South Wales steelworkers to accept lower pension benefits because this would be one way to make the Tata steel pension deficit smaller and less off-putting to a potential rescuer. Giving some members lower benefits was also part of the final-year BHS plan, which never made it to the line. It will be interesting to see how the regulator reacts if something like this comes up for approval probably favourably because no doubt there will be some discreet sweetener in there that will provide a surreptitious Government guarantee to the Tata fund in the event that the eventual rescuer fails to last the course. That is just speculation but in general terms it will be interesting to see if the regulator is softer on the Government than on the private sector. This story has some way to run yet. Sir Philip has never struck me as a man who does regret, but maybe he has one. Early in his ownership of BHS, he approached an insurance company to ask if it would buy out the BHS pension fund as a way of securing the members benefits. It said it might, but it would cost. Sir Philip baulked to put it politely at the figure he was quoted. It has turned out to be one of his more expensive rants. T he worlds biggest float of the year so far, Denmarks Dong Energy, could value the company at up to 10.9 billion, Dong said today. The privatisation of the state-backed energy firm, whose shares will begin trading in Copenhagen on June 9, will end an often-controversial saga lasting over a decade. Dong, the worlds leader in offshore wind farms, boasts more than a quarter of global capacity, and has spent more than 5 billion in the UK since 2004. Its investments include a 25% stake in the London Array 13 miles off the Kent coast, the largest operational offshore wind farm in the world. It is also building a wind farm the size of Malta off the coast of Grimsby, generating enough energy to power more than a million homes. the company set the price range for the float at between 83.5 billion and 106.5 billion kroner (8.5 billion-10.9 billion) after revealing it two weeks ago. Dong began life in 1972 and the current group was established in 2006 through the merger of six Danish energy companies. But a float was delayed that year due to a European merger probe and then in 2008 when the financial crisis sent shock waves through equity markets. The sale of a stake in the business to Goldman Sachs in 2014 caused a Borgen-style political storm and led to the Socialists pulling out of the ruling coalition. Denmark has a 58.8% stake and Goldman Sachs 17.9%. Up to 17.4% of the shares in Dong, led by chief executive Henrik Poulsen, will be sold. The float will trigger a fees bonanza with JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley and Nordea the bookrunners. Rothschild is advising the Danish government. I n just four weeks Londoners and the entire country will make one of the most important political decisions of our lifetimes. The EU referendum will have far-reaching and potentially permanent consequences for London and the UK. Whichever way we vote, we will set ourselves on a new course that will last for decades to come. The stakes could not be higher, so its vital that Londoners hear all the arguments. Thats why, from now until June 23, as well as joining the Government in setting out the economic case, I will be making sure Londoners hear the positive, patriotic and values-based case for Britain remaining in the European Union. We have seen compelling evidence from the Treasury, the Bank of England, the CBI, the IMF and others of how it is in Britains and Londons economic interest to remain in the EU. It is now clearer than ever that remaining part of the union will be better for the economy, better for trade, better for businesses both large and small and better for exports. It is now clearer than ever that remaining part of the union will be better for the economy, better for trade, better for businesses both large and small and better for exports As a city, we export more than 12 billion a year to Europe and London is home to the European headquarters of 60 per cent of the worlds non-European global businesses. Access to EU markets is crucial to the success of the City of London and for every 1 we put into the EU, we get almost 10 back through increased trade, investment, low prices and jobs. Overall, more than half-a-million jobs in London directly depend on us being members of the EU and it has been estimated that an extra 75,000 jobs will be created by 2030 as a result of our membership. Ive helped run a successful business, so I know from my own experience that our role in Europe is crucial to creating the jobs of the future that we need in London. These important economic arguments have understandably dominated the debate in recent weeks but the benefits of remaining in the EU go far wider. The UK gets millions of pounds in funding every day to help with the fight against diseases such as Parkinsons disease, breast cancer and Alzheimers. We get hundreds of millions of pounds from the EU to support programmes to help the most disadvantaged in society, from youth unemployment initiatives to apprenticeships and training programmes. Remaining in the EU will also help protect workers rights, such as guaranteeing paid annual leave, continuing the fair treatment of part-time workers and ensuring womens rights in the workplace are respected, helping us to crack the glass ceiling. We also have big shared challenges with EU states such as air pollution and terrorism that we can only solve by working together. The terrorist attacks on Paris in November showed that no country can tackle the threat of terrorism alone and that it takes a co-ordinated international effort, working across borders. But, crucially, remaining in Europe is the way we can be true to our British values and history. The choice we face is not just a cold decision about how much better off we will be or what we get back from Europe, its about the kind of country we want Britain to be. Its a fundamental question about our values, character and how we perceive ourselves as a global city and as a nation. I am the son of immigrants who grew up on a council estate in south London. I saw first-hand how Britain embraced my parents and my family and provided us with countless opportunities to meet our potential. And my story is far from unique. International collaboration is in our citys DNA. In London and across the country we have always been open, looked outwards, formed partnerships and learned from others. International collaboration is in our citys DNA. This is the outlook and the values that define our country. It is the British way. London didnt become the great, vibrant city it is today through taking an isolationist approach. And it is not how we have managed to attract the best and brightest from around the world. Why would we turn our backs on this now? Finally, there is one group in particular for whom this decision matters the most young people in London and across the UK. Its thanks to the good choices made by previous generations that we can live and prosper in the successful country and capital city we have today. Its why we are, on the whole, wealthier, healthier and better educated than previous generations. Its now our turn to make one of the big decisions that will shape our country a huge responsibility. Thats why I would urge everyone to think about how their vote will not only affect themselves but their friends, their children, their grandchildren and future generations. The latest poll for the Evening Standard showed that young Londoners aged 18 to 24 back remaining in Europe by a massive 60 to 20 per cent. Loading.... Loading.... They clearly see their future as better off in Europe as they are the ones with the most to gain from remaining. Europe is awash with opportunities for young Londoners whether its the opportunity to go on cultural exchange programmes, study abroad or get funding for an apprenticeship. Do we really want our legacy to be putting up unnecessary barriers to opportunity for the next generation? As Mayor, I want what is best for London and all Londoners. So over the next four weeks I will be talking to Londoners, flying the flag for what Europe has to offer and putting forward the positive, patriotic and values-based case. TODO: define component type apester I encourage all Londoners to do the same so that we can ensure the best possible future for this great city. U pdate: The pop-up bunny cafe has had to postpone opening due to negative preconceptions about the welfare of the rescue rabbits. To clarify, the pop-up bunny cafe was to be an educational event. Animals are seemingly becoming more common in public cafes. We now have a cat emporium, and recently enjoyed a bar where dogs serve you beer. Now rabbits are hopping onto the scene as a place called Bunny Blossom seems to be gearing up to open in Islington next week. According to its Facebook page, the pop-up bunny cafe will run from June 5 to July 11, inviting the public to a spot of afternoon tea, accompanied by of a variety of fluffy, rescued rabbits. Some of these rabbits need urgent rehousing, so Bunny Blossom is offering cafe-goers the opportunity to adopt some of the bunnies in store, while experts will be on hand to give tips and tricks on how to look after them. London's most bizarre pop-ups 1 /13 London's most bizarre pop-ups All Men Must Dine In the land of Kings and Queen's their feasts are mouth-watering and exquisitely presented. The London pop-up 'All Men Must Dine' saw HBO and The Wandering Chef team up to create an intimate experience of a Game of Thrones style feast. The two-day takeover gave the opportunity to dine like Kings, which doesn't happen often. Read our article HBO Death Cafe Not many people like to talk about death, or at least you'd think not. According to the success of the global Death Cafe pop-up a lot of people want to talk about mortality. Having travelled across 30 countries, the Death Cafe is certainly thriving with activity. Read our article Stevie The Fox The fascination over animals being in restaurants seemed to have become a craze when a London pop-up restaurant wanted to get foxes into their eating establishment. Fortunately, the not-so-tame animals were saved by animal rights activists, and Stevie The Fox didn't get round to popping up. Check out our article Tincan This pop-up did exactly what it said on the tin. There was no need for a kitchen when all they sold was tinned fish. The Soho pop-up restaurant stocked all different brands of fish, some costing up to 22. Check out our article Paul Winch-Furness MicroChippy Who says you need to leave your animal at home anymore? MicroChippy was a pop-up dog diner that arrived for Valentine's Day 2016, and provided an opportunity for dateless people to venture out with their four-legged friends instead. Sponsored by Dog's Trust, the 1950's style diner treated canines to a dog-friendly hot dog, whilst treating people to a hot dog and champagne. Check out our article Annie the Owl Cafe Another trend that arrived in London from Japan was the Owl Cafe. The wide-eyed birds of prey were put in a secret location in East London, and soon became flooded with applicants wanting to experience this Japanese trend. Over 60,000 people applied, and only 500 were given a ticket. What a hoot! Read our article Trendy Creme Egg Cafe The weird and wonderful surprise of the Creme Egg Cafe opening in London caused a joyous outburst from the British public. The bizarre menu saw an appearance of the 'Creme Egg Toastie'. It's uncertain whether it was delicious or gross, but a Creme Egg should only ever be eaten as a chocolate egg. No eggsplanation needed. Check out our article Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium The animal fascination continues, but Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium had more of a feline feel. Following Japan's cat craze, London became home to the London's first cat cafe, began by Lady Dinah and her love for cats. ladydinahs.com John Stillwell/ PA Wire London In The Sky This bizarre pop-up restaurant took customers to new heights, quite literally. While suspended 25 metres above London, customers were treated to a once in a lifetime opportunity to receive great food with a great view. Read our article ABQ TV Series inspired pop-ups can work really well. ABQ is all about chemistry, and arrived in London in May 2015 for fans of Breaking Bad to put their chemistry skills to the test. Instead of cooking, well, illegal drugs, customers were instead lured in to cook up their own cocktails. Read our article Rest assured the rabbits have access to fresh air and plenty of room, so should enjoy the experience as much as their human visitors. They'll certainly get plenty of attention. Places at the pop-up bunny cafe are bound to be snapped up quickly, so make sure you email bunnyblossomcafe@gmail.com to save your place. The cafe will not allow children under 12. Entry is 6. Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout L ily James has praised her former Downton Abbey co-star Samantha Bond for helping her to tackle the daunting role of Juliet. The actress stars opposite Richard Madden, who plays Romeo, in Sir Kenneth Branaghs West End production of the Shakespeare tragedy. The pair appeared together in last years Disney hit Cinderella which was also directed by Sir Kenneth. Choreographer Rob Ashford also worked on both projects. Bond played Juliet opposite Sir Kenneths Romeo in the Eighties, and her son, Tom, has a role in the new production. James, 27, who played Lady Rose in Downton, said: It has been amazing reuniting with Ken, and Rob post-Cinderella. There was a real sense of trust and intimacy which made the rehearsals feel so exciting. It was so wonderful turning up on day one and having Richard there too. She said she was delighted to see Bond again, explaining: Obviously taking on a role like Juliet is very daunting. Samantha Bond came to watch us in the previews her son, Tom, is playing Paris. Sam had played Juliet to Ken Branaghs Romeo in the Eighties and it was amazing to talk to her about it and enlist some help and encouragement. The play and the role is so rich and full you have to just try and let that carry you through. The audience for last nights performance at The Garrick included Jamess boyfriend Matt Smith the former Doctor Who actor Graham Norton and Dame Maggie Smith, who also starred in Downton. Madden, 29, who rose to fame in Game Of Thrones and played Prince Charming in Cinderella, enjoyed reuniting with his film colleagues on a play that meant so much to him. He said: One of my first ever jobs out of drama school was playing Romeo at the Globe so its been fantastic to come back to the role and rediscover it. Its one of Shakespeares most loved and popular plays because the story is just so timeless. Everyone can relate to that feeling of first love and first lust and how it can totally change your life. Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout H elen Gurley Brown is routinely described as the original Cosmo girl. She had sex as a singleton when that was still taboo and wrote the book about it (1962s Sex and the Single Girl though by then she was married). Then, despite having no editing experience, she was appointed to the helm of Cosmopolitan, a failing periodical she revamped as an upbeat womens magazine, with busty cover-girls and male centrefolds. It became so successful that she didnt step down until she was 74. Sex, Brooke Hauser suggests in this operose biography, was the late Gurley Browns currency she was proof that a nice girl could have sex [with 178 men, apparently] and use it to her advantage. But she slogged rather than shagged her way to the top, even if she thought her bedroom skills nabbed her a better kind of boyfriend. Gurley Brown was born in Arkansas. Her family were poor, though not as impoverished as she later liked to pretend. She began her career in advertising and became the West Coasts best-paid female copywriter. When she married at 37 to film producer David Brown there was no chance shed morph into a Stepford Wife. Enter Helen has already attracted attention for the revelation that Gurley Browns husband was the architect of her career coming up with the book idea and then getting her the Cosmo job but their relationship was a partnership. Jaws, which he produced, landed as a novel on the desk at Cosmo. Hauser paints Gurley Brown as complex and not entirely likeable. She was a tough editor yet wanted others to see her as fragile. She perpetually undersold herself, with Gloria Steinem describing her as the most unconfident, ingratiating person, constantly referring to herself as a mouseburger. She was obsessed and Hauser has wearingly adopted this fixation with the idea she was no beauty, even though pictures show she was glamorous and good-looking. Hauser wrestles well with the question of where Gurley Brown fits with feminism, many of whose proponents found the magazine frustrating (Pat Carbine dismissed it as a money-printing press for Hearst). Was she feminisms friend or foe? A soldier behind enemy lines or a double agent? On the evidence Hauser presents, Gurley Brown seems a feminist of convenience: she subscribed to some of its tenets but had a naive view of the position of the sexes, and would sacrifice a pro-women agenda if it suited her. Theres a story that illustrates this. In the mid-Seventies a psychoanalyst and Cosmo columnist was accused of sexual abuse. Despite demonstrations in the lobby Gurley Brown initially refused to sack him. Steinem asked Gurley Brown why. Oh, hes such a nice man, came the reply. He was found guilty. As Hauser notes wryly: His final column... appeared four months later. More book reviews 1 /24 More book reviews Recovery by Russell Brand Will Russells brand of self-help prove quite so addictive? By Nicholas Lezard. Read review A Life in Questions by Jeremy Paxman Paxo refuses to answer all the really good questions, says David Sexton. Read review Politics: Between: The Extremes by Nick Clegg The basis of this book makes it impossible not to warm to Clegg, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review Serious Sweet by A L Kennedy Thank heavens for London in this tale of self-obsessed lovers. Read review The Last Royal Rebel: The Life and Death of James, Duke of Monmouth by Anna Keay Born a kings b****** and destined for a traitors death. Read review Man Up: Boys, Men and Breaking the Male Rules by Rebecca Asher Getting to the bottom of why boys will be boys. Read review The Course of Love by Alain de Botton A philosophical novel that does run smooth, says Johanna Thomas-Corr. Read review The Tree Climbers Guide: Adventures in the Urban Canopy by Jack Cooke How I gave this book a proper test and ended up with a broken ankle. Read review Reader, I Married Him: Stories Inspired by Jane Eyre Brontes classic tale in the imaginations of other writers, says Claire Harman. Read review Moranifesto by Caitlin Moran Caitlin comes clean about politics the world according to our funniest feminist. By Rosamund Urwin. Read review Spark Joy An Illustrated Guide to the Japanese Art of Tidying by Marie Kondo Theres no messing wih Marie, says Katie Law. Read review Cockfosters Stories by Helen Simpson After 50, a womans life gets better not worse. By Katie Law. Read review Stalins Englishman: The Lives of Guy Burgess by Andrew Lownie Joker in the spying pack. By Richard Bassett. Read review Even Dogs in the Wild by Ian Rankin The darkness that lies at the heart of the novel is offset by a lightness of touch, says Mark Sanderson. Read review Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink by Elvis Costello Elvis proves not quite so lyrical on the page, says Nick Curtis. Read review The Importance of Elsewhere: Philip Larkins Photographs by Richard Bradford His poetry paints better pictures than any camera, says David Sexton. Read review Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith Morality wins out over macabre murders, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review The Grownup by Gillian Flynn Calling all Flynnies: the con girl whos like gone girl. Read review Presumably in an attempt to create a backdrop to Gurley Brown, who died in 2012, Hauser has included details of historical events and the stories of other famous names. The problem is, this makes it a bloated biography that drifts too far from its subject. And while Enter Helen is fantastic on detail (that Gurley Brown perpetually misspelled lesbian lesbion made me smile), even after some 400 pages she remains an enigma. Her public image failed to capture the complexity that was always just out of the frame, Hauser writes. That could be said of this book too. I still dont quite understand the soaring success of the iron butterfly. A fter more than 20 years dealing with non-fiction subjects as diverse as polar exploration, the Soviet economy and childrens literature, Francis Spufford has written a novel. How did he resist so long? From its swooping first page to its crafty last paragraph, Golden Hill shows a level of showmanship and skill which seems more like a crowning achievement than a debut. Richard Smith, a handsome young man of uncertain background straight off the boat from England, sprints from the dock to a counting house in the small town of New York at the bottom of Manhattan Island, gripping a bill for 1,000. It is a sum that could bankrupt the payee and disturb the whole local economy. What does he want it for? This is the New York of 1746, 30 years before the revolution, a colonial outpost built around a fort and ruled by trading forces (the action all takes place in or around present-day Wall Street). News and credit from the old country arrives slowly and Smiths six-week-old stock prices are the freshest on hand. While he is waiting for his bill to clear Smith becomes increasingly suspect: is he a conman, a spy, a seducer? Just as in a real novel (as it were) of the 1740s, his mere presence seems to provoke mishaps and adventures. Theres a chase over rooftops, a duel, a trial, a steamy sex scene (literally its in a bathhouse), a comically complex high-stakes card game and two dramatic coitus interruptuses, one witnessed by a young woman who registers confusion; astonishment; fascination; the dawning in her equable face of a kind of rancorous glee. Mistaken for a papist on Bonfire Night, Smith is slammed to the turf beneath a mountain of rapidly augmenting male meat, one of several viscerally horrible descriptions (another is the branding of his thumb, a hiss and a smell like roasted pork, and the skin shrivelling back like wax). He ends up in prison, of course, with a despicable specimen called The Capting, who evolves from a set-piece low-life character to one of real menace. In a scheme that could easily have got stuck in or near pastiche Spufford always goes one step further, and brings his people and situations to life with glancing ease. Real characters such as the Governor James De Lancey rub shoulders with imaginary ones such as Terpie Tomlinson, a big-busted former stage actress turned officers wife, and Achilles, an enslaved African whose life has divided into dizzyingly different parts. They all live and breathe with conviction. Spufford has made the canny decision to use wide rather than quaint vocabulary, with little flashes of contemporary usage and a few deliberate anachronisms to show that hes not a pedant. And his descriptive powers are amazing. When the girl Smith is in love with, clever and waspish Tabitha, avoids her suitors eye, he could almost feel it: a tickling, wary, dry, velvet-light attention, as if he were being visited by the scouts of a bee-swarm. More book reviews 1 /24 More book reviews Recovery by Russell Brand Will Russells brand of self-help prove quite so addictive? By Nicholas Lezard. Read review A Life in Questions by Jeremy Paxman Paxo refuses to answer all the really good questions, says David Sexton. Read review Politics: Between: The Extremes by Nick Clegg The basis of this book makes it impossible not to warm to Clegg, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review Serious Sweet by A L Kennedy Thank heavens for London in this tale of self-obsessed lovers. Read review The Last Royal Rebel: The Life and Death of James, Duke of Monmouth by Anna Keay Born a kings b****** and destined for a traitors death. Read review Man Up: Boys, Men and Breaking the Male Rules by Rebecca Asher Getting to the bottom of why boys will be boys. Read review The Course of Love by Alain de Botton A philosophical novel that does run smooth, says Johanna Thomas-Corr. Read review The Tree Climbers Guide: Adventures in the Urban Canopy by Jack Cooke How I gave this book a proper test and ended up with a broken ankle. Read review Reader, I Married Him: Stories Inspired by Jane Eyre Brontes classic tale in the imaginations of other writers, says Claire Harman. Read review Moranifesto by Caitlin Moran Caitlin comes clean about politics the world according to our funniest feminist. By Rosamund Urwin. Read review Spark Joy An Illustrated Guide to the Japanese Art of Tidying by Marie Kondo Theres no messing wih Marie, says Katie Law. Read review Cockfosters Stories by Helen Simpson After 50, a womans life gets better not worse. By Katie Law. Read review Stalins Englishman: The Lives of Guy Burgess by Andrew Lownie Joker in the spying pack. By Richard Bassett. Read review Even Dogs in the Wild by Ian Rankin The darkness that lies at the heart of the novel is offset by a lightness of touch, says Mark Sanderson. Read review Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink by Elvis Costello Elvis proves not quite so lyrical on the page, says Nick Curtis. Read review The Importance of Elsewhere: Philip Larkins Photographs by Richard Bradford His poetry paints better pictures than any camera, says David Sexton. Read review Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith Morality wins out over macabre murders, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review The Grownup by Gillian Flynn Calling all Flynnies: the con girl whos like gone girl. Read review Early snow furs the cobbles with a thin grey nap like velvet, and, when the very likeable character Septimus receives a fatal wound, the speed at which things go from trivial to catastrophic is guaranteed to set you squirming: through each hopeful tight-moulded cold poultice they balled round his leg, the crimson came creeping, white crystals turning inexorably to burgundy along an advancing front. The picaresque novels of Fielding and Smollett were clearly powerful models for this book but Spuffords extraordinary visual imagination and brilliant pacing seems to owe more to the movies than anything else. The only unconvincing note, for me, comes in the last few pages, in the revelation of an extra layer of complexity which seems more distracting than enriching, but by that time one could forgive this ingenious author anything, especially an unwillingness to stop. T he truth, according to this powerful account of the impact of the privatisation of public services in this country, is that Britain has been hijacked by a group of companies that dont offer the value they say they do. Worse still, says its author Alan White, the firms involved in such outsourcing are given an easy ride because of generous contracts and poor government oversight of their performance, creating a broken market in which the taxpayer too often picks up the tab for failure. The individual victims, he argues, range from disabled welfare claimants and asylum seekers to old people in care homes and young offenders detained in privatised secure training centres. The evidence of outsourcing failure cited by White, a journalist who has reported on the 80 billion a year industry for many years, is extensive and includes examples such as the G4S Olympic security guard fiasco and the death of Angolan Jimmy Mubenga while being restrained on a deportation flight by staff from the same company. Other cases added to his charge sheet include the mistreatment of women in the Yarls Wood immigration detention centre, run by Serco; the chaotic outsourcing of court translation services; and failed payment by results schemes with the unemployed and offenders on probation. All of this and more is lucidly set out by White and provides much ammunition to sustain his central thesis that the vogue for using private firms to provide state services is based on a misguided faith in their ability to provide cheaper and better performance. He argues, in particular, with some justification, that while the focus of government tends to be on the short-term savings that outsourcing can bring, the long-term cost is frequently much greater and that it is also often near impossible to measure the quality of privatised services, especially when they cater for people with complex human problems. Whites points about a lack of accountability and transparency, which makes it harder to assess standards of privatised services, and the absence of sufficient competition in a market dominated by a handful of large outsourcing companies, also have validity. There are a few quibbles. The narrative sometimes veers into an attack on government policy, for which the outsourcing companies responsible for implementation cannot be blamed. Nor is there recognition that publicly run services fail too: some of the countrys worst prisons are, for example, in state hands, while NHS care scandals, hospital budget mismanagement and police misconduct cases all illustrate that it is not just in the private sector where things go wrong. More book reviews 1 /24 More book reviews Recovery by Russell Brand Will Russells brand of self-help prove quite so addictive? By Nicholas Lezard. Read review A Life in Questions by Jeremy Paxman Paxo refuses to answer all the really good questions, says David Sexton. Read review Politics: Between: The Extremes by Nick Clegg The basis of this book makes it impossible not to warm to Clegg, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review Serious Sweet by A L Kennedy Thank heavens for London in this tale of self-obsessed lovers. Read review The Last Royal Rebel: The Life and Death of James, Duke of Monmouth by Anna Keay Born a kings b****** and destined for a traitors death. Read review Man Up: Boys, Men and Breaking the Male Rules by Rebecca Asher Getting to the bottom of why boys will be boys. Read review The Course of Love by Alain de Botton A philosophical novel that does run smooth, says Johanna Thomas-Corr. Read review The Tree Climbers Guide: Adventures in the Urban Canopy by Jack Cooke How I gave this book a proper test and ended up with a broken ankle. Read review Reader, I Married Him: Stories Inspired by Jane Eyre Brontes classic tale in the imaginations of other writers, says Claire Harman. Read review Moranifesto by Caitlin Moran Caitlin comes clean about politics the world according to our funniest feminist. By Rosamund Urwin. Read review Spark Joy An Illustrated Guide to the Japanese Art of Tidying by Marie Kondo Theres no messing wih Marie, says Katie Law. Read review Cockfosters Stories by Helen Simpson After 50, a womans life gets better not worse. By Katie Law. Read review Stalins Englishman: The Lives of Guy Burgess by Andrew Lownie Joker in the spying pack. By Richard Bassett. Read review Even Dogs in the Wild by Ian Rankin The darkness that lies at the heart of the novel is offset by a lightness of touch, says Mark Sanderson. Read review Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink by Elvis Costello Elvis proves not quite so lyrical on the page, says Nick Curtis. Read review The Importance of Elsewhere: Philip Larkins Photographs by Richard Bradford His poetry paints better pictures than any camera, says David Sexton. Read review Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith Morality wins out over macabre murders, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review The Grownup by Gillian Flynn Calling all Flynnies: the con girl whos like gone girl. Read review Finally, although Whites suspicion that profit corrodes motives is understandable, the work of GPs and legal aid lawyers, both effectively providing outsourced state services, shows how private businesses can operate with a genuine public-service ethos. Nevertheless, this is a book worth reading. Those on the Left, hostile to privatisation, are its most likely audience and will find their views reinforced. But readers on the Right can probably learn most from the challenge it presents to their ideas. Either way, as government spending cuts make more outsourcing appear inevitable over the coming years, Whites book provides a timely and important analysis of this often overlooked feature of public life. T he contemporary fascination with the Tudors hasnt quite extended to the Stuarts, the next dynasty to occupy the English throne. Plainly, Charles II needs a Hilary Mantel. We may have a jumbled notion about Cromwell, the Puritans and the execution of Charles I, and a dim apprehension of the Restoration of Charles II Pepys has seen to that but its not a period of English history thats in popular currency right now, though theres still a market for Restoration comedy and anything to do with Nell Gwyn. Mercifully, 1688 no longer features in the popular mindset as the Glorious Revolution, unless youre talking about a particular caste of Northern Irish Protestant, but its Pepys and the portraits of Peter Lely that really bring the age to life. Thats a shame, in a way, because there are any number of vivid personalities who peopled the period. We all know that Charles II fathered several b******* by his assorted mistresses, right? Few of us are now aware even of the existence of the son that the king loved best, James, Duke of Monmouth. He was the product of a liaison in the Netherlands between the exiled Charles and one Lucy Walters, whom her detractors invariably described as a bit of a whore a conclusion with which it is hard to argue. Little James began life on the hoof in the Netherlands, interspersed with no fewer than three bids by his father to kidnap him from his mother, and ended it on the scaffold on Tower Hill, undergoing all the agonies of a botched execution by axe, for his treasonous and failed rebellion against his uncle James II. In between he was the adored favourite of his father, an embodiment of the dissolute spirit of the Restoration, handsome and charming in an age that set store by male pulchritude, a brave and gallant army commander at a time when the regular army was in its infancy, a polished courtier and the most appalling spendthrift. He embodied some of the virtues and almost all the vices of the Restoration court, though his Protestantism and his opposition to the prospect of a Catholic authoritarian monarchy under his uncle James was later to redeem him with posterity. He was on the right side of history: his cousins, William and Mary, took the throne from the legitimate monarch, James II, and his bungled rebellion ensured that theirs succeeded. More book reviews 1 /24 More book reviews Recovery by Russell Brand Will Russells brand of self-help prove quite so addictive? By Nicholas Lezard. Read review A Life in Questions by Jeremy Paxman Paxo refuses to answer all the really good questions, says David Sexton. Read review Politics: Between: The Extremes by Nick Clegg The basis of this book makes it impossible not to warm to Clegg, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review Serious Sweet by A L Kennedy Thank heavens for London in this tale of self-obsessed lovers. Read review The Last Royal Rebel: The Life and Death of James, Duke of Monmouth by Anna Keay Born a kings b****** and destined for a traitors death. Read review Man Up: Boys, Men and Breaking the Male Rules by Rebecca Asher Getting to the bottom of why boys will be boys. Read review The Course of Love by Alain de Botton A philosophical novel that does run smooth, says Johanna Thomas-Corr. Read review The Tree Climbers Guide: Adventures in the Urban Canopy by Jack Cooke How I gave this book a proper test and ended up with a broken ankle. Read review Reader, I Married Him: Stories Inspired by Jane Eyre Brontes classic tale in the imaginations of other writers, says Claire Harman. Read review Moranifesto by Caitlin Moran Caitlin comes clean about politics the world according to our funniest feminist. By Rosamund Urwin. Read review Spark Joy An Illustrated Guide to the Japanese Art of Tidying by Marie Kondo Theres no messing wih Marie, says Katie Law. Read review Cockfosters Stories by Helen Simpson After 50, a womans life gets better not worse. By Katie Law. Read review Stalins Englishman: The Lives of Guy Burgess by Andrew Lownie Joker in the spying pack. By Richard Bassett. Read review Even Dogs in the Wild by Ian Rankin The darkness that lies at the heart of the novel is offset by a lightness of touch, says Mark Sanderson. Read review Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink by Elvis Costello Elvis proves not quite so lyrical on the page, says Nick Curtis. Read review The Importance of Elsewhere: Philip Larkins Photographs by Richard Bradford His poetry paints better pictures than any camera, says David Sexton. Read review Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith Morality wins out over macabre murders, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review The Grownup by Gillian Flynn Calling all Flynnies: the con girl whos like gone girl. Read review Hes little known now, which has left a gap in the market for this admirable biography. Keay is a winning guide to the man and the period; this is an account not just of James but of one of the most interesting and fruitful periods of English history: think Christopher Wren, John Dryden, John Locke. And she does it without jargon, making the personal as political as it in fact was. Her political sympathies are conventional: she accepts the desirability of excluding Catholics from the succession at a time when Catholicism was considered synonymous with political authoritarianism. Certainly its hard to make James II appealing, though he was one of the most principled men of an often unprincipled age. But no matter. She brings James, Duke of Monmouth back to life. We dont have his like in the Windsors; perhaps we get the royals we deserve? E verywhere you go in London today you see them. Tapping away on laptops in cafes and restaurants, taking conference calls in the park. Our capital city is turning into one big mobile office, while fewer and fewer people seem to have proper desk jobs. Whats going on? Ive never had a proper office job in my life. Instead Ive had about 25 different jobs so far and thats the norm now, says Hamish Jenkinson, 38, the creative director and co-founder of art agency The Department and co-founder of the gallery Lights of Soho. Jenkinsons office, when he needs one, is based at the Moorgate branch of co-working space WeWork, a set-up that allows him to rent between eight and 20 desks, depending on the size of the project hes working on. We rocked up on our first day with laptops in our rucksacks and could immediately get started. Thats the kind of easy flexibility I like. The thought of having one boss fills him with horror. Hell, even the word boss fills him with horror: I like working for lots of different inspirational leaders. I dont want to have all my eggs in one basket. His brother, he says, is a corporate lawyer who battles through morning rush hour every day and sometimes doesnt leave his City desk until 2am. Thats not what I want for myself, shudders the Peckham resident. Instead I can put my house on Airbnb for a month and go sit on a beach in Greece writing a treatment for a film. Nomadic working patterns and locations? Slashie job title that wont fit on a business card? Disdain at the thought of doing the 9-to-5 Tube hell schlep? Jenkinson might sound like one of the thousands of hipster freelancers you find hanging around the capitals cafes and hotel lobbies but, in fact, hes at the heart of a social revolution. Lights of Soho private club The way we work is changing and its changing our city. Were quitting our desk-jobs in droves: ONS figures show that 4.6 million people are now self-employed, the highest number since records began 40 years ago. This translates to 15 per cent of the UK workforce, rising to 17 per cent in London. Its not just the usual suspects such as graphic designers and bloggers, its the suits too who are now going solo. Administrative work, IT and accounting/finance are the top three industries for using freelancers, according to a FlexJobs study. A survey by Deskmag.com shows the number of co-working and hot-desking spaces worldwide increased by 36 per cent in the past 12 months. London has seen hundreds of such spaces (they are always spaces) springing up around the city. Adam Blaskey, founder of The Clubhouse, which has two sites in Mayfair, says: Freelancers, entrepreneurs and some businesses are now consuming office space as a service, rather than acquiring the product, in the same way we use Uber or Air BnB as and when we need them. A selection of London's best coffee shops - in pictures 1 /12 A selection of London's best coffee shops - in pictures Workshop Coffee Co in Marylebone St David Coffee House in Forest Hill Pic: www.stdavidcoffeehouse.co.uk CREDIT: www.stdavidcoffeehouse.co.uk Ginger & White in Hampstead Prufrock in Shoreditch Black Lab Coffee in Clapham Caravan Exmouth Market in Clerkenwell The Spoke in Upper Holloway Pic: Veerle Evens MUST CREDIT: Veerle Evens ONE TIME USE ONLY 0104 Poppy's Place in Fulham Robert Dunne and Vic Frankowski of Sharps in Soho and Protein in Shoreditch At the same time, the traditional workplace appears to be dying. Corporate office space is being sold off, transforming Londons landscape. In 2013, in an attempt to tackle the housing shortage, the Government relaxed rules to make it easier to convert offices into residential property. The result is that Westminster alone has lost 4.4 million square feet of commercial space, while the Government itself recently announced plans to reduce the number of its own office buildings from 800 to just 200 over the next six years, with the future of even the iconic MI5 and MI6 buildings under threat. Blaskey, a former residential property developer, says: If you walk around central London and look at all the cranes its not office blocks theyre building, its residential property. Big businesses and the self-employed need to think differently about where, and how, they work. Blaskey cites Tesla Motors and Samsung both companies have UK HQs outside of London and, instead of signing a long lease on an office in the capital, both use The Clubhouse for their staff to work and hold meetings. Businesses no longer expect all their staff to be permanently in situ, in one centralised office with an allocated desk. Tony Crabbe, business psychologist and author of Busy, says: The big companies I work with say they want to get their people out and about more, talking to clients, innovating. The office is becoming more of a community hub for meeting and talking, rather than the place you sit down and do the bulk of your work. Which means were working in a far more fluid way. Its remarkable how long the traditional idea of office working, commuting and doing 9-to-5 has clung on, given that research shows that people consistently say they dont like it, that the technology to allow us to work remotely has been around for almost 10 years now, and that many of us work globally, says Crabbe. And these companies are relying ever more on freelancers rather than staffers: It doesnt make financial sense to have an organisation of 100,000 employees when you can do the same work with an organisation of 20,000 employees and 300,000 freelancers who you engage from time to time for their precise skill sets. Millennials entering the workplace are driving the trend theyve witnessed their parents slaving away, tied to their desks, beleaguered by their bosses, and they want something different, a life beyond being a corporate drone. Thats not to say there arent many of us who love the security and regular income provided by a 9-to-5 job. You just dont get the life you want in this city without the financial security that a proper job brings, says Jeremy Lansdale, who works for a Soho-based production company. A lot of my friends are freelance and I dont know how they ever relax not knowing where their next pay cheque is coming from. Not to mention the constant stress of always having to think about what work they have next. Nonetheless, a common question now asked by graduates at interviews, says Crabbe, is: How can I integrate this work into my life? Lauren Armes, 28, from Surrey, runs the wellness-industry site welltodolondon.com from a communal table in The Den, a chic co-working space in Bloomsbury. About 90 per cent of my friends work for themselves. We hate that whole idea of clock-watching and working set hours. Although it has taken me a while to lose that mentality as I used to work in business development in a very traditional cubicle-based role. I want to have children in the future and that was key in driving me to set up on my own. I want to be able to work part time and play an active role in bringing them up. David Goodchild is a 33-year-old freelance graphic designer from Catford who works at The Trampery, a co-working space in Shoreditch. He became a father two months ago: Being able to manage your own time is a huge plus. If I want to spend an afternoon at home looking after my son, I can, he says. I think its about adapting to the way the working world is now. You have your skill and you deploy it flexibly, collaborating with different teams. I used to work in a corporate environment and everything took so long red tape, approval processes, so many emails, so many people involved. Its much more rewarding to work in a nimble way. The ramifications of this movement are far-reaching. The flip side of flexibility and freedom is financial insecurity no holiday or sick pay, no paid parental leave beyond the government statutory amount, plus a lack of control; you just dont know where your next job will come from. Those I speak to all concede to concerns about the future at the back of their minds, but all also point out that their peers in proper jobs have very little security either, with piddling pensions and home ownership merely a pipe-dream. Thats just the way it is so bunging some cash into an ISA whenever you can is the consensus. Then theres the matter of how, when not working set hours in a set place, you can maintain a work/life balance and the stress that can ensue when its off-kilter. Crabbe believes that the power freelancer approaches this in a different way. They simply dont have those boundaries to fret about. Theyre happy to work late on a Sunday night and then go to the cinema on a Tuesday morning. Rather than seeing work and life as two separate pillars, they see them as integrated. And as we increasingly embrace the idea of self-employed people co-working alongside each other, how about co-living, too? The Trampery is launching Fish Island Village, an all-in-one facility for entrepreneurs in which to live and work. The six-acre site at Hackney Wick will open in 2018. As for the future, Jenkinson is clear: Im the architect of my own career and lifestyle, he says, and I wont have these things dictated to me. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter: @EsMagOfficial A rt forgers, music scouts, literary agents and even poets: computers are coming for your jobs. Theres now an algorithm that can create a fake Rembrandt, another that can predict chart-toppers and a third that can work out whether a novel will hit the bestseller list. And this month, Googles artificial intelligence system made a crack at writing poetry, though the result was even worse than the sub-U2 lyrics your emo friend recited to you in adolescence (a taster: Youre right/ All right/ Youre right/ OK, fine.) Algorithms have swiftly been infiltrating the arts. Their most obvious use is to tailor material to an individuals preferences. At the start of the year the BBC with its 43,000 hours of music content began to use algorithms to personalise music on its app. The idea is to build a one-to-one relationship with the listener by learning what you like, rather than the BBCs traditional one-to-many approach. Crucially for the money-makers, they can also be used to judge the likelihood of a work being a hit. In September a new book The Bestseller Code: Anatomy of the Blockbuster Novel will be released. Its authors, Jodie Archer and Matthew L Jockers, claim theres an algorithm that can predict with 97 per cent accuracy whether a novel will top the New York Times bestseller list. Although details of The Bestseller Code are closely-guarded, it does claim that it pays for a novel to have a 28-year-old heroine, to court realism and to star a dog rather than a cat. Algorithms can predict whether a song will top the charts too. Using data from The Echo Nest, a music intelligence lab, data scientists analysed 2015s top 10 dance music tracks for tech site Motherboard, finding their popularity largely predictable. More controversial is the use of algorithms to determine the worth of art. ArtRank, a service for deep-pocketed collectors, puts a buy, sell or liquidate rating on the creations of contemporary artists, in a similar vein to how an analyst rates stocks. The services founder, Carlos Rivera, claims to have developed his algorithms from investment banking. Unsurprisingly, many are aghast at the idea of decreeing the next generation of potential Jeff Koonses as hot or not before theyve been allowed to develop fully. The Rembrandt algorithm, though, is different because it created something new. The painting was made last month by the Dutch museums Mauritshuis and Rembrandthuis working alongside Microsoft, ING and the Delft University of Technology. The algorithm analysed 346 of Rembrandts paintings, which had been digitised with 3D scans, to make a new one. The result? A man with a moustache clad in black but for a white collar. But as John Hyman, professor of aesthetics at the University of Oxford and the author of Action, Knowledge, and Will, makes clear, this is no artistic achievement: What this shows is that an algorithm can generate a pastiche. Dont think of it as a work of art. Its as if you used a computer to make a forgery, only in this case it wasnt made with a dishonest purpose. Judging by the photo, I dont think the painting is convincing, though thats easy to say when you know its a fake. Hyman judged the algorithms attempt as not nearly as bad as some fake Vermeers which fooled people in the 1940s, but not as impressive as the forgeries of John Myatt, who went to prison in 1999 for conspiracy to defraud. It wouldnt fool an expert at an auction house, but perhaps one day there will be algorithms that can, he adds. It doesnt put the artist out of business, but it could put the [human] forger out of business, especially if you took a less challenging artist to forge, like Mark Rothko or Jackson Pollock. And if AI can try this with a work of art, why not an algorithmically-derived symphony No 10 from Beethoven (Barry Cooper attempted this in 1988, using the composers sketches), or perhaps an ending for Sanditon, Jane Austens unfinished novel? The best apps for Londoners 1 /16 The best apps for Londoners Zip car Join, reserve, unlock and drive it really is that simple. The capitals preferred car clubs app gives 24/7 access to cars and vans in your neighbourhood and lets you extend or cancel reservations on the go. Free Uncover Sick of being stuck on waiting lists? You need Uncover, which redistributes cancelled reservations at some of the capitals top restaurants, including The River Cafe and Nobu. Not for planning freaks, though tables typically become free at 40 minutes notice. Free Uber So popular its become a verb, this private driver service has revolutionised travel in the capital. Its speedy and affordable, making it a welcome alternative to the night bus. Free Santander Cycles Launched this summer, the official app for Boris fifth child can be used to search for nearby docking stations and check bike availability. Theres also a journey planner featuring easy, moderate and fast routes to satisfy all cycling tribes. Free Plume Air Report This new app has been downloaded by 3,000 Londoners. Sensors gathering air pollution data submit updates every hour, resulting in a scale that ranges from fresh to extremely polluted. Free Nightcapp Heres an app that will have booze hounds raising their glasses. NightCapp is a map that pinpoints more than 1,500 London watering holes that stay open past 11.30pm. It also shows users when a bar is about to close by highlighting it in orange. Better get moving. Free Money Dashboard An award-winning budget planner, this helps you keep track of personal spending across multiple accounts, pay off credit cards and even makes suggestions on how to manage your finances better. Free Her Promising to introduce women to a lesbian that hasnt slept with any of your friends, this revamped dating app includes queer-themed news and blogs, upcoming event notices and an improved algorithm-matching system. Free FoodMood This new startup, which reckons its Tinder for food, pledges to narrow down your choice of lunchbreak destinations. Hit yum or yuk on photos of dishes in your area. Juvenile, but strangely addictive. Free Daily Yoga This offers more than 50 yoga sessions, as well as a database of 500 yoga poses. Suitable for all levels, programmes include yoga aimed at specific areas of the body and weight loss. Namaste to that. Free Coffee Meets Bagel Billed as the anti-Tinder, this new kid on the block delivers just a single match to users once a day. Coffee Meets Bagel uses Facebook profile information to recommend suitors based on friends of friends. Neither coffee nor bagels are included. Free. Bristlr Do you have a beard? Perhaps youd like to stroke one on a regular basis? This can be arranged. Unlike other dating apps, Bristlr is unashamedly all about hooking up the hairy with the hairless. Theres even a beard-rating option for aficionados. Free A problem arises, of course, if an algorithm creates a fake that is passed off as genuine. Introducing fakes into the canon messes up our understanding of history, explains Hyman. The Getty kouros statue is a famous example. Experts are divided over whether it was made in Ancient Greece or in the 20th century. And this makes it harder to tell the story of how Greek sculpture developed. The implications of getting this wrong were so substantial that the Getty held a conference to work out whether it was genuine. In September The Bestseller Code: Anatomy of the Blockbuster Novel will be released However, there may be an algorithm to prevent this too. Art Fraud Insights is working on a fake-busting algorithm for an online auction site, which would notice when a forgery was listed. The algorithm would spot bogus experts authenticating fakes online. But what if a living artist started using algorithms to create new works? Titian was helped by pupils in his workshops; Andy Warhol had his factory; Damien Hirsts assistants were responsible for most of the spot paintings that carry his signature. Would it be so different for an artist to outsource to an algorithm? Youd expect them to patent that algorithm, notes Hyman. Could there be a Damien Hirst algorithm? Why not? Follow Rosamund Urwin on Twitter: @RosamundUrwin A 16-year-old boy was rushed to hospital after he was stabbed in a busy street in east London. The teenager was allegedly knifed near to East Ham library at about 4.40pm today. Medics treated him at the scene in Barking Road before he was rushed to hospital. One Twitter user named, Iyaeto, posted a picture of bystanders crowded onto a patch of grass next to a police cordon as officers appear to tend to the victim in the background. A woman, who asked not to be named, described seeing lots of police in the area and a group of youths running from the scene. She told the Standard: "I saw lots of young lads rushing along Wellington Road and Barking Road. "Then the police arrived and taped off all the roads. All afternoon, there have been police cars flying about. "How frightening to have to live with this." Police said the teenagers injuries are not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing. Officers arrested a male youth at the scene and took him to an east London police station where he remains in custody. A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: We sent a single responder by car, an ambulance crew and an incident response officer to the scene. We treated a teenager and took him as a priority to a London hospital. Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to call police on 101. T he final member of a gang who hatched an audacious plot to spring a dangerous criminal from a prison van faces a lengthy jail sentence after a jury found him guilty of being part of the conspiracy. Eren Hasyer, 25, was among a five-strong team who were assembled by Izzet Eren to break him out of the van as he was being transported from Wormwood Scrubs prison to Wood Green Crown Court. The plan was foiled when armed police swooped on their vehicles as they were parked near the north London court on December 11 last year. During the operation an officer shot dead one of the gang, Jermaine Baker, 28, from Tottenham, which continues to be investigated by the IPCC. Hasyer, of Kettering Road, Enfield, was on Thursday found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court of conspiring in the escape plot, the Metropolitan Police said. He was cleared of possession of an imitation firearm. A second accomplice, Ozcan Eren, 31, from Wood Green - Izzet Eren's cousin - had denied the same charges but changed his plea part way through the trial. Ozcan Eren (left), Izzet Eren / Metropolitan Police Izzet Eren and two other members of the gang, Nathan Mason and Gokay Sogucakli, all from Tottenham, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to the same offences. They will all be sentenced at a later date. The gang had hatched a plan to break Izzet Eren out of the prison van as he was on his way to court for a sentencing hearing. Nathan Mason (left) and Gokay Sogucakli / Metropolitan Police He had earlier pleaded guilty to several offences after police caught him on a stolen motorbike carrying a loaded pistol in Stamford Hill. A bag containing a loaded Skorpion machine gun was found nearby. After the plot to free him from the van was foiled, his sentencing went ahead and he was jailed for 14 years along with an accomplice Erwin Amoah-Gyamfi. A woman whose West Highland Terrier was mauled to death by two dogs in a south London park has told of her fears that a child could be next. Rachel Mosier, 35, said her close friend Rossana was walking her six-year-old dog Duncan in Norwood Park when she spotted two pitbull-type dogs acting aggressively. Mrs Mosier, who lives in Clapham, said Rossana scooped Duncan up into her arms to protect him after fearing the other two dogs would attack. She told the Standard: The two dogs charged at Rossana, ripping Duncan from her arms. She was screaming at the owner to get control of his dogs. Duncan was attacked by two other dogs in Norwood Park / Rachel Mosier Strangers came to help but the owner ran off and left the dogs attacking Duncan. He died on the way to the vet. If these dogs can kill a small animal, then what is the difference in a small child. A child could be next. As far as Im concerned, Duncan saved Rossana from being seriously injured. She was traumatised by the attack and having to watch this little animal die in her arms. The business development manager said she felt compelled to reveal her story after reading in the Standard about a King Charles Spaniel that was also mauled to death by another dog on Clapham Common. Mrs Mosier, who is originally from Canada, reported the attack on her own dog last September to police and the local authoritys dog control. Officers investigated but have not been able to trace the owner. She added: I couldnt get justice for my little dog and now somebody elses dog has been killed. Justice was not served and vicious animals continue in our parks, attacking humans and killing smaller dogs. One of these times it will be a child attacked instead of a smaller dog. This is a growing problem and I would like see our parks safe once again. A woman who spilled boiling coffee over her ex-partner has been cleared of assault after telling jurors she was fending off his amorous advances. Dionne Knight, 48, was accused of attacking Randall Bennett as he lay slumbering on the sofa after an outing to the cinema. He said she poured a jug of coffee over his face deliberately in revenge when he said he was planning a trip to Jamaica with another woman. However, Knight, of Thornton Heath, told the Old Bailey she spilled the coffee on Mr Bennett when he started pestering her for sex. The jury found her not guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after a two-day trial. A shipping magnates son harassed the father of a woman who killed herself when accused of falsely crying rape, a court heard today. Alexander Economou, 35, allegedly threatened to expose Eleanor de Freitas before making a string of lurid claims about her sex life in a website he created that suggested she was a prostitute. He allegedly maintained and updated the website, called eleanordefreitas.com, over nearly a year, and sent letters and emails to her father David demanding he stop speaking out about his daughters death. Economou was accused by Eleanor, a 23-year-old trainee accountant, of rape in December 2012, but the case was not pursued by the Crown Prosecution Service due to lack of evidence. He then brought a private prosecution against Ms de Freitas, accusing her of deliberately lying about the alleged attack. The CPS took over the prosecution and she was due to face trial for perverting the course of justice when she committed suicide at the family home in Fulham in 2013. Tragic: Eleanor de Freitas left a heartbreaking note before apparently taking her life William Emlyn-Jones, prosecuting, said Mr de Freitas then launched a media campaign, accusing the CPS of wrongly prosecuting his daughter, and making it clear that he believed Eleanor had been raped by Economou, who has always denied the accusation. David de Freitas plainly believed it was true and said so, he said. Westminster magistrates court heard that Economou, whose father Angelo is a successful Greek businessman, then launched his own counter-offensive against Mr de Freitas aimed at stopping him making further public comments. The defendant sent a letter to Mr de Freitas which it appeared was hand-delivered to his address in the middle of the night, threatening legal action if Mr de Freitas portrayed Mr Economou to the media as anything other than the victim, said Mr Emlyn-Jones. In the letter, he allegedly wrote: Keep quiet or face the consequences, but Mr de Freitas continued to make media appearances. Mr Emlyn-Jones continued: Given his attempt to silence Mr de Freitas had not worked, Alexander Economou changed tack; he created a website with the domain name eleanordefreitas.com. On the website he published material about Eleanor of a highly salacious nature, naming her as a prostitute and making great play of her sexual practices. This was material he claimed demonstrated his innocence. He said for Mr de Freitas to see his daughter pilloried in so public a fashion and in such lurid detail must have been terribly distressing. Economou denies pursuing a course of harassment between November 2014 and October 2015, which also included videos posted on other websites. The trial continues. P lans to open a rabbit-filled cafe in north London have sparked a huge backlash from animal-lovers who fear the creatures may die of fright. Organisers Bunny Blossom, who claim to be a privately run rabbit shelter, have announced plans for a pop-up in Islington where customers can enjoy afternoon tea in the company of the freely-roaming animals. More than 6,000 people expressed an interest in attending on Facebook and tickets are sold out for the opening day on Sunday, June 5. But animal welfare activists have reacted with horror and a petition calling on Islington council to block the Bunny Cafe has quickly attracted more than 1,500 supporters. Gaby Whitehall, who started the petition, wrote: This is a massive cause for concern. Rabbits are sociable creatures, yes, but they are fragile. They can literally die of fright or stress, and being picked up more often than not can cause them a huge amount of distress - especially when it's by a stranger. She added: As bunnies seem to be trendy at the moment, many people with good intentions will want to come to this cafe to play with these rabbits. However, they should know that this could be hugely damaging and stressful - and even fatal. Scores of people have voiced their concerns on the petition and the Bunny Cafe Facebook page. Many have vowed to stage a protest if the cafe opens as planned. Becca Jane wrote: "How can you be exprienced bunny owners and still believe it is okay to allow potentially hundreds of strangers to come in and handle these delicate and wonderful creatures?" The organisers appear to have deleted some of the angry posts citing harassment of our staff as the reason and have also told detractors to take their concerns to the RSPCA. Writing on Facebook, they said rabbit welfare is our top priority, adding: We have a very big room dedicated to our bunnies where they have settled into, which certainly follows the regulations of animal welfare. They have safe access to fresh air and are very happy getting to know the several members of staff at Bunny Blossom. We will we check our rabbits daily and will not put any rabbits into the cafe if we think they are not in any way suitable. Just like other similar animal cafes in London, we will be putting obvious rules into place, like not to grab or harass any of our rabbits. RSPCA rabbit expert Dr Jane Tyson said the charity has serious concerns for the welfare of any animals used in a cafe environment. Islington council said it would speak to the organisers and scrutinise the arrangements. A spokesman said that while the cafe does not require a licence, it will have to provide us with details of how they will meet the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Last year, plans for an owl cafe sparked a similar backlash, before the organisers went ahead with a scaled-back event at a secret location. A n entrepreneur who made his fortune in the bakery business says he now wants to kill the lunchtime sandwich by launching a rival food venture. Former barristers clerk Daniel Bear founded artisan bakers Euphorium in 1999 before selling to Tesco, which rolled it out across its UK stores. Mr Bear, 35, is now aiming to update the British carvery with a takeaway lunchtime offering of protein-heavy carve pots. He said: Carveries have not moved on since the Seventies. Its absolutely horrific really cheap beef thats been sitting on the hotplate for hours, no care. I was just compelled to say, this could be so much better. I dont want stodgy carbs and cheap meat. The first of the cashless Carve operations opens in Tooley Street next month with the option of five meats and fish on vegetable accompaniments. Mr Bear aims to launch 30 outlets in the next five years. Takeaway: Roast shorthorn beef rump with horseradish, roast cherry tomatoes, spelt and parsley Freshly carved meat or fish is a bit of a rarity, he said. Im convinced that will never go out of fashion high quality meat or fish on a superfood base, served fast to people short on time but high on expectation. People are fed up of the same uninspiring lunchtime offering. Were not looking to serve dodgy slices of slimy bread. Im trying to kill the lunchtime sandwich thats my objective here. The market traders son says a card and contactless-only payment system with no tills or cashiers will make service swifter and help reduce prices. Cashless is not a gimmick. A customer has less than 60 minutes to get lunch and get back to the office, he said. Something has to give, because right now people are queuing for too long for average food, businesses are spending too much on staff training and having to find other ways to make the money back. All the classic meats are on offer as well as salmon and tofu at one price. Hopefully, youll be enjoying the huge theatre of having a massive joint of meat carved in front of you, he said. What I didnt want was the connotation of granny in the corner with her slippers on, roasting some potatoes half-asleep in her rocking chair. To go to a decent London dinner party without having read the Diary would be to go out unprepared for proper conversation such were the words of Charles Wintour, former editor of these pages, and Annas father. There was a party last night at Harvey Nichols to celebrate 100 years of this column but first lets take a turn through the Diarys eventful history. There have been many esteemed contributors but none more so, perhaps, than the UKs greatest Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, right. Randolph, Winstons son, edited the Diary in the late Thirties. He had to vacate his desk on Shoe Lane for a few weeks in 1938, going to Munich as a young army officer. Keen to keep the job in the family, it temporarily went to Pa Winston. While the great PM preferred to file parliamentary tittle-tattle from the House of Commons down the phone, rather than come in to the office, Churchill did write 12 articles for the Diary. A recollection of his day spent shooting at Balmoral with George VI is buried in the archives but some of his prose has survived. There was much greater stiffness and formality among politicians in Victorian times than at the present day, he explained. Nowadays everyone buzzes along quite happily and points of attitude and bearing are rarely defined. A thick veneer of civility and geniality covers most social and political relationships. But only most, luckily otherwise, what good would a diary be? ----- The Bloomsbury Set didnt just feature in The Londoners Diary, they edited it. Harold Nicolson, husband of Vita Sackville-West, took the helm in 1930 but found it hard to write about his friends. Work fruitlessly, superficially, futilely upon the Londoners Diary, he wrote in his journal, before quitting after a year to become a forgettable MP. But he did learn a thing or two. He has been acclaimed as one of the three great political diarists, along with Chips Channon and Alan Clark. Great wailing and gnashing of (new) teeth Martin Amis hasnt been a fan of the Diary since we told the world about him paying 20,000 to have his teeth fixed. Amis has wreaked revenge in fiction: his 1995 novel The Information had a gossip columnist called Rory Plantagenet, a man with compromised and epicene features. Any resemblance to Rory Knight Bruce, a former editor of the Diary, is mere coincidence. We were also early to spot the future Mrs George Clooney. Back in 2013, as a fan of website Your Barrister Boyfriend which lists the capitals most eligible counsels The Londoner spied the beautiful and formidably successful Amal Alamuddin in the top slot. Youre welcome, George. ----- Presenter Billie JD Porter, Evening Standard editor Sarah Sands, actor Peter Capaldi: Sadiq Khan was talking to everyone last night. The Londoner was proud to introduce the Mayor to the Doctor, and a bromace struck. A beautiful blonde woman approached the two men to ask for a selfie. Capaldi stepped in, assuming it was with him, but it was the Mayor she wanted. Sadiq was a total babe magnet, observed author Kathy Lette. ----- David Bennett/Getty Images Why let a party get in the way of a good purchase? The Londoner was thrilled to see Emma McQuiston, first lady of Longleat, pictured with her husband Ceawlin Thynn, Viscount Weymouth. Turns out he needed a new belt, and since he was in such a chic menswear department he picked one and headed for the tills. One should, after all, always be well dressed for a Londoner soiree. A swell party for the belles The Londoners favourite people raised a glass of Laurent-Perrier to show their appreciation for our centenary. Newsreader Emily Maitlis rubbed shoulders with French ambassador Sylvie Bermann, economist Vicky Pryce mingled with model Jasmine Guinness, second from right, and tech whizz Kathryn Parsons mixed it up with Environment Secretary Liz Truss, who wore a true blue suit. When we said her sartorial choice reminded us of a young Margaret Thatcher, she protested but then one of her friends whispered to us: Liz is secretly loving that comparison. Kathy Lette was on her usual sparkly form before heading off to give supper to Julian Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy, around the corner from Harvey Nicks. And particular kudos must go to Gemma Cairney. The radio presenter had a live show to present at 9pm yet somehow found time to become the belle of the ball before her carriage turned into a pumpkin. Anyone seen a glass slipper in Knightsbridge this morning? ----- David Bennett/Getty Images It wouldnt be a Londoners Diary party without the Johnson clan turning up from left to right, papa Stanley, Rachel with brother Jo, the Universities Minister, and sustainability expert Leo. With Boris out of the picture (perhaps on a battle bus talking about bananas?), The Londoner sets its sights on Jo, the sibling who appears least in the pages. Maybe now its your turn to be in the spotlight! we suggested, at which point he took fright and skipped out of the party. S adiq Khan told young Londoners today that they can make all the difference with a big turnout in the European Union referendum. In his first big speech as Mayor of London, he said young voters shown as being three-to-one for Remain in yesterdays Evening Standard poll could be crucial to the landmark decision on June 23. His passionate appeal came as Leave campaigners seized on a 20,000 rise in net long-term immigration to 333,000 in a year. Mr Khans predecessor Boris Johnson branded the near-record figure scandalous and said Britain could only regain control over its borders by quitting the EU. But addressing an audience of young people and business leaders at Londons Tech City, Mr Khan said quitting would be turning our back on and betraying the capitals history of engaging with the world. It is our open attitude that helped to build our country, he said. Its why London became the great city it is today. Its why we attract the best and the brightest from around the world to make their home here. Forming alliances in the world was the British way, he said, adding: It is certainly the London way. And he argued: A high turnout here in London, where support for remaining is strongest, could make all the difference. Writing in todays Standard, Mr Khan said yesterdays Opinium Research poll for this newspaper which showed 60-40 support for EU membership among Londoners, rising to an overwhelming three-to-one among the citys younger voters showed the young clearly see their future as better off in Europe. In his speech he said the referendum was a once-in-a-generation chance for young Londoners to shape history. The way we live now is the product of our long history and decisions made by the generations that came before us, he added. Its thanks to the choices they made that we can live and prosper in the successful country and capital city we have today. Now its our turn to do the same. Our generation now has one of those big decisions to make. He said there was a positive, patriotic and values-based case for remaining in the EU. I believe that the true patriotic case is to remain, he went on. So voting to leave the European Union would be turning our back on our very history as a city, who we are and how we look at the world. He said 542,000 jobs were linked to EU trade, including 85,000 in finance, 83,000 in business administration and support plus 78,500 in manufacturing. Exports from London to the EU alone were worth 12.5 billion a year. But he said even more was at stake than a likely economic downturn and job losses if Britain left the EU. The choice we face is not just about the money in your pocket, he warned, its actually about something even more fundamental than that. Its about the kind of country we want Britain to be. Its about who we, the British people, want to be. Its about our values. He added: I believe that remaining in the European Union is the best choice for Britains heart, as well as for our head. B oris Johnson was today compared with French hard-Right leader Marine Le Pen and Donald Trump by a top EU official. It came as EU President Jean-Claude Juncker also lashed out at the former mayor, suggesting that Mr Johnsons claims about the EU are not in line with reality. The attacks provoked an immediate response from the Tory London MP who accused Mr Juncker and other EU leaders of trying to suck Britain into an EU super-state. Mr Junckers top official Martin Selmayr took to Twitter today to launch his assault on Mr Johnson, saying: 2017 with Trump, Le Pen, Boris Johnson, Beppe Grillo? Donald Trump A horror scenario that shows well why it is worth fighting populism. Le Pen is the French National Front leader whose recent polls scores suggest she could win the first round of the presidential election. Front National leader Marine Le Pen US presidential candidate Donald Trump threatened to ban Muslims from the US, while comedian turned politician Beppe Grillo is leading a populist movement in Italy. TODO: define component type apester Asked about Mr Johnson, Mr Juncker said: Im reading in the British papers that Boris Johnson spent part of his life in Brussels. Its time for him to come back to Brussels in order to check if everything he is telling the British people is in line with reality. I dont think so. So he would be welcome in Brussels at any time. Asked whether EU institutions could work with Mr Johnson as prime minister, he added: The atmosphere of our talks would be better if Britain is staying in the European Union. President of the European Council Donald Tusk was more diplomatic, when asked about the former mayors views on the EU and his potential to lead the UK. He said: I think its quite normal to have normal relations with politicians and at the same time to have your own opinion about their opinions. Earlier this month Mr Johnson compared attempts to unite Europe under the EU banner to attempts to unify Europe under Napoleon and Hitler. Mr Johnson said today: Im afraid what Im saying to the British people is in line with reality. If we vote to remain which I sincerely hope that we dont on June 23, then [EU leaders] will go on with measures to take us further in to a federal European super-state. L ondon would be in danger of losing its crown as the worlds top tourist destination if Britain votes to leave the EU, it was claimed today. Labour politicians in the capital teamed up with big business to warn that Brexit would inflict a devastating loss to the economy. London regularly takes the top spot in international rankings of the most popular tourist destination and Fiona Twycross, Labours economic spokeswoman in London, said voting Leave would send a message the UK was pulling up the drawbridge and the capital was closed for business. The warning was echoed by leading business group London First, which suggested Paris or Rome would benefit at the capitals expense. TODO: define component type apester Londons tourist industry contributes 12 billion a year to the economy and in 2015 the capital had 17.4 million visitors, two thirds from Europe. Ms Twycross said: For years, London has been the worlds prime tourist destination, precisely because we are renowned for our openness and welcoming of visitors. Leaving the EU would effectively signal that we are pulling up the drawbridge and that London is closed for business. For Londons tourism sector, Brexit could mean a devastating loss of billions of pounds and put at risk thousands of jobs. Matt Hill, London Firsts tourism director, said: Any new barriers which add complexity and expense to holidaying or doing business in London will put at risk investment in the capitals attractions, flagship stores and hospitality venues. Our rivals in Paris or Rome could reap the benefits at our expense. L ondon town hall chiefs criticised a Lancashire MP today for backing a third runway at Heathrow while opposing the go-ahead for fracking in his area. Lord True, leader of Richmond council, Wandsworths leader Ravi Govindia and Hillingdons leader Ray Puddifoot criticised Fylde MP Mark Menzies. The three Tory council leaders highlighted that last year he backed campaigners seeking to stop fracking in the village of Little Plumpton in his constituency. They also said he was well-known for promoting localism. For our part, we will not mount a campaign to advance the interests of fracking in Little Plumpton, they said on the ConservativeHome website. But they also added: If anyone thinks Conservatives in west London are prepared to accept Heathrow as the best answer to providing much-needed expansion in the South-East, then we have a message for them on behalf of our constituents. Youre fracking joking. Loading.... Mr Menzies brushed off their criticism and repeated his support for another runway at Heathrow, saying: Lets get on and build it. The Conservative MP dismissed as ludicrous the comparison between his stance on shale gas and expansion of the west London airport. The vast majority of people who live near Heathrow have actively decided to live under the airspace of one of the worlds busiest international airports, he argued. In stark contrast, the prospect of hydraulic fracturing for shale gas in rural parts of Fylde is not only new to local residents but entirely new to the whole of the UK. The three council chiefs said the MPs comments backing a bigger Heathrow were not likely to be exceptional views 250 miles north of west London. They added: Its easy to see a consensus if your electors are not amongst the hundreds of thousands of people whose lives are already blighted by the noise, air pollution, traffic and environmental degradation that is Heathrow. And thats before expansion. T his is the moment a blaze at a garage full of gas canisters triggers a series of explosions, sending flames shooting into the air. Residents reported a series of loud bangs echoing across the area as the fire lit up the night sky above Rembrandt Drive in Gravesend. Fire crews arrived just after 11.15pm last night but were not able to leave the scene until 7.30am today due to the presence of so many containers. The firefighters used a thermal imaging camera as they tried to extinguish the flames using a hose and compressed foam. Cylinders: The garage contained scores of gas canisters / Philip Bellars Photos taken this morning showed scores of burnt-out canisters lying beside the burnt-out building. Neighbour Philip Bellars said: "I thought it was fireworks to begin with and didn't think anything of it. But when I looked out the window flames were coming out the top of the garage. "We called the fire brigade who were there fairly quickly - but before they got there it had properly caught alight and things were starting to explode from within the garage. "We were pretty sure it was gas cylinders from the way the fire was spewing out the top and from the explosions. The force actually knocked our smoke alarm off the wall." A spokesman for the Kent Fire and Rescue Service said: "Crews have remained at the scene throughout the night once the fire was extinguished to allow the cylinders to vent, after being cooled. "It is not yet clear how the fire started." M iddle-age women are being targeted by MI6 recruitment chiefs to become a new generation of Jane Bonds. Despite the image portrayed in Bond films of female spies nearly always being glamorous young women, intelligence chiefs are particularly seeking to attract more mid-career women to their ranks. Bosses at the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) are also being rewarded for demonstrating inclusivity as part of the drive to recruit more women, which includes offering more flexible hours and support for those returning after having children. Parliaments Intelligence and Security Committee last year urged the security services to create a better gender balance among their employees. Responding to the report today, the Government said that MI6, MI5 and GCHQ were targeting middle-age and mid-career women for recruitment more like actress Dame Judi Dench than Bond girls such as Gemma Arterton and were even advertising on Mumsnet. But despite the efforts, the proportion of women among new recruits to SIS in 2015-16 dropped by four per cent on the previous year to 41 per cent. New targets to recruit more women to MI6 have been set and the report adds: SIS has also begun to recognise and reward officers who demonstrate inclusivity and is publicising this across the organisation. Women make up just over 38 per cent of all MI6 staff and 41.6 per cent at MI5, where 46 per cent of new employees were female, a rise of five per cent. At the spy listening centre in Cheltenham, changes to maths recruitment saw the number of applications from women rise to about 40 per cent. B ritons travelling in France today faced a Black Thursday of strikes, fuel shortages and violent protests. With at least 4,600 petrol stations run dry and nuclear power workers joining nationwide walkouts, trade unionists warned of absolute chaos. Thousands of riot police were on the streets of Paris, where a march was due to set off from the Place de la Republique today. The nation is angry and has every right to express itself, said Jean Durand, a member of the powerful CGT union, which is leading the call for walkouts. Union activists block the entrance to an industrial zone in southern France / AP Thats the reason well be marching in cities like Paris today and why well continue our protests until the government backs down, he added. Today is our eighth official day of mobilisation and, yes, it will be a Black Thursday. France: Riot police and protesters clash at Paris labour reform demo Like millions of other workers, Mr Durand, 58, is furious at new employment reforms that make it easier for bosses to hire and fire. Socialist president Francois Hollande claims these will cut unemployment but others see them as an attack on Frances cherished labour rights, which include far greater job security than in the UK. As both sides refuse to compromise, violent disorder which has seen police officers beaten up and their patrol cars set on fire was set to continue. Anarchists were among those planning to join todays protest in the capital, which local police officers fully expected to descend into violence. Its inevitable, said one. As soon as the crowds gather, thugs start to smash up property and attack us with everything they can get their hands on. Union activists blocked a key bridge across the Seine on Frances northern coast and a tunnel in Marseilles in the south. Demonstrators gathered early at a central square in the northern port of Harfleur, setting off fireworks and air horns. The activists then went to the Normandy Bridge at Le Havre, setting a pile of tyres on fire and blocking toll booths, leaving motorists stranded. Dispute: Union activists gather near Le Havre while a pile of burning tyres blazes in the distance / AP Thousands of Britons are preparing to arrive in France for the bank holiday weekend, as well as for Euro 2016 early next month. Motorists nationwide are already having to queue for petrol. The CGT said 16 of 19 nuclear stations had now voted to strike, raising the prospect of France being plunged into darkness. Beyond train and bus strikes, the countrys civil aviation authority has recommended carriers cut flights at Paris Orly airport by 15 per cent today. T wenty dead bodies have been found in the Mediterranean Sea after the second migrant boat tragedy in just two days. An EU rescue mission said it had found the bodies after the dinghy sank about 30 miles off the coast of Libya. Navy Lt Rino Gentile said the sinking vessel was first spotted by one of its aircraft and at least 20 people had been found dead. Earlier, the Italian coast guard reported that 88 people had been saved. Today's news come just one day after another boat carrying hundreds of migrants capsized off the Libyan coast, killing at least five people. Rescuers managed to pull more than 550 people were pulled from the waters. Additional reporting by the Press Association. D onald Trump has reached the number of delegates needed to clinch the nomination as the Republican's candidate to be the next US President. His triumph completes an unlikely rise that has upended the political landscape and sets the stage for a bitter fall campaign. A small number of unbound delegates said they would support Trump at the partys July convention, pushing him over the top of the 1,237-delegate threshold needed to win the Republican nomination for president. The billionaire businessmans total has reached 1,238, the Associated Press reported, citing its own delegate count. Loading.... With 303 delegates at stake on the final day of primaries on June 7, Mr Trump will easily pad his total, avoiding a contested convention this summer. Trump became the presumptive Republican nominee earlier this month when two of his rivals dropped out of the race. The final states holding primaries on June 7 are California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota. Loading.... Hillary Clinton remains on track to secure the Democrats' nomination. She currently has 2,305 delegates, according to AP, 78 short of the total of 2,383 needed. A British woman has been killed and a British man is missing after a speedboat carrying dozens of tourists capsized in Thailand. They were among 32 tourists and four crew travelling on the vessel when it flipped after hitting a wave near the island of Koh Samui on Thursday afternoon. Police said a woman from Hong Kong was also killed, while the British man and a woman from Germany are believed to be missing. Another Briton was injured and taken to hospital, the Foreign Office said. A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "We are supporting the family of a British woman who has sadly died following a boat accident near Koh Samui, Thailand. "Another British national has received treatment in hospital for injuries suffered in the same incident. "We remain in contact with local authorities in Thailand for further information." The Foreign Office could not confirm whether a British man was also missing. It is believed there were other British people on board the boat who escaped serious injuries. A concert-goer has died and three others are injured following a shooting at a New York rap gig. Gunfire broke out inside the third-floor green room at Irving Plaza, near Union Square, while the opening act performed at the concert by hip hop artist T.I. Police said a 33-year-old man was shot in the stomach and was taken to hospital, but died a short time later. A 34-year-old man was shot in the chest and is in a critical condition. Two other people a 26-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man were both shot in the leg, but are expected to survive their injuries. The shooting happened at about 10.15pm local time (3.15am UK time) on Wednesday. Elijah Rodriguez was attending the concert with his sister and they were in the VIP area by the stage. He said T.I. was supposed to go on stage at 9pm or 9:30 pm but "he never showed up." He said the venue started playing music again at about 10pm and by 10:15 pm, he saw a line of people coming out from where the performers were coming on stage. Mr Rodriguez said: All the sudden I heard someone saying that there was a shot, that someone got shot. It was scary to deal with. When I got outside, like literally across the street, there were a few girls having, like, panic attacks. One girl thought she saw someone get shot in front of her. T.I was not on stage when the shots were fired, Mr Rodriguez added. Representatives for T.I - whose real name is Clifford Joseph Harris Jr - said they were referring all questions about the shooting to police. Video shot inside the venue showed a chaotic scene as concertgoers rushed to the sides trying to leave the area as a group of people tended to a person on the floor. No arrests have been made. L ast years series of Britains Got Talent saw dog Matisse win the top prize and it seems another canine contender could do it this year. Trip Hazard and his owner Lucy melted the nations hearts with their performance in the live semi-final. Their latest routine saw them perform a range of tricks to Beauty and the Beast classic Be Our Guest, and it was absolutely adorable. It even won over the grumpiest judge, with Simon Cowell seemingly head-over-heels for the tiny pup. The whole country is going to fall in love with Trip. Hes the most adorable little thing, Cowell said. I absolutely love him! David Walliams agreed, saying: Oh I love that dog so much! He added: Wow that was incredible, what a brilliantly imaginative routine. Alesha Dixon said Trip Hazards cuteness is unbelievable and said it was better than their previous performance. Britain's Got Talent: Past Winners - In pictures 1 /17 Britain's Got Talent: Past Winners - In pictures 2007 Paul Potts Ken McKay/Rex 2008 George Sampson Ken McKay/Rex 2009 Diversity Ken McKay/Rex 2010 Spelbound Ken McKay/Thames/Rex 2011 Ant and Dec [Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly] with Jai McDowall Ken McKay/Thames/Rex 2012 Ashleigh and Pudsey Ken McKay/Thames/Rex 2013 Attraction Ken McKay/Thames/Rex 2014 Collabro Tom Dymond/Thames/Rex 2015 Jules O'Dwyer and Matisse Syco/Thames/Splash News 2016 Richard Jones Syco/Thames/Corbis/Dymond 2017 Tokio Myers Syco/Thames/Dymond 2018 Lost Voice Guy Dymond/Thames/Syco/REX 2019 Colin Thackery Dymond/Thames/Syco/Rex Features I though your audition was good but that was brilliant, she praised them. Amanda Holden described it as absolutely perfect. The thing for me is that he really looks like hes having fun, she said. The judges werent the only people to go gaga for the tiny dog. Could Trip Hazard be voted top dog and make his way into Saturday nights live final? Stay tuned. ITV, 7.30pm A fter the stellar first season, the second run of True Detective struggled to meet viewers expectations. Now it seems that a third season may not happen at all, following the introduction of Casey Bloys as HBOs new Programming Chief. Bloys is replacing Michael Lombardo, who spent over 30 years at the premium cable network. A column on the Hollywood Reporter states that decisions, including the fate of True Detective, now fall to [Bloys]. (HBO sources suggest a new project from creator Nic Pizzolatto is more likely.) Lombardo was open about the muted reception to Season 2, taking the flak for the short production time. When we tell somebody to hit an air date as opposed to allowing the writing to find its own natural resting place, when its ready, when its bakedweve failed. And I think in this particular case, the first season of True Detective was something that Nic Pizzolatto had been thinking about, gestating, for a long period of time, he told The Frame. Best TV dramas 2016 1 /38 Best TV dramas 2016 The Missing The addictive and twisty second series of the BBC's crime anthology series BBC/New Pictures/Robert Viglasky Dark Angel Joanne Froggatt stared as Victorian mass murderer Mary Ann Cotton in this ITV drama ITV Close to the Enemy Stephen Poliakoff's post-war drama thriller BBC/Little Island Pictures Ordinary Lies The BBC anthology drama returns with more twisted tales BBC/Red Productions/Adrian Rogers The Night Of Riz Ahmed stars in HBO's critically acclaimed crime mini-series HBO Cold Feet The classic ITV comedy-drama returns - and it's just as good as it ever was ITV Victoria ITV have given Poldark some stiff competition with this period drama about a young Queen Victoria ITV Poldark The BBC's hit drama returns with more brooding, and less naked scything BBC/Robert Viglasky One of Us The BBC kept everyone guessing with this claustrophobic four-part whodunit Ripper Street The fan-favourite Victorian police drama returned for Series 4 BBC/Tiger Aspect 2016/Bernard Walsh The Secret Agent Toby Jones led the cast in the BBC's Joseph Conrad adaptation BBC/World Productions/Mark Mainz/Matt Burlem The Living and the Dead The BBC's gothic romance debuted in full on iPlayer BBC Preacher AMC's adaptation of Garth Ennis' cult comic book is available week-by-week on Amazon Prime Amazon / AMC Versailles A raunchy royal romp around the court of King Louis XIV, spicing up Wednesdays on BBC Two Canal +/ BBC Locked Up The Spanish prison drama came to the UK thanks to Channel 4's Walter Presents series Channel 4 / Global Series Peaky Blinders The Birmingham-set gangster thriller was more popular than ever in its third series BBC/Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd/Tiger Aspect/Robert Viglasky The A Word The BBC gave us a nuanced and emotional take on autism BBC/Fifty Fathoms Marcella Anna Friel stars in ITV's British take on the Scandi-noir thriller ITV Grantchester James Norton is back as the crime-solving vicar ITV / Lovely Day Stag The comedy-thriller from the team behind The Wrong Mans is both hilarious and chilling BBC/Des Willie/Hal Shinnie/Matt Burlem Vinyl Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger present a glossy drama about the Seventies music industry HBO American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson Cuba Gooding Jr leads an all-star cast in a dramatic re-telling of the 'trial of century' BBC/Fox Happy Valley Sarah Lancashire returned as Sgt Catherine Cawood for a second series of the gritty crime thriller BBC/Red Productions/Ben Blackall The X Files Mulder and Scully return for a brand new set of mysteries War and Peace The BBC's epic adaptation of the Russian literary classic BBC/Mitch Jenkins Call the Midwife The BBC period drama moved into the Sixties for Series 5 BBC/Neal Street Productions/Sophie Mutevelian Dickensian Charles Dickens' most famous characters collide in this historical soap BBC Jericho ITV's British western set in the wilds of Yorkshire Silent Witness The hugely popular detective drama returns for a 19th series The anthology crime drama boasted star-studded casts, with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson starring in the first season, and Colin Farrell, Vince Vaughn and Rachel McAdams in Season 2. Season 2 was a gothic serial killer thriller set in Louisiana, while its follow-up was a noir-ish tale of corruption in Los Angeles. This page may have been moved, deleted, or is otherwise unavailable. To help you find what you are looking for: Enter Search Term(s): Still cant find what youre looking for? Send us a message using our contact us form. To report a broken link or other problems with the website, please include the URL. Thank you for visiting state.gov. 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Potential additional investment in the project could push the project to at least $100 million, and at least 400 and up to 650 new jobs will be created in Detroit over the next three years; at full capacity, up to 750 total jobs could be added. Flex-N-Gate, is a top global auto supplier of exterior trim components, aluminum and steel modular stamped body in white and chassis assemblies, lighting and other OEM automotive products. "Our news today from Detroit is further evidence that the United States auto industry is strong, promising and experiencing exceptional growth," said Flex-N-Gate owner Shahid Khan. "Building a new plant from the ground up within the Detroit city limits will be a milestone moment for Flex-N-Gate, made possible thanks to our partnership and collaboration with Ford, the City of Detroit and the State of Michigan. In the first four months of the current year, Georgia 's total external trade turnover with Turkey, which is the top trading partner of the country, amounted to $474.6 million, including exports worth $64 million, up 10.6 percent, and imports worth $410.5 million, decreasing two percent, both on year-on-year basis, according to the data provided by the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat). According to the latest data released by Statistics South Africa , in April this year the country's producer price index (PPI) for the basic iron and steel industry increased by 3.3 percent compared to March and was down one percent compared to April last year. Meanwhile, in March the PPI for exported basic iron and steel in South Africa decreased by 4.9 percent compared to February and was up by 7.1 percent compared to the same month of 2015, while the index for exported products of iron and steel decreased by one percent month on month and was down 13.9 percent year on year. In addition, in South Africa the PPI for imported basic metals in March this year decreased by 3.3 percent month on month and was down 8.3 percent year on year. Wednesday, 25 May 2016 00:06:30 (GMT+3) | Sao Paulo Brazilian pellet producer Samarco, a 50/50 JV between BHP Billiton and Vale, is looking to cut jobs following a recent extension of a paid leave. The company, whose operations have been halted since late last year following a deadly iron ore waste dam burst, said it needs to adjust its structure to the new reality it is likely to face, since pellet output will decrease significantly. A media report said Samarco will produce at 60 percent of its original capacity once production resumes. A local union said Samarco is likely to dismiss 1,200 workers. Recently, the city of Mariana approved Samarco to resume operations, however, it still needs state and federal approvals. The Ministerio Publico Federal in the state of Minas Gerais, a body of public prosecutors, recommended this week that approval for Samarco resume operations should not be granted. Wednesday, 25 May 2016 00:04:41 (GMT+3) | San Diego Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported today that the US imported a total of 2,456,000 net tons (nt) of steel in April 2016, including 2,014,000 net tons (nt) of finished steel (down 5.6 percent and 4.1 percent, respectively, vs. March final data). Year-to-date (YTD) through four months of 2016 total and finished steel imports are 9,982,000 and 8,442,000 net tons (nt), down 34 percent and 33 percent respectively, vs. the same period in 2015. Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2016 would be 29.9 and 25.3 million nt, down 23 percent and 20 percent respectively vs. 2015. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 24 percent in April and is estimated at 25 percent YTD. Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in April compared to March are line pipe (up 38 percent), hot rolled bars (up 35 percent), structural pipe and tube (up 27 percent), standard pipe (up 17 percent) and cold rolled sheets (up 15 percent). In April, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were from South Korea (337,000 nt, up 20 percent from March Final), Japan (140,000 nt, down 6 percent), Turkey (123,000 nt, down 56 percent), Germany (88,000 nt, up 22 percent) and China (68,000 nt, down 2 percent). For four months of 2016, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (1,234,000 nt, down 48 percent), Turkey (851,000 nt, down 30 percent), Japan (591,000 nt, down 31 percent), Germany (362,000 nt, down 33 percent) and Brazil (332,000 nt, down 34 percent). Thursday, 26 May 2016 14:44:31 (GMT+3) | Istanbul According to market sources, ex-Ukraine hot rolled coil (HRC) offers to Greece are currently at 430/mt ($482/mt) CFR. However, this price level has failed to gain acceptance as buyers consider it to be on the high side. 1 = $1.12 Thursday, 26 May 2016 23:50:45 (GMT+3) | Sao Paulo A major exporter in Brazil told SteelOrbis that the company is maintaining $700/mt, FOB conditions, as the base price for export of hot dip galvanized products (HDG), using the G40 grade product as reference. He mentioned that the company is pondering an increase around 8 percent for both domestic and export prices, a difficult decision in his view, as a high figure could reduce domestic sales and trigger fresh import deals by consumers, which in turn could expose the company sales to export markets, were prices are less rewarding than domestic prices. To complicate the equation, the availability of feedstock to produce HDG is limited, due to a lower steel production in the country, so it would be difficult to serve both domestic and international demands, he said. In April, CSN exported its HDG at $561/mt, ArcelorMittal at $570/mt and Usiminas at $480/mt, all FOB conditions, price deals probably closed in February. OTTAWA Canada, which has repeatedly put off a decision on replacing its aging CF-18 fighter jets, could be in a position to order a fleet of new planes by 2020, its defense department said on Thursday. In a guide to defense firms posted online, the Department of National Defence said it hoped to award the contract between 2018 and 2020 and said the final jets should be delivered between 2026 and 2036. A department spokeswoman said the guide was preliminary and the dates could easily change. Among the possible contenders are Lockheed-Martin Corp.'s F-35, Boeing Co.'s F/A-18E/F fighters, Dassault Aviation SA's Rafale and the Eurofighter Typhoon jointly made by BAE Systems PLC, Finmeccanica SpA and Airbus Group. Canada's ruling Liberals won an election last October on a promise not to buy F-35s because the planes were too expensive. Since taking power, though, government officials have been much less definitive about ruling out the plane from any future competition. The previous Conservative government announced in 2010 it would buy 65 F-35 jets, but abandoned the plan in 2012 after a probe found officials had deliberately downplayed the costs and risks of the deal. The Conservatives subsequently restarted the competition. But the Liberals scrapped this effort upon taking power, saying they would begin the whole process again. As the process became more protracted, Ottawa announced in 2014 it would extend the lifespan of the CF-18s to 2025 from 2020. Microsoft Corp. and Facebook Inc. have agreed to jointly build a subsea cable across the Atlantic Ocean to meet growing demand for high-speed cloud and online services. The construction of the new "MAREA" cable will begin in August and it is expected to be completed in October 2017, the companies said in a statement on Thursday. The 4,100-mile cable, the first to connect the United States with southern Europe, will be operated and managed by Telefonica SA's telecoms infrastructure unit Telxius. The cable is initially designed to carry 160 terabits of data per second, the companies said. The move comes nearly two years after Google Inc., now Alphabet Inc., agreed with five Asian companies to invest about $300 million to develop and operate a trans-Pacific cable network connecting the United States to Japan. Microsoft has also been experimenting with underwater data centers under its Project Natick, and last year tested a prototype on the seafloor for four months. Underwater data centers, envisioned to be powered by renewable marine energy sources, are expected to reduce the huge cost associated with cooling data centers that generate a lot of heat, and also to reduce the distance to connected populations. Microsoft on Thursday declined to disclose the financial details about MAREA. Facebook didn't immediately respond for comment. Updated at 3:45 p.m. CHICAGO Sears Holdings is looking to generate more cash from its trusty Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard brands than the sale of washers and dryers, tools and car batteries in its own stores. The embattled retailer announced Thursday that it was exploring unspecified alternatives for those brands, along with its Sears Home Services business, by expanding their availability beyond the doors of Sears and Kmart. The disclosure came as the retailer reported another bad quarter for both its Sears and Kmart units. We believe that we can realize significant growth by further expanding the presence of these brands outside of Sears and Kmart, the company said in its earnings release. By evaluating potential partnerships or other transactions that could expand distribution of our brands and service offerings, we can position both businesses to achieve greater success. While not specifying what options were under consideration, they potentially could involve selling the products in other stores, licensing them to other companies or an outright sale. Sears said it has retained Citigroup Global Markets and LionTree Advisors to help explore options. Although the Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard names have faded a bit as the overall Sears brand has diminished, they are still well-established brands with strong reputations, said Neil Stern, senior partner at Chicago-based McMillanDoolittle. Expanding distribution would likely bring in extra revenue, Stern said. But if you can buy Kenmore and Craftsman elsewhere, thats one less reason for shoppers to come to Sears, he said. Sears was once a primary destination for appliance sales in the U.S., largely on the strength of its Kenmore brand, once one of the top two major appliance brands in the U.S., according to market research firm Euromonitor International. Now sales are shifting to home and garden specialty retailers like Home Depot and Lowes, which accounted for 34 percent of major appliance sales in 2015, according to Euromonitor. Kenmores share of the major appliance market dropped to 12.7 percent for the 12 months ending in March, down from 17.4 percent five years ago, when it had the largest slice of the market, according to Louisville, Ky.-based Stevenson TraQlines quarterly market survey. But its still the third-biggest player, behind General Electric and Whirlpool. Craftsman still accounts for the largest share of the hand tools and accessories market by dollar share, with about 28.5 percent, and accounts for about 9 percent of portable power tool sales, with both categories down between 4 and 5 percent over the last five years, said Stevenson TraQline. DieHard had only about 5.2 percent of the auto battery market, according to Stevenson TraQline, though nearly 30 percent of people surveyed said they didnt know their car battery brand. If Craftsman is in independent hardware stores, its probably not a bad thing for the company to explore. If they do a deal with the Home Depot or Lowes, thats also heavily into your appliance business; that could really siphon traffic away from stores, he said. Its not the first time the retailer has turned to the brands to bolster sales. In 2011, Sears signed deals to sell Craftsman tools at Costco clubs nationwide and DieHard car batteries to Meijer. It also expanded a pilot that put Craftsman at 1,000 Ace Hardware stores and reportedly considered selling certain Kenmore products at Costco. The Craftsman pilot marked the first time in the brands 83-year history shoppers could buy it outside a Sears-owned store. Sears had considered such deals before 2011 but worried about cannibalizing sales at its own stores. At the time, the Craftsman brand manager said the Costco deal would attract new customers since many Costco shoppers werent coming to Sears or Kmart. Today, more than 2,800 Ace Hardware stores sell Craftsman and some DieHard products, said Sears spokesman Howard Riefs. Blaines Farm and Fleet and Atwoods Ranch and Home also sell some categories of Craftsman products, and all three brands are available in more than 50 countries, Riefs said. But Sears only sells a portion of its branded products through other retailers and believes a partnership or other transaction expanding distribution of its brands and service offerings could help both parties, Riefs said. Sears is the only place you can get the full assortment of Craftsman, Kenmore and DieHard products, he said. J.C. Penney recently announced it would begin competing with Sears in the major appliance category, selling online and in half its stores. Sears announced a new small-format store dedicated to appliances in Colorado earlier this month, and Chairman and CEO Edward Lampert has said the company could add more locations. Last month, Sears also announced it would update the Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard brands with new connected home products, including an air conditioner and water heater that can be monitored and controlled from a smartphone to save energy, and a riding lawn mower that can send maintenance notifications to a smartphone. But the company also said appliance sales declines contributed to shrinking same-store sales at Sears stores, along with apparel, consumer electronics, footwear and sales at Sears Auto Centers. Sales at U.S. Kmart stores that have been open at least a year fell 5 percent, compared with the first quarter of 2015. Sales at Sears stores were down 7.1 percent. Sears lost $471 million, or $4.41 per share in the period ending April 30, up from a loss of $303 million, or $2.85 per share, last year. Shares of Sears holdings rose by 82 cents, or 6.6 percent, to close Thursday at $13.34. DUBAI For those seeking guidance on Saudi Arabia's thinking regarding the future of OPEC, the last few weeks' agenda of the new Saudi energy minister, Khalid al-Falih, might offer a few clues. Since his appointment on May 7 as head of a new mega-ministry overseeing energy, industry, mining, atomic power and renewables Falih has toured six state firms, met the South Korean premier, the Canadian foreign minister and Gulf industry ministers, and opened a gas turbine plant. To fellow members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, that speaks volumes. Unlike his predecessor Ali al-Naimi, Falih may not have much time for OPEC. The group meets on June 2, its first talks with the new minister in attendance. For oil-price hawks such as Iran, Algeria and Venezuela, fears are growing that the 56-year-old OPEC is losing its role as an output-setting cartel and turning into a talking shop. "Saudi Arabia killed OPEC and buried it," a senior OPEC source from a non-Gulf producer said. "In OPEC, they go for (including) Indonesia and Gabon to convert OPEC to a forum," the source said, referring to OPEC's decision, supported by Riyadh, to include minor producers. As a historic reminder, OPEC last decided to change output in December 2008, when it cut supply amid slowing demand due to a global financial crisis. Between 1998 and 2008, OPEC made 27 changes to output. For decades, Saudi Arabia, Vienna-based OPEC's largest producer and de facto leader, had a preferred range for oil prices and, if unhappy, would try to orchestrate a group-wide production cut or increase. But a technology-driven spike in non-OPEC output such as that of U.S. shale and growing fuel efficiency led Riyadh to conclude that the era of fast oil growth might be ending. Hence, in the past two years Riyadh has stuck to a strategy of fighting for market share, thinking that pumping more oil now at low prices is better than producing less in the future. Many OPEC members apart from Riyadh's allies in the Gulf, such as Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates were unprepared for that shift, with their finances crippled by heavy debts and stagnant production. Venezuela and Nigeria pressed Saudi Arabia to agree to price-boosting output cuts, and even Riyadh's arch-rival Iran is signaling it will be ready for renewed dialog on freezing production once it reaches pre-sanctions levels. "Of course, the issue of the role of OPEC can be raised. Some members want OPEC to play a more significant role in managing the market," said an OPEC delegate from one of the main producing countries in the Middle East. Earlier this year, Iran refused to join an initiative to freeze output but signaled it would be part of a future effort once its production had recovered sufficiently. An OPEC watcher said: "Other producers are going to want to come and revive the freeze agreement. Iran is now at pre-sanctions levels. And though the worst has been avoided, the reality is that many of these producers remain under real stress." MULTI-TASKING Saudi and Iranian OPEC delegates clashed earlier this month over long-term strategy, with Riyadh saying OPEC should not manage the market and Tehran arguing that the group had been created to perform precisely that task. The tensions come amid a backdrop of worsening relations between Riyadh and Tehran, which are fighting proxy wars in the Middle East, including in Yemen and Syria. To be sure, OPEC has weathered internal strife and conflict before such as in the 1980s, when Iran and Iraq were at war. It has been through periods that saw it fail to influence prices such as the 1990s only to return and control the market. But it is hard to see OPEC regaining its grip, unless the Saudi position driven by Falih's ultimate boss, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman changes dramatically. Falih's tasks his ministry is to oversee half of the economy, not to mention plans for a share listing in state oil giant Saudi Aramco are likely to divert more of his time away from OPEC. "That is going to keep Falih busy and I imagine his priorities will be economic reforms and integrating new portfolios," said Richard Mallinson, geopolitical risk analyst at the think-tank Energy Aspects. OPEC has no supply target. At its last meeting in December the group scrapped its output ceiling of 30 million barrels per day, which it had been exceeding for months. OPEC sources and analysts say they expect the group's meeting next Thursday simply to roll over output policy, which OPEC lacks anyway as its members pump at will. "I don't think there will be a change in position. There will be no agreement on an output freeze," said another OPEC delegate from a key Middle East oil producer. For a busy man such as Falih, long discussions among fellow ministers with no guaranteed serious outcome might seem pointless. So could he simply stand up and say Saudi Arabia sees no need to remain part of OPEC? "Leaving international groups isn't something most countries do lightly. I don't believe the Saudis think OPEC will never be relevant again. Plus, it is hard to see what they would stand to gain from it," Mallinson said. Dance is perhaps the most breathtaking of the lively arts. For those who appreciate the art form, its very wordlessness is a blessing in an increasingly noisy world. But for some folks, dance is a perplexing puzzle. Thats understandable: The movement in modern dance and ballet can be at once exhilarating and indecipherable. But true dance fans would argue that not everything has to be spelled out especially if its spellbinding. Bringing a wider audience to serious dance is the mission of the Spring to Dance Festival, which debuted in 2008 and has become a St. Louis Memorial Day weekend tradition. On Friday, the event returns to the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center, with more than 25 local and national ensembles performing on two stages over three evenings. With its ninth edition, the fest continues to present both old favorites and new faces, says Michael Uthoff, artistic director of Dance St. Louis. One of the keys to its success, he says, is its timing. I think the Memorial Day weekend works, Uthoff says. There is competition, yes, but there are also a lot of people who want to see different things and we provide something different. The festival has fulfilled his goal of securing a higher profile for dance in St. Louis, he says: The whole dance scene looks a lot stronger than it did 10 years ago. Until recently, Uthoff was also executive director of Dance St. Louis but has retired from that position. He says the future of his involvement with the festival and the New Dance Horizons program that showcases local companies is under discussion. The festival requires a great deal of knowledge in dance to make it work, Uthoff says. Here are three performances worth checking out. Owen/Cox Dance Group Originally conceived as a showcase for collaborations between choreographer Jennifer Owen and her husband, composer Brad Cox, the Kansas City ensemble Owen/Cox Dance Group has in recent years expanded its scope. Last year, on a program at Johnson County Community College, the company performed a work by nationally known choreographer Kate Skarpetowska. Owen/Cox Dance Group will reprise that piece, called La Locura, at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Anheuser-Busch Performance Hall. Its a beautiful piece for five dancers, Owen says. The music is Spanish baroque, performed by Jordi Savall and his ensemble. Its recorded music, but its absolutely gorgeous. And the dancing reflects the gorgeousness. The mood of La Locura, she says, is somber but also uplifting and hopeful as it deals with human relationships and how people interact. Skarpetowska will be familiar to St. Louis dance fans from her piece A Mariner, which the Big Muddy Dance Company performed in the New Dance Horizons program at the Touhill in 2014. With La Locura, Owen says, the choreographer really does a beautiful job with patterns bodies intertwining and linking. Its really quite stunning to see. Owen/Cox Dance Group will begin its 10th season in the fall. As we grew, we started reaching out to other music ensembles, Owen says. So the collaborations became broader. But our mission has stayed the same: to present original dance and music. Owen continues to dance with the company, but not in all of the performances, particularly when Im choreographing. And Im not performing in Kates piece. When Im choreographing, Owen says, Ive discovered that if I can step back and see the picture without my being in it, the work is much stronger. Audrey Simes Imagination and passion are part of the choreographic process. And in the case of a new work by Audrey Simes, both clearly came into play. The title of Simes piece Tributary refers to Coldwater Creek, which is in north St. Louis County and has become associated with radioactive hot spots. The creek was contaminated decades ago by nuclear waste created from the production of nuclear weapons during and after World War II. Simes, who lives in Florissant, says she was concerned that so many people seemed to be unaware of Coldwater Creek and its history. That was surprising to me, she says. And that, in and of itself, was enough reason to make a work about it. Its a huge environmental disaster, and I have a lot of friends and people that I love very much who are either living there currently, or from there, or whose families grew up there. Commissioned by Dance St. Louis and performed by the Big Muddy Dance Company, Tributary will have its official premiere at 6 p.m. Sunday in the Touhills Lee Theater. The piece, presented as part of the Young Choreographers Project at the Spring to Dance Festival, was previewed last weekend in the Big Muddys Spring at the Sun program at the Sun Theater. Simes, 26, was born in Pasadena, Calif., and is partly of Japanese descent. She studied dance and other arts-related disciplines at Webster University, graduating in 2012. Coldwater Creeks link to WWII was also a factor in the creation of Tributary, Simes says. I definitely identify with my Japanese heritage, she says. And the trajectory of my life has always somehow brought me back to things that happened as a result of that war. Tributary is her first work for the Big Muddy. This is a huge privilege, Simes says. Ive never worked with a company of this caliber. Project 44 Project 44 sets itself apart from most dance companies before a single step is taken. All of the performers in the Astoria, Queens-based ensemble are male. Dancer-choreographer Gierre Godley, Project 44s artistic director, says the concept was born out of experience. I established the company in 2010, right after I graduated from grad school at NYU, he says. And I was getting a lot of guesting opportunities with smaller companies and choreographers around the city who always needed a male. I found myself being a single male in a group, being used to partner ladies. That set Godley thinking about what it would be like to create an atmosphere where the male was the star, and it wasnt a one-time thing: where it was all men, all the time. In effect, Godley says, the company challenges ideas of how we see men and how we think of masculinity. Project 44 will perform a piece called Gandy Dancer at 6 p.m. Saturday in the Touhills Lee Theater. Gandy Dancer takes its name from the slang term for early railroad workers, particularly African-American men in the South who sang work songs. Those men actually used rhythm to coordinate movement as they laid the tracks, Godley says. Their songs had to do with love and loss and brotherhood. The piece is performed by three African-American dancers, including Godley. Choreographing for an all-male company, he says, generally doesnt require any change in approach. But I will say that sometimes you have to teach a male how to be partnered, Godley says. Because theyre so used to being the one whos lifting, that sometimes being the one whos lifted doesnt come naturally. The schedule MAY 27 Lee PUSH Dance Company (San Francisco), Barkin/Selissen Project (New York), Laura Careless/Alchemy for Nomads (New York), Afriky Lolo (St. Louis) A-B Owen/Cox Dance Group (Kansas City, Mo.), Houston METdance Company (Houston), Peridance Contemporary Dance Company (New York), St. Louis Ballet (St. Louis), Jennifer Muller/The Works (New York), Giordano Dance Chicago (Chicago) MAY 28 Lee Common Thread Contemporary Dance Company (St. Louis), Project 44 (New York), Helen Simoneau Danse (Winston-Salem, N.C.), BODYART (Los Angeles) A-B MADCO (St. Louis), Thodos Dance Chicago (Chicago), Joel Hall Dancers (Chicago), Chicago Tap Theatre (Chicago), The Dancing Wheels Company (Cleveland), Grand Rapids Ballet (Grand Rapids, Mich.) MAY 29 Lee Three soloists: Tayia Deria, Tyra Kopf, Cheyenne Phillips; Three choreographers: Lindsay Hawkins (Common Thread Contemporary Dance Company), Audrey Simes (The Big Muddy Dance Company), Hanna Bricston (MADCO) A-B The Big Muddy Dance Company (St. Louis); Eisenhower Dance (Southfield, Mich.), Joffrey Ballet Duet (Chicago); Aerial Dance Chicago (Chicago); Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (Dayton, Ohio); Ballet Memphis (Memphis, Tenn.) When the Restaurant at the Cheshire opened in late 2012, it was meant to be the flagship destination of Lodging Hospitality Managements extensive renovation of the classic Cheshire hotel. The decor was dramatic: a glass tower of wine bottles separating the bar from the main dining room; a working fireplace; cushy booths backlit by pinprick lights. The unabashedly upscale menu nodded to the venues past (a hunk of prime rib) as well as contemporary dining trends (tuna crudo). The Restaurant wanted to be a Big Deal. Yet three years later, it was the Cheshires other restaurant the more casual, literally underground Basso that had become the clear hit. Its Italian gastropub concept of pastas and wood-fired pizzas was more in tune with what excites todays diners, and it didnt hurt that its inaugural chef was Patrick Connolly, whod won a James Beard Award in Boston. So when LHM president Steve OLoughlin announced in December that the Restaurant would close and reopen as a more approachable concept, it was no surprise when he told me during a phone interview that he wanted the new restaurant to replicate Bassos energy. The result opened in February: Boundary, which takes its name from the hotels position across the dividing line between the citys Hi-Pointe neighborhood and Clayton in St. Louis County. The space hasnt been transformed so much as tweaked. The major change is the bar, which now wraps around to the other side of the glass tower. Its presence lends the dining room a more casual feel. LHM developed Boundary with chef Rex Hale, who remains on board from the Restaurant, and the Atlanta-based firm Concentric Restaurants, which also consulted on Basso and 360, LHMs restaurant and bar at the Hilton at the Ballpark. The new menu is closer to Basso in price main courses range from $18 to $22 but isnt restricted to a concept, even one with enough wiggle room as Italian gastropub. A generous soul might describe the fare as contemporary American, with all the global influences such a broad term contains. A professional cynic might note how many of-the-moment dishes you can check off the list. So you can begin your meal with tuna poke (rhymes with OK, $12), the Hawaiian version of tuna tartare lately cresting on continental shores: glistening cubes of raw tuna, seasoned right up to the edge of too-much with ginger, sesame and soy sauce, on a bed of cassava chips. An appetizer of smoked pork ribs ($14) delivers two trends in one, barbecue slathered with gochujang, the Korean chile paste that multiple publications have deemed the next Sriracha. It lends to the pork not only brow-dampening heat but, thanks to its base of fermented soybeans, a funky and umami-rich backbeat. With a side of pickled turnips, pungent enough to cut through the rich pork and also to complement the gochujang, this is a terrific dish. A variation on barbecue also appears among the main courses, though what the menu describes as house-smoked brisket ($21) on the plate resembles a pot roast, two fist-sized hunks of beef in a red-wine jus. Yet through that jus the smoke-kissed flavor of true beef brisket announces itself, and the meat is more tender than most barbecue-joint brisket in town. So flavorful is the brisket you might not mind the artfully arranged but underseasoned side dish of lentils and just-barely-cooked carrots. Is there fried chicken? Does the year end in a number? Here the spin is gluten-free fried chicken ($18) dredged in a blend of brown-rice and chickpea flours. Its crackling crisp even the gluten devout wont object but in my order the chicken itself (spit-roasted, then marinated, then pan-fried) was dry and for all the ingredients in its marinade (red wine vinaigrette, black pepper, honey, buttermilk) bland. The meat on a tremendous pork shank ($20) fell from the bone, but it too lacked any spark besides the comforting reinforcement of its own jus. With each forkful, I assembled less pork and more of the fontina-enriched polenta and sauteed Swiss chard. The most complete dish presents two plump, perfectly cooked scallops ($22), browned on the surface and butter-tender through the middle. Roasted green garlic touches the scallops with a hint of vegetal sharpness, and they sit atop a flawless bacon-asparagus risotto. If most complete sounds like a backhanded compliment, I suppose it is. Its difficult to get too excited about a variation of a dish Ive encountered many times before, and a question that nagged me when I reviewed the Restaurant three years ago returns again: Boundary clearly isnt designed as a generic, convenient hotel restaurant, but what, exactly, is it trying to say? When the Restaurant opened, a section of its menu was labeled Throwback. No such category exists at Boundary, yet a few dishes won me over with old-school charm: a snappy, complexly spiced sausage ($12) spread across a platter of roasted onions and potatoes with stone-ground mustard; oysters Rockefeller ($14) updated for 2016 with kale, pork belly and Grana Padano. Infusing Boundarys modern, share-plates menu with a little more of the Cheshires historical spirit might distinguish it. Simply chasing trends, Boundary can stumble. The craft cocktails include the subtly sophisticated Eyes Wide (gin, green Chartreuse, simple syrup, lemon and the Swedish liqeuer Punsch; $10) but also ill-advised rewrites of classic drinks, like the Revisit ($11), a run-of-the-mill margarita unmoved by a maple-chile syrup. (For a trend-conscious restaurant, Boundarys beer selection is shockingly skimpy. The wine list, though not lengthy, shows decent variety; its weighted toward reds, though, and both reds and whites are weighted toward California.) The brief dessert menu includes a rhubarb crisp ($8) lacking in rhubarbs tartness and overshadowed by the scoop of quince-blossom ice cream that accompanies it. Chocolate mousse ($8) with shavings of bittersweet chocolate is a straightforward indulgence. When I ordered the chocolate mousse, the kitchen also sent out two giant bowls of fresh berries to dip in it sent to me because the restaurant staff had recognized me as a critic. On this visit, theyd also swapped out our server as soon as theyd spotted me. On this and a previous visit, the chef had sent out a bonus appetizer (neither is on the menu nor are they included as part of this evaluation). As a restaurant critic in 2016, especially one who has worked this beat for 10 years now, I dont expect to go unrecognized in very many places. And I think chefs and restaurateurs, for the most part, understand that spotting a critic these days confers only a marginal advantage. Yes, you can assign me the most experienced server and triple-taste that sauce before it lands on my table, but you cant change the recipe on the fly. In the end Im here to understand and appreciate your unique voice, not angle for the biggest steak. The bonus dishes the ones that my expense account would pay for regardless, especially the ones that arent available to the restaurant at large only serve to embarrass me. I said as much when I reviewed the Restaurant at the Cheshire three years ago. Yet again, Boundary cant figure out its audience. Where Boundary, 7036 Clayton Avenue 2 stars out of four More info 314-932-7818; boundary-stl.com Menu Contemporary American fare Hours Lunch Monday-Friday, dinner daily, brunch Saturday-Sunday Fair Good Excellent Extraordinary People smartly move through graduation into their future. Commencement is full of joy, but also looms scary as scholastic structure no longer holds a student in familiar security. Mark Twains wisdom propels the challenge: The secret of getting ahead is getting started. Whether a graduate knows where to step next or sits awaiting inspiration, a cap and gown predicts change. Will it propel or let the graduate move along gently? Does this begin the age of discovery or fulfill unfolding dreams? These excerpts stem from keynoters at local ceremonies. Fontbonne University Speaker: Batya Abramson-Goldstein, retired executive director of the St. Louis Jewish Community Relations Council, received an honorary doctorate on May 9. Of 588 eligible candidates, 375 graduates chose to participate in commencement held, for the first time, at Chaifetz Arena of Saint Louis University. A metaphor for the building of all relationships, interfaith and intergroup relationships included: Stop what you are doing. Listen. Stop what you are doing: Listen. Really listen." "Hear those who are so often unheard: those living with the scourge of poverty, those experiencing the poisonous effects of racial and other bias, refugees desperately fleeing violence. And, know that this listening, this hearing, this understanding of the other is the first step. From this can flow positive change. Each one of us has a choice. You can be passive or you can be one of the repairers of our world. Lindenwood University Speakers: Dr. Billi Patzius, interim dean of the School of Human Services, spoke to 630 graduate students on May 13, while Dr. Travis McMaken, associate professor of religion, addressed 950 graduates receiving bachelors degrees on May 14 at the St. Charles Family Arena. Another 350 students at the Belleville campus received diplomas. Patzius: I would ask that you reflect on your own experiences and think about where you were five years ago, maybe even 10. Did you see yourself here? If not, or if so, who helped you along the way? Who has reminded you of your purpose, and who have you influenced to do the same? It's not just about us, it's about our journey and whom we impact on our journey. McMaken: This tradition of liberal arts education, is not a fly-by-night idea It is hard work. Its rewards are hard to quantify. It measures its return-on-investment not in terms of dollars earned and not in terms of living a life full of riches, but in terms of living a rich life, a life full of meaning and significance for you and those around you, for your family and for your community. McKendree University Speaker: Dr. James Dennis, president. McKendree conferred more than 800 degrees at campuses in Illinois and Kentucky. Whether you are going to graduate school, already have a job or are taking some time to figure out whats next, you now have the ability to make what comes next be great: in your work, in your communities, in your families, in your lives. In the end, your final grade will be determined solely by you. It is my hope that you will continue to strive to better yourselves, and that you will do great work while seeing that there is always more to be done. May your final grade always be incomplete. Maryville University Speaker: David Gergen co-director of the Center for Public Leadership, senior political analyst for CNN and adviser to four U.S. presidents of both parties joined almost 2,000 graduates of 2016 as he received a Doctor of Humane Letters degree. When you persevere and have passion about your long-term goals, you will be amazed in 20 years, 30 years, 40 years. You will look back and say what a wonderful journey and so much of it started here. Life is no longer about climbing ladders. It is also about riding waves. You may fall down, but you spot a wave and you ride it. Do not lose faith in this countrys future. You are the future. There are major revolutions going on in various parst of industry. They are new fields that are coming into being. The next 20 to 30 years we are going to have revolutions in field after field. The United States is on the cutting edge. Bring grit to the project ahead. Saint Louis University Speaker: U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Kevin F. OMalley, two-time university alumnus and former adjunct profession in its School of Law, received an honorary Doctor of Medical Sciences for his novel efforts to strengthen Irelands ties to the United States. Almost 2,600 students graduated this year. "There are very, very few nonstop flights. Few of us have not been touched by mistakes, failures and setbacks. Its just part of life. "The only question presented at the time of mistakes, failures and setbacks is 'What do I do next?' You get up, dust yourself off, try to learn something from the event and begin planning anew. The plan is always to keep planning and keep examining, to plan some more so you are putting yourself in the very best position to minimize disaster and maximize opportunity. Cynicism never fed a young mind. Cynicism never started a business. Cynicism never cured a disease. Cynicism never brought peace anywhere. Hope, hope is what each of you has for the future boundless hope. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Speakers: Thelma Mothershed Wair and Mariah Huelsmann. Interim Chancellor Stephen Hansen awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters to Mothershed Wair.One of the Little Rock Nine in 1957 at Central High School in Little Rock, Ark., she continued her education through the SIU system, including Edwardsville. Long-time friend and SIUE alumna Vivian Nichols spoke on her behalf. About 1,850 students received diplomas in 2016. Huelsmann earned a bachelors degree in anthropology from the College of Arts and Sciences. Nichols/Mothershed Wair: A good education can be the key to success or at least a stepping stone. Pursue your dreams, no matter how lofty, with honesty, integrity and hard work. Success is attainable. Huelsmann: College is a season of life, a time to grow and change. The college experience is an ephemeral one, but like springtime on campus, it allows you to bloom into yourself. I hope that the E experience has allowed the love for the learning, the respect for others, sustainability, integrity and the application of knowledge to bloom in your hearts, so that your own personal light will shine out into the world and change it for the better, even if its just one person at a time. University of Missouri-St. Louis Speaker: Tim Hebel, who on May 14 received a bachelor of science degree in computer science with fellow classmates in the science and humanities fields in the College of Arts and Sciences, some of whom he has hired to work for Beanstalk Web Solutions, a St. Louis-based web design and Internet marketing startup he founded in early 2012. The university held five ceremonies for more than 1,500 students completing programs of study. Sometimes a 30-second conversation with a stranger can result in great things. Lessons learned from my story: pursue what you love, put in a lot of hard work, listen to your mentors and collaborate with your peers. Our generation can keep the American dream alive, if we choose to do so. The name my mother had suggested, Beanstalk Web Solutions, overwhelmingly won. It goes to show you that sometimes mothers really do know best. Webster University Speaker: Jim Weddle, a managing partner and CEO of Edward Jones. Webster University graduates on May 7 numbered 6,423 worldwide, about 1,000 of them at The Muny at Forest Park. He is the father of two graduates and a former board member of the Webster University Board of Trustees and Executive Committee. The career you have chosen, the first job you have out of school may be perfect for you, or it may not be what gets you excited about getting out of bed every day. I've had seven different roles at my firm over the past 40 years. Every one of them was a challenge, and I learned something in each of them. Keep an open mind. In life you will have to show up every day, be prepared and contribute. Revel in the opportunities where you aren't the expert because that is when you will learn the most. The gunman was identified as Orlando Harris, 19, a recent graduate of the school. One survivor heard him say he was 'tired of everybody' in the school and that his gun jammed at one point. UPDATED AT 10:30 a.m. Thursday with more details from court records. ST. LOUIS A 15-year-old boy has been charged as an adult with involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a teenage girl in January. Ja'Mare Stewart was also charged with armed criminal action in the Jan. 17 shooting of Jamyha Luss, 14. Stewart was certified to stand trial as an adult on Tuesday. Jamyha was fatally shot in the back at a friends house in the 5300 block of Patton Avenue, near Martin Luther King Drive and Union Boulevard. Two boys who had earlier stopped by to visit fled before police arrived. The friend told Jamyhas grandmother that she had told the boys, one of whom had a gun under his shirt, that Jamyha wasnt allowed to have company. She said she went upstairs to the bathroom, heard a shot and found Jamyha on the couch. A police source said at the time that investigators believed the shooting may have been accidental. Jamyha was a student at Gateway Middle School and lived most of her life with her grandmother, Shirley Wright, and her four siblings because her parents are incarcerated. She lived in the 5500 block of Palm Street, less than a mile from the friends home where she was shot. Family said Jamyha liked basketball and going to the movies, and was a good student who didnt have problems at school. Stewart lives in the 5500 block of Theodosia Street, a few blocks west of the home where the shooting took place, according to police. He was 14 at the time of the shooting. Court records say the shooting "was not part of a repetitive pattern of offenses. The juvenile had no prior adjudications with this court or in any other jurisdiction." According to a summary of a recent juvenile court hearing included in charges filed Wednesday, authorities found photos of Stewart on social media brandishing weapons. During the hearing, court records say, juvenile authorities discussed whether "the images may have been an emulation of scenes from a rap video, that quite possibly the older individuals in the images were siblings or relatives and that the weapons depicted were not real." However, wrote St. Louis Circuit Judge Robin Ransom Vannoy, a 14-year-old boy "carrying a loaded firearm in the court's opinion is clearly sophisticated and streetwise and his actions demonstrated a lack of respect for the safety of others." Stewart has no psychological problems or family history of abuse or neglect, records say. Vannoy concluded that Stewart "is beyond rehabilitation under the juvenile code and that juvenile court services would not be successful." A state audit of the Fox School District released Wednesday suggests that former Superintendent Dianne Critchlow acted almost daily to use taxpayer money intended for classrooms for her own benefit. Over two years ending in 2014, she racked up about $100,000 in questionable expenses on three school district credit cards for things such as iTunes gift cards, shampoo, watches, wedding gifts and a garlic press, the audit reveals. She manipulated her own salary without board approval, the audit states, by drawing up contract adjustments and signing them with the boards electronic signature to net about $20,000 over two years beyond what the school board had agreed to pay her. And Critchlow double dipped, the report continues, by requesting and receiving reimbursement for some of the personal purchases made on the district credit cards essentially paying herself with district money for the goods she was getting for free. The 104-page audit backs up the suspicion that many parents, residents and staff held for years in the Fox School District. The former superintendent used tax dollars to personally benefit herself and those who were close to her, Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway said. This occurred because there was no board oversight or little board oversight that allowed this to happen for so long. The audit gives the Fox district a poor rating, the lowest rating possible. Galloway said it reflects serious mismanagement of taxpayer dollars. Whether there will be criminal charges filed against Critchlow is not the auditors responsibility to determine. The School Board is giving the report to the prosecuting attorney in Jefferson County, Galloway said. Critchlows attorney, Brandy Barth, criticized the audit as a one-sided and biased account filled with inaccuracies, half information and misleading statements. In 2014, suspicious activity on district credit cards prompted the Fox School Board to recall all cards and ask for a state audit to look into any possible misuse of district money. Critchlow led the district for 10 years. The audits scope only covered two school years, starting in 2012-13. During those two years, state auditors found numerous irregularities in Critchlows spending practices, which appeared to direct money to family members. Their report states that Critchlows two sons were awarded about $7,000 collectively in scholarship money through three district scholarship programs that she personally oversaw. They were available only in 2010 and 2013 the years her sons were eligible. It also states that the school board approved the purchase of a $34,000 car for Critchlow to use for district business. However, a different car one that cost $9,000 more was bought without board approval. By the end of Critchlows time at Fox, she was being paid more than any superintendent in the St. Louis area. In the 2012-13 school year, she received $12,000 in addition to her $234,000 compensation the board didnt approve, the audit states. The following school year, the board approved a contract with a $263,000 salary. She wrote three additional contracts that boosted her pay by nearly $8,000 using the boards electronic signature, the report states. Dr. Critchlow is confident that the Board members who approved her contracts will confirm that there was nothing improper in the way that Dr. Critchlow was paid, Barth, the attorney, said in a statement. No controls Auditors also found that over two years, Jamie Critchlow, the superintendents husband, was promoted to a job without board approval and was being paid for advanced degrees he didnt have. In the end, he received about $89,000 in compensation that was never approved and wrongly paid, Galloway said. And it goes on. There were travel expenses for family and friends. High-end cameras and cellphones bought by the district that were never accounted for. Critchlow also used district credit cards to pay for red-light tickets and meals at fast food restaurants. The expenses were paid for with general operating money without any documentation on how they would be used to further instruction. District policy also allowed credit cards to be used for capital purchases for school purposes. The credit cards bought about $8,000 in gift cards to restaurants such as Pizza Hut, Burger King and Subway. Critchlows documentation indicated some were for needy families, but provided no documentation on who the needy families were, the audit states. In 2014, logging equipment was purchased on Amazon and sent to Critchlows home. She and her husband were trying to start a land and timber improvement/sales company. Eventually, after pressure from district officials, Critchlow returned the items to Amazon. Most government organizations require an accounts payable clerk to reconcile and approve expenses. But Critchlow reconciled and approved her own credit card use. Galloway said her auditors received full cooperation from school administrators as they looked through records, she said. Since Critchlows departure, most School Board members have turned over. So have top district staff. Galloway said her offices attempts to speak and meet with Critchlow were unsuccessful. However, Barth said Critchlow was fully cooperative. It was Dr. Critchlow who first initiated contact with the Auditors office after months of being ignored, Barth said. Dr. Critchlow never refused to sit down with the auditors, and voluntarily provided multiple written responses and additional documentation. A lot of hurt The financial mismanagement has left a chasm of distrust between district residents and the school district, said James Wipke, who began as Foxs new superintendent about a year ago. Theres a lot of hurt right now, Wipke said. Weve got our work cut out for us still. District officials received the full audit report on Wednesday. But state auditors have met with them and board members numerous times throughout their investigation. They have been aware for some time about the hundreds of thousands of district dollars that Critchlow diverted from schools to herself and her family. They were pretty shocked the first time they saw findings one and two, said Chris Vetter, an audit manager, referring to Critchlows salary adjustments and 45 pages of personal expenses she put on district credit cards. Galloway places full blame on School Board members for not having controls in place to prevent the situation, or to alert them when money was being mishandled. For example, the board did not have policies or procedures regarding the handling of district scholarships or the use of the boards electronic signatures. Based on district responses to audit findings, Galloway said she feels comfortable that controls have tightened to prevent similar abuses. Auditors plan to return to Fox this fall to see whether policies and practices have improved. The audit is only the latest fallout from Critchlows term at Fox. In 2014, three of Critchlows critics sued her for libel after computers traced nasty comments made about them to her home computer. The critics ASam Ferry, Rich Simpson and Michelle Taylor filed the lawsuit in Jefferson County Circuit Court. The case was later moved to federal court and settled in December or early this year. Robert Herman, one of the lawyers for the plaintiffs, declined to comment on the settlement or the settlement amount. Robert Patrick of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report JEFFERSON CITY A former state lawmaker is suing a candidate for attorney general and University of Missouri officials for allegedly violating the states open records laws. Kevin Elmer, a Republican who served in the Missouri House of Representatives, has been attempting to collect emails and other material from Republican Josh Hawley, who is on unpaid leave from his job as an associate professor of law at Mizzou. Hawley faces Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, in the August GOP primary for the job currently held by Chris Koster, a Democrat, who is running for governor. The 29-page suit, filed Thursday in Boone County circuit court, says Hawley and the university are conspiring to prevent access to public records to conceal the inappropriate use of university property for campaigning and other political purposes. The Sunshine Law suit also alleges Hawley and the university violated Mizzous policy for employees who take paid or unpaid leave. If hes doing political work on his state time, thats public record, said Elmers attorney, Jane Dueker. Hawleys campaign issued a statement saying Schaefer was behind the lawsuit. Senator Schaefers dirty tricks are one more reminder why Missouri voters are disgusted with Jefferson City politicians. After abusing the power of his office to promote his own political career, Senator Schaefer is now trying to abuse the court system. He should be ashamed, a statement from the campaign says. Schaefer, who is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spent much of the legislative session railing on the university and also worked to defund Planned Parenthood. He could not be reached for comment Thursday. Elmer, a Nixa resident, began his search for records showing whether Hawley was using his university computer to prepare for a statewide campaign in May 2015. He requested two years of Hawleys emails, internal correspondence about the attorney generals race and his tenure status, as well as documents created on his work computer. Hawley entered the race for the GOP nomination in July. In emails to university officials obtained by the Post-Dispatch last year, Hawley said his records shouldnt be subject to the Missouri Sunshine Law and that releasing them would violate his academic freedom. Hawley cited several court cases to back up his argument, stating that he believed this request to be an attempt to intimidate, harass and threaten and potentially interfere with tenure deliberations. He also argued that the university may want to think very hard before turning over materials from individual faculty not related to university administration or governance because of copyright, intellectual property and student and personal privacy concerns. Gary Myers, dean of the law school, wrote in an email that Hawleys arguments raised serious questions regarding the scope and applicability of the open records law as it relates to the university and our faculty. University counsel Paul Maguffee disagreed, however. In an email, Maguffee said the entire university was subject to the Sunshine Law. In the suit, Dueker, said it is undisputed that Hawley was running for the office while employed and paid by the university and used state taxpayer funded computers and other facilities for political purposes. Elmer also is seeking repayment of the $5,000 he spent to receive the records. ST. LOUIS Both city officials and residents agree: Nobody wants a homeless shelter in their neighborhood. So why does a new one have to be added near Carr Square, within a mile of four other existing homeless centers, about three dozen residents demanded to know. This community should not be the only community to take on this problem. This aint just a northside problem. Dont do it to my community, Catina Wilson, a Carr Square resident, shouted to a panel of 11 city and homeless nonprofit officials sitting quietly at the front of a school auditorium on Wednesday. We worked too hard for this community. The city invited public questions about Biddle House, the $2.5 million homeless shelter planned for Tucker Boulevard near Carr Square, two months before its expected opening. St. Patrick Center and Peter and Paul Community Services have applied to manage Biddle House in a partnership. Their application was the only one received by the city, and a selection committee will decide Tuesday whether to accept the proposal and finalize a contract, said Eddie Roth, the citys director of human services. Roth tried to calm members of the audience, who one by one spilled out frustration and fears that an influx of homeless will endanger the neighborhood just north of downtown that they have high hopes will turn around. If I thought this was going to add to the trouble in Carr Square, we wouldnt be proposing this. There is no reasonable debate about the need and its right here in this community, Roth told the audience. Leaders of St. Patrick and Peter and Paul dont expect people to stay at Biddle House for more than six to nine months, in a concept what they call rapid rehousing. The shelter will have 98 beds and provide meals and services like employment and housing help to between 75 and 125 people daily. The idea is to provide help so that homelessness does not persist. Laurie Phillips, chief executive officer for St. Patrick Center, said during the meeting that more than half of the people who come to her agency are candidates for rapid rehousing. She added these people typically need a very low level of services and would likely not return to homelessness. Biddle House, in our opinion, is a really innovative concept we need right now in our region to end homelessness, Phillips said. Biddle Houses renovation comes as the Bridge Outreach at Centenary United Methodist Church, another homeless center, is set to close at the end of June because of an expired lease. Roth said the Bridges closing will leave behind a population in need of services that Biddle House can provide. Roth said hes been told by management at the McDonalds on Tucker Boulevard that every morning they open at 6 a.m., theres about 30 homeless men waiting to use the restaurant bathroom to bathe. Theres no perfect place for any facility like this, and I totally understand and respect the apprehension of any community that says, what are we going to get? Roth said. The Biddle House is situated in a place that makes sense for the service were providing. We are diffusing, spreading out that poverty by lifting people up and out of homelessness. Tom Burnham, director of public relations for Peter and Paul Community Services, said he thinks his agency and St. Patrick do a better job preventing nuisances than other homeless shelters, like the New Life Evangelistic Center, which was flagged by the city to be a nuisance property. Part of our intake process is to explain to them that we will be good neighbors, and we expect them to behave appropriately in the neighborhood, Burnham said of the people Peter and Paul serves. Or they will quickly become a former resident of the shelter. Peter and Paul will manage the overnight shelter while St. Patrick will be more in charge of day services, such as housing and employment consultation, officials said. Peter and Paul Community Services is based in Soulard and served 1,400 people in the 2015 fiscal year. St. Patrick Center is downtown and served more than 5,700 people that same year. CHICAGO Taking Social Security benefits early comes with a price, yet more than 4 in 10 Americans who are 50 and over say they'll dip into the program before reaching full retirement age. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll released Thursday found that 44 percent report Social Security will be their biggest source of income during their retirement years. Full benefits begin at 65 or 66 for those born between 1943 and 1954. Americans can begin collecting as early as age 62, but with benefits reduced by up to 30 percent, according to the Social Security Administration. "One thing we know for certain is that claiming early can have long-term repercussions on your fiscal security as you age," said Gary Koenig, vice president of Financial security at the AARP Public Policy Institute. Koenig said benefits increase significantly for those who wait, rising around 8 percent more for each additional year past age 66 and up to 70, when benefits max out. "So we encourage people to delay as long as possible," he said. But waiting is a luxury many Americans don't have. The poll found that 43 percent of those 50 and older plan to receive, or have already started receiving, Social Security early. Ken Chrzastek of Chicago began drawing Social Security benefits at age 62 and pulled $50,000 out of an IRA after losing a retail job two years ago. He has been unable to find even part-time work. "Hiring a 62-year-old is a liability for a company," he said. The poll found that Americans 50 and over have multiple sources of income for retirement but that Social Security is the most common by far. Eighty-six percent say they have or will have Social Security income. More than half had a retirement account such as a 401(k), 403(b), or an IRA. Slightly less had other savings. About 43 percent had a traditional pension. The average age at which people expect to start or have started collecting Social Security benefits is 64. Just 9 percent said they would wait until after they turned 70. While the retirement age has been rising in recent years, particularly for women, the average American still retires relatively early, at age 64 for men and age 62 for women, according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. Charles Jeszeck, director of education, workforce and income security for the Government Accountability Office, said there is no one right answer to when people should take Social Security, especially since increases in life expectancy are not spread out evenly between the rich and poor, or between ethnic groups. Included in any discussion about Social Security are lingering questions about its solvency. The Social Security trust fund has been running a surplus every year since 1984. Those surpluses are forecast to stop sometime around 2020, as more boomers start claiming benefits. The Social Security Administration says interest income from the fund should be able to bridge this gap until 2034. At that point, without changes, payments could shrink but not disappear. Among the presidential candidates, both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton have called for an expansion of Social Security. Donald Trump said during a debate in March, "It's my absolute intention to leave Social Security the way it is." Many Americans worry that they won't have enough to live on once they stop working, the poll said. Among those with incomes under $50,000, 58 percent say they feel more anxious than secure about the amount of savings they have for retirement. People with higher incomes appear less anxious, but still 40 percent of those with incomes of $100,000 or more worry whether their savings will be sufficient. Alison Cowen, 57, said she doesn't see any path for her to retire_ever. "Not unless a miracle happens," she laughed sarcastically. "I just don't have enough to live on for the rest of my life." The poll said a quarter of workers over 50 say they never plan to retire, a sentiment more common among lower-income workers. Cowen, a saleswoman from Albuquerque, N.M., said she didn't save that much when she was younger, and a messy divorce 10 years ago meant she had to start over. "I've got $20,000 in the bank, but I would need to figure out a way increase that substantially before I could ever think of retiring," she said. ___ The AP-NORC Center survey was conducted March 8-27 by NORC at the University of Chicago, with funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. It involved online and telephone interviews with 1,075 people aged 50 and older nationwide, most of whom are members of NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak panel. Results from the full survey have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points. ___ EDITOR'S NOTE Adam Allington is studying aging and workforce issues as part of a 10-month fellowship at The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, which joins NORC's independent research and AP journalism. The fellowship is funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. ___ News survey specialist Emily Swanson contributed to this report from Washington. ___ Hillary Clinton seemed to have everything going for her as the Democratic presidential front-runner. Everyone knew there would be hurdles along the pathway to the presidency, such as her handling of the attack on the U.S. consular compound in Benghazi, Libya, and shady business dealings from long before she and her husband moved into the White House in 1992. Those were surmountable problems. But her decision as secretary of state to set up and manage her own private email server for official government business constitutes one of the most stupid and arrogant moves any political leader of her stature could make. If Clinton loses the presidency, historians will point to the email problem as a major marker in her downfall. On Wednesday, the State Departments inspector general issued a long-awaited report sharply criticizing Clinton for violating multiple department rules. She never sought permission for the private email setup, and even if she had, permission would not have been granted, the inspector generals report stated. At least 22 email messages she exchanged contained information the Central Intelligence Agency regarded as top secret. On two occasions in 2011, hackers tried to access the server, forcing a shutdown. Clintons staffers didnt question her actions or recognize the significant security and legal ramifications. A campaign spokesperson sought to downplay the reports impact by saying she always kept her emails secure and that there was no known breach during the time she housed the private server in the basement of her Chappaqua, N.Y., home. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell also used a private email server, and the department never specifically told either Powell or Clinton to stop doing it. Thats not the point. Clinton behaved as if the rules didnt apply to her. The report notes that she failed to hand over all email records upon her departure as secretary in February 2013, holding onto them another 22 months. This is bad enough if youre not planning to run for office. But Clinton clearly had mapped out a path to succeed President Barack Obama. How could she not foresee the implications of diverting official and classified government business to a personal email server? She unnecessarily handed her opponents an arsenal of political ammunition. Clinton demonstrated arrogance by holding onto the emails for nearly two years after leaving office and only partially complying when asked to turn them over. She put herself above the accountability and public-information standards that apply to others. Clinton and her staffers offered minimal cooperation and interview access to the inspector general. Trust is essential for anyone aspiring to the nations highest office. Clinton has undermined it, and she has only herself to blame if this becomes the issue that undoes her campaign. I can assure you the only thing Spire cares about is profits over people. Their executives sat in silence and stared at us as we told them if they raised their rates again, people would suffer. " " Comic books are often full of simplistic superhero adventures. Graphic novels, on the other hand, have a greater scope of creative freedom. See more superhero pictures. iStockphoto/ Thinkstock Ever wonder what would have happened if Ernest Hemingway had asked Salvador Dali to illustrate "The Old Man and the Sea"? Probably not, but the idea itself is tantalizing -- a book filled not only with powerful words but also masterful illustrations, playing off of each other to tell a story in both figurative and literal symbols. Although it's far too late for a Dali-Hemingway collaboration, there's still hope for other significant works blending illustration and text in the form of graphic novels. Advertisement Pinning down an exact definition is difficult because there's no consensus on what constitutes a graphic novel, but there are some noted differences. For starters, graphic novels are typically much longer than the average comic book. Secondly, most comic books are part of a series, issued monthly, while graphic novels are often one story per book, sometimes spread over multiple volumes. Graphic novels are also typically square-bound like books. Beyond these disparities, though, comics and graphic novels are strikingly similar. They both have illustrations, rely heavily on fonts to drive the stories, and are usually laid out in boxy frames that resemble comic strips. Like their comic kin, graphic novels are a type of sequential art. They're a type of novel with a narrative that's conveyed through both text and drawn art. Each page's layout includes panels, or boxes, with borders that separate them from other panels on the page. Usually, these panels are square or rectangular, but this is not always the case; the genre's free-form, experimental nature makes it harder to classify precisely. Between each panel is the gutter, which is simply blank space. Like white space in any sort of visual art, carefully constructed gutters add to the flow of the novel. A wide gutter around one panel, for example, might give that particular frame a greater sense of importance. And like all comics, graphic novels use thought or speech balloons (also called bubbles) to show what a character is thinking or saying. In essence, they're quite a bit like comic strips. These novels, though, are anything but the Sunday funnies. They usually have longer and much more complicated storylines and themes. The artwork is intricate and the carefully constructed page layouts become part of the work's message. These criteria for defining graphic novels might seem simple enough, but there are a lot of misconceptions about this art form. For clarity's sake, it helps to explain what graphic novels are not. Graphic novels are not books with pictures thrown in for good measure. They're not movie scripts, although with the recent spate of graphic-novel-based Hollywood flicks, you might think otherwise. They also are not simply a collection of many comic books bound together (those are called trade books or trade publications), although it's now common for serialized comics to be published later in graphic novel collections. And some people argue that graphic novels aren't really even a genre of comic books; they're an independent artistic medium that's different in the way that music, poetry and sculpture are all unique. One thing that's not debatable, however, is the fact that graphic novels are getting more and more popular. In 2006 alone, sales for graphic novels hit around $330 million [source: Beneath the Cover]. In dollar amount, that's more than four times as much as in 2001. Next, you'll see how graphic novels are adding evermore zam, blam and pow to their pages -- especially compared to their ancestors. "The first United Nations World Humanitarian Summit takes place among the mosques and minarets of Istanbul today. While long overdue, it will fail to address recurring humanitarian crises. The truth is that the monolithic institutions charged with dealing with these crises and the thinking that governs these institutions are rapidly becoming obsolete as we enter a new, less predictable era." This is the opening paragraph of an op-ed on humanitarian aid management recently published on Huffington Post. The text, written by Luca Alinovi, Executive Director, Global Resilience Partnership and Johan Rockstrom, Executive Director, Stockholm Resilience Centre, argues that increasing human impact on the planet means the end of linear, incremental change. "Shock and stress from droughts, to pandemics and violence are here to stay. Efficiency and optimisation is not enough, we must invest in diversity and flexibility. And, we must recognize that reactive humanitarian aid is insufficient, we now need an international strategy for proactive action to enable communities to avoid disaster and transform positively through crises," they write. The time is now to rethink and to build resilience. Read the full article here LONDON MARKET CLOSE: FTSE 250 steals show; pound keeps lid on FTSE 100 Tuesday, October 25, 2022 - 17:20 London's FTSE 100 edged lower on Tuesday, as a stronger pound put paid to the blue-chip index's hopes of replicating the climbs delivered by its European peers. The pound jumped to $1.1464 at the London equities close Tuesday, from $1.1295 on Monday, as new UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak restored some investor confidence in UK finances. The FTSE 100 index closed down 0.51 of a point at 7,013.48 on Tuesday. A stronger pound acts as a drag to the international earner-heavy index. In European equities on Tuesday, the CAC 40 in Paris ended up 1.9%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt ended 0.9% higher. There was an eye-popping climb for the more domestic-focused FTSE 250 in London, however. The FTSE 250 ended up 494.08 points, or 2.9%, at 17,831.63. The AIM All-Share closed up 11.89 points, or 1.5%, at 799.44. The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.1% at 700.90, the Cboe UK 250 closed up 2.8% at 15,222.68, and the Cboe Small Companies ended up 0.2% at 12,269.51. Sunak pledged to fix the "mistakes" of Liz Truss's leadership as he made his first speech as PM. Sunak said Truss was "not wrong" to want to drive up growth but added that "some mistakes were made." He vowed to place "economic stability and confidence at the heart of this government's agenda", after the financial chaos triggered by Truss. In the FTSE 100, Segro finished 2.1% higher on Tuesday as UBS raised the British property investor and developer to 'buy' from 'neutral'. At the bottom of the blue-chip index was HSBC, falling 4.2%, as it reported a decline in profit and revenue in the third quarter of 2022. In the three months to September 30, HSBC reported pretax profit of $3.15 billion, down 42% from $5.40 billion a year before. Revenue decreased by 3.2% to $11.62 billion from $12.01 billion. HSBC explained that its third quarter results included a $2.4 billion impairment, following the reclassification of its retail banking operations in France to held-for-sale, as well as a net charge for expected credit losses and other credit impairment charges. Whitbread fell 0.8% despite swinging to an interim profit and return to dividends as the hotel sector recovered from Covid-19. In the first half ended September 1, the Bedfordshire-based owner of the Premier Inn chain said revenue more than doubled year-on-year to 1.35 billion from 661.6 million. Whitbread swung to a pretax profit of 307.4 million, compared to a loss of 19.3 million a year before. Compared to the same period of financial 2020, pretax profit was 40% higher than 219.9 million. "The strong recovery in UK accommodation sales continued during the first half, and while Food & Beverage sales remained challenging and 5% behind pre-pandemic levels," Whitbread said. In the FTSE 250, Urban Logistics added 1.5%, but was up over 10% earlier in the day. The UK logistics real estate investor said trading in its first half was strong, as demand strengthened and vacancies fell. "Lettings have been strong across the portfolio, as we see a robust occupational market with high demand and low vacancies. In particular, we're very pleased that our new development at Blenheim Park has let so quickly, with the final unit expected to be let shortly, and providing an expected 6.6% yield on cost across the project," said Chief Executive Richard Moffitt. Elsewhere in London, Made.com plunged 93% as it said talks with possible suitors fell through, with the sofa seller now edging precariously closer to collapse. "Following further discussion, those parties have all now confirmed to the company that they are unable to meet the necessary timetable. As a result, those discussions have been terminated and the company is no longer in receipt of funding proposals or possible offers for the issued and to be issued share capital of the company," Made said. Made.com is also mulling whether a suspension of trading of its shares is "appropriate". The euro stood at $0.9963 at the European equities close Tuesday, higher against $0.9877 at the same time on Monday. Against the yen, the dollar was trading at JP147.77 late Tuesday, lower compared to JP148.82 late Monday. Stocks in New York were firmly in the green at the London equities close, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.9%, the S&P 500 index up 1.3%, and the Nasdaq Composite up 2.0%. US equities received a boost from well-received updates from the likes of soft drinks maker Coca-Cola and courier UPS, with both firms posting rises in third quarter revenue and net income. Coca-Cola shares were 1.3% higher, UPS was up 1.9%. Brent oil was quoted at $91.91 a barrel at the London equities close Tuesday, up from $90.88 late Monday. Gold was quoted at $1,655.96 an ounce at the London equities close Tuesday, sharply higher against $1,648.76 at the close on Monday. In Wednesday's UK corporate calendar, Barclays will publish its third-quarter results and Bloomsbury Publishing posts its half-year results. In the economic calendar, there's a services PPI reading from Japan overnight before the Bank of Canada make an interest rate decision at 1500 BST. Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. I know. And they seemed so happy together... Ah no, in all seriousness, there had been a few rumblings that Amber wasn't entirely happy with the relationship after Depp's ropy appearance at the Hollywood Film Awards back in 2014. Maybe the strain of the whole dog smuggling fiasco was just too much after all. Seemingly the 30-year-old actress filed for divorce on Monday May 23rd citing "irreconcilable differences" (that ole chestnut) as the reason for their split. Obviously TMZ were the first to break the story after they obtained the documents in question. Seemingly Amber is asking for spousal support, a request Depp has reportedly asked his lawyer to reject this claim. The couple never signed a pre-nup. #BREAKING: TMZ Have reported Amber Heard and Johnny Depp are filing for divorce. #TMS7 https://t.co/ULaneG6yIV The Morning Show (@morningshowon7) May 25, 2016 Depp gave plaudits to his wife of 15 months when making a speech at Palm Springs International Film Festival back in January, saying: I also have to thank my wife, Amber, for putting up with me, for living with all these characters, which cant be easy... Its hard for me - its got to be hard for her." Somewhere, Vanessa Paradis is thanking herself for only getting them a toaster. Things are invariably a whirlwind for Depp at the moment; his mother died on May 20th, his wife files for divorce on May 23rd, and he's got all this PR for Alice Through The Looking Glass to contend with. When it comes to Irish classics, Into the West is up there with the best of them. The Jim Sheridan scripted film struck a chord and still resonates with Irish audiences today. While the child cast of Ruaidhri Conroy and Ciaran Fitzgerald undoubtedly stole the show, it's easy to forget that the film is jam packed full of Irish actors who went on to become huge names both at home and abroad. We decided to have a look back at the cast and see what they're up to now. Tito - Ruaidhri Conroy Ruaidhri Conroy has enjoyed a steady acting career since his days as 'Taaaaayytooo'. The Dubliner has an impressive list of film credits behind him but has also impressed on the stage where he won a Theatre World Award for his performance in Martin McDonagh's The Cripple of Inishman. He reunited with McDonagh again for the director's Oscar winning short Six Shooter where he held his own opposite Brendan Gleeson. Conroy's most recent Film and TV appearance came opposite Tom Vaughan-Lalor in TV3's Trial of the Century while he can next be seen later this year in Pilgrimage which will star Spider-Man himself Tom Holland. Ossie - Ciaran Fitzgerald Ciaran Fitzgerald continued his acting career after Into the West with roles in Jim Sheridan's The Boxer and John Boorman's The General. He studied drama in DIT Rathmines and appeared in Theatre Productions but his last on screen role came with his stint on Fair City in 2005. He seems to have given up on acting since then to pursue a career in medicine. The most recent image of him is from Fair City where he acted alongside Colin O'Donoghue. Papa Reilly - Gabriel Bryne He may have started out Irish soapland with Bracken but Gabriel Bryne was one of the hottest stars in Hollywood by the time he played the role of Papa Reilly. Byrne has been doing some excellent work in recent years most notably in TV. He was nominated for two Emmys and won a Golden Globe for his show In Treatment. He'll next be seen in the second season of Netflix series Marco Polo. Kathleen - Ellen Barkin Barkin was of course a big Hollywood star in the 80s acting opposite the likes of Al Pacino. She appeared in the film for the chance to work with her then husband Gabriel Byrne. In more recent years she's appeared in the likes of Ocean's Thirteen while this year she'll star in the TV remake of cult Australian crime indie Animal Kingdom. Barreller - Colm Meaney Colm Meaney had already made a name for himself in the US prior to his appearance in the film thanks to his role as Miles O'Brien in Star Trek: The Next Generation. He would of course go on to be the quintessential Irish Dad thanks to his roles in the Barrystown Trilogy (The Commitments, The Snapper and The Van). His latest TV venture Hell on Wheels finished last year after five seasons. According to IMDB, Meaney has a handful of projects set to be released between now and the end of 2017. Inspector Bolger - Brendan Gleesson Arguably the best Irish actor working today, Gleeson has gone on to have a wonderful career, appearing in Oscar winners like Braveheart, blockbusters such as Harry Potter and garnering critical acclaim in the likes of The Guard and Calvary. Gleeson has two projects set for release this year - Assassin's Creed and Tresspass Against Us. Both movies will see him star alongside fellow Irishman Michael Fassbender. Grandfather - David Kelly David Kelly had a fantastic career post as a character actor. He had a central role in Waking Ned and went on to play Grandpa Joe in Tim Burton's remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. A legend in Irish theatre, Kelly sadly passed away in 2012 aged 82. By Barani Krishnan NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices hit $50 a barrel on Thursday for the first time in seven months, then bounced below that level and settled lower on the day as investors worried robust price gains could encourage more output and add to the global glut. Wildfires in Canada's oil sands, unrest in the Nigerian and Libyan energy sectors, and a near economic meltdown in OPEC member Venezuela have knocked out nearly 4 million barrels per day in immediate production, sparking a buying frenzy in crude futures. Brent and U.S. crude's West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures have risen nearly 90 percent from 12-year lows hit this winter. They have recouped about half of what they lost since mid-2014 when both traded at above $100 a barrel. A climb above $50 per barrel could spur producers, particularly U.S. shale drillers, to revive scrapped operations, which could bloat supplies and trigger a new selloff, analysts said. "We are viewing current risk/reward ratios as unfavorable toward new longs at current levels," said Jim Ritterbusch of Chicago-based oil markets consultancy Ritterbusch & Associates, who cites a potential drop of Brent to $47.50. Brent surged as high as $50.51, its highest since early November, then retreated and settled down 15 cents at $49.59 a barrel. WTI fell 8 cents to settle at $49.48, after reaching $50.21, its highest since early October. U.S. crude for the balance of 2016 remained above $50 while the calendar strip for 2017 was above $51. "I am maintaining my oil view at neutral with a short term bias to the upside," said Dominick Chirichella, senior partner at the Energy Management Institute in New York. "The global surplus still exists and there is still a possibility that oil prices could retrace further." But he conceded that crude was trading "more and more in sync with the forward looking or perception view with the overall bearish fundamentals mostly priced into the market as production issues offset any short term negativity". Adding to outage concerns, a source at Chevron Corp (NYSE: CVX) said the producer's activities in Nigeria had been "grounded" by a militant attack, worsening a situation that had already restricted hundreds of thousands of barrels from reaching the market. Investors will watch next month's meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) for signs of an output hike. "The bigger risk is that following the meeting, (the) Saudis will increase production to meet rising summer domestic demand, to preserve market share in its oil wars with Iran and Iraq," David Hufton, head of PVM Oil brokers, said. (In paragraph 6, corrects Brent settlement to $49.59, not $49.74) (Additional reporting by Karolin Schaps, Ron Bousso and Simon Falush in LONDON and Keith Wallis in SINGAPORE; Editing by Marguerita Choy) Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. (NYSE: ETE) announced that it has filed its Affirmative Defenses and Counterclaim in the lawsuit brought by The Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE: WMB) (Williams) in the Delaware Court of Chancery on Friday, May 13, 2016. The Affirmative Defenses and Counterclaim were filed under seal on May 20, 2016. The Counterclaim alleges that Williams has breached the merger agreement entered into with ETE on September 28, 2015, by, among other things: the Williams board of directors modifying or qualifying its approval and recommendation of the merger by, among other things, (i) modifying, qualifying or disclaiming the fundamental bases for its original recommendation of the merger, including by concluding that the fairness opinions obtained by the Williams board of directors are no longer reliable and declining to obtain new fairness opinions, (ii) refusing to reconfirm its recommendation of the merger that was made on September 28, 2015 in the face of such disclaimers, and (iii) consistently making public statements implying that the Williams Board supports enforcing the merger agreement as opposed to completing the merger; refusing to cooperate with ETEs efforts to finance the merger; failing to use reasonable best efforts to complete the merger; and suing Kelcy Warren, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of ETEs general partner, personally in Dallas County, Texas in violation of a mandatory forum selection provision in the merger agreement. ETE seeks a declaratory judgment that Williams has breached the merger agreement, including by its board of directors modifying or qualifying its approval and recommendation of the merger, and that due to Williams breaches and its delays in bringing its claims, Williams is not entitled to the relief it seeks. ETE also seeks a judgment that due to Williams breaches of the merger agreement, ETE is entitled to immediately terminate the merger agreement. In the event ETE is entitled to and does terminate the merger agreement due to a modification or qualification of the Williams board of directors recommendation of the merger, Williams would owe ETE a termination fee of $1.48 billion. In addition, ETE seeks a declaratory judgment that, in the event Latham & Watkins LLP (Latham), its outside tax counsel, is not able to deliver a 721(a) tax opinion prior to the outside date of June 28, 2016 set forth in the merger agreement, ETE will be entitled to terminate the merger agreement without penalty due to the failure of a closing condition. Latham has advised ETE that it would not be able to deliver this tax opinion were the opinion requested as of today, and ETE believes that there is a substantial risk that the closing condition relating to this tax opinion will not be met or waived. ETE also announced today that, on May 24, 2016, the District Court of Dallas County, Texas granted a motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought by Williams against Kelcy Warren. Mr. Warren had filed the motion to dismiss on the basis that Williams lawsuit against him in Dallas County was a breach of the mandatory forum selection provisions of the merger agreement, among other things. Notwithstanding the pendency of the litigation described above, ETE intends to continue to comply with all of its obligations under the merger agreement. The parties have agreed to expedited proceedings with respect to the lawsuit in the Delaware Court of Chancery, with a trial scheduled to be held June 20 and June 21, 2016. VMG Partners announced that it has completed the sale of Justin's LLC, maker of naturally delicious, high-quality nut butters, nut butter snacks, and organic peanut butter cups, to Hormel Foods (NYSE: HRL). Wayne Wu, Managing Director at VMG, said, "We enjoyed partnering with an iconic entrepreneur in Justin Gold, his amazing Justin's brand, and its talented management team led by Peter Burns. Justin's pioneered nut butter based snacking driven by a rabid consumer base for its products, in part through inspiration from its roots in Boulder, Colorado. We are grateful to the Boulder ecosystem for welcoming VMG with open arms into its community through our partnership with Justin's, and we look forward to our continued involvement there in the years to come." Peter Burns, President and CEO of Justin's, commented on the collaborative and productive relationship with the VMG team, stating, "Working with VMG was a unique partnership because they completely understood our business and provided extremely helpful guidance, financing, and resources. Importantly, they also let us operate with the autonomy needed to rapidly grow our business while maintaining our entrepreneurial culture." Justin Gold, Founder of Justin's, said, "I was attracted to VMG because they are motivated by doing what is right for our people and the brand and they have a track record of doing what they say. It's always good business when you focus on people and together we did everything we said we would do to build the company. They are great human beings and I will always be a part of their extended family." Xerox Corp. (NYSE: XRX) disclosed the following on Thursday: Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. On May 20, 2016, Xerox Corporation (the Company) announced that Ursula M. Burns will serve as the Chairman of the Board of the Document Technology company following completion of the separation of Xerox Corporation into two independent, publicly-traded companies a Document Technology company and a Business Process Outsourcing company. On May 20, 2016, the Company and Ms. Burns entered into a letter agreement (the Letter Agreement). Pursuant to the Letter Agreement, she will continue in her role as the Companys Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer until the earlier of January 31, 2017 or completion of the separation, at which time she will step down as the Companys Chief Executive Officer. Ms. Burns base salary will remain $1.1 million, her target bonus will remain 200% of her base salary and her target long term incentive award for 2016 will be equal to $9.7 million. Once Ms. Burns steps down as Chief Executive Officer, she will be the Chairman of the Company and her base salary will be $900,000 per annum, her target bonus will be 150% of her base salary and her 2017 long term incentive award value will be a maximum of $5 million, each of which will be prorated based on the length of time she serves as Chairman in 2017 as further set forth in the Letter Agreement. Pursuant to the Letter Agreement, it is anticipated that Ms. Burns will retire as Chairman as of the 2017 annual shareholders meeting. The above is a summary of the key terms of Ms. Burns compensation arrangement and does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the Letter Agreement, a copy of which will be attached to the Companys next 10-Q and is incorporated herein by reference. DENVER, May 26, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DCP Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE: DPM) today announced that Wouter van Kempen, chairman, president and chief executive officer, is scheduled to present at the 2016 Annual MLPA Investor Conference in Orlando, Florida, on Thursday, June 2, 2016 beginning at 1:15 p.m. ET. To listen to a live audio webcast of the presentation and to view the related presentation material, visit the DCP Midstream Partners' website at www.dcppartners.com under the Investor tab on that web page. A replay of the webcast will be archived on the website shortly after the presentation is concluded and will be available for 30 days. Sean OBrien, group vice president and chief financial officer, will join van Kempen at the conference and meet with investors. ABOUT DCP MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, LPDCP Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE: DPM) is a midstream master limited partnership engaged in the business of gathering, compressing, treating, processing, transporting, storing and selling natural gas; producing, fractionating, transporting, storing and selling NGLs and recovering and selling condensate; and transporting, storing and selling propane in wholesale markets. DCP Midstream Partners, LP is managed by its general partner, DCP Midstream GP, LP, which in turn is managed by its general partner, DCP Midstream GP, LLC, which is 100% owned by DCP Midstream, LLC, a joint venture between Phillips 66 and Spectra Energy Corp. For more information, visit the DCP Midstream Partners, LP website at www.dcppartners.com. MEDIA RELATIONS: Roz Elliott Phone: 303-605-1707 INVESTOR RELATIONS: Andrea Attel Phone: 303-605-1741 Source: DCP Midstream Partners, LP BRUSSELS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The GSMA welcomes the European Councils proactive and rapid adoption of its General Approach for the European Commission proposal Decision on the use of the 470-790MHz spectrum band in the Union proposal. The rapid evolution in mobile broadband and broadcast services requires Europe to keep all options open for how the UHF spectrum band will be used, in particular in the sub-700MHz band. Mobile data usage continues to grow dramatically as more people consume increasing amounts of content on mobile devices. However, Europe has fallen behind other developed regions in fast mobile connectivity, putting the future of mobile, as well as the wider economy, at risk. The timely and coordinated release of the 700MHz band is critical for the development of mobile communications in Europe. We applaud the positive developments in countries such as France and Germany that have already licensed the 700MHz frequencies well ahead of the 2020 deadline suggested by the proposal. The GSMA encourages the co-legislators to adopt similar forward-looking approaches as it is essential that Member States have flexibility to move sooner to respond to the sustained growth in mobile data traffic. To prevent frequency overlap with non-Union countries delaying implementation it is crucial for the proposal to maintain the June 2017 and December 2017 dates for the completion of cross-border coordination and the publication of the national plans. Such action will help to avoid repeating the difficulties seen in the release of the 800MHz band in Europe. If not released in a coordinated manner, mobile dead zones can arise, affecting border regions between Member States and negatively impacting consumers1. Concerning the sub-700MHz band, the GSMA considers the flexibility option initially proposed by the European Commission as a limited step in the right direction. Allowing for genuine regulatory flexibility in a timely manner can allow Europe to keep pace with spectrum allocations in other regions, including North America, where regulators have started the auction process for a paired, uplink and downlink use of the 600MHz band. Moreover, the GSMA urges the co-legislators to align the review process of the UHF band that has been suggested with the timeline agreed at the ITU and complete it by World Radiocommunication Conference in 2023. We are hoping to see a different scenario than we had with the implementation of 800MHz, where certain countries requested longer periods of time to release the band said John Giusti, Chief Regulatory Officer, GSMA. We recognise that there are differences in frequency use among Member States, and it is only natural that timing may vary slightly. However, we should agree on maintaining 2020 as an ultimate milestone in the shift to mobile for the 700MHz band. Without this commitment, Europe is at risk of falling behind other regions in mobile broadband development. -ENDS- Note to the editors: 1 GSMA Report: Market Evidence of Greater Spectrum Policy Harmonisation in the EU About the GSMA The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 250 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai and the Mobile 360 Series conferences. For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160526005488/en/ GSMA Olivier Lechien PR Director, Europe +32 479 99 01 63 [email protected] or GSMA Press Office [email protected] Source: GSMA GARDNERVILLE, Nev., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Washoe Tribe today opened its first gaming facility, the Wa She Shu Casino, on Highway 395 just north of Garnerville with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that featured a blessing by a Washoe tribal elder, the Tribe's Color Guard and a gathering of dignitaries. The casino, whose name means "The People's Place", is the result of a unique tribe-to-tribe business relationship between the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, and the Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Atmore, Alabama. "Opening a casino and partnering with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians is another step toward the Washoe Tribe's long term goal of economic self-sufficiency," remarked Washoe Tribal Chair, Neil Mortimer. He continued, "We are excited about the partnership and pleased to create job opportunities for our Tribal members, as well as local residents. The partnership between our Tribe and the Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama is the first of its kind. The Washoe Tribe is excited to partner with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians and we are looking forward to increasing the gaming and dining experience in the Carson Valley for both residents and visitors." The 13,500 square foot facility boasts a 4,600 square foot gaming floor featuring 130 state-of-the-art games. Visitors will also be able to enjoy a restaurant that comfortably seats 80 guests as well as a bar. An additional 4,000 square feet is designated for future expansion of the gaming floor. In addition to the construction jobs that the casino development produced over the past few months, the completed Wa She Shu Casino is generating approximately 70 new jobs. Stephanie Bryan, Tribal Chair and CEO of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians said, "It wasn't so long ago that we were building our first gaming facility in hopes that it would provide a brighter future for our people. We believe that it is part of our obligation, as Indian people, to support others in their efforts to achieve financial security. We are thrilled that we can play a role in making sure that the Washoe Tribe can use its land to better the lives of their Tribal members." The revenues from the casino will provide funding for essential services for Washoe Tribal Members including infrastructure needs and healthcare. The complete project investment totaled an estimated $8 million. Arthur Mothershed, Vice President of Business Development for Wind Creek Hospitality (the Poarch Creek's gaming business) and a Poarch Creek Tribal Council Member, noted, "Our Tribe knows all too well the challenges faced by the Washoe Tribe. Fortunately, in the last ten years, we have been able to overcome many of those obstacles, and we are both honored and excited to have had the opportunity to share our good fortune and knowledge with the Washoe Tribe as their partners on this vitally important project." The Wa She Shu Casino is adjacent to the Wa She Shu Travel Plaza which the Tribe opened earlier this year, also in partnership with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. The casino offers a "hometown" atmosphere and 360-degree views of the Sierra Mountains. There are designated areas for trucks and RVs within the lighted off-street parking. About the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California The Washoe Tribe has inhabited an area in western Nevada and eastern California of high mountains and deep valleys and is known as our historic occupation homeland. The pristine Lake Tahoe known as "Da ow aga", edge of lake, is the heart of the tribe. Located 50 miles to the south of Reno, tribal headquarters are located in Gardnerville, Nevada. About the Poarch Band of Creek Indians The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is the only federally recognized Indian Tribe in the State of Alabama, operating as a sovereign nation with its own system of government and bylaws. The Tribe operates a variety of economic enterprises, which employ hundreds of area residents. The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is an active partner in the state of Alabama, contributing to economic, educational, social and cultural projects benefiting both tribal members and residents of these local communities and neighboring towns. About Wind Creek Hospitality Wind Creek Hospitality is an authority of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. WCH manages the Tribe's gaming facilities including: Wind Creek Atmore, Wind Creek Wetumpka and Wind Creek Montgomery as well as racetracks in Alabama and Florida. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/371207 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/371208LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/opening-of-wa-she-shu-casino-marks-landmark-tribal-gaming-partnership-300273635.html SOURCE Wind Creek Hospitality HELSINKI--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- OptoFidelity Ltd, the world leader in user interactions testing for smart devices, has agreed on a EUR3.6M funding including growth financing package with Finnish Industry Investment (FII) and the VisionPlus Fund. OptoFidelitys robot-assisted test solutions improve the quality and user experience of smart devices substantially, and speed up and harmonize testing processes between R&D and volume production. Most of the worlds leading manufacturers of smart devices are already OptoFidelitys customers. The company boasts references from companies such as Google, China Mobile and Atmel. OptoFidelity is set on a path of true global breakthrough. In 2015 the company almost quadrupled its net sales to 20m. With the growth financing now agreed, OptoFidelity will accelerate the opening of new service centres in the USA and China, and speed up the development of production testing offering by strengthening R&D resources in Finland. We help our customers to design and manufacture the best smart devices in the world by automating and digitizing testing, explains Pertti Aimonen, OptoFidelitys CEO from Silicon Valley. Our company is profitable, but the growth financing allows us to speed up the development of software expertise in Finland and place key engineering competence close to our customers in China and the USA, adds Aimonen. OptoFidelity launches new solutions for production testing this week at Display Week in San Francisco, USA. Industry 4.0 and the digitization of smart factories is a major element of OptoFidelitys strategy. OptoFidelitys strong competence in software development and test data acquisition and analysis methods is an ideal match to the needs of future smart factories. OptoFidelity has managed to productize its in-depth software knowhow in demanding test and measurement applications, and has already generated a growth spurt without outside investments. The company lists numerous multinational pioneers in industrial digitisation amongst its customers, reinforcing our belief in the competitiveness of the companys solutions, says Investment Manager Jussi Sainiemi from Finnish Industry Investment. The company has already proven its competitiveness and expertise with some of the most sought after customers in the world, and has above all, succeeded in the worlds most highly competed market in Silicon Valley. It was a logical step for us to support OptoFidelitys growth with our international network, says Marko Tulonen, VisionPlus Funds cofounder and Partner. About OptoFidelity: At OptoFidelity we thrive for the ultimate user experience by simulating and testing user interactions for smart devices. We are globally recognized pioneers in testing, and our humanlike robot assisted technology platforms are widely used in product development, production and quality assurance. Our products are all equipped with easy-to-use SW tools for test parametrizing, results analysis and reporting tools. We work with the world's largest device manufacturers.www.optofidelity.com About FII: Finnish Industry Investment is a private equity and venture capital investment company that accelerates companies success stories by investing both in funds and directly in companies. We offer promising growth companies business expertise and international networks, enabling a company to pursue its growth strategy. www.industryinvestment.com (http://www.teollisuussijoitus.fi) About VisionPlus: VisionPlus is a capital fund investing in Finnish digital startups and growth companies. The size of the fund is 50m. The company has 87 investment projects in its portfolio. Investors in the fund include Nokia, Microsoft, the City of Oulu, The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, Finnish Industry Investment (FII), the FII-managed FoF Growth fund, and a number of pension funds. www.visionplus.fi This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160526005482/en/ OptoFidelity Ltd Pertti Aimonen CEO & President Tel. +358 40 774 9259 [email protected] Finnish Industry Investment Ltd Jussi Sainiemi Investment Manager Tel. +358 40 564 4660 [email protected] or VisionPlus Fund Marko Tulonen Cofounder and Partner Tel. +358 40 508 9848 [email protected] Source: OptoFidelity This looks like it's going to be a bawler, by which we mean we will be in bits after it the likes of which we haven't been since 'Inside Out'. One of the best-selling children's books in the world, 'The Little Prince' has long been crying out for an adaptation and this one comes in the form of a 3D computer animation and stop-motion animation combo, with a voice cast that includes Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, Paul Rudd, Marion Cotillard, James Franco, Benicio del Toro and Ricky Gervais. 'The Little Prince' is set for release on Netflix on August 5th. LUSK, Wyo., May 25, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Wyoming Virtual Academy (WYVA), an accredited, tuition-free, online public school, honored the Class of 2016 at a graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 21, at the Niobrara County High School in Lusk. This year, more than 31 students received their high school diplomas from WYVA, which is a public school program of Niobrara County School District #1 and is available to all Wyoming students. The online curriculum used at WYVA is rigorous and engaging, including courses in language arts/English, math, science, history, world languages, art and music, as well as over 100 elective and Advanced Placement courses for high school students. College- or career-minded students can choose from a broad range of profession-focused CTE courses in order to gain a competitive edge for the future, discover their path after high school or explore a possible college major. "Our graduates are embarking on their next journey higher education, technical training, service experience or the first steps in a career," said Nicole Tiley, Head of School at Wyoming Virtual Academy. "We are so proud to have been part of their preparation for that journey and of the way these students have learned to thrive and take initiative." Tina Borcher delivered an address to the graduates during the ceremony, which also included a formal presentation of diplomas. Many WYVA teachers and staff were in attendance to recognize the students' achievements. Graduates are expected to pursue higher education at institutions including University of Wyoming, Ohio State University, Colorado State University and Wyoming Community College WYVA senior (Name) Thomas Mitchell is this year's Valedictorian, and he addressed his fellow graduates at the ceremony. He plans to attend the University of Wyoming and study computer science. For more information about Wyoming Virtual Academy, visit http://wyva.k12.com/ About Wyoming Virtual Academy Wyoming Virtual Academy (WYVA) is an accredited, full-time online public school that serves Wyoming students in grades K through 12. A school program of Niobrara County School District #1, WYVA is tuition-free, giving parents and families the choice to access the award-winning curriculum and tools provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's largest provider of proprietary curriculum and online education programs. For more information about WYVA, visit http://wyva.k12.com/. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150325/194429 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wyoming-virtual-academy-celebrates-class-of-2016-graduation-300275268.html SOURCE Wyoming Virtual Academy A trader points up at a display on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange August 20, 2012. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid By Caroline Humer (Reuters) - A tie-up of Aetna Inc and Humana Inc would be anti-competitive in Missouri for several types of insurance, including individual Medicare Advantage plans where the combined company would have more than a 50 percent market share, the Missouri Department of Insurance said. The department said in an order, dated May 24 and posted on its website, that if the proposed acquisition of Humana by Aetna were to go forward, the companies would need to stop selling individual insurance, small group and certain Medicare Advantage plans in its state. Missouri is the first state regulator to release findings against the $33 billion deal announced last year. The deal is being reviewed by the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as state regulators and antitrust authorities, who are also reviewing competitor Anthem Inc's plan to buy Cigna Corp.. Because the deals will reduce major health insurers to three from five, investors are uncertain they will close. Missouri's findings should not influence the Justice Department review, said Dan Mendelson, chief executive of Avalere Health, a Washington D.C. healthcare consulting firm. But, he said, a similar ruling from a large state such as California could. Other states are also likely to go public with issues they want Aetna and Humana to address through asset sales or other concessions, Mendelson said. The American Medical Association, which has expressed reservations about the potential anti-competitive impact of both deals, applauded the Missouri move. "The Missouri order strongly validates concerns that AMA has expressed to Missouri regulators, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice, and officials in other states impacted by the proposed health insurer mergers," AMA President Steven Stack said in a statement. California's insurance commissioner has held a hearing on the merger's impact but has not commented. According to the order, Aetna can submit a plan to the insurance regulator to address the impact of the acquisition. "This order does not impede the DOJ approval process. We are disappointed with the Missouri order but expect to have a constructive dialogue with the state to address their concerns," Aetna spokesman T.J. Crawford said. Aetna has filed for regulatory approval in the 20 states where Humana is domiciled and of those, 15 have approved the deal. In other states where the companies sell insurance, including Missouri, state regulators can choose to review the deal's impact. Federal regulators are also examining local insurance competition. The Missouri insurance regulator said that Aetna held a 36.88 percent share in the comprehensive individual insurance market in 2015 while Humana had 1.93 percent. In individual Medicare Advantage, Aetna and Humana have more than 70 percent market share in 33 county markets, the department said. Aetna has the largest market share at 33 percent. Aetna shares rose 1.8 percent to close at $113.69, while Humana shares rose 2.3 percent to $174.70 in New York Stock Exchange trading. (Reporting by Caroline Humer and Bill Berkrot; Editing by Alan Crosby) By Megan Rowling and Alex Whiting ISTANBUL (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The World Humanitarian Summit has reinforced the urgent need for people hit by conflict and disasters to receive better help, but the first meeting of its kind may not trigger the changes necessary to fix their plight, aid officials and experts say. Vital to any long-term success is a ramping up of efforts by world leaders to end the wars that are causing record numbers of people to be uprooted, they said. Yet the absence of many of the most powerful heads of governments, including the leaders of the U.N. Security Council's permanent members, disappointed aid officials at the summit in Istanbul this week. As the two-day conference ended on Tuesday, outgoing U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who convened the summit, appealed to Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States to act. "The absence of these leaders from this meeting does not provide an excuse for inaction," Ban said. "They have a unique responsibility to pursue peace and stability, and to support the most vulnerable." The summit drew only 55 heads of state or government with German Chancellor Angela Merkel the only G7 leader present. Pledges made at the summit include an education fund aimed at raising $3.8 billion for emergency schooling, and a "grand bargain" between major donors and agencies to administer aid more efficiently. The summit also launched an international partnership to help vulnerable countries prepare better for natural disasters. "These will kick-start transformative change from the top down and the ground up. We must now take it forward together," Ban said. But critics of the summit argued that its lack of a binding agreement made it toothless, while defenders of the gathering said that was never its purpose. And many participants struggled to keep up with the pace of simultaneous sessions after a theatrical opening that attempted to bring today's crises alive through music, video and the testimony of survivors, interspersed with celebrities urging action. WHAT NEXT? Aid workers said the Istanbul summit had at least put the most pressing challenges on the global radar: preventing conflict, reducing the risk of disasters, and paying more attention to local groups and communities on the ground. Man-made and natural disasters have left 130 million people in need of humanitarian aid, which totaled a record $28 billion in 2015. Yet the gap between what aid agencies seek and what donors provide has grown, with funding needs rising more than 12-fold since 2000, Ban said. A flagship humanitarian financing report put the annual shortfall for life-saving aid work at around $15 billion. "We face huge issues, from the consequences of El Nino to the war in Syria and the refugee crisis, that we can only solve by working in better and smarter ways together," said Helle Thorning-Schmidt, CEO of Save the Children International. "This summit was a step down that road." But Sara Pantuliano, managing director at the London-based Overseas Development Institute, said commitments made at the summit had "fallen short in substance and ambition". "There is little clarity about how pledges that have been made will be taken forward and turned into reality," she added. Wolfgang Jamann, secretary general of CARE International, said Ban's as yet unnamed successor, who will take office next year, would need to find a more effective way to push U.N. member states to tackle the political causes of the "huge need" confronting an over-stretched humanitarian system. SURVIVORS Janani Vivekananda of peacebuilding group International Alert said the world needs to radically overhaul how it handles crises which are becoming more complex due to climate change. "We will only see ... real lives saved when the major institutions are ready to invest in prevention and peacebuilding to reduce humanitarian need, take risks to fund people facing crises in fragile states, and where necessary stepping aside to let others, who might be better placed, respond to crises," she said. The Red Cross applauded the summit for giving increased recognition to the work of local aid groups and for emphasizing the need to put communities at the center of aid work - which it said should strengthen response. Marguerite Barankitse, a Burundian child rights activist who fled to Rwanda last year to escape political unrest at home, said the meeting had given her a chance to share her suffering. The winner of the $1 million Aurora Prize for her work rescuing 30,000 orphaned children vowed to hold U.N. and other agencies to account for the promises they had made in Istanbul. "It is very good that people could gather for one message - to share humanity," Barankitse told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "They have given us a weapon to remind them of that." (Reporting by Megan Rowling and Alex Whiting; Editing by Katie Nguyen. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org) An illustration picture shows a projection of binary code around the shadow of a man holding a laptop computer in an office in Warsaw June 24, 2013. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel VIENNA (Reuters) - The head of Austrian aerospace parts maker FACC has been fired after the company was hit by a cyber fraud that cost it 42 million euros ($47 million). The firm's supervisory board decided at a 14-hour meeting on Tuesday to dismiss CEO Walter Stephan with "immediate effect", the company said on Wednesday. FACC, whose customers include Airbus and Boeing, said on Jan. 19 it had been hit by a cyber fraud in which hackers stole around 50 million euros by posing as Stephan in an email. The hoax email asked an employee to transfer money to an account for a fake acquisition project - a kind of scam known as a "fake president incident". "The supervisory board came to the conclusion that Mr. Walter Stephan has severely violated his duties, in particular in relation to the 'fake president incident'," FACC said. A company spokesman declined to give details of how Stephan had violated his duties. The firm said no comment was available from Stephan. Robert Machtlinger was appointed interim chief executive. FACC fired its chief financial officer in February soon after the cyber attack. Releasing its 2015/16 financial results on Wednesday, FACC said it had taken a charge of 41.9 million euros over the cyber fraud. It said it had been able to block 10.9 million euros from being transferred. The fraud pushed FACC to an operating loss of 23.4 million euros in its 2015/16 financial year versus a loss of 4.5 million a year earlier. The company's shares rose on news of the results and Stephan's departure and were up 5 percent at 0900 GMT. (Reporting by Shadia Nasralla; Editing by Adrian Croft) By David Lawder and Ruby Lian (Reuters) - U.S. regulators launched an investigation on Thursday into complaints by United States Steel Corp that Chinese competitors stole its secrets and fixed prices, in the latest trade spat between the two countries. U.S. Steel is seeking to halt nearly all imports from China's largest steel producers and trading houses, in its complaint made under section 337 of the main U.S. tariff law. The International Trade Commission (ITC) said in a statement that it has not made any decisions on the merits of the case. The commission identified 40 Chinese steel makers and distribution subsidiaries as respondents, including Baosteel Group, Hebei Iron and Steel Group, Wuhan Iron and Steel Co Ltd, Maanshan Iron and Steel Group, Anshan Iron and Steel Group and Jiangsu Shagang Group. The U.S. Commerce Department has kept up a barrage of efforts to clamp down on a glut of Chinese steel imports, including announcing steep anti-dumping duties on corrosion-resistant steel on Wednesday. U.S. Steel filed its original complaint a month ago, alleging that it was a victim of a 2011 computer hacking incident that also prompted U.S. federal cyber-espionage indictments against five Chinese military officials in 2014. The Pittsburgh-based steelmaker alleged the hackers stole research data on production techniques for a new generation of lightweight, high-strength steel now favored by automakers. It said this accelerated Chinese competitor Baosteel's ability to replicate the product, which took U.S. Steel a decade to develop. "NOTHING WORTH STEALING" Chinese steelmakers and officials dismissed the need for the probe, and said steelmakers would contest any findings. "The U.S. steel industry has already lost its leading position and there is nothing worth stealing," said an executive with Maanshan Steel told Reuters. "The United States is a market economy and we don't understand why they are taking these measures. "The United States said we conspired," added the executive, who asked not to be named. "In fact, we wish the domestic steel sector was able to work together, but this is precisely what we are the worst at, and it is even less possible that we would distort the market through government action." Baosteel, China's second-largest steelmaker and the world's fourth-largest, said in a statement the United States was acting in breach of World Trade Organization rules. It urged the Chinese government to take all necessary measures to ensure the sector receives fair treatment. China's Commerce Ministry said it was resolutely opposed to the probe and would encourage its firms to legally defend themselves. The ministry said trade remedy measures recently being taken by the United States were protectionist, and would artificially interfere with trade rather than solve the industry's current problems. "We strongly urge the Chinese government to take counter-measures against the United States to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese steel industry and the normal trade order," the China Iron & Steel Association (CISA) said in a statement. U.S. Steel Chairman Mario Longhi applauded the ITC's decision to investigate claims which include that Chinese producers falsely named other countries as the origin of their products and illegally transhipped them through third countries to avoid anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties. "We remain confident that the evidence will prove the Chinese steel producers engaged in collusion, theft and fraud and we will aggressively seek to stop those responsible for these illegal trade actions," Longhi said in a statement. Such intellectual property-based claims have only been made once before by U.S. steel producers, in 1978 against 35 Japanese makers and importers of welded stainless steel pipe. But the ITC, rather than barring imports of the products from Japan, instead ordered 11 firms to stop unfair pricing practices. (Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Beijing) Thinking about investing in some art? Check out our guide to some of the best places to buy artworks in Auckland. It not only livens up your living space, it can enrich you too. Art. Whether it is a simple, cheap print, sculpture, ceramic or a dazzling original oil, art is credited with stimulating the mind, improving everything from memory to communication to your happiness levels. And its just nice to have something with special meaning hanging on your wall. Bevan Read Art work on display at the Auckland Art Fair. With the Auckland Art Fair kicking off this week, showcasing the best art Auckland has to offer, now is a great time to look at buying some art. It needn't break the bank.Art dealer Hamish Coney, a founding director of auction house Art+Object, says Auckland has more than 30 dealer galleries and four or five auction houses. If you know where to look, you can find a piece to suit your taste and price range. Here are our picks of five good places to start. 1. Auckland Art Fair Bevan Read A work by artist Dick Frizzell on display at the Auckland Art Fair. This year's art fair opened at The Cloud on Wednesday night and features work by 150 artists, all of them for sale. There are talks, tours and pop-up restaurants, so it's more than just a gallery, its a great experience even if you've got no intention of buying. Catering for the well heeled end of the art collecting world, the prices are mainly high, some ridiculously so, and some of the artworks are (to be polite) challenging, but there are also some bargains to be had. Our pick of the show is any of the smaller Mark Wooller pieces (at just under $800) but get in quick because they were being snapped up when we were there on launch night. And tucked in one corner are a few, eye catchingly colourful etchings by John Pule including a copy of his 2012 piece What I did and did not have. The Ngatahi Editions stand is also worth a good browse. A collaboration between nine not-for-profit organisations, it features limited edition pieces from artists including Lisa Reihana, Janet Lilo and Martin Basher. The works are priced between $100 and $2,000. If you are looking to splash out, however, you could take advantage of the fair's MyArt loans. They which allow you to borrow up to $25,000 interest-free to buy art at the fair. 2. PUBLIC DOMAIN Art Fair 2016 A video posted by SARAH MOHAWK INDUSTRIES (@shmohawks) on May 20, 2016 at 1:29am PDT If the Auckland Art Fair feels too glitzy and commercial for you, try this alternative hosted by Demo Project Space in Eden Terrace. It opened on Friday night and features a range of works from up-and-coming artists from Auckland and Hamilton. With representative works from some of the city's more avante-garde galleries, you're sure to find something interesting. Hamish Coney says artist-run events like the PUBLIC DOMAIN fair often put up intriguing works at very reasonable prices. "Every now and again some of those sorts of artist-run spaces, which by their very nature are not going to be permanent and forever, but which are vital staging posts in the development of the arts scene, have little exhibitions and things like that, and there's always really interesting works in those." 3. Fundraiser sales at ArtSpace A photo posted by Artspace NZ / Auckland (@artspacenz) on Mar 31, 2016 at 5:58pm PDT ArtSpace is a public-funded gallery dedicated to showing some of New Zealand's most innovative art. Although it's not a dealer gallery, it occasionally hosts fundraiser shows. Coney says these are well worth a visit, showcasing works by the "really active community of young artists who both show there and curate there and support that gallery". "It's a great way of getting involved, of getting to understand the contemporary art community and supporting it, but also getting really interesting and unique works." The gallery also produces limited editions of prints or drawings by some of its artists, which you can buy online. 4. New Collectors Auctions A photo posted by Art+Object (@artandobject) on May 19, 2016 at 2:19am PDT Some auction houses deliberately target new buyers by holding auctions curated to tempt the tastes of would-be collectors. Art+Object for instance has an auction on Wednesday offering a chance to buy works by some of New Zealand's best known contemporary artists with many that should go for under $1000. Coney is particularly excited about "very collectible" limited edition prints by some of our most celebrated artists - they're a cheaper way to get a Colin McCahon or a Gordon Walters on your wall. There are even, believe it or not, some Salvador Dali pieces estimated at around $2,500. 5. Masterworks Gallery A photo posted by Masterworks Gallery (@masterworksgallerynz) on May 17, 2016 at 3:05pm PDT Ceramic art - that's pottery, in layman's terms - is experiencing something of a renaissance in Auckland at the moment. Ceramics are a personal favourite of Coney's and he says there are some "really interesting artists operating in that space". Situated on Upper Queen St, Masterworks is a gallery that specialises in ceramics and other craft works. It's run by a mother and daughter who aim to push boundaries in ceramic, crafts and jewellery. It's one of many places where you can unearth cool ceramics in Auckland. Dennis helped build the Great North Road Interchange at Waterview - which would be completed in 2017. A bright yellow, 140-tonne piece of bridge-building genius is being deconstructed after completing its two-and-a-half-year stint on Auckland's northwestern motorway. The lifting gantry, or "Dennis" as it was affectionately named, placed the last of its concrete beams into position on Tuesday night on the Great North Road, Waterview connection. "Dennis finished as it began a faultless and precise performance combining engineering muscle and innovation to construct the interchange," said NZ Transport Agency's Mieszko Iwaskow. NZTA / SUPPLIED Most Auckland will have seen Dennis in action over the past 2.5 years During its short but sweet career, the mechanical monster sunk 277 "super heavyweight" concrete beams into the earth, making way for the interchange that will connect the Northwestern Motorway with the Waterview tunnels and the Southwestern Motorway in early 2017. READ MORE: * $1.4b Waterview tunnel running on track * Massive motorway construction work detailed in video footage * Dennis the Waterview motorway-building gantry is up for sale For the civil engineering enthusiasts out there - each concrete beam weighed in at about 65 tonnes and spanned 36 metres long. Together they will support and connect the $2.4 billion "Western Ring Route" - a 48 kilometre long alternative motorway route around Auckland that will connect the South-Western Motorway (SH20) with the North-Western Motorway (SH16). The ring route will reduce dependence on SH1, especially through the CBD and the Auckland Harbour Bridge. NZTA spokeswoman Sarah Azam said Dennis did its gantry work at night, and silently glided on rollers backwards and forwards across the interchange. "Lighter traffic volumes at that time meant any necessary safety closures of the motorway reduced the amount of disruption to drivers. During the day it rested above the live motorway below." Using a mobile gantry instead of conventional cranes also protected important environmental spaces around the interchange. Iwaskow said Dennis played an important role in changing the way people travel around the city. "The team working with Dennis has worked really hard in some pretty extreme weather conditions to deliver a quality programme of work safely." It was designed and built in Italy especially for the Waterview project and was named Dennis to commemorate a project worker who had died from cancer. Aglionby House in Lower Hutt was awarded a gold award at the 2016 New Zealand Commercial Property Awards. A "playful and engaging" building in Lower Hutt has received a top nod at this year's New Zealand Commercial Property Awards. Aglionby House, owned and built by Armstrong Downes Commercial, was awarded a national gold award at the 2016 awards show. Of the 16 finalists in the commercial and civic project category, only three projects met their gold standard of excellence. SUPPLIED The building has been described as stylish and modern, with dynamic angles. Armstrong Downes Commercial director Tony Doile said to say they were delighted with the award was an understatement. "We chose to make a strategic investment in our future and build something very special for our team. "We always enjoy showcasing what we do best and are passionate about," he said. SUPPLIED The interior includes polished concrete floors, and multi-coloured design accents. "Being recognised in this way is proof of our commitment to deliver the best commercial construction projects throughout the Wellington region." The gold award follows hot on the heels of two other awards - just over a week ago, Aglionby House, and the new Onslow Medical Centre, were recognised at the New Zealand Institute of Architecture Awards for Wellington. Architects Designgroup Stapleton Elliot, who had worked with the Hutt Valley company on numerous projects over the years, said the brief for Aglionby House was to create a facility to support their business and allow for future growth. SUPPLIED The industrial-style building is owned and was built by Armstrong Downes Commercial. "The design needed to express honest materials and a playful and engaging interior. "It needed to reflect the company's core values of being a reputable and innovative construction company." Aglionby House is a stylish and modern industrial building, with dynamic angles. It combines a wide range of materials including exposed structural steel, decorative precast panels, reverse run metal cladding and natural timbers. The interior includes polished concrete floors, and multi-coloured design accents. Armstrong Downes Commercial are currently working on several high profile projects across the region from Kent Flats in central Wellington, Arise Church on SH2 at Petone and the redevelopment of the Lower Hutt Post Office. The New Zealand Commercial Property Awards is hosted by the Registered Master Builders Association, this distinguished awards programme sets the benchmark for commercial construction across New Zealand. Each project is judged on extensive criteria covering design, contract management, construction, environment, and delivery factors. This bachelor is looking for a few laughs and good conversation. Glen Murray shearer Kaleb Foote is ready to battle it out and win the coveted Golden Gumboot in the Fieldays Rural Bachelor of the Year competition. Foote, 22, is currently the intermediate New Zealand shearing champion and considers shearing to be his number one skill, followed by tractor driving and all areas of sheep and beef handling. And recently, he was part of the movie Mahana, as an extra in the shearing scenes. On an average day, Foote said he drove the shearing gang to work, before knocking out a massive 500 sheep, after which he had a break before heading home again to grind shearing gear and have a big homestead graze. Asked to describe his perfect date, Foote doesn't see himself as "Joe romantic; or that bothered by the location", but is just looking for a "few laughs and conversation that flows". Foote will go head to head against finalists Brandon Sayliss from Taupo, Gus Thomas from Rakaia, Oscar Smits from Reporoa, Paul Olsen from Manawatu, Peter Damen from Kindred, Australia, Jamie Havill from Ahaura and Rob Ewing from Cape Paterson, Australia. Lee Picken, Fieldays' head of events, said it was the opportunity of a lifetime for these young agri-professionals, as they embarked on a whirlwind week where they'll get outside their comfort zone and challenge themselves. "We have a lot of talent in the young agri sector in both New Zealand and Australia and this is an opportunity to showcase the future of the industry. These guys are passionate self-starters who are looking to upskill and progress their careers in an industry they're extremely proud of." This year the competition kicks off with a road trip on June 13-14 from Auckland to Fieldays, completing challenges by NZ Young Farmers and Rural Women New Zealand Group and spending the night on a "farm with a difference" at Lavalla Estate in Tuakau. There will be four challenges a day, with a winner announced at the official prizegiving on the Village Green on June 18 at 12pm. Te Papa marae co-ordinator Hema Temara mourns over ancestral remains following their repatriation from New York in 2014, the largest repatriation of remains in New Zealand history. Maori remains are being returned to New Zealand after spending more than a century overseas. New Zealand Police said the remains of 60 Maori and Moriori individuals were being repatriated from museums and private collections. They will be welcomed onto Te Papa's Rongomarareroa Marae in Wellington at 1pm on Friday, with what is expected to be an emotional ceremony. Deputy chief executive of Maori, Superintendent Wally Haumaha, said being asked to take part in the ceremony was "very humbling" for the 60 staff involved. READ MORE: * Major repatriation of Maori and Moriori remains on horizon * Pros and cons of Maori land reforms: Waitangi Tribunal report * Mayors hear Govt plan to wipe rates debt on unused Maori land * Dates for NZ Wars national day canvassed * The trade in preserved indigenous people's heads "It is a real honour for the New Zealand Police to be asked to carry the remains of someone's ancestors onto the Marae to bring closure for many families." He said it was another "significant feature" of the strength of the relationship between Police and Maori. The remains, which included mummified Maori heads, were coming from Washington DC's Smithsonian Institution, and separate United States and United Kingdom institutions. It is the second-largest repatriation in the history of the Karanga Aotearoa repatriation programme, which returns the remains of indigenous people to New Zealand. The largest repatriation of remains was in 2014, when 107 ancestors were returned to New Zealand from the American Natural History Museum in New York. The collection was gathered by British soldier Major Horatio Robley. More than 400 individuals have been returned from institutions around the world since the programme was started in 1990. The latest remains will be subject to quarantine, conservation, and research before being returned where possible to whanau. Trading in so-called exotic cultures was rife during the 18th and 19th centuries although collecting the remains of indigenous people was prohibited in Sydney in 1831. In New Zealand and Australia, Maori, Moriori, and Aboriginal remains and artefacts were traded as cultural loot during the settler era. In some cases, the heads of Europeans were also preserved. T.I. was due to perform at Manhattans Irving Plaza last night, but the rapper's performance was postponed after gunfire broke out at the venue, resulting in three people being injured and one being fatally wounded. A witness at the venue speaking via NBC said: "Everybody was having a good time until everybody started running. They didnt search nobody, they didnt check no IDs." There was reportedly 1,000 people at the gig. The New York Post reports: "The carnage began in the green room of the Union Square venue at about 10 p.m. while the opening act - rappers Maino and Uncle Murda - were performing, according to law-enforcement sources. The gunplay then spilled into the area near the stage, causing panic among more than 1,000 rap fans packed into the music hall... Among the victims was the acclaimed Brooklyn rapper Troy Ave, the first person shot, who was hit in the leg as he entered the green room." 50 Cent reportedly attended Bellevue Hospital Center to visit one of the victims. He reportedly said: "Im here to support my friend, his girl was shot. Whats happened here is not good. As for T.I. himself, another witness added: "Two VIP rooms right next to each other. T.I. leaves the VIP room before the shooting happened. Whatever went down, he had nothing to do with it." New Zealand newcomer Erana James in a still from a short film shot in Christchurch last year as preparation for the feature film. Post-earthquake Christchurch is set to provide the backdrop for a film starring British actor Timothy Spall and New Zealand's Melanie Lynskey. Shooting of supernatural thriller The Changeover, an adaptation of a Margaret Mahy novel, is scheduled to start in August. Harry Potter star Spall will be joined by Lucy Lawless and British newcomer Charlie Heaton. The lead role will be played by newcomer Erana James. The 80s cover of The Changeover. Lynskey shot her first feature film, Heavenly Creatures, in Christchurch in 1994. READ MORE: * Hoping for a blockbuster, Tetris game inspires movie * Kiwi actor Ian Watkin, known for roles in Sleeping Dogs and Braindead, has died * The BFG: Jemaine Clement gets Steven Spielberg's seal of approval Supplied Timothy Spall won awards for his portrayal of artist JMW Turner in the film Mr Turner. New Zealand producer Emma Slade, of Firefly Films, was at the Cannes Film Festival raising the last finance for the project this month. She said about two thirds of the finance was already in place and international distributors were interested in pre-buying the film to complete the budget. Slade said Christchurch was a perfect location for the story of a young woman who discovers she has supernatural abilities. Supplied Erana James is a newcomer to feature films and was found after extensive auditions across New Zealand. "Setting it in post-earthquake Christchurch is really interesting because it is a bit of a metaphor for what the story is about - a tectonic and seismic event. "The earth has moved under Christchurch's feet and that is what is happening in the lead character's world. It is appropriate to have that environment." She said it was appropriate to film in Christchurch as it was Mahy's hometown and the story was "one of her best books". Supplied The film's director said the look of the feature will be inspired by Swedish vampire movie Let the Right One In. Christchurch-born Stuart McKenzie will co-direct the film with his wife, Miranda Harcourt. He grew up in St Albans and Bishopdale and met Harcourt at the University of Canterbury. McKenzie said he hoped to film in the central city, eastern suburbs, Brydnwr and possibly the residential red zone. "The story was set in Christchurch and we really wanted to capture the spirit of that story," he said. "The main character is someone who is in transition. The backdrop of Christchurch regenerating itself is a strong symbolic background for the story itself." "I have always loved Christchurch and I have always wanted to shoot a film there because it has those wide open vistas. Contemporary urban Christchurch has not really been seen in New Zealand film." He said the the look and feel of the film will be informed by Australian crime drama Animal Kingdom and Swedish vampire film Let the Right One In. A short film was shot in Christchurch last year to establish the look and tone of the feature. The short film was funded with $64,000 from the New Zealand Film Commission, which has also provided about $80,000 in script development money for the project. Slade said a funding application for the feature film was being considered by the Commission, with a decision expected at the end of the month. Vendetta Films has signed as New Zealand and Australian distributor, while funding has also come from the government's Screen Production Grant and Park Road Post in Wellington, which is contributing to the budget as well as providing visual effects. Mokofisi castrated the crossbreed - a family pet - when it was seven months old. A man who tied his puppy up so he could castrate it with a stanley knife has been banned from owning a dog for five years. Tavake Sina Mokofisi, 33, of Hamilton will also have to complete 150 hours of community work, plus pay a fine and reparation. Mokofisi did the backyard surgery without anaesthetic in August 2015 and later told vets it was legal in his native Tonga. NA This dog was the subject of a home castration which resulted in charges being laid by the SPCA. He pleaded guilty to performing a surgical procedure on an animal and appeared for sentencing by Judge Rosemary Riddell in the Hamilton District Court on Thursday. READ MORE: * Lifetime ban from owning animals imposed on Christchurch teenager Logan Smoor * Taranaki farmer admits animal cruelty after cows and pigs neglected * Horror stories of animal cruelty He castrated the crossbreed - a family pet - at seven months old, Riddell said. "You later admitted you had tied the dog's four legs together with a rope, tied his mouth shut with a cloth and hung him in a tree." Without using anaesthetic, Mokofisi castrated the dog using a stanley knife, cutting the scrotal skin, squeezing out the testicle, and then cutting the cord to remove the testicle. The wound was washed with salt water before the dog was set loose. After about two days he took the dog to a vet, saying it jumped over a low fence, but the vets were suspicious. "Once the dog was under general anaesthetic their suspicions were confirmed," Riddell said. The court heard Mokofisi was from Tonga where he said it was legal to castrate male dogs, so he didn't know it wasn't in New Zealand. The dog was surrendered to the SPCA and has since been rehomed. Defence lawyer Louis Wilkins said Mokofisi's actions were deeply misguided but may have been something he had seen in his youth. "It's not a deliberate attempt to inflict pain for its own sake," he said. "The priority here is really to prevent this man having animals in the near future." An SPCA media release about the prosecution did not name Mokofisi, nor mention of him being from another country with different dog de-sexing norms. Outside the courtroom, a person in SPCA uniform said the organisation didn't name him because of concerns it might generate a racist response. But SPCA NZ chief executive Ric Odom said that was not the case and the organisation didn't always name offenders. "The person we had putting the media release together didn't put the person's name in... It just didn't happen." The previous six media releases about SPCA prosecutions named the offender. The Human Rights Commission provided a one-line response when asked for comment. "It is up to the SPCA to do what works for them and for the paper to report as they see fit, we will not be commenting on this case." In court, Wilkins and the SPCA agreed Mokofisi should be dealt with through community work, an order preventing animal ownership, fines and reparation. A pre-sentence report on Mokofisi suggested a prison term for the offending and Riddell initially thought that was reasonable. However, she decided on community work because it was recommended by the SPCA and because other, similar decisions indicated that a prison term would not be appropriate. Riddell sentenced Mokofisi to 150 hours of community work and disqualified him from owning or having a pet under his control for five years. He will also pay $442.50 in veterinary costs, $500 towards legal costs for the SPCA and a $350 fine, which will go the SPCA. BACKYARD CASTRATION INFLICTED 'HORRIFIC PAIN' The dog went through "horrific pain and suffering", SPCA NZ chief executive Ric Odom said in a statement. That could have been avoided with a trip to the local vet. "Don't do do-it-yourself surgery," he said. "The likelihood is you'll inflict pain and suffering on an animal. And if we find out about it we will investigate and, where necessary, we'll prosecute." In Mokofisi's case a vet had to do surgery to remove the dog's entire scrotum and the dog was surrendered to the SPCA. It made a full recovery and has been adopted by new owners. Prosecutor Nicky Wynne said defendants trying to treat their animals may not mean to cause harm but their conduct "requires strong denunciation". Police seize a vehicle from a Hornby address related to the murder of Renee Duckmanton The family of Christchurch woman Renee Duckmanton say the arrest of a man for her murder is "bittersweet". Police investigating the 22-year-old sex worker's killing stormed at least two Christchurch properties on Thursday night. They arrested a 31-year-old man who lived at an Ilam address. They seized a car from a Hornby property and other vehicles elsewhere. JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/FAIRFAX NZ Police remove a car from a Blankney Street, Hornby, address in relation to the murder of Renee Duckmanton. Duckmanton's sister, Jess Duckmanton, said the family was "thankful and relieved" the police had made an arrest. READ MORE: * Texts reveal Renee Duckmanton's boyfriend's growing concerns * 'It's disgusting and unfair, Renee was perfect in every way' * 'It's not like a bad dream and I will wake up' * Police release last image of Christchurch woman Renee Duckmanton SUPPLIED Christchurch woman Renee Duckmanton. "But it's bittersweet. It feels like too little too late. We can't have our gorgeous girl back and that's so hard to come to terms with. "I still feel like this is a missing person's case and we will still find her." ARREST OFFERS NO SOLACE BLAIR ENSOR/FAIRFAX NZ Police have cordoned off a house in the Christchurch suburb of Ilam, after a person was arrested in relation to the death of Renee Duckmanton. Detective Inspector Darryl Sweeney said the 31-year-old would appear in the Christchurch District Court on Friday charged with murder. "While this arrest will not offer any solace for the loss of Renee, it's an important step for her family as they continue to grieve," he said. "Police do have reason to believe that the death of Renee was related to the sex industry in central Christchurch," Sweeney said. Duckmanton was last seen alive in the city's red light district, near the intersection of Manchester and Peterborough streets, about 9pm on May 14. Text messages showed her boyfriend was increasingly worried after her cellphone went dead and she disappeared. Her badly burnt body was found at the scene of a scrub fire on Main Rakaia Rd, north of Rakaia, about 7.40pm the next day. Sweeney said on Thursday night: "The CIB and forensic specialists have also seized a number of motor vehicles across Christchurch and have begun detailed examinations of those, as well as four residential addresses. This work will continue for a number of days. "It is important that we acknowledge the continued victimisation of the women working on Manchester St, and police will be working with other agencies to consider what measures can be put in place to address this." POLICE: INVESTIGATION NOT OVER Sweeney appealed to the public for the following information: - Any sightings of a silver Audi near Manchester St, on the evening of Saturday 14 May, from 8pm onwards. That vehicle may have travelled to Templeton via Riccarton Rd during that evening. - Any sightings of a silver Audi motor vehicle in the Rakaia area of Christchurch on Sunday 15 May between 6pm and 8pm. Police would also like to speak to the occupants of a light-coloured motor vehicle sighted on Main Rakaia Rd, Rakaia, about 7.40pm on Sunday, May 15. That vehicle may have also been in Leeston about 7.50pm. Sweeney thanked the public for their support and praised the investigation team who had "worked hard to get us to the point we are at today". FAMILY WELCOME ARREST Duckmanton's cousin, Tracey Lee McGrath, was "relieved" there had been an arrest. "I don't know how to put it . . . I'm just extremely happy." The last 11 days had been "really hard" for the family, McGrath said. Duckmanton's family said in a statement: "Renee was a bright, bubbly, goofy young woman, who was very kind and trusting. Renee was deeply loved by her family and many friends and she will be greatly missed." PROPERTIES RAIDED Police raided a two-storey, red brick home in Barlow St, Ilam, where the accused lived, sometime after 5.30pm. It was cordoned off and remained under police guard. A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said the property had been on the market for several months. It was rented room by room and was home to several people. The occupants were quiet and kept to themselves, the neighbour said. Police also raided a property in Blankney St, Hornby, and towed away a silver Audi. Forensic staff were seen examining the car. Police tape surrounded the home. A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said a couple had lived at the rental home for about a year. Police previously said they believed Duckmanton arrived in Christchurch's red light district, near the intersection of Manchester and Peterborough streets, shortly after 8.30pm on May 14. A series of text messages show Duckmanton was with a client when her phone went dead and she disappeared shortly before 10.30pm that night. SEX WORKERS AIDED INVESTIGATION Anna Reed, from the New Zealand Prostitutes Collective (NZPC), said her organisation was "really, really relieved" an arrest had been made. "I think a lot of the people on the street will be very relieved," she said. Some in the industry had avoided working the streets over the past 11 days because they were scared. They were also pleased about the increased police presence in streets popular among sex workers. The NZPC played a role in assisting the investigation, Reed said. "We've been talking to people, we've been talking about their personal safety and taking extra measures. "There's certainly been a lot of dialogue and sharing of certain bits of information. "I think the relationship we have with police has gone from strength to strength over the past few years and I think also that workers who might not normally talk much to the police they are pretty united on this front of this has happened to a member of their family and therefore it's just important to share whatever information there is," she said. It was the fourth time a sex worker had been murdered in Christchurch since 2005. "It has a huge impact, our memories are still there with the other three woman who have been murdered so that doesn't change. "I think the fact an arrest has been made will bring a huge amount of relief to the community," Reed said. Anyone with information is asked to contact Christchurch police on (03) 3637400 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Will the public have to stump up for their own surgeries in the near future? New Zealand's health budget has been declining for almost a decade and could signal health reforms akin to the sweeping changes of the 1990s, new research claims. Six prominent industry health leaders and researchers contributed to the editorial in the latest edition of the New Zealand Medical Journal, after several months analysing Government documents and data. Their analysis showed Government spending in health had steadily tracked downward since 2009, despite constant reassurances from health ministers that spending was increasing year-on-year. The $16.1 billion 2016 Health Budget, announced on Thursday, was $170 million more than last year, including $124m for Pharmac, $96m for elective surgery and $39m for a new bowel screening programme. However, the researchers' analysis of Budget data from 2009-10 found the country's health budget had fallen short of what was needed each year to cover new services, increasing costs and the Ministry of Health's cost-weighted index, which accounted for population growth and ageing. READ MORE: * Budget 2016: Bill English Budget focused on health, education and innovation * Budget 2016: Government announces $97m boost for health research * Government to fund several mental health packages worth millions for Canterbury The accumulated "very conservative" shortfall over the five years to 2014-15 was estimated at $800 million, but could be double that, Canterbury Charity Hospital founder and editorial co-author Phil Bagshaw said. Bagshaw believed the Government was moving away from publicly-funded healthcare, and beginning to favour a model that meant everyone had to pay for their own. "It's very dangerous. If this continues we will slide into an American-style healthcare system." Despite the health reforms of the 1990s failing to show obvious success, it was not clear whether "appropriate lessons have been learned", the editorial said. The reforms brought sweeping changes to health and the idea that hospitals should compete for patients and dollars, and area health boards were restructured as for-profit organisations. Bagshaw said history "is repeating itself". "The whole reason the charity hospital is there is they've been slowly getting out of elective healthcare," Bagshaw said. "The next bit of the plan is to start privatising more and more of the health system, and issuing contracts to the private sector. Back then it was done by shock tactics and now it's being done bit by bit." Health spending was falling in proportion to overall gross domestic product (GDP), the research showed. Between 2009-10 and 2014-15, Vote Health's operational expenditure increased by $2 billion, while core government spending increased by $8.8b. In the same period, GDP increased by $45.2b. Vote Health's operational expenditure decreased from 6.32 per cent to 5.95 per cent as a proportion of GDP in the same five years. Government expenditure was set to continue falling overall, with New Zealand ranked 26th out of OECD countries for spending as a proportion of GDP in 2013. This meant further cuts for health spending, which was estimated to drop by about 4 per cent a year. "The continued under-resourcing of our health services . . . is not owing to unaffordability; it is a policy decision to reduce government expenditure overall and introduce tax cuts," the editorial said. Bagshaw said the Government failed to realise the value of investing in health. "One dollar you put into health you get $4 back. People become more productive, they don't get as many illnesses and they don't go into care." Co-author and Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Ian Powell said it seemed "commercially-competitive processes which were so destructive in the 90s [are] being brought back in a different way". "Whether it's by intent or not that's the logical consequence." He labelled it "high-risk territory" that had no previous success. Unmet need would then become a permanent and exacerbated problem. "The Government's position is short-sighted and there is a premise there that if you financially squeeze the system you encourage innovation," Powell said. "Innovation comes from investing in workforce, it doesn't come from a workforce that is overstretched." RNZAF personnel accompanied by constables from the Nelson Bays Police area recover cannabis in the Tapawera area. Police have hauled in 10,400 cannabis plants in the top of the south and West Coast. The haul was part of the 132,000 plants and almost 80 kilograms of dried cannabis worth about $500 million recovered and destroyed by police during the national cannabis and crime operation. This year's Operation Dee has been one of the largest for the Nelson, Marlborough and West Coast regions, according to Tasman District Police district operation commander Senior Sergeant Grant Andrews. supplied Cannabis recovered in the aerial operation in the top of the south. The annual aerial and ground recovery falls in line with the "growing season". However, Andrews said in reality the operation was ongoing particularly with an expansion in hydroponic crops. "It's been quite a big year. There's been a significant increase in the number of cannabis plants, in particular, that have been recovered and also the number of offenders," Senior Sergeant Andrews said. "The growing season is all year round now. We're encountering a lot of indoor-grow, come hydroponic operations. MARTIN DE RUYTER/ FAIRFAX NZ Police and Royal New Zealand Air Force staff with cannabis recovered from Marlborough during last year's aerial operation. This year's operation has netted about 9000 plants across the Tasman district, more the double last year's haul. "And even over the summer period, we encountered a number of probably quite significant indoor grows." Andrews said the Tasman Organised Crime squad were continuing to target and investigate persons involved with commercial scale cultivation and sale of cannabis and other criminal offending activities. During the latest operation Tasman police executed 125 search warrants resulting in the arrest of 56 people, including members of organised motorcycle gangs, who face 116 court charges. Andrews said court appearances were still underway and included offences such as drug supply, drug cultivation, drug possession and possession of firearms. Eight of the top of the south homes raided had 15 children present of which eight were identified as being at risk and referred to child youth and family services. Police also identified methamphetamine, cannabis and firearms at most premises where children were found. Andrews said it was concerning nine of the firearms recovered were unsecured or illegal which not only posed a danger to the children at some of those addresses but to others, including police. "The majority of the ones [firearms] recovered during Op D here were left insecure and around where cannabis is being cultivated," he said. "It always poses a risk to other people and young people being in the house with an unsecured firearm and that's an issue." Nationally police seized 173 firearms, the largest number since the 2011/2012 operation. A number were identified as being stolen and about 90 per cent of the weapons were not secured correctly with ammunition found nearby. It's Andrew's first year on task force but he said the success of the operation came down to the co-operation of the community and the involvement of new technologies such as the Royal New Zealand Air Force NH90 helicopter used during aerial patrols. "This [operation] has been a good model and is getting good results. Using tools like the NH90 this year is an example of how we are using new technologies to help with the success of these operations," he said. "What contributes to a successful operation in a district like this is when we receive a lot of information from members of the public." A total of 572 offenders were arrested as a result of the national operation and in excess of $4 million worth of assets such as houses, cash and vehicles are under investigation or restraint following a court order. An estimated $309,966 worth of stolen property, 195 ecstasy, 633 LSD and 56 morphine sulphate tabs were recovered nationally. Police also located four methamphetamine laboratories and almost one kilogram of the drug which was seized and has since been destroyed. National Cannabis and Crime Operation officer in charge Detective Inspector Craig Scott said commercial cannabis cultivation could not be looked at on its own as it had links to wider crime. "This year police had a strong emphasis on seizing the assets gained from drug dealing ... and enable the criminal activity," he said. "We can't solve this by ourselves. It comes down to a joint effort from police and the community." Anyone with information about any form of criminal activity is encouraged to contact their local police station or CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111. A warning sign at the Central Otago end of Waikaia Bush Road near Roxburgh. The alpine road where 38 four wheel drive enthusiasts were trapped in snow drifts and blizzard conditions on Sunday night will remain open until Queen's Birthday weekend. Waikaia Bush Rd, which runs from Piano Flat in northern Southland to Shingle Creek in Central Otago, will be closed as normal at the southern end at Queens Birthday weekend and reopen at Labour Weekend. Snowcats were used to rescue the trapped people on Monday after they spent 20 hours in vehicles awaiting rescue. Supplied Reagan Tickle and Ralph Moyle drove two helped rescue the stranded 4WD enthusiasts in two Snowcats with zero visibility and horizontal snow. Moyle had a heart attack afterwards. Rescuers said the vehicles were trapped in one to two metres of snow. READ MORE: * Group of 38 reach safety after being trapped by snow in Central Otago 4WD trip * Police handling of 4WD snow operation "hopeless", rescuer says * 'There was no point in panicking': rescued 4WD enthusiast When asked whether it was appropriate to keep the road open, given the events and the current road conditions, a Southland District Council spokesperson said "Southland experienced severe weather conditions during the weekend. Jo McKenzie-McLean People rescued after getting stuck while on a 4WD excursion in sub-alpine terrain are making their way home after spending the night in their vehicles in freezing conditions. "When people plan to go into an alpine environment they are advised to assess the weather conditions on an ongoing basis." Council roading engineer Bruce Miller said he stood by his previous comment that only tow trucks should be used to pull out stuck vehicles. "We do not encourage locals to pull people out as it needs to be proper recovery agents that tow them out." Supplied It took a seven-hour round trip to bring the group out in the Snowcats. Central Otago District Council infrastructure services executive manager Julie Muir said the northern end can only be closed when certain classes of vehicle would cause damage to the road. "In the case of the Waikaia Bush Rd, the road has a rock base and use during winter conditions does not damage the road. "Once snow has fallen, the road naturally closes well within the Central Otago District area due to the snow drifts, which come across the road and freeze until late spring/early summer." The council maintains nearly 400km of high country roads and it was not practical for it to monitor road conditions on all back country roads at all times. Signs are located at the start of all maintained back country roads advising that the roads are either dry weather roads or warning of the risk of weather conditions changing, she said. Ever since Homeland, Damian Lewis has managed to secure himself the title of being one of TV's most bankable stars, landing some juicy roles from King Henry VIII in Wolf Hall to his most recent performance as ambitious hedge fund manager Axe in Billions. Not bad for a guy who used to sell car alarms for a living, 'ey? Long before he was pretending not to be a terrorist and making babies with Claire Danes however, Lewis was earning his crust on a series of British shows, ultimately leading to his big break on Band of Brothers. So for those of you who can't get enough of one of Britain's most famous red heads, here are Damian Lewis's best television roles to date... 1. Band of Brothers - Major Richard "Dick" Winters 2001 American war drama Band of Brothers was a dramatised account of the journey of a group of soldiers (the Easy Company men) throughout World War II, and while it featured Michael Fassbender, Tom Hardy and Ron Livingston, it was Damian Lewis who was given the lead as Major Richard "Dick" Winters. It was an unlikely role for Lewis to get considering the British actor would be playing an all American hero, but Spielberg and Hanks were both won over by his audition and it is a role which catapulted Lewis into his "American career", as he calls it. 2. The Forsyte Saga - Soames Forsyte Lewis may have impressed with his American accent and performance in Band of Brothers, but he was back on home soil in 2002 for The Forsyte Saga, which chronicled the lives of three generations of the upper-middle-class British family. He took the lead once more as Soames Forsyte, with Time Magazine calling Lewis's performance "a constant marvel". 3. Homeland - Nicholas Brody Damian Lewis enjoyed some more success across the pond in American crime drama Life, but it was his performance as Nicholas Brody in Homeland back in 2011 that really brought him to the world's attention again. His role as the soldier/potential terrorist earned Lewis an Emmy nomination with the show itself securing multiple awards during his time on the series. It pretty much guaranteed that Lewis would have his pick of roles for the foreseeable. 4. Wolf Hall - Henry VIII Lewis was soon back in the motherland once more for a part in period drama Wolf Hall alongside the now Oscar-winning Mark Rylance. The critically acclaimed series told a fictionalised account of the rapid rise to power of Thomas Cromwell in the court of Henry VIII, with Lewis playing the part of the infamous King, proving that he could still nail a costume drama after all this time. 5. Billions - Bobby "Axe" Axelrod Lewis's latest role sees him star as shady billionaire hedge fund trader Bobby "Axe" Axelrod in Sky Atlantic's Billions, with Paul Giamatti as the US Attorney hoping to take him down. Axe, however, may be a dab hand at breaking the law but he's also an enormously generous guy with his money and a loyal friend and husband, essentially making it the type of complex role Lewis excels at. The show has previously aired across the pond to critical acclaim with a season two already on the way. You can catch Billions on Sky Atlantic every Thursday at 9pm and catch up on what you've missed so far on Sky Go. National MP and Finance Minister Bill English is set to release the 2016 Budget this afternoon and SunLive will keep you up to date with live streaming from Parliament. Leading up to todays announcement, the Government has been drip-feeding whats in store, ranging from help for the homeless to tourism and housing. The Budget gets underway at 2pm. The Governments $40 billion of buying power would go towards backing Kiwi businesses and jobs under a Labour Members Bill which will be debated by Parliament, says Leader of the Opposition Andrew Little. My Bill which was pulled from the ballot today will require the government of the day to take into account the number of jobs created in New Zealand when spending the $40 billion budgeted for Crown procurement every year. With unemployment at 144,000 40,000 higher than when National took office we must ensure good jobs are kept in New Zealand, not sent offshore. The Our Work Our Future Bill is about investing in the economy and making sure New Zealanders get their fair share. We need to back our local businesses to develop skills and innovations to successfully win tenders and create jobs here in New Zealand. For many small businesses the lack of government contracting experience is a hindrance when they try to break in to international markets. This plan creates opportunities not only for local companies to grow, but to compete on the international stage. Its a win-win for all. If National are serious about growing the economy and boosting incomes for middle New Zealand they will back my Bill." Source: Office of Andrew Little. < strong>Bay of Plenty District Health Board will receive an extra $32 million in new money this year, taking the DHBs total funding to $718 million for 2016/17. Thats an extra $202 million in funding over the last eight years. Maori Party Co-leader Marama Fox says the party has taken the lead from hapu, iwi and local communities who have organised their own commemorative events to recall these battles. Armed conflict occurred in Wairau, Northland, Taranaki, Waikato, Te Urewera, Tauranga, Opotiki and the East Coast during the 19th century. The $1 million per annum operating fund over four years will provide financial support to mark commemorative events. It may also support education-related activities for schools, kura and communities about the Land Wars. This announcements follows growing calls for a National Day of Remembrance for the New Zealand Land Wars in recent years including a petition that was presented to Parliament by Otorohanga College students with 12,000 supporting signatures last year. Source: The office of the Maori Party. The Budget will enable our security agencies to remain effective in a rapidly-evolving security environment, NZSIS and GCSB Minister Christopher Finlayson says. The New Zealand Intelligence Community will receive new operating and capital funding of $178.7 million over four years as part of this years Budget. A fundamental responsibility of the Government is to protect the safety of New Zealanders, says Christopher. New Zealand is not immune to global threats such as cyber-attacks and the risks posed by extremist groups such as ISIL. Proper resourcing is critical in an increasingly complex international and domestic security landscape. A two-year strategic capability resourcing review has analysed the Governments security and intelligence requirements and confirmed that significant investment is needed for the NZIC to remain effective. This investment helps ensure the NZIC meets the Governments priorities and the expectations of the public, says Christopher. It strengthens the essential capabilities and security services of the NZSIS and the GCSB, such as protective security, counter-terrorism and information assurance. This investment allows significant staff recruitment and further extends the NZSISs ability to respond to the threat from foreign terrorist fighters. The National Assessments Bureau, which independently assesses New Zealands national security for the Government, also receives part of this funding. Along with appropriate resourcing, it is vital that the NZIC operates within the right legislative framework and with proper oversight. The Government is considering its response to the independent review of intelligence and security, which has made recommendations in relation to these matters. Source: Office of Christopher Finlayson. The roll-out of a national bowel screening programme is on track to begin in 2017, Health Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman says. The Budget invests $39.3 million over four years for national bowel screening starting with Hutt Valley and Wairarapa DHBs. This will be followed by a progressive roll-out across the country. Additional funding has also been set aside in contingency to enable the IT support needed for a national screening programme. Once fully implemented, the programme is expected to screen over 700,000 people every two years. We know that bowel screening saves lives by detecting cancers at an early stage when they can more easily be treated. Around 3000 New Zealanders are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year. The Government is committed to better access to early detection and treatment. We have been working towards a national screening programme for some time. This investment builds on the successful Waitemata DHB bowel screening pilot, which has been running since 2012. The Government has also invested $15 million since 2013 to deliver more colonoscopies and reduce colonoscopy waiting times across the country. This has also helped to build capacity within the system, Dr Coleman says. A business case for the bowel screening roll-out will go to Cabinet shortly. Once in place, DHBs will offer people aged 60 to 74 a bowel screening test every two years. More than 80 per cent of cancers found through the pilot were in those aged 60 to 74. Screening in this range will maximise the number of cancers found while minimising the cases where problems are not found. In line with international best practice for adoption of screening programmes, a staged approach is planned. Information from the pilot and discussions with the sector have confirmed there will be a sufficient clinical workforce to deliver the additional colonoscopies required for a staged roll-out of a national programme. Source: Office of Jonathan Coleman. The Government is phasing out a subsidy in the Emissions Trading Scheme that allows some businesses to pay one emissions unit for every two tonnes of pollution they emit, Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett says. The one-for-two subsidy was a temporary measure introduced during the global financial crisis to help moderate the initial costs of the ETS while businesses were struggling. The subsidy will be phased out over three years to give businesses time to plan and adjust, to support a more stable market, says Paula. This is a significant step in helping New Zealand meet its ambitious target of reducing emissions to 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. More importantly, it will support our efforts to grow a lower-emissions economy. The current 50 per cent unit cost will increase to 67 per cent from 1 January, then 83 per cent from 1 January 2018, with all sectors in the ETS paying the full market price from 1 January 2019. The current price ceiling which caps units at $25 will remain. It is time businesses move towards paying the market price of their emissions. Gradually removing the one-for-two measure is a pragmatic and practical way for them to manage the costs, says Paula. Removing the subsidy will positively impact the operating balance by $356 million over the next four years, based on a New Zealand Unit price of $12. Changes to the subsidy primarily affect ETS participants in the waste, transport, energy, electricity and industry sectors, and importers of goods containing synthetic greenhouse gases. Businesses exposed to international trade competition, and whose emissions are a big part of their costs, will continue to receive an allocation of emissions units to protect their competitiveness. Source: Office of Paula Bennett. The Financial Markets Authority has verified Silver Fern Farms stance that the actions it took informing shareholders of the companys transaction with Shanghai Maling Aquarius Limited were proper procedure, says Rick Powdrell, Federated Farmers Meat & Fibre Industry Group Chairperson. Rick, a sheep and beef farmer from Te Puke, is commenting on todays announcement that the FMA has completed consideration of complaints against Silver Fern Farms and finds that it does not have any reason to believe the (Notice of Meeting and Shareholder) Information Pack was misleading or deceptive. The group who have instigated the special meeting will have to assess this decision as to whether they have a case to promote, says Rick. The Authority statement refers to aspects of Silver Fern Farms transaction with Shanghai Maling Aquarius Limited and the Notice of Meeting and Shareholder Information Pack provided to the companys shareholders ahead of the special meeting held on October 16 last year. A group of 80 shareholders have called for a special Silver Fern Farms meeting following concerns over the information provided for the October meeting where shareholders gave approval for Shanghai Maling to take 50 per cent stake in Silver Fern Farms. Shanghai Mailing is a listed subsidiary of Bright Food (Group) Co, Chinas largest food company. New Zealand First also lodged complaints with the Authority and its leader Winston Peters, has today described the Authority report on Silver Fern Farms as not being worth the paper it is written on. The FMA did not even call us once to discuss our complaint. We understand their engagement with Silver Fern Farms consisted of a preliminary meeting and being sent self-serving documents from Silver Fern Farms. It did not include an accurate chronological record of accounting timelines critical to any investigation. Thats not an investigation, thats an establishment fireside chat. The FMA failed to send anyone into Silver Fern Farms head office to carry out a detailed investigation into its documents. This means it did not seek or read internal financials, board reports or board minutes. Thats the least that we would expect if the FMA was doing its job properly. Silver Fern Farms is New Zealands largest processing company, owned by 6200 farmer shareholders and was offered a $261 million injection by the Chinese company. Following the FMAs decision, the Silver Fern Farms board has again called on the requisitioning shareholders to withdraw their call for a special meeting and the board reiterates its support for the Shanghai Maling transaction as being in the best interests of the company and its shareholders. In announcing its findings, the Authority made the following statement: The FMA engaged with the directors and senior management of SFF to verify whether relevant information in the [Notice of Meeting and Shareholder] Information Pack could be substantiated. We are satisfied that we have been provided with sufficient evidence to substantiate the relevant information. We do not have any reason to believe the [Notice of Meeting and Shareholder] Information Pack was misleading or deceptive. In its statement the board says it is pleased its position on these matters has been vindicated. The Board considers that the conclusions from the FMA directly address a number of the allegations made by requisitioners in seeking support for the requisition. In particular in respect of the information (including the financial information) provided to shareholders by the board ahead of the October 2015, special meeting. The Board has never accepted that allegation, and it regards it as now put to rest. The board again calls on the requisitioning shareholders to withdraw their call for a special meeting and the board reiterates its support for the Shanghai Maling transaction... The Silver Fern Farms statement says the company has received a proposed statement representing two of the 80 requisitioners, and expects to finalise it shortly in a form that Silver Fern Farms is willing to include in its notice of meeting. Whilst the statement provided is substantially longer than the maximum length prescribed under the Companies Act. The Company has agreed to include it, unabridged, in its materials to shareholders. Once finalised, we will confirm the date for the special meeting, the statement says. A copy of the FMAs announcement is available on the unlisted market trading platform at www.unlisted.co.nz. The Authority is an independent Crown entity, responsible for ensuring public confidence in New Zealands financial markets and supporting the growth of New Zealands capital base through effective regulation. The Budgets underwhelming housing measures will give New Zealanders no hope that National is capable of fixing the housing crisis, Labours Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford says. There isnt a scrap of an idea to help desperate young Kiwi families into their first home. The 750 new income related rent subsidies will hardly scratch the surface when there are 4500 families languishing on the state house waiting list. National was forced to increase the rent subsidy because they capped it in 2014 and it is now under pressure because of skyrocketing Auckland rents. Topping up the Tamaki project and Paula Bennetts already announced emergency housing fund which she was forced to admit would not deliver any new places is just chump change in the face an out of control housing crisis. As if it wasnt enough that the Government is legislating a weak insulation standard, it has also cut funding for insulation subsidises to one-third of the previous level. National has blown this opportunity to make a difference. Everyone hoped this years Budget would tackle the housing crisis head on. When the captains of industry and the National Partys traditional allies including the Employers and Manufacturers Association and the Property Institute are calling for Labours flagship housing policy of a massive government-backed building programme, you know the Governments out of ideas. Yesterdays Budget shows how little ambition National has to fix the countrys most pressing challenge, Phil Twyford says. Source: Office of Phil Twyford. Full name Email Company Position Please select exactly what you would like to receive from us by ticking the boxes below: Weekly SuperyachtNews Bulletin Surveys Events Updates Subscription Offers Advertising Opportunities A History of Design Philippe Briand first introduced his style and performance enhancing approach to the market 20 years ago, taking to the water in the form of Mari-Cha III. The first big racing yacht I was asked to design was Mari-Cha III, explains Philippe. She was the biggest carbon-hulled yacht to be built at that time and during the building process the family fell in love with the project and expressed their wish for her to also be a family yacht. Since then, Mari-Cha III has been the joy of all the owners family, for the grandparents, the children and the now-adult grandchildren. A yacht that wins the transatlantic race and at the same time still brings pleasure to the owner after 20 years is about as good as it gets. Dahlak follows a similar concept: fast when needed, yet always comfortable and welcoming for the guests, she is built to last. Since the launch of Mari-Cha III, Philippes career has spanned across countless projects of various sizes; the latest of which was the 70 metre sailing yacht Sybaris - launched by the Perini Navi Group last month - and the 38 metre Dahlak. Two Decades of Evolution The smaller of the two 2016 launches, but in no way the inferior, Dahlak is a project which echoes Philippe Briands previous projects of high acclaim. Her lines, in particular, mirror those of her sister ship P2 - the legendary regatta yacht which has participated in over 25 races and reached 15 podium positions. Dahlaks performance also echoes many of the features that made P2 so successful, imbued with the very latest technology. For example, the hull shape and appendages are identical and, thanks to her plumb bow and smooth slope aft, she exhibits a long, streamlined waterline length, which, combined with her moderate displacement, delivers in Dahlak a sporty elegance. The high-efficiency, deep-draft lifting keel and rudder gives the helmsman plenty of control in tight upwind work, as well as in high-speed, broad reaching conditions. Dahlaks hybrid carbon fibre mast is fitted with full composite standing rigging, which towers 51.5m above the water, and offers a sail plan surface area of over 1,870sqm. Dahlak is equipped with the latest generation of fully automated electric captive winches, engineered in-house at Perini Navi. This not only leaves the deck and cockpit unobstructed by sheets and running rigging for enhanced aesthetics, but also improves the safely for guests and crew. A further technological development is the lithium polymer battery system Silent Night, which ensures the quiet running of Dahlak, while taking advantage of the latest environmental advancements. For years to come, there is no doubt that Dahlak will provide her owners with a superb platform for worldwide cruising with family and friends as well as exciting and competitive team racing, concludes a statement from Philippe Briands studio. She represents a true milestone in Briands continuing quest to achieve the perfect balance between comfortable cruising and sailing performance. She is a technological masterpiece, from which future yachts will be modelled. Error. Page cannot be displayed. Please contact your service provider for more details. (29) This Page Is Under Construction - Coming Soon! Why am I seeing this 'Under Construction' page? SHARE Frederick Gregory, 39, 3400 block of First Lane, Vero Beach; warrants for possession of cocaine, sale of cocaine. Brigitte Thomas, 54, 4500 block of 32nd Avenue, Vero Beach; warrants for possession of cocaine, sale of cocaine. Tommie Bertion, 53, 4700 block of Washington Terrace, Vero Beach; warrant for possession of cocaine. Samantha Nelson, 24, 1600 block of 21st Avenue, Vero Beach; warrant for failure to appear, possession of cocaine. Pamala Hillsman, 51, 4800 block of 38th Circle, Vero Beach; sale of cocaine; possession of cocaine. Astley Thomas, 20, 5700 block of 49th Avenue, Vero Beach; warrants for possession of hydromorphone, delivery/sale of hydromorphone. Willie Wynn, 59, 4000 block of 21st Avenue, Vero Beach; warrants for possession of cocaine, sale of cocaine, possession of a controlled substance (flakka), possession of a firearm/ammunition by a felon. Arthur Pound, 31, 4500 block of 38th Court, Vero Beach; warrants for sale of cocaine, possession of cocaine. Derrick Davey, 38, 4800 block of 33rd Avenue, Vero Beach; warrants for sale of cocaine, possession of cocaine. Dustin Cruce, 28, Lake City; warrant for dealing in stolen property, giving false information to a secondary metals recycler. Ricky Snell, 58, 200 block of 20th Avenue, Vero Beach; warrant for driving with a suspended license, habitual offender. Demetreius Bostic, 31, 4600 block of 38th Avenue, Vero Beach; warrant for tampering with or destroying evidence. Samuel Hughes, 42, 4000 block of Sixth Street, Vero Beach; warrant for violation of probation, felony charge. Ruben Ortiz, 50, 900 block of Sixth Street, Vero Beach; warrant for tampering with evidence. Arrested in St. Lucie County. SHARE Allen Yingling, 29, 900 block of Fra Mar Place, Fort Pierce; aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. James Snyder, 28, 1400 block of Southeast Grapeland Avenue, Port St. Lucie; use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony; sale of marijuana; possession of marijuana with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver; possession of marijuana over 20 grams. Dorothy Snyder, 49, 1400 block of Southeast Grapeland Avenue, Port St. Lucie; possession of a controlled substance (Xanax) without a prescription. Michele McIlmurray, 21, 1400 block of Southeast Grapeland Avenue, Port St. Lucie; possession of marijuana with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver; possession of marijuana over 20 grams. Don Gartley, 26, 2200 block of Southeast Lucaya Street, Port St. Lucie; possession of marijuana with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver; possession of marijuana over 20 grams; use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony. Bradley Bostic, 27, 2200 block of Southeast Glover Street, Port St. Lucie; possession of marijuana with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver; possession of marijuana over 20 grams. Kevin Doane, 45, 1700 block of Southwest Alegre Street, Port St. Lucie; warrants for giving false information to a pawnbroker, dealing in stolen property. Murray Wilson, 35, Rockledge; out-of-county warrants, Brevard County, battery, shooting a firearm from a vehicle within 1,000 feet of a person, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. James Tankerly, 55, no street address, Fort Pierce; warrants for stolen property, larceny, fraud. Pamela Hinsz, 58, 1200 block of Binney Drive, Fort Pierce; warrants for grand theft of a person, 65 or older, possession of forged notes or bills, uttering a forged bill, check or draft, organized fraud, making false entry into the books of a corporation. Carissa Rangel, 27, 2100 block of Southwest Hyacinth Street, Port St. Lucie; out-of-county warrant, Broward County, aggravated battery. Jerrold Bunner, 24, 900 block of Jack Island Access Road, Fort Pierce; warrant for out-of-state fugitive, West Virginia, violation of probation, burglary. Virginia Ingram, 28, 100 block of Lilac Terrace, Fort Pierce; warrant for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, resisting an officer with violence. Marvin Fellman, 70, 100 block of Southwest Port St. Lucie Boulevard, Port St. Lucie; warrant for court order for pretrial detention and termination of pretrial supervision. Kenneth Lamb, 36, 2000 block of Southeast Lennard Road, Port St. Lucie; driving while license suspended, habitual offender. Deandre Katkavich, 27, Tequesta; warrant for violation of probation, DUI with property damage. Kathryn Henderson, 55, 1300 block of Emerald Terrace, Fort Pierce; warrant for violation of probation, worthless check. Michael Schwinn, 20, 2100 block of Southeast Genoa Street, Port St. Lucie; warrant for violation of probation, possession of a controlled substance without a valid prescription. Shareka Henfield, 31, Miami; warrant for violation of probation, grand theft. Ruben Ortiz, 50, 900 block of Sixth Street, Vero Beach; warrant for tampering with evidence. Diego Madeira, 29, Pompano Beach; warrant for grand theft, uttering a forged bill, check or draft, depositing with intent to defraud, organized fraud. Darian Coffee, 21, 100 block of Bethany Court, Fort Pierce; warrants for dealing in stolen property, petty theft, giving false information to a pawnbroker. Londretta Beachem, 32, 1600 block of North 14th Street, Fort Pierce; warrant for driving while license suspended, habitual offender. Cody Harper, 30, Coconut Creek; warrant for failure to appear, leaving the scene of an accident causing property damage, operating while driver's license suspended, canceled or revoked. Scott Reynolds, 51, 900 block of Southwest Aviation Avenue, Port St. Lucie; dealing in stolen property; giving false verification of ownership. Arrested in Martin County. Gordon Raymond, 25, 500 block of Bayshore Boulevard, Port St. Lucie; out-of-county warrant, Palm Beach County, written threats to kill or do bodily harm. Arrested in Martin County. An aerial image of algae on May 26 on the eastern coast of Lake Okeechobee between Pahokee and Port Mayaca. (JEREMIAH WILSON/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) By Tyler Treadway of TCPalm Lake Okeechobee discharges to the St. Lucie River are about to more than double, and the water likely will have toxic blue-green algae in it. The Army Corps of Engineers plans to increase releases from Lake O to the St. Lucie River from about 420 million gallons a day to nearly 1.2 billion gallons a day beginning Friday. The corps announcement Thursday afternoon came a few hours before the Florida Department of Environmental Protection released data showing Lake O water near the Port Mayaca Lock and Dam, which releases water to the canal leading to the St. Lucie, contains toxins at more than twice the level considered hazardous by the World Health Organization. According to a DEP spread sheet, water taken Monday from the lake contained the toxin microcystin at a level of 24.4 micrograms per liter. The World Health Organization says microcystin can cause adverse health impacts from recreational exposure at levels above 10 micrograms per liter. MORE | Follow our Lake Okeechobee discharge meter for daily updates. Water sampled Monday in the C-44 Canal just below the dam had microcystin at a rate of 5.11 micrograms per liter, about half the hazardous level. Long, slimy patches of what appeared to be blue-green algae could be seen Thursday flowing down the C-44 Canal toward the St. Lucie. That algae has not been tested, but it appears to be coming from a huge bloom thats all over the south end of the lake, said Kurt Siegel, a professional pilot and flight instructor from Palm City who flew Tuesday over Lake Okeechobee. Water from the C-44 Canal flows into the South Fork of the St. Lucie River. Algae samples taken May 19 from at a private dock on the South Fork off Kanner Highway in Stuart contained toxic microcystin at a level of 2.5 micrograms per liter, well below the hazardous level. Algae with toxins can cause nausea and vomiting if ingested, and rash or hay fever symptoms if touched or inhaled. Drinking water with the toxins can cause long-term liver disease. Recent research suggests another toxin in blue-green algae can trigger neurological diseases such as Parkinsons disease, Alzheimers disease and Lou Gehrigs disease. Algae thrives in stagnant water, and Lt. Jennifer Reynolds, corps deputy commander for Florida, said Thursday moving it along the canal regresses blooms. But algae also thrives in water with little or no salt, and the discharges lower the salinity of the St. Lucie, an estuary that should be a mix of saltwater and freshwater. More freshwater in the estuary means more algae, said Mark Perry, executive director of Florida Oceanographic Society in Stuart. Theres a good chance there will be more blooms now. The corps more than doubled discharges, said Col. Jason Kirk, corps commander for Florida, because the lake has jumped three quarters of a foot since it hit its low for the year last week. Increasing discharges, Kirk said, will help slow the rise in the lake and better position us for tropical conditions which may develop in the coming days. In a conference call Thursday afternoon, Reynolds said discharge decisions are based on maintaining the health and safety of the Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake O; and the increase is necessary to keep people (south of the lake) safe during the upcoming wet season and hurricane season. Lake Os elevation has been rising since heavy rain last week and was 14 feet 4 inches Thursday morning. The corps would like the lake elevation to be about 12 feet 6 inches by June 1, the usual beginning of the summer rainy season. Reaching that goal in five days appears very unlikely. Right now the lake is a low as its going to get, said Deborah L. Drum, Martin County ecosystem restoration manager. Its going to keep rising throughout the summer, unless theres some unexpected prolonged drought. All the corps can do is release more water to try to keep the lake from rising too much to quickly. Since discharges began Jan. 30, about 117 billion gallons of water have been discharged to the river. Fast facts: Lake Okeechobee and discharges 420 million gallons a day: Average Lake Okeechobee discharge rate to St. Lucie River ending Thursday 1.16 billion gallons a day: Average Lake Okeechobee discharge rate to St. Lucie River beginning Friday 117.5 billion gallons: Approximate amount of Lake O water sent to St. Lucie River since discharges began Jan. 30 65 feet, 1 inch: How deep that water would be spread over the city of Stuart 16 feet, 4 inches: Lake O's highest elevation this year, Feb. 8 13 feet, 7 inches: Lake O's lowest elevation this year, May 17 2 feet, 9 inches: Difference between highest and lowest elevation 14 feet, 4 inches: Lake O's elevation Thursday (May 26) 8 3/4 inches: Lake O's rise in last nine days 13 feet, 4 1/8 inches: Lake O elevation May 26, 2013 (just before "Lost Summer") Artist rendering of the Ardie R. Copas State Veterans Nursing Home in Tradition. By Nicole Rodriguez of TCPalm ST. LUCIE COUNTY Sen. Marco Rubio on Thursday urged Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald to step in and ensure a stalled veterans nursing home in St. Lucie County is swiftly built. In a letter to McDonald, Rubio, R-Florida, cited a Treasure Coast Newspapers story exposing a communication breakdown at the Department of Veterans Affairs potentially affecting all 50 states and new design requirements for veterans nursing homes. Rubios letter followed one Wednesday from Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida, who asked McDonald for a timely review of the countys grant reapplication. Rubio is asking McDonald to prioritize funding for the St. Lucie County project. Because the (Florida Department of Veterans Affairs) had to reapply for this larger grant, there is a concern among local, state and federal officials, including me, that the nursing home project will be delayed by at least a year and that Florida could lose its original position in the federal grants pipeline to build this facility, Rubio wrote. As such, I look forward to your prompt consideration of FDVAs grant application and respectfully request an appraisal of any related developments, he wrote. Additionally, I urge your personal involvement in making sure that this nursing home can be completed in a timely manner, and in honoring our veterans by enabling those who are eligible and qualify to use this facility to receive the care they have earned. While hopeful McDonald can fast-track funding for the project, hes doubtful McDonald can get the job done, saying McDonald has been ineffective in his role, Rubio told Treasure Coast Newspapers on Thursday. We were all very hopeful he would be a reformer, and I think, unfortunately, hes reached a point where everyone working for him is telling him, We cant do this; we cant do that, and hes given in, Rubio said at a news conference in Washington, D.C. McDonald could not be reached for comment Thursday. VA spokesman Henry Huntley on Wednesday said the St. Lucie County grant application is under review. Veterans Affairs is working with the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs to continue to move forward with the St. Lucie project, Huntley said in an email. Because Florida is considered a great needs state, they are listed in the second-highest priority on the priority list, behind life safety. The information fumble stalled planning for the Ardie R. Copas State Veterans Nursing Home, potentially threatening the project if officials cant come up with another $20 million from the federal government and the state. The cost of the facility which would be the states seventh veterans nursing home originally was estimated at $39 million. My most immediate concern is making sure this particular facility in Florida is not negatively impacted, but were going to look into this more to figure out how we can prevent a breakdown like this from happening again and impacting even more facilities, Rubio said in an email. Nelsons letter to McDonald was less fiery. The (St. Lucie County) project faces a greater shortfall between grant funds awarded and costs of construction to the new standards, Nelson wrote. I am hopeful that FDVAs resubmitted application will be reviewed in a timely manner and that a new grant will be approved so that construction on the facility can start as soon as possible. County officials applauded Rubio and Nelson for intervening. Its encouraging to see our Senate leaders going to bat for St. Lucie County in connection with the veterans nursing home, said Glenn Henderson, project coordinator for the St. Lucie County home. The county has worked over the past two months to raise awareness about the issue, he said. Florida home to the nations third-largest veterans population learned of the change only by word-of-mouth at a February meeting of state veterans-affairs directors in Alexandria, Virginia, state officials said. They discovered that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs was holding them to a more-expensive set of design standards that differ from a traditional nursing home, said Steve Murray, Florida Department of Veterans Affairs communications and external-affairs director. It costs an estimated 30 to 40 percent more to build and operate a home to the higher standards than a traditional veterans nursing home, veterans officials said. Florida wasnt the only state left in the dark. At least two other states never were formally notified of the policy change. Rhode Island and Idaho learned of the change only after inquiring about the design guide. A Veterans Affairs spokesman said the guidebook, published in 2001, always has been policy. Aerial of Port St. Lucie City Hall at Port St. Lucie and Airoso boulevards in Port St. Lucie, (FILE PHOTO) By Nicole Rodriguez of TCPalm PORT ST. LUCIE The field of candidates to become city attorney has been whittled down from 56 to seven. All seven finalists live in Florida and have government experience, according to their applications and background checks, compiled by search firm Colin Baenziger & Associates. The list was sent to the city late last week, Colin Baenziger said. The city is searching for a new top lawyer to replace Pam Booker, who was fired in February by the City Council for poor performance. Baenziger said he anticipates public candidate interviews will be held within the next 30 days and the city's next top attorney will be hired in late July. The seven candidates tout previous jobs as city and county attorneys and assistant city and county attorneys for Orange, Sarasota, Polk and Lee counties and the cities of Tampa, Sweetwater and Miami. One of them worked as a town attorney in West Virginia, documents show. One candidate has deep local roots. That's Gary Oldehoff, former Martin County attorney, who served from 1997 to 2000 before becoming Sarasota County assistant county attorney from 2002 to 2007. Oldehoff first was employed by Martin County in 1989, according to his application. Candidates reported they earned a range of approximately $85,000 to $200,000 in their most recent jobs, according to search documents. Booker earned $190,591 last year. The next city attorney likely will be the highest-paid city employee. FINALISTS Gary M. Glassman, former senior assistant city attorney for Tampa; now in private practice Ramon Irizarri, former Sweetwater city attorney; now in private practice Gary K. Oldehoff, former Martin County attorney; now in private practice Reginald O. Osenton, former town attorney, Man, West Virginia Philip N. Sherwin, former county attorney for Polk County James D. Stokes, current Greenacres city attorney John S. Turner, former senior assistant and chief of the litigation section for Lee County; now in private practice Source: City of Port St. Lucie Protesters chant anti-death penalty slogans. (AP File Photo/Stephen Morton) SHARE By Donald Gilleland It is irrefutable, folks. We kill a lot of innocent people. If that wasn't bad enough, because of our lengthy appeals process, the death penalty is very expensive. It is time to bring a little more sanity to our punitive approach. From the beginning of time, we have said: "It is wrong to kill, and to demonstrate how wrong it is to kill, we will kill you if you kill." Still, throughout history, men and women have murdered each other. MORE | Gil Smart: Dale Recinella makes a moral case to kill the death penalty The traditional humanist concludes capital punishment is not a deterrent. Of course, the traditional humanist is wrong in a very relevant sense. There is no recidivism among the executed. They never kill again. However, it is no easy matter to decide who should be executed. There isn't much uniformity in sentencing practices in the 50 states. An individual can be executed in one state for a crime that is not a capital offense in another state. Even among those states that have retained capital punishment, there are great disparities in sentencing. It is a deplorable fact that three people found guilty of the same crime can be given three distinctly different sentences. While there seems to be little uniformity in sentencing, the greater problem is that it is so difficult to play God. Hugo Adam Bedau, in his remarkably comprehensive book, "The Death Penalty in America," documented 74 instances in which we executed individuals who were later proved to be innocent of the crimes for which they were executed. The manner of their post-mortem vindication took the form of everything from the conventional deathbed confession by the real culprit, to the grimly ironic discovery of the supposed victim very much alive. According to The Innocence Project, a well-known group that works with many inmates to try to clear their names based on DNA evidence, they have documented 341 post-conviction DNA exonerations in the United States. Between 1989 and 2011, Florida exonerated 32 individuals who were incarcerated for crimes they never committed. Frank Johnson was the first inmate executed in Florida's electric chair on October 7, 1924. In 1929 and from May 1964 to May 1979 there were no executions in Florida. Since then, Florida has executed 85 criminals. The average age of the criminal at the time the capital offense was committed was 29, while the average age at which the criminal was executed was 46. While lethal injections appear to be the humane way to execute people, some states have had horrible experiences with the drug cocktails because some of their convicts appeared to suffer greatly during the executions. The use of a guillotine or a firing squad once was favored by many countries and may be the most humane way to execute people. They tend to be messy, but quick and effective. However, no matter the method of execution, we must deal with the very real risk of executing innocent people. According to Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, since Florida resumed executions in 1976, 24 wrongfully convicted Death Row prisoners have been exonerated. Saving innocent lives is important, but so is saving money on costly appeals. According to estimates by the Palm Beach Post, because the lengthy appeals process is so expensive, Florida would save $51 million each year by punishing all first-degree murderers with life in prison without the possibility of parole, instead of executing them. Much of the civilized world has already abolished capital punishment. Isn't it time Florida joined them? It's not only the humane thing to do, but we would eliminate the risk of killing innocent people, and save a truckload of money each year. Donald Gilleland is retired and lives in Suntree. He is the author of several books, including "America: A Cultural Enigma." His website is donaldgilleland.com. Inwater Research Group biologists complete a health assessment on a loggerhead turtle that was sucked into an intake pipe on April 8 at the Florida Power & Light Co. St. Lucie power plant on Hutchinson Island near Fort Pierce. Thousands of turtles, other wildlife and even divers have been sucked into the pipe that extends out into the Atlantic Ocean as the federal government waits to approve a pipe grate that could prevent the issue. (LEAH VOSS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) By Mark Miller Thanks to a Treasure Coast Newspapers investigation, I discovered what has caused protected sea turtles to be sucked into an inflow pipe at the St. Lucie Nuclear Plant: the federal government's ridiculous, decade-long approval process for a simple protective grate. Florida Power & Light, which provides power to the state in part via this valuable and necessary part of our landscape, has stood ready, willing and able since 2009 to install a grate that would prevent many of these turtles from this dangerous passage down the plant's inflow pipe. MORE | FPL kills endangered sea turtles while red tape delays pipe grate Editorial: Why so long to install protective grates for sea turtles at St. Lucie Nuclear Plant? But the National Marine Fisheries Service, which must approve the grate, could not find the time to sign off until about a month ago because of: 1.) "a flat budget" and 2.) a "heavier workload." First, the National Marine Fisheries Service's annual budget for the last decade hovers in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Armed with that knowledge, the government cannot credibly offer "lack of funding" as a legitimate excuse for this dangerous delay, despite the agency's complaint. Likewise, the National Marine Fisheries Service employs thousands of federal workers. A "heavy workload" does not justify this protracted process. The real answer is within the Treasure Coast Newspapers investigation: the feds transferred responsibility for approval of the grate among subgroups of federal workers across the country for years, with employees often simply sitting on the grate inexplicably for months and months at a time. It's not just turtles sucked into this pipe, by the way; the pipe sucks in humans, too. The last person sucked in, a scuba diver, described his trip down the pipe as something akin to a "horror movie" where he assumed he would reach the end of the quarter-mile, 5-minute-long, pitch-black ride through the pipe and find a "big turbine" that would chop him up and kill him. Imagine all the endangered turtles, each and every day, taking this same ride and thinking they're on that last water slide of life to meet their turtle maker. Instead, like most of the turtles, the scuba diver survived, and he (the scuba diver) has filed suit against Florida Power & Light Co. FPL should point the finger at the feds, where the blame truly belongs. If a private property owner similarly delayed taking action to protect an endangered species or, worse yet, took action that led to an endangered species incurring injuries, then that private property owner would face serious penalties under the Endangered Species Act. But here, the federal government fails to act, endangered turtles are injured and some killed, and yet absolutely no penalties befall the agency responsible for these Endangered Species Act violations. The law should not work that way. No one should be above the law, least of all the government that creates the very laws it enforces in draconian fashion against anyone but itself. Mark Miller is the president of the Martin County Bar Association and managing attorney of Pacific Legal Foundation's east coast litigation headquarters, based on the Treasure Coast. His views are his own. By Paula Dockery The curtain has been pulled back on Enterprise Florida and it isn't a pretty picture. Is it because the public-private partnership model doesn't allow enough transparency or accountability in how hundreds of millions of tax dollars are spent? Or is it because of the actions of Enterprise Florida Chief Executive Officer Bill Johnson? It seems to be a combination of the two. Enterprise Florida Inc. is the principal economic development organization for the state. The state replaced the Commerce Department with this partnership between business and government leaders, with equal funding coming from public tax revenue and private investment. It turns out very little money actually comes from the private sector. Tax dollars account for 91 percent of last year's $25.3 million operating budget, with only $1.8 million from private donations. The corporate appointees on the 64-member board are a who's who of the business elite and politically connected. Each is required to contribute $50,000 for a coveted spot on the powerful board. Enterprise Florida has spent hundreds of millions of tax dollars through various programs. One incentive program the quick-action closing fund receives the lion's share of the funding and is the one Gov. Rick Scott relies on to highlight his job creation efforts. Is there a good rate of return on the tens of millions of tax dollars spent? It's hard to tell. Many of its activities including deals receiving millions in public funds are shielded from public records laws. One indication that the program is not meeting its goals is Scott's attempt to lower the required return on investment criteria. The Florida Legislature expressed concern that Enterprise Florida was holding onto $140 million of unspent funding that couldn't be used for other, more immediate needs. Scott requested $85 million for his incentive fund in 2015 but the Legislature gave him $43 million. This past session, Scott asked the Legislature for $250 million. Usually the Legislature funds Scott's quick-action closing fund at some amount, but this year they gave him nothing. In 2015 Scott selected Bill Johnson, the former director at the Port of Miami, to serve as the CEO of Enterprise Florida. During his brief tenure, Johnson managed to ruffle a lot of legislative feathers particularly in the Florida Senate. He urged his influential board to actively lobby legislators and publicly suggested Enterprise Florida should cease to exist if it didn't get the full $85 million in incentive funding. After receiving zero incentive funding this past session, Johnson announced that he would resign on June 24. Despite having one foot out the door, Johnson has gone on two international trips since announcing his departure a nine-day trade mission to South Korea and Taiwan in April and a three-day export trade mission to Mexico in May. A two-month agency review found Enterprise Florida was top-heavy with management, spent too much on office space, needed to rein in travel expenses and lacked internal controls, thereby making it ripe for fraud. Johnson's lavish spending on dinners, hotels and renovations for his Miami offices was previously exposed. But he had other lapses in judgment. Thanks to investigative reporting by USA TODAY NETWORK's Naples Daily News, we know Johnson hired his former Port of Miami spokeswoman, Paula Musto, for part-time consulting and speech writing at a cost of $158,000. He circumvented Enterprise Florida policy requiring contracts for more than $100,000 to go before the board by offering Musto two contracts for $68,750 and $75,000 and one extension for $99,999. He also bypassed the competitive bid process by claiming the contracts fell under certain exemptions. During the heat of the funding battle, Johnson had this to say: "That's nowhere near enough to entice businesses to come to the Sunshine State." Here's an idea: Let's entice businesses with our weather, our natural resources and our quality of life. We already have one of the lowest tax burdens in the nation. Instead of corporate handouts, let's invest the money in our infrastructure and in education and training for a ready workforce. That would not only entice businesses to move to our state, it would improve the quality of life for all those who live here and pay taxes. Johnson was well compensated at Enterprise Florida with an annual salary of $265,000, a bonus of $50,000, a monthly car allowance of $600 and a generous travel allowance. And he's leaving with a generous parting gift a severance package of $132,500. Who's looking out for the taxpayers? Paula Dockery is a syndicated columnist who served in the Florida Legislature for 16 years as a Republican from Lakeland. She can be reached at PBDockery@gmail.com. SAM WOLFE/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Robin Hannah, a teacher at Manatee Academy, holds a sign before attending the St. Lucie Classroom Teachers Association and Classified Unit contract negotiations at Fort Pierce Central High School in 2012. SHARE Noah David Lein has always loved teaching. And if you believe the state of Florida, the honors English teacher at Winter Springs High School is precisely the kind of instructor we want in our classrooms. He sparks kids' curiosity and was among only 4 percent of the region's teachers to receive the "Best and Brightest" bonus for "highly effective" teachers last year. Lein still loves opening students' minds and introducing them to complex thoughts. But not in Florida. Not in a state that continually beats teachers down. So, Lein plans to walk out of the classroom for the last time this school year ... and in to a career in sales. It wasn't an easy decision. But Florida politicians keep pushing good teachers away. With a lack of respect. With obsessing about standardized testing over learning. And with cruddy salaries. Lein, 32, said he started working in 2007 with a salary of $37,000. Nine years later, he makes $40,300 for his family of three and started working weekends at a catering company to make ends meet. "I've spent my last ounce of energy to make a difference to my students, but it isn't making a difference to me and my family," he said. "I'm exhausted, I'm bitter, and I'm grasping for something to be hopeful and positive about." If you care about public education, Lein's loss should depress you. But it should disturb you even more to know that he's not alone. Rather, he's part of a trend of Florida teachers leaving the profession they once loved. The exodus is so intense that state records show that 40 percent of new teachers leave within five years after they start. Florida's attrition rate for new teachers is 15-20 percent higher than the national average, depending on the year. They are teachers like Lein. And like Lisa McIntosh, who will also leave her job next week as a third-grade teacher at Wekiva Elementary School. "It saddens me to see the current state of education, but the increase in testing and the focus on testing has taken a great deal of the joy out of teaching," she said. "At this point, I no longer want to be a part of this situation." McIntosh is leaving to work for a nonprofit that focuses on combating drug abuse. Now, multiply that story over and over until you get thousands of teachers leaving every year some retiring, but many opting for other occupations or private schools with more freedom and you start to see the magnitude of the problem. The constant turnover costs us money $130 million a year, according to a 2014 study. It costs us talent. It deprives students of professionals who studied and train their whole lives to work with students. And it's not just teachers leaving. Patricia Bowman, a principal at South Seminole Middle School in Casselberry finally walked out a few years ago after making repeated trips to Tallahassee, where legislators with no knowledge of education kept bogging down schools with top-down mandates. Teachers were frustrated. Parents were angry. And Bowman was caught in the middle of it all. "My realistic self knew I could never win so, I am ashamed to say, I simply gave up the fight," she said, noting that she did so before she was even fully vested in her retirement fund. "I bear a lot of guilt for giving up, but I didn't like who I was becoming. I couldn't sleep at night." The stories go on and on. The teachers have plenty to say. Florida should start to listen. Tallahassee politicians constantly bemoan the state of education, yet spend most of their time talking to each other about the issue. They should start listening to the people who actually teach for a living. This state has convened work groups and task forces about everything from crime and insurance to oil-drilling and gambling. How about one that simply asks teachers what they most need to actually do their jobs? We know salaries are an issue. (Florida ranks 39th in the nation, according to the National Education Association.) But there's much more. The teachers who are sticking it out have ideas about everything from curriculum to parental involvement. Ask teachers to name the top 10 ways to improve the classrooms where they spend all their time. Not another test, regulation or Byzantine bonus based on 30-year-old test scores. Let teachers teach. And don't punish those willing to teach in schools with impoverished populations. The teachers want to stay. Some might even come back. Lein said he would. In fact, he said "Absolutely" without even a pause. But that won't happen until Florida politicians stop yapping and start listening. Scott Maxwell is a columnist for the Orlando Sentinel. Email: smaxwell@orlandosentinel.com SHARE PROVIDED PHOTO Kate Arrizza went on to receive her master's degree in museum studies from John Hopkins in 2012. In between, she had started working at the South Florida Science Museum as a Lead Educator. PROVIDED PHOTO "My passion for the water and swimming began at a very young age," Kate Arrizza says. "I can remember my mom dropping me off at the Science Museum when I was in high school. My primary job at the time was in the aquarium, feeding guppies I caught outside to the much larger fish inside." PROVIDED PHOTO On June 4, Kate Arrizza is setting her sights on the 40th annual 12.5-mile Swim Around Key West, a competition she has competed in at least 10 times since high school. By Meredith Westheimer, Provided to The Courier Newsweekly Jupiter native Kate Arrizza is more than familiar with the South Florida landscape both above and below the sea. A decorated Navy veteran, Arrizza was recruited from Dwyer High School to join the Naval Academys swim team, a passion she still pursues today. On June 4, she is setting her sights on the 40th annual 12.5-mile Swim Around Key West, a competition she has competed in at least 10 times since high school. 'I can remember my mom ...' "My passion for the water and swimming began at a very young age," said Arrizza. "I can remember my mom dropping me off at the Science Museum when I was in high school. My primary job at the time was in the aquarium, feeding guppies I caught outside to the much larger fish inside." An All State swimmer, Arrizza was recruited to the Naval Academy for her talents. She graduated from the Academy in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in economics. She went on to serve as a naval officer for six years. While in the Navy, she served overseas on the USS Carr, USS Fort McHenry and USS Tortuga; her specialty was education and training in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Upon receiving her honorable discharge from the Navy, she moved back to her home state where she continued to further her career in education. Arrizza went on to receive her master's degree in museum studies from John Hopkins in 2012. In between, she had started working at the South Florida Science Museum as a Lead Educator a full circle move that later resulted in her current role as the Chief Operating Officer of the now South Florida Science Center and Aquarium. Expanding role of Science Center ... She has been instrumental in expanding the role of the Science Center in the South Florida community both literally, as she assisted in a $6 million capital campaign for a large expansion and major renovation project, which debuted in 2013. In the minds of many, as she is the brains behind so much of the Center's innovative and fun programming, like GEMS Club, Hack Shack and Science on Tap and adult-only education lesson. The Science Center recently opened a satellite space, STEM Studio, in Downtown at Abacoa, to meet the needs of fans and friends north of the Center's West Palm Beach location. In partnership with Bricks 4 Kidz, the community space is designed to engage young Einsteins. Science programming includes pop-up planetarium shows, dissection labs, Parents Night Out events, and more. BUSY LIFE ... Arrizza is married to husband, Evan, and has two children, Cecilia, age 4 and Cole, age 2. She is also actively involved in the community currently serving as a member of the Executive Women of the Palm Beaches; Vice President of Education for Toastmasters Talk of the Town; Leadership West Palm Beach Graduate; and the Chair of the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches Science and Technology Committee. She is also a Former Board Member, and Secretary of the Board, for the ITT Early Career Academy. But no matter how busy she is, she still finds time to swim and for the annual Swim Around Key West. Ocean appreciation ... "I have been doing the endurance Key West swim since I was in high school because I love and appreciate the ocean. Swimming almost 13 miles around the island really makes you see the beauty of the ocean and all of its inhabitants. "Throughout the years I have seen sharks, rays, barracuda and tarpon all right underneath me! I also do it because it is a great challenge and I have been competitively swimming since I was 10 years old. I just love it!" THe swim ... This swim is the historic, classic "aroundthe-Island" swim begun in 1977 by Anna Fugina. Anna had suffered injuries from a car accident and she chose to begin swimming as therapy to assist in her recovery. As her health improved, so did her swimming ability and love for the sport. Anna wondered if it was possible to swim the circumference of the Island of Key West. Though she inquired, she could find no evidence that anyone had even attempted the challenge, much less completed the swim. She concluded that someone had to be the first, so on July 4th she entered the water at Mallory Square at Key West Harbor. She completed the swim in 12:59:00. Later, she found that if she studied the tidal current, the swim would be an easier task. Anna swam again in 1978 and improved her time considerably, finishing at 8:00 hours. The current record finishing time is 3:31:28 set by Gabe Lindsey in 1999. Any first-place swimmer who beats that record time will be rewarded with $1,000 at an awards ceremony following the 40th Annual Swim. Meredith Westheimer is with Slatkow & Husak Public Relations. This referendum campaign has become increasingly polarised. But theres one thing both sides agree on: this is a frightening time for the higher education sphere. Last week, the Government released its plans for higher education in their white paper, Success as a Knowledge Economy. It confirmed what we knew was coming: that the Tories are intent on turning our universities from places of learning into a market, whose only purpose is economic productivity. Excellent institutions will be able to raise tuition fees again you can count on Cambridge being classed as excellent. We are now being seen as consumers and economic products. Surely none of us wants such a system. We need a national union to lobby against it. Now I know what youre thinking. That didnt stop them raising tuition fees before. And thats true enough, though Id be inclined to blame Nick Clegg rather than the NUS. But this reform is coming at a time when the government has a majority of 12, not 80, when it has suffered defeats on tax credits, academies, police cuts, disability payments and more. A united student body stands a good chance of defeating some dreadful reforms. A divided student body doesnt have a prayer. Thats why we need the NUS in the future. But its also won a lot for us in the past: an exemption from council tax; student railcards; postgraduate loans; a national inquiry into sexual harassment on campus. And its been the central opposition, along with the National Union of Teachers, to the governments racialized, free speech-attacking Prevent agenda. The NUS may feel distant, but its impacts are real, as is the training and support it offers to liberation campaigns and sabbatical officers. We all stand to lose out if we leave the NUS, but most of all it will be disadvantaged students within society. Theyre the ones who suffered most when maintenance grants were abolished. But of course, many on the Yes campaign feel the same. Their driving argument has been that we cannot remain in an institution with embedded issues of anti-Semitism. Its an argument we respect enormously, and none of us wants to underestimate the problem of anti-Semitism within the NUS or broader society. We want an anti-racist NUS standing up for student rights. Thats why we welcome the announcement that a proposal will be brought to the NUSs National Executive Council to restore the automatic Jewish position on the Anti-Racist Anti-Fascist campaign. If we stay affiliated, we can also ensure that the NUSs internal review of institutional racism, with specific regard to anti-Semitism, comes up with tangible proposals that address the concerns many Jewish students have expressed about the NUS. But if they are in any way lacking, our answer must be to engage and overcome. We didnt fill all the Cambridge NUS delegate positions this year. So lets stand for them, and make sure the NUS reforms properly. Its better than shouting from the sidelines. It can deliver real change. As allies, we need to stand up for Jewish students. We recognise they should not have to stand for delegate to feel safe in the NUS. The rest of us should be up there fighting anti-Semitism. Reforms are also being delivered on democracy within the NUS. A strategic review of the organisation is under way. There will be a renewed push for One Member One vote. As the NUS Vice-President Richard Brooks has said, this is actually an exciting time to be within the NUS. Every national institution is inherently distant, but the NUS can be much less so. We can be a part of the change. Lets straighten some things out. No, Malia Bouattia, does not support ISIS. She fought a motion she considered Islamophobic condemning ISIS, and came back to the next Council with a re-worded one. Sounds like sensible policy-making to me. And no, the NUS did not try and ban Yik-Yak. It tried to address anonymous abuse on the site, at a time when the issue of online abuse is becoming increasingly prominent. In fact, if we actually look at the manifesto of the NUS President-Elect, well find some familiar points. Address the black attainment gap? Fight Prevent? These are the same policies that the current CUSU President-elect Amatey Doku, by all means no radical, stood on. Cambridge students support these policies. Lets not listen to scare stories from those who only ever offer cynicism. One last thing. Lets not forget, the NUS is our union, defending our rights. These rights are under attack by a political party which has shown astonishing contempt for young people in this country. Divide ourselves now, and were giving them an open goal. Cuts and fees affect minorities more than anyone else. Combined with the support the NUS offers for liberation campaigns, leaving would harm those who are at-risk within our society. Those who are disadvantaged by society face a double-whammy when the support is cut and the fees are raised. That disproportionally means women and ethnic minorities, as the NUS has pointed out. Those who say we can reaffiliate in three years arent the ones who stand to lose out. All across the world the forces seeking to splinter, to withdraw, to go it alone, are on the rise. Hell, were having a referendum on membership of the European Union. But the truth is, leaving the NUS will do nothing but harm students. The more Ive got involved in this campaign, the more terrified I have become of that prospect. Lets reform the NUS, lets make it inclusive for all, but please, lets not cut ourselves adrift. 10 academics at Cambridge are among the 306 historians who have endorsed a vote to remain in the European Union in an open letter to the Guardian. The short letter ran: As historians of Britain and of Europe, we believe that Britain has had in the past, and will have in the future, an irreplaceable role to play in Europe. On 23 June, we face a choice: to cast ourselves adrift, condemning ourselves to irrelevance and Europe to division and weakness; or to reaffirm our commitment to the EU and stiffen the cohesion of our continent in a dangerous world. It was signed by Professor David Runciman, lecturer in Political History at Trinity Hall; Dr Nora Berend, lecturer in Medieval History at St Catharines; Dr Zo Groves, lecturer in World History; Dr Mathias Haeussler, Lumley Research Fellow at Magdalene Professor Dominic Lieven, Senior Research Fellow at Trinity; Professor Rosamond Deborah McKitterick, a professor of Medieval History and Director of Research at Sidney Sussex; Dr Renaud Morieux, lecturer in British History and Fellow of Jesus College; Professor Chris Clark, St Catharines, Regius Professor of History at Cambridge University, and well-known publicly as the author of The Sleepwalkers; and Professor Richard Evans, Regius Professor of History until 2014 and current President of Wolfson College, who has also gained renown as a defender of historical practices against post-modern criticisms. Among the signatories were also some Fellows and Honorary Fellows of Cambridge colleges. These included the notable names of Gareth Stedman Jones, who is a Fellow of Kings College, and Professor Simon Schama, an Honorary Fellow of Christs College who has become famous for his books, including Citizens, about the French Revolution, and for his television series, including A History of Britain and The Power of Art. However, the letter does not necessarily represent a consensus amongst Cambridge historians. Academics at the university feature prominently in the Eurosceptic group Historians for Britain, which in 2013 wrote a letter to The Times calling for a renegotiation of the British relationship with the EU, and which has endorsed the Vote Leave campaign in the referendum. Its chairman is David Abulafia, the Papathomas Professorial Fellow at Gonville and Caius. Teaching staff continued their strike over pay, gender inequality and zero-hour contracts today. Cambridge staff are among thousands of members of the University College Union (UCU) who are striking across the country. The Cambridge UCU Strike Committee have stated repeatedly that none of the picket lines will disrupt examination sites. They admit that strikes may affect students whose markers, teachers or invigilators are on strike. In the coming weeks, the strikers will work to contract, refusing to work unpaid overtime. This will also affect students. However, the Committee were quick to assuage doubts. An email sent to JCRs and MCRs on Tuesday informed students of the action, in an attempt to minimise disruption. The strikes are part of a nationwide initiative, in an attempt to address growing problems for the profession.Since 2009, university staff have had a 14.5% pay cut in real terms. Cambridge is the UKs third most expensive city to live in. The impact of this pay cut is therefore particularly acute. Gender inequality is also greater in Cambridge. The 17.4% pay gap between women and men in Cambridge, is significantly higher than the national 12.6% figure. Carol Holliday, a lecturer in Psychoanalytic Counselling, picketed on Kings Parade. She believes zero-hour and casual contracts are the most pressing issues facing staff. Teachers and lecturers are unable to know how many hours they will work per week, creating insecurity and forcing them to leave the profession. "An esteemed colleague from another university has had to give up her job as a lecturer to work in a shop, because she wasnt earning enough money to live. Its such a waste. I think it is outrageous that people are unpaid for work which requires so much talent." Olivier Tonneau, a member of the MML Faculty, spoke of a friend in the Mathematics department who had been forced to work 50 hours per week. "This raises serious questions about the quality of teaching for students. The zero-hours contracts mean that many are working too many hours, and have no control over their timetables." The strikers on Kings Parade were few in number. However, the group of ten stated that the reception from students had been very warm. They added that examinations had not been affected by the strikes, but that many lectures and classes had been cancelled. Strikers at an unplanned picket at the Newnham entrance to the Sidgewick Site were encouraged by the support. They believe that turnout at the picket lines has been higher than expected. Students can support the strikers by wearing purple felt squares. These are available on picket lines on Pembroke Street, the Sidgewick Site and the Old Schools site. Staff will return to work tomorrow. University officials did not respond when contacted for comment. Figures from the National Union of Students have come to Cambridge to advocate a vote for CUSU to remain affiliated with the national organisation. On Wednesday, the NUS Vice-President for Union Development Richard Brooks and the Wales Womens Officer Rosie Inman, made visits to Cambridge, and they will be followed today by outgoing President Megan Dunn and Vice President for Futher Education Shakira Martin. The visits come soon after Hull University became the third to vote for disaffiliation. Their referendum followed a vote to remain affiliated at Essex University, and the NUS will be looking to consolidate that victory with another in Cambridge in an effort to staunch the losses. Today, an individual from the NUS accompanied Cambridge University No campaigners to the Sidgwick Site, where the group hung up a banner and handed out leaflets. The group was unwilling to allow TCS to talk to the person from the NUS, but one official No campaigner did answer some questions about the referendum. She conceded that the campaign for disaffiliation has made some valid points, but argued that her own campaign was addressing them, and emphasised the efforts of the NUS itself to respond to their criticisms, in particular its recently-announced democratic and anti-racism reviews. She denied that problems are ingrained in the NUS, stating her belief that The NUS is not an organisation which is unwilling to change in any way and calling the argument that it was beyond reform quite strange. She also expressed concern that people are ill-informed about the referendum, saying that many of the individuals with whom the group had spoken were not aware that the referendum was taking place, but added that they were willing to listen to the arguments on both sides and that the task of her campaign was to inform students of how the NUS affects them. Also on the Sidgwick Site today were pro-disaffiliation campaigners, who welcomed the arrival of the NUS officials. They said, "It's good to see them here. It shows that NUS care about the result in Cambridge but not necessarily about the concerns. That needs to be shown in real action. Movie-streaming sites are like used bookstores (or if youre old enough to remember them, the video-rental stores of the VHS and DVD eras). If you go in with a specific title in mind, the odds are it wont be there. But if you go in and start browsing the inventory, youll likely find some interesting treasures. Complex corporate deals and copyright issues beyond common understanding prevent any one service from being a superstore hosting every conceivable title. So whats the alternative to the used bookstore? Easy: the specialty store that focuses on a particular genre instead of trying to cover everything comprehensively. Weve previously covered the high-brow film service Fandor, the documentary-film service CuriosityStream, and the independent-film champion Indiepix. Now well weigh in on AMCs Shudder, which specializes in the genre of horror. Im a fan of horror films and have spent many, many hours watching them and writing about them; certainly anyone who doesnt like horror films will find very little to care about here. But even as a self-professed expert (or, at the very least, something slightly beyond amateur), I was impressed by the range and quality of titles Shudder offers, even though their current library consists of less than 400 movies. (I estimate that Ive seen only about 100 of the available movies, and found a couple of dozen I wanted to see.) The price is excellent, much lower than either Netflix or Hulu: just $4.99 per month (or $50 per year). Subscribers can view Shudders inventory of films by genre, including the type of monster featured in the film. If you dont want to pay I think that what impressed me the most is the unique Shudder.tv option, which allows anyoneeven non-membersto simply tune into an endless stream of horror films. Though the site does tell you the title of the movie thats currently on, you never know when a movie is going to start or end, and you dont know whats coming next. But thats part of the charm. Its almost like the old days of cable TV: just turn it on and see whats playing (as of this writing, its a 2006 movie called Cold Prey, from Norway.) There is a warning of graphic content, which is useful for parents who are keeping an eye on their kids, and for kids who are trying to sneak in a subversive viewing. As for the selection, Shudder won my heart right away with a generous selection of Italian horror films, including a dozen from Mario Bavamy favorite, Kill, Baby Kill! (1966) among thema half-dozen from Lucio Fulci (including the must-see The Beyond), and a few more by Dario Argento. At the other end of the spectrum, the site offers plenty of cheeseball silliness that used to decorate the back shelves of video stores in the 1980s, movies like David DeCoteaus Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama (1988), which speaks for itself, Larry Cohens killer ice-cream movieThe Stuff (1985), and Troma titles like The Toxic Avenger (1984). There are also newer cult items like the brilliant Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010) and the astoundingly awful Birdemic: Shock and Terror (2010). If you havent seen Tucker and Dale vs Evil, stop what youre doing and watch it. Right now! There are art-house movies, ranging from a fine collection of Asian horror moviesthe great Audition (1999), the incredibly spooky Pulse (2001), and the amazing monster story The Host (2006); plus A Tale of Two Sisters (2003), Carved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman (2007), I Saw the Devil (2010), and Marebito (2004)to other imports like Dead Snow and Trollhunter (from Norway), Let the Right One In (Sweden), Sheitan, Fear(s) of the Dark, and Trouble Every Day (France), Heartless and Severance (England), Nosferatu the Vampyre (Germany), Timecrimes (Spain), and more. The site also offers respectableif disturbingmovies like Lars von Triers Antichrist (2009), and even documentaries like Nightmares in Red, White and Blue: The Evolution of the American Horror Film (2009) and Room 237 (2012). The latter doc is about the weird theories surrounding Stanley Kubricks The Shining (which is not on Shudder, incidentally), and the formerwhich I recommend to non-horror fansis an interesting thesis about how horror films tend to tap into the moods of their times. Youll find plenty of twisted Asian films in AMCs archives, including The Audition. The usual free, public domain stuff is here, but Shudder hasnt bothered with the bad ones. Their choices include: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919), Carnival of Souls (1962), Night of the Living Dead (1968), Night Tide (1961), Nosferatu (1922), Spider Baby (1964), White Zombie (1932), and other classics. The site, curated by horror aficionados Sam Zimmerman and Colin Geddes, and backed by AMC Networks (producers of Mad Men and Breaking Bad), avoids tons of junk, remakes, lazy sequels, or movies that were simply designed for a quick, opening-weekend profit only to be discarded and forgotten. Instead, the curators have put together several categories and lists for fans to dig through. There are genres (body horror, creature features, documentary, extreme, gothic horror, horror comedy, killers, paranormal, psychological thrillers) as well as types of monsters. How well does the site actually work? I checked out a movie Id been wanting to see called We Are Still Here (2015), a kind of paranoid ghost story featuring cult stars Barbara Crampton, Larry Fessenden, and Lisa Marie. I played it on the Shudder app on my tablet, on my laptop, and on my smart TV and had no problems; it was a very enjoyably unsettling experience. But I discovered the sites first major flaw. Though the option to turn on subtitles or captions has been provided, it does not work. Foreign-language films have subtitles, of course, but for those of us who like to watch late at night with the volume low so as not to disturb others in the house, were out of luck. Youll find lots of out-of-the-mainstream fare on Shudder, including the disturbing We are Still Here. Another flaw is the inability to build a queue, but there is a way around that. Simply click on the movies youd like to see, and let them play for a moment, and then they will appear in your history just below your login information. Otherwise, the site is beautifully designed, with little shuddering animations on the links and moody, zooming artwork, as well as well-written blurbs, quotes, and little horror-related jokes here and there. (Stalk us on Facebook, Twitter, etc.) Users can rate each movie from one to five skulls and give comments (which mostly seem thoughtful and above-board; very few trolls, so to speak). Recently, the site has asked horror filmmakers to curate their own collections of five films each. Karyn Kusama, whose excellent The Invitation is currently in release; Robert Eggers, whose The Witch is probably the best horror movie of the year so far; and Alexandre Aja (High Tension) each choose five interesting films to recommend, with a little written blurb as to why. This lends even more credibility to a site that already succeeds on many levels. Its so good, its scary. Shudder has a deep well of classic horror films, including the Bela Lugosi feature White Zombie. If I were a guest curator If, in some alternate universe, I could curate my own five from the site, Id go with these: George A Romeros Day of the Dead (1985), the third of his six zombie films to date. Although the superior original is here, this one is rather under-appreciated, with its underground bunker setting, oppressive military presence, and the unforgettable trained zombie Bub. Mario Bavas Kill, Baby Kill! (1966), probably Bavas spookiest and most atmospheric movie, demonstrating his unique and masterful use of color for different emotional states and nightmare logic. In it, a doctor arrives in a small village to perform an autopsy, but finds the townspeople living in fear of a ghost girl. If the title, Spider Baby, isnt enough to grab you, seeing Lon Chaney Jr. in the credits should. Tomas Alfredsons Swedish-language Let the Right One In (2008) is an adaptation of John Ajvide Lindqvists novel, and one of the best and most unusual vampire movies of recent years. With an extremely moody, dreamy style, the movie tells the story of a friendship between a strange, outcast young boy and a vampire girl. Stuart Gordons Re-Animator (1985) starts by blatantly stealing the music from Hitchcocks Psycho and gleefully continues by turning H.P. Lovecrafts story into a shocking, hilarious splatterfest. Glowing green tubes of goo, hideous zombie cats, and murderous severed heads make this cult classic worth several viewings. Jack Hills Spider Baby (1964) was also called The Maddest Story Ever Told, which is just about right. Its an experience unlike any other, a genuinely creepy, spooky horror comedy about a family with a regressive disease; the older each person gets, the more monstrous they become. Lon Chaney Jr. gives a surprisingly touching performance as the family chauffeur who takes care of the youngest ones. (He also sings the theme song.) Facebook this week said it would make several procedural changes to its Trending Topics feature to quell concerns that the results could be steered in a particular political direction, even though it has found no evidence of bias. The company will retrain workers in the Trending Topics department and institute additional oversight and control to make sure trending stories are selected fairly, said Facebook General Counsel Colin Stretch. Our investigation has revealed no evidence of systematic political bias in the selection or prominence of stories included in the Trending Topics feature, he noted. Our data analysis indicated that conservative and liberal topics are approved as trending topics at virtually identical rates. Facebook will update the terminology in its guidelines to make it clearer, provide refresher training to emphasize that Trending Topics should not be selected based on ideology, provide additional oversight of the review team, and add rapid escalation should a problem arise, Stretch said. The company no longer will rely on outside websites and news outlets to validate whether a story is worthy of inclusion, he added. It also will remove the ability to assign importance levels to certain stories and will expand the help desk to provide more information on that. Insider Claims Conservative topics often were suppressed in the Trending Topics section, according to a report published earlier this month by Gizmodo. Stories about Facebook also were discouraged. Sen. John Thune, chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, wrote to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, demanding a response to the allegations. That led to ahigh-profile confab between Zuckerberg and some of the leading figures in conservative media, including The Blaze founder Glenn Beck. As part of Facebooks public response, Stretch sent an extensive defense of its practices to Thune. Id call it fence mending, said Rick Edmonds, media business analyst at thePoynter Institute. Facebook wanted to show that it was open to dialogue with critics and will re-examine business practices, he told the E-Commerce Times. Thune was not seeking to provide any legislative solution to the problem, just more transparency into the process, he said, praising the companys response to his concerns. Private companies are fully entitled to espouse their own views, so I appreciate Facebooks efforts to address allegations of bias raised in the media and my concern about a lack of transparency in its methodology for determining trending topics, he said. Facebook has offered a more detailed description of the methodology it uses to come up with Trending Topics, Thune noted. We now know the system relied on human judgment, and not just an automated process, more than previously acknowledged. Transparency Needed Facebook is in a very difficult situation because members always will see it as tainted, and if it tries to correct the problem, members from the left will accuse it of overcorrecting, said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. Honestly, I dont see an easy way out of this now, he told the E-Commerce Times. The only way you can possibly try to prove nonbias is have somebody create an algorithm that is truly independent. The companys prior arguments that it was unbiased based on the use of computerized algorithms are not bulletproof because, depending on how they are written, they can tilt in a more liberal or conservative direction, he added. The ACLU has questioned whether Facebook needed to be more transparent about how it decides what is trending. When I see a list on the side of a newspaper site that says most read or most shared, I assume thats a relatively dumb algorithm that is simply counting up clicks, said Jay Stanley, senior policy analyst, ACLU Speech, Privacy and Technology Project. Overstepping the First Amendment The Electronic Frontier Foundation has called Thunes inquiry into question on First Amendment grounds. Its commendable that Facebook is making internal changes and being more transparent about how it produces the Trending Topics section, but it remains improper under the First Amendment for a senator to inquire into what amounts to Facebooks editorial practices, said Sofia Cope, an EFF staff attorney. So while some good appears to have come from Sen. Thunes letter, that shouldnt give other government officials the green light to do the same thing in a similar situation, she told the E-Commerce Times. Facebooks editorial decisions are protected under First Amendment case law, Cope said in a blog post published earlier this month. In a 1974 case, Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the government cannot tell a private publisher what to print or not print, nor can the publisher be punished for making certain editorial decisions. However, it would behoove the company to be more transparent about its content policies, she said. The EFF has criticized Facebook in the past for how it enforces its terms of service, including which posts it chooses to delete, images it censors, or users who are tossed from the service because of some violation. The organization tracks the actions of various social media companies atonlinecensorship.org. Nokia on Wednesday announced its return to the mobile phone and tablet business in connection with a larger agreement by Microsoft to sell its entry-level phone business toHMD Global andFIH Mobile for US$350 million. Under the deal, Microsoft will sell its Hanoi, Vietnam, manufacturing facility to FIH Mobile, a unit of Hon Hai/Foxconn Technology Group. Workers will be given the opportunity to work for FIH Mobile or HMD Global, according to Microsoft. Nokia will grant HMD, a newly formed company, the exclusive global license to create Nokia-branded phones and tablets for the next 10 years and will receive royalty payments from HMD for sales of those devices, covering both brand and intellectual property rights. HMD plans to invest more than $500 million over the next three years to support the global marketing of the Nokia devices, which will be paid for by investors and profits from the new business. Today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the Nokia brand in an industry where Nokia remains a truly iconic name, said Ramzi Haidamus, president of Nokia Technologies. Instead of Nokia returning to manufacturing mobile phones itself, HMD plans to produce mobile phones and tablets that can leverage and grow the value of the Nokia brand in global markets. HMD will be led by CEO Arto Nummela, a former senior executive at Nokia and the head of Microsofts mobile device business in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Florian Seiche, senior vice president for Europe, sales and marketing at Microsoft Mobile, and also a former Nokia executive, will become president. Nokias Long Game Nokia found a strategy to get its name back into the mobile device business when faced with competition from brands such as Apple, Samsung and Google, which have dominated the mobile landscape in recent years, analyst Jeff Kagan said. After selling their failing handset business to Microsoft several years ago, Nokia has been trying to re-enter the marketplace, he told the E-Commerce Times. Unfortunately, to date, they havent really created any growth waves yet. Nokia has been stuck in a noncompete situation since the sale of its phone business to Microsoft in 2013, according to a report by IHS Technology. The companys goal was to re-enter the business in a way that required much less capital investment and reduced risk. Feature phones represent a declining market, with only 400 million units shipped worldwide in 2015, the report said. However, Nokia still has a great deal of brand recognition, and HMD likely will target emerging markets under the new relationship. Nokia is looking to get a fresh start back in the mobile device space by switching to Android, the most popular mobile OS on the market, said Todd Day, mobile and wireless communications senior industry analyst at Frost & Sullivan. The company likely will pursue smartphones and wearables, he told the E-Commerce Times. Uphill Battle The devices will have the most appeal in countries where the Nokia brand is strong, said Ian Fogg, head of mobile analysis at IHS Technology and coauthor of the firms report. The company struggled in the U.S. market even when it was far ahead in the mobile phone space, he told the E-Commerce Times. It is very unlikely that Nokia will be able to revive its business in the U.S. market. In fact, the U.S. is probably the last market where they would be successful, said Annette Zimmermann, research director for personal technologies at Gartner. The brand has never been strong in consumer minds in the U.S., and it would take very good carrier relationships for them to get back into the market. I am not sure that carriers would bet high on the Nokia phones, she told the E-Commerce Times. There are other markets where Nokia may have a chance for example, in some emerging markets where the brand is still well-known due to the feature phones they are still selling there, Zimmermann said. My overall opinion of this strategy is that it is a total uphill battle for them as there are so many other brands, and the Nokia brand has lost appeal over the last years, she added. Microsoft Hangs On Microsoft will continue to develop Windows 10 mobile and support Lumia phones, including the Lumia 650, Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, as well as phones from original equipment manufacturing partners including Acer, Alcatel, HP, Trinity and Vaio, the company said. For Microsoft, it doesnt make much sense to continue with a feature phone business. Their focus is Lumia for enterprise, so feature phones with a Nokia brand name are not really complementary, said Zimmermann. The move represents another failure by Microsoft to make a mark in the mobile device market and basically leaves the company as a marginal player going forward, the IHS report said. Feature phones made up 87 percent of mobile phone shipments during the first quarter 2016. However, Microsoft shipped only 2.3 million smartphones, a 70 percent drop from the year-ago quarter, according to IHS. Microsoft is still pursuing a dual mobile Windows strategy [to] have its own brand of phones and license the OS to others, Fogg said. The deal means Microsoft will rely on other manufacturers to produce its smartphones going forward, he said. Microsoft lost the battle in the consumer market worldwide, Zimmermann said. I dont see a partnership down the road either as none of the OEMs are interested in licensing Windows 10 for phones. They are all happy with Android, so why would they use Windows Phone at some point? The Microsoft deal is expected to close during the second half of 2016. Intel India today announced a series of initiatives that strengthen its support for the Digital India programme launched by the Government of India. At an event held today, Intel India detailed three projects designed to accelerate digital literacy at the grassroots level by reaching out to the population in non-urban India, upskill citizens in tier 2 cities and beyond, and encourage innovation from the local level. Mr. Robby Swinnen, Vice President, Sales and Marketing Group and General Manager, Intel Corporation, Asia-Pacific and Japan, Ms. Debjani Ghosh, Vice President, Sales and Marketing and Managing Director, Intel South Asia, Mr. H.K. Mittal, Adviser, Member Secretary, National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB), Department of Science & Technology, Mr. Gaurav Dwivedi, CEO, MyGov, and Dr. Dinesh Tyagi, CEO, CSC e-Governance Services India Limited, were some of the key dignitaries present at the event. Building on the momentum of its Ek Kadam Unnati Ki Aur initiative to accelerate access to technology in non-urban India, Intel India e-launched its latest Unnati Kendra at Common Service Centre (UK at CSC) in Karnal, the first in Haryana. This UK at CSC will serve as one of the common access digital learning centers for people of the state and Intel India aims to open several more of these facilities in the state. Based on a strong public private collaboration, and the governments vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas that stresses upon collective effort for inclusive growth, Intel India is working with the government to open a network of up to 100 UK at CSC facilities across ten states this year, with 10 such facilities already set up in the state of Telangana. At these facilities, Intel India is providing access to devices, relevant local content and training for citizens that will also help them develop and nurture their self-expression and creative capabilities. Trained personnel at these centres are also conducting in-depth sessions on digital literacy, computer skills and internet facilities, along with dedicated guidance sessions in entrepreneurship, language and vocational training, with the goal of creating opportunities for non-urban education, employment and empowerment. Intel India also announced the Digital Unnati website, being set up in collaboration with the CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd. It will enable Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) to learn how to assemble a PC online and upskill their technology know-how. In addition, inspired by the overwhelming response and the success of the first chapter of the Intel & DST Innovate for Digital India Challenge (Challenge), Intel India is laying the groundwork for launching the Challenge later this year. This Challenge supports local innovation and entrepreneurship and is a nationwide competition inviting technology solutions to solve real problems faced by our citizens. Intel India recently announced the three winning teams of the 2015 Challenge viz: teams TJay, Asha+, and Jayalaxmi Agrotech. These teams developed commercially viable strategies and prototypes based on Intel architecture and with the engineering support, expert mentoring and access to funds from Intel. They have created solutions for the agricultural and healthcare sector and will now have access to equity investments of up to INR 2,000,000 per team from CIIE to take their products to market. Speaking at the event, Mr. Robby Swinnen, Vice President, Sales & Marketing Group, and General Manager, Intel Corporation, Asia-Pacific & Japan, said Intel has been a fervent supporter of Indias digital inclusion agenda over the past many years. We are thrilled to see the progress made through our collaboration with the Government of India on various initiatives like Digital India, that are bringing technology and innovation mainstream in India. Intel Indias focus on accelerating Digital India is not only contributing to empowering people with crucial digital knowledge, but is also strongly aligned to our vision of connecting everyone with technology as we progress towards a smart and connected world. Ms. Debjani Ghosh, Vice President, Sales and Marketing and Director, Intel South Asia, said, Intel India is fully committed to achieving the realization of a truly Digital India and has been supporting this vision by fostering innovation and upskilling of the non-urban population. In a country as diverse as ours, we believe that successful public-private collaborations will be the catalyst towards driving technology-enabled inclusion and transformation at the grassroots level. We envision digital infrastructure as a utility that is crucial for the economic success of the country on the foundation of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. Intel India is also actively involved in digital literacy programmes, policy advocacy and facilitating technology-driven inclusive growth. Through programmes such as the National Digital Literacy Mission, and the Disha Digital Literacy Programme, Intel India has upskilled 80 lakh citizens in India till date, providing further impetus to the Digital India charter, as well to the Pradhan Mantri Kausal Vikas Yojna, which is focused on skill development in the country. @Technuter.com News Service T-Mobile has officially announced the rollout of the Android 6.0 Marshmallow software update to users of the Samsung Galaxy S5 on its network. The carrier is the second of the big four U.S. networks to release the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update to the device, leaving Verizon and AT&T to follow. "Beginning May 23, the Samsung Galaxy S5 will have a software update to Android version 6.0.1/ Baseband G900T3UVU1GPE1 OR G900TUVU1GPE1 via Wi-Fi or Samsung Smart Switch for PC. This update provides new features," states T-Mobile. Users of the 2-year-old former Samsung flagship can access the update manually by visiting their settings menu, or wait for the update to roll out OTA. At the end of March, Samsung began rolling out the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update to the international version of the Galaxy S5, and Sprint soon followed with the upgrade for its customers. Sprint also released Android 6.0 Marshmallow for the Galaxy S5 Sport, the more rugged version of the handset that closely mirrors the specs and design details of the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active, which is exclusive to AT&T. It looks like once again, AT&T is bringing up the rear in getting the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update to its customers, along with Verizon, which has also yet to release the software upgrade. There's no word on when Verizon and AT&T will release their versions of the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update to the Galaxy S5. AT&T in particular has been late to the party in terms of Marshmallow upgrades recently, having just released the software to the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge well after its competitors did so. We'll keep you updated on any details regarding the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update for the Samsung Galaxy S5 on Verizon and AT&T. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the Spitzer Space Telescope and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory have been used to answer a long-standing mystery about the formation of black holes. Astronomers utilizing these powerful instruments detected gas clouds that act as seeds, and will one day form supermassive black holes. Black holes form much faster than traditional theories suggest they might. Instead of matter slowly collecting over time, combining with mergers of smaller black holes, this new data suggests massive gas clouds may have collapsed directly into black holes, rather than forming stars first. A team of Italian astronomers led the study, aimed at identifying the processes inherent in the formation of these supermassive objects found at the core of nearly all major galaxies. "Our discovery, if confirmed, explains how these monster black holes were born. We found evidence that supermassive black hole seeds can form directly from the collapse of a giant gas cloud, skipping any intermediate steps," said Fabio Pacucci of Scuola Normale Superiore (SNS) in Italy, leader of the new study. These supermassive black holes, containing millions or billions of times more mass than our own sun, may be an artifact of the earliest days of the universe. These objects began to take shape just about 1 billion years after the big bang, astronomers believe. Combining a new method of detecting cosmic seed candidates from observatory data with advanced computer models of the bodies yielded two likely targets where supermassive black holes may be forming. Each of the objects is so far away, astronomers see them as they existed less than a billion years after the formation of the universe. If this new study is correct, then black holes start large, and grow at a moderate rate, as opposed to starting small, followed by a more rapid growth. Future studies will involve observations of the first black holes in the universe made with the European Extremely Large Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope, once that observatory launches into orbit. Analysis of the new data, and what it can tell us about the formation of supermassive black holes, will be published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Japanese carmaker Toyota is teaming up with Uber to provide new leasing options for drivers who wish to buy new vehicles for ride-sharing. As part of their partnership deal, the two companies revealed on May 24 that Toyota will provide prospective Uber drivers a chance to lease vehicles through Toyota Financial Services, allowing them to pay for their cars using earnings from ride-sharing services. "Against the backdrop of rapidly evolving car usage trends in recent years, the development of mobility services in new areas, including ridesharing and car-sharing, has gathered pace on a global scale," Toyota and Uber said in their joint statement. "Through this agreement on the trials, Toyota and Uber will accelerate further talks in aiming to establish new services and to offer new value to customers." The move is considered to be part of a new strategy by car manufacturers to partner up with ride-sharing companies in response to tech firms, such as Google, Apple and even Uber, determining the direction of the world's car industry. On May 24, German luxury car manufacturer Volkswagen also announced that it had invested $300 million in smaller ride-sharing company Gett. Earlier this year, General Motors had also poured a $500-million investment into Lyft, Uber's chief rival in the ride-sharing industry in the United States, in order to create a network for on-demand self-driving cars. Even Apple, a company known more for its mobile devices, had recently invested $1 billion of its money into Didi Chuxing, a well-known ride-hailing service in China. Analysts believe this particular investment was made as a way for the tech giant to solidify its presence in the Asian nation's market. Meanwhile, Ford is still looking to team up with other companies to help it expand its horizons beyond the manufacturing and selling of cars. The carmaker's chairman, Bill Ford, said on May 23 that they will reveal more about their current plans as the year progresses. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The OnePlus 3 is currently one of the most highly anticipated flagships set to debut soon and it now looks like the smartphone will break cover on June 14. A slew of leaks have been heralding the arrival of OnePlus 3 for quite some time now, and the rumored specifications hint at an exciting device all around. Moreover, OnePlus is also planning a special virtual reality launch experience, which already generated a lot of hype. Before the big event, the company launched its OnePlus Loop VR headset, which sold out in no time. OnePlus has yet to announce an official date for the OnePlus 3 unveiling, but more information has now leaked on the matter. One of Android Authority's readers apparently had a chat with a OnePlus representative about the Loop VR, and asked about the upcoming flagship smartphone as well. The representative reportedly told the tipster that the OnePlus 3 will debut next month. "The OnePlus 3 will be fully revealed on June 14th through our VR launch experience but you can still watch it without a headset," the representative reportedly confirmed to the tipster, based on a screenshot of the conversation shared by Android Authority. The representative did not confirm any other information regarding the OnePlus 3, but leaks did a pretty good job so far in revealing what to expect. Based on information surfaced so far, the OnePlus 3 will have a 5.5-inch full HD (1080p) display, a Snapdragon 820 processor, Adreno 530 graphics and two different configurations when it comes to RAM and storage. One variant should have 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage, while the other should pack 4 GB of RAM with 32 GB of built-in storage, according to benchmarks. The OnePlus 3 should also feature NFC connectivity and run Android N once Google is ready to release it. In terms of design, leaked renders reveal a sleek device that basically looks like a combination of the OnePlus 2 and the HTC 10, sporting a clean design language and a metallic construction. It's all still in the rumor state at this point, but the official launch is rapidly approaching. If this latest tip turns out to be accurate, the OnePlus 3 will make its VR debut in three weeks and we'll be here to keep you up to date. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Samsung officially introduced its first Android device with iris recognition technology, unveiling the aptly named Galaxy Tab Iris. Before you get too excited, however, it's worth pointing out that the Galaxy Tab Iris is designed for government and enterprise use in India. Nevertheless, it proves that Samsung is ready to put its iris recognition technology to good use, and it shouldn't be long before it makes its way to other products as well. Just recently, a trademark hinted at an iris scanner for the Samsung Galaxy Note 6, and the Galaxy Tab Iris debut now makes that theory even more plausible. The technology was also rumored for the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, but that obviously did not materialize. The new Galaxy Tab Iris from Samsung India now features iris recognition technology designed to offer "Aadhaar authentication through an integrated and highly secure device," says Samsung. This means that it will work with the Unique Identification Authority of the Aadhaar system in India, which consists of 12-digit unique identification numbers, as well as the government's Standardization Testing and Quality Certification (STQC). The tablet will allow for paperless and cashless services in a number of applications, including e-Governance services such as taxation, passport, health care and others. Banking and education are also on the list of possible applications, but the possibilities could vary to a greater extent. According to Samsung, its advanced iris recognition tech means users will no longer need separate devices for biometric authentication, facilitating the process without compromising security. For starters, Samsung is offering an "Identity SDK" so that app developers can try out its iris scanner for new payment, authentication and other solutions. The company believes iris scanning holds "great potential," so it should only be a matter of time before such technology makes its way to high-end Samsung smartphones and tablets. For now, the Galaxy Tab Iris doesn't really come with top-notch specs on board, other than the iris scanner. Seeing as it's designed with government use in mind, the iris scanner is the main highlight while the rest of the hardware specs take a back seat, targeting utility and not intensive performance. The tablet features a 7-inch display with a 1,024 x 600 pixel resolution, a quad-core processor clocked at 1.2 GHz, and just 1.5 GB of RAM. Other specs include 8 GB of internal storage, microSD support, a 5-megapixel rear camera with autofocus (targeted at document scanning), and 2G/3G connectivity. When it comes to pricing, the Samsung Galaxy Tab Iris costs INR 13,499, which translates to roughly $199 based on current exchange rates. "We're excited to offer biometric-based services to the billion plus people enrolled in Aadhaar," says Samsung India R&D Corporate Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Aloknath De. "Our India R&D team has made significant investments in biometric technology research and we built this product leveraging our knowledge in hardware design, biometrics and security for a high speed scan, greater accuracy and high reliability." 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. "I look down at it and know without question: I love this world. But there's something missing." Those are some of the first words readers will see in today's DC Universe Rebirth #1, and there's no doubt about it: this is a message pointed directly at every fan of the company by writer Geoff Johns. The DC Universe is no stranger to meta moments hell, Grant Morrison basically carved out a career by speaking directly to the audience for decades. However, what the company did today with Rebirth doesn't just break the fourth wall, it breaks down the comic book industry as a whole. Ever since the company was rebooted with the New 52 in 2011, it has felt like there was something missing, as Johns states in the issue itself. In an attempt to clean up some messy continuity and simplify the DC heroes for new readers, the New 52 instead robbed the heroes of their charm, of their personalities and of the one thing that made them endure for decades: their hope. Rebirth is an attempt to change all of that, and it seems almost personal for Geoff Johns, who always held onto the bright, optimistic DC of years past. It's so personal that it seems like Johns couldn't help himself from basically saying flat-out that he knew the New 52 didn't work countless times throughout the issue. As the lost Wally West tries to find his way literally back into the DC continuity, Johns showers readers with imagery from the company's past: Flashpoint, Crisis on Infinite Earths, the Golden Age Joker, the original Teen Titans and on and on. It's all a reminder of where the company has been and where it hopes to go once again. However, Rebirth isn't just about reinstating classic stories and characters, it's about getting that trademark DC feel back again. Johns even acknowledges the dark path the company went down in the New 52 with one of Wally's more poignant bits of narration: "A decade was removed like a Jenga piece," he said. "I don't know exactly how or why, but it changed everything. Heroes that were legends became novices. Bonds between them were weakened and erased. Legacies were destroyed." Most telling of all, he states: "A darkness from somewhere has infected us. It has for a long time now, I think. Even before Flashpoint." This is Johns literally telling readers that the New 52 messed with the very legend of the DC heroes. It erased their legacies, altered their identities and turned them dare I say into something less than heroic. The biggest complaint about the New 52 was how dark and dreary it all was, and here's Johns not just agreeing with audiences, but painting that tone as a malicious virus that's spread across the company. Through Wally, Johns is staking the claim that this is something he's looking to personally exorcise from the brand with Rebirth. Yet, is that "darkness" just about the New 52? With the Watchmen universe coming to DC, and Doctor Manhattan most likely having created the universe itself, maybe Johns' opinions on the matter go back further. Maybe the New 52 was so bleak and so dark because of Manhattan and his views on what humanity really is. Maybe the New 52 is the physical embodiment of his thoughts on people and heroism, after witnessing the Eddie Blakes and Adrian Veidts of his world almost wipe out any decency left in humanity. DC Rebirth is a comic that speaks directly to you, the reader. Not in the chuckling Deadpool way, either. It's a town hall meeting in comic book form where frustrations are vented and promises of a hopeful future are made. Will DC stick to the landing? We won't know for a few months (at least), but the company is aware change is needed. Maybe the biggest change will be to go back to what made these heroes so iconic in the first place. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. China is reportedly set to launch the world's first quantum communications satellite into orbit in July a feat designed to improve the country's data transmission and thwart hackers. The satellite is capable of securely sending and receiving data by establishing a strong quantum communication between space and Earth. Data sent between the two cannot be copied, stolen or spied on. Head scientist Pan Jianwei announced the plan at a seminar in Shanghai, claiming that the launch will cement China as the leader in quantum communication. Jianwei said what they learned from the Edward Snowden case is that information in transmission networks is exposed to risks of being attacked or monitored by hackers. "There are many bottlenecks in the information security," said Jianwei, who is a leading expert from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The quantum communications satellite is expected to further supply power to China's 2,000-km (1242-mile) quantum computer network, which is currently under construction. This computer network, which connects Shanghai and Beijing, will be fully operational by the end of 2016. The government and financial institutions will test the system before it is opened to the public. China's Space Missions Inaugurated in 2011, China's quantum satellite program is part of the Strategic Priority Program on Space Science, which aims to set five missions into motion. The program already sent the first of five missions - a dark matter satellite launched into space - in December 2015. The satellite currently seeks high-energy particles to investigate the presence of dark matter. This is an unseen and mysterious force believed to make up the majority of the universe. The second mission involved the SJ-10 satellite, the country's first microgravity satellite launched in April 2016. The SJ-10 is a retrievable satellite that carried a milliliter of crude oil in order to find more of it underneath the Earth's crust. The SJ-10 mission was a collaboration of the European Space Agency and China's National Space Science Centre (NSSC), as well as two petroleum companies in France and China. Meanwhile, China is expected to dispatch a unique X-ray telescope that will help study black holes and neutron stars later this 2016. Incidentally, Russia has completed its own quantum communications device, although it is not a satellite. Photo: Wilson Hui | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Potential Game of Thrones show spoilers and definite book spoilers below. You've been warned. More and more over the past few seasons, Game of Thrones has been marching to a beat much different from that of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series. While many of the core plot points remain the same, characters have been cut out, events rearranged and, in some cases, entirely new plot points have been added. Season six has proven to be no different. Already key characters are in locations far different from their book counterparts. In some cases the show is much further ahead in regard to the story arcs of certain characters. That being said, it's looking increasingly likely that the show is set to introduce two key book characters that have long been missing on the show: Lady Stoneheart and the mysterious Coldhands. Lady Stoneheart first appears in the epilogue of A Storm of Swords, the third book in Martin's series, making her appearance long overdue. Who is Lady Stoneheart? She's none other than a resurrected Catelyn Stark. After being murdered at the Red Wedding by having her throat slashed, she is discovered by the Brotherhood Without Banners, among them the red priest Thoros and resurrected Lord Beric Dondarrion. Several in the group ask Thoros to attempt to bring Lady Stark back to life. He refuses, saying that she has been dead for too long. That's when Beric steps in. He gives the "kiss of life" to Catelyn, restoring her to life but in the process taking his own. After her resurrection, she assumes control of the Brotherhood, as they hunt down Lannisters, Freys and anybody else Catelyn deems responsible for the Red Wedding in the Riverlands. Because of the massive gash in her throat, she is barely able to talk, instead pointing and grunting most of her commands. The reveal of her identity at the end of A Storm of Sword serves as one of the novel's key shocks, and she has a major role to play in Brienne of Tarth's story in the following book, A Feast for Crows. It's in that book where Lady Stoneheart captures Brienne and plans to execute her, believing Brienne to have forsaken her oath to Catelyn and to be a traitor working for the Lannisters. In order for Brienne to prove her loyalty, Lady Stoneheart commands the knight to seek out and slay Jaime Lannister, who is nearby attempting to negotiate the surrender of Riverrun. While Brienne initially refuses to accept Catelyn's task, it appears she later gives in, in order to save both her life and that of her squire Podrick Payne. It's important to note that in the novels Brienne has yet to find Sansa, who is still with Littlefinger in the Vale. For that reason many fans have assumed that the show has simply omitted Lady Stoneheart. After all, the show version of Brienne has reunited with Sansa and proven to be loyal to House Stark. She's currently in the North. Brienne's story line has taken a far different path from her novel counterpart, and the show is long past the point of the character's book introduction. But that might be changing soon. As revealed in the latest episode of season six, Sansa is sending Brienne to the Riverlands to broker a deal between Catelyn's brother Brynden "The Blackfish" Tully, who has recently taken control of Riverrun. That puts Brienne in a position to encounter Lady Stoneheart (and possibly Jaime) were she to exist in the show. So is it possible her reveal will be coming this season? Maybe. A Game of Thrones fan on Twitter reported seeing Catelyn Stark actress Michelle Farley at a local cafe in Belfast, where much of Game of Thrones season six was filmed. There were also season six casting calls for "outlaws" and a "son who is unable to live up to the demands of his savage father." That sounds like it could be referring to Lady Stoneheart's band of renegades as well as Merrett Frey, the son of Red Wedding mastermind Walder Frey. In the books, Merrett Frey is executed via hanging by Lady Stoneheart for, well, being a Frey. The casting call in question also makes clear that the role is a "one-off opportunity" that will have the actor interacting with leading cast members. A "one-off opportunity" is definitely casting call code for "this character is going to die," which Merrett most certainly does. As for leading cast members, it seems reasonable to assume that one might be Farley. As for others, it seems as if Thoros actor Paul Kaye will be reprising his role on the show, with fansite Watchers on the Wall even reporting that one of his scenes involves a hanging. The last pieces of evidence to consider are the comments of Game of Thrones special effects guru Barrie Gower. He's made reference to a visual "gag" that has been pulled from season four and five, but that is apparently set to appear in season six. Gower, of course, could be referring to just about anything, but it's worth noting that he is heavily involved in doing prosthetics for the show. Bringing to life a zombified Catelyn Stark, her head barely attached to her shoulders, would certainly require some fancy prosthetic work, which would seem to make Gower the show's go-to man were Lady Stoneheart set to appear in season six. With five episodes left in season six, it all depends on how quickly Brienne arrives in the Riverlands. If she does indeed arrive this season, we could see Brienne's encounter with an undead Catelyn serving as the perfect way to end season six. It would without a doubt get fans talking. The missing piece of the puzzle is Jaime. He's currently occupied with the High Sparrow in King's Landing. If the show resolves that conflict soon and Jaime is sent to deal with The Blackfish at Riverrun, Lady Stoneheart's arrival seems all but imminent, as it will likely foretell a showdown between Brienne and the Kingslayer. Lady Stoneheart, however, is far from the only important character from the books that looked to have been cut from the show. The other is the character known as Coldhands. This seemingly friendly White Walker aids Bran, Meera and Jojen while riding atop a massive elk, helping the trio reach the Three-Eyed Raven. Who, or what, exactly Coldhands is remains a mystery even to book readers. It's clear he is dead and somehow related to the White Walkers, yet he is intelligent enough to speak. Unlike the White Walkers and their wights, his eyes are black, not glowing blue. He also appears to be a former ranger of the Night's Watch, as his clothing is that of the brothers in black. The long-running fan theory is that Coldhands is none other than Benjen Stark, Jon's uncle and First Ranger of the Night's Watch. Benjen goes missing shortly after the series begins while ranging north of the Wall. Seeing as how Bran, Meera and Jojen already reached the Three-Eyed Raven without the help of Coldhands in the show, fans thought the character might never make an appearance. That could be changing now, as Bran and Meera are fleeing for their lives with the White Walkers and the Night King in hot pursuit. Where exactly Meera and Bran will flee to remains uncertain, but now seems the perfect time for Coldhands to make an appearance. The character is shown to be a deadly fighter in the books, as he cuts down wights and even traitorous brothers in black in order to keep Bran and his friends safe. He could certainly help protect Bran and Meera from harm. One of the show's trailers does feature a black-clad rider in the North wielding a flaming flail against, what could be, a wight. Might this be Coldhands? Possibly, though if it is he looks considerably different from the book character. Aside from that, there's little real evidence to support the idea that Coldhands might appear in season six other than that it makes sense from a story perspective. That being said, it is worth noting that Benjen Stark does appear in the show's first season. It's stated that the two men accompanying Benjen on his ranging are found dead. Benjen's horse is also discovered, though Benjen himself is never found. It seems almost wasteful for the show to introduce the character and then never explain his disappearance or possible death. For that reason it seems likely that Benjen still has some role to play in the events to come, either as Coldhands or otherwise. Whether or not either one of these prominent book characters will make an appearance on the show is uncertain, but it's looking increasingly possible that season six might be the perfect time for each to make their television debut. With only five episodes left this season, fans will soon have their answer. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Remember how the worlds top physicists celebrated the discovery of gravitational waves and esteemed Albert Einstein once again? The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory two detectors based in Louisiana and Washington and more popularly known as LIGO picked up a faint tremble of a cataclysmic event in deep universe. The signal matched what would be anticipated from the merging of two black holes, those estimated to be 29 and 36 times the mass of the sun, during an event some 1.3 billion years ago. That report observed gravitational waves for the first time ever, with the world waiting with bated breath for other detections. In the meantime, a new study proposes that perhaps black holes are the dark matter themselves. Primordial Black Holes Lets have a quick refresher: dark matter is a mysterious substance making up most of the material universe. It is dark because of its non-interaction with electromagnetic radiation, thus scientists cannot build a telescope to detect it. Black holes, on the other hand, are collapsed stars. Here, the matter becomes so compressed that its gravitational field warps space-time and no light can escape within the so-called event horizon of the black hole. One alternative view is that dark matter is made up of black holes formed during the first second of the existence of the universe, known as primordial black holes (PBHs). Writing in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, astrophysicist Alexander Kashlinsky suggested that this is aligned with existing knowledge of cosmic infrared and X-ray background glows, and potentially explains the surprisingly high masses of merging black holes unearthed last year. "If this is correct, then all galaxies, including our own, are embedded within a vast sphere of black holes each about 30 times the sun's mass, explained Kashlinsky of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The LIGO black holes, while difficult to imagine as forming from stars or mergers, fall within the upper range of PBH models. Kashlinsky concluded that PBHs must have been plenty among the earliest stars, forming at least one-fifth of the sources making up the cosmic infrared background. The cosmologist delved on fluctuations in the cosmic infrared background (CIB). The CIB unlike the cosmic microwave background or the thermal remains of the big bang resulted from a wide range of functions producing infrared light, including heated gas in galaxies. Fluctuations occurring in this background lend insight about its sources structure. He compared infrared fluctuations with the distribution of galaxies and other known sources, finding that some of those fluctuations could not be accounted for by familiar sources. The scale of the fluctuations are consistent with a dark matter distribution of LIGO-mass black holes, meaning black holes could be key in explaining dark matter after all. Black Holes As Dark Matter? In a phone interview with the Washington Post, Kashlinsky pointed out that the black holes with 30 solar masses are a key to this hypothesis, as it is an unusual mass for typical black holes that form in todays universe from stars. If black holes are actually dark matter, they would primarily exist in a halo that surrounds galaxies, including the Milky Way. And they would be numerous, some 10 billion to 30 billion black holes, Kashlinsky continued. In a nutshell: primordial black holes could maintain properties highly similar to what LIGO detected in this case, LIGO found a merger of black holes formed in the beginnings of the universe. Kashlinskys argument is similar to that of Simeon Bird from Johns Hopkins University, raising the possibility that LIGO has found primordial black hole dark matter. If the black holes are usually less massive, that would pinpoint the standard origin through collapsed stars. But since the black holes were in the 30-plus solar mass range, they can be speculated as PBHs. Some PBHs occasionally get close enough to be gravitationally trapped into binary systems. Ultimately, black holes in each of the binaries will merge into a larger one like the event described by LIGO. For Kashlinsky its only a matter of time before future LIGO observations give out more information to support or rule out his proposed scenario. The Debate Continues Dark matter and its nature remain a hotly debated topic in astrophysics, with scientists currently favoring theoretical models explaining this mystery as an exotic massive particle. So far, however, there isnt any proof yet that these particles exist. Some experts have disagreed with Kashlinskys paper, with Michael Turner of University of Chicago, for instance, saying he will eat the paper if the theory is proven correct. Rainer Weiss, one of the LIGO founders, also said in an email that he is quite skeptical. If [those black holes] are primeval and are the dark matter they should have distorted the spectrum of the cosmic background radiation to be non-thermal, he said, adding they should have also appeared in the data of weak lensing measurements as a function of time. Kashlinsky leads a team joining the Euclid mission of the European Space Agency, which is poised to launch in 2020. The project will investigate galactic and stellar populations in the CIB using high precision instruments and see what part was produced by black holes. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. I got up today morning only to see a mail from LinkedIn with subject title "Important information about your LinkedIn account" and as always, who wants to know that important information right. So, neglected it for sometime. But, curiosity didn't spare me, and I opened it. Well, it was a notice of data breach sent by LinkedIn. The company has sent this mail to every LinkedIn user explaining about the latest news that hit the stands regarding the stolen data from LinkedIn being made available online. First things first, the company claims in the mail that the data made available online was not a new security breach, but in-fact it was an extension to what had happened back in 2012. According to the company, email IDs, passwords and member IDs of those LinkedIn accounts created before 2012 breach occurred and had not reset their password since then. Sounds scary if you haven't changed your password yet! I bet I haven't. So, here's what we can do to safeguard our LinkedIn accounts. LinkedIn suggests you through the mail to enable the two-step verification and use reset your passwords at the earliest. Keep them as strong as possible. Also, as generally recommended, it would be better if you change your passwords frequently. While you perform these safety measure, LinkedIn is coming up with a number of ways to encrypt your data. The company uses salted hashes to store passwords and automated tools to identify and block any suspicious activities that might occur on any LinkedIn accounts. How to find it out... Having said everything, I found out a website where you can actually findout whether any of your online accounts have been compromised so far or not, and guess what - upon entering my email ID, it was compromised thrice! Australian security expert Troy Hunt recently updated his entire dataset on his popular website haveibeenpwned.com and this website actually allows you to check as I did. Once you enter your email address, the website go refer its entire data set with over 510,321,085 account details and gives you accurate information. So, lastly, here's the screenshot of the website when I entered my email ID... As I told earlier, my LinkedIn ID has been compromised too! I am changing my password right away.. are you? LinkedIn, Data Breach This 3 Neflix Hack Day even hacks should be implemented right now On a blog post published on Netflix, the team has decided to show-off some really cool hacks that would definitely bring an upgrade to your viewing experience. The blog post states the following: Keeping with our roughly six-month cadence, Netflix recently hosted another fantastic Hack Day event. As was the case with our past installments, Hack Day is a way for our product development staff to take a break from everyday work to have fun, experiment with new technologies, collaborate with new people, and to generally be creative. This time, we were lucky to have a team of Netflixers emerge to hack together a documentary video of the event. Here are 3 amazing Netflix hacks that need to become a reality right away. Desktop Netflix experience Called Project Tetris, this allows users to drag, drop, re-position and even remove rows from the Netflix splash page. Watch Netflix in peace with QuietCast This neat hack that lets users watch Netflix programming on their large screen. However, the only difference here is that the audio is cast straight to their headphones, either via Chromecast or another mobile device. Netflix takes on VR The Netflix engineers have managed to make a hack called Netflix Zone, which is essentially a Netflix UI designed specifically for the HTC Vive. This one is pretty cool since it presents Netflixs catalog of content in what appears to be an antiquated video store. Looking at what these Netflix engineers are capable of doing, we believe that it is high time that Netflix introduced some serious upgrades so that all of us can experience a flexible way of viewing a vast library of movies and shows. Netflix, please make this possible. RPG, Action, Racing, or MFPS? Whether its DOTA 2 or World of Warcraft, even Fortnite, see detailed walkthroughs and news about them all here. Learn how to complete certain levels or get ahead by using allowed cheats. Here are top 9 free phishing simulators for ethical hackers In our attempt to make this world free from cyber criminals, we have brought out different articles about hacking tools and apps. The attempt of putting such articles in public domain is to educate readers about the clear and present dangers about surfing online without taking necessary precautions. They are also meant to educate wannabe hackers about new tools, apps and techniques. In continuation to our above, goal we bring this article on phishing tools. Phishing is the attempt to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details (and sometimes, indirectly, money), often for malicious reasons, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. So, if you are essentially looking for a free phishing simulator or tools for your company, you have only three options: (1) Simple tools that allows you to create a simple email message and send it to one or numerous recipients using a specified mail server, (2) Open-source phishing platforms, and (3) Demo versions of commercial products. You can use this tools to test the cyber defences of your company, provide cyber security training to your employees and friends. (1) SecurityIQ PhishSim Developed by InfoSec Institute, one of the many first benefits of SecurityIQ PhishSim is that after filling out a short online form, you get access to all benefits of software-as-a-service (SaaS) without having to pay for anything. It has no installation, no scripts to modify, and no servers to configure. All you need to do is simply sign up for a free account and start phishing and educate yourself. But, there are limitations, which include limited number of learners, branding and other customization options. However, the important components, such as using multiple templates (with over 100 templates to select from) in one campaign, report delivery and exporting features, campaign scheduling options, and an interactive phishing awareness education module, are included in the free account that allows you to run numerous extremely effective phishing campaigns. (2) Gophish Gophish is a powerful, easy-to-use, open-source phishing toolkit meant to help pentesters and businesses conduct real-world phishing simulations. The installation process is as simple as downloading and extracting a ZIP folder, as it is supported by most operating systems. While the limited features are considerately applied, the interface is simple and intuitive. Users can be easily added either manually or via bulk CSV importing. Email templates are easy to create and modify, creating campaigns is a direct process, and reports are pleasing to look at and can be exported to CSV format with many levels of detail. However, the most important disadvantage is that there no campaign scheduling options and no awareness education components. (3) LUCY LUCY is a hassle-free download of the free (community) version of the platform. You can download LUCY as a Debian install script or a virtual appliance. All you need is your email address and name for the same. While the web interface is attractive and maybe a bit confusing, there are many other features to explore. Designed as a social engineering platform, LUCY goes beyond phishing. It has awareness element along with interactive modules and puzzles. However, the community version of LUCY has too many restrictions to be efficiently used in an enterprise environment. Some important features such as campaign scheduling options, exporting campaign stats, and performing file (attachment) attacks, are not available under community license. (4) Simple Phishing Toolkit (sptoolkit) Simple Phishing Toolkit is a super easy to install and use phishing framework built to help information security professionals find human vulnerabilities. It offers an opportunity to combine phishing tests with security awareness education, with a feature that (optionally) directs phished users to a landing page with an awareness education video. Additionally, there is a tracking feature for users who completed the training. Ironically, the sptoolkit project was abandoned back in 2013. While a new team is trying to infuse new life in it, the documentation currently is rare and distributed all over the internet, making it a difficult task to realistically apply in an enterprise environment. (5) Phishing Frenzy Designed as a penetration testing tool, this open-source Ruby on Rails application has many features that could make it an effective solution for internal phishing campaigns. Compared to other similar tools, one of the main advantages is that you can manage your phishing tests more effectively as you can include the scope of your engagement as well when you create a new phishing campaign. Another advantage of Phishing Frenzy is that it can generate statistics regarding the users in scope (i.e. how many clicked the link?) which is always essential for the clients who order this type of test and the penetration tester as this information can be included as well in the final report. The stats can be viewed and easily saved into a PDF or an XML file, which is perhaps the most important feature of Phishing Frenzy. However, Phishing Frenzy is a Linux-based application, whose installation should not to be handled by a beginner. (6) King Phisher King Phisher is an open source Phishing Campaign Toolkit from SecureState. It has several features, which includes the ability to run multiple campaigns concurrently, web cloning capabilities, geo location of phished users, etc. Templates for both messages and server pages are contained in a separate template repository. While the user interface is clean and simple, its installation and configuration is not that easy. King Phisher server is only supported on Linux, with additional installation and configuration steps needed based on flavor and existing configuration. (7) SpeedPhish Framework (SPF) Created by Adam Compton, this python tool has many features that let you to quickly configure and carry out effective phishing attacks, including data entry attack vector. A tech-savvy security professional will be able to run phishing campaigns against several targets and can have a lot of fun with SPF. However, it will still remain a pentesting tool having many outstanding features (such as email address gathering) that may be hardly have importance for someone who is carrying out internal phishing tests. (8) Social-Engineer Toolkit (SET) Created and written by the founder of TrustedSec, the Social-Engineer Toolkit (SET) is an open-source Python-driven tool aimed at penetration testing around Social-Engineering. It has no graphical user interface (GUI). SET is the standard for social-engineering penetration tests and supported heavily within the security community. For phishing, SET allows to send spear-phishing emails, running mass mailer campaigns along with some more advanced options, such as adding list of target emails from a file and flagging your message with high priority. While it is effective as a penetration testing tool, but it is very restricted as a phishing simulation solution and does not include any campaign management features or reporting. (9) SpearPhisher BETA Developed by TrustedSec, SpearPhisher is a tool that doesnt try to cheat anyone other than its phishing targets. It says it correctly in the description: A Simple Phishing Email Generation Tool. With an emphasis on simple. SpearPhisher is a Windows-based program with a direct GUI designed for non-technical users. It lets you to swiftly craft a phishing email with customized From Email, From Name, and Subject fields and includes a WYSIWYG HTML editor and an option to include one attachment. By adding email addresses to To, CC, and BCC fields, you can send the crafted email to many recipients. Since 2013, the program has been in Beta, and hence it is likely that there may not be any updates in the near future. Buffer time given on taxing imported goods sold online Updated: 2016-05-26 08:04 By MENG JING(China Daily) The country's customs authority said it will continue to allow the direct import of cosmetics, baby formula, medical equipment and healthcare-related food in 10 pilot cities, without permission, or the filing of special applications. E-commerce companies have been given a one-year buffer period to rethink their cross-border strategies, after the government released new regulations, which ease controls introduced in April on certain imported goods sold online. The country's customs authority said it will continue to allow the direct import of cosmetics, baby formula, medical equipment and healthcare-related food in 10 pilot cities, without permission, or the filing of special applications. Companies have been told they have until May 11, 2017 to bring imported goods into bonded warehouses in the citiesincluding Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Zhengzhou, Guangzhou and Shenzhenwithout having to complete customs clearance forms originally required from early April on cross-border e-commerce activities. Customs officials were unavailable to comment on the latest move on Wednesday, but Beijing-based JD.com Inc and another major e-commerce platform, which asked not to be named, both confirmed they had received the reprieve notice. Lu Zhenwang, an e-commerce expert and chief executive officer of Shanghai-based Wanqing Consultancy, said the April regulation required e-commerce companies to obtain certificates first in order to get their goods through customs, but that had already led to a fall in import volumes. "Many companies have faced challenges in maintaining stock levels because of the difficulty in completing all the customs-related paperwork," he said. But the new regulation now gives them effectively a one-year window to rethink their procedures and plan well ahead, said Lu. China started levying taxes immediately on retail sales on cross-border e-commerce platforms in early April, as well as placing stricter regulations on gaining import permits for goods sold online. The aim was to create a more level-playing field, said officials, for e-commerce platforms and traditional retailers and importers. The regulations, however, triggered mixed reactions among buyers and sellers, with many simply expecting prices of imported goods sold online to be driven higher, resulting in a fall in sales. Gao Hongbin, head of AliResearch, a think tank affiliated with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, said cross-border e-commerce is not a realistic competitor to traditional importers. A 40 anos de Malvinas "Revisar el pasado es pensar el futuro". La frase de la presidenta de Telam, Bernarda Llorente, resume el espiritu del documental coproducido entre la agencia de noticias y el canal publico de TV sobre la cobertura que los medios de comunicacion hicieron del conflicto, plagada de censura y mentiras. Una autocritica necesaria para mirar hacia adelante en un (ya viejo) contexto de fake news y negocio informativo. For example, as part of its commitment to tackling 10 neglected tropical diseases by 2020, it has opened the doors of its Tres Cantos laboratory in Spain to scientists from outside GSK, who are free to pursue their own projects as part of an integrated team. The former guerrilla fighter was convicted in 2006 for the crime of rebellion before the Third Criminal Court of Cucuta in Colombia. | Read More Miracle of WeChat takes hold of tech-savvy news gatherers Updated: 2016-05-26 08:19 By LIU WEIFENG(China Daily) According to Bloomberg, WeChat had 762.4 million monthly active users at the end of the first quarter of 2016. The number was 697 million at the end of 2015, up 39 percent year-on-year. Every morning Monday through Friday, at our very first editorial meeting at 8 o'clock, all the editors from different news sections take out their cell phones, instead of notebooks, to attend the day's early briefing for China Daily's print-digital news convergence. We share and discuss news topics and send out news updates to a panel set up via WeChat, the instant messaging application by Tencent Holdings Ltd. You may argue it's become the typical way of meeting for discussing and pitching news for digital platforms. But the truth is we have a much wider and deeper obsession about WeChat, both for work purposes and personal matters. At rough count, the number of group panels I am involved with on WeChat is at least 20 of the most active groups I need to check out frequently throughout the day, including 10 for business, five for family and five for friends and classmates. Social media allow you to work away from the office, no matter where you are; it also keeps the working clock ticking on a rolling 24-7 basis, whether during office hours or not. Besides those groups, our tech-savvy generation also creates numerous news groups at any time, whenever new story topics and plans pop out. For example, when we planned an in-depth report on the value-added tax reform before its introduction on May 1, a special VAT reporting group was formed immediately consisting of reporters from the macroeconomic reporting team, retailing sector and finance beat. Actually, almost all the reporting tasks are assigned via WeChat and a majority of working group discussions, daily news budget postings and office notice releases are realized on WeChat. I can't help wondering what an amazing invention it is, and how greatly communication efficiency has improved with it. According to Bloomberg, WeChat had 762.4 million monthly active users at the end of the first quarter of 2016. The number was 697 million at the end of 2015, up 39 percent year-on-year. One in four users check WeChat at least 30 times per day, while more than half check it out over 10 times a day, according to a report by Tencent. The more active users, the easier it is for the social media to charge better rates from its advertisers and expand its channels to be profitable. For example, WeChat's payment service witnessed a huge capital flow of 32 billion yuan ($4.9 billion) in six days in February during the Chinese Lunar New Year, amid people's feverish involvement in sending and receiving red-pocket money. Sometimes I think: are people really better-off and happier with the ever deeper and wider penetration of social media like WeChat? To be honest, I find it harder to keep concentrating on my job while I am jumping from one group to another, switching topic from this to that, in limited space and time. It's a bit like a circus clown jugglingtossing balls up into the air, trying to keep three of them moving about without dropping them, with only two bare hands. Research by ericadhawan.com said it takes a typical user 23 minutes to get back on track after a social media interruption, which occurs every 10.5 minutes on average. Even contact with my family has been migrating online, making it easier and simpler. I used to phone my parents who live in my hometown of Zhengzhou, Henan province, at least once a week, talking about my work and my life in general and asking about their health. But four years ago my parents started using iPhones and opened WeChat accounts, and now we rarely call each other. We just send text or voice messages, or sometimes I make group video-calls with my parents and my sister. We do contact each other much more frequently, but the exchanges have become more superficial. I have to admit we have become more or less addicted to social media. A report by the University of Maryland said that 18 percent of social media users in the United States can't go beyond "a few hours" without checking Facebook. It's estimated that US office workers spend about one quarter of their working hours browsing social media for non-work related activities. Frankly, I need to think twice about whether social media have become a productivity booster or a productivity killer? Before I work out the answer to that one, I'd better pick up my phone and call my dear old folks, 800 kilometers away. Contact the writer at liuweifeng@chinadaily.com.cn Li vows fairness for big data investment Updated: 2016-05-26 03:37 By HU YONGQI in Guiyang(China Daily) Premier Li Keqiang (2nd R) talks with an exhibitor before the opening ceremony of the China Big Data Industry Summit & China E-commerce Innovation and Development Summit in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, May 25, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] China will create a more transparent and equal market to attract foreign investment in big data and e-commerce with streamlined administration, Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday. "Industries related to big data and e-commerce are booming in China with great growth potential, and enterprises from all countries are welcome to invest in these sectors," he said. "We will create a more transparent and equal business environment for them." Li made the remarks in a keynote speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the China Big Data Industry Summit in Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou province. The summit was attended by leading Chinese and multinational companies, including computer maker Dell Inc and SAP, a German-based multinational corporation that makes enterprise software to manage business operations and customer relations. Li said China is promoting another round of reform and opening-up while creating a nondiscriminatory business environment for all enterprises registered in the country, both domestic and foreign ones. The government controls 80 percent of data and information generated in China and will publicize more information, apart from that concerning areas such as national security and business secrets, the premier said. "By doing this, the government can create a market for fair competition while integrating with the internet and big data to streamline administration," he added. Before the opening ceremony, Li inspected an exhibition staged by 56qq.com, a local online platform for logistics. The platform enables 1.7 million drivers and 300,000 member logistics companies to locate their optimal partners to transport freight. Li said the platform has increased efficiency and reduced energy consumption a good example of Guizhou moving quickly in this area since February as a national comprehensive pilot zone for big data. The premier told more than 1,000 participants at the ceremony that many people would be surprised to know that Guizhou is hosting a summit for high-tech industries, as the province is one of the least developed regions in western China. While talking with business leaders on the sidelines of the summit on Tuesday, Li said that he welcomed foreign investment in China, particularly in central and western regions. He told them that there is a development disparity between eastern and inland regions, where there is great growth potential and plenty of investment opportunities. He also pledged that China will focus on protection of intellectual property rights, the respect for and protection of trade secrets, and enhancing cybersecurity. Huang Qunhui, director of the Institute of Industrial Economics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said China's big data and e-commerce industries need more participation by multinational companies and foreign investment to boost infrastructure and train professionals. Transparency and fair competition are keys to a market economy, in which all players can benefit, Huang added. The sponsors and organizers of Paris Ballet par VPBank at a press conference at LEspace on May 25, 2016. The show will be held on June 11 at the Vietnam National Convention Center in Hanoi. Photo: Thuy Linh Love and Romanticism in ballet are the special threads that will weave together the star-studded Paris Ballet par VPBank show to be held next month in Hanoi. The event will take place on June 11 at the Vietnam National Convention Center. It is sponsored by the French Embassy and the French Institute (LEspace) in Hanoi, organized by VPBank, and produced by media and event management company Opal Vietnam Paris Ballet par VPBank, designed especially for Vietnamese audiences, will feature excerpts from nine ballets that best represent the classical Romanticist as well as Contemporary styles of French ballet, known for its elegance and refinement rather than its virtuosity. Though ballet originated in the Italian courts during the Renaissance, it flourished and took its classical form in France, thanks to the efforts and talents of such men as King Louis the 14th and Moliere. Romantic ballet emphasizes intense emotion and often focuses on female dancers and features pointe work, flowing and precise movements while Contemporary ballet is much more open. The nine ballets are Roland Petits "Carmen," Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovskys "The Nutcracker," Adolphe Adams "Giselle," Marius Petipas "Don Quixote," Jerome Robbins "In the Night," Jose Martinezs "Children of Paradise," Ivan Faviers "No, I Dont Regret Anything," Roland Petits "Proust or the Heart's Intermissions," and Angelin Preljocajs "The Park." The excerpts are selected to best showcase the love themes of the nine ballets as well as the most famous pas de deux (literally "step of two"), a dance duet characteristic of classical ballet in which two dancers, typically a male and a female, perform together. The classical part of Paris Ballet par VPBank will be accompanied by live music performed by the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, a rare thing since ballet shows in the world are generally just performed with recorded music, according to Frederic Fontan, the shows art director. World-renowned French pianist Henri Barda will also take part, playing Chopin for "In the Night." The ballet will be performed by some first-rate stars from world-leading theaters such as the Paris Opera Ballet, the oldest national ballet company in the world, and the San Francisco Ballet. The star dancers include Agnes Letestu, Mathilde Froustey, and Alice Renavand, whose mother is Vietnamese. Eva Nguyen Binh, director of LEspace, said it was this idea of organizing a ballet show with a dancer of Vietnamese origin that first made her interested when Fontan proposed it to her over a year ago. Eva said she thought it would be a tool to promote French culture in Vietnam, though she also loves ballet personally. So she contacted VPBank, which, for the past three years, has been establishing itself not just as a sponsor but an organizer of high-class concerts. Tran Tuan Viet, director of VPBanks Marketing and Communications Center, said that by bringing top-notch, authentic world cultures (such as Richard Clayderman in 2014, Kenny G last year and this year Paris Ballet) to Vietnam to inspire people, VPBank hoped to be known as a cultural, responsible brand by the public. Viet said VPBank had to actively seek out world artists because for various reasons, Vietnam was not their priority destination. Performance art here in particular is still a much empty field, he said. For his part, Fontan, who has been creating Paris Ballet par VPBank as part of Paris Dance Galaxy, a global tour program that he and his company Alfalibra have been organizing, said he chose Hanoi as the first Asian destination of his upcoming tour. He was very attached to Hanoi and the partners here were very enthusiastic and determined to make the show happen, Fontan said. His next destination will be Dubai next year and he is also considering Seoul. Only 500 tickets out of the 3,000 seats available at the Vietnam National Convention Center, 57 Pham Hung Street, Tu Liem District, will be sold to the public. The rest are reserved for organizers and sponsors. A monthly vaginal ring that contains an anti-retroviral drug has been shown to cut the risk of HIV infection in women by nearly one-third, according to two international studies. Photo: AFP/File A monthly vaginal ring that contains an anti-retroviral drug has been shown to cut the risk of HIV infection in women by nearly one-third, according to two international studies Monday. The dapivirine ring was even more effective in women over 25, who saw their risk of HIV drop 61 percent while using the ring, developed by the nonprofit International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM). The findings, released at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Boston, mark the first time a long-acting vaginal ring has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of HIV infection in women, researchers said. The research also adds a new dimension to preventing HIV infection by encouraging healthy people to take anti-retroviral drugs, a strategy known as PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis. Previous trials using another anti-retroviral drug -- tenofovir -- in pill form and as a vaginal gel have not been shown effective in African women. In contrast, studies using Truvada, a preventive daily pill in gay men, have shown significant success. Women bear greatest burden The latest findings came from two large phase III clinical trials, in which thousands of women in Africa were randomly assigned -- and taught -- to insert a vaginal ring that either contained the active medication or a placebo. "The Ring Study, led by IPM, showed that the monthly dapivirine ring safely reduced HIV infection overall by 31 percent compared to a placebo," said a statement from IPM. "Similar results were seen in ASPIRE, led by the US National Institutes of Health-funded Microbicide Trials Network (MTN), which found that the ring safely reduced infection by 27 percent overall," it added. "This is the first time two phase III studies have confirmed statistically significant efficacy for a microbicide to prevent HIV." Finding ways to prevent the virus that causes AIDS in women is important because more than half of the 35 million people in the world who currently are infected with HIV are women -- and most reside in sub-Saharan Africa. Women need additional preventive measures because they are often unable to negotiate consistent condom use with their partners, experts say. The Ring Study enrolled 1,959 HIV-negative women ages 18-45 at seven sites in South Africa and Uganda. It began in 2012 and began reporting its results early based on the successes seen. ASPIRE ran from 2012-2015 and enrolled 2,629 HIV-negative women ages 18-45 at 15 sites in Malawi, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Both studies found large differences in how effective the ring was at preventing HIV according to the age of the women using it. "Little to no protection was seen in women ages 18-21 across both studies - 15 percent in The Ring Study and no protection in ASPIRE," said the IPM statement. But women over 21, who appeared to use the ring more consistently, saw their risk of HIV drop by 56 percent in the ASPIRE study. Those over 25 had a 61 percent reduced risk. "These findings were statistically significant and supported by a trend in The Ring Study which also showed higher efficacy (37 percent) for women over 21," said the IPM. More research is needed to understand what factors could have led to the difference in outcomes, scientists presenting the findings said at CROI. "These findings give new hope to many women at high risk who need more and different options to effectively protect themselves from HIV," said Zeda Rosenberg, founding chief executive officer of IPM. A report detailing the latest research was simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Vietnam is asking international organizations to maintain their support for HIV treatment and prevention in the country to prevent an increase in infections after some success. A report from the Ministry of Health at a meeting Wednesday said new HIV infections in Vietnam have dropped from 18,000 in 2010 to around 10,000 last year. Annual deaths linked to the infections fell more than 37 percent to around 2,000 over the same period. The report said various campaigns and policies also helped ease discrimination against people with HIV, without providing relevant statistics. Representatives from the health ministry said Vietnam just begins to contain the spread of the HIV virus and still faces big challenges, including a lack of funding. International funds for HIV/AIDS prevention in Vietnam has gone down quickly in recent years, causing problems in maintaining adequate and qualified staff, they said. They said the Vietnamese government will continue to spend more on this area. But Vietnam will not be able to fight it alone. Without external support, there will be a rise in infections, they said. Women now account for 34 percent of new infections every year. Most of them were infected from their husbands or boyfriends, according to the report. Sixty percent of HIV-positive people in Vietnam are not insured and there is a high chance that they will give up treatment if antiretroviral treatments become more expensive. International donors have been reducing their funding since April 2015 and will completely cut it by the end of 2017, according to official sources. Antiretroviral treatment costs around VND3-24 million ($136-1,100) a year per person, and health insurance covers 80-95 percent of it. Vietnam's newly-elected Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc arrived in Japan on Thursday, starting a three-day visit. Phuc will attend a meeting with the G7 leaders on Friday as one of the guests invited by Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. Other guests include government leaders from Bangladesh, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. It will be the first time for a Vietnamese leader to attend a G7 summit. The Vietnamese PM is expected to have separate meetings with the leaders of Canada, France, Germany and the UK, as well as the World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim. He will meet with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe on the last day and witness the two countries' representatives signing cooperation agreements. In an interview with Japanese news outlets ahead of his trip, Phuc said he and his Japanese counterpart will discuss major orientation and specific measures to foster bilateral ties in various areas, focusing on mutual political trust and cooperation in economy, trade, investment, official development assistance, support industries, agriculture, natural disaster and climate change response, health care, education-training, science and technology. Vietnam and Japan established diplomatic ties with in 1963. The two countries upgraded their relations to a strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia in 2009, and to an extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia in 2014. Japan is now the fourth largest trade partner of Vietnam, with two-way trade achieving more than US$28 billion in 2015 and around $6.4 billion in the first quarter of this year, the Vietnam News Agency reported. Locals gather near a dam in the northern province of Hai Duong where a 10-year-old boy has been found dead. Photo: CTV Police in the northern province of Hai Duong on Wednesday said they are investigating a 16-year-old girl suspected of killing her half brother. The girl reportedly confessed that she hit the 10-year-old boy with a brick on Sunday (May 22) when they were walking home. She said she had been caught by the brother stealing some money from their parents. He had threatened to tell the parents about this, she said. When she realized that her brother was dead, she pushed his body into a dam. The parents reported that their son was missing later the same day. The girl admitted to the crime the next morning when investigators found the boy's slippers and the brick. They then recovered his body. The girl lives with her father and his second wife. The couple also has another son. Neighbors said it was a very happy family. Vu Duy Kien, 38, at a police station in Hanoi. Photo provided by the police Police in Hanoi said Wednesday they had arrested a man who allegedly stole a car of a jewelry shop earlier this year with around 15 kilograms of gold and VND1 billion worth of cash inside. Vu Duy Kien, 38, was caught on May 10 while he was trying to sell some of the gold, police said Wednesday. Kien told police he had spent months secretly monitoring daily activities of Phi Doan Jewelry Shop and planned for the theft to pay his debts. At around 3 a.m. on January 7 he spotted a car in front of the shop and watched two employees move gold and money into the car. After seeing the employees putting a trunk into the car and going back inside the shop, Kien reportedly sneaked in and drove away. He dropped the car several kilometers away and took 15 kilos of gold and VND1 billion, equivalent to around US$715,000 in total. Between March and May, a friend helped him sell more than half of the amount of gold. He was caught on May 10 when trying to sell some more. Kien told investigators used the money to buy a car and deposited the rest in a bank. A file photo from Ho Chi Minh City's Suoi Tien Theme Park's website shows fruits displayed as entries for a fruit contest as part of the Southern Fruits Festival held at the park in District 9 last year. Different kinds of Vietnamese fruits will be displayed and put on sale to promote the tropical countrys produce during the first Vietnam Fruit Week, scheduled from June 1-9 in Ho Chi Minh City. The event will be held at many hotels, supermarkets, markets, and stores, according to the city's Tourism Department. Local residents and tourists will be able to learn more about safe fruit traders while e xperienced chefs and bartenders will get creative with local fruits. Supermarkets will offer at least seven kinds of fruit with up to 40 percent discounts, including Co.op Mart, Co.op Xtras, SatraMart and Satrafoods. The Suoi Tien Theme Park in HCMC's District 9 will host the Southern Fruits Festival. The event also aims to raise fund for farmers and their families who are affected by saltwater intrusion and drought in the Mekong Delta. African nationals in the Indian capital live in a "pervading climate of fear and insecurity", a group of African ambassadors has said, after the brutal murder of a Congolese teacher sparked allegations of racism. The Group of African Heads of Mission said they may recommend their governments not to send students to India until safety conditions improve, following a string of what they say are unpunished racial attacks. In the latest case, Masunda Kitada Oliver, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was allegedly bludgeoned to death in New Delhi on Friday night by three Indian men after an argument over an auto-rickshaw. "Given the pervading climate of fear and insecurity in Delhi, the African Heads of Mission are left with little option than to consider recommending to their governments not to send new students to India, unless and until their safety can be guaranteed," Alem Tsehage Woldemariam, Eritrean ambassador and dean of the group said in a statement Tuesday. "Several attacks and harassment of Africans in India have gone unnoticed without diligent prosecution and conviction of perpetrators," he said. In an embarrassment for New Delhi, the envoys said they would not participate in Africa Day celebrations being organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations on Thursday. They said the African community was in mourning over Oliver's death and asked for the event to be postponed. Oliver had completed his postgraduate study in India and was teaching at a private institute in the capital. Police have arrested two of the three men accused in the attack but deny the murder was racially motivated. India's foreign ministry condemned the killing but said not every attack on an African national should be regarded as racist. "Thousands of African students continue to pursue their education in India without any issues," a foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement. Junior minister V.K. Singh will meet mission heads and students to assure them of their safety, the spokesman said, without specifying a date. In 2013, a Nigerian national was killed by a mob in western Goa state, with local politicians later comparing Africans to "cancer". Meanwhile in January, an Indian mob beat a Tanzanian woman and her male friends in Bangalore and set their car ablaze before dragging them off a bus, in an apparent revenge attack for an earlier road accident. Delhi's former law minister was also accused in 2014 of harassing African women after he led a vigilante mob through an area of the capital, accusing the women of being prostitutes. A family member of a passenger onboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 which went missing in 2014 holds a banner during a gathering in front of the Malaysian Embassy on the second anniversary of the disappearance of MH370, in Beijing, China, March 8, 2016. Photo: Reuters/Damir Sagolj Three new pieces of debris thought to be from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 have been found washed up on Indian Ocean beaches and will be examined in Australia, the transport minister said on Thursday. Two of the pieces were found in Mauritius while the third was found in Mozambique. The minister, Darren Chester, said in a statement all three items would be investigated in connection with the disappearance of MH370. "These items of debris are of interest and will be examined by experts," he said. Flight MH370 disappeared in March 2014 with 239 passengers and crew on board shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing, in what has become one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries. Investigators believe someone may have deliberately switched off the plane's transponder before diverting it thousands of miles off course over the Indian Ocean. A first piece of the Boeing 777, a wing part known as a flaperon, washed up on the French island of Reunion in July 2015. Malaysia and French authorities confirmed it was from the aircraft. Two pieces of debris discovered later in South Africa and the Mauritian island of Rodrigues were almost certainly from the jetliner, Malaysia's transport ministry said this month. Chester said Malaysia was arranging to collect the three new pieces and would send them to Australia, which has been leading the search for the aircraft in the Indian Ocean. File photo of a Chinese J-11 fighter jet seen flying near a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon about 215 km (135 miles) east of China's Hainan Island in this U.S. Department of Defense handout photo taken August 19, 2014. Photo: Reuters/U.S. Navy/Handout China's Defense Ministry said on Thursday its aircraft followed the rules after two Chinese fighter jets carried out what the United States said was an "unsafe" intercept of a U.S. military reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea. The incident took place in international airspace last week as the plane carried out "a routine U.S. patrol", the Pentagon said. A U.S. defense official said two Chinese J-11 fighter jets flew within 50 feet (15 meters) of the U.S. EP-3 aircraft. The official said the incident took place east of Hainan island. Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun told a monthly news briefing China's aircraft acted completely professionally and in line with an agreement reached between the countries on rules governing such encounters. However, he said the agreement, called the Rules of Behavior for Safety of Air and Maritime Encounters, could only provide a "technical standard", and the best way of resolving the problem was for the U.S. to stop such flights. "That's the real source of danger for Sino-U.S. military safety at sea and in the air," he said. The encounter came shortly after China scrambled fighter jets as a U.S. Navy ship sailed close to a disputed reef in the South China Sea. Another Chinese intercept took place in 2014 when a Chinese fighter pilot flew acrobatic maneuvers around a U.S. spy plane. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims. Washington has accused Beijing of militarizing the South China Sea after creating artificial islands, while Beijing, in turn, has criticized increased U.S. naval patrols and exercises in Asia. G7 cannot speak for all on DPRK nuclear issue Updated: 2016-05-26 07:33 By Wang Junsheng(China Daily) CAI MENG/CHINA DAILY The 2016 G7 Summit, which will be held in Ise-Shima, Japan, on Thursday and Friday, comes at a time of rising strategic tensions in Asia. According to the agenda, social issues and global growth are to be discussed, as are hot security affairs, including the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's nuclear issue, which Japan would like to see reflected in a G7 joint statement. Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test in January, in particular, has fueled global concerns over possible nuclear proliferation on the Korean Peninsula. However, for some G7 members, such as the United States and Japan, playing up the DPRK's nuclear threat is also part of their strategic intentions. Japan, which is hosting the two-day talks, is keen to win an endorsement for its position as a "normal state" in the international community, and is playing up the threat of the DPRK having nuclear weapons. The US, too, is highlighting the dangers of the DPRK's nuclear ambitions to justify its rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific. Nevertheless, the G7 summit that involves Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, as well as the US and Japan, is still not an appropriate platform for discussing the DPRK nuclear issue, which concerns the international society as a whole. That explains why it was the UN Security Council that passed the four resolutions against Pyongyang's nuclear tests. Admittedly, the group plays a certain role in global governance, but it was founded over four decades ago to boost economic cooperation in the West, thus it does not represent all parties concerned in the nuclear issue. Only two G7 membersthe US and Japanare part of the Six-Party Talks aimed at denuclearizing the peninsula, which have been indefinitely stalled since 2008. The other parties are China, the DPRK, the Republic of Korea and Russia. Any consensus reached by G7 leaders on the DPRK nuclear issue, if there is one, will hardly be convincing without the other participants in the Six-Party Talks, and may further complicate the situation. What the all parties should do is to fully implement Resolution 2270 passed by the UN Security Council on March 2, which includes economic sanctions against Pyongyang, as well as measures aimed at bringing it back to the negotiation table. Should the G7 members propose to independently take additional measures, which is likely, the DPRK may seek to enhance its nuclear advocacy "in response to the security threats from the West", especially the US. The rising tensions on the peninsula are, of course, a result of Pyongyang's and Washington's flawed strategies as well as the decades-long Cold War situation. But it does not mean the G7 joint statement cannot touch upon nuclear non-proliferation, given Pyongyang's latest reiteration of its nuclear ambitions. After the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong-un assumed power less than five years ago, the country has already conducted two nuclear tests. The 7th Congress held by the ruling Workers' Party of Korea earlier this month, the first major conference of the party in 36 years, also indicated that Pyongyang will keep pursuing the development of nuclear technologies as a "responsible nuclear power". In this light, mentioning non-proliferation in the G7 joint statement would instill in Pyongyang the fact that the international community will not allow the existence of a large nuclear arsenal on the Korean Peninsula. On its part, the DPRK should drop the wishful thinking that diplomatic maneuvers and consistent nuclear advocacy will keep negotiations at bay. It is important that the G7 nations refrain from going too far and exacerbating the situation. The author is an associate researcher at the National Institute of International Strategy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. From left, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, U.S. President Barack Obama, British Prime Minister David Cameron, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, European Council President Donald Tusk, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel walk to a tree planting ceremony as they visit the Ise Jingu shrine in Ise, Mie Prefecture, Japan, Thursday, May 26, 2016, as part of the G-7 Summit. Photo: Reuters/Carolyn Kaster/Pool Group of Seven (G7) leaders agreed on Thursday on the need to send a strong message on maritime claims in the western Pacific, where an increasingly assertive China is locked in territorial disputes with Japan and several Southeast Asian nations. The agreement prompted a sharp rejoinder from China, which is not in the G7 club but whose rise as a power has put it at the heart of some discussions at the advanced nations' summit in Ise-Shima, central Japan. "Prime Minister (Shinzo) Abe led discussion on the current situation in the South China Sea and East China Sea. Other G7 leaders said it is necessary for G7 to issue a clear signal," Japan's Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshige Seko told reporters after a session on foreign policy affairs. At a news conference late on Wednesday, Abe said Japan welcomed China's peaceful rise while repeating Tokyo's opposition to acts that try to change the status quo by force and urging respect of the rule of law - principles expected to be mentioned in a statement after the summit. The United States is also increasingly concerned about China's action in the region. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying retorted in Beijing that the South China Sea issue had "nothing to do" with the G7 or any of its members. "China is resolutely opposed to individual countries hyping up the South China Sea for personal gain," she said. U.S. President Barack Obama called on China on Wednesday to resolve maritime disputes peacefully and he reiterated that the United States was simply concerned about freedom of navigation and overflight in the region. Obama on Thursday pointed to the risks from North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, saying the isolated state was "hell bent" on getting atomic weapons. But he said there had been improved responses from countries in the region like China that could reduce the risk of North Korea selling weapons or nuclear material. "It's something that we've put at the center of discussions and negotiations with China," Obama told reporters. Global health check The global economy topped the agenda earlier in the day, when G7 leaders voiced concern about emerging economies and Abe made a pointed comparison to the 2008 global financial crisis. Not all his G7 partners appeared to agree. The G7 leaders did agree on the need for flexible spending to spur world growth but the timing and amount depended on each country, Seko told reporters, adding some countries saw no need for such spending. Britain and Germany have been resisting calls for fiscal stimulus. "G7 leaders voiced the view that emerging economies are in a severe situation, although there were views that the current economic situation is not a crisis," Seko said . President Obama shakes hands with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a press conference after a bilateral meeting during the 2016 Ise-Shima G7 Summit in Shima, Japan May 25, 2016. Photo: Reuters/Carlos Barria Abe presented data showing global commodities prices fell 55 percent from June 2014 to January 2016, the same margin as from July 2008 to February 2009, after the Lehman collapse. Lehman had been Wall Street's fourth-largest investment bank when it filed for Chapter 11 protection on Sept. 15, 2008, making its bankruptcy by far the biggest in U.S. history. Its failure triggered the global financial crisis. Abe hopes, some political insiders say, to use a G7 statement on the global economy as cover for a domestic fiscal package including the possible delay of a rise in the nation's sales tax to 10 percent from 8 percent planned for next April. Obama ripped into Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, saying the billionaire had rattled other G7 leaders and that his statements were aimed at getting headlines, not what was needed to keep America safe and the world on an even keel. Trump has been accused of racism, misogyny and bigotry for saying he would build a giant wall to keep out illegal Mexican immigrants, would temporarily ban Muslims from the United States and after he made a series of comments considered demeaning to women. Summit pageantry began when Abe escorted G7 leaders to the Shinto religion's holiest site, the Ise Grand Shrine in central Japan, dedicated to sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami, mythical ancestress of the emperor. On Wednesday night, Abe met Obama for talks dominated by the arrest of a U.S. military base civilian worker in connection with the killing of a young woman on Japan's southern Okinawa island, reluctant host to the bulk of the U.S. military in Japan. The attack has marred Obama's hopes of keeping his Japan trip strictly focused on his visit on Friday to Hiroshima, site of the world's first atomic bombing, to highlight reconciliation between the two former World War Two foes and his nuclear anti-proliferation agenda. The G7 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. Participants of the G7 summit meetings (from front in clockwise) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, French President Francois Hollande, Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, European Council President Donald Tusk, Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.S. President Barack Obama attend session 1 working lunch meeting at the Shima Kanko Hotel in Shima, Mie Prefecture, J Group of Seven leaders voiced concern about emerging economies on Thursday as their host, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, made a pointed comparison to the global financial crisis eight years ago. Abe said the G7 leaders agreed on the need for flexible spending to spur world growth but the timing and amount depended on each country, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshige Seko told reporters, adding some countries saw no need for such spending. Britain and Germany have been resisting calls for fiscal stimulus. "G7 leaders voiced the view that emerging economies are in a severe situation, although there were views that the current economic situation is not a crisis," Seko said after the first day of a two-day G7 summit in Ise-Shima, central Japan. Abe presented data showing global commodities prices fell 55 percent from June 2014 to January 2016, the same margin as from July 2008 to February 2009, after the Lehman collapse. Lehman had been Wall Street's fourth-largest investment bank when it filed for Chapter 11 protection on Sept. 15, 2008, making its bankruptcy by far the biggest in U.S. history. Its failure triggered the global financial crisis. Abe hopes, some political insiders say, to use a G7 statement on the global economy as cover for a domestic fiscal package including the possible delay of a rise in the nation's sales tax to 10 percent from 8 percent planned for next April. The G7 leaders are also expected to reaffirm their previous commitment to stability in the foreign exchange market. European Council President Donald Tusk said earlier he would seek G7 support for more global aid for refugees. A flow of migrants from Syria and elsewhere to Europe has confronted the continent with its biggest refugee crisis since World War Two. "If we (G7) do not take the lead in managing this crisis, nobody would," Tusk told reporters. Maritime security Other summit topics include terrorism, cyber security and maritime security, especially China's increasing assertiveness in the East and South China Seas, where Beijing has territorial disputes with Japan and several Southeast Asian nations. At a news conference late on Wednesday, Abe said Japan welcomed China's peaceful rise while repeating Tokyo's opposition to acts that try to change the status quo by force and urging respect of the rule of law - principles expected to be mentioned in a statement after the summit. Asked if a G7 summit was the right place to discuss the South China Sea, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told a briefing in Beijing it was up to the G7 to decide. "But we believe that no matter what the topic is, they should all adopt impartial and fair positions, and not apply double standards or strike alliances, and especially not take actions to escalate or provoke regional tensions," he said. Summit pageantry began when Abe escorted G7 leaders to the Shinto religion's holiest site, greeting U.S. President Barack Obama and other G7 partners one-by-one at Ise Grand Shrine in central Japan, dedicated to sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami, mythical ancestress of the emperor. Led by a white-robed priest, each leader walked across a bridge, took part in a tree-planting ritual, strolled through the expansive grounds and posed for a group photo. Abe has said he hopes the shrine visit will provide an insight to the heart of Japanese culture. Critics say he's catering to a conservative base that wants to put religion back in politics and revive traditional values. On Wednesday night, Abe met Obama for talks dominated by the arrest of a U.S. military base civilian worker in connection with the killing of a young woman on Japan's southern Okinawa island, reluctant host to the bulk of the U.S. military in Japan. The attack has marred Obama's hopes of keeping his Japan trip strictly focused on his visit on Friday to Hiroshima, site of the world's first atomic bombing, to highlight reconciliation between the two former World War Two foes and his nuclear anti-proliferation agenda. The G7 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. From L-R, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, French President Francois Hollande, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. President Barack Obama, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, European Council President Donald Tusk, and British Prime Minister David Cameron visit Ise Grand Shrine in Ise, Mie prefecture, Japan, May 26, 2016. Photo: Reuters Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe escorted Group of Seven (G7) leaders to the Shinto religion's holiest site on Thursday before a summit covering topics from risks to the global economy to refugees and China's maritime assertiveness. Abe greeted U.S. President Barack Obama and other G7 partners one-by-one at Ise Grand Shrine in central Japan, dedicated to sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami, mythical ancestress of the emperor. Led by a white-robed priest, each leader walked across a bridge, took part in a tree-planting ritual, strolled through the expansive grounds and posed for a group photo. Abe has said he hopes the shrine visit will provide an insight to the heart of Japanese culture. Critics say he's catering to a conservative base that wants to put religion back in politics and revive traditional values Concerns about the health of the global economy and Europe's refugee crisis are among the top issues on the G7 agenda. European Council President Donald Tusk said on Thursday he would seek G7 support for more global aid for refugees. "If we (G7) do not take the lead in managing this crisis, nobody would," Tusk told reporters. A flow of migrants from Syria and elsewhere to Europe has confronted the continent with its biggest refugee crisis since World War Two. Other summit topics include terrorism, cyber security and maritime security, including China's increasing assertiveness in the East and South China Seas, where Beijing has territorial disputes with Japan and several Southeast Asian nations. Leaders will refer to maritime security in statements issued after the summit ends on Friday, including a call for respect for the rule of law and opposition to provocative acts that try to change the status quo by force, Japanese media said. China's state-run Xinhua news agency told the G7 to keep out of its affairs. "The G7, in order not to become obsolete and even negatively affect global peace and stability, should mind its own business rather than pointing fingers at others and fuelling conflicts," it said. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (R) is welcomed by shinto priests as he visits Ise Grand Shrine in Ise, Mie prefecture, Japan, May 26, 2016, ahead of the first session of the G7 summit meetings. Photo: Reuters/Toru Hanai Although full agreement on macro-economic policy looks hard to come by, the G7 leaders are expected to promote monetary, fiscal and structural policies to spur growth in their communique when the summit ends. With Britain and Germany resisting calls for fiscal stimulus, Abe will urge the G7 leaders to adopt a flexible fiscal policy, taking into account each country's own situation. Abe hopes, some political insiders say, to use a G7 statement on the global economy as cover for a domestic fiscal package including the possible delay of a rise in the nation's sales tax to 10 percent from 8 percent planned for next April The G7 leaders are also expected to reaffirm their previous commitment to stability in the foreign exchange market. On Wednesday night, Abe met Obama for talks dominated by the arrest of a U.S. military base worker in connection with the killing of a young woman on Japan's southern Okinawa island, reluctant host to the bulk of the U.S. military in Japan. The attack has marred Obama's hopes of keeping his Japan trip strictly focused on his visit on Friday to Hiroshima, site of the world's first atomic bombing, to highlight reconciliation between the two former World War Two foes and his nuclear anti-proliferation agenda. The G7 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. US President Barack Obama is set to become the first sitting US president to visit Hiroshima A group representing Korean victims of the US atomic bombings of Japan protested Thursday that their suffering was being neglected ahead of President Barack Obama's historic visit to Hiroshima. The Association of Korean Atomic Bomb Victims estimates that anywhere between 40,000 and 70,000 Koreans died in Hiroshima and Nagasaki when atomic bombs laid waste to the two cities in August 1945. The Korean peninsula was under Japanese colonial rule at the time, and most of those who died had been conscripted by the Japanese military or forced into hard labour. Consequently, the association argues that Koreans were multiple victims, deserving not only of an apology from the United States, but also from Japan. Around two dozen members of the group -- including survivors and relatives of those who died -- gathered outside the US embassy in Seoul with placards reading: "Apologise to Korean victims of the Atomic Bomb" and "Acknowledge the 2nd generation victims". Obama on Friday will become the first sitting US president to visit Hiroshima and, while he has made it clear there will be no apology, there is concern in South Korea that his trip will play into a narrative that focuses on Japan's suffering, rather than the pain its colonial ambitions and wartime aggression inflicted on others. "The world thinks Japan is the atomic bomb victim. That is wrong," said 73-year-old Shim Jin-Tae, one of two-dozen protestors gathered outside the embassy. "Japan is the country that began the war. Koreans are the victims of the atomic bomb," said Shim, who was two years old and in Hiroshima when the first bomb fell. Shim's parents had been moved to Japan as forced labourers. "The United States has never apologised for the atomic bomb and Japan, as a country that started the war, has never apologised," he said. After the embassy protest, a 10-member delegation from the association was scheduled to fly to Japan to hold a separate ceremony in Hiroshima on Friday at a small memorial erected for Korean victims. Shim said Obama should visit that memorial if he truly intended to commemorate all the victims of the bombings. Shim's group is also angry with their own government, saying Korean victims were ignored when they returned home because their plight didn't fit the official line that the atomic bombs were necessary to end Japan's colonial rule of the Korean peninsula. "Korea has never looked after its people for the past 71 years," Shim said. Having already said there would be no apology, U.S. President Barack Obama says he hopes to reflect on the suffering of war during his historic visit to Hiroshima. He made the statement during a joint news conference Wednesday, with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a meeting with French businessmen at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 25, 2016. Photo: Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin Russia and the European Union need to build a 'an equal and fair dialogue' as partners to overcome their differences, President Vladimir Putin said in an article published in a Greek newspaper on Thursday on an eve of a visit to the country. Western financial sanctions were imposed on Moscow in 2014 over its role in the Ukraine conflict, where it annexed Crimea. Russia has imposed counter sanctions against West, including a ban on agricultural produce. Putin will be in Athens on Friday, and also visit Greece's monastic community at Mount Athos in northern Greece on Saturday. Greece, along with Cyprus, are among EU member states with close relations to Moscow. They are lukewarm toward sanctions on Russia but comply. "Russia's starting point is the need to build an equal and fair dialogue of partners with the European Union on a wide range of issues, - from simplifying visa processes to building energy alliances," he wrote in Greece's Kathimerini newspaper. While the EU did not appear to feel the same way, Putin said, 'there is no problem which cannot be solved'. "To return to this multi-faceted relationship of partners we must reject the flawed logic that one party has the upper hand. Each side must seriously take into account the views and the concerns of the other," he wrote. Singling out energy and transport, Putin said Moscow wanted to deepen its cooperation with Greece. Russia has been the main gas supplier for Greece and Putin said his country has always counted on its deep ties with Athens to push ahead with its plans to boost its gas supplies Europe. Having tried and so far failed to bolster pipeline links with the continent through Bulgaria and Turkey, Russia's Gazprom is running out of options to secure its strategic entry point into southern Europe, and with it any chance of cutting Ukraine out of the picture this decade. The company announced in March new plans with Greece's state natural gas utility DEP and Italian utility Edison to supply natural gas along the seabed of the Black Sea into Greece and Italy, from where it could be sold in Europe. "The issue of our energy resources being carried through southern corridors to the countries of the European Union is still on the agenda," Putin said. He said that Russia could also help Greece upgrade its transport infrastructure and made a reference to Russian Railways (RZD) which is interested in buying the country's railway operator TRAINOSE and its second biggest port in Thessaloniki. RZD and two other suitors submitted an initial interest for TRAINOSE last month and the deadline for the binding bids ends on June 22. RZD is also one of eight companies shortlisted for the acquisition of a 67 percent stake in the Thessaloniki Port where final bids are expected at the end of September. "The UKs actions in Libya were part of an ill-conceived intervention, the results of which are still playing out today." Manila's smear attempts can't change historical records Updated: 2016-05-26 07:33 By Liu Yanhua(China Daily) This satellite image shows the Yongshu Jiao of China's Nansha Islands. [Photo/Xinhua] The South China Sea arbitration case initiated by the Philippines in 2013 is being watched closely by the international community as the court's ruling may be announced before the end of June. Whatever the outcome, the case, which aims to overrule Beijing's time-honored legal interests in the South China Sea, ranging from navigation and fishing to administrative management, is built on shaky legal ground. To begin with, the issue of territorial sovereignty is beyond the scope of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, thus the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has no jurisdiction over the case, since in essence it is concerned with territorial sovereignty over several maritime features in the South China Sea. Turning a blind eye to the fact that Chinese people first discovered, named, and developed the reefs and islets in the waters, as well as the Chinese government's consistent jurisdiction over these islands, Manila instead bases its claims on written evidence taken out of context. For example, it claimed that Xisha Islands are the south end of Chinese territory, "according to" an official document issued by the Chinese government in 1937. But the truth is, this refers to comments by some geographical experts that are later refuted in the document. The Philippine government keeps ignoring the abundant evidence against its arbitration, and claims China neither named any islands in the South China Sea before 1947 nor extended its fisheries to the waters. Yet, as a popular sailing guide called Geng Lu Bu records, Chinese fishermen fished there in the Ming and Qing dynasties between the 14th and 20th century, and dozens of islands in the South China Sea already had their Chinese names. Many of these names, including Subi Reef and Namyit Island, have been widely adopted and used by international sailors until now. Despite Manila's repeated smear attempts, such as confounding Xisha Islands and Nansha Islands with some Vietnamese islets, China's sovereignty in the South China Sea has been explicitly reflected in the world maps issued by countries such as Japan, France, even Vietnam, in the aftermath of World War II. Worse still, the Philippines has even gone further and challenged the one-China principle, which was enshrined in Beijing-Manila diplomatic relations, arguing that Taiwan's presence in the South China Sea after 1949 has nothing to do with China's territorial interests there. Such distortion, which seeks to nullify Taiwan's routine cruises and civil development in the waters near Nansha Islands since the 1950s, not only violates its diplomatic commitment to China but also infringes upon the country's irrefutable sovereignty in the South China Sea. But no matter how hard Manila tries to invalidate Beijing's legal territorial claims by overstating the "evidence" provided by a selected few scholars, its efforts will only prove futile in the face of history written by all navigators who traveled across the South China Sea. The author is a researcher at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, Hainan province. Heads up to prevent injury from falls Morning walks in my neighborhood are one of the most enjoyable parts of my day. I love the coolness of daybreak and the special sightings of the stag and two does that frequent our open space. I also enjoy my walk because each day at... Signs that point to the best time for retirement Ive been thinking a lot about retirement lately. One of our amazing staff members, who has been with Senior Concerns for the last 13 years, retired last month. It just doesnt seem real. I always thought of Dana as young. Certainly not the person to... Rethinking the mandatory retirement age How old is too old for working at a job? Last week a news story hit my inbox and it really got me to thinking about age and retirement. The article noted that Target Corp. abandoned its mandatory retirement age of 65 for its CEO,... Tips to promoting a healthy nights sleep for children Question: Help, please. My daughter is almost 2 years old and has been an easy child to put into her own bed. Yet in the past few weeks she is purposefully stretching out the bedtime routine longer and longer. She wants more: more stories, more... The ACT government is moving to shore up the Outlet Centre at Fyshwick, which is at risk of collapse, by allowing a supermarket. The planning directorate has called for public comment on the plan until July 4, with the owner of the site wanting the new zone in place by August and a supermarket operating by the end of the year. The Outlet Centre wants a special supermarket zone that will cover only the centre. Credit:Melissa Adams Supermarkets are not allowed in the Fyshwick industrial zone, but the government has taken up the Outlet Centre's push for a special new zone that will cover only the centre. The new "RZ5" zone would allow a 1000-square metre supermarket. A report prepared by Elton Consulting for the Outlet Centre said unless a supermarket was allowed, shops would close and the centre itself might also be forced to close. "There was this sense that there was this emerging fashion industry and as a museum that collects fashions we are really interested in all aspects of fashion. And so I was looking at Aheda and realising how by 2011 her's was one of the most significant swimwear and sportswear companies in the world. And she actually decided to design this "Burqini". The word is her mash up of bikini and burqa. She wanted a swimsuit that was suitable for Muslim women, sportswear for Muslim women who want to play sport in Australia. She felt every Australian has the right to enjoy Australian weather, Australian sport, so by 2011 she has this company where she is exporting around the world." Then came the worldwide interest in this designer's Burqini. The Macquarie Dictionary declared 'burqini" the new word of the year. "So I saw this amazing story," Glynis Jones continued, "and began to to explore a broader story of this emerging modest fashion industry; something happening not just in Sydney but happening globally". "At first we were just preoccupied with the fashion but we decided to do more than just look at women's fashions, to look at Muslim women in the community who are achieving in different fields." Taking advice on all this she came to realise how irksome it is "for many Muslim women that they're always having to justify what they're wearing and only ever get to talk about what they're wearing when they're writers, lawyers [and have so much more to talk about]. And so a section of the exhibition highlights some notable women and their achievements". Li Cunxin told his remarkable life story in a bestselling memoir, Mao's Last Dancer that was adapted into a feature film. Li also wrote a children's book, The Peasant Prince, which told the same tale in a simpler form, with illustrations by Anne Spudvilas. Now that story has been adapted to another medium, the stage, by Monkey Baa Theatre Company. The Peasant Prince: The True Story of Mao's Last Dancer. Adapted by Eva Di Cesare, Sandra Eldridge and Tim McGarry from the book by Li Cunxin. Directed by Tim McGarry. Monkey Baa Theatre Company. The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre, Saturday, June 4, 11am and 2pm. canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 62752700. The Peasant Prince is touring Australia until September. Credit:Heidrun Lohr Born in poverty in 1961 in China, Li was one of seven brothers. At the age of 11 he was selected to attend the Beijing Dance Academy, where he trained for seven years. At the age of 18 he received a scholarship to study at the Houston Ballet Summer School after studying with its artistic director, Ben Stevenson, and decided to defect to the West. He began a relationship with an American dancer and a new career in the US, but was cut off from his family in China for seven years. Eventually, he moved to Australia and yet another stage in his life began. Co-scripter and director Tim McGarry says the play follows Li's life from his childhood of gruelling dance training long hours of arduous practice to his difficult decision to defect and his eventual reunion with his family when they came to see him dance in the US. While The Peasant Prince is a play with actors and dialogue given the subject matter, there was obviously going to be a significant movement component. "In terms of movement we brought in a movement director, Danielle Micich, the artistic director of Force Majeur Dance Company." Dozens of run-down Housing ACT properties are being used as a dumping ground for the homeless, the mentally ill and those just released from the Alexander Maconochie Centre, according to residents of the ACT's smallest suburb, Oaks Estate. About 43 per cent [78] of Oaks Estate's 181 homes are public housing. Progress association secretary, Kate Gauthier, said more than half of these [about 46] had been targeted for the most "high-need and high-risk" people in the community under programs such as Extended Throughcare and St Vincent De Paul's Samaritan House and Samaritan Services. Welcome to Oaks Estate, the suburb where the only retail business is a liquor store and no buses run. Credit:Graham Tidy "Residents are supportive of public housing and support social programs for vulnerable people," Ms Gauthier said. "But the way these [public housing and programs for the vulnerable] are being mismanaged is having a negative effect on all residents including public housing tenants and the participants in the [support] programs." Australia's fastest-growing food company has seen its market value more than double to about $900 million in the seven months since its float. But don't expect to see any of its products on local supermarket shelves. Dongfang Modern Agriculture Holding Group was incorporated in Australia last year to own an existing agricultural business in China's Jiangxi Province. Growing and selling all its fruit in Southeastern China, it now ranks as the biggest citrus grower in that country by sales and has almost overtaken the Victoria-based Costa Group as the largest publicly traded horticulture company on the ASX. Its decision to be based in Sydney and go public in Australia, which ranks among the world's top five exporters of beef, chick peas, almonds, barley, sugar and wheat, is part of a growing move by Chinese and Hong Kong entities seeking to tap a more mature financial market. The other advantage, Dongfang Modern's executives say, is adding an Australian seal to the business. Banks have mulling over the prospect of digital disruption for years - now mortgage brokers are doing the same. On Thursday, uno, a website that allows customers seeking a mortgage to broker their own deal, was launched by Vincent Turner, the entrepreneur who a decade ago developed the mortgage processing and sales enterprise software that is used by 90 per cent of Australia's banks and brokers. Vincent Turner, CEO of uno, which lets mortgage customers broker their own deal. Credit:Guy Wilkinson Mr Turner, who has spent the past five years in Silicon Valley, says uno will provide home loan buyers with the same screens used by mortgage brokers to allow them to directly access tools such as product calculators and borrowing-limit information for a range of banks. Uno has signed up 19 banks, including Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank, Westpac Banking Corp and Macquarie, to provide loan information into the platform. ANZ Banking Group is not participating because the bank still requires mortgage brokers to physically sight their customers before loans are approved. But uno has created a completely digital process. Vincent Turner, CEO of uno, which lets mortgage customers broker their own deal. Credit:Guy Wilkinson Over the next five years, Mr Turner said consumer-brokered mortgage platforms would capture around 10 per cent of the mortgage broking market and he hoped uno would become the leading player. The ASX-listed AFG, Aussie Home Loans and Mortgage Choice, which is also listed, are the dominant players, comprising around half of mortgage broker revenue between them. According to IBISWorld, 630,000 mortgages were settled by brokers last year and banks are estimated to have paid out $1.8 billion in upfront fees and trailing commissions to mortgage brokers. Around 53 per cent of all home buyers use a mortgage broker. Banks will pay uno for business referred to them but the start-up will not pay its staff (who assist customers via chat or phone) commissions. Uno, which has 28 full-time staff based in Surry Hills in Sydney and has been given an Australian Credit License by ASIC, is a rare example of a fintech seeking to move into the mortgage industry, the biggest focus and driver of profits for Australia's banks. The company has received a combination of private and institutional funding but would not reveal details. Mr Turner described uno as the "third wave" of finance for property, after deregulation of the banking system in the early 1980s let non-banks enter the market, and then mortgage brokers disrupted the banks in the 1990s. "Consumer-brokered mortgages is the third major wave of change for the industry," Mr Turner said. Sigma Pharmaceuticals former chief executive Elmo de Alwis and his chief financial officer Mark Smith have avoided a custodial term for cooking the company's books, receiving instead a fine and a suspended prison sentence. The pair were each fined $25,000 and sentenced to a year in prison on charges of providing false information to the company's auditors and directors. Victorian county court Judge Richard Smith suspended the custodial sentence, however, placing the pair on a 42-month good behaviour bond. Former Sigma Pharmaceuticals CEO Elmo de Alwis has been placed on a 42-month good behaviour bond. Credit:Jason South Both de Alwis and Smith had pleaded guilty to two charges of falsifying the company's half-year and full-year accounts for the 2010 financial year relating to Sigma's purchase of two new medicines in 2009. One of the charges related to Sigma overstated its income and revenue by $15.5 million and inventories by $11.3 million. Pre-payments to the company were inflated by $2 million and Sigma's profit after tax was overstated by $9.6 million. The other charge related to misstating the amount of revenue and income in Sigma's half-year accounts for the period ending July 2009 by $3.5 million. Disclosures from our political masters from their interests register has dribbled to nothing since the election was called. But CBD did find something of interest before Malcolm Turnbull pulled his biggest political gamble. In early May, Tony Abbott updated his register saying he had received a bottle of wine from Alf Moufarrige's Servcorp. It was not an unusual gesture from the prominent Liberal Party donor. CBD did mention recently how Moufarrige made a bit too much news in 2008 by gifting six bottles of Grange to good mate Peter Costello after he opened a Servcorp office in Melbourne. In the mid-1960s, the Australian actor Stanley Page was as vivid a character as I'd ever met. That startling first impression of ferocious eyebrows, gingery hair and an equally imposing red beard added up to a man who brooked no fools. He was in his early 30s, teaching us wannabe thespians the business of the craft, having recently played a reputable King Lear somewhere in the English Midlands. But he was then back in Melbourne introducing wife Audrey (nee Kelley) and their two young sons to Stanley's mother. From 1952, predominantly in England, he sustained a relentless professional career (rarely out of work) of acting, directing and mentoring until 2008, when persistent illness forced him to retire from "the business". Internet Movie Database oddly describes him as a "British" actor occasionally working in Australia, a reasonable mistake considering his intense passion for British theatre. Those instant impressions of him in the mid-1960s are echoed in a recent remembrance of him by actor-director-author Graeme Blundell, who knew Stanley while working with him in Eugene Ionesco's play Rhinoceros for the Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC) in 1967. Given the hyperbole around boats and asylum seekers, voters could be forgiven for thinking that all immigrants are refugees. But nothing could be further from the truth. Australia's current annual permanent immigration program of about 200,000 people dwarfs our humanitarian intake of about 14,000 refugees. Sadly, given that all our current and recent immigration ministers seem to talk about is refugees, any talk of "immigration" is assumed to mean refugees. Such confusion is an indictment on our politicians and the reporting media. Public education on the bigger immigration issue is critical because it is an issue that affects everything our economy, our environment and our quality of life. Due largely to immigration, Australia is now on track to double its population by 2050 to more than 40 million people, despite little real discussion and certainly no mandate for this dramatic change. As Disney goes back down the rabbit hole with Alice Through the Looking Glass, opening in the US on Friday, its box-office prospects get curiouser and curiouser. Based on a Lewis Carroll novel, the live-action sequel reunites Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Mia Wasikowska from Tim Burton's CGI-heavy Alice in Wonderland, which stunned with $US334.2 million ($465 million) domestically and just over $1.4 billion globally in 2010. Since then, the Mouse House has churned out a string of successful remakes of some of its most enduring animated classics, including Cinderella ($US201.2 million), The Jungle Book ($US327.4 million) and Sleeping Beauty spinoff Maleficent ($US241.4 million), starring Angelina Jolie. Sacha Baron Cohen as Time in Alice Through the Looking Glass. But experts say Looking could be the first hiccup in Disney's live-action frenzy. Despite its family appeal and tactical Memorial Day (May 30) weekend opening, the PG-rated adventure has just 48 per cent positive reviews from critics on aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes. BoxOffice's editorial director Daniel Loria predicts a $US54 ($75 million) million start on its way to $237 million total about half of what Wonderland pulled in the US. "I don't think it's going to have the same magic so many years later, with a follow-up property that may not be immediately familiar," Loria says. Adds Erik Davis, managing editor for Fandango.com and Movies.com: "If it doesn't do as well, the star power of Johnny Depp could play into it, being not as powerful as he once was." A sequel that comes long after the original "can work for a film if the anticipation was there and people are waiting to see how the story continues," he says. "But in this case, I don't get the sense that the audience was hankering for a follow-up." Tribute acts continue to pop up everywhere. Next month 11-piece group The Pink Floyd Experience will perform a show at The Canberra Theatre to recreate the set list of the 1994 Division Bell tour and subsequent live album Pulse that included Dark Side of the Moon performed in its entirety. This is quite an undertaking, but given The Floyd left little room for improvisation in concert, the possibility of faithful interpretation becomes an easier proposition. The exception, of course, is the band's earliest incarnation with Syd Barrett at the helm when 20-minute versions of the blistering psychedelic instrumental Interstellar Overdrive were commonplace. The earliest composition in the Pulse set list is Astronomy Domine, the opening track on the 1967 debut album Piper at the Gates of Dawn that will provide an undiluted psychedelic experience for the Canberra Theatre audience, with the remaining selections making for a greatest hits of sorts to elevate body and mind. The original band's carefully crafted atmospherics were imbued with an otherworldly quality that took listeners some place special, and although superstar status was achieved in the mid 1970s, the band members preferred to remain behind a veil of reassuring anonymity to concentrate on the sounds. The music could also be painfully introspective as on the albums Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977) and The Wall (1979) but the group could easily fill stadiums, and the earlier work is some of the strangest sounding to emerge from the UK psychedelic underground. In the past nine months since Church took over from previous artistic director Andrew Upton, STC Chairman Ian Narev said "he has been balancing his time in Sydney with his ongoing commitments in the UK and elsewhere, and it has become apparent that the combined workload and travel will be unsustainable. "We understood when we made the appointment in August last year that Jonathan was much in demand and we agreed that time would be made for him to remain engaged in other opportunities around the world through his company Jonathan Church Productions. But ultimately, both parties have decided that this arrangement won't be in the best interests for either in the long term." STC's general manager, Patrick McIntyre, said when Church was chosen, there was "a clear-sighted conversation that said this could be an exciting appointment for both parties, let's give it a red hot go". Mcintyre said it was normal for an artistic director to have projects outside the company. "What is less normal is that those outside projects are in Toronto, New York, London and Melbourne," he said Barnaby Joyce has stopped the gloats. In the stoush with his nemesis Johnny Depp, schadenfreude ends here. Long regarded as an unorthodox politician, Joyce outdid himself on Wednesday by proudly comparing himself to a cannibalistic serial killer. "I'm inside his head, I'm pulling little strings and pulling little levers," Joyce said in response respond to Depp's comments that he "looks somehow inbred with a tomato." A prominent British politician has challenged Malcolm Turnbull to open Australia's borders and economy to Indonesia and Japan, in a rebuff to the government's support for Britain to stay in the European Union. Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell, a member of the British Parliament's foreign affairs select committee and chair of the Australia and New Zealand parliamentary group at Westminster, said the Australian government shouldn't be supporting a vote against the so-called Brexit referendum on Britain's EU membership next month. But on Thursday, Mr Turnbull said he was standing with British Prime Minister David Cameron, US President Barack Obama and the leaders of Canada and New Zealand in supporting the "remain" vote. "Come on Malcolm," Mr Rosindell said. Jennifer Aniston's estranged mother Nancy Dow has died, just two weeks after their reported first meeting in five years. Dow passed away aged 79 after suffering from an unknown ailment. The former Friends star confirmed the news on Wednesday in a statement to People magazine. Jennifer Aniston's estranged mother Nancy Dow has died, just two weeks after their reported first meeting in five years. Credit:Getty "It is with great sadness that my brother John and I announce the passing of our Mother Nancy Dow. She was 79 years old and passed peacefully surrounded by family and friends after enduring a long illness. We ask that our family's privacy be respected as we grieve our loss," she said. A Supreme Court jury has been asked to decide if elderly farmer Ian Turnbull should be "condemned as a murderer" for the fatal shooting of environmental compliance officer Glen Turner near his family's rural property. The court has heard that, in July 2014, Mr Turnbull opened fire on Mr Turner with a rifle he used for shooting vermin after years of tension over claims of illegal land-clearing on the Turnbull properties in the Moree area in northern NSW. Glen Turner, his wife Alison McKenzie and their children Jack and Alexandra. Credit:Tracy Fulford Photography In summing up the case to the jury on Thursday, Justice Peter Johnson said the onus was on Mr Turnbull to establish, on the balance of probabilities, that his capacity to understand right or wrong or to control himself was substantially impaired by an underlying mental illness at the time. Justice Johnson said the jury also had to be satisfied the impairment was so severe that Mr Turnbull's criminal responsibility should be reduced from murder to the lesser crime of manslaughter. A $1.5 million cache of drugs, more than a tonne of precursor chemicals and items linked to the Mongols motorcycle gang have allegedly been seized in raids across Sydney and the state's Central Coast. Police from Strike Force Bamberry allegedly found around 30,000 pills believed to be MDMA (ecstasy) as well as amounts of GHB, cocaine and methylamphetamine when they executed 12 warrants on Central Coast and Sydney properties on Wednesday. One woman was arrested as part of the raid. Credit:NSW Police They say 1.5 tonnes of chemicals - believed to be used in the large scale manufacture of drugs - was allegedly found in a Waterloo storage unit, with police continuing to investigate on Thursday. Two vehicles, an extendable baton and $125,000 in cash that may be the proceeds of crime were also found, it is alleged. A 14-year-old boy has been charged after allegedly stealing a car and taking it on a prolonged joyride south of Brisbane. Police accused the boy of stealing the vehicle from Lara Street in Sunnybank about midday Thursday and officers spotted the boy driving through Loganlea that night. The Polair police helicopter tracked the car. Credit:Darren Pateman He allegedly refused to stop, prompting the police helicopter to begin tracking his travels to York Street in Beenleigh, where he was arrested. He was charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, burglary, enter premises and commit an indictable offence, obstruct police and two counts of stealing, to be dealt with under the Youth Justice Act. Three masked men forced a Gold Coast business owner into his motorcycle shop at gunpoint and held him captive before setting it alight, police say. The 45-year-old was tied up inside before being taken out the back of the Nerang shop and restrained again as the men lit the fire, he told police. He was spotted with his arm in a sling on Thursday morning outside his Bike Sales QLD dealership but police wouldn't reveal whether he had been bashed or not. Police said the man was approached as he left the shop about 7pm Wednesday but fire didn't rip through the Lawrence Drive address until 11.15pm. You don't really need a step-by-step explanation of how to set up an Android Wear watch with an iPhone because the watch will take you through the process. Instead, I'll give you the basic overview and how to get around some of the quirks. First things first, you need to buy an Android Wear smartwatch that actually works with an iPhone. I went with the LG Watch Urbane because I got it on sale. If money hadn't entered the equation, I might've chosen the Moto 360 v2 for its smaller profile. Those are my two favourites that work with iOS, but you have others to choose from as well: LG Watch Urbane Moto 360 (v2) Moto 360 for Women Moto 360 Sport Huawei Watch Asus ZenWatch 2 Fossil Q Founder TAG Heuer Connected As time goes on we'll surely see more iOS-compatible options, but as of the time of this writing these are the ones to choose from. For reference, here are some popular models that DO NOT work (so DO NOT buy them:) LG G Watch Samsung Gear Live Moto 360 (v1) LG G Watch R Sony Smartwatch 3 Asus ZenWatch (1) Once you pick out your watch, setup goes by pretty quickly. Here's the gist: Charge your new watch, or at least stick it in the charger during setup. Download the Android Wear app for your iPhone and open it. Tap the three vertical dots in the upper righthand corner and then tap "Pair with a new wearable".Check your watch for a pairing code, then tap "Pair" in the Android Wear app. Wait a minute or two for the confirmation message. After you do that, you'll get to set a few things up. The phone and watch will walk you through this process and you should pay close attention. If you don't go through the setup process successfully it won't go away, so just deal with some of the annoying teaching moments Google imposes on you. It may help in the long run anyway. When choosing your notification settings, you'll want to consider a few things: Google apps work best and offer more features, so you should use them as much as you can. For example, all apps can display notifications but almost every non-Google app cannot provide actionable notifications. So if you use the Gmail app on your iPhone you can archive a message straight from your watch. If you use another email app, you can't. There's a workaround, but we'll talk about that later. For now, just know that if you opt to use Google Apps particularly Gmail and Google Calendar your watch can do more. Card previews are helpful but intrusive, so you might want to turn them off. By default, previews are on and you can disable them in the settings either on your watch or through the Android Wear app. Basically, card previews sit at the bottom of your watch waiting for you to interact with them and cover up part of your watch face. Since the watch at least vibrates to notify you when something comes in and you can quickly swipe up to access your notification feed, I see no reason to clutter things up with previews. You may disagree. Either way, you should know that you can choose to turn previews off if you find them more annoying than helpful. Definitely enable Google Now or you'll miss out on the majority of benefits with Android Wear on iOS. Google Now provides a ton of information based on what Google knows about you. It also helps provide answers in better context when you say "Hey Google" and ask your watch a question. If you miss enabling this during the setup process, you can always jump into the watch settings or the Android Wear app to turn it on. With all of that out of the way, you're pretty much set up and ready to go. You don't have to organise anything, but rather just wait until you get some notifications and do what you wish with them. If you have a request, say "OK Google" and give it to your wrist. (Note: some watches require you to tap the screen to wake them up before they will listen.) While you can scroll around to check weather and other information as well, these are the two ways you'll interact with your Android Wear device the most. Keep that in mind as we move along and learn about how to get the most out of your watch. Get to know the menus Your Android Wear device hides its features and settings behind three different corners of the screen. Let's take a look at how to access each of them and what you can do once you get there. Quick Settings If you swipe downward from the top of the watch, you can access a few settings quickly. These will vary depending on the watch, and you can pick and choose some of what shows up, but you'll most likely be greeted with volume settings. I keep my watch on mute all the time so it only vibrates, but you can set whatever you want there. Swiping from right to left will reveal more options. The only other one worth highlighting, in my opinion, is Theatre Mode. When you go to a movie, play, presentation or anything else that your watch could disturb, just turn Theatre Mode on and the watch will turn its screen, sounds and vibration functions off until you reactivate them. Finally, swiping all the way to the end of the Quick Settings allows you to open up the full settings in case you didn't find what you were looking for. App Menu Swipe the watch face from right to left to bring up an app menu. While I don't really think of Android Wear as an app-based platform especially since you can't officially install apps when paired with an iPhone (without sideloading, discussed later) you do have a few things available, like Weather, Calendar, Fitness, Alarm, Timer and Translate. If you swipe from right to left from this menu, you'll bring up Google Now and can use voice commands to get what you want. Of course, you can just say "OK Google" for the same functionality and avoid all that swiping. Again, some watches require you to wake them up with a tap before you start barking commands so keep that in mind. Notifications When you swipe up from the bottom of your watch face, you'll bring up your latest notification. If you keep swiping up, you'll move on to the next one. Swiping from left to right will dismiss that notification. Swiping from right to left, however, will bring up any available actions. Because of Apple's limitations, actionable notifications on your watch aren't really possible with most apps. However, with Google apps you'll have more options. Customise your watchface The Greens candidate in the inner city seat of Wills has pulled out of an anti-racism rally in Coburg this weekend because of fears of violence. Samantha Ratnam, who will stand down as City of Moreland Mayor on Friday to contest the election, was due to speak at the "Moreland says no to racism' rally on Saturday. Greens candidate for Wills, Samantha Ratnam, seen here with party leader Richard Di Natale, has pulled out of an anti-racism rally. Credit:Simon O'Dwyer But on Thursday afternoon she decided to pull out. Melbourne fish and chip restaurant chain Hunky Dory is being accused of misleading customers by calling the cheaper Vietnamese freshwater catfish they serve as fish of the day dory. Owner Greg Robotis denies the allegations, saying many different types of fish were used for the fish-of-the-day and basa, as the catfish is known, was mostly served in fish wraps and burgers. A busy day at Hunky Dory fish 'n' chips in Port Melbourne. Credit:Penny Stephens A whistleblower has come forward with evidence that Hunky Dory outlets were ordering huge amounts of frozen basa fillets every week and said staff were instructed to call the defrosted basa fillet they were selling as fish-of-the-day, dory. A senior member of the Mongols motorcycle gang is in custody, along with his fiancee and his brother, and all are accused of trying to intimidate a witness in a criminal case. Shane Middleton, 26, who is alleged to be the Mongols' sergeant-at-arms, and Renee Comeadow, 27, were on Thursday morning arrested at their Seabrook home during a raid in which police seized ammunition, firearms components, drugs and 3D printers. Shane Middleton was arrested during the Seabrook raid. Credit:Eddie Jim Mr Middleton's brother, Simon, 29, was also arrested at his Oakleigh South home on Thursday morning, when an allegedly stolen motorcycle was seized. The Middleton brothers and Ms Comeadow were later charged with various offences and faced Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday afternoon, where all men were remanded in custody. Ammunition and equipment for making firearms, including a 3D printer, has been seized from the house of senior Mongol Shane Middleton. Echo Taskforce detectives arrested Mr Middleton, his fiance Renee Comeadow and another man, all with links to the outlaw motorcycle gang, after raiding homes in Seabrook and Oakleigh South about 6am on Thursday. Shane Middleton was arrested on Thursday. Credit:Eddie Jim The firearms-manufacturing equipment and a small amount of drugs were seized from the house in Mintaro Way, Seabrook. Mr Middleton, a 26-year-old believed to be the gang's sergeant-at-arms, and Ms Comeadow, 27, were arrested. A young man fatally bashed in Melbourne's Chinatown precinct was fighting with another teenager over "a lost love" when he had his head repeatedly stomped by a man now charged with murder, a court has heard. Yarra Valley Grammar student Jeremy Hu, 19, suffered serious injuries when assaulted by four people in La Trobe Place, in central Melbourne, about 10.30pm on April 15, Melbourne Magistrates Court heard on Thursday. Jeremy Hu was fatally bashed in Melbourne's Chinatown precinct. Credit:Suppled After being bashed, Mr Hu was taken by friends to a hotel room but it was more than eight hours later - after 7.30am the next day - that they dropped him off at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. He died in hospital. The partner of a truck driver who freed two people from their vehicles after a horror crash on the Calder Freeway on Tuesday says he is a "reluctant hero". Renzo Bruschi, 49, was driving a truck that was involved in the multi-vehicle smash. After getting out of his vehicle, he freed the driver of a rolled fuel tanker and a woman trapped in another car. His partner, Cara Scott, said Mr Bruschi did all this despite being covered in tanker fuel himself, and having been left sore and disoriented by the crash. "He's a very reluctant hero," Ms Scott said. "He feels he did what anyone would have done in that situation." The land and river search for Sean Mitchell, missing since Friday night, resumed at first light on Thursday. Police, including mounted and water police, will join State Emergency Service volunteers to search the land and river around the Mosman Park and Bicton area. A bag belong to missing Sean David Mitchell (inset) was found at Blackwall Reach. The 37-year-old mine worker from Samson went missing after a drink at a Perth pub. A passerby found his bag washed up on the riverbank near Blackwall Reach in Bicton on Sunday and reported it to police on Tuesday, after which the search was launched. A mother in India has given birth to a 6.8kg baby girl, putting to shame Perth baby whopper Ziad Kadic, who was born weighing in just under 6kg three weeks ago. The baby girl weighs the same amount as the average six-month-old and is reportedly twice the size of a regular baby. She doesn't have a name yet, but weighs the same as an average six-month-old. Credit:YouTube/DailyRecord The newborn, who is unnamed, was delivered by caesarean to her 19-year-old mother, known only as Nandini. Doctors believe her weight overtakes the alleged current record holder, Carisa Rusack, who was born weighing 6.5kg in Massachusetts in 2014. Washington: Donald Trump has reached the number of delegates needed to clinch the Republican nomination for US president, completing an unlikely rise that has upended the political landscape and set the stage for a bitter campaign. The controversial businessman is also considering a public debate with independent Bernie Sanders in California that would sideline Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. Despite Trump reaching the threshold of delegates, the Republicans' influential House Speaker, Paul Ryan, still declined to officially endorse the candidate on Thursday, only confirming at a press conference that the two had spoken again: "We had a very productive phone call, I'll leave it at that." Mr Trump was put over the top in the delegate count by several news organisations on Thursday by a small number of the party's unbound delegates who confirmed they would support him at the national convention in July. For Dogs, its Trick and Treat Its almost Halloween, a great time to teach your dog a trick and give him a treat. Most trainers are fans of trick training. Its not as silly as it... Muzzle is not a bad word If you see a dog in a muzzle, you immediately think the dog is aggressive. Right? Well, this is not always true. Unfortunately, seeing a dog in a muzzle carries... Im the most hated man in America today, laughs Nick Spencer on the Wednesday his Captain America: Steve Rogers #1 hits comic store shelves. And Donald Trump is running for president! Just seven months ago, the Ant-Man and Morning Glories writer attracted the ire of Fox and Friends for daring to pit Cap against a group of border-patrolling white supremacists, a move the shows hosts felt was an open insult against conservatives. Now Spencers work is a trending topic again, this time for outraging the opposite side of the aisle. The provocative first issue of his Captain America run outs Steve Rogers as a deep-cover Hydra agenta jaw-droppingly audacious twist thats incensed certain comic fans and earned the writer accusations of everything from anti-Semitism to soft homophobia (for giving Steve a dual identity rather than a boyfriend). While he couldnt have predicted the magnitude of the response (or the #SayNoToHYDRACap hashtag), Spencer says outrage is exactly what he wanted. When you decide to do something like this, you understand obviously that people arent gonna throw you a party for it, he says. You understand that this is the kind of story designed to upset people and shock people and worry people. Thats the response youre supposed to have to something like this, when youre seeing a bad thing. Near the end of the issuethe first solo outing for Rogers in Marvels All-New, All-Different rebootwe learn that Caps mother Sarah may have been lured into a nascent form of Hydra back in 1926 by a woman who saved her from her abusive husband. The revelation takes a grotesque turn when Steve, back in the present day, shoves an unsuspecting sidekick, Jack Flag, off an airplane, apparently to his death. In the issues chilling last panel, Steve turns and utters those dreaded words: Hail Hydra. Captain America, that star-spangled symbol of morality, selflessness and freedom, is now one of the Marvel universes most insidious villainsand he has been for over 75 years. Unlike most seemingly world-changing comic book twists, turns, and deaths, says Spencer, this one will not be undone within the span of one story arc, or even in the next few months. This is something that is gonna have a profound effect on the Marvel universe, he says. Ive seen a lot of people say things like, Oh, itll be wrapped up in the arc, or Give it six months. And I can tell you, thats not the case. This has real lasting repercussions that are gonna be with us for a while. The Daily Beast talked to Spencer about why he had Steve break bad, how the twist will reconcile with the characters legacy (and that of its Jewish creators), and his response to fans outrage. First off, are you OK? A lot of vitriol is going your way online. You're a trending topic! (Laughs.) No, I love this stuff. I feed off it, its totally fine. Its looking like its gonna be a no. 1 trending topic here in a second. Im the most hated man in America today and Donald Trump is running for president! I was surprised by the sheer magnitude of the response. I cant remember the last time something that happened in comics upset quite this many people. When you decide to do something like this, you understand obviously that people aren't gonna throw you a party for it. You understand that this is the kind of story designed to upset people and shock people and worry people. Thats the response youre supposed to have to something like this, when youre seeing a bad thing. So, yeah, this is certainly the kind of response I expected, but in terms of the magnitude of it and just how many people are chiming in, that parts unreal. That surpassed any expectation that I had. I think it just comes down to [the fact that] this character, particularly since the movies, has really exploded in popularity. Obviously he represents a lot to a lot of people. Theyre emotionally invested, which is good. The worst thing that could have happened today is people shrugging, or even being reasonable. That wouldve said that we didnt stick the landing on it. So this is what we wanted, we just have even more of it than we imagined. What sorts of discussion with Marvel went into this? I read your editor Tom Brevoort said this twist had been in the works ever since Sam Wilson: Captain America #1. Yeah, weve been holding onto this for about 16 months now, so its been well over a year that weve been keeping this under wraps. And that was a hugely gratifying thing, especially in the last couple of months as we started work on the issue. Theres an artist drawing it [Jesus Saiz] and a letterer [Joe Caramagna], and you start to worry because obviously the book is getting passed through a lot of hands and theres something tangible out there that can get leaked. So yeah, I mean all the credit in the world goes to Tom and everyone at Marvel, they really went above and beyond to keep a lid on this. They took a lot of special measures that weve never had beforeand it worked! We managed to keep this until it started leaking out last night, which was inevitable because thats when the book started arriving at various places. But yeah, it was a big success. I was really surprised. I thought for sure it would be ruined. Was there ever resistance from Marvel to the idea? Its a really funny thing, there was not an enormous amount of debate about the story. We do our creative retreats and this was a major subject at both of the last two. And honestly, that was a little surreal for me as well. Everybody seemed really into the idea and really supportive. I know that I went into the first [retreat] really expecting to have to fight for it and for there to be pushback, and there was very little. We had a luxury though, I could lay out the whole story for them. What everybody got today is obviously just sort of an opening chapter. I was able to kind of explain the whole thing and put it all into context. Im as excited about this story as anything Ive ever done in comics. I think were onto something here. And certainly in the room it seemed to go over well and thats always a really encouraging sign. Where did this new idea come from and why did a change of this magnitude feel necessary for the series? It almost happened by chance, really. Rick Remender was the previous writer on the book and when I took over, he had had some plotlines that were outstanding. Tom ran through them with me, and one of them was that Hydra had infiltrated all the various teams and organizations in the Marvel universe and we were gonna be weeding out the various Hydra clans. And, to be honest, at the time, I had just gotten the Captain America assignment and that story really felt like an event. I felt like it was maybe a little too big for me at that point, and that wasnt something they would want me to do. So I started to kind of drill it down a bit and I started wondering, what if theres just one Hydra plant? What if they think theyre looking for a hundred people and it turns out theres just one really good one? And if theres just one really good Hydra plant, who would that be? Within a second, I realized that Steve was by far the person who could do the most damage. Hes the leader of the Avengers, he has a relationship with the U.S. government, and he works closely with SHIELD. Not to mention just his status in the Marvel universehes a symbol, everyone trusts him, everybody looks to him as an authority. One of the first things most people will probably think is, But hasnt he spent the last 75 years fighting Hydra? How do you reconcile the twist with the characters history? I cant say a lot on that front, but what I can say is that that is not a huge point of concern in the story. That question will be answered, at least for the most part, in the next issue. That wasnt something that we wanted to drag out. We wanted to make that stuff as clear as we could upfront. So now that weve gotten the big surprise, were going to go back and explain some things to you so that you, as a reader, have a much clearer vantage point. But your vantage point may differ greatly from the characters in the Marvel universe. Theres a lot of uproar online about how this storyline insults the legacies of Captain Americas Jewish creators, Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. Look, everybody whos working on this story loves Captain America. I know that it may not seem like it today. But this book is edited by Tom Brevoort, who has been protecting this characters legacy for a very long time now. Hes not gonna let me do anything that he thinks is going to endanger that characters legacy and how the character is perceived. Its always difficult when youre at this point in a story, because you dont just wanna tell people, Everythings gonna work out great! Because that certainly may not be the case here. But what I think I can say with confidence is that with this story, our intention and our hope is that in its own unique way, it reinforces what everybody already knows about Captain America, which is his power as a symbol and what that means. We are approaching it from a different angle, but I think it illuminates the character in a way that weve never seen before. Its always tough. The eternal divide is the reader wants the character to succeed, to be happy, to win. Our job is often to put the characters through things and that can often be mistaken for a lack of respect or care for the character. Its just the reality of what draws people into these stories, whether you realize it or not, and this is going to be a major test for a lot of characters in the Marvel universe. The resurgent Hydra that Red Skull is pulling together seems to share a lot of parallels with Trump's Make America Great Again campaign. Its xenophobia and anti-political correctness. What went into forming his recruitment platform? What I think I can say about this, is one of the later conceptions of the story was what if the new Hydra is a blank? We wanted to kind of get away from the green and yellow costumes and the doomsday machines and things like that and really reconnect with what the organization has at its sort of moral core. Weve obviously seen a lot of growth in white supremacist organizations and extreme nationalist groups in the U.S., certainly over the last eight years. And so I had to do the ugly research of whats drawing folks into those groups. Whats driving recruitment? The Skull speech is a slightly sanitized version of that stuff. Its been a little interesting hearing people say, Oh, hes taking political shots. Weve done that kind of thing, where we used a lot of topical language in stories with varying degrees of sincerity. This was a little different. I was looking at something else when I came to this. If people see those things as similar, its not my place to say. (Laughs.) Theres this moment where, through the character of Robbie, we get an on-the-ground account of how radicalization of disenfranchised young people works. What did you mean to highlight by outlining Robbies journey from poverty to addiction to Hydra? Getting back to what I was saying before about what a new Hydra would look like and getting away from the previous trappings, I wanted to make them interesting. I wanted us to kind of understand where this endless supply of bodies that Hydra always has comes from. And why someone would sign up for the gig. It became pretty clear that that wasnt going to be a supervillain screaming at the top of his lungs about how he was gonna take over the world and everybody was gonna bow to him. Instead, they would need to see some potential self-interest gain from working in Hydra. Its probably a pretty good paycheck because its a dangerous job. So again, when looking at various hate groups and what drew those people in, these are the kinds of things you see a lot. A lot of times theyre recruiting in areas that are economically depressed, theyre recruiting people who don't have a lot of education or opportunity, who could gain from employment and having future prospects. We [in the U.S.] have a lot of people like that. Its kind of a miracle that we don't have more of this stuff. So I wanted to bring the camera in close on one of them and give you an idea of whos filling these rooms of people that SHIELDs fighting against. I think it makes for a stronger dynamic. It presents SHIELD with some new problems that theyve never really had to deal with before. What should we be reading into Eric Selvigs expression there at the end? Was he in cahoots with Cap? I know, he looks a little dark, doesn't he? He looks a little creepy. (Laughs.) Thats a good observation. Good thing to keep in your back pocket for future issues. Have you been watching the #GiveCaptainAmericaABoyfriend campaign unfold? Yeah. I think the only thing I can say there is it speaks to peoples passion for the character. Which probably isnt much of an answer, but people strongly identify with these characters, theyre strongly invested in these characters lives, and I think that this is a reflection of that energy. What can we expect from the story going forward? I would tell everybody to take the solicits and stuff that are out there with a real grain of salt. (Laughs.) We had to embellish somewhat so that nobody would get suspicious. What I think I can say to folks that might help them visualize where the story is going is that this is not so much a story about what has come before as it is about what comes next. The story is not Steves past, its Steves future. So weve established that Captain America is Hydra. That is a huge moment in the Marvel universe, regardless of when it came to be or how it came to be. What that means in terms of the doors that are open to Steve, what he can do, and what he chooses to do with that power is what remains to be seen. But the thing that I can say is its a huge story I really cant believe that theyre letting me do. This is something that is gonna have a profound effect on the Marvel universe. Ive seen a lot of people say things like, Oh, itll be wrapped up in the arc, or Give it six months. And I can tell you, thats not the case. This has real lasting repercussions that are gonna be with us for a while. Two men in New York were indicted Wednesday for distributing cocaine to a Long Island doctor who fatally overdosed, but Kiersten Cervenys friend says the real culprit is a mysterious bad girl she calls Miss X. Cerveny, 38, was found in the doorway of a Chelsea building on Oct. 5, 2015 after partying with HBO producer Marc Henry Johnson and James Holder, an alleged drug dealer. Police said in an affidavit that Holder and Johnson carried Cerveny downstairs and left her outside around 8:30 a.m. the following morning. Johnson called 911 but by the time paramedics arrived, the mother of three young children was dead. Johnson and Holder arent charged in Cervenys death, but have been charged with drug charges and for moving Cervenys body when she became unresponsive. The worst part was that I thought that she was murdered, when I first got the information, Caron Bernstein, Cevenys friend, told The Daily Beast on Wednesday. So its just a huge relief. I dont know what it feels like to overdose, but it cant be as terrifying as getting murdered. Bernstein was in Los Angeles when she heard about Cervenys death, then heard she was in Manhattan in the first place for a girls night out with their mutual friends. While the other women stayed back at the hotel room, Bernstein said Cerveny and a woman she would only refer to as Miss X went out. The duo eventually found themselves at the KGB bar on the Lower East Side. A KGB employee, who said he was interviewed by police in the weeks after the death, confirmed the women were there. I know Marc Johnson and hes definitely not a drug dealer, Dan Christian told The Daily Beast. Someone dragged him to some late night hang or something like that. Miss X, referred to as Individual 5 in the affidavit, texted with Johnson from the bar, according to court documents released Wednesday. The HBO producer told Individual 5 that he was tipsy and jonesing for coke, according to documents. I may go to Pepsi for a pickup, he texted, referring to Holder. Kiersten was in the worst case naive, in the best case innocent, Bernstein added. Miss X, the alleged late-night companion, knows some slime-baggy people, Bernstein said. Miss X allegedly played a long con on friends, milking them for meals, drinks, and more, Bernstein said, adding she had a reputation for being wild and going out a lot. When I heard that she went [to KGB], I said: Let me guess, blahdy blah took her, Bernstein said. While it wouldnt have been the craziest, most lunatic thing in the world to know that Kiersten did some blow, Bernstein said that her friends usual style was much more reserved, contrary to tabloid reports. While she enjoyed cocktails and drinks with friends on girls nights out, she typically preferred to remain in control, so that she could be present if her children, or anyone else, needed her at a moments notice. There was no extramarital anything, Bernstein emphasized. She was happiest when she was helping. Bernstein recalled how she giggled like a school girl after figuring out a diagnosis her fellow doctors couldnt. I know people speak about dead people like that, like all of a sudden theyre perfect, Bernstein said. Im not saying that Kiersten was a perfect person, but she was closer to that goal than any person Ive ever met. She was always just good to everyone, and she didnt heed advice like, oh, this girl is potentially dangerous, she said. Indeed that night, court documents suggest Cerveny left KGB in a taxi with Johnson. Miss X evidently didnt follow her. Cerveny and Johnson arrived at Holders Chelsea apartment around 4:25 a.m., according to court documents. Four hours later, Cerveny was dead. For HBO [Johnson] to call 911 and then not be there, holding there, trying to give her CPR... that boggles my mind, Bernstein said. Johnson worked as a producer on The Deuce, an upcoming HBO drama about prostitution around Times Square in the 80s. He stepped away from the show after being investigated in relation to Cervenys death. Foremost, this is a grievous tragedy for a young woman and her family, David Simon, an executive producer on the series, told The Daily Beast in a statement. As evidence has yet to be presented and the case yet to be adjudicated, it would be irresponsible to say more than that at this point. But Bernstein says the most important thing to know is that Cerveny was a good person with a big heart. The kids and her husband Andrew were her everything, not including her career. She didnt really make money with her career, because in a typical day she would see 35 patients, most of them children, in this crappy Brooklyn hospital, Bernstein said. Her joy was to help and heal. HONG KONG This week, President Barack Obama was in Vietnam, where he made the case for stronger economic and security ties between his host and America. It was a welcome message, arriving at a time when Chinas ballooning military and stubborn diplomatic rhetoric is causing unease even among former allies and intimate trade partners. The president is now in Japan for a G7 summit, where the same anxieties abound. Meanwhile, in the South China Sea, the focal point for much of this unease, Chinese cruise ships are helping Beijing stake its claim on disputed islands. I love my country! I love Xisha! Those are the words that Chinese tourists shout as they surround a flag pole on one of the uninhabited Paracel Islands, known to the Chinese as Xisha, the first stop on the cruise. The second sight is a slab of concrete on a second island, indicating that visitors are standing in a military forbidden zone. Selfies by the inscription are encouraged. A lunch of grilled tropical fish is served by some of the 78 people who live there. They are paid 45 renminbi, or just under $7 each day by the Chinese government to remain on the islet. The stay of each resident lasts six to nine months. The final stop is Silver Island, which is home to some 10 people and several construction sites. The Chinese government is building residential and office buildings on the island, and has designated the activity as something to be enjoyed by tour groups. The lesson is that the South China Sea is not only meant for the Chinese military, but also civilians. The four-day South China Sea cruise, which started quietly in 2013, is operated by a Chinese state-run shipping company based on tropical Hainan Island. Patriots shell out anywhere between $500 and $3,600 for the privilege to travel through disputed waters, but only after they pass a screening test to measure their political leanings. DIY adventurers are not welcome: this month, when a private sailboat left Hainan Island to visit the Paracel Islands without official approval, those involved were fined 29,000 ($4,400), and the vessel was impounded for 30 days. The punishment was a measure to control who is permitted to visit the islets. In particular, foreigners are not welcome. China claims sovereignty over widely scattered atolls and reefs in the South China Sea, including the Paracel and Spratly Islands, based on a self-declared demarcation called the nine-dash line. Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, and the Philippines all claim some parts within the area. To strengthen its own territorial claims, Beijing has embarked on a series of land reclamation projects, transforming reefs into landmasses that now have runways and radar facilities. The Great Wall of Sand, as some call it, has strained relations between China and its Southeast Asian neighbors. Last year, as global defense spending dipped, military budgets in Asia saw a solid increase, mainly fueled by Chinese developments. The Philippines increased its defense budget by 10 percent in 2015, and will soon be supplied with military equipment from Japan. Tokyo is also in a tug-of-war with Beijing over the East China Sea island chain known as Diaoyu to the Chinese and Senkaku to the Japanese. Vietnam has recently purchased six fast-attack submarines from Russia. During a news conference in Hanoi, President Obama announced the U.S. will lift an arms embargo on Vietnam that has been in place since 1984. The action may be in the South China Sea, but observers of East Asian geopolitics also have an eye on The Hague. Last October, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) began hearing arguments of Philippines v. China, a case brought to the PCA concerning the legality of Chinas territorial claims in the South China Sea. The Philippines maintains that the nine-dotted line violates the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which defines nations rights and responsibilities regarding ocean waters. Though the Philippines claims the Spratly Islands based on proximity, they submitted the case with the underlying argument that even if Beijings claims to South China Sea islands were legitimate, the nine-dash line still exceeds Chinas rights under UNCLOS. China refused to participate in the hearings, and has stated that the dispute should be settled by negotiations between the two nations involved, not by legal experts in The Hague. This week, the Chinese consulate in Vancouver commissioned a newspaper ad in Canadas Globe and Mail that stated the case violates international law. The PCA is expected to announce a decision at the end of this month. Will that end the dispute? No. Neither nation will retract the claim of any territory, and diplomatic spats will continue. Any settlement, if it can be carried to term, will not be born in a courtroom. Beijing is wary of Washingtons intense interest in the regions developments. The U.S. navy periodically conducts freedom of navigation operations near disputed islands, much to the chagrin of Chinese admirals. The results are frequently predictablefighter jets are scrambled, and the Chinese navy dispatches part of its fleet to follow their American counterparts. However, last week saw an escalated development. Two Chinese jets intercepted a U.S. military reconnaissance aircraft. The Pentagon called it an unsafe action. The South China Sea sees $5 trillion of maritime trade each year, and is crucial to the economic health of East and Southeast Asian nations. Chinese President Xi Jinping considers the South China Sea as part of Chinas Maritime Silk Road, a planned route that links ports in China with those along the east coast of Africa via the South China Sea, the Strait of Malacca, and the Indian Ocean. In particular, the Chinese navy will have access to Chinas first overseas installation, which is currently under construction in Djibouti. The PCA may be attempting to settle a row between two nations, but in point of fact the dispute is between China and everyone else. In particular, representatives from five Asian nationsVietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Japanhave been watching the hearings closely. Beijings attempts to plant fake islands and forced construction sites in the South China Sea have convinced no one of its territorial claims. With the increasing likelihood that China will set up an air defense identification zone over at least some portion of the South China Sea, just as it had done over areas contested by Japan in the East China Sea, the slow creep of militarization in a key economic corridor seems unstoppable. And all the while the Xisha love boats will continue their cruises. The green frog was behind the United States side of the metal fence at the countrys southernmost border, smirking and holding a Donald Trump campaign button up to his chin. A caricature of a Mexican couplethe man dressed in a sombrero and poncho, the woman with braided hair and an infant in her armslooked out at him through the barricade and cried. Then the frog was someplace else entirely, this time covered in Nazi insignia: above his smirk, the phrase SKIN HEAD and a swastika; over his left eyelid, 14, the numeric shorthand for we must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children; and over his right eyelid, 88, which stands for Heil Hitler. And there the frog was yet again, standing at a lectern stamped with the presidential seal, a red tie hanging from his green neck, Trumps iconic hair arranged on his head and an American flag at his back. This is Pepe, a cartoon amphibian introduced to the world sans swastikas and Trump associations in 2005, on Myspace, in the artist Matt Furies comic strip Boys Club, and popularized on 4chan in the ensuing 11 years, culminating in 2015, when teens shared Pepes likeness so many times he became the biggest meme on Tumblr. (Furie did not respond to an interview request from The Daily Beast.) Like all great art, Pepe was open to endless interpretation, but at the end of the day, he meant whatever you wanted him to mean. All in good fun, teens made Batman Pepe, Supermarket Checkout Girl Pepe, Borat Pepe, Keith Haring Pepe, and carved Pepe pumpkins. But he also embodied existential angst. Pepe, the grimiest but most versatile meme of all, was both hero and antiheroa symbol fit for all of lifes ups and downs and the full spectrum of human emotions, as they played out online. On social media, Pepe became inescapable. Katy Perry tweeted a crying Pepe with the caption Australian jet lag got me like, racking up over 10,000 retweets. Nicki Minaj posted a twerking Pepe on Instagram with the caption Me on Instagram for the next few weeks trying to get my followers back up, which 282,000 users liked. And then, recently, things took a turn: Pepe became socially unacceptable. Turns out that was by design. @JaredTSwift is an anonymous white nationalist who claims to be 19 years old and in school someplace on the West Coast. He told me there is an actual campaign to reclaim Pepe from normies. Normies are basicsagreeable, mainstream members of society who have no knowingly abhorrent political views or unsavory hobbies. They are Katy Perry, and when they latch onto a meme, the meme dies the way your favorite band dies when it sells out and licenses a song to Chevrolet. When mainstream culture gets in on the joke, in other words, the joke is ruined forever. The campaign to reclaim Pepe from normies was an effort to prevent this sort of death, but it also had the effect of desensitizing swaths of the Internet to racist, but mostly anti-Semitic, ideas supported by the so-called alt-right movement. It began in late 2015 on /r9k/, a controversial 4chan board where, as on any message board, it can be difficult to discern how serious commenters are being or if theyre just fucking around entirely. Nevertheless, /r9k/ has been tied to Elliot Rodger the UC Santa Barbara shooter who killed six people in 2014who found fans there, and GamerGate . There, Pepe transformed from harmless cartoon to big green monster. We basically mixed Pepe in with Nazi propaganda, etc. We built that association, @JaredTSwift said. He sent me a rare Pepe, an ironic categorization for certain versions of the meme: Pepe, his eyes red and irises swastika-shaped, against a trippy rainbow backdrop. Do with it what you will, he said. Building the Trump association came next, after which @JaredTSwift said the images got crossover appeal. They began to move from 4chan to Twitter, which is when journalists were exposed to it via Trump memes. On Jan. 7, Cheri Jacobus, a Republican consultant and pundit who is suing Trump for defamation and has been harassed by Trump supporters, tweeted, The green frog symbol is what white supremacists use in their propaganda. U dont want to go there. #FrogTwitter considered Jacobus, the first prominent person to be duped, its first scalp and inundated her with ever more Pepe images and Trump memes, some of which were violent and sexually explicit. In one, a blond woman is decapitated before Pepe has intercourse with her headless body. In another, Jacobuss face is photoshopped onto a topless woman kneeling before Trump, who is himself photoshopped to wear a Nazi uniform. When they adapt Pepe the green frog and turn it into an anti-Semite, staring into the screen with the World Trade Center behind it, is that cute or funny? she asked when reached by phone Wednesday. Does that make it OK? I dont know, she said. Violent and disturbing images are violent and disturbing images regardless of what their stated reasons are. Jay Nordlinger, a senior editor at National Review, a conservative publication opposed to Trumps candidacy, asked Twitter on Jan. 30, Does anyone know what that green face is that alt and cuck people put in their avatars and their other images? @TopKanker replied with an image of Pepe dressed as a Nazi soldier and holding a Star of David. On May 16, Ben White, a reporter for Politico, tweeted a drawing of Pepe and asked, What/who is this character and why do I see it associated with Trumpsters/Alt-Right types all the time? #FrogTwitter descended on Whites mentions, with predictable results. @DonaldjBismarck, a self-described Nationalist, replied with a meme of Hillary Clinton, squinting at a computer screen and asking, WHO THE HELL IS PEPE? Turns out asking about Pepe was a bad idea, White tweeted, in conclusion. But Pepes twisted transformation wouldnt be complete until a few hours after Whites foray down the froghole, when Margarita Noriega, an executive editor at Newsweek, tweeted a Pepe at Marco Rubio. Benny Polatseck, who runs the public relations firm Colossal PR, accused Noriega of employing an image used by racists to make fun of latinos. Noriega deleted the Pepe. Most memes are ephemeral by nature, but Pepe is not, @JaredTSwift told me. Hes a reflection of our souls, to most of us. Its disgusting to see people (normies, if you will) use him so trivially. He belongs to us. And well make him toxic if we have to. @JaredTSwift said some of the support for Trump was in jest, but for most of his cohorts, its sincere. He even claimed to have voted for Trump in the primary himself, wherever it is he lives, and said hed vote for him in the general, too. In a sense, weve managed to push white nationalism into a very mainstream position, he said. Trumps online support has been crucial to his success, I believe, and the fact is that his biggest and most devoted online supporters are white nationalists. Now, weve pushed the Overton window. People have adopted our rhetoric, sometimes without even realizing it. Were setting up for a massive cultural shift. Another anonymous white nationalist, @PaulTown_, claimed to be in my late 20s, but declined to say where he exists geographically, other than to confirm that, every few months, he meets the members of his community in New York City. He estimated the broad #FrogTwitter movement to consist of about 30 people but said 10 core members helped plot it out over drinks in late 2015, before taking to /r9k/. We all do some weightlifting, so we met through friends involved in that scene, he said. Turning Pepe into a white nationalist icon was one of our original goals, although weve had our hands in many other things. One of those things has been helping to turn Taylor Swift into an Aryan goddess. When several publications (Broadly, Slate, and The Washington Post) this week reported on the alt-rights fixation on the pop star, #FrogTwitter was somewhat triumphant. I never thought that would work, @JaredTSwift said, but they finally noticed. @PaulTown_ characterized Pepe as an experiment the group used as a test. As you can see, he said, it went better than we could ever have imagined. Alesha, a 23-year-old Pakistani transgender activist, survived multiple gunshots. She even made it to the hospital, albeit in critical condition. But in the end, it wasnt her shooter that sealed her fateit was a transphobic medical staff. Her story is not just tragic proof of anti-transgender discrimination and violence abroad. What happened to her in a Pakistani hospital can and does happen in the United States. According to the Pakistani newspaper Express Tribune, after Alesha arrived at Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, authorities kept her waiting for over an hour as they couldnt decide whether to shift her in the male or female ward. Then, as the LA Times reported, the staff spent several hours insisting that she could not go to either ward. Her fellow activists with the Trans Action Alliance Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TAA) demanded that Alesha be treated, ultimately succeeding in moving her to a private room. But it was too late. The critically-injured young woman underwent surgical treatment for internal bleeding and died Wednesday morning. The anti-transgender harassment Alesha and her colleagues allegedly experienced at Lady Reading Hospital can be pieced together from local reports. Transgender activist Farzana Jan told Dawn that staff followed her around the hospital while she was trying to locate a doctor for Alesha, teasing her instead of assisting her. She added in an interview with Zulfiqar Ali and Shashank Bengali, who were reporting for the LA Times from Pakistan, that men gathered outside the emergency room asked if her breasts were real or fake. Another TAA member told Dawn, The doctors kept asking the injured Alesha if she danced only and how much she charged. According to the Express Tribune, a group of anti-transgender extortionists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is under investigation for the shootinga gang that is suspected of being behind a wave of transphobic violence in the province. The harassment Alesha reportedly received at Lady Reading Hospital is horrific, certainly one of the most extreme examples of mistreatment based on gender identity to occur in a health care setting. But it is also generally consistent with the way that many transgender people have been treated by hospitals and doctors offices in the United States. According to the 2010 National Transgender Discrimination Survey (PDF), 28 percent of transgender respondents said they had been harassed in a medical setting. A small but still unsettling two percent said they experienced physical violence in a doctors office. Almost one in five had been denied medical care based on their gender identity, like one transgender man who said that he had been living with excruciating [ovarian] pain for years because he couldnt find a doctor willing to examine it. Unsurprisingly, this discrimination prompts many transgender people to avoid doctors offices, even when they need pressing treatment. Behind the survey data, there are horror stories waiting to be told. For example, in 2013, a transgender man named Jakob Rumble, then just eighteen years old, went to Fairview Southdale Hospital in Minnesota to be treated for genital pain. What he allegedly experienced was six days of discrimination and abuse. His time at Fairview Southdale was later detailed in a discrimination lawsuit he filed against the hospital. Rumble claimed in the suit that he went to the hospital after his genital pain became so severe that he had trouble walking. Like Alesha, he waited several hours for treatment after an uncomfortable interaction with the admissions office. After almost five hours, a doctor came to his room and allegedly began asking him invasive questions about his sexual history in a hostile and aggressive manner. Then, he says, the doctor repeatedly jabbed at [his] genitals with his fingers, not stopping even after the young men asked him to do so twice. Rumbles mother intervened, asking the doctor to end the exam. The doctor, Rumble claimed, reacted angrily when he asked if the problem had been identified, fuming, I cant tell you because your mom made me stop the exam and leaving the room. Rumble was admitted to the hospital and stayed for six days, with his mother sleeping in the chair beside him to protect him. According to his lawsuit, the abuse got even worse. Among other incidents, Rumble claimed that one doctor touched his face with the same gloves he used to touch his inflamed genitals and that nurses often examined his genitals without explanation, even when he asked why it was necessary. In March 2015, a U.S. District Court ruled that Rumbles lawsuit could proceed as a case of possible sex discrimination. The full report from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey (PDF) contains even more disturbing stories from transgender respondents who faced discrimination at the hospital or in a doctors office. I have been refused emergency room treatment even when delivered to the hospital by ambulance with numerous broken bones and wounds, said one. After an accident on ice, I was left untreated in the ER for two hours when they found my breasts under my bra while I was dressed outwardly as male, said another. One respondent said that a visit for a sore throat turned into a forced pelvic exam: The doctor invited others to look at me while he examined me and talked to them about my genitals. It is no surprise that these cases have not turned into costly lawsuits. Transgender people are four times as likely as cisgender people to live in poverty. That rate is even higher for transgender people of color who are, in turn, more likely to face discrimination at the doctors office than their white counterparts. Even if transgender people could afford to sue, legal avenues were not always available to them. Rumbles case is the first, according to the Washington Blade, to test whether or not a hospital can be sued for anti-transgender discrimination under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. But even while these stories remain confined to the pages of surveys, with more in the shadows, it is clear that anti-transgender violence in a hospital is not something that could only happen overseas. It happens here, too. Aleshas death is not so much an indictment of Pakistan in particular as it is a symptom of a world that, too often, would rather let transgender people die than help them live. By Michael Beckel / Center for Public Integrity Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump have precious little in common. But the two all-but-certain presidential nominees do share this: at least three-dozen campaign contributors who gave money to both of them, according to a Center for Public Integrity review of federal campaign finance filings. The donors compose one of the nations smallest political clubs, to be sure, although it has its share of notable members. They include a former U.S. ambassador to Sweden, the heiress to the National Enquirer fortune, the mother of an Ohio state senator, a professional poker player, a writer for the ABC hit television series Castle, and a law professor who has challenged the constitutional eligibility of former Republican presidential contender Ted Cruz. The reasons for their double dealings vary. Some gave to both politicians after undergoing ideological conversions. Others donated because they were asked by friends or trusted associates. Some Clinton supporters just wanted Trumps iconic Make America Great Again hatseven if the money they spent would aid the billionaire businessmans presidential bid. While Americans may only vote for one presidential candidate come November, theres nothing stopping them from giving money to multiple White House hopefuls. Nine of these overlapping donors contributed $2,700the legal maximum allowed during the primaryto both Clinton and Trump. Others gave more modest sums. With the primary season now nearing its end, both Clinton and Trump are also aiming to make inroads with voters who typically vote for the other party in order to prevail on Election Day in November. Trump is hoping his populism can win over some Democrats, while Clinton believes that Trumps brash antics will attract some Republicans to support her candidacy. Both can already claim some converts. Changes of heart For instance, Victor Williams, a law professor at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., last year donated $400 to Clintons campaign as a dutiful Democrat. But he now says hes a Trump manand has donated $5,400 to Trumps campaign, $2,700 toward the primary and $2,700 toward the general election. Another way hes trying to help Trump: Hes been the main force behind a so-far-unsuccessful New Jersey lawsuit challenging Cruzs eligibility to be president. Cruzs mother was a U.S. citizen living in Canada when she gave birth to her son. (Presidents must be natural-born citizens.) In order to have legal standing for the case, Williams himself also launched a long-shot presidential bid. On his campaign website, Williams asserts that Clinton should be criminally indicted for some of her actions as secretary of state. He further argues that we must replace the feckless, weak Barack Obama with a strong, determined 45th president. What Im genuinely excited about is the possibility that the established political order and those elites who have been at the trough for 40, 50 years will be sent home, Williams told the Center for Public Integrity. Its really now or never. Then theres Anthony Brennan, the owner of a Long Island, New York-based heating and air conditioning company. He says he regrets donating $2,700 to Clinton, whom he calls corrupt to the core. I have no faith whatsoever that this lady can run a country, said Brennan, explaining that he made the contribution to Clinton after being asked to give by some people with whom he does businessand before he had done any research on her. Campaign finance records indicate Brennan has now also contributed $244 to Trumpmoney that, he explained, went toward Trump gear, stickers and the 40 Trump signs he now displays in his yard. The country has written off the hard-working men who are the backbone, who keep this government funded with our payroll taxes, Brennan told the Center for Public Integrity, adding that he plans to donate up to $100,000 to pro-Trump efforts this year because our country is in need. Finally theres a voice for us, he continued. Professional poker player Daniel Miami Boss Suied also likes Trumps economic views. Suied, who gave Clintons campaign $500 last year at the behest of some Democratic Party friends in Florida, has also donated $367 to Trumps campaign, including at least $200 in April. I was a huge fan of Bill Clinton, Suied told the Center for Public Integrity. I like Trump now. Making hats great again Meanwhile, New York City-based lawyer Chris DiAngelo, a self-described Rockefeller Republican, told the Center for Public Integrity he gave Clintons campaign $2,700 last June, after being asked by a friend. Six months later he became a Trump campaign donor because, he says, he purchased six of Trumps Make America Great Again hats for a New Years Eve party. A big hit is how DiAngelo described the headwear. So who will DiAngelo be supporting in November? Its probably either going to be Hillary or nobody, he said. Unless Trump does something amazing, like, I dont know, the pope is his running mate. Television writer and producer Moira Kirlandwhose credits include ABCs Castle, CBSs Madam Secretary, and the CWs Arrowis a registered Democrat who likewise became a Trump donor after buying merchandise. I just wanted to wear that Make America Great Again shirt ironically in January! said Kirland, who is listed in campaign finance records as giving $211 to Trump and $900 to Clinton. A similar story played out for Adam Conner, who works for technology company Slack in Washington, D.C., and spent $533 buying Trump hats while at the same time giving $360 to Clintons campaign. I thought theyd be good gifts and a fun collectors item and didnt think Id have very long to buy them. Guess I was wrong, Conner told The Daily Beast earlier this year. Reached by the Center for Public Integrity, Conner stressed that he was a committed Democrat who will support the Democratic nominee, even if his hat purchases helped fund Trumps campaign. Giving big, saying little For some of the people who have given money to both Clinton and Trump, their motivations arent readily apparent. Nor are they particularly willing to discuss their political giving. For instance, campaign finance records show that Nancy Beang, the former executive director of the Society for Neuroscience, donated $2,700 to Clinton in July. She then donated $250 to Trump in January. Reached by phone, Beang, who was a member of the District of Columbia Women for Hillary Council during Clintons 2008 presidential bid, declined to comment. In March, Beang told The Daily Beast that she was backing Trump because she thought he would make America great again. For his part, Jeffrey Sherman, a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities in Boston, gave $1,000 to Trump shortly after Trump launched his presidential bid last summer. Yet hes also given $739 to Clinton so far this year. Why? Im not commenting, Sherman told the Center for Public Integrity. Im the wrong guy to help you out. Meanwhile, campaign finance disclosures show that Lyndon Olsonwho served as the U.S. ambassador to Sweden under President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2001gave $2,700 to Hillary Clintons presidential campaign last year. But he also contributed $796 to Trump in February. Philanthropist Lois Pope, heiress to the National Enquirer fortune, likewise contributed $2,700 to Clintons 2016 presidential bid. But shes also given Trump $423 and has attended multiple events for him this year, often sporting sequined, pro-Trump regalia. Then theres lawyer Eric Yollick, who earlier this year lost a GOP primary for district judge in Texas. Yollick, who refers to himself as a constitutional conservative and pledged to make our courthouse great again, has donated $2,600 to both Trump and Clinton. Olson, Pope, and Yollick did not respond to requests for comment. Like buying extra lottery tickets Ohio Democrat Janet Cafaro is another donor whos given significant sums to both Clinton and Trump. Campaign finance records show she gave Clinton $2,700 in November and $2,700 to Trump in March. Who is Janet Cafaro? Shes the mother of Democratic state Sen. Capri Cafaro of Ohio and the wife of developer John J.J. Cafaro. The Cafaros, a wealthy Ohio family, have experienced both the glamorous and gritty aspects of politics. On one hand, theyve hosted President Bill Clinton at their sprawling, Tudor-style mansion in Chevy Chase, Maryland. On the other hand, John Cafaro was fined in 2002 for bribing former U.S. Rep. James Traficant of Ohio, whom he testified against in court. Janet Cafaro could not immediately be reached for comment, but Capri Cafaro told the Center for Public Integrity she asked her mother to donate to Clinton ahead of a local event. Theres no ideological reason behind their financial support for either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, Cafaro said of her parents political giving. (John Cafaro, like Janet Cafaro, has also donated $2,700 to Trump.) Only a handful of other donors have contributed $2,700 to both Clinton and Trump. They include Steve Gorlin, the vice chairman of biotechnology company NantKwest; Scott Powell, the president of the Sacramento Jet Center; and Scott Shleifer of investment company Tiger Global Management, according to federal records. None could be immediately reached for comment. Political observers note that for some donors, backing multiple candidates can be about access and hoping to influence a politicians agenda. Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, has said that donating to multiple candidates is like buying extra lottery tickets because you have more chances to wind up in the winners circle, with all the perks of having backed the victor. Ahead of the 2012 election, dozens of donors contributed to both President Barack Obama and his Republican rival Mitt Romney, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan group that tracks money in politics. Likewise, during the 2008 election, about two-dozen donors gave at least $2,300 to both Obama and Republican John McCain. To be certain, the roughly three-dozen campaign donors shared by Clinton and Trump identified by the Center for Public Integrity represent a conservative estimate as only people who give a candidate at least $200 must be publicly disclosed. Through April 30, Trump has raised about $10.5 million from people who each gave less than $200 and whose names have not been publicly released. Clinton, meanwhile, has raised about $40.2 million from such small-dollar donors. Moreover, as Trump now turns to more traditional sources of campaign cashhes largely been self-funding his presidential bid to datethe number of donors he shares with Clinton will likely grow. Undecided between Clinton and Trump While polls do regularly show a portion of voters still undecided between Clinton and Trump, you might not expect someone whos opened up their wallet to support a politician to fall into that category. Yet thats the case for at least one Florida man who has contributed $287 to Trump and $899 to Clinton. Michael Ginsberg, a Tampa-based lawyer, explained that his giving was not ideological. Ive gone to their stores and bought things, he said, adding that hes been collecting political memorabiliamainly buttonssince he was a kid and has a collection that now numbers in the hundreds, if not thousands, of items. Im sort of torn between the two, Ginsberg said of Clinton and Trump. Both have things of interest and elements of concern. Chris Zubak-Skees and Ben Wieder contributed to this report. This story is from the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative media organization in Washington, D.C. Read more of its investigations on the influence of money in politics or follow it on Twitter. Hillary Clinton may have suspended her political career temporarily when she became secretary of state. But the Clinton fundraising machine was in full swing and raising millions of dollars for the State Department under her watch, an analysis by The Daily Beast has found. More than a dozen donors to Clintons non-profit foundation and her various political campaigns poured money into an endowment she launched into 2010 to pay for the upkeep of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms. The 42 sumptuous salons at State Department headquarters in Washington, decorated with 18th and 19th century American furnishings, are used to welcome foreign dignitaries, conduct diplomatic meetings and swearing-in ceremonies, and host official dinners. By the following year, the campaign had raised more than $20 million to permanently fund restoration and maintenance for the rooms and their collections of rare American artwork, thanks largely to reliable Clinton donors. Nearly half of the 37 people and organizations who donated to the State Department campaign, known as Patrons of Diplomacy, also gave money to the Clinton Foundation, according to State Department and foundation records. Of the 11 people who served as co-chairs for the campaign, agreeing to contribute their own money or to help raise funds from others, six also gave to the Clinton Foundation, a global charity started by former President Bill Clinton. Until this week the State Department seemed inclined to keep the names of these patrons private. When The Daily Beast initially asked to see the donor list, a department spokesperson said that it was already the subject of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit by the Republican National Committee, and therefore couldnt yet be released. (The RNC has filed six lawsuits against the State Department related to Clintons tenure, focused on potential conflicts of interest with her and her aides work for the foundation, as well as her use of a private email server for official business.) But if the State Department wanted to keep the donors from public scrutiny, its not clear why their names are inscribed on a wall, located on a terrace off one of the reception rooms, with a sweeping view of the National Mall. Only when The Daily Beast pointed out that an article in a 2012 issue of an internal State Department magazine mentions the donor wall was a reporter allowed to see it. Having a name etched in stone was one of several donor perks, according to a glossy 22-page brochure that describes the important restoration and maintenance work that private contributions have funded over the years (PDF). Taxpayer funds may not be used for the reception rooms, which are open to the public and house a museum-quality collection of furniture, paintings, and documents. By becoming a Patron of Diplomacy, you are supporting the ongoing business of American diplomacy and investing in our nations future. Gifts to the campaign are tax deductible, the brochure states. Donors also receive invitations to campaign events and ongoing activities, as well as recognition on a website that has apparently been awaiting an update for the better part of four years. The Daily Beast was able to find an archived section of the website that contains the names of hundreds of donors who have given over the years, most of them before Clinton took office. The Daily Beast found no evidence that donors to Patrons of Diplomacy had been offered favors or special access to the State Department, beyond whats spelled out in the brochure. And theres nothing nefarious about the raising of private funds to pay for public works. Indeed, private donors have been pitching in to support the rooms since 1961. The State Department and the Clinton Foundation are separate entities, and we can only speak to our programs and policies, department spokesperson Mark Toner told The Daily Beast. All donations to the Patrons of Diplomacy initiative were reviewed by the Department in accordance with applicable rules and regulations. But the overlap between the campaign and donors to the Clinton Foundation, as well as Clintons political campaigns, may be problematic for the Democratic presidential frontrunner. Along with her husband, Clinton has faced repeated criticism over the years that the foundation serves as a conduit for influencing official decision-making. In addition to suing for the names of the donors, the RNC has also demanded information that its staff thinks could indicate some quid-pro-quo between donors and those seeking to get on Clintons good side (PDF). That information includes solicitations to the patrons campaign, invitations to the Diplomatic Reception Rooms, and visitor logs for Clintons formal quarters and personal office at State Department headquarters. The overlap between donors to the Clinton Foundation and this project raise more questions about influence buying at the Clinton State Department, Raj Shah, the deputy communications director for the RNC, told The Daily Beast. Its becoming clearer by the day that reason Hillary Clinton set up her email server was to conceal unseemly conflicts of interest that were prevalent during her tenure. Now we see that evidence of these conflicts are literally carved in stone. Regardless of the RNCs allegations, its clear that even when Clinton is not on the campaign trail, her familys money-raising machine follows her. Clintons fundraising prowess dwarfed previous efforts at the State Department. Tax returns for a non-profit organization that has managed funds for the reception rooms since the 1980s show that, on average, it had about $4.8 million in assets on hand in the four years before Clinton took office. The fund was also losing money. Clinton and her friends and donors raised four times the funds assets, for a grand total of $20.3 million. Clinton also personally pitched donors in a promotional video about the reception rooms and the patrons campaign. These rooms are completely paid for and furnished by private donations, she noted. The Patrons of Diplomacy is our effort to reach out and include people today who wish to make a contribution to keep these rooms going, to make sure that they remain as beautiful, historically significant, as they are right now. The Diplomatic Reception Rooms enable the Secretary of State and other senior U.S. Government officials to receive distinguished foreign visitors with a touch of our nations history, State Department spokesperson Mark Toner told The Daily Beast in a written statement. In October 2011, the campaign was successfully completed thereby ensuring that the Diplomatic Rooms and their Collection will continue to provide an extraordinary venue for American diplomacy for generations to come. Neither the Clinton Foundation nor the Clinton campaign responded to requests for comment. State Department spokesman John Kirby also said that the department is currently processing the RNCs request for the donor names and related information. But there has been a surge in requests under the Freedom of Information Act in recent years, with approximately 22,000 last year alone, he said. The department processes those requests in an entirely nonpartisan manner, Kirby added. The patrons are collectively responsible for at least $33 million in contributions to the Clinton Foundation, according to publicly available records. Many gave donations in the five- and six-figures, with a handful of seven- and eight-figure donors responsible for the lions share of the total. Those donors include some of the biggest Clinton fundraisers around, whove been supporting her and her husbands political careers for years. The Indiana philanthropist Bren Simon was deemed a Grand Patron of the patrons campaign, having contributed $1 million or more. She was also named a co-chair of the overall fundraising effort. Simon has also given between $1 million and $5 million to the Clinton Foundation, records show. Her philanthropic foundation, which shares the name of her late husband, the shopping mall magnate Melvin Simon, also gave the foundation between $250,000 and $500,000. And Bren Simon has personally donated the maximum amount under law to Clintons 2016 presidential campaign, as well as to her 2008 run and her earlier campaign for the U.S. Senate. Several of the patrons donors are among the most devout of the Clinton network over the past few decades. At least three, Fred Eychaner, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, and Dan Abraham, were among 63 people who gave $10,000the maximumto Bill Clintons legal defense fund, which was set up to pay his legal bills amid the various scandals that dogged his presidency, as well as his impeachment. (McAuliffes own fundraising is now the subject of scrutiny. The FBI is investigating the onetime Clinton Foundation board member for potentially taking illegal campaign contributions, it was reported this week. Investigators are reportedly scrutinizing donations to McAuliffes gubernatorial campaign by Chinese billionaire Wang Wenliang, who also gave $2 million to the Clinton Foundation through his company, Rilin Enterprises. McAuliffe formerly served on the foundations board.) At least 18 patrons also gave to Clintons various political campaigns ranging from her Senate campaign in 2000 to her current bid for president. Eychaner, a reclusive media entrepreneur and so-called Hillblazer, has raised at least $100,000 in contributions to Clintons presidential campaign. She personally thanked him for serving as a co-chair for Patrons of Diplomacy in her remarks at a 2011 reception to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms. Eychaner is a rarity among Clinton donors, being one of only seven people who has given $25 million or more to the Clinton Foundation. A 2015 analysis by Politico found confusion over whether Eychaner had personally given the money or donated through his own foundation, Alphawood. But Eychaners prominent donor status isnt in doubt. In the 2016 election cycle, he has personally given just over $4 million to Democratic outside spending groups, including political action committees, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics. Eychaner gave $2 million to Priorities USA Action, the main super PAC backing Clinton for president. Henry Laufer and his wife, Marsha, whose names are also on the patrons wall, held a fundraiser for Clintons presidential run this past April in their South Florida home. And in February, Laufer, a vice president at Renaissance Technologies, donated $500,000 to pro-Clinton Super PAC Correct the Record. And Ewa and Dan Abraham, a longtime donor for both Bill and Hillary Clinton, underwrote an endowment to care for the terrace at the State Department where the Patrons of Diplomacy memorial wall hangs. The patrons campaign also drew on the ranks of Washingtons moneyed society, including those who have a long history of giving to cultural and artistic causes. One of the co-chairs, philanthropist Adrienne Arsht, is a fixture among Washingtons social scene and a major benefactor of the performing arts. She gave $500,000 to the patrons campaign, qualifying her for Major Philanthropist statuts. She also hired a Miami marketing firm with which she does business, Republica, to create that glossy brochure brochure (PDF), which was used to pitch other donors. Arsht, who made her money in Florida banking, also has given the maximum amount allowed to Clintons presidential campaign. But she has mostly spent her millions on the city of Miamis Center for the Performing Arts, the largest in Florida, which bears her name, as well as on major donations to New Yorks Lincoln Center and the Metropolitan Opera. Last Saturday, Arsht attended the annual gala for the Washington National Opera, striding confidently in a floor-length blue beaded gown through the hall of the Organization of American States, as members of the citys arts and philanthropy establishment greeted one of their own. Arsht is also a preeminent figure in the rarified world of money and society that Clinton herself knows well as a longtime, on-again-off-again resident of the District of Columbia. And the two have socialized together. In July 2012, Clinton attended a small dinner that Arsht hosted at her Washington home for Adm. James Stavridis, the then-commander of U.S. European Command and NATOs Supreme Allied Commander, and Stavridiss wife, according to a copy of Clintons schedule that was released along with some of the emails she kept on a private server in her New York home. Another bastion of the Washington philanthropic establishment, David Rubenstein, was also a co-chair of the patrons campaign and gave at least $1 million. (He has given modestly to the Clinton Foundation, between $5,000 and $10,000, records show.) Rubensteins passionsome might say missionis the preservation of American history and priceless treasures. He personally ponied up half the cost to repair the Washington Monument after it was damaged and closed following a 2012 earthquake, about $7.5 million. And Rubenstein, one of Washingtons few billionaires, lent the State Department a rare 1823 copy of the Declaration of Independence to display in the Diplomatic Reception Rooms. (He has also given an original copy of the Magna Carta that he bought for $21 million to the National Archives, which has a Rubenstein gallery.) The Daily Beast reached out to several of the top donors to the patrons campaign, including the co-chairs. Rubenstein, the only person to respond, told The Daily Beast that he had been approached to give to the Patrons of Diplomacy campaign, but he didnt recall by whom. There is a long standing program to raise funds to outfit the public rooms at State, Rubenstein said, noting that the effort first got underway in the early 1960s, when what are now the grand reception rooms were drab, modernist affairs with low ceilings and harsh lighting. The wife of Secretary of State Christian Herter, who served in the Eisenhower administration from 1959 to 1961, reportedly wept when she first saw the rooms, believing the United States would be humiliated to host heads of state and foreign dignitaries in such a garish venue. It looked like a gangsters molls headquarters on the Twentieth Century-Fox lot, State Department curator Clement Conger, who is widely credited as the guiding force behind the original plan to remodel the rooms and the subsequent upkeep, told the Christian Science Monitor in 1985. It was done in completely modern furniture, covered in purple, red, and turquoise, with red at the windows. The fundraising campaign that Clinton started, which was overseen by her then chief of protocol, Capricia Marshall, raised Congers efforts to a new level and may ensure that the rooms have a reliable source of funds for years to come. Of the $20.3 million raised, $18 million will be used for preservation and the remainder will pay for efforts to educate people worldwide about the rooms, which are open for public tours, according to an article in the State Departments internal magazine. But Republicans suspicions about Clintons fundraising efforts are unlikely to be allayed by the work she did to ensure the rooms future. And its doubtful that her friends and reliable donors would have given so generously were Clinton not running the State Department. with additional reporting by Andrew Desiderio For decades, one narrative has dominated American politics: That while white liberal Democrats may not be perfect, they are far more trustworthy and far less scary when it comes to race than conservative Republicans. The backers of Bernie Sanderss never-ending kamikaze campaign remind us of an older truth: that there are good people and terrible people in both parties and that Republicans do not have a monopoly on intolerance. Donald Trump has without question run one of the most racially and ethnically divisive presidential campaigns in recent memory. So much so that as former Senator Bob Bennett lay dying, he asked his loved ones if there were any Muslims in the hospital. His reason? So that he could go up and apologize to each one of them for Donald Trump. Did I mention Bob Bennett was a conservative Republican? Hes far from the only high profile conservative to come out swinging against Trump. Jeb Bush denounced Trumps infamous Cinco de Mayo tweet in which he professed his love for Hispanics while eating a taco bowl, comparing it to eating a watermelon and saying I love African Americans. Going a step farther, Bush said he will not vote for Trump in November. His brother and father, the two most recent former Republican presidents, have declined to endorse the partys presumed 2016 nominee. Even more telling, they, along with the two most recent GOP nominees for president, Sen. John McCain and former governor Mitt Romney will not be attending this years Republican National Convention. While a number of conservative Trump critics have attempted to diplomatically convey their problems with his rhetoric, and ultimately his candidacy, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham has been refreshingly blunt: Hes a race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot. While high-profile Republicans step forward to denounce one of their own and to argue that minorities should be treated with courtesy and respect, plenty of white progressives seem intent on putting us in our place, so to speak, and keeping us there. Though much of the media coverage of so-called Bernie Brosoverzealous, predominantly white, young, and male Sanders supportershas focused on their treatment of female journalists online, their lack of respect for racial and ethnic minorities who deign to challenge Sanders has been perhaps more chilling. The Washington Post noted that at one point #MississippiBerning became a hashtag used by Sanders supporters on social mediaa witty and clever turn of phrase unless of course you are a black American who hears the words Mississippi burning and immediately thinks of church bombings and lynchings. Black writers and activists who have had the temerity to challenge Sanderss record have been targeted by his supporters in ways that go against not just civility but even decency. I should know. Im one of them. For having the gall to share my perspective, buoyed by polling data, that self-described socialists are pretty much unelectable to the American presidency, his supporters attempted to harass me offline. (Emphasis on attempted.) Let me explain what I mean by harass. While thankfully, I have someone who works for me and wades through much of my mail and social media so I can spend as much time as possible writing (and maintaining my sanity and sense of humor), for more than a week Sanders supporters flooded my accounts with nonstop accusationsone more over the top than the next. I am a disgrace, a liar, a secret paid Hillary Clinton mole or shill. Apparently it is beyond the realm of possibility that I, as a free-thinking individual with access to polling data and a fairly vigorous intellect of my own may not consider their chosen candidate a strong one. Simply not possible. After all, as one white Sanders supporter informed me: You need to be better informed on the needs of black people. Thanks for the tip! But there were a couple of messages that made their way to me that were particularly troubling. One Sanders supporter pleaded on Facebook for others to stop attacking me and try to inform me. (Again this denotes I couldnt possibly be educated because I dont agree with them, but at least he sounded civil.) To which another replied, She chooses to ignore the issues and work for her own personal interest. If that is the case then to me everything is allowed as long as its not physical violence. Consider that statement for a moment. Hes certainly right from a legal perspective, but what about from a moral and ethical one? By his rationale, if David Duke encouraged other white nationalists to send endless messagesfilled with insults and taunts (but not facts)but none of them physically threatened me, should I feel safe? So when news broke that a prominent white, male liberal blogger known for his appreciation of Sanders and disdain for Hillary Clinton had called Neera Tanden, one of the most prominent women of color in progressive politics, a scumbag I was not surprised. And when I learned Sanders supporters had sent death threats to a female Democratic Party official because they were outraged at what occurred at the Nevada state convention, I was not surprised. And when Bernie Sanders declined to denounce such behavior vigorously, I was also not surprised. Just as Donald Trumps supporters would not demonstrate thuggish behavior, such as assaulting protesters, without getting signals from their leader that its acceptable, the same is true of Sanderss supporters. One difference is that Republicans havent spent decades selling themselves as the saviors of black Americans or any Americans of color, frankly. The fact that a sizable number of prominent Republicans are willing to lose this election in the name of racial and religious tolerance is actually a jarring contrast to the increasing number of Sanders voters who argue they are willing to forfeit an election to a man many of them consider a racist and xenophobe, one who they know will harm minorities, rather than ever vote for his opponent, a woman they dont like but who is not Donald Trump. I have a feeling that whatever the outcome of this election, more minorities have come to realize over the course of this primary season that the word progressive is not synonymous with tolerant. But perhaps the biggest lesson is that there is no such thing as a specific political party or political label that can save us. We have to save ourselves, and going forward maybe the best way to do that is to diversify more of our political power among the decent people in American politicsregardless of their party label. The U.S. Air Force is running out of fighter jets. And thats its own damned fault. Even as its squadrons dwindle, the flying branch remains committed to exclusively buying overly-complex, enormously expensive F-35 stealth fighters that it simply cannot afford in the quantities it needs in order to maintain its numerical strength. Thats because the Air Force wants all of its fighters to be radar-evading stealth fighters, regardless of the cost or impact of this goal on the services ability to do its job defending Americas interests in the sky. The Air Force is, in that sense, a victim of its own technological ambition. And the self-inflicted warplane-shortage couldnt come at a worse time. While the American air arm slowly withers away, the air forces of China and Russia only grow stronger. In late 2015, the U.S. Congress passed a law requiring the Air Force to maintain at least 1,900 fighter jets. To lawmakers, the legal minimum makes sense. China and Russia are both buying large numbers of new fighters and, as of late 2015, owned around 1,400 and 1,300 jets, respectively. The Air Forces own 1,900 jets, combined with the 1,400 fighters the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps operate, ensure that the U.S. militarys frontline warplanes outnumber the aircraft of its two biggest rivals. But the Pentagon admits in the latest edition of its master aviation plan, released in late May, that it intends to slip below the Congressionally-imposed warplane floor starting in 2022. The Air Force has insufficient resources to maintain the mandated number of fighter aircraft, the aviation plan states. At the current resource levels, projected aircraft service life divestiture outpaces procurement, the plan explains. In other words, older planes will wear out before newer planes can replace them. This will substantially drop the total number of combat-coded fighters and fighter squadrons, the plan warns. The U.S. Air Forces annual budget is more than $100 billion, substantially bigger in real terms than the combined budgets of its Russian and Chinese rivals. But even that generous funding has proved inadequate for the Air Forces lofty scheme to replace almost all of its current fighters with the new F-35. When Lockheed Martin devised the supersonic, radar-dodging F-35 in the late 1990s, the new fighterwhich avoids detection thanks to its special shape and skin coatingwas supposed to be both superior to the previous generation of non-stealthy A-10s, F-15s, and F-16s and more affordable than other new planes such as the F-22 stealth fighter. The Maryland-based plane-maker developed three different versions of the F-35, one each for the Air Force, Navy, and Marines. But Lockheed and its allies in the Pentagon over-promised with the new fighter. In fact, the F-35 turned out to be less heavily-armed than the tank-killing A-10, slower than the powerful F-15, and less maneuverable than the nimble F-16. Lockheed set out to build an aerial jack-of-all-trades, but instead ended up producing a warplane that had just one thing going for it: stealth. The F-35 proved to be expensive, too. In 2014, a single new F-35Athats the Air Forces versioncost $150 million, including the engine and required safety upgrades. By comparison, a brand-new F-16 costs around $80 million and a new F-15 sets the buyer back a little more than $100 million. The F-35s high cost compelled the Pentagon to cut way back on the number of new planes it bought. The Air Forces original goal was to ramp up to buying 80 F-35s annually starting in 2015. In reality, the service bought just 19 of the jets that yearless than a quarter of the planes it had said it needed. Were always struggling to get the production rate as high as we can get it on F-35, Bill LaPlante, then the Air Forces top weapons-buyer, said in late 2015. Thats as true as saying its cold outside. Its always true. But the Pentagons new aviation plan assumes the Air Force will manage to buy 243 F-35s between 2017 and 2021, an average of just 49 per year and, in total, just over half the number of new jets the Air Force once thought it would get. The gap between expectation and reality helps explain why the militarys flying branch is running out of airplanes. In theory, the Air Force could try to keep existing jets in service longer and, in that way, continue to meet Congress 1,900-fighter requirement. The problem is that airplanes tend to get more expensive to maintain as they get older, owing to mounting wear and tear and the need to upgrade them with new electronics and weaponry so that they can continue to put up a decent fight. Determined to buy as many F-35s as it possible can as fast as it canthis despite the planes disappointing record, so farthe Air Force has tried to scrap old planes and redirect their maintenance funding toward buying a few more F-35s. In 2006, the Air Force made a surprise decision to retire all 52 of its vaunted F-117 stealth fightersa controversial move that reportedly freed up $1 billion over five years. Three years later in 2009, the Air Force cut 250 aircraftincluding many of the stories A-10 attack planes as well as older F-15s, and F-16s. The move allegedly saved $3.5 billion over the next half-decade. Eliminating more than 400 jets saved enough money over eight years to buy around 30 F-35s. Do the math. Thats four extra F-35s per year. Eliminating what then represented a 10th of the Air Forces fighter fleet still freed up enough funding to make up just a fraction of the F-35 production-shortfall. Doubling down on that self-defeating strategy, in 2013 the Air Force proposed to decommission all 300 of its A-10s, even though it had just finished upgrading the rugged ground-attackers with new weapons and electronics. The plan ostensibly would have saved $3.5 billion over five yearsenough for 20 F-35s, or four per year. Still not enough to plug the gap between the number of F-35s the Air Force said it needed and the quantity it could actually afford. But Congress nixed the A-10 retirement several years running and, in mandating the 1,900-plane minimum starting in late 2015, essentially required the Air Force to keep all the old fighters it has left for as long as it takes the service to buy adequate numbers of F-35s to replace the older planes on a one-for-one basis. No more grounding large numbers of old planes in order to purchase small numbers of new planes. The Air Force owns around 180 F-22s. To stay above the Congressional fighter floor, the Air Force will need to buy more than 1,700 F-35s. At current rates, that could take another 25 years. So lets say those rates are eventually doubled as production heats up. Lets say it only takes 12 or 15 years. Todays F-15s and F-16s, most of which were built in the 1980s, could be 50 years old by thentwice as old as what the military currently considers an old fighter. The Air Force will be required to upgrade and extend the service life of the F-15 and F-16, the Pentagons aviation plan acknowledges. Theres an alternative, of course. Lockheed still makes the F-16. Boeing still makes the F-15. Both are cheaper than the F-35. The Air Force could buy more copies of either or both and boost its fighter numbers for a comparative bargain. But the Air Force doesnt want F-15s and F-16s, because the Air Force believes in stealth. The platforms and systems that made us great over the last 50 years will not make us great over the next 50 years, Gen. Mark Welsh, the Air Force chief of staff, told a Senate subcommittee in February. While they might be expensive, failing to push the strategic edge might put our nation at risk. If the Air Force wont budge on the expensive, slow-to-build F-35 and Congress holds the flying branch to the 1,900-fighter requirement, then theres only one way to make those two ends meet. Lawmakers and, by extension, American taxpayers, must give the Air Force more money to buy more F-35s. Im glad you made it past security. We are all buttoned-up because Donald Trump is here tonight, quipped Jimmy Kimmel on Wednesdays Jimmy Kimmel Live. Tonight, those of you watching at home will have the rare opportunity to see Donald Trump on television. Yes, Kimmel had landed a highly anticipated interview with the presumptive Republican nominee for president ahead of the California primaries, and the atmosphere got even tenser when it was revealed that, hours before showtime, musical guests The Weeknd and Belly had pulled out of the show, citing their objections to Trumps political views. Referring to him as a tangerine-tinted Godzilla, Kimmel welcomed out the fire-breathing billionaire who incinerated all who opposed him to become his partys presumptive nominee for President of the United States. And Kimmel did a stand-up job interrogating the real estate heir turned politicianperhaps better than many professional journalists had. The biggest news to emerge from their late-night rendezvous came when Kimmel posed a question to Trump from Thursday nights guest on the show: Bernie Sanders. Hillary Clinton backed out of an agreement to debate me in California before the June 7th primary. Are you prepared to debate the major issues facing our largest state and the country prior to the California primary? asked Sanders via written letter. Yes, I am, replied Trump. How much is he going to pay me? Because if I debated him, we would have such high ratings and I think I should take that money and give it to some worthy charity. If he paid a nice sum for a charity I would love to do that. Trump also agreed to the debate with Bernie if a network ponied up the desired charitable donation. And right after the segment aired, Bernie said the debate is on via Twitter: That would indeed be yugeif it happens. Whether the money will actually make it to the charity is, well, anyone's guess. Earlier in the interview, Trump sympathized with the plight of the Vermont senator and his legion of passionate supporters, while also claiming that Bernie would be easier to beat than Hillary in the general. Well, I actually think that Bernie would be easier to beateven though he shows up a little bit better in the pollsand I may be wrong, said Trump. But what I do like about Bernie is that, when he loses, because the system is rigged against him, totallyjust the way it was rigged against me, I mean, the system is riggedand if I didnt win by massive landslides every state there was no chance I could have won. [Bernie] is sorta having the same thing [Hillary] has superdelegates that were just handed to her. I dont know how she got them. Nobody understands it, but its an unfair system. I think its very unfair whats happening to Bernie Sanders, actually, and its a very unfair system, he added. Kimmel tried to squeeze in as many topics as he could during their chat, asking Trump if hed indeed fired Ben Carson from his VP search team, which Trump denied. No, said Trump when asked about whether he fired Carson. Ben is a great guy. Ill tell you, Ben Carson is a great person. He is. Hes very smart, and hes a very fine person. You know, I have Ben, and I have everybody looking. I have a lot of people Im looking [at]. Trump also claimed that these high-earning fundraisers hes hosting in California and elsewhere arent just to bankroll his own presidential campaign, but the entire GOPto the tune of $1 billionsaying, Were gonna raise about a billion dollars, for the Senate, for Congress, for everything. The comedian even pressed Trump about the call with a reporter from People magazine unearthed by The Washington Post where a mansounding exactly like Trumpclaimed to be a Trump representative by the name of John Miller and boasted of Trumps yuge exploits. To me, that didnt sound like my voice, offered Trump, before confessing that he had used the alias Barron (the name of his young son) over the years. You know, over the years Ive used aliases I would never wanna use my name, because you had to pay more money for the land. If youre trying to buy land, you use different names. I actually used the name Barron. One of Kimmel and Trumps most telling exchanges concerned the trans bathroom issue. Just today, officials from 11 states sued the Obama administration to overturn an executive order allowing transgender students to use the bathroom that reflected their gender identity. Trump had said in the past that trans people should be able to use whatever bathroom they want, but now the issue is picking up steam on the right, he seemed to be far less settled on the matter: KIMMEL: You said, and I thought this was very interesting, you believe that transgendered people should be able to use whatever bathroom they want to which is contrary to what a lot of people, most people, in your party believe. Why do you think people have focused on that? TRUMP: What really Im saying isand I think its pretty simplelet the states decide. And you know, we have to protect everybody. Its a very, very small group. Right now, its a very small group. KIMMEL: Would you say though, if you were voting personally or a member of New York State, you would vote for that right? TRUMP: Well, the party generally believes that whatever youre born, thats the bathroom you use. KIMMEL: Well, what about you? TRUMP: Me? I say let the states decide. KIMMEL: Would you personally support it? I think you do. TRUMP: Would I supportno, what I support is let the states decide and I think the states will do hopefully the right thing. KIMMEL: And whats the right thing? TRUMP: I dont know yet. I mean, I dont know. Honestly, I dont know Its a very. Kimmel also got Trump to admit he was full of shit. The moment came at an early point in the interview where Kimmel asked Trump about past statements hed made in 2008 and 2012 saying Hillary Clinton would make an excellent president and that she was terrific. Well, let me just explain to you, said Trump. Im a business man. I had a beautiful story recently where they said Trump is a world-class businessman. All over the world Im doing jobs. I speak well of everybody. If people ask me about politicians, I speak well, so when they ask me about Hillary [its], shes wonderful, everybodys wonderful. So you were full of shit? prodded Kimmel. A little bit, replied a smirking Trump. Last Macallan in Lalique Six Pillars Collection The Peerless Spirit is the sixth and final decanter in the Macallan in Lalique Six Pillars Collection and features a 65-year-old single malt whisky, one of the oldest and rarest released by the distillery. Designed and created by the French crystal house, Lalique, this final release in the Macallan in Lalique Six Pillars Collection distributed by Maxxium UK, will be limited to only 450 individually numbered decanters. Ken Grier, brand director for The Macallan comments: This stunning collection of decanters is the result of two kindred spirits, rooted in a shared passion for craftsmanship, detail and mastery. This sixth and final release continues to showcase the unwavering commitment of both the masters of Lalique and The Macallan to create beautiful and desirable objet dart. With the collection now complete, it is time to reflect not only on the exquisite whiskies that have been brought to the fore by The Macallans master whisky maker, but also on the extraordinary skills of the Lalique craftsmen carrying on the legacy of Rene Lalique, the man whose talent continues to inspire and influence. It is the heritage, customs and traditions of both The Macallan and Lalique that have united to create this ultimate collectable collection. Marc Larminaux, creative director for Lalique, based the design around a single peerless drop of The Macallan, symbolising the most precious spirit in the world. The Peerless Spirit has been captured falling from the iconic Macallan inverted triangle, which can be found on every present day bottle of The Macallan. The first use of the triangle, can be traced back to Macallan bottlings from the 19th century. Silvio Denz, chairman and CEO of Lalique, says: We are proud to have been part of this stirring journey celebrating the Six Pillars of The Macallan. The marriage of the finest and rarest Macallan single malt whiskies with our beautiful bespoke hand crafted decanters has been a wonder to behold. The overall design of this decanter was heavily influenced by the blown and pinched technique as used by Rene Lalique for many of his famed Lalique perfume bottles. This final decanter and the other five from this remarkable series have all taken their inspiration from a design or a specific technique taken from Rene Laliques heritage. Since its inception in 2005, The Macallan in Lalique Collection has proved extremely popular with collectors across the world. In 2014, according to a report in Whisky Magazine, The Macallan accounted for the top ten priced bottles sold at auction; eight out of ten of these sales were decanters from The Macallan in Lalique Collection. In 2015, The Macallan was the No.1 most valuable whisky brand at auction, accounting for over 25% of the total value traded at auction (Rare Whisky 101). The Peerless Spirit decanter is valued at 23,500 and is available from 1st July from specialist whisky retailers, including; Harrods, Hedonism and The Whisky Exchange. 26 May 2016 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Imagine a time long before modern technology, before the industrial revolution, before the wheel, even before agriculture. Humans had evolved a complex and powerful traditional ecological knowledge that enabled them to track and hunt effectively. This knowledge was arguably the origin of science. It required rigorous observation, deduction and repeatability. Those who acquired it lived to breed more, and prospered. But fast-forward a few thousand years and traditional ecological knowledge is vanishing with the decline in hunter-gatherer societies. Some years ago, we spent a decade in Zimbabwe, researching black rhino population dynamics. We worked with local trackers, observing their extraordinary skills as we tracked through the bush for long hours every day in the blazing sun. The trackers who accompanied us, armed with old Russian AK47 rifles to ward off any threat from wild animals or poachers, used to laugh at our earnest attempts to track rhino using telemetry by by following erratic bleeps from their collars. All the evidence we needed was right under our noses Why go to all the trouble of chasing a rhino, usually with a helicopter, in the heat of the midday sun, just to fit a VHF or GPS collar for tracking? All the evidence, they reasoned, was on the ground right under our nose in the shape of the animals' own footprints. Truthfully, we were sceptical. Surely identifying animals from their footprints was bushcraft, not science? We settled into collecting data from the radio-collared rhino and after a few years had an unprecedented dataset, which revealed an alarming trend: Female rhino that were darted frequently for re-collaring (collar failure rate was high) had significantly lower fecundity, obviously a disaster for an endangered species. We went back to the trackers. We already knew they could follow animal trails over thick grassland and rocky terrain, and amazingly, we found they really could identify which animal had made those footprints. And footprints, unlike the animals themselves, were ubiquitous. Now this really grabbed our attention triggering the idea that footprint identification would be a less invasive and more cost-effective way of identifying individual animals. We set about trying to distill just the very basics of the trackers' knowledge. Our first attempt was to trace rhino footprints and measure them. We spent three months with our noses in the deep red African soil, hunched over footprints. We did some preliminary biometrics. It was a total failure. Nothing matched, nothing made any sense. Depressed, but undeterred, we adopted digital cameras, revised and standardized our data collection protocol and tried again. We purchased a copy of JMP data visualization software and with their help wrote a customized script for measuring footprints automatically. That was our true 'AHA' moment because what the trackers had seen in their minds, we suddenly could see before us. Over two million people living in villages around the forest depend on the Sundarbans forest's resources to fulfill their basic needs, while others make use of products to earn a living. The vast majority relies on aquatic resources such as shrimp cultivation or fisheries. Wood is collected for the construction of houses and boats but also for export. Acres of land acquired to build the coal plant were previously used for agriculture and farming activities. With increased river erosion, noise pollution, health hazards and a decrease in the groundwater table as a result of the Rampal coal-fired power plant, there will inevitably be a loss of culture fisheries, social forestry and major destruction of agriculture. Threatens to destroy the unique, extraordinary rich Sundarbans forest, a recognised UNESCO World Heritage site Climate, topography, land use patterns, air and water (both surface and ground) quality, floral and faunal diversity, wetlands and tourism will be permanently affected by the proposed coal fired power plant. The Rampal plant will pollute the air by releasing toxic gases which will impact people, animals, trees, plants and land. The plant will contaminate rivers by discharging used, warm water into the River Passur daily, for at least 25 years. Additionally the rivers of the Sundarbans will be used as shipping routes to carry coal to the Rampal site. The four recent incidents involving sunken vessels which dumped oil, fertilizer and coal in the rivers stand as clear warnings of the accidents that will take place if the Rampal coal plant plans proceed. Threatens to wipe out the Bengal tiger and other iconic species Sundarbans is home to some of the last remaining iconic Bengal tigers, as well as the estuarine crocodile, the Irrawaddy and Ganges dolphins, the Indian python, some 260 bird species and around 120 aquatic species. If the coal power plant becomes operational, the toxic discharged water and polluted air, as well as the constant coal transport, will have a destructive effect on all life in the forest. It is not possible to protect high profile animals in the Sundarbans without a true balance between various ecosystems. Tigers will not be there without the deer, and deer will not be there without the keora tree. If the Sundarbans degenerates we will be forever losing the animals which depend on it, with future generations no longer able to enjoy the splendid sight of these animals. Threatens to add further havoc to an already deeply distressed global climate system The Rampal power plant, once in operation, will emit 7.9 million tons of CO2 per year for the next 25 years, therefore adding a further major load to an atmosphere that is already saturated with greenhouse gases. If the world is to have any chance to limit the global temperature rise below the critical 2 degrees Celsius threshold agreed upon by the countries of the world last year in Paris, let alone the 1.5 degrees threshold considered crucial to keep life on earth more or less as we know it, there must be an immediate end to the construction of all coal plants. There is an urgent need for institutions such as Exim Bank India to put their full weight behind financing the energy transition which the world urgently needs to meet the challenge of rapid climate change, away from the burning of fossil fuels and towards the full realisation of the potential of renewables. For all of these reasons we, as fellow world citizens, call upon you, a responsible financial institution acting in the public interest, to act for the common global good and refrain from financing the Rampal coal power plant. As global stakeholders to your bank we thank you in advance for changing course. Yours sincerely, Johan Frijns, BankTrack Director, on behalf of supporting organisations. Action: There is still a good chance to stop the Rampal project, especially if Exim Bank India hears a resounding appeal from the international community about the huge dangers the coal plant poses for the Sundarbans and climate change. Add your organisation's name to support the call! Think you know the pin to the ATM? Have a crack to win your share of $100k Photo submitted by Rita Summers A group of men work at placing Memorial Day crosses in Central Park in Downtown Henderson in 1956. The crosses have been erected every Memorial Day since 1946 Corydon city marshal gave all for community's safety Corydon City Marshal James Strong Jr. never got any money for his law enforcement service, although his family received compensation after he gave his life for the community's safety. Harold Clifford Alderson, then 29, shot Strong twice with a 12-gauge shotgun as Strong was maneuvering for position during a police standoff May 28, 1966. He was sprawled in the street about 10-15 minutes before an ambulance arrived. He was dead on arrival at Methodist Hospital. The Gleaner of May 29 related how Alderson had gotten drunk, had an altercation with his parents, and began shooting out windows in downtown Corydon. State Trooper Donald Workins, who was in town on routine business, first learned of it when a small boy flagged him down and warned him of the situation near the city ball field. A one-hour gun battle ensued. "Workins pulled around the corner and found Alderson with the shotgun leveled at him. Workins pulled his pistol and told Alderson that he was under arrest, but he would not surrender." Workins backed around the corner and radioed for backup. He was quickly joined by five KSP personnel and two deputy sheriffs. Strong approached the scene from the opposite direction. (He worked full time at the state Highway Garage in Corydon; his only compensation for his marshal job was a free apartment.) Alderson ducked down an alley that ran alongside the hardware store operated by his parents, Clyde and Florence Alderson. He fired both loads from his double-barreled shotgun at Strong, who had just gotten out of his car, and ducked into the back door. Strong got off two shots before being struck down. Alderson barricaded himself in the store. Two KSP officers climbed onto the roof of the hardware store and, through a skylight, asked Alderson to surrender. He responded by firing through the skylight and the officers in turn fired tear gas into the building. Alderson lasted about 15 minutes before he came to the back door, threw out his gun, and pleaded with the officers to hold their fire. They took him into custody. The Corydon City Council held a special meeting that Sunday night to set up a memorial fund "to express the community's appreciation and gratitude for the marshal's valiant service to Corydon during his tenure of duty." He had gotten the job of town marshal in February 1965. Strong, 54, left a wife, Helen, and three daughters, as well as his father, four brothers and six grandchildren. "The job which took his life offered no protection for his family," The Gleaner noted June 1. "That is why the community fathers have established the Marshal James Strong Fund." The funeral was held May 31 at the Corydon Christian Church, although two other Corydon ministers assisted. "A shocked and grief-stricken community paid final tribute to the guardian of its safety," The Gleaner reported. "The way he performed (his) duty was indicated by the large number of area public officials who were present in the crowded church to pay their respects." Eight car-loads of public officials and law enforcement officers attended. A separate story in the June 1 edition related that Alderson was being held without bond. He appeared for his preliminary hearing without an attorney, so County Judge Eugene Chaney appointed Alexander Adams Jr. to represent him. Alderson and the attorney briefly conferred, and then waived his case to the grand jury. He was charged with murder, shooting and wounding with intent to kill, and flourishing a deadly weapon. The incident also prompted an editorial from The Gleaner on June 1, which argued that society wasn't taking enough precautions "to prevent potential killers from taking potshots at policemen. "The dreadful prospect is that there may be other persons, some with mental illness, others with a history of imprisonment, sex offenses, or drinking" that society needed to protect itself from. "Our county is not alone in having to face up to this problem. In this country, our desire to bend over backward and be fair to a suspect often allows dangerous men to roam the streets and harm the innocent young and old, ordinary citizens as well as law enforcement. "How many Marshal Strongs will have to die before we recognize how really serious this problem is?" A few days later Alderson entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, according to the June 4 edition of The Gleaner. Circuit Judge Faust Simpson ordered a psychiatric evaluation and committed him to Western State Hospital in Hopkinsville for 35 days. He was determined to be sane and returned to Henderson July 24. His trial was set for Aug. 4, but it didn't take place. He changed his plea to guilty when he entered the courtroom, according to the Aug. 5 Gleaner. Simpson noted he would normally immediately impose sentence, but since Alderson could receive the death penalty, sentencing would have to be decided by a jury. "I have talked with the psychiatrists who examined him," Commonwealth Attorney Leonard Mitchell told the jury. "They told me that although he is legally sane for purposes of standing trial, he is not altogether right, based on his physical condition of epilepsy." (Epilepsy at that time still carried a stigma.) Mitchell said he had also talked with Strong's wife and one of his brothers, both of whom opposed the death penalty for Alderson. The jury deliberated only a short time before returning a sentence of life imprisonment. A few minutes after it began its deliberations it asked Judge Simpson whether Alderson would be eligible for parole; Simpson replied that would be up to the state parole board. After a brief stop at the county jail, he was on his way to Eddyville. But he did not spend the rest of his life there. I'm not sure exactly when he was paroled, but he married in 1982 and died in Evansville in 2000 at age 63. 100 years ago The Gleaner reported May 28, 1916, that a "terrific" storm hit the day before and lasted for about 30 minutes, with wind velocities of nearly 50 mph. "Tree tops were shaken off, signs were blown down, and in some places in the county buildings were unroofed." A large tree next to the courthouse was split in two with one prong resting against the wall. 75 years ago Decoration Day, the former name for Memorial Day, was observed in Henderson by erecting white crosses in Central Park, according to The Gleaner of May 30, 1941, The crosses have been erected every Memorial Day since 1946, but this is the first time I've seen mention of them being used prior to that. "White crosses for each of the World War (I) veterans have been erected, as well as a large cross to represent those who died in other conflicts. During the ceremonies the crosses will be decorated, with poppies being placed on the World War markers." 25 years ago For the first time since 1986, Henderson Fiscal Court unanimously approved a proposed budget, according to The Gleaner of May 29, 1991. The vote came with virtually no discussion. Judge-executive Paul Herron's proposed 1991-92 budget had twice been rejected by a majority of the magistrates. Frank Boyett is on Facebook and can be reached on Twitter at @BoyettFrank. SHARE Scott A. Sullivan Scott Sullivan By Gleaner Staff Authorities are searching for a man who escaped from the Webster County Detention Center Wednesday night. The Kentucky State Police said the incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. when Scott A. Sullivan, 33, was part of an "internal transport at the Webster County Detention Center when he ran from deputies," a news release said. Authorities said the detention center is built in a way that you have to go outside to get from one part of the facility to another. Sullivan, who was incarcerated on charges of fleeing and evading (motor vehicle) and two counts of wanton endangerment, is described as a white male, around 5 feet 7 inches tall, 150 pounds with brown hair and green eyes. The state police said Sullivan was last seen wearing a black hat, black shirt and black pants. Sullivan is the second Webster County inmate since February to escape custody. Authorities are still searching for William W. Adams, 40, Sebree who walked away from his work release job at Sebree City Garage in early February. Adams, who was incarcerated on drug-related charges, is described as a white male, around 5 feet 10 inches tall, 220 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes, officials said. If you come into contact with either Sullivan or Adams, officials advise that you should not try to apprehend them. Instead dial 911 or contact the Kentucky State Police at 270-676-3313 or 800-222-5555. Gov. Matt Bevin SHARE By Tom Loftus, The Courier-Journal / USA TODAY Network FRANKFORT, Ky. - Gov. Matt Bevin reorganized the Kentucky Horse Park Commission on Tuesday and in the process removed former First Lady Jane Beshear from the commission. By executive order, Bevin abolished the former commission on which Jane Beshear served, created a new commission and appointed members to it. The order reduces the size of the commission that oversees the park in Fayette County from 17 to 15 members. "The reorganized commission brings in the appropriate combination of members with institutional knowledge and members with new ideas," a news release from Bevin's office says. Jane Beshear said in an interview later Tuesday she was "disappointed, but not surprised" by Bevin's order. And she disagreed that Bevin's order will improve oversight of the park. She said that the traditional appointment process where the appointments of one governor are gradually replaced by the next governor has kept the park above partisan politics and provided continuity. "In over 30 years of being involved with the Horse Park I've never known any governor to abolish the commission," she said. As to why Bevin replaced her, Jane Beshear said, "Certainly he has not looked upon the Beshear administration favorably and that includes everything that my husband did. ... As I say, I'm not surprised." Bevin's attorneys have said Bevin's reorganizations are not unusual - that Steve Beshear issued more than 100 reorganization orders as governor. And Bevin's office said the Horse Park panel itself was significantly altered in 1995 by Gov. Brereton Jones and in 1980 by Gov. John Y Brown Jr. The order represents just the latest clash in a raging political conflict between Republican Bevin and his immediate predecessor as governor, Democrat Steve Beshear. That conflict which has included charges of political corruption hurled by Bevin and Beshear at each other surfaced in the final days of Beshear's administration whenSteve Beshear appointed his wife to the commission and Bevin's spokeswoman called it "self-serving" and "an embarrassment to Kentucky." Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer, a Georgetown Republican, was particularly critical of the appointment of Jane Beshear, criticizing the appointment as well as the management of the park under Gov. Beshear. On Tuesday, Thayer commended Bevin "for bringing in this breath of fresh air to the Kentucky Horse Park Commission." During the recent legislative session, Thayer sponsored a bill that would have revamped the Horse Park Commission. The bill passed the Republican Senate but was blocked in the House, where Democrats hold the majority. Bevin's order is also just the latest in a series of orders abolishing important state boards and recreating them with his own appointees. The Kentucky Horse Park is a 1,224-acre equestrian facility in Lexington dedicated to "man's relationship with the horse," the news release said. The park hosts horse shows and other events and is home to the International Museum of the Horse. The news release from Bevin's office Tuesday said his order appoints six new members to the commission and re-appoints five members from the abolished commission. Two members, Tourism Secretary Don Parkinson and Economic Development Secretary Eric Dunnigan, remain as ex-officio members. And there are two vacancies on the new commission. New members appointed to the commission by Bevin are: Larry Bisig, of Louisville, CEO of Bisig Impact Group and a founding member of the Greater Louisville Sports Commission and Louisville Arena Authority. Bennie Sargent, of Georgetown, a longtime member of the Quarter Horse Association. Lisa Ball, of Lexington, sales and marketing executive of Ball Homes. William Ferko, of Prospect, interim chief financial officer of CRS Processing Services and owner of Turning Leaf Farm. R. Paul Feemster, of Smithfield, retired vice president and general manager of United States Fidelity and Guaranty and a sport horse breeder. Richard "Happy" Broadbent IV, of Lexington, vice president of Churchill Downs Inc. and past president of the Thoroughbred Club of America. Bevin re-appointed three members he initially appointed in March: Tandy Patrick, of Louisville, an attorney with Bingham, Greenebaum & Doll, who will be chairwoman of the commission. Matthew Dedden, of Burlington, owner of Dedden Excavation and former Vice president of the Kentucky Cutting Horse Association, who will be vice chairman. Becky Jordan, of Georgetown, a member of the National Reining Horse Sports Foundation who served on the World Games Advisory Commission. And Bevin re-appointed two members originally appointed by Beshear: FRANKFORT, Ky. - Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign on Tuesday requested a recanvass of the vote totals in last week's Kentucky Democratic presidential primary which initially shows Sanders lost by fewer than 2,000 votes to Hillary Clinton. Because of the request, local boards of election in each of Kentucky's 120 counties will meet at 9 a.m. (local time) on Thursday to recheck totals in the Democratic presidential primary on voting machines and report countywide totals to Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes. 'My office is notifying all county boards of elections that Sen. Sanders has requested a recanvass, and we are reminding them of the laws and procedures to be followed,' Grimes said in a news release. Unofficial results posted on the Kentucky Board of Election's website for the May 17 primary show Clinton with 212,550 votes (46.76 percent) to 210,626 votes (46.33 percent) for Sanders. (Two other candidates combined got 7,296 votes, and 24,101 Kentucky Democrats voted for 'uncommitted'.) Based on the unofficial results, Clinton would get 28 delegate votes, and Sanders, 27, at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in July, said Daniel Lowry, spokesman for the Kentucky Democratic Party. Lowry said he was not surprised by the request for a recanvass. 'It was so close, almost anyone in that position would probably ask for a recanvass,' Lowry said. In addition to the statewide recanvass of the Democratic presidential primary, the secretary of state's office reported Tuesday that there will be a recanvass in Jefferson County of results in the Republican primary for state Senate in the 33rd District. Unofficial results in that race show Republican Shenita Rickman ahead with 537 votes to 499 votes for John Yuen, who requested the recanvass. The winner of that race faces incumbent Democrat Gerald Neal, who won the Democratic primary, in November. A recanvass is not a recount, which is a more complicated matter in which the requesting campaign must post a bond in Franklin Circuit Court which would oversee the process of recounting votes. New Burlington Area Homeless Shelter director carrying mission forward The new executive director of the Burlington Area Homeless Shelter says she's excited for her new role and here to serve the community. 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Voter turnout in the off-years without the head of the ticket will adversely affect the turnout for those elections, and Id like the (Charter Revision) Commission to take that item back up again and do a little bit more research, said Councilman Douglas E. Hempstead, an at-large Republican. On Tuesday evening, the council accepted the Norwalk Charter Revision Commission report recommending four-year mayoral and town clerk terms, eliminating the offices of sheriff, selectman and treasurer, making city charter language gender neutral, and setting council members pay to two percent of the mayors pay. Residents ultimately will decide whether to make the changes when they answer ballot question on Election Day this November. Hempstead was not the only Republican to express concerns about not having the mayoral term in sync with other elected-office terms in Norwalk. I dont necessarily have a problem with a four-year term for the mayor or the council, said council Minority Leader Shannon OToole Giandurco, a District D Republican. But I really think that they should be in sync. William Fitzgerald, chairman of the Charter Revision Commission, said the commission considered the various term options for different offices after reviewing information from other Connecticut municipalities and hearing from Norwalks law department, the citys Democratic registrar of voters, and from residents during two public hearings. We also believed, based upon what we heard from the citizens, is that they felt they would have more of a control over the council by voting every two years, Fitzgerald said. Charter Revision Commission member Steven Keogh, who drafted the report, also addressed the matter. The pattern of having an executive serve four years and a legislative body serving for two-year terms is a pattern that you see replicated at the state level and also, to a large extent, at the federal level, Keogh said. Norwalkers now go to the polls every two years to elect their local elected officials, from constable to town clerk, councilman, school board member and mayor. But that could change after the council accepted the Charter Revision Commission report recommending four-year mayoral and town clerk terms. Both elected officials now serve two-year terms. If voters approve four-year terms at the ballot box this November, the longer terms for mayor and town clerk would take effect after the 2017 municipal elections. Would voter turnout plummet in Norwalks 2019 municipal election if the mayors office were not up for grabs? While theres no precedent, Democratic Registrar of Voters Stuart W. Wells said many other factors drive voter turnout aside from which offices are being decided. The mayor coming off (the ballot) will reduce the turnout somewhat for the off-year when the mayor is not on the ballot, but in other towns the turnout varied considerably depending more on whether the mayors race was heavily contested, Wells said. Regardless, Wells foresees continued interest in council and school board races during the off-mayoral year elections should voters adopt a four-year mayoral term. People vote for council so theyll be trying to get their constituents out there and the mayor will be out there beating the drum, Wells said. And people that are mad as hell show up and vote, and people that are content are happy to stay home and not vote. Voter drop-off in non-mayoral elections also would depend upon how many ballots were cast in the preceding mayoral election. Such turnout has ebbed and flowed. Nearly 19,200 registered Norwalk voters cast ballots in the citys 2001 mayoral election when Democrat Alex Knopp defeated long-time Republican incumbent Frank J. Esposito. Two years later, turnout fell to 15,473 when Knopp defeated Republican Richard A. Moccia and Working Families Party candidate Myrtice Riley-Wilson, according to the Registrar of Voters Office. In 2005, turnout rose to 16,690 when Moccia defeated Knopp, Working Families Party candidate Jose Lucero and Riley-Wilson, who then ran as a petitioning candidate. Last November, 13,269 registered voters cast ballots with Democratic incumbent Harry W. Rilling defeating Republican Kelly L. Straniti. Metro-North Railroad has received a financial green light to proceed with a $695 million project that will give Connecticut commuters a direct line to Penn Station and the West Side of Manhattan. The money is part of a $27 billion, five-year capital plan approved this week for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority the largest MTA infrastructure investment in New York State history. Today marks a major step forward, said MTA Chairman and CEO Tom Prendergast. With historic levels of funding through the capital plan, we have the resources and support we need to renew, enhance and expand our transportation infrastructure. The direct route to Penn Station begins at New Rochelle, N.Y., where commuter trains from Connecticut will veer onto revamped Amtrak tracks and continue directly to Penn Station. Four new stations will be built in the Bronx along the new line. All Metro-North trains now go to Grand Central Station on Manhattans East Side, forcing commuters heading to the West Side to take a taxi or subway. The Penn Station project is targeted for completion in 2022 and involves no Connecticut funding. Grand Central will still be the main hub, said Aaron Donovan, a Metro-North spokesman. This is an added destination, Donovan said. It will give folks from Connecticut another way to get into Manhattan. And in terms of disruptions, like during the (recent) fire, this provides an alternative way to get into (and out of) Manhattan. A fire last week under a Harlem viaduct stranded passengers at Grand Central for hours and delayed commuters throughout the line. If the direct route to Penn Station had been operating, many commuters could have left the city that way, Donovan said. Everyone is excited about what this means for commuters, Donovan said. Good news The $27 billion dollar improvement plan also includes the purchase of more than 2,340 buses, 1,450 subway cars, additional tracks for the Long Island Railroad and an East Side Access project that will allow Long Island riders to go directly toGrand Central Terminal, relieving congestion at Penn Station. Jim Cameron, founder of the Commuter Action Group, said a direct line to Penn Station is good news for Connecticut commuters, adding the project has been in the planning stage for years. It has always been my understanding that we will not get access to Penn Station until the Long Island Railroads East Side Access project into Grand Central is completed, Cameron added. Penn station is just maxed out and cannot handle any additional trains until the Long Island Railroad is able to send some of theirs to Grand Central, Cameron said. Donovan said the East Side Access project will be done at the same time improvements are made to allow a direct line to Penn Station, which includes adding a third rail to power the trains. I think it will help some, Cameron said. It might help folks who work on the West Side. Final step New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said the plan has received final approval from the Capital Plan Review Board, the last step in a lengthy process. The MTA is the lifeblood of the New York metropolitan areas transportation network and we must ensure it has the capacity to meet the travel demands of the next generation and fuel one of the largest economies on the globe, Cuomo said in a statement. By investing in the most robust transportation plan in state history, we are reimagining the MTA and ensuring a safer, more reliable and more resilient public transportation network for tomorrow, Cuomo added. Metro-North said in its capital plan that only three miles of new track, and no tunnels, are needed for the Penn Station access project. For the most part, Metro-Norths New Haven Line will take advantage of existing track, owned by Amtrak, to go directly to Midtown Manhattans West Side, the MTA wrote. Were planning a project that will provide critical system resiliency by protecting service for more than 275,000 daily customers if Metro-Norths service to Grand Central Terminal is ever interrupted, the capital plan notes. STAMFORD A check-fraud ring used what police have called a card-cracking system to withdraw thousands of dollars from empty bank accounts. Two Stamford residents were arrested this week for depositing a phony check worth more than $2,000 into a Peoples United Bank account and then spending the money the next day at Walmart and Stop and Shop in Norwalk before the bank realized the check was a fraud, police said. Stamford police said Jamya Munoz, 19, of Courtland Avenue, and Shyquinn Dix, 22, of Kennedy Lane, used a card-cracking method to steal the money by paying people to give them their debit cards and personal identification numbers. Police said they deposited fake checks written for thousands of dollars into the accounts through ATMs and then spent or withdrew the money within 24 hours before the bank realized the fraudulent activity. Police said Peoples United Bank has complained about numerous fraudulent checks being deposited at local ATMs by the same person. One of the incidents occurred shortly after 5 p.m. on March 17 when Munoz deposited a counterfeit check from a Florida college written for $2,723.19 into a Stamford womans account, the arrest affidavit said. A man using the womans debit card then spent $1,944 at Walmart in Norwalk shortly after 7 a.m. the next day, the affidavit said. The man then made a $400 withdrawal about 15 minutes later at a satellite branch of Peoples at the Stop and Shop about a mile down the road from Walmart, the affidavit said. The man then made a $7.99 purchase in the supermarket and requested $200 in cash back and then made a $5.84 purchase and requested another $100 in cash back, the affidavit said. In the span of a half-hour, $2,644 was taken out of the account, which only had $2 in it before the fraudulent check was deposited, the arrest affidavit said. The account belonged to a woman who told police she gave her card and PIN number to Dix, who promised her $800, according to the affidavit. Che McCoy, 24, who was arrested on forgery and larceny charges by Stamford police in April, was identified as the man who made the purchases with the card at the Norwalk stores. The affidavit said police believe McCoy is a suspect in 10 other identical incidents. Police said he was found with a check forgery factory in his car when he was arrested last month. Legitimate checks were found in various states of the forgery process, police said. Some were washed in acetone, stripping them of pen ink but left the printing intact, which would allow them to be re-endorsed to a third party and deposited into an account, police said. Munoz was charged with attempted third-degree larceny, second-degree forgery, conspiracy to commit larceny and forgery and was released after posting a $10,000 court appearance bond. Dix, was charged with second-degree forgery, fourth-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit forgery and larceny. jnickerson@scni.com; HARTFORD - The Connecticut Supreme Court has upheld its landmark ruling declaring the state's death penalty unconstitutional and abolishing capital punishment. The court released its 5-2 decision Thursday in the appeal of Russell Peeler Jr., who had been on death row for ordering the 1999 killings of a woman and her 8-year-old son in Bridgeport. The boy, B.J. Brown , was to testify against Peeler in another murder case Peeler now faces life without the possibility of release. We welcome todays Connecticut Supreme Court ruling, which takes the prudent step of ending the states failed death penalty and the possibility of any future executions, said Sheila Denion, project director for the Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty. Todays ruling ensures that we can move beyond this flawed policy to the total abolition of capital punishment in our state. Bridgeport States Attorney John Smriga declined comment on the ruling. I appreciate having been granted the opportunity to present the states position on all of the issues the present court raised about Connecticuts death penalty, said Chief States Attorney Kevin Kane. The court has now spoken and, as always, we respect its decision. As such, we will move forward to re-sentence the individuals currently on death row to a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of release. The Division of Criminal Justice and I extend our deepest sympathy and condolences to the victims of these crimes and to their families. Last year the states highest court ruled the General Assemblys 2012 repeal of capital punishment freed all 10 death row inmates from execution not just any post 2012 people convicted of capital felony as the legislators and Gov. Dannel Malloy intended. Associate Supreme Court Justice Richard N. Palmer, a former prosecutor as is Malloy, wrote in the courts decision that even though the legislative intent of the 2012 law was to affect only those convicted of capital murder after April 25 of that year once the death penalty was repealed for anyone, execution became cruel and unusual punishment and unconstitutional, even for those on death row. But in his request for the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision, Assistant State's Attorney Harry Weller said the courts ruling was flawed and ignored members of the General Assembly who said during the protracted committee and floor debates of 2012 that the repeal would not extend to death row. Before that bill was signed, the death penalty was fully constitutional, Weller told the seven justices. The Democratic process in Connecticut worked in this case. This court's ultimate responsibility is to uphold the Constitution, to get the law right, to do it in a way that is clear to the public that it reflects when it has to the standards of our society. The will of the people is to execute these guys. Peeler, a Bridgeport drug kingpin, was convicted of ordering the murders in January 1999 of 8-year-old B.J. Brown and his mother, Karen Clarke, to protect his drug operation. B.J. was scheduled to testify against Peeler in another murder case when he and his mother were found shot to death in their Bridgeport home. The death of the young boy, who was shot execution-style in the back of the head, shocked the country and was later responsible for strengthening the penalties against the murder of witnesses. This appeal of the defendants death sentences is controlled by State v. Santiago in which a majority of this court concluded that executing offenders who committed capital crimes prior to the enactment of P.A. 12-5 (the 2012 law) would offend article first, 8 and 9, of the Connecticut constitution, Supreme Court Chief Justice Chase Rogers and associate justices Palmer, Dennis Eveleigh, Andrew McDonald and Richard Robinson wrote in Thursdays decision. But in dissenting opinion, Justice Peter Zarella called the majoritys opinion, Completely devoid of any legal basis. And Justice Carmen Espinosa called the decision, Distainful. Both accused the majority of trying to save face in light of its previous bad death penalty decision. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Show More Show Less 3 of 3 WILTON A Wilton arrest may help end a federal investigation into an identity theft racket that has run rampant through Florida, New York, Massachusetts and several communities in Fairfield County, police said. Earlier this week, the U.S. Postal Inspectors Office alerted the Wilton police that there were several fraudulent debit and credit cards being mailed to addresses on Snowberry Lane. CENTRAL CITY Deb Vesely brought a chocolate banana to show more than 90 kids and adults at the Central City Public Library on Wednesday. Surprised and excited expressions blanketed childrens faces as they saw it. But it wasnt because the item looked tasty. It was a snake. The chocolate banana snake was one of more than seven types of animals Vesely, owner of Magical Paradise Exotic Animals, presented as part of the librarys summer reading program. Vesely presented for the program kickoff for the older kids for the last 10 years, said Judy Marco, youth services librarian. Vesely brought a range of animals from parakeets and pythons to tortoises and tree frogs. It amazes me how they always want to touch all of these things, Marco said about the kids wanting to pet the animals. Marco said this event is always well-attended, especially by adults. Sara Lee, library director, said having the exotic animals is nice because they are unique. Dressed in her leopard-print shirt, Vesely presented for an hour and spoke about each animal as she held it. She had animals from Brazil, China and Africa. Vesely said she hopes her presentation teaches the animal lovers in the group of children how to care for animals. She said she loves telling the kids what they can and cant have in regards to animals. For example, she said, if a person owns a bird, its not a good idea to own a cat or dog. Thats because the birds wings have to be clipped, which leaves it more vulnerable to other pets. Marco said the library keeps going back to Vesely because the topic of animals never seems to grow old. Its something new, neat and cool for the kids every year, Marco said. Rebecca Pardy said it was her first time coming to Veselys presentation at the library. Pardy and her family recently moved to Central City from Lincoln, so she said an event like this is good to get involved in the community. Pardy said her 4-year-old always liked going to the Lincoln Childrens Zoo, so she knew he would enjoy Veselys exotic animal presentation. Its great for the library to have kids programs, Pardy said. We want to support it so things like this keep happening, she said. Brandon Wright enjoyed the event for the first time while sitting between bookshelves with his 4-year-old daughter nestled in his lap. Wright said his wife works at the library, so she usually brought the children to the event. Wright said he is thankful for events such as this one. Its encouraging kids to read and to learn about new things, Wright said. During the presentation, Vesely fed a snake a rat. Children and adults gasped as the snake struck at the rat as soon as Vesely dropped it in. The snake gulped the rat down during the rest of the presentation. Amelia, Wrights daughter, said that was her favorite part of the presentation as she made chomping noises to her dad. Vesely said she likes presenting to the library because Central City is her hometown. The kids just hit my heart, Vesely said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Galuh Wandita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26, 2016 See this scar? I did that! Peals of laughter and bright smiles erupt as Rosas brother touches her forehead gently, brushing an almost invisible scar. He reaches for her earlobe, Our mother made that earring hole in her ear; she cried. Rosa is surrounded by two siblings, her older sister and brother who are both in their 50s. They cannot stop holding her, caressing her cheeks and hair, after 38 years of separation. Across the room, 10 other families are each inside a cocoon of love. In 1978, during the height of the war in Timor Leste, Rosa and another sister were separated from their family. The two lost girls found their way to Aileu, a little town nestled in a fertile valley about two hours away from their village in Railaco. A soldier found them and said he would take the smaller girl. Rosas sister tried to stop him, but Rosa was taken to a military camp. After two nights there, she boarded a military truck to Dili, then a ship to Makassar. The promise of an education was never met. She ran away from the family that took her in numerous times, but was taken back. She worked hard on their farm. Now she is married with four children. I cannot talk about my suffering then, she said. Last week, Asia Justice and Rights ( AJAR ), a Jakarta-based NGO, working together with civil society and human rights institutions from the two countries, the National Commission on Human Rights ( Komnas HAM ) and Provedoria Dos Direitos Humanos e Justica ( PDHJ ), brought a group of 11 stolen children together. Eight men and three women now living in Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Jakarta took part in this visit. This is the third time such reunions have been organized. A total of 30 have been reunited with their families since 2013. Out of these 30, some were taken at the age of 5 and others in their early teens. They have not had any contact with their families for 20 to 40 years. Timor Lestes truth commission ( CAVR ), which operated from 2002 to 2005, estimated that some 4,000 children were taken from their families and sent to Indonesia during the occupation. The transfer of children was a practice sanctioned by the military and civilian authorities, involving individuals and later on military and religious institutions that facilitated this process. The CAVR made this finding: The struggle for control of Timor Leste was partly played out in the battle for its children. Children became victims, perpetrators, assistants and observers in the political conflicts that engulfed Timor Leste from 1974. The obligation of all parties to put the best interests of children first was widely ignored. The CAVR also made strong recommendations on finding and reuniting children separated during the conflict. With the passing of time, these children became adults. Many have adapted to the culture, language and religion of the places they found themselves in. Although bearing new names, they still remember their East Timorese identities, scraps of memories from their childhood: a mountain view, the name of their village, the name of their parents, a lullaby. In Indonesia, few were lucky enough to be cared for by loving families, raised and educated as Indonesians. However, many of these children were vulnerable to abuse, exploitation and neglect. The majority did not have the opportunity to go to school and had to work hard to survive on their own. Most importantly, some of them were not orphans and continued to be sought by their family members. A total of 30 have been reunited with their families since 2013. Out of these 30, some were taken at the age of 5 and others in their early teens. They have not had any contact with their families for 20 to 40 years.(AJAR/*) The Commission for Truth and Friendship of Indonesia and Timor Leste ( CTF ), established by the two governments and run from 2005 to 2008, also made a recommendation on the issue of the separated children. Since the submission of the CTF report to the two presidents in 2008, negotiations have continued over how to implement the recommendations. In July 2009, Timor Leste submitted a short proposal to Indonesia to consider the establishment of a subworking group related to the issue of missing persons, including separated children, but Indonesia continues to be a reluctant party. In October 2011, the Indonesian government issued a presidential decree for the implementation of the CTF recommendations. However, many years later there has been little progress in this area on the part of the two governments. The stolen children of Timor Leste are not the only pressing issue for Indonesia to deal with that comes from its violent past. However, it is one that in the short term can bring joy to everyone involved in this effort. The longing of these stolen children to be reunited with their families and vice versa is a universal story that reverberates in all of us. The Indonesian government should take concrete steps to facilitate these reunions, working closely with civil societies, Komnas HAM and others who have been working hard to bring about this breakthrough. In our decades-long struggle to deal with the legacy of gross human rights violations, here is an opportunity to provide redress to victims who were only children at the time of the violation. An official truth-seeking process can help us understand the magnitude of the violations that took place during the New Order. If we do so, we can feel proud that we, as a nation, are strong enough to right a wrong from our past. *** The writer is director of Asia Justice and Rights ( AJAR ), and a co-convener of Indonesias Coalition of Truth and Justice ( KKPK ). --------------- We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Arif Fiyanto (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26, 2016 This month, across the world, people are standing up for a future without fossil fuels. The Break Free movement envisages a world powered not with the dirty energies of coal and oil, but with renewables solar, the wind, geothermal and tidal energy. Countries around the world, from the US to China, are turning their back on coal and investing instead in renewable energy. Chinas National Energy Administration has told all but three provinces to suspend approvals for coal-fired power plants affecting 90 percent of new capacity. There is a fundamental shift happening in the Chinese economy, which means that not only will Chinas need for coal imports continue to fall, it might even become a coal exporter in direct competition with Indonesia. India too, once a huge market for Indonesian coal, is cutting coal imports, down by 34 percent in 2015 compared to the previous year. With the Chinese and Indian markets shrinking, who will be left to buy Indonesias coal? Coal exports usually subsidized domestic coal prices. Now those exports are disappearing. Most mining companies are cutting their output, and after years of soaring profits, they are now asking the government for handouts. Meanwhile, the renewable energy market is booming. Renewables supplied 90 percent of the worlds new energy capacity last year, and can compete on cost with coal in most markets. Thats why state electricity company PLN is switching 8 GW of its capacity to renewables. The cost of developing renewable energy in Indonesia over the next ten years is Rp 260 trillion (US$19.1 billion). It sounds excessive. But its only one-tenth of what has been spent on subsidies for fossil fuel-based energy over the last ten years. So a renewable energy future is within Indonesias reach. But instead of targeting this goal, there are plans to build more and more coal-fired power plants. Some of the same countries that are saying no to coal at home are investing in coal-plants in Indonesia, even selling us their old, unwanted technology. And no wonder the Chinese and Japanese are queuing up to sign deals for building coal power in Indonesia. They get a 30-year power purchase agreement from PLN, backed by the Indonesian government. Indonesian taxpayers are being locked-in to pay for dirty energy for decades to come. Its a double hit for the Indonesian people, who will also have to carry the cost of paying back loans from multilateral development banks for these coal-fired plants. According to preliminary research by the Bank Information Center (BIC) and Greenpeace, between 2007 and 2015, USD 1.4 billion was approved in loans for energy projects, nearly all of which had gone to fossil fuels. These loans are supposed to help countries move to a low-carbon development path to better protect the environment. But thats not happening in Indonesia. The money is instead supporting carbon-heavy infrastructure, which will be with us for decades, regardless of the wishes of local people as we have seen in the development of the Batang coal power plant. It is just one of many power plants being supported by international development loans and guarantees, backed by global multilateral development banks, like the World Bank and the ADB, and financiers like JBIC. The banks president, Jim Yong Kim, said this month that if all coal plants in the south and southeast Asia go ahead, we are finished [] it would spell disaster for us and our planet. The World Bank needs to listen to its presidents warning. Bank lending for development must prioritize low-carbon development over fossil fuels. All multilateral banks must cut incentives and guarantees for carbon-intensive projects in Indonesia. It is time for us to divest in coal. There is another energy future which beckons one that is cheaper, healthier and better for all Indonesians. We must break free from coal. (dan) *** Arif Fiyanto is climate and energy coordinator at Greenpeace Southeast Asia --------------- We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ni Nyoman Wira (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26, 2016 Prior to the birth of Major Minor, Ari Seputra, an award-winning designer with 26 years of experience, designed for his label Ari Seputra and Elaborate by Ari Seputra. As time passed, Ari began to ponder todays teenage style, I see that teenagers nowadays have different tastes, theyre crazy about social media, they shop online. They have developed in terms of style and design, he said. Observing the trends around him, Ari soon realized that he would have to create a new brand. I thought that if we stayed here, we wouldnt move forward. So we made a new brand without the Ari Seputra name, he says. Together with his wife, Sari Seputra and designer, Inneke Margarethe, Ari formed a new label called Major Minor, and completely detached his name from the brand. Major Minor was launched in June 2011 and a year later, the trio had established Major Minor Signature. After the launch of the two brands in Indonesia and Singapore, the brands first luxury ready-to-wear line, Major Minor Maha was released. This year, Major Minor Maha is a nominee for the International Woolmark Prize. We are nominated for the Womens Wear category alongside Toton Januar, Sari, the President Director of Major Minor, explained. It is considered rare for Woolmark to let two designers from the same country compete against each other in one category. Woolmark said that they couldnt choose between the two, so they selected both brands and put us up against a mix of Asian nominees, she adds. Winning the International Woolmark Prize will open new doors for Major Minor Maha. The most interesting reward is to be mentored for a year by fashion experts and the opportunity to build a network in the fashion industry, says Sari. Famous department stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, David Jones and Harvey Nichols are expected to buy the winners design as a part of their contract. (asw) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Wed, May 25 2016 The first 20 months under President Joko Jokowi Widodo are looking more ferocious than the New Order, one activist has said. Haris Azhar, as quoted in Koran Tempo on Tuesday, was responding to the request of Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu for the military to deploy personnel to provincial defense offices. Ryamizard referred to the 2002 Defense Law as the basis of the offices, reportedly a legacy from former minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro, for which tasks remain unclear apart from supporting efforts to instill nationalism and boost state defense. However, Haris echoed increased fears of having the black boots harassing daily life again meaning a full-circle return to the Indonesian Militarys (TNI) powerful defense and non-defense roles. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Margareth S. Aritonang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 25 2016 The governments plan to set up defense offices at the provincial level, and deploy active soldiers to run them, has raised suspicions that the Indonesian Military (TNI) is attempting to intervene once again in civilian administrative matters. The plan became known following the revelation of an official letter from Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu, a retired Army general, to TNI commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo, requesting the latter to assign soldiers to lead the Defense Ministrys provincial branches. The issuance of the letter dated May 13 caused concern, particularly given the recent arrests by military personnel of civilians in various parts of the country for allegedly promoting communist ideology. Ministry spokesperson Brig. Gen. Djundan Eko Bintoro confirmed the plan to set up provincial defense offices, saying it was aimed at boosting defense services at the regional level. He added the ministry would appoint one-star generals to lead its offices in Aceh, East Java, East Kalimantan, Jakarta, Papua, Riau Islands and West Kalimantan. Meanwhile, colonels would run the offices in the remaining 27 provinces. The plan immediately caused alarm among activists, who questioned the urgency, or indeed need, for establishing the provincial defense offices and more especially the appointment of active soldiers to represent the ministry, which is supposedly a civilian institution. Defense is among the matters that are not subject to decentralization. Thus, it is better to keep it centralized and let the ministry operate only at the central level, said Al Araf from Imparsial. The executive director of the Jakarta-based human rights watchdog, which focuses on military reform, said the plan could lead to an overlap of functions between the soldiers in the existing regional military commands (Kodam) and those in the new defense offices. Thus, Al Araf suggested the ministry focus on its job of formulating defense policies needed to face security threats from outside the country instead of creating the perception that it is combating internal problems deemed to pose a threat to the countrys security. Defense observer Mufti Makarim likewise criticized the plan, saying it was part of the efforts by the TNI to regain influence over public life. That is the problem of appointing a conservative retired army general like Ryamizard to lead an institution that is by concept a civil one, Mufti said. Then president Abdurrahman Wahid appointed Juwono Sudarsono in 1999 as the first civilian defense minister, breaking the militarys decades-long dominance of ministerial posts. Mufti added that there was also an effort to allow soldiers to serve in civilian offices, such as by proposing a draft law to permit active military personnel to run in regional elections. The debate on the issue is still ongoing. In addition, Mufti further cited a number of agreements involving the military and several government institutions that allow for the deployment of troops to safeguard public infrastructure such as railway stations, harbors and airports. The military may even get involved in matters utterly unrelated to defense affairs, such as family planning programs, following its agreement with the National Family Planning Agency (BKKBN). I personally see these indications as an attempt by the military to regain power, Mufti said. Who can guarantee that the [Defense Ministry] provincial offices will not be used as a way to deal with, for example, ideological matters in the regions? However, Djundan of the ministry totally rejected such claims, explaining that the regional offices were meant to ensure the effective and appropriate implementation of the ministrys defense policies throughout the archipelago. In support of the plan he cited the 2012 ministerial decree on the establishment of regional defense offices, the 2002 Defense Law and the 2008 State Ministries Law, which all have stipulations justifying the ministrys decision to set up representative offices in all of the countrys 34 provinces. This is nothing out of the ordinary. Its been ongoing for four years by the way, he said, insisting that at no time did the ministrys representatives overlap with district military commands. The Kodam are still in charge of in-field operations while we are simply coordinating policies. ___________________________________ To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ina Parlina (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 25 2016 The government means business with its series of deregulation and stimulus packages as it seeks to establish a task force with the sole duty of monitoring the progress of the initiatives. President Joko Jokowi Widodo made the decision to create the task force during a limited Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Office on Tuesday. Jokowi has repeatedly made it clear that doing business in Indonesia must be easy and hassle-free, drawing on his own experiences as a furniture exporter when dealing with bureaucratic obstacles. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 25 2016 A Sederhana Baru Padang restaurant on Jl. Brigjen Katamso in Slipi, West Jakarta was gutted by fire on Tuesday morning. Six employees and two motorcycle taxi drivers standing near the restaurant were injured in the incident. Jakarta Polices spokesman Sr. Comr. Awi Setiyono told reporters that an employee of the restaurant had smelled what appeared to be a gas leak at 6:40 a.m. as staff started cooking. The employee tried to stop the leak but suddenly it burst into flames, Awi said. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dewanti A. Wardhani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 25 2016 Players in the countrys oil and gas industry will gather this week with key government officials and other stakeholders at the 40th Indonesia Petroleum Association Convention and Exhibition (IPA Convex) in an attempt to seek and endorse necessary measures and policies to help the industry survive the plunge in global energy prices. IPA executive director Marjolijn Wajong said the association would use the event, which will run from Wednesday to Friday, to voice fresh concerns of industry players amid a prolonged spell of low oil and gas prices as well as economic slowdown, which have resulted in mass layoffs and halted expansions. Marjolijn also called on the government to streamline its bureaucracy to provide business certainty and improve the countrys competitiveness in the sector. Without certainty, investors will think twice before investing in Indonesia, Marjolijn said during a visit to The Jakarta Posts office on Tuesday. Earlier in March, President Joko Jokowi Widodo selected an onshore liquefaction (OLNG) concept to develop the Masela project, which sits on almost 11 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves in the Arafura Sea, making it the countrys largest deepwater gas project. His decision, however, has sparked concern among existing and potential investors as it overruled the recommendations of the Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKKMigas), his energy and mineral resources minister and the oil and gas contractors, Inpex-Shell, which all chose a floating LNG (FLNG) concept. Similarly, IPA Convex committee chairman Marudut Manullang said that it aimed to send a strong message to the government to shift its paradigm in managing the energy sector by, among other things, providing more incentives and business-friendly policies. The government must understand that the old ways are no longer attractive. Evidently, none of our auctioned blocks were taken last year, Marudut said. Nine oil and gas blocks were up for tender in 2015, but none gained a winning bidder. Marudut, who is also human resources and general affairs vice president at Ophir Energy, said the long process from exploration to production compared to other countries was unattractive to investors. For the last two years, global oil prices have been in free fall from around US$110 per barrel of Brent crude in June 2014 to around $40, as of recently. Separately, GE Oil and Gas Indonesia president director Iwan Chandra said under the current situation, industry players must improve efficiency by, among other things, adjusting operational costs and maintaining equipment reliability. During the IPA Convex, GE, for example, will introduce a cloud-based operating system to help production operators optimize production and lower costs, he said. (win) --------------- To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin thejakartapost.com (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26, 2016 A politician from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has said that research carried out by the party showed that 20 percent of Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama supporters were PDI-P members. PDI-P deputy chairman Komar Watubun said on Thursday that the figure was calculated from Jakarta voters, who had handed over photocopies of their Identity Cards to Teman Ahok (Friends of Ahok) to fulfill the requirements for Ahok to run as an independent candidate. It is because we have not decided on our gubernatorial candidate. After the party decides its candidate, loyal members will support the candidate endorsed by the party, said Komar in Jakarta on Thursday as reported by tribunnews.com. Teman Ahok, the most active supporters of the incumbent governor, has said its volunteers had collected more than 800,000 photocopies of IDs, already exceeding the 532,000 required by the regional election law for individuals to run as an independent candidate. PDI-P had initially considered Ahok as a strong candidate, but Ahok declared himself as an independent candidate when the selection process of the party candidate was still underway to provide Teman Ahok with adequate time to collect the required number of copies of Jakarta voters' IDs. Komar expressed his optimism that the candidate of his party would be a strong rival for Ahok, because soon after the name of the candidate was declared, his/her electability would increase significantly. Komar also said that many of the party's candidates could defeat an incumbent such as when the Joko Jokowi Widodo and Ahok defeated Fauzi Bowo and Nahrawi Ramli in 2012. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin thejakartapost.com (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26, 2016 Activists have called on Indonesian lawmakers to review the newly issued regulation in lieu of law on the sexual abuse of children to make it more comprehensive and inclusive of abuse of adults, rather than limited to the protection of children. The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) said on Thursday the issuance of the regulation had been a hasty decision and an attempted quick-fix in response to the public outcry regarding the increasing number of cases of brutal sexual violence against children that have come to light recently. Komnas Perempuan staff member Mariana Amiruddin has expressed concern that the government merely views sexual violence as an issue related to libido. Her criticism specifically concerns the controversial punishment of chemical castration that the government hopes will act as a deterrent for potential child rapists. Castration, she asserted, was completely irrelevant. Sexual violence is not just about libido because a sexual attack is more about aggression; similar to murder or other violent crimes," Mariana said on Thursday as quoted by kompas.com. Sexual violence, Mariana said, should be seen as an attack on the concept of the human body through sexual acts, adding that chemical castration was not enough to address the issue. She said sexual violence should also be viewed as gender discrimination, or gender-based violence, and not just a reaction [to an urge] or a purely sexual attack. Gender-based violence also occur in cases involving children, she added. Mariana called for more attention be paid to adult women who became victims of sexual violence, since these crimes against humanity do not only affect children, she said. A lawmaker has assured the sexual violence bill, which is to be deliberated at the House of Representatives Legislation Body, will not overlap the new regulation because the bill will encompass all sex crimes, not just those involving child rapists. The lawmaker said the legislative body would continue to draft the sexual violence bill following the House's passing of the new regulation into law. "Victims of sexual violence continue to increase year on year, with 50 percent of victims children and 50 percent adults. We need to rise up against this," said Supratman. The regulation in lieu of law, known locally as a Perppu, that President Joko Jokowi Widodo recently signed is designed only to assist with the protection of children, by modifying the 2002 Child Protection Law. The Perppu provides for harsher punishments for perpetrators of sexual violence against children, included widened application of the death penalty and life imprisonment. The regulation has also raised the minimum prison sentence for convicted child sex offenders to 10 years, up from three years previously. The Perppu also legalizes other sanctions including, controversially, chemical castration for child rapists as well as the publication of the identities of convicts and microchips being implanted in their bodies to allow authorities to track their whereabouts after their release from prison. Following Jokowi's issuance of the Perppu on Wednesday, it has now been submitted to the House to be approved and made into law. (liz/dan) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin thejakartapost.com (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26, 2016 After scrapping land and building taxes (PBB) for homes priced below Rp 1 billion (US$73,327), Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama raised on Wednesday the idea of scrapping property taxes for homes priced below Rp 2 billion. He argued that such taxes were inherited from the Dutch colonial administration. So, why should we follow the Dutch system? Homes of Indonesian citizens should not be taxed. We should draw taxes from foreigners, not from our own people, said Ahok on Wednesday at Jakarta City Hall as reported by kompas.com. He was speaking in front of heads of working units under the Jakarta administration at a signing ceremony. He said scrapping property taxes was possible in Jakarta, but should be implemented in stages. Today, we can only scarp property taxes for houses priced below Rp 1 billion because we fear not being able to develop infrastructure, he added. For the next step, he added, his administration would free owners of houses priced below Rp 2 billion from having to pay taxes. We are studying the possibility of scrapping taxes for houses below Rp 2 billion, he said at an event in Jatinegara, East Jakarta. The policy is to help people ease their burdens amid economic difficulty, he said. We dont want people who live in kampungs to be burdened with taxes due to the increasing prices of their properties, while their salary remains stagnant, he added. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Jakarta Thu, May 26, 2016 Lawmakers have lauded President Joko Jokowi Widodos move to issue a regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) on tougher sanctions for child rapists, saying the regulation will create a deterrent effect. We support heightened punishments imposed on rapists of children, including a maximum sentence of the death penalty, and additional punishments, such as chemical castration, publishing the identities of perpetrators and up to Rp 5 billion [US$367.51] in fines, said Abdul Malik Haramain, deputy head of House of Representatives Commission VIII overseeing religion and social affairs, as quoted by kompas.com in a statement on Thursday. The National Awakening Party (PKB) politician further said his party had supported a heightened sentence for child rapists since talks of such a plan had begun. Therefore, the PKB faction at the House would strive for the Perppu to be approved so that it could be immediately passed into law. Malik said it was hoped the government could prepare its technical regulations so that the Perppu could immediately take into effect. The Perppu is the second amendment to Law No.23/2002 on children protection. As reported earlier, the House has not yet deliberated the sexual violence bill, which is still under discussion over its inclusion in the 2016 priority national legislation program (Prolegnas). The Houses Legislation Body (Baleg) aims to include the bill as one of extra priority bills in the 2016 Prolegnas, aside from 40 priority bills the House must complete deliberations of this year. Baleg deputy chairman Firman Soebagyo said on Wednesday the House would adjust the Perppu through the problem inventory list (DIM) each faction must complete and it would enrich the Perppus materials in the sexual violence bill. President Jokowi signed on Wednesday the Perppu, which stipulates chemical castration as punishment for rapists of children. The Perppu imposes heavy sanctions for child rapists, such as a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, life imprisonment and the death penalty, based on the circumstances of the case. Chemical castration is one of three additional sanctions, including the announcement of perpetrators identities to the public and the installing of electronic detection devices, stipulated by the Perppu. Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin expressed his support on Wednesday for the signing of the Perppu. I was among those who initialed the draft Perppu, he said as quoted by Antara. The minister said sexual violence involving children in Indonesia was rampant. Lukman said heightened punishments and additional sanctions were needed. In many events, President Jokowi has always said this is an extraordinary crime. Rape itself is a crime, let alone the rape of children. We have agreed there should be heightened punishment and additional sanctions for this crimes perpetrators, said Lukman. The minister said chemical castration was not the only form of heightened sanctions A judge will sentence a rapist of children to chemical castration after he or she thoroughly examines the case, said Lukman. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Hans Nicholas Jong (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26 2016 It is known that smoking causes cancer, stains teeth, causes wrinkles and weakens sex drive. But did you know that the habit of smoking also poisons thousands of children in Indonesia? Children as young as 8 years old are working in Indonesias tobacco farms, where they are exposed to potentially brain-damaging and illness-causing effects from nicotine poisoning and toxic pesticides, as well as dangerous physical work, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report released on Wednesday. The 119-page report, titled The Harvest is in My Blood: Hazardous Child Labor in Tobacco Farming in Indonesia, documents how child tobacco workers are exposed to nicotine, handle toxic chemicals, use sharp tools and work in extreme heat. The HRW interviewed 132 children aged 8 to 17 working in tobacco farms in four provinces: West Java, Central Java, East Java and West Nusa Tenggara. Half of them reported nausea, vomiting, headaches or dizziness, all symptoms consistent with acute nicotine poisoning from absorbing nicotine through their skin. Some children missed school or dropped out, the report said. Aman, 18, for instance, said that he got violently ill while harvesting tobacco at his fathers farm in Sumenep, East Java, in 2014 and had to be treated at a hospital. I had to vomit but it wouldnt come out. It happened twice, last year and the year before. I went to the hospital both times, he said. Last year was the worst. They gave me oxygen and an IV. My stomach felt hot and I was dizzy all the time. Despite this, Indonesian and multinational tobacco companies in Indonesia, such as Djarum, Gudang Garam, Bentoel and Sampoerna, have failed to ensure that children do not carry out hazardous work on farms in their supply chains. Only multinational cigarette producers responded to the HRWs request for a response. Djarum and Gudang Garam did not respond at all despite our repeated attempts to reach them. HRW childrens rights advocacy director, Jo Becker, said. The Jakarta Post had also reached out to Djarum for a response but it declined to comment on the report. The companies named in the report as sourcing from Indonesia or owning Indonesian tobacco firms are Altria Group Inc., British American Tobacco Plc, China National Tobacco Corp., Imperial Brands Plc, Japan Tobacco Inc., Philip Morris International Inc. and Reynolds American Inc. BAT, which makes the Dunhill, Lucky Strike and Pall Mall brands, and Philip Morris, which produces Marlboro, Parliament and Virginia Slims, respectively own or control Indonesian companies PT Bentoel Internasional Investama and PT Hanjaya Mandala Sampoerna. Tobacco companies are making money off the backs and the health of Indonesian child workers, said Margaret Wurth, childrens rights researcher at the HRW and coauthor of the report. Therefore, the report recommended more vigilance, government regulation and a ban on children under 18 handling tobacco. The legal employment age in Indonesia is 15. But pressure from human rights advocates alone will not be enough to stop children from being exploited by the tobacco industry. Consumers could play a huge role in this issue as they have the power to choose products that are made ethically and do not pose a harm to children. Right now we say that there are no cigarette brands that weve encouraged to buy because they are child-labor free. They simply dont exist, Becker said. Multinational tobacco companies, such as Philip Morris, British American Tobacco and Imperial Brands, said that they welcomed the report. We truly acknowledge more needs to be done, Philip Morris sustainability officer Miguel Coleta said as quoted by Bloomberg. It sheds light on a very important issue. By having more visibility, we hope that others will be encouraged to make improvements in reducing child labor. He noted that the company had seen a significant reduction in child labor incidents since it began four years ago to increase the amount of tobacco it purchased from Indonesian farmers through direct contract, which is now about 70 percent of its Indonesian supply. British American Tobacco said in a statement that the UK-based company and its Indonesian subsidiary, Bentoel, took the issue of child labor extremely seriously. However, it also noted that children in Indonesia often participated in agriculture to help their families, and to learn farming methods and skills from their elders. Indonesia Tobacco Community Alliance (AMTI) spokesman Agung Suryanto said that children who helped their families in tobacco farms should not be perceived as child workers. These children are learning. So its not that simple. Its a cultural thing because the skills of farming have to be inherited by the next generation. Some of them still go to school and we see theyre still smiling while giving testimonies [in the video of the report]. Theres no suffering, he told the Post. ___________________________________ To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Associated Press) Beijing Thu, May 26, 2016 The latest hot topic for Chinese rappers is a bearded 19th century German philosopher who wrote a book called "The Communist Manifesto." Chinese state media are promoting a new rap song praising Karl Marx, in the latest attempt to leverage popular culture in support of the ruling Communist Party. Entitled "Marx is a post-90" China's version of a millennial the song extols the communist godfather's supposed coolness with lyrics such as, "Life is full of little accidents, then one day I discovered how awesome he was." "I saw my faith, don't even ask why," it continues. "You are my Venus, my dear Marx." The website of the party newspaper People's Daily said the song proves how Marx continues to appeal to young people and will "never completely go out of style." The site said an accompanying video featuring midriff-baring dancers, a DJ and rappers in backward caps and jerseys has "gone viral." Marx, who died in 1883, sits high in the pantheon of China's communist heroes, although it's unclear how much the author of famous lines such as "the proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains." resonates with young people raised on video games, hip-hop and western fashions. China in recent years has turned to animated short films, rock bands and rap music to promote the Communist Party, government policies and the military. An armed forces recruiting video released earlier this month features a rap-rock soundtrack with lyrics such as "just waiting for the order to kill, kill, kill" over a frantic music-video style montage of aircraft, tanks and guns. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26 2016 The city administration, through PT Jakarta Utilitas Propertindo (JUP) a subsidiary of city-owned developer PT Jakarta Propertindo (Jakpro), will build a water treatment plant in Pluit city forest, North Jakarta, to boost clean water supply in the capital. JUP president director Chairul Hakim said the company had teamed up with water-solution company PT Memiotec Indonesia, which is affiliated with Singapores Memiotec, in constructing, as well as operating and maintaining the water treatment plant. The companies will spend around Rp 112 billion (US$8.16 million) for the project, of which JUP will have a 60 percent share and Memiotec Indonesia the remaining 40 percent. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Libardo Cardona (Associated Press) Bogota Thu, May 26, 2016 Colombia's president said Wednesday that a Spanish journalist missing in a lawless region might not be a hostage of leftist rebels as has been widely thought in this war-weary country, but instead is reporting from inside a rebel camp. President Juan Manuel Santos' comments provided a glimmer of hope after four days of so far unsuccessful searching for Salud Hernandez-Mora, a longtime correspondent for the Spanish newspaper El Mundo and a prominent columnist for the Bogota daily El Tiempo. Santos said he has received information that Hernandez-Mora made contact with the National Liberation Army by choice and that the rebel group was trying to figure out how to return her safely amid the extensive search by security forces. He said he was still trying to verify the report but that it came from a trustworthy source whom he didn't identify. "It's not completely verified but it has logic," Santos said, adding that the information coincided with information from the journalist's editors Santos, however, said he had no information about two other journalists from local network RCN who went missing Monday while covering the search for Hernandez-Mora in the volatile Catatumbo region Dozens of people gathered in Colombia's capital Wednesday to demand the safe return of Hernandez-Mora and the RCN journalists. Authorities have declined to classify the disappearances as kidnappings. But speculation has been rife among Colombians that all three could be in the hands of the National Liberation Army, one of several rebel groups operating in that region. Gen. Alberto Mejia, the head of the army, said troops on the ground engaged in combat with an unidentified group Tuesday. As part of the search, authorities have dropped more than 30,000 pamphlets from the air over Catatumbo seeking information about Hernandez-Mora's whereabouts. They also offered a $30,000 reward. Hernandez-Mora, who has lived in Bogota since the 1990s and also has Colombian citizenship, is one of the South American nation's most influential journalists. Admired and reviled in equal measure for her opinion columns frequently critical of the Santos government's peace efforts, even her detractors in the government acknowledge her courageous reporting in violent areas where the state has almost no presence. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ricardo F. Tapilatu (The Jakarta Post) Manokwari Thu, May 26 2016 For over 100 million years, leatherback sea turtles have swum the worlds oceans. Each year, these creatures, which represent the last remaining members of the Dermochelyidae family, migrate 6,000 miles from breeding grounds in the western Pacific to feeding areas in the eastern Pacific. Californias coast, with its plentiful jellyfish populations, is an important foraging area for leatherbacks, and the Birds Head Peninsula of West Papua is the major nesting area for the western Pacific population of the endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtle. Pacific leatherback conservation efforts at the nesting beaches were sporadic in the 1970s, but were expanded following publication of the US Recovery Plan in 1996 and the collapse of the eastern Pacific nesting populations. More recently, after the discovery that the leatherbacks foraging in California waters and caught in Hawaii and US West coast-based fisheries were from the western Pacific, bilateral conservation efforts have intensified. In 2012 the US National Marine Fisheries Service designated 41,914 square miles off the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington as critical habitat for leatherbacks. Thus any actions authorized, funded or implemented by Federal agencies should not put the species existence in jeopardy or otherwise negatively impact its critical habitat. Additionally, the California State Assembly and Senate have declared the Pacific leatherback as a California state marine reptile. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin thejakartapost.com (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26, 2016 Aceh's sharia police officers, locally known as the Wilayatul Hisbah, stopped dozens of women caught not riding motorcycles side-saddle and for not wearing appropriate Islamic attire in on Wednesday. In the two-hour raid at Riyadhah Park in Lhokseumawe the officers also caught another 90 people, men and women, found to be in breach of the 2002 Qanun (Islamic bylaw) in the city, said the public order and Wilayatul Hisbah head Irsyadi on Wednesday. The raid was also in accordance with the regulation issued by the local consultative forum (Muspida) in 2013 banning women straddling motorcycles. The officers stopped women who were not riding motorcycles side-saddle, even though they wore proper Islamic clothes. After receiving a warning not to ride motorbikes in the straddle position again, the women were allowed to continue their journeys side-saddle. "We will keep conducting the raids until the prohibition on straddling motorcycles for women is enforced thoroughly," he said as quoted by tribunnews.com. Meanwhile, the raid also stopped people who were not properly dressed. The officers warned 52 women wearing tight clothes or not wearing the hijab. Meanwhile, 38 men were netted for wearing shorts. The sharia police recorded their identities and also gave them advice on how to dress in accordance with the Islamic bylaw. The officers also gave sarongs to women whose trousers were deemed too tight as well as veils for those who did not wear the hijab, Irsyadi said. Lhokseumawe Mayor Suaidi Yahya announced in early 2013 that he had banned women passengers from straddling motorcycles claiming the sitting arrangement was not in accordance with the local culture. The ban met with protests from residents but later the local administration made the ban official by issuing a regulation. Aceh, a special autonomous province, is the only province in Indonesia to implement sharia and has done so since 2003. The bylaw, locally known as Qanun, also prohibits liquor consumption, adultery, physical contact between unmarried couples of the opposite sex, homosexuality and gambling. (rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Agus Maryono (The Jakarta Post) Cilacap Thu, May 26 2016 Amid the governments preparations for the next round of executions, convicted drug kingpin Freddy Budiman has filed a case review to overturn his death sentence. On Wednesday, he and his team of lawyers attended a hearing for the case review at the Cilacap District Court in Central Java, amid reports he is one of the death-row convicts soon to be executed on Nusakambangan Island. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Philippe Sotto (Associated Press) Paris Thu, May 26, 2016 The Euro Disney group went on trial in France on Wednesday for publishing an allegedly discriminatory job ad a decade ago requesting that candidates have "European citizenship" to work as parade artists at its famous Disneyland Paris theme park. The trial in a court in Meaux, outside Paris, on Wednesday came after anti-racist associations filed a complaint. They claimed Euro Disney discriminated on grounds of nationality in hiring dancers, bungee acrobats, jugglers, flag launchers, puppeteers and stilt walkers when it published the ad in a newspaper 10 years ago. Euro Disney has acknowledged that the ad's wording was clumsy but has denied any discriminatory intent and notably any attempt to cast aside candidates originating from Africa. The European branch of Walt Disney Co. faces up to 225,000 euros (251,000 dollars) in fine if found guilty of hiring discrimination. The French anti-racist association SOS-Racisme, which filed the first complaint, has claimed that Euro Disney deliberately set an illegal requirement for "European citizenship" in its 2006 job ad "in order to exclude job applicants originating from North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and Turkey," according to court documents. The lawyer for the association, Catherine Bahuchet, said "the legal process is still meaningful, even 10 years after the facts at issue, because Euro Disney has a double standard with on one hand claims of ethnic diversity among its staff and, on the other hand, an actual practice of hiring discrimination." "We must never lower our guard on all forms of discrimination," Bahuchet said in a phone interview before the trial. Euro Disney has said the disputed job ad was an "isolated blunder" and that "no other ad with this unlawful mention has been published," according to court documents. It has argued that the 10 years of legal proceedings by SOS Racisme have been motivated by the fact that Euro Disney is a "good target for the media." Euro Disney said that of the 120 seasonal positions up for hiring through the 2006 job ad, only 20 were actually filled, with three of them granted to candidates outside the European Union. Court documents show the three non-Europeans hired came from the U.S., Switzerland and Brazil. The legal proceedings took an unusually long time to come to court because the prosecutor's office in Meaux has consistently resisted any trial for Euro Disney in the case, saying a discriminatory intent by the company wasn't proven. The Disneyland Paris amusement park, east of the French capital, has the most visitors than any other attraction in Europe with about 15 million visitors per year. Euro Disney says more than 100 different citizenships and 20 languages are represented among its staff at the park. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26, 2016 The Financial Services Authority (OJK) is looking for more sukuk issuance from state-owned enterprises (SOEs), especially those related to construction and infrastructure, an official has said. Despite Indonesia leading in the issuance of sovereign sukuk, demand for corporate sukuk is relatively low, with 51 outstanding sovereign sukuk worth Rp 388.2 trillion (US$ 28.47 billion), in contrast to 45 outstanding corporate sukuk worth only Rp 9.5 trillion (US$ 700 million) as of May 20. From 45 corporate sukuk, only state electricity firm PLN, Adhi Karya and BNI Syariah issued the bonds. "Whereas, sukuk is more stable, secure and we can use it to finance long-term projects," OJK commissioner Sardjito said on Wednesday. Sardjito added that as 51 state enterprises were now involved in various infrastructure developments, the OJK hoped the firms would consider sukuk issuance as alternative financing for their projects. He said the OJK provided some incentives, including reduced fees for sukuk issuance, compared to conventional bonds. Sardjito admitted that some sukuk regulations did not fall under the OJK, requiring other government institutions to take part. "[The issuance of sukuk] must involve the tax office and the SOEs Ministry. The OJK cannot make state enterprises issue sukuk, but we are ready to help them," Sardjito said. The OJK is also drafting a regulation with the Finance Ministry to create sukuk-based mutual funds, as investment management firms have called for the regulation to provide their investors greater access to sukuk. (dmr) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26 2016 Hundreds of people living at upscale Gading Mediterania Apartment in North Jakarta have protested against the apartments operator because, they claim, some facilities in the apartment have been poorly maintained. On Monday night, they all went together to the basement of the apartment and expressed their anger to the operator. A resident Winda, 53, was not happy about the lift being broken, reported wartakotalive.com, or about electricity black outs and the water often not flowing. Meanwhile, the apartment operator on Tuesday brushed off the residents claims, saying that the they had always monitored and controlled all the facilities at the apartment, including the lift. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26 2016 The East Jakarta administration has postponed its plan to evict 186 households from Berlan, as there is no rusunawa (low-cost apartments) available for the residents to move to. East Jakarta Mayor Bambang Musyawardana said Wednesday the previous plan had been to relocate the families to Pulogebang Rusunawa, also in East Jakarta, but most apartments there were now occupied by other evicted families. We wanted to relocate them there, but the relocated families from Kalijodo [West Jakarta] took it first, Bambang said as quoted by kompas.com. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26, 2016 Dozens of auxiliary teachers protested in front of City Hall on Thursday demanding the Jakarta administration give them another chance to take the entrance test to become government employees. There were 71 auxiliary teachers who failed the Computer Assisted Test because they failed to complete all the administrative requirements last year. They blamed the city administration for discriminating against them regarding their certificates of education, coordinator of the auxiliary teachers Fauzi said. Some of the teachers who have passed the test have the same educational certificate. We studied at the same university, school and class Fauzi said at City Hall on Thursday. The protesters demanded the Jakarta Employment Agency or BKD to re-verify their data as the test participants and immediately let them re-sit the test. The teachers also demanded BKD chief Agus Suradika resign for his incompetence. Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama urged the auxiliary teachers to be patient as the administration needed time to verify their data. Processing the requirements took a long time, Ahok said, asking the teachers to not rashly accuse the BKD. The city administration regulates auxiliary teachers under the 2015 Decree issued by Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Ministry in 2015. The regulation mandates that auxiliary teachers be assisted to become official government employees no later than 2017. "We are committed to helping auxiliary teachers become official government employees ," he said adding that the teachers must also fulfill the necessary administrative requirements set by the city administration. (rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin thejakartapost.com (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26, 2016 The Jakarta Prosecutors Office on Thursday has finally accepted the case dossier of Jessica Kumala Wongso, who is accused of murdering her friend Wayan Mirna Salihin on Jan. 6. After careful examination by prosecutors, the case dossier has been declared complete, said general crimes assistant of the Jakarta Prosecutors Office M. Nasrun, on Thursday, as reported by kompas.com. With completion of the investigation by police investigators and the prosecutors, the case will soon go to court for trial, while Jessicas detention period will be extended. Jessicas initial 120-day detention period would have expired on Saturday. Before being declared complete, the case dossier on Jessica had gone back and forth between the Jakarta City Police and the Jakarta Prosecutors Office four times because the police had failed to provide strong enough evidence. The police had included information from the Australian Federal Police and testimonies from various experts. Previously, prosecutors said the evidence that police presented did not indicate who put the poison in Mirnas coffee. Jessica has been named the only suspect in the murder of her friend Wayan Mirna Salihin, who died after drinking cyanide-laced coffee on Jan. 6 while at a cafe in Central Jakarta with Jessica and another friend. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Erika Anindita Dewi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26, 2016 A House of Representatives lawmaker has criticized the government's inaction on aiding the recovery of victims of sexual crimes, pointing out that the newly signed regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) on sexual violence against children was purely perpetrator oriented. Rahayu Saraswati, a member of House Commission VIII overseeing religious and social affairs, said Perppu No.1/2016, which amends the 2002 Child Protection Law, had not accommodated sexual crime victims' right to assistance as they repair the damage caused by the crime. "Weve noted that in the Perppu, the state is not there for the victims of sexual crime. This means [victims] dont have funding for rehabilitation and counseling," Rahayu said. She was speaking before the House's plenary meeting at the House complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Thursday. Rahayu reminded her fellow lawmakers to speak up on the need for the government and the state to be attentive to the victims, possibly offering help in the form of restitution and compensation. Law No. 21/2007 on the elimination of human trafficking is currently the only regulation that provides for restitution to victims. Contrary to the Perppu, the draft sexual violence bill, which is currently being discussed for possible inclusion in the 2016 priority national legislation program (Prolegnas), is widely perceived as victim-oriented legislation. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo signed on Wednesday a regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) on sexual violence against children. The Perppu stipulates harsher sanctions and additional punishments for sex crimes against children, with new provisions allowing for chemical castration and the death penalty for pedophiles and child rapists. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26, 2016 A team of public attorneys from the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute have spoken out against the arrest of three former members of the controversial Fajar Nusantara Movement (Gafatar) who have been named suspects for blasphemy and treason on the back of a reportedly unconstitutional legal process. The National Police's Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) arrested two former Gafatar members, Mahful Muis Tumanurung and Andri Cahya, as well as the group's spiritual leader and the founder of Al Qidayah al-Islamiyah, Ahmad Musadeq, on Wednesday. Police will detain the men for the next 20 days while they further investigate following months of information gathering related to the now-defuct group's activities. Fati Lazira, public attorney at the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI), said the reasons for detaining the men were unclear as the three men had answered their summons on Wednesday morning without any resistance. "We still don't know the reason behind the detention. Where is the evidences?" Fati said to thejakartapost.com. Police need sufficient evidence before they are allowed to keep anyone in custody according to the Criminal Law Procedures (KUHAP), he added. Gafatar was at the center of a controversy earlier this year following the disappearance of some of its members. The missing members were later found to have relocated and built a village in Mempawah regency in West Kalimantan. They were then exiled by local residents after media reports on the controversy surrounding the group, which then lead to the government evacuating thousands of the relocated members to their respective hometowns. The Attorney General's Office (AGO), the Home Affairs Ministry and the Religious Affairs Ministry issued a joint decree in March officially banning the Gafatar movement from spreading its doctrine, which deviates from mainstream interpretations of Islamic teachings. The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has also declared Gafatar heretic. MUI claimed Gafatar's religious teachings combined the teachings of Islam, Christianity and Judaism, and that its members had declared Ahmad Mussadeq a prophet. Asfinawati, another legal aid attorney, said officials should have waited for further evaluation of adherence to the joint decree to see whether the banned organization was still operating and promoting its views, instead of just immediately naming the three suspects. "If [there is] evidence that says the organization is still active, only then can they be made suspects," Asfinawati said. Another attorney Saidiman Ahmad said the arrests were regrettable and that the incident could become a bad precedent for the treatment of citizens with different beliefs, adding that the police could use the charge of religious defamation to arrest anyone and curb freedom of faith. Meanwhile, National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said the detention of the men was aimed at making the investigation more effective. Police also wanted to ensure the safety of the suspects, he added, suggesting there might be a negative reaction from citizens who stand against Gafatar's controversial beliefs. The investigators are aiming to find people who have been active in Gafatar to ask them about the group's actions, especially related to alleged religious defamation because the group's dissemination of their belief system has caused public disturbances in the past. "We don't want the Gafatar movement to cause a clash of religious teachings in Indonesia," Boy said at the National Police headquarters. The police have obtained a number of pieces of evidence such as witness statements and documents related to Gafatar's activities, Boy claimed. The charges against Musadeq, who was also convicted in 2008 for religious blasphemy, will depend on the result of the investigation and the facts revealed in court, Boy said. (rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Farida Susanty (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26 2016 Low-cost carriers Lion Air and Indonesia AirAsia (IAA) have pledged to review and improve their ground-handling services after being temporarily spared from government sanctions following two separate incidents that saw each airline wrongly transfer arriving passengers from an international flight to a domestic terminal. On May 10, alleged internal mismanagement resulted in a Lion Air bus driver mistakenly delivering 40 arriving passengers from Singapore to a domestic terminal at Jakartas Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. A week later, a similar incident took place at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, this time involving IAA, the local arm of Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia Berhad. In response to the first incident, the Transportation Ministry announced last week that it would temporarily freeze Lion Airs ground-handling permit at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport later this month and prohibit the airline from opening new routes. The ministry, however, decided on Tuesday to delay the permit suspension on Lion Air ground-handling services, citing pending investigations into the incidents that resulted in a number of so-called recommendations. Lion Air received six such recommendations, including on evaluating and improving its ground-handling standard operating procedure and management. IAA, meanwhile, received seven recommendations, including a warning not to employ ground-handling personnel without proper work permits and certificates. The ministry has given the two airlines 30 days, starting on Tuesday, to implement all the requirements or face the revocation of their ground-handling permits. Lion Air general affairs director Edward Sirait said the countrys largest low-cost carrier was thankful for the ministrys decision to give it some time to improve its services. We will comply with the ministrys decision. We will fix all [the problems], he said via text message on Wednesday. Owned by businessman-cum-politician Rusdi Kirana, who serves as a member of the Presidential Advisory Board (Wantimpres), Lion Air operates 2,142 weekly flights on 93 routes, allowing it to reach almost every corner of the archipelago. The airline has regularly come under public scrutiny over widespread delays and other incidents, including the recent terminal transfer mishap. Edward said the airline would work hard to prevent a similar incident from happening again. Meanwhile, IAA president director Sunu Widyatmoko also vowed to implement the recommendations. We will report [on the corrective actions] to the [ministrys] air transportation director general in line with the set deadline, Sunu said in an official statement. The ground-handling permits for both Lion Air and IAA have so far been under each airlines name. The initial plan to freeze the ground-handling permit for Lion Air stemmed from the ministrys moves to put pressure on Lion Air for another alleged mismanagement incident also taking place on May 10. On that day, hundreds of Lion Air pilots refused to fly, leaving thousands of travelers stranded at airports across the country. The situation heated up as Lion Air decided to report the director general for air transportation, Suprasetyo, on May 16, for alleged abuse of authority, as the airline accused him of not following proper procedures before imposing sanctions. IAA, on the other hand, has kept relatively quiet on the issue. Transportation Ministry spokeperson Hemi Pamuraharjo said the ministrys decision to retract the sanctions was procedural, as it had to consider the results of the investigation. Had we frozen the permits right away, it would have been chaotic, he said. ------------------ To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Bandung Thu, May 26 2016 Padjadjaran University (Unpad) in Bandung, West Java, conferred an honorary doctorate on Indonesias fifth president and former student Megawati Soekarnoputri on Wednesday. The presentation of the honorary doctorate degree is related to the consistence in her leadership and original thoughts, said Unpad rector Tri Hanggoro Achmad in Bandung on Wednesday. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Hamza Hendawi (Associated Press) Cairo Thu, May 26, 2016 A Muslim mob ransacked and torched seven Christian homes last week in a province south of the Egyptian capital, Cairo, after rumors spread that a Christian man had an affair with a Muslim woman, according to a statement by the local Orthodox Coptic church. Released late Wednesday, the statement said that during the attack last Friday, the mother of the Christian man, who had fled the village in Minya province, was publicly stripped of her clothes by the mob to humiliate her. The statement was signed by Anba Makarios, Minya's top Christian cleric, who on Wednesday night told a talks show host on the private Dream TV network that the elderly woman was dragged out of her home by the mob who beat her and insulted her before they stripped her of her clothes and paraded her naked on the streets while chanting Allahu Akbar, or "God is great." The woman had only reported the incident to the police five days later, said Makarios, adding that she had found it too difficult to "swallow the humiliation" she suffered. Extramarital affairs or sex between unmarried couples are taboo among both Muslims and Christians in conservative Egypt. They often attract violent reactions in rural areas, where questions of honor can lead to deadly family feuds that endure for years or result in ostracizing of the perpetrators. Christian men cannot marry Muslim women in Egypt unless they convert to Islam first, but Muslim men can marry Christian women. An affair between a Christian man and a Muslim woman is almost certain to cause a great deal of trouble, particularly in rural areas. Anba Makarios said in the statement that police arrived at the scene of Friday's violence nearly two hours after the attack began and arrested six people. The family of the Christian man had notified the police of threats against them by Muslim villagers the day before the attack, he said. "No one did anything and the police took no pre-emptive or security measures in anticipation of the attacks," the cleric said in another TV interview Wednesday night. "We are not living in a jungle or a tribal society. It's incorrect for anyone to declare himself judge, police and ruler," he told Ahmed Moussa, a prominent talk show host on the private Sada el-Balad television. Christians, who make up about 10 percent of Egypt's population of more than 90 million people, have long complained of discrimination in the mostly Muslim nation. President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, in office since 2014, has sought to address some of their grievances, changing election laws to allow more Christians into the national legislature and easing restrictions on building new churches and renovating old ones. But many Christians say they are still consistently victimized in disputes with Muslims. Criminal gangs have often targeted wealthy Christian families south of Cairo in recent years, kidnapping their children for ransom. There have also been scores of cases in recent years of underage Christian girls lured away from their families by Muslim men who force them to convert and keep them in hiding until they reach adulthood. Christians often complain that police don't do enough to pursue the Muslim perpetrators. At least 35 percent of Minya's population is Christian, the largest in any of Egypt's 27 provinces. Makarios also told Moussa of Sada el-Balad television that the late arrival of the police gave the attackers "ample time" to do what they had set out to do. He predicted the village crisis will most likely be handled through a government-sponsored meeting of the two sides in which the Christians will be forced to accept "humiliating" conditions for reconciliation. If the case were different, and a Muslim man was having an affair with a Christian woman, the reaction would have hardly been so violent, he added. "It is a disgrace for honest men to remain silent while accepting, seeing or hearing this," Makarios said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26 2016 The National Police will attempt to lure Indonesias most-wanted terrorist, Santoso, and members of his militant group hiding in the forests of Poso, Central Sulawesi, to surrender by offering them special treatment. National Police spokesperson Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar promised that the police would treat Santoso differently if he and his followers left their hiding place and surrendered. If they surrender, we will definitely pass on a special note to the court, requesting that their cooperativeness is taken into consideration. If not, our troops will remain in the field to hunt for them, Boy said at the National Police headquarters on Wednesday. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Associated Press) Seoul Thu, May 26, 2016 North Korea's official news agency is criticizing US President Barack Obama's visit to Hiroshima on Friday. The Korean Central News Agency published a commentary Thursday calling the visit a "childish political calculation" aimed at hiding Obama's identity as a "nuclear war lunatic" determined to modernize the US nuclear arsenal. The commentary also accused Japan of trying to use the visit to masquerade as a victim and cover up its atrocities during World War II. Obama is to become the first sitting US president to visit the western Japanese city where US forces dropped an atomic bomb in 1945. He has called for a world without nuclear weapons, and criticized North Korea's development of both nuclear and missile technology. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin thejakartapost.com (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26, 2016 Leaders of Gerindra Partys Jakarta chapter on Thursday visited headquarters of the Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) for a closed-door meeting amid reports of a possible coalition forming prior to the Jakarta gubernatorial election in February 2017. During the meeting, both parties agreed not to support an independent candidate in the 2017 gubernatorial election. We, as political parties, agree that we are responsible for supplying [potential] leaders, not supporting individuals, said chairman of PDIPs Jakarta chapter Bambang Dwi Hartono after the meeting as reported by tribunnews.com on Thursday. The statement was in response to public speculation that both PDI-P and Gerindra might support incumbent Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, who has declared himself an independent candidate for the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election. It is funny that political parties responsible for supplying leaders just ignore their responsibility, he said. The NasDem Party and Hanura Party have declared their support for Ahok, while the Golkar Party has hinted at also supporting the incumbent. Meanwhile, chairman of Gerindras Jakarta chapter Mohamad Taufik said his party had a similar view to the PDI-P about the importance of strengthening the role of political parties in developing democracy in Indonesia. Improvement of the political-party system is not merely for the internal interests of political parties because parties have the responsibility to prepare better leaders for this country, said Taufik. Representatives of neither PDI-P nor Gerindra talked about a possible coalition, although previously politicians of both parties have hinted that they, the largest and second largest political parties, might jointly nominate a candidate for the gubernatorial election. Holding 28 seats in the Jakarta City Council, PDI-P is the largest party presence there and the only political party able to nominate its own gubernatorial candidate without forming a coalition with other parties. Meanwhile, Gerindra needs to form a coalition with other parties to meet the threshold of 22 seats required to be able to nominate a gubernatorial candidate. (bbn). Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Arif Gunawan Sulistiyono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26, 2016 President Joko Jokowi Widodo has departed for Japan to meet with G-7 leaders, in response to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes invitation. The President is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech on stability and welfare topics at the G-7 Outreach Meeting. The President departed from Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta for Nagoya, Japan on Thursday morning. He will immediately go to Ise-Shima, where the leaders of the US, England, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan are set to hold the meeting. Addressing the issues of sustainable development, women empowerment and global health, Indonesia will highlight the importance of global partnership and the expansion of global health coverage, said presidential communication team member Ari Dwipayana in Jakarta. President Jokowi, he further said, expected Indonesias presence at the G-7 Outreach Meeting to contribute to tackling global issues and improving international partnerships in addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) challenges. In Japan, Jokowi is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders, including French President Francois Hollande, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and the Japanese prime minister. Jokowi and Abe will carry out casual diplomacy talks. First Lady Iriana joins the President on his Japan visit, along with State Secretary Pratikno, National Development Planning Minister Sofyan Djalil and Financial Services Authority (OJK) chairman Muliaman Hadad. The entourage returns to Indonesia on Friday night. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Associated Press) Illinois Thu, May 26, 2016 Protesters rallied outside a McDonald's for higher wage, and the company says employees at its headquarters were working from home Wednesday ahead of more planned demonstrations tied to its annual shareholders' meeting. The world's biggest burger chain also told employees to work from home last year, when protesters calling for pay of $15 an hour and a union gathered outside its buildings. This year, the protests began Wednesday with a strike at the Rock N Roll McDonald's in Chicago. Organizers say thousands are expected to demonstrate at the company's headquarters in suburban Oak Brook on Wednesday evening, and set up tents overnight until the shareholders' meeting Thursday. "Employees were strongly encouraged to work from home and the majority of them are taking advantage of the opportunity," said Lisa McComb, a McDonald's spokeswoman. The push for a $15 minimum wage began in 2012. Since then, the growing demonstrations have helped make hourly pay a political issue. In the first quarter, McDonald's reported $1.1 billion in profits on sales of $5.9 billion. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Margareth S. Aritonang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26 2016 Refusing to bow to House of Representatives protocol, Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu says he will soon meet the lawmakers that oversee defense to discuss his plan to open defense offices across the country and have active soldiers stationed to operate them. Ryamizard is expected to elaborate on his arguments in defense of the plan before members of House Commission I during a hearing slated to take place next week. The questionable move will lengthen the list of summonses he could face over his controversial policies. The Defense Ministry would usually discuss any plans for policies with Commission I. But all seems to run differently under the leadership of the current minister, said Commission I chairman Mahfudz Siddiq. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Words & Photos Courtesy of UFF (The Jakarta Post) Thu, May 26 2016 Food lovers and chef aspirants should head to Ubud this weekend to rejoice in the return of Ubud Food Festival, the islands premier culinary gathering that enters its second year this time. Held May 27-29 at Taman Kuliner, a spacious compound with open-air buildings facing the gorgeous landscape of the famed Campuhan ridge, as well as scores of other venues across Ubud, the gathering will focus on the theme Go Local. Alongside Indonesian chefs, restaurateurs, producers and food professionals, celebrated culinary icons from around the world will dish up a program rich in fresh produce, fresh tastes and fresh ideas. From coffee to chili, peanuts to papaya, tofu to turmeric, local produce will be the star in a program spanning live cooking demonstrations, special events, workshops, foodie tours, markets, live music, film screenings and much, much more. Indonesian culinary legend and TV chef Sisca Soewitomo is slated to be honored with a lifetime achievement award at the festival. Among the list of attractive speakers are Arie Parikesit, a young foodie entrepreneur and walking dictionary of Indonesian street food, who spends most of his time leading food tours around Indonesia while documenting where to eat, the people behind the local cuisine, the local wisdom and cultural landscape of each islands food; and Bara Pattiradjawane, who rose to fame since hosting the Nougat cooking show on Trans TV, and more recently as a judge on Junior Masterchef Indonesia. He has published many cookbooks aimed at the home cook, and founded GulaGoela a delivery service for homemade sweets. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Corry Elyda (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, May 26 2016 The Tducation Agency will coordinate with the Tourism Agency to permanently cease the circulation of controversial Jakarta cultural environment education subject matter, containing topics such as mistresses and murder that are considered inappropriate for elementary school students. Education Agency head Sopan Adrianto said on Tuesday that the main cause of the subject matter, a series of lesson books titled Bang Maman dari Kali Pasir (Maman from Kali Pasir) had continued to circulate in books and examination questions because the Tourism Agency had not changed the blueprint of the subject. As it is related to Jakartas culture and environment, the Tourism Agency is responsible for authorizing the subject content, he said. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Words and photos Luh De Suriyani (The Jakarta Post) Thu, May 26 2016 It was almost midnight and a number of fruit and vegetable vendors looked sleepy. Some people wanted to buy fruit from an elderly woman, but the grandmother was already asleep in the midst of her big bamboo baskets. The female traders previously sold their fruit and vegetables at Pasar Badung market, which was razed by fire earlier this year. So, despite a ban by the Denpasar mayoralty, which designated the street a heritage site, they now trade on Jl. Gajah Mada. Noted scholar and writer, I Nyoman Darma Putra, recorded that the area, with its historical buildings that blend Chinese and Western Art Deco styles, major temple, Tukad Badung river, museums, old hotels and art shops, had long been one of Balis most prominent business and cultural centers. In July 1964, the local government held the week-long Gajah Mada Festival, an event that inspired the current Gajah Mada Festival. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Words and photos Anton Muhajir (The Jakarta Post) Thu, May 26 2016 Klungkung regency was once the political and cultural nucleus for a Balinese kingdom that reached its heyday between the 14th and 17th centuries and had a territory that stretched from Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara to Blambangan in East Java. Klungkung is also recognized as one of the islands most historic sites and is where Puputan Klungkung, the deadly and heroic fight against the Dutch colonial occupation, took place. However, compared to Denpasar, Badung and Gianyar, Balis most prominent tourist destinations, Klungkung is relatively unknown and lags behind in tourism promotion, not even being included in Balis top 10 destinations. I Nyoman Suwitra, the Klungkung regent, has big plans to change this and has launched a comprehensive tourist promotion program through the Semarapura City Tour to explore the citys history. In conjunction with Klungkung Festival 2016, the regent introduced the tour last April. We are eager to introduce Klungkungs historical assets, noted I Wayan Sujana, head of Klungkung Culture and Tourism Agency. The Semarapura City Tour is a walk around Semarapura, the capital of Klungkung regency, and takes in sites such as the Puputan Klungkung monument, Klungkung palace, Kertha Gosa hall of justice, Balai Budaya cultural center and the art market. Puputan Klungkung monument is 28 meters high and built in the form of the Lingga Yoni with 19 lotus carvings on its octagonal peak. With four entrances, the numbers in the architecture reflect the date of the Puputan Klungkung April 28, 1908. Inside the towering monument are wall reliefs portraying the courageous acts of the Klungkung kingdom and its subjects while fighting the Dutch. Other scenes illustrate Klungkungs history from pre-historic through to more recent times. Next on the tour is Puri Agung Semarapura, or the Palace of the God of Love. Built in the 17th century, the palace was once Balis most intricate and decorated royal residence, blending Balinese, Majapahit and Dutch architectural elements. Unfortunately, during Puputan Klungkung, the palace was almost entirely destroyed, except for its lavish kori agung (split gate). After series of renovations, the palace is now occupied by the present royal family and the king, Dewa Agung Cokorda Gede Agung, regularly chaperones visitors on the tour around his palace. The site of Puputan Klungkung, across from the palace, is now a park with public and sporting facilities being built to create a meeting point for Klungkungs residents. The historical Kerta Gosa, or hall of justice, and its rectangular floating pavilion are popular spots on the tour and feature extensive Kamasan paintings on the ceiling portraying myths and legends, the astrological calendar and the kingdoms legal system. Originally, the Klungkung king would go to Kerta Gosa to consult with his advisers, while during colonial rule, it was used for plaintiffs to await their judgment. The final stop on the tour is a visit to the vibrant Klungkung art market, where visitors can find stunning traditional Balinese textiles, such as tenun and songket, as well as other beautiful handicrafts. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Words and photos Eka Juni Artawan (The Jakarta Post) Thu, May 26 2016 Most people ignore the piles of old newspapers in their homes, or just throw them away. But at Komunitas Jalak Bali, a non-profit organization actively supporting people living with HIV/AIDS in Jembrana, west Bali, those heaps of old newspapers can be transformed into artistic handicrafts. Along with a number of volunteers in Baluk village in Jembrana, I Made Suarnayasa has started to create a large variety of useful and artistic products from recycled newspaper, such as keben (a rectangular container usually made of bamboo or pandanus leaves), tissue boxes and bokor (large plates usually made of silver or bronze). The organization and the volunteers have been involved in this craftsmanship for just two months, but their determination and hard work has been fruitful. Suarnaya and his staff are able to train women living with HIV/AIDS to create products that can help them generate a sustainable income, which in turn enhances their living conditions. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin James Keaten (Associated Press) Geneva Thu, May 26, 2016 A school board in northern Switzerland said Wednesday that two Muslim boys who have refused to shake hands with their female teachers for religious reasons can be required to do so, ruling that their parents could face fines of up to 5,000 Swiss francs (about $5,000) if they don't. A public school in the northeastern Therwil municipality had sought the regional school board's advice after accepting the boys' belief that they should only willingly touch the women whom they will eventually marry. The school had temporarily exempted the teens from shaking hands with teachers. The boys' refusal set off a debate in Switzerland, which has a tradition of handshake greetings. Like elsewhere in Europe, Switzerland has at times struggled to strike the right cultural balance amid a recent influx of Muslims and other newcomers. "The public interest concerning the equality of men and women as well as the integration of foreigners significantly outweighs the pupils' freedom of religion and belief," the school board said in a statement. "The social gesture of shaking hands is important if pupils are to be prepared for working life." Under the decision, teachers at the school can require their students to shake hands. Refusal to comply could land the parents with a warning, a call to a meeting with school leaders, other disciplinary measures, and in the extreme, fines of up to 5,000 francs as part of standard school policies, the board said. Sanctions would need to have "an educational purpose and be proportionate," it said. The Central Islamic Council of Switzerland accused the authorities of "grossly overstepping their competency," saying such measures won't help integration but rather contribute to a feeling of alienation among Muslims. The council said it would take legal action against any effort to apply the sanctions, and ignore any fines. School board spokeswoman Deborah Murith said the handshake requirement isn't uniform policy at all regional schools, but that the Therwil school had enacted it years ago. The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Switzerland has noted that politeness is a key aspect of Islamic tradition, and that refraining from handshakes is "inappropriate" in Switzerland. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan Thu, May 26, 2016 A joint team comprising personnel from Mount Leuser National Park and the Langkat Police has arrested three members of an alleged Sumatran tiger poaching group in protected forests within the national park in Marike subdistrict, Langkat, North Sumatra. Groups of poachers of rare and endangered Sumatran tigers are believed to have long been operating in the protected forests. Mt. Leuser section V head Palber Turnip said the alleged tiger poachers had long been targeted by rangers for hunting endangered species in the national park. He claimed to have evidence of the sales of endangered species. I once pretended to be a buyer when a suspect claimed that he could provide me bear and deer pelts. All the pelts offered were from rare animals they obtained from hunting in the national park, Palber told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday. He said the arrests were made following a tip-off from residents that a person intended to sell a tiger pelts and other organs. Based on the information, added Palber, the joint team then moved to the location, with one team member pretending to be a buyer. The price agreed to for the tiger skin and other organs was Rp 42 million [about US$3,139]. The transaction and handover of goods were carried out in a plantation around the Marike subdistrict, Palber, a member of the joint team, said. Based on the agreement, they met with a group of three alleged poachers in a plantation in Marike on Tuesday afternoon. When the suspects showed the tiger skin and other organs to the undercover officer, the other team members immediately arrested them. The three poachers did not resist arrest. They were immediately taken to the Langkat Police station for processing, said Palber. The suspects, identified as Dedi, 25; Ledes, 28; and Hendra Tarigan, 25; are all from Bahorok subdistrict, Langkat regency. Langkat Police detective chief Adj. Comr. Agus Sobarna Praja said that based on questioning, the suspects did not work on their own and only served as intermediaries. Dedi said that the tiger skin had been obtained from a person named Bukti Sembiring, who was still at large. Bukti is suspected to have hunted the wildlife by trapping and then handing the caught animals to the suspects for them to sell. He often hunts tigers in the national park and offers the pelts at Rp 25 million, said Dedi at the Langkat Police on Wednesday. Poaching of endangered Sumatran tigers is rampant in the national park. Sumatran tigers are hunted and killed not only for their skins but also their organs. Three members of a Sumatran tiger skin trading network were arrested recently and sentenced to two years in prison. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan Thu, May 26 2016 A joint team comprising personnel from Mount Leuser National Park and the Langkat Police has arrested three members of an alleged Sumatran tiger poaching group in protected forests within the national park in Marike subdistrict, Langkat, North Sumatra. Groups of poachers of rare and endangered Sumatran tigers are believed to have long been operating in the protected forests. Mt. Leuser section V head Palber Turnip said the alleged tiger poachers had long been targeted by rangers for hunting endangered species in the national park. He claimed to have evidence of the sales of endangered species. I once pretended to be a buyer when a suspect claimed that he could provide me bear and deer pelts. All the pelts offered were from rare animals they obtained from hunting in the national park, Palber told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Dili Thu, May 26 2016 Just 14 years into independence, Timor Leste has secured membership of a number of international forums, declaring its intent to catch up with the rest of the developing world. Now, through its shared history with Indonesia, the worlds second-youngest nation is eyeing full ASEAN membership, as it seeks to identify with a region poised to become the powerhouse of the 21st century, Timor Lestes deputy foreign affairs and cooperation minister, Roberto Sarmento de Oliveira Soares, told The Jakarta Post. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Dilli Thu, May 26, 2016 Just 14 years into independence, Timor Leste has secured membership of a number of international forums, declaring its intent to catch up with the rest of the developing world. Now, through its shared history with Indonesia, the worlds second-youngest nation is eyeing full ASEAN membership, as it seeks to identify with a region poised to become the powerhouse of the 21st century, Timor Lestes deputy foreign affairs and cooperation minister, Roberto Sarmento de Oliveira Soares, told The Jakarta Post. Timor Leste [...] has manifested its desire to be part of ASEAN since the very beginning of our inception in 2002. And that desire, the commitment of Timor Leste, has always been raised in numerous meetings, forums in the region and beyond, and at the bilateral level, he said. Timor Leste officially submitted its application letter to be considered an ASEAN member in 2011, during Indonesias chairmanship. Our application was overwhelmingly welcomed and supported by Indonesia, and of course, through the Indonesian chairmanship, then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono successfully secured all the endorsements and acceptances from all ASEAN member countries to officially endorse Timor Lestes membership, by establishing two important mechanisms to assess [our] readiness. Soares said the mechanisms were the ASEAN Coordinating Council and the technical or working level, which were mandated to assess Timor Lestes readiness covering all three important pillars: the political and security, the economic and the sociocultural pillars. All three pillars [have undergone] assessment, [...] so now we are basically waiting for the ASEAN side [...] to make a final decision about our accession, he said. With regard to President Joko Jokowi Widodos commitment, Soares said Timor Leste was very much grateful. Indeed, during his visit to Timor Leste, [the President] continued to reiterate the strong commitment of Indonesia and he will do whatever he can in his capacity [...] to push for our accession to ASEAN. ASEAN very much lies on Timor Lestes foreign policy priority; our desire to be part of ASEAN is indeed to further [...] safeguard our own regional identity, because we are one of the only countries in Southeast Asia that does not yet belong to any regional organization. Soares credited ASEAN as a unique and dynamic regional organization. At the time when ASEAN established itself, it was mainly focused on political peace and stability. But a few decades later, ASEAN expanded on its concentration by looking beyond political stability, into what is the most important [aspect] in our globalized world today: economic integration and competitiveness, he said. Being part of ASEAN will further safeguard Timor Lestes own independence and sovereignty, and of course, peace and stability in our region. On the other hand, Soares said Timor Leste could also be a bridge between ASEAN and the Pacific. At the same time, Timor Leste can also contribute beyond Asia Pacific through [its] own linkages and partners, he emphasized. Soares pointed to the fact that Timor Leste could connect ASEAN with the community of Portuguese speaking countries, the CPLP, which are located in Africa, Europe and Latin America. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Panca Nugraha (The Jakarta Post) Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara Thu, May 26, 2016 The World Bank, together with four Indonesian partners, namely Bank Indonesia (BI), the Financial Services Authority (OJK), and West Nusa Tenggara and East Lombok administrations, launched the Greenback 2.0 project, a transparent and efficient remittance program for Indonesian migrant workers, in Mataram on Wednesday. The WBs country sector coordinator for finance and markets, Christopher Juan Costain, said the Greenback 2.0 was developed in East Lombok to build a transparent and efficient remittance market, by increasing awareness of Indonesian migrant workers and their families about the existence and benefits of banking and other official financial services. The Greenback 2.0 project aims to increase the efficiency of the remittance market through innovative approaches and to promote changes inspired by real needs of the beneficiaries of remittance benefits, namely the Indonesian migrant workers and their families in their hometowns, said Costain. Through the program, the Indonesian migrant workers and their families will get adequate information and access to existing financial services, and this can contribute to increase their prosperity, he went on. Costain said some might consider the Greenback project different from average activities conducted by the WB. But we are enthusiastic about this project because it is very close to our heart, he added. The projects launch was attended by West Nusa Tenggara administration regional secretary Muhammad Nur, the West Nusa Tenggara-chapter BI office head Prijono, the West Nusa Tenggara-chapter OJK head M.Yusri and several provincial administration and East Lombok administration officials. Costain said the WB was carrying out the Greenback 2.0 project in Turin, Italy, Montreuil, France and Johor Bahru, Malaysia. However, he further said, the project in Lombok, Indonesia, was the first Greenback 2.0 project conducted in a remittance receiving country. In every Greenback project, Costain said, the WB had seen positive impacts, such as increases in the amount of remittances channeled through formal lines and in public awareness on remittance services. The Greenback 2.0 project in Lombok also has unique benefits; it is interrelated to the similar project in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. So, interventions conducted can give better results, he said. According to the WB, East Lombok was selected as the target of the Greenback 2.0 project because the regency is the largest sender of Indonesian migrant workers, outnumbering Indramayu, West Java. The East Lombok administrations second regent assistant for economy and development, Musro Pranoto, said East Lombok dispatched up to 25,000 Indonesian migrant workers per year to various countries, mainly to Malaysia. The amount of remittances sent by the workers to their families via state-owned lenders, such as BRI and BNI, and state-owned postal company PT Pos Indonesia could reach Rp 800 billion (US$58.68 million) per year. The remittance sent by the Indonesian migrant workers to their hometowns is even larger than the budgetary allocations for salaries of the East Lombok administration officials, which reach only around Rp 700 billion per year, said Musro. If it [the remittance] can be managed well, it will be very helpful to support regional development and to improve the prosperity of people in East Lombok, he went on. Musro said Indonesian migrant workers were still facing many problems in sending money for their families in their hometowns. These included high transfer fees, which reached around 5-10 percent, and illegal levies perpetrated by irresponsible persons. As the result, the money received by the workers families was lesser than it should be. Musro hoped the Greenback 2.0 project could push down the high remittance transfer fee and make it easier for Indonesian migrant workers and their families to carry out banking transactions. Agency for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (BNP2TKI) deputy director for protection, Lisna Pulungan, said the Greenback 2.0 project in East Lombok would be conducted in three villages, namely Loyok, Perigi and Tete Batu Selatan, which were known as main pocket areas of Indonesian migrant workers in the regency. Lisna said there were many cases in which the amount of remittances sent by Indonesian migrant workers for their families was reduced in quite a significant amount due to high banking fees. In this project, WB will facilitate and push forward a low remittance transfer fee for Indonesian migrant workers. The remittance will be received safely by their families because it is transferred via a legal route, said Lisna. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Maria Danilova (Associated Press) Washington Thu, May 26, 2016 Nearly 1,000 people have been killed worldwide in attacks on medical facilities in conflicts over the past two years in violation of humanitarian norms, the World Health Organization said in a report Thursday. The report highlighted an alarming disrespect for the protection of health care in wars by governments and armed groups, which has earned fierce condemnation from human rights groups and doctors. The study by the Geneva-based WHO, the agency's most comprehensive study of such attacks around the globe, detailed 594 attacks on hospitals and clinics in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere in 2014 and 2015, which have left 959 medics, support staff, patients and visitors dead and over 1500 injured. Most disturbingly, the report states that over 60 percent of the attacks deliberately targeted medical facilities, while 20 percent were accidental and the rest were undetermined. Over 50 percent of the attacks were perpetrated by governments, one-third by non-state armed groups and the rest were unknown. "We witness with alarming frequency a lack of respect for the sanctity of health care, for the right to health care and for international humanitarian law," the report said. "Patients are shot in their hospitals beds, medical personnel are threatened, intimidated or attacked, hospitals are bombed." Targeting hospitals, doctors and patients constitutes a war crime, according to the Geneva Conventions. The UN Security Council has denounced the attacks and demanded that all parties in conflicts protect medical facilities, but some of the Council's most powerful members have themselves been associated with these crimes. US forces struck a clinic in Afghanistan last year, killing 42 people, in what the Pentagon said was a mistake caused by human error. Medical facilities have also been hit by the US-backed Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. Syrian President Bashar Assad and the Russian forces that back him have been accused of deliberately striking hospitals to make life in opposition-held areas unlivable. "It's an absolutely devastating breakdown of this long-held norm -- protection and respect of health care," said Susannah Sirkin, a director at the New York-based Physician for Human Rights. In its report, WHO said it was important to continue documenting the attacks and the health effects they have on the communities where they are perpetrated. The agency also called for advocacy work on the international as well as local level to prevent such crimes. "We must ensure that health care is provided universally during emergencies to all those who need it, in safety, unhindered by violence or obstruction," the report said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Star/ANN) Petaling Jaya, Malaysia Thu, May 26, 2016 Extremism, terrorism, kidnapping and other threats are among areas to be tackled under military collaborations with China, the Malaysian Prime Ministers Office has said. The PMO said both sides agreed that ministers, senior officials and agencies should explore details of the joint efforts. It also said that the introduction of a secure communications link would be considered, in response to the dynamic security challenges in the Asia Pacific region, such as the threat of Islamic State and food security. Another possible area of cooperation would be intelligence gathering, it said. Malaysia is ready to discuss further possibilities and believes positive discussions and collaborations with China, as well as ASEAN countries, in these areas will further safeguard mutual interests, the PMO said in a statement. It said Malaysia was confident that constructive dialogue between ASEAN countries and China would enable all parties to achieve a mutually beneficial long-term solution, with respect to the South China Sea issue, that would bring stability and prosperity to the region. Prime Minister Najib Razak received a high-level delegation from China led by President Xi Jinpings special envoy, Meng Jianzhu, in the Parliament building on Wednesday. Meng also heads the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the CPC central committee. Earlier in the building, Najib received ASEAN ministers who were here to attend the 9th ASEAN Education Ministers meeting. Accompanying the delegation were Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid and Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh. The PMO statement also said China expressed its sincere gratitude to Najib for Malaysias cooperation on anti-terrorism and international crime initiatives, including the recent phone scam affecting many Chinese citizens. The excellent cooperation between the defense and military establishments has been further strengthened via the elevation of bilateral relations to comprehensive strategic partnership. This cooperation includes exchanges of high-level visits, meetings and joint exercises, it said. The statement added that Najib also expressed appreciation of Xis One Belt, One Road initiative and its importance in creating economic and cultural integration. On this, Malaysia stands ready to explore the possibility of working with China and Thailand to conduct a swift feasibility study on the development of the Kuala Lumpur-Bangkok high speed rail and the east coast rail link to enhance connectivity and tourism for Malaysia and Thailand. In addition, Malaysia welcomes China as a partner to jointly develop long-term tourism infrastructure and property related investments. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Rahimy Rahim (The Star/ANN) Petaling Jaya, Malaysia Thu, May 26, 2016 Agencies and employers are viewing with optimism Timor Lestes proposal to send domestic helpers to Malaysia. With the supply of maids from Indonesia, Cambodia, the Philippines and other source countries remaining scarce, some hoped the Government would look into allowing a new source for maids. Malaysian Association of Foreign Maid Agencies (Papa) president Jeffrey Foo said Malaysia should look into the possibility of opening up the market for Timor Leste maids. He was asked to comment on the report that Timor Leste was prepared to send its women to work as domestic maids in Malaysia if Indonesia stopped doing so. Timor Lestes ambassador to Malaysia, Jose Antonio Amorim Dias, said the republic could provide up to 50,000 people, to be sent in stages, to Malaysia to work as domestic maids. Malaysian Association of Foreign Maid Agencies said there were about 300,000 registered domestic maids six or seven years ago and 80 percent of them were Indonesians. This has dropped to less than 200,000, of which 50,000 came from Indonesia. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Associated Press) Manila Thu, May 26, 2016 The Philippines' presumptive president-elect said Thursday he apologized to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over the beheading by Muslim militants of a Canadian hostage in the southern province of Sulu. Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of southern Davao city told reporters he apologized for last month's beheading of hostage John Ridsdel when Trudeau called Tuesday to congratulate him for his election victory. "I said 'Mr. Prime Minister, please accept my apologies for the incident,'" Duterte told reporters in Davao. "We will try our very best and see to it that nothing of this sort will happen again, and you can rest assured that when the time comes, we will be able to apprehend the criminals and exact justice." Duterte, who won the May 9 presidential election on a wide margin based on an unofficial tally, is due to be inaugurated president on June 30, the end of outgoing leader Benigno Aquino III's six-year term. The militants beheaded John Ridsdel on April 25 in Sulu, an impoverished province in the south after they failed to get a ransom of 300 million pesos (US$6.3 million). Trudeau earlier condemned the killing but vowed not to give in to the kidnappers' ransom demands. Following the beheading, the Philippine military launched an offensive that security officials believe have killed more than a dozen gunmen so far. Muslim militants have threatened to kill three more hostages in their jungle base in the southern Philippines weeks after beheading Ridsdel. The hostages include another Canadian, a Norwegian and a Filipino woman. Duterte said he and Trudeau also discussed human rights, and he said he told Trudeau: "Universal Declaration of Human rights, fine, I said 'I'm following it, but Mr. Prime Minister, with few exceptions.'" Duterte has been criticized for his human rights record in Davao, where he was mayor for 22 years. Hundreds have been killed in that port city on an anti-crime purge some believed he secretary run. On the presidential campaign trail, Duterte repeatedly vowed to kill drug criminals. Investigators have said they have found no hard evidence of a direct role by Duterte in the vigilante-style killings, saying not one witness has come forward to testify against him. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Frances Mangosing (Inquirer.net/ANN) Thu, May 26, 2016 Regional security, including the South China Sea disputes, was tackled by defense ministers on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defense Ministers Meeting in Laos this week. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin emphasized the need to have actions of states guided by and in accordance with international law, saying the Philippines decision to seek arbitration on the maritime dispute with China was a clear manifestation of having international law being the anchor of a states actions, the Philippine defense department said in a news release on Thursday. The defense chief also said actions of states should be consistent with their policy pronouncements of promoting regional peace and stability. In 2013, the Philippines initiated an arbitration case questioning Chinas excessive claims in the disputed South China Sea, challenging the latters nine-dash claims over the disputed waters. China, however, refused to participate in the proceedings and reiterated that it would not abide by the courts decision. A ruling on the dispute is expected to come out next month. In the same meeting, Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquang was quoted as saying that China and the ASEAN had a shared destiny. Chang also suggested military exercises among ASEAN members and Chinas armed forces in the South China Sea. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Irawaty Wardany (The Jakarta Post) Guangdong, China Thu, May 26, 2016 More than a dozen youths appear focused on the tea set pottery they are working on in a workshop owned by Yongxuan ceramics in Chouzhou. Some of them are busy molding the clay, while others put final touches on ceramic tea pots, good enough to be sold at 500 RMB (US$76) apiece. Lu Jinfeng, 26, shifted from the fashion industry to the pottery business two years ago. (Read also: A glimpse of centuries-old tea ceremony in Chaozhou) I didnt think I had a future in the fashion industry, he told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday. His passion for pottery grew as he became absorbed in the different techniques to mold clay. Hopefully I can improve my technique and open my own workshop in the future and a gain reputation as a pottery master here in Chaozhou, he said. Chaozhou, a city in the easternmost part of Guangdong province, southern China, has long been known locally as the ceramic capital of China. Its ceramic products vary from toilet ceramics, kitchen sets to artistic ones. (JP/Irawaty Wardany) Another pottery master hopeful, Chen Zhi Cong, attended a vocational school for two years after graduating from junior high school. He decided to dedicate his life to pottery after seeing a close relative mold clay into a tea set. I have trained in this workshop for six months now, said the 21-year-old. Chen also hopes to make a name for himself in pottery. Some of the youths are busy molding the clay, while others put final touches on ceramic tea pots, good enough to be sold at 500 RMB (US$76) apiece.(JP/Irawaty Wardany) Chaozhou, a city in the easternmost part of Guangdong province, southern China, has long been known locally as the ceramic capital of China. Its ceramic products vary from toilet ceramics, kitchen sets to artistic ones. Wu Yi Yong, who is in charge of the workshop, said he oversaw around 150 students at the workshop. Most of them are youngsters who could not continue their studies for various reasons. So they are looking for some skills that might offer them a future, he told the Post. (Read also: A peek into Guangzhou's traditional Chinese medicine museum) The workshop was established four years ago, he said. He added that he was proud of his former students who went on to start their own pottery businesses. Ten of them have already opened their own businesses, he said. (dmr) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Intan Tanjung (The Jakarta Post) Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara Thu, May 26, 2016 Manggarai in East Nusa Tenggara is famous for traditional villages such as Wae Rebo, Ruteng Puu as well as its unique spider web-patterned rice fields. It is also home to a fascinating cultural heritage that includes traditional dance performed to welcome special guests and for celebration. These dances were recently performed to greet the cyclists participating in Tour de Flores, held on May 19 to 23. Ronda dance This dance is often performed to welcome special guests who come to visit Manggarai. The locals believe that this dance can cast out bad spirits that accompany the guests and also serves to request that the residing spirits in the area stay out of the celebration zone. (Read also: Cultural performances mark Tour de Flores celebration in Larantuka) Caci dance Caci is a martial arts dance that is usually performed during traditional ritual celebrations such as New Year, harvest time, or when opening new fields. The dance aims to show bravery and dignity by performing attack and defense capabilities with whips and shields. In certain areas like Wae Rebo village, it's only staged during specific ceremonies. Teba Meka dance Teba Meka has been dedicated to Tour de Flores cyclists. It was designed to show how excited the people of Manggarai were to have them visit the region. Following the dance, a traditional ceremony was held to offer blessings to visitors. During this ceremony, the priest handed over an offering of traditional palm liquor and one white chicken to represent the pure intention of Flores people to greet Tour de Flores participants. The priest continued by chanting a prayer to tell the ancestors that the visiting guests are not strangers and will later contribute to increase the welfare of Manggarai people. (Read also: Tour de Flores crowns winner, set to be annual tourism event) Cekeng Weri dance This dance illustrates the choreography of planting rice or corn, inspired by farming activities. Farmers usually start to plant between September and October when the rain starts to fall. Staged during the gala dinner hosted at the Manggarai Regency office to entertain participants, this dance was performed to plant a seed of hope in the bike race, with an aim to promote the culture and tourism of the Manggarai area. (kes) Hester Street, the 1975 film set on the Lower East Side, is being adapted for Broadway. Film producer Ira Deutchman told Indiewire hes developing the project in consultation with Joan Micklin Silver, who wrote and directed the indie movie. Hester Street was based on an 1896 story by Abraham Cahan (editor of The Jewish Daily Forward). It traces the comic and poignant story of Jake (Steven Keats) and Gitl (Carol Kane), Russian immigrants with very different ideas about what it meant to become Americans. Deutchman said he believes the story has great relevance today: Its a story about immigration and assimilation. It couldnt be more timely! That was the other thing that was on my mind, other than the fact that the piece itself is timeless. Its historically significant simply because I cant think of another example of a woman writer-director in the 70s actually making a film that had the impact that Hester Street did. And then on top of that, it was a hit in the completely independent realm outside of the studio system. Deutchman and co-producer Michael Rabinowitz said they hope to partner with a not-for-profit theater company with the goal of bringing the production to Broadway. Theyre currently looking for a playwright. For weeks, Lower East Side activists tried to get the mayors attention on Rivington House. While their initial pleas were ignored, the controversy surrounding the former nursing home has now become a scandal for the mayor who pledged to bridge the divide between the haves and the have-nots in New York City. Multiple investigations are ongoing into the citys decision to lift deed restrictions at 45 Rivington St., making the old public school building a prime target for luxury condo developers. Now these same activists have launched a petition urging the mayor to return Rivington House to the local community. Its part of a larger campaign to keep the pressure on the administration as the investigations drag on. Heres the plea: Are you interested in directing? Designing? Writing? Cooking? Producing? We could go on and on, but you get the idea. Just about every creative industry you can think of will be represented at the UK's biggest festival celebrating creativity, this 6-10 June: SohoCreate. If you're looking for inspiration and advice as you move from being a creative student to being a creative professional, this is the place to be. Over 100 speakers will be in attendance at Soho Square over the course of the week. The festival, founded in 2013 with the partnership of Westminster City Council, hosts leaders from a vast array of creative professions. Major "headliners" at this year's event include fragrance expert Jo Malone, theatre director Indhu Rubasingham, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time playwright Simon Stephens and fashion designer Henry Holland. Daily events include talks, workshops, parties, debates, open houses and pop-ups. Discussions are set to focus on keeping companies creative and celebrating the impact creative, forward-thinking minds have on a variety of industries in Soho and beyond. 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The permanent secretary for the ministry will become the centres secretary-general. The navy will now play a role in giving advice and engaging in the operations, he said. It was earlier reported that friction between the navy and Fisheries Department while working under the CCCIF had caused problems in implementing measures to tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The move comes after Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon who oversees illegal fishing suppression said on Monday (May 23) that the European Union had given Thailand six more months to rein in IUU fishing before making a decision whether to downgrade the country from its yellow card status and issue a red card. A spokesman for the European Commission confirmed no formal decision had been made and said the next round of talks would take place in Bangkok in July, Reuters news agency reported. A Thai negotiating team, led by Virachai Plasai, the Thai ambassador to the United Nations, visited Brussels last week to discuss progress. Vice-Adm Chumpol said Thai delegates assigned to discuss progress on the countrys clampdown on illegal fishing with the EU representatives are expected to brief the CCCIF about the talks tomorrow (May 27). Thailand has paid attention to combating illegal fishing. We have put great efforts into the issue for more than a year and we hope the EU will recognise our efforts, Vice-Adm Chumpol said. We hope for a positive response. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday (May 25) refused to speculate on the EUs appraisal of the countrys efforts to tackle illegal fishing. We are doing our best and progress has been made with several issues, he said. Read original story here. Phuket homes damaged as heavy rain causes landslip PHUKET: Six homes located near Suan Luang Park, south of Phuket Town, suffered damage after water-soaked earth gave away under the houses yesterday afternoon (May 25). weatheraccidentsenvironmentnatural-resourcesconstruction By Eakkapop Thongtub Thursday 26 May 2016, 12:53PM The six homes were damaged after water-soaked earth gave way underneath the structures. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The six homes were damaged after water-soaked earth gave way underneath the structures. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The six homes were damaged after water-soaked earth gave way underneath the structures. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The six homes were damaged after water-soaked earth gave way underneath the structures. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The six homes were damaged after water-soaked earth gave way underneath the structures. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub A retaining wall at the Moo Baan Anuphas small complex of connected homes, located on Wirat Hongyok Rd Soi 7/4, in Wichit, also suffered damage by the force of the landslide. Residents said the incident happened at 2:30pm after they heard a loud cracking noise coming from the roof beams at the back of their houses, said Wichit Municipality engineer Kamron Lailerd. They ran out of their houses and alerted others, then the land collapsed from underneath the back of their homes, he added. Mr Kamron noted that all nine of the houses in the small complex had an extra room added to the back of the original structures. The landslip saw earth about one-metre deep give way at the back the houses. The foundations of the six houses affected and the wall behind them are slightly tilted and the roofs and floors were damaged, he said. One home owner said he believed the landslip happened because the soil at the back of the homes was holding too much water because it had been raining so hard lately, Mr Kamron noted. Its a good thing no one was injured from this, he said. I contacted Wichit Mayor Kreetha Chotiwichphiphat and let him know of the situation, Mr Kamron added. We have to thoroughly inspect the area before we can conclude what caused the land to collapse in this area. Home owners have moved their belongings away from the back of the building. We will discuss this with home owners and officials to find a solution to this problem, he said. Red Bull heir fails to show again BANGKOK: Prosecutors decided to give the Red Bull heir, Vorayudh Boss Yoovidhaya, another chance after he failed to meet them Wednesday (May 25) to answer charges in connection with a deadly hit-and-run incident in 2012. crimecorruptionpoliceaccidents By Bangkok Post Thursday 26 May 2016, 09:18AM Nongnoot Saengpraphan mourned the death of her husband, Pol Snr Sgt Maj Wichian Klanprasert, at That Thong temple after he was struck and dragged by a speeding Ferrari on Sept 3, 2012. Photo: Bangkok Post / Somchai Poomlard All was quiet at Thong Lor Police Station on Wednesday (May 25), as senior officers and a gaggle of media stood by waiting for the surrender of the heir to the estimated $8 billion Red Bull energy drink fortune. Photo: Bangkok Post / Google Maps Sutthi Kittisupaporn, chief of the Department of Southern Bangkok Criminal Litigation, said the suspect did not appear and the prosecution had heard nothing from his lawyers. The Office of the Attorney-General had sent a letter to Thong Lor police, who were responsible for the hit-and-run case, advising police to bring the suspect in to meet with prosecutors Wednesday to formally hear the charges and initiate a judicial process. Police followed up by issuing a summons. Chalerm Yoovidhya, Mr Vorayudhs father, was ranked by Forbes as Thailands fourth-richest person in 2015 with a net worth of more than B340 billion. Mr Sutthi said Mr Vorayudh still has a chance to report to prosecutors, noting that they will ask Thong Lor police to explain why the suspect did not show up and to arrange a new meeting. If the suspect fails to appear at the next meeting without proper cause he will face arrest, he said, adding that the suspects lawyers can lodge a petition seeking a postponement, but the request must be based on proper reasons and backed by solid proof. He said the prosecution expects the next meeting to take place within 30 days. Police will need 15-20 days to issue a new summons and the suspect will be given 10-15 days to prepare, he added. According to Mr Sutthi, if the suspect fails to appear without a proper reason, it will be evident he is stalling the case, which justifies issuing an arrest warrant. He said that in the criminal process, a suspect must be brought before the court if he is not detained in jail. A police source familiar with the case said Wednesday that once an arrest warrant is issued, the Immigration Bureau will be notified and asked to make an arrest if the suspect passes through any checkpoints. So far theres no need to ask Interpol to track down the suspect because the police can still contact his lawyer. So its unlikely that he will flee, said the source. Mr Vorayudh initially faced three charges in connection with the fatal incident, in which Pol Snr Sgt Maj Wichian Klanprasert, a Thong Lor station traffic officer was killed. However, the speeding charge was dropped because the one-year statute of limitations expired. The suspect faces two other charges reckless driving causing death and failing to stop his car to help a victim, which have statutes of limitations of 15 years and five years respectively. However, he has reportedly fled the country. Initially, police investigators agreed to charge Mr Vorayudh with reckless driving causing death and failing to stop his car to help a victim. But the prosecution wanted to also indict him with speeding as video footage from security cameras suggested he might have been driving at up to 170kph when the accident took place. The case was sent back to police to gather more evidence. Mr Vorayudh contested the prosecutors evidence and asked that police question six witnesses. The Office of the Attorney-General approved his request, which delayed the indictment by almost six months. The prosecution planned to indict the suspect on Sept 2, 2013, one day after the statute of limitations on the speeding charge expired. However, Mr Vorayudh failed to appear, and his lawyer, Thanit Buakhiew, claimed his client could not attend because he was in Singapore on a business trip and had come down with the flu. Mr Sutthi gave assurances that the prosecution will not allow the suspect to stall the indictment process and wait out the statutes of limitations on the charges. He also said prosecutors are reviewing a request by the victim's family asking if other possible charges can be pressed against the suspect. According to Mr Sutthi, the victims family is unlikely to join the prosecution as plaintiffs because they apparently signed a compensation settlement with Mr Vorayudh. Reporters turned out in droves at Thong Lor police station for signs of Mr Vorayudh. However, it was reported that he did not need to report to police and could instead meet with prosecutors directly. Read original report here. Storm conditions plague Phuket, minor landslide at Ao Yon PHUKET: Traffic along the coastal road at Ao Yon was brought to a standstill this morning (May 26) as a minor landslide brought rocks and trees down onto the road. weather By Nattapong Hongtong Thursday 26 May 2016, 05:21PM Wichit Municipality workers were on themove to clear debris from the road at Ao Yon after a minor landslide there. Photo: Wichit Municipality Wichit Municipality workers were on themove to clear debris from the road at Ao Yon after a minor landslide there. Photo: Wichit Municipality Wichit Municipality workers were on themove to clear debris from the road at Ao Yon after a minor landslide there. Photo: Wichit Municipality Meanwhile, traffic on the coastal road to Kamala was also brought to a standstill after trees there fell onto the road. Local municipality workers were called in to help us clear the affected areas to restore traffic during the morning commute, one officer at the Phuket Provincial office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) confirmed to The Phuket News this morning. No injuries or damage to vehicles was reported from the falling trees, said the officer. However, we advise motorists to be very cautious during weather conditions like this, she said. Six homes located near Suan Luang Park, south of Phuket Town, suffered damage yesterday (May 25) after water-soaked earth gave away under the houses. (See story here.) Many other areas were flooded due to run-off drains blocked by rubbish, mostly at the usual spots such as in front of the Thai Watsadu store (on Thepkrasattri Rd in Thalang), she added. (See story here.) According to weekly weather forecast by the Thai Meteorological Department, more heavy rains are expected to fall across Phuket through tomorrow (May 27). The TMD urged all people to beware strong winds and heavy rains, and urged all small vessels to say ashore. ABC News(WASHINGTON) The Hillary Clinton email controversy has dogged the former secretary of state for more than a year and has now reached new prominence as the Democratic presidential contender attempts to fight off a challenge by Sen. Bernie Sanders. On Wednesday, a report released by the State Departments Office of Inspector General said that Clinton shouldn't have used a private email server to conduct official business and would have not been allowed to do so had she asked. It also found that she violated department policy. Clinton has not been charged with a crime and her spokesman, Brian Fallon, said the former secretary's email use was in line with former secretaries of state. He also said that political opponents were using the report in a misleading way. Here are five important takeaways from the report: This Report is About Rules, Not Laws The report essentially says that Clinton (and a number of her predecessors) failed to comply with recommended email policy and established practices of record-keeping. In Clintons case, the report says she wouldnt have been allowed to exclusively use a private email account during her tenure had she asked to do so -- which she did not. Furthermore she didnt turn over all her email before leaving, which she was supposed to do. Questions about any potential crime are expected to be answered upon conclusion of an FBI investigation, which is completely separate. Instead of focusing on whether she should have been using private email, like this investigation did, the FBI is trying to find out if anyone is responsible for mishandling sensitive information. Contradictory Statements? If you visit Clintons campaign website, you will see talking points about her private email that say no rules were broken. Was it allowed? her website asks about her use of private email. Yes. The laws, regulations, and State Department policy in place during her tenure permitted her to use a non-government email for work, the answer reads. But Wednesdays report offered a more nuanced answer. It said that guidelines produced by the State Department during her tenure discouraged the use of private email and identified the risks of doing so, also saying that official State Department email should be used in most circumstances. Clinton never used it in any circumstance. The report also says that Clinton should have handed over her official emails after leaving. Because she did not do so, she did not comply with the Departments policies that were implemented in accordance with the Federal Records Act, the report says. Lack of Cooperation Earlier this month Clinton, in response to questions about the FBI probe, Clinton said in an interview with CBS News that she would be willing to cooperate with any investigation. I think last August I made it clear I'm more than ready to talk to anybody anytime, Clinton said at the time. But according to this report, thats not true. The Inspector Generals office says both Clinton and her aides declined to be interviewed for the report. The four other secretaries investigated in the report: Madeline Albright, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice and John Kerry, all participated in interviews. Hacking Attempt The report revealed that Clintons aides were very concerned about actual attempts to hack her email. In previously unseen emails between her email technician and one of her staffers, its revealed that they actually shut down her server at one point for fear that it was going to be breached by cyber intruders. On Jan. 9, 2011, the technician "notified the Secretarys Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations that he had to shut down the server because he believed 'someone was trying to hack us and while they did not get in i didnt [sic] want to let them have the chance to.'" Later that day, the adviser again wrote to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, We were attacked again so I shut [the server] down for a few min, the report said. The next day, the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations emailed the Chief of Staff and the Deputy Chief of Staff for Planning and instructed them not to email the Secretary anything sensitive and stated that she could explain more in person, the report said. Clinton has maintained that her private email was never successfully hacked. Clinton Emails We Havent Seen Another major revelation from this report is that the State Department has an undisclosed number of emails in its possession that werent released to the public. It turns out roughly 52,000 pages the State Department put online only accounts for the email she could find and turned over. However, the Department has emails it found on its own, but did not release in that massive tranche, the report said. In one previously unseen email between Clinton and her deputy chief of staff, they discuss her use of private email. In November 2010, Secretary Clinton and her Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations discussed the fact that Secretary Clintons emails to Department employees were not being received, the report reads. The Deputy Chief of Staff emailed the Secretary that we should talk about putting you on state email or releasing your email address to the department so you are not going to spam. In response, the Secretary wrote, Lets get separate address or device but I dont want any risk of the personal being accessible. Asked how many more unseen emails from Clinton the State Department has in its possession, State Department Spokesman Mark Toner said Thursday that he wasnt sure. He insisted its not a large number. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Noem campaign accuses Smith campaign of campaign finance violation elections Montreal, CA (H4T1V6) Today Sun and clouds mixed. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 73F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Low 61F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. President Mukherjee has called for greater cooperation between India and China in economic and commercial sectors. Speaking at the India-China Business Forum in Guangzhou on Wednesday, on the second day of his four-day state visit to China, the president banked on history to impress upon the audience the need for the two countries to work together. This historic city (Guangzhou) has been an important port of call for Indian business, he said. It is here that we find the ancient foundations of the thriving trade and economic ties that exist between India and China today. Mukherjees China visit comes at a time when Sino India relations has hit an all-time low following China's attempts to scuttle Indias entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group. On Tuesday, at a reception given by the Indian community in Guangzhou, Mukherjee had passionately recalled how India had always wanted China to be a part of the WTO, of which it was a founding member. How could we have a WTO without China? he asked. India and China are the most advanced emerging economies in the world. Diplomatic circles believe that Mukherjee's visit would help thaw the ice that has set in between India and China, and help pave the way for a fruitful meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the upcoming G20 summit to be held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, in early September. It will be the first time China will be hosting a G20 summit. Of the many issues that plague Sino-India relations, trade imbalance and border disputes are the major irritants. We are a young nation and Chinas economic achievements are a source of inspiration for us, Mukherjee said at the business meet in Guangzhou. Stepping up our two-way trade and investment flow will be of mutual benefit to both our nations. The Indo China trade is today valued at $71 billion. And, the trade balance is heavily tilted in favour of China, majorly because China is the worlds factory and India is no match when it comes to availability of cheap labour. IT, Pharma, agro products and IT related services form the backbone of Indias trade with China. Mukherjee said he wanted a greater market for Indian products in China. The President touched upon India's steady growth rate of 7.6 per cent, and said India cannot grow in isolation, a thought he carried forward from the previous evening. The world is too close today, he had said. And India and China are the biggest consumers of the internet and mobile phones that have brought people closer. Clearly, India has an eye on a part of the huge investment-$100 billion at the last count-China is making worldwide. India, today, presents a promising demographic scenario, he said. The average age of its population will reach 29 by 2020. The president urged China to be part of the India growth story and make use of the various programmes launched by the Modi government such as Skill India, Start up India and Digital India. That is easier said than done, given the trust deficit that exists between both the countries. Indias growing closeness to the US has clearly upset the Chinese, so has Indias decision to partner Japan in the Malabar naval exercise to be held off the Okinawa coast. President Mukherjees visit is expected to calm nerves and smoothen ruffled feathers. Foreign ministry sources are expecting the Chinese to take a leader of Mukherjees stature seriously. If the first leg of Mukherjees first presidential visit to China is anything to go by, he means business. He draws inspiration from history, points at a future of possibilities and reminds everyone of a present being underutilised, and above all, extends a hand of friendship that takes one a great amount of willpower to refuse. He has taken with him heads of some of the top educational institutions in India, and they are expected to forge partnerships with top Chinese institutes and Universities. Currently, India is not among the top 10 countries for study for Chinese students and if that changes, that itself will be a big step towards better understanding between both the countries. The Supreme Court was moved on Thursday, challenging the NEET ordinance exempting Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Punjab for this year from the ambit of National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for medical colleges. The PIL, moved by Anand Rai, the whistle-blower in Madhya Pradesh's Vyapam admission and recruitment scam and on whose petition the apex court had ordered CBI probe in the scam, said the ordinance has been promulgated "with the sole intention of upsetting the orders" to the top court, shows the government's "ill intent" and was discriminatory as students - other than those in the exempted states - will have to appear in NEET. In his new petition, Rai has challenged the NEET ordinance which was signed by President Pranab Mukherjee on May 24, contending that the ordinance was contrary to the stand taken by the central government before the top court wherein it had said that it "favoured unified, standardised medical entrance exam for the whole of India". Speaking to IANS, Vaibhav Srivastava, advocate for Rai, said that petition says that "lakhs of students are confused as to what will happen after the promulgation of ordinance as the state governments have been given a choice to conduct their own medical entrance examinations for the seats in the government medical colleges as well as for the government quota seats in private medical colleges". He said that PIL notes that the ordinance is "in direct conflict" with the stand taken by the government in the case of NEET as they were "eager to conduct unified, standardised medical entrance examination for the whole of India" and sought to know the reasons for the change. "What is the compulsion, why the U-turn," asked Srivastava. Seeking a direction to quash the ordinance, Rai has contended the "ordinance making power is not invoked lightly but only when absolutely necessary to do so" and while urging the court to ask the government not to go ahead with its enforcing, his petition recounted the sequence of events on April 27 and 28 when the government, recognising the NEET's need, had itself given its schedule. Referring to constitution's Article 14 guaranteeing equality before the law, the PIL says that the ordinance makes exception for the states having their own separate mechanism for entrance examination for admission to undergraduate medical courses and is "unfair and arbitrary to lakhs and thousands of students in other states who do have to give the common entrance test (NEET)". It cited the apex court's April 28 order on holding on NEET after the government and others' submissions, it said the issuance of the ordinance was completely in contradiction to the stand taken by the government then. Srivastava said that the PIL is likely to be mentioned on Friday before the vacation bench of Justice Prafulla C. Pant and Justice D.Y.Chandrachud for an early hearing but if it does not happen, then it would certainly be mentioned on Monday. President Mukherjee had signed the ordinance on May 24 after seeking clarifications from the government including legal opinion from legal luminaries and government's senior law officer. The NEET ordinance permitted these seven states to enrol students in undergraduate medical courses on basis of exams they conduct, after the apex court on May 9 refused to modify its April 28 order making NEET mandatory for admission to such courses across the country for academic year 2016-2017. Meanwhile, Gujarat-based student Jugal Nikhil Shah filed a caveat seeking to be heard in the event of any challenge to the NEET ordinance. Google is gearing up to launch its latest version of Android and suddenly everyone is talking about neyyappam, a crispy-yet-spongy golden-brown confectionery whose familiarity was so far restricted to the households in Kerala. There has been a spirited social media campaign to make Google name the latest Android version after the Kerala dessert, ever since the company announced this month that it was going for a poll to select a name. Google has opened a website for people to suggest names and it has only one conditionthat the name should be that of a dessert and start with the letter 'N'. The #NameAndroidN website allows anyone to participate till June 9, 12:29 pm IST. Google uses a confectionery theme on an alphabetical order to signify major new versions of Android, since its third release in 2009. The first two versions were simply called Alpha and Beta. The first version to be named after a dessert was Cupcake, followed by Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream-Sandwich, Jelly Bean, KitKat, Lollipop and Marshmallow. Now, it is about time for the 14th release and a name that is suggested by the maximum number of users could very well be its name, although Google reserves the right to pick any name it prefers. The idea for a crowd-sourced name is believed to have struck Google CEO Sundar Pichai when he visited India earlier this year. On the second day of his first visit to his home-country after taking over as Google CEO, Pichai was asked by a student whether the next version of the Android can be named after an Indian dessert. A smiling Pichai said he would ask his mother for suggestions or, perhaps, start an online poll. The name neyyappam has become a rage on the internet ever since a Bangalore-based Malayali app developer kicked off an online campaign, according to a report. Given the fact that 'The #NameAndroidN' website features this delicacy made of rice flour, jaggery and ghee prominently on its homepage, there is optimism among Keralites that neyyappam is leading the race. However, it has had some stiff competition from within India and abroad. Initially, every Bengali sweet starting with the letter 'N' like nankhatai and naru were doing the rounds, but they soon fizzled out. Mexican dish nachos and Japanese delicacy noru are the other seemingly prominent names in race with Neyyappam, besides nougat, nectar, nectarine and even 'narshmallow'. The Kerala tourism department too has thrown its weight behind the online campaign, urging people to vote for neyyappam on its Twitter handle. So, what are you waiting for? The first World Humanitarian Summit opened on Tuesday morning 16 Iyar in Istanbul, Turkey, under the auspices of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. For the first time in five years, a senior Israeli delegation, headed by Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director-General Dr. Dore Gold, arrived on an official visit to Turkey to present the humanitarian aid provided by Israel around the world. The first World Humanitarian Summit gathers together high-level policy makers to raise awareness, contribution and commitment on behalf of humanitarian activities in times of natural disasters and conflicts. Dr. Gold inaugurated the Israeli pavilion at the exhibition, which displays the activities of the Israeli government, the IDF, the national emergency authority and civilian social organizations. Israel has always been one of the quickest to react and provide an effective response in times of crisis. During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Dr.Gold said: Israels humanitarian involvement in the international arena reflects the ancient Jewish value of Tikun Olam, which guides Israeli teams to arrive immediately to disaster areas from Turkey to Haiti to offer assistance. The Head of MASHAV Israels Agency for International Development Cooperation, Ambassador Gil Haskel: All nations of the world gathered here to jointly increase their global commitment in face of humanitarian disasters. Israel is proud to be part of these efforts and to stand at the forefront of international aid offered to countries facing disaster events, responding immediately to any humanitarian challenge. Photo: Dr. Dore Gold, MFA Director General and Ambassador Gil Haskel, during the inauguration ceremony, Istanbul (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo: MASHAV) [PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] Fire investigators probing the blaze on Agassi Street in the Har Nof area of Yerushalayim during the predawn hours on Wednesday, 17 Iyar, report the blaze was started by a cellphone charger. According to fire investigator Shmuel Turgeman, the fire that injured parents and their two adult children was started by a faulty cellular telephone charger that was left charging during the night in the familys living room. Jerusalem Fire Service officials remind the public to refrain from charging computers, cellular telephones and batteries near flammable objects including a sofa, bedding, clothing and the like. In addition, one is urged not to leave items charging when one goes to sleep. In the AM blaze the mother and her children, ages 17 and 20, were transported to Shaare Zedek Hospital in Yerushalayim where they were listed in light condition from smoke inhalation. The father, who is about 60, was listed in moderate condition, medically sedated and on assisted ventilations. As the photos show, damage to the apartment is extensive. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) [Videos & photos in extended article] 1:00PM IL: Israel Fire Service spokesman Arik Abuloff reports a fire in the Ramot Forest in Jerusalem is burning out of control at this time. Eight fire units have responded initially along with four firefighting airplanes. It is reported that high winds are causing the blaze to continue to spread despite ongoing efforts to contain it. At this time there are no reports of injuries. 1:14PM: A general callout has been issued for all fire personnel in Jerusalem as well as neighboring areas as the Ramot Forest fire is raging out of control. 1:21PM IL: The Ramot, Yerushalayim Minhelet (local community council) has informed residents of the Meshulim section of the neighborhood to evacuate their homes as the fire in the nearby Ramot Forest is raging out of control. Residents are instructed to lock all windows and doors and leave their homes while making certain no children are left behind, possibly visiting with friends and neighbors. 1:36PM: In addition to the evacuation mentioned above, Fire Service officials and police have ordered the evacuation of the first row of homes on Derech HaChoresh Street and the nearby Amir horse ranch. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo: Israel Fire Service via Media Resource Group) 2:20PM IL: Fire officials in consultation with police appear to be preparing to evacuate additional residents as the fire has reached the first homes in the southern area of the Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramot. It Is also reported that Minheret Arazim Tunnel accessing the Jerusalem Highway from Ramot has been closed as the fire continues to rage out of control. Regular ground units are fighting the blaze as an all hands call out has been issued for additional Fire Service personnel from the Jerusalem and nearby districts. A number of firefighting places are also involved in the effort to bring the blaze under control. While homes have already been evacuated and the blaze is still out of control, Bchasdei Hashem there are no reports of inquires at this time. 2:28PM: The fire that has led to the evacuation of some homes in Ramot, as well as the Arazim Tunnels, is now moving towards the Jerusalem corridor, compelling the beginning of the evacuation of some homes located along the outer area of Mevassert Tzion. The blaze is still out of control. 2:33PM: In the Gilo area of the southern capital, two apartment buildings have also been evacuated because of an area forestry fire that is burning out of control. 2:35PM: As a result of the Ramot fire, Israel Electric Company is preparing to cut power to areas of northern Jerusalem and Atarot. 2:50PM: A residence for the disabled in Ramot has been evacuated as the blaze is still burning out of control. The Mevasseret fire is burning out of control as is the fire in the Gilo area of Jerusalem. There is also a new fire reported now, in the Abu Gosh area. It is unclear if this is a continuation of the forest fire that began in Ramot. 2:56PM: Update from the Jerusalem Fire Service spokesman: Eighteen fire apparatus are battling fires on various fronts in Jerusalem with a focus on preventing the fires from reaching homes. All of the fires reported above are still out of control. In addition, there is a fire in the Har Choma area of the capital. 3:02PM: Jerusalem Fire Chief Eli Peretz reports the high wind gusts are making their job significantly more difficult and he feels it will take some time until these fires are declared under control. 3:05PM: Bchasdei Hashem, residents of Mevasseret Tzion who were evacuated from their homes have been informed they may return. Fire Service officials no longer fear the fire will reach homes on that front. Residents on Bareket and Topaz Streets in that community are instructed to remain indoors with windows and doors shut due to heavy smoke conditions. The Ramot forest fire continues to burn out of control, spreading to Nataf. The fire in Har Choma is burning out of control. Gilo is still out of control. In addition to fire service ground units and firefighting planes, air force planes are also assisting in bringing the fires in the Jerusalem district under control. Once again, BH there are no reports of injuries. 3:12PM: Mevasseret Tzion: From Shoshana Street one can see the smoke conditions are beginning to dissipate and flames are not visible at this time. This will hopefully permit firefighters to concentrate additional manpower at the Ramot fire which is still burning out of control. It is pointed out that the strong winds may unfortunately lead to complications but for the time being, the Mevasseret fire appears under control. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) The situation in Mevassert Tzion has improved and residents are returning home as the fire appears under control and the smoke is dissipating. In the Israeli Arab municipality of Abu Gosh, located in the Jerusalem corridor adjacent to Telshe Stone, ten homes have been evacuated. Firefighters are continuing to bring the blaze under control. Ramot: Homes on Derech Choresh have been evacuated and efforts to bring the fire under control continue. Gilo: Five apartments on Margalit Street have been evacuated. One person is being treated for smoke inhalation. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) According to a person close to him, one who is in daily contact, Rabbi Eliezer Berland is likely to be returning to Israel in the coming days. According to a Kikar Shabbos report quoting the close associate of the rav, plans for his return to Israel are being finalized and this is likely to occur next week. According to the report Migdal HaEmek Chief Rabbi HaGaon HaTzaddik Rabbi Yitzchok Dovid Grossman Shlita is involved in the arrangements being finalized and it is entirely possible that Rabbi Berland will be back in Israel in about a week. The source says that while the deal is close to being finalized, anything could happen, indicating nothing is certain in this case. When asked, most Breslov Chassidim affiliated with the ravs Shuvu Banim kehilla find it hard to believe that he will be returning voluntarily as the report indicates. YWN-ISRAEL recently reported that Rav Grossman headed back to South Africa for a second trip to assist Rabbi Grossman. No details of his second trip were released other than he was going to try to assist Rabbi Berland again. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) The head of New Jerseys state Senate says its time to start a campaign to drum up support for two new casinos in the northern part of the state, near New York City. Steve Sweeney told the East Coast Gaming Congress and iGaming Institute that it wont be easy to get voters to approve the new casinos in a November referendum. Gov. Chris Christie says those proposed casinos are on life support right now with the public, due to the turmoil surrounding Atlantic City and its inability to balance its books, even with eight casinos in town. Analysts say they could be among the most successful casinos in the country. Atlantic City officials fear they could cause three to five of the surviving eight casinos to close. (AP) It appears the saga involving Rabbi Eliezer Berland Shlita is coming to an end as the rav signed an extradition agreement, willingly turning himself over to Israel Police. The rav, who remains incarcerated in Johannesburg, has been on the run to evade extradition for over two years. It is reported on Thursday afternoon 18 Iyar the rav has signed the agreement to turn himself over to Israeli authorities. Upon his arrival in Israel, he will be facing criminal charges for allegedly assaulting women. Unconfirmed but reliable sources report the rav may be back in Israel as early as next week. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) [COMMUNICATED CONTENT] As we count down to Kabbalas HaTorah, ArtScroll is offering 30 percent off many of its bestselling sets of classic Torah works. (Sale does not include individual volumes.) This is the time to stock up on gifts and to make sure our homes are graced with these beautiful and durable classics. Here is a sampling of ArtScroll sets to choose from during this limited-time sale, which ends June 6: The Schottenstein Edition of Talmud Bavli: Hailed as one of the greatest achievements in the history of Jewish publishing, this treasure house of Torah is available at an incredible price. Save more than $900 on the 73-volume full-size set, and more than $700 on the daf-yomi set, which includes every word of the full-size edition in a more compact size. Yad Avraham Mishnah Series: This 44-volume set includes a translation of the Mishnah with a comprehensive commentary; in-depth introductions; full Hebrew text of the commentary of R Ovadiah of Bertinoro; and many explanatory diagrams. Schottenstein Edition Mishnah Elucidated: Especially convenient for those learning Mishnayos for specific events such as a sheloshim or a yahrzeit, and for those who want to make Mishnah study a part of their daily learning, this edition includes fully vowelized Hebrew text of the Mishnah, full text of ROvadiah of Bertinoros commentary, and a clear, flowing translation and elucidation that follow the format of the Schottenstein Edition Talmud. Ryzman Edition Hebrew Mishnah: A multilevel Hebrew-language elucidation of Mishnah, enabling readers to learn at the level of their choice. Includes commentary of R Ovadiah of Bertinoro. The Sapirstein Edition Rashi: This masterful treatment enables scholar, student, and layman alike to gain a clear understanding of the classic Chumash commentary. Ramban on the Torah: Rambans classic commentary elucidated in the manner of the Schottenstein Talmud. Introductions to each section make even the Rambans most complex insights understandable. Stone Edition Chumash: The classic Stone Chumash in five convenient, personal-size volumes. Each volume includes its own index and appropriate haftaros and Megillos. Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: This five-volume slipcased set features a newly reset Hebrew text of the Chumash, Targum Onkelos and Rashis commentary; English translation below each Hebrew word; interlinear haftaros; commentary, diagrams, and illustrations; and long-life embossed binding. For more information about the sale, click here. New Jersey cannot give $11 million in grants to two religious schools, including one of the largest ultra-Orthodox yeshivas in the world, an appeals court ruled Thursday. The state appeals court ruled the $10.6 million grant to the all-male Beth Medrash Govoha yeshiva in Lakewood and $645,323 to the Princeton Theological Seminary are unconstitutional. The American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State had challenged the grants, which New Jersey officials argued were OK because they were meant to pay for buildings and equipment, not religious activities. The grants were made as part of $1.3 billion given to schools across the state in April 2013. The court said its ruling doesnt mean the state cant give money to religious-affiliated schools that have a broader sectarian mission. This is a victory for civil rights and a victory for New Jersey taxpayers, who should never have to subsidize institutions that discriminate or that exist to teach their particular religious doctrine, said ACLU-NJ Legal Director Ed Barocas. Moshe Gleiberman, vice president of BMG, said the yeshiva is disappointed in the ruling and is confident the grants will be reinstated by the state Supreme Court. The yeshiva itself wasnt named in the suit and a spokesman for the state attorney generals office declined to comment on whether it will appeal. Gleiberman said most of the 6,800 students at the yeshiva where they devote themselves to the study of Jewish law go into non-clergy professions. He said the projects the grants were to fund, including a library and research center, are on hold. Excluding these students and the institutions which serve them from funding solely on the basis of religion ? ?even though they meet all grant criteria is its own form of discrimination, Gleiberman said. This doesnt just hurt Jewish students, it hurts us all. (AP) Shares in ASOS fell 1 per cent today after a co-founder of the online fashion firm sold off 46million worth of shares in the group to help stump up cash for a costly divorce settlement. ASOS confirmed that Nick Robertson had disposed of 1.305million shares in the group, representing 1.6 per cent of the firm's overall share capital, through a placing to institutional investors at 3,535p a share. Mr Robertson will still own a 6.6 per cent stake in ASOS after the sale, worth close to 200million. Divorce cost: The sale of ASOS shares by Nick Robertson (right) comes after a High Court judge ruled in March that he would have to hand over about a third of his 220million fortune to ex-wife Janine Robertson (left) In late morning trading today, ASOS shares on the FTSE 250 index were down 38p to 3,533p. The company was floated on London's junior AIM market in 2001 with its shares initially worth 20p each, valuing the firm at 12million. It is now valued at 2.9billion. The share sale comes after a High Court judge ruled in March that Mr Robertson would have to hand over about a third of his 220million fortune to ex-wife Janine Robertson, who was pressing for 110million. DIVORCES CAN BE VERY COSTLY FOR BUSINESS ELITE ASOS founder Nick Robertson is the latest member of the business elite to hand over a significant slice of his fortune in a high-profile divorce battle: - Superdry founder Julian Dunkerton sold 12 million shares worth just shy of 50million in February to fund a divorce settlement with his wife Charlotte Abbot. Mr Dunkerton, who founded the business in 1985 from a market stall in Cheltenham, still remains the largest shareholder with a 27.2 per cent stake in the group. - Billionaire retail tycoon and Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley had to hand over 50million in 2003 when divorcing Linda Jerlmyr. The Sports Direct boss married her in 1989 and the couple had three children together before they split. - Russian oligarch and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is estimated to have awarded 155million to ex-wife Irina Abramovich when their 16-year marriage came to an end in 2007. - Hedge fund boss Sir Chris Hohn was made to give his ex-wife Jamie Cooper-Hohn a third of his 1billion fortune in 2014. She had pushed in the High Court for half of their assets, but was awarded 337million. The pair had both run up legal bills of about 500,000 during the ligation. Mr Robertson co-founded ASOS - which stands for As Seen On Screen because its garments were initially copies of clothes worn by celebrities - in 2000. He oversaw the growth of the brand from a UK business to one with international operations in countries such as the United States, France and Australia. He stepped down from the role of chief executive in 2015 - making way for current boss Nick Beighton - but has remained a non-executive director at the business. ASOS, which sells more than 80,000 branded and own-brand products, last month hailed a good start to its financial year after a bumper festive season. The upbeat comments came as it reported an 18 per cent jump in pretax profits to 21.2million for the six months to February 29. Pets at Home has outlined plans to create 450 new jobs this year as the British public continues to splurge big money on grooming for their cats and dogs, helping the retailer post bumper results. The retailer will open 20 new Pets at Home superstores in the next 12 months, roll out 45 to 55 new vet practices and add as many as 60 'grooming salons'. It already has 400 pet shops across the UK. Chief executive, Ian Kellett told the Press Association: 'We'll create about 450 jobs overall with the addition of the new stores, vets and salons. We want to become the one stop shop for pet owners, who want happy and healthy pets.' Fetch boy: Pets at home boss Ian Kellett said the place of pets in the family 'hierarchy' and their 'humanisation' have been key drivers in the retailer's success He added: 'The pet market has proved over time to be more resilient than general retail, so whilst consumer confidence may be more fragile, we believe our drive to become more specialist and most loved by customers will deliver further progress.' The expansion announcement came as the company unveiled strong annual results with sales and profits both rising, while it also hiked its dividend as the pet market continues to outperform the general high street. Pets at Home's full year pretax profits were up 3.7 per cent to 90.2million on revenues that climbed 6.7 per cent to 777.8million in the year to March. It boosted its dividend by 39 per cent to 7.5p in just its second year as a publicly-listed company. The payout accounts for 50 per cent of group earnings, up from 40 per cent in the previous year. As a result, shares in the FTSE 250-listed retailer shot 5 per cent higher, up 10.7p to 260.1p. Expansion: Pets at Home plans to create 450 new jobs this year, opening 20 new Pets at Home superstores in the next 12 months, roll out 45 to 55 new vet practices and add as many as 60 'grooming salons' Mr Kellett hailed the firm's growing veterinary and pet grooming services, which helped like-for-like sales rise 2.1 per cent. He added that the place of pets in the family 'hierarchy' and the 'humanisation' of pets have been key drivers in the firm's success, and he also brushed off any European Union 'Brexit' fears. Mr Kellett said: 'Whichever way the vote goes, we're ready for any challenge that throws up but we're lucky because through every period, the pet market is always more resilient than general retail.' However, the firm did warn that it will take a 2million hit as a result of the national living wage. Steve Clayton, head of research, at Hargreaves Lansdown: 'The numbers were bang in line but the dividend increase was well ahead of expectations, with Pets moving to a 50 per cent pay-out ratio in a single jump, pushing the full year dividend up 39 per cent. 'The real attraction of Pets at Home though is its ability to open new stores, both out of town and now, with its newer, High Street formats, closer to its customers' homes too. 'Adding services to existing stores has the added benefit of increasing the frequency of customer visits and the revenues per store - contributing some impressive margins.' One of Britains most historic shipping institutions looks all but certain to pass into foreign hands after agreeing to exclusive talks with a Far Eastern buyer. The Baltic Exchange has been a centre for bulk cargo trading since the days of the British Empire, surviving two world wars and a bombing by the IRA. But its independence could be about to end. The organisation is now in takeover talks with the Singapore Exchange which is seeking a new outlet as its traditional markets stagnate. Takeover: The Baltic Exchange all but certain to pass into foreign hands after agreeing to exclusive talks with a Far Eastern buyer The Baltic Exchange said it had received an attractive proposal but critics warned the move could mean a crucial loss of independence. When a sale was first proposed around two months ago, it led to worries among traders that services they relied on could become increasingly costly. In a letter to others in the industry, John Banaszkiewicz of freight broker FIS said the move could be followed by a more restrictive and probably more expensive agreement. The exchange was launched in a London coffee house in 1744 and quickly became a vital part of British finance. Targeted: The Exchange survived a bombing by the IRA in 1992 The exchange moved to a purpose-built centre in 1903, later establishing close connections with the Royal Family. By the 1990s it was the last exchange floor left in the City but its granite and stained-glass confines were wrecked by an IRA bomb in 1992. Three people were killed, including a 15-year-old girl, amid 800m of damage. The site now houses Londons iconic Gherkin and the exchange is further along the same street. The institution compiles the Baltic Dry Index a key global record of the costs of transporting commodities. It also provides a host of other information and acts as a mediator in disputes. The Singaporeans are thought to be offering around 54.4million for the institution. They have pledged to keep its headquarters in St Mary Axe and maintain a broad range of membership services while expanding operations in Asia. Subscription fees for members will remain at 50,000 a year for the next five years, and there will be no increase in charges for users of its information services. For the deal to pass, it must be approved in a crunch vote of about 380 shareholders. Bosses at the Baltic Exchange and representatives from Singapore will meet members in coming weeks to drum up support. Chairman Guy Campbell said: The proposed transaction would further strengthen the links between London and Singapore, two of the worlds leading maritime business hubs, to the benefit of all. Turnover at the Singapore exchange is down 25 per cent in the past five years. Hostelworld shares travelled down after the group revealed terrorist attacks had hit bookings. The online booking website had good growth in bookings from Asia but said visits to Europe had been lower than expected. Its the latest in a line of tour operators and holiday firms which have struggled amid the political upheaval in the world. Thomas Cook (up 3.3 per cent, or 2.4p, to 75.1p) and Tui (down 1.7 per cent, or 18p, to 1039p) have both reported lower demand following attacks in Turkey, Tunisia and Belgium. Struggle: Hostelworld had good growth in bookings from Asia but said visits to Europe had been lower than expected Hostelworld said in an annual meeting statement that the average booking value had also been lower this year while the number of mobile bookings had increased, trips booked this way tended to be for a shorter amount of time. It said the outcome for the year depends on a recovery in European destinations over the key summer travel season. Numis, which downgraded the stock from a buy to an add (meaning add more stock if you already hold it), said the group is making good progress in the areas of the business which it can control such as brand, technology and marketing. It also believes it still offers good growth potential. With so much uncertainty, though, investors were packing their bags. Shares plunged 28.9 per cent, or 74.3p, to 183p. Car company Marshall Motor Group was in the fast lane after it announced an acquisition. Marshalls sells and repairs new and used vehicles, and also leases cars on deals typically lasting between two and five years. Its purchase of Ridgeway Garages for 106.9million will add 30 franchises to the group across the Home Counties, Wiltshire and Dorset. The move will see Marshalls presence increase from 19 to 25 counties across England. Ridgeways earnings last year were 20.2million. Shares accelerated 24 per cent, or 36p, to 187.5p on the news. Another autos dealer, Inchcape, hit the brakes after a trading update. The firm said that like-for-like revenue was up 12.4 per cent for the first four months of the year, but had fallen 18 per cent in North Asia where consumer confidence had weakened. The group also said performance was in line with expectations, but disappointed investors drove the share price down 3.1 per cent, or 22p, to 691p. Investors were none-too-impressed by Balfour Beattys contract win to build a lorry area on the M20. The group has been given the task of constructing the area to relieve congestion around Kent in a contract worth up to 130million. It is supposed to be a solution to Operation Stack, where lorries have queued up along the motorways when they are unable to travel across the English Channel. But shares finished 0.8 per cent, or 2p lower, at 243.2p. The FTSE finished a tickle in to positive territory for the day, rising just 0.04 per cent, or 2.8 points, to 6,265.65. Paypoint shares soared after it revealed investors were set for a 25million payday. The first third of a special annual dividend will be paid in December, with the remainder to come next July. In its preliminary results, Paypoint said investors could expect a total dividend for the year of 42.4p. The group, best known for its cash machines which can be found in 26,700 UK shops, said profits had risen slightly to 8.2million and retail transactions grew 17.8 per cent to 140million. It also now has more than 10,000 terminals in stores across Romania. Shares advanced 3.7 per cent, or 32.5p, to 906.5p on the update. Blackburn-based toilet tissue maker Accrol is looking to roll out shares on to the alternative market. Set up in 1993 by Jawid Hussain, the father of current chief executive Majid Hussain, Accrols toilet paper, kitchen rolls and facial tissues account for 7 per cent of the total UK tissue market. Sales topped 100million last year and earnings were up 13.7 per cent; now Accrol hopes listing on the stock market will help it increase its market share. Trading on Aim is expected to begin on June 10. Smart buildings essentially means using technology to make a building more productive. You do that by making different machines talk to each other for example, to make a chiller unit more efficient by feeding in data about the weather. Yesterday Coms said it had won a contract to provide smart technology in a shopping centre in the South. The number of planned and completed new homes fell in England in the first three months of 2016, figures showed today. Some 32,950 homes were finished in England between January and March - down 9 per cent compared to the previous quarter and by 3 per cent on last year, according to data released by the Department for Communities and Local Government. The number of new homes started between January and March also fell by 3 per cent on the previous quarter and by 9 per cent on last year to 35,530. New homes: According to the NHBC, house build registrations fell 1% in the period compared to a year ago Completion levels were particularly high in areas north of the London green belt and running through Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Leicestershire, the DCLG said. There were also strong levels from Devon through Gloucestershire. Areas with the lowest completion rates include Kingston upon Thames, Wirral and Gravesham. Campbell Robb, chief executive of Shelter, said: 'These figures show one of the biggest quarterly falls in the number of homes built that we've seen for a decade. We're still only building a little over half the homes we need each year.' A separate report by the National House Building Council for the whole of the UK also showed that housebuilding fell slightly in the three months to April - although some regions saw a big jump in the number of registrations for new homes. House building starts: The number of new homes started between January and March fell by 3 per cent The NHBC figures are taken from builders who are responsible for around 80 per cent of homes constructed. They are required to register a property with the NHBC before starting work. A total of 40,399 homes were registered to be built in the UK between February and April, a 1 per cent fall compared to the same period last year, when registrations were 40,877, according to the NHBC's latest report. A 15 per cent fall in the number of homes set to be built in the public sector dragged the quarterly numbers down, while registrations in the private sector increased by 3 per cent. A shortage of homes across the UK is considered by experts as one of the reasons for surging house prices, which recorded the biggest monthly leap since the financial crisis in March. The typical home cost 292,000 in March, a rise of 8,000 compared to February, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics. MORTGAGE APPROVALS The number of mortgages approved by banks in April fell to its lowest number since March 2015. They approved 40,104 mortgages for house purchases last month, down from 43,854 in March and 6.4 per cent lower than in April 2015, the British Bankers' Association said. Rebecca Harding, BBA chief economic adviser, said: 'As expected, growth in mortgage lending has fallen back sharply on last month proving that March's results were just a stamp duty spike.' A stamp duty surcharge for landlords and second home buyers came into effect last month. Figures from the BBA showed an increase in demand after the tax was announced in November as investors sought to rush through purchases. The BBA figures do not include lending by mutually owned building societies, which accounts for around a third of mortgages. But the NHBCs latest registration data also show that some regions recorded strong growth in the number of homes set to be built in the coming months. The North East saw the biggest jump, with registrations jumping 47 per cent from 1,002 to 1,475 in the three months to the end of April. The South East also saw a 23 per cent increase, with 7,805 new homes registered in the period compared to 6,326 in the same three months last year. London, however, saw just a 7 per cent increase, with housebuilders planning to build 5,807 new homes compared to 5,357 last year, NHBC said. Some 2,288 new homes were registered in Yorkshire & Humber, up 17 per cent on last year. Regions where housebuilders planned to build less homes than last year include the East Midlands and the East, where registrations fell 16 per cent, and the South West, where they fell 4.6 per cent. NHBC also said that in April more than 14,000 new homes were registered to be built in the UK in the month an increase of 17 per cent compared to a year ago. Completions were also up 4 per cent for the month compared to last April from 10,005 in 2015 to 10,378 in 2016. NHBC chief executive Mike Quinton said: Aprils new home figures show that the industry enjoyed a successful month, with registration numbers well ahead of this time last year. For the rolling quarter, new home registration volumes are virtually identical, demonstrating further consolidation on last years levels. Last year UK housebuilders registered 156,140 new homes - the highest number since 2007 and 75 per cent higher than during the depths of recession in 2009, according to separate figures from NHBC. However, that was still some way short of the 200,000-plus homes that experts say need to be built every year for Britains growing population. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Madina Toure U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are pushing the Federal Aviation Administration to make some changes after Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx and Nassau County elected officials asked the two New York Democrats to push the agency to reduce the airplane noise threshold level. In a letter dated May 19 to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, they called on the FAA to hold public meetings and engagement sessions before changing flight procedures or implementing new flight procedures. They also asked the FAA to hire a full-time professional ombudsman for the FAA Eastern Regional Office and to appoint additional representatives of community advocacy groups in the New York area to the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics NextGen Advisory Committee. The FAA needs to do its part in helping to address the long-sought relief of airplane noise in the New York-metro area, Schumer said. Gillibrand, who offered an amendment to the FAA bill that would have required the agency to phase out older, noisier aicraft engines, echoed similar sentiments. The FAA must play an active role in order to find a plausible solution to the growing concern of airport noise residents are currently facing, she said. The FAA said it does not comment on pending legislation and that it has received and will respond directly to their letter. In a letter dated May 6 to Schumer and Gillibrand, state Sen. Toby Stavisky (D-Flushing) and seven other state senators said Congress is moving into the final stages of drafting legislation to reauthorize the FAA. The letter was based on similar letters previously sent by Assembly members such as Nily Rozic (D-Fresh Meadows), Ron Kim (D-Flushing), Edward Braunstein (D-Bayside) and David Weprin (D-Fresh Meadows). The other Queens signatories included state Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria), state Sen. Jose Peralta (D-Jackson Heights), state Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) and state Sen. Leroy Comrie (D-Hollis). They said the noise threshold should be changed from 65 DNLday-night average sound levelto 55 DNL, a standard deemed acceptable by the Environmental Protection Agency, the World Health Organization and the Harvard School of Medicine. We dont want to shift the noise from one community to another because that pits one group against another and thats not right, she said. Everybody should benefit from the reduction in noise levels. Peralta said the FAA has to step up and address the problem. A lot of my constituents are concerned especially now that the airport (LaGuardia) is being considered for renovations and its going to take several years, Peralta said. One of the main questions I was asked is, Will the flight patterns be changed or switching because of the renovations? The answer was no but we wont know until it actually happens. Gianaris said Schumer and Gillibrands proposals are a step in the right direction. Those are all positive steps but the real answer has to be quieter planes, he said. Port Washington resident Len Schaier, president of Quiet Skies.Net , who has worked with advocates in Queens and other parts of the country, questioned Schumer and Gillibrands recommendations. Its stressing all this stuff about community liaison, Schaier said. Anybody above the third grade knows you dont need liaisons, you need fixes, you need solutions. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Madina Toure At a news conference announcing that the barges in Flushing Bay have been removed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) said his office is offering a $10,000 reward for anyone who can locate the perpetrators who abandoned boats in Flushing Creek that polluted the water. The operation was completed by 5 a.m. Monday, according to an Army Corps spokesman. A hydrographic sweep survey of the locations was then undertaken to confirm no underwater hazards remained in the area where the barges were removed, the spokesman said. Speaking at the Worlds Fair Marina Monday morning, Crowley had asked the Army Corps to work on removing the barges in December and called for an investigation to identify the bad actors responsible for leaving the boats. The U.S. Treasury was robbed of almost a million dollars to remove this debris and thats criminal, Crowley said. Before starting the operation, the Army Corps conducted an extensive search to figure out who left the barges, but the owners could not be identified. The Army Corps then got approval to do the work. Over the last few months, the barges released Styrofoam blocks and other materials into the water, polluting the bay and nearby shores. The barges arrived in the bay in the summer of 2011. Styrofoam is put into empty holes in barges to keep them afloat. When barges are abandoned, the metal rots and Styrofoam bursts out of the holes The complete removal was expected to take between 14 and 21 calendar days, pending suitable weather conditions. It was performed at night when LaGuardia Airports operations were reduced so the equipment being used to lift the barges out of the water did not affect aircraft using the airport. The overall cost of securing and removing the barges was estimated to be between $850,000 and $1.1 million. The Army Corps New York District will continue routine dredging of the channels within the Flushing Bay and Creek Federal Navigation Project as conditions warrant and funding allows, the Army Corps spokesman said. Col. David Caldwell, the Army Corps New York District commander who led the dredging project, said the barges slipped into the Federal Navigation Channel. The barges are a navigational hazard for the channel and also pose environmental and visual challenges for the surrounding communities, he said. Following the storm (January snowstorm), we were able to secure the authorization to remove the barges, Caldwell said. During a media boat tour, individuals were shown the DonJon Tug Sarah Ann, which was used to move the crane barge Michigan and deck barge Barnegat Bay around to work sites to complete the removal operations. Crowley met with Friends of Flushing Creek, a nonprofit organization that wants the creek to be restored, in August 2015 and with Riverkeeper, a watchdog organization that works to protect the Hudson River and its tributaries, in September 2015. As advocates and users, we can scream all we want but it was Congressman Crowley that took our fight to Washington and to the Army Corps and worked with them, said Alex Rosa of Flushing Willets Corona Local Development Corporation and Friends of Flushing Creek. Former City Councilman James Gennaro, deputy commissioner for New York City sustainability and resiliency at the state Department of Environmental Conservation, and Joshua Kogan, coordinator for the Trash Free Waters Program for Region 2 at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, were also in attendance. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Rory I. Lancman Our city is experiencing historically low crime. At the same time, we are reforming our criminal justice system to focus resources on violent crime and ensure people dont face harsh consequences for committing low-level offenses. The district attorneys are crucial to both of these efforts, putting dangerous criminals in jail while diverting others to innovative programs like our drug and mental health courts. This work takes money, but this year, the mayor released a preliminary budget that failed to include the additional funding the district attorneys had requested. Given the crucial role district attorneys have in our city, it should go without saying that they must be adequately funded. Thats why the City Council, in our response to the preliminary budget, supported full funding for the district attorneys. But what did we find in the updated executive budget? No increase. As chair of the Committee on Courts & Legal Services, and a member of the Public Safety Committee, I know how crucial it is that our district attorneys have the funding they need. In Queens, District Attorney Richard A. Brown has maintained the highest conviction rate and the shortest arrest-to-arraignment period in any of the five boroughs. This strong record of success is threatened when the mayor fails to provide funding for appeals bureau staffing and rackets investigators. Its also galling to see a mayor who has proposed several anti-gun violence programs fail to provide $850,000 in funding for a comprehensive anti-gun initiative that the Queens DAs office wants to create. Most frustratingly, yet again, the mayor has ignored the space needs of the Queens DAs office. For years, prosecutors and other staff have been crammed into small rooms in several buildings because the city has failed to identify a long-term solution for an expanded and modernized facility. While we wait for the mayor to take action on this, he should at least step up and provide the $2.5 million the office desperately needs for rental space. The other district attorneys have equally pressing needs. Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, responding to a troubling increase in violence on Rikers Island, has requested $1.8 million to create a Rikers Island Prosecution Bureau. She also requested funding for a Domestic Violence Complaint Unit, a Conviction Integrity Unit and an Immigrant Affairs Unit. The Richmond County DA has requested funds to create a Community Partnership Unit to improve his offices relationship with the people of Staten Island. He also hopes to bring his office into this century with funding for a case management system, and wants to address Staten Islands opioid epidemic by adding staff to the Narcotics & Investigations Bureau, among other requests. The Kings County DA has requested funding to expand the Forensic Science Unit and the Crime Strategies Unit, and the Manhattan DA needs additional funding for its Alternatives to Incarceration Unit. The district attorneys are our partners in keeping our city safe and ensuring our criminal justice system is fair and effective. The mayor must step up and provide the crucial funding they requested. Council Member Rory I. Lancman chairs the Committee on Courts & Legal Services and represents the 24th Council District. Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump stumped in California, the US state with the largest Hispanic population, doubling down on his anti-immigration position but assuring that "Mexican people" will vote for him in November. The presumptive Republican nominee took the stage in Anaheim, outside Los Angeles, with police on high alert one day after violence marred a Trump rally in the southwestern state of New Mexico, where anti-Trump protesters hurled rocks and police fired smoke grenades in efforts to rein in the chaos. Dozens of security personnel including police on horseback maintained control in Anaheim, although some skirmishes broke out between Trump opponents and his backers as protesters chanted expletives about the brash billionaire. At least eight people were arrested. Inside, Trump attacked his likely Democratic general election rival Hillary Clinton and railed against undocumented immigrants stealing US jobs. But he insisted legal immigrants would vote for him in large numbers, despite polls showing they would overwhelmingly favor Clinton. "The Mexican people are great, they\re going to vote for me like crazy, the ones that are legally in this country," Trump said, as a woman waived a "Latinas for Trump" sign behind him. Immigration is a flashpoint political topic in California. The state now has more Hispanic residents 39 percent than whites, according to the census. "We have too many immigrants here, Mexican immigrants," Trump supporter Sharon Lombardi told AFP. "It\s an invasion." "Our cities are not the same," said Lupe Morfin, 58, adding that an "illegal alien" killed her 13-year-old nephew in 1990. "Mr. Trump is the only one that would listen to us, and we love him." Trump warned there would be "nothing but turmoil" and "four more years of Obama" if Clinton wins the White House. "Our system and our country can\t take it," he said. Trump also insisted his "biggest strength" would be a robust national security, as he lambasted countries like Germany for allowing refugees to flood into Europe unchecked, increasing the terror threat. "All over Europe they\re taking these people and all over the United States they\re sending these people," Trump said. "How stupid are we? This will come back to haunt us." Several Trump rallies have drawn protests, including one in Chicago in March when his supporters clashed with protesters. Trump described his Tuesday rally in Albuquerque as a "love fest," even though the chaos outside left several officers injured. In his speech in New Mexico, which has the highest percentage of Hispanic residents of any US state, Trump startled observers by criticizing Governor Susana Martinez, the nation\s only Hispanic governor and head of the Republican Governors Association. "She\s got to do a better job, OK?" Trump told the crowd about Martinez, who has criticized Trump\s remarks on immigration and was absent from Tuesday\s event. It was the latest example of behavior that may compound Trump\s efforts to win over skeptical voters. Martinez is seen as someone who could help a Republican nominee win support from Hispanics and women on her home turf, saying she was not cutting it as governor. Martinez\s office responded swiftly, saying the governor "will not be bullied into supporting a candidate until she is convinced that candidate will fight for New Mexicans." The blunt response highlights the tensions within the party even as it prepares to crown Trump as its nominee. House Speaker Paul Ryan the nation\s top elected Republican said he was not yet prepared to endorse Trump for president. "I haven\t made a decision," Ryan told reporters, two weeks after he met with Trump to discuss ways to unify the party behind his remarkable White House run. Former House majority leader Tom DeLay had choice words for the presumptive nominee, calling Trump\s criticism of a popular conservative Latina "stupid politics." "It blows my mind," DeLay told MSNBC. "Where is he going to get his coalition to win?" Following his Washington state victory, Trump has now amassed 1,229 delegates, according to a CNN tally just eight shy of the 1,237 needed to clinch the nomination. He is expected to cross the threshold June 7, when California and four other states vote on the final day of the Republican primary contest. Trump pivoted to the general election weeks ago, relentlessly criticizing his likely Democratic rival. The former secretary of state has returned fire, although she is still engaged in the final stages of her Democratic battle against Sanders. On Wednesday, the scandal over her use of a private email server while secretary of state resurfaced, with a starkly critical report by the State Department\s inspector general finding she had not sought permission to conduct official business on her personal account. SOURCE: AFP Mushcup's Brian Steff takes his turn in 'My Favorite Guitar' Mushcup's Brian Steff has an arsenal of guitars though his favorite is one loved and admired by fans SHARE Barbara Green/The Bowie News Amanda Wilson gets kudos from fellow Bowie students as she prepared for high school graduation Friday night. By Barbara Green, The Bowie News When you meet Amanda Wilson you are struck by her petite size and soft-spoken voice. However, behind those soft brown eyes is the strong will and tenacity of a young woman who walked into a Bowie High School claassroom four years ago with virtually no formal education and in a few days she will graduate ranked No. 9 in the 108-member class of 2016. At age 16, she and her older sister came to live with their maternal grandmother Wanda Brummett in Bowie. Those two girls, along with their four younger siblings were removed from their parents' home because of severe neglect. The younger children went to live with an aunt in Wichita Falls. Today, the children range in age from 22 to 15. Amanda does not go into details of the problems only to say, "it wasn't a great home." Living in Austin, their parents did not want them to go to public schools, Amanda said her father "felt they were not very good." Early in their lives the children had home schooling from their mother who purchased items online, but that only lasted until Amanda was in fourth grade. "She didn't like history so she didn't teach it to us and she said science was too much of a hassle. I had trouble with English, so she would not teach me that," Amanda recalls. Coupled with no education, the children were not allowed to associate with other children or "make friends." "I always wanted to go to school and experience it. I knew it wasn't going to be like 'High School Musical,' where people randomly break into song, although there are some who break into song around here," she laughs. Amanda's older sister taught her to read when she was 12 years old and books became something of a refuge. Jeannette Shaw, counselor at Bowie High School, recalls the strength and determination of Amanda when they first met. "I was doubtful she could be successful in high school with very little education. Because of her age and lack of skills, I encouraged her to explore the option of receiving her GED. Amanda would not consider that option." "For a long time I wanted it because my mother told me I would never be able to do it. She always told us we were not smart enough," she says quietly about why she wanted her diploma. The four years have been difficult and an emotional roller coaster for this teen. "Just about everything was scary," she recalls. "I had never done any of this before, I didn't know how it worked. I never hung around with people my own age, I'd never been in a classroom. I didn't think I would be able to keep up." High school was hard socially for this youngster to make friends and fit into her strange new world. As a freshman, she made friends with a senior who helped her navigate her new world. When she became a sophomore she hit it off with a history classmate, Riley Gossett, who soon became her best friend. Today, walking down the hall so many people speak and say hello she appears to have found her place. She enjoys history and math, but her first love has been choir since those first notes were played in freshman year. "I really enjoy singing, it makes me feel free," says Amanda. That passion for music has been sustained during four years and has helped her cope with difficulties. Shaw says Amanda fell in love with choir and it became the highlight of every day. "After many tears, she worked through insecurities, anxiety issues, and she started becoming more confident. By the end of the first year she performed publicly as a member of the BHS choir and had developed skills academically that astounded all her teachers," Shaw said. Looking back on four years, Amanda says sophomore year was very good as her grades were strong and she began to feel like she could do this. Her senior year also has been good as she prepares to make yet another transition to a new world in college. Shaw says as a senior Amanda is a completely different person, and in her 27 years of education, she has never been more impressed with the accomplishments of a single student. Amanda has received a choir scholarship to Midwestern State University, where she will be a voice major. She will be the first of her siblings to graduate high school and she hopes they will be inspired to move forward as she has. While they live in a different city, Amanda likes to help them when possible, such as answering her brother's text questions about Spanish class. While starting over again, this time she is more prepared. The 20-year-old Amanda looks forward to all the trappings of graduation Friday, but there is one scene she is ready to play. "Getting my diploma in my hand, seeing my name and knowing I did it!" The federal courthouse in Wichita Falls became the battleground Monday for opponents of the Obama administration's transgender bathroom policies. TRN file photo SHARE By Christopher Collins And Lana Sweeten-Shults, Times Record News On Wednesday afternoon, 11 states took their frustration with the Obama administration's guidance on transgender bathroom policies to the federal courthouse in Wichita Falls. The plaintiffs who filed the landmark lawsuit in Northern District of Texas asserted that forcing compliance with the Title IX of the Education Code could cause "seismic changes in the operation of the nation's school districts." They state in the lawsuit's complaint that the duty of the federal government's executive branch is to "enforce the law of the land, not rewrite it by administrative fiat." Now Wichita Falls, a city of about 100,000, likely will become the battleground upon which state and federal authorities fight over bathroom access for people whose gender identity do not match their biological sex. At the center of the dust-up is David Thweatt, superintendent of the Harrold ISD, a rural district of a little more than 100 kindergarten through 12th-grade students. Thweatt told the Times Record News on Monday he would not follow the Obama administration's directive to provide equal access to bathrooms for transgender students under the threat of losing federal funding. Harrold ISD became one of the first school districts in the nation if not the first to pass a policy that thumbs its nose at the directive. The policy states that students must use the bathroom that corresponds to their gender at birth, regardless of their gender identity. Thweatt attended a Wednesday news conference held by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in Austin. Afterward, in a Times Record News interview, he said, "The federal government has also been history-making; in fact, they have rewritten Title IX," Thweatt said via phone while on his way back from Austin. "You don't have to be smarter than a fourth-grader to see this is a BAD idea. ... This is all for security and plain good sense." Thweatt said the Harrold ISD school board was unanimous Monday night in its decision to go against the Obama administration's guidelines. "They were very, very glad to do this." He and the board, he said, are concerned about the safety of their students. Those opposed to the directive have mentioned fearing sexual assaults or that people might abuse the directive, claiming they are transgender when they are not. "It's not only the students," Thweatt said of those who might abuse the directive when they attend Harrold ISD functions. "But our school district, we are open to the public. We have school programs and sports." Thweatt said what the federal government has done is "so much of an overreach." What he hopes to accomplish is push the federal government to say "never mind" that it overstepped its bounds. If the government doesn't do that, then Thweatt hopes to see this wrangling between the federal government and local school districts play out in the courts. The mandate, he said, must have court backing. He also does not see that the federal government has the right to withhold federal money from schools, many of whom would not be able to operate without that funding: "Federal money is our money," he said. " ... In 40 years of Title IX ... no school district ever has had funds withheld because of Title IX." Thweatt has not been reluctant to take a strong stance against popular national opinion. The Harrold ISD in 2007 became the first in the nation to allow teachers to arm themselves with guns. "We did not ask for this to be foisted upon us by the federal government," he said of the transgender bathroom issue and is thankful that Paxton "has been very gracious and has been a good supporter" for Texas' school districts. SHARE The Obama administration's decision to permit sales of U.S. weaponry to Vietnam is another step toward publicly acknowledging that a trans-Pacific coalition is forming to oppose China's imperial expansion in Southeast Asia and East Asia. The Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea and the U.S. are key members of this coalition, which began emerging over a decade ago. Public evidence of extensive cooperation is indisputable. South Korea and Japan are firm U.S. allies. The U.S. Navy has conducted Freedom of Navigation Operations in the South China Sea that tacitly support Filipino territorial integrity. Given the Vietnam War, Vietnam has been something of the Odd Man Out. However, South Korea and Vietnam have agreed to conduct senior officer training exercises that are a wink away from cooperative planning exercises and policy coordination. In August 2013, Vietnam and the Philippines announced that they were developing joint military and diplomatic plans to counter aggressive Chinese territorial expansion in the South China Sea. On May 23, the coalition further solidified when President Barack Obama, while visiting Vietnam, officially ended the U.S. weapons embargo on Hanoi. Obama insisted the U.S. decision to terminate the weapons embargo and expand trade links with Vietnam was not aimed at any nation. The polite term for the President's denial is "diplo-speak." For at least 25 years, Vietnam has expressed a desire to establish a closer strategic relationship with the U.S. to counter China's increasing military strength and its threatening policy of territorial expansion. In this context, the Vietnamese government regarded U.S. presidential visits as diplomatic coups. President Bill Clinton visited Vietnam in 2000 and called for strengthening ties. President George W. Bush visited in November 2006. Bush normalized trade relations with Vietnam and expanded bilateral cooperation. However, no nation in Asia wants to be perceived as actively promoting an "anti-China" alliance, and that includes China's most powerful regional rival, India. For its part, the U.S. seeks to coax China without antagonizing it. The U.S. prefers peaceful persuasion that convinces China's Communist government to end its island-creation policy in the South China Sea (which certifiably encroaches on Vietnamese and Filipino territory), accept international arbitration over disputed areas, and then accept arbitrator decisions. The U.S. encourages China to negotiate with Japan over disputed islands in the East China Sea. China's government, however, disdains arbitration and displays no intention of halting its expansionary activities. So it was no surprise that Chinese state media immediately scorned Obama's diplo-speak as a "poor lie" and accused the U.S. of seeking regional dominance. State media accused America of attempting "to knit three nets" around China: a net of ideology, a security network and an economic network centered on trade. If "three nets" sounds like a Cold War-esque alliance-based containment strategy, well, fundamentally, it is. China correctly identifies the strategic "nets," but denies the root cause spurring the trans-Pacific strategic net knitting: China's belligerent military and economic bullying of its neighbors and its provably illegal territorial acquisition. The termination of the U.S. arms embargo is receiving the most media attention, but the truth is Washington has violated the spirit of its own embargo. For example, in June 2015, the U.S. gave Vietnam $18 million for the purchase of Metal Shark coastal patrol boats. The boats themselves aren't weapons per se. However, they can carry search radars and machine guns. They are fast, maneuverable and can remain at sea for several days. Why the implicit embargo breach? In May 2014, Vietnam and China clashed in the Paracel Islands when China deployed a drilling rig in Vietnamese-claimed waters. China uses coast guard vessels and fishing boats to establish a continual "presence" in disputed waters. Vietnam needed more small boats to counter Chinese intrusions. India, understanding the threat, has loaned Vietnam $100 million to buy patrol boats. Another stitch in the net? Yes. To find out more about Austin Bay and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. NISKAYUNA - The Niskayuna Community Foundation surprised two Niskayuna High School teachers on Thursday with the 13th Annual Murray Award for Excellence in Education. Chemistry teacher Meagan Hughes and English teacher James Edgar were each recognize as outstanding educators who foster student growth, improve their schools and enhance the education of students. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Albany The State Police recognized 22 people and two division units Thursday at the State Police Annual Awards Day Ceremony. Superintendent Joseph A. D'Amico led the 40th annual ceremony at the Performing Arts Center at the University at Albany. The ceremony was followed by the annual Memorial Day service to honor the memory and service of deceased members of the State Police. In 2015, the State Police lost one member in the line of duty, Trooper Donald Fredenburg Jr. of the State Police Academy. The name of Senior Investigator Thomas G. Moran Jr., 54, who died on July 22, 2012, from cancer stemming from his assignment at the World Trade Center Site following the 9/11 terrorist attacks was added to the Trooper Wall of Honor. Several Superintendent's Commendation Awards went to those who were key in the 23-day hunt for convicted murderers Richard Matt and David Sweat, who escaped on June 6, 2015, from the Clinton County Correctional Facility in Dannemora. They include Maj. Charles Guess of Troop B, who was cited for his leadership. Tech. Sgt. Jay Cook of Troop B captured Sweat on June 28 near the Canadian border. Tech. Sgt. Ronald Pena of Troop B noticed key details that led to Matt's discovery on June 26, 2015. A member of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol Tactical Unit later shot and killed the escaped convict. In addition, units who worked on DNA evidence in the manhunt were cited for their work. Albany Legislation eliminating the state "tampon tax" is now in the hands of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who plans to sign it into law. The state Senate on Wednesday approved legislation that eliminates feminine hygiene products including tampons, pads and sanitary napkins from the 4 percent state sales tax. The legislation would also have the effect of wiping out any country sales taxes on the products. Projected losses in sales tax revenue around $12 million, split between state and local were accounted for in the state budget enacted last month, according to bill sponsor Sen. Sue Serino's office. Legislation had previously cleared both the Senate and Assembly, though bill language differed in each proposal. The discrepancies were resolved in the version passed Wednesday. Supporters say certain medical products already are exempted from state sales tax, as are other necessities, such as certain foods and drinks, plus more obscure items including gift shop sales at a state-run veterans nursing home. Feminine hygiene products, the bill's backers contend, are "an undeniable necessity." "There are many issues that simply transcend politics and a unanimous vote in both houses tells you that this is certainly one of them," Serino, R-Dutchess County, said in a statement. "Moving this legislation forward is a win for consumers and it's a win for women who have largely shouldered the burden of the tax for generations." In a statement Wednesday afternoon, Cuomo said "repealing this regressive and unfair tax on women is a matter of social and economic justice," and he looks forward to signing the bill. Five states including New York's neighbors Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and New Jersey have ended similar taxes. Canada also nixed its tax on feminine hygiene products in 2015. Other states, including California, are considering legislation taking the same path. An initiative to scrap the tax in Utah failed earlier this year Critics archly noted that all of the lawmakers on the panel that scuttled that effort were men. In New York, other attempts to exempt certain hygiene products have not been as successful. For example, a push to exempt toilet paper for household use from state sales tax has failed to gain traction. Legislation has not moved from committee in either the Assembly or Senate, though Sen. Phil Boyle, R-long Island, has made an argument for it similar to the one made for the tampon tax: Toilet paper is not an optional product. Boyle's bill has only one co-sponsor: Serino. mhamilton@timesunion.com 518-454-5449 @matt_hamilton10 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Anaheim, Calif. A day after violent protesters outside a Donald Trump rally threw burning items at police and toppled barricades, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee railed against "Crooked Hillary" Clinton and leaders in his own party who haven't yet endorsed him in a boisterous but less heated rally Wednesday. Outside, demonstrators quietly held up signs reading "Love and Peace" and "Migration is beautiful" during the rally, but the modest crowd grew rowdier when Trump supporters came outside. The two sides shouted at each other as dozens of police, some on horseback, moved in to prevent a renewal of the violence that included rock-throwing and burning T-shirts Tuesday night in New Mexico. Five people were arrested as a line of police slowly moved scattered protesters along a nearby street. Inside, Trump's rally was interrupted several times by protesters who were escorted out of the Anaheim Convention Center, which was packed with thousands of Trump supporters. "Get 'em out!" he shouted at one point. "Out! Out! Out!" But Trump urged his supporters and security to handle his interrupters gently. "Don't hurt 'em," he told them. "I say that for the television cameras. Do not hurt him even though he's a bad person." Later, a pair of protesters in the stands behind the candidate ripped a Trump sign in half and made a rude gesture toward the crowd. Trump's campaign apparatus was also roiled Wednesday by the abrupt departure of political director Rick Wiley. In a statement, Trump's campaign said Wiley had been hired only on a short-term basis until the candidate's organization "was running full steam." Wiley had been overseeing hiring of staff in battleground states and working closely with the Republican National Committee. His hiring about six weeks ago was seen as a sign that party veterans were embracing Trump's campaign. While Wiley and the RNC have touted the importance of a robust general election infrastructure, Trump has said he plans to continue making his raucous rallies the centerpiece of his campaign. He used his event Wednesday to hammer Clinton over a report by the State Department inspector general that faulted her for her use of private email for official business when she was secretary of state. "She had a little bad news today, as you know. Some reports came down, weren't so good," Trump said. "The inspector general's report not good." Trump said he was eager to run against Clinton, but wondered aloud, as he often does, whether she would actually be the Democratic Party's nominee. "It could be we're going to run against Crazy Bernie," he said. "He's a crazy man, but that's OK. We like crazy people." Trump met with a group of female business leaders ahead of the rally and invited several onstage. "I'm telling you, women do like me," he said. But later he went after Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who has been vigorously criticizing him. "She gets nothing done, nothing passed. She's got a big mouth, and that's about it," he said of Warren. "But they use her because Hillary's trying to be very presidential. She's stopping with the shouting, OK?" "I'll be honest with you, I cannot listen to her," he added of Clinton. Visitors to the houses on display at this year's Parade of Homes will be greeted by exteriors made with a mix of materials, elaborate outdoor areas and an increase in first-floor master suites. The first two weekends in June mark the 16th annual parade, a showcase of the best local builders have to offer. The parade is sponsored by the Capital Region Builders & Remodelers Association, which has donated more than $100,000 in proceeds from the event over 10 years to the American Cancer Society and the Center for Disability Services. War movies show us what it means to live and die the sacrifices made, the courage summoned, the triumphs and failures and fallout both physical and mental. They convey the arc of a battle, the movement of armies and the unending human struggle behind them. A good war movie tells us about history. A great one tells us about ourselves. With Memorial Day nearly upon us, now's a good time to watch a war film or two. And no, I don't mean the newly released "X-Men: Apocalypse," with mutants grappling over the fate of the Earth and all its occupants. I mean smaller screens, more classic movies, more mortal warriors. The list of 11 films below is nowhere near comprehensive, nor is it meant as a ranked inventory of critically sanctioned movies. It's purposely incomplete and deeply idiosyncratic, and as such, it may irk anyone whose old favorites have been left out. (Where's "Tora! Tora! Tora!"? "The Thin Red Line"?) But they're films that resonate. They're films that stick to the psyche with their imagery and insights, their glimpses into the leaders who plot out wars and the soldiers who fight them. They're also films you can actually watch: All but "Downfall" (which is only available on disc) can be found streaming at various places. "Das Boot" (1981): One of the best war movies ever made is also the best submarine movie ever made, a subset that deserves its own list (someday). Directed by Wolfgang Petersen, this big, gritty gem of German cinema lives and suffers with hardened men in the claustrophobic undersea of 1942 Atlantic warfare. They're riddled by Allied fire and their own doubts about the Reich. "Apocalypse Now" (1979): In 1976 only a year after the Vietnam War ended Francis Ford Coppola shot his epic, mythic, hallucinogenic study of conflict by way of Joseph Conrad. Martin Sheen is the officer on a mission to whack the whackjob colonel played by Marlon Brando, as bald and strange as anything the movies ever produced. The film portrays war as an unhinged fever dream, trippy and disturbing. "Twelve O'Clock High" (1949): In Henry King's film, Gregory Peck stars as the tough brigadier general who assumes command of an American air crew flying daylight missions over Germany and, finally but inevitably, breaks down from the stress. The upshot is a realistic and compassionate look at the pressures borne by pilots. "Glory" (1989): Edward Zwick's searing account of a heroic, unsung and all but doomed African-American unit that fought for the Union avoids the cliches that bog down so many other Civil War movies, imbuing its soldiers' tales with power and complexity. Matthew Broderick plays the abolitionist colonel who leads the regiment; Denzel Washington is the private who bares his back, and his life as a slave, in the film's single most unforgettable scene. "All Quiet on the Western Front" (1930): Lewis Milestone's adaptation of the Erich Maria Remarque novel was made between the world wars and before the Hays Code and you can tell. It details the horrors of war, and their effects on the soul, with a bluntness that probably wouldn't have made it past the censors just a few years later. Lew Ayres, as the tortured young German in the Great War's trenches, loses his friends, his innocence, his hope. But not his humanity. "Letters from Iwo Jima" (2006): Clint Eastwood's companion to "Flags of Our Fathers" is far and away the better film, recounting the 1945 Pacific island battle from the Japanese perspective. Never demonizing, always humanizing, the movie is filled with the grim industry of men hunkering down to die. The great Ken Watanabe turns in a performance of unflappable grace as an all-seeing general. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. "Saving Private Ryan" (1998): It's easy to forget these days, but the opening 27 minutes of Steven Spielberg's WWII saga were a cinematic game-changer, depicting the violence at Omaha Beach with a gut-wrenching, photojournalistic candor realized with arresting camera techniques we now take for granted. What follows is both epic and intimate, a story of heroism that hinges on the abrupt turns of fate and devastating outcomes that make up war. "Downfall (Der Untergang)" (2004): Oliver Hirschbiegel's mesmerizing study of the Third Reich's end days digs deep into the bunker and the addled brain of Hitler, waiting it out with his circle. Bruno Ganz plays der Fuehrer with spit, madness and startling nuance; Alexandra Maria Lara plays the real-life secretary who witnessed his downfall and lived to tell the tale. "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" (1964): Yes, it's satire, but Stanley Kubrick's wild bronco ride into Cold War brinkmanship says more about the backroom machinations of warmaking and the insanity of nuclear war than any film before or since. Peter Sellers flexes his genius in his triple turn as president, British captain and the wingnut ex-Nazi scientist of the title. "Waltz with Bashir" (2008): This autobiographical, animated account of filmmaker Ari Folman's service in the Israeli army during the 1982 war with Lebanon is as much about memory and forgetting as it is about combat. Folman wrote, directed, produced and appears in the film as a haunted, hand-drawn alter-ego who wanders in search of the past. "The Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957): Set in Burma during World War II, David Lean's film features Alec Guinness as the British colonel who supervises POWs in building a bridge for their Japanese captors, unaware that Allied forces are scheming to demolish it. Filled with indelible visuals, fierce dramatic turns and one infectious, whistled theme, the movie is also a forceful portrait of war's blind plotting and the tragedies that result. abiancolli@timesunion.com 518-454-5439 @AmyBiancolli Albany Gary Greenberg wants the Child Victims Act to pass so badly that he's putting $100,000 behind the effort. Greenberg, a minority owner of Vernon Downs casino and racetrack in Oneida County, is beyond frustrated by the Legislature's refusal to side with victims of childhood sexual abuse. So he's launched a new political action committee, Fighting for Children, that will target lawmakers who oppose the legislation. "If they don't back this, they're supporting predators," the New Baltimore resident said. "I'm willing to put my money up to stop the craziness and stop the abuse." More Information Contact Chris Churchill at 518-454-5442 or email cchurchill@timesunion.com See More Collapse The legislation would do two things. It would eliminate an existing statute of limitations that requires childhood victims of sexual abuse to pursue criminal charges or civil litigation before they turn 23. Few states have such an early deadline. The Child Victims Act would also create a one-year window to allow past victims of childhood abuse to pursue civil litigation. It's that piece of the legislation that is hotly opposed by the Roman Catholic Church and other powerful interests whose potentially embarrassing private records on handling abuse cases could be made public through civil litigation. For Greenberg, 57, the cause is personal. He was sexually abused when he was 7. It happened during a visit to the old Cohoes Hospital, he says, while his father was recovering from an illness. An orderly offered to take him on a tour of the building then subjected him to a terrifying ordeal that included a sexual assault. Greenberg says when he tried to fight off attack, the orderly grabbed him by the feet and dangled him down an open elevator shaft. The man left the child with these parting words: "If you ever tell anybody about this, I'll kill your mother and father." Greenberg did eventually tell his parents, but by then the orderly no longer worked at the hospital. Police, Greenberg says, were not interested in pursuing an investigation. Thirty years later, Greenberg saw the man he believes attacked him on the evening news. It was Louis VanWie, who admitted to abusing more than 100 children and was sentenced in 1997 to up to 30 years in prison. "Now it's your turn for pain," the judge said to VanWie, who currently spends his days and nights at the Washington Correctional Facility in Comstock. That VanWie is paying for his crimes was a measure of justice for the children he harmed. But advocates for victims say New York's restrictive statute of limitations has allowed other predators to escape punishment. "Bad things are happening because people can't be held accountable for what they've done," said Melanie Blow of Rochester, who says she was sexually abused as a child by her father. Blow is with the Stop Abuse Campaign, which on Wednesday arrived at the Capitol to deliver 27,000 petition signatures supporting the Child Victims Act to the office of Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan. That's a heck of a lot of signatures. But enough to prompt action? Perhaps not. Even with Gov. Andrew Cuomo now saying he supports much of the Child Victims Act, the Legislature again seems poised to shrug the legislation aside. It's shameful. But that's politics in New York. The powerful almost always win. Now, the Catholic church and other opponents of the one-year window for victims to pursue prior claims say it could be financially devastating for Catholic dioceses and even for public school districts. They also say there is nothing to prevent victims from publicly naming their attackers now. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. But supporters of the legislation say publicly naming an abuser does nothing without a subsequent legal process. Winning in civil court would give credibility to claims and possibly prevent predators from continuing to abuse. "The point of this legislation is to make the streets safer," said Bridie Farrell, who says she was abused as a teenager in Saratoga Springs. And if the Child Victims Act or similar legislation doesn't pass? Greenberg and Fighting for Children will be waiting. The PAC is funded with Greenberg's initial $100,000, but is accepting additional contributions. "We're going to target legislators who fail to stand with victims," Greenberg said. Among the lawmakers Fighting for Children is likely to hit with negative advertising are Sen. Neil Breslin, the Bethlehem Democrat, and Sen. George Amedore, the Republican from Rotterdam. Greenberg, noting a planned June 5 march over the Brooklyn Bridge in support of the Child Victims Act, said he's never seen such momentum behind the legislation. But time is running short. With only nine days left in the legislative session, Greenberg's message to lawmakers is the same as mine: Just get it done. cchurchill@timesunion.com 518-454-5442 @chris_churchill [May 26, 2016] Bright Health Partners with Centura Health to Bring New Health Insurance Concept to Colorado New health insurance startup Bright Health announced today its first market and care provider partnership with Colorado-based health system Centura Health. The collaboration pairs the pioneering leadership of Centura Health with Bright Health's innovative health insurance solution to bring a new option to Colorado consumers. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160526005909/en/ The collaboration pairs the pioneering leadership of Centura Health with Bright Health's innovative health insurance solution to bring a new option to Colorado consumers. (Photo: Business Wire) "Bright Health is differentiated by developing a single, exclusive partnership in each market with a leading health system," said Bob Sheehy, co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Bright Health. "We explored a number of markets and health systems around the United States and, ultimately, chose Centura Health as our ideal first Care Partner. Centura Health has an incredible reputation for offering high-quality care, making healthcare more accessible, and promoting lifelong health - all core values shared by both of our organizations." The health insurance landscape has dramatically changed following the Affordable Care Act (ACA), challenging insurance companies to better cater to the demands of today's consumer. Bright Health offers a much-needed transformation of the individual insurance format, bringing affordable plans, a more integrated technology experience, and exclusive care provider partnerships that ultimately support stronger relationships between patients and doctors. Both Bright Health and Centura Health strive to deliver a smarter, more connected healthcare experience, and prioritize efficient, high-quality care. This translates to more affordable healtcare solutions for Coloradans. Through this partnership, Colorado Health Neighborhoods (CHN), Centura Health's physician-led clinically integrated network, will be Bright Health's exclusive provider of choice. "We're committed to finding better ways to serve our communities," said Gary Campbell, chief executive officer (CEO) of Centura Health. "By partnering with Bright Health in their strategy to enter the individual insurance market in Colorado, we are working to deliver optimal health value with resources and services delivered through CHN that educate, engage and empower consumers to make smarter decisions about their health." Bright's application to be licensed, and all related healthcare filings, are currently under review by the Colorado Division of Insurance. Starting for the 2017 plan year, Bright Health intends to offer individual health insurance plans to Colorado residents via its website, broker partners, Connect for Health Colorado and through private health insurance exchanges. Bright is working with Connect for Health Colorado to make sure their platform will be ready for the 2017 open enrollment period, which begins Nov. 1, 2016. Until Open Enrollment begins, consumers can visit the Bright Health website to sign up for more information and receive updates. Bright Health brings seasoned insurance experts with new ideas and solutions for effectively serving both patients and providers. Co-founders include Bob Sheehy, former CEO of UnitedHealthcare; Kyle Rolfing, co-founder and former CEO of Definity Health and RedBrick Health; and Tom Valdivia, MD, MS, former chief health consumer officer of Definity Health. About Bright Health Bright Health delivers a smarter, more connected healthcare experience. The company's exclusive partnerships with leading health systems, affordable health insurance plans, and simple, friendly approach to technology are reshaping how people and physicians achieve better health together. Learn more at www.brighthealthplan.com. About Centura Health Centura Health connects individuals, families and neighborhoods across Colorado and western Kansas with more than 6,000 physicians and 21,000 of the best hearts and minds in health care. Through our 17 hospitals, two senior living communities, health neighborhoods, physician practices and clinics, home care and hospice services, and Flight For Life Colorado, we are making the region's best health care accessible and affordable in every community we serve. We believe you can inspire the people you care about to live healthier lives by encouraging them to do the little things that can make a big difference. We're Centura Health, and we're here for your health. For information on Centura Health or any of the facilities in our network, please visit the Centura Health website. About Colorado Health Neighborhoods Colorado Health Neighborhoods (CHN) is an integrated delivery network of 3,800 Centura Health-employed physicians, independent-affiliated physicians and other health care providers dedicated to delivering optimal value to consumers. A physician-led network, CHN is creating a system that promotes proactive coordination among health care providers to produce demonstrably improved outcomes at an affordable cost in a more convenient, service-oriented setting. Leveraging a partnership with Centura Health, the region's largest health care leader, CHN has the resources to deliver on its vision for the future of health care. Visit coloradohealthneighborhoods.org for more information. Text CHNAPP to 77948 to download the CHN provider network directory app. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160526005909/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 26, 2016] Teleperformance Expands Global Footprint to Australia Regulatory News: Teleperformance (News - Alert) (Paris:RCF), the global leader in outsourced omnichannel customer experience management, today announced the opening of a 300 workstation contact center in Australia. Located 16 kilometers outside of Melbourne in Burwood, Victoria, the facility is close in proximity to residential communities and colleges, including Deakin University, and offers opportunities for both part and full-time employment. Teleperformance employees in Burwood will provide a broad range of services for global technology brands in the Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) market, plus English support for the Asia Pacific region. By 2017, the site is expected to double in size through growth with both local and global companies operating domestically or outside of the country. The new contact center continues to ramp-up after officially going online on March 14. In the subsequent week from its launch, the Burwood facility was able to exceed its customer satisfaction targets by double digits. "We are excited to grow our footprint in Australia and offer new opportunities to the community of Melbourne," said Paulo Cesar Salles Vasques, Worldwide Chief Executive Officer, Teleperformance Group. "The opening plays an important role in driving our continued and expanding support for the ANZ market. Thegrowth we are seeing is a testament to the professionalism and performance of our people and the superior service they provide our customers. We are really happy to welcome a new team of talented and passionate people to our Teleperformance family in Australia." "Today's announcement is a major milestone for our continued expansion into the ANZ market," said Dave Rizzo, President, Teleperformance Asia Pacific. "We are proud of the local team led by Executive Vice President Hannah Do. The success of the site is only possible due to everyone's dedication and commitment to our clients, our customers and our Burwood center. There is no doubt of more success stories to come from Burwood and Teleperformance Australia." ABOUT TELEPERFORMANCE Teleperformance (RCF - ISIN: FR0000051807 - Reuters: ROCH.PA - Bloomberg (News - Alert): RCF FP), the worldwide leader in outsourced omnichannel customer experience management, serves companies around the world with customer care, technical support, customer acquisition and debt collection programs. In 2015, it reported consolidated revenue of 3.4 billion ($3.7 billion, based on 1 = $1.11). The Group operates 147,000 computerized workstations, with close to 190,000 employees across 311 contact centers in 65 countries and serving more than 160 markets. It manages programs in 75 languages and dialects on behalf of major international companies operating in a wide variety of industries. Teleperformance shares are traded on the Euronext Paris market, Compartment A, and are eligible for the deferred settlement service. They are included in the following indices: STOXX 600, SBF 120, Next 150, CAC Mid 60 and CAC Support Services. They also have been included in the Euronext Vigeo Eurozone 120 index since December 2015, with regard of the Group's performance in corporate social responsibility For more information: www.teleperformance.com Follow us: Twitter (News - Alert) @teleperformance View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160526005819/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 25, 2016] Telecom Brokers Partners With Effortless - Signaling More Small Midsized Businesses (SMBs) Are Moving to All-in-the-Cloud Solutions SAN DIEGO, May 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Telecom Brokers' portfolio of leading edge technology providers just got a little bigger today. The Orange County based telecommunications consulting firm has been steadily growing since 1998. The addition of Effortless signals not only a new partnership for the two companies, but also shows Telecom Brokers' readiness to fuel the steady uptick in business' desire to offload the IT department's routine tasks like adding new users, upgrading software, and making simple changes to the individual users in the company. The private all-in-the-cloud model Effortless provides is one their clients claim not only saves them money on staffing, but adds additional security and freedoms they never thought possible. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372281LOGO Nancy Ridge, Executive Vice President of Telecom Brokers said, "one of the key areas Telecom Brokers and its partners serve is the SMB market. They represent one of the biggest segments of our business yet have been under-served by cloud providers. Effortless will fill that need. They bring the technology, the know-how and the focus to our SMB customers." The relationship Effortless promotes is one that alleviates a company's need for the demand on IT staffing. Even the migration is covered by the Effortless team. "Our clients don't need IT staff to do the nitty gritty anymore." said Benjamin Gayheart, Founder and President of the cloud computing and security firm headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. "With our 24-hour support and proactive monitoring of the entire business network, IT staff at the company can now focus on business-advancing projects." The company got started in the Las Vegas gaming industry, and has grown to serve SMBs across the United States and reaches industries not just in gaming, but also healthcare, legal, retail, insurance, hospitality, construction, manufacturing - and the list goes on. And their rapid growth is not at the cost of their clients; says longtime customer and famed Vegas CIO Richard Faircloth, "I am thrilled to say that Effortless is vital to our all-new resort and remains a part of the new Tropicana Las egas family." Effortless was born from the need to bring cost savings to clients during the 2008 economic downturn, a time that required decreasing costs for businesses all while upholding even more stringent compliance requirements. Gayheart says, "we got our start in one of the highest regulated industries out there - the casino gaming industry. Even before it was mandatory we were delivering the compliance requirements of PCI, HIPAA, and HITECH in our solutions to casinos up and down the strip. It was natural for us to expand to healthcare and other regulated industries with the compliance practices we have in place. Last year we even became SSAE 16 Certified." In addition to the Desktop-as-a-a-Service (DaaS) product Effortless Desktop, Effortless created a product it calls Effortless Defense. This came about as the need grew for and advanced layer of security for clients of Effortless Desktop. This product provides an added layer of security that goes beyond the expected firewall, SPAM filter, and anti-virus. It is included with every Effortless Desktop and available as a stand-alone Security-as-a-Service offering. About Telecom Brokers Founded in 1998, Telecom Brokers is a full service Technology Distributor and provider of telecom consulting and procurement services. Since then, the company has assembled a deep telecom portfolio across 60+ providers with access to 130 more, providing partners with superior access to the most compelling products to offer their business customers. In addition to traditional telecom voice, data and Internet products, including CLEC services and MPLS, the company offers a rich store of highly vetted next-generation offerings. These include convergent, cloud-enabled services and many hosted applications. These options, along with the expertise of the management and sales team, allow the flexibility needed to create custom solutions for each partner or customer that best fits them financially, operationally and strategically. About Effortless Effortless is an innovative Cloud and Security Provider, which migrates entire business infrastructures into the cloud. Effortless customers are businesses around the world that increase efficiency and save money by utilizing the solutions tailored to their business needs. Effortless brings customers into the cloud with a customized Flightplan. They start with an IT audit; then, a private cloud is built using ClearSky Environment Technology. When the cloud has been tested and approved, Effortless migrates clients' desktops, servers, applications, and the entire business network into the Effortless Cloud. Clients and their staff access this via high-level encryption from almost any Internet-enabled device. Effortless' pay-as-you-go model provides a virtual desktop solution, which includes advanced security that goes beyond web/spam filtering, anti-virus, and firewall to include signature, anomaly, and heuristic based detections. Plus, they include back-up and disaster recovery services (full redundancy and offsite servers), USA-based tech support, and much more. The company is SSAE 16 Certified and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, with additional offices and representation around the United States. Contact their Channel Manager, Sonya Meline at [email protected], for more information or to schedule an interview. For a quick video from Channel Partners News, about Effortless, see here: http://www.channelpartnersonline.com/videos/2016/03/effortless-office.aspx This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/telecom-brokers-partners-with-effortless---signaling-more-small-midsized-businesses-smbs-are-moving-to-all-in-the-cloud-solutions-300275235.html SOURCE Effortless | Telecom Brokers [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 25, 2016] RMB Adoption Improves across India HONG KONG, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Recent SWIFT data shows that India's use of RMB for payments in value with mainland China and Hong Kong is on the rise, but the country still shows one of the lowest RMB adoption rates among Asian countries/regions, ranked 38th worldwide. In April 2016, 3.8% of all payments made between India and mainland China/Hong Kong were exchanged in RMB while this was only 0.2% back in April 2014. Since 2014, the Chinese currency moved from position number six to position four for payments by value overtaking the Hong Kong dollar and the British pound. The US dollar, however, continues to lead the corridor with a share of almost 80%, followed by the Indian rupee (7.2%) and the euro (6.3%). "China has emerged over the last decade to become India's largest trading partner," says Michael Moon, Head of Payments, Asia-Pacific at SWIFT. "As a result, RMB adoption is slowly gaining traction for payments between India and China. Over time, and in line with the growing importance of this emerging trade corridor, we expect to see greater use of the RMB between these two countries. It is an exciting time for the Indian banking community. Not only are they helping to further internationalise the RMB, but are embracing new tools to support trade growth and financial sector globalisation." Earlier this year, SWIFT and nine Indian banks launched SWIFT India, a joint venture that provides domestic financial messaging service for Indian banks, global banks, securities houses and corporates. SWIFT India will support growth in automation, financial message standardisation, systems and processes for all financial market participants in India. These capabilities encompass all important infrastructure enablers that can support further development of cross-border payments for India. In April 2016, the RMB fell to position six as global payments currency by value with a share of 1.82%. The Renminbi is now trailing the Canadian dollar with a share of 1.83%, showing a minor gap between the two currencies. Overall, RMB payments value decreased by 7.73% compared to March 2016, whilst in general all payments currencies decreased by 4.60%. About SWIFT and RMB Internationalisation Since 2010, SWIFT has actively supported its customers and the financial industry regarding RMB internationalisation through various publications and reports. Through its Business Intelligence Solutions team, SWIFT publishes key adoption statistics in the RMB Tracker, insights on the implications of RMB internationalisation, perspectives on RMB clearing and offshore clearing guidelines, supports bank's commercial RMB product launches and provides in-depth analysis and business intelligence, as well as engaging with offshore clearing centres and the Chinese financial community to support the further internationalisation of the RMB. The SWIFT network fully supports global RMB transactions, and its messaging services enable Chinese character transportation via Chinese Commercial Code (CCC) in FIN or via Chinese characters in MX (ISO 20022 messages). It offers a suite of dedicated RMB business intelligence products and services to support financial institutions and corporates. In addition, SWIFT collaborates with the community to publish the Offshore and Cross-Border RMB Best Practice Guidelines, which facilitate standardised RMB back office operations. Please click here or here for more information about RMB Internationalisation or join our new 'Business Intelligence Transaction Banking' LinkedIn group. About SWIFT India SWIFT India Domestic Services Pvt Ltd ("SWIFT India") is a joint venture created by SWIFT SCRL (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication), the global banking cooperative, and (in alphabetical order) Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Canara Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India and Union Bank of India, to address domestic market needs of the Indian financial services industry. Based on proven SWIFT technology, the company provides messaging services to domestic market infrastructures, banks and corporates, enabling the financial community to exchange automated, standardised financial information securely and reliably, thereby reducing costs and risks, improving compliance and services to its customers. For more information, please refer to our website www.swiftindia.org.in. About SWIFT SWIFT is a global member-owned cooperative and the world's leading provider of secure financial messaging services. We provide our community with a platform for messaging and standards for communicating, and we offer products and services to facilitate access and integration, identification, analysis and financial crime compliance. Our messaging platform, products and services connect more than 11,000 banking and securities organisations, market infrastructures and corporate customers in more than 200 countries and territories, enabling them to communicate securely and exchange standardised financial messages in a reliable way. As their trusted provider, we facilitate global and local financial flows, support trade and commerce all around the world; we relentlessly pursue operational excellence and continually seek ways to lower costs, reduce risks and eliminate operational inefficiencies. Headquartered in Belgium, SWIFT's international governance and oversight reinforces the neutral, global character of its cooperative structure. SWIFT's global office network ensures an active presence in all the major financial centres. For more information, visit www.swift.com or follow us on Twitter: @swiftcommunity and LinkedIn: SWIFT Contacts: Cognito [email protected] +44 (0)20 7426 9400 Disclaimer SWIFT does not guarantee the fitness for purpose, completeness, or accuracy of the RMB Tracker, and reserves the right to rectify past RMB Tracker data. SWIFT provides the RMB Tracker on an 'as is' basis, and for information purposes only. As a mere informative publication, the RMB Tracker is not meant to provide any recommendation or advice. Any person consulting the RMB Tracker remains solely and fully responsible for all decisions based, in full or in part, on RMB Tracker data. SWIFT disclaims all liability regarding a person's use of the RMB Tracker. The RMB Tracker is a SWIFT publication. SWIFT 2016. All rights reserved. Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160525/8521603368-a Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160525/8521603368-b Logo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160127/8521600559Logo [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 25, 2016] Global WIFI and Powerline Adapter Market Supply and Consumption Analysis in 2016 Report PUNE, India, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- "Global and Chinese WIFI Adapter Industry, 2016 Market Research Report" and "Global and Chinese Powerline Adapter Industry, 2016 Market Research Report" are latest studies of 150 pages each, published in Jan 2016 and available in Digital Products collection of Market-Research-Reports.com. One of these reports estimate 2016-2021 WIFI Adapter Industry Cost and Profit with Market Competition of WIFI Adapter Industry by Country: (Including Europe, U.S., Japan, China etc.), By Company and Application. Complete report on WIFI Adapter market divided into 11 major chapters that offer an overview of current market scenario as well as 2021 forecasts is now available at http://www.market-research-reports.com/437887-wifi-adapter-industry. This Global and Chinese Report 2016 is a result of industry experts' diligent work on researching the world market of WIFI Adapter. The report helps to build up a clear view of the market (scenario and survey), identify major players in the industry, and analyzes the upstream raw materials, downstream clients, and current market dynamics of WIFI Adapter Industry. The report reviews the basic information of WIFI Adapter including its classification, application and manufacturing technology. This report explores global and China's top manufacturers of WIFI Adapter listing their product specification, capacity, Production value, and market share etc. The report further analyzes quantitatively 2011-2016 global and China's total market of WIFI Adapter by calculation of main economic parameters of each company. In the end, the report makes a proposal for a new project of WIFI Adapter Industry before evaluating its feasibility. Overall, the report provides an in-depth insight of 2011-2016 global and China WIFI Adapter industry covering all important parameters. Order a copy of this report at http://www.market-research-reports.com/contacts/purchase.php?name=437887. The first chapter introduces the WIFI Adapter Industry by Brief Introduction, Developent & Status of WIFI Adapter Industry. The second chapter focuses on Manufacturing Technology of WIFI Adapter, the third one gives Analysis of Global Key Manufacturers (Including Company Profile, Product Specification, 2011-2016 Production Information etc.) The forth chapter deals with 2011-2016 Global and China Market of WIFI Adapter. The chapter 5 summarizes Market Status of WIFI Adapter Industry. Partial List of Tables and Figures for Global & China WIFI Adapter Industry Figure WIFI Adapter Product Picture Table Development of WIFI Adapter Manufacturing Technology Figure Manufacturing Process of WIFI Adapter Table Trends of WIFI Adapter Manufacturing Technology Table Economic Effects to WIFI Adapter Industry Table WIFI Adapter Industry Development Challenges Table WIFI Adapter Industry Development Opportunities Figure Map of Chinese's 33 Provinces and Administrative Regions Table Selected Cities According to Industrial Orientation Figure Chinese IPR Strategy Table Brief Summary of Suggestions Table New WIFI Adapters Project Feasibility Study And more Another research titled Global and Chinese Powerline Adapter Industry, 2011-2021 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global Powerline Adapter industry with a focus on the Chinese market. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Powerline Adapter 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 2011-2016 market shares for each company. Through the statistical analysis, the report depicts the global and Chinese total market of Powerline Adapter 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 2016-2021 market development trends of Powerline Adapter 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 Powerline Adapter Industry before evaluating its feasibility. Overall, the report provides an in-depth insight of 2011-2021 global and Chinese Powerline Adapter industry covering all important parameters. Comprehensive Table of Contents and more for the report is available at http://www.market-research-reports.com/toc-437888-powerline-adapter-industry. Explore more reports on digital products industry at http://www.market-research-reports.com/cat/information-technology/digital-products-market-research. About Us: Market Research Reports is an aggregator of syndicated market research studies that offer current and future market intelligence across multiple industrial verticals through is high quality database. Market Research Reports aims to help you take business decisions accurately and on time, every time. Understanding your time constraints, we can help you find the most relevant research based on the requirements you share with us. Our customers get 24 X 7 email and phone support. Feel free to reach us at +1 888 391 5441 with your business intelligence needs. Contact: Ritesh Tiwari UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ Magarpatta city, Hadapsar Pune - 411013 Maharashtra, India. Tel: +1-888-391-5441 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 25, 2016] Yooya Names John Steere CMO; Steps Up Sales and Marketing Capability SHANGHAI, May 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Yooya has appointed John Steere as the company's Chief Marketing Officer, effective immediately. Steere returns to Greater China where he has a fifteen-year track record in marketing and advertising agency management. Working closely with Yooya CEO Rick Myers, Steere will join the company's leadership team and be responsible for leading Yooya's sales and marketing efforts across Greater China and Asia Pacific. "John brings tremendous China marketing experience to his leadership of the Yooya team," said Myers. "He will play a vital role in expanding Yooya's partnerships with leading brands and agencies in Greater China and across the region." John has had a long career in consumer and shopper marketing, digital, and strategic planning. He first arrived in Chongqing in 1984, and was most recently Regional MD for Asia Pacific at Vivid Brand, a leading shopper marketing agency that was purchased by Publicis Groupe in 2015. Prior to that, Steere was CMO at McCann Worldwide Greater Chin, as well as MD for Momentum China. John has held various management roles throughout China and Asia on both the client and agency sides, with Saatchi & Saatchi, Visa International, Gartner, and others. Steere's career successes include working with local and multinational brands to increase engagement with consumers in China and Asia Pacific. Steere was born in Vietnam and is of Chinese and American ancestry. John Possman, Chairman of Yooya, commented, "With the technology, distribution and content partnerships we already have in place, the vital next step for us was to bring on Steere, a seasoned China professional, to further drive our brand and sales efforts." John Steere said, "I'm delighted to return to China, home to the largest and most dynamic online video market in the world and nearly 500 million avid video consumers. I'm excited to be part of the Yooya mission to deliver to brands and advertisers the most effective solutions available for connecting with this amazing audience." About Yooya Yooya is one of China's fastest growing online video networks and provides comprehensive content distribution, rights management, and video-based advertising solutions. Yooya's one-stop, technology-driven approach to online video in China delivers broader distribution, better data & analytics, superior monetization, and more effective video advertising solutions. Media Contact: John Steere, Chief Marketing Officer Tel: +86 (21) 6385-8880 Email: [email protected] Website: www.yooya.co To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/yooya-names-john-steere-cmo-steps-up-sales-and-marketing-capability-300275325.html SOURCE Yooya [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 26, 2016] Group of Seven founder, Lawren Harris leads Heffel auction with pivotal masterpiece The highly anticipated early Lawren Harris canvas, Laurentian Landscape smashed presale estimates and sold for more than $2M canvas, smashed presale estimates and sold for more than E.J. Hughes saw a new artist record of $1.59M with the sale of the rare post-war masterpiece, The Post Office at Courtenay, BC saw a new artist record of with the sale of the rare post-war masterpiece, Alex Colville's exemplary Swimming Dog and Canoe broke the million dollar mark and sold above its estimate for $1.18M exemplary broke the million dollar mark and sold above its estimate for A total of 144 lots were offered in the spring auction and achieved outstanding sales of $17.2M , exceeding presale estimates of $9M to $12M VANCOUVER, May 25, 2016 /CNW/ - At its semi-annual live auction held today in Vancouver, Heffel Fine Art Auction House saw strong competition for museum-quality works on offer, resulting in notable sales and a boost for Canada's art market. Indicative of unremitting collector demand for impressive works of art, the auction totaled $17.2 million, over and above presale estimates of $9 million to $12 million (all prices are in Canadian dollars and include an 18 per cent buyer's premium). "We're ecstatic, not only with the results of the auction, but with the strong attendance at our previews," said Robert Heffel, Vice President of Heffel Fine Art Auction House. "Sharing this group of historically important works with the public is as exciting for us as seeing the pieces find their rightful homes." Interest and appreciation are unsurpassed for works by Lawren Harris, a founding member of Canada's greatest national art movement, the Group of Seven. Three important Harris paintings sold in the spring auction, led by the historic Laurentian Landscape for $2,183,000. The 1913-1914 canvas is known as a pivotal piece from the artist's extensive career and a cornerstone for the establishment of the Group of Seven. Global recognition for Harris centres not only around his works on display in an international traveling exhibition co-curated by Steve Martin, but also on the $4.6 million record-shattering sale of Mountain and Glacier at the Heffel fall 2015 live auction. Inclusive of today's sale, Heffel has sold works by Lawren Harris totaling more than $67 million. Another blockbuster in the spring sale was The Post Office at Courtenay, BC, an exceedingly rare canvas by West Coast landscape painter E.J. Hughes. The rich history of the painting and extensive bidder participation helped the work set an artist record at $1,593,000. Six works by Hughes in the auction totaled an impressive $2.14 million. Significant consignments and monumental sales over the last year validate the strength of the Canadian art market, with Heffel at the forefront. International interest in many of Canada's most treasured artists contributed greatly to the successful spring auction. Heffel is currently accepting consignments for the fall 2016 live auction in Toronto. The deadline for fall consignments is August 15, 2016. For full results and more information on the works in the spring auction, please visit www.heffel.com. About Heffel Heffel has sold more Canadian art than any other auctioneer worldwide, approaching half a billion dollars in art sales since 1978. With offices in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa and Calgary, Heffel has the most experienced team of fine art specialists in Canada and provides superior client service to both sellers and buyers internationally. SOURCE Heffel Gallery Limited [May 26, 2016] Tianjin, China, Deepens Commitment to Digital Infrastructure, Signs MOU with Current, powered by GE TIANJIN, China, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Tianjin, China, is strengthening its commitment to digital infrastructure through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with GE's energy startup Current, powered by GE. The MOU outlines the intent to explore digital solutions that extend opportunities and outcomes for the city, including a wider installation of Current's intelligent LEDs and the creation of a digital incubation center within the central business district. The proposed intelligent LED expansion follows a successful deployment of Current's connected fixtures in the central business district late last year, which have allowed the cty to broadcast critical messages or advertising on attached digital screens and quickly connect citizens to the Internet. The streetlights also reduce lighting-related energy use by more than 50 percent. The MOU aims to extend that deployment to a wider area and add sensors and software that connect to Predix, GE's cloud platform for the Industrial Internet, to pull and analyze data driving additional outcomes, such as detecting real-time traffic patterns, pointing drivers to available parking spaces, or helping emergency responders react to situations before they arrive on scene. To extend digital opportunities, the MOU also proposes a Current incubation center to facilitate ongoing innovation between city officials and Current teams and to serve as a demonstration area for businesses considering digital solutions, bringing additional investment to the region and further positioning Tianjin as a leader in progressive technology. "The city of Tianjin, together with GE China, Current and our team at the Tianjin Innovative Finance Investment Co., understand the critical need to deploy sustainable, digital infrastructure that supports urban innovation," says Li Bo, chairman of the board of Tianjin Innovative Finance Investment Co., Ltd, the city's investment partner. "The intelligent LED deployment, the first of its kind in Asia, together with the digital incubation center, will propel benefits and outcomes for residents and position Tianjin a leader in forward-thinking technology." "We look forward to continued partnership with Tianjin and its partners in the deployment of open, digital infrastructure that can be used for a variety of outcomes," says John Gordon, Current's Chief Digital Officer. "As the first in Asia to install our intelligent LEDs, Tianjin has proven itself as a progressive leader in digital adoption that holds benefit for many across the community." About GE GE (NYSE:GE) is the world's Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the "GE Store," through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. www.ge.com Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160526/0861605025-a Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160526/0861605025-b Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160526/0861605025-c [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 26, 2016] Canadian Metamaterial Technologies Inc. Acquires Silicon Valley based Rolith Inc. HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Canadian headquartered Metamaterial Technologies Inc. (MTI), a global leader in smart materials and photonics changing the way we use, interact and benefit from light, announced today, that it has acquired Silicon Valley based Rolith Inc. Rolith develops award winning nanofabrication and large surface area lithography tools. This strategic acquisition will combine MTI's strength in metamaterial applications for healthcare, aerospace, defense and energy markets, with Rolith's proprietary RML nanofabrication technology to deliver large area, next generation optical products. "Rolith Inc. will compliment MTI's capabilities and extend its market offerings. This acquisition will establish the company as a forerunner in the industry and will enhance the company's future growth and performance," said Maurice Guitton, MTI's board Chairman. "This is a strategic acquisition for MTI. One of the biggest challenges in our industry has been the absenceof viable manufacturing tools to produce large-scale, high-volume optical metamaterial products. Rolith's patented RML lithographic technology is the first of its kind and will allow us to scale-up our manufacturing to meet the industry demands." said George Palikaras, founder and chief executive officer of MTI. "Rolith has developed the award-winning NanoWeb product line and has built a solid IP portfolio that will complement MTI's." Rolith was founded by Dr. Boris Kobrin, Julian Zegelman and Prof. Mark Brongersma from Stanford University in 2008. "We are all excited to be joining MTI and its talented team. MTI is now positioned to be a leader in the commercialization of metamaterial optical products," said Boris Kobrin, founder and chief executive officer of Rolith. MTI's platform technology is gaining international attention for its ability to manipulate light in unprecedented ways. In 2014, the company signed a partnership agreement with Airbus to test and tailor its award winning technology Lamda Guard metaAIRTM as a solution to protect a pilot's vision by blocking and deflecting laser strikes. About Metamaterial Technologies Inc. Metamaterial Technologies Inc. (MTI) is a smart materials and photonics company specializing in metamaterial research, nanofabrication, and computational electromagnetics. The company has developed a new class of optical smart materials, changing the way we use, interact and benefit from light. MTI is headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia and has offices in London, England and Pleasanton, California. To learn more visit www.metamaterial.com About Rolith Rolith, Inc. is a leader in advanced nanostructured products for consumer electronics, solar and green building markets. Rolith was formed in 2008, operating from Pleasanton, California. The company holds a comprehensive patent portfolio in the areas of nanolithography, masks fabrication, material deposition and etch methods, and nanophotonic devices. For more information, visit www.rolith.com Metamaterial Technologies Inc., Cindy Roberts, 902-222-3658, [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160526/8521603411 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 26, 2016] Panaya Completes 50th SAP HANA Migration in Record Time HACKENSACK, New Jersey, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Panaya, the leader in ERP change analytics and cloud-based testing that delivers quality assurance to implement and manage ERP application changes, today announced the record time migration of its 50th HANA project. In just under 9 months, Panaya completed CSN, Companhia Siderurgica Nacional's business transformation project to SAP HANA. Using Panaya CloudQuality Suite (PCQ), a SaaS cloud platform that delivers powerful ERP change analytics and actionable recommendations to effectively plan, scope, test and report change implementation. CSN, one of the largest integrated steel companies in Latin America with shares traded on the Sao Paulo and New York stock exchanges, initially reached out to Panaya for an assessment on an EHP 7 upgrade but ultimately decided that the organization would most benefit from migrating to SAP HANA. According to the company's calculations a direct route to SAP HANA would bring greater business innovation. Using PCQ as a scientific tool to ensure objective assessment, planning and execution the organization was able to estimate time, effort and risk to better understand the business case and determine a cost. SAP HANA is a primary growth driver for its ERP applications, but businesses struggle with the business case, cost andtime a HANA project requires. Panaya's ability to reduce project time, effort and risk by more than 50% bolsters HANA adoption for SAP customers on the path to digital transformation. "CSN wanted innovation with the upgrade to SAP HANA, and using Panaya they were able to take the more direct and aggressive route, meeting their goals without a hitch," said Doron Gerstel, Panaya CEO. "Panaya CloudQuality Suite offered clear visibility from the initial assessment of the HANA upgrade, through the go live process," says Sebastiao Casagrande, IT coordinator at CSN. "Panaya's precise scope and testing accelerators ensured that we went live with no surprises." Using Panaya CloudQuality Suite, CSN Brazil's migrated to SAP HANA with an ECC6 upgrade to EHP 7 which enabled the HANA platform. Simultaneously, other systems such as HCM, BW, Portal and the ERP with Unicode were all upgraded as well with the same successful go-live date. "Panaya is helping customers pioneer their migration to HANA", says Gaby Koren, EVP Sales Americas, Panaya. "With 50 HANA migrations already completed, our customers enjoy the crowd insights of validated and proven implementations that deliver actionable recommendations to better plan, optimize and benchmark ERP changes." The next step in change for ERP is SAP S/4HANA. Early adopters of S/4HANA start with Panaya CloudQuality Suite for their SAP HANA migration. Learn more: http://go.panaya.com/s4hana-upgrade-now.html. About Panaya With Panaya, an Infosys company, organizations reach ERP agility faster - with zero time to change, zero risk, and zero defects. Panaya CloudQuality Suite enables all types of SAP and Oracle EBS changes. Panaya CloudQuality Suite delivers insights that tell you what will break, how to fix it, and what to test, helping organizations manage the testing process and collaborate between IT and business during the entire release process. Since 2008, 1,600 companies in 62 countries, including a third of the Fortune 500, have been using Panaya CloudQuality Suite to achieve ERP agility. http://www.panaya.com . Media Contact: Rafi Kretchmer VP of Marketing, Panaya +972-9-7618030 [email protected] SOURCE Panaya [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 26, 2016] Intelligent Flow Meter Market Worth 7.76 Billion USD by 2022 PUNE, India, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Intelligent Flow Meter Market by Type (Magnetic, Coriolis, Ultrasonic, Vortex, Multiphase, Thermal, Turbine, Variable Area, & Differential Pressure), Communication Protocol (PROFIBUS & HART), Application, and Geography - Global Trend & Forecast to 2022", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is expected to reach USD 7.76 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 5.4% between 2016 and 2022. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 80 market data Tables with 102 Figures spread through 224 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Intelligent Flow Meter Market" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/intelligent-flow-meter-market-53333547.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. The major factors driving the growth of the Intelligent Flow Meter Market include the benefits of accuracy, stability, and reliability offered by intelligent flow meters and high demand for these flow meters in the chemicals and water & wastewater industries. The growing industrial infrastructure activities and growing use of intelligent flow meters for diagnostic information, along with measurement data, are also supporting the growth of the market. "Intelligent flow meter market for oil & gas applications expected to grow rapidly during the forecast period" The intelligent flow meter market for oil & gas applications is expected to grow at a high rate during the forecast period. The main factor driving the growth of this market is the use of intelligent flow meters in a wide range of oil & gas processes such as oilfield services, up-stream production, pipeline detection, gas processing, distribution and utilization, and refining. However, the declining prices of oil & gas have affected the investments in the new oil & gas projects. This, in turn, has adversely affected the growth of the intelligent flowmeter market for oil & gas applications. The prices of oil & gas are fluctuating and might increase in the future, which would boost the growth of the market. "Multiphase flow meters market to have potential growth by 2022" The market for multiphase flow meters is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period. This s mainly because their ability to measure oil, gas, and water simultaneously; this makes these flow meters more effective compared to other flow meters, which measure only one fluid at a time. The multiphase flow meters are majorly used in the oil & gas and chemical applications which are largest application for the intelligent flow meter market. With a large number of shale gas projects and oil fields present in North America & RoW, the demand for these flow meters is high in these regions. "Intelligent flow meter market in APAC expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period" Intelligent flow meters are increasingly being implemented in APAC, owing to the growing demand for high-quality energy-efficient devices and the increasing number of industrial infrastructural activities. Moreover, intelligent flow meters help in saving energy as well as the maintenance cost. Implementation of intelligent flow meters helps in improving the water quality. They have applications in a wide range of industries, such as pharmaceuticals and food & beverages among others, which require high accuracy to maintain the quality and quantity. Inquiry Before Buying: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=53333547 The major companies that develop intelligent flow meters include ABB Ltd. (U.S.), Azbil Corporation (Japan), Brooks Instruments (U.S.), Emerson Electric Co. (U.S.), Endress + Hauser AG (Switzerland), General Electric Company (U.S.), Honeywell International Inc. (U.S.), Krohne Messtechnik GmbH (Germany), Siemens AG (Germany), Sierra Instruments Inc. (U.S.), and Yokogawa Electric Corporation (Japan). Browse Related Reports Flow Computer Market in Oil and Gas by Component (Hardware, Software, & Support Service), by Operation (Upstream, Midstream & Downstream), and by Geography (North America, Europe, Middle East, APAC, & Rest of the World) - Global Forecast to 2020 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/flow-computer-oil-gas-market-204499128.html Magnetic Flowmeter Market by Type (In-Line, Insertion, Low Flow), Component (Flow Tube, Sensing Electrodes), Application (Water & Wastewater, Food & Beverages, Chemicals, Pulp & Paper), and Geography - Global Trends & Forecasts from 2014 to 2020 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/magnetic-flowmeter-market-80239803.html About MarketsandMarkets: MarketsandMarkets is the world's No. 2 firms in terms of annual published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical info graphics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers. We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository. Visit MarketsandMarkets [email protected] http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/electronics-and-semiconductors Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets Contact: Mr. Rohan Markets and Markets UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ Magarpatta City, Hadapsar Pune, Maharashtra 411013, India Tel: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 26, 2016] The ATM Market Growing at 5.49% CAGR, Globally, Says 2016 Report PUNE, India, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The newly published report Global ATM Market - Insights and Analysis: Growth, Penetration and Demand Forecast to 2021 (By Value & Volume: Actual & Forecast By Region & Country; By Region-North America, Europe, APAC; By Country - USA, Canada, UK, China, India; Bitcoin ATMs; Company Analysis; Strategic Recommendations) says low penetration of ATMs in the emerging countries like India and China coupled with a growing banking population will facilitate the growth of ATM market. Complete report on ATM Market spread across 125 pages providing competitive analysis of 6 companies and 70 figures is now available at http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/560889-global-atm-market-insights-and-analysis-growth-penetration-and-demand-forecast-to-2021-by-value-volume-actual-forecast-by-region-country-by-region-north-america-europe-apac-by-country-usa-canada-uk-china-india-bitcoin-atms-company-analysis-strategic-recommendations-.html ATM penetration in the emerging countries like India and China is low and hence the market holds a lot of potential for ATM manufacturers to capitalize on the gap in the market. The banking sector in the developing nations is still in the nascent stage of technological advancement in the form of ATM installation in the nations. The initiatives by the banks and the government to include larger part of the population in the banking system will create the needed demand. The penetration rate of ATMs in these nations is far below the global average. With increasing demand for cash and low density of ATMs in the emerging nations it will be a strategic move to aggressively get a share of the market which is still large and untapped. ATM market is driven by the pattern in the currency demand in the Banking Industry. The main factor driving the ATM market is the competition among the banks to provide convenient banking to its customers. ATM market is a growing market with the increasing demand of machines in the financial sector. Globally ATM market has seen moderate pace of growth over the last five years on account of increasing number of people being incorporated in the banking system in different regions. During 2016-21, Global ATM Market is anticipated to grow at moderate rate on account of more banking population and technological advancements in the equipment. The ATM market expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.49% in the period 2016-2021 and the market is dependent on the machines sold to the Banks and to the third party operators globally. The growth in number of customer base for banks, rise in R&D of the new products also create a demand for the products resulting in steady pace of growth of the market. Company Profiled: NCR Corporation, Diebold, Incorporated, Wincor Nixdorf Aktiengesellschaft, HITACHI Ltd. and Hyosung. Order a Copy of this ATM market report at http://www.reportsnreports.com/purchase.aspx?name=560889 While the ATM Markets in China research report provides an in-depth insight on China's demand for ATM 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, import & export, consumer consumption and capital investment for over two decades. This new study examines China's economic trends, investment environment, industry development, supply and demand, industry capacity, industry structure, marketing channels and major industry participants. Historical data (2005, 2010 and 2015) and long-term forecasts through 2020 and 2025 are presented. Major producers in China are profiled. Complete report available at http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/258082-atm-markets-in-china.html Another related report is Global and Chinese ATM Machine Industry, 2015 Market Research Report; it depicts the global and Chinese total market of ATM Machine 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 ATM Machine 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 ATM Machine Industry before evaluating its feasibility. Complete report is available at http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/424124-global-and-chinese-atm-machine-industry-2015-market-research-report.html Explore other reports on banking and financial services market at http://www.reportsnreports.com/market-research/banking-services/ About Us: ReportsnReports.com is an online market research reports library of 500,000+ in-depth studies of over 5000 micro markets. Not limited to any one industry, ReportsnReports.com offers research studies on agriculture, energy and power, chemicals, environment, medical devices, healthcare, food and beverages, water, advanced materials and much more. Connect With Us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReportsnReports/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/reportsnreports Twitter: https://twitter.com/marketsreports G+ / Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/111656568937629536321/posts RSS/Feeds: http://www.reportsnreports.com/feed/l-latestreports.xml Contact: Ritesh Tiwari UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ Magarpatta city, Hadapsar Pune - 411013 Maharashtra, India. +1 888 391 5441 [email protected] SOURCE ReportsnReports [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 26, 2016] McorpCX Named a Global Customer Experience Leader by ALM Intelligence/Kennedy Research SAN FRANCISCO, May 26, 2016 /CNW/ - Customer experience solutions company McorpCX, Inc. ("McorpCX" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that ALM Intelligence (formerly Kennedy Research) has named the Company a global leader in its Digital Customer Strategy & Experience Consulting report, positioning McorpCX as highest in "Depth of Consulting Capabilities" on The Kennedy Vanguard, relative to the other providers evaluated in the report. The report was based on analysis of McorpCX's capabilities across several categories, including customer data analytics, customer insight, digital innovation and customer experience design, among others. ALM analyst Nathan Simon notes that "McorpCX stands out in particular for the depth of its capabilities in customer experience design and customer insight two areas of the market where the ability to meet clients' needs is much more dependent on providers' level of subject-matter expertise and their engagement-specific implementation capabilities than on the overall scale of their operations. This narrow but deep market position enables McorpCX to effectively serve both the SME market and the largest global corporations. "We're exceedingly pleased to be included in this report," said Michael Hinshaw, McorpCX President and CEO. "To be recognized as a 'pioneer in the customer experience movement' and 'one of the leading independent firms' is also gratifying particularly when we're being compared with global leaders such as Accenture, Bain, Deloitte, IBM and McKinsey, among others." Noting also that McorpCX is 'Best of Breed' in the Customer Experience Design capabilities matrix, Mr. Simon continued by saying the Company's "strengths include its rigorous yet adaptable frameworks, its trademarked 'touchpoint mapping' approach to developing customer insights, its skill at conducting research and integrating it into the design of the customer experience, ad its ability to help motivate organizations to effect change and work more collaboratively." "As we develop software tools for the many companies focused on radically improving their customers' experience, our business strategy has always been to leverage our leadership in the customer experience improvement space," said Lynn Davison, COO for McorpCX. "As the report noted, McorpCX has 'among the deepest strengths in the areas where it chooses to compete.' And of course, we plan to continue to do so - as we systematize our expertise in areas such as customer journey mapping, digital innovation and customer insights, supporting our planned transition to a software-first business," she concluded. About McorpCX McorpCX is a leading customer experience services company delivering consulting and technology solutions to customer-centric organizations since 2002. Touchpoint Mapping, our signature product and approach to quantifying customer experience, provides some of the world's leading companies with important insights concerning their customers by automatically mapping the complex, cross-channel maze of touchpoints that drive customer experience. A pioneer in the fast-growing customer experience services and technology sector, our proprietary approach and cloud-based software deliver actionable data and on-demand "Voice-of-the-Customer" insights to improve customer experience, brand position, customer and employee satisfaction, loyalty and engagement for leaders in financial services, retail, technology, consumer products, and other industries. Visit the Company online at http://www.mcorp.cx/ (information on our website is not part of this press release). Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of United States securities laws and applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include statements relating to the Company's business. Such statements involve assumptions relating to the Company's business, the ability of the Company to execute on its business plan, the competitive environment of the Company's products and services and the future pricing of the Company's products and services. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by these statements. Such factors include the following: general economic and business conditions, changes in demand for the Company's products and services, changes in the competitive environment and the introduction of competing software solutions by competitors, the Company's ability to complete any future required financing and the Company's dependence upon and availability of qualified personnel. Investors should refer to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for a more comprehensive discussion of the risks that are material to the Company and its business. In light of these and other uncertainties, the forward-looking statements included in this press release should not be regarded as a representation by the Company that its plans and objectives will be achieved. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the statements. 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. SOURCE McorpCX, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] What you need to know about Powerball and the $610 million jackpot Volunteer walks in honor of her husband Thousand Oaks resident Joan Hull will be among those participating in this years Conejo Valley Walk to End Alzheimers at 9 a.m. Sat., Oct. 22 at the Westlake Promenade. Hull... Overpass could get protective fencing A substantial safety upgrade for the areas most notorious overpass is finally getting some Caltrans considerationbut dont expect changes any time soon. At the Sept. 21 Moorpark City Council meeting,... Early detection is the best way to survive breast cancer Every October, we celebrate those men and women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. But what is breast cancer and how can it be diagnosed and managed? There are... You have reached a premium content area of Transitions. To read this entire article please login if you are already a Transitions subscriber. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for access to: Full access to the website, including premium articles videos, country reports and searchable archives (containing over 25,000 articles). WorldViz announced that it will be releasing plugins that add support for its Precision Position Tracking (PPT) system to the Unity and Unreal graphics engines. Integration with mainstream engines allows for consumer-grade VR HMDs to be used with WorldVizs warehouse-scale positional tracking system. WorldViz was bred from the academic research being done at the University of California and MIT in the early 2000s that studied human cognition and human perception. The founders of the company realized that VR technology was finding its way to a new medium and started commercializing the VR tech 2002. Peter Schlueer, WorldViz President, told us that the company started selling directly to academic research facilities, but customers now include Fortune 500 companies such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin. WorldViz is able to build large-scale VR and 3D installations for visualizing huge projects at true one to one scale. For example, Boeing uses the PPT system in a large warehouse-scale setup that enables it to visualize its airplanes before building them. The WorldViz PPT system is capable of tracking spaces as large as 50 x 50 meters, which is ten times the size of the HTC Vives maximum tracked area. It is also capable of tracking as many as 10 objects. Schlueer told us that practically any object can be tracked--it just needs to have a light marker installed. The WorldViz PPT system does its position tracking using flickering LED lights. Each marker has two lights that flicker at specific intervals. Schlueer said that each marker functions at a different frequency, which lets the PPT system tell which object is which. The WorldViz PPT system is versatile, capable of being setup as a power wall. This scenario uses short throw 3D projectors that project onto one wall, and you use active 3D shutter glasses with a PPT marker attached to them to track your movement. Schlueer said that a power wall installation can be set up with as few as two PPT cameras. Businesses can also choose to project onto multiple walls to create a poor mans VR system. With projectors on three walls, WorldViz PPT can project 3D objects that you can walk around in the room. Room-scale setups require at least four cameras, and the system can scale as you add more cameras. For a VR setup, WorldViz offers a number of different possibilities. You can have installations with multiple different brands of HMD used at once (we experienced a demo of this tech in action at GTC earlier this year). WorldViz can build large warehouse-scale systems that are powered with laptops in backpacks. Customers that require more graphics processing power than a traditional desktop or laptop can provide can opt to cluster multiple PCs together for even more rendering power. The tradeoff for a system like this would be limited range, although Schlueer told us WorldViz can extend HMD cabling up to 15 meters beyond their default range. The PPT system isnt new. It has been available to companies using industrial VR HMDs and 3D glasses for some time using the company's proprietary Vizard development platform. However, the Unity and Unreal plugins that the company is releasing next month will make it easier to work with consumer grade hardware. Unity and Unreal Engine already have native support for the Oculus Rift and Gear VR, HTC Vive, and Playstation VR. Both platforms have also announced support for Googles upcoming Daydream reference designs. WorldVizs plugins make the PPT system compatible with all of these different devices. WorldViz said that PPT system communicates wirelessly. The cameras scan for the lights emitted from the markers at 240 Hz, and the tracking data is sent back to the computer via Wi-Fi technology. Schlueer said that the position tracking data requires so little bandwidth that it doesnt cause any additional latency. The company does offer the ability to have a system dedicated to processing the tracking data and a separate unit for rendering, but both workloads can be done with the same machine for less demanding applications. The WorldViz Precision Position Tracking System is available now. Packages start at $15,000 and go up depending on how many cameras you wish to add. The Unity and Unreal plugins will be available before the end of June. Follow Kevin Carbotte @pumcypuhoy. Follow us on Facebook, Google+, RSS, Twitter and YouTube. When Guy Sebastian made his triple j debut last week, entering the national youth broadcasters studios to perform an acclaimed Like A Version with producer Paces, there was only one name on everybodys lips: Shannon Noll. Yes, despite rave reviews across the board for Guys stellar vocal chops, we still havent forgiven him for robbing Nollsy of his rightful place as our Australian Idol all those years ago. It seems hes always the overlooked one. So what does Nollsy think of Guys Like A Version appearance? Well, he didnt actually get to hear it. Speaking to triple js Veronica and Lewis, the Aussie legend admitted he was too busy driving to his next gig, presumably in a big, black, shiny car. After touching on his experience playing Perths Ship-Wrecked! Music Festival (he didnt let a bit of rain spoil his good time), the hosts finally asked Nollsy what he would cover if he was invited to do Like A Version. Nollsy offered what is perhaps the most Nollsy answer possible: Weve been doing a cover of Waltzing Matilda, which I quite enjoy, a bit of a punk version of Waltzing Matilda, it goes over pretty good. A punk rock cover of Waltzing Matilda on Like A Version? You heard the man, Richard Kingsmill, get on that one quick. Check out Nollsys full chat with Veronica and Lewis below or via the triple j website. Its all in the name: Dark Mofo. Australias darkest music and arts event, happening in the darkest season, and bringing together some of the worlds darkest acts. But organisers are going all out this year, announcing Hymns to the Dead, which theyve described as the darkest music we could find, which is really saying something. With performances from Prague death metal outfit Cult of Fire, Swedish progressive black metal favourites Tribulation, and more, youre not going to want to be the only one not in black. To help you navigate through all the darkness, weve gone ahead and put together a guide to Hymns to the Dead, so that you can find your way at Australias darkest, heaviest, music event. Wear black, bring earplugs, witness dark lords shaking the stage and possibly some plaster off the ceiling, at the Odeon Theatre. Cult of Fire Hailing from Czech Republic, and here as an Australian Exclusive for Dark Mofo, dark kings Cult of Fire have been mixing their epic brand black metal with throat singing and early Esoteric, Hinduism influenced ideologies since their formation in 2010. With the release of their Triumvirat debut last year, the band exploded onto the scene, now armed with their second album, , (Ironbonehead Productions) Cult Of Fire stand poised to drag iconic old sounds into a much darker future. Tribulation Swedish death metal collective Tribulation are known for unleashing reverb laden guitar infused music with prog inspirations, crafting their own death-prog metal sound. Strangely retro in their song crafting, its hard to pin the four piece to a particular era. Though forming only 11 years ago, listening to their 2015 single The Motherhood of God youd be forgiven for believing the band travelled from the mid-late 80s to the present day in some dark-art/witchcraft powered time machine. Dead Congregation 12 years ago Athens, Greece gave birth to one of its darkest children to have ever lived the one and only Dead Congregation. Coming to formation after the bands lead guitarist and vocalist Anastasis Valtsanis left the crust punk band Nuclear Winter. After shaking the crust punk ethos and discovering a love for and incorporating influences from the early Swedish death metal scene, Valtsanis Dead Congregation was born. According to Dead Congregation themselves creating darkness and blasphemy is the bands only goal. Inverloch Local addition to the Hymns to the Dead line up, Melbournes doom metal four piece Inverloch prove that here in Australia were as dark as the rest of them! Since the demise of Australias diSEMBOWELMENT in 1993, a void has formed for that bands epic blend of slow atmospherics and blasting brutality. Few have succeeded in channeling this legacy, until Melbournes INVERLOCH (featuring 2/4 of the legendary diSEMBOWELMENT) took the global stage in the late 2000s. The band played their first-ever show at the legendary Roadburn Festival in The Netherlands, and have been lauded worldwide for their ability to challenge the boundaries of heaviness beyond breaking point. Dark Mofo: Hymns to the Dead Wednesday 15 June Odeon Theatre, Hobart Tickets and info As everyone speculates about the possible meaning of some very mysterious projections going on in London and New York, its been confirmed that The Strokes are set to drop new music tomorrow. The band, who will soon be in the country as part of Splendour In The Grass, have not released any new music since 2013s Comedown Machine, though rumours have persisted ever since. As Consequence of Sound reports, frontman Julian Casblancas will debut a new Strokes song on his SiriusXM radio program, which will air its first episode at 10am EST Thursday, 26th May. A promo for Culture Void claims the show will feature the world premiere of brand new music from The Strokes. Naturally, the news has fans very excited. That is, those fans who arent currently wrapped up in the mystery of some mysterious projections spotted throughout London and New York City, advertising a project dubbed Future Present Past. The website of Cult Records, Casablancas record label, currently features a Strokes logo with the hashthag #FuturePresentPast and the labels Instagram has shared footage of the projections. A survivor of last years terrorist attack on Paris Bataclan theatre has issued a heartfelt response to Eagles of Death Metal frontman Jesse Hughes, who was performing inside the venue when three gunmen wearing suicide belts entered the theatre. Since the attacks, Hughes has been vocal about his position on radical Islam and gun control, voicing several incendiary opinions and theories, most recently in an interview with conservative outlet Takis Mag, prompting a response from a fellow Bataclan survivor. Originally taking to Facebook, Ismael El Irakis lengthy, eloquent post has since been syndicated by The Guardian. After sharing his passionate love for rock music and Hughess band, El Iraki addresses the frontmans recent comments. So you say the security crew was in on it and was warning every Arab they saw. See, as you can see on this picture some guy took at the scene a few minute before your show began, I happen to be an Arab and to look very much like one, he writes. I got a big black curly beard and the skin tone to match it. I also happen to live and breathe rock n roll. It is, my wifes love aside, the single most important thing in my life. So of course, that warm November night, I was among the crowd at the Bataclan. As I said I live and breathe rock n roll, and I could not look more Muslim if I tried. But apparently, the big bad Muslim conspiracy missed me. Damn, they forgot to warn me. They also forgot to warn Djamila, and all the other Arabs who got shot and killed that very night. They forgot to warn my fellow Moroccan Amin, who was shot that very night. Apparently, a few weeks later, the also forgot to warn Leila, another fellow Moroccan, who got killed in the Ouagadougou attack. Silly international Muslim conspiracy. [include_post id=465300] El Iraki then describes the actions of Didi, a Muslim present at the Bataclan on that fateful evening who was responsible for saving the lives of several people that night by opening the left front door most of us got out of. You know what he did, this Arab guy, this Muslim? He opened the left front door, let a shitload of people out, and then, while he was safe and sound in the street outside, HE WENT BACK IN. He turned back, and headed back in to save more people, El Iraki writes. He was a fucking hero. An unarmed, red-blooded, real-life fucking hero that you just insulted with your racist, hateful comments. You, who are not a hero. You who are, just like me, just a regular guy who happened to be caught in an awful situation Just come back to the real spirit of rock n roll, El Iraki concludes, which is that a good rock show should make you wanna fuck or fight. Not rally a nasty conservative politician. Read the whole incredible post via The Guardian. AMID WHAT COULD BE AN UPCOMING SUMMER OF VIOLENCE, KANSAS CITY MAYOR SLY CONFRONTS MORE OPPOSITION TO NEW DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES IN THE AFTERMATH OF POLICE CUT NEWS!!! THE PROSPECT OF INCREASED KANSAS CITY VIOLENCE AS POLICE BUDGET ARE CUTS THREATEN TO DESTROY WHAT'S LEFT OF MAYOR SLY'S POLITICAL CAPITAL!!! The recent slate of tax cuts and development deals that seems to come at the cost of more police officers on violent local streets is finally starting to take its toll on Mayor Sly's popularity.To wit . . .More to the point . . . Extension of a troubled streetcar line is a no go along with more development subsidy given public perception that these economic development schemes come at the cost of officers protecting local streets. In fairness, supporters of the mayor are working hard to "educate" the public on the shell game of city hall finances that they contend proves this theory incorrect.Additionally . . . Kansas City violence seems to be trending upward and the Mayor's economic development agenda hasn't done much to benefit the urban core despite big money promises for more development on 18th & Vine . . . Reality . . . Very little of that cash will arrive in time to create jobs or inspire economic growth.And so . . .Consequences . . .Like it or not, it seems Mayor Sly might finally be held accountable for a city hall budget that places development above public safety.You decide . . . TKC FACT CHECK: MOST OF THE DWEETS POSTING CROPPED AND PHONY PIX OF KANSAS CITY AIRPORT LINES ARE WORKING WITH CONSULTANTS ATTEMPTING TO GENERATE FAKE BUZZ AGAINST MCI!!! THE CONVENIENCE OF KCI ISN'T ABOUT FLYING . . . IT'S THE MCI ROUNDABOUT DESIGN THAT ALLOWS KANSAS CITY RESIDENTS TO DROP-OFF THEIR PAIN-IN-THE-A$$ GUESTS WITHOUT HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE AIRPORT THAT STAYS WINNING!!! It seems that very real complaints and controversy over long airport lines in bigger, better cities have now provided an opportunity for a bit of Kansas City social media rhetoric disguised as grassroots sentiment.To wit . . .Don't take TKC's word for it . . .and see a lot of former media people, brand new twitter fakers, engineering firm workers and consultants laboring as shills on the doomed and abandoned project.But even a few of the real complains only reveal lines that don't really look so bad . . .. By contrast, a line even a couple dozen deep in Kansas City simply doesn't compare to the disaster at other airports.Once again, Kansas City social media denizens attempt to compare their lives to much nicer metropolitan areas and. This envious and self-hating posture is much older than social media but reminds us of the inherent Kansas City inferiority complex which ignores all the great things about this town that have nothing to do with the will of minor league politicos and corporate overlords.But here's the kicker and something that these fake complainers can't answer . . .Cropped shots of long lines that really aren't that long do not convince . . . Instead, what's clear is that the consultant and troll class continue to push for a new airport and aren't afraid to piggy-back on a right-wing news meme in order to get their way. This bit ofis especially troubling given that most of these folks are liberals and Democratic Party elite who wouldn't otherwise challenge the Obama Administration and its TSA.Sadly, getting paid to spam comments is more commonplace in Kansas City as development dweebs grow more desperate given the Mayor's fading popularity and so many other setbacks confronting his agenda.You decide . . . The intercommunal talks for a solution to the Cyprus issue, energy issues, regional developments and joint cooperation of Greece and Cyprus with third countries dominated a meeting between Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Cyprus President Nicos Anastasia The intercommunal talks for a solution to the Cyprus issue, energy issues, regional developments and joint cooperation of Greece and Cyprus with third countries dominated a meeting between Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades on Wednesday, at Maximos Mansion. During the meeting Tsipras and Anastasiades also discussed the refugees issue, aspects of EU-Turkey relations as well as the contacts of the two leaders during the United Nations World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul. "I welcome you at a crucial and interesting period for our region, for Europe, for Greece and Cyprus, especially lately that they are a pillar of stability in a widely troubled region," Tsipras said. "Our close cooperation and the promotion of initiatives of tripartite cooperation have turned Greece and Cyprus into an essential pillar of economic cooperation, peace and stability and I think that this role give us an advantage to see better conditions in the effort to solve the Cyprus problem always according to the rules of the international law," the prime minister said, however, noting that "this is a road with ups and downs." "I am pleased that we are able to follow a policy with cautiousness as well as determination. I think that we will succeed to focus on those critical goals, because a solution must, above all, be a fair solution," Tsipras underlined. On his part, Anastasiades praised Greece as it closes a long chapter of uncertainty and difficulties and underlined that if the government continues with the same determination, then the days of hope are ahead. He added that during his meeting with Tsipras he will have the opportunity to discuss the role Greece and Cyprus can play as partners. Source: ANA-MPA RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report "Greece and Cyprus, Cyprus and Greece are perfectly coordinated in terms of resolving the Cyprus issue", Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos on Wednesday said during his meeting with Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades "Greece and Cyprus, Cyprus and Greece are perfectly coordinated in terms of resolving the Cyprus issue", Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos on Wednesday said during his meeting with Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades at the Presidential Mansion. A solution to the Cyprus issue can only exist on the basis of the decisions of the United Nations' institutions and particularly the Security Council as well as on the basis of the EU acquis. Anastasiades said that his visit in Athens is part of the programme on the exchange of views regarding the course of the negotiations and the next moves. He also expressed the hope "for a sincere dialogue which will allow us to transform the existing differences". He concluded: "Modern states with guarantees and guarantors can't exist." Mr. Anastasiades underlined that in order for a solution to the Cypriot dispute to be viable the Turkish Cypriot side must abandon its unscrupulous tactics. The Cypriot President added that the Turkish Cypriot side must then provide answers regarding territorial adjustment and guarantor powers. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Tourexpi, turizm haberleri, Reiseburos, tourism news, noticias de turismo, Tourismus Nachrichten, , travel tourism news, international tourism news, Urlaub, urlaub in der turkei, , holidays in Turkey, , global tourism news, dunya turizm, dunya turizm haberleri, Seyahat Acentas, This site is best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0+, at a minimum screen resolution of 1024 x 768. GFH Financial Group (GFH) has announced plans to list its Khaleeji Commercial Bank (KHCB) at the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) to unlock its market potential. The listing is subject to obtaining regulatory approvals in Bahrain, said GFH Group CEO Hisham Alrayes said during a presentation at the DFM on GFH Future Prospects, which was attended by the shareholders, investors and brokers. "We are hoping to list Khaleeji Commercial Bank on DFM (Dubai Financial Market), which will help increase the value of the bank, and to offer fee-based financial services, helping to diversify our revenue base," Alrayes said. Alrayes did not say when the Dubai listing might take place or give further details of the share offer. GFH owns a 47 percent stake in Khaleeji worth $78.6 million based on its stock price in Bahrain, according to Thomson Reuters data. In addition, Alrayes briefed the audience about GFHs financial results and comparative performance as well as GFHs intention to undertake Islamic Financial institution license in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) in partnership with Abu Dhabi Financial Group (ADFG). GFH also confirmed that the process of identifying potential acquisition targets within the regional financial industry is ongoing, and this formed part of the group strategy. An Islamic financial firm, Bahrain-based GFH is itself listed on three Gulf bourses: Bahrain, Dubai and Kuwait. It is often the most heavily traded stock in Dubai. Crippled by the global financial crisis in 2008, GFH went through several debt restructurings. Alrayes said the company was now wanted to be regarded by investors as a financial holding company rather than an investment bank. The company aims to generate around 15 percent of its income over the next two years from real estate investments, which will be managed by a new Dubai-based operation called GFH Real Estate. It is currently involved in property projects in Bahrain, Dubai, India and Tunisia. Its private equity operation is looking at possible deals in the US, Britain and Saudi Arabia, Alrayes said without giving details. Last October GFH agreed to acquire a US industrial real estate portfolio in a deal worth $125 million, and in May last year it said it would buy a mall in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah for $48 million. - TradeArabia News Service and Reuters German exports to Iran, especially of machines and equipment, rose significantly in the first quarter following the removal of international sanctions against the Islamic Republic, government data showed on Thursday. Exports to Iran surged by 7 per cent year-on-year in the January-March period to 500 million ($558.85 million), the Federal Statistics Office said. This compares with a 0.7 per cent rise in overall, year-on-year German exports in the same period. "This is quite reasonable," said Michael Tockuss, head of the German-Iranian Chamber of Commerce. "Machines and equipment are doing exceptionally well, but also grain and wheat." For decades before sanctions were imposed, Germany was Iran's biggest trading partner. The gap in Iranian imports from Germany and other Western countries was subsequently filled by Chinese, Korean and Middle Eastern competitors. German industry anticipated a steep rise in exports to Iran after world powers lifted crippling sanctions against the Islamic Republic in January in return for Tehran's compliance with a deal to curb its nuclear ambitions. However, Tockuss said great expectations arising from the nuclear deal have been dampened by difficulties in financing as Western banks remain reluctant to do business in Iran for fear of transparency issues that could lead to fines. The Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) said in February it was still concerned about what it called Iran's failure to address the risk of terror financing and the serious threat this poses to the global financial system. "The whole big euphoria that existed a few months ago has evaporated a little bit," said Tockuss. "This is mainly because of the big difficulties with financing." He added that Iran had shown interest in large-scale projects to build refineries and petrochemical factories and cement plants, but was unable to finance such undertakings with credit from foreign banks. "Its own banks lack liquidity. They are dependent on our banks to finance projects," Tockuss said. Despite such difficulties, he said, Germany should expect business with Iran to outperform activity with most other emerging markets. German exports to Iran could reach 2.5 to 3 billion ($2.79 to $3.35 billion) this year, up from 2 billion ($2.23 billion) in 2015, he added. Germany's Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) expects exports to Iran to reach 5 billion ($5.58 billion) in the coming years and reach twice that figure in the long term. - Reuters The bilateral trade between Qatar and Saudi Arabia amounted to QR6.94 billion ($1.90 billion) in 2015, according to data provided by Qatar Chamber. Qatars imports from Saudi Arabia were at QR5.11 billion ($1.40 billion), while its exports stood at QR1.83 billion ($502.6 million) last year, said the Peninsula Qatar report. Saudi Arabia was the second biggest source of imports after the UAE in the GCC region, as per the Quarterly Bulletin on the Foreign Merchandise Trade Statistics- First Quarter 2016, released recently by the Minister of Development Planning and Statistics, it said. Qatar imports a number of items from Saudi Arabia, including livestock, milk products, iron structures and other metal products, chemicals and other food items. The bilateral trade between the two countries is expected to increase in coming years as both countries have taken steps to boost trade, added the report. Technip, a world leader in engineering for the energy industry, was awarded a contract by Taiwans CTCI to provide basic engineering and proprietary equipment for a grassroots ethylene cracking furnace at the Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Complex in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. CTCI Corporation is the largest engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firm in Taiwan. Technip was awarded this project for its best proposal and because of its high-capacity, high availability, gas cracking applications, said a statement from the company. The furnace design will be based on Technips proprietary USC furnace technology, it said. Technips operating centre in Milton Keynes, UK, will execute the project, which is scheduled for completion in 2017, it added. As a world leader in gas monetization, refining and petrochemicals, Technip has a strong expertise in proprietary equipment, technologies and licensing, said the statement. CTCI Corporation is providing the EPC of Saudi Kayans new cracking furnace, it stated. Stan Knez, president, Technip Stone & Webster Process Technology, said: As the largest ethylene licensor and contractor, we are pleased that our USC furnace technology was selected for this important ethylene expansion project. The technology has an outstanding track record with more than 60 installations for gas cracking in the last decade, he said. Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Company is an affiliate of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic), a public company based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with 70 per cent of the company shares owned by the Saudi Arabian government and 30 per cent held by private investors. TradeArabia News Service Panda !! Panda !! Panda !! Normally, people are fond of the famous cartoon character Kungfu Panda. If you admire these cute animals and love to see them and can travel any long distance only to have their one look, then the best suggestion is to visit Shenshuping Panda Center. This Panda center is located in the southwest china which was opened this week. Once you reach this panda center, you will scream in excitement after having a look at the very cute pandas (Awww..). You can find pandas relaxing-playing-enjoying and much more. You will also imagine staying with them enjoying without any remembrance of worldly matters, especially the children who likes the cartoon character KUNGFU PANDA The Shenshuping Panda Center has 59 giant pandas residents, seven of whom are cubs born last year. The center is part of the Wolong National Natural Reserve, a protected area in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province, a mountainous region that stretches across 200,000 hectares. The Wolong national natural reserve has been from 1963. Due to the earthquake in 2008 the reserve was damaged. Wolong has nearly 4000 wildlife habitats, the giant pandas, red pandas and golden monkeys are also included in this National natural reserve. It is truly an excitement if you think of visiting such a tremendous place where it has species more than ever thought off. About 100,000 people visit these animals each year, Pandas are the most attractive animals in the whole of the Wolong national natural reserve. The pandas are kept in semi-natural enclosures, either found sleeping in trees, enjoying their time or munching on bamboo. "The main reason for opening this Panda centre is not only to take a selfie with the cute loving pandas but also responsible for artificially bred pandas, wildness training, and reintroduction, and provide support for scientific research and protection of Pandas" Li Desheng, deputy director of Wolong National Natural Reserve Administration, told CNN. The giant pandas population is very less in number around the globe. So, humans need to protect the right of these cute animals by appropriate measures to enable these animals to enjoy the nature. Enjoy (Kungfu) Panda live in Wolong National natural reserve, China. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 Your summer vacation can be memorable this summer. Dine with the Giraffes or drink wine in an ice glass. Sounds weird? Then, check-in to these weird hotels. 1. The Dog Bark Park Inn , Idaho, US Amazing work from a self-taught chainsaw artist who has been carving for over thirty years. The Dog Bark Park Inn hotel owned by Chainsaw artists is more attractive and one of the unusual types Park Inns of US. Uniqueness: Dog Bark Park is home to Toby and Sweet Willy, the World's Two Biggest Beagles. Toby, a 12-foot tall beagle statue, was built by Dog Bark Park artists Dennis Sullivan and Frances Conklin. 2. The Marmara Antalya, Antalya, Turkey Explore the views of Mediterranean as you experience the smooth rotation of this hotel. This 2750-ton building is built in such a way that it floats in a tank of water. This masterpiece of engineering is situated on the Falez Cliffs near Antalaya, Turkey. It has 208 rooms looking over the Mediterranean Sea, the Taurus Mountain and city of Antalya. Uniqueness: It is the world first revolving hotel. Floating in a pool of 478 tons of water and energized with 6 electrical motors. It has the capacity to turn whole 360 degrees several times a day. Ice hotel in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, the first one in the world to be opened 20years ago. A hotel and art exhibition made of ice from the river Torne, each year reincarnated in a brand new design. A place to discover silence, northern lights, glistening snow-clad forests, reindeer, cloudberries, kettle coffee and much more. Visitors can sleep on a bed, drink in a glass made of snow and ice. The temperature is below minus 6 degree Celcius. Uniqueness: The entire building melts and is reconstructed every year with the unique themes. Giraffe Manor is an exclusive boutique hotel, set in 12 acres of private land within 140 acres of indigenous forest in the Langata suburb of Nairobi. As one of Nairobi's most iconic buildings, Giraffe Manor has an extraordinary appeal that harks back to the 1930s when European visitors first flocked to East Africa to enjoy safaris. Uniqueness: Enjoy the company of Giraffes while having their lunch or dinner. The long necks and closer view of this man loving animals will fascinate you about this hotel. 5. Hotel Marques De Riscal, Elciego, Spain This masterpiece was created by Frank Gehry in 2006 to house the Hotel Marques de Riscal that has become a highly sought after contemporary, luxury retreat. Design, art, gastronomy, wine and the lush landscape all combine to create a memorable sojourn at The City of Wine. It has 43 rooms and two sections connected by spectacular suspended footbridge. Uniqueness: The wafting titanium ribbon-shaped canopies are aesthetic in appeal. They act like sunshade and temperature modulators as it is located on the sunny hilltop. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 Shanghai Disneyland's official launch is set on June 16 in the city's Pudong district and the government has released an etiquette guide for tourists and locals who are planning to see Mickey Mouse and the gang. Following the uncivilized behavior of the locals during the park's trial opening this month, the officials of China deemed it necessary to create six rules to make sure that the visitors will behave while in the park, South China Morning Post reported. Tourists are warned against littering, defacing public facilities, vandalizing, cutting in line, damaging the landscape and even lying down on the ground. Proper decorum needs to be observed while in the $5.5 billion park. Even prior to its opening, the theme park had its fair share of drama when visitors around Disneytown trampled plants, carved graffiti on lamp posts, picked flowers, left rubbish everywhere and some even urinate around the area. These people are merely peering into the buildings that aren't open yet, Mail Online reported. Apart from that, scalpers increased the ticket prices when it was on sale in late March. Curious visitors also caused damage to the park's metro station that was opened in late April. About 17 million crowds are expected to visit the park every year. With that, emergency crowd control drills will be conducted in order to address potential risks in the area, China Daily reported. Shanghai Disney Resort is a joint venture between Disney and China's Shanghai Shendi Group. The park incorporates the traditional Shikumen-style architecture of China. It even re-imagined Chinese zodiac signs into 12 Disney and Pixar characters. This Disney theme park is the first to open in the last 10 years which is bigger than the Disneyland in HongKong and Tokyo. Over 20,000 people have stormed #ShanghaiDisneyland over the weekend. They are treating this park like trash. pic.twitter.com/qr7UiLLUJI Dakota McKinnon (@daykota) May 3, 2016 See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 ISIS has been a savior to Raqqa inhabitants. However, instead of being appreciative of ISIS' efforts, Raqqa inhabitants are allegedly turning their backs on ISIS. ISIS is believed to had been the savior of Raqqa inhabitants since 2013, as reported in CNN Edition. The Syrian Democratic Forces are aided by the United States. These forces are a group of Kurdish, Assyrian, Christian, Arab trial and other forces, as reported in CNN Edition. However, the Syrian forces are over empowered by the Kurdish YPG, the famous defense units. The Kurdish armed force is a multi-ethnic group. This means that the Kurdish group is made up of members coming from different races and cultures. Thus, the Arabs of Raqqa have reasons to be concerned about the intentions of the Kurdish armed force in a post-ISIS incident Syria. The Syrian Democratic Forces are believed to have announced that the Northern Raqqa Liberation Campaign make it a goal to free Syrians from ISIS aggravation, according to Independent UK. It is not clear whether or not the rebels are going to take on Raqqa City. Raqqa City has been a sort of Islamic state capital since 2014, as reported also in Independent UK. Rojda Felat revealed in a statement that: "The Raqqa Liberation Brigade and Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) forces will accompany SFD during the campaign." The United States would allegedly support armed groups to overthrow ISIS in its de facto capita city of Raqqa, as reported in Aljazeera.com. The Iraqi forces, though, have attacked against the extremist group backing of Falluja. Falluja is located just on the western side of Baghdad. Simultaneously, the Syrian Democratic Forces are on their way to distribute its clearance to the northern countryside of Raqqa, a de facto capital of ISIS. It is believed that the nearer people see the conflict as it is, the less clear the situation becomes. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 As the world celebrates Africa Day this week to honor the day 30 independent African countries that signed a founding charter in Ethiopia, let us look into the different areas in Africa that could be your next travel destination The tourism industry in Africa is growing and is forecasted to grow four percent this year by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation and it is even the focus on the recent Tourism Indaba held in Durban. Searches to African countries are on the rise, with travellers gravitating towards these destinations. But its not just international travellers that are flocking to the continent our data shows that travel within African countries is also strong, said Andrew Shelton, managing director of Cheapflights.co.za. Searches for inbound travel dominate in the United Kingdom and Germany with 14 percent and 13 percent respectively. Aside from the two, other European countries that consider the continent as a holiday destination are Sweden, Denmark and France. South Africa is the top African destinations for international travellers with Cape Town and Johannesburg dominating the top positions. The top ten searched African destinations include Marrakech, Casablanca, Mauritius and the Mahe Island in the Seychelles, all appear alongside business destinations like Accra and Lagos. We also see Egypt appearing as the third most searched African destination by international travellers so far in 2016. We saw a double digit drop in the days immediately after the recent EgyptAir tragedy, which we hope is a short lived reaction for a destination where tourism is such a vital industry, said Shelton, according to Independent Online. Outbound travel from South Africa is mostly headed to Mauritius, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, the Seychelles, Morocco, Victoria Falls and Harare. Meanwhile, the least popular African countries for travel from South Africa are Uganda, Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo. These are the 10 Top African destinations on 2016, according to Traveller24.News24: 1. Mauritius 2. Zimbabwe 3. Namibia 4. Tanzania 5. Mozambique 6. Zambia 7. Madagascar 8. Seychelles 9. Morocco 10. Kenya See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 A private jet company that reinvents the aviation brokerage model with it's membership (TRAVPR.COM) UNITED STATES - May 26th, 2016 - New York, NY, May 26, 2016 - Encore Jets, LLC based at a midtown office in Manhattan enter the private jet brokerage industry with their bold and unique business model. Operating as a full service private aviation company, Encore Jets proposes a membership program specializing on direct, or wholesale access for its members. This is a completely new approach compared to the traditional private jet brokerage, which generate the majority of their revenue from in house fees and mark ups. In today's private jet world, the typical process for a client to book a private jet charter is through a brokerage. For consulting, arranging and executing the charter arrangement with operating companies, or companies that actually own and manage the aircraft, brokerages add their in house mark ups, broker fees and hidden costs. These costs and additional expenses account for 20-50% of the average private jet charter cost when presented to the final client. Encore Jets seeks to eliminate this traditional brokerage approach by emphasizing no mark ups, no broker fees, or hidden costs for its members. This means they connect you directly with over 3,000 aircraft operators worldwide and relay the price directly from them. According to Encore Jets President, Sami Belbase, "Our goal is to eliminate the mistrust in the $18 billion dollar industry between brokers, vendors and end clients. A broker's financial incentive will always compromise the best interest of the client. This must change and this is exactly why our membership model was born." Their transparent membership model was recently introduced in April of 2016 starts at $10,000 annually for individuals and $25,000 for corporations. Encore Jets was founded in 2015 by Sami Belbase and Christopher Bannister. Since their launch, they have opened their most recent location in the bustling Times Square of New York City. To learn more about Encore Jets or to book a charter visit their website or call 646-357-3130. ### When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 26 Scoot Airlines country head Bharath Mahadevan said the fare between Amritsar and Singapore had been reduced from Rs 5,100 to Rs 3,300 for nearly six hours journey. Addressing mediapersons here today, he said passengers could undertake journey at unbelievably low rate for four days a week from the next month. The Scoot team today celebrated the successful commencement of flights to Amritsar. Scoot Airlines had commenced three times weekly services to Amritsar from May 24. The airlines would increase frequency with an additional Monday service from July, restarting the Singapore-Amritsar route for the SIA Group. Mahadevan said, Given its youthful population with strong travel aspirations, India is an exciting market for an airline like Scoot. Our airline is the preferred choice of savvy travellers, who appreciate the combination of affordable airfares, a superior product and an unrelenting focus on safety. Chief commercial officer for Scoot and Tigerair, Leslie Thng, said, India is one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world. Scoot is excited to present exceptional value, an empowering selection of customization options, including in flight connectivity and in-seat power, as well as service with Scootitude to travellers flying into and out of India. He said, Guests from India can now fly to amazing destinations in our Asia-Pacific network through the Singapore hub, as well as onward with Singapore Airlines, SilkAir and Tigerair in the SIA Group portfolio. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), India is projected to be the worlds third largest air passenger market by 2031 with a total of 367 million passengers by 2034, an extra 266 million annual passengers compared to today, he added. Scoot also commenced daily Singapore-Chennai service on May 24. The airline will commence four times weekly Singapore-Jaipur service from October. Meanwhile, city-based NGO Amritsar Vikas Manch (AVM) welcomed the start of Singapore-Amritsar airline service. AVM president Kulwant Singh said the flight would bolster the cargo service from Amritsar airport. Tribune News Service Srinagar, May 26 The Army today foiled an infiltration bid on the Line of Control (LoC) in North Kashmirs Nowgam sector. In the operation three unidentified militants have been killed so far and the operation is still on. Security sources claim that so far this year the infiltration figure has been more than that of the entire last year. In 2015, 35 militants had infiltrated and this year so far, sources said, 40 had already been able to sneak into the Valley to step up violence along with the local militants. There are certain security agencies that put the number of infiltrating militants this year much higher. The latest gunfight erupted in the dense forest of Tutmar Gali in the Nowgam sector, 120 km northwest of Srinagar, when the Armys 35 Rashtriya Rifles battalion reportedly intercepted a group of freshly infiltrated militants close to the Anti Insurgency Obstacle System (AIOS). When they were challenged by the Army, the terrorists opened fired, which was retaliated, triggering a gunfight. In the gunfight so far three unidentified militants have been killed, Defence spokesman Col NN Joshi said. The operation in the dense forest is still underway. The Army had laid a tight cordon around the area and blocked all the exit points to ensure that militants dont escape. The Army had also rushed the additional forces to the area, he said. This is the first infiltration bid along the Nowgam sector this year that has been foiled by Army. The sector is manned by the Armys Baramulla-based 19 Infantry Division. There was recently an attempt by militants to sneak into the Valley in neighbouring Kamalkote in the Uri sector, which was foiled by the Army. Prior to this infiltration bid, Pakistan had violated ceasefire along the LoC in the sector on May 16. Most of the infiltration, this year, the sources said had taken place through the Kupwara sector. Meanwhile, a search operation was carried out on the outskirts of Srinagar after an input about the presence of militants in Dhara Harwan. However, the searches were later called off as militants could not be traced. Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 26 The Ministry of AYUSH has categorically said chanting Om and other Vedic mantras before the session on International Yoga Day falling on June 21 is not compulsory. Local yoga enthusiasts, too, believe that establishing a connection with the soul was more important than creating controversy over the issue. They said whether to chant Om or not hardly made any difference. Dr Ravinder Vatsyayan, ayurvedacharya from the city, said: Unnecessary controversy should not be created over chanting of Om and other mantras before the start of yoga session. It is more important to keep the mind peaceful and connect it to the soul. One can either chant Om, remain silent or recite whatever gives peace to his/her mind. We should not deviate from the main aim and focus on yoga which helps in purifying the soul, he said. Another city-based yoga enthusiast Sukhjit said ever since she started practicing yoga, she has been reciting waheguru instead of Om, but that was not anything related to religion. I recite Waheguru because that gives me peace and I feel like connecting with the soul. I do it in my mind and it gives me peace before the start of yoga. But I have nothing against the chanting of Om or those who chant it before the start of the session, Sukhjit said. Sulakshna, who takes free yoga classes every morning, said: It is just an attempt to create controversy over the International Yoga Day. Chanting Om is an integral part of yoga and there is no norm to make it compulsory. The word Om is associated with yoga since times immemorial and it is better if we do not turn it into a controversy. Mehar Grewal, a student, said: Yoga and Om go side by side. One gets peace after chanting it and why create controversy over it? I dont see any wrong in reciting Om. Even if someone doesnt want to then he/she should remain silent. International Yoga day What experts say "Unnecessary controversy should not be created over chanting of 'Om' and other mantras before the start of yoga session. It is more important to keep the mind peaceful and connect it to the soul. One can either chant 'Om', remain silent or recite whatever gives peace to his/her mind. We should not deviate from the main aim and focus on yoga which helps in purifying the soul." Dr Ravinder Vatsyayan, ayurvedacharya from the city "I recite 'Waheguru' because that gives me peace and I feel like connecting with the soul. I do it in my mind and it gives me peace before the start of yoga. But I have nothing against the chanting of 'Om' or those who chant it before the start of the session." Sukhjit, city-based yoga enthusiast Beijing, May 25 Ahead of his important discussions with President Xi Jinping and other top Chinese leaders tomorrow, President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday said India and China must expand their shared interests for the good of the world and move forward significantly enhancing their convergences. Making his maiden visit as the Head of the State, Mukherjee said this was necessary not just for the good of the two countries but for the world in general. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) "This is the message that I bring on this visit," the President told PTI as he began the Beijing leg of his four-day State Visit to China. "Experience leads me to believe that our two nations do have the capability to significantly enhance our convergencesand move forward. "A rising India and rising China must expand their shared interests - not only because it is good for them (but also for the good of the world). This is the message that I bring on this visit," he said. He was replying to a question on what his experience was on his meetings in China with leaders during the visit that began yesterday in the highly-industrialised province of Guangdong and his interactions with several important personalities. Tomorrow the President will seek to give further political push to the engagement with the Chinese leadership when he meets President Xi in the Great Hall of the People to hold discussions on bilateral, regional and international issues. He is also scheduled to meet Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Chairman of the National People's Congress Zhang Dejiang. Observers say the high-level engagement by the Chinese leadership with the President shows the importance they have accorded to a political veteran who carries a certain heft on account of his vast experience in political administration. Addressing a reception for cultural and academic and eminent personalities in Beijing today, Mukherjee said as India pursues its primary goal of building a modern India, peace, prosperity and sustainable development we seek to engage with China in a spirit of equality and friendship. "We seek to develop a matrix of cross-cutting contacts to enhance our mutual understanding and enrich our bilateral discourse. Far too often, we rely on borrowed prisms and secondary sources to understand each other. "We seek to overcome this by increasing direct exchanges and enabling people on both sides to invest in each other's progress," he said in the presence of Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao. Before his departure from India, the President had said his objective during the visit would be to discuss all important issues. "We desire to constantly engage in dialogue with China to find a resolution of all outstanding issues which we consider holding us back from fully developing our potential," he had said. Mukherjee also sought from China greater market for Indian products like drugs and pharmaceuticals, IT and IT-related services and agro-products. "Although the trade balance continues to be in favour of China, we look forward to expanding our commerce to make it more equitable," he said while addressing a meeting of the India-China Business Forum in Guangzhou. "India would like to see a greater market for our products in China particularly in sectors where we have natural complementarities as in the areas of drugs and pharmaceuticals, IT and IT related services and agro- products," he said in the southern Chinese industrial hub. Trade deficit between India and China has risen to $44.7 billion during April-January period of 2015-16. India's exports to China stood at $7.56 billion during the period whereas the imports have jumped to $52.26 billion in April-January. In 2014-15, the deficit was aggregated at $48.48 billion, according to official figures. The president also promised a conducive environment for Chinese investors and urged them to participate in 'Make in India' and other flagship programmes of the government to boost bilateral trade. We will facilitate your efforts to make your investments in India profitable. We must take advantage of the opportunities that abound in the growth of both our economies," he said at the forum, attended by industrialists and businessmen of both sides. He said China's economic achievements are a source of inspiration for India. We believe that stepping up our two-way trade and investment flows will be of mutual benefit to both our nations. Our bilateral trade has grown steadily since the turn of this century. From $2.91 billion in the year 2000, it reached the level of $71 billion last year," he noted. PTI R Sedhuraman Legal correspondent New Delhi, May 26 The Supreme Court on Thursday let Italian marine Salvatore Girone go home and stay there till further order. Girone and fellow Italian marine Massimilano Latorre are facing charges of killing two Indian fishermen off Kerala coast in February 2012. A vacation Bench comprising Justices PC Pant and DY Chandrachud granted permission to Girone as the Centre had no objection to the plea of the accused. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Appearing for the Centre, Additional Solicitor-General PS Narasimha said the UNs international arbitration Tribunal on law of seas had suggested letting Girone go home until the tribunal decided as to who should try the two accused marines India or an international forum. India was bound by the Tribunals suggestion as New Delhi was a signatory to the UN convention, the ASG said. The Supreme Court, however, imposed restrictions on Girone. He would have to surrender his passport to Italian authorities and would have to return to India and face trial in the event of the UN body holding that New Delhi had jurisdiction in the case. Latorre is already in Italy on health ground, while Girone is in the Italian embassy here. TNS & agencies New Delhi, May 25 No child between 16 and 18 years of age in conflict with law will be handcuffed or sent to jail or a lock-up, according to the draft rules of the Juvenile Justice Act 2015 released by Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi here today. The rules spell out detailed child-friendly procedures for the police, the Juvenile Justice Board and the children's court. The draft rules say proper medical and legal aid will be provided to juvenile criminals and their parents and guardians duly informed. "The board and the children's court are to adhere to the principle of best interest of the child and the objective of rehabilitation and reintegration of the child in society," Maneka said. Every state government is required to set up at least one 'place of safety' for the rehabilitation of such children. The rules prescribe for extensive services to be provided to such children through regular monitoring. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The rules were drafted by a committee comprising a senior judge and advocates, members of the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) and Child Welfare Committee, representatives of states, mental health experts and civil society members. Several new offences against children have also been included in the Act such as sale and procurement of children for any purpose, corporal punishment in childcare homes, use of children by adult groups, giving them intoxicants. R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent New Delhi, May 26 The Supreme Court today said the Rs 2,000-crore Nirbhaya Fund meant for payment of compensation to victims of rape and other forms of sexual abuse would remain a lip service unless it was put to use effectively. A Vacation Bench comprising Justices PC Pant and DY Chandrachud made the remark while issuing notice to all states, directing them to furnish within six weeks the schemes they had put in place for such victims and for preventing crimes of this nature. The Bench passed the order after senior advocate Indira Jaisingh, assisting the SC in a case arising from nine PILs on the issue, pleaded that the states were not giving necessary information to her. Formulated by the Centre in the wake of the gang rape of a 23-year-old physiotherapy intern in Delhi on December 16, 2012, and her subsequent death, the Nirbhaya scheme provides for compensation to victims. Jaisingh told the Bench that the states were supposed to set up one-stop crisis centres in each district for helping rape survivors, but they had not furnished information if they had done so. As many as 653 such crisis centres were supposed to be in place across the country. While some of the states were paying Rs 10 lakh, others were giving as little as Rs 25,000 or slightly more, she noted. There was also a need to provide protection to witnesses in such cases to increase the conviction rate that was abysmally low due to witnesses turning hostile during the trial, mainly due to threats from the accused, the amicus said. Another aspect that required urgent action was a regulatory mechanism for the application-based taxi service providers across the country to effectively check sexual crimes. There was also a need for proper implementation of the existing laws such as the ban on use of tinted glasses in vehicles, she said. Simran Sodhi Tribune News Service Beijing, May 25 Amid President Pranab Mukherjees ongoing visit, China seems to be softening its stance towards India with state news agency Xinhua running an article blaming the West for the hyped tension between the dragon and the elephant. One of the reasons for this could be growing Chinese apprehensions that India, Japan and the US are getting together as a power bloc to challenge Beijings dominance in the region. The report talks about the Chabahar port and how this is also being used to drive a wedge between the two Asian giants. One of the latest targets of their smear campaign is a New Delhi-Tehran deal on developing Irans port of Chabahar. The seaport is 100 km from Pakistans Gwadar seaport, which is co-developed by China. Those media claim the Elephant-Dragon rivalry is unavoidable, said the Xinhua report today. The report goes on to add that such hype is both untrue and harmful. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The report comes out heavily in its criticism of the Western media, which it blames for creating such tension between China and other nations. The report goes on to state: Yet the distorted coverage of China-India ties lays bare a deep and unfounded bias against China among Western media. Rome: Up to 30 people are feared dead after a shipwreck off Libya, while some 50 migrants have been rescued from the waves, the EUs naval force said on Thursday. A Luxembourg reconnaissance plane spotted a capsized boat around 35 nautical miles off the Libyan coast with about 100 migrants in the water or clinging to the sinking vessel, captain Antonello de Renzis Sonnino, spokesman for the EU's Sophia military operation, said. AFP Mrs Terror warns of London Tube strike London: A major terror attack on UK soil is imminent, a British Islamic State (ISIS) woman suspect who joined the terror group in 2013 has warned on social media. Sally Jones, dubbed Mrs Terror, tweeted a warning against travelling into London by Tube in the coming months. The 46-year-old wrote: To be honest I wouldn't go into central London through June... or even July well to be honest I wouldnt go there at all especially by Tube. Her last tweet read: England... Boom. pti Dubai, May 26 In an emotional reunion, a 76-year-old man who left India for Pakistan nearly 50 years ago has met with his two siblings in the UAEs capital Abu Dhabi. Hamza Sarkar, who is now a Pakistan citizen, met with his brother TP Mammikutty (75), and sister Eyyathu (85), both from Kerala. He flew from Karachi, while Mammikutty and Eyyathu came from Kerala for the reunion in Abu Dhabi. Sarkar went missing first time from Kerala in 1951 when he was 11 years old, Gulf News reported. He was fond of travelling. One day our mother sent him out to graze the cattle. He never returned, Mammikutty said. Sarkar boarded a train to Kolkata. From Kolkata, I went to Bangladesh, which was then part of Pakistan. Later, I went to Karachi, Sarkar said. After 18 years, he returned home in 1968. In the hope that he will stay, Sarkars family set up a grocery shop for him but he ventured out again after nine months on the pretext of buying supplies and never returned. That was the last we saw of him. I still remember how my mother used to keep his picture under her pillow and would cry all night, Iyyathu said. PTI tricountyleader.com expired on 09/23/2022 and is pending renewal or deletion. Backorder Domain Meanwhile... the Movement for Social Justice is questioning if the lights from the deyas lit On Sunday ABC2 will screen Eddie Izzard: Force Majeure, a special on his 2013 / 14 world comedy tour. One of the most acclaimed comedians of his generation Izzards unique, tangential, absurd, and surreal comic narratives are lauded for their creativity and wit, earning him a New York Drama Desk Award and two Emmys for Dress to Kill, two British Comedy Awards for Top Stand- Up Comedian, and an Olivier Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement. The Force Majeure (French) (pronounced: fors mah-ZHur), superior force, chance occurrence, unavoidable accident tour spanned 2 years and 27 countries. Eddie Izzard: Force Majeure was filmed during Eddies mammoth 2013/2014 world tour and takes you on a truly hilarious journey, offering a rare glimpse in to the mind of the master of surrealism. Next month NITV screens, Songlines on Screen showcasing eight short films from the remote regions of Western, Northern and Central Australia. The films represent Aboriginal peoples ongoing connection to land and culture, as told throughout time by the way of sacred creation songs. A special collaboration, the series aims to give place to some of the many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Songlines that are integral to the makeup of Indigenous Australia. Presenting the complex Aboriginal belief systems that interconnect land, spirituality, knowledge and cultural values it provides the rare opportunity to document these ancient traditions, which incorporate the full spectrum of storytelling including dance, song, art, body painting and sites of significance. Tanya Denning-Orman, NITV Channel Manager, said: NITV is proud to offer all Australians the rare opportunity to share the creation stories that are the foundation of our countrys rich history. The recording of our sacred Songlines enables us to keep our stories alive for future generations. The series will also offer a better understanding and respect of our culture and history, bringing us a step closer in educating all Australians about Aboriginal identity. Penny Smallacombe, Head of Indigenous at Screen Australia, said: Were proud to have partnered with NITV to deliver Songlines on Screen. Its a fantastic opportunity for Indigenous screen practitioners to record and celebrate the Songlines that are vital to the preservation of Indigenous Australian culture. Bringing these Songlines to audiences through bold, interesting storytelling on screen has been a collaborative process between the filmmakers and custodians and were delighted to join NITV in helping to facilitate this process. Cornel Ozies, Director of Songline, Footprints, said: Songlines are a library of information. They are many things: a road map, a bible, our history. The examples and stories in Songlines guide the way we live and give us our unique cultural identities. But our culture and history is an oral one, if it is not talked about, it is forgotten. In order for our culture to survive, it must move from oral to documented. To record these Songlines to film is a natural progression. We must use any devices at our disposal to keep our traditions alive. The songs that the old people sing and pass along are about the country and the sacred places where songs belong. Episode One: Footprints It is 2014 and a group of young Aboriginal men from a tribe on the verge of losing their Songlines have just discovered that a law boss from a neighbouring tribe knows some of their cultural songs and dances. They have not been performed for more than 50 years and it was thought they had been lost forever. The songs and dances were given to the mens tribe, the Djugun tribe, by their creator during the Buguragarri (the Dreamtime). Sunday 12 June, 8.30pm on NITV. ABC3 drama Little Lunch has won the Prix Jeunesse International Award for Best Fiction Program for 7-10 year olds in Munich. The Gristmill Production was also the runner up for the Childrens Jury Prize in the same category. The award was voted by the 565 delegates at the childrens television festival, comprising international broadcasters, producers and academics. Remarkably, it was also a win endorsed by child viewers in Germany. All of the entries in the 7 10 Fiction category were voiced in German and screened for 500 children. Little Lunch was the only show in its category to be one of the top three shows for both adult and child voters, becoming the runner up in the Childrens Jury Prize. It is hard to describe how difficult and rare it is to win a prize at Prix Jeunesse, explains Australian Childrens Television Foundation CEO Jenny Buckland. The voters come from so many different cultural perspectives and their expectations for childrens content are very high. More often than not they choose the worthy programs over the funny ones. But Little Lunch had real cut through with everyone because it is such a unique format for children, the performances and direction of the young cast is so outstanding and the sense of humour, which we had felt was so distinctively Australian, turns out to be universal. Huge congratulations to (producers) Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope they have won a very special award for Little Lunch. Gristmill is now filming two specials to air at Halloween and Christmas. US Cold War drama The Americans has been renewed for its final two seasons. The series, featuring Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys, will have 13 episodes in 2017 and a final 10 eps in 2018. The series has always been critically acclaimed but has drawn modest ratings throughout its US run. Creators Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields will remain as showrunners despite a deal with FX Productions to develop their next series. Weisberg previously told the Hollywood Reporter, I would say we got it down to about four different endings. So were pretty well honed in on a zone were going to go to, but we havent decided for sure. And the way that we work, it could also all change. As it gets closer, we could come up with something totally different that would surprise me. Through its first four seasons, critics have lauded The Americans as one of the best shows on television and, remarkably, a series that keeps getting better every year, said Eric Schrier, FX Networks and Productions co-president of original programming. We have no doubt that this two-season order will allow Joe and Joel to tell this story to its perfect conclusion. On behalf of our producing partners at Fox 21 Television Studios and Amblin TV, we look forward to a brilliant final act of the Jennings family saga. It airs in Australia on SoHo and ONE. I think it is genuinely up there with the Scandis and House of Cards. But its tonally different, Dan Wyllie suggests. Its very complex, very meaty. And its not a bio-pic so its using Canberra to leap off-point for the imagination. So I think its really unique. Wyllie is referring, of course, to Foxtels new political thriller Secret City based on the books The Marmalade Files and The Mandarin Code, by journalists Chris Uhlmann and Steve Lewis. In the 6 part series journalist Harriet Dunkley (Anna Torv) uncovers a web of interlocked conspiracies, amid the backdrop of rising tension between China and America. But what she uncovers will threaten her career and her life. The marquee cast also includes Jacki Weaver as Labor powerbroker Senator Catriona Bailey plus Damon Herriman, Alex Dimitriades, Alan Dale, Mekhi Phifer, Sacha Horler, Marcus Graham and Miranda Tapsell. The show is also about secrets, both of people and political parties. (Harriet) uncovers bits of evidence about peoples histories and gets to the bottom of some larger finds, Wyllie explains. Its about the Australian-American alliance and the Chinese intrusion into the South China Sea, Labor versus Liberal. Its incredibly current and we were shooting it thinking I hope these events dont overtake the show before it gets on. So were really riding the wave of its currency. Its incredible how pertinent the show is. Wyllie plays Labor Minister of Defence Mal Paxton, yet while his performance isnt based on any one individual, he references Greg Combet, Che Guevara, Chris Bowen and even Robert Redford. I dont think in the novel by Chris Uhlmann & Steve Lewis he is based on anyone in particular. But as soon as you get a job like this you do start paying more attention to the news and picking up bibs and bobs of everyone who is current, he continues. He is an idealist, ex-unionist Labor politician with links to China. So its an opportunity for fireworks in those scenes. But Defence is a tough portfolio and often the people in it arent as good looking me! he laughs. Youre wedged between huge amounts of military spending, and militaries that want to keep spending, versus so many other interests. When we only had a couple of days to go, the Turnbull spill happened Shot in both Sydney and Canberra, the production was given access to Parliament House at a time when Parliament wasnt sitting. But then everything changed. At the tail end of the shoot when we only had a couple of days to go, the Turnbull spill happened. So it was absolutely electric. We had incredible unfettered access to the place. You go through the bowels of the place and its like airport security to get in. The carpet is six inches thick and you feel like youre drowning in it. You can really feel white mans power in the place. Its incredibly dense and claustrophobic, says Wyllie. We were in the courtyard next to the PMs office where they hold all the press conferences. No doubt the safest place in Australia. I think we only got access to Parliament because it probably doesnt paint Labor in such great light, but then it doesnt really paint Liberal in a great light, either. With its murky world of secrets, lies, murder and betrayal, Wyllie doesnt expect US or Chinese interests to warm to the series either. No, I dont think so. Its about those superpowers going for their ultimate ends, often through nefarious means and trying to gain ultimate power. But as we all know, and as William Shakespeare said, ultimate power corrupts. That was pretty well put, I reckon. Canberra looks incredibly sexy Written by Matt Cameron, Belinda Chayko and Greg Waters, the series is shot by Mark Wareham and directed by Emma Freeman, who Wyllie describes as the finest director working in TV at the moment. Shes absolutely meticulous and directed all 6 episodes an incredible workload, he remarks. Dare I say it, Canberra looks incredibly sexy. Its very stylishly shot and incredibly moody and suspenseful. Its great to see the corridors of power in shades of grey and not completely bombastic, or black and white. There are so many moving parts that as an audience you are kind of behind the 8 ball, which is great! Secret City premieres 8:30pm Sunday June 5 on Showcase. Photo by Evan Krape Ten student teachers in the University of Delawares secondary teacher education program were honored for having inspired and engaged their students with the theories, content and big ideas of their disciplines. The students received 2016 Outstanding Student Teacher Certificates from UDs Center for Secondary Teacher Education. The center says it awards the certificate to those outstanding candidates who have demonstrated exceptional skill and creativity in developing rapport with students, planning and executing lessons and incorporating suggestions and new ideas into teaching practice. The recipients, the subject areas and schools in which they student taught and their reflections about the experience, are: Jeffrey W. Leager, music education, Shue-Medill Middle School in Newark, Delaware, and Perryville (Maryland) High School. I can't help but be truly inspired by all of my students. I'm honored to have stood in front of such talented musicians. Kevin Balsbaugh, English, William Penn High School, New Castle, Delaware. "Student teaching has been an amazing experience thanks to the phenomenal mentors both at the University and in the schools. I cannot wait to continue the level of excellence I learned at UD wherever my career takes me. Amanda Weiler, English Language Arts, Perryville High School. Over the past 14 weeks student teaching, I've grown as both an educator and as a person. I've been challenged, but I've also seen how rewarding a career it is. I've learned that I truly am in the right profession and cannot wait to have my own classroom next year. Tom Kuchler, choral music, Cab Calloway School of the Arts, Wilmington, Delaware. Student teaching has been by far the most rewarding experience of my undergraduate career. I have never felt more ready to go out into the world and teach. Cassandra Janocha, English, William Penn High School. We, as educators, spend a lot of time talking about the issues in education, and sometimes forget about all of the good things that happen within our classrooms. My student teaching experience was nothing short of magical. Kayla Dickens, French, Alfred G. Waters Middle School, Middletown, Delaware. To say student teaching is anything less than overwhelming would be an understatement, but if I've learned only one thing through this experience it's that I can do this! I am so grateful for all that I have learned inside and outside the classroom in my program at UD and the connections I've made that I know will last throughout my career as an educator. Anthony Reid, mathematics, St. Georges (Delaware) Technical High School. "As a teacher my main goal will always be to make it all about the students, and always reflect. Kendall Barger, social studies, Howard High School of Technology, Wilmington, Delaware. Student teaching was the most transformative and enriching experience I've ever had. My students taught me more about teaching than I probably taught them about history. They helped me grow into a more effective teacherI have them to thank for everything. Amanda Livesey, music education, Wilmington (Delaware) Friends School and Olive B. Loss Elementary School, Bear, Delaware. I have learned so much from my two student teaching placements and my wonderful cooperating teachers. I feel that my courses and student teaching experiences have prepared me well, and I am looking forward to having a classroom of my own next year. Christina O'Donovan, mathematics, Concord High School, Wilmington, Delaware. It is amazing to think that after my four years at the University of Delaware studying secondary math education, I now have the opportunity to enable my students' dreams. Having weakened their activity on Wednesday afternoon, the pro-Russian illegal armed groups continued to resort to intensive armed provocations at night. Militants launched a total of 28 attacks on ATO troops in eastern Ukraine over the past day, the ATO press center reports. "The enemy continued to shell our positions on the outskirts of the temporarily occupied cities of Donetsk and Horlivka [39 km north-east of Donetsk]. In the evening, the militants used grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and 82mm mortars to fire at the ATO troops in Avdiyivka [18km north of Donetsk]. Mortars of the same caliber were used to shell Ukrainian strongholds in Zaitseve [67km north-north-east of Donetsk] as well. Ukrainian servicemen in Marinka [35 km south-west of Donetsk] came under small arm fire," the report reads. In Mariupol direction, the illegal armed group used heavy machine guns and grenade launchers to shell Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol). ol German Chancellor Angela Merkel has welcomed the release of Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko and expressed the hope that this will give new impetus for negotiations on humanitarian issues between Ukraine and Russia. This was stated by Merkels spokesman Steffen Seibert, an Ukrinform correspondent reports from Germany. "Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed the release of Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko from Russian captivity as part of a prisoner swap. The exchange of Savchenko will hopefully give new impetus for negotiations on humanitarian issues and further exchange of prisoners within the framework of the Minsk agreements," Seibert said. Merkel wished Nadiya Savchenko a speedy recovery and safe return to her family. ol Russian Commissioner for Human Rights Tatiana Moskalkova has proposed to Ukraine to extradite prisoners who are serving sentences in Crimea. She stated this, noting she is receiving a lot of "very harsh" letters from the Ukrainian Ombudsperson, Kommersant Russian newspaper reports. Moskalkova argues that "the homeland does not take them [prisoners serving sentence in Crimea] while we [Russia] offer." Moreover, she did not miss the opportunity to use the idea of returning Ukrainians to highlight that Crimea was not Ukrainian territory. "They committed crimes as citizens of Ukraine on the former territory of Ukraine. There is no reason to keep them in the territory of another state. However, we have not received any response. It is very important for us to send them home," the Russian Ombudsperson said. ol The issue of security in Ukraine where there is "too much violence" was raised during the G7 summit in Japan, U.S. President Barack Obama told reporters following the first day of the G7 summit, the Providence Journal site reports citing AP news agency. "The leaders also touch on key security issues, particularly in the South China Sea and Ukraine. In Ukraine, there has been progress with negotiations, but there has still been too much violence," President Obama was quoted as saying. tl Japan will provide $2.6 million for Ukrainian children who have suffered because of the Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine Shigeki Sumi told the Verkhovna Rada Speaker Andriy Parubiy. "Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Japan also pointed out the need to continue supplying humanitarian aid to Ukraine. He said that Ukrainian children affected by the Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine will be given $2.6 million," said the diplomat. In addition, the ambassador called for further deepening of cooperation at the parliament level between both countries. In particular, he noted that next year Ukraine will hold the Year of Japan, which, in his opinion, will help the people of both countries to better understand each other, get acquainted with culture and achievements of the Japanese. tl A Jesuit university in Chicago has appointed Jo Ann Rooney to be its first nonordained president. Loyola University Chicago which has existed since 1870 choose the 55-year-old female lawyer to be its 24th president. The board of trustees from the university sanctioned her nomination last May 19 and a formal introduction was made by Loyola's representative in the school grounds last before noon Monday, Chicago Tribune reported. Rooney pointed it out in her opening remarks that both Loyola University and higher education are hand in hand in evolving and that as your new president she will be continuing this upward change as she herself is evolving. It took Loyola University Chicago almost a year to fill out the vacated spot left by Rev. Michael J. Garanzini who was presided after by an ad hoc president courtesy of political science university lecturer John Pelissero. Rooney who also received a doctorate in higher education management was a immediate shoo-in for the high-ranking position due to her long-running faith in the Catholic religion and her ability to see of what's in store for the university as mentioned by Loyola Board Chairman Robert L. Parkinson Jr. Parkinson expressed his enthusiasm for the newly-elected president during the brief ceremonial at the Mundelein Center for the Fine and Performing Arts saying that Rooney possesses tremendous countenance and virtue of which she portrays with an energy that stronglys shows this quality. Rooney mentioned to the press during the formal introduction that she coveted for Loyola to be an outspoken member of the population of Rogers Park as she asked students to speak out on matters that tend to create a conflict between individuals. In related news, prior to the appointment of her presidency, criticism surfaced with regards to the lack of faculty opinion in the selection process for a new president which resulted in two Loyola faculty members being added up for the search committee, Chicago Business reported.. Tanishq Abraham, 12, intends to become a doctor by the time he turns 18, and judging by how things are going for this young Indian-American boy, he may become one well before his 18th birthday. Abraham was congratulated by President Obama for becoming the youngest ever to graduate from a U.S. college, but if that's not enough to impress you, he has been accepted to two distinguished university campuses. The 12-year-old prodigy has been accepted to University of California (UC) and earned a regents to University of California, Santa Cruz. The Sacramento, California native is yet to make up his mind as far as the university he wants to enroll is concerned. While talking to CBC Sacramento television station recently, Abraham noted that he'll probably be 18 when he gets his medical degree (MD). He said he is just like other kids who want to play with video games, and not just microscopes. He added that he likes to learn. Whether he decides to enroll in UC Santa Cruz or UC Davis, Abraham will be a junior transfer student, FirstPost reported. Abraham, who has earned associate's degree from American River College in an array of subjects including foreign language studies, physical science, science, and maths started community college at the age of 7. While some students were excited to study with a 12-year-old kids, others were intimidated by the idea of a kid accompanying them in college. Apparently, even the lecturer did not approve of a 12-year-old attending the class. One of the professors who agreed, laid down a condition that his mother, who is a veterinary doctor tagged along with him to class, StoryPick reported. According to a biology professor, Abraham who is originally from Kerala, India and took root in the U.S. with his family, did not cease asking questions and always seemed interested in learning new things. Zika virus news on social media like Twitter could hinder Zika vaccination decisions. Johns Hopkins University researcher found that many people post news on Zika symptoms and theories that might be false. Mark Dredze studied on thousands of tweets on Zika vaccine. He found that some information do not lead to any correct issue but it would affect how someone makes a health decision- whether to vaccinate or not, John Hopkins University Hub reported. 140,000 tweets on Zika vaccine from January 1 to April 29 Researchers investigated Zika virus news and soon find various information that go viral on Twitter. The study uses two keywords, 'Zika' and 'vaccine'. Dredze took an example of a false theory he found on Zika disease. It said that Zika is a conspiracy made to open new vaccine market. The study published in Vaccine journal also highlights another story about Zika virus baby also said that Zika is actually caused by a vaccine which result brain defect in babies, microcephaly condition. Furthermore, researchers are concerned on the impact that these conspiracy theories and unscientific plots can cause. The campaign is effective but the future of the vaccine might meet a difficulty because of the stories not backed by scientific evidence. The science-backed claims are true, but the conspiracy theories on Zika virus and symptoms could make people believe the plots. According to researchers, people affected by the false claims are the most vulnerable communities which least access to the correct theories. Researcher at George Washington University uses social media monitoring tool to find conversations on Zika virus on Twitter. The correct Zika vaccine theories could be addressed via social network so that it counteracts the false statements on the virus. The efforts now rely on public health experts promptness in responding the claims so people could discover the truth. Paypal is said to blacklist users with address that contains the word "Isis" based on a blog written by an Oxford academic and technology expert. Paypal users have to obey the company's policy and customer service regulations when sending or receiving funds. However, residents at Isis Close might have more difficulties in doing online transaction simply because the address contains Isis. A recent Paypal news comes from a user at Isis Close who was unable to purchase sewing kit because Paypal refused to proceed transaction. Reached out for solution, the Oxford resident decided to contact the Paypal customer service only to find that the company does not allow money transfer to any address containing "Isis". Oxford University professor in technology, Ray Corrigan, explains that Paypal avoids the word "Isis" after the rise of extremist Islamic State. This has affected many businesses with Isis-related names that they have to change their brands so they will not face any sensitive problem. The goods delivered to Paypal users at Isis Close might cause a problem because of the Paypal algorithm that avoids "Isis" word, RT reported. In Corrigan's blog, he describes the tyranny in algorithm that the Isis-related words must be added to as something that should be avoided. He further mentions about the algorithm added by 'a low level techie' as if all about Isis is saying something like 'do not touch'. At the end of his blog, he asks readers to decide if the global institutions should rely on 'gigantic collection of data'. Paypal spokesperson said that the company will do everything to eliminate references that may not have anything to do with Islamic State or other act of terrorism, including the common address in Oxford, Isis Close. Many businesses have to change names due to the fear of being related to Isis. New York's Isis Nails and Isis Chocolates have all branding their businesses with new names, so not to be associated with terrorism. The Daily Mail also reported that Isis Academy, an Oxford school, was forced to change its name after the school's headmistress was asked if she was training a child to become a terrorist. Researchers revealed on Monday a 5,000-year-old recipe from a residue found on pottery revealing the earliest evidence of beer brewing in China. This recent findings could lead to development of the Asian agriculture at the ASEAN region. The artifacts prove that ancient Chinese civilization had already mastered an advanced beer brewing recipe that enclosed influence from West, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study stated that this beer recipe points out a mixture of Chinese and Western elements. Whereas, the barley is from the West while the Job's tears, millet and tubers are from China. The findings indicate that barley arrived to China some 1,000 years much earlier than previously recorded in history. It added that the Barley may have been used as a beer-making ingredient even before it grew to be an agricultural staple. The archaeological site at Mijiaya, near a branch of the Wei River in northern China, comprises two wells dating back 3,400 to 2,900 BC. There were artifacts that indicate beer brewing, filtration and underground storage space including stoves which were probably used to heat and pound grains. How can it impact the history of brewing? This introduction of Middle Eastern barley into a Chinese drink immerse with a particular role of fermented beverages in social relations and could be an exotic ingredient that appeals to elite individuals, said Patrick McGovern, a specialist on biomolecular archeology at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, The Washington Post reported. Although not part of the study, McGovern approved the techniques used for brewing in China were advanced and used the same principles and techniques as brewers do today. They knew how to use heat to smash down carbohydrates and the subversive site of brewing is very significant, TWP added. Recently, modern beer-maker Dogfish Head Brewery tried to remake various drinks from the past where McGovern suggested that it may have a flavor similar to the 5,000-year-old brew concocted in northern China. May 26 2016 South Lanarkshire Council has lent its approval to an out of town campus for the University of the West of Scotland , to be sited within Hamilton International Technology Park.UWS Lanarkshire will see three blocks of student housing built offering 500 spaces, together with conversion of three existing buildings for academic use and sport facilities, connecting to the existing UWS Eco Campus by a landscaped woodland walkway and 1,500 space car park.Overseen by Mosaic Architecture + Design the plans run counter to the councils own local development plan but were approved regardless on the basis that there would be no impact on green belt land.Stating their design principles Mosaic stated that they would harness topography to create a series of : Our aim is to create a phased master plan that builds a strong link between the residential campus and academic buildings.The residential blocks are stepped along the sites contours. The layout of the buildings will create a series of interlinked courtyards which will each have their own distinct character.Final approval for the relocation must wait until the universitys governing body convene at the end of June. Aug. 19, 2022 Fitness. When the average citizen thinks of being fit, it is easy for cardio and strength training to come to mind. That is not the case for those serving in the Air Force and Space Force. Comprehensive Airman Fitness teaches that to have overarching fitness and resilience, one must work on his or MARTIN, Tenn. Community members, veterans and visitors are invited to observe Memorial Day during an annual commemoration ceremony hosted by the University of Tennessee at Martin. The ceremony will begin at approximately 9 a.m., May 27, on the front lawn of the Hall-Moody Administration Building on University Street. Lt. Col. Lowell Howard, UT Martin professor of military science, will welcome those in attendance, and members of the UT Martin Skyhawk Battalion will present the colors. UT Martin Chancellor Emeritus Nick Dunagan will serve as this years guest speaker, and the UT Martin Department of Public Safety will close the ceremony with a gun salute. Memorial Day, observed for the first time in 1971, is held on the last Monday in May each year and serves to honor those who have died in the protection of the United States. Originally called Decoration Day, it was officially renamed in 1882. In case of inclement weather, the commemoration will be held in the UT Martin Student Life Center, located at 199 Moody Avenue. For more information on the UT Martin commemoration ceremony, contact the Office of University Relations at 731-881-7615. ### PHOTO ID: Mercee Eubank, of Greenfield, is shown saluting during the 2015 Memorial Day commemoration ceremony. Campus News Office of University Relations is the official source for all non-sports releases from the University of Tennessee at Martin. Materials on this page are updated on a regular basis. View Campus News > Resources The Office of University Relations is ready to assist you with finding a speaker for your special event or an expert to comment on a current news story. View Resources > Photo Albums Browse hundreds of campus photos in our University Relations archive. View Photo Albums > All the latest Uttoxeter news Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Banister named 2014 UWYO Distinguished Alumna Banister, Casper native and health care executive, receives Distinguished Alumna award during UW Homecoming activities (10/18/14) From UW News: (http://www.uwyo.edu/uw/news/2014/09/three-to-receive-uw-distinguished-alumni-awards.html): When Banister decided to attend UW, she knew she had ability in the sciences, but she did not know she would choose to become a nurse. But faculty at the nursing school provided strong mentoring and guidance, and Banister ended up excelling in the program [and was awarded the "Best Bedside Nurse Award" in 1980 when she graduated]. The incredible, passionate, knowledgeable faculty supported me along the way. It is very powerful, as a student, when you know your faculty has confidence in you, she says. Receiving that award ["Best Bedside Nurse Award"] made me feel so honored that I was perceived to be a nurse who desperately cared for and took good care of patients. That passion has stayed with me, the passion that whomever I am working with, that I am taking very best care of them. Today, Banister is the executive director of the Institute for Patient Care at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston, one of the nations largest hospital-based institutes. She oversees four centers, focused on patient and family learning, clinical and professional development, nursing research and innovation in patient care delivery. She has been instrumental in developing the Dedicated Education Unit, a dynamic new model of clinical education for nursing students. Banister has been involved in efforts to diversify the MGH nursing workforce by developing models of clinical leadership development involving mentors for minority nursing students. I feel like Ive had one of these careers in which opportunities presented themselves at certain times, and Ive been able to be flexible and adaptable, she says. I am feeling very good about where I am today. I always want to give back and be a voice and advocate for poor and underserved populations. I feel that UW is part of the foundation that helped launch me to this successful career I have had. Banister was named Distinguished Alumna of the UW Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing in 2008. She also is a member of the "Friends of the Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing" development board. More on Banister Church News October 20, 2022 LIGHT OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH Needing Answers We want God to be like FedEx and deliver overnight. Things dont happen that way, but in... Church News October 13, 2022 LIGHT OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH Natures Therapy The pine tree with its solemn dignity lifts its branches to the sky as if to give... Contributed Photo "42nd Street," the hit Broadway musical, opens Tuesday at the Hollywood Pantages. SHARE THEATER VENTURA COUNTY "The Mousetrap": Elite Theatre Company presents the long-running Agatha Christie murder mystery set in a country hotel. John Eslick directs and German actor Alexander Schottky stars in the production. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, June 3 through July 3, 2731 S. Victoria Ave., Oxnard. $18 general admission, $15 seniors, students and military. 483-5118; elitetheatre.org. "Playzapalooza! 2016": Santa Paula Theater Center's seventh annual one-act showcase will feature nine plays. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays, Through June 12, 125 South 7th St., Santa Paula. $15 general admission, $13 seniors, students and military. 525-4645; santapaulatheatercenter.org. "Clarence Darrow": Rubicon Theatre co-founder James O'Neil will take the stage in David Rintels' one-man play about controversial lawyer Clarence Darrow, who became known for his work in such high-profile cases as the Scopes "Monkey" Trial and the Leopold and Loeb trial. May 25 through June 12, 1006 E. Main St., Ventura. $25-$54. 667-2900; rubicontheatre.org. "Amadeus": Winner of the Tony Award for Best Play and inspiring the Academy Award-winning film, "Amadeus" tells the story of confronting mediocrity and genius through Antonio Salieri and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The play is directed by Conejo Players Theatre President Deidre Parmenter. 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 2 p.m. Sundays, through May 28, 351 S. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks. $16-$18. 495-3715; conejoplayers.org "Framed": Elite Theatre Company presents Richard Weill's courtroom drama about two defense attorneys who disagree on how to represent their high-profile murder defendant. 2 p.m. Saturdays, 7 p.m. Sundays, through May 29, 2731 Victoria Ave., Oxnard. $15. 483-5118; elitetheatre.org. "The Pillowman": The Flying H Group Theatre Company presents Martin McDonagh's tale of a fiction writer living in a totalitarian state who is interrogated about the gruesome content of his short stories. Not suitable for children. 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays, through June 5, 6368 Bristol Road, Ventura. $10 opening weekend, $15 all other shows. 901-0005; flyinghgroup.com. "Skylight": Ojai Arts Center Theater presents the award-winning Broadway drama written by David O'Hare and starring Ojai's Buddy Wilds and Anna Kotula. The play chronicles the aftermath of an affair between a man and his family's young housekeeper as an aromatic spaghetti dinner is prepared on stage. 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, through June 5, 113 S. Montgomery St., Ojai. Free. 640-8797; ojaiact.org. Down South "In Case of Emergency": Chalk Repertory Theatre presents Ruth McKee's comedy about a woman trying to sort through the emergency supplies that fill her garage and the issues that fill her personal life. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 7 p.m. Sundays, June 3 through July 3, various private homes in Montrose, Atwater Village and Pasadena. $20-$30. 323-379-9583; chalkrep.com. "42nd Street": Song, dance and the American Dream play out on a Broadway stage in this Tony-award winning musical. May 31 through June 19, Hollywood Pantages, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. 800-982-2787; hollywoodpantages.com CLASSES VENTURA COUNTY African drumming class: Malik Sow, an African master drummer from Senegal, and Solo Soro, from Ivory Coast, lead a weekly class in West African drumming from 7:30-9 p.m. Mondays at Lightning Ridge Screen Printing, 4435 McGrath St., Ventura. Cost is $20 per class, and a drum can be rented for $5. For information or to arrange a drum rental, call 650-7455. COMEDY VENTURA COUNTY Josh Blue: The winner of season four of NBC's Last Comic Standing will perform his stand-up act, which includes off-the-cuff improvisation. 8 p.m. June 3, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. June 4, Ventura Harbor Comedy Club, 1559 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura. $20. 644-1500; venturaharborcomedyclub.com. Up North Jerry Seinfeld: The comedian, actor and writer makes a rare stop along the central coast to perform his stand-up routine. 7 and 9:30 p.m. July 21, Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez. For tickets or more information, visit www.chumashcasino.com. Down South Comics Support Their Own: An all-star benefit featuring Ray Romano, Brian Regan, Bill Burr, Dana Carvey, Louie Anderson, Bob Saget, Jon Lovitz and hosted by Arsenio Hall. June 20, Saban Theatre, Beverly Hills. For tickets visit www.sabantheatre.com. Star file photo People stroll Ventura Boulevard at the Camarillo Fiesta & Street Fair. SHARE By Mike Harris of the Ventura County Star A former president of the Camarillo Fiesta Association was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of embezzling nearly $26,000 from the nonprofit, Ventura County District Attorney Greg Totten said Wednesday. Robert Capellini surrendered to a district attorney's investigator about 1:30 p.m. and was booked at Ventura County Jail on two felony counts of grand theft by embezzlement. He remained in custody in lieu of $10,000 bail late Wednesday afternoon with a scheduled court appearance at 9 a.m. Thursday. Prosecutors said Capellini stole the money between April 2014 and February 2015 by writing checks to himself from association accounts. The association receives some public funding from the city of Camarillo. Special Assistant District Attorney Michael Schwartz said the charges, one for each year of the alleged theft, are punishable by up to three years and eight months in jail. Capellini could also face fines. He was charged even though he has paid back most of the money. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday. "I'd just as soon put this thing behind me," he said last month. After the alleged theft was discovered by the association's board in early 2015, board member Mike Morgan, the current mayor of Camarillo, said he brought it to the attention of sheriff's Cmdr. Monica McGrath, who is Camarillo's police chief. McGrath in turn asked Morgan to provide her with documentation of the alleged embezzlement so a detective could determine whether a crime had been committed, she said. Morgan told her a short time later that the association board had decided not to pursue charges, choosing instead to make repayment arrangements with Capellini, she said. Capellini has since repaid $21,000 and agreed to repay an additional $3,000, Totten said. If convicted, Capellini could also be ordered to make any remaining restitution. Some board members have said they decided not to seek charges against Capellini because if he were convicted and jailed, he would not be able to repay the funds needed to plan the annual Camarillo Fiesta & Street Fair every summer. One of the city's premier events, it draws tens of thousands of people and raises thousands of dollars for local nonprofit youth groups. Now in its 52nd year, this year's fiesta is scheduled for July 7-10. "Although an unpopular decision to some, we feel we made the best decision," current board President Nathaniel Hunnicutt said in a letter to The Star this week. But Totten was critical of the decision. "Neither the victim nor any private citizen has the authority to decide whether to file criminal charges," he said in a news release. "The victim of a crime does not have the legal authority to immunize the perpetrator from criminal prosecution." The return of embezzled property is not a defense to the crime but may be considered by the court in imposing sentence, Totten said. "The district attorney has sole authority to institute and prosecute criminal cases," he said. "Courts and the Legislature have recognized the essential public interest in protecting the public treasury and have imposed stringent standards upon those entrusted with the safekeeping and disbursement of those funds." Schwartz said the prosecutor's office began investigating the alleged theft in March because of the city funding the association receives. A former association board member, Cynthia Glass, has accused Morgan of trying to cover up the alleged theft to spare himself political embarrassment in his current run for the Ventura County Board of Supervisors. Morgan is one of seven candidates running to succeed retiring county Supervisor Kathy Long in the 3rd District. Morgan, as well as some other past and present board members, have denied there was an attempted cover-up. The alleged embezzlement did not become public knowledge until this year when an anonymous letter was sent to Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Westlake Village, asking her to investigate. The Jan. 30 letter, written by someone who claims to be a longtime Camarillo City Hall employee, was received by others, too, including The Star. Morgan said Wednesday that authorities could have arrested Capellini in 2015 after he brought the alleged embezzlement to their attention. "They could have done the same thing when I first told them about it," he said. "They're always trying to make the messenger the bad guy," Morgan said. In investigating the alleged theft, the District Attorney's Office said it determined that Morgan did not have a financial conflict of interest in serving as both an association board member and a city councilman. STAR FILE PHOTO Thousand Oaks High School instructor Nikki Malhotra, shown here at a science camp in 2013, was named the California State Science Fair Teacher of the Year for the Senior Division on Tuesday. SHARE By Anne Kallas, Special to The Star Thousand Oaks High School science teacher Nikki Malhotra was named the Teacher of the Year for the Senior Division at the California State Science Fair, joining several Ventura County students who brought home awards from the two-day event that wrapped up Tuesday in Los Angeles. Three students took first-place awards and others took home third- and fourth-place awards and honorable mentions. There were 941 participants in sixth through 12th grades at the science fair, including 46 from Ventura County. "We did better than the last three to four years," said John Tarkany, coordinator of student competition for the Ventura County Office of Education, which sponsors the annual countywide science fair. "We're up to where we were about four to five years ago. And a big part has to do with Dr. Malhotra, who got a lot of outside resources to mentor kids. In addition to that, she got her kids to go to middle schools, where the high school kids are mentoring the middle school kids. "Teacher of the Year is well-deserved." Starting with her son Samir, who will receive his bachelor's degree in biochemistry at Stanford University in the next few weeks, Malhotra developed a program that prepares students to create projects for science fairs. She first got involved when her son was a student at Redwood Middle School. "It's nice to be honored for the last seven years of work," Malhotra said. "Using scientific methods, I was able to get the standards up for our local science fair. When I started judging 10 years ago, I was a little disappointed to see the quality of projects. So I thought with my scientific background, I would bring them up." Tarkany said an increased emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math STEM programs throughout Ventura County schools also seems to be achieving results. "I think part of what we're seeing is as result of getting away from talking heads in the front of the class to more inclusive way of teaching," he said. "STEM lends itself to teachers working with students side by side. And English language learners and those in special education classes tend to respond better to hands-on projects to get in to do something." Malhotra said she used her son as her first test subject to see whether teaching him and another student proper scientific methodology in a context they could grasp would be successful. "I kind of learned through him that it worked," she said. "He was doing well solving problems, I knew would work for everybody. Now I've seen over the years that this is helping the kids with problem-solving and preparing them for life." Malhotra earned a $2,000 stipend. Here are the awards taken home by Ventura County students at the California State Science Fair: First place in senior mathematics and computer science: Sarah H. Kazmie, grade 11, "DermatoScan 2.0: Image Analysis Optimizations for the Early Detection of Skin Cancer." Adviser is Nikki Malhotra, Thousand Oaks High School. First place in junior earth and atmospheric sciences: James L. Pinto, grade 8, "Did Juvenile Spinosaurids Spend Time in the Water?" Adviser is Bonita Hamilton, Bridges Charter School, Thousand Oaks First place in junior zoology: Bella L. Slosberg, grade 7, "Mealworm Madness: Are Mealworms Able to Ingest and Digest Polystyrenes Safely?" Adviser is Matt Inman, Ojai Valley School, Ojai Third place in junior product science (physical): Matthew J. Waldman, grade 8, "Testing Oxidation on Skateboard Bearings." Adviser is Virginia Bartley, Redwood Middle School, Thousand Oaks. Fourth place in junior electronics and electromagnetics: Dhruv N. Aggarwal, grade 8, "Wi-Tricity: Wireless Electricity Using Resonant Inductive Coupling." Adviser is Roger Newell, Medea Creek Middle School, Oak Park Fourth place in senior zoology: Isabella C. Welch, grade 9, "How Weight Affected the Flight Dynamics of Quetzalcoatlus northropi." Adviser is Carl Welch, Nordhoff High School, Ojai Honorable mention in senior chemistry: Joshua M. Pritz, grade 12, "Investigation and Applications of the Lithium-Oxygen Battery Cell Cathodes." Adviser is Dr. Nikki Malhotra, Thousand Oaks High School The following Ventura County students also earned these special awards: Math Teacher's Award for Achievement in Mathematics and Computer Science Studies: Sarah H. Kazmie, who received $1,250. Plug In America EV Excellence Award: Joshua M. Pritz, who received the senior division award of $200, and Dhruv N. Aggarwal, who received the junior division award of $100. Ventura County Raytheon Academic Junior Achievement Award: Faith J. Bray and Leif P. Rudling. Sushila and Chandi Charan Kar Award: Health sciences team of Louis M. Lee and Vincent Lok. FILE PHOTO SHARE By Tom Kisken of the Ventura County Star A Camarillo anesthesiologist accused of stealing medications in 2013 from out-of-the-area hospitals where she worked has been given seven years medical probation. Medical Board of California documents show Dr. Mary Anne Vreeke agreed to probation that allows her to continue to practice. It includes random drug testing, monitoring and bans on prescribing or dispensing drugs outside of services as a hospital anesthesiologist. Vreeke has been in recovery since 2013, said Peter Osinoff, her attorney. "She's an excellent doctor and she's in great recovery," said Osinoff. Vreeke was accused of stealing morphine, fentanyl and other drugs from medication carts for a period of more than a month in 2013 at Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar and Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta. She served as an anesthesiologist at both hospitals. Investigators accused her of performing spinal epidurals and general sedation on patients while impaired. Investigators said she acknowledged on one occasion of entering an operating room where another anesthesiologist was working and stealing vials of medication from the medication cart. On that occasion, she was allegedly confronted at home by a doctor and other hospital staff. Investigators said she admitted to the theft and returned the medication. The next day, she was admitted to a behavioral center for inpatient treatment and then spent 95 days at the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage. Osinoff said the recovery has continued since then. "They have to toe the line and keep in recovery," he said of doctors on probation, noting the medical board once placed doctors with abuse problems in a confidential diversion program and did not typically mete out public discipline. Diversion ended in 2008 after auditors identified deficiencies in the program. Osinoff argued the program should have been kept. He also rejected the idea of revoking licenses of physicians accused of substance abuse. If they stay in recovery, they deserve probation and a chance to continue as a doctor, he said. "I've had a lot of doctors over the years who have had alcohol and other drug abuse problems," he said. "Most doctors I've represented have done extremely well, the vast majority." SHARE Jeffrey James Jones By John Scheibe of the Ventura County Star Thousand Oaks police arrested a former Camarillo man in connection with the attempted robbery of a Bank of America on Lindero Canyon Road Monday afternoon. Police said Jeffrey James Jones' arrest came after they released a photograph of the suspect while he was in the Bank of America in Thousand Oaks on Monday afternoon. The suspect handed a bank teller a note demanding money, they said. But he fled after the teller refused to give him money. Jones, 46, was arrested on Wednesday as he was leaving a Thousand Oaks home where he was staying temporarily, police said. Jones was being held in Ventura County Jail on suspicion of attempted bank robbery. His bail was set at $50,000. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Ventura County Superior Court on Friday. SHARE McNamee By Kathleen Wilson of the Ventura County Star The director of county airports in Camarillo and Oxnard has been elected as an officer of the American Association of Airport Executives. Todd McNamee, 49, of Camarillo, began serving as secretary-treasurer of the professional association in May following his election at the group's annual conference in Houston. He is in line to become chairman of the group in three years and is also a member of the association's board of directors. McNamee joined the Ventura County government in 2001 as deputy director of airports and was appointed director in 2005. He oversees the operations, maintenance and development of the Camarillo Airport and the Oxnard Airport. ROB VARELA/THE STAR The religious icon called Santo Nino de Atocha will be making its annual visit to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on Saturday. It will remain in Santa Paula through June 5. SHARE By Claudia Boyd-Barrett, Special to The Star Thousands of people from across California and beyond are expected to converge on Santa Paula over the next week and a half to pay their respects to a tiny statue dressed in blue. Known as El Santo Nino de Atocha, or the Holy Child of Atocha, the statue is a sacred image of the Christ child and is one of Mexico's most beloved Catholic icons. The statue normally is housed at a shrine in Plateros, Mexico. But members of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Santa Paula travel every year to the Mexican shrine to collect a replica of the icon and bring it to Ventura County for a few weeks or days. This year marks El Santo Nino de Atocha's 10th visit to Santa Paula, and it will be celebrated with special processions, masses, devotional visits from pilgrims seeking miracles and giving thanks, and a farewell Mass led by the Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles. Patricia Huerta, office manager at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, said this year's visit of El Santo Nino is expected to attract more people than ever. About 5,000 attended the final Mass last year, she said. This is the first year for the archbishop to travel to Santa Paula to be a part of the celebration. "A lot of people that have come in the past years tell their relatives and people they know," Huerta said. "We have had people from Utah, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, this year Seattle, Washington, all over California. ... A lot of people cannot travel to Mexico, especially because of all the violence we're still having over there, so they don't want to go, and this is the second-best place to come and see El Santo Nino." The visit will begin with a welcome procession starting at 3 p.m. Saturday at Harding Park, 427 N. Oak St., and ending at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church for a Mass at 6 p.m. Special masses will be held throughout the week, and pilgrims will be able to visit El Santo Nino at the church, touch the statue and make offerings. A goodbye procession will begin at 3 p.m. June 5 at the church and end at Las Piedras Park, 431 N. 13th St., with Gomez leading the Mass there at 4 p.m. Dance groups from Ojai, Oxnard, Las Vegas and Seattle, among other locations, will perform traditional Mexican dances during the processions, which will be accompanied by a live marching band, Huerta said. The church also will sell food and religious items imported from Mexico, said Father Charles Lueras, pastor. The original Santa Nino de Atocha statue was brought to Mexico centuries ago from Atocha, Spain. The statue is believed to have brought food to Christians in Atocha who were imprisoned by invading Moors during the 13th century. Later in Mexico, El Santa Nino was credited with saving trapped silver miners. Many people believe the saint can perform miracles. Pilgrims visit the statue to ask for favors, such as healing from an illness, or for children if they have fertility problems, Huerta said. They might leave small offerings, such as flowers, money or small religious items, or simply want to touch the icon. Devotees also visit the statue to give thanks when they believe a miracle has been granted, Huerta said. She said there are usually long lines of people outside Our Lady of Guadalupe when El Santa Nino is in town. "A lot of people have their miracles and they now want to come and pay their respects," Huerta said. "I have seen a lot of babies come in with their parents, newborns, to pay their respects, and (the parents) have told us their story." Lueras said it takes months of work to prepare for the icon's visit. He said local hotels and motels fill up with pilgrims, and Santa Paula becomes like "Disneyland" with all the people visiting. "I'm just inspired by the devotion of the people," he said. "It's a very exciting moment for our community." SHARE CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT Major Ralph CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT By Megan Diskin of the Ventura County Star Los Angeles police said Wednesday that a dog stolen in a Studio City burglary last year has been found, but they are still searching for a vehicle with Simi Valley license plates that's believed to be linked to the incident. A French bulldog named Major Ralph, who was 6 months old at the time, and items were stolen about 11:45 a.m. Sept. 4 after window at the Wrightwood Drive home was smashed, the Los Angeles Police Department said. Authorities said they received an anonymous phone call Monday from someone who knew where Major Ralph was being kept. The dog was found the next day and returned to his owners after his identity was confirmed via microchip, police said. The vehicle suspected in the crime was spotted on surveillance video and described as a 2008-2014 GMC Yukon Denali with Simi Valley Buick GMC paper plates and license plate frame, police said. SHARE Contributed photo Michael Nares, a Ventura veteran, participated in an annual Alaskan fishing excursion earlier this month organized as an outdoor rehabilitation activity. By Staff Reports Retired Army Staff Sgt. Michael Nares reeled in halibut earlier this month as part of an outdoor rehabilitation activity in Alaska intended to bring healing to injured service members. The Ventura resident, who has post-traumatic stress disorder and a traumatic brain injury, participated in the third annual adventure sponsored by Freedom Alliance, a nonprofit that supports the nation's injured service members. Nares' Alaska fishing excursion May 13-17 left out of Sitka, a place chosen to provide a relaxing experience, according to a news release from the alliance. He was one of 16 soldiers to take part in the trip. "It has been a privilege and a pleasure to support these brave men and women over the years," said Tom Kilgannon, president of Freedom Alliance. "We owe a large debt of gratitude for all the sacrifices made by those in our armed forces, and these outdoor trips are just a small way we say 'thank you.' " Nares, who was medically retired from service, has received two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts, among other decorations. Visit http://www.freedomalliance.org for more information about Freedom Alliance. STAR FILE PHOTO Tricia Webster (left) and Connie McCarthy hike the Ray Miller Trail at Point Mugu State Park in 2015. The hike is featured in the VCS Outdoors Trail Guide. SHARE STAR FILE PHOTO People enjoy a sunny afternoon while visiting the 36th annual Art in the Park event held at Libbey Park in 2013. STAR FILE PHOTO Andre Thierry and Zydeco Music took the Cajun/Zydeco Stage at the Simi Valley Cajun and Blues Music Festival in 2015. By Arlene Martinez, amartinez@vcstar.com DANCE, EAT AND SEE THE MINIONS: The Camarillo Ranch Foundation once again hosts the #TBT Food Truck Fest. The free event happens Thursday from 5-9 p.m. At 6 p.m., the movie "Despicable Me" will play in the barn. Dressing like a minion is highly encouraged. Live music comes courtesy of Play it Again, Sam. Wine is $7 and beer is $5. The ranch is at 201 Camarillo Ranch Road. For more details, go to http://bit.ly/1TED0lA. GIVE BEES (AND OTHERS) A CHANCE: Learn about the role important pollinators like bees, butterflies and others play during a walking tour of Frazier Mountain on Saturday. The diverse animals make up part of the ecosystem of the Los Padres National Forest's Mt. Pinos Ranger District. Pollination ecologist Ruben Alarcon and botanist Pam De Vries, author of "A Field Guide to the Plants of the San Emigdio Mountains Region of California," will discuss the declining population and threats facing the animals, which include butterflies, native bees, hoverflies, hummingbirds and bats. The walking tour is capped at 25 people, so hurry and RSVP by calling 661-245-3731 ext. 0 or by emailing rhowell@fs.fed.us. The group will meet at 10:30 a.m. at the Snowplay Parking Area, which is just beyond the Chuchupate Ranger Station, l34580 Lockwood Valley Road in Frazier Park. Bring insect repellent, sunscreen, water, food and appropriate shoes. LISTEN TO BLUES AND MORE: On Saturday and Sunday, head to the Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Music Festival. The Rotary Club of Simi Sunrise is hosting the event, which goes from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. both days. Tickets are $25 at the door or $20 in advance online. Kids under 12 are admitted free for the music. An all-day pass that includes the jumper, slides and other activities is $10 for children 5 and under and $20 for those 6 and older. The festival is at Rancho Santa Susana Community Park, 5005 Los Angeles Ave. To see the full schedule of performers and buy tickets, go to simicajun.org. SEE ART IN THE PARK: Since 1977, artists have displayed their work over Memorial Day weekend in Ojai. This Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Art in the Park returns to Libbey Park. The event is put on by the Ojai Art Center. Check out more than 100 artists, see high school arts and enjoy live music and food. Libbey Park is at 200 S. Signal St. While you're there, check out the extensive new playground. Go to http://bit.ly/27SJc0I for more information. GO HIKE: No matter where in the county you live, VCS Outdoors has a hike for you. Check out our trail guide at http://bit.ly/1U8JdmU, which includes information on parking, directions and trail qualities. SHARE TROY HARVEY/SPECIAL TO THE STAR Members of the Malibu Conservation Camp No. 13 and members of the National Park Service work on a new stretch of the Backbone Trail on Monday in the Santa Monica Mountains. JUAN CARLO/THE STAR Sandstone Peak trail in the Santa Monica Mountains is part of the Backbone Trail. Related Photos Backbone Trail By Cheri Carlson of the Ventura County Star A trail decades in the making that traces the ridgelines and canyons of the Santa Monica Mountains stands a hairbreadth from completion. For several years, just three stretches of land stood in the way from the 67-mile Backbone Trail being finished. Patched together piece by piece over more than 40 years, 180 properties had to be acquired to connect paths from La Jolla Canyon in Ventura County to a grassy park in Los Angeles. One of the final properties recently was donated to the National Park Service, and transactions to purchase the other two are expected to close escrow any day, officials said. "Its completion is a testament to the strength of our shared values, the power of idealism, and so many determined people quite literally on their hands and knees with spades in hand navigating the twists and turns of topography, land acquisition, and political will," said Joseph T. Edmiston, executive director for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. The idea for the trail came before there was even a Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area or a conservancy, said park superintendent David Szymanski. Several state parks already were established and protected open space, but the pieces in between all had to be acquired. "It essentially connects and forms the spine of a 500-mile network of trails," Szymanski said. The park service plans to celebrate the trail's grand opening on June 4 at its eastern edge in Will Rogers Historic State Park, off Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. Click on map for a larger image 'Sense of possibility' Back in the 1980s, Ruth Gerson was one of the volunteers cutting through brush and helping build the trail that she would later travel by horse. "I first rode it 25 years ago," said Gerson, of Agoura. Now 81, she plans to ride it again from start to finish over six days this summer. "It's exciting to be able to ride the whole thing," said Gerson, who has volunteered with the Santa Monica Mountains Trails Council for 40 years. She called the mountains a respite, an important place where people can go to leave their stress behind and be in nature. The volunteer group spends 10 months a year maintaining trails in the mountains every weekend. They have for decades. Most don't set out to hike 67 miles, Szymanski said. "It's nice to know the trail goes longer than you would ever want to go, and I think it creates especially near urban areas this sense of possibility." But it also connects an entire network of trails through the Santa Monica Mountains. And, "to connect trails, you need to connect land," he said. Not only does that keep the land for hikers, mountain bikers and people on horseback, but wildlife, from mule deer to mountain lions, also benefit. "Animals like wild lands. And, if they have a corridor, however narrow, they'll use it," Szymanski said. "So it's a really good conservation strategy." From narrow dirt paths winding up canyons to rocky downhill slopes and immense boulders, the trail's terrain changes along the route sandwiched between the ocean and valleys dotted with homes. Canyons thick with brush run into oak-lined creeks and green meadows. To the west, one can spot the Channel Islands off the coast or the skyscrapers of Los Angeles on the eastern end. "We have this huge metropolitan area here with millions of people. Most people are only just a few short miles away from getting into the wilderness, into the Santa Monica Mountains," said Jerry Mitcham, a volunteer with the Trails Council. "The Backbone Trail provides access to all of that wilderness." An unexpected donation A big boost for the final connections came recently when a 40-acre property in Zuma Canyon owned by former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and fitness entrepreneur Betty Weider was donated to the park. "They had allowed people to use the trail over their land, so acquiring it wasn't a top priority until we needed to complete the trail," Szymanski said. Park officials hadn't expected the donation though, he said. "That was the largest donation we have ever received for the Backbone Trail." The two other parcels straddle the Ventura-Los Angeles county line on the Etz Meloy Motorway, which starts at Yerba Buena Road. The park service acquired the properties for $167,500. Both were in escrow this week but expected to close by June 4, park officials said. Hikers led by National Park Service volunteers through the trail earlier this year counted more than 150 native plants in bloom from orange burst of sticky monkey flowers to the blue patches of lupins. Three dozen hikers led by National Park Service volunteers set out to hike the Backbone in sections over eight Saturdays each year. For the 2016 trek, they had 120 applications for the 36 spots, said Ralph Waycott, a volunteer who has led the hike since it started. It exposes you to all of the diversity of the range, Waycott said of the trail that winds from Point Mugu State Park to the Pacific Palisades off Sunset Boulevard. "You begin to grasp how humans have used the hills over thousands of years." Park officials also have sought recognition as a national recreation trail, and plans call for adding backcountry camps, making it easier for people to make the trek from start to finish. "We always forget how improbable (ideas) were when they were first proposed," Szymanski said. "Think realistically, but don't underestimate what can get completed over decades if you have communities and a constituency that's really committed to it." Trail trivia Backbone Trail runs from Point Mugu State Park to Will Rogers Historic State Park. The longest stretch that doesnt cross a road runs 16 miles from Ray Miller Trailhead in Point Mugu to Mishe Mokwa Trailhead at Circle X Ranch. The 180 properties acquired to build the 67-mile trail were valued at $100 million. The largest donation - a 40-acre property owned by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Betty Weider - was valued at more than $500,000. State parks owns close to two-thirds of the trail, and the National Park Service owns a little over one-third. Source: National Park Service American Idol season five winner and Ballys Las Vegas headliner Taylor Hicks presented a check for 10,000 (approx. US $12,000) to the Wounded Warrior Project during his show on Tuesday, July 31 (Photo credit: Amazingpictures.com). On Thursday, July 26, Hicks won The BiLLe Celeb Charity Challenge, an online contest where Superfans upload celebrities and Fans vote daily, ultimately directing a pool of charitable donations to the winning celebs favorite charity. Each week, the Superfan who nominated the winner and one Fan who helped vote that celeb to victory have a chance to take part in a ceremonial check presentation. Superfan Holly Dey from Connecticut received a final push with the help of Taylor Hicks himself, which helped her to gain the win. HISTORYS Counting Cars front-man Danny Count Koker hosting the premiere fashion show for his sister Kimberly Koker at Vampd, his bar on W Sahara. Proceeds from the evening when to benefit Shiloh Horse Rescue & Sanctuary. Shiloh founder, Jill Curtis (married to Hollywood icon Tony Curtis prior to his passing) was in attendance with the charitys two mini-horse ambassadors. For more info on the charity, visit www.shilohhorserescue.com Belgian police officers stand guard near Maelbeek - Maalbeek subway station in Brussels on Mar 23, 2016, a day after triple bomb attacks in the Belgian capital. (AFP/Kenzo Tribouillard) BRUSSELS: Police found "traces" of a plot to launch a new attack in Belgium when they arrested four people suspected of recruiting militants for Syria and Libya, prosecutors said on Wednesday (May 25). The four were charged with "participating in the activities of a terrorist group" following their arrests in the northern port of Antwerp and other Flemish-speaking cities, the federal prosecutor's office said. "The four were more involved in the part of recruiting," Eric Van der Sypt, a spokesman for Belgium's federal prosecutors, told AFP. "And we found traces of plans for an attack in Belgium." He said the probe into an alleged plot continued while his office said that "for now there is no link" with the investigation into the deadly March 22 bombings in the capital Brussels. The prosecutor's office said the four people arrested are "suspected of having wanted to recruit people to send them to conflict zones in Syria and Libya," adding that some of them had intended to travel to those areas and join the Islamic State group. Eight raids in Antwerp as well as in Ternat and Borgerhout turned up neither weapons nor explosives, the statement said without saying when the action was carried out. The investigating judge ordered one of the four to be detained, but released the three others - one on condition he wear an electronic bracelet and the other two under "strict" conditions, it added. Belgium is still reeling from the Islamic State suicide bomber attacks at Brussels airport and on the metro on Mar 22 which killed 32 people and wounded hundreds more. They came five months after jihadists, many of them from Brussels, carried out gun and bombing attacks in Paris on November 13, killing 130 people and wounding hundreds more. The Paris and Brussels attacks have both been linked to the same jihadist cell with links to IS in Syria. Per capita, Belgium has produced the highest number of so-called foreign fighters in the EU who have travelled to wage militancy in Syria and Iraq, an estimated 500. Ambassador Ngo Quang Xuan submitted Vietnam State President's Letter of Authority to the UN Secretary-General Boutros B. Ghali at the UN's headquaters in New York on January 25,1996 It was early July, 1995. It was the middle of summer, but the weather in New York was pleasant. The phone in my office on the 29th floor rang. I heard the voice of the secretary of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations, in an unusually excited tone. Mr. Ambassador, the US delegation has just called and said that Ambassador Madeleine Albright wants to talk directly to you! At that point, the two countries were preparing to normalise diplomatic relations, although the US already had a representative office in Hanoi. From the other end of the line, I heard Ms. Albrights voice, in a dignified but upbeat tone. I am very happy and honoured to tell Mr. Ambassador that on July 11, the president of the United States of America, Bill Clinton, is going to announce the official normalisation of diplomatic relations with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. My heart was beating fast throughout the whole conversation, as I was very happy. From the content of the message, as well as the way Ambassador Albright was saying it, I understood that the US side wanted me to communicate the information to Hanoi in the hope that the highest leaders of our government would also officially make the same announcement. I thanked the Ambassador and immediately carried out the historic task of reporting to the capital. Madeleine Albright was the first female US Ambassador to the United Nations from February 1993 until 1997, and was known for being very tough. I got the sense that even the Secretary-General of the United Nations at that time, Boutros B. Ghali, and many countries' ambassadors would not have crossed her. However, Ms. Albright was always extremely friendly with me, smiling when we shook hands and said hello; some friends of mine, when they saw our good working relationship, even asked me if I had a tip or secret method for them. Once, on the sidelines of a consulting meeting between the Ambassadors of the US and ASEAN countries at the US delegation's headquarters, Madeleine told me that her daughter had worked with a charity project in Vietnam, and came to really like the country and the people. Another treasured memory happened in the third week of September 1996, when I accompanied then-Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Manh Cam to attend a traditional banquet hosted by the US Secretary of State on the occasion of the 51st session of the UN General Assembly. As I walked through the gate and shook hands with the host, I told Madeleine that I foresaw that she would become the Secretary of State. She laughed, surprising Minister Warren Christopher. He turned back and asked what I'd said. In fact, at that point there were at least three candidates for the Secretary of State position. But eventually, she was appointed by President Bill Clinton on December 5, 1996 to become the United States' first female Secretary of State. I met her afterwards, in November 2000, when she was a member of Bill Clinton's delegation officially visiting Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City, and everybody was very pleased to hear that story. July 11, 1995 in Washington, DC (or July 12 in Hanoi, as Vietnam is 12 hours ahead of the eastern US), was a big turning point in the history of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the US. It was on this date that US President Bill Clinton and Vietnamese Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet announced the normalisation of diplomatic relations between the two countries, a result that took an enormous effort from many people in both countries to achieve. In my view, diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the US could have been normalised 5 years earlier instead of in July 1995. However, according to US Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking when he came to Vietnam to celebrate 20 years of normalisation on August 7, 2015, the two sides have a lot left to do. As Kerry said, we needed 20 years to normalise relations, and another 20 to go from fixing to enhancing it. In one month, Vietnam will welcome Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States. On hearing this news many memories resurfaced in my mind, events which include friends, colleagues, and historical figures. In September 1997 I attended a programme in New York hosted by John McAuliff, the founder of the US-Indochina Reconciliation Project (USIRP), which was founded in 1985 and later changed its name to the Fund for Reconciliation and Development. Over the course of the programme I participated in a dialogue between Vietnamese war veterans and former members of the Deer Team, a US military team under the leadership of Major Allison Thomas assigned by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) to help President Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam in 1945. I was very moved to hear what they shared about the support and friendship between the Americans and President Ho Chi Minh. But these friendly relations were cut short after 1945, when the Deer Team was withdrawn; later, the US supported France in the war, and eventually the Geneva Accord cut Vietnam into two, leading to 30 more years of war. History is history, but history must not repeat itself; it must instead inform our next steps into the future. Although ever mindful of the past, we are dedicated to a future of prosperity, peace, and freedom for all, said John Kerry, a statement that rings true for both nations today. On September 20, 1977, Vietnam became the 149th official member of the United Nations when the Jimmy Carter administration did not use its veto in the UN Security Council. But it wasn't until April 1991 that a roadmap detailing the steps towards normalisation, proposed to the Vietnamese government by President George H. W. Bush, was created. The roadmap was the result of a lot of shuttle diplomacy and negotiations at the United Nations in New York, Paris, and Bangkok, and was carefully planned out by people who have now become historic names, such as Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Co Thach, US Secretary of State James Baker, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Phan Hien, Tran Quang Co, Assistant Secretary of State Richard H. Solomon, US Ambassador Leonard F. Woodcock, general John Vessey, and many others. In discussing the process of normalising relations between Vietnam and the US, I cannot help but mention the very important contribution of current US Secretary of State John Kerry and his friends, especially John McCain, who (like Kerry) is a Vietnam War veteran and became a US senator. Following his return from the Vietnam War in 1970, John Kerry was steadfast in his opposition of the war, and after becoming a senator in 1984 lobbied for the improvement of diplomatic relations with Vietnam. Before Bill Clinton announced the lifting of the embargo, senator McCain and then-senator Kerry went to Vietnam many times to do research and hasten efforts to find American soldiers still missing in action from the war. Even now, Vietnamese people still tell one another that these two senators are strong pillars, one from the Democratic Party, the other from the Republican Party, supporting the process towards normalisation and the development of good relations between the two countries. Their research on missing soldiers created trust between the two sides and laid the first foundations upon which normalisation was built. In the mid-90s, I had the chance to thank the senator from Massachussetts, John Kerry, for his contributions when I was the ambassador and Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations. At that point, knowing that I was about to visit his state, he wrote me a very warm letter of welcome. After Bill Clinton became president, the process of normalisation became smoother and went more rapidly. On February 3, 1993, the embargo preventing Vietnam from borrowing from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) was lifted. On March 3, 1994, the commercial embargo was lifted. Then in 1995, many historic milestones were achieved one after another. On January 21 the two sides officially signed agreements settling property claims and establishing liaison offices in both of their capital cities. On May 15 Vietnam gave the most comprehensive list of missing soldiers they had to the US. In June, the American Veterans Association announced that they supported the normalisation of diplomatic relations with Vietnam. On July 11 and 12 the Washington, DC and Hanoi announcements on normalisation were made. In those exciting years and long afterwards, I had the honour of meeting many American friends, some of whom will be mentioned in the following paragraphs. I always try to do something, no matter how small, to encourage and support them, such as a tight handshake to thank them when I have the chance, or a suggestion or advice, or if they travel to Vietnam, giving their information to Hanoi and asking the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to welcome them and support their activities during their stay. These little signs of appreciation are not only an ambassador's responsibility but also me personally showing my gratitude to my American friends who have loved and helped my homeland, each in their own way; and I understand that they sometimes meet difficulties doing so. I'd like to tell stories about some of the people I met, like the writer Lady Borton. She came to Vietnam in 1969 to research and write pieces about Vietnam, and said that going to Vietnam is like going home. Another friend, Doctor Judith Ladinsky, was lovingly nicknamed Madame Vietnam. People estimated that between 1978 and December 2004 she went to Vietnam 112 times. In the book Vietnamerica: The war comes home, Judy Ladinsky was described as one of the first people after the war who acted as a bridge between Vietnam and the US. Another bridge between our countries is the founder and president of the Indochina Arts Partnership fund, painter David Thomas. He has made 50 trips to Vietnam since 1987, to research and carry out culture and education exchange programmes between Vietnam and the US. His works on President Ho Chi Minh, General Vo Nguyen Giap, and about the country and the people of Vietnam are celebrated all over the world. Throughout the period when I worked as Vietnamese envoy to the United Nations in New York (from June 1993 to 1999), our office continually received help and support from the family of Merle Ratner, who has supported Vietnam since 1969. And finally, Charles Baily, then-representative of the Ford Foundation, helped us build and implement the Vietnam-US Dialogue Group on Agent Orange, which I had the honour of leading on the Vietnamese side. I would need a long book to do full justice to the contributions of these people. Although I will not be able to name all of the American friends I met while working abroad, their help is not forgotten; we were supported by a large number of people who worked at many charities, non profit organisations, funds, institutes, and universities. I greatly appreciate their contributions, and I consider them as hardworking bees who gathered together in a swarm to build a solid connection for peace and prosperity between our two countries. Normalisation of relations enables both Vietnam and the US to resolve differences and open up opportunities. However, there still remain many difficulties between the two countries due to the unique characteristics of American politics. Those of us who worked on normalisation therefore required, and fortunately enjoyed the support of, friends like Virginia Foote. My colleagues lovingly called Virginia Foote the woman at the end of the Senate lobby. Giny accompanied us throughout the lengthy and difficult negotiations on the BTA (Bilateral Trade Agreement), the long journeys over the 10 years of negotiations for Vietnam to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the sleepless nights during negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). I still remember very clearly the many useful things I learned from meetings, work discussions, and various other talks with Giny. She worked with me when I was in the joint Vietnam-US advance party to prepare for and greet the delegation of then-President Clinton to Ho Chi Minh City in November 2000, and during the six years that I was an ambassador in Geneva. She was there when I participated in WTO conferences all across the world, when I went to Hanoi to attend the APEC 2006 summit with the participation of president George W. Bush, and when I was a member of a high-level delegation visiting Washington, DC. I am very happy to see that now the woman at the end of the Senate lobby has become the director of Amcham in Vietnam, at a time when US-Vietnam relations have reached new heights. Thanks to these tireless efforts, the many high-level visits by leaders of the two sides, the hard work by the two first ambassadors, Le Bang and Douglas Peterson, as well as that of succeeding ambassadors, and the support of many organisations, individuals, and business communities, the co-operative relationship between the US and Vietnam is still growing. In the summer of 1995, just after normalisation, insiders like us could not have imagined that one day trade between our countries would grow from $500 million to more than $35 billion, there would be almost 20,000 Vietnamese students studying in the US, co-operation between the two sides would spread to sensitive areas such as security and defence, and confidence in our mutual understanding could have eliminated differences and barriers so quickly. Relations are deepening even faster since Barack Obama became president. He has focused the attention of the US government on the Asia-Pacific region and more particularly on Southeast Asia, offering US support on the East Sea problem. The US has deployed 60 per cent of its naval forces in this region, and has pushed for ratification of the TPP, showing Vietnam's position and strength in both security and economics within Southeast Asia. July 25, 2013 became a new landmark in the history of US-Vietnam relations: in Washington, DC, US President Barack Obama and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang decided to establish a comprehensive partnership between the two countries in all aspects. The visit to the US of Vietnamese General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in July 2015 deepened this partnership. I completely agree with the recent evaluations of US Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius that Vietnam-US relations are growing by the week, and of US Secretary of State John Kerry that no two countries have worked harder, done more, and done better to try to bring themselves together to overcome history and change the future. I believe that during his official visit to Vietnam in May 2016, President Barack Obama will turn a new page in the co-operative relationship between Vietnam and the US, making it more comprehensive, more strategic, and more prosperous. *Ambassador Ngo Quang Xuan is also a former Vice Chair of the Vietnamese National Assemblys External Affairs Committee and former Vietnamese Ambassador to the World Trade Organization and international organisations in Geneva (2002-2008). People wave Vietnamese and U.S. flags as the motorcade of President Barack Obama travels past a street in Ho Chi Minh City on May 25, 2016.-Tuoi Tre Prev Next The locals waited on several streets which they knew Obamas motorcade would travel by, waving hands and Vietnamese and American flags to say goodbye to the U.S. leader. President Obama left Tan Son Nhat International Airport at 1:00 pm for Japan, after hosting an inspiring town hall with 800 young leaders of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSALI) at 11:00 am. The talk was the last official activity of Obama in Vietnam, who arrived in Hanoi late Sunday and came to Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday afternoon. In Hanoi, Obama met with Vietnams top leaders, including State President Tran Dai Quang, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and head of Vietnams legislature Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan. President Obama joined his Vietnamese counterpart in a conference on Monday, during which he announced the U.S. will fully lift anembargo on sales of lethal arms to Vietnam. The U.S. head of state also paid a visit to the residence of late President Ho Chi Minh City, ate the flagship Hanoi noodle bun cha for dinner, and delivered a great speech in front of more than 2,000 Vietnamese before leaving for Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday. Upon arrival to the southern metropolis, Obama visited a century-old pagoda and attended an entrepreneurship event, where he emceed a talk with three outstanding Vietnamese entrepreneurs. Obama continued to inspire the YSALI leaders before his departure on Wednesday afternoon. Obamas trip to Vietnam was a success, with a joint statement released on Monday, in which Vietnam and the U.S. were committed to working together to advance the comprehensive partnership they established in 2013 in various fields. The US leader ate bun cha (rice noodles with grilled pork and meatballs), one of Ha Nois must-try delicacies, on his second night in the Vietnamese capital on Monday. Bun cha is a Ha Noi speciality, beloved by many foreign tourists. And now it is even more famous and attractive, thanks to the Presidents prestige. Despite the rain in the capital, a number of visitors flocked to the restaurant yesterday morning to taste the dish praised by President Obama. Or they came to contemplate his seat on the previous day. Dao Van Dat, husband of the restaurant owner Nguyen Thi Hang Nga, said the restaurant is usually crowded from 11am to 1pm. But yesterday (May 23) he and other employees were surprised when all the seats in the restaurant were full from 7am on. Many old people came and asked me to bring them servings similar to President Obamas on Monday evening, Dat said. At 10am, Dat and his employees apologised to their customers that the restaurant had run out of meat. Customers could have eaten their meals at other restaurants. But many insisted on waiting for their meals here. Each complete serving costs VND80,000 (US$3.5). This is quite expensive for a meal for Hanoians, not including the cost of travelling to the restaurant. And they had to wait at least 30 minutes for their food. But many customers waited patiently to try the food that President Obama - one of the most famous and powerful presidents in the world - enjoyed. And everyone wanted a photograph documenting their visit to the restaurant where the President ate. Some customers even joyfully call the restaurant Obama Bun Restaurant now, instead of Huong Lien Restaurant. Bun cha is not the only Ha Noi delicacy made more famous by a US President. Earlier in 2000, then US President Bill Clinton visited Viet Nam and ate pho - a famous Vietnamese dish with noodles and beef or chicken - in a restaurant near the Ben Thanh Market in HCM City. The pho restaurant where he ate has been famous ever since then. It is now called Pho 2000, to commemorate the year the President visited Viet Nam. Pho is listed as a world famous dish by CNN. The beloved Vietnamese dish is globally famous, too. Foreign visitors try not to miss pho restaurants listed in tourist guidebooks when visiting Viet Nam. Now, thanks to President Obama, foreign visitors have one more must-try dish bun cha. And we can hope that the culinary specialties of Viet Nam will fly higher and further. Speaking about Singapore, visitors think of tidiness and civilisation. Speaking about Japan, visitors think of carefulness and respect. Speaking about Italy, visitors think of romanticism. And speaking about Viet Nam, visitors now think of delicious and famous dishes. In a recent conference about developing Viet Nams tourism brand, Le Quoc Vinh, general director of the LeBros Media Group, said Viet Nams tourism promotional activities have only advertised landscapes, while ignoring the core and the highest element of a brand emotion. Vinh and other experts at the conference agreed that to promote the countrys tourism, the country should focuse on gastronomy. International visitors highly appreciate the culture, cuisine, friendly people, and daily life experiences of Viet Nam. Vinh said Philip Kotler, the world famous marketing expert, said Viet Nam is the kitchen of the world. So cuisine is one of the unique features we can use to promote national tourism, he said. At the conference, Ton Nu Thi Ninh, the former Ambassador of Viet Nam to the European Union - and the former deputy chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee under Viet Nams National Assembly - said many leading travel magazines globally also praise Viet Nams food, calling it a "superpower". "It is very bad if we do not promote Vietnamese cuisine," Ninh said. Given the meal choices of the two US Presidents, I think its the right time to develop our countrys culinary culture, and tourism in general. Sound of music: Members of the Ha Noi Guitar Club will present a concert entitled La Fantasia The Music Inventions. - Photo hanoigrapevine.com Part of the New Music show series, which has been created by experimental music composer Vu Nhat Tan, the concert will feature guitarists Tuan Khang, Truong Giang, Duy Phong, and Hung Phong. While Tuan Khang is a graduate of the Viet Nam National Academy of Music and won first prize at the National Guitar Festival 2002, Hung Phong is one of the very few classical guitarists who contributed significantly to the widespread development of guitar playing among students. Becoming a classical artist from the student guitar movement, Truong Giang began his performing career in 2012. An elegant, sophisticated and energetic recital style has made Duy Phong become the most influential fingerstyle guitarist today. The concert will start at 8pm. Heritage Space is on 1st floor, Dolphin Plaza, 28 Tran Binh Street, My inh 2, Nam Tu Liem District. Tickets cost VN250,000, and VN200,000 for students and members of Heritage Space, respectively. Representatives of Da Nang city and Bangkok Airways inaugurate a new air route connecting Da Nang and Bangkok on May 25th. The air route will be operated with four flights a week on 138-seat Airbus A319 aircraft. - VNS Photo Cong Thanh The Bangkok-based Airways Public Company offered tickets priced a US$213 each for a return ticket on an Airbus 319 with 138 economy class seats. The first flight on this new route took off from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport at 11am and landed at Da Nang Airport at around 12.35pm. As scheduled, the flights on this route will be operated on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. A tourism promotion conference was also organised in the city on May 25 with the participation of representatives from 30 travel agencies from Thailand. The direct flight route from Bangkok to Da Nang was a result of the co-operation and investment in tourism and trade between the city and the Thai General Consul in HCM City since 2012. According to the city, trade turnover between Thailand and Da Nang reached US$30.2 million, of which $28.5 million constituted exports from Thailand. Thailand has only invested in one project in Da Nang, so far, with total value of $10,000. The central city attracts some 700 tourists from Thailand annually. Da Nang, which is situated at the end of the East-West Economic Corridor, linking Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Viet Nam, hosted over four million tourists in 2015. The price of oil pushed toward US$50 a barrel on Tuesday as wildfires spread in Canada's oil sands region forcing thousands more to evacuate. (AFP/Haidar Mohammed Ali) NEW YORK: Oil prices surged to the highest levels this year on Wednesday (May 25) after data showed a fall in US crude inventories that added to expectations of a tightening global market. In its weekly report, the Department of Energy said that US commercial crude oil inventories fell by 4.2 million barrels in the week to May 20, but at 537.1 million barrels remained at historically high levels. "We had a decent draw in headline crude numbers, that really carried us through a rally today," said Matt Smith of ClipperData. Major oil futures climbed within striking distance of US$50 a barrel. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for delivery in July advanced 94 cents to US$49.56 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. In London, Brent North Sea crude for July, the European benchmark, finished at US$49.74 a barrel, up US$1.13 from Tuesday's settlement. "When you look at inventories, people start to realise the demand continues to be strong and production is starting to ebb, and that should get the market back in balance," said Phil Flynn of Price Futures Group. The global oil market nosedived from above US$100 a barrel two years ago to around US$27 in early 2016, plagued by a stubborn glut. They have since rebounded, aided by weeks of wildfires in Canada that have curbed oil production and unrest affecting energy infrastructure in Nigeria, Africa's biggest oil exporter. Commerzbank analyst Carsten Fritsch said the recent price rebound was making the cost of North American shale oil attractive again, "which could dampen the fall in production in the coming months". "What is more, oil production is gradually resuming in those regions of Canada plagued by wildfires," he said in a research note. "We therefore do not expect to see prices remain above US$50 per barrel for any length of time," he added. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a meeting with French businessmen at the Kremlin in Moscow on May 25, 2016. (AFP/Sergei Karpukhin) MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin warned on Wednesday (May 25) that Russia will have to find "new sources of growth" to pull itself out of a lingering economic crisis. Russia has seen its economy slump into a profound recession, partly on the back of the fall in oil prices and Western sanctions over Moscow's role in the Ukraine conflict. Although there have been signs of stabilisation in recent weeks, the country's economic prospects remain grim. "The current dynamic shows that the reserves and resources that were driving our economy in the early 2000s are not working as they used to," Putin said during a government meeting, according to a transcript published on the Kremlin's website. "Economic growth will not return on its own. If we do not find new sources of growth, the evolution of our GDP will remain around zero and our capacities in the social sphere, for national defence and security, and other spheres will be significantly lower than what we need for the full development of the country." The International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted last week that the Russian economy would contract by about 1.5 per cent this year before experiencing moderate growth in 2017. The IMF however warned that Russia's medium-term prospects "remain subdued" in part due to a weak oil price outlook and the impact of Western sanctions on economic activity, saying that long-term growth was "likely to settle around 1.5 per cent." Russian state statistics published earlier this month showed that the economy had shrunk by 1.2 per cent in the first quarter year-on year in a tentative sign of stabilisation. The latest figures exceeded the expectations of Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev, who had predicted a decline of 1.4 per cent for the same period. Since the number of Eximbank shareholders registered to attend the first annual general meeting (AGM) was less than minimum requirement of 65 per cent of voting shares stated in the banks charter, the Ho Chi Minh City-based bank could not successfully hold the meeting programmed on April 29, and consequently rearranged it to May 24. 618 shareholders, representing 93.8 per cent of the total voting shares, were recorded attending the second AGM. The meeting, however, could not kick off smoothly when 28.03 per cent of the shareholders disagreed to carry out the AGM, saying that regulations would not allow as many as five people to chair the meeting. The impasse was broken by Tran Le Quyet, head of Supervisory Board, and Naoki Nishizawa, representative of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the Japanese strategic shareholder of Eximbank, who stepped down from their seats to allow the AGM to continue. Nishizawa is also currently a member of Eximbanks Board of Directors (BOD). The election of two additional BOD members was brought to the table once more, picking up from where it was left off at the first AGM. The BOD, however, noted that it was not the right time to elect new members at this stage but, with all respect to shareholders, it agreed to include recommendations to elect additional BOD members in the AGM agenda for further discussion. Prior to the first AGM held on April 29, the banks BOD received letters from representatives of two domestic shareholder groups, one owning 11.82 per cent and represented by Nguyen Thi Xuan Loan, and the other holding 10.42 per cent of the voting shares, represented by Pham Huu Phuong. Both groups requested Eximbank to elect two additional board members to make up the 11 members agreed upon during the banks unusual AGM held in mid-December 2015. As the second AGM could not be concluded at the end, as the venue was booked for another function from noon onward, Eximbank said that it will be holding an extraordinary AGM, scheduled on August 4, to carry on with the selection of additional members of the BOD, in accordance with current regulations. Eximbank shareholders can submit nominations of BOD members from June 17 through to June 30. The order is from Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan and Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co., Ltd. of South Korea, members of the consortium awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the project by EVN. Toshiba will start delivery in January 2018, with commissioning scheduled for 2019. The STGs that Toshiba will supply to the Vinh Tan 4 extension generate steam at a pressure of over 240 bars, with a heat steam temperature of 593C. They are considerably more efficient than the STGs now in wide use in Vietnam. Toshiba won an earlier contract to provide STGs for Units 1 and 2 of Vinh Tan 4, now under construction, in April 2014, and started delivery in December 2015. The award of the new contract is based on Mitsubishi and Doosans positive evaluation of the technical strength of Toshibas STGs and the companys delivery record. Demand for power is growing fast in Vietnam, and Toshiba is pleased to help increase capacity. Selection of our steam turbines and generators for Vinh Tan 4 extension is a strong testament to the countrys confidence in the technologies and services which Toshiba has developed over the years, said Takao Konishi, general manager of the Thermal & Hydro Power Systems & Services Division in Toshibas Energy Systems & Solutions Company. Strong economic growth is straining Vietnams power generating capacity, with southern Vietnam particularly susceptible to shortages. The government is responding with expansion plans to boost electricity supply. So far, Toshiba has supplied STGs for the Vung Ang 1 Thermal Power Plant and the Thai Binh 2 Thermal Power Plant, contributing to securing stable power supply in Vietnam. Toshiba will reinforce its thermal power plant business, a source of steady income, by globally providing high-efficiency power generation equipment. Toshiba will look to contribute both to the realisation of a low-carbon society and to the stable supply of electricity. WTO director-general Roberto Azevedo said "pretty much all of the UK's (global) trade would somehow have to be negotiated" if Britain decides to leave the EU. (AFP/Fabrice Coffrini) LONDON: Britain would face gruelling negotiations to set the terms of its World Trade Organisation membership if it decided to leave the European Union, the group's chief warned in Thursday's Financial Times. WTO director-general Roberto Azevedo doubted claims made by supporters of a so-called Brexit that Britain would be able to access the European market through the WTO if it were unable to secure favourable alternative deals on leaving the EU. "Pretty much all of the UK's (global) trade would somehow have to be negotiated," he told the business newspaper, adding Britain would not be allowed to "cut and paste" a new deal. The warning follows similar interventions by the British Treasury, the Bank of England, the International Monetary Fund and US President Barack Obama, who have all raised the spectre of negative economic consequences of a Brexit. Polls currently show the "Remain" camp in the lead ahead of the June 23 in-out referendum. Britain's current WTO membership is under the agency of the EU. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. As the rains began to pour across Cambodia, heralding the beginning of the rainy season, agricultural experts have called for water reserves to be protected in case of climate change to avoid a repeat of shortages seen in recent years. The request from the Ministry of Agriculture came a day after the Royal Ploughing Ceremony, which symbolically marks the start of farmers cultivation period. Lor Reaksmey, a spokesman for the agriculture ministry, told VOA Khmer that the positive forecast from the ceremony should provide motivation for farmers, despite the severe drought. He encouraged local authorities to find ways to reserve water, such as digging ponds, or building water reservoirs. We need to prepare water reservoirs to avoid water shortages due to climate change as we saw in previous years. We urge the local authorities to take action on water reservoirs, he said. Farmers welcomed the rains with cheers. One farmer in Kampong Chhnang province, Srun Pov, 45, said she was happy that cultivation could finally begin after the long-delayed rains arrived. I'm so happy for the rain this month. My villagers will start farming now, she said. Laov Chanreth, 61, agreed, although the rains had yet to reach her land in Pursat province in the west of the country. Our water resources do not have water, it has dried up. So we can only depend on nature. There is not enough rain, and there are storms and lightening. There was rain here, yet it's just a small amount and not yet enough for farming, she said. Sam Vitou, director of the Cambodian Center for Study and Development in Agriculture, said the little rains that had arrived were a positive sign, adding that if farmers were well-prepared they could avoid the worst effects. However, he warned farmers to be ready for unexpected natural phenomenon. Officials and environmentalists have congratulated Vietnam and the United States on a recent climate changed agreement signed between the two former adversaries, saying the co-operation will have a positive impact on mitigating the effects of the phenomenon in the region. On Sunday, the two countries announced they would work to implement the Paris Agreement, an international agreement signed by 177 countries in April. The agreement signed last weekend covers energy policy, land use and carbon emissions, while emphasizing maintaining Vietnams rapid economic growth. The U.S. will also assist Vietnam to build up its resilience to climate change, according to a statement released on Sunday. This will include preserving forests and biodiversity, monitoring greenhouse gas emissions, investing in low-emissions technology, climate resilient agriculture techniques, improving the livelihoods of small-holder farmers, and managing coastal zones and mangrove forests. Sao Sopheap, environment ministry spokesman, said Cambodia was still lacking in many of the tools needed to combat the threat of climate change. If the U.S. work in Vietnam is a success, it could contribute to mitigating climate change globally, he said. Cambodia as well as other countries in the world welcomes and offers congratulations on the successful agreement of cooperative work between Vietnam and the U.S. he added. We want co-operation and support... that includes financial, technical, and human resources. Tek Vannara, director of the umbrella group NGO Forum, said the agreement would more or less have a positive impact on Cambodia. But we cant forecast how big or how small the program will positively have on Cambodia, he said. If the U.S. works with Cambodia on strengthening peoples capacity in regard to adapting to climate change in the agriculture sector, renewable energy and investment, that could fit with the climate change phenomenon, it would be good, he added. If a project is to be done in Cambodia, the result will be directly seen, and some Cambodian people will be able to adapt to [climate change], and get new technical assistance regarding green growth development. Tek Vannara added that the most appealing factor coming out of the Vietnam-U.S. talks was that Vietnam has a green growth development strategy, which he said could significantly contribute to mitigating greenhouse emissions. However, critics of the Cambodian governments forestry policies say the willingness of the authorities to turn a blind eye to rampant illegal logging, often encouraged by Vietnamese demand and investment, cast doubt on Phnom Penhs commitment to climate change mitigation. They could do the same thing in Cambodia, but Cambodia keeps annihilating the forest, said Ou Virak, founder of the Future Forum think tank. It keeps showing the lack of commitment to curbing environmental exploitation in Cambodia, so co-operation is limited. I see that the world is eager to help Cambodia. A lot of money could flow into Cambodia to help support Cambodia, its government, and Cambodian people, he said. Sopheap denied that government policy had contributed to the rapid deforestation rate seen in Cambodia in recent decades. Garment companies in Cambodia have warned their employees to work harder and increase productivity to remain competitive. The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) made the statement just days after Cambodian garment workers gathered to express their concerns over stagnated wages, forced overtime and low standards of living. Declining production in the Cambodian garment sector combined with increasing expenses had put the country at a disadvantage when competing with other nations in the region, such as Vietnam, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Ken Loo, secretary-general of GMAC, said in a statement that we must contribute in the manner that our garment sector can stand in today's strongly competitive atmosphere in the world market. As employers, we need to try to contribute as much as possible in building up the skills of the workers. Workers representatives, however, argue that employers have exploited the use of short-term contracts and have fired pregnant women in contravention of the labor law. The current minimum wage of $140 does not provide a living wage, they say. Mak Chansitha, director of the Workers Information Center, told VOA Khmer that employers must not place the blame only on workers. She added that the decline in productivity stemmed from an increase in the demand for garment products from factories. It's not that their work capacity falling. It's just that when the wage is raised, the quota increases. What I'm trying to say is that it's hard to reach the new quota, she said. She added that employers should look at the change in the production chain and the health of the workers in order to adjust to the falling productivity of workers. Loo said that factories were facing increasing costs for electricity and transport, which had led some factories to leave the country. Chansitha admitted that the costs borne by employers had increased and was higher than in neighboring countries. GMAC should engage in talks with workers representatives, she added. Ath Thorn, president of the Cambodia Labor Confederation, said there was still a lot of investment potential in the Cambodian garment sector. In Burma, there's requirement of nearly 60 percent of investment capital unlike Cambodia, he said. Heng Sour, spokesman for the Ministry of Labor, could not be reached this week. About 46 percent of Cambodias garment exports go to the European Union, with the United States coming in second at 30 percent. The industry earned more than $6 billion in 2015, according to data from the Workers Information Center. Cambodians should be free to express themselves, but that freedom of expression must not infringe upon others rights, lawyers told VOA Khmer on Wednesday. Under the constitution, Cambodians are guaranteed freedoms of expression, media and assembly, but these rights cannot affect the rights of others, affect the traditions of society or be performed in violation of the law. But rights groups argue that those freedoms are not guaranteed in practice. Over the past several months the courts have issued subpoenas against opposition leaders Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha, who are accused of defaming Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and young activist Thy Sovantha, respectively. More recently, the Cambodian Peoples Party filed a defamation suit against political analyst Ou Virak, who allegedly suggested that the case against Sokha was politically motivated. Listeners who called in to the Hello VOA radio program this Wednesday said they had a hard time understanding the difference between what constitutes an individuals right to free expression and defamation. Sok Sam Oeun, an independent lawyer, said that if you use your freedom to violate another person's freedom and rights, you will have to face legal action that falls under the responsibility to protect of the state. Couples or lovers talking to each other in their private room cannot commit public defamation. Someone who sneakily records and leaks the conversation should be the one to be punished, not the couple or the lovers, he added in an apparent reference to the case against Sokha. Kim Santepheap, Ministry of Justice spokesman, said Cambodian rules were in-line with international norms. However, one listener, Sameth, questioned why some protesters received protection while others were broken up by police. Srey Leap, a resident of Prey Veng province, said pro-government protests often received protection from the authorities while workers demonstrations were often crushed. Santepheap, however, played down the callers concerns, saying that the right to demonstrate and strike are guaranteed in the constitution and laws. One undeniable obligation of the people is to respect the constitution and laws. Everyone has equal rights in front of the law. He added that people have a right to express opinions but do not have the right to close down public roads. Sam Oeun admitted that the law governing demonstrations used vague language and required protest organizers to obtain permission from the authorities, which limits the ability of protesters to exercise their rights. The government and the ruling party have made a lot of progress because of criticism. If there is no criticism, there will be no change, he added. Santepheap stressed that freedom of expression and criticisms are not crimes, except those that are beyond the legal boundary. The government accepts [constructive] criticism. An investigation into the attacks on two opposition lawmakers outside parliament last year by members of Prime Minister Hun Sens Bodyguard Unit, published on Thursday by Human Rights Watch, found further links to the elite unit and urged a full investigation by the Cambodian authorities into the incident. Cambodia National Rescue Party lawmakers Nhay Chamroeun and Kong Saphea were badly beaten after being dragged from their cars as they left parliament in October last year. The two lawmakers were sent for treatment in Thailand. Human Rights Watch said in its report, Dragged and Beaten, that the government should ensure appropriate prosecutions of those found to be involved in planning, organizing, carrying out, authorizing, or obstructing investigations into the October 26 attack, regardless of rank or position. We uncovered relevant information on Hun Sens bodyguard forces, including their origins, development, and their current deployment, organization, and chain of command, which ends with the prime minister, read the summary. The bodyguard unit has long been notorious for serious human rights violations, including the March 30, 1997 grenade attack on a rally led by opposition leader Sam Rainsy that killed at least 16 people and injured more than 150. Videos of the attacks were posted online and went viral, prompting the arrest of three men who later confessed to committing the crime. Sapheas right eardrum has not fully healed to this day, while Chamroeuns right wrist was broken. Chamroeun said that his teeth were also knocked out during the attack. Saphea said that he would be thrilled if a full investigation would take place and more people, including the ring leaders, would be arrested, adding that he wants the government to work with the United Nations to investigate the attack. Common people would not dare to beat up lawmakers; there must be powerful people behind the attack, he said. I think the idea of working with the UN to find justice for us is good, he said. I do not have faith in the government, but if they are willing to seek the perpetrators, and cooperate with the [UN], its good, he said. I am not happy because only three people confessed. There were many people beating me, he said. Human Rights Watch also suggested that the government seek assistance from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to help ensure the independence, impartiality, and credibility of the investigation. Khieu Sopheak, Interior Ministry spokesman, said allowing the UN to be involved in the investigation would mean that Cambodia would lose its sovereignty. We do not refuse to cooperate, but when it comes to investigation, never has a country let the UN be involved in it, he said, adding that the case is in the hands of the Cambodian courts. Human Rights Watch also called on international donors to press the Cambodian government to reform its security forces and press for judicial independence. End the Ministry of Justices de facto supervisory role of the judiciary, it read. The World Banks decision earlier this month to resume lending to Cambodia after a five-year moratorium has drawn criticism from development experts. The Bank announced on May 19 it would issue $130 million in new loans to Cambodia to fund poverty reduction projects. It had placed a freeze on new loans in August 2011 after coming under fire for its support for a land titling scheme for victims of forced eviction from Boeung Kak lake. Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watchs Asia division, said that the Banks decision to go ahead with the planned loans would be interpreted as a green light by the government to continue its ongoing crackdown on dissent. The unfortunate reality is that obviously the World Bank is politically tone deaf when it comes to dealing with human rights, he said. You know that is an unfortunate stance. I mean none of the corruption has been handled in Cambodia; none of the human rights issues have been handled. The problems with land and the seizures of land by cronies connected to the government have not been solved. David Pred, managing director of NGO Inclusive Development International, said that the Bank had taken a rare stand for human rights and accountability when it suspended new loans to Cambodia pending a satisfactory remedy for the Boeung Kak Lake residents. By renewing lending now without first ensuring assistance is provided to the thousands of people who were forcibly evicted and impoverished, the Bank is squandering its credibility, he added. The government has often accused those critical of donors who look the other way when right abuses occur as impediments to development, something Pred says is not an accurate characterization. I don't know anyone who wants to block the development of Cambodia. Those who are protesting this decision simply want to see a different development model - one which places the rights and well-being of people above the interests of the ruling elite and foreign investors. The new loans include funding for a controversial land concession project that could see villagers in Kampong Thom province forcibly relocated. Chheang Vannnarith, head of the Cambodian Institute for Strategic Studies, said that the Bank was seeking to keep its relevance in the region amid the increasing clout of the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. I think that the World Bank has bent along with a political and economic strategy in the region. So, I see that it turns and obviously I see that the World Bank does not want to lose its role in South East Asia, especially Cambodia. In a letter sent to President Barack Obama before his trip this week, Human Rights Watch called Vietnam a police state that has one of the most repressive governments in the world. The U.S. leader saw the repression firsthand, with authorities rounding up activists just hours before he was set to meet with them. We do believe in certain universal values, and its important for us to speak out on behalf of those values wherever we go, Obama said as he sat down Tuesday with six civil society members in Hanoi. Hours after lodging his concern about Vietnams rights record, Obama boarded a plane and left for the next leg of his Asia trip, leaving some to question the effectiveness of this type of engagement in promoting reform. But its important for presidents to engage. These things can pay off in the long run. It takes a while before you see it, said James Goldgeier, dean of the School of International Service at American University in Washington. Regimes that dont want to open up are not going to open up overnight. Spurring lasting change One does not have to look much further back than the Cold War for an example of how U.S. engagement helped usher in an era of democracy. Combining soft and hard power the old carrot and stick method was ultimately effective, Georgetown University diplomacy professor Cynthia Schneider said. And dont discount the impact of cultural envoys, who fed an appetite for freedom in those living behind the Iron Curtain. Whether it was jazz music or rock 'n' roll, it kept their hope of freedom alive and kept them applying pressure to their own leaders, Schneider said. I think it was a brilliant combination of the two, and I would say the last time we have done that." In the late 1970s, former President Jimmy Carter began what turned out to be strong push for democracy and human rights throughout the Americas, where many of the countries were run by military dictators. People derided him [Carter] at the time for being naive and for making human rights such an important part of his foreign policy, Goldgeier said. But if you look at what happened over time in Central and South America, we have seen just an enormous change in democratization throughout the entire region. Pushing for reform Obamas approach in such matters has been nuanced. The president is often quick to point out the United States is not perfect. Hes repeatedly said the United States is not seeking to impose its form of government on another nation. We respect Vietnams sovereignty and independence, Obama said, standing alongside his Vietnamese counterpart in Hanoi. At the same time, we will continue to speak out on behalf of human rights that we believe are universal, including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion and freedom of assembly. The president, while pursuing stronger security or economic ties, has not shied away from pushing regimes toward change. Still incomplete was the report card he gave to Myanmars democratization during a 2014 visit. But in Myanmar, the United States was able to get on the side of change at a time when the Southeast Asian countrys military regime was already moving toward reform, said Thomas Carothers of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. We shouldnt think of engagement per se as a lever that opens up societies," Carothers said. Its at best a complement to a domestic process that is usually driven for other reasons. Still, the frequent Foreign Policy magazine contributor emphasizes each country and each scenario is different. It can be lip service if there is no real follow through and its clearly just a symbolic measure to appease critics back home and possibly abroad, Carothers said. It can also be part of a more sustained engagement in which one comes back to these issues time and again with the government and really presses hard. Obama recently announced the United States would relax some sanctions against Myanmar, following the countrys November elections that solidified its transition from military rule to a democratic government. The follow through Just months after taking office, Obama made a bold move reaching out to the Arab world, where relations were in tatters from the Iraq War. Obamas speech in Cairo in 2009 such a beautiful speech that inspired so many people but there was not one cent put into follow-up, Schneider noted. On top of that, the United States has supported each successive Egyptian leader, including [Abdel Fattah el-]Sissi, who is far more repressive than [Hosni] Mubarak ever was, and we continue to support them simply so we can sell them our usual amount of arms, overriding human rights concerns. The mistake that is often made, said Schneider, a former U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands, is to define strategic interests too narrowly, focusing on engagement in order to satisfy security needs or economic ties. Our strategic interest is remaining a model admired and aspired to around the world for democracy and what all that means, Schneider said. We have completely lost that position in the Middle East. It does not exist. Despite the lack of follow through in countries like Egypt, Schneider credits the Obama administration for programs supporting young entrepreneurs around the world, particularly women, helping create job opportunities in countries where economic development is critical. It is in our strategic interest to have these countries that are very fragile states right now prosper," she said. "And thats how they are going to be at peace. China has warned the Group of Seven (G-7) countries against holding talks that it argues could worsen tensions in the South China Sea. Maritime disputes are one of a host of issues that leaders of the seven countries are expected to discuss during their meetings in Tokyo this week. U.S. President Barack Obama, speaking at the opening of the G-7 Summit in Japan on Thursday, said the G-7 leaders intend to cover the South China Sea along with other international issues of the day. "We begin to touch on some of the key security issues that are important to all of us. South China Sea and maritime security." he said. Last month, the G-7 foreign ministers issued a joint statement on maritime security at the conclusion of their meetings, voicing their concern about the situation in the East China Sea and South China Sea. Taking sides Although the statement did not mention China specifically and called on all nations to refrain from artificial island building in the South China Sea, Beijing reacted strongly by accusing the group of taking sides. In the run up to this weeks meetings in Ise Shima, where the issue is likely to come up again among a host of other topics, Beijing has been proactive in its opposition and commentary. On Thursday, at a conveniently timed special briefing, Foreign Minister Wang Yi also had a chance to weigh in on Beijings concerns. When asked if the G-7 summit was a good place to discuss the South China Sea issue, Wang said that was something for the heads of the G-7 nations to decide. "We believe that no matter what the topic is, they should all adopt impartial and fair positions, and not apply double standards or strike alliances, and especially not take actions to escalate or provoke regional tensions," he said. Wang Yi held a briefing on Thursday to mark the 100 days before China hosts the Group of 20 nations or G-20 summit in Hangzhou this September. Ulterior motives Meanwhile, an article in the official state-run Xinhua news agency was more pointed in its criticism, accusing the G-7 of having ulterior motives in discussing maritime disputes. "The G-7, in order not to become obsolete and even negatively affect global peace and stability, should mind its own business rather than pointing fingers at others and fueling conflicts," the article said. At a press briefing on Wednesday, Chinas Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Japan has been overly hyping the issue and resorting to little tricks as it hosts the meetings, which she added should be focused on global economic governance and cooperation. We think Japans dereliction is not only a disservice to the G-7 Summit, but also harmful for maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea, Hua said. It is just another poor performance of Japan aiming to deliberately defame China. I believe everybody is very clear about this." Massive buildup raises eyebrows Over the past few years, Chinas actions in the South China Sea have thrust it into the international limelight. And while Beijing has long argued that its intentions are good and peaceful, its massive buildup of artificial islands in the disputed waters, which include airstrips and military facilities, and claim to almost all of the South China Sea have been a growing point of concern. The Philippines has challenged that claim, Beijings so-called nine-dash line, in an international court and a ruling in that case is expected in the coming weeks. China argues that disputes between claimants should not be handled through international mediation, but bilaterally between nations with claims in the South China Sea. At the same time that state media and officials have been critical of the G-7s role in hyping maritime disputes, Beijing is highlighting the need for the G-20 to take a more decisive lead in managing global economic challenges. The U.N. International Court of Justice said Thursday that it would hold hearings this year on a maritime border dispute between Somalia and Kenya. Somalia has complained that Kenya has wrongly claimed parts of its territorial waters in the Indian Ocean, areas potentially rich in gas and oil reserves. The disputed area stretches over 100,000 square kilometers. Kenya sees the border extending in a straight line from its land border into the Indian Ocean, which would give it the additional area. Somalia says the demarcation should continue along the land border in a southeasterly direction, which would put the additional area on its side. In its application to the court, Somalia, which filed the case in 2014, said the two countries "disagree about the location of the maritime boundary," according to the tribunal, and that diplomatic negotiations "have failed to resolve this disagreement." Somalia has requested that the court "determine the precise geographical coordinates of the single maritime boundary in the Indian Ocean." The hearings are set for Sept. 19-23. The death of an environmental activist in police custody has sparked an outcry in China and highlights growing discontent among the country's middle class. Relatives have said Lei Yang left his home this month in Beijing to pick up a relative from the airport. Within a couple of hours, he was dead. Police say Lei had visited a brothel, which was disguised as a foot massage parlor. When police raided the brothel, Lei and several other people were arrested. Authorities said he died of a heart attack while in their custody; but, the death has raised questions among his family members, who have demanded an independent autopsy, and the Chinese public. Maya Wang, a researcher with Human Rights Watch, said what makes this case different from others involving police brutality in the mainland is Leis middle class background. Police brutality and the use of torture in custody have been a problem for a very, very long time, and periodically it receives national attention, because of various cases of deaths in police custody. So there has been some pressure for the police to reform; but, I think this case in particular has received a lot of attention right now because of Lei Yangs background, she said. Questions remain A Beijing hospital said Lei was dead on arrival and his family members say he had bruises on his arms and head. The police deny any responsibility for his death, and say he incurred the bruises when falling to the ground after attempting to escape from a police vehicle. Chinese state news media have reported extensively on Leis death, provoking criticism on Chinese social media. William Nee, a China researcher with Amnesty International, said, A person with an environmental science degree from the most prestigious university in the country, in the prime of his life, 29 years old, with a new baby, kind of the type of kid that any parent would want to have, who suddenly and mysteriously is killed in police custody, and this is what has raised so many questions. Of course there are lots of cases of police brutality around the country. Leis alumni at Renmin University of China have circulated petitions demanding answers surrounding the circumstances of his death. One read, Looking over the entire episode of Lei Yangs homicide, it looks more like a malicious act of randomly targeting ordinary people or middle class urbanites than an accident...Even if he had moral shortcomings, like the rest of us, he didnt deserve to die. Even if he was unhappy with the way he was being handled and might have obstructed official business, he should not have been executed on the spot without a trial! Domestic and international attention Reggie Littlejohn, a U.S. rights activist who has spoken out against Chinas use of police brutality, said in other well-publicized cases, international attention has been able to bring out change. Those who are familiar or who have dedicated their lives to human rights in China know that when someone becomes brutalized, if that person becomes known in the West, and theres a movement behind them, then actually they get treated better in China. So, even though the Chinese government says they dont care what we think, actually they do care what we think, and so I think one of the big ways to end this is international pressure, she said. With Leis case, the brunt of the criticism and questioning of police brutality are coming from within China. Beijing police say they are conducting a thorough investigation of his death, and have promised a zero tolerance policy if police misconduct is found. Security forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo broke up opposition demonstrations across the country Thursday. Two people are believed to have been killed in the eastern city of Goma. The march was organized by a group of leading opposition parties to protest what they claim are President Joseph Kabila's efforts to stall elections until he can change the constitution to allow him to seek a third term. The Constitutional Court ruled earlier this month that Kabila can stay in office if November elections are postponed. Opposition leader Eva Bazaiba said her message for Kabila is that his mandate ends Dec. 19, 2016. She said if elections are not organized by then, the opposition will consider Kabila a putschist and someone who has violated the constitution. Around mid-morning, several thousand protesters in Kinshasa began to move in a sea of colorful flags. One young man said Kabila must understand his mandate has come to an end, and that the Congolese people are hungry and thirsty for democracy. But the cheerful atmosphere quickly turned tense when the protesters moved onto the main thoroughfare toward the government district. They were confronted by lines of policemen who fired canisters of bright pink tear gas into the crowd. Protesters began throwing rocks. The Kinshasa police say demonstrators failed to follow the route the organizers and the town hall had agreed on. The march dispersed after it became clear it would not be able to reach its intended destination. Demonstrations were also banned in other parts of the country. Police clashed with protesters in the eastern city of Goma. Police are accused of using live bullets on the crowd. A U.N. human rights monitor told VOA that one protester was shot dead and two others injured, while a police officer was killed by stones thrown by the crowd. The legacy of the atomic bomb blast that devastated Hiroshima, Japan, 71 years ago, can be seen in the city's Peace Memorial Park and in a documentary about a group of children who survived the attack. The story begins at All Souls Church, Unitarian in Washington, two years after the war. As part of their postwar humanitarian efforts, congregants sent badly needed school supplies to students in Hiroshima. Although their concrete school building had survived, the wooden interior, and everything in it, was destroyed. These students survived the bomb blast because they had been evacuated from the city. The children sent back thank-you notes in the form of pictures. Their teacher had asked them to create happy images, so they drew remarkable pictures illustrating the concepts of hope and peace. The drawings were stored in the church basement, largely forgotten. A parishioner came across the box of drawings in 1995. Church members restored the pictures and in 2010 took them to Japan to be displayed at the school, and to reunite the surviving artists for the first time with the drawings they had created as children. Shizumi Shigeto Manale, an American born in Hiroshima, came up with the idea for a documentary. Called "Pictures from a Hiroshima Schoolyard," it offers a look at the power of compassion and acts of kindness. Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across France Thursday for a one-day nationwide strike protesting a government labor reform proposal that would make it easier for employers to hire and fire workers and weaken the power of unions. Protesters clashed with police as several thousand people shouting anti-government slogans marched through Paris Thursday, demanding the government reverse its labor bill. Protesters met with waves of tear gas as police fought bands of masked marchers. Police detained 77 people as tens of thousands marched from the Bastille plaza through eastern Paris. The situation has been particularly tense in the French port city of Le Havre, where workers are blocking one of the country's main oil terminals. Thousands of dock workers poured into the square in front of city hall Thursday, setting off smoke bombs throughout the area. Meanwhile, at least 11 of France's 58 nuclear power plants were hit with unplanned outages when workers joined the strikes. Trade union members were seen slowing traffic at the Gravelines Nuclear Power Station, handing out leaflets and encouraging drivers to join the strike. The Gravelines facility is the sixth largest nuclear plant in the world, the second largest in Europe and the largest in Western Europe. As union activists disrupted fuel supplies, trains and nuclear plants around the country, French Transport Minister Alain Vidalies played down concerns that strikes would lead to blackouts, saying France could import electricity if needed. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls suggested possible "changes" or "improvements" to the labor bill that has sparked intensifying strikes and protests, but insisted the government will not abandon it. President Barack Obama said Thursday that world leaders he had spoken with were "rattled" by the presence of Donald Trump as a candidate in the 2016 U.S. presidential race and he offered his own harsh criticism of the bombastic billionaire. Speaking to reporters in the coastal Japanese city of Ise Shima, after the first day of an annual summit of leaders of the world's seven wealthiest nations, the president said the world was paying close attention because "the United States is at the heart of the international order." Later in the day, Trump brushed off Obama's recounting of world leaders' views of him, saying, "If they're rattled in a friendly way, that's a good thing." Trump has dominated the race for the Republican presidential nomination based on his controversial statements about Hispanic immigrants and Muslims. He has also called for withdrawing U.S. forces from Japan and South Korea and arming those countries with nuclear weapons to counter the threat from North Korea. Obama said his fellow leaders were "not sure how seriously to take some of [Trump's] pronouncements," which "display either ignorance of world affairs, or a cavalier attitude, or an interest in getting tweets and headlines." Economic woes The U.S. president said he and the other G-7 leaders discussed the challenges facing the global economy on the first day of the summit, and ways to "sustain the momentum of the recovery that's taking place in the United States." Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe presented a grimmer view of the global economy, comparing current economic conditions with those of 2008, when the collapse of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers triggered a global economic recession. Many observers believe Abe was making those comparisons to give him cover for delaying a planned increase in Japan's consumption tax. Terrorism, maritime security Friday's agenda at the G-7 will include terrorism and maritime security. The last point is an obvious nod to China's increasing territorial expansion in the resource-rich South China Sea, in the face of rival claims by its Asia-Pacific neighbors. After the summit, Obama will travel to Hiroshima, where tens of thousands of Japanese were killed when a U.S. warplane dropped the world's first atomic bomb in 1945, hastening the end of World War II. Residents fleeing the fierce fighting between Iraqi forces and Islamic State (IS) militants in Fallujah are in a "state of shock", reeling from the gunfire and months of near-starvation. According to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), which has teams receiving those who manage to escape, the humanitarian situation in the city is desperate. "Fighting has intensified, but there are still no safe routes out of Fallujah for the trapped civilians," NRC said in a statement Thursday. Iraqi forces are now converging on the city from three different directions. Initial reports said the forces had met stiff resistance from IS fighters. The city has been under siege for almost six months, and little or no aid has gone in. "The stories coming out of Fallujah are horrifying," NRC Iraq country director Nasr Muflahi said. "People who managed to flee speak of extreme hunger and starvation." "The newly arrived are in a state of shock," the NRC said. No safe way out Plans set out by the Iraqi government to provide civilians with safe corridors to leave the city reportedly have not worked. IS has also reportedly laced the roads with explosives, making escape that much more difficult. "We will tear down the black flags of these despicable strangers who abducted this dear city. The time has come to liberate Fallujah and the victory will be ours," Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Sunday. The Iraqi army is backed by U.S. coalition airstrikes, a contingent of Sunni fighters, and a large number of Shi'ite militias. Fear for civilian safety Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric has called on the government and militia forces to spare the civilians trapped in the city. The call was echoed by Abadi, Iraqs minister of defense and the Popular Mobilization Commission that oversees the militias, and was welcomed by U.N. Special Envoy to Iraq Jan Kubis, who has also urged all parties in the fight to protect the lives of civilians. "The people of Fallujah have suffered tremendously and the liberation should not add more suffering and destruction of property. Innocent civilians should not pay the price for the crimes of Daesh," Kubis said in a statement, using a local term for the extremist group IS. Human rights organizations in the past have accused Shi'ite militias of reprisal killings. Iraqi officials have been separating and screening the men from the families who have escaped to make sure none of them belong to IS. "Anyone who leaves now, the occupied territory, should be very meticulously scrutinized and go through a security vetting procedure," Shia lawmaker and former National Security Advisor Mowaffak al Rubaie told VOA. But he acknowledged the system is open to possible misconduct. "It is very difficult to strike a balance between human rights violations and applying a vetting procedure. But security is paramount," Rubaie said. According to the United Nations, humanitarian agencies have been gearing up for weeks to provide protection, shelter, water, health care and food to those fleeing the city. A few hundred thousand years ago, the Red Planet wasn't nearly as red as it is today, planetary scientists tell VOA. That's the latest bit of information that adds to the fairly steady stream of news challenging our notion of Mars as a dry, dusty planet. The Mars it is a changin' Today's new research suggests our nearest neighbor has been living through an ice age, and has been warming back up for the past 370,000 years or so. Scientists in Texas, Colorado, and Missouri published their findings in Science journal VOA spoke with University of Texas geophysicist Isaac Smith about the new research, which is based on detailed radar measurements from Martian ice caps. He says Mars has periodic ice ages, just like Earth. "The last ice age maximum would have been about 600,000 years ago," he told VOA, "and the next is 500,000 in the future. But the cool thing is that during these maximums, the planet "can be covered in white ice." As in: distinctly less red. But beyond having way more ice on its surface, when it comes to a Martian ice age, Smith says to forget a lot of what you think should happen during an ice age. Say What? For one thing, he says "the polar caps would be smaller," because Martian poles actually warm up during an ice age. Part of the reason is that Mars has a much more profound tilt than Earth, as well as a much more elliptical orbit around the sun. That, along with the planet's thin atmosphere, means little changes like tilt and distance from the sun can have a big impact. But in practical terms, warmer poles mean there's a lot more water in the atmosphere. Smith says, "usually the ice goes to the mid-latitudes between 30 and 60 degrees, where it can build up several meters of thickness," making the red planet look more white than red, even to the naked eye. "Cool to think about isn't it?" Smith says. The more we understand how Mars has changed over the years, the more it informs scientists about where to look as astronomers continue their quest to find something that is, or was, alive somewhere else in the universe. One of the keys to life, is water, and the more we learn about Mars, the more evidence we have, that despite appearances, it can be a fairly watery place. One person was killed and three others wounded in a shooting at a New York City concert venue where popular rap artist T.I. was scheduled to perform Wednesday night. The New York Times says a 33-year-old man died after being shot at Irving Plaza, located near Manhattan's Union Square neighborhood. Authorities say the other victims were a 34-year-old man who was shot in the chest, a 26-year-old woman shot in the leg, and a fourth person who walked into a hospital on their own. The identity of and nature of the injury to the fourth victim is unknown. Video taken inside the club and posted on Twitter shows the audience running towards the exit screaming in fear, while a person is assisting someone who appears to be hurt and falling to the floor. No arrests have been made in the shooting. Political intimidation, the suppression of political expression, and restrictions on freedom of assembly have Cambodia's young democracy under threat, observers in the country say. Government officials say limitations on freedom are necessary to avoid a catastrophic "color revolution" of the sort that erupted in Syria five years ago. That uprising, which began amid hopes of a democratic spring across the Arab world, plunged the country into chaos. Prime Minister Hun Sen argues that he is defending Cambodia's "hard-earned peace and political stability," said Preap Kol, executive director of Transparency International Cambodia. The government insists its actions are legal, but differences in the treatment of pro- and anti-government demonstrators by authorities, and a series of prosecutions that appear politically motivated, raise questions of a double standard. "There is a lack of fairness and social justice that is an important standard of rule of law," said Kol, who compared recent developments for Cambodian democracy to the choreography of a traditional Khmer dance. "Dancers take three steps forward and three steps backward. It goes forward slowly. In some circumstances, it retreats back swiftly." Crackdown The recent round of measures apparently designed to silence Hun Sen's opponents began last August when opposition senator Hong Sok Hour was arrested for allegedly falsifying public documents related to the 1979 Cambodia-Vietnam border treaty, despite his parliamentary immunity. The crackdown turned violent in October when two Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) lawmakers, Nhay Chamroeun and Kong Saphea, were badly beaten outside the National Assembly by youths apparently aligned with the ruling party who were granted relatively broad freedom to demonstrate. The protesters were demanding that the opposition party's deputy leader, Kem Sokha, be stripped of the parliament's vice presidency. The official investigation into the attack has become mired in the courts. Intimidation peaked in January 2016, when charges were leveled against CNRP President Sam Rainsy, including a charge relating to one of Hong Sok Hour's allegedly faked documents, which, police say, Rainsy shared on Facebook. A defamation suit against Rainsy, filed years earlier by former Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong, was swiftly reactivated just as a new defamation case was brought against him by National Assembly President Heng Samrin, forcing Rainsy back into exile for the fourth time. CNRP lawmaker Um Sam An was arrested in April, also over comments about the Cambodian-Vietnamese border. Again, parliamentary immunity was circumvented by arguments that he was caught violating national laws. He was denied bail and remains in jail. Sex scandal Since April, the same youth activists aligned with the ruling Cambodian People's Party have demanded that the opposition deputy Sokha face legal consequences for an alleged affair that was purportedly exposed in recordings published online. Political analysts, civil society organizations and even a United Nations employee have been caught up in the scandal. Some are accused of coercing the alleged mistress to publicly deny the claims. Sokha, in response, has stuck to his proclaimed philosophy of "no answer, no response, no argument," determined to surrender himself to the courts rather than choose self-exile. The United Nations human rights agency has called the actions "politically-motivated persecution" and pointed to "woefully flawed due process" in the cases. The defamation suits against opposition lawmakers and the arrests of workers for local human rights group Adhoc were breaches "of the universal right to freedom of expression and opinion," the agency said. Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan asserted that the government was committed to the rule of law, and said recent moves to make officials responsive to the public through social media were, in fact, improving freedom of expression. "It is the balance between the use of rights and the monitoring of [people's] rights by authorities in a democratic society," he said. Tense political situation But the government's recent actions have made the political situation "tense," said Chak Sopheap, executive director of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights. "It is a sign of threats to other NGOs that have been working on similar issues to foster respect for human rights in Cambodia." Sopheap noted the vast quantity of government officials' time being dedicated to the sex scandal and the broader crackdown. The government and civil society groups seemed to be speaking different languages, interpreting the concepts of rule of law and freedom of expression entirely differently, she added. "No one is opposing what the government says about peace and development," she said. "In fact, civil society is joining with the government to improve democracy and rule of law." Pakistan is accusing the United States of scuttling Islamabad's efforts to facilitate a negotiated end to the conflict in Afghanistan, insisting the slain leader of the Afghan Taliban was not blocking the peace process. Pakistani foreign policy chief Sartaj Aziz told a news conference in Islamabad Thursday that "all indications" available from Pakistani officials, who he said were in touch with the Taliban, suggested its slain chief, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, was readying to come to the negotiating table. Mansoor was traveling in a car back from Iran through the southwestern Pakistani province of Baluchistan on Saturday when missiles fired by U.S. drones killed him and his driver. WATCH: Video footage of drone srike aftermath U.S. President Barack Obama confirmed and defended the fatal attack, saying Mansoor had rejected efforts to "seriously engage in pace talks and end the violence" in Afghanistan. Obama also said he expected the Taliban to continue to carry out attacks following the appointment of a new leader. "In the short-term, we anticipate that the Taliban will continue to pursue an agenda of violence and blowing up innocent people," he said Thursday. A day earlier, the Taliban formally confirmed the death of Mansoor and announced his replacement, Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada. Aziz slams US Aziz said "In less than a year the peace process has been scuttled twice, at that time and right now again." Islamabad, in its future interactions with Washington, Aziz vowed, will "make them realize that it is not advisable to interrupt the peace process" through such actions and demonstrate "consistency" in the U.S. policy to promote the Afghan peace. He recalled that Pakistan brokered and hosted the groundbreaking meeting between Taliban and Afghan government negotiators in July 2015. Aziz said that those talks were "scuttled at a key stage" after the news of the death of Taliban founding leader Mullah Omar was leaked to the media. Pakistani officials had blamed that disruption on the Afghan intelligence agency. Aziz also accused Washington of "not respecting" an understanding reached earlier this month in four-way talks on the Afghan peace process that efforts for a politically negotiated settlement will continue because years of use of force has not helped achieve the objective. "We believe that this (military) approach will further destabilize Afghanistan, which will have negative implications for the region, especially due to the presence of large numbers of terrorist groups in Afghanistan," he said. "This particular incident of Mullah Akthar Mansoor's death in a drone strike on 21 May has added to the complexity of the Afghan conflict." Drone strike implications The foreign policy advisor reiterated the U.S. drone action violated Pakistan's sovereignty and breached "the principles of the United Nations charter governing the conduct of states", adding Islamabad has conveyed its concerns to Washington that it would have "serious implications for bilateral ties. Pakistani authorities are still awaiting DNA test results before releasing Mansoor's body to his relatives for burial, adding the results are expected in the next couple of days. The head of the special command forces in Uganda who is also a son of the president was officially promoted to major general Wednesday, a move that has drawn condemnation on social media and has stirred allegations of a succession scheme. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, was decorated following his promotion from brigadier during a ceremony at Ministry of Defense headquarters in Kampala. The special command forces are in charge of protecting the president, as well as the countrys oil and other institutions. Kainerugaba, the first son of President Yoweri Museveni, was promoted alongside many other officers. But critics allege Kainerugaba's elevation is part of a plan by Museveni to install his son as his successor. Renegade Army General David Sejusa, a former coordinator for Ugandas intelligence agencies at the presidents office, made the allegation to VOA. Sejusa has demanded an investigation. He said the alleged plan involves a plot to assassinate senior administration officials opposed to Musevenis succession arrangement. Critics say the sudden rise of Kainerugaba to the position of Special Forces Group commander in the Uganda Peoples Defense Forces also forms part of the alleged succession plan. 'Misplaced' criticism The government denies any such plan exists. In an interview with VOA, Major Chris Magezi, spokesman for the special command forces, said the allegations were unfounded. That criticism is very misplaced," he said, "and it goes a long way to elaborate the nature of our local politics here. Just because Muhoozi Kainerugaba is the son of the president should not and must never take away his effort as an individual, his commitment to serve the armed forces. The armed forces, which is one of the options which he chose among many, I think is one of the toughest options he could have gone for. He has done a very brilliant job." Magezi denied local media reports that the unit enjoys autonomy from the UPDF. This is some misleading information, which has been deliberately put out by some elements, but its not correct," he said, noting that the Special Forces Group is just one formation within the UPDF. "There have been discussions of the army leadership to expand the special forces into a third service, which means the UPDF will have three services, which will include the air forces, the land forces and the special forces, said Magezi. The discussions are still ongoing. The head of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration admitted Wednesday that this summer would be a trying time for air travelers. Peter Neffenger said at a congressional hearing that the agency was taking several steps to try to ease the congestion plaguing the nation's airports ahead of the Memorial Day holiday and summer travel season. Neffenger told lawmakers the agency was sending new screeners to the nation's busiest airports in Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles and other hubs. The TSA also has increased the use of overtime, converted some part-time workers to full-time status and increased the use of bomb-sniffing dogs to help with security lines, he said. Neffenger's appearance before the House Homeland Security Committee came just days after he ousted TSA's head of security, Kelly Hoggan, and put in a new management team to speed up screenings. Hoggan was replaced by Darby LaJoye, a former federal security director in Los Angeles and New York. Neffenger declined to explain why he removed Hoggan, saying only that "I needed a new direction going forward.'' Hoggan, who received more than $90,000 in bonuses in 2013-14, remains at the agency on paid administrative leave. Long lines have been plaguing major U.S. airports since early spring, but the issue came to a head this month when thousands of passengers in Chicago missed flights because of lengthy waits at security checkpoints. South Sudanese women's rights activists are calling on the leaders of the Transitional Government of National Unity to include more women in the various branches of government that are to be formed. The women made the call Wednesday at the start of a two-day national conference in Juba. Zeinab Yassin, chairwoman of the South Sudan Women's General Association, said the conference is important for men and women to shed light on what is included in the peace agreement signed by President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar, the former rebel leader. "We are here to explain or to enlighten the women and educate them about the peace agreement, and let everybody have it in his hand to understand what the agreement our government signed is all about," Yassin said. Yassin said South Sudanese women must understand what is contained in the peace agreement before they can talk about what role women will play in the reconciliation and healing process. She called on South Sudan's leaders to include women in the yet-to-be formed Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing. Specifically, Yassin appealed to leaders of the Transitional Government of National Unity to appoint at least one female judge to the Hybrid Court for South Sudan, which is outlined in the August peace agreement. Agreement is for all of us Conference facilitator Priscilla Joseph said women can and should play an active role in implementing the peace agreement. "Women are part of this agreement, she said. This agreement is talking about us. There are structures in that agreement where we are supposed to be participating. The peace agreement is not only for the government. It is for all of us." Joseph said women have a duty to talk to their husbands and children about putting an end to violence. She stressed that women are the peacemakers in the family and community and, as such, they are key players in the healing and reconciliation process in South Sudan. Gatrick Lubanga, who works for a local non-governmental organization called South Sudan Women for Peace, said at the conference that even though South Sudan's leaders are dragging their feet in establishing all institutions of the Transitional Government, women will not stop pushing for lasting peace. "We know our speed, we know our pace, and we expect that what has been lacking, what has been making the two parties not to come together, we want these gaps filled by what will come out of this meeting, she said. Women have been constrained; they have been challenged in many areas. The women here are saying we want to strive for peace and we want to work together with the men because we are always partners." Peace through music Musician Beatrice Toni said she, too, can contribute positively in disseminating the message of what is contained in the August peace agreement through her music. She called upon the South Sudanese people to embrace peace through music. "As women, we really need peace, Toni said. The two-day convention addresses the role of women in fostering peace and security, but also the role of the National Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare in ensuring that women have a voice in the new government. More than 450 women from across South Sudan are attending the conference. Syrian rebel commanders and opposition politicians concede their armed revolution against President Bashar al-Assad cant win, thanks to the military intervention by Russia and Iran. But, they insist, neither can the regime wipe them out and end the rebellion. The violent standoff has in effect led to a de facto partition of the war-wracked country with no signs of a political solution on the horizon to stitch Syria together. Behind the scenes, U.S. diplomats are pressuring rebel negotiators to agree to form a transitional government with President Bashar al-Assad. Rebels dismiss the suggestion out of hand. That is just not going to happen it is wasted breath, a member of the rebels High Negotiations Committee, or HNC, told VOA. Assad is our red line and unlike President Obama when it came to his red line on the regimes chemical weapons use, we wont cross it, he added. Division between parties kills talks The third round of Geneva-based talks aimed at ending the six-year war in Syria ground to a halt last month with the government and opposition still divided over fundamental issues the most fundamental being the fate of President Assad. The opposition suspended participation after the regimes delegation refused to discuss the formation of a transition council, instead arguing that opposition representatives should be folded into the government without displacing Assad. The United Nations has set a deadline in August for a transitional government to be formed, but Western diplomats concede this is just not realistic. Everybody is holding their breath, hoping that something will be conjured out of the Geneva hat, a European diplomat told VOA. But the process has utterly stalled and the opposition is just not going to agree to join Assad in a transition government. Rightly theyre asking transition to what? he added. Last week, Frances foreign minister said the major world powers had agreed to push for a resumption of the Syrian peace talks in Geneva by the start of June. The objective remains the political process, said Jean-Marc Ayrault. U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura has said while theres urgency to get another round of talks going quickly, no firm date has been set. Keeping the conversation going Ideas to keep some dialogue going have included forming a new governing council made up of regime military officials and moderate rebel leaders. Another idea raised is to distribute some of the Syrian presidents powers to super-deputies. But nothing is breaking the deadlock and exasperated Western diplomats admit the main objective of the peace process now is just to keep dialogue going on the grounds that even proximity talks hold out hope for something to give. We are going round and round in circles revisiting the same issues time and again. It is like being actors in the Jean-Paul Sartre play Huis Clos [No Exit], said a Western official, who asked for anonymity. The Syrian regime and the opposition delegation have not even talked face-to-face, but via the U.N., with de Mistura acting as a go-between. Much of the attention now is getting a fourth round under way but de Mistura said that it will only be meaningful, if violence drops to the level it was in the immediate weeks after a cessation of hostilities deal was agreed in February by the regime (and its overseas backers) and the main opposition. Jihadist groups Jabhat al Nusra and Islamic State are not included in the deal. But the level of violence has increased inexorably with both sides accusing each other of major violations. Regime airstrikes both by Syrian Air Force warplanes and Russian jets have continued remorselessly. The regime insists it is pounding only terrorists but moderate rebel and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and clinics, have been targeted. Russia has been pushing for major Islamist groups such as Ahrar al-Sham to be excluded from the talks. Still dont understand Assad The armed revolution cant win, said General Salim Idris, the former chief of staff of the mainstream rebel military alliance, the Free Syrian Army. But neither can the regime, unless the Russians mounted a ground intervention and throw in more than just their Special Forces, he added. Even then, he said, the rebels would maintain an underground war. He said the Americans have been pressuring opposition negotiators to accept that Assad should stay in a transition government. They still dont understand Assad, he said. Among the anti-Assad opposition movement as whole armed rebels, opposition politicians, and civil society activists Assad remaining is a deal-breaker. We dont know how this conflict will end, said Bassam al-Kuwatli, a prominent activist, but one thing we do know is that it wont end with Assad still there. Indias iconic Taj Mahal is battling a new threat swarms of insects that are proliferating in the heavily contaminated waters of the Yamuna River, which flows behind the 17th century monument. Officials say the bugs settle on ledges and leave behind poop which is staining the pearl white marble of the monument with green patches. During the evening time they get attracted towards the white surface of the Taj Mahal and during the night they stay over there and leave those green deposits, says Bhuvan Vikram, the top official at the Archeological Survey of India in the northern city of Agra, where the Taj is located. Although workers clean the droppings, experts fear the heavy doses of scrubbing could damage the delicate inlay work that embellishes the Taj Mahal. Recent discovery of the problem Vikram explained that they first encountered the problem last year but only recently identified the cause a type of elongated fly known as the genus Geoldichironomus. We found they are breeding in the brackish water of the river which is heavily contaminated, he said. The insects thrive in the hot weather in the algae that has deposited on the sides of the river. Environmentalists have struggled for years to protect the white marble of the monument from turning yellow due to high levels of air pollution in Agra a crowded, industrial city that once served as the capital of the Mughal dynasty. While air pollution levels dropped after coal-based power plants and some polluting industries were shut down, the waters of the Yamuna river have not improved. Yamura river is the source of the insects Environmental campaigners like D.K. Joshi, who is based in Agra, said the key to warding off the latest threat is to revive the dying river. He has filed a petition with the National Green Tribunal, an environmental court. Joshi said the Yamuna is choking from the effluents of 52 open drains in the city that empty into the river. Hazardous waste, industrial waste, solid waste, all this empties into the river. Millions of dollars has been spent to clean the river, but nothing has happened, he said. Ash from cremations adds to the problem Experts say ash deposits from a 200 year-old cremation ground in the vicinity of the Taj Mahal are worsening the problem because they are the primary source of food for this particular insect. Six months ago, the Supreme Court asked city authorities to relocate the crematorium there have also been alarm bells about smoke from the funeral pyres discoloring the marble. That has not happened so far and protests from a Hindu group prompted city authorities to say they will encourage people to use the more environmentally- friendly electric cremation method. Joshi is confident that cleaning the Yamuna can be achieved with a short term program. Stop the sewage from going into the river, improve its flow. It is not difficult, but the will power is not there, he said. Vikram of ASI is hopeful that the latest menace to the Taj Mahal from insects will get attention of the city authorities whose task it is to clean the river. His other worry is the huge pressure that the steady rise in tourism puts on the monument six million domestic and foreign tourists visited the Taj in 2014. So much is the amount of dirt that it creates, these are the hazards of tourism. The tourists, they like to touch the surfaces, for that we are trying to provide some kind of separators, Vikram said. A Cambodian court will rule shortly on charges brought against three military personnel who have confessed to beating two opposition politicians outside the National Assembly in October. The judicial outcome is being widely viewed as a litmus test for human rights in Cambodia, where a government crackdown on dissent has resulted in a profusion of lawsuits and the jailing of opposition politicians and their supporters. Kung Sophea and Nhay Chamraoen of the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) were severely injured by the beatings, which followed anti-opposition protests led by General Kun Kim and members from the prime minister's Bodyguard Headquarters (BGH). The confrontation shocked the nation and international human rights observers. Sot Vanny, Mao Hoeun and Chay Sarit surrendered to police in mid-November after Prime Minister Hun Sen publicly urged them to do so. They insisted they acted alone, out of anger, and said they were not part of an organized effort to silence the opposition, as alleged by groups such as Human Rights Watch (HRW). They said they retaliated after the two politicians taunted and insulted them, accusing them of being Vietnamese puppets. The two lawmakers were beaten so brutally that they were sent to Thailand for treatment. A new HRW report, Dragged and Beaten, The Cambodian Government's Role in the October 2015 Attack on Opposition Politicians, alleges the beatings were orchestrated from the upper echelons of government and the military with many more taking part in the attacks. It appears that there's a deeper involvement by the bodyguard unit than has come out so far and that this needs to be thoroughly investigated and anybody involved with these attacks needs to be held accountable, said Phil Robertson, deputy director of HRW's Asia division. The HRW report includes eye witness accounts, videos and photographs that indicate at least 20 people were in the immediate area of the politicians and their cars during the assault. Another 10 were directly involved with the beatings while the others watched on and did nothing. After the attacks, demonstrators were trucked to a hotel in Takhmao, not far from Hun Sen's private estate. According to the report, a driver of one of the vehicles later said one of the [bodyguard] commanders in his vehicle bragged about having participated [in a] hands-on in a beating. The bodyguard unit has long been notorious for serious human rights violations, including the March 30, 1997 grenade attack on a rally led by opposition leader Sam Rainsy that killed at least 16 people and injured more than 150, the report says. HRW said plans for the demonstrations were known by Hun Sen and were carried out through a chain of command that included General Kun Kim, and BHQ, whose orders to mobilize were passed through Facebook to the Senaneak, one of three youth groups established in recent years to promote the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP). The story that these guys, three guys were sitting around drinking coffee and then heard about a protest and went to check it out and only attacked these people when they were insulted, you know just beggars belief, Robertson said. This is sort of a typical, lousy CPP cover-up story that everybody has repeated according to the script and the only reason they're getting away with it is that the prosecutors and the judges are in the hands of the CPP as well. It's a matter for the courts, not the government, said government spokesman Phay Siphan, who deferred further questions to the ministry of justice, whose representatives declined to comment. But prominent CNRP politician Son Chhay said he agrees with the report's findings and added the opposition was still waiting to hear from the United Nations over its calls for an international conference by signers of the 1991 Paris Peace Accords to help ensure the safety of politicians and help stabilize what it says is a hostile political environment in Cambodia. We're quite frustrated. We have sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon explaining to him the political situation here. It's very urgent that [the] U.N. ought to do something. They need to stop ruling party, CPP, from doing damage to our party, he said. Saphea, the other opposition member who was beaten, told VOA Khmer that he would be thrilled if a full investigation would take place and more people, including the ring leaders, would be arrested, adding that he wants the government to work with the United Nations to investigate the attack further. Common people would not dare to beat up lawmakers; there must be powerful people behind the attack, he said. I think the idea of working with the UN to find justice for us is good, [as] I do not have faith in the government. I am not happy, because only three people confessed," he added. "There were many people beating me. HRW has also suggested that the government should seek assistance from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to ensure an independent and impartial probe. Interior Ministry Spokesman Khieu Sopheak said UN involvement in any investigation would constitute a violation of national sovereignty. Arrests and lawsuits have followed the October beatings, prompting CNRP leader Sam Rainsy to flee into self-imposed exile. Another opposition leader is facing charges related to a sex scandal and Hun Sen has warned his ruling CPP will not tolerate color revolutions. The warning appears to have been aimed at land and human rights activists who have donned black shirts while protesting the jailing of their peers on what many observers said are politically motivated charges. Protesters have also been arrested and only released after promising not wear black shirts or attend anti-government rallies. Son Chhay said the two politicians who were beaten last year were still suffering from their injuries and that the emotional scars had cut deep. I think they recover but not fully recovered from that. You know they were very severely beaten and one of them would [have] died if we did not take him outside the country for treatment. A verdict in the trial is expected Friday. Climaxing an unlikely run to the top of the American political scene, billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump has officially clinched the U.S. Republican presidential nomination, according to a delegate count by The Associated Press. His last remaining challengers from the onetime 17-candidate Republican field dropped out of the race against Trump in early May, and AP says the brash, former television reality show host is now assured of a majority of delegates 1,237 at July's national Republican convention, when he will be formally nominated. He is likely to win hundreds more convention delegates in the last state presidential nominating contests June 7. "I'm so honored," Trump told reporters at a news conference in the northern state of North Dakota. He vowed that in the first days of a Trump presidency, he would be overturning executive orders signed by President Barack Obama and rebuilding the country's military. "Nobody's going to mess with us," Trump said. "We're going to have a lot of fun those first 100 days." When he entered the presidential contest last June, Trump seemed not much more than an afterthought against the crowded list of current and former Republican senators and governors. Until Trump, neither Republicans nor Democrats the two main U.S. political parties had nominated anyone other than a current or former elected official since 1952, when a World War II hero, former Army General Dwight Eisenhower, won the presidency as a Republican. But the 69-year-old Trump caught the imagination of millions of Republican voters in state-by-state nominating contests with his nativist, populist calls to deport 11 million illegal immigrants living in the United States, to ban Muslims from entering the country until it could be determined whether they were terrorists, and to build a wall along the Mexican border to block more migrants from entering the country. Party backing Some prominent Republicans who earlier supported other presidential hopefuls now embrace Trump's candidacy and policies. But others, including 2012 nominee Mitt Romney, have refused, saying he does not represent traditionally conservative Republican views and that his incendiary comments about women, war heroes and the disabled have been objectionable. House Speaker Paul Ryan, one of the party's most influential figures, has refrained from declaring his support for Trump. On Thursday, after the two men spoke by telephone, Ryan told reporters it was a "productive" discussion. In the November 8 national election, Trump is likely to face Democrat Hillary Clinton, a former U.S. secretary of state seeking to become the first female president of the United States. Current surveys of national political opinion show that contest would be virtually a dead heat. U.S. presidential elections are not decided by popular vote, but rather by the Electoral College, where the country's 50 states have numbers of votes based on their population and the size of their congressional delegations. Five and a half months from the election, U.S. political analysts say Clinton has the edge over Trump in the Electoral College, but many voters are only now beginning to pay attention to the Clinton-Trump contest. Resumes There are a few well-worn paths to the U.S. presidency. She is following one of them. He is not. Trump has never been vice president, elected to the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or served as the governor of one of the 50 U.S. states. Of the 43 people who have been president, 37 of them held at least one of those positions prior to taking office. For the six presidents who had not previously held any major elective office, being a war hero like George Washington or Eisenhower or a Cabinet secretary like William Taft or Herbert Hoover was enough to mount a successful campaign. Neither Trump nor Clinton was in the military. Once formally chosen as the Republican nominee in July, Trump will be the party's second consecutive candidate with a business background. Romney ran in 2012, losing to Obama, but in addition to being a businessman he had also served a term as the governor of Massachusetts. For Clinton, her credentials include both a major elected office and a Cabinet position. She represented New York in the Senate until becoming Obama's secretary of state during his first term, from 2009 to 2013. Obama was also a senator before running for president, as is Clinton's remaining Democratic opponent, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who retains what he says he is a "narrow path" to overtaking her for the Democratic nomination. New ground But while Clinton's path was once a near certain way to become president, those days are distant American history. In the country's earliest days, four of the first eight presidents had been secretaries of state. Since then, only James Buchanan has followed that path. He was elected in 1856. And before Obama was elected in 2008, the last president with congressional service but no time as either vice president or governor was John F. Kennedy, who took office in 1961 after serving as a senator. One historic advantage for Clinton is her career as a lawyer. More than half of all U.S. presidents have been lawyers, including Obama. However, history is not kind to Clinton in a way that massively favors Trump. He, like all previous U.S. presidents, is a man. She is expected to become the first woman ever to lead a major party's presidential ticket when the Democrats hold their party convention in July. Candidates seeking the U.S. Republican and Democratic nominations for president have held a collective 20 major debates, but the next one could be the most unorthodox part of an already surprising campaign season. The two parties have kept to themselves thus far, with Republicans debating Republicans and Democrats debating Democrats. That is how it always goes before each side officially names its nominee for the November general election. The conventions for each will not be held until July, but thanks to a talk-show appearance, there could be a rhetorical showdown in the next two weeks between presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders. Trump appeared on Wednesday night's episode of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live. During the interview, Kimmel brought up the fact that Sanders' opponent, Hillary Clinton, declined to participate in a debate in California, which holds its key primary election June 7. Kimmel then asked whether Trump would debate Sanders instead. Trump said he would, if proceeds from the presumably televised event went to charity. On Thursday, Trump said he would agree if $10 million could be raised from the debate, possibly for women's health care issues. "I'd love to debate Bernie," Trump said. "The only problem with debating Bernie is he's going to lose." It did not take long for Sanders to accept the challenge. "Game on. I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary," he said on Twitter. Trump took part in 11 debates as the Republican field narrowed from 17 candidates to just him, the last coming in early March. For many of the events, a separate debate was held before the main one for the lower-rated Republicans because they could not all fit on the stage. Sanders last debated Clinton in mid-April, but has seen Clinton's attention turn away from him and toward Trump as she held on to a large lead in the delegate count with fewer and fewer states left to vote. The June 7 contests will most likely clinch the Democratic nomination for her. The official nominees from each party are not scheduled to hold their first of three debates until September 26. Trump has often expressed sympathy for Sanders while criticizing Clinton and calling the Democratic Party's system unfair. The Democrats have hundreds of so-called superdelegates, who are party officials free to support any candidate. The vast majority are backing Clinton. Trump had also derided the Republican process as unfair, until of course it resulted in his being the party's candidate. Both Trump and Sanders have been surprise candidates whose position at or near the top of the presidential nomination process at this stage seemed incredibly unlikely 10 months ago, when Sanders was far behind in polls and many treated Trump's run as a joke. If the Trump-Sanders debate does happen, it would involve an interesting dynamic between a candidate who has never been a part of the political system and one who has campaigned on a message of wanting to revolutionize the way politics in the U.S. works. It would also involve a candidate in Sanders who would have little to lose. According to a number of national polls, if the two candidates faced each other in the November election, Trump would be the one who would lose. The most recent polls show him about even with Clinton, with Sanders still winning a hypothetical matchup by at least 10 points. Thylda Lellouche cradles a handful of eggs: One is for a granddaughter facing an operation; two others are for peace and tourism to return to Tunisia, which was battered by three terrorist attacks last year. Each purpose is carefully written on the eggs' shell. "Peace on earth," she says with a smile, to anyone willing to listen. "I wish everyone peace on earth." The eggs are handed to a middle-aged man. Bad knees make it impossible for Lellouche to put them in a special grotto at the Ghriba synagogue, in hopes that her wishes come true. Around her, Jews from Tunisia and Europe chat on long, wooden benches. A group of men gather to chant. Others sell jewelry and food in the courtyard of Africa's oldest synagogue, located in Tunisia's southeastern island of Djerba. The two-day pilgrimage here to mark the Jewish festival of Lag Ba'Omer casts a spotlight on one of the Arab world's last Jewish communities. While others are dwindling and dying, Djerba's 1,000 or so Jews are passing old traditions to a new generation. "Before they were leaving, but over the past five or six years they're staying here," said Ghriba synagogue President Perez Trabelsi. "They have work. Things are good here. They don't have problems." Emotional return To be sure, Tunisia's Jewish population has shrunk to a small fraction of its pre-independence size of about 100,000. There are less than 2,000 today, with most living in Djerba. Many like Lellouche, who lives in the Paris suburb of Sarcelles have long since immigrated to Israel and France. "It's really emotional coming back here, to also see Muslims that we grew up with," she said. "They were our neighbors, our family." Like Lellouche, many in the diaspora return to visit family and childhood homes. Some invest in businesses and property, keeping centuries-old ties to the island alive. Future generations Indeed, the neighborhood of Hara Kbira, a few kilometers from Ghriba synagogue, is testament that Jews here won't be dying out anytime soon. A small preschool one of four local Jewish schools is packed with children learning the Hebrew alphabet. Sunlight spills into the courtyard, which is painted with cheerful flowers and butterflies. A few blocks away, 18-year-old Anael Haddad teaches math to seven-year-old girls before pausing to share insights with visitors on a community some might find stifling. Many boys attend yeshiva and join the family jewelry business. Women marry by 18 or 20 years of age. "There are girls who become lawyers and architects, get doctoral degrees, but here we can't," Haddad said. "Life is very easy and clear, but we're blocked." Life here is also peaceful, Jews say, despite militant Islam that has taken root in Tunisia. Here, Jews and Arabs live harmoniously. "We each have our own religion, habits and traditions. But everything is fine," said Muslim postal worker Mourad Mhenni, who lives in Hara Kbira. At Ghriba synagogue, young teenage boys and girls are kept in separate groups. Women stroll past pushing baby carriages. But the atmosphere was boisterous and the crowd eclectic. Carlos Basteiro Bertoli was among the Europeans joining the festivities, along with a smattering of local Muslims. "We are losing our old traditions and Tunisia is a reference for us," said Basteiro Bertoli, who comes from Barcelona. "They keep their traditions very strong." Around 20 people are feared dead after a migrant boat capsized Thursday off Libya's coast. Officials say more than 80 people were rescued in the second such incident in two days. The Libyan coast guard reported that four bodies were found floating in the Mediterranean along with two empty boats, suggesting that more people drowned as smugglers take advantage of the warm weather to transport a larger number of migrants to Europe on unsafe vessels. Separately, a Libyan navy spokesman tells the Associated Press that the coast guard rescued more than 760 migrants who were found in two groups, one of which was near the western city of Sabratha and the other off Zwara. For its part, the Italian navy released images of another rescue mission of passengers from an overturned shipwreck Wednesday, also off Libya's coast, with about 500 migrants. The Italians confirmed that five people were found dead. The Italian navys patrol ship Bettica brought the survivors to the Sicilian port, where Italian Red Cross crews assisted them. Meanwhile, Greek authorities said Thursday that they have completed the evacuation of Idomeni, the country's biggest informal refugee and migrant camp on the Macedonian border. Greek police said about 800 people were transported by bus to official shelters in other parts of northern Greece. Just before the evacuation, Idomeni had 8,400 migrants, according to official figures, and hosted some 14,000 people at its peak, after Balkan border closures. The U.S. House of Representatives has rejected a measure that bars federal contractors from discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender identity, just hours after earlier approving the legislation. Conservative Republicans in the House blocked passage of an energy and water spending measure Thursday, after Democrats succeeded in attaching the anti-discrimination restriction to the legislation late Wednesday. The reversal prompted a loud outcry from Democratic lawmakers, who accused Republicans of favoring discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. The first vote late Wednesday (by a 223-195 margin), reversed a vote last week that plunged the Republican-led House into chaos. In the vote a week ago, the gay-transgender rights bill was on the verge of being approved as an amendment to a military spending bill when several Republican lawmakers who initially supported it changed their vote under pressure from party leaders, eventually sending the measure to defeat by a single vote. New York Democrat Sean Patrick Maloney, the bill's original sponsor who is openly gay, reintroduced the measure as an amendment to a funding bill for the Energy Department, the one that cleared Wednesday. The issue of LGBT rights emerged as a potent political issue this year, after the Atlantic coastal state of North Carolina passed a bill that mandates transgender people use public bathrooms of their gender at birth, instead of their chosen gender identity. The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama and North Carolina are embroiled in a legal battle over the state's new law and 11 states have sued the national government over the federal government's stance that restrictions on bathroom usage violates the country's civil rights laws. Conservative lawmakers in the House did succeed in passing a bill that would make sure federal funding isn't taken away from North Carolina because of the state's bathroom law. A new report from the World Health Organization says nearly 1,000 health care workers have been killed and more than 1,500 wounded in 19 countries with emergencies and that many of the incidents were intentional. This first effort to consolidate and analyze data on attacks on health care in emergency settings around the world sheds light on the severity and frequency of the problem. The findings show widespread violations of international humanitarian law, which, if proven, could amount to war crimes. Rick Brennan, director of the WHO's Department of Emergency and Risk Management, said the figures presented in the report are startling. He said they indicate the devastating impact that attacks against health workers have on communities. "Every attack on health care disrupts the delivery of health services and denies communities access to essential health services in emergencies at the time that they really need them most," he said. "Perhaps one of the most concerning findings of the report is that close to two-thirds of the attacks on health care, on health facilities, on health workers, on ambulances, on patients have been deliberate." The report says Syria had the most reported attacks on health care each year, twice as many as any other country or territory in 2014 and nearly four times as many in 2015. Syria is followed by the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Iraq, Pakistan, Libya, Ukraine and Central African Republic in the rankings of the 19 countries surveyed. According to the report, the Central African Republic is the only country where attacks against health care have gone down. The report attributes the drop to successful interventions by the International Committee of the Red Cross with armed groups in that country. The report's author, Erin Kenney, said attacks that hinder the delivery of preventive or curative health services occur in many emergency settings, not just in situations of conflict. "That is everything from the Ebola health care workers who were killed in Guinea ... the polio workers who are attacked during vaccination," he said. "So, the bombings we see are the things that get the most visibility and the most press probably. The attacks we have in this report include looting, arson, kidnapping, torture, execution." While this report documents attacks against health care in 2014 and 2015, the World Health Organization says the horror persists. Over the past couple of months, it notes a number of hospitals and health facilities in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and elsewhere have been hit with a heavy loss of life. Zimbabwe has freed 2,000 inmates as the country's prison system struggles with massive overcrowding and food shortages. The notice of the pardon was announced earlier this week by President Robert Mugabe. It was extended to all male prisoners under the age of 18 and all female inmates, with the exception of two serving life sentences. It included terminally-ill prisoners and some male inmates with sentences of under three years who had served a majority of their time. Prisoners convicted of murder, armed robbery, treason, rape or carjacking were not eligible for early release. "Our 46 prisons nationwide are overpopulated," Priscilla Mthembo, an official with Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional service told the Herald newspaper. "We have a holding capacity of 17,000, but we have been holding over 19,900 prisoners," she said, adding that the pardon will go a long way in helping to provide better conditions for the inmates that remain incarcerated. Cuba announced Tuesday that it will legalize small and medium-sized private businesses, a move that could significantly expand the space allowed for private enterprise in one of the world's last communist countries. Until now, the government has allowed private enterprise only by self-employed workers in several hundred established categories like restaurant owner or hairdresser. Many of those workers have become de-facto small business owners employing other Cubans. But there are widespread complaints about the difficulties of running a business in a system that does not officially recognize them. Low-level officials often engage in crackdowns on successful businesses for supposed violations of the arcane rules on self-employment. Communist Party documents published Tuesday said a category of small, mid-sized and micro private business is being added to the party's master plan for social and economic development, which was approved by last month's Cuban Communist Party Congress. The twice-a-decade meeting sets the direction for the single-party state for the coming five years. The documents say that the three categories of business will be recognized as legal entities separate from their owners, implying a degree of protection that hasn't so far existed for self-employed workers. Private property in certain means of production contributes to employment, economic efficiency and well-being, in a context in which socialist property relationships predominate, reads one section of the Conceptualization of the Cuban Economic and Social Model of Socialist Development. Reforms initiated by President Raul Castro after he became president in 2008 have allowed about half a million Cubans to transition to work in the private sector despite the extensive limits on self-employment. New categories of small and mid-sized businesses create the potential for many more jobs in the private sector, although Castro's reforms have been slow and marked by periodic reversals of many reforms. The 32-page party document is the first comprehensive accounting of the decisions taken by the party congress, which was closed to the public and international press. State media reported few details of the debate or decisions taken at the meeting but featured harsh rhetoric from leading officials about the continuing threat from U.S. imperialism and the dangers of international capitalism. That tough talk, it now appears, was accompanied by what could be a major step in Cuba's ongoing reform of its centrally planned economy. Any such change will take months to go into effect. Major reforms like allowing new forms of business almost certainly must be formally approved by the country's National Assembly, which is expected to hold one of its biannual meetings by August. President Barack Obama says world leaders he has spoken with are "rattled" by the presence of Donald Trump as a candidate in the 2016 presidential race - and offered his own harsh criticism of the bombastic billionaire. Speaking to reporters in the coastal Japanese city of Ise Shima Thursday, after the first day of an annual summit of leaders of the world's seven wealthiest nations, the president says the world is paying close attention because "the United States is at the heart of the international order." Trump has dominated the race for the Republican presidential nomination based on his controversial statements about hispanic immigrants and Muslims. He has also called for withdrawing U.S. forces from Japan and South Korea and arming those countries with nuclear weapons to counter the threat from North Korea. Obama says his fellow leaders are "not sure how seriously to take some of [Trump's] pronouncements," which "display either ignorance of world affairs, or a cavalier attitude, or an interest in getting tweets and headlines." Economic woes The U.S. president says he and the other G7 leaders discussed the challenges facing the global economy on the first day of the summit, and ways to "sustain the momentum of the recovery that's taking place in the United States." Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe presented a grimmer view of the global economy, comparing current economic conditions with those of 2008, when the collapse of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers triggered a global economic recession. Many observers believe Abe was making those comparisons to give him cover for delaying a planned increase in Japan's consumption tax. Terrorism, maritime security Friday's agenda at the G7 will include combating terrorism and maritime security. The last point is an obvious nod to China's increasing territorial expansion in the resource-rich South China Sea, in the face of rival claims by its Asia-Pacific neighbors. After the summit, Obama will travel to Hiroshima, where tens of thousands of Japanese were killed when a U.S. warplane dropped the world's first atomic bomb in 1945, hastening the end of World War II. The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) formation led by Morgan Tsvangirai says all is set for its planned demonstration in Bulawayo noting that it is incredible that some people still want to show their support to President Robert Mugabe and his ruling Zanu PF party when they are allegedly responsible for the hardships that ordinary Zimbabweans are facing. Addressing journalists at the Bulawayo Press Club on Thursday, MDC-T organising secretary, Abednico Bhebhe, said the partys top officials will lead the planned demonstration but noted that he could not give more information on the issue. He added that the MDC-T expects thousands of party supporters and ordinary people across the political divide to turn up to show their anger against the Zanu PF government, which he claimed is responsible for the hardships that the nation is facing. While Mr. Mugabe and Zanu PF supporters described yesterdays Million Man March in Harare to show support for the 92-year-old Zimbabwean leader as a resounding success, Bhebhe slammed the president for saying he will remain in office as long as people continue to elect him. He also attacked Zimbabweans who say President Mugabe should continue ruling the nation. But Psychology Maziwisa, Zanu PFs Member of Parliament for Highfield West, said they want him to stay in power. Maziwisa further said the MDC-T march will be a waste of time. Responding to the effectiveness of staging such protests, Bhebhe stressed that his party is based on principles of social democracy and is committed to gaining power through peaceful means. But one Bulawayo youth, who only identified himself as Thabani, said while he is unhappy about the situation in the country, he does not believe that such demonstrations can change anything. The MDC-T is staging public demonstrations to show its displeasure on serious socio-economic and political problems faced by Zimbabweans under the Zanu PF government. An MDC-T demonstration held in Harare last month drew thousands of supporters. The United Nations says nearly three million people in drought-stricken Zimbabwe are going hungry. The world body expects that number to exceed four million as the full impact of the El Nino weather phenomenon kicks in. U.N. Resident Coordinator for Zimbabwe Bishow Parajuli says the impact of little rain and low crop yields following two years of drought is painfully visible in Matabeleland and other dry lands. I recently visited that area with a number of donors and ambassadors," said Parajuli. " We could really see the desperation and severity of the situation. A few weeks ago, the United Nations appealed for $360 million to provide life-saving assistance for more than three million people. The priority needs are for food, water, health, nutrition, sanitation and protection. Parajuli says $70 million has been received, leaving a gap of $290 million. He says it is critical for donors to respond generously and immediately to this appeal. Given Zimbabwe is a landlocked country and also the whole southern Africa region is affected by El Nino, and lack of surplus of maize, it is very critical to plan in advance in terms of importation and supply chain delivery ," said Parajuli. " So, earlier response will really help save lives and suffering among the population. Parajuli says he is particularly worried about the so-called lean season between September and March. This is the period between harvests when farmers food stocks are at their lowest. He says people will be severely affected by the lack of food, and many will not be able to count on their cattle as a lifeline as tens of thousands have died from lack of water and grazing land. Rival Zanu PF factions vying for the succession of President Robert Mugabe appear unlikely to close ranks following calls for unity by the Zimbabwean leader. The MDC formation of former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is preparing for a scheduled march this weekend pressing for jobs and an investigation into the disappearance of diamond proceeds worth $15 billion. Teachers, who are expected to get paid tomorrow, are worried about Zimbabwe's cash crisis. And we will give you an update on President Mugabes move to pardon all female prisoners. Stay tuned for these stories and more coming up on Studio 7 at 7:30 pm on 9-0-9 Medium Wave and on the 4-9-3-0, 5-9-4-0 and 1-5-4-6-0 shortwave frequencies. We also broadcast on www.channelzim.net. Please check us out on Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter. This evening on Livetalk our hosts of the Womens Round Table will be focusing on the pardoning of women prisoners in Zimbabwe. How will they be integrated back into society? Participate by sending your messages on our WhatsApp number 001 202 465 0318. You can also post comments on this Facebook wall or send us your number so we can call you back. Please note that we are livestreaming on all Studio 7 Facebook pages. Some Zimbabweans have commended President Mugabe for pardoning more than 2,000, including all women except two that are serving life sentences or on death row for murder. According to Reuters news agency and the state-controlled Herald newspaper, Mr. Mugabe granted the amnesty Monday through a government notice without stating the reason for making the move. The prisons services started releasing some of the inmates Wednesday. Indications are that Zimbabwe has 580 female inmates in 46 prisons. Efforts to get comment from the Zimbabwe Prison and Corrections Services were fruitless. Rita Nyamupinga, Female Prisonerss Support Trust - an organisation that assists women prisoners told Voice Of America Studio 7's Marvellous Mhlanga-Nyahuye that there is still a lot that needs to be done to ensure that those pardoned can be re-integrated into their families and some grieving societies. "This is a good move but we need to make sure that systems are in place to ensure that those released are reintegrated into the society respectfully without stigma, said Mrs Nyamupinga. She said some of the women may not have simple things like transport fare to return to their families who also have to receive counselling to prepare them for the return of their family member unexpectedly. The pardon came at a time when most organisations who work with inmates especially women were unaware but say they will use their networks to ensure that those needing assistance receive it. "We are going to appeal to some of our partners under the Women's Coalition Of Zimbabwe to that we collect the assistance we may need to help some of the women who started being released Wednesday," added Mrs Nyamupinga. President Robert Mugabe on Wednesday appealed for unity in his party and castigated war veterans for fanning factionalism amid claims that they are backing a faction of the ruling party allegedly led by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Some analysts say the rift in the ruling party would not end if Mr. Mugabe does not resolve the succession question. President Mugabe told an estimated 100,000 supporters, who marched in Harare in solidarity with him that factionalism within the ruling party should stop. His wife Grace is reportedly leading a faction calling itself Generation 40 or G40 that is said to be seeking to block Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who allegedly leads another camp calling itself Team Lacoste, from taking over the presidency once Mr. Mugabe leaves office. Mr. Mugabe, who says he is not ready to retire, told Zanu PF members, including war veterans, to shun factionalism saying it was destroying the revolutionary party. NO PARTY UNITY SOON But political analyst Ibbo Mandaza of the Southern African Political and Economic Series Trust says Mr. Mugabes appeal for unity within his party would not bear fruit for as long as the succession question was not resolved. Mandaza says Mr. Mugabes message was clear that he has no plans to hand over the power baton. Director of the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute, Pedzisai Ruhanya, agrees, adding that problems that arise within structural organizations such as political parties or institutions can never be resolved at rallies. Mandaza says Wednesdays public march to show support for the president indicates that the first family was establishing its roots in the military. He said the march was a direct response to Mnangagwas political machinations. The First Lady, Grace Mugabe, and Mnangagwa have, however, denied that they were leading any factions. CLINGING TO POWER Director of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, Memory Kadawu, agrees with Mandaza and Ruhanya, noting that the head of state thrives on using the corruption of his foes in Zanu PF to cling to power. Zanu PF youth league secretary Kudzai Chipanga told Mr. Mugabe in his face on Wednesday that some of his unnamed senior cabinet ministers and party officials were corrupt, adding they were driving expensive vehicles when the countrys economy was bleeding. Amid claims by Chipanga that corruption was rampant in government and Mr. Mugabes claims that $15 billion from Chaiadzwa diamond proceeds was lost through corruption, Kadawu said Mr. Mugabe lacks the political will to deal with corruption. Ruhanya further says the fact that thousands of Zanu PF supporters marched in Harare yesterday would not help to revive the countrys economy. He says as long as long President Mugabe remained in power no foreign direct investment would be injected into the countrys economy. MARCH WASTE OF TIME They also agreed that Wednesdays march would not encourage that West to lift the restrictive measures imposed on his inner circle for alleged gross human rights and electoral fraud. Zanu PF spokesman, Simon Khaya Moyo was not reachable for comment as he was said to be attending various meetings in Harare. Brent and Sally Smith of Alexandria have been named Grand Marshals of the 32nd Annual Vikingland Band Festival to be held Sunday, June 26. Corey Feldman. Photo: Michael Tran/Getty Images A few days after Elijah Wood told the Sunday Times that many of his peers were preyed upon by powerful child molesters in Hollywood, Corey Feldman has spoken to The Hollywood Reporter about his own experiences with sex abuse in the industry. Ask anybody in our group of kids at that time: They were passing us back and forth to each other, Feldman says. The Stand By Me star went public with his history of molestation in his 2013 memoir, alleging that he and his friend Corey Haim had both been victims. Now, he tells THR, Haims rapist was probably connected to something bigger and that is probably how he has remained protected for all these years these men were all friends. The actor also confirmed Woods claim that young actors usually 10 to 16 were groomed though a series of Hollywood parties. They would throw these parties where youd walk in and it would be mostly kids and there would be a handful of adult men, he says. Thats the networking and thats when you become pals with them and you get their phone numbers and you get their moms phone numbers and the next thing you know they talk to the moms and say, Hey, I want to take Corey out to an event, this would be great for him, let me pick him up and take him. Feldman reportedly went to the police with his accusations in 1993, and later claimed they did zero to help him. He tells THR that he would love to name names but cannot, for legal reasons the statute of limitations has expired, and he doesnt want to open himself up to a libel suit. Still, he says, If somebody came forward with a suit against one of these people [who molested me], I would certainly be more than happy to back them up. But that hasnt happened. Photo: Tristan Fewings/Getty Images Spoilers ahead for the most recent episode of Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire. The newly elected king of the Iron Islands, Euron Greyjoy, is a take-no-prisoners kind of guy. Hed rip out your tongue because he needs a moment of silence. Hed happily murder his niece and nephew, Theon and Yara, just as he murdered their father, Balon. Danish actor Pilou Asbk (whom you might recognize from the Nordic TV import Borgen, or such films as A Hijacking and Lucy) took a break from shooting a big action sequence in his next film, Ghost in the Shell, to call Vulture from the set in New Zealand, so we could chat about campaign season, drowning, and Eurons penchant for dick jokes. You have the best Twitter feed. I love that youve already addressed why Euron isnt wearing an eye patch, among other parts of his mythology. And most recently: Dear ladies & gentlemen, please remember Euron Greyjoy is a fictional character Donald Trump isnt!!! [Laughs.] The reason why I did it, Game of Thrones is so alive on social media. Its a big part of this shows popularity. And its a good way to communicate with people, to know whats going on. A couple of my friends were like, Theyre equating you with Donald Trump, and I wanted to write some funny reference, just to put it out there to say, Guys! First of all, this is a fictional character. I am here as an actor to interpret. Yeah, he doesnt have an eye patch. Yeah, he doesnt have the Dragonbinder or does he? If you asked me, I thought it would be too cliche, too cheesy to have an eye patch. Hes a pirate, so we need an eye patch. Well, then we also need a parrot and a wooden leg. We have this saying in Denmark, You can only have one. You can only have one element, one cheat at a time. And I thought, Were here to develop a character. He has to look like a Greyjoy. You need to know where this characters from. If he were a fish out of water, no one would have elected him. But now they see hes just like them. And hopefully Im going to be in many episodes, many seasons, and Ill have time to show that Euron Greyjoys a fucking bastard! [Laughs.] But a cool bastard. Wait and see. I took the Donald Trump tweet another way. Because were in election season, I thought of it more like, The Ironborn may have elected Euron Greyjoy based on his boasts and bluster, but you dont have to! You have a real vote ahead of you. Choose wisely. Yeah, it is political. Its a joke, but of course its political. The American president isnt just the American president. Hes going to be the leader of the whole Western world, you know? You got a pretty big responsibility. And the kingsmoot is the closest thing you come to an actual election in Game of Thrones. Its the closest you come to democracy in Westeros. Its funny, because people are saying, Oh, thats Bernie Sanders. Thats Hillary Clinton. Thats Donald Trump. I dont think [showrunners] Dan [Weiss] and David [Benioff] thought of it like that. In my home country, which is one of the oldest kingdoms in the world, youre born with the title. You dont get elected. I dont know how the king and queen of Denmark would respond if they suddenly had to do a speech, if the people would vote for them. I dont know how that would end up. But sometimes fiction is ahead of reality. In the books, we never quite get to know who killed Balon. We may suspect, but we dont know. But here, we both get to see that it was Euron who did the deed, plus he proclaims it to everyone. He makes it a selling point. It says a lot about Eurons character that he doesnt give a shit. That bridge scene, that was a hard shoot. We stood there for ten hours in hard, cold rain, in the middle of the night. And Patrick [Malahide] was a true champ. Didnt complain. Im 40 years younger than him, and I was being a little bitch sometimes, going, This is cold! or Im getting a headache! Not very Euron Greyjoy-like. [Laughs.] Youre right, you are decades younger than Patrick. Euron looks closer in age to Theon, his nephew, than his brother Balon. Why do you think that is? Alfie Allen and I, we look similar, right? Maybe Euron found a fountain of youth! Maybe he discovered something in one of his many journeys! I dont know. Hes traveled the world. Hes seen stuff. Hes experienced stuff. And hopefully hes going to use that experience to become the full, real king. With Game of Thrones, I wouldnt be surprised if it were magic. Lets talk about shooting the kingsmoot. This was one of the scenes that leaked in advance, because of the paparazzi shots and drones that flew over Ballintoy Harbour. The first day after shooting that scene, I came home to like 200 text messages and 200 phone calls. And I didnt know why! I thought something bad had happened to one of my friends or family members. Apparently it was breaking news, all over the world, that I had been spotted in Ireland shooting this scene, because Euron Greyjoy is a fan favorite. People were going crazy. It was very intense, coming home after 12 hours of shooting, and then seeing so many messages. That was a two-day shoot? We spent two days on the kingsmoot itself, and then two days on the montage. We shot it chronologically, which helped. The water was freezing cold. We shot the drowning many, many times. I remember looking down the shore, after I had been there for five or six hours, and I saw two smiling faces, in the form of Gemma [Whelan] and Alfie. They were just smiling their asses off, because they werent cold! They just had to run to the boat. [Laughs.] I like to do my own stunts, but sometimes you need a little bit of help. I got a little bit of help, but not much. I think 95 percent of it was me. I like to do all of it when I can, because then I can feel it with the character. How long were you drowning, so to speak? Thirty, forty seconds. Which doesnt sound like a lot of time, until you try to hold your breath underwater. When youre underwater, and theres a guy holding you down, and you have to open your eyes, and you have to open your mouth, in salt water? [Laughs.] Its not the nicest thing in the world. But it was fun to be a part of the whole story line. Euron Greyjoy seems obsessed with penises, so he probably also appreciated the full-frontal male nudity of this episode. Yeah, but where I come from, people are very, very chill with that. Fifty percent of the population has a penis! I know, because Im a part of that 50 percent. It cant come as a shock to people. Its just part of the universe. Its part of the whole story line. And I enjoy it. I come from a country where we dont shoot people, we dont kill people, but we can show tits and penises if we want to, and its okay. But apparently in America, you can kill as many people as you want, but you cant show a close-up of a penis? Its just a dick. Ive seen a couple. Theyre very different. And theyre very funny. But its a penis! So I think Game of Thrones is pushing some boundaries for whats possible. Thats your reaction. What do you think Eurons reaction would be? Cut it off. That would be his reaction. [Laughs.] Or it would be something more rude, like, If thats all you have to show, then you shouldnt show it. He loves his dick jokes. But you never know with Euron Greyjoy. Weve seen one side of him, the vulgar side, the Trump side, but I wouldnt be surprised if he showed more social skills in the future. Everythings a chess game to him, and he thinks, Im going to win, because Im the smartest one. And if someone disagrees, theyre going to die. Hes a loose cannon, but hes pointing somewhere. Odin? Not him! Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Despite being a big Hollywood action star, Mel Gibson has managed the tricky feat of staying out of the big Hollywood superhero machine. But for a brief moment, Mel nearly joined the MCU. When asked by The Guardian if hed been approached to do a superhero film, Gibson said, Yeah, long time ago, to play Thors dad. But I didnt do it. The role of Thors dad, Odin, went Anthony Hopkins, saving us all from having to do some moral calculus to reconcile great Australian Chris Hemsowrth with, um, other Australian Mel Gibson. Gibson could still join the MCU in other ways Robert Downey Jr. has said that hed do Iron Man 4 if Gibson was behind the camera but it doesnt seem like hes too enthused about the prospect. The Guardian asked Gibson what he makes of the current crop of superhero movies: Some are good. Some are kind of funny Guardians of the Galaxy. Or the first Iron Man. And some of them are just like retreats. I mean you can watch them do Spider-Man five times There is a slight shift in film. But, then again, I think all films are suffering from people not being able to now open them with their name. Its a different kind of business these days. Mel Gibson: pining for the days when people wanted to put his name on movies. Troy Ave. Photo: Johnny Nunez/Getty Images Brooklyn rapper Troy Ave has been arrested in connection with a deadly Wednesday night shooting at T.I.s concert at Irving Plaza, reports the New York Daily News. Ave has reportedly been charged with opening fire backstage, which resulted in the death of his bodyguard Ronald Banga McPhatter and left three injured, including Ave himself, who sustained a gunshot wound to the leg. Sources tell the Daily News that Ave has been charged with reckless endangerment, illegal-weapons possession, and criminal use of a firearm, but the NYPD is awaiting the results of ballistics tests before Ave can be charged with murder. There is clear video, very graphic video. He walks right out, women all around, and starts shooting his gun, the source says. The shooting is said to have stemmed from a dispute between Ave and rapper Maino, who had performed just prior to the shooting. Troy Ave was also set to perform. In a lengthy Instagram post on Thursday, Maino denied having any involvement in the shooting. The NYPD has released disturbing security footage of the shooting. Update: The NYPD had clarified earlier that T.I. [did] not appear to be involved with this in any way. The rapper, later on Thursday, extended his sympathies to the deceased victims family via social media, writing, Rest in Peace Bro. God bless. Update: Troy Ave has been formally indicted for his role in the shooting. He faces one charge of attempted murder and two felony weapon charges. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is being held without bail. The A.J. Moore Academies business advisory board will have its seventh annual scholarship luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Friday at the Lee Lockwood Museum and Library, 2801 W. Waco Drive. Keynote speaker will be Dina Dwyer-Owens, a local entrepreneur, philanthropist, author and motivational speaker. Tickets cost $25 or $200 per table of eight. For reservations, call 756-1843 or email reyes.lopez@wacoisd.org. Blue Knights fun run The Blue Knights TX XI Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club is sponsoring a fun run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday. The ride will begin at the site of the Woodway Roadrunner Festival, 1100 Estates Drive in Woodway. Cost is $15, which includes festival admission. Proceeds will benefit the 100 Club of the Heart of Texas, which provides financial assistance to the families of fallen law enforcement officers. For more information, call 709-4047. Skeet shoot benefit Northwest Waco Rotary Club is sponsoring an Aim High for Education skeet shoot fundraiser June 4 at Waco Skeet and Trap Club, 7209 Karl May Drive. The event, sponsored by Redwoods Inc., is the Northwest Waco Rotary clubs major fundraiser for the year. The top shooter will win a Browning BPS pump-action shotgun valued at $600. Registration is due by Friday. To register, visit http://bit.ly/1qsLLFt, call Michelle Holland at 366-5362 or email michelle_holland@baylor.edu. Cookies and Coloring Art Center of Waco, 1300 College Drive, will have a free Cookies and Coloring program at 3:30 p.m. Friday. The event will include an educational lesson about this weeks featured artists, Victor Vasarely and Bridget Riley; an art project; and free cookies. The program is designed for ages 4 to 10, but all ages are welcome. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. For more information, call 752-4371. Dog agility training Waco Agility Group is offering a pre-agility foundations class for dogs at 7 p.m. June 6 at the Waco Agility Group field, 15420 S. Interstate 35 rear Bruceville and Lorena. The six-week class will meet weekly at 7 p.m. Mondays and will cover basic agility obstacles, including tunnels, chutes, weave poles, teeters and jumps, along with obedience training including heeling, post turns and front cross turns. Course cost is $60. For registration information, call Barb Sorge at 780-6818. Free basketball camp Hoops for Hope is having a free summer skills basketball camp, for Waco-area students who have completed grades four to eight, from 1 to 4 p.m June 6-9 in the Life Center of Highland Baptist Church, 3014 Maple Ave. Space is limited. To register, visit www.HoopsForHope International.org. For more information, call 717-5011. Submit items for Briefly to Briefly, P.O. Box 2588, Waco 76702-2588; fax to 757-0302; or email to goingson@wacotrib.com. The 76 names of McLennan County veterans etched in black granite on the Waco Vietnam Veterans Memorial will be read aloud at sunset Friday, kicking off Memorial Day weekend. Its just a way to get people together and remember, Manuel Sustaita said. Our saying is, To remember is to honor. Sustaita led the 16-year effort to establish the Waco memorial to area veterans who died in the Vietnam War. People will gather at 7 p.m. at the memorial at the corner of Washington Avenue and University Parks Drive. The Vietnam Veterans of America Heart of Texas Chapter 1012 is the lead sponsor of the event, joined by the Waco Citizens for a Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the American GI Forum and other veteran groups. Sustaita said visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., in 1986 inspired him to create a memorial in Waco. Each veteran has his or her own way of remembering and honoring other veterans, and he wanted to create a positive place for that remembrance, he said. I just wanted to be in a good feeling, being able to have a place where family and friends can go, Sustaita said. Theres something there all the time. The memorial eventually was dedicated in 2004. Waco residents Anthony Fulbright and Nona Kirkpatrick visited the memorial Monday. Several names on the memorial stuck out to them as former classmates, friends and neighbors. So many people from Waco gave the full measure of devotion to this, Kirkpatrick said. Gary Urban, a Vietnam veteran who served in the Air Force, said he has seen greater appreciation for servicemen and women returning from combat recently than he saw in the Vietnam era. Urban said he recognized the shift when his son returned from serving in Iraq. Henry Kasper, a Vietnam veteran who served in the Navy, agreed with Urban, his friend. That didnt get old, Kasper said. Every time a plane landed with soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan, there were big mobs at that airport. The guest of honor at Fridays event is Melissa Gentsch, the daughter of Robert L. Howard, who was one of the most highly decorated Americans in the Vietnam War. He was a 1971 Medal of Honor recipient who died in Waco in 2009. This means a lot to me, simply because I know what it meant to my father, Gentsch said. Nowadays it seems like with Memorial Day, we seem to think of it in terms of a vacation day, a summer holiday. I think with this get-together, its to show our respect for what it really means, which is honoring those who served and died while serving. Sustaita said the names of the veterans will still be called out in the event of rain. ----- If you go What: Reading of names listed on Waco Vietnam Veterans Memorial Where: Vietnam Veterans Memorial at corner of University Parks Drive and Washington Avenue Multiple agencies engaged in a mock firefight with three men playing the role of terrorists who had taken over Baylor Universitys Martin Hall during a training exercise Wednesday morning. Officers with the Waco Police Department, McLennan County Sheriffs Office, Baylor Police Department, Waco Fire Department and East Texas Medical Center participated in the active-shooter training operation in the residence hall, which is being renovated. Authorities executed a staged active-shooter call, pulling several officers without warning out of roll call and thrusting them into the active-shooter scenario. We didnt let everybody know, and the reason we did that is because if you didnt come to work with the necessary equipment, then you didnt have it for this scenario, Waco police Sgt. Patrick Swanton said. That is the way it would be in the real world. We wanted this to be as real as possible for our officers. Throughout the morning, operations were coordinated to act as if the attack were unfolding in real life. After officers were advised that the call was a joint-training opportunity, they exchanged their ammunition for simulated rounds. The three terrorist organization members gained entry and they had rifles, pistols and explosives, Swanton said. It developed into us having casualties, explosions and it ran the gantlet of everything. Officers rushed into the residence hall to evaluate the situation and eliminate the threat. Officers encountered wounded individuals, played by police volunteers. They also made decisions on how much access to allow for other emergency responders working to provide medical attention. Swanton said training exercises provide every agency a hands-on approach to coordinate larger responses, when needed. He said notifications were sent out via social media to assure the public that the heavy presence of police around Baylor was a training exercise. Us, as a department, and I think I can speak for the others, we are not going to bury our heads in the sand and say that it cant happen here. We know that it can, Swanton said. Weve had instances in the past. We have had active shooters in Waco. We have had instances around our area that have struck very close to home, so we dont want our officers to think that type of stuff doesnt happen here. We want them to say, Its not if it happens here but when it happens here, we have trained for these types of things and we are prepared to protect innocent civilian lives, and we will do that. After emergency responders cleared the scenario, participants gathered for a debriefing and review of their operations. Swanton said he deemed the exercise a success. This shows officers the importance of every day being prepared for anything, anywhere, he said. We can always learn from these kinds of training. Sometimes we learn what we did well and other times, more importantly, we can learn what we didnt do right, what didnt work, and we will improve on it. Transforming grains into award-winning whisky is a talent that Jared Himstedt discovered almost by accident. The head distiller and distillery manager for Balcones Distilling received a home-brewing beer kit as a wedding present and became enthralled with the nuances of the process. His eclectic background in ceramics and social work with a degree from Baylor University, Himstedt the artist was soon to add new skills to his portfolio. These included cutting copper and doing plumbing and roofing as the first employee of Balcones before a product was even ready for market. Himstedt also was adept at noticing that craft beers were readily available but craft whisky was unique in its own right. He was ready to explore and experiment with the key ingredients and top-notch equipment to which he now has access. Instead of following market trends, he likes to forge his own path, fine-tuning along the way until arriving at a palette of products that have earned the Balcones brand both industry and consumer accolades worldwide. The new 65,000-square-foot, nearly $15 million distillery at 225 S. 11th St., the former Texas Fireproof Storage Building, in Waco opened early this year, nearly doubling production capacity with its three-story copper stills from Forsyths, Scotland. Balcones barreled its first whisky distilled at the new facility in February and celebrated its official grand opening in April with local leaders and community members applauding its success. The distillerys former location was a much smaller space under the 17th Street railway viaduct. The new location will present new opportunities for the public to witness the whisky-making process when group tours will begin in July by appointment. Tourist draw Its another attraction that is drawing attention to the place now known as the home of HGTVs Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna Gaines and their Magnolia Market only a few blocks away. Waco Convention and Visitors Bureau leaders say the market is bringing in 25,000 people every week to shop, explore and catch a glimpse of the home renovation celebrities. Balcones President Keith Bellinger said he would like for tourists to have easy access to Wacos many attractions so they can fully enjoy the variety of offerings here. Weve talked with the city about a trolley system to connect attractions such as the Dr Pepper Museum, the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and others, Bellinger said. One of the problems we have is parking, so they could park in city lots and get around that way. Theres been a lot of local uproar about that so we are looking at solutions. We have limited parking in our area primarily because of city ordinances. That could be a good problem to have Waco as a central location for recreation. Greater Waco Chamber President Matt Meadors said it brings another facet to the community as well. Having a world-renowned whisky distillery in our backyard not only enhances Greater Wacos diverse industry base, but Balcones Distilling brings a cool factor to our community, Meadors said. The Waco landscape has a wide variety of attractions that are truly found only in Waco. Balcones Distilling has added another unique attraction to our community that is helping create new experiences for visitors. This is an exciting time for our community, and the momentum continues to grow. A gift shop and tasting room are in the works as well to offer visitors a well-rounded experience to Central Texas only whisky distillery. Staying Unique The expansion is a step forward for Balcones, but Himstedt is not willing to sacrifice the hand-crafted quality. Its that spirit behind the spirits that has created a name for Balcones. I think there are a couple of stages at which we take a little extra care, and there is more human interaction with the product, he said. That is how Balcones was born, and its an industry secret that has not gone unnoticed. Its a lot more common now for the craft distillers to take a lot of care with their ingredients, Himstedt said. At a smaller size, we can pick ingredients that are going to make the best product. Blue corn from New Mexico and barley from Scotland are among those ingredients that Himstedt and his team research and find. The rye weve been playing with is an heirloom strand that grows really well in the panhandle and parts of Oklahoma, Himstedt said. When determining the quality of his ingredients and their impact on the taste of his final product, he also considers other factors that make it possible and more environmentally friendly to attain. We want to use more localized ingredients, he said. People like to know we use ingredients that have a connection to where they are. We want to make it worthwhile for people to grow grains we may use. Recognition That attention to detail has created whisky blends that speak for themselves on the competitive stage where similar products are judged by the industrys most critical connoisseurs. Balcones has won more than 200 awards since opening for business in 2008, with 77 of those coming this year and last. Most recently, Balcones Distilling walked out of the American Distilling Institute Awards with a double gold medal for its Balcones 1 Texas Single Malt, a gold medal for the 2015 Staff Selection and two silver medals for Brimstone and True Blue 100. These prestigious awards pitted the products against 645 craft spirits, with only 2 percent receiving a double gold. One of my favorite competitions that we do well everywhere is Whisky Magazine, Himstedt said. It makes it feel about as objective and as non-partial as you can get. Thats the World Whisky competition. Balcones won three titles from the 2016 World Whiskies Awards in March in New York City. The Best Single Cask American Single Malt award was given for the staffs personally chosen cask of whiskey. We like to do a staff selection, Himstedt said. We will put out some new barrels and see what is the collective favorite. There are only two or three of us who work on blending all the time. To have the staff vote on it makes it pretty cool. Balcones True Blue 100 received Worlds Best Corn Whisky, the highest tier award in the category, and the 1 Single Malt was named the Best American Single Malt. TheFiftyBest.com awards in February named Balcones Texas Single Malt Whisky a Double Gold medal winner with judges describing the spirit as sweet, elegant, smooth and gentle. New Beginning The move to 11th Street signals a new beginning for the distillery after the board bought out founder Chip Tate in 2014. Our total focus is about getting the new distillery up and running. Bellinger said. We feel we are getting to a position where we can focus on the front of the house such as the gift shop and the public tours. The first few months in our new location has been on production. With its first batches of whisky done and the official grand opening in the recent past, its time to look at whats next, he added. Obviously, with Magnolia Market now people know a lot more about Waco, Bellinger said. With us, we are getting a lot of Baylor, Magnolia and Balcones fans and not necessarily in that order. They have really helped to put Waco on the map. Once the tours start, visitors will get a firsthand glimpse of a working distillery. They will get to see most of the operation beginning with the brew house, he said. They will see the actual fermenters, the still house, the blending room through a window and the packaging line, and then in the end they get to come in to the tasting room and the gift shop. This will be a different experience from the other distillery where you could stand in the middle of it and see pretty much everything. This makes it look a little more major league. The three-story copper stills are very impressive. It will be worth the time for day travelers, he said. I think people will be pretty enamored to come here and see how everything is made, he added. For a lot of people in Texas, we are basically right in their backyard. They can drive a couple of hours and see a real distillery. Looking Ahead Going forward, Balcones staffers are embracing their location and the ability to expand production. We know that our current facility is going to afford us to produce about 4 times as much as 17th Street while maintaining the quality of the whisky, Bellinger said. Early indications are that its actually going to be better. The 3 tons of handcrafted copper stills transported over land and sea from Scotland in fall 2015 were custom-made for Balcones and are the centerpiece of the new facility. The three-story apparatus was specially designed for the new location. It is unusually tall and speaks to the unique process Balcones uses to distill its whiskeys, rums and specialty spirits. Every still has all kinds of subtleties in shape and size, Himstedt said. They all have their own DNA and fingerprint. In trying to get used to how they run and how we want them to run, we already had some ideas of what we want to do differently. Luckily, we were already planning to order another still, so we were able to make some modifications. When the next stills are installed, Balcones will be at a production level nine times that of the previous location by the end of 2017. The ample space will allow for another six stills, which will be added in phases. Its consumer demand that is driving our increased production, Bellinger said. We will only produce more to maintain the quality and the product that were known for. We only bottle when we know our product meets or exceeds our standards. We always compare our blends to our award-winning products. Whisky-making is an age-old tradition, so the ingredients, equipment and process are the defining factors in producing a run-of-the-mill or a stand-up-and-take-notice product, he said. 17th Street Not Done The owners are researching ways to use their previous location. We have some city ordinances we have to resolve in order to use it on a part-time basis, Himstedt said. We do intend to utilize 17th Street. We are just not sure when or how at this point. People wanting to taste Balcones products can find them at a few area locations, either to purchase by the bottle or the glass. There are a handful of stores in Waco that are good to check, Bellinger said. Those include Twin Liquors, Specs, Riverbend Liquor, Waco Bar Supply, Wards Liquor and Texas Beverages. For a served experience, Balcones is offered at a select local bars and restaurants including Dichotomy, Muddle, Georges, the Indigo Hotel, Diamondbacks and 135 Prime. While Texas gets more than half of the product, Balcones also distributes to the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut as well as Illinois and California. We also ship a very tiny amount, Bellinger said. We do most of our sales in Dallas. Austin is strong, but Dallas is our No. 1 market and then Houston and San Antonio are really coming on. Even Laredo and Lubbock are markets for us. Looking down the road a bit, Bellinger expects Balcones to be more widely distributed. Our goal in five years is to be in all 50 states and well-distributed in the major whisky states and possibly a little bit on the international side, particularly continental Europe, he said. On a daily basis, we get calls from around the world interested in our products. You cannot not focus on London because it is such a huge whisky market. We try to send just enough to whet their appetites, but our predominant focus is on the U.S. Himstedt echoes that vision. In five years, hopefully a lot of people will be less frustrated because they can find our product much more easily, he said. The fun for us has always been on the creative side. It will be exciting for the production team and the blending team to see some of our R&D products into delicious full-fledged products. People love what we have, and we love what we do. Balcones Distilling 225 S. 11th St. 755-6003 Take the short road trip to Axtell BBQ for some classic Texas favorites, like brisket and sausage. Just dont be fooled by the name or rustic location. Despite such pastoral surroundings, this family-owned and operated restaurant is anything but predictable. Located along U.S. Highway 84 with a picturesque pond in front, Axtell BBQ offers customer favorites like Frito pie, cheesesteak sandwiches, potato salad, pulled pork and burgers, in addition to the standard sliced or chopped brisket options and handmade sausage. But regulars know that owners Cornel and Elvira Marton always have something special to offer, thanks to their love of cooking and passion for good food. On a recent Sunday afternoon, restaurant-goers had a chance to try Cornels pork tenderloin and vegetable stew. He described this particular dish as a simple recipe of fresh ingredients with bare minimum seasoning: salt and pepper, to be exact. A lot of people, they dont know what is good food, said Cornel Marton, adding that he makes different dishes each day, giving customers a chance to expand their eating experiences. I think people are missing out because they dont try new things. Marton said he most enjoys creating various dishes as well as making the meats he serves. That includes selling steaks for special orders and coming up with menus for various catering jobs. I just love cooking, Marton said. Ever since I was little, if I went to someones house and liked the food, Id come home and try it. Also available that day: homemade honey-layered cake, baked by the couples oldest son, Darius. Described as very Romanian by Elvira, the cake is only one of the many dessert options customers can sink their teeth into on any given day at Axtell BBQ. Desserts Too Every Saturday morning, Elviras homemade kolaches, Danishes and cinnamon rolls are a treat for anyone lucky enough to get one before theyre gone. If Cornel is passionate about the food he serves, Elvira is just as enthusiastic about her pastries and cakes. Both shared photos of various desserts shes made for weddings, birthdays, holidays and other special events. Its our life, Elvira said. Just seeing the customers say, Oh, this is delicious, makes me happy. When someone likes something, I plan to do that the next day or come up with something new. Elvira said she developed her love and skills for making desserts when she worked in the bakery at Sams Club several years ago. She has since honed her skills with the help of online tips, cooking channels and even finding inspiration from photographs. Baking is a process to learn, but I really enjoy it, she said. Cornel and his 17-year-old son, Erick, were hard-pressed to name the favorite menu item of their customers. Both agreed the standard offerings are popular but so are the daily specials when people are willing to venture beyond the menu. I sell everything, Cornel said with a smile. Daily menu items include brisket, starting at $5.99, and sausage, starting at $4.49. Hamburgers start at $5.49, while Philly cheesesteak sandwiches cost $6.49. Dinner plates with two sides start at $7.49 and most side orders a la carte cost $1.99. Cornel said the restaurant has had good days and slower moments in the six years theyve run it. He credits the successful times to quality food and word-of-mouth business. European Beginnings In addition to Cornels daily creations and Elviras sweet treats, the Martons bring a unique flavor to Axtell because of their own background. Cornel Marton came to the United States from Romania with his parents and family of 13 children in 1980 when he was 12 years old. Elvira is Hungarian and joined Cornel after the couple met overseas; they married in 1993. Today, they have five children ranging in age from 9-year-old and only daughter Ella to 22-year-old Darius, who will travel to study history in Russia later this year. All of the Marton children help out in the restaurant, from waiting on customers and washing dishes to following the familys cooking and baking tradition. The Martons live on the same property in a house next door to the restaurant. That means on days off, the family is always nearby and busy preparing for events or shopping for supplies. Even when the restaurant isnt open, theres a good chance the adjacent gun range is. Cornel smiled broadly when talking about how friends encouraged him to open one on the property. Only in Texas, he chuckled. A gun range and barbecue. Customers must make the little drive down a dirt road about 300 yards behind the restaurant. The gun range is open daily from 7 a.m. until 30 minutes before sunset, but it might be a good idea to call the restaurant ahead of time to make sure conditions are favorable and facilities are up and running. The range offers the longest distance in the area 650 yards for practice. Enjoying the Challenge Owning a business is harder than he thought, Cornel said, but he appreciates the flexibility to work for himself and try new things. I cook everything, and I can go with whatever I feel like, so I really enjoy it, he said. Cornel said he makes lots of trips to Dallas when the restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The Martons 11-year-old son, Zack, has spina bifida and his medical needs require occasional trips out of town. Their 20-year-old son, Edmond, serves in the military but currently is home to help out as needed. High school junior and avid athlete, Erick, said he enjoys life in the restaurant business and he may or may not follow in his parents footsteps. I eventually see myself doing my own thing, but it just depends on how it all works out. Erick said he and his siblings all know how to cook. His parents acknowledge that with so much going on all the time, theyd better. If theyre hungry and theres no one around to cook, they have to cook for themselves, Cornel said. Cornel and Elvira agree that life in the restaurant business is constantly busy but they wouldnt want to do anything else. And despite friends encouraging them to move to town, the couple says they are happy right where they are in Axtell. Its a lot of work, Cornel said. But its good here. Its good here for us and Im happy here. Axtell BBQ 10016 E. Highway 84 in Axtell 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday 254-863-5356 The restaurant is on Facebook Photos and story By Diana Zimmerman Naselle native Wilho Saari is on his second life. He was born at home 84 years ago just down the street from where he lives now, a fact that some of his former students at the Naselle Youth Camp just couldnt comprehend. But there is no hospital, they would exclaim. I know! I wasnt sick, hed reply. His distinctive sense of humor would surface more than once during the interview on Saturday. This son of two Finnish immigrants would graduate from high school in 1950 and spend two years milking cows on their little dairy farm before venturing off to college, a feat that no one else in his high school class of 18 would do before or after him. Im so glad I went, Saari said. He attended what was then the Bethany Bible Institute in Santa Cruz, CA before transferring to Northwest College, now Northwest University, in Kirkland, WA. After four years, he went to Seattle Pacific University to get his teaching credentials. It was during those years of higher learning that he returned home at Christmas and met Kaisa while caroling with a group. Kaisas nanny had moved to Naselle from Finland after WWII had ended. She invited the young woman to visit her in southwest Washington after Kaisa graduated from high school. The Christmas holidays were soon over and Saari returned to Seattle to continue his studies. I should write a letter to that Finland girl, he thought to himself one day. So I wrote to her and she replied. I wrote to her. She replied, he said again. I didnt even have a car back in those days. Our communication was basically by mail. That was in April, he grinned. We got engaged in May, married in June and got separated in July. Kaisa giggled. Saaris wife of more than 50 years is charming. And still charmed. Their separation was temporary. There was the matter of a visa and Kaisa wanted to say goodbye to her friends and family. In August, Saari got three letters in the mail. One said that Kaisa had passed her physical and therefore could be married. Which was great, because they already were. The second said that Saari could begin student teaching. The third let him know that he would not be needed for military service. He was 4-F. To this day, he doesnt know why he got that designation. Hes a little curious but not enough to do anything about it. Saari finished school and taught for a year or two in Brooklyn, Washington before the two moved to Seattle so Kaisa could go to school. While at Seattle Pacific University, one of Kaisas teachers encouraged her to get a masters degree and return to the school to work as his assistant. The couple went to Finland for a month that summer and when they returned, she registered for classes at the University of Washington. She earned a masters degree in Spanish. Saari got an offer to teach at a mission school in Liberia, so he, Kaisa, and their two kids, Karen and Riki, moved to Western Africa, where they would spend three years. They laughed at the memory of their daughter who was disappointed to be a kindergartner when they returned to the US and Naselle. Shed babysat some of the kids in the third grade class in Africa. Surely, she should be in third grade! Saari taught at the youth camp for 23 years and Kaisa taught Spanish German and Finnish at the high school. Theyve been in their house since August 1, 1970, according to Saari. 46 years. Their two kids are teachers and have three kids each. Kelsey, Karli, Kirsten, Kenny, Kyle and Katie, Saari rattled their names off. You remembered them, Kaisa teased. They all start with a K! Saari said. They were all in college last year. Pricey! When Saari was 50, he took up a traditional Finnish instrument and changed his life. The instrument, a kantele, has 36 strings and is played with both hands. Saari is a fifth generation kantele player and can draw his lineage back to a Finnish folk heroine named Kreeta Haapasalo who performed on the kantele in the 19th century to provide for her 11 children. Haapasalo was Saaris great great grandmother. There is a statue of her in Finland and Saari likes to have his picture taken with it. Haapasalo was also honored on a postage stamp. He is proud of her and she would be proud of him now. Saari won a National Endowment of the Arts award for it in 2006. That is a big deal. Awards are hung all over the walls of his living room. Too many, he said. Hes proud of the NEA award, but loves his Sauna Bucket award from the Finnish-American Historical Society of the West even more. Sauna bucket! he laughed. He remembers his father playing traditional Finnish tunes on the instrument when he was young. Saari played the trumpet, the bass horn and the piano when he was in grade school and high school, but he never tried the kantele until he was in his sixth decade. Every night after work it seemed like, Saari said of his dad, he would sit down and play it. It was fourteen years after he died when I started. I knew how he played it and it was easy to pick up. Saari started performing in churches, at Finnish events, and more. Soon he was crisscrossing the United States to play for people. He was teaching several people to play the instrument in Portland when a man in Finland wrote a kantele mass for his group. They traveled to Finland to perform the mass for several churches. All this happened after he turned 50. Hes become a prolific composer for the instrument. He estimates that he has written a total of 4,000-5,000 pieces. 170 just this year. Books of his original compositions line the wall of his study, where he keeps the kantele. Hell shut the door sometimes so Kaisa can watch TV in the next room. Where did he get his love of music? Saari believes it is growing up hearing good music and good musicians. His sister was a pianist, and there was an evangelist who would come to Naselle once in a while to perform. Kaisa has a different answer. Kreeta Haapasalo, she teased him. What else do you like to do for fun? He likes to play the kantele, Kaisa joked. Saari nodded. He has two recordings and is planning to record a Christmas album. A woman in Finland published a book with 365 of his compositions. Ive had so much fun with the kantele, Saari said, I wish Id started as a kid. Saari will be performing this summer at the Finnish American Folk Fest in Naselle, during the last weekend in July. Andreas Zeitler reports. Frances premier air show is held each year at Cerny aerodrome, close to the picturesque town of La Ferte-Alais, just a short distance from Paris. On clear days you can see the Eiffel tower from the plateau where this French vintage aviation haven lies. The event itself takes place during the weekend of Pentecost, fifty days after Easter, and thus the date for any given year varies between mid-May and mid-June. This year the Le temps des helices, or The time of propellers as the show is affectionately known, took place over the weekend of May 14th/15th. However, the weather felt more like April and clearly challenged the organizers. Temperatures were decidedly chilly at around 10C (50F) and a northern crosswind over the runway, blasted straight into visitors faces along the fence line. On the Friday practice show, thunderstorms made an appearance, with rain, and even a little hail peppering the airfield. These inclement weather conditions unfortunately prevented the attendance of some participants further afield. The Swiss-based TBM-3 Avenger and Morane MS.406 were two such much-missed warbirds this year, especially as the announced naval Avenger/Catalina and French MS.406/Hawk 75 formations had received significant billing. Thankfully, The Fighter Collections Duxford-based Curtiss Hawk 75 and Spitfire Mk.V arrived several days earlier, wisely choosing the more favorable weather conditions available at that time. Fortunately the storms stayed away over the weekend, but the damage had already been done as the airfields grass runway was already sodden from previous days of rain. This further hampered flight operations for the heavier aircraft. As an example, Christophe Jacquards Hawker Fury and Douglas Skyraider arrived from the southern France after Saturdays flying display ended, but the pilots elected not to fly on Sunday because of the precarious runway conditions. Nevertheless the locally-based Amicale Jean Baptiste Salis collection came up with a diversified flying program from 1pm until well after half past six on Saturday. It spanned the whole history of flight, from the early days of Bleriot up to modern military jets. There was a strong participation from the Securite Civile and the French military, which usually uses the La Ferte air show to open the new season for the Patrouille de France and the Rafale jet fighter solo display. A fly-by of a Corsair International Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet celebrated the airlines 35th anniversary and 100 years of the American aircraft manufacturer. This reflected upon the legendary airliner displays at the airfield during the 1980s, such as the Concorde fly-by in this video VIDEO HERE TO POST AFTER though present day regulations prevent them flying so close to the public. With an interesting contrast in scale, a Boeing Stearman flew just after the Jumbo had cleared the scene and left behind a fascinated crowd. Sunday was the best day of the weekend, with a smooth flying program and in clearly better weather. After the opening ceremony, which remembered the late French warbird and flying legend, Marc Leon Mathis with a Zlin missing-man formation followed by a minutes silence, the show started with the French Air Force Dassault Rafale demonstration. Further flying covered all eras of flight, interrupted by several aerobatic acts. The cool-looking Caudron G-III and venerable Spad XIII of the Memorial Flight represented WWI aviation. 1930s US air travel returned to life with a stunning formation of a Lockheed Electra Junior and Beech 12 taking to the air. The classic warbird flying, always the crowds favorite, this year included amongst a German element with the locally-based Junkers Ju-52 flying alongside a Swiss Ju-Air example with a Bucker Bestmann and Fieseler Storch. Frances Flying Warbirds strengthened the impressive line-up, most notably with a Catalina flying boat, which landed at the airfield on Saturday and performed twice during the weekend. This actual flying boat sank the German submarine U-342 during WWII. Frances Flying Warbirds also brought their P-51D Mustang, Yak-11 and P-40N Warhawk. They put on a great show, even if the sky was rather gray. For sure the warbird flying will be strengthened next year by the La Ferte-Alais based F4U-5 Corsair of the Casques Cuir. It is currently undergoing restoration which is progressing well. A first engine run already took place and the aircraft looks quite complete. It should be ready the fly in 2017 and will be quite a sight on the grass runway! Thus, though being a bit cold this year, the Amicale Jean Baptiste Salis La Ferte air show lived up to its grand expectations. Although missing some aircraft, organizers made up for it with an exciting mix of different aircraft and air show acts. Great food and shopping possibilities further added a great air show weekend. Pentecost next year will be on June 3rd and 4th, so mark those dates in your calendar for the 2017 edition of La Ferte-Alais. Weather should be better then, but the flying will be fantastic as always! Thanks to Andreas Zeitler of Flying- Wings.com for the article. Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. distributes industrial motion, power, control, and automation technology solutions in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. It operates through two segments, Service Center Based Distribution, and Fluid Power & Flow Control. The company distributes bearings, power transmission products, engineered fluid power components and systems, specialty flow control solutions, advanced automation products, industrial rubber products, linear motion components, automation solutions, tools, safety products, oilfield supplies, and other industrial and maintenance supplies; and motors, belting, drives, couplings, pumps, hydraulic and pneumatic components, filtration supplies, valves, fittings, process instrumentation, actuators, and hoses, filtration supplies, as well as other related supplies for general operational needs of customers' machinery and equipment. It also operates fabricated rubber shops and service field crews that install, modify, and repair conveyor belts and rubber linings, as well as offer hose assemblies. In addition, the company provides equipment repair and technical support services. It distributes industrial products through a network of service centers. The company serves various industries, including agriculture and food processing, cement, chemicals and petrochemicals, fabricated metals, forest products, industrial machinery and equipment, life sciences, mining, oil and gas, primary metals, technology, transportation, and utilities, as well as government entities. The company was formerly known as Bearings, Inc. and changed its to name to Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. in 1997. The company was founded in 1923 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. Your Ultimate Investing Toolkit Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools: Portfolio Monitoring Top Stock Lists Premium Reports Stock Screeners Live News Feed Premium Support Free for your first month. The following companies are subsidiares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft: ABFS I Incorporated, ABS MB Ltd., Alex. 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Suhl "Rimbachzentrum" KG, G Finance Holding Corp., German American Capital Corporation, Grundstucksgesellschaft Frankfurt Bockenheimer LandstraBe GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Miesbaden LuisenstraBe/Kirchgasse GbR, Hollandsche Bank-Unie, ISTRON Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs-GmbH, IVAF l Manager S.a.r.l., Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben I GbR, J R Nominees (Pty) Ltd, Joint Stock Company Deutsche Bank DBU, Jyogashima Godo Kaisha, KEBA Gesellschaft fur interne Services mbH, Kidson Pte Ltd, Konsul lnkasso GmbH, LA Water Holdings Limited, LAWL Pte. Ltd., Leasing Verwaltungsgesellschaft Waltersdorf mbH, Leonardo lll Initial GP Limited, MEF I Manager. S. a r.|., MIT Holdings Inc., Maher Terminals Holdings (Toronto) Limited, Morgan Grenfell & Company, MortgageIT, MortgagelT Inc., MortgagelT Securities Corp., OOO "Deutsche Bank TechCentIe", OOO "Deutsche Bank", OPB Verwaltungs- und Treuhand GmbH, OPB-Oktava GmbH, OPB-Quarta GmbH, OPPENHEIM Capital Advisory GmbH, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Manager GmbH, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, PADUS Grundstcks-VermietungsgeseIlschaft mbH, PB Factoring GmbH, PB Spezial-lnvestmentaktiengesellschatt mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, PCC Services GmbH der Deutschen Bank, PT Deutsche Sekuritas Indonesia, Pan Australian Nominees Pty Ltd, Plantation Bay. Inc., Postbank Akademie und Service GmbH, Postbank Beteiligungen GmbH, Postbank Direkt GmbH, Postbank Filialvertrieb AG, Postbank Finanzberatung AG, Postbank Leasing GmbH, Postbank lmmobilien GmbH, Quantiguous, R.B.M. Nominees Pty Ltd, RREEF, RREEF America LLC., RREEF China REIT Management Limited, RREEF European Value Added I (G.P.) Limited, RREEF Fund Holding Co., RREEF India Advisers Private Limited, RREEF Management LLC., RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., Route 28 Receivables. LLC, SAB Real Estate Verwaltungs GmbH, SAGITA Grundstucks-Vermielungsgesellschaft mbH, SAPIO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, Sal. Oppenheim, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Beteiligungs GmbH, Sharps SP l LLC, Stelvio lmmobiliare S.r.l., Suddeutsche Vermeigensvewvaitung Gesellschaft mit beschrenkter Haftung, TELO Beleiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Tempurrite Leasing Limited, Thai Asset Enforcement and Recovery Asset Management Company Limited, Treuinvest Service GmbH, Triplereason Umited, VOB-ZVD Processing GmbH, WEPLA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Wealthspur Investment Ltd., World Trading (Delaware) Inc., lmmobilienfonds BuroCenter Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben II GbR, lmmobilienfonds Wohn- und Gescheftshaus Koln-Blumenberg V GbR, and norisbank GmbH. Read More UPDATED: The Aboriginal artists who designed the Western Bulldogs indigenous jumper say they have been exploited by the AFL and have refused to sign a licensing contract with the league saying it would remove their creative rights. The Ballarat-based Pitcha Makin' Fellas remain disillusioned their work has been undervalued by the AFL, which under its general jumper agreement has refused to financially compensate the group. Peter Widmer, the Ballarat artist who assists the six-man collective, said he planned to present the Bulldogs on Thursday with a revised contract, which he believed would be signed before the Bulldogs wore the guernseys onto the MCG on Sunday, taking on Collingwood, in the Sir Doug Nicholls indigenous round. Jeffrey Dash, chief executive of ScreenBid.com, has cooler stuff in his office than you do, including tangerine-dream, midcentury modern chairs from the set of "Mad Men." And a lot of it goes on sale June 1. Since 2013, when it auctioned props used on "Breaking Bad," ScreenBid has helped producers sell paraphernalia from about a dozen shows, including "Sons of Anarchy," and, most recently, "Empire." Looking to tap into the Mad Men success, the series' maker auctions off set paraphernalia to turn its props into a profit centre. Credit:Michael Yarish/AMC Mad Men This time around, Lionsgate Television, a producer of "Mad Men," is looking to duplicate the success of earlier sales, which have transformed props from an expense into a profit centre. "It's not a clean-out," Dash said recently as he lounged on the chair, looking almost as masterful as Don Draper, and framed by Draper's office liquor tray, and a 13-channel - plus UHF - General Electric television that belonged to Draper's clever understudy, Peggy Olson. The saddest part being that I wasn't terribly surprised. Donald Trump is scratching at a familiar sore, instilling fear in a weakening and insecure white, middle-class America that has found itself in political turmoil with an increasing, non-white population and a rising minority political power that's threatening the long-standing dominant status of the white American. But it's not just immigrants who threaten the dominant status of the white American and motivate rage in the shrinking white majority. Many believe it's a black man in the White House that symbolises a physical manifestation of that threat. The Huffington Post suggested in 2014 that "Barack Obama's election actually ignited racial tension in the country, rather than end[ed] it. As a result, white supremacists, hate crimes, and internet sites like Stormfront have grown exponentially." There is a perceived economic threat to the dominant white American majority by the immigrant minority, in conjunction with the overall threat to the white American's dominant status within the social structure of America itself that jeopardises the cohesion of the United States as a nation. The resulting increase of hate-filled rhetoric now finds a home in a political party's platform and becomes a new normal in the country's shared vocabulary inciting contempt, resentment, and in the extreme, hatred and violence. Former US president and Nobel peace prize winner Jimmy Carter has taken note of this recent rise in racism and hate speech in America, organising a peace summit scheduled for August this year where he intends to gather together Baptists of all races to focus on topics of race and social inequality. He told the New York Times Donald Trump's success has "tapped a waiting reservoir of inherent racism" and that he thinks there is "a heavy reaction among some of the racially conscious Republicans against an African-American being president". And this never looks authentic. No doubt we'll see some poor sod forced to dab and nae nae before the campaign is through. The release of the "cool Shorten" pic was at the benign end of the awkward plays for young people's attention we've come to expect from politicians. Australian politicians make a habit of engaging with young people by feigning their own youth, however ironically. Sometimes this comes in the form of literally releasing young pics, at other times it's carefully studied Game of Thrones references, not-at-all cultivated use of emojis by Julie Bishop-types, Rudd-style selfie offensives or even in Tony Abbott's Trump-esque spruiking of his "not bad-looking daughters". Earlier this week, in an effort to get young voters to enrol before electoral rolls closed, Bill Shorten did what several of his Labor colleagues have done recently and released a very retro-looking '80s photo of himself as a young man, dimpled and smiling. "A lot has changed over the years, but one thing hasn't you still need to enrol in order to have your say," the Facebook caption implored. This is largely harmless guff soft PR for politicians and cheap fodder for content-hungry news organisations (including this one), which lap up "fun" ways to report politics for young people. And gimmicky tactics which generate any youth interest are, to an extent, understandable. The AEC estimates about 20 per cent of adults 24 years old or younger may not even be registered to vote. Student politics buddies: Annastacia Palaszczuk made friends with rising stars of the Labor movement as she got involved with issues early. Here, in the late 1980s, with Bill Shorten, right, and Chris Brown, left, who went on to become Tourism Transport Forum head. But the usual approach to millennials rankles this (relatively) youthful voter because too often it is the only attention we get. The cutesy sops are sprinkled within a mainstream political culture that largely ignores young voters and their aspirations, then is surprised when they don't register to vote, don't engage or drift away from the major parties and vote for the Greens or someone else entirely. One recent Fairfax-Ipsos poll showed support for the Greens among 18- to 24-year-olds had risen to be almost level with Labor, at 32 per cent to 33, and well ahead of the Coalition's 25 per cent (albeit with an 8 per cent margin of error). Young voters aren't a homogenous group by any means, but there are a few issues that routinely stand out which explain some of the disillusion. In a 2013 survey by the Australia Institute, voters under 25 listed jobs, rent and housing, university funding, same-sex marriage and climate change in that order as their most important issues. It's almost a neat list of betrayals by the major parties. Unlike many parts of the world, the rights and needs of renters is a non-starter political issue in Australia, while housing affordability in Sydney in particular has long since spiralled out of control, supercharged by investors and aided by tax concessions like negative gearing which Labor has only recently (welcomely) promised to restrain. "Labor opposed the repeal of the Schoolkids Bonus, the government got it through with the Clive Palmer party," Mr Bowen told ABC radio. Mr Bowen has also confirmed Labor will leave the government's pensions assets test untouched if elected but would review the overall system, including the pension changes introduced last year with the support of the Greens. Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen has announced Labor will not restore the Gillard-era Schoolkids Bonus, axed by the Coalition with the support of Clive Palmer, marking a turnaround on the $4.5 billion policy they previously lauded. "But we've now had the pre-election economic forecast. We know the triple A credit rating is under threat. So we are taking a very responsible approach with our policies. Families will be better off under Labor, but we will not be able to afford to bring back the Schoolkids Bonus." When the government secured the abolition of the mining tax in September 2014 they also sought to axe related spending, including the welfare policy. As part of a deal struck with Mr Palmer, the last payment will be made in July. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten expanded on Labor's new position, saying they didn't support the government's "ill-conceived" policies and still don't like them but the finances have tied their hands. "We do not believe, looking at the latest set of books that the government has just revealed last week, that we're in a position to restore the changes they've made or reverse the changes they've made to the pension assets test," Mr Shorten said in Darwin. "What we will do is that we will review our pensions income because we're not convinced that meddling with part pensioners is the best way to go." Sarma Melngailis was the apple of New York's vegan eye. The stunning, Ivy League educated 43-year-old, ran a popular vegan restaurant, Pure Food and Wine, in the city, frequented by celebrities including Alec Baldwin, Woody Harrelson and Bill Clinton. Pure has featured on Forbes magazine's list of "All Star New York Eateries" on numerous occasions. She appeared on the cover of magazines and featured in blogs and on websites, a poster girl for the benefits of healthy living. The principal of Peter Moyes Anglican School in Mindarie has written to parents to soothe fears sparked by an earlier report of a student having typhoid fever. School principal Julian Dowse on Wednesday wrote to parents informing them the senior school student had tested positive for salmonella typhi, the bacteria causing typhoid, after becoming sick with what at first appeared to be food poisoning. The case has been reported as communicated to parents, but not to the Health Department. Credit:Google Caused by a bacteria usually picked up overseas, typhoid can be deadly, and confirmed cases must be reported to the Health Department. But it is also rare in Western Australia, with only eight cases reported last year and three so far this year. The Health Department followed up with the doctor and found that the diagnosis was actually for salmonella typhim, which had caused gastroenteritis. Brasilia: Brazil's new foreign minister, Jose Serra, has ordered diplomats to rebut any government, media or international organisation that criticises the impeachment of suspended President Dilma Rousseff, according to an internal memo. The nine-page document cited a dozen examples of censure of the impeachment process that removed Ms Rousseff from office this month made by governments and other entities to which diplomats needed to respond in defense of Brazil's political process. Brazil's acting foreign minister Jose Serra arrives for a press conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Monday, on his first state visit since being appointed in the wake of Dilma Rousseff's suspension. Credit:AP "The press, academics and members of civil society and also leaders of international organisations and government representatives have manifested frequently in improper and ill-informed ways about Brazil's domestic politics," the memo said. 16 to 20 May 2016 The Serbia Customs Administration, in cooperation with the World Customs Organization (WCO), organized a National Workshop on Time Release Study (TRS) in Belgrade, Serbia, from 16th to 20th May 2016. The event was held under the sponsorship of the Customs Cooperation Fund (CCF) Germany. More than 16 participants from the Serbian Customs Administration and representatives from stakeholders involved in clearance processes participated in the Workshop. Ms. Snezana Karonovic, Assistant to the Director General of Serbia Customs Administration, amongst others, welcomed participants, and expressed their gratitude to the WCO for the technical assistances rendered. The workshop allowed the participants to identify the challenges and discuss the best way to conduct their TRS. In addition, the participants finalized a road-map with several activities that will be executed to ensure a smooth implementation of the upcoming Serbia national TRS. The TRS is envisaged to be carried out in the second half on 2016. At the invitation of Mr. Shantanu Bhadkamkar, Chairman of the International Federation of Customs Brokers Associations (IFCBA), WCO Deputy Secretary General Sergio Mujica attended the IFCBA World Conference held in Shanghai, China, from 18 to 20 May 2016. The Conference was attended by over 400 Customs brokers and delegates from 21 countries, who discussed a wide-ranging agenda with the overarching theme Facilitating trade through the Customs-Business cooperation. At the opening ceremony, Mr. Lu Peijun, Vice-Minister and Deputy Director of the Board of China Customs, highlighted the key role of Customs to contribute to trade facilitation and economic competitiveness, emphasizing the various projects China Customs is working on in this area, including the One Belt One Road initiative. After the opening, Deputy Secretary General Mujica presented the main activities and developments of the WCO during the last year, emphasizing the importance of Customs- Business cooperation, as well as the role of Customs brokers in supporting the international trading system and Customs administrations activities. On the second day of the Conference, Mr. Mujica presented the outcomes of the survey on Customs brokers conducted by the WCO Secretariat, inviting the delegates to further explore areas where Customs and Customs brokers can cooperate more effectively to enhance trade facilitation and improve compliance, in particular with a view to strengthening their capacity and professionalism. During his mission to China, the Deputy Secretary General also travelled to Beijing for a bilateral meeting with Mr. Sun Yibiao, Vice-Minister of China Customs. The main topics discussed were the latest developments in the WCO and the various initiatives China Customs is implementing to continue its modernization process. Mr. Mujica also thanked China Customs for the strong support it provides to the WCO, including for the implementation of the Organizations Strategic Plan. ------------------------------ Photos: 1) Mr. Sergio Mujica, WCO Deputy Secretary General, and Mr. Shantanu Bhadkamkar, Chairman of the IFCBA; 2) Mr. Sergio Mujica, WCO Deputy Secretary General, and, at his right, Mr. Liu Wenjie, President China Customs Broker Association, and Ms. Carol West; and, at his left, Mr. Lu Peijun, Vice-Minister of China Customs, and Mr. Shantanu Bhadkamkar; 3) Mr. Sergio Mujica, WCO Deputy Secretary General, and Mr. Sun Yibiao, China Customs Vice-Minister (in Beijing). As Venezuela crumbles as a result Cuba begins to loosen some of its Socialist policies. According to BBC News... "Cuba's government has announced that it is legalising small and medium-sized private businesses." Of course the devil is in the details, but they are reportedly doing this to try to stimulate their stagnant economy. As these slow but steady positive changes have been implemented in Cuba, Venezuela has gone the other way and is now on the brink of economic ruin. In an interesting article for Reason Marian Tupy of Human Progress compared Chiles success after turning away form Socialism and Venezuelas decline after turning more toward Socialism. The story of Chiles success starts in the mid-1970s, when Chiles military government abandoned socialism and started to implement economic reforms. In 2013, Chile was the worlds 10th freest economy. Venezuela, in the meantime, declined from being the worlds 10th freest economy in 1975 to being the worlds least free economy in 2013 (Human Progress does not have data for the notoriously unfree North Korea). More Of course the elite under the Socialist regimes live like kings, while the working class cant even dream of living a middle class existence. As Martin Guevara (yes, Ches nephew) pointed out a few years back: Why is it so difficult for us to condemn any excess, crime, violent act or abuse committed by self-proclaimed leftists, revolutionaries or communists? What part of our brain falters or becomes anesthetized when the time comes to protest against these injustices? In any case, it appeared that Fidel was approaching his hour of shame. If there is anything that Fidel hates worse than not being the center of constant attention it is losing face. He cannot bear for anyone to know the truths of his life. He doesn't want the world to know that he drinks Castilian wines that cost more than 200 euros a bottle every day, even as he asks his people to sacrifice all for the revolution. More In a nutshell, the benefits of Socialism might be fewer than under Capitalism, but all of them - like the 200 Euro bottles of wine - accrue to the Government leaders and the people they supposedly care so much about wait in food lines like in Venezuela today. Advertisement By Sen. Danny Carroll May. 25, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY By Sen. Danny Carroll May. 25, 2016 | 02:09 PM | PADUCAH, KY This weekend we honor the brave men and women who gave their lives for this great country. Originally referred to as Decoration Day, the holiday originated after the Civil War as Americans would decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers each year. Following WWI it took on new significance and all of America's wars were from then on included and observed in the holiday we now know as Memorial Day. We also acknowledge the families of these heroes who live on and continue to preserve the memories of their loved ones. In May of 2000, the National Moment of Remembrance was established, encouraging all citizens throughout the United States to pause for a moment of silence at 3:00 pm local time. While our servicemen and servicewomen continue to risk their lives fighting for our freedom each day, the Kentucky Senate has also been fighting for legislation to help our Kentucky veterans and their families. We passed several bills this session aimed at serving those who served for us. House Bill 183 creates a disabled veteran-owned business certificate that makes it easier for disabled veterans to run their businesses. House Bill 225 streamlines the certification process for military service members and veterans who want to obtain teaching certificates in their area of specialty. Senate Bill 128 creates specific provisions for a Women Veterans Program. Kentucky also has a special license plate for mothers, fathers, siblings, and spouses of military service members who died while serving, known as the Gold Star License Plate. If you or your family members are interested in obtaining one of these plates, please do not hesitate to reach out to me by contacting my legislative office. I am honored to help the members of our armed forces and their families through these measures. If there is anything else I can do for you or your family, please do not hesitate to contact me. It is an honor to serve as your state senator and I wish you and your family a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend. If you have any questions or comments about these issues or any other public policy issue, please call me toll-free at 1-800-372-7181 or e-mail me at danny.carroll@lrc.ky.gov. You can also review the legislatures work online at www.lrc.ky.gov. Senator Danny Carroll (R-Paducah) represents the 2nd District, encompassing Ballard, Carlisle, Marshall and McCracken Counties. Senator Carroll serves on the Senate Appropriations & Revenue; Education; Health & Welfare; and Judiciary Committees. He also serves as Chair of the Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government and Finance & Public Protection and as a member of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Education. Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. Two killed in shooting at St. Louis high school Rita Redmond was a true lady who felt that every pupil had something to gift to the world Its easy to see growing old as a negative thing. Our body changes in so many different ways, and we arent able to do what we once could. However, as difficult as it may be, a positive attitude towards aging is extremely important. If you Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. EDMONTON Premier Kathleen Wynne said Thursday that Ontario wont ban the use of natural gas for home heating as part of its climate change action plan. The plan hasnt been released yet, but the Liberals had been coy about details ever since a published report based on a leaked draft copy said the province would phase out fossil fuels for home heating. But in her strongest statement yet on the issue, Wynne called the report false, and said natural gas will absolutely be used to heat Ontario homes in the future. The criticism that we have been getting is that we were going to be banning natural gas, and that is not something that were doing, Wynne said after meeting Alberta Premier Rachel Notley in Edmonton. Natural gas is used to heat more than three-quarters of the homes in the province, and critics as well as natural gas suppliers warned that phasing it out would drive up energy costs for everyone. Replacing building heat and electricity would require $200 billion in investment in generation and distribution just to effectively duplicate what weve already spent on infrastructure, Enbridge Gas CEO Al Monaco said in Calgary on Thursday. That would more than double electricity rates in a province with very high electricity costs. Notley said Ontario and Alberta may take different approaches to reducing their carbon footprints, but both agree something must be done. Some argue that climate change is either not real, or at least not caused by humans, she said. Climate change denial is a dead end, for Alberta and all of Canada. Wynne, who also signed an agreement with Notley to develop clean technologies to fight climate change, said she wasnt worried about Californias weak market for carbon emissions. Only about a tenth of the available pollution credits in California were sold in an auction last week as part of the states cap-and-trade plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and it raised $600 million less than expected. Ontario is set to join the cap-and-trade program with California and Quebec next January, and has already started spending some of the $1.9 billion it expects to raise from the plan each year. California is ahead of us, and weve got some catching up to do, said Wynne. Were pushing ahead, and theres a lot of innovation that I know can happen in Ontario, and thats what our cap-and-trade program is going to be about. Ontario wont hold its first emissions auction until next spring, but has already announced how it will spend $1 billion of the revenue it hopes to generate. The Liberals promised $900 million to retrofit social housing and apartment buildings to make them more energy-efficient, and $100 million to introduce so-called renewable natural gas into the supply mix. Wynne will deliver a speech to the Calgary Chamber of Commerce on Friday, take part in a roundtable with business representatives and meet Mayor Naheed Nenshi. By Keith Leslie in Toronto with files from Ian Bickis in Calgary and Dean Bennett in Edmonton Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO CBC-TV unveiled its most ambitious, diverse programming slate ever on Thursday with a fall-winter lineup that is heavily Canadian and includes nine new original digital series, a new daytime show and a Mennonite mob drama. Heather Conway, executive vice-president of English services, said the public broadcaster is doing really well with a growing radio listenership and programs that have been very successful across all of its platforms. For CBC to continue to build on our success, we must offer content on all of our platforms that is uniquely Canadian, different from our competitors, but also of the calibre that can compete with the best in the world and I think were doing just that. TV hosts Steven Sabados, right, and Jessi Cruickshank pose during the CBC season preview event in Toronto on Thursday, May 26, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Eduardo Lima Newly announced titles in the lineup include a daytime show featuring Canadas Smartest Person host Jessi Cruickshank, home decor guru Steven Sabados and two other yet-to-be-announced hosts. Set to launch in the fall, it marks Sabadoss return to CBC daytime programming after last years death of his husband and Steven and Chris co-star Chris Hyndman. We want it to be fun, said Cruickshank, who will be the fashion expert on the show, which will include a studio audience and guests. Its all about laughter and youve got to have a good time, added Sabados. We want the viewer to have a smile on their face. Pure, which will premiere in early 2017, follows a newly-elected Mennonite pastor as he infiltrates the Menno mob in an effort to take down a powerful drug trafficking operation that stretches from Canada to Mexico. Also announced Thursday was the animated childrens series Dot. produced by author Randi Zuckerberg, who is the sister of Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Previously announced new series set to launch later this year include Kims Convenience, based on Toronto playwright-actor Ins Chois stage comedy-drama about a Korean-Canadian family and its convenience store. Its scheduled for a fall debut. Baroness von Sketch Show, coming this summer, is an all-female Canadian sketch comedy series focused on the worlds narcissistic contemporary culture. The cast includes Carolyn Taylor, Meredith MacNeill, Aurora Browne, and Jennifer Whalen. Also coming this summer is Four in the Morning, a comedy about the adventures of four 20-something friends before sunrise in Toronto. Stars include Lola Tash and Daniel Maslany. In Shoot the Messenger, slated for fall, Elyse Levesque stars as a young Toronto reporter who witnesses a murder and gets caught up in a web of crime that has corporate and political ties. Lyriq Bent co-stars as the lead homicide detective, Alex Kingston plays the editor and Lucas Bryant plays a co-worker. Allan Hawco of Republic of Doyle fame stars as an escaped Nova Scotia prisoner in Caught, which is based on Lisa Moores Scotiabank Giller Prize-nominated novel. Its set for early 2017. The Arctic is the setting for two shows: True North Calling, premiering in the winter, and The Council, set for fall. And in This is High School, debuting this fall, cameras follow students and their teachers at South Kamloops Secondary School in Kamloops, B.C. Returning series include Mr. D, Dragons Den, Murdoch Mysteries, Canadas Smartest Person, X Company, Rick Mercer Report, Still Standing, Exhibitionists, Heartland, Hello Goodbye and This Life. CBC also said its investing in its largest slate of original digital programming to date, with series including Coming In, from popular Canadian web series creators Kyle Humphrey and Graydon Sheppard. The new daytime series will also have what Cruickshank called a unique fully interactive online portal. I think for us, digital is simply a part of how we think now, said Conway. Ultimately, I think every media company has an obligation to build itself into a digital media company. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Centrallia 2016 kicked off Wednesday with high-level, daylong concurrent conferences on doing business in the Arctic and the southern Americas, playing to Manitobas strengths as a gateway for trade both north and south. Speakers included international experts such as the University of Manitobas David Barber, a global authority on the Arctic marine environment, and Hernan Fernandez, one of the founders of the leading angel investment network in Mexico. It is the fourth Centrallia conference in Winnipeg since 2010 and the third with an international connection. It is being held at the RBC Convention Centre. With two days of individual business-to-business meetings still to come, there was already a sense the event has a harder-hitting, more intense feel to it than the previous ones. WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Mariette Mulaire, the CEO of World Trade Centre Winnipeg, and Dave Angus, president and CEO of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, chat in the World Trade Centre Alley, part of the Centrallia conference space at the RBC Convention Centre. Centrallia has a harder-hitting feel to it this year than in previous ones. Many believe it has as much to do with the fact the citys business people know Winnipeg has much more to offer now as it is about the fact the Centrallia brand has matured. Chuck Davidson, CEO of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, attended the event as a delegate. We have got a very strong business case for Manitoba, and I think business people need to continue to get out there and understand the importance of global trade, Davidson said. The business-to-business meetings are a great opportunity for them to test the waters and see what appetite is out there. Mariette Mulaire, the CEO of World Trade Centre Winnipeg and the head of the organizing team for each of the Centrallia events, said the city is an easier sell now than it was in 2010 when the first event was held. So much is going on in Winnipeg now, not just Centrallia, she said. Everyone seems to be working in the same direction, everybody is talking about how the city has so much to offer. They werent saying that as much six years ago. Its as if we all flipped a switch in our minds. The U of Ms Barber set the tone of the conference by providing an eye-opening, expert presentation on the challenges facing the Arctic region as well as the opportunities that exist for business development. As one of the worlds experts on how climate change is affecting the Arctic, Barber held nothing back in describing the melting of the polar sea ice. But he also was just as forthright describing the kind of economic development opportunities that exist. He called his talk: Challenges and Opportunities of a Rapidly Changing Arctic. The reason I focus on that the rapidly changing Arctic is because it is not something we are projecting to happen in the future, Barber said. It is something that is happening right now. We are right in the middle of it. He said the current measured average global increase in temperature is at about 1 Celsius and rising and noted it has been at three degrees in the Arctic for many years already. But Barber is also sincere about encouraging development in the Arctic and believes it is something the Inuit people want as well. That is why I came to this conference, he said. Im a scientist first and foremost. My job is to do science and understand what is going on. But Im also a realist. I believe fundamentally that we need to develop resources in the south and in the North. My issue is not with development. My issue is that it is sustainable development. Tom Tessier is the typical delegate at Centrallia. Hes the founder and CEO of Solara Remote Data Delivery Inc., a Winnipeg company that makes satellite communications devices engineered for use in the most remote, extreme environments anywhere. His company has provided equipment for Barbers research enterprises in the Arctic and already has customers around the world. I have meetings lined up with people in Nigeria, Mali, Algeria and throughout the U.S., he said This is great because it is a global-reach market that were in. We can produce things for people anywhere, even Antarctica where we already have some equipment. As much as eyes were opened about the business opportunities in the North, Hernan Fernandez, one of the founders of the leading angel investment network in Mexico, probably did the same about the south, in particular Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile, countries that are part of the integrated trade group called the Pacific Alliance. Fernandez was in the middle of a cross-Canada tour to talk to potential investors in his fund and encourage Canadians to think more about the Pacific Alliance countries. Our job is to tell more about the truths behind the tale of two Mexicos, he said. Some places on the border are definitely facing tough challenges in the drug war. But you are more likely to get mugged in Washington than in the Mayan Riviera. martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. SHIMA, Japan Justin Trudeau says hes encouraged by the pledges made Friday by his fellow Group of Seven leaders in Japan, on both their renewed vow to stop paying ransoms for hostages and their approach to boosting the global economy. However, the ransom promise closely resembled a G7 pledge from three years ago, something experts say member countries didnt live up to. And on lifting the worlds feeble economic growth, the G7 essentially pledged to continue with their own individual strategies. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and U.S. President Barack Obama as they visit the Ise Grand Shrine (Ise Jingu) in Ise, Japan during the G7 Summit on Thursday, May 26, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Heading into the summit, Trudeau had urged some of his more fiscally prudent counterparts to invest more government cash to generate growth. Still, while speaking to reporters in Shima, Japan, the prime minister said he felt the group moved forward significantly on a number of files during his first G7 summit. On the economy, he said there was a broad understanding that monetary and fiscal policy, as well as structural reforms, are all important for enhancing global growth. Each country will map out its own path, Trudeau noted. Understanding that we do need to create a broad suite of measures to offset the challenges faced by low global growth is something that we are very much in agreement on, Trudeau said. The concerted approach is to use the levers available to each of our economies in as fulsome a way as possible to create growth. The leaders vowed to use a more-balanced response to lift growth and agreed that monetary policy such as benchmark interest rates cannot alone create stronger, sustainable growth. The 32-page declaration did commit to fight protectionism and called the potential United Kingdom exit from the European Union a serious risk to growth two positions Trudeau had publicly supported in recent days. Overall, the document touches on a range of subjects, including refugees, health, terrorism, security, climate, trade and the global economy. The content of the G7 stance against paying ransoms did not appear to go much further than the leaders position on the same issue at a summit three years ago. In the document, the leaders said they unequivocally reiterate their resolve not to pay ransoms to terrorists. It doesnt seem like a firm commitment does it? said David Welch, CIGI chair of global security at the Balsillie School of International Affairs. This was a Canadian push, that much is clear. Whether the Europeans, in particular, follow through will be interesting. Europe has a long tradition of paying ransom to solve hostage situations. But Trudeau, who drove the issue of ransoms, was satisfied with the agreement. He said he felt that public opinion had shifted on the issue and more people around the world now understand that such payments are lucrative source of financing for terrorists. Trudeau also said the leaders recognize that paying ransoms puts other citizens more at risk. I expressed my firm resolve and the clear resolve of Canadians to prevent the Canadian flag from becoming a target when worn on a backpack around the world, he said. Trudeau said the leaders had a very strong conversation Thursday night around the G7 table about Canadas situation in the Philippines. It has made the issue of ransoms of important for Trudeau. Last month, Canadian hostage John Ridsdel was beheaded by Abu Sayyaf militants in the Philippines who had demanded a large sum of money in exchange for his release. Another Canadian, Robert Hall, was kidnapped by the same group and is still being held hostage in the Asian country. Earlier Friday, a Trudeau spokesman said he was pleased to find specific items on health and quality infrastructure mentioned in the closing G7 statement. Cameron Ahmad said Canada was encouraged that the communique highlighted an upcoming Global Fund conference in Montreal to raise cash to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Global Fund raises an estimated US$4 billion every year as the worlds main funding body in the fight to prevent and treat those diseases. We are committed to ending AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, working in partnership with the Global Fund, the G7 statement said. It also called on new and traditional donors to support a replenishment of the fund. Earlier this month, Trudeau announced Canada would donate nearly $1 billion over two years toward the health initiative. Follow @AndyBlatchford on Twitter Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. An Irish republican protester manhandled by Canadas ambassador at a commemoration event in a Dublin cemetery Thursday says he holds no ill will. Kevin Vickers, the former House of Commons sergeant-at-arms, tackled protester Brian Murphy during a centenary ceremony to remember British soldiers killed in the 1916 Easter Rising, which claimed 485 lives, including more than 100 British forces. The intervention sparked immediate comparisons on social media to Vickers heroic actions in thwarting a gunman on Parliament Hill two years ago. But the protester in Dublin says he was no threat. Canadian Ambassador to Ireland Kevin Vickers, left, wrestles with a protester during a State ceremony to remember the British soldiers who died during the Easter Rising at Grangegorman Military Cemetery, Dublin Thursday May 26, 2016. Vickers helped subdue a demonstrator who began chanting ?insult? at the service commemorating more than 100 British soldiers killed trying to suppress the Easter Rising a century ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/PA via AP-Brian Lawless *MANDATORY CREDIT* UNITED KINGDOM OUT NO SALES NO ARCHIVE Maybe he had a different perception of what was happening or what my intentions were, Murphy, 46, told The Canadian Press in a telephone interview. Murphy said the attention the international incident has garnered is raising the issue of Irish republicanism and what he sees as injustice toward two imprisoned men. Put it this way, it wasnt my intention (but) the way things played out, you know, things are grand, said the manager of a youth and community centre in Dublin, who now faces a charge of breach of public order he says hell fight in court. The Irish police was straight there on top of me and sort of walked me away. I certainly wasnt going to be offering any resistance to anybody there. I was basically outnumbered 200 to one. I was making a point and I knew what the outcome would be that Id be taken away. The republican advocacy group of which Murphy is a member took a far harder line, however, demanding a Canadian government apology and calling for the immediate removal of Vickers as Canadas ambassador to Ireland. His position does not extend him to involve himself in Irish internal affairs, the Irish Republican Prisoner Welfare Association said in a statement. Not only did Mr. Vickers interfere with the right of an Irish citizen to peacefully protest in his own country he undermined the role of the Irish state and the Garda (police) authority to deal with such protests. Vickers, best known for his role in shooting dead an armed assailant inside the Parliament buildings in 2014, jumped into action as soon as Murphy rose from his seat in the invitation-only crowd and approached the dignitaries, shouting slogans. As the individual sought to disrupt the ceremony, Ambassador Vickers reacted instinctively to prevent the individuals encroachment and the (police) removed him from the scene. The ceremony then proceeded as planned, Jennifer Bourke, a spokeswoman for Irelands foreign affairs minister, Charles Flanagan, said in an email. Murphy, whose grandmother was born in Halifax and whose great-grandfather fought in the British army, says he applied for and received an invitation. Video shows Vickers wrestling a man in a T-shirt and black jacket along a walkway while ceremonial guards stand impassively in the background. The man can be heard shouting, Its an insult! This is an insult! A spokesman for Global Affairs Canada said Vickers, 59, was not injured in the incident and would not be doing media interviews about the altercation. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at the G7 conference in Japan that he had not been fully briefed on the matter and had nothing to say. If it lands on my table Ill take a look at it but for now I have no comment, Trudeau told a news conference. Vickers, who served 29 years as an RCMP officer, was among those who responded to the Oct. 22, 2014, assault on Parliament Hill by rifle-wielding Michael Zehaf Bibeau, who died in a hail of bullets including those fired by the sergeant-at-arms from his pistol at close range. Vickers received an extended standing ovation during an emotional ceremony when the House of Commons resumed business the following day. He received his ambassadorial appointment in January 2015. In May 2015 Vickers used the occasion of an honorary degree ceremony at Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B., to describe how he woke up crying at 5:30 a.m. the day after the shooting, calling it the loneliest moment of my life. And Vickers told the students how he prayed for Zehaf Bibeau, who killed Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, an honorary guard at the National War Memorial, before storming Parliaments Centre Block where he wounded a security guard. Vickers, hailed as a hero at the time of the Oct. 22 shooting, was flooded with further laudatory mentions on social media Thursday at news of his protest tackle in Dublin. Kevin Vickers is like Canadian Batman, said one typical commenter. Canadas new superhero, said another. But a few questioned why a diplomat was taking security into his own hands at an event that was heavily policed. Murphy, for his part, shrugged off Vickers role. The protester said he saw Vickers rising out of his chair as soon as he began walking toward the dignitaries. He had no idea who Vickers was. I think if people look and say, well, he (Vickers) was brave to do what he did, then there was a certain bravery in me going to an event like that and expressing opinions that nobody else at that event agreed with, and put myself at risk, said Murphy. Hopefully people can see an element of that, whether they agree with what I did or how I did it. Im not some raving lunatic that spends their times at every type of protest. Murphy said he hopes Vickers will read up on his grievances as a result of the incident. Some on social media wondered why Canadas representative in Ireland even attended a ceremony for British soldiers killed in the 1916 uprising. Global Affairs said Vickers was representing Canada at the Easter Rising ceremony as a guest of Flanagan. The Easter Rising, or Easter Rebellion, involved Irish nationalists rebelling against the British occupational government in an effort to create an Irish Republic. Dublin was the scene of fierce fighting, and Britain ended up declaring martial law. A week of conflict left more than 450 dead and 2,000 injured. Fifteen leaders of the republicans were subsequently executed, while more than 3,000 suspected supporters were arrested. Follow @BCheadle on Twitter Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO No credible evidence exists that an Egyptian man the Canadian government branded a terrorist more than 16 years ago was ever a member of a violent group, engaged in terrorism activities or posed a threat to Canada, a Federal Court judge said Thursday. In explaining why she had decided a national security certificate against Mahmoud Jaballah was unreasonable, Judge Dolores Hansen said she found numerous problems with evidence from the government and Canadas spy service. They have not established that there are reasonable grounds to believe (Jaballah) was, or is, a member of (al-Jihad), Hansen said in written reasons. They have not shown there are reasonable grounds to believe he provided material support to AJ, that he distributed propaganda or other materials, or that he engaged in recruitment on behalf of AJ. Moreover, there is no evidence (he) supported the objectives of global terrorism. Hansen criticized how the Canadian Security Intelligence Service investigated Jaballah. Shortcomings included a failure to take notes of interviews or misinterpretations of Jaballahs responses made through an interpreter. The decision in favour of Jaballah, 54, of Toronto, was first reported on Tuesday but the judges reasons running to 56 pages were only published Thursday. Some of her findings are being kept secret to protect national security. The government first accused Jaballah in 1999 of being a senior member of al-Jihad, a group that advocates violence to establish an Islamic state in Egypt, and is linked to the terrorist organization al-Qaida. Since then, Ottawa has been trying to deport him as a danger to Canada. Jaballah, a father of six who had arrived in Canada in 1996, spent years in prison, before being released under strict bail conditions. In support of its arguments, Canadas spy service claimed Jaballah, after his arrival in Canada, disseminated terrorist propaganda, kept contacts with the al-Jihad leadership and members abroad, and had contacts with several Islamic extremists in this country. Ottawa also relied on an Interpol Red Notice regarding outstanding charges in Egypt against Jaballah for being a member of a terrorist organization, and maintained his travel pattern in the Middle East before coming to Canada was consistent with that of a mujahed extremist. Hansen rejected all those assertions. It cannot be reasonably inferred from (his) presence in Afghanistan at some unidentified time for some unknown duration and his presence in Yemen that he fought in Afghanistan or trained in Yemen or in any way engaged in the activities of a mujahed extremist, the judge wrote. She also said the existence of charges in Egypt contained in the Interpol notice was in no way proof he had actually done anything. Government claims that Jaballah exchanged and received extremist propaganda through a post office mail box in Toronto also didnt fly with the judge. For one thing, Hansen said, the evidence suggested there were multiple users of the mail box. In any event, she said, simple receipt of extremist materials does not by itself amount to providing material support to a terrorist group. Even if he was at one point associated with people who were, or went on to become, involved in global terrorism, Hansen said, that cannot be seen as proof Jaballah poses a danger to Canadian security, especially given the dearth of evidence that these associations were operational in nature or that the individuals had any access to Canada. She also rejected Ottawas contention that Jaballah was planning to set up a terror cell in this country. Jaballah has said he was jailed without charge and tortured on several occasions in Egypt. He has staved off deportation to Egypt on the basis he would likely be tortured there. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA The former Manitoba MP who once tried to legislate physician-assisted dying in Canada predicts Canada will never have a law governing the practice. Theres not going to be any legislation in Canada, said Steven Fletcher, who is now the MLA for Assiniboia in Manitoba. He predicted the government will never be able to get agreement in Parliament on a bill, leaving the role of overseeing the details of the process of obtaining an assisted death up to provincial governments and medical licensing bodies such as the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba. Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press files PC MLA Steven Fletcher (Assiniboia) The federal government is working to pass legislation to comply with a 2015 Supreme Court decision lifting the blanket ban on physician-assisted suicide for competent adults suffering from grievous and irremediable conditions. The court initially gave the government one year to pass its own legislation before the ruling took effect. That was extended four months, until June 6, to account for the delay of the federal election. The government has been doing everything it can to shove the bill through all stages of debate as fast as possible but there is virtually no chance it will pass the Senate before June 6. Fletcher said regardless of whether the bill passes, it will end up back at the Supreme Court because it is not as broad as what the court ordered last year, particularly in limiting assisted death to those who are dying. Fletcher said his private members bills from 2014, which never passed, were similar to the tactic taken by the high court. The Liberal bill is much narrower. It is blatantly denying a segment of the population their rights and you just cant do that, he said. The college has a 10-page policy document outlining the requirements for physicians in Manitoba once the court decision takes effect on June 6. The requirements include that two independent physicians assess the patient, and that unless a patient is expected to die within seven days, that there be a seven-day waiting period after a request is made for help to die. Other regulations include that no doctor is compelled to provide an assisted death, nor are they even compelled to refer a patient to a doctor who will. They also cannot impose their beliefs on a patient, whether they are for or against assisted death. Licensing bodies across the country have similar policies in place. Josh Paterson, executive director of the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association, said no legislation is better than the bill the Liberals are pushing, and said with the college safeguards and regulations, the legal vacuum the Liberals are fear-mongering about is nonsense. There will not be a legal void, said Paterson. It will be regulated by the guidelines in place by every provincial medical college. The BCCLA, which brought the case that led to the Supreme Court decision, has been heavily critical of Bill C14, saying one of the patients at the heart of the lawsuit wouldnt be eligible for an assisted death under the law because her condition while grievous and irremediable and causing her intolerable suffering, was not fatal. The Supreme Court decision was broad enough to include someone like Kay Carter but Bill C14 is not. The Alberta Court of Appeal already struck down the limit preventing an assisted death to someone suffering only from a psychiatric condition. That decision came after the government appealed the courts granting of an assisted death to a woman with a mental illness. mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 25/05/2016 (2344 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitobas new health minister says the province is as ready as it can be to deal with medically assisted death whether new federal legislation is in place, or not, by a court-imposed deadline of June 6. In an interview Wednesday, Kelvin Goertzen said the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba and other health professionals have established pretty good safeguards to ensure that medical staff who have a conscientious objection to assisting in the death of a patient dont have to participate in the process. Similarly, there are protections in place to ensure vulnerable persons in society are protected, he said. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen The Supreme Court of Canada had originally given Parliament a deadline of Feb. 6 to pass legislation to regulate assisted death. It later granted a four-month extension to the new Liberal administration. Tensions over Bill C-14 recently boiled over in the House of Commons when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau manhandled a Conservative whip and inadvertently elbowed an NDP member in a melee in advance of a vote on the assisted dying bill. Goertzen said in addition to offering protections for both patients and caregivers, there must be a boost in palliative care to ensure that people dont feel that there are no other options to assisted death. That would be the worst of situations, he said. Failure to pass federal legislation by the Supreme Court deadline would leave the country in a quasi-legal vacuum, with only the February 2015 court ruling as a guideline. The High Court ruled that assisted dying would no longer be illegal and set out some broad parameters under which it be carried out. There is expected to be some blowback from health professionals and even health institutions on the issue in the coming months. A former president and CEO of St. Boniface General Hospital, the late Dr. Michel Tetrault, said last year that his institution would not contemplate assisted suicide on its premises. Given who we are, its kind of a foregone conclusion that this is something we would not entertain, said Tetrault, referring to the hospitals Roman Catholic faith-based control structure. When asked about it on Wednesday, Goertzen didnt comment directly on the hospitals stance. I think we want to work with the different groups who have concerns about how this is going to impact their ability to perform health care, the Steinbach MLA said, choosing his words carefully. I think its the Manitoba way to try to find a way that both accommodates the law, but also respects peoples personal choice. That is something I think that will be developed a little bit further. Meanwhile, in a brief but wide-ranging interview, Goertzen said like other ministers, hes looking for ways to find cost efficiencies in his department while improving services. He said compared with other provinces, Manitoba has experienced health care spending growth two or three times higher on a percentage basis than in other provinces. Regional health authorities will be asked to root out inefficiencies so the province can bend the curve on increases in overall spending and reinvest in areas that would improve services, Goertzen said. Our kids and our grandkids have to know that theyre going to have a health care system that will provide quality care for them, too, he said in explaining the need for restraint. Goertzen also said he will not slam the brakes on current initiatives to improve patient flow in Winnipeg hospitals before a task force on wait times expected to be named this fall comes up with its own solutions. And he said the government is intent on seeing a self-regulating College of Paramedics established in Manitoba, as has occurred in other provinces. But he wouldnt set any deadlines. Im interested in taking down roadblocks (to the formation of a college) but doing it in a way that is respectful for the different parties involved. But it is a priority for us, the minister said. larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Had Education Minister Ian Wishart hung around two more minutes Thursday morning, he would have learned that Manitoba teachers fear Wishart and Premier Brian Pallister are barely-disguised demons about to unleash a fiscal doomsday on public education. We live in a different political climate now, Manitoba Teachers Society president Norm Gould warned the unions annual general meeting moments after Wishart brought greetings. There is a degree of complacency (among teachers), and a sense of entitlement. Other provinces have been faced with austerity, taxes are considered a dirty word. Theyve been balancing their budgets on the backs of teachers those winds are swirling around Manitoba. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES But Pallister declared to reporters Thursday afternoon that he has no austerity plan, and that if there is no unexpected drop in enrolment, there will not be fewer teachers employed in Manitoba at the end of his four-year mandate. The premier blamed an NDP campaign of fear mongering for frightening teachers and families. Earlier Thursday morning, asking at the teachers AGM for a show of hands from those teachers who started their careers after the Tories last left office in 1999, Gould saw a sea of hands. All we know, year after year, education funding increased at or above economic growth, said Gould: during those years of NDP government, teachers have known annual wage increases and improved benefits and working conditions every year. The 1990s under Conservatives saw freezes, cuts and teacher layoffs, Gould said: Those were dark days, war time, a battlefront. Some people may say, Gould, why are you bringing this up? Its the elephant in the room. Across Canada, governments have stripped bargaining rights. We defer responsibility, and we watch as every other teachers society in this country is under attack. We would be naive to expect the status quo. Gould accused the Pallister government of planning to balance its budget through austerity that will hurt the quality of public education. Gould said teachers must be ready to wage a battle for public opinion and support of education funding. The public values teachers, he emphasized: I believe we can control that landscape and that narrative. Later Thursday, Pallister accused the NDP of trying to frighten teachers, parents, and children with a campaign of fear-mongering. Hes seen the books will he tell us whether he will fire teachers? NDP education critic Wab Kinew (Fort Rouge) demanded during question period. Said interim NDP leader Flor Marcelino: Does he cut now or does he cut later? Wishart said the Tories are focusing on getting good results for Manitoba education. There are people in (the NDP) and possibly in MTS (Manitoba Teachers Society) who have been listening to rumours, Wishart said. Pallister fired back in much stronger language when he spoke to reporters after question period Thursday afternoon. He called the NDPs tactics deplorable, and twice said that he foresees no drop in public school teachers over the next four years unless enrolment unexpectedly drops. I have had teachers, and children of teachers, tell me how much (fear-mongering) impacts on them. The NDP has made every effort to frighten everyone at MTSexhorting them to be fearful, Pallister said. Speaking after Gould Thursday morning, Canadian Teachers Federation president Heather Smith of New Brunswick immediately poured gasoline on Goulds fire. The privatization and commercialization of public education are at our door, Smith said. Edubusinesses point to our public schools as failures, and then offer easy solutions, Smith said. Those edubusinesses package tests and curricula they say will rectify the failure of public schools, and theyre already rampant in the U.S. and showing up here, Smith said. Here in Canada, austerity is the word of the day, she said. British Columbia has told its schools to cut $29 million in administration, on top of earlier cuts of $35 million to the system, she said. Smith pointed out that Alberta teachers recently agreed to lobby that provinces government to opt out of the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Developments international testing. Testing of randomly-selected students in industrialized countries happens every three years, in reading, math, and science. Manitoba students have been at or near the bottom of Canadian provinces in the last few rounds of OECD tests. Earlier, Wishart, blissfully unaware he was minutes away from being demonized, pointed out to the teachers that Pallister is a teacher, that they consider teachers an integral part of the community, and that, Im interested in opening a dialogue with our education stakeholders. I am not a stunning speaker, but I am a very good listener, Wishart said. In a brief interview after his speech, Wishart reiterated that the Tories will deliver the operating grants for the next school year that the NDP promised in January, and on which school boards and postsecondary schools planned their budgets. But, Wishart said, Were reviewing everything. He repeated Pallisters pledge to support front-line workers in the public service, but, like Pallister, would not say if front-line workers are classroom teachers, or all certified teachers in a school, such as resource teachers and counsellors. You need support staff, he said. Nevertheless, Were trying not to define front-line workers. Wishart promised the teachers he would have more time to talk with them at their banquet Thursday evening. nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A third Manitoban has asked a judge for the legal right to a doctor-assisted suicide. The request will be heard in court on Monday. The woman, whose identity has been left out of documents filed in Manitoba Court of Queens Bench on Wednesday, says she has the mental capacity to make a clear, free and informed decision about a physician-assisted death, but she is or will be physically incapable of ending her life without a physician-assisted death. If approved, the woman will be the third terminally ill Manitoban to be allowed to die after persuading a judge to permit it. The first Manitoba court decision granting a physican assisted suicide was made on March 15 and the second earlier this month. The rulings all have come since the Supreme Court ruled in February 2015 that Canadian adults in unending pain have the right to end their lives with the help of a doctor. The federal government has been given until June 6 to pass a physician-assisted-death law but, until that happens, Canadians can apply to the courts for a legal exemption. kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Some 3,000 Liberals delegates, parliamentarians, senators and other stakeholders are assembling in our great city of Winnipeg today for their first policy convention since the partys historic election breakthrough in October. On Friday, delegates will debate one of the most significant resolutions, which calls on the government to rotate the appointment of the governor general between anglophones, francophones and indigenous peoples every three years. Another resolution will call for official status for indigenous languages. Both resolutions would begin to express the new relationship Canadians are committed to pursuing with indigenous peoples in a meaningful and powerful way. These motions are highly consistent with the governments emphasis on indigenous peoples reflected in Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus mandate letters, where he states emphatically, No relationship is more important to me and to Canada then the one with indigenous peoples. It is time for a renewed, nation-to-nation relationship with indigenous peoples based on recognition of rights and mutual respect. The appointment of an indigenous governor general would be perhaps the greatest affirmation the Trudeau government and the Liberal Party of Canada are serious about forming a strong relationship with the indigenous people of Canada. It would be a response to the continued marginalization of indigenous peoples, their exclusion, their isolation and their treatment as second-class citizen since Confederation in 1867. It is fitting this debate is taking place in Winnipeg, where the poverty and racism indigenous peoples continue to endure are on stark display every day. Flooding has ravished First Nations communities, forcing them out of their homes to be lodged in downtown Winnipeg hotels. As well, boil-water advisories, epidemic suicide rates and higher-then-average chronic disease are ongoing afflictions in Manitoba. In 2014, Macleans magazine described Winnipeg as Canadas most racist city. It brought indigenous leaders and municipal leaders together to collectively combat the negative forces and stereotypes that continue to persist in Winnipeg, and throughout Canada. The idea of an indigenous governor general has been discussed in the past, but was sidelined because most notable and suitable candidates were not fluent in Canadas two official languages. To be bilingual has always been interpreted as being fluent in French and English since the colonial fathers gave birth to this nation in 1867, and this excluded the indigenous peoples and their languages. However, any contemporary dictionary will define bilingual as being fluent in two languages. This is why the federal Liberal party resolution to recognize and give official status to indigenous languages is a giant leap toward reconciliation. On Feb. 23, 1996, Canadas first Acadian governor general, Romeo LeBlanc, spoke eloquently of native role models. LeBlanc asserted, We owe the aboriginal peoples a debt that is four centuries old. It is their turn to become full partners in developing an even greater Canada. And the reconciliation required may be less a matter of legal texts then attitudes of the heart. LeBlanc proclaimed June 21 as National Aboriginal Day in recognition of indigenous peoples and saw it as another opportunity for indigenous and non-indigenous peoples to understand each other better. Unfortunately, we havent made the progress he had anticipated. If the resolutions debated on the floor Friday pass, this will be a groundbreaking and historic step toward acknowledging indigenous peoples deserved rights at confederation. The world took great notice when the prime minister revealed a cabinet that was a thoughtful combination of gender parity, diversity and experience. It would be a powerful and remarkable expression of reconciliation if her majesty Queen Elizabeth II announced on July 1, 2017 Canadas sesquicentennial our first-ever indigenous governor general. Ajay Chopra is principal of Chopra Consulting Group and a former adviser to former Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine and former attorney general of Canada Martin Cauchon. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. I was fielding questions at a palliative-care conference when the issue arose. Doug, I hate to ask you this, but what are your feelings on physician-assisted suicide? I was not particularly surprised. The matter of medical aid in dying is very much in the news, and many medical teams and palliative-care workers are wondering how its impending introduction in Canadas health-care system will affect them. Its a politically and emotionally volatile issue, with strongly principled activists of various convictions currently holding centre stage in the public debate. But while it made perfect sense for the question to come, I had not prepared myself to face it, and eased into the discussion with something of a disclaimer. At one level, it doesnt matter what my feelings are, I began. The freedom for qualified patients to choose medical aid in dying and the responsibility of the system to make it available is about to become the law of the land. Meanwhile, I work in a major hospital where this option is likely soon to be a recurring reality. Its coming to my workplace, and Im certain to encounter it in the months and years ahead. I returned to the original question and tried to make a general point. On the whole, I said, I think it will be better if people with palliative-care and spiritual-care sensitivities are available to patients and families who are making these decisions for themselves. When I do find myself in such a situation, it will be important for me to suspend whatever judgments I might be inclined to make in order to offer the best spiritual care I can provide, and that the patient and family can receive. Another hand went up. Im going to have to disagree with you, Doug. I believe in the sanctity of life from conception until natural death. No life is ours to take. We cannot make those calls. Its up to God to decide when a life is to end. I listened attentively as she gave eloquent expression to her deep convictions, and concluded with an air of finality. Yes, I acknowledged. And that perspective has very much been a part of the broader public conversation. However, it doesnt have much bearing on my response as a spiritual-health practitioner in a public institution. I feel that its better to be present to people in these circumstances, rather than to be absent on principle. We left it there. Facts of death Personally, I believe we all need assistance in both living and dying, and that everyone should be involved. We are interdependent beings. It takes a village for a person to live well and to die well. Im in favour of person-assisted dying (and pastor-assisted dying, and physician-assisted dying, for that matter) when it means we honestly and empathetically help people to be at peace with their impending death. We need to face the facts of death. For some, that means letting go of the unrealistic expectations that so often hinge on the fixes and cures medical science strives so hard to deliver. We are mortal beings, and our lives are ultimately beyond the reach of even the most sophisticated medicines and techniques. Im not one to try to either hasten or forestall the inevitable. Yet there is work for spiritual-health practitioners and others to do, even at the bedside of a person whos deliberately choosing a medically induced demise. Its good when any of us can provide some assistance in the difficult work of releasing our tenuous grip on the things of this world. Doug Koop is a Winnipeg-based freelance writer and a spiritual health practitioner. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 25/05/2016 (2344 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. More than 2,000 Liberals will descend upon Winnipeg this week for a policy convention that will also serve as a national victory party, the first time the party rank-and-file has been able to gather to celebrate last falls thunderous election victory. And yet, even as backs are slapped and hands are vigorously shaken, some concerns linger about what the Liberals accomplished last fall, and whether it will be enough to guarantee them re-election in less than four years time. At the top of that list of concerns has to be the stubborn reluctance of huge tracts of Western Canada to jump on the Trudeaumania 2.0 bandwagon. GRAHAM HUGHES / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to reporters during the 2016 Biennial Convention of the Quebec wing of the Liberal Party of Canada in Montreal in April. The Liberal convention is heading to Winnipeg, but much of the West has been reluctant to board the Trudeaumania 2.0 train. Yes, the Liberals won 17 of 42 seats in British Columbia and seven of 14 seats in Manitoba. But only four Grits won in Alberta and only one, the indomitable Ralph Goodale, triumphed in Saskatchewan. Those results are underwhelming when compared to the dominance the Liberals exhibited from Ontario to the Atlantic coast. In these regions, the Trudeau Liberals won more than 50 per cent of the seats in every province, including a clean sweep of the Atlantic provinces and two-thirds of the seats in Ontario. Somehow, Western Canada in general, and Alberta and Saskatchewan in particular, were largely immune to the Liberals charismatic, new-age appeal. Talk to some of the Liberals gathering for this convention, and youll hear reassuring words about how the next four years will be about creating a Grit beachhead in the West, the likes of which this country has never seen. About how this convention in Winnipeg the first time in 36 years its been held in the Manitoba capital is proof the West is important to this government. Winning over the West is an ambitious dream, one shared by generations of Liberals, their leaders and campaign strategists. A dream that has been soundly, repeatedly rejected by Western voters. This time, Liberals assure us, things will be different. We saw political gains in the West in the last election, said Winnipeg Liberal MP Terry Duguid, co-chair of the policy convention. Were keenly interested in doing even better next time. Its a major priority for the prime minister. True to that narrative, Trudeau has certainly made efforts to find common ground with traditionally hostile constituencies in the West. None of those efforts are as obvious or as daring as the Liberal governments tacit support for new oil and gas pipeline construction. The National Energy Board recently gave conditional approval to the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline that, if it goes ahead, would move Alberta oil to the Pacific coast. The NEB recommendation must still get cabinet approval, a job that has been left in the hands of Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr, one of the senior Liberals from Manitoba. The pipelines are a make-it-or-break-it issue for the petroleum-fuelled economies of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Failure to approve their construction would have the potential to erase any Liberal gains made in the last election, and possibly breathe life into the moribund Conservative party before the next election. However, pipeline approval will almost certainly provoke anger among environmentalists and some core constituencies within the Liberal base of support. Given the risks that await Trudeau as he attempts to woo the West, many observers believe he will ultimately fail to build any meaningful, lasting base of support west of the Ontario border. I think there is a lot of evidence that the results in Saskatchewan and Alberta were really the high-water marks for the Liberals, said University of Manitoba political scientist Royce Koop. And I dont think anyone believes the Conservatives are going to implode. That means theyll be ready to make a comeback in the next election. And it doesnt appear that approving pipelines is going to change that. Liberal MPs such as Kent Hehr, a surprise winner in the Conservative stronghold of Calgary Centre, will be subjected to relentless pressure from the Tories as they seek to re-claim seats lost in the 2015 election, Koop said. MPs like Kent Hehr have a giant target on their backs right now, he said. The Conservatives will stop at nothing to get those seats back. Koop noted that Liberal support tends to rise and fall in B.C. and Manitoba more or less in step with national political trends. However, in Alberta and Saskatchewan, voters resisted any advances by the Liberals. In fact, Koop said, Saskatchewan appears to be getting even more conservative as time goes on, a trend in direct conflict with what happened in the rest of the country. But Duguid said there are signs the West is evolving into a political market that will be more open to Liberal messages. NDP Alberta Premier Rachel Notleys remarkable victory in the 2015 Alberta provincial election is certainly evidence that the electorate is changing. I went to school in Calgary in the 80s and I can tell you, its a much different city, Duguid said. There have been so many Easterners who have gone to Alberta to find work. Its a much more diverse, cosmopolitan place that should be more progressive as well. That makes it fertile ground for our party. dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Regionalization of health authorities was intended to bring order and efficiency to the health system. A superstructure of management was supposed to co-ordinate services and give push-back on the medical empires built up over time, especially at Winnipegs two largest hospitals. But if regionalization works, why is it Manitoba continues to lead the country in keeping patients far too long in hospital beds? It is a problem that stretches back decades. It is an issue, contributing to the expense and overcrowding of hospitals, that various officials have said is on their list of things to fix, but with little success. On average, admitted patients stay almost 10 days in hospital, that means Manitoba (almost tied with New Brunswick) keeps patients more than two days longer than the Canadian average, and substantially longer than even Saskatchewan (at 6.8 days), which has similar demographics. Further, unlike the Canadian average, Manitobas length of stay has grown longer, not shorter, since 2009. St. Boniface Hospital is overcrowded with patients. Winnipeg Regional Health Authority vice-president Lori Lamont says one reason Winnipeg hospitals have longer lengths of stay, why some hospitals are holding more patients than they have funded beds for, is because doctors are not discharging patients early enough. Best practices have set optimal times for treating and discharging patients with specific illnesses and conditions. Doctors can be overly cautious, but sometimes, she says, it comes down to a lack of notice on discharge dates to all the players, such as a patients family or home care services. Often, a diagnostic test that is required prior to discharge is not ordered on time. Again, lousy communication. Discharge can also need the sign-off of professionals, such as occupational therapists, who may not be available on weekends. That can prolong a stay by days, not hours. Ms. Lamont says the answer lies in getting all the parts to come together, and that physicians, who authorize when discharge happens, have to start holding to national benchmarks. But all and any of this ought to have been worked out years ago as seen in other jurisdictions. The WRHA will point to the fact that data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information show hospitals in the city have lower readmission rates, but she cannot say that longer hospital stays are precisely the reason for that. Further, Manitobas population is younger than most provinces. Yet, CIHI data also show Manitoba hospitals are keeping young and old patients alike much longer than other provinces. All of this is precisely why regional health authorities were established in the 1990s, to make a very costly, complicated system work in tandem to provide better care to patients and to cut waste. Yet, in mid-March, the occupancy rate for Winnipeg hospitals was almost 100 per cent well above the maximum optimal 95 per cent and two hospitals exceeded full, funded occupancy. That has a domino effect. It stretches staffing resources, but also has real consequences for the emergency room where patients who need the beds on the wards are held up. This largely explains why Manitobans arriving at the ERs face some of the longest wait times in Canada. When health economists and provincial-budget gurus calculate the expense of lengthy hospital stays, they do not measure one of the most obvious costs to Manitobans sitting and suffering hours in ER wards, often taking time away from work, waiting for a doctor. Poor communication is a bad excuse for the hefty costs that flow from backlogged services and crowding. Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen is facing a string of health-authority deficits part of the reason why the deficit is higher than pegged on March 8 that can be directly tied to this kind of inefficiency. The inordinate lengths of stay will be central to the Tories pending wait-time review, no doubt. But as part of the review, Mr. Goertzen should ask hard questions about why health authorities have failed, to date, on a very basic task underpinning their purpose. The suddenness of the death and destruction left America stunned. In a flash of flame and explosive violence, the countrys attention was riveted on an enemy that previously had merely tweaked the national consciousness. Two hundred sixty sailors died in Havana harbor Feb. 15, 1898, and the nation laid the blame at the King of Spains doorstep. Seizing on the slogan Remember the Maine! To hell with Spain! the war hawks, led by President McKinley, a brevet major in the Civil War, and the irrepressible assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt, swiftly issued an ultimatum to Spain. And when the Spanish agreed to virtually all terms, they raised the ante. Congress fell in line, voting a $50 million defense appropriation in March and following up with a declaration of war April 25. The American people responded with enthusiasm to the governments call for troops. On April 28, Gov. David Clough ordered the call-up of the First, Second and Third Regiments of Infantry of the Minnesota National Guard to report the following day to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds renamed for the muster, Camp Ramsey. Redesignated the 12th, 13th and 14th Minnesota Volunteers, men from Winona made up a large percentage of Company C of the 12th. For decades, Minnesota Spanish-American War veterans pointed with particular pride that Minnesota was the first state in the Union to complete its assigned muster and fill its obligation to the war effort. The men of the 12th Minnesota shipped out for their training camp at Camp George H. Thomas in Chicamauga National Park, Ga., on May 14. Poor drainage, bad food, foul water, sweltering heat and typhoid fever took the lives of 19 volunteers, who, along with one soldier who died in an accident, would be the only casualties to be suffered by the 12th Minnesota. On Aug. 13, 1898, Manila, capital of the Philippines and last bastion of the Spanish Empire, fell, effectively ending the war. Ten days later, the 12th Minnesota left Georgia on a roundabout trip home. The war terminated before it fairly begun, Bobleter said, summing up a campaign in which the forces of the United States, on both land and sea, have not met with a single reverse. The end of the fighting and the resulting treaty left the United States custodian of the old Spanish possessions. Cuba would be granted a closely supervised independence, while Puerto Rico and Guam which fell to American forces before the Spanish authorities were notified of the outbreak of war became American possessions, as did the Philippines, where the splendid little war soon began to lose some of its luster. Emilio Aguinaldo and his Filipino insurgents anticipated Philippine independence was at hand and reacted with bitter anger as they were shoved aside by the American occupiers. Full-scale combat erupted in February 1899. McKinley responded by pouring in fresh troops, eventually committing 126,000 American fighting men to the unequal contest, convinced the easy victories of the recent war would continue. Initially, the Philippine war was a one-sided thing. Armed with little more than scavenged rifles and long, heavy bolo knives, the rag-tag rebels were no match for the well-armed American regulars in a set battle. But, in a pattern that would repeat itself for a century, as guerrillas, Aguinaldos forces made formidable opponents. In 1898, Clarence Miller, a 25-year-old machinist in the Chicago and Northwestern railroad shops, saw the call to arms as an opportunity for adventure before settling down to family and responsibility. Disappointed when the 12th Minnesota was mustered out without seeing action, he re-enlisted in Company B of the 45th Regiment and shipped out to the Philippines. By spring 1900, Millers regiment sailed from Manila to North Camarines Province, where rebel activity was centered around the capital city, Daet, where Company B was posted. On May 26, Captain Albert Steinhauser took a force of 20 men to the town of Labo. The force easily defeated the insurgents holding the town, but when they marched out of Labo two days later, they were ambushed by a force of more than 140 rebels armed with rifles and bolo knives. Three men, including Miller, died in the assault. The action that claimed Millers life was typical of the small battles that raged for two years in the Philippine countryside. In March 1901, Aguinaldo was captured, and the rebel forces were gradually subdued to the point where on July 4, 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt officially declared the Philippine insurrection at an end. The conflict left 4,234 American and 16,000 Filipino soldiers dead and took the lives of an estimated 200,000 civilians. The old rebel leader, Aguinaldo, survived defeat and occupation to see the eventual independence of his homeland. He died in 1964, living long enough to see the United States slipping into a new guerrilla conflict in Vietnam. A two-car broadside crash just east of the intersection of Mankato Avenue and Hwy. 61 Thursday morning injured two people. A Jeep driven by John Bernadot, 71, of West Salem, Wis., in the westbound lanes of Hwy. 61 crossed over the grass median into the eastbound lane about 9:15 a.m. and broadsided a BMW driven by Nicole Civettini, 37, of Winona. Civettini was transported by ambulance to Winona Health with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, the Patrol said. Bernadot was also transported to Winona Health with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening. The crash caused significant front-end damage to the Jeep, with the Jeep pushing the BMW into a ditch on the southwest side of the intersection, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. The Winona Fire Department and Winona Police Department assisted at the scene. I am currently incarcerated at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Faribault, Minn., for a series of check forgery non-violent offenses. During my present incarceration, I have been completing a paralegal correspondence course, averaging a 90 percent on exams and planning to complete the course by the end of June and receive my certificate. I have been corresponding with various law firms and legal agencies over the last few months and have received some very positive responses regarding employment upon my release. I will be following up with these places when I am released Oct. 3 and am hopeful that one of these will become a reality! Many others arent so lucky: There continues to be a negative opinion of individuals who have a felony conviction on their background check, which I believe needs to change. There are many landlords who will not give ex-offenders a chance at redemption; as soon as they run a background check, they decline housing. This causes many of us to re-offend and return to illegal activities, because its the one way weve found to actually survive. I do not want to fall back into that way of survival. I have been working very hard, with the assistance of my family in the community, to find a suitable place for housing. We have contacted several apartment buildings throughout the Minneapolis and Saint Paul areas, but the majority have stated I would not be eligible to rent with a felony conviction. I would even be open to renting a small room in someones home as long as it is a stable and safe environment, but I need to figure out something. Every human in this world has made a mistake in his or her life; this is just a fact of life. However, some of our mistakes have been bigger and have required more severe consequences. Does this make us bad people? Should our mistakes prevent us from a productive future? They shouldnt, but far too often they do. This is one of the things that needs to change in the community! As ex-offenders, we have committed a criminal offense, some of us multiple times. However, we also have paid for these offenses, as deemed necessary by the law. In many cases, the consequences involved spending many years in jails and prisons, followed by many years of probation. However, once these sentences are completed, shouldnt that end our consequences? Many people will argue that our consequences should continue, because our actions have affected many people. While this quite often is true, wouldnt our finding stable and permanent housing, as well as employment, have a more positive outcome on the community? I will admit there are individuals who leave correctional facilities with a plan of returning. However, a large percentage of us do not, and many of us never want to return. These latter people are the ones who need the most support from the community: those who attempt to overcome the negative connotation of incarceration. Those of us who are willing to attempt to do whatever it takes to find full-time employment, to pay taxes and want to contribute to the community. I am one of the individuals who wants so badly to be successful when I leave this facility. However, Im extremely worried that I will have difficulty securing employment and housing and will end up giving up and returning to my previous activities. Failure could mean the difference between spending the rest of my life showing my family, friends and the community that people can change and make a difference, or spending the rest of my life behind prison walls. There have been some improvements in helping ex-offenders after release. Ban the Box legislation, which no longer requires disclosing a criminal record on a job application, has been a very positive force in obtaining employment. There also are many programs offered to employers who hire people with felony convictions, including the Work Opportunity Tax Credit and the Minnesota Federal Bonding Service. The WOTC provides up to a $2,500 tax rebate to any employer hiring an ex-offender. The Minnesota Federal Bonding Service provides a $5,000 bond through fidelity bonding and is a no-cost employee dishonesty insurance program, which protects employers against employee theft of any money or property. Thank you for taking time to read this. I know I have included a lot of information, and these are issues I am very passionate about. I know some members of the community understand this and agree with these issues, and there are probably just as many who disagree. However, there also are many community members who do not understand the criminal justice system, nor do they understand the major obstacles facing people with felony convictions. I believe its important for all community members to be aware of these issues and hopefully help change them. An agreement with the Wisconsin Historical Society has cleared a path to extend the Baraboo Riverwalk near Circus World Museum. On Tuesday, the Baraboo City Council unanimously ratified a lease with the state to extend the popular walkway around Spirit Point, an open peninsula of land owned by the Historical Society. The city is working to expand the Riverwalk and connect it to the Maxwell-Potter Conservancy, a natural area under development in southeastern Baraboo. The proposed extension would start at the existing leg of Riverwalk along Water Street east of Circus World, cross the Baraboo River via footbridge, circle Spirit Point and meander through the Maxwell-Potter Conservancy before reconnecting with the existing Riverwalk at Manchester Street. This would give us the entire peninsula, Mayor Mike Palm said. The Parks and Recreation Department hopes to apply for a state grant for the project in 2017 or 2018. Under a 25-year lease approved by the state and city, the city would become caretaker of the affected property once the public gains access to it. I think its a great addition to the city, Alderman Tom Kolb said. Established in the late 1990s as a joint project between the city, the state Department of Natural Resources and the Kiwanis Club, the Riverwalk stretches from Lower Ochsner Park near the citys western border to Effinger Road near its eastern edge. Palm said the lease resulted from yearlong discussions with the Historical Society. He said the Baraboo River Rendezvous, which is held at Spirit Point each Labor Day weekend, would be unaffected. Although he supports the extension, Kolb said hes worried the parks staff might be overwhelmed. In addition to expanding the Riverwalk and developing the conservancy, the department is working to bring an otter exhibit to the Ochsner Park Zoo and add a fifth ballfield to Pierce Park. Are we going to be able to do this with the current staff? Kolb asked. Parks and Recreation Director Mike Hardy said extending the Riverwalk shouldnt tax his crew. Were not really seeing, at this point, any major additional work on it, he said. Five-hundred years of history are clear: Reason and religion are not mortal enemies. But those are the battle lines drawn in Davenport, Iowa as atheists pressure City Hall into a Day of Reason proclamation, a political response to municipal Day of Prayer edicts. Those are the terms set by religious radicals who claim a monopoly on truth as the nation grapples with the issues of our time. Both sides are are short-sighted. Since the late Middle Ages, reason and religion have been linked by the ideas originating from deeply religious philosophers. Thomas Aquinas modernized classical Greek realism in the 13th century. He also happened to be a Catholic friar, sainted after his death. Rene Descartes legitimized scientific evidence gathering with his meditations in the 17th century, setting the groundwork for the Age of Reason. His work hinged on Gods existence. Otherwise, the simple act of observation couldnt be justified, he concluded. Hume and Kant each hailed from distinctly Christian upbringings, which deeply influenced their groundbreaking work on logic, morality and the nature of existence itself. Reason, in its modern usage, is the offspring of religious thinkers. Some ultimately rejected organized religion. Some were labeled heretics. Others criticized religions use as a tool to tax the poor and legitimize the powerful. And others, such as Aquinas and Descartes, leaned on Christian doctrine throughout their work. Charles Darwin, reviled in some religious circles, was a devout Christian. He sat on his findings for two decades before publishing because he feared the effect it would have on the Protestant faith he cherished. From University of Notre Dame to St. Ambrose University, metaphysics and critical thinking are an inherent component of education at Catholic universities throughout the country. Philosophy departments at these schools dont shy away from teaching Friedrich Nietzsches rejection of God, a small part of one of the most influential moral frameworks of the past two centuries. No, these institutions understand the importance of a well-rounded, critical mind. The church and the schools it operates learned from mistakes that defined the Dark Ages, when thought itself was deemed subversive and, in many cases, criminal. Reason is part of the tradition. Davenport Mayor Frank Klipsch was right to avoid issuing the Day of Prayer proclamation that, so often, ignites the trumped up conflict between those inhabiting the extremes. Previous administrations issued the divisive proclamation in 2008 and 2011, which serve only to tell those of different sects, orders and traditions that their beliefs arent equally respected by government. The freshman mayor, no doubt, wanted to avoid controversy, but the quarrel hes avoiding is rooted in the acrimony of identity politics. Its based in an over-hyped social war that, too often, rejects the church-state separation put in place by Christian men fully aware of how a claimed monopoly on truth can, and often is, a hammer with which to bludgeon ideas and minorities. Its not a Day of Reason thats the problem. Its the battle, within which its supporters are entrenched combatants, that creates a minefield. Frankly, that fact is a shame. Its a shame that American discourse has been hijacked by radicals from the wings, who only thrive because they scream the loudest. Its a shame that science and religion are posed as enemies, an American tradition that extends back to the 1925 Scopes Trial. Its a shame that the complexities of life that face most Americans lives spent in the pursuit of a smidgen of existential meaning are reduced to a false binary. Its a shame that reason is a political flash-point in a nation that wouldnt exist without it. Beaver Dam Police Department is asking local residents to be on the lookout for two burglary suspects. Detective Corey Johnson said Daniel L. Johnson, 45 and Anthony L. Babic, 52 are believed to be working together burglarizing businesses such as bars and gas stations. He said the burglaries have occurred at night or in the early morning hours after a business has closed. Because of this, Johnson said people should be aware that these two men might appear when the business is open to preview security. Babic was previously convicted for burglary in Dane County in 1990. He was also convicted of burglary and theft of movable property in Columbia County in 1996. Charges against Babic are currently pending in Sauk County for burglary and theft and a warrant was issued for his arrest on April 28. Johnson is facing burglary and theft charges in Fond du Lac County. An arrest warrant for Johnson was filed on Feb. 11. The bulletin was issued by the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office. The release states that residents should not approach either man if spotted. Instead, contact local law enforcement. The Beaver Dam Memorial Day 2016 Parade theme is Veterans Serving Beaver Dam Area 175 years. Before the parade there will be a river ceremony on the bridge in the Tower Parking Lot at 8:45 a.m., where a wreath will be offered to the river honoring past and present servicemen/women of the armed forces who were lost at sea. Starting at 9 a.m. the Beaver Dam Exchange Club will hand out flags to the children along the parade route. The parade will start at 9:15 a.m. Veterans of Foreign Wars Beaver Dam is leading the parade and memorial service this year. Parade units will line up on South Center Street then proceed to Front Street/Park Avenue to Veterans Memorial Park at Oakwood Cemetery on Hwy 33/151. The memorial service will be held at Veterans Memorial Park starting at 10:15 a.m. at Oakwood Cemetery. There will be some park benches available, but do bring lawn chairs for additional seating. The guest speaker for this years Memorial Service is Dodge County Veterans Service Officer, retired SFC Andrew Miller. Miller joined the National Guard in 1989 and in 1991 enlisted in the Army. He was a Signal Corp Soldier for about 22 years. He was stationed all over the United States and nine years in Germany and was deployed multiple times throughout Southwest Asia. After retiring in 2011 he has held several different positions and became the Dodge County Veterans Service Officer in May 2015. In case of bad weather conditions, the memorial service will be moved to the Veterans Center, 300 Beichl Ave., starting at 10:30 a.m. WAUPUN Waupuns parade will start at 9 a.m. and go down Main Street past city hall, then north on Madison Street to Shaler Park, 500 N. Madison St. At 10 a.m., a Memorial Day ceremony will be held. If it rains, the ceremony will be held at the Waupun Community Center, 510 E. Spring St. MAYVILLE Mayville American Legion Post 69 will hold a parade, beginning at 10:30 a.m., that will travel through downtown Mayville and end at the Mayville Veterans Memorial. Following the parade, the Legion Auxiliary will host a pig roast from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The public is invited to attend. HORICON Horicon American Legion Post 157 will host a Memorial Day program at Van Brunt Elementary School, 611 Mill St., starting at 10 a.m. Participants will then march to Kiwanis Park for a naval ceremony. Food and drink will be available at the Legion. Additionally, members of the Horicon Legion will perform funeral honors at all of the cemeteries in Horicon, starting at 7 a.m. JUNEAU The Memorial Day parade in Juneau will start at 11 a.m. near the intersection of Miller and East Oak streets and will then go south on South Main Street before ending at the Juneau City Cemetery with the program to follow. RANDOLPH A Memorial Day parade will begin at Randolph Elementary School at 9:15 a.m. A ceremony will follow the parade in the Randolph Cemetery. In case of rain, the ceremony will be held in the Randolph Village Hall, 248 W. Stroud St. Dan Cross will speak during the Memorial Day ceremony. FOX LAKE Fox Lake American Legion Post 521 leads the parade and the memorial service to honor those who have died to defend our freedoms. A program will take place in Clausen Park after the parade. For more information, contact American Legion Post 521 at 928-2381. FRIESLAND American Legion Post 401 will hold a Memorial Day service in Friesland at 9 a.m. at the First Reformed Church, 107 E. Winnebago St. CAMBRIA American Legion Post 401 will hold a Memorial Day service at 10:15 a.m. at Cambria-Friesland High School. There will be a chicken barbecue at 11:30 a.m. at the Cambria Conservation Club, with a trap shoot from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. LOWELL/REESEVILLE Lowell Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9392 and Reeseville American Legion Post 190 will conduct the annual Memorial Day ceremonies at the Village Cemetery in Reeseville at 7:45 a.m. After a brief ceremony, the parade will assemble on Highway G and march through the business district. Parade participants will then reassemble at St. Johns Catholic Cemetery in Lowell at 8:45 a.m. for a brief service, and then proceed to the Lowell Village Cemetery for the Memorial Day program, which will begin at 9 a.m. Everyone is invited to VFW Post 9392 after the program for a luncheon. In case of inclement weather, the program will be held in the VFW Veterans Memorial Building, 300 South St., Lowell, at 9 a.m. COLUMBUS Columbus will observe Memorial Day with a parade at 9:30 a.m., starting at the Middle School and marching to the Soldiers Monument in front of the library for a brief ceremony and then will go on to the cemetery. In case of rain, the ceremonies will be held in Columbus Middle School gym. FALL RIVER In Fall River, the Memorial Day program, organized by Fall River VFW Post 2219, will be held in the school multipurpose room beginning at 9:30 a.m. After the ceremony, the VFW post will host a community potluck at Savanna Oaks. Attendees are asked to bring a dish to pass and their own place settings. The Volunteers of Columbus Community Hospital will host the Nutman Co. Wednesday, June 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Columbus Community Hospital. A variety of nuts, snack mixes, chocolates and candy, including sugar-free varieties will be sold. A portion of the proceeds are donated to the Volunteers of CCH who purchase equipment and services for patients. When it comes to revitalizing the Portage Canal -- and figuring out how to pay for the project -- having a plan is half the battle. Thats why Jill Fehrmans presentation at Wednesdays meeting of the city of Portages Ad Hoc Canal Committee was a watershed event. Fehrman, project manager for the Madison-based engineering firm Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc., showed the committee multiple options for dealing with walls, pedestrian bridges, a railroad underpass and other aspects of the Canal revitalization effort. A number of different entities will have to sign off on any plan before it can be implemented. Among those entities: The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the State Historic Preservation Officer and the Canadian Pacific Railroad. But by narrowing options, and by having some idea of the aesthetic and environmental impact of each of them, the decades-long discussion of revitalizing the Canal comes closer to becoming reality, said Committee Chairman Fred Galley. It was, at the turn of the century, just a wonderful recreational place, Galley said. It is the portage -- the connection between two watersheds. The revitalization effort will encompass all 2 1/4 miles of the Canal between the Wisconsin and Fox Rivers, divided into four segments. By no means is this full design, Fehrman said before her presentation. It was the segment between Adams Street and the railroad tracks that was the focus of much discussion Wednesday, as to what kind of walls should be installed in the waterway. Fehrmans presentation included three options: a sloped embankment, full revetment walls (perpendicular walls, probably made of concrete colored and stamped to resemble wood) or alternating sections of sloped embankment and revetment walls. Several committee members said they liked the looks of the walls, and their likely erosion-controlling properties. Member Jerry Foellmi suggested that a local firm might be able to manufacture the walls. But the walls, even if theyre intermittent, are likely to cost much more than a stone embankment, Galley said. One problem with vertical concrete walls, Fehrman said, is that they make it harder for people or animals that might fall into the Canal to get out of the water. Another aspect of the plan included building a pedestrian bridge on the Wisconsin River locks, so that people can walk across the Canal in the vicinity of Lock Street and the Portage Public Library. Public Works Director Aaron Jahncke said there are no plans to take down any existing or soon-to-exist pedestrian bridges across the Canal, including the one near the Riverwood Apartments, and the one that will be included in Columbia Countys Canal-side building project. But whatever is done with the bridges, or with the railroad underpass, will have to include a high enough clearance to accommodate not only boaters, but also people using the trail alongside the Canal to walk or ride bicycles. Jahncke said the actual revitalization work will happen no sooner than 2020 or 2021. But by having options for the Canal work laid out, Galley said, the committee takes a key step toward finalizing a memorandum of agreement among the various entities that will have a say in what the project will look like. And, it opens the possibilities for seeking grants, from the DOT and elsewhere, to help pay for the project. Fehrman said at least one public meeting, and possibly two, will be set up late in the autumn, in October or November, to get input on the options for the revitalization. Typically, people who live or own property near the Canal are notified of these public sessions by mail, but anyone will be able to come to the sessions and express opinions. Sometimes, people might not live on the Canal, yet they have potential information about impacts or areas of concern, she said. Even before the public meetings, people who go to the Columbia County Fair from July 27 to 31 will have opportunities to visit an information booth about the Canal project, which will likely be set up in the fairs commercial exhibits building. Nows the time, Galley said, for committee members to be thinking about volunteering to be at the fair booth. Its actually quite fun, he said. Youll get to talk to people who like the Canal, and to people who think we should fill it in. Ron Johnson, who got elected to the Senate six years ago by running a smear campaign against Sen. Russ Feingold, has had a disastrous first term. When Washingtonian magazine rated members of the House and Senate based on their strengths and weaknesses Best Speaker, Worst Speaker, Workhorse, Showhorse there was little mention of Johnson until toward the end of the long list of categories. Under the rating for most Clueless senator, there was Ron Johnsons name. Wisconsins Ron Johnson earned clueless honors the old-fashioned way, spouting gaffes on climate change (Greenland was actually green at one point) and hyperbolizing (Obamacare is the greatest assault on our freedom in my lifetime) often enough to inspire a website titled Our Dumb Senator, explained the magazines editors, who survey Republican and Democratic insiders every other year to determine The Best & Worst of Congress. Johnson is easy to mock. But there are times when his misdeeds and missteps are very serious. Thats certainly the case when it comes to the senators disregard for veterans. In keeping with the long-term approach of the senator and his backers, Johnsons allies are trying to get him re-elected by smearing Feingold, who is making a comeback bid and leads in most polls. The current pro-Johnson smear campaign charges that Feingold neglected concerns about the care of veterans at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Tomah. The smear, which a Johnson-supporting group has been peddling for months, was labeled not truthful when the senators allies pitched it initially in a newspaper ad. Another variation on the claim has been made recently in a television ad that was so dishonest that Wisconsin television stations determined that they could not air it. Yet Johnsons henchmen keep trying to repurpose and advance discredited attacks. Why? Perhaps it is because Johnson wants to deflect attention from his offices failure to respond to complaints about the care of veterans at the Tomah facility. As a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel headline declared last year: Ron Johnson aides sat on whistleblower tips on Tomah VA. Johnsons office was referred to as a congressional black hole. In response to Johnsons repeated failures on the issue, the group VoteVets highlighted the concerns of Wisconsin veterans. Shane Sanderson, a U.S. Army veteran from Sheldon who was wounded in Afghanistan, said he was not proud of Sen. Ron Johnsons failure to act when it comes to veterans and the Tomah VA. Or his smear campaign to cover it up. Instead of taking responsibility, Sanderson explained, Johnson and his cronies are blaming others ... Johnsons approach to the Tomah controversy has been shameful. But that is not the only way in which he and his office have failed veterans. In 2014, Johnson was one of just three senators to vote against legislation to make it easier for veterans to receive government-subsidized medical care which was written with an eye toward addressing the long waits some veterans have had to endure. The measure passed the Senate with the bipartisan support of 93 Republican and Democratic senators. So Johnson cast an extremely isolated vote against aiding the veterans who are most in need of help. He claimed he did not want to throw money at a government-run health care system that is broken. Only a clueless senator would claim that the way to fix something he thinks is broken is to refuse to support what the Veterans of Foreign Wars described as an effort to help fix the current crisis in care and access to Department of Veterans Affairs health care facilities. The VFW ripped Johnson for saying no to care for veterans. The senator, said the veterans group, put dollars and cents above the interests of the nations veterans. The VFW also said that veterans have long memories and veterans vote. Thats good. Veterans should hold Ron Johnson to account. And they should not be fooled by the attempts of Johnson and his allies to smear the good name of someone who has a long history of standing up for vets: Russ Feingold. After cold start, harvest heats up Farmers are racing towards the finish line in bringing in the 2022 harvest. The William & Mary Promise: Promises Made, Promises Kept Page Menu Announcements Archive Facebook Twitter YouTube Search This Site Submit Search Rector Todd Stottlemyer 85 and President Taylor Reveley published the following Op-Ed on May 26, 2016, in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. - Ed. Recently concerns have arisen about a decision made six months ago, last November, by William & Marys Board of Visitors. Important facts were missed. In 2013, the Board of Visitors approved a comprehensive, multi-year 10-point plan, known as the William & Mary Promise, to provide tuition predictability for in-state students, affordability to Virginias low- and middle-income families through greater financial aid, and expanded access by increasing in-state undergraduate enrollment. We also made important commitments around business innovation, academic quality and productivity, a robust merit pay system for faculty compensation, and increasing the enrollment of first-generation college students. We did not choose the word Promise casually. We meant it. We are keeping the Promise we made in 2013. Under the W&M Promise, our tuition model is unlike that of any other public institution in Virginia. We set tuition for entering in-state undergraduates and guarantee that rate for the duration of their four years in college. Other institutions set tuition for all students each spring, meaning their students dont know how much tuition they will pay to earn their degree. That is not true at William & Mary. The tuition cost is fixed for four years, with no increases along the way. William & Mary is also committed to meeting the full demonstrated financial need of all Virginians, so that limited means will not prevent a student from attending. In keeping our Promise, William & Marys rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors from Virginia will see no increase in their tuition. Thats zero percent increase for three-quarters of our in-state student body. Not one cent more in tuition for all continuing in-state undergraduates. William & Mary freshmen enrolling in fall 2016 will pay tuition 12% higher than the class that entered the prior year. Rather than limit the tuition increase to the 2016-2017 academic year that was what the state asked of its public institutions William & Mary has limited it for the next four years for our Class of 2020. Their tuition will not increase through their senior year. Not one cent more in tuition increases for the next four years. Since our Board of Visitors set tuition last November, students applied to William & Mary knowing what it would be. We had a record number of in-state applicants for the Class of 2020 and will, as usual, enroll a compellingly able group of freshmen. In keeping our Promise, William & Mary has remained affordable for Virginians through generous financial aid. According to the U.S. Department of Education, our net price after aid for in-state students is the third-lowest of any public university in Virginia. Only Norfolk State and UVA-Wise are lower. For William & Mary students from families earning less than $110,000 and demonstrating financial need, our net price actually declined under the W&M Promise. And the percentage of our graduates with student debt has declined to 39% compared to a statewide average of 59%. Importantly, more than 60% of our graduates leave William & Mary with no education loans. Even more important, William & Mary makes available to our students one of the very best undergraduate educations in the United States. Indeed, according to U.S. News & World Report, William & Mary provides the best undergraduate teaching of any public university in America. Only Princeton, Dartmouth, and Brown are ranked higher in this category. These universities charge tuition nearly three times that of William & Mary. William & Marys commitment to our students, their families, and the Commonwealth is to provide a magnificent undergraduate education while remaining one of the best values in American higher education for our in-state students. This is precisely what we are doing under the W&M Promise. Todd Stottlemyer, Rector Taylor Reveley, President W&M faculty in the media this month Ronald R. Sims is the Floyd Dewey Gottwald Sr. Professor of Business Administration at William & Mary's Mason School of Business. He was recently quoted in the Daily Press. Image courtesy of William & Mary's Mason School of Business Ronald B. Rapoport is the John Marshall Professor of Government and Public Policy at the College of William & Mary. He was recently quoted in Governing Magazine. Photo by Stephen Salpukas Kimberly S. Reece (left) is the department chair and Professor of Marine Science at the College of William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). She was recently quoted in the Chesapeake Bay Journal. Photo by Joe Fudge Neal S. Devins is the director of the Institute of Bill Rights Law and Professor of Government at the College of William & Mary. He was recently quoted in USA Today. Photo by Stephen Salpukas Photo - of - Hide Caption Following are selected examples of William & Mary faculty and staff members in the media. - Ed. Experts say Oklahoma bill likely unconstitutional In an May 20 USA Today article, Neal Devins, Director, of the Institute of Bill of Rights Law and professor of government at William & Mary, discussed the legality of criminalizing abortion. The article states that since Roe v. Wade, state legislatures from around the country have tried to test the legal limits of the Supreme Courts ruling. This includes the state of Oklahoma. Devins believes that this bill will hurt women seeking abortions. By denying women access to doctors, Devins said, the measure would impose an '"undue burden"' on those seeking abortions. In 1992, the Supreme Court ruled in Planned Parenthood v. Casey that restrictions cannot impose such a burden. In addition, experts citing the Constitution, say that states cannot ban abortion prior to viability, and, if presented in court, the state would lose its argument. 2010 food poisoning cases linked to Asian bacteria in raw oysters In a May 18 Chesapeake Bay Journal article, Kimberly Reece, chair and professor of marine science at W&Ms Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), discussed the link between bacteria in raw oysters to cases of food poisoning. According to the Journal, instances of food poisoning in the city of Baltimore puzzled public health officials in 2010. Research was conducted with the help of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and it was determined that Vibrio bacteria was established to be in the aquatic life of the Chesapeake. Vibrio is located in warm coastal areas, such as the Gulf of Mexico. The bacteria are found in higher concentrations in the summer months when water gets warmer. After improvement in scientific technology, it was verified that the shellfish in question contained a strain more commonly found in Asian waters, most recently in Hong Kong. Experts believe that the organism could have been brought to the Chesapeake Bay via the ballasts of oceangoing cargo ships. However, there are laws in places that forbid the discharge of ballast tanks in American ports unless they have already done so at sea prior to arriving. Reece did not entirely agree with the Maryland health department and FDA assessments because VIMS had already been doing research several years on a similar species of oysters before the outbreak 2010 in the Chesapeake. Its extremely unlikely, said Reece. Oysters used in the VIMS research were all spawned in the United States under very strict protocols devised to avoid any unintentional release of nonnative pathogens or parasites. Its also probable that the Asian Vibrio strain may have been introduced into the Bay by some rogue introduction of oysters from that continent but I havent heard of any. A history of insurgent candidates' impact on down-ballot races In a May 13 Governing article, Ronald B. Rapoport, John Marshall Professor of Government at William & Mary talked about how ''outsider'' candidates make impressions on voters. According to the article, presidential-hopeful Donald Trump said he had no intention of showing up for the West Virginia primary because he had effectively won the Republican nomination after the win in Indiana. Shortly thereafter, he did reversed his position via Tweeter by saying Thank you West Virginia. Let's keep it going. Go out and vote on Tuesday -- we will win big. #Trump2016." Will this keep Trump from building political connections with Republican state and local officials that are looking to use some of his momentum to their gain respective offices? Rapoport had this to say: The Trump phenomenon is all about Trump. So it's not surprising that he hasn't recruited candidates. How Hampton Roads businesses can better recruit millennials In a May 2 article in The Daily Press, W&M Floyd Dewey Gottwald, Sr. Professor of Business Administration Ronald R. Sims discussed how the businesses of the Hampton Roads region could hire millennials. According to the Daily Press, a millennial is a person that was born between the years 1980 and 1997, and by 2020 they will be the majority of the nations workforce. Sims, who advises local companies on hiring practices, had this to say: When it comes to millennials, their expectations are much higher in terms of What is the organization going to be able to do for me? In addition, Sims stated that employers should follow a few tips. Invest in your online presence and understand that money isnt the only factor why millennials want to work for you, said Sims. Be sure to engage them in your decisions, and if you want to attract millennials...hire millennials because they want to work, live and play with people their own age. Nine W&M grads receive prestigious Fulbright grants W&M goes global: Nine W&M graduates will spend a year in various cities around the world as part of the 2016-17 class of Fulbright Fellows. Photo - of - Hide Caption A new class of Fulbright U.S. student scholars was recently announced, with nine W&M graduates joining the ranks of the prestigious program. Sagra Alvarado 15, Shannon Callinan 16, Beatrice Chessman 16, Annie Curran 16, Ryan Feeney 14, Clay Harris 14, Constance Hull 16 and Natasha King 16 will each spend the 201617 academic year abroad teaching, studying, working and researching in their varying areas of interest. Shaina Salman J.D. 16 also became the first W&M graduate to be awarded the Fulbright-Clinton Public Policy Fellowship. Fulbright Futures Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the program, according to its website, is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. It is the largest U.S. exchange program offering students and young professionals the opportunity to pursue international graduate study. Each year, approximately 1,600 grants are awarded to recent U.S. graduates to study in more than 155 countries. W&M students have consistently performed well in the program. Last year, W&M snagged the 23rd spot on the list of top Fulbright-producing research universities, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. Curran, a double major in English and film and media studies, will spend her Fulbright year in Ireland pursuing a masters in Irish Writing and Film at University College Cork. During her time there, shell also be starting a monthly cinema club at a local pub, where aspiring filmmakers can show their short films to the community free of charge. The universitys film club lost its funding last year, so I hope that this Cork Cinema Club will fill a void for the local filmmaking community and give people a platform to share their work, she said. On the opposite side of the world, Natasha King 16, a double major in marketing and environmental science, will be teaching English to students from elementary to high-school age as a participant in Fulbrights English Teaching Assistant Program. Five of her fellow Fulbright recipients will participate in the same program in different countries from Italy to South Africa. The Fulbright is geared towards building communication and communication skills on multiple levels, and I think that will prove invaluable to me when I return to the U.S. and begin working, said King. I would love to eventually work in marketing and sustainability, and I think the teaching and learning experiences of the Fulbright will help broaden my perspective and make me a better communicator of plans and ideas. Furthermore, the experience of living in Thailand, a country with unique ecosystems and environmental issues, will give me an additional frame of environmental reference beyond that of living in the U.S. New Territory Salman will use the Fulbright-Clinton Public Policy Fellowship to work and research in the Ivory Coast (pending successful placement). Inaugurated in 2012, the Fulbright-Clinton program sends recipients to serve as special assistants in foreign government ministries while carrying out an academic research project. Salman, who intends to pursue a career in international law, will be returning to the Ivory Coast for a second time. In 2014, she spent a three-month fellowship there working on a USAID-funded ProJustice Project to improve access to justice for Ivorian citizens. Her research during her Fulbright year, she said, will be centered around integrating customary law, or traditional rules of law and order, into the rule of law to improve access to justice. Understanding the rule of law has become a personal study interest of mine, she said. I think this experience may end up shaping my entire career. I have always wanted to practice law internationally so this may be an excellent segue. Nancy Combs, Ernest W. Goodrich Professor of Law and director for the Human Security Law Center at W&M, said this opportunity is especially well deserved for Salman. I was absolutely delighted to learn that Shaina had been selected for a Fulbright-Clinton Public Policy Fellowship, but not at all surprised, said Combs. Certainly since coming to law school and even before Shaina has dedicated herself to international public service. Through her classes, internships and even her time-consuming extra-curricular activities, Shaina has shown a tremendous commitment both to serving those who are most in need internationally and to engaging intellectually with the most pressing international legal issues of the day. I cannot imagine a more worthy recipient than Shaina. Seniors, graduate and professional students, and recent alumni who are interested in applying for a Fulbright Scholarship to go abroad in 2017-18 should contact campus Fulbright Program Advisor Lisa Grimes (lmgrim@wm.edu). The campus application deadline is Sept 19, 2016. China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page Work starts on Fuqing 6 containment building 26 May 2016 Share The first steel lining module for the containment building of Fuqing 6 - the second Hualong One unit under construction at the site in Fujian province - has been installed, plant builder China Nuclear Engineering Corporation (CNEC) has announced. The first module of the containment building is lowered into place (Image: CNNC) Installation of the prefabricated steel ring - with a diameter of some 46 meters, a height of over 7 meters and a thickness of just 6 millimetres, and weighing 180 tonnes - took more than three hours to complete yesterday. The company said the milestone marks a new phase in the civil construction of the unit. In November 2014, plant owner China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced the fifth and sixth units at Fuqing will use the domestically-developed Hualong One reactor design, marking its first deployment. The company had previously expected to use the ACP1000 design for those units, but plans were revised in line with a re-organisation of the Chinese nuclear industry. China's State Council gave final approval for construction of Fuqing units 5 and 6 in mid-April. The pouring of first concrete for the reactor basemats for Fuqing 5 and 6 - marking the official start of construction of the units - took place in May and December 2015, respectively. Fuqing 5 and 6 are scheduled to be completed in 2019 and 2020. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics Francisco Tapia By: Mahesh Sarin An artist turned activist, is being investigated after he proudly admitted to stealing for the greater good. Francisco Tapia, who is also known as Papas Fritas from Chile, posted a video to YouTube, admitting to stealing student loan documents from a university. Tapia is accused of stealing and destroying $500 million of promissory notes and debt papers. In his video, he said that he freed the students by setting the documents on fire and rendering them useless. In the video, Tapia told students that they donat have to pay their student loan debt to Universidad del Mar. aWe have to lose our fear, our fear of being thought of as criminals because weare poor. This is my act of love for you,a he said. The incident came after authorities began closing down the Universidad del Mar due to financial irregularities. Although most of the students had to find alternative schools, the college is still collecting student loan payments. Now, the owners of the university will have to sue each individual students for the money, which will be a slow and costly process. JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) The Alaska Legislature convened a special session Monday called by Gov. Bill Walker to address numerous issues unresolved during the extended regular session, including the budget, oil and gas tax credits and a plan to confront Alaskas budget deficit. The special session starts a new, 30-day clock for legislators to work. But if a budget is not approved by June 1, thousands of state workers will receive notices warning of possible layoffs as part of what Walker has called a contractual obligation. The new fiscal year starts July 1. House Speaker Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, said he doesnt think people should be worried at this time about a potential government shutdown. He said he felt the various sides were close on a budget agreement last week and hoped that could be dealt with swiftly. Disagreement over how much to change the oil and gas tax credit program has continued to be a stumbling block. Lawmakers worked past the voter-approved 90-day session limit in April and last week adjourned after hitting the 121-day constitutional meeting limit when they couldnt agree on extending a bit longer. Walker has given lawmakers the ability to pick up most of the bills on the special session agenda where work left off. But a two-thirds vote in each chamber would be needed for that and minority House Democrats have expressed concern with resuming the tax credit debate where it stopped. Rep. Sam Kito III, D-Juneau, said there were some issues not included in either the House or Senate version of the bill that his caucus would like to see at least discussed. The House version of the tax credit bill passed with buy-in from minority Democrats, who hold special leverage in crafting a final budget since their support is needed to draw from the constitutional budget reserve to cover state costs not covered by revenue. Senate President Kevin Meyer, R-Anchorage, said his caucus wont allow the minority to leverage the tax credit bill to get other pieces of legislation passed or items in the budget. Layoff warnings were sent last year as a stalemate over the budget spanned two special sessions and spilled into June. But that was the major unsettled issue then. While Walker also wanted lawmakers to consider expanding Medicaid, they tabled that for further review _ prompting Walker to act unilaterally on that issue after they adjourned. Heading into this special session, Walker has consistently said he wants a fiscal plan to help dig the state out of an estimated $4 billion budget deficit exacerbated by low oil prices. Not a single piece of his plan has passed the Legislature in the four months theyve met so far. The administration has backed off on one piece, dealing with cruise ship passenger taxes. While the House and Senate passed their own versions of Walkers tax credit bill, differences between the two have been a point of contention. Walker said his plan _ which includes industry tax increases, a personal income tax and structured, annual draws from Alaska Permanent Fund earnings _ represents a philosophical shift in how the state funds government. The state has long relied on oil revenues. He told reporters last week that hes open to other pieces being plugged in but has been so fixated on getting his plan passed because he hasnt seen an alternative put forth. He said he senses a desire among legislators to work more collaboratively and plans to be more engaged. Other issues on the special session agenda deal include bills dealing with adoption, medical insurance coverage for survivors of peace officers and firefighters and a program aimed at addressing health insurance premium costs. Walker added another item Monday _ a bill that stalled during the regular session that calls for establishing an oil and gas infrastructure development program. Lawmakers arent obligated to pass an item just because its on the agenda. Immigration, Trade, Wrexham & Funding Tackled During Lively EU Debate This article is old - Published: Thursday, May 26th, 2016 Immigration, funding, politics and King Streets crazy paving slabs all featured as part of Wrexhams first debate on the European Union last night. Held at the Wrexham Library over 90 people attended two successful events designed to better inform voters about the upcoming referendum on Britains membership of the European Union. The evening began with a presentation by Karen Morrisroe of Europe Direct about how the EU works, what its roles and functions are and an opportunity for questions from the audience about the mechanics of leaving the institution in that scenario. At 7pm, the event organiser, Andrew Atkinson chaired a lively debate with two speakers from Vote Leave and two from Britain Stronger In all seeking to convince the room of the merits of their arguments. The 90 minute debate centred on some of the bigger topics relating to the EU such as funding, immigration, politics and trade. Questions on how leaving the EU could impact a small business owner in Wrexham, the crazy paving slabs on King Street and internet security were also raised. The event was filmed free of charge by local online broadcaster, Wrexham TV. Leighton Cox who runs Wrexham TV said he was delighted to help as it was Such an important subject that needs as wide a debate and audience as possible. Speaking after the 6pm event, Karen Morrisroe, Europe Direct Manager for Wrexham said: It was great to see such an interest from people in finding out more about the EU and the processes of staying in and leaving the EU. These are issues that arent talked about a lot in the media so for so many people to come to increase their knowledge was fantastic. Mrs Morrisroe was keen to stress that Europe direct are a free information service based upstairs at the Wrexham Library and people should get in touch if they have any questions. Asked about his reasons for organising both of last nights events Mr Atkinson commented: During my recent election campaign the EU came up a lot, with many local residents extremely concerned at the lack of unbiased information on which to make an informed decision. I felt that as well as a debate it was just as important to highlight in factual terms what the EU is and what it does. Last night was a great event but it certainly will not have all the answers for everyone, I hope that it has sparked some fresh thought and will encourage more discussions and further research and help people reach their conclusion on this really important matter. To make things more digestible / give you a chance to take a coffee break, weve broken the 90 minute debate down into two parts. PART ONE PART TWO Thanks to our friends at Wrexham TV for providing us with this footage. More information about Wrexham TV and what they do can be found here. Student & Lecturer Nominated For Prestigious US Comic Con Awards This article is old - Published: Thursday, May 26th, 2016 A talented student is following in the footsteps of her lecturer after they both bagged nominations for a prestigious comic con award in America. Dan Berry, Wrexham Glyndwr Universitys programme leader for Illustration, Graphic Novels and Childrens Publishing, has been nominated for an Eisner Award for his work as editor and contributor in the Best Anthology category for 24 by 7. Dans student Max Sarin has also been nominated for an Eisner Award, for the Best Continuing Series category for her work on Giant Days. Speaking about the nomination, Dan said: These awards are considered the Oscars of the comic world so its a great honour to be nominated. Im delighted, surprised and incredibly proud that the work that both Max and I have produced has been chosen to be recognised in such a great way. Regardless of whether we win our categories or not, rubbing shoulders with other nominees of such a high standard is a complete honour. The Will Eisner Comic Award ceremony will be held at the Comic-Con International in San Diego on July 22nd and will be judged by a panel of industry experts including Danny Fingeroth, a former group editor of Marvels Spider-Man comics and writer of Iron Man, the Avengers, Superman and other iconic characters. Max, an Illustration, Graphic Novels and Childrens Publishing student at Wrexham Glyndwr Universitys School of Creative Arts, has also been nominated for an Eisner and a Silver Reuben award in the Comic Book category for her work on the Giant Days series. The Silver Reuben is awarded by the National Cartoonists Society and winners will be announced at the end of this month. Max, 30, originally from Finland, said: I was lucky enough to get involved with Giant Days thanks to my lecturer Dan. His friend asked if he knew anyone that would be interested in working with them on the magazine. So I did a few test pages and they seemed to really like it and it went on from there. I was actually only meant to do six issues but Ive done 10 issues now so 222 pages in total. Its given me great experience alongside my studies and it was a big shock when I found out we were nominated for two separate awards. Giant Days, written by John Allison, has also been nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Writer. The comic is about Susan, Esther, and Daisy who become friends at university. Away from home for the first time, all three want to reinvent themselves. But are faced with hand-wringing boys, mystery-mold and the intrusion of academia. For more information on the Comic-Con ceremony visit www.comic-con.org/ or for details about Wrexham Glyndwr Universitys Illustration, Graphic Novels and Childrens Publishing course visit www.glyndwr.ac.uk. Welsh Ambulance Service Exceeds Response Time Target For Life Threatening Calls This article is old - Published: Thursday, May 26th, 2016 Ambulance services across Wales exceeded their target for responding to life-threatening calls in April with only one health board in Wales missing the target. Across April the Welsh Ambulance Service were called to 35,450 emergency calls, an average of 1,182 per day. This is down 9.8% of the daily average in April. Of these calls 1,609 were Red Calls, 21,858 were classed as Amber Calls and the remaining 11,983 were Green Calls. Overall 71% of Red Calls were attended within the eight minute target. The call categorisation system is part of a scheme which has been piloted by the Welsh Ambulance Service since October 2015, with the expectation is that at least 65% of responses to red calls should arrive within eight minutes. The pilot aims to improve patient outcomes by prioritising people at immediate risk of dying. Speaking about Aprils response times, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport Vaughan Gething said: In the face of steadily rising demand, the Welsh Ambulance Service has once again exceeded the eight minute response time target for life-threatening calls. More than seven in ten people who need an immediate emergency response received one in less than eight minutes, and half within five and a half minutes. Im pleased to see that the new clinical response model is ensuring that people who need immediate intervention from our emergency ambulance clinicians and their partners are getting the care that they need. The Welsh Ambulance Service is working hard to improve its clinical performance as well as its responsiveness in rural areas like Powys, and I want to thank staff for their efforts. In North Wales the Ambulance Service were called to 352 Red Calls across the 30 day period, with 229 of those having an emergency response at the scene within the eight minute target. Overall a total of 66% of Red Calls were attended within eight minutes in North Wales. Across Wales figures ranged from 56.1% in Powys to 80.3% in Cardiff and Vale. The 65% response time target was hit in six out of seven local health boards in Wales. Richard Lee, Interim Director of Operations at the Welsh Ambulance Service, said: Were really pleased to have exceeded this target for the seventh month in a row. After some challenging times across the NHS in February and March, we were able to deliver an eight-minute response to more 70 per cent of immediately life-threatening RED calls in April. More than 1,820 patients also received advice over the telephone from a nurse or a paramedic in our contact centres. Our teams work relentlessly every day to deliver the best service possible for our patients. As we continue to modernise we recognise that some patients still wait longer than we would like for help, but we continue to develop plans to ensure that month by month we deliver a service of which everyone in Wales can be proud. We would remind the public to continue to use our ambulance service wisely. Theres a host of alternatives to 999, including your GP, GP Out of Hours, your nearest pharmacy or Minor Injuries Unit, and NHS Direct Wales, where nurses are on hand 24 hours a day to give you advice over the telephone. Downtown Albuquerque was the scene of a rally Tuesday evening for presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, as well as a protest against him. As Trump supporters gathered in the Albuquerque Convention Center, protesters outside chanted denunciations of his message of anti-immigrant bigotry, militarism, protectionism, authoritarianism and cuts to social programs. New Mexico has one of the most abysmal of records of the 50 states in terms of poverty, hunger, education and other socioeconomic indicators. In addition, Trumps reactionary nostrums are opposed by the large percentage of immigrant, second-generation and Latino workers in the state, to such an extent that Republican Governor Susana Martinez, often touted as the nations first Latina governor, has so far held back from endorsing Trump. At the rally, Trump made a point of slamming the right-wing governor several times for supposedly not doing a better job, criticizing her, among other things, for permitting Syrian refugees to come to New Mexico. The protest was called by a coalition of Hispanic and liberal groups, including the Southwest Organizing Project and Progress New Mexico, none of them affiliated with either the Sanders or Clinton campaigns. A few protesters were able to enter the building, where they interrupted Trumps rant, but they were quickly grabbed and removed. The protesters outside, though very loud, were peaceful. After Trump left the rally, however, confrontations between police and some protesters took place. A glass door was brokenthough original reports of a gunshot were later disavowedand damage to police cars were reported. Most of the protesters did not participate in the violence. A World Socialist Web Site reporter talked to some of the protest participants. Miguel is a New Mexico native, a veteran and a city worker. He came with two other people to protest Trumps presence. When asked what could be done, he said, I think we need to go back five decades, back to when the top 1 percent was actually being taxed enough to where they were paying their share. FDR had it right. Under FDR the country grew, people had jobs and everything. The reporter noted the Obama administrations and the Democrats role in the growth of inequality. Yeah, Miguel replied. The Democrats and the Republicans are both to blame. Neither party is right. Unfortunately money talks and thats where were at in this country. There should not be career politicians. There should be term limits. Im for that for sure. The presidents got term limits; why dont the senators and the rest of the Congress? Mary Ellen, a retired teacher who lives in Espanola, 90 miles north of Albuquerque, came to the rally with my friend Betsy, whos off chanting somewhere. She and her husband, a sustainable farmer, are big supporters of Bernie Sanders. My worry is of course that if and when he does get in, itll be really hard for him to be effective. I think Trump is incredibly dangerous. This whole support of a fascist demagogue is very, very scary and were naive in this country if we think were immune from the kind of thing that weve seen back in the 30s, in the 20s, with fascist dictators, because this would be one more step towards that, and weve really got to change. The reporter mentioned that there are fascist movements in Europe, so it is not a unique phenomenon. He pointed to the left parties and the role of their policies in assisting the extreme right. He added that under Obama, the rich have gotten richer, while Obama has deported more people than any other president. He also noted that Sanders has already said that he will support Clinton, the consensus candidate of the imperialist establishment. Id love to see the truth come out, Mary Ellen said. Id love to see the press really address the lies that Trump is telling, really address the agenda that Hillary Clinton has in place. I congratulate Bernie for maybe swaying her a little bit on some things, but I worry that it will just be like with Obama who said so many good thingsand there are things about him I admirebut he didnt do the job that I expected him to do, and deporting immigrants is just one of them. I think that weve got a long way to go and socialism is eventually going to ameliorate those problems, but were in for the long haul. Patsy and Ross recently graduated from El Rancho High School in Rio Rancho, just northeast of Albuquerque. Both plan to go to Central New Mexico Community College (CNM). Patsy wants to get a degree in culinary arts. Im going to CNM to save money because UNM [University of New Mexico] is really expensive. If I go to a community college for two years, Ill save a lot of money. Ross said, Im going for my EMT to be a fireman. Im going to stay at CNM for my two years; thats all I need to get my EMT basic. I want to get my intermediate and thats going to take two years. Ross said they came just to support the cause we just need to make people aware of why were actually here, to get positivity, and I dont think Trumps going to do the best for our country right now. Patsy said, I have family from Mexico and I completely disagree with Trump and Im here to show my support for all of our workers here in the nation. The reporter pointed out the record number of deportations carried out by the Obama administration. Neither had heard that statistic. Patsy replied, Thats the first time Im hearing it; I dont know. Ross has already registered to vote and Patsy will be 18 by November, so shell be eligible to vote. Sonora is a community coordinator at Atrisco Heritage Academy High School up on the mesa, the biggest high school in the state, and I do a lot of community work, organizing. Our students face a lot of issues, like poverty is probably one of the biggest issues. Were a Title 1 school, so that means that a majority of our students are low-income. So we see issues around drug abuse, hunger, graduation rates. Yeah, hungers a big issue; were actually doing a lot of work around food justice, food insecurity in our city really. There are a lot of issues that our students face but I think young people are ready to learn, ready to learn about their social situation and why theyre in poverty and all these different issues and that their communities face. Its my civic duty to be here. Hes the epitome of intolerance and I think our community doesnt want him here. New Mexico is not a state where we want him. I would probably say that we really need to analyze capitalism as a driving force of whats going on in our nation, and Im a great fan of Bernie Sanders because hes addressing a lot of the people who are getting wealthier off the backs of all different the working class in general. The reporter replied that Sanders program does not really address the fundamental issue, which is capitalism, and discussed his support for imperialist wars and his repeated promises to support Hillary Clinton. Sonora mentioned other problems in New Mexico: I definitely want to say education. Were 50th in the nation, I believe, and I think that really speaks to whats going on in Santa Fe [the state capital] and our students are inundated with testing and I mean we really have to address that. Were teaching to the test and were not teaching them to learn. Kinya is a 15-year-old Native American from Albuquerque. I guess Im really someone trying to get involved, for social justice or activism in general. She is going to be a junior next school year. Asked whether Trump is an issue with native people, she answered, Hes never said anything straight on but I think his past remarks, just anything racist or anything sexist, that comes through, as a Native American woman, or as a woman of color, you realize that no one should be saying that, especially a presidential candidate. She is in an organization called Generation Justice, which airs a weekly program on the local college/NPR station. Asked about her plans, she said, Im really into journalism right now. I just got an interview with them and they got sponsored by the YES program and Im working on a side project with them, like a six-month project about surveillance. Its basically an internship at KUNM. Basically we choose a topic for the weekend and we do research throughout the week on it, we interview people, and we build up what we can on it, to do it from a point of view in the media from voices that arent heard. Asked why Trump has gotten traction, she replied: Honestly, I think that secretly everyone has their own views on it. Theres always going to be someone, say maybe an upper-class white male who views it as get these immigrants out of our country or I dont want to see these Muslims here or women shouldnt have as much rights as they do now. Everybody can have those views secretlywe have racism and sexismbut I think Trump has been the one who has been just out there and open about it. The reporter recounted the history of workers of different ethnicities breaking through racial barriers and uniting in the great 20th century union struggles. Kinya asked if the reporters view was Marxist and, when he said, Yes, said that hers was too. The Stockholm District Court upheld Swedens European Arrest Warrant (EAW) for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Wednesday, explicitly rejecting the conclusion of the United Nations' Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) that Assange has been arbitrarily detained in violation of international human rights conventions. In February 2016, the UN working group issued its finding that Assanges detainment as a result of the actions of the Swedish and British governments violates the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The UNWGAD is a United Nations expert group founded in 1991 to investigate allegedly arbitrary deprivations of liberty. Assanges persecution began in August 2010 after two women with whom he had had sexual relations visited a Stockholm police station to see if they could compel Assange to take an HIV test. The two women had not intended this visit to open a police investigation. Earlier that year, WikiLeaks had already begun publication of documents relating to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan leaked by Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning. This included the infamous Collateral Murder video. In response, Washington began pressuring US allies internationally, including Sweden, to restrict Assanges freedom of movement and potentially arrest him. US prosecutors also secretly empaneled a grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia. Swedish prosecutors initially wanted to question Assange for charges of rape and molestation. However, Chief Prosecutor of Stockholm Eva Finne found on August 25, 2010 that there was no evidence of rape but that the lesser charge of molestation could still be investigated. Under the pressure of right-wing Social Democrat Claes Borgstrom, who represented the two alleged victims with the apparent goal of bolstering his election chances, Swedish prosecutor Marianne Ny resurrected the rape investigation. Assange waited for weeks in Sweden to be questioned but left with Nys written permission. In December 2010, Sweden issued a European Arrest Warrant, essentially requesting that the UK arrest and extradite Assange to Sweden. Since December 2010, Assange has been subjected to different periods of humiliating detainment, including several days in jail, over a year under house arrest and years in the Ecuadorian embassy. Ecuador granted Assange asylum and has let him stay in its London embassy since June 2012 because Assange compellingly argued that he will be extradited from Sweden to the United States for his political and journalistic activities exposing imperialist war crimes. Since then, Assange has been trapped in the embassy due to the UKs refusal to let him leave for Ecuador. Meanwhile, the investigation against Assange has not progressed since 2010, despite Assanges numerous offers to be interviewed in the Ecuadorian embassy or otherwise provide testimony. Ny, pressured by the UK, has insisted that Assange be interviewed in person in Sweden, despite the fact that Swedish authorities have interviewed 44 people in the UK since 2010 and even moved an entire Stockholm court to Rwanda in 2012. Assange has still not been charged with any crime. Assanges attorneys asked the Stockholm District Court in February to nullify the EAW, which effectively imprisons him inside the tiny Ecuadorian embassy, after the UN working group issued its finding that the inquisitorial actions of Sweden and the UK constitute arbitrary detention. Prior to the UN groups decision, Assange said he would accept their reasoning as definitive, promising to turn himself over to UK authorities for arrest and extradition if he was found not to have been arbitrarily detained. The groups findings are legally-binding to the extent that they are based on binding international human rights law, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The UNWGAD further says that its decisions are also considered as authoritative by prominent international and regional judicial institutions, including the European Court of Human Rights. UK and Swedish authorities nevertheless rejected the groups findings. The Stockholm court likewise rejected the UN groups decision, saying, Unlike the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention the district court does not consider [Assange]s stay at the Embassy of Ecuador in London a form of detention. The court also said in a statement, The district court finds that there is still probable cause for the suspicion against [Assange] for rape, less serious incident, and that there is still a risk that he will depart or in some other way evade prosecution or penalty. This is despite evidence that Assange is the victim of a frame-up, including the fact that the alleged victims did not intend to charge Assange until the politicized intervention of Swedish prosecutors, and that they positively and publicly discussed Assange on social media after the alleged molestations. Five hundred human rights organizations, activists, Nobel laureates and diplomats have condemned the Swedish and British rejection of the UNWGAD ruling in an open letter. Signatories include director Alfonso Cuaron, Pentagon papers leaker Daniel Ellsberg, filmmaker Laura Poitras, the Japanese Lawyers International Solidarity Association and the US-based National Lawyers Guild. The Guardian, which reported on the revelations from WikiLeaks and worked with Assange, has since viciously turned on him. In a February 4, 2016 editorial, published before the UNWGADs full report was made public, it bluntly editorialized, Julian Assange: no victim of arbitrary detention. The paper, aligned with the British Labour Party, later published an anti-Assange editorial by Marina Hyde containing legal inaccuracies. For example, Hyde claimed that Assange had not been under house arrest, something agreed on as fact by the UN working group, Assanges legal team, Sweden and the UK. Meanwhile, the British pseudo-left has aligned itself with the drive by the United States to railroad Assange. The Socialist Workers Party and Socialist Party both echoed the Guardian and the Swedish and British states in claiming that Assange must face rape charges. Several local National Union of Students bodies have likewise attempted to block Assange from speaking at British universities, following its no platform policy, supposedly aimed at creating safe spaces on campuses. Assange condemned this attack on his democratic rights, anchored in gender-based identity politics, at a recent event at the University of Sheffield, which he addressed via video link from the Ecuadorian embassy. The World Socialist Web Site rejects these attempts to witch-hunt Assange and calls for workers and young people in the US, UK, Sweden and internationally to oppose the US-backed efforts to silence him. In a blow directed at preventing a unified struggle with striking Verizon workers, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) called off the four-day walkout of 1,700 AT&T West workers on Tuesday night. In a perfunctory statement its web site CWA Local 9509 ordered workers back to the job Wednesday without providing any details of the supposed agreement it had reached to end the strike. The Grievance Strike is over, officials from the union local arrogantly wrote. Everyone scheduled to work tomorrow needs to report to their job at the regularly scheduled time. A settlement with AT&T has been reached. Another text with the details will be sent out tomorrow. When contacted by the World Socialist Web Site a representative at Local 9509 said President Chris Roberts and other officers had gone home today because they had been up late last night working out a deal to return to work. He said the grievance was settled. CWA District 9, which oversees California, Nevada and Hawaii, did not return phone calls. A San Diego worker who reported to the job Wednesday morning expressed the anger of workers who were cynically called out and sent back to work without any information. I am frustrated I didn't get the details till this morning and I still don't know anything. Other workers expressed anger over the strike being called off without gaining a contract. In order to prevent unified action with Verizon workers, the CWA has forced 16,000 AT&T West workers in California and Nevada to work without a contract since the April 9 expiration of their previous agreement. Like Verizon, AT&T is demanding sweeping attacks on health and pension benefits and further attacks on jobs. With AT&T workers chaffing over the companys intransigence and looking for a joint fight with their brothers and sisters at Verizon, the CWA called the partial strike to let off steam and contain opposition. The strike was not called over the lack of contract but was limited to a local grievance reportedly over AT&Ts refusal to share information from calls in monitors between customers and call center workers. This allowed the CWA to say the issue was unique to San Diego. It is not even clear if this local issue was really resolved. The overriding concern of the CWA was shutting down the strike as soon as possible before it sparked a broader movement of all AT&T West workers and a strike on both coasts of the United States. CWA District 9 and its local affiliates did not even inform workers throughout California about the San Diego strike. A veteran AT&T field technician from northern California told the WSWS Verizon Strike Newsletter, I found out about the San Diego strike from a supervisor. Weve been kept in the dark. Its abusive. They should not have walked out alone. We should have all walked out. The only way we are going to get anything is to all stand up together. Ive been through three contracts and the CWA has sold us down the river. People are angry over the lack of representation. We have given and given and they have given away the store. The Verizon workers have more guts than I have ever seen. These people should be held up as an example. We should have all walked out when the contract expired. We need a European-style general strike in this country. The decision to shut down the AT&T West strike is a signal of the impending sellout of Verizon workers by the CWA and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). CWA and IBEW officials have been engaged in more than a week of secret discussions with Verizon executives in talks, which are being supervised by Obamas labor secretary and a federal mediator. The overriding concern shared by all the parties in Washington, DC is to find a way to ram a pro-company deal past the anger and determination of Verizon strikers who have waged a month-and-a-half struggle. The Obama administration, the corporations and the unions want to prevent the telecom workers strike from igniting sympathy strikes and other joint actions among the more than 2.2 million workers throughout the US whose contracts are expiring this year. Last Friday, the National Association of Letter Carriers announced that it would extend contract negotiations past the May 20 expiration for 204,000 members while the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) and other unions have put the fate of an additional 370,000 US Postal Service workers, facing three-tier wages and benefitsin the hands of an arbitrator. Workers at Verizon and AT&T should form rank-and-file committees to take the conduct of the struggle out of the hands of the CWA and the IBEW and spread the strike to all telecom workers; they should merge their fight with private and public sector workers, and the vast majority of workers and youth are outside of the unions. A significant factor in the effort of the CWA to wrap up the strike is the growing influence of the WSWS Verizon Strike Newsletter, which has provided strikers with the only source of information and a strategy to mobilize the working class to defend them. Thousands of strikers have circulated and re-circulated the newsletter. A worker with over 25 years experience from Long Island, New York told the WSWS, Im on the picket lines [and] all Im hearing is my co-workers getting back to work [and] already accepting the fact we have to give up things in the contract. We give up nothing, I have given up enough to this company. This is just another sellout. I feel a real lack of representation and support from my union. The union says all the right things to its membership, but then reneges when it comes time to walk, said the worker from California. I know we are ready to walk, weve sent several strike notices to our union leadership, and they go and warn the company of a possible strike action. Im like, Thanks a lot, he added. After 10 years of contract concessions, Im probably making $10,000 less than I was before. I currently work two jobs and cant afford the cost of living, and Im at the highest pay level in my profession. Speaking of the anger felt by workers, the worker predicted, If at the end of the month we have not gone out on strike, I think there might be a revolution against the CWA. From the refusal to coordinate between the workers at AT&T and Verizon, to the sudden and unexplained ending of the walkout, the CWAs behavior bears the character of the brief Hollywood Strike stunts conducted by unions such as the United Auto Workers. These fraudulent stunts are intended to provide a fig leaf of militancy to the union while allowing the workers to vent their anger before the eventual rotten contract is forced through. At the very centre of the policies of both the Liberal-National Party Coalition and of the opposition Labor Party are plans to spend at least $194 billion over the next decades on a massive program of military acquisitions. Defence spending as a whole will reach $495 billion over the coming 10 yearsmoney that will be gouged from essential social services such as health and education. Contracts have been entered and projects begun to equip the Australian Navy with 21 new ocean-capable patrol boats; 12 offshore patrol vessels; nine missile-guided frigates and 12 submarines. The Army is to be provided with hundreds of new combat vehicles, land-based missile systems that are primarily intended for use against ships, and new helicopters for its Special Forces units. The Air Force will acquire up to 72 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters; long-range drone surveillance aircraft and transport aircraft. At least 5,000 more armed forces personnel will be recruited. Billions more will be spent on various northern Australian airbases so that they can accommodate larger aircraft. An airfield on the tiny Cocos Islands, in the Indian Ocean, will be upgraded for military purposes at a potential cost of $200 million. Naval bases such as HMAS Stirling in Western Australia will be enlarged to cope with more regular visits by US aircraft carrier battle groups and nuclear submarines. One of the most striking features of the first weeks of the Australian election campaign has been the efforts across the media and political establishment to conceal the reasons for this militarist agenda. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, when he announced the election on May 8, declared it was to equip our armed forces with the capabilities they need to keep us safe while investing in Australian advanced manufacturing, in Australian technology, in Australian science, in Australian industry creating thousands of high-tech jobs right across our nation. Speaking on the Australian Broadcasting Corporations Q&A program on May 23, Liberal cabinet minister Christopher Pyne said the military spending was to drive high-technology advanced manufacturing jobs in naval ship building and in other parts of the defence industry, because that creates jobs here and amazing spin-off effects in terms of research, development, new ideas that create jobs. Speaking on the same program, Labor Party powerbroker Anthony Albanese agreed and declared the increased military spending was a bipartisan position. Echoing Pyne, he asserted that there would be a spin-off in terms of advanced manufacturing, smart manufacturing That is, the greatest expenditure on military hardware since World War II is being portrayed to workers and youth as something resembling a program of beneficial public works, intended to generate jobs and stimulate economic growth. To the extent that either Labor or Liberal refer to what the array of warships, fighters, anti-shipping missiles and Special Forces squads will be used for, they claim it is for national defence or to keep the country safe. The only party in the election telling the working class the truth about the military build-up is the Socialist Equality Party. Tens of billions are not being spent on upgrading the armed forces for national defence, let alone to create jobs or new manufacturing industries. The real purpose of the vast expenditure is to better equip the Australian military to fight alongside the United States in a major war against China in the Asia-Pacific region. The US pivot to Asia, involving the concentration of 60 percent of the American Navy and Air Force in the region and now regular US provocations against Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea, has brought tensions to breaking point. (See: Spy plane intercept highlights US push for South China Sea confrontation) Air bases are being upgraded so that northern Australia can be used by long-range American B-2, B-1 and B-52 bombers to attack mainland China. The F-35s are intended to give the Australian Air Force a capability that can match the most advanced Chinese aircraft. The Army is acquiring anti-shipping missiles so it can deploy units to assist in enforcing a naval blockade against Chinese ships trying to pass through the key sea lanes between the Indian and Pacific Oceanssuch as the Sunda and Lombok Straits through Indonesia. In the short-term, Army Special Forces are getting new equipment so they can operate more effectively in the US-led wars in Iraq and Syria. Yesterday, the media reported the little known details of what Australian troops are doing in Iraq. They are on the front-line of an assault on the Islamic State (ISIS)-held city of Fallujah, accompanying the troops of the Iraqi government they have trained over the past year. Australian F-18s are among the aircraft carrying bombing missions against targets in Fallujah. Up to 75,000 civilians, predominantly of a Sunni Muslim background, are trapped in the devastated city and living in terror of air strikes and reprisals by sectarian elements among the Shiite-dominated government forces. The election candidates of the Greens and the pseudo-left Socialist Allianceboth of which once postured as anti-warsay nothing about the dangers of conflict with China, and rarely even comment on Australian operations in the Middle East. They are part of the conspiracy of silence surrounding the preparations for a catastrophic war. The candidates of the SEP will use every opportunity during the election to oppose militarism and war. As our statement makes clear, we call for the repudiation of the US-Australia alliance and all military basing arrangements with the US and other countries. We demand that all Australian troops, as well as police and intelligence personnel, be immediately withdrawn from Afghanistan, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific countries. The military apparatus must be disbanded, and the vast resources wasted on war preparations reallocated to socially useful purposes, including building badly-needed social services and infrastructure throughout Australia and the region. Our election campaign is part of the fight by our world party, the International Committee of the Fourth International, to build a new international anti-war movement on the foundations of socialist and internationalist principles. If you oppose war, the only party you should support and vote for in the 2016 Australian election is the Socialist Equality Party. To contact the SEP and get involved, visit our website or Facebook page. The author also recommends: Socialism and the Fight Against War Build an International Movement of the Working Class and Youth Against Imperialism! Statement of the International Committee of the Fourth International [18 February 2016] Authorised by James Cogan, Shop 6, 212 South Terrace, Bankstown Plaza, Bankstown, NSW 2200 On Tuesday, May 31, SEP presidential candidate Jerry White and vice presidential candidate Niles Niemuth will speak at a campaign meeting at Wayne State University in mid-town Detroit. Detroit is a battlefield in a war on the working class. Teachers are facing demands that they give up pay that they have already earned. Autoworkers are forced to accept concession after concession imposed by the corporations and the United Auto Workers. The pensions of city workers and retirees are being ripped away. Youth face a summer of unemployment and low-paying jobs. In nearby Flint, residents have been poisoned by lead-contaminated water due to the criminal actions of government officials at every level. Conditions in the Detroit area are a sharp expression of an all-out assault on the working class throughout the country. The rights of workers are being targeted by a corporate and financial elite that controls both parties and the government as a whole. Workers are beginning to fight back. The sick-out protests of teachers and the protests of Flint residents point the way forward. These struggles must be united in a powerful counter-offensive based on a new political strategy. Neither the Democratic Party nor the Republican Party, which defend the capitalist system, have anything to offer the great majority of the American people except war, political repression and worsening social conditions. This meeting is co-sponsored by the International Youth and Students for Social Equality at Wayne State University. Meeting details: Tuesday May 31, 7 PM Wayne State University General Lectures Room 150 5045 Anthony Wayne Dr, Detroit, MI Map Sign up for the Facebook event page and invite your friends! You can also share the event graphic on Facebook and other social media. As strikes and occupations continue in France against the reactionary labor law imposed earlier this month by the Socialist Party (PS) government, despite attacks on strikers by riot police, protests and walkouts against austerity are breaking out in neighboring Belgium. On Tuesday, some 60,000 workers marched in Brussels against the austerity measures of the conservative government of Prime Minister Charles Michel. The Brussels demonstration targeted planned cuts to the welfare system, budget cuts in public service and education, and a labor reform allowing bosses to introduce a 45-hour work week and impose overtime without extra pay. Prior to Tuesday's protest, the Michel government reinforced draconian security measures imposed after the March 22 terrorist attack in Brussels. It is now clear that the Belgian government, which ignored forewarnings from foreign intelligence agencies concerning the identity and plans of the March 22 attackers, is using the security measures to repress domestic opposition from the working class. Riot police used water cannon and tear gas against Tuesdays protest, injuring several people. Ten people were reportedly arrested. The growing movement against austerity in Belgium coincides with an escalating wave of strikes in France. The regressive PS labor law allows companies to negotiate with trade unions to lengthen the work week up to a maximum of 46 hours and to cut wages. It also eases the conditions for laying off workers. The law, overwhelmingly opposed by workers and youth, is widely seen as an illegitimate attack on workers' social rights won through decades of struggle. In France, strikes are occurring at oil refineries and ports and in civil aviation, rail, energy, transport and construction. Nationwide protests will take place today, after thousands of people participated in protest on May 19. A week-long oil strike is paralyzing the French economy and causing widespread fuel shortages. Thirty percent of Frances 12,000 gas stations are reportedly out of fuel or close to it. The PS government has responded by hypocritically denouncing protesting workers. Prime Minister Manuel Valls said that democracy is being taken hostage by a minority. This is a brazen and provocative lie. It is the PS government that is behaving like a dictatorship, pushing through the socially regressive law without a parliamentary vote in the face of overwhelming popular opposition, employing the emergency powers provisions of the anti-democratic Article 49.3 of the French Constitution to do so. A large majority of the population holds President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Manuel Valls responsible for the social tensions and the industrial disruptions caused by the strikes. An Elabe survey published yesterday found that nearly 70 percent of the population support having the PS, and not the strikers, back down by withdrawing the labour law. The strikes are undermining the PS government, triggering a deep crisis and calls for withdrawing the law, even from within the PS itself. Bruno Le Roux, head of the PS faction in the National Assembly, called on the government to rework the labor law. He particularly singled out Article 2, which allows the trade unions to sign and implement contracts violating the Labor Code and the requirement for industry-wide agreements. Valls opposed this proposal in the parliament, claiming that there would be neither a withdrawal of the law nor questioning of Article 2, as it is the heart of the philosophy of the bill. Instead, the PS government is determined to use police repression to crush strikes and blockades by oil workers. After sending riot police on Tuesday to attack workers blockading the oil refinery at Fos-sur-Mer near Marseille, police intervened yesterday to reestablish access to a key fuel depot at Douchy-les-Mines near Valenciennes in northern France. The depot had been blocked by members of the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) and Solidaires unions since May 19. The attack on Tuesday began around 5 a.m., as 20 police trucks converged on the refinery and riot police used water cannon to dislodge 80 workers who were blocking access. Despite the police repression, strikes are spreading throughout Frances oil facilities. The country's eight refineries are all affected by strike action. The Total refinery at Feyzin near Lyon and Total's Normandy plant have stopped production. The Grandpuits facility near Paris will soon come to a complete halt and Donges, close to Nantes, will shut down several units, while La Mede of Fos-sur-Mer and Lavera in the Marseille region are working at a reduced rate. Dozens of oil depots, out of a total of 78 in France, are also blocked. With fuel shortages worsening, the government has begun releasing portions of its strategic fuel reserves. Francis Duseux, president of the French oil industry group UFIP (Union Francaise des Industries Petrolieres), told RMC radio: Over the last two days, since we had problems with the refining operations and blockades of fuel depots, we began, together with the public authorities, to use the reserve stocks. Terrified by the protests, ruling circles are calling for the government to trample on the constitutionally protected right to strike and force employees back to work. The right-wing opposition Republicans (LR) asked the PS to requisition oil workers and legally compel them to return to work. MP Eric Ciotti said, We must requisition them, as [conservative President] Nicolas Sarkozy did in 2010. It is in the national interest. We cannot leave the country blockaded by a small minority. In the meantime, strikes are erupting in other French industries against the labor law. The CGT-Energy federation has called for strike action at the French state electricity company EDF and is planning site blockades to cut electricity production. This would lead to power cuts across the country. Yesterday, workers at Frances 19 nuclear plants, including Nogent-sur-Seine southeast of Paris and Gravelines in the north, voted to go out on strike on Thursday. Unions at the French National Railway (SNCF) called strikes for yesterday and today, and the CGT issued a notice of strike action, renewable daily, starting from May 31. Indefinite strike action has been called at Paris transport system (RATP) against the PS labour law and poor working conditions and wages, starting from June 2. Airport workers, including air traffic controllers, administrative staff, engineers and technicians are on strike today, causing the cancellation of flights at several airports. A nationwide strike is planned between June 2 and June 5 involving air traffic controllers and civil aviation workers to protest against the labor law and the drop in staff numbers. Port and dock workers are also entering into struggle, with dockers at Marseille and Le Havre, which handles 40 percent of French imports, voting to strike until Friday to protest police repression on Tuesday at the Fos-sur-Mer oil facility. Since Monday, Marseille dockers have refused to unload goods, including crude and refined petroleum products, headed to refineries. Some 29 ships carrying crude oil were still stranded yesterday as the CGT called a work stoppage until Friday at the public Marseille port facilities as well as at Fluxel, the private operator that manages two oil terminals. Militarism means the dominance of military ideals and aims in politics and social life, such as, for example, through the one-sided emphasis of the right of the stronger, and the expression of the view that wars are necessary or unavoidable. This is the definition of militarism provided by the sixth edition of the political lexicon published by the German Federal Agency for Civic Education. Seventy-one years after the end of the Nazi dictatorship and the defeat of the Wehrmacht in the Second World War, influential sections of the German elite think it is time to resurrect the principles that pushed Europe into the abyss twice in the last century. A recent article in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, headlined, When will we finally get back on our feet? provides eloquent testimony of this. The daily, a mouthpiece for the Frankfurt banks, has provided a platform for Wolf Poulet, a former tank force officer and general in the high command of the armed forces, whose views are entirely in the tradition of his historical predecessors in the Kaisers army. He advocates an aggressive German foreign and war policy. At the very beginning of his guest column, Poulet complains from the point of view of a well-integrated militarist, a Free Democratic Party (FDP) member and foreign policy adviser, We Germans are obviously no longer in a position to deviate from the supposed path of the all-understanding do-gooders. And it is this perpetual role of do-gooders, so to speak the Adolf Hitler apology 2.0, that has put our country on a course that is hard for neighbouring countries and allies to tolerate. Then he asks provocatively, When will the Federal Republic of Germany be able to get on its feet with a self-confident, political attitude? Of course, the moralizing about atrocities committed in the name of Germany is right just as it was before However, when can we trade the culture of guilt that has lasted for 70 years for an appropriately self-confident and rationally directed state philosophy? In their exposure of the role of the Humboldt University professors Herfried Munkler and Jorg Baberowski, the World Socialist Web Site and the Socialist Equality Party have shown how the German elite is systematically working to minimize the crimes of German imperialism in the 20th century in order to prepare the way for the return of an aggressive Germany foreign policy. Poulets article makes it clear how far this process has already progressed and reveals the dangers it brings with it. Poulet explicitly advocates a huge, highly armed army capable of waging war all over the world. He mourns the period of the Cold War, when the German army represented a significant proportion of the conventional defences of Central Europe and had almost a million soldiers. The army was respected by the Soviet army for its military capability and had more than 4,500 tanks at its disposal for the purposes of defence against the Warsaw Pact. Today, only between 225 and 300 remain, he complained. In the last 25 years, the German army has degenerated to a torso full of holes in which only a few small, brave units in all sections of the military forces have maintained their functionality. According to Poulet, political policy is responsible for this. He writes: The principle is: make it sound good, ignore it and then cobble it together. Since the beginning of the 90s, the political elite have had the framework in place for dissolving the armed forces. The responsible committees in the German parliament have used the defence budget as a form of financial reserves almost every year. All the parties in government have assisted in this whenever one has taken a look into the budgets. Poulet not only accuses the political elite of financially exhausting the army, but also of not really wanting to fight a war. In addition to the material withering of the armed forces, the fearful flinching of the members of the government at any suspicion of a deployment of fighting forces is embarrassing, he writes. As soon as the heat is on in a relevant region the German foreign minister and defence minister react reflexively to reject action. A section headed Primacy of Politics makes it clear what Poulet views as the real issue. In his view, the politicians currently in power are neither ready nor in a position, after the horrible experiences of two world wars, to make Germany into a leading war power, to accept the primacy of the military and to impose this on the population as under the Kaiser and the Nazis. His anger is directed above all against former FDP Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, who is now dead, and current Chancellor Angela Merkel. In the war in Libya in 2011, they acted as though the issue was the implementation of a no-fly zone against the Libyan ground troops and were so imbued with a preference for peace that Germany abstained from the vote like the Russians and Chinese, he complained. The military does not have a very good reputation inside Germany either, complains Poulet. In 2006, the sanctimonious Bild newspaper increased its circulation by publishing pictures of young [German] soldiers in Afghanistan posing with bones and skulls. The German media then immediately showed their disgust and indignation, using phrases like desecration of the dead and dead body parts. The chancellor immediately demanded a heavy punishment for the guilty. However, once the situation is considered more carefully, it becomes clear that the Afghani population was not especially interested in the issue and that the old fossil bones came from a gravel pit. The fact that a head of government of a middle power judged soldiers in such an unexamined way is only possible in Germany. It is always about the defence against shame and fighting the bad guys and not wanting to be one of them. It is clearly not enough for Poulet that the grand coalition is aggressively implementing a change in German foreign policy with the support of the opposition parties and the media, increasing military spending, and carrying out one foreign deployment after another. The consequences of his argumentation are clear: one must be ready once again to be one of the bad guys, and, just as in the past, to commit war crimes and defend them against every criticism. Poulet ends his article with a provocative prognosis. He no longer trusts the generation that grew up for the most part under peace that is between 50 and 75 years old today, and has ruled and influenced Germany for 25 years to carry out the change he longs for. Sustainable change is only to be expected with the rise of the young generation. It is tougher than us and no longer so sensitive about Nazis. If Poulet and the German elite for whom he speaks are of the opinion that they will get a third chance to hurl the world into the abyss, they are mistaken. Even 70 years after the end of the Nazi dictatorship, the younger generation knows what horrible crimes the SS and the Wehrmacht perpetrated in the Second World War, and the great majority rejects militarism and war. However, his article serves as a warning. The German elite with the military at the head is once again ready, as the saying goes, to trample bodies under feet to defend the interests of German imperialism. Democratic Governor of California Jerry Brown has backed a $2 billion plan from the state senate to ostensibly reduce the states homeless population, which is the largest in the country. Browns plan would entail raising state funds with bonds, which would be paid back in 20 to 30 years with money allocated from Proposition 63, approved by voters in 2004. The so-called millionaires tax was originally meant to fund mental health services. It will now be used to fund 10,000 to 14,000 new housing units, even though the total homeless population in the state is 116,000. Even if the proposal is enacted and the homes are built, less than a tenth of the states homeless would find shelter under this plan. The Prop 63 tax does not even make a dent in the fortunes of the rich. Only the wealthiest 0.1 percent of Californias taxpayers, about 30,000 people who earn more than $1 million a year, will have to pay a tax rate of 10.3 percent on every dollar they make over $1 million, instead of the usual 9.3 percent. The high cost of living in the state combined with high rents and unaffordable housing has condemned tens of thousands to a life on the streets. That, combined with massive unemployment and poverty-wage jobs, as well as the evisceration of any social safety net, has ensured a human catastrophe unequaled since the Great Depression. California accounts for 20 percent of the nations homeless, and, given the cost of living in the state, it is not hard to determine why. Since the start of this year, rent has increased 6.7 percent in Los Angeles alone, with the average two-bedroom apartment costing $2,650 a month, according to Apartment List. This is not even the most expensive city in California. In San Francisco, rent for a two-bedroom apartment averages $4,760. Los Angeles County has the largest homeless population in the state, but the bond money from this plan would not solve the problem. Officials have set aside $150 million for homeless services, but estimate that it would take 15,341 more permanent housing units to seriously address the homeless populations needs, or more than double what is currently allocated. The city of Los Angeles has already approved an oft-touted $1.87 billion plan to address homelessness by Democratic Mayor Eric Garcetti, though this plan has yet to be implemented and officials are still unclear on how they plan to fund it. Meanwhile, in San Diego, affectionately called Americas Finest City, authorities have begun a crackdown on boats and RVs parked on the streets containing homeless people. A two-year old law which prevents large campers from being stationary in parking spots near the beach became permanent law last week. The law essentially criminalizes the homeless and pushes some onto the street when they would rather be living in their cars. While other coastal cities applied similar bans, San Diego had to wait until a law was crafted to cover the entire county. The fact that the money for the current plan is not coming from any new source is also telling. Money that was originally allocated for the mentally ill is now to be spent on a different, but completely connected social problem. An estimated 30 percent of homeless people have some form of mental illness. Nonetheless, this has not stopped Brown and state Democrats from utilizing their solution to the homeless crisis for the most cynical of reasons, improving the progressive image of the party before the November elections. This has prompted former Senate President pro-tem Darrell Steinberg to declare, Homelessness knows no partisan lines and to advocate working with the Republicans to pass the deal. Brown has a long record of working with development and housing companies to secure higher profits and smoother business at the expense of the working class, going all the way back to his time as mayor of Oakland. In vetoing AB1229, a proposed 2013 bill that would have mandated developers to invest a minimum in low-income housing projects, Brown offered the market-oriented explanation: As mayor of Oakland, I saw how difficult it can be to attract development to low and middle income communities. Requiring developers to include below-market units in their projects can exacerbate these challenges He continues this today. The current proposal he is backing may come bundled with additional reforms that would launch deeper attacks against the working class. In his administrations most recent May budget revision, Brown contemplates adding to the proposal: additional legislation requiring ministerial by right land use entitlements for multifamily infill housing developments that include affordable housing. This would help constrain development costs, improve the pace of housing production, and encourage an increase in housing supply. In this context, by right refers to the freedom of developers to take certain actions without a normally required permit, typically issued after a municipal review process. This is tantamount to eliminating what rules exist to ensure basic living standards for low income tenants, which could include everything from utilities to the stability of the buildings themselves. This section of the May revision finishes, somewhat ominously, with, It is counterproductive to continue providing funding for affordable housing under a system that slows down approvals in areas already vetted and zoned for housing. This is a thinly veiled assertion that current funding for low income housingcertainly not limited to this proposalwill be put on the chopping block if such deregulation is not enacted. The money would be awarded on a competitive grant basis, meaning counties would have to fight one another to receive the largest share. This is not unlike President Obamas education reforms, which force schools to compete for federal funds. Not only does this proposal do nothing to address the roots causes of homelessness, namely capitalism, but it is tied to reforms that will ultimately result in even greater attacks on the working class. It provides further proof that the Democratic Party, no less than the Republican, is an instrument of Wall Street through and through. Aid groups are warning that at least 50,000 civilians are in danger of being caught in the crossfire in Fallujah as it is subjected to constant US-led air strikes along with artillery barrages, and forces loyal to the Washington-backed government of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi along with Shia militias encircle the central Iraqi city. The predominantly Sunni city, which is about 40 miles west of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, has been occupied by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) since January 2014. It has now been targeted by the Iraqi government as part of a desperate bid to contain mounting political opposition from within Baghdads impoverished Shia population as well as from militia groups, including those aligned with the Shia cleric Moqtada al Sadr. Within the last month, crowds numbering in the thousands have twice stormed Baghdads Green Zone, the heavily fortified seat of the Iraqi government. On the second occasion, on May 20, security forces repulsed the protesters with live fire, killing four and wounding hundreds. Along with denunciations of the government for rampant corruption and a failure to provide essential services, the protesters have condemned it for failing to secure the capital from terrorist attacks, which have killed at least 200 this month, most of them in poor Shia neighborhoods. Iraqi officials have claimed that the terrorist attacks have their origin in ISIS-controlled Fallujah, and the offensive is designed to show that it is doing something to halt these atrocities. While the US military is providing air support for Iraqi government troops advancing on Fallujahand denying it to the Shia militia forces of the Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units), which work closely with IranPentagon officials have made it clear that the siege of Fallujah is seen by Washington as a diversion from the principal strategic target in Iraq, the much larger city of Mosul in the north. You do not need Fallujah in order to get Mosul, US Army Col. Steve Warren, the spokesman for the US military forces in Iraq and Syria, told the Reuters news agency in a telephone interview. Nonetheless, Washington is supporting in Fallujah precisely the type of murderous siege that it has accused the government of President Bashar al-Assad of waging against areas controlled by the Western-backed Islamist rebels in Syria. At least 21 civilians were reported killed in the US-led bombardment of Fallujah on Monday and Tuesday. The population of Fallujah, which was the scene of bloody US sieges in 2004, has been subjected to bombardment for the last two years. Government forces have cut off supply routes to the city, depriving it of food, health care and other basic necessities. There are reports that substantial numbers of civilians are on the brink of starvation. The Association of Muslim Scholars of Iraq, a militant Sunni organization formed in 2003, denounced the new offensive against Fallujah as an unjust aggression, a reflection of the vengeful spirit that the forces of evil harbor against the city. It reported in a statement that 10,000 Fallujans have been killed or wounded by government bombs and shells over the past two years. While staying in Fallujah may entail starving to death, those who flee risk being killed by either ISIS or Iraqi government forces. As few as 80 families have managed to flee Fallujah. The United Nations refugee agency has expressed concern over Iraqi government forces separating men and older boys from women and children, taking them to the Habbaniyah Military Base for security screening. While the siege of Fallujah tightens in Iraq, a simultaneous offensive has been reported in the area north of the ISIS-held Syrian city of Raqqa. Backed by US air strikes and accompanied by US special operations advisors, a force of several thousand fighters have begun advancing 30 miles to the north of the city. The Pentagon has described these fighters as belonging to the Syrian Democratic Forces, which is overwhelmingly dominated by the Kurdish Peoples Protection Forces, or YPG. The offensive was prepared by a secret visit to the Kurdish-controlled region of Syria by General Joseph Votel, the head of US Central Command, which oversees the US wars in the Middle East and Central Asia. Votel met with both Kurdish commanders and some of the hundreds of US special operations troops now on the ground in Syria. The visit prompted an angry response by the Turkish government, Washingtons NATO ally, when Votel visited Ankara immediately after his unannounced foray into Syria. Gen. Yasar Guler, the deputy chief of the Turkish General Staff, reportedly warned Votel against reliance upon the YPG, which Ankara fears will consolidate an independent Kurdish entity on its border. Instead, he proposed that Washington intensify its support for moderate Islamist rebels, forces which are largely dominated by either ISIS or the Al Nusra Front, Al Qaedas Syrian affiliate. The group Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, which regularly denounces ISIS atrocities against the citys population, reported that US warplanes had dropped leaflets over the northern suburbs of the town, warning their inhabitants to flee the area. The group pointed out, however, that there were no safe areas or access routes for such an exodus, adding via Twitter that the US reliance on the Kurdish dominated Syrian Democratic Forces to wage the offensive had pushed a lot of people to join ISIS to defense of their city. Just as in Mosul and other predominantly Sunni areas of Iraq where the Iraqi army is seen as a hostile occupying force dominated by Shia interests, so in Raqqa, the SDF is seen as a hostile force dominated by Kurdish interests. In both areas, the local population fears, with reason, that they will be subjected to ethnic cleansing and driven from their homes. In Iraq, there is already the example of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, whose liberation entailed the destruction of at least 70 percent of the citys buildings. Since ISIS was driven out in December of last year, less than 15 percent of Ramadis previous population has been able to return. The unfolding US-backed offensives in Iraq and Syria expose the catastrophe into which decades of US imperialist wars have plunged the entire region. The divide and conquer strategy employed by the US occupation in Iraq deliberately stoked sectarian tensions that have riven the country. Similarly in Syria, Washington and its regional allies have backed sectarian Sunni Islamist militias in a war that has claimed at least a quarter of a million lives. Whatever the tactical victories achieved against ISIS, they will only exacerbate these divisions. US imperialism will continue its attempt to exploit them to further a military intervention whose underlying aim is not a struggle against terrorism, but rather the assertion of US hegemony over the Middle East and its immense oil wealth. The Socialist Equality Party of Britain is campaigning for an active boycott of the upcoming referendum on UK membership in the European Union. The following is a speech delivered by Julie Hyland, assistant national secretary of the SEP, at meetings in Manchester, Sheffield, Glasgow and London. Further meetings will be held in Manchester on May 31, Sheffield on June 7 and London on June 14. Full details of the meetings are here. The June 23 referendum on Britains membership in the European Union raises issues of immense international importance. The outcome will have implications for workers not only in the UK, but globally. This is the first of two meetings to explain our call for an active boycott of the EU referendum. Tonight I will outline the political principles on which our call is based. The second meeting will deal with the historical lessons that inform our approach. In our statement, we explain, The first consideration of socialists is to safeguard not only the present interests of the working class, but also its future. At the heart of our perspective is the fight for the conscious unification of the working class internationally. This is not merely a slogan. We insist that it must be the axis of the class struggle. So our starting point in this referendum is to define a policy that upholds the interests of workers not only in Britain, but in Europe as a whole and throughout the world. The SEP is irreconcilably hostile to the EU. It is an instrument of the major powers and big business in Europe to push their agenda of war, austerity and anti-immigrant measures. The danger of a military conflagration is very great. Indeed, over the last 15 years there has been a state of what we have described as perpetual war, led by US imperialism. The targets are Russia and China. The EU is actively participating in these plans. It was fully involved in the US-backed right-wing putsch in Ukraine, aimed at installing a virulently anti-Russian regime. Now, thousands of NATO troops are being deployed in Eastern and Central Europe. Some 25 years after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the US is expanding its nuclear missile arsenal in Europe as part of what NATO describes openly as preparations for hybrid warfare against Russia. At the start of this month, the US used a change in the command of its European military forces as an opportunity to further escalate its military threats against Russia. The new commander, General Scaparrotti, described Russia as a greater international threat than terrorism. The Obama administration is quadrupling its funding for so-called deterrence to $3.4 billion and sending a third US army brigade to Eastern Europebringing the total to 60,000 US troops in Europe. Scaparrotti said these troops must be prepared to fight tonight if the deterrence fails. A fortnight ago, officials from the US, Europe and NATO announced the activation of a new missile system. Based in Romania, it will operate under the direct command of the US. It is positioned less than 400 miles from Russias main Black Sea naval base at Sevastopol, Crimea. The result is that Europe is more militarised than at any time since the Second World War. It is these war preparations that account for US President Obamas call for a Remain vote when he visited Britain last month. The task for the UK as an EU member was, he said, to roll back the Islamic State, intervene in the Middle East from Yemen to Syria to Libya, and continue to invest in NATO to counter Russia and meet overseas commitments from Afghanistan to the Aegean. Prime Minister David Cameron echoed Obama in his speech last week. Cameron spoke in terms of a new Cold War, arguing that Britain had to stay in the EU in order to ensure that Europe backed US and NATO provocations against Russia. These plans are accompanied by draconian anti-immigrant measures that have resulted in hundreds of people drowning in the Mediterranean, and men, women and children, many fleeing the wars started by the US and the European powers in Iraq, Syria, Libya and elsewhere, being beaten and attacked with tear gas on Europes borders, rounded up in prison camps and deported back to the countries they are fleeing. The campaign for a Remain vote, led by Prime Minister David Cameron, is predicated on continuing the militarization of Europe and the anti-immigrant measures. Despite his claim to be presenting a left-wing alternative for working people, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has abandoned his opposition to the EU. Now the Tories are relying on him and the Labour Party to deliver them the Remain vote they desperately need. Corbyn or another Labour leader is expected to stand in for Cameron to present the case for staying in the EU at the BBCs Great Debate broadcast, which will be held two days before the vote. Cameron had refused to do it because he didnt want to be involved in a public battle with Boris Johnson and other members of his own party who back the Leave campaign. So in order to prevent the split in the Tory Party developing any further, Labour is to step in to rescue Cameron. This is only one of the numerous retreats Corbyn has made on his promise to advance a left-wing alternative over the last months. His position is supported by the TUC, whose former head, Brendan Barber, wrote a joint appeal with Cameron arguing that for the sake of every worker in Britain, the unions must unite with the Tory government to support EU membership. This is a government that is implementing austerity measures, dismantling health and education and stepping up its war drive in Syria and Libya. It is a government that recently passed fresh anti-labour measures, including illegalising strikes if fewer than 50 percent of all union members participate in a strike ballot, and, in the case of essential public services, if fewer than 40 percent of all union members vote in favour of strike action. The law also enables the use of agency workers as strike-breakers and makes picketing a criminal offence. None of this is mentioned. The trade unions organised no protest at the bills passage as part of their dirty deal with the government to present a united front on the Brexit referendum. Then, of course, there is the Scottish National Party. Nicola Sturgeon doesnt even attempt to reconcile the demand for Scottish independence with support for a Remain vote in the European Union referendum. But then, she doesnt have to, as the pseudo-left organisations that lined up behind Scottish independence in 2014 are either in favour of a Remain vote or are largely silent on the matter. The Scottish Socialist Party for instance, describes the EU as an anti-democratic bosses club controlled by corporate Europe, which is pursuing a neo-liberal agenda, but still calls for a Remain vote on the basis that it should be reformed. As for Rise, billed as Scotlands Syriza, it claims neutrality on the issue. The leader of the campaign to supposedly democratise Europe is none other than Yanis Varoufakis, the former finance minister of the Syriza government in Greece. Elected on a massive mandate to oppose the EUs austerity measures, it took only days for Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras to repudiate that mandate. Even after the July 2015 referendum delivered a massive vote against the EU measures, Syriza signed up to them and began enforcing EU austerity and anti-immigrant measures on behalf of the EU. The betrayal of Syriza, and the support of the Labour Party, the unions and a large section of the pseudo-left for the EU is what has enabled the most right-wing forces to dominate the Leave campaign. That is why, despite our hostility to the EU, we cannot back a Leave vote. The argument made by the Leave opponents of the EU is that Europe is breaking apart anyway and Britain would be better positioning itself outside before that happens. But the working class cannot afford to be indifferent to the fracturing of the European continent, especially when it is accompanied by deliberate efforts to whip up nationalism and xenophobia to divide the working class. Sundays final round of voting in Austrias presidential election saw Norbert Hofer of the far-right Austrian Freedom Party lose by just 0.6 percent of the vote. The ideological forebears of the FPO enthusiastically supported the Nazis when Austria was annexed by Hitlers Germany in 1938. Hofer lost by a pip to Alexander Van der Bellen, the so-called independent candidate who is close to the Greens. The result was just enough to prevent Hofer becoming the first ultra-right politician to take power in a Western European state since the end of the Second World War. Nonetheless, the fact that Van der Bellen, who mobilised the support of large sections of the political elite and all the pseudo-left organisations on the basis of neo-liberalism and support for the EU, edged out Hofer will not prevent the growth of the right. Quite the opposite. In France, opposition to the EU is led by the National Front, and in Germany by the Alternative for Germany. The picture is the same here, where the Leave campaign is dominated by UKIP and the most right-wing sections of the Tory Party. Their hostility to the EU has nothing to do with its measures against the working class. Their differences with the Remain camp centre on their claim that the interests of British imperialism can be better pursued outside of, and in opposition to, the EU. Billionaire stockbroker Peter Hargreaves is the largest single donor to the official Leave campaign. He has welcomed the financial instability caused by a Brexit as fantastic, saying a slump in sterling and economic dislocation would be the biggest stimulus to get our butts in gear that we have ever had. He cites Singapore as the model for an EU-free Britain. Behind the facade of democracy, Singapore is an authoritarian regime that suppresses any sign of political or social dissent and presides over the highest levels of social inequality in the developed world. Hargreaves welcomes an exit from the EU as enabling the dismantling of work regulations, which he says governments should not legislate. Likewise, Aaron Banks, the millionaire donor to UKIP, spoke in Washington last week, where he said, If it were up to me, Id privatise the NHS. In the event of a Leave vote, the main beneficiaries will be right-wing and fascistic elements. This is why the efforts of George Galloway and the pseudo-left organisations to support a Leave vote on a supposedly progressive and left-wing basis are so politically criminal. At the start of the campaign, George Galloway appeared with Nigel Farage to call on the left and right to march together. His declaration makes clear what we mean when we refer in our statement to the fact that the biggest political danger in this situation is the mixing of class banners on the basis of the espousal of a supposedly left nationalism. The Socialist Workers Party, the Communist Party of Britain, Counterfire and the Rail Maritime and Transport union have launched a joint campaign for a Leave vote, which they claim is an alternative to the existing Leave campaigns dominated by the xenophobic right. These organisations have not joined Farage on platformsso far. But what they share in common with those they claim to oppose is that they separate entirely the situation in Britain and Europe from its roots in the capitalist profit system. They make no mention of the 2008 crash and the deepening economic recession, which is driving austerity and war preparations in every country. Like UKIP and the Tory right, they paint a picture of a Britain free from EU bureaucracy as a democratic haven, with more social rights than many other European countries. A Brexit, they claim, will undermine Cameron and lead to the bringing to power of a Corbyn Labour government. If Corbyn is showing himself to be organically incapable of standing up to a handful of Blairites in his own party, no one should harbour any illusions as to what he, and the Labour Party he heads, will do face in the face of a right wing emboldened by a Brexit. The essentially reactionary standpoint of the Left Leave crowd and its political dangers was best summed up by Neil Davidson in his article, A socialist case for leaving the EU. He wrote that while the radical left cannot join either of the highly fragmented official camps, both of which espouse anti-working class politics of one variety or another refusing to take a side is also untenable [T]he hard right is certainly our enemy, but in this context at least, it is not the main enemy Instead of invoking imaginary battalions of workers organized at a European level, it would more useful to begin building where we are. Consider the significance of his dismissal of imaginary battalions of European workers. Since the publication of the Communist Manifesto in 1848, the fundamental touchstone of socialism has been Workers of the world, unite! Against capitalism, which had spread its system of private ownership of the means of production and class oppression throughout the planet, Marx and Engels counterposed the international unity of the working class. Only this class, which shared common interests and faced a common class enemy, could put an end to capitalism and its reactionary nation state system and reorganise economic life on the basis of rational planning, according to social need, not private profit. One hundred and seventy five years on, the tendencies analysed by Marx and Engels have fully matured. Today, every aspect of production, distribution and exchange has a global character, so that no nation can stand in isolation. The 2008 crisis, which began in the US, immediately reverberated around the world, leaving not a single country or continent untouched. At the same time, and as a result of the same processes, the ranks of the working class have expanded exponentially, numbering in the billions. Virtually everything produced in the world today, virtually everything on which society depends, is the result of increasingly integrated labour of workers across the globe. To cite some examples: Bharti Airtel employs 25,000 people in 20 countries; Amazon, 240,000 in 15, Microsoft, 119,000 around the world. But those figures dont tell the whole story. Foxconn produces much of the electronic software in the world and it employs 1 million in China alone, working for just 180 per month. Walmart, one of the largest employers in the world, has 2 million workers. In Europe, Deutsche Postnow the worlds largest logistics companyemploys 500,000 people. Frances Sanofi-Aventis pharmaceuticals employs 112,000; GlaxoSmithKline, almost 100,000; Banco Santander, 185,000; Siemens, 350,000, Vodafone, 100,000. Yet Davidson writes dismissively of imaginary battalions. The implications of his remarks emerge even more strongly if you concretely examine the situation in Europe today. In just four years following the 2008 crashI was unable to find more up-to-date figuresthe number of European living in severe material deprivation rose by 7.5 million to 50 million people. They are among the 123 million peoplealmost a quarter of the EUs populationat risk of living in poverty. The situation will be far worse now. Officially, unemployment is around 10 percent, with some 21 million out of work. Youth unemployment is far higher at around 21 percent, nearly 5 million. Lets just examine the situation in key countries. Beginning with Greece, which has been the laboratory of EU austerity. Six years after Greece was first subject to massive cuts, Greek GDP has fallen by more than one-quarter. The so-called emergency bailout of more than 216 billion has gone to the banks and the super-rich, while the economy continues to contract. Less than 5 percent has gone to the Greek government. Fully 95 percent has gone to Greek and European banks, through interest payments, debt service and bailouts. Unemployment is officially 27 percent and a staggering 51 percent amongst youth. Now the Syriza government has agreed to make massive cuts in pensions and hike social security contributions. Anyone who receives more than 800 will see his pension cut. The base rate is now just 340 a month. Still, the EU is demanding an additional contingency package of 3.6 billion in cuts, the equivalent of a further 2 percent of GDP. That is in addition to the 5.4 billion in austerity measures (4.23 billion) Syriza agreed last year. This is under conditions in which one in four children lives in poverty. More than 26 percent of families suffer severe material deprivation. The figure is 37 percent for single-parent households. Spain, which was similarly singled out for treatment, is without an effective government six months after Decembers elections. Just as in Greece before it, those elections saw the votes of the traditional ruling parties collapse. Now, fresh elections have been called for June 26, but are unlikely to produce any change. Cuts in pay, benefits and working conditions have produced an uptick for the corporations, but the working class is seeing no benefit. The unemployment rate rose back up to 21 percent in the first quarter of 2016among young people it is 46.5 percent. The jobs that are being created are low-paid and precarious. Some 90 percent of new contracts are temporary. High levels of long-term unemployment have forced more families below the breadline, resulting in more than one in three children being at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Now the European Commission has warned that without further austerity, Spain will miss its budget deficit target of less than 3 percent of gross domestic product by 2018. Portugal is another economy hanging by a thread. During its three-year bailout programme, which ended in May 2014, public employees wages were slashed, companies privatised, and labour regulations changed to bring down costs. But it has also missed its fiscal targets and faces measures. In Ireland, similarly subject to EU bailout terms, Februarys elections produced inconclusive results, with neither of the main parties, Fine Fail and Fine Gael, able to command a majority. Only after 70 days has Fine Gael been able to form a minority government with the help of independents and a pact with Fine Fail not to bring a vote of no confidence. But the new government is deeply unstable. Thirty percent of Irish children live in materially deprived households, and Ireland has the fourth worst income inequality in the EU. Italy has lost nine percentage points of its GDP since the height of the 2008 crisis and a catastrophic one-third of its industrial production. Investment is down by 59 percent. Italys largest bank, Unicredit, has lost half its value over the last six months. It has 360 billion in non-performing loans19 percent of the Italian banks combined balance sheets. Despite drastic austerity cuts, debt is 132.7 percent of GDP and Italy is anticipated to be the next major crisis. Official unemployed is 11 percent, but that is because an estimated 12 percent of people have dropped out of the figures altogether. Youth unemployment is officially 37 percent, but in Calabria it is 56 percent and 53 percent in Sicily. In France, youth unemployment is 25 percent. Recent weeks have seen mass protests against the Socialist Party government of Francois Hollande. Under conditions of a state of emergency, in place since November, French workers and youth have carried out mass demonstrations to protest a reactionary labour law reform that will lengthen the working day, break up existing contracts and make it easier to sack employees. In Germany, the economic powerhouse of Europe, the situation facing workers and youth is not much better. While officially German unemployment is relatively low, poverty is now at its highest level since reunification 25 years ago, with nearly 13 million classified as poor. The situation in the Eastern and Central European states is worse. The restoration of capitalism has brought social misery. In Bulgaria, the poorest country in Europe, 43 percent live in severe material deprivation. In Poland and Romania, youth unemployment is 20 percent. In Albania it is 38 percent. It would be far higher if so many hadnt left the country. As David North pointed out at our recent May Day online rally, the situation in the former Yugoslavia is catastrophic. Youth unemployment in Macedonia is 50 percent, Croatia 44 percent, Montenegro 41 percent, Bosnia 57 percent, Serbia 49 percent, Kosovo 60 percent. While there are differences, this basic overview shows that there has been a levelling out across Europe as gains and conditions of those in West are driven down. For 25 years, the ruling elite have had a virtual free hand to show what capitalism can achieve when it has no major opponent. The result is a social nightmare. This is what is fuelling a re-emergence of class struggle, which is assuming an ever more dominant factor in the political situation in every country. As we meet, there is a mass strike wave unfolding in France. Transport and oil refineries are blocked. In Marseille, oil workers have come under attack by the police, backed by the Socialist Party government. Autoworkers in China and India have launched strikes against attacks on wages and working conditions. In America, there are a series of strikes, lockouts, contract rejections and other struggles involving telecommunications, shop workers and others. If Davidson, et al do not base themselves on these vast battalions of the international working class, what do they base themselves on? It would be easier to achieve reforms in Westminster than in the EU, where it requires winning unanimity in the Council, and there is more possibility of simultaneous revolutions in all 28 member states than of this happening, Davidson writes. This has nothing to do with socialism. The basic orientation of these organisations is nationalism, i.e., the identification of the interests of the working class with the nation state. They do not fight for the overthrow of capitalism, but for its supposed perfectibility. Our call for an active boycott is not a call for abstention or passivity. It is oriented to the explosive social discontent that is mounting among masses of workers and youth in Europe and internationally. The ruling elites everywhere are acutely conscious of deepening class tensions. That is why politicians of every stripe are fanning the flames of nationalism. In the United States, Donald Trump speaks of making America great again through trade war measures against China and Europe. But his economic proscriptions do not differ fundamentally from those of the Democratic challenger Bernie Sanders, who also advances a programme of economic nationalism. The fundamental prerequisite in this situation is to establish the complete political independence of the working class from all factions of the bourgeoisie. This includes the pseudo-left organisations such as Syriza, Podemos and their incarnations here grouped around Corbyn. These are bourgeois parties that represent the interests of the upper-middle class. Just like Syriza, they will do whatever they are told by the ruling class. There will be no shortage of shocks in the coming period. A Leave vote will exacerbate national tensions and be the occasion for a further assault on the conditions of working people in the UK. But a Remain vote will not prevent the break-up of the EU, not put a halt to nationalism and austerity. The United Socialist States of Europe is the only conceivable form through which the working class can exercise its own rule, under conditions of the integrated character of production across the continent and globally. The campaign for a UK exit from the European Union (EU) has secured the backing of a dozen former senior military officers. Under the framework of Veterans for Britain, this section of the military establishment portrays the EU as at best a rival and at worst a threat to the NATO military alliance and therefore to the security of the UK. One of the most significant figures politically is General Sir Michael Rose, a former director of special forces and a commander in Bosnia. His name was wrongly cited in a letter organised by Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron of military figures supporting UK membership in the EU. The pro-exit former senior military commanders include Major General Julian Thompson, Commander of Land Forces during the 1982 war with Argentina over control of the Falkland Islands/Malvinas; former deputy chief of the defence staff Sir Jeremy Blackham; and Lieutenant General Jonathon Riley, a former commander of coalition forces in Afghanistan. Their hostility towards the EU is overt. General Rose told the BBC that sovereignty and defence were indivisible, and that EU policy had already seriously undermined Britains combat effectiveness. He said, I believe that the UKs contribution to European defence can manifestly be better made solely through NATO than by trying to spread our limited resources too thinly, in order to include European defence and security policy initiatives into the UKs defence programme. A leaflet distributed by Veterans for Britain described leaving the EU as the ONLY way to regain democratic control. It insists, Britain will be safer outside of the EU. Major General Thompson declares, NATO is responsible for peace across Europe. NATO has been the cornerstone of western security since WW2 and won the Cold War before the EU even existed. When it has tried to intervene in security matters, the EU has failed and NATO has rescued the situation, such as in the Balkans in the 1990s. Not only is the EU described as a military failure, but also as a security threat because it encompasses pro-Russian regimes: MI5 & MI6 base their information on the Five Eyes agreement with USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The EU doesnt help intelligence sharing; in fact, many members cannot be trusted due to their close relationship with Russia. Warning that the EU is planning the creation of an EU Army, he adds that this would mean that the UK would lose control of its defence and its international standing would be diminished. Rear Admiral Roger Lane-Nott, the former NATO Commander Submarines Eastern Atlantic, adds, It is NATO that has kept peace in Europe since 1948. Anything that weakens that alliance will diminish our security. EU attempts to set up its own operations, security structures and even armed forces take resources away from the organisation that really protects us. Germany is pushing for inexorable merger of defence, a result of the EUs pursuit of ever closer union. Adding his voice to the anti-EU military lobby is Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, who describes the UK as Europes leader in defence and security, which gives much more than it gets in return. On May 12, the World Socialist Web Site warned that the agenda of both sides in the June 23 referendum campaign has been shown to be dictated by the growth of national antagonisms and the resulting danger of military conflict. Veterans for Britain is a political response to the efforts of the Remain campaign, headed by Cameron, to portray a leave vote as a threat to national security, above all to NATO and its ability to mount a campaign against Russia in Europe. Not only did Cameron describe EU membership as essential to combating a newly belligerent Russia, but he marshalled US President Barack Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry, 13 former US defence and foreign affairs chiefs, five ex-NATO secretaries-general and the former heads of Britains MI5 and MI6 Jonathan Evans and Sir John Sawers to the same purpose. Britain Stronger in Europe, the official Remain campaign, issued an immediate reply to Veterans for Britain under the headline, Veterans and Military and Security experts line up to show overwhelming support for Britain remaining in Europe. Its own roll call cites the backing of fifteen senior military veterans and security chiefs, including the former First Sea Lord, four former chiefs of the defence staff and senior figures in the American military in Europe. Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General is quoted as insisting, A strong UK at the heart of Europe is good for NATO. Its good for our security. And a fragmented Europe is bad for security, bad for NATO. Along with fellow former chiefs of the defence staff, General Sir David Richards and General Sir Mike Jackson, Lord Stirrup states, The UKs national security is inextricably linked to the security of the rest of the continent [The UK must] not just ask what Europe can do for us, but what we can do with Europe, out of sheer hard nosed self interest. US General David Petraeus, the former CIA chief, states, There is no question in my mind that a Brexit would deal a significant blow to the EUs strength and resilience at exactly the moment when the West is under attack from multiple directions. Others cited include Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the former NATO secretary general; Sir David Omand, former head of the UKs intelligence agency GCHQ; Sir Hugh Orde, former President of Association of Chief Police Officers; Rob Wainwright, director of Europol; and Evans of MI5. The latter states that UK membership in the EU underpins the overall stability of Europe, especially for newer entrants from the former Soviet bloc, in the face of external threats. In backing the Remain campaign in defence of the EU, the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn and the Trades Union Congress are lining up behind British imperialisms alliance with Washington in furtherance of NATOs war preparations against Russia and China. But the Veterans for Britain initiative is a devastating rebuttal of the claims by the pseudo-left and Stalinist groups organised in the Left Leave campaign that their position somehow articulates opposition to the NATO alliance and British, US and European imperialism. The real forces dominating the Leave campaignthe Tory right, the UK Independence Party and the gang of warmongers and spooks gathered in Veterans for Britaindo so in order to advance a pro-business, xenophobic and militarist agenda. The efforts of the Socialist Workers Party, Counterfire, Communist Party of Britain and the Socialist Party are directed at all times towards minimising the growing dangers of war arising from the inter-imperialist antagonisms they seek to exploit in the name of breaking up the EU. In doing so they are guilty of a political crime against the working class. As workers in France mobilise in struggle against the Socialist Party (PS) and its labor law, they face a political struggle against the entire ruling class, as the reactionary policies of the PS and its allies strengthen the positions of the extreme right within the bourgeois political establishment. On May 12, the neo-fascist National Fronts two representatives in the National Assembly voted for the censure motion against the PS government for imposing the labor law, presented by the conservative parties The Republicans (LR) and the Union of Democrats and Independents (UDI). They also called for the dissolution of parliament. Throughout the movement against the law that began in March, the FN, which boasts of being the first party of France and the party of the people representing the masses, abstained from any visible presence in the streets and from commentary in the media. The FN does not have a precise position on the law, often stating it is against it and criticising certain of its provisions. It participated in one, carefully-staged right-wing protest against anti-cop hatred, which enjoyed PS support. Here the FN and the ruling class resorted to a proven strategy. For 25 years, at every major struggle of workers and youth against austerity measures from right-wing or PS governments, the FN disappears from the political scene. The purpose of this manoeuvre is to avert a clash between the working class and the neofascists, and to preserve the FNs entirely false populist veneer as a defender of the people. After every defeat of the workers organised by the unions and their allies, however, the FNs position inside the political establishment emerges reinforced. The press noted this anomaly. Under the title On social aspects, the FN is silent, France Inter wrote: While the left and right tear each other apart on the El Khomri law, the FN has disappeared ... after months of media saturation, admittedly one is a little surprised to not hear anything from the extreme right. Several opinion polls make clear that this reactionary process has strengthened the FNs positions inside the political establishment. According to Odaxas survey on April 29, The communication strategyor these days non communicationMarine Le Pen is definitely very effective. Qualified without fail in the first round (and often in first place) in most polls, her positive ratings are ... quite sizeable. Thus in our latest political poll published April 26, 25 percent of the French population declared that they feel sympathy for Marine Le Pen The polling institute adds, while only 13 to 19 percent of French people have declared that they often agree with the stance of the FN between 1992 and 2002 ... now 33 percent have said they agree with [M. Le Pen] in our survey. This is nearly double the support that the FNs ideas had in April 21, 2002. According to a poll by Elabe on April 27 for Les Echos, Marine Le Pen would qualify for the second round in all tested hypotheses. The voting figures in her favour confirm the dynamism of the National Front, with scores oscillating between 23 percent and 28.5 percent [depending on the scenario]. In each of the eight scenarios, the score obtained by Marine Le Pen would allow her to qualify for the second round of the presidential election if it were held next Sunday. What explains this contradiction? The fact that this neofascist party, whose tradition is the violent repression of the working class, is increasing its poll ratings in a period of open struggle between workers and the ruling class, is due not only to the reactionary policy of the pro-EU austerity by the PS, supported by the trade unions, but particularly of the role of the pseudo-left organisations like the Left Front (FG), the New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA), Night Stand (Nuit Debout), and the other satellites of the PS. Hollandes state of emergency, his invitation of Le Pen to the Elysee presidential palace, and the PS endorsement of the principle of deprivation of nationality, partially rehabilitating the legacy of the Nazi-collaborationist Vichy regime, are clearing the obstacles in the FNs path. Over four years of escalating austerity under Hollandes presidency, the pseudo-left has done everything in its power to block a political struggle of the working class and youth against the PS. It succeeded in demobilising the initial wave of protests so that the PS could impose the law in the Assembly. The working class and youth, on the other hand, ever more clearly identify the PS as an enemy. For two months after the beginning of the movement in March, the unions, supported by the pseudo-left and #UpAllNight (#NuitDebout) movement, did their best to isolate strikes that are now developing, calling only certain sections of workers to strike, and insisting they would not call for a general strike. The social attacks, security policies, and the repression conducted by the PS in the name of leftist values enables the FN to gain influence by posing as a defender of the oppressed. The FNs opposition to the El Khomri law has nothing to do with a defence of social rights. The FN is the political heir of a party of the imperialist bourgeoisie, which is preparing to use the labor law to impose an authoritarian government. The FN is ultra-nationalist, and thinly veils its anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim positions under calls for the defence of secularism. To the extent that it makes criticisms of the law at all, it is to make reactionary appeals to small business. Marine Le Pen said on March 9, The El Khomri bill on labor law does nothing to solve the economic problems of the very small businesses (TPE) and of the small and medium businesses (PME), who are once again those who suffer the most in this reform. Indeed, this project reveals an acute ignorance of the problems and expectations of entrepreneurs and in particular owners of small businesses. We should first allow them to fill their order books. While security forces, inside which the FN has considerable influence, attack strikers and protesters, the FN has launched a law-and-order initiative titled For a pacified France. Ensuring the pacification of societya term rooted in Frances colonial wars in Algeria, Indochina, and Madagascarin the face of rising class struggle is possible only by state violence. As oil refinery blockades and occupations, port walkouts and calls for further strike action in defiance of attacks by riot police spread across France, the working class is emerging as the leading force in the struggle against the Socialist Party (PS) government's reactionary labor law. The movement is beginning to spread internationally. There are strike calls in Belgium, where on Tuesday 60,000 people marched in Brussels to protest the right-wing government's social cuts. Events have rapidly exposed the deep political crisis in Europe, as masses of people across the continent reject European Union (EU) austerity policies. The PS hoped to quell the growing radicalization of the working class by ramming the labor law through the National Assembly despite mass opposition and crushing whatever protests continued afterwards. Now it has been stunned by the depth of opposition that is erupting against its illegitimate law. Seventy percent of the French population wants the PS to withdraw the labor law, and the governments initial attempts to halt the movement through brute repression have failed. On Tuesday, as police used water cannon against protesters in Brussels, the PS sent hundreds of riot police to fire rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannon on workers occupying oil facilities at Fos-sur-Mer. Yesterday, police cleared an occupation of a fuel depot at Douchy-les-Mines. Nevertheless, the mobilization of the working class against austerity is continuing to spread. Twenty-five years after the Stalinist dissolution of the USSR fueled a right-wing shift of all the so-called left parties, an extended period of political disorientation is coming to a close. A movement of the working class has emerged. The wholesale repudiation of the working class, Marxism and socialism that came to dominate in middle-class intellectual circles after the betrayal of the 1968 French general strike by the Stalinist French Communist Party is being refuted by the objective development of the political crisis of European capitalism and the resurgence of class struggle. This struggle is rooted in the global crisis and breakdown of the capitalist system, announced by the financial crash of 2008. Since then, particularly in Europe, the working class has had countless bitter experiences with capitalist governments of all stripes, from conservative to social democratic to the so-called radical left Syriza government in Greece. Every one of them took its orders from the banks and deepened the austerity policies of its predecessor. This international assault on the working class is provoking a powerful and growing reaction: strikes by US telecommunications workers and walkouts by teachers, British junior doctors striking against health cuts, Greek workers on general strike against Syriza's austerity measures, and strikes by government and industrial workers in India and China. The labor law is the implementation in France of the structural reform program demanded by the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bankthe institutional representatives of finance capital. It was worked out in close coordination with Berlin, and in particular with Peter Hartz, the social democrat, trade union operative and author of the Hartz laws imposed in Germany a decade ago to slash workers' wages and social conditions. When protests against the labor law began in March, social democratic officials from Germany, Italy and Portugal gathered in Paris to discuss how to handle the crisis. The repression bearing down on workers in France is a warning to the international working class. The basic answer of the ruling elite in France and internationally to the growth of social tensions and working class resistance is to move rapidly toward dictatorship. It is clear that the state of emergency introduced in France and Belgium shortly after the Paris terror attacks last year was aimed not at Islamist terror networks, which in any case serve as instruments of NATO foreign policy in Syria, but at domestic opposition centered in the working class. The PS is using the emergency powers to smash occupations and assault peaceful demonstrators, threatening them with long prison terms. The events in France demonstrate how the working class is left with no option but to take the revolutionary road, fighting to bring down pro-austerity governments in France and across Europe. As struggles spread, France and all of Europe are entering into a pre-revolutionary situation. The indispensable ally of the French, Belgian and Greek workers in this struggle is the European and international working class. It is a basic political task facing workers internationally to support and defend their class brothers and sisters in France against persecution by the PS government. French workers can make a powerful appeal to workers across Europe, who are carefully following the struggles in France, Belgium and Greece. Workers must reject all attempts to divide their struggles along national lines. More rabidly nationalist factions of the ruling class, represented in France by sections of the right-wing Republicans and the far-right National Front (FN), are attacking the EU, seeking to exploit the labor law crisis and the disintegration of European social democracy to come to power. Yesterday, FN leader Marine Le Pen issued a statement demanding that the government withdraw the labor law and call new elections. The European Union of the corporations and banks is a prison for the working class and breeding ground for national chauvinism, militarism and war. It must be overthrown. But a retreat behind national borders on the basis of French, German, British, Greek or any other chauvinism is no less reactionary and destructive of the interests of working people. The only progressive alternative to the European Union is the unification of Europe on a new, revolutionary and egalitarian basis through the coordinated struggle of workers across Europe for workers power and socialism. Workers cannot limit their movement to demanding the withdrawal of one or another particularly reactionary law, or the replacement of one pro-austerity government by another. The unification of the struggles of the European working class can proceed only on the basis of a common struggle for socialism in every European country. This requires a comprehensive political and strategic reorientation of the working class, including the formation of organs of struggle that are independent of the trade unions and all of the political parties and representatives of the ruling elite. Above all, it requires the building of a new Marxist leadership in the working class, sections of the International Committee of the Fourth International, in countries across Europe to advance the perspective of the United Socialist States of Europe. The Socialist Equality Partys candidates for the 2016 Australian federal elections will be addressing public meetings over the coming weeks in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The SEP is fielding slates of Senate candidates in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, and contesting the lower house seats of Grayndler and Blaxland in Sydney and Wills in Melbourne. At the meetings, the candidates will explain the socialist and internationalist program that the SEP is fighting for, in opposition to Labor, the Liberals, the Greens and every other capitalist party. They will outline the immense dangers of war, particularly in the Asia-Pacific, and expose Australias integration into the advanced preparations for a US-led conflict with China. The SEPs election campaign, which is being carried out in the closest collaboration with the sections of the world Trotskyist movement, is aimed at building an anti-war movement of the working class throughout Asia and internationally to prevent the catastrophe of a new world war. The meetings will elaborate the socialist alternative to the assault on social rights, including education, healthcare and jobswhich will be intensified by whichever parties form governmentand to the erosion of fundamental democratic rights. We appeal to all workers, young people and students seeking to fight war, austerity and the preparations for dictatorship to attend our meetings and bring your friends and family. Meeting Details Queensland Saturday, June 11, Noon Goodna Neighbourhood House 33 Queen Street, Goodna (Please note this meeting was postponed by a week because of last Saturday's dangerous weather.) New South Wales Seat of Blaxland: Sunday, June 12, 1:30pm Bankstown Senior Citizens Centre 7 West Terrace, Bankstown Central Coast: Wednesday June 8, 6.30pm Toukley Neighbourhood Centre Heador St, Toukley Authorised by James Cogan, Shop 6, 212 South Terrace, Bankstown Plaza, Bankstown, NSW 2200 The Socialist Equality Party (UK), the British section of the International Committee of the Fourth International, is holding a series of public meetings in cities around the UK in May and June as part of its campaign for an active boycott of the June 23 referendum on the UKs membership of the European Union. The statement issued by the SEP for the campaign, to be discussed at the meetings, can be read here. Upcoming meetings are detailed below. You can register to attend and purchase tickets at the SEPs Facebook page here. Manchester Tuesday, May 31, 7 p.m. Friends Meeting House 6 Mount Street M2 5NS Sheffield Tuesday, June 7, 7 p.m. Victoria Hall Methodist Church Chapel Walk Entrance S1 2JB London Tuesday, June 14, 7 p.m. Student Central, (formerly ULU) Malet Street WC1E 7HY (Nearest tube: Euston, Euston Square, Goodge St) 6 years, 5 months ago by Jim Dewey Monroe County judge recuses himself The case against a Columbia, Missouri man, accused of 1st Degree Murder in a Monroe County man's death, has been delayed. 34 year old Jason Lage appeared in a Marion County court room Wednesday afternoon for his arraignment on charges of 1st Degree Murder, Armed Criminal Action and Evidence Tampering in the 2014 shooting death of Zachary Dawson. At that hearing, Monroe County judge Michael Wilson recused himself from the case, saying he had already presided over a preliminary hearing involving related charges against Lage. The state will now have to appoint a new judge to hear Lage's preliminary hearing on the new charge of 1st Degree Murder, which was filed earlier this week. The shooting happened at a house in Madison in February 2014, when Lage allegedly held a gun to Dawson's head to intimidate him during a robbery, and it went off. Lage's in the Monroe County Jail on one million dollars' bond. --6:38 A.M.-- More than two years after the shooting death of a Monroe County man, prosecutors there have now charged a mid-Missouri man with First Degree Murder. 34 year old Jason Lage faces that charge in the death of 26 year old Zachary Dawson of Madison, as well as charges of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Evidence Tampering stemming from the February 2014 shooting. He had earlier been charged with Second Degree Murder, but the new charge was filed Tuesday, based on new evidence, including conversations with a fellow inmate. Lage and a co-defendant, Jessica Munoz of Moberly, were arrested shortly after the shooting but murder charges weren't filed for several months, as investigators tried to sort out conflicting stories the two told about the incident. Munoz pled guilty earlier this month in Audrain County to first degree Involuntary Manslaughter and Hindering Prosecution of a Felony. She'll be sentenced July 22nd. Lage's trial was set to begin next month in Marion County but is now delayed so a new judge can take over the proceedings. He's being held on a Million Dollars cash only bond. ATLANTA (AP) - State labor officials say Georgia's unemployment rate has declined to 4.8 percent. That's down from 5.2 percent in March. The Georgia Department of Labor on Thursday announced the new rate of 4.8 percent, which is from April. Labor officials say the rate declined as employers created more jobs and laid off fewer workers. Elsewhere in Georgia, metro Gainesville had the state's lowest area jobless rate at 4.2 percent. The local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia's seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for April was 5.5 percent, unchanged from March. It was 6.1 percent in April 2015. (Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) TALLAHASSEE (WTXL) - Leon County deputies have arrested a juvenile they say posted a bomb threat to the social media app, Snapchat. Deputies received the call early Thursday morning. They say the post was made about 9:40 pm last night and stated the incident would happen in 12 hours. The juvenile taken into custody is said to be a student at Lincoln High School. Officials are saying there is no threat and that it was meant to be an end of the year prank. MIDWAY, Fla. (WTXL) -- A better-defined low-pressure center has emerged from the mass of cloudiness and moisture north of the Bahamas Thursday, bolstering beliefs that the disturbance may be able to gain further strength in the western Atlantic. The disturbance is embedded amid a wide swath of moisture stretching from eastern Cuba to Bermuda. The upper-level winds remains rather fast in this zone, but forecast data suggest the upper winds slacking off through the next couple of days. The low will move to the northwest, into a generally drier portion of the atmosphere in the western Atlantic. The lack of moisture will slow any efforts for the system to further organize. However, lighter upper winds and marginally warm ocean water temperatures near the Gulf Stream may lead to a sustaining trend of gradual strengthening of the low into the Memorial Day weekend. High pressure to the north of the system should keep the low on a northwest track, mainly toward the Georgia or Carolinas coastal sections as a modest subtropical or tropical system. The National Hurricane Center gauges a high chance for the low to acquire subtropical or tropical characteristics. Forecast track guidance suggest a continued motion to the northwest, with little variation. An Air Force reconnaissance mission is scheduled for Friday, which will gather data and investigate how the system is developing. Considering this scenario, local impacts from the system will be minimal and indirect. A drier, stable slot in the atmosphere would keep regional temperatures above average in the afternoon, and rain chances quite limited through Sunday. Travelers heading to the Atlantic coast along Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas should be prepared to experienced increased swells in offshore waters and a higher rip current risk. Chances for rain and gusts associated with the system may be confined to areas near eastern Georgia and South Carolina. Edwin Zuriel, a senior at Davis High, is photographed in the halls of Davis High School in Yakima, Wash. on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Zuriel, speaks English, Spanish and has taken honors French classes. (SHAWN GUST/Yakima Herald-Republic) YAKIMA, Wash. -- Prosecutors are recommending a former Wapato police officer be sentenced to six months on electronic home monitoring after he Helicopter pilot Pete Peterson looks down at the load of gear he is transporting during a live training for quick-strike teams of helicopters and firefighters at Cle Elum Municipal Airport in Cle Elum, Wash., Wednesday, May 25, 206. Peterson has been flying helicopters for the Department of National Resource since 1989. (SOFIA JARAMILLO/Yakima Herald-Republic) When is the last time you visited Umm Al-Fahm? It's reasonable to assume that you've never been there. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the name Umm Al-Fahm? You may think that it is the city of Sheikh Raed Salah, leader of the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, which was recently outlawed. Or you may think of the mountains of salad and stuffed vegetables at Al-Babur restaurant, Said Abu Shakra's gallery, or the city's forthcoming museum, all of which pay homage to a hopeful Palestinian narrative that accepts the possibility of coexistence. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter I recently visited Umm Al-Fahm with a group of Israelis. Coincidentally, our visit took place on the same day Raed Salah entered prison. Before our visit, locals erected a tent to bid farewell to Salah. The police also advised four members of Knesset, two Arabs and two Jews, to visit Um Al-Faham only after Salah's imprisonment took place, for fear of riots. As for my tour, we visited the local gallery and some restaurants. The main theme of the tour focused on a loaded topic: How to create to a household environment in which to raise young children successfully, and integrate them into their community, without inculcating radical Islamic ideology. Protest in Umm Al-Fahm. (Photo: Ido Becker) With 52,000 residents, Umm Al-Fahm is third largest Arab city in Israel, after Nazareth and Rahat. The northern Arab city suffers from poverty, neglected infrastructure, pollution, and a high unemployment rate. Forty percent of the city's residents are young people under the age of 18, and another 20 percent are under the age of 40. No matter how you look at it, many unemployed young women are struggling to find work and will end up joining the Islamic Movement. This speaks for itself. Another disturbing fact is that 600 households are defined by Israeli law as single-parent households. And these households do not receive the same support that Jewish households receive. This unusual phenomenon is related to politics of our neighborhood: 600 women who were born and raised in Um Al-Faham, marriedand are still married tomen who are not Israeli (Palestinians from the West Bank, Gaza, or Jordan). These women, with their children, decided to move away from their husbands and return to live in their birthplace. It seems that they find living under Israeli authority to be more comfortable. Their partners are denied entry into Israel because of the fear they will seek permanent residence. Thus, 600 married women and their 3500 children end up in the precarious situation of a single-parent household, which does receive support from the government. The "Joint Ashalim" project and other NGOs have the filled the gaps where the government is absent. These groups have funded and organized educational programs in the depths of these poor neighborhoods. They have provided nurseries, kindergartens, clubs, a library, psychological assistance, and guidance for mothers on how to communicate with their children. The leaders of these groups say that on the one hand they are raising the next generation to integrate into the state, but on the other they cannot promise equal opportunity. Meanwhile, the Islamic Movement is providing a place of refuge to anyone, and the state's institutions are looking the other way. PARIS - Egypt denied entry to the Cairo correspondent of the La Croix newspaper and RTL radio without explanation after detaining him at the airport overnight, the French foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Remy Pigaglio, who had been based in Cairo since 2014, arrived at Cairo International Airport on May 23 and was put on a flight out the next night despite high-level intervention by the French embassy, a statement by La Croix said. It said Pigaglio had a valid six month journalist visa. Cofix, the Israeli coffee shop chain known for selling coffee and other products at a fixed price of NIS 5 each, recently announced that it will open 1,000 branches in Russia. The Russian branches are expected to sell coffee and other goods for 50 rubles, equivalent to NIS 2.5. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Cofix has informed the Israeli Stock Exchange of an agreement it has reached with a group of investors, according to which the two will open a network of branches in Russia. The Israeli company plans on entering the Russian market in three stages. In stage one, three self-operated stores will be opened. In stage two, 300 branches will be franchised in Moscow; and in stage three, 700 additional branches will be franchised across all of Russia. According to the agreement, the branches will sell coffee, soft drinks, pastries, sandwiches, and the like at a fixed price. Cofix. Sells coffee, pastries, and other items at a fixed NIS 5 price. Cofix has stated that its subsidiary, Urban Cofix, has signed a deal with a private company owned by a group of Russian investors, led by Satesh Melwani and Mikhail and Grigory Perchersky. Urban Cofix and the investors will establish a private company in Cyprus, with Urban Cofix owning 36.44 percent of said company and the investors owning 61.56 percent. The remaining 2 percent of the company will be owned by an additional investor. According to the company's business plan, the Cypriot company will operate in Russia similarly to how Urban Cofix operates in Israel. "According to the agreement, the investors and Urban Cofix will commit to providing the Cypriot company with funding of up to $1 million for the purpose of operating the coffee shops in Russia, with the investor putting forth 85 percent of the initial investment, while Urban Cofix putting forth 15 percent." In case additional funding is needed, the investors and Urban Cofix will supply the funds at an identical 85 percent-15 percent rate, up to the sum of $1.5. As stated, Cofix's prices will be cheaper in Russia. Cofix CEO Haim Aharon told Ynet the reason for this is due to general price levels in Russia being lower than in Israel. "Socio-economic disparity is very high there. Much higher than in Israel," he said. Are there already locations in mind? "The branches will open in commerce centers and train stations, but there are no specific locations yet. We will establish three pilot branches, train the teams, see how it works, and then go for it. All three will be owned, and later on we'll operate on a franchising model." The Cofix supermarket. All items are at a fixed price there as well. (Photo: Meirav Crystal) What are your sales expectations? "2,000, 2,500 items per shop. That's our expectation, that's the base." Did you contact them or did they contact you? "Someone mediated. They saw the concept in Israel and liked it. We're contacted by a lot of people from all over the world. We don't get back to everyone everyone." They could have copied the business model. "We registered Cofix as a trademark in several countries, but they could have copied the concept, creating a variation that wouldn't be considered copying in court. But serious people want to know how it works, what the system is, what the information package behind the concept is. We've accumulated knowledge here. Establishing a chain without our assistance would be hard." Cofix Vice President in charge of Commerce and Purchasing Hagit ShInobar, who also owns 17 percent of the company, doesnt have an accurate prediction of Cofix's Russian sales. She did, however, tell Ynet, " We expect similar performance to that in Israel. Sales of fewer than 500-600 items per day would be considered a failure." A Cofix branch in Tel Aviv. Will the branches be operated by franchisees? "In the beginning, the branches will not be operated by franchisees, but by the partnership we established with the local company, but later on, yes, they'll be operated by franchisees. At the start, we'll only be bringing in the original Cofix concept, leaving out Cofix Bar (a fixed-price bar serving alcoholic drinks. ed.) and Super Cofix (a fixed-price supermarket ed)." You announced that you'll be opening 300 branches. What will be the pace? We'll start like we did in Israel, with 3 pilot branches, then continue with 12-150 branches in Moscow, and then we'll see." The menu will be different. "It will be adjusted to fit the weather and local tastes." You're religious. You won't keep kosher there. "Of course it won't be kosher." Do you intend to expand into other countries? Bordering countries, for instance? "Yes, we plan on expanding, but not necessarily to countries in the Russian area. That's also a kind of pilot for us: Stepping outside and seeing what happens. In Israel, our state, thank god, is (knocks on wood). We have 125 Cofix branches right now, and 17 Super Cofix branches, the latest one having been opened on Sunday in Kiryat Shmona. We continue to grow, rise, and develop." The United States expressed concern on Wednesday of the appointment of Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman as Israel's defense minister. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the opposition of some Israeli cabinet ministers to a Palestinian state alongside Israel raised "legitimate questions" about the direction of Israeli policy but he said the United States would judge the new government based on its actions. "We are going to work with this government as we have with every Israeli government that preceded it with the goal of strengthening cooperation and we remain steadfast in our commitment to the security of Israel and in our commitment to working towards a two-state solution, Toner told reporters. Incoming defense minister Lieberman and Prime Minister Netanyahu (Photo: EPA) Lieberman's return to office - he was previously foreign minister - has raised questions at home and abroad given his past criticism of Israel's Arab minority, US-sponsored peace talks with Palestinians and regional powers Egypt and Turkey. Once Lieberman is sworn in, Netanyahu will have a government of 66 legislators, widening his current one-seat majority in the 120-member parliament, a goal the prime minister has said he has sought since winning a fourth term last year. After signing a coalition agreement with Yisrael Beytenu, Netanyahu sought to assuage concerns of the makeup of his government, after it has been dubbed the most right-wing in Israel's history. "My government remains committed to pursuing peace with the Palestinians, pursuing peace with all our neighbors," Netanyahu said. "My policy has not changed. We will continue to pursue every avenue for peace, while ensuring the safety and security of our citizens." He said a broader and more stable government would make it easier to "seize new opportunities" in the region, a reference to potential peace moves with Arab states that share Israel's concern about Islamist militancy and Iran. Palestinian officials said that with Lieberman, who lives in a settlement in the West Bank, back in the cabinet as defense minister, prospects for reviving statehood negotiations that collapsed in 2014 had grown dimmer. US State Department Spokesman Mark Toner on Lieberman joining gov't X Speaking in English, Lieberman, who once famously threatened to bomb Egypt's Aswan dam and has called for the assassination of Hamas Islamist leaders in Gaza, promised a "responsible and reasonable" policy. "At the end of the day my intention (is) to provide security and of course all of us we have a commitment, strong commitment, to the peace, to the final status agreement (with the Palestinians)," said the Soviet-born party leader. Nabil Abu Rdainah, the spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said: "What's important is deeds not words... Israel should learn the true lesson from making peace because there can be no peace and no stability in the region unless the Palestinian cause is resolved." Netanyahu began negotiations with Lieberman last week after coalition talks failed with the Zionist Union, the main opposition. The courting of Lieberman came as a surprise as he and Netanyahu have been sharply dismissive of one another. Several former Israeli defense ministers have criticized Lieberman's appointment to the sensitive post, citing the politician's relative lack of military experience. Yisrael Beytenu has six legislators, but one of them, Orly Levi-Abekasis, has said she is leaving the party and would vote independently in parliament, citing what she called its failure to pursue economic and social reforms. Levi-Abekasis's spokesman said on Wednesday she was still formally a member of Yisrael Beytenu as procedural issues had yet to be finalized. Yisrael Beytenu will become the sixth party in Netanyahu's religious-nationalist coalition. The deal prompted Moshe Ya'alon, a Likud member and former general, to quit as defense minister in protest on Friday. The Palestinian ambassador in Cairo has said that the Egyptian peace initiative does not clash with the French initiative and that it does not constitute an alternative. His comments came ahead of Mahmoud Abbas visit to Cairo scheduled for the end of the week during which he will meet with foreign ministers of the Arab League. Some 200,000 people have flocked to Meron so far on Lag BaOmer to celebrate the Yom Hillula (anniversary of death) of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, the second century ACE rabbinic sage who is buried there. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter One of the revelers Ronen, who says he makes sure to come to Meron for the Hillula every year. He said that despite the overcrowding at the celebration, he is excited every time he sees the masses, "it's part of the experience." And they come from all Jewish sects: religious, secular, Chassidim, Litvaks (Lithuanian Jews), women wearing pants and women dressed religiously. "It is a privilege to be here," he said. "You see miracles." Celebrations at Meron (, : ) X What are people seeking at the tomb of the "holy tanna" (a rabbinic sage from the Mishnaic period), who, according to tradition, is the author of the Kabbalah? Salvation, answers to prayers - and happiness. "We came to dance and be happy," declared Shimon and Mordechai. "This is our Independence Day," and immediately burst into song. Bonfire being lit by the Boyan hassidim at Meron (Photo: Eli Aviv) As every year, the Hillula was kicked off Wednesday night by the Boyan Hasidim who have the rights to light the first bonfire at 8:30pm, and it will end with the last bonfire being lit Thursday at 7pm. The right to light the first bonfire is highly esteemed by the ultra-Orthodox and attests to the greatness and the influence of those who receive it. The leading rabbi of the Boyan hassidim might be the leader of a relatively small hassidic group in Jerusalem, but the Boyan have had this right, which is handed down from father to son, for a hundred years. At the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (Photo: Eli Mandlebaum) After him, one after the other, different rabbis come to light bonfires throughout the entire day. Among those lighting bonfires are Shlomo Amar, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, and the head rabbis of the Toldot Avraham Yitzhak hassidim and the Modzitz hassidim. Police have been stationed near the site of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai's tomb since the beginning of the week to maintain order ahead of the Hillula, which will end Thursday at midnight. Getting to the celebration is made possible solely by public transportation, which has been beefed up significantly to allow people from all across the country to get to Meron. According to tradition, thousands of children aged three will be brought to Meron to carry out the 'halaka' their first haircut. Their families and rabbis will have the honor of cutting the child's curls for the first time. Hairdressers from across the country have set up makeshift hairdresser stands, and will offer families a proper finish to the haircut. Tens of injured, heavy pollution By Thursday morning, Magen David Adom paramedics treated about 150 celebrants, with two men aged 20 transferred in a moderate to serious condition to the Ziv Medical Center in Safed with alcohol poisoning. The United Hatzala organization reported that their paramedics treated 163 people lightly injured, who, among other things, suffered bruises and minor burns. As is the case every Lag BaOmer, this year a high level of air pollution was recorded across the country. The Ministry of Environmental Protection said that most of the air quality monitoring stations noted a rise in particle concentrations due to the many bonfires lit. The highest levels of pollution were registered between the hours of 10:30pm-4:30am. Kiryat Haim experienced 11.8 as much pollution as any other day, while northern Ashdod saw pollution levels 10.2 higher than normal. They are interns aspiring to become surgeons in leading hospitals in Israel. Their complicated work on the operating table requires attention to the smallest details at all times. They need solid concentration, nerves of steel and, most importantly, alertness. The slightest hand movement, any distraction, and even the smallest mistake can have a fatal impact or cause irreversible damage. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Despite the prohibition on doctors working more than 26 hours per shift, medical interns sometimes remain on their feet for 34 consecutive hours. While sometimes they work only 30 hours, the consequences are the same: The suffer from severe fatigue, exhaustion, confusion and, importantly, they are in no position to operate on patients. In the majority of cases disasters are only prevented by a miracle. So serious has the issue become, some of these aspiring surgeons and doctors have decided to blow the whistle and expose this deadly secret about which most senior figures in the health services choose to remain silent: The breadth of the workload has become a clear and immediate life-threatening danger for their patients. Doctors protest in Tel Aviv (Photo: Dana Kopel) Dr. Yaronsurgical intern I had an incident where one sick patient needed to receive medication, recalled Dr. Yaron who works in a hospital in central Israel. It was four or five in the morning and I was really tired. I remember that after a few hours I came and saw that her infusion contained the wrong medication. I had given her the medication that does precisely the opposite of what she needed. In all likelihood I fell asleep when I was writing down her medication. To this day, Yaron said that he finds it difficult to forget the mistake which could have been fatal. It's a terrible feeling. I came to help her and I almost killed her. It was a miracle that no damage was caused. Since that incident I decided to list medication only while standing up. Last week, Yedioth Ahronot covered a story on striking doctors who are demanding to have the number of hours per shift reduced - shifts which can sometimes last as long as 26 hours straight. However, the horrifying testimonies of surgeons who sometimes work 30 hours per shift - which is forbidden by law - shed light on what is really happening in Israeli operating theaters. In three years of being an intern I have conducted, on average, between eight and nine shifts per month and sometimes even ten. During these shifts I receive and discharge patients, speak with them and their families, carry out checks and medical visits and list medication, Dr. Yaron continued. Most of the responsibility falls on his shoulders however, when he enters the operating room. We have operations which are decided in advance and also emergency surgeries which accumulate over the course of the day. I treat all serious trauma incidents which range from patients who are suffering from internal bleeding to victims of road and work accidents to those who are suffering pains in the stomach. However, it is during the night shift when people suddenly arrive requiring immediate and complicated surgery. The same junior surgeons who are responsible for saving their lives have already exhausted all of their strength. There was a sick man who came with stomach pains and had an infection in his appendix. We waited until the operating room became available. However, there weren't enough doctors since they were all occupied by more urgent surgery. His appendix was punctured and pus was pouring out of his abdominal cavity. Suddenly a simple operation transformed into a complicated and life-threatening one. What saved this patient was the adrenalin in my blood. Any other time I would have fallen asleep with the knife in my hand, Dr. Yaron explained Photo: Dana Kopel Dr. Shlomisurgical intern Not everybody was as fortunate as Dr. Yaron. Dr. Shlomi (pseudonym), an intern in an exclusive hospital in the north, recounted a shocking story in which an error of judgment brought about by fatigue drastically changed the life of a young boy. Our wing is one of the best in Israel. Two months ago a ten-year-old boy came in for surgery at 2am in a state of deteriorating consciousness and in extremely serious condition. We saw that he was seriously bleeding from his head and brought him into the operating room. I fell asleep during part of the operation, Dr. Shlomi admitted. When we left we saw that the boy had not recovered. We brought him in for an X-ray and realized that we had made a serious mistake in our diagnosis. There is no doubt that this was because of fatigue. We brought him in again for an operation. We saved his life but because of this mistake he is now disabled in half of his body and has a stutter. His parents have no idea why the operation finished the way it did. Dr. Shlomi said that he doesn't understand how he or his intern friends can be expected to work 30 hours in a row without making mistakes. There are times when I enter the operating room at 5am after 23 hours without sleeping. There were times when I dozed off during operations, he said. But this isn't supposed to be of any interest to the patient or their family. It shouldn't be that as a result of an operation taking place in the middle of the night the patient dies. We make mistakes which do result in them dying. Dr. Shlomi added that if his performance during operations is objectively assessed, it will become clear that he performs worse during the night. The sick and their families dont always know this - or maybe they do and they choose to ignore it because they need someone to take care of them but are afraid to wake the doctor up. he concluded. Photo: Dana Kopel Dr. Kobicardiovascular intern The abundance of similar testimonies indicates that these aren't aberrations but concerning normalities. Dr. Kobi (pseudonym) who works in a hospital in central Israel told the story of a dilemma he once faced when he entered the operating room despite being extremely tired. I knew that I had to accumulate hours in the operating room to become a good surgeon. The problem is that a lot of the time I deal with other things like discharging patients or doing blood tests, he said. To accumulate operating hours I stay after the shift because it's the only time I can learn the work. Anyone who complains wont be allowed to enter the operating room as punishment. Everybody knows this and turns a blind eye. Sometimes we sign-out even though in reality we stay in the operating room. It goes without saying that we aren't paid for this. It's totally illegal. He went on to state, chillingly, that during my medical studies they taught us that every doctor has his own little graveyard. Some of the people in that graveyard I carry with me everywhere. Dr. Illanagynecological intern Dr. Illana (pseudonym) also talked about her tragic experiences in the operation room which come about as a result of the impossible workload: Sometimes there's no choice and you have to perform a Cesareans section in an emergency. Nobody cares how many hours I've already been awake. I put on my scrubs and go into the room. There were cases where my eyes really did close and the senior doctor just said to me: Come on. Stitch quickly and get everything inside. All of these testimonies produce a disturbing picture: The good intentions and obligations of the interns matter little. There are physiological limits which prevent them from functioning after 30 hours of work. I check myself a few times and in the morning I always realize that there were things that I forgot, Dr. Yaron says. I forgot to take a blood sample or give pills or sometimes I forget to explain which medical procedure the patient needs to undergo. The interns are fed up. Even though extra duty shifts have been the reality in Israel for 16 years - after it was decided to reduce the shifts from 36 to 26 hours - they are demanding from the health ministry to take a stand on a collective agreement signed in 2011 which states that the duration of the shift for interns in emergency and childrens' wings will be shortened to a maximum of 20 hours within one year of the signing of the agreement. Five years later, the reform is yet to be implemented. Nor was the promise to allow for resting hours during the shift between 2am and 4pm. The senior doctors also shared their thoughts regarding the protests by the interns. While some of them support the campaign, others say that they also passed through the same kind of shift requirements during their training and refuse to acknowledge the problems with it. However, the interns are unconvinced by this attitude. Even in the IDF Golani brigade there was a custom for years in which the senior soldiers would abuse the junior soldiers. Every draft was in the habit of doing this because they also passed through this hazing, said Dr. Shlomi. Until one day a group of young soldiers rose up and said enough. We have to stop this obscene phenomenon. Health minister: 'We will seek to reduce trainee doctors workload' Following the publication of the shocking testimony, Health Minister Yaakov Litzman published his response on Wednesday night in which he emphasized that the number of working hours for intern doctors will soon not exceed 26 hours as stipulated by law. It has been brought to my attention that there may be cases in which the working conditions of medical interns set by the minister of economics are not being fulfilled, which include a strict quota of consecutive working hours and the provision for resting hours during training periods. I wish to clarify; the provisions of a license state a legal obligation, and failure to comply with them constitutes a criminal act according to the laws of working hours and rest, wrote Litzman. He called on hospital managers to enforce the regulations before delivering a warning to those who sidestep the law: Anyone who does not uphold the conditions of the licenses will be called upon for an explanation and will be sanctioned". Health Minister Yaakov Litzman (Photo: Motti Kimchi) Moreover, Litzman pledged to shorten the number of hours in accordance with past legislation: We will begin a pilot program to implement this soon." Although Dr. Leonid Edelman, longstanding head of the Israel Medical Association, refuses to join in the interns' struggle a struggle which he was formerly against highlighted that this time, the protests weren't over wages but shift length. He claims that it hurts the "continuity of care" and procedures set forth therein. According to the budget agreements of 2011, doctors working 24 hour shifts may be required to work two additional hours in order to ensure a transition between shifts (ed.). There are many wards wherein the transition is done within an hour. Moreover, the terms stated that a doctor would be entitled to 24 hours leave which are fully paid following protracted duty shifts, continued Dr. Edleman. The general provisions that were outlined in January 2015 established the need to abide by a weekly work limit (71.5 hours) which include an hours roster which ensures that the number of hours worked will not exceed the number of hours set. Additionally, because of the court ruling on the issue of reducing the duration of shift duty hours, it was decided to allocate between 2-4 hours of rest on the job, a ruling which was also included in the general license provisions, he continued. According to Edelman, the medical trade union is only asking that the improved conditions set out in the provisions regarding fewer hours which were already agreed upon be fully implemented. During a meeting between the medical trade union and the general manager at the health ministry, medical representatives were informed that the ministry of health and ministry of economics had taken steps to increase enforcement to ensure that doctors do not stay beyond their required time even if they desire to do so. The medical trade union believes it reasonable to do everything in order to ease the burden of medical interns and enable a better quality of life for them without impinging, most importantly, on their professional training, quality of care or their wages, Edelman summarized. It is important to highlight that we are convinced that all treatment, procedures and operations will remain at the highest standard. They are the senior doctors and surgeons and they are the interns who ensure that the treatment provided is the most comprehensive. This Sunday, British MP Naz Shah will address the Jewish community at the Beth Hamidrash Hagadol Synagogue (BHHS) in Leeds. Shah was recently suspended from the British Labour party for comments she once posted on the internet calling for Israel to be relocated to the US, with the words problem solved. Furthermore, she posted another comment using hashtag #IsraelApartheid adding: Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Her defenders, who have been quick to point out that these comments were made before she became an MP, have only reinforcedalbeit unwittinglythe beliefs of those among us who recognize her comments for what they truly mean. Indeed, this weak line of defense merely emphasizes Shahs true desires to cleanse Israel ethnically of its Jews. Whether or not her comments predated her political advancement is entirely irrelevant. Even her so-called apology in the House of Commons, in which she referred to her mistakes, demonstrated no remorse. I accept and understand that the words I used caused upset and hurt to the Jewish community and I deeply regret that. I truly regret what I did, she said without explaining precisely what she did. MP Naz Shah Shah never apologized for anything beyond the fact that she was exposed. She expressed no remorse about the fundamental premise of her comments but merely their publication. Despite all her hateful writing on the (social media) wall, one of the most prestigious orthodox synagogues in England has, jointly with the Leeds Jewish Representative Councilshamefullyinvited the local Jewish community to submit any questions for Shah in advance, an exercise which amounts to little more than censorship and a timid attempt to avoid offending this rabid anti-Semite whose comments have contributed to the British Jewish communitys increasing sense of vulnerability. One can only be astonished by the naivety of the BHHS spokesperson who was quoted in the Jewish Chronicle justifying the event thus: We wouldnt have had a meeting if she hadnt have apologized. On this occasion we felt it was appropriate given...the apology thats been made. How limited must be his/her powers of analysis to fall for such amateurish and manipulative verbal acrobatics? There comes a point at which the community must recognize that there is a time to talk and there is a time to accept reality. When there is no ambiguity whatsoever about Shahs rhetoric, no Jewish individual or organization, let alone a synagogue, should be so deluded as to believe that if only some kind of token apology can be solicited, then it must be that they are surely, after all, not hated by individuals - individuals who have clearly stated that deporting some 6 million Jews to the United States would be a problem solved. Why not invite George Galloway Ken Livingstone or Jeremy Corbyn , and engage with them too? Truly, Corbyns references to Hamas as friends and Galloways incessant vitriol against Israel may cause discomfort, but one would be hard pressed to actually prove that they are anti-Semitic. Like Shah, they will certainly never admit to it before a Jewish audience or indeed anywhere in the public domain. Nevertheless, Jews have a long history of training in this subject and it should not take a document, book or statement akin to Mein Kampf to convince them they are up against an anti-Semite who will deny being such in order to avert the political ramifications. Naz Shah does not deserve the Leeds communitys time or courtesy. She must not be afforded the opportunity to be forgiven because of a cheap and disingenuous apology. If the Leeds Jewish community feels it is generally contrary to its religious principles to exhibit utter disrespect, it should at least, in this instance, have the courage and the backbone to demonstrate its utter contempt and send the message that she will forever be persona non grata. Anybody who draws parallels between this and boycotts against Israel or Zionists probably possesses the same intellectual prowess as the aforementioned BHHS spokesperson. It is the responsibility of the Leeds and, indeed, the entire British Jewish community to take a firm stance on this matter, rather than entertain the notion that through dialogue or by hearing Shahs sidewhich she has already made abundantly clearwe may better understand what she actually meant. More importantly, the community must not deceive itself into hoping that she will understand its support for Israel or that our differences can be reconciled. There is no chance of such an outcome, for while she will no doubt seek to fool the community by declaring her recognition of the State of Israel, she will never recognize Jewish sovereignty over it. The only outcome of this rendezvous is one which serves all of Shahs interests and none of those of the Leeds Jewish community. The trick is simple: Shah will appear before a crowd of Jews and attempt to dispel accusations of anti-Semitism. If she is attacked, she will be able to tell the press and her party that she undertook sincere efforts to ingratiate herself with the Jewish community, thereby opening the way for Corbyn to reinstate her membership in the party. If she is embraced, she will have expressed her desire to see some 6 million Jews deported to the US gratis. BHHS congregants and the Jewish community at large now have an obligation, both to themselves and to Israel, to approach religious and lay leaders and demand that the event be cancelled. Time will tell if they live up to it. 05/27/2016 UPDATE: Following this article's publication, the Shah event has been moved. It will no longer he held at BHHS. BHHS can be contacted on (0113) 2692181. CAIRO - A Muslim mob ransacked and torched seven Christian homes in a province south of the Egyptian capital, Cairo, after rumors spread that a Christian man had an affair with a Muslim woman, according to a statement by the local Orthodox Coptic church. Released late Wednesday, it said that during the May 20 attack, the mother of the Christian man was publicly stripped of her clothes by the mob to humiliate her. Her son fled the village. Police arrived at the scene nearly two hours after the attacks began and arrested six people, according to the statement by Minya's top cleric, Anba Makarios. He said the family of the Christian man had notified the police of threats against them by Muslim villagers the day before the attack. "No one did anything and the police took no pre-emptive or security measures in anticipation of the attacks," he told a television interviewer Wednesday night. A prominent British academic said Thursday she had turned down a prestigious Israeli award for political reasons, in what looked to be the latest attempt by Western activists to boycott the Jewish state. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Catherine Hall, a history professor at University College London, said her rejection of $300,000 in prize money from The Dan David Foundation was "an independent political choice." She declined to elaborate, but her stance appeared to be inspired by the international BDS movement, which calls for boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel. In a statement to the British Committee for the Universities of Palestine, a pro-BDS group, Hall announced that she was withdrawn from the prize "after many discussions with those who are deeply involved with the politics of Israel-Palestine, but with differing views as to how best to act." She did not return messages seeking additional comment. Catherine Hall The Dan David Foundation awards three $1 million prizes annually. Hall, whose research has focused on rethinking the relation between Britain and its empire in the 19th and 20th centuries, shared one of the awards with two others. The prize is named after the late philanthropist Dan David and administered by Tel Aviv University. Previous recipients include former US Vice President Al Gore, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen. The foundation said Hall initially accepted the prize enthusiastically when she was selected in February and only later asked to withdraw her name without giving a reason. It said it will donate Hall's prize winnings to support Israeli and international history scholars. BDS supporters claim the movement uses nonviolent means to end Israel's presence in the West Bank. US and British academic unions have endorsed boycotts, student governments at universities have made divestment proposals, and a number of churches have sold off shares in businesses seen as profiting from Israel's presence in the West Bank. The BDS movement also claims responsibility for pressuring some large companies to stop or modify operations in Israel. But Israel says the movement's true goals are far more nefarious, alleging it seeks to destroy the country and has anti-Semitic undertones. BDS pushes, among other things, for a return of Palestinian refugees to family properties lost in the 1948 War of Independence surrounding Israel's creation. Israel says the Palestinian "right of return" would lead to a massive influx of refugees and mean the end of the country as a Jewish state. Large numbers of firefighters were battling several large-scale blazes on Thursday afternoon in the general Jerusalem area, with KKL-JNF saying the fires have been caused by Lag BaOmer bonfires. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The fire is spreading because of strong winds and nearing an inhabited area, leading to the evacuation of houses in the capital and its surrounding areas. Residents were ecacuated from 60 houses on Derech Hahoresh Street and other nearby streets in the neighborhood of Ramot; 10 house in Abu Gosh; and five apartments in Gilo. Residents were also being evacuated from Panim Meirot Street in the Romema neighborhood of the capital. One woman was suffering from smoke inhalation in Gilo and received treamtnent on the scene, while residents in Mevaseret Zion were called to stay indoors with doors and windows closed. Yet another fire broke out at the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council. The nearby Arazim Tunnel has been closed for traffic. Fire blazing in Ramot (Photo: Gil Yohanan) Eighteen firefighting teams were deployed, as well as a water tank and eight firefighting planes. Jerusalem's Fire Department has put out a cross-district general call for assistance. An announcement was made to inhabitants of Ramot: "Those living in the Masholim area are asked to evacuate their homes due to a nearby fire getting closer. Please evacuate in a cautious manner and close all doors and windows. Please ensure that no neighbors, old people or children are left behind." The KKL-JNF said the fire was a result of Wednesday's Lag BaOmer fires, but this has not been confirmed by the Fire Department. According to the KKL-JNF, the 9/11 Living Memorial Plaza in Arazim Valley is in danger of being destoyed. (Photo: Eli Kobin) A brush fire broke out near Kiryat Gat in southern Israel, while firefighters from Ashkelon and Kiryat Gat were also combating a large barn fire at moshav Shalva. Ashdod firefighters worked to put out a big brush fire in moshav Azrikam. (Photo: Avraham Shaviv) In addition, firefighting teams combatted blazes in Moshav Givati, Moshav Yinon, Merkaz Shapira, Be'er Tuviya, Moshav Sde Uziyahu and in Timorim. Fire near Ramot in Jerusalem (Photo: Netanel Hadad) By 6pm, firefighting teams gained control of fires in Abu Gosh and Ramot. Citizens were returned to their homes in Ramot and Romema; in the latter, streets have been reopened to traffic. BAGHDAD - Officials say that separate attacks in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and nearby towns have killed at least 12 people. Police say the deadliest attack Thursday took place in the town of Tarmiya, 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Baghdad, where a booby-trapped house exploded as security forces entered during a search, killing five troops and wounding three others. Police say that a bomb went off in a commercial area of Baghdad's southern Abu Disher neighborhood, killing three shoppers and wounding 10 others. Two other bomb attacks struck a commercial area in the northern district of Saba al-Bor and the town of Mishahda, north of Baghdad, killing four people and wounding 16. Medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release the information. BRUSSELS- A suspected Belgian Islamist group raided on Wednesday had potential attack targets in Belgium's second city of Antwerp including the main railway station, a source close to the investigation said on Thursday. Belgian police searched eight homes on Wednesday, mostly in the port city, and detained four teenagers who were charged with participation in the activities of a terrorist organisation. Those detained are suspected of seeking to recruit people to travel to Syria or Libya. Some are also suspected of planning to join Islamic State there themselves. KINSHASA- A Congolese official says at least 23 rebels have been killed in an operation launched in May to combat rebels in the North Kivu province. North Kivu governor Julien Paluku said Thursday the joint US and military operation in Beni has also led to the capture of five rebels, rocket launchers and bombs. Forces have cleared areas where Allied Democratic Forces, rebels with origins in neighboring Uganda, were operating. The area around Beni has been the site of repeated attacks. The rebels have killed at least 500 civilians since October 2014. Russia has yet again frozen transfers of S-300 missile systems to Iran. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The S-300 is an advanced Surface to Air Missile (SAM) which can be used to take out incoming enemy fighter jets attempting to attack Iranian nuclear facilities. Moscow has already transferred three S-300 missile batteries to the Iranians, but have yet to send over the other two. This is because the Iranians have not been able to pay the Russians for the other two batteries. The systems which have already arrived are incomplete systems, as the Iranians have been unable to pay for all of the components. Nevertheless, the Iranians have already featured the missiles in military parades. S-300 SAM system. Iran only has the missiles - no radar (Photo: AP) Despite Iranian budgetary woes, the Islamic Republic has somehow managed to find the funding to up the financial assistance it provides to its Lebanese puppet organization, Hezbollah. It provides approximately half of the terror group's funding, which amounts to approximately one billion dollars a year. Additionally, the Iranian regime also funds the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist organization which operates out of Gaza. London-based Arabic newspaper a-Sharq al-Awsat reported that a delegation from the PIJ, headed by PIJ leader Ramdan Salah, recently visited Tehran, and met with Iranian leaders such as Qasem Suleimani, the head of the Iranian Republican Guards. According to the report, the Iranians are supposed to give the Palestinian terror group $70 million supposedly enough money to enable the terror group to get stronger and effectively oppose Hamas. Meanwhile, the Iranians are planning to continue fighting in Aleppo, Syria. After the Iranian's losses there in the last few weeks whereby dozens of Iranian soldiers and republican guards were captured or killed the Revolutionary guards leadership decided to send a new special forces division to Syria. YENAGOA/LONDON- Chevron's onshore operations in Nigeria's Niger Delta have been shut by a militant attack at its Escravos terminal, sources said on Thursday, and local leaders said military confrontation would not end the violence. A militant group called the Niger Delta Avengers, which has told oil firms to leave the Delta before the end of May, said late on Wednesday that it had blown up the facility's mains electricity feed. Its attacks have hobbled oil output over the past month. A company source told Reuters that "all activities in Chevron are grounded" onshore while oil industry sources said roughly 90,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Escravos were gone due to the latest attack and another on Chevron's offshore facilities earlier this month. Planned Escravos exports in the first half of 2016 averaged 167,000 bpd. Life has turned into a nightmare for Fatmas family since her eldest son, 11, was sexually assaulted, a trauma which has damaged them all and forced them to move house. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter It started one night when our son came home late obviously very troubled, the 30-year-old mother of seven said, speaking to AFP under an assumed name to protect the boys identity. He told me that someone from our extended family and a neighbor took him to an isolated house. He said, They undressed me and started a pornographic video on their computer, I wanted to escape but they caught me,' Fatma recalled, saying she immediately called the police. Two men, in their twenties, were arrested. Fatmas family is one of the rare victims who speak out on a taboo issue in the conservative Gaza Strip and to bring the case to court. Even though they are part of the family, I asked for the death penalty, she said. Palestinian child in Gaza (Photo: AFP) But while one of the suspects was jailed, the other was quickly released. And she said the family quickly hit a wall of shame and silence. The school counsellor who was asked about my sons behavioral problems was ashamed to talk about the real reasons, blaming family disagreements. The damage for the whole family has been irreparable. We spent all our money moving house. Ive suffered a lot and I got sick and all my children were affected indirectly, she said at a Gaza support unit run by the Palestinian Center for Democracy and Conflict Resolution (PCDCR). Culture of shame The shelter is a rare haven for victims of sex crimes and their families in the crowded Palestinian enclave. Asma Saud, a psychological support staffer at the center, said the few children who come there are just the tip of the iceberg. Sexual assaults like these, she explained, are present but hidden because of the weight of tradition and culture of shame. Palestinian school children in Gaza (Photo: Reuters) Gazan society, in which tradition has always played a major role, has turned in on itself further since the Islamist movement Hamas won 2006 elections and took sole control of the territory the next year after deadly clashes with the rival secular Fatah. One morning, while the disabled son of another woman was waiting for the school bus, a neighbor attracted him by offering him money then cornered and sexually assaulted him, Nadia told AFP. I warned the school and I got him discreetly examined by a doctor I know, the mother said. Since then he has been disturbed, he has withdrawn inside himself, she said. He started lagging behind at school and has little enthusiasm for life. Nadia, also a pseudonym, said the fear of what people will say made her wary of contacting the police. Instead she preferred to go to local elders to mediate between her family and that of the aggressor. But the attacker still lives in the same neighborhood. According to a PCDCR study, over 75 percent of 693 abused children identified in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip in two years knew their assailant. Sex education Mahassim, 48 and a mother of eight, knows her six-year-old daughter was molested by an employee at her school. She is still shocked and I wonder how she will be able to lead a normal life, the mother said. She complained but said her family had been pressured by a third party who volunteered to mediate to keep the issue out of the courts. He asked me to show humanity and withdraw my complaint. Palestinian child in Gaza (Photo: Reuters) PCDCR vice president Iyad Abu Hjayer said that of the 693 cases handled by the center, only 22 families had gone to court and most eventually withdrew their complaints. Ayman al-Batniji, spokesman for the Gaza police, deplored the fear of scandal, which in our conservative society means many families refrain from approaching the police. The rape of a child under 14, if proven, can lead to the death penalty under Palestinian law. Before Hamas took power, two men were executed for child rape. A 2003 law on sexual harassment calls for between six months and one year in prison for the aggressor, added the centres Abu Hjayer. He wants more support for victims, as well as tougher sentences. Abu Hjayer also called for real sex education in school and at home in the Gaza Strip. One in two inhabitants is under 18 in Gaza, where the United Nations says 300,000 children, having endured three wars with Israel since 2008 and a decade under blockade, need psychological support. USSOCOM sees a 'Ghost' Gen. Raymond Thomas III, commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, and Maj. Gen. Richard Haddad, vice commander of the Air Force Reserve Command, unveiled the latest painting by award- winning artist Maj. Warren Neary in a ceremony May 23. Haddad described "The Ghost Over the Highway" painting as an "exquisite piece of artwork that symbolizes the partnership between the Air Force Reserve and the special operations community." "For the crew, this represents the opportunity to go into combat and come out safely while destroying so many targets on the Highway of Death," he said. "More importantly, it signifies the bond the Air Force Reserve has had with special operations for 45 years now." The relationship began in 1971 with the 919th Tactical Airlift Group at Duke Field, Florida, and "evolved into the AC-130 gunships followed by the MC-130s, and now the C-145s and C-146s as well as our [remotely piloted aircraft] and formal training unit that do so much work for Air Force Special Operations Command," Haddad said. The painting marks the 25th anniversary of Operation Desert Storm and was unveiled during the Retired Special Operations Senior Leader Conference here. "We've been involved in numerous operations since Just Cause as well as countless exercises along the way," Haddad said. "But as we all know, history tends to repeat itself. We look forward to continuing that bond between the Air Force Reserve and the special operations community." The historical piece highlights an AC-130 combat mission flown on Feb. 26, 1991, during Operation Desert Storm in which Haddad and his crew used perseverance and teamwork to overcome numerous obstacles in successfully employing their weapons over a road connecting Kuwait City to Baghdad. The lead aircraft did not have enough fuel to successfully execute the mission, forcing Haddad to accelerate and adjust the mission in flight. While doing so, his crew members had to manually control their aircraft's ailerons due to a faulty autopilot while employing defensive countermeasures to avoid Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery as they were leaving the "killbox." Also in attendance for the unveiling was Col. Randal Bright, Haddad's co-pilot for the mission and now the commander of the 927th Air refueling Wing here; retired Col. Jose Davison, who served as the navigator; and retired Master Sgt. Larry Ridge, flight engineer on the legendary mission. All were members of the Reserve's 711th Special Operations Squadron, a subordinate unit of the 919th Special Operations Wing, Duke Field, Florida, during Desert Storm. "This painting represents the core members of a gunship crew -- the gunners," Davison said. "Without them, the rest of the crew would not have been capable of completing our assigned mission. The painting brought back great memories of the pride that we felt after arriving at our home base. We felt very proud that after so many years of training we were able to make a small contribution in the successful resolution of the Gulf War. We were proud reservists who [helped create a culture where everyone knows the Reserve is] capable of doing the mission. We were pioneers of the total force concept. ... we brought a tremendous amount of pride to the Air Force Reserve." That pride and experience was echoed by other crew members on the mission. "The Reserve was part of the total force -- we were there to do that mission," Ridge said. "We have a lot of experience, and we bring that to the table. That experience was quite helpful -- it gave me a high level of confidence we were going to be successful that night. General Haddad and Colonel Bright were very experienced. I would have flown anywhere with them." Ridge retired in 2006 with 36 years of service and 8,000 flying hours in AC-130A Spectre and MC-130E Combat Talon aircraft. While the exact number remains unknown, the attack destroyed an estimated 1,200 to 1,400 vehicles. The crew also destroyed at least 20 enemy trucks and four armored personnel carriers. All crew members were awarded the Air Medal for their actions that night. Neary, a Citizen Airman assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command's history office, has been recognized for contributing several paintings to the Air Force Art Program. The original "Ghost Over the Highway" painting will be displayed in the Pentagon, while USSOCOM, Air Force Special Operations Command, AFRC and the 919th SOW will receive canvas clones of the artwork. How Arlington High School, part of it built in 1914, looks today. UPDATED, May 27: The board of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) has voted unanimously to move Arlington High School into the eligibility period for consideration of its application to rebuild. "It's very exciting," Superintendent Kathleen Bodie told the School Committee Thursday, May 26, a day after the state decision. "But just because you're in eligibility doesnt mean you go to next stage." To comply, the administration must provide an initial series of documents to the state agency within 180 days from June 8 to December, and then more of them 90 days after that The extensive documentation may be submitted before target deadlines but not after. "They want to work with you," Bodie said of the state agency, adding that if there were a problem with state funding of school-construction projects, that could stop the local effort. The state had given the high school project a preliminary approval last January, but because of the number of projects statewide, it had to stagger how it handles them, so the final OK for the town to move forward was delayed until May 25. Rep. Sean Garballey, Democrat of Arlington and West Medford, posted the first news of the approval on the Arlington School Enrollment Community Group Facebook site on Wednesday. "This is great news and progress for rebuilding Arlington High School!," he wrote. In January, YourArlington reported: The project to rebuild Arlington High School is in the state pipeline for funding, but it must clear a vote in May before moving ahead in earnest. Reshaping the sprawling school, whose oldest sections date from 1914, is a complex challenge that could take five years. In a news release, state Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, chair of the authority, and MSBA Chief Executive Officer Maureen Valente announced the decision. During the 270-day eligibility period, the agency will work with district officials to determine Arlington's financial and community readiness to enter the state's capital pipeline. The next step is for the District to complete preliminary requirements pertaining to local approval and formation of a local school building committee. Upon timely and successful completion of the eligibility-period requirements, the district becomes eligible for an invitation into the feasibility-study phase, subject to a vote of the Board of Directors. "The eligibility period is a critical step in the MSBAs process of evaluating potential work on Arlington High School," Valente said in the release. "We look forward to our continued partnership with the District as it enters the eligibility period." The MSBA partners with Massachusetts communities to support the design and construction of educationally-appropriate, flexible, sustainable and cost-effective public school facilities. Since its 2004 inception, the authority has made more than 1,700 site visits to more than 250 school districts as part of its due diligence process and has made over $12 billion in reimbursements for school construction projects. Eligibility period: Schedule of deliverables (source: MSBA) Eligibility period commences two weeks after board meeting date (May 25) Initial compliance certification, 30 days; School building committee, 60 days; Educational profile questionnaire, 90 days; Online enrollment projection, 90 days (Bodie said consultant Gordon McKibben may be asked to update projections); Enrollment/certification executed, 180 days; Maintenance and capital-planning information, 180 days; Local vote authorization, 270 days; Feasibility study agreement, 270 days; Eligibility period concludes, 270 days after it begins. Note: The MSBA requires districts that are unable to complete the preliminary requirements within the timeframes noted for each deliverable to withdraw its statement of interest and reapply when the district has the financial and community support required. Massachusetts School Building Authority process overview This brief was published Wednesad, May 25, 2016, and updated May 27, to update all copy. Released this week, the latest Regional Market Report from CoreLogic RP Data named the Illawarra as the best performing regional market in Australia in the year to March 2016. House prices in the Illawarra, which sits south of Sydney, improved 15.8% to a median of $596,000 over the 12 months according to CoreLogic, while the median unit price in the region jumped 13.2% to $442,000. Houses in the region are also selling eight days faster than they were 12 months ago, while units are spending 11 days less on the market. Over the year, rents across the region increased by 4.7% or $20 per week to $450 per week for houses and 4.1% or $15 per week to $380 per week for units. Source: CoreLogic RP Data CoreLogic research analyst Cameron Kusher said the Illawarra has been regional Australias stand out performer recently and said its proximity to Sydney has helped it. As you would expect, this market been driven largely by a surge in Sydney property prices as people find themselves priced out of the capital city housing market, Kusher said. The Illawarra region offers not just an affordable alternative for owner occupiers; its also attracting buyers keen to secure holiday homes, he said. For Matt Knight, director of buyers agency Precium, which operates across the Illawarra and NSW south coast, the idea of the Illawarra being the countrys top regional market comes as no surprise. We typically see a ripple out of Sydney at the end of every boom and this cycle is no different. Having studied the last the two cycles its essentially been quite predictable, Knight said. Its demographics and peoples human nature. Whenever you get somebody like a baby boomer who might have a lot of equity in Sydney and is looking for a better lifestyle or somewhere to invest or you have a young family who are priced out then they start to look here, he said. Currently Knight said the majority of activity in the area is from owner occupiers, with investor activity having pulled back somewhat as result of the lending restrictions and the ongoing election campaign. While the ripple out from Sydney has no doubt played a role in the regions recent success, Knight said there are local factors that have also helped the Illawarra. The increase in buyers exiting Sydney has definitely caused a change in the market, he said. The Illawarra Strategic Plan outlines a series of infrastructure projects for the area which is really helping confidence grow for both the Illawarra and the Shoalhaven. And the visible projects like the Berry bypass are really catching peoples imagination and people are really beginning to see the area isnt as far away as they think. Knight believes the region is yet to peak, but he did offer some caution for those who may be considering rushing in before it does. People do have to do their research and due diligence because there are a lot of sub-markets in the Illawarra. The northern suburbs are in general more expensive. Essentially theyre performing like a beachside suburb in Sydney because a lot of people are commuting to Sydney and they have some fantastic beaches. There are pockets of lower socio-economic areas where people need to be careful of what theyre buying because may have trouble tenanting property. But there are also some real pockets of value which is why its important to understand the micro-market in the greater Illawarra. As a homeowner, you probably already know that you should be working to maintain your home. But, chances are, you Read More The Global and United States Hydrobike Market Report has been published by QY Research recently. Hydrobike Market Analysis and Insights This report focuses on... News Washington, DC - Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Sarah Sewall will travel to Hungary May 25-27. In Hungary, Under Secretary Sewall will meet with government officials, civil society representatives, and community and religious leaders to emphasize U.S. support for democratic institutions, the rule of law, and human rights. She will discuss civil liberties with representatives of civil society, including Jewish and Roma community leaders. She will also meet judges and prosecutors from key partners in central and eastern Europe participating in a U.S.-funded anti-corruption workshop at the International Law Enforcement Academy in Budapest. She will deliver public remarks entitled, Democracy and Human Rights: Shared Challenges and Opportunities, at the House of Hungarian Press, the oldest journalists association in Hungary. News Washington, DC - The United States welcomes the decision of the Azerbaijani Supreme Court to release investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova on a suspended sentence. We view this as a positive step, and we encourage the Azerbaijani government to drop the remaining charges against her. As Azerbaijan continues to expand freedom of expression and space for civic and political participation, this will only continue to strengthen the country of Azerbaijan and our bilateral relationship. Latest News Washington, DC - The Department of State has designated both the Tariq Gidar Group (TGG) and Jamaat ul Dawa al-Quran (JDQ) as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which imposes sanctions on foreign entities determined to have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States. As a result of these designations, all property subject to U.S. jurisdiction in which the TGG or JDQ have any interest is blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with the TGG or JDQ. The TGG is a Pakistani Taliban (TTP) linked group based in Darra Adam Khel, Pakistan. The TGG is responsible for multiple large-scale, fatal attacks, including the December 16, 2014, massacre at the Army Public School in Peshawar, Pakistan, that left 132 schoolchildren and nine staffers deadthe deadliest terrorist attack in Pakistans history. The groups leader, Umar Mansoor, is also known as the mastermind of the January 2016 attack on Bacha Khan University in Charsadda, Pakistan, that killed 20 and wounded between 50 and 60 others. In addition to these devastating attacks, the TGG is responsible for the 2010 kidnapping of a British journalist traveling to North Waziristan, Pakistan, and the 2008 kidnapping and beheading of Polish geologist Piotr Stanczak in Attock, Pakistan. JDQ is a terrorist group, based in Peshawar, Pakistan, and eastern Afghanistan, which pledged allegiance in 2010 to now-deceased Taliban emir Mullah Omar, and has long-standing ties to al-Qaida and Lashkar e-Tayyiba. JDQ has been responsible for various attacks, including the infamous 2010 kidnapping and death of British aid worker Linda Norgrove in Kunar Province, Afghanistan. The United States will continue to work with regional partners to counter militant and terrorist networks. The imposition of sanctions by the United States against terrorists is a powerful tool. Todays action notifies the U.S. public and the international community that both the TGG and JDQ are actively engaged in terrorism. Terrorism designations are one of the ways the United States can expose and isolate organizations and individuals engaged in terrorism, impose serious sanctions on them, and enable coordinated action across the U.S. Government and with our international partners to disrupt the activities of terrorists. This includes denying them access to the U.S. financial system and enabling U.S. law enforcement actions. Latest News Washington, DC - The United States is committed to supporting Vietnams efforts to develop a 21st century higher education system to produce trained, job-ready graduates with the skills necessary to compete in an increasingly global market. Our collaboration on education pre-dates the reestablishment of diplomatic relations in 1995, has been growing annually, and increasingly features innovative partnerships with higher education institutions and companies. Through U.S. assistance, our shared work has already impacted 30,000 university students through curriculum support, training, and capacity building at the faculty and administrative levels in the engineering and social work education sectors. We have expanded this support to the science, technology, engineering, math, and medical education fields. By leveraging expertise and funding from the private sector, our programs in higher education have far-reaching impact and are addressing the demands of a rapidly changing Vietnamese economy. The Fulbright University Vietnam (FUV) will be a watershed in U.S.-Vietnam education cooperation. With over $20 million in investment from the U.S. government, FUV will be the first independent, non-profit university in Vietnam and represents a unique contribution by the United States to Vietnams development. By modeling core principles including academic freedom, meritocracy, transparency, and equal access, FUV will bring a world-class university to Vietnam and foster greater linkages with the United States. Higher education represents one of the best examples of the rapidly growing people-to-people ties between the United States and Vietnam. Examples of the more than twenty years of U.S. assistance in support of the development of Vietnams higher education system include the following: Improving Access, Curriculum and Teaching in Medical Education and Emerging Diseases (IMPACT MED) Alliance: A new USAID alliance with seven private sector partners to help the health workforce address current and future challenges. Working with three Vietnamese universities in each region of the country, the alliance will improve the quality and effectiveness of medical education in Vietnam through training in modern pedagogy, use of technology, and integration of clinical content; improving teaching and learning of key skills necessary to ensure a strong, high quality workforce able to detect, treat and respond to emerging health threats; and developing leadership for continuous and sustainable innovation and improving access and outcomes for socially and economically disadvantaged students, especially ethnic minority doctors and health workers. USAID alliance leads: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Health Advancement in Vietnam (HAIVN) Private sector partners: IBM, Roche, Johnson & Johnson, GE, Bravo Vietnam, 3M, Samsung Building University-Industry Learning and Development through Innovation and Technology (BUILD-IT) Alliance: USAID and Arizona State University will launch a new alliance with 14 industry partners. The BUILD-IT Alliance leverages government, industry, and academic partners in the U.S. and Vietnam to link science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) instruction in Vietnamese universities with the needs and capabilities of industry partners. It aims to produce graduates who can lead inclusive, technology-based growth by engaging leadership in strengthening higher education policy; enabling university-private sector collaboration; developing curriculum partnerships, mentorships, and industry-sponsored practical opportunities to build students professional and technical competencies in preparation for STEM careers; and improving academic programs and outcomes as a whole. Other BUILT-IT U.S. university partners: Catholic University of America, Portland State University Private sector partners: Autodesk, Siemens, Tektronix, Pearson, National Instruments, Microsoft, S.E.N Platform, mobifone, Viettel Group, eSilicon, Intel, Oracle, Everest Education The Fulbright Program: Since 1992, Fulbright has supported more than 500 Americans and nearly 700 Vietnamese for study, research, and teaching. Vietnamese Fulbrighters now occupy leading positions in all sectors. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pham Binh Minh, is a Fulbright alumnus. The Fulbright Economics Teaching Program (FETP) began in 1994 to teach market economics in Vietnam at a time of great transition. It has become a Masters degree program whose 1,200 alumni are guiding Vietnams economic development, as economic ties with the United States increase exponentially. The Prime Minister, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, is an alumnus of FETPs Vietnam Executive Leadership Program. FETP will become the Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management within FUV in 2016. Vietnam Education Foundation (VEF): VEF is an independent U.S. agency created by Congress in 2000 to support Masters and PhD study in science fields by Vietnamese at U.S. institutions. Since 2003, VEF has supported nearly 600 fellowships. VEF is scheduled to sunset in 2018, but its Fellows will continue to serve as a source of U.S.-trained academics to help lead Vietnams development. There are now 19,000 Vietnamese students attending U.S. universities. Enrollment grew by 13 percent in 2015 alone with the support of the Department of State EducationUSA advising program. Vietnam continues to be the leader in Southeast Asia in this field, and is currently the 9th largest source of foreign students to the United States worldwide. Given that Vietnamese identify education as a top priority, there is much room for continued growth in this sector. Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - Calling all swimmers! The City of Yuma officially begins its summer open swim programs at various City pools with the opening of the Valley Aquatic Center this weekend. Opening day at the Valley Aquatic Center is 1 to 7:45 p.m. Saturday, May 28. The center will also be open those same hours on Sunday, May 29; however, it will be closed Memorial Day. Admission to Valley Aquatic is $2.50 ($2 for City residents) for youth 17 and younger, and $5 ($3.50 for City residents) for adults 18 and older. Following that, Valley Aquatic will be open 4 to 7:45 p.m. May 31 through June 3 before beginning regular summer hours June 4. Kennedy Pool opens with Kick Off the Summer, a special event with the Sunrise Optimist Club, 1 to 5:45 p.m. Saturday, June 4 at Kennedy Pool. This free event features water safety lessons from the Yuma Fire Department and Yuma Safe Kids, plus water relays and games throughout the day. Admission is free. Club members will hand out hot dogs and drinks while they last and provide single-day swim passes to the first 100 people to visit their booth. Following that, Kennedy Pools regular summer hours run through July 31. Additionally this summer, area service clubs provide generous donations enabling the City to open two of our pools for free open swim sessions for June and July. The Yuma Elks Lodge No. 476 donation opens Kennedy Pool for free 1 to 3:45 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays, June 8 through July 29. And the Yuma Rotary Club provided for free open swim sessions 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at Marcus Pool. Regular pool hours begin June 4. Heres where you can cool off: Valley Aquatic Center, 4381 W. 18th St., offers open swim Tuesdays through Sundays from 1 to 7:45 p.m. through July 31. Fees are $2.50 for children 17 and younger ($2 with City resident credit) and $5 for adults ($3.50 with City resident credit). Kennedy Pool, 23rd Street and Kennedy Lane, is open 1 to 5:45 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and 1 to 3:45 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays through July 31. Weekend per-day admission for youth 17 and under is $2; $1.50 for City residents and $4.50 per adult 18 and over or $3 for City residents. Wednesday and Friday afternoon sessions are free, sponsored by Yuma Elks No. 476. Marcus Pool, 5th Street and 5th Avenue, offers open swim 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays through July 28; admission is free, sponsored by Yuma Rotary Club. Pools will be closed on July 4. Pool hours and dates are subject to change. Open swim hours will change in August. Family, monthly and season passes good for open swim programs are available for purchase at the Parks and Recreation Office (only) on the first floor of City Hall, One City Plaza. Family passes are for immediate family use only. The rate for a family pass applies to the first five members of the immediate family. For each additional family member included on the pass, there will be an additional $5 charge. Season passes are valid May 28 through Aug. 28. Prices are as follows. Youth 17 and younger: $87; $58 for City residents. Adults 18 and older: $132; $88 for City residents. Family: $207; $138 for City residents. Monthly passes are available for one calendar month only within these ranges: May 28 through June 30; July 1 through July 31; Aug. 1 through Aug. 31 (pool will only open on weekends during August). Prices are as follows: Youth 17 and younger: $46; $30 for City residents. Adults 18 and older: $74; $49 for City residents. Family: $87; $63 for City residents. Open swim rules Swimmers must wear proper swimwear only. The following clothing items and accessories are prohibited from the water slides due to damage caused by these items: cutoff jeans; clothing or bathing suits with exposed zippers; buckles; rivets; other metal ornamentation. Daily admission rates apply to all persons who enter City aquatic facilities. Ice chests, coolers, lawn chairs are prohibited in City aquatic facilities. For more information, contact the City's Parks and Recreation Department at (928) 373-5200. Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - Noting the 16th Street and 4th Avenue intersection improvements project is a necessary public purpose, a Superior Court ruling issued today grants the City immediate possession of property on the intersections northeast corner, allowing the project to move forward as scheduled. The ruling by Associate Presiding Judge David M. Haws grants the City immediate possession of three parcels of land at that corner, once the City posts a $715,725 bond. The amount represents the appraised value of the land, according to an independent fee appraiser who testified during the order to show cause hearing held April 27 and May 10. The City posted the required bond on Wednesday. This project will continue without unnecessary delays or additional taxpayer expense, said City Administrator Greg Wilkinson. We are looking forward to the completion of the project early next year and expect to see more private construction in the next two months with new businesses and jobs at the Center Pointe intersection. The three parcels will be used for widening the intersection and for stormwater runoff improvements. The City had previously reached mutual agreements will all other property owners in the footprint of the intersection design. For the 16th Street and 4th Avenue project we were able to negotiate reasonable agreements with all but one of property owners in the area in order to move this long-awaited project forward, Wilkinson said. It is unfortunate that the City was forced into taking the condemnation path, but we are glad the court agreed with our position and granted possession of the property. Once complete, the 300-day project will ease the congestion commonly found at the intersection. Dedicated right-turn lanes and dual left-turn lanes will be added in all corners of the intersection, and 16th Street will expand in conjunction with the transportation element of the voter-approved General Plan, which calls for three lanes of through traffic to match the traffic lanes already from Arizona Avenue to Pacific Avenue. Bike lanes and water and stormwater improvements are included. New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday met the 13-year-old mentally-challenged rape survivor at AIIMS. Earlier on Thursday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met the victim and raised the issue of full statehood over the prevailing law and order situation in the national capital. I`ve met the girl and her family. Delhi is not a full state, thus this kind of problems are coming repeatedly. And every such incident reminds of having full control over law and order democratically, Kejriwal told reporters after meeting the victim. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief also said that he had sought an appointment with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. "Today I have sought an appointment with Rajnath Singh, to discuss full statehood," Kejriwal said, adding, "But as it (full statehood) will take some time, so till then, we have to deal with local issues democratically by taking the public and law enforcement agencies together." The girl, who is an orphan and was residing with her relatives in south Delhi's Badarpur area, is under treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for the past one week for critical injuries she received after a sexual assault by a neighbour. The accused was arrested on Wednesday. The girl's condition is said to be stable. Police was informed of the rape on May 18 and found the girl lying in an unconscious condition in south Delhi's Pul Prahladpur area. She had gone missing from her aunt's home the day before. Earlier, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal said that she would send a notice to the Delhi Police as they failed to inform her and the commission even a week after the incident. "It is very shocking that Delhi Police did not inform DCW despite their responsibility to share such information with us. I will send a notice to Delhi Police on why they did not inform the commission about the incident," Maliwal told IANS on Wednesday. New Delhi: In a shocking incident, a 13-year-old girl was brutally raped and dumped near a railway track in South-east Delhi's Pul Prahladpur area allegedly by a teenager who lives in her neighbourhood. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met the victim's family today and assured that he would meet Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss law and order situation prevailing in the national capital. "Delhi is not a full state as a result of which such problems are coming up repeatedly. Every crime incident reminds that somehow law and order should be under democratic control so that the law enforcement agencies and public could work together," he said. "I have sought an appointment to meet Rajnath Singh. Full statehood will take time but even in the existing system we can function together so that such incidents could be stopped." "If there is greater democratic control over the agencies at local level and public is taken along, a solution could be found for this," he said. The Chief Minister also assured all possible help of Delhi government to the family members of the girl. Meanwhile, the Delhi Commission for Women has issued a notice to the Pul Prahladpur police station seeking to know why it did not inform the DCW about the rape of the 13-year-old girl. The minor girl -- who is an orphan and mentally challenged -- is admitted in AIIMS and her condition is stated to be stable now. The accused, whose age is being verified, was apprehended on Wednesday, as per Joint Commissioner of Police (Southeast) RP Upadhyay. The victim lives with her maternal aunt at a village near Pul Prahladpur. She went missing on May 17, and a search operation was conducted but she could not be found. In the wee hours of May 18, locals spotted the girl lying unconscious near the railway track and raised an alarm, a senior police official said. She was then rushed to AIIMS where doctors confirmed the sexual assault and a case was registered under relevant IPC sections and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. It took the police around a week to identify the accused as the girl is not in a condition to give a statement. The locals were questioned and it emerged that the girl was last seen with the teenager, who is a vagabond, the official said. On Wednesday, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal met the girl at AIIMS and said: "The girl has been brutally raped and we are suspecting it to be a case of gang-rape. She is mentally challenged. She has severe injuries on her body. She has undergone a major surgery and according to doctors it will take her at least four months to recover. Her condition as of now is critical. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: Solar Impulse 2, the sun-powered aircraft landed at the LeHigh Valley International Airport in Pennsylvania, completing the 13th leg of a record-breaking flight around the world to promote clean technologies. The sun-powered single-seater aircraft, piloted by Swiss explorer Bertrand Piccard reached its destination at 8:49 pm CDT after a near 17-hour flight from Dayton, Ohio. Solar Impulse 2 will take off for New York's JFK airport next week where it is expected to pass over the Statue of Liberty for a much-anticipated photo opportunity before landing at one of the world's busiest airports. After crossing the United States, the pilots are set to make a transatlantic flight from New York to Europe, from where they plan to make their way back to Abu Dhabi. Solar Impulse 2 started its around-the-world trip in March 2015 in Abu Dhabi, and made stops in Oman, Myanmar, India, China, Japan and Hawaii before pausing over the winter and resuming the trip in April 2016. The solar plane weighing about 5,100 pounds has wings equipped with more than 17,000 solar cells allowing it to store energy to fly through night. Pipli: At least eight people were injured on Thursday in a low-intensity blast in a Haryana Roadways bus here, police said. The state government later ordered a probe by a four-member special investigation team led by Additional Director General of Police (Crime) S.S. Kapoor. A Haryana Police spokesman said the help of the National Investigation Agency in probing the bus blast will also be taken. Police officials said they were investigating if the "low- intensity" blast was caused by an Improvised Explosive Device. Kurukshetra district police chief Simardeep Singh told the media that a timer and battery used in the blast were found at the blast site. Some windowpanes of the bus were damaged due to the blast, which occurred when the bus was moving from Sonipat to Chandigarh on the busy National Highway-1 or Grand Trunk Road. The Haryana Police have registered a case of attempt to murder under the Indian Penal Code, the Explosives Act and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. The SIT will also probe two train blasts in Panipat in January and May. A low-intensity blast occurred in January inside the Panipat-Ambala passenger train at Panipat. Another blast occurred in a train in Panipat on May 13. Haryana Transport Minister Krishan Lal Panwar visited the Civil Hospital in Kurukshetra to enquire about the well being of those injured in the bus blast. Panwar announced a financial aid of Rs.50,000 to each of the injured. He lauded the bus driver and conductor for helping the injured and said letters of appreciation would be given to both. Chandigarh: In a major development, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday stayed the decision of the ML Khattar government to grant 10% reservation to Jats and five other communities in Haryana. The development comes months after the Haryana Assembly unanimously passed the Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in Services and Admission in Educational Institutions) Bill, 2016, promising 10% reservation to Jats and five other castes in government jobs and educational institutions. The high court passed this order while hearing a petition challenging the constitutional validity of The Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in Services and Admission in Educational Institutions) Act 2016 that was passed unanimously by the state assembly on March 29. The Act was challenged by Murari Lal Gupta of Bhiwani, who was seeking direction to quash block 'C' of the act, which provides reservation to the Jat community under a newly carved Backward Classes (C) category. The petitioner submitted that reservation for the Jat community has been provided under the new act on the basis of the Justice KC Gupta commission report, which the Supreme Court has already quashed. The Bill was passed on March 29, days before the April 3 deadline set by the Jats, who had threatened a violent agitation if their demand for reservation was not met. The Bill included six castes - Jats, Jat Sikhs, Rors, Bishnois, Tyagis and Muslim Jats - in the list of Backward Classes by bifurcating it and creating an additional Block (C). There are 77 castes that were already covered under Backward Classes Block (A) and (B). The Bill said 10 percent reservation will be granted to these six castes in Backward Classes Block (C) for Class III and IV posts and 6 per cent in Class I and II posts. They will get 10 per cent reservation for admission in educational institutions. According to the Bill, the total reservation has touched 50 per cent for Class I and II government jobs and 67 per cent in Class III and IV government jobs. The Jat community had earlier held a series of violent protests to press the state government over the issue of reservation. Zee Media Bureau New Delhi: In a first, a 19-year-old woman from Karnataka has given birth to a baby girl weighing 6.8 kilos-perhaps the heaviest girl ever born in the world. The woman named Nandini, delivered her first child in a government hospital in Hassan city of Karnataka state. Doctors at the hospital were a bit concerned about the mother as she weighs 94 kg and was 5 feet and 9 inches tall. She also had diabetes and the experts at the hospital feared that the baby might be diabetic. Thankfully, the baby turned out to be healthy. An average baby weighs 3.4 kg at birth which makes this baby girl twice the size This baby girl has beaten the previous record of a baby boy who weighed 6.7 kg at birth. New Delhi: The Africa Day celebrations, being organised by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR), will be held on Thursday, as per the earlier schedule, said a report. In the wake of a Congolese man's murder in the national capital last week, African heads of mission had threatened to stay away from the event. On Wednesday, India moved to assuage the grievances of the envoys and assured them of the safety and security of African nationals in the country. According to sources, Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh who met with Eritrean Ambassador Alem Tsehage Woldemariam, also the dean of the Group of African Heads of Mission, and a few other diplomats, strongly condemned the criminal act and assured them that the strongest legal action would be taken. Masonda Ketada Olivier, 29, was beaten to death by three youths at around 11.30 pm on Friday after a verbal altercation over the hiring of an auto-rickshaw near Kishangarh village in Vasant Kunj area of south Delhi. Two of the accused have been arrested while the third is on the run. On Tuesday, Woldemariam in a statement on behalf of all the African heads of mission, sought strong action by the Indian government against the perpetrators of the murderous attack on Oliver. Woldemariam said the envoys requested that the event be postponed, and that the African nations also decided not to participate in the celebrations, except for a cultural troupe from Lesotho. Stating that Singh assured the heads of African missions of the Indian government's full support, the sources said Singh would also do an outreach event with African students along with embassies concerned to reassure them of their safety. Earlier on Wednesday, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted that she has asked Singh to meet the heads of mission of African countries and assure them of the Indian government's commitment to the security of African nationals. The Day commemorates the establishment of the African Union in 2001 which replaced the Organisation of African Unity established on May 25, 1963. New Delhi: Facing criticism over its expenditure on advertisement, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday tried to douse the fire, claiming the Centre is spending over Rs 1000 on the bash to celebrate the Modi government`s two years in power. "Modi govt spend on ads for jst ONE event 2 yr bash? Sources- more than Rs 1000cr. All Del govt depts total spend less than 150cr for full yr," Kejriwal said in a tweet. The Delhi Chief Minister in another tweet asked as to how much money the government is spending over the function. The accusation of the Delhi Chief Minister comes after the Congress accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of extravagant spending for self-promotion in the last three months. "An RTI has revealed that between February 10 and May 10, Arvind Kejriwal has spent Rs. 14.5 crore of taxpayers money on advertisements published in newspapers only," Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza told reporters here. "However, the Delhi government has yet not given the amount spent on TV, radio ads and publicity hoardings but as per calculation, Kejriwal has spent approximately Rs.100 crore on all sorts of ads," she added. Recently, an RTI query revealed that the Kejriwal government is spending around Rs 16 lakh per day on print advertising. As per the reply, the current Delhi government has spent Rs 14.45 crore on advertising, excluding broadcast. New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government completes two years in office on Thursday. The ruling BJP has planned massive celebrations across the country to mark the occasion and highlight the Narendra Modi government's achievements and various welfare programmes launched by it in two years. Led by PM Modi, the BJP government still enjoys the confidence of the business community as it completes two years in office. Narendra Modi took charge as Prime Minister on May 26, 2014 after the BJP-led NDA was voted to power in the Lok Sabha elections. According to an opinion poll, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has been rated as the best performing minister in PM Modi's cabinet. Gadkari is closely followed by Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal. At the third sport is Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. A workaholic Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu is the fourth top performing Union Cabinet minister in the list followed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Based on its findings, the poll also stated that NDA government's big ticket schemes and policies like Start-Up India, Single-Window Clearance and banking reforms were perceived to be 'game changers' by a majority of respondents. However, the NDA regime's failure to get the GST Bill passed in Parliament has been termed as its , biggest disaster. No major PSU divestment, slowdown in disposing litigation and dispute resolution, lack of labour law reforms and railways privatisation were other factors that were seen as big disappointments for the NDA government. 67% CEOs of top ranking business houses, who were polled, were happy with the government's efforts to improve the business environment. The CEOs gave a big thumbs up to the single-window clearance policy, terming it as the 'most important step' in the ease of doing business in India. New Delhi: Commenting on the brutal murder of a Congolese national in Delhi, Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh on Thursday said such incidents are not meant to be forgotten and strict action should be taken in this connection. "We don't look at these incidents as something which can be forgotten. These incidents need to be taken note of and acted upon," said Singh, while addressing a press conference. "By large, India welcomes all, and is a safe place. People can rely upon us," he added. Singh further added that the incident was not racially motivated. A 23-year-old Congolese national was allegedly beaten to death by a group of men in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj area. Last week, the Delhi Police detained a man in this connection. The police have initiated a probe into the matter. Police said they are trying to ascertain whether the attack was racially motivated or a fight that turned ugly or a robbery attempt or a case of personal enmity. The cops are also looking for CCTVs that might have recorded the brutal act. This comes months after a Tanzanian woman was allegedly stripped and beaten on the streets in Bengaluru after a road accident. New Delhi: As the Narendra Modi government completes two years in power on Thursday, the main opposition parties the ruling BJP and Congress invoked famous Urdu lyricist Mirza Ghalib to attack each other over alleged 'lack of governance' and 'policy paralysis' during their respective tenures at the Centre. Leading the party's charge against BJP, senior Congress minister Mallikarjun Kharge recited a famous couplet from Ghalib's poetry and said, ''Ya rab woh na samjhe hain na samjhenge meri baat, de aur dil unko, jo na de mujh ko zubaan aur.'' Quoting Ghalib, Kharge asked the ruling dispensation to refrain from attacking the Congress and to listen to the suggestions and advises of the Opposition as well. During the same press conference, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad attacked BJP govt in his unique style terming Modi as ''Bhashan veer'' who could not become ''Karamveer'' in two years. ''Only bhashan no shaasan,'' he quizzed. Noted lawyer and former Union minister Kapil Sibal too penned his own lyrics to attack BJP. ''Khuda ke bande sambhal ja, waqt hai ab bhi badal ja,'' Sibal said on two years of Modi government. Highlighting the failures of the NDA government, Manish Tewari of Congress said in Ahmedabad that the Modi regime has only lectured but delivered no governance since it had come to power. Addressing a press conference in Ahmedabad where it highlighted the failures of the NDA government, Congress leader Manish Tewari said the ruling dispensation had failed on each and every front, including foreign policy, which Prime Minister Modi puts as his top most priority. "If you see in totality, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done nothing on the front of foreign policy and has just been paying trips to various nations," he added. However, the ruling BJP was quick in giving a befitting response to the Congress over its scathing attack on the Narendra Modi-led NDA government. In a separate press briefing, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said, ''Hum toh doobenge sanam, tumko bhi le doobenge this has been the Congress party's philosophy for long'' The war of words between the two party's came at a time when the Narendra Modi is kick-starting a series of programmes from today to celebrate its two years in office. New Delhi: With the Congress dubbing as illegal, unethical and immoral Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan hosting an event to celebrate the NDA regime`s two years in office, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Thursday said this reflected the `utter hypocrisy` of the grand old party as its top brass is presently out on bail following charges of cheating and conspiracy. Swamy said this is utter hypocrisy because Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi are presently out on bail. "They have been proved prima facie guilty of cheating, criminal misappropriation, fraud, conspiracy. And they had to come to court to get bail and give surety and today they are talking about Amitabh Bachchan because there is some enquiry going on," Swamy told ANI. "Enquiry is going on against so many people. This does not mean that they will be presumed guilty, not even prima facie guilty. So, how can the Congress talk when their own leaders are out on bail?" he added. The Congress on Wednesday questioned Centre`s decision of selecting the megastar to host the show, likely to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and said this step might send wrong signals to the investigating agencies probing the Panama paper leaks. "We have no objection to Amitabh Bachchan hosting the NDA programme, but what signal will it send to investigation agencies" asked Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala. The Bollywood megastar`s son and actor Abhishek Bachchan, however, downplayed the entire controversy yesterday and said that his father would be hosting only a part of the event where he would be talking about educating the girl child. "He (Amitabh Bachchan) is not hosting any political event. He is part of a function and is talking about educating girl child and I think that`s not a political event," he said. The five-hour long event beginning at 5 pm at the iconic India Gate on May 28 will highlight the achievements of the BJP-led NDA regime in the last two years in office. New Delhi: The Congress Party is reportedly planning a series of media events to highlight the failures of the Modi government. The so-called media blitz will revolve around the theme Pragati ki thamm gayi chaal, desh ka bura haal, the Indian Express reported. The events will include a short film on the NDA governments alleged failures in the past two years and a booklet on how the government reneged on the partys poll promises. Top Congress leaders will also hold a series of press conferences in over 30 cities and towns. These are some of the media offensives the Congress party plans to unleash in the next three days to counter the Centres 2nd anniversary celebrations, the report added. Congress leaders such as Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mallikarjun Khargeare expected to address the press conferences. Two years on, the Modi government has utterly and completely failed on the single-most important index of development. The government has become a government of rhetoric and theatrics. Two key issues missing are governance and development, the report quoted Congress leader Randeep Surjewala as saying. Dombivali: In a major explosion, at least three workers were killed at an industrial unit in Dombivali township of Thane district on Thursday. So, what did actually led to the explosion and fire? Here are details:- - A cylinder blast occurred around 11:00 am on Thursday - Cylinder explosion led to a fire in the chemical manufacturing unit of Herbert Brown Pharmaceutical & Research Laboratories - The exact location of the Herbert Brown Pharmaceutical & Research Laboratories is - Shivaji Udyog Nagar of MIDC phase-II area in Dombivali (East) What did the eyewitnesses see? - An eyewitness said that the intensity of the blast was so much that window panes in several adjoining buildings were shattered - People were seen running helter-skelter, say an eyewitness - Chaos prevailed in vicinity of the industrial unit where the blast occurred Rescue operations More than a dozen fire tenders were at the site to douse the flames. The injured workers were rushed to various hospitals. At least 15 ambulances were rushed to the site. New Delhi: BJP Rajya Sabha Member Subramanian Swamy has reiterated that a Hindu majority is a requisite for maintaining democracy and secularism in India. According to a report by Aaj Tak, the senior BJP said that India will remain till the time Hindus constitute 80% of the country's total poulation. Swamy made this remark while addressing a seminar on the 'Need for a Uniform Civil Code in India' in the national capital on Wednesday. Advocating the need for a Hindu majority, Swamy said that the population of Hindus must remain above 80% of the countrys total population at all times. When there is a Hindu majority a democracy and secularism reign. Whenever Muslims are in majority - whether its the Kashmir Ghati or Malappuram in Kerala - there is no democracy or secularism. Hindus are in danger in such places, he reportedly said. He specified three temple-mosque disputes that the BJP-led Modi government must look into the Ram Janmabhoomi and Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, the Kashi Vishwanath temple and Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi and Krishna Janmabhoomi and Shahi Idgah mosque in Mathura. Calling for a Uniform Civil Code in the country, Dr Swamy expressed confidence that the Narendra Modi government will surely implement it across the length and breadth of the country. He further remarked that a large sections of Muslims like Shias, Barelvis and Bohras are not against the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code, however, Wahabi Sunnis continue to oppose it. Dr Swamy had earlier advocated for a Uniform Civil Code to fight against various societal evils 'Love Jihad.' New Delhi: The Indian community living in the African nation of Democratic Republic of Congo has been the target of a massive protest over the past few days following the gruesome murder of a Congolese national in South Delhi last week. Thousands of angry protesters have reportedly taken to the streets in the Congolese capital of Kinshasa, demanding appropriate action from their government in response to the attack in India. Kinshasa's Indian community who are mostly shopkeepers have been the target of a massive public outcry. According to some reports, shops owned by Indians were pelted with stones, and other forms of retaliation, prompting the local police to whisk some of them away to safety. An amateur video of the protests in Kinshasa, which was uploaded on social media, shows an Indian shopkeeper was shutting down his shop in the presence of police officers, while a large number of people gathered outside and shouting. The Indians have been reportedly asked to keep their shops closed till the tension ends. There are reportedly about 5,000 Indian shopkeepers in Kinhasa alone. Last Friday, Congolese national Masonda Ketada Oliver was bludgeoned to death in Delhi's Kishangadh area during a street brawl. The 29-year-old was returning home in South Extension from Kishangadh area near Vasant Kunj when he got into an argument with three local youths over an auto rickshaw. Olivier suffered an agonising death after his head was smashed with a stone. His sudden death has shocked his friends who had planned a surprise birthday bash for him the next day. According to police, Oliver used to teach French language in a private institute. Although the police maintain that it was a case of street fight, the victim's friend who was with Olivier and managed to escape after the fight broke out, has alleged that it was a racial attack. Three men, allegedly drunk, came and argued over hiring the same auto rickshaw, he said. The brutal killing was captured in a CCTV camera. Police said one of the accused Mobin Azad Saifi (23) has been arrested, while two others - identified as Mukesh and Prakash - are absconding. The attackers have criminal history and have been jailed in the past. Meanwhile, the envoys of several African nations in Delhi have termed the assault as a racial attack and demanded the Indian government to guarantee the safety of Africans. Responding to their concerns, Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said that her government is committed to the safety and security of African nationals in India. She has asked the Delhi Lieutenant Governor to fast-track the case. The government, however, said it was not a racial attack. Delhi: A day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed the Anti-Terrorism Squad to probe the allegation that Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse received phone calls from fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim's house in Karachi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday that the government will not hesitate to act against whosoever found guilty. Singh said in an interview to Aaj Tak, "Won't hesitate to act against whosoever found guilty. The matter will be investigated thoroughly." On the underworld don he said, "Dawood is an international criminal. We have provided ample evidence to Pakistan regarding Dawood's presence on their soil." "Pakistan should handover Dawood to India. The international community should also persuade or pressurise Pakistan to take action against Dawood," he added. Meanwhile, Khadse had said yesterday, "Both I and the Chief Minister wanted the matter to be investigated. So the Chief Minister has asked ATS to probe it," as per PTI. Khadse, the senior-most BJP leader in the state cabinet, claimed he had documents to prove that his mobile phone was hacked to show as if calls were made, and added that he would hand over all the evidence in this regard to the investigating agencies. The beleaguered minister had also said that the matter was already being investigated by the cyber crime cell and local police, and the Director General of Police was supervising the probe. On the other hand, the minister had sought to know why no questions were being asked about former AAP leader Anjali Damania's alleged dubious land deals in Raigad district. Spokesperson of AAP, Preeti Sharma Menon, had levelled the allegation against Khadse last week. Menon had alleged, citing the call records obtained from a Pakistani telecom company by an Ahmedabad-based hacker, that calls were made from Dawood's house in Karachi to a mobile number registered in Khadse's name. Khadse had later rubbished the allegation saying the number was not in use for the last one year. (With Agency inputs) Dubai: In an emotional reunion, a 76-year-old man who left India and went to Pakistan nearly 50 years ago has met with his two siblings in the UAE's capital Abu Dhabi. Hamza Sarkar, who is now a Pakistani citizen, met with his brother TP Mammikutty, 75, and sister Eyyathu, 85, both from Kerala. He flew from Karachi while Mammikutty and Eyyathu came from Kerala for the reunion in Abu Dhabi. Sarkar had gone missing first time from Kerala in 1951 when he was 11 years old, Gulf News reported. "He was fond of travelling. One day our mother sent him out to graze the cattle. He never returned," Mammikutty said. Sarkar boarded a train to Kolkata. "From Kolkata I went to Bangladesh, which was then part of Pakistan. Later I went to Karachi," Sarkar said. After 18 years, he returned home in 1968. "I risked my life and slipped through the borders near Rajasthan in India. I walked for three weeks and finally took a bus to Hyderabad. I wrote a letter to my mother and she sent me money for a train ticket to Kerala," Sarkar said. In the hope that he will stay, Sarkar's family set up a grocery shop for him but he ventured out again after nine months on the pretext of buying supplies and never returned. "That was the last we saw him. I still remember how my mother used to keep his picture under her pillow and would cry all night," Iyyathu said. After 48 years, Sarkar's family traced him in Karachi when his daughter Aasiya living in Pakistan and Mammikutty's Abu Dhabi-based grandson Nadirshah, 23, connected on Facebook. "I never thought I would see my brother and sister in this lifetime. I have waited for this moment for so long and now I do not want to leave them and go to Pakistan," Sarkar said. Srinagar,: A separatist called protest shutdown on Thursday affected life in the Kashmir Valley although authorities did not impose any restrictions. "There will be no restrictions anywhere in the city today," a senior police official told IANS. "Adequate deployment of security forces has been made in sensitive areas to ensure peace." Authorities placed senior separatist leaders, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik under detention on Wednesday. While Mirwaz Umer was placed under house arrest at his uptown Nigeen residence in Srinagar, Malik was arrested from his party`s office in Abi Guzar area and shifted to Kothibagh police station. Octogenarian senior separatist leader, Syed Ali Geelani was also placed under house arrest at his Hyderpora residence in Srinagar. Separatist leaders have called for a Valley wide shutdown against the alleged government decision to set up a `sainik` (Ex-servicemen) colony. Separatists alleged the intention behind setting up a Sainik colony here is to change the demography of the Muslim majority Valley. The state government asserts that no non-local ex-serviceman can become part of any sainik colony in Kashmir as only permanent residents of the state can purchase it. The government also asserted that no land was allotted for the Sainik colony so far and the matter is still pending at the proposal level. All shops, public transport, other business establishments and educational institutions remained shut in Srinagar city and all other major cities and towns in the Valley. Government offices, banks and post offices, however, functioned normally with reduced attendance. Thane: At least five workers were killed and around 150 others injured in a massive blast in a boiler at a private chemical company in the MIDC industrial complex here on Thursday morning, police said. The blast in Probace Enterprises around 11.35 am caused a devastating fire at the factory, located in the Phase II of Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) complex, on the outskirts of the thickly-populated Dombivali city, said an official of the Manpada police. The fire was quickly brought under control and as smoke dissipated, it revealed the entire factory building had collapsed and flatted by the impact. The huge blast and blaze also caused massive damage to two other adjacent plants - belonging to the Herbert Brown Pharma and Research and Acharya Group. So severe was the blast, which some eyewitnesses compared to a bomb explosion, that it was heard even four-five km away. The shock wave shook buildings, shattered glass windows of several residential and industrial buildings, moving or parked vehicles and buses, injured pedestrians, vehicle drivers and even cattle in the surrounding vicinity for almost two kms. Many people, including students, wearing spectacles or sporting sunglasses, sustained serious eye injuries as the glass suddenly shattered on their faces. In some buildings and flats, locked doors flew off from their hinges, TV sets and other glass furniture at homes were shattered, while in shops, restaurants, banks, ATMs and jewellery showrooms, glass showcases and glass walls other furniture blew off in seconds, injuring many more. The blast also disrupted mobile communication and television cable services in the area for a few hours. Many locals mistook it for an earthquake and dropped everything to flee their homes or shops to open places for safety. Fifteen fire-tenders and water tankers from Dombivali, Thane, Kalyan and other surrounding towns, as well as National Disaster Response Force teams from Thane and Pune, and the National Security Guard team from Mumbai, rushed to the spot to tackle the emergency, said District Collector Mahendra Kalyankar. Kalyankar said arrangements were made for augmenting blood supplies for the injured victims who were admitted to nearby government or private hospitals and other relief measures. Taking a serious view of the incident, Industry Minister Subhash Desai announced that all chemical industrial units in and around Dombivali would be shifted to alternate locations for which suitable legislative change would be effected. He also announced that all such chemical industries in the city shall be shut down for a week to carry out an inspection and combing operation to ascertain implementation of various safety and security measures. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed deep anguish over the mega-tragedy and assured all relief and rehabilitation measures for the victims, and booking the culprits responsible after a thorough probe into the incident. He also visited the injured undergoing treatment at various hospitals in the evening and announced the state government would foot all medical bills. The district authorities have ordered a separate probe into the blast's cause and will carry out a safety review of all the 900-odd industrial units located in the sprawling MIDC area in Dombivali. At least three other ministers including Eknath Shinde, Prakash Mehta visited the city later in the day and met the victims of the tragedy admitted to different hospitals. The company deals in a range of industrial chemicals including propargyl chloride, propargyl bromide, 2-bromoethyl methyl ether, methyl propargyl ether, propargyl phenyl ether, dimethyl propargyl amine, propargyl amine and propargyl amine hydrochloride. Nashik: 'Bhumata Brigade' chief Trupti Desai and several other women rights activists on Thursday entered the inner sanctum of the famous Kapaleshwar temple in Nashik. They were prevented from entering the sanctum sanctorum of the temple last Thursday. Trupti Desai and Bhu Mata Brigade activists enter Kapaleshwar Temple in Nasik pic.twitter.com/I75mKLPLdH ANI (@ANI_news) May 26, 2016 Talking to reporters this morning, Desai had said, ''Today we will try and enter the sanctum sanctorum of Kapaleshwar Mandir in Nashik and offer our prayers.'' Kapaleshwar Mandir in Nashik doesn't allow women inside the sanctum sanctorum, there is also casteism, Desai added. Attacking the temple management, the 'Bhumata Brigade' chief said, ''Dadagiri" of the priests should not be allowed; we will go and enter the sanctum sanctorum of Kapaleshwar Mandir today.'' Desai said that at other temples, they fought for gender equality. But at Kapaleshwar temple, we are fighting caste discrimination. Last time, when we tried to enter the temple, we were told by the priests that we are of lower caste, and hence they would not allow us to enter the inner sanctum, she claimed. Desai said that though the trustees at Kapaleshwar temple have agreed to allow them in the inner sanctum, the priests are not relenting. Last Thursday, the activist had to be escorted out of the temple by police. Except the priests, both men and women are not allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, which is situated on the banks of river Godavari. New York: A team of researchers has listed some web apps that help people work collaboratively and complete shared tasks online, often over long distances. The results noted the evaluation of 20 popular apps for usability, including Google Drive, Skype, Doodle Poll, Gmail, Windows Hotmail, CoSketch and DropBox. Lauren E. Marguileux and team from Georgia Institute of Technology selected only free apps with the highest web presence. They assessed the functions of each app, learned how to use them and evaluated each separately for usability. The team found that Cisco WebEx was best for synchronous text communication and "was in a dead heat with Google Hangouts for audiovisual communication". Google Calendar for calendaring, Doodle for event scheduling and Zoho Docs for writing and editing were chosen best among the others. The raters measured each app against 10 usability measures, among them visibility and feedback, user control and freedom, error prevention, flexibility and efficiency and aesthetics. The usability scores were represented as percentages and each app's most prominent pros and cons were highlighted. These rankings could help people find the apps best suited to their needs and optimal team productivity, said the study published in the journal Ergonomics in Design: The Quarterly of Human Factors Applications. New Delhi: Six Indian students have brought laurels to the nation by winning the prestigious awards at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in the US. Students from across the world participated in the Intel fair 2016 held at Arizona on May 24. Student winners are 9th through 12th graders who earned the right to compete at the Intel ISEF 2016 by winning a top prize at a local, regional, state or national science fair. The Indian team comprising 16 students won a total of $9,500 in three grand awards and three special awards in the fields of biotechnology, medicine, biomedical engineering and mathematics. 17-year old Shreyas Kapur from New Delhi was declared the winner of Google Thinking Big Award. Kapur, who is studying in Modern School at the Barakhamba Road, New Delhi, was awarded USD 1,000 for his work on 'cellphone-based optometry using hybrid images'. The project also won him third spot in both the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Biomedical Engineering award. Suhani Sachin Jain and Divya Kranthi of Centre Point School in Nagpur won the third award in plant sciences for developing an Innovative Strategy using Endophytes for Effective Biocontrol of Insect Pests in Cotton. Vasudev Malyan of Maharaja Agarsain Public School in Delhi won fourth spot in translational medical science for the development of a Novel Paper Sensor as a Diagnostic Test for Multiple Sclerosis. The 16 Indian students were selected to attend ISEF as finalists of the Initiative for Research and Innovation in Science (IRIS) 2016 that featured more than 1,700 young scientists selected from 419 affiliate fairs in 77 countries. Apart from these students from India, several Indian-origin students from the US and Australia also won in Intel ISEF. The Intel Foundation also awarded $1,000 grant to each winners school and to the affiliated fair they represented. The Intel fair is considered as the largest international pre-college science competition in the world. (With Agencies input) New York: Vampires are real -- at least the amoebae variety -- and they have been around for millions of years, say researchers who found evidence of predation in ancient microbial ecosystems dating back more than 740 million years. Using a scanning electron microscope to examine minute fossils, the researchers found perfectly circular drill holes that may have been formed by an ancient relation of Vampyrellidae amoebae. These single-celled creatures perforate the walls of their prey and reach inside to consume its cell contents. "To my knowledge these holes are the earliest direct evidence of predation on eukaryotes," said Susannah Porter, associate professor at University of California, Santa Barbara in the US. Eukaryotes are organisms whose cells contain a nucleus and other organelles such as mitochondria. "We have a great record of predation on animals going back 550 million years starting with the very first mineralized shells, which show evidence of drillholes. We had nothing like that for early life -- for the time before animals appear. These holes potentially provide a way of looking at predator-prey interactions in very deep time in ancient microbial ecosystems," she said. The findings appeared in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. For the study, Porter examined fossils from the Chuar Group in the Grand Canyon -- once an ancient seabed -- that are between 782 and 742 million years old. The holes are about one micrometre (one thousandth of a millimeter) in diameter and occur in seven of the species she identified. The holes are not common in any single one species. In fact, they appear in not more than 10 percent of the specimens, the findings showed. "I also found evidence of specificity in hole sizes, so different species show different characteristic hole sizes, which is consistent with what we know about modern vampire amoebae and their food preferences," Porter said. Dhaka: The Islamic State claimed responsibility for stabbing an elderly Hindu businessman to death in Bangladesh, monitoring service SITE said on Wednesday, in what would be the second killing by the militant group in the country in less than a week. The Muslim-majority South Asian nation has witnessed a surge in Islamist violence in the past year in which members of religious minorities, liberal activists, academics and foreign aid workers have been killed. Debesh Chandra Pramanik, 68, a shoe trader, was found hacked to death in his shop on Wednesday in the northwestern rural district of Gaibandha, police said. Police found his body lying in pool of blood, police official Mozammel Haque said. "The attackers slashed his throat with sharp weapons leaving him dead on the spot," he said, adding that one person had been picked up for questioning. Islamic State claimed the killing of a village doctor on Friday. The government has denied that Islamic State or al Qaeda groups have a presence in the country of 160 million and says home-grown Islamists are responsible for the wave of attacks. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam told Reuters in an interview published earlier on Wednesday that Islamic State was trying to ride a wave of religious radicalisation by falsely claiming killings, adding there was enough evidence implicating domestic militant groups. Since February last year, at least 27 people, including five secular bloggers, a publisher and two gay right campaigners, have died in attacks linked to militant groups. Islamic State has claimed 18 of the attacks since its first claim in September last year and al Qaeda most of the rest, according to SITE. Peshawar: Haibatullah Akhundzada, the Islamic legal scholar appointed leader of the Afghan Taliban on Wednesday, was not the obvious choice when senior members of the militant movement gathered to appoint a new "emir". The "shura", or leadership council, was convened in haste after leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed by a US drone strike in Pakistan on Saturday, presenting the Taliban with their second succession in less than a year. Some Taliban decision makers chose to call into the shura by mobile phone or Internet-based voice apps, according to one attendee, possibly wary of attending a large gathering after Mansour`s killing. Unlike a similar meeting held last July, when an important faction walked out in protest, delegates agreed on the choice of Akhundzada, said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. But there was hesitation, as senior Taliban figures chose Akhundzada only after two other candidates were ruled out, said two members of the council who attended the meeting. "Sirajuddin Haqqani was the first choice of the majority of the shura," said one of the members. Reuters could not independently confirm his, or other accounts of what happened at the meeting. "But (they) feared it could increase their hardships if Haqqani is made emir as he is the most wanted Taliban figure in the United States." Haqqani, who heads a feared network behind a series of deadly bombings in the Afghan capital Kabul in recent years, has a $10 million bounty on his head. Eventually Haqqani, who was not present but had representatives at the gathering, withdrew his candidacy. Some analysts predict that, should Haqqani accept the new leadership structure, he could continue his military leadership role. Son but not heir After Haqqani was sidelined, Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, a son of late Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar who attended the meeting, was put forward as leader, but turned the offer down because he feared he lacked battle experience and was too young, said a Taliban commander at the "shura". Yaqoob, believed to be in his mid-20s, stormed out of the council last year when Mansour was appointed Omar`s successor, deepening divisions that plague the movement to this day. This time Yaqoob proposed Akhundzada, who was chosen after the opinions of senior clerics from the Afghan provinces of Zabul, Kandahar and Helmand were consulted, said the commander. "He (Akhundzada) initially made some excuses but had to keep quiet after the majority of the shura members insisted," he added. Both Yaqoob and Haqqani were named as deputies to the new leader. What Akhundzada`s elevation means for the insurgency in Afghanistan is not immediately clear. He has been identified by the United Nations as the former chief of the hardline justice system imposed by the Taliban when it ruled Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001. Within an hour of the appointment being announced, a bus carrying court employees west of Kabul was blown up in a suicide attack, killing up to 11 people and wounding more. The Taliban claimed responsibility. Experts said the leadership announcement came sooner than most had expected, and made sense from a point of view of stability. "He (Akhundzada) is of the older generation, he is one of the founders. So he has more respect as a religious scholar, while Sirajuddin Haqqani and Yaqoob ... are pretty young," said Thomas Ruttig of the Afghanistan Analysts Network. Kabul: An ordinary, albeit strikingly clear, headshot of the secretive Afghan Taliban`s newly appointed chieftain has triggered a flurry of speculation over the motive behind its release. A picture of Haibatullah Akhundzada was unofficially circulated on social media soon after he was declared the new Taliban leader on Wednesday, taking jihadi watchers by surprise. Only a grainy image of Mullah Omar, the insurgent group`s secretive one-eyed founder who died two years ago, was published and the Taliban released a coarse handout photo of his successor Mullah Akhtar Mansour. So why was a high-resolution portrait photo, showing Akhundzada with a salt-and-pepper beard, circulated just days after Mansour was incinerated in a US drone strike in Pakistan? And who was behind it? Those questions have prompted an international avalanche of social media speculation. "If u were the Taliban wld u want (pictures) of your leader splashed around so he can be droned easily?" one Twitter user said. "Oh hey look the Taliban have released a picture of their latest hellfire-missile-bait leader," said another. A member of the Taliban`s media commission sought to downplay the speculation, saying the picture was taken more than 12 years ago when Akhundzada went on hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. "Now Akhundzada is an old man with a white beard but we cannot release his latest picture for security reasons," he told AFP. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid added another layer of intrigue, telling AFP the group had not intended to release his picture but was forced to confirm its authenticity after it made a splash online. "We don`t know who did it," he told AFP. Taliban expert Rahimullah Yousafzai suggested the picture may have been released by insurgent sympathisers rather than the group. "The new Taliban chief is an Islamic scholar and he too will not like a picture of his in the media," he said. "But now that it has been published they have no way to take it back." The clarity of the image has led some to speculate that intelligence agencies were behind its circulation. "The clear portrait shot... looks like something from the archives of a security agency," one Western official in Kabul told AFP. When the Taliban ruled Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001, almost all electronic products were outlawed as un-Islamic. Photographs of living things were illegal and ownership of a video player could lead to a public lashing. But the Taliban have avidly embraced electronic communication and social media in recent years as a recruitment tool and to promote their propaganda. "We know that we can`t go forward without the help of media," the member of the media commission said. New Delhi: The VHP on Thursday accused the Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh of polarising people on communal lines by creating "unnecessary controversy" over a Bajrang Dal training camp in Ayodhya. "The way the state government is going after the Bajrang Dal is ample proof that it is trying to polarise people on communal lines only to benefit in the coming assembly elections," Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Surendra Jain said here in a statement. "In doing this, the government is only trying to conceal its own failure in stopping terrorist activities in the state and attacks on the Hindus," he added. Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the VHP, had organised a self-defence training camp in Ayodhya on May 10. The controversy over the camp was triggered after a video clip went viral on social media showing Bajrang Dal activists taking on and defeating volunteers wearing skull caps to depict terrorists. Jain's reaction also comes a day after Bajrang Dal leader Mahesh Mishra was arrested on charge of calling members of a particular community as terrorists during 'Shaurya Diwas' celebrations. Mishra was also accused of exhorting the Hindus at a rally at Karsewakpuram in Ayodhaya a few days back to stockpile weapons and firearms to take on the "terrorist" community. Jain also slammed political parties for dragging the Centre into the controversy over the issue. "Now an attempt is being made to communally polarise society and a conspiracy is being hatched to drag a popular and successful union government into the controversy," the VHP leader said. "Anyone trying to portray it as some sort of a conspiracy hatched by the central government or even remotely associating this with the assembly elections is completely ignorant of the Bajrang Dal's history or is someone who simply revels in creating sensationalism," the VHP leader said. Defending the Bajrang Dal activities, Jain said it is not the first time that a training camp had been organised. "For the last 25 years, training camps based on the same principles and curriculum have been a regular feature of the Bajrang Dal activities. This is purely an organisational event," he said. Criticising those opposing the training camp, the VHP leader said the kind of training provided at these camps is perfectly within the ambit of law. "Thousands of 'akhadas' all over the country impart the same kind of training and all this is done publicly and nothing is ever kept under wraps," he said. Kolkata: Alleging post-poll violence in West Bengal, the state BJP on Thursday said it would boycott the swearing in of Mamata Banerjee as Chief Minister here tomorrow, even as some Union ministers, including Arun Jaitley, would attend the programme. "We are boycotting tomorrow's swearing-in ceremony. When our workers are being attacked throughout the state, how can we join the swearing-in ceremony?" state BJP president Dilip Ghosh said. State BJP sources, however, confirmed the participation of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and said a few other Central ministers would also be in attendance. Both the Congress and the Left Front, which fought the Assembly poll together, have decided against participating in the ceremony and said they would organise protests against post-poll violence. Asked if the central BJP leadership, including Union ministers, who have been invited, will also boycott the programme, Ghosh, who was in Midnapore, said, "I cannot comment on it. But we will try to convince them not to join the swearing-in as it would harm the party." "They (central leadership) will decide what they will do considering protocol. But we have apprised them that we are boycotting the programme," he said. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has maintained good relation with all the states pursuing with the policy of strengthening the federal structure," he pointed out. Reiterating their stand on boycotting the programme, Left Front chairman Biman Bose wondered, "How can we go there when people are being attacked?" The state Congress leadership had earlier stated they would not attend the oath-taking ceremony. Kolkata: Reflecting a huge gap in their economic profile, the net worth of the richest MLA in the new West Bengal Assembly is about Rs 40 crore while the poorest legislator has less than Rs 50,000. An analysis of the affidavits of the winning candidates in the Assembly polls done by West Bengal Election Watch shows that Trinamool Congress' MLA from Taldangra is the richest among all 294 members of the House. Samir Chakraborty owns assets worth about Rs 40 crore including movable assets like cash in hand, bank deposits and investments of about Rs 28 crore. The politician, who also runs a business as per his affidavit, owns three residential properties worth over Rs 11 crore. Present along with him in the House will be opposition CPI(M) MLA from East Panskura constituency Sk Ibrahim Ali who has a paltry sum of Rs 1,000 as cash in hand. His affidavit that was submitted before the Election Commission shows that his bank balance has a meager deposit of Rs 48,703. Describing himself as a social worker, he has declared that he owns no other properties or assets and lives in his father's house. Trinamool's Pundarikakshya Saha from Nabadwip seat is a little richer than him owning assets close to Rs 75,000. The report says that the average assets per MLA who won in the polls is Rs 1.46 crore. A good number of 100 (34 per cent) MLAs are crorepatis too. Jangipur MLA Jakir Hossain's net worth is about Rs 22 crore while in Kasba, Minister Javed Ahmed Khan has Rs 17 crore worth of assets. The top ten richest candidates are from the Trinamool Congress which has won a second consecutive term. Twenty per cent MLAs have, however, not filed their income tax returns, as per the analysis. Canberra: Three new pieces of airplane debris believed to be from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 are set to be examined in Australia, the country`s transport minister announced on Thursday. Two of the new pieces of debris are coming from the small nation of Mauritius while the third piece was found in Mozambique, Transport Minister Darren Chester said. "The Malaysian government is yet to take custody of the items; however, as with previous items, Malaysian officials are arranging collection and it is expected the items will be brought to Australia for examination," Chester said. "These items of debris are of interest and will be examined by experts." Flight MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. The latest news follows an announcement earlier this month that pieces of debris found in South Africa and Mauritius were thought to be "almost certainly" from MH370 after examination by experts in Australia. According to the Joint Agency Coordination Centre -- the Australian body in charge of the Indian Ocean search for the missing Boeing 777 -- more than 105,000 sq.km. of the 120,000 sq.km. "search zone" in the southern Indian Ocean has been combed for evidence of the missing jetliner. London: The British government on Thursday said it had launched an independent review into possible discriminatory practices against women in informal courts using Sharia law in England and Wales. "A number of women have reportedly been victims of what appear to be discriminatory decisions taken by Sharia councils, and that is a significant concern," interior minister Theresa May said in a statement. "There is only one rule of law in our country, which provides rights and security for every citizen." The government will investigate whether some Sharia councils seek to legitimise forced marriage and issue divorces that are unfair to women. British media reported there are an estimated 30 Sharia councils in Britain, giving Islamic divorce certificates and advice on other aspects of religious law. The review is part of the government`s Counter-Extremism Strategy launched last year. The review will be chaired by Islamic studies expert Mona Siddiqui who will lead a panel of academic and religious experts and "will help us better understand whether and the extent to which Sharia law is being misused or exploited and make recommendations to the government on how to address this," May said. Siddiqui said: "At a time when there is so much focus on Muslims in the UK, this will be a wide ranging, timely and thorough review as to what actually happens in Sharia councils." Region du Centre: The party of Burkina Faso President Roch Marc Christian Kabore has won municipal elections seen as a key step in the country`s transition to democracy from the authoritarian rule of ousted strongman Blaise Compaore. Provisional results from Sunday`s polls were published late Wednesday, with final results expected to be released by the state council after a period of a week open for disputes. The president`s People`s Movement for Progress (MPP) won 11,167 councillors out of 19,222 positions, ahead the Union for Progress and Change (UPC) which took 3,051 seats, the independent national election commission said. The party Kabore founded in January 2014 won almost all the major cities with only Dori, capital of the Sahel region on the border with Niger and Mali, likely to escape him. The Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP) of ousted president Compaore was in distant third place with some 2,134 municipal councillors. The CDP had ruled almost all the country`s municipal councils for 20 years since 1995. Voter turnout was just 47.65 percent, the lowest recorded since the municipal elections were first held in Burkina Faso. Just three rural municipalities, grouping some 20,000 voters, were unable to vote due to political violence and looting of election materials. The vote was initially scheduled for January 31 but was postponed following January 15 jihadist attacks that killed 30 people in Ouagadougou. Some 5.5 million people were eligible to cast ballots for some 20,000 municipal councillors, who will then choose mayors for 368 towns and rural communes. The elections were the first local polls in the impoverished west African country since Compaore was overthrown in a popular uprising in October 2014 after ruling the country with an iron fist for 27 years. The subsequent interim government dissolved all municipal councils set up under Compaore and replaced the mayors with non-elected prefects. Presidential elections last November were won by Kabore, a leading figure in Compaore`s ousting who had held a number of posts under the former president before falling out with him. roh/ck/mtp/jv New York: US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has fired his national political director after six weeks on the job, campaign sources said on Wednesday. Trump told staffers and supporters gathered backstage before a campaign rally in California on Wednesday that political director Rick Wiley "should be fired" for his handling of a fundraising deal with the Republican National Committee, according to the sources. The RNC fundraising agreement included 11 states but not Nevada, where Republicans in the state are angling for key victories in the November elections. Three sources confirmed Trump said Wiley should be fired after Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald told Trump that Wiley was responsible for leaving Nevada out of the deal. McDonald did not return calls seeking comment. Wiley did not respond to emails, text messages and phone calls seeking comment. The move is the latest in a tug of war between Trumps original campaign team, including press secretary Hope Hicks and campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, and a group of professionals he brought in later to shore up support from more traditional corners of the Republican Party. The new arrivals, led by veteran strategist Paul Manafort, whom Trump hired in late March, have urged Trump to tone down some of his most provocative positions, such as his proposed ban on Muslims entering the United States. But Trump reprimanded Manafort, according to two sources familiar with the conversation, after Manafort told a gathering of RNC members at an April meeting in Florida that Trump was only "acting" when describing his proposed Muslim ban or his plan to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. Manafort hired Wiley on April 13. A statement issued by the Trump campaign said Wiley had been hired on a "short-term basis as a consultant until the campaign was running full steam" and it thanked him for "for helping us during this transition period." Riga: Germany said on Thursday the EU was facing difficult talks on extending sanctions against Russia over the conflict in Ukraine due to the increased resistance of some member states, and denied that a new Cold War was afoot. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told the Baltic News Service (BNS) "we are aware that resistance in the EU to extending the sanctions towards Russia has increased. "It will be more difficult than it was last year to find a common position on this issue," he added. "What will be the situation at the end of the month when a decision is taken on sanctions? I don`t know," he admitted, speaking in the Latvian capital Riga. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told a German daily last week she expects an extension of the sanctions. Steinmeier did not single out specific EU countries resisting continued sanctions, but Italy and Hungary have been among the most sceptical while Poland and the Baltic states have repeatedly pressed for maintaining pressure on Moscow. Current EU sanctions on Russia`s banking, defence and energy sectors expire in July. Extending them will require a unanimous vote, and EU leaders are expected to discuss the issue next month. Steinmeier told BNS that Germany would "work hard to ensure that Europe presents a united front on this question", adding that penalties remain "inextricably linked" to the peace deal over eastern Ukraine. The 2015 peace accords signed in the Belarusian capital Minsk call for a ceasefire along with a range of political, economic and social measures to end the conflict that has claimed more than 9,300 lives since April 2014. Ties between Russia and the West have plunged to their lowest point since the Cold War over Moscow`s 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Kiev, and its support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine. Steinmeier told BNS that the West needed to engage in dialogue with Russia to "rebuild" lost trust and tackle crises in Syria and Libya. It was "good" that the NATO-Russia Council would meet ahead of the Warsaw summit, he added. "We are not entering a Cold War situation because the world now is much more complex than it was in the 60s and 70s," he said in Latvia, after an earlier stop in neighbouring Baltic state Lithuania for talks focused on NATO`s July summit in Warsaw. "We need to find the right balance between deterrence and detente." Spooked by Russia`s actions, eastern European states have lobbied the US-led military alliance to increase its presence along its eastern flank. Gaza City: The Israeli air force carried out strikes on Hamas sites in Gaza early Thursday in response to a rocket attack targeting the Jewish state, the army and Palestinian officials said. The rocket, which hit an open area in southern Israel, caused no damage or casualties. In response, the Israeli air force "targeted two Hamas sites in the southern Gaza Strip," the military said in a statement. A statement from Ajnad Beit al-Maqdis, a small Salafist jihadi group, claimed the rocket attack, which came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sealed a deal to bring hardline nationalist Avigdor Lieberman into his coalition as defence minister. "We announce our responsibility for targeting the Nahal Oz military base with a missile," it said. According to the army, nine projectiles fired from the Gaza Strip -- which is run by Islamist movement Hamas -- have hit Israel since the start of 2016. Smaller, more radical Islamist groups have often been blamed, with Hamas forces either unwilling or unable to prevent the rocket fire. The statement from the Salafists accused Hamas of carrying out a campaign against the "mujahideen". In its statement the Israeli army repeated its policy of holding "Hamas accountable for all attacks emanating from the Gaza Strip." Hamas`s military wing confirmed the strikes targeted one of its bases near Rafah in southern Gaza and in the Nuseirat refugee camp, causing no casualties. Lieberman has over the years threatened action on Gaza and its Hamas rulers. He recently said that if he became defence minister, he would give Hamas`s Gaza leader Ismail Haniya 48 hours to return detained Israelis and soldiers` bodies "or you`re dead". The latest exchange of fire follows four days of cross-border violence earlier this month -- the worst since the 2014 Gaza war that killed 2,251 Palestinians and 73 Israelis. The United Nations envoy for the Middle East warned the Security Council on Wednesday of a "highly volatile" situation in Gaza. "Palestinians in Gaza are growing ever more desperate, seeing their prospects for living a normal life and recovering their economy blocked by Hamas`s military build-up, by Israel`s security measures and closures, by the lack of Palestinian unity, and the insufficient fulfilment of aid pledges by donors," Nickolay Mladenov said. "Recent events clearly demonstrate that the spectre of violence looms ominously over the territory," Mladenov said. "Unless radically more is done to address the chronic realities in Gaza, it is not a question of `if`, but rather of `when` another escalation will take place." jjm-jod/mjs/dr District of Columbia: US Vice President Joe Biden urged Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci to resume settlement negotiations during separate phone calls on Wednesday, the White House said. Anastasiades canceled scheduled peace talks, cutting short a visit to Turkey on Tuesday after learning that Akinci was also invited to an official dinner at a United Nations summit. Biden encouraged Anastasiades to "seize the moment to negotiate a settlement that would reunify Cyprus as a bizonal, bicommunal federation," the White House said in a statement. "Subsequently, the Vice President spoke to Turkish Cypriot Leader Mustafa Akinci to convey the same message," urging both leaders to resume meetings as soon as possible. Biden "pledged continued US support to both sides" over the Mediterranean island`s reunification, the statement added. Cyprus has been divided since August 1974, when Turkish troops occupied its northern third in response to an Athens-inspired coup seeking union with Greece. Long-stalled UN-brokered peace talks -- seen as the best chance to reunify Cyprus -- began in May 2015, with the leaders meeting regularly since then. Athen: Russia and the European Union need to build `an equal and fair dialogue` as partners to overcome their differences, President Vladimir Putin said in an article published in a Greek newspaper on Thursday on an eve of a visit to the country. Western financial sanctions were imposed on Moscow in 2014 over its role in the Ukraine conflict, where it annexed Crimea. Russia has imposed counter sanctions against West, including a ban on agricultural produce. Putin will be in Athens on Friday, and also visit Greece`s monastic community at Mount Athos in northern Greece on Saturday. Greece, along with Cyprus, are among EU member states with close relations to Moscow. They are lukewarm towards sanctions on Russia but comply. "Russia`s starting point is the need to build an equal and fair dialogue of partners with the European Union on a wide range of issues, - from simplifying visa processes to building energy alliances," he wrote in Greece`s Kathimerini newspaper. While the EU did not appear to feel the same way, Putin said, `there is no problem which cannot be solved`. "To return to this multi-faceted relationship of partners we must reject the flawed logic that one party has the upper hand. Each side must seriously take into account the views and the concerns of the other," he wrote. Singling out energy and transport, Putin said Moscow wanted to deepen its cooperation with Greece. Russia has been the main gas supplier for Greece and Putin said his country has always counted on its deep ties with Athens to push ahead with its plans to boost its gas supplies Europe. Having tried and so far failed to bolster pipeline links with the continent through Bulgaria and Turkey, Russia`s Gazprom is running out of options to secure its strategic entry point into southern Europe, and with it any chance of cutting Ukraine out of the picture this decade. The company announced in March new plans with Greece`s state natural gas utility DEP and Italian utility Edison to supply natural gas along the seabed of the Black Sea into Greece and Italy, from where it could be sold in Europe. "The issue of our energy resources being carried through southern corridors to the countries of the European Union is still on the agenda," Putin said. He said that Russia could also help Greece upgrade its transport infrastructure and made a reference to Russian Railways (RZD) [IPO-RZHD.L] which is interested in buying the country`s railway operator TRAINOSE and its second biggest port in Thessaloniki. RZD and two other suitors submitted an initial interest for TRAINOSE last month and the deadline for the binding bids ends on June 22. RZD is also one of eight companies shortlisted for the acquisition of a 67 percent stake in the Thessaloniki Port where final bids are expected at the end of September. (Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou and Michele Kambas; Editing by Toby Chopra) Milan: A court in northern Italy has sentenced a Pakistani and a Tunisian Islamic State sympathiser to six years in prison for terrorist threats against targets including a Nato base and iconic national monuments. Pakistani citizen Muhammad Waqas and Tunisian national Lassaad Briki will be deported once they have served their sentences, the Milan court ruled late on Wednesday. Briki's sister told journalists he was innocent. "He never did anything," she said. "We did not expect such a severe sentence," added Briki's lawyer. In social media chats and wiretapped phone conversations, Waqas and Briki threatened to attack Italy's Ghedi air base near the northern city of Brescia, as well as Brescia train station, Italian security forces and a fruit and vegetable company where Briki worked as a cleaner. The two men were arrested in July last year in Brescia on suspicion of setting up a Twitter account from which they posted messages threatening to attack Milan's Duomo and the Colosseum in Rome. The threats were accompanied by photos of the monuments and written in Italian, French and Arabic. "We are on your streets, we are everywhere," one post read. "We are in Rome and our knives are sharpened. It won't be long." "We are identifying the targets and await the X hour." The pair also downloaded from internet a jihadist manual 'How to Survive in the West' giving guidance on bomb-making, transporting arms and on concealing their Islamist extremist identities. Among phone intercepts was a conversation in which Waqas and Briki agreed to: "Bring down at least one Church". In another wiretap, Briki told Waqas he wanted to "carry out an act" before they left Italy to join the ranks of IS in Syria and Iraq. Briki and Waqas, a labourer, had lived in Italy with their families for years, were legal residents and were apparently well-integrated in the town of Manerbio near Brescia, where they worked. The prosecutor who spearheaded the investigation had asked for jail terms of six years for Briki and Waqas despite admitting there was no evidence the pair had moved to enact any of their threats. Manila: Philippine President-elect Rodrigo Duterte has apologised to the Canadian prime minister for the beheading of a Canadian by an Islamist militant group, saying he would try to make sure "nothing like this" happens again. Duterte, 71, has yet to be declared winner of the May 9 election, but an official vote count shows him six million votes ahead of his closest rival, in part because of his campaign of crushing crime, corruption and drug abuse. "Please accept my apologies for the incident that resulted to the killing of your national," Duterte said on Thursday he told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who called him up to congratulate him on his election win. "We will try to see to it that nothing like this will happen again." Canadian John Ridsdel, a former mining executive, was beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf on the southern island of Jolo on April 25. Trudeau at the time called it "an act of cold-blooded murder". Another Canadian, a Norwegian and a Filipino woman are still being held captive by the al Qaeda-linked militants eight months after they were abducted in a upscale resort near Davao City, where Duterte was mayor for two decades. The Abu Sayyaf gave the Philippine and Canadian governments and families of the captives until 3 p.m. on June 13 to pay 300 million pesos ($6.43 million) for the release of each of the captives. Abu Sayyaf is also holding other foreigners, including one from the Netherlands, one from Japan and four Malaysian tugboat crew. (Reporting By Manuel Mogato; Editing by Nick Macfie) London: Sex workers around the world face violence, rape, widespread discrimination and extortion, a global human rights watchdog said on Thursday, with male or transgender sex workers facing further stigma from the police, clients and the community. Research published by Amnesty International showed that sex workers globally lack protection from "horrific" abuse and violence, even in countries like Norway, which are perceived to have strong human rights laws. From Papua New Guinea to Argentina, Hong Kong and Norway, researchers consistently found cases of sex workers being physically and sexually abused by clients and the police. "Sex workers are experiencing horrific levels of violence and abuse throughout the world," Kate Schuetze, a policy advisor at Amnesty International, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. In many cases police are the perpetrators of the abuse, making sex workers reluctant to report the crime, especially if prostitution is illegal in their country, Schuetze said. She added that sex workers caught carrying condoms - seen by police as evidence of illegal activity - have been arrested or targeted for extortion, which in turn discourages safer sex practices. Mona, a sex worker in Papua New Guinea, said she was raped by several police officers after being caught with a client. "I don`t have any support to come to court and report them. It was so painful to me, but then I let it go," Mona was quoted by Amnesty as saying. "If I go to the law, they cannot help me as sex work is against the law in PNG." Sex work vs sex trafficking In April, France followed Northern Ireland, Canada, Sweden, Norway and Iceland in introducing legislation to make it an offence to buy sex. Some activists said shifting the criminal charge from victim to the client would make countries like France less attractive for pimps and traffickers. But male sex worker Luca Stevenson said conflating sex work with sex trafficking was problematic. "Calling for an end to sex work to end trafficking for sexual exploitation doesn`t make sense. It will and it does push sex work underground," said Stevenson, a coordinator at the International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe. "The reality is - the large majority of sex workers make a decision to sell sex," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Globally, almost 21 million people are trapped in forced labour, of which 4.5 million are victims of sexual exploitation, according to the International Labour Organisation. "We`re absolutely opposed to things like trafficking, the sexual exploitation of children," said Schuetze. But overly broad anti-trafficking laws can also trample on the rights of people engaging in sex work consensually as adults, she added. Amnesty, which has called for the full decriminalisation of sex work, wants governments to create policies to protect adults who consent to selling sex for money. For male or transgender sex workers in more conservative countries, such policies could result in less discrimination and better access to healthcare and other services. "In Papua New Guinea, we were told that sex workers were made to wait all day in health clinics because it was known they were transgender," Schuetze said. "What we`re trying to do is shift the focus so people recognise these are human beings in need of protection and the same rights as everyone else." California: Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump stumped Wednesday in California, the US state with the largest Hispanic population, doubling down on his anti-immigration position but assuring that "Mexican people" will vote for him in November. The presumptive Republican nominee took the stage in Anaheim, outside Los Angeles, with police on high alert one day after violence marred a Trump rally in the southwestern state of New Mexico, where anti-Trump protesters hurled rocks and police fired smoke grenades in efforts to rein in the chaos. Dozens of security personnel including police on horseback maintained control in Anaheim, although some skirmishes broke out between Trump opponents and his backers as protesters chanted expletives about the brash billionaire. At least two arrests were made. Inside, Trump attacked his likely Democratic general election rival Hillary Clinton and railed against undocumented immigrants stealing US jobs. But he insisted legal immigrants would vote for him in large numbers, despite polls showing they would overwhelmingly favor Clinton. "The Mexican people are great, they`re going to vote for me like crazy, the ones that are legally in this country," Trump said, as a woman waived a "Latinas for Trump" sign behind him.Immigration is a flashpoint political topic in California. The state now has more Hispanic residents -- 39 percent -- than whites, according to the census. "We have too many immigrants here, Mexican immigrants," Trump supporter Sharon Lombardi told AFP. "It`s an invasion." "Our cities are not the same," said Lupe Morfin, 58, adding that an "illegal alien" killed her 13-year-old nephew in 1990. "Mr. Trump is the only one that would listen to us, and we love him." Trump warned there would be "nothing but turmoil" and "four more years of Obama" if Clinton wins the White House. "Our system and our country can`t take it," he said. Trump also insisted his "biggest strength" would be a robust national security, as he lambasted countries like Germany for allowing refugees to flood into Europe unchecked, increasing the terror threat. "All over Europe they`re taking these people and all over the United States they`re sending these people," Trump said. "How stupid are we? This will come back to haunt us." Several Trump rallies have drawn protests, including one in Chicago in March when his supporters clashed with protesters. Trump described his Tuesday rally in Albuquerque as a "love fest," even though the chaos outside left several officers injured. In his speech in New Mexico, which has the highest percentage of Hispanic residents of any US state, Trump startled observers by criticizing Governor Susana Martinez, the nation`s only Hispanic governor and head of the Republican Governors Association. "She`s got to do a better job, OK?" Trump told the crowd about Martinez, who has criticized Trump`s remarks on immigration and was absent from Tuesday`s event.It was the latest example of behavior that may compound Trump`s efforts to win over skeptical voters. Martinez is seen as someone who could help a Republican nominee win support from Hispanics and women -- on her home turf, saying she was not cutting it as governor. Martinez`s office responded swiftly, saying the governor "will not be bullied into supporting a candidate until she is convinced that candidate will fight for New Mexicans." The blunt response highlights the tensions within the party even as it prepares to crown Trump as its nominee. House Speaker Paul Ryan -- the nation`s top elected Republican -- said he was not yet prepared to endorse Trump for president. "I haven`t made a decision," Ryan told reporters, two weeks after he met with Trump to discuss ways to unify the party behind his remarkable White House run. Former House majority leader Tom DeLay had choice words for the presumptive nominee, calling Trump`s criticism of a popular conservative Latina "stupid politics." "It blows my mind," DeLay told MSNBC. "Where is he going to get his coalition to win?" Following his Washington state victory, Trump has now amassed 1,229 delegates, according to a CNN tally -- just eight shy of the 1,237 needed to clinch the nomination. He is expected to cross the threshold June 7, when California and four other states vote on the final day of the Republican primary contest. Trump pivoted to the general election weeks ago, relentlessly criticizing his likely Democratic rival. The former secretary of state has returned fire, although she is still engaged in the final stages of her Democratic battle against Sanders. On Wednesday, the scandal over her use of a private email server while secretary of state resurfaced, with a starkly critical report by the State Department`s inspector general finding she had not sought permission to conduct official business on her personal account. Paris: Turkey must uphold its side of a deal made with the European Union over stemming the flow of migrants, a top EU official said Thursday, warning "threats" against the bloc will not work. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Ankara must ease strict anti-terror laws if it wants its citizens to enjoy visa-free travel on the continent. Juncker was speaking after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday warned the European Union his parliament would block laws related to the landmark deal if it didn`t get its way on visa liberalisation. "We do expect that Turkey will stick to its commitments -- and threats are not the best diplomatic instrument you can use," Juncker told reporters in Ise-Shima, where he is attending the G7 summit. "So one should stop to use them, because they will produce no effect whatsoever." Juncker`s outburst came after Erdogan dug his heels in over growing indications that a deal to grant Turks the right to travel freely in Europe looked to be faltering. Angela Merkel warned after talks with Erdogan on Monday that the target of an end-June implementation was unlikely to be met. The agreement saw Turkey pledge to work to stop migrants crossing the Aegean to Europe and also readmit migrants who had crossed illegally. EU officials hailed the success of the deal, but Ankara has grown increasingly uneasy about the bloc`s wariness to grant it the visa-free travel to the passport free Schengen area it was offered in return. "If that (the visa exemption) is not what will happen... no decision and no law in the framework of the readmission agreement will come out of the parliament of the Turkish Republic," Erdogan said at the close of the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul this week. "Our foreign ministry, our EU affairs ministry will have discussions with the Europeans. If there is a result then great. If not, then I`m sorry." Erdogan also complained about the EU`s wariness in handing over to Turkey a promised three billion euros followed by another three billion to help Syrian refugees. EU leaders are insisting that Turkey abides by 72 conditions before the visa exemption takes place, with a demand to change counter-terror laws proving particularly contentious. The EU wants Ankara to narrow its definition of terror to stop prosecuting academics and journalists for publishing "terror propaganda". Turkey has refused to do so, pointing out it is in the midst of a campaign against Kurdish militants. Fatisah: US forces on the ground in northern Syria are helping a major offensive against the Islamic State group in its stronghold of Raqa province, Kurdish-Arab fighters battling the jihadists say. Near the frontline north of the IS bastion of Raqa city, an AFP photographer saw US soldiers climbing onto a low rooftop carrying US-made anti-tank missiles. "These are US special operations forces and this is why you cannot follow them or take many pictures," said a fighter with the Syrian Democratic Forces, which announced on Tuesday an assault on the jihadists north of Raqa. Leaning on a partially destroyed home in the village of Fatisah which was recently seized from IS, SDF field commander Hawkar Kobane told AFP that "US forces are taking part in this operation" alongside his own troops. "On the rooftop of this house, there are US forces using (anti-tank) TOW missiles to fire on the explosives-rigged cars that Daesh is using to attack the SDF," he said, using an Arabic acronym for IS. The SDF has also received air support from the US-led air coalition bombing the jihadists in Iraq and Syria. And this week, the first of 250 members of the US special operations forces were to arrive in northeast Syria to support the fight, joining dozens of advisers already on the ground. Special operations forces are known to lend support to and train foreign armies. Washington has insisted the soldiers sent into Syria are not combat troops. Asked about the men seen in Fatisah, US defence officials did not dispute that they were American special operations forces. The troops appeared to be equipped with US-issued sidearms and uniforms, and at least one could be seen with a badge of the US flag on his chest. The United States has publicly disclosed that about 300 of its elite commandos and support personnel are on the ground in northern Syria, where they are working with the Kurdish and other anti-IS partners. "They are continuing to advise and assist local forces in the ongoing fight against ISIL," Pentagon spokesman Matthew Allen said, using another name for IS.The AFP photographer saw as many as 20 US soldiers in Fatisah on Wednesday and heard them communicating in English with each other. They refused to speak to journalists but generally appeared less wary than usual about the media presence. The US soldiers could be seen climbing onto pickup trucks fitted with heavy machineguns and driving across the swathes of agricultural plains that make up northern Raqa province. Other US soldiers surveyed territory alongside SDF forces identified by the yellow patches on their arms. "The American forces present here have a lot of experience," Kobane said. "We will take advantage of their experience to fight terrorism and capture the other villages as quickly as possible with as few casualties as possible." Another SDF field commander, Baraa al-Ghanem, said US fighters were "present at all positions along the front... They are taking part on the ground and in the air". "We have a joint operations room with the coalition. We also have special weapons, both heavy and light, and we are facing the problem of mines," he added. The US forces on Wednesday could be seen accompanying a special unit within the SDF known as the "counter-terrorism forces". The two forces entered a building on the edge of Fatisah used as the town`s school, reportedly to carry out a training session on using US weaponry. Kurds play a dominant role in the US-backed SDF, providing the core of the forces that have pushed back IS in the country`s northeast. The SDF has a total of about 25,000 Kurdish fighters and around 5,000 Arab fighters. Washington is pushing to bring more Arab forces into the group. The Syrian war erupted in early 2011 after Bashar al-Assad`s forces launched a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests, and has since claimed more than 270,000 lives. GE agreed to sell its rail signalling division to Alstom in 2014 for $800 million as part of the US company's purchase of Alstom's energy business for about $10.6 billion France's Alstom has filed a breach of contract suit against General Electric rooted in a dispute focused on Alstom's agreement to buy GE's rail signalling business two years ago, the companies confirmed Thursday. Alstom's suit in a New York court alleges that GE has not adhered to agreed procedures for settling disputes by arbitration. GE agreed to sell the signalling division to Alstom in 2014 for $800 million as part of the US company's purchase of Alstom's energy business for about $10.6 billion. But early this year the two fell into disagreement over the valuation of the assets Alstom was buying. After the two failed to settle the issue themselves during a "resolution period," Alstom sought to bring the matter to the designated arbitrator, accounting house Deloitte. But GE told Alstom that it disagreed with the French company's calculations and that it filed on May 9 a request for arbitration before the International Chamber of Commerce, according to the Alstom suit. "We disagree with the allegations and look forward to resolving the matter as provided for in the contract," a GE spokesman said. An Alstom spokesman declined comment. US President Barack Obama (L) with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (R) as they arrive at Ise-Jingu Shrine on May 26, 2016, on the first day of the G7 leaders summit World leaders focused Thursday on pumping up the global economy and worries over the growing clout of China -- which promptly told the G7 club of rich nations to mind its own business. Presidents and prime ministers from the Group of Seven huddled in Japan for two days of meetings, with the refugee crisis, terrorism, the threat of North Korea and sanctions against Russia also filling up their packed agenda. But China's growing assertiveness, particularly in bitter territorial disputes in the South China Sea, was providing ever-louder background music, with European Council President Donald Tusk calling on the G7 to take a "tough stance" on the hot-button issue. Beijing swiftly launched a stinging broadside against the group -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US -- which it said should not pursue "selfish interests". "G7 should focus on its own duties, that is economic cooperation, it should not point fingers at something outside its portfolio," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular briefing in Beijing. The Xinhua news agency, Beijing's official mouthpiece, reinforced the point with a blunt commentary that said the group "should mind its own business" and accused Japan of exploiting its host status to try to isolate China. The neighbours have a long history of tempestuous relations. Both Washington and Tokyo -- which is locked in a separate dispute with Beijing over islands in the East China Sea -- have warned against China stoking tensions in the contested waters. - 'Heated exchanges' - The sputtering global economy took centre stage in formal talks, although divisions seem likely to remain over whether the world should spend or save its way out of the malaise, with Japan and Germany at odds on the issue. There were some "heated exchanges" among G7 leaders on the issue of refugees, a senior Japanese government official said on condition of anonymity. That came after European Council's Tusk said the world needs to act together and not leave everything at Europe's door. Story continues "We are aware that it is because of geography that the most responsibility is, and will continue to be, placed on Europe," Tusk told reporters. "However we would also like the global community to show solidarity and recognise that this is a global crisis." Merkel said fresh funds to tackle the problem were unlikely, but added that "we all agree that we have to do everything to fight the causes that make people flee". Last year, some 1.3 million refugees, mostly from conflict-ridden Syria and Iraq, asked for asylum in the European Union -- more than a third of them in Germany. - Donald Trump - There were several bilateral meetings, including Canada's Justin Trudeau chatting with Germany's Angela Merkel, who said G7 sanctions imposed on Russia over its involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine would not be lifted anytime soon. Britain's referendum next month on whether or not to stay in the European Union was also discussed. "The atmosphere of our talks would be better if Britain is staying in the European Union," Juncker said. Also looming over the talks -- though not present -- was US Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump and Northeast Asia's perennial badboy, Kim Jong-Un. Obama later told reporters that he and his G7 counterparts agreed "North Korea is a big worry for all of us", following Pyongyang's series of nuclear tests and missile launches. He also said the G7 leaders were "rattled" by some of the policies espoused by former reality TV star Trump, and blasted his "ignorance" of how the world works. The leaders had begun their day with a visit to Ise Jingu, a shrine complex that sits at the spiritual heart of Japan's native Shintoism. Abe's decision to take his counterparts to the site -- also a hotspot for domestic tourists -- has raised eyebrows among some critics, however, who say it retains some nationalist overtones from when Shinto was the state religion. Several of the leaders -- including summit heartthrobs Matteo Renzi of Italy and Canada's Trudeau -- also got a slow speed demonstration riding in fuel-cell cars, as Japan sought to show off its tech know-how. The leak of 11.5 million confidential documents from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca in April 2016, showed how the rich and powerful stash their assets in offshore companies The law firm at the center of the Panama Papers leak broke its own policies by setting up an offshore company for a Canadian billionaire under criminal investigation, news outlets reported Thursday. The daily Toronto Star and public broadcaster CBC, which are members of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, reported that Mossack Fonseca had agreed to do work for Chinese-born David Ting Kwok Ho despite concerns about his legal woes and his prominence. Ho, who emigrated to Canada in 1986, had been charged with possession of cocaine, the unlawful confinement of a prostitute at his Vancouver mansion, and possession of an unregistered loaded pistol. He pleaded guilty to the latter two charges in 2012 and was given a suspended sentence, community service and a fine. A year earlier when the charges were still pending, however, Mossack Fonseca took him on as a client. In addition to the charges, a background check had found Ho was a "politically exposed person" because of his membership in a prominent family in China. His grandfather once ran one of the world's largest tobacco companies. In international finance, so-called PEPs are considered as posing a higher risk for corruption and bribery. In public statements, Mossack Fonseca has insisted that it conducts rigorous due diligence before taking on a PEP client. But in Ho's case, according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, this amounted to a web search and asking Ho questions about his legal troubles that went largely unanswered. "The client is much annoyed by question after question from us," read an email from Mossack Fonseca's Shanghai branch to its Panama offices, saying Ho wished to proceed urgently with incorporation. It also noted that Ho was no longer involved in politics, and said his alleged crimes were not economic crimes. Mossack Fonseca registered Harmonyworld Investment Co. Ltd. for Ho in the Seychelles on July 12, 2011. Ho's lawyer told the Toronto Star his offshore corporation was reported to the Canada Revenue Agency. By Matt Scuffham TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's biggest banks warned on Thursday of further losses from oil loans in coming quarters as energy companies struggled to repay loans, even as growth in wealth management and retail banking helped the banks report better-than-expected second-quarter earnings. Royal Bank of Canada , Toronto-Dominion Bank and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce each posted sharp increases in impaired oil and gas loans as some energy clients battled the oil market slump. Crude prices fell to a 13-year low of $26 a barrel in February on concerns about an oversupply. TD's chief financial officer, Riaz Ahmed, said that despite a recent recovery in oil prices, which tested $50 a barrel on Thursday, he expected the bank to set aside more funds to cover bad energy loans this year and next. [O/R] "While it is encouraging that oil prices are rallying nicely, I don't expect that to have an immediate impact. I expect that through 2016 and 2017 we will continue to see credit provisions relating to the oil and gas sector materialize," he said. David Cockfield, managing director of Northland Wealth Management, which owns shares in Bank of Montreal , Bank of Nova Scotia and TD, said he expected provisions to rise further but that share prices already reflected that. "I believe it will get worse before it gets better. I think they're going to have to continue to make provisions in the next quarter. Even oil prices moving back into the $50 level isn't going to float all the guys that have difficulties right now," he said. RBC said impaired loans to oil and gas firms more than tripled to over C$1 billion during the quarter, with provisions for credit losses rising to the upper end of its guidance of 30 to 35 basis points of total loans. "I think that it's probably more of the same for the rest of the year given where we are," Chief Financial Officer Janice Fukakusa told Reuters. Despite the warnings, RBC, TD and CIBC each reported second-quarter profit ahead of expectations. The banks said the Alberta wildfires would not have a material impact on their earnings. Ahmed said he estimated the impact on TD, which is one of the biggest property insurers in the region, would be "less than 5 cents per share over time". RBC and TD shares closed up 1 percent and 0.1 percent respectively. CIBC shares were down 1 percent. (Additional reporting by Anet Josline Pinto in Bengaluru; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Peter Cooney) By Ulf Laessing and Tife Owolabi LAGOS/YENAGOA, Nigeria (Reuters) - Nigeria's government needs to address grievances in the oil-producing Niger Delta, its oil minister said on Thursday, hours after a Chevron source said a militant attack had forced it to shut its onshore operations in the restive region. A militant group called the Niger Delta Avengers, which has told oil firms to leave the Delta before the end of May, said late on Wednesday that it had blown up the Chevron's facility's mains electricity feed. Its attacks have hobbled oil output over the past month. A company source told Reuters that "all activities in Chevron are grounded" onshore while oil industry sources said roughly 90,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Escravos were gone due to the latest attack and another on Chevron's offshore facilities earlier this month. Planned Escravos exports in the first half of 2016 averaged 167,000 bpd. A Twitter account with the group's name said late on Wednesday: "We Warned #Chevron just blow up the Escravos tank farm Main Electricity Feed PipeLine." A Chevron spokeswoman declined to comment. The Avengers, who have given oil firms until end of the month to leave in what they frame as struggle for the Delta's independence, have intensified attacks in recent weeks, pushing oil output to its lowest in more than 20 years and compounding the problems of Africa's largest economy. Abuja has responded by moving in army reinforcements but British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond said this month that President Muhammadu Buhari needed to deal with the root causes. In the first signal that the government might try a less heavy-handed approach, Oil Minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu said an amnesty program for former militants, signed in 2009 to end a previous insurgency, needed to improve. The amnesty needed to address "neglect by the government and international oil companies," Kachikwu said. The scheme had funded cash benefits and job training to militants who have laid down their arms but has been cut by the government by two-thirds, fuelling dissent. "The Niger Delta governors must be involved in providing lasting solutions to the resurgence of pipeline vandalism and there is urgent need to create business opportunities for the locals in the region," Kachikwu said in a statement. Moving in the same direction, a committee set up by Delta state leaders warned that a military approach would not work and saw "an apparent consensus" that the federal government and oil companies have neglected the grievances of local communities. Delta residents, some of whom sympathize with the militants, have long complained of poverty in an area producing oil accounting for 70 percent of national income. Nigeria is now pumping under 1.5 million bpd - less than Angola - and well below the 2.2 million bpd assumed in the 2016 state budget. (Additional reporting by Libby George and Julia Payne in London; Writing by Ulf Laessing and Ed Cropley; Editing by Ruth Pitchford and Diane Craft) (This version of the May 25 story corrects paragraph eight to show that Trader Joe's sells produce by piece and package, not by the pound) By Lisa Baertlein LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Whole Foods Market Inc unveils its new 365 grocery chain on Wednesday with a bright and airy store that offers lower prices and more technology than the company's namesake shops. To thrive, though, experts say 365 has to beat its many rivals without hijacking customers from Whole Foods itself. The chain, which debuts in Los Angeles' Silver Lake neighborhood, is critical to Whole Foods. In the fiercely competitive market for fresh fruit and vegetables, its sales are being whittled away by Sprouts Farmers Market Inc and other rivals who are undercutting Whole Foods on price, if not always matching it on quality. Low prices are the top demand even among shoppers prioritizing goods promoting health and wellness, said Richard Vitaro of market research firm AlixPartners. "I don't think we can underestimate the power of frugality," said Vitaro. From the start, 365 has targeted reduced overheads and increased customer convenience, said Jeff Turnas, president of the chain. Whole Foods said recently it has signed 19 leases for 365 stores around the United States, without disclosing financial targets for the new chain. "Our goal is to compete in the marketplace without lowering the Whole Foods standards," Turnas told Reuters during a recent store tour. He said 365 stores will complement Whole Foods' premium, full-service sister brand - often dubbed 'Whole Paycheck' in popular culture in reference to its perceived higher prices. But the new chain will have to work hard to avoid being labeled "a cheaper Whole Foods", said Kevin Kelley, a principal at strategy and design firm Shook Kelley, which has worked with Whole Foods and other grocers. AIR GUITARS, FOODIES 365's messaging is breezier than its serious elder sibling's. One sign offers "Free air guitars", while a "Silver Kale" mural next to the meat case is a fun, foodie nod to the chain's first neighborhood, known for a hipster feel. About half of the brightly colored fruits and vegetables at 365 are non-organic, a greater proportion than at Whole Foods. Produce is priced per piece or per package, as at cult discounter Trader Joe's, rather than by the pound. 365 stores will be about a third smaller than the average Whole Foods outlet, and carry roughly a quarter the number of products - reducing real estate and merchandise-related costs. Staffing is leaner and no longer specialized. An iPad app replaces wine experts, while meat, cheese and fish are in "grab-and-go" packages - meaning no butchers or cheese and fishmongers. While 365 takes aim at budget gourmets and cash-strapped "millennial moms", grocery experts said it also needs to appeal to people who buy from a range of other food sellers, from Kroger and Walmart to Amazon.com , restaurant delivery companies and meal kit providers such as Blue Apron. Some are skeptical that 365 stores will hit the mark. "I don't see them generating the efficiency they need to balance value and quality," said Bill Bishop of retail consultancy Brick Meets Click. Shook Kelley principal Kevin Kelley disagreed: "Whole Foods gets culture," he said, and has the experience to successfully choose what goes on the shelves in smaller 365 stores. Roger Davidson, a consultant who has held key positions at chains such as Wild Oats, which was acquired by Whole Foods, Walmart and Texas grocer H-E-B, is betting on 365 succeeding. But amid intensive competition in the sector, Davidson said 365 has little room for error. "They have to make it work," he said. (Reporting by Lisa Baertlein; Editing by Peter Henderson and Kenneth Maxwell) Air travel remains one of the safest forms of transport there is. And independent plane safety rating website Airlineratings.com has compiled a list of the carriers with the most impressive safety records. From a pool of 407 companies, the website has selected those with the lowest fatality records, highest standing with international regulators and the highest levels of compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organizations 8-point safety parameters. Australias Qantas has topped the list for the third year running, thanks to its fatality-free record, but all the airlines in the list received the maximum seven-star safety rating when evaluated. Each of the top 20 carriers hails from Europe, Asia, North America or Australia. Here are the 20 safest airlines in alphabetical order: 1. Air New Zealand The carrier was awarded the maximum seven-star safety rating by the independent website. 2. Alaska Airlines The North American airline has an incredibly impressive safety record. 3. All Nippon Airlines Japans All Nippon was praised in the report for its safety and product quality. (Rex Shutterstock) 4. American Airlines The worlds second largest airline scored highly for safety. (Rex Shutterstock) 5. Cathay Pacific Hong Kongs Cathay is a consistent winner of international travel awards for quality. (Rex Shutterstock) 6. Emirates Emirates its known for its high levels of quality, as well as its excellent safety record. (Rex Shutterstock) 7. Etihad United Arab Emirates national airline was one of the fastest growing commercial carriers in history. (Rex Shutterstock) 8. EVA Air The Taiwanese airline has a casualty-free safety record. (Rex Shutterstock) 9. Finnair The airlines is known for its low prices, which havent compromised its quality or safety. 10. Hawaiian Airlines The Honolulu based airline has a reputation for excellent economy service. (Rex Shutterstock) 11. Japan Airlines The carrier became the national airline of Japan in 1953. (Rex Shutterstock) Story continues 12. KLM The flag carrier of the Netherlands is the only airline to serve a number of Scandinavian routes. (Rex Shutterstock) 13. Lufthansa Germanys flag carrier was one of the founding members of the Star Alliance. (Rex Shutterstock) 14. Qantas The Australian carrier remains the safest in the world. It hasnt had a fatal crash since 1951. (Rex Shutterstock) 15. Scandinavian Airline System SAS is the largest Scandinavian airline, and flies to the highest number of northern European cites. 16. Singapore Airlines Singapore Airlines was the first carrier to offer free drinks in economy class in the 1970s. (Rex Shutterstock) 17. Swiss Airlines The airline became Switzerlands flag carrier after Swissair declared bankruptcy in 2002. 18. United Airlines The Chicago-based airline made the list. (Rex Shutterstock) 19. Virgin Atlantic Richard Bransons brainchild is the second safest in the world. (Rex Shutterstock) 20. Virgin Australia The antipodean spinoff of Richard Bransons airline was originally known as Virgin Blue, and was Australias first successful low-cost airline. (Rex Shutterstock) (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders on Tuesday requested a recount in the close Kentucky presidential primary against front-runner Hillary Clinton, state election officials said on Tuesday. The recanvass will take place at all 120 county boards of election on Thursday, according to the Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Grimes. Clinton won Kentucky by just 1,924 votes, according to the unofficial totals posted on the secretary of state's elections page. She won Jefferson County, which includes Louisville and is the largest by far of the state's 120 counties, by nearly 10 times that amount In his filing on Tuesday, Sanders requested a full check and recount of every voting machine and absentee ballot from all precincts in the counties, according to Grimes' website. "My office is notifying all county boards of elections that Sen. Sanders has requested a recanvass, and we are reminding them of the laws and procedures to be followed," Grimes said in a statement. Clinton, a former U.S. senator and secretary of state, narrowly defeated Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, in the May 17 presidential nominating contest in Kentucky, a state she had not been expected to win. A Sanders campaign representative said the recount request was important for the integrity of the Democratic presidential contest, in which Sanders is continuing to challenge Clinton despite her formidable lead in the number of delegates needed to secure the nomination. "I think the point is just transparency, it's not just about Kentucky," Sanders aide Larry Cohen said on CNN. "It's about trying to create a context, now and at the (Democratic) convention, that these primaries and caucuses need transparency, they need to be authentic, they need to build confidence among voters, particularly younger voters, that this is not rigged." Sanders has generally drawn more support from young voters than Clinton. (Reporting by Steve Bittenbender and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) Rumble This dry-style curry pilaf is an original Japanese recipe called Dry Curry; a popular menu item at restaurants and cafes in Japan. There are two types dry curry dishes, keema curry style and curried rice pilaf style. This video focuses on the dry style of curried pilaf. It doesn't need to be simmered for a long time like regular curry, so you can easily make it with leftover rice and other ingredients in your refrigerator for dinner on days when you don't have much time to cook or when you don't have an appetite. You can enjoy a well-balanced and delicious meal with plenty of meat and vegetables with the appetizing spicy flavor of tangy curry. ============================================================= YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDvCGAygv511zlEkVAWQfbA Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/hungrycookingstudio/ ============================================================= 00:08 Mincing Vegetables and Bacon for Dry Curry Pilaf 03:30 Cooking Dry Curry Pilaf 04:38 Seasoning Dry Curry Pilaf Ingredients (for 2) Rice 1~1.5 cup Onion ... 1/4 Green pepper ... 1/4~1/2 Mushrooms ... 2~3 Garlic ... 4 Eggs ... 2 Bacon ... 1 piece Mixed minced meat ... 70-100g Curry powder... 1 tbsp Ketchup ... 1 tbsp Nutmeg...a little Chicken consomme... 2/3 tbsp Salt Black pepper Olive oil Cooking Recipe Cook a batch of rice or use refrigerated leftovers to add into the pan at a later time. Finely mince the onions, green peppers, garlic, and bacon. Slice the mushrooms. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and mix well. Pour in plenty of olive oil into a pan and add minced garlic. Raise heat to med-high. When the garlic is aromatic add in onions, green peppers, and mushrooms. Stir-fry to keep it moving. When the vegetables have become soft, add in the bacon and minced meat. When cooked through begin seasoning. Add in curry powder, chicken consomme, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly. When blended, add in cooked rice and stir-fry. When the rice is fried well and doesn't stick together (like restaurant fried rice), create a small space in the middle of the pan. Pour the mixed egg into the space you made and scramble. When the egg firms up, mix in with the rice. When everything is evenly mixed, it's ready to eat. Cooking tips Adjust the amount of curry powder according to your preference of spiciness. Since various ingredients are added, even if the amount of rice is small, it will still be voluminous. Instead of minced meat, it is also delicious to add thinly sliced, coarsely ground sausages. Members of the local Guyanese community are flying the South American country's flag high at Winnipeg City Hall on Thursday. Guyana won autonomy 50 years ago today, after more than 150 years under British rule. Sandra Sukhan, honorary consul for Guyana to Manitoba, said there was a lot of violence in her country during the decade leading up to its independence. "It was probably the most turbulent time in Guyana's history it had a very painful history of colonization," Sukhan said. Sukhan, who was 12 when the country became independent, still has vivid memories from the early '60s of building fires, "smoke in the sky" and British soldiers driving through the streets in Land Rovers. Sukhan said although she didn't quite grasp what was happening, she knew something was wrong. "The British spent a lot of time dividing us along racial lines, and so suddenly people who were your neighbours were no longer your friends," she said. That rift imposed on the people hit home for Sukhan's family, which employed a nanny of a different race. "There were these hidden rules of what you could or couldn't do, and people kind of understood them," she said. "But we didn't live that. In the area we lived. It was hard for us to understand, for me anyway, who was black, who was Indian, who was family, who was not family." On May 26, 1966,the country set off down a path of independence and toward developing a new cultural identity. "People were waving their flag; we had a new flag to fly, we had a new country. It was a sense of pride," she said. Four years later as a 16-year-old, Sukhan moved to Winnipeg to marry her husband as part of an arranged marriage. Almost 50 years have passed and the couple is still married. Members of the Guyanese Cultural Organization and Guyanese Association of Manitoba raised the country's flag at city hall with Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman and others at 9 a.m. Thursday. Sukhan is the author of In Search of the Blue Lotus: A Feminist Counter-Narrative to the Dominant Hegemonic Discourse, a book that touches on Guyana's fight for independence. By Alex Lawler and Rania El Gamal LONDON/DUBAI (Reuters) - OPEC's thorniest dilemma of the past year - at least from a purely oil standpoint - is about to disappear. Less than six months after the lifting of Western sanctions, Iran is close to regaining normal oil export volumes, adding extra barrels to the market in an unexpectedly smooth way and helped by supply disruptions from Canada to Nigeria. But the development will do little to repair dialogue, let alone help clinch a production deal, when OPEC meets next week amid rising political tensions between arch-rivals Iran and oil superpower Saudi Arabia, OPEC sources and delegates say. Earlier this year, Tehran refused to join an initiative to boost prices by freezing output but signaled it would be part of a future effort once its production had recovered sufficiently. OPEC has no supply limit, having at its last meeting in December scrapped its production target. According to International Energy Agency (IEA) figures, Iran's output has reached levels seen before the imposition of sanctions over its nuclear program. Tehran says it is not yet there. But while Iran may be more willing now to talk, an increase in oil prices has reduced the urgency of propping up the market, OPEC delegates say. Oil has risen toward a more producer-friendly $50 from a 12-year low near $27 in January. "I don't think OPEC will decide anything," a delegate from a major Middle East producer said. "The market is recovering because of supply disruptions and demand recovery." A senior OPEC delegate, asked whether the group would make any changes to output policy at its June 2 meeting, said: Nothing. The freeze is finished. Within OPEC, Iran has long pushed for measures to support oil prices. That position puts it at odds with Saudi Arabia, the driving force behind OPEC's landmark November 2014 refusal to cut supply in order to boost the market. Sources familiar with Iranian oil policy see no sign of any change of approach by Riyadh under new Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih - who is seen as a believer in reform and low oil prices. "It really depends on those countries within OPEC with a high level of production," one such source said. "It does not seem that Saudi Arabia will be ready to cooperate with other members." HIGHER EXPORTS Iran has managed to increase oil exports significantly in 2016 after the lifting of sanctions in January. It notched up output of 3.56 million barrels of oil per day in April, the IEA said, a level last reached in November 2011 before sanctions were tightened. Saudi Arabia produced a near-record-high 10.26 million barrels per day in April and has kept output relatively steady over the past year, its submissions to OPEC show. Iran, according to delegates from other OPEC members, is unlikely to restrain supplies, given that it believes Saudi Arabia should cut back itself to make room for Iranian oil. "Iran won't support any freeze or cut," said a non-Iranian OPEC delegate. "But Iran may put pressure on Saudi Arabia that they hold the responsibility." Saudi thinking, however, has moved on from the days when Riyadh cut or increased output unilaterally. Talks in Doha on the proposed output freeze by OPEC and non-OPEC producers fell through after Saudi insisted that Iran participate. Indeed, differences between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which helped found the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries 56 years ago, over OPEC policy have made cooperation harder - to say nothing of more fundamental disagreements. For more than a decade after oil crashed to $10 in 1997, the two set aside rivalries to manage the market and support prices, although they fell into opposing OPEC camps with Iran wanting high prices and Saudi more moderate. Now, the Sunni-Shia conflicts setting Saudi Arabia and Iran at each other's throats, particularly in Syria and Yemen, make the relationship between the two even more fraught. The two disagree over OPEC's future direction. Earlier in May, OPEC failed to decide on a long-term strategy as Saudi Arabia objected to Iran's proposal that the exporter group aim for "effective production management". With that backdrop, ministers may be advised to keep expectations low, an OPEC watcher said. "The only aspiration OPEC should have for its 2 June meeting is simply not to repeat the chaos of the Doha process," said Paul Horsnell, analyst at Standard Chartered. "A straightforward meeting with no binding commitments and, most importantly, no overt arguments would be the best outcome for ministers." (Reporting by Alex Lawler and Rania El Gamal; Editing by Dale Hudson) By Ahmed Rasheed and Stephen Kalin BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi government forces fought Islamic State militants near Falluja on Monday and bombarded central districts at the outset of an offensive to retake the longtime jihadist stronghold on the western approaches to the capital Baghdad. Some of the first direct clashes occurred in the area of al-Hayakil on Falluja's southern outskirts, a resident said. Iraqi troops also approached the northern suburb of Garma, the top municipal official there said, to clear out militants before turning their attention toward the city center. Air strikes and mortar salvoes overnight targeted neighborhoods inside the city where Islamic State is believed to maintain its headquarters. The bombardment had eased by daybreak. Seven civilians and two militants were killed in the shelling, while 21 civilians and two militants were wounded, a source at Falluja's medical center said. The final toll is likely to be higher as this accounts only for casualties brought to hospital. There was no immediate report of casualties among Iraqi forces. Iraqi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, speaking on state television, described the government's advance as "careful" and reliant on engineers to dismantle roadside bombs planted by the militants. Falluja, a bastion of Sunni Muslim jihadists 50 km (30 miles) from Baghdad, was the first city to fall to Islamic State, in January 2014. Six months later, the group declared a caliphate spanning large parts of Iraq and neighboring Syria. Iraqi forces have surrounded Falluja since last year but focused most combat operations on IS-held territories further west and north. The authorities have pledged to retake Mosul, the north's biggest city, this year in keeping with a U.S. plan to oust IS from their de facto capitals in Iraq and Syria. But the Falluja operation, which is not considered a military prerequisite for advancing on Mosul, could push back that timeline. Two offensives by U.S. forces against al Qaeda insurgents in Falluja in 2004 each lasted about a month and wrecked significant portions of the city. There are between 500 and 700 IS militants in Falluja, according to a recent U.S. military estimate. Iraqi army helicopters were rocketing IS positions in nearby Garma and targeting movement in and out of the area in order to weaken resistance enough for ground troops to enter, Mayor Ahmed Mukhlif told Reuters. The defense minister and army chief of staff visited part of that northern axis on Monday, a ministry statement said. POPULATED CITY Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, also grappling with political and economic crises in the OPEC member state, visited a command center set up nearby to oversee operations, exchanging his suit for the black uniform of an elite commando unit. Announcing the offensive in a late-night speech, Abadi said it would be conducted by the army, police, counter-terrorism forces, local tribal allies and a coalition of mostly Shi'ite Muslim militias. Iraqi officials say the militias, including ones backed by Shi'ite power Iran, may be restricted to operating outside the city limits, as they largely did in the successful battle to retake the Anbar provincial capital of Ramadi six months ago, to avoid aggravating sectarian tensions with Sunni residents. State television aired footage of armored vehicles sitting among palm groves on Falluja's outskirts, a green tracer glow emanating from shell and machinegun fire. A family stood in the daylight outside a simple one-story home, cheering and waving a white flag as a military convoy passed by. Iraqi and U.S. officials estimate there are as many as 100,000 civilians still in Falluja, a city on the Euphrates river whose population was three times that size before the war. A six-month siege has created acute shortages of food and medicine. The Baghdad government has called on civilians to flee and said it would open safe corridors to southern areas, but roadside bombs have prevented most of them from leaving. The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR said 80 families that managed to flee in recent days via a main road or through agricultural fields were undergoing screening by the security forces. It said at least three people had been killed trying to escape while 10,000 families were stuck inside "in a very precarious situation". Residents living in central Falluja said they had moved at dawn to relative safety in outlying northern areas but Islamic State patrols have since begun limiting movement even between neighborhoods. Militants were also using mosque loudspeakers to urge civilians to donate blood, residents said. (Additional reporting by Saif Hameed; Writing by Stephen Kalin; Editing by Janet Lawrence) Canada's ambassador to Ireland, the man hailed as a hero for shooting Ottawa gunman Michael Zehaf-Bibeau after he stormed Parliament Hill in 2014, tackled a protester at a ceremony in Dublin Thursday morning. Kevin Vickers, the former House of Commons sergeant-at-arms, was at the event commemorating the 100 British soldiers who died during the Easter Rising, also called the Easter Rebellion, when Irish republicans tried to overthrow British control of the country by force. A male protester, wearing an Easter Rising T-shirt, stood up during the invitation-only event and could be heard yelling, "This is an insult." Vickers was the first to respond to the disturbance, tackling the man and leading him away from the ceremony. Police later arrested the protester. "This man just ran forward and started screaming, 'It's a disgrace.' He was tackled by somebody and it was only after that I realized it was the Canadian ambassador," an unnamed eyewitness told the Irish Independent. "The whole thing lasted about a minute," the eyewitness said. "The Canadian ambassador grabbed him. There was a struggle and gardai [the police] wrestled him to the ground. Without hesitation, [Mr. Vickers] jumped out from the middle of dignitaries." Thursday's ceremony was being held at a time of heightened security, in the centennial year of the uprising that sought to establish an Irish republic. The British MI-5 recently raised the threat level for Northern Ireland-related terrorism from moderate to substantial, adding there is a "strong possibility" of an attack from "dissident" Irish republicans. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau refused to wade into whether Vickers would be subject to any discipline when asked about the incident at the G7 summit in Japan. "I've been very much engaged in discussions around here and I'm not fully apprised on all the details of that particular incident and will not be commenting on it," he said. Story continues When pressed further, Trudeau said "if it lands on my table, I'll take a look at it." The protester was identified as Brian Murphy by the Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association (IRPWA), of which he is a member. The group, which claims it is not aligned with any political party, is a support group for the families of imprisoned republicans. In a Facebook post, the group chided Vickers for what it called his "assault" on their member. Murphy can be seen wearing the IRPWA logo across his chest. As the protester was being handcuffed by police, attendees at the ceremony were hearing these words from the speaker at the podium, quoting from the Irish government's foreword to the Ireland 2016 centenary program. "All lives are equal in value, and 2016 must be a year in which the narratives of everyone on this island of Ireland are included and heard. This is how we can truly honour the vision of the 1916 proclamation (of the Irish Republic)." 'It was impressive' A spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada said in a statement that Vickers intervened to intercept the protester from running up to the speakers' podium. He was not injured during the incident, the department confirmed. The Canadian Embassy in Ireland would not comment. - TIMELINE | Parliament Hill shooting: five minutes of terror "We were all kind of surprised, to put it mildly, that a dignitary kind of beat the Irish police in wrestling this guy to the ground," Colin Keegan, a photographer covering the event, told Vanessa Vander Valk, host of CBC Radio's Shift. "I have to hand it to him. It was impressive he was in action within a split second of it happening." But Keegan said Murphy, the protester, seemed more disgruntled than a security risk. "I wouldn't say it was threatening, really, it was more disruptive than threatening. He didn't lunge at anybody, or he didn't have a weapon. I presume the gentleman was just disgusted that we were commemorating the death of British soldiers on Irish soil." Global Affairs Canada has a code of conduct for its diplomatic staff abroad, last updated in 2014. Under a broad heading of "Canada's reputation: Personal behaviour," it notes in part: "Regardless of any legal immunity conferred upon representatives abroad, their conduct and actions will be subject to a greater degree of scrutiny and public interest than they would be at home. "The potential for public scrutiny requires that representatives use good judgment and common sense." Vickers was representing Canada at the ceremony as a guest of the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flanagan. He was appointed ambassador to Ireland early last year, just months after he played a key role in ending the shooting attack on Parliament Hill. Gunman Michael Zehaf-Bibeau shot and killed 24-year-old Cpl. Nathan Cirillo at the National War Memorial on Oct. 22, 2014, then entered the halls of Centre Block and continued shooting, as security staff and frightened parliamentarians raced through corridors. Vickers was lauded for his efforts in halting the attacker. Get CBC Politics video, news and analysis in your Facebook newsfeed - "Like" our page here. New Brunswick Southwest MP Karen Ludwig is fulfilling a campaign promise to bring national attention to Lyme disease as she prepares to co-chair a national all-party round table next week. Ludwig says she couldn't ignore the problem after going doortodoor and talking with voters. "I was very surprised at the number of people that talked about Lyme disease across the riding and how it was impacting them, their families and their jobs," Ludwig told Information Morning Moncton. "And so I made a commitment ... that if I got elected I would take it on." Ludwig kept her promise and the first question the rookie MP asked in the House of Commons was about Lyme disease. "I posed the question ... to the minister of health and asked her what the government plan was for dealing with early prevention, early detection and treatment for people suffering from Lyme disease," she said. Last week a demonstration was held on the lawn of the New Brunswick Legislature warning about the increasing number of cases of Lyme disease. In 2015, there were more than 700 cases of Lyme disease reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada. In 2009, there were 128 cases. Stories difficult to hear Ludwig says the most difficult stories she heard were from people like Bruce Ross of St Stephen, who couldn't get anyone to believe that he was ill. "He was diagnosed with Lyme disease in the [United] States, not in Canada. The strand that he had was not being detected in Canada. So it was very frustrating, it's been very draining," she said. "He and his wife both talked about the financial impact of travelling to the U.S. for treatment and the mental health issues and the challenges of being misunderstood, the frustrations, the physical suffering that takes place with Lyme disease." Ludwig says has heard from many people have been forced to travel to Maine for treatment, and many who have been referred to a psychiatrist when doctors didn't believe them. Story continues She hopes the round table on Monday will lead to a national database of confirmed Lyme disease cases across the country and guidelines for medical professionals. "It's a really important next step for me personally and for Canadians to raise awareness among members of Parliament." Ludwig says many MPs have approached her to say they have heard similar stories in their ridings as well. Last week, the Public Health Agency of Canada held a conference on Lyme disease, which covered enhanced surveillance, treatment guidelines and education and awareness for clinicians on what to look for and how to treat it. NEW YORK (Reuters) - A manhunt was underway on Sunday in central Massachusetts for a gunman who shot and killed a police officer during a traffic stop just after midnight, state police said. Ronald Tarentino, a 42-year-old officer in Auburn, Massachusetts, was fatally shot around 12:30 a.m. EDT in the town, which is approximately 50 miles (80 km) west of Boston. The shooter fled the scene in his vehicle, according to police. In an advisory released by Massachusetts State Police and shared by police departments on Twitter, authorities said Jorge Zambrano, 35, was wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting. The bulletin said Zambrano should be considered armed and dangerous. Video taken by local television news outlets showed dozens of officers lining the road as Tarentino's body was transported from a hospital to the medical examiner's office in Boston. (Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Alan Crosby) (Reuters) - A central Massachusetts police officer was shot to death during a traffic stop early on Sunday, prompting an exhaustive manhunt that ended when the suspect was killed by officers who found him hiding in an apartment closet, authorities said. A state trooper was struck in the shoulder when the gunman burst from the closet and opened fire, said Colonel Richard McKeon of the Massachusetts State Police, but was expected to survive. The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Jorge Zambrano, was shot by officers and was later pronounced dead at UMass Memorial Medical Center, according to McKeon. "I think justice was served today," McKeon said, adding that Zambrano had an extensive criminal history. The incident began when Auburn police officer Ronald Tarentino, 42, was fatally shot around 12:30 a.m. EDT in the town, which is approximately 50 miles (80 km) west of Boston. The shooter fled the scene in his vehicle, touching off a manhunt across the region that ultimately led police to an apartment building in Oxford. Video taken by local television news outlets showed dozens of officers lining the road as Tarentino's body was transported from a hospital to the medical examiner's office in Boston. (Reporting by Joseph Ax and Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Alan Crosby and Chris Reese) By Eric M. Johnson and Nia Williams CALGARY (Reuters) - Firefighters battling a massive blaze in Canada's energy heartland were aided on Friday by a second day of light rain and winds that held flames back from oil sands facilities, as producers signaled a gradual increase in operations. The wildfire in northern Alberta has blackened more than 500,000 hectares (1,930 square miles) of land, six times the size of New York City, since it erupted earlier this month. It has forced widespread evacuations, destroyed entire neighborhoods in the Fort McMurray area and triggered a prolonged shutdown that has cut Canadian oil output by a million barrels a day. The fire's footprint had already exceeded the total area burned during Alberta's entire 2015 fire season, and it jumped Thursday into the neighboring province of Saskatchewan although no evacuations were ordered there so far. The fire's growth slowed on Friday as firefighters were helped by colder, damper weather that began a day earlier and vastly improved air quality, provincial authorities said. "We expect to hold this fire in place over the weekend," Alberta Wildfire Manager Chad Morrison told a news conference. Morrison said that fire crews hope to use the improved conditions to advance further against the blaze. Authorities plan to roughly double the number of firefighters over the next two weeks to about 2,100 personnel backed by bulldozers and aircraft dumping flame retardant. CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC The weather, which included winds pushing flames away from key oil sands assets, offered a glimmer of hope for crude operations with Statoil saying on Friday its Leismer project was producing 13,000 bpd, up from 9,000 bpd two days prior. Imperial Oil has said it had restarted limited operations at its Kearl site, with a capacity of 194,000 bpd. A ConocoPhillips Canada spokesman said the company was "cautiously optimistic" but gave no time frame on restarting operations. Still, many operations remained shut due to the blaze, which comes on the back of a two-year slump in global crude prices. Syncrude told customers to expect no further crude shipments for May, trading sources said on Thursday. On Friday, officials said the Suncor and Syncrude oil sands sites remained under mandatory evacuation orders along with 19 work camps north of Fort McMurray. Some of the 90,000 evacuees who fled as the massive blaze breached Fort McMurray earlier this month may be allowed to return as soon as June 1, if air quality improves and other safety conditions are met. POOR AIR QUALITY Officials warned residents with asthma or heart conditions that medical care will be limited in the early days. "There have been extreme fluctuations in the air quality not only in Fort McMurray, but also in the surrounding areas," Dr. Karen Grimsrud, Alberta's chief medical officer told reporters on Friday. Among those eager to return was Abdurrahmann Murad, a 38-year-old religious leader, who said the rain had brought some relief to the community. "The rain has been falling, and we pray to God (the fire) doesn't come back toward the city," Murad said by telephone. (Additional reporting by Ethan Lou in Toronto; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Cynthia Osterman) YENAGOA, Nigeria (Reuters) - Former militants have called for a halt to a resurgence of attacks on oil and gas facilities in Nigeria's Niger Delta, saying it is an unnecessary distraction for President Muhammadu Buhari's administration. The defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), a group of former militants who previously targeted the oil-rich region, made the call in a statement late on Friday. Buhari said on Friday he had heightened the military presence in the region where attacks in the last few weeks - mostly claimed by a group calling itself the Niger Delta Avengers - have driven the country's oil output to a more than 20-year low. "We should give President Buhari the opportunity to fulfil his promises to the Niger Delta people by maintaining peace in the region," former MEND members said in the statement. "The current resurgence of militancy is an unnecessary distraction to the current administration," they said. Nigeria, which relies on oil sales for 70 percent of national income, is going through its worst economic crisis in decades caused by low crude prices. Former members of MEND, many of whom secured lucrative contracts to protect pipelines under an amnesty agreement, are influential, although whether this extends to those responsible for the recent attacks is not clear. (Reporting by Tife Owolabi; Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Alexander Smith) By George Obulutsa and Humphrey Malalo NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenyan police fired tear gas and water cannon on Monday to disperse hundreds of people protesting at alleged bias in the country's electoral commission, and at least one person died in the disturbances. The next presidential and parliamentary polls in Kenya, East Africa's largest economy, are not due until August 2017 but politicians are already trying to galvanise supporters in a country long prone to political strife. Violence erupted after the 2007 vote and the opposition disputed the outcome in 2013. On Monday police launched tear gas at a convoy of vehicles carrying opposition leaders and supporters accompanying them on foot in the capital Nairobi to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in the capital. In the western city of Kisumu, the political bedrock of opposition leader Raila Odinga, one man died after sustaining an injury as he ran away from the clashes. "The injury he has was in the mouth which is very much consistent with somebody who was running and then fell down," Willy Lugusa, the regional police commander, told Reuters. He said police did not use live ammunition. Officials at Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu, where the man was rushed by ambulance, said the man had no gunshot wounds. "He fell down as he was running away from rioters," Sam Oula, a doctor at the hospital, told Reuters. The opposition Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) accused police of using live bullets to break up their rallies, adding they had collected two cartridges from one spot where protesters were dispersed in Nairobi. "We condemn this brutality in the strongest terms possible," Moses Wetangula, one of the leaders, told a news conference. CORD, led by Odinga who lost the 2013 vote and unsuccessfully challenged the result in court, has accused the electoral commission of bias and said its members should quit. IEBC officials have dismissed the charge and say they will stay. Seven protesters were arrested in the port city of Mombasa, police said earlier. About 300 demonstrators there held up placards reading "IEBC must go home now". Protests called by CORD are in their fourth week. Police have sometimes used tear gas and water cannon against stone-throwing protesters. (Additional reporting by Joseph Akwiri in Mombasa; Writing by Duncan Miriri; Editing by) By Gopal Sharma and Tommy Wilkes KATHMANDU/NEW DELHI (Reuters) - On his way down from the top of Mount Everest, Indian mountaineer Nava Kumar Phukon saw the woman sway from side to side - a classic sign of severe mountain sickness - as snow and fog reduced visibility to less than 10 feet (3 meters). Phukon's sherpa guide later told him the woman was 34-year old Australian Maria Strydom, who died last Saturday on the high slopes of Everest after making a failed push for the summit. "The sherpa who was trying to help her told me: 'She is going to die'," Phukon said after returning to Kathmandu from his own exhausting but successful summit bid. "I did not have any extra oxygen, clothes or food, not even water to offer to her," Phukon said. "I was so weak myself." Reuters could not independently confirm that it was the same woman, although both the sherpa guides worked for the same agency, Seven Summit Treks, and knew each other. Three deaths in as many days on the world's tallest mountain have renewed safety concerns after eager climbers flocked to the 8,850-metre (29,035-foot) summit for the first time since last year when an avalanche triggered by a magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck Base Camp, and all expeditions ground to a halt. A Dutch national, also with Seven Summit Treks, died last Friday in the notorious 'death zone' where the air is so thin that only the fittest can survive without bottled oxygen, while an Indian perished on Sunday due to exhaustion. Two other Indian climbers have been missing since Saturday, and are feared dead. Officials from Seven Summit Treks said Strydom's body was brought to camp 2 at 6,474 meters (21,240 feet) by sherpas on Wednesday. A helicopter will try to take it to Lukla, the gateway to Everest, and then to Kathmandu on Thursday. Officials said they were also trying to bring the body of the Dutch national to Kathmandu. Deaths are not uncommon on Everest and the number of fatalities this year is close to average. But experts say the lure of reaching the highest point on Earth is increasingly attracting less experienced climbers served by agencies hungry for business. "Climbers are careless and confused about their strength and preparedness," said 30-year old Indian Ratnesh Pandey after summitting Everest on Saturday, without naming anyone. He said temperatures plummeted to minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 22 Fahrenheit) near the top, while fierce winds closed many of the "weather windows" in the upper reaches, making this year's journey particularly tough. EXPONENTIAL GROWTH Scaling Everest is far from the world's most treacherous climb from a technical perspective. Mountaineering expert Alan Arnette estimates deaths at about 3 percent of attempts, against one in four on Annapurna, a Nepalese massif with its main peak surpassing 8,000 meters. But less skilled climbers keen to conquer the highest points on each of the world's continents often fail to appreciate how much more difficult Everest is than the other six, people in the climbing community say. Competition among low-cost local companies chasing a business that has boomed in recent years and is no longer dominated by international outfits has meanwhile undermined safety standards, they say. Some companies, charging about $30,000 a climb, or half that of high-end firms, are known to have sent relatively inexperienced climbers up the mountain without medically trained guides. "There is this exponential growth in organizations offering guiding services on Everest and because there are so few internationally qualified guides in Nepal, it means the companies are engaging less and less in skilled workers," said veteran climber Andrew Lock, the first Australian to lead a commercial expedition up Everest. Climbing is big business in Nepal, earning the government $3.1 million from 289 Everest permit fees this year. Critics accuse Kathmandu of failing to enforce rules requiring past experience of high climbs, but Tourism Department official Bishnu Regmi said the government was committed to safety. Arnold Coster, who led the expedition for Seven Summit Treks, said his agency was as prepared as any. He said he had personally selected climbers, and that Strydom and her husband Robert Gropel had three experienced sherpas between them. His team tried their best to evacuate Strydom when she got into difficulty, he said, but her condition deteriorated fatally before she reached a helicopter evacuation point. An extra sherpa was sent up to help Dutchman Eric Ary Arnold when he complained of weakness but he died later that day. "As far as I am concerned, we were one of the stronger teams on the mountain. It proves how unpredictable this sport is," Coster told Reuters by telephone from Base Camp. He acknowledged that the industry needed better regulation. "People can just sign up like it's tourism," he said. "There are a lot of people who still have a valid permit from 2015 and didn't show up this year. I think next year is going to be extremely busy." (Additional reporting by Matt Siegel in SYDNEY; Writing by Tommy Wilkes; Editing by Ryan Woo) LJUBLJANA (Reuters) - Slovenia is due to receive the first 30 refugees and migrants from Greece under the European Union migrant relocation scheme, the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday. EU leaders in September approved the transfer of about 160,000 asylum seekers from Greece and Italy, where most of them arrived, to other EU states. So far less than 2,000 have been relocated. The group of Syrians and Iraqis will arrive on Thursday and initially be placed in a center for asylum seekers in the capital Ljubljana, the ministry said. Slovenia has committed itself last year to take and integrate altogether 587 migrants, or up to 50 per month till August 2017. The chaotic arrival of more than a million migrants and refugees last year that has strained EU cohesion From October until some Balkan countries closed their borders to migrants in March, nearly 500,000 migrants passed through Slovenia on their way to countries with more open refugee policies such as Germany and Sweden. Only a fraction requested an asylum in Slovenia. (Reporting By Marja Novak) Officials from 11 states filed a lawsuit Wednesday to reverse the Obama administrations legal stance on transgender discrimination in public schools, setting up a second major legal battle over transgender rights in the federal courts. The complaint, filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on behalf of a local school district, asks the federal district court in northern Texas to block the administration from implementing its May 13 guidance letter on protecting transgender rights in public schools. State attorneys-general from Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Utah joined the lawsuit, as well as Arizonas Department of Education and Maine Governor Paul LePage. In the guidance letter, the U.S. Education and Justice Departments notified every public-school district in the country that Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, also applies to gender identity. Under that interpretation, public schools that discriminate against transgender students could risk losing access to federal funds. Recommended: This Is How Sanders's Political Revolution Ends The letter covered a broad spectrum of school functions, ranging from housing and single-sex classrooms to graduation ceremonies and school records. But its explicit protections for transgender students who use the bathroom or locker room that corresponds to their gender identity received the fiercest opposition. The complaint alleges the Obama administration conspired to turn workplaces and educational settings across the country into laboratories for a massive social experiment, flouting the democratic process, and running roughshod over commonsense policies protecting children and basic privacy rights. Paxton filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Harrold Independent School District. According to the complaint, the districts school board implemented a policy that restricts the use of multiple-occupancy bathrooms and locker rooms to members of the designated biological sex on Monday, then asked Paxtons office to intervene on its behalf. Story continues The lawsuit opens a second front in the battle over transgender rights between federal and state officials. Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice and North Carolina filed lawsuits against each another over the states controversial bathroom bill, which requires citizens to use bathrooms that correspond to their assigned gender at birth. Attorney General Loretta Lynch referred to the bill as state-sponsored discrimination and said it violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two U.S. Navy warplanes collided off the North Carolina coast on Thursday and crashed in the Atlantic, where the four crew were rescued by a commercial fishing boat and flown by helicopter to a Virginia hospital, the Coast Guard said. The two F/A-18 fighter jets belonged to strike fighter squadron VFA-211, based at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Virginia, officials said. The crew members appeared to be in good condition, MSNBC reported, adding that one person had a leg injury. "We had three Coast Guard helicopters, one Coast Guard C-130, naval vessel Mesa Verde, all involved in the rescue effort," Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said. The fishing boat Tammy recovered some of the crew about 25 miles (40 km) east of Oregon Inlet, North Carolina, the Coast Guard said. A Coast Guard helicopter from Elizabeth City, North Carolina, flew to the fishing vessel, hoisted the Navy fliers aboard and took them to Norfolk Sentara General hospital, the Coast Guard said. Local TV images showed a second U.S. Coast Guard helicopter arriving at the local hospital in Norfolk, Virginia. Two service members wearing olive green jumpsuits and white helmets were seen walking without assistance toward the hospital alongside medical staff. (Reporting by Idrees Ali, David Alexander, Suzannah Gonzales, Letitia Stein, Susan Heavey and Megan Cassella; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Alan Crosby) UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations on Tuesday pleaded with combatants in Iraq's embattled Falluja to protect civilians escaping the fighting as Iraqi forces shelled Islamic State targets in an attempt to retake the militant stronghold just west of the capital. Earlier the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR said a number of women and children had died while trying to leave the city. Over 80 families had managed to escape since May 20, it said in a statement. In New York, a spokesman for the world body issued a public plea on behalf of the nearly 50,000 civilians still in the city. "We're calling on all parties to the conflict to take all measures to protect civilians caught in the middle," Farhan Haq told reporters. "That includes allowing civilians to freely move out of conflict zones and being provided with protection as they disperse." He noted that the United Nations has long wanted the international community to join forces and stop the crimes of Islamic State (IS), also known by its Arabic acronym Daesh. But that must not be done at the expense of innocent civilians. "We have been encouraging united international action in the face of the sort of atrocities that have been carried out by Daesh," Haq said. "At the same time ... we urge that all participants in such operations observe international human rights and humanitarian law." Iraqi forces have surrounded Falluja since last year but focused most combat operations on IS-held territories further west and north. The authorities have pledged to retake Mosul, the north's biggest city, this year in keeping with a U.S. plan to oust Islamic State from their de facto capitals in Iraq and Syria. Falluja is a bastion of Sunni Muslim jihadists 50 km (30 miles) from Baghdad that was the first city to fall to Islamic State in January 2014. About 300,000 people lived in the Euphrates River city before the current war. (Reporting by Louis Charbonneau; Editing by Sandra Maler) A Ukrainian pilot jailed after being found guilty of complicity in the murder of two journalists has been freed after a prison swap deal with Russia. Moscow agreed to pardon and release Nadiya Savchenko in return for two Russian prisoners held by Ukraine, according to sources cited by Reuters. Ms Savchenko, 34, flew back on the plane of Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko before appearing alongside him at a press conference in Kiev. Shortly after landing he tweeted: "A presidential plane with Ukraine's hero Nadiya Savchenko has landed." The 35-year-old, who had been on hunger strike for periods during her imprisonment, emerged from Kiev airport - barefoot and wearing a T-shirt - to cheering supporters. She said: "Huge thanks for fighting for me. I thank everyone who wished me well. Thanks to you I survived. To those who wished me ill, I survived despite you." She said she wanted to "ask forgiveness" from the mothers whose children had been killed or captured during the conflict between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists, adding: "I'm always ready to put my life on the battlefield for Ukraine one more time. "And I'll do all I can for each child who is now in captivity to become free." Ms Savchenko has been imprisoned in Russia since June 2014 when she was captured by pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine while fighting as a volunteer against them. She accused the rebels of kidnapping her and taking her across the border to Russia where she was jailed and charged as an accessory to murder. Russian authorities said that she gave the Ukrainian army the co-ordinates for the attack that killed the Russian journalists and several civilians. Her case has been condemned as a show-trial in the West. In March this year she sang and shouted at the judge as she was jailed for 22 years. In return for her release, Ukraine has freed Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Alexander Alexandrov. Several Western governments had been demanding Ms Savchenko's release, and the move is likely to ease tensions between Moscow and the West. The European Union is set to decide whether to extend sanctions within a few weeks. Mr Poroshenko is set to make a statement later on Wednesday. By Martin Petty HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnamese dissident Nguyen Quang A spent much of Tuesday as a tourist with plainclothes cops - eating fish noodle soup, visiting a temple and a fortune teller returning home just as President Barack Obama took off from Hanoi aboard Air Force One. "It was a compulsory tour," joked Quang A, 69, a well-known critic of the Communist Party who is famous for creative stunts of his own to make Vietnam's leaders pay more than lip-service to political inclusiveness. Quang A, a former IT entrepreneur, was one of more than 100 Vietnamese who tried to run as independents for last weekend's election to the parliament, which is tightly controlled by the Communist Party. Almost all failed to get on the ballot. Dissent was once the domain of a tiny number in Vietnam who met behind closed doors or found themselves behind bars. It is not as rare these days. Before Obama's visit, a spate of protests erupted over a mass fish kill along the central coast. However, the media is censored and the most outspoken critics of the party's monopoly on power face harassment, arrest and jail for "anti-state propaganda". Quang had an inkling he wouldn't make it to his appointment with Obama, as he put on his best suit and posed for a selfie. Before walking out of the door of his Hanoi home on Tuesday morning, he uploaded the image on Facebook and typed in a message: "May be intercepted, arrested. Advising so people know." It took only a few minutes before 10 plainclothes police bundled him into a car and drove him away. They weren't giving him a free ride to Obama's hotel, where the U.S. delegation had set up a meeting with activists and civil society leaders to discuss Vietnam's deep-rooted resistance to guaranteeing human rights and political freedom. "That was just a cheap trick by those who have no understanding," Quang said of being forced to be a tourist. "I don't judge these security officials. I judge their bosses, their minds are just so addled." At least two other dissidents were blocked on Tuesday from seeing Obama, who only a day earlier had announced the scrapping of an arms embargo on Vietnam, dubbing it a necessary step in a new alliance between two countries with shared concerns about China's military clout. Washington had for years told the communist-ruled state for years that a rollback of the ban on sales of lethal weapons would depend on its commitment to free speech and stopping the harassment, arrest and jailing of its detractors. "There are still areas of significant concern in terms of freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, accountability," Obama said, acknowledging some activists were stopped from seeing him. Vietnam's foreign ministry did not respond to Reuters queries about the issue. Photos taken before and during Obama's civil society meeting seen by Reuters showed the initial U-shaped seating arrangement had changed substantially, with tables and chairs removed to account for the no-shows. Outspoken lawyer, Ha Huy Son, said he was also stopped from going, as was a journalist, according to Human Rights Watch. Its deputy Asia director, Phil Robertson, said by lifting the arms ban, "Obama just gave Vietnam a reward that they don't deserve." Dissidents reacted with dismay that Washington's pursuit of its Asia "rebalance" through security and trade partnerships looked like it was frittering away its last bargaining chips with Vietnam. WEAPONS OVER RIGHTS? The country is among the 12 that joined Obama's signature Trans-Pacific Partnership trade accord, which had no human rights provisions for Vietnam beyond establishment of independent labor unions. "The Communist Party wants not only lethal weapon and TPP but also the maintenance of its totalitarianism," said blogger Huynh Ngoc Chenh. "They will pretend to improve human rights a little bit, as usual, but actually nothing has changed." On his Facebook page, activist Luu Van Minh said: "Hope that Obama comes to Vietnam to improve human rights? I don't think so. Interests of U.S. weapon firms are the main thing." The removal of the last big hurdle between Vietnam and the United States drew mixed responses from U.S. legislators. Some spoke of a squandering of the only U.S. leverage for pushing Vietnam on free speech and assembly and releasing political prisoners. Others lawmakers said ending the ban was the right move for strategic reasons but called for subsequent weapons deals to be scrutinized with human rights in mind. In justifying the removal, Ben Rhodes, Obama's deputy national security adviser, said engagement was the best approach in getting Vietnam to make more concessions. Asked how the Obama administration had conveyed its displeasure to Vietnam about his meeting, Rhodes said it would be "following up", to check on the status of those not present. (Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick in Ho Chi Minh City and Patricia Zengerle in Washington. Editing by John Chalmers and Bill Tarrant) IT Management 3 Keys to Creating an IT Strategic Plan An information technology strategic plan provides tech workers with guidance and ensures that all personnel are working in alignment with the university mission. Here are three things to keep in mind when formulating an IT strategy. Woe is the IT shop operating without a strategic plan. Staffers may be tasked with supporting the overall university mission, but without a specific strategy they are working with little or no guidance. On these campuses unofficial strategic plans often hatch organically or perhaps haphazardly as tech workers do what comes naturally and makes sense to them, said Christopher Eagle, IT strategist and enterprise architect at the University of Michigan. A formal IT strategic plan helps ensure all personnel are moving in the same direction. Formulating an IT strategic plan all starts with identifying an institution's goals and objectives, aligning IT with that mission and providing all university personnel with the tools necessary to fulfill it. In other words, "Looking at what the institution wants to accomplish and then identifying the ways in which your technology services, operations and or solutions align with that," said Mario Berry, associate vice chancellor for enterprise applications, Lone Star College System (TX). "You begin with the institution's strategic plan and then you develop your plan and items specifically geared to supporting that or being in alignment with that." Darcy Turner, project director with the Office of the CIO at the University of Michigan, used the school's mission as a jumping off point when she worked as a member of the IT strategy and planning team to create Michigan's first IT strategy in 2012. The team identified, understood and clarified the mission, then determined how technology could enable it. "We see the mission of the university as separate. IT doesn't drive the business or the mission of the university. We're here to enable it." 1) The Process Is the Product Mark Hoit, vice chancellor and CIO at North Carolina State University, said the process of creating a strategic plan is as critical as the document the process yields. "The strategic plan is not about what you write, but about the process used to create it," he asserted. When charged with creating a strategic plan, one must: consider the real business of education; solicit input from and collaborate with stakeholders; and secure buy-in from those who perform the functions. Once this is accomplished, IT must convince stakeholders that it has the tools and knowledge to improve their processes. "It should not be just a bunch of IT people creating a plan. It's the people who need to get the work done and the IT people working together figuring out how to make that enabled," said Hoit. Darcy agrees. When the Michigan IT strategy and planning team developed its first IT strategy, it quickly realized that the conversations it was having with the stakeholders were almost more important than the final deliverable. The act of creating the plan allowed the team to cultivate those partnerships necessary to ensure buy-in. When Michigan's IT strategy team created its most recent plan, which was released in April, its success grew out of the way in which it organized IT governance, said Cathy Curley, executive director for strategy and planning in the Office of the CIO. "We have senior faculty leaders who represent the mission across the university. We have someone who represents teaching and learning across all the schools and colleges. It's not a job, but it's a role they fill," said Curley. This approach helped the team understand teaching and learning's strategic trajectory. Then it partnered with these domain stewards and discussed with them technology's role in enabling and supporting the department's strategy. Marketing Princeton U Adopts Mobile Marketing Campaign Tool Princeton University has partnered with a mobile media company to launch a series of user-generated marketing campaigns intended to reach current and prospective students as well as alumni. The university will use Vivoom to encourage Princeton constituents to create and distribute videos on social media and other digital channels. Vivoom will automatically include Princeton-branded filters and custom calls to action in each video shared, in an effort to increase engagement. Princeton will launch its first Vivoom marketing campaign at its upcoming reunions weekend, which will be held May 26-29. Nearly 25,000 alumni, family and friends will attend the event "for community service projects, alumni-faculty forums, dinners and more," according to a news release from the university. Princeton's Office of Communications also plans to use the platform for other campaigns throughout the year, such as sporting events, alumni engagement campaigns and other university events. "Our prospective applicants, current students and alumni already engage with each other across a range of different social media platforms," said Daniel Day, assistant vice president for communications at Princeton, in a prepared statement. "With Vivoom, we can reach our community members via email, Facebook and Twitter. Video creators are then free to share their videos however they like, again via Facebook, Twitter and SMS. We're confident this flexibility will maximize both participation in content creation and viewership." Princeton will retain the rights to videos created with Vivoom and will have the right to republish them on its website, social media channels or at events. Vivoom will also allow the university to flag and remove any videos it deems to be inappropriate or off-brand, regardless of where they are shared. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, May 25, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Guggenheim KBBO Partners, a global financial services firm headquartered in Dubai, announced today that it has hired Mohammad Barraj as a Managing Director of Investment Banking. Guggenheim KBBO is pleased to welcome Mohammad, who has established a reputation for providing superior client service and counsel over the last 10 years, said Hani Buttikhi, Senior Executive Officer at Guggenheim KBBO Partners. We believe our clients will benefit from Mohammad's unique blend of industry knowledge and execution capabilities. As the Guggenheim KBBO platform grows, we will continue to develop our differentiated offering for clients based on our thought leadership and depth of relationships in the region. Mr. Barraj joins Guggenheim KBBO Partners from SHUAA Capital psc, where he was a Director in its Investment Banking team in Dubai responsible for the execution of a broad range of high profile mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, capital raising and restructuring transactions. Most recently, he led the closing of Amanat Holdings PJSCs first investment in the education sector its acquisition of a strategic stake in Madaares PrJSC (Taaleem) and advised Emirates National Group on its first cross-border acquisition of a majority stake in Egyptian Advanced Company for Public Transportation S.A.E. His track record also includes advising on landmark healthcare deals including NMC Health plc IPO, Al Noor Hospitals acquisition and sale of CosmeSurge and Emirates Hospital Group, amongst others. Mr. Barraj earned his Masters of Science in Accounting and Finance from the University of Birmingham in the UK and a Bachelor of Business Administration with merit from the American University of Beirut in Lebanon. He is licensed by the Securities & Commodities Authority in the UAE and holds multiple certifications and awards from the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment in the UK. Mr. Barraj has been an active CPA license holder since 2007. About Guggenheim KBBO Partners Limited Guggenheim KBBO Partners is a DIFC-based joint venture between Guggenheim Partners and the KBBO Group. The firm draws on the global investment banking and asset management capabilities of Guggenheim Partners with KBBO Groups in-depth industry and market knowledge across the Middle East and beyond to serve clients globally. Guggenheim KBBO Partners is regulated by the DFSA. For more information, visit http://guggenheimkbbo.com/. About KBBO Group KBBO Group is a leading investment group with a diverse portfolio of interests, operating in the UAE and across the Middle East. With a proven track record of successful investments, KBBO Group aims to amplify growth by injecting capital and restructuring debt in already successful companies. In line with the Abu Dhabi 2030 Economic Vision to achieve effective transformation and global integration of the Emirates economy, KBBO Group aims to bring about sustainable growth and enduring benefits. Established in 2004, KBBO Group has developed successful expertise in operating a diversified portfolio comprising healthcare, facilities management, real estate development, oil refining & processing, technology, and financial services companies. About Guggenheim Partners Guggenheim Partners is a global investment and advisory firm with more than $240 billion1 in assets under management. With 2,500 professionals based in more than 25 offices around the world, our commitment is to advance the strategic interests of our clients and to deliver long-term results with excellence and integrity. For more information, please visit GuggenheimPartners.com. 1Assets under management are as of 03.31.2016 and include consulting services for clients whose assets are valued at approximately $56bn. Lima, May 25, 2016 - Camposol S.A. (the "Company") announced today that following the expiration of its offer to exchange Existing Notes for New Notes announced on April 11, 2016 (the "Exchange Offer"), the Company has received valid tenders that were not withdrawn from 73.75% of holders of Existing Notes, representing US$147,490,000, of the aggregate US$200,000,000 principal amount of notes outstanding. A total of US$52,510,000 principal amount of Existing Notes was not tendered in the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer expired at midnight, New York City time, on May 24, 2016. The Company also announced that the settlement of the Exchange Offer is scheduled for Friday, May 27, 2016. On the settlement date, holders of Existing Notes who validly tendered their notes will receive for each US$1.00 of Existing Notes tendered, US$1.00 of New Notes plus the payment of a Participation Fee equal to 1.00% of the principal amount of Existing Notes tendered. The New Notes will bear interest at an annual rate of 10.50% and will mature in 2021 and will have the benefit of the Collateral provided by the Peruvian Trust Agreement, as described in the Exchange Offer Memorandum, dated April 11, 2016, as amended, that was prepared by the Company in connection with the Exchange Offer. The Company further announced that after settlement of the Exchange Offer, it may contact holders of Existing Notes who have not participated in the Exchange Offer in an effort to obtain additional exchanges for New Notes. Any such additional exchanges, if accepted, would require the Company to issue additional New Notes under the New Notes indenture. In addition, the Company is seeking extensions of its existing lines of credit in an effort to address its short-term liquidity and working capital requirements. The Exchange Offer and the New Notes have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). As a result, holders within the United States or who are U.S. persons were eligible to participate in the Exchange Offer only if they are "qualified institutional buyers" ("QIBs") as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act ("Rule 144A"). Offers and issuances of the New Notes to non U.S. persons outside the United States were made in offshore transactions in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act ("Regulation S"). D.F. King & Co., Inc. acted as Information and Exchange Agent, in connection with the Exchange Offer. This press release is neither an offer to purchase nor the solicitation of an offer to sell OR EXCHANGE any of the securities described herein in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered, sold OR EXCHANGED in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act. THE COMPANY does not intend to register any NEW NOTES in the United States or to conduct a public offering of such securities in any jurisdiction. The exchange offer is made solely pursuant to the EXCHANGE OFFER memorandum dated APRIL 11, 2016, as supplemented by THE SUPPLEMENT DATED MAY 5, 2016. The Exchange Offer was made solely pursuant to the Exchange Offer Memorandum, as supplemented by the Supplement, and only to such persons and in such jurisdictions as are permitted under applicable law. None of the Company, the Dealer Managers or the Information and Exchange Agent has made any recommendation as to whether holders of Existing Notes should tender Existing Notes or participate in the Exchange Offer. This announcement contains forward-looking statements and information that is necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. No assurance can be given that the transactions described herein will be consummated or as to the terms of any such transactions. The Company assumes no obligation to update or correct the information contained in this announcement. This communication is only being distributed to and is only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order") or (iii) high net worth companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). The New Notes are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such New Notes will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. About Camposol Camposol is the leading agro industrial company in Peru, the first producer of avocados and soon the first producer of blueberries in the world. It is involved in the harvest, processing and marketing of high quality agricultural products such as avocadoes, asparagus, blueberries, grapes, mangos, tangerines and shrimp; which are exported to Europe, the United States and Asia. Camposol is a vertically integrated company located in Peru, offering fresh and frozen products. It is the third largest employer of the country, with more than 13,000 workers in high season, and is committed to support sustainable development through social responsibility policies and projects aimed to increase the shared-value for all of its stakeholders. Camposol was the first Peruvian agro industrial company to present annual audited Sustainability Reports and has achieved the following international certifications: BSCI, Global Gap, IFS, HACCP and BRC among others. English Danish COPENHAGEN, Denmark, May 26, 2016 - Bavarian Nordic A/S (OMX: BAVA, OTC: BVNRY) announced today that its Board of Directors has decided to launch a share buy-back program, under which the Company intends to buy back 11,144 of its own shares. The purpose of the share buy-back program is to meet the Company's obligations arising from the share-based incentive program for the Executive Management. In March 2016, the Board of Directors decided to postpone the payment of half of the achieved cash bonus for members of the Executive Management for 3 years, converting the postponed bonus into restricted stock units to further increase the long-term shared interests between the Executive Management and the Company's shareholders. See company announcement no. 5 / 2016 for further details. The share buy-back program is initiated pursuant to the authorization granted at the annual general meeting on April 20, 2016, according to which the Company is may purchase up to 10 % of the Company's share capital for the time being. The share buy-back program will be executed in accordance with the provisions in European Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2273/2003 of 22 December 2003 (the Safe Harbour Regulation), which protects listed companies against infringement of legislation on insider trading in connection to share buy-back programs. Bavarian Nordic A/S has appointed Nordea Bank Danmark A/S Lead Manager of the program. Nordea Bank Danmark A/S will buy back shares on behalf of Bavarian Nordic A/S and make decisions on trading with Bavarian Nordic A/S' shares independently and without influence of Bavarian Nordic A/S. The program will be implemented in accordance with the authorization within the following scope: A maximum of 11,144 shares will be bought back under the program. The maximum consideration for Bavarian Nordic A/S-shares bought back within the duration of the program is DKK 4,000,000. However, based on yesterday's closing price of Bavarian Nordic's share on Nasdaq Copenhagen A/S, the total consideration is expected to be in the level of DKK 2.9 million. The program terminates at the latest on 2 June 2016. The maximum number of shares, which shall be purchased per trading day, will amount at a value of 25% of the average daily volume of shares in the Company traded on Nasdaq Copenhagen A/S in the preceding 20 trading days. The shares cannot be purchased at a market value, which is higher than the following two market values: The market value of the last independent trade. The market value of the highest current independent bid on Nasdaq Copenhagen A/S. Bavarian Nordic A/S may terminate the program at any time. If the Company determines to terminate the program, the Company shall give notice hereof. The Company will when the program has terminated give notice about the transactions, which are conducted pursuant to the program. About Bavarian Nordic Bavarian Nordic is a fully integrated biotechnology company focused on the development, manufacturing and commercialization of cancer immunotherapies and vaccines for infectious diseases, based on the Company's live virus vaccine platform. Through long-standing collaborations, including a collaboration with the U.S. government, Bavarian Nordic has developed a portfolio of vaccines for infectious diseases, including the non-replicating smallpox vaccine, IMVAMUNE, which is stockpiled for emergency use by the United States and other governments. The vaccine is approved in the European Union (under the trade name IMVANEX) and in Canada. Bavarian Nordic and its partner Janssen are developing an Ebola vaccine regimen, which has been fast-tracked, with the backing of worldwide health authorities, and a vaccine for the prevention and treatment of HPV. Additionally, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, Bavarian Nordic has developed a portfolio of active cancer immunotherapies, including PROSTVAC, which is currently in Phase 3 clinical development for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. The company has partnered with Bristol-Myers Squibb for the potential commercialization of PROSTVAC. For more information visit www.bavarian-nordic.com or follow us on Twitter @bavariannordic. Forward-looking statements This announcement includes forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of our control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning our plans, objectives, goals, future events, performance and/or other information that is not historical information. All such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements and any other cautionary statements which may accompany the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances after the date made, except as required by law. Contacts Rolf Sass Srensen Vice President Investor Relations (EU) Tel: +45 61 77 47 43 Seth Lewis Vice President Investor Relations (US) Tel: +1 978 341 5271 Company Announcement no. 18 / 2016 Finnish English Sponda Plc Press release 26 May 2016 at 10:00 a.m. Spondas retail property in Oulu granted LEED Gold Environmental Certification The property investment company Sponda Plc has obtained LEED Gold Environmental Certification for its property which was completed in the spring 2016. The tenants of the retail property located at Alasintie 8 in Oulu are the sporting goods retailer XXL and the restaurant chain Subway. LEED Certification is one of the best-known international green building certification systems. It aims for the reduction of environmental impact of construction and use of buildings as well as the development of healthier working environments. High scores for location and energy efficiency LEED Gold is the second highest certification level in the LEED environmental certification system. The 4,500 gross square metre property meets the certification criteria without question. Energy efficiency and environmentally friendly solutions were emphasised in the design and construction of the retail property. The retail property received a particularly good score for its location and its efficient use of energy. The location of the property is excellent as it is easily accessible both by public transport and by car. The fact that Oulu is a city of cyclists was also taken into account in the design process, and there are spaces for over 80 bicycles in front of the property. In order to increase energy efficiency, particular attention was paid to lighting and district ventilation and heating systems. After tenants start using the property, the propertys energy consumption will be monitored monthly as part of Spondas energy efficiency scheme. The Gold Certification received by the property is a fine recognition. The certification was carried out in excellent cooperation between designers, contractors and consultants during the process, says Hannu Hirvensalo, Project Manager at Sponda. Sponda was assisted by Green Building Partners Oy in the certification process. Sponda Plc Additional information: Hanna Duraku, Sustainability Manager, tel. +358 50 483 9735 Sponda Plc is a property investment company that specialises in commercial properties in the largest cities in Finland. Spondas business concept is to own, lease and develop retail and office properties and shopping centres into environments that promote the business success of its clients. The fair value of Spondas investment properties is approximately EUR 3.7 billion and the leasable area is around 1.2 million m2. SYRACUSE, N.Y., May 26, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University (IVMF) released a report resulting from its Vocational Acceleration for Veterans Grant Programa project funded by the Walmart Foundation through which the IVMF oversaw grants to a network of colleges and universities with student veteran-focused workforce development initiatives implemented in partnership with local workforce development agencies, businesses, and industry collaborators. The report highlights three schoolsDel Mar College (Texas), Tarrant County College (Texas), and Wake Technical Community College (North Carolina)and their unique continuing education programs that equip veterans with skills highly sought after by local and regional employers. Authored by Zach Huitink, an IVMF research associate and a PhD candidate in Public Administration at Syracuse University's Maxwell School, the Vocational Acceleration Report showcases how each program blazed a trail to success. The case illustrations highlight the programs' approaches to recruitment and service delivery, survey their achievements to date, and identify five best practices that could inform how other colleges and universities implement vocational acceleration programs to advance both veteran employment and their underlying educational missions. "These programs demonstrate the untapped potential of higher education to not only build a skilled workforce that will sustain American competitiveness in a rapidly changing global economy, but also position veterans and transitioning service members to contribute to that future and ultimately succeed," said IVMF Senior Director of Research and U.S. Army veteran Dr. Nick Armstrong. "Considering the freshly honed skills that these veterans bring to the workplace, combined with their discipline, leadership, and unwavering commitment to mission accomplishment, hiring veterans is not just a good deed for employers to doit's good for business." Keys to Success: Best Practices for Delivering Vocational Acceleration Services to Veterans and Transitioning Service Members Pursue a multi-faceted recruitment strategy that leverages both personal- and institutional-level relationships with public, private, and nonprofit partners; Design a program that harnesses existing resources and infrastructure to maximize program enrollment capacity and minimize time required to complete training; Raise program stakeholders' "veterans IQ" by providing tools and knowledge necessary to understand the unique needs veterans bring to the learning environment; Continuously gather data and feedback to tailor training to area employers' needs; and Plan for the future: develop a vision and a plan of action for delivering additional training modules that equip veterans with more high-demand skills. "By incorporating these practices into the development and implementation of their own programs, colleges and universities can put themselves in a stronger position to succeed using the vocational acceleration approach to advancing veterans employment," said Zach Huitink, author of the report. According to Anthony M. Caison, Sr., Vice President for Workforce Continuing Education at Wake Technical Community College, vocational acceleration for returning veterans is crucial in assisting with the successful transition of veterans into the community as productive and contributing citizens. "Providing vocational training in an accelerated format for veterans with the requisite skills ensures that they can return to productive jobs in their communities in the shortest time possible, and with the industry credentials to go along with it," shared Caison. "Providing these opportunities to our returning veterans benefits the surrounding community and local economy by providing the foundation for stable veteran military families that have returned home and are able to contribute to the local economy through income earned as a result of valuable vocational training." Jerry Hutyra, Coordinator of Workforce Training at Tarrant County College, added "There were many achievements with veterans completing the IVMF training program, and it has furnished Tarrant County, the Dallas-Fort Worth regional area, and the State of Texas with 'critically trained' workforce members." View/download the report at http://vets.syr.edu/studentsuccess. The author of the Vocational Acceleration Report and representatives from IVMF and the Walmart Foundation are available upon request to discuss the findings and highlights of the research. If interested in scheduling interviews, contact Wayne Westervelt, IVMF Director of Communications, at 315.443.5690; (m) 315.558.9483; or wwesterv@syr.edu. ABOUT THE VOCATIONAL ACCELERATION GRANTS PROGRAM Recognizing employers' need for individuals with coveted vocational skillsand the opportunity veterans offer these employersthe Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF), with support from the Walmart Foundation, created the Vocational Acceleration Grants Program ("Vocational Accelerator Program"). Launched in 2013, the purpose of this effort is to seed, cultivate, and provide technical support for a network of workforce development programs focused on delivering vocational education to veterans and transitioning service members. The funding supports programs that equip veterans with high demand vocational skills, and connects them with employers actively seeking out those skills. Each program aims to deliver a fast-paced, vocation-specific sequence of instruction and training that prepares veterans for jobs with community employers. Since the training occurs outside the confines and constraints of a traditional two- or four-year degree track, the programs offer veterans an opportunity to quickly acquire new and highly sought-after skills that accelerate their employment. ABOUT THE INSTITUTE FOR VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES (IVMF) The IVMF is the first interdisciplinary national institute in higher education focused on the social, economic, education, and policy issues impacting veterans and their families post-service. Through the focus on veterans programming, research and policy, employment and employer support, and community engagement, the Institute provides in-depth analysis of the challenges facing the veteran community, captures best practices, and serves as a forum to facilitate new partnerships and strong relationships between the individuals and organizations committed to making a difference for veterans and military families. A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=40369 DENVER, May 26, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CannaSys, Inc. (OTCQB:MJTK), a leading marketing, branding and technology company focused on the regulated cannabis industry, today announced that it had successfully expanded into the California market with the adoption of its technology products by California Cannabis in Playa Vista, Los Angeles. Synergy has implemented the use of CannaSys loyalty product, BumpUp Rewards, and plans to expand its offering with CannaSys new social deals application, CitizenToke. Synergy is the first dispensary in California to sign up to CannaSys technology suite and is in the heart of Los Angeles. It is estimated that Californias retail cannabis market is worth approximately $10 billion, noted Michael A. Tew, CEO of CannaSys. As we look at the legislative cycle this year, California is a major focus for us in our product marketing and distribution efforts. In addition to its relationship with California Cannabis, CannaSys has signed a strategic distribution and marketing agreement with Green Capital Ventures, Inc., a San Diego based cannabis industry consultancy and financing firm. Green Capitals founders are also founders of Gridiron Cannabis Coalition, an organization also founded by former All-Pro Tackle Kyle Turley. CannaSys plans to form additional partnerships to distribute its core technology products and celebrity branded products throughout California. As user and product adoption begins to increase, new products will be introduced into the market. About CannaSys, Inc. CannaSys is a leading technology solutions, marketing, and branding company in the regulated cannabis industry. Its core products are delivered "software as a service" to facilitate point-of-purchase transactions, customer relationship marketing solutions, and regulated cannabis laboratory information management systems. CannaSys plans to develop, acquire, and build strategic relationships with other businesses in order to bring additional solutions to market in both established and developing medical and recreational cannabis states. For more information, please visit www.cannasys.com About Synergy Holistic Health Center, Inc. (California Cannabis) Synergy Holistic Health Center, Inc. is a licensed provider of medical cannabis products to California residents. Based in Playa Vista, Los Angeles, California Cannabis is located at 5707 Mesmer Avenue. For more information, please visit http://california-canna-5pps.squarespace.com/ or @ccplayavista. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This release includes forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, continued acceptance of CannaSyss products, increased levels of competition for CannaSys, new products and technological changes, CannaSys's dependence on third-party suppliers, and other risks detailed from time to time in CannaSys's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. CLEARWATER, Fla., May 26, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Saturday May 21, 2016, twenty-eight runners for the Foundation for a Drug Free World (FDFW) Florida, a group supported by the Church of Scientology, participated in a 5K race in St. Petersburg, Florida The 5K Hippie Dash Race. There were 800 runners in all at the race in 60s hippie attire. FDFW set up a booth on the sidelines where volunteers distributed more than 2,000 Truth About Drugs booklets to runners and onlookers. The FDFW Florida opened up its headquarters in downtown Clearwater last year through the generous donations of the International Association of Scientologists. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9bd09f57-349d-4940-b806-d509af92713e Julieta Santagostino, the President of the Foundation for a Drug Free World of Florida, said, In 2015, more than 47,000 men and women died from drug overdoses. That is why we come out to events like this one and work to disseminate truth to our neighbors, friends and contacts to stem the tide of death and suffering caused by drugs. The FDFW has also provided their Truth About Drugs booklets, education kits and DVDs to thousands across Florida. As a result, since the Grand Opening of the groups headquarters in downtown Clearwater last July, over 200 Florida schools and community organizations have adopted the program and are now using the materials to educate their contacts about drugs. ABOUT THE FOUNDATION FOR A DRUG-FREE WORLD The Foundation for a Drug-Free World is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that empowers youth and adults with factual information about drugs so they can make informed decisions and live drug-free. Through a worldwide network of volunteers, 50 million drug prevention booklets have been distributed, tens of thousands of drug awareness events have been held in some 180 countries and Truth About Drugs public service announcements have been aired on more than 500 television stations. These materials and activities have helped people around the world learn about the destructive side effects of drugs and thereby make the decision for themselves to not use them. Regarding drugs, Humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, The planet has hit a barrier which prevents any widespread social progressdrugs and other biochemical substances. These can put people into a condition which not only prohibits and destroys physical health but which can prevent any stable advancement in mental or spiritual well-being. RENO, Nev., May 26, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Desert Research Institute (DRI) Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 30th Annual DRI Nevada Medal to be awarded in the spring of 2017. The DRI Nevada Medal was established in 1988 to acknowledge outstanding achievement in the fields of science and engineering. The annual award includes an eight-ounce minted medallion of 0.999 pure Nevada silver and a $20,000 lecture honorarium. The award is formally presented by the Governor of Nevada during ceremonies in Reno and Las Vegas attended by Nevada's business, educational, and governmental leaders. The DRI Nevada Medal is the highest scientific honor awarded in the state. Over the last 29 years, the DRI Foundation has honored individuals in science and engineering whose prominent research contributions have ranged from mapping the human genome and explaining protein folding to discovering ancient hydrothermal vents in the Galapagos and advancing our knowledge of archaeological discoveries across the globe. Recent recipients include Duke University professor and unmanned systems expert Dr. Missy Cummings; NASA astrobiologist and Mars Science Laboratory mission member Dr. Chris McKay; and National Geographic Explorer and University of California, San Diego research scientist Dr. Albert Yu-Min Lin. A full list of all 29 award recipients is available online at www.dri.edu/nvmedal. Nominations will be accepted online through June 30, 2016. Nominations are accepted for any individual who has made outstanding achievements in the fields of science or engineering. Please submit nominations online at www.dri.edu/nvmedal The DRI Foundation serves to cultivate private philanthropic giving in support of the mission and vision of the Desert Research Institute. For over 25 years DRI Foundation trustees have worked with DRI benefactors to support applied environmental research to maximize the Institute's impact on improving people's lives throughout Nevada, the nation, and the world. DRI, the nonprofit research arm of the Nevada System of Higher Education, is a world leader in environmental sciences through the application of knowledge and technologies to improve people's lives throughout Nevada and the world. For more information about DRI's cloud seeding program please visit www.dri.edu A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=40384 As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ Eight Things You Should Know In Case You Get Sick or Injured Shielding loved ones from financial stress is about doing your best to try and ensure that they're provided for, even when something unexpected happens to you. Lost income, treatment costs, and recovery time can have a severe impact on your finances with many expenses falling outside standard medical insurance or Social Security Disability insurance payments. On the bright side, forms of coverage are available that can help provide protection for you and your family. There are a few things you should look into while figuring out the types of insurance you might need: 1. First, determine the real cost of protecting your income. Income is a critical component of your standard of living, and that tends to apply to everyone single or married, family or not. Add up mortgage payments, student loans, credit card debt, and other costs of living, as well as putting money aside for college fees and retirement, and chances are good that you need most of your paycheck each month. Disability income insurance should be thought of not just as protection for missing wages during a temporary illness or injury, but over a whole lifetime. Moreover, those with higher incomes often live with corresponding financial obligations. Most disability income insurance won't cover all of your lost income if you're unable to work due to illness or injury, but it can provide enough income to cover a large portion of those expenses. In general, individual disability income insurance costs between 2 percent and 3 percent of your salary. That means, if you earn $100,000, you'll spend around $2,000 to $3,000 a year for coverage. 2. Understand the terms of coverage. There are short-term disabilities and long-term disabilities, and benefits plans can vary widely when it comes to the terms. Knowing what you have is important if you want to guard against gaps. Short-term disability is generally defined by employers as falling within 70-180 days, and is often employer-paid. Long-term disability will kick in after that short-term coverage has expired. Long-term disability coverage might extend for years or even until you're 65, depending upon the employer's offering. 3. Is Social Security Disability Insurance enough protection? Social Security Disability Insurance is provided by the federal government and meant for individuals who suffer disabilities that prevent them from working for at least one year. If you qualify for Social Security, you may qualify for disability payments, depending on the degree of proven incapacity. The income provided through Social Security Disability Insurance protection currently averages about $12,600 a year1, and receiving the benefits could take months, so be sure you can live on this amount of money if you choose to rely on this option alone. 4. Evaluate the coverage you already have. Become familiar early on with the details of existing insurance coverage, starting with those offered through your job and evaluate if it is sufficient. About a third of U.S. employees currently have access to disability income insurance through work.2 Take time to research the terms of this coverage if you have it, as terms can vary. One critical detail about disability income insurance (which would include the benefits you get through your employer) is that it has to be obtained prior to the accident or illness. If you're self-employed, you may also be able to benefit from plans that you can obtain from memberships in professional organizations. 5. Consider strengthening your protection, even if you're in a plan. If you're offered disability income insurance through your employer, you may want to take maximum advantage of it. Base coverage is often partially paid for by employers, and in some cases, may be fully funded by them. As a rule, you would be reimbursed around 40-60 percent of your salary. Basic disability income insurance often has income caps and may not include bonuses, commissions, or profit sharing. Look at a supplemental disability income insurance plan, either through work or independently, to cover income that basic insurance may not. Another thing to consider are the tax implications of the offers provided by your employer. Be aware that the benefit may be taxable income. If your employer pays the premium, then benefits are taxed. Otherwise, you may have the option to pay premiums with pre- (benefits will be taxed) or post-tax (benefits will not be taxed) dollars. 6. Talk to your financial representative about a "waiver of premium" rider and retirement plan contributions. To ease the financial strain resulting from a disability, some disability and life insurance policies allow you to purchase a waiver of premium rider. Riders are available at an additional cost. This protects you in the event of an unexpected disability that makes it hard for you to pay your monthly premiums. Without it, if you couldn't afford to pay your premiums, your coverage would be cancelled. In addition, some disability plans may include 401(K) and other deferred compensation plans in their earning definitions or include riders that can help you keep up contributions to retirement plans while disabled. Check with your financial representative for the specific guidelines your policy has; there may be certain requirements in terms of your age and how a disability is defined. 7. Look into accident, cancer, and critical illness insurance. Products are available that can help to protect your family finances when illnesses and accidents disrupt life and add unanticipated costs. These policies may be offered through your work, outside professional organizations, or from private insurance companies. The terms differ from conventional medical insurance in that payments are often made directly to you instead of to the medical providers. Deductibles, co-pays, extra tests, transportation to hospitals, and even cost of living expenses such as childcare, rent, and food are covered, and indeed, you may be able to use the payments in any way that you want. 8. Check your coverage options before leaving a job. Even after you're clear about your insurance plans at work, and have taken out any optional and supplemental forms of coverage, be careful about the actions you take if you're considering filing a claim. Most employer-offered insurance requires you to be an active employee. Some insurance may allow you full portability. It's extremely important to know your position when it comes to extending coverage, particularly if you have filed a claim or aren't sure when you'll be in a full-time role again. With the right protection, life's challenges can be overcome. Disability, accident, cancer, critical illness, or business insurance policies have all been designed with one goal: to prepare you and your loved ones for potential health difficulties that can arise, and the financial consequences. Many of the costs and lost income these policies cover may not be picked up by standard health plans or by basic disability. Hopefully, you'll never need to make a disability claim. When in doubt about your coverage, speak to a financial professional who understands insurance. You'll feel much more secure knowing that you've thought about the possibilities ahead of time and created a plan that doesn't depend upon good luck. Phyllis Falotico is Assistant Vice President, Group Marketing, for The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. She has more than 20 years of marketing experience and is a voice in the financial industry when it comes to emerging trends, marketing strategy, and the development of promotions and communications. She has taken an innovative and transformational approach to segment, content, and digital marketing that drives awareness, enhances engagement, and expands revenue-generating opportunities for financial products. With a focus on Group Insurance, Phyllis creates programs that connect with working Americans and the rethinking of responsibilities in todays employee benefits marketplace. References 1, 2 Kimberly Palmer, "Why You Probably Need More Disability Insurance," U.S. News & World Report, Oct. 9, 2013 News Microsoft Announces More Phone Hardware Restructuring and Layoffs Microsoft announced a further restructuring of its Windows Phone hardware business today, with a near $1 billion write down and hundreds of job cuts. The company plans to cut 1,850 jobs associated with its Windows Phone hardware business and write off $950 million by July 2017. Most (1,350) of the job cuts will happen at Microsoft Mobile Oy in Finland. However, there will be a further 500 jobs eliminated worldwide. About $200 million of the write-off total will be associated with severance payments to former employees, Microsoft's announcement explained. Completion of this plan is targeted to July 2017, which is the end of the company's next fiscal calendar year. Details will get explained in Microsoft's Form 10-K associated with its Q4 earnings results, which will get published on July 19, 2016. Mobile Cuts The grim news for Microsoft employees on the Windows Phone side of the house is part of a recent trend. For instance, earlier this month, Microsoft announced the sale of its entry-level phone hardware assets to FIH Mobile Ltd. and HMD Global for $350 million. About 4,500 Microsoft employees would have the option of joining the acquiring companies, Microsoft announced at that time. Last year, Microsoft announced a $7.6 billion write off associated with its Nokia acquisition, with plans to lay off 7,800 employees at that time. The majority of Microsoft's 18,000 job eliminations announced in 2014 were associated with its Nokia factories, totaling 12,500 planned cuts. Microsoft's mobile progress hasn't been too good to date. For instance, Gartner reported this month that the market share of Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile had slipped in Q1 to less than 1 percent. In April, a leaked memo from Terry Myerson, head of Microsoft's Windows and Devices Group, offered assurances that Microsoft was committed to future "support" for its smartphone platform, perhaps to assuage nervous Windows Phone hardware partners. Myerson said at that time that Microsoft was committed to Windows 10 Mobile and was developing its "next generation products." New Myerson Memo Myerson further explained this concept in a new memo to Microsoft employees, which was published today by The Verge. In that memo, Myerson characterized Microsoft's smartphone progress to date as being "limited to companies valuing our commitment to security, manageability, and Continuum, and with consumers who value the same." Continuum is Microsoft's Windows 10 capability that transitions a mobile device to work more like a PC, allowing users to tap a desktop PC's keyboard and mouse, for instance. Myerson said that, in the wake of this latest restructuring, Microsoft had not changed its Windows strategy. That strategy is still focused on universal apps, support for "current Lumia and OEM partner phones" and the developing of "great new devices," as well as a commitment to the "device, platform and service combination" at Microsoft. Possibly Myerson was alluding to a so-called "Surface Phone" device, targeting the high end of the mobile market, with his talk about "great new devices." However, the Surface Phone is just a rumor. According to Myerson's memo, Microsoft will embrace other mobile platforms with its "productivity services, device management services, and development tools." In general, Myerson described the company as getting "more focused" with its restructuring, adding that "we're scaling back, but we're not out" of the mobile smartphone business. For greater perspective on Microsoft's mobile evolutions and where they might be heading, see this article by Scott Bekker at Redmond Channel Partner. Leaders of the Group of Seven industrial democracies meet in Japan Thursday for two days of talks. Here are the hot topics up for discussion at Ise-Shima, a resort 300 kilometres (200 miles) southwest of Tokyo, and what to expect from the talks. 1) The economy The world economy has struggled to get back on a sure footing ever since the global financial crisis struck in 2008. The slowing of China's once-dependable growth means G7 leaders now have to look elsewhere for a boost. But the group -- Japan, the US, Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Canada -- is divided. One side, led by Japan, favours spending -- government stimulus. The other, led by Germany, thinks the fiscal largesse of recent years needs to be brought under control. There are also cracks over currency. The US has Japan, amongst others, on a currency watch list for possible unfair practices, and warnings abound over "beggar-thy-neighbour" devaluations. Expect: a final statement that supports a bit of both stimulus and austerity, but offers a firm rebuke on currency manipulation. 2) Brexit Britain's upcoming referendum on membership of the European Union will weigh heavily. Many economists warn that if one of the EU's largest economies leaves -- a so-called Brexit -- the knock-on effect for the bloc and the wider world could be substantial. It could also add tens of billions of pounds (dollars) to British government borrowing and leave the country grappling with austerity into the next decade, the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies warned Wednesday. Expect: the G7 to express their hope Britain will vote "remain". 3) Islamist terrorism After jihadist attacks in Brussels and Paris, the subject of Islamist terrorism is never far from leaders' lips. The gathering will be looking to present a united front and emphasise their determination to fight the scourge of extremism. Expect: strong statements and rock-solid agreement. 4) Refugees While the march of the Islamic State group across Syria and Iraq has been slowed, refugees continue to pour out of the broken states of the Middle East, many heading for Europe. EU countries, notably Germany, have absorbed hundreds of thousands of people, but surging political populism -- a far-right candidate came within a hair's breadth of winning the Austrian presidency this week -- has the continent's mainstream politicians nervous. Many are recognising that their voters are not on the same page as they are, and they want a solution to the tide of desperate people that does not involve taking in ever more of them. Expect: pledges of more money to support refugees. 5) China Beijing isn't at Ise-Shima, but it will loom large over many of the discussions. As well as its economic leverage -- despite the slowing growth, its mighty GDP still makes it a force to be reckoned with -- there are growing concerns in Western capitals over Beijing's perceived belligerence. That is particularly keenly felt by hosts Japan, who have butted diplomatic heads with their wartime enemy, notably over disputed territory in the East China Sea. But Beijing's increasingly assertive stance in the South China Sea -- a stretch of water through which a huge chunk of global trade passes, but which China claims almost in its entirety -- is a worry for Washington and its allies. Expect: oblique references to the importance of "freedom of navigation" and "peaceful resolution of disputes", even if no one mentions the words "China" or "Beijing". By Maher Chmaytelli BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's top Shi'ite Muslim cleric urged government and allied Shi'ite militia forces fighting to retake Falluja from Islamic State militants to spare trapped civilians amid reports of a budding humanitarian crisis in the city. Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani's appeal reflected concerns that a large civilian death toll in the battle for the mainly Sunni Muslim city could kindle increased sectarian strife in Iraq. The Baghdad government has been led by Shi'ites since the 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein, a member of the Sunni minority. Sistani added his voice to many calls for restraint in the battle begun on Monday to retake Falluja, on Baghdad's western approaches and the first Iraqi city to fall under the control of the ultra-hardline Islamic State (IS), in January 2014. "Sayyid Sistani reaffirms his recommendations that the ethics of jihad (Islamic holy war or struggle) be respected," his representative, Sheikh Abdul Mahdi al-Karbalai, said in a statement. "Don't be extreme ... don't be treacherous. Don't kill an old man, nor a boy, nor a woman. Don't cut a tree unless you have to," he said, citing sayings of the Prophet Mohammed. Aid agencies have become alarmed about civilian suffering in a city that has been under siege for six months, and the United Nations has urged combatants to protect inhabitants trying to escape the fighting. APPEAL FOR CIVILIANS' SAFE PASSAGE "Markets have exhausted food supplies and medicine is running out, leaving sick children and the elderly at particular risk," Save the Children aid agency said in a statement. It said severe shortages had driven the price of a single can of infant milk up to $50 at times, making it unaffordable for the parents of thousands of children. On Wednesday, Iraqi troops concentrated artillery fire on Falluja's northern and southern neighbourhoods, according to a resident contacted via the Internet. A Falluja hospital source said the overall death toll since Monday's launch of the government offensive had risen to 43 - 26 civilians and 17 militants. "Fierce fighting is now raging around the city," Save the Children's statement said, reporting that only 700 people including 400 children had managed to escape as of Tuesday. Up to 100,000 people have remained in the city, according to U.S. and Iraqi government estimates. Save the Children said up to 50,000 were being prevented from leaving Falluja. The offensive is part of a government campaign to roll back Islamic State's seizure of wide tracts of northern and western Iraq. Baghdad's forces retook Ramadi, the Anbar provincial capital near Falluja, in December but have not yet tackled a bigger challenge - IS-held Mosul, Iraq's largest northern city. An Iraqi military spokesman said troops were trying to tighten the encirclement of Falluja by advancing on the western front, near the village of Khalidiya. An Islamic State statement reported by the Amaq news agency said Iraqi forces had been unable to advance on the southern front, near Amiriyat Falluja. The Association of Muslim Scholars of Iraq, a hardline political organisation formed after Saddam's ouster to represent Sunnis, has condemned the assault on Falluja as "an unjust aggression, a reflection of the vengeful spirit that the forces of evil harbour against this city". Sistani wields enormous influence over Iraq's Shi'ites. It was at his call that Shi'ite militias regrouped in 2014 in a coalition known as Hashid Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation), to stem Islamic State's stunning advance through the north and west. Hashid Shaabi will take part in encircling Falluja but will not enter the city unless the Iraqi army fails in doing so, said Hadi al-Amiri, the leader of the Badr Organisation, the largest component of the Shi'ite coalition. (Addtional reporting by Saif Hameed; Editing by Mark Heinrich) Hopes of negotiating peace with the Afghan Taliban's new leader were swiftly fading from all sides Thursday, as US President Barack Obama warned the extremist movement will continue killing in Afghanistan. Obama told reporters in Japan, where he is meeting with other leaders of the Group of Seven nations, that he doubted the insurgents would come to the table "anytime soon". "We anticipate the Taliban will continue an agenda of violence," he said. Obama was speaking the day after the militants named Haibatullah Akhundzada as their new leader, elevating a low-profile religious figure in a swift power transition after the death of Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a US drone strike. Analysts have said it is unclear if Akhundzada, who faces the enormous challenge of unifying the increasingly fragmented militant movement, will emulate his former boss in shunning peace talks with the Afghan government. But the US killing of Mansour showed that Washington has at least for now abandoned hopes of reviving the direct peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban, which broke down for the first time last summer. Obama acknowledged that he was never going to find a willing negotiating partner at the helm of the extremist group. "I was not expecting a liberal democrat to be appointed," he told reporters. "My hope, although not my expectation, is that there comes a point where the Taliban realise what they need to be doing" and start getting into a dialogue with the government, he said. "I am doubtful that it will be happening anytime soon." The Taliban has made no official statement on the future of peace negotiations since announcing Akhundzada's leadership. But Obama's comments were reinforced by a senior Taliban source speaking to AFP in Pakistan, where Mansour was killed in the strike Saturday, who said there would be no shift in the militants' stance. "We consider NATO and the US troops as invaders and our resistance movement will continue," the source said Wednesday, after Akhundzada's leadership was announced. "The drone strike against (Mansour) has proved that the US is not sincere in bringing peace in Afghanistan, so peace talks at any level will remain suspended till the new decision by the leadership council." In Afghanistan, an official with the High Peace Council was cautious on the future of talks, saying Akhundzada "may not be interested in political dialogue at least in the short term" but vowing the council will continue its "endeavours for peace". President Ashraf Ghani was more hawkish, tweeting Thursday: "Taliban groups have yet another chance to end violence/lay their arms & start normal life. Or they'll face the same fate as their leadership." - Peace 'scuttled' - Analysts have told AFP that even if he favours peace talks, Akhundzada -- seen by some as a symbolic rather than functional leader -- would be unlikely to proceed without consensus from his supreme council. Mansour's killing marked a significant shift for Washington, highlighting a new willingness to target Taliban leaders in Pakistan and risk retaliatory attacks against struggling Afghan security forces. It sent shockwaves through the insurgent movement, which had seen a resurgence under Mansour. He was killed just nine months after being formally appointed leader following a bitter power struggle upon confirmation of founder Mullah Omar's death. Omar died in 2013, but his death was kept secret for two years, with Mansour issuing statements in his name -- a revelation that helped fuel internal opposition and splintered the group into rival factions, shattering the nascent peace process that had begun last summer. Before his killing, Mansour had written a will handpicking Akhundzada to be his successor, Taliban sources told AFP, in an apparent bid to lend legitimacy to his appointment. Pakistan said that attempts to restart talks had been "scuttled" by Mansour's killing, with the country's top foreign affairs official lashing out at a briefing in Islamabad Thursday. The strike has "undermined the Afghan peace process", Sartaj Aziz said. The US, China, Afghanistan and Pakistan had agreed at talks about the peace process in Islamabad earlier this month that a "politically negotiated settlement was the most viable option", he said. "This understanding has not been respected... In less than a year, the peace process has been scuttled twice." By Shihar Aneez COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka will set up an office to independently investigate the cases of thousands of missing people, the government said on Wednesday, in a move to address alleged human rights violations during its long conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels. The UN Human Rights Commission last year urged the government to probe disappearances including of people who were alleged to have been secretly abducted by state-backed groups and para military during the 26-year conflict which ended seven years ago. Sri Lanka agreed last year to establish a credible judicial process involving foreign judges and prosecutors to investigate alleged war crimes during the conflict with Tamil rebels, in line with United Nations recommendations. The move is a first step to dealing with conflict-related grievances, the foreign ministry said in a statement. "Legislation will soon be presented to parliament to make that commitment a reality," it said. Tamil groups did not respond to calls for comment from Reuters. The Office of Missing Persons (OMP) will help thousands of families of missing persons across Sri Lanka to discover the fate of their loved ones, and the circumstances under which they went missing, the foreign ministry said. The OMP will have investigative powers and will probe people who went missing in the conflict and political unrest including "enforced" disappearances. "This is extremely positive. But the challenge in the future is to ensure the law is implemented and educate the public and bureaucracy to cooperate the process," said Jehan Perera of the National Peace Council, an independent advocacy group. "No commissions have given the answer to what happened to the disappeared people. This office should tell the relatives of the missing people what exactly happened to them." Juan E. Mendez, a U.N. human right expert said this month that estimates of missing ranged from 16,000 to 22,000 pending cases of missing persons from the time of the conflict and its immediate aftermath. A local investigating commission said in March it had received over 24,000 submissions of missing persons and was still assembling details of them. Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa's government rejected the U.N. recommendations citing it wants to address the human rights concerns without any international pressure. Rajapaksa was unseated in January last year and become an opposition legislator after he lost his prime ministerial bid in August. (Reporting by Shihar Aneez; Editing by Richard Balmforth) KABUL (Reuters) - A suicide bomber killed at least 10 people and wounded four on Wednesday in an attack on a bus carrying staff from an appeal court west of the Afghan capital, Kabul, officials said, and the Taliban claimed responsibility. The attack came on the same day the Taliban announced a new leader to succeed Mullah Akhtar Mansour, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike at the weekend. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the attack on staff from the judicial system was in response to the Afghan government's decision earlier this month to execute six Taliban prisoners on death row. Other attacks would follow, he said. "We will continue on this path," he said in a statement. The decision by President Ashraf Ghani to execute the prisoners on death row was taken as part of a tougher policy towards the Taliban following a suicide attack by the insurgent movement which killed at least 64 people in Kabul. An interior ministry spokesman said 10 people had been killed and four wounded in Wednesday's attack, while the Taliban said 22 people had been killed or wounded. (Reporting by Mirwais Harooni; Editing by Nick Macfie and Mike Collett-White) BOGOTA (Reuters) - Two journalists have gone missing in Colombia's northeast conflict zone while covering the disappearance of a Spanish reporter feared kidnapped this weekend, the government said on Tuesday. Television news channel Noticias RCN said in a statement there had been "a possible kidnapping" of a reporter and a cameraman in Norte de Santander province, near the border with Venezuela. The reporter is Diego D'Pablos and cameraman is Carlos Melo. The journalists were in El Tarra municipality to cover the disappearance of fellow reporter Salud Hernandez, who writes for Spain's El Mundo and local newspapers, who was last seen in the area on Saturday. The heads of the army and the police will go to the province to direct search operations for Hernandez and the other journalists, President Juan Manuel Santos said on Tuesday. Military sources and local media have speculated Marxist rebels or crime gangs operating in the area may be responsible for the disappearances, but the government has not yet classified them as kidnappings. Three other reporters in the region to cover Hernandez's disappearance were briefly held by armed men who identified themselves as members of the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group, before being released. The country has been in peace talks with bigger rebel group the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) since the end of 2012 and recently agreed to start negotiations with the ELN. Santos has said no talks will begin until all ELN hostages are freed. The 2,000-strong group has increased oil pipeline bombings in recent months and continued kidnappings in what many see as an attempt to pressure the government into beginning talks. (Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta, writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Helen Murphy, Bernard Orr) The UN envoy said Wednesday that Yemen's warring parties were closer to agreement at peace talks in Kuwait as he headed to New York to brief the Security Council. "We are moving towards a general understanding that encompasses the expectations and visions of the parties," Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said in a statement. "The discussions have become more sensitive and delicate bringing us closer to a comprehensive agreement," he said. Ould Cheikh Ahmed is to brief the UN Security Council in a closed session later on Wednesday on the progress made in the peace talks which began on April 21 but have been clouded by repeated walkouts by the government delegation. Face-to-face meetings resumed on Monday for the first time in nearly a week after the latest government boycott. Ould Cheikh Ahmed said discussions on Tuesday centred on "various military and security issues including withdrawals and troop movements". "We are now working on overcoming various obstacles and addressing specific details of an implementation mechanism," he said. The apparent progress comes after Foreign Minister Abdulmalek al-Mikhlafi said on Monday that the government stood ready to make concessions for the sake of peace. A Western diplomat familiar with the talks said they had made important progress. "We are in a stage where the parties have to make hard choices and compromises," the diplomat told AFP, adding that he was "very optimistic" that a deal could be reached. "We have not seen this momentum towards peace in the past one and a half years... a roadmap plan has been laid down... and it has to work," he said. - 'National Salvation Government' - The main sticking point in the talks has been the form of government to oversee a transition. Huthi Shiite rebels and their allies have demanded a unity government. The government delegation insists that the legitimacy of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi must be respected The government has also demanded that rebels implement an April 2015 Security Council resolution demanding their withdrawal from the capital and other territory they have seized since 2014. To overcome this problem, the UN envoy has proposed a "National Salvation Government," the Western diplomat said. The proposed government "would be formed on a consensual and inclusive basis and in accordance with the legal references, and would only replace the current government once Sanaa and key government institutions are not under the control of non-state actors," he said. Huthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam warned that if no fair solution was reached, the rebels would form the government in Sanaa. "Yemenis are awaiting a fair solution and if it fails, anti-aggression national forces must fill the vacuum by forming a government to serve the people and confront challenges," Abdulsalam said on Twitter. The rebel delegation met late Tuesday with the ambassadors to Yemen of the United States, Britain and the European Union and called for the formation of a "consensus executive authority" in Yemen. They also accused Saudi Arabia of violating the ceasefire, sources close to the delegation said. Despite a 14-month-old Saudi-led military intervention in support of Hadi's government, the rebels and their allies still control many of Yemen's most populous regions, including the central and northern highlands and the Red Sea coast. Consider half an hour of your bank holiday viewing now sorted, as Hellaclips have teamed up with Stereo Skateboards to put online the incredible Tincan Folklore in full. The videos influence on modern skating and skate video editing cant be underestimated and we recommend you put the kettle on, sit back and enjoy parts from Carl Shipman, Chris Pastras, Ethan Fowler, Greg Hunt, Jason Lee, Matt Rodriguez, Mike Frazier and Neville Sandzabar. Stoked Get hold of signed copies of both Tincan Folkore and A Visual Sound here. The human gut is a complex and amazing system, and the more we learn about it, the more amazed we are. It turns out Access Management McGraw-Hill Debuts Access Manager Rostering Tool McGraw-Hill Education has introduced Access Manager, a rostering tool designed to simplify the process of moving student rosters into McGraw-Hill Education digital tools. According to information from the company, Access Manager "allows student roster data to flow seamlessly into McGraw-Hill Education applications, and provides administrative tools to easily manage the data." The tool is built on the OneRoster specification, a free, open standard from the IMS Global Learning Consortium. "As districts transition to digital they need for their tools, apps and platforms to integrate seamlessly and easily via open standards," said Rob Abel, CEO of IMS Global Learning Consortium, in a prepared statement. Access Manager is OneRoster 1.0 Certified, and McGraw-Hill Education has committed to the OneRoster standard as the onboarding specification for all of its applications in the future. Access Manager is available with numerous levels of access, including: Standard Access, which provides basic tools to manage digital content manually; Smart Access, which allows the school district to handle all user management with a bulk user import process through a nightly automatic feed; Direct Access, which offers single sign-on for teachers and students, enabling them to access content using only one username and password; Complete Access, which includes both Smart Access automated rostering and content management and Direct Access single sign-on functionality; and Custom Access, which lets school district create custom lesson plans and instructional maps using McGraw-Hill Education digital content, provided on a thin Common Cartridge. Smart, Complete and Custom Access levels offer OneRoster file support. Further information about Access Manager can be found on McGraw-Hill Education's site. exxonmobil refinery oil REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi The Guardian was banned from attending the annual general meeting of the world's largest publicly traded oil producer, Exxon Mobil. The company cited a "lack of objectivity" from the news organisation in its reporting on climate change as the reason for the ban, according to a post by finance editor, Nils Pratley. Exxon's media relations manager Alan Jeffers, said that the paper's partnership with anti-oil and gas activists means it can't be objective on climate change related issues: We are denying your request [to attend Wednesdays meeting] because of the Guardians lack of objectivity on climate change reporting demonstrated by its partnership with anti-oil and gas activists and its campaign against companies that provide energy necessary for modern life, including newspapers. The Guardian has partnerships with several environmental groups for its "Keep it in the ground" campaign, which advocates moving away from fossil fuels and instead using clean energy sources such as solar and wind power. Exxon isn't that objective when it comes to climate change, either. Famously, the company gave $30 million to "researchers" and campaign groups who deny climate change, spread over several years. Exxon said it stopped that funding in 2007, but The Guardian reported last year that it has given more than $2.3 million to members of the US Congress and a lobbying group, who deny climate change. At Wednesday's AGM, chief executive Rex Tillerson said that until green technologies could match the capacity of traditional fuel sources the "world is going to have to continue using fossil fuels, whether they like it or not." Tillerson stressed that Exxon has invested more than $7 billion in green tech, but that it has yet to achieve breakthroughs that let green energy sources compete with fossil fuels. Until we have those [breakthroughs], just saying turn the taps off is not acceptable to humanity, he said. Story continues The AGM took place on Wednesday morning (9:30 a.m. CT; 3:30 p.m. BST) in Dallas, Texas. ExxonMobil shareholders rejected a climate change policy that included limiting global warming, putting a climate expert on the company's board, and reporting on the potential impacts of fracking. Thirty-eight percent of shareholders voted for the proposal. NOW WATCH: Don't walk into an interview at Goldman Sachs without doing this first See Also: SEE ALSO: The oil crash caused Exxon to report its worst profit since 1999 Where Can You Find Opportunities in the Senior Gold Miner Space? (Continued from Prior Part) Importance of geographical exposure Investors have become very cautious with regards to gold miners geographical exposure. There have been many instances of rising taxes and royalties, changes to mining codes, and asset nationalizations that have hampered the operations of several miners in various locations. This is the reason its important to understand the geographical exposure of different miners and the potential implications their exposure could have on their prospects. High geographical risk Among the senior gold miners, Kinross Gold (KGC) and Yamana Gold (AUY) have higher exposure to jurisdictions associated with high geopolitical risk. Kinrosss exposure to Russia (RSX) (RUSL) has been one of the major reasons for its discount versus its peers. While the reserves in Russia form 8% of the total reserves, close to 28% of its production is from its mines in Russia. Russia is a risky jurisdiction for mining, given the political uncertainty amid increased tension with the West. In November 2015, Kinross acquired Barricks Nevada assets to increase its exposure to the Americas. Going forward, as the Tasiast expansion takes hold and if its exploration initiatives at Bald Mountain are successful, its proportion of Russian exposure might fall. Yamana is seeing tailwinds in the form of depreciating currencies in its operating jurisdictions such as Brazil (EWZ), Chile, Argentina, Mexico, and Canada. However, Brazil and Argentina are not considered ideal mining jurisdictions. Exposure to attractive jurisdictions Barrick Gold (ABX) has favorable geographic exposure with ~45% of its production in 1Q16 coming from North America, ~35% from South America, and the rest from Africa and Asia-Pacific. At the end of December 2015, 88% of its reserves were also concentrated in the Americas. Investors should note that one of its biggest projects, Pascua-Lama, was stalled following an injunction by the Chilean government on environmental grounds. Costs in Africa are higher due to infrastructure requirements, complicated terrain, and political risks. Story continues Newmont Mining (NEM) is also quite diverse in terms of geographic exposure with 32.2% of production for 1Q16 coming from North America, 12.7% from South America, and 40.8% from Asia-Pacific. It has been trying to sell off its non-core assets elsewhere to increase its exposure to the Americas. The company has been contemplating selling its Batu Hijau mine in Indonesia while it bought Cripple Creek and Victor mine from AngloGold Ashanti (AU) in Colorado to get more exposure to favorable mining jurisdictions. Goldcorps (GG) mines are all in the Americas, and its assets are considered relatively safe. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: The French headquarters of McDonald's were raided last week as part of a tax fraud probe, police say. Financial and tax crime officials searched the company's premises near Paris on 18 May, seizing documents, a police source said. The investigation follows suspicions the restaurant chain has been unlawfully lowering its tax bills by funnelling its earnings in France to Luxembourg, where its European headquarters are based. A spokesman for McDonald's confirmed the company was "co-operating fully with authorities on this matter". :: Not Lovin' It (Other OTC: ITGL - news) : McDonald's Set For Menu Revamp The decision to investigate the company was confirmed last year by European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, who has already found against Fiat Chrysler and Starbucks (Swiss: SBUX.SW - news) ' tax arrangements in the Netherlands and Luxembourg. In both cases the companies were ordered to pay up to 30m (22.8m) in backdated taxes. In December, a spokesperson for McDonald's said: "From 2010-2014, the McDonald's companies paid more than $2.1bn (2bn) just in corporate taxes in the European Union, with an average tax rate of almost 27%. :: McDonald's Plans 1,500 New Restaurants In Asia "Additionally, we pay social, real estate and other taxes. "Our independent franchisees, who own and operate approximately 75% of our restaurants in Europe, also pay corporate tax and many other taxes." In January, McDonald's announced a 5% fall in full-year profit to $4.5bn (3.13bn) while revenues were 7% lower at $25.4bn (17.7bn). (Adds details, quotes) By Zimasa Mpemnyama and Ed Stoddard JOHANNESBURG, May 26 (Reuters) - South Africa defended the sale of 10 million barrels of crude oil from its strategic reserves at below market prices in December, saying on Thursday it still had reserves for 90 days. The state-run Strategic Fuel Fund (SFF) sold 10 million barrels of crude at $28 a barrel to a unit of Glencore (Xetra: A1JAGV - news) , Vitol and Taleveras, Tseliso Maqubela, a director in the Central Energy Fund (CEF) said on Thursday. The CEF said that South Africa had access to 90 days worth of oil reserves, dismissing a local newspaper report that the country's strategic reserves had been drained to 300,000 barrels, less than a day's cover. Oil consumption in Africa's most advanced economy is around 400,000 barrels per day. Maqubela told Reuters that the condition of the sale was that the oil would not be exported and so the government considered it to be part of its strategic reserve stockpile. Maqubela said there were about 40 million barrels in storage at South Africa's reserve facilities in Saldanha Bay north of Cape Town and although it was in private hands, the government considered it to be part of its strategic stockpile. "Should anything go wrong globally, we can access that oil at market prices. We may not own that crude oil but we have access to it at any given time," he said. He said that even if 30 million barrels was exported, the 10 million that cannot be exported would give South Africa more than 20 days' cover, which is the minimum required by the government. The oil was sold below market prices because it was deteriorating in quality, Maqubela said. Brent crude prices in December, the month of the sale, ranged between $35.98 a barrel and $44.82, Thomson Reuters (Dusseldorf: TOC.DU - news) ' data shows. The Business Day newspaper reported on Thursday that the sale of the 10 million barrels had left South Africa with only 300,000 barrels and had been done without the required approval of the National Treasury. But the CEF said in its statement that "no approval is required from the Minister of Finance to sell or rotate strategic fuel stocks." A spokeswoman for the Treasury declined to comment. (Editing by Joe Brock and Elaine Hardcastle) By Jorn Poltz ANSBACH, Germany (Reuters) - Adidas will launch mass production of running shoes at a German factory operated largely by robots next year and plans to open a similar plant in the United States next year, the company said on Tuesday. Founded by German cobbler Adi Dassler in 1949, Adidas had closed all but one of its 10 shoe factories in Germany by 1993 as it shifted most production from Europe to lower-wage Asia, particularly China and Vietnam. But advances in robotics and automation means that Adidas can now afford to bring production back closer to customers to meet demands for faster delivery of new styles and to counter rising wages in Asia and lengthy shipping times. The company gave journalists a first look at its new "Speedfactory" in the southern German town of Ansbach on Tuesday, saying large-scale production will start in 2017 after producing the first 500 prototypes for sale later this year. "With the Adidas 'Speedfactory', we are revolutionising the industry," said Chief Executive Herbert Hainer. "Our consumers always want the latest and newest product and they want it now." Hainer said Adidas hoped to open a similar plant in the United States next year and expects the two factories to produce at least a million pairs of shoes a year combined within the next couple of years. "In the medium term, you will see our factories in all major markets," he said. Hainer said the new plants would supplement rather than replace production in Asia, noting that Adidas currently makes about 300 million pairs of shoes a year and already needs to add two factories a year to keep up with current rates of growth. The new factory is being operating by Oechsler Motion GmbH and Adidas is also working with German engineering group Manz to develop new automated production technology. The factory is expected to employ 160 people.(This story corrects second paragraph to make clear one factory remained in Germany) (Reporting by Joern Poltz, writing by Emma Thomasson; Editing by Keith Weir) Protests outside a Donald Trump rally in New Mexico turned violent - with demonstrators throwing burning t-shirts and plastic bottles at police officers. The protesters also overturned bins and knocked down barricades outside the Albuquerque Convention Centre. Police described the protest as a "riot" and fired pepper spray and smoke grenades into the crowd. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee was interrupted repeatedly by protesters during his rally. They held up banners with messages including "Trump is Fascist" and "We've heard enough." He responded to one demonstrator by asking: "How old is this kid?" before adding: "Still wearing diapers." His supporters responded to the disruptions by chanting "build that wall", a reference to the wall Mr Trump has promised to build between the US and Mexico. Mr Trump said: "We're going to build a wall. And it's going to be a real wall. And it's going to get built fast. And it's going to look beautiful because some day they'll call it the Trump Wall - who the hell knows?" New Mexico is America's most Hispanic state, and Governor Susana Martinez has harshly criticised his remarks on immigrants. In response, Mr Trump read off several negative statistics about the state, adding: "We have to get your governor to get going. She's got to do a better job, OK? "Hey, maybe I'll run for governor of New Mexico. I'll get this place going." Mr Trump is now less than 10 delegates away from clinching the Republican presidential nomination following a win in the Washington state primary on Tuesday. After winning at least 40 of Washington's delegates, he now has 1,229 of the 1,237 delegates needed to secure the nomination. Contests on 7 June in California, New Jersey, New Mexico, Montana and South Dakota are likely to see him cross the finish line. AFP Rishi Sunak on Tuesday became Britain's third prime minister this year and the first person of colour to lead the former imperial power, vowing to overcome economic crisis provoked by the "mistakes" of Liz Truss's calamitous 49-day tenure. In his first order of business, Sunak retained Jeremy Hunt as chancellor of the exchequer, bidding to keep financial markets on side after Truss's budget plans shocked investors. Sunak, a practising Hindu who at 42 is Britain's youngest leader since 1812, became the ruling Conservatives' new leader on Monday after a prior stint as chancellor himself. Addressing the nation in Downing Street Tuesday shortly after his appointment by King Charles III, Sunak said the country faced "profound economic crisis". "I will unite our country -- not with words, but with action," Sunak said, capping the latest extraordinary twist in UK politics following Boris Johnson's demise in July. - 'Mistakes' - Departing shortly before, Truss wished him "every success" -- and said she remained "more convinced than ever" that Britain needed to be "bold" in confronting the challenges it faced. Sunak countered that though she was motivated by a well-intentioned desire to kick-start growth, her tax-cutting measures were "mistakes nonetheless". "And I have been elected as leader of my party and your prime minister in part to fix them," he said. "And that work begins immediately. I will place economic stability and confidence at the heart of this government's agenda," he added, helping to drive the pound more than one percent higher against the dollar Tuesday. Sunak's appointment followed rival contender Penny Mordaunt failing to secure enough nominations from Tory MPs, and Johnson dramatically aborting a comeback attempt late on Sunday. Breaking his silence, Johnson offered his "full and wholehearted support" to Sunak -- having privately blamed his ex-minister for toppling him in July. Sunak in turn praised Johnson, and vowed to build on the election-winning promises that earned the Conservatives a big victory in 2019, despite their dismal standing in polling today against the opposition Labour party. But Sunak also issued a coded reminder of the many scandals that brought Johnson down, vowing his own premiership would offer "integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level". In other cabinet appointments, Sunak retained James Cleverly as foreign secretary, and brought close ally Dominic Raab back as deputy prime minister and justice secretary. He also retained Ben Wallace in the defence brief. - 'Groundbreaking' - In his Downing Street speech, Sunak pledged unstinting support for Ukraine even while warning of "difficult" budget choices ahead. US President Joe Biden called the appointment of the first British-Indian prime minister "groundbreaking" and "pretty outstanding". "Together, I look forward to enhancing our cooperation on issues critical to global security and prosperity, including continuing our strong support for Ukraine," Biden said in a tweet. European leaders offered their own congratulations, while Irish premier Micheal Martin reminded Sunak of their "shared responsibility" to safeguard peace in Northern Ireland following tensions under Johnson and Truss. Labour leader Keir Starmer praised Sunak on "making history as the first British-Asian PM". But he added: "The Tories have crashed the economy, with low wages, high prices and a cost-of-living crisis. The public needs a fresh start and a say on Britain's future." Sunak has rebuffed opposition calls for a snap general election after becoming the latest leader who lacks a direct mandate from the electorate, but he promised to govern on the basis of the 2019 manifesto. Pollster Ipsos said that 62 percent of British voters want an election by the end of the year. - 'Unite or die' - Britain's Conservative-supporting media hailed the appointment of Sunak, a wealthy descendant of immigrants from India and East Africa. "The force is with you, Rishi," ran The Sun's headline, playing on his love of "Star Wars" films. But the left-leaning Guardian highlighted Sunak's warning to Conservative MPs that the party must "unite or die". Truss left office as the UK's shortest-serving premier in history, after her disastrous tax-slashing budget sparked economic and political turmoil. The 47-year-old announced her resignation last Thursday, admitting she could not deliver her mandate from Conservative members -- who had chosen her over Sunak in the summer to replace Johnson. Iain Duncan Smith, a former Conservative leader, said MPs now understood the "existential threat" facing the Tories, and that they needed to unite or accept being "out of power for a long time". bur-jj/jit/gw By Tom Finn DOHA (Reuters) - Six international oil firms including BP and Royal Dutch Shell Plc have bid to operate Qatar's largest offshore oil field, two people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The other bidders are the field's current operator Maersk, as well as Total SA, Chevron Corp and ConocoPhillips, said the people who spoke on condition of anonymity as the information was private. The people said state-owned Qatar Petroleum (QP) would award the contract for the oil field, which is 80 kilometres (50 miles) off Qatar's coast and currently produces around 300,000 barrels per day (bpd), in the second half of the year. Officials at Maersk, Chevron, Conoco and Qatar Petroleum did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Shell and BP declined to comment. A Total spokesman said CEO Patrick Pouyanne had confirmed its bid earlier this month. Denmark's A.P. Moller-Maersk, which owns Maersk Oil Qatar, said on May 4 it was involved in a tender process and there was a risk it could lose the Qatari field, its largest oil producer. For years it was expected Maersk would renew its 25-year production agreement on Al Shaheen field when its licence runs out in 2017. But the Gulf state surprised the company last year by putting out a tender for the field which Maersk Oil has been operating since 1992. A Qatari oil source told Reuters the Gulf state had invited international majors to the tender because it wanted to raise production at the field to 500,000 bpd. Maersk Oil had originally planned for Al Shaheen's production to reach 525,000 bpd by 2010, after a 2005 field development plan was approved, but output remained at about 300,000 bpd, roughly half of Qatar's daily crude output. The oil reservoirs are notoriously thin and spread out across a vast area, making production difficult. BP withdrew from a $4.3 billion (2.92 billion pounds) project to build Qatar's first liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in 1992, stating it saw no financial benefits to staying in the project. Since then, Qatar, a country of 2.6 million, has gone on to become the world's richest by per capita income and the largest producer of LNG, which is gas chilled to liquid for export on specially designed ships. A senior BP company executive told Reuters in 2007 it was eyeing a return to Qatar's upstream gas sector after a 15-year hiatus and was interested in offshore exploration areas and taking part in projects to produce more difficult gas reserves in Qatar. (Additional reporting by Ron Bousso in London and Bate Felix in Paris; Editing by Mark Potter) By Steve Scherer ROME (Reuters) - A migrant boat capsized in the Mediterranean on Thursday and while about 100 passengers were rescued, an unknown number are feared dead, officials said. All told, the Italian coastguard said it had helped save 4,000 migrants today, in 22 operations. That brings the total number Italy has helped rescue since Monday to more than 10,000 - a sign that Europe's immigration crisis is far from over. Separately, Libya's coastguard said it had stopped six boats carrying more than 750 migrants off the country's western coast, and had recovered four bodies. Thursday's shipwreck was the second in two days as sea crossings accelerate amid good weather. Five people were confirmed to have died when a large fishing boat flipped over in the sea on Wednesday. Europe's worst immigration crisis since World War Two has led to more than 8,000 deaths in 2 1/2 years, the International Organization for Migration estimates. Boat arrivals in Italy have risen sharply this week with warm weather and calm seas, and about 20 rescue operations are currently under way, a coastguard spokesman said. Based on initial pictures from the aircraft that spotted the boat that overturned on Thursday, 20 to 30 people are feared to have died in the shipwreck, a spokesman for European Union's Sophia naval mission said. Italy's coastguard declined to estimate how many may have died. "We don't know how many people were on board," the coastguard spokesman said. The non-profit organisation Sea-Watch, which has a rescue ship in the area, said it was about to recover one body from the sea following a shipwreck and that it had picked up 115 migrants from a rubber boat. "Aboard the boats are many Syrian and Iraqi people," Sea-Watch said on Facebook. A European Union agreement to send migrants back to Turkey from Greece is forcing refugees to travel from North Africa to Europe, the group said. So far, migrants from the Middle East have mostly travelled through Turkey to Greece. Most migrants who came to Italy by boat came from Africa. Libya's coastguard has blocked more than 2,000 migrants trying to leave Libyan waters for Europe this week. On Thursday, it intercepted four boats early in the morning carrying about 550 people near the western port of Sabratha, Tripoli coastguard spokesman Ayoub Qassem said. Hours later, another 216 migrants were picked up from two boats off Zuwara, and the bodies of four migrants were found in the area, he said. Through Tuesday, total sea arrivals in Italy had fallen by 9 percent this year to 37,743, according to the Interior Ministry. The country's migrant shelters are under pressure to house 115,507 migrants, about twice as many as two years ago. Some 650 migrants and the five dead bodies picked up by the Italian navy arrived at the Sicilian city of Porto Empedocle, where the migrants will get food and clothing. Officials will try to identify them before sending them to shelters. (Reporting by Steve Scherer in Rome and Ahmed Elumami in Tripoli; Editing by Isla Binnie and Larry King) By Jeremy Wagstaff and Taiga Uranaka SINGAPORE/TOKYO (Reuters) - Criminals who stole millions of dollars from automatic teller machines across Japan in a three-hour spree probably chose the country because banks consider it a low fraud risk, security experts say. The gang used counterfeit Standard Bank credit cards to withdraw 1.4 billion yen ($13 million) in 14,000 transactions from ATMs at 7-Eleven convenience stores over three hours on a Sunday morning, according to a source familiar with the matter. Most ATMs in the 7-Eleven stores belong to Seven Bank, a Japanese bank part-owned by Seven & I Holdings which runs the store chain in Japan, one of only two Japanese banks that allow withdrawals on foreign cards. The thieves are still at large. "They were smart in selecting Japan," said one banking security consultant who asked not to be identified. "They found a badly protected ATM network in a low-risk country, guessing that the fraud analytics software would not automatically block the transactions." South Africa's Standard Bank said on Monday it had suffered the losses, not its customers, and that it had alerted the authorities. It estimated its total loss at 300 million rand ($19 million). [nL5N18K1CW] The bank declined to comment further on Tuesday. Seven Bank said it was cooperating with police. Japan's banking regulator, the Financial Services Authority (FSA), and Japanese police declined to comment. Seven has about 22,000 ATMs across the country. Japan Post Bank also accepts overseas credit cards, but only about 540 of its 27,000 are open 24 hours a day. Reports in Japanese media said the withdrawals were made on May 15 at ATMs in Tokyo and 16 prefectures across Japan's main island Honshu and neighbouring Kyushu. That would have taken a substantial number of "mules" to make the transactions and ferry the cash, said experts. "($13 million) in a matter of hours is nothing short of blinding," said Dan Kelly, a Hong Kong-based cybersecurity researcher at Dragon Threat Labs. "The use of loopholes in the bank's procedures makes sense, but trying to rustle up a mule network in one country without making too much noise can't be easy." FLOOD OF TRANSACTIONS Experts said both banks should shoulder some blame for failing to monitor the flood of transactions, saying they should have had systems in place to catch spikes in unusual activity in so many locations at the same time during what would usually be a quiet period. "The liability is on the issuing bank, which is Standard Bank, but as the case gets further investigated, more blame will fall on the acquiring bank," said Subhashish Bose, head of anti-financial crime in Asia-Pacific for FICO, a U.S.-based software company that also scores consumer credit risk. The criminals may have harvested the data in a variety of ways, said the experts - possibly by "skimming" cards - but they would have had limited options when it came to using them to withdraw cash. For one thing, they would have to pick a country that still uses magnetic strip card technology, not the newer and more secure "chip and pin" system, which would have ruled out South Africa itself. "If they would have gone to any of the surrounding countries, they would risk detection (and blocking) by Standard Bank's fraud analytics software", which would consider any transaction in such countries to be high risk, the banking security consultant said. The same risk assessment would have ruled out most other African countries, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Russia, the consultant added. Japan, meanwhile, is considered low-risk because of low crime rates and its banks, most of which do not accept foreign cards in their ATMs, the experts said. Japan has long been ignored by criminal gangs and cybercrime groups because of its relative isolation. But that is changing, say specialists, and the country has yet to catch up. "They are less experienced in dealing with these frauds and are behind in terms of monitoring, detection and response," said Stephen McCombie, an Asia-Pacific cybercrime specialist at RSA, the security division of data storage firm EMC. Last year hackers broke into Japan's pension system and leaked more than a million cases of personal data. ($1 = 109.5800 yen) (Reporting By Jeremy Wagstaff and Taiga Uranaka; Editing by Alex Richardson) (This May 23 story has been refiled to restore dropped numeral in third paragraph) TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan will ask U.S. President Barack Obama to take strict measures to prevent crime by people from U.S. military bases after the arrest last week of a U.S. worker in connection with the murder of a Japanese woman. Obama will visit Japan this week for a Group of Seven nations summit and he will also make a historic visit to the city of Hiroshima, which the U.S. military attacked with an atomic bomb in 1945. U.S. troops have been stationed in Japan since its World War Two defeat and about 50,000 remain in various bases. Occasional crime by U.S. personnel or civilian base workers infuriates Japanese people and often fuels call for the bases to go. "I expect him to ask President Obama to deal with the matter strictly, taking into account the Japanese people's feelings," Japan's top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told a regular news conference, referring to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Abe was expected to ask Obama to ensure that strict discipline is enforced at bases and other measures are taken to prevent crime, Suga said. A 32-year-old U.S. civilian working at the Kadena air base on Japan's southern island of Okinawa was arrested last Thursday on suspicion of dumping the body of a 20-year-old woman. Police are investigating. Okinawa, the site of a bloody World War Two battles, hosts the bulk of U.S. military forces in Japan and many residents resent what they see as an unfair burden. The island's governor, Takeshi Onaga, who was elected on a pledge to shift a big U.S. Marines base off the island, was sceptical anything would be done on crime. "We've heard 'strict enforcement of discipline' and 'thorough steps to stop recurrence' hundreds of times over the past several decades, but that nothing has changed," Onaga told reporters after meeting Abe. Obama's visit to Hiroshima on Friday will be the first by a serving U.S. president to the city devastated by a U.S. atomic bomb on Aug. 6, 1945. Obama said in an interview with the NHK broadcaster on Sunday his visit would emphasise friendly ties between former enemies, and he reiterated he would not apologise for the atomic bomb attack. The city of Nagasaki was bombed three days after Hiroshima was bombed and Japan surrendered six days after that. A majority of Americans see the bombings as having been necessary to end the war and save U.S. lives, although many historians question that view. Most Japanese believe they were unjustified. (Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka and Minami Funakoshi; Editing by Robert Birsel) By MacDonald Dzirutwe HARARE (Reuters) - Thousands of people marched through Zimbabwe's capital Harare on Wednesday in support of President Robert Mugabe as he denounced "treasonous" factions in his ZANU-PF party feuding over who should succeed the 92-year-old leader. Mugabe is the only leader the southern African nation has known since independence from Britain in 1980. He has said he wants to live to 100 and remains fit, denying local media reports that he has prostate cancer. As senior members of ZANU-PF manoeuvre for advantage in a post-Mugabe era, two factions have emerged, one linked to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and one to Mugabe's wife Grace. "There should never be little groups to promote so and so. Those little groups are treasonous groups, they spoil the party," Mugabe told tens of thousands of faithful who gathered for a "One Million-Man" march in Harare. "Let us not hear discordant voices from whomsoever. All this thing about factions is new to us, it destabilises the party," said Mugabe, touting the march as a "great revolutionary act" by ZANU-PF youth. First Lady Grace Mugabe told the crowd earlier that the veteran leader was irreplaceable and the unifying force in ZANU-PF who would continue to lead Zimbabwe even in death. Mugabe said local private media calling on him to step down should "go hang", adding that the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) also wanted him to resign because they feared he would defeat them again in elections. MDC spokesman Obert Gutu said Wednesday's march was an attempt to paper over ZANU-PF's disintegration. "The majority of Zimbabweans are living in grinding poverty and are not happy. So ZANU-PF wants to divert people's attention from the collapsing economy and to massage Robert Mugabe's ego," he said. "If anything, Zimbabweans should march and demand Mugabe's immediate resignation from office." Demonstrators were shipped in from all over Zimbabwe for the march, organised by the ZANU-PF's youth wing. They sang pro-Mugabe songs as they spilled out of buses in downtown Harare. Mugabe's supporters call him an African icon who stands up to the West. Critics say he has ruined a once promising economy with policies such as the seizure and redistribution of white-owned commercial farms, which devastated agriculture. "We are here to tell everyone that the youth league is 100 percent behind comrade Mugabe's leadership," said Prosper Machado, a youth leader from central Zimbabwe. "We are saying no to factionalism because President Mugabe is the only centre of power that we recognise. He is our candidate for 2018 (elections) and so there is no vacancy." (Editing by James Macharia and Mark Heinrich) Evening Standard Porter and part-time barman Anthony Bird, 42, was found naked with his wrists bound at his flat in Kensington Gardens Square, west London, on June 6 1980. Paul, of Maida Vale, west London, went on to deny murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter at his trial at the Old Bailey. It was claimed his confession to the killing was not reliable and even if he was responsible, he did not intend to do Mr Bird really serious harm. By Emily Stephenson, Steve Gorman and Ginger Gibson ANAHEIM, Calif. (Reuters) - Protesters at a rally in Southern California held by Donald Trump on Wednesday carried signs saying "Stop Nazi Trump" and "Make America Hate Again," as a large police presence stood by a day after a Trump event in New Mexico erupted into chaos. Police outnumbered the 100 demonstrators outside the convention center where Trump, who is the presumptive Republican nominee in the Nov. 8 presidential election, was speaking. Many were unhappy about Trump's views on Hispanic immigrants and ripped apart a pinata resembling Trump and placed the paper mache head on top of a flagpole with a large Mexican flag. Police had warned they would take "swift" action if protests at the event in Anaheim escalated. About 100 police officers stood watch behind metal barricades and another 50 sheriff's deputies lined up along the convention center. It was not until long after the rally that police were finally called in to disperse the protesters. A police helicopter circled overhead telling people to disperse or risk arrest. Inside, Trump was disrupted by protesters as he spoke, including one who waved a Mexican flag. "Do not hurt him," Trump said as a man was led out of the arena. "I say that for the television cameras. Even though he is a bad person." Trump's appearances in the U.S. West in areas with significant Hispanic populations have drawn large protests - such as Tuesday night's violence in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where rock-throwing demonstrators were arrested. Trump's remarks that Mexico is sending criminals and rapists to the United States, made when he launched his campaign last year, have been a lightning rod for protesters. Trump's problems with Latino voters could dampen his Nov. 8 election hopes. A poll by the political research group Latino Decisions found 87 percent of registered Hispanic voters view Trump unfavorably. States like Nevada and New Mexico have growing Hispanic populations that could tip the election. Trump's trip west came ahead of the California and New Mexico nominating contests on June 7. Trump also planned to hold several large fundraising events while in California. It is the first high-dollar fundraising event the New York real estate mogul has held after largely self-funding his primary campaign. Mike McGetrick, one of two people carrying "Latinos for Trump" signs at the Anaheim rally, said he is part of a group called America First Latinos, whose website describes its members as believing in "the rule of law, hard work and the American Dream." He said his neighborhood in nearby Orange is "being overrun" by undocumented immigrants. "There are so many of them, and theyre everywhere," said McGetrick, 62, a retired city worker. "I can tell an illegal from a regular person just like that." Trump supporters have been hopeful that his likely opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton, will be dogged by her own problems to offset his difficulty with some populations. On Wednesday, Clinton faced renewed criticism about her use of a private email server for government business while secretary of state after a report by the State Department's inspector general said she had violated agency policies. Trump only briefly addressed the report in his appearance in Anaheim. "Not good," he said. "Inspector generals report, not good." "CRIMINALS!" In a Twitter post on Wednesday, Trump called the protesters in Albuquerque "thugs who were flying the Mexican flag." "The rally inside was big and beautiful, but outside, criminals!" he said. Trump headed next to Anaheim, which is about 25 miles (40 km) southeast of Los Angeles. At the city's 7,500-seat convention center, authorities boosted staffing levels, deployed officers on motorcycles to control traffic and urged attendees to be on their best behavior, Anaheim Police Sergeant Daron Wyatt said. "We respect the rights of everyone to protest and get their word out," Wyatt said, adding they must do so "peacefully and within the confines of the law." City officials said they were prepared for Trump's appearance. Anaheim Police Chief Raul Quezada said, "Everyone has the right to participate without fear of violence or disorder and we are prepared to take swift and decisive enforcement action should it become necessary." On Tuesday night, hundreds of protesters tried to swarm the convention center in Albuquerque where Trump spoke, knocking down barricades, waving Mexican flags and hurling rocks and bottles at police officers in riot gear. Police responded with smoke bombs and pepper spray. Police said they made arrests both outside and inside the rally, where protesters continually interrupted Trump's speech. The police department's Twitter feed said officers were treated for injuries caused by thrown rocks. (Reporting by Megan Cassella, Suzannah Gonzales, Emily Stephenson, Amy Tennery, Dan Whitcomb and Steve Gorman; Writing by Ginger Gibson; Editing by Bill Trott and Leslie Adler) By Reem Shamseddine KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - Saudi oil giant Aramco is gaining market share and pushing for greater efficiency, chief executive Amin Nasser said in an interview, as it acts as a "bridge" to a future when the nation relies less on energy exports. Nasser also told Reuters that the state-owned group was pressing on with preparations for its partial privatisation via a stock market listing, which he said lay at the heart of Riyadh's "Vision 2030", a long-term economic plan headed by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Riyadh has been the driving force behind OPEC's decision in November 2014 to refuse to cut supply to boost prices. Instead it opted to raise output and fight for market share against higher-cost rivals such as U.S. shale producers - as well as fellow OPEC member Iran which has ramped up its exports since the lifting of international sanctions. "We are preserving our market share which continues to increase year-on-year," he said in the interview, conducted on Wednesday. "This year, as last year, it is increasing. Our market share is picking up," he added, without giving figures. An OPEC meeting on June 2 will be the first for new Saudi energy minister Khalid al-Falih - Saudi Aramco's chairman - at a time when Iranian exports have risen close to pre-sanctions level. Saudi and Iranian OPEC delegates clashed earlier this month over long-term strategy, sources said, with Riyadh saying OPEC should not manage the market by regulating supply - as it has done throughout its history - and Tehran arguing that the group had been created to perform precisely that task. Riyadh's current tactics seem to be working. Oil has recovered to $50 (34) a barrel from a 12-year low of $27 in January despite the Iranian increase. Nasser said he expects prices to "trend upward by the end of the year" as global demand picks up and production from high-cost producers, such as shale oil and deep water offshore fields, falls. THE HEART OF VISION 2030 He saw energy continuing to play a major role while Vision 2030 aims to address falling oil revenue and sharp fiscal deficits by boosting the private sector, ending government waste and diversifying the economy. Central to this is the planned initial public offering (IPO) of Aramco shares. "Listing Saudi Aramco is in the heart of Vision 2030. We are seriously working on the IPO," Nasser said. "Of course, the oil and gas sector will be the bridge to the long-term and we need to maximise our revenue by introducing more efficiency in the sector." "Vision 2030 isn't saying no to oil by 2020. What we need is to diversify our economy and we should have a more sustainable economy because we shouldn't be totally dependent on one commodity," he added. Aramco is working on the options for floating less than 5 percent of its value, which include a single domestic stock exchange listing and a dual listing with a foreign market, Nasser said. The company is finalising its proposals and will present them to its Supreme Council soon, which could see part of Aramco publicly listed by 2017-18. However, Nasser said the timeframe was not set yet. As part of Aramco's market share push, the company plans to raise its total refining capacity - both inside the kingdom and abroad - to 8 million-10 million barrels per day from around 5.4 million bpd now. This week it signed an agreement to supply up to 270,000 bpd of crude oil to a refinery it will jointly upgrade with Indonesia's Pertamina. Forecasting growing crude oil demand, Aramco has said it was seeking to invest further downstream as part of broader expansion plans in several markets such as China, India, Vietnam and the United States. MAINTAINING OIL CAPACITY Riyadh has traditionally kept an expensive "spare cushion" of excess production capacity, allowing it to raise or reduce levels to influence prices according to the government's market strategy. Private oil companies, by contrast, do not hold back output for strategic gain. Nasser said that for the time being Aramco's maximum sustainable capacity would stay at 12 million bpd despite its plans to build new refineries and expand its petrochemicals business. "If you use oil in refining, in chemicals or to produce chemicals or products, it will be part of the maximum sustainable capacity of Saudi Aramco, so 12 million bpd for the time being is the capacity," he said. The company pumped on average about 10.2 mln bpd in 2015 "which means we still have ample spare capacity", he said. That was an all-time record, Aramco said in its 2015 annual review. While the global rig count has dropped substantially, the number of Aramco's rigs is increasing slightly due to significant growth especially in the downstream and petrochemicals sector and in gas for domestic consumption. Under the government's diversification plans, the kingdom plans to generate 9.5 gigawatts of electricity from renewable energy. Nasser said Aramco is looking to play a major role in achieving that target. "Renewable is in our radar...and we are looking forward to play a major role in renewable in the near future," he said. The company had set up a renewable energy department and is studying plans to invest in wind and solar power. (Editing by Rania El Gamal and David Stamp) By Jongwoo Cheon and Saeed Azhar SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore economy barely grew in the first quarter, while a downgrade in trade and exports forecasts as well as a depressed services sector underscored a weak outlook for the trade-dependent city state. The economy expanded 0.2 percent in January-March period from the previous three months on an annualised basis, the Ministry of Trade and Industry said on Wednesday in a statement. The government in April initially estimated that the city-state's economy stalled in the first quarter. The median forecast in a Reuters survey last week also predicted the city-state's economy failed to grow in January-March. Like many of the region's trade-reliant nations such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, Singapore has been hit hard by a global downturn in demand, with a cooling in China - the city state's biggest export destination - rippling across producers of a broad range of consumer items to soft and hard commodities. Last month, Singapore's central bank unexpectedly eased its exchange-rate based monetary policy settings as slumping global demand put the screws on the city-state's key manufacturing sector and undermined a fragile recovery. "The picture hasn't changed very much with revision of the Q1 numbers," said Selena Ling, an economist at OCBC Bank in Singapore. "If you look at services, it decelerated even faster than what was estimated in the flash. That for us is an area of concern. The revision of NODX downward is just a reflection of the China drag and regional demand not being there," The city-state's trade agency on Wednesday revised down its forecasts for this year's trade and exports. International Enterprise Singapore said in a separate statement that it cut its forecast for 2016 total trade to between -8.0 to -6.0 percent, while lowering non-oil domestic exports forecast to between -5.0 to -3.0 percent. Singapore economy grew 1.8 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, same as the government initial estimates and economists' forecast. The ministry maintained its forecast for this year's growth at 1.0-3.0 percent. The service sector contracted a revised 5.9 percent in the first quarter from the previous three months, more than a 3.8 percent contraction estimated earlier. It was the sector's first quarterly contraction since the first quarter of 2015. The city-state's manufacturing sector rose a revised 23.3 percent on-quarter, stronger than the initially estimated 18.2 percent growth. (Additional reporting by Saeed Azhar; Editing by Shri Navaratnam) By Nqobile Dludla JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's central bank told lenders to be vigilant on Wednesday after criminals in Japan stole millions of dollars from automatic teller machines using fake credit cards from South Africa's Standard Bank . The criminal gang made 14,000 withdrawals in just three hours from bank machines at 7-Eleven convenience stores across Japan on May 15, withdrawing 1.4 billion yen ($13 million), according to a source familiar with the matter. Central bank deputy governor Kuben Naidoo confirmed that Standard Bank would shoulder the losses. "We will work with the law enforcement agencies to try and prevent and tackle those crimes," Naidoo told reporters. Rene van Wyk, the central bank's registrar of banks, said lenders who rely on outside vendors should be careful as the cyber attacks were taking place abroad rather than in South Africa. "So that vulnerability will always remain because you're dependant on other parties, so that relationship between vendors and banks, that is one thing that we focus on," he said. Standard Bank said on Monday it had suffered the losses, not its customers, and that it had alerted the authorities. It estimated its total loss at 300 million rand ($19 million). The bank has declined to comment further. The criminals are still at large. Japan's Mainichi newspaper, citing sources, said police suspect more than 100 people were involved in the theft which took place on the morning of May 15, a Sunday, in Tokyo and across 16 Japanese prefectures. Most ATMs in 7-Eleven stores belong to Seven Bank, a Japanese lender part-owned by Seven & I Holdings <3382.T> which operates the convenience store chain in Japan. It is one of only two Japanese banks that allow withdrawals on foreign cards. Experts said both banks should shoulder some blame for failing to monitor the flood of transactions, saying they should have had systems in place to detect unusual activity. Deputy governor Naidoo said the central bank was pleased that Standard Bank had gone public over the theft. "We don't know all the details yet but we're looking into it and we will take all the steps necessary to protect our payment systems and banking systems from similar attacks," he said. "We are working with the banks to ensure that they are constantly upgrading their ability to detect and repel cyber attacks. But you will always be subjected to these attacks." (Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Susan Fenton) HANOI (Reuters) - A court in Vietnam on Thursday jailed four Vietnamese for terms ranging from two to 2-1/2 years each for "organising others to flee abroad illegally" after Australia sent back their group of asylum seekers, their lawyer said. The 46 asylum seekers were aboard a small vessel intercepted off Australia's remote west coast last year and were returned to Vietnam as a result of negotiations between the two countries. The defendants, two men and two women, were crossing the border illegally for the first time in July 2015 and their 42 Vietnamese companions were relatives and acquaintances, lawyer Vo An Don told Reuters. "The verdict is too heavy and lacks humanity," Don said by telephone, adding that the defendants were likely to appeal against it. "They are too poor and just want a better life. They didn't arrange it for money." Vietnam's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. A spokesman for Australia's department of Immigration and Border Protection said it was confident the Vietnamese government was upholding its assurance not to prosecute any of the returned people for their illegal departure. "It is our understanding these prosecutions do not relate to the illegal departure of those returned, but relate only to a small number of individuals who authorities allege are responsible for organisation of the venture," the spokesman told Reuters on condition of anonymity, in line with departmental protocol. New York-based Human Rights Watch said the action violated defendants' fundamental right under international law to leave their own country, however. "Vietnam has blatantly broken its promise to the Australian government not to prosecute boat returnees," said the group's Australia director, Elaine Pearson. Some of the returnees said that on their arrival in Vietnam, a Vietnamese official assured the group in front of the Australian consulate's representatives that they would not be arrested or detained, according to lawyer Don and HRW. Vietnam has been rebuked for its poor record on human rights, with dissidents, bloggers and religious figures being jailed in recent years. U.S. President Barack Obama chided Vietnam on political freedoms this week, after critics of its communist-run government were prevented from meeting him during his first visit to the country. (Reporting by Hanoi Newsroom and Matt Siegel in Sydney; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) Why France Is Running Out Of Petrol And Diesel Hundreds of petrol stations have been closed in France as a result of industrial action by oil workers. The dispute is over changes to France's employment laws. :: What exactly is happening? A union called the CGT, which some describe as leftist, is organising a widespread strike which is affecting transport across much of France. As well as a blockade of six of France's eight oil depots, which earlier this week caused more than 1,600 service stations to be closed, the strike is impacting train and airport services. At Paris' Orly Airport, 15% of flights have been cancelled, and several local train and metro services have been affected in the capital. :: How long has it been going on for? The dispute started earlier this year, after the government announced it wanted to make changes to the Code de Travail - a 3,000-page book that sets out all of France's employment rules. It began with a petition against the proposals that was signed by one million people, then, in mid-March, hundreds of people began staging nightly protest rallies, many of which have spiralled into violence. This then turned into national days of protest - the eighth of which is on Thursday. :: What changes are being proposed? The so-called El Khomri bill, named after France's employment minister Mariam El Khomri, aims to liberalise France's labour market by making it moderately easier for firms that run into difficulties to lay off workers and making it possible for some employees to work longer than the 35-hour week (before overtime) set down in current legislation. The government hopes that freeing the market from some of its restrictions will encourage French companies to hire more people, in an attempt to overcome the nation's 10% unemployment rate. :: What do the protesters want? They want French President Francois Hollande's government to scrap the changes to the laws, but it comes at a time when some union leaders are seeing a revived confidence in their ability to bring about political change, despite the CGT losing members. Story continues The union is fighting to change Article 2 in particular, which is the part of the bill that sets out how working hours can be agreed at a company level, instead of at sectoral level, as has been the case until the new bill comes into force. :: What does the government want? The Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who has long been regarded as a centrist despite being part of a socialist government, is determined not to back down. He pushed through the new bill on 10 May without having a vote in parliament by employing a rarely-used clause in France's constitution, which allows reform by decree. Mr Valls has maintained his opposition to watering down Article 2, despite some of Mr Hollande's other ministers saying they are prepared to compromise. :: What is the fight between Francois Hollande and Manuel Valls about? Mr Valls was brought in by Mr Hollande to replace his previous left-wing PM Jean-Marc Ayrault, who led the government to heavy losses in local elections. He hoped that a more "right wing" government would help him achieve progress he promised in tackling France's economic woes. Mr Valls' tough-talking stance on the economy and immigration has won him admirers on the right but infuriated those on the left. It is many of those left-wingers who put Mr Hollande in power, by ensuring he was nominated for president. :: What does it mean for Mr Hollande's future? Mr Hollande once said his presidency should be judged on whether he "turned the unemployment curve around". He has so far failed to do so and, with the changes to labour laws under threat, looks unlikely to do it before next year's presidential elections. But, with his battle over the changes to the Code de Travail just the latest in a series of difficulties, his popularity has plummeted to as low as 13%. The fact that his government earlier this month only narrowly won a vote of no confidence in parliament, which several of his own socialist MPs backed, has not helped his cause. :: Who is going to win? According to the latest survey in French newspaper Le Point, 62% of French people back the strikers, but this is down from three-quarters who opposed the laws earlier this month. Mr Valls says that with rationing at the pumps and a determined stance from the government, it can guarantee fuel supplies for three months. But if the situation gets more aggressive, it will only take a few more MPs to vote against the government before a new no-confidence vote could wreck Mr Hollande's chances of re-election for good. We can help you make sense of the agribusiness industry, extending from chemicals and fertilizers used as inputs into agriculture, to the commodities, food and by-products that are an output to farming, with policy and regulation applied at every step of the value chain. There has been a significant increase in the number of GP-led transactions reviewed by LPs over the past 12 months, according to a study by Capstone Partners focused on GP-led Secondaries. STEPANAKERT, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. On May 25 the NKR President Bako Sahakyan received a group of Bulgarian MPs representing the "National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria" party headed by its leader Valery Semeonov, press service of the NKR Presidential Administration informed Armenpress. Issues related to developing the NKR-Bulgaria parliamentarian ties were discussed during the meeting. President Sahakyan emphasized the deepening of cooperation with the Bulgarian Parliament considering it as a pivotal direction of strengthening the bilateral relations. NKR National Assembly Vice-President Vahram Balayan and other officials took part in the meeting. YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. Armenian foreign minister Edwatd Nalbandian received the vice president of the German Bundestag Edelgard Bulmahn on May 25. The sides talked about the discussion of the resolution condemning the Armenian Genocide scheduled to be held on June 2. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of MFA Armenia, Edward Nalbandian highly appreciated the friendly relations between the two countries, stating that the active partnership and interactions between the legislatives of the countries play a huge role in that relations. Edward Nalbandian stressed that the adoption of the resolution will be a huge step towards restoration of historical justice and prevention of similar crimes. In this context, the vice president of the Bundestag mentioned that the recognition of the Armenian genocide will foster regional peace and stability and reconciliation of the Armenian and Turkish peoples. She highlighted that it is important to always remember the past and pay tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide. As Edelgard Bulmahn put it down, the German legislative must give an assessment to the role of the German Empire since Germany was the then ally of the Ottoman Empire and did not prevent the crime. The Armenian foreign minister and German Bundestag vice president discussed a range of bilateral issues. As for Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the sides referred to the implementation of the agreements reached between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan at Vienna talks, stressing the importance of unconditional fulfilment of commitments. Santa Clara, CA: An An unpaid overtime class action lawsuit has been filed against the Ruby Tuesday national restaurant chain by two former employees who allege they were denied overtime pay. Unpaid Overtime Class Action Legal Help Specifically, Oscar Sagastume of Meriden and Kevin Gibson of New York filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court on May 19 to "recover unpaid overtime compensation for themselves and similarly situated employees as a collective action under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Additionally, Sagastume and any other Connecticut plaintiffs also assert violations of the Connecticut Minimum Wage Act.The complaint states that the former Ruby Tuesday employees worked many 50-hour or more weeks without proper compensation. "Defendant was aware that plaintiffs and the class members worked more than 40 hours per workweek, yet defendant failed to pay overtime compensation for hours worked over 40 hours in a workweek," the lawsuit alleges. "Defendant did not keep accurate records of hours worked by the plaintiffs or the class members."In the complaint, Sagastume claims he worked for the national restaurant chain from February 2011 to April 2015. He worked at several locations across Connecticut as an assistant manager and frequently worked more than 40 hours a week.During the week of February 8, 2015, he worked "approximately 60 hours" but was only paid for 40. He claims that on average he worked between 57 and 62 hours per week."Ruby Tuesday required plaintiffs and [assistant managers] to work long overtime hours without paying them any overtime compensation," the complaint states. "Ruby Tuesday classified all of its (assistant managers) as 'executives' and treated them as exempt from the overtime requirements of federal and state laws."Further, the suit states that while assistant managers earned about $37,500 annually, job duties for both Sagastume and Gibson required them to do the same as the hourly employees, who were given overtime pay, such as greeting and waiting on customers, serving food, cooking and preparing food, clearing and setting tables and cleaning the restaurant.The suit claims Ruby Tuesday willfully misclassified Sagastume, Gibson and other assistant managers as employees who are exempt from FLSA protection and failed to properly record the hours worked by their employees. "Defendant's unlawful conduct has been widespread, repeated and consistent," the lawsuit alleges.The class action seeks to represent others similarly situated including managers, such as those running the kitchen and guest services, and for the Connecticut class action allegations, any assistant manager who worked in Connecticut from May 19, 2014, to the date of final judgment, if one is rendered.The two plaintiffs are represented by Joshua Goodbaum, of Garrison, Levin-Epstein, Fitzgerald & Pirrotti in New Haven.If you or a loved one has suffered similar damages or injuries, please fill in our form on the right and your complaint will be sent to an employment law lawyer who may evaluate your claim at no cost or obligation. In the period February April 2016, the total number of visitors to Ireland increased by 16.0% to reach 2,062,500 - an overall increase of 283,900 compared to the same period twelve months earlier. Trips by residents of Great Britain increased by 18.6% to 958,100 while trips by residents of European Countries other than Great Britain increased by 13.3% to 725,700. Across Last year 3.5 million people visited Ireland from Great Britain. Trips by residents of North America to Ireland increased by 19.9% to 284,800 across Feb-April 2016. Across 2015 as a whole 1,500,000 people visited Ireland from North America. The total number of overseas trips, made by Irish residents, during the period February April 2016 increased by 6.7% to reach 1,553,200. Top among these destinations were Great Britain with around 1 million, North America followed in 2nd place with 284,000, with France and Germany in the region of 125,000 Irish visitors each in February April 2016. Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland commenting on todays figures from the CSO said: Todays figures represent an excellent start to the year. Our aim is to ensure that 2016 is another record-breaking year for Irish tourism and already we have seen an exceptional performance from North America for the three-month period of February to April up almost +20% on the same three-month period in 2015. Ireland now welcomes 10% of all American visitors to Europe particularly noteworthy given the intense competition from other destinations. Source: www.businessworld.ie About Us Modified On Feb 22, 2017 07:25 PM By Alshaar for Tata Tiago 2015-2019 Close your eyes Barca fans or gear up for a really green-eye-inducing read ahead. As many as 11 lucky winners of the #TIAGO11 promotional contest, hosted by the Tata Tiago Facebook page, travelled to Spain to meet the four-time Ballon dor winner Lionel Messi, the global brand ambassador for the Indian manufacturer. This team of 11 Tiago winners of the Tata TIAGO Meet Messi Offer hail from different parts of India and ranges across various age groups. They were flown in to Barcelona for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity date with the Argentine, who was previously seen in an amusing promotional video after the hatchbacks launch in India. The automaker also released a post-event movie, featuring the emotional reactions of the winners upon meeting the Catalan star, who has already featured in a Tiago promotional video earlier. With activities like these Tata is leaving no stone unturned to strengthen its customer engagement for the Tiago, a car that has suffered various setbacks in the build up to its launch last month. Tata first took the wraps off the Tiago in December and the car was all set to be launched in January before the deadly Zika virus, sharing its name with the cars erstwhile moniker, broke out in the west. Rebranded, the Tiago was then supposed to be launched in March. But another delay further pushed the launch back by an additional few weeks. The hatchback was finally launched in the first week of April, virtually replacing the Indica in the carmakers lineup. Offered in both petrol and diesel options, the Tiago features Tatas new design philosophy and is expected to begin a revolution of sorts for the Jamshedpur-based manufacturer. Recommended Read: Tata Tiago: Will It Change Tata Motors' Fortunes? Battle of Hatchbacks: Tiago vs Beat vs Celerio vs i10 Will Tiago Make a Difference? Tata Tiago Variants: Know Which One to Buy Read More on : Tiago Modified On May 26, 2016 04:57 PM By Sumit Kerala has followed Delhis footsteps and banned the registration of new vehicles with an engine (diesel) capacity of 2,000cc and above. Carmakers are conducting themselves in an expected fashion and have made their thoughts vocal to the world. Toyota was the first one to respond. Shekar Viswanathan, Toyota Kirloskar Motor vice-chairman and director, questioned the rationale of the ban and said, "We have already started relooking at our operations. What is hurting us is not so much the ban but the unfairness. Orders are passed without hearing us. It is going against the principles of natural justice. We feel our vehicles are being targeted. He also said that there is a possibility that Toyota does not launch its future models in India. Though, there is a silver lining for Toyota employees as the manufacturer is not abandoning their current operations in the country. Toyota has claimed that there are approximately 25,000 people whose jobs are directly or indirectly linked to their operations. Viswanathan stated that though, the company is quite optimistic for its newly launched model the Innova Crysta, but the car will surely will miss out on two bigger markets -- Delhi and Kerala. It is not for the first time that carmakers have reacted to the diesel ban in a negative manner. Jaguar had previously claimed that the air in Delhi is far more dirtier than what its cars emit and Mercedes-Benz has recently put its investments on hold in India. The concept on which the ban is based (diesel engines emit more pollutants than their petrol counterparts), is itself disputed. It is hard to believe that a car which is able to comply with strict emission norms in the US and Europe is unable to comply with relatively compliant Indian emission norms. We hope the ban over certain cars is soon eliminated to provide respite to auto enthusiasts. As far as polluting the environment is concerned, it can be addressed by using empirical data to check pollution and providing check posts for random inspection of cars to control emissions. After 40+ years, the Baby Boomers have passed the baton to the Millennials. Not to slight Gen Xers, but its their children whose childhoods were shaped by personal computers and unprecedented strides in technology who now outpace the forever young generation in sheer size. Since mid-2015, Millennials also comprise the largest portion of the workforce in North America neck and neck with Baby Boomers. And whether or not they turn out for the next election, the number of Millennials eligible to vote is also equal to Baby Boomers. Its no wonder marketing experts and behaviorists devote so much attention to them. What do we really know about Millennials? The media is rife with popular advice about Millennials, and a whole new consulting industry has sprung up to help companies figure out how to deal with these digital natives in the workplace. Were told Millennials must be treated differently because they are self-centered, privileged and demanding. But theyre also considered to be socially aware, open to advice, value authenticity and strive for work-life balance. Still, the April 2016 Harvard Business Journal features an article by KMPG Vice Chair of Human Resources and Communications Bruce Pfau, who says Millennials may be more like past generations than different (What Do Millennials Really Want at Work? The Same Things the Rest of Us Do.). Pfau points out that observable evidence shows Millennials may be more like other generations than different. Citing studies such as a joint analysis by George Washington University and the U.S. Department of Defense of 20+ published and unpublished studies about generational on-the-job attitudes, Pfau concludes that a growing body of evidence suggests employees of all ages are much more alike than different in their attitudes and values. Further, Pfau reminds us that people in their 20s and early 30s in every generation have tended to be self-absorbed and impatient, a trait that diminishes with time. Regardless of the debate over what is in Millennials psyches, we know some things for certain about them, based on their place in history: Most millennials have never known a world without the Internet. Greater than 80 percent of North American Millennials own smartphones. They are used to technology and expect it to work. 87 percent of Millennials with smartphones say their devices never leave their sides, and 80 percent say they reach for them first thing in the morning. In the wake of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, Millennials have borne the brunt of the challenge to find jobs. In 2016, they are projected to have $170+ billion in buying power. How can credit unions engage Millennial members? So, what is the implication for credit unions? At first glance, Millennials attitudes toward financial institution dont paint a rosy picture. Putting it bluntly, 71% of Millennials say they would rather go to the dentist than listen to what banks have to say, according to the Scratch Millennial Disruption Index. A third believes there wont be a need for a bank at all in the near future. But for now, research culled by The Financial Brand from Bank of America, Experian, Medallia Institute and Deloitte notes that 59% of Millennials do use their financial institutions mobile banking app the highest percentage among all generations, and 72% access the app a few times a week or more (Inside the Mind of Millennials: What Financial Marketers Need to Know, Jan. 25, 2016). However, this doesnt mean they are loyal. One in three surveyed is were open to changing banking providers in the next 90 days. Not surprising. Banks and credit unions have not kept pace with the intuitive, friendly apps they use in every other area of their daily lives. As the highest users of smart technology, Millennials expect constant connectivity, useful content, and apps that work. The Millennial Disruption Index found almost half of Millennials expect technology start-ups to overhaul how banking works, and 75% would be more excited about new financial services from companies like Google, Apple or Amazon than they from their own PFI. To keep them engaged, consider these tips: Get personal Millennials are social and thrive on connections. Give your members personal attention by incorporating relevant offers into your mobile banking app. Text is this generations preferred channel for receiving information from businesses, and Scratch says Millennials are willing to share their mobile number if given an incentive. At Doxim/DigitalMailer, we help clients create marketing plans that include a series of personalized messages pinpointed to their interests. And our Customer Relationship Management solution helps them take advantage of the data in their core systems and elsewhere to point dynamic, one-to-one content to each member, personalized to their banking behaviors. College students, especially, are most likely to click on a social ad if its directed to their interests, according to research by marketer. Make onboarding enjoyable Millennials carry their smartphones everywhere, so invite new members to download your mobile app as part of your onboarding process. This demographic thrives on fast, efficient service, and analysis performed by CEB on our behalf found that activities with the greatest customer impact include speed of account opening. This is also the crucial first step in new member engagement, and an important opportunity to reinforce relationships with your existing members as they open additional accounts. Use responsive design Scratchs research found that 21% of Millennials would change PFIs for a better digital experience. To keep them engaged, ensure Millennials mobile member experience is efficient and hassle-free every time they use your app. Also, make sure the look and feel is consistent across all channels. Members should be able to easily recognize your brand, whether they are on a phone, a tablet or even wearable technology, and take care that the screen is optimized on any device for easy navigation and readability. In a January 2016 article, The Financial Brand said, Millennials are called the first digital generation for good reason. They have grown up with technology at their fingertips, and they have become increasingly dependent on mobile devices over time especially when it comes to managing their finances. The opportunity is there for your credit union to meet the new largest generation where they are on their digital devices. For todays credit unions, success depends on it. A measure of economic activity in each of the 50 states shows that the ones most reliant on the energy industry are suffering, while most of the U.S. is seeing solid growth. The Philadelphia Feds state coincident indexes for April, show 42 states with gains, seven with declines, and one Indiana unchanged, compared with their levels from January. A coincident index is set to the trend of its gross domestic product, using variables on jobs, hours worked in manufacturing, the unemployment rate and real wages. In the 12 months to April, the U.S. index grew by 3.1%, which is stronger than what GDP data over the same period suggests. (The map shows growth over three months.) What binds the seven states in decline is their exposure to the hard-hit energy sector. North Dakota, Wyoming, Alaska, Iowa, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania all are exposed to the industry through either fracking, conventional drilling, refining, or in Iowas case, ethanol. by Stan Son | Giants Correspondent | Thu, May 26th 11:51am EDT Alex Wood will not pitch Friday night due to left triceps soreness. He is scheduled to start Monday in Chicago. (Los Angeles Dodgers on Twitter) Fantasy Impact: The injury does not sound serious, but it's definitely something to monitor. It is probably best to sit Wood if he does pitch on Monday. His ERA away from Chavez Ravine is a robust 6.84. To make matters worse, the Cubs are ranked 9th in OPS against left-handed pitching. Super-prospect Julio Urias has been called up to pitch on Friday. Recently graduated and just days away from his first day as a full-time civil engineer, grandson Josh Miller agreed quickly to my invitation to visit a well-known bar, a huge bar that doesnt serve up fancy micro-brewed beers or garlic spiced wings. The bar in question is the nationally known Niagara Bar, a town-sized, sand and gravel bar that marks the dumping grounds of the Niagara River, a fast moving connector that basically drains all the Great Lakes except Lake Ontario. The journey The swift current river races through Buffalo, New York, tumbles majestically over Niagara Falls, then swirls and charges its way to meet with cavernous Lake Ontario. And with it, the river carries materials from who knows where to add to the Niagara Bar. Nearly every fisher worth his or her salt knows about the bar and most have been there, or should be there, to enjoy a mouth watering serving of big, hard fighting, silver-sided fish in the form of lake trout, salmon, and steelhead. Its prime time, said Niagara River and Lake Ontario fishing guide Matt Yablonsky, a full time captain who plies the river and lake year-round, choosing his prey and location as weather and active fish determine. Good fishing We visited with Yablonsky as we watching him float his trailered 20 footer at the Fort Niagara launch ramps. Its been really good fishing recently, he said, as he readied rods and gear for the outing, adding that he already had a morning crew out who matched muscle with several angry salmon. He promised that chances were good we would get into some rod bending action in the next few hours, a promise that he kept soon after dropping an array of shiny spoons into his well- practiced pattern of trolling rods. The right time Yablonsky explained that mid-May is a great time to fish the bar because right about now is when the bigger salmon join the feeding frenzy that takes place each and every spring. Its about the smelt migration that attracts the predators. When the smelt are here, the salmon follow, he said. Yablonsky fishes nearly half of the days in a year, all year every year. Its his full time job and he loves what he does. His unique approach to the business of guiding is that he charges according to the number of anglers who booked his services. Hell take one to four customers with an affordable charge for each person. Its a different approach in an area dominated by large charter boats that feature set fees regardless of the number of clients. The excitement He is a detail oriented guide who mixed well with our crew of two. Under clear blue skies and moderate temperatures, we were shown a fine afternoon of anticipation, excitement, and fun as we anxiously waited the next strike. The larger fish yanked layers of line off our reels, seeming determined to tire us before we tired them. Josh has been a fisherman since pre-school but this was his first time catching one of the strongest fresh water sport fish available in our region. I doubt quite seriously if this was his last visit to the bar. For more information contact Captain Yablonsky at Getthenetwet.com or 716-550- 0413. The Nazis were prevented from holding their rally , although there are numerous serious injuries. Nine comrades were hospitalized, six with stab wounds and three with blunt-force trauma to the head. The anti-fascist bail fund has been converted into a medical fund On June 26, members of the Traditionalist Workers Party, Golden State Skinheads, Blood & Honor, National Socialist Movement and Ku Klux Klan are holding a rally at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. Although it is shaping up to be the largest white power rally on the west coast in some time, antifascists are determined to shut them down. Anti-Fascist Action Sacramento "is organizing a direct action to confront these bigots, deny them a platform to promote hate and to make sure they know they are not welcome on out streets or in our communities." Antifa Sacramento continues "We are calling to everyone, young and old, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or identity, religion or lack of to unite. Fighting fascism is a moral duty, not a political one! Ignoring them only perpetuates white supremacy!" Africa Day 2016 connects "Roots" in the State of California to the African Union by khubaka, michael harris Africa Day 2016 we honor the contributions of "California African Roots" and US Colored Troops who died during the US Civil War is the day 'Roots' will allow new audiences to experience this epic family saga with a new vision that is both incredibly inspiring and tremendously entertaining. The broader conversation in the State of California, documenting the "Roots" of people of African ancestry builds upon the legacy of Honorable Mervyn M. Dymally, his legislative act remains a open secret... 2016 Africa Day marks the formation of the African Union (AU) previously known as the Organization of African Unity (OAU). California is part of the 6th Region of the African Union and the authentic contributions to the State of California by people of African Ancestry will be one of the successful outcomes with expanded California ~ Pan African Trade and Commerce. Africa Day 2016 we showcase "Roots" which will premiere on Memorial Day 2016, airing over four consecutive nights, eight-hour event series developed by HISTORY, from A+E Studios, is a historical portrait of American slavery recounting the journey of one family and their will to survive and ultimately carry on their legacy despite hardship. "Roots" will be simulcast on A&E and Lifetime, in addition to HISTORY. The stellar cast includes Academy Award(R) winners Forest Whitaker ("Fiddler") and Anna Paquin ("Nancy Holt"); Academy Award(R) nominee and Emmy Award(R) winner Laurence Fishburne ("Alex Haley"); Golden Globe Award(R) winning and Emmy Award(R) nominated actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers ("Tom Lea"); Tony Award(R) winner Anika Noni Rose ("Kizzy"); Grammy Award(R) winner Tip "T.I." Harris ("Cyrus"); Emayatzy Corinealdi ("Belle"); Matthew Goode ("Dr. William Waller"); Mekhi Phifer ("Jerusalem"); James Purefoy ("John Waller") and introduces Rege-Jean Page ("Chicken George") and Malachi Kirby ("Kunta Kinte"). "'Roots' will allow new audiences to experience this epic family saga with a new vision that is both incredibly inspiring and tremendously entertaining," said Buccieri. "We are proud that HISTORY will be able to bring new life to this incredible story that remains as important today as it did when the original 'Roots' first premiered." "Nearly 40 years ago I had the privilege to be a part of an epic television event that started an important conversation in America," said LeVar Burton, Co-Executive Producer. "I am incredibly proud to be a part of this new retelling and start the dialogue again, at a time when it is needed more than ever." "Roots" is an A+E Studios production in association with Marc Toberoff and The Wolper Organization, the company that produced the original "Roots." Will Packer, Marc Toberoff, Mark Wolper, Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal and Barry Jossen serve as executive producers. LeVar Burton and Korin D. Huggins are co-executive producers. Questlove is executive music producer. "Roots" is directed by Phillip Noyce, Mario Van Peebles, Thomas Carter and Bruce Beresford. Arturo Interian and Michael Stiller serve as Executives in Charge of Production for HISTORY. A+E Networks handles international distribution for "Roots." About HISTORY HISTORY, now reaching more than 96 million homes, is the leading destination for award-winning series and specials that connect viewers with history in an informative, immersive and entertaining manner across all platforms. The HISTORY website is located at history.com and Facebook at facebook.com/history. About A+E Studios A+E Studios is the studio unit of the award-winning global media company A+E Networks, LLC. A+E Studios creates, produces and distributes high quality scripted programming across all networks and platforms in the A+E Networks portfolio. May 25, 2016 - As a growing number of local unions endorse Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) in solidarity with Palestinian workers, the United Auto Workers (UAW) Public Review Board last week affirmed a decision to nullify the BDS resolution adopted by members of Local 2865. UAW Local 2865 which represents over 14,000 graduate student workers at the University of California (UC) voted by an overwhelming majority in December, 2014 to demand that their union and their employer, the UC, divest from companies complicit in human rights violations against Palestinians. A few members who opposed the resolution engaged a union-busting corporate law firm to appeal the vote. In December 2015, the International UAW, which oversees Local 2865, nullified the vote despite its own finding that the local conducted a fair and democratic election. The local union appealed, and last week, the unions Public Review Board affirmed the nullification.The new decision reasons that because the UAW International president signed a letter opposing BDS in 2007, UAW now holds a position against BDS, and subordinate membership groups cannot assert a different position. But this reasoning ignores the fact that the 2007 statement was signed without any record of discussion among the Executive Board, much less any debate among the UAWs membership.Rank and file member of Local 2865, Jennifer Mogannam, said, This decision cannot erase the fact that increasing numbers of UAW members stand in solidarity with Palestinian workers. Clearly, several thousand UAW members from coast to coast disagree with the president from 2007. The International union cannot just reach into a dusty file cabinet to shut down the growing number of members who want to discuss and change the unions position on BDS."Liz Jackson, Palestine Legal staff attorney, commented, The nullification reflects the national trend of suppression. People are voting by democratic majorities to support BDS. But when higher officials disagree like state legislators, university administrators, and presidential candidates they resort to shutting down debate from the top. This may work in the short term, but attempts to suppress speech cannot stop a sea change in public opinion.Popular support for BDS is growing as three more graduate student worker organizations adopted resolutions this spring. In April, the New York University Graduate Employee Union (GSOC-UAW 2110) and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst Graduate Employee Union (GEO-UAW 2322), representing 2,000 members each, endorsed by full membership vote the call from all major Palestinian trade unions and civil society groups to impose BDS against Israel.Last week, the Teaching Assistants Association (TAA/AFT Local 3220) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, representing over 9,000 graduate workers and students, also voted overwhelmingly in favor of adopting a BDS resolution.Palestine Legal Cabrillo College Foundation bankrolling Yes on Q campaign by Bruce Holloway The Cabrillo College Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity, is the major contributor to the Yes on Q campaign. Measure Q is a $310 million bond issue for capital projects at Cabrillo College over the next 15 to 20 years. Michael Machado, treasurer of both the Cabrillo College Foundation and Yes on Q, made a false e-filing last month claiming Yes on Q had neither received nor spent any money as of April 23. The Santa Cruz County Elections Department delayed posting some campaign contributions to Yes on Q for 60 days. 2016 Bruce Holloway The Cabrillo College Foundation contributed $190,000 to the Yes on Q campaign, according to filings with the Santa Cruz County Elections Department. Measure Q is to authorize $310 million in bonds to pay for capital projects in the Cabrillo Community College District over the next 15 to 20 years. Cabrillo Community College District includes all of Santa Cruz County and parts of Monterey and San Benito Counties. The Cabrillo College Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity. Its "mission is to provide aid supplementary to public tax dollars for the support and benefit of Cabrillo College." Cabrillo College Foundation Executive Director Melinda Silverstein said the Foundation made a 501(h) election by filing Form 5768 with the IRS. A 501(h) election allows a charity to spend a calculated amount on "lobbying", including direct contributions to political campaigns but not candidates. The Yes on Q campaign paid her to put on at least one fundraiser. Michael Machado, a Certified Public Accountant with Hutchinson and Bloodgood LLP in Watsonville, is the treasurer of the Cabrillo College Foundation and also of the Yes on Q campaign. On April 24, he e-filed a false Form 460 with the Santa Cruz County Elections Department. It claims the Yes on Q campaign received zero contributions and had zero expenses as of April 23. Form 460 must be signed under penalty of perjury. In fact, the Cabrillo College Foundation contributed $30,000 to Yes on Q between March 24 and 25, according to a Form 497 received by the Santa Cruz County Elections Department on March 25. The March 25 Form 497 says it includes 2 pages, but the Elections Department staff knows only of 1 page. The Elections Department posted it on its website votescount.com on May 24, 60 days after receiving it. Machado acknowledged that Yes on Q paid $19,000 by April 23 to COPS Voter Guide, Melinda Silverstein, and others. Machado said Yes on Q hired the same campaign consultant as Cabrillo College. The college paid The Lew Edwards Group at least $47,500 to plan the Yes on Q campaign and paid over $50,000 for postage in the last few months. The Lew Edwards Group advises local governments how to get bond issues passed. Cabrillo College didn't take some of their advice, such as "Identify all potential project(s), costs" and "Seek demonstrable citizen input on plan" and "Engage your public through a Citizens Advisory Committee" and "Initiate Committee prior to action to place measure on ballot". Santa Cruz County Clerk Gail Pellerin is also the head of the Elections Department. She admitted it was a mistake to accept the March 25 Form 497 for filing without making sure all of the pages were included and to neglect to put it on their website within 24 hours as is their usual practice. Pellerin also admitted it was a mistake to accept the April 24 Form 460 showing zeroes for contributions during the period from March 24 to April 23 when they had already received a Form 497 showing $30,000 from the Cabrillo College Foundation. Due to the Elections Department's fumbling and footdragging and Machado's false e-filing, information that the Cabrillo College Foundation was the major backer of Measure Q was withheld from the public for five weeks from March 25 to April 29 and the actual magnitude of their backing was withheld until May 24. With respect to the Elections Department's mistakes, Pellerin said, "We have a new employee who is being trained. I take full responsibility. The process wasn't managed properly. Crystal is back in the office." Crystal Bertheau, elections department staffer for many years and well known and loved throughout the county, retired in 2015. Pellerin ran for re-election unopposed in 2014. Some small contributors like Sara Clarenbach and Topsy Smalley seem to be unaware that their contributions to Yes on Q could be made tax-deductible if they were laundered through the Cabrillo College Foundation. They each gave $100 to Yes on Q. Phung '17 Selected for Economics Research Fellowship Jade Phung '17 is also a member of the Ethics Bowl team, which competed in the Washington, D.C. area this spring. May 26, 2016 BLOOMINGTON, Ill. The Mark A. Israel 91 Endowed Summer Research Fund in Economics makes possible the opportunity for a student to spend the summer conducting independent research under the guidance of a faculty mentor. This years recipient is Hang Jade Phung 17, an economics and mathematics double major from Hanoi, Vietnam. Israels endowed gift provides a $4,000 stipend to the student. For her summer project, Phung will investigate the determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) in developing countries. Several economic models suggest investment in technology and capital from foreign corporations can help alleviate poverty, increase economic growth rates and promote structural changes in developing countries, Phung said. FDI decisions are made based on factors such as market size, resources (including human capital), political landscape, infrastructure, business regulations and a countrys openness to trade. By utilizing panel data, I want to investigate the significance of these factors on FDI to developing countries, said Phung. She said taking courses with Chair and Associate Professor of Economics Ilaria Ossella-Durbal, who will serve as Phungs mentor for the project, has encouraged her interest in developmental economics. I was born in a developing country and I have traveled to many countries in the world, but there is nowhere like Vietnam, Phung explained. I want to make my research experience valuable and applicable to my country. After graduation from Illinois Wesleyan Phung plans to apply to graduate schools with developmental economics programs. She said she is fascinated by the application of development economics to policymaking, and ultimately would like to work in public policy for the Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade. A 1991 graduate of Illinois Wesleyan, Israel endowed the summer research fund in economics as a testament to the importance of his own undergraduate research experience. One of the very best parts of my Illinois Wesleyan experience was the chance to get my first taste of real, topical economic research, working in close collaboration with multiple members of the economics faculty, including Mike Seeborg, Bob Leekley and Margaret Chapman, said Israel. Through this gift, Im giving one student per year a chance to realize a similar experience, which just seems like the right way to pay something back for all that those experiences did for me. After graduation from Illinois Wesleyan, Israel worked for State Farm Insurance before earning a Ph.D. in economics at Stanford University. Israel is currently senior managing director for Compass Lexecon, one of the worlds leading economic consulting firms, and based in Washington, D.C. Memphis, TN Its an emerging issue from a relatively new device meant to bring the art, or habit, of smoking into the twenty-first century. The e-cigarette has captured the fancy of millennials having embraced vaping, or inhaling vapor as a preferred alternative to actual smoke. While long-term health benefits and risks associated with the e-cigarette are not known, it is generally held that vaping carries less risk than inhaling smoke. Or does it? Thats the question a young man is asking after an e-cigarette exploded in his face this past fall, causing a serious Its an emerging issue from a relatively new device meant to bring the art, or habit, of smoking into the twenty-first century. The e-cigarette has captured the fancy of millennials having embraced vaping, or inhaling vapor as a preferred alternative to actual smoke. While long-term health benefits and risks associated with the e-cigarette are not known, it is generally held that vaping carries less risk than inhaling smoke. Or does it? Thats the question a young man is asking after an e-cigarette exploded in his face this past fall, causing a serious neck injury According to a report from(11/24/15), a 29-year-old man from Memphis suffered a broken neck, facial fractures, shattered teeth and burns to his mouth when the e-cigarette he was using exploded. The device was manufactured by Kangertech, according to the report.It is not known if the victim, identified in the report as 29-year-old Cordero Caples, would be pursuing neck injury compensation from the manufacturer for his injuries. However, back and neck injury tends to carry serious long-term health implications given the complexity of the neck, spine and the central nervous system. Many victims have suffered relatively minor neck and back injuries, only to be plagued by lasting health problems that dog them for years, if not decades after the fact.According to the report, Caples was hospitalized in Colorado Springs with serious injuries. The mans sister, in comments toin Memphis, described the situation as heartbreaking. Any sudden move can cause him to be in a paralyzed state, and that is something we dont want, Colessia Porter told reporters at the time. [Cordero is] going to need 24-hour care for a while and constant monitoring from family and friends and loved ones.The neck and back injury victim was expected to require several surgical procedures.The report went on to explain that while explosions inherent with e-cigarettes are rare, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) suggested at the time that they were aware of at least 25 such failures of e-cigarettes between 2009 and 2014. The shape and construction of e-cigarettes can make them more likely than other products with lithium-ion batteries to behave like flaming rockets when a battery fails, the agency warned in a 2014 report. Of the 25 incidents in the FEMA database, nine people suffered injuries, with two sustaining serious burns.One such incident occurred in Bakersfield, California, when a 23-year-old man in the throes of vaping with an e-cigarette lost part of his left index finger and suffered damage to his mouth following an explosion. The victim, Vicente Garza, told media in Los Angeles that the e-cigarette exploded in my face, adding that he never thought such a thing was even possible. The rechargeable lithium batteries used to power the e-cigarettes are thought to be suspect, or so it is alleged in various lawsuits.While most have suffered burns and related injuries, Caples is unique in that he suffered a broken neck, together with his other injuries. The explosion occurred at his place of employment, according to the media report.While it is not known if Caples would be filing a neck injury compensation claim for his injuries, other victims have filed lawsuits - and attorneys are expecting more cases, given the explosive growth of an e-cigarette industry that is worth millions and yet, is largely unregulated. While back and neck injury most often happens within the context of slips and falls, and car accidents, such injuries can emerge from a wide range of causes. The force of an explosion, originating close to the face, that can forcefully snap the head back, injuring the neck Los Angeles, CA Now that Senate Bill 269 has taken effect, labor and employment attorney Nathan Okelberry, with Fisher & Phillips LLP, discusses this new legislations for small businesses. He predicts that lawsuits alleging ADA (Americans with Disabilities) Now that Senate Bill 269 has taken effect, labor and employment attorney Nathan Okelberry, with Fisher & Phillips LLP, discusses this new legislations for small businesses. He predicts that lawsuits alleging ADA (Americans with Disabilities) disability access violations will become more complex. With the new SB 269, certain businesses are incentivized to obtain a CASp inspection, through which they will be given further protections from access lawsuits and avoid certain statutory penalties under California law while any violations are fixed. If sued, SB 269 also provides for a 15-day cure period to fix certain technical violations.Nathan Okelberry (NO): It does a good job of striking a balance with business and ADA, and increasing ADA awareness. At the same time, it is encouraging voluntary compliance with the Certified Access Specialists (CASp) program and deterring certain lawsuits involving technical violations that are easily fixed.NO: This state program certifies consultants that you can hire to inspect your property and you get a certificate to say your business complies with disability access standards, which provides some protection from ADA access lawsuits. If not, it will put you on a timeline to fix any ADA violations.NO: The CASp program started in 2003. There have been attempts in the past to give it more teeth: this bill gives the business owner more protection. I think more business owners will have more interest in it. As for cost of certification, it depends on the property. Whatever the cost, it is typically cheaper than a lawsuit.NO: With CASp certification, yes. We will also see a reduction in drive-by lawsuits that are focused on ticky-tack violations often associated with parking spaces or exterior signage. At the same time, to avoid the 15-day cure period, you will likely start to see more lawsuits alleging additional violations other than those enumerated in the bill. In other words, other technical violations will likely also be added on to the drive-by complaints.NO: Say there are issues with a bathroom. Under the ADA, if the under-sink piping is exposed, it must be wrapped and insulated a certain way, but that is not a technical violation that is enumerated in SB 269, even though it is easily fixed.The Senate Bill identifies several categories of violations, such as the wrong color of paint. And it states that, if a civil lawsuit is based on these violations, a business can fix them in 15 days. So people - and their attorneys - who file these shakedown lawsuits will be looking for more violations, sometimes more than a dozen issues.NO: Sometimes lawsuits are accompanied by photos. I recently had a client who was sued for allegedly not having a disabled parking spot at the shopping mall. The photo provided by the plaintiffs attorney showed the spot, but the paint was a bit faded. When we pointed out that the photo actually showed that the parking space was compliant, he said, Oops, our mistake. They decided to dismiss the lawsuit. My client is happy, but frustrated. I endeavor to keep defense costs low on these lawsuits, but they still had to deal with it and hire me to respond to their frivolous lawsuit.NO: The consensus amongst my clients and other attorneys seems to be that while the Bill is a step in the right direction, the Bill doesnt go far enough in addressing lawsuits involving hyper-technical ADA violations. If you go through this CASp, you pay and get the certificate and get everything fixed, penalties should be completely eliminated.Most of the provisions with this CASp apply only in state court, so if a lawsuit is filed in federal court, some of the protections given to business owners do not apply. I think they should eliminate statutory issues so lawsuits could be resolved easily and earlier.Click here to read the Senate Bill 269. The Lagos state government has unveiled new modern buses it wants to use to replace and phase out yellow buses popularly known as Danfo from the state. Speaking on Monday, February 6, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode said: "When I wake up in the morning and see all these yellow buses and see Okada and all kinds of tricycles and then we claim we are a mega city, that is not true and we must first acknowledge that that is a faulty connectivity that we are running. Having accepted that, we have to look for the solution and that is why we want to banish yellow buses this year." READ ALSO: Yellow Danfo: Here are the 3 main reasons Governor Ambode is banning them this year The new buses are expected to be cheaper and durable and the government has advised danfo bus owners to key into the project now before it is too late. See photos of the buses that will phase out the infamous danfo buses from Lagos roads below. The scheme would see to the introduction of higher capacity buses that would have 30 seats as opposed to 14/18 seats, while the buses would be Eco friendly, air-conditioned, comfortable, support for maintenance and backed by appropriate workshop which creates jobs. PAY ATTENTION: Get the latest news on Legit.ng News App Danfo buses may soon become history as Ambode is set on making major restructuring that will change the outlook of the megacity. His reasons for taking the yellow buses off Lagos roads are to give way to a more efficient, well-structured and world-class mass transport system that will boost the movement of people within the city. Source: Legit.ng Legit.ng is #1 online trusted source of the latest news in Nigeria. We are covering Nigeria news, Niger delta, world updates, and Nigerian newspaper reviews. We guide our readers to the world of politics, business, energy, sports, entertainment, fashion, lifestyle and human interest stories. Thank you for reading The Cascadia Advocate, the Northwest Progressive Institutes journal of world, national, and local politics. Founded in March of 2004, The Cascadia Advocate has been helping people throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond make sense of current events with rigorous analysis and thought-provoking commentary for more than fifteen years. The Cascadia Advocate is funded by readers like you and trusted sponsors. We dont run ads or publish content in exchange for money. Help us keep The Cascadia Advocate editorially independent and freely available to all by becoming a member of the Northwest Progressive Institute today. Or make a donation to sustain our essential research and advocacy journalism. Your contribution will allow us to continue bringing you features like Last Week In Congress, live coverage of events like Netroots Nation or the Democratic National Convention, and reviews of books and documentary films. Become an NPI member Make a one-time donation It was 2 a.m. I was huddled in the middle of my bed at Chaa Creek, a luxury jungle resort in Belize, trembling and staring at the blanket I just chucked to the floor in a fit of fear. Id been in the jungle for three days. Everything up to this point had been great. I trekked through the jungle to nearly the Guatemala border searching for Mayan ruins. I helped stir some drying painted sand locals in a small village use to create elaborate murals on the ground for the Easter season. I snorkeled with sharks and stingrays. But at this moment, none of that mattered. There were two beds in my room and I was using the one closest to the door. I turned off all the lights except the main room light and the bedside table. Then, something in the dark shadows at the foot of the next bed moved. Years of monsters-under-the-bed nightmares had trained me well, and I quickly pulled my legs up onto my bed. And then the monster crawled out of the darkness: a lightly fuzzed and largely segmented black spider as big as my hand. It slowly advanced toward my bed, staring at me with its soulless eyes the entire time. Im legit terrified of spiders. My husband once tossed a plastic tarantula at me and I cried for a half-hour. But, Im in no way exaggerating on the size. It was huge. The biggest spider Ive ever seen. Belize as a whole has a wide selection available for (crazily brave) arachnid fanaticseverything from tarantulas to black widows and scorpions to brown recluses. The country is about 50 percent jungle. Its basically a requirement. I was shivering in fear, considering my options. I could try to kill it, but what if it jumped at me? I could leave it alone, but what if it crawled onto my bed and poisoned me with a venomous bite? I wouldnt be able to sleep if I knew the spider was there. I bundled up the blanket from my bed and threw it on the ground over the spider with a little shriek. If I had to move around the room, I at least wanted it contained. Photo courtesy of Chris Jackson/Getty So there I was, sitting on the bed at 2 a.m., holding back frightened tears. And then I rememberedI had bug spray in my purse. It wasnt a requirement to bring to Belize, but highly suggested; the mosquitoes are out of control. I would get the bug spray, lift up the blanket, spray the monster and immobilize it, then kill it with my hiking boot. Of course, my purse was on the other side of the room. I carefully rose to standing on the bed and vaulted across the room, jumping as far as I could over the blanket and to the table. Now that I was on the floor, I had to move quickly. I grabbed the bug spray out of my purse, picked up the corner of the blanket with two fingers, and shot the spider with four or five bursts. I threw the bug spray back onto the couch, reached down to grab a boot, and stopped. The spider was unfazed by the spray. It moved around smoothly. It looked at me and laughed. It was most definitely not immobilized. The situation had become more complicated. I held tight onto my boot and advanced on the spider, still holding the blanket. As I drew my hand back to smash it, I could feel fear-induced vomit rising from my stomach. I tried to swing my arm down and hit the spider at the same time I heaved, but let out a tiny scared scream instead of throwing up. I couldnt do it. Maybe it was the jungle lover in me deep deep down inside. I dropped the blanket, dropped my boot, and leapt onto the bed, where I curled up in a ball and sat staring at the blanket for the next hour. At about 3 a.m., I realized I was being ridiculous. I needed to go to bed. That spider wanted nothing to do with me anyway, otherwise it would have bitten my face off already. PlusI was in the jungle. I wanted to be in the jungle, to experience something outside my comfort zone, and thats exactly what I was doing. I had to appreciate the whole situation for that at least. The next day was a full itinerary of zip lining through the jungle canopy, hiking through waterfalls, and heading to the beach for drum lessons and a candlelit dinner. I wanted to be rested. So I compromised. I decided I would face my spider fear by going to sleep, but make it easier on myself by keeping only the bedside light on and not using the bug-sprayed blanket that Id have to pick up from its strategic arachnid-cover placement. I steeled my nerves and looked at the main light switch by the door on the other side of the room, preparing to nimbly hop across, hit it from afar, and get back in bed as soon as possible. And then I saw it. The spider had crawled out from under the blanket to stand by the door. I turned to grab my camera (traveler habit). When I looked back, there was another surprise. A tiny green gecko had crawled out from behind the armoire and was now face-to-face with the spider. Geckos and lizards are all over the country, walking along the road, crossing the sidewalk, staring at you from a concealed spot in the treesbut I didnt expect one in my room. I froze. The two stared intensely into each others faces, sizing one another up. From my angle I could see the gecko was in a losing position. The spider was three times bigger than her, at least. But this was the jungle, and if you want to survive, you need to be ready for anything. So the gecko would not back down. The spider moved one of its legs almost imperceptibly, and the gecko seized her chance. Within milliseconds, she struck, opening her mouth wide and biting the spider square on the face. She backed up to watch the reaction as the spider recoiled in fear and pain (I swear I heard a shrill banshee-like spider scream emerge from the beasts mouth) and then bolted out through a crack between the door and the wall. I was still frozen in place, camera in hand, with my mouth hanging open in shocked surprise. The gecko glanced at me as if to say youre welcome, then walked backward to her place hidden behind the armoire. When my heart stopped pounding enough for me to move again, I thanked my valiant gecko friend, put down the camera, and crawled under the sheet to finally get some sleep. To me, that gecko may have saved my life from death by spiderwhich is a little bit of an overreaction, I knowbut the epic showdown between the two creatures solidified what I already knew to be the best part of Belize. Its not about the beaches or the cabanas or the sunsets (though those are great, too). Its the pure wildness of the country. A trip to inland Belize is like stepping off the grid into a world where only you and the jungle exist. The forest hasnt been destroyed; its not overwhelmed with tourists; and the plants, animals, and bugs are free to live as they like, at home in the heart of the jungle, where you are still just a single passerby through the wild world at large. Jennifer Billock is an award-winning writer, bestselling author, and editor, focusing on culinary travel. She has written for The New York Times, Yahoo Travel, National Geographic Traveler, Porthole Cruiser, Midwest Living, and Taste of Home Magazine. How deep does your Star Wars fandom run? With The Force Awakens providing the big bang to a whole galaxy of Star Wars-related media, its a question worth asking as we prepare ourselves for a new movie every year until 2019. For one fan, it meant recreating the entirety of Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope (which turned 39 yesterday) into a 123-meter-long infographic. It may not be the tribute you were looking for, but holy hell is it impressive. The man behind this artistic monolith titled SWANH is graphic designer Martin Panchaud, who is currently based in Zurich, Switzerland. Panchaud said he took influence from the ancient Chinese scrolls that used their length to tell long visual stories. According to Panchaud, the internet likes short stories and summaries, quickly understandable contents. With my work I aimed to create a contrast to that. He re-created the episode using the latest version of Abobe Illustrator for no other purpose than pure fandom. On the official side, there are all the merchandising products and on the other hand, there is an enormous amount of underground fan art, reenactments and costume conventions. All of them are made spontaneously with no other goal than to be a part of the Star Wars universe, writes the artist on the SWANH website. Panchaud got perhaps the ultimate Star Wars badge of honor when Luke Skywalker himself voiced his approval on Twitter. Panchaud certainly has plenty of source material to pull from for his next installment. Perhaps Panchaud can use his talents in creating the park maps for the still forming Star Wars Land? Leave it to a woman to lay bare the foibles of man. A film set aboard a luxury yacht with a cast of male actors engaged in bouts of masculine idiocy sounds like the exact kind of excuse Adam Sandler would use to take his entourage of has-beens on a studio-funded vacation. They might get into wacky dilemmas, react to that wackiness with bodily emissions, either liquid or gaseous, meanwhile taking more than a few jabs, literal or figurative, at each others nethersand this happens too in Chevalier, the third feature film by Greek filmmaker Athina Rachel Tsangari. But Tsangari tells dick jokes of a higher caliber and with a higher purpose: Her dick jokes are essential to her satire of manliness. Chevalier begins on a boat and remains there. Its a lavish vessel owned by a man known only as the Doctor (Yiorgos Kendros), who has invited five friends and acquaintanceshis assistant, Christos (Sakis Rouvas), his son-in-law Yannis (Yorgos Pirpassopoulos), Yanniss hirsute manchild brother Dimitris (Makis Papadimitriou), and business partners Josef (Vangelis Mourikis) and Yorgos (Panos Koronis)for a fishing jaunt on the Aegean Sea. The goal is leisure, of course, with their days spent idling around on the water and in it, making aqua-donuts with jet skis or pulling bream from the depths. Dedicated relaxation isnt enough to keep them occupied, though, and so Christos proposes a game: Each man thinks up a mental or physical contest where everyone participates and then scores the other. Whoever winds up with the most points wins. You can make educated guesses about where the film goes from there if youre fluent in the language of competitive macho bluster, but Tsangari is a gifted, empathetic filmmaker, and she takes Chevalier, her characters and her audience to both expected and surprising places. She is not interested in making a document solely to mock stubborn male foolishness, though there is plenty of that: Watch closely in Chevaliers opening scenes and youll note that these guys challenge each other even before Christos offers his plot-defining suggestion to the rest of his compatriots. Dudes dont need a reason to butt heads and demonstrate their virility, the film appears to say; leave them alone for long enough and theyll turn anything into sport. They make casual chatter about how far theyre able to dive, whether they used tanks, how many fish they caught. Youre just waiting for someone to drop trou and pull out a ruler. The wait ends less than an hour in. Spoilers, perhaps, but you cant make a movie about men taking part in escalating ego clashes without spotlighting their penises. Chevalier takes us from figurative to literal cock-measuring with a deliberate sense of pacing, perhaps because Tsangari realizes that too much too soon would spoil the joke by ducking reality. Men prefer to show off the size of their privates without having to expose themselves: He who is, as Josef or Yorgos might say, best in general has the biggest metaphorical pecker, which is nearly as good as having the biggest actual pecker. (Men are taught to gauge manhood on factors they have zero control over. Were stupid that way.) With the male member finally subject to the scrutiny of the cast and the camera, we laugh, but the laughs catch in our throat. Its a desperate move at the peak of the competition, a sign of male sensitivity forced into the light after lurking beneath bravado. Tsangari has a remarkable understanding of just how fragile men are when you carve past the boasting and the bullshit and get right down to the neurotic insecurities that fuel their behavior. More than that, she cares for these dopes even as she finds new and increasingly hilarious ways with which to skewer them, or for them to skewer themselves. Its in wrestling over minutiae that Chevalier is at its funniest: The Doctor grills Christos over his dental hygiene regimen, Christos chides Yorgos for putting evaporated milk in espresso, Yorgos shimmies up the yachts windshield to scrub it clean. Tsangari shoots Chevalier and its displays of comic machismo with a flexible, diverse approach to style. Widescreen images are peppered by an array of close-ups and even a couple of quick tracking sequences that lend the film intimacy and spaciousness as the moment demands. At times we feel like were on the yacht with the gang, and at others we feel detached, as though Tsangari has set cinematographer Christos Karamaniss lens just over the edge of the ships railings. Those moments of distance are crucial: They keep us from joining in the swaggering ourselves. The characters boisterousness is as infectious as it is useless. Even the crew on the yacht cant help but gamble on who will win. How could they not? Every man here is such a personality unto himself, from uptight Yannis to suave Christos to lovably goofy Dimitris, that you invest in the outcome of the contest without meaning to. The trick here is that whoever wins actually loses, because only the biggest jackass in the pack is capable of triumphing in a battle this vapid. Still, Tsangari has an obvious if muted affection for these men, even as they come to resemble petulant boys and their series of bets slowly grow increasingly absurd. There is no civility here, but Chevaliers portrait of unchecked testosterone is complimented by compassion. Perhaps against her better judgment, Tsangari cares about these lunkheads, these boors, these jockish buffoons. They and the flavors of masculinity they representstunted, toxic, fearfulare too real for her, and for us, not to, no matter how hard we guffaw at their follies. Director: Athina Rachel Tsangari Writer: Athina Rachel Tsangari, Efthymis Filippou Starring: Yiorgos Kendros, Panos Koronis, Vangelis Mourikis Efthymis Papadimitriou, Yorgos Pirpassopoulos, Sakis Rouvas, Giannis Drakopoulos, Nikos Orphanos, Kostas Filippoglou Release Date: May 27, 2016 Boston-based critic Andy Crump has been writing about film online since 2009, and has been contributing to Paste Magazine since 2013. He also writes for Movie Mezzanine and Birth. Movies. Death., and is a member of the Online Film Critics Society and the Boston Online Film Critics Association. You can follow him on Twitter and find his collected writing at his personal blog. He is composed of roughly 65% craft beer. Last week, in a piece titled How the Hell We Got Here: Why the Democratic Party is Splitting, I detailed how Americas supposedly liberal party is on the verge of civil war. In short, this is due to the fact that it is about to nominate arguably the weakest presidential candidate in a generationa candidate who many feel does not represent the values and ideals of the party. Today, in part two of the investigation, Ill look at why party unity between the new progressive movement and the current Democratic establishment is impossible (for now), and why there is such enmity between the two sides. There is a traditional divide between social liberals and labor/economic progressives in American left wing politics. For the last 40 years weve seen an uneven balance between these two factions within the Democratic Party. After the Reagan Revolution, socially liberal New Democrats, with the assistance of Blue Dog Democrats (who have since faded from politics), wrested control of the party from older New Deal Democrats. Then, in furtherance of a social agenda during a period of Republican dominance, ceded the economic narrative to the GOP, effectively abandoning economic progressives and labor. (Note: For the purposes of this piece I am including neoliberals and Cold War liberals under the umbrella of Democrats who embraced Reagans economic narrative.) The Democratic Party came to be defined by the inherent contradiction between social consciousness and complicity in the passage of policies that favored economic elites at the expense of the middle class, the poor, and minorities (especially black Americans). And when the courts opened the governments doors to special interests under the guise of greater economic freedom, the new leadership got on board. We are now seeing the balance fall apart. Staggering political and economic inequality which directly resulted from the policies implemented and decisions made during this time, are beginning to shift the frame through which liberalism and conservatism are defined. Both parties are realigning. On the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders is leading an uprising of economic progressives against the status quo, by speaking earnestly about the reality of our situation. The widespread appeal of this movement has caught the party leaders completely by surprise. After years of elitism and complacency the Democratic establishment (dominated by social liberals) has found itself the target of righteous indignation and anger Bernies revolution has spared nobody for their role in contributing to the problems we face today. As such, he is a threat to many incumbent Democrats and party leaders, including DNC Chair and longtime Clinton ally Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Schultz, who many feel has tipped scale for Clinton since the beginning of the race, now faces a progressive primary challenger, Tim Canova, with Sanders endorsement. In a recent interview Sanders also criticized her leadership: Frankly, what the Democratic Party is about is running around to rich peoples homes and raising obscene sums of money from wealthy people. What we need to do is to say to working-class people we are on your side. Recognizing the threat Sanders and his movement poses, Clintons campaign and its allies in the party leadership have fought back. However, their strategy has only alienated Sanders supporters. Clinton has focused her campaign at the older Democrats who make up the establishment: socially liberal, fiscally moderate to conservative. She has largely neglected Bernies supporters. Theyve always been an afterthought, as her campaign admitted in an interview with CNN, when a top adviser said extending an olive branch will come later. It is the appeal to social liberals which Bernie supporters have found most offensive. That strategy has been 1) find the fringe of Bernies new progressive movement, 2) use it to characterize all of his supporters, 3) blame Bernie for inciting those people, 4) imply that his beliefs mirror those of the fanatics, and then 5) rely on allies in the media to spread the word. This is why Clinton surrogate (and family connection) California Senator Barbara Boxer at the controversial Nevada convention mockingly blew kisses at the Sanders crowd in an apparent effort to provoke them, only to later claim she feared for her safety. It is also why Hillary Clinton recently remarked, after refusing to debate Sen. Sanders in California, that she would only talk to the Vermont Senator about his demands when hes ready to talk as if Bernie has passed the point of being able to have a reasonable conversation. Extrapolating further, it could even be inferred that Sanders doesnt like the idea of having to deal with a woman! That strategy made the race personal to many Sanders supporters who consider themselves not just socially liberal, but progressive, and are tired of having their views misrepresented, and their movement smeared especially when Clintons side is just as vitriolic. However, smears are the only tactic available to the establishment which has, for years, taken the votes of left wingers for granted on the certainty that the Republicans were worse. This low bar defense has been enabled by a culture of insularity among social liberals. But today, the Clinton establishments best argument has worn thin. Rather than promote genuine policy differences with the GOP on issues Bernies progressives care about, like campaign finance reform, Wall Street regulation, trade, the safety net, college debt, and the environment, all team Clinton has offered is smugness, dismissal, and obvious condescension which has reinforced the fact that the Bernie and Hillary camps have vastly different priorities. Former President Bill Clinton accused Bernie supporters of wanting to shoot every third person on Wall Street. As I mentioned before, Sen. Barbara Boxer blew kisses and mocked them in Nevada, and then claimed she feared for her safety. Debbie Wasserman Schultz also scolded their behavior. But if we really want a snapshot of the establishments views of Bernie supporters, we need look no further than Vermont superdelegate Howard Deans Twitter: @MagwyerGrimes @D_Born @BernieSanders Just curious. If Bernie is nominated how do you get HRC supporters on board with this kind of approach Howard Dean (@GovHowardDean) March 5, 2016 That toxic attitude has also been adopted by Clinton's allies and supporters in the media like Paul Krugman of The New York Times and Joan Walsh of The Nation. Here is Walsh being called out by Connor Kilpatrick of Jacobin Magazine for mocking Bernie Sanders campaign volunteers: So petty, @joanwalsh. A campaign of people a third yr age/0.05% yr net wealth trying to improve their fucked lives pic.twitter.com/Qe1UPBLVZ8 Connor Kilpatrick (@ckilpatrick) May 21, 2016 For her part, Hillary Clinton has done nothing to quiet concerns over priority differences from Sanders supporters. Indeed, she seems keen on ignoring them. She has said she feels sorry for Sanders supporters because they do not do their own research. Shes dismissed them as people who want free things, and has implied that they are naive. Recently, she expressed her openness to having Mark Cuban as her Vice-President on Meet the Press, and has even reached out to him. Cuban is a known right-wing libertarian who owns a 288-foot yacht named for an Ayn Rand novel (Fountainhead), and has also praised Donald Trump. I think we should look widely and broadly, Clinton said. Its not just people in elective office. It is successful business people. I am very interested in that. And I appreciate his openness to it. Compounding the situation, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Hillary Clinton have also both appointed people to the Democratic Platform Committee that Lee Fang and Zaid Jilani of The Intercept refer to as professional influence peddlers, whose ranks include one registered corporate lobbyist. If Clinton is the nominee (which she likely will be), the Democratic Party is going to have to win back skeptical Sanders supporters in November in order to defeat Donald Trump. The two presumptive candidates are in a dead heat, but Trump is beginning to outperform Clinton in polls. Party leaders are starting to worry. And so, amidst the acrimony that is the primary, we are hearing cries for unity or for Sanders to drop out of the race the notion being that the Bernie is hurting the partys chances by speaking the truth about our situation and Hillary Clintons involvement in creating it. However, unity will only happen when the leadership comes to terms with its own past, comes clean with the American people, and faces the political consequences. In his rebuke of the criticism of his campaign following the Nevada Convention, Sanders perfectly captured the political moment: The Democratic Party has a choice. It can open its doors and welcome into the party people who are prepared to fight for real economic and social change people who are willing to take on Wall Street, corporate greed and a fossil fuel industry that is destroying this planet. Or the party can choose to maintain its status quo structure, remain dependent on big-money campaign contributions and be a party with limited participation and limited energy. The party has offered, and Bernie Sanders has accepted, platform concessions. He was allowed to appoint five members to the 15-member Democratic Platform Committee. However, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Hillary Clinton get to pick the remaining 10 members (6 for Clinton and 4 for Schultz). So far, as I mentioned before, they have chosen influence peddlers. There is also talk among top Democrats of forcing Wasserman Schultz out of her position as DNC Chairpossibly even before the Philadelphia convention. But that is only the first step. These concessions are merely symbolic, and are likely not going to be enough to make the Sanders camp back Clinton in November if she is the nominee. After all that has happened and been said during this primary, the only thing that will unite the party is a significant changing of the guardnot just DNC leadership, but Congress, and state and local elections. There is no way the current establishment survives the revolution. Clinton will likely fail to win over Sanders movement, but if she is elected president she will still be beholden to it. Democrats now have their own version of the Tea Party to reckon with: The new progressive movement. This column, Inspired Travel, seeks to highlight some of the most beautiful places on the planet through the eyes of some of the most forward-thinking tourism companies, which promote responsibility, sustainability and authenticity to its clients. Bosnia and Herzegovina, the heart-shaped country with a rolling vista of massifs in the center of the Dinaric Alps Range, continues to experience soaring tourism interest because of an abundance of farm-fresh food and unspoiled scenery. This untouched landscape combined with a dense, old world culture has made the nation one of the stars of European travel. A big reason for Bosnias success is due to the work of, arguably, the best adventure travel operator and tourism advocate in the country: Green Visions. Founded in 2000, the ecotourism company seeks to promote sustainability and nature preservation throughout the country. The outfitters goal is to preserve the ancient traditions that have allowed generation after generation to maintain healthy lifestyles and ecological harmony, and to introduce new, modern methods of eco-tourism, farming, scientific research, and other economic endeavors in hopes of securing traditional familial and community ways. Through projects such as the Via Dinarica mega-hiking trail, Green Visions tours help to provide an economic engine across the countrys remote highlands while protecting its most valuable resources: its rivers, lakes, mountains and traditions. To truly experience this breathtaking country and culturewhile sidestepping throngs of touristsPaste Travel looks to three inspired tours. The Via Dinarica is a 1,000-mile hiking trail and cultural corridor connecting eight countries across Western Balkan borders. For travelers, the trail represents a regional collaborative effort among private operators, which are members of a Via Dinarica Alliance. As the Bosnian Alliance member, Green Visions leads hikers through the Dinaric Alps for eight days to Montenegro. Still under the radar, this tour traverses fields of wildflowers, climbs limestone peaks and ventures through medieval villages. One highlight includes scrambling up the 7,828-feet Maglic Mountain, Bosnias highest summit. During this memorable week, travelers can also plan to raft the Tara River Canyon, a UNESCO Nature site. The soul of BiH is in its people and their culture. An hour and a half outside of Sarajevo is Lukomir, Bosnias highest and most isolated mountain village. Peer into the past by visiting with the highlanders: people who continue to wear traditional dress and herd sheep. After viewing the secluded Rakitnica Canyon and Peruce Waterfall, stay overnight to really understand a completely different way of life. Traditional cuisine, such as that prepared by Lukomir villagers, lend a deeper understanding to the rural culture. Farm-to-table cannot cut any closer than eating with farmers at their tables. Try burek, a spiraled savory pastry. Experience the Balkans through the senses. To pick up the pace, hop on a bike and ride along ancient highland caravan routes that once connected Bosnias mountain villages. This five-day journey offers challenging climbs with the reward of zipping down descents. After pedaling through remote areas, the trail gives way to stunning mountain-top views. Enjoy overnights in mountain cabins, feasting on local cuisine, and taking part in culture that has thankfully frozen in time. Stops include Igman Olympic mountain, Lukomir, and the final destination of Mostar. While the beauty of old growth forests and preserved nature is reason enough to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina, the hospitality and generosity there will resonate long after the outdoor adventure is finished. New experiencessuch as those offered at Green Visionsbreathe new life into old world traditions. From outdoor adventure to culture and food, a bountiful, beautiful Bosnia awaits all that is left is to go. Molly Harris is a freelance writer based in Athens, Georgia. Shia LaBeouf, the famously eccentric star of Holes and the Transformers franchise, is once again going out on a limb for his latest Twitter-based creative project, entitled #TakeMeAnywhere. The actor-turned-artist has partnered up with frequent collaborators Nastja Ronkko, Luke Turner and counterculture magazine Vice to produce the art piece, wherein fans and followers of LaBeouf can track the threesomes whereabouts using coordinates from Twitter or the Take Me Anywhere website to suggest potential locations for the group to hitchhike to. The star has more or less agreed to go anywhere or do anything that his fans suggest, seemingly unconcerned with the logistics and various trials that could crop up along such a spontaneous journey. Five friends have already met up with the star in Lyons, Colorado to take advantage of the #TakeMeAnywhere challenge, where LaBeouf treated them to lunch at Oskar Blues and divulged details about his childhood. He was talking about his upbringing and how he was raised by a single mother, Brandon Glanton, one of the lucky fans, revealed. To have everyone sitting down there, having lunch with him, it was so cool that he was so receiving. He was more humble than you can ever imagine. Glanton also went on to describe one of LaBeoufs anecdotes about his father, who was a trained circus clown that juggled chickens as part of his act. Another diner, Daniel Rachlitz, shared amusing tidbits about LaBeouf, insisting that #TakeMeAnywhere participants couldnt make him eat rat poison and that the actor expressed extreme reluctance toward being taken skydiving. LaBeouf himself has described the project as being about making friends and finding meaning. This isnt the first time LaBeouf has undertaken a bizarre or unconventional enterprise in the public eye, memorably wearing a paper bag reading I AM NOT FAMOUS ANYMORE over his head to the Berlinale Film Festival in 2014 and acting in a bizarre Los Angeles performance art installation named #IAMSORRY where fans could come in with a prop from one of LaBeoufs past performances and watch the actor cry in silence. To learn more and access the actors current coordinates, visit the projects official website here and check out the brief video that fans took with the actor in Lyons below: 1 person is dead and at least 3 more have been wounded after shooting broke out at a T.I. concert in New York City earlier today (Australian time). The shooting occurred inside Irving Plaza, mere moments before T.I. was scheduled to take the stage. Witnesses reported seeing a fight the originated backstage spill onto the venues stage area, before a second brawl spilled out from the backstage area onto the venue floor. Shortly thereafter, shots rang out sending the packed club scattering. Irving Plaza has a capacity of 1,025 people. Though its unknown how many people were inside the building at the time of the shooting, estimates claim at least 1,000 people were inside. 3 men and 1 women suffered gunshot wounds in the chaos. One of the men reportedly died as a result of the injuries sustained. Videos posted to social media from inside the club show absolute mayhem as punters scramble for the buildings exits. NEW YORK: VIDEO: Frightening moment crowd panics as shots were fired at Irving plaza during concert. @markygeezy pic.twitter.com/UPVUmm2x22 KolHaolam (@KolHaolam) May 26, 2016 Evacuated after shots fired while crowd waited for @Tip tonight at @IrvingPlaza pic.twitter.com/2hDT9qgO9t Diana Zuluaga (@dmz75) May 26, 2016 Witnesses at the scene reported that club security did not search patrons as they filed into the venue for the show, which is standard for shows elsewhere in the US and New York in particular. .@PIX11News Witness tells me he heard one shot and no one was searched when they entered @IrvingPlaza pic.twitter.com/s2BnDphCdl Myles MillerPIX11 (@MylesMill) May 26, 2016 Unconfirmed reports suggest that the crew of rapper Troy Ave was at least involved in the initial scuffle, and that the shots rang down from the balcony area to the ground floor. NYPD officers and officials have cordoned off the area. No suspect has been apprehended at the time of writing. Source: New York Times. Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty. Avignon Capital has added to its German portfolio through the acquisition of the Berliner Union Film campus, located on the border of Berlins Tempelhof and Neukolln neighbourhoods. Along with the site, the firm has acquired Berliner Union-Film (BUFA), an operational film company that provides studio space and post production services [] Benson Elliot has agreed the sale of Parc Glories, its landmark office development in the Diagonal-Glories sub-market of Barcelona, to listed Spanish property company Inmobiliaria Colonial. Following Benson Elliot's July 2015 sale of its Cornerstone development (in Poblenou) to UBS Asset Management's Global Real Estate business, the sale of [] On the occasion of call of the Annual General Shareholders Meeting scheduled for 28 June, Colonial has submitted the proposal of agreements and the execution of an investment plan for more than 400m. These investments will be materialized in 4 different projects: 3 of them in Spain and 1 in [] Union Investment continues to expand its international real estate fund portfolio in the Americas. The company has acquired the Corporativo Dos Patios office building in Mexico City for its open ended real estate fund Unilmmo: Global. The building was completed in 2012 and is fully let. This investment marks Union [] The number of people in the UK who have tried e-cigarettes has almost doubled in just two years, according to a new study. The research, from scientists at Imperial College London, examined e-cigarette use -- and attitudes to the devices -- across Europe between 2012 and 2014. The paper, published in the journal Tobacco Control, found that the proportion of people in the UK who had tried an e-cigarette had increased from 8.9 per cent to 15.5 per cent -- higher than the European average. The research also showed the proportion of people across Europe who considered the devices dangerous had also nearly doubled, from 27 per cent to 51 per cent. E-cigarettes work by delivering nicotine into the lungs in the form of a vapour. The devices contain nicotine in a solution of either propylene glycol or glycerine and water, and sometimes flavourings. When a person sucks on the device, a sensor detects the air flow and heats the liquid inside the cartridge, causing it to evaporate. Experts fiercely debate whether the devices help people give up smoking, and if they are safe -- with some studies raising concerns about the toxicity of some of the ingredients. advertisement Dr Filippos Filippidis, lead author of the research from the School of Public Health at Imperial said: "This research shows e-cigarettes are becoming very popular across Europe -- with more than one in ten people in Europe now having tried one of the devices. However there is debate about the risks and benefits associated with e-cigarettes. For instance we don't know whether we may start to see diseases emerge in 10-20 years' time associated with some of the ingredients. We urgently need more research into the devices so that we can answer these questions." The research, which used data from over 53,000 people across Europe (at least 1000 people from each country), also revealed France had the highest use of e-cigarettes -- with one in five people saying they had tried the devices. The nation also saw the largest rise in the proportion of people who had tried an e-cigarette -- nearly tripling from 7.3 per cent in 2012 to 21.3 per cent in 2014. The average number of people across Europe who had tried an e-cigarette increased by 60 per cent between 2012 and 2014, from 7.2 to 11.6 per cent. The nation with lowest number of people who had tried an e-cigarette was found to be Portugal, with 5.7 per cent. The reason for the variation between nations is unknown, says Dr Filippidis, though possible reasons include the differences in the number of cigarette smokers, the types of smoking bans that exist in different countries, and also the levels of advertising for the devices. Most of the people who had tried e-cigarettes were former or current smokers, though the number of people who had never smoked cigarettes, yet had tried e-cigarettes, had also increased from 2012 to 2014. Dr Filippidis added: "Although this data shows most of the people who use e-cigarettes are current or former smokers -- which suggests the devices may be helping some of them quit smoking -- it is worrying that some people who have never smoked are using them. This raises the question of whether they could be a 'gateway' to smoking conventional cigarettes." The research also found that being in the age range 18-24, living in a town or city, and being more highly educated were linked to increased odds of ever having tried an e-cigarette. The team analysed responses to two Special Eurobarometer for Tobacco surveys carried out in early 2012 and late 2014, on the perceptions and use of e-cigarettes, among a representative sample of adults (15+ years) from 27 EU member states, excluding Croatia. After Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease (PD) is the leading neurodegenerative disorder, affecting close to a million Americans, with 50,000 new cases diagnosed every year. A progressive disorder of the nervous system affecting movement, PD typically strikes adults in mid-life. In many cases, the spread of the disease to other brain areas leads to Parkinson's disease dementia, characterized by deterioration of memory, reason, attention and planning. In new research, Travis Dunckley, PhD., a researcher at Arizona State University's Biodesign Institute, examines genetic modifications associated with the development of PD and PD-associated dementia, bringing new investigative tools to bear. The research, which appears in the current issue of the journal Neurology Genetics, uses RNA sequencing to illuminate two phenomena linked with the onset of Parkinson's disease, differential gene expression and alternative splicing of genes. The study tracks specific gene alterations implicated in the development of Parkinson's, noting that gene expression and alternative splicing offer complementary information critical to a full understanding of disease progression. The findings deepen the scientific understanding of the disease, while suggesting new avenues for more comprehensive diagnosis. "This work shows that the degeneration of key functional brain areas in Parkinson's disease is more genetically complex than previously appreciated," Dunckley says. "Very small changes in the way in which genes are processed, not just large changes in which genes are turned on or off, can contribute to Parkinson's disease." Dr. Dunckley is a researcher in the newly formed Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, a unique partnership between Arizona State University (ASU), and Banner Health. The research alliance focuses on advancing the scientific study, treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases. advertisement By marrying Phoenix-based Banner Health, one of the nation's largest nonprofit health systems, with the formidable resources of Arizona State University (ASU), one of the nation's largest public research universities, the NDRC aspires to become a national focal point for research into neurodegenerative diseases, which affect millions of people every year and take an increasing financial toll on an overburdened healthcare system. The national economic burden of PD alone amounts to tens of billions of dollars yearly, a figure expected to grow substantially as the population ages. Persistent menace Parkinson's disease affects roughly 1 percent of those over 50 years old, with the incidence markedly increasing with age. Presently, there is no cure for the disease, though medication and surgery may be used to help manage some of the symptoms. Neurons located in a region of the brain known as the substantia nigra are the primary target for Parkinson's disease. Some of these neurons produce dopamine, which decreases as the illness advances, causing deterioration of normal movement. advertisement Neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and aberrant alternative splicing have all been implicated in the trajectory of Parkinson's disease, though precise causes of the illness--involving the deterioration of dopaminergic neurons in the mid-brain accompanied by high rates of dementia--remain murky. The main symptoms of PD are tremor of the hands, arms, legs, jaw and face; bradykinesia (or slowness of movement); stiffness and rigidity of the limbs and trunk and impaired balance and coordination. Cell losses in other brain regions, including the brain stem and olfactory bulb, have also been implicated in Parkinson's. The primary neurological hallmark of the disease is the formation of so-called Lewy bodies--microscopic aggregates of a protein known as -synuclein. Lewy bodies are involved in other neurological disorders as well, including dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Evidence suggests that dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson's disease and Parkinson's disease dementia may all be related to abnormalities in brain processing of -synuclein. Sequence transformation In the past decade, the study of gene expression has rapidly advanced, due in part to the successful sequencing of the human genome. A suite of technologies known as next-generation sequencing permits low-cost, rapid sequencing of DNA and RNA, revolutionizing the study of genomics and molecular biology. Genetic correlates of Parkinson's disease have recently been investigated, though the mechanisms associated with cellular degeneration remain poorly understood. In the current study, RNA sequencing was used to evaluate differential gene expression in a region of the brain known as the posterior cingulate cortex, using samples from neurologically normal brains, those with Parkinson's disease and patients with Parkinson's dementia. Post-mortem samples from the posterior cingulate cortex were acquired from the Banner Sun Health Research Institute Brain Bank. A number of genes were found to be overexpressed in the two disease states when compared with normal controls. Intriguingly, some overexpressed genes play a role in immune function while genes responsible for cell signaling or in the makeup of the cell's structural support network (known as the cytoskeleton) were underexpressed in those with Parkinson's. The study reports on the top 20 differentially expressed genes in PD and PD dementia, comparing these with healthy controls. Genes showing overexpression included those involved with cell movement, receptor binding, cell signaling and ion homeostasis. Underexpressed genes shared an involvement with hormone signaling. Existing studies of gene expression in Parkinson's patients however may not tell the whole story of genetic pathology. Alternative splicing of genes, observed in the new research, may also be a critical factor. Applying information on alternative splicing as well as differential gene expression provides a more nuanced picture of how Parkinson's disease damages the brain and produces the symptoms typically observed. Genes expressed and spliced Previous studies have implicated genetic aberrations with Parkinson's disease, particularly mutations in a gene known as LRRK2. The new study additionally evaluates splicing variants potentially involved with Parkinson's. Alternative splicing is a common mechanism of gene control, permitting a single gene to code for multiple proteins. The process often occurs when segments of the DNA sequence in a gene--known as exons--are skipped over during the process of transcribing them into RNA. The alternatively spliced mRNA is then translated into protein variants, bearing different amino acid sequences (see illustration). Alternative splicing occurs in around 95 percent of human genes and is responsible for an enormous expansion in Nature's palette of useful proteins. The phenomenon helps to account for the staggering biological complexity and diversity in humans despite a mere 20,000 protein-coding genes. The same process of alternative splicing however can produce aberrant proteins linked with disease states, including PD. The new study reports significant alternative splicing of disease-specific genes in the cortex of patients with PD and PD-dementia. In particular, the researchers examined the posterior cingulate cortex, where the spread of the PD-linked protein -synuclein is associated with PD dementia. Results showed that the genes most differentially expressed in PD are distinct from those displaying the highest degree of alternative splicing. Hence, conventional gene profiling alone omits important genetic information relevant to PD development and progression. Some of the observed alternative splicing was restricted to PD patients displaying dementia while others were associated with PD alone. Detailed analysis of alternative splicing events can reveal aberrant splicing of key disease genes. The process can drive disease progression in a number of ways. On the one hand, alternative splicing may provoke particular pathways to become overactive, contributing to disease onset or progression. Alternatively, cells in distress during the progression of PD and PD dementia may undergo altered splicing as a result of widespread dysfunction. The authors note that future research will help distinguish between these possibilities, shedding further light on this devastating illness. "It is our hope that further clarification of the role of these newly identified gene variants in the disease process will provide new targets for treatments that may slow or halt the unrelenting brain degeneration." Researchers at UCLA's Voice Center for Medicine and the Arts have recently examined the speech patterns of Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump and Carly Fiorina in a variety of settings to determine whether the presidential candidates followed the same voice modulation strategies. They researchers found that despite the politicians' varied messages, their vocal delivery remains the same. "Our hypothesis is that persuasive goals change when you address a different audience, and this change is reflected in voice acoustics," said Rosario Signorello, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery at ULCA's David Geffen School of Medicine. Signorello has been investigating the biological components of charismatic speech at UCLA for more than two years, and his previous research has involved examining the frequency characteristics responsible for voters perceiving politicians as benevolent or authoritarian. He and his colleagues will present their current research on the charismatic speaking strategies of presidential candidate at the 171st meeting of the Acoustical Society of America in Salt Lake City. The researchers examined the fundamental frequency, also known as pitch, or F0, of Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, and Carly Fiorina in three different settings -- political rallies, meetings with other political figures, and nonpolitical talk show interviews. They found that in large venues filled with voters, all four figures employed a very wide fundamental frequency range, a method Signorello and his colleagues previously demonstrated as key to being perceived as charismatic. When the four politicians were formally addressing other leaders -- Clinton addressing the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, Sanders speaking to the U.S. Senate, and Trump and Fiorina appearing at a New Hampshire Leadership Summit -- the researchers found that the speakers varied their pitch from very low to medium, eschewing high frequencies altogether. This pattern of use is also found among other mammals, where lower frequency voices often reflect physical size, power, or dominance. "This vocal profile seems to reflect leaders' use of vocalizations to display dominance while addressing speakers of the same social status," Signorello said. "They use voice to convey their authoritarian charisma." Signorello and his colleagues also examined the vocal profiles of Clinton, Sanders, Trump and Fiorina in more casual, nonpolitical settings, such as late night talk shows, finding that they use a "healthy" voice, or the normal, non-varying voice they use to speak with their families. "We found that the leaders -- both Democratic and Republican, both genders -- have a similar voice profile which is completely different than the other voice profiles in the other [rally and peer] communication contexts," Signorello said. Signorello and his colleagues currently plan to further investigate the biological basis of charismatic speech in social structures by examining vocal patterns in nonhuman primates. "The goal of this research is to find a link between species, to demonstrate that the similarities in vocalizations between male and female charismatic speakers, in different languages and cultures, are the result of an evolved way of using vocalization by a group's leaders." Vampires are real, and they've been around for millions of years. At least, the amoebae variety has. So suggests new research from UC Santa Barbara paleobiologist Susannah Porter. Using a scanning electron microscope to examine minute fossils, Porter found perfectly circular drill holes that may have been formed by an ancient relation of Vampyrellidae amoebae. These single-celled creatures perforate the walls of their prey and reach inside to consume its cell contents. Porter's findings appear in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. "To my knowledge these holes are the earliest direct evidence of predation on eukaryotes," said Porter, an associate professor in UCSB's Department of Earth Science. Eukaryotes are organisms whose cells contain a nucleus and other organelles such as mitochondria. "We have a great record of predation on animals going back 550 million years," she continued, "starting with the very first mineralized shells, which show evidence of drillholes. We had nothing like that for early life -- for the time before animals appear. These holes potentially provide a way of looking at predator-prey interactions in very deep time in ancient microbial ecosystems." Porter examined fossils from the Chuar Group in the Grand Canyon -- once an ancient seabed -- that are between 782 and 742 million years old. The holes are about one micrometer (one thousandth of a millimeter) in diameter and occur in seven of the species she identified. The holes are not common in any single one species; in fact, they appear in not more than 10 percent of the specimens. "I also found evidence of specificity in hole sizes, so different species show different characteristic hole sizes, which is consistent with what we know about modern vampire amoebae and their food preferences," Porter said. "Different species of amoebae make differently sized holes. The Vampyrellid amoebae make a great modern analog, but because vampirelike feeding behavior is known in a number of different unrelated amoebae, it makes it difficult to pin down exactly who the predator was." According to Porter, this evidence may help to address the question of whether predation was one of the driving factors in the diversification of eukaryotes that took place about 800 million years ago. "If that is true, then if we look at older fossil assemblages -- say 1 to 1.6 billion years old -- the fossilized eukaryote will show no evidence of predation," Porter said. "I'm interested in finding out when drilling first appears in the fossil record and whether its intensity changes through time." Porter also is interested in seeing whether oxygen played a role in predation levels through time. She noted that the microfossils those organisms attacked were probably phytoplankton living in oxygenated surface waters, but like vampyrellid amoebae today, the predators may have lived in the sediments. She suggests that those phytoplankton made tough-walled cysts -- resting structures now preserved as fossils -- that sank to the bottom where they were attacked by the amoebae. "We have evidence that the bottom waters in the Chuar Group in that Grand Canyon basin were relatively deep -- 200 meters deep at most -- and sometimes became anoxic, meaning they lacked oxygen," Porter explained. "I'm interested to know whether the predators only were present and making these drill holes when the bottom waters contained oxygen," Porter added. "That might tie the diversification of eukaryotes and the appearance of predators to evidence for increasing oxygen levels around 800 million years ago. "We know from the modern vampire amoebae that at least some of them make resting cysts themselves," Porter said. "A former student of mine joked we should call these coffins. So one of our motivations is to see if we can find these coffins in the fossil assemblage as well. That's the next project." Every day, scientists at NASA work on creating better hurricanes -- on a computer screen. At NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, a team of scientists spends its days incorporating millions of atmospheric observations, sophisticated graphic tools and lines of computer code to create computer models simulating the weather and climate conditions responsible for hurricanes. Scientists use these models to study the complex environment and structure of tropical storms and hurricanes. Getting the simulations right has huge societal implications, which is why one Goddard scientist chose this line of work. "Freshwater floods, often caused by hurricanes, are the number one cause of death by natural disasters in the world, even above earthquakes and volcanoes," tropical meteorologist Oreste Reale with Goddard's Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) said. "Seeing how the research we do could have an impact on these things is very rewarding." Improved models can lead to better prediction and warning for these natural disasters, mitigating loss of life and property. Getting to the point of being able to accurately study hurricanes using computer models, however, is not easy. Because hurricanes are such complex storm systems, capturing their full nature in detail using a computer simulation is far from simple. "We need to add complexity all the time and nobody here is afraid of doing that," Reale said. "You don't want a simple solution. If it's simple, chances are it's not true." Adding complexity can include updating the models, incorporating data from new satellites, replacing old satellites and more. advertisement Reale and his colleague, Goddard tropical meteorologist Marangelly Fuentes, have more than 25 years' combined experience looking at modeled storms. In fact, Fuentes was Reale's student intern while she was earning her doctorate degree at Howard University in Washington, D.C. They belong to a team in the GMAO whose goal is to assess whether new data types are used efficiently in computer models, and to ensure that changes and updates improve the performance of models and their data assimilation systems compared to previous versions. Data assimilation refers to the process through which data or observations are incorporated into an existing model. "Mostly I look at tropical forecasting and the analysis of tropical cyclones in the models, so we monitor how the different models are performing with tropical storms," Fuentes said. This includes comparing the performance of GMAO's weather and climate models with others in the U.S. and around the world. Fuentes looks at current versions of the GMAO model and compares them with newer, updated versions in development. By comparing the results of newer simulations on past, well-known storms, she can verify if the updated model version will be more effective at predicting the track and intensity of future storms. "We are able to use cases like Hurricane Katrina to run tests and show us how we can improve, or how this new change affected the forecast or the analysis of the storm system," Fuentes said. The closer the results are to the actual behavior of the storm, the more accurate the model. advertisement Fuentes has worked extensively on the intensity prediction of Hurricane Katrina. Weather models in 2005 -- the year Katrina struck the Gulf Coast with devastating results -- predicted that the storm's pressure would reach as low as 955 millibars, significantly underestimating how low Katrina's atmospheric pressure would get, and therefore the storm's intensity. Observed data show that pressure in Hurricane Katrina's eye reached a minimum of 902 millibars, one of the 10 lowest pressure readings on record for an Atlantic hurricane. The most modern model produced by the GMAO, which Fuentes has been analyzing, can produce a model of Katrina's pressure much closer to the actual observed levels from 2005. Changes to these predictions are caused by improvements in data assimilation and model resolution, made possible by increased computer processing power. Improving the resolution of the model works similarly to increasing the resolution of a photo. The more pixels, or dots of color, in a square inch of a photo, the higher the resolution. High-resolution photos appear sharper and capture more detail than their low-resolution counterparts. Likewise, higher-resolution models produce more detailed simulations of hurricanes, giving researchers a better understanding of their behavior. "In the model we basically transform Earth's atmosphere into little 'cubes' and in each cube the fundamental equations controlling motion, energy and continuity of the atmosphere are solved," Reale said. "The smaller the size of the cube, the more realistic the representation of the atmosphere." Reale said that high model resolution is a critical factor in capturing hurricanes accurately. Luckily, there has been much improvement to model resolution in the past 10 years. In 2005, the record year of 27 named tropical storms or hurricanes in the Atlantic, the size of the "cubes" in GMAO's model was about 31 miles (50 km). Today, the resolution is three to four times higher at about 8 miles (12.5 km), giving scientists a much clearer and more detailed look at the state of the atmosphere. Of course, Reale said, there's still work to be done. "There's no such thing as perfect in research and science, but there is certainly a big improvement for the intensity that contemporary models could predict if they had to face a situation like that again," he said. Reale believes this is the team to do it. "I feel that I'm part of an organization that is extremely successful in facing many different aspects of science," he said. "There are people from all over the world, and I'm sure that whatever question or issue I may have, there's someone who knows the answer in this building. I can tap into the knowledge and experience of so many people." Small sensory devices could help to improve walking recovery during stroke rehabilitation in a bid to reduce social isolation. Health researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University are leading the development of a new haptic device -- technology that communicates via vibrations -- to aid walking therapy for stroke survivors. They are working with the Open University and Manchester-based technology firm Lucid Innovation to develop the device. The technologies are part of a series of technical health projects at the University designed to employ new technologies to cut loneliness and isolation. Mobility The device, worn by the individual, would sense the symmetry of walking and provide vibrations, similar to that from a mobile phone, to cue the wearer to improve how they are walking. advertisement In the UK, 150,000 people sustain a stroke each year whilst 1.2 million people in the UK live with the consequences of stroke. The goal is to help these people to maintain their wellbeing and mobility. The project is led by Dr Rachel C Stockley and Glenis Donaldson, from Department of Health Professions, and Professor Josie Tetley, from the Department of Nursing. Dr Rachel Stockley said: "Whilst advances in medical treatment mean that many people are more likely to survive stroke and have improved outcomes, walking and specifically walking in the community, continues to be a significant problem for over half of all stroke survivors. Cutting isolation "The increased social isolation brought about by reduced community mobility is likely to lead to a loss of sense of self, greater carer burden and can produce many significant health conditions, with associated healthcare costs, secondary to a sedentary lifestyle. "The project will provide valuable information regarding the practicality, acceptability and feasibility of wearing and using the haptic technology to alter walking and help us take the next steps in producing a commercial and useful device to help stroke survivors be more mobile in the community." Working with computer engineering colleagues at the Open University and technology firm Lucid Innovation, the team will start to develop a wearable haptic device with funding from Greater Manchester Academic Health Sciences Network's Technology Innovation Challenge. The project will develop a prototype device with the input of stroke survivors and clinical physiotherapists to ensure it is practical and wearable. The team will then test it in a small group of people who have difficulty walking because of their stroke. Researchers have shown how fine particles are formed from natural substances in the atmosphere. These findings will improve our knowledge about clouds in the pre-industrial era and thus will contribute to a more accurate understanding of both the past and future evolution of our climate. A prerequisite for understanding how climate has changed over the last centuries is the ability to reconstruct as reliably as possible pre-industrial climatic conditions. An important contribution has now been made by a comprehensive research collaboration with participants at CERN, the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI, and numerous other scientific institutions around the world. The researchers investigated the formation of aerosol particles in the atmosphere. Aerosol particles are important for climate because water droplets form on these particles, resulting in clouds. Aerosol particles are not only directly generated -- for example, from soot produced by burning wood or by automobile traffic -- but can also be formed in the atmosphere from gas phase precursors. It had been thought that the presence of sulfuric acid was necessary for this latter process, and that therefore this mechanism only became relevant with industrialisation. Now the researchers have shown that aerosol particles can be formed from precursor gases that are emitted by trees. Thus these natural substances have been generating the seeds of clouds from time immemorial. These findings are based on experiments in the CLOUD chamber at CERN, where a variety of atmospheric conditions can be very specifically replicated. In addition, parallel studies at the Jungfraujoch High Altitude Research Station in the Swiss Alps confirm that these processes do take place in this way in the real atmosphere. The results are presented through the coordinated publication of three articles in prominent scientific journals -- two in Nature and one in Science. To assess the effect of human activity on climate, scientists must be able to compare today's climate with that of the pre-industrial era. One important aspect of this effort is to reconstruct the abundance and properties of clouds. This matters because clouds can reflect sunlight and thus, to a certain extent, mask the warming of Earth due to greenhouse gases. In turn, the formation of clouds is essentially determined by aerosol particles in the air on which water can condense to form cloud droplets. If more particles are available, more droplets can form, and that changes the characteristics of the clouds. Aerosol particles have a variety of sources -- ranging for example from desert dust to soot particles produced by burning wood or fossil fuels. In addition, aerosol particles can be formed in the atmosphere through a process known as nucleation, when gas molecules join together. Up to now, it was thought that this process was crucially dependent on sulfuric acid, which has only been present in large quantities in the atmosphere since the beginning of the industrialisation. Aerosols from nature We have now been able to show that aerosol particles capable of seeding clouds can also arise from organic substances, such as those that are emitted by trees, explains Urs Baltensperger -- head of the Laboratory for Atmospheric Chemistry at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and co-initiator of the project -- who this year was honoured with the Spiers Memorial Award of the Royal Society of Chemistry for his research on aerosols in the atmosphere. This means that even before the industrialisation aerosol particles were formed from gaseous precursors in the atmosphere -- resulting in higher concentrations than had previously been assumed. This does not necessarily mean that there were more clouds in those days than previously thought, adds PSI researcher Jasmin Trostl. But the clouds probably consisted of more and smaller droplets, so that they were brighter and reflected more sunlight back to space. These results were obtained within the framework of an extensive international research collaboration under the leadership of researchers at CERN and the PSI. The researchers carried out their experiments in the CLOUD chamber at CERN and at the Jungfraujoch High Altitude Research Station in the Swiss Alps. The CLOUD chamber is a cylindrical vessel, 4.3 metres high and 3 metres in diameter, in which a variety of atmospheric conditions can be very specifically replicated. The researchers introduced the substance pinene, which is emitted by trees, and were able to observe how aerosol particles formed inside the CLOUD chamber. advertisement Aerosol formation in two stages We also characterised these processes with the help of mathematical models, through which we can understand how these particles are formed, Trostl explains. All in all, it is a very complicated process. First the pinene molecules are altered through reactions with oxidants such as ozone, and a multitude of similar but still different molecules -- with varying degrees of 'stickiness' -- are created. The stickiest, those that bind especially well with other molecules, can join together to form tiny particles. This is the first crucial step, because unless the particles reach a minimum size of around 1.7 nanometres, they simply evaporate again. With this, though, they are still too small to serve as the seeds of cloud droplets; for that, they need to be roughly 50 to 100 nanometres in size. In order for the particles to grow further, more molecules need to condense onto them- and this increasingly includes also the less sticky ones which attach more easily to larger particles and are present in greater quantities, Trostl says. These results are the most important so far by the CLOUD experiment at CERN, stresses CERN researcher Jasper Kirkby, spokesperson of the CLOUD experiment. When the nucleation and growth of pure biogenic aerosol particles is included in climate models, it should sharpen our understanding of the impact of human activities on clouds and climate. The two steps in the formation of new aerosol particles are described in the pair of articles in Nature. CERN researcher Jasper Kirkby is first author of the first Nature article; PSI researcher Jasmin Trostl is first author of the second. Aerosols high in the mountains Additionally, the researchers investigated aerosol particle formation under real atmospheric conditions at the Jungfraujoch High Altitude Research Station. Situated at more than 3500 meters above sea level, this station lies above the lowest layer of the atmosphere -- the planetary boundary layer. Aerosol particles from the planetary boundary layer can also be found at this altitude, because they can be carried up with the rising air. Additionally, newly formed particles can be found here, whose origin was inexplicable -- until now. Naturally, in contrast to the experiment at CERN, we could not limit ourselves to one individual substance as the precursor for the aerosol particles, explains Federico Bianchi, who took part in this project during his time as a researcher at the PSI and now works at the University of Helsinki. In the process, we observed for the first time in a natural setting the formation of aerosol particles from sulfuric acid and ammonia. More importantly, we also were able to observe the formation of new aerosol particles from purely organic substances. Thus the results of the CLOUD chamber and Jungfraujoch measurements agree in showing that aerosol particles are indeed formed from purely organic precursors. advertisement Incidentally, Bianchi adds, we could only observe aerosol formation on the Jungfraujoch at certain times, because the precursor molecules also come out of the lower atmospheric layers, and it appears that the conditions for this aerosol formation are only favourable within a time window of around two days following their ascent out of the planetary boundary layer. Bianchi is first author of the paper in Science, which presents the results of the Jungfraujoch studies. Synergies between laboratory and field The researchers used the same instruments for the observations on the Jungfraujoch and for the measurements in the CLOUD chamber. The heart of the system is a mass spectrometer -- a complex piece of equipment with which many thousands of different chemical substances can be distinguished from each other. The device used was manufactured by the Swiss company TOFWERK AG in Thun. This machine made it possible to determine the chemical composition in a matter of seconds, Bianchi says. The publications also show how important it is to link laboratory and field experiments. Measurements in the lab allow for detailed investigations of individual mechanisms, but only a field experiment can provide information about whether or not this process is relevant in the real atmosphere. And, says Urs Baltensperger, the Jungfraujoch is one of the best sites worldwide to study this kind of process in the real free troposphere, thanks to its location, the clean air, and its infrastructure. Heat from city sidewalks, streets, and parking lots, along with insect pests, can damage trees planted in urban landscapes. Thus, it is critical to plant trees in the right places so they will do well in harsh urban environments, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher says. More than half the world's people and 80 percent of the U.S. population live in urban areas. Trees benefit these residents by filtering the air, reducing temperatures and beautifying landscapes. According to a new study led by Adam Dale, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of entomology, these benefits are reduced when trees are planted in unsuitable urban landscapes. However, guidelines can be developed to lead urban tree- planting decisions in a more sustainable direction. Dale spearheaded the study while at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Previous research by Dale and his colleagues found that impervious surfaces raise temperatures, which increase pest abundance and tree stress, ultimately reducing tree health. He and his team examined the so-called "gloomy scale insect," which feeds on tree sap and appears as small bumps on the bark of trees. In the new study, Dale and his team developed guidelines that landscape professionals can use to make more informed urban tree-planting decisions. Although the new study was done in North Carolina and limited to red maple trees, Dale said the findings may be applicable to trees throughout the Southeast. Through their research, scientists developed thresholds of impervious surface around planting sites. In other words, they defined points at which the amount of pavement around a tree reduces its condition. Using these established levels of impervious surface, landscape architects and other landscape professionals can plant trees in a way that reduces pest damage and economic loss. "This study demonstrates the effects of the most common features of urban landscapes -- roads, parking lots, and buildings -- on insect pests and trees, and proposes guidelines for mitigating them," Dale said. The study also proposes a method that can be used at a planting site. It's called the "Pace to Plant" technique. By simply walking 100 steps around a site, landscape professionals can estimate the amount of surrounding impervious surface and use the developed thresholds to guide their tree-planting decisions. "The hope is that more informed planting will minimize pest infestations and maximize the vigor and performance of street trees," researchers said in the study, published in this month's issue of the journal Arboriculture and Urban Forestry. "The decision-making tools presented here will help planners and urban forest managers get the right tree in the right place to reduce future maintenance costs and increase tree survival and services." New research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests that the world's estimated 60 million refugees, displaced from their homes due to conflict, persecution or human rights violations, may need at least 2.78 million surgeries a year, something thought to be very difficult to arrange in the midst of their upheaval. The researchers say that the findings, published online May 25 in the World Journal of Surgery, shed light on something that few governments and humanitarian aid organizations plan for when preparing for a large influx of displaced persons who are far from home and often in countries where there are already great unmet needs for surgical procedures. "We are facing the largest forced migration crisis since World War II," says study leader Adam Kushner, MD, MPH, an associate in the Department of International Health at the Bloomberg School. "And while surgery is a critical component of health care, it is often neglected in times of crisis. Without access to timely and safe surgery, many people will become disabled and many will die -- outcomes that could have been prevented. What many people also do not realize is that many types of surgical care are easy to do and very cost effective." The types of necessary surgeries run the gamut, from the repair of hernias and broken limbs, to C-sections and cleft lips and gallbladder removals, even stitches and burn care -- any type of procedure that would be needed in any other population. In times of war, surgeries related to trauma, violence and burns may be particularly needed. The researchers could not say exactly how many refugees receive surgical care annually. For their study, Kushner and his colleagues collected data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East on the number of refugees, internally displaced persons and asylum seekers around the world and on their demographics. To estimate the number of procedures needed per year, they used a previously published minimum of 4,669 annual procedures per 100,000 population, a number similar to the target minimum surgical rate of 5,000 per 100,000 published by the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery. Eighty-five percent of the world has surgical volumes that fail to meet the minimum target of 5,000 per 100,000 -- particularly in the regions of Africa, the Middle East and Asia, which host 78 percent of all forcibly displaced persons globally. At the end of 2014, 59.5 million people were living as forcibly displaced persons, a number that has steadily increased in recent years, according to the UNHCR. The agency estimated that 218,000 persons entered Europe by sea in October 2015 alone, many of whom were seeking refuge from the violence in Syria. While up to five percent of the population at large will require surgery, the World Health Organization estimates that as many as 15 percent of pregnant women will experience obstetric complications requiring surgery for conditions such as protracted labor, pre-eclampsia or ectopic pregnancy. The prevalence of pregnancy among displaced women of reproductive age is between six and 14 percent, they say. Pediatric needs are also very high, Kushner says. While many refugees live in camp settlements, more than half live in established communities, yet they are typically precluded from accessing essential surgery due to a lack of proper documentation, high costs or weak surgical infrastructure in their host country. "When planning to take care of refugees, much thought is put into how to house and feed and clothe people who are far from home for circumstances often beyond their control," Kushner says. "But surgery is a basic need and nobody talks about this." The rise and fall of alcohol-related mortality in Scotland is partly due to changes in affordability, according to reports published in Public Health. New research has found that the rise in alcohol-related mortality during the 1990s and early 2000s in Scotland, and the subsequent decline, were likely to be explained in part by increasing then decreasing alcohol affordability. The research was undertaken to understand better what the independent impact of the Scottish Government's alcohol strategy was. Other factors aside from the strategy and the affordability of alcohol were also considered including migration, historical social, economic and political change, the alcohol market, social norms, and health services. "Alcohol has been suggested to be the most harmful substance misused in societies when wider harms on health and social outcomes such as violence and reduced economic output, are taken into account," explained lead investigator Dr. Gerry McCartney of NHS Health Scotland, Glasgow, UK. "Our work evaluated the extent to which differing trends in income, demographic change, and the consequences of an earlier period of social, economic, and political change might explain differences in the magnitude and trends in alcohol-related mortality between 1991 and 2011 in Scotland compared to England & Wales. We found that increasing alcohol affordability during the 1990s is likely to have been important in explaining the rise in alcohol-related harms. It also seems likely that a generation of people negatively affected by the rapidly changing economy during the 1980s was subsequently at particularly high risk. We hypothesized that this was linked to the rise in unemployment and the breaking down of the social fabric in many communities following on from the changed government approach." The research team used a variety of methods including literature review, descriptive analysis of routine data, narrative synthesis, comparative time trend analyses, and arithmetic modelling. "Given the likely importance of alcohol affordability in driving the downward trend in alcohol-related mortality, any future increase in incomes or decline in prices might be expected to increase alcohol-related harms in Scotland once again, commented Dr. McCartney. "The most recent trends in consumption, harms, and alcohol affordability provide an early indication of this. It is therefore important that a comprehensive range of alcohol control policies is in place to prevent this." Researchers at the Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS) at Umea University in Sweden participated in the discovery of a unique system of acquisition of essential metals in the pathogenic bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. This research was led by scientists at the CEA in France, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Pau, the INRA and the CNRS. It represents a new potential target for the design of antibiotics. These results are being published in the journal Science on Friday 27 May. Metals are necessary for life and pathogenic bacteria have developed elaborate systems to compensate for the low concentration of these essential metals in their environment, in particular within a host. The case of iron is particularly well documented with, in some bacteria, the production of molecules called siderophores that specifically capture iron in the medium. Researchers have now identified a new metal scavenging molecule produced in the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and baptized it staphylopine. The researchers highlighted the role of the key players that allow the pathogen to acquire a wide range of essential metals in the environment, such as nickel, zinc, cobalt, copper and iron. Three enzymes, whose functions were unknown so far, allow the production of staphylopine by the combination of three building blocks (D-histidine, amino butyrate and pyruvate). An export system expels staphylopine out of the cell where it traps the target metals from the extracellular medium. The staphylopine / metal duo can then be picked up by the cell via a specific import system. In the absence of these import / export systems, the virulence of Staphylococcus aureus was known to be reduced, although the origins of this phenomenon were not fully understood. "Remarkably, a few years ago we found that many, taxonomically unrelated, bacteria can release high concentrations of a wide variety of D-amino acids to the environment. Therefore, D-histidine might be just one D-amino acid of many that could serve as a building block for novel staphylopine-like molecules," explained Felipe Cava from MIMS/Umea University. The discovery of staphylopine, how it is built, and how it is transported by these systems could now lead the way for the development of a new strategy against pathogenic bacteria, by targeting their addiction to metals. Surprisingly, staphylopine closely resembles nicotianamine, a molecule that is found in all plants and that ensures the transport of essential metals from the roots, where they are collected, to the various aerial organs. The discovery of a similar metal scavenger in the three kingdoms of life (archaea, eukaryotes and now bacteria) suggests an ancient origin for this type of molecule. These two baby monkeys each lost everything - but thanks to their newfound friendship, they're learning to heal together. Piak, a spectacled langur, was just a few weeks old when a poacher came into his jungle home and killed his mother for meat. The poacher said he didn't notice she had a baby clinging to her until after he shot her. Piak | Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Most infants in Piak's situation would have ended up in the pet trade, and been sold off to spend their lives chained up outside or in tiny cages. But a kind man stepped in to care for Piak, eventually turning him over to Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT). Makood, a long-tailed macaque, also saw her mother die. At just 4 weeks old, she watched as hunters killed and butchered her mother for meat, and was then sold into the pet trade herself. Makood | Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand But like Piak, she got lucky. Her new owner quickly realized he couldn't care for the infant monkey, and, instead of abandoning her or leaving her to die in a cage, turned her over to WFFT. Now, both monkeys live at WFFT's Thai sanctuary, where they're two of the youngest resident animals and require constant care to make up for their missing mothers. But the sanctuary still makes sure they have time to be youngsters together - and they're quickly becoming best friends. Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand "During the day they have time to play together, even though they are different species," WFFT wrote in a Facebook post. "The positive play interactions provide valuable lessons for these highly social primate youngsters." Photos show the pair tumbling about and eating together, and even venturing up into the branches of the trees. "[They've] become firm friends," WFFT said. Dodo Shows Soulmates Pig Loves To Launch Himself Onto His Dad's Lap Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Sadly, Piak and Makood's rough beginnings aren't unusual. Each year thousands of monkeys and other animals in the region are killed by poachers and hunters. The surviving babies are usually sold into the pet trade, and few of them ever make it out. Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Fortunately, these two little monkeys are among the lucky ones - both because they escaped the pet trade and because they found kind people to take them in. Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand And now they have each other. They might have lost their families, but with the help of a friend who's just like them, they have every chance of growing up big and strong, together. If you'd like to help care for Piak and Makood and the many other animals WFFT helps each year, you can make a donation here. See below for more photos. Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand

Facebook/Augusta County Sheriff's Office

A little black bear cub was crossing a Virginia road with his family in early May when the very worst happened: His mom and sibling were hit by a car and killed, and he was left alone. Not knowing what to do, he crawled into the forest and wept. Police officers heard what they thought sounded like screaming, so they descended into the forest to search for an animal in distress, the Augusta County Sheriff's Office wrote in a Facebook post. "Unfortunately, the momma bear and another cub were struck and killed by a motorist," the post said. The police officers found the little black bear, who was very scared. They drove the cub to the Wildlife Center of Virginia, in Waynesboro, where they arrived around midnight. Dodo Shows Faith = Restored Rescued Wild Horse Loves To Play With A Little Donkey "The cub was very scared when he was first admitted," Amanda Nicholson, director of outreach, told The Dodo. But he let Dr. Dave McRuer examine him - and despite all the emotional trauma he'd been through, he was given a clean bill of health. Without his family, though, he was much too fragile to return to the wild right away - although he will next year. "He's still wary of humans, which is a good thing," Nicholson says. That's because his trepidation around them means he won't be too reliant on people once he returns to the wild. But he does seem to be more relaxed in his new, temporary home, Nicholson adds. Best of all, he's not alone. "He has two new siblings - a brother and a sister," Nicholson says. None of them have human-like names, as the center tends not to name animals who will eventually be wild once again. But since his companions both have tags in their ears, and he does not, he now goes by the funny nickname of "No Tag." Pearl the pit bull has been sick since she was young, but she's not about to give up. Just months before their wedding, Jim Raschella and his bride-to-be, Jen Marion, have spent a total of $16,000 on Pearl - and now, Ellen DeGeneres has given them all some much-needed help. Pearl is one of the couple's four rescue dogs. But before she found her forever home with them, Pearl had experienced more pain than anyone should have to endure. She had lost an entire litter of puppies in utero. She was emaciated and suffering from infection. Her previous owner abandoned her at at a veterinarian's office when she was just 1 year old, according to her GoFundMe page. Dodo Shows Faith = Restored Couple Meets A Beach Dog In Mexico Who Changes Their Life Pearl became depressed after losing her babies. But when a litter of puppies in need of a mother arrived at the shelter, Pearl found comfort in caring for them like they were her own, and began to heal emotionally. Raschella and Marion eventually became foster parents to Pearl through North Carolina's Love Mutts Rescue, and it didn't take long for the couple to fall in love with her. She quickly transformed from from a shy and troubled pup into a loud, vibrant one. They soon realized Pearl would be a part of their family forever. But that wasn't the end of Pearl's journey. A year after her adoption, Pearl began to lose weight rapidly, and no local veterinarian was able to figure out what was wrong with her. It wasn't until Pearl was taken to the NC State Veterinary Hospital that the mystery behind her latest ailment was solved: Pearl suffered from exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, a lack of digestive enzymes in the body that can lead to issues like weight loss and malnutrition. Thankfully this deficiency, along with its symptoms, was treatable and Pearl was able to return home to her family. However, Pearl was home for less than a week before she had to return to the hospital - this time for a treatable, but severe, bacterial infection. Today, Pearl is in good spirits, gaining weight and finally out of the hospital. But, as one can imagine, caring for the pit bull hasn't been cheap. Marion is an elementary school teacher and her students understood this - the children came together make a lemonade stand, raising $120 toward Pearl's care. The heartwarming gesture reached "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," and the couple was invited to make an appearance. Sadly, since Pearl wasn't allowed to fly with her parents in the plane cabin as a non-service dog, she was unable to make the trip to California. Still, Pearl, along with her parents, were the recipients of one amazing gift - $10,000 from the show, which will be going to Pearl's vet bills as well as the couple's honeymoon fund. "We had decided from the very beginning that as long as she was not in pain and she was going to continue to fight, that we would fight for her," Raschella told DeGeneres on the show. Marion added to the sentiment. "Our dogs are our babies, so it was never any big decision," she said. Raschella and Marion's wedding now is set for June 25 and their beloved pup Pearl, who's fought so hard and survived through so much, is all set to be the prettiest bridesmaid. Hanako, the world's loneliest elephant, has died. For more than 60 years, Hanako had lived in a tiny concrete enclosure at Inokashira Park Zoo in Tokyo, Japan. Her enclosure had no grass or trees, and she hadn't seen another elephant in decades. Her plight came to light late last year when a visitor, appalled by her condition, wrote an online post calling Inokashira Park "one of the cruellest, most archaic zoos in the modern world." The tourist, Ulara Nakagawa, said Hanako "just stood there almost lifeless - like a figurine." Videos show the elderly elephant swaying back and forth, a form of stereotypic behavior, blending in in to the stark gray walls behind her. Dodo Shows Foster Diaries Scared Pittie Gets So Happy When He Meets This Guy And His Pack Of Dogs Despite international outrage, Inokashira Park refused to release Hanako to a sanctuary, saying she was happy and healthy. Instead, the zoo met with animal welfare expert Carol Buckley, and said it would be instituting changes to Hanako's home and routine based on her recommendations. But it was too little, too late. On Thursday morning, keepers found Hanako collapsed in her cage, according to the Japan Times. They tried to move her so her weight wouldn't crush her, but she passed away a few hours later. She was 69 years old. While elephants are social animals who build lifelong relationships with family and friends, Hanako's life was devoid of emotional connections. Born in Thailand in 1947, she was shipped to Japan's Ueno Zoo at just 2 years old to replace some elephants who had been left to starve to death during World War II, according to an earlier report by the Japan Times. She moved to her tiny cell at Inokashira Park a few years later, where she remained for the next six decades. Devoid of friendship and suitable enrichment, she became violent towards the people around her. She trampled a man who in 1956, and later a zookeeper. A 2011 report said she had attacked a keeper, a veterinarian and another staffer in the past five years. As a result, she spent many years chained up. For years she had been toothless, and suffered from digestive issues. And this week, she passed away the same way she spent most of her life: alone, and in the barren treeless jail where she spent 60 long years. She was the oldest elephant in Japan, and for most of that long life she never felt grass, or dirt, or the closeness of another animal like her. RIP, Hanako. Andrew Gordon's been called it all - from pet detective to animal whisperer - and he's certainly earned those titles. After all, it seems that his sworn duty to protect applies just as strongly to animals as it does people. When Marley, a therapy dog, suddenly went missing from her home, this Canadian police officer was just the man to find her. Dog And Wild Dolphin Play Whenever They See Each Other And now he's the man behind the safe return of Marley. Marley had spending time outdoors with her family during a barbeque on Tuesday when they realized she was nowhere to be seen, CTV News Atlantic reported. The disappearance was especially worrisome as Marley is a trained therapy dog for the family's son, Luc, who has a rare brain and genetic disorder, and is trained to alert his parents when he needs help. She had become an indispensable friend for him, as well as a family member. Halifax police officers were called in and were out searching with flashlights and thermal imaging devices in the woods until 2 a.m. that night, but Marley did not turn up. But Gordon came across an online posting for a lost dog who had been found. Gordon didn't have an address, but he did have postal code information, which he used to head to the corresponding neighborhood and street on Wednesday morning. The first door he knocked on happened to be where the 2-year-old lab was residing with the woman who found her - and then he was able to bring Marley home. The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) doesn't want real estate boards outside Toronto to be bound by a Competition Tribunal ruling that will likely force the country's largest board to lift restrictions on some property sales data. CREA has also asked the Tribunal to make sure that the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) can still extract consumers' "informed consent, regarding the wide dissemination of their personal information over the internet. The requests were submitted to the tribunal in advance of a hearing on June 2 that will determine how TREB has to abide by a ruling in a case between the country's largest real estate board and the Competition Commissioner. The tribunal found that TREB had violated competition rules by limiting the release of previous property sales data by online brokerages known as virtual office websites (VOWs). It is expected that the finding will loosen rules around the release of previous sales information in other parts of the country. CREA is arguing against that. "There is no dispute that the relevant market for the purposes of this (tribunal) proceeding is the GTA," it said in a submission released on the tribunal website on Wednesday. "The Commissioner confirmed that no remedy outside the GTA was sought during opening submissions.... and this was again confirmed during closing submissions and recognized by the Tribunal," said CREA. Submissions by the Competition Bureau and TREB were not posted by the Toronto Star's deadline. It also argues that consumers should be fully informed that the sales data on their property could be made publicly available. TREB should be allowed to take steps to ensure consumers know their property's sales information could be used by VOWs. "These steps may include creating new policies, forms or amendments to the standard listing and buyer representation agreements," said CREA. TREB argued at the tribunal that allowing the public access to sales information violated property owners' and buyers' privacy rights. But the tribunal disagreed except on one point. It sided with TREB in ruling that the release of sales data prior to a property transaction's closing could pose a problem to a seller if, for some reason, the deal didn't close. CREA also wants the tribunal to avoid favouring VOWs over other innovative real estate enterprises. and "make clear that the Tribunal is not suggesting that the provision of VOW data feeds is mandatory across all local boards and association in Canada who operate a Multiple Listings Service (MLS) system." It also doesn't want the ruling extended to other areas of the MLS listings such as instructions for brokers that could offer clues when the property is vacant or lockbox access information. SHARE: North American benchmark crude briefly touched above $50 (U.S.) a barrel Thursday for the first time in six months. It later pared back some of those gains to close at $49.48, down 8 cents from Wednesdays close. It rose as high as $50.21 earlier in the day. After months of oversupply, market dynamics have been falling into better balance, pushing West Texas Intermediate over the $50 threshold for the first time since November. November was when a nearly two-year-long decline began to accelerate. In January, crude prices fell below $27 a barrel. It has been hovering around $35 a barrel in the opening months of 2016. WTI hasnt closed above $50 since July 2015. It is now up nearly 90 per cent from lows reached this winter. That helped pushed the crude-linked Canadian dollar to close at 77.10 cents (U.S.). Heres a look at some of the reasons why oil prices are strengthening: Demand is rising A healthier outlook for the U.S. economy implies a more positive outlook for demand. Gasoline demand in the U.S. rose to 9.6 million barrels per day last week, up from 9.2 million in the same week a year earlier. Drivers are taking advantage of pump prices that are 20 per cent cheaper than a year ago. U.S. supplies are softening Oil inventories shrank more than expected last week, the 11th straight week of declining supplies, to the lowest level since September 2014. Crude inventories slid by 4.23 million barrels last week, more than double the expected drop of 2 million. Stockpiles at the U.S. oil-storage hub Cushing, Oklahoma fell by 649,000 barrels. Iran has been less of a factor Prices havent fallen as much as previously thought when an embargo against Iran was lifted earlier this year, even though the country has added two million barrels per day to supply. Production outages in Nigeria, Venezuela and Libya Attacks on oil facilities in Nigeria have curbed production from the African nation to a 20-year-low. Most recently militants carried out an attack on Chevron Corp facilities. Meanwhile, Venezuela has been hit by power cuts amid a near economic meltdown and Libyas production has been hit by unrest in that country. Alberta Wildfires disrupting Canadian oilsands The wildfires that ravaged Fort McMurray led to shutdowns at oilsands facilities, taking production of more than one million barrels a day offline. Some estimate that will ultimately mean a reduction in production by some 28 million barrels. Summer driving season Production rises ahead of the summer driving season when gas consumption peaks. It often rallies to peak in June and fades back when summer ends. Looking ahead, here are some factors that will affect the price of oil Production coming back online Oilsands workers who fled Albertas wildfires have returned and production is expected to ramp up. The Bank of Canada predicts the resumption of production and rebuilding efforts will result in a rebound in Canadian economic growth in the third quarter of this year. Production losses in Libya and Nigeria are also said to be reversible. This will add about 4 million barrels that have recently been taken offline. The OPEC question The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries meets June 2 to talk about targets. Observers think its unlikely theyll come to agreement over production cuts, especially now that oil is fetching a higher price. Saudi Arabia has been boosting production to squeeze out rivals, such as Iran and Iraq, which plan to boost production. Non-OPEC production Production is expected to remain weak after two years of budget and job cuts at facilities in North America. However, U.S. shale producers can pivot more quickly to respond to price changes than more resource intensive types like deepwater or oilsands projects. The supply vs. demand balance When supply is high, demand falls and so do prices, but when prices fall demand goes up. A global economic slowdown has weakened demand but with the U.S. economy expected to improve after a relatively weak first quarter, demand from that country could push prices higher. With gas prices at an 11 year low demand from consumers is expected to rise. SHARE: On a recent rainy Sunday afternoon, Sidonio Da Silva sat on a bench in the middle of Galleria Mall and chatted with another man. We come here to talk about life . . . food, the 75-year-old said with a laugh, clutching a bamboo cane and wearing a white flat cap. Da Silva mostly visits the Galleria, as he calls it, on Sundays. But hed caught wind of the fate of the mall at Dupont and Dufferin Sts., which was discussed the day before at an open house called Reimagine Galleria. Placards depicting renderings of a development that could replace the 1970s-era mall were installed in a neon-lit hallway between two fitness centres. They showed four triangular buildings boasting more than 2,000 units, wedged into half of the 12-acre land. The other half, separated by a diagonal road connecting Dupont and Dufferin Sts., would be a park and a new community centre. Freed Developments and Elad Canada bought the property for $71 million from Harzuz Holdings Limited and Ontario Potato Distributing Inc. in August. Since then, their message has been that theyre consulting with the community before submitting plans to the city in the fall. Its too early right now to even anticipate the scope of the project, spokesperson Danny Roth said, when asked what it might cost. Were kind of turning the process upside down, said Joe Svec, the projects development director. The group is aiming to submit plans to the city in the fall after the consultations. Svec says the opposite is usually true. That community feedback may be crucial to the success of the current redevelopment. Past plans for the site have not turned out well. Diana Black says she was at a similar open house in the 1980s and police had to shut it down. A mixed-use development had been planned for the site in 1981. In 2004, a previous owner, Harzuz and Ontario Potato Distributing Inc., had the property rezoned for six residential buildings and 38,000 square-feet of retail space. Feedback in the form of colourful Post-it notes dotted the boards at the open house. The worries reflected a neighbourhood in the midst of and at the same time bracing itself for the kind of fast-paced change Toronto has seen over the past decade. Dont become a Liberty Village; youre better than that, one note said. That was 11-year resident Dallas Bergens first thought when he heard of the project. Next to it, he posted his own: Yes! More green; more art; more community, he wrote below it. People are really concerned about maintaining the identity of the existing community and then finding out how to smoothly integrate all these new residents, he said. Increased traffic, large shadows and whether the space would be mixed-used and not only for people who can shop at cheese boutiques were part of the questions answered by Svec during the day. Luis Ceriz picked up on the example Svec gave, listing the types of independent businesses the developers were hoping to attract. The boutique shops that are being built, they only attract a certain type of retail, Ceriz said. Its not really going to serve the 70-year-old couple that has been here since 1968, you know. He also doubted his familys main use for the mall T.Dot Tumblers, a gymnastics centre would find affordable space amid the possible high-rises. His wife, Donna, hoped the proposed new community centre would fill the void, though. She said she was optimistic about the increased amount of green space. Between questions, Svec had imparted the developers vision of a porous space that people could access via foot, bike and car, and attractive retailers that could serve the same purpose as those most frequented in the mall, such as the grocery and drugstores. But the fragmentation would render hangout spots, like the one where Da Silva spends his Sundays, useless in the winter. Seven months in the year, its cold, said Momtaj Islam, whos owned La Tunic, a clothing store, in the mall for 15 years. Islam pointed to Stockyards, an outdoor mall northwest of Galleria, saying she doesnt believe many frequent it because of its open concept. Plus, she said of the community thats formed around Galleria, they need this place. Store owners like Islam also expressed concern about their place in the new development. She says, at her age, she doesnt have the heart to open a store in the new buildings, so the development will send her into an early retirement. George Dark, a partner at Urban Strategies, a firm working on the project, acknowledged its a big project; its something thatll make a big change to the community. The renderings didnt reveal possible heights for the buildings, but they could be up to 26 storeys, Dark said. The consultation was a suggestion from councillor Ana Bailao. It could be great or it could be bad, she says. I think everybody is cautiously optimistic. Da Silva remembers when it was built in 1972. He didnt visit the mall then, but does now that hes retired. We dont have nothing more than this space, he said. Renderings At a recent open house about the redevelopment of the Galleria Mall, residents were shown a set of images of what the site could look like, an almost futuristic setting of triangular buildings. Developers Freed and Elad Canada held an open house over the winter at the Galleria Mall, as suggested by city councillor Ana Bailao, and collected community feedback. Project development director Joe Svec said citizens left more than 300 Post-its with their comments. The results are these highly conceptual renderings, Svec says, as plans are not finalized. Though the developers havent submitted plans, George Dark, a partner at Urban Strategies, a firm helping design the project, says theyre aiming for there to be more than 2,000 units with about four buildings that could reach as high as 26 storeysthats seven storeys higher than what the land is zoned for right now. The developers will also be applying for the property to be rezoned. They want to include as much retail space as the Galleria Mall has (225,000 square feet). Theyre also proposing to build a new community centre and a road cutting through the property. Residents at the open house feared the intersections of that new road would clog Dupont and Dufferin Sts. The new road would give way to the park, which gives an added feeling of safety, Dark said. Wallace Emerson park now lies behind the shopping centre. Between the two, lies a parking lot with more than 500 spaces. The developers want to do away with the parking lot and put most, if not all, parking spots underground. Their aim is to make the site accessible by foot, bike and car, though they havent specified how city infrastructure will be able to support the influx of residents into the neighbourhood. On top of the open houses, a community working group was formed to ensure residents interests were taken into account of the plans for the 12-acre property that could bring significant change to the area. SHARE: MONTREALTransat A.T. is eliminating 78 jobs as it closes its Toronto call centre and reorganizes some of its tour activities in a bid to improve profitability. The Montreal-based company, which operates Air Transat, said 66 positions will be eliminated when the Toronto call centre closes Sept. 12. Meanwhile, Transat will no longer sell cruises except as part of a package with return flights and transfers. As a result, it will convert 63 positions at its cruise call centre in Montreal to respond to calls about packages from consumers, travel agents and businesses. Transat is also ending its Discoveries Collection tours in South America, Asia and Africa as it launches a new guided tour program in Europe and sun destinations for 2017. The change will result in the elimination of 12 non-unionized sales and marketing positions in Montreal. From now on, the company will focus on destinations served by Air Transat flights, said spokeswoman Debbie Cabana. Transat recently announced that Germanys TUI AG had made a firm offer to purchase its Transat France and Tourgreece tour businesses, worth about $80.3 million. Transat A.T. operates an integrated travel business that includes flights on its Air Transat airline and vacation packages in North America, Europe and other areas. SHARE: https://soundcloud.com/awardtime/vader-meets-cookie-monster Darth Vader as Cookie Monsters father. Harry Potters Draco and an Amy Lee look-alike falling in love at a Good Charlotte concert. Sailor Moons Sailor Scouts competing over Tuxedo Mask on The Bachelor. The stories are outrageous, but the fan fiction is real in Adam Wards comedy showcase Fan Fiction the Show. Comedians take stories, either scripted or found online, and perform them as a group in front of an audience in a format that Ward compares to a radio play. At just 25 years old, the comedian was burnt out on the traditional standup circuit. I could kind of see the formula of set up, punch line, laugh, he recalls. What did inspire him was the anarchic world of online fan fiction. He rounded up a group of comedians to perform live recitals of stories about, say, the Smurfs navigating the Star Wars universe, or the love-that-dares-not-speak-its-name-outside-of-fan-fiction between Supernaturals Destiel: angel Castiel and mortal Dean, a pairing said to have been spawned in the fan-fiction story Groped by an Angel. Four years later, its a monthly event with 80 to 150 regulars, an audience that is 80 per cent female. Which is crazy for a comedy environment, Ward notes. The group tackles Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan fiction on June 25. The audience got invested early. Ward recalls performing in street clothes while the audience was watching dressed in costumes. The normal-looking people were the ones onstage and the ones who should be onstage were in the audience, Ward, now 29, recalls. Since his showcase began, Ward has crossed paths with others who are spinning comedic gold out of fan fantasies. New Zealands FanFiction Comedystarted in 2011 and hosts a monthly reading in London, England. YouTube superstar Tyler Oakley improvised fan fiction with his audiences during a tour of Australia last month. Los Angeles has Competitive Erotic Fan Fiction, a monthly event and podcast that tends to focus on celebrities. A recent story featured an erotic take on John Candy and Steve Martin sharing a bed in Planes, Trains & Automobiles. The Toronto company Fandom Musicals writes its own scripts and music for ambitious musicals based on X-Men, anime and the Disney video game s Darren Criss founded at the University of Michigan that produced the viral hit . The group was inspired by StarKid, the musical theatre company that Glees Darren Criss founded at the University of Michigan that produced the viral hit A Very Potter Musical. Fandom has produced four musicals since 2013, complete with rousing original music available on streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music. Animezing, a salute to anime, played to an audience of over 300 people at the anime convention Anime North. They also riff on fandom for sketch comedy show What the Fandom, a mashup of comedy pulled from film, video games and memes such as Shia LaBeoufs Just do it! motivational video. In Ottawa, nearly 70 people attended Paul J. Piekoszewskis Fan Fiction event in March, where the stories are as risque as they are ridiculous. At our last event there were three people who wanted to read a story about Donald Trump, he says. Piekoszewski chose just one, which saw Trump tiptoeing out on Melania with a robotic version of himself. For the audience, its almost disbelief that these words are coming out of someones mouth, he says. For the particularly badly written ones, its unusual to hear somebody try to read something in a dramatic fashion that grammatically makes no sense. Or the words are poorly spelled so the reader does their best to read the word as it is written. Despite the preposterous content (a love story between Hogwarts and a giant squid, anyone?), in typical Canadian fashion, neither Piekoszewski nor Ward ascribe a mean streak to their events. I didnt want people to come into the show and think we are ripping peoples fan fiction apart because that is not exactly the spirit of the show, Ward says. The spirit of the show is embracing the weird, embracing how creative something can be. Fan Fiction the Show plays Friday, May 27 at 7 p.m. at Anime North.Fandom Musicals sketch show What the Fandom plays Saturday, May 28 at 3 p.m.at Anime North. Read more about: SHARE: Live music highlights May 26 to June 1: Thursday Mykki Blanco, Coke White, Starlight Michael Quattlebaums alter ego Mykki Blanco is fearless, recently coming out as HIV positive and never shirking from the complexities of being an outsider artist from the LGBTQ community, all reflected in her industrial-tinged and unflinching hip-hop diatribes and videos. The song here off Blancos Dogfood Music Group label compilation C-ORE features the line They dont want to see a man in a dress succeed and she delivers the message like a darkly humorous challenge from a fever dream. Live, prepare for something like a multi-gendered Kool Keith on this first visit since unsettling a lakefront Bjork crowd three years ago. (Velvet Underground, doors 8 p.m.) Friday Ameranouche, Clare de Lune Boston trios name says it all, tying their American roots and French Manouche influences: their gypsy swing, played on traditional French guitars, bounces merrily away on the Django Reinhardt branch of the tree and stops only to draw the odd quick breath. Richard (Shepp) Sheppard and Jack Soref handle said guitars, and Michael Harrist provides ballast on bass. They should have no problem warming up this spot for two nights including Saturday. (Jazz Bistro, 9 p.m.) Saturday Jherek Bischoff, Cistern Composer, conductor, all-rounder, the Seattle native figures to be one of the highlights of this weekends 21C Festival, though his background is as much in rocks artier end (with Amanda Palmer, most notably) as in the more exotic frontiers that pepper this annual showcase, now in its third year. Bischoff, on strings from ukulele to bass guitar, builds his songs into grand and stately orchestrals that will get their full depths explored thanks to an ensemble of 10 Glenn Gould School students and alumni along for the ride. Past Sampler faves Dawn of Midi and The Visit are a complementary match on the bill. (Koerner Hall, 8 p.m.) Sunday Mekaal Hasan Band, Ghunghat Hasans guitar solos and riffage recall prog-rock gods, and the rhythm section lays down steady jazz-funk grooves, while co-founding member Ahsan Papus flute and Sharmistha Chatterjees melismatic vocals come from somewhere else. Its East meeting West, yes, but more notably its also a case of Pakistan (specifically, Lahore) and India (Mumbai) in rare unison. Theyre also down for a Hillside set in July. Here, they kick off a North American tour by sharing top line for Small Worlds Asian Music Series finale, a double bill of sufi sounds that includes the more folk-leaning Haniya Aslam. (Lula Lounge, 8 p.m.) Monday Courtney Barnett, Dead Fox Somehow during her red-hot 2015, the Aussie larrikin managed to avoid Toronto altogether. So the demand for this, only her second club outing here, meant she quickly sold out the citys premiere rock venue and its 1,500 or so capacity. Barnett, a millennial, antipodean Patti Smith, unleashes howitzer rock with her two bandmates, but the songs are so deftly drawn and literate (drop dead funny, too) it would be a shame were her lines to be buried in a muddy mix. Fingers crossed, its the pick of the week. (Danforth Music Hall, doors 7 p.m.) Tuesday MiikeSnow, I Feel the Weight The threesomes electro-pop is smart, hooky stuff, but always with a glowering interior. On latest record iii theyre grinding those gears some, going from their familiar bounce to a more subdued tempo on the number above, with a lyric that suggests some wariness with the biz. They do know it well, with big-name production credits (Britney Spears, Bruno Mars, etc.) on their CVs. They tour in this guise rarely; this visit is their first in four years, a two-night stand that as of this writing was sold out Tuesday but had a few spots left for Wednesday. (Danforth Music Hall, doors 7 p.m.) Wednesday JMSN, Most of All Christian Berishaj, a.k.a. JMSN, brings electronica, jazz and hip hop to his soul, having begun in electropop mode as a young wunderkind in his Snowhite and Christian TV incarnations, then sliding into R&B bedroom grooves on self-produced 2012 debut Priscilla, which brought props from Usher and Kendrick Lamar. Second helping The Blue Album continued the vibe, with just-dropped It Is. Think Massive Attack, The Weeknd and Justin Timberlake at the card table and hes one hit away from beating the casino. (Horseshoe, doors 8:30 p.m.) SHARE: Depending who you talk to, 3D printing is the new frontier of contemporary art making, or a showy gimmick. But the Ryerson Image Centre and the National Gallery of Canada are banking on the former, anointing acclaimed Canadian artists Duane Linklater and Geoffrey Farmer, respectively, as its official explorers. The institutions announced Thursday that the two artists, who are both well established in Canada and abroad, were each recipients of the inaugural $50,000 Be3D Innovation Grant, administered by the Toronto 3D lab Think2Thing. The grant will be used to produce new bodies of work using the technology. Farmer, who will represent Canada at the Venice Biennale next year, will work with the lab to produce components of his project for Venice, the highest profile art event in the world. Linklater, who is First Nations Cree, will continue his work with museum collections of Native North American objects. SHARE: BEDFORD HILLS, N.Y.Jennifer Dumas sits on a sofa, her smiling 6-month-old girl on her lap. The room is full of bright toys and childrens books. A rainbow-colored activity mat is on the floor, and Winnie the Pooh is painted on the walls. It looks like any other nursery, except that there are bars on the windows and barbed-wire fences outside the austere brick building. New Yorks maximum-security Bedford Hills Correctional Facility is one of the very few prisons in the U.S. that allow inmates and their babies to live together, a century-old approach that not all corrections experts agree is the best way to deal with women locked up while pregnant. Mothers who get such a chance say its better than the alternative: In most prisons, babies born behind bars must be given up within a day to a relative or foster care. Before I came here, I thought it was a terrible idea. A baby in prison? No, thank you, the 24-year-old Dumas said as her daughter, Codylynn, gleefully rocked in a bouncy seat. But its actually wonderful to be able to spend this much time with my little girl . . . Im blessed to be able to go through this. Nobody thinks raising babies behind bars is ideal, and some worry that the children could be scarred by the experience. But some advocates say that the practice allows mother and child to develop a vital psychological attachment, and that the parenting classes and other practical instruction help the moms stay out of trouble when they get out. About 112,000 women are in state and federal prisons, mostly for drug or property crimes. And an estimated 1 in 25 are pregnant when they enter, according to the non-profit Sentencing Project. But there are no national statistics on the number of babies born to inmates. Of the more than 100 womens prisons in the U.S., there are eight nurseries. While nearly 100 countries, including South Sudan and France, have national laws that allow for incarcerated mothers to stay with their babies, the U.S. is not among them. Dumas was three weeks pregnant when she was arrested last year, along with her boyfriend, on charges they tried to steal a safe packed with $32,000 in cash and jewelry. Her baby was born just days after she took a plea bargain on attempted burglary charges that sent her to Bedford Hills, about an hour north of New York City, for up to two years. She is now among 15 carefully screened new mothers allowed to serve up to 18 months of their sentences in a nursery unit that includes a communal playroom stocked with toys and mother-and-child rooms equipped with a single bed and a crib. The walls are painted with rainbows, fluffy clouds and jungle and barnyard scenes. The nursery currently has 16 babies, including a set of twins. During workday hours, the babies are taken across the street to a daycare centre, where they are watched by staff and other inmates while the moms go to school or vocational programs. But there are constant reminders it is a prison. Armed officers patrol the unit. And the moms know their babies can be taken away for such infractions as fighting or even leaving a toy in a crib while the baby sleeps. Its still scary, Dumas said. At any given point if you do what youre not supposed to your baby could get sent home. Some women have been dropped from the program from time to time for breaking the rules, but corrections officials and advocates said they could not recall any instances in recent years in which a baby was harmed. Still, some argue that prison should be reserved for punishment and that women should instead consider putting their children up for adoption. The focus should be on whats best for the baby, said James Dwyer, a law professor at the College of William & Mary who has written a paper on the topic. There is skepticism about these women being adequate parents. Columbia University researcher Mary Byrne, who spent years studying mothers and children who started life in Bedford Hills, said that the youngsters formed critical attachments to their mothers and that a second study after they were released found they were no different from children raised entirely on the outside. Many people would assume any exposure to prison would cause problems ... theyll be exposed to violence and horrible people, it will scar them, she said. But thats not what we found. Sister Teresa Fitzgerald, the Roman Catholic nun who runs Hour Children, the non-profit organization that operates Bedford Hills nursery, put it more bluntly: Babies belong with their mother. In a palace or a prison, they dont know and dont care as long as they feel loved and supported. The nursery is operated under an annual contract with the state of about $170,000, the correction department said. It would cost $480,000 a year to put 16 babies in foster care, according to state figures. Bedford Hills recidivism rate for women in the nursery program is fairly typical of such programs, at 13 per cent versus 26 per cent for all female inmates at the prison, according to a report by the Womens Prison Association, an advocacy group. Bedford Hills has the oldest continuously operating prison nursery in the country, opened in 1901. There were many nurseries years ago, according to Elaine Lord, the former superintendent. But they fell out of favour amid a huge influx of prisoners in the 1980s and a shift in thinking that said the privilege of living with your baby was inconsistent with the concept of punishment. Most of the nations prison nurseries have cropped up in the past 20 years. The nursery at the Indiana Womens Prison houses up to 10 mother-infant pairs for up to 18 months. In South Dakota, a child can stay only 30 days. In Washington state, its three years. The Decatur Correctional Center in Illinois opened a nursery in 2007, and 73 moms have participated. In Decatur, Kalee Ford, who is about 26 weeks pregnant and in prison on a drug-related conviction, already has been accepted into the program and is taking prenatal courses. She said she wasnt the mother she could have been to her two other children because of methamphetamine. The program is giving her hope that she can clean up for good. I believe that everybody deserves at least one chance to fix mistakes that theyve made, she said. My children didnt do this, and they deserve to have me back. At Decatur, Bedford Hills and other programs, mothers-to-be are selected based on their crimes and whether there is any history of child abuse. Many advocates question why such women need to be incarcerated at all. Typically, women accepted into these programs are nonviolent offenders serving fairly short sentences ideal candidates for less-expensive, halfway house-like programs for mother and child. After their sentences are up, almost all of the mothers at Bedford go to a live-in halfway house in New York City run by Fitzgeralds organization that also helps with daycare and jobs. Mothers say its a golden ticket. Dumas, who has a son on the outside, hopes to go there, too. Its a way to get on my feet, try being a parent again on the outside but with a safety net, she said. I dont know anyone who gets that. SHARE: WINNIPEGFresh off a majority mandate and the first months in government, Liberal party stalwarts are gathering in Winnipeg for what is expected to be a celebratory weekend with little controversy. The Liberals are holding their biennial policy convention in Winnipeg Thursday through Saturday, the first gathering of party faithful since Justin Trudeau led the party from third-place opposition to a commanding majority government. The convention will take place in the context of the Liberals enjoying a comfortable lead in recent public opinion polling, while their main opposition parties remain in search of new leadership. For the Conservatives, that search begins in earnest at a convention in Vancouver this weekend. For the New Democrats who after an unprecedented vote decided to oust leader Thomas Mulcair at their convention in Edmonton last month the vote for a new leader will wait until the fall of 2017. Trudeau will address the crowd in a keynote speech Saturday afternoon, after returning from G7 meetings in Japan. Thursday and Friday will be devoted mainly to strategy sessions for party activists on everything from the environment to democratic reform to reading the tea leaves after last Octobers federal election. Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne will also deliver a speech, as will three Atlantic Canadian premiers all Liberal, presiding over a region of the country that was completely swept by their federal counterparts last October. The largest and potentially most controversial proposal at the policy convention comes from Trudeaus team. The prime minister has put forward a sweeping proposal to overhaul the Liberal partys constitution, streamlining the partys operations and, a number of observers note, centralizing more power in the partys higher-ups. Perhaps most importantly, this new constitution modernizes our movement to win in 2019 by unifying the party under one streamlined constitution and party structure, while strongly supporting the regional voices and local organizing that have helped us effectively engage Canadians and their ideas, Trudeau wrote in an open letter to members. The changes would eliminate the $10 fee for becoming a card-carrying Liberal, gives the national board of directors more flexibility, and casts aside old rules that Trudeaus team call arcane and suggest no longer serve their intended purpose. That vote will take place Saturday afternoon, just after Trudeau addresses the crowd, which leaves plenty of time for backroom arm-twisting for members who may have misgivings about the new structure. Read more about: SHARE: Canadas ambassador to Ireland tackled a protester who interrupted a memorial service in Dublin on Thursday. During a ceremony to remember British soldiers who died during the Easter Rising in 1916, Ambassador Kevin Vickers intercepted a protester who ran up to the podium, Global Affairs Canada said in a statement. Vickers was sergeant-at-arms at the House of Commons when Michael Zehaf-Bibeau stormed Parliament Hill after killing a soldier outside in October 2014. He shot Zehaf-Bibeau dead. Vickers was named Canadas ambassador to Ireland in January 2015. Thursdays incident occurred at a wreath-laying ceremony at Grangegorman Military Cemetery, which honoured British soldiers who died during the Easter Rising, when an armed rebellion of Irish Republicans tried to create an independent Irish state. Wearing a Justice for the Craigavon T-shirt, the man ran towards the dignitaries, shouting Its a disgrace, an eyewitness told the Independent. The Craigavon is a contested area of Northern Ireland that was a hotbed for violence during the Troubles. The whole thing lasted about a minute. The Canadian ambassador grabbed him. There was a struggle and (police) wrestled him to the ground, the unnamed witness told the Independent. Without hesitation he (Vickers) jumped out from the middle of dignitaries. Vickers was representing Canada as a guest of the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flanagan, Global Affairs said in a statement. The protester was arrested by Irish police, Global Affairs said. On social media, both Canadians and Irish praised his quick reflexes and heralded him as a bad ass. But not everyone was impressed. Some people in Ireland expressed concern that a foreign official would physically tackle a protester. How people in Ireland reacted on social media SHARE: At the midpoint of her mandate, Kathleen Wynne has reached a low ebb. Memories of her political honeymoon, when she grasped the Liberal mantle amid Dalton McGuintys decline, are long forgotten. Today, barely one in five voters supports her as premier. So is she done like Dalton? Not so fast, Wynne counters, taken aback by the question. Were in the middle of a four-year mandate were in the middle of implementing a very important plan, she begins. And Im going to be running in 2018. Interviewed in her Queens Park office, Wynne is philosophical about her determination to reconnect with Ontario voters. They gave her a majority two years ago, and she needs two more years to make her case. With the province on a roll, it shouldnt be that hard: Ontarios economic growth looks set to lead the country. Unemployment keeps trending down. Economists agree the budget deficit will disappear next year. A promised pension for every Ontario worker is taking shape, and free tuition is coming to more postsecondary students. Despite all those positive measures, one metric Wynnes performance rating remains stubbornly depressed. Are Ontarians tiring of her after three years in power, ready for a change after 13 years of Liberal rule or both? It didnt help Wynnes public standing that she persisted in defending our indefensible election financing rules until a Star expose prompted her to introduce badly needed reforms this month. Her leaden handling of the fundraising fiasco suggested a disconnect the premier cosying up to big corporate and union donors despite her carefully cultivated image as a grassroots political reformer. Wynne now concedes her slow response misjudged the publics appetite for change. I acknowledge that the public discussion kind of came at a time when we hadnt moved as far as we might have, she says. Could we have moved sooner? Yes, we could have. Im glad were moving now, and were going to get it done. The fundraising debate may also have fed into a general public perception, carefully exploited by the opposition parties, that the government lacks clean hands: The lingering controversy over cancelled gas-fired power plants dating from the 2011 election, revived in the 2014 campaign, and sure to be repeated in 2018 still hangs over the Liberal brand. She is mindful of how the attacks from the new PC leader, Patrick Brown, are playing. I havent gotten to this point in my political life by underestimating the opposition, she muses. Thats their prerogative to use that kind of negativity. Part of Wynnes frustration is that she has unveiled a number of progressive measures that have brought her little political credit but yielded considerable public flak. She brought in sweeping measures against sexual harassment, revamped the provinces outdated sex education curriculum, and has focused her cabinet on aboriginal concerns with new initiatives. Ontario will also roll out its own cap and trade program in the coming weeks to fight global warming. The Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (ORPP) is perhaps the countrys boldest social reform of recent years, launched after Ottawa and the provinces failed to move on a badly needed enhancement of the existing Canada Pension Plan. Wynne will discuss CPP reform Thursday with Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, but says the process has yet to produce the required miracle, meaning its full steam ahead on ORPP. Despite all these measures or perhaps because of them Wynne isnt winning popularity points. In political terms, introducing so many targeted reforms may strike voters as a grab bag, while the more ambitious pension and carbon pricing plans have aroused opposition from special interests in the business sector that drown out constituencies supporting environmental and social change. All of which pose an undeniable political challenge to Wynne as she attempts to revive her diminished public standing at the mid-term mark. With two years until the next election admittedly an eternity, especially in provincial politics will she grow on voters, or will they grow ever more weary of her? A major cabinet shuffle is coming next month to put a fresh face on a tired front bench. But the real remedy for Wynne is to publicly identify her political legacy no, it cant be beer and wine in grocery stores and unveil a vision for the future. Wynne wants to be known as a builder laying down infrastructure, but also investing in the building blocks of education, the passion she says drew her into politics: Thats the motivator for me. Two years down. Two years left. At which point well see whether Wynne, a fiercely competitive politician, wins the four more years she wants. Martin Regg Cohns Ontario politics column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. mcohn@thestar.ca , Twitter: @reggcohn Read more about: SHARE: Ontario is in the midst of a once-in-a-generation opportunity as the provincial government cracks open the laws governing policing. With an exclusive look at submissions for change from Ontarios human rights watchdog, the Toronto Star begins a series looking at the future of policing. Ontarios human rights watchdog has laid out a bold blueprint for policing during the critical moment when the provinces rule book is being rewritten. The recommendations are contained in the Ontario Human Rights Commissions recent submissions to the province on its Strategy for a Safer Ontario, essentially a rewriting of the Police Services Act, the law governing policing in the province. Last revisited more than 25 years ago, the law is being rewritten at a time of unprecedented scrutiny of policing throughout North America, enhanced technology, and shifting ideas about who and what a modern police force should be. The moment is ripe to have a broad-ranging discussion about policing, Renu Mandhane, Ontarios chief human rights commissioner, said during a recent meeting with the Toronto Stars editorial board. This is a vision for policing into the future. The commissions proposed changes deal with racial profiling, mandated race-based data collection and body-worn cameras, disparities in the use of force on people with mental illness and addiction, over-policing of indigenous peoples, and a lack of human-rights accountability. Those changes are backed by 16 community and advocacy groups, including the Law Union of Ontario, Canadian Civil Liberties Association, African Canadian Legal Clinic, Campaign to Stop Carding, Black Action Defence Committee and Metro Toronto Chinese & Southeast Asian Legal Clinic. Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Yasir Naqvi says he hopes to have legislation tabled by the end of this year. This is a critical moment and an important opportunity to clearly articulate a framework for policing that puts human rights at its centre, says the introduction to the commissions submissions. Accountability Police Canada-wide have shown an aversion to establishing permanent race- and human rights-based data collection practices. The commission wants the province to require all police services to collect human rights-based data on stops of civilians, use-of-force incidents and police inquiries about immigration status. Echoing the calls of criminologists and some progressive police figures, the commission says the data should be standardized, disaggregated, tabulated and publicly reported by each police service. Once publicly available, the data could be closely monitored by civilian police boards, which could then demand change if necessary. It would be very hard for police boards not to hold their police accountable, said Mandhane. This kind of data collection was something the commission, in a past partnership with the Toronto Police Service, had pushed for. It never came to be. This time, the commission wants the province to write it into law. Although it expressed concerns about privacy in regard to body-worn cameras, the commission is calling for an independent study into the feasibility of equipping every officer in the province with one. It also wants the province to ensure that officers are disciplined, up to and including dismissal, when their behaviour is consistent with racial profiling or discriminatory use of force on people with mental health disabilities and/or addictions. And it calls for the addition of interveners in police disciplinary tribunals. Police boards should be required to address systemic discrimination by directing chiefs of police with respect to policy or practices informed by policy governing the carrying out of duties and responsibilities of the police, it says. In other words, follow board policy when it comes to practices such as carding, which became so publicly toxic in Toronto that former police chief Bill Blair, who refused to write procedures in keeping with a more restrictive policy, instead suspended the practice. Racial profiling The province has attempted to entrench policing in charter rights by trying to curb racially skewed arbitrary stops with new regulations on carding or street checks. But the commission says systemic racial profiling extends beyond carding to all kinds of police interactions, including arrests, use of force and DNA sampling. It wants Ontario to adopt strict directives to address and end racial profiling and give officers clear guidelines on when and how they may stop people. It is also calling for a ban on checking the immigration status of victims, witnesses or individuals under investigation, unless there are credible, non-discriminatory reasons for the check. Training An understanding of human rights needs to be at the heart of all police training and not just for officers, but also their boards and other oversight agencies. The commission recommends providing detailed human rights training at least every three years, with everyone from new recruits to supervisors required to participate. That training should address racial profiling, mental health, de-escalation techniques and unconscious bias and be developed in conjunction with affected parties, such as local racialized and marginalized communities. We think that that would mean that the training would be responsive to the local needs in the community, said Mandhane. Besides teaching officers that racial profiling violates the law including the charter and the Police Services Act they should be told that engaging in it could result in discipline, including dismissal. Training on bias and stereotyping may better equip officers to distinguish real threats based on objective evidence or criteria from assumptions about dangerousness based on bias and stereotypes, the commission writes. Vulnerable people People with mental health issues and addictions are more likely to come into contact with police and are more likely to be subject to officer use of force because of behaviours and responses to police instructions that are interpreted as unusual, unpredictable or inappropriate, the report says. As well, some officers rely on stereotypical assumptions about dangerousness or violence when deciding whether to use force. Both can have disastrous results, including serious injury and death. Amid a rising death toll involving police and vulnerable people, the report echoes recommendations that have mounted over the decades, only to be shelved or only partly addressed. The province, says the commission, should require officers to use de-escalation techniques and effective communication, and avoid force for as long as possible. It should also be a rule that a mobile crisis intervention team or officers with special training and skills are available at all times. The commission also weighed in on potential privacy concerns over what is known as the community hub model, or situation tables innovative diversion programs that bring support workers, service providers and police together to devise alternatives to criminal charges. It said having the individuals consent to be part of this is important. Without it, personal information could be shared that would end up stigmatizing the person by leaving details in a searchable database, not unlike that developed through carding. The commission is asking the government to adopt recommendations from the Information and Privacy Commissioner on this issue. Indigenous communities The over-representation of indigenous people in jail starts with policing, Mandhane said. And inequity in funding for First Nations police services has a clear impact on public safety in affected communities. Amnesty International has raised concerns over Ontarios failure to fully implement recommendations stemming from the Ipperwash inquiry in 2007. In a coming federal inquiry, there are particular concerns about racism and sexism through under-policing in investigations of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, notes the commission, which wants Ontario to ensure the inquiry examines cases from the province. SHARE: SHIMA, JAPANJustin Trudeau talked up trade and warned of creeping protectionism Thursday as he met powerful world leaders in a G7 setting for the first time. On the opening day of the G7 summit in Japan, Trudeau also used his audience with the heads of some of the planets biggest economies to promote Canadas free-trade deal with Europe. He focused on the Canada-European Union treaty, known as CETA, in a bilateral chat with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Trudeau discussed the pact again in a one-on-one meeting with French President Francois Hollande. And, in a working session with all the leaders, Trudeau once more touted the merits of international trade. When the middle class are anxious about their economic realities in their future, its easy to get trapped in demagoguery and protectionism, Trudeau told his peers at the remote Shima resort, which was shielded by barbwire-topped fences, checkpoints and waves of security officers scattered along a huge perimeter. We know trade-intensive industries pay 50 per cent higher wages, so we need to make a case for trade its not just about nice political speeches. Lawrence Herman, a Toronto-based trade lawyer with Herman and Associates, said Trudeau was targeting his remarks at the darkening clouds on the trade horizon, notably in the U.S. where the presidential candidates from both parties have come down hard against trade deals. So Trudeau wisely wants the G7 to strongly endorse a free-trade agenda, which hopefully will help spur CETA ratification in Europe and pressure the U.S. Congress to approve (the Trans-Pacific Partnership), both of which are languishing. The G7 leaders largely focused their discussions on the global economy as the summit got underway. The host, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, called upon his counterparts to act to steer the world away from another global economic crisis. U.S. President Barack Obama supported Abes call. Weve all got a lot of work to do and we agreed to continue to focus on making sure that each country, based on its particular needs and capacities, is taking steps to accelerate growth, Obama said. Trudeau took a harder line and promoted his governments plan to run deficits in order to invest in the economy as a way to boost growth. Its not a question of whether to make investments, but what we are making investments in, Trudeau told the session. Trudeaus personal G7 representative, who negotiates the wording of the leaders joint statement, said this years meeting is the prime ministers first chance to tell his peers directly about Canadas deficit-fuelled approach to lifting its economy. But Peter Boehm said each G7 country has its own system and its own unique set of circumstances to navigate. The tools are not necessarily common to all, nor would the approaches be, but its an opportunity to do a little bit of show and tell, he said. G7 meetings, Boehm added, differ from other forums in the sense that leaders can have frank discussions with each another. Those discussions included a lot of talk about CETA, which Boehm noted was Trudeaus main focus heading into his meeting with Merkel. Canada and the EU have signed CETA and, once ratified, the pact could come into force as early as next year. International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland has hailed it as a gold-plated trade deal. Ratification will give Canada access to a 28-country market of 500 million people. On Wednesday in Tokyo, Freeland echoed Trudeaus concerns about shifting global sentiment about trade. Were also very aware of the rising protectionist tide in many countries and we believe that its important to push against that tide, Freeland told reporters at the Canadian embassy. And we also believe that one of the essential ways to do that is to be sure that the public, in our case Canadians, really feel engaged in the trade debate. The Trudeau government is also highlighting trade on the world stage as Britons prepare to vote in a June 23 referendum to decide whether they should leave the EU. A vote in favour of the so-called Brexit would have an impact on CETA. Trudeau, Merkel and Obama have spoken out against Britain leaving the EU. Germany and France are key to getting (CETA) ratified in Europe, so (Trudeaus) emphasis is smart, John Kirton, director of the G8 Research Group at University of Toronto, wrote in an email Thursday. It would show the EU liberalizing to offset the Brexit fears. Trudeau is also leading a push at the Group of Seven summit that will likely broaden a previous agreement by the leaders to stop paying ransom for the release of kidnapped citizens, Boehm told reporters Thursday. Boehm said that theres a growing sense around the table that citizens from these major economies can be in danger at any time. They also believe the problem isnt going away, he said. And by paying ransom you are just aiding and abetting the terrorists, said Boehm, whos also Canadas deputy minister of international development. Trudeau, he added, has been trying to encourage his G7 counterparts inside the fortified, seaside hotel in Shima to strengthen their position on the issue. In 2013, the G7 leaders released a joint statement at the end of the summit saying they unequivocally reject the payment of ransoms to terrorists in line with a United Nations Security Council Resolution. The rule, the document said, prevents the payment of ransoms, directly or indirectly, to terrorists designated under the UN Al Qaeda sanctions regime. Recent events have made the issue of particular concern for Trudeau and his government. Last month, Canadian hostage John Ridsdel was beheaded by Abu Sayyaf militants in the Philippines who had demanded a large sum of cash in exchange for his release. Leaders at the G7 summit also discussed several other topics Thursday, including the migrant crisis. Merkel said she didnt expect the final communique to include solid offers from other G7 members to accept refugees. However, she mentioned she told Trudeau during their bilateral meeting how much she appreciated the large number of refugees Canada has taken in. One has to consider that Canada isnt right next to Syria and yet it still feels responsible for the problems there, the German chancellor said. Germany opened its doors to about 1.1 million migrants last year, which raised concerns countrywide about how it would cope with the influx. On Friday, G7 leaders are scheduled to discuss issues such as climate, energy, prosperity in Asia, the empowerment of women, health and Africa. SHARE: After online ballot box stuffing invalidated the first try, Torontonians are again being invited to vote for a permanent name for the $25-million Gardiner underpass transformation. Waterfront Toronto says people can vote online once for either The Bentway or the The Artery between noon Thursday and noon Monday. An earlier competition that saw those names compete with The Canopy and The Gathering Place was invalidated after, in its final hours, a surge of votes for The Artery made it catch up to The Bentway, which had been a clear leader for days. A bent is a concrete support holding up an expressway. A panel came up with the four-name shortlist after a public engagement campaign yielded 884 suggestions. Plans to transform 1.75 kilometres of drab underpass into lively spaces with parks, markets and more were triggered by an unprecedented $25-million donation to the city from philanthropists Judy and Wil Matthews. A small contingent tried to manipulate the voting outcome by adding invalid votes to one of the front-runner names, the waterfront revitalization agency said in a statement. The voting rules clearly stated that a valid email address is needed to vote and that voting is limited to once a day. Waterfront Toronto, funded by the city, provincial and federal governments, hired a research and data firm, which removed the fraudulent votes from the final count, leaving the two front-runners only 10 votes apart. The company, Vox Pop Lab, suggested that Waterfront Toronto hold an online runoff between The Bentway and The Artery, with extra safeguards to prevent multiple votes. Voters must provide a valid email address and can vote only once. Unlike last time, real-time results will not be displayed online. We do not want the actions of a few to derail the spirit of our naming campaign, the agency said. While we are disappointed that some individuals attempted digital ballot box stuffing, in order to subvert an open and public vote, we are thankful for all of the interest and enthusiasm we have generated. If all goes smoothly, Waterfront Toronto will announce the winner next week after a validation process. That name will go to city council, which will make the final decision. The projects name and logo will be unveiled in June or July. Read more about: SHARE: After a three-week hearing that delved into issues of racial profiling and carding, the jury at the Jermaine Carby coroners inquest has returned 14 recommendations, some aimed at combating officers unconscious bias. The five-member jury also determined that Carbys September 2014 police shooting death was a homicide. Jury members heard that at the time of his death, Carby a 33-year-old black man was struggling with mental health issues. The case stood the risk of being ruled a suicide-by-cop. We know for a fact that Jermaine didnt want to die that night, said La Tanya Grant, Carbys cousin, adding that Carbys family will be pleased the jury did not rule his death was suicide. The finding does not bring any criminal consequence for Peel Regional Police Const. Ryan Reid, the officer who pulled the trigger, or any officers involved in the shooting. The purpose of a coroners inquest is not to assign blame but to determine who died and by what means. Jury members then typically make recommendations to avoid future fatalities. The most important recommendations in this case concern unconscious bias and racial profiling, according to the Carby family lawyer, Faisal Mirza. The jury recommended that the Ontario Police College which trains all police recruits in the province and Peel Regional Police use the circumstances of Carbys death in training scenarios to illustrate issues of unconscious bias, particularly in cases of police traffic stops. They also recommended the police college and Peel police develop a method to objectively measure the effectiveness of training, not just on unconscious bias, but also on mental health issues, de-escalation in crisis situations, and use of force. Officers should be tested, graded and must meet a benchmark in order to pass, the jury wrote. Staff Sgt. Bill Ford, spokesperson for Peel police, said the force will be carefully considering the recommendations brought forward by the jury in order to ensure our officers receive the best training available. Mirza said the recommendations focused on unconscious bias bring some justice to Carby and his family, because they acknowledge that the circumstances of his death were consistent with racial profiling. For us, thats a game-changer, he said. We believe that part of the reason (Carby) was targeted was because he was an African Canadian male sitting as a passenger in a vehicle. The jury has acknowledged, in our view, that this is an important part of the background of this case, and that officers need to be better trained so this doesnt happen again. Carby was killed on the evening of Sept. 24, 2013, on a busy Brampton street, after the car in which he was a passenger was pulled over by Peel Const. Jason Senechal. The officer testified at the inquest that he pulled over the car because the licence plate was askew and the front lights were off. Shortly after the stop, Senechal asked Carby, who was sitting in the front seat, for identification, setting off a fatal chain of events. Senechal ran Carbys name through his in-car computer and discovered an outstanding warrant in British Columbia. When Senechal returned to the car and asked him about the warrant, Carby became defensive. He got out of the car, pulled a knife and was shot by Reid, who had arrived as backup. Why Carby was asked for his name and date of birth in the first place was a key unanswered question until the inquest, since passengers are not legally required to provide their personal information to police during a traffic stop. In a revelation that Grant says is the most important to come out of the inquest, jurors heard that Senechal asked Carby for that information because he was conducting a street check. Also known as carding, street checks are the controversial police tactic whereby officers ask an individual not suspected of crime for identification, then enter that personal information into a police database. The practice has been used disproportionately against young black men, and has left many members of the black community feeling targeted by police. When asked by Mirza whether he was aware that carding left some members of Bramptons black community feeling harassed, Senechal said he was not. The jury recommended Peel police consult with a cross-section of communities within Peel and implement their feedback into police training. Grant said she was pleased to the see the recommendations about unconscious bias. For the jury to realize that this is something that is happening that we need to actually take into consideration and try to stop, Im pleased with that, she said. Both Grant and Mirza say the recommendations on unconscious bias bode well for future inquests into police shooting deaths where racial profiling may be a factor. Because it was addressed in this inquest, for instance, it may play a larger role in the upcoming inquest into the Toronto police shooting death of Andrew Loku, a South Sudanese man killed in July 2015. As for Jermaine Carby, his name will live on, Grant said. His inquest is now setting a precedent for future inquests. - THE TOP 5 RECOMMENDATIONS The jury in the coroners inquest into the death of Jermaine Carby came back with 14 recommendations, including: That the Ontario Police College and Peel Regional Police Service use the circumstances of Carbys death as a training scenario to highlight issues of unconscious bias in policing. That the college and Peel police, when providing training on how to deal with people with edged weapons, instruct officers to stop shouting commands such as Drop the weapon! at someone failing to comply, and instead attempt different defusing communication strategies. That the college and Peel police develop a method to objectively measure the effectiveness of officer training for unconscious bias, mental health issues, de-escalation and use of force. That Peel police study the feasibility of in-vehicle or body-worn recording devices to document their interactions with police. That the college and Peel police provide both new recruits and experienced officers with training on techniques to contain crisis situations wherever possible, so as to slow down the course of events and permit specialized teams to come in, such as the Mobile Crisis Intervention team. SHARE: A woman employed by the Toronto District School Board has been arrested following an investigation into a decade-old sexual assault case. According to a Toronto police statement, the woman is accused of sexually assaulting a student during and after school hours between September 2001 and June 2003. The student was between 14 and 16 at the time. The woman worked at Bloor Collegiate Institute as an educational assistant during the time of the alleged sexual assaults and currently is employed at The Elms Junior Middle School & Boys Leadership Academy in Etobicoke, as a teacher in the short-term behaviour program. She is currently on home assignment, pending outcome of the matter. The school sent a letter to parents Thursday advising them of the arrest. While it is important to remember that laying criminal charges does not constitute guilt, and that a person is innocent until proven otherwise in a court of law, we also cannot and do not take these allegations lightly, the letter said. The TDSB will hold a meeting for parents Tuesday to review procedures and answer questions. Police said they are concerned there may be other victims. Yolande Bernadette Byarn, 47, of Peel Region, has been charged with two counts of sexual assault and two counts of sexual exploitation. She is to appear at Old City Hall court July 5. Anyone with information is asked to call 11 Division at 416-808-1100 or CrimeStoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477. SHARE: Family and friends of Candice Rochelle Bobb will be gathering today and on Friday for a funeral and visitation session in Brampton for the 35-year-old Toronto woman who was shot and killed while 24 weeks pregnant with a baby boy. A press release issued by Toronto Police on behalf of Bobbs family reported that the baby, who was born through an emergency C-section, is currently in serious, but stable condition and continues to gain weight. On May 15, at around 11:30 p.m., Bobb was on her way home from a basketball game when she became the victim of a shooting at Jamestown Cres. and John Garland Blvd. She was seated in the backseat of what police said was a targeted vehicle with three other occupants when she was shot. She was rushed to the hospital where she was pronounced dead. Bobb, who was the mother of a 16-year-old and a 12-year-old, was not the target of the shooting, police told the Star. It is still unclear why she was killed and who killed her. On Sunday, community members held a vigil for Bobb in Rexdale. SHARE: It had been five years since Kumuda Shetty had last seen her son Sudesh. She would have liked to embrace him, hold him close and tell him that she was proud of the life he had built for himself in Canada, and how he had supported his family back in India. Instead, when the two were finally reunited on April 30 in his hometown of Mangalore, she rubbed his body with saffron, one of the first steps in Hindu funeral rites. On April 14, Toronto police found Sudesh dead of an apparent drug overdose, according to his family. Although little else is known about the details surrounding his death, police say the death is not suspicious. The last time Kumuda spoke to her son, on April 10, she says he seemed happy. He was excited to start a new job as a chef at the Delta Hotel in downtown Toronto, a big move up in his career. Before saying goodbye, he reminded his mom to take her medications. My Sudesh was a responsible boy. He was so caring, his mother told the Star over the phone in Hindi, her voice choked with tears. He was really happy, said his sister, Sumitha. But cracks had started to show in the new life that Sudesh had built for himself in Canada. He was on a temporary work visa and his application for permanent residency was not going well, friends and family said, and he was worried that after years of hard work, he might have to leave the country. Sudeshs roommate, Alwyn Lewis got the call from police. Looking back, Lewis remembers one day a month ago when he came home and found Sudesh disturbed and worried. I want to go back home, Sudesh told him through tears. What happened? Lewis asked. Ill tell you tomorrow, Sudesh promised, but he never did. Maybe if he would have opened up a little bit, with his problems and issues that he was going through, whatever level it was, it would have helped avoid this situation, Lewis said. Sudeshs struggles are not unusual, according to Dr. Kwame McKenzie, CEO of the Wellesley Institute, who studies the social effects of mental illness. We always think of drug overdoses and suicides as being preventable. Theyre only preventable if people get the services that they need, he said. Although everybody responds to mental health differently, McKenzie said that research shows that South Asian immigrants only use 35 per cent of the mental health services per capita that the Canadian-born population does, in part because many of these services are downtown, away from the suburbs where they have settled. Social stigma and fear that they may be discriminated against for seeking help are also a factor, he said. Add addiction to that mix, and immigrants who are already vulnerable can feel even more isolated. Some may avoid getting help because they are afraid of what it might mean for their immigration, said Cliff Ledwos, director of primary health care at Access Alliance Multicultural Community Health Services. But its important that people know they can seek help with community health services without getting in trouble, he said. Youre not alone, seek help. Lewis met Sudesh almost five years ago, not long after Sudesh arrived in Canada to study culinary skills at Humber College. Lewis remembers Sudesh as an ideal roommate quiet and a cleaning freak. The two had worked together at the Udupi Palace, a Little India restaurant that specializes in the fiery hot dosas of southern India, where Sudesh was from. Udupi Palace owner Hubert DMello says Sudesh was one of his hardest working employees, who was driven by his desire to help his family. Whatever money he would get here, he would send back home, DMello said. Its a common experience in 2012, the World Bank estimated that people living in Canada sent $24 billion to relatives around the globe. But the pressure can be intense, DMello said. A lot of people come and they think Oh, I have to send home money, he said. My first advice to anyone who wants to send home money is to meet your expenses here first . . . After all that, if you have some left, you send that back home. So theyre OK and youre also OK. While many arrive to Canada healthy, over time, the stresses and pressures of making a new life in a new country lower wages, longer commutes and loneliness can take a toll on mental health, McKenzie said. New immigrants are half as likely to have a mental or physical ailment when they arrive in Canada as the Canadian-born population, according to a 2005 study published in Regional Science. Seven years later, that same immigrant population is about a third more likely to report poor health, the study found. We spend a lot of money and time identifying really smart, bright immigrants to come to the country, and when they come, we dont spend anywhere near as much time trying to help them settle in and to keep them well, he said. McKenzie said theres a clear need more community-based mental health services, closer to where immigrants actually live but we just dont do it. After learning of Sudeshs death, Lewis and Udupi Palace owner Hubert DMello helped organize a Go Fund Me campaign to send his body back to India. If they hadnt, Sudeshs body would have been cremated in Toronto, and his family would never have had the closure they need. In total, 658 people helped raise more than $34,000 well above the $9,000 it cost to fly the body home. DMello said the rest of the money will be given to Sudeshs family, to help with the cost of the funeral and to make up for the loss of income, as Sudesh had been one of the primary breadwinners for his family. With files from Shree Paradkar and Toronto Star staff Read more about: SHARE: LE HAVRE, FRANCEFrench protesters scuffled with police, dock workers set off smoke bombs and union activists disrupted fuel supplies and nuclear plants Thursday in the biggest challenge yet to President Francois Hollandes government as it tries to give employers more flexibility. On a day of nationwide strikes and protests, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls opened the door to possible changes in the labour bill thats triggering all the anger but said the government would not abandon it. Union activists said its too late to compromise. Posters at a protest in the port of Le Havre bore a blood red tombstone representing the bill reading: Not amendable, not negotiable: Withdraw the El Khomri Law. The draft law, aimed at boosting hiring after a decade of nearly 10-per-cent unemployment and slow but corrosive economic decline, relaxes rules around the 35-hour work week, weakens the power of unions and leaves workers less protected from layoffs. Determined to defend Frances labour protections, union activists have targeted the strategic fuel industry in recent days, causing gasoline shortages. The countrys two main oil ports were blocked Thursday and only two of the Frances eight refineries were working, the head of the UFIP oil industry lobby, Francis Duseux, told The Associated Press. There could be improvements and modifications in the bill, Valls said on BFM television Thursday. He didnt elaborate on what might be changed, and insisted that the heart of the bill a measure weakening the power of unions over workplace rules should remain. Withdrawing the bill is not possible, he said. Union activists and ordinary workers took to the streets in several cities. In Paris, police detained nine people and scuffled with masked protesters as several thousands marched from the Bastille plaza through eastern Paris. Members of the firmly leftist CGT union, leading the protests, remain angry that the government forced the bill through the lower house of parliament without a vote because of division in the Socialist majority. Valls is hardening his tone? Well were hardening our tone, too! an organizer shouted into a loudspeaker at the Normandy Bridge, in northern France, where some 200 to 300 trade unionists and other protesters gathered to block traffic. The union activists then made their way into the port city of Le Havre, waving red flags, a percussion band leading the way. At least 10,000 dock workers and others poured into an esplanade in front of Le Havre city hall, setting off smoke bombs and threatening bystanders. They tossed powerful fireworks into the fountains, sending plumes of water rising into the air as the square reverberated with explosions. The demonstration was rowdy at times one Associated Press journalist was egged and the protesters pelted the mayors office with paint bombs yet protesters took care to stay off the manicured lawn. One demonstrator was spotted urinating against the mayors office beside bright yellow graffiti reading: Hollande, Valls, Resign. Fabien Gloaguen, an activist with the militant Workers Force movement, said the government would have to back down. Hes going to withdraw it, Gloaguen said. Valls insisted the bill is good for workers and small businesses, and argued that many of its critics are ill-informed of its contents. In addition to loosening rules about the 35-hour work week, the bill makes it easier to fire workers in times of economic downturn, and weakens the power of unions to set working conditions across an entire sector. The stakes are high for the deeply unpopular Hollande, whose term runs out next year, and for French unions, which have lost membership in recent years. Were at an interesting juncture. If the movement finishes once more in failure, it might make further mobilization more complicated, said Stephane Sirot, a historian of the French union movement at the University of Cergy-Pontoise. He said its been decades since a left-wing government has been confronted with a nationwide strike of this magnitude. Two months of protests escalated over the past week as unions targeted the sensitive oil industry, blocking fuel depots and refineries. The government has started using its strategic fuel reserves and forcing depots to reopen, but supplies remained spotty Thursday, with long lines and caps on purchases. Drivers endured long waits to reach gas pumps, railing at the strikes, the government and the overall funk in France. Prices have risen noticeably at gas pumps and some stations are rationing. But at the blocked Normandy Bridge, at least one pair of travellers said they didnt mind. Its for us that theyre doing this, said Jean-Luc Geraert, whose battered white van was caught behind the makeshift barricade. Geraert, a 55-year-old industrial painter, said if the government doesnt back down soon, its going to get worse. Read more about: SHARE: BERLINThe head of the Buchenwald Memorial site on Thursday blamed growing right-wing populism in Europe for an incident in which members of a British neo-Nazi group appear to have performed a Hitler salute at the former concentration camp. German daily Bild reported that a picture posted on a social media site linked to the group National Action showed a blurry image of two people holding the far-right groups flag, their right arms raised in salute. The photo was posted on the groups Twitter page. The Buchenwald Memorial Foundation said it filed a criminal complaint to police after being informed of the picture. Volkhard Knigge, the foundations director, said it recorded 20 incidents last year that were attributed to German far-right extremists. The figure was twice as high as in 2014, he said. In view of the growing right-wing populism in other European countries provocations by foreign neo-Nazis were also feared, said Knigge. The photo apparently staged by British neo-Nazis in the basement of the crematorium of Buchenwald concentration camp demonstrates a specific criminal, ideological energy. This is a serious denigration of the almost 280,000 prisoners at Buchenwald, among the Britons, said Knigge. The room in which the picture was allegedly taken was used by the Nazis to store the corpses of the estimated 56,000 people killed at Buchenwald before they were burned. The SS also strangled more than 1,000 men, women and children on metal hooks attached to the rooms walls. Knigge said the room was guarded, meaning that the two people pictured on the photo must have planned their stunt in advance. Buchenwald, near the eastern city of Weimar, was opened in July 1937. U.S. forces liberated the camp on April 11, 1945. Read more about: SHARE: Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe granted amnesty to all female prisoners barring those on death row and serving life sentences as his government struggles to meet the costs of running a country where the economy has halved in size since 2000. Government salaries consume 83 per cent of revenue, according to Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa, while both government and the private sector battle to meet monthly wage bills. Exports have collapsed because of a failed land-reform program, leading to widespread shortages of cash in a nation that abandoned its own currency in favour of the U.S. dollar and other international currencies in 2009. Male prisoners under the age of 18 were pardoned regardless of the crimes committed, while those over 60 who have served two-thirds of their terms and inmates in open prison will be released, he said in a government statement on Thursday. Adult males convicted of rape, armed robbery, or murder will not be released, according to the proclamation, while terminally ill patients unlikely to survive prison life will be freed, he said. The southern African nations prison population is 19,900 against a holding capacity of 17,000 and the country has an estimated 2,000 female inmates. SHARE: RALEIGH, N.C.Two Navy jet fighters collided off the coast of North Carolina during a routine training mission on Thursday, sending four people to the hospital, officials said. The F/A-18 Super Hornet jet fighters, based in Virginia Beach, collided about 10:40 a.m. (EST) off the coast of Cape Hatteras, said Navy spokesman Ensign Mark Rockwellpate. Four crew members were taken to a hospital in Norfolk, but Rockwellpate said he didnt have information about the extent of their injuries. A safety investigation will be carried out to determine the cause of the accident, he said. The four survivors were plucked off a commercial fishing ship that pulled them out of the Atlantic Ocean and flown by Coast Guard helicopter to a hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, said Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer 3rd Class Joshua Canup. The helicopter was dispatched from the Coast Guards air station in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The stations helicopters perform ocean search-and-rescue operations off North Carolina and Virginia as far east as Bermuda. SHARE: The brief video shows a few working guys on a lunch break. Having gotten delivery, theyre gathered around a gadget-packed desk, eating from takeout containers. But what a delivery it was: The meal, designed by a team of students from Phoebus High School in Hampton, Va., was zoomed up to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Dragon. In the video, posted on NASA.gov, Tim Kopra, commander of the space station, and flight engineers Jeff Williams and Tim Peake are eating spicy Jamaican rice and beans with coconut milk, the Hampton kids winning entry in the HUNCH (High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware) Culinary Challenge. Finals in the competition were held last year (NASA plans waaaaay ahead) at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. The entrees had to be vegetarian. (Astronauts do eat meat, but NASA has shown an interest in developing vegetarian menus because vegetables are easier to grow and to preserve than meat or dairy products.) The meals, which were judged on taste, texture, aroma, appearance and overall sensory evaluation, had to meet the per-serving nutritional guidelines set by NASAs Space Food Systems Laboratory: 300 to 500 calories, calories from fat less than 30 per cent, calories from saturated fat 10 per cent or less, no more than 300 mgof sodium and 8 g of sugar, and at least 3 g of fibre. Oh, and the food had to process well for flight and for use in microgravity. The extraterrestrial lunch crew pronounced the meal tasty and congratulated the winning team. And the contest goes on: On April 21, the HUNCH program staged this years cook-off, with 10 teams competing. Entries included a butternut squash puree from Trussville (Ala.) High, falafel from Oakridge High School in Conroe, Texas, and a veggie meatball from Windsor (Conn.) High. The winner a red pepper risotto created by students from Passaic County Technical Institute in Wayne, N.J. will be delivered to the space station sometime in 2017. Read more about: SHARE: After a slight scheduling glitch when musical guests The Weeknd and Belly cancelled their performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Wednesday because they didnt want to share a show with Donald Trump, the host carried on with his remaining guest, playfully calling the presumptive Republican presidential nominee a tangerine-tinted Godzilla and asking Trump a series of questions about some issues that have cropped up since his last show appearance. His Cinco de Mayo taco bowl picture at Trump Tower, why he once supported a Hillary Clinton presidency and whether that distinctly-familiar voice on the end of those spokesperson phone calls was actually a masquerading Trump. I dont think youre taking credit for this, and this is something I think is brilliant, Kimmel told Trump midway through their interview, before referencing a Washington Post article published on May 13 that claimed Trump, in a 1991 interview with a People magazine reporter, pretended to be a media spokesman named John Miller so he could brag about himself undetected. Related: The Weeknd and Belly cancel Jimmy Kimmel appearance over Donald Trump Kimmel said the voice sounded just like Trump. It didnt sound like me, though, really, Trump retorted. You think that sounded like me, cuz I dont? They squabbled back and forth. Trump tried to deflect. Yeah, well nobody sounds like themselves when they hear themselves, Kimmel tossed back. But to me, it sounded just like you. Trump wouldnt concede, and he hasnt since the story published two weeks ago. The businessman has repeatedly denied the claim that he was the voice behind spokesman John Miller. When asked about it in a phone interview with Washington Post reporters after the original article published, the line went silent, then dead. When reporters called back, a secretary said Trump was no longer available. But one alias he hasnt denied and one he admitted using to Kimmel is John Barron. Over the years Ive used alias, when Im in real estate and especially when I was out in Brooklyn with my father and I would want to buy something, Trump told Kimmel. And honestly, nobody knew who Trump was at that time and nobody knew me so it wasnt so much so important. A John Baron, a variation on the Barron spelling, was quoted as a vice-president of the Trump organization in a front-page New York Times article as early as 1980. In other national publications, Barron was quoted as a Trump spokesman, Trump executive or Trump representative, according to The Post article from May 13. I would never want to use my name because you had to pay more money for the land, Trump told Kimmel. On the show, Kimmel also asked Trump about comments he made regarding Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton before announcing his own bid for the White House; he previously called her terrific and said she would make an excellent president. Since, he has nicknamed her Crooked Hillary. What did she do? Kimmel asked. Let me just explain to you, I will tell you, replied Trump, who has doled out memorable election season nicknames like Lyin Ted, Crazy Bernie, Little Marco and Low-Energy Jeb. I speak well of everybody, Trump said. If people ask me about politicians, I speak well. So when they asked me about Hillary, shes wonderful, the husband, everybodys wonderful. And thats the way it is. Including contributions. They ask me for contributions, I give contributions. Trump tossed his hands up. So, you were full of (expletive) when you said that? the host retorted. Trump grinned. Maybe, he said. Maybe. Read more about: SHARE: David Ting Kwok Ho was facing criminal charges of unlawful confinement, cocaine possession and illegally having a loaded Glock 9-mm handgun in 2011 when Mossack Fonseca set up a secretive offshore company for him in violation of its own policies, a Toronto Star/CBC investigation has found. The charges against the Vancouver billionaire, stemming from a rendezvous with a prostitute in his mansion three years earlier, did not deter the law firm at the centre of the Panama Papers scandal from accepting Ho as a client, according to internal records obtained by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and shared exclusively with the Toronto Star and CBC in Canada. The Panama Papers leak lays bare the due diligence protocols of Mossack Fonseca, which sometimes amounted to little more than some web searches and email requests to prospective clients for information about themselves that never comes. Ho, a Canadian citizen, declined to be interviewed for this story. In a written statement, his lawyer, William Smart, says Hos offshore corporation has been reported to (the Canada Revenue Agency) as required and there was no relationship or connection between the offences with which Mr. Ho was charged and the possible misuse of an offshore company. Ho is, the statement reads, a highly successful businessman with a long history of philanthropy and operating bona fide businesses. Since the Panama Papers were first leaked in April, there has been mounting public debate about the intent and purpose of offshore tax haven corporations and the secrecy that shrouds their operations. A federal court filing by Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) earlier this month says: It is the experience of the CRA that Canadian taxpayers who hold, directly or indirectly or beneficially, property through an offshore entity or who may carry on business through an offshore entity, may not comply with their duties and obligations under the (Income Tax Act) and may not properly report. Mossack Fonseca initially registered Harmonyworld Investment Co. Ltd. for Ho in the Seychelles on July 12, 2011. An internal background check quickly turned up Hos well-publicized criminal charges and Mossack officials also became aware that Ho was a so-called politically exposed person (PEP) because of his membership in one of Chinas elite families and his position as Honorary Consul for the Seychelles. In the world of financial regulation, PEPs generally people of elevated prominence or wealth are considered a higher risk for potential corruption or bribery because of their positions of influence. This company director is a blue blood, a PEP since birth, reads an internal email from Mossack Fonsecas Hong Kong office, translated from Cantonese by the Star. In addition, my client doesnt understand why we are raising these questions. Mossack Fonseca declined to comment on Hos case specifically, but in previous written statements the firm said it enforces rigorous due diligence in cases of politically exposed persons. As per our risk-based approach, PEPs are considered to be high-risk individuals. PEPs do not have to be rejected just for being so; it is just a matter of proper risk analysis and administration. The firm will routinely deny services to individuals who are compromised . . . or when we identify other red flags, the statement says. Hos prestigious background and wealth are referenced throughout internal correspondence among Mossack Fonseca officials. Ho is the grandson of the man who presided over the worlds eighth-largest tobacco company. Ho, who according to his lawyers statement, believes he has credibility in the Chinese business community, launched the now defunct Harmony Airways and was named Businessman of the Year by the Vancouver Junior Board of Trade in 2005. On August 3, 2011, an internal email between Mossack Fonseca officials indicates Jenna Qiu, of the firms Shanghai office, expected Ho to bring the company business. Mr. David Ting Kwok Ho was Mr. Ho Ying Chies grandson . . . Mr. David Ting Kwok (Ho) would like to do many cases shortly. Two days later, Qiu makes another case to her colleagues for approving Ho as a client: Mr. Ho and his wife (the other shareholder of the harmonyworld investment co. ltd.) have big development in SHANGHAI and China, which is approved and encouraged by Chinese government. Besides, Mr. Ho is introduced to us by an old client who has good credit. (Please note) that Mr. Ho has not committed any economical crimes and even in China, such person can be appointed as director or shareholder of a company. In his written statement, Hos lawyer confirmed Ho registered the Seychelles company to hold shares of a China-registered agricultural firm that was endorsed by the Chinese government at both the local and state level. There was growing urgency to proceed, the email from Shanghai warned: (Please) be the agent and process the incorporation as Mr. Ho has many projects in Shanghai and is waiting for the (Seychelles) one to be the parent company. And the client is much annoyed by question after question from us. They called us to complain that the process of the incorporation lasts so long. (Please) kindly let us know the final decision of you ASAP in order not to take up clients time. A Mossack Fonseca lawyer in the Panama office made the call despite still not having clear and complete answers to requested details about Hos criminal charges Mossack Fonseca would proceed with Hos offshore incorporation. Taking into consideration that this is not a criminal case related to economic crimes, money laundering and/or traffic of weapons or related, and also taking into consideration the references that we have of the client, we confirm that we will proceed with the clients request and will provide the services required. Eight days later, Mossack Fonseca sent the paperwork confirming the details of Hos newly minted offshore company. The law firms invoice for the service was $1,123 (U.S.). Six months after that, in February 2012, Ho pleaded guilty in a Vancouver court to a charge of unlawful confinement and possession of an unregistered, loaded 9-mm semi-automatic pistol. He was given a one-year suspended sentence, 45 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine. In his written statement, Hos lawyer says the actions were aberrant and an emotionally difficult and shameful event in his life. Harmonyworld Investment is still doing business with Mossack Fonseca and the companys accountant sends the required documents to Mossack each year so that it can carry out the necessary work to keep the company in good standing, the statement reads. There is no evidence, the statement says, that Mossack Fonseca failed to conduct proper due diligence in registering Harmonyworld, saying the Panamanian firm properly concluded that it was appropriate to assist with the incorporation. Experts who reviewed the case disagree. Based on the circumstances, it seems like the collection of red flags was not adequately taken into account in favour of getting this deal done, says Trevor Farrow, professor and associate dean of Osgoode Hall Law School. The conduct did not appear to demonstrate a preferred level of due diligence taking into account the plain and obvious view of what the public would expect of a profession that is premised on acting in the public interest. Mossack broke no laws in assisting Ho to register a Seychelles company while he remained in the shadow of pending criminal charges, experts agree. But the decision to proceed speaks clearly to the law firms culture, says Richard Leblanc, associate professor of law, governance and ethics at York University. Saying that he wasnt charged with economic crimes is a very narrow definition of risk, he says. It might be legally correct to proceed in this fashion. But what are the reputational drawbacks? I still think the firm made the wrong decision. Look no further than Mossack Fonseca for those reputational drawbacks of offering services to clients who represent reputational contagion, says Leblanc, who also teaches at Harvard University. The Panamanian law firm is now an international poster child for the damage that can follow from questionable due diligence practices. Its a teachable moment for accounting firms and law firms all over the world. SHARE: Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus visit to Japan this week is important and timely. Japan is a key trading and investment partner, and one toward which Canadians have a very positive view. Canada has much to gain from an enhanced focus on Japandespite its economic slowdown, Japan is still an advanced market for technologies and energy, and a global leader in automotive design and production. Ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will be an important topic of discussion but the visit provides the opportunity to lay the groundwork for a Plan B bilateral agreement with Japan if the TPP fails to be ratified by a sufficient number of TPP partners. And beyond Japan, we need to be looking at formalizing trade relationships with China, and important ASEAN partners like Singapore. The Trudeau visit, along with the G7 Summit in Japan and the nature of the pre-summit meetings that President Barack Obama is holding in Vietnam, should stimulate some discussion and reflection in policy-making circles in Ottawa and our provincial capitals. Whether this leads to actionable outcomes will affect just how well Canada will be able to foster participation in global value chains in Asia, the worlds largest growth economy. As a starting point, Canadian governments might take a page from Obamas playbook on rebalancing with Asia. It includes plenty of initiatives that are the kind of low-cost but meaningful steps that build trust and relationships in a region that values both. The key is consistency and commitment. Take a look at Obamas May 25 meeting with the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative. This initiative was launched a number of years ago and has grown to include engagements with thousands of young people across the ten Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. This is in addition to Obamas meeting with young Vietnamese entrepreneurs where he will be talking about opportunities arising from the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement. Whether TPP passes this Congress is questionable, but for Vietnam, the least developed of the TPP countries, the prerequisite reforms will go a long way to opening up its market. At the recent Sunnylands meeting with ASEAN leaders in California, Obama also pointed to the importance of U.S.-ASEAN co-operation in education. Here is another area where Canada excels, and where Canadian education institutions and expertise could be stepped up in a region where education is valued, and where Canada has much to offer, particularly in business and vocational training. At that meeting, Obama also announced the creation of US-ASEAN Connect a network of hubs across the region to better co-ordinate U.S. economic engagement and better connect our entrepreneurs, investors and businesses with each other. A part of this connectivity will be providing English-language education for aspiring innovatorssurely another niche for Canada. Obama has now made seven visits to the ASEAN region during his term of office and hell be going to Laos in September for the East Asia Summit. All these visits have not only increased the potential for improved commercial relationships, they also further the U.S. geopolitical strategy for Asia. Canada may not have the same security interests in Asia, but there is much to build upon across a range of sectors and activities. Canadian companies, including those in the digital economy sphere, are already choosing Asia as their first overseas locationthey are following clients and participating in global value chains. According to research conducted for the Creating Digital Opportunity Research Partnership led by the Innovation Policy Lab at University of Torontos Munk Centre, almost half of all first locations for small high-tech firms outside Canada are in Asia. This goes against the conventional wisdom that anticipates the U.S. market as the traditional stepping-stone. Canadian policy-makers would be well advised to do their utmost to further these relationships. The Asia Pacific Foundation recently released a comprehensive report, Building Blocks for a Canada-Asia Strategy. The recommendations in this report are relevant to Canadas future economic well-being, along with enhancing our profile in Asia: fostering political engagement, engaging on good governance and human rights, developing innovative trade promotion strategies including for micro-SMEs, building linkages in entrepreneurship and innovation, and building Asian capacity to respond to global challenges. If this is a region that values the symbolism of summits and strategic partnerships, then there is all the more reason for Canada to actively participate in the same. Hugh Stephens is a Distinguished Fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, an Executive Fellow at the University of Calgarys School of Public Policy, and Principal, TransPacific Connections. Deanna Horton is a Senior Fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and a Senior Fellow at the University of Torontos Munk School of Global Affairs. Read more about: SHARE: In March 2009, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was sent to Geneva by President Barack Obama to start reengaging with Russia. Vladimir Putin had invaded Georgia the summer before and relations between the two super powers were at a post-Soviet low. Before sitting down to a working dinner, Clinton presented Putins ruggedly tanned foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, with a little green box decorated with a bow. As she handed over the box, she told Lavrov that we want to reset our relationship. Lavrov opened the box and inside was a red button with the Russian work peregruzka printed on it. Clinton asked Lavrov if her colleagues had succeeded in translating reset properly into Russian. You got it wrong, said Lavrov. It should be perezagruzka (the Russian word for reset), this says peregruzka, which means overcharged. The two envoys then joined hands to press the overcharged reset button, together. Four years later, Russian-U.S. relations are in far worse shape than they were before that reset moment. In 2009, the Obama administration was so motivated to re-engage with the Kremlin that they ignored Putins explicit provocations to destabilize Estonia in 2007 and the invasion of Georgia in 2008. Since that infamous reset button photo-op, Vladimir Putin has invaded Ukraine and annexed a significant portion of its territory. Domestic Russian human rights violations are on the rise and the assassination of opposition politicians and human rights activists has become common. And legislation has been passed in Russia to criminalize LGBT propaganda outlawing public displays and demonstrations by that community. Instead of promoting friendly relations with the West, Vladimir Putin is openly promoting anti-Western sentiment at home and is aggressively positioning his armies along Russias borders with Canadas NATO partners in Europe. Russian relations with the West havent been worse at any other time since the fall of the Soviet Union. Neither Obama nor the chief architect of the U.S. reset policy, former U.S. ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, can be blamed. McFaul was Barack Obamas top Russia adviser and was responsible for the policy that led to Clinton and Lavrov pushing the red reset button. McFaul was later sent to Moscow as the U.S. ambassador. A broad Kremlin campaign of personal intimidation against McFaul was launched upon his arrival. The U.S. envoy was labelled as a revolutionary, sent to overthrow the Putin regime, and mobs of pro-Kremlin supporters were regularly sent to protest the ambassador at the gates of the U.S. embassy. McFaul resigned two short years after arriving in Moscow and later told U.S. media: Dont say, We need another reset with Russia. As Canadas foreign minister, Stephane Dion, attempts his own reset with Putin, McFaul is now warning the Trudeau government that Canadas soft human rights position will be taken as a sign of weakness by the Kremlin. Repeated calls from prominent Canadian and Russian rights advocates for the Trudeau government to adopt Magnitksy legislation, which would place both asset freezes and visa bans on Kremlin human rights abusers, have been ignored. Instead, Dion has publicly bowed to Kremlin pressure, rejecting the legislation which was once characterized by assassinated Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov as the most pro-Russian law that Canada could adopt. Dions office recently said that his seat at the margins of the Syrian peace talks in Vienna was Canadas reward for turning its back on Magnitsky sanctions and thus Russian human rights activists. Yet the U.S., which adopted the Magnitksy Act in 2012, was at the centre of that same table, beside Russia. Mike McFaul, who once objected to U.S. Magnitsky legislation, has now joined the growing crowd of international activists and MPs from all three Canadian political parties who support adopting Magnitksy legislation and are all asking Stephane Dion and Justin Trudeau: Do you stand for human rights or not? Canadas government must not continue to allow its foreign policy to be manipulated by Russias authoritarian kleptocrats. If Justin Trudeau wishes to place human rights at the centre of Canadas foreign policy, then hell have to do much better than this. Marcus Kolga is a human rights and democracy advocate, journalist, filmmaker and publisher of UpNorth.eu. He is the Canadian adviser to the Inter-Parliamentary Group for Russian Human Rights and Justice for Sergei Magnitsky and founder of the Toronto Russian Freedom Forum. Read more about: SHARE: Its hard to believe that in 2016 a school board in Canada would reject a policy aimed at protecting children from being bullied because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Especially when that policy is required under Ontarios Education Act and Human Rights Code. But thats exactly what the Halton Catholic District School Board did when it wrong-headedly voted 4-3 last week not to update the school boards discipline and anti-bullying policy because of a concern that mentioning sexual orientation or gender identity could violate religious teachings. Even the boards chair, Jane Michael, called the vote a shock. The policy was aimed at meeting the goals of creating a safe, caring and accepting environment. Along with sexual orientation and gender identity, the amendment included a ban on violence and harassment on the basis of sex, gender, race, colour, ethnicity, citizenship, ancestry, religion, creed, disability and other immutable characteristics or grounds protected by the Human Rights Code. Voting against the ban because it included sexual orientation and gender identity leaves the disturbing and dangerous impression that children can bully based on those characteristics. Its not the first time the Halton Catholic board has come under fire on issues involving sexual orientation. In the past it opposed student clubs called GSAs, or gay-straight alliances, meant to ensure no one was bullied based on their sexual orientation. The clubs were supported by Queens Park to help promote equity. The Halton board initially banned the weekly lunchtime gatherings of students because they did not fit with Catholic doctrine. After the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario and the Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association asked Ontario high schools to let students form groups that address bullying related to sexual orientation, the Halton board allowed them. But it said they could not be called gay-straight clubs. It was also one of the few boards across the country that for five years refused to allow Grade 8 girls to receive the human papillomavirus vaccine in school. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the country and condoms do not prevent its spread. It can lead to cancers, particularly cervical cancer. Trustees who opposed allowing the vaccine to be delivered by nurses in schools argued it sent a mixed message on chastity. The school board was on the wrong side of that argument, and its put itself on the wrong side of this new controversy. The board will have a second chance to consider the proposed policy at its June meeting. This time trustees should make sure that it passes. SHARE: Ontario's education minister says the province has "strengthened the requirements" for school boards on being inclusive and will contact the Halton Catholic school board after trustees voted against updating an anti-bullying policy over concerns about mentioning sexual orientation and gender identity. "Gender identity and gender expression are now included as prohibited grounds of discrimination under the Ontario Human Rights Code, Liz Sandals said in a statement emailed to the Star. We will be reaching out to the board to discuss this matter, she said. "Our schools must be places where everyone staff, students, parents and the community feels welcome, safe and respected." Sandals' comments come as the board faces widespread criticism for a 4-3 vote against accepting the new policy from other provincial politicians, but also its own chair. What needs to be made clear is that none of these changes are groundbreaking; they are all outlined in provincial statute the only thing that is groundbreaking is the incredible foot-dragging that is taking place, to bring them into effect, board chair Jane Michael said Wednesday. Meanwhile, the trustee who raised concerns said he believes the current policy works, and that he questioned whether, under the proposed revisions, students might find themselves in trouble for expressing their religious beliefs. Anthony Quinn said he did not attend the committee meeting where the revised policy, which follows the Education Act as well as Ontarios Human Rights Code, was passed unanimously. But at last weeks board meeting, where it came for a final vote, he said he needed more information than staff or the chair were able to provide. In an email to the Star, Quinn said his main concern was if in their profession of the teachings of the Catholic Church (found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, or the teaching of the recent Popes, including Francis, Benedict and John Paul II) if a student or group of students were to cause another student or group of students to feel unsafe or unaccepted in the school environment, that could lead to the student(s) reciting Catholic teaching being subject to discipline under the revised policy, as it was written." He said the updated policy "left me wondering what could happen when students have disagreements on issues of sexual morality? ... Could the teachings of the Catholic faith and the verbal expression of those teachings cause students to be disciplined if they led to another student not feeling safe or welcomed?" In general terms, the Catholic Church distinguishes between the person and what it considers sinful behaviour, meaning it doesnt condemn someone who is gay, but doesnt condone homosexual acts. While Quinn was told the policy had been vetted by a lawyer, I decided to vote against the policy revisions, content that the current policy protected all students in a very broad and inclusive manner, including the specific references to gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation and provided strict and progressive discipline to any student in contravention of our policy. Michael has said the Ministry of Education was waiting for the vote, given that the Halton Catholic board has had these revisions in the works since February, and is behind other boards in passing such a policy. Michael and the ministry had both expected it to pass, since the updated version follows provincial laws and policies. However, it lost on a 4-3 vote. She and other supporters have said it will have to be approved, eventually, as written. Outrage over the boards decision came from many outside the board as well, including provincial Environment Minister Glen Murray, one of Canadas first openly gay politicians. All of us are sad when we see boards not responding to basic respect and safety of kids in schools, Murray said Wednesday. As a kid who grew up out and gay I certainly had my share of bullying Im a parent and a grandparent, and we all want to send our kids to schools where they feel safe and, whatever their difference is, theyre not subject to bullying, he said. I hope the board would respect the law and understand the law. NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo (Parkdale-High Park), an ordained United Church minister and longtime champion of LGBTQ rights, said the boards move is outrageous. Its distressing because were talking about children who are at risk the highest rates of suicide are for trans and LGBTQ kids, said DiNovo. The very good people at the Ontario English Catholic Teachers (Association) have done phenomenal work on this, and this is not Roman Catholic teaching, this is not Christian teaching, and this is not the law, she said. So theyre breaking all of those. DiNovo said the safety of students is paramount, and strongly urged the trustees to abide by provincial law. Children are at great risk in our schools, and they need adults to stand up for them. SHARE: For those who may have missed it, (or live under a rock), the Paris climate summit recently wrapped up. Though it made momentous progress, it is considered by many to fall short of taking the steps needed to save the planet from global warming. Nations of all sizes volunteered to make cuts to their carbon emissions. But the key word in that sentence is volunteered. The meeting did not result in any framework for a global carbon tax or establish concrete steps to keep the planet's climate within safe bounds. And there is no mechanism to make the Paris agreement binding. For those who would like to play an active role in the battle against carbon emissions, there are a variety of ways to help, including something few travelers seem to know about - websites that allow you to calculate your carbon footprint when flying and let you buy offsets. In other words, the next time you are about to embark on a long-haul flight, you can can make a donation to a project designed to counteract the carbon emissions. Some of the well-established sites that provide this opportunity include Carbonfund.org and Terrapass.com Carbonfund for instance, supports three types of carbon offset strategies: renewable energy and methane projects, reforestation and avoided deforestation projects and energy efficiency projects. The projects supported by Carbonfund are third-party certified and those who donate through the site have the option of selecting the type of carbon offset the money goes toward. Terrapass, meanwhile, allows both businesses and individuals to take action. The site sells carbon offsets for $5.95 per 1,000 pounds, and offers either one-time donations or monthly subscriptions. It also sells renewable energy credits (which support clean energy) for $5 per 1,000 kWh and water restoration certificates for $2 per 1,000 gallons, money which helps restore freshwater ecosystems. The site also has an incredibly handy carbon calculator that with just a bit of information, measures your carbon footprint. Jeff Wilson, author of The Greened House Effectand host of Real Rail Adventures on public television, started using Terrapass nearly a decade ago. "We have to change what we're doing," says Wilson. "We're in a really tough spot. We need to act quickly when it comes to climate change and Americans can make the biggest dent in it because we are the biggest polluters." "I think people underestimate how much of our wealth since industrial revolution has come from fossil fuels," Wilson adds. "Almost every bit of wealth we have, has come from this very cheap and powerful form of energy. It's a tragedy of the commons. We've all used it and not thought much of it." Wilson who travels regularly for work, says he has even had clients willing to pay for carbon offsets when covering his travel expenses. The majority of Americans, however, have yet to join in the practice offsetting their carbon footprint in any way. Wilson says most people don't understand the concept or don't trust that their money is going to a legitimate project through such websites. And still others remain skeptical of climate change altogether. But Wilson predicts the Paris climate summit may inspire more interest in the topic and in offset opportunities, if perhaps fleetingly. "I don't think enough people care yet," he continues. "We still have a lot of skeptics...and these sorts of sites are basically a voluntary carbon tax. I think what's going to happen is eventually we will have to accept as a society a mandatory carbon tax." Some, however, are already aware of the importance of offsetting their carbon footprint. The band Pearl Jam, for example, recently voluntarily offset its entire Latin American tour, which kicked off in November, with a $54,000 investment to mitigate the associated carbon emissions. The band divided the money between two projects in South America - a rainforest project in Brazil and a forest conservation effort in Peru. Meanwhile, there are entrepreneurs busily designing and launching new websites to provide the public with even more information about the topic and carbon offset opportunities. Simon Smedberg, a Sweden-based developer just launched his site, called Glooby, three weeks ago. Glooby offers a flight and hotel search engine that allows travelers to compare information from more than 20 booking sites, while indicating the most fuel-efficient flights and eco-labeled hotels. The site has calculated C02 emissions and lists flights with the least amount of such emissions first in its search results. Smedberg says that rather then offer people an opportunity to buy offsets, which he feels will simply encourage more travel, he'd like the site to inspire people to travel more responsibly, by selecting the flights that have the least impact on the environment. "We should think about how we travel and how we can reduce our environmental impact," Smedberg says. "It's important to travel as sustainably as possible. For example, choose an ecofriendly flight, one with the least amount of CO2 emissions and stay at ecofriendly hotels, where they don't throw garbage out window." "The issue of climate change is happening right now," he adds. "People are having to flee from their homes because of climate change. The travel industry bears a big responsibility. Transportation is the cause of quite a bit of the carbon emissions every year. We have more ways than ever to travel and explore and so we have an even greater responsibility." Changing the way we travel, says Smedberg, is imperative, particularly in light of the increase in global tourism. In 2012, for the first time, one billion tourists traveled internationally, according to the World Tourism Organization. And the WTO says the number of international tourists is expected to hit 1.8 billion by 2030. What many don't realize is that the mere act of choosing a more efficient flight can have an impact, as there is a 51% difference in fuel-efficiency between the cleanest and the most pollutant airline, says The International Council on Clean Transportation. Meanwhile, Cool Effect's Marisa de Belloy stands by the notion that big steps can be made to save the planet if we come together and engage in small, individual actions. In particular, she believes funding valid carbon reduction projects can make positive progress in the fight against climate change. With that in mind, de Belloy unveiled a preview of her Cool Effect website in Paris during the Sustainable Innovation forum. A brand new platform, the site, which will officially launch this spring, is aimed at providing consistent funding to the world's best carbon pollution eliminating projects through the support of individuals who make monthly donations. "We encourage consumers to invest in projects, not just as a direct correlation to something in their lives, but on an ongoing process," de Belloy explains. The goal of Cool Effect is to present the 10 to 15 best projects out there, all of which will go through three verification steps, including being verified by an independent body, and undergoing an extensive due diligence process performed by de Belloy's team. "We are the first to take this approach, providing the world's best projects and enabling people to support them in a highly tangible and transparent way," she notes, adding that carbon pollution projects that are run correctly are a great to asset to combatting climate change. Among the projects the site will support is a biogas effort on southern India. Through the installation of biogas digesters, households in India's Kolar District will be able to convert waste into clean biogas that families use for cooking. Replacing the community's open wood fires with clean biogas reduces carbon pollution and also respiratory problems. And that's just one example of the projects Cool Effect will feature. "There are 100 million Americans who are alarmed or concerned about the environment and want to do something, and we can provide a simple, tangible way to engage and take meaningful steps to reduce climate change," de Belloy says. "Any effort to attack climate change is going to take all of us, governments and businesses and individuals." UnitedHealth Group's (UNH) purchase of pharmacy benefits manager Catamaran is "bearing large fruits," Sterne Agee CRT analyst Brian Wright wrote in a note Tuesday, citing PBM contracts awarded to UnitedHealth's OptumRx last week representing more than $10 billion in combined new business. Last week, the California Public Employees' Retirement System said it has picked OptumRx as its new PBM. The five-year contract is worth an estimated $4.9 billion. The Employees Retirement System of Texas also tapped OptumRx for a six-year contract with a total value estimated to top $9 billion, including the Employer Group Waiver Plans Medicare component, Wright said, who has a buy rating on UnitedHealth's stock. The contract awards demonstrate that UnitedHealth "has achieved sufficient scale in the PBM business to be a highly effective competitor for external PBM contracts," he wrote. The two clients, he wrote, represent two of the largest and most sophisticated purchasers of health benefits in the country. "As such, we expect this to be just the beginning of a significant increase in OptumRx's share of the PBM market." UnitedHealth completed its $12.8 billion acquisition of Catamaran in July 2015 and combined it with its OptumRx business. UnitedHealth shares on Wednesday climbed 83 cents, or 0.63%, to $133.42. In April, Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth reported first-quarter earnings per share of $1.81, exceeding analysts' estimates of $1.72. Revenue during the quarter ended March 31 came in at about $44.53 billion, north of analysts' expectations of $44.34 billion. Optum had revenue of $19.7 billion during the first quarter, up 54% year-over-year, and earnings from operations of $1.1 billion, up 49% from the year-ago period. OptumRx, the pharmacy care services business of Optum, generated $14.3 billion of revenue, representing a 72% rise year-over-year fueled by acquisitions and organic growth. OptumRx acquired AxelaCare Health Solutions, a provider of home infusion solutions, in November. Back on May 11, shares of Disney (DIS) were hit hard. The stock dropped over 4% that day on a huge jump in volume. This earnings-inspired breakdown began with a massive downside gap that dropped the stock to new monthly lows. Disney has been very weak since, and despite a slight bounce off last week's low, the stock remains extremely vulnerable. For patient Disney bulls, lower entry levels may develop soon. Click here to see the below chart in a new window. Disney's post-earnings breakdown was a sharp reversal from the pre-report action. The day before the news hit, Disney closed at fresh 2016 highs as it stretched its bull run off the early April lows to over 11%. On the May 10 close, the stock was showing signs that it was about to overtake a very heavy resistance zone near the Jan. 4 breakdown gap. Disney had peaked near this level, which included a downward-sloping 200-day moving average, in late April, but has given back little ground. This bullish setup changed dramatically in one fell swoop. Without question, the nasty flush on May 11 left behind an ominous top. At Wednesday's close, Disney was still well above its May low. This level, just above $97.50, is key in the near term. If the new monthly lows are reached, a downside move could quickly gain steam. $2 below the May low is a major support zone. Disney held the $95.60 area at both its March and April lows. Patient investors should keep a close eye on this level. Another hold in this area would be very impressive and would offer a much lower-risk entry opportunity than currently available. Disclosure: This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned. Microsoft (MSFT) on Wednesday said that it will make more moves to streamline its mobile-phone business, cutting as many as 1,850 jobs and taking a $950 million charge for impairment and restructuring. The company is one of the biggest technology blue chips, and its stock is held in many investor portfolios. But with the company all but admitting that it has lost this phase of the cellphone manufacturing game, is Microsoft still a good profit play? This week's news follows an announcement last week that Microsoft would sell its low-end cellphone business to Foxconn subsidiary FIH Mobile and Finnish company HMD Global. Microsoft had purchased its cellphone business in 2014 from Nokia for $7.5 billion. The Nokia deal has been troubled from the start. Last July, Microsoft booked an impairment charge of $7.6 billion related to the Nokia business, laying off more than 7,500 workers in the process. Microsoft has simply not been able to compete with Apple's iPhone or Android smartphones reliant on Alphabet's Google operating system. Apple and Alphabet are holdings in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. See how Cramer rates the stocks here. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells AAPL or GOOGL? Learn more now. Whereas Apple and Google control 96% of the smartphone platform market between them, Microsoft maintains just a 2.8% share, according to research firm Gartner. Microsoft's moves related to the smartphone sector make good business sense and could in fact usher in better opportunities for profits. This doesn't mean that Microsoft is getting out of the cellphone game for good, however. Instead, the company is realizing that its Nokia experiment was a mistake and that it is better off concentrating on a tighter portfolio of mobile-phone products. "We are focusing our phone efforts where we have differentiation. We will continue to innovate across devices and on our cloud services across all mobile platforms," the company's Chief Executive Satya Nadella said in a statement. "We're scaling back, but we're not out," Terry Myerson, head of Windows and devices, wrote in an internal Microsoft email. It is by no means a disaster that Microsoft is streamlining its cellphone business. Some analysts would say that the Nokia deal was doomed from the start. By moving away from manufacturing the phones, Microsoft can devote more resources and energy to the products that do work, specifically, its Azure cloud service. Azure has been performing well against competitors such as Amazon's cloud data service, and there are better opportunities for the company in this sphere. Investors appear to agree with the decision to streamline Microsoft's cellphone business. On Wednesday, shares ticked higher after news of the decision broke. The stock is trading above $52 a share, not far from the 52-week high of $56.85 hit in December. Microsoft's business plan revolves around the long term, and that is the best focus for investors in this stock as well. The company is still strong, and investors should regard Wednesday's news as a sign that the company knows what is best. There are still profits to be made in Microsoft, even without its Nokia smartphone business. --- Microsoft remains a smart long-term play, but there is also a way to collect regular payouts, to the tune of $67,548 per year. Just follow this simple step-by-step process. The trader who is sharing this secret has been right more than eight of 10 times, turning $5,000 into more than $5 million. Click here to see how easy it is to follow his lead and collect thousands of dollars in "free money" every month. This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned. Alibaba (BABA) shares dropped nearly 7% on Wednesday after disclosing that its accounting methods are under investigation, but most Wall Street analysts who cover the company don't seem too concerned. In a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday, the US-listed Chinese online retail giant announced that earlier this year, the SEC began investigating whether the company had violated any federal securities laws. According to Alibaba's filing, the SEC probe is focusing on "our consolidation policies and practices (including our accounting for Cainiao Network as an equity method investee), our policies and practices applicable to related party transactions in general, and our reporting of operating data from Singles Day." In the past, analysts have raised flags about what they see as Alibaba's opaque accounting, especially with regards to how it treats its affiliate companies. Alibaba owns 47% of Cainao, its logistics arm, which is reportedly valued at 50 billion yuan, or $7.7 billion. In Tuesday's regulatory filing, the company noted net losses for Cainiao of 90 million yuan ($13.7 million) in fiscal year 2015, and 295 million yuan ($44.9 million) in fiscal 2016. Alibaba CFO Maggie Wu said in the company's most recent earnings report in May that it will be trying to give more details on its results and businesses starting in the current fiscal year, particularly Caianiao. Singles Day is a huge Chinese shopping holiday similar to Black Friday that's held on Nov. 11. Last year, the company said it had racked up a mammoth $14.4 billion in gross merchandise volume on that one day. Alibaba said it is cooperating with the current SEC probe. In early trading on Thursday, Alibaba's shares were up 2.6% to $77.53. Here's a look at what the analysts had to say about the investigation. Robert Lin, Morgan Stanley (Overweight, $119.30 PT) "Since late 2015, a few investors have raised concerns and have been publicly vocal about the accounting treatment of Cainiao Logistics: We believe these investors have a misunderstanding about China's express industry and the role of Cainiao in the logistics value chain...We are incrementally more positive on Alibaba given its increased transparency and disclosures on Cainiao and other related parties." Alan Hellawell and Ross Sandler, Deutsche Bank (Buy, $110 PT) "These dialogues occur with some regularity between the SEC and other listed Chinese Internet companies. While we would never be dismissive of an SEC inquiry, we believe that investigations are sometimes launched because the SEC is unfamiliar with various constructs (e.g.,- Cainiao's unique business model, the unprecedented scale of Singles Day, etc.)...We note that Alibaba has improved disclosure around Cainiao...We think the co views itself as fully US GAAP-compliant on these fronts...It is possible SEC interest in BABA's approach to reporting operating data related to Singles Day (the world's biggest e-commerce event) relates simply to better understanding this unique phenomenon. There, however, could be many other reasons for the inquiry (e.g., questioning the claimed scale, etc.)." Ken Sena, Evercore (Buy, $98 PT) "An SEC investigation is certainly never a good thing...As this no doubt has set in motion many theories, to our knowledge, there has been no specification with regard to the exact nature of the SEC's potential concerns...If we look at Cainiao's newly disclosed financials, it would appear that even under a consolidated treatment, there is not much there to move the needle on a consolidated basis...It is difficult to shed light on exactly why the investigation is occurring, but it would seem reasonable that the sheer magnitude of events like Singles Day (which generated $14.3bn in 2015) or the strong influence that Singles Day and Cainiao Network exert over Alibaba's community of sellers and logistics providers, where there isn't a clear corollary in the west, may have proved sufficient for the SEC to at least inquire." Jialong Shi, Nomura (Buy, $95 PT) "As the 20-F provides very few details on the SEC's enquiries, it is difficult for us to make any predictions about the possible outcomes of this investigation. The only detail the 20-F revealed is that one of the enquiries is about its accounting for Cainiao Network as an equity investee. According to Alibaba's earnings release for 4QFY16, the company owned a 47% stake in Cainiao, whose net loss was ~Rmb200mn in 4QFY16, accounting for 2% of Ali's pretax profit. Since Alibaba's current profit has already factored in the contribution from Cainiao, a potential change from equity method to consolidation, if the SEC requires it, should have no impact on its earnings, in our view." Jason Helfstein and Jed Kelly, Oppenheimer (Outperform, no PT) "In most cases, public companies wait until their entire correspondence with the SEC is complete, before disclosing the questions/answers to the public. We view BABA's releasing the questions before a finished inquiry as more transparent and shareholder-friendly...We also confirmed with the company's Investor Relations unit that the Singles' Day issue relates to prior confusion over BABA's gross merchandise volume (GMV) definition, as the current metric does not remove 'fake' orders, which could inflate 'reported' GMV (a non-GAAP metric)...Given BABA's track record of improving financial clarity and cracking down on fake products, we think the company is trying to become more transparent. Meanwhile, with the stock trading at 24x/17x F17/F18 P/E multiples and growing at 30% CAGR, we believe investors have already been discounting the valuation on disclosure concerns." Gannett (GCI) is betting that a strong vote of no-confidence in Tribune Publishing's (TPUB) board next Thursday, June 2, will be enough to drive the Chicago-based media company to agree to its $864 million hostile acquisition effort. The unusual vote, set for Tribune Publishing's annual meeting, will have no binding impact on the company's management or board. However, a strong negative vote, even one where only as little as 45% of participating shareholders oppose the incumbent directors. could be enough to embarrass Tribune Publishing and push it to the negotiating table. And if they don't move towards a deal, it is a strong possibility that some Tribune Publishing shareholders could file a lawsuit in Delaware charging that two recent share issuances constituted an illegal effort to thwart Gannett's hostile proposal. Case in point: Tribune Publishing issued common shares in February that it sold to its non-executive chairman, Michael Ferro's investment vehicle, at a price of $8.50 a share, a discount of $0.50 from Tribune Publishing's closing price on Feb. 3, the day prior to the announcement of the investment. Ferro holds a 16.5% stake in Tribune Publishing through Merrick Media LLC, an investment firm that he oversees. Tribune describes the private placement transaction to Merrick Media as a deal that brought "growth capital" to Tribune Publishing to help it invest in digital initiatives. In addition, on Monday, Tribune Publishing announced it received a $70.5 million investment from Nant Capital in exchange for a 12.9% stake the Chicago-based publisher. Nant's founder, Patrick Soon-Shiong, will also receive a seat on Tribune Publishing's board. The media company also described that investment as "growth capital" but Widener University Delaware Law School professor Lawrence Hamermesh suggested that to issue shares to what appear to be friendly investors might induce other shareholders, including Gannett if it owns a stake, to see if a lawsuit may be warranted. Tribune Publishing is incorporated in Delaware. One investor, Towle & Co., was so enraged by the moves, which he suggested were defensive actions on the part of Tribune Publishing, that he suggested in a letter made public Wednesday that the decision to dilute his position by issuing 4.7 million shares to Nant Capital "was most distasteful" and that "stacking the board and ownership in favor of one particular view is not good governance." Hamermesh said that if he were a lawyer representing investors, the Ferro and Soon-Shiong share purchases are something he would take a look at--particularly if a majority of shareholders oppose Tribune's directors and the media company doesn't engage with Gannett. "This sounds like it is straight out of the 1980's hostile-bid defense playbook," he said. Hamermesh said the situation was comparable to a lawsuit filed in Delaware Chancery Court by now-defunct activist firm Shamrock Holdings against Polaroid in 1989. Shamrock's Stanley Gold had launched a hostile tender offer to buy Polaroid, which responded by issuing convertible preferred shares to a firm set up by former Lazard Freres & Co. managing director Lester Pollack. Pollack also received a board seat. The bid ultimately failed and the Delaware court ruled in favor of Polaroid, in part, says Hamermesh, based on the point that there was no explicit commitment by the new investor, Pollack's firm Corporate Partners, to back management and oppose the hostile bid. "It was a close case because there were some defensive aspects to the issuance of shares to Pollack's firm," said Hamermesh. "Any case involving Tribune would be factually nuanced, however, and the outcome would depend on what the directors were told and what the economic and defensive impact of the transaction would be." Charles Elson, chief of the University of Delaware's Center for Corporate Governance, said a lawyer would have to evaluate whether the Ferro and Nant investments acted as an entrenchment device or whether Tribune needed the capital for the purpose of benefiting the company going forward. "One outcome is that the share issuances enrage other shareholders so much that they lose confidence in the company's management and vote against directors," said Elson. Already battle lines are being drawn in anticipation of the vote Thursday. Ferro's 16.5% stake is expected to back Tribune Publishing's efforts to remain independent. On the other side of the equation are two large investors urging the media company to engage in negotiations with Gannett. Towle, which owns 1.4 million shares, or roughly a 4% stake, charges that Tribune Publishing has "abandoned its fiduciary responsibility." The fund also suggests that "the majority of unaffiliated shareholders" want a Gannett transaction. In addition, asset manager Oaktree Capital Group owns a 15% stake and urges Tribune Publishing to set up an independent committee to consider the Gannett proposal. Nant's Soon-Shiong won't be permitted to vote his 12.9% Tribune Publishing stake for or against the company directors because the shares were acquired after the record date for next week's meeting. That leaves the large contingent of institutional investors and some hedge funds that haven't spoken publicly about the campaign and are the ones that will make or break Gannett's campaign and bid. These include BlackRock, Vanguard Group and State Street, which own 5%, 2.5% and 1% respectively. These institutions and others may be more likely to back keeping Tribune independent after the two major proxy advisory firms, Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis, came out recently with reports recommending shareholders support Tribune Publishing's board. Nevertheless, even a 45% opposition vote could have a major impact. Shamrock famously succeeded at ousting Disney CEO Michael Eisner from his chairman position in a 2004 "just vote no" campaign where roughly 43% of participating shares opposed him in an uncontested election. A failure for Gannett this year could drive the media company to try again in 2017, this time with a traditional director-election proxy fight. However, such a contest could be even more difficult with a possible 30% stake opposed to a hostile acquirer. "Nant's Soon-Shiong will be able to vote his shares for management next year," Hamermesh noted. Larry Kramer, Chairman and interim CEO of TheStreet, sits on the boards of both Gannett and TheStreet. Looking for financial stocks that over the long haul grind out great returns? These "compounding machines," as Chris Davis, chairman of the value investing money management firm David Advisors (and manager of multiple value-oriented mutual funds), calls them, are hard to find, but we've got them for you. Davis is a third generation value investor. He began his career as a bank and insurance company analyst before joining the family business in 1991, and says the first thing he learned about financial stocks from his grandfather is that they can be "growth stocks in disguise". He says, "If you get a company with the right company with the right culture and business, it can grow for decades and decades." Since the early 90s, Davis has been managing the Davis Financial Fund, a 4-star rated fund by Morningstar. When explaining why he created a fund focused only on financial sector, Davis describes what he views as secular versus cyclical opportunities. "Four of our largest holdings," he says, "are in their second century as growth machines: Wells Fargo, American Express, Bank of New York, and JP Morgan. These have [seen] decades of growth," and Davis views them as secular investment opportunities (that is, to be held over a long-term time frame, usually at least 10 years). "But then, in 1991, there was a cyclical opportunity too," Davis explains. "Then it was called the S&L (Savings and Loan) Crisis." Davis says that, at that time people lost faith in the S&L sector and didn't want to touch banks. That, he says, presented a cyclical opportunity because he could buy when those stocks when they were out of favor in a sector, he says, "in which everybody in the country is a customer." "Unlike energy," Davis says, "the financial sector is vast" and includes a wide variety of companies, some of which have "compounded for decades and, in some cases, for generations." He explains that, given the current sentiment (when the financial crisis is still fresh in investors' minds), people don't want to look at financial stocks, which places some shares at their lowest relative valuations in decades. However, Davis points out that since these companies have "already gone through their crisis," they offer the strong combination of low valuations and increased safety. He says, "they have higher capital ratios and earnings power. It's both a cyclical and a secular opportunity." As far as regulatory pressures are concerned, Davis contends that these same pressures present barriers to entry (and therefore, to competing institutions). He believes that banking and financial products and institutions are here to stay, and "the hostile political backdrop is nothing new". But he explains, "They have already been through the crisis, so they're in a much safer place now." Davis argues that, while stock prices of the big financial institutions (Wells Fargo and JP Morgan, for example) fell during the financial crisis, the companies themselves did not lose money. Instead, Davis argues, "those businesses became more valuable. They took advantage of the crisis by making large acquisitions and came out with higher market shares than they had before." It was the underlying strength and value of the businesses, he says, that got them through the tough times. Davis boils down his approach as follows: "We look for an above-average business at a below-average price, because when you put them together you get an above-average return. Banks and financials are a good place to look, because people assume they must be below-average businesses." So, using Davis' principles, Validea's Guru Stock Screener has identified top financial stock picks for you. There are three U.S. banks, one non-U.S. bank and one investment firm where the fundamentals look highly favorable. (Disclosure: I am founder of Validea.) Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. (GGAL) Grupo Financiero is a financial services holding company that provides (through its subsidiaries) a range of financial products and services to large corporations, small and medium size companies and individuals throughout Argentina. The company has shown persistent earnings growth over the past five years and average 10-year earnings-per-share (EPS) growth of 34.9%. Return-on-equity (ROE) is healthy at 25.6%. The price-to-sales ratio is modest at 1.22 (based on trailing 12-month sales) and price-to-book is even more appealing at 0.7. This is one of the highest scoring non-U.S. financials on all of Validea. Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) Scoring 91% in our Peter Lynch investment methodology, this huge financial services company (market cap of $256.4 billion) offers a vast array of products and services through three operating segments: Community Banking, Wholesale Banking and Wealth and Investment Management. Under this guru investment model, Wells Fargo's return-on-assets (ROA) of 1.28% exceeds the benchmark (of 1.0%) and the equity-to-assets ratio (a better measure given the increased leverage in financials) is 11% compared to the 5% minimum this model requires. Earnings have been steadily increasing since the 2008 financial crisis. Based on the company's fundamentals, strong brand name and size its not hard to see why Wells Fargo is the second largest holding in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio. Wells Fargo is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. See how Cramer rates the stock here. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells WFC? Learn more now. People's Utah Bancorp (PUB) Through its subsidiaries, People's Utah Bancorp provides full-service retail banking in various population centers in the state of Utah through two segments: Bank of American Fork (BAF) and Lewiston State Bank (LSB). Under our Lynch model, the company's price-to-earnings ratio of 11.84 relative to its growth rate of 34.34% is a very favorable 0.34. People's Utah Bancorp's EPS growth rate sits comfortably within the desired range of between 20% and 50%, indicating the likelihood that growth is sustainable. With a $300 million market cap, People's Utah Bancorp is a smaller cap name that will be more leveraged to the local economy in Utah. The firm has generated a 14.5% ROE, on average, over the last 10 years. This is one of the smaller compounding machines that may drum up investor interest as rates start to increase. BOFI Holding, Inc. undefined BOFI is the holding company for BofI Federal Bank, a diversified financial services company that provides consumer and business banking products through branchless distribution channels and partners. Under our Zweig model, BOFI earns a perfect score. The company's same-quarter earnings growth of 64.71% is impressive, but this methodology requires an additional test to measure whether growth is accelerating over time. Therefore, quarterly earnings is compared to one half of long-term EPS growth. In the case of BOFI, recent quarterly earnings growth of 44.44%, 33.33% and 37.50% are robust against half of the long-term rate (13.54%) and indicates a steady flow of earnings. Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. (WDR) Waddell & Reed is a mutual fund and asset management company that scores 100% under our Lynch model. The company's single digit earnings growth of 9.88% puts it in the "Slow Grower" category which also requires that yield be higher than the S&P average (currently 2.43%). Waddell & Reed's yield of 8.67% passes this test with flying colors. Yield-adjusted P/E/G (price-to-earnings-to growth) of 0.44 is considered excellent under this model. As Davis points out in the interview, the financial services sector is made up of many different types of companies and with clouds over many investment firms right now, savvy, long term investors have the ability to pick up shares of this fundamentally sound stock on the cheap. At the time of publication, Reese was long BOFI and WDR, although holdings can change at any time. John P. Reese is founder and CEO of Validea.com , an investment research firm, and Validea Capital Management , an asset management firm serving affluent investors and companies. He is also co-author of two investing books, including The Guru Investor: How to Beat the Market Using History's Best Investment Strategies (Wiley). Under no circumstances does the information in this column represent a recommendation to buy or sell stocks. Reese appreciates your feedback. Click here to send him an email. TheStreet.com has a revenue-sharing relationship with Amazon.com under which it receives a portion of the revenue from Amazon purchases by customers directed there from TheStreet.com. Like Saudi Arabia and oil, New Zealand is a world leader in the dairy industry. But what was once New Zealand's "cash cow" has now soured their economy. Diversification is essential to success for any investor or country. If a country's economy is not well-diversified -- if it becomes too dependent on one source of revenue and growth -- the results can be disastrous. This is the case with New Zealand, which became too reliant on the dairy industry. When investors think of multi-billion-dollar commodities, milk isn't usually the first to come to mind (it's usually gold or oil). Unlike oil, dairy is not making headlines, nor is it causing any political tension. However, in a country where cows outnumber people by nearly two million, a decline in dairy is serious business (New Zealand has 4.5 million people and 6.4 million cattle). The geography and climate of New Zealand provide the perfect landscape for dairy cattle. The island nation exports more dairy than any other country, controlling about 40% of the world's international dairy trade. Dairy products make up about 7% of the country's total economic output. Fonterra, the largest company in New Zealand, is also the world's largest dairy exporter. Fonterra controls over 20% of the world's cross-border dairy trade. New Zealand dairy cows supplied 21.3 billion liters of milk in the fiscal year ending June 2015. That's about 11 cups of milk for every person on the planet. The New Zealand dollar is strongly impacted by dairy prices. When milk prices are high, other countries need to buy more New Zealand dollars to import milk from them. But when milk prices fall, there is lower demand for the New Zealand dollar -- and therefore a decrease in the value of the currency. The New Zealand dollar and international dairy prices follow each other closely, as shown below. (Dairy prices are measured using the Global Dairy Trade price index.) New Zealand has been a major player in the dairy world for a long time. So when the country signed a free trade agreement with China in 2008 that reduced dairy tariffs, the industry skyrocketed. New Zealand's dairy production grew by 5.4% per year in the seven years that followed as a result of the increased demand from China. (By comparison, dairy production was rising by just 1% per year before the deal.) Milk prices shot up quickly, increasing 172% in the five years following February 2009. China became New Zealand's dairy farmers' new best friend. About 25% of New Zealand's dairy exports were going to China. Whole milk powder -- the white powder that's left over after the water is removed from milk -- became one of the fastest growing exports. Milk powder is easier to ship and store than fresh milk, and it has a much longer shelf life. It can be used in ice cream and nutritional supplements, as well as in candies and baby formula. After a big scandal over tainted milk in China in 2008, China's whole milk powder imports rose by about 13 times over the next six years. New Zealand provided more than three-quarters of those imports. Prices jumped to over US$5,000 per metric ton in 2013 and 2014 from US$1,851 per metric ton in February 2009. The solution to low commodity prices is low commodity prices. Logically, the solution to high commodity prices is also the high commodity prices themselves. High dairy prices attracted more competition as dairy farmers all over the world were captivated by the high profit margins of milk production. As a result, global milk production rose from 697 million tons to 789 million tons from 2007-to-2014. Meanwhile, though, demand for dairy from China (and Russia, another big milk importer) dropped. China increased its own milk production and stockpiled milk powder. In 2015, China cut its milk powder imports by 53%. (Dairy conspiracy theorists speculate that China was stockpiling huge amounts of milk powder during the boom. This was so that when they stopped buying, there would be an excess of milk and prices would crash. Then, China could stockpile once more at much lower prices.) After milk prices peaked in February 2014, they fell by 40% the following year to US$3,042 per metric ton in February 2015. Milk prices hit their lowest value since 2009 through early May, fetching $2,203 per metric ton. This is down 56% from February 2014. New Zealand's economic growth slowed from 4.1% in 2014 to 2.3% in 2015. This was partly because of the slowdown in the agricultural industry -- in particular the dairy industry. Since milk prices peaked in 2014, the New Zealand dollar has dropped 16%. That means that New Zealand's imports are now more expensive. If there is any silver lining to this, the lower dollar also means that milk exports from New Zealand are cheaper to foreign buyers, making them more attractive. The people hurt most by this quick reversal of fortunes are New Zealand's dairy farmers, who are now stuck with a lot of debt and falling revenues. Their revenue has dropped by almost US$5 billion (that's about 2.5% of GDP). Dairy farmers now owe more than three times what they owed in 2003. The total average debt works out to almost US$3,500 per cow. New Zealand's central bank warned that low milk prices, along with lower property prices, could result in the number of non-performing dairy sector loans rising to 44%. The central bank feels that if milk prices continue to stay low, it could mean land prices fall even further -- as much as 40% over the next two years. New Zealand's weakening economy, increasing debt, falling land prices, fears about bank loans and instability of its banks all come from a one culprit: milk. But this is the price any country has to pay for relying too heavily on one industry. Kim Iskyan is the founder of Truewealth Publishing, an independent investment research company based in Singapore. Click here to sign up to receive the Truewealth Asian Investment Daily in your inbox every day, for free. This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned. NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Transocean (RIG) stock is down 1.68% to $9.94 in afternoon trading on Thursday after crude oil prices erased earlier gains. WTI crude is falling 0.50% to $49.31 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, while Brent crude is declining 0.60% to $49.44 per barrel on the Intercontinental Exchange this afternoon. Both international and domestic prices reached $50 per barrel earlier today because of production outages, but the market still remains oversupplied, Reuters reports. "I am maintaining my oil view at neutral with a short-term bias to the upside," Energy Management Institute senior partner Dominick Chirichella told Reuters. "The global surplus still exists and there is still a possibility that oil prices could retrace further." If oil prices remain above $50 for too long, U.S. produces could boost operations again, adding crude oil to an oversupplied market and triggering a steep decline in prices. Crude production has slowed in parts of Canada, Nigeria, Libya and Venezuela, reducing overall output by almost 4 million barrels a day, Reuters added. Shares of Transocean, a Swiss offshore drilling contractor, are also being pressured by fellow drilling services company Seadrill (SDRL), which reported weak quarterly results this morning. Separately, Transocean has a "sell" rating and a letter grade of D+ at TheStreet Ratings because of the company's weaknesses, including generally disappointing historical performance in the stock. You can view the full analysis from the report here: RIG TheStreet Ratings objectively rated this stock according to its "risk-adjusted" total return prospect over a 12-month investment horizon. Not based on the news in any given day, the rating may differ from Jim Cramer's view or that of this article's author. ECONOMY Weekly applications for jobless aid drop Fewer people sought unemployment aid last week for the second week in a row, the latest evidence that hiring is probably solid. Weekly applications for unemployment aid dropped 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 268,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, increased to 278,500. The figures, along with other recent data, suggest that the economy is picking up a bit after barely expanding in the first the months of the year. Applications are a proxy for layoffs, so last weeks decline is a sign that companies are confident enough to hold on to their workers. When layoffs are low, hiring is typically steady. Applications have been below 300,000, a historically low level, for 64 weeks, the longest such streak since 1973. About 2.16 million people are receiving benefits, 3.1 percent lower than a year ago. The economy expanded at just a 0.5 percent annual rate in the first quarter, after tepid growth of 1.4 percent in the final three months of last year. In the past two weeks, however, several reports have suggested growth will rebound in the April-to-June quarter to nearly 2.5 percent, some economists forecast. Sales at retail stores and restaurants jumped in April, evidence that Americans were willing to spend robustly after several months of caution. And the housing market has perked up: Sales of existing homes rose last month, while sales of new homes soared to the highest level since 2008. Steady hiring and low mortgage rates have encouraged more Americans to take the plunge and buy a home. Housing construction also increased in April. Associated Press RETAIL Sears weighs options for brands, repair unit Sears Holdings is considering options for its Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard brands, as well as its Sears Home Services repair business, signaling that the retailer may sell more assets to stem widening losses. The company will aggressively evaluate all alternatives for the businesses and has hired Citigroup and LionTree Advisors to assist in the efforts, according to a statement Thursday. Sears also reported that its first-quarter net loss expanded to $471 million, or $4.41 a share, and said that Chief Financial Officer Robert Schriesheim plans to leave the company. With the retailers stores showing little sign of a revival, chief executive Edward Lampert may again be looking to sell off parts of the company to bring in cash. Lampert a hedge fund manager whos also the retailers chairman and largest shareholder has hived off the Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores business and Lands End clothing brand, while also selling off store locations and moving others into a real estate investment trust. The Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard brands are beloved by the American consumer, and we believe that we can realize significant growth by further expanding the presence of these brands outside of Sears and Kmart, the company said. The home-services business also has greater potential than what we have delivered in the past. The brands under review Kenmore appliances, Craftsman tools and DieHard auto batteries are staples found in many American households, and key assets inside Sears. Yet their sales have been slipping, even after Sears hired a licensing agent to offer them outside of Sears and Kmart stores. Bloomberg News Also in Business From news services Coming Today The Google logo printed on a carpet during the inauguration of the new Google cultural institute in Paris, France in 2013. (Jacques Brinon/AP) Google won a jury verdict that ends Oracles claim to a $9 billion slice of the search giants Android phone business. Oracle contended that Google needed a license to use its Java programming language to develop Android, the operating system in 80 percent of the worlds mobile devices. Jurors in a federal court in San Francisco rejected that argument Thursday and concluded that Google made fair use of the code under copyright law. A decision against Google had the potential to give significantly more weight to software copyrights and to spur litigation to protect those added rights. Oracle which started the trial at an advantage with the judge explaining that it had already been established that Google had infringed Oracles copyrights plans to appeal, although legal experts said overturning a jury verdict will be difficult. Google relied on witnesses including former chief executive Eric Schmidt, who is now chairman of parent company Alphabet, to convince jurors that it used Java to innovate, rather than merely copy code. Before joining Google, Schmidt worked at Sun Microsystems developing and marketing Java. Oracle acquired Sun in 2010, and Schmidt was involved in Googles failed licensing negotiations, which spurred the copyright-infringement lawsuit filed that year by the database maker. Schmidt told jurors that, based on his many years of experience with Java, he believed Google was permitted to use the APIs the shortcuts that allow developers to write programs to work across software platforms without a negotiated license, as long as the company relied on its own code. Sun promoted them as free and open and not sold or licensed separately from Java, he said. Central to Oracles bid for what would have been one of the largest jury verdicts in U.S. history was its claim that Google has reaped $21 billion in profit from more than 3 billion activations of Android. Oracle sought damages of $8.8 billion, plus $475 million in what it claims was lost licensing revenue. Oracle brought this lawsuit to put a stop to Googles illegal behavior, Dorian Daley, Oracle general counsel, said in a statement. We believe there are numerous grounds for appeal. Google relied on a free-market argument, said Tyler Ochoa, a professor at Santa Clara University School of Law who has followed the case since it was filed in 2010. Google claimed that it was within its rights to use the organization and labeling of the Java code to develop Android because programmers were already familiar with them, Ochoa said. Googles message was that Oracle shouldnt own programmers simply because they had taken the time to learn Java, Ochoa said. Ochoa was one of 41 academics who agreed with Google that the code at issue didnt merit copyright protection and urged the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case. The high court last year declined to take it. Oracle won a 2012 verdict that Google infringed its copyrights, but that jury couldnt agree whether it was justified under the fair use legal doctrine. That set the stage for the second trial, featuring many of the witnesses from four years ago as well as the same judge, William Alsup. Both sides leaned on powerful Silicon Valley personalities to put a shine on technology-laden arguments. Safra Catz, Oracle co-chief executive, invoked the Ten Commandments to characterize Google as acting above the law. Catz told jurors that, at a bat mitzvah in 2012, Googles general counsel, Kent Walker, told her, You know, Safra, Google is this really special company, and the old rules dont apply to us. I immediately said, Thou shalt not steal, Catz testified. Its an oldie but goodie. Witnesses for Google said the company didnt need a license for the Javas application programming interfaces, or APIs, to build Android. In cross-examinations of those witnesses, Oracles attorneys hit upon a disconnect between their testimony and selected emails while Android was being created. The messages showed Google executives and engineers were concerned that they needed, and didnt get, a license for Java. Google co-founder Larry Page was confronted with a 2005 internal email posing the question of whether to drop the use of Java for Android or press ahead, perhaps making enemies along the way. Page responded, Obviously we didnt do the first one. Michael Risch, a law professor at Villanova University School of Law in Pennsylvania whos been following the case, said it will be difficult for Oracle to overturn the jury verdict because an appeals court will have to conclude the instructions to jurors on the legal issues in the case were flawed. Before the verdict, Risch said the outcome was a toss-up and that it may not have been well-suited for a jury to decide. There should be a clear set of guidelines that allow companies to know when they may reuse functional aspects of another companys copyrighted work, and submitting a fair use question to a jury fails in all respects, Risch said. The National Gallery of Art added another 28 works from the Corcoran Gallery to its permanent collection, including an early 20th-century painting by Cecilia Beaux and a 1976 painting on paper by Anne Truitt. The National Gallerys Board of Trustees also announced the acquisition of a rediscovered 17th-century painting by Simon Vouet, Madonna and Child, and a Chuck Close print, Keith, from 1972. Photographs by John Moran, Edward Weston and Mark Ruwedel were added as well. The fourth round of Corcoran accessions is also the smallest, and brings the total numbers of acquired works from the now-closed museum to 8,329. The first round, announced in January 2015 topped 6,000. More were added in October 2015 and in March. After years of management and financial struggles, the Corcoran closed in 2014 when a judge approved a deal that gave the National Gallery of Art custody of its 17,000-piece collection and allowed George Washington University to take control of its arts school. The deal gave the NGA the right of first refusal for the works. The ones it does not acquire will be distributed to other institutions, with priority given to those in the District. [National Gallery aims to integrate Corcoran works while keeping its legacy alive] Last week, George Washington University cut 10 of the 19 teachers with roots at the Corcoran. The remaining nine join about 40 GWU instructors in the combined fine and performing arts program now called Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at GWU. The program is part of GWUs Columbian College of arts and sciences. The National Gallerys announcement of additional Corcoran acquisitions comes as it opens Intersections: Photographs and Videos From the National Gallery of Art and the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Created by senior curator Sarah Greenough and consulting curator Philip Brookman, it features 85 works by 58 artists from both collections. It is on view through Jan. 2, 2017. This exhibition is designed to show how the two collections dovetail each other, Greenough said, noting that the two collections have very different histories and focuses. Great art thrives when it is seen in a new light, placed in dialogue with new companions, eliciting new ideas and new revelations. In this way . . . the legacy of the Corcoran continues to enrich all our lives. [GWU cuts 10 faculty members from Corcoran School] The National Gallery has acquired 2,176 of the Corcorans 5,955 photographs and videos, and it continues to review the collection for more. For me, this new exhibition provides just a glimpse of what can happen here, said Brookman, formerly chief curator at the Corcoran. It is a fascinating view of how two collections have come together in a short amount of time, and the potential through time, to build on . . . (their) shared legacy. Hey, he could be a Loser! The Posts editorial cartoonist shows a flair for song parody, below. (Tom Toles/The Washington Post) (Click here to skip down to the results of our Week 1173 contest for wordplays on food) Meet Donald, likely nominee, failing up from bankruptcy, But Sarah just carries his torch, has only seen countries she can see from her porch, What a crazy pair! But theyre cousins, identical cousins all the way. Self-regarding in matching mirrors, pro and protege. Where Donald adores a marble lobby, and firing people is his hobby, Our Sarah loves to fire a gun, or skin a bear just for fun, What a wild duet! Still theyre cousins, identical cousins, and youll find They think alike, they quote alike, they even self-promote alike You can lose your mind When opportunists . . . are two of a kind! Accent your refrigerators Loser Magnets with some mixed-up political platitudes. The word set is just part of this weeks second prize. (Pat Myers/The Washington Post) That nifty parody of the Patty Duke Show theme was not by one of our regular Loserbards, but by Tom Toles, The Posts Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist. Tom posted it along with this cartoon on his blog, where 66-time Loser Dion Black saw it and showed the Empress, reminding her that we wouldnt want to miss out on the chance to sing about this election. This week: Write a song related to this years elections, set to a familiar tune. In the online Invite Ill link to clips of the original songs (or to your own clips, if you submit them), but youre more likely to get ink in the print version if you use a very well-known tune (and write short). You get an extra week for this: Deadline is Monday night, June 13. We did this contest for the 2008 election as well; see the fantabulous results at bit.ly/invite789 (scroll down to see the results). NEW: No more emailing entries! Instead, submit them at this website: subpl.at/INVITE1177. Its super-easy. Winner gets the Inkin Memorial, the Lincoln statue bobblehead that is the official Style Invitational trophy. Second place gets a Political Twin Pack: a Time-Life DVD of Presidential Bloopers, including footage of Ford stumbling off Air Force One, Reagan dozing off in a news conference, and George H.W. Bush falling to his knees on a bowling lane; plus the Mixed-Up Politician magnetic poetry set 200 little magnetic words and phrases like a thousand points of light, sexual relations and stops here. Donated by Nan Reiner. Other runners-up win their choice of a yearned-for Loser Mug, the older-model This Is Your Brain on Mugs mug or a vintage Loser T-shirt. Honorable mentions get one of our lusted-after Loser magnets, Magnet Dum Laude or Falling Jest Short. First Offenders receive a smelly tree-shaped air freshener (FirStink for their first ink). Deadline is Monday night, June 13; results published June 26 (online June 23). You may submit up to 25 entries per contest. See contest rules and guidelines at wapo.st/InvRules. The headline for this weeks results is by Roy Ashley; the honorable-mentions subhead is by Jon Gearhart. Join the lively Style Invitational Devotees group on Facebook at on.fb.me/invdev. Like the Style Invitational Ink of the Day on Facebook at bit.ly/inkofday; follow @StyleInvite on Twitter. The Style Conversational The Empresss weekly online column discusses each new contest and set of results. Especially if you plan to enter, check it out at wapo.st/styleconv. And the results of the Style Invitational contest posted four weeks ago . . . WIT ON A SHINGLE: THE FOOD PUNS OF WEEK 1173 In Week 1173 we asked you to slightly change the name of a food or brand of food and describe the result. Lots of entries this week, but so many were past their sell-by date (I Scream: Desserts for scary movies) or just plain undercooked (Beerios: Cheerios with beer in them). Fortunately, the Empress is an intrepid shopper and came home with a nice basket of these. 4th place: Smoron: A chocolate graham cracker sandwiched between two toasted marshmallows. (Chris Doyle, Denton, Tex.) 3rd place: Crap n Crunch: The Breakfast of Multitaskers. (Dave Matuskey, Sacramento, Calif.) 2nd place and the can of silkworms and the jar of sour grapes: Lawnuts: Extract from shell at own risk. Must be 18 to use oven. We are not responsible for burns or allergies. By baking with this product, you waive your right to a jury trial. (Amanda Yanovitch, Midlothian, Va.) And the winner of the Inkin Memorial: Phlegm in meringue pie: What you get when youre nasty to your waitress. (Jon Gearhart, Des Moines) Its just nacho day: honorable mentions Chili con kay, so? Bland Mexican food. (Christopher Lamora, Arlington, Va.) More neigh sauce: We cant tell you the secret ingredient . . . (Beverley Sharp, Montgomery, Ala.) Oyster spew: Served in months without an R (Jeff Shirley, Richmond, Va.) Trollhouse cookies: INEDIBLE GARBAGE made by COMPLETE IDIOTS for WORTHLESS LOSERS!! (Frank Osen, Pasadena, Calif.) Honey-glazed pasties: Favorite treat at the Secret Service party. (William Kennard, Arlington) FriToes: Corns chips. (Mike Ostapiej, Mount Pleasant, S.C.) Flay of sole: An old Gitmo favorite, made with enhanced preparation techniques. (Gary Crockett, Chevy Chase, Md.) Pop Secrete: Its self-buttering! (Dave Prevar, Annapolis, Md.) Collie flour: What hot dog buns are made from. (Tom Witte, Montgomery Village, Md.) Berned toast: Hillarys first choice for breakfast (Caroline Warfel, Exton, Pa., a First Offender) Egg McNuthin: Scrambled egg whites, veggie sausage and soy cheese on a gluten-free bun. (Ed Sobansky, Bowie, Md., a First Offender) Couch potato salad: A cookie crumb/ crushed-chip/ popcorn kernel blend vacuumed from under the sofa cushions. (Danielle Nowlin, Fairfax Station, Va.) Colonel B. Sanders Chicken: Not only will there be a free chicken in every pot, youll also get a free pot. (Ivars Kuskevics, Takoma Park, Md.) WETAbix: Cracker that increases both sex drive and pledge drive. (Stephen Dudzik, Olney, Md.) Crime of Wheat: Cereal you ate during Passover. (Mark Raffman, Reston, Va.) Trumpkin Pie: With its vibrant orange color and assertiveness, it is very popular, though not quite as rich as it appears. (John Hutchins, Silver Spring, Md.) Pasta PrimaBerra: Its 90 percent pasta and the other half is vegetables. (Tom Witte) Sesame Chicken: Who knew Big Bird would be so tender and juicy? (Todd DeLap, Fairfax, Va.) Peeking duck: Its not a good sign when your dinner casts a baleful eye at you. (Mae Scanlan, Washington) Gop Tarts: Only one flavor is still available, and now its subject to a manufacturers recall. (Frank Mann, Washington) Egg too yung: A fried chicken embryo. (Chris Doyle) French flies: First we swat em, then we pot em. Salt their bodies, top to bottom. Crispy, tasty, nice and lean: French flies are your haute cuisine. (Neal Starkman, Seattle) Spandexopita: Rich tarts served at big, big, fat, fat Greek weddings. (Phil Frankenfeld, Washington) Feelawful: A giant platter of fried chickpeas with chickpea sauce on chickpea bread. (Edward Gordon, Austin) McTheDonalds: New home of the whopper. (Kevin Dopart, Washington) Oysters Blockafella: Not reputed to be so much of an aphrodisiac. (Danielle Nowlin) Mr./Ms. Peanut: May or may not include nuts. (Rob Cohen, Potomac, Md.) Porn flakes: And you thought alphabet soup was fun! (Jack McCombs, Fairfax, Va.) Kvetch of the day: The menu item that boasts zero satisfied customers. (Mark Briscoe, Alexandria, Va.) Wander Bread: Manna. (Gary Crockett) Rantatouille: Made with really steamed vegetables! (Frank Osen) Scrimp cocktail: Imitation shellfish and ketchup. (Duncan Stevens, Vienna, Va.) Chilean Seabiscuit: On a French menu, its listed under Fruits de Mare. (Christopher Lamora) Buffalo wins: The recipe for this tailgating snack is so tricky, it is now enjoyed only on very rare occasions. (John Hutchins) Pupu Splatter: An even less appetizing appetizer than the original. (Dave Matuskey) WaPo Boy: A dish of crow eaten by many a Style Invitational entrant. (Jeff Shirley) Still running deadline Tuesday night, May 31: Our contest for funny lines in obituaries. See bit.ly/invite1176. Chef David Rabin's dishes at Caboose Brewing in Vienna include pan-seared potato gnocchi and Virginia little neck clams. (Deborah Jaffe/For the Washington Post) Local beer makers, whether at brewpubs or large wholesale enterprises, have frequently treated food like an exercise bike in a back closet: It gets trotted out only for small stretches of time. If brewers offered comestibles at all, it was typically outside in a sweltering parking lot where trucks would hawk whatever they had, regardless of how well it paired with the available beers. Those days are mercifully behind us. Brewpubs and breweries such as Right Proper, Bluejacket and Caboose have invested as much time and energy in their food as they have in their small-batch beers. Or almost as much. I mean, you dont walk into Mad Fox Brewing Co., expecting Frank Ruta-level precision in the kitchen, or the kind of creativity found in an Aaron Silverman restaurant. I occasionally have been reminded of the beer worlds cavalier attitude toward food: One evening a bartender at Denizens Brewing Co. in Silver Spring told me the kitchen had substituted beef for pork in the carnitas. [Local beer is easy to find: The definitive guide to D.C.s best breweries] Still, the culinary bar is rising at these breweries, if by inches, not feet. For the past few weeks, Ive perched on barstools, sampling local beers and searching for dishes that align with the sometimes complicated, bitter-forward flavors of malted and hopped beverages. When I first drove to Caboose Brewing in Vienna (520 Mill St. NE; 703-865-8580; caboosebrew ing.com), I thought the Google Maps function on my phone had malfunctioned. It was dark outside, and Mill Street was poorly lit. I felt like I was being directed to an alternate universe, where people did hot yoga in abandoned warehouses. The road more or less dead-ended at Caboose, located near the namesake rail car of the W&OD Trail. My treasure hunt started with tracking down the brewery itself. Brandon McDermott leads the kitchen at Caboose, and he injects cheffy touches on a compact menu that wanders far enough beyond meaty pub fare to keep your interest. I ordered a glass of brewmaster Chris Mallons Citra Wheat, a light and slightly sweet quaff that draws its grapefruit character from hops, not the tropical fruit now popular in IPAs. I thought the beer locked arms perfectly with McDermotts spring potato gnocchi, with its woody asparagus tips and nutty Parmesan foam. (The $20 Diner marvels at the presence of parm foam at a brewery, but thats another column.) The beer provided a cool, acidic element, which cleansed the palate after every bite of the potato dumplings. Friends Arian Vojdam, right, and Lewis Laskin dine and drink at the back bar of Right Proper brewpub in Shaw. (Craig Hudson/For The Washington Post) Alhough Im sure there are plenty of examples to the contrary, beer tends to prefer brawny fare dishes with generous amounts of fat or spice, which can interact with ales, lagers and IPAs in mysterious ways. My first sip of the Funk, a saison at Mad Foxs brewpub in Falls Church (444 W. Broad St.; 703-942-6840; madfoxbrewing.com ), revealed a beer filthy with barnyard aromas. Yet when paired with the Garlic Pig pizza a pepperoni-and-garlic-heavy pie with all the subtlety of a moose in heat the Funk began to edit itself: Its fetid barnyard qualities faded into the background, allowing its refreshing citrus notes to assume a leading role. In fact, I found myself seeking out beers with an acidic personality, without resorting to the kind of Old World lambics that can run roughshod over even the fattiest dishes. I loved the picklish nose on the Old Weird America at the Right Proper Brewing Company Shaw Brewpub and Kitchen (624 T St. NW; 202-607-2337; rightproperbrewing.com ) and the way the pale ale added a tiny tartness to the warmed slices of pretzel bread dipped in pungent honey-mustard sauce. The Scarecrow, a complex saison at Bluejacket (300 Tingey St. SE; 202-524-4862; bluejacketdc.com), tastes as if it were custom-made for the smoked Carolina trout dip, the citrus notes in the beer and the appetizer almost melting into each other, like young lovers. Sometimes, I discovered, the beer will make a dish, or at least improve it. There was much to admire about the warmed curry chicken sandwich at Denizens (1115 East-West Hwy., Silver Spring; 301-557-9818; denizensbrewingco.com ): The baguette crackled under tooth, revealing a sweet and mildly spiced mixture that reached its full potential when paired with a Southside Rye IPA, which gave the bite a bitter backbone without squashing its polite nature. More dramatically, the bracing sourness of Bluejackets A Little Golden Gem, a gose spiked with kumquats and sea salt, helped to reanimate a lifeless, mostly overcooked double-cut pork chop. The Arsenal restaurant and Bluejacket brewery in Southeast Washington. (Scott Suchman/For The Washington Post) But of all the combinations I tried, the most satisfying one proved to be the most obvious: the craft beers at Vanish (42264 Leelynn Farm Lane, Lucketts, Va.; 703-779-7407; vanish beer.com ), the brewery at Black Hops Farm, paired with the chef-driven barbecue of Bryan Voltaggio, the man behind Volt, Range and other restaurants. Voltaggio has long dabbled in barbecue, but now hes offering it Friday through Sunday at the seed to sip brewery owned by Jonathan Staples, a partner in other Voltaggio projects. The BVQ Voltaggios clever way of marketing his smoked meats isnt limited just by its availability. The whole enterprise has a homespun, DIY aesthetic, complete with a 250-gallon Meadow Creek trailer smoker parked outside, mostly exposed to the elements. When I visited in mid-May, the weather was lousy enough to prevent pitmaster Matthew Crane from smoking brisket and spare ribs over white oak. No matter. The chopped Virginia pork (smoked four hours, finished in a low-temperature oven, chopped and mixed with an apple cider-vinegar sauce) and the turkey breast (brined three days, smoked for more than four hours) were moist, smoky and unforgettable. I could have paired it all with Bud Ice and been happy. Instead, I polished off that barbecue with a decidedly hoppy session IPA, a collaboration between Vanish and Stillwater. I enjoyed how the beers bitterness darted in and out of the smoky meats. Ive always loved barbecue, Voltaggio tells me over the phone. Obviously, Im limited by the space there. Its not a full-service restaurant. You never know, it may turn into something one day. If that means Voltaggio plans to open a full-time barbecue restaurant one day, Ill be the first in line, the memory of Vanishs chopped pork and turkey still dancing in my head. The couple, who have a boy named Archie, announced on Jan. 8 that they would step back from being royals, become financially independent, and split their time between North America and the United Kingdom. The Milky Way Malt, from Good Stuff Eatery. (Renee Comet/For the Washington Post; styling by Bonnie S. Benwick) I f you happen to be chef-restaurateur Spike Mendelsohns parents and you love a good malted milkshake, you make sure that a very good rendition will be on the menu of the Mendelsohn familys Good Stuff Eatery chain. And so it is, enriched with malted milk powder and the creamiest frozen custard. Frosted features come and go from the Good Stuff lineup, but the Milky Way Malt has been a popular item since the first shop opened on Capitol Hill in 2008. Max Albano, corporate chef for the familys Sunnyside Restaurant Group, comes up with a new milkshake flavor every month; his summer peach is getting hand-spun in June. This malted milkshakes ingredients invoke the best of what its inspiration the Mars companys 93-year-old Milky Way candy bar has to offer, right down to the sauces painted on the inside walls of the glass its served in. A topping of fluffy whipped cream and crushed malted milk balls completes the set. GOOD STUFF EATERYS MILKY WAY MALT 1 serving Malted milk powder is available in large grocery stores. 2 tablespoons good-quality, dark fudge sauce 2 tablespoons good-quality butterscotch or caramel sauce 2 tablespoons whole milk 1 tablespoon malted milk powder (see headnote) 10 ounces frozen vanilla custard or French vanilla ice cream, slightly softened Whipped cream, for garnish 2 or 3 malted milk balls, crushed, for garnish Smear the fudge sauce (warmed, as needed, for easy application) on the inside of a tall milkshake glass; youre going for irregular coverage here. Smear the butterscotch or caramel sauce in some of the clear spaces in and around the fudge sauce. Combine the milk, malted milk powder and vanilla frozen custard or French vanilla ice cream in a blender or the metal cup of a milkshake machine. Blend just until smooth and thick. Pour into the smeared glass. Immediately top with a good-size dollop of homemade or store-bought whipped cream and a small handful of crushed malted milk balls. SOURCE Adapted from Max Albano, corporate chef for the Sunnyside Restaurant Group. Tested by Bonnie S. Benwick; email questions to food@washpost.com NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS Per serving (using French vanilla ice cream): 920 calories, 16g protein, 36g fat, 20g saturated fat, 136g carbohydrates, 230mg cholesterol, 440mg sodium, 0g fiber, 90g sugar Recipe Finder More Plate Lab For stories, features such as Date Lab, Gene Weingarten and more, visit WP Magazine. Follow the Magazine on Twitter. Like us on Facebook. Email us at wpmagazine@washpost.com. One traveler who rented a car from Hertz in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., thought his final rate would be $150, only to find out the car-rental company upped it to $550. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters) When you rent a car this summer, dont look for one price. Look for three. Theres the low rate youre quoted when youre shopping for wheels, the final and more expensive rate after all required taxes and fees have been added and the real price. Yes, its that complicated. Consider what happened when Brian Scios rented a car from Hertz in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., recently. He thought his final rate would be $150, but after his plane arrived late, the car rental company upped it to $550. I argued with a representative for a few minutes, showing him my confirmation printout, but he said thats what he had on screen, says Scios, who works for a nonprofit organization in New York. It was late, we wanted to start driving, so I just paid it and figured Id fight it later. This sleight of hand, which is all too common in the travel business, is now a full-fledged epidemic in the car-rental industry. The rental price for a Chevrolet Spark or similar from Hertz at the Fort Lauderdale airport is $106 per day, but after all required taxes and fees are added, it jumps to $140. And at the counter, you might pay even more, as Scios did. [10 tips for travel bliss with kids from a dad who spent 300 days on the road with his] A 2015 survey by the Australian consumer research firm Canstar Blue found nearly 3 out of every 5 consumers are confronted with extra charges when they return a rental vehicle. A quarter of those surveyed disputed the final cost, according to the research. (Many of the car-rental companies operating in Australia answer to American owners and operate under rules similar to those in the United States.) Whats going on? The car-rental business is taking a page from the airline industry, trying to upsell customers, broadside them with junk fees such as frivolous charges for damage to the vehicle or find a way any way to charge more. And make no mistake: Car-rental companies have you in their crosshairs this summer. But you dont have to overpay for your wheels. Carefully reviewing the fine print and knowing the traps and meticulous documentation of the transaction can ensure that you pay exactly what you expected. Hertz spokeswoman Lauren Luster says the companys records showed two reservations under Scioss name, which caused the initial confusion, noting, Mr. Scios wasnt charged as a result of a fee. After he contacted the company, Hertz adjusted his rate by applying the original prepaid rate to the reservation, which generated a refund of the price difference. Scios says he made only one reservation. We have extended our apologies to Mr. Scios for the inconvenience he experienced following his rental with us, Luster says. Wait-until-the-end fees can actually be divided into two distinct categories: the ones presented to you when you pick up the car commonly called the upsell and those tacked on at the end of your rental. Although theres no formal name for these unwelcome charges, theyre often referred to as the broadside or gotcha among consumer advocates. To avoid these types of charges, customers need to be familiar with the most common car-rental rip-offs and know which of the add-ons offered by rental-car companies are truly necessary and which are not worth paying extra for, says Jordan Perch, an editor for the automotive services site DMV.com. [Should discount carrier Norwegian Air fly to the U.S.? Heres what passengers think.] Its difficult to offer advice on options such as a navigation system or car seat; those are personal decisions. Its easier to generalize about car-rental protection. Its almost always overpriced, and you can obtain similar coverage through your auto insurance, credit card or a company such as Insuremyrentalcar.com. But on the issue of fees tacked on at the end of a rental, theres little disagreement. They are both unwelcome and often unjustified. Nenad Cuk, a frequent car renter who works for a marketing agency in Salt Lake City, says attention to detail is important. That extends beyond the fuel gauge. Many car-rental customers take pictures of their vehicle just in case the car-rental company decides to send a bill for damage to the car. The images prove the car was returned in acceptable shape. Always make sure that you listen to anything that might be mentioned that youll have to pay for upon returning the car, Cuk adds. Employees may mention it as an oh-by-the-way, but when it shows up on your credit card, you may feel differently. Nothing is ever final, though. Sorab Bhardwaj of Jersey City, N.J., returned a Hertz rental and for weeks afterward thought everything had been settled. Not exactly. He discovered a charge on his credit card from a company called PlatePass, which claimed he hadnt paid for a toll on the New Jersey Turnpike. I wasnt there, he says. After some haggling, Hertz offered him a voucher for a future rental if he agreed to pay the $11.90 charge from PlatePass. (Bhardwaj had his revenge by founding a car-rental coupon site called Zalyn.com that has arguably made up for the fee and then some.) When should you worry about these extras? Probably when a car-rental employee tells you not to worry. For example, when a representative tells you a quarter-size dent is just wear and tear and that you shouldnt be concerned about getting bill for the damage. Or when an employee invites you to hop on the shuttle to the airport terminal, even when you still have a question about your rental, as Brian Gutherman, an engineering consultant from Shamong, N.J., recently did. Sure enough, he found a fuel service charge on his bill shortly afterward. He disputed the charge, sending the company a gas station receipt, and the fee was rescinded. You dont have to be a travel expert to see whats happening behind the scenes. Customers crave low car-rental prices, and car-rental companies need to make more money. The only way to do it is by quoting a low rate and then increasing the price, first by adding taxes and mandatory fees, then offering optional insurance and other extras and finally hitting you with after-the-fact fees and junk surcharges. Its difficult to know who to blame: the customers who want low rental rates or the companies who use less-than-honest means to provide them. But something tells me this will end with either litigation or legislation. Elliott is a consumer advocate, journalist and co-founder of the advocacy group Travelers United. Email him at chris@elliott.org. More from Travel: Before getting in an unfamiliar rental car, take steps to minimize confusion Refund foot-dragging has always been a travel industry tradition. Now its getting worse. 6 car accessories to make your road trip, and driving record, smoother Read past Navigator columns here This weeks best travel bargains around the globe. Land The historic Georgian Hotel in Santa Monica, Calif., is offering 1 5 percent off suite accommodations and free valet parking ($28 value). A one-bedroom Signature Suite starts at $390 per night, including taxes, a savings of $68. An ocean-view suite starts at $439, a savings of $77. Stay through June 30. Info: 800-538-8147, georgianhotel.com/packages. Sea Save up to $2,800 per couple on Grand Circle Cruise Lines Rhine and Moselle rivers cruise with free air from Washington Dulles. With the discount, the trip starts at $2,495 per person double and includes the flight from to Antwerp, Belgium, with return from Basel, Switzerland; airport transfers; 14 nights aboard a private river ship; all meals, plus beer, wine and soft drinks; 13 tours and five Discovery Series events; gratuities for local guides and drivers; and taxes and fees. The ship travels from Antwerp to Basel, with port of calls in the Netherlands and Germany. Reverse itinerary is also available. Book by June 10 at 800-221-2610 and refer to code SAB1 016. Depart Oct. 20 or 25 or Nov. 3, 8 or 17. Info: gct.com. MSC Cruises has two summer holiday voyages on MSC Divina with savings of up to $100. The four-day cruise departing July 2 from Miami starts at $375 per person double, including taxes, a savings of $90. The ship visits Nassau, Bahamas, and Cape Canaveral, Fla. The five-day cruise leaving Miami on July 5 starts at $367 (a $100 savings) and stops in Cozumel, Mexico. Info: 877-665-4655, msccruisesusa.com. Holiday River Expeditions is offering senior discounts of $100 per person on select rafting trips in Utah and Idaho departing July 1 through Oct. 1. The deals apply to five itineraries ranging from two to six days on the Colorado and Green rivers in Utah and the Salmon River in Idaho. For example, a six-day trip on the Green River is $980 per person single or double, including taxes, for travelers age 65 and older (park fee is $25); adult non-senior price is $1,175. Trips include meals, guide and rafting gear. Info: 800-624-6323, bikeraft.com. Air Scandinavian Airlines has sale fares from Washington Dulles to cities in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway. For example, round-trip fare to Oslo starts at $698, including taxes. Other airlines are matching, but fare typically starts at about $895. A Saturday-night stay is required; holiday blackout dates apply. Travel Aug. 23 through March 25. Book by May 30 at flysas.com/us. Air France has a special on La Premiere first-class tickets. Round-trip air from Washington Dulles to Paris starts at $6,125, including taxes and a sleep suit (yours to take home); flights from New York to Florence start at $5,908. Book at least 28 days in advance by June 1; travel June 15 through Aug. 31. The designer suite cabin comes with a flat bed, a 24-inch HD touch screen and thick curtains for privacy. By comparison, the fare in early June starts at $12,590. Info: airfrance.us . Package Great Value Vacations is offering a 10 percent discount on its French Riviera packages. For example, the trip departing Oct. 13 starts at $1,578 per person, a savings of $175, and includes round-trip air from Washington Dulles to Nice, France; four nights at Hotel La Perouse in Nice with breakfasts; four-day manual car rental; full-day tour of Monaco, Monte Carlo and Eze; and taxes. Use promo code CHICTRIP and book by May 30. Info: 800-896-4600, greatvaluevacations.com. Carol Sottili, Andrea Sachs Submit travel deals to whatsthedeal@washpost.com. Prices were verified at press time Thursday, but deals sell out and availability is not guaranteed. Some restrictions may apply. Fireworks light the sky over Cinderellas Castle at Walt Disney World in 2012. (via Getty Images) Lets make this clear: The nations capital is not the Magic Kingdom. Yet twice this week, Washington policymakers preposterously likened serious issues veterans health care and the safety of the D.C. areas deeply dysfunctional Metro system to Disney amusement parks. Talk about being stuck in Fantasyland. First, there was Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald comparing scandalous wait times for treatment at VA hospitals to waiting in line at a Disney park, as though a colonoscopy is the same as a Space Mountain ride. When you go to Disney, do they measure the number of hours you wait in line? Or whats important? McDonald told reporters at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast in Washington on Monday. Whats important is: Whats your satisfaction with the experience? Commuters use the escalators at the L'Enfant Plaza station in Washington this month. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images) First of all, waiting in a long line for the Toy Story ride might make you hot and your kids cranky. But weve had veterans die waiting for treatment. The second Mickey Mouse move this week came from Rep. Daniel Webster (R-Fla.), during a House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittees hearing on Metros safety. The committee oversees the Metro, which moves hundreds of thousands of people every day on six lines and through 91 stations. The systems lines go over rivers, under rivers, across bridges, beneath federal buildings and through neighborhoods. Shouldnt be that hard, said Webster, who thinks the Metro should run as smoothly as Disneys monorail, a system that consists of three lines with stops at the parks hotels and attractions. John Prentice Hicks, 39, appeared in court Monday in connection to an alleged rape on a moving Metro train in April. (Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office) But first, he made it clear: I dont live here. Yeah, we figured. [Dont slam D.C. for the shutdown, America. You sent these wackos here.] I have one rail system in my district its owned by Disney World. And Ive never seen it broken in the 30-some years theyve been there, he said. And we have a lot of people riding that, too. We have 66 million people that come to my district every year. Got it! Thanks, honorable gentleman from Florida. Please return to Neverland. This lawmaker who thinks the nations second-busiest rail system should be like Disneys monorail is in charge of things, people. None of his colleagues during that 2 1/2-hour hearing asked any questions about Metro that havent been asked before. This is a system where people have died from a crash, from a fire, from a knife-wielding maniac hacking a passenger to death and they think the system should consult Disney for help. Wow. But wait, there was another Mad Hatter at that tea party. Rep. John L. Mica (R-Fla.) took a page right out of kindergarten reward charts when he addressed Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld. Back in April, at another Metro safety hearing, Mica had this answer to Metros woes: You need to fire people! Last Friday, unrelated to Micas suggestions, Wiedefeld fired 20 people from Metros management ranks. That included seven senior managers and other nonunion folks. Wiedefeld said he took no joy in canning anyone that he was only making the moves he saw necessary to fix an ailing system. Some of it may have been about system redundancy; some of it may have been about performance. But Mica, my colleague Paul Duggan reports, seemed giddy over the 20 folks now adrift in the economy. [Metro fires 20 managers, many from subway operations] Sir, you fired people! You fired 20, I heard? Wiedefeld wasnt smiling. He sat stone-faced. Yes, sir, he replied flatly. Then the Florida congressman started his Mica Mouse show. Okay, he said to Wiedefeld, Im going to create a new award. He whipped out a fancy, embossed certificate hed had custom-made. Youre going to get the first one, he declared. This is a certificate of appreciation. Ill probably make these into gold, into silver and bronze. Youre going to get the silver, because you actually responded . . . and took action and fired people! Wiedefeld said nothing, staring silently at Mica. The only member of Congress who addressed the Dumbo in the room was Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.), who was alone when she asked Wiedefeld about the shocking news that a female passenger had been raped at knifepoint in a Metro car at 10 a.m. last month without any public announcement of the crime. [A horrific rape occurs on Metro. Shouldnt officials have told us?] It was solved in hours, Wiedefeld told her. But Comstock wasnt buying this Happiest Place on Earth story. While it was solved quickly, the public didnt know about it, she said. It was reported in their daily crime log, he said, and they didnt feel the need to broadcast it. Baloney, said many women riding on the same line this week at the same time in the morning that the rape had occurred. I wouldve wanted to hear about it, said Khadijah Howell, 22, who rides the Red Line every morning from her home in Silver Spring to her retail job in Chevy Chase, and has been in uncomfortable situations on the train before. If I knew that the situation I was in couldve turned into a rape, Id act differently, she said. I never imagined that could happen here. One of Wiedefelds mantras, as he takes over in dramatic fashion to try to fix years of neglect, is transparency. This couldve been a positive if they handled it right, said a woman riding the Red Line before 10 a.m. yesterday. If they just said right away that this happened and they caught the guy, it wouldve been transparent and pro-active. Instead, we learned that John Hicks, the man arrested for that April 12 rape, had been identified by police as the passenger exposing himself and masturbating in a train 10 days earlier. What happened? Metro just Let It Go, Disney-style. Twitter: @petulad The Education Department on Thursday released draft regulations outlining how states should judge which schools are succeeding and which are in need of intervention, a key point of contention, with civil rights activists on the one side and teachers unions and Republican lawmakers on the other. Federal officials drafted the regulations to spell out in detail what states must do to comply with the Every Students Succeeds Act, the federal education law that replaced No Child Left Behind when it passed with bipartisan support last year. The law requires states to continue administering standardized math and reading tests to students in Grades 3 through 8 and once in high school. But it also gave states a new opportunity to include other non-test measures, such as access to advanced coursework and rates of chronic absenteeism, in judging schools. Under the regulations released Thursday, states would be required to wrap all of those various indicators into one simple rating, such as a letter grade, to provide parents with clear, easy-to-understand information about school performance. Education Secretary John B. King Jr. described the proposed rules as a balance between greater flexibility for states and civil rights protections for students. The rules would give educators room to reclaim for all of their students the joy and promise of a well-rounded educational experience, he said. [Is it a students civil right to take a federally mandated standardized test?] Key Democrats, such as Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), embraced the proposed rules. The Council of Chief State School Officers also reacted positively, saying the Education Department had balanced the need for clarity and the clear intent of the law with flexibility for states. But key Republican leaders were skeptical and promised to conduct a thorough review to ensure that the Obama administration had honored the intent of Congress. I am disappointed that the draft regulation seems to include provisions that the Congress considered and expressly rejected, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate education committee, said in a statement. If the final regulation does not implement the law the way Congress wrote it, I will introduce a resolution under the Congressional Review Act to overturn it. The previous education law, No Child Left Behind, prescribed sanctions for schools that failed to meet test-score targets. The Every Student Succeeds Act takes a different approach, allowing states to decide how to intervene in struggling schools as long as those interventions are evidence-based. The new regulations also define what it means for subgroups of students such as black students or low-income students to be consistently underperforming and therefore in need of state intervention. The Education Trust, an advocacy group, praised some parts of the rules but raised concerns that they fail to ensure that struggling students in struggling schools will get the help they need. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, also said that the Education Department had gotten some things right. But she decried the proposed rules for how states should treat schools where large numbers of students refuse to take standardized tests. The proposal would require states to take action against those schools by lowering their overall rating, for example, or docking their score for academic achievement. This doesnt solve the issue of the misuse of testing, Weingarten said in a statement. It simply inflames the problem by suggesting punitive consequences for those who are so frustrated by the misuse and high-stakes nature of standardized testing that they want to opt their kids out. Civil rights activists argue that schools must face consequences if they fail to test the vast majority of students, or else administrators may pressure low-performing students to stay home on testing days in order to raise school scores. The rules would also require states to create new school report cards and to include information that schools are not currently required to report: data on per-pupil expenditures; the percentage of students enrolled in preschool programs; the rate at which high school graduates go on to enroll in higher education; and the percentage of English learners who become proficient in the language. States and schools would continue to report on the performance of students in various subgroups, including by race and socioeconomic status. But for the first time, schools would also be required to disclose the performance of homeless students, children in foster care, and children of military service members. The Education Department is accepting public comment on the draft regulations for the next 60 days. President Obama welcomed finalists in the 2009 Intel Science Talent Search to the White House. (Society for Science & the Public/Society for Science & the Public) The nations oldest and most prestigious high school science competition, the Science Talent Search, has a new sponsor: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, a fast-growing biotechnology firm founded by two scientists who began their careers competing in the event years ago. Regeneron, based in Tarrytown, N.Y., has committed to providing $100 million during the next decade, a level of support that will nearly double the amount of scholarship money awarded to student winners. We are over the moon, said Maya Ajmera, chief executive of the Society for Science and the Public, the nonprofit organization that runs the competition. Of the $100 million, $30 million will go toward boosting programs to mentor students from underserved communities and to train teachers in project-based learning. That amounts to a tripling of the societys budget for outreach and equity efforts. [These teen scientists will give you faith in the future] If our country is to stay globally competitive, we have to make an enormous commitment to our young people in this country from all walks of life to be excited about science and to know that they have an opportunity to one day become a scientist, Ajmera said. Each high school student who competes in the Science Talent Search is required to complete an original research project. Thousands enter each year, and 40 are chosen to spend a week in Washington, where they explain their projects to some of the nations top scientists. Alumni of the competition have gone on to win Nobel prizes, Fields medals and MacArthur Foundation genius awards, among many distinctions. Regenerons commitment means that awards for the competitions 300 semifinalists and their schools will double from $1,000 to $2,000. The top prizes go from $150,000 to $250,000. One of this years top winners was Maya Varma, a California teen who invented an inexpensive device to diagnose chronic lung disease. The 17-year-old built her device out of $35 worth of basic electronics, but it is as accurate as hospital-grade versions of the equipment that cost far more. Its low cost could help to save lives in developing countries where affordability is key. [Meet the teen who just won $150,000 for inventing a device to diagnose chronic lung disease] The Science Talent Search has had just two prior sponsors during its 75-year history: Westinghouse Electric, from 1942 to 1997, and Intel, starting in 1998. When Intel announced last year that it would no longer sponsor the annual competition, dozens of companies and philanthropists expressed interest in stepping in to support and associate themselves with the long-running event. Regeneron, which produces drugs to treat a variety of conditions including eye diseases and high cholesterol, was one of four finalists. Regeneron chief executive Leonard Schleifer, a neurologist, said he wanted to support a competition that helps get young people excited about the possibilities of science. What was the great competition going on when I was growing up? We were racing to get a man on the moon, and we wanted to be first, and that was a great competition which keenly focused the nation, he said. Competitions are part of our fabric. I cant think of a better way to get young people interested in a career in science. Schleifer added that he wanted to help provide mentors for young people because mentors played a key role in guiding him throughout his career, starting with a geometry teacher at Forest Hills High School in Queens who urged him to enter the Science Talent Search. He said that with Regeneron he wanted to create a company driven by scientists instead of by commercial enterprise, one that could succeed in a business sense while also improving peoples lives and health. He said he hopes the companys success shows young people that you can do well in the world by doing good, and doing good through science. Regenerons drugs include Eylea, which is used to treat vision problems stemming from various eye diseases, and Praluent, an injectable drug used to reduce cholesterol levels. The company also is investing heavily in research on using the bodys immune system to attack cancers. MARYLAND Man sentenced in killing of infant son A Maryland man who killed his 3-month-old son for $750,000 in insurance money was sentenced to life in prison with all but 50 years suspended on Thursday. Moussa Sissoko, 38, of Silver Spring, killed his son, Shane, in 2001, then sought to become the sole beneficiary of a life insurance policy on the boy, court files show. Sissoko was sentenced to life in prison in 2002 in the case and incarcerated. He was given a new trial in March after a judge said his defense lawyer should have called different medical specialists in the first trial. Sissoko was again convicted. Justin Wm. Moyer Results of Baltimore primary recertified Elections officials have recertified the results of Baltimores primary election after the state review, starting the clock for any recount requests or court challenges. Media outlets report that the elections board recertified the results Wednesday. Candidates have three days to request a recount or seven days to file papers challenging the outcome in court. Earlier this month, Marylands State Board of Elections ordered the city to rescind its certification amid voting irregularity concerns. The review found 1,650 ballots were inappropriately handled in Aprils primary, including 1,188 provisional ballots scanned without verification that voters were eligible. Officials analyzed 555 uncounted provisional ballots Wednesday and said 386 were rejected. The remaining ballots were not enough to change the outcome of any race. Associated Press VIRGINIA Fire chief involved in car crash The Fairfax County fire chief was involved in a car crash Thursday that left one person with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Chief Richard Bowers called 911 shortly after 8 a.m. to report he was involved in a wreck at Lee Highway and Fairfax County Parkway, police said. Bowers, who was on duty and operating a county-owned Chevrolet Tahoe, was involved in a collision with a BMW. The 36-year-old driver of the BMW was taken to a hospital. Bowers was not injured. Police are still determining who is at fault, but said alcohol, speed or distracted driving did not appear to have played a role. Justin Jouvenal The Montgomery County Council gave final approval Thursday to a $5.3 billion budget that includes the biggest property-tax hike in seven years, trims pay raises the county had promised to unionized workers and pours record funding into the school system. Critics of the spending plan warned of a potential political backlash that could boost support in liberal Montgomery for Gov. Larry Hogan (R) or for putting term limits for county officials on the November ballot. The budget, which takes effect July 1, includes a nearly 9 percent property-tax increase that will add $326 to the average residential tax bill. It is also supported by a rise in recordation taxes that will add $455, for example, to the cost of buying or selling a $500,000 home. [In doubling down on school funding, council fulfills a campaign promise] Council members say that in return for the added tax burden, the countys 156,000-student school system will receive an infusion of money to help it meet myriad challenges, including overcrowded buildings and a widening gap separating the academic achievements of white and Asian students from Hispanic and black ones. In exchange for the councils record $2.4 billion appropriation, $90 million over the state-mandated minimum, the Board of Education agreed to trim already-negotiated raises for teachers and other school personnel from 8 percent to 4.5 percent. Discussions between school officials and labor leaders are continuing, but the board told council members that it is prepared to impose the cuts with or without union agreement, which is allowed by state law. While the council dubbed its 2017 budget an education first initiative, it also increased spending in areas not covered by the original proposal from County Executive Isiah Leggett (D). The fire service received $3.7 million to restore staff reductions at stations in Hyattstown and Hillandale and to increase the size of recruit classes to offset attrition. The Public Election Fund, which will support a new campaign-finance system that will match small individual donations starting in 2018, received $4.5 million. The council also set aside $149,000 for a new assistant states attorney and legal assistant who will focus on prosecuting crimes against vulnerable adults those who lack the physical or mental capacity to meet their own daily needs. [Tax hike to raise closing costs for Montgomery home buyers] Voting on the operating and capital budgets was largely a formality, since most decisions were made at earlier meetings. Thursdays session lasted a brisk 35 minutes. We made all our speeches last week, said Council President Nancy Floreen (D-At Large). Groups who ended up on the short end of the councils decisions were not pleased. This includes the countys real estate industry, which lobbied aggressively against the hike in recordation taxes. Unions representing police and nonuniformed county workers expressed anger over the elimination of 3.5 percent in longevity pay increases intended to make up for hikes deferred during the recession. While unions still received wage increases averaging 4.5 percent, labor leaders pointed with indignation to the series of pay hikes for council members approved in 2013, which by 2017 will raise members pay from $106,394 to $136,258. Gino Renne, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1994, which represents about 5,000 county workers, said the union will probably show its displeasure by backing a petition drive by Republican activist Robin Ficker to place a term-limits proposition on Montgomerys November ballot. If passed, the measure would limit the county executive and council members to three consecutive terms. It means at least four of the nine lawmakers Floreen, Roger Berliner (D-Potomac-Bethesda), Marc Elrich (D-At-Large) and George L. Leventhal (D-At Large) would be barred from seeking reelection. They could, however, run for county executive and some are considering the idea. Leggett, who is expected to retire in any event, is serving his third term. Im tired of these clowns, Renne said Thursday, citing Elrich, who voted against cutting the pay raises, as an exception. Renne said that he would poll his members first but that he would be very surprised if there isnt a deep desire to support the term limitations. Republicans said the budgets property-tax hikes could stir new enthusiasm for Hogan, who has emphasized cutting taxes and is planning to run for a second term in 2018. He received just 37.9 percent of the vote in Montgomery County in 2014. This is the result of one-party rule, said Montgomery GOP Chairman Michael Higgs, referring to the fact that Leggett and all nine council members are Democrats. People are going to be demanding change in a way we havent seen in Montgomery County in a generation. John Kenneth Knaus, a CIA case officer who in the late 1950s and in the 1960s helped train and direct Tibetan guerrillas against Chinese occupiers, only to see U.S. support for the policy later evaporate, died April 18 at a hospital in Washington. He was 92. The cause was an intracranial hemorrhage, said his son, John Kenneth Knaus Jr. During a 43-year CIA career, Mr. Knaus was based at times in India, Japan and Canada, and a substantial focus of his work involved aiding Tibetan guerrillas in their resistance against communist China. After retiring in 1995, Mr. Knaus wrote two books based on his Tibetan experience, Orphans of the Cold War: America and the Tibetan Struggle for Survival, (1999), and Beyond Shangri-La: America and Tibets Move into the Twenty-First Century (2012). In his Los Angeles Times review, journalist and longtime China scholar Orville Schell called Orphans of the Cold War superbly well-researched and written. Mr. Knaus first met Tibetans in 1958 when he was asked by the CIA to deliver a lecture to a group of foreign nationals on international communism and Chinese communism. This evolved into a program of support for Tibetan fighters challenging Chinese invasion and occupation of their country. It included training of 300 soldiers in guerrilla warfare at Camp Hale, Colo., a site chosen for its physical similarities to Eastern Tibet, where the guerrillas would be airdropped. John Kenneth Knaus, a CIA case officer who in the late 1950s and in the 1960s helped to train and direct Tibetan guerrillas against Chinese occupiers. (Family Photo/Family photo) Working from India and Colorado, Mr. Knaus was a key operations officer for this program. But the guerrilla campaign was seriously flawed, Mr. Knaus wrote in Orphans of the Cold War. An airdrop, for example, attracted flocks of Tibetans to a drop site, but it also signaled the Chinese to a location for an effective attack. By the 1970s, support dwindled as the United States began to make diplomatic overtures to China. As Knaus concedes, the CIA trainers knew next to nothing about Tibet, wrote Jonathan Mirsky, former East Asia editor of the Times of London, in a New York Times review of the book. They thought of Buddhism only as the Tibetans religion and not as the bedrock of their nationalism. No agent had been to Tibet; only one knew any of its languages; and the maps they used to locate the first parachute drops for the Tibetans trained in Colorado had been drawn by a British expedition in 1904. John Kenneth Knaus, who lived in Washington, was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on May 30, 1923. After Army service during World War II, he graduated from Stanford University, where he also received a masters degree in political science. He joined the CIA in 1952. His last post before retiring was CIA officer in residence at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. In retirement he was a research associate at Harvards Fairbank Center for East Asian Research (now the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies). Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Lois Ann Lehman Knaus of Washington; three children, Maggie Knaus of Toronto, Holly Knaus of Silver Spring, Md., and John Kenneth Knaus Jr. of Chevy Chase, Md.; and four grandchildren. Soon after his retirement from the CIA, Mr. Knaus spoke with the Dalai Lama, who in 1959 had fled to India from Tibet and headed a Tibetan government in exile. Mr. Knaus asked whether U.S. support for the Tibetan guerrillas in the 1950s and 1960s had been helpful. Thousands of lives were lost, he quoted the Dalai Lama as having said in Orphans of the Cold War. Furthermore, the spiritual leader said the U.S. intervention in Tibetan affairs had principally been a Cold War tactic to challenge China. In Orphans of the Cold War, Mr. Knaus said that one of his reasons for writing the book was to alleviate the guilt some of us feel over our participation in these efforts, which cost others their lives, but which were the prime adventures of our own. Police are searching for 14 people riding seven dirt bikes and four-wheel all terrain vehicles in connection with last weeks shooting of a 27-year-old reporter in Southeast Washington. (D.C. Metropolitan Police via YouTube) Police are searching for 14 people riding seven dirt bikes and four-wheel all terrain vehicles in connection with last weeks shooting of a 27-year-old reporter in Southeast Washington. (D.C. Metropolitan Police via YouTube) The grainy surveillance video lasts 3 minutes and 12 seconds, showing dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles speeding along dark streets in Southeast Washington. The 12 speedsters are hard to make out, save but a white T-shirt here or there, faces blurred and washed out under the glow of street lamps. Police believe that someone on one of the bikes shot Charnice Milton, a community journalist killed May 27, 2015, by a bullet detectives think was intended for someone else at a bus stop at Good Hope and Naylor roads in Southeast. Detectives have been looking for the people on the bikes ever since. We know there are people out there who can give us the last pieces, D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said Thursday, returning to the spot where Milton was killed a day ahead of the first anniversary of her death. We really need for them to come forward. Milton, 27, was returning home from reporting on a community meeting at Eastern Market when she was gunned down at 9:40 p.m. Her father, Kenneth McClenton, said the intended target used his daughter as a human shield to save himself. [Reporter overcame much to work chronicling underserved communities] Charnice Milton (Courtesy of Capital Community News) The shooting came at the beginning of a summer in which homicides surged, and Milton was well known within her craft and by the people she covered for Capital Community News. She received a full scholarship to attend Ball State University and, in 2011, earned a masters degree in journalism from Syracuse University. Milton lived in Ward 7s Benning Heights and chronicled communities that felt ignored. She had Aspergers and a stutter, and she used journalism to overcome her inherent shyness confronting public officials over spending habits or questioning Lanier about crime trends. [Charnice Milton was among six people killed in District in six days] McClenton said he will be back on Good Hope Road on Friday to lead a vigil in his daughters memory. Police officers and detectives will also be there, handing out pamphlets and hoping for tips. Its not enough that we come out here and hand out fliers, McClenton said. We have to end the tolerance we have in D.C. not just for violence but for murder. He named other victims of gunfire and said, We want satisfaction, satisfaction that can only come through justice. Lanier would not provide details of the investigation. The night Milton was killed, she spoke to the city with unusual bluntness and passion, expressing anger over the shooting. She had known Milton, and respected her work and her dedication. This young woman was everything that you wanted her to be, Lanier said Thursday. She loved her family. She loved her work. She loved her community. She spent all of her time trying to make things better. There is nobody who deserves justice more than Charnice Milton. Four men were shot and wounded in Southeast Washington in incidents spilling into early Thursday, according to D.C. police. None of the injuries were considered life threatening. Police said that about 11:09 p.m. Wednesday a man was found shot in the 2500 block of 18th Street SE, near Garfield Heights. Two minutes later and about a half-mile away, police said they two men were shot in the 2600 block of Douglass Road SE. Police said one man was shot as he walked along the street, the other as he stood near a corner. About 1:15 a.m., police said a man driving near 17th and S streets SE was struck by gunfire. Police said he drove himself to an area hospital for treatment. One suspect was arrested. A pedestrian walks on a sidewalk along A Street SE on Thursday in Washington. Antwon Pitt is accused of a crime that occurred in the building on the street. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post) Antwon Pitt, the 21-year-old man accused of raping a woman in a high-profile D.C. home invasion, testified this week that he was innocent and sought to cast blame on a family member. In a move that stunned prosecutors, Pitt suggested that his 20-year-old cousin had entered the condominium building on A Street in Southeast Washington at the time the rape occurred on Oct. 13. During testimony in his D.C. Superior Court trial, Pitt admitted to standing in an alley outside the building, where he said he received the victims cellphone and checks. He suggested that he was acting as a middleman to get cash for the stolen goods. Pitts testimony on Tuesday prompted a delay in the trial, and jurors were sent home early Wednesday as attorneys sparred over the legal implications. On Wednesday, prosecutors told Judge Florence Y. Pan that they were blindsided by this defense at the last minute and that they deserved earlier notice that the defense would name an alternate suspect. They also argued that the door is wide open for bringing in extensive additional evidence, including allegations that Pitt had burglarized another womans apartment a week before the rape. Antwon Pitt is shown in his most recent mugshot from an arrest in Prince Georges County in October 2015. (Courtesy of the Prince George's County State's Attorney's Office) [How an accused rapist kept getting second chances] In the burglary case, Pitt is accused of entering a 21-year-old womans apartment before dawn, standing next to her bed, and then stealing her tote bag and cellphone. That case is scheduled to go to trial after the rape trial. When Pitt was arrested early Oct. 14, about 10 hours after the rape, police said he was carrying cellphones belonging to the rape victim and the burglary victim. Before Tuesdays testimony, prosecutors had not sought to bring in evidence related to the cellphone from the burglary. But now, prosecutors said they have the right to cross-examine Pitt to challenge his truthfulness. Part of that process, they argued, would involve questioning him about the phone involved in the prior burglary. They also sought to ask him about his GPS monitoring device, which he removed two weeks before the rape, triggering a master tamper alert to the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency. During one exchange, defense attorney Judith Pipe said that prosecutors should go find the cousin if they want to try to prove that Pitt is lying. On Wednesday afternoon, Pan said she would do additional research about some of the relevant case law and talk once again with the attorneys the next morning. However, she indicated that she would allow prosecutors to proceed with a fairly broad cross-examination to allow jurors a full picture of the credibility of Pitts statements. What remains unclear, the judge said, is whether Pitt would have the right to invoke his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent if questioned about the prior burglary. During his testimony, Pitt for the first time recounted his version of the events of Oct. 13. He said he and his cousin drove from Bowie into the District. Although Pitt named the cousin in court, The Washington Post is not identifying him because he has not been charged with any crimes in connection to the case. Pitt said he parted ways with his cousin but later met him on foot near Eastern High School. They planned to walk toward the Stadium-Armory Metro station, but Pitt said his cousin wanted to stop in a condominium building on A Street. He was going to holler at his friend, Pitt told the jury. Pitt waited outside for about 15 to 20 minutes. His cousin, when he returned, was acting kind of sketchy, Pitt said. Earlier in the trial, jurors were shown surveillance video of a man in the alley. Pitt admitted to being the person in the video but said the video shows the moments after his cousin gave him stolen checks and a cellphone. It was an iPhone, and it had a purple I mean, orange and black case, Pitt said. Pitt planned to sell the iPhone and give some cash to his cousin. He said his cousin then left because something else came up. In the video, Pitt can be seen putting on a jacket before leaving the alley. I kind of felt that he wasnt doing something good, and I just didnt want to be seen in the area, he said. Prosecutors have presented evidence that the rape victims DNA was found on fuzzy , brown gloves Pitt was carrying with him when he was arrested. The victim testified that the assailant wore fuzzy gloves as he choked and dragged her down a hardwood floor to the bedroom, where he raped her. The victim later underwent surgery to repair fractures in her cheekbone and eye socket. Pitt said he wore gloves on Oct. 13 when he used the cellphone because he was worried about being on probation and didnt want to go back to prison. He said he didnt want to leave his fingerprints on stolen property. Mr. Pitt, did you rape that woman? his attorney asked. No, maam, he answered. Did you beat her? she asked. No, maam, he answered. The driver of this pickup truck was sentenced Thursday to 18 months in jail after driving drunk and crashing into two emergency medics on the Beltway in Montgomery County last year. (Courtesy of Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office) A 35-year-old network engineer was sentenced to 18 months in jail Thursday for driving drunk on the Capital Beltway, with his 3-year-old daughter and two other passengers, and crashing his pickup truck into two emergency medics who were on the side of the road checking another motorist in Montgomery County. At the time 12:15 a.m., Feb. 15, 2015 the Beltway was so icy that some drivers were traveling at 20 mph. You were going 75 mph how, I dont know, Montgomery Circuit Judge Cheryl A. McCally said in court. That kind of speed, under those circumstances, it is tantamount to taking a gun and aiming it down the road and pulling the trigger and waiting to see what happens. Yes, maam, the motorist, Maximiliano Curcho, said quietly. The impact tossed one medic, Thomas E. Schryver, across the hood of the pickup. His head struck a Jersey wall, and he suffered a skull fracture, loss of consciousness, broken ribs and a broken hand, and he was hospitalized for three days. The other medic who was hit, Sydney Marshall, also lost consciousness, suffered nine tooth fractures and faces more surgery on her left leg. She spent four days in the hospital. The pickup also struck a Toyota Corolla during an icy night in 2015. (Courtesy of Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office) I am reminded about my accident every day when I feel pain in my leg, Marshall said in an interview Thursday night. She has not been able to return to work as an emergency medical technician, and is facing a third surgery on her left leg. Neither Marshall nor Schryver were in court Thursday, but several of their colleagues were. At one point, Curcho turned and spoke to them. The last thing that I ever wanted was to hurt someone, he said, his voice shaking. I have a great respect for the work that you perform, a great respect. Curchos attorney, Michael Garagozlo, asked the judge for a shorter sentence with much of it to be served in a work-release center. He stressed that Curcho has stopped drinking as evidenced by voluntary breath-testing and that he wanted to support his three children. A colleague of Curchos also spoke. Max has been very open about this situation with us, Sajid Ali said. Max is a very caring person. For the sentence, the judge went with the request of prosecutors, who pointed to two previous drunken-driving cases for Curcho. Maximiliano Curcho, a 35-year-old network engineer, was sentenced in the case on Thursday. In 2003, he was tested to have a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.13, well above the level for driving under the influence, which is 0.08, and he was driving 85 mph on the Capital Beltway, also in Montgomery County, said Lauren Turner, an assistant states attorney. In a case a year later, he tested at 0.12, Turner said. She also described the roadside crash that hit the emergency medical technicians when Curcho was tested at 0.08. Curcho was driving north, on the inner loop of the Beltway, in a Ford F-150 pickup truck. There were three passengers: his young daughter, his 16-year-old son and an adult man. Up ahead, near River Road, Marshall, Schryver and two other medics had pulled up to a Toyota Corolla along the right shoulder. The car had been in a relatively minor accident. For Marshall 19 at the time, a student at American University with designs on going to medical school it was the kind of work she envisioned when shed volunteered for the countys fire and rescue service. Marshall spoke to an occupant of the Toyota, who was complaining of neck pain, and she could see passing cars through the windshield. Suddenly, a sedan made a 360-degree turn in the middle of the Beltway, as other cars barely got out of the way. Marshall knew they needed to treat the patients quickly and help everyone get out of the treacherous weather. At that moment, Curchos oncoming pickup truck went into a skid. It slid right, crashing into the Corolla, the ambulance and the two medics. Marshall was knocked out, came to briefly on the ground, and asked why she was there. In the ambulance, she saw lights on the ceiling before again losing consciousness. Awaking at the hospital, she had trouble opening her eyes because of dried blood around them. Back at the scene, Curcho told state troopers that hed had two glasses of wine earlier, court files show. He was taken to the hospital for possible head injuries. His blood was drawn there, yielding the 0.08 result. There werent any lessons learned, Turner said Thursday, referring to Curchos earlier DUI cases. State sentencing guidelines, which are not binding, called for a sentence of probation to one year. McCally, the judge, was clearly concerned about Curchos state of mind the night of the crash. It is concerning to me, the judge said, that the state of your illness, at that time, had you thinking: Its snowing, its icy, Ive been drinking. But its okay for me to get in the car with my kids and go 75 miles an hour when others are going 20 and having accidents. Months after the crash, in late 2015, Curcho was charged with eight counts in the case, including drunken driving, negligent driving and two counts of causing a life-threatening injury while driving. He later reached a deal with prosecutors, pleading guilty to three counts: Driving under the influence while transporting a minor (as a subsequent offender), negligent driving contributing to an accident, and failure to reduce speed in dangerous weather. Prosecutors agreed to a limit of 18 months incarceration. Marshall, now 21, still has plans to go to medical school. She has difficulty walking long distances or standing without pain, and constantly finds herself looking for a seat and a place to elevate her leg. She also hopes to get back to her volunteer medic work. I always felt satisfied going home at the end of a shift when I had made a difference in someones life, she said. (This file has been updated.) A man has been charged with attempted murder after he tried to shoot police officers with a homemade handgun, authorities said. On May 18, detectives from the Montgomery County Police Department began surveillance on Jonathan Hemming, 52, of the 100 block of Spring Street in Gaithersburg, Md., who was wanted on drug-related charges, the department said in a statement. At about 3:30 p.m., detectives tried to arrest Hemming in a vehicle in Gaithersburg, according to the statement, when he became combative and reached in the center compartment area of the vehicle and grabbed a homemade handgun. A Taser was deployed on Hemming after he pointed the gun at detectives, police said. After Hemming was removed from the vehicle and placed under arrest, detectives determined the homemade handgun was capable of firing shotgun rounds, the statement said. A second homemade handgun was found in Hemmings pants pockets, as well as shotgun shells and ammunition for a handgun, according to the statement. Hemming was charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of attempted second-degree murder, assault charges, firearms-related charges and drug-related charges 21 in all, police said. Hemming is being held without bond, according to police. Fairfax County police have asked the public to help identify a woman who may have information about the killing of a popular teachers aide in the Huntington area last week. Police released a sketch of the woman, who they said was seen in the parking lot of an apartment complex prior to the shooting of 24-year-old Tarreece Sampson. The woman was described as black with a light complexion and almond-shaped eyes. Police said they found Sampson suffering from a gunshot wound in the parking lot of the Cityside apartment complex around 2:20 a.m. Friday. The Fairfax County schools employee was pronounced dead at the scene. Sampsons family said he had arrived home after a night out and was on the phone with a friend, who heard the shooting unfold. The family said Sampson may have come upon some people vandalizing or attempting to burglarize a car and was shot. Fairfax County police released this sketch of a woman they believe may have witnessed a fatal shooting (Fairfax County Police Department) [Friend overheard shooting of teachers aide, family says] Police asked anyone who recognizes the woman or has information about the crime to call Detective Jeremy Hinson at 703-246-7825. A woman unloading groceries from a car while her 2-year-old son sat inside was robbed at gunpoint of her purse, phone and diaper bag Tuesday afternoon in Northwest Washingtons Truxton Circle neighborhood, D.C. police said. Give me everything, the victim said her assailant yelled at her as he pointed a silver handgun. After stealing the items, the man drove off in an older-model blue-green van, police said. The victim, who didnt want to be identified for her safety, said in an email that the attack took a few seconds, but having to entertain the image of something happening to me while my son was watching, strapped into his car seat terrified is not a strong enough word. The daylight holdup in a residential area off Rhode Island Avenue NW was among at least a dozen robberies reported in the District since Tuesday. Robberies continue to be a problem in the city, with 520 armed holdups reported so far this year, up from 402 at the same time in 2015. Robberies not involving guns are down, with 700 reported so far this year, compared with 716 in 2015. On Tuesday night, for example, a man taking items from the trunk of his car in the 1800 block of Maryland Avenue NE was suddenly pushed from behind by someone who told him, Give me all your stuff. Police said the man turned around to see two young men, one wearing a black mask and holding a black handgun. [D.C. police create robbery task force] That same night, a person was reportedly robbed near the 1900 block of Third Street NE. Police said the assailant pressed an object to the back of the victims neck and said: Take off your backpack. Empty your pockets. Now run run faster. The holdup of the woman with the child occurred about 4 p.m. in the 1700 block of Fourth Street NW, in Truxton Circle, on the border with Bloomingdale. It was first reported by WRC-TV. The woman told police she was unloading her car the two doors on the passengers side and the trunk were open when the man with the gun approached from a minivan parked across the street and said, B----, give me everything. The woman said she told the man her child was in the car, and he responded, Just give me everything. Among the items taken were a pink leather purse, a diaper bag with a floral design, a cellphone and a red wallet containing a drivers license and credit cards. On Thursday about 6 a.m., a man wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and armed with a gun carjacked a blue 2016 Dodge Dart at First Street and Florida Avenue NW, police said. That is about three blocks from where the woman with the toddler was robbed Tuesday. Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that since 2009 borrowers have been required to undergo counseling to make sure they understand the loan terms. In fact, counseling had already been required. It was enhanced in 2009.This story has been updated. Tiyease Floyd, 46, at the Northeast Washington house she grew up in, which her grandmother, Retha Floyd, 95, has owned for over 50 years. (Tara Bahrampour/The Washington Post) To Retha Floyd, 95, taking out a reverse mortgage on her home seemed like a sensible way to pay for needed repairs and preserve the house for her descendants. But a $5 million class-action lawsuit filed this month alleges that two mortgage companies conspired to defraud Floyd and thousands of other elderly clients including hundreds in the D.C. area by charging them for home inspections that were both illegal and unnecessary. The charges were added to their loan amounts, resulting in less equity in the house. Reverse mortgages, also known as home-equity conversions, allow older, cash-strapped homeowners to tap into the equity in their homes while continuing to live in them. Only people 62 or older are eligible. No payments are owed to the lender as long as the homeowner lives in the house, and most are federally insured. The owner continues to pay taxes, insurance and maintenance costs and keeps the title to the home, but once he or she dies, moves out or sells it, the loan and interest must be paid out before any remaining money goes to the estate. If a borrower fails to keep up with taxes or insurance, he or she goes into default and the mortgage company can foreclose on the house. If a loan is in default, the company is allowed to conduct drive-by home inspections to assess the state of the property and verify that the owner is living there. The cost of the inspection $15 to $20 is added to the amount of the loan. While such inspections are generally limited by law to once every 30 days, the suit says, Floyds lender, Texas-based Champion Mortgage Co., used automated software to trigger repeated, unreasonable, and unnecessary inspections several times a week or even more than once a day and charged hundreds of homeowners in the District and thousands elsewhere in the United States for them. Champion contracts with a Michigan-based company, Celink, to do the inspections. That company is also named in the suit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by Tycko & Zavareei, the National Consumer Law Center and AARPs Legal Counsel for the Elderly. A representative of Champion, also known as Nationstar Mortgage LLC of Delaware, said the company does not comment on litigation matters. Voice and email messages to Celink, also known as Compu-Link Corp., were not returned. Floyd, a retired school foodservice worker, bought her house in Northeast Washington more than 50 years ago, and three generations of her family were raised in it. It was paid off when, in 1997, she needed money for extensive structural repairs. It needed to be fixed or there was a possibility they would condemn the house, said Tiyease Floyd, her granddaughter, who grew up there. We didnt have the money to pay for it. When mortgage-company representatives spoke at the senior wellness center Floyd attended, it seemed like a good idea, and the money paid for new gutters, bracing and other work. But when Floyd fell behind on her property taxes, Champion sued to foreclose on her home. Legal Counsel for the Elderly, an affiliate of AARP, helped her negotiate a repayment plan, and the suit was dismissed in April. During the process, a lawyer at LCE noticed extra charges in Floyds statements. Four times between 2014 and 2015, she had been charged for two or three inspections in one month. The charges mirrored similar ones levied on other reverse-mortgage clients. It is a subtle way of skimming extra money, said Amy Mix, supervising attorney for the organizations consumer fraud and financial abuse unit, who noticed Floyds charges. Because the mortgages have no monthly payments due, she said, homeowners can easily miss seeing the additional fees. Youre sort of at their mercy as to whether theyre following the rules or not, Mix said. It would take somebody looking at the statement each month and noticing and knowing that theres something they can do about it. Steve Irwin, executive vice president of the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association, said the home inspections are required for borrowers in default to make sure the property is being maintained. He could not comment on this case, but he said the inspections must occur every 30 days at a minimum but that it was his understanding it can be more. Reverse mortgages, once a rarity, boomed in the 2000s during the housing bubble, soaring from 43,000 in 2005 to more than 114,000 in 2009. The number dropped after that but are expected to grow again as more baby boomers become eligible. Many advocates warn that they should be a last resort because they chip away at equity, leaving less to pass on to heirs. Also, in some cases, younger spouses have removed themselves from deeds in order for an older spouse to qualify, only to find themselves forced out of the house when the older spouse dies. Recent rule changes including some introduced this month build in more protections for consumers, including limiting the amount that can be borrowed if there is a younger spouse; limiting how much can be taken out as a lump sum; reducing interest-rate increases; and ensuring that borrowers have enough money to cover taxes, insurance and upkeep. Still, many consumers are unaware that reverse mortgages are a loan with interest due, that they are not affiliated with the government and that borrowers can lose their homes if they default, according to a report last year by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureaus Office for Older Americans. Since 2009, borrowers have been required to undergo enhanced counseling to make sure they understand the loans. Counseling in recent years has been considerably strengthened, said Amy Ford, director of home-equity initiatives for the National Council on Aging. Prospective borrowers receive a booklet and must answer a certain number of questions correctlyto qualify. The counselors also calculate the homeowners specific finances and tell them about alternative financing options. Floyd is not the kind of person who would dispute a bill from her mortgage company, said her grandson-in-law, Earl Smith. In my grandmothers era, they pay their bills on time if it says $200, they pay $200, he said. Our generation, were going to research it, but they just go ahead and pay it. Here are four reasons so many fliers are getting stuck in long security lines at the airport. (Claritza Jimenez,Dani Johnson/The Washington Post) Here are four reasons so many fliers are getting stuck in long security lines at the airport. (Claritza Jimenez,Dani Johnson/The Washington Post) With Memorial Day weekend travel looming and more than 200 million fliers expected to face extraordinarily long lines at security checkpoints by summers end, airport officials and airlines on Thursday called on Congress to come to their rescue. We have never seen TSA wait times that affect airlines and passengers throughout the United States like weve seen in recent months, Kerry Philipovitch, a vice president of American Airlines, told the House Homeland Security Committees subcommittee on transportation security. Without immediate leadership and innovation, the 231 million Americans that will board a plane this summer will be frustrated and angry. Philipovitch joined executives from airports in Chicago, Syracuse, N.Y., and Tucson who shared their worries with the committee in the third congressional hearing on the subject this month. Near-record numbers of passengers an estimated 740 million are expected to fly this year, 97 million more than flew three years ago. That passenger load combined with staffing shortages at TSA checkpoints and procedural changes implemented by TSA Administrator Peter V. Neffenger have resulted in long delays, with some reportedly waiting three hours to clear screening. [TSA chief takes another crack at explaining long airport security lines] In addition, hundreds were stranded overnight in Chicago, more than 70,000 American passengers and 40,000 checked bags have missed their flights, and New Yorks John F. Kennedy International Airport has reported an 80 percent increase in wait times. This committee continues to receive reports from around the country describing delays at TSA checkpoints in excess of two hours, the subcommittees chairman, Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.), said. Katko said he would introduce legislation this week intended to help address the long wait times. More needs to be done, and fast, Philipovitch said. Programs that had been in place to drive efficiency and increase security throughout were eliminated without adding commensurate resources required to support longer passenger processing times. Philipovitch was referring to Neffenger's decision last year to end a practice that allowed randomly selected passengers to pass through a special line reserved for those whose preflight background checks identified them as low risk. Neffenger on Wednesday told the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform that he knew that that would dramatically increase the number of people back in the standard lines and we werent staffed at the level we needed to be to man all the lines. But he said he had to tighten checkpoint security after a damning inspector generals report last year that said undercover federal investigators were able to slip illegal weapons and phony explosives through the system more than 95 percent of the time. [TSA struggles with balancing speed and security at airport checkpoints] It appears that TSA did not adjust its staffing model after screening protocols were changed, Philipovitch said. Under pressure from Congress to cut costs, TSA staffing was reduced by 12 percent before Neffenger became administrator in July. TSA acquiesced to the cuts because its leadership was banking on the success of two key programs. One was the random-selection program that Neffenger ended, and the other was rapid growth of a TSA program known as Pre-Check, which speeds passengers who have submitted to background checks and fingerprinting through special lines that move twice as fast. TSA had hoped the program would swell to 20 million to 25 million members, but it is below 3 million. When Neffenger took over, he first asked Congress not to require a planned additional staffing cut of 1,600 TSA personnel. He scrambled to elevate many of the 20 percent of part-time TSA workers to full-time status and received $34 million to hire and train 768 more workers. Representatives from three airport authorities in Chicago, Tucson and Syracuse also pleaded with the committee for changes and additional resources Thursday. Lydia Beairsto, of the Chicago Department of Aviation, said that there was a 7 percent increase in passengers this year at Midway and OHare airports, while TSA staffing is down by 17 percent. We started experiencing a total breakdown, she said, with the wait at checkpoints consistently above an hour and sometimes reaching two hours. She said that on May 15, United Airlines had to delay 37 flights and rebook 4,300 passengers at OHare. When OHare sneezes, the rest of the country catches a cold, she said, a reference to the ripple effect through the air-travel system when a major hub has problems. She said that the TSA responded swiftly to that crisis, adding eight bomb-sniffing dog teams, 58 officers and converting 160 agents from part to full time. We greatly appreciate Neffengers responsiveness, she said. Beairsto pointed out that the Brussels Airport bombings made it clear that long security lines put the mass of passengers at risk. Large crowds of passengers in queues are not just an inconvenience, they themselves expose a vulnerability, she said. Philipovitch said airlines and airports were offering ideas and support personnel to help TSA speed the lines. The TSA screening issue was not created overnight and will not be solved overnight, Philipovitch said. However, we must work together to offer ideas and resources to TSA while Administrator Neffenger and his team review current screening protocols, funding priorities and management practices. The downfall of a top official in the Transportation Security Administration this week came amid allegations of under-the-radar bonuses and targeted retribution at the highest levels of the agency. One of the practices that led to Kelly Hoggans removal as head of the TSAs crucial security division is common enough to have a name: smurfing. Smurfing is breaking specific financial transactions into something below the reporting requirement, which is what happened here, said John Roth, inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security. The [TSA] regulations at the time were so loose that it was technically permissible, even though clearly the intent was wrong. It was undercover agents from the inspector generals office who last year were able to penetrate security checkpoints at U.S. airports while carrying illegal weapons or simulated bombs, 95 percent of the time. Hoggan received bonuses of $10,000 on six different occasions, and three others just above or below that amount, over a 13-month period in 2013 and 2014, according to information collected by the DHS, which oversees the TSA. The bonuses, amounting to more than $90,000, were approved internally and were in addition to Hoggans $181,500 salary. In my opinion, thats completely unjustifiable, said TSA Administrator Peter V. Neffenger, who took office in July. [TSA bosses are called some of the biggest bullies in government] Hoggan also was identified as one of the senior TSA officials who used forced transfers to punish agency employees who spoke out about security lapses or general mismanagement. Those allegations, first raised by TSA whistleblowers, caused considerable anger among members of Congress at three hearings held this month and last. Three of the whistleblowers appeared before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on April 27. Many of the people who broke our agency remain in key positions, testified Jay Brainard, the TSA security director in Kansas. These leaders are some of the biggest bullies in government. Brainard was given a forced transfer from Iowa to Maine in 2014. Mark Livingston, a manager in the Office of the Chief Risk Officer at TSA headquarters, told the committee that his pay was reduced by two grades after he reported misconduct by TSA officials and security violations. If you tell the truth in TSA you will be targeted, Livingston said. Andrew Rhoades told the committee of an outspoken TSA executive who received a forced transfer from Florida to Iowa, a move that would have required him to abandon care of his elderly parents and pull his daughter from her senior year in high school. Directed reassignments have been punitively used by TSA senior leadership as a means to silence dissent, force early retirements or resignations, said Rhoades, a TSA manager at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Rhoades said he was told he would be transferred to Tampa after TSA officials concluded he had leaked information to a reporter, an accusation he denies. The move, which was blocked when he appealed to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, would have cost him custody of his two daughters. If there is retaliation, we have a major problem with that, said Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (Md.), the ranking Democrat on the Oversight Committee. Some of the stuff really upsets me, because basically what they were doing was tearing up families. Neffenger said that employees are no longer subjected to punitive forced transfers and that all executive bonuses now require DHS approval. I have dramatically changed that, he said, calling forced transfers illegal and unethical. But as recently as May 12, Neffenger publicly defended Hoggans performance in the time that he has been administrator. I have not seen any indiscretions on his part in the time I have been in TSA, Neffenger told the Oversight Committee that day. I think he was carrying out orders and those orders resulted in people being reassigned, sometimes for good reasons, sometimes for ill-considered reasons. Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.) fired back, I do think there is some responsibility on his part, even if he was carrying out orders. [TSA intelligence chief replaced in shuffle after facing criticism] Hoggans ouster was announced Monday in a staff memo that did not mention him by name. When Neffenger made his third Capitol Hill appearance this time before the House Homeland Security Committee 48 hours after Hoggans removal, he again faced questions about bonus pay and forced reassignments. Hoggan remains on the TSA payroll. After a leave of absence he is scheduled to report to a Northern Virginia command center that coordinates intelligence-gathering. He could not be reached for comment this week, and the TSA declined to discuss any aspect of his removal. Hoggans removal comes at a time when the TSA is facing sharp criticism on Capitol Hill and from travelers as lines have grown painfully long at its airport security checkpoints. The longer lines are the result of near-record airline travel this year, changes in checkpoint procedures and TSA staffing shortages. The controversy over Hoggan predated the longer lines and is unrelated to them, though his removal was widely misreported as a TSA reaction to its airport woes. The inspector general, in a report last year, outlined a convoluted process through which Hoggan received the bonus pay. His boss, then-TSA Deputy Administrator John Halinski, told one of Hoggans subordinates to recommend Hoggan for the bonus money. That subordinate, Deputy Assistant Administrator Joseph Salvator, recommended that Hoggan receive bonuses. Halinski then approved them. Halinski resigned from the TSA in 2014. Salvator remains at the agency. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe finishes speaking with reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington after a meeting with the Virginia congressional delegation on May 24. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP) Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe said he canceled plans to appear at an Ohio fundraiser to avoid being a distraction as federal investigators probe his personal finances and foreign sources of income. The governor was expected to be the featured guest at an event next month for former Ohio governor Ted Stricklands Senate campaign. I told him I didnt want any distractions for him. Hes got a critical Senate race, McAuliffe (D) told reporters Thursday morning after a radio appearance. Strickland (D) is challenging Sen. Rob Portman (R). I told Ted he needs to focus on his race, and I told him well reschedule in a month or two, McAuliffe said. Later, he added, I got plenty of time to campaign for him in the fall. The Columbus Dispatch first reported that McAuliffe would no longer attend the event. McAuliffe said there have been no other changes to his political travel due to the FBI and Justice Department investigation, which has consumed his public appearances this week. Republicans said the canceled event shows McAuliffe is toxic to fellow Democrats, including his friend and Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton. Her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state is the subject of an ongoing federal investigation. Terry McAuliffe is quickly becoming a liability not just to Hillary Clinton, but to Democrats around the country. In a close race, no Democrat can afford to have yet another person on stage under FBI investigation, Garren Shipley, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee, said in a statement. [Feds are interested in McAuliffes finances from before he was governor, his lawyer said] Federal authorities are looking into whether McAuliffe violated an obscure statute that regulates U.S. citizens lobbying of the U.S. government on behalf of foreign governments, his attorney, James W. Cooper, has said. I have never lobbied for a foreign government ever, the governor said Thursday on WRVA-AM. CONNECTICUT High court affirms end of capital punishment The Connecticut Supreme Court on Thursday upheld its landmark ruling declaring the states death penalty unconstitutional and abolishing capital punishment. The decision will spare the lives of 11 death row inmates. The courts 5-to-2 decision overturned death sentence imposed on Russell Peeler Jr. and ordered a lower court to impose life in prison without the possibility of release. Peeler had been on death row for ordering the 1999 killings of a woman and her 8-year-old son in Bridgeport. The boy, B.J. Brown, was to testify against Peeler in another murder case. Justices reconsidered a 4-to-3 ruling they made in August in the appeal of another death row inmate, Eduardo Santiago. The majority declared capital punishment no longer comported with the state constitutions prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment and was out of step with contemporary standards of decency. At issue in both appeals was a 2012 law passed by the Democratic-controlled legislature and signed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy (D) abolishing the death penalty, but only for future murders leaving 11 men including Peeler and Santiago still facing execution. Chief States Attorney Kevin Kane said prosecutors will now move to get the death row inmates resentenced to life in prison without the possibility of release. Opponents of the death penalty praised the ruling. Associated Press LOUISIANA Hate-crime laws now cover first responders Louisiana has become the first state in the nation to expand its hate-crime laws to protect police officers, firefighters and emergency medical crews. Gov. John Bel Edwards (D), whose family includes four generations of sheriffs, signed the law Thursday. Prosecutors can now seek stronger penalties when first responders are intentionally targeted because of their professions. That is a departure from the other more essential characteristics that hate-crime laws protect, such as a victims race, religion or gender. Some advocates worry that adding jobs to the list weakens these laws and complicates the relationship between police and their communities. Similar Blue Lives Matter bills have stalled in five other states. Associated Press NORTH CAROLINA Two Navy jets crash; crew members rescued Two Navy fighter jets crashed off the coast of North Carolina during a training mission Thursday, and their four crew members were flown to a hospital with minor injuries after being plucked out of the Atlantic Ocean by a commercial fishing vessel and Coast Guard rescuers, officials said. The F/A-18 Super Hornets, based in Virginia Beach, Va., crashed about 10:40 a.m. off the coast of Cape Hatteras after an in-flight mishap, said Lt. Cmdr. Tiffani Walker, a spokeswoman for Naval Air Force Atlantic. Walker did not have further details. Earlier Thursday, the Coast Guard had said the two aircraft collided in flight before crashing. Two of the aviators were rescued by the crew of the commercial fishing vessel Jamie, and the other two survivors were hoisted out of the water by a Coast Guard helicopter, the Coast Guard said in a statement. A second Coast Guard helicopter picked up the aviators from the fishing vessel and all four were taken to Norfolk Sentara General Hospital. Associated Press Archdiocese files bankruptcy plan over abuse claims: The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis on Thursday filed a bankruptcy reorganization plan that would set up a trust fund of more than $65 million to compensate some 440 clergy-abuse victims plus creditors, with just over half of that amount coming from insurance. The plan also would create a $500,000 fund to pay for counseling and incorporate the terms of a settlement reached with Ramsey County in December that allows for greater legal oversight of the archdiocese over the next three years, with the goal of changing its organizational culture to ensure that no more children are abused. Archbishop Bernard Hebda said in a statement that he thinks the plan is fair. Students shot at Calif. high school: Attackers shot two students Wednesday evening near a San Francisco Bay-area high school, killing one and sending another to a hospital in an assault that prompted the closing of the campus, authorities said Thursday. Both victims were students at Novato High School, Marin County sheriffs Lt. Doug Pittman said. Their names and ages have not been released. Both were shot and one was stabbed. Pittman would not say whether arrests had been made. A motive was not known. Police say the attack occurred on a hiking trail at the edge of a country club community. Affluenza teens mother indicted: The mother of a Texas teenager who used an affluenza defense in a fatal drunken-driving wreck has been indicted on charges accusing her of helping her son flee to Mexico. The Tarrant County district attorneys office said Thursday that Tonya Couch was indicted on charges of hindering apprehension of a felon and money laundering. Authorities say Couch took $30,000 and fled to Mexico with Ethan Couch in December after a video showed him at what appeared to be a party with alcohol. Drinking alcohol would have been a violation of his initial sentence of probation for the 2013 wreck. A judge last month ordered Ethan Couch to serve nearly two years in jail. From news services The brief video shows a few working guys on a lunch break. Having gotten delivery, theyre gathered around a gadget-packed desk, eating from takeout containers. But what a delivery it was: The meal, designed by a team of students from Phoebus High School in Hampton, Va., was zoomed up to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Dragon. In the video, posted on NASA.gov, Tim Kopra, commander of the space station, and flight engineers Jeff Williams and Tim Peake are eating spicy Jamaican rice and beans with coconut milk, the Hampton kids winning entry in the HUNCH (High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware) Culinary Challenge. Finals in the competition were held last year (NASA plans waaaaay ahead) at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. The entrees had to be vegetarian. (Astronauts do eat meat, but NASA has shown an interest in developing vegetarian menus because vegetables are easier to grow and to preserve than meat or dairy products.) The meals, which were judged on taste, texture, aroma, appearance and overall sensory evaluation, had to meet the per-serving nutritional guidelines set by NASAs Space Food Systems Laboratory: 300 to 500 calories, calories from fat less than 30 percent, calories from saturated fat 10 percent or less, no more than 300 milligrams of sodium and eight grams of sugar, and at least three grams of fiber. Oh, and the food had to process well for flight and for use in microgravity. The extraterrestrial lunch crew pronounced the meal tasty and congratulated the winning team. And the contest goes on: On April 21, the HUNCH program staged this years cook-off, with 10 teams competing. Entries included a butternut squash puree from Trussville (Ala.) High, falafel from Oakridge High School in Conroe, Tex., and a veggie meatball from Windsor (Conn.) High. The winner a red pepper risotto created by students from Passaic County Technical Institute in Wayne, N.J. will be delivered to the space station sometime in 2017. Lets hope they tip well. Overwhelmed recently by the stress of an impending move along with the usual demands of a busy life I turned to the people I love. In small chunks of time between tasks on my to-do list, I called and texted with my sister, my parents, local friends and old friends scattered around the country. Some conversations turned my stress into laughter. Others made me cry. One friend came over to clean out my closet. Then she took our kids for four hours so we could pack without interruption. With each hug, conversation and gesture of support, I started to feel better. As it turns out, those feelings may be paying long-term dividends, too: According to accumulating evidence, strong relationships breed better health, with benefits that include resilience against heart disease and a longer life. Its encouraging research thats worth paying attention to. When life gets hectic, making time for friends can be a challenge. And some studies suggest that many of us have fewer friends today than our parents did a generation ago. Those obstacles make prioritizing relationships all the more important, experts say. A good friendship is a wonderful antidepressant, says psychologist Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, director of the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research at the Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus. Relationships are so powerful, we dont always appreciate the many levels at which they affect us. Ever since researchers began to make links between loneliness and poor health about 25 years ago, the scientific literature on the value of friendship has exploded. Today, the data make a convincing case: Having people who care about us is good for us. In a 2010 meta-analysis that combined data on more than 308,000 people across 148 studies, for example, researchers found a strong connection between social relationships and life span. The size of the effect rivaled that of better-known health-related behaviors such as smoking and exercise. Because the studies used different methods, the analysis couldnt say exactly how many more years of life we might gain by having true pals, says lead author Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a psychologist at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. But in a 2015 analysis that compiled data on more than 3.4 million people across 70 studies, she and colleagues found that the absence of social connections carried the same health risk as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. Loneliness led to worse outcomes than obesity. And the findings held true for people of all ages. Early on, it seemed possible that healthier people might simply make more friends. But a growing body of research suggests instead that good relationships actually lead to better health. One clue comes from studies that begin with a large group of healthy people and follow them for decades. Experimental work on animals has also linked isolation with earlier death. And plenty of studies have revealed biological theories that may explain what makes us healthier when we feel supported: lower blood pressure, better hormone function, stronger immune systems and possibly lower levels of inflammation. Meanwhile, friends can influence health-related behaviors through peer pressure that values healthy eating, exercise taking prescriptions and going to doctors appointments, Holt-Lundstad adds. True friendships can also give us a sense of purpose, making us more motivated to take care of ourselves. But even as evidence piles up to support the value of bonding, the nature of friendship seems to be changing, says Glenn Sparks, a communications professor at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., who studies how media affect people. One reason is that people move more frequently than they used to. And for many people, a focus on display screens has replaced a focus on faces. Sparks remembers arriving at Purdue in 1986 and marveling at a stretch of sidewalk on campus dubbed the Hello Walk. The point was to smile and say hello to the people you passed there, and thats what students did. Today, you walk down that sidewalk and people are starting at their iPhones and iPads and in some cases even their laptops, says Sparks, co-author of Refrigerator Rights: Creating Connections and Restoring Relationships. Their ear buds are in and theyre gone into some virtual space. We think that really takes a toll on the relational health of any community. Technology isnt necessarily all bad, he adds. Facebook and Skype can help keep people connected from afar, and science hasnt yet caught up with the nuanced ways that digital devices might alter relationships. But a confluence of factors seems to be threatening the potential for connection. According to a long-term study published in 2006, people had an average of about three friends they felt they could discuss important things with in 1984. By 2005, the average number of confidants had dropped to about two. At the end of the study, close to 25 percent of respondents said they didnt have anyone they could truly trust, triple the proportion from two decades earlier. More recently, a 2010 study by AARP surveyed more than 3,000 people age 45 and older and found that 35 percent scored in the lonely category. Another survey, published this year by researchers at the University of Oxford, included more than 3,300 British people and found that, even though respondents averaged 155 Facebook connections, the number they felt they could approach in times of extreme distress was just four. Its not necessarily important to have a lot of friends, though some studies suggest that more might be better than fewer. The AARP survey found that loneliness rates were highest in people who had fewer than three close friends, and having five or more was better than having three or four. What is clear is that quality trumps quantity. Just as strong relationships can improve health measures, toxic or stressful relationships can lead to depression, high blood pressure and other negative outcomes. In one recent study, Kiecolt-Glaser and colleagues asked married couples to discuss something they disagreed about. Over the next day, pairs that both included someone with a history of depression and had argued with hostility burned fewer calories than did those who talked to each other with more kindness. That suggests that relationship quality can affect metabolism. So how can we cultivate more and stronger relationships? Science cant yet say. Studies that have randomly assigned patients in hospitals to be part of a support group or have sent visitors to sit with lonely people have produced mixed results, probably because of chemistry: Theres no guarantee that two people will click. A better strategy, Hold-Lundstad suspects, is to try volunteering or joining activities that allow for interaction with a wide variety of people. Its also worth making a conscious effort to be the kind of friend youd like people to be for you, Kiecolt-Glaser says. That includes being supportive, being there when friends need you, having fun together and making an effort to listen, even when youre busy or stressed-out. In my case, Im going to try to remember how much it meant to me when friends helped us with our move. And if I can organize a closet or even show up to give a hug, Ill do my best to be there. After all, theres something in it for me, too. Video from the Italian Navy shows a large ship capsizing off Libya's coast on May 25 with more than 500 migrants aboard. (Italian Navy) Video from the Italian Navy shows a large ship capsizing off Libya's coast on May 25 with more than 500 migrants aboard. (Italian Navy) MIGRANTS More than 4,000 rescued in single day More than 4,000 would-be refugees were rescued at sea on Thursday in one of the busiest days of the Mediterranean migrant crisis, and at least 24 died trying to reach Europe as Libyan-based smugglers took advantage of calmer seas to send desperate migrants north. The death toll was likely to grow, however, with the Libyan coast guard reporting two overturned boats between the coastal cities of Sabratha and Zuwarah. There are fears that everyone aboard the vessels perished, though only four bodies were found. Overall, the Italian coast guard said it had coordinated 22 rescue operations Thursday that saved more than 4,000 lives. That probably is a record, said Cmdr. Cosimo Nicastro, a spokesman for the coast guard. At least one boat sank off Libyas coast, and 20 bodies were spotted floating in the sea, said Navy Lt. Rino Gentile, a spokesman for the European Unions Mediterranean mission. Migrants line up as they disembark from the Italian Navy ship Bettica, at the Sicilian Porto Empedocle harbor, Italy, Thursday. (Francesco Malavolta/AP) Two Italian coast guard ships and a Spanish frigate responded to the scene. Nicastro said 96 people were rescued. Associated Press PAKISTAN All indicators confirm Taliban leaders death Taliban chief Akhtar Mohammad Mansour was traveling under a false name with fake Pakistani identity documents when he was killed by a U.S. drone strike last week, the foreign affairs adviser to Pakistans prime minister said Thursday. At a news conference in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, Sartaj Aziz said that authorities were awaiting DNA test results but that all indicators point to Mansour being the person killed. He spoke a day after the Taliban announced that the groups leadership had unanimously selected Haibatullah Akhundzada as its new head after Mansours death. Mansour had entered Pakistan from Iran under a false name, with a Pakistani ID card and passport, Aziz said. He did not elaborate. Authorities have detained two officials from the southwestern province of Baluchistan who helped Mansour obtain his ID card, the Interior Ministry said. The Afghan Taliban has been fighting to overthrow the Kabul government since 2001. Pakistan has long been accused of sheltering Taliban leaders. Associated Press EGYPT Muslim mob allegedly strips Christian woman A Muslim mob ransacked and torched seven Christian homes last week in a province south of the Egyptian capital, Cairo, over rumors that a Christian man had an affair with a Muslim woman, according to a statement released late Wednesday by the local Orthodox Coptic church. The statement said that during the attack last Friday, the mother of the Christian man, who had fled his village in Minya province, was publicly stripped by the mob. The statement was signed by Anba Makarios, Minyas top Christian cleric, who on Wednesday told a talk-show host that the elderly woman was dragged out of her home, beaten and insulted before the mob stripped her of her clothes and paraded her naked in the streets while chanting Allahu akbar, or God is great. The woman reported the incident to police five days later, said Makarios, adding that she had found it difficult to swallow the humiliation. Christian men cannot marry Muslim women in Egypt unless they convert to Islam first, but Muslim men can marry Christian women. An affair between a Christian man and a Muslim woman is almost certain to cause a great deal of trouble. Makarios said police arrived at the scene of Fridays violence nearly two hours after the attack began. Associated Press S. Africas parliament approves land expropriation bill: South Africas Parliament approved a bill allowing state expropriations of land to redress racial disparities in land ownership, an emotive issue two decades after the end of apartheid. The ruling party measure will enable the state to pay for land at a value set by a government adjudicator and then expropriate it for the public interest. Most of South Africas land is in white hands. Female prisoners in Zimbabwe given amnesty: Zimbabwe is releasing all convicted female prisoners except for a few serving life sentences. Officials said the amnesty granted by President Robert Mugabe is part of moves to decongest jails. A prisons spokeswoman said Zimbabwes jails have a capacity for 17,000 inmates but hold more than 19,000. From news services Kerry Lauerman is The Washington Posts national projects editor. What type of animal stories captivate us more than just about any other? A few hints: Tiny Dog Rescues Girl from Attempted Abduction (Yahoo News). Dog Finds a Tiny Kitten, Risks Everything to Save Her (Fox News). 3-Year-Old Siberian Girl Discovered after 11 Days Lost in Wilderness When Her Trusty Dog Summons Rescuers (Siberian Times). Heroic Senior Dog Saves Her Family from Charging Moose (Boulder County News). Hero Pit Bull Shows Up Lassie, Uses iPhone to Call 911 and Save Owners Life (Huffington Post). Dog-as-hero tops all other stories about the animal kingdom, and the sampling above, culled by Melissa Fay Greene for her new book, probably resembles a lot of whats clogging your social media feeds. But in The Underdogs, Greene gives us a selection of deftly reported and illuminatingly researched stories that go much deeper than sentimental click bait, documenting the powerful ways dogs are helping reach some of the most vulnerable among us: children with disabilities. Expanding on a popular New York Times Magazine story she wrote in 2012, Greene in The Underdogs focuses on the work done by 4 Paws for Ability, an academy based in Xenia, Ohio, that trains and places service dogs in extreme circumstances. 4 Paws was founded by Karen Shirk who, as a college student in 1989, received a diagnosis of a rare neuromuscular disease that left her on a respirator, unable to care for herself, and suicidal. When the established agencies that issued service dogs told her she was too infirm for one, she got a black German shepherd puppy she named Ben and trained him herself. I didnt leap back into life with Ben so much as inch back into it, Shirk tells Greene. She soon founded 4 Paws, and since 1998 has placed more than 1,000 of the groups dogs. Other than Shirks, the stories Greene tells in The Underdogs are of children with seismic difficulties a tracheal tube and ventilator, severe forms of autism, fetal alcohol syndrome and the 4 Paws dogs they are paired with at request of parents desperate to try anything, including an expertly trained dog for about $13,000, to give their children a taste of childhood. One eager couple from Alabama took the gamble for Lucy, their adopted child from China, who has attachment disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. An 8-year-old ruled by fear, Lucy is prone to screaming meltdowns, and remains convinced that her parents may well abandon her the moment she lets down her guard. It was as if Lucy were a colander and love, the bright water running through it, pooling for a moment before leaking and splashing away, Greene writes. Enter a fun-loving yellow Lab named Jolly. Its no meet-cute story. Lucy worries that the dog will reject her or possibly even draw away her parents attention. Jolly becomes a threat, and for her, a screaming child is probably something to avoid. But under required training from 4 Paws, the families learn strategies to ensure that the dogs and children bond, even if it requires careful manipulation. You want the dog to feel: I dont know what it is about this kid, but whenever this kid is around, good things happen, a trainer tells Lucys parents. It starts with planting treats around Lucy for the dog, and progresses to giving treats to Jolly so she doesnt run away when the child inevitably has a tantrum. But training the dog to accept behavior shes meant to prevent can backfire. Instead of trying to calm Lucy down, Jolly could learn to look forward to her emotional breakdowns because they will lead to a treat. (I dont know what it is about this kid, but when she goes ballistic, good things happen!) Through persistence, the parents (who are the books other heroes) manage to forge the right relationship between the dog and child. In Lucys case, Jolly eventually became the calming, trusting source of strength her parents had hoped for, and a combustible child seemed to finally, remarkably, feel secure. In another story, Connor is hobbled by a tracheal tube and a ventilator, a boy who couldnt explore on his own farther than the eighteen inches his tubing allowed. At ate 7, he weighed just over 20 pounds and functioned more like a 4-year-old. When he began to withdraw from life rapidly and mysteriously, his parents brought in Casey, a goldendoodle, to help their son better engage with the world. But when Connor suddenly disappears to the hospital, Casey is the one who becomes anxious and withdrawn. A working dog, this makes sense; hes suddenly unemployed, robbed of a mission and a sense of purpose (and accompanying rewards). But he also exhibits undeniably human-like grieving behavior. These are riveting stories not just because Greene, a master of narrative, picked good ones, but because she explains just how these relationships work at both ends of the leash. Its not all feel-good Facebook fodder there is one particularly unsparing tale of utter heartbreak here but theyre important and revelatory stories. Greene invites us not to just marvel at the hero dogs, but understand them a little better, too. Kim Kavin tells a starkly different story in The Dog Merchants, a sprawling, and sometimes fascinating, look at a complex industry. Her reporting reveals that by simply finding a dog to take home, we are dipping into a world largely veiled to the consumer and in many ways ethically dubious. Kavin travels the country visiting high-end dog shows, back-yard hobby breeders, luxe retail rescues and even the Hunte Corp., the biggest legal distributor of puppies to pet stores across America, which moves about 45,000 puppies a year. In the most revealing chapter, she visits an auction in Wheaton, Mo., ground zero in the dog trade, where various breeds will be bid on throughout the day by a wide variety of dog merchants, from amateurs to those who will supply pet chains nationwide. One 18-month-old Yorkshire terrier, which already had given birth to at least one litter of puppies, goes for $1,150, having earned a reputation as a good producer from a nice, young age. Meanwhile, a trembling Chesapeake Bay retriever named Feldmanns Big Boy, startled by suddenly standing in front of such a large crowd, was so terrified . . . that he wrapped all four of his legs around the two handlers. No one will bid even $1. One helpful participant explains to Kavin how lucrative an already pregnant West Highland white Terrier that sells for $650 can be: A commercial dog breeder will get two litters of puppies out of that Westie during each of the five years after purchase. Every litter with a Westie is four to eight pups. That means a total of eight to sixteen puppies a year, or forty to eighty dogs coming out of that single Westie in five years time. After the eventual sales to pet stores, which ultimately sell the puppies for much more, that one $650 dog can generate up to $64,000 in sales. All of this, of course, alarms those concerned about animal welfare, and who wish the demand for the latest hot breed could instead be met by some of the millions of dogs euthanized in dog pounds and shelters across the country. Which leads, though, to Kavins startling discovery that rescue groups also frequent the auctions, usually trying to save specific breeds from a grim life fueling the puppy industry. Of course, by bidding on these dogs, theyre also fueling the very demand they abhor. Is this that big of a problem? Kavin cant quantify just how often it happens and whether many of these dogs end up routed into rescues, adopted by the very people who have gone out of their way to avoid the dog-breeding industry. Is it just the occasional Jane Rosenthal, whom Kavin profiles, bidding away on Japanese Chins for her small organization Luv A Chin Rescue? Without more than anecdotal evidence, one would think so. But Kavin is doing her part. With the release of the book, shes starting a website of the same name that will let consumers register and post reviews of any breeder or rescue group, sort of a Yelp for dog buyers. If it shines some light on the shadowy, largely unregulated dog industry, Id say thats worth five stars. The Underdogs Children, Dogs, and the Power of Unconditional Love By Melissa Fay Greene Ecco. 344 pp. $27.99 IT MIGHT be a fun parlor game, if the future of the country werent at stake: How many lies by Donald Trump can be found in one news article? Post reporter David A. Fahrenthold set out to get a few simple answers about Mr. Trumps claims of donating to veterans. What he got were lies and evasions about practically every detail. Mr. Trump made a show of raising what he said was $6 million for veterans groups, including a $1 million donation from himself, at an Iowa campaign event in January. Four months later, Post reporters tried to determine if Mr. Trump, who often exploits his support for veterans to get the rhetorical upper hand on interviewers and opponents, really raised as much as he claimed, how much had been distributed, and to whom. Corey Lewandowski, Mr. Trumps campaign manager, said last week that Mr. Trump had raised only $4.5 million, not the $6 million the candidate boasted about, because some donors Mr. Lewandowski did not say who failed to follow through on their pledges. Then, in a Post interview Tuesday, Mr. Trump said that the number is $5.5 million and that all the pledges had come in. Why the shifting stories? Almost certainly because Mr. Trump had not given the $1 million of his own money he promised until, apparently, Post reporters started asking questions. Mr. Trumps campaign said last week that he had already handed out the $1 million he pledged. This was lie No. 1. After Post reporters began publicly asking veterans groups if any of them got money from Mr. Trump, the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation received a phone call Monday from Mr. Trump, promising his $1 million to the group. Mr. Trump blamed the delay on needing to vet charities. That was likely lie No. 2: Though other peoples donations began flowing to various charities well before now, his came only after Post reporters pressed the matter. Topping it off was lie No. 3: He said he never claimed that he raised $6 million, despite video proof. Mr. Trumps reaction to being scrutinized? He took to social media to denounce bad publicity from the dishonest and disgusting media. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has been repeating some false statements over and over again. Here are the last four of his claims that the Post's Fact Checker gave Four Pinocchios. (Jenny Starrs,Michelle Lee/The Washington Post) This was not the first time that Mr. Trump abused the truth this week. In a nod to fact-ignoring conservative fantasists, he raised the theory that Vince Foster, a Clinton confidant who committed suicide in 1993, was murdered. Mr. Trump did so despite the fact that multiple investigations, including by aggressive Clinton investigator Kenneth Starr, confirmed that Fosters death was a suicide. As conspiracy-mongering goes, this is worse even than Mr. Trumps association with the birthers. He is using a dead man, whose family has pleaded to be left in peace, for a mendacious political attack. That is disgusting as well as dishonest. Partisan solidarity and fear of Hillary Clinton are driving Republicans to consolidate around Mr. Trump, and the typical horse-race journalism that has emerged since he became the presumptive GOP nominee normalizes his campaign. But the Republican Party, the media and voters cannot pretend that Mr. Trump is a normal candidate. Mr. Trump is pathologically dishonest and morally bankrupt. How many more lies will he tell before the week is over? Republicans who care about their integrity should be counting along with us. Jeffrey D. Sachs is director of the Earth Institute and a professor at Columbia University. Mainstream U.S. economists have criticized Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanderss proposals as unworkable, but these economists betray the status quo bias of their economic models and professional experience. Its been decades since the United States had a progressive economic strategy, and mainstream economists have forgotten what one can deliver. In fact, Sanderss recipes are supported by overwhelming evidence notably from countries that already follow the policies he advocates. On health care, growth and income inequality, Sanders wins the policy debate hands down. On health care, Sanderss proposal for a single-payer system has been roundly attacked as too expensive. His campaign (for which I briefly served as a foreign policy adviser) is told that his plan will raise taxes and burst the budget. But this attack misses the whole point of his health proposals. While health spending by the government would go up in the Sanders health plan, private insurance payments would disappear, generating huge net savings for the American people. Countries such as Canada, Germany, Sweden and Britain all follow something like a single-payer approach and pay much less for health care than the United States does. While the United States spent 16.4 percent of gross domestic product on health care in 2013, Canada paid only 10.2 percent; Germany, 11 percent; Sweden, 11 percent; and Britain, 8.5 percent. U.S. overspending is about 5 percent of GDP, or nearly $1 trillion as of 2016, mainly because of the excessive market power of private health insurers and big drug companies. An authoritative study by the U.S. Institute of Medicine confirms this extent of excess costs, finding losses of about 5 percent of GDP in 2009. Critics of Sanderss health plan have failed to recognize or acknowledge the huge savings and cost reductions that would accompany a single-payer system. On economic growth, Sanders also easily wins the debate. While President Obama opted for a short-term stimulus that peaked after two years and disappeared by the end of his first term, and Hillary Clinton has proposed a modest infrastructure program over five years, Sanders calls for a much bolder public investment program directed at the skills of young people (through free college tuition) and at modernizing and upgrading Americas infrastructure, with a focus on renewable energy, high-speed rail, safe drinking water and urban public transport. Sanderss growth strategy would get back to fundamentals: a long-overdue increase in productive investments to underpin good jobs and rising worker productivity. Sanderss mainstream critics are mostly Keynesians. Their focus is on total spending, whether its consumption or investment. Sanders, instead, focuses on investment because long-term growth depends on more rapid capital accumulation (including in skills and technology). Americas slow growth is no mystery. The U.S. net investment rate has declined to about 5 percent of GDP, down from about 10 percent of GDP during the 1960s and 1970s. Sanderss plan would restore a high-investment economy and, with it, a higher growth rate. On income distribution, Sanders accurately argues that U.S. income inequality is uniquely high among the rich countries. Only the United States has deep poverty alongside soaring wealth. Only the United States tolerates a hedge-fund industry in which poorly performing money managers (not to mention quite a few crooks) take home billions of dollars in pay, backed by unconscionable tax breaks pushed by Democratic and Republican senators who live off of the largesse of Wall Street. Consider the most basic measure of income inequality, the Gini coefficient. This measures the inequality of income among households, with zero signifying complete equality and 1 complete inequality. For high-income countries, a Gini coefficient below 0.3 reflects a low degree of income inequality; between 0.3 and 0.4, a moderate degree; and at 0.4 or above, a high degree. According to the most recent data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the U.S. Gini coefficient stood at 0.40, with Canada at 0.32; Germany, 0.29; Sweden, 0.27; and Britain, 0.35. What accounts for this striking difference? Most important, U.S. inequality has soared in the past 35 years, since the start of the Reagan era. The U.S. Gini coefficient stood at 0.31 in 1980. All countries have faced market pressures pushing toward more inequality especially increased trade with low-wage countries such as China and automation that has claimed the jobs and wages of workers with only high school educations. Yet only in the United States have these pressures turned into massive inequality of income. The reasons are clear. The United States unleashed the power of CEOs to enrich themselves with mega-salaries, weakened trade unions and gave massive tax breaks to the super-rich. Sanderss policies would go after all of these unconscionable moves, bringing the United States back into line with the rest of the high-income world. He would, in short, end the age of impunity in which the rich and the powerful get their way, while the rest suffer. Sanderss policies include higher taxes on the rich, strengthening unions, raising the minimum wage, supporting families, providing free tuition at public universities and cracking down on financial crimes. There is nothing magical or utopian about Sanderss recommendations. He is advocating policies of decency long ago adopted by other prosperous high-income countries. Our own neighbor, Canada, is a case in point. Canada has lower-cost health care, a life expectancy two years higher than in the United States, much lower college tuition, far lower poverty rates and, not surprisingly, more happiness (ranking sixth in the world in life satisfaction, behind Scandinavia and well ahead of the United States, which is 12th). Mainstream economists long ago lost the melody line. Their models are oriented to the status quo and underemphasize the benefits of public investment. They take Americas bloated health-care costs as a given, not as the result of the influence of the U.S. private health lobby. They treat low growth as natural (secular stagnation) rather than as the result of chronic underinvestment. They have come to accept cruelly rising income inequality and rampant impunity for financial crimes. Sanders knows better, based on worldwide experience, an abiding sense of decency and a strong and accurate vision for a brighter economic future. On Tuesday night, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump disparaged New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, probably the most prominent Hispanic Republican officeholder in America, saying at a rally in Albuquerque that she has a bad record and shes got to do a better job. At the same rally, where windows were smashed and Trump and his supporters clashed with demonstrators, the candidate also mocked Sen. Elizabeth Warrens claim to Native American roots by repeatedly calling her Pocahontas. And House Speaker Paul Ryan, sitting down with reporters on Wednesday, wanted to talk about policy? It wasnt going to happen. The Posts Mike DeBonis, noting Trumps attack on Martinez, asked Ryan, Do you have a partner whos interested in party unity? Shes a friend of mine and I think shes a good governor and Ill leave it at that, the speaker replied. Would the speakers policy agenda include plans for deporting millions of people, as Trump has suggested? Thats not in our agenda, Ryan said. Should Trump apologize for belittling prisoners of war, the physically disabled and womens appearances? Im focusing on what we can control here in the House, Ryan said. And what he can control is, well, not much. Ryan had wanted a sit-down with reporters for a pen and pad session to talk policy. But, unbeknownst to the speaker, his staff released a flock of photographers into the room just as questions were starting. Jeez. Good grief. Goddamned, Ryan said with a laugh when the barrage of shutter clicks began. He can probably blame Trump for that, too. Late Tuesday, Trump campaign officials leaked word that Ryan, who had said he wasnt ready to endorse Trump, would indeed be endorsing Trump as soon as Wednesday. This, like much of what comes out of Trumps campaign, was false. But it turned Ryans policy session into another installment of his soap opera with Trump. I dont know where all this got from, he pleaded when CNNs Manu Raju asked whether he had made a decision to back Trump. I have not made a decision and . . . I have nothing more to add. What the speaker did have to contribute was an albatross of a metaphor. Were a big-tent party with lots of different wings of the Republican Party, and we [he and Trump] clearly come from different wings of the Republican Party theres no two ways about that, he said. The question is, if were going to unify, can we figure out what is the common foundation that ties all these wings together? Actually, if you tie a lot of wings together and attach them to a foundation, its pretty obvious what will happen: That bird wont fly. Ryan has good instincts about Trump, and he has courageously withheld his endorsement and criticized some of Trumps outrages. But hes left little doubt that he will eventually swallow those misgivings in the name of party unity. Republicans in the House have said, look, Paul Ryan eventually has to endorse Donald Trump, Fox Newss Chad Pergram informed the speaker Wednesday. Why not just rip the Band-Aid off? Replied Ryan: Im really focused on my day job. But he surely has to be focused on a momentous calculation: He could withhold support, potentially costing Trump the presidency and perhaps losing his House majority. Or he could support Trump and have Trump define conservatives, and Republicans, for years even if its with isolation, trade wars and racial strife. My worry, one top Republican official remarked during the primary campaign, is not that Trump will lose the general election. Its that he could win. Cementing the alienation of women, immigrants and non-whites would shorten the fuse on the demographic time bomb underneath the GOP. Ryan seems to be hoping that Trump, in exchange for the speakers endorsement, will offer him a token concession: some sort of blessing of his agenda of economic growth, national security, health care, anti-poverty measures and limits on presidential power. We need to normalize these ideas, the speaker said. But there is no way to finesse this, no fig leaf big enough to cover the gap between them. How does he square Trumps expansive view of executive power with his own plan to limit such power? That is one of my big concerns, not just with Donald Trump but with whoever the next president may be. Is he concerned that Trump doesnt share his views on entitlements? Were going to focus on our own proposals. Is Trump involved in drafting the policy agenda? Hes familiar with what were doing. Is Ryan disappointed there arent more discussions with Trump? I can control what I can control. But Ryan cant control Trump, nor win real concessions from him. As the highest-ranking Republican in America, he has a stark and binary choice to make: tie his and his partys future to Trump, or walk away. Twitter: @Milbank Read more from Dana Milbanks archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. Romania's interim prime minister, Dacian Ciolos, speaks to the media after a meeting with Vice President Biden at the White House on Tuesday. (Mandel Ngan/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images) Lally Weymouth is a senior associate editor for The Post. Dacian Ciolos, a 46-year-old technocrat who previously worked at the European Union, did not come to power in Romania through an election or a coup. After youths rioted in the streets of Bucharest in November demanding an end to corruption and forcing the resignation of the previous government, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis called to ask Ciolos to serve as interim prime minister. Ciolos has said he will remain in office only until the next prime minister is chosen after fall parliamentary elections. On a visit to Washington this week that included a meeting with Vice President Biden, Ciolos also talked with The Posts Lally Weymouth. Excerpts: Q. What do you hope to accomplish in these few months? A. First of all, to maintain political, social and economic stability. Romania has a high rate of growth, and I dont want to affect this growth by political or social instability. But [I also want] to at least start reforms in key sectors. We started the process of reform in the public administration. What have you done? For the first time in the last 20 years [the government has] ensured full transparency of public [spending] how we use public money. All the public institutions are obliged to publish their spending. We started trying to reduce the bureaucracy, to cut the red tape. I hope that we will also have time to propose new legislation in order to increase the quality of the people working in public administration, to come with a new process of recruitment based on competency and professionalism. Up until now, each political party appointed people mainly [based] on political criteria. The Americans just opened the EPAA [European Phased Adaptive Approach] site for missile defense in your country. Romania agreed with the U.S. on this in 2011. First there were discussions, then implementation. Now we have this anti-missile system. The Russians are protesting it. This is their problem. We were very clear that this is not oriented against anyone; it is a purely defensive system. We dont want to attack someone. We only want to discourage aggressions. It is a system of deterrence. Russia went into eastern Ukraine and seized Crimea. Last fall, Russia sent troops into Syria. Arent you concerned? We are concerned by this behavior, but we also think we have to clarify all things by dialogue. On the other hand, we have all rights to take measures to ensure our defense and to deter potential aggression. Does Russia pose a threat to your country? We have to be attentive, but we are neighbors. In the long term, both countries are interested to work together. Russia has been funding right-wing parties in Europe. Have you seen evidence of that in your country? I dont think it is the case in Romania. We are one of the few countries in Eastern Europe without a strong extremist or populist party. How are you doing so far? I am not so popular, because the expectations are high, and there are many criticisms, saying that I do not do enough in the reform processes. We started, but we have to change some legislation. In order to do that, we need the support of political parties in the Parliament. It is possible that political parties dont like an independent government. Why dont you run for prime minister? In order to have the confidence of political parties, I prefer to keep my word. I promised at the beginning to be an independent prime minister and that I would not run. I was not a member of a political party in the past. If you keep your word, wont the government go back to the same old guys? Not necessarily. Political parties are expected to use this year to reform themselves to come with up with new faces and new people, and they still have this opportunity. Are you in favor of keeping sanctions on Russia? Yes, as long as Russia doesnt respect the Minsk agreement, between Russia, Ukraine and the E.U. What would you like to see Romania do with the U.S.? The relationship is at the highest level in history. We have a strategic partnership, made concrete with defense and security projects. I am here in order to build on this good experience and to promote the development of our economic cooperation. Do you want to see more cooperation with the U.S.? More military exercises? We want more military exercises, more cooperation with all NATO allies. We will propose at the next NATO summit [that NATO] reinforce not only the northeastern flank in Europe but also the southeastern flank. Now the focus is on the Baltic states, which have a direct border with Russia. Do you want NATO troops on your soil? Yes, rotational troops, training together. Our proposal is to integrate Romania into this rotation of NATO troops. What do you expect to come out of your visit? I didnt come to obtain something now. It is important to maintain the dialogue. I went to Detroit and am happy to see that Ford intends to increase its investment in Romania. Can politicians take up where you leave off? They do not have a choice. Every deep reform in a society is not easy. I am not criticized because I am corrupt, but because I dont do enough. The expectation is very high. What is your message to politicians after you? Continue to prove that Romania can be a democratic country with transparent and efficient political parties and have the confidence of the people. REPUBLICAN LEADERS of Virginias legislature have asked the states highest court to block Gov. Terry McAuliffes order restoring voting rights to more than 200,000 felons who have served out their sentences the latest in a series of GOP measures meant to dilute and minimize the electoral clout of African Americans in the commonwealth. The Republican lawsuit rests heavily on the idea that Virginias governor is invested with the authority to restore ex-convicts voting rights only if the restoration is individualized a word that appears nowhere in the states constitution. In fact, the constitution explicitly empowers the governor to remove political disabilities arising from conviction for offenses and strips voting rights from a felon unless his civil rights have been restored by the governor. It is mainly on that slender grammatical reed the constitutions references to a person convicted of a felony and the restoration of his voting rights by the governor that Republicans rely in insisting that Mr. McAuliffe (D) has overstepped. Yet they made no such objection when Mr. McAuliffes Republican predecessor, former governor Robert F. McDonnell, broke with precedent three years ago by restoring voting rights for most nonviolent felons on a virtually automatic basis. The GOP lawsuit asks the court to strip voting rights from several thousand felons whose franchise has been restored already by the governors order and to block any others who might regain the vote prospectively. It argues, accurately, that Mr. McAuliffes action is unprecedented because for nearly a quarter of a millennium, no previous governor used the power of clemency so broadly. Yet if it was fine for a Republican governor to restore the vote to thousands of felons, why is it wrong for a Democratic governor to restore the vote to tens of thousands? GOP leaders in Richmond have no cogent explanation. Virginia is one of a handful of states that, absent a governors action, would disenfranchise felons indefinitely. That provision was included in the constitution a century ago by racists who made no bones about their intention to ensure blacks were underrepresented in the voting booth. Today, blacks still represent a disproportionate number of convicted felons; accordingly, Mr. McAuliffes order benefits them disproportionately. It is a scandal that before he took action, more than a fifth of the states African Americans of voting age were barred from the voting booth on the basis of previous convictions, even though they had served their sentences in their entirety, including probation and parole time, and paid their debt to society. Stigmatizing ex-convicts indefinitely serves no social purpose; it achieves nothing beyond helping Republicans on Election Day, and that hardly justifies an archaic rule. Deborah Pearlstein is an associate professor of law at Cardozo Law School in New York. From 2003 to 2007, she served as the founding director of the Law and Security Program at Human Rights First, where she led the organizations efforts in research, litigation and advocacy surrounding U.S. detention and interrogation operations. Karen Greenbergs new book, Rogue Justice, takes on a challenging task: adding new insight to our understanding of the long-running legal battles surrounding the post-9/11 fight against terrorism. Those who have followed U.S. detention and interrogation, surveillance and targeting policies for the past 15 years have been spoiled by a bounty of rich journalistic accounts of the legal debates inside the government and out from Jane Mayers page-turning The Dark Side, now nearly a decade old, to Charlie Savages comprehensive Power Wars, released late last year. Greenberg adds only a little to the detailed record these works and others have provided on how the law was used to support decisions to torture detainees, collect Americans telephone records and conduct military trials, among other things. But Greenberg has a wider ambition. She aims to assess the damage these practices have done to law in the United States. As she frames it, the picture is grim. The people with the power to make decisions, she writes, have consistently favored the power of the government over the limitations imposed by the Constitution. With the courts often shirking their duty to check security policy excess, we came perilously close to losing the protections of the Bill of Rights, including not only First Amendment freedoms of speech and religion, but also the Eighth Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Worse, the eventual widespread government approval of mass surveillance and military detention and trial have done more than just threaten the Constitution. Lawmakers and presidents and judges and lawyers and generals and bureaucrats have chosen to privilege security over the rule of law. Given this stark framing, one might worry that what follows is a one-sided account. But Greenberg tells a more nuanced story, including many examples of the federal officials, government lawyers and judges who sought to protect legal rights in a variety of ways, including in federal criminal terrorism prosecutions in the ordinary courts. The book credits officials in the George W. Bush administration such as Jack Goldsmith and (now FBI Director) James B. Comey with working internally to limit some of that administrations broadest assertions of executive authority. Greenberg likewise recalls the Supreme Courts early engagement in the executive branchs efforts to hold detainees without judicial supervision and in the decisions of a bipartisan array of judges in lower federal courts who at various times called government action into question. Indeed, even as the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has steadfastly rejected every Guantanamo Bay detainees habeas petition to come before it, the population at the U.S. military prison in Cuba has continued to decline, from 780 detainees once held there to the 80 who remain today. The picture of rights in the United States since 9/11 has been dark at times but, as the book demonstrates, not uniformly so. In fact, Greenberg comes perilously close to making a case that the rule of law has fared reasonably well over time. Or at least, the rule of law as lawyers tend to measure it not so much by tallying up which side wins more often in court, but by whether the legal system, including the three-branch structure of government, is operating as it should to constrain raw exercises of power. After all, the manifestly illegal beatings and systemic abuse of prisoners by U.S. officials at Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere have been replaced by a military detention program that, however lamentable one might find it, has been authorized and approved by the president, Congress and the federal courts. Military trials for what turned out to be only a handful of detainees are a colossal failure if one had hoped for swift and certain justice, but they, too, have been authorized by Congress and the president, and subject to vigorous review in the civilian federal courts. Critics have been quite right that the Supreme Courts interpretation of the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable search and seizure is badly in need of updating for the Internet age. But executive branch lawyers gave an honest legal answer when they concluded that it was constitutional to collect Americans telephone records: The Fourth Amendment does not protect against searches of the information you willingly share with the companies that transmit your calls. Important questions about whether the law is really constraining power certainly remain. For instance, it is far from clear whether the president has the legal authority he needs to support the growing war the nation is fighting against the Islamic State in Syria and beyond. Yet Greenberg devotes just a handful of pages to the targeted killing operations the United States has carried out in more than half a dozen countries, and addresses ISIS only in her epilogue. The majority of Greenbergs concerns seem to turn less on the rule of law than on the law of war and the normal rights it supplants. She calls the overseas killing of terrorism suspects assassinations, and laments indefinite detention without charge. But if we are in fact in the kind of war against al-Qaeda and ISIS that the government describes, it may be broadly lawful to detain participants as military prisoners until the end of the conflict and to shoot to kill. Indeed, the law of war (mostly contained in the Geneva Conventions) is clear that if a group wages war as the law defines it (the law uses the term armed conflict), the United States (and every other country) can lawfully detain, try and target the groups members, as long as it complies with certain wartime rules. Greenberg would hardly be alone in resisting the idea that we are fighting the kind of transnational armed conflict against terrorist organizations the government has in mind. Many national security lawyers in the United States question whether the war Congress allowed 15 years ago against those who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the attacks of 9/11 really includes groups such as ISIS, which did not exist in 2001 and is today the sworn enemy of al-Qaeda. Others worry whether that original conflict between the United States and al-Qaeda still rises to the level of armed conflict in Geneva Convention terms, a conflict meant to be a truly exceptional state, something more than isolated acts of terrorism over years. Some inside the United States and many more outside it reject the idea that the original war could justify killing or detaining suspects beyond Afghanistan. And if it is not war in the legal sense, killing and imprisoning people is, as if it need be stated, against the normal law. For all the attention Greenberg devotes to what she calls the U.S. practice of justice at war, it is unfortunate that she engages the pervasive question of war only obliquely. She contends that the struggle to restore rights continues, but it is never quite clear whether the struggle she sees involves improving the substance or enforcement of the rules in place, or rejecting the application of war rules altogether, because terrorist attacks are not exceptional but a tragically normal condition of our current existence. The omission is not Greenbergs alone. Fifteen years after the attacks, the country has still to reconcile its desire to invoke the powers that accompany the exceptional law of war with the laws presumption that, as the president put it not that long ago, this war, like all wars, must end. The United States need not declare peace against an enemy that wishes to fight. But it does have to pay the costs of calling it war. And one of those costs is the admission that until the nation is prepared to say that at least that original war against al-Qaeda has come to an end, it cannot find its way back to normal law. Sixty-five years ago, what has become the European Union was an embryo conceived in fear. It has been stealthily advanced from an economic to a political project, and it remains enveloped in a watery utopianism even as it becomes more dystopian. The E.U.s economic stagnation in some of the 28 member nations, youth unemployment approaches 50 percent is exacerbated by its regulatory itch and the self-inflicted wound of the euro, a common currency for radically dissimilar nations. The E.U. is floundering amid mass migration, the greatest threat to Europes domestic tranquility since 1945. The E.U.s British enthusiasts, who in fact are notably unenthusiastic, hope fear will move voters to affirm Britains membership in this increasingly ramshackle and acrimonious association. A June 23 referendum will decide whether Brexit Britains exit occurs. Americans should pay close attention because this debate concerns matters germane to their present and future. The E.U. is the linear descendant of institution-building begun by people for whom European history seemed to be less Chartres and Shakespeare than the Somme and the Holocaust. After two world wars, or a 31-year war (1914-1945), European statesmen were terrified of Europeans. Under the leadership of two Frenchmen, Robert Schuman and Jean Monnet, they created, in 1951, the European Coal and Steel Community to put essential elements of industrial war under multinational control. This begat, in 1957, the European Economic Community, a.k.a. the Common Market. Money, said Ralph Waldo Emerson, is the prose of life. The E.U. is the culmination of a grand attempt to drain Europe of grandeur, to make it permanently peaceful by making it prosaic preoccupied and tranquilized by commerce. European unity has always been a surreptitious political project couched in economic categories. Britains Remain side is timid and materialistic, saying little that is inspiring about remaining but much that is supposedly scary about leaving. The Leave campaign is salted with the revolt-against-elites spirit now fermenting in nations on both sides of the Atlantic. The Remain camp relies heavily on dire predictions of economic wreckage that would follow Brexit forecasts from the British Treasury, the International Monetary Fund, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, etc. Although none of these, in spring 2008, foresaw the crisis of autumn 2008, they now predict, with remarkable precision, economic damage to Britains economy, the worlds fifth-largest, if it is detached from the stagnation of the E.U. For example, the British Treasury projects that Brexit would cost Britain 6.2 percent of gross domestic product by 2030. This confirms the axiom that economists prove their sense of humor by using decimal points. Passion is disproportionately on the Leave side, which is why a low turnout will favor Brexit: Leavers are most likely to vote. Current polls show Remain slightly ahead, but Leave has a majority among people over age 43, who also are most likely to vote. The most conspicuous campaigner for Brexit is Boris Johnson, the two-term Conservative former mayor of London. He is an acquired taste, and some thoughtful people oppose Brexit because if it happens, Prime Minister David Cameron, who leads the Remain campaign, might be replaced by Johnson. Johnson is frequently compared to Donald Trump. Johnson, however, is educated (Eton; an Oxford classics degree), intelligent, erudite (see his book on Roman Europe), articulate and witty. (Johnson says the E.U.s latest compromise with Britain is the biggest stitch-up since the Bayeux Tapestry. The British locution stitch-up denotes something prearranged clandestinely.) So, Johnsons only real resemblance to Trump, other than an odd mop of blond hair, is a penchant for flamboyant pronouncements, as when he said that Barack Obama opposes Brexit because Obamas Kenyan background somehow disposes him against Britain. Actually, Obama likes the European Unions approximation of American progressives aspirations. These include unaccountable administrators issuing diktats, and what one E.U. critic calls trickle-down postmodernism the erasure of national traditions and other impediments to harmonizing homogenized nations for the convenience of administrators. Obama said that if Brexit occurred, Britain would go to the back of the queue regarding a U.S. trade agreement. Surely, however, reaching an agreement with one nation is easier than with 28. Perhaps Obama has forgotten U.S. diplomat George Kennans axiom: The unlikelihood of a negotiation reaching agreement grows by the square of the number of parties taking part. Brexit might spread a benign infection, prompting similar reassertions of national sovereignty by other E.U. members. Hence June 23 is the most important European vote since 1945. Read more from George F. Wills archive or follow him on Facebook. Supporters of Norbert Hofer, presidential candidate of the right-wing populist Austrian Freedom Party (Freiheitliche Partei Oesterreichs, or FPOe), in Vienna on Sunday. (Jan Hetfleisch/Getty Images) Heres the irony of Donald Trumps America First, immigrant-bashing, free-trade-averse, make-us-great-again nationalism: It is a European import. The American right has typically been anti-government, reverent of the Constitution, suspicious of political strongmen and resolute in insisting that American exceptionalism makes us different from other nations. But Trumpism is not an American original. Almost every plank in the candidates vaguely defined platform is derivative of the European far right. It is gaining ground on the basis of opposition to immigration, fears of terrorism and crime, economic nationalism, and promises of a government wielding a muscular hand against the forces of disorder. While one would like to think that the copycat nature of Trumps ideology will, in the coming months, make it increasingly less attractive to American voters, his rise is no less disturbing for being emblematic of whats happening across so many democracies. Trumps emergence is a symptom of a larger democratic distemper roiling the worlds political parties on the center-right and center-left that have underwritten free government since 1945. For all their differences, these parties have shared a commitment to institutions that combined liberty with welfare; created a reasonably well-distributed prosperity; respected the power of democratic government to do good but also accepted its limits; and embraced the need for compromise. The weakness of these parties was brought home dramatically this week in Austria where Norbert Hofer, the candidate of the far-right Freedom Party that has explicit roots in the Nazi past, nearly won the countrys presidency. Yes, it was good news that Hofer was edged out by Alexander Van der Bellen, who was backed by the Green Party. But Van der Bellens margin was unsettlingly small he won 50.3 percent of the vote to Hofers 49.7 percent. The fact that the alternative to the far right came from the Greens reflected the decline of the two parties dominant in Austrian politics since World War II. The candidates of the center-right Peoples Party and the center-left Social Democrats didnt even make the runoff. Between them, they mustered only 22.4 percent in the first round of voting. Imagine a U.S. election in which Republicans and Democrats were, together, reduced to little more than one-fifth of the total. The voting patterns in Austria closely resembled those visible on our side of the Atlantic. Polls commissioned by ORF, Austrias public broadcaster, showed that Hofer (like Trump in the primaries and in the polls) led handily in rural areas, among men and among manual workers. Van der Bellen swamped the right-wing candidate in the big cities and among women, while also leading him among white-collar workers. Mainstream parties, which can be infected by complacency, certainly bear some responsibility for whats happening. The defection of working-class voters to the far right is a cross-democracy electoral phenomenon that reflects a serious failure on the part of social democratic and progressive parties whose historical task had been to represent citizens in blue collars. At the same time, the moderate conservative parties have seen some of their own natural constituents drawn away by rising anti-immigrant feeling this has hurt German Chancellor Angela Merkels Christian Democratic Union aggravated by Europes refugee crisis. Here again, the Trump analogy holds: Mainstream Republicans winked and nodded toward a hard line on immigration; Trump has embraced it whole with his calls for a border wall and a temporary ban on admitting Muslims to the country. Thus another cross-Atlantic similarity: Opinions that were once far outside the normal political discourse on immigration and nationalism are now expressed routinely. Katya Adler, the BBCs Europe editor, captured this trend by pointing to the German word salonfahig, which literally means passable for your living room, i.e., socially acceptable. Trumps relentless attacks on political correctness are intended to break the barriers against what had once been beyond-the-pale sentiments on immigrants and race. His crude approach to campaigning (on Tuesday, he called Hillary Clinton this low life) reflects an indifference to norms that reinforces popular contempt for politics and traditional politicians. Standing up against the new far right should be a shared task across the old political divides in all democracies. But Republican politicians are falling in line one by one behind Trump, choosing to ignore the threat he poses to political decency and his challenge to democratic values themselves. The United States should not look to the European far right as our model. The land of opportunity and freedom with a long tradition of welcoming newcomers should be leading the resistance to the new authoritarianism. Read more from E.J. Dionnes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. Legionnaires of the 1st Regiment of the French Foreign Legion take part in a commemoration ceremony of the 1863 battle of Camerone, near Marseille, France, on April 30. (Claude Paris/Associated Press) Regarding Sean McFates May 20 Washington Forum commentary, Time for an American Foreign Legion: An American Foreign Legion sounds great, in theory, but it will never receive congressional support and funding. Unless it is equipped like a brigade combat team, with air, artillery, intelligence, logistics and medical support, it will not succeed. We already have the necessary manpower and organizational skills required to form an American Foreign Legion, and it is called the 101st Airborne Division. This unit is capable of going anywhere, on short notice, to defend U.S. interests around the world. But the political will and courage needed to use this force properly are lacking. Thanks to Mr. McFate for a great idea, worthy of debate and consideration. James W. Revels, El Paso The writer is a retired U.S. Army colonel. I agree with Sean McFate that there is no substitute for boots on the ground, but his suggestion that the United States deploy an American Foreign Legion was misguided. Mr. McFate correctly observed that the French Foreign Legion is a formation of the regular French army. As such, it is no longer the expendable force that France sacrifices when public opinion opposes French boots on the ground. Mr. McFate decried the use of private contractors and mercenaries, treating the two as equivalents. They are not. Contractors hired by the U.S. government must comply with U.S. law, and private security companies must comply with industry standards. They are not mercenaries as defined in the Geneva Conventions. I share Mr. McFates frustration that some recent U.S. military actions around the world have not produced the desired results. However, simply enlisting foreigners to fight our conflicts for us is not the answer. James Lariviere, Springfield The writer is a retired Marine Corps major general and is president of the International Stability Operations Association. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg takes part in a discussion at a judicial conference of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit on May 26 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (Mike Groll/AP) Her colleagues may be maintaining a stiff upper lip, but Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said Thursday that the Supreme Court is being hurt by having only eight justices. The Supreme Court has deadlocked 4 to 4 in several cases since Justice Antonin Scalias death in February. Ginsburg told judges at a conference in New York that the situation is unfortunate because it essentially means important issues are being denied Supreme Court review, according to a copy of her prepared remarks. That means no opinions and no precedential value; an equal division is essentially the same as a denial of review, Ginsburg said. [Chief Justice Roberts stays out of controversy over Scalias replacement] Eight, as you know, is not a good number for a multi-member court, Ginsburg said in the speech to judges and lawyers gathered for a conference of the 2nd Circuit. When we meet at the circuit conference next year, I anticipate reporting on the decisions of a full bench. 1 of 20 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad The life of conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia View Photos Antonin Scalia, the influential and most provocative member of the Supreme Court, has died. He was 79. Caption Antonin Scalia, the influential and most provocative member of the Supreme Court, has died. He was 79. Oct. 8, 2010 Justice Antonin Scalia at the Supreme Court. Larry Downing/Reuters Wait 1 second to continue. Ginsburgs comments stand slightly apart from those of other members of the court who have played down the problems that a deadlocked court presents. Senate Republicans have said they will not hold hearings or vote on U.S. Appeals Court Judge Merrick Garland, President Obamas choice to fill Scalias seat, before Novembers presidential election. Ginsburgs colleagues have minimized any problems created by a shorthanded court, pointing out that only a relative handful of the courts approximately 70 cases are decided by 5-to-4 votes. We may divide 4-4 in four or five cases, we may not, Justice Stephen G. Breyer said of the term that will end in June. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has made similar comments. Its a great loss, the loss of Justice Scalia, and there are reasons most appellate courts have an odd number of judges, Roberts said earlier this month at a meeting with lower-court judges and lawyers in Arkansas. But the process is pretty much what it has been. He expanded a bit on those comments this week to judges and lawyers of the 4th Circuit. I try to achieve as much consensus as I can, Roberts said, according to the Associated Press. We kind of have to have a commitment as a group. I think we spend a fair amount of time maybe a little more than others in the past talking about things, talking them out. It sometimes brings you a bit closer together. The courts pace of accepting cases for next term has slowed, as well, and it has accepted few that are controversial. Roberts acknowledged some criticism that you can put things off and you can say, Well, lets not deal with this issue. Then maybe in five years well get another case if we have to. And some people think thats bad, the chief justice said. I think it has something to do with judicial philosophy, he said. I think we should be as restrained in when we decide the issues when its necessary to do so. I think thats part of how I look at the job. [Supreme Court sends contraceptive case back to lower courts] Ginsburg, like her friend Scalia was, is often more outspoken than her colleagues. She noted that the court could not settle a First Amendment challenge brought by California teachers who objected to mandatory union fees. And while it goes down on the books as an unsigned opinion with no dissents, Ginsburg said the court had to kick back to lower courts a major decision on the contraceptive requirement in the Affordable Care Act. After oral argument, the court put out its own vision of how a compromise between the Obama administration and the religiously affiliated nonprofits that objected to providing the coverage might work. The court said supplemental briefs submitted by both sides showed a middle ground and sent it back for details to be worked out. There is another loss because of Scalias death, Ginsburg said in the prepared remarks, which were filled with stories of their friendship. The court is a paler place without him, she said. The president arrived in Japan for the Group of Seven summit, where the leaders of the seven advanced economies are meeting for two days. Obama also visited Hiroshima, the Japanese city where the United States dropped an atomic bomb in 1945. The president arrived in Japan for the Group of Seven summit, where the leaders of the seven advanced economies are meeting for two days. The president will also visit Hiroshima, the Japanese city where the United States dropped an atomic bomb in 1945. The president arrived in Japan for the Group of Seven summit, where the leaders of the seven advanced economies are meeting for two days. The president will also visit Hiroshima, the Japanese city where the United States dropped an atomic bomb in 1945. It remains, more than 45 years later, an iconic image: West German Chancellor Willy Brandt silently and unexpectedly dropping to his knees while laying a wreath at a monument to the victims of the Warsaw ghetto uprising in Poland. Brandts spontaneous act in December 1970 became a symbol of atonement for World War II atrocities and set in motion a broader wave of reconciliation across Europe. On Friday, President Obama participates in the latest episode of a long healing process from World War II, when he becomes the first U.S. commander-in-chief to visit Hiroshima since the United States dropped the worlds first atomic bomb there Aug. 6, 1945. In the seven decades since, the United States and Japan have become strong allies, and White House aides have emphasized that there will be no Brandt-style expression of regret or apology. Japanese officials, and many A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima, have said none is needed. But elsewhere in the Asia Pacific region, efforts at reconciliation between the great powers have been slower, and Obamas appearance in 30-acre Peace Memorial Park comes at a time of tenuous progress over the past year. Among the presidents goals will be to highlight the ability of onetime enemies to resolve old wounds and move forward as partners and perhaps open the door to more symbolic, trust-building gestures among leaders in the region. In interviews produced by the Japanese government, survivors talk about the experience of living through the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan) On the eve of his visit, Obama, attending an economic summit in this seaside resort town, called the use of atomic bombs an inflection point in modern history and said the fate of such weapons is something that all of us have had to deal with in one way or another. He added that the backdrop of a nuclear event remains something that presses on the back of our imaginations. I do think part of the reason Im going is because I want to once again underscore the very real risks that are out there and the sense of urgency that we all should have. Its not just a reminder of the terrible toll of World War II and the deaths of innocents across continents, but also serves to remind ourselves that the jobs not done. Though he was talking about nuclear nonproliferation, Obama also could have been referring to unfinished business in mending the deeply entrenched mistrust in the region. Obamas tone and message are being closely monitored well beyond Japan, and not just in the United States, where Republicans could pounce if he appears remorseful about President Harry Trumans decision to authorize the bombing of Hiroshima and, later, Nagasaki. In South Korea and China, and throughout Southeast Asia, where the imperial Japanese military brutalized and enslaved millions, government leaders have continued to call on Tokyo to offer full and unmitigated atonement for the war crimes and in some cases financial restitution to its victims. And they have loudly objected to efforts from the Japanese, ultimately defeated by the Allied powers, to cast themselves as victims of a war they began. That has made Hiroshima, where an estimated 140,000 civilians perished, a fraught symbol for all sides. A part of the problem is that Japan sees itself as a victim a victim of U.S. behavior, whether it was Hiroshima or Nagasaki or the fire bombings of Tokyo, said Lily Gardner Feldman, author of Germanys Foreign Policy of Reconciliation: From Enmity to Amity. My own view is that until that whole part of the puzzle has been addressed, you cant really address fully the relationships between Japan and South Korea and China. For Obama, the challenge of his visit to Hiroshima is to make clear that while all sides suffered, all sides also bear responsibility for the horrors of war. Aides said he plans to lay a wreath at the cenotaph in the center of the park and offer brief reflections to dignitaries and reporters, as well as some survivors of the bombing. 1 of 10 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad What the aftermath of Hiroshima looked like View Photos The United States atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6, 1945, killed 140,000 people and nearly destroyed the city. Caption The United States atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6, 1945, killed 140,000 people and nearly destroyed the city. Aug. 6, 1945 An atomic cloud billows into the air after the explosion of the first atomic bomb to be used in warfare in Hiroshima, Japan. U.S. Army/Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum via Reuters Wait 1 second to continue. Over the past few years, Obama has personally intervened to help mend the frosty relationship between Abe and South Korean President Park Geun-hye that centered on a dispute over the Japanese militarys use of Korean women as sex slaves during the war, euphemistically referred to as comfort women. The Obama administration believed the standoff had complicated and distracted from its efforts to work more closely with both U.S. allies to confront a rising China and deal with a nuclear-armed North Korea. Obama presided over a trilateral meeting at The Hague in 2014, and he played host last year to a series of separate visits to the White House from Abe, Park and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Last year, Tokyo and Seoul struck a historic agreement under which the Japanese government agreed to spend $8.3 million to help provide financial aid to the surviving women. Yet in a sign of how politically challenging the deal was for the conservative Abe, the prime ministers statement of apology in announcing the deal was read by Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida. Gi-Wook Shin, director of the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center at Stanford University, said the United States has been successful in turning Japan into a reliable geopolitical ally but has undermined that by failing to push the Japanese firmly enough to mend historical grievances. When China became communist, the United States really needed Japan as an ally defending countries from communism, Shin said. The U.S. should feel a certain responsibility to achieve reconciliation in Northeast Asia. Obamas visit to Hiroshima could be a step in that direction, he added, but after this visit, its really up to Japan. Japan has to take up and play a more active role. If they just say, thank you for visiting us and thats it, it will not really mean much. In past years, there has been public speculation from foreign policy analysts, and some behind-the-scenes talk among U.S. and Japanese diplomats, that a presidential visit to Hiroshima would be packaged with a reciprocal prime ministerial visit to Pearl Harbor. Under that scenario, the Japanese side would atone for the surprise attack on the U.S. naval base there in 1941 that brought the United States into the Pacific fight. In recent weeks, however, the Abe administration made clear to U.S. officials that it would not entertain the idea of tying two trips together. The White House agreed, intent on avoiding the impression that the two were equivalent acts. We draw no linkages to our decision to go to Hiroshima, said Ben Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser to Obama. The president is making this decision because he believes that its important to acknowledge history; its important to look squarely at history; its important to have a dialogue about history. . . . We have encouraged all leaders in Asia to try to look at these difficult historical issues in a manner that promotes dialogue and understanding and ultimately reconciliation. Yet privately, the White House has made clear that it would welcome Abe to Pearl Harbor, where plans are underway to mark the 75th anniversary of the attack on Dec. 7. One senior U.S. official said he would be surprised if Abe did not come, though the prime minister said at a news conference this week that he had no plans to do so at this time. Abe reminded reporters that he gave a speech to the U.S. Congress during a state visit to Washington last spring that reflected on the war and the sacrifices of Americans. The prime minister also accompanied Obama on a tour of the World War II Memorial, where Abe laid a wreath and prayed for the souls of the dead. On Friday, it will be Obamas turn for reflection at the cenotaph in Peace Park, where he and Abe will be surrounded by reminders of a terrible past thats gone but not forgotten. 1 of 15 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Where We Live | Mohican Hills in Bethesda View Photos This quirky enclave has winding roads, wooded areas and eclectic architecture. Caption This quirky enclave has winding roads, wooded areas and eclectic architecture. In an area where residents rely on cars as well as Montgomery County Ride-On buses, Mohican Hills stands out as a community of just 277 homes, no government or commercial buildings, and few, if any, problems, according to Richard Fiddleman, co-president of the Mohican Hills Community Association. Amanda Voisard/For The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue. When Marni Lefkowitz Ahram was house-hunting for her growing family, a real estate agent told her about a home in Bethesdas Mohican Hills that was about to go on the market. Ahram, with her husband and child, had been living in Alexandria temporarily when the family first returned to the Washington area from Oklahoma. She said they wanted to buy a single-family house in an area with good schools and a little bit more space. They found both in Mohican Hills, just 10 to 15 minutes from the District line. We wanted to be close to the canal and the river, and inside the Beltway, if we could afford to, Ahram said. They succeeded. By buying a house that needed some work, the couple got a lower price by as much as $100,000. We felt like we got a good deal, she said. Among other things, they had to replace the houses electrical board. Bethesdas Mohican Hills has 277 houses in traditional and contemporary styles. (Amanda Voisard/For the Washington Post) In an area where residents rely on cars as well as Montgomery County Ride-On buses, Mohican Hills stands out as a community of just 277 homes, and no government or other commercial buildings, and few, if any, problems, according to Richard Fiddleman, co-president of the Mohican Hills Community Association. This is not a community that has a lot of issues to address, he said. These communities were built in the car age, and thats what they reflect. Shopping and recreation: Among the closest destinations to shop for basics are the Shops at Sumner Place on Sangamore Road, which has a Safeway, a CVS, three restaurants and a Starbucks, and the Westwood Shopping Center on Westbard Avenue, with a Giant Food, a Rite-Aid and a Starbucks. Kenwood Station Shopping Center on River Road includes a Whole Foods Market. The Mohican Swim Club is one of the communitys most popular attractions. (Amanda Voisard/For the Washington Post) For recreation, Mohican Hills residents can go to the Glen Echo Heights Mohican Hills Playground and the Mohican Swim Club. [Chevy Chase, D.C., has a small-town vibe on the Maryland line] The play area within the park is part of the Community Parks and Playgrounds Program, supported by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. A couple of swings one for very young children and playground equipment, including a slide for somewhat older children are available. The swim club is open to members in Mohican Hills and nearby neighborhoods. The most distinctive structures in the neighborhood are the Baltzley Castle, built around 1890 on Mohican Road, and a smaller neighboring stone house. The best way to view the Victorian castle is to drive south along MacArthur Boulevard and look to the left. What we liked about Mohican Hills is that it was a little unusual, Ahram said. We were not totally sold on Colonials. There are some mid-century houses not ours. Ours is a ranch style. Living there: Mohican Hills sits between MacArthur Boulevard and Massachusetts Avenue, roughly from Wiscasset Road on the north to Walhonding Road on the south. Its winding, hilly streets are, indeed, dotted with a variety of midcentury homes, including nearly flat-roofed ones that are actually a shallow inverted V. Other houses are constructed from a collection of cubes with glass as a dominant material. Six houses sold in the past 12 months, according to Jim Begg, an agent with Long & Foster and co-president of the community association. They range from a one-bedroom, two-bathroom house that sold for $555,000 to a four-bedroom, four-bath house for $845,000. A bird rests atop a birdhouse in front of a home in Mohican Hills. (Amanda Voisard/For the Washington Post) Four houses are for sale in Mohican Hills, ranging from a five-bedroom, four-bath Arts and Crafts-style house for $1.586 million to the Baltzley Castle for $4.449 million. Welcomes and birthdays: Like many neighborhoods around the Beltway, Mohican Hills is beginning to experience younger couples with children buying as those who moved in in the 1960s sell or pass away. Mohican Hills sits between MacArthur Boulevard and Massachusetts Avenue, roughly from Wiscasset Road on the north to Walhonding Road on the south. (Amanda Voisard/For the Washington Post) Its a multi-generation, ethnically diverse neighborhood, Ahram said. We love our neighbors. When the couple moved in three years ago, their older child was 5, and the younger one was born just after they closed on the house. Neighbors welcomed the family with a bottle of wine, and they bring gifts to the children on their birthdays. Schools: Wood Acres Elementary, Thomas W. Pyle Middle and Walt Whitman High. Transit: Ahram, a lawyer, commutes to the District while her husband, a professor, works in Alexandria but also maintains a home office. She relies on the Bethesda Metro station on the Red Line in the morning, when her husband drops her off, and returns home from the Friendship Heights station, relying on Montgomery Countys 23 and 29 Ride-On buses. [Warrenton offers historic charm in Virginias horse country] In addition to the ample Ride-On coverage, Metrobus has routes near Mohican Hills, including service through Georgetown to downtown Washington. Crime: In the past 12 months, according to the Montgomery County police, only one significant crime a burglary was reported in the neighborhood. Delivery of humanitarian aid to besieged areas of Syria continues to be blocked, and severely malnourished children will die if they are not reached soon, United Nations officials said Thursday. May was supposed to be a good month, U.N. coordinator Jan Egeland told reporters in Syria. But of a million people in critical need of assistance, he said, aid organizations have reached only 160,000 of them as fighting has continued and the Syrian government, in some places, has continued to refuse access as a three-month-old cease-fire has fallen apart. The situation is horrendously critical, said Egeland, who cited in particular the southern Damascus suburbs of Darayya and Moadamiya, as well as the al-Waer district of Homs. The United States, Russia and other international stakeholders in the Syrian conflict agreed last week that if access could not be provided for road convoys by June 1, they would begin airdrops of aid. Organized by the World Food Program, air operations require permission from the Syrian government, whose forces are responsible for most of the sieges, said Staffan de Mistura, the U.N. special envoy for Syria. If the government refuses, he said, I will personally raise it with the United States and Russia to actually ensure that they find a way to comply with their own decision to guarantee the deliveries. Airdrops of food and other assistance started last month in Deir al-Zour, where 700 tons of aid enough for 110,000 people for one month has been delivered to the town occupied by Syrian government forces but surrounded by the Islamic State. De Mistura described it as a joint operation with Russian pilots, WFP planes, U.S. funding and cooperation, U.S. parachutes and the contributions from countries like Netherlands, like Germany, like many others. The Syrian government, he said, has also authorized and cooperated with the Iranian military authorities for airdrops or airlifts by helicopters of Iranian military to the two locations of Kefraya and Foua, in Idlib province in the northwest. So the logic would be, since they are all Syrian civilians, Syrian people, the same type of authorization would be expected to be delivered for other places where Syrian civilians are present, de Mistura said. But Deir al-Zour is isolated in eastern Syria, far from the populated western cities where the Russian- and Iranian-backed government and U.S.-backed opposition rebels are locked in a civil war. It is unclear how the outside powers would cooperate in overflying and dropping aid in the contested areas. Fighting has continued in those areas and beyond, despite a partial cease-fire initially declared under a February agreement between the United States and Russia. In and around Aleppo where combat between the government and rebels has been particularly fierce, and government aircraft have struck repeatedly U.N. aid officials have to move from place to place to be able to survive, Egeland said. The U.N. hub has been repeatedly hit. And we have, in some places, been denied going there because the access route was not cleared, or was not safe and there was fighting in these places. Until the cease-fire began, Russia was regularly conducting air attacks in Syria, claiming that it was targeting forces of Jabhat al-Nusra, al-Qaedas affiliate there, and denying charges by the Obama administration and its allies that it was targeting opposition groups for the Syrian government. Last week, Russia announced that it would resume full-scale strikes May 25. On that day, however, it said it would delay those plans at the request of the United States. The fighting has undercut U.N.-led political talks by the Syrian government and the opposition, which last month suspended its participation until there was improvement in the situation on the ground. De Mistura, who originally said he hoped to resume the talks this month, told the U.N. Security Council on Thursday that they would begin as soon as feasible but certainly not within the next two [or] three weeks. Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world Iraqi government forces fire a rocket near Sejar village, northeast of Fallujah, on May 26 as they take part in a major assault to retake the city from the Islamic State. (Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty Images) Civilians trapped in the Iraqi city of Fallujah face mounting threats as humanitarian conditions worsen and Iraqi forces press their offensive to oust the Islamic State, local and foreign officials said Thursday. About 50,000 civilians are believed to remain in the city, which has been under Islamic State control since January 2014, living under the militants harsh and capricious rule. Conditions for residents have grown dire in recent months as a siege by government-aligned forces has aggravated shortages of food and medicine. Now, officials from Fallujah fear that the ongoing operation designed to break the militants grip on the city will further endanger civilians. In recent days, a combined force of Iraqi army troops, police, Shiite militiamen and Sunni tribal fighters has made progress in clearing militants from areas around Fallujah, in preparation for a push into the city in western Anbar province. U.S. planes have provided air support to some government forces and tribal groups. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who visited a military field headquarters just east of Fallujah on Thursday, called on security forces to move forward with care. Iraqi security forces and allied Sunni tribal fighters arrive May 25 to join the forces surrounding Fallujah. (AP) [Iraqi military claims advances against Islamic State] The armed forces and the brave fighters, their duty is to protect civilians from this terrorism, from random killing, from torture, Abadi said. While ground troops have sought to open pathways for trapped residents, officials said that few have been able to escape. Officials from Fallujah also said that civilians have been killed by shelling from forces outside the city, but the Iraqi military denies those claims. Abadis government has faced criticism for permitting heavy-handed tactics in previous operations against the Islamic State, including in Ramadi, the Anbar provincial capital about 32 miles to the west. This time, the prime minister, grappling with a political crisis and a spate of recent attacks in Baghdad, is determined to limit urban destruction and keep civilians safe. [Iraqi forces break up protests in Baghdads Green Zone] Fallujah Mayor Issa al-Issawi said the situation inside the city was indescribable. Speaking from a nearby town, he said there was little food, medicine, drinking water and electricity left in Fallujah. Officials say militants have restricted distribution of what few goods remain. Internally displaced civilians from Fallujah flee their homes during a fight between Iraqi security forces and the Islamic State during a military operation to regain control of the city. (AP) In recent days, the Islamic State, readying for battle, has begun lashing out at residents and has killed several families trying to flee, local officials said. The Washington Post could not independently confirm those reports. Jasim al-Halbusi, a member of the Anbar provincial councils security committee, said militants erected blast walls on one of the bridges leading out of the city to keep people in. He said the Islamic State was not the only factor keeping desperate residents in place. Also the families are hesitating to take these exits . . . because theyre afraid of whats waiting for them on the other side, which are the popular mobilization forces, Halbusi said, referring to the Shiite militias now arrayed outside the city. They are between two fires. Lt. Gen. Mohammed al-Askari, a senior adviser at the Iraqi Defense Ministry, said the presence of civilians would shape decisions about troop movements and the use of fire support as state forces advance into the city. The government has not said when that will occur, only that it hopes the operation will be relatively swift. [Top ISIS official urges more terrorist attacks] Its going to be a major obstacle, how to secure the civilians, because we care about gaining the trust of the civilians that we are liberating, Askari said. This is our main aim. Iraqs highest Shiite religious authority, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, called this week for the protection of civilians, issuing a statement urging fighters to abide by the rules of combat. Sistani wields major influence with Shiite militia groups, whose leaders have said they intend to support the offensive from outside Fallujah. The government is now scrambling to prepare for what may be an exodus of residents from the city. According to the United Nations humanitarian office for Iraq, 2,000 family tents have been prepared at a camp in nearby Amiriyah Fallujah, and 3,000 more could be erected if needed. Other camps are being readied elsewhere. Even with outside assistance, the governments ability to respond has been undermined by a fiscal crisis caused by low oil prices. Giovanni Bosco, who heads that U.N. office, said the government recently informed U.N. officials that it would need $9 million to provide electricity for camps housing the displaced. That power is critical given the very high temperatures during Anbar summers and very cold winter, Bosco said. Read more Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world Silas Malafaia, an influential Brazilian evangelical pastor, author and televangelist, preaches at his Victory in Christ temple in Rio de Janeiro. (Lianne Milton/For The Washington Post) As he struggles to build support for his presidency, Brazils new leader, Michel Temer, has been dogged by the kind of character issue that pollsters refer to as a strong negative. Temer, rumor has it, is a devil worshiper. The origins of this falsehood are unclear. Temer, 75, a longtime politician, is a Christian of Maronite Lebanese descent. But the rumors have inflicted enough damage that Temer turned to prominent evangelical pastors for help. They encouraged him to make a video appealing for evangelicals support. He did a beautiful video, said the Rev. Marco Feliciano, a congressman and Pentecostal leader, who appeared at his side in the recording. He asked the church to pray for him. The prayers, and pacts with pastors such as Feliciano, have provided badly needed support to Temer and have given the countrys growing evangelical movement unprecedented influence as Brazil goes through its biggest political upheaval in decades. Temer chose an evangelical bishop who believes in creationism to be his top science official and then made him trade minister. The new labor minister also is an evangelical pastor. Just as the Rev. Jerry Falwells Moral Majority emerged as a force in the United States in the 1980s, Brazilian evangelical leaders have gone from the political sidelines to the center. Their movement is not a coordinated effort to take power, they insist, but a grass-roots backlash against secularism, homosexuality and changes introduced during 13 years of Marxist-inspired Workers Party rule. That era appeared to end this month when lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to suspend President Dilma Rousseff and put her on trial for allegedly breaking budget laws. Temer, Rousseffs former coalition partner turned political rival, became interim president and will serve out the rest of Rousseffs term through 2018 if she is found guilty. Temer enters office with a wobbly mandate. Even if most Brazilians dont think that he is a satanic figure, polls show that he is widely distrusted, with fewer than 10 percent of citizens wanting him to be president, according to surveys. Just as the late Rev. Jerry Falwells Moral Majority emerged as a force in the United States in the 1980s, Brazilian evangelical leaders have gone from the political sidelines to the center, wielding more clout than ever before. (Dom Phillips,Jason Aldag/TWP) Temer has sought help from Christian evangelicals, who were some of the strongest backers of Rousseffs suspension. Of the 94 lawmakers from different parties who, according to Feliciano, form part of the Evangelical Bloc in Brazils lower chamber of Congress, 89 voted to put her on trial. Dozens dedicated their votes to God in the nationally televised proceedings. [Brazils new leader is a poet and charmer not a stodgy bureaucrat] Brazilian evangelicals are not monolithic. They have no single leader. But in a country with more than 30 parties, the movement has benefited from a discipline otherwise lacking in Brazils political culture of dealmaking and fleeting alliances of convenience, said Paulo Baia, a political scientist and sociologist at Rio de Janeiros Federal University. They have more political influence than ever, and they are going through a moment in which theyre asserting their power, Baia said. The Evangelical Bloc has grown significantly since 2010, when it had an estimated 73 seats in Brazils 513-member lower house. Although divergent on economic issues, lawmakers in the bloc are overwhelmingly opposed to a 2013 decision, now under appeal to Brazils Supreme Court, that recognized same-sex marriage. They are also against the legalization of abortion. With a population of 205 million, Brazil remains the worlds largest Catholic nation. But 22 percent of Brazilians identify as evangelical Christians, up from 5 percent in 1970. Many evangelical pastors work in remote rural areas and in Brazils violent slums, where the government is often absent. That gives pastors an unrivaled ability to mobilize voters at election time. And compared with Brazils Catholic leaders, the evangelical pastors are more explicit about their political endorsements, Baia said. They speak clearly in favor of their candidates and even campaign for them, he said. A few have also studied on Christian campuses in the United States, including Liberty University, founded by Falwell, which encourages students to promote religious values through civic engagement, said Falwells son Jerry, the university president. Brazilian students are compatible with our students and with life in America, he said, speaking by phone from Lynchburg, Va., where the campus is located. They find America similar to what they experience at home. Members of the congregation sing during a service at televangelist Silas Malafaias Victory in Christ temple. (Lianne Milton/For The Washington Post) Many Brazilian evangelical leaders had initially supported the Workers Party because of its focus on helping the poor; their votes helped its founder, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, win the presidency in 2006 and 2010. But that pact fell apart during Rousseffs tenure because of the partys backing of a bill to prohibit homophobia and a law to allow the morning after pill for rape victims, which evangelical leaders felt opened the door for abortion. Leading televangelist Silas Malafaia, one of Rousseffs harshest critics, said the source of the break was a disagreement about the role of the government in shaping Brazilian values. What is their game? Malafaia asked in an interview. To control the state. We saw that communism was in their DNA, Malafaia said, speaking at his spacious home in a gated community on Rios outskirts. [With new Brazilian government, conservationists fear for the Amazon] Malafaia, who was one of Brazils pioneering televangelists in the 1980s, has more than 3 million followers on his Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, where he routinely skewers Rousseff and criticizes gay rights and feminism. He has been outspoken in his support of Temer as the leader of a government of national salvation, and he recorded a video attempting to squelch the rumor that Temer is a closeted Satan lover. Malafaias Victory in Christ temple in a rough section of Rio was packed with television cameras and thousands of worshipers on a recent night. Homosexuality is prostitution and abortion is a sin, Malafaia told the congregation, which erupted in shouts of amen and hallelujah. Marcos Melo, 35, a member of Malafaias church, said spiritual problems were at the core of Brazils many ills, from crime and political corruption to the worst economic downturn since the 1930s. I believe that God is stepping in and lifting this immorality from the people, said Melo. Rousseffs suspension, he said, was necessary for Brazil to heal. Members of congregation worship through song at the Victory in Christ temple in Rio de Janeiro. (Lianne Milton/For The Washington Post) Some of the evangelical figures who threw stones at Rousseff are facing legal troubles, including Eduardo Cunha, the former speaker of the lower house. Within weeks of presiding over a suspension vote against the president in April, Cunha was ordered to step down because he is under investigation for corruption and obstruction of justice. Temer has appointed Andre Moura, a congressman and a member of the Social Christian Party an evangelical party as his governments leader in the lower house. Moura is among those under investigation in a Supreme Court probe into corruption at state-run oil company Petrobras and also faces allegations that he was involved in crimes including conspiracy and attempted homicide in past years. He and Cunha have denied the allegations. Despite Brazils image as a land of noodle-width bikinis and Carnival debauchery, evangelical leaders insist that it is a morally conservative country and say that Brazilian politics are beginning to reflect that. Many evangelicals in Brazil see their country in much of the same way the evangelical right views the United States, said Andrew Chesnut, a Latin America expert and professor of religious studies at Virginia Commonwealth University. They think the Workers Party put Brazil on a path to moral ruin. It legalized gay marriage. It has given Brazil one of Latin Americas highest per-capita abortion rates, even though the procedure remains illegal. Theres pornography all over the place. A lot of Brazilians outside of major cities are fairly conservative morally, and the evangelical agenda resonates with them, Chesnut said. Read more Brazils new leader has a lot to fix starting with the Olympics How Brazils ruling Workers Party lost the workers How Brazil, the darling of the developing world, came undone Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world A diplomatic rift between Nepal and India has deepened after Kathmandu alleged that New Delhi backed a failed political move to topple the government by the opposition Nepal Congress Party (NCP), with the help of the Maoist United Communist Party of Nepal (UCNPM). The Indian government has denied any involvement. In retaliation on May 6, Kathmandu recalled its envoy to New DelhiDeep Kumar Upadhyay, a former NCP leader. Nepali Defense Minister Bhim Rawal said that Upadhyay seemed to play an internal role in the exercise to change the current government [and] that was the main reason on his recall. Nepali President Bidhya Devi Bhandaris also cancelled a five-day visit to India scheduled from May 9. India reacted by calling off a planned visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Nepal on May 21 to participate in a Buddhist conference. The latest sharp tensions between New Delhi and Kathmandu are a direct result of intensifying geo-political rivalry between India and China for influence in Nepal. Encouraged by its strategic partnership with the US against China, New Delhi is putting pressure on Kathmandu to break its growing ties with Beijing and toe Indias line. The Nepali and international press have suggested that the road map for regime-change was drawn up last month during a private visit by pro-Indian NCP leader Sher Bahadur Deuba to see his wife who was receiving treatment in an Indian hospital. Deuba met with Indian leaders including External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, but did not disclose the issues discussed. He was followed by Maoist party General Secretary Krishna Bahdur Mahara who also met Indian leaders. The media has reported that UCNPM leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal agreed to a proposal by Deuba on May 4 to withdraw its support for the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and his Nepal Communist Party (UML). A unity government was to be established with Dahal as prime minister. With 83 seats, the UCNPM holds the balance of power in the parliament. The Maoist leader reportedly changed his mind after Oli offered concessions, including an amnesty for UCNPM guerrilla fighters facing charges for their role in the countrys 10-year civil war. In 2006, the UCNPM abandoned its military struggle and played a critical role in defusing the political crisis produced by mass protests against the monarchy. Oli has also promised to expedite reconstruction efforts for victims of the 2015 earthquake and to help form a future government headed by Dahal. Although India has denied any involvement in a regime-change plot, an editorial in the Hindu on May 10 noted: Behind the scenes, Foreign Ministry and PMO [prime ministers office] officials have expressed their discomfort with Mr. Olis leadership and his overtures to China. India has intensified its pressure on Nepal over the past year in a bid to pressure Kathmandu to distance itself from Beijing. Land-locked Nepal is heavily dependent on Indian ports for trade. Sections of the Nepali ruling elite regard China as a means of lessening the countrys dependence on India. India, however, contemptuously regards Nepal as its backyard. The Modi government has backed the demands of the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) in southern Nepal, which borders India, for greater autonomy within a federal set-up. The UDMF launched a lengthy protest in September that blocked essential supplies from India, including fuel, and caused severe hardships. Despite its denials, New Delhi effectively backed the blockade by supporting the UDMFs political demands. Oli initially threatened to make his first trip as prime minister to China but under intense pressure changed his plan and instead visited India in February. Prior to the trip, the UDMF ended its blockade. The Modi government signed several agreements during Olis visit but demanded constitutional reforms to satisfy UDMF demands. India is not concerned about the democratic rights of the Madhesi people but rather is using the UDMF opposition to pressure Kathmandu to align with New Delhi. Oli visited Beijing in March and signed a raft of deals, including to open up more transit routes through China and to allow the use of Chinese ports for trade. Construction projects included a new pipeline, an international airport for the city of Pokhara and a new bridge from the Chinese border town of Hilsa into Nepal. China is seeking to consolidate relations with Nepal to counter India and the US. As part of its pivot to Asia to maintain regional supremacy, the US is engaged in far-reaching efforts, which include Nepal, to encircle China diplomatically and militarily. Washington is seeking to harness India as a frontline state in its preparations for war against China. India has its own regional and global ambitions but is increasingly developing its strategic partnership with the US. India and the US are determined to keep Nepal, which is located in the underbelly of China, within their sphere of influence. US Secretary of State John Kerry announced plans in April to visit Nepal in November. Last week, during remarks to the Senate on the 2017 budget, US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal backed Indian demands that Nepal should ensure that the new constitutionas well as any implementing lawis inclusive and has the broadest possible support in every part of the country. It was an obvious signal of support for the UDMF. Last weekend the Madhesi organisations and other minority groups organised in a Federal Alliance began a new round of protests in Kathmandu. They are demanding a re-demarcation of [the] seven-province model of federal structure, inclusiveness and proportionate representation of marginalised groups and ethnic minorities including the Madhesis, indigenous groups and Dalits in all the state bodies. All of these organisations and groups represent layers of the various elites that are seeking to exploit the oppression of the minorities to advance their own economic and political interests within a federal framework. They have certainly been encouraged by political support from the US and India as well as the opposition NCP. NCP General Secretary Shashanka Koirala told the media last week that he sympathised with the protesters and declared their genuine demands should be addressed through peaceful means of dialogue. The protestors clashed with riot police after they began demonstrating in the administrative districts of Kathmandu near the prime ministers office. The political turmoil is certain to continue. Reflecting the aims of the Indian government, the Hindu editorial cited above declared: While the attempt has been stalled for the moment, it may be only a matter of time before the number-crunchers get to work to forge an alternative coalition in the 601-member Parliament [in Nepal]. We are constantly inundated with products and treatments that promise to defy aging. And now it seems sea urchins may have found the answer behind how to actually do it. Recent studies conducted by the MDI Biological Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, and published in Aging Cell, took a look at the regenerative properties of three species of sea urchins (each of which have three different life spans) in hopes of understanding more about how the process relates to aging tissues as well as as lost or damaged body parts. May sound like random research, but sea urchins, surprisingly, share a very close genetic makeup to humans. You May Also Like: The Top 10 Best-Selling Anti-Aging Products at Sephora The scientists hypothesized that as sea urchins aged, their regenerative capacity must also decline, as is expected with "growing older." Instead, they were surprised to find that regardless of how quickly the sea urchin aged (in terms of actual years relative to their life expectancy), the regenerative properties did not decline and maintained youthful function even as they neared the end of their life expectancy. Researchers say this may prove to be incredibly valuable in the whole theory on aging, and contradicts what they had previously thought. MDI Biological Laboratory Associate Professor James A. Coffman, Ph.D. says "Sea urchins don't appear to age, even when they are short-lived. Because these findings were unexpected in light of the prevailing theories about the evolution of aging, we may have to rethink theories on why aging occurs." While this doesnt quite mean well be slathering on sea urchinserums comes summer, it does open the door for future studies regarding how organisms function in older age, which the scientists say they plan to research further. Frank Dillane has more to worry about right now than the zombie apocalypse. The 25-year-old actor, who plays Nick Clark on AMCs Fear the Walking Dead, was arrested on a battery charge on Sunday, ET can confirm. Dillane was involved in a physical altercation with a security guard when he tried to enter the CBS lot in Los Angeles, California, according to the LAPD. Dillane is being held on $20,000 bail and, as of Wednesday, LAPD confirmed he is still in jail. NEWS: Walking Dead Stars Norman Reedus and Steven Yeun Help Victims in Car Crash Dillane was arrested by a private person around 8:40 p.m. on Sunday evening and booked at 12:15 a.m. on Monday morning in the downtown Los Angeles jail. As for what an arrest by a private person entails, an LAPD spokesperson explained, This means when there is a misdemeanor committed not in law enforcement presence, after police arrive to investigate, a private person can say they want another individual arrested. Police then take that individual into custody and books them for the crime that was committed not in police presence, were told. On the flip side, when its a felony crime, police are able to place someone under an arrest only with information as to what the incident was, they dont have to physically see it. NEWS: 'Fear the Walking Dead Star Kim Dickens on Her Favorite Scene of the Series Dillane previously appeared in the Netflix series, Sense8, and played a young Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. On Fear the Walking Dead, he stars as the drug-addicted son of Kim Dickens character. The show is currently in production, but, when reached, AMC had no comment. When ET spoke with Dillane during a TCA press event before the premiere last year, he seemed nervous as he revealed the pressures of starring in the Walking Dead spin-off. I dont think it was fun at all, I think it was daunting because I had to sort of have like, the stakes were very high for me from the very beginning, he explained. And that was like first episode, I was doing all kinds of weird s**t. So, it was daunting having to see the first zombie. It was like scary, 'cause, yeah. Story continues Meanwhile, Walking Dead star Jeffrey Dean Morgan spoke with ET after season sixs bone-chilling and, some might say, infuriating finale, jokingly revealing that he is going to ruin season seven. Hear more of what he said in the video below. Related Articles One concertgoer was killed and three others were injured Wednesday night as gunfire broke out at a Manhattan venue where rap star T.I. was to perform, authorities said. Police initially reported three people two men and a woman were injured by bullets at Irving Plaza ahead of the show. The gunfire sent panicked music fans scrambling for a safe haven, as seen in brief video footage tweeted by @markygeezy. Gunshots just went off at the T.I concert, never been so scared in my lifepic.twitter.com/rn0CjpAuaU The New York Fire Department separately reported four people injured at the show in the downtown area, where the call for help came in at 10:13 p.m., per a FDNY spokesman. The victim in critical condition was taken to Beth Israel Medical Center, while two others were transported to Bellevue Hospital and a fourth, with only minor injuries, was taken elsewhere for treatment, the FDNY said. Police had made no arrests in the shooting as of 12:20 a.m.: UPDATE: Of the 4 people shot earlier in 17 Irving Pl., 1 person is deceased. No arrests, investigation ongoing. More details when available At a news conference, police said the shooting took place in a third-floor green room area of the venue while two performers were on stage: @PIX11News here's @NYPDDetectives Chief Aubrypic.twitter.com/qpEFhoN2UN A DJ for Atlanta-based T.I. was starting the event when the mayhem broke out, the New York Times reported. ABC News reported "A 34-year-old man was shot in the chest and a 33-year-old man was shot in the stomach," while "a 26-year-old woman was shot in the leg." Concertgoers took to Snapchat to document the fracas and its aftermath. Source: Snapchat Source: Snapchat It was not immediately clear how many people were inside Irving Plaza at the time of the shootings. T.I. performs at NASCAR's All-Star Weekend party in North Carolina on May 20. This is a breaking news story and will be updated. From Cosmopolitan 1. Private Practice If you're like me and stopped watching the first season of PP because you had mixed feelings about the whole thing (or just didn't have time to commit), it's time to stop fighting it. There are six seasons, and it's also from Shonda Rhimes, so what are you waiting for? (Bonus: There are Grey's crossovers). 2. Top of the Lake If you plan on having a summer that takes place mostly outside, feel free to dive right into this excellent Elisabeth Moss series about the disappearance of a pregnant 12-year-old girl. This experience (which will be a quick one as there are seven episodes) will also double as homework for Top of the Lake season two, due out later this year. 3. House Come for the twisted but wonderful Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) and all his painkillers, stay for Thirteen (Olivia Wilde) and her beautiful growth as a human being and medical professional. 4. Scandal Yes, Shonda is everywhere, and in my books, this is always a good thing. If you have some free time, challenge yourself to a binge of the first four seasons and watch how Kerry Washington has flawlessly made the show her runway. Season five arrives on Netflix on June 11. 5. Can't Buy Me Love You still miss him, don't you? Then treat yourself to a film Patrick Dempsey made long before he became Derek Shepherd. He plays a nerd who pays a cheerleader to be his girlfriend, which is cute. 6. In the Weeds In the same vein as Can't Buy Me Love, Netflix also has a forgotten romantic comedy starring Ellen Pompeo and your queen of the '80s, Molly Ringwald. Apparently, the film is about an upscale New York restaurant's wait staff and the dramatic lives they all lead. 7. Roswell This was Katherine Heigl's first major TV series and it happened more than a decade before Grey's. If you love aliens, Shiri Appleby (UnREAL, anyone?), and the forgotten smell of The WB, all three seasons are waiting for you (just like those aliens). Story continues 8. Crossroads Another Shonda present! This time it comes from early Shonda and concerns one of the best films ever made, starring one of the most important pop icons of our time. A young Zoe Saldana and Taryn Manning also make appearances. Related: Does anyone know what Anson Mount is doing these days? 9. HawthoRNe Jada Pinkett Smith makes the hospital her throne, even when she's not in charge. Alias fans will also get to see Vaughn (Michael Vartan) as Jada's coworker and lover. Ooh la la. (Note: The show will leave Netflix on June 14, so get to it straightaway). 10. How to Get Away With Murder It's not too late to get into HTGAWM to complete your Shonda bingo card. Matt McGorry, Viola Davis, and Liza Weil (from Gilmore Girls) all kick major ass in it. Hurry. Do not pass go. Just watch all two seasons so you can join everyone else in the fall. Follow Peggy on Twitter. Tanishq Abraham has accomplished more in a years than some people do in a lifetime and he's just getting started. Last year, when he was only 11, Abraham graduated from American River College in Sacramento, California, with three associates degrees. Now 12, he's got plans to head off to a four-year university in the fall to study engineering and complete his bachelor's degree. Enjoying myself at the @makerfaire #MFBA16 #MakerFairepic.twitter.com/BMvtCxe11i https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CjApsgaUgAAamEj.jpg:large Abraham's already been accepted at the University of California at Davis and Santa Cruz, according to The Quint. But, not surprisingly, being a kid at college hasn't been that easy. "There were some students who were intimidated and possibly jealous of me but most of them were very supportive and nice," Abraham told The Quint. "Of course they were confused wondering what I was doing in a college class but they later became used to me and we became friends." Not only has Abraham already graduated from college, he's also given a TEDx talk and appeared as a guest on Conan, where he shared some of his favorite science jokes with host Conan O'Brian. Take a look: Abraham told The Quint that he wants to become president someday so he can change "the fields of education and healthcare." See you in 2040. FA 18 Hornet VFA 41 Two US Navy F/A-18s have collided off the coast of North Carolina and their pilots are being flown to the hospital. US Coast Guard Petty Officer Fagal Niffin told the Virginian-Pilot that four people had been recovered from the crash and were being airlifted to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia. The two planes collided with each other about 25 miles east of the Oregon Inlet off the coast of North Carolina. The US Coast Guard, and a local fishing vessel in the area, responded to distress calls to come to the aid of the pilots, WVEC, an ABC affiliate, reports. A Navy official has told ABC News that the pilots ejected safely from their planes and that the Coast Guard is continuing to search for the location of the aircraft. The two jets were conducting routine training over the area at the time of the collision. A Naval Air Force Atlantic officials has told Reuters that the Navy will conduct a "mishap investigation" over the cause of the incident. ABC affiliate WCTI12 reports that all four pilots were picked up by a local fishing vessel, before being airlifted to the hospital by a Coast Guard helicopter. Three of the pilots apparently are in good condition, while the fourth pilot has a leg injury. F/A-18s are used by both the Marine Corps and the US Navy as fighter and attack aircraft. NOW WATCH: The US Navy is set to take over this $4.4 billion futuristic-missile destroyer More From Business Insider The gestation of the Alfa Romeo Giulia has been as complicated as the plot line of an Italian telenovela, with its development (or seeming lack thereof) occurring in parallel with Alfas ambition to return to the United States. It has been a decade since then Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne first promised to bring the Italian brand back here, with Fiats merger with Chrysler in 2009 offering an obvious shortcut to making it happen. The original plan was for the Giulia to use the same corporate Compact Wide platform as the Dodge Dart and the Chrysler 200; fortunately, this was nixed, and Alfa instead developed a new rear-wheel-drive platform mostly by itself. The production Giulia made its debut in mid-2015, and the car finally will reach the U.S. late this year as a 2017 model. Its HereIts Really Here But before that happens, the journalists must have their turn, and weve just driven several Giulias at a launch event held both on and near FCAs vast test track at Balocco in Italy. While most of the powertrains we drove had no relevance to the U.S.a 2.1-liter turbo-diesel, for examplethe Quadrifoglio and its 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 and BMW M3beating 505 horsepower are of definite import to Americans. (Non-Quadrifoglio U.S.-spec Giulias will be powered by a 276-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine, but none were on hand at the event.) The official line is that the Quadrifoglio engine is inspired by Ferrari technology and technical skills. Essentially, its a six-cylinder sister to the Ferrari F154 twin-turbo V-8s that power the Scuderias 488GTB and California T and a cousin to the engine that powers the Maserati Quattroporte GTS. In the Alfa, peak power occurs at 6500 rpm, while the limiter is set to 7250 rpm. The V-6 drives the Quadrifoglios rear wheels through either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic gearbox and a torque-vectoring rear differential. Only the manual will be available at launch in the U.S.; the eight-speed will come later. Story continues Caveats: Alfa would only let us try the Quadrifoglio on Baloccos handling course, with the straights broken up by temporary chicanes to make sure we couldnt try to validate the claimed 190-mph top speed. Our time in the car also was limited because more than 50 journalists were waiting to drive one of just four Quadrifoglios on hand, meaning the lines were like those you might find waiting for the best ride at an amusement park. Fortunately, our elbows are the sharpest in the business, so we got to experience both manual and automatic versions of the Quadrifoglio. Visual Menace, Dynamic Goodness The Quadrifoglio certainly is not lacking in visual aggression. The basic Giulia can come across as a little timid, but the top-spec model gets a muscular reworking that includes an active front splitter plus an equally serious-looking diffuser at the back. Weight is reduced by carbon-fiber materials for the hood, roof, and driveshaft, with all Giulias also getting aluminum front fenders and doors. Alfas claimed 3359-pound weight includes no fluidsour best estimate is that the car will be roughly 3600 poundsbut the Giulia should stack up well against its obvious rivals, the BMW M3, the Mercedes-AMG C63, and the Cadillac ATS-V. The six-speed manual gearbox, standard on (and available only for) the Quadrifoglio, delivers the purer driving experience, but its clear that less development effort has been expended on shoring up its working relationship with the V-6 engine. The gearchanges have a nice weight to them, and the manual is fun to row quickly, but gentler progress reveals that the heavily boosted engine suffers from noticeable turbo lag. Below 3000 rpm, theres a distinct pause followed by a swelling sensation as the horses take a couple of seconds to gallop in. The eight-speed automatics ability to either drop a gear or to slip its torque converter helps spool up the turbos more quickly, and those horses pretty much drop through the ceiling. Although the autos gearchanges arent as quick as those of many dual-clutch automatics, theyre faster and less dramatic than the speediest made with the manual gearbox. The car is impressively quick once the V-6 is on boil, and the engine pulls hard all the way to the limiter. Acceleration barely diminishes as speed builds. The cars at Balocco were fitted with optional carbon-ceramic brakes that proved to be adept at inverting longitudinal g-forces. The brake pedal lacks initial feel, but braking was as fade-free as it needed to be, given how many chicanes Alfa dotted around the track. Stability Control: Its All or Nothing Lateral g-forces are another matter. The Quadrifoglios chassis finds impressive grip, and the fast-ratio steering works well on the track, but the stability-control system prefers to rule things with an iron fist. There are three chassis modes that, as in all Alfas, are named in honor of deoxyribonucleic acidDynamic, Natural, and Advanced Efficiencyas well as an additional Race mode available beyond these. As youd expect, Dynamic mode quickens throttle response and firms up the adjustable dampers, but it doesnt slacken a traction-management system that cant be controlled separately, and it still refuses to allow any rear-end slip. The stability sentinels work to reduce understeer and to maximize traction, but the result is a rear-wheel-drive car with more power than two stock 4Cs that refuses to take instruction from the throttle. The answer is to switch to Race mode, which disables the stability-control system altogether. Doing so proves that the Quadrifoglio is ready, willing, and able to steer at the rear. It feels much more friendly at the limit than a BMW M3, starting to slide at lower speeds but doing so much more progressively, and the quick-ratio steering works well to keep it pointed (mostly) in the intended direction. Call us scaredy cats if you like, but we, and we suspect most owners, would appreciate a more permissive stability setting somewhere between nanny knows best and youre on your own. The Quadrifoglio sounds greatsnarling, angry, and very Alfaproving that nobody makes a V-6 with more aural appeal than the Italians. The Early Returns The car is impressive. Well, mostly. We did find a surprising number of electrical idiosyncrasies in the cars we drove in Italy, from freezing display screens to a check-engine light. We also found the interior trim did little to dismiss stereotypes about Italian build quality, with some cheap-feeling switchgear and a center console that deflected under gentle pressure. Well wait to reserve our final judgments until we have more time behind the wheel, but the Giulia Quadrifoglio seems well prepared to battle the competition from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Cadillac. It outguns all but Mercedes C63 S by a fair margin andbased on our limited first exposuredelivers more emotional appeal, too. This is one comparison test that were really, really looking forward to. Specifications > VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan ESTIMATED BASE PRICE: $70,000 ENGINE TYPE: twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection Displacement: 176 cu in, 2891 cc Power: 505 hp @ 6500 rpm Torque: 443 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm TRANSMISSIONS: 6-speed manual, 8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 111.0 in Length: 182.6 in Width: 73.7 in Height: 56.1 in Curb weight (C/D est): 36003650 lb PERFORMANCE (C/D EST): Zero to 60 mph: 3.73.9 sec Zero to 100 mph: 8.28.4 sec Standing -mile: 11.712.0 sec Top speed: 190 mph FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST): EPA city/highway driving: 1617/2425 mpg Bill Clinton is a double-edged sword as a campaign surrogate. On the one hand, he and his presidency are viewed so positively that his efforts on behalf of candidates often provide them with a positive boost. On the other hand, he has a way of drawing attention to himself especially when defending of his own legacy in a manner that can jeopardize the mission of helping the candidate he's rallying for. His spontaneous 30-minute debate Wednesday with a 24-year-old Bernie Sanders supporter at a restaurant in New Mexico probably falls into the second bucket. Read more: Why Bill Clinton Tripped Up Hillary in the Worst Way Possible BuzzFeed reported that the spirited exchange began when the recent New School graduate seemed to decline a handshake from Clinton, who was floating around the restaurant to whip up excitement for his wife's presidential campaign ahead of New Mexico's June 7 primary. The man, Josh Brody, told Clinton he supported Sanders over Clinton for the nomination, and he plans on supporting Green Party candidate Jill Stein later, presumably after Clinton clinches the nomination. He assailed the former president for his record on free trade, his dismantlement of the welfare system and deregulating the financial sector. And Clinton went head to head with him on point after point. when @BillClinton gets into a 30-minute debate with a 24-year-old @BernieSanders fan: http://bzfd.it/1TAxCxC pic.twitter.com/4uU4prrUDZ https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CjVYP7YVEAAklU7.jpg:large The conversation covered a wide range of issues, but the most revealing part of the exchange was when they locked horns over Clinton's overall political philosophy and theory of change. BuzzFeed wrote: "Seems like your narrative," Brody responded, his voice louder than Clinton's, "is that you did the best job that you could have possibly done from the most progressive standpoint that you possibly could have had." "No," said Clinton. "When the reality is you campaigned as a New Democrat," Brody said, referencing the former Arkansas governor's centrist platform in 1992. "And you said, we're gonna basically move away from away from the old Democrats, the New Deal-style Democrat. So that's what a lot of us want. So this is a philosophical difference." "No," said Clinton. "It's a rhetorical difference too." Story continues Why it matters: Brody raised a number of noteworthy points. Clinton famously shifted the Democratic Party's ideological center to the right in an era during which Ronald Reagan's ethos of small government and pride in the free market was a dominant force, and Clinton's style of governance was focused on downplaying ideology, instead portraying policy challenges as technical problems in need of technical solutions. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are part of that tradition, while Sanders offers a break from it in his support of social rights like free health care, a robust welfare state and his skepticism that the free market will invariably mete out just outcomes. Clinton said at a later point that politics was about making the most of a situation with constraints. "You have a limited number of choices, and you do what you can to help the largest number of people," he said. "It is very hard. ... If the best thing to do is just say no and lob bombs, you don't get anything done." That didn't please Brody, who likened Clinton's case to conservative British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's slogan, "There is no alternative." Regardless of whether you agree with Brody or Clinton's attitudes on what shape the Democratic Party should take, Brody's discontent common among young voters, who overwhelmingly favor Sanders is a symbol of the challenges that Hillary Clinton will face if she wins the nomination. She has plenty of strengths as a presidential candidate, but the Democratic Party is beginning to shift away from the technocratic ideology that she and her husband helped popularize in the 1990s. Telling liberals that politics is about hard choices may not resonate with this ascendant segment of the electorate. Investors with high-risk appetite and interest in value investing may consider small-cap value mutual funds to gain exposure to stocks that are available at a discounted price. While small-cap stocks are expected to have a higher growth potential than large- and mid-cap ones, value investing has always been popular among investors. After all, who doesnt want to find stocks that have low PEs, solid outlooks and decent dividends? Meanwhile, small-cap funds generally invest in companies having a market cap lower than $2 billion. These funds are expected to provide diversification across sectors and companies. Separately, value stocks are those that tend to trade at a price lower than their fundamentals (i.e. earnings, book value and debt-equity). Though it is a common practice to invest in value funds for income or yield, not all value funds solely comprise companies that primarily use their earnings to pay out dividends. Below we share with you three top-rated, small-cap value mutual funds. Each has earned a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and is expected to outperform its peers in the future. To view the Zacks Rank and past performance of all small-cap value mutual funds, investors can click here to see the complete list of small-cap value funds . T. Rowe Price Small-Cap Value PRSVX invests the majority of its assets in companies with market capitalizations within range of the Russell 2000 Index. PRSVX may also invest in securities of companies located in foreign lands. Further, PRSVX may choose to sell its securities for reasons such as to restrict losses and reallocate assets in other securities with higher prospects. The T. Rowe Price Small-Cap Value fund has a three-year annualized return of 5.5%. J. David Wagner is the fund manager of PRSVX since 2014. Queens Road Small Cap Value QRSVX seeks long-term growth of capital. QRSVX invests generally in securities of small-cap companies located in the U.S. QRSVX seeks to provide capital appreciation by investing the majority of its assets in equity securities of companies. The Queens Road Small Cap Value fund has a three-year annualized return of 8.7%. Story continues QRSVX has an expense ratio of 1.24%, lower than the category average of 1.33%. CRM Small Cap Value Investor CRMSX invests a large chunk of its assets in equity securities of small-cap companies that are believed to be undervalued. CRMSX invests in securities of companies having market capitalization similar to those listed in the Russell 2000 Value Index. CRMSX invests in companies throughout the globe but traded in the US. The CRM Small Cap Value Investor fund has a three-year annualized return of 7.2%. As of December 2015, CRMSX held 63 issues, with 2.85% of its total assets invested in Conmed Corp. To view the Zacks Rank and past performance of all small-cap value mutual funds, investors can click here to see the complete list of funds . About Zacks Mutual Fund Rank By applying the Zacks Rank to mutual funds, investors can find funds that not only outpaced the market in the past but are also expected to outperform going forward. Pick the best mutual funds with the Zacks Rank. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Get Your Free (CRMSX): Fund Analysis Report Get Your Free (PRSVX): Fund Analysis Report Get Your Free (QRSVX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Rome (AFP) - Up to 30 people are feared dead after a shipwreck off Libya, while about 50 migrants have been rescued from the waves, the EU's naval force said Thursday. "We estimate the dead to be between 20 and 30 people," captain Antonello de Renzis Sonnino, spokesman for the EU's Sophia military operation to combat people smugglers in the Mediterranean, told AFP. "A Luxembourg reconnaissance plane spotted a capsized boat around 35 nautical miles off the Libyan coast with about 100 migrants in the water or clinging to the sinking vessel," he said. The Spanish frigate Reina Sofia and Italian coast guard raced to the scene and threw life-floats and jackets to those in the water. "Unfortunately there were bodies too," de Renzis Sonnino said, adding that the rescue operation was still ongoing. In photographs released by EUNAVFOR MED on Twitter, migrants could be seen waving their arms for help as they balance perilously on the deck of the boat, already underwater but clearly visible in the limpid aquamarine sea. The shipwreck followed sharply on the heels of a disaster Wednesday when a migrant boat overturned leaving five people dead, and another sinking on Tuesday which left a baby girl orphaned after both her parents died. A bout of good weather as summer arrives has kicked off a fresh stream of boats attempting to cross from Libya to Italy. The survivors will be added to the list of nearly 40,000 migrants to arrive in the country's southern ports so far this year. Kabul (AFP) - The Afghan Taliban on Wednesday announced Haibatullah Akhundzada as their new leader, elevating a low-profile religious figure in a swift power transition after officially confirming the death of Mullah Mansour in a US drone strike. The surprise announcement coincided with a Taliban suicide bombing that targeted court employees near Kabul, killing 11 people in an assault that illustrated the potency of the insurgency despite the change of leadership. Akhundzada, formerly one of Mansour's deputies, faces the enormous challenge of unifying an increasingly fragmented militant movement while it remains unclear whether he will emulate Mansour in shunning peace talks with the Afghan government. "Haibatullah Akhundzada has been appointed as the new leader of the Islamic Emirate (Taliban) after a unanimous agreement in the Shura (supreme council), and all the members of Shura pledged allegiance to him," the insurgents said in a statement. It added that Sirajuddin Haqqani, an implacable foe of US forces, and Mullah Yakoub, the son of Taliban founder Mullah Omar, were appointed his deputies. Analysts had previously seen them as the most likely candidates for the leadership. "The leader of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and commander of faithful, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, was martyred in a US drone strike in... Pakistan's Balochistan province," the statement said, in the insurgents' first confirmation of his death. Before his killing, Mansour had written a will handpicking Akhundzada to be his successor, Taliban sources told AFP, in an apparent bid to lend legitimacy to his appointment. US President Barack Obama, who authorised the drone strikes, had confirmed the death Monday. He said Mansour had rejected efforts "to seriously engage in peace talks", asserting that direct negotiations with the Afghan government were the only way to end the attritional conflict. "The new leader's appointment is a good opportunity for the Taliban to return to peace talks and rebuild their country," Afghan presidential spokesman Dawa Khan Menapal told AFP. Story continues "If they reject peace talks they will face the same fate as Mansour." But "the status quo remains unchanged" after Akhundzada's appointment, Taliban expert Rahimullah Yousafzai told AFP. "I don't foresee any shift from Mansour's policies. He is unlikely to negotiate peace with the Afghan government." - 'Moral supremacy' - Other observers say Akhundzada, who is from Kandahar, is seen as more of a spiritual figurehead than a military commander. "Even if he favours peace talks, he is unlikely to proceed without consensus within the supreme council" where many vehemently oppose negotiations, said analyst Amir Rana. "Akhundzada enjoys some moral supremacy within Taliban ranks but he will be more of a symbolic leader than a functional leader," he added. Rana stressed that his deputies will likely play a more active role, with Haqqani overseeing the military side and Yakoub the political side. The US killing of Mansour showed that Washington has at least for now abandoned hopes of reviving the direct peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban, which broke down last summer. It marked a significant shift for Washington, highlighting a new willingness to target the group's leaders in Pakistan and risk retaliatory attacks against struggling Afghan security forces. Saturday's drone attack, the first known American assault on a top Afghan Taliban leader on Pakistani soil, sent shockwaves through the insurgent movement which had seen a resurgence under Mansour. He was killed just nine months after being formally appointed leader following a bitter power struggle upon confirmation of founder Mullah Omar's death. Omar died in 2013, but his death was kept secret for two years, with Mansour issuing statements in his name -- a revelation that helped fuel internal opposition and splintered the group into rival factions. Akhundzada faces a similar challenge in unifying Taliban ranks. A breakaway faction led by Mullah Rassoul rejected Akhundzada's appointment, saying he was selected inside Pakistan without any broad consultation with field commanders in Afghanistan. The Taliban's supreme council held emergency meetings that began Sunday in southwest Pakistan to try to find a unifying figure for the leadership post. Taliban sources told AFP council members were lying low and constantly changing the venue of their meetings to avoid any fresh air strikes. The Taliban said Wednesday's suicide attack in Paghman district near Kabul, which the UN condemned as "cowardly", was in revenge for the execution of six Taliban-linked inmates. The executions earlier this month were approved as part of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's new hardline policy against the insurgents after a brazen Taliban attack in April killed at least 64 people. The very first 365 by Whole Foods opened on Wednesday in Los Angeles, and shoppers' games will arguably never be the same. Whole Foods regulars are used to shelling out an arm and a leg when hitting up the salad bar for quinoa salads, roasted veggies and other hot entrees that are priced by weight. Deciding what to eat based on makes for some tough compromising But f oppers will be thrilled when they lay eyes on 365 by Whole Foods' hot and cold bar. Instead charging customers for prepared food by the pound, 365 by Whole Foods offers a flat fee for each container size. A small (8 ounces) is $5.50, a medium (16 ounces) is $7.50 and a large (24 ounces) is $9.50, a Whole Foods representative confirmed in an email. A photo posted by Janette (@vegangirl4ever) on May 25, 2016 at 9:41am PDT In other words, you won't have to cough up more dough for heavier salad toppings or weighty items like fried chicken. Booyah. Your move, grocery stores everywhere. According to the press release, grab-and-go highlights include cold and hot items with rotating entrees like bibimbap and kimchee fried rice, chicken verde enchiladas and schichimi togorashi brussels roasted sprouts with a nutty and sweet Asian spice blend. What else does this 28,000-square-foot store have to offer? There's a coffee bar, a self-serve tea station to create customized tea blends and vegan fast-casual restaurant by Chloe right in the store. Source: Whole Foods Source: Whole Foods Most of the country will have to wait patiently for this magical foodie wonderland, but rest assured, more stores are coming. Donald Trump officially clinched the Republican presidential nomination Thursday, and promptly took a victory lap during a news conference in North Dakota filled with the businessman's signature bluster. Cable news stations were so excited for the event that they aired images of Trump's empty podium as they awaited his arrival even as likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton was at the same time. All 3 major cable news networks currently airing footage of Trump's podium while Clinton gives big Union speechpic.twitter.com/bJnJY09jyx https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CjZsILZWUAQL_Y8.jpg:large Trump didn't disappoint. Throughout the roughly 40-minute-long news conference, he rambled on about everything from killing eagles to debating Sen. Bernie Sanders. Here are the four most memorable moments from Trump's news conference. Debating Sanders is a "dream" Trump ignited a firestorm Wednesday night, when he told Jimmy Kimmel he'd be willing to debate Sanders ahead of the California primary on June 7. And despite earlier reports that he was "kidding" about the debate, Trump said he is still open to a face-off with the Vermont Senator. "I'd love to debate Bernie. He's a dream," Trump said. Trump said, however, he'd only agree to debate if he could raise $10 million to $15 million for charity a high bar. Trump says he'd debate Bernie if they can raise $10 or $15 million for charity. "I love the farmers" Trump added another interest group to his list of constituencies he loves. " Story continues "Pocahontas" When asked a question about Sen. Elizabeth Warren's Twitter rants against Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee went on to call her "Pocahontas," a reference to her disputed claims of Native American ancestry. Trump on his "Pocahontas" remark about Warren: "I think she's as Native American as I am" http://cnn.it/1qMegxl http://cnn.it/20HlcYX After the event, a Native American blogger called Trump's nickname for Warren "offensive." Nicole Robertson, a Native American writer and blogger, says Trump's "Pocahontas" jab at Warren is "offensive."pic.twitter.com/f6Z5nKvYI5 https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CjZ4YZ0UUAISztZ.jpg:large "Wind is killing all of the eagles" Trump's news conference preceded an energy policy speech Trump was set to give Thursday afternoon. And he previewed his feelings on wind energy, which he said is " Trump said. Whether youre a public school teacher, a small-business owner or one of thousands of employees at a Fortune 500 company, theres a retirement plan for you. Still, the shift from traditional pensions to individual savings plans has created challenges for workers and left many families unprepared for retirement at a time when an increasing number of Americans are headed into their non-working years. Part of the problem is that many workers arent taking advantage of the range of plans that exist, putting a secure retirement further out of reach. Almost 40 million working-age households, or 45 percent, dont have any kind of retirement account, whether an employer-sponsored one or an individual retirement account (IRA). Just over half of private-sector workers have access to a plan through work, and of those that do, only half participate in it. For those without an employer-sponsored plan, there are still ways to save for retirement. Here are 10 plans that can help you sock away for your golden years. Not all will be available to every person, but at least one will. Related: The Retirement Revolution That Failed: Why the 401(k) Isnt Working Plans for everyone Traditional IRA: This type of account allows anyone with taxable compensation to make tax-deductible contributions up to $5,500 this year. For those 50 and over, that limit is raised to $6,500. Contributions cant be made after you reach 70.5 years old. You can contribute to a traditional IRA even if you participate in another plan through your employer or business. The typical investment options are funds, depending on where the account is held. Roth IRA: Like a traditional IRA, a Roth is available to most people with taxable compensation. You can also contribute to one even if you have a workplace retirement plan. But the contributions of up to $5,500 this year ($6,500 for those 50 and over), depending on your income cant be deducted on your taxes. Contribution limits get lower for single tax filers making $117,00 or more or married couples making $184,000 and up, and as of 2016, singles making at least $132,000 and couples earning $193,000 or more are ineligible to contribute to Roth IRAs. Roth contributions can be withdrawn tax-free and earnings can also be taken out tax-free after the age of 59.5 (as long as youve met the five-year holding requirement). Contributions can be made even after 70.5 years. The typical investment options are funds, depending on where the account is held. Story continues myRA: Launched last year by the federal government, this plan is considered a starter retirement plan and works very much like a Roth IRA. Individuals can contribute how much they want and their investment is backed by the U.S. Treasury. After the account hits $15,000 (or after 30 years), the myRA balance is transferred into a private Roth IRA. The biggest drawback is the low return rate, which is the same rate as the Government Securities Fund for federal employees, which has returned 3.19 percent each year over the past 10 years. Related: The Good and Bad of Obamas New myRA Retirement Savings Plan Workplace Plans 401(k): This plan is provided by private employers, who may match your pre-tax contributions. The maximum annual contribution for 2016 is $18,000, while the total contributions from both you and your employer are capped at $53,000. If you are 50 or over, you can contribute an extra $6,000 a year to catch up on retirement savings. The typical investment options are mutual funds. 403(b): This plan is provided by non-profits as well as public schools and universities, which may match employee contributions. Like the 401(k), the maximum annual contribution this year is $18,000, and the total max contributions from workers and employers are $53,000. Enrollees who are 50 and over can contribute an extra $6,000 a year, and some plans also offer employees with 15 years of service the ability to make additional catch-up contributions. These plans invest in funds and annuities. 457(b): These plans are available for employees of state and local governments and certain non-profits. These plans have the same employee maximum contribution limit as the previous two: $18,000 this year. While employers can offer matches for 457(b) plans, they rarely do. Plans from state and local governments can offer the 50-year catch-up contribution provisions, but non-profit ones cant. But these plans can also offer a special catch-up contribution for those employees within three years of retirement age (as set by the plan). This type of plan invests in mutual funds. Thrift Savings Plan: This retirement account is for federal government workers and members of the military. TSPs have the same annual maximum contribution limits as 401(k)s. They also allow an extra catch-up contribution of up to $6,000 a year for those 50 and over. These plans offer a selection of individual and lifecycle funds for investing. Plans for self-employed or business owners SEP IRA: The most common plan among freelancers and small business owners allows contributions up to about 20 percent of compensation, or $53,000 a year. Figuring out your contribution based on compensation is complex, but there are calculators to help. SEP IRAs dont allow for catch-up contributions, but savers can keep contributing to the plans after they reach 70.5 years of age. The typical investment options are funds, depending on where the account is held. Related: Self-employed? Heres How to Save for Retirement Simple IRA: This plan which is an employer-provided traditional IRA gives small business owners an easy way to contribute to their workers and their own retirement savings. The maximum annual contribution by employees for this year is $12,500, though workers over 50 can also make a catch-up contribution of up to $3,000 in 2016. Employers are required to match the workers contribution up to 3 percent of their compensation, or contribute 2 percent of the employees compensation up to $265,000. Solo 401(k): This type of account works for sole proprietors and their spouses. The plans allow you to sock away $18,000 as an employee and an additional 20 percent of your compensation or $53,000 (whichever is less) as your own boss. Again, like a SEP IRA, you need to calculate the exact percentage you can put away as the boss. Spouses who work together can both put in $53,000. Theres also the option of making a catch-up contribution of $6,000 for those 50 and over. The typical investment options are funds, depending on where the account is held. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: It turns out, not every deep thing Khloe Kardashian shares on social media is as deep as we think. Kardashian, 31, took to her website and app to set the record straight about her social media posts, which often appear to coincide with big events in her life or the lives of her family. But according to her, sometimes it's just coincidence! "One of the biggest misconceptions about me is that the quotes I post on Instagram are deep insights into my problems. I don't only post quotes when I'm going through something," Kardashian wrote on her website and app Thursday. "Quotes are allowed to move you and make you feel a certain wayait doesn't mean that you even have to have experienced what the quote is referencing. That's what poetry is all about! 95% of my quotes are just things that move me and make me feel good." While Kardashian didn't specify which quotes in the past were and weren't about specific problems, there have been plenty of times we've read into her social media messages. July 7, 2015 Everyone has their own journey to the pursuit of happiness. a KhloA (@khloekardashian) July 7, 2015 One day after news broke that her sister Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick had split, she tweeted, "Everyone has their own journey to the pursuit of happiness." Was this a message of support for her sister and Disick, or just a coincidence? Jan. 25, 2016 You can do anything. But never go against the family a KhloA (@khloekardashian) January 25, 2016 After reports first romantically linked her brother Rob Kardashian with his now-fiancee Blac Chyna, she tweeted, "You can do anything. But never go against the family," leading to speculation that she was sending her brother a message about her feelings on his relationship with Chyna, who has a complicated history with the family. February 8, 2016 Story continues "You may have had unfair things happen, but know that the depth of your pain is an indication of the height of your future," Kardashian instagrammed in February, after she took a stroll with ex Lamar Odom, who faced a major health crisis after being found unconscious in a Nevada brothel in October. That had fans and news outlets speculating the message was a result of the challenging months she faced following Odom's health crisis. Speaking of Odom, there've been plenty of other instances of her messages being about him ... April 11, 2016 "It doesn't matter how loyal you are to someone. You can't change someone's heart and bad habits unless they want to themselves," Kardashian wrote on Instagram in April, with many assuming the message had to do with Odom or her brother's engagement. But Kardashian later clarified this wasn't the case. "The fact that certain blogs are picking up what I wrote and are trying to read deeper into my post is what prevents me from writing more of my thoughts on social media," she later wrote on Facebook. "Not everything is a subliminal. Not all song writers, tv or film writers, poets write from experience. People might just need a place to express. I believe writing is therapeutic on any level and I believe art in any form is personal and should not be explained." May 8, 2016 Hummmmmm... People disappoint a KhloA (@khloekardashian) May 9, 2016 Earlier this month, Odom was spotted ordering a few drinks. Hours after the news broke, Kardashian tweeted "Hummmmmm... People disappoint," which many assumed was directed at her ex. From ELLE DECOR Industrial chic meets sweet farmhouse design quite often for Kristan Cunningham and Scott Jarrell of Hammer and Spear, a design firm, retail shop and showroom in downtown Los Angeles. The formula is a go-to for the duo, particularly when creating rustic bathrooms that are worn with charm yet primed for livability. And if their latest project, the home of TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie is any hint, it's a foolproof equation. Over the course of a year, Cunningham and Jarrell transformed the entrepreneur and philanthropist's Los Angeles abode - where he lives with his conservationist wife, Heather, and infant son, Summit - into a handprint of the couple's personal mission to live with grace and moderation. The rustic bathrooms are perhaps where this philosophy shines through most - a style that, according to Google searches, has outpaced the more polished, marble aesthetic in popularity, in recent years. "Rustic design goes back to a wabi-sabi approach, where things or imperfect, and that's a good thing," says Cunningham. Read on for the six key ways the Hammer and Spear created rustic bathrooms throughout this charming, chic home. Step 1: Design the room around an unexpected piece "When it comes to rustic spaces, it's important to stay open to finding a bizarre piece, or something you didn't set out looking for, and then build the room around it," says Cunningham. In Summit's bathroom, that unique piece was a 19th-century steel tub on casters, which was originally used in a Hershey's chocolate factory to transport liquefied chocolate. "Because the bathtub has wheels, it feels a little more fun and spirited, but still tasteful so that it's not juvenile when guests are using that bathroom," adds Cunningham. Get The Look: The three-legged stool is from Gibson, the walls are covered in Tabarka tile (Paris Metro 11 in charcoal and Eilat) and the shower enclosure is a custom design by Hammer and Spear. Story continues Step 2: Choose cabinetry that resembles furniture In a rustic bathroom, the cabinetry should never look like it was chosen from a stock showroom. "Whether we pop a found sink on top of it or do something in concrete, the idea is that the bathroom feels very pieced together yet as though it was conceived on its own - as opposed to one cabinet or mirror style throughout the space," says Cunningham. Get The Look: In the guest bathroom, the sink sits atop a Global Views three-door chest in dark brushed mango. The vintage Moroccan mirror is from Mosaik and the vintage swivel sconce was sourced at a flea market by Hammer and Spear. Step 3: Mix industrial colors with richer hues Because the guest bathroom is on a lower level of the house and services a dark, cozy den, the designers wanted to create a space that was lively yet didn't interrupt the mood of that area of the house. "The color to me is calming and welcoming, but it has a utilitarian feel to it because you see it in hospitals and old service kitchens," says Cunningham. "Because of that, it's a nice touchstone, but mixing it with the rich red tile creates a global, funky vibe." Get The Look: The walls and ceiling are painted in a custom "Gallion Green" from Sydney Harbour Paint Company. Step 4: Keep finishes "live" In a rustic bathroom, it's important to err away from finishes that look too polished. The bathrooms in Mycoskie's home feature copper, concrete, and blackened steel with a natural finish, but no paint or chrome. "Natural finishes contribute to these spaces feeling like places that you really live in," says Cunningham. "Concrete is one nice way to play with the utilitarian aspect without being too severe." Get The Look: In the house's powder room, the vintage American pine and zinc dry sink is from Summerhill Antiques. The faucet is Brookhaven in aged brass from Cifial, the antiqued glass and brass faucet backplate was fabricated by PSS Design Cult, and the Garrison round pendant light is from Arteriors. Step 5: Create moments of pause Be careful not to go overboard with too many textures, or any one specific material. "Making a space feel rustic doesn't mean everything has to be wood and steel," says Cunningham.." She recommends creating visual resting spots where the eye gets to rest for a second, by incorporating artwork or even a piece like a woven basket. Get The Look: In the master bathroom, the brass hand sculpture is Kelly Wearstler, the petite arts and crafts chair is from Downtown, and the antique brass hand mirror is from The Mart Collective. Step 6: Incorporate textiles In each bathroom, the designers used rugs instead of bath mats. While none of the rooms are designed around textiles, they do create a collected look. "Having rugs on the floor or beautiful drapery is a juxtaposition to the unfinished, paired down raw steel and textiles," says Cunningham. She adds that rustic design should have room to grow over the passage of time as you collect more items to add to the space. Get The Look: In the master bathroom, the antique Caucasian rug is from Simeona Leona and the curtain fabric is by Elizabeth Eakins. The copper Bateau Grande tub is by The Bath Works and the antique doors were purchased by the owners during their travels to India. obama Whoever winds up moving into the White House next year is still anyones guess, but one things for certain: President Barack Obama will have to move out. And hes already chosen his new digs! Here are seven facts about the first familys new home that youll be glad to know. In fact, its your right as a good, upstanding citizen to know. 1. Its in a tony neighborhood The Obamas new home is located at 2446 Belmont Road NW in Washington, DC, in the posh Kalorama neighborhood. Quiet and secluded, Kalorama has served as home for a long history of prominent politicians and other government movers and shakers: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, William Howard Taft, Warren G. Harding, Herbert Hoover, and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, just to name a few. 2. Its pricey The homes value is estimated at $6 million, or around $22,000 in rent per month (the Obamas are renting, because they plan to remain in DC until their daughter Sasha finishes high school in 2018, but they may choose to relocate after that). 3. Its big The size of their new home tops 8,200 square feet: It has nine bedrooms and nine bathrooms and sits on a half-acre. But its not all that ostentatious compared with the White House. There are no ballrooms, no grand parlor for entertaining, and, sadly enough, no bowling alleys. 4. Theres even room for Mom The home features an au pair suite that would be perfect for Michelle Obamas mom, Marian Robinson, who has been living with the family in the White House. 5. The home has a rich history It was built in 1928 by F. Moran McConihe, a real estate developer who put Kalorama on the map by building many homes in the area. He also served as a consultant under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. From there, the home was bought by Capt. Charles Maddox, whod served in both world wars; his daughter, Muriel Maddox, acted with Marlon Brando in the movie The Men and also wrote a few romance novels. Story continues 6. Its previous owners have political ties, too The Obamas landlord (imagine putting that on a business card) will be Joe Lockhart, a former press secretary and senior adviser to former President Bill Clinton. He and his wife moved to New York earlier this year to pursue new job opportunities with the NFL. 7. The home will need some alterations As an ex-POTUS, Barack Obama will still have the Secret Service protecting him, and its painfully clear that the home isnt up to spec yet. For instance, the fence around the backyard is low enough that looky-loos could easily peer overand certainly will, unless some work is done to make the propertys perimeter more secure. Trust us, it will be. Overall, it looks like the Obamas picked a home befitting a former U.S. presidentnice, but not over the top. How their presence will affect this quiet enclaveand its real estate pricesremains to be seen. But heres to hoping the first family enjoys their new digs. The post 7 Must-Know Facts About President Obamas New Home appeared first on Real Estate News and Advice - realtor.com. Related Articles Abercrombie & Fitch Co.s ANF shares plunged nearly 11% in the pre-market trading session after the company reported dismal first-quarter fiscal 2016 results. The companys quarterly adjusted loss per share of 59 cents was wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 50 cents and the prior-year quarter loss of 53 cents. Results for the quarter included nearly 5 cents per share impact from adverse currency exchange rates. Including certain one-time items, Abercrombie reported loss per share of 91 cents in the year-ago quarter. Quarter in Detail Net sales were down nearly 3% year over year to $685.5 million and missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $706 million. The decline in net sales reflects a 5% drop in domestic sales to about $425.4 million and nearly flat international sales of $260.1 million. Also brand-wise, sales for the companys Abercrombie brand dipped 5% to $323.3 million while Hollister brand fell 2% to $362.1 million. Further, net sales of the company received 24% contribution from its direct-to-consumer and omni-channel businesses in the reported quarter. Comparable store sales (comps) dipped 4% owing to lower traffic, particularly in international stores as well as in its U.S. flagship and tourist outlets. Brand-wise, Abercrombies comparable sales decreased 8%, while that of Hollister were flat. Adjusted gross margin expanded 100 basis points in constant currency to 62.1%, mainly backed by higher average unit retails and partly offset by higher unit costs. Financials Abercrombie ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $491 million, long-term borrowings of $285.9 million, and shareholders equity of $1,254.8 million. As of Apr 30, 2016, inventories were $435.7 million, down nearly 1.2% from the prior-year quarter. On May 20, management declared a quarterly cash dividend of 20 cents per share, payable on Jun 13, to shareholders on record as of Jun 3, 2016. Store Update During the fiscal first quarter, the company introduced three stores, including one U.S. namesake and two international Hollister stores. Also, the company closed 10 domestic stores. With this, the company operated 745 stores in the U.S. and 180 stores across Canada, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as of Apr 30, 2016. In fiscal 2016, the company plans to launch 15 stores, comprising 10 stores in international markets, specifically in China, and five domestic stores. Additionally, the company plans to open about six outlet stores in the U.S. Apart from this, the company intends to pull down shutters on approximately 60 stores in the U.S. Outlook Following the dismal fiscal first quarter, the company expects the fiscal second quarter to remain challenging. However, the company expects trends to improve in the second half of the fiscal, driven by investments in marketing, store management and omni-channel. Consequently, the company expects comps to be challenging in the fiscal second quarter, though it remains optimistic about an improvement. For 2016, the company expects adverse currency effects to impact sales by nearly $10 million and operating income by $15 million, which includes year-over-year hedging impacts as well. Also, gross margin is expected to increase slightly from last year to 61.9%, while the same is expected to witness a modest decline in the fiscal second quarter. Operating expenses are estimated to be flat with fiscal 2015 levels, based on increased investments in marketing, store management and omni-channel. However, the companys cost savings from expense reduction initiatives will help offset the higher operating expenses. Based on the timing of these investments, fiscal second-quarter operating expenses are expected to increase 2% to 3% year over year. The company also reiterated its capital expenditure guidance at the range of $150$175 million, directed toward store openings and updates, direct-to-consumer and technological initiatives for fiscal 2016. Zacks Rank & Key Picks Abercrombie currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the same industry include The Children's Place Inc. PLCE, with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), and Destination XL Group Inc. DXLG, holding a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Another favorably ranked stock in the related industry is Delta Apparel Inc. DLA, also holding a Zacks Rank #2. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report ABERCROMBIE (ANF): Free Stock Analysis Report CHILDRENS PLACE (PLCE): Free Stock Analysis Report DESTINATION XL (DXLG): Free Stock Analysis Report DELTA APPAREL (DLA): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research A Texas grand jury has indicted "affluenza" mom Tonya Couch on two charges related to her role in whisking her son to Mexico last year while he was on probation. Couch was charged Thursday with money laundering, relating to cash she allegedly withdrew before crossing the border with her son, Ethan, CBS News reported. Read: Mom of 'Affluenza' Teen Ethan Couch Returns to America Flanked by U.S. Marshals She is also charged with hindering the apprehension of a felon, her son. Ethan Couch was 16 when he caused a car crash that killed four people. His blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit for adult drivers. Defense lawyers successfully argued the teen was so coddled by his wealthy parents he lacked responsibility for his actions. An expert testified the condition was known as "affluenza." Read: 'Affluenza' Teen and His Mom May Be Traveling In Her Pickup Truck He was ordered to serve probation in a sentence that was widely ridiculed as being far too lenient. After video surfaced last year appearing to show Ethan violating his probation by playing beer pong, the teen and his mother fled to Mexico, authorities said. They were located in Puerto Vallarta after an FBI manhunt. She was returned to Texas and placed under house arrest, authorities said. Ethan was transferred to adult court and ordered by a judge to serve nearly two years behind bars. Watch: Mom of 'Affluenza' Teen Will Return to Texas After Appearing In Court Related Articles: Ottawa (AFP) - Canadian firefighters battling an out of control wildfire near the oil city of Fort McMurray, Alberta were reinforced Thursday with the arrival of nearly 500 Americans and South Africans. The fire has spread to more than 566,200 hectares (1.4 million acres), including 4,600 hectares in neighboring Saskatchewan province, although it has started to retreat from populated areas. A total of 2,054 firefighters have been dispatched to the remote northern oil sands region -- an area that holds the world's third largest oil reserve -- to keep the flames at bay. They include 200 American and 280 South African firefighters who went at Ottawa's request. They have been assisted by 88 helicopters, 256 pieces of heavy equipment and 25 air tankers. Some 100,000 residents of Fort McMurray and nearby towns and oil camps, are meanwhile planning their return home starting June 1, almost a month after being ordered to evacuate. "You are returning to a community that was profoundly affected by a wildfire. Services that you are used to or rely on may be limited for some," authorities warned in a statement. "If you're driving back, consider arriving with basic necessities to last for up to 14 days including food, drinking water and prescriptions." Oil workers also are starting to return to facilities north of the city this week to restart oil production. Officials also said the Fort McMurray airport has been scheduled to reopen for commercial flights on June 10. Alabama, the most successful and certainly one of the most influential bands in country music, will showcase the stories and events that have made them one of the most iconic acts in American music with an exhibition at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Opening August 25th and running through June 2017, Alabama: Born Country will feature an array of musical instruments, performance clothing, awards, childhood mementos, tour memorabilia, photographs and more, chronicling the group's rise from their teenaged roots in Fort Payne, Alabama, to country-pop crossover success in the Eighties and beyond. Alabama Talk Group's Effect on Jamey Johnson, Jason Aldean Ahead of the exhibit opening, the members of Alabama Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry, and Jeff Cook are set to perform live in the Hall of Fame and Museum's CMA Theater on July 6th, for the museum's exclusive member concert, The Big Gig. Playing together in their first group, Young Country, in 1969, cousins Cook, Gentry and Owen would showcase their blend of country and Southern rock at a Myrtle Beach, South Carolina bar called the Bowery beginning in 1973. They would serve as the house band there until 1980. That same year, shortly after adding drummer Mark Herndon from Massachusetts, they signed with RCA. More than 30 Number One singles followed, including signature songs such as "Mountain Music" and "Dixieland Delight," with the band selling in excess of 70 million albums worldwide. In the early Eighties, they won CMA Entertainer and Vocal Group of the Year honors three times each. In 2005, not long after playing a Farewell tour, Alabama were elected the Country Music Hall of Fame. Their most recent Number One hit found the group name-checked on a tune they performed with Brad Paisley, "Old Alabama." Today, founding members Cook, Gentry and Owen continue to record and tour, with their 2014 LP, Angels Among Us: Hymns & Gospel Favorites, earning a Dove award from the Gospel Music Association. Last year, they returned to the country charts with Southern Drawl, their first album of new material since 2001. Story continues "I gave more of my heart and soul to this one than anything I've been a part of in my life," Owen told Rolling Stone Country last year. "I approached this album as if it could be my best, my first or my last. We were so glad to be back in the studio, we didnt take a moment of it for granted." In addition to their personal history the museum exhibit will shine a light on the group's influential humanitarian efforts. Their June Jam in Fort Payne has raised millions of dollars for local charities, and they continue to be one of the most active supporters of St. Jude Children's Hospital, inspiring countless other acts to follow suit. Related New York (AFP) - France's Alstom has filed a breach of contract suit against General Electric rooted in a dispute focused on Alstom's agreement to buy GE's rail signalling business two years ago, the companies confirmed Thursday. Alstom's suit in a New York court alleges that GE has not adhered to agreed procedures for settling disputes by arbitration. GE agreed to sell the signalling division to Alstom in 2014 for $800 million as part of the US company's purchase of Alstom's energy business for about $10.6 billion. But early this year the two fell into disagreement over the valuation of the assets Alstom was buying. After the two failed to settle the issue themselves during a "resolution period," Alstom sought to bring the matter to the designated arbitrator, accounting house Deloitte. But GE told Alstom that it disagreed with the French company's calculations and that it filed on May 9 a request for arbitration before the International Chamber of Commerce, according to the Alstom suit. "We disagree with the allegations and look forward to resolving the matter as provided for in the contract," a GE spokesman said. An Alstom spokesman declined comment. BERLIN, May 26 (Reuters) - Amazon plans to start deliveries of fresh food in Berlin in coming months, a magazine reported on Thursday, as the ecommerce giant extends its foray into groceries beyond its home market. Amazon plans to work with 15 partners to start delivery of fresh food in the German capital in the fall, unnamed sources told Manager Magazin. Amazon declined to comment. Germany is already Amazon's second-biggest market outside the United States, but grocery ecommerce has been slow to take off as the country has a high density of food stores and the dominant discounters Aldi and Lidl have been slow to go online. However, the country's second-biggest supermarket chain REWE has been investing heavily in ecommerce in anticipation of Amazon's move into food. Management consulting firm A.T. Kearney expects ecommerce will account for 3 percent of Germany's grocery market by 2020 - up from just 1 percent now. Online already accounts for 5 percent of the grocery market in Britain, which has been a global trailblazer in food ecommerce. Amazon launched a fresh food offering in Seattle in 2007 and has moved to a handful of other U.S. cities since then, but has been slow to roll it out further due to the logistical challenges of sourcing and handling chilled and frozen goods. In February, it struck a supply deal with British supermarket Morrisons and this month began testing fresh food deliveries in London, according to media reports. (Reporting by Emma Thomasson; editing by Adrian Croft) Amazon Studios announced two hour-long dramas co-produced with TriStar Television The Last Tycoon based F. Scott Fitzgeralds final work and The Interestings, adapted from Meg Wolitzers best-selling novel along with six kids shows that will be in the latest wave of pilots set to launch next month. The new shows are scheduled to debut on June 17 exclusively on Amazon Video in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Austria and Japan. Any users can watch the shows, then rate them; Amazon then takes that feedback and weighs that in deciding whether to greenlight them to full series. The Last Tycoon and The Interestings, starring Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under, pictured above), will be available in 4K Ultra HD and HDR, will be joined by new kids pilots: live-action show Sigmund and the Sea Monsters and animated pilots The Curious Kitty and Friends, Jazz Duck, Morris and the Cow, Toasty Tales and Little Big Awesome. Were focused on bringing customers compelling, must-see TV and we accomplish this by going directly to them for input, said Roy Price, VP of digital video and Amazon Studios. Our process has proven to work time and time again. Their feedback has helped create series that have become fan favorites among critics and customers. The Last Tycoon, a co-production with TriStar Television, is written and directed by Billy Ray (Captain Phillips, The Hunger Games), and executive produced by Ray and Christopher Keyser (Tyrant, Party of Five), who serve as showrunners, along with Joshua D. Maurer, Alixandre Witlin and David A. Stern. Mad Mens Scott Hornbacher serves as co-executive producer of the pilot, along with Perri Kipperman (Billions). Pulitzer-winning Fitzgerald scholar A. Scott Berg serves as consulting producer The show follows Hollywoods Golden Boy, Monroe Stahr (Matt Bomer, White Collar) as he battles father figure and boss, Pat Brady (Kelsey Grammer, Frasier) for the soul of their studio. Lily Collins (The Blind Side) stars as Cecelia Brady. Story continues The Interestings, also co-producted with TriStar Television, follows a group of artistic teenagers who meet at summer camp in 1974. As they transition into adulthood over the course of the next few decades, their friendships are tested by tragedy, success, failure and secrecy. BAFTA winner Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fires, Four Weddings and a Funeral) directed the pilot written by Lyn Greene and Richard Levine (Masters of Sex, Boss, Nip Tuck). In addition to Greene, Levine and Newell, Michael De Luca (The Social Network) and Lindsay Sloane (Covert Affairs) serve as executive producers. The Interestings also stars David Krumholtz (Numb3rs), Jessica Pare (Mad Men), Matt Barr (Sleepy Hallow), Gabriel Ebert (Ricki and the Flash), Jessica Collins (Rubicon) and Corey Cott (Public Morals). Wolitzers novel, which the series is based on, was one of Amazon Best Books of 2013: Top 10 Literature & Fiction. The Interestings stars Lauren Ambrose along with David Krumholtz (Numb3rs), Jessica Pare (Mad Men), Matt Barr (Sleepy Hallow), Gabriel Ebert (Ricki and the Flash), Jessica Collins (Rubicon) and Corey Cott (Public Morals). Amazon Studios previous series include Transparent, starring Jeffrey Tambor, Mozart in the Jungle and alternate-history thriller The Man in the High Castle, based on Philip K. Dicks novel. Related stories Google I/O 2016 Conference: A Look at Company's Bold New Products Frank Spotnitz Exits As Showrunner of Amazon's 'Man in the High Castle' Amazon Acquires Comedy Series 'Fleabag' From 'Broadchurch's' Phoebe Waller-Bridge Amazon on Thursday unveiled a star-studded lineup for its next pilot season, which will again give users an opportunity to help choose the next Amazon original series to be made available to Prime members. Among the big names starring are Kelsey Grammer, Matt Bomer, Lauren Ambrose, David Arquette and Zoe Kravitz, who is part of the voice cast of a kids' show pilot. The new pilots include two one-hour dramas and six kids' shows, all scheduled to debut June 17 exclusively on Amazon Video in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Austria and Japan. The Last Tycoon, a co-production with TriStar Television, is an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's last work, starring Grammer and Bomer. It follows Hollywood's Golden Boy (Bomer) who battles father figure and boss (Grammer) for the soul of their studio. Lily Collins (The Blind Side) also stars. "In a world darkened by the Great Depression and the growing international influence of Hitler's Germany, The Last Tycoon illuminates the passions, violence and towering ambition of 1930s Hollywood," according to a show description. The pilot was written and directed by Billy Ray (Captain Phillips, The Hunger Games), who originally developed the show at HBO, and executive produced by Ray and Christopher Keyser (Tyrant) - who serve as showrunners - Joshua Maurer, Alixandre Witlin and David A. Stern (all Rosemary's Baby). Mad Men's Scott Hornbacher serves as co-executive producer of the pilot, along with Perri Kipperman (Billions). The Interestings is adapted from Meg Wolitzer's best-seller and is a co-production with TriStar Television. It follows a group of artistic teenagers who meet at summer camp in 1974. Their friendships are tested by tragedy, success, failure and secrecy. Ambrose (Six Feet Under) plays an aspiring actress who uses her wit to compensate for what she is lacking in the glamor, money and talent her other friends seem to have. The pilot also stars David Krumholtz (Numb3rs), Jessica Pare (Mad Men), Matt Barr (Sleepy Hollow), Gabriel Ebert (Ricki and the Flash), Jessica Collins (Rubicon) and Corey Cott (Public Morals). Story continues BAFTA winner Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fires, Four Weddings and a Funeral) directed the pilot written by Lyn Greene and Richard Levine (Masters of Sex, Nip Tuck). In addition to them, Michael De Luca (The Social Network) and Lindsay Sloane (Covert Affairs) serve as executive producers. Amazon's new kids' show pilots includes one live-action project, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, featuring Arquette and based on the classic Saturday morning series from the 1970s. The show centers on two brothers, Johnny and Scotty, who discover and befriend Sigmund, a friendly sea monster and his dysfunctional brothers Slurp and Blurp. The five animated pilots are The Curious Kitty and Friends; Jazz Duck; Morris and the Cow, whose voice cast includes Kravitz (Divergent, Mad Max), Michael Pena (Ant Man), Thomas Lennon (Bob's Burgers) and Erik Griffin (Workaholics); Toasty Tales; and Little Big Awesome. "We're focused on bringing customers compelling, must-see TV and we accomplish this by going directly to them for input," said Roy Price, vp, digital video and Amazon Studios. "Our process has proven to work time and time again. Their feedback has helped create series that have become fan favorites among critics and customers." Read More: Amazon's New Pilot Season Includes 'Good Girls Revolt,' 'Patriot,' Louis C.K.-Executive Produced 'One Mississippi' Amber Heard and Johnny Depp are calling it quits after one year of marriage. The 30-year-old actress filed for divorce on Monday, citing irreconcilable differences and asking for spousal support, ET has confirmed. It's been a particularly rough week for Depp, as his mother died three days prior. Depp, 52, and Heard met on the set of The Rum Diary in 2009 but didn't step out as a couple until years later. The pair married in February of last year in two separate ceremonies, one at Depp's West Hollywood, California, home and one on his private island in the Bahamas. WATCH: Johnny Depp Debuts Bold New Haircut, Gushes About Daughter Lily-Rose's Chanel Modeling: 'She's Killing It' In November, the Magic Mike XXL actress shot down rumors that the couple's marriage was on the rocks, telling Marie Claire, "I try not to react to the horrible misrepresentation of our lives, but it is strange and hard." Earlier this year, Depp also thanked Heard in his acceptance speech at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, saying, "I also have to thank my wife, Amber, for putting up with me. For living with all these characters, which can't be easy. It's hard for me, it's gotta be hard for her." More recently, the couple has rarely been spotted together. Depp was at Heard's side in court during her dog smuggling case in Australia in April -- and appeared with her in the subsequent apology video -- but she attended the Met Gala without him earlier this month and he walked the red carpet solo at the Alice Through the Looking Glass premiere on Monday. ET recently caught up with Heard at the junket for The Adderall Diaries, where she discussed why it's so important for her to keep personal matters private. "For me, in my life, the most precious thing I can have is my privacy," she said. "I don't have any reason or desire to [share], but I understand why people do and why they would. A lot of people find ways to do it for good and control their representation of themselves, which I think actors or celebrities typically have not had control over for a long time." Story continues WATCH: Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's 'Atrocious' Apology Video Mocked by Australian Deputy Prime Minister In divorce documents obtained by ET, Heard says the couple separated on May 22, mere days after Depp's mother, Betty Sue Palmer, died on May 20 after a long illness. She was 81. In 2004, Depp brought his mom to the Academy Awards, when he received his first nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. The actor also got her name tattooed inside a heart on his left upper arm that in the '80s. Despite the heartbreaking news, Depp appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday, where he surprised Pink and kissed Kimmel on the lips. Watch his appearance in the video below. Related Articles (Reuters) - Actress Amber Heard has filed for divorce from husband Johnny Depp after just 15 months of marriage, several media outlets reported on Wednesday. Heard, 30, filed the divorce petition in a Los Angeles court on Monday, citing "irreconcilable differences" with the 52-year-old Depp, the A-list actor who starred in "Pirates of the Caribbean," according to a copy of the court documents uploaded online by celebrity news website TMZ. Reuters could not independently verify the report. Representatives for the two did not return calls or emails seeking comment. The couple got married in February of last year after meeting when they appeared together in the 2011 film "The Rum Diary." The pair began dating after Depp split from his longtime partner, French actress Vanessa Paradis. Depp and Paradis are the parents of two teenage children, a boy and a girl. Depp and Heard made global headlines last year when they ran into legal trouble for bringing their Yorkshire terriers, Pistol and Boo, into Australia as Depp was filming the latest "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie, breaching the country's tight biosecurity laws. Heard was charged with two counts of illegally importing the pets and one count of producing a false document last July. A magistrate judge in April filed no conviction for Heard but issued a formal order to stay out of trouble for a month or face a A$1,000 ($767) fine. A videoed deadpan apology by Depp and Heard for the offense, gleefully dubbed the "war on terrier" and "terriergate" by the Australian media, later went viral. Depp gained fame in the late 1980s after appearing in the popular TV series "21 Jump Street" and later starred in "Edward Scissorhands" and "Alice in Wonderland." Depp stars in the sequel, "Alice Through the Looking Glass," released in theaters on Friday. Heard most recently appeared in the film "The Danish Girl." (Reporting by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco) f35b America's most expensive weapons system ever just hit another snag. The F-35 Lightning II, Lockheed Martin's fifth-generation fighter jet, is expected to miss another crucial deadline on its march to combat readiness. On Tuesday, the Pentagon acknowledged that the jet would stumble pass its operational testing phase. "The target was the middle of 2017, but it's clear we're not going to make that," Frank Kendall, the Pentagon's top acquisition officer, said. The new schedule date, according to Kendall, is likely to occur in 2018. The mid-2017 target was itself a postponement because of setbacks with the F-35's sixth and final software release, referred to as Block 3F. The Block 3F software is part of the 8 million lines of sophisticated software code that underpin the F-35. If the code fails, the F-35 fails. f35 final finishes The latest setback for the F-35 stems from a 48-page December 11 report from Michael Gilmore, the Pentagon's top weapons tester. Gilmore said the stealth fighter wouldn't be ready by its July 2017 deadline. As first reported by Aviation Week, the Department of Defense report says "the rate of deficiency correction has not kept pace with the discovery rate," meaning more problems than solutions are arising from the F-35 program. "Examples of well-known significant problems include the immaturity of the Autonomic Logistics Information System (aka the IT backbone of the F-35), Block 3F avionics instability, and several reliability and maintainability problems with the aircraft and engine." f35 One recommendation Gilmore gives for the F-35's latest woes is to triple the frequency of weapons-delivery-accuracy tests, which are executed once a month. Story continues Adding more tests to the troubled warplane will most likely add to the cost overruns and schedule delays, but Gilmore says decreasing testing to meet deadlines will put "readiness for operational testing and employment in combat at significant risk." According to the DoD report, the Block 3F software testing began in March 2015, 11 months later than the planned date. f35 and f16 The nearly $400 billion weapons program was developed in 2001 to replace the US military's F-15, F-16, and F-18 aircraft. Lockheed Martin's "jack of all trades" F-35s were developed to dogfight, provide close air support, execute long-range bombing attacks, and take off from and land on aircraft carriers all while using the most advanced available stealth capabilities. Adding to the complexity, Lockheed Martin agreed to design and manufacture three variant F-35s for different sister service branches. The Air Force has the agile F-35A; the F-35B can take off and land without a runway, ideal for the amphibious Marine Corps; and the F-35C is meant to serve on the Navy's aircraft carriers. f35 variants Despite the Block 3F software setback, the Marine Corps last year declared an initial squadron of F-35s ready for combat, making it the first service branch to do so. The standard for readiness the Marines used, referred to as initial operational capability, is determined separately by each service branch when the aircraft has successfully demonstrated various capabilities. IOCs are announced prematurely, however, in that all tests and upgrades to the aircraft, such as the Block 3F software update, have not necessarily been completed. Still, Gen. Joseph Dunford, then the commandant of the Marine Corps, in July declared initial operational capability for 10 F-35B fighter jets. The Air Force is expected to declare IOC for its F-35As later this year, and the Navy plans to announce IOC for the F-35Cs in 2018. Even so, America's most expensive warplane's turbulent march to combat readiness is far from over. F35-C Here's the full report from the Department of Defense: NOW WATCH: This is how pilots train to fly America's most expensive fighter jets More From Business Insider The late Chris Kyle, the Navy SEAL known as the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history, exaggerated his military record and the accolades he received for his service, documents show. Kyles bestselling memoir, American Sniper, has sold more than a million copies and was adapted into a film starring Bradley Cooper. It is remains the highest-grossing war film of all time. I would end my career as a SEAL with two Silver Stars and five Bronze, all for valor, Kyle wrote. But internal Navy documents published by The Intercept show that Kyle, who was murdered by a fellow military veteran he was helping work through post-traumatic stress, actually earned one Silver Star and three Bronze Stars with Valor. The Silver Star is the third-highest military combat decoration, while the Bronze Star is awarded for heroic or meritorious achievement or service in a combat zone. Read: Chris Kyle's Widow Takes The Stand In American Sniper Murder Trial The former SEAL was warned at least once that his medal count in his autobiography was wrong, a Navy officer told The Intercept. The exaggeration violates the Stolen Valor Act, which makes it a crime to lie about military accomplishments for personal gain. The SEAL leadership was aware of the embellishment, but didnt want to correct the record because Kyles celebrity status reflected well on the command, a former SEAL officer told the online magazine. Everybody went on a pilgrimage to his funeral at Cowboys Stadium knowing full well his claims werent true. Kyle wrote in his memoir that he had 160 confirmed kills as a sniper, a self-reported statistic. Read: Comedian Admits To Lying About 9/11: I Wasn't at the Trade Center That Day Members of the SEAL community told The Intercept that Kyle had tainted his commendable accomplishments with the embellishment. It takes away from the legitimate heroism he showed, a retired SEAL told the magazine. Story continues This is not the first instance that Kyle was found to lie about incidents in his book, as a jury found one year after Kyles murder that he lied in American Sniper and defamed former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura. Ventura claimed Kyle lied about punching him in the face at a California bar and was awarded $1.8 million. Kyles widow, Taya Kyle, is appealing the ruling. Kyle was honorably discharged from the Navy in 2009 after serving 11 years as a SEAL. He and his friend, Chad Littlefield, were fatally shot by schizophrenic ex-Marine Eddie Ray Routh at the Rough Creek Ranch-Lodge-Resort in Texas. Watch: Trump's Ex Rowanne Brewer Blasts NY TImes: 'They Lied to Me' Related Articles: May 26 (Reuters) - Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc said it had received a takeover bid from a third party before it struck a $5.2 billion deal with Pfizer Inc last week. Anacor's shares were trading at $99.93, above Pfizer's offer price of $99.25. Pfizer agreed to buy Anacor on May 16 to add an eczema gel to its portfolio, a month after the U.S. drug major scrapped plans to acquire Allergan Plc. The acquisition will give Pfizer access to the topical treatment, crisaborole, which is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. At the time, some analysts said they had expected Anacor to be acquired by Allergan, which has a stronger presence in the dermatology market, or by Novartis AG's Sandoz unit, which sells Anacor's toenail fungus drug in the United States. Some also said that with the relatively low termination fee of about $181 million, Anacor could also be persuaded to accept a superior proposal. Anacor said in a regulatory filing on Thursday that Pfizer originally offered $95.00 per share for the company on May 6 but its financial adviser, Citi, recommended that Pfizer improve the bid, given Anacor had received another offer. (http://1.usa.gov/1XVlbSw) (Reporting by Natalie Grover in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel) Weatherford International: Life after Its Credit Rating Downgrade (Continued from Prior Part) Weatherford Internationals revenue and income growth Geography wise, revenues from Weatherford Internationals (WFT) North America region declined the most, by 53%, from 1Q15 to 1Q16. WFTs 32% revenue fall in the Middle EastNorth AfricaAsia-Pacific region was relatively moderate during the same period. In comparison, National Oilwell Varcos (NOV) 1Q16 revenues decreased by 54.6% from 1Q15. All of Weatherford Internationals geographic segments recorded a decline in operating income in 1Q16 over 1Q15. WFTs North America regions operating loss in 1Q16 deteriorated further to $128 million, compared to its $10 million operating loss in 1Q15. WFTs Latin America region was more resilient, with a 55% fall in operating income during the same period. Weatherford Internationals operating and net income Weatherford Internationals (WFT) total operating income showed a $447 million loss in 1Q16, a decided fall from its $50 million operating income in 1Q15. In comparison, National Oilwell Varcos (NOV) 1Q16 operating loss was $189 million. NOVs market capitalization stands at $11.7 billion compared to Weatherford Internationals ~$5.1 billion. WFT constitutes 3.1% of the iShares US Oil Equipment & Services ETF (IEZ). Why Weatherfords 1Q16 net loss deteriorated In 1Q16, Weatherfords reported net loss was $498 million compared to 1Q15 when WFT reported a $118 million net loss. Year-over-year, WFTs 1Q16 net income declined mostly due to litigation charges, severance and facility closures, supply contractrelated charges, and asset write-downs. What are Weatherford Internationals value drivers? lower US rig count that resulted in declines in customer activity and spending upstream energy companies spending reductions and activity declines, primarily in Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, and Venezuela project cancellations throughout the Sub-Saharan Africa region lower seasonal product sales in well completion, artificial lifts, and well construction that impacted the Gulf States, China, Australia, and Indonesia Story continues Partially mitigating the negative effects above were cost reduction measures, which started in North America in 1Q16. Next, we will discuss Weatherford Internationals indebtedness. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: An anonymous letter has reinvigorating a decades-old investigation into the disappearance of 18-year-old Bernard Ross Jr., who vanished from Fort Kent, Maine, back in 1977, PEOPLE confirms. A Maine State Police spokesman tells PEOPLE Carol and Bernard Ross, Ross's parents, received the unsigned letter a few months ago. They subsequently turned it over to authorities, who have been running various tests on it. The author of the letter claimed to know more about the case than even investigators, police said. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. "If someone does have information on this case, we want to know what that is," Lt. Troy Gardner, who heads the state police's major crimes division, tells PEOPLE. "Obviously, the question for us is, 'Does this unknown author actually have relevant information about what happened to Mr. Ross or not?'" Gardner says. "I'd hate to think this letter was written as part of a hoax. But there's no way to tell." Gardner says the mysterious letter references a recent news report on missing persons that mentioned Ross. The letter, the lieutenant says, recommends another story be written about the case. "It is certainly a possibility someone is being horrible, but I'd hate to think that that's the case," Gardner says. "We are taking care of the analysis of the letter and we have met with the Ross family. They have been through so many emotions since Bernard was last seen, and so right now, they are feeling frustrated and uncertain." Calls to telephone numbers listed for Ross's various relatives went unreturned Wednesday. Gardner says Ross's family hosted a memorial services several years ago "as a way to provide some closure. But obviously, they aren't sure what to make of this letter." Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana became the latest member of Congress to endorse Donald Trump on Wednesday, adding to the presumptive Republican nominees support as he prepares for the general election. Today Im endorsing and supporting Donald J. Trump for President of the United States of America, Zinke said in a statement. We need a businessman who will not accept Washingtons business as usual. America is going broke while Washington, D.C., booms. Trump still has scant support among members of Congress and members of his own party, who have called him unpredictable, bigoted and unfit to be president. The last two Republican presidents, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, as well as the last Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, have refused to support Trump. Still, members of Congress are beginning to come to terms with Trumps candidacy. Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee met with Trump in the last week and Sen. Lindsey Graham, who has virulently denounced Trump as a race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot, held a phone call about foreign policy with the likely nominee. According to data collected by Roll Call, Trump has the endorsement of 12 members of Congress, including Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama. But former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who dropped out of the race in February, still has more endorsements than Trump. Zinke will introduce Donald Trump at a rally in Billings on Thursday, May 26th. Trump clinched the Republican nomination with enough delegates this week. Anthony Bourdain Anthony Bourdain/Twitter Anthony Bourdain is never short on valuable insight. Watching an episode of his show or reading one of his books is like medicine in applesauce. We hear powerful insights while being entertained. The world-traveling, surprisingly human, modern day Hemingway who speaks out against injustices of gastronomy and varying levels of douchery recently sat down with the leader of the free world for an upcoming episode of his show Parts Unknown. Luckily, we dont have to wait until it airs well to hear what those two discussed over that $6 meal of Bun Cha. Thanks to B.J. Novaks Li.st App, we can get Bourdains thoughts right away his most recent post offered the scoop on the chef/chief dinner with Obama. A few details: The reaction among regular people in Hanoi to the fact that the US President chose to eat Bun Cha was beyond all imagining. The effect was unbelievable.People were actually crying the next day, describing to me their shock and their pride, the reactions of their neighbors, to this completely unexpected choice of mealand the venue. Bourdain also went into detail about how the world changing/razor sharp/poignant soon-to-be ex-president is also a nice person: He was among the very few guests on my show who ever asked the camera crew if they got to eat too. And he made a point of taking a picture with all of them when we were done. Amongst other things Bourdain also noted the presidents chopstick skills, knowledge of Asian culture, and wistfulness for Indonesia. At the end of the post, he mentioned how much Obama seemed to enjoy his beer. Which is a very sound reminder that, medicine in applesauce aside, these guys are hard working, passionate, individuals who just want to travel and relax a little. LONDON Apple expressed interest in buying Time Warner, the owner of HBO, CNN and Warner Brothers, in a meeting held late last year, according to a report in the Financial Times Thursday. The paper claims Eddy Cue, who oversees Apples iTunes store, Apple Music and iCloud, raised the subject of a potential bid in a meeting with Olaf Olafsson, Time Warners head of corporate strategy, in New York. The Financial Times cites three people who were briefed on the discussion. The discussion about a purchase did not progress any further, and never included Apples chief executive Tim Cook nor Time Warner boss Jeff Bewkes. Apple and Time Warner declined to comment. Cues meeting had been set up to explore various commercial relationships between the companies, such as the potential inclusion of Time Warners cable channels in a future Apple video-streaming service. Sources tell Variety that the notion of Apple and Time Warner potentially establishing deeper ties, ranging from content partnerships to a merger, surfaced among execs on both sides last year while the companies worked on the launch of the HBO Now broadband service. But sources stressed there has not been any movement toward a formal bid or negotiations. Apple has historically been shy of diving into the traditional content business. Bewkes has been vocal about wanting to keep the company focused on content production and distribution. HBO Now launched in April 2015 as a three-month exclusive distribution partnership with Apple, which helped build ties between the two companies. Cynthia Littleton contributed to this report. Related stories 10 Things We Learned From the Turner Upfront Upfront 2016: Kids' TV-Ad Market Is Heating Up Apple Invests $1 Billion in China's Didi Car-Hailing Startup, Uber CEO Responds * Regulator concerned about market power in ports * Brookfield has already made changes due to regulator concerns * ACCC delays final ruling until July 21 (Recasts, adds Qube, Asciano comments, shares) By Byron Kaye SYDNEY, May 26 (Reuters) - Australia's antitrust watchdog on Thursday raised fresh concerns about a planned A$9.1 billion ($6.5 billion) takeover of rail and port giant Asciano Ltd , potentially forcing the Canadian-led buyout consortium to restructure the deal. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) had been due to give a final decision but instead warned the deal may give Asciano's new owners too much control of the freight chain, and said it needed two more months to consult with industry players before it could make a ruling. The buyout group - led by Canada's Brookfield Asset Management Inc and including companies from China, the Middle East and Australia - may have to appease the regulator by offering to sell some assets, Lonsec Stockbroking general manager equities and research Bill Keenan said. "It's going to need some more adjustment to get it through," he said. Brookfield agreed to modify its initial solitary bid for Asciano in January after the regulator expressed concern that it would have freight trains and tracks in Western Australia state. A month later, it offered to end a bidding war with Australian stevedoring company Qube Holdings Ltd and make a joint offer for Asciano's port assets only, leaving the rest to China Investment Corp (CIC) and others. That move was also partly aimed at easing anti-trust concerns. The deal would cement Sydney-based Qube's position as Australia's biggest stand-alone ports company, and give Beijing's sovereign wealth fund CIC a slice of the railways business in one of China's biggest trading partners. But the regulator on Thursday said that as Qube already had nationwide cargo handling operations, taking ownership of Asciano's ports could give it unfair access to services contracts. Story continues Asciano's port business "may provide preferential access to Qube ... and raise rivals' costs", ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said in a statement. "There are also concerns regarding foreclosure of rival stevedores," Sims added. The ACCC said it would take industry submissions and give its final decision on July 21. In a statement, Qube said it was confident it could overcome the regulator's concerns. Asciano said it still recommended the takeover, due to be voted on by shareholders on June 3. Asciano shares were flat, in line with the broader market. Qube shares were up 0.6 percent in mid-session trading. ($1 = 1.3920 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Stephen Coates) Apple Inc. AAPL, it appears, will have to cross another major hurdle to set up its own retail stores in India. Reportedly, Indias Foreign Investment and Promotion Board requires Apple to source about 30% of the goods from the local market in order to open its retail outlets, same as other 100% foreign-owned brands. Per a Reuters report, Indian regulations call for the fulfillment of this 30% local products condition for foreign retailers dealing in technology. However, the report also stated that companies providing cutting-edge or "state of the art" technology could be exempted. The report said that though Apple had applied, it hadnt met the criteria. Clearly, the Indian regulators are promoting their Make in India initiative through such legislations. At present, Apple sources most of its products from China. Considering all the technology that goes into the making of a smartphone, transferring production from one country to another is easier said than done. Apart from the many technical hurdles, there is also the tactical issue since Apple needs to keep China happy as well. For the uninitiated, Apple has been eyeing Indias emerging market for a while now as it has hit saturation in some of its other key markets like China. CEO Tim Cook has adopted a number of initiatives to get a fair share of the market ranging from issuing promo offers, to opening a number of development centers to planning to sell refurbished devices for this price sensitive market. In fact, Cook recently visited the country to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and some other key officials to carve a growth trajectory for the company in India. It appears that as Indian regulators are not willing to relax the norms for Apple, the company will have to think its decision over. We believe that it is of critical importance for Apple to get a bigger share of the market of which it currently holds only 2%. This is given the fact that the Indian smartphone market is projected to grow at over 25% this year itself (this is at a time when the U.S. and China markets have become more or less saturated), Moreover, recent policy changes are also opening up avenues for widespread Internet connection for the countrys massive population. This bodes well for Apple. Story continues Nonetheless, there has been no official statement regarding the governments stance on Apples waiver request. At present, Apple has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Some better-ranked stocks in the broader technology sector are Facebook FB, Yirendai Ltd. YRD and PetMed Express, Inc. PETS. All three stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report PETMED EXPRESS (PETS): Free Stock Analysis Report APPLE INC (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report FACEBOOK INC-A (FB): Free Stock Analysis Report YIRENDAI LTD (YRD): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Matt Siegel SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's election agenda focusing on jobs and growth is at risk of being hijacked by the country's harsh immigration policy and controversial network of offshore detention camps for asylum seekers. Canberra has vowed to stop refugees sailing from Indonesia and Sri Lanka and landing on its shores, instead intercepting boats at sea and holding those on board in camps in far-flung Papua New Guinea and Nauru. Now Turnbull, who ousted conservative Tony Abbott in a party coup last year promising a more progressive agenda, is facing calls of xenophobia for refusing to condemn his immigration minister's claims that refugees will steal Australian jobs and strain the social safety network. Australia goes to the polls on July 2. Peter Young, former director of mental health services in Australia's detention center network, said this week that police had accessed his phone records, in part over his criticism of the country's detention policies. Young accused the government of attempting to cover up deaths in custody, as well as intimidating medical staff and aid workers from revealing the conditions in the camps. The immigration and foreign ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Earlier this month Australia said it had agreed to compensate a charity for wrongly accusing it of inciting refugees to self-harm in protest at conditions on Nauru in 2014. "The thing that the government doesn't want people to know is that putting people in these situations and exposing people to these health conditions is causing them to die. If that is to be part of their plan then they should be transparent, they should make people aware of them," Young told Reuters. "If they don't speak out, they are not behaving in a way that is ethical." In the past month, two asylum seekers have set themselves on fire in protest against their treatment on Nauru where there have been reports of child abuse. One of them, an Iranian man, died. Papua New Guinea has said it plans to close the Manus center after its Supreme Court ruled it unlawful, raising questions about where the refugees will be resettled. Border security and immigration have swayed Australian elections before. The conservative government last year pledged to take 12,000 refugees from Syria on top of its 13,750 annual quota. The center-left opposition Labor Party says it would double the annual quota to 27,000. (Story corrects Young's title in para 5.) (Editing by Nick Macfie) SYDNEY (Reuters) - Three new pieces of debris thought to be from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 have been found washed up on Indian Ocean beaches and will be examined in Australia, the transport minister said on Thursday. Two of the pieces were found in Mauritius while the third was found in Mozambique. The minister, Darren Chester, said in a statement all three items would be investigated in connection with the disappearance of MH370. "These items of debris are of interest and will be examined by experts," he said. Flight MH370 disappeared in March 2014 with 239 passengers and crew on board shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing, in what has become one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries. Investigators believe someone may have deliberately switched off the plane's transponder before diverting it thousands of miles off course over the Indian Ocean. A first piece of the Boeing 777, a wing part known as a flaperon, washed up on the French island of Reunion in July 2015. Malaysia and French authorities confirmed it was from the aircraft. Two pieces of debris discovered later in South Africa and the Mauritian island of Rodrigues were almost certainly from the jetliner, Malaysia's transport ministry said this month. Chester said Malaysia was arranging to collect the three new pieces and would send them to Australia, which has been leading the search for the aircraft in the Indian Ocean. (Reporting by James Regan; Editing by Robert Birsel) By Elisabeth O'Leary EDINBURGH (Reuters) - An Australian family who came to Scotland four years ago during a drive to attract people to live in rural areas, is now battling deportation under British immigration rules which changed after they arrived. Kathryn and Gregg Brain and their seven-year-old son Lachlan, who has learned Scotland's ancient Gaelic language at school, arrived in 2011 as part of a plan backed by the British government to help prop up an aging and shrinking population in the Highlands. "If we are not a poster family for successful immigration, I'm not sure who is," said Gregg Brain, a 48-year-old Australian health and safety expert who faces deportation on Tuesday along with his wife Kathryn, also 48, and Lachlan. One of the key issues in the debate on Britain's membership of the European Union ahead of a June 23 referendum is the arrival of immigrants seeking work, and their status as beneficiaries of Britain's welfare system. The Brains' potential deportation has highlighted the differences between Scotland, which needs immigrants to boost a shrinking population, and some other parts of Britain where immigration is perceived as negative. "(Interior minister) Theresa May has said that she is happy to welcome immigrants who can linguistically and culturally assimilate, and pay their own way," said Gregg Brain. "We are also willing to live and work in a sparsely populated and economically depressed area of the country," added the health and safety expert. A change in the rules since their arrival means the family now needs a different visa to stay in the country - a requirement that has pitted the devolved Scottish nationalist government against the British government in London. "The government changed the rules before these people had a chance to benefit. The wee boy is a Gaelic speaker and is, to all intents and purposes, Scottish," said Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon following a meeting with the Brains. Immigration is running well above government targets and data on Thursday showed net migration to Britain rose to 333,000 last year. The number of new arrivals from Europe has driven much opposition to the bloc. "The (British) government apparently is trying to regulate immigration but what they are actually doing is alienating and deporting the very people with the talent and the skills that we need in Scotland," said Scottish National Party lawmaker Kate Forbes. Kathryn Brain, who arrived on a student visa, has just completed a degree in Scottish history and has an offer of temporary work in a local distillery which she has been unable to accept until her regulatory status is clarified. Home Office minister James Brokenshire said the family could submit a new visa application and he would meet their local member of parliament who had raised their case. "He can be assured that the family does not face an imminent risk of immediate deportation," Brokenshire told lawmakers. Brain said he bore no grudges. "It was a dream for us to live in Scotland, and for that it is worth whatever it takes." (Editing by Stephen Addison) By Matt Siegel SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian counter-terrorism police said they arrested a 24-year-old man in Sydney on Thursday on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack, the latest in a string of arrests connected with radical Islamist-inspired violence. "A Bankstown man was arrested today by the Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) Sydney as part of the ongoing Operation Appleby investigation into the alleged planning of a terrorist attack in Australia," the Australian Federal Police said in a statement. "It will be alleged in court the man was one of a number of people who have been previously charged regarding this matter - involved in formulating documents connected with preparations to facilitate, assist or engage a person to undertake a terrorist act." Last week, police carried out raids across Melbourne in connection with five men accused of planning to travel to Syria to join Islamic State via a journey that would start with a motor boat trip from Australia to Indonesia. The men, aged between 21 and 31, were charged with preparing to enter a foreign country "for the purpose of engaging in hostile activities", an offense that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The five, who were not identified, were arrested after towing a seven-meter (23-foot) motor boat almost 3,000 km (1,865 miles) from Melbourne to Cairns in the northern state of Queensland. In an unrelated incident on the same day, police in Sydney arrested an 18-year-old man for allegedly planning to obtain a gun to commit a terrorist act targeting public buildings or landmarks in the city. Australia, a staunch U.S. ally, has been on heightened alert for attacks by home-grown radicals since 2014 and authorities say they have thwarted a number of plots. There have been several "lone wolf" assaults, including a 2014 cafe siege in Sydney that left two hostages and the gunman dead. About 100 people have left Australia for Syria to fight alongside organizations such as Islamic State, Australia's Immigration Minister said last month. Also in 2014, police shot dead a Melbourne teenager after he stabbed two counter-terrorism officers. A 15-year-old boy fired on an accountant at police headquarters in a Sydney suburb last October and was then killed in a gunfight with police. (Reporting by Matt Siegel; Editing by Robert Birsel) The last week was mostly favorable for the auto sector, with a number of positive developments and good fortune in the stock market. However, the earnings reports during the week were a little disappointing as both AutoZone, Inc. AZO and Advance Auto Parts Inc. AAP missed earnings and revenue estimates. The top and bottom lines of AutoZone improved year over year, while Advance Auto Parts earnings increased despite a decline in revenues. Coming back to the positive developments, Tesla Motors, Inc. TSLA announced a public offering of shares to finance its accelerated production plans, while Toyota Motor Corporation TM announced its collaboration with Uber. Even General Motors Company GM announced plans to expand its Maven car-sharing service. Recap of the Weeks Most Important Stories 1. AutoZone reported a 12.6% rise in earnings per share to $10.77 for the third quarter of fiscal 2016 (ended May 7, 2016) from $9.57 recorded in the year-ago quarter. Earnings, however, missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $10.96 by a wide margin. Quarterly revenues improved 4% year over year to $2.59 billion. However, the figure lagged the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.65 billion (read more: AutoZone's Q3 Earnings & Revenues Miss Estimates). 2. Advance Auto Parts reported a 5% increase in adjusted earnings to $2.51 per share in the first quarter of fiscal 2016 (ended Apr 23, 2016) from $2.39 in the prior-year quarter. However, the figure missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.61. Revenues dropped 1.9% year over year to $2.98 billion, falling short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.01 billion. The underperformance was due to a fall in comparable store sales due to a service shortfall and lower demand resulting from unfavorable weather. Advance Auto Parts expects comparable store sales to decline 3% to 5% in fiscal 2016, compared to the previous forecast of low single-digit growth. The revised outlook is based on the companys performance in the reported quarter (read more: Advance Auto Parts Q1 Earnings Miss; Cuts View). Story continues 3. Tesla announced a public offering of shares to finance the accelerated production plan for Model 3 as well as ramp up the annual production volume to 500,000 units by 2018, rather than 2020 as planned earlier. The company may also use part of the proceeds as working capital and for other general corporate purposes. Tesla is offering 6.8 million shares, which can be increased to almost 8.24 million if underwriters exercise their option to buy additional shares. This should result in net proceeds of $1.4 billion, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions, and estimated offering expenses. The net proceeds can increase to $1.7 billion, if underwriters exercise their option to buy additional shares (read more: Tesla to Issue Shares to Finance Production Ramp Up). 4. Toyota announced that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Uber, under which they will collaborate on ridesharing services. As part of this alliance, Toyota Financial Services Corporation and Mirai Creation Investment Limited Partnership (an investment fund backed by Toyota and Japanese bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp) will invest in Uber (read more: Toyota Collaborates with Uber for Ridesharing Services). 5. General Motors announced that it is expanding its car-sharing service, Maven to Boston, Chicago and Washington, D.C. With this, in a limited time span of four months, Maven has expanded in five markets, including New York City and Ann Arbor, MI. General Motors has already started offering this application-based service in over 15 sites in Chicago. The company has 30 vehicles of Chevrolet, Cadillac and Buick brands available under this service in the city. Meanwhile, General Motors will be launching Maven+ in Washington D.C. in the coming month. The service will be available to residents of the Hepburn, a luxury apartment community. Maven City will also be available throughout the city by the end of June. In Boston, the automaker will launch Maven+ and Maven City in this summer (read more: General Motors Expands Maven to 3 New Cities). Performance The auto sector had a positive run over the last week, driven by company-specific factors as well as improvement in the overall market. Among the auto stocks listed below, Advance Auto Parts gained the maximum despite a weak earnings report and guidance cut. Meanwhile, all auto stocks listed below had a poor run over the last six months. Toyota lost the most over this period. Company Last 1-Week Period Last 6 Months GM +2.9% -13.0% F +2.7% -7.0% TSLA +4.0% -5.2% TM +1.1% -17.5% HMC +3.0% -15.4% HOG +2.7% -7.2% AAP +6.8% -6.9% AZO +0.9% -2.3% Whats Next in the Auto Space? On May 30, 2016, Tata Motors Limited TTM will report its financial results for the quarter ended Mar 31, 2016. On Jun 1, 2016, automakers will report their U.S. auto sales for May. On the same day, Ford Motor Co. F will pay a quarterly cash dividend of 15 cents per share to shareholders of record as of Apr 29. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report FORD MOTOR CO (F): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA MOTORS (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report TOYOTA MOTOR CP (TM): Free Stock Analysis Report TATA MOTORS-ADR (TTM): Free Stock Analysis Report ADVANCE AUTO PT (AAP): Free Stock Analysis Report AUTOZONE INC (AZO): Free Stock Analysis Report GENERAL MOTORS (GM): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Renowned Azerbaijani investigative journalist, Khadija Ismayilova, arrested in December 2014, was released by Azerbaijans Supreme Court Wednesday, the BBC reports. Ismayilovas sentencing to seven and a half years in prison for economic crimes, including embezzlement, illegal entrepreneurship and tax evasion sparked an international outcry, with rights groups criticizing the government for cracking down on independent media. Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney took up her case, saying Ismayilova was a prisoner of conscience. Ismayilova is known for her investigative work into corruption in the oil-rich country, which included businesses affiliated with the family of President Ilham Aliyev. A diplomatic cable published by Wikileaks in 2009 revealed Aliyev had dubbed her an enemy of the government. The Azeri court Wednesday modified the previous verdict to a three-and-a-half year suspended sentence that confines Ismayilova to the country and bars her from holding any public position. Although two charges have been dropped, two charges, for tax evasion and illegal entrepreneurship respectively, remain. The charges are false and illegal, Ismayilova told the BBC World Service Wednesday. I am still waiting for the full acknowledgement of my innocence. While the reason for the courts decision is unclear, the revision comes after numerous rights groups have advocated on her behalf. In March her lawyer, Clooney, sent the case to the European Court of Human Rights. Last year, Human Rights Watch accused Azerbaijan of imprisoning dissidents on spurious charges and Amnesty International labeled the verdict yet another unfair trial relying on fabricated charges. [BBC] Bangladesh police said Thursday they suspect local Islamists may have murdered a one-legged Hindu shop owner who was hacked to death outside his store, the latest in a wave of killings of liberals and religious minorities. Police had initially said Wednesday's killing of 60-year-old Debesh Chandra Pramanik appeared to be part of a long-running dispute between him and another Hindu who was later arrested. But a top officer said the focus was now on local militants, rejecting a claim by the Islamic State (IS) group that it was behind the attack in the northern Gaibandha district. Pramanik was the ninth person to be hacked to death in similar circumstances in Bangladesh since early April. District police chief Ashrfaul Islam said the fatal stabbing bore similarities to previous attacks by Jamayetul Mujahidden Bangladesh (JMB) which is also suspected of murdering another Hindu businessman in Gaibandha in February. "We suspect that members of JMB may have killed him," Islam told AFP. Islam said Pramanik's neck had been hacked by his killers, without saying how many people were involved in the attack which took place as he opened his store at daybreak. Although no one from JMB has so far been arrested, police said an operation had been launched to detain local followers. "We've launched raids in the area," Islam said. The attack comes amid a wave of murders of liberals, secular activists and religious minorities by suspected Islamist militants in Bangladesh. Police say around 40 people have been killed by homegrown Islamists in the past three years, and there has been a spike in attacks in recent weeks. A homeopathic doctor was hacked to death with machetes on Friday, less than a week after a Buddhist monk was slaughtered in a similar manner. An atheist student, two gay rights activists, a liberal professor, a Hindu tailor and a Sufi Muslim leader have also been murdered since last month Although IS and Al-Qaeda's local affiliate have claimed responsibility for most of the murders, authorities have consistently poured cold water on their claims. Story continues Police and Pramanik's family had initially blamed a heroin addict for Wednesday's murder, saying the attack was sparked by the victim's refusal to pay extortion money. IS later claimed responsibility for the murder through its Amaq news agency, according to the SITE monitoring group. Bangladesh's secular government has repeatedly insisted that international Islamist groups have no presence in the country and instead blames its domestic opponents. Hindus, the country's largest religious minority, make up nearly 10 percent of Bangladesh's 160 million people. LONDON Neil Breakwell, deputy editor at the BBCs flagship news analysis show Newsnight, has been named London bureau chief for Vice News. Breakwell will oversee Vices news gathering across Western Europe as Vice continues to build out its digital news offerings across the region. Additionally, this autumn, Vice will launch a TV network, Viceland, in the U.K. and France, which will see some of Vice News U.K. programming air on the channel. Vice News U.K. will be producing in-depth video and editorial content focused on the issues that matter most to young Europeans from the migrant crisis and persistent youth unemployment to Brexit and Europes privacy laws, the company said in a statement. Breakwell joins as Vice News U.K. is set to expand its online video offering. Vice News will grow its existing staff of 18 in the coming weeks, adding new hires across editorial, production, as well as multi-platform journalists who will be deployed across digital and TV. Breakwell who starts in July has worked in news and current affairs for over a decade. His experience spans the breadth of BBC programming from Radio 4, where he worked across Today, The World at One and PM, to helping steer BBCs election night broadcasts, and to his current role as deputy editor at Newsnight. This new round of hires follows the recent appointments of nearly 20 new hires that recently joined the company, with more new hires slated to join in the coming weeks. Those hires have included Madeleine Haeringer as exec producer of HBO Nightly Show, Ryan McCarthy as editor-in-chief of Vice News, Ravi Somaiya as tech correspondent and more. Vice News head of news programming for Europe, Kevin Sutcliffe, moves into the role of senior VP TV and video programming, Europe, Middle East and Africa. In his new position, Sutcliffe will lead on Vices video programming for the new Viceland channels across EMEA. Earlier this week, it emerged that Vice Media was cutting 15 news staffers in the U.S. and had axed three members of the Vice News U.K. editorial team. Story continues Breakwell said: Vices unique and visceral style of storytelling on subjects that matter to an often underserved audience along with their ambitious plans for the future made this an opportunity I couldnt resist. Im looking forward to building on its already impressive record of outstanding reporting, compelling video and puckish commentary. Josh Tyrangiel, exec VP of Vice News said: Neil is the rare journalist who excels at speed and depth, television and digital. Hes smart, tough, and brimming with ideas for how we can increase our coverage of the U.K. and Western Europe. In addition to managing our output across TV and online, hell continue the successful work begun by Kevin Sutcliffe and the video team in producing riveting, high-impact films including the multi award-winning documentary The Islamic State.' Related stories 'Peaky Blinders' Renewed for Seasons 4 and 5 Vice News Hit With Layoffs in U.S., U.K. Vice Promotes Ciel Hunter to Head of Content What's Really Driving Bristol-Myers Squibb's Valuation? (Continued from Prior Part) Bristol-Myers Squibbs 1Q16 performance Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) reported a growth of 9% at ~$4.4 billion in its 1Q16 results, and now analysts estimate that we can expect a high-single-digit to low-double-digit growth in revenues for each quarter in 2016. Segment-wise performance Bristol-Myers Squibbs business is divided into the following segments: Onology Virology Immunoscience Cardiovascular Neuroscience Matured Products and Other Products The Oncology segment has emerged as the largest revenue contributor in 1Q16 by contributing nearly 31.9% of total revenues. This segment reported ~54.9% increase in 1Q16 as compared to 1Q15, mainly driven by increased sales of Opdivo and Sprycel, partially offset by Yervoy and Erbitux. The Virology segment contributed nearly 28% of total revenues for Bristol-Myers Squibb during 1Q16. Overall, the segment revenues increased by 2% at $1.21 billion during 1Q16 as compared to $1.19 billion during 1Q15. The Hepatitis C franchise is the growth contributor for this segment, while the drugs Baraclude, a Hepatitis B drug, and Reyataz and Sustiva, the HIV drugs, set off the growth of this segment. Immunoscience and Cardiovascular segments The Immunoscience segment, which includes Orencia, contributed nearly 10.8% of total revenues during 1Q15. Orencia sales improved by nearly 18.7% in 1Q16 due to higher demand as compared to 1Q15. The Cardiovascular segment, represented by drug Eliquis, contributed ~16.7% of total revenues during 1Q16. Eliquis sales increased by over 200% to $734 million in 1Q16, as compared to $355 million in 1Q15, due to wide use and strength of its prescription trends. Neuroscience and Matured Products The Neuroscience segment, represented by drug Abilify, reported a drop of over 94% sales for Abilify following the competition in 1Q16 as compared to 1Q15. Abilify is a trademark of Otsuka Pharmaceuticals. Story continues The Matured Products and Other Products segment showed a 16% decline in revenues at ~$535 million in 1Q16, as compared to $639 million in 1Q15, due to lower sales and increased competition. To get exposure to BMY while divesting risk, investors might consider the Market Vectors Pharmaceutical ETF (PPH), which holds 5.5% of its total assets in Bristol-Myers Squibb. PPH holds 5.3% in Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), 5.3% in Novartis AG (NVS), 5.4% in Merck and Company (MRK), and 5.6% in Pfizer (PFE). Investors might also consider the PowerShares Dynamic Pharmaceuticals ETF (PJP), which holds 5.7% of its total assets in Bristol-Myers Squibb. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: China's government has launched a renminbi-denominated sovereign bond in London, the first of its kind outside of the world's second biggest economy, Britain's Treasury said on Thursday. Beijing issued a bond worth 3.0 billion renminbi (RMB) ($460 million, 400 millions euros), the Treasury said in a statement. "Choosing London as the destination to issue this bond -- the first Chinese sovereign RMB bond issued outside of China -- reinforces the UK's strong economic and financial relationship with China," finance minister George Osborne said in the statement. The move comes after The People's Bank of China last year launched its own yuan-denominated bond in London -- in a debt sale worth 5.0 billion RMB, or yuan. It is said to have been the first time that a yuan-denominated bond auction has taken place outside of China and Hong Kong. Britain, which next month votes in a referendum on whether to remain part of the European Union, is seeking out China to be a key economic partner. "London's attractiveness to foreign investors is clear but its status as the world's leading financial centre has been hard won," Chancellor of the Exchequer Osborne added Thursday. "It is crucial we do not put it at risk by voting to leave the EU on 23 June," he added. Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative government has meanwhile been accused by the main opposition Labour party that its push for closer ties with China is holding back efforts to save 15,000 steel jobs. India's Tata Steel is selling its UK assets, blaming the move on a glut of cheap Chinese imports of the metal that is used in construction. Cameron's government meanwhile faces accusations that it has blocked higher EU tariffs. In a sign of ever-closer ties, Britain rolled out the red carpet for President Xi Jinping on a state visit last year which included a banquet hosted by Queen Elizabeth II. But earlier this month it was revealed that during the visit, the queen was caught on camera describing some Chinese officials as "very rude" in a rare diplomatic gaffe by the British monarch. The visit yielded trade deals worth 40 billion, including China taking a one-third stake in the troubled project to build Britain's first nuclear plant in decades at Hinkley Point in southwest England. An Insider's Tour of Apple in 2Q16: News, Highlights, and Trends (Continued from Prior Part) Soros loads up on Apple According to recent 13F filings, the hedge fund of billionaire investor George Soros bought 3,100 shares of Apple (AAPL) valued at $338,000 in 1Q16. Soros, however, reduced investments in other large tech companies such as Facebook (FB) and Alphabet (GOOG) by 50% or more. Berkshire Hathaway buys Apple stock Apples stock rose 3.7% on May 16, 2016, after Berkshire Hathaway (BRK) stated that it has taken a new stake in the company. On March 31, 2016, Berkshire Hathaway had 0.83% of its holdings in Apple. It has since taken a new stake in Apple worth $1 billion. BRKs total holdings in Apple stand at 9.8 million shares. Apples disappointing fiscal 2Q16 results did not deter David Einhorn of Greenlight Capital either. The hedge fund increased its share by 23% in 1Q16 and now owns 8.2 million shares of Apple. These three investors find Apple to be an attractive buy as its stock is currently trading close to its two-year low. Icahn backs out However, billionaire investor Carl Icahn has exited his investment in Apple. He based his decision on increasing concerns over China (FXI) and has suggested that Chinas weakness is already hampering the stocks price performance and will continue to affect it in the future. Icahn had initially viewed Apple as undervalued, and in 2015, he gave a price target of $240 for the stock. Then Icahn started selling off shares later that year, retaining only 45.8 million shares at the end of 2015. By April 2016, Icahn had sold off all his shares of Apple over concerns in China, which is Apples second-biggest market after the United States. Now lets check in with the details of Apples 1Q16 performance. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: Bernie Sanders continued to attack The Walt Disney Co. over what it pays to employees at Disneyland, even as the company and CEO Robert Iger have pushed back at his rhetoric as Sanders campaigns in California. The company makes billions of dollars in profit, but they are paying workers [at Disneyland] wages that are so low that many of the workers cannot find housing and they have to stay in hotels, Sanders told supporters at a rally in Lancaster on Wednesday evening. After Sanders raised the same criticisms of the company at a rally in Anaheim on Tuesday, Iger wrote on Facebook To Bernie Sanders: We created 11,000 new jobs at Disneyland in the past decade, and our company has created 18,000 in the U.S. in the last five years. How many jobs have you created? What have you contributed to the U.S. economy? His posting was first reported by The Wrap. A company spokesman also pushed back on Sanders comments, noting the companys job growth. Mr. Sanders clearly doesnt have his facts right. The Disneyland Resort generates more than $5.7 billion annually for the local economy, and as the areas largest employer has added more than 11,000 jobs over the last decade, a 65% increase. These numbers dont take into account our $1 billion expansion to add a Star Wars-themed land, which will create thousands of additional jobs across multiple sectors. Iger contributed to Clintons campaign last year. At the Lancaster rally, Sanders also chided the company for sending manufacturing of its consumer products to China where wages are even lower. I say to Disney, bring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck back to America, Sanders said. Sanders also has criticized Wal-Mart and the family of founder Sam Walton for low wages at the retailer. Lets tell corporate America that they cannot continue to throw American workers out on the street and move to China, he said. He did draw laughs at the rally when he started talking about what he would say to Mr. Disney. Story continues Disney is dead. The guy who is the head of Disney, Sanders said. Related stories Disney CEO Slams Bernie Sanders Over Low Pay Allegations Bernie Sanders Attacks Disney Over Worker Pay Hillary Clinton Declines Offer for Another Democratic Debate Voters feelin' the Bern are causing Hillary Clinton quite a headache. A recent YouGov poll found 50% of Sen. Bernie Sanders' supporters saying they will not vote for Hillary Clinton in November a statistic that's led to a tightening in polls between Clinton and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. Decline in Clinton support among Sanders voters continues--now just 50% in YouGov. https://today.yougov.com/news/2016/05/25/clinton-expands-her-primary-lead-sanders-supporter/ ...pic.twitter.com/k50ujg4XqH https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CjVEJaAUYAANPKt.jpg:large But political analysts remain skeptical that the percentage of Clinton defections will be that high. "As long as the Democrats are in the middle of a nominating contest, which they are, surprisingly, you're going to have Sanders people who will say they're not voting for Hillary," Stu Rothenberg, a nonpartisan political analyst, said in an interview. "If they acknowledge they would vote for Hillary, it forces them, in some ways, to turn their back on Sanders. And they're fully committed to him," Rothenberg added. "Once he comes to the realization that everyone else has, that the race is over, and once he gets out, I think you'll see a significant switch on the part of his supporters." Sanders supporters protest Hillary Clinton outside CNN offices in Los Angeles. Past P : Before there was the #BernieOrBust movement, there were the PUMAs in 2008. An acronym for "Party Unity My Ass," the group was made up of frustrated Clinton supporters who vowed never to vote for now-President Barack Obama. Some even threatened to defect to then-GOP nominee John McCain. By November, however, the PUMAs had largely caved to back Obama, helping him win decisively over McCain. Story continues Even in 2016, Trump is starting to win over Republicans who identified with the #NeverTrump movement in the primary. A recent Washington Post/ABC News poll found the number of Still, it may take time for Sanders backers to decide to vote for Clinton. And Rothenberg said it will be the younger voters whom Democrats count on for presidential victories who will be the hardest to convince. That same Washington Post/ABC News poll found Trump and Clinton running even among the 18-29 age demographic. "They're idealistic, they're emotional, they see Hillary as just another politician," Rothenberg said. "So ... I think it will require some work. I think it will require Sanders to embrace Clinton; I think it will require Clinton to talk directly to those Sanders voters who, a few weeks after he gets out of the race, will be disappointed." "But I suspect they will come around," Rothenberg said. Dust off the lawn chairs and get the popcorn ready: Donald Trump says hes willing to debate Bernie Sanders before the June 7 California primary. During a Wednesday night appearance on ABCs Jimmy Kimmel Live! Trump said he would accept the Vermont senators challenge to a one-on-one debate as long money raised for the event goes to charity. Such an event would be unusual; Trump is the presumptive GOP nominee and Sanders is facing increasingly daunting odds in the Democratic primary. Game on, Sanders tweeted in response. I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California. Game on. I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary. Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 26, 2016 The apparent agreement comes on the heels of likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clintons refusal to debate Sanders in California something Sanders said was an insult to residents of the Golden State. A number of months ago, our campaign and her campaign reached an agreement on a number of debates, including one here in California, Sanders said at a Monday rally in Santa Monica, Calif. I gotta tell you this: I think it is a little bit insulting to the people of California our largest state that she is not prepared to have a discussion with me about how we address the major crises we face. The Clinton campaign did not immediately return a request for comment on the proposed Trump-Sanders debate. And its unclear where or when it will occur, if at all. We hope to debate Donald Trump, Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver told CNNs Wolf Blitzer Thursday afternoon. We hope he wont chicken out. But the possibility of a face-off between the billionaire real estate mogul and self-described democratic socialist lit up Twitter, where the hashtag #BernieTrumpDebate remained the top trending hashtag Thursday morning. Story continues #BernieTrumpDebate could be even better than Civil War pic.twitter.com/Nqu3GuzBrF Teva Ilan (@Tevallan) May 26, 2016 What the #BernieTrumpDebate is going to look like pic.twitter.com/0oeq8TOC5A Internet Palace (@InternetPalace) May 26, 2016 Id love to debate Bernie, Trump said at a press conference in North Dakota Thursday afternoon. But I want a lot of money put up for charities. So what well do is if we can raise for maybe womens health issues or something, if we can raise $10 or $15 million for charity, which would be a very appropriate amount I understand the television business very well. I think it would get very high ratings. It should be in a big arena somewhere. And we could have a lot of fun with it. I am delighted that @realDonaldTrump has agreed to debate. Lets do it in the biggest stadium possible. Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 26, 2016 It appears Donald Trump is prepared to debate, Sanders said at a rally in Venture, Calif. I cant wait for that. In an interview with the website Revolt.com in Hollywood earlier Thursday, Sanders said the purpose of the debate would be to take the Republican nominee to task for his outrageously bigoted remarks against African-Americans, against women, against Mexicans, against Native Americans. The strength of our country is our diversity, our coming together. Trump, for his part, sounded a bit like a Sanders surrogate on Jimmy Kimmel and criticized the rigged superdelegate system used to help elect the Democratic nominee. I think its very unfair whats happening to Bernie Sanders, he said. And I dont like it. Sanders trails far behind Clinton in both pledged and unpledged superdelegates, many of whom announced their support of the former secretary of state before Sanders launched his campaign. But recent national polls show that Sanders fares better than Clinton against Trump. According to a new NBC/WSJ poll released this week, Clintons lead over Trump has fallen from 11 points last month to just 3 (46 percent to 43 percent) a figure that falls within the polls margin of error. The same poll found that Sanders is well ahead of Trump, by 15 points (54 percent to 39 percent), in their theoretical general election matchup. But Trump insisted to Kimmel that he isnt worried. I actually think Bernie would be easier to beat even though he [does] better in the polls, he said. Trump also said his past praise for Clinton was insincere, including his 2008 assertion that she would make an excellent president. When Im a businessman I speak well of everybody, Trump said. So when they asked me about Hillary, Shes wonderful, the husband, everybodys wonderful. So you were full of s***? Kimmel asked. Maybe a little bit, Trump said, laughing. Meanwhile, Kimmels scheduled musical guests Wednesday The Weeknd and rapper Belly pulled out in protest of Trump. I just didnt want to feel like I was a part of a celebration for somebody who has beliefs that the majority of us dont agree with, Belly told the Associated Press. For me, being Muslim and being somebody that appreciates my access here in America, I love the fact that Im able to be here. To play my part in this business is a privilege and a beautiful thing. The fact that I could lose that ability through the actions of someone such as Donald Trump isnt right to me. At all. By Anjuli Davies and James Regan LONDON/SYDNEY, May 26 (Reuters) - Final bids for Anglo American's metallurgical coal mines in Australia, valued at up to $1.5 billion, must be submitted by June 6, three sources close to the matter said on Thursday. Anglo American, like its peers, is selling off prized assets after a prolonged commodities rout has left it with high levels of debt. It aims to sell between $3 billion and $4 billion of assets this year. Analysts said the appeal of its two metallurgical or coking coal mines in Australia could have increased after one operation delivered coal months ahead of schedule. Private equity firm Apollo has teamed up with Pennsylvania coal exporter Xcoal Energy & Resources, founded by Ernie Thrasher and Chris Cline, the billionaire coal entrepreneur often dubbed the King of Coal, and have made it through to the second round of bidding, according to the sources. BHP is also through to the second round and a likely frontrunner, although the sources said Japanese steelmakers reliant on coking coal could raise competition concerns as BHP already dominates. Other interested parties could include Indian, Japanese and America suitors, the sources said, declining to be specific. "There are lots of interested parties...everybody in the world looked at these assets," one said. BHP declined to comment. Anglo American also said it could not comment on the sale process. Metallurgical or coking coal is used in steelmaking. Some industry players have expressed caution at the future of coking coal assets given their increasing unpopularity from an environmental stance and their exposure to the troubled steelmaking industry. But the mining and steel sectors say coal remains the cheapest solution and has a long future yet. (Additional reporting by Barbara Lewis; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle) HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / May 26, 2016 / TONNER ONE WORLD HOLDINGS, INC. (OWOO), announced today that Walmart and Walmart.com have reordered the Company's line of fashion-play dolls. "Continual reorders is what growth and sustainability is all about," stated Trey Waldhauser, VP of Business Development at Tonner One World Holdings, Inc. "As I've mentioned before, new big box chain orders and reorders, clearly speak to our brand's growth potential." "Reaching nearly one million dollars in 2015 sales revenue is impressive, and we estimate being able to nearly triple revenues in 2016. Our true value proposition however, will likely be demonstrated in 2017, where our relationship with the Tonner Doll Company and other upcoming affinity, celebrity and television projects will bolster the company's capitalization efforts for product development, marketing and brand expansion." The Company's recent licensing deal with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products to create a special line of Collector dolls based on the hit television series, Empire - a perk of collaborating with the Tonner Doll Company - should deliver a significant amount of national publicity and notoriety with adults and young adults; ultimately translating to an added marketing and advertisement push of its primary line of children's toys and accessories. Melton concluded, "We are pleased to receive new orders and reorders from the big box chains, and we will continue to increase our sales revenues through the rollout of a comprehensive marketing program." About The One World Doll Project: Established in 2010, The One World Doll Project, a subsidiary of Tonner One World Holdings, Inc. (OWOO) is committed to changing the retail landscape of the doll industry. The One World Doll Project's collections are fashion play dolls that are diverse in culture, interests, and style. Founders Trent T. Daniel and Stacey McBride-Irby, a former Mattel designer who designed the company's first authentic African-American dolls, developed the Prettie Girls! to capture the essence of positive values and attributes that every little girl can embrace. Story continues About Tonner Doll Company: Tonner Doll Company, founded by Robert Tonner, is an established collective doll enterprise based in New York. The company has earned an esteemed reputation for creating the highest quality and most detailed collectible figures. Tonner's dolls have been displayed in the Louvre and his immaculately proportioned designs have earned him the rights to bring: The Wizard of Oz, Harry Potter, The Big Bang Theory, Twilight, Avatar, Superman, Spider-Man, Gone With the Wind, and a broad variety of other film and comic book characters to doll-like life around the world. RELATED LINKS: Tonner-One World Facebook Tonner-One World Twitter Tonner-One World Instagram Prettie Girls! Facebook Prettie Girls! Twitter Prettie Girls! Instagram Safe Harbor Statements in this news release that are not historical facts, including statements about plans and expectations regarding products and opportunities, demand and acceptance of new or existing products, capital resources and future financial results are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties which may cause the Company's actual results in future periods to differ materially from those expressed. These uncertainties and risks include changing consumer preferences, lack of success of new products, loss of the Company's customers, competition and other factors discussed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Contacts Tonner-One World Felicia Williams, 866-440-1470 IR Div. SOURCE: Tonner One World Holdings, Inc. (Reuters) - A bill to end sales taxes on tampons and sanitary napkins received final approval from New York lawmakers on Wednesday and is headed to the governor, who voiced strong support of the legislation. Several other states have already enacted such exemptions as a movement builds against a tax that critics say unjustly targets women. The New York State Senate on Wednesday unanimously passed the bill, which exempts feminine hygiene products like sanitary napkins, tampons, and panty liners from the state's sales and compensating use tax. The State Assembly previously approved the measure. "Repealing this regressive and unfair tax on women is a matter of social and economic justice," Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a statement on Wednesday. "I look forward to signing it into law." The bill's supporters argued that menstrual products should be treated like other necessities, including healthcare items and medicines, which are already exempt from the taxes. "There are many issues that simply transcend politics and a unanimous vote in both houses tells you that this is certainly one of them," the bill's sponsor, Republican state Senator Susan Serino said in a statement. "Moving this legislation forward is a win for consumers and its a win for women who have largely shouldered the burden of the tax for generations," she added. Five other states - Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and New Jersey - already exempt feminine hygiene products from sales taxes. Ten states, including California, are considering legislation to do so as well. (Reporting by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by Sharon Bernstein and Peter Cooney) Peter Thiel, the billionaire tech investor and co-founder of Paypal, has admitted to backing Hulk Hogan's invasion of privacy lawsuit against Gawker Media. Thiel was outed by Gawker as gay in 2007. "It's less about revenge and more about specific deterrence," Thiel told The New York Times in his first interview since he was revealed as Hogan's backer. He added: "I saw Gawker pioneer a unique and incredibly damaging way of getting attention by bullying people even when there was no connection with the public interest." The Times reports that Thiel spent as much as $10 million on Hogan's suit over Gawker's publishing of a sex tape, which ended with a Florida court awarding the wrestler and actor $140 million in damages. Read More: Silicon Valley Billionaire Has Been Funding Hulk Hogan's Gawker Lawsuits (Report) In 2007, Gawker released an article, "Peter Thiel is totally gay, people," that outed Thiel and followed up with a series of articles that delved into his and his friend's private lives. Thiel says those stories "ruined people's lives for no reason." Since then, he has been plotting a secret campaign against Gawker as felt it was "worth fighting back." Thiel, the Times reports, has been secretly funding various lawsuits against Gawker for several years aimed at crippling the media company's finances. "I can defend myself. Most of the people they attack are not people in my category. They usually attack less prominent, far less wealthy people that simply can't defend themselves," Thiel told the Times. He added that "even someone like Terry Bollea [aka Hulk Hogan], who is a millionaire and famous and a successful person, didn't quite have the resources to do this alone." Read More: Hulk Hogan Brings Second Lawsuit Against Gawker By Ransdell Pierson NEW YORK, May 26 (Reuters) - Biotechnology company Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc on Thursday became the title sponsor of the most prestigious U.S. science competition for high school students, taking the baton from chipmaker Intel Corp . Regeneron pledged $100 million to support the Science Talent Search and related programs through 2026, and doubled awards for the top 300 scientists and their schools, to $2,000 each. Regeneron's two top executives competed in the annual event during the 1970s and went on to build one of the world's biggest biotech companies, with cutting-edge drugs for fighting macular degeneration, cancer and cholesterol. The fast-growing biotech company will take over as named sponsor from Intel, whose chips were helping build the personal computer industry in 1998 when it took over as sponsor from Westinghouse. That storied electronics and industrial giant had sponsored the talent search from 1942 to 1997. The competition, overseen by the nonprofit Society for Science & the Public, receives applications annually from more than 1,800 high school seniors, along with their original research in all areas of science, including mathematics. The field is winnowed to 300 young scientists, among whom 40 become finalists for a competition in Washington, D.C. Regeneron Chief Executive Len Schleifer competed in the Westinghouse Science Talent Search in 1970 with a project on Euclidian geometry. Company research chief George Yancopoulos was a top winner in 1976 for research that involved cutting protozoans in half to see what factors enabled the tiny organisms to regenerate. The young scholars stuck to the regeneration theme when Schleifer started Regeneron in 1988, with Yancopoulos its founding scientist. The company focused on discovering nerve-growth proteins that could regenerate neurons. They hoped to find cures for Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Those lofty efforts failed, but the company kept the Regeneron name as it changed course and focused on other diseases. Story continues A teacher at Forest Hills High School, in Queens, New York, encouraged Schleifer to enter the Westinghouse competition and gave him inspiration that has lasted a lifetime. "It taught me the value of having a teacher who really cared and served as my mentor," said Schleifer. He expressed concern that many fine young scientific minds have been lost over recent decades to more-glamorous fields like investment banking, but said the Regeneron Science Talent Search will hopefully keep many others on track. Intel in March said its sponsorship would be ending but provided no details. Company executives declined further comment on Wednesday, including whether the discontinued sponsorship was related to austerity moves as Intel moves forward with 12,000 planned job cuts globally. (Reporting by Ransdell Pierson; Editing by David Gregorio) Danny Lopez Blippar Blippar, the company that plans to create "a visual catalog of every object in the world, using image recognition technology and machine learning," announced in a press release on Thursday that senior British diplomat Danny Lopez would join its executive team as chief operating officer. Lopez is currently British consul general to New York and director general for UK trade and investment in the US. At 37, Lopez became the youngest ever British diplomat to take the prestigious New York post in 2011. During his five years in the role, Lopez drove trade and investment between British and American companies. Lopez will take up the new role at Blippar on August 15, according to the release. Will be v sorry to leave @foreignoffice and @UKTIUSA this summer but so excited to be joining @blippar https://t.co/3hObVBtFV2 Danny Lopez (@DannyLopez_UK) May 26, 2016 "I've enjoyed a front-row seat over the years watching Blippar grow from an upstart company in the UK to a major presence in New York and across the globe," Lopez said in the release. "Having seen the company develop industry-leading technologies, I'm bullish on Blippar's vision to transform the phone and head-mounted wearables into a virtual browser for the physical world, while establishing itself as a first-class media company," Lopez added. Blippar CEO Ambarish Mitra praised Lopez's experience in international business and economic development and his "operational prowess" and "strong leadership" in the release. In March, Blippar raised $54 million in Series D funding, to help it build a "visual browser." This took the company's total funding to $99 million. Story continues Mitra told Business Insider in 2015 that "what I'm trying to build is bigger than the internet itself." The yet-to-be-released-concept is a smartphone app that can recognize real-world objects, even as they go through subtle changes. On top of innumerable other potential uses, Mitra hopes Blippar's ability to recognize physical objects could help empower the illiterate. NOW WATCH: 7 incredibly tiny details you never noticed in your iPhone More From Business Insider (AFP file photo of Amos Yee from May 2015) By Rachel Chan Teenage blogger Amos Yee appeared in court Thursday morning (26 May) to face eight charges related to online posts he published between November last year and last Thursday (19 May). Five charges are for allegedly wounding the feelings of Muslims and one is for allegedly wounding the feelings of Christians. Two charges are for allegedly failing to report to the Jurong Police Division for order proceedings. The 17-year-old said that he will be claiming trial on all eight charges put forward by the prosecution. He was released on $5,000 bail. Yee was not represented by a lawyer, but said that he would try to engage one. Im not sure now, Ill try my best, he said. The judge extended his bail, and warned Yee that if he were to commit further offences while on bail, the prosecution could submit a request for no bail to be made. Yee said that he would comply if prosecution insists. Yees case will be heard again in a pre-trial conference on 30 May at 9.30am. Last year, Yee was jailed four weeks for uploading obscene images online and making offensive comments against Christianity. If convicted of deliberately wounding the religious feelings of others, Yee faces up to three years jail and a fine. For failing to report to the Jurong Police Division despite an order, Yee faces up to a months jail and a maximum fine of $1,500. While the New York Yankees appear ready to get back one underachieving veteran, they're uncertain as to when another will be available. Alex Rodriguez is expected to come off the disabled list Thursday, when the Yankees could again be minus slumping Mark Teixeira in the decisive finale against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. Batting .194 with five homers and 12 RBIs in 20 games, the 40-year-old Rodriguez is set to see his first major league action since going on the DL May 4 with a strained hamstring. Though he didn't try to push his leg over two rehab assignments at Double-A Trenton this week, Rodriguez said he feels fine. "Speed is not part of my game anymore," Rodriguez told MLB's official website. "My job is to give (Yankees manager) Joe (Girardi) and the Yankees quality at-bats and to be a dangerous bat in the middle of the lineup." Rodriguez has hardly done that in 2016 - and neither has Teixeira. The first baseman, batting .195 with three homers and 12 RBIs in 42 games, sat out Wednesday's 8-4 defeat with continued neck problems. "I think (the neck) has some effect (on his production)," Girardi said of Teixeira, who missed two games earlier this month. "I mean, if you can't move your neck the way you need to, it's kind of hard as a hitter. It was feeling better ... it just kind of reared its ugly head again, so I think it can have an effect." Another aging Yankees star, CC Sabathia (3-2, 3.41 ERA) is healthy and seeking a third straight winning start. Fresh off the DL from a groin strain, the left-hander allowed a run and struck out eight in six innings of Friday's 8-3 victory at Oakland. "I thought he got sharper as the night went on, which I think is even better," Girardi said. "You couldn't ask for anything more." Sabathia, who has yielded only that run over 13 innings in his last two outings, has a 6.00 ERA while losing two of his last three starts against the Blue Jays (23-25). Story continues Troy Tulowitzki is 3 for 5 against Sabathia and expects to face him again after sitting Wednesday with a sore right quadriceps. "I feel good," said Tulowitzki, who is 6 for 20 in his last five games. "Just give it another day and make sure I'm good to go. A little sore, but nothing to worry about." Former Yankees catcher Russell Martin homered twice Wednesday as Toronto snapped New York's six-game winning streak. The Blue Jays totaled six runs while losing two of three prior to the victory. Chase Headley and Didi Gregorius each homered and combined for five hits for the Yankees (22-23), who were trying to move above .500 for the first time since April 13. That was the same day J.A. Happ (5-2, 3.43) gave up a run in six innings of a 7-2 home win over New York. After being roughed up for eight runs in two-plus innings of a 13-2 loss to Tampa Bay on May 16, the left-hander allowed all three of his runs in Minnesota's five-run eighth of Toronto's 5-3 defeat Saturday. "Other than the eighth inning, I felt really good about it," he said. Including the postseason, Rodriguez is 0 for 12 with three walks against Happ. Ninad Ambre BMW has recently rolled out the locally assembled X1 from its plant in Chennai. The SUV was showcased and launched at the 2016 Auto Expo at the start of the year and deliveries are expected to begin this month. Priced at Rs 29.9 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), the X1 is available in three variants - Expedition, xLine and M Sport. This is the second generation of the X1, which looks quite aggressive and sporty than the outgoing model. It has grown in size, which in turn has liberated some more space inside the cabin. It comes packed with new features and is the first BMW X1 to use the front-wheel drive architecture. This new BMW X1 is powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine that produces 190bhp of power and 400Nm of torque. This unit comes mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The petrol model is slated to be launched later this year. The BMW X1 was long in the tooth and the next-gen variant of the crossover was much-anticipated for the Indian market. It was first showcased officially at the 2015 Frankfurt International Motor Show after which it was launched globally. Now that it is launched for the Indian market as well, it will go up against the Mercedes-Benz GLA Class and the Audi Q3 in our country. BMW X1 at 2016 Auto Expo For more news,reviews,videos and information about cars, visit CarWale.com. Check On-Road Prices | Find New Cars | Upcoming Cars | Compare Cars | Dealer Locator * Brazil's Usiminas appoints Sergio Leite as CEO * 6 of Usiminas 11 board members voted for Leite -source * Nippon Steel to take legal action to get decision annulled (Adds Nippon Steel comment in paragraph 4, bullet points) By Guillermo Parra-Bernal SAO PAULO, May 25 (Reuters) - Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais SA tapped veteran executive Sergio Leite as chief executive officer on Wednesday, as Brazil's largest listed flat steelmaker battles to revive a business hurt by a recession, cheap imports and rising debt. In a securities filing, the board of Belo Horizonte, Brazil-based Usiminas approved a management shuffle in which Ascanio de Figueiredo Silva was picked to replace Leite as senior vice president for sales. Ronald Seckelmann will remain as chief financial officer, the filing said. Reuters reported earlier in the day that six of Usiminas' 11 board members had voted to elect Leite. A source who spoke under condition of anonymity said three board members voted against Leite's nomination and the rest abstained. Shareholder Nippon Steel said that the resolution for the appointment of the CEO was made without its consent and it intends to take legal action to get the decision annulled. While the decision may not mark the end of the disagreements between controlling shareholders Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp and Techint Group, analysts said that Leite's appointment could signal that the two-year rift for control of the ailing steelmaker is easing. The dispute has put the brakes on Usiminas' efforts to cope with the worst Brazilian recession in decades, rising debt and fiercer competition from Chinese steel imports. The company, which employs around 25,000, shut a mill in the southeastern town of Cubatao late last year due to low steel demand. "In our opinion, the election of a new CEO should be seen as a positive development for Usiminas," said Rodolfo Angele, an analyst with JPMorgan Securities. Leite's election suggests that Techint is regaining space in Usiminas, he added. Story continues The media office of Usiminas declined to comment further, while Techint representatives had no immediate comment. BITTER BATTLE Voting shares of Usiminas rose 1.3 percent to 4.95 reais on the news, while non-voting shares added 2.4 percent to 1.74 reais. Both classes of stock are down 71 percent and 67 percent, respectively, over the past 12 months. Apart from Nippon Steel and Techint, which controls steelmaker Ternium SA, the board of Usiminas includes representatives for the mill's employees, retirees and minority shareholders, including rival Cia Siderurgica Nacional SA . A metallurgic engineer, Leite is a four-decade veteran who served as the company's top sales and commercial strategist for the past four CEOs. He replaces Romel de Souza, who was backed by Nippon Steel. According to analysts, Leite's most pressing task is clinching a refinancing of up to 4 billion reais ($1.1 billion) in maturing bank loans. He is also seen as key to helping Nippon Steel and Techint iron out their differences more swiftly, especially after both firms took part in a 1 billion-real capital injection for Usiminas that was finalized this week. After two years of Techint-led management that saw Usiminas reverse losses, cut debt, bolster cash and boost productivity, Nippon Steel broke off with the Italian company after accusing some of its executives of mismanaging Usiminas. Nippon Steel then allied with Brazilian billionaire investor Lirio Parisotto and other minority shareholders to appoint new management and push Techint aside from day-to-day operations. Their bitter battle coincided with the deepening of a slump in Brazil's demand for cars and home appliances that are made with Usiminas steel. ($1 = 3.6067 Brazilian reais) (With additional reporting by Tatiana Bautzer and Brad Haynes in Sao Paulo and Yuka Obayashi in Tokyo; Editing by Paul Simao and Alexander Smith) It could so easily have gone drastically wrong, and for a minute it felt like it might. When Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould announced they were looking to spin Breaking Bads zany lawyer Saul Goodman off into his own half-hour sitcom, none of the precedent set by Bad could settle fan fears that it was a big mistake. How could one of the most highly acclaimed crime dramas in television history spawn a law procedural sitcom without fracturing memories of the serious intensity that defined the original? But when a retooled one-hour drama aired last year as Better Call Saul, it felt less like a poor imitation than a stay of execution. Even after Breaking Bads grand finale, it promised, there would be more stories to tell in the compelling Albuquerque underworld Gilligan had imagined. Just another taste. Breaking Bad ended before people were done with it, says Bob Odenkirk, who plays Sauls pre-Bad alter ego Jimmy McGill. That was a big boost for us. If that show had gone three more seasons, and then we tried to do Better Call Saul, there would have been nowhere near as much goodwill and hunger for more. It was the storytelling, agrees Jonathan Banks, the other Bad holdover in the cast, who plays Mike Erhmantraut. Its like the ending of Les Miserables, where you dont want it to stop. As the two actors sit down to discuss the recently-wrapped second season, Odenkirk credits Gilligan and Gould for finding a way in. They created a show that, from the start, felt bold and unique and surprising. It wasnt playing into your expectations, and thats a big thing. It didnt feel any responsibility to Breaking Bad; they just let it be what it was, and theyre finding what that is all the time. This is no exaggeration. At a PaleyFest event in February, Gilligan and Gould stressed repeatedly that they dont have as much of a grand plan for the show as fans and critics would like to believe. Theyd expected that Jimmy might have adopted the Saul Goodman moniker by the end of Season 1, but the writing hasnt led them there to date. Their process, instead, has been to find the story in the telling of it, and its only in the hopeful minds of fans that it might one day wrap up with Saul Goodman shaking hands with Walter White. This was the same approach taken for Breaking Bad too, so why break with a winning formula? Story continues People have an immense amount of patience for well-crafted storytelling and they dont really need those bells and whistles, continues Odenkirk. What you get in Saul is the very high standard [Vince and Peter] set themselves, and we all get to trust that were going somewhere. Banks thinks that if Better Call Saul does no more than tap the rich backstory of these characters, itll have heightened the experience of Breaking Bad no matter where it ends up. Theres a lot to be seen. Youve never seen Mike be treated gently, for example, and I have a feeling its one of those things where the weakness in the beast is when somebody shows tenderness. But I like the mystery of Mike. He was separate in Breaking Bad and hes separate in Better Call Saul. He lives out theresomewhere else. Still, if the Mike we meet in Saul isnt too far removed from the one we meet in Bad, its in Odenkirks fragile, naive Jimmy McGill that we find a real distance still to travel. Not to mention an extreme difference in tone from the high-stakes crime of Breaking Bad to a quieter, more pensive drama that has dealt with topics as thrilling as elder law and Cocobolo desks. More than once, Banks heaps praise on his co-star for making Jimmy compelling enough to sell that shift. Taking this show was a huge risk for all of us, but Ill never stop blowing smoke for Bobby, because he came in, did page after page after page of monologue, and he deserves to give himself credit for pulling it off. Odenkirk screws his face up, but Banks persists. No, you do. I know youre self-critical, but you gotta give yourself so much credit for what you did with this character. Yeah, but I had nothing at stake, Jon, Odenkirk counters. I had no status in this world as a dramatic actor that I could lose. I was a comedy and sketch writer, and that was who I was, and I was lucky enough not to have been famous enough as a comic actor that I had anything to work against. Banks rolls his eyes. Bobby will yammer and yammer, as he always does, but this is what it fking came down to: he did it. Two years from now, then I will brag. Well Im gonna brag on you now, because you deserve it. Of course, like so many of Walter Whites clients chasing after their hit of Blue, the voracious appetite of Breaking Bad fans has them clamoring to find out when their favorite characters might crossover into Jimmys world. This years arc marked a welcome return for Mark Margolis as the villainous Cartel boss Hector Salamanca, witnessed before the stroke that rendered his character motionless and silent in Bad. Albuquerques not the biggest city in the world, argues Odenkirk, and its not at all overpopulated, so youd run into each other in these circles. These people are out in the world. Theres a real underbelly of the drug trade, says Banks of the real Albuquerque. A couple of retired police officers I talked to said that when Castro emptied out his prisons, and they all landed in Miami, the Catholics sent a bus for them and brought them to Albuquerque. Put them to work in the Octopus Car Wash for a month, got them a room. They had taken over the drug trade in 60 days, and I mean brutally. With Mike inserting himself into that world this season, and Jimmy hovering nearby ready to tag along, its probably safe to assume we will, soon, witness the emergence of slimy Saul. This seasons final moments hinted that Jimmys legit days may be numbered, after all. Its a bit of the Wild West, Odenkirk says, to follow Banks Albuquerque tale. You can imagine this st happening. You can pull all this stuff off, and nobody can find you. Related stories 'Ride With Norman Reedus' Review: 'Walking Dead' Star's Biker Series A Real Joyride 'The Night Of The Gun' Miniseries In Works At AMC With Bob Odenkirk As David Carr 'The Son': Jacob Lofland To Play Young Version Of Pierce Brosnan's Eli In AMC Drama Boeing 757 La Compagnie The 757 was always a bit of an odd duck for Boeing. It's a twin-engine narrow-body airliner that's larger than the run-of-the-mill 737, but smaller than wide-body jets like the 787 Dreamliner. It's a true tweener in Boeing's lineup. Though the Renton, Washington-based plane maker booked more than 1,000 orders for the jets over its two decades in production, it was never a hot seller. By the early 2000s, sales of the 757 had all but dried up, and Boeing put the plane out to pasture in 2004. But a decade later, airlines have come to understand that the 757's odd-ball tweener nature has translated into incredible flexibility. It generates profits both in short-range domestic flights and on long-haul trans-Atlantic ones. "It is the most effective and best single-aisle airplane around," La Compagnie founder and CEO Frantz Yvelin told Business Insider. "In the business, we used to call it the workhorse." The startup boutique French airline operates a pair of the planes, each decked out with 74 business-class seats. However, as the 757s grow older, airlines are looking for an effective way to replace them, and right now they don't seem to have any they like. Boeing 'made a mistake' Last year at the Paris Air Show, rumors of a 757 replacement known as a "middle of market" jet became one of the big stories to emerge from the show. Boeing, though, doesn't have concrete plans yet for a new middle-of-market jet. Despite the apparent need from airlines, the carrier says the economic case doesn't exist yet. In statement to Business Insider, the company said: There isnt a set timeline for a decision. We continue to talk with our customers and evaluate the best low-risk solution around production system architecture, technologies and market needs for any new development programs. There are no firm plans at this stage but we constantly assess where the market is and where our customers are going. Overall the 737 MAX family with multiple models, is very well positioned to offer a network solution to meet the industrys single aisle addressable demand. Story continues Boeing 757 Delta Airlines Yvelin does not think Boeing made right move by abandoning the jet. "I think Boeing made a big mistake stopping the production of the 757," the CEO said. Instead, Yvelin who has founded two separate airlines that operate 757s exclusively believes Boeing should have stuck with the plane and developed updated versions with new wings and engines like Airbus has done with the A320 and A330. Yvelin sold his first airline to British Airways in 2008. "I know a lot of people at Boeing, and I believe they are regretting their decision," Yvelin added. "Perhaps one day they will do a true successor to the 757." Currently, the closest either Boeing or Airbus can come to a replacement for the long-serving jet are the 737MAX9 and A321neoLR. Both planes are stretched and updated versions of aircraft designed for other missions and adapted to fill the 757's role in the lineup. Boeing 737 MAX 9 As a result, neither can truly match the 757's range and performance. And so Yvelin sees them at best as partial replacements. Since there isn't a ready-made replacement for the 757 available today, Yvelin expects La Compagnie to keep the planes around until 2021. His airline is in talks with both Airbus and Boeing to acquire new A321s or 737MAX9s to supplement its 757s. Certainly, a tiny airline like La Compagnie would never justify Boeing doing anything like building a new jet (or even restarting production of an old one). But major 757 operators such as American, Delta, and United face the same issue on a much larger scale. With their fleets of 757s close to 20 years old, all three airlines have indicated that they are looking for a long-term replacement and that they have no desire to retire the jet. Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian told local media in Seattle this month that he is "absolutely" interested in a middle-of-market jet from Boeing. In the meantime, they plan to keep their 757s in operation for now. Delta, the 757's largest operator with nearly 130 in its fleet, has even refurbished their planes with brand-new interiors. No economic case Building a new middle-of-market jet from scratch would cost tens of billions of dollars and years of development time. According to the airplane maker, that economic case doesn't exist at the moment. Korean Air Airbus A321neo Boeing's marketing chief Randy Tinseth told a group of aviation financiers in February that a middle-of-market jet doesn't quite make sense for the company at the moment, Reuters reported. Instead, the Boeing believes that the heart of the single-aisle jet market is with the smaller 737MAX8 and A320neo-sized planes. "Boeing's product has the clear advantage in this space," a company spokesperson said in a statement. But that's really beside the point. Although the Boeing does offer a pseudo replacement for the 757, airlines aren't buying it. Boeing has a robust 3,200 order backlog for the 737MAX line of jets, but only a small number of them are MAX9s. The company does not publicly break down the sales of the individual MAX variants. However, data from Flightglobal indicates that Boeing has sold only 224 of the planes. According to Airbus, it has 1,117 orders for the rival A321neo. This means that Boeing is being outsold 5-to-1. If that trend continues, the business case for a 757 replacement may become a lot more enticing for Boeing. NOW WATCH: Heres what you get for $4.5 million the Honda Civic of jets More From Business Insider Bravo is beefing up their development slate with seven new unscripted series, including a new Andy Cohen celebrity-filled project, Look Whos Hosting Live. The new development slate also includes a show hosted by Million Dollar Listing New York star Ryan Serhant, a new real estate show and even a game show. With this development slate, we are building on Bravos robust and successful tradition of buzzy, unique format shows, said Lara Spotts, Bravos SVP of Development.. Its a diverse collection of shows which all include the signature Bravo wink and delicious drama that our viewers love to unwind to. Bravo is home to mostly unscripted shows, including the popular Real Housewives franchise, which recently expanded with installments in Potomac and Dallas. The NBCUniversal cabler broke into scripted programming with dramedy Girlfriends Guide to Divorce, which just landed a mega three-season renewal, then comedy Odd Mom Out, and a new scripted series My So Called Wife was recently greenlit. The cable net has been picking up ratings steam lately from Real Housewives of New York City and another reality series Southern Charm. With the slew of development projects announced today, Bravo is placing a continued effort on expanding the unscripted pop culture and lifestyle genre in which theyve had much success. Take a look at the seven new development projects in the works at Bravo: Look Whos Hosting Live Watch What Happens Live host Andy Cohen turns the tables on celebrities who have envied his job and gives them the ultimate opportunity to host their own live late night talk show, for one night only. From writing monologues, to picking their sidekicks and guests, these hosts-for-a-night will get the chance to live out their fantasy and design their dream show. Produced by Embassy Row and Most Talkative. Exec producers are Deirdre Connolly, John Jude Schultz, Michael Davies and Andy Cohen. Employee of the Month Story continues They say a great salesperson can sell anything to anyone. Nobody exemplifies this better than top realtor Ryan Serhant. In this fish-out-of-water experiment, Ryan will team up with under-performing sales representatives that deal in anything from cars to seafood to caskets. While Ryan learns the tricks of that particular trade, he will also give the low-selling employee a head-to-toe business overhaul and turn them into sales machines. Produced by World of Wonder. Exec producers are Randy Barbato, Fenton Bailey and Tom Campbell. Ryan Serhant is co-pxecutive Producer. Real Estate Wars Two rival real estate agencies in Orange County, California will go head to head in the ultimate competition for pride and prize to see who can sell the most property in six months. Each agency will build an all-star team as they battle for listings and fight for sales of some of the countrys most enviable estates. With egos on the line, this showdown is less about winning and more about proving who runs this city. Produced by World of Wonder. Exec producers are Randy Barbato, Fenton Bailey, Tom Campbell and Elise Duran. Stripped Based on a Scandinavian format, this social experiment tests materialistic individuals who agree to be stripped of everything they own including clothing, furniture and all their coveted possessions for 21 days to find out how their life will be affected. Each day, they will be permitted to take back one item that they cant live without. This is a survival challenge that doesnt take place on a desert island, wilderness or outback, but in the confines of ones own home. Produced by Original Media. Exec producers are Steven Weinstock, Glenda Hersh and Todd Hurvitz. Id Kill for That Double Dare meets Dolce & Gabbana and Wipeout meets Wang in this physical game show that tests how far you would go to win a Birkin bag, Louboutins worn by a coveted Bravolebrity or the latest it watch. Each week, friends, co-workers and family members will compete against each other in a series of trivia, brain teasers and hilarious physical obstacles in hopes of winning an enviable object of their desire. Produced by Embassy Row. Exec producers are Michael Davies, plus Realizer Productions Matt Berkowitz and Shauna Monoprio. State of Affairs Outspoken and no-nonsense infidelity expert Dr. Lisa Paz believes there is no such thing as monogamy and the cheater isnt always the villain. In this project, she will counsel couples rocked by affairs with her unorthodox beliefs and radical methods to help them decide if they can get past the betrayal and stay together or if they should call it quits. Produced by Fascination Street. Exec produces are Drew Brown and Steve Berkowitz. Invitation Only Managing different personalities can be overwhelming, especially when friends clash. In this arcing docu-series, one person will invite a handful of their closest friends from different phases in their life to meet for the very first time and embark on an incredible getaway. With everyone under one roof, will one vacationers emotional baggage ruin the group dynamic or will the high school bestie make a love connection with the office confidant? Produced by 495 Productions. SallyAnn Salsano is exec producing. Related stories Ratings: Bravo's 'Real Housewives of NYC,' 'Southern Charm' Picking Up Steam TV News Roundup: 'Real Housewives of New Jersey' Sets Season Premiere Date TV News Roundup: Animated 'Blues Brothers' Series in the Works London (AFP) - Campaigners wanting Britain to leave the European Union warned on Thursday that immigration had "spun out of control", as the new mayor of London launched his campaign for the country to stay in the bloc. Exactly four weeks before the so-called Brexit referendum on June 23, the Office for National Statistics published data putting net migration -- the difference between those arriving and leaving Britain -- at 333,000 last year. The record of 336,000 was set in June last year. A total of 270,000 EU citizens came to Britain last year, up 6,000 from 2014, while and net EU migration was up 10,000 at 184,000. "The system has spun out of control," Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson, the former London mayor and a possible successor to Prime Minister David Cameron, said in a statement. "We cannot control the numbers. We cannot control the terms on which people come and how we remove those who abuse our hospitality. This puts huge pressure on schools, hospitals and housing." He said Britain had benefited from immigration but it had to be limited, and staying in the EU meant "kissing goodbye permanently to control of immigration". UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage tweeted: "Mass immigration still hopelessly out of control and set to get worse if we Remain in EU." Many Europeans are drawn to Britain due to its relatively strong economy, and under EU rules of freedom of movement, they are entitled to move to the UK. Brexit supporters have put ending this freedom of movement at the heart of their campaign. Immigration minister James Brokenshire said the number of people moving to Britain "remains too high" but said that leaving the EU was "no panacea". - London mayor's 'positive' push - The referendum contest remains close. The "Remain" camp is on 53 percent and the "Leave" campaign on 47 percent, according to the What UK Thinks website's average of the most recent six opinion polls. Story continues New London mayor Sadiq Khan said he wanted to move the debate away from so-called scare stories seeking to frighten voters into either the "Leave" or "Remain" camps. He said he was pushing a "positive case" for staying in rather than simply predicting doom if Britain voted the other way. "What we need to be doing, people like me who passionately believe that we should remain in the EU, is to argue the positive case for remaining," he told AFP at a meeting with young entrepreneurs in the British capital. The opposition Labour mayor said a "Remain" victory would help boost workers' rights, improve air quality and support the battle against climate change while keeping Britain safe. "So far the debate has largely been dominated by the potential risks on either side, with one side saying if we leave, the world as we know it will end. The other side saying if we stay, it will be the end of times," Khan told the entrepreneurs. "Frankly, neither is right. We would survive outside the EU but we'll be diminished as a country as a result." Conservative leader Cameron is heading the case for Britain to stay in the EU. But Steve Hilton, one of his closest friends in politics, said Cameron would be in the Brexit camp were he not the prime minister. "I'm certain that he would be for Leave. That's his whole instinct. That's who he is," Hilton, previously Cameron's most senior advisor, told The Times newspaper. "As prime minister he sees it from a different perspective." By Ben Gruber REUTERS - Scientists have recorded the first ever microscopic movies of water being vaporized by the world's brightest X-ray laser. Aside from creating a series of mesmerizing videos, the data gathered at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, in Menlo Park, California, could shed new light on X-ray lasers, and how these extremely bright, fast flashes of light take atomic-level snapshots of some of nature's speediest processes. "It could also help us find new ways of using explosions caused by X-rays to trigger changes in samples and study matter under extreme conditions," says Claudiu Stan of Stanford PULSE Institute, a joint institute of Stanford University and SLAC. "These studies could help us better understand a wide range of phenomena in X-ray science and other applications." The team injected water into the path of the laser as a series of individual drops, as well as a continuous jet. As each individual X-ray pulse hit the water, a single image was recorded, timed from five billionths of a second to one ten-thousandth of a second after the pulse. These images were then strung together to create the movies. Liquids are commonly used to put scientific samples into the path of an X-ray beam for analysis. The experiments show in detail how the explosive interaction unfolds and provides clues as to how it could affect X-ray laser experiments. The study was published this week in the journal Nature Physics. (Reporting by Leela de Kretser; Editing by Chris Reese) By Andy Bruce LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's government said on Thursday it had started discussions on overhauling the deficit-laden British Steel Pension Scheme, a major stumbling block for potential buyers of Tata Steel's UK assets. With serious offers now on the table for Tata Steel UK, Britain's government is racing against time to find a way to put the company's British pension fund on a sound footing to help facilitate a sale. The consultation is looking at separating the pension scheme from Tata Steel and reducing its outgoings, while avoiding a collapse into the Pension Protection Fund (PPF), a government safety net that would leave many pensioners worse off. Steel industry trade unions said it would be an "unmitigated disaster" if the scheme were allowed to fall into the PPF. The British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS) is one of Britain's largest defined benefit plans, with 130,000 members. Even with a solvent employer sponsoring it, the scheme's 14 billion pounds of liabilities exceeds its 13.3 billion pounds in assets. Britain's steel industry has been hit by cheap Chinese imports, high energy costs and a global supply glut. India's Tata said in March it wanted to sell its remaining plants in the country, putting 15,000 jobs at risk and adding to the political pressure to find a rescue plan. The consultation process concludes on June 23, the date of a politically divisive referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union. CHEAPER FORMULA The government said it was giving consideration to a proposal put forward by the BSPS and supported by Tata. This would keep the pension scheme intact but require new legislation to allow a reduction in future benefits -- an almost impossible task under current regulations. "Although this would entail future pension increases being cut back from their current levels, benefits would be more generous than those provided by the PPF for the vast majority of scheme members," said Allan Johnston, chair of the board of trustees of the BSPS. Its annual increases in pension payments are linked to retail price inflation, but the new legislation would allow the BSPS to benchmark them against consumer price inflation (CPI), which is much lower. "Moving to CPI is likely to reduce pension liabilities by around 2.5 billion pounds," said Clive Forbes, partner at pensions consultancy Hymans Robertson. The government said this proposal would be a one-off, given the size of the BSPS and the urgency of resolving its problems ahead of a sale of Tata Steel's UK assets. The main opposition Labour party sought assurances that it would not herald wider pension reforms. "Any resolution ... must ensure that it avoids setting a potentially dangerous precedent for the millions of other occupational pensioners who currently enjoy RPI indexation rights," Labour business spokeswoman Angela Eagle told parliament. (Reporting by Andy Bruce; editing by Keith Weir) ISE-SHIMA, Japan Reuters) - Britain plans to send a navy warship to help battle the smuggling of both people and arms off the coast of Libya, Prime Minister David Cameron will tell G7 leaders on Thursday. The European Union this week agreed to help rebuild Libya's shattered navy and coastguard to tackle migrant smugglers after a plea for aid from the new U.N.-backed unity government in Tripoli. A U.N. Security Council resolution would be needed to go after arms traffickers on the high seas, ministers said at the time. A government spokesman said that during a session on foreign affairs on Thursday evening, Cameron would set out Britain's plans to increase its involvement in the region, where it already has four ships. "(The prime minister will) make the argument it is a global challenge requiring a comprehensive solution, reiterate our determination to work with the Libyan government and help them build the capacity of their coastguard to help them intercept boats off the Libyan coast," the spokesman said. "We will now take an active leadership role in that process ... Once the relevant U.N. security resolutions are in place, we intend to deploy a navy warship to the region to assist in the interception of arms and human smuggling." U.N.-backed Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Seraj, who has yet to establish his government beyond Tripoli, wrote to EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini to request the naval support, as well as possible training for Libyan security personnel. A British government official said there had not yet been a formal request from Libya to operate within its waters, but one was expected "fairly swiftly". The warship could be operating in the area within weeks, the official added. The EU's "Operation Sophia" mission operates in international waters near Libya but is too far out to destroy boats used by people smugglers, catch traffickers or head off migrants seeking to reach Europe by sea from Libya. (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) Bruce Springsteen and Fergie were some of the first musicians featured on LiveXLive's new HD multi-channel digital network last weekend, with their Rock in Rio performances streamed live across the world. Adele Says Bruce Springsteen Proved He's a True Gentleman The new LiveXLive Digital Music Network launched last week in advance of its live streaming of all five days of Rock in Rio Lisboa, which began Thursday in Lisbon, Portugal. The live festival streaming will pick up again this weekend, starting Friday with sets by Hollywood Vampires and Korn, and continue into the weekend with Maroon 5, Avicii, Ariana Grande, Charlie Puth and many others. As well as performance footage, the LiveXLive coverage will include artist interviews and additional content. Fergie Leaves Fans 'Hungry' for More With New Music Teaser: Watch The Rock in Rio coverage marks the beginning of what LiveXLive hopes will position the company as the ESPN of music events. The network is two years in the making and is working to secure more of music's biggest festivals, concerts and more. In addition to LiveXLive's online network, the company plans to launch a mobile app later this year for on-the-go concert viewing. EXCLUSIVE: Flagship Theatres has achieved another win in its circuit dealing case against Cinemark, heading back to Los Angeles Superior Court with a new date and new judge. Flagship won a reversal in the California Court of Appeal, 2nd District after Judges Allan J. Goodman and H. Chester Horn, Jr. threw the case out in 2013 over the loss of business emails between Flagship co-owner Brian Tabor and numerous studio parties he was involved with in booking films at the Palm Desert venue. The appeals court ruled that Goodman and Horns previous ruling was an abuse of discretion. The win on appeal came after after arguments were heard before the judge by both parties on on May 17th. This also comes at a time of great scrutiny by the courts and federal and state investigative bodies into the clearance issue between exhibition and the studios. While no trial date has yet been set for the Flagship v. Century Theaters (Cinemark) case, one has been set for another high-profile case involving theater chains Regal and AMC. The lawsuit that charged both with conspiracy by upscale theater chain iPics who state that the larger circuits were working together to kill off the competition in certain markets is going forward and scheduled for trial on Oct. 3 in Texas. The Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and several state attorneys general are taking this issue quite seriously and have been investigating the competitive practices of Regal, AMC, Cinemark over exclusionary boycott demands and potential violations of antitrust laws. This case dovetails into that. On April 26, the Cinemas Palme dOr announced that it was closing its doors on June 30 because they could no longer stay solvent, citing Cinemarks constant pressure on studios and distributors shutting them out of major titles. Cinemas Palme dOrs landlord no longer could offer a lease extension after the theater was continually late with its rent. A new owner has taken over the venue, Tristone Cinema Group of Wildomar, CA., and will re-open the theater under a new name July 1. Story continues The owners of Cinemas Palme dOr are multi-Emmy winner Bryan Cranston, ESPN Radio host Steve Mason, Andreas Mauritzson and Tabor. Its unfortunate that weve had to choose this long path to seek justice, but we are pleased with the courts decision, Cranston said. We look forward to telling our story to a jury. Added co-owner Mason: Cinemark has been vicious to deal with from day one. I have spent years begging, coaxing, cajoling and fighting with the studios for film, and Cinemark has used its gigantic circuit size to intimidate distribution. Their sole purpose was to drive us out of business. Cinemarks focus is on eliminating competition. The system has been rigged against every independent theatre in America. Anita Busch contributed to this story. Related stories Lionsgate Joins Fox, Par & Uni In Nixing Exhibitor Clearance Requests: What Does This Mean For The Biz? 'All The Way' Review: Bryan Cranston & Anthony Mackie Superb In LBJ/MLK Pic Cinemark Found Not Liable For 2012 Colorado Theater Shooting From Cosmopolitan The University of Oregon issued a statement saying they were "actively investigating" why California's Lake Shasta was left a "disgrace" after 1,000 sorority and fraternity members partied there last weekend. According to ABC News, it took 25 workers five hours to clean up the half-mile stretch of land the students stayed on. According to OregonLive.com, this is an annual trip for the college students and one that is unsanctioned by the school. "What was different about this one," spokeswoman for the Shasta-Trinity National Forest Phyllis Swanson said, "is they left behind an incredible amount of trash." Swanson also noted its illegal to abandon property or litter in a national forest like this one. Photos posted on Facebook by California residents express disgust at what was left behind on Slaughterhouse Island. Garbage, mountains of alcohol, stray, destroyed furniture, and a cooler that reads "DO YOU WANNA DO SOME BLOW MAN?" are just part of the damage. University spokesman Tobin Klinger told ABC they are aware the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity was involved and part of the investigation is figuring out who else participated: "You're going to have a variety of people, not exclusively one fraternity or sorority, not exclusively one university, not exclusively Greek, non-Greek." Vice president of student life Robin Holmes said Lambda Chi Alpha nationals suspended the school's chapter from all activities during the investigation. The most recent post on the school's Greek life Facebook page is an apology from the men of Lambda Chi, saying they've reached out to the United States Forest Service to arrange to help them clean up the area and that this recent behavior does not "reflect the values of our community here at OU." See some photos posted of the incident below. Follow Tess on Twitter. By Rory Carroll SAN FRANCISCO, May 25 (Reuters) - California sold just 11 percent of the carbon emission permits it offered at auction last week, state environmental officials said on Wednesday, a surprisingly poor showing that reinforced criticism that the program has an oversupply of permits. California and trading partner Quebec hold the quarterly auctions as part of their cap-and-trade program, which puts a price on carbon by requiring large emitters like manufacturers and oil refineries to either cut their output or obtain a steadily declining number of emissions permits. California carbon allowances (CCAs) have been trading about 30 cents below the auction price floor of $12.73 per tonne in the secondary market for weeks, pressured by concerns about a lawsuit against the program and questions about its political support. The California Chamber of Commerce filed the lawsuit in 2012, arguing that the auctions amount to an illegal tax. Earlier this year, an appeals court judge sent letters to lawyers on both sides with detailed questions about the case, shaking market confidence. Some market sources had expected the state to sell at least half of its offering, and were surprised that it sold just 7.3 million of the 67.7 million permits covering 2016 emissions and 9 percent of the permits offered to cover 2019 emissions. Since California only managed to only sell permits consigned to it by utility companies at the May auction, it will be required to hold back about 36 million state-owned permits until it conducts two consecutive sell-out auctions. Market sources said the requirement, designed to remove excess supply from the market, should help bring demand back in the short term. Mary Nichols, chair of market regulator the California Air Resources Board, said the goal of the cap-and-trade program was to reduce emissions, not sell permits. If allowances go unsold, that means reductions are occurring beyond the program's annual targets and the program is working, she said in a statement. Story continues "Although the program, like all markets, is subject to some fluctuation, we remain on a steady low-carbon trajectory with a historic transition to more efficient and sustainable energy use," Nichols said. The weak demand raises the prospect that California will not earn as much money from the sales as it had expected. Money raised from the auctions goes into an account dedicated to funding low-carbon programs like California's high-speed rail project. The state's failure to sell out of permits during its February auction and again at last week's auction raises the prospect that the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which was expected by the state to receive about $2 billion a year, could fall short. (Reporting by Rory Carroll; Editing by Richard Chang) The Daily Beast Kremlin via ReutersThe cracks in Vladimir Putins war machine appear to be growing as two of his biggest allies in the senseless slaughter of Ukrainians blast the countrys weak military.Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov went public with his complaints late Monday on Telegram, where he said he was very unhappy with the current state of the war.Earlier we used to say that we were conducting a special military operation on the territory of Ukraine, but the war is already happening on our territor By Rania El Gamal and Alex Lawler DUBAI/LONDON (Reuters) - For those seeking guidance on Saudi Arabia's thinking regarding the future of OPEC, the last few weeks' agenda of the new Saudi energy minister, Khalid al-Falih, might offer a few clues. Since his appointment on May 7 as head of a new mega-ministry - overseeing energy, industry, mining, atomic power and renewables - Falih has toured six state firms, met the South Korean premier, the Canadian foreign minister and Gulf industry ministers, and opened a gas turbine plant. To fellow members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, that speaks volumes. Unlike his predecessor Ali al-Naimi, Falih may not have much time for OPEC. The group meets on June 2, its first talks with the new minister in attendance. For oil-price hawks such as Iran, Algeria and Venezuela, fears are growing that the 56-year-old OPEC is losing its role as an output-setting cartel and turning into a talking shop. "Saudi Arabia killed OPEC and buried it," a senior OPEC source from a non-Gulf producer said. "In OPEC, they go for (including) Indonesia and Gabon to convert OPEC to a forum," the source said, referring to OPEC's decision, supported by Riyadh, to include minor producers. As a historic reminder, OPEC last decided to change output in December 2008, when it cut supply amid slowing demand due to a global financial crisis. Between 1998 and 2008, OPEC made 27 changes to output. For decades, Saudi Arabia, Vienna-based OPEC's largest producer and de facto leader, had a preferred range for oil prices and, if unhappy, would try to orchestrate a group-wide production cut or increase. But a technology-driven spike in non-OPEC output such as that of U.S. shale and growing fuel efficiency led Riyadh to conclude that the era of fast oil growth might be ending. Hence, in the past two years Riyadh has stuck to a strategy of fighting for market share, thinking that pumping more oil now at low prices is better than producing less in the future. Story continues Many OPEC members - apart from Riyadh's allies in the Gulf, such as Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates - were unprepared for that shift, with their finances crippled by heavy debts and stagnant production. Venezuela and Nigeria pressed Saudi Arabia to agree to price-boosting output cuts, and even Riyadh's arch-rival Iran is signaling it will be ready for renewed dialogue on freezing production once it reaches pre-sanctions levels. "Of course, the issue of the role of OPEC can be raised. Some members want OPEC to play a more significant role in managing the market," said an OPEC delegate from one of the main producing countries in the Middle East. Earlier this year, Iran refused to join an initiative to freeze output but signaled it would be part of a future effort once its production had recovered sufficiently. An OPEC watcher said: "Other producers are going to want to come and revive the freeze agreement. Iran is now at pre-sanctions levels. And though the worst has been avoided, the reality is that many of these producers remain under real stress." MULTI-TASKING Saudi and Iranian OPEC delegates clashed earlier this month over long-term strategy, with Riyadh saying OPEC should not manage the market and Tehran arguing that the group had been created to perform precisely that task. The tensions come amid a backdrop of worsening relations between Riyadh and Tehran, which are fighting proxy wars in the Middle East, including in Yemen and Syria. To be sure, OPEC has weathered internal strife and conflict before - such as in the 1980s, when Iran and Iraq were at war. It has been through periods that saw it fail to influence prices such as the 1990s - only to return and control the market. But it is hard to see OPEC regaining its grip, unless the Saudi position - driven by Falih's ultimate boss, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman - changes dramatically. Falih's tasks - his ministry is to oversee half of the economy, not to mention plans for a share listing in state oil giant Saudi Aramco - are likely to divert more of his time away from OPEC. "That is going to keep Falih busy and I imagine his priorities will be economic reforms and integrating new portfolios," said Richard Mallinson, geopolitical risk analyst at the think-tank Energy Aspects. OPEC has no supply target. At its last meeting in December the group scrapped its output ceiling of 30 million barrels per day, which it had been exceeding for months. OPEC sources and analysts say they expect the group's meeting next Thursday simply to roll over output policy, which OPEC lacks anyway as its members pump at will. "I don't think there will be a change in position. There will be no agreement on an output freeze," said another OPEC delegate from a key Middle East oil producer. For a busy man such as Falih, long discussions among fellow ministers with no guaranteed serious outcome might seem pointless. So could he simply stand up and say Saudi Arabia sees no need to remain part of OPEC? "Leaving international groups isn't something most countries do lightly. I don't believe the Saudis think OPEC will never be relevant again. Plus, it is hard to see what they would stand to gain from it," Mallinson said. (Writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; Editing by Dale Hudson) A former private investigator on Casey Anthony's defense team is making serious allegations about her trial attorney, Jose Baez, claiming he said his client was guilty of killing her 2-year-old daughter. "Baez had told me that Casey murdered Caylee and dumped the body somewhere," said Dominic Casey, according to an affidavit filed in court relating to Anthony's bankruptcy case that was posted online Wednesday by several media outlets. Read: Casey Anthony Emerges From Hiding After Two Years Casey also claimed in the 15-page affidavit that Anthony had sex with Baez as a form of payment for his legal services. Baez vehemently denied all those allegations Wednesday. I unequivocally and categorically deny exchanging sex for my legal services with Ms. Anthony. I further unequivocally and categorically deny having any sexual relationship with Ms. Anthony whatsoever. I have always conducted my practice consistent with the high ethical standards required of members of the Florida Bar. My representation of Ms. Anthony was no exception, the attorney said in a statement obtained by InsideEdition.com. Legal action is forthcoming, Baez said. Anthony was acquitted five years ago of killing her daughter, Caylee, whose body was eventually found in swamp near Anthonys home. The young mothers sensationalized murder trial captivated television viewers around the world, and pitted Caylees grandparents against their grown daughter. It was Casey Anthonys mother, Cindy, who reported the child missing in 2008 after she hadnt seen her grandchild in a month. Anthony claimed the child had been kidnapped by a babysitter. Caseys affidavit claims that Baez told him that he needed all the help he could get to find the body before someone else did. Read: 9 Facts You Never Knew About Casey Anthony The former investigator for Baez said in the document that he had seen Anthony naked in Baezs private office and that he had discussed it with Anthony who said she had to do what Jose said because she had no money. Story continues He also contended that Anthony suggested casting blame on her parents and on Roy Kronk, the meter reader who made several calls to authorities saying he had found what looked like the remains of a child in a wooded area about half a mile from the Anthony home. Authorities eventually discovered Caylees remains in the area that Kronk reported. Watch: Casey Anthony Emerges From Hiding, Launches Her Own Photography Business Related Articles: Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f98284%2fballetcat Sadly, most cats are sorely underrepresented in the ballet world. But that doesn't mean they don't have talent. Just take a look at Miruko the cat, a Japanese ballerina cat who recently made international waves. Miruko isn't just your ordinary cat he's a cat with phenomenal posture. SEE ALSO: GPS maps show the wild adventures your cat goes on night This cat accepts pets and performs purrrrouettes. Honestly, what more do you want out of an animal? Of course, the cat doesn't really know all these balletic moves, but rather has a very graceful form and an owner who is quick to photograph it. Miruko was rescued last summer by Twitter user Chia and her husband. At this time of his adoption, Miruko was an emaciated stray. Now, Miruso is a star ballerina (almost) ready to grace the stage of the Sydney Opera House or Lincoln Center. Or maybe he's just really really cute. Either way, enjoy Miruko's form and grace and adorable predatory behavior. And please, do not try this at home. You are not a cat ballerina. Rousseff Steps Down: Why Brazil Shouldn't Celebrate Just Yet (Continued from Prior Part) Landers and Mobius are bullish In the previous article, we explored the bullish views of Will Landers and Mark Mobius on Brazilian stocks. Its important to note that Will Landers was cautious about Brazilian stocks in 2015. In an interview with The Telegraph in 2015, Landers warned investors that 2015 was going to be a very tough year for Brazil. He also mentioned that his exposure to Brazilian equities had fallen to 55% compared to 70% a year earlier. However, toward the end of April 2016, Landers told International Adviser that political change would be good for Brazil in 2017. A more cautious approach There are fund managers out there who want to approach Brazil more cautiously at this time. JPMorgan Chase is one of them. Earlier in 2016, Julio Callegari, the head of the Brazil Fixed Income team at JPMorgan Asset Management, wrote in an article that fiscal fundamentals are much more challenging in Brazil and a political compromise (not a geopolitical agreement) is the crucial component to trigger a rally in Brazilian assets. Until we approach this compromise, there is no rush to buy Brazilian assets. This point was made well before the votes in congress and the senate for the beginning of Dilma Rousseffs impeachment proceedings. Aggression or caution? If youre a young retail investor with money to invest for the long termby which we mean over five years and beyondthen you may want to invest in Brazil right now. For some, taking the passive investment route would be helpful, as a passive fund that either invests completely in Brazil (EWZ) or broadly in Latin America (ILF) (EEML) could be a good entry point and could work as an anchor for Latin American investment. Once the macroeconomic and political picture in Brazil becomes clearer, actively managed mutual funds (PRLAX) (SLANX) may become an option as well. Other retail investors may wish to wait a bit longer before investing in Brazilian stocks (ABEV). Once the interim president announces policies, there will be a better view of what lays ahead for Brazil in the medium term. If youre investing for the medium term, Mexico could be a good bet, whether you invest in stocks (AMX) (FMX) or funds (EWW) (ELAAX). Story continues In the next article, lets take a look at how financial markets in Brazil could behave going forward. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: It has been nearly five years since Casey Anthony was acquitted of killing her 2-year-old daughter Caylee. Although she has lived a relatively quiet life since being freed from jail, her name still evokes controversy. In an affidavit filed in her bankruptcy case last month, her former private investigator, Dominic Casey, levels some serious accusations about Anthony and her former attorney, Jose Baez. In the 15-page affidavit obtained by PEOPLE, Dominic Casey alleges that Anthony had a sexual relationship with her attorney before the case went to trial. He claims that he witnessed "a naked Casey" when he arrived at Baez's office unexpectedly. In the documents, he also alleges that Baez "told me that Casey had murdered Caylee and dumped the body somewhere and, he needed all the help he could get to find the body before anyone else did." A Strong Denial In a statement to PEOPLE, Baez disputes all Dominic Casey's allegations. "I unequivocally and categorically deny exchanging sex for my legal services with Ms. Anthony," he writes. "I further unequivocally and categorically deny having any sexual relationship with Ms. Anthony whatsoever." Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. "I have always conducted my practice consistent with the high ethical standards required of members of the Florida Bar," he continues. "My representation of Ms. Anthony was no exception." "Legal action is forthcoming," Baez writes. A History of Strange Claims This isn't the first time that Dominic Casey's claims have raised eyebrows. In a 2011 deposition obtained by PEOPLE, the investigator floats several theories about the Caylee's disappearance and death, and even says that he wasn't entirely sure that the remains found near Anthony's house were the 2-year-old. In his statement, Baez references Dominic Casey's former claims. "This libelous claim is in line with many other outrageous claims and theories that this individual has advanced regarding the Casey Anthony case," the statement says. Dominic Casey did not return PEOPLE's messages for comment. It has been nearly five years since Casey Anthony was acquitted of killing her 2-year-old daughter Caylee. Although she has lived a relatively quiet life since being freed from jail, her name still evokes controversy. In an affidavit filed in her bankruptcy case last month, her former private investigator, Dominic Casey, levels some serious accusations about Anthony and her former attorney, Jose Baez. In the 15-page affidavit obtained by PEOPLE, Dominic Casey alleges that Anthony had a sexual relationship with her attorney before the case went to trial. He claims that he witnessed "a naked Casey" when he arrived at Baez's office unexpectedly. In the documents, he also alleges that Baez "told me that Casey had murdered Caylee and dumped the body somewhere and, he needed all the help he could get to find the body before anyone else did." A Strong Denial In a statement to PEOPLE, Baez disputes all Dominic Casey's allegations. "I unequivocally and categorically deny exchanging sex for my legal services with Ms. Anthony," he writes. "I further unequivocally and categorically deny having any sexual relationship with Ms. Anthony whatsoever." Casey Anthony's Former Lawyer Jose Baez Threatens to Sue Over Claims He Had Sexual Relationship With Her| Crime & Courts, True Crime, Casey Anthony Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. "I have always conducted my practice consistent with the high ethical standards required of members of the Florida Bar," he continues. "My representation of Ms. Anthony was no exception." "Legal action is forthcoming," Baez writes. A History of Strange Claims This isn't the first time that Dominic Casey's claims have raised eyebrows. In a 2011 deposition obtained by PEOPLE, the investigator floats several theories about the Caylee's disappearance and death, and even says that he wasn't entirely sure that the remains found near Anthony's house were the 2-year-old. In his statement, Baez references Dominic Casey's former claims. "This libelous claim is in line with many other outrageous claims and theories that this individual has advanced regarding the Casey Anthony case," the statement says. Dominic Casey did not return PEOPLE's messages for comment. May 26 (Reuters) - The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) fined former Wells Fargo & Co employee David Eghbali $85,000 and banned him from working in the mortgage industry for a year for an illegal mortgage fee-shifting scheme. The CFPB said from at least November 2013 to February 2015 Eghbali had an arrangement with New Millennium Escrow Inc that allowed him to manipulate the prices his customers would pay for escrow services. (http://1.usa.gov/1P0WceC) New Millennium would reduce its fees for some of Eghbali's customers and make up for its loss by adding fees to loans for other customers, the watchdog said. The scheme ultimately increased the number of loans Eghbali closed, boosting his commissions, the CFPB said. Eghbali, who served as a loan officer at the Wilshire Crescent branch in Beverly Hills, California, referred more than 100 loans to New Millennium, the consumer bureau said. (Reporting by Nikhil Subba in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila) Mexico City (AFP) - Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman could sue Netflix and Univision to stop their plans to make a television series about his life, his lawyers said Thursday. The American TV streaming giant and Spanish-language broadcaster announced joint plans this month for a series on Mexico's most infamous criminal, due to air next year. But Guzman's lawyers, who are helping their client fight extradition to the United States, said the companies needed to negotiate with "El Chapo" first. "Mr Guzman isn't dead, he isn't a personality in the public domain. He's alive. He has to grant them the rights (to his story). We could sue them because they don't have authorization for a series or a movie," lawyer Andres Granados told Mexican radio network Formula. "He has told us that if they already have this project, we can negotiate with them so it doesn't go to waste and we don't wear ourselves out with a lawsuit. But as of today they have not approached us." Granados said any such negotiations would have to cover not only the rights to Guzman's name but also the content of the series, since his client is facing a potential trial in the United States and does not want his image stained there. The History Channel has also announced plans for an original drama series on Guzman's life. Ironically, it was Guzman's desire to see his life story on screen that seems to have led to his capture. Guzman, the leader of the Sinaloa cartel, escaped from a maximum-security prison in July 2015 -- his second dramatic jailbreak -- and spent six months on the run, to the deep embarrassment of the Mexican government. He was rearrested in January after a high-profile manhunt that ended with Hollywood star Sean Penn and US-Mexican TV actress Kate del Castillo inadvertently leading the authorities to his hideout. Del Castillo said the drug boss agreed to the meeting, which Penn wrote about in Rolling Stone magazine, because he wanted to discuss making a film about his life. Guzman is wanted in Texas and California on charges including homicide, drug trafficking and money laundering. His legal team is currently working on appealing the Mexican government's decision last week to approve his extradition to the United States. BEIJING, China Sand, cement, and Chinese military facilities now sit on top of some of the South China Seas once-thriving reefs; China has built over half a dozen new artificial islands in a bid to bolster its territorial claims in the hotly disputed region. Such reclamation devastates the local marine habitat. But according to China, these activities do not cause significant ecological damage. Beijing increasingly insists that the island-sized piles of sand and concrete now burying the highly biodiverse coral reefs are, in fact, environmentally friendly. Its a green project, claimed Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deputy Director-General Wang Xining in a May 10 meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing. All land reclamation and construction activity in the region is carefully designed, carefully built, [to] try to minimize ecological effect, Wang told a group of journalists visiting Beijing on a May reporting trip organized through the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. Wangs comments reflect an official position that has been percolating for some time within the Chinese establishment. In March 2015, the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology at the state-affiliated Chinese Academy of Sciences convened the South China Sea Artificial Island Ecological Security and Sustainable Development Seminar. At the event, an emphasis on national maritime power accompanied discussion of blue eco-building on the artificial islands, suggesting that geopolitics might be prevailing over scientific considerations. In June 2015, Chinas State Oceanic Administration (SOA), the agency tasked with monitoring the countrys maritime environmental policies, picked up on this line of reasoning. In a statement titled Spratly Reef Expansion Project Will Not Cause Damage to the Marine Environment, posted to its website on June 18, 2015, SOA gave its stamp of approval to the island building, calling it a green project. Story continues Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recently begun to emphasize that phrase. Chinas activities on the Nansha Islands strictly follow the principle of conducting green project[s] and building ecological islands and reefs, remarked Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei during a May 6 press briefing, using the Chinese term for the Spratly Islands. The impact on the ecological system of coral reefs is limited. China claims most of the South China Sea, a busy waterway through which over $5 trillion in trade passes every year. Taiwan, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines hold competing claims over the resource-rich sea. Over the past three years, Chinese dredgers have worked quickly to pull sediment from the ocean floor surrounding reef and atolls in the Spratly Islands, located more than 500 miles south of the Chinese coast. While other claimants in the South China Sea have also built up features on islands or reefs in the South China Sea, Chinas reclamation activities far outpace those of other countries. U.S. officials estimate that China has created more than 3,200 acres in the Spratlys alone. China has also installed military hardware on the artificial islands, including airstrips, radar, port facilities, multi-story buildings, surface-to-air missiles, and an anti-ship cruise missile. But Chinas claims of environmental friendliness contradict the findings of leading marine biologists, who say the island building is devastating South China Seas coral ecosystems, which are among the most productive in the world. The reefs include hundreds of species of coral and a dizzying variety of fish that form the backbone of local fishing communities along the coasts of neighboring countries. Looking at satellite photos of Mischief Reef in the Spratlys, John McManus, a marine biologist at the University of Miami, told the Guardian in September 2015 that strands of white silt streaming visibly into the lagoon were evidence of the mucus emitted by millions of dying corals smothered by sediment. The mass reclamation has imperiled more than coral. The sand and silt stirred up by the dredgers covers most of the lagoon and is settling out on most of the remaining reef, McManus said. The sand will kill nearly any bottom-dwelling organisms on which it settles in large quantities, and clog the gills of most fish. I dont expect to find any fish surviving within that lagoon except in the very southern areas. Even if all land reclamation ceased immediately and recovery efforts begun, McManus said, it would be too late for much of the life originally found around Mischief Reef. A substantial amount of this damage is irrecoverable and irreplaceable. The Spratlys alone are home to 571 coral species and a huge variety of fish. But the dredging and building on coral reefs in the South China Sea, Alan Freidlander, a biologist at the University of Hawaii, told journalists in May 2015, is causing irreparable damage to one of the most diverse ecosystems on earth. The resulting depletion of fishing stock could cost the Philippine economy and its fishing industry $110 million annually, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Philippines, which also maintains claims in the Spratlys. Its not just the coral reefs, and the fish that breed and feed there, that could suffer. Frank Muller-Karger, a biological oceanographer at the University of South Florida, told the New York Times in 2015 that the material dredged from the sea floor to form the islands can wash back into the sea, forming plumes that can smother marine life and could be laced with heavy metals, oil, and other chemicals from the ships and shore facilities being built. Not everyone in China holds the party line. In response to an article posted on May 6 on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo about Hongs green project comment, some Chinese web users expressed doubt, even disdain. China still deigns to say that it cares about ecology and the environment? Im kind of disgusted, wrote one in a popular comment. Another user complained, You beat your kid into a pulp, then a neighbor comes to stop you; then you say, We dont allow outsiders to interfere in our private affairs. An impending ruling from a UN tribunal may be one cause for the rapid build-up, as China seeks to establish de facto control over the South China Sea in case a court ruling undermines its activities there. In March 2014, the Philippines brought a case to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, a UN-appointed tribunal, challenging the legal basis for some of Chinas claims in the region. China has consistently maintained that it will not participate in or accept the court arbitration. In a May 6 press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei repeated that stance, stating, Whatever decision the arbitrary tribunal makes on the South China Sea case, it is illegal and null and China will not accept nor recognize it. Seeking to further defend its construction of artificial islands and military facilities in the region, Beijing has refused to acknowledge the environmental havoc its activities have wrought. Such a defense may itself serve as an attempt to boost claims to sovereignty, by portraying China as a responsible steward of what it views as its own backyard. In May 2015, Zhang Haiwen, director general of the Department of International Cooperation at SOA, said that Chinas goal in the region was to achieve the sustainable development of the marine economy. Zhang also insisted that the SOA closely reviewed all reclamation activities in the South China Sea, but refused to discuss the evident damage to the reefs. Hong even described land reclamation as similar to natural weather phenomena. China takes the approach of natural simulation which simulates the natural process of sea storms blowing away and moving biological scraps which gradually evolve into oasis on the sea, he said. Wang denied the claim that dredging had caused significant or irreparable damage to ecosystems in the sea. [The builders] have carefully calculated how much damage there wont be zero damage of course how much damage it will cause and how to control it, minimize it, he said. They have to finish their job. This is a sensitive building project. Everybody is very concerned, added Wang. But this sea is where our people will live on. We have to go there for fishing. That echoed Hongs more forceful statement on May 6. As owners of the Nansha Islands, said Hong, China cares about protecting the ecological environment of relevant islands, reefs and waters more than any other country, organization or people in the world. Photo Credit: CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative/DigitalGlobe BEIJING (Reuters) - Britain must decide for itself whether it stays in the European Union, but China hopes to see a strong Europe that contributes to the global economy, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday ahead of Britain's June 23 EU membership referendum. Beijing has long been worried about the implications of free trade-supporting Britain leaving the bloc and of any weakening of a grouping which it views as a vital counterbalance to the United States, diplomats say. China has also made little secret of its happiness with Britain's support to push an eventual China-EU free trade deal. Wang told a news conference about China's hosting of the Group of 20 nations this year that China did not interfere in other countries' internal affairs. "Britain's direction is to be decided by the people of Britain. We, of course, will respect the decision made by the British people," he said. But China would like to see Europe's integration process further develop, Wang added. "We hope the EU can further strengthen coordination and create an EU that is stronger, stable and makes contributions to world peace and development," he said. During a visit to Britain in October, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Prime Minister David Cameron he wanted to see a united European Union. It was a rare albeit indirect mention of another country's planned vote by China, which regularly says its does not interfere in the internal affairs of other nations. However it was quickly played down at the time by a Cameron aide, who said the European Union "wasn't a huge part of their discussion". During Xi's trip, some 40 billion pounds ($58.85 billion) in business deals were signed, including the financing of nuclear power stations. Cameron is campaigning for Britain to stay a member of the 28-country bloc, which it joined in 1973. (Reporting by Michael Martina; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Nick Macfie) BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Defence Ministry said on Thursday its aircraft followed the rules after two Chinese fighter jets carried out what the United States said was an "unsafe" intercept of a U.S. military reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea. The incident took place in international airspace last week as the plane carried out "a routine U.S. patrol", the Pentagon said. A U.S. defense official said two Chinese J-11 fighter jets flew within 50 feet (15 meters) of the U.S. EP-3 aircraft. The official said the incident took place east of Hainan island. Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun told a monthly news briefing China's aircraft acted completely professionally and in line with an agreement reached between the countries on rules governing such encounters. However, he said the agreement, called the Rules of Behaviour for Safety of Air and Maritime Encounters, could only provide a "technical standard", and the best way of resolving the problem was for the U.S. to stop such flights. "That's the real source of danger for Sino-U.S. military safety at sea and in the air," he said. The encounter came shortly after China scrambled fighter jets as a U.S. Navy ship sailed close to a disputed reef in the South China Sea. Another Chinese intercept took place in 2014 when a Chinese fighter pilot flew acrobatic maneuvers around a U.S. spy plane. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims. Washington has accused Beijing of militarizing the South China Sea after creating artificial islands, while Beijing, in turn, has criticized increased U.S. naval patrols and exercises in Asia. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Robert Birsel) BEIJING (Reuters) - China's 1.3 billion people are united in their determination never to allow self-ruled Taiwan to become independent, China's top official in charge of ties with the island was quoted as saying on Thursday, in Beijing's latest blast at Taipei. China has repeatedly warned Taiwan's pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, whose leader Tsai Ing-wen assumed the presidency last week, of negative consequences if they fail to recognize Taiwan is a part of China under Beijing's "one China" principle. Tsai has said democratic principles will rule Taiwan's ties with Beijing and urged China in her inaugural speech Friday to "set aside the baggage of history" and engage in positive dialogue. Meeting a group of Taiwan business representatives in Beijing, Zhang Zhijun, head of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said anything that goes against the "one China" principle would only bring tension and upheaval to ties. "There is no future in Taiwan independence, and this cannot become an option for Taiwan's future. This is the conclusion of history," the official Xinhua news agency cited Zhang as saying. "Some people say you must pay attention to broad public opinion in Taiwan, and that one can understand the attitude and feelings of Taiwan's people formed by its special historical experiences and social environment," Zhang added. "But, Taiwan society ought to understand and attach importance to the feelings of the 1.37 billion residents of the mainland," he said. China has regarded Taiwan as a wayward province, to be taken by force if necessary, ever since defeated Nationalists fled to Taiwan in 1949 after a civil war with China's Communists. Referring to late 19th and early 20th century period when foreign powers strove to carve off bits of the declining Chinese empire for themselves, Zhang said China's people had a deep memory of that period of national weakness and humiliation. "They have a rock-solid will that has remained consistent towards protecting national unity and not allowing the country to be split," he added. The Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's ministerial agency in charge of ties with China, said in response to Zhang's comments that Tsai has said she is committed to ensuring the status quo in relations with China and to maintaining peace and stability. China does not permit public discussion of views which challenge the notion of Taiwan being a part of China. Taiwan was a Japanese colony from 1895-1945, having gained control of the island from imperial China. Many Taiwanese have a broadly positive view of Japanese rule, saying it brought progress to an undeveloped, largely agricultural island. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Additional reporting by J.R. Wu in Taipei; Editing by Nick Macfie) MUMBAI (Reuters) - Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan has warned that a "sharp" slowdown in China's growth posed a threat to the global economy, highlighting possible impact from the shadow banking system of its neighbour, the Reserve Bank of India said. Rajan's comments were made in India's financial capital in a speech on Thursday to central bank governors from the nations of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) grouping, the RBI said in a statement. "Bad loans in the banking system were likely to grow over current levels, and, in addition, there might be serious weaknesses in the shadow banking system, which could feed back to banks," the RBI summarised Rajan as saying on China. "Both could be significant downside risks as they could have second round effects for SAARC economies. Chinese growth would depend not just on its policies, but also on growth elsewhere in the world." A "sharp" slowdown of the Chinese economy "still remained a significant risk for the global economy and the SAARC region," Rajan added, according to the RBI. The RBI governor has previously warned of the potential spillover effect from China's economy to other countries, including India. (Reporting by Rafael Nam; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) Chinese state media warned the Group of Seven nations on Thursday not to "meddle" in South China Sea disputes, as leaders from the bloc gathered for talks in Japan. The commentary came as European Council President Donald Tusk said on the sidelines of a summit in Ise-Shima that the bloc should take a "clear and tough stance" on China's contested maritime claims. Beijing has angered several Southeast Asian neighbours by claiming almost all of the South China Sea and rapidly building reefs into artificial islands capable of hosting military planes. China's official Xinhua news agency published an article saying the G7 -- which excludes Beijing -- "should mind its own business rather than pointing fingers at others". Xinhua writer Chang Yuan accused Japan of "attempting to take advantage of its G7 summit host status and draw more 'allies and sympathizers' to isolate China". Both Washington and Tokyo -- which is locked in a separate dispute with Beijing over islands in the East China Sea -- have warned against Beijing stoking tensions in the contested waters. Chang wrote that such remarks showed "Japan's hidden agenda: to meddle in the South China Sea issue". Weighing in on the South China Sea "exceeds the G7's current influence and capability. What's more, it reflects a lingering Cold War mindset", Chang added. The commentary came ahead of a ruling expected within weeks on China's claims brought to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague by the Philippines. China has warned outside parties not to meddle in the South China Sea, but has also attempted to draw nations as far away as Niger, Togo and Burundi into the dispute, insisting that they support its rejection of the tribunal. British Prime Minister David Cameron warned China that it must abide by the outcome of the international arbitration as he arrived in Japan for the G7 summit, the Guardian newspaper reported. Beijing summoned top diplomatic representatives from the Group of Seven nations including France and Britain in April to express anger at a joint statement on the South China Sea. The G7 said at the time: "We are concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas, and emphasise the fundamental importance of peaceful management and settlement of disputes." EL CAJON, Calif. (AP) - Each night, 18-year-old Ryan Wilcox sleeps under a portrait of himself dressed as Captain America - the pinnacle of human strength and endurance. The Marvel Comics fan knows a thing or two about those heroic attributes. He is battling cancer for a second time in his life, and so when he recently received some disappointing news about his prognosis, his schoolmates rallied and called in the Avengers. On Monday, the 70-pound teen answered his front door and was shocked at what he saw: Iron Man Robert Downey Jr. and Captain America Chris Evans had not only put aside their differences on how to save the world, they had teamed up with Iron Man star Gwyneth Paltrow to carry out a mission to lift Wilcox's spirits. "Hey what's up buddy?" Evans is heard as Wilcox shakes his head, doing a double take in a video taken by Paltrow outside his home in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon. "We were in the neighborhood and thought we'd cruise by," he told Wilcox, who wore a T-shirt featuring Captain America's shield. Paltrow, who plays Pepper Potts in the Iron Man films, hugged Wilcox's mom, as the other two stars plopped down on the carpeted living room floor. The celebrities spent an hour at the home, conversing with the teenager, like they were old friends, his mom, Amy Wilcox, said. "She told me this is a gift from one mom to another mom," Amy Wilcox said. "She knew how happy it would be for me to see Ryan so happy." Wearing a blue "Stark" hat with Downey's autograph on the bill, Wilcox was still reveling Tuesday in what he described as the best day of his life. He joked how his home was worth a billion dollars now and promised to preserve his game chair, where Downey sat in at one point. "It was really cool hanging out with them. That really picked me up," said Wilcox, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm going to get through this." Story continues Captain America has been a symbol of strength for Wilcox. The film series has kept him going, keeping him distracted as he has undergone chemotherapy and bone marrow treatments during numerous hospital visits. Wilcox was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer at the age of 16. His mother said the cancer may be the result of chemotherapy treatments he underwent to fight a brain tumor at the age of three. In February 2015, he had to leave school because his immune system was too weak. He had a bone marrow transplant from his 14-year-old sister in April of that year, but he later had a relapse. Last month, the family was told the treatments are not working so far and his disease is progressing, said his mother. Thousands of students at Grossmont High School held a rally two weeks ago, chanting "Ryan Strong." Scores were dressed in red, white and blue in honor of his favorite superhero. Then a group of students made a plea on Facebook for the cast of Captain America: Civil War to visit Wilcox. Evans responded within days of the posting with a video message telling Wilcox to "stay strong." On Monday, Evans signed the shield in the portrait of Wilcox dressed as Captain America above his bed. It reads: "Stay strong Brother!! Chris Evans. CAP." Wilcox said Captain America inspires him because he "never gives up." "Strength doesn't really come from muscle," Wilcox said, repeating the quote he coined that now is on T-shirts sold to raise funds for his cancer treatment. "It comes from your spirit, and your heart and love." Santiago (AFP) - Hooded protesters pelted stones at police who fired tear gas and water cannons in the Chilean capital Thursday, as thousands of students staged fresh street rallies demanding free university education. Students rallied in the center of Santiago, where security forces tried to block their path. During similar disturbances on Saturday, a security guard choked to death in the smoke from petrol bombs at a protest near the national Congress in Chile's second-biggest city, Valparaiso. Police told AFP that 117 people were arrested and 32 officers injured on Thursday. Protesters are demanding that President Michelle Bachelet speed up a long-awaited reform to guarantee universal access to free public education in Chile. They have been appealing for the past decade to change the current system dating to the 1973-1990 dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Frustrated with delays to the reform, student groups have hardened their protests in recent days. On Tuesday, a group of protesters made it past security into the courtyard of government headquarters. "We are tired of waiting," read the slogan on their banners as they marched on Thursday. Marcelo Correa, spokesman for the national students' grouping CONES, promised more rallies. "They are growing and getting stronger. If they do not listen to us we will give it everything we have got," he told CNN Chile. By Alister Doyle BONN, Germany (Reuters) - Diplomats are gradually crowding out environment experts in global efforts to tackle climate change, a shift signaling a higher profile for the issue and improved chances for more coordination to fight it. Foreign ministries usually wield more clout in national governments than their environment colleagues and have more experience in coordinating issues as varied as politics, pollution, health, finance and diplomacy. The change is in the air these days at a May 16-26 United Nations meeting on implementing last December's Paris Agreement to limit global warming, negotiated at a high-level meeting hosted by France's then foreign minister Laurent Fabius. Last week, the United Nations chose Patricia Espinosa, a former Mexican foreign minister, as its climate chief from July. She has the highest-ranking diplomatic experience of anyone starting the job. "There has been a shift to understand that climate change is not only an environmental challenge, its an economic, a social challenge and does require active engagement of almost every member of the cabinet," outgoing U.N. climate chief Christiana Figueres of Costa Rica told reporters. Climate change has become a higher global priority and foreign ministers, usually among the most senior cabinet ministers, are well placed to coordinate action, said Figueres, previously a national negotiator and environmental expert. Before Fabius chaired the Paris meeting, where almost 200 nations agreed a sweeping plan to end global dependence on fossil fuels to limit rising temperatures, environment ministers had been in charge of most of the U.N.'s annual climate talks since they started in the 1990s. "Climate change has become a core issue for diplomacy," said Elliot Diringer of the U.S. Center for Environment and Energy Solutions, saying the long-term success of the Paris Agreement would hinge on diplomatic skills to persuade ever tougher action to restrict emissions. Reflecting this trend, Moroccan Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar attended the start of the Bonn talks, which are preparing a high-level conference in November in Marrakech on implementing the Paris Agreement. Global warming "cannot be analyzed only from the silo of the environment ministry," said Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who chairs a group of the 48 poorest nations at the Bonn meeting. Mpanu-Mpanu said some environment ministers feel displaced from their area of expertise by foreign ministers. Some cope well with the new split but "in some countries it can create a lot of tensions," he said. Espinosa, who was also in the vanguard by hosting U.N. climate talks in Mexico in 2010 as foreign minister, said "we need both" environmental experts to solve technical issues and diplomats to understand the politics. In coming years, she will have to juggle issues ranging from developed nations' promises to provide $100 billion a year by 2020 to help developing nations cope with climate change, to some nations' worries that more extreme weather might trigger unrest or migration. (Additional reporting by Susanna Twidale in Cologne; Editing by Tom Heneghan) Coeur Mining Is Rolling, but Can It Sustain Momentum in 2016? (Continued from Prior Part) Production guidance In 1Q16, Coeur Minings (CDE) silver and gold productions were slightly lower than market expectations. The company produced 3.4 million ounces of silver and 78,000 ounces of gold, and these volumes were negatively impacted by mill maintenance at the mine in San Bartolome, Bolivia, and the timing of leach pad recovery at the mine in Rochester, Nevada. The company has, however, maintained its 2016 operating production guidance. It expects to produce 14.5 million15.8 million ounces of silver and 320,000347,000 ounces of gold in 2016. Production levels to accelerate The Palmarejo Complex is Coeur Minings silver and gold mine located in Mexico. In 1Q16, Palmarejo produced 933,000 ounces of silver and 15,000 ounces of gold. This production was in line with the companys expectations as the mine transitioned to lower tonnage and high-grade, high-margin operations. Coeur implemented several process enhancements in 2015 that are now leading to higher recovery rates. The mining of open-pit and old underground is continuing at lower rates, and the company expects it to cease by mid-2016. Rochester and Kensington Coeur delivered lower-than-expected volumes in Rochester due to poor weather conditions and timing of recovery from its Stage III leach pad. The company said that production levels started increasing in March, and they are expected to accelerate throughout the year. At its Kensington, Alaska, operations, the company achieved consistent production levels during the first quarter. The company also mentioned that the development of decline in the high-grade Jualin deposit is progressing well and is one-third complete. Lower sequential production The company delivered lower sequential production at its Wharf, Dakota, mine, mainly due to the timing of recovery from the current leach pad. However, the company expects higher production during the remainder of 2016. Story continues Production in San Bartolome, Bolivia, was also lower quarter-over-quarter in 1Q16 due to mill maintenance. The company has recently installed an oxygen injection system in the agitation leach circuit to improve recovery rates. Coeurs peers (SIL), including Pan American Silver (PAAS), Hecla Mining (HL), Silver Standard Resources (SSRI), and Newmont Mining (NEM), are also trying to increase their productions at the lowest possible costs. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: Colin Firth is taking the plunge and joining the submarine thriller Kursk. The movie is based on the 2000 K-141 Kursk submarine disaster, when a torpedo exploded within the Russian submarine during a naval exercise in the Barents Sea. The Russian government refused help for five days before finally agreeing to foreign aid from the British and Norwegian governments. As a result, 118 Russians lost their lives. The English actor will join Matthias Schoenaerts (The Danish Girl), who already is set to star in the film. Thomas Vinterburg is attached to direct Kursk for Luc Besson's EuropaCorp, which is currently filming Besson's sci-fi epic Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. Firth, repped by CAA and the U.K.'s Independent, will next be seen in Bridget Jones's Baby and the yachting film Deep Water. Read More: 'Genius': Colin Firth Lauds Restrained Literary Editor Max Perkins Amid Today's "Rampant Exhibitionism" (The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.) By Clyde Russell LAUNCESTON, Australia, May 26 (Reuters) - The price of spot cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Asia has broken its long-standing link to crude oil this year, a development likely to fuel tensions in an already unsettled market. Spot LNG (LNG-AS) was assessed at $4.65 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) in the week to May 20, which is 35 percent down from $6.90 at the end of last year, although slightly higher than the low so far this year of $4, reached in mid-April. In contrast, global benchmark Brent crude pushed above $50 a barrel on Thursday, up around a third from the start of the year. Although LNG and crude aren't competing fuels there has traditionally been a strong link between them, given that long-term LNG contracts have been linked to oil prices, and this has in the past strongly influenced spot prices as well. But the de-coupling of crude and spot LNG prices so far this year is likely to have both negative and positive aspects for the industry, but the overall impact is likely to be heightened uncertainty for participants. Major LNG producers with long-term contracts tied to the crude price are most likely breathing sighs of relief as Brent breaches $50 a barrel and shows signs of having bottomed earlier this year. But given the ongoing weakness in spot LNG, buyers are likely to seek to maximise purchases of spot cargoes and try and vary the amount they take on long-term contracts. Put another way, LNG buyers are likely to be annoyed at having to pay higher, oil-linked prices for long-term supplies when they can see considerably cheaper cargoes available on a spot basis. This dichotomy is likely to up buyer pressure on producers to amend or renegotiate long-term contracts to make them reflect the realities of the natural gas and LNG markets, rather than the oil market. However, producers will have little incentive to end oil-linked contracts, as this would cut their revenues substantially and expose them further to the glut of LNG that is expected to persist for several years to come. Story continues The oversupply of LNG may actually worsen in coming years as more U.S. projects ramp up and the last of the eight major Australian ventures come to full production. This means buyers increasingly hold the upper hand, making it more likely that producers will have to accept lower prices in order to grow demand. DEMAND GROWTH INSUFFICIENT Demand is emerging as an issue for LNG, with top buyers such as Japan and South Korea experiencing declining demand, with increased purchases by China and India compensating, but not quickly enough to offset rising supply. Japan, the No.1 LNG buyer, is a market most likely in structural decline for LNG, with imports falling 3.3 percent in April from a year earlier to 6.38 million tonnes, taking the drop for the first four months of the year to 5.5 percent. Imports may fall again in May, with vessel-tracking data compiled by Thomson Reuters Commodity Research and Forecasts showing 5.3 million tonnes are scheduled for discharge at Japanese ports this month. South Korea's imports also dropped in April, falling 22.8 percent from the same month in 2015 to 2.18 million tonnes, bringing the year-to-date fall to 8.4 percent. Ship-tracking data suggests that May imports should be largely steady from April's level, with 2.3 million tonnes scheduled for off-loading. China, the great hope for LNG demand in coming years, saw its imports jump 22.4 percent in April from a year earlier to 1.886 million tonnes, bring the gain for the first four months of the year to 18.6 percent. May imports are likely to be around the same level as April's, with vessel-tracking data foreshadowing 1.9 million tonnes to be discharged. India's imports are also likely to be largely steady in May, matching April's 1.6 million tonnes, leaving the South Asian nation with fairly strong year-on-year growth of about 17 percent, according to a report by consultants Energy Aspects. LNG imports by Japan, South Korea, China and India, the top four Asian buyers, are likely to reach 65.3 million tonnes in the first five months of 2016, according to vessel-tracking data. This is 6-percent higher than for the same period last year, but the extra 3.7 million tonnes of demand pales in comparison to the capacity additions in the region, with Australia alone adding 40.9 million tonnes to the market in 2015 and so far this year. Rising LNG supply will weigh on spot LNG prices, potentially widening the discount to long-term, oil-linked contract LNG, a situation guaranteed to stoke tensions between producers and buyers. (Editing by Joseph Radford) boeing 777 production assembly factory Capital goods orders unexpectedly fell 0.8% in April, according to an advance report from the Commerce Department. It was the third straight month of a decline. New orders for non-defence capital goods excluding aircraft, or core capital goods, fell 0.8%. Economists had forecast a 0.3% gain. Shipments in the same category rose 0.3% (0.1% estimated). "The sharp drop in core capital orders activity in April, along with the downwardly revised performance the month before, suggests a weaker backdrop for business capital investment activity this quarter," said TD Securities' Millan Mulraine in a note. "As such, we continue to expect this segment of the US economy to remain a source of drag on economic activity this quarter." Overall, durable goods orders, for long-lasting things like dishwashers and staircase railings, rose 3.4% in April. Economists had forecast a gain by 0.5%. The headline was boosted by a surge in transportation orders. Excluding this category, orders rose 0.4%. The headline gain in March was revised to 1.9% from 0.8%. NOW WATCH: This tabletop machine creates molds from almost anything using a household vacuum More From Business Insider A fireman standing before a peatland fire in Pemulutan, Indonesia, on 30 July 2015. (Associated Press file photo) A new kind of smoke is being blown from Indonesia. It is of the political variety, with Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar telling Singapore to mind its own business when it comes to solving the haze issue. Apparently reacting to a Singapore decision to use its haze law to get a court order to talk to an Indonesian company director, the Minister hit back by saying that some environment-related agreements with Singapore would be scrapped as part of a review. Two Indonesian observers cautioned against putting too much weight on the Ministers words. Endy Bayuni, a veteran Jakarta journalist said: Like many other petty matters that the two neighbours quarrel over, this one will blow over. I cant see the real reason why the two governments should fight over this. They are on the same side, to fight the haze and find the perpetrators, whoever they are and wherever they live. Yuyun Indradi, a Greenpeace representative in Jakarta, said the situation was more political than environmental as only one minister had talked about it so far. In the larger scheme of things, this is likely to be a side show as Indonesia tries to reassert its image as Aseans big brother, especially with small brother Singapore. And it wants to show to its public that it wont allow Singapore to dictate terms on who should take charge of solving the perennial haze that pollutes the environment here. It is not that Indonesia is keeping quiet about the wilful burning of its forests, which are then turned into arable land for oil palm plantation. As I am writing this article, news has begun filtering in that Jakarta has rejected applications from companies for new oil palm operations to try and contain the companies flourishing business. The Indonesian government understands and accepts that there is a need to get this haze issue off its back. But action is slow and patchy in a country that is held back by corruption and decentralisation of power. Story continues And lets not forget that Indonesia is an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands run by village and mafia chiefs with motivations very different from those of the central government in Jakarta. Seeing through the mess It is a messy system out there and Singapore already knows this. So why does it act the way it has in issuing a court warrant to the company director? This where we come to the main show. Singapore has to show its population that it is serious about implementing the 2014 Transboundary Haze Pollution Act. That law came about as Singaporeans felt the government was doing nothing against those responsible for the haze that appears in the countrys skies nearly every year. How is Singapore going to act against those who blatantly flout the rules and keep burning forests, thus causing an environmental disaster? It cant use the law to bring an alleged offender to Singapore to face the music because the extradition treaty has not been approved by the Indonesian Parliament. Two years after the passing of the haze law and with another haze likely to happen soon, the time has come for Singapore to show its citizens that it means business. Thus, this action against the Indonesian company director. All this is wayang kulit, or shadow play, by both parties. Singaporeans need to know that their governments hands are tied and that they cannot expect Indonesia to get things done efficiently and speedily. In short, dont just fret about the side show happening in Indonesia but seek out the main show that is happening in Singapore. P N Balji is a veteran Singaporean journalist who is the former chief editor of TODAY newspaper, and a media consultant. The views expressed are his own. Stay updated. Follow us on Facebook. Lyle Denniston, the National Constitution Centers constitutional literacy adviser, looks at the Sixth Amendment issue of a right to counsel and the ability of public defenders to mount effective cases. Courthouse1 THE STATEMENT AT ISSUE: This case asks how indigent criminal defendants may vindicate their Sixth Amendment right [to counsel] when systemic, structural deficiencies in a states public defender system result in counsel being assigned in name only. In ruling those claims nonjusticiable, the [state] district court effectively held that the sole recourse to redress systemic deficiencies in Idahos public defense system is through piecemeal, post-conviction litigation of individual ineffective assistance-of-counsel claims. That was error. Excerpt from a friend-of-court brief filed by the U.S. Justice Departments Civil Rights Division on May 11 in the Idaho Supreme Court, arguing that individuals too poor to hire their own lawyer have a right to sue before they go to trial to assure themselves of an effective defense lawyer. The department filed a similar friend-of-court brief on the same issue last September in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which has not yet ruled. WE CHECKED THE CONSTITUTION, AND Americas founding generation believed so strongly that the right to a lawyer was essential to human liberty that they created that right in the Constitutions first amendments, in the Bill of Rights, ratified in 1791. But for the nations poor people charged with crime, that right has been a long time becoming a reality, and in many communities still is not assured. The Sixth Amendment right to a criminal defense lawyer originally applied only in federal courts, not in state courts, where most criminal cases are pursued. It was not until 1932, in the case of Powell v. Alabama, that the Supreme Court ruled that the right applied to cases in state courts, if the case could lead to the death penalty. Only in 1963, in the famous case of Gideon v. Wainwright, did the Supreme Court declare that the Sixth Amendment guarantees a right to a free defense lawyer for those too poor to hire their own. And it was not until 1984, in the case of Strickland v. Washington, that the Justices declared that defense lawyers had to be effective that is, their performance had to satisfy professional standards. Story continues And yet, more than a half-century after Gideon and three decades after the Strickland ruling, many observers including the U.S. Justice Department contend that the right is simply not a reality in many communities because of the severe shortage, or under-funding, of professionally competent public defender lawyers, denying their clients an adequate defense. Even though the Strickland decision was a major step toward assuring effective defense lawyering, individuals cannot try to take advantage of that ruling until after their trial is over and they have been convicted, and then only if they could prove not only that their lawyer did not satisfy norms for the profession, but also that such lapses were so important that they made a guilty verdict almost inevitable. The Justice Department is now engaged in a campaign to remedy those failings in criminal defense, boldly asserting that the Sixth Amendment includes an even broader right that is, a right to be protected against constructive denial of the right to a defense lawyer. This right, the Department now claims, should be enforceable in civil court, before an individual who has been accused of crime is convicted in criminal court. A constructive denial occurs, according to this new theory, when a states public defender system or its system of court-appointed private lawyers for the poor is so inadequate that defense lawyers often fail to show up for initial bail hearings before trial, have too little contact with their poor clients, do not have the time or resources to do serious investigations of the cases, do not make important motions to aid their clients, and do not have money to hire experts to join in the defense of their clients. In Idaho, where the department is testing this theory along with a case in Pennsylvania, the argument is that such deficiencies run throughout the system of defending the poor and are the result of burdensome caseloads for public defenders, inadequate funding, poor or inadequate supervision or training, lack of independence from governing boards, and limitations on what court-appointed lawyers can be paid or what resources they can access. The department is advocating that groups of individuals faced with such grim prospects in a state may sue together in a class action, and courts would have the power to issue orders to state and local officials to provide the necessary money and resources to assure before trial an adequate defense for poor clients. That theory has worked in New York state courts, but not in Idaho or Pennsylvania, or elsewhere, because lower courts have ruled, for example, that individuals not yet convicted do not have any legal right to contest the adequacy of the defense that they may get in criminal court. In other words, they do not have a present right to sue to get such assurance. The Justice Department contends that this is the wrong approach. The Strickland decision provides a different remedy than what the government is now seeking: that ruling is about how to judge, after the fact, whether a lawyers performance at the trial was adequate, while what is now being advocated amounts to about the same thing as an outright denial of a defense lawyer period. It is, as the theory says, a constructive denial since the defense lawyers produced by an inadequate system of representing the poor cannot perform as needed. The courts have had considerable experience in ordering governing agencies to spend money to correct a violation of someones rights such as orders to spend money to improve the quality of education for minorities attending public schools. The Justice Department sees a similar obligation to provide an adequate system of legal defense for the poor. Under the principles of the Gideon decision, the department has contended in its brief in the Idaho Supreme Court, lawyers for the poor must be appointed under circumstances that permit them to do their jobs. The right under Gideon, it added, would be an empty formality if appointed counsel is precluded from providing his or her client any meaningful representation. Since this new claim is keyed directly to the meaning of the Sixth Amendment in a new context, it will be up to the Supreme Court to ultimately accept or reject it. Recent Stories on Constitution Daily Constitution Check: Is plea bargaining a step toward closing Guantanamo? Looking back at Romer, a key Supreme Court decision about gay rights Supreme Court down to three major cases this term Paris (AFP) - Swiss scientists have taken a leaf from the pothead recipe book to brew an e-cigarette cannabis liquid for medical use they said Thursday is safer than a joint and better than a pill. "Therapeutic cannavaping", they argued, should be examined as an alternative to existing treatments which can come in the form of a syrup, pill, mouth spray, skin patch, suppository, or a plain-old spliff. The team copied an improvised method popular among marijuana afficionados using butane gas to extract and concentrate cannabinoids -- the active, high-causing compounds of cannabis. "We were inspired by what is done illegally, underground, on the web fora," study co-author Vincent Varlet, a biochemist and toxicologist from the University Centre of Legal Medicine in Lausanne, Switzerland, told AFP. "Normally, they use this form of cannabinoids to get high. Based on what is done illegally, we found that it could be interesting" for the medical field. The method yields super-concentrated "dabs" of butane hash oil (BHO) -- comprising about 70-80 percent THCa -- the precursor of THC or tetrahydrocannabinol, which is the psychoactive ingredient. THCa is transformed into THC at high heat. Usually the dabs are burnt and the fumes inhaled. But for the study, the team mixed their activated BHO paste into commercially-available e-cigarette liquid at different concentrations -- three, five or 10 percent. They then put "vaping machines" to work: sucking at the e-cigarettes and blowing out vapour, which was measured for its THC content, according to results published in the Nature journal Scientific Reports. "Cannavaping appears to be a gentle, efficient, user-friendly and safe alternative method for cannabis smoking for medical cannabis delivery," the team concluded with a nod to "the creativity of cannabis users". It was also more reliable than consuming cannabinoid pills or foods which are poorly and erratically absorbed, said Varlet. Story continues Battery-powered e-cigarettes heat up liquids containing artificial flavourings, with or without nicotine, to release a vapour which is inhaled and exhaled much like smoke. They are touted as safer than the real thing, and an aide for giving up cancer-causing tobacco -- which is also an ingredient of the traditional cannabis joint. - Weeding potheads from patients - Cannabis-infused e-liquids are advertised online, along with a rash of recipes for making your own. Medical marijuana can be legally prescribed in some countries for pain relief, appetite stimulation, nausea reduction or the relief of muscle spasms. A challenge, said Varlet, was to keep cannabis intended for therapeutic use out of the hands of recreational high-seekers. One way to do that was to have legal drugs with microdoses of cannabinoids. "We have calculated that to have the same dose of what is present in a real cigarette joint... with tobacco, we have to vape between 80-90 puffs" of the 10-percent BHO liquid, said Varlet. "Eighty puffs constitutes a rebuttal to getting high," he added, when a few drags from a joint will do. "The take-home message of our article is that vaping is less harmful than smoking, so you can be sure that cannavaping is less harmful than cannabis smoking for medical purposes," said Varlet, adding there was no plan to patent or sell the product. "Today, we have set the cat among the pigeons. This is just the first step, and we need to see how the scientific community is going to welcome this kind of possibility." Initial reactions were mixed. "Whilst vaping cannabis substances... does indeed remove the harmful effects of tobacco smoke, my concerns about vaping cannabis would be around the use of flavoured cannabis e-cigarettes that could be more popular amongst younger people," said Michael Bloomfield, a psychiatry lecturer at University College London. David Nutt of Imperial College London said it was a "great idea", but "would be illegal in the UK currently". ZAGREB (Reuters) - The future of Croatia's center-right government was in doubt on Thursday after the junior coalition partner said it would support the removal of the deputy prime minister in a confidence vote to be held by June 18. The move could topple the four-month-old government and trigger a snap election. The opposition Social Democrats filed a no-confidence motion against Tomislav Karamarko earlier this month, saying he could not remain in government due to an alleged conflict of interest posed by a business deal between his wife and a lobbyist friend. "Due to his political responsibility and a burden he represents for the government, it would be good if he withdrew from his role in the executive," Bozo Petrov, leader of the small reformist Most (Bridge) party, said in an interview for the Jutarnji List daily. Karamarko, who leads the conservative HDZ party, the biggest party in the coalition, has denied that his wife's business dealings with a long-time friend and contractor for Hungary's MOL, - the biggest shareholder in Croatian energy company INA - presented any conflict of interest. He offered to exempt himself from decisions on INA until the case was resolved. The government, led by technocrat Tihomir Oreskovic, is to give its opinion on the case for Karamarko's resignation on Friday. Petrov said he had informed Karamarko that Most would vote for his withdrawal from government. The State Commission for the Resolution of Conflicts of Interest, a body appointed by parliament, last week began an investigation into the accusations against Karamarko. The commission can impose fines on officials found to have conflicts of interest. The government, which took office in late January, vowed to pursue reforms that would ease doing business, boost growth and reduce unemployment and high public debt. Croatia has just started to recover after a six-year-long recession and an election would delay the pace of reforms. (Reporting by Igor Ilic; Editing by Janet Lawrence) Image via Laura June Kirsch Image via Laura June Kirsch By Graham Corrigan When the sun finally set at House of Vans and the waiting screens came to life, Danny Brown, watching the film amidst hundreds of fans and friends, was forced to reflect. He hasnt had much time to do so, and tells me he would rather not. I cant wait, he says of the years to come and their infinite possibilities. I always think about what the futures going to be. Hes in town for the premiere screening of Danny Brown: Live at the Majestic, a concert documentary centered around the rappers first headlining hometown show in five years. Blunts and cups float through the venues back lot while fans stream in through the front, besieging a taco truck in flurry of zippers and leather. Danny joined us just before the film started, walking out to a few hundred screams of approval. Hannibal Buress and Dannys manager Dart Parker flanked the rapper amidst as we settled back to watch a piece of his life unfold. The film itself, helmed by Emmy Award winning director Andrew Cohn, contrasts the Majestic footage with radio appearances, fan interviews, andmost effectivelyarchival footage of Dannys early struggles in Detroit. Cohns subject is a natural actorDanny claimed he just tried to ignore the camera during shooting, and the tactic worked. Danny has also been open about his drug use in the creative process, but its dark sidedepression, dependencyare given their just due onscreen. We see the little things that defined Danny Browns life in that particular moment. Theres Arsenal fandom, a session in the booth and enlightening discussion of his approach, and cat bonding. Its a solid portrait of the artist in the moment, and Live At The Majestic succeeds by not attempting to tell Dannys life story. Afterwards, Danny came onstage to answer fan questions. The Q&A turned into a court of tribute, with individual fans approaching, hugging, and praising Danny. In return, they received at least one cacklemore if, for example, you had his album covers tattooed on your arms. Story continues Dannys fan interactions filled the skate park with a good energy. He had shown us all some very personal spaces in his life, and we were grateful for it. And then he melted everyones face with a performance of all the hits25 Bucks and Smokin and Drinkin' hit especially hard. Hopefully, the screening started to change Dannys mind about reflecting on the past. His Twitter indicated as much the day after the screening: Thank you to everyone that came out and shared this special moment with me. Danny Brown & Andrew Cohn, via Laura June Kirsch / House of Vans Danny Brown & Andrew Cohn, via Laura June Kirsch / House of Vans How long have you been working on this documentary? About two years. I have to give all the props to [director Andrew Cohn]. Im more like an actor in the movie. Im really just being me, Im just doing me. I cant take credit for it, theyre just following me around with a camera. What are you going to remember from the process of making the movie, whats changed in those two years? I dont even know. Im more of a look-to-the-future kind of guy. Im already 35 years old, Im just looking to see 40. I cant remember the past right now. I cant even think about shit enough to remember it. I always think about what the futures going to be, I cant wait. I had friends that died when Dreamcast was around, they never saw a Playstation 4, fuck! Can you imagine that, never seeing a Playstation 4? You never saw an Xbox One? You died at Dreamcast, fuck! Virtual realitys up next, are you going to get that? Ill get, Im going to get it. Im just waiting until I really get some time off. And its expensive, too. Thats like spending $3,000 to get it all set up. A lot of people are saying, Dont rush it, wait until they really figure it out. But there are still good reviews on it. But there are so many good games out right now that I havent even finished, I dont really have time. Image via Laura June Kirsch / House of Vans Image via Laura June Kirsch / House of Vans Whatve you been playing recently? I just got the new Uncharted, I was just playing that and it looks amazing. I play a lot of sport games, been playing a lot UFC 2. How about musically, any new albums that you have in rotation? Ive been listening to that new Radiohead a lot, I like Lil Uzi Vert, been listening to that. Ka, too. But that Radiohead I havent really finished it yet, I havent really grabbed it yet, Im still trying When do you feel like youve finished listening to an album? It just means I understand itits like studying, or reading a book. I gotta finish the book. How are your cats Siren and Chie? I call him Chi for short, a.k.a. Birdman Jr. I named him after one of my favorite video game characters, Chie from Persona. Its a girl character, and I got that because my mom named me after a girl, my auntie Danielle. Thats her best friend, and she named me Daniel after her little sister. So I was like fuck it, Im gonna name my boy cat after a girl, and thats my favorite video game character. Are they getting along all right? Yeah, at this pointChies the boy, so hes gotten alpha. But dont get me wrong, Siren is a diva. Sirens a superstar. She knows people know who she is. She looks down on him, even though he runs shit. She can beat Chie up if she wants to, but shell let him rough her up if she wants to. Shes bigger than him. A photo posted by Danny Brown (@xdannyxbrownx) on May 2, 2016 at 8:59pm PDT Getting back to this doc, are you going to watch it with everyone [at the screening]? Yeah, Im definitely going to watch it. Its going to be kind of embarrassing, thats what I told [my manager Dart]. I really dont want to watch it, but its kinda funny so I want to see if theyre going to laugh at the parts I think are funny. [Laughs] Are you proud of where Detroit music is now, as compared to where it was when you were a kid? Yeah, I think its cool! Detroit has always been on some gritty, grimy shit, and now for the first time its cool, too. It looks like were doing some cool shityou have Doughboyz Cashout doing their thing on that side, then you got what Im doing, then you see what someone like Dej Loaf is doingI feel like Detroit is on some cool shit. Jack White has been cool, but now its starting to spreading to rap. Rap always came from us, but even Em, he had to fight his way in. Dilla had to fight his way in. But now, if you say youre from Detroit, you got a lot to live up to. You could say youre from Delaware and they might give you a shot, but say youre from Detroit, and theyre gonna expect a lot. More from Pigeons & Planes From Esquire The mollification of Bernie Sanders continues apace within the Democratic Party. For example, I would buy a ticket to any platform committee hearing that includes Cornel West. But the inclusion of Bill McKibben makes me curiously sad; McKibben just seems to be one of those vital people whose best work is done outside the system, and particularly outside the most banal parts of the system-which is to say, things like a party's platform committee. It's like going into City Hall and encountering Sewer Commissioner William Lloyd Garrison. But, if McKibben thinks he can do some good, and if it keeps the party from a four-day pie-fight in Philadelphia, I suppose it makes sense. However, the process is not over. And it may yet involve evicting Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz from the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee, where she is still employed for reasons known only to god. Those snoops at The Hill have found a few Democratic senators who see the defenestration of DWS as a small price to pay for a peaceable convention. "There have been a lot of meetings over the past 48 hours about what color plate do we deliver Debbie Wasserman Schultz's head on," said one pro-Clinton Democratic senator. This person seems nice. Of more interest, however, is the possibility that removing DWS, who currently is running the ball for payday lenders, would be an important demonstration that the party is on board with continuing serious reform of the country's financial sector. Senator Professor Warren is in the middle of that fight, since DWS' support for payday lenders has included an attack on new regulations for that sector proposed by Warren's beloved godchild, the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. Since, generally, the payday loan business is the toxic residue you scrape off the bottom of the financial sector's barrel, Warren has been conspicuously critical of it, and of the (ahem) politicians who carry its water. (These, alas, include Patrick Murphy, the odds-on favorite to be the Democratic nominee to replace Marco Rubio in the Senate from Florida. Glurg.) Any notion that, by implication, SPW thinks the party can do better than DWS as a chairperson during a time when the party's chief identity crisis involves its relationship with Wall Street is not coincidental. Click here to respond to this post on the official Esquire Politics Facebook page. The nerve center of American investment has never had an official motto, though the sharp-dressed financial elite might opt for an unofficial one. Something along these lines: "Wall Street -- Where obfuscation and intimidation rule the conversation." Outside of high-tech, few fields have as much jargon clogging the linguistic pipelines as investing. What does is sound like in real time? Like this: While interpolating a Fibonacci curve is desirable in advanced forex, financiers in or outside arbitrage must weigh the advantages of selling short or long vis-a-vis market cap and diluted earnings per share, while considering the K-ratio attached to equities or the diversification of certain exchange-traded funds. [See: 8 Easy Ways to Make Money.] Add to this a mudslide of acronyms offered by Peter Frawley, senior vice president of CoreCap Investments in the greater Detroit area: "CMOs, CDOs, CDSs, EBITA and ETFs. Have you ever had a conversation with a doctor about the HT2A receptor involved in the cognitive process of the prefrontal cortex?" Frawley adds: "I've even had conversations with marketing agents and after three minutes I'm lost in a rabbit hole of jargon that is more bewildering than a chat with the Cheshire Cat." A closed curtain. If professionals can't always grasp the verbiage, no wonder why so many pluggers hit the convenience store window and say, "Five Powerball tickets, please" -- which is much easier to grasp. Meanwhile, otherwise boisterous investors sit on the sidelines and plant their money in, say, a Cancun timeshare. "The jargon is used to intimidate, confuse and keep the opaque curtain closed on investors," says Matt Hall, president and co-founder of Hill Investment Group and author of "Odds On: The Making of an Evidence-Based Investor." "This isn't just a cynical point of view," Hall says. "It's reality. If clients knew the facts they'd likely leave the organization. In the same way Michael Pollan simplified food through his clear writing, the investment world is ripe for a language overhaul." Story continues He may have a point, especially from a historical perspective. "Financial markets are filled with technical terms developed over several centuries of investing in order to make communication easier between investors, if you can believe that," says Martin Schamis, vice president and head of wealth planning at Janney Montgomery Scott in Philadelphia. Differing views. But the view of jargon is clearly split as to whether it serves as both velvet rope and barbed wire. "The truth is that most people on Wall Street are working very hard to make investing simpler and easier to understand for the average investor," Schamis says. "While there are definitely unscrupulous financial professionals looking to take advantage of naive investors, any thought of a wide-spread conspiracy to keep investors in the dark is unwarranted," says Ben Carlston, assistant professor of finance at the University of the Pacific's Eberhardt School of Business in Stockton, California. High-tech holds a shareholder Rosetta Stone. "Looking up definitions is always a great place to start, but more often than not you'll find video explanations on sites such as YouTube that can provide greater clarity," Carlston says. Those might even be grand ideas for financial hotshots. "The truth is that sometimes advisors are busy and don't understand specific complex concepts or instruments themselves," says Paul Bennett, a clinical professor of finance and business economics at Fordham University's Gabelli School of Business and former chief economist at the New York Stock Exchange. "They might be tempted to fall back on jargon to sound informed." By the way, this is sometimes known in more general circles as sesquipedalian loquaciousness. Or, if you're a Trekkie, you might prefer the actual label of "Spock speak." Key phrases to know. A very recent example of investor jargon -- and an insidious one at that -- is bespoke tranche opportunity. Many insist it's a reboot of the messy mortgage manipulations that nearly destroyed the U.S. economy in 2007. "A bespoke tranche opportunity is the same wolf in a different sheep's clothing," said Kyle O'Dell, managing partner of O'Dell, Winkfield, Roseman & Shipp in Denver. "Hiding beneath its obscure moniker are the same risky mortgage products offered before the financial collapse." [See: 10 Ways You Can Throw Retail Stocks in Your Cart.] Still, other terms are more innocent in nature: confusing, but understandable with a little help. Knowing them goes a long way in making savvy market decisions. Michael S. Beall, executive vice president of Davenport Asset Management in Richmond, Virginia, cites short covering as an essential. "'Shorts' describe investors who are betting against a stock," Beall says. "Sometimes when a short is too popular, stocks can benefit from short covering. We often see it when a heavily shorted name reports 'less bad' results." On the opposite end of speculation spectrum, market timing is a term every newbie investor needs to know. It's tempting to "time" the sale of stock based on gut feelings, or a simple line graph that shows a rise in share price. But investment authorities almost unanimously slam market timing as poisonous. "Most experts and main street investors cannot correctly time the market," says Jon Ulin, managing principal of Ulin & Company Wealth Management in Boca Raton, Florida. "Betting on risky investment strategies and fancy names you don't completely understand is like playing high-stakes poker or blackjack with your life savings." One inviting translator is Investopedia. The website breaks down terminology into bite-sized chunks. So if you look up K-ratio, for example, Investopedia will explain how it works: "The ratio takes the return of the security over time, and it is considered a good tool to measure the performance of an equity." But even Investopedia can get lost in the woods. "The K-ratio calculation involves running a linear regression on the log-VAMI curve." Huh? A popular strategy. In the final analysis, the greatest argument against jargon might be a sliver of jargon itself: buy and hold. A favorite strategy of billionaire Warren Buffett, it involves purchasing stock and keeping it in your portfolio for years or decades. Buy and hold requires patience. And in the mutual effort to junk the jargon -- or at least tame it -- investors and their advisors need to exercise patience with each other. "Don't be afraid to ask your advisor to slow down and help you," says Andrew Crowell, vice chairman of D.A. Davidson & Co.'s individual investor group. "Good advisors will do just that and will be patient if you need to have something explained more than once." As for the other side of the gold coin, "Advisors need to frame their conversations around the experience of the investor," says John Diehl, senior vice president of Hartford Funds in Radnor, Pennsylvania. "What do they know about the investor? Do they know where they were educated? Do they know their profession? Do they know their hobbies or family situation?" [Read: Investing as a Game: Is It Big Business?] Or Crowell says: "I would remind all advisors that strong communication is the basis of all great relationships. In your enthusiasm about the markets, don't forget that not everyone understands everything you say." A former longtime staff writer, editor and columnist at the Chicago Tribune, Lou Carlozo writes about investment for U.S. News & World Report, and personal finance for Money Under 30 and GOBankingRates. He is based in Chicago. Connect with him at linkedin.com/in/loucarlozo. In a customer-friendly move, Atlanta, GA-based Delta Air Lines DAL announced that it is investing up to $4 million to boost its workforce for better management of 32 select airports in the country this summer. The airports in question include the likes of Jackson Atlanta International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport and the Los Angeles International Airport -- some of the busiest in the U.S. We remind investors that earlier in May, Airlines for America (A4A) the largest airline trade association in the U.S. had predicted that the June-August period will be the busiest of all times for American carriers. According to the forecast, approximately 231.1 million passengers will be flying by various U.S. carriers in the three months under consideration. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been called on to avoid long queues at airports through proper management. In view of the anticipated surge in demand, Deltas has stepped up its staff count to ensure that fliers do not face undue harassments in airports. In fact, the carrier has shelled out approximately $1 million toward research, development and implementation of two new checkpoint lanes at the HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport. The lanes are in operation now. This move comes as a necessary one in the wake of the frequent terror attacks that have been disrupting airline operations. The Paris attacks were followed by the terror attacks at the Brussels airport and the Maelbeek metro station in central Brussels. To make matters worse, the EgyptAir jet crash, which claimed 66 lives, may also be a consequence of a terror attack. In fact, Deltas passengers were among the victims of the explosions in the departure area at Brussels' Zaventem Airport on Mar 22. No wonder, Delta has teamed up with the TSA to ensure tighter security at the airports. Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider Delta Air Lines currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Better-ranked stocks in the airline space include SkyWest, Inc. SKYW, Air France-KLM SA AFLYY and GOL Linhas GOL. SkyWest and Air France sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) while GOL Linhas carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report GOL LINHAS-ADR (GOL): Free Stock Analysis Report DELTA AIR LINES (DAL): Free Stock Analysis Report SKYWEST INC (SKYW): Free Stock Analysis Report AIR FRANCE-ADR (AFLYY): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. One of the more memorable moments of the Republican presidential campaign was the days-long exchange between Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and now-presumptive-nominee Donald Trump over whether the billionaires supposedly small hands signaled that he is also undersized in other areas as well. The challenge to the size of his manhood appeared to sting Trump, who brought it up himself in a nationally televised debate. Speaking of Rubio, he said, He referred to my hands: If they're small, something else is small. I guarantee you there is no problem. Related: Why Donald Trumps Attacks on a GOP Governor Are Stupid Politics Another candidate would have refused to be lured into referring to the size of his own genitals on national television, but Trump appears constitutionally incapable of rising above slights, real or imagined, as his attack on New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez this week demonstrated. If hes attacked, he must lash out, even if doing so makes him look -- ahem -- small. As we head toward a general election in which Trump will almost certainly be carrying the banner of the Republican Party, you can bet that more attacks on Trumps self-image are coming. In fact, Democrats appear to be coalescing around a strategy that relies more on goading Trump into reacting to attacks on his self-image than on his constantly shifting policy positions. Tellingly, many of those attacks will be coming from the Democratic Partys highest- profile women, and thats not by accident. Trump has taken to attacking Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton by saying she is not equipped to be president -- something more than a few commentators have read as a barely-veiled claim that a woman shouldnt occupy the Oval Office. In a much publicized speech this week, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who has shown a particular talent for getting under Trumps skin, ripped into the billionaire for comments he made in 2007, predicting that hed make a lot of money if the housing market crashed, which it did, causing a massive recession and forcing millions out of their homes. Story continues Related: Clintons Staff Ignored Investigators as They Looked into Her Emails Donald Trump was drooling over the idea of a housing meltdown because it meant he could buy up more property on the cheap, she said. What kind of a man does that? What kind of a man roots for people to get thrown out of their house? Warren used the what kind of man? formulation multiple times, hammering home the unstated assertion that, in her view, Trump isnt much of a man at all. She capped it with her own estimation of the kind of man the Republican frontrunner is: A small [!], insecure money grubber who doesnt care who gets hurt, so long as he makes a profit off it. Likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has got to be a bit more cautious in her assaults on Trump, but its pretty plain that Clinton has also decided that the best avenue of assault on Trump is not a policy-based argument in which the target is constantly moving, but to keep shooting at his explosive-gas-filled ego. She has recently gone after him for the same comments about the housing market that Warren hit, as well as his controversial Trump University system, which is currently being sued for fraud by multiple former students. Trumps story that hes a wildly successful businessman who built his empire on brains and know-how will also come under attack from less-restrained Hillary supporters. Related: Why Are the Feds Investigating a Senior GOP Senator? Clinton supporter and Democratic attack-dog David Brock told The Washington Post in a story published Wednesday, What were doing amounts to a deconstruction of Trumps phony story about himself to show the seedy, sleazy underside of his business record. It may or may not work, but Democrats -- particularly female Democrats -- belittling Trump has two potential benefits. The first is obvious -- sowing the seeds for an over-reactive implosion. The second is more subtle. Much of Trumps appeal to his base of support seems to hinge on the idea that the former reality television star is a real man, unlike the empty suits walking the halls of power in DC. But Trump seems uniquely sensitive to being attacked by women, and doesnt always look good when he lashes out at them. In an election where he begins at a massive popularity deficit with the female half of the electorate, Clinton and her fellow Democrats will be more than happy to keep supplying the rope with which they hope Trump will hang himself. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Several of the Denver Zoos animal ambassadors were blessed during a service at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church on Sunday, May 22. The animals included a porcupine, Eurasian eagle owl and a Malayan box turtle, brought by their handlers for the blessing. The non-denominational, community event was meant as a celebration of life and all animals, honoring wild animals in particular, the zoo said. Credit: YouTube/Denver Zoo Baghdad (AFP) - Only 800 people have been able to flee Fallujah since Iraqi forces launched a major offensive to retake the city, the United Nations said in a statement released Thursday. Lise Grande, the UN's humanitarian coordinator for Iraq, said that those who managed to leave the city occupied by the Islamic State group reported dire living conditions inside. "We are receiving distressing reports of civilians trapped inside Fallujah who are desperate to escape to safety, but can't," the statement quoted her as saying. The UN said that only 800 people had been able to flee Fallujah since May 22, "mostly from outlying areas". "Some families report having to walk for hours under harrowing conditions to reach safety. People trapped in the city centre are thought to be most at risk -- unable to flee," the UN said. Grande said that those who managed to flee told of a dire situation inside the city, which lies only 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of the capital Baghdad. "Food supplies are limited and tightly controlled. Medicines are exhausted and many families have no choice but to rely on dirty and unsafe water sources," she said. The UN and other humanitarian agencies have been unable to deliver much of the available assistance due to the lack of access since the operation was launched on May 22-23. Humanitarian corridors discussed with the Iraqi authorities have largely failed to materialise so far. Jihadist fighters holed up in the Fallujah city centre have been imposing a curfew and forbidding residents to leave their homes, apparently using them as human cover. Residents contacted inside Fallujah have also said that the amount of bombs and booby traps laid by IS in and around the city would make any flight very perilous. The UN's refugee agency also said on the first day of the operation that supply routes were effectively cut off by the tens of thousands of Iraqi forces surrounding the city, thus also preventing civilians from leaving. Various rights and other groups had warned the Iraqi government against resorting to starvation tactics to defeat IS in Fallujah, where the UN estimates around 50,000 civilians remain. Disney CEO Bob Iger slammed Bernie Sanders in a private Facebook post, after the presidential contender attacked the Walt Disney Company over worker pay during his Anaheim rally on Tuesday. Iger defended his company in the Facebook message and criticized Sanders for not personally contributing to the job market. To Bernie Sanders: We created 11,000 new jobs at Disneyland in the past decade, and our company has created 18,000 in the U.S. in the last five years. How many jobs have you created? What have you contributed to the U.S. economy? Iger wrote on Tuesday. The comments came after the Democratic candidate blasted Disney at his rally, saying that it pays its workers [at the park] so low that many are forced to live in motels, because they cant afford a decent place to live. Meanwhile, Disney made a record-breaking profit of nearly $3 billion last quarter. Anybody make a living wage working for Disney? Sanders asked at the Anaheim Convention Center, which is close to Disneyland. Sanders also attacked Igers $46.5 million salary, although he didnt name the mogul directly. He also accused Disney of exploiting people in China by sending work overseas. He said Disney should keep work in the United States. A Disney spokesman said Sanders clearly doesnt have his facts right. The Disneyland Resort generates more than $5.7 billion annually for the local economy, and as the areas largest employer, has added more than 11,000 jobs over the last decade, a 65% increase, the spokesman said in a statement. These numbers dont take into account our $1 billion expansion to add a Star Wars-themed land, which will create thousands of additional jobs across multiple sectors. In response to Sanders comments about Disney laying off 250 IT workers and replacing them with H1-B visas, the spokesman said: Here are the facts: We rehired more than 100 people impacted by our Parks IT reorganization, have hired more than 170 other U.S. IT workers roles and are currently recruiting candidates to fill more than 100 IT positions. Story continues Igers Facebook post was first obtained by The Wrap. Related stories Bernie Sanders Continues Attack on Disney Over Worker Pay Bernie Sanders Attacks Disney Over Worker Pay Hillary Clinton Declines Offer for Another Democratic Debate BOGOTA, May 25 (Reuters) - Colombia's constitutional court on Wednesday struck down a law which requires mining permits be issued exclusively by the national government, a decision which could open the way for provincial and local authorities to restrict mining in their areas. The 2001 law, which forbid regional and local authorities from declaring certain areas off-limits to miners and put the national government in charge of permit approvals, was voted down after local governments brought the case to court. The Colombian mining association said the ruling was worrying and could affect investment and the future of mining operations in the Andean country, which produces coal, gold, emeralds, nickel and other minerals. Mining companies in Colombia have long complained that legal uncertainty and changeable judicial decisions, as well as protests and attacks by leftist rebels, hobble projects. (Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Bernard Orr) By Kieran Guilbert DAKAR (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - From displacement and deaths to funding and food prices, a new data map will enable aid agencies to compare and contrast various needs in a humanitarian crisis and boost their response, according to the U.N. team behind it. The Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX), an open platform for sharing data among U.N. agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and governments, this week released an interactive map focusing on the humanitarian crisis in the Lake Chad region. "The humanitarian data space used to be very fragmented - it was hard to find information and see where the main needs were," said data systems analyst Chad Hendrix. "Now, with the map explorer for Lake Chad, if you overlay displacement data with fatalities in conflict data, you notice an interesting pattern straight away - you don't need to be an expert to notice it," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The HDX, which is managed by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), was set up in 2014 to bring together data from aid groups worldwide and streamline the information to make it easy to find and analyze. It has hosted data on previous crises, such as the Ebola outbreak and Nepal earthquake. The project now features more than 4,000 data sets covering some 250 locations across the world, ranging from Ecuador and Yemen to Kenya's Kakuma refugee camp, and Hendrix hopes the data map will allow aid workers on the ground to access data quickly. "We hope humanitarian responders can use the new tool to look at recent data, compare and contrast it, and make decisions about what needs to be done," he said. U.N. aid chief Stephen O'Brien told the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul this week that Lake Chad is the world's most neglected humanitarian crisis, where poverty and desertification have been compounded by Boko Haram violence. The conflict has forced more than 2.4 million people to flee their homes in Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad, OCHA said. The HDX was funded by Britain's Department for International Development, the Swedish aid ministry, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Humanitarian Innovation Fund, a fund focusing on tech for humanitarian projects in the developing world. (Reporting By Kieran Guilbert, Editing by Katie Nguyen.; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org) From Cosmopolitan When DNCE guitarist JinJoo left South Korea for Los Angeles, she only had her guitar with her and didn't even speak English. Tackling a series of auditions and landing nearly every one, she worked with some of pop's biggest names (Jordin Sparks, CeeLo, Charli XCX, and now Joe Jonas). JinJoo recently talked to Cosmopolitan.com about how she ended up in DNCE and what's next for the band after the success of their song "Cake by the Ocean." So you came from South Korea to L.A. with just you and your guitar? Well, that was miserable. I was very, very scared and afraid because I couldn't speak any English when I moved here. I literally came without any plans. I learned [English] in L.A. when I was 19, and I found a music school in Hollywood. I started going there about a year later because at the music school they did auditions, and I did an audition and got a callback. Then [I did] a second audition and a callback and a third audition. I got the job, which was with Jordin Sparks, so I became a lady guitarist for her. She had toured with the Jonas Brothers in 2009, and that's how I met Joe. You also toured with CeeLo, right? And Charli XCX? After I did the audition with Jordin, the director - that was the first time he saw me - every time, he was the director for every audition in L.A. He called me like, "CeeLo's auditioning. Do you want to come play?" So I played and I got the job. And with Charli XCX, I actually got the gig from Twitter. Through Twitter? Yeah. What happened was [producer] Adam Blackstone knew me for a while and recommended me to Charli XCX's tour manager, but he couldn't find my personal info, so he tweeted me. So I got the job through Twitter. "Cake by the Ocean" came out last fall, but it's been so huge this year too. What was it like being part of DNCE when the single blew up? I feel like I'm still dreaming. It's insane. I came here as a visitor and became part of this awesome band, doing what I've been dreaming of. I feel like the luckiest person in the world. Story continues Did you teach yourself the guitar? When I grew up, my siblings were all musicians, and I was the youngest one. So they showed me a lot of great musicians and they taught me a lot. What is it like being the only girl in a band that's otherwise all guys? It's the best thing ever. Really? Why? Because they are very simple. Guys are so simple and easy. I don't know, I love working with guys. It's always been like that for my career. I was the only female in the band the entire time, so I'm very used to it. I'm very comfortable, and they're funny and silly. Are they kind of like your protectors on the road? Definitely. Nobody can ever come to me and talk to me ever. They're protective, but they love it when I have fun. Well, in all of the group photos, you always seem like you're having the most fun. It's so hard not to have fun because these guys are very funny and silly, so they keep me laughing all the time. Who would you say are your guitar idols? There are so many. It's so hard to pick one, but I've got to say Stevie Ray Vaughan because I grew up listening to him and learning his music the whole time. He's my idol. I got introduced to a lot of blues and R&B and rock 'n' roll. Funk was big for me. It wasn't popular [in South Korea], but our family was very into soul music when I grew up, so for me, it was natural because that was all they'd been listening to. They'd be playing it in the living room and watching the videos. You have to know that you're a role model for girls who want to learn to play the guitar. Do any girls come up to you at shows and tell you that? Yeah, there are like so many girls texting me and DMing me and tweeting me like, "Now I want to play the guitar; now I've started. I bought the guitar, I've been practicing." That makes my day. That's awesome. Do any of the girls try to get to Joe through you? Yes! Now you've got to be the bodyguard like he is to you, right? Yeah, we all protect each other I guess. What does DNCE have coming up next? We're going to release our album this year - I guess in the fall or something - and we just released our second music video [for "Toothbrush"]. So we're going to keep on pushing and we're going to finish this tour in the summer. We'll try to go everywhere that we didn't go before, and just try not to stop. Are you going to South Korea? We're planning on it. We'll see. That will be crazy for you, right? Yeah, that will be crazy. I will probably cry the whole time. All of my family is there. You don't have an album title yet, do you? We don't have it yet. We'll probably come up with something like maybe a week before. We're all about happy accidents, so we'll see what's coming! Follow Kathy on Twitter. From Dr. Oz The Good Life I was born with a genetic bone and muscular disorder called Freeman-Sheldon Syndrome, so I'm no stranger to hospitals and doctors. In fact, I had more than 20 surgeries by the time I was 10 years old. But the one that stands out the most in my mind? The 14-hour brain surgery I underwent in September 1994. I had just turned 13. The symptoms began six months earlier over dinner one evening. I was watching TV and eating macaroni and cheese when I noticed the food getting caught in my throat. It was a weird feeling - I could swallow just fine, but the food wouldn't go down; it was like the muscles in my throat had become weak overnight and wouldn't work anymore. I had a history of being a hypochondriac, so when I was still having problems a few weeks later, my parents took me to the doctor, who suspected it might be anxiety and sent us on our way with a prescription. Maybe if I could just relax, I thought, everything will go back to normal. Over the next several months, however, things didn't go back to normal. In fact, they only got worse. The number of foods I couldn't swallow grew to the point where most of my food had to be blended just so I could get nutrients. I lost so much weight that I was down to 49 pounds, and even though I'm short (just under four feet), you could tell that it was all taking a big toll on my body. In an attempt to get some answers, we saw specialist after specialist in Chicago, from gastroenterologists to ENTs to general surgeons. In between the haze of appointments, I underwent a battery of tests, starting with a barium swallow. When that came back fine, an endoscopy was ordered in which a tube with a camera explored every inch of my throat and stomach. Again, everything was normal. Surprisingly, my intestinal system appeared to be in perfect working order. The doctor concluded that because of my disability, the muscles in my throat had simply become weak over time. She was actually surprised it hadn't happened before, and told us matter-of-factly that I would need to be tube-fed for the rest of my life. Story continues This diagnosis didn't sit well with my parents, who had always been my biggest advocates. They knew there had to be some other explanation, so they went to my spinal surgeon and insisted he order an MRI. I have no doubt that it was my parents who saved my life with their insistence that I get an MRI. It turns out my parents were right. A few weeks later, we sat in the neurosurgeon's office, my MRI scans glowing under the light. Our moment of truth had arrived, the moment we'd been searching for all these months. "Do you see it?" the doctor asked us as he pointed to my upper spine. "It's right there, where the spine is on the brain stem. I can't believe no one has caught this yet." There it was - as plain as day. Diagnosis: Basilar Invagination. My spine had been compressing my brain stem. As the doctor told us, the compression was the result of a spinal fusion I'd had two years earlier. At that time, doctors only fused the lower half of my spine, and because I was still growing, the part they didn't fuse continued to grow. It eventually grew up into my brain stem and compressed it, which was why I couldn't swallow and was even beginning to experience muscle weakness in my right hand. But what really scared me: The only reason I was still alive was because I didn't have the little tip on the end of my brain stem like most people do. If I'd had it, I would have died the instant the compression began, because the brain stem is responsible for such basic functions as breathing and heart rate. We immediately scheduled surgery, which first involved lying in traction for five days to relieve some of the initial pressure before doctors could operate. By this point, all my fears had vanished; I just wanted to get this surgery over with and know that everything was going to be OK. The long surgery was a success, and I had rods placed in my neck to fuse the rest of my spine and keep it from compressing my brain stem. Afterward, the neurosurgeon told us that when he removed the spine from the brain stem, the brain stem vibrated for more than 10 minutes because it had been under so much pressure for so long. I spent three months at home recovering before going back to school. I had to wear a halo frame to keep my neck still while everything healed, but thankfully, everything healed and life slowly but surely went back to normal for me. Looking back now, 22 years later, I have no doubt that it was my parents who saved my life with their insistence that I get an MRI. They never once wavered or blindly accepted the doctors' excuses and assertions. Who knows where I'd be today if my parents had listened and just given me a feeding tube? I certainly wouldn't be enjoying my favorite foods, like my mom's desserts, which I'm thankful to say I enjoy in abundance these days. Getty Image The Cleveland Cavaliers Game 5 blowout of the Toronto Raptors was one of the most heinous in Conference Finals history, and theres only one reasonable explanation as to why: WWE Superstar Dolph Ziggler was there to cheer them on. Nothing says winning like Cleveland and Dolph Ziggler, right? Heres a clip from the Cavs Twitter of Dolph taking a break from this months 15 matches with Baron Corbin to lead the Quicken Loans Arena in a Lets Go Cavs chant. Ziggler is All In 216. If youre wondering why The Miz isnt there, its because hes Mostly In 440. As you may have heard, Donald Trump appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live Wednesday night, an appearance that resulted in The Weeknd canceling his performance in protest, in addition to Bernie Sanders bizarrely agreeing to debate Trump prior to Californias June 7 primary, despite not being the front-running democratic candidate. For the most part, Kimmel lobbed softballs at the polarizing candidate, yet incredibly that didnt stop Trump from lying and contradicting himself at every turn. Of course when 90% of what comes out of your mouth at any given time is a load of horse crap, its kind of hard not to constantly contradict yourself. Teeing off in the above clip, Kimmel asked Trump about his uncharacteristically progressive stance on the LGBT bathroom debate, in which he previously admonished North Carolinas bathroom bill, telling Matt Lauer, People go. They use the bathroom that they feel is appropriate. Unfortunately that was April of 2016 Donald Trump. May of 2016 Donald Trump refuses to take a stance on the issue, as he told Kimmel repeatedly, Let the states decide. When pressed for his personal opinion on the subject Trump refused to say, saying only I think the states will do the right thing. As to what the right thing is? I dont know yet. I mean I dont know. Refreshing. In other areas, Kimmel asked Trump about his past support of Hillary Clinton whom he now refers to as Corrupt Hillary in both 2008, saying that he thought she would make an excellent president, and again in 2012, lauding Clinton as terrific. Allow him to explain: When I am a businessman I had a beautiful story recently where they said, Trump is a world-class businessman and all over the world were doing jobs, I speak well of everybody. If people ask me about politicians, I speak well. So when they ask me about Hillary, shes wonderful, everybodys wonderful, and thats the way it is. They ask me for contributions, I give contributions. Story continues Interesting. This from the man who publicly demanded that the President of the United States give up his birth certificate. But hey, everybodys wonderful! Finally, and this should come as little surprise, but Trump continues to deny that those recordings from his publicist were, in fact, him. It didnt sound like me, though, really. You think that sounded like me? I dont. Yet Trump readily admits to having used aliases over the years in real estate. I would never want to use my name because you had to pay more money for the land. If youre trying to buy land, you use different names. In a nutshell: I used to use fake names all the time, but that time I swear I totally wasnt. Seems legit. Something very weird happened on Wednesday night. During his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, which caused The Weeknd to cancel his performance on the show, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump incited and agreed to a debate with Democratic rival Bernie Sanders. Yes, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has amassed more delegates than Sanders and will likely become the nominee, but it was a question from Sanders posed by Kimmel that spurred the Donald into an argumentative state. Heres the question from Bernie, Kimmel asked, just before briefly employing a half-hearted Sanders impression to ask it. Clinton backed out of an agreement to debate me in California before the June 7th primary. Are you prepared to debate the major issues facing our largest state and the country before the California primary? Yes or no? Needless to say, Trumps answer was both intriguing and unsurprising. Intriguing because he said yes, and not at all surprising because he immediately asked Kimmel, How much is he going to pay me? When the talk show host pressed the New York real estate mogul about his asking price, Trump launched into an explainer about ratings and raising money for charity. If I debated him, we would have such high ratings. I think I should take that money and give it to some worthy charity If he paid a nice sum toward a charity, I would love to do that. The prospect of a rival candidates campaign paying Trump to debate him regardless of whether or not he actually gives any of it to charity is a ridiculous offer. After all, most of Sanders cash comes from countless individual contributions that voters and small groups have donated to his presidential efforts. Why should he use that money to pay the Donald for a televised debate? He shouldnt, which is why Kimmel immediately segued to the possibility that the money might come from another source. What if the network put up the money, he asked, then you guys came in [and debated]? Trump agreed, adding that should happen anyway. Story continues Sanders, whos scheduled to appear on Jimmy Kimmel Lives Thursday episode (hence Kimmel relaying his question to Trump), agreed on Twitter. Shortly after Trumps answer was broadcast on the east coast, the Independent Vermont senator took to social media to voice his support for the proposed debate with Trump and the loose terms theyd suggested. Game on, he tweeted: Game on. I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary. Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 26, 2016 That Sanders would pose the possibility of a debate in the first place, that Kimmel would agree to ask it, and that Trump would agree to do it is telling. Besides, the prospect of yet another televised debate was all Trump needed to bring up the fact that the first two major GOP debates, broadcast on Fox News in August and CNN in September, had raked in 24 million and 23 million viewers respectively. In the months that followed, he raised holy hell with the two cable networks, demanding they pay him (and, by extension, the other candidates) for their participation in the debates. He even skipped out on another Fox debate to host his own event, which supposedly raised money for veterans groups. All of this begs the question: What network was Kimmel referring to when he asked Trump, What if the network put up the money? The latters appearance on the show was enough to generate the now-typical amount of news coverage on television and online, but aside from the same Associated Press story published by the Washington Post and other major outlets, ABC News hasnt touched the story in any detail. Maybe thats because the powers-that-be at ABCs news outlet just didnt think there was much of a story in a possible Sanders-Trump debate. Or perhaps theyre the network in question, the television outlet that might be willing to fork over the cash to the two presidential candidates for what would, in the Donalds words, have such high ratings. Unless something breaks during the Thursday news day, viewers and voters will just have to wait until Kimmel interviews Sanders at the end of the day. (Via Jimmy Kimmel Live, Bernie Sanders on Twitter and Associated Press) Donald Trump has reached enough delegates to clinch the Republican nomination for president, the Associated Press reports. According to the AP, Trump reached 1,238 delegates on Thursday one more than the number of delegates required for a candidate to nab the GOP nomination. Trump was put over the top in the Associated Press delegate count by a small number of the partys unbound delegates who said they would support him at the convention in Cleveland. There are still five state primaries left to go and 303 more delegates are at stake as California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota vote on June 7. Trump, whose 16 rivals all already dropped out of the race, is now officially the Republican Partys presumptive nominee. John Kasich and Ted Cruz were the last two to throw in the towel, ending their campaigns at the beginning of May after a pivotal loss in Indiana. Trump wont be the official nominee until July, but he now avoids a contested convention. Hillary Clinton is likely to clinch the Democratic nomination over Bernie Sanders on June 7. Trump, arguably one of the Republican partys most divisive candidates of late, has divided both the party and the country with his harsh rhetoric about women, Hispanics, Muslims and others minorities. The real estate tycoon and reality star launched his campaign by called Mexicans racist. Hispanics are going to vote for me like crazy, he said at a rally in Anaheim on Wednesday, where protesters and supporters clashed a reflection of his campaign at large. Related stories Donald Trump Appears on 'Kimmel,' The Weeknd Cancels Performance Donald Trump Protesters and Supporters Clash After Rally in Anaheim Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti Blasts Donald Trump Ahead of SoCal Visit Donald Trump promised Thursday to scale back President Obamas environmental regulations and called for faster development of U.S. energy resources in his most sweeping remarks on energy policy since entering the presidential race. The government should not pick winners and losers, instead it should remove obstacles to exploration, the presumptive GOP nominee told attendees of an oil industry conference in North Dakota. The state has been the center of the nations fracking boom for nearly a decade. Political activists with extreme agendas will no longer write the rules. The speech included a laundry list of commitments to radically change the trajectory of federal energy and environmental policy. Trump pledged to save the coal industry from decline at the hands of President Obamas Clean Power Plan. He promised that his policies would allow the U.S. to be completely energy independent. He said he would cancel the Paris Agreement to address climate change that was adopted last year by more than 190 countries and stop funding of any international efforts to address global warming. A Trump administration would end totalitarian taxes he says have been levied by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). But Trump offered few details to behind any of his proposals, some of which defy common understandings of the workings of the energy industry. His promise to save coal, for instance, runs counter to market forces that have made the energy source increasingly unfeasible. Coal has become more expensive as an energy source in comparison to natural gas. Without the giant subsidies Trump says he loathes, a clear path to propping up the coal industry remains unclear. And, in a world absent of regulation, Trump also promised to address real environmental challenges like providing clean air and clean water while not dealing with phony issues. The market forces are going to be what they are, Trump said at a press conference before the event when asked about coal. To me a market force is a beautiful force. Trump devoted little time to discussing the science of change climate directly, but his positions suggest that he gives little credence to the overwhelming majority of climate scientists who agree that top emitters must act urgently to address global warming. President Obama has made the issue a priority despite widespread denial of climate science from the American right. The end of U.S. regulation addressing climate change would yield the Paris Agreement essentially worthless and significantly undermine global climate action. The prospect of a Trump presidency has already unsettled foreign leaders who have prioritized addressing climate change. If a climate change denier was to be elected, it would threaten dramatically global action against climate disruption, said French foreign minister Laurent Fabius, who led the Paris climate conference in December, earlier this month. We must not think that everything is settled. Trumps speech should offer some assurances to oil and gas industry that he would support their interests as president. Oil executives have been skeptical of Trumps candidacy since he emerged at the GOP frontrunner. The candidatess support for ethanol as an alternative to oil and his dismissal of the industry as a special interest drew derision from many energy leaders. The new positions on energy follow conversations with Harold Hamm, an oil and gas billionaire who also served as energy advisor to Mitt Romney in 2012, and North Dakota GOP Congressman Kevin Cramer. Both praised Trump in speeches at Thursdays event. Trump, known for his off-the-cuff style, used a teleprompter throughout his energy speech, though at moments seemed to go off script when taunting Democratic rival Hillary Clinton and President Obama. Hillary Clinton will unleash the EPA to control every aspect of our lives, and every aspect of energy, he said. Theyll make it impossible for the workers. BETHESDA, MD--(Marketwired - May 26, 2016) - Condor Hospitality Trust, Inc. (CDOR), a hotel-focused real estate investment trust (REIT) incorporated in the state of Maryland, today announced that it has changed its corporate headquarters to Bethesda, Maryland, effective May 26, 2016. The Company's Chief Financial Officer, Jonathan J. Gantt, will relocate to the downtown Bethesda office, located at 4800 Montgomery Lane, Suite 220, Bethesda, Maryland 20814. "We expect to gain appreciable benefits from our new executive offices in Bethesda," said Bill Blackham, Condor's Chief Executive Officer. "The resources available to Condor significantly increase given that the area is home to multiple hotel REITs, multiple hotel brands, and an extensive group of entities engaged in the lodging industry." The Company will maintain leased office space in both Omaha and Norfolk, Nebraska. About Condor Hospitality Trust, Inc. Condor Hospitality Trust, Inc. (CDOR), is a self-administered real estate investment trust incorporated in the state of Maryland that specializes in the investment and ownership of upper midscale and upscale, premium-branded select-service, extended stay and limited-service hotels. The company currently owns 34 hotels in 16 states. Condor's hotels are franchised by a number of the industry's most well-regarded brand families including Hilton, Marriott, InterContinental Hotels Group, Choice and Wyndham. For more information or to make a hotel reservation, visit www.condorhospitality.com. Certain matters within this press release are discussed using forward-looking language as specified in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and, as such, may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results or performance to differ from those projected in the forward-looking statement. These risks are discussed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Donald Trump on Thursday reaffirmed his willingness to debate Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and also said he was willing to face off with another political foe, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, whom he derided as an ineffective senator with a very big mouth. The presumptive Republican nominee further accused Warren of exaggerating her Native American heritage. Shes about as Native American as I am, Trump said, repeatedly referring to Warren as Pocahontas. He was speaking to reporters at a press conference in Bismarck, N.D., where he celebrated securing the 1,237 delegates he needed to clinch the Republican presidential nomination. But the rambling, 40-minute event went well beyond that touching on everything from his problem with wind energy (Wind is killing all of the eagles, Trump said) to what he insisted was his reluctance to discuss the death of Vince Foster, a close aide and friend to Bill and Hillary Clinton. Though multiple investigations concluded that Foster committed suicide, Trump recently called his death very fishy. I dont think it is something that should really be a part of this campaign, Trump said Thursday. But Trump spent much of the press conference hammering his rivals, both Democrats and Republicans. He mocked Hillary Clinton, the likely Democratic nominee, for not be able to seal the deal against Sanders in their partys primary. And echoing his Wednesday comments to late night TV host Jimmy Kimmel, Trump said again that hed be willing to debate Sanders. Id love to debate Bernie, he said. Hes a dream. But Republican candidate, who confirmed that his staff is having talks with Sanders aides on the subject, said he would only participate if it could raise at least $10 million for charity. Trump, whose critics frequently accuse him of sexism, suggested a charity geared towards women. Trump said he would also be willing to debate Warren. Ill debate anybody! he said. I dont care. Story continues As Trump ranted about Warren while using the Pocahontas nickname he branded her with several days ago, a woman interrupted. She told Trump that the moniker was offensive. Is it offensive? You tell me, Trump said with a smirk, repeating the nickname as he continued mocking Warren. At the same time, Trump signaled he was willing to scald members of his own party who have yet to line up behind his campaign. Asked about his criticism of New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, who has refused to endorse him and skipped his rally this week in Albuquerque, N.M., Trump shrugged it off. And while he said he had a good conversation with House Speaker Paul Ryan, who has also so far declined to endorse him, Trump sent an implicit message that he didnt really need the support of any GOP leaders. I won the elections in landslides, Trump said, ticking through his litany of primary wins. We have had tremendous support from almost everybody. Yuuuge. Late Wednesday night, Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders seemingly agreed to debate one another a meeting that might actually break the Internet. The apparent agreement came after Trump appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Kimmel read a question submitted by Sanders himself, in which the Vermont senator asked whether Trump would fill in for Hillary Clinton in what was supposed to be a Democratic primary debate ahead of the June 7 California primary. Read more: 3 Ways Bernie Sanders Can Sustain the Bern After His Campaign Ends "Hillary Clinton backed out of an agreement to debate me in California before the June 7 primary, are you prepared to debate the major issues facing our largest state and the country before the California primary, yes or no?" read Sanders' question. "Yes I am, how much is he going to pay me?" Trump said. "Because if I debated him, we would have such high ratings, and I think I should take that money and give it to some worthy charity." Sanders quickly seized on the response on Twitter, sparking the #BernieTrumpDebate hashtag. Game on. I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary. As of Thursday morning, it was unclear whether the debate would actually take place. And a report from CBS News said Trump was joking, and a debate will not happen. Multiple sources tell @Cbsnews that Trump was kidding about debating Sanders & it will never happen. (H/t @stevechaggaris and @MajorCBS) Here's hoping. donald trump Hillary Clinton may have declined an invitation to debate Bernie Sanders in California, but the Vermont senator may be getting a different sparring partner: Donald Trump. On Wednesday, comedian Jimmy Kimmel asked Trump whether he was prepared to debate Sanders before California's Republican and Democratic primaries on June 7. "Yes I am how much is he going to pay me?" Trump said. Trump said he would like to donate the proceeds to charity because a debate between the two candidates would garner high ratings. "If we paid a nice sum for the charity, I would love to do that," Trump said. Following the presumptive Republican presidential nominee's appearance on Kimmel, Sanders tweeted, "Game on": Game on. I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary. Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 26, 2016 Earlier this week, Sanders slammed Clinton for backing out of a final debate between the two candidates. Such a debate had been tentatively agreed upon earlier this year. "She is really insulting the people of the largest state in our country who have a right to hear a vigorous debate on her views," Sanders told NBC. Even with a debate, however, it will be almost impossible for Sanders to accrue the support needed to overcome Clinton's lead in pledged delegates, so-called superdelegates, and popular votes. She also leads in the RealClearPolitics average of recent polls of Democratic primary voters in the Golden State and in New Jersey, the two largest remaining Democratic primary contests. Watch Trump's appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" below: NOW WATCH: Jon Stewart broke his silence to call out 'man-baby' Trump and the medias 'corrupt' investment in his rise More From Business Insider Donald Trump In a new interview with Bloomberg, Donald Trump has defined his vision for the future of the Republican Party. And it's not what the establishment had in mind when it tried to steer the party on a different path after Mitt Romney's crushing loss in the 2012 election. Joshua Green wrote for Bloomberg: By obliterating Jeb [Bush], Trump redefined the Republican Party's identity off the top of his head. And his vision of the GOP's future is in many ways the diametrical opposite of what Priebus and the party Establishment had imagined. Trump, who on Thursday was projected by the Associated Press to have secured enough delegates to win the GOP presidential nomination, told Bloomberg where he saw the future of the party. "Five, 10 years from now different party," Trump said. "You're going to have a worker's party." "A party of people that haven't had a real wage increase in 18 years, that are angry," he added. "What I want to do, I think cutting Social Security is a big mistake for the Republican Party. And I know it's a big part of the budget. Cutting it the wrong way is a big mistake, and even cutting it" at all. Trump acknowledged that much of his politics were instinctual. Whereas the Republican National Committee released an in-depth analysis of why Republicans lost the 2012 election and what the party needed to do moving forward, Trump suggested he was able to sense what people wanted and channel their anger to shape his own policy. "My views are what everybody else's views are," Trump said. "When I give speeches, sometimes I'll sign autographs and I'll get to talk to people and learn a lot about the party." Trump is playing to the opposite instincts of the party insiders who wrote the so-called autopsy report after the 2012 election. That report concluded that if "Hispanic Americans perceive that a GOP nominee or candidate does not want them in the United States (i.e., self-deportation), they will not pay attention to our next sentence," and it called for "comprehensive immigration reform." Story continues Reince Priebus, the RNC chairman, told Bloomberg that the party should focus on "tone" and "inclusiveness" to avoid alienating minorities. Trump, on the other hand, has been a polarizing force. He has said he will deport the approximately 11 million people who are living in the US illegally and build a wall on the southern border of the US. And Trump's support among minorities is at rarely-before-seen lows, according to a recent poll. Bloomberg described Trump as "a walking exaggeration of every negative attribute the autopsy had warned against." And yet, he went on to defeat more than a dozen establishment challengers to become the party's next presidential nominee. "It is an issue Donald Trump's going to have to face in a fascinating way," Ari Fleischer, the White House press secretary under President George W. Bush, told Business Insider in March. "Because if much of the evidence is true that he's bringing in new voters and the Republican turnout is up, the question is can he change the math? But I'm very worried that Trump is going to do dismally with African-Americans and with Hispanics." NOW WATCH: Trump continues walking back his stance that transgender people can use whichever bathroom they want More From Business Insider By Teis Jensen COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - DONG Energy (IPO-DONG.CO) on Thursday set an indicative price range for its planned stock market listing, which could value the Danish utility at up to $16 billion (10.9 billion pounds), potentially making it Europe's biggest flotation this year. The state-controlled company, which also develops offshore wind farms, set its price range at 200 Danish crowns to 255 crowns per share, giving the group a market value of 83.5 billion to 106.5 billion Danish crowns ($12.6-16.0 billion). DONG said it would sell up to 17.4 percent of its shares in the initial public offering and that the Danish state would keep a 50.1 percent stake. The company was created 10 years ago from the merger of a Danish state oil and gas entity and five regional utilities. It has grown rapidly to become the world's largest offshore wind farm developer. It has built more than a quarter of the world's offshore wind farms, is a major player in Britain and Germany and has recently opened offices in the United States and Taiwan, "If the share price ends in the middle of the price range we are definitely interested," Equity Strategist Otto Friedrichsen at Danish asset manager Formuepleje said. "It the price ends in the high end, and I think it could, we would have to take a closer look at the prospectus before we decide if we will invest," Friedrichsen said. The government sold 18 percent of DONG to a group of investors led by Goldman Sachs (GS.N) in January 2014. If DONG is valued at 100 billion crowns at the IPO that stake would have increased in value to 18 billion crowns from 8 billion in 2014. DONG said the final offer price would be determined through a bookbuilding process from Thursday through to June 8. Shares will start trading on Copenhagen's stock exchange from June 9. JP Morgan (JPM.N), Morgan Stanley (MS.N) and Nordea (NDA.ST) are global co-ordinators for the listing while Citigroup (C.N), Danske Bank (DANSKE.CO), UBS (UBSG.S) , RBC (RY.TO), Rabobank [RABO.UL] and ABG Sundal Collier (ASC.OL) are also involved. (Editing by Jason Neely and Jane Merriman) * DONG sets price range of 84-107 bln DKK for June 9 IPO * Says up to 17.4 pct of the shares to be sold at the IPO * Additional overallotment of up to 2.6 pct of the shares (Recasts, adds DONG and analyst comments) By Teis Jensen COPENHAGEN, May 26 (Reuters) - DONG Energy's has set a potential $16 billion price tag on its stock market debut, giving investors a chance to buy into the growth in offshore wind power, but also into a business heavily reliant on government subsidies. State-controlled DONG Energy on Thursday set a price range for its initial public offering at 200 Danish crowns to 255 crowns per share. This would give the group a market value of 83.5 billion to 106.5 billion Danish crowns ($12.6-16.0 billion), potentially making it the Europe's biggest IPO this year. The company has grown rapidly since its creation 10 years ago, having built more than a quarter of the world's offshore wind farms with large projects in Britain and Germany. But offshore wind power is one of the most expensive sources of renewable energy and still reliant on government subsidies. DONG has a handful of large attractive offshore projects in Britain and Germany for development until the end of the decade. "But the time after 2020 is quite a black box for investors," Morten Imsgaard, analyst Denmark's Sydbank, said. "The five projects up until 2020 are extremely attractive, but that might not be representative of the landscape after 2020," Imsgaard said. DONG said Thursday last year it derived 62 percent of its revenue on operational offshore wind farms from subsidies or other financial support such as Green Certificates in Britain. It expects a significant portion of future revenue on wind power projects to come from subsidies. It has made a net loss for each of the last four years totalling 22.3 billion Danish crowns ($3.36 billion), mainly due to impairment losses on its oil business. "We expect to see a profit this year," DONG's chairman Thomas Thune Andersen told Reuters. "Much of the growth will be in wind power." Story continues DONG said all of the countries in which it has offshore wind farms operating had long-standing support schemes, but it also said it could not guarantee that retrospective changes to support schemes for offshore wind farms would not occur. In Britain, DONG's biggest market for offshore wind, the ruling Conservative government has been reining in spending on all renewables subsidies since it took power a year ago, saying the cost of technology has come down sharply and subsidies should reflect that. The European Commission expects established renewable energy sources to become "grid-competitive" between 2020 and 2030 and that subsidies will be phased out accordingly. Sweden's Vattenfall expects to be able to build offshore wind power projects without subsidies by the middle of the next decade. DONG said it would sell up to 17.4 percent of its shares in the initial public offering and that the Danish state would keep a 50.1 percent stake. The government sold 18 percent of DONG to a group of investors led by Goldman Sachs in January 2014. If DONG is valued at 100 billion crowns at the IPO that stake would have increased in value to 18 billion crowns from 8 billion in 2014. DONG said the final offer price would be determined through a bookbuilding process from Thursday through to June 8. Shares will start trading on Copenhagen's stock exchange from June 9. JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley and Nordea are global co-ordinators for the listing while Citigroup, Danske Bank, UBS, RBC, Rabobank and ABG Sundal Collier are also involved. ($1 = 6.6521 Danish crowns) (Additional reporting by Nikolaj Skydsgaard, Editing by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen, Jason Neely and Jane Merriman) The Dow has gained over the week, boosted by diminishing fears about a possible rate hike and a strong rally in oil prices. The index slipped on Monday after fears of a rate hike increased following fresh comments from Fed officials. However, by Tuesday investors had come to believe that a rate hike may indicate moderate economic growth and the index moved upward. Gains on Wednesday were fuelled by a considerable increase in oil prices. The Dow has gained 0.7% over the first three trading days of the week. Last Weeks Performance The index increased 0.4% on Friday following speculations that indications of a Fed rate hike signal that the economy may be strengthening. After the release of FOMCs minutes on Wednesday, rate hike fears weighed on investor sentiment. By Friday, Investors believed that since a possible decision to hike rates emanates from a series of encouraging economic reports, rising rate hike prospects might indicate a stronger economy. Existing home sales for the month of April came in at 5.45 million units, increasing 1.7% from the revised level of 5.36 million units for March. Existing home sales also came in ahead of the consensus estimate of 5.38 million units. Existing home sales increased for the two-consecutive months. The Dow fell for the week, registering four consecutive weekly declines for the first time since Oct 2014. The index declined 0.2% even as other benchmarks gained over the same period. Rising rate hike worries raised investor woes, but had a positive impact on the financial services sector. Increase in oil prices boosted energy stocks. Moreover, shares of Apple Inc AAPL increased after Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. BRK.B reported in a regulatory filing that it has acquired 9.8 million shares or $1 billion stake in Apple during the first quarter. Home Depot, Inc. HD and Wal-Mart Stores Incs WMT posted better than expected earnings results and strong outlook. Initial claims decreased and Leading Indicators Index advanced. Also, CPI, Core CPI, housing starts, building permits, industrial production and capacity utilization increased. However, the Empire State Manufacturing Survey Index came in negative and National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) home builder sentiment index (HMI) remained flat. Story continues The Dow This Week The index lost 0.1% on Monday after fears of rate hike increased following fresh comments from Fed officials. Rate hike concerns had a negative impact on the utilities sector, which also affected broader markets. Fed officials hawkish comments raised worries of a possible rate hike next month. Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren said that most of the conditions that were laid out in the minutes seemed to be on the verge of broadly being met. Also, St. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard said that rates being kept too low for too long, could result in future financial instability even if it doesn't show that the U.S. economy is in that situation today." Further, San Francisco Fed President John Williams said that despite the presidential election, the Fed will raise rates this year. Gains made Apples shares helped curb some of the days losses. Shares of Apple Inc. advanced 1.3% after the company reportedly asked its suppliers to manufacture more iPhone 7s. The tech giant asked its suppliers to make around 72-78 million iPhones by the end of 2016, much higher than analysts expectation of 65 million The index increased 1.2% on Tuesday after fears regarding rate hike diminished as investors continued to come to terms with a possible hike next month. Investors now believe that a rate hike may indicate moderate economic growth. This in turn had a positive impact on financials and tech stocks, which helped benchmarks close in the green. The Dow registered its best percentage gains since Mar 11. Further, encouraging housing data also boosted the markets. New home sales rose by 1.6% from March to 619,000 in April, settling at its highest level since Jan 2008. It was significantly higher than the consensus estimate of 521,000. New home sales also posted its highest monthly percentage rise in 24 years. Moreover, new home sales revised upward in March from 511,000 to 531,000. The index increased 0.8% on Wednesday following strong rally in oil prices. Oil prices increased after the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported Wednesday that U.S. commercial crude oil inventories fell 4.2 million barrels to 537.1 million for the week ended May 20. Analysts had expected inventories to decrease between 2.5 million barrels and 3.3 million barrels. WTI crude increased 1.9% to $49.56 a barrel, settling at its highest level since Oct 9, 2015. Gains in oil prices boosted energy and materials stocks. Meanwhile, data from Markit revealed that U.S. Services PMI declined from 52.8 in April to 51.2 in May. Components Moving the Index The Boeing Co. BA has won an order worth $11.3 billion at list prices from VietJet Aviation Joint Stock Company, a Vietnamese carrier, for 100 737 MAX 200 airplanes. This marks the single largest commercial airplane purchase by a Vietnamese company. The agreement was signed between Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, President and CEO of Vietjet and Ray Conner, President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi during President Barack Obamas visit to Vietnam. Delivery of the airplanes will commence in 2019 and run through 2023. With this agreement, Vietjet will be able to expand its fleet to over 200 airplanes by 2023 end, incorporating the worlds most modern and advanced technology. General Electric Company GE has recently inked a memorandum of understanding with the Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments Company to invest $3 billion in the countrys digital and industrial sectors to diversify its crude oil-based economy. The strategic move will enable General Electric to expand its presence in Saudi Arabia and play an integral part in transforming the regional dynamics. In particular, General Electric plans to invest in projects related to water, energy, aviation, digital and other non-oil industries to help the country shed its dependency on crude oil production for economic development. The company further intends to double its workforce in the country to 4,000 by 2020. The company also expects to develop digital innovations through its proprietary Predix cloud-based software to optimize industrial performance. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. GS is reportedly raising funds to purchase stakes in private-equity firms. The news, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, stated that the companys asset management wing will initially acquire stakes through its Petershill II fund which raised around $1.5 billion. Citing people familiar with the matter, the report stated that Goldman seeks to build a diversified portfolio of managers across various sectors and strategies. The New York-based Wall Street giant will focus on both medium and large size private-equity firms. In order to make such investments, Goldman is likely to launch a new fund. International Business Machines IBM has reportedly eliminated quite a few jobs last week with most cuts coming at the New York City, Poughkeepsie, N.Y, Research Triangle Park campus NC, and Boulder, CO. Media reports suggests that some of the jobs might be moved to cost effective places like India and total layoffs could be as high as 14K. In March, the company reduced 5,000 positions. IBM said on May 20 that reorganization is in process and the company will employ more staff in newer and key areas like cognitive cloud computing and added that it had 20,000 open positions. However, Wall Street Journal, citing two unnamed employees, stated that IBMs internal job search tool listed between 7,000 and 8,000 open positions. Pfizer Inc. PFE announced that European regulators have lifted a warning on the company's smoking cessation drug, Champix, known as Chantix in the U.S. The company said that the European Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) and Package Leaflet for Champix have been updated to include data from the EAGLES study. The label update was implemented after the European Medicines Agencys Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) rendered a positive opinion. As a result, the black triangle symbol, indicating the requirement of additional safety monitoring for the drug in the EU, has been removed. In another development, Pfizer announced that the European Medicines Agency has accepted for review the marketing authorization application for Trumenba (meningococcal group B vaccine). The acceptance marks the initiation of the EMAs review process for the vaccine. Performance of the Top 10 Dow Companies The table given below shows the price movements of the 10 largest components of the Dow, which is a price weighted index, over the last five days and during the last six months. Over the last five trading days, the Dow has gained 2.1%. Ticker Last 5 Days Performance 6-Month Performance MMM +3.1 +8% GS +3.6% -15.5% IBM +4.7% +9.7% HD +1.2% -1.1% BA +0.2% -12.1 UNH +2.6% +17.1% MCD -1.1% +8.2% TRV +2.2% -1.3% JNJ +1% +10.5% AAPL +4.5% -16% Next Weeks Outlook Investors seem to have finally changed their stance toward an imminent rate hike. Markets now believe that such a decision is a result of a stronger economy. Meanwhile, oil prices continue to rebound lending further strength to the markets. Several important economic reports are lined for release during the days ahead. This includes the all important GDP report and personal expenditure numbers. Further positive indications on this front will help in boosting stocks upward over the next week. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report INTL BUS MACH (IBM): Free Stock Analysis Report PFIZER INC (PFE): Free Stock Analysis Report BOEING CO (BA): Free Stock Analysis Report HOME DEPOT (HD): Free Stock Analysis Report APPLE INC (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report GENL ELECTRIC (GE): Free Stock Analysis Report GOLDMAN SACHS (GS): Free Stock Analysis Report BERKSHIRE HTH-B (BRK.B): Free Stock Analysis Report WAL-MART STORES (WMT): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research A woman casts her ballot for the parliamentary elections at a polling station in the capital Nicosia on May 22, 2016 (AFP Photo/Iakovos Hatzistavrou) Nicosia (AFP) - Cypriots disaffected by three years of economic downturn have protested at the polls, staying away in droves and electing two far-right lawmakers in an echo of the populist wave sweeping Europe. Final results released on Monday showed that 3.7 percent of voters backed the National Popular Front (ELAM), a party which defends the Athens-inspired coup of 1974 that triggered a Turkish invasion that has left the island divided to this day. Turnout in Sunday's election was a record low of 67 percent on an island where voting is in theory compulsory. The rightwing Democratic Rally (DISY) of President Nicos Anastasiades, who negotiated a 2013 bailout for the island with international creditors, took 30 percent of the vote and 18 seats in the 56-seat parliament, down two on the last election in 2011. The main opposition communist party AKEL fared worse, taking just 25 percent of the vote and 16 seats, a loss of three, as a protest vote hit both the major parties. An unprecedented eight parties won seats in the new parliament, making it potentially the most fractious ever and posing a major challenge for the president in pushing through unpopular reforms promised to lenders. The centre-right Democratic Party (DIKO), which gave key backing to Anastasiades on the reforms demanded by the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, won an unchanged nine seats. The right-wing Solidarity Movement (KA) took three. The Movement for Social Democracy (EDEK), the leftwing populist Citizens Alliance (SYPOL) and the Ecological and Environmental Alliance (KOP) all also won seats. Half of the new members of the House of Representatives are first-time lawmakers, and the number of women MPs has jumped from four to 11. The president had issued a polling day plea for voters to turn out, insisting that the economic austerity of the past three years had been worth it to rescue the island's economy. "I believe that the decision of much of the electorate abstaining from the elections should trouble everyone," he said. Story continues His party leader Averof Neophytou was more upbeat. "We are the only governing party in Europe that introduced the toughest bailout programme and we are still the first party," he said, while also acknowledging that politicians needed "to win back the trust of the voters". - 'Didn't show up' - Communist opposition leader Andros Kyprianou said: "AKEL voters have not gone to other parties, they just didn't show up." A spate of corruption scandals in public office and parliament's handling of the eurozone bailout agreement have sparked widespread anger and disenchantment with the political scene. ELAM's winning of two seats in parliament was a first for the island. It mirrored the result from a presidential election in Austria on Sunday that saw populist Freedom Party (FPOe) leader Norbert Hofer neck-and-neck to become the European Union's first president from the anti-immigrant far-right. ELAM defends the 1974 coup that sought to unite the island with Greece and that triggered Turkey's invasion of its northern third, ushering in the island's division. It opposes the European Union and has organised demonstrations against both Turkish Cypriots and African and Middle Eastern migrants on the island. Progress on UN-backed talks to reunify Cyprus was not an election issue because both the main Greek Cypriot parties support reunification under a federal roof. But the weakened position in parliament of AKEL, a vocal supporter of the talks, could spell trouble for the process. The negotiations are at a crucial stage, and Greek Cypriot leader Anastasiades and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Mustafa Akinci must make painful compromises to reach a deal. Cyprus has emerged from three years of economic slowdown after the government imposed harsh austerity measures in exchange for a European Union and International Monetary Fund bailout. In return for 10 billion euros ($13 billion at the time), Cyprus agreed in March 2013 to wind down its second-largest bank, Laiki, and impose losses on depositors in undercapitalised top lender Bank of Cyprus. In March this year, the euro group of finance ministers praised Nicosia for its successful exit from the bailout programme. Hawaii's Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve has been declared America's best beach 2016. In the 26th edition of Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beach List, the marine protected area enclosed in a breached volcano, was chosen for its white sand coral beach and responsible management. Located on the eastern end of Oahu, the beach -- which is renowned for the quality of its snorkeling and rainbow-colored tropical fish -- is closed off once a week to give the marine life a chance to rest. The Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve became the first non-smoking beach in Hawaii, leading the charge towards a no-smoking ban that now extends to all beaches on the island. The beach is also staffed by lifeguards. Prepared by Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, a professor at Florida International University, the annual report is based on 50 criteria. Beaches are evaluated on everything from water and sand quality, safety and management to water temperature, the number of sunny days, slope, amenities and water color. It's the second year in a row that a beach in Hawaii has taken the top spot. Rounding out the top three spots are Siesta Beach, Sarasota, FL, and Kapalua Bay Beach in Maui, HI. Leatherman is a coastal scientist who has published 20 books on storm impacts, coastal erosion and beach management. Here are the top 10 best beaches in the US according to Dr. Beach: 1. Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Oahu, Hawaii 2. Siesta Beach Sarasota, Florida 3. Kapalua Bay Beach, Maui, Hawaii 4. Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, Outer Banks of North Carolina 5. Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts 6. Grayton Beach State Park, Florida Panhandle 7. Coronado Beach, San Diego, California 8. Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York 9. Caladesi Island State Park Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida 10. Beachwalker Park Kiawah Island, South Carolina Kinshasa (AFP) - At least one person was reported killed Thursday as rallies across DR Congo against President Joseph Kabila turned violent, with police firing tear gas in the capital Kinshasa and the eastern city of Goma. Large numbers of riot police were deployed across the country for the rallies called by three opposition groups in defiance of government bans. Tensions have been soaring in the country where Kabila, in power since his father's assassination in 2001, is widely thought to be preparing to remain in office beyond the two terms allowed under the constitution. "A policewoman was killed by the crowd and a protester was also killed," in the eastern city of Goma, Jose Maria Aranaz, who heads the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) in the deeply restive nation, told AFP. But Goma's police chief denied there were any police deaths, saying only a "looter" had been killed. However, Human Rights Watch official Ida Sawyer tweeted that Goma police opened fire on the crowd, injuring several people. Locals said Goma police fired tear gas to disperse youths who had set up barricades and blocked roads. The UN's Aranaz said demonstrations in three eastern cities -- Bunia, Bukavu and Uvira -- passed off without incident. Clashes also broke out in the north of Kinshasa, where about 5,000 demonstrators were on the streets to oppose moves to keep Kabila in power beyond the expiry of his second term in December. Police said that while the Kinshasa demonstration had the go-ahead from authorities, the crowds had deviated from an agreed route. "In these cases we don't negotiate, we disperse," national police spokesman Colonel Pierre Rombaut Mwanamputu told AFP. "There have been some incidents" and "some arrests," he said, without elaborating. Police fired tear gas against stone-throwing protesters and then charged them to break up the demonstration, AFP journalists said. Story continues - 'Kabila buzz off' - The protestors in Kinshasa, home to about 10 million people, shouted slogans such as "No to a third mandate", "People rise up" and "Kabila buzz off." As well as fearing Kabila will seek to extend his rule, opposition groups are also angry that his powerful rival, football magnate Moise Katumbi, was all but pushed into exile in South Africa last Friday. In the second city and mining hub of Lubumbashi, dozens of riot police stood guard in the city centre where many shops remained shuttered and the number of vehicles on the roads was far lower than usual, according to an AFP team. The opposition called for demonstrations after the Constitutional Court ruled earlier this month that Kabila, 44, could remain in a caretaker capacity beyond the expiry of his second term, sparking widespread outrage. Katumbi -- who announced this month his plans to run for the presidency -- has been accused of hiring foreign mercenaries as part of an alleged plot to overthrow Kabila. - UN calls for restraint - UN chief Ban Ki-moon called Wednesday for restraint by all sides and said the United Nations was ready to help foster political dialogue in the resource rich but long troubled central African country. Ban is "profoundly concerned by reports of increasing political tensions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo linked to the continuing uncertainty surrounding the country's electoral process," his spokesman said. Political unrest has plagued Congo for months over concerns that Kabila intends to extend his rule despite being legally barred from seeking a third term. The strongman's supporters want elections due later this year to be delayed for two to four years because of logistical and financial difficulties. Despite opposition support for Katumbi, many rank-and-file dissidents are disappointed he left the country on May 20, ostensibly to undergo treatment at a South African hospital. His departure came a day after he was charged with "threatening the internal and external security of the state" for allegedly hiring foreign mercenaries, including an American. The 51-year-old businessman has denied the allegations as "grotesque lies" and says the case is politically motivated. Katumbi was an ally of Kabila's but broke with him in September after the president announced he would carve up DR Congo's provinces, including Katumbi's stronghold of Katanga, into smaller entities. Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd. RDY announced that it acquired a portfolio of over-the-counter (OTC) brands in the cough-and-cold, pain and dermatology categories from Ducere Pharma. The brands acquired include Doans, Bufferin, Nupercainal ointmnent, Cruex Nail gel, Comtrex and Myoflex. Dr. Reddys plans to ramp up sales and marketing efforts for these brands and will focus on their expansion into existing and new market channels. Through this acquisition, the company expects to foray into the branded consumer health space. We note that Dr. Reddys is currently facing challenging conditions. Revenues are being hurt by persisting macroeconomic issues in some territories in emerging markets (comprising Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Romania and rest of the world including Venezuela). Moreover, the Venezuela market remains weak, which will continue to impact the top line in the upcoming quarters. As a result, the company is looking to add strategic assets to its portfolio in order to offset the impact of the aforementioned factors. Previously, the company had acquired UCBs UCBJF established products business in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives in a transaction to expand its footprint in the fast growing areas of dermatology, respiratory and pediatric products. Meanwhile, Dr. Reddys is collaborating with Curis for the discovery, development and commercialization of small-molecule antagonists for immuno-oncology and precision oncology targets. Dr. Reddys currently has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). A couple of favorably placed stocks in the health care sector are Abbott Laboratories ABT and Johnson & Johnson JNJ. Both the stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report JOHNSON & JOHNS (JNJ): Free Stock Analysis Report ABBOTT LABS (ABT): Free Stock Analysis Report UCB SA (UCBJF): Free Stock Analysis Report DOCTOR REDDYS (RDY): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Incoming Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte pledged Thursday to spread economic activity beyond the overpopulated capital of Manila, calling it a "dead" city overrun by shantytowns. Duterte said he would create new jobs by setting up economic zones outside of Manila to spread the wealth beyond the sprawling metropolis of about 15 million people, and that he would not allow any more factories to be built in the capital. "I have to create more jobs but Manila is already saturated," Duterte told reporters in the southern city of Davao, which he has ruled as mayor for most of the past two decades. "If there are any investors coming in, I will tell them I will not allow factories anymore in Manila, not only because it is a dead city but because I have to build a new environment for the people." Duterte, who won a landslide election victory just over two weeks ago, said repeatedly while campaigning one of his top priorities would be improving the lives of about 26 million Filipinos, more than a fourth of the population, who live on $1.30 a day or less. Popular frustrations over the sharp rich-poor divide that largely remain despite years of continuous strong economic growth under incumbent leader Benigno Aquino helped to bring Duterte to power, analysts have said. Lack of opportunities around the rest of the Philippines have for decades made Manila a magnet for people seeking a better life, but millions have instead been forced to live miserable existences in mega-slums. The nation's rich-poor divide is on vivid display in Manila, where the slums are just a few kilometres (miles) from gated villages with luxury homes for the rich, as well as glittering skyscrapers and billion-dollar casino complexes. Duterte expressed dismay at the sight of Manila's polluted canals, which are surrounded by shantytowns. Duterte, who will begin a six-year term on June 30, said he wanted to create opportunities elsewhere so people would not have to live in such squalid conditions. Story continues "I will ask the engineers to find land because we will build economic zones there," Duterte said, adding people living in the Manila slums would be moved there. "I have to relocate them but before I relocate them, I have to establish economic activity." Manila accounts for more than a third of the economic output of the country, with two surrounding regions contributing another quarter, according to official data. In case you were wondering, Dwayne Johnson is still committed to making all the movies. In an interview with Fandango.com, the Central Intelligence actor who also stars in the upcoming Moana, Baywatch, Fast 8, Jumanji, and San Andreas 2, to name just a few said that his reported remake of Big Trouble in Little China is still in the works. Thats happening, man! Johnson told the website. Thats happening, thats happening. And again, thats one of those things where you gotta take really good care of it. Related: First Look at Charlize Theron in Fast 8 and More Photos From the Set He said its happening three times, so it must be true, right? The remake of John Carpenters 1986 action comedy, about a truck driver (Kurt Russell) who discovers a sinister world of magic in San Franciscos Chinatown, was reported by TheWrap last June but no news has surfaced about it since. However, the star and director of the original film have both expressed ambivalence about a remake, with Carpenter literally saying, Im ambivalent about a remake. Russell, whose role Johnson would be playing, told Collider, I dont know what their reasons are for remaking the movie but I hope that they have the right reasons and I hope that they do it well and good luck, what can I say? As for Johnson, he told Entertainment Weekly last year that the project would be a labor of love. I loved the original when I was younger and I loved the main character all the characters, said Johnson. It felt like if we surrounded ourselves with the right group of people, the right writers who loved the movie too and wanted to honor it, bring on John Carpenter in some capacity If we did that, then we have a shot at hopefully making something good. Watch the original Big Trouble in Little China trailer: (Photo: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File) Paris (AFP) - French prosecutors have called for the son of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea's veteran ruler to be put on trial for embezzlement, corruption and stealing public funds, a judicial source told AFP on Thursday. Teodorin Obiang, one of the country's vice presidents, is accused of looting state coffers to fund his lavish tastes, including the purchase of pop star Michael Jackson's famous white glove, private jets and sprawling properties in some of the world's most expensive areas. The source said a judge would decide whether to put him on trial. If the go-ahead is given "it will be the first time in France, and even in Europe that such a high-ranking official from a country goes in the dock for ill-gotten wealth," Transparency International and Sherpa, a French association fighting economic crimes, said in a joint statement. French prosecutors had earlier ordered the seizure of the Obiang family's six-storey mansion on Avenue Foch -- one of the poshest addresses in Paris -- as well as several luxury cars. They also took away van-loads of possessions including paintings by famous artists, a $4.2 million clock and wines worth thousands a bottle. Following a suit filed by Transparency and Sherpa, a probe in November established that Obiang had acquired assets in France worth tens of millions of euros while serving as his country's agriculture minister. Sherpa's lawyer William Bourdon said it was essential "to end the culture of immunity in Africa and elsewhere of the biggest kleptocrats who sacrifice the interests of their people for their personal gains." The 46-year-old's father, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, has ruled Equatorial Guinea with an iron fist since seizing power in a military coup in 1979. The younger Obiang had tried unsuccessfully to quash legal proceedings in France invoking immunity as the country's vice president in charge of defence and national security. Human Rights Watch accuses the government of "serious abuses, including torture, arbitrary detention, and unfair trials". Obiang junior has also been pursued by US authorities, who accused him of racking up more than $300 million through embezzlement, extortion, and money laundering, while earning a government salary of less than $100,000 a year. US prosecutors forced Obiang to turn over more than $30 million in ill-gotten gains -- including a Malibu villa, a Ferrari and Michael Jackson memorabilia -- in October 2014. By Kizito Makoye MAPINGA, Tanzania (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Sikudhani Kimweri was the only girl from her primary school who went on to Bunju secondary school in eastern Tanzania's Bagamayo district. Many of the other girls had to get married instead. "There is no value on education in our village, very few girls finish school," said Kimweri, now 20, in an interview. Her struggle to complete her education against the wishes of her father and under pressure to help her mother at work reflects entrenched gender inequality in Tanzania, where adolescent girls face many hurdles to their development. While Tanzania has made significant progress overall in primary school enrolment, few girls, especially in rural areas, complete their secondary education because of early marriage, teenage pregnancy and poverty, women's rights campaigners say. Primary school enrolment for males and females is almost the same in Tanzania, but secondary school enrolment for girls lags far behind that of boys. Tanzania's Demographic Health Survey Data for 2010 shows that among young people aged between 20 and 24, less than 20 percent of women had graduated from secondary school, compared with 32 percent of men. In the same age group, 20 percent of women had no education at all, compared with less than 10 percent of men. Despite excelling at school, Kimweri - the only girl in her family - was certain that her father, a struggling mason, would marry her off, ending her ambition to become a lawyer. She recalled how her father tried secretly to take her out of school when she was in sixth grade, so that she could marry. "My mother fiercely opposed it and she defended my bid to finish school," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Her parents later separated and her father refused to support her education even though she was doing well in exams. "NO FUTURE" In neighboring Zinga village, Zena Mkumbo, 19, sat under a stall with a thatched roof, sifting through charcoal which she packs into plastic bags to sell for 2,500 shillings ($1) a bag, with her two-year-old daughter strapped to her back. "When I got pregnant, I was expelled from school and that was the end of everything," she said. "I have to do this to earn something to feed my daughter." Mkumbo said her dismissal from school had crushed her dreams and narrowed her chances of becoming a nurse. "I have no future, but there is no way that I could go back to school," said Mkumbo, distraught as she recalled how her father had thrown her out of home after she fell pregnant. "I was too young to give birth, my aunt who took me was very helpful during my delivery," she said. Mkumbo's story is all too common in Tanzania, which has one of the world's highest adolescent pregnancy and birth rates. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) one in six girls aged between 15 and 19 falls pregnant. "Because of low awareness, a lot of girls are lured with small gifts and that is why they end up pregnant," Kimweri said. In rural areas, girls who fall pregnant before marriage, often because of a lack of information on reproductive health, may be stigmatized by relatives, campaigners said. Mkumbo said: "When you accidentally fall pregnant, everybody in the society condemn you as a sinner." While underage sex is criminalized in Tanzania, parents may marry off their daughters using a special privilege granted by a 1971 marriage law, which allows a girl as young as 15 to marry with parental or the court's consent. In response to the problems that prevent adolescent girls in Tanzania, Malawi and other countries around the world from completing their schooling and fulfilling their potential, the United States launched "Let Girls Learn" in March 2015. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) says it has helped train hundreds of thousands of children globally and provided millions of textbooks as part of the initiative. "We know that to educate a girl is to build a healthier family, a stronger community, and, over the long term, a more resilient nation," said USAID Tanzania's Acting Mission Director Daniel Moore. (Reporting by Kizito Makoye; Editing by Jo Griffin and Katie Nguyen. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org to see more stories) EDMbiz Conference & Expo 2016 made its full scheduling and programming announcement today (May 26) for the annual industry event's fifth edition. EDMbiz 2016 Announces Additional Speakers and Programming: Exclusive In addition to special keynotes by Armin Van Buuren, Bob Lefsetz, Moby and Pasquale Rotella, attendees will also be able to enjoy mentor roundtables, yoga sessions, and EDMBiz's first-ever hosted networking happy hour. The Fifth Annual EDMbiz Conference & Expo 2015 will take place from June 14-16 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Registration is now open here. Check out the full EDMbiz 2016 program below. KEYNOTE: ARMIN VAN BUUREN Moderator: to be announced KEYNOTE: BOB LEFSETZ, AUTHOR, THE LEFSETZ LETTER Moderator: John Boyle, Chief Growth Officer & Interim CFO, Insomniac KEYNOTE: MOBY Moderator: Jason Bentley, Music Director, KCRW KEYNOTE: PASQUALE ROTELLA Moderator: John Amato, Co-President, The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group A&R COMPETITION - BEST DANCE TRACK Danny Howard, BBC Radio 1 Joe Wiseman, Label Manager/A&R, Insomniac Laidback Luke, Artist Pedro Guzman, Executive Vice President / Head of A&R, Aftercluv Dancelab More to be announced ADS, FADS, AND THE FUTURE OF RADIO Moderator: Ted Cohen, Managing Partner, TAG Strategic Austin Kramer, Head of Programming-Dance & Electronic, Spotify Ben Gill, Head of Programming, Dance & Electronic Music, Pandora Danny Howard, BBC Radio 1 George Hess, CEO, Zero2Fifty Group Geronimo, Senior Director of Programming, SiriusXM AFTER THE DROP: THE STATE OF DANCE MUSIC Moderator: Matt Medved, Senior Editor, Dance/Electronic, Billboard Andrew Goldstone, Manager - Tiesto and Don Diablo, GM of Musical Freedom Records Ed Shapiro, Partner, Reed Smith, LLP. James Algate, Vice President of Music, Hakkasan Group John Boyle, Chief Growth Officer & Intertim CFO Sebastian Solano, CEO, ID&T ANTICIPATION, AUDIENCE, AND NOT BEING AUSTRALIAN Chad Moses, Music & Events, To Write Love on Her Arms BEYOND THE BOYS' CLUB: WHAT'S NEXT FOR WOMEN IN DANCE MUSIC Story continues Moderator: Katie Bain, Contributing Writer at Beatport, Insomniac, LA Weekly, The Huffington Post Liz Garard, President & Founder, Nap Girls MacKenzie Reynolds, Publicity Manager, Capitol Music Group Matthew Adell, Founder, MetaPop Neda Azarfar, Vice President, Marketing Communications, The Recording Academy Nicole Moudaber, Artist Sarah Polonsky, US Editor, DJ Magazine BILLBOARD DANCE POWER PLAYERS 2016 PRESENTATION Matt Medved, Senior Editor, Dance/Electronic, Billboard BREAKOUT WITH PAUL OAKENFOLD Paul Oakenfold, Artist BUILDING THE NEXT BIG DJ Moderator: Gerry Gerrard, Wired Artist Management Jauz, Artist Marshmello, Artist Matt Rodriguez, VP, West Coast, AM Only Moe Shalizi, Artist Manager, Red Light Management (Jauz, Marshmello, Ookay, Maejor, Dotcom, Sikdope, Slushii) Ookay, Artist Steve Gordon, Owner, Circle Talent Agency DRUGS IN DANCE MUSIC: IT'S TIME FOR THE INDUSTRY TO ACT Moderator: Mark Lawrence, Chief Executive, AFEM Dede Goldsmith, Youth Advocate & President, Protect Our Youth, Inc. Kevin Kerslake, Filmmaker/Photographer, Director - "As I AM" Kennedy Jones, Artist Maren Steiner, Director of Health & Safety, Insomniac Patt Ochoa, Cofounder & Program Director, Sustain Recovery Stefanie Jones, Director of Audience Development, Drug Policy Alliance EDM IS DEAD, LONG LIVE EDM! (EDM'S VALUE TO BRANDS AND LIVE EVENTS), NIELSEN PRESENTATION Matt Yazge, Director of Brand Partnerships, Nielsen Music LITTLE EMPIRE AND SKYLIGHT: PROMOTING THE FUTURE THROUGH MENTORSHIP Alexandra Greenberg, Senior VP, MSO PR Christian Karlsson, DJ/Producer Mentor, Bloodshy/Galantis/Miike Snow Ed Shapiro, Partner, Reed Smith, LLP. Geronimo, Senior Director of Programming, SiriusXM Randy Sosin, Senior Vice President, Film & Video Production, Insomniac Stephanie LaFera, Founder & CEO, Little Empire Music & Co-Founder, SkyLight MEET THE AGENCY: CAA Moderator: John Boyle, Chief Growth Officer & Interim CFO, Insomniac Darryl Eaton, Co-Head of Contemporary Music, North America, CAA Hunter Williams, Agent, CAA Jazz Spinder, Agent, CAA Mac Clark, Agent, CAA Maria May, Agent, CAA Rob Light, Managing Partner and Head of Worldwide Music, CAA RAYMOND LEON ROKER, URB FOUNDER, OPENS THE URB ARCHIVES FOR THE FIRST TIME RESURGENCE OF TRANCE Moderator: Dave Ralph, Head of Talent, Insomniac Dimitri De Wit, Owner, Twenty4Seven Management Jeff Ryan, Managing Director of Dreamstate, Insomniac Markus Schulz, Artist Paul Oakenfold, Artist Tim Smeets, David Lewis Productions SHOW/BUSINESS: ENTREPRENEURS IN DANCE MUSIC Moderator: Justin Spagg, Senior Director of Operations, Insomniac Ali Shakeri, Cofounder, ToneDen Amy Pham, DJ, Host, Actress Brian Lim, CEO/Founder, EmazingLights / iHeartRaves / IntoTheAM Nick Kneuper, CEO, Electric Styles Nick Ward, CFO, YourEDM SUCCESS ON THE BIG SCREEN: EDM PIONEER JUNKIE XL MAKES HOLLYWOOD'S A-LIST Moderator: Jason Bentley, Music Director, KCRW Junkie XL, Artist & Film Composer WHAT'S IN A NAME? Rich Thomas, Vice President, Content, Insomniac Tommie Sunshine, Artist/Activist More to be announced 5TH ANNUAL EDMBIZ ARTIST PANEL Artists to be announced Donald Trump returned to California on Wednesday, where he predicted he would win wide support among a diverse group, including Hispanics, Asians and women, while he said that a Hillary Clinton presidency would mean nothing but turmoil. After his speech at the Anaheim Convention Center, protesters got into shouting arguments with some Trump backers. Anti-Trump demonstrators, some with bandannas covering their faces, shouted F Trump as his supporters tried to surround them and drown them out with shouts of USA. USA. There was a heavy police and security presence at the convention center and the surrounding hotels and streets, including dozens of officers in riot gear, to try to minimize clashes. At about 2 p.m., about 45 minutes after Trump spoke, authorities in a police helicopter warned demonstrators to disburse for unlawful assembly or face arrest. Police said that at least eight people were arrested. At one point Trump supporters, gathered at a convention center parking garage, chanted at demonstrators who were on the streets. Shouts of Donald Trump has got to go! were met with Hey, hey, go home. Without immigration, Donald Trump wouldnt have so many wives, shouted one man holding an anti-Trump sign. There was some expletive filled graffiti anti-Trump sprayed along the I-5 freeway, several miles north of the convention center. Protesters also gathered on Hollywood Boulevard, where Trump was to tape an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live to air on Wednesday evening. He also is attending a $25,000-per-person fundraiser at the Santa Monica home of real estate investor Thomas Barrack, in his first high-dollar event of his campaign. Police closed off portions of San Vicente Boulevard, fearing protests there. Inside the arena in Anaheim, there were three instances where demonstrators were kicked out, as Trump, as he has done at past events, mocked the disruptor. Do not hurt him, Trump said as one man was escorted out. I say that for the TV cameras, but hes a very bad person. Story continues Trump singled out groups in the crowd like Chinese Americans for Trump and a man holding a sign that said Latinos for Trump. I love that, he said, adding, By the way, you came here legally. He said that it also helped that he settled a lawsuit against Univision, which he filed last year after the broadcaster dropped its telecast of the Miss Universe Pageant, which Trump then owned. Hispanics, he said, are going to vote for me like crazy. The news on Wednesday that the State Departments Inspector General found fault with Clintons use of a private email server got just a short mention of criticism from Trump, but he got cheers when he said that she was not equipped to run for president and had shown bad judgment. He brought up the attacks on the American consulate in Benghazi, claiming that Clinton was not up for the overnight phone calls for help when she was Secretary of State. There were hundreds and hundreds of emails and calls and she kept sleeping [through], he said. Clintons campaign tweeted, Donald Trump is fueling conspiracy theories out on the campaign trail. Can you imagine that in the Situation Room? Trump said that his campaign would make a big play for California in the general election, even though a Republican had not won the state since 1988. Some of Trumps biggest cheers came when he talked about building a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border, eliciting chants from the crowd of Build That Wall. It was clear that illegal immigration was a big issue for many who came to the rally. Speakers before Trump included members of the Remembrance Project, a group of relatives of victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants. Trumps speech, lasting nearly an hour, was less a list of policy prescriptions than a narrative of how he and his campaign got to where it is. As he has in past events, Trump went through a number of names of detractors, like conservative pundit Bill Kristol and 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney, who continue their criticism of him even though he is the presumptive nominee. He noted that Jeb Bush had bashed him in an interview he gave to a European TV outlet, perhaps thinking, Trump surmised, that he wouldnt hear about it. He did. Trump predicted Bush would come around to support him. Hell get a burst of energy and he will do it. Trump again called Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) Pocahontas, and said of her, Shes got a big mouth and thats about it. Jay Ding, 42, a native of China who has lived in Eagle Rock for 10 years, said she was impressed by Trumps business background. Carrying a Chinese Americans for Trump sign, she said that she found herself in agreement with Trump on issues of the imbalance with trade with China, which he pins on poor U.S. negotiation. Hey, it is our leaders fault, not the Chinese leaders fault, Trump said. We need somebody to speak for us, not to speak for the big corporations, Ding said, noting Clintons ties to Wall Street. Hes not a member of the establishment. People are tired of that. Trump also took aim at companies that move factories and operations to Mexico, and says that as president he would ensure that the firms would face a 35 percent tax if they sought to sell their goods in the U.S. Dylan Jensen, 17, of Huntington Beach, is a senior in high school, will be eligible to vote on Election Day and plans to cast a ballot for Trump. He gets stuff done, he said. Even as Romney and House Speaker Paul Ryan withhold their support, there were some at the Trump rally who backed other candidates and now are ready to back the GOPs presumptive nominee. Adam D. Smith, 39, an accountant from Tampa, Fla., was in Anaheim for a conference and decided to take a break and attend the rally. He volunteered and raised money for the 2004 campaign of President George W. Bush and worked for Mitt Romney in 2008 and 2012. Before Donald Trump ran I liked Chris Christie. Hes a no B.S. kind of guy, Smith said. Hes willing to say what need to be said. He said that he wanted someone who didnt mince words and faced the issues dead on. Smith said he read The Art of the Deal when he was a kid and was a finalist for season five of The Apprentice. He cited Trumps business experience as a big factor in his support. A president is a CEO of the United States of America. You are controlling the biggest economy and the worlds largest military, he said. He said that he was highly disappointed that Romney is not backing Trump, and said that it was abhorrent that Romney has criticized Trump for not releasing his tax returns considering he was dealing with the same issue when he ran for president. Frankly, I dont remember anything in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights or any legal document that requires tax returns to be submitted as qualifications to run for president, he said. Pat Riley, an artist from Redondo Beach, said that she originally was for John Kasich. I am all for Donald Trump because I cant stand Hillary Clinton, I think he is a good businessman and I think he could do something for our country. As for Trumps speaking style, she said, I think it is rather refreshing. I am tired of all these scripted politicians. Related stories Donald Trump Appears on 'Kimmel,' The Weeknd Cancels Performance Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti Blasts Donald Trump Ahead of SoCal Visit 'The Apprentice' Is Responsible for Donald Trump's Success in Presidential Race, NBC Exec Says CAIRO, May 26 (Reuters) - Egypt's air accidents chief said on Thursday that a vessel provided by French company Alseamar, which specialises in marine wreckage searches, will join within hours the hunt for the black boxes from crashed EgyptAir flight MS804. Ayman al-Moqadem said negotiations were also underway to contract a second firm to help in the search. The investigating team had also received radar imagery and audio recordings from Greece detailing the flight trajectory of the doomed plane and the last conversation between its pilot and Greek air traffic control, Moqadem said. The search for the emergency locator transmitter is also underway and focused on a 5 km area, he added. (Writing by Lin Noueihed, Editing by Dominic Evans) By Lin Noueihed and Tim Hepher CAIRO/PARIS (Reuters) - A French naval vessel was en route to the eastern Mediterranean on Thursday to join the hunt for black boxes from a crashed EgyptAir jet, equipped with three specialist probes from a French company recruited to accelerate the search. France's BEA air crash investigation agency said French naval survey vessel Laplace had left Corsica earlier on Thursday and was heading toward the search zone north of the Egyptian port of Alexandria, where it would begin operations within days. A week after the Airbus A320 crashed with 66 people on board, including 30 Egyptians and 15 from France, investigators have no clear picture of its final moments. But Egyptian investigators said a radio signal had been received from an emergency distress beacon usually located in the rear of the cabin. This could help narrow the search area for that part of the fuselage, near the tail where "black box" fight recorders are held, to a 5-km (3-mile) radius, they said. The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) sends out a signal that can be picked up by satellites in the international search-and-rescue network when an aircraft is in an accident. It is separate from the underwater locator beacons (ULB) or "pingers" attached to the "black box" flight recorders, which send out acoustic rather than radio signals and are designed to be more easily detected underwater. John Cox, a former A320 pilot and chief executive of Washington-based Safety Operating Systems, expressed caution about the reported signal from the sunken wreckage. "There is a low likelihood the ELT would survive and radio doesn't work as well as acoustic signals underwater," he said. Search teams are working against the clock to recover the two flight recorders that will offer vital clues on the fate of flight 804, because the acoustic signals that help locate them in deep water cease transmitting after about 30 days. The BEA, which is working as part of an Egyptian-led investigation into the crash, said two of its investigators were on board the French naval ship which was carrying equipment from ALSEAMAR, a firm specializing in searching for marine wrecks. Negotiations are also under way to contract a second firm to search more than one area, French and Egyptian officials said. ALSEAMAR's equipment includes three of its DETECTOR-6000 systems, designed to pick up black-box pinger signals over long distances up to 5 km (3 miles), according to the company's website. It works by dipping a slender probe into the water to listen for pings and then retrieving it to download the findings. ALSEAMAR, a subsidiary of French industrial group Alcen, did not respond to a request for comment. In 2004, the same company deployed a system of "intelligent buoys" to search for black boxes after a Boeing 737 belonging to Egypt's Flash Air crashed in the Red Sea near Sharm al-Sheikh. The second firm likely to be involved is Mauritius-based Deep Ocean Search, with which France and Egypt are finalizing a contract, according to French diplomatic sources. That firm was originally involved in the search for missing Malaysian jet MH370, but it and others voiced complaints about the conduct of the search after being rejected when responsibility shifted from Malaysia to Australia. It was not immediately available for comment. LAST CONVERSATION The EgyptAir black boxes are believed to be lying in up to 3,000 meters of Mediterranean water, on the edge of the usual range for picking up signals emitted by the boxes. Maritime search experts say this means acoustic hydrophones are usually towed in the water at depths of up to 2,000 meters in order to have the best chance of hearing the signals. Ayman al-Moqadem, Egypt's head of air accident investigations, said the investigating team had received radar imagery and audio recordings from Greece detailing the flight trajectory of the doomed plane and the last conversation between its pilot and Greek air traffic control. It is expecting France to hand over radar imagery and other data covering the plane's time in French airspace and on the ground in Paris, he added. Sources in the investigation committee have said the EgyptAir jet did not show technical problems before taking off from Paris. During flight, it sent signals that at first showed the engines were functioning but then detected smoke and suggested an increase in temperature at the co-pilot's window. The plane kept transmitting messages for the next three minutes before vanishing. With no flight recorders to check and only fragmentary data from a handful of fault messages including two smoke alarms, investigators are also looking to debris and body parts for clues. Cox said the fault messages collectively pointed to a possible problem in the avionics bay under the cockpit, but stressed it was too early to rule out any possible cause. Moqadem said no bodies had been recovered so far, with search teams only able to locate small body parts. DNA tests are underway to identify the remains. He said a report would be issued by the investigating team one month from the date of the crash. (Additional reporting by John Irish, Ahmed Aboulenein, Editing by Ralph Boulton and Cynthia Osterman) CAIRO (Reuters) - An Egyptian human rights activist said on Thursday that airport security officials prevented him flying to Tunisia and told him he was banned from travel. Mohamed Zaree, the Egypt office director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, told Reuters he was banned from travel due to his involvement in a high profile case where authorities accuse NGOs of receiving foreign funds to sow chaos. "I went to the airport this morning at 6 a.m. Cairo time and went through passport control. They made a phone call then told me I was on a travel ban list at the orders of an investigative magistrate," Zaree told Reuters. He said the reason was his involvement in the NGO foreign funding case, which dates back to 2011. The case was revived in recent months with many rights defenders being summoned for questioning, banned from travel or having their assets frozen. Egyptian rights activists say they are facing the worst assault in their history amid a wider campaign to erase the freedoms won in the 2011 uprising that ended Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule. An investigative magistrate had in March banned Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) founder Hossam Bahgat and Arab Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) founder Gamal Eid from travel and froze their assets, a decision that could extend to their respective NGOs if upheld. Four NGO workers from three other organizations were added to the asset freeze order in April. At least six - the latest of whom is Zaree - have been banned from travel and 10 have been called in questioning, including Radwa Ahmed from ANHRI who was summoned on Thursday. There was no comment from prosecutors, who banned reporting on the legal details of the case. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in March he was deeply concerned by the deterioration in the human rights situation in Egypt, including Egypt's decision to reopen the NGO case. (Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Tom Heneghan) By Emily Stephenson and Steve Gorman ANAHEIM, Calif. (Reuters) - Some 100 people staged a boisterous but largely peaceful demonstration outside a Southern California rally by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, at times taunting his supporters before police moved in and arrested eight people. The activists carried signs such as "Stop Nazi Trump" and "Dump Trump," and beat a pinata made to resemble the presumptive Republican nominee outside a convention center in Anaheim, just a few blocks from Disneyland, before they were driven from the scene by police on horseback. A spokesman for the Anaheim Police Department said seven adults and one minor were arrested on charges ranging from selling T-shirts without a permit to unlawful assembly. The arrests came one day after a Trump event in Albuquerque, New Mexico, erupted into chaos after hundreds of protesters tried to swarm the convention center where Trump spoke, knocking down barricades, waving Mexican flags and hurling rocks and bottles at police officers in riot gear. Police responded with smoke bombs and pepper spray. Albuquerque police said they made arrests both outside and inside the rally, where demonstrators continually interrupted Trump's speech. The police department's Twitter feed said officers were treated for injuries caused by thrown rocks. In a Twitter post on Wednesday, Trump called the protesters in Albuquerque "thugs who were flying the Mexican flag." "The rally inside was big and beautiful, but outside, criminals!" he said. In Anaheim, police warned in advance that they would take "swift" action if protests got out of hand, and the roughly 150 officers and sheriffs deputies on hand may have outnumbered the protesters. Inside, Trump was interrupted by hecklers as he spoke, including one man who waved a Mexican flag. "Do not hurt him," Trump said as a man was led out of the arena. "I say that for the television cameras. Even though he is a bad person." LATINOS FOR TRUMP Many of those who protested outside the arena expressed anger over Trump's views on immigration, at one point ripping apart a pinata resembling the candidate and spearing the paper-mache head on top of a flagpole with a large Mexican flag. Police largely stood by watching the demonstration, which became tense at times when anti-Trump protesters surrounded smaller groups of his supporters. At one point a brief shoving match broke out. As Trump's campaign event neared its conclusion inside, outside a police helicopter circled overhead, ordering the throng to disperse or face arrest. Officers on horseback then drove the crowd from the scene, where several people were taken into custody for failing to disperse. Trump's appearances in the U.S. West in areas with significant Hispanic populations have drawn large protests in response to his remarks that Mexico is sending criminals and rapists to the United States, made when he launched his campaign last year. Trump's problems with Latino voters could dampen his Nov. 8 election hopes. A poll by the political research group Latino Decisions found 87 percent of registered Hispanic voters view Trump unfavorably. States like Nevada and New Mexico have growing Hispanic populations that could tip the election. Trump's trip west came ahead of the California and New Mexico nominating contests on June 7. He also plans to hold several large fundraising events in California. It is the first high-dollar fundraising event the New York real estate mogul has held after largely self-funding his primary campaign. Mike McGetrick, one of two people carrying "Latinos for Trump" signs at the Anaheim rally, said he is part of a group called America First Latinos, whose website describes its members as believing in "the rule of law, hard work and the American Dream." He said his neighborhood in nearby Orange is "being overrun" by undocumented immigrants. "There are so many of them, and theyre everywhere," said McGetrick, 62, a retired city worker. "I can tell an illegal from a regular person just like that." Trump supporters have been hopeful that his likely opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton, will be dogged by her own problems to offset his difficulty with some populations. On Wednesday, Clinton faced renewed criticism about her use of a private email server for government business while secretary of state after a report by the State Department's inspector general said she had violated agency policies. Trump only briefly addressed the report in his appearance in Anaheim. "Not good," he said. "Inspector generals report, not good." (Reporting by Megan Cassella, Suzannah Gonzales, Emily Stephenson, Amy Tennery, Dan Whitcomb and Steve Gorman; Writing by Ginger Gibson; Editing by Bill Trott and Leslie Adler) ZURICH, SWITZERLAND / ACCESSWIRE / May 26, 2016 / Today, Stephan Bogner from Rockstone Research published an update on Equitas Resources Corp. (EQT.V) as the company announced earlier today that 2 rigs started drilling 20 holes over 1,600 m (80 m each on average) on May 20 at the Baldo Zone of its 100% owned Cajueiro Project in the Mato Grosso and Para states of Brazil. On May 11, 700 m of trenching commenced, targeting a 650 m strike length of a mineralized corridor at Baldo. The company today informed that drilling and trenching is expected to be completed within a month. This exploration program represents the first phase of an extensive 2016 work schedule and is focused on defining additional gold resources in the near-surface saprolite oxide domain along a highly prospective mineralized structural corridor, in order to supply further information to support open-pit development. The full report can be accessed with the following links: English (PDF): http://rockstone-research.com/images/PDF/Equitas11en.pdf English (web version): http://rockstone-research.com/index.php/en/research-reports/1106-Equitas-starts-drilling-to-prove-up-more-gold-for-production German (PDF): http://rockstone-research.com/images/PDF/Equitas11de.pdf Disclaimer: Please read the full disclaimer within the full research report as a PDF as fundamental risks and conflicts of interest exist. SOURCE: Rockstone Research Eric Schmidt Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google's parent company, says that he can't imagine any reason why Alphabet would ever choose to spin out any of the subsidiaries it created when it blew up its corporate structure last fall. Alphabet businesses include Google proper, its internet access business (such as Fiber), longevity research division Calico, smart home product maker Nest, and its urban innovation division Sidewalk Labs. At Bloomberg's Breakaway Summit on Wednesday, an attendee asked Schmidt when Alphabet would consider breaking off companies, whether to consolidate its own overall mission or because a subsidiary would be better off alone. Schmidt responded definitively: Not happening. "The answer is 'never' or, as close to never as you can make never without being occasionally wrong," he said. "Our architecture allows for expansion remember, there are 26 letters [in the alphabet] and then we can move to complex numbers, or Cyrillic letters, things like that. The model is incredibly expandable and the CEOs are highly independent and heavily incentivized to deliver real value and shareholder value and I don't see any reason to break it up. You never say never, but I think it's about as unlikely as anything I could imagine." Although Alphabet would never see a macro reason to spin out its companies, it's technically already done it. An augmented reality startup called Niantic Labs become an independent (though partially Google-funded) company last year. Schmidt's answer also didn't explicitely address how Alphabet will treat an independent company that fails. What will the first Alphabet death look like? If not broken off, will a company get swallowed? Each subsidiary CEO Schimdt said that they're each called "characters" has formal budgets and revenue goals that they have to hit. "If they don't do well, they'll suffer the consequences...." he said, without outlining what exactly those consequences were. Story continues Schmidt also rejected the notion that siloing its different focus areas would lead to less innovation, arguing that founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin would make sure that Alphabet is still working on the next "moonshots." "The company has always been and is still run by our two founders and they are very demanding, so if anything the demands get stronger," he said. "The scale is bigger." Watch the full video here. NOW WATCH: Watch never-before-seen footage of SpaceX's most impressive rocket landing to date More From Business Insider Ise-Shima (Japan) (AFP) - Flamboyant Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson needs to get to Brussels for a refresher on how the European Union works, a top bloc official said Thursday. Johnson, the fop-haired former mayor of London who is spearheading the drive for Britain to leave the EU in June's referendum, raised hackles this month by saying the 28-nation grouping was behaving like Adolf Hitler. aBoris Johnson spent part of his life in Brussels," European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told reporters on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Japan. "Itas time for him to come back to Brussels, in order to check if everything heas telling the British people is in line with reality," Juncker added. "I donat think so, so he would be welcome in Brussels at any time.a The vote on June 23 has pitched Johnson against his long-term foe and former schoolmate, Prime Minister David Cameron, who is campaigning for Britain to stay in the EU. The British Treasury, the Bank of England, the International Monetary Fund and US President Barack Obama have all warned of negative economic consequences of a so-called Brexit. A series of recent British polls suggest a widening lead for supporters of continued EU membership, with less than a month to go before the crucial in-out vote. Riga (AFP) - Germany said Thursday the EU was facing difficult talks on extending sanctions against Russia over the conflict in Ukraine due to the increased resistance of some member states, and denied that a new Cold War was afoot. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told the Baltic News Service (BNS) "we are aware that resistance in the EU to extending the sanctions towards Russia has increased. "It will be more difficult than it was last year to find a common position on this issue," he added. "What will be the situation at the end of the month when a decision is taken on sanctions? I don't know," he admitted, speaking in the Latvian capital Riga. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told a German daily last week she expects an extension of the sanctions. Steinmeier did not single out specific EU countries resisting continued sanctions, but Italy and Hungary have been among the most sceptical while Poland and the Baltic states have repeatedly pressed for maintaining pressure on Moscow. Current EU sanctions on Russia's banking, defence and energy sectors expire in July. Extending them will require a unanimous vote, and EU leaders are expected to discuss the issue next month. Steinmeier told BNS that Germany would "work hard to ensure that Europe presents a united front on this question", adding that penalties remain "inextricably linked" to the peace deal over eastern Ukraine. The 2015 peace accords signed in the Belarusian capital Minsk call for a ceasefire along with a range of political, economic and social measures to end the conflict that has claimed more than 9,300 lives since April 2014. Ties between Russia and the West have plunged to their lowest point since the Cold War over Moscow's 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Kiev, and its support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine. Steinmeier told BNS that the West needed to engage in dialogue with Russia to "rebuild" lost trust and tackle crises in Syria and Libya. Story continues It was "good" that the NATO-Russia Council would meet ahead of the Warsaw summit, he added. "We are not entering a Cold War situation because the world now is much more complex than it was in the 60s and 70s," he said in Latvia, after an earlier stop in neighbouring Baltic state Lithuania for talks focused on NATO's July summit in Warsaw. "We need to find the right balance between deterrence and detente." Spooked by Russia's actions, eastern European states have lobbied the US-led military alliance to increase its presence along its eastern flank. Athens (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed in an article published Thursday that the EU would not be a global player without his country's help as he prepared for his first visit to the bloc this year. Putin, who starts a two-day visit to Greece on Friday, also called for an energy alliance with Europe and the relaxation of visa rules for Russians travelling to the EU. "A rightful position of the Old Continent in the new international realities can only be secured by combining capacities of all European countries, including Russia," Putin said in the article in the Kathimerini daily. "We believe our relations with the EU do not face any problems that we cannot solve. To get back to a multifaceted partnership, the deficient approach of one-sided relationships should be abandoned. There should be true respect for each other's opinions and interests." Trade and economy will top the agenda of the visit, Moscow said. Greece and Russia will sign a "number of bilateral agreements," the Kremlin said without providing further details. EU-Russia relations are at a low ebb over the conflict in Ukraine that broke out in 2014, with European sanctions still in force against Moscow. The sanctions on Russia's banking, defence and energy sectors expire in July. Extending them will require a unanimous vote, and EU leaders are expected to discuss the issue next month. Putin is due to meet Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Athens on Friday. Putin and Tsipras will also unveil the famous icon by Andrei Rublev, the Ascension, which is on loan from the Tretyakov Gallery to the Byzantine and Christian Museum. On Saturday, he will join celebrations for the 1,000th anniversary of the Russian presence at the ancient monastic community of Mount Athos in northern Greece, one of Orthodox Christianity's holiest sites. Greece has repeatedly sought the help of Russia, a fellow Orthodox country, as it descended into economic crisis over the past six years. Story continues Tsipras is believed to have requested Russian financial assistance last year as the country teetered on the verge of bankruptcy, although Russian officials have publicly denied any approach. Russian companies have also been repeatedly linked to Greek energy and transport privatisation deals that were never completed. However, Putin indicated in Thursday's article that Russia remains interested in tenders involving Greek rail assets and the port of Thessaloniki. Kathimerini said a deal between Russian oil giant Rosneft and Greek refiner Hellenic Petroleum could be signed during the visit. Citing estimates from Russia's state tourism agency Rostourism, the Kremlin said about one million Russians are expected to visit Greece this year -- with Greece accounting for the largest number of booked package tours from Russia so far -- as Athens seeks to benefit from a Moscow boycott of Turkey and Egypt. Putin was last in Europe for a bilateral visit in June, when he held talks in Rome with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Pope Francis. He also made a trip to Paris for the global climate talks at the end of 2015. Tsipras visited Moscow for talks with Putin twice last year, in April and June, ahead of his re-election in September. Ise-Shima (Japan) (AFP) - A leading aide to top European Union official Jean-Claude Juncker railed against Donald Trump and other populist politicians on Thursday, bemoaning the thought of them in power as a "horror scenario". The EU quickly backed away from the comments made on social media by Martin Selmayr, chief of staff to EU Commission President Juncker, who is at G7 talks in Japan. However, it insisted it was not an attempt to interfere in domestic politics. "#G7 2017 with Trump, Le Pen, Boris Johnson, Beppe Grillo?," Selmayr tweeted. "A horror scenario that shows well why it is worth fighting populism." Trump, the billionaire US real-estate mogul and reality TV star, has dominated headlines since launching his presidential campaign last year with a mix of incendiary comments and policy stances seen as insulting Mexicans, Muslims and women, among others. Europe has also faced a rise of colourful rightist politicians such as France's Marine Le Pen, Italy's Beppe Grillo and more recently Britain's Boris Johnson, the former mayor of London who has spearheaded a campaign for his country to leave the EU. Selmayr is well known in Brussels as a skilled spin doctor and a powerful influence behind the scenes in Juncker's European Commission. But he is also a controversial figure. In January Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi reportedly sought to have Selmayr sacked after Italian media accused the German of briefing against Renzi. European Commission spokesman Alex Winterstein was asked at a daily briefing in Brussels for Juncker's view, with the question: "yes or no, does Juncker agree with Selmayr?". "I will not enter into Twitterology, if you want to find out the nature of the opinion of Twitter you just have to check the Twitter profile," Winterstein said. "The key point here is that the challenges that we are facing in Europe but also at G7 are one of a global nature." He was also asked whether the tweet represented interference in British voting, which the Commission has vowed not to do. "I don't see any insults, nor do I see any interference into any camp, neither the American campaign nor the campaign in the United Kingdom" on EU membership, Winterstein said. By Julia Fioretti BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU member states approved plans on Thursday to coordinate the roll-out of a key spectrum across the 28-nation bloc to provide faster mobile broadband speeds and improve access to Internet services, including in remote areas. The proposal foresees the rollout of the 700 MHz band for wireless broadband services by June 30, 2020. Member states can delay that by up to two years if they have legitimate reasons, such as unresolved coordination issues with neighboring non-EU countries or if they need more time to reallocate the spectrum from broadcasting services. The 700 MHz band (694-790 MHz) can penetrate buildings and walls easily and cover larger geographic areas with less infrastructure, compared with frequencies in higher bands. "With the opening of the 700 MHz band for mobile broadband an important step towards the availability of broadband for everybody in the EU has been taken," said Henk Kamp, minister for Economic Affairs in the Netherlands, which holds the rotating EU presidency and steered the proposal. The European Parliament will have to approve the proposal before it can become law. The 470-790 MHz range is currently widely used for digital television signals and wireless microphones - for example in theaters, concerts and sporting events. Broadcasting services, which had expressed concern at the original proposal because of the costly changes needed to move to another band, would keep priority in the sub-700 MHz band at least until 2030. Only France and Germany have allowed the use of this spectrum for mobile services, while Britain, Denmark, Finland and Sweden plan to do the same in the coming years. Mobile operators industry group GSMA, which represents Vodafone, Telefonica and Orange, welcomed the proposal but urged member states to stick to 2020 as the "ultimate milestone in the shift to mobile for the 700 MHz band". "Without this commitment, Europe is at risk of falling behind other regions in mobile broadband development," GSMA Chief Regulatory Officer John Giusti said. Story continues The European Commission, which presented the proposal earlier this year, hopes coordinated allocation of the frequency will promote the take up of 4G - the current standard for mobile broadband - and make it easier to move to the next generation technology, 5G, when it becomes available. Innovative services such as driverless cars, remote healthcare and connecting billions of everyday objects to the Internet will require 5G coverage. (Reporting by Julia Fioretti; Editing by Alastair Macdonald and Susan Thomas) Asian, European Markets Trade with Caution as G7 Summit Kicks Off (Continued from Prior Part) European markets mostly trading flat Major European indexes (DBEU) were trading with caution on May 26, 2016, as they awaited G7 leaders views on the Brexit referendum. The SPDR Euro Stoxx 50 ETF (FEZ) was trading flat, with a slight rise of 0.08% as of 6:30 AM EST on May 26. The German DAX and the French CAC 40 were also trading with positive biases. They rose by 0.54% and 0.42%, respectively. Non-Eurozone markets were also trading on positive biases. The United Kingdoms (FKU) FTSE 100 rose by 0.24%. Swedens (EWD) OMX Stockholm 30 rose by 0.56%. The Russian (RSX) MICEX was the leader among the European markets. It rose by 0.98%. UK GDP estimate in line with forecast The United Kingdoms Office for National Statistics published its second estimate of UK first-quarter GDP. Quarter-over-quarter, the GDP increase came in at 0.4%, with no change from the initial estimate. The United Kingdoms year-over-year (or YoY) GDP estimate was revised downward by 0.1% to 2.0%. First-quarter business investments fell by 0.5% on a YoY basis and 0.4% on a quarter-over-quarter basis. The British Bankers Association reported a dip in mortgage approvals. Approvals came in at 40,000 compared to the previous figure of 44,000. Contrasting data release from Europe Italian retail sales fell by 0.6% on a month-over-month basis, while they saw a rise of 2.2% on a YoY basis. Sweden also recently released a flurry of data. Business confidence and consumer confidence levels in the country were seen falling below forecasts, coming in at 103.7 and 96.0, respectively. The balance of trade came in slightly above forecasts, at 4.4 billion Swedish krona. The Producer Price Index saw a fall of 0.9% month-over-month in April 2016. Swiss industrial data came out on a positive note, with industrial orders falling by 2.2%, better than the forecast of a 4.7% fall. Industrial production rose by 1.0% against the forecast of a 3.3% fall. Browse this series on Market Realist: (ADVISORY- Reuters plans to replace intra-day European and UK stock market reports with a Live Markets blog on Eikon - see cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets for site in development. See the bottom of the report for more details) Adds details, updates prices) * STOXX 600 up 0.1 pct, FTSEurofirst 300 up 0.2 percent * Bank sector weighed down by Banco Popular rights issue * But commodity stocks rally as Brent hits $50, copper rises * ArcelorMittal rallies after upbeat note from Goldman By Danilo Masoni and Alistair Smout MILAN/LONDON, May 26 (Reuters) - European shares steadied on Thursday, with banks coming under pressure after a surprise rights issue by Spain's Banco Popular fuelled fears others in the region may follow to strengthen their balance sheets. But commodity stocks were boosted by Brent crude oil prices hitting $50 a barrel for the first time since November and copper prices reaching a two-week high. The pan-European STOXX Europe 600 was up 0.1 percent by 1152 GMT, while the FTSEurofirst 300 added 0.2 percent. Both hit a 4 week high in the previous session, helped by a two-day rally in banking stocks. Europe's banking sector index gave up part of those gains, falling 0.4 percent after Banco Popular announced a 2.5 billion euros cash call, which caught some investors by surprise. "This is creating downward pressure across the rest of the sector for the main banks," Citi said in a note for clients. Speculation of potential capital hikes weighed particularly on Spanish and Italian banks with Caixabank, Sabadell , UBI and UniCredit all down by between 3.5 and 6.4 percent. Banco Popular fell 22.4 percent. Guardian Stockbrokers director of trading Atif Latif said that the rights issue suggested euro zone banks were "still a major concern." "Credit risk concerns, lack of credible asset quality, balance sheet issues and a lack of reserves... all this makes for gloomy reading for those with EU bank exposure," he said. The STOXX 600 Basic Resources index was the top sectoral riser, up 2.5 percent as miners benefited from a rise in the price of copper. Story continues ArcelorMittal, the world's largest producer of steel, was the biggest gainer in the sector and the broader STOXX Europe 600 index with a rise of more than 9 percent. Goldman Sachs raised its target price on the stock, and maintained its "conviction list buy" recommendation. Oil companies rose 0.6 percent after Brent crude hit $50 a barrel, boosted by a drawdown in crude stocks in the United States last week. The move in the sector was muted, and it remained below highs for the year hit in April. "When we broke through $30 and when we broke through $40, we were seeing real excitement in the market, but we've got a situation where Brent is above $50 but investors don't believe it is sustainable," said Tony Cross, market analyst at Trustnet Direct, who pointed to an OPEC meeting next week and Canadian supply starting to come back as uncertainties for oil. Newspaper group Daily Mail and General Trust fell 10 percent after it said a print advertising downturn was squeezing margins in its media business, resulting in an 11 percent drop in first-half profit and a lower outlook. Today's European research round-up ADVISORY- Reuters plans to replace intra-day European and UK stock market reports with a Live Markets blog on Eikon (see cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets for site in development). In a real-time, multimedia format from 0600 London time through the 1630 closing bell, it will include the best of our market reporting, Stocks Buzz service, Eikon graphics, Reuters pictures, eye-catching research and market zeitgeist. Breaking news and dramatic market moves will continue to be alerted to all clients and we will continue to provide a short opening story and comprehensive closing reports. If you have any thoughts, suggestions or feedback on this, please email mike.dolan@thomsonreuters.com. Mike Dolan, Markets Editor EMEA. (Reporting by Danilo Masoni; Editing by Alexander Smith) ISE-SHIMA, Japan (Reuters) - European Council President Donald Tusk said on Thursday he would like the global community to show solidarity regarding the refugee crisis and recognize it is a global problem. Tusk said he would seek G7 support and commitment to increasing global assistance for the immediate and long-term needs of refugees. "We are aware that because of geography, most of the responsibility (regarding the refugee crisis) has been and will be placed on Europe," said Tusk. "If we (G7) do not take the lead in managing this crisis, nobody would." Tusk was speaking at a briefing held shortly before the Group of Seven summit kicked off later on Thursday. The G7 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. (Reporting by Minami Funakoshi; Editing by Eric Meijer) Athens (AFP) - The squalid Idomeni refugee camp in northern Greece which became a symbol of Europe's migrant crisis has been fully evacuated, police said Thursday, as another 30 died crossing the Mediterranean. In the space of three days, police transferred about 4,000 migrants by bus from Idomeni to newly created camps in the industrial outskirts of Greece's second city Thessaloniki. "We're done. No more people remain, just tents with supplies belonging to aid groups," a police source told AFP. Idomeni camp had become a potent symbol of human suffering and chaos as Europe struggles with its worst migrant crisis since World War II. The camp exploded in size after Balkan states began closing their borders in February to stem the human tide seeking new lives in northern Europe. The last migrants from the crammed, muddy site were evacuated as up to 30 people were feared dead following a shipwreck off in the Mediterranean off Libya. Photographs posted on social media showed migrants waving their arms for help as they balance perilously on the deck of the boat, already underwater but clearly visible. "A Luxembourg reconnaissance plane spotted a capsized boat around 35 nautical miles off the Libyan coast with about 100 migrants in the water or clinging to the sinking vessel," Antonello de Renzis Sonnino, spokesman for the EU's military operation to combat people smugglers in the Mediterranean, told AFP. The shipwreck followed a similar disaster Wednesday when a migrant boat overturned leaving five people dead, and another sinking on Tuesday which left a baby girl orphaned after both her parents died. - 'Deplorable conditions' - A bout of good weather as summer arrives has kicked off a fresh stream of boats attempting to cross from Libya to Italy. The survivors will be added to the list of nearly 40,000 migrants to arrive in the country's southern ports so far this year. Though authorities cleared out the camp at Idomeni it may not have solved the problem of what will become of its former residents. Story continues Most of the 8,400 people at the camp when the police operation began on Tuesday refused to cooperate, police said. "Most of them have gone outside gas stations and hotels nearby, or have walked to camps on their own," the officer said. At its height, the camp housed more than 12,000 people, who spent a brutal winter in freezing rain and mud after Macedonia and other Balkan states closed their borders in mid-February to stem the influx to northern Europe. Many tried to force their way across the border, sometimes resulting in violent encounters with Macedonian police. Aid agencies initially welcomed the operation to clear Idomeni after complaints from local authorities over petty crime and the fear of infectious diseases. But on Wednesday, the Save the Children charity was already reporting major problems at the new sites. "When families arrived in the new camps yesterday, many with babies and young children, they were faced with deplorable conditions," the group's mission leader Amy Frost said in a statement, describing conditions as "inhumane". ATHENS, May 26 (Reuters) - Russia and the European Union need to build a 'an equal and fair dialogue' as partners to overcome their differences, President Vladimir Putin said in an article published in a Greek newspaper on Thursday on an eve of a visit to the country. Western financial sanctions were imposed on Moscow in 2014 over its role in the Ukraine conflict, where it annexed Crimea. Russia has imposed counter sanctions against West, including a ban on agricultural produce. Putin will be in Athens on Friday, and also visit Greece's monastic community at Mount Athos in northern Greece on Saturday. Greece, along with Cyprus, are among EU member states with close relations to Moscow. They are lukewarm towards sanctions on Russia but comply. "Russia's starting point is the need to build an equal and fair dialogue of partners with the European Union on a wide range of issues, - from simplifying visa processes to building energy alliances," he wrote in Greece's Kathimerini newspaper. While the EU did not appear to feel the same way, Putin said, 'there is no problem which cannot be solved'. "To return to this multi-faceted relationship of partners we must reject the flawed logic that one party has the upper hand. Each side must seriously take into account the views and the concerns of the other," he wrote. Singling out energy and transport, Putin said Moscow wanted to deepen its cooperation with Greece. Russia has been the main gas supplier for Greece and Putin said his country has always counted on its deep ties with Athens to push ahead with its plans to boost its gas supplies Europe. Having tried and so far failed to bolster pipeline links with the continent through Bulgaria and Turkey, Russia's Gazprom is running out of options to secure its strategic entry point into southern Europe, and with it any chance of cutting Ukraine out of the picture this decade. The company announced in March new plans with Greece's state natural gas utility DEP and Italian utility Edison to supply natural gas along the seabed of the Black Sea into Greece and Italy, from where it could be sold in Europe. Story continues "The issue of our energy resources being carried through southern corridors to the countries of the European Union is still on the agenda," Putin said. He said that Russia could also help Greece upgrade its transport infrastructure and made a reference to Russian Railways (RZD) which is interested in buying the country's railway operator TRAINOSE and its second biggest port in Thessaloniki. RZD and two other suitors submitted an initial interest for TRAINOSE last month and the deadline for the binding bids ends on June 22. RZD is also one of eight companies shortlisted for the acquisition of a 67 percent stake in the Thessaloniki Port where final bids are expected at the end of September. (Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou and Michele Kambas; Editing by Toby Chopra) (Reuters) - Shareholders of Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) and Chevron Corp (CVX.N), two of the world's largest oil producers, will vote on Wednesday on a raft of proposals designed to push the companies to respond more proactively to climate change risks and regulations. The stakes are highest at Exxon, which has come under intense scrutiny from environmentalists and some investors this past year over the way it handled climate change data. With public sentiment pressuring big oil companies on environmental issues, the votes this year could mark the first time a climate change-related proposal passes muster with a majority of Exxon's shareholders. Below is a summary of key issues on ballots for the annual meetings: EXXON MOBIL RESOLUTION 5: ADD CLIMATE EXPERT TO BOARD The resolution's sponsor, a group of Wisconsin monks, says that by adding a climate expert to its board, Exxon would be able to "more effectively address the environmental issues and risks inherent in its present business model." Exxon's recommended vote: No. Executives say holding a board seat for a "single-issue candidate who lacks other important attributes would, in our view, not be in the best interests of the company." RESOLUTION 7: PROXY ACCESS BYLAW This resolution's sponsor, New York City pension funds, says minority shareholders with a 3 percent stake in the company should be able to nominate directors to the company's board. This is part of a broader shareholder push to put climate experts on the boards of oil companies. Exxon's recommended vote: No. It highlighted "the potential risk for the proposal to increase the influence of special interest groups" on the board. RESOLUTION 10: BOOST SHAREHOLDER PAYOUTS This resolution's sponsor, an investor with 200 shares, wants Exxon to increase dividends and share buybacks, rather than invest in new oil or gas deposits, claiming that climate change throws the long-term viability of the company's business model into doubt. Story continues Exxon's recommended vote: No. Executives defended their history of generous shareholder payouts and noted they use a proxy cost for carbon, which takes into account potential impacts from climate change and environmental legislation. RESOLUTION 11: SUPPORT THE PARIS AGREEMENT This resolution's sponsor, a group of New Jersey nuns, wants Exxon to support the Paris climate accords with a company policy that commits to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius. Exxon's recommended vote: No. Executives said they take the risks of climate change seriously and also have an obligation to "invest in economically attractive energy sources in an environmentally responsible manner." RESOLUTION 12: PUBLISH AN ANNUAL CLIMATE CHANGE REPORT This resolution's sponsor, the New York State Common Retirement Fund, which holds nearly 11 million Exxon shares, wants the company to publish a report annually that would outline how climate change could affect the company's ability to operate. Exxon's recommended vote: No. Executives noted the company already updates its annual Outlook For Energy report with the latest climate policy information. RESOLUTION 13: REPORT RESERVES IN BRITISH THERMAL UNITS The resolution's sponsor, the environmental group As You Sow, wants Exxon to report its reserves of oil and natural gas in British Thermal Units, arguing it is a better metric to track the company's effect on, and vulnerability to, climate change. Exxon's recommended vote: No. Executives note the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission requires oil assets be reported in barrels. CHEVRON Note: Chevron does not identify resolution sponsors. RESOLUTION 6: TARGETS FOR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS CUTS The sponsor wants Chevron to set goals for how the company can best comply with the Paris climate agreements and arrange its business operations in such a way as to help limit global warming to less than 2 degrees C. Chevron's recommended vote: No. Executives say such a requirement could put the company at an economic disadvantage in some countries where it operates. RESOLUTION 7: CLIMATE CHANGE REPORT The sponsor wants Chevron to publish an annual report from 2017 through 2035 outlining how legislation designed to curb climate change could affect its business operations. Chevron's recommended vote: No. Executives say such a report is "unnecessary in light of the safeguards" in place throughout its operations. RESOLUTION 8: REPORT RESERVES IN BRITISH THERMAL UNITS The sponsor wants Chevron to report its reserves of oil and natural gas in British Thermal Units, arguing it is a better metric to track the company's effect on, and vulnerability to, climate change. Chevron's recommended vote: No. Executives note the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission requires oil assets be reported in barrels. RESOLUTION 9: BOOST SHAREHOLDER PAYOUTS This sponsor wants Chevron to increase dividends and share buybacks, claiming that climate change throws the long-term viability of the company's business model into doubt. Chevron's recommended vote: No. Executives say the proposal is based on a "flawed, if not dangerous, premise: that stockholders would be best served if Chevron stopped investing in its business." RESOLUTION 11: BOARD MEMBER WITH ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTISE This sponsor wants more candidates for Chevron's board with a "high level of expertise and experience in environmental matters" who are also independent of the company's management. Chevron's recommended vote: No. Executives say the current board has "significant environmental experience." (Reporting by Ernest Scheyder in Houston; Editing by Terry Wade and Matthew Lewis) By Gabriela Baczynska, Jan Strupczewski and Alastair Macdonald BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union officials and diplomats launched a round of confidential discussions this week to prepare a coordinated response to a possible British vote to leave the bloc next month, EU sources told Reuters on Wednesday. Britain will hold a referendum on EU membership on June 23. Senior diplomats from founding powers Germany and France, as well as several other countries, met on Monday for talks chaired by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker's chief of staff, Martin Selmayr, several sources said. One source with direct knowledge of Monday's discussion said it was intended to be followed by others on specific topics. The Commission and representatives of those governments present at the meeting declined official comment. Britain, the EU's second biggest economy, was not present -- a situation its diplomats and ministers would rapidly have to get used to if Prime Minister David Cameron's "In" campaign loses. EU institutions and Britain's 27 partner states have been at great pains to avoid discussing in public the possibility that Brexit could actually happen, for fear of fuelling a Leave vote. Many senior officials admit in private they have no clear idea how events might unfold on the morning after. While officials have acknowledged that informal discussions have been going on to consider how to react to what would be a political earthquake felt across Europe, Monday's meeting was a first confirmation of a more formal planning process. Another source said the aim was not to prepare for the unprecedented, years-long negotiations that would be needed to unpick 43 years of British EU membership. Rather officials wanted to be ready to coordinate what kind of first response, especially what communication strategy, would be needed in the hours and days after an "Out" vote. "The idea is to have something prepared, not leave it for the day after June 23," a third source said. Story continues Slovakia, which takes over the EU's rotating presidency in July, was among countries present at the meeting, sources said. Several added that no clear conclusions were reached on Monday. A spokesman for the Commission, and French and German representatives, declined to comment on the meeting. The Commission spokesman stressed the EU executive was preparing for Britain to maintain its membership of the 28-nation bloc. "We don't have a Plan B," Alexander Winterstein said. CONTINGENCY PLANS European leaders have postponed a regular EU summit that should have been held on June 23-24 until June 28-29, to give themselves four days to digest the result of the British vote. If the Leave campaign wins, officials expect the European Central Bank, the Bank of England and others to be ready to respond to heavy market volatility on Friday, June 25. Sterling has dropped when opinion polls have tended toward Brexit but has strengthened to 3-1/2 month highs as Remain's lead has firmed in polls which are still uncertain. If Britain votes to leave, the 28 European Commissioners -- one from each state, including Britain's Jonathan Hill -- would probably hold an emergency meeting on Sunday, June 27, EU officials say. They would prepare a strategy before the meeting of EU state leaders on the Tuesday. "The idea is to have everything ready for the Monday," one EU source said of plans to coordinate a response in Brussels. "There will be a lot of talk about the show goes on," said another. "There will be expressions of regret, of respect for the wishes of the British people, and probably some dire warnings about consequences to discourage others from doing the same. "It will be important to coordinate who says what when, and for the EU, minus Britain, to be seen speaking with one voice." Some diplomats speculate that France and Germany, who drove the foundation of the EU after World War Two, could announce new areas of closer integration in the bloc without Britain. But big differences between Paris and Berlin, both preparing for national elections next year, mean few expect substantial new plans to deepen cooperation in the euro zone. Cameron has said he would act on a Leave vote "immediately" to trigger a process, set out in Article 50 of the EU treaty, to launch negotiations for Britain to withdraw. The treaty sets out a two-year period for talks, after which Britain would be out unless all states agreed to an extension -- a scenario many British and EU officials and diplomats say is unlikely. Questions remain about how Cameron, who is widely expected to resign if he loses, will deliver Britain's request to leave. Assuming he has not been replaced by a new leader by June 28, he might deliver it to the summit in person. But some diplomats question whether he would have the authority to trigger Article 50 talks as a caretaker premier. (Writing by Alastair Macdonald; Editing by Catherine Evans) Iran is working with the Taliban to set up a buffer zone along its border with Afghanistan to keep out the Islamic State, the latest sign of how the rise of the Syrian-based terror group is turning longtime rivals into uneasy allies. Tehrans growing push to secure its 572-mile border with Afghanistan, which hasnt previously been reported, marks a significant shift for the Shiite power. Iran had long seen the Taliban, a militant Sunni group, as a direct threat. Tehran also provided weapons and other assistance to the Northern Alliance during its war with the Taliban in the years before the American-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. But Iran now believes that the Taliban pose much less of a threat than the Islamic State, whose expanding affiliate in Afghanistan is thought by U.S. officials to have as many as 3,000 fighters. President Barack Obama, who had once promised to end Americas longest war before leaving office, has instead given the Pentagon the green light to ramp up its air campaign against the Islamic State fighters inside Afghanistan. Between the beginning of January and the end of March, U.S. warplanes carried out roughly 100 strikes in Afghanistan, the vast bulk in the eastern province of Nangarhar, an Islamic State stronghold. Tehran is going even further, and enlisting elements of the Taliban to slow the Islamic States expansion inside Afghanistan and prevent militants from the group which espouses a violently anti-Shiite ideology from crossing into Iran. The Iranians are already trying to secure their immediate borders towards Afghanistan against ISIS penetration by working together with various groups warlords [and] Taliban along their own borders to create a buffer zone, the European Unions special representative to Afghanistan, Ambassador Franz-Michael Mellbin, said in a recent interview. They are already working on this. Mellbin said Irans willingness to set aside its historic enmity toward the Taliban stems, in part, from its intensifying rivalry with Saudi Arabia. The ambassador, who regularly meets with top Iranian officials, said Tehran believes that the Islamic State is effectively functioning as an arm of the Saudi Arabian government. Story continues Iran will interpret any move by ISIS as a front for forward-leaning aggressive behavior by Saudi Arabia, he said. If ISIS emerges along their eastern borders, the Iranians will feel that Saudi Arabia is creating a second front. The buffer zone covers a potentially expansive amount of terrain, with a person familiar with the matter saying that it stretches from Helmand province in the south of Afghanistan all the way to Kunduz province in the northern part of the country. The Taliban controls large parts of both provinces. A U.S. intelligence official declined to comment on the nature of Irans cooperation with the Taliban, but said that given Irans efforts against ISIL elements in Syria and Iraq, it would not be surprising if Iran is concerned with retribution from ISIL affiliates, including ISILs Khorasan branch. Khorasan is the name the Islamic State uses for its militants in Afghanistan. Two Western officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Tehran was providing Taliban forces along its border with money and small amounts of relatively low-grade weaponry like machine guns, ammunition, and rocket-propelled grenades. Its not a game-changer, but its not insignificant, the official said. Washington shares Tehrans eagerness to fight the Islamic State affiliates inside Afghanistan, but worries that some of the money and weapons Iran is providing the Taliban could one day be used against American troops. State Department spokesman John Kirby said the United States wants Iran to work directly and constructively with the Afghan government and the international community in support of Afghanistans stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. No government should be providing the Taliban material support, Kirby added. The stepped-up cooperation between the Taliban and Iran is the latest strange bedfellows alliance created by the rise of the Islamic State. In Syria, the United States is effectively allied with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the fight against the group, bombing Islamic State targets from the air while Assads forces fight them on the ground. A similar dynamic is playing out in neighboring Iraq, where U.S. warplanes have taken the lead in the air war against the Islamic State while Iranian paramilitary forces, backed by Shiite militias directly armed and supported by Tehran, have helped slow the Islamic States territorial gains and begun to push the militants out of the areas they control. Speaking at a Special Operations conference in Tampa this week, White House chief counterterrorism official Lisa Monaco said the Islamic State had lost 45 percent of its territory in Iraq and 20 percent in Syria. She said American, European, and Arab Special Operations forces were preparing a new offensive against the de facto Islamic State capital in Raqqa, Syria. Afghanistan represents a different challenge altogether. Its border with Iran is lengthy and porous, theoretically giving Islamic State fighters multiple ways of entering the Shiite country to mount new attacks. And the Islamic State has long made clear that it wants to do so: In late 2014, Islamic State spokesman Abu Mohammad al-Adnani said the militants were ready to transform Iran into pools of blood and described Iran, actively fighting the Islamic State in two countries, as the Islamic States bitterest enemy. Fortunately for Tehran, it has a willing partner in the fight against the Islamic State: the Taliban. The two extremist groups have been battling each other for more than a year, with the Taliban devoting more than 1,000 of its own special forces to the fight. The BBC reported last December that the two groups had been clashing throughout eastern Afghanistan, leaving dozens dead on both sides. At least 10 Taliban fighters were reportedly beheaded by the Islamic State, which is also thought to have assassinated the Talibans shadow governor in Nangarhar province. In another sign of the increasingly close ties between the two longtime adversaries, Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour was killed in Pakistan by an American drone last weekend after leaving Iran, where his family lives. U.S. officials say that Mansour regularly and freely traveled into and out of Iran. Still, Tehrans partnership with the Taliban in the Islamic State fight represents a remarkable about-face for Iran. Tehran came close to an all out war with Afghanistan in 1998 after fighters from the Taliban executed eight Iranian diplomats in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif, a popular Shiite pilgrimage site. That changed after the 9/11 terror attacks. Iran had long provided military and financial support to the Northern Alliance, the Talibans biggest battlefield foe. Iranian diplomats worked closely with the United States at the 2001 Bonn Conference to create Afghanistans first post-Taliban government. Tehran even provided Washington with maps and other data about Taliban positions and supply networks after U.S. forces swept into Afghanistan at the end of 2001. Barnett Rubin, a former senior U.S. diplomat with years of experience in Afghanistan, said Irans strategic views of the utility of the Taliban began to change in 2007 after the United States signed a partnership with Kabul allowing American forces to stay in the country. Iran had to calculate how to support the government while opposing the U.S. they considered permanent U.S. bases in Afghanistan a permanent strategic threat to Iran, Rubin said. He added that Tehran opened lines of communication with specific Taliban commanders to encourage them to strike American military targets there. When I mentioned this at a [diplomatic] meeting, one of the senior Iranians denied it, vociferously saying Iran was totally against the Taliban, Rubin said. I said that Iranians were not simple-minded people who can have only one policy at a time, and he laughed and did not try to contradict me. Photo credit: JAVED TANVEER/AFP/Getty Images Oprah Winfrey spoke to ET about returning to acting as she went to work starring in her first TV series in decades, Greenleaf. "Oh my gosh! It's so good!" Winfrey gushed to ET of the show. WATCH: Oprah Winfrey Talks Weight Loss and Her NSFW Return to Acting for 'Greenleaf' Winfrey liked the pilot -- which was created by former Lost and Six Feet Under writer Craig Wright -- so much, she is executive-producing the series and made it her first recurring TV role since 1990's Brewster Place in 1990. The upcoming series centers on disillusioned preacher Grace Greenleaf (Merle Dandridge), who has returned home to her estranged family after 20 years. As she re-enters the world of Calvary Fellowship World Ministries, the Memphis megachurch run by her powerful parents: Bishop James Greenleaf (Keith David) and Lady Mae Greenleaf (Lynn Whitfield), it becomes evident that things are not as virtuous as they seem and that the family's outward display of faith hides sin and misdeeds. WATCH: Oprah Winfrey Shares the Biggest Shock She Ever Had on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' For fans concerned about how the series might portray religion, Winfrey, who grew up in church, put all worries to rest. "I am never going to be disrespectful to the church. I can tell you that," Winfrey said. "I'm never going to be disrespectful, because it is the rock and foundation of who I am, so I would never do anything that disrespected that. Now, would I use it as a basis for telling stories about people who are flawed? Yeah, but I'm not going to do anything to disrespect it." Winfrey plays Grace's aunt Mavis, a boozy potty-mouthed blues club owner, which is a character that plays totally against type for her. "I didn't know diddly-do about blues!" Winfrey admitted with a laugh. WATCH: Oprah Winfrey Happily Makes Big Weight Loss Reveal While she might not know much about blues, Winfrey knows everything about producing for television. As executive producer of the series, Winfrey also gets to call the shots. Story continues "I love the casting process!" Winfrey said. "I love getting the little clips of people in their auditions. I like being involved." Greenleaf debuts June 21 on OWN. Related Articles TV's master manipulators are back! After far too many months of waiting to reunite with Rachel, Quinn, and the rest of our favorite predator producers, Lifetime's critically acclaimed summer drama, UnREAL, is returning on June 6 for its highly anticipated second season. To help get you even more pumped for all the Everlasting excitement, ET flew to UnREAL's twinkle lights-covered set in Vancouver, Canada to get the exclusive scoop from leading ladies Constance Zimmer and Shiri Appleby on why season two is going to be even more outrageous than the first. "It's so much wilder, it's so much crazier, it's so much bigger," Appleby spilled to ET back in March. "It's blowing my mind shooting it. I can't believe I'm standing and it's only week three. If that's any indication for what's in store for the audience, this actress is about to fall over." MORE: 'UnREAL' Stars Freddie Stroma and Johanna Braddy Are Engaged! Zimmer stressed that Quinn and Rachel are willing to go to "every length possible" in order to guarantee that Everlasting is even more outrageous than last season. "It's all about the ratings," she said. "It's all about making these people into something that is entertaining and pulling the strings to make them seem more interesting." "Oh, it's a totally different game this year," Appleby added. "There's not quite as much guilt about it and [Rachel] is really smart about putting the pieces together. It's really about watching her survive." Lifetime "Ultimately, they want the best for the show in a weird, messed up way because the show is really weird and messed up," Zimmer said. "It's really fun to just play that danger with so much love underneath it." Rachel and Quinn's dynamic proved to be the most intriguing relationship of season one and it's only going to get even more deliciously vicious. Story continues "It's incredibly dark and dangerous," Zimmer said of Rachel and Quinn's evolution. "There's a lot of betrayal happening. Quinn is having to let go of the reins a little bit this season. Rachel is now the showrunner, Quinn is now the Chet." MORE: Here's How 'UnREAL' Will Stay Just as 'Despicable and Juicy' in Season 2! Since Rachel is the new Quinn, she's taken it upon herself to step out of the army jacket and into a sleek new HBIC wardrobe. "She bought some new clothes, she took a shower, she's in an office now," Appleby said with a laugh. "That's exciting. She doesn't have to sleep in the back of the grip truck, she can sleep on the couch. She's not scooping deodorant out with her fingernails." "She's just really growing up," Appleby continued. "We're watching her go on some wild ride. She really is just sort of putting the pieces together and manipulating the situation to the best of her ability -- obviously in her favor." We loved watching Rachel and Adam's dysfunctional relationship bloom over season one, but as of now, Appleby is keeping her "fingers crossed" that the former suitor will be making a royal return to the show so they can continue their "bow-chika-wow-wow" behavior. Lifetime "I think there's a possibility that my handsome, young friend, Freddie [Stroma], could be coming back, but at this point we don't know," she confessed. "He might. He's busy being on Game of Thrones right now, so I don't know if he can squeeze us in." But while Adam is away, Rachel will play! "We're going to spice it up," Appleby said of her season two sex life. "Rachel is getting her groove on. Rachel has always been sort of like a borderline slut, so she's kind of still there." MORE: Constance Zimmer Dishes on Lifetime's 'UnReal': It's About to Get Even More 'Twisted' As for Quinn's sex life, Zimmer revealed that, unfortunately, Chet is not fully out of the picture. "No, he is not gone. That's for sure. He's here, more than ever, and I am not happy about it," she said. But, I don't know how much I'm going to let him in." Zimmer added, "There is a new love interest that comes into play for Quinn that I think really stirs the plot in a lot of ways." Despite some new faces, and fresh twists, it looks like some things on Everlasting will always stay the same. "Quinn is very volatile, and clearly not ready to give up the helm," Zimmer said. "She thinks Rachel is not good at her job. I'm sorry, but if you're going to get something done, clearly Quinn has to do it herself." Appleby added, "Rachel's huge accomplishment kind of becomes just a game for Quinn." "It's heartbreaking," Zimmer said. "But they still have to work together and make a show together. That's why I think their relationship is so fun to play." Season two of UnREAL premieres Monday, June 6 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime. Related Articles By Clare Jim HONG KONG (Reuters) - A plan by China's richest man, Wang Jianlin, to take his Hong Kong-listed commercial property unit private is being held up by questions from the city's market regulator, according to company insiders, delaying an announcement on the offer. Dalian Wanda Commercial Properties , whose shares have been halted since April 25, was expected to publish details of the proposed delisting as early as May 2, said two of the sources with direct knowledge of the plan. They declined to be named as details of the discussions were private. Wang is planning to delist the Hong Kong real estate vehicle and then relist it in Shanghai, hoping to benefit from higher valuations seen on the mainland. The nature of the questions the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has for the Dalian Wanda Group, the parent of the property unit, and why there was such a delay, were unclear. The SFC declined to comment. Wanda Commercial also declined to comment. It is not unusual for the SFC to question companies before they delist as buyout offers need regulatory approval. One person familiar with the situation said, though, that the way the buyout had been structured was rare in Hong Kong and this was causing regulatory headaches. Dalian Wanda has set up a special vehicle to buy all the shares of the property unit. Investors who wish to own shares in the future mainland-listed company have subscribed for shares in the vehicle in an offer that has been oversubscribed. They will receive up to 12 percent annual interest on their holdings if the property arm fails to relist in China within two years. Meanwhile, it is unclear what investors in the current Hong Kong-listed entity will get. According to an announcement late in March from Wanda Commercial, Dalian Wanda Group was preparing to offer a minimum of HK$48 a share, the same as the original IPO price in December 2014. But a source told Reuters earlier this month that Dalian Wanda was considering offering a 10-20 percent premium on the IPO price in a bid to secure shareholder approval. Story continues LACK OF COMMUNICATION Some cornerstone investors in Wanda Commercial's $4 billion Hong Kong IPO said they fear they are being treated unfairly in the buyout plan compared with investors who have been wooed to bet on the company's relisting in China. Cornerstone investors in IPOs receive guaranteed allocation in exchange for agreeing to retain their stakes for a set amount of time, typically six months. "They haven't come to talk to us at all since the delisting announcement," Timing Investment Chairman Jiang Ming told Reuters in a phone interview. The firm, which invests in media, construction and finance, bought $100 million worth of Wanda Commercial shares as a cornerstone investor in the IPO. Jiang said it is "a little unfair" for Dalian Wanda to offer new investors the high yields while investors who had supported the company since the start were ignored. He added Timing would approve the delisting if it was offered a premium of at least 15 percent above the IPO price."Cornerstones were shocked and they couldn't comprehend the delisting. They trusted the company's strategy, but now it's changed. This relationship is changed," one of the company insiders said. Major cornerstone investors in the IPO included Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), Och-Ziff Capital Management (OZM.N) and Dutch pension fund manager APG. KIA and APG declined to comment on the delisting when contacted by Reuters, while Och-Ziff didn't immediately reply to a request for comment. "Cornerstones went in at HK$48, while many hedge funds went in at HK$30 plus (after the listing). Everyone has a different view of what the company is worth, and the group did itself no favor when they went out pitching to new investors promising them an eventual listing would be at three times the earnings multiple," said a Singapore-based hedge fund manager, whose clients hold around 3 percent of Wanda Commercial. The hedge fund manager said the shares were bought before the take-private announcement, and he will likely accept the offer if it comes in at 10 percent or more above the IPO price. Inside the company there is far from universal agreement about the plan. One of the insider sources said: "There's no guarantee of higher valuation in (China) but then you're delisting from Hong Kong. There's a big risk involved and it may damage your reputation." (Additional reporting by Elzio Barreto in HONG KONG, Matthew Miller and Shu Zhang in Beijing; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree and Martin Howell) U.S. oil giant ExxonMobil Corporation XOM has been relieved of the tremendous pressure to implement climate change policies, after its shareholders narrowly voted the proposals down. The policies, which necessitated limiting greenhouse gas emissions, reducing global warming, putting a climate expert on the board, reporting on fracking activities and even climate change impact assessments, were rejected at ExxonMobils annual meeting. Notably, just one out of the eleven climate-related proposals was passed at the meeting. Per the resolution, directors have been instructed to adopt a proxy-access rule that would make it easier for minority shareholders to propose board candidates and remove incumbent directors. This is expected to pave the way for the inclusion of a climate activist in the companys board. However, it must be noted that ExxonMobil's board had opposed the proposal on grounds that the policy exposed the influence of "special interest groups" in the company. Notably, this is first time in the companys history that the climate-related proposals received so much support. Initial results showed 38% support from ExxonMobil investors that cast ballots. This is a sign that more conventional shareholders like pension funds, sovereign-wealth funds and asset managers are beginning to take the threat of a global warming from fossil fuels more seriously. ExxonMobil had intended to avoid the vote on the proposals but the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rejected the plan. Additionally, the White House declared that it intended to put forward a new rule that requires companies with federal contracts to reveal whether they share information about the risks to their operations from changing climate conditions, as well as their goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The rule, which is expected to be implemented by this fall, would have a notable impact on most federal contracts. However, ExxonMobil remains unperturbed by this announcement. In fact, the company mentioned that it had published a report in 2014 on managing climate risks. ExxonMobil added that the report had stated that none of the companys oil and gas holdings are challenged by a global push to reduce carbon emissions. Church Commissioners for England and the New York State Common Retirement Fund, along with others led the filing of the ExxonMobil resolution. Notably, ExxonMobils shareholder meeting this year was pretty tensed as it came after the Paris accord on a curb in fossil fuel emissions and average global temperatures of less than 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. Alongside, New York's attorney general also examined accusations from environmentalists that ExxonMobil had misled the public about climate change risks. Several shareholders used this to urge the company to show how such a goal will affect its business units. ExxonMobil currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the oil and gas sector include CVR Refining, LP CVRR, Murphy USA Inc. MUSA and Braskem S.A. BAK. All these stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report MURPHY USA INC (MUSA): Free Stock Analysis Report EXXON MOBIL CRP (XOM): Free Stock Analysis Report BRASKEM SA (BAK): Free Stock Analysis Report CVR REFINING LP (CVRR): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Abortion is legal in the United States and has been since 1973, but a tide of restrictive rules and regulations has made access increasingly difficult in many states, according to reproductive rights advocates. Here are some facts about abortion and its availability in the United States: - Americans are split in their views of abortion. A recent study by the Pew Research Center found 51 percent say abortion should be legal in all or most cases and 43 percent say it should be illegal all or most of the time. Those figures have been relatively stable for at least two decades, Pew said. - According to the National Right to Life, an anti-abortion group, there have been more than 58 million abortions in the United States since the Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade made it legal in 1973. - At current rates, roughly three in ten U.S. women will have had an abortion by age 45, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive rights group. - In Texas, passage of restrictive laws in 2013 forced more than half the state's abortion clinics to close. For women whose nearest clinic shut down, the average distance to the next clinic increased fourfold to 70 miles (110 km). A third of those women face more than $100 in added expenses due to lost wages, child care, transportation and overnight costs, according to the Texas Policy Evaluation Project at the University of Texas at Austin. If the laws are upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, where they have been challenged, Texas would be left with no clinic in the 500 miles (800km) between San Antonio and the New Mexico border. - More than two dozen states have passed what National Right to Life, an anti-abortion group, calls "right-to-know" laws explaining risks and alternatives to women seeking abortions. - Six U.S. states require that women be told personhood begins at conception when they seek abortions, according to Guttmacher. - Five states require that women be told there is a link between abortion and breast cancer, which the National Cancer Institute and other medical experts say is false. Story continues - Three states require that ultrasounds be performed on women seeking abortions and that the provider describe and show them the images. - Twenty-seven states have laws deemed "hostile" to abortion rights, according to Guttmacher, and 18 of those states are considered "extremely hostile." Put another way, 57 percent of women of reproductive age live in a state considered hostile to abortion rights, according to Guttmacher. - There have been 17 known arrests or convictions in connection with self-induced abortions, according to the Self-Induced Abortion (SIA) Legal Team at the Center on Reproductive Rights and Justice at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. - Legislators this year in nine states have introduced measures to ban all or most abortions, typically by granting legal personhood to a fetus at conception or prohibiting abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy, according to Guttmacher. - This month, the governor of Oklahoma vetoed a bill calling for prison terms of up to three years for doctors who performed abortions, saying it would not withstand a legal challenge. The bill, approved in the state legislature, would have made performing an abortion a felony and called for revoking the license of any doctor conducting one. It exempted abortion necessary to save the life of the mother. - North Dakota and Indiana have laws that prohibit abortions in cases of fetal abnormality such as Down syndrome. The law in Indiana takes effect on July 1. - The anti-abortion group Americans United for Life lists Oklahoma as the state "most protective" of unborn children, followed by Kansas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi. It ranks Washington state, Vermont, New Jersey, California and Oregon as "least protective." - A doctor in Washington, D.C. has filed a civil rights complaint against the hospital where she works, claiming it is violating the law by forbidding her to speak publicly in defense of abortion. The hospital says it was concerned about the possibility of anti-abortion violence. (Reporting by Ellen Wulfhorst, Editing by Ros Russell. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org) Memphis, TN-based FedEx Corporation FDX took a giant leap in favor of its European operations by completing the acquisition of TNT Express for 4.4 billion. Ever since the announcement of the deal last April, updates on it have invited shareholders attention as it has been gaining regulatory approvals over an extended period of time. In this regard, the antitrust clearance from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission was gained last November. As FedEx primarily aims to become a key player in Europe through this acquisition, the approval from the European Commission (EC) the antitrust watchdog of the European Union was of utmost importance. However, the approval didnt come easy. The EC had launched a thorough investigation into whether competition in Europe would be stifled in the event of the deal materializing. Eventually, the clearance came in January this year after all the concerns were addressed. The receipt of this key approval removed a major hurdle toward the successful completion of the merger. Meanwhile, approvals from other countries followed suit with the Ministry of Commerce Peoples Republic of China (MOFCOM) sanctioning the deal this April. Notably, the deal will help FedEx strengthen its position in the fast-growing e-commerce business. The TNT Express deal marks a major victory for FedEx over rival United Parcel Service Inc. UPS as the latter's attempt to acquire TNT Express had been thwarted by European regulators a few years back. With FedEx being successful in acquiring TNT Express, investors would now keenly await updates on the integration process of the merger. Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider FedEx currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Investors interested in the broader transportation space may also consider SkyWest, Inc. SKYW and Air France-KLM SA AFLYY. Both the stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days.Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report SKYWEST INC (SKYW): Free Stock Analysis Report AIR FRANCE-ADR (AFLYY): Free Stock Analysis Report UTD PARCEL SRVC (UPS): Free Stock Analysis Report FEDEX CORP (FDX): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research From Esquire Believe it or not, it's been a pretty good week for people who have taken on the fight to rehabilitate the battered old franchise on behalf of Americans who Republicans would not rather see voting anytime soon. At the top of the good news is a story out of Ohio in which a federal court took the pruning shears to that state's new voting restrictions, as per The Columbus Dispatch. Judge Michael H. Watson of U.S. District Court in Columbus said the Republican-dominated Ohio legislature violated the federal constitution and Voting Rights Act in 2014 when it reduced the state's early voting period from 35 to 28 days. The move also eliminated the so-called Golden Week in which eligible residents could register to vote and cast an absentee ballot at the same time. Even though Ohio's early voting period is among the most generous in the nation, the reduction disproportionately affected African Americans, Watson ruled. The judge noted that blacks took advantage of Golden Week 3 times as often as white voters in 2008, and more than 5 times as often in 2012. "Based on this evidence, it is reasonable to conclude that the reduction in overall time to vote will burden the right to vote of African Americans, who use (early in-person) voting significantly more than other voters," Watson said in a 120-page opinion. The legislature's stated justifications for the cutback-reducing fraud, trimming costs, avoiding voter confusion-were weak, said Watson, former chief counsel to Republican Gov. Bob Taft. Watson ordered Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted and Attorney General Mike DeWine-the defendants in the case-to stop enforcing the shortened voting period. There will be an appeal, natch. But election law savant Rick Hasen sees bigger fights coming down the road as advocates for the franchise try to employ the tools that John Roberts left them when he gutted the Voting Rights Act and declared the Day Of Jubilee. Story continues With high-stakes voting cases also working their way through courts in such states as Texas, North Carolina and Wisconsin, "There is sorely a need for clarification" of how the U.S. Constitution and the 1965 Voting Rights Act should be applied, said Rick Hasen, a professor of law and political science at the University of California at Irvine. But with the high court operating down one member, the status of election law could remain fractured among conflicting federal appeals court rulings for the 2016 presidential election, he said. Hasen points out on his own blog that the central issue of the Ohio case-and to other cases in North Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin, that are wending their way through the federal courts-is Section 2 of the VRA, one of the few parts of that epic statute still operable during the Day Of Jubilee. One interesting question is why the court focuses so heavily on the impact of these Ohio laws on African-American voters during the part of its analysis applying the Anderson/Burdick balancing test. All of this seems more germane to the Voting Rights Act arguments. On the Voting Rights Act section 2 claim (the issue that has come up in NC, WI, TX and here), the Court follows Sixth Circuit precedent on how to measure the burden, and also makes clear (1) that what other states do should be irrelevant to the analysis and (2) the "non-retrogression" standard of Section 5 should not be imported into Section 2. In other words, in deciding whether Golden Week's cutback violates the VRA, it doesn't matter if places like New York have much more restrictive voting, and just because Ohio offered more in the past does not mean it can never cut back on its voting rules. Both of these points have been hotly debated in the cases and commentary. On the elimination of Golden Week, the Court piggybacks its constitutional analysis to find a burden on African-American voters which is not justified. Naturally, as Hasen explains, there's a joker in the deck here, thanks to the disinclination of the Senate Majority Leader to do his job. Sooner or later, all or some of these cases are bound to end up before the Supreme Court-which is still skating a player down these days. The theories accepted by the trial court are sure to be controversial, and it is not clear how they will fare in the 6th Circuit. However, the Sixth Circuit has among the most pro-voting rights views of both constitutional and voting rights theories (see the discussions around pages 21 and 31 here). The case could well go en banc to the Sixth Circuit, especially because of a potentially likely 4-4 split at the Supreme Court, leaving the Sixth Circuit as likely the last word on the meaning of the Constitution and the Voting Rights Act in the area covered by the Sixth Circuit for this election. When you combine this case, the North Carolina voting case (currently on fast track appeal to the 4th Circuit) and the Texas voter id appeal (heard today by an en banc court in the 5th Circuit), along with two additional challenges to Wisconsin's voter id law (which was upheld by the 7th Circuit, after a 5-5 split over whether to take that case en banc), there is sorely a need for clarification of the scope of Section 2 when it comes to the "new vote denial" cases. Yet the Scalia-less and Garland-less Court may not be in a position to take these cases now, in that they may split 4-4 on their resolution. It just shows a cost of the vacancy right now. As always, features, not bugs. Click here to respond to this post on the official Esquire Politics Facebook page. HELSINKI (Reuters) - French nuclear group Areva has broken off talks with Finnish utility Teollisuuden Voima (TVO) over the delayed Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor, TVO said on Thursday. An Areva-Siemens consortium and TVO are seeking billions of euros from one another over delays and cost overruns on the reactor originally planned to start operating in 2009 but now expected to open in 2018. "We believed that we were close to solutions, but the French side broke off the talks," TVO spokeswoman Anna Lehtiranta said. The dispute is blocking a planned takeover of Areva's nuclear reactor division by another state-controlled utility EDF, which does not does not want to take on any Olkiluoto-related liabilities. TVO's Lehtiranta said the Finnish company was ready to accept a proposed deal whereby the Olkiluoto contract would have been moved outside EDF and Areva would have paid TVO for the delays. The Finnish company is hitting back at French media reports this week, which said TVO had blocked the contract transfer. "We are not to blame, we are ready to continue the talks," Lehtiranta said. TVO says the reactor delay is a result of insufficient planning and execution by the supplier, while Areva argues that TVO's inflexibility has been partly to blame. When the project was launched, its cost was estimated at 3.2 billion euros (2.4 billion pounds), but in 2012 Areva estimated the overall cost would end up closer to 8.5 billion euros. TVO's owners include Finnish paper companies UPM and Stora Enso and utility Fortum. (Reporting by Jussi Rosendahl; Editing by David Goodman) A batch of photos of U.S. Special Operations Forces deployed in Syria emerged Thursday, showing the soldiers one wearing a U.S. flag patch on his uniform close to the front lines with the Islamic State, patrolling through the village of Fatisah north of the groups de facto capital of Raqqa. Armed men in uniform identified by Syrian Democratic forces as US special operations forces walk in the village of Fatisah in the northern Syrian province of Raqa on May 25, 2016. US-backed Syrian fighters and Iraqi forces pressed twin assaults against the Islamic State group, in two of the most important ground offensives yet against the jihadists. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), formed in October 2015, announced on May 24 its push for IS territory north of Raqa city, which is around 90 kilometres (55 miles) south of the Syrian-Turkish border and home to an estimated 300,000 people. The SDF is dominated by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) -- largely considered the most effective independent anti-IS force on the ground in Syria -- but it also includes Arab Muslim and Christian fighters. / AFP / DELIL SOULEIMAN (Photo credit should read DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP/Getty Images) The men all wear a mix of distinctive American military uniforms and equipment, and have a Mk 47 automatic grenade launcher mounted to the back of a pickup truck, a weapon primarily used by U.S. forces. The pictures raise questions over claims by the White House and the Pentagon that U.S. forces in Syria operate well behind the front lines, helping local rebels with planning, logistics, and training new fighters. Armed men in uniform identified by Syrian Democratic forces as US special operations forces walk in the village of Fatisah in the northern Syrian province of Raqa on May 25, 2016. US-backed Syrian fighters and Iraqi forces pressed twin assaults against the Islamic State group, in two of the most important ground offensives yet against the jihadists. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), formed in October 2015, announced on May 24 its push for IS territory north of Raqa city, which is around 90 kilometres (55 miles) south of the Syrian-Turkish border and home to an estimated 300,000 people. The SDF is dominated by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) -- largely considered the most effective independent anti-IS force on the ground in Syria -- but it also includes Arab Muslim and Christian fighters. / AFP / DELIL SOULEIMAN (Photo credit should read DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP/Getty Images) Asked about the pictures, and the mission of the U.S. forces in Syria, Maj. Tiffany Bowens, spokesperson for U.S. Special Forces Command in the Middle East, said in an email to Foreign Policy that the troops are providing advice and assistance to the Syrian Democratic Forces, but would not go into detail. Several of the commandos also wear Kurdish Peoples Protection Unit patches on their uniforms. Known as the YPG, the organization has long been accused by the Turkish government of being the Syrian arm of Turkeys Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK. Washington also considers the PKK a terrorist organization, but denies Ankaras claims that the groups are the same. Either way, the patches will likely cause a stir in Turkey, and among local Arab populations distrustful of the Kurdish fighters. Men in uniform identified by Syrian Democratic forces as US special operations forces ride in the back of a pickup truck in the village of Fatisah in the northern Syrian province of Raqa on May 25, 2016. US-backed Syrian fighters and Iraqi forces pressed twin assaults against the Islamic State group, in two of the most important ground offensives yet against the jihadists. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), formed in October 2015, announced on May 24 its push for IS territory north of Raqa city, which is around 90 kilometres (55 miles) south of the Syrian-Turkish border and home to an estimated 300,000 people. The SDF is dominated by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) -- largely considered the most effective independent anti-IS force on the ground in Syria -- but it also includes Arab Muslim and Christian fighters. / AFP / DELIL SOULEIMAN (Photo credit should read DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP/Getty Images) When it comes to the YPG patch, Bowens said, this practice is officially against uniform regulations, but U.S. Special Operations Forces and their counterparts typically swap unit patches as a method to build trust. Intended as a sign of cooperation, the patch swap has been employed in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Jordan. This is a tactical decision and not a reflection of U.S. Government policy. In April, President Barack Obama announced the upcoming deployment of 250 commandos to Syria, adding to the 50 already on the ground advising the SDF and local rebel groups. The SDF is comprised primarily of Syrian Kurds, with about 5,000 of its 25,000 members being Arabs. Story continues TOPSHOT - Armed men in uniform identified by Syrian Democratic forces as US special operations forces ride in the back of a pickup truck in the village of Fatisah in the northern Syrian province of Raqa on May 25, 2016. US-backed Syrian fighters and Iraqi forces pressed twin assaults against the Islamic State group, in two of the most important ground offensives yet against the jihadists. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), formed in October 2015, announced on May 24 its push for IS territory north of Raqa city, which is around 90 kilometres (55 miles) south of the Syrian-Turkish border and home to an estimated 300,000 people. The SDF is dominated by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) -- largely considered the most effective independent anti-IS force on the ground in Syria -- but it also includes Arab Muslim and Christian fighters. / AFP / DELIL SOULEIMAN (Photo credit should read DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP/Getty Images) Just last week, Gen. Joseph Votel, head of the U.S. Central Command, made a very public trip to Kobani in northern Syria to meet with local Arab and SDF leaders to assess the anti-ISIS fight. Photo Credit: DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP/Getty Images ATHENS (Reuters) - Five migrants - four women and one child - drowned when their boat capsized off the Greek island of Samos close to Turkey's coast, Greek coast guard officials said on Saturday. Five other migrants were rescued, the officials said, and coast guard vessels assisted by a helicopter were searching for more survivors. The incident occurred a day after two ferries took more than 120 migrants back to Turkey from the Greek island of Lesbos, in the second round of returns under an EU deal with Ankara to halt mass migration across the Aegean Sea to Europe. The accord, which came into force on Monday, aims to stem an uncontrolled influx into the European Union of people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and beyond, after more than 1 million arrived last year. The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) and human rights groups say the accord may violate international law. Although flows have slowed, migrants continue to reach the Greek islands. Greek authorities said 149 had arrived on Lesbos, Samos and Chios in the 24 hours to Friday morning. (Reporting by Renee Maltezou; Editing by Mark Heinrich) PARIS (Reuters) - Nuclear power plants across France were hit with unplanned outages on Thursday after unionized workers at utility EDF joined a rolling nationwide strike against planned government reforms. At least 11 of France's 58 reactors suffered outages, according to grid operator RTE, lowering output by about 5 gigawatts (GW) or 6 percent of the country's nuclear capacity. Members of the CGT union at all 19 of France's nuclear power stations voted on Wednesday to join the strike which has already paralyzed businesses and disrupted fuel supplies causing shortages in some places. State-controlled EDF is required to maintain a minimum output level so as to prevent power cuts during any strike action and the public may not notice the lower nuclear power output. However, the fall does mean higher costs for EDF as it must start up more expensive coal- and gas-fired power plants and boost electricity imports. France's power imports, mostly from Germany and Switzerland, had by 1100 GMT jumped to about 3.3 GW from approximately 800 MW around the same time a day earlier, RTE data showed. Nearly 10 percent of EDF's staff were participating in the strike, a company spokeswoman said, declining to comment on output except to say the utility continued to supply its clients. (Reporting by Bate Felix; editing by Jane Merriman and Jason Neely) March 26 is the late Frankie Manning's birthday which means it's a great day to celebrate the American dancer and choreographer with some classy swing dancing, and a fun Google Doodle, of course. Thursday's Google Doodle honored Manning, who was born in 1914 and died in 2009, for one of the dances for which he's best remembered: the Lindy Hop. According to Manning's bio from the Frankie Manning Foundation, he moved to Harlem with his mother as a child in the early 20th Century (he was born in Jacksonville, Florida), just in time to get caught up in New York City's jazz and swing scene. Source: Google In the 1930s and early '40s, Manning was a dancer and choreographer for a traveling dance troupe. He helped spread the Lindy hop, a style of improvisational swing dance, around the world. "The Lindy Hop and Manning's aerial flourishes became wildly popular, and Manning himself performed the dance in several 40's era movies," according to Google. "He also served in WWII, toured South America and the UK with his troupe, The Congaroos, performed the Lindy for King George VI, and won a Tony Award for his choreographic work on the Broadway musical Black and Blue." Manning toured with jazz legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday and Count Basie before jazz was edged out by the arrival of rock and roll in the 1950's. But in the '80s, Manning was rediscovered by a new generation of swing dancers and by other artists who wanted to honor Manning's place as a culture-shaping black artist. He began to work as a Broadway choreographer, and in 1992, served as a dance consultant for Spike Lee's Malcolm X. Over the course of his life, Manning was honored with magazine profiles and television specials, and now, on what would have been his 102nd birthday, with his very own Google doodle. Dance on, Frankie. According to Google, Manning's Google Doodle was featured in the United States and Canada, Russia, parts of Europe and Southeast Asia. CARSON CITY, NV / ACCESSWIRE / May 26, 2016 / William Petty, Chairman, CEO and President, releases an open letter to Franklin Mining, Inc (OTC Pink: FMNJ) (FMNJ) shareholders: Last year, 2015, was spent building the foundation from which we foresee tremendous growth later in 2016. With new equipment tested and making its way to placement sites, Franklin is gearing up for a lucrative year - at last. In the early months of 2015, the Company selected New Age Mining Equipment Company's Eliminator series and acquired two Reverse Helix Gold Trommel units. Specifically designed for small-scale operations, New Age Mining Equipment's innovative technology is in line with our commitment to respect local communities in Bolivia, their resources and the environment. In March, William Petty arrived in Bolivia to oversee the pilot programs in advance of the 2015 rainy season. Before the pilot program could begin, I had to confirm proper equipment function, establish our initial operation procedures, and verify the feasibility of production using the new equipment. The pilot program in Bolivia included testing on four separate samples. Based on those results, Tipuani was determined to the ideal initial processing region due to rich resources and history of gold production. Following the completion of the initial pilot program testing and successful placement of the New Age Mining Equipment, Mr. Petty decided he would remain in Bolivia through the end of 2015 as he worked to develop a plan for a prosperous 2016. As the rainy season approached, Franklin continued developing a plan optimize this window of opportunity. By July, the Company had secured the delivery of an additional seven Reverse Helix Gold Trommel units. This expanded testing capacity confirmed that the ore was more profitable than the available tailings. Perhaps one of the most rewarding decisions made last year was that which saw Ricardo Gravos appointed as Chief Financial Officer of Franklin Mining. Ricardo has an impressive resume including a Bachelor of Arts in Finance from Sacred Heart University and previously worked as the Fund Manager for Soros Fund Management. Story continues As 2015 came to a close, Franklin entered into a marketing agreement with St. George Projects Inc. who will independently process and fulfill sales orders. We have not yet achieved any sales goals after opening availability to our faithful shareholders in the fall of 2015. Now that the rainy season is ending and production can resume, Franklin has designated two of the nine processing units to work in Peru, and seven to remain in Bolivia. "I am so thankful and appreciative of the strong professional and personal relations we have with the leaders and members of the local cooperativas and look forward to working together for decades to come," concluded Mr. Petty. "We have a great team assembled and all the pieces are in place for a great year. I appreciate your continued patience and support." Sincerely, /s/ William Petty William A. Petty Chairman, CEO, and President About Franklin Mining, Inc. (FMNJ). The company operates various mine sites under joint venture arrangements with companies in Bolivia, Peru and Mexico exercising highest standards of quality and efficiency by optimizing its resources and the preservation of the environment. In this way Franklin Mining generates value in the fields in which it operates and the projects it explores and exploits, besides contributing to the socio-economic and cultural development in the community and country it operates. Moreover, it develops mining operations through safe, low cost, innovative technology, social commitment and respect for the environment, creating value for the shareholders, employees, and the region in which it operates. Safe Harbor Act: This release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may," "future," "plan" or "planned," "will" or "should," "expected," "anticipates," "draft," "eventually" or "projected." You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report. For additional information, visit our website at www.FranklinMining.com, (866) 307-4810 SOURCE: Franklin Mining, Inc SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - A California inmate serving two life terms as an accomplice of so-called "Freeway Killer" William Bonin has died after an attack by another prisoner, corrections officials said Thursday. Gregory Miley, 54, who helped Bonin abduct, rape and kill two Southern California boys during a 1979-80 killing spree, died Wednesday at Mule Creek State Prison near Sacramento, said Lieutenant Angelo Gonzalez said. Miley's immediately cause of death is not known, Gonzalez told Reuters by telephone. Miley was assaulted by another inmate while on the prison yard Monday night and was treated at the prison's medical facility, prison officials said in a statement. He was sent back to his housing unit but later returned to the prison clinic, where he lost consciousness. Miley was airlifted to a nearby hospital, where he died on Wednesday, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said. His death is being investigated as a homicide. Bonin, who was executed in 1996, kidnapped, robbed, raped and murdered 14 teen boys during a crime spree that terrorized Southern California communities, the state said. He became known as the "Freeway Killer" because the victims' bodies were found along area highways. (Reporting by Sharon Bernstein; Editing by Dan Grebler) By Ahmed Aboulenein CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt has asked European firms to help search for the black boxes of an EgyptAir plane that crashed on May 19 in deep water in the Mediterranean Sea, the airline's chairman and French diplomatic sources said on Wednesday. Nearly a week after EgyptAir flight 804 crashed with 66 people on board, including 30 Egyptians and 15 from France, investigators have no clear picture of its final moments. EgyptAir chairman Safwat Musallam did not name the French and Italian companies involved but told a news conference they were able to carry out searches at a depth of 3,000 metres. Two French diplomatic sources said Egyptian authorities and France's BEA air accident investigation agency were finalising a contract with two French companies, Mauritius-based Deep Ocean Search and Alseamar. "The objective is to go extremely quickly so they can find the boxes that are probably in very deep waters," said one source. The source said the costs of the contract would be shared between France and Egypt. Neither source was aware of talks with the Italian company. The plane and its black box recorders, which could explain what brought down the Paris-to-Cairo flight as it entered Egyptian air space, have not been located. The black boxes are believed to be lying in up to 3,000 metres of water, on the edge of the range for hearing and locating signals emitted by the boxes. Maritime search experts say this means acoustic hydrophones must be towed in the water at depths of up to 2,000 metres in order to have the best chance of picking up the signals. Until recently, aviation sources say, the U.S. Navy or its private contractor Phoenix International were considered among the only sources for equipment needed to search on the correct frequency for black box pingers at such depths. The U.S. Navy said on Tuesday it had not been asked to help. Batteries powering the signals sent from the black boxes typically last only 30 days, but EgyptAir's deputy chairman Ahmed Adel said the search would continue beyond then if necessary, using other means to locate the recorders. "There are many examples in similar air accidents when 30 days passed without finding the box yet ... these planes' black boxes were found," he said. 'PLANE'S MACHINES WERE SAFE' Musallam reiterated earlier comments from sources within the Egyptian investigation committee who said that the jet had shown no sign of technical problems before taking off from Paris. He said the Airbus 320 was given a regular check by an Egyptian engineer and two Egyptian technicians at Paris airport. "The engineer and the pilot both signed the Aircraft Technical Log which stated that the check found that all the plane's machines were safe," he said. The investigation sources said the plane disappeared off radar screens less than a minute after entering Egyptian airspace and -- contrary to reports from Greece -- there was no sign that it had swerved sharply before crashing. The crew did not make contact with Egyptian air traffic control, they said. With no flight recorders to check and only fragmentary data from a handful of fault messages registering smoke in the plane in the minutes before it crashed, investigators are also looking to debris and body parts for clues. One Egyptian forensics official said the small amount of human remains recovered pointed to an explosion on board though no trace of explosives had been detected. But Hisham Abdelhamid, head of Egypt's forensics authority, said this assessment was "mere assumptions" and that it was too early to draw conclusions. (Additional reporting by Ahmed Tolba in Cairo, John Irish and Tim Hepher in Paris; Editing by Dominic Evans and Richard Balmforth) Paris (AFP) - Masked youths clashed with police in Paris and striking workers blockaded refineries and disrupted nuclear power stations on Thursday as an escalating wave of industrial action against labour reforms rocked France. Police fired tear gas at around 100 protesters who broke away from a march through the capital to smash windows of shops and parked cars, an AFP reporter said, in the latest outburst of anger at the controversial legislation. With just two weeks to go before France hosts the Euro 2016 football championship, union activists blocked roads and bridges, and train drivers and air traffic controllers staged walkouts. Unions called for rolling strikes on the Paris Metro to start on the day of the opening match on June 10. Nationwide protests Thursday saw 153,000 people take to the streets overall, officials said, though union leaders put the number at 300,000. French authorities said 62 demonstrators were taken into custody across the country, 32 of them in the capital, while 15 security officers were injured in clashes. One person was badly hurt in the unrest in Paris and had to be hospitalised, police said. Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve called for a probe into the incident that led to the man's injuries. Although some blockades on fuel depots and refineries in the north of the country were called off, many motorists were still stuck in long queues at petrol stations around France. A man in his 50s had to be airlifted to hospital after he was seriously injured when a motorist rammed a roadblock outside a petrol refinery at Fos-sur-Mer on the Mediterranean coast. At the Tricastin nuclear plant in southern France, workers set fire to piles of tyres, sending clouds of black smoke into the sky. Unions are furious about the legislation forced through parliament by the deeply unpopular Socialist government which is aiming to reform France's famously rigid labour laws by making it easier for companies to hire and fire workers. Story continues - Protests 'irresponsible' - Prime Minister Manuel Valls insisted that the legislation would not be withdrawn, but said it might still be possible to make "changes" or "improvements". But there were signs that some in the ruling Socialist Party were buckling, with Finance Minister Michel Sapin suggesting the most contested part of the legislation should be rewritten. Valls slapped Sapin down and ruled out revamping the clause, which gives individual companies more of a free hand in setting working conditions. "You cannot blockade a country, you cannot attack the economic interests of France in this way," a defiant Valls told parliament, after earlier branding the hardline CGT union that is driving the protests "irresponsible". The mounting problems for the government come 12 months ahead of an election in which President Francois Hollande is considering standing again despite poll ratings that are among the lowest for a French leader in modern history. The CGT said staff at all but three of France's 19 nuclear power stations -- which provide three-quarters of its electricity -- have voted to stop work. RTE, the body overseeing the national power network, said the stoppages were not having an immediate effect on the electricity supply, but "if it worsens, it will have an impact on the management of the network". A third of petrol stations were dry or dangerously low on fuel after several days of blockades at refineries by union activists. - 'I blame the government' - Pierre Jata, a 40-year-old cable TV technician was rushing to fill up at a petrol station on the edge of the capital, minutes before supplies ran out. He laid the blame for the disruption on the government. "I'm with the unions. I'm with them but I'm still annoyed," he said. The government has been forced to tap into its strategic reserves and Hollande has vowed to do "everything... to ensure the French people and the economy is supplied". Strikes forced Orly airport in Paris to ground 15 percent of flights and the commuter and national train networks were hit, with one in five high-speed trains cancelled. The CGT has called for another day of action on June 14, raising concerns for fans travelling to Euro 2016 matches being held at 10 venues around France. Many organisations, including the International Monetary Fund, have said the labour legislation is necessary to create jobs. But unions are demanding the reforms be scrapped altogether, arguing they are too pro-business and unlikely to bring down high unemployment. The government forced the legislation through parliament earlier this month without a vote, further infuriating opponents. Unions say they have popular support for the protests and they were cheered by a poll Thursday that showed nearly two-thirds of people believe their actions were "justified". PARIS (Reuters) - France's top Senate committee decided on Thursday not to pursue Societe Generale (SOGN.PA) Chief Executive Frederic Oudea over allegations he misled France's upper house of parliament in 2012 regarding the French bank's activities in Panama. Earlier this month, Oudea defended SocGen over the Panama Papers revelations during a two-hour grilling by lawmakers, rejected accusations the French lender was at the heart of tax evasion. "The committee (of senior senators) decided that although the statements in question might have contained some ambiguity, they could not be qualified as false testimony," the Senate said in a statement. At issue were accusations that Oudea misled senators when he told a Senate committee in 2012 that his bank had closed operations in Panama and other tax havens identified as overly secretive or short of international transparency standards. Oudea was thrust to the fore of a controversy over the use of secretive tax havens in April after an investigative news syndicate exposed the activities of Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca. The reports, based on 11.5 million leaked documents, put SocGen near the top of a list of banks around the world that had created hundreds of thousands of shell companies in Panama and other offshore centers between 1977 and 2015. At the public hearing in May, Oudea reiterated that the bank had no offices or staff in Panama as of 2012, as he had told the Senate committee that year, when he was also head of France's banking association. (Reporting by Julien Ponthus; Writing by Maya Nikolaeva; Editing by Mark Heinrich) Investors should be cautious, experts say. Unit trusts and investment-linked insurance products that are included under the Central Provident Fund Investment Scheme (CPIS) posted negative returns in the first quarter, data from Thomson Reuters Lipper showed. Funds included under the CPFIS posted negative returns of 3.26% on average. CPFIS-included unit trusts declined by 3.80% while investment-linked products fell 2.90%. Equities posted the biggest losses with negative returns of 5.02%, while bonds and money market funds posted positive returns of 2.53% and 0.22%. During the same period, MSCI AC Asia ex-Japan index slid 3.36%, while Citigroup WGBI soared 1.65%. 2016 kicked off with a volatile start, with risk markets experiencing sharp drawdowns to mid February, followed by a strong rally. Seesawing commodity prices, Bank of Japans negative interest monetary policy and whether European Central Banks quantitative easing has reached its limit of effectiveness all contribute to an uncertain economic outlook. In light of continued market volatility, investors are advised to remain cautious but opportunities may arise, said Xav Feng, Head of Asia Pacific Research, Thomson Reuters Lipper. More From Singapore Business Review By Chris Spink LONDON (IFR) - Traders in the foreign exchange market will be banned from talking about any specifics on trades but allowed to disclose general "market colour" under proposals to improve conduct in the industry. A proposed code of practise published on Thursday from a working group set up last year by the Basel committee of central bankers aims to "promote a robust, fair, liquid, open, and appropriately transparent market". It will allow participants to transact "at competitive prices that reflect available market information and in a manner that conforms to acceptable standards of behaviour". The wholesale FX market has been under scrutiny after regulators in the US and UK found that seven banks had failed to stop traders manipulating the US$5.3trn-a-day market. Banks have been fined US$10bn for misdemeanours between 2008 and October 2013. The code sets out principles to clarify how traders can operate, specifying what market information is permissible to be shared and what is banned. "The FX industry has suffered from a lack of trust in its functioning," said Guy Debelle, assistant governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia and chairman of the FX working group. "The market needs to rebuild that trust, so that participants and the public have much greater confidence that the market is functioning appropriately." David Puth, chief executive of CLS, who headed a market participants group to represent the private sector in the central bank initiative, said the proposals will open communication between sellside and buyside participants. "Confidential information will be protected but it will open up for market colour to be shared," he said. The code bans passing on confidential information about a client to other market participants, or revealing individual trading positions. The principles also say misleading information and rumours should not be used to move markets falsely. "Market participants should not include specific client names, other mechanisms for communicating a client's identity or trading patterns externally, nor information specific to any individual client," the code says. Story continues 'GREY AREA' The 'grey area' of what FX traders can and cannot say about client orders was highlighted in London court cases last year when former traders said they were dismissed for doing their job. Perry Stimpson, an FX trader at Citigroup until November 2014, told an employment tribunal in London last year that the sharing of client information looks wrong under scrutiny from regulators, but the practise was condoned by senior management. Citigroup dismissed Stimpson for alleged serious breaches of contract, saying he shared confidential client information with traders at other banks via electronic chatrooms. But Stimpson won his unfair dismissal case against the bank. He said whether client information could be shared was a "bit of a grey area". Citigroup staff knew details of some client activities were strictly confidential, but the actions of central banks were widely shared, he said at the court hearing. "It was implicitly understood that central banks were okay to talk about ... It was standard market practise that went on for years," he said at the time. ADHERENCE A second phase in May 2017 will see the FX working group, consisting of 21 central bankers and the representatives of market participants, set out how it expects people to adhere to the principles, which are not legally binding. "We are working with the industry to produce a principles-based code of conduct rather than a set of prescriptive regulatory standards," said Debelle. Central banks said they would only deal with banks that agreed to the principles of the code. The FX working group was set up last July shortly after US authorities reached settlements with six banks Barclays, Citigroup, JP Morgan, RBS, UBS and Bank of America. As part of the settlement, the Federal Reserve required all the banks "to improve their senior management oversight, internal controls, risk management, and internal audit policies and procedures for their FX activities and for similar kinds of trading activities". The Global Financial Markets Association welcomed the proposals. "This is an opportunity for global market participants to demonstrate that they can put the right controls and guidance in place that are consistent with the principles of the code," said James Kemp, managing director of the GFMA's global FX division. (Reporting by Christopher Spink) By Kylie MacLellan ISE-SHIMA, Japan (Reuters) - Britain is pushing for a global plan to reward drugs companies for developing new antibiotics, while also pledging to cut antibiotic use in England. A review commissioned by the British government and published last week said drug companies should agree to "pay or play" in the urgent race to find new antimicrobial medicines to fight the global threat posed by drug-resistant superbug infections. Former Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O'Neill, who led the review, said a reward of between $1 billion and $1.5 billion should be paid for any successful new antimicrobial medicine brought to market. British Prime Minister David Cameron will say at the G7 meeting in Japan on Friday that Britain will work with global finance and health experts to develop such as system to bring the new antibiotics to market and make them available to all who need them. "The UK will explore with the international community how these rewards could be financed, including through the use of private sector funding," the government said in a statement. Any use of antibiotics promotes the development and spread of superbugs - multi-drug-resistant infections that evade the antimicrobial and antibiotic drugs designed to kill them. O'Neill has estimated antimicrobial resistance could kill an extra 10 million people a year and cost up to $100 trillion by 2050 if it is not brought under control. Britain will use a 50 million pound ($74 million) investment to start a global innovation fund to help develop new antimicrobials as well as diagnostic tools and vaccines. In England, the government said it will also seek to halve the inappropriate prescription of antibiotics by doctors by 2020 and set an overall target for antibiotic use in livestock and fish farmed for food.($1 = 0.6792 pounds) (Additional reporting by Kate Kelland in London, editing by Jeremy Gaunt) VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 26, 2016 / Gainey Capital Corp. (GNC.V) (GNYPF) ("Gainey" or the "Company") is pleased to report that drilling will commence by the end of May 2016 at the El Colomo Gold-Silver Project (the "Project"), located in the Sierra Madre Occidental Trend in Western Mexico. The Phase 1 drilling program will comprise between 2,000 and 5,800 meters of HQ diamond core drilling and will focus on the following four mineralized zones that have already been encountered by the Company: La Higuerita: highlight assays of 33.30-gpt gold / 1,550.00-gpt silver and 20.00-gpt gold / 895.00-gpt silver; La Nueva Victoria: highlight assays of 9.73-gpt gold / 155.00-gpt silver and 3.54-gpt gold / 261.70-gpt silver; El Arrayan: highlight assays of 12.35-gpt gold / 938.00-gpt silver and 2.68-gpt gold / 248.10-gpt silver; La Penita: highlight assays of 24.50-gpt gold / 1,300.00-gpt silver and 2.36-gpt gold / 138.30-gpt silver Gainey's field crew has been mobilized and preparation of the drill pads is underway. The Company expects the Phase 1 drilling program to commence prior to the end of May 2016. David Coburn, CEO of Gainey, commented, "The commencement of the Phase 1 Drilling Program will target four out of the 21 high priority Mineralized Zones at El Colomo that have already been identified by the Company's technical team. Our most recent exploration activity on the Project, which includes assay results and detailed mapping, gives us reason to be optimistic that the anticipated results of our Phase 1 drilling program will be the foundation of building a great company." About Gainey Capital Corp. Gainey Capital is a gold and silver exploration, development and mineral processing company exploring an aggregate of 192-km(2) strategically located in the gold/silver-rich Sierra Madre Occidental Trend in western Mexico. The company's processing centre, located outside of Huajicori, in Nayarit, Mexico, is capable of processing up to 300 tons of mineralized material per day and the company has the capability to upgrade to 600 tons per day with a low capital expenditure. Story continues Additional information on Gainey Capital, its current operations and its vision is available on the Company's website at www.gaineycapital.com or from info@gaineycapital.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "David Coburn" David Coburn, Chief Executive Officer For information, please contact the Company: Phone: 480-347-8904 E-mail: info@gaineycapital.com Website: www.gaineycapital.com FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date such statements were made. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this Release. SOURCE: Gainey Capital Corp. A logo is seen on the Areva Tower, the headquarters of the French nuclear reactor maker Areva, at La Defense business and financial district in Courbevoie near Paris, France, March 8, 2016. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann HELSINKI (Reuters) - French nuclear group Areva has broken off talks with Finnish utility Teollisuuden Voima (TVO) over the delayed Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor, TVO said on Thursday. An Areva-Siemens consortium and TVO are seeking billions of euros from one another over delays and cost overruns on the reactor originally planned to start operating in 2009 but now expected to open in 2018. "We believed that we were close to solutions, but the French side broke off the talks," TVO spokeswoman Anna Lehtiranta said. The dispute is blocking a planned takeover of Areva's nuclear reactor division by another state-controlled utility EDF, which does not does not want to take on any Olkiluoto-related liabilities. TVO's Lehtiranta said the Finnish company was ready to accept a proposed deal whereby the Olkiluoto contract would have been moved outside EDF and Areva would have paid TVO for the delays. The Finnish company is hitting back at French media reports this week, which said TVO had blocked the contract transfer. "We are not to blame, we are ready to continue the talks," Lehtiranta said. TVO says the reactor delay is a result of insufficient planning and execution by the supplier, while Areva argues that TVO's inflexibility has been partly to blame. When the project was launched, its cost was estimated at 3.2 billion euros (2.4 billion pounds), but in 2012 Areva estimated the overall cost would end up closer to 8.5 billion euros. TVO's owners include Finnish paper companies UPM and Stora Enso and utility Fortum. (Reporting by Jussi Rosendahl; Editing by David Goodman) [Warning: This story contains spoilers for episode five of the sixth season of HBO's Game of Thrones, "The Door."] Winter is here, and Summer is gone. While the world mourns the death of Hodor (Kristian Nairn), the death of Bran Stark's faithful direwolf companion should not get lost in the conversation. Summer died protecting his master, just as Hodor did, when an army of White Walkers and wights invaded the Three-Eyed Raven (Max von Sydow) and Children of the Forest's hidden lair, all in an effort to root out the green-seeing Stark. It's all thanks to Bran, too, who went rogue and used his visionary abilities to learn more about the White Walkers, having recently discovered their secret origin as humans transformed into monsters by the Children of the Forest thousands of years ago. In the process, the Night King (Vladimir Furdik) and his minions found Bran's location and pursued him ruthlessly, leading to the eradication of an entire race of creatures, plus the deaths of beloved Summer and Hodor. Making matters worse, Bran was forced to confront his shocking role in the life and death of Hodor. Thanks to crossed signals with his warging and green-seeing trip back to Winterfell, Bran inadvertently turned young Wylis (Sam Coleman) into Hodor, a mangled translation of the man's final order: "Hold the door." Even though Hodor died a hero, the ramifications of Bran's role in his companion's time-bending fate are sure to haunt him through all the nightmares still to come. In order to further unpack the episode, The Hollywood Reporter spoke with Bran himself, actor Isaac Hempstead Wright, about the enormous ramifications of "The Door," and what they mean for both the character and Game of Thrones moving forward. Read More: 'Game of Thrones' Star Closes the Door on Hodor: "It Had to Happen" In this one episode alone, Bran discovers how White Walkers were made, is branded by the Night King and subsequently sets the Three-Eyed Raven, Summer, Hodor and all of the Children of the Forest up for death. It's a lot to handle. Story continues There are so many revelations in such a short period of time. It's like, "Oh wow! The Children of the Forest made the White Walkers! Oh wow! Bran can see the Night King in his vision! Oh my god, the Night King can see him! Oh no, that's what happened to Hodor!" It's almost too much, but I think Game of Thrones gets it just right so that you're emotionally exhausted and emotionally destroyed by the end of it. How much smoke was coming out of your ears when you read the script? I read it, and I was with my mom, and I said, "Oh my god. Hodor dies." She said, "No he doesn't." And I said, "Yes. He just died. And so did Summer." It was pure disbelief. I think the most traumatizing thing about it is that it's not just that Hodor dies and it's the death of this gentle giant whom we didn't know much about. It's like, we just have finally seen what exactly happened to his character to make him that way, and it's totally traumatic and awful and sad that this once perfectly happy and fun little kid was basically screwed over by Bran. That giant bomb drops, and then he's taken from us. You can have just enough, and then it's pulled straight away from you the second you think you're going to get the carrot. Bran is responsible for naming Hodor and killing Hodor. What was your take on how this all played out? I never anticipated this direction for the storyline, really. At this point, Bran's so far gone, really. He bears very little resemblance to the kid he once was. At this point, he's so zen and focused and caught up in his own destiny and fate and responsibilities that the death of Hodor, at least for himthe sad thing is that for Bran at this point, it's almost an irrelevancy: "We managed to get out of that cave, and that's good, because there's stuff that I need to do, and I cannot be dead for this." I wish we could have seen Bran give an emotional good-bye to his closest ally and associate and friend, frankly the guy who saved his hide more times than he can count. As devastating as it is, Bran's asleep the whole time. He's caught up in this vision. He's watching this young version of his friend die simultaneously as his current friend does, so the way it played out is about as traumatic as you could hope. You expect nothing less on Game of Thrones. People are wondering about Bran's role in what happened to Hodor. Is he a bystander in this? Is it an accident? Is he allowing Hodor to become Hodor? I know very little about what exactly happened there. I know about as much as we've seen on screen. I don't know the exact intricacies of how it worked. But my take on it is that Bran is in this vision. He hears Meera. He gets that he has to warg, but subconsciously, the only way he can do that is through a time-bending thing, which is by going into the Hodor he's presently with in this vision. It's not like they're dreams, either, as far as I know. It's not like Bran's just having a dream No, he's in the past. Yeah, exactly. The only way Bran can get into Hodor in the current day is to go into the vehicle of the young Hodor and go through his mind. It's like Bran is kind of racing through millions of different time frames and neural pathways in the brain of the young Hodor, going all the way into the current day. I think it's almost like an overload for the young Hodor's brain, and the adult Hodor's brain, and suddenly everything's kicking off. I don't know if it's a conscious decision Bran makes to take Hodor over. I think it's more subconsciously, he knows that he has to somehow get inside Hodor. Back at the Tower of Joy, Bran called out to his father, and Ned's reaction suggested that Bran can interact with the past. After "The Door," there's no question that Bran can make a dent in the past - and in this particular case, it seems that Bran was always fated to turn Hodor into Hodor. Right. It comes down to a sense of determinism versus indeterminism, whether we think that everything's going to be a preordained, sequential series of events or whether we can really mess about with the timeline and there's some free will there. I don't know. I remember watching a Stephen Hawking documentary where he was talking about time-traveling into the past, and the problem with that is it creates paradoxes. He suspects that basically it won't be possible to prevent these paradoxes from happening. I think you can translate that into Game of Thrones, in the sense that basically Bran messing with the timeline, it's almost like he's being punished. He has to pay the price for doing it. Time takes back what Bran's taking from time. It's like a trade-off, really. Bran can't just be like, "Yeah, I'm going to go do this and stop myself from falling out the window." Every time he does, it'll have a massive ripple kind of Doctor Who effect on the rest of the universe. It's a lot. It is, isn't it? (Laughs) We really took a turn for the sci-fi. Read More: 'Game of Thrones': What That Hodor Twist Means for the Show's Future Bran just learned an incredibly painful lesson. The Raven is dead, the Children of the Forest are dead, Summer is dead, Hodor is dead, and it's all because Bran was careless with his power. Is this a maturation point for Bran moving forward? Will he grow from this mistake? Absolutely. It's going to teach Bran a lot. I think in essence what this episode has done for Bran is essentially say: "Right, have you had your fun? Do you understand now that this isn't a game? You're not a kid with these amazing powers you can mess around with. You're holding the atom bomb. If you drop it again, we're not going to be so lucky." For Bran, he's realizing that. "I have to ditch every emotion and every sense of free will in my body and act as I know I have to act." I'm not entirely sure what the case is, but I don't know if the Three-Eyed Raven knew that Bran was going to do this in order to get out of the cave. The Raven professes to know everything and be the master of time, but if this was something Bran slips under the radar, then it's a very worrying prospect - because if Bran really is the only one who can do this time stuff, and he's just lost the only person who might have some idea of how to control that, then Bran's now got to be very careful and tread very lightly. But deep down, he now knows for sure that there is no time for mistakes anymore. You describe it as an atom bomb, and now Bran's at a place where he's wielding a nuclear weapon without any oversight. As much as it's emotionally devastating to lose Hodor and Summer, it's ultimately a lot scarier that the Three-Eyed Raven is gone. Absolutely. For Bran, that's like, "Oh, shit. I have this massive power, and I have no idea what to do with it. It's just me and Meera, with an army of zombies after us, and we have to do something to stop that, and I don't know what to do. Last time I used my power, I killed my friend and my direwolf, I killed the Three-Eyed Raven, and all the last remaining Children of the Forest. Nice one, Bran." Summer deserves a eulogy here. Hodor is a huge character, so of course the focus is on him, but losing Summer is a massive tragedy for Bran, too. Can you imagine what it would be like to have that connection, where you've literally been inside of someone else's mind? That's the connection Bran had with Summer, and Hodor to an extent. But Summer was there from the very start. He was the one Bran first started connecting with and having these mysterious visions with. There was a deep, deep inherent connection there between Bran and Summer. For Bran to lose Summer like that, in such a quick mannerbut just like with Hodor, Bran doesn't even have a minute to think about it or say his final good-bye to who is probably Bran's closest connection. It's the deepest connection he's ever had, is with that wolf. For Bran, it's gutting. Also, in terms of survival, that's another worry. Bran can't warg into Hodor anymore and beat up anyone coming after him. And he can't warg into Summer anymore, either. Again, it's a bit of a sticky situation Bran has found himself in. What's your interpretation of all the direwolf death? Shaggydog and Summer died this season, leaving only Jon Snow's Ghost in the mix, with Arya's Nymeria running around somewhere Well, I'm slightly worried it might mean Bran's going to get the chop. (Laughs) I don't know if there's a connection between the direwolf dying and the character dying. So far, it's only Robb, so fingers crossed. In terms of the wider meaning, I think it symbolizes the fact that the big guns are coming out now. The direwolves are one of those relics of an ancient time. They were thought extinct, just like the White Walkers and the dragons. They look like pretty mean beasts, but when you compare them to the White Walkers and dragons, they're nothing. I think the fact that they're getting killed off means there's no playtime anymore. It's serious business now. It's coming to the conclusion, and things are going to kick off, and there's no more time for small little beasts in the greater scheme of things. Read More: 'Game of Thrones': 10 Key Moments From "The Door" Thematically, how significant is it that White Walkers were humans once upon a time? How do you see it fitting alongside the show's exploration of the complexity of war and evil, the blurred lines between black and white? It's a very kind of Game of Thrones way of going about it. It's not just that the White Walkers are these baddies who have been bad the entire time. As you said, it's more complicated than that. It's so Game of Thrones. The Children created this thing that was at first a great idea, something that could save the day and bring peace, ironically. Of course, it turns against them. It becomes impossible to control. Before you know it, it's taken over everything. I think it's a fascinating revelation, that they've been born out of so much pain. Perhaps that's a neat little full circle there. This poor bloke, whoever he was, who then becomes the first White Walker, went through the most horrific and excruciating pain, to have that shard of dragonglass plunged inside him. It seems quite fitting that now they're like: "You're going to pay for everything you've done. You're going to pay for the monster you've created." It's almost like they don't want to be the White Walkers: "You turned us into these horrible beasts, and now you're going to pay for it." Bran now boasts the Night King's mark. This cannot be good, right? Nope! (Laughs) At best, it's like a frostbite thing. But who knows? Maybe it's like a tracking device. Maybe it's like a "Find My iPhone" feature for the Night King, in which case, Bran is totally screwed. He better hope he can bandage up and rub some oil on the wound. Hodor held the door, but one imagines he did not hold the door forever. Bran and Meera remain on the run. Where do we pick things up? As it stands right now, the odds are not in Bran and Meera's favor. Looking at it right now, it doesn't look like they can survive much more than one or two episodes. It's the two of them, she's quite a petite lady having to lug around Bran in this huge and unwieldy kind of basket, and they have a 10,000-strong army with three ice people chasing after them. So where are we going to pick up with Bran and Meera? They're going to be absolutely petrified, fueled entirely by adrenaline, trying to get the hell out of there before they die. Bran's story has become so incredibly complicated this year. What are some of the responses you're hearing from fans? Well, I got a lot of hate on Twitter after Hodor died. "F - you Bran! I hate you Bran! You spoiled everything!" And I'm like, "It's not me! I didn't do anything! Write to David and Dan!" (Laughs) But I think it's quite cool. Game of Thrones always does well with the underdog thing, doesn't it? Bran's crippled, no one has thought much of him, and it's almost a miracle that he made it past season one, frankly. Yet, here he is, potentially being one of the most important characters, with the potential to save the day, as mortal enemies with the Night King. It's a pretty cool way for things to turn out. It's lovely watching everyone react to it and enjoy what's happening so much. It's a real privilege. Watch the video for more on how Bran's time travel works: Follow THR's Game of Thrones coverage for more interviews, analysis and news. [Warning: This story contains spoilers through episode five, season six of HBO's Game of Thrones.] Forget about holding doors and traumatic time travel, and consider something else entirely: the happy ending. Samwell Tarly (John Bradley) more or less achieved such a thing by the end of season five of Game of Thrones. The studious Night's Watch steward fled Castle Black with girlfriend Gilly (Hannah Murray) and her infant son in tow, ordered to train as a maester at The Citadel. Now, as he travels south with Gilly, he's about as far away from the White Walker menace as possible, and increasing the distance by the day. He was nowhere near the Wall when Jon Snow (Kit Harington) was assassinated; in all likelihood, Sam would have died as well, and who knows if Melisandre (Carice van Houten) could have brought him back to life. In a world where Hodor (Kristian Nairn) is no longer with us, in other words, at least Sam and Gilly still stand strong. "He's feeling quite good about himself," Bradley tells The Hollywood Reporter about his character's current state of mind as he moves toward the great city of Oldtown. "He's not only on the way to take Gilly and the baby to a place of safety, but also a place where he can achieve his life's ambition as well. He thought it would never happen. He thought it would be impossible." "But that said," he continues, "this is Game of Thrones. This show does not tend to keep people happy for very long." Indeed, the joyride ends in the coming episode of Thrones, called "Blood of My Blood." As the title implies, Sam once again comes face to face with members of his family - including his ruthless father Randyll (James Faulkner), who once threatened to murder Sam if he didn't take the Black and join the Night's Watch. And for what? The simple crime of being a bookworm, according to what Sam once told Jon. "When you see Sam with his father and mother and brother especially, he starts to make sense," said the actor. "The character is contextualized. Why is his psyche the way it is? Why does he behave the way he does? Ever since you first saw him, he comes from this very sincere and heartfelt maternal love, and then there's this monster. You can see why he's so damaged. His emotional life has been pulled in so many different directions. He's so incredibly confused." Story continues It's Sam's first true confusion in quite a while, however. Since heading north, Sam has survived impossible odds during a range into the realm beyond the Wall, killed a White Walker, defended himself in the Battle at Castle Black, and even manipulated a political opportunity to install his best friend as Lord Commander. He earned himself an unforgettable nickname: Sam the Slayer. But even with all these considerable experiences under his belt, even with all this personal growth, does Sam have the backbone to face his greatest nemesis of them all - his father? While it's a daunting prospect for the character, Bradley wanted to explore this conflict as an actor, ever since Sam first appeared onscreen. "You wonder if Sam has changed enough that he can go in with a completely different attitude and stand up to his father and look him in the eye and say, 'You have to accept me now. You have to, because I've achieved all of this,'" he said. "Or is the presence of his father so completely part of his psyche that when he gets in that situation, he emotionally regresses back into the broken man that used to be there?" See More: 'Game of Thrones': 35 Game-Changing Quotes (Photos) For Sam, if he's to derive any strength in the uncomfortable family reunion ahead, it will come from Gilly. Hannah Murray, who has played Sam's wildling companion since season two, explains that Gilly has been blissfully intoxicated by the road trip away from the north, at least up to this point. "She's so happy," says Murray. "She's so thrilled. It's so lovely to play somebody who is so excited about everything she experiences. Everything is new to her. Her entire world just expands and expands. She was pretty thrilled about the Castle Black kitchen, for one. This adventure, going south for her, it's like going to a fantasy land. It's like a fairy tale, really. The fact that she gets to go, and it's real? She's blown away by it." "One of the things that's beautiful about them, and they have in common, is that they're both infinitely curious," adds Bradley. "They both want to know about things. Knowledge blows their minds. With Sam, it's dragonglass. With Gilly, it's an orange." But will their fruitful relationship survive the experience at Horn Hill, the seat of House Tarly? That remains to be seen, but for her part, Murray believes that the type of fear Sam is facing now is very different from and even deeper than what he's most recently experienced. "We've seen Sam face these terrifying nightmares, but this is an incredibly different nightmare," she says. "Your fear is very different when it comes to your family. You can be brave in one big situation, and completely afraid in another. No matter how much of a grownup you are in the world, you go back home and you can regress to being a kid again. People can put you in your place." "The things that scare you as a child tend to scare you your whole life," agrees Bradley. "It's because you wear the scars. There's something about the scars that you wear and the regression that exists." Those scars will reveal themselves as soon as Sam returns home, and while there's reason to believe the happy ending won't last forever, Murray provided some hope for the future. "You're going to see where his strengths come from," she says, "as well as his weaknesses." See More: 'Game of Thrones': 35 Game-Changing Quotes (Photos) Follow THR's Game of Thrones coverage for more interviews, news and analysis. Richard Gasquet admitted he is looking forward to Friday's French Open third-round encounter against Nick Kyrgios after two memorable meetings with the volatile Australian at Wimbledon. Kyrgios saved nine match points against Gasquet at the All-England Club in a 2014 second-round clash, before the Frenchman avenged that loss a year later in a controversal last-16 match. Kyrgios faced accusations of 'tanking' a game in the latter of those Wimbledon clashes, but Gasquet said he was a big fan of the Australian 21-year-old. "He's the best newcomer coming now, so it will be an incredible match for me," said Gasquet, who defeated fellow former Roland Garros boys champion Bjorn Fratangelo of the United States 6-1, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 on Wednesday to reach the last 32. "We know each other very well. We have played many times against each other. I know his game; he knows mine. Of course, I know how tough it is to play against him. "I like to play against him. He's a nice guy. I always did win matches against Nick, so I hope this one will be the same." Outspoken Kyrgios claimed he was the victim of biased umpiring during his first-round French Open win over Italy's Marco Cecchinato, with the 17th seed hit with a code violation for yelling at a ballboy. But he brushed that controversy aside to cruise past Dutch lucky loser Igor Sijsling 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 in just 70 minutes and match his best showing at Roland Garros from last year. "I expect a very tough match, because he played very good. He won in Marseille, in Miami, he went to semi-finals. In Madrid and Rome, he made both quarter-finals (and last 16), it's a good result. He won many good matches," said Gasquet, who owns a 4-2 head-to-head edge over Kyrgios. "We have played each other many times. He's been in the circuit, on the tour for two, three years now. I think I'm probably the player he's played the most, which is quite surprising. Story continues "It's funny how we keep playing each other. And every time we play, the matches are pretty crazy. In Wimbledon, the two matches were crazy, and I hope it will be the same. "He's made some progress this year. He's stronger than last year. He's won some big matches and he's done great things. He's a great player. It will be a tough match. We are at Roland Garros, five sets, I think I could win." While world number one Novak Djokovic labelled Kyrgios' decision to reference the Serb's run-in with umpire Carlos Bernardes at the Rome Masters as "unnecessary" during the Australian's heated debate with Carlos Ramos in the first round , Gasquet hailed the youngster's fiery presence on the circuit. "He has a very strong personality. That's great. It's good to have players like him. "Outside of the court he's very respectful. He's a guy I like very much. Every time I've played him things went very well. I think we are all quite lucky to have a guy like him on the tour." Kyrgios said he too was relishing his latest showdown with Gasquet, having won their last encounter on the way to a first career title in Marseille in February. "Me and Richard have had some really memorable matches. To be honest, some of my favourite matches I've played are against him. Every time we played at Wimbledon it's been a pretty good showdown. "We played a lot of times, and he's a great guy, as well. He's always a guy that I feel comfortable around. He's always been a guy that's been nice to me, as well. "I'm looking forward to it. If he gets through now, he's a tough competitor. I'm sure he's comfortable playing out here in front of his home crowd." Nick Denton Gawker Media is "exploring strategic options, including potential sale," as the company continues its legal battle with former pro wrestler Hulk Hogan, according to The Wall Street Journal's Steven Perlberg. This news follows an earlier report from the New York Post that Gawker Media founder Nick Denton was "quietly soliciting bids" for the company. Denton has hired a Houlihan Lokey investment banker to advise him on a potential sale, sources told the Post and the Journal. At least one party has reportedly "expressed interest" in a deal valued between $50 and $70 million, the Post reports. In March, Hogan was awarded $140 million in damages stemming from a Gawker news article published in 2012, which included a clip of Hulk Hogan having sex, along with commentary. Gawker Media was handed a loss on Wednesday, when a judge in Florida denied Gawker's motion for a new trial. This means the damages will not be reduced. However, Gawker can appeal this latest ruling to Florida's Second District Court of Appeals, where it is confident it will succeed, Capital New York reports. In a related development, billionaire Silicon Valley investor Peter Thiel told The New York Times that he secretly financed Hulk Hogan's lawsuit and others against Gawker Media in an effort to put the website out of business. "I saw Gawker pioneer a unique and incredibly damaging way of getting attention by bullying people even when there was no connection with the public interest," Thiel whom Gawker reportedly outed as gay in 2007 told The Times. Thiel once compared Gawker to Al Qaeda. Gawker gave the following statement: Everyone take a breath. Weve had bankers engaged for quite some time given the need for contingency planning around Facebook board member Peter Thiels revenge campaign thats how the Columbus Nova investment was arranged. We recently engaged Mark Patricof to advise us and that seems to have stirred up some excitement, when the fact is that nothing is new. Story continues NOW WATCH: Heres where Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs started as interns More From Business Insider (Adds statement from Gawker confirming bank has been hired) By Liana B. Baker and Anya George Tharakan May 26 (Reuters) - Gawker Media, the New York-based owner of online news and gossip website Gawker.com, is exploring a sale following a court ruling that it pay $140 million to wrestler Hulk Hogan over the publication of a sex tape, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The company has fielded interest from a few parties but the sales process is in the early stages, one of the sources said, asking not to be named because the matter is confidential. It may also explore a potential restructuring, the source added. The New York Post first reported the sale effort. Gawker has hired investment bank Houlihan Lokey Inc to advise it, the company said in a statement on Thursday. Billionaire PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, an early investor in Facebook, is helping Hulk Hogan bankroll a lawsuit against Gawker Media, he told the New York Times in an article published on Thursday. "We've had bankers engaged for quite some time given the need for contingency planning around Facebook board member Peter Thiel's revenge campaign - that's how the Columbus Nova investment was arranged," Gawker said. Investment company Columbus Nova Technology Partners took a minority stake in Gawker Media earlier this year. Gawker also confirmed it had hired Houlihan Lokey media banker Mark Patricof and said "that seems to have stirred up some excitement, when the fact is that nothing is new." Gawker, founded by Nick Denton, owns popular blogs such as the tech-focused Gizmodo, Jezebel, which covers women's rights, and Kotaku, a video game blog. Denton owns the majority of the company. A six-person jury in March awarded $60 million to Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, for emotional distress and $55 million for economic damages. The jury then slapped another $25 million in punitive damages on the company and Denton. Hogan sued the website for posting a video clip in 2012 featuring him having sex with the wife of his then-best friend, radio shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge. Hogan testified that he did not know their consensual tryst was being recorded when it occurred nearly a decade ago. (Reporting by Anya George Tharakan in Bengaluru and Liana B. Baker in New York; Editing by Ted Kerr and Dan Grebler) By Liana B. Baker and Anya George Tharakan (Reuters) - Gawker Media, the New York-based owner of online news and gossip website Gawker.com, is exploring a sale following a court ruling that it pay $140 million to wrestler Hulk Hogan over the publication of a sex tape, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The company has fielded interest from a few parties but the sales process is in the early stages, one of the sources said, asking not to be named because the matter is confidential. It may also explore a potential restructuring, the source added. The New York Post first reported the sale effort. Gawker has hired investment bank Houlihan Lokey Inc to advise it, the company said in a statement on Thursday. Billionaire PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, an early investor in Facebook, is helping Hulk Hogan bankroll a lawsuit against Gawker Media, he told the New York Times in an article published on Thursday. "Weve had bankers engaged for quite some time given the need for contingency planning around Facebook board member Peter Thiel's revenge campaign thats how the Columbus Nova investment was arranged," Gawker said. Investment company Columbus Nova Technology Partners took a minority stake in Gawker Media earlier this year. Gawker also confirmed it had hired Houlihan Lokey media banker Mark Patricof and said "that seems to have stirred up some excitement, when the fact is that nothing is new." Gawker, founded by Nick Denton, owns popular blogs such as the tech-focused Gizmodo, Jezebel, which covers women's rights, and Kotaku, a video game blog. Denton owns the majority of the company. A six-person jury in March awarded $60 million to Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, for emotional distress and $55 million for economic damages. The jury then slapped another $25 million in punitive damages on the company and Denton. Hogan sued the website for posting a video clip in 2012 featuring him having sex with the wife of his then-best friend, radio shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge. Hogan testified that he did not know their consensual tryst was being recorded when it occurred nearly a decade ago. (Reporting by Anya George Tharakan in Bengaluru and Liana B. Baker in New York; Editing by Ted Kerr and Dan Grebler) Gawker downplayed reports that it is getting ready for a sale in a statement sent to media Thursday. The online media company admitted that it had recently hired investment banker Mark Patricof of Houlihan Lokey, which first had been reported by the New York Post Thursday. However, Gawker said that it had bankers engaged for quite some time to raise capital for its legal struggles. Everyone take a breath, the statement read, concluding: Nothing is new. Gawker has been under pressure ever since wrestler Hulk Hogan sued the online media company for publishing a sex tape depicting him. Hogan won his lawsuit in March, with a jury awarding him $140 million in damages. The court that handed down this original verdict refused to reduce those damages Wednesday, setting the stage for what could be a lengthy and costly appeal. In an unexpected twist, Forbes revealed earlier this week that Hogans lawsuit had been secretly funded by Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel, who was outed as gay by Gawker years ago. Thiel initially didnt comment on the matter, but acknowledged in the New York Times late Wednesday that he had in fact been Hogans secret benefactor. Its less about revenge and more about specific deterrence, Thiel told the Times, arguing that he wanted to stop Gawker from harming others in the way the outlet had harmed him. Thiel, who co-founded Paypal and was an early investor in Facebook, apparently hired a team of lawyers some years ago to look for potential cases against Gawker. The media company is currently facing two other lawsuits from subjects of its reporting, but Thiel didnt want to comment on whether he is bankrolling these cases as well. Gawker launched in 2002. The company generated a reported $45 million in revenue in 2014, with profits coming in at $6.7 million. The company was entirely self-funded until taking a minority investment from Russian investment firm Columbus Nova in January. Related stories Story continues Why Gawker Versus Peter Thiel Isn't Just About Gawker Hulk Hogan's Sex Tape Lawsuit Reportedly Financed by Tech Billionaire; Gawker Asking for Reduced Damages WWE Stars, Hollywood Remember 'Pioneer,' 'Beautiful Soul' Chyna Moscow (AFP) - Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia will hold a referendum on joining Russia next year, its president and parliament speaker said in a statement Thursday. The Moscow-backed region, recognised as independent by Russia since a brief war with Georgia in 2008, will hold the vote after presidential elections, the statement on the website of the regional presidency said. President Leonid Tibilov and speaker Anatoly Bibilov said they are formally endorsing the idea of "holding the referendum on the issue of South Ossetia's entering the Russian federation in 2017," it said. Tibilov was elected in April 2012 for a five-year term. The precise date for the presidential election has not been set. The region announced last October that it was initiating a "procedure to hold a referendum". Tibilov said he would be coordinating with Moscow on the issue. The announcement comes two years after Moscow's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 through a controversial referendum. The annexation caused the West to unleash economic sanctions and sent jitters through other countries bordering Russia. Moscow has pursued a policy of increasingly tighter integration in recent years with South Ossetia, which Tbilisi regards as occupied, along with another breakaway region Abkhazia. Last March President Vladimir Putin signed a wide-ranging alliance with the region, which was heavily criticised by the West. Other than Russia, South Ossetia's independence is recognised by three UN member states: Nicaragua, Venezuela and Nauru. Georgia has also accused Moscow of "creeping annexation" of its territory, accusing Russian border guards of moving South Ossetia's border markers further into Tbilisi-controlled territory. Berlin (AFP) - German prosecutors said Thursday they were investigating whether to bring charges against a publisher who has promised to print a version of Adolf Hitler's anti-Semitic manifesto "Mein Kampf" without annotations. Re-publishing the original tract is illegal under German sedition laws against inciting racial hatred, although a version for historians with thousands of critical commentaries was allowed to go on sale this year. Prosecutors said "we are investigating whether to level charges" against publisher Der Schelm, based in Leipzig in Germany's formerly communist east, national news agency DPA reported. The publishing house is taking orders on its website for an "unaltered reprint" of the 1943 edition published by Hitler's Nazi regime. Partly autobiographical, "Mein Kampf" -- which means "My Struggle" -- outlines Hitler's ideology that formed the basis for Nazism. He wrote it in 1924 while he was imprisoned in Bavaria for treason after his failed Beer Hall Putsch. The book set out two ideas that he put into practice as Germany's leader going into World War II: annexing neighbouring countries to gain "Lebensraum", or "living space", for Germans, and his hatred of Jews, which led to the Holocaust. Bavaria was handed the copyright of the book in 1945, when the Allies gave it control of the main Nazi publishing house following Hitler's defeat. For 70 years, Bavaria refused to allow the inflammatory tract to be republished out of respect for victims of the Nazis and to prevent incitement of hatred. But "Mein Kampf" fell into the public domain on January 1 this year, and the Institute of Contemporary History of Munich has published the special edition with critical annotations by historians. gammasquadrilafukushima Getty Image The Scarlett Johansson-starring Ghost in the Shell movie may already be well into production (filming started back in February) but the movie had just added a fairly high profile new name to its cast. According to The Hollywood Reporter model-turned-actress Rila Fukushima has joined the movie in an unspecified role. Most fans will recognize Fukushima as Katana from the Arrow TV series, or perhaps from her role as Hugh Jackmans sidekick Yukio in The Wolverine. Fukushima joins other supporting cast members Pilou Asbaek (Lucy), Michael Pitt (Funny Games), Juliette Binoche (The English Patient), Kaori Momoi (Memoirs of a Geisha) and Takeshi Kitano (too many Japanese classics to name). With Fukushimas casting coming so late in the production of Ghost in the Shell, many will strictly look at it as an attempt to bolster the movies Japanese cast. Ghost in the Shell has been accused of whitewashing for casting Johansson in a property previously populated exclusively by Japanese characters, and leaked reports that Paramount tested effects that would make white actors look more Asian didnt help matters. The fact that the Japanese owners of Ghost in the Shell are all for Johanssons casting hasnt really calmed the fires. So yeah, this continues to be a tough situation. The addition of another Japanese cast member is certainly welcome, but people will undoubtedly question why Universal didnt cast Fukushima or another Japanese star in the lead to begin with. That said, as long as shes given a significant role, Fukushima cant help but make the movie better, as shes a memorable presence and fairly serious badass. Considering all the online gnashing of teeth, what are you current feelings about Ghost in the Shell? Given the newly-born possibility of a Scarlett Johansson/Rila Fukushima sword fight showdown, I remain intrigued enough to give it a chance. Ghost in the Shell hits theaters March 31, 2017. (Via The Hollywood Reporter) ST. PETERSBURG, Fla, (AP) -- Cole Gillespie got two hits in a rare start. The second one was a game-winner. Gillespie had a late tiebreaking RBI single, Marcell Ozuna drove in two runs and the Miami Marlins beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Wednesday night. ''It's been a month, I think, since my last hits,'' said Gillespie, who had his contract purchased from Triple-A New Orleans on April 29. ''It's been strictly pinch hits since I've been here so hopefully some more consistent at-bats will come. Whatever the role is, I'll be ready for it.'' Gillespie had made 22 appearances as a reserve for the Marlins since his last start on Sept. 6. ''It's nice to have a guy that's been here and played with these guys, and has had some success, too,'' Miami manager Don Mattingly said. Miami took a 4-3 lead in the eighth when J.T. Realmuto singled, went to second on Chris Johnson's sacrifice bunt and scored on Gillespie's single off 30-year old Tyler Sturdevant (0-1), who made his major league debut Tuesday. Kyle Barraclough (3-1) got two outs in the seventh to get the win. David Phelps allowed a single but struck out three in the eighth before A.J. Ramos pitched the ninth to record his 15th save. Logan Morrison had three hits, including a homer, and three RBIs for the Rays. He is 6 for 7 with a walk over the last two games. ''I'm swinging at good pitches and not missing them,'' Morrison said. Morrison has increased his batting average from .100 to .225 by getting 19 hits in 51 at-bats this month, ''When he was going through that rougher stretch, he was expanding (the strike zone) quite a bit,'' Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said, ''Now, it's like everything he's swinging at he's putting right on the barrel.'' After Justin Bour had an RBI double, Ozuna put the Marlins up 3-1 later in the third on a two-run single off Matt Andriese. Story continues Ozuna has reached base in a career-best 32 consecutive games. He has a hit in all 16 career games against the Rays. Morrison had a second-inning RBI single and ended Justin Nicolino's night with a two-run shot in the sixth that tied it at 3. Andriese, who had won all three of his previous starts after being recalled from Triple-A Durham on May 8, allowed three runs and eight hits over six innings. The three-run third inning stopped a stretch of 20 consecutive scoreless innings, dating to last season, at Tropicana Field for Andriese. Nicolino gave up three runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings. TRAINER'S ROOM Marlins: OFs Giancarlo Stanton (sore right side) and Christian Yelich (back spasms) were both out of the lineup. ... LHP Mike Dunn (left forearm strain) had a scoreless inning Tuesday night in his first rehab appearance with Class-A Jupiter. Rays: RHP Alex Cobb (Tommy John surgery) plans to add curveballs in about two weeks to his bullpen sessions that currently consists of fastballs and change ups. ... Closer Brad Boxberger (adductor surgery) made his fifth rehab outing with Double-A Montgomery and will pitch there again Friday. HOMECOMING The Rays purchased the contract of 26-year RHP Ryan Garton, who went to high school in nearby New Port Richey, from Triple-A Durham. ''Coming to games here, it's crazy from where I've come from and what has had to happen,'' Garton said. ... To make room for Garton, SS Tim Beckman was optioned to Durham and INF Jake Goebbert was designated for assignment. Beckman was taken first overall in the 2008 draft by Tampa Bay. UP NEXT Marlins RHP Jose Fernandez (6-2) will face Tampa Bay LHP Drew Smyly (2-5) on Thursday. Fernandez, who attended high school in Tampa, is 0-2 with a 5.79 ERA in two starts against the Rays. A leading provider of payment technology services, Global Payments Inc. GPN recently introduced a simpler payment option for merchants in Singapore, by enabling them to accept credit and debit card payments via Apple Pay. This is a mobile payment and digital wallet service provided by Apple Inc. AAPL. The Apple Pay application provides an easier and secure method of payment, which is also time efficient. Global Payments' latest suite of payments solutions is wholly operational in Singapore, allowing in-store as well as iOS application dealers to offer customers the convenience of hassle-free payments. Global Payments has earlier offered its support using the Apple Pay application in the US, UK, Canada and China. With the latest foray in Singapore, Global Payments is now set to enter the second market in Asia for this leading service. On May 24, 2016, Global Payments had certified the contactless functionality with both Visa Inc. V and MasterCard Incorporated MA across Malta and Gozo. Contactless payments enable customers to pay their bills by simply tapping their card against reader devices, without the need to swipe and enter the PIN. These new methods of payments enable customers to save time and ensure secure payment as there is no need to provide personal details. With the growing demand for faster and better payment methods, Global Payments is constantly trying to live up to its customers demands. Expanding the Apple Pay service will help Global Payments increase its customer base as well as enhance its reputation as a renowned payment solution company in the world. Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Global Payments offers payment solutions for credit cards, debit cards, electronic payments, and check-related services. It operates in two segments, North America Merchant Services and International Merchant Services. The companys services consist of terminal sales and deployment, authorization processing, settlement and funding processing, customer support and help-desk functions, chargeback resolution, industry compliance, payment card industry security, consolidated billing and statements, and online reporting. Story continues This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock serves customers in various industries, including financial services, gaming, government, health care, professional services, restaurants, retail, universities, nonprofit organizations, and utilities. Global Payments markets its products and services through direct sales, trade associations, integrated payment solution channels, agent and enterprise software providers, value-added resellers referral arrangements, financial institutions, and independent sales organizations, as well as proprietary telesales groups across North America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, and Brazil. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days.Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report APPLE INC (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report MASTERCARD INC (MA): Free Stock Analysis Report VISA INC-A (V): Free Stock Analysis Report GLOBAL PAYMENTS (GPN): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research DailyFX.com - Talking Points: Gold prices touch seven-month low but intraday momentum fizzles Crude oil extends advance on inventory data, swell in risk appetite US durables figures, Fed commentary may weigh on commodities Gold prices continued to make progress downward after breaking three-month support, modestly bolstering the likelihood for bearish follow-through. The yellow metal pared intraday losses after dropping to a seven-week low however as disappointing US Markit PMI figures crossed the wires and poured cold water on Fed rate hike bets. Indeed, prices rebounded as front-end bond yields traded lower. Meanwhile, crude oil pushed upward for a second consecutive day after the weekly EIA inventories report showed stockpiles fell by -4.23 million barrels, topping consensus forecasts calling for a -1.66 million barrel draw-down and making good on foreshadowing in the analogous API data set. Swelling risk appetite may have also helped the sentiment-linked WTI contract. Looking ahead, US economic data and Fed-speak are once again in focus. The Durable Goods Orders report is expected to show an increase of 0.5 percent in April compared with a 1.3 percent gain in the prior month. US economic news-flow has increasingly improved relative to consensus forecasts over the past two weeks, opening the door for an upside surprise. Comments from Fed Governor Jerome Powell take top billing on the speaking schedule. Members of the Governing Board outside of Chair Yellen and Vice Chair Fischer have seemed visibly more dovish than Presidents of regional Fed branches in recent months. If Mr. Powells remarks mirror the recent hawkish shift the central banks communication, traders may read this as a sign of firming agreement on near-term rate hike resumption. Taken together, upbeat data and saber-rattling from the Fed are likely to make for another inward shift on the markets expected timeline for stimulus withdrawal. That such an outcome would be negative for gold prices seems relatively straight-forward. The implications for crude oil seem more clouded considering sentiments inconsistent relationship with policy bets, though a US Dollar rally on the back of an improved rates outlook may deliver de-facto selling pressure. Story continues What does retail traders gold positioning say about where prices are going? Find out here! GOLD TECHNICAL ANALYSIS Gold prices continue to face selling pressure, falling for a sixth consecutive session. Breaking below the 38.2% Fibonacci retracementat 1205.30 on a daily closing basis targets the 50% level at 1174.93. Alternatively, a move back above channel floor support-turned-resistance at 1229.91 sees the next upside barrier at 1242.88, the 23.6% retracement. Gold Prices May Extend Loss Streak on US Durables Data, Fed-Speak CRUDE OIL TECHNICAL ANALYSIS Crude oil prices continue to push upward, hitting the highest level since mid-October 2015. A daily close above the 61.8% Fibonacci expansion at 50.13 exposes the 76.4% level at 51.82. Alternatively, a move back below the 50% Fibat 48.77 targets the 38.2% expansion at 47.41. Gold Prices May Extend Loss Streak on US Durables Data, Fed-Speak --- Written by Ilya Spivak, Currency Strategist for DailyFX.com To receive Ilya's analysis directly via email, please SIGN UP HERE Contact and follow Ilya on Twitter: @IlyaSpivak original source DailyFX provides forex news and technical analysis on the trends that influence the global currency markets. Learn forex trading with a free practice account and trading charts from FXCM. lloyd Blankfein Finance Insider is Business Insider's summary of the top stories of the past 24 hours. To sign up, scroll to the bottom of this page and click "Get updates in your inbox," or click here. Goldman Sachs has discovered something important about its employees: they want more feedback on how they're doing. The firm is overhauling the way it gives feedback following an internal survey that highlighted that desire. Peter Thiel, the billionaire cofounder of PayPal and Facebook board member, has been anonymously funding lawsuits targeting the media company Gawker. That has a whole bunch of people feeling uncomfortable. Japan's prime minister is warning world leaders about a 'Lehman-scale crisis', and Donald Trump on Thursday reached the number of delegates needed to clinch the Republican nomination for president. Theres one overlooked industry at the heart of all of our modern conveniences. The Abercrombie & Fitch chairman says some customers are too afraid to shop. And Apple reportedly explored the idea of making a bid to buy Time Warner. Twilio is going public, lifting the tech IPO drought, and Snapchat has quietly added an IPO specialist to its board. Insiders tell us that Domo, the $2 billion startup that came out of nowhere, is full of hype. Here's the biggest problem in the bond market explained with the help of fried chicken. And lastly, here are 20 resorts and villas where you can have a private island practically all to yourself. Here are the top Wall Street headlines at midday: Citi was fined $425 million for rate manipulation here are the secret trader transcripts The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission fined Citibank a combined $425 million (288.5 million) on Wednesday to settle various rate-fixing allegations from 2007 to 2012. Struggling energy companies are getting money from an unlikely source Banks have been pulling back from lending to energy companies. Hedge funds and buyout firms have been stepping in to fill the void. Story continues The amazing story of how a Navy pilot-turned-Superbowl winner made it on Wall Street Phil McConkey is not your average Wall Streeter. LACY HUNT: Debt is hurtling the US toward an economic crisis Hunt, one of the leaders of Hoisington Investment Management, which manages over $4 billion, said the increasing debt among corporations and the government was going to take the country down a worrying path. Sears is losing its last hope for staying in business Sales are continuing to fall, and the company's one hope for survival its home-appliances business is now in decline. 9 reasons why driving a supercar isn't as cool as you think Ah, supercars! The Thoroughbreds of the automotive world they can cost millions, they go very fast, and they attract plenty of attention in traffic and when pulling up to valet lines. More From Business Insider Alphabet/Google has increased its lead as the world's largest media owner, with 166 percent more media revenue than nearest rival Walt Disney, up from a 136 percent lead previously, according to an annual ranking by media planning firm ZenithOptimedia. The company didn't detail media revenue figures, but told The Hollywood Reporter that Alphabet/Google reached $59.6 billion, while Disney had $22.5 billion, followed by Comcast, which continues to rank third with $19.7 billion. That trio is followed by 21st Century Fox, also unchanged in the fourth spot, and Facebook, up from the tenth spot in the ranking published last year. Rounding out the top 10 are German media powerhouse Bertelsmann (steady in the sixth spot), Viacom (also unchanged), CBS Corp. (down from the fifth spot after an asset sale), Chinese internet powerhouse Baidu (up from 14th) and News Corp., which dropped one spot. iHearthMedia is unchanged in the 12th spot on the list, followed by Discovery Communications (unchanged), while China's CCTV is listed at 19th (up one spot) and U.K. TV giant ITV at 24th (up from 27th). Social media giant Facebook is the fastestgrowing media owner in the top 30 ranking, with media revenue growth of 65 percent over last year's figures, followed by Baidu (up 52 percent) and Alphabet/Google (17 percent). Zenith's estimates are for 2014 as the firm says that is the last year for which it now has "consistent" figures from publicly traded companies. ZenithOptimedia estimates are for media revenue, which it defines as all revenue "deriving from businesses that support advertising - television broadcasting, newspaper publishing, internet search, social media and so on." This includes not only advertising revenue, but also other revenue generated by these businesses, such as circulation revenue for newspaper or magazine firms. The company, which has provided the ranking since 2007, says it "provides a clear picture of the size and negotiating power of the biggest global media owners that advertisers and agencies have to deal with." Story continues Five digital giants are in the company's top 30 ranking. Beyond Alphabet/Google, Facebook and Baidu, they include Yahoo (15th, up from 18th), which is going through a sale process, and Microsoft (17th, up from 21st). Together they account for $88 billion in media revenue, or 34 percent of all the revenue generated by the top 30 companies and 65 percent of the entire global internet advertising market, according to Zenith. "Their dominance of internet advertising has made it difficult for many media owners to replace lost revenues from their traditional businesses with new digital revenues," said Zenith. "Nearly half of our top 30 media owners have lost media revenues compared to last year." In the case of No. 16-ranked Time Warner, down from the eighth spot last year, that was due to its spinoff of its Time Inc. division into a stand-alone company, which makes its debut on the Zenith ranking at No. 30. CBS Corp. was similarly affected by its exit from the outdoor advertising business. "The traditional media owners in our top 30 ranking have been scrambling to scale up their own digital businesses, to various degrees of success," said Jonathan Barnard, Zenith's head of forecasting. " As digital ad technology - such as programmatic buying - spreads to traditional media, it will further shake up the businesses of traditional media owners, but also provide them with new opportunities for growth." Digital ad spend has grown at an average of 18 percent a year over the past five years, driven by the spread of mobile technology, the rise of social media and online video and improved advertising technology, according to Zenith. Ad spend across all other media has grown by just 0.6 percent a year. Read More: U.S., Global Ad Forecasts Cut Slightly, Digital Poised to Overtake TV Spending in 2017 Sagar Bhanushali Development on self-driving cars has been going on steadily over the past few years and its the internet giant Google that has been at the forefront in the attempts to bring this revolutionary technology to reality. Looking to speed things up, Google has now announced that it is developing a self-driving technology development centre in Novi, Michigan. Many of Googles current partners are based in the proposed new area. It makes sense then to set up a local facility that will help Google collaborate more easily with the local vehicle development and engineering facilities.? Google is currently busy setting up this upcoming facility which is spread across 53,000 sq ft. One of the first tasks of this development centre will be to ready Googles self-driving Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivans. Google has made it official that its concerned representatives will begin moving into the facility sometime later this year.? The concept of self-driving vehicles has caught the fancy of many, thanks to experimental efforts from brands including Google, Volvo and Tesla and its the former that has been at the forefront to take the piloted driving technology to whole new levels. While Tesla has already introduced semi-autonomous driving technology in cars like the Model S, Google is going all out with the future of self-driving cars. After starting off with a humble Prius in 2009, the company released a fully functional self-driving prototype in December 2014. Currently, their testing fleet includes both modified Lexus SUVs and new prototype vehicles that are designed from the ground up to be fully self-driving. ? For more news,reviews,videos and information about cars, visit CarWale.com. Check On-Road Prices?|?Find New Cars?|?Upcoming Cars?|?Compare Cars?|?Dealer Locator One key fact of economic life is that most people who don't work in capitalist societies don't make any money. Some social and economic policy wonks have argued, then, that as automation improves our productivity we can afford to pay people a living wage, whether they work or not. This idea is popping up across Europe. Several cities in Holland, beginning with Utrecht, will see what happens when people in a community are simply granted a basic income (about $1,000 per month), effectively breaking the bond that has always existed between income and work. Finland is planning a similar program, and the citizens of Switzerland will vote on a more generous guaranteed basic income (about $2500 per month) next month. The concept is not a new one (it was discussed, for example, as early as the Nixon administration in the US) but it has picked up support from various quarters as new levels of automation fuel expectations that unprecedented productivity will create more than enough wealth to sustain us all, but it will unfortunately land in only a very few bank accounts - that is, unless government steps in with some extraordinary form of redistribution. The question, of course, is whether the provision of income with no strings attached will create too much disincentive to work for recipients' own good and the good of society. Proponents of unconditional income believe the impulse to create value is innate in humans, and if anything is channeled into less socially valuable activities when the point must be to gain payment for one's work. University of London professor Guy Standing, who coined the term "precariat" to describe a working class increasingly stressed by precarious work arrangements, says that, even more important than a redistribution of wealth, guarantees of basic income would constitute a "redistribution of security." Opponents of the idea are much more inclined to think humans are naturally lazy, and if given the opportunity to do nothing for their income, will do exactly that. While such critics are legion, we would put, for example, New York Times columnist David Brooks in this camp. Brooks has written that, as part of a job creation agenda, the government should "reduce its generosity to people who are not working but increase its support for people who are." To find out who is right, the Dutch city of Utrecht (in partnership with researchers from the University of Utrecht) has taken the portion of its residents who are already on welfare, and who are currently obliged to fulfill certain requirements to keep receiving it, and divided them into three groups. Some get the income unconditionally, meaning that they are not subject to any rules; indeed, even if they start working at a paying job or otherwise gain income, the monthly disbursements will still be made. The second group is subject to some rules, albeit different ones than the city has today. And the third group, as the experiment's control group, continues receiving benefits according to current law, which requires them to engage in job-hunting and to lack other sources of income. The results, as they begin to come in, will be fascinating to see, and we applaud Utrecht (and the other Dutch cities that plan to adopt the program) for its willingness to experiment. But for our part, we feel no strong stake in seeing the unconditional income idea vindicated. There are a couple of reasons for this. Work has value in itself as a way to find meaning in life. As we've noted, having a good job is the most desired thing in the world in global polls. Freud said that, "Love and work...work and love, that's all there is." Many studies have found that unemployed people are less happy, and that compensating them anyway doesn't make them as happy as putting them back to work. How about the idea that unemployed people will resort to creative and recreational activities? Unfortunately, the data don't bear that out. As Derek Thompson notes in his provocative Atlantic article "A World Without Work," time studies suggest that people who don't work tend to sleep more, watch more TV, and browse the Internet. So much for taking up painting. Even if severing the tie between work and income led to happy people, our perspective is that it is unnecessary to contemplate such drastic redistribution unless you have given up on the possibility of widespread employment in well-paying jobs. If you are convinced, as we are, that human strengths will continue to enable humans to produce economic value, and to be paid for that value, there is no reason to forcibly decouple work from income. Instead, the focus of government action should be on job creation. Without ruling out that some change in the tax structure may be necessary to correct for the "winner take all" effects many predict from further productivity-improving automation, we're in favor of governments enabling the creation of more meaningful work for their citizens, not requiring less of it. Why not, for example, fund projects that support more people's desires to engage in artistic production (as in the WPA Fine Arts Project during the 1930's US depression)? Most poets, painters, and playwrights today don't hold steady jobs. Changing that to give them incomes matched to their efforts would seem no more difficult than administering a bureaucracy of handouts - and would yield much surer returns to society. Why not pay people for many of the tasks that are now done on a volunteer basis, for the good of communities? Volunteer service does generally lead to greater happiness. We do believe that the huge gains in productivity will mean we could afford, as a society, to go in either direction. But guaranteed jobs, in our book, still beat guaranteed incomes hands down. Today, we're seeing governments and their economic advisors contemplating all these kinds of moves to protect jobs from the onslaught of smart machines. And that is appropriate - all options belong on the table. Our stance, however, would be to encourage them, by their use of any of these tools, to think in terms of human-machine augmentation. They should encourage the creation of jobs that put people in complementary roles with smart machines, and equip them to work in better collaboration with machines in the future. Depression-era programs often improved the employability of workers with government jobs, and this should be true of future programs involving automation or augmentation. In China's booming cities today, one often encounters an arresting sight: in front of the construction site of some glistening skyscraper, and amid the crowd of office workers checking smartphones as they bustle along to their business meetings, there is often a worker dressed like a peasant sweeping the street with a straw broom that looks positively medieval. This is make-work, of course, and we summon the image only to mark the absolute antithesis of the job creation we are advocating. Not only is this poor worker performing a task that could be better done by a machine, she is gaining no ability to work in any better capacity by doing it. In dramatic contrast, look at the set of policies Finland has used to deal with the dislocation of laid-off tech workers after the failure of Nokia. As an article in The New York Times reports, when Nokia started laying off employees in droves, "politicians started providing government grants, entrepreneurship programs and other training to help the thousands of laid-off tech workers start their own companies." Beyond that, Finland has encouraged other global companies to open offices there to take advantage of this newly available talent pool, and compelled Nokia to do more than it would have otherwise to support its former employees. This help goes far beyond the normal outplacement services. According to the Times, it "includes one-off grants for new business ventures and allowing former employees to use some of the companies' intellectual property, like unwanted patents, almost free of charge." The best strategies, we believe, will equip people with the skills and tools that will enable them to keep creating economic value in an age of extreme automation. Government investment in job creation often gets criticized when it effectively puts policymakers in the position of "picking winners" - but that might not be an issue in this case. As more people become concerned with the "race against the machines," surely not many will object to a government that picks winners who are human, or at least helps those humans to win. Tom Davenport and Julia Kirby are authors of Only Humans Need Apply: Winners & Losers in the Age of Smart Machines. Davenport is the presidents distinguished professor in management and information technology at Babson College. Julia Kirby is a senior editor at Harvard University Press and a contributing editor for Harvard Business Review. This an adapted excerpt of their new book. See original article on Fortune.com More from Fortune.com Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f96961%2f43f210489cbd4338a50dddda886fb07c Cats love to wander but just how far they go is pretty wild. More than one dozen cats were fitted with GPS trackers to show the distance they roam from their homes. The end result was a series of maps, which provide fascinating insight into the travelling habits of felines. SEE ALSO: This 'lazy' cat is all of us when we can't get out of bed in the morning The maps are part of a cat tracking project by the Central Tablelands Local Land Services in Australia and is all about educating owners on where their pets go when they aren't looking. "Cats are given a pretty bad rap. In terms of the damage they do to biodiversity, to native fauna and flora," Peter Evans, a senior land officer, told Mashable Australia. "You always get the comment from owners that their cat doesn't roam ... but we thought it was a great visual to show owners where cats go when they don't know where they are, because generally a lot of cats are unrestrained." map Image: Central Tablelands Local Land Services map Image: Central Tablelands Local Land Services The project started in mid-March with 25 cats enrolled, but by the time the project ended in mid-May, only 14 cats remained. This was due to some GPS trackers disappearing or felines struggling to wear the harness with the tracker attached. "Some people said when their cat was fitted with the tracker, it would lay flat on the ground, and wouldn't move," Evans said. "Ultimately the welfare of the cat was paramount to what we were doing." It was up to owners to decide how long they wanted their cat to wear the tracker, with times ranging from one to 10 days. Evans said owners were "gobsmacked" to see how far their cats actually roamed. It was so unbelievable to the researchers, that some of the long distances were first suspected as glitches in the GPS data. "I knew they wouldn't just stay in the backyard, but I was surprised with how far a few of the cats did go," he said. Story continues map Image: Central Tablelands Local Land Services map Image: Central Tablelands Local Land Services map Image: Central Tablelands Local Land Services As the maps show, some of these cats wander deep into bushland or check out other houses in the neighbourhood. One cat was found repeatedly hanging around a local school late at night. Evans suspects it might have been going through bins for food or chasing mice as it spent a considerable amount of time there. After seeing where their felines went, some owners took the step of changing how they look after their cats, with one owner deciding to keep their pet inside overnight. Evans hopes the cat tracking project will extend nationally, with the potential to eventually work with the University of South Australia, which has also completed a similar project. "We're hoping that people think about what dangers a cat can pose to itself, in terms of how often they're crossing the road and encountering other cats," he said. Keep them safe guys. map Image: Central Tablelands Local Land Services map Image: Central Tablelands Local Land Services maps Image: CENTRAL TABLELANDS LOCAL LAND SERVICES [h/t ABC News] It's high school and college graduation season, and for all graduates it's a time of celebration as well as great uncertainty. The planned part of your life is over: it's time to invent and live the rest. How does the future look for you? Just the thought can be frightening. The good news is that things change so rapidly now, including time spent in a job, that you don't have to plan out every part of your career. However, it is smart to have a general idea of your eventual goals. For example, you may know that you want to get a higher degree one day, obtain a certification or even work at a zoo. Use the beginning of your career as a time for exploration to help you solidify those goals and their timing. And remember, nothing is set in stone. You can always make changes, even if you start on one path and decide it's not right for you. [See: 8 Ways Millennials Can Build Leadership Skills.] A lot of graduates set out with the idea that they want to do or be something big -- solve global warming, cure cancer or invent the next Facebook. Those are difficult things to do and while they are admirable aspirations, there are smaller ways you can make an impact on the world. There is one thing that making an impact requires, and that is leadership. Learning Leadership. Former CEO of GE Jack Welch believes that there are five essential traits of leadership: positive energy, the ability to energize others, passion, edge and the talent to execute. He thinks people are either born with the first three traits or not, but the last two -- edge and the talent to execute -- can be taught. As a new graduate, this is important to recognize because new hires at any level will not arrive knowing everything and are not expected to. The best way you can learn is to jump in immediately and really dig into your work. Even if it's not your favorite job, you should always do your best, because it will help you in ways you may not realize at the time. Edge requires self-confidence because it speaks to your ability to make hard decisions, knowing when to say yes and when to say no. The more you practice, the easier it will become. Story continues [See: Famous CEOs and Executives Share Their Best Career Advice.] Living Leadership. Whether you possess the three inborn traits that Welch identifies or not, there are ways to cultivate your leadership skills. Carla Harris, a senior client advisor and managing director at Morgan Stanley, as well as chair of the National Women's Business Council, spoke about what it takes to be a true leader in her April 2016 commencement address at Columbia College in South Carolina. She offered the following advice to new graduates. -- Leverage Others. No one can be successful alone. In order to be an impactful leader, you cannot be afraid to ask questions and for help. When you're looking for the right solution, leverage other people's experience and relationships. -- Recognize Change is Inevitable. You've heard it before -- the only constant in life is change. As a leader, you need to be comfortable with a lot of change. Nowadays, products and technology are replaced every two years. You must keep up with these shifts and accept them gracefully. -- Be Authentic. You and what you offer are your competitive advantage, and if you are always true to yourself, you will always have that advantage. Where you can be the most genuine, you will have the most success. Know your strengths and weaknesses as a leader, and be able to answer the question: Why should people follow me? You inspire others to be true to themselves when you are, which creates a high-performing work environment. -- Take Risks. As a leader, you will have to take risks and you will inevitably make mistakes. Be comfortable with that and realize that you can come back from anything. You are more resilient than you may realize. [See: How New Grads Can Beat the Odds in Job Market Roulette.] To be an influential leader, you must recognize and develop the skills that you possess as well as those that you need more practice in. It takes time and patience. If you want to make an impact on a small or large scale, knowing yourself and how to maintain and utilize the resources around you will be paramount to your success. By Lefteris Papadimas ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's finance minister said on Thursday he hoped Athens could swiftly qualify for the European Central Bank's quantitative easing (QE) programme after the successful conclusion of its first bailout review this week. After six months of tense talks, Greece reached a deal with its foreign creditors which will unlock desperately needed bailout loans and agreed on steps that will help relieve its debt mountain. "With this review one of our aims was ... to enter the quantitative easing programme, which we hope will come very soon," Euclid Tsakalotos told reporters two days after the decisions by euro zone finance ministers. Under the QE programme, the ECB is currently buying 80 billion euros of bonds each month to pump new stimulus funds into the euro zone economy. Tsakalotos said he was optimistic the ECB would also soon resume accepting Greek government bonds as collateral for lending funds to Greek banks. Both actions, he said, would "send a message to the markets that Greece is like every other country". Asked if the government would ease capital controls imposed last June to arrest a run on deposits, Tsakalotos said it depended on the return of bank deposits. He said he was confident a more stable banking environment would give Athens room to undo the restrictions. "I think capital controls depend on how much people will see changes from this deal. It's very important that for capital controls to unwind, (that) money return to banks," he said. Deputy Finance Minister George Chouliarakis told reporters Greece could return to bond markets next year. "Our intention is to do this (tap markets) when there is stabilisation and after the economy recovers, and start in 2107... but we don't want to rush," Chouliarakis said. Athens will not need to adopt any further measures until the end of the bailout programme, he said, adding the disbursement of the 10.3 billion euro aid in two tranches would help boost economic activity. Story continues Athens wants to use a big chunk of the funds to pay off state arrears, a move which Chouliarakis said would offset the impact of the austerity measures, tax hikes and pension reforms that Greek lawmakers approved to qualify for the funds. The rest will be used to pay off IMF loans and ECB bonds. But Chouliarakis cautioned that Greece will not be able to maintain long-term primary surpluses of 3.5 percent of GDP, a target set in its current bailout for 2018, adding that it was rare for any country to reach that target. (Reporting by Lefteris Papadimas and Michele Kambas; Editing by Mark Trevelyan) Yaounde (AFP) - Greenpeace on Thursday condemned the sale of illegally logged timber from Cameroon, saying the west African country's main log exporter was involved in the trade. A Greenpeace statement said the Cameroonian log exporter CCT sourced timber from La Socamba, a company logging several kilometres (miles) outside its designated area, and then sold it in Europe and China. The CCT and its suppliers are now facing an audit probe, Greenpeace said. "Greenpeace Africa takes note of the audit of CCT's practices - but stresses that this process should be independent and transparent, and that CCT suppliers are properly sanctioned when illegal activities are confirmed," said Eric Ini, Greenpeace Africa forest campaigner. Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands all consider timber from Cameroon as "high risk" and require strict diligence standards from importing firms. Greenpeace did not specify the amount of "stolen wood" felled but said La Socamba had been engaged in illegal activities for at least a year. The group said its "investigations in China in July 2014 and March 2015 revealed the presence of huge amounts of CCT logs in the port of Zhangjiagang in Jiangsu province," including logs with La Socamba's marks. Greenpeace said Belgium was the European Union's main importer of Cameroonian wood. "Cameroon's forests are among the most species-rich in the Congo basin, containing the region's most biologically diverse forests, providing valuable habitat for endangered Western Lowland Gorillas, chimpanzees and forest elephants, amongst other species," Greenpeace said. "Unsustainable and illegal logging in these forests is leading to deforestation, destruction of the ecosystem and diminished resilience to climate change." Wodache team outing at the Great Wall of China. Ive always had the entrepreneurial bug in me. In high school, I sold CDs to friends, discounted telescopes from Costco, bought and resold TVs none of which continued very long. At age 25, I had a break in my career, and a close friend and one of the smartest guys I know Skyped me about the traffic and pollution problem in China. Why dont we do something about it? I thought to myself, Perhaps its finally time to start a real business. Two months later, I packed my 13-year Seattle life into two suitcases and moved to the wild wild east. I only knew a handful of people China, had little money, had never started a business, and had never lived there. This was going to be nuts. We started working on a peer-to-peer ride-sharing idea, where you could rent a strangers car while not in use. Three months later, we came up with a short film for our initial application and worked our network to get a meeting with InnovationWorks, the YCombinator of China, and was flat out rejected with, You expats are too idealistic. This is China. No one is going to let strangers borrow their cars! We then had a $2 meal at a food court nearby. Depressed. The following week, my partner and I each came up with ten ideas and shortlisted to three. We surveyed the few friends we had, and most liked the carpooling idea, an alternative to taxis. We thought Perfect! Its still within the vision of reducing traffic and pollution! Two months later, we competed at Beijing Startup Weekend and won second place. We caught the attention of several angel investors, DCM (a top-tier VC), and an angel investor of Twitter and FourSquare. Pitching at the first Beijing Startup Weekend at Opposite House, Beijing. Robin Chan, the angel investor to Twitter and FourSquare said to us, If you build the Uber for China, I may consider investing. We responded, No thanks. We have the vision of reducing traffic and pollution. And we believe carpooling is the best way to achieve that vision. Judges from DCM, IDG Capital Partners, and Robin Chan. Over the next few months, an awesome technical co-founder joined us, attracted several non-paid interns from top schools, won second place at the MIT Chief competition, built a prototype, and launched a pilot at Groupon China. Story continues We demonstrated market, team, and product, and investors were now seriously interested. A well-known entrepreneur agreed to lead the investment round. We ended up with 25 local and foreign investors. We were fortunate enough to have negotiation power with the term sheet, and turned down a verbal investment offer from Zhenfund/Sequoia China. We raised $250,000 to get things started. This already seemed like a dream come true. At one point, I was tired of the service of taxi drivers. So we tested a taxi-hailing app where you could rate the drivers by service. We manually collected about 70 taxi drivers numbers and built it into an HTML5 web app. Unfortunately, the prototype was overly simplistic and was not location-based. When a user calls the taxi driver, hed be busy with another passenger or be too far away. This is a case where an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) would require more effort. So we decided to focus back on carpooling. Over the next 12 months, traction proved to be difficult. But we continued to get great press from local news and foreign sites like The Atlantic and Yahoo! News. I worked through connections to do pilot programs at Google, Zynga, IBM, Alibaba, Alcatel-Lucent, etc. We closed a paid deal with World Bank to launch carpooling programs with three companies, including Lenovo. We were in talks with major online travel sites and a top car maker for a potential strategic Series A investment. They wanted to do a marketing campaign with us first and hired an agency to shoot a commercial about our story. Car-makers marketing campaign about Wodache. Despite these developments on the business side, product adoption was slow, and retention was low. The problems were one, users couldnt find rides due to lack of users on the platform and two, rides couldnt be guaranteed. We thought it was the products problem, so we spent another three months building a new version. That didnt work. Then we thought perhaps we needed local talent, so we brought in a team of five from AutoNavi, the mapping data company that powered Google Maps China. Traction still didnt pick up. Eventually, the investors got seriously concerned and decided to re-structure the company. We tried to compromise for a few months but couldnt reach an agreement. We eventually closed the company in March 2013 and returned the remaining funds to investors, three months before Didi Kuaiche launched. Didi Kuaiche, now the biggest competitor to Uber China, just raised $1 billion dollars from Apple. They have cumulatively raised $5.4 billion in funding and currently valued north of $25 billion USD. Here are the lessons I learned from the Wodache experience. Focus on the hard need I was too idealistic. I pitched the environmental and the social aspects hard. In retrospect, users couldnt care less about the environment or making friends. They need to get from A to B easily, thats it. Everything else is secondary. You might be thinking, Uber, Lyft, and Didi all now have carpooling features. Yes, it makes sense to do carpooling after critical mass is established. But the opposite direction is more difficult. We were essentially solving the same problem as Uber, indirectly. Carpooling works when the supply density for a given geographic area increases. Therefore, there are multiple ways to solve a problem, pick the way thats most direct and solves users immediate needs. How much financial security do you really need? When I left for China in 2011, I had bought a home in Seattle three years prior. Yes, just the beginning of the eventful global financial crisis. I rented my house out, but it wasnt enough to cover my mortgage. While we were building our startup, not only was my money draining every month, my home was depreciating at $5,000 to $10,000 a month. But I somehow managed to ignore those depreciating factors and kept going. My partner and I would meet at hotel lobbies instead of coffee shops because we didnt want to pay for coffee. We ordered street food and ended up taking turns with stomach aches. Wed host bi-weekly gatherings to expand our network but order water instead of drinks. I think one of the biggest hurdles of making the entrepreneurial leap is the feeling of financial security. Some need $100,000 to feel secure. Some need $50,000 $30,000 or $10,000. At the time, I was at the lower end. I envisioned the worst-case scenario. Will I go bankrupt in a year? If not, its worth a try. My room in an older two bedroom apartment in Beijing. Watch out for success illusions I attended way too many competitions and conferences. Id sometimes meet people that said, Ive heard of you guys! As if I was somebody. We kept winning competitions, so we kept competing, and it made me feel successful. Getting funded made me feel successful. Press releases made me feel successful. These small wins do help to a degree meet investors, gather feedback, attract potential talent and partners. But theres a balance. I somewhat lost myself in this success illusion. Success is not when youre funded, featured in TechCrunch, nor asked to be a guest speaker at conferences. Its when users love your product enough to pay or tell their friends about it. Fundraising as a last resort I was gaga over investors. I fully embraced them as angels who were going to propel me to startup heaven. I was naive. Some angels turned out to be the opposite. Plus, the time to fundraise is typically three to six months in, which makes some founders lose focus from the customer and the company. As much as investors could provide advice and introductions, they could also be a distraction. This is especially dangerous when the companys survival depends heavily on fundraising. Many founders see landing investments as a goal, as if fundraising is a necessary step in starting a tech business. Id challenge that premise. Id highly recommend watching this video from David Heinemeier, the creator of Ruby on Rails. There are tons of other lessons learned in areas of product, recruiting, leadership, fundraising, localization, Chinese market, transportation industry, and business development. But this might turn into a book if I continue. In the end, if you ask me if Id do it again, Id say, Yes! without hesitation. The experience has led to the recent traction of my second venture, Jobscan, a self-funded and profitable business. We had the foresight. We saw the opportunity brewing. Were proud to have been involved in the early days of the transportation space in the biggest and one of the most complex environments in the world. But what mattered most was how the rest of the team continued their own ventures. Out of our 13-person team, one is working on her own healthcare startup focused on cancer treatment. Another intern started an outsourcing company with two other developers from our team, failed, and is now a product manager at Baidu. One is a co-founder of a big data analytics startup. Our former marketing manager started her own organic food delivery company. One moved to the States to attend the University of Pennsylvania. One engineer now works for Uber. Those who shared our journey experienced what it was like to bring a crazy idea to fruition. What its like to build a company is no longer an unknown to them. They learned the mistakes we made and embraced our passion. The team is like family, and always will be. Sometimes I joke we ran a Wodache incubator. Although we missed the $25 billion opportunity, were more than proud of values we instilled into our team, and thats the legacy we left. Like they say, Its better to have tried and failed than to have never tried at all. wodache2 From our former marketing manager Zhou Han: Five years has gone by, the people are still the same, but much has changed. Other companies have satisfied our carpooling vision. Sometimes it feels like school life, you wont understand it unless you were part of it. Everyones experience is irreplaceable and unique. No matter what, I thank everyone who joined our journey. Best wishes to all. More from GeekWire: Daisy Head as Grace and Zachary Fall as Luc in 'Guilt' Grace screams in horror, with boyfriend Luc holding her, when she discovers Molly's body. (Credit: Leo Pinter/Freeform) Click through this slideshow to get a first look at 13 photos from Freeforms new drama, Guilt, which rings of the Amanda Knox saga one roommate is dead, and another is accused of killing her. But there are many suspects, from all levels of London society. So, who really murdered Molly? Watch a first look clip from Guilt. Related: Summer TV Preview: Get the Scoop on 17 New Shows Guilt premieres Monday, June 13 at 9 p.m. on Freeform. This week, American tech giants Alphabet (GOOG), Amazon (AMZN) and Netflix (NFLX) have had their omnipotence seriously challenged in Europe. As the American market becomes increasingly saturated with so many players in the space, its not shocking these tech giants would encroach on European territory. But regulators are pushing back. Heres a breakdown of the hurdles Google, Amazon and Netflix face in Europe. Google Googles Paris offices were raided by French investigators this week who suspected it owes 1.6 billion (~$1.8 billion) in back taxes. While Googles European headquarters is called Google Ireland Holdings, its cost center is in Bermuda where corporate tax doesnt exist. France isnt the only country trying to get Google to pay up. This January, Google paid $145 million in back taxes to the UK government after an open audit by Her Majestys Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The amount was scrutinized for being a paltry sum, and the Parliaments Public Account Committee concluded it seems disproportionately small. The chair of the committee, Meg Hillier, said this probe could have been an opportunity to reform international tax rules on a broader level. The bigger prize after a costly six-year investigation would have been to develop a new approach to the activities of internet-based companies, Hillier said. She insisted that HMRC should have cracked down harder in order to see lasting and effective change in the international tax system. Depending on the findings out of Paris, this change may be an impending reality. Netflix Netflix shares surged nearly 5% pre-market on Thursday after news emerged that Apple (AAPL) may want to buy a media company. According to the Financial Times, several banker sources said Apple will most likely target a streaming service as it would make it easier for Apples services to continue to offer a wide range of content makers. With over 81 million members in 190 countries consuming 125 million hours of content per day on Netflix, its become a force to be reckoned with, and European regulators and officials have been less than thrilled insisting that its becoming increasingly difficult to promote European identity. Earlier in 2014 Netflix, prepared for its European expansion and were told by French filmmakers that there would be an implosion of our cultural model, according to the Wall Street Journal. On Wednesday, the European Commission proposed a new set of rules that would mandate 20% of streaming services content be European-made. The proposed rules may end up forcing Netflix to invest more money into integrating European content into consumers queues even though European films already account for 21% of Netflixs current catalogue. Netflix even premiered its first original European series, crime drama Marseille, and is planning to launch a second show, The Crown. Still, European regulators want to make this European content mandatory. European regulators also want to force Netflix to prevent the streaming of pornographic or violent content. The way we watch TV or videos may have changed, but our values dont We will uphold media pluralism, the independence of audiovisual regulators and will make sure incitement to hatred will have no room on video-sharing platforms, said Guenther Oettinger, the EU commissioner for the digital economy and society. Amazon With Amazon entering the sector of digital streaming, the European Commission is also targeting Amazon Prime which has original shows like Mozart in the Jungle and five-Emmy Award winning Transparent. Regulators fear Europeans are increasingly gravitating toward consuming content in the English language. The Royal Spanish Academy even launched a campaign this week thats trying to stop advertising from adopting more and more Anglicisms. Apart from Prime, Amazon faces another hurdle with the European Commission: the e-commerce retailer is being probed for a 2003 tax deal with Luxembourg the European Commission initiated the probe nearly two years ago and will come to a decision later this summer. Similar to Google being accused of tax evasion by French and UK governments, Amazon may face being ordered to pay hundreds of millions of euros in back taxes; Reuters reported that the amount could be around $450 million. By Ted Siefer (Reuters) - A New Hampshire man accused of kidnapping a 14-year-old girl and repeatedly raping her while holding her hostage for 10 months in a shipping container is expected to plead guilty to some charges on Thursday. Nathaniel Kibby pleaded not guilty in 2014 to a long list of criminal counts related to incident, which transfixed the mountain town of North Conway, whose residents spent months searching for the girl, who disappeared in October 2013. Kibby, 35, is due to appear in Belknap County Superior Court on Thursday for a change-of-plea hearing. His attorney could not immediately be reached for comment, and court documents did not make it clear if he planned to plead guilty to some or all of the charges. Prosecutors contend that Kibby, who now faces nearly 200 criminal counts, held the girl hostage in a container near his home in Gorham, where he subjected her to harsh treatment, including being fitted with a shock collar. The plea hearing was scheduled after Kibby's attorneys filed numerous motions ahead of a trial that was scheduled to begin this summer. He could face up to life in prison. The teen returned home to North Conway nine months after she disappeared, under circumstances that remain mysterious. (Reporting by Ted Siefer in Lowell, Massachusetts; Editing by Scott Malone and Steve Orlofsky) From Cosmopolitan South Korean convenience store chain Withme FS has launched Gyeondyo-bar (pictured in the tweet below), an ice cream bar specifically meant to cure hangover symptoms, Reuters reports. The name translates to "hang in there." The bar, which started selling in stores Friday, is grapefruit-flavored and contains 0.7 percent oriental raisin tree fruit juice, which has been used in Asian hangover remedies in the past as it supposedly helps the liver process alcohol and can help detoxify the body in general. A press release from the company claims the ice cream is the first specifically produced to cure hangovers and "expresses the hardships of employees who have to suffer a working day after heavy drinking, as well as to provide comfort to those who have to come to work early after frequent nights of drinking." There's no word on how much the bars cost and whether or not there are plans to export them outside the country, but do you really care? You'd fly to South Korea for magical, hangover-curing ice cream in a heartbeat, no? Just me? Whatever, enjoy your headaches, suckers. Follow Tess on Twitter. * Fast, precise new tool for editing crops and livestock * EU yet to decide if GMO rules apply to gene editing * Campaigners and biotech industry at odds over risks * Graphic on how technique works: http://tmsnrt.rs/1WGkVHk By Ben Hirschler LONDON, May 26 (Reuters) - Heat-tolerant Angus beef cattle designed for the tropics with white coats instead of black or red. A button mushroom that doesn't turn brown. Pigs that don't fall sick. These are all ideas thrown up by gene editing, the new technology taking the biomedical world by storm, and one which also promises a revolution down on the farm. It poses a thorny problem for European policymakers wary of new molecular manipulation in agriculture after a quarter century of conflict over genetically modified food. In a research lab in Norwich, 100 miles northeast of London, Wendy Harwood is making exact DNA tweaks in barley plants to produce better-germinating grain, with higher yield and quality. "We've never been able to go in and make such a precise change as we can now with gene editing," said the John Innes Centre scientist. "This gives you exactly the change you want without anything you don't want." Further to the south of England in Basingstoke, animal genetics firm Genus has tapped the same "CRISPR-Cas9" technique to develop the world's first pigs resistant to a devastating and common viral disease, in a tie-up with U.S. researchers. Agricultural scientists and companies worldwide are joining the gene editing race, including seeds giant Monsanto, now the target of a $62 billion takeover attempt by Germany's Bayer. Rival DuPont, which is merging with Dow Chemical , hopes to have CRISPR-edited corn and wheat on the market in five to 10 years. Bright ideas from others include improved varieties of rice, soybeans and tomatoes, as well as hornless cattle and the heat-tolerant breed of Angus. Using "molecular scissors" to cut DNA means scientists can edit genomes more precisely and rapidly than ever before, and agricultural products - which don't need the same clinical trials as human drugs - could get to market relatively quickly. Story continues U.S. GREEN LIGHT Last month, a non-browning button mushroom became the first CRISPR-edited organism to get a green light from the U.S. government - and several crops developed with two older, less efficient editing tools have already been waved through. But whether such products will ever arrive on European farms is another matter, since the European Commission has so far not made a decision on how they will be regulated, leaving the new science in limbo. The EU executive had been due to decide by the end of 2015 whether to class gene-edited products as genetically modified organisms (GMOs), subjecting them to the same stringent restrictions that have curbed GMO use in Europe. This deadline was missed, as was a second one of end-March 2016, and there is now no new timeline for a decision. Both sides in the debate are worried. Greenpeace wants the EU's GMO law to be fully applied to "new breeding techniques" (NBT) like gene editing, because of potential environmental and health impacts, and it fears Brussels is dithering under pressure from Washington. "We are concerned that we would get products that are risky but could arrive on the market without any risk assessment or labelling or detection methods," said spokeswoman Franziska Achterberg. She believes the EU has delayed regulation to pave the way for a transatlantic trade deal, citing a document in which a U.S. official warned that "different regulatory approaches between governments to NBT classification would lead to potentially significant trade disruptions". A Commission spokesman denied the delays had anything to do with the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership trade pact talks, but could not say when the EU would make a ruling. Biotechnology companies, meanwhile, argue their gene-edited products are "non-GMO", since they do not contain foreign DNA from a different species. "We fundamentally see gene editing as being very distinct from GMO," said Genus Chief Executive Karim Bitar. "It's a very precise cut and there is no movement of genes from one species to another. That's a major attraction." FIND-AND-REPLACE FUNCTION The argument is complex. Unlike traditional GMOs, in which a gene is added from another organism, gene-editing works like the find-and-replace function on a word processor. It finds a gene and then makes changes by amending or deleting it. Proponents argue this makes it similar to conventional selective breeding, which is freely allowed in the EU, since such mutations within the same species can - and do - also occur naturally. Rene Smulders, a plant breeder at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, says the current uncertainty is affecting research. His group had a grant application turned down last year because of concerns about the legal situation. He wants Europe to follow the lead of Canada, which decides on new products based on their traits, not how those traits were produced. "Europe's process-based legislation creates problems and is not suitable for the future," Smulders said. Cellectis CEO Andre Choulika, whose Calyxt unit has used older forms of gene editing to improve potatoes, wheat and soybeans, thinks the odds are 50:50 that gene-editing will end up being classified as GMO in Europe. "If Europe does that, I think they will probably send themselves into the stone age of agricultural biotechnology," he said. (Additional reporting by Barbara Lewis in Brussels; Editing by Pravin Char) Donovan Livingston graduated from the Harvard School of Education on Thursday but the day before, as part of the graduate school's convocation, he performed a p about his role as a Black man, a student and now an educator. He began by reflecting on America's history of oppressing black people by denying them education. "'Education then, beyond all other devices of human origin/ Is a great equalizer of the conditions of men.' Horace Mann, 1848/ At the time of his remarks I couldn't read couldn't write/ Any attempt to do so, punishable by death." Source: Mic/YouTube His speech tied the past to the contemporary, referencing Billie Holiday and Langston Hughes in the same breath as the DREAM Act: "I stand here, a manifestation of love and pain/ With veins pumping revolution/ I am the strange fruit that grew too ripe for the poplar tree/ I am a DREAM Act, Dream Deferred incarnate/ I am a movement an amalgam of memories America would care to forget/ My past, alone won't allow me to sit still." Source: Mic/YouTube Livingston's speech recalled educators who had made an impact on him as a child before turning to his own students. "I look each of my students in the eyes/ And see the same light that aligned Orion's Belt/ And the pyramids of Giza/ I see the same twinkle/ That guided Harriet to freedom." Source: Mic/YouTube Livingston also called on his fellow educators to teach students about inequality while at the same time, lifting them up. "An injustice is telling them they are stars/ Without acknowledging night that surrounds them," he said. "Injustice is telling them education is the key/ While you continue to change the locks." But he ended a speech with a message of hope: "I belong among the stars/ And so do you/ And so do they ... No, sky is not the limit/ It is only the beginning/ Lift off." Donovan received a standing ovation and deservedly so. See the entire speech below (and read the full text here): In al public awareness ad, the Council for American Islamic Relations advertised a new medication that helps relieve the symptoms of anti-Muslim bigotry. "Maximum strength" Islamophobin comes with a warning label "may result in peaceful coexistence" and helps treat intolerance, bigotry, fear of Muslims and presidential election scapegoating. So if you think a Muslim kid bringing a homemade clock to school is "suspicious behavior" or are feeling t, Islamophobin is right for you! In a minute-long commercial for the fake medication, a white man sees a Muslim neighbor chopping bushes with a sword while yelling "Allah Akbar." Later in the segment, after realizing the driver's name, "Mo," is short for "Mohammed." With nearly 16,000 shares on CAIR's Facebook page, the video comes amid an "unprecedented spike in anti-Muslim incidents nationwide," according to a statement released by the organization. The group America's largest Muslim civil rights organization attributed the rise of anti-Muslim sentiment to the Islamophobic rhetoric spouted by presidential candidates like Donald Trump. While Islamophobin is an excellent example on how comedy can be used in the service of quashing anti-Muslim bigotry, anti-Muslim bigotry itself is no laughing matter. On Monday, a racist customer verbally harassed and threatened two Muslim women at an ice cream shop. On Wednesday, CAIR filed a lawsuit against a Wisconsin company that for praying during unscheduled breaks. In the Seattle area, a city manager even proposed a database mapping the locations of Muslim residents and creating an assimilation program for African Muslim immigrants. If you're bummed that Islamophobin isn't actually a real medication and had the brilliant thought of sending it to Trump's campaign headquarters, you're in luck! It's for sale on Amazon as a sugar-free chewing gum. 2016 came to bury Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, not to praise him. But the evils men do outlive them. "God does not work in four-year segments," explained his wife, Goldman Sachs investment manager Heidi Cruz, during a post-presidential campaign conference call with supporters. In May, Cruz's presidential ambitions died after 11 state-level victories, 551 delegates and 7.45 million primary votes about 27% of the Republican vote so far, compared to roughly 41% for presumptive nominee Donald Trump. Yet, as his wife so aptly explained to his financial backers, the Texas conservative is far from ceding the goal of one day sitting in the White House. He's not alone. There's a reason Cruz, one of the most widely hated men in Washington, ended the campaign season with nearly 60% favorability ratings among Republicans, a sum of over $156 million in funding and a late-campaign push among prominent GOP donors. Ted Cruz raised $79M for his 2016 bid -- and his supportive super PACs raised $62M more http://bit.ly/1ZgiiZI pic.twitter.com/bYdqhHisbO https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ChkwiAhWEAEkaAD.jpg:large Unlike other Republican contenders this year, Cruz busied himself building a large, well-funded, and well-connected conservative network. Some of these boosters and advisers will go on to play a role in the Trump campaign, while others may become future standard-bearers of the ideological conservative movement. Cruz "put a lot of emphasis in sort of delegating the organizing to the media figures and to the leaders within those spaces," said Angelo Carusone, executive vice president of progressive media watchdog Media Matters. "People like [radio hosts] Steve Deace in Iowa and Michael Berry in Texas, Glenn Beck, these are people that one, he's pumped a fairly large amount of money into advertising his programming ... they're serving as a validator for him and they're doing their very best to convert their audiences." Story continues Like a bad hangover, their ascent cannot be undone, and will likely linger long after the initial rush has faded. T Quote courtesy of Mother Jones, "Ted Cruz Trumpets Endorsement From a Man Who Thinks God Sent Hitler to Hunt the Jews," Jan. 26, 2016 W Mike Bickle endorsed Ted Cruz in January, the Cruz campaign's enthusiastic embrace of the pastor's endorsement turned some heads in part because Bickle once suggested the Holocaust was part of God's plan to coerce Jews into converting to Christ . Bickle has been previously involved in the campaigns of or shared stages with former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, thanks in large part to his role in running the International House of Prayer an evangelical church based out of Kansas City, Missouri, where teams of adherents pray for 24 hours a day. Outside the Evangelical circuit, he's best known for prophetic preaching about the millions who will die in the coming end times foretold in the book of Revelation, as well as the "demonic" influence of LGBTQ people. Bickle is also notorious for a sermon in which he said God had used "grace" to try and convert Jews to Christianity and had since switched to using "hunters," adding that a "famous hunter in recent history is a man named Adolf Hitler." When the Cruz campaign came under fire for accepting the endorsement, it responded by defending Bickle as being committed to the future of the state of Israel. The L.A. Times' David Horsey noted the controversy as a standout moment in a campaign where Cruz the endorsements of "some of the Religious Right's kookiest voices." The Right-Hand Man: Michael Berry Quote courtesy of 'The Michael Berry Show,' February 1st, 2016 Michael Berry is one of the most important figures in talk radio in Houston, Texas, where he uses his platform to spread racially charged opinions on young black kids who have run-ins with the police ("jungle animals"), Islamic culture ("forced genital mutilation") and Black Lives Matter (a "pro-thug narrative"). One of the regularly occurring segments of his show is appearances from a blackface performer using the stage name Shirley Q. Liquor, whose act has been repeatedly protested as racist. According to the Texas Observer, Berry is a "notable local figure, a three-term former city council member who ran for mayor in 2003 and has a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law." Industry publication Talkers Magazine pegged Berry as a rising star in 2013. He has been friends with Cruz for many years. The senator often appears on Berry's shows and refers to him as an o Thus Cruz's presidential ambitions have been fruitful for Berry, who hosted the Cruz campaign watch party in Texas at his "Redneck Country Club" on Super Tuesday (and remember, that's Cruz's home state). The Redneck Country Club scene as Fox projects an Oklahoma win for @tedcruz #SuperTuesdaypic.twitter.com/HKcJSWtdtN After the demise of Cruz's presidential bid, the candidate took to Berry's show to warn his opponents "there is time for recriminations. And everyone who was responsible for the rise of Donald Trump, they will bear that responsibility going forward" and the conservative movement is "strong and thriving." Berry has also pressed the notion media bias is behind the Trump phenomenon, warning the real estate billionaire's victory will ensure a Democratic president in November. "The more candidates tout him as important (as Cruz does regularly), the more his language becomes commonplace and becomes part of what is considered acceptable on the right," Media Matters Associate Research Director Sal Colleluori in an email to Mic. "This is of extreme value to Cruz specifically, but even Trump. The more we mainstream anti-immigrant and anti-African-American language, the more their base of support is used to hearing and sympathizing with these extreme notions." The Organizer: Steve Deace Quote courtesy of the Washington Times, "Why I'm endorsing Ted Cruz for president," Aug. 19, 2015 Steve Deace, a nationally syndicated radio host originally based out of Iowa, boasts an audience of tens of thousands of listeners. They tune in to hear the self-declared alpha male rant about the "manginas" in charge of today's GOP, suggest that a "whole generation of women [is] on the lookout for some alpha males" and cast Republican leadership's mission as "pass Obama's agenda, lie to conservatives, defraud voters and total capitulation." The host's biggest splash in national headlines this year was a widely mocked suggestion that former Hewlett-Packard CEO (and, ironically, future Cruz vice presidential selection) Carly Fiorina had gone "full vagina" for discussing her experiences as a female businesswoman during the race. Yet Cruz, arbiter of the politically disastrous 2013 government shutdown, has found a natural ally in Deace, a growing voice in the all-or-nothing attitude defining modern GOP politics. Deace's influence in Iowa helped Cruz obtain a crucial victory in the state which plays a crucial role in shaping media perceptions of viability due to its early primary dates by a small but vocal vanguard of far-right activists in conjunction with other organizers like U.S. Rep. Steve King and evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats. According to the Des Moines Register, Deace was a key leader of a team of 12,000 volunteers who made 25,000 calls and 2,000 home visits daily in the days leading to the vote. He has simultaneously used his prominence to land key appearances on national media, where he tones down the rhetoric to make him and Cruz seem more reasonable. "Deace has two faces his Republican kingmaker face, which brings the likes of Steve King and Bob Vander Plaats to Cruz and gets him MSNBC and New York Times coverage, and his extreme anti-gay, anti-women agenda, which underlines most of the extreme rhetoric he espouses on his show," wrote Colleluori. "By having a more positive, mainstream image, he's able to look like a moderate observer, giving him some Beltway appeal, while returning home and using that positive press to increase his influence." "It's not so much that it's Cruz acting as a power broker there, but instead serving as a validator for Deace's claim he is one," added Carusone. Powerful media hosts like Deace used their ties with the campaign "to advance their own cache and appeal to their audiences and reinforce their own relevancy." The Fundraiser: David Barton Quote courtesy of the Texas Tribune, "The Super PAC Experiment That Bankrolled Ted Cruz," May 17, 2016 Self-taught evangelical historian David Barton is among the country's most ardent proponents of a revisionist view of U.S. history endorsing policies like letting HIV/AIDS exterminate LGBTQ people, opposing the minimum wage on biblical grounds and banning the teaching of evolution. To a man like Barton, "Hate is a virtue, at least certain kinds of hate." In 2011, he told the Times many modern catastrophes were deserved because "the nation walked away from God." The Barton theology is a dime a dozen in the modern social conservative movement. But the Christian nationalist pairs his religious views with about a decade of experience as vice chairman of the Texas GOP, an organizer and strategist for the RNC and founder of Wallbuilders, an evangelical lobbying group in Aledo, Texas. Barton wound up in charge of Keep the Promise PAC, which Bloomberg describes as "the umbrella for a group of related pro-Cruz political committees that raised $38 million in the first half" of 2015. The organization played a key role in Cruz's fundraising operations, and its dollars helped carry Cruz through a crowded early primary. When Deace referred to the m spent supporting Cruz this primary season, Barton was one of the figures in charge of spending it. Carusone pointed out the Cruz role is a natural next step for Barton, who first ground his teeth organizing for libertarian pundit Glenn Beck in 2009 and 2010. "[Beck and Barton] were intensely collaborative, and Barton was one of the pioneering members and organizers of Glenn Beck's Black Robe Regiment," wrote Carusone. "This group picked its name as an homage to the revolutionary period's black robe regiment, which was basically just a network of local pastors/preachers." "This has provided him a significant infrastructure to tap into, which presumably he can utilize to help boost Cruz," Carusone added, later noting "there's quite a bit of synergy that can be relied on to advance Cruz's campaign, and importantly, the intense organizing that underlies his campaign and his strategy." T Quote courtesy of World Net Daily, "Mideast Expert: Obama Switched Sides in the War On Terror," Aug. 28, 2014 On March 17, Cruz named several members of Frank Gaffney's Center for Security Policy, a far-right think tank, to his National Security Coalition, the group responsible for advising the candidate on high-level matters of foreign policy and national defense. The SPLC classifies Gaffney as a "notorious Islamophobe" who believes Islamist organizations have control over U.S. policy and hosted white nationalist Jared Tyler on his radio show. Trump cited nebulous CSP reports claiming most Muslims support terrorism to justify his proposed ban on people of the Islamic faith entering the country, and the group was harshly criticized by other Republicans for promoting the idea that Clinton aide Huma Abedin has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. One of the advisers named by Cruz, CSP Vice President for Research and Analysis Clare Lopez, bills herself as an ex-CIA officer with inside information on massive infiltration of government agencies by the Muslim Brotherhood. In March, Lopez was a guest on South Carolina radio host Vince Coakley's show, where she told listeners "Brotherhood affiliates and associates and those connected to it are the go-to advisers, if not appointees, for the top levels of national security in our government, in this administration for sure, but going back many decades." She praised "Sen. Joseph McCarthy, who absolutely was spot-on in just about everything he said about the levels of infiltration." Days later, Lopez appeared on Gaffney's show to tell listeners the Brotherhood was plotting with Black Lives Matter and "conglomeration of anarchists, communists, socialists, progressivists, leftists of all sorts, Occupy, Bill Ayers types" to overthrow the government. In April, she advanced the claim U.S. cities have s where police have stopped patrolling neighborhoods for fear of Muslim extremists With the assistance of both leading Republican candidates, Gaffney, Lopez and the CSP came a little further out of the fringe this year. The Messiah Quote courtesy of the Texas Tribune, "Heidi Cruz Likens Husband's Campaign to Efforts to End Slavery," May 10, 2016 Trump, such as influential evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats. Vander Plaats ended 2015 with a chilly reception from Trump, who skipped one of his events, but in recent days the candidate has sought him out as a potential ally. So too has Troy Newman, a prominent anti-abortion activist sometimes linked to violence at women's health centers, who recently penned an article urging the billionaire to strike a harsher stance on abortion. Others, like Deace, seem prepared to wait Trump out for now. 7 reasons why @tedcruz should never endorse @realDonaldTrump -- my latest for @CRhttps://www.conservativereview.com/commentary/2016/05/seven-reasons-cruzs-tough-call-really-isnt-a-tough-call-at-all ... But as Trump continues to stamp out resistance, it is likely will be able to find common ground with the New York magnate. And why not? Cruz and Trump are two sides of the same double-edged sword. "The connections between far-right extremists and competitive campaigns is like nothing in recent memory," wrote Peter Montgomery, "Ted Cruz has not only accepted, but openly celebrated, his endorsement by some of the most extreme anti-gay, anti-abortion, anti-Muslim, Christian-nation advocates in the country. ... Don't forget, Trump himself was a birther. He started his campaign by vilifying immigrants from Mexico. This is not typical election-year politics." The difference is that Cruz, the constitutional conservative, lost out to a candidate whose tone was more suited to a primary defined by anger, Montgomery continued. "So when the National Review mobilizes a bunch of conservative intellectuals and activists to make the case against Trump, it's not much of a surprise that they find themselves mocked as out-of-touch intellectual elites." @TedCruz on whether he contributed to the rise of Trump: "Not remotely."https://www.texastribune.org/2016/05/14/cruz-no-rush-back-trump/ ... According to Matthew Feldman, a professor of fascist ideology at Teesside University, Cruz was part of a "cumulative effect" driving other candidates, including Trump, to the right. "In most people's lifetimes there hasn't been a frontrunning candidate who has pushed so many far-right buttons as Trump, or for that matter, Ted Cruz," Feldman wrote. "But it is only Trump's campaign that has really inspired proper right wing extremists, who have found the broken taboos around race, political violence and conspiracy theory a real boon for their brand of revolutionary politics. It is the first time in more than a generation they have been able to climb out from under the political rocks in which they have been hiding." So it's Trump's time in the sunlight. But if Trump leads the party into a disastrous rout in November, Cruz's conservative revolution, newly minted in battle, will live to fight another day. And G knows Cruz will be there, too be happy to tell Republican voters "I told you so." Representatives for Mike Bickle, Michael Berry, Steve Deace, David Barton and the Center for Security Policy did not respond to a request for comment on this story. New HBO programming leader Casey Bloys is set to talk about Girls with series producer Jenni Konner next month at the Banff World Media Festival. Delivering the comedy master class in Banff follows Bloys being named to the top creative slot as part of a shake-up at the premium cable network. Michael Lombardo, who Bloys replaced as president of programming, is still scheduled to hold his own master class in Banff on The Leftovers with showrunner Damon Lindelof, organizers confirmed Thursday, as he segues into a producer deal at HBO. Bloys and Lombardo are heading to the Canadian Rockies as Banff gets set to honor HBO as the festival's 2016 company of distinction. Richard Plepler, CEO of the pay TV giant, also is set to deliver a keynote speech. There are additional HBO master classes on the movie front as Kary Antholis, president of HBO miniseries and Cinemax programming, holds a fireside chat with writer, producer and director Steven Zaillian (Schindler's List, Moneyball), and HBO Films president Len Amato will conduct an informal conversation with veteran director Jay Roach (All The Way). Read More: The Buzz on HBO's New Programming Chief Casey Bloys: Insiders Speak original (1) Second Lt. Alix Schoelcher Idrache never thought that he would one day be standing tall in a commissioned officer's uniform. "I am from Haiti and never did I imagine that such honor would be one day bestowed on me," he told USA Today. Idrache an immigrant who came to the US in 2009 from Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince overcame learning English, earned a congressional appointment, and enlisted in the Maryland Army National Guard in order to get to this moment. On May 21, 2016, Idrache graduated along with 953 cadets from West Point. "My dad always said, 'education is the only gift I can always give you, because I don't have ... anything material to give," he told the US Army. Now as a West Point graduate, his next step is attending the US Army Aviation Center for Excellence at Fort Rucker in Alabama. original NOW WATCH: The US Army is sending Apache attack helicopters to fight ISIS in Iraq More From Business Insider A gas flare on an oil production platform in the Soroush oil fields is seen alongside an Iranian flag in the Gulf July 25, 2005. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi/File Photo By Alex Lawler and Rania El Gamal LONDON/DUBAI (Reuters) - OPEC's thorniest dilemma of the past year - at least from a purely oil standpoint - is about to disappear. Less than six months after the lifting of Western sanctions, Iran is close to regaining normal oil export volumes, adding extra barrels to the market in an unexpectedly smooth way and helped by supply disruptions from Canada to Nigeria. But the development will do little to repair dialogue, let alone help clinch a production deal, when OPEC meets next week amid rising political tensions between arch-rivals Iran and oil superpower Saudi Arabia, OPEC sources and delegates say. Earlier this year, Tehran refused to join an initiative to boost prices by freezing output but signaled it would be part of a future effort once its production had recovered sufficiently. OPEC has no supply limit, having at its last meeting in December scrapped its production target. According to International Energy Agency (IEA) figures, Iran's output has reached levels seen before the imposition of sanctions over its nuclear program. Tehran says it is not yet there. But while Iran may be more willing now to talk, an increase in oil prices has reduced the urgency of propping up the market, OPEC delegates say. Oil has risen toward a more producer-friendly $50 from a 12-year low near $27 in January. "I don't think OPEC will decide anything," a delegate from a major Middle East producer said. "The market is recovering because of supply disruptions and demand recovery." A senior OPEC delegate, asked whether the group would make any changes to output policy at its June 2 meeting, said: Nothing. The freeze is finished. Within OPEC, Iran has long pushed for measures to support oil prices. That position puts it at odds with Saudi Arabia, the driving force behind OPEC's landmark November 2014 refusal to cut supply in order to boost the market. Sources familiar with Iranian oil policy see no sign of any change of approach by Riyadh under new Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih - who is seen as a believer in reform and low oil prices. Story continues "It really depends on those countries within OPEC with a high level of production," one such source said. "It does not seem that Saudi Arabia will be ready to cooperate with other members." HIGHER EXPORTS Iran has managed to increase oil exports significantly in 2016 after the lifting of sanctions in January. It notched up output of 3.56 million barrels of oil per day in April, the IEA said, a level last reached in November 2011 before sanctions were tightened. Saudi Arabia produced a near-record-high 10.26 million barrels per day in April and has kept output relatively steady over the past year, its submissions to OPEC show. Iran, according to delegates from other OPEC members, is unlikely to restrain supplies, given that it believes Saudi Arabia should cut back itself to make room for Iranian oil. "Iran won't support any freeze or cut," said a non-Iranian OPEC delegate. "But Iran may put pressure on Saudi Arabia that they hold the responsibility." Saudi thinking, however, has moved on from the days when Riyadh cut or increased output unilaterally. Talks in Doha on the proposed output freeze by OPEC and non-OPEC producers fell through after Saudi insisted that Iran participate. Indeed, differences between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which helped found the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries 56 years ago, over OPEC policy have made cooperation harder - to say nothing of more fundamental disagreements. For more than a decade after oil crashed to $10 in 1997, the two set aside rivalries to manage the market and support prices, although they fell into opposing OPEC camps with Iran wanting high prices and Saudi more moderate. Now, the Sunni-Shia conflicts setting Saudi Arabia and Iran at each other's throats, particularly in Syria and Yemen, make the relationship between the two even more fraught. The two disagree over OPEC's future direction. Earlier in May, OPEC failed to decide on a long-term strategy as Saudi Arabia objected to Iran's proposal that the exporter group aim for "effective production management". With that backdrop, ministers may be advised to keep expectations low, an OPEC watcher said. "The only aspiration OPEC should have for its 2 June meeting is simply not to repeat the chaos of the Doha process," said Paul Horsnell, analyst at Standard Chartered. "A straightforward meeting with no binding commitments and, most importantly, no overt arguments would be the best outcome for ministers." (Reporting by Alex Lawler and Rania El Gamal; Editing by Dale Hudson) navy sailors fleet week This Memorial Day Weekend, sailors in dress whites, Marines, and members of the Coast Guard roamed New York City to take in the sights and activities of New York's Fleet Week. We set out to meet sailors to see what they actually do during Fleet Week, a tradition in which recently deployed military ships dock in major U.S. cities like New York for one week. After walking around the city for a while, we spotted Petty Officer Second Class Spencer Roby talking to a local across the street from a Navy Band concert in Herald Square. My experience has been great. Everybody has been super social and welcoming, he told Business Insider. Roby arrived aboard the USS McFaul destroyer from his home port in Norfolk, Virginia. It's been easy for him to roam the city from Staten Island, where his ship is docked. "Transportation has been nearly free, taxis not so much, but buses, trains, ferries, mostly everything has been free for us to get around," Roby said. This year's Fleet Week, which spans from May 21-27, was noticeably smaller in force than previous years, with the exception of last year when it was canceled completely because of federal budget cuts. Approximately 1,500 service members docked off the West Side of Manhattan and Staten Island in three naval ships and two Coast Guard cutters. During Fleet Week service members host parades and give demonstrations, as well as tours of the ships. Sailors also make appearances at sporting events and television shows and interact with civilians. A Connecticut native, Roby has never visited New York City before and was glad to do so in conjunction with his first-ever Fleet Week. Roby said he has plenty of time to sightsee while carrying out his Navy duties. sailors "We have duty every three days and on our off-duty days we have to help sponsor an event," Roby said. "Our event last night was to attend the Late Night With Seth Meyers and represent the Navy in the audience." Story continues On their off days sailors have to wear their dress whites and in doing so, they still represent the Navy when they're out in public. Sailors are also required to partner with a fellow sailor from their ships wherever they go. Roby and his buddy had just returned from visiting the newly opened National September 11 Memorial and Museum, the Empire State Building, and a couple bars. "People are so quick to help us out because we've never been here before and we get so turned around," Roby laughed. Many people have posted their photos with sailors on Twitter under the hashtag #SelfieWithASailor. We took our #SelfieWithASailor too. @CoreyAdwar and I spoke to a few sailors about their #FleetWeekNYC experience and took a #SelfieWithASailor pic.twitter.com/Z82u7claV7 Amanda Macias (@amanda_m_macias) May 26, 2014 So many people have come up to us asking for pictures or just thanking us. A lot of people thanking, Roby said. Its been a really great experience. Although it was Robys first time in New York City, the Navy has given him the opportunity to travel abroad to countries like Scotland and Norway. Roby spent his Fleet Week nights aboard his ship, and afterward hell return to his base in Virginia. NOW WATCH: These 6.2 billion aircraft carriers are the navy's largest ships ever built More From Business Insider Science says theres a reason all your pet-names start with a B [Photo: Rex Features] Quick poll: Whats your pet name for your other half/little one/bestie? Babe, baby, bubba, bud, bubs? Notice anything? Yep, they all start with a B. Heck, even the Duchess of Cambridge let slip earlier this week that she calls Wills babe. But turns out, like so many of lifes little mysteries, that theres a totally legit scientific explanation behind it. Good Housekeeping spoke to Frank Nuessel, a professor at the University of Louisville and expert in the science of naming, to find out where our love of a good ole B pet-name actually stems from. Apparently its all to do with the way we learn language. Theres a natural order of the acquisition of the sounds of language, he says. First comes the vowel ahh. It requires no tongue movement. Then, in?terms of consonants, you get what we call bilabial sounds. You only put your lips together. He called me?babe *sighs* [Photo: Rex Features] And when youre an ickle baba (that B again) only capable of that easy lip movement the letters youre able to try out are B, M and P. Hence, mama, papa and baba. With us so far? Here comes the science bit. As a result of those sounds being the first we use, usually in relation to our parents, we associate b, m, and p words with a source of comfort and love. And that connection stays with us into adulthood. When parents, and usually?its the?mother who interacts the most, tries to teach the baby?language, they use the terms of the child: mama, papa, baba, explains Nuessel. Then the adults transfer the language?to other adults or?significant others in their life, and?they use those as terms of endearment. Dont beat yourself up about those cringe terms of endearment. Science says its not your fault [Photo: Rex Features] And even if youre not a parent, youll have picked up on that same terminology from your?own childhood, subconsciously thinking of these sounds as a way of showing affection. Story continues So next time you inwardly *cringe* at calling your other half bubba in public, dont be too hard on yourself. Its not your fault, science made you do it. Whats your pet-name for your partner? Let us know @YahooStyleUK Science Has Revealed The Key To A Long-Lasting Relationship Is Settling Study Shows When In Life Our Friendship Groups Get Smaller (And Its Pretty Depressing) Dublin (AFP) - Kevin Vickers, Canada's ambassador to Ireland and the official hailed for shooting dead a gunman who stormed the Canadian parliament in 2014, tackled a protester at a ceremony Thursday in Dublin. Vickers, who was appointed to the diplomatic post following his role in ending the gun rampage in Ottawa, grappled with the demonstrator before police arrived, RTE television footage showed. Vickers, 59, was attending an Irish state ceremony commemorating the 125 British soldiers who were killed in Ireland's 1916 Easter Rising against British rule. As the protester walked out and began shouting, Vickers grabbed him by his jacket and bundled him out of the way before police officers moved in and arrested the man. The demonstrator shouted "This is an insult" while being wrestled out of the way by Vickers. The ceremony, held in Dublin's Grangegorman Military Cemetery, was attended by Ireland's Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan, British ambassador Dominick Chilcott and troops from both countries. The Easter Rising against British rule paved the way for Ireland's independence and the ceremony was intended to recognise the losses of British army soldiers -- many of whom hailed from Ireland -- as part of the centenary commemorations. "In the century since the events of 1916 we have learned, through painful experience, the importance of mutual respect for the different traditions and multiple narratives across these islands," said Flanagan. Vickers was formerly the sergeant-at-arms in the Canadian House of Commons, where he carried the ceremonial golden mace and wore a bicorne hat and tail coat. The former Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman was hailed as a hero for bringing the October 2014 attack on the Canadian parliament to an end. The attacker had already shot a security guard in the leg, exchanged gunfire with federal police and ran down the main Hall of Honor towards the library. Vickers reportedly emerged with a handgun, threw himself to the ground and shot the assailant three times. Video footage showed Vickers calmly walking back to his office afterwards. By Alister Doyle BONN, Germany (Reuters) - A first United Nations meeting on implementing a 2015 global agreement to combat climate change showed it could take two years to work out a detailed rule book for a sweeping shift from fossil fuels, delegates said. The May 16-26 talks marked a return to technical work and the end of a "honeymoon period" since the Paris Agreement was worked out by almost 200 nations in December to cut greenhouse gas emissions and limit rising temperatures. "My bet is 2018, everything will be done (in) a maximum two years," Laurence Tubiana, France's climate ambassador, told Reuters when asked how long it would take to negotiate a set of rules. Several other delegates gave similar estimates. Tubiana said the Bonn talks had not exposed big, unexpected problems with the Paris text that could mean an even longer haul. "There was no shouting, no crying," she said. Details left vague by the 31-page Paris Agreement include how countries will report and monitor their domestic pledges to curb greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to changes such as more floods, storms, desertification and rising seas. Under the Paris deal, most countries' goals for combating climate change are for the years from 2020-2030. Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu, chair of the 48-nation group of least developed countries at the talks, said the Paris Agreement had many ambiguities. "When you go home, you do your homework and ... find that what you have created is a kind of monster from a legal point of view because it is open to many interpretations," he said. Elina Bardram, head of the European Commission delegation, said the talks were a positive start "to fill in the details ... but we have a lot of work ahead of us." Many nations said that the Bonn talks marked an end to euphoria after Paris. "You get married, you have a honeymoon but you have to continue with your life. That is happening," Amjad Abdulla of the Maldives, chief negotiator for the Alliance of Small Island States. He said there was an urgent need to fix the rules because of mounting impact of climate change such as more powerful storms, droughts and rising seas. Last year was the warmest on record and recent months have all set monthly heat records. Many countries say that the Paris Agreement, already signed by 177 nations, could enter into force this year or next. It first has to be formally ratified by at least 55 nations representing 55 percent of global emissions. Many nations are uneasy because U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has said he will renegotiate the deal if elected. Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton is a supporter. Separately, developing nations said they would push at the next meeting in November in Morocco for donors to widen a $10 billion renewable energy plan for Africa, agreed last year, to include all poor nations. (Reporting By Alister Doyle; Editing by Tom Heneghan) A Hong Kong pro-democracy activist who was allegedly beaten by police in an attack captured by television cameras and beamed around the world was found guilty Thursday of assaulting and resisting police officers. Political activist Ken Tsang was accused of splashing liquid on police officers during mass street rallies in 2014 - the same night as he was brutally beaten in the corner of a park. Protesters outside the courthouse said the verdict amounted to "political persecution," while Tsang's lawyer Robert Pang said the attack his client had been subjected to was much more serious than the one he had been charged for. Tsang, 40, a member of the pro-democracy Civic Party, denied the charges but was found guilty of one count of assault and two counts of resisting police officers, which could carry up to two years in jail. "The evidence showed that the defendant did indeed pour liquid, and that liquid fell on police officers," magistrate Peter Law told the Kowloon City courthouse. "Although he did not have a specific target, he clearly knew there were many officers below," he said, adding that it showed "hostility." Tsang, wearing a dark suit, sat calmly in the courtroom -- which was packed with both journalists and his supporters -- as the verdict was delivered. He was given bail until his sentencing on May 30. The police who allegedly beat him, who are not the same officers Tsang is accused of assaulting, are to stand trial separately. It is the first conviction for a high profile case surrounding the rallies which blocked major highways in the city for over two months and was dubbed the "Umbrella Revolution", with protesters calling for a free vote on the city's leader. Nearly 1,000 people were arrested in connection to the rallies including student pro-democracy leader Joshua Wong, who faces two verdicts in June for protests in 2014. - 'He was tortured' - Speaking after the verdict, Tsang's lawyer Pang described the "disproportionate violence" police allegedly used in the attack on the activist. Story continues "His body was covered in wounds... he was tortured. He was punched and kicked in a dark corner as a punishment," Pang said. Video footage aired by local television network TVB at the time showed a group of men hauling a handcuffed Tsang to a dark corner in a public park in the early hours of October 15, 2014. One man stood over him and punched him, as three others were seen repeatedly kicking him. Seven policemen will stand trial for the assault on the activist later this year. They have pleaded not guilty to the charges. Tsang said he was "disappointed" about the court's decision and thanked supporters, adding that he was mulling over an appeal. He earlier said that police brought assault charges against him to distract from the case against them. The two incidents took place at the height of mass protests seeking free leadership elections in Hong Kong, and rocked the reputation of the city's police force. It took a year for charges to be brought against both Tsang and the officers accused of beating him, a delay that further increased controversy surrounding the cases. Thousands of protesters blocked major thoroughfares in Hong Kong in 2014 but ultimately failed to win any concessions from either Beijing or the city authorities. Hong Kong (AFP) - It is billed as a groundbreaking way to deal with Hong Kong's human waste, and even includes an onsite spa free to residents, but a new eco-friendly sludge treatment plant has not washed with some locals. The sustainable T-Park development blends into coastal hills near the town of Tuen Mun in the north of Hong Kong, a sleek low-rise building with a roof shaped like a wave. Each day, the HK$5 billion ($644 million) plant treats 1,200 tonnes of sludge from the city's wastewater treatment plants to avoid it being dumped in Hong Kong's overflowing landfills. The plant desalinates its own seawater and powers itself by the energy created from burning organic waste in what is the world's largest sludge incinerator. Built by French management giant Veolia, city officials say it is "one of the most technologically advanced facilities" of its kind and will not emit pollutants. But locals who already complain about smells emanating from a nearby landfill have protested against bringing yet more waste into the area. And the building of a free onsite spa has been dismissed by some as a rubbish idea. The three mineral-infused pools in the glass-walled spa, each with a different temperature, are powered by the heat from the burning sludge. Seawater used for the pools is first desalinated at the plant and visitors can look out over ocean views as they soak. They can also have a tour of the plant as part of their trip. "Pure water is a symbol of purity," Antoine Frerot, chairman of Veolia, told AFP during a tour of the plant by French minister for foreign trade Matthias Fekl Wednesday. "We can live together in a dense city without making the planet dirty." However, Cheng Wai-kwan, 49, who lives in a village close to the plant said the spa was less than tempting. "If I tell you I have a spa near home which is powered by burning rubbish, I don't think anyone would come," he told AFP. Story continues He was among 40 villagers who protested at the site during the plant's official opening ceremony last week. The spa is due to open to the public next month. Cheng said hundreds of villagers living nearby were fed up with the smell of the nearby landfill, and he worried it would get worse. "Basically, you will have tonnes of shit brought to our district every single day. However beautifully it is being packaged, I don't think it is benefiting us," Cheng added. A Tuen Mun district councillor said locals had never agreed to have the plant being built in their backyard. "The government is using the spa as a compensation but I don't think it's enough," said Ho Hang-mui. "Residents already have to shut their windows (because of the landfill). Even if the spa is free I don't think people will be able to enjoy it," she added. Ise-Shima (Japan) (AFP) - Leaders of the Group of Seven industrial democracies meet in Japan Thursday for two days of talks. Here are the hot topics up for discussion at Ise-Shima, a resort 300 kilometres (200 miles) southwest of Tokyo, and what to expect from the talks. 1) The economy The world economy has struggled to get back on a sure footing ever since the global financial crisis struck in 2008. The slowing of China's once-dependable growth means G7 leaders now have to look elsewhere for a boost. But the group -- Japan, the US, Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Canada -- is divided. One side, led by Japan, favours spending -- government stimulus. The other, led by Germany, thinks the fiscal largesse of recent years needs to be brought under control. There are also cracks over currency. The US has Japan, amongst others, on a currency watch list for possible unfair practices, and warnings abound over "beggar-thy-neighbour" devaluations. Expect: a final statement that supports a bit of both stimulus and austerity, but offers a firm rebuke on currency manipulation. 2) Brexit Britain's upcoming referendum on membership of the European Union will weigh heavily. Many economists warn that if one of the EU's largest economies leaves -- a so-called Brexit -- the knock-on effect for the bloc and the wider world could be substantial. It could also add tens of billions of pounds (dollars) to British government borrowing and leave the country grappling with austerity into the next decade, the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies warned Wednesday. Expect: the G7 to express their hope Britain will vote "remain". 3) Islamist terrorism After jihadist attacks in Brussels and Paris, the subject of Islamist terrorism is never far from leaders' lips. The gathering will be looking to present a united front and emphasise their determination to fight the scourge of extremism. Expect: strong statements and rock-solid agreement. Story continues 4) Refugees While the march of the Islamic State group across Syria and Iraq has been slowed, refugees continue to pour out of the broken states of the Middle East, many heading for Europe. EU countries, notably Germany, have absorbed hundreds of thousands of people, but surging political populism -- a far-right candidate came within a hair's breadth of winning the Austrian presidency this week -- has the continent's mainstream politicians nervous. Many are recognising that their voters are not on the same page as they are, and they want a solution to the tide of desperate people that does not involve taking in ever more of them. Expect: pledges of more money to support refugees. 5) China Beijing isn't at Ise-Shima, but it will loom large over many of the discussions. As well as its economic leverage -- despite the slowing growth, its mighty GDP still makes it a force to be reckoned with -- there are growing concerns in Western capitals over Beijing's perceived belligerence. That is particularly keenly felt by hosts Japan, who have butted diplomatic heads with their wartime enemy, notably over disputed territory in the East China Sea. But Beijing's increasingly assertive stance in the South China Sea -- a stretch of water through which a huge chunk of global trade passes, but which China claims almost in its entirety -- is a worry for Washington and its allies. Expect: oblique references to the importance of "freedom of navigation" and "peaceful resolution of disputes", even if no one mentions the words "China" or "Beijing". By Thomas Wilson and Kiyoshi Takenaka ISE-SHIMA, Japan (Reuters) - Group of Seven (G7) leaders agreed on Thursday on the need to send a strong message on maritime claims in the western Pacific, where an increasingly assertive China is locked in territorial disputes with Japan and several Southeast Asian nations. The agreement prompted a sharp rejoinder from China, which is not in the G7 club but whose rise as a power has put it at the heart of some discussions at the advanced nations' summit in Ise-Shima, central Japan. "Prime Minister (Shinzo) Abe led discussion on the current situation in the South China Sea and East China Sea. Other G7 leaders said it is necessary for G7 to issue a clear signal," Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshige Seko told reporters after a session on foreign policy affairs. At a news conference late on Wednesday, Abe said Japan welcomed China's peaceful rise while repeating Tokyo's opposition to acts that try to change the status quo by force. He also urged respect for the rule of law. Both principles are expected to be mentioned in a statement after the summit. The United States is also increasingly concerned about China's action in the region. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying retorted in Beijing that the South China Sea issue had "nothing to do" with the G7 or any of its members. "China is resolutely opposed to individual countries hyping up the South China Sea for personal gain," she said. U.S. President Barack Obama called on China on Wednesday to resolve maritime disputes peacefully and he reiterated that the United States was simply concerned about freedom of navigation and overflight in the region. Obama on Thursday pointed to the risks from North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes, saying the isolated state was "hell bent" on getting atomic weapons. But he said there had been improved responses from countries in the region like China that could reduce the risk of North Korea selling weapons or nuclear material. Story continues "It's something that we've put at the centre of discussions and negotiations with China," Obama told reporters. Seko, speaking the first of two days of the summit in central Japan, said Abe told G7 counterparts that Pyongyang's development of nuclear technology and ballistic missiles poses a threat to international peace, including in Europe. "It is necessary to make North Korea realise that it would not be able have a bright future unless such issues as abduction, nuclear and missile development are resolved," Abe told the group, according to Seko. The G7 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. GLOBAL HEALTH CHECK The global economy topped the agenda earlier in the day, when G7 leaders voiced concern about emerging economies and Abe made a pointed comparison to the 2008 global financial crisis. Not all his G7 partners appeared to agree. The G7 leaders did agree on the need for flexible spending to spur world growth but the timing and amount depended on each country, Seko told reporters, adding that some countries saw no need for such spending. Britain and Germany have been resisting calls for fiscal stimulus. "G7 leaders voiced the view that emerging economies are in a severe situation, although there were views that the current economic situation is not a crisis," Seko said. Abe presented data showing global commodities prices fell 55 percent from June 2014 to January 2016, the same margin as from July 2008 to February 2009, after the Lehman collapse. Lehman had been Wall Street's fourth-largest investment bank when it filed for Chapter 11 protection on Sept. 15, 2008, making its bankruptcy by far the biggest in U.S. history. Its failure triggered the global financial crisis. Abe hopes, some political insiders say, to use a G7 statement on the global economy as cover for a domestic fiscal package including the possible delay of a rise in the nation's sales tax to 10 percent from 8 percent planned for next April. Obama ripped into Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, saying the billionaire had rattled other G7 leaders and that his statements were aimed at getting headlines, not what was needed to keep America safe and the world on an even keel. Trump has been accused of racism, misogyny and bigotry for saying he would build a giant wall to keep out illegal Mexican immigrants, would temporarily ban Muslims from the United States and issued a series of comments considered demeaning to women. Summit pageantry began when Abe escorted G7 leaders to the Shinto religion's holiest site, the Ise Grand Shrine in central Japan, dedicated to sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami, mythical ancestress of the emperor. On Wednesday night, Abe met Obama for talks dominated by the arrest of a U.S. military base civilian worker in connection with the killing of a young woman on Japan's Okinawa island, reluctant host to the bulk of the U.S. military in Japan. The attack dimmed Obama's hopes of keeping his Japan trip strictly focused on his visit on Friday to Hiroshima, site of the world's first atomic bombing, to highlight reconciliation between the two former World War Two enemies as well as his nuclear anti-proliferation agenda. (Reporting by Thomas Wilson and Kiyoshi Takenaka; Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick, Tetsushi Kajimoto, Kylie MacLellan, Ami Miyazaki and Ben Blanchard; Writing by Linda Sieg; Editing by Nick Macfie, Robert Birsel, William Mallard; Editing by Mark Heinrich) By Dave McKinney SPRINGFIELD, Ill (Reuters) - Illinois took another step on Wednesday that is bound to lead nowhere in solving its strangled finances, with the Democratic-led House approving a new spending plan and Republican Governor Bruce Rauner immediately vowing to veto it, saying it was $7 billion out of balance. The fiscal 2017 budget, which passed in a 63-53 vote, allocates $14.1 billion for general funds spending against $33 billion in anticipated revenue. However, the Democrats plan does not include billions of dollars the state automatically spends on pensions and debt payments, as well as for court-ordered social services spending under consent decrees, leading Republicans to blast the budget for needing $7.2 billion in additional revenue. The spending plan appeared destined to follow in the path of the Democrats' fiscal 2016 budget, which was vetoed by Rauner, with the exception of K-12 school funding, on the premise it was $4 billion short on revenue. That has left Illinois the only state without a complete spending plan 11 months into a fiscal year that began July 1, 2015. The state has been relying on ongoing appropriations, stopgap funding bills and court-ordered spending, with a growing pile of unpaid bills as it limps through the fiscal year. "This is a repeat of last year on steroids," said House Republican Leader Jim Durkin during the budget debate. But House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie said lawmakers must act to pass a budget. It is unconscionable this state has failed to do its job during the current fiscal year and it would be even more unconscionable for us to leave this assembly without taking care of our responsibilities for the fiscal year to come, she said. The House-passed budget includes an additional $700 million to address funding inequities among K-12 school districts, most notably the cash-strapped Chicago Public Schools, which would also get an additional $100 million for pensions. The budget now moves to the Democrat-controlled Senate, where its fate was unclear. Comptroller Leslie Munger, a Republican, warned of catastrophic results if the House budget plan is enacted, predicting the backlog of unpaid bills would more than double to $15 billion and payments to schools, hospitals and others would take as long as nine months to process. A coalition of unpaid social service agencies that sued Illinois for more than $100 million earlier this month filed an emergency motion on Wednesday asking the Cook County Court to order the state to immediately make bill payments that are more than 60 days late. (Additional reporting by Karen Pierog in Chicago; Editing by Leslie Adler) Analyzing Nokia's 1Q16 Results: What It Means for Investors (Continued from Prior Part) Whats Nokia Technologies? Nokia Technologies is one of the business segments for Europe-based (FEP) (EFA) Nokia (NOK). Following the sale of its mobile phone business to Microsoft (MSFT) in 2014, this business primarily focuses on digital media, brand licensing, and patent licensing. Net sales in the Nokia Technologies business fell 27% YoY (year-over-year) in 1Q16driven by a variety of nonrecurring items. Sales rose 10% YoY in 1Q16, in case we exclude these items, primarily driven by higher intellectual property licensing income. The firm continued to make progress in 1Q16. It expanded in digital media and digital health. In 1Q16, Nokia started shipping its OZO virtual reality camera. OZO is the a virtual reality camera for content creators. Now, OZO is available in Europe. It can be purchased or rented through authorized reseller partners in the US and Canada (EWC). The firm also signed a deal with Disney (DIS) where OZO will support the creation of virtual reality experiences in Disney theatrical releases. Licensing discussions with Samsung continued in 1Q16 In the last quarter, Nokia continued licensing discussions with Samsung (SSNLF) as a follow-on to the arbitration outcome that was announced in February 2016. Nokias CEO, Rajeev Suri, stated that These discussions are a big priority for us and receive considerable focus from myself and others on the senior management team. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: India's top court Thursday allowed an Italian marine accused of killing two fishermen to return home pending a ruling on where he should be tried in a long-running case that has soured ties between the two countries. Salvatore Girone and fellow marine Massimiliano Latorre are accused of shooting the fishermen while protecting an Italian oil tanker as part of an anti-piracy mission off India's southern Kerala coast in 2012. Latorre was allowed to travel back to Italy in 2014 for treatment after suffering a stroke. But Girone has been barred from leaving India pending the resolution of a dispute between New Delhi and Rome over who has jurisdiction in the case. Girone, who has been living in Italy's embassy in New Delhi, will be home next Thursday, Italy's Republic Day, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said in a tweet. "We confirm our friendship with India, its people and its government," said Renzi, who has been under pressure domestically to secure the provisional liberty of both marines. "And we see welcome back to seaman Girone who will be with us on June 2." The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to alter Girone's bail conditions allowing him to return, after a tribunal in The Hague ruled this month he should be free to go, pending the final outcome of arbitration. "Having considered submissions of the parties, subject to conditions, the Italian marine Salvatore Girone's bail conditions are modified," Justices PC Pant and DY Chandrachud said in a written judgement read out in court. Italy initiated international arbitration proceedings in the case last year, referring the row to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague and asking it to rule on where the men should be tried. Under his new bail conditions, Girone must return to Delhi within one month if the PCA rules that he face trial in India. The Indian government's lawyers did not object to the marine's request to go home and the Italian foreign ministry issued a statement "confirming our commitment to the conditions and formalities established by the Indian Supreme Court". Story continues The detention of the marines, the murder charges and the long wait for the case to be resolved are sore subjects in Italy, with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi regularly flayed by opposition leaders for failing to get both men home. Italy insists the oil tanker, the MV Enrica Lexie, was in international waters at the time of the incident. India argues the case is not a maritime dispute but "a double murder at sea", in which one fisherman was shot in the head and the other in the stomach. In December 2014, Rome threatened to withdraw its ambassador from India after a court rejected Latorre's original request for medical leave. More than three years after the fatal gang rape of a young woman on a bus in New Delhi made global headlines and sparked mass outrage, the Indian government has announced a new measure to increase safety for women panic buttons aboard public buses. The proposal was announced Wednesday by the countrys Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Agence France-Presse reported. Gadkari said the panic buttons are among several new safety initiatives that will go into force on June 2 on buses across the country. He added that GPS trackers and CCTV cameras will also be installed, in order to ensure the safety of women after the unfortunate incident a reference to the brutal December 2012 gang rape. The buttons, which will be installed on all new buses and retroactively fitted on old ones, will be located above the front door and send a distress signal to a police control room when pressed. The police will then be able to view real-time footage of the bus interior. The rollout of the new measures has already begun, with 20 buses in the northwestern state of Rajasthan the first to be fitted. [AFP] An Indian fashion designer has used transgender women to model her latest collection. (Photo: Red Lotus) An Indian fashion designer is breaking down stereotypes and challenging the way people in India see transgender women with a line of saris modeled by trans women. Designer Sharmila Nair has named her collection Mazhavil, the local word for rainbow. Since the LGBT community is represented by the rainbow flag, Nair told Mashable, I thought, why not give my collection the same shades and use all the colors of the rainbow. Made under her brand Red Lotus, the saris are made from Hubli cotton, which has been dyed with rich natural colors, and paired with printed blouses. The designer hopes the shoot will help break down stigmas. (Photo: Facebook/Red Lotus) After reading a Facebook post about the Kerala governments groundbreaking equal-rights policy for transgender people, Sharmila was inspired to do her part for inclusion. Teaming with the transgender rights organization Queerela, she was put in touch with rookie models Maya Menon and Gowri Savithri, who, despite being nervous about taking part at first, were ultimately thrilled to be involved in the project. Maya told International Business Times: I had always loved wearing a sari, but couldnt do so in public for a long time. This shoot was extra-special to me. The shoot is fast winning hearts for its inclusive message. (Facebook/Red Lotus) Sharmila now hopes the campaign will help to humanize and raise the profile of trans women in India. It should really open up more opportunities for transgender [people], she told Fusion. People should break the ice. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Josh James, domo technologies, sv100 2015 Insiders tell us that big-data startup Domo, which burst into the public eye about a year ago with a $2 billion valuation, isn't all that it appears to be. Domo has been called an "insta-unicorn," meaning that by the time the tech world was paying attention, investors had already poured so much money into it that it was worth more than $1 billion. Domo was founded in 2010 and, as of March, the company says that it has 1,000 paying customers and $100 million "in billings," meaning revenue that has already been billed to customers. Those customers are served by 800 employees, it says. That's fast growth by any standard. But former employees we talked to tell a different story. These insiders say that Domo is a very promising company, but it's currently equal parts hype and reality. In particular: Its products are immature and expensive compared to competitors such as Tableau. The enterprise-sales team, the one that's responsible for selling big contracts to big customers, didn't do well in 2015 and quite a number of salespeople left. It's a bit of an "Omniture club," in that a lot of the top execs and best-regarded salespeople came from Omniture, the company CEO Josh James previously founded and sold to Adobe for over $1 billion in 2009. Domo acknowledges that about one-third of its exec team worked at Omniture, and says it's "a great club to be a part of." Employees have been pumped up about an eventual IPO. That's the same for many startups. But because Domo has raised a lot of venture money, some question how much equity employees have versus how much has been sold off to investors. Domo has answers for these criticisms while acknowledging some fundamental differences between it and competitors in terms of features and price. A company representative tells us: "Domo is for the 99% of the organization looking to better leverage data and the people in their org to optimize their business results." Story continues Fast car, slow car Domo offers cloud software for businesses in an area called "business intelligence and analytics." havana cuba classic car It takes a company's data from virtually any source like Twitter, Facebook, Salesforce, corporate databases, spreadsheets, and over 300 other applications, and turns the data into charts and graphs. It competes with a whole slew of other business-intelligence (BI) tools, most notably Tableau. One former Domo employee who has worked as a consultant in the BI industry and is familiar with multiple business-analysis tools tells us that the product is reasonably good, for how young the company is. This person told us: "One of the impressive things about Domo to me was how quickly their product was changing. Some people that don't know Domo super well would say that it's vaporware or that they don't have a real product and that's definitely not the case. They do have a real product. I would say it's a good product. I would not say it's as good as Tableau." This person compared the two products to a car: "Domo can go zero to 60 in 4.5 seconds, really fast. You plug in a couple of credentials and can have something with Domo really quickly. But I would say that the max speed is like 70. You can get going quickly, but it ultimately doesn't go that fast. Tableau might take longer to get going, but it's top speed is a lot higher." A nice guy full of bluster While the people we talked to all describe CEO and founder Josh James as "charismatic" and a "nice guy," they also say that he's full of hype and bluster. Domo CEO Josh James One told us: "A few things to know about Josh James, he's an old marketeer. He is charismatic. He's a good leader from a motivational standpoint, but maybe not as much from an execution standpoint. He's the type that will overpromise and under-deliver a little bit. And people can see that with Domo, and that's kind of the concern." One former employee likened James to Marc Benioff, the outspoken founder and CEO of Salesforce. Benioff spent a decade using guerrilla marketing tactics and PR stunts to claw out name recognition and a market for his company. For Benioff, it paid off. Today, 18 years later, he's still fond of hype and pomp, but Salesforce is an $8 billion-in-revenue company, and Benioff is a billionaire and the crowned king of cloud-computing software. So, not a bad role model. We also hear that within Utah's cozy startup community, Domo is considered a hip, cool company to work for. Missed sales targets While Domo says that it is growing very fast and revenue from some customers is on pace to double this year, one insider says the company's most important sales team, the one that sells to big enterprise customers, is not doing well. As far as big deals with big customers, "They're not even close. Not even in the wheelhouse. The enterprise [sales] team whiffed really bad." Domo's Utah offices Consequently, many salespeople have left. The sales-compensation structure changed, and management recently replaced the head of the enterprise-sales team. Domo confirmed that some fine-tuning took place. "Mark Dillon took on the interim job of enterprise sales VP until we were ready to hire specifically for the position. We found Peter Black out of Ariba and moved Dillon 100% to Channel, which was what he was hired for when he joined the company," a representative said. But the former salesperson we talked to believes these changes won't help. He says that Domo is simply overpriced for what it does. "It's really hard. Salespeople are not going after six-figure deals. They are chasing these small deals to try to get a foothold, doing divisional deals," this person said. "Domo is like another dashboard service and you're not that different from everyone else, you guys are just way more expensive. That's all Domo is, it's a dashboard. Tableau, as bad as their finances are, they won" this market, this person said. Tableau's product-marketing manager, Dan Kogan, claims that his company doesn't often see Domo in competitive situations. "We see Domo come up every once in a while during sales calls, mostly due to them being such a new offering on the market. We haven't seen their presence make much of a change," he said. As for pricing, Kogan compares: "Tableau Online, our cloud option, is $500 per user per year, Domo Enterprise will cost a company $250 per user per month." Domo counters that its product is actually less expensive overall because companies don't need to hire expensive employees with business-intelligence skills to run it. It also points out that the "land and expand" strategy, in which enterprise companies sell to divisions of big companies first and then the whole company later, is well-tested in the enterprise space. Exaggerated claims Another criticism we heard over and over was how Domo overpromised what its product could do. For instance, the consultant told us that Domo makes a big deal about how many "connectors" it has, meaning ways to import data, but Domo is focusing on quantity over quality. "They check a box, we have another connector," this person says. Sigma Pi College Students Fraternity We heard a similar criticism about its new product, Business Cloud. Domo says that it has 1,000 apps in its app store that will do all sorts of new things with the data. One former employee finds such claims laughable. "The whole 'Business Cloud' nonsense makes me chuckle," this person told us. The person continued: "Many of those "apps" are a bunch of Excel data, mocked together in sample dashboards. For instance, one app is a template app for fraternity-house recruitment. So a frat can use Domo to keep track of their recruits? Another one is for Taser incidents, I'm guessing, to monitor incidents at protests. Those are apps that count as part of the 1,000 apps in the app store. That stuff bothers me. It's very disingenuous." Domo confirms that not all of its apps are fantastic, just like any app store. A representative told us: "Our Appstore is similar to the Apple App Store with apps being generated and populated by third party developers. Just like you can find low-value iPhone apps like iBeer (that makes your iPhone look like a glass of beer so you can pretend to have a drink) and Abacus (so you can do a very old fashioned method of calculating by moving the beads) in the Apple Appstore, there are some Domo Apps created by publishers that are low or no value to the general Domo population. (User ratings will help guide users on value of what's in the Domo Appstore.)" No peeking We also heard criticisms over how Domo keeps a lot of product features secret. For instance, it has a new "freemium" version, but you can't actually try it out or even look at it unless you submit a request. And a salesperson will call. Domo pricing 4 Domo calls it "metering" and says that it hasn't opened the product up for the world to try because it's monitoring the experience. A representative said that the freemium version will become available in the next couple of months "without metering." Still, it's not clear if prospective customers will ever be able to explore the service without agreeing to a formal sales pitch. "Domo is much more a sales culture than it is a tech company," a former employee told us. "Once it lands on a lead, it squeezes it to death. They'll call you 20 times before they stop calling you. It's a sales-driven culture. They care a lot more about how other people see them, more than what is there to be seen." IPO could leave some employees out But there's one set of folks who seem to love Domo: investors. The company has raised nearly $600 million, according to startup-tracking site PitchBook. Domo became a darling of the VC world in part because CEO Josh James is known for his previous company, Omniture. Omniture measures and analyzes website traffic. He took it public and then sold it to Adobe in 2009 for $1.8 billion. Most recently, Domo did an unusual massive $366 million round, PitchBook says. It started as a $200 million round in 2015, led by private-equity investor BlackRock, and it valued the company at $2 billion. The company then opened up the round again, sold off more equity, and announced that it had raised another $131 million, which meant that Domo's valuation stayed at $2 billion. thinking work office In other words, to get more cash, James sold off a bigger chunk of the company. It's not exactly a down round, but it's close. Insiders we talked to say that employees inside the company are being hyped up on an eventual IPO, but new employees at this point likely won't have much of a stake. "Domo raised so much money, there's not a ton of equity to new employees if any. They are not going to cash out. The C-level people will get a lot and even the C-level might not even get ton," one person told us. If Domo winds up selling itself in an acquisition, employees could be left out entirely. Investors took a "1x liquidation preference," PitchBook says. That's considered a standard, "clean" term, not sharkish. But it also means that if Domo sells itself for less than what it wants, investors are entitled to get every dollar of their investment back before anyone else gets anything. A Domo representative implied that James hasn't given investors the reins and can't be forced out or forced to sell: "Josh has control of the company and has said over and over again that he'd love to be doing this when he is 70, which is why the control is so important." Word leaked in April that Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse might be getting ready to help Domo do its promised IPO sooner rather than later. If it does plow ahead with an IPO this year, then it will be interesting to see Domo's books. From what we're hearing, the company isn't quite as mature as it wants the world to believe. NOW WATCH: Meet the founders of Blade, the startup that's bringing helicopter rides to New York City's smart set More From Business Insider We issued an updated research report on The Kraft Heinz Company KHC is on May 26, 2016. On May 5, Kraft Heinz reported better-than-expected first-quarter 2016 results. The packaged food company beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate for both earnings and sales in first-quarter 2016. Adjusted earnings per share of $0.73 surged 37.7% year over year on improved sales trends and cost savings. Organic sales inched up 1.1%, reversing a decline of 3.1% in the previous quarter, on improved volume/mix. Volume/mix rose 0.8% in the quarter, while it declined 3.8% in the previous quarter. Volumes mix improved in all the segments Europe, the U.S., Canada and Rest of the World. However, consumption trends remained weak in the quarter. Kraft Heinz, like many other U.S. food producers, has struggled due to the shift in consumer preference toward natural and organic ingredients over packaged and processed food. Kraft Heinzs categories have slowed due to soft global retail and consumer demand. Consumption trends in a number of the companys key categories like ready-to-drink beverages, frozen meals and salad dressings remain challenged. Category trends and market share performance is likely to remain under pressure in 2016. Though the companys sales have been relatively soft, cost savings have led to better margins, mainly in the developed markets of the U.S. and Europe. This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company has implemented many cost-saving initiatives including the integration of Kraft Foods and Heinz. The company plans to save $1.5 billion in annual costs by the end of 2017, primarily through work-force reductions, factory closures and consolidations. In the first quarter of 2016, the company generated about $225 million in cost savings. Other productivity improvement initiatives include programs such as zero-based budgeting; modernization and capability building within the manufacturing footprint and building a performance driven culture in the company. Story continues A portion of its savings is also being re-invested in the business for innovation, brand building and marketing to stimulate top-line growth. With growing consumer demand for organic and more nutritional food, Kraft Heinz launched organic Capri-Sun juices and Mac & Cheese dinner (under its Cracker Barrel brand) without artificial ingredients in 2016. It also renovated Kool-Aid Jammers product with fewer calories and no preservatives and added a new line of Classico Riserva branded premium pasta sauces made with no artificial ingredients or added sugar. Further, frozen meals with enhanced nutrition is in the pipeline for launch this year. Moreover, in 2016, the company will continue to focus on shifting advertising spend from non-working (like production costs, advertising agency costs) to working media (digital, print advertisements) and eliminate inefficient trade promotion spending. In fact, management has plans in place to boost overall marketing spending in markets like the U.S. and Europe in 2016. These product innovation efforts and improved marketing spend can lead to better sales trends, going forward. Stocks to Consider Some better-ranked food stocks are B&G Foods Inc. BGS, Post Holdings, Inc. POST and Lancaster Colony Corp. LANC. All three stocks hold a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report KRAFT HEINZ CO (KHC): Free Stock Analysis Report B&G FOODS CL-A (BGS): Free Stock Analysis Report POST HOLDINGS (POST): Free Stock Analysis Report LANCASTER COLON (LANC): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research DURHAM, NC--(Marketwired - May 26, 2016) - MetaMetrics, developer of the widely adopted Quantile Framework for Mathematics and Lexile Framework for Reading, today announced they have expanded their partnership with the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE). For five years, students in grades three through eight and 10 have received Lexile measures from the Kansas Reading Assessment. Beginning fall of 2016, students will receive both Lexile and Quantile student measures from the Kansas Assessment Program (KAP). Quantile measures accurately match students with instructional materials by measuring both mathematical capability and the complexity of mathematical skills and concepts on the same developmental scale. There are two types of Quantile measures: a measure for students and a measure for mathematical skills and concepts. The Quantile student measure describes what the student is prepared to learn next. The Quantile skill or concept measure describes the difficulty, or demand, in learning that skill or concept. Both measures are represented as a number followed by the letter Q (e.g., 640Q) on the Quantile scale. Quantile measures can improve mathematics teaching and learning by helping educators target instruction and determine if students are on track to pass year-end assessments and succeed in college and careers. To report a Quantile measure from the KAP, MetaMetrics will complete an initial research study to link the Kansas test to the Quantile scale. Over the past twenty years, MetaMetrics has engaged in more than 100 studies in 25 states and 24 countries to link assessments to the Lexile or Quantile scale. "I commend Commissioner Watson and his leadership team for using universal metrics to connect students with materials that match their unique abilities," stated Malbert Smith III, Ph.D., CEO, President and Co-founder of MetaMetrics. "To progress in mathematics learning, students need to fully understand the skills and concepts they encounter. Quantile measures help strengthen understanding by delineating what skills and concepts a student is ready to learn and identifying gaps in knowledge." Story continues The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) provides leadership, resources, support and accountability to the state's K-12 education system. KSDE administers the state's governance of education, standards and assessments, special education services, child nutrition and wellness, title programs and services, career and technical education, and financial aid. It is the goal of the agency to provide all Kansas children with equal access to a quality, high-level education that promotes student achievement and prepares all students for global success. In 2015, the Kansas State Board of Education announced a new vision for education where Kansas leads the world in the success of each student. "Kansas' commitment to its new vision for education requires that teachers be able to target instruction to the academic needs of each student," said Dr. Randy Watson, Kansas Commissioner of Education. "We see these measures as being able to help guide educators as they develop these individual learning strategies." The KSDE's reporting of Quantile measures also connects students and teachers with free resources like the Find Your Textbook tool, Math Skills Database, Math@Home and the Quantile Teacher Assistant. Kansas continues to use Lexile and Quantile tools in their summer learning efforts year after year. This summer marks the first year that the state has used the Quantile Summer Math Challenge to encourage mathematics practice during the summer months. The Summer Math Challenge is available this year to students who have completed grades 1 through 7 to help ensure that skills learned during the school year are not lost. KSDE also promotes summer reading in collaboration with the Read Kansas Read initiative and encourages readers to visit "Find a Book, Kansas." "Find a Book, Kansas" matches readers with books based on a reader's Lexile measure and personal interests. About MetaMetrics MetaMetrics is focused on improving education for learners of all ages and ability levels. The organization develops scientific measures of academic achievement and complementary technologies that link assessment results with real-world instruction. MetaMetrics' products and services for reading (The Lexile Framework for Reading, El Sistema Lexile para Leer), mathematics (The Quantile Framework for Mathematics) and writing (The Lexile Framework for Writing) provide unique insights about academic ability and the potential for growth, enabling individuals to achieve their goals at every stage of development. Connect with the organization at: http://blog.lexile.com. By Parisa Hafezi ANKARA (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called for vigilance against what he called a "soft war" mounted by the West and aimed at weakening the clerical establishment, state television reported on Thursday. Hardline allies of Khamenei, worried about losing their grip on power, have accused pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani of betraying the anti-Western values of the revolution that toppled the U.S.-backed Shah. "Our officials and all parts of the establishment should be vigilant about the West's continued soft war against Iran...the enemies want to weaken the system from inside," Khamenei said. In a meeting with members of the Assembly of Experts, with authority to appoint and dismiss the supreme Leader, Khamenei told Iranian officials: By impairing centers of powers in Iran, it will be easy to harm the establishment from inside." The 88-member assembly, consisting mostly of elderly clerics, is expected to choose any successor to Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters. "The only way to materialize the (1979 Islamic) revolution's goals is national unity and not to obey the enemy," he said. ENEMIES Khamenei said the Islamic republic's "enemies" were trying to manipulate official policy. "Iran's enemies try to influence decision-making centers, alter Iranian officials' positions and change people's beliefs," Khamenei said. "We should be strong and empowered." Hardliners control the judiciary, the security forces, the Guardian Council which vets laws and election candidates, public broadcasters and foundations that own much of the economy. Rouhani championed ending over a decade-old nuclear standoff with the United states and five other major powers by reaching a landmark nuclear deal in 2015. Under the deal, international economic sanctions on Tehran were lifted in January in exchange for curbing the country's nuclear work. Rouhani's efforts to boost Iran's sanction-hit economy and to end the country's international isolation have bolstered his position within Iran's complex power structure. (Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Ralph Boulton) BAGHDAD, May 26 (Reuters) - The Islamic Development Bank has given its initial agreement to provide $3 billion in easy loans and grants to Iraq, helping the nation cope with a sharp decline in oil revenue, a central bank spokesman in Baghdad said Thursday in an email. The spokesman did not give further details. Iraq earlier this month agreed a $5.4 billion standby loan with the International Monetary Fund. Finance Minister Hoshyar Zebari, announcing the agreement on May 19, said the IMF loans could unlock $15 billion more in international assistance over the next three years. Iraq's economy has been hit by the plunge in oil prices since mid-2014 and the country is expected to have a financing gap of $17 billion this year unless it can secure more funding, an IMF document obtained by Reuters showed. The cost of fighting Islamic State militants is another burden on the budget. (Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli; Editing by Toby Chopra) Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel's newly named Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman has pledged harsh actions against Palestinians, but there are doubts over whether the hardliner will be able to translate his provocative political rhetoric into concrete action. Lieberman will be in charge not only of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, but also of the military bodies that rule Palestinian life in much of the territory. The defence portfolio is widely seen as the second-most powerful in the government, overseeing an array of contracts, missions and activities in a country on a near-constant war footing. But while Lieberman has issued numerous threats over the years, Israel's security establishment, which has served as a voice of moderation in recent months, may push back against actions it views as harmful to the country's interests. "At the end of the day, we're bound to international law," a defence ministry official said. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was trepidation in the security establishment over the appointment of Lieberman, "who isn't one of us." Lieberman, who has not yet been sworn in, is seen as an outsider by some in the military. Though he completed his mandatory military service, he was not a major figure there. The official also noted that Lieberman's apparent aspirations to become prime minister could be a moderating factor. "If he has pretensions to reach the top, he'll have to change," he said. Lieberman sought to address concerns over his plans when appearing at a ceremony with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to mark their coalition agreement, saying he was committed to "responsible, reasonable policy." Netanyahu stressed he still planned to pursue peace with the Palestinians -- though negotiations have been at a standstill since April 2014. There are already concerns internationally. US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the new coalition raised "legitimate questions" about Israel's commitment to a two-state solution. Story continues - Calls for death penalty - Lieberman is detested by the Palestinians, while Israeli centrists and left-wing politicians say his appointment signals a dangerous drift toward the far-right -- even a step toward fascism for some. His more controversial statements include one from last month directed at Ismail Haniya, Islamist movement Hamas's leader in the Gaza Strip. Lieberman said he would give Haniya 48 hours to hand over two detained Israeli civilians and the bodies of soldiers killed in a 2014 war "or you're dead". He has also sought the death penalty for Palestinian "terrorists." Moshe Yaalon, his predecessor as defence minister who has also served as armed forces chief, resigned on Friday, forced out by Netanyahu as he engaged in talks to bring Lieberman and his ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party into the fold. Yaalon did not go quietly, warning of a rising tide of extremism. Lieberman, who has also served as foreign minister, lives in a settlement in the West Bank, though he is secular and has opposed policies supported by Israel's ultra-Orthodox Jewish establishment. He also in theory does not oppose a Palestinian state. That has left opinion divided on whether he will be a boon to Israel's settler movement. "Counter-intuitively, I'm not sure the settlers will have an easier time now," said Hagit Ofran of settlement watchdog Peace Now. "Yaalon was a good friend of the settlement movement, who advanced and approved things his predecessors didn't dare," she told AFP. "I don't know if Lieberman feels as connected, despite himself being a settler." Yossi Mekelberg of London-based think tank Chatham House's Middle East programme saw it differently. "The message that the settlers will get is that we have our own man in the defence ministry, so we definitely can assert ourselves in the West Bank," he said. - Putin mediator? - Netanyahu has said that defence policies would ultimately remain under his control, and he would not seek to change them. "In the end, the prime minister leads all the systems together with the defence minister, together with the chief of military staff," he said on Sunday after being asked how someone previously described as irresponsible by his own Likud party could be given the important position. Lieberman himself sought a more moderate tone even before closing the deal with Netanyahu. He had previously shown strong support for Israeli soldier Elor Azaria, charged with manslaughter for shooting dead a wounded Palestinian assailant as he lay prone on the ground without posing any apparent threat. He even attended one of Azaria's military court appearances in support, putting him at odds with top military brass who strongly condemned the soldier's actions. More recently, Lieberman said "we will respect every decision and ruling laid down by the military court." Some point to at least one potential benefit for Western nations in Lieberman's appointment. Born in the ex-Soviet republic of Moldova, Lieberman is seen has having solid relations with Russian officials. "He can also serve as a contact man for the West with (President Vladimir) Putin," the defence official said. "He has good contacts there." Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - The Israeli air force carried out strikes on Hamas sites in Gaza early Thursday in response to a rocket attack targeting the Jewish state, the army and Palestinian officials said. The rocket, which hit an open area in southern Israel, caused no damage or casualties. In response, the Israeli air force "targeted two Hamas sites in the southern Gaza Strip," the military said in a statement. A statement from Ajnad Beit al-Maqdis, a small Salafist jihadi group, claimed the rocket attack, which came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sealed a deal to bring hardline nationalist Avigdor Lieberman into his coalition as defence minister. "We announce our responsibility for targeting the Nahal Oz military base with a missile," it said. According to the army, nine projectiles fired from the Gaza Strip -- which is run by Islamist movement Hamas -- have hit Israel since the start of 2016. Smaller, more radical Islamist groups have often been blamed, with Hamas forces either unwilling or unable to prevent the rocket fire. The statement from the Salafists accused Hamas of carrying out a campaign against the "mujahideen". In its statement the Israeli army repeated its policy of holding "Hamas accountable for all attacks emanating from the Gaza Strip." Hamas's military wing confirmed the strikes targeted one of its bases near Rafah in southern Gaza and in the Nuseirat refugee camp, causing no casualties. Lieberman has over the years threatened action on Gaza and its Hamas rulers. He recently said that if he became defence minister, he would give Hamas's Gaza leader Ismail Haniya 48 hours to return detained Israelis and soldiers' bodies "or you're dead". The latest exchange of fire follows four days of cross-border violence earlier this month -- the worst since the 2014 Gaza war that killed 2,251 Palestinians and 73 Israelis. Story continues The United Nations envoy for the Middle East warned the Security Council on Wednesday of a "highly volatile" situation in Gaza. "Palestinians in Gaza are growing ever more desperate, seeing their prospects for living a normal life and recovering their economy blocked by Hamas's military build-up, by Israel's security measures and closures, by the lack of Palestinian unity, and the insufficient fulfilment of aid pledges by donors," Nickolay Mladenov said. "Recent events clearly demonstrate that the spectre of violence looms ominously over the territory," Mladenov said. "Unless radically more is done to address the chronic realities in Gaza, it is not a question of 'if', but rather of 'when' another escalation will take place." The Italian Coast Guard on Thursday, May 26, flew a five-year-old child, rescued among some 4,000 migrants over the past few days, from its ship to the island of Lampedusa to receive medical care for hypothermia. This video shows the child being taken aboard a coast guard helicopter in a closed stretcher and then in the arms of a caregiver at the other end of the journey. The child was among 96 people rescued from a capsized boat. The Italian Coast Guard and the countrys navy have both been active in recent days, with the Guardia Costiera rescuing more than 4,000 people in 22 different operations in the past week, according to reports. Credit: YouTube/Guardia Costeria jake gyllenhaal amy schumer katfish Comedy Central Actor Jake Gyllenhaal and comedian Amy Schumer have a history. Specifcially, Schumer has a renting-his-apartment-and-eating-his-birthday-cake kind of history with Gyllenhaal. The Inside Amy Schumer star first told the story to Late Show host Stephen Colbert back in September, prompting future Late Show guest Gyllenhaal to retaliate with his own birthday cake-eating video. Apparently the indirect exchange was enough to foster the embers of a creative fire between the two, because Gyllenhaal cameos in Thursdays episode of Schumers popular Comedy Central sketch show. So does a ferret named Falcor and a bunch of bit actors lampooning MTVs Catfish. So why the Catfish shenanigans? In the sketch, Schumer seeks assistance from the co-hosts of Katfish, both of whom mimic the real shows Nev Schulman and Max Joseph with a delightful degree of ridiculousness. According to Amy, she met some guy named Jake in a wait for it chat room for ferret fanatics. Hence Gyllenhaals pet ferret, Falcor, who gets almost as much screen time as the actor himself. Sure, it seems far-fetched, but we regularly use an internet populated by racist Chinese laundry detergent commercials and a Twitter account dedicated to Oscar Isaacs dancing in Ex Machina. So maybe the real Gyllenhaal actually does like ferrets, and has a white one named Falcor. (Via the Hollywood Reporter) ISE-SHIMA, May 26 (Reuters) - Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told fellow Group of Seven leaders on Thursday that North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes are also a concern to Europe, a top Japanese government official said. Chairing the first of two days of a G7 summit in central Japan, Abe told his counterparts that Pyongyang's development of nuclear technology and ballistic missiles poses a threat to international peace, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshige Seko told reporters. The prime minister also said it is important to have Russia's constructive engagement in neighbouring Ukraine and said Japan is ready to extend a fresh $500 million in aid to Iraq, Seko said. (Writing by William Mallard) TOKYO (Reuters) - Shareholders of Japan's biggest retail conglomerate Seven & i Holdings (3382.T) approved on Thursday the appointment of its new president, Ryuichi Isaka, a choice backed by U.S. activist investor Daniel Loeb but opposed by Isaka's long-reigning predecessor. Isaka, 58, who successfully led the group's Seven-Eleven Japan convenience store chain, was officially named president, ending the 24-year reign of charismatic former CEO Toshifumi Suzuki who is stepping down after a failed bid to oust Isaka. But in a sign Isaka may not have a free hand in implementing a radical overhaul of the $90 billion retail conglomerate, the company said Suzuki, widely respected in Japan's retail industry, will stay on as an honorary adviser. Many of the company's managers and employees still revere Suzuki, a pioneer of Japan's now-ubiquitous convenience stores. Isaka's decision to keep Suzuki on is seen as an olive branch that could help mend a divided board and management. Loeb has said the company should focus on growing its profitable convenience store chain and overhaul its weak Ito-Yokado supermarkets. Investors have also urged it to sell off or restructure its luxury clothing store Barneys Japan, Seibu department stores and mail-order business Nissen. Suzuki confirmed at Thursday's shareholder meeting that he would stay on as an adviser, and thanked shareholders for their support since his early days when the company's annual sales were a mere 4 billion yen ($36.5 million). He also defended the retail group's performance. "Today the group's sales total over 10 trillion yen," he said. "Now, there is some concern about Yokado and Seibu. But Yokado has shown improvement, albeit gradual, since the start of the year. Seibu is also trying with new products." Isaka shook hands with Suzuki at the shareholders' meeting, and tried to play down the conflict, saying he aimed to carry on his predecessor's management philosophies. Suzuki resigned as CEO in April after the board refused to rubber-stamp his proposal for Isaka to step down, a proposal criticized by some investors as an attempt to elevate one of his sons to a more senior position. Story continues The board's rejection of Suzuki's proposal, was widely seen as a sign of improving corporate governance in Japan, where corporate boards rarely challenge CEOs. But worries that Isaka will face strong resistance from within, as well as fears Japanese retailers would struggle with weak consumer sentiment for a while longer, have dragged Seven & i's shares down 15 percent so far this year. (Reporting by Ritsuko Shimizu; Writing by Ritsuko Ando; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman) (Adds background on city's distress and legislative efforts, details about the package, bondholder comments) By Hilary Russ May 26 (Reuters) - The New Jersey legislature approved a rescue package on Thursday to lift Atlantic City out of its fiscal distress and give the struggling gambling hub more time to craft a recovery plan before facing a possible state takeover. The compromise came after weeks of rancor between lawmakers, local officials and Governor Chris Christie over the magnitude of state control. The deal comes nearly a year after the legislature first passed rescue bills, which Christie went on to reject twice. A Christie spokesman did not reply to a request for comment on whether the governor would sign the legislation. Christie told a local radio show on Wednesday night that he believed the measures give him "all of the authority I would need" and that he would decide quickly. Bondholders will benefit because the deal "significantly reduces the risk of bankruptcy," said Columbia Threadneedle Investment analyst Daniel Belcher, whose firm recently bought Atlantic City bonds. "They will have an enormous challenge achieving structural balance, but it puts them on the right path." Increased gambling competition in neighboring states has cut into Atlantic City's main source of tax revenue, and the decline in casino property values since 2010 has lowered the tax base a whopping 70 percent. Four of the city's 12 casinos closed in 2014 and remain shuttered. NEW BILLS Mayor Don Guardian, in office for two years, has already cut the municipal workforce, but further reductions are considered critical to lower spending to manageable levels. The latest bills retain key measures from previous legislation, but they give the seaside resort town more time - 150 days - to craft a balanced budget and five-year recovery plan before facing state takeover. The bills call for casinos to make $120 million of combined payments annually in lieu of property taxes for 10 years. Story continues Casinos are also to make additional lump-sum payments totaling as much as $110 million through 2023. Some alternative casino taxes would also be redirected to pay city debt service. In addition, the city could offer incentives for early retirement and delay for another year any repayment plan for its deferred pension and health benefit payments to the state. Should the state take over, it could, among other things, terminate collective bargaining agreements, dissolve city departments, file a municipal bankruptcy, reject city council measures, and sell or lease municipal assets. Guardian has said the city, whose bonds are rated "junk," could refinance and restructure annual debt service costs to under $10 million from about $38 million now. However, that might impair the city's ability to regain access to capital markets, said Columbia's Belcher. Other hurdles include a budget gap of up to $100 million; as much as $550 million of debt and liabilities; and huge, unresolved property tax appeals with the city's most profitable casino. James Colby, portfolio manager at VanEck, which holds a small amount of the city's debt, said state support is an "enormous relief" for the city. "But there are no evident long-term solutions. Yet," he said. (Reporting by Hilary Russ in New York; Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Matthew Lewis) In late May 2016, less than a week after Amber Heard filed for divorce from Johnny Depp, citing irreconcilable differences and asking for spousal support, she showed up at a Los Angeles courthouse with a bruise near her right eye that she claimed was a result of Depp throwing a cell phone at her face. Heard, 30, was granted a temporary restraining order against the 52-year-old actor; all of this occurred just a few days after Depp's mother, Betty Sue Palmer, died after battling a long illness. WATCH: Amber Heard's Texts from 2014 Detail Alleged Assault By Johnny Depp From their on-set meeting in 2009, through their four years as a couple beginning in 2012, to the current domestic abuse allegations Heard filed against Depp, here is ET's timeline of the estranged couple's most notable moments. October 2009: The Rum Diary Depp and Heard met on the set of the film, where they played each other's love interests. Though they did not date until several years after filming, Heard told Teen Vogue at the time that working with Depp is "probably the best experience I've ever had." WATCH: New Photos of Amber Heard Detail Another 'Violent' Incident With Johnny Depp June 2012: The Romance Begins After Depp's split from his partner of 14 years and the mother of his two children, French actress Vanessa Paradis, the actor began seeing Heard. (Depp and Paradis are parents to 17-year-old Lily-Rose and 14-year-old Jack.) Perhaps somewhat of a romantic, one of Depp's first gestures for his new flame during the early stages of their budding relationship was reportedly buying her a horse! Apparently, he did it so that she could ride with him while he filmed The Lone Ranger. Jan. 17, 2014: Depp's Engagement to Heard Confirmed On Jan. 17, People first reported that Depp and Heard were getting married. "Of course they couldn't be happier to be engaged and excited to share the rest of their lives together," a source told the publication at the time. "Amber has really taken well to the kids and really enjoys spending time with them. And she's even taken Lily shopping on her own for some bonding time." Story continues MORE: Johnny Depp Debuts Bold New Haircut at 'Alice Through the Looking Glass' Premiere April 7, 2014: Depp Addresses Having More Kids In an exclusive interview with ET, Depp showed off his engagement ring, noting, "It's exciting to wear a girl's ring... I don't know, you know. It just fit." The actor also commented on his two children with Paradis, and whether he and Heard might consider making the family a little bigger. "I love kids. I have two, and they're perfect," he shared. "Man, I'd make 100. But I've got the easy gig, right?" May 2014: Revealing Text Messages Detailing Depp's Alleged Assault On June 1, 2016, ET exclusively obtained a text message conversation that a source said is from May 2014 between Heard and a man purported to be Depp's assistant, Stephen Deuters. (ET was not able to independently verify the recipients of the messages or whether they had been edited.) The texts are purported to show Depp's alleged abusive behavior towards Heard, long before the two had tied the knot. Read the conversation HERE. Feb. 3, 2015: Married Heard and Depp made it official in early February with a ceremony on Depp's private island in the Bahamas. Both of Depp's children were in attendance. WATCH: Amber Heard Stunned at the Met Gala Without Husband Johnny Depp March 2015: Depp Injures Hand on Set, Sources Say Heard Told Friends That He Punched a Wall While filming Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales in Australia, Depp suffered an injury to his right hand. At the time, he had to fly back to the United States to undergo surgery and receive medical treatment. It was reported that the injury was not sustained during filming. On May 31, 2016, sources told ET that Heard told some close friends that the injury was actually a result of Depp punching a wall when the two had gotten into an argument. May-June 2015: The Newlyweds Face Legal Trouble for Smuggling Their Dogs Into Australia After photos surfaced of the couple's Yorkshire terriers, Pistol and Boo, in Australia, the country's Agriculture Minister, Barnaby Joyce, came out strongly against Heard for bringing the dogs into the country illegally, saying to the BBC, "It's time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States." Their Yorkshire terriers failed to go through customs and undergo the country's required 10-day quarantine. Apparently, the crime could have come with a 10-year prison sentence. Heard told ET in June that the dogs had returned to America safely, saying, "They're good despite attempts by certain rogue thug Australian government officials, they are all right." WATCH: Johnny Depp's Exes Slam Amber Heard's 'Outrageous' Domestic Violence Allegations Sept. 10, 2015: The Dog Days Are Not Over "We were under the impression we had all the paperwork done for the dogs," Depp explained on Jimmy Kimmel Live! "We were there with the dogs in front of everybody." Things got a little tense when the actor addressed reports that Heard might be detained. "If they did that, I'd just fly to Australia and assault that man, so that I could go to jail," he said. Sept. 16, 2015: The Rock Show The two appeared in good spirits as Heard attended her husband's Hollywood Vampires rock show in Los Angeles. "From where I was standing, Amber was totally beaming as she watched Johnny," ET's Denny Directo said at the time. "She was sipping red wine, bopping around to the music. By the end of the show, she was on her feet." WATCH: Johnny Depp Doesn't Want to Pay Amber Heard Spousal Support in Divorce Nov. 12, 2015: Heard Addresses Marriage Trouble Rumors Reports that the couple was on the rocks clearly wore on Heard, who said in the December issue of Marie Claire, "I try not to react to the horrible misrepresentation of our lives, but it is strange, and hard." The actress went on to say that being a stepmother to Depp's two children had been a "gift." December 2015: Heard Claims She 'Truly Feared' for Her Life, Has Photos to Prove It In Heard's May 2016 court filing for the temporary restraining order against Depp, she claimed that "there was one severe incident in December 2015 when I truly feared for my life." On June 1, 2016, images of Heard were published by People that revealed a mark on her eye and cut on her lip from the alleged incident. WATCH: Amber Heard Alleges Johnny Depp Abused Her Throughout Relationship January 2016: 'Putting Up' With Depp While accepting the Desert Palm Achievement Award at the at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, Depp said, "I also have to thank my wife, Amber, for putting up with me. For living with all these characters, which can't be easy... It's hard for me, it's gotta be hard for her." Afterward, the actor confessed to ET that "it's not easy" for his wife to put up with his eccentric movie roles. April 17, 2016: The Infamous Dog Apology Video "Australia is a wonderful island with a treasure trove of unique plants, animals and people," Heard said in a stilted apology video about the dog debacle. "It has to be protected," Depp added. The awkward video would go on to be mocked by many, including Stephen Colbert, and Depp himself. WATCH: Stars React to Amber Heard's Domestic Abuse Allegations Against Johnny Depp April 21, 2016: Alleged Attack Following Heard's Birthday As noted in her court filing, Heard, who turned 30 on April 22, claims another abusive incident occurred when Depp showed up to her birthday party "inebriated and high" and "violently shoved me to the floor" after allegedly grabbing her by the hair. May 2, 2016: Solo at the Met Gala After the apology video, the couple was rarely spotted together. Heard stunned in her silky, high-slit Ralph Lauren gown at the 2016 Met Gala, but appeared at the annual fashion event without Depp at her side. PHOTOS: Johnny Depp Still Touring With the Hollywood Vampires Amid Legal Drama With Amber Heard May 20, 2016: Depp's Mother Dies at 81 ET confirmed that the actor's mom, Betty Sue Palmer, died in Los Angeles after a long illness. At the time, Depp was in the middle of a press tour for his latest film, Alice Through the Looking Glass, which opened in theaters one week later. Depp had a close relationship with his mother -- he even got a tattoo of her name, "Betty Sue," inside a heart on his left upper arm in the late '80s. May 21, 2016: The 911 Call Heard claims in court documents that on this night, she and Depp got into a heated altercation, which allegedly resulted in him inflicting a bruise near her eye. Heard alleges that the bruises were caused by Depp throwing a cell phone at her face. According to Heard, the two were having a "peaceful conversation" about the death of Depp's mother when he allegedly "began obsessing about something that was untrue and his demeanor changed dramatically." One of Heard and Depp's mutual pals, iO Tillet Wright, allegedly heard the confrontation over the phone when the couple called her, and, according to court documents, called 911 at the request of Heard, who was yelling in the background. "Johnny then grabbed the cell phone, wound up his arm like a baseball pitcher and threw the cell phone at me striking my cheek and eye with great force," Heard claims in the documents. "He then forcibly pulled back my hair as I attempted to stand from the sofa ... Johnny continued screaming at me, pulling my hair, striking me and violently grabbing my face." The LAPD later told ET that the NYPD received a third-party call that Heard was involved in a domestic dispute. When the LAPD responded to the incident, however, the department said they found no evidence of a crime. Heard claimed it was only a verbal dispute at the time. She did not mention Depp's name, nor was he present when police arrived to the scene, according to the LAPD. NEWS: 'Alice Through the Looking Glass' Boycott? Fans Tweet #ImWithAmber May 22, 2016: Heard and Depp Separate According to the divorce documents obtained by ET, Heard noted that the couple separated on May 22. (When Depp later responded in his own filing, however, he listed their separation date as "To Be Determined.") May 23, 2016: Heard Officially Files for Divorce The divorce documents were officially filed one day later, the same night Depp walked the red carpet solo at the Alice Through the Looking Glass premiere at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles. He then headed to Verona, New York, for his scheduled performance with his band, The Hollywood Vampires, at the Turning Stone Casino the following night. WATCH: Lily-Rose Depp Comes to Johnny Depp's Defense May 25, 2016: News of Divorce and Death of Depp's Mother Breaks Their split, along with the death of Depp's mother, did not become public until May 25. That same day, Depp filed a response, asking the court to "terminate the court's ability to award support" to Heard. In the documents, he also asked that Heard pay her own attorney fees, in response to her request for Depp to cover all the costs. In addition, the Pirates of the Caribbean star in the legal filings requested a separation of certain assets, including "miscellaneous jewelry" and earnings made after their separation. May 26, 2016: Depp's Rep Issues a Statement One day after news broke that the two had called it quits, Depp's rep issued a statement on the actor's behalf. "Given the brevity of this marriage and the most recent and tragic loss of his mother, Johnny will not respond to any of the salacious false stories, gossip, misinformation and lies about his personal life," Depp's spokesperson told ET in a statement. "Hopefully the dissolution of this short marriage will be resolved quickly." WATCH: Amber Heard's Monthly Expenses Revealed May 27, 2016: Heard Requests a Restraining Order Against Depp While Depp was out of town promoting his new movie and traveling with his band, Heard and her lawyer in Los Angeles provided a photo as part of court records that showed various bruises on the Magic Mike XXL actress' face, claiming that Depp had harmed her in the alleged incident involving a cell phone. The judge then granted Heard a temporary restraining order against Depp, forcing him to stay at least 100 yards away and avoid any contact with her. A hearing was set for June 17. "I live in fear that Johnny will return to the residence unannounced to terrorize me, physically and emotionally," Heard said in the documents, noting that she feels "extremely afraid" of Depp and her safety. May 28, 2016: Depp's Daughter and Exes Come to His Defense When some people, including a few celebrities, started to take sides through a "trial by Twitter," Depp's daughter, Lily-Rose, and two of his exes, Paradis and Lori Anne Allison, quickly came to his defense. His daughter took to Instagram to share a sweet throwback photo of the two from when she was a baby, calling her dad the "sweetest most loving person" in her caption. Paradis reportedly wrote a letter, obtained by TMZ, in which she slammed Heard's "outrageous" allegations against Paradis' former longtime partner. Allison, who was Depp's first wife, echoed Paradis' sentiments, telling friends that "she doesn't believe Amber Heard's claim that Johnny brutalized her multiple times during their short marriage." Read more HERE. WATCH: Judge Grants Amber Heard Temporary Restraining Order Against Johnny Depp May 31, 2016: Heard's Legal Team Defends Her After some of Depp's loved ones came forward with their views on the legal drama, Heard's divorce attorneys, Samantha F. Spector and Joseph P. Koenig, released the following statement to ET in response: "She cannot continue to leave herself open to the vicious false and malicious allegations that have infected the media. Amber has suffered through years of physical and psychological abuse at the hands of Johnny. In domestic violence cases, it is not unusual for the perpetrator's playbook to include miscasting the victim as the villain." "With her statement, Amber hopes to give the LAPD the opportunity to conduct an accurate and complete investigation into the events of that evening and before. If that occurs, and the truth is revealed, there is no doubt that Amber's claims will be substantiated beyond any doubt, and hopefully Johnny will get the help that he so desperately needs." WATCH: Johnny Depp and Amber Heard to Divorce With No Prenup June 14, 2016: Heard Retracts Request for Temporary Spousal Support Heard's lawyer filed a declaration withdrawing the actress' request for temporary spousal support from Depp. In court documents obtained by ET, Heard claims she initially asked for temporary spousal support because she thought it was standard operating procedure in a divorce case, but now feels the move is being misinterpreted. It's being "used against me to distract and divert the public away from the very serious real issue of domestic violence," Heard claims in the documents. The documents also read, "In light of the coordinated false and negative media campaign falsely depicting my attempts to attain a CLETS Domestic Violence Restraining Order as being financially motivated, I am hereby withdrawing the request...for spousal support." July 20, 2016: Depp Files Request to Keep Divorce Details Private Depp responded to Heard's legal request for financial information with a filing of his own. The actor asked for a confidentiality agreement with Heard, filing a request for a protective order on all documents in their divorce case. In documents obtained by ET, Depp's team asserts he is willing to produce the financial documents requested by Heard, however, he would like the confidentiality agreement to be put in place before releasing any information, to protect his privacy. "This case has been extraordinarily public since its inception," the docs state. "Every detail of this action has been chronicled by the media and it has become one of the most heavily publicized divorces in recent memory." "Amber's need for financial information to resolve this case is distinct from the public's appetite for information about celebrity divorces," Depp's legal team states, adding that they have presented two different confidentiality agreements to Heard. "Amber has inexplicably refused to sign any agreement to maintain confidentiality in this action." August 9, 2016: Heard Appears 'Manic' and 'Irrational' During Deposition, According to Depp's Lawyer In court papers filed on Aug. 9, Laura Wasser, Depp's attorney, accused Heard of refusing to go on the record to testify at a recent deposition. According to court documents obtained by ET, Wasser claims that Heard appeared nearly two hours late for a court-ordered deposition regarding Heard's request for a permanent domestic violence restraining order against Depp. Wasser claims that instead of testifying, Heard sat with her lawyers and "paced in a separate room." Wasser described Heard as appearing "manic and irrational." A source close to Heard tells ET that the actress sat for "10 hours through intense settlement negotiations, which could not be settled because it required a gag order." August 12, 2016: Leaked Video of Depp Throwing a Wine Bottle and Glass Leading up to a settlement, a video that appears to show Depp throwing a wine bottle and glass during an argument with Heard was leaked on Aug. 12. Heard denied releasing the tape, while Depp sources maintained it was "heavily edited." "I am not responsible for the release of the video. It was not what I wanted and I am doing what I can to force the media to take it off the internet," Heard said in a statement obtained by ET. "I underestimated the toll that this difficult few months have taken on me, emotionally and physically, and the efforts made by the media to intimidate and discredit me. It is for that reason, and my desire to make the healthiest choice for myself, and hopefully for Johnny, that I am attempting to resolve this matter in the most private way possible." August 15, 2016: Photo of Depp's Severed Finger New allegations emerged regarding Depp's March 2015 hand injury that halted production of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Sources told ET at the time that Depp had punched a wall during an argument with Heard, after which the actor had to return to the United States to have a pin put into his finger. A new report claims the argument stemmed out of Depp's suspicion that Heard cheated on him with actor Billy Bob Thornton. During the altercation with Heard, Depp was allegedly intoxicated and slamming glass bottles, windows, and a plastic phone into the wall, causing one of his fingers to become partially severed, TMZ reports. The report also claims that Depp dipped his bloody finger into paint belonging to Heard, and wrote "Billy Bob" and "Easy Amber" on a mirror. Heard and Thornton worked together on the yet-to-be-released film, London Falls. Despite Depp's alleged suspicions, a source told People, "Billy Bob definitely, absolutely did not have an affair with Amber." August 16, 2016: Divorce Case Settled, Restraining Order Request Against Depp Withdrawn Heard and Depp settle their divorce case with the actress also withdrawing her request for a domestic violence restraining order against Depp, ET confirmed. "Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love," Heard and Depp said in a joint statement. "Neither party has made false accusations for financial gains. There was never an intent of physical or emotional harm." "Amber wishes the best for Johnny in the future," the statement added. "Amber will be donating financial proceeds from the divorce to a charity." A source told ET that it was "the photo [of Depp's severed finger] and Johnny being anxious about it going to trial that prompted the quick settlement." Depp agreed to pay Heard $7 million to settle the case, which includes attorney's fees, according to TMZ. (Originally published on Wednesday, May 25, 2016, at 6:45 pm PST) To hear the latest update on Depp and Heard's legal drama, watch the video below. Related Articles Johnny Depp and Amber Heard hadn't been photographed together for more than a month leading up to their split. They were last seen together in public attending a court hearing in Australia to face charges that they illegally imported their two dogs into the country. Heard, 30, and Depp, 52, appeared at a hearing at the Southport Magistrates court in Queensland on April 18. The two were seen giving the occasional smile and wave to fans as Heard held on to Depp's arm as they walked through the crowd. Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Last Photographed Together at Australian Court Hearing Leading Up to Split| Couples, Divorced, Movie News, Amber Heard, Johnny Depp Though the actress was spotted sans wedding band several times in the weeks leading to the divorce, Heard was wearing her ring while in Australia. The former couple also recorded an apology video together after being released on a one-month good behavior bond. Heard filed for divorce from Depp on Monday after 15 months of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences. She also asked for spousal support from Depp, according to the documents obtained by PEOPLE. Los Angeles (AFP) - Johnny Depp's wife has filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences after 15 months of marriage to the Hollywood star, celebrity news media reported. Court records published by the TMZ website show that Amber Heard submitted the petition to a court in Los Angeles on Monday seeking spousal support from the 52-year-old "Pirates of the Caribbean" star. The separation comes less than a week after the death of Depp's mother, Betty Sue Palmer, at the age of 81. Celebrity magazine People, which said it had also obtained a copy of the petition, said 30-year-old Heard cited "irreconcilable differences." The pair, who have no children together, have been embroiled in a spat with Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce since Heard failed to declare the couple's two dogs when they arrived in Queensland state a year ago for the filming of the latest "Pirates of the Caribbean" installment. Joyce, who is also the agriculture minister, threatened to have Pistol and Boo put down unless they "buggered off back to the United States" for breaking Australia's strict quarantine laws. Actress-model Heard last month admitted falsifying her immigration arrivals card and was placed on a $720 one-month good-behavior bond. The couple released an awkward video apology, after which Joyce mocked Depp for looking like "he was auditioning for the Godfather." "In all seriousness, the one thing I will never revel in is any relationship breakdown, no matter what animosity that might be seen on the airwaves between Mr. Depp and myself," Joyce told reporters in Queensland on Wednesday when asked about the split. "I have always wished the very best for people. No, I would never ever revel in something like that." The couple do not have a pre-nuptial agreement, TMZ reported. Heard listed their date of separation as Sunday in the documents published by the website, which make no mention of custody of the dogs. Story continues Depp and Heard met on the set of the 2011 film "The Rum Diary", when Depp was still in a long-term relationship with the French actress Vanessa Paradis, mother of his son Jack and daughter Lily-Rose. They married in a small, private ceremony in Los Angeles in February last year before celebrating with a larger event on Depp's private island in the Bahamas. Depp's latest film, "Alice Through the Looking Glass", is due to be released on Friday. Representatives for Depp or Heard could not immediately be reached for comment. Buenos Aires (AFP) - South American ex-military leaders face judgment Friday accused of collaborating to torture and assassinate leftist dissidents in a US-backed crackdown during the region's dictatorships in the 1970s and 1980s. An Argentine court is trying 18 former army officers accused of taking part in Operation Condor, in which the military regimes of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay helped each other track down and kill leftist dissidents. On Friday the court is due to deliver its verdict after a three-year trial -- the first to try the crimes committed under the Condor plan. The operation began in the 1970s at the height of the Cold War. It is blamed for scores of executions and kidnappings -- 89 in Argentina alone. Prosecutors based their case partly on declassified US intelligence documents showing how the South American regimes worked together to identify political exiles in neighboring countries and kill them or send them back to their home countries. The documents go into grisly detail about the bureaucracy of repression, such as the formal authorization Uruguay's intelligence services had to assassinate opponents in Argentina or ask the ruling junta there to take them out. The various regimes communicated with each other using a telex system dubbed "Condortel." Officers were trained to use it at the infamous School of the Americas in Panama, a US training center that drilled repressive Latin American regimes in counter-insurgency tactics. "The trial has allowed us to better understand Operation Condor," victims' lawyer Luz Palmas said. "Until now, historians and journalists were the only ones who had carried out investigations." - Stolen baby - The cases include harrowing stories such as that of Maria Garcia and Marcelo Gelman. The militant anti-regime couple were arrested in Argentina on August 24, 1976 and taken to an auto workshop that regime agents had transformed into a torture chamber. Story continues Gelman was killed. Garcia, who was seven months pregnant at the time, was transferred to her native Uruguay under Operation Condor where she was then "disappeared." Garcia's family still does not know exactly what happened to her. Garcia's daughter was born in captivity and given to a family of regime sympathizers to raise. She learned her real identity only through blood testing in 2000, when she was 23 years old. - Two ex-presidents accused - Hundreds of army officers and police have been tried in Argentina for atrocities carried out under the country's 1976 to 1983 dictatorship. Amnesty laws have protected others, notably in Brazil. Operation Condor itself had never been the subject of a trial until the current case opened in February 2013. "It's the first verdict on Operation Condor as a coordinated structure for repression," said Gaston Chillier, head of Argentine rights group CELS. There are 17 Argentine officers on trial and one Uruguayan: former colonel Manuel Cordero, 77. Prosecutors sought numerous suspects in other countries, but their extradition requests were refused. Among the accused is Argentina's last military dictator, Reynaldo Bignone. Now aged 88, he faces 20 years in prison, on top of the 15 he is already serving for the theft of babies born to political prisoners. Jorge Videla, who ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1981, also faced charges, but he died in prison in 2013 at age 87. Videla was serving sentences for the abduction of babies and killings of dissidents. The court examined evidence relating to 105 victims from Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina. "Many countries, particularly neighboring ones in Latin America, are awaiting this as one of the most important judgments a court has made," the CELS said in its plea statement. Youre not seriously considering treating skin cancer with something from Walmart, are you? (Photo: Getty Images) Natural doesnt always mean safer. According to research published in the May issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, the majority of patients who are using an over-the-counter remedy called black salve to treat damaged skin or skin cancer are doing so without their dermatologists approval and the results can be disastrous. Black salve, which refers to a family of substances containing the corrosive ingredients zinc chloride and sanguinarine (an alkaloid derived from the bloodroot plant Sanguinaria canadensis), can eliminate the top layer of skin. But it comes with numerous possible side effects such as infection, extensive scarring, and disfigurement and can further complicate skin cancer. In some cases, the results can be life-threatening. One online store describes the salve this way: This formula is traditionally known for its ability to help draw out toxins and poison from an area, [and is] especially effective for helping to promote healthy skin function. This is not the first time this alternative remedy which is available at national online retailers such as Walmart.com and Drugstore.com has made the news. A case published in a 2014 issue of the journal Dermatology Practical & Conceptual reported on a woman who was diagnosed with superficial spreading melanoma and treated her condition with black salve. Five years later, she was diagnosed with subsequent evidence of metastatic spread to the regional lymph nodes, lungs, liver, subcutaneous tissues and musculature. What Is Cryotherapy and Why Do Celebs Love It? Basically, its a skin poison, Doris Day, MD a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in laser, cosmetic, and surgical dermatology, and a clinical associate professor of dermatology at the New York University Langone Medical Centers tells Yahoo Beauty. It just attacks and destroys living tissue and creates a scar. Its killing the skin locally. Story continues She further explains that this controversial agent was used during primitive times. The problem with black salve is that if you have a very strong concentration, if you use too much, or use it in a sensitive area (like the nose or the finger, which are end organs), you can really create a lot of damage. Also, not all skin cancers are the same. Depending on the type of skin cancer, whether its basal cell, squamous cell, or melanoma, we have different treatment options, said Day. For example, a patient with melanoma would not be prescribed a topical medication. So you would never want to use something like black salve, and then change [the condition] when its already spread, and then we wouldnt have the original diagnosis anymore. Can You Actually Repair Your Own Skin with the Help of Your Own DNA? Day refers to three very cool Food and Drug Administration-approved and medically tested topical creams that can treat some skin cancers: Imiquimod, Fluorouracil, and Ingenol Mebutate. There is something called immunomodulators, and what they do is tag the abnormal cells that your immune system will recognize as abnormal and attack them, she explains. So theyre modulating and regulating your immune system in a very focused way to destroy only the cancer cells. If you put it on normal skin where there are no cancer cells or sun damage, you will not get a response. Overall, Day does not recommend using black salve as a remedy for other skin conditions, either. The only thing I could think of [that] it would possibly be for [is] a wart, but even for that we have better treatments on the market, she concludes. Just dont use it. Read This Next: 10 New Sunscreens with the Most Luxurious Formulas Lets keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 26, 2016 / Stans Energy Corp. (TSX-V: HRE, OTCQB: HREEF), ("Stans" or the "Company"), reports that Kamal Oil LLP ("Kamal Oil") failed to pay the US$ 10 million dollars as required by the State Agency for Geology and Mineral Resources of the Kyrgyz Republic ("SAGMR"). SAGMR cancelled the result of the tender for the subsoil licenses for Kutessay II rare earth deposit and the Kalesay beryllium deposits. No information has been released regarding the future plans of the Republic for a new tender for Kutessay II and Kalesay at this time. About Stans Energy Stans Energy Corp. is a resource development company focused on advancing rare earth and specialty metals properties focusing on areas of Central Asia and Russia. Stans acquired, among other things, the right to mine the past producing rare earth mine, Kutessay II, in the Kyrgyz Republic in 2009 and the right to mine Beryllium at Kalesay. Steps subsequently taken by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic wrongfully to deprive the Company of those mining rights have required Stans to take the legal actions to protect the Companys rights and recover damages caused by the Republics wrongful actions. Contact Details Rodney Irwin Stans Energy Corp President & CEO rodney@stansenergy.com 647-426-1865 David Vinokurov Stans Energy Corp VP Corporate Development david@stansenergy.com 647-426-1865 FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This document includes forward-looking statements as well as historical information. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, use of proceeds from the Offering, the completion of the Offering, the continued advancement of the company's general business development, research development and the company's development of mineral exploration projects. When used in this press release, the words "will," "shall," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intent," "may," "project," "plan," "should" and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. Although Stans believes that its expectations reflected in these forward looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties and no assurance can be given that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements include the potential that fluctuations in the marketplace for the sale of minerals, the inability to implement corporate strategies, the ability to obtain financing and other risks disclosed in our filings made with Canadian Securities Regulators. SOURCE: Stans Energy Corp. Katie Couric and Stephanie Soechtig are speaking out about the considerable amount of heat they've gotten from the gun lobby since Epix premiered their latest documentary collaboration, Under the Gun. The feature, which premiered at Sundance earlier this year, focuses on the effects of gun violence in the U.S. - and while the term "gun control" is deliberately avoided, it does not have a particularly pro-gun narrative. That's why several groups, including the National Rifle Association, have cried foul over a controversial edit where several documentary subjects appear stumped by a question. "If there are no background checks for gun purchasers," Couric asked members of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, "how do you prevent felons or terrorists from walking into, say, a licensed gun dealer and purchasing a gun?" The film depicts an eight-second pause before they respond, but the group contends they were not as stumped as the edit implied. That fact was picked up by several blogs earlier this week when one, Ammoland, acquired unedited audio. "There are a wide range of views expressed in the film," Soechtig, the doc's director, said Wednesday in a statement. "My intention was to provide a pause for the viewer to have a moment to consider this important question before presenting the facts on Americans' opinions on background checks. I never intended to make anyone look bad and I apologize if anyone felt that way." Couric, who narrated and served as executive producer, offered the following: "I support Stephanie's statement and am very proud of the film." Epix, which premiered the doc on May 16, also issued a statement supporting both Couric and Soechtig: "Under the Gun is a critically acclaimed documentary that looks at the polarizing and politicized issue of gun violence, a subject that elicits strong reactions from people on both sides. Epix stands behind Katie Couric, director Stephanie Soechtig, and their creative and editorial judgment. We encourage people to watch the film and decide for themselves." By Steven Shapiro John Kelsalls grief is masked by pride as he shows off the trident pin his son Jonas earned when he became a U.S. Navy SEAL. Its one of my most prized possessions, he says. Lt. Cmdr. Jonas Kelsall was killed in action during a mission in Afghanistan in 2011 that took the lives of 30 Americans and a military service dog. He said, If anything ever happens to me, know Im doing what I love with the guys I love doing it with. And I wouldnt want to do anything else, his father says. Following his death, his parents established a nonprofit in his honor to give back to those who have served their country. John and Teri Kelsall spoke with Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric about The Jonas Project and its mission to help returning veterans launch and grow their own businesses. The mentor is the most vital part of the program, Teri Kelsall told Couric. Its a two-year commitment on the mentors part, who is a volunteer. We want our veterans to feel like they can continue contributing in a positive way and still pursue their passion, says Jonas sister, Kim Kelsall Dossett, who is also a member of the Jonas Projects team. Veterans who apply to the Jonas Project have to be honorably discharged, and they have to submit a business plan for review. Once accepted, they receive help with financing, in addition to valuable guidance from their mentors. Monica Vasquez is one of the Jonas Projects greatest success stories. The Iraq war veteran was accepted to the program to help launch her own construction company. The best thing I can say is just theyre the type of people who will light a fire under you and get you motivated to make you say, Man, I can do this. Others, like Teague Savitch, owner of Blue Bowl Superfoods, has had a similar positive experience. The Jonas Project afforded me a bit of that foundation to help me address these decisions and questions that come flying at me. Transitioning from military service to the civilian workforce can be one of the most difficult periods for a veteran. Story continues Whether you are going to work for another company or whether you are starting your own business, you need to remember that theres still a learning curve. You now need to reinvent yourself, says Zach Iscol, founder & CEO of Hirepurpose, a company that helps veterans and their spouses transition to careers outside of the military. I think any organization like the Jonas Project that helps veterans, that provides, especially, the mentorship and the network that folks need to start their own business, is invaluable, he added. John Kelsall says the work in memory of Jonas is just the beginning. He made us incredibly proud. This is our way of trying to make him proud. And I think were getting there. Weve got a ways to go, but were getting there. By Mariya Gordeyeva ASTANA (Reuters) - Kazakh sovereign wealth fund Samruk-Kazyna plans to raise more than $6 billion (4 billion pounds) from privatisations over the next five years, using the proceeds to help its companies repay debt, the fund's managing director told Reuters on Thursday. The sale will start with small companies. Public offerings of stakes in the fund's crown jewels, such as national oil company KazMunayGaz, will be the last deals to happen and will take place after 2018, Berik Beisengaliyev said in an interview. "The balance sheet value of those assets (earmarked for privatisation) is between $6.0-7.3 billion at the current exchange rate," Beisengaliyev said. "Of course, we plan to raise more than the balance sheet value over the next five years." The oil-rich Central Asian nation announced an ambitious privatisation programme last year as the plunge in energy prices hit its economy, government revenue and the finances of many state-run companies. Many of the companies slated for sale belong to Samruk-Kazyna and Beisengaliyev said the fund has split them into two groups: 44 large companies and 173 smaller ones. Stakes in smaller companies such as provincial air terminals or oil equipment plants will go first, by the end of 2017, mostly through electronic auctions. Among the 44 large companies, stakes in 37 will be sold by the end of 2018 and the remaining seven will be publicly listed in 2018-2020, Beisengaliyev said. Those seven companies are railway giant Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, KazMunayGaz, uranium miner Kazatomprom, electric power conglomerate Samruk Energy, mining holding Tau-Ken Samruk, postal service KazPost and flagship carrier Air Astana. Asked what the proceeds would be used for, Beisengaliyev said: "Clearly, to reduce the debt burden". Companies owned by Samruk-Kazyna have a total foreign debt of about $17 billion and KazMunayGaz accounts for nearly 60 percent of that sum. Beisengaliyev said Samruk-Kazyna has hired Boston Consulting Group to advise on the privatisation process and would hire separate advisers for large individual deals. (Reporting by Mariya Gordeyeva; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; editing by Katya Golubkova and Adrian Croft) By Steve Bittenbender LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Reuters) - The city of Louisville, Kentucky, can remove a 121-year-old monument to Confederate soldiers that critics have objected to as an emblem of slavery, a state judge ruled on Wednesday. In a ruling from the bench, Jefferson Circuit Judge Judith McDonald-Burkman dissolved her temporary order from three weeks ago that had blocked the city and a local university from taking down the monument. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said he would work on relocating the 70-foot-high (21-metre) monument after getting the judge's written order, according to a statement from his office. A diversity committee at the University of Louisville had pushed for the monument to come down, joining a national push to remove public symbols of the Confederacy seen by critics as fostering racism. Some local residents and descendants of Confederate soldiers sued to keep the monument at its location near the University of Louisville, calling it a symbol of the South's history and culture. Ed Springston, one of the individuals who sued the city, said he would appeal the ruling. "At the end of the day, yes, we'll go forward with appeals or whatever we need to do to make sure that this monument is protected," Springston said in a telephone interview. Fischer and University of Louisville President James Ramsey said in April they would move the monument commemorating Kentuckians who died serving the Confederacy, the slaveholding states that seceded from the United States, leading to the 1861-1865 American Civil War. Kentucky, the birthplace of both U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, who led the Union, and Confederate President Jefferson Davis, did not secede from the Union, but Kentuckians fought on both sides. (Reporting by Steve Bittenbender in Louisville, Ky. and Fiona Ortiz in Chicago; Editing by David Gregorio and Peter Cooney) NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya's government has secured a $600 million loan from China to support the budget, the representative of the International Monetary Fund to Kenya said on Thursday. "They expect the money in the next two weeks," the IMF's Armando Morales told Reuters, adding that government officials had informed him that the deal had been finalised. He did not give further details. A senior Treasury official said in April that the loan would help fund the deficit for the year ending June 30. The deficit for 2015/16 is expected to be 7.9 percent of gross domestic product, down from the 8.7 percent originally forecast. (Reporting by Duncan Miriri; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Mark Heinrich) Thirty years ago, on May 31, 1986, Jeff Krulik and John Heyn hauled some borrowed public access equipment to a Judas Priest/Dokken concert at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland where they spent two hours weaving through the Mustangs, mullets, and muscle tees, pounding the parking lots pavement while shooting footage of Priest fans pounding beers. The aspiring guerilla filmmakers thought they were just making a fun video to share with friends but they had another thing comin. (movie below contains profanity) The result was the brilliant, now-demi-legendary documentary or (Marty Di Bergi voice) rockumentary, if you will Heavy Metal Parking Lot. A fascinating, highly quotable, Wild Kingdom-esque study of Jack Daniels-swilling, real-life Beavises and Buttheads in their natural habitat (a pre-concert parking lot, of course), the 16-minute film was, it can be argued, one of the very first viral videos. Such a concept didnt even exist in the 1980s pre-YouTube, pre-social-media, pre-reality-TV, pre-Internet age. But thanks to word of mouth and an underground network of avid tape-traders, by the mid-90s, Nth-generation bootleg copies of HMPL had made it into the hands of everyone from Sofia Coppola to Dave Grohl. Eventually, the VHS videos standout characters, like Zebraman (a haystack-haired headbanger with a fondness for animal-print Spandex and a deep hatred of both Madonna and punk rock) and drug-legalization champion Graham (like Graham of dope!) became viral stars the precursors to todays Chewbacca Mom, Chris Crocker, and David After Dentist, only a helluva lot funnier. And Krulik and Heyn, who went on to legitimate careers in film and television, became cinematic heroes in their own right. Their cult creation spawned such imitations as Monster Truck Parking Lot, Brian Wilson Parking Lot, and Fugazi Parking Lot, as well as American Hi-Fis Flavor of the Weak music video; Krulik and Heyn even returned to the same asphalt 10 years later for a sequel, Neil Diamond Parking Lot, and later helmed a short-lived reality show on the Trio network called, simply, Parking Lot. But none of these efforts quite captured the magic of the original. Story continues I think its just something that all people can relate to. You either were at a metal concert, or you sat next to someone in homeroom who was at that concert, Krulik tells Yahoo Music, three crazy decades later when, ironically, HMPL is now readily viewable on YouTube for a new generation to discover. Youre just tapping into the fandom and that passion Its always going to be great subject matter. But it doesnt necessarily work all the time. I know somebody in Canada went to a Marilyn Manson concert to try to do Heavy Metal Parking Lot Part 2, and it just didnt work. Nobody was doing anything outrageous, and everybody was sane. The HMPL anniversary celebration includes trading cards, beer, and the launch of a year-long gallery exhibit, Heavy Metal Parking Lot: The 30-Year Journey of a Cult Film Sensation, at Kruliks alma mater, the University of Maryland. Among the exhibits key artifacts is an actual piece of the parking lots hallowed ground, salvaged during the demolition of the Capital Centre 14 years ago. I loaded up my trunk with a hell of a lot of asphalt that day, laughs Heyn. Ive got a big pile in my shed, basically. The moonrock-shaped chunk of granite also symbolizes the end of an area as Krulik puts it, They tore it down in 2002, so you dont have any kind of tailgating; that kind of gathering just doesnt exist anymore. No wonder Heyn tells Yahoo Music: Were so grateful that were talking about this 30 years later. Culled from two interviews (one conducted this month to celebrate HMPLs 30-year milestone, one from 1998 when HMPL first became available for mailorder sale) and the directors panel at South by Southwest this year, here Krulik and Heyn present the very loud oral history of Heavy Metal Parking Lot from the whereabouts of Zebraman and Graham to the reaction of Priest themselves. And remember: Judas Priest is still number-one in heavy metal! JEFF KRULIK: John had the idea; I had the equipment, because I was actually running a public access studio called Metrovision Cable. I was 25, I had access to this professional equipment, and John and I were aspiring filmmakers we met over a mutual love of old movie theaters. It was Johns idea to do a documentary about heavy metal fans, and he just picked a date. It was a very random, lucky date, because it couldve been any band but it just happened to be Judas Priest, who were appearing on a beautiful spring night on May 31, 1986. We werent heavy metal fans, necessarily, but we were curious. We just spent two hours in the parking lot. We paid our admission like any concertgoer, wandered around with this camera gear that was professional nobody had cameras back then, so it was a real novelty to be walking around somewhere with a camera like a news crew. JOHN HEYN: The kids were drunk. A lot of em were drinking. So when they saw some guys walking around with camera equipment, they kind of embraced that and wanted to make an appearance on camera. It wasnt too hard to coax interviews from them. Some of them would even grab the microphone out of our hands and not give it back to us just go on a rant! JEFF: We didnt have a clue what we were going to be stumbling into, literally we just took the cameras out and started wandering around. But as you can see, everybody was really gracious and got into the spirit of things and just were themselves on camera. And we were just very lucky, because there was no hostility if any hostility, it was playful. We thought we were going to encounter drug deals or get beat up, but nothing happened. JOHN: And we didnt even ask them to sign any sort of release or anything like that JEFF: We were pretty young. Who knew about releases? We didnt have a game plan, so that included not getting releases. Because who knew it would even be screened beyond just our living rooms? JOHN: It wouldve been really tough to do thinking, in hindsight, people were underage, so you wouldve had to say, Take this home to your parents and sign it and mail it back to us. It wasnt realistic. We subscribed to guerrilla filmmaking, and thats part of the concept of guerrilla filmmaking you run and gun, you shoot from the hip, you dont get releases, you just go out and get the footage. We didnt even know what we had at first. We got in the car, and we were hurrying because we needed to go return the equipment that evening. But when we then popped a couple of the tapes in the video deck to watch them later, we realized we had some really special material. JEFF: I came up with the name right then. We were at the studio watching the tapes, and I said, "John, this is Heavy Metal Parking Lot. And that was it. We premiered it that fall at a punk-rock club called D.C. Space, at their experimental Super 8 and video screening nights, in October of the same year, '86. So then, we just showed it around film festivals wouldnt take video at this time, even though we wanted to be known as documentary filmmakers creating films. We didnt have the budget to blow it up to celluloid. So we ended up just screening it at clubs, or wed give copies to record stores or video stores. Basically what people did was they copied it, and they traded it. This was pre-viral, analog tape trading. It would go from tape to tape and it became something that thankfully; were very grateful for this people wanted to see. We encouraged it. But I certainly had no clue that it was getting circulated like it was. JOHN: We didnt know for a long time for decades. It was just a whole different era then. JEFF: In this day in age, its kind of a given that viral videos are a gimmick, coming into your inbox every day. But back when we made this in the analog world, that technology didnt exist. We didnt have any idea that it was being taped or traded like it was. And we certainly didnt have any expectations that it would be. JOHN: It wasnt until 1994 that we found out it had a West Coast following. I received a phone call from Sofia Coppola directly. She found me in the White Pages, with the help of one of her assistants, after renting it at this place in Los Angeles called Mondo Video. Of course, this was pre-Internet day. JEFF: John later called Mondo Video and talked to the owner, who was just raving about it, telling us that all these people like Paul Mazursky and Belinda Carlisle and all these bands had rented it. JOHN: Sofia called me up and said she was a fan of the film, and at the time she was producing a TV pilot for Comedy Central called High Octane, and she was really interested in showing clips of Heavy Metal Parking Lot on her show. JEFF: Thats really the moment that we actually knew, because we stopped showing it in 1990. And we were only showing it where we lived beyond that, it was just kind of giving out tapes and letting people have opportunities to see it, whether it was in my living room or at a local club or at a local record convention. We gave VHS copies out like water, just locally, but by 1990 we thought we were done with it. We had one final showing: We curated a film festival at the AFI Theater that was called the Dont Quit Your Day Job film and video festival, and we literally said, This is our last screening of this; we promise not to show this anymore! And that was February of 1990. But in 1992, a friend of mine, Mike Heath, was moving to the West Coast, and he asked for copies of Heavy Metal Parking Lot because he wanted to give it to some friends. I gave him a handful of copies, on VHS now we consider him the Johnny Appleseed of Heavy Metal Parking Lot. He was very astute musically and he got a copy to Bill Bartell in Los Angeles, who was in [the seminal punk band] White Flag. Bill used to have screening parties, apparently, and friends of his and colleagues of his saw it, and somehow it eventually got to Nirvanas tour bus. Bill would give it out as a holiday gift, so it got to a roadie, I think, of Nirvana. JOHN: We got confirmation of this years later, because we got ourselves backstage at a Foo Fighters concert and gave a copy to Dave Grohl Dave was very happy to give us backstage passes and invite us back, and it was a thrill of a lifetime for us to present him with his official DVD. And he verified that he had seen it and was a big fan of it. JEFF: We didnt actually start selling it, providing it with any kind of effort, until the late 90s. JOHN: Until the Internet. We put a website up in '98, and that really gave us the ability to actually get the word out. This was even pre-PayPal or electronic payments; people would have to write a check for 10 bucks or 15, post-paid, and mail it to me. And I dubbed a lot of these video cassettes myself and printed out the labels. And somebody bought this on eBay for $34 recently! JEFF: Now thats its really out there, no one has complained yet about being in the movie. Its always possible. Most of the alumni, as we call them, are all pretty honored, and look at it now with a sense of nostalgia. Were really happy that they feel that way. And overall, I feel like theyre like family members to me. Its nice to get to know them as adults. Weve been in touch with about 25 of them so far, and Leopard Girl is supposed to come to the anniversary celebration. JOHN: Everybodys thrived, grown up, and for the most part, is doing really well. And they arent mad at us. JEFF: Theres a band in L.A. that wrote a song called "Zebraman. Its been this incredible thing. Everybody wants to know what happened to the folks who were in Heavy Metal Parking Lot. We were able to track Zebraman to where he lived outside of Baltimore. We ambushed him. He didnt respond to our letters. We knew what we had to do, which was a door knock. He was very accommodating, and you know, he knew who we were, but he hadnt seen the video, so we basically showed him the video. And hes like, Yeah, thats me He was into country music, wasnt really into metal anymore. He was a successful businessman, a contractor outside of Baltimore. Lived in a nice suburban home. He turned out OK. Thats what we were really happy to see. (Zebraman shows up around the 14:45 mark below) JOHN: Some alumni went on to work at the World Bank. Theres a bunch of them that are all pretty successful. JEFF: One guy his name was Robby Ludwick at the time, and now hes ZZ Ludwick, and hes been studying to be a rabbi and is an orthodox, very devout Jewish person who is really into mandolins and fiddle music and got to be a big bluegrass nut. He has own mandolin- and fiddle-repair business. JOHN: Hes the guy who says, Rob Halford, I dont know about you! He really keeps in touch with us. JEFF: Michelle is a dental hygienist and raises dogs giant dogs. Graham, aka Graham of Dope, wrote a book Graham: The First Twenty. Hes taken ownership; hes embraced his celebrity and his appearance in the film. Its available on Amazon. Grahams great hes a grandfather now. Hes an executive chef and hes done well. One guy, Jay, works for Nederlander concert promotions. Hes been in the music industry for years, at record labels and whatnot, so its like a badge of honor. He gets a lot of street cred for actually being in Heavy Metal Parking Lot. JEFF: Heavy Metal Parking Lot wasnt made for MTV, lets just put it that way. We did submit it to television networks we have all the rejection letters, from MTV to Discovery Channel. We did send a copy to Penelope Spheeris, because she was doing The Decline of Western Civilization, and were big fans of her; shes a great influence on us. And John also worked with John Waters as a production assistant, and so he knew John Waters and he sent him a copy. John Waters sent a really nice postcard and gave us some good quotes. JOHN: The postcard basically says his review of it: What monsters! This movie gave me the creeps! And that was the ultimate endorsement for us, you know? There was no way back then to take it viral, but we certainly saved the postcard and used it in quotes later on. JEFF: Penelope called us at our jobs, and we have the phone message where she was very complimentary and to this day shes been very supportive, weve kept in touch with her. Shes a fan of it. JOHN: As for Judas Priest themselves, theyve acknowledged it, basically theres been tacit acknowledgement of it. [Editors note: Yahoo Music reached out to Judas Priest for comment for this article, but did not hear back at press time.] Ultimately, they came around. I think what happened is throughout the years a lot of music journalists interviews would always include the question: Have you seen Heavy Metal Parking Lot, and what do you think about it? I think it wasnt on their radar for a long time, so I think they just constantly got this question, so they had to check it out. JEFF: When we made the film, one goal we thought was, Lets try to get it played before the fans at the next time Judas Priest were at the Capital Centre, which was in 1988. We secured a pass we actually went backstage and screened it for the bands accountant and the tour manager. Well, it turns out the arena, they balked even though the management were cool. The arena balked and said, "We cant show this! We cant endorse whats going on out there! JOHN: We were able to give management two VHS copies to give to the band to take it back with them on tour, take it back to England but we never heard from the band, ultimately, either positively or negatively. Nothing. JEFF: We kind of felt that was an endorsement to keep doing what we were doing, which was just giving out copies. They didnt come down on us for borrowing their music or anything, so we just basically said, All right, well, we tried. We knew we were taking some risk going there to give it to them but they were accommodating. We never heard anything negative. Theyve always been cordial about it, which is really gratifying. JOHN: We always wondered why we never got a cease-and-desist. Every day, wed look at our mailbox. Thirty years later Follow Lyndsey on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, Amazon, Tumblr, Vine, Spotify The art. (Photos: @TeeJay/Twitter) Fashion people are always doing their best to convince the world that fashion design is an art form. Well, one amusing teen chose to take that concept literally. TJ Khayatan, a 17-year-old high school grad from the San Francisco Bay Area, decided to test the limits of fashion- (or at least accessories-) as-art on a recent visit to the SFMoMA. Specifically, he placed a pair of eyeglasses on the gallery floor, only to discover that they were a hit with his fellow museum-goers. Khayatan told Buzzfeed that it was the museums actual art that inspired the prank. Upon first arrival we were quite impressed with the artwork and paintings presented in the huge facility, he explained. However, some of the art wasnt very surprising to some of us. We stumbled upon a stuffed animal on a gray blanket and questioned if this was really impressive to some of the nearby people. The rest is viral Internet history. Immediately after he placed the common-looking frames on the ground, people began gathering round and taking photos. And as of Thursday morning, Khayatans tweets about the stunt have been shared more than 48,000 times. Khayatan insists that hes an art appreciator who wasnt trying to cheapen the museum experience. I can agree that modern art can be a joke sometimes, but art is a way to express our own creativity, he told BF. Some may interpret it as a joke, some might find great spiritual meaning in it. At the end of the day, I see it as a pleasure for open-minded people and imaginative minds. So what exactly have we learned here: that fashion is art, that people are sheep, or that the Internet will freak out about absolutely anything? Well let you decide for yourself. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Kinross Gold Corporation KGC said that unionized employees at its Tasiast mine in Mauritania went on a strike, following a notice by the Tasiast unions announced on May 10, 2016. The company is open to re-start negotiations on a new collective agreement and resolve other outstanding issues with union representatives. Kinross does not expect the strike to affect the development of the Tasiast Phase One expansion. Shares of the company gained1.4% to close at $4.41 on May 25. Kinross, during its first-quarter 2016 earnings release, stated that the Tasiast Phase One expansion is underway. The development will nearly double production levels and halve the cost of sales. The company reported a net loss of $13.9 million for the first quarter of 2016, wider than a net loss of $6.7 million in the year-ago quarter. Loss widened particularly due to lower gold prices. The figure includes one-time items including foreign exchange losses of $2.8 million, and acquisition-related costs of $7.6 million. Adjusted earnings (excluding one-time items) were $1.4 million or a breakeven, compared with adjusted earnings of $15.3 million or a penny per share recorded in the year-ago quarter. Analysts polled by Zacks were expecting a loss of a penny per share on an average. Revenues of $782.6 million were almost in line with the year-ago quarter as higher gold sales were partly offset by lower average realized gold prices. Revenues, however, missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $796 million. Kinross currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked mining companies are Pretium Resources Inc. PVG, Alamos Gold, Inc. AGI and Gold Fields Ltd. GFI, all of them carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report PRETIUM RES INC (PVG): Free Stock Analysis Report KINROSS GOLD (KGC): Free Stock Analysis Report GOLD FIELDS-ADR (GFI): Free Stock Analysis Report ALAMOS GOLD INC (AGI): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research A shadow of a man using his mobile phone is cast near Microsoft logo at the 2014 Computex exhibition in Taipei June 4, 2014. REUTERS/Pichi Chuang By Jussi Rosendahl and Tuomas Forsell HELSINKI/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) announced more big cuts to its smartphone business on Wednesday, just two years after it bought handset maker Nokia in an ill-fated attempt to take on market leaders Apple Inc (AAPL.O) and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd . In a move that clearly puts the stamp of two-year chief executive Satya Nadella on the U.S. company, Microsoft said it would shed up to 1,850 jobs, most of them in Finland, and write down $950 million from the business. It did not say how many employees currently work on smartphones in the group as a whole. Shares of Microsoft were trading around $52 late Wednesday, roughly flat with their $51.59 close Tuesday, but significantly up from $34.20 when Nadella became CEO in February 2014. Remaking Microsoft, known primarily for its software, into a more device-focused company was a hallmark of previous chief executive Steve Ballmer. In one of his last major acts, Ballmer closed a deal to buy Nokia's (NOKIA.HE) struggling but once-dominant handset business for about $7.2 billion in late 2013. The deal closed in April 2014, two months after Nadella became CEO. Since then, Nadella has shaved away at the phone business, starting with a 2015 restructuring that put the devices group, previously a stand-alone unit under former Nokia chief Stephen Elop, under the Windows group. Run by Terry Myerson, the Windows division is the company's biggest. A Finnish union representative told Reuters the cuts would essentially put an end to Microsoft's development of new phones. "My understanding is that Windows 10 will go on as an operating system, but there will be no more phones made by Microsoft," said Kalle Kiili, a shop steward. Microsoft said in a statement it would continue to develop the Windows 10 platform and support its Lumia smartphones, but gave no comment on whether it would develop new Windows phones. Global market share of Windows smartphones fell below 1 percent in the first quarter of 2016, according to research firm Gartner. Story continues Last year, Microsoft announced $7.5 billion of writedowns and 7,800 job cuts in its phone business. Earlier this month, Microsoft sold its entry-level feature phones business for $350 million. The company said on Wednesday it expected to cut all 1,350 jobs at its Finnish mobile phone unit and close down a research and development site in the country. A further 500 jobs will go in other countries, it said, without giving details. "We are focusing our phone efforts where we have differentiation," Nadella said in a statement. "We will continue to innovate across devices and on our cloud services across all mobile platforms." Nokia dominated around 40 percent of the world's mobile phone industry in 2008 before it was eclipsed by the rise of touch-screen smartphones. As a result, Nokia and Microsoft have slashed thousands of Finnish jobs over the past decade, and the lack of substitute jobs is the main reason for the country's current economic stagnation. Nokia, now focused on telecom network equipment, just last week said it was cutting around 1,000 jobs in Finland following its acquisition of Franco-American rival Alcatel-Lucent (ALUA.PA). The Microsoft phone business still has a dedicated fan in Ballmer, who bragged about his device at a San Francisco dinner hosted by Fortune in March. "It's a Windows phone," he said as the audience laughed. "Why wouldn't it be?" (Reporting by Jussi Rosendahl, Tuomas Forsell and Sarah McBride; Editing by Adrian Croft and Andrew Hay) Kylie Jenner is the queen of the triplegram. For those who dont obsessively contemplate the finer points of social media and have no idea what that word means, allow us to explain. A triplegram is simply a nearly identical shot posted three times in a row, and is a technique used by many top Instagramers to share a narrative on their feeds. Kourtney may have brought attention to the trend, but the eldest Kardashian sister is quick to admit she learned the trick from her youngest sister Kylie. And the teen reality star proved her gramming prowess on Wednesday, posting a string of moody shots. Rihanna Julia Roberts Gucci Dress Theres nothing Kylie loves more than posting one selfie after the next from dawn until dusk, but yesterdays selection took on an artsy bent. Wearing a simple pair of black leggings and a cropped white tee, the teen showed off the bottom of her bra, squatting on the floor and testing out some various arm poses in her half-lit, shadow-filled room. But really, nothing says sexy revenge selfie quite like modeling half-clothed in front of your laptop charger. Rihanna Julia Roberts Gucci Dress RELATED VIDEO: Watch: Austin Mahone Takes Us Inside Kylie Jenners 18th Birthday Party RELATED PHOTOS: Every Single Time Kylie Jenner Has Ever Changed Her Hair Color A photo posted by Kylie Jenner Snapchats (@kylizzlesnapchats) on May 25, 2016 at 4:02pm PDT We know Kylie just broke up with her boyfriend and all, but really she doesnt have much of an excuse to be too sad considering she also revealed on Snapchat that the trunk of her blue Ferrari is currently filled with exclusive The Life of Pablo merch courtesy of her sister and brother-in-law, better known to the masses as Kimye. And from the looks of things, a lot of the pieces in that pile havent even gone on sale yet. If theres one lesson we can take away from all this its that time and Yeezy heal all. Do you ever post triplegrams? What would you do with all that TLOP merch? Emily Kirkpatrick For the eighth time in the space of several weeks, workers and students took to the streets of towns and cities around France on May 26 in protest against labor law reforms. The laws were controversially pushed through the National Assembly earlier in the month, since then the protests have escalated to include oil refineries and power plants. The first part of this video shows protesters marching through the streets of Paris, and the last part shows riot police facing off with protesters. Credit: Lucas Arland (Corrects to clarify that Sable was not awarded the concession it was seeking to acquire) By James Harding Giahyue MONROVIA, May 25 (Reuters) - A grand jury in Liberia on Wednesday indicted government officials, including the speaker of parliament and the head of the ruling party, along with London AIM-listed Sable Mining on charges including bribery. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf ordered an inquiry into Sable's attempt to acquire an iron ore concession in northern Liberia after the watchdog group Global Witness made accusations of wrong-doing in a report earlier this month. A grand jury in the capital Monrovia accused the defendants of bribery among other crimes, according to the indictment seen by Reuters. The indictment alleged that the defendants conspired to use their positions to amend Liberia's public procurement and concessions law. It asserted that they succeeded in changing the law to give the Minister of Lands, Mines and Energy the power to declare a concession area as a non-bidding area. The indictment did not specify how Sable Mining allegedly benefited from the change to the law and Reuters was unable to independently determine if Sable actually did. In its report Global Witness claimed that the amendment was intended to allow the company to win the concession without a tender. In the end however, Sable Mining was not awarded the property, known as Wologizi. A spokeswoman for Sable said the company would not comment on the accusations made in the indictment, which cover a period including 2010 and 2011. Previously Sable said the Global Witness report appeared to be based on "unreliable" testimony from three former business partners. The indictment named as defendants Sable Mining, parliament speaker Alex Tyler, Varney Sherman, a senator and chairman of President Johnson Sirleaf's Unity Party, and Deputy Minister of Lands, Mines and Energy Ernest C.B. Jones, as well as Christopher Onanuga, a Liberian businessman. Story continues All four men were arrested in Liberia's capital Monrovia on Wednesday and were later released on bail. Tyler has rejected the Global Witness report, which, like the indictment, alleged that bribery had been used to facilitate Sable's attempted acquisition of the concession. He was not immediately reachable for comment. His office said he was not planning to comment on the indictment, which alleges he requested and received $75,000 to help amend Liberia's procurement and concession law. As he left court on Wednesday, Sherman told reporters he would not comment on the indictment. While he acknowledged in a May 13 news conference that his law firm had worked for Sable, he denied the Global Witness allegations of wrong-doing. Neither Jones, accused in the indictment of receiving $5,000 for providing the technical advice for the alteration of the procurement and concession law, nor Onanuga responded to text messages and telephone calls. The indictment did not give specific details of the allegations against Onanuga. (Additional reporting by Guy Faulconbridge in London; Writing by Joe Bavier; Editing by Toni Reinhold) More than 70 cents of every dollar Libertarian Gary Johnson a man who could play spoiler in battleground states in November has spent so far in his 2016 presidential bid has gone to the consulting firm of his campaign manager, Ron Nielson, according to a Center for Public Integrity review of federal campaign finance filings. This has irked some Libertarians ahead of their national convention, which starts Friday in Orlando, Florida, where party activists will select their presidential and vice presidential nominees. Its extremely troubling, said George Phillies, chairman of the Libertarian Party of Massachusetts. Were supposed to be fiscally prudent. Johnson is a former two-term governor of New Mexico who was the partys presidential nominee four years ago, earning about 1 percent of the vote nationally. Phillies calls Johnson, whose 2012 presidential campaign is still roughly $1.9 million in debt, unacceptable. Earlier this month, he sent a letter to his fellow Libertarian National Convention delegates urging them to support a candidate who focuses his resources on outreach, not on paying his campaign advisors. Libertarians are hoping to be a force to be reckoned with in 2016 by tapping into dissatisfaction with Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump those parties all-but-certain presidential nominees. More than a dozen candidates are challenging Johnson for the Libertarian presidential nomination this year including technology entrepreneur John McAfee and Austin Petersen, owner of news magazine and website LibertarianRepublic.com. This story is part of Buying of the President 2016. Tracking the candidates, political committees and nonprofits that are making this presidential election the most expensive in history. Click here to read more stories in this investigation. Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. Johnson has spent about $334,000 since he launched his bid in January. By contrast, Peterson has spent about $36,000 campaigning for the Libertarian presidential nomination so far, with about one-quarter going to consultants, and McAfee has spent about $8,000, with about half going to consultants. Story continues Documents filed with the Federal Election Commission show Johnson campaign has paid Nielsons Utah-based Liberty Consulting Service $239,600 for campaign consulting services since January. What exactly does that mean? Theyre doing a lot of services, Johnson campaign lawyer Christina Sirois told the Center for Public Integrity. Liberty Consulting Service provides overall campaign management services, including managing staff, advertising, research and more. Sirois added that the Johnson campaign would soon file amended campaign finance reports because it erroneously listed the name of Liberty Consulting Service as Liberty Consulting Services in January. The Center for Public Integrity had raised questions about this vendor after discovering that there was no Liberty Consulting Services registered to do business in Utah. For years, transparency advocates have been calling for greater detail in how campaigns report their expenditures. Vague terms like campaign consulting services, are, said Paul S. Ryan, deputy executive director of the Campaign Legal Center, not very useful information for voters to keep tabs on how the candidates are spending the money theyre raising. But, he added: So long as the candidate is paying fair market value for the goods and services the candidate is receiving there arent any legal issues. Related: Follow the money on both sides of the political aisle Earlier this week, Johnson took to Facebook to address Libertarian delegates who have been concerned about his outstanding 2012 campaign debt. The key fact for you, as a Delegate, to know is that NO funds being raised for the 2016 campaign will be used to reduce the 2012 debts shown on our campaign disclosure reports, Johnson wrote. On May 5, Johnsons campaign submitted its latest proposal to settle its debt the crux of which is to sell its list of email addresses of its supporters and is currently waiting for the FEC to approve the plan. This week, Johnson also announced plans to create a joint fundraising committee, which will raise money for Johnsons campaign as well as the Libertarian parties in 15 states. The 15 state parties set to benefit are Alabama, Alaska, California, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wyoming. This story was co-published with TIME. This story is part of Buying of the President 2016. Tracking the candidates, political committees and nonprofits that are making this presidential election the most expensive in history. Click here to read more stories in this investigation. Related stories Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C. Stockholm (AFP) - The world's largest seaworthy wooden ship of its class, a replica of a merchant vessel that sank in 1745 off the coast of Sweden for reasons still unknown, is up for sale after years on the seas. The Swedish foundation that owns the vessel "Gotheborg", a replica of the 18th century galleon from the Swedish East India Company, announced Thursday it could no longer afford the upkeep. "This is a tough decision that we've been forced to make," said Lars Malmer, chairman of the Ostindiefararen Gotheborg foundation. "We would have preferred it to continue sailing, but can confirm that the financial conditions do not exist," he said in a statement. The original, the East Indiaman Gotheborg, sank in 1745 within sight of its home port of Gothenburg on Sweden's west coast after nearly completing a two-year voyage home from China. For reasons still unknown, the ship struck an underwater rock as it neared its home port. Within view of the harbour, the vessel sank slowly in shallow waters. While the crew was rescued, almost nine tonnes of chinaware went down to the deep and was recovered only in the late 1980s by volunteer divers. The replica, Gotheborg III, took 10 years to make using shipbuilding techniques and materials believed to have been in use in the 18th century. The foundation said carpenters used hand-forged nails, handmade blocks and hand-woven rigging to construct the 40-metre (130-foot) long and 10-metre wide vessel. However, the ship is equipped with modern technologies to meet current safety standards. The modern-day Gotherborg set sail for the first time in August 2005 and began to retrace its old route west three months later. It has since anchored in nearly 100 ports in over 20 countries, employed thousands of sailors and welcomed a million visitors aboard. Malmer said the foundation will consider any proposal to save the ship by selling it to buyers in any country, or to keep it in Gotheborg, the port city which owes its fortune to trade during the 18th century. Malmer would not discuss the ship's selling price. "We'll see about that with potential buyers," he told AFP. For decades, the way to capturing voters' hearts and minds has been through bombarding their eyes and ears with television ads. Presidential candidates and interest groups have already dumped millions into TV commercials this cycle. The spots are by turns ominous, amusing and provocative. But are Americans tuning out? We explore the TV ad wars on the latest episode of Special Relationship, a podcast from Mic and the Economist that dives deep into the global implications of the race for president. In episode 3, Mic senior political correspondent Celeste Katz and Economist U.S. editor John Prideaux scrutinize the meaning and evolution of campaign advertising in the United States and abroad. Veteran strategist and admaker Jimmy Siegel opens the discussion with his take on the anatomy of a winning TV commercial. Political scientist Darrell West of the Brookings Institution dissects the changing impact of ads and forecasts the tone of a likely general election faceoff between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Plus, Matt Steinglass, the Economist's Europe editor, contrasts America's political broadcasting blitz with what voters get on The Continent. Listen here: Subscribe to Special Relationship on iTunes, Google Play or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please rate and leave a review, and stay tuned for the fourth episode in two weeks. Lockheed Martin Corp. LMT has won a contract from the U.S. Navy to build the guidance and control systems for the MK 48 Mod 7 torpedoes. The contract has a potential value of $424.7 million, if all options are excercised. Per the contract, Lockheed Martin will supply MK-48 common broadband advanced sonar system upgrade kits as well as MK 48 heavyweight torpedo guidance and control sections to the Navy. It also covers the testing of equipment, spares, production support material, engineering support, and hardware repair support. These guidance and control systems will provide heavyweight torpedoes with improved bandwidth, and efficient targeting and tracking abilities, thereby enhancing the MK 48's efficiency as well as its counter-measure capacities. The latest contract is part of a five-year initiative to grow the inventory of the MK 48 Mod 7 heavyweight torpedoes for the submarine fleet. Over the next five years, the company may receive production orders for another 250 torpedoes from the Navy to be used as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) weapons by all classes of submarines. Work is scheduled to be complete by Dec 2019 and will be performed in Massachusetts, CA. The contract will use fiscal 2016 weapons procurement and spares funds. The MK 48 is a heavyweight torpedo which can be launched from almost all military submarines. It is capable of tracking and destroying surface ships and submarines in shallow water as well as at depths of over 1,000 feet. Lockheed Martin is the largest U.S. defense contractor with a platform-centric focus that guarantees a steady inflow of follow-on orders from its leveraged presence in the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy and IT programs. Lockheed Martin currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Stocks to Consider Some better-ranked stocks in the aerospace and defense space include Engility Holdings, Inc. EGL , BAE Systems plc BAESY and CAE Inc. CAE, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report LOCKHEED MARTIN (LMT): Free Stock Analysis Report BAE SYSTEMS-ADR (BAESY): Free Stock Analysis Report CAE INC (CAE): Free Stock Analysis Report ENGILITY HLDGS (EGL): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research London (AFP) - London's new mayor Mayor Sadiq Khan told AFP on Thursday he was pushing a "positive case" for staying in the EU rather than simply predicting doom if Britain votes out. He said a victory for Remain campaigners in the June 23 referendum would help boost workers' rights, improve air quality and support the battle against climate change while keeping Britain safe. "What we need to be doing, people like me who passionately believe that we should remain in the European Union, is to argue the positive case for remaining," he told AFP as he launched his campaign at a meeting with young entrepreneurs in the British capital. "We've always been a city and a country that's been open, outward looking," said Khan, the first Muslim elected to run a Western capital city. The Labour mayor is hoping to win over undecided Londoners as well as encouraging the city's people to actually go to the polls. Khan, 45, who took office on May 9, also wants to move the campaign away from so-called scare stories that seek to frighten voters into either the Leave or Remain camps. "So far the debate has largely been dominated by the potential risks on either side, with one side saying if we leave, the world as we know it will end. The other side saying if we stay, it will be the end of times," Khan said in a speech. "Frankly, neither is right. We would survive outside the EU but we'll be diminished as a country as a result." Khan said he fully agreed with the economic case for staying in, but wanted to put across a different side of the argument. "The choice we face isn't only about the money in your pockets. It's about the kind of country we want Britain to be," he said. "It's about our values, how we perceive ourselves as a nation, how our open and outward-facing nature means we can't help but embrace our European neighbours." "I believe 'Remain' is the best choice for Britain's heart as well as it is for our head." Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Monday warned that "fear-based" tactics in the EU referendum campaign could backfire. With exactly four weeks to go until the referendum, the Remain camp is on 53 percent and the Leave campaign on 47 percent, according to the What UK Thinks website's average of the most recent six opinion polls. (Adds technical issue resolved, comments from officials) LOS ANGELES, May 26 (Reuters) - Planes arriving and departing Los Angeles International Airport were delayed on Thursday after a problem with air-traffic control software briefly halted all flights, according to U.S. and local air traffic officials. The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a ground stop for all flights into and out of the airport at about 8 a.m. PDT(1500 GMT), airport spokeswoman Nancy Castles said in an email. At 8:30 a.m. PDT, departures resumed and 30 minutes later the FAA's air traffic control tower at LAX lifted the ground stop completely, she said. "The ground stop has been lifted," FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer said in an email. "However, it will take a while to clear up the residual delays." Airport officials said on their Twitter page that the delays were lasting between 30 minutes and 45 minutes. The delays stemmed from a software issue with the radar system at a facility in San Diego where air traffic controllers direct aircraft as they approach the airport, Kenitzer said. Technicians fixed the problem at 9 a.m. PDT, he said. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; Additional reporting by Jeffrey Dastin in New York; Editing by Chris Reese and Alan Crosby) Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f98596%2fkanye Are ya ready kids? Aye aye Kanye! Daniel Asadi, aka ASADI, who normally deals in Persian trap music, decided to take a decidedly non-Persian trap angle with his banger track entitled "Spongebob, meet Kanye West." He took the a cappella track "I love Kanye" from Kanye West's newest album The Life of Pablo and set it to the ending credits of everyone's favorite pineapple dwelling sponge. It is simply phenomenal. First-time Malibu visitors who expect a Cali version of the Cote d'Azur are in for a surprise. Where are the chic cafes and "models" parading in bikinis and diamonds? Not on Carbon Beach, that's for sure. Never mind the $20 million price tags on its beachfront and canyon homes: "Malibu is anti-fancy," says Kelly Meyer, surfer mom, eco-fundraiser and wife of NBCUniversal vice chairman Ron Meyer. "You won't find any bikini bracelets here." Despite the village's low-glitz ethos, travelers naturally arrive craving luxury and an ocean view. And until the highly anticipated Nobu Ryokan opens a few hundred yards down the beach (with fewer than 20 rooms), the only luxury hotel in town is the 47-room Malibu Beach Inn, just freshened up for summer 2016 by new owners Simon and Daniel Mani, who also count the Soho House building on Sunset among their portfolio of commercial properties across L.A. David Geffen, who purchased the inn in 2005 for $29 million from founders Marty and Vicki Cooper (they launched it in 1989, when rooms started at $135), gave it his own $10 million upgrade before a 2007 reopening; he sold it to the Mani brothers in March 2015 for $80 million. That comes out to a whopping $1.7 million a room - by that metric, it has the highest valuation of any California hotel. Read More: Los Angeles Real Estate: 3 Hot New Niche Markets At the far edge of Carbon Beach on the Pacific Coast Highway, the inn caters to the neighbors - even one-percenters run out of guest rooms. (Steven Spielberg's mother, Leah Adler, at one time was a regular weekender.) Its Carbon Beach Club restaurant, still led by the chef from the Geffen days, Victor Morales, serves three meals a day and seats 34 indoors and another 60 on the oceanfront terrace. Daryl Hannah pops in for Sunday breakfast with boyfriend Neil Young, and Bella and Gigi Hadid often stopped by when they lived in the neighborhood. Yeah, that guy on the deck in board shorts and shades might be Mel Gibson. Story continues The inn sits on a prime stretch of swimmable beach. The Mani brothers have been hands-on. They poached Gregory Day in August from Shutters, where he'd worked for eight years; he's now their president of hospitality and overseeing operations at the inn. They also hired interior designer Waldo Fernandez, who's done rooms for Elizabeth Taylor, Jennifer Aniston and the Pitt-Jolie brood, not to mention Soho House West Hollywood and Wolfgang Puck's Spago. In conceiving one of the inn's public spaces, Cuban-born Fernandez took a design tip from Puck: "He told me that 26 inches high for a cocktail table is best - not too high or too low," says the former film-set designer. "I used that height table in the sitting room." Those tables, along with upholstered seating and Scandinavian-inspired wooden chairs, surround a fireplace with a cache of woolly blankets for chilly seaside nights. Not so much as a tassel or hint of gilt is to be found. "This hotel is about the ocean," says Fernandez. "Every room has an ocean view, so we made the public rooms simple and calming using blue-gray, dark blue and beige, with teak floors." Guest rooms (starting at $600 a night) are done in the same palette. Not all rooms have yet been redesigned, but each has its own balcony, and the newer rooms are fitted with elaborate remote-control toilets with bidets. "I suppose it will press your clothes and make your dinner, if you asked," jokes Day. Read More: Soho House Rival With Investor Gwyneth Paltrow Unveils Plans for Sunset Strip Club (Photos) Prints and photographs throughout the space were chosen with the help of the Manis' personal curator (aside from two Jasper Johns lithographs in the restaurant, which were included in the purchase from Geffen): The sitting room showcases four of Donald Sultan's iconic poppies. A Robert Indiana print near the entrance is a guest favorite, says Day. The Manis' hand also is evident in the wine list. "They love vintage Bordeaux," says sommelier Laurie Sutton. "They shared some great wines from their own cellars for our list." As a college student, top Hollywood real estate agent Madison Hildebrand worked at the inn's reservation desk. Now he takes multimillion-dollar deal meetings there. "The hotel fits Malibu. We don't want big or glitzy," he says. "Even my parents like staying here better than my house." The long-awaited beachfront outpost of Soho House, Little Beach House Malibu, has set its soft opening for May 27 on the former site of Larry Ellison's Italian restaurant Nikita (shuttered in December 2014 after just 18 months in operation). Only the club's Malibu Local members will have access to the facility during the Memorial Day weekend; the official launch is June 1. In deference to the close-knit local community, membership structure for LBHM is slightly different than at other Soho House locations: Every House members, who generally have privileges at, well, every club, will have to apply for a $1,500 annual Malibu Plus add-on for access to the beachside spot, which has a bar, restaurant, upstairs sitting area and two outdoor terraces. LBHM summer member programming also will have a distinctly local flavor, with a visit to the vineyards of Saddlerock Ranch and a foraging trip to Point Dume led by Malibu farmer Larry Thorne. LBHM will be the second new club to open in late May: Ludlow House on New York City's Lower East Side bowed May 23. The terrace of the inn's restaurant, the Carbon Beach Club, has seating for 60 with views of the Malibu Pier. Chocolate chip cookies are baked daily. Every room has custom furniture and an ocean view. Bathrooms were custom-fabricated with white oak cabinets, custom Corian and Molton Brown toiletries. This story first appeared in the June 3 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe. Anik Duttas house consists of two flats in an apartment building in chic South Kolkata. Inside are bright white marble floors and ethnic decor that could suit a Pottery Barn: Eastern Flair Edition. Its across from a Chinese restaurant; next door sits an empty lot where one of the citys beloved old intergenerational homes has just been torn down. Probably for a bougie cafe. His house is not officially haunted. But metaphorically, it is. Dutta, one of West Bengals most beloved modern filmmakers, is obsessed with Kolkatas changing landscape, and his films address the citys tidal shifts. His breakout, in fact, tells the story of a gaggle of ghosts on the verge of being evicted from their longtime classic Kolkata home, thanks to a promoters plan to build a mini-Singapore-esque mall. Ah, gentrification and its eerie discontents. Here in the state that birthed famed Satyajit Ray the only Indian to receive a lifetime achievement award at the Oscars Dutta hopes to carry on the legacy of Bengali intellectual culture. He insists on preserving the milieu of this state where literacy is a given and Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore is as venerated as Gandhi. A longtime adman turned feature-film writer and director, 55-year-old Dutta hit it big with his debut, Bhooter Bhabishyat (The Future of the Past), which was a surprise box-office hit and was adapted into Hindi. Following his second, Ashchorjyo Prodeep (Astonishing Lamp), hes working on a third Bengali movie and his first original Hindi script. While Indian regional cinema has never had a great track record at breaking big with mainstream Western audiences, some 300 million people worldwide speak Bengali so theres no shortage of potential viewers for Duttas work. Bengalis almost feel they have a cultural duty to go and see my films, he says. But Dutta isnt quite targeting all those millions, says Ipsita Barat, head of the film studies department at St. Xaviers College Kolkata, adding that Dutta makes movies appealing to an upper-class, well-educated audience while touching on political and historical themes. Story continues Dutta himself embodies the Bengali tradition of adda, long conversations encompassing politics, literature and culture. Our chat spans two hours in his living room over chai with a venture onto his balcony while he takes a quick smoke. He divagates into long-spun stories about the history of his city, where hes spent almost all his life. He recounts the violent Communist movements of the 1970s and the man he once spied in the park whod lost a limb in the bombings. He recalls the weird wandering street poets and the leftist liberal arts colleges where money was a dirty word. There are lots of cliches about Calcutta, he admits. Still, he insists on mourning preserving the milieu of this state where literacy is a given and Indias Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore is as venerated as Gandhi. To an outsider, Duttas flicks might seem more bombastic than highbrow, blending Tagore-quoting goondas (thugs) and the occasional dance number crucial in any Indian film. During Duttas time in advertising shows, he says, he learned, You have to connect with the audience. It helps that hes tapping into a sentiment ubiquitous in upper-middle-class Kolkata these days. The city that was once the cosmopolitan capital of the British empire, playing host to global industry, to Germans, English, south Indians and more, is today hemorrhaging its citizens as they flee to Mumbai, Delhi or the west. Duttas narration is familiar: The Communists who reigned for 34 years had the right intentions no ones about to support the conservative party here but they chased away industry, instead breeding stagnation and corruption. Its ironic, then, that Dutta still supports himself with advertising. Im not a Marxist or anything, he says. He feels a tinge of guilt for being a cog in the corporate machine but whats an artist to do? Making regional cinema, he says, is practically a pro bono affair. Even his commercial work has an adda flair, though, says Arghyakamal Mitra, whos edited both Duttas feature films and some ads: He has a certain sense of narrative, the Satyajit Ray sense of narrative, which we all try to nurture and take forward in our own way. The son of a tea estate owner, Dutta was expected to enter business. He followed the pure science track in high school, despite his love of drawing and the arts, then enrolled in St. Xaviers for a degree in economics but found the act of drawing supply and demand curves dull. After years of the ad world and nearly abandoning his filmy dreams, Dutta broke through with Bhooter, which boasts a cast of characters including a former Muslim warrior, a Hindu displaced by partition and a modern millennial who sings rock songs reeking of political platitudes. Its delightful, sometimes smart, sometimes silly. (The ghosts have a social-networking site called Spookbook.) Ashchorjyo tackled a modern-day Aladdin theme, to slightly less acclaim, while his next project, in the garb of a thriller, explores Kolkatas recent history. His protagonist is a sci-fi writer and a fellow at Oxford teaching history who goes missing. Dun, dun, dun. As for breaking out of Bengali? Its not a top priority, though the Hindi films and even an English studio have come a-calling. The Bollywood adaptation of Bhooter flailed; Dutta says he wishes he didnt have his name attached to it at all. But he says he doesnt want to go Hindi-ward just for a bigger audience. He is, after all, a hometown boy to the core. Related Articles Class is in session. The tradition of shaking a teachers hand at the beginning and end of each lesson is a long-standing one in the classroom in Switzerland. But it has now sparked a broader narrative on the countrys identity. Last month, two Syrian boys in the town of Therwil were exempted from shaking their female teachers hands. The teenagers had argued that it was against their faith to do so, and the school viewed the exemption as a compromise. The case sparked a national debate once it was picked up by local media, with local authorities, politicians, teaching unions, and the Swiss Federation of Islamic Organizations speaking out against the move. The family of the two boys had their citizenship proceedings halted as a result of the incident. We cannot accept this in the name of religious freedom, Swiss justice minister Simonetta Sommaruga told a Swiss-German broadcaster. The handshake is part of our culture. Muslim students in Switzerland have now been ordered to shake their teachers hands. If they refuse to do so, their parents could face a fine of up to 5,000 Swiss francs ($5,000). Therwils local education authority said (link in German): The public interest with respect to equality between men and women and the integration of foreigners significantly outweighs the freedom of religion. According to the BBC, the school in question was relieved by the decision. According to Swiss media (link in German), the boys said that politicians were using them to stoke anti-Muslim sentiment, and that complete strangers were threatening them. Balancing respect for religious freedom with the integration of minority communities has not always gone smoothly in many European countries. In 2013, a German court ruled that, despite her parents wishes, a Muslim schoolgirl in Frankfurt had to take part in mixed-sex swimming lessons. Earlier this year, Danish politicians insisted that making pork mandatory in schools in the city of Randers wasnt about the harassment of Muslims. Story continues Meanwhile, a Muslim student last year in France was banned from school for wearing a long black skirt that, according to the school principal, conspicuously showed religious affiliation. (The full veil known as the niqab is banned in France.) In summer of 2015, a school in London banned children from fasting during Ramadan, arguing that there had been a number of children who became ill and fainted as a result. In 2013, there was a minor kerfuffle when Michelle Obama shook the hand of the Saudi king when the president visited the conservative Islamic nation. Sign up for the Quartz Daily Brief, our free daily newsletter with the worlds most important and interesting news. More stories from Quartz: NiceGuysFeature Warner Bros Its odd to say it, but The Nice Guys is one of Shane Blacks pulpiest films. This is a guy whose first two films as a director were Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Iron Man 3, which were about a PI named Gay Perry and a crime-fighting billionaire with a robot house, respectively, and who rose to fame writing goofy action movies like Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout, and The Long Kiss Goodnight. But if Iron Man 3 was Shane Black mediated for the masses, The Nice Guys feels more his unadulterated id, with all his usual influences, from Raymond Carver to the Three Stooges, presented in such undiluted quantities that you can taste them all individually (which, if Chopped judges are to be believed, is a good thing). Ive been obsessively rewatching Shane Black movies since long before I knew his name, so for me the feeling of giddy nostalgia patched some of the bigger holes in the storys believability. By contrast, a local TV critic who favors elaborate summer hats left the film explaining why she didnt like it she just couldnt buy Ryan Goslings character. And he was sort of like a drunk Wile E. Coyote (with boyish good looks). Point being, The Nice Guys probably isnt the movie Id take a Shane Black virgin to. It doesnt nibble your ear to distract from the deflowering, like Geena Davis quoting Harold Robbins in The Long Kiss Goodnight. Its more like Samuel L. Jackson in the same scene. I usually just sock em in the jaw and yell Pop goes the weasel!' Of course, if youre not a Shane Black virgin, identifying all of Shane Blacks various obsessions and writing tics and the way they bubble up and combine throughout The Nice Guys is half the fun. If The Nice Guys is a map of Shane Blacks subconscious, here are some of the main points of interest. 1. Classic film noir and the buddy cop genre Its almost as hard to find a Shane Black movie (by which Im defining anything he wrote or directed) where the protagonist isnt an alcoholic private dick as it is to find one thats not about buddy cops. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, The Long Kiss Goodnight, and The Last Boy Scout all have PIs as the main or co-main character. In Lethal Weapon, theyre cops, but all of the above feature a duo of protagonists often interracial, intergender, or of different sexualities (Mel Gibson/Danny Glover, Val Kilmer/Robert Downey Jr, Samuel Jackson/Geena Davis, Bruce Willis/Damon Wayans) taking on various villains as they try to solve a mystery. With the exception of The Long Kiss Goodnight, theyre all set in the Southern California underworld. Sometimes Black includes the old hard-boiled voiceover, though usually with an overtly comedic, vulgar twist. One of my favorites is Bruce Williss daily affirmation in The Last Boy Scout. Nobody likes you. Everybody hates you. Youre gonna lose. Smile, you f*ck. Story continues How does the Nice Guys rate? Baby Goose and Russell Crowe may not be as mismatched as some of Blacks past pairs, but they probably have the highest cumulative acting ability of any. Goslings Holland March (fantastic name) might not be Blacks strongest character, as his intelligence seems to waffle between above average and developmentally disabled from scene to scene, but he has a nice, wiry, Chester Cheetah vibe and such a rapport with Russell Crowe that you forgive it. Shane Black in particular and detective fiction in general love self-hating alcoholic meatheads with hearts of gold. Russell Crowes Jackson Healy might not be quite as funny as, say, Bruce Willis but hes one of Blacks most human characters, endearing in a way that goes beyond a simple one-liner delivery system (an interesting twist in whats otherwise Blacks silliest movie since Monster Squad). A tough guy for hire, the violent ass-kicker/big softy dichotomy that exists in almost all of Blacks characters is not only better developed in Healy, but manifested outwardly in Crowes physique. With his broad shoulders, stocky Popeye arms, and generous gut, he looks like Rugby Dad PI. Crowe brings dignity and an odd grace to this sloppy, dough-bellied extortionist, and its mesmerizing to watch. 2. Dad jokes/Borscht Belt one-liners I saw Weiner, the Anthony Weiner documentary this week, and theres one scene where Weiner, in the midst of his latest tense press crisis, breaks the tension by reeling off Rodney Dangerfield one-liners from memory, one after the other. They werent the funniest bits youd ever hear, but theres something about those kinds of dad jokes that makes them stay in your brain forever like tropical parasites. Aside from the pop goes the weasel line I quoted in the intro (and I havent seen The Long Kiss Goodnight in probably 15 years), there are inevitably Shane Black lines you rarely think about but nonetheless never forget like Wolfmans got nards or Bruce Willis, when, after some neighborhood kids drop a dead squirrel in his lap while hes trying to sleep off a hangover in his car, picks up the phone. What happened? asks his boss. I think I f*cked a squirrel to death and dont remember. Blacks best lines exist in that space between belly laugh and groan, the kind of things youd hear your uncle use on his dart buddies at the Elks Lodge. Maybe theyre memorable and endearing for the same reason, designed more to be shared and reused than to knock your socks off the first time you hear them. The Nice Guys is no slouch in this department either, giving us both Love means buying a house for someone you hate and, when discussing a nearsighted old woman, the Ryan Gosling line: Shes so nearsighted you could paint a mustache on a Volkswagen and shed say Boy that Omar Sharif sure runs fast.' Yes, I had to Google that. If love means buying a house for someone you hate, a great dad joke means laughing at something you dont entirely understand. 3. Pre-teen outcasts The precocious child character has been a staple of rom-coms since at least Jerry Maguire, and its normally infuriating. And yet, the spunky kid character has been a staple of Shane Black scripts going all the way back to Monster Squad. Theres one in Last Boy Scout, Last Action Hero one even made it into Iron Man 3. They dont always work perfectly the Iron Man 3 kid was a lot more endearing than the one in Last Action Hero but he has a knack for writing quippy children you dont want to stuff in a trash can and kick down a hill. No easy feat. How does Shane Black get away with it when hardly anyone else does? Mostly because his spunky kid characters tend to be as obnoxious as they are cute. His kid characters feel less patronizing because he writes them more as they are sullen shitheads who are occasionally good for a laugh. The older characters never like them right away. Which feels truer to life. Its much easier to enjoy a smart alecky kid when her acid tongue is deployed against your enemy than when its you. 4. Truly Villainous Villains From Mr. Joshua to Taylor Negron in The Last Boy Scout (R.I.P.), Shane Blacks love of pulp comes through most strongly in his villains, who tend towards cartoonish even in the midst of otherwise grounded movies. The Nice Guys isnt that grounded, so Matt Bomers typically Shane Blackian psycho enforcer guy John Boy is fittingly over the top. Hes handsome, sociopathic, bloodthirsty, and far better at his job (hitman) than anyone in real life. The way Shane Black gets away with these characters is that while he writes the villains as over-the-top cartoons, the way other characters react to them is more grounded. A perfect example in Nice Guys is when Crowe and Gosling take the hotel elevator up to meet their MacGuffin, only to find that John Boy has gotten there first. The elevator door opens to a scene of comical carnage, with henchmen and bystanders getting their blood spattered all over the walls. They have a perfect check, please! moment (high slapstick), and then, they do what any of us would do hit the close door button as fast as they can. 5. The Three Stooges Thinking about the pure slapstick of the scene I just described above, Shane Blacks Three Stooges influence would be obvious even if he didnt mention them by name. There are various types of violence in action movies stylized visual art (John Woo, Crouching Tiger), choreography-based dance fighting (Tony Jaa, Jackie Chan, The Raid), impressionistic (shakey cam, like Bourne) but Shane Blacks, especially when hes directing, seem to bridge the gap between Three Stooges-style eye pokes and Die Hard gunplay. Of course, the Three Stooges are mentioned by name in a few scripts with Shane Blacks name on them, so it doesnt exactly take a genius to make this observation. God I love Lethal Weapon 2. 6. Jumping off tall buildings Certain Shane Black patterns are stylistic choices, others are just odd tics. Lethal Weapon opened with Mel Gibson cuffing himself to a homicidal guy and jumping off a building (onto a giant airbag), a scene that was recreated in a later Lethal Weapon with Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, and a hotel pool (the third one, I want to say?). You could argue that the later building jump(s) were just later Lethal Weapon writers (and there were quite a few) trying to work within the pattern Shane Black created, but then the building jump shows up again in The Nice Guys. What an oddly specific stunt to keep reusing. 7. Excessive cigarette smoking I dont know if any filmmaker loves cigarettes as much as Shane Black. Lethal Weapon 2 had Riggs eating dog biscuits while he tried to quit. The Last Boy Scout had Bruce Willis killing a guy over a cigarette, as well as the Damon Wayans line, What would Joe do if he were here? Hed kill everyone and smoke some cigarettes. Even that Mr. Joshua clip I posted above started with Do you smoke? Of course! The Long Kiss Goodnight? Samuel Jackson getting thrown from a car, then lighting a cigarette while flat on his back (love that scene). I dont know if The Nice Guys has any more cigarette smoking than any other Shane Black movie, or any more than would be realistic for a movie that largely takes place at pornographer parties in 1978, but it definitely made me want to light up. What can I say? Im impressionable. Also, cigarettes look cool. 8. Christmas Setting movies at Christmas-time is probably the most publicized Shane Black tic, so much so that he gets asked about it in interviews: It tends to be a touchstone for me, he admits. Christmas represents a little stutter in the march of days, a hush in which we have a chance to assess and retrospect our lives. I tend to think also that it just informs as a backdrop. The first time I noticed it was Three Days of the Condor, the Sydney Pollack film, where Christmas in the background adds this really odd, chilling counterpoint to the espionage plot. I also think that Christmas is just a thing of beauty, especially as it applies to places like Los Angeles, where its not so obvious, and you have to dig for it, like little nuggets. One night, on Christmas Eve, I walked past a Mexican lunch wagon serving tacos, and I saw this little string, and on it was a little broken plastic figurine, with a light bulb inside it, of the Virgin Mary. And I thought, thats just a little hidden piece of magic. You know, all around the city are little slices, little icons of Christmas, that are as effective and beautiful in and of themselves as any 40-foot Christmas tree on the lawn of the White House. So that, in a lot of words, is the answer. Perhaps because its the best known of his writing tics, Christmas is the least noticeable of them to show up in The Nice Guys. I saw it without even realizing it was there, but it is, just very subtly. All in all, The Nice Guys is fun, but it probably isnt Shane Blacks masterpiece. Then again, Im not sure I wouldve called any of his movies masterpieces after the first watch (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, maybe). He has a tendency to get carried away, and things will get a little too silly or a little too vulgar or a little too Borschty. (If there arent at least five lines you could imagine a rimshot after youre not watching a Shane Black movie.) But his movies are endearing for the same reason. They almost always have a few warts and rough edges, but the way you can practically feel him getting carried away is charming even when the story takes a few turns without you onboard. Its like his passion can never quite be contained by good taste, which, at least to me, is infinitely relatable. Vince Mancini is a writer, comedian, and podcaster. A graduate of Columbias non-fiction MFA program, his work has appeared on FilmDrunk, the UPROXX network, the Portland Mercury, the East Bay Express, and all over his moms refrigerator. Fan FilmDrunk on Facebook, find the latest movie reviews here. When this Marine dad heard that he would be deployed for the first time since his 3-year-old son was born, he decided that missing all the holidays with his family was not an option. So, Staff Sgt. John York, from New Bern, North Carolina, decided to celebrate them all in the three days before his deployment. Read: Marine Returns From Japan to Surprise Teacher Mom During Class: 'My Knees Buckled' "My heart melted," his wife, Priscilla York told InsideEdition.com. "It was super sweet." To celebrate Halloween, Priscilla said they dressed Bryson in his firehouse dog costume and took him trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. "We didn't tell the neighbors until right before we were coming," Bryson's mom said. "If they were home, it was perfect." For Christmas, Sgt. York pulled the Christmas tree from the garage, and set it up overnight. "The thought behind it took longer than the actual event," Priscilla laughed. They even set up an early fourth birthday party for Bryson, cake and all. Read: Marine Dad Returns Home, Disguises Himself as Umpire to Surprise Kids: 'It Was Painful Being Away' Even though Priscilla said her husband came up with the celebrations all on his own, she had one last holiday she wanted to surprise him with. For their Father's Day, Priscilla decided to compile their year of celebrations into a video compilation. "I'd like to send him something when he's gone," Priscilla said, "so he has something to look forward to." Watch: Marine Dad Surprises 10-Year-Old Daughter at Atlanta Braves Game After She Sings Anthem Related Articles: Wall Street is having a tough time keeping the two-day rally alive. All three major averages (^DJI, ^GSPC, ^IXIC) are lower across the board, even as oil prices eye new highs. On the economic front, durable goods orders jumped 3.4% last month, thanks to strong demand for aircraft and transportation. However, business spending remained weak, according to the Commerce Department. Meanwhile, the number of workers filing for first time jobless benefits fell more than expected last week. The Labor Department reported that weekly initial unemployment claims fell by 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 268,000 for the week ending May 21. Retail rebound? Costco (COST) delivered better-than-expected earnings for its fiscal third quarter, though revenue came up short of estimates as same-store sales growth in the US stalled for the first time in more than six years. Sears (SHLD) is exploring potential partnerships or other deals to expand the presence of some of its key brands such as Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard outside its stores. This comes as it looks for growth after profit and revenue fell from a year ago in the first quarter. Sears also announced that its CFO is leaving the company but will stay until a replacement is found. Get the Latest Market Data and News with the Yahoo Finance App Dollar General (DG) posted a beat on earnings, but revenue came in a tad below forecasts for the first quarter as customers spent more on basic items such as food. HP (HPQ), the PC and printer company created by the breakup of Hewlett-Packard last year, cut its outlook for the year after reporting a steeper-than-expected decline in sales. Revenue fell 11% from a year ago missing estimates, but earnings did manage to come in ahead of estimates. IPO hits market US Foods made its Wall Street debut this morning on the New York Stock Exchange. The stock (USFD) jumped way above its offering price of $23 a share. This comes after it raised a billion dollars for this years second largest initial public offering. Only MGM Growth Properties had a larger IPO, raising over $1.2 billion in April. Story continues Online lending investigation New Yorks financial regulator plans to investigate online lenders. There's no word on which companies will be examined, only that broader industry practices will be looked into, according to Reuters. This could be the beginning of licensing requirements for online lenders in New York with additional oversight of loan guidelines and other business practices. The fight for $15 an hour Corporate employees of McDonalds (MCD) are working at home today while people are protesting at their corporate offices Oak Brook, Illinois. Hundreds of protestors marched in the pouring rain for higher wages, better benefits and union rights. Police were at the scene, but no one was arrested. All of this is happening as McDonalds is getting ready for its annual meeting with investors. Meanwhile, McDonalds Ex CEO Ed Rensi says, "Its cheaper to buy a 35,000 robotic arms than to hire someone making $15 an hour to bag fries." nicholas_christakis Nicholas and Erika Christakis, the administrators at the center of a racially charged debate at Yale last year, have announced that they will not return to the campus in their roles at Silliman College. "I am stepping down from serving as Head of Silliman College at Yale," Nicholas tweeted. Nicholas will remain at Yale in a professional capacity, according to Yale's public statement. Erika, who was the associate head of college at Silliman, also resigned from her administrative role, a Yale spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider. Last year, she announced that she was stepping down from her teaching role at the Ivy League school. "I will not be teaching at Yale in the future," she told Business Insider in December. The decision comes after months of backlash against the Christakises over an email Erika sent to students suggesting that Yale shouldn't tell them not to wear offensive Halloween costumes. That backlash included an open letter criticizing Erika, signed by hundreds of members of the Yale community. In an email announcing his resignation sent to members of the Silliman community one of Yale's 12 residential colleges Nicholas did not explicitly mention the strife but alluded to his critics. Emma Platoff, managing editor of the Yale Daily News, tweeted the email: Last week, I gave my resignation to President Salovey and will be stepping down from my role as Head of Silliman College, effective July, 2016. Erika and I have devoted our professional lives to advocating for all young people. We have great respect for every member of our community, friend and critic alike. We remain hopeful that students at Yale can express themselves and engage complex ideas within an intellectually plural community. Christakis emphasizes respect for "friend and critic alike" in announcing departure from Silliman pic.twitter.com/RGhxJNvBq6 Emma Platoff (@emmaplatoff) May 25, 2016 A major part of Yale's identity is its residential-college system. The colleges house students for their entire undergraduate experience and include dormitories, dining halls, and gyms. Story continues Erika sent the now infamous email in response to an Intercultural Affairs Council email that called on students to be sensitive about the cultural implications of their Halloween costumes, as Inside Higher Ed reported. Silliman College She questioned if students should be able to dress in any costumes they liked, offensive or not. "Is there no room anymore for a child or young person to be a little bit obnoxious ... a little bit inappropriate or provocative or, yes, offensive?" she wrote. (See below for the full email.) Nicholas defended his wife's position and that of free speech, according to the Yale Daily News (YDN). Tensions further flared when protesters took to a courtyard to confront the Christakises. The conversation quickly devolved into screaming, with a protester telling Nicholas Christakis to be quiet and telling him that he was disgusting. During commencement ceremonies on Monday, some Silliman students refused to accept their diplomas from Nicholas, the YDN reported. Last year, 49 faculty members wrote their own open letter defending Erika against allegations of racism. Read below for the full text of Erika's email: Dear Sillimanders: Nicholas and I have heard from a number of students who were frustrated by the mass email sent to the student body about appropriate Halloween-wear. Ive always found Halloween an interesting embodiment of more general adult worries about young people. As some of you may be aware, I teach a class on The Concept of the Problem Child, and I was speaking with some of my students yesterday about the ways in which Halloween traditionally a day of subversion for children and young people is also an occasion for adults to exert their control. When I was young, adults were freaked out by the specter of Halloween candy poisoned by lunatics, or spiked with razor blades (despite the absence of a single recorded case of such an event). Now, weve grown to fear the sugary candy itself. And this year, we seem afraid that college students are unable to decide how to dress themselves on Halloween. I dont wish to trivialize genuine concerns about cultural and personal representation, and other challenges to our lived experience in a plural community. I know that many decent people have proposed guidelines on Halloween costumes from a spirit of avoiding hurt and offense. I laud those goals, in theory, as most of us do. But in practice, I wonder if we should reflect more transparently, as a community, on the consequences of an institutional (which is to say: bureaucratic and administrative) exercise of implied control over college students. It seems to me that we can have this discussion of costumes on many levels: we can talk about complex issues of identify, free speech, cultural appropriation, and virtue signaling. But I wanted to share my thoughts with you from a totally different angle, as an educator concerned with the developmental stages of childhood and young adulthood. As a former preschool teacher, for example, it is hard for me to give credence to a claim that there is something objectionably appropriative about a blonde-haired childs wanting to be Mulan for a day. Pretend play is the foundation of most cognitive tasks, and it seems to me that we want to be in the business of encouraging the exercise of imagination, not constraining it. I suppose we could agree that there is a difference between fantasizing about an individual character vs. appropriating a culture, wholesale, the latter of which could be seen as (tacky)(offensive)(jejeune)(hurtful), take your pick. But, then, I wonder what is the statute of limitations on dreaming of dressing as Tiana the Frog Princess if you arent a black girl from New Orleans? Is it okay if you are eight, but not 18? I dont know the answer to these questions; they seem unanswerable. Or at the least, they put us on slippery terrain that I, for one, prefer not to cross. Which is my point. I dont, actually, trust myself to foist my Halloweenish standards and motives on others. I cant defend them anymore than you could defend yours. Why do we dress up on Halloween, anyway? Should we start explaining that too? Ive always been a good mimic and I enjoy accents. I love to travel, too, and have been to every continent but Antarctica. When I lived in Bangladesh, I bought a sari because it was beautiful, even though I looked stupid in it and never wore it once. Am I fetishizing and appropriating others cultural experiences? Probably. But I really, really like them too. Even if we could agree on how to avoid offense and Ill note that no one around campus seems overly concerned about the offense taken by religiously conservative folks to skin-revealing costumes I wonder, and I am not trying to be provocative: Is there no room anymore for a child or young person to be a little bit obnoxious... a little bit inappropriate or provocative or, yes, offensive? American universities were once a safe space not only for maturation but also for a certain regressive, or even transgressive, experience; increasingly, it seems, they have become places of censure and prohibition. And the censure and prohibition come from above, not from yourselves! Are we all okay with this transfer of power? Have we lost faith in young peoples capacity in your capacity to exercise self-censure, through social norming, and also in your capacity to ignore or reject things that trouble you? We tend to view this shift from individual to institutional agency as a trade off between libertarian vs. liberal values (liberal in the American, not European sense of the word). Nicholas says, if you dont like a costume someone is wearing, look away, or tell them you are offended. Talk to each other. Free speech and the ability to tolerate offense are the hallmarks of a free and open society. But again, speaking as a child development specialist I think there might be something missing in our discourse about the exercise of free speech (including how we dress ourselves) on campus, and it is this: What does this debate about Halloween costumes say about our view of young adults, of their strength and judgment? In other words: Whose business is it to control the forms of costumes of young people? Its not mine, I know that. Happy Halloween. Yours sincerely, Erika NOW WATCH: America's colleges are suddenly in crisis mode over race relations More From Business Insider Probuphine A tiny matchstick-size implant called Probuphine could help address some of the toughest parts of treating addiction. The implant, an inch long and the width of a matchstick, is designed to deliver the drug buprenorphine to people suffering from opioid painkiller addiction continuously for six months. It's the first implanted opioid addiction treatment to be approved by the FDA. Buprenorphine is an opioid that appears to work by activating the receptors in the brain that respond to opiates like prescription pain medications and heroin. It is designed to create a "ceiling effect" over those receptors so that an addicted person doesn't crave getting high to the same extreme. This would ideally cut down the person's desire for the drug. The implant was approved four months after an advisory committee recommended it, but the final decision was delayed three more months to give the agency time to get a more complete picture of its technology and roll-out plan. Part of that plan involves training doctors, Braeburn Pharmaceuticals CEO Behshad Sheldon told Business Insider. Sheldon said she expects training on how to implant the device to begin as soon as Memorial Day weekend, with the devices launching for use in patients by June 21. Sticking with treatment According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only about half of all people who take any kind of medication do so in the way that's actually prescribed. About 20% to 30% of people never fill their prescriptions in the first place, and others simply forget to take it or choose not to. That's a big problem not only when it comes to chronic diseases, which need constant and consistent management, but in particular with conditions that are pain-related and require treatment with powerful painkillers which can be addictive. Over time, most people develop a steady tolerance for opioid painkillers, meaning they more of the drug to get the same effect. If they stop taking the medication regularly, that tolerance goes down. This can be dangerous: If an addicted person who's managed to stop using a drug for a long period of time takes it again, he or she can overdose fairly easily and die. This is what contributes to higher rates of overdose in many addicts, according to the National Institute for Drug Abuse. Story continues This is one of the ideas fueling Braeburn's implant. "If you make a mistake, because opioid dependence is so unforgiving as a disease, one mistake could kill you," Sheldon said. Another concern is that buprenorphine is often misused by people who are not opioid dependent to get high. The hope is that an implant would make that more difficult. Concerns about cost The implant won't necessarily be cheap, though Sheldon said it would be priced lower than other long-acting drugs used in the neuropsychological space. Braeburn is also working with payors to come up with an "outcome-based agreement" that will give them rebates if Probuphine doesn't save them money, compared to other buprenorphine options. This is Braeburn's first drug approval. Beyond that, the company is looking into injectable versions of buprenorphine taken weekly or monthly that could bridge the massive gap between taking a pill once a day and a six-month-long treatment plan. That way, the doctor can better monitor the recovery in its early stages, a concern heard at the advisory committee meeting for the implant. NOW WATCH: Flakka the drug they call '$5 insanity' is overwhelming police and hospitals in Florida More From Business Insider PORT LOUIS (Reuters) - Mauritius Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth picked his son Pravind as finance minister, the president's office said on Wednesday. The younger Jugnauth, 53, was earlier in the day cleared by the country's supreme court of a conflict-of-interest conviction. A lower court had found him guilty, while previously serving as finance minister, of being party to a decision to reallocate health ministry funds to acquire a private hospital, Medpoint, in which his sister had shares. The appointment of Pravind Jugnauth, who also previously served as technology minister, had been widely expected once his conviction had been quashed. Anerood Jugnauth has been covering the finance ministry brief since March, when Seetanah Lutchmeenaraidoo quit citing personal reasons. The prime minister, who was also head of government from 1982 to 1995 and from 2000 to 2003, is hailed by his supporters as the father of the Mauritius economic miracle of the 1980s, when the Indian Ocean island liberalised its economy and began the process of reducing it dependency on sugar cane production. It now serves as an offshore financial centre favoured by many firms and investors as an entry point into Africa. Pravind Jugnauth's first major challenge will be to draft a budget for presentation to parliament next month in line with government commitments to stimulate growth, attract investment and create jobs. (Reporting by Jean Paul Arouff; Writing by Duncan Miriri; Editing by John Stonestreet) Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f98159%2f49f4bde640264c5ab355c58d3f86e9f3 The offer of free french fries is no way to placate angry residents. McDonald's in Australia is set to open a fries-only pop-up restaurant called "Fries With That" in the inner-city suburb Glebe in Sydney for three days from Friday, where people can try the company's new products for free. SEE ALSO: McDonald's worker has a message for those who think he's wasting his life The store is set up in a former cinema where customers can trial six new toppings on fries, with no sight of the company's famous golden arches. Those toppings include Sour Cream & Sweet Chilli, Caesar, Curry, Pesto & Parmesan, Chipotle Cheese Sauce and Peri-Peri Cheese Sauce. People will also have the opportunity to weigh in on what topping should be added to the menu, once they've tried it. Sounds relatively harmless, right? maccas Image: mcdonald's australia The store is yet to actually open, but it hasn't received a warm welcome from locals thus far. The sudden appearance of Fries With That has really ticked off some of the suburb's residents, who fear the pop-up is a chance for the company to test whether they can open up a permanent store in the area. Opening a McDonald's in Glebe would destroy the suburb's village feel, undercut local businesses and provide an unhealthy option, Amanda Tattersall, organiser of the "No McDonald's working group" told Fairfax Media. That's despite the fact other fast food chains, Domino's and Subway, have already set up shop in the area. maccas Image: mcdonald's australia A petition against the temporary McDonald's has also been set up by Tattersall, attracting more than 900 signatures so far. "You want to build a store in Glebe. We have tried to ask you if it's a pop up store, or a rebranded McCafe. You won't answer our questions," the petition reads. "But here is the message McDonalds don't open a store in Glebe. And if you do open one. Please close it now!" Story continues The petition highlights the area's strong cafe and food culture, while accusing the company that it treats its employees badly. "We all know that most of your food is bad quality (no matter how much you pretend otherwise) high in fat, high in sugar, made with poorly sourced ingredients. We know around the world that you pay your workers low wages too." Protesting against McDonald's stores in Australia is nothing new, with towns like Tecoma in Victoria, parts of the Blue Mountains in Sydney, and the northern New South Wales town of Byron Bay having campaigned against the fast food chain. A McDonald's Australia spokesperson told Mashable Australia via email: "'Fries With That' is a fun three-day celebration of one of the most loved items on our menu. We can assure the local community there are no plans for a permanent site in the area." It's certainly no mea culpa for the residents who have a chip on their shoulder. meek-mill-drake-diss-all-the-way-up Image via @meekmill Meek Mill isnt ready to let his beef with Drake go. Jumping on a remix of Fat Joe, French Montana, and InfaReds smash All The Way Up with Fabolous, he sent more shots at Drake, continuing to focus on the ghostwriter rumors. This is hip-hop, you aint write it, dont record it/I dont know how they getting down across the border, he raps, along with, Views from the projects, ni**a Im the prospect. He also snuck in a line mentioning being in Drakes hometown of Toronto while shouting out his Oklahoma City Thunder buddy Dion Waiters: I be in the 6 man 6 man, Dion Waiters. Set to be released from his 90-day house arrest at the end of this month, itll be interesting to see if this reignites the beef or if Drake will let this one pass without acknowledgment following his clear victory the first time around. Listen below. More from Pigeons & Planes Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump have precious little in common. But the two all-but-certain presidential nominees do share this: at least three-dozen campaign contributors who gave money to both of them, according to a Center for Public Integrity review of federal campaign finance filings. The donors compose one of the nations smallest political clubs, to be sure, although it has its share of notable members. They include a former U.S. ambassador to Sweden, the heiress to the National Enquirer fortune, the mother of an Ohio state senator, a professional poker player, a writer for the ABC hit television series Castle and a law professor who has challenged the constitutional eligibility of former Republican presidential contender Ted Cruz. The reasons for their double dealings vary. Some gave to both politicians after undergoing ideological conversions. Others donated because they were asked by friends or trusted associates. Some Clinton supporters just wanted Trumps iconic Make America Great Again hats even if the money they spent would aid the billionaire businessmans presidential bid. While Americans may only vote for one presidential candidate come November, theres nothing stopping them from giving money to multiple White House hopefuls. Nine of these overlapping donors contributed $2,700 the legal maximum allowed during the primary to both Clinton and Trump. Others gave more modest sums. With the primary season now nearing its end, both Clinton and Trump are also aiming to make inroads with voters who typically vote for the other party in order to prevail on Election Day in November. Trump is hoping his populism can win over some Democrats, while Clinton believes that Trumps brash antics will attract some Republicans to support her candidacy. Both can already claim some converts. This story is part of Buying of the President 2016. Tracking the candidates, political committees and nonprofits that are making this presidential election the most expensive in history. Click here to read more stories in this investigation. Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. Changes of heart For instance, Victor Williams, a law professor at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., last year donated $400 to Clintons campaign as a dutiful Democrat. Story continues But he now says hes a Trump man and has donated $5,400 to Trumps campaign, $2,700 toward the primary and $2,700 toward the general election. Another way hes trying to help Trump: Hes been the main force behind a so-far-unsuccessful New Jersey lawsuit challenging Cruzs eligibility to be president. Cruzs mother was a U.S. citizen living in Canada when she gave birth to her son. (Presidents must be natural-born citizens.) In order to have legal standing for the case, Williams himself also launched a long-shot presidential bid. On his campaign website, Williams asserts that Clinton should be criminally indicted for some of her actions as secretary of state. He further argues that we must replace the feckless, weak Barack Obama with a strong, determined 45th president. What Im genuinely excited about is the possibility that the established political order and those elites who have been at the trough for 40, 50 years will be sent home, Williams told the Center for Public Integrity. Its really now or never. Then theres Anthony Brennan, the owner of a Long Island, New York-based heating and air conditioning company. He says he regrets donating $2,700 to Clinton, whom he calls corrupt to the core. I have no faith whatsoever that this lady can run a country, said Brennan, explaining that he made the contribution to Clinton after being asked to give by some people with whom he does business and before he had done any research on her. Campaign finance records indicate Brennan has now also contributed $244 to Trump money that, he explained, went toward Trump gear, stickers and the 40 Trump signs he now displays in his yard. Related: Follow the money on both sides of the political aisle The country has written off the hard-working men who are the backbone, who keep this government funded with our payroll taxes, Brennan told the Center for Public Integrity, adding that he plans to donate up to $100,000 to pro-Trump efforts this year because our country is in need. Finally theres a voice for us, he continued. Professional poker player Daniel Miami Boss Suied also likes Trumps economic views. Suied, who gave Clintons campaign $500 last year at the behest of some Democratic Party friends in Florida, has also donated $367 to Trumps campaign, including at least $200 in April. I was a huge fan of Bill Clinton, Suied told the Center for Public Integrity. I like Trump now. Making hats great again Meanwhile, New York City-based lawyer Chris DiAngelo, a self-described Rockefeller Republican, told the Center for Public Integrity he gave Clintons campaign $2,700 last June, after being asked by a friend. Six months later he became a Trump campaign donor because, he says, he purchased six of Trumps Make America Great Again hats for a New Years Eve party. A big hit is how DiAngelo described the headwear. So who will DiAngelo be supporting in November? Its probably either going to be Hillary or nobody, he said. Unless Trump does something amazing, like, I dont know, the pope is his running mate. Television writer and producer Moira Kirland whose credits include ABCs Castle, CBSs Madam Secretary and the CWs Arrow is a registered Democrat who likewise became a Trump donor after buying merchandise. Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. I just wanted to wear that Make America Great Again shirt ironically in January! said Kirland, who is listed in campaign finance records as giving $211 to Trump and $900 to Clinton. A similar story played out for Adam Conner, who works for technology company Slack in Washington, D.C., and spent $533 buying Trump hats while at the same time giving $360 to Clintons campaign. I thought theyd be good gifts and a fun collectors item and didnt think Id have very long to buy them. Guess I was wrong, Conner told The Daily Beast earlier this year. Reached by the Center for Public Integrity, Conner stressed that he was a committed Democrat who will support the Democratic nominee, even if his hat purchases helped fund Trumps campaign. Giving big, saying little For some of the people who have given money to both Clinton and Trump, their motivations arent readily apparent. Nor are they particularly willing to discuss their political giving. For instance, campaign finance records show that Nancy Beang, the former executive director of the Society for Neuroscience, donated $2,700 to Clinton in July. She then donated $250 to Trump in January. Reached by phone, Beang, who was a member of the District of Columbia Women for Hillary Council during Clintons 2008 presidential bid, declined to comment. In March, Beang told The Daily Beast that she was backing Trump because she thought he would make America great again. For his part, Jeffrey Sherman, a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities in Boston, gave $1,000 to Trump shortly after Trump launched his presidential bid last summer. Yet hes also given $739 to Clinton so far this year. Why? Im not commenting, Sherman told the Center for Public Integrity. Im the wrong guy to help you out. Meanwhile, campaign finance disclosures show that Lyndon Olson who served as the U.S. ambassador to Sweden under President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2001 gave $2,700 to Hillary Clintons presidential campaign last year. But he also contributed $796 to Trump in February. Philanthropist Lois Pope, heiress to the National Enquirer fortune, likewise contributed $2,700 to Clintons 2016 presidential bid. But shes also given Trump $423 and has attended multiple events for him this year, often sporting sequined, pro-Trump regalia. Then theres lawyer Eric Yollick, who earlier this year lost a GOP primary for district judge in Texas. Yollick, who refers to himself as a constitutional conservative and pledged to make our courthouse great again, has donated $2,600 to both Trump and Clinton. Olson, Pope and Yollick did not respond to requests for comment. Like buying extra lottery tickets Ohio Democrat Janet Cafaro is another donor whos given significant sums to both Clinton and Trump. Campaign finance records show she gave Clinton $2,700 in November and $2,700 to Trump in March. Who is Janet Cafaro? Shes the mother of Democratic state Sen. Capri Cafaro of Ohio and the wife of developer John J.J. Cafaro. The Cafaros, a wealthy Ohio family, have experienced both the glamorous and gritty aspects of politics. On one hand, theyve hosted President Bill Clinton at their sprawling, Tudor-style mansion in Chevy Chase, Maryland. On the other hand, John Cafaro was fined in 2002 for bribing former U.S. Rep. James Traficant of Ohio, whom he testified against in court. Janet Cafaro could not immediately be reached for comment, but Capri Cafaro told the Center for Public Integrity she asked her mother to donate to Clinton ahead of a local event. Theres no ideological reason behind their financial support for either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, Cafaro said of her parents political giving. (John Cafaro, like Janet Cafaro, has also donated $2,700 to Trump.) Only a handful of other donors have contributed $2,700 to both Clinton and Trump. They include Steve Gorlin, the vice chairman of biotechnology company NantKwest; Scott Powell, the president of the Sacramento Jet Center; and Scott Shleifer of investment company Tiger Global Management, according to federal records. None could be immediately reached for comment. Political observers note that for some donors, backing multiple candidates can be about access and hoping to influence a politicians agenda. Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, has said that donating to multiple candidates is like buying extra lottery tickets because you have more chances to wind up in the winners circle, with all the perks of having backed the victor. Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. Ahead of the 2012 election, dozens of donors contributed to both President Barack Obama and his Republican rival Mitt Romney, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan group that tracks money in politics. Likewise, during the 2008 election, about two-dozen donors gave at least $2,300 to both Obama and Republican John McCain. To be certain, the roughly three-dozen campaign donors shared by Clinton and Trump identified by the Center for Public Integrity represent a conservative estimate as only people who give a candidate at least $200 must be publicly disclosed. Through April 30, Trump has raised about $10.5 million from people who each gave less than $200 and whose names have not been publicly released. Clinton, meanwhile, has raised about $40.2 million from such small-dollar donors. Moreover, as Trump now turns to more traditional sources of campaign cash hes largely been self-funding his presidential bid to date the number of donors he shares with Clinton will likely grow. Undecided between Clinton and Trump While polls do regularly show a portion of voters still undecided between Clinton and Trump, you might not expect someone whos opened up their wallet to support a politician to fall into that category. Yet thats the case for at least one Florida man who has contributed $287 to Trump and $899 to Clinton. Michael Ginsberg, a Tampa-based lawyer, explained that his giving was not ideological. Ive gone to their stores and bought things, he said, adding that hes been collecting political memorabilia mainly buttons since he was a kid and has a collection that now numbers in the hundreds, if not thousands, of items. Im sort of torn between the two, Ginsberg said of Clinton and Trump. Both have things of interest and elements of concern. Chris Zubak-Skees and Ben Wieder contributed to this report. This article was co-published with The Daily Beast and Newsweek. This story is part of Buying of the President 2016. Tracking the candidates, political committees and nonprofits that are making this presidential election the most expensive in history. Click here to read more stories in this investigation. Related stories Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C. The new head of the Taliban isnt new to the Taliban. Instead of choosing among rivals from a younger generation of militants, the group has turned to a member of the old guard, Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, to take the reins of the insurgency. The militants moved quickly to elevate Akhundzada, who was given his new post just four days after their former chief, Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour, was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistans Baluchistan province. Two members of the Talibans young guard were seen as potential replacements: Sirajuddin Haqqani, the hardline head of the insurgencys military operations, and Mohammad Yaqob, the son of the groups reclusive founder, Mullah Mohammed Omar. They were instead appointed as his deputies. Naming either Haqqani or Yaqob as chief could have aggravated fissures in the group, which faced internal divisions in 2015 after the Taliban acknowledged that Mullah Omar, its longtime leader, had been dead for nearly two years. Instead, the Taliban chose a relatively obscure veteran of the insurgency who has worked under senior leaders in the Taliban for more than two decades. When the Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, Akhundzada helped mete out the groups brutal idea of justice as a cleric and top-ranking judge. Under the Talibans longtime chief, Mullah Mohammad Omar, Akhundzada regularly issued fatwas justifying suicide bombings and other Taliban atrocities, and presided over shadow courts in areas under the insurgencys sway. Akhundzada represents a compromise choice for the Taliban. He enjoys widespread respect inside the group as a religious scholar but poses no clear threat to other powerful figures he comes to the job without having commanded military operations or served in a leadership post, experts said. His selection makes sense from the perspective of the Taliban. His religious background would make him a top candidate to unify a very fragmented organization, said Michael Kugelman, a senior associate for South Asia at the Woodrow Wilson Center and Foreign Policy contributor. Story continues Indeed, rather than a break with the past, Akhundzadas selection signals continuity for the insurgency, which has seized upon the drawdown of U.S.-led forces to strike hard at the Afghan government over the past year, including a series of lethal bombings in the capital Kabul. Not much is going to change. I dont imagine that this new leader will come marching into peace negotiations, Kugelman said. I see no reason why he would want to break with the policy of his former boss, which was to avoid talks like the plague. Omars successor, Mansour, was opposed in some quarters of the insurgency from the outset, partly because he had helped keep Omars death a secret. Some Taliban members from the large Noorzai tribe in the Kandahar region harbored acute resentment of Mansour and rejected his authority. Akhundzada is himself a Noorzai, and his selection could be aimed in part at bringing militants from his tribe back into the fold, said Seth Jones, a former advisor to U.S. military commanders in Afghanistan. His roots in the Pashtun heartland of the insurgency in Kandahar, and the political skills he has honed during his long tenure among senior ranks of the Taliban, could be crucial to his survival, Jones said. Any good insurgency is first a political organization that has a political vision, and the military arm is a tool to realize the political vision, Jones said. So it makes sense for the Taliban to choose a strong religious figure. Akhundzada will need all the political acumen he can muster to keep a lid on the divisions inside the insurgency, to counter the threat posed by former Taliban fighters who have pledged loyalty to the Islamic State in eastern Afghanistan and to manage relations with the groups patrons in Pakistan, experts said. But to assert his authority initially, the new chief will need to push for major assaults on the battlefield and more deadly terror attacks in Kabul to demonstrate the strength of the insurgency despite the loss of its leader in the American drone raid, experts said. The first thing he has to do is to avenge the death of Mansour, said Barnett Rubin, a former senior U.S. diplomat with years of experience in Afghanistan. He cant even contemplate any peace talks until he has avenged Mansours death. Only hours after the Taliban announced its new leader on Wednesday, it claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that killed at least 10 people and wounded four Afghans, in an attack that targeted a bus carrying employees from a court west of Kabul. Photo credit: Afghan Islamic Press/Getty Images/Foreign Policy illustration Barcelona (AFP) - Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi will give evidence along with his father for allegedly defrauding Spain's tax office of over four million euros ($4.5 million) in unpaid taxes on June 2, a court source confirmed on Thursday. The trial, which is expected to last four days, will start on May 31, but Messi is not obliged to attend the full hearing as Spanish prosecutors are seeking a jail sentence of less than two years. The five-time World Player of the Year and his father, Jorge Horacio Messi, are accused of using a chain of fake companies in Belize and Uruguay to avoid paying taxes on 4.16 million euros of Messi's income earned through the sale of his image rights from 2007-09. They have been charged with three counts of tax fraud. Prosecutors are seeking a jail sentence of 22-and-a-half months for Messi and his father if they are found guilty, plus fines equivalent to the amount that was allegedly defrauded. However, any such sentence would likely be suspended as is common in Spain for first offences carrying a sentence of less than two years. The trial will disrupt Messi's preparations for Argentina's Copa America Centenario campaign in the United States next month. Fresh from winning a league and Cup double with Barcelona, Messi has travelled to Argentina for a friendly against Honduras on Friday. He will return to Barcelona to give evidence in the trial before flying to the United States for Argentina's first match of the Copa America against defending champions Chile in California on June 6. LAGOS (Reuters) - A militant group has purportedly claimed a new attack on a Chevron oil facility in Nigeria's restive Delta region, a message on a Twitter feed previously used by the group to take credit for strikes against oil facilities said. There was no immediate confirmation of the attack from residents of the area or Chevron. A militant group called Niger Delta Avengers has claimed a string of attacks in the southern region which have helped reduce Nigeria's oil output to nearly a 20-year low. "We Warned #Chevron but they didn't Listen. @NDAvengers just blow up the Escravos tank farm Main Electricity Feed PipeLine," the message on the Twitter account in the name of the group said. The same account was previously used by the group to claim attacks on Chevron and Shell oil facilities. The message was tweeted to @reuters and other foreign and local media. A Chevron spokeswoman had no immediate comment. It was not possible to get confirmation from residents after the message was issued late on Wednesday night. The Avengers, who say they are fighting for a greater share of oil profits, an end to pollution and independence for the swampy southern region, have warned oil firms to leave before the end of the month, according to a series of statements issued on its website or Twitter feed. Nigeria has moved in army reinforcements to hunt the militants but British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond said this month President Muhammadu Buhari needed to deal with the root causes of the conflict. Crude sales from the Delta account for 70 percent of national income in Africa's biggest economy but residents, some of whom sympathize with the militants, have long complained of poverty. Buhari has extended an amnesty deal signed with militants in 2009 that stepped up funding for the region. But he has cut funding for the deal and canceled contracts with former militants to protect the pipelines they used to attack. (Reporting by Ulf Laessing and Libby George; Editing by Andrew Hay) (Reuters) - Mississippi's Republican governor said on Thursday he planned to join a lawsuit by officials from 11 states to overturn an Obama administration directive that tells schools to let transgender students use bathrooms matching their gender identity. The lawsuit led by Texas, the most significant legal challenge to this month's directive, said the federal government and Obama administration officials overreached their authority by taking actions that should be left to Congress or individual states. "Our office has talked to the Texas attorney general's office and I intend, as soon as possible, to join the lawsuit against this latest example of federal overreach," Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant said in a statement. As with some of the other states, Mississippi's governor and attorney general disagree on the suit, which challenges the administration's interpretation that federal civil rights laws against sex discrimination should apply to transgender people. Mississippi's attorney general, Democrat Jim Hood, declined to participate in the lawsuit, according to Clay Chandler, a spokesman for the governor. Chandler said Bryant will work with an attorney in the governor's office in joining the lawsuit. Hood's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Amid a national debate on transgender rights, President Barack Obama's administration on May 13 told U.S. public schools that transgender students should be allowed to use the bathroom of their choice, upsetting Republicans and paving the way for fights over federal funding and legal authority. Texas was joined by Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin, plus Arizona's Department of Education and Maine's governor. The lawsuit said the administration "conspired to turn workplace and educational settings across the country into laboratories for a massive social experiment, flouting the democratic process, and running roughshod over commonsense policies protecting children and basic privacy rights." Transgender rights advocates criticized the suit as a malicious attack, saying there have never been public safety incidents or invasions of privacy related to protections for transgender people. "While the department will review the complaint, the federal government has strong legal foundations to uphold the civil rights of transgender Americans," the Justice Department said in a statement on Wednesday. (Reporting by Letitia Stein; Writing by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Will Dunham) From Cosmopolitan A Kennesaw, Georgia, mother has been arrested after police claim that she sat on her 2-year-old son's head for a prolonged period of time in order to gain his "submission." Susan Elizabeth Kelley had allegedly placed a towel on a wooden dining room chair in her home before laying her son's head on the towel and sitting on him. According to the arrest warrant obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "The accused sat on the child's head, with full body weight, for approximately one hour in an attempt to gain 'submission' from the child." The toddler became unresponsive and was rushed to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston, where he showed redness on his head, chest, and back. Kelley was arrested and charged with a felony count of child cruelty, but was released from the Cobb County Adult Detention Center on bond on Monday. At this time, her child is expected to make a full recovery. Follow Gina on Twitter. By Beth Pinsker NEW YORK, May 26 (Reuters) - As college attendance wanes through the semester, one professor teaches her 300 geoscience students how to work out the cost of cutting class. Skippers waste $50 to $70 per lecture, depending on whether the student is in-state, said Julie Brigham-Grette of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. "Students need to understand how much money they are wasting when they don't show up," Brigham-Grette said. "If it's $50 a class, then they should think, I just flushed that money down the toilet." The amount of money lost to class-skipping across the country per day is staggering, based on attendance figures. For Brigham-Grette, a good day is when 80 percent of her 300 students show up. One 2014 study at Harvard University, using hidden cameras and self-reporting, found only 60 percent attendance on average at any given lecture. The roll call declined as the semester went on, from 79 percent at the beginning to 43 percent at the end. According to the site StudentScholarshipSearch (http://bit.ly/20GO183), the overall cost of skipped classes during a college career is $6,586 per student in a private institution, and $2,400 for public colleges. Doing the math is not all that difficult. And it can work for spending on classes for younger children, or summer camp, which can cost $100 per day. That is valuable information for parents to share when kids express the urge to stay home and watch cartoons. Simply divide the tuition amount by the total class hours, and work in things like extracurriculars to get a number that makes an impression on the student, said Claudia Sangster, director of family education and governance at Northern Trust Corp. Stephanie Kibler worked out her per-class costs in a spreadsheet in 2007 when she was studying at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and then shared it on her blog (http://bit.ly/1P0v7Z1). The total was $52.51 per hour, based on her tuition and amount of homework. Story continues Kibler then figured out her loan costs which led her to take a leave of absence to work and build up more savings. Now a museum technician and copywriter in Fairfax, Virginia, Kibler, 29, said that knowing what college cost her per hour was magical. "Once I had that number, it was a little harder to skip classes, unless I was doing something extremely worthwhile with the time. After all, if it's a two-hour class, did I really want to blow over $100 by skipping it?" Kibler said. And after working several years, the value of $52.51 per hour became clearer to her: "If that were an hourly rate for a job, that would be a $105,000 per year." She was making $7.25 per hour at her work-study job in college. The knowledge has also helped her overall approach to money as an adult. "Everything I learned about money stemmed from me digging into my finances in college, figuring out where I stood and just what was going on inside my personal financial machine," Kibler said. "I learned how to be careful with money, to plan and save, but most importantly, how to make my money work for me so that I can use it to live the life I want, even despite those student loans." As for Brigham-Grette, she said her students appreciate the math exercise, but the scientist had yet to calculate if that translated into higher attendance. Her students should be on the lookout, though: She is thinking of adding a question about the cost of skipping class to her final exam. (Editing by Lauren Young and Richard Chang) (Adds oil minister) By Ulf Laessing and Tife Owolabi LAGOS/YENAGOA, Nigeria, May 26 (Reuters) - Nigeria's government needs to address grievances in the oil-producing Niger Delta, its oil minister said on Thursday, hours after a Chevron source said a militant attack had forced it to shut its onshore operations in the restive region. A militant group called the Niger Delta Avengers, which has told oil firms to leave the Delta before the end of May, said late on Wednesday that it had blown up the Chevron's facility's mains electricity feed. Its attacks have hobbled oil output over the past month. A company source told Reuters that "all activities in Chevron are grounded" onshore while oil industry sources said roughly 90,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Escravos were gone due to the latest attack and another on Chevron's offshore facilities earlier this month. Planned Escravos exports in the first half of 2016 averaged 167,000 bpd. A Twitter account with the group's name said late on Wednesday: "We Warned #Chevron just blow up the Escravos tank farm Main Electricity Feed PipeLine." A Chevron spokeswoman declined to comment. The Avengers, who have given oil firms until end of the month to leave in what they frame as struggle for the Delta's independence, have intensified attacks in recent weeks, pushing oil output to its lowest in more than 20 years and compounding the problems of Africa's largest economy. Abuja has responded by moving in army reinforcements but British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond said this month that President Muhammadu Buhari needed to deal with the root causes. In the first signal that the government might try a less heavy-handed approach, Oil Minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu said an amnesty programme for former militants, signed in 2009 to end a previous insurgency, needed to improve. The amnesty needed to address "neglect by the government and international oil companies," Kachikwu said. The scheme had funded cash benefits and job training to militants who have laid down their arms but has been cut by the government by two-thirds, fuelling dissent. Story continues "The Niger Delta governors must be involved in providing lasting solutions to the resurgence of pipeline vandalism and there is urgent need to create business opportunities for the locals in the region," Kachikwu said in a statement. Moving in the same direction, a committee set up by Delta state leaders warned that a military approach would not work and saw "an apparent consensus" that the federal government and oil companies have neglected the grievances of local communities. Delta residents, some of whom sympathise with the militants, have long complained of poverty in an area producing oil accounting for 70 percent of national income. Nigeria is now pumping under 1.5 million bpd - less than Angola - and well below the 2.2 million bpd assumed in the 2016 state budget. (Additional reporting by Libby George and Julia Payne in London; Writing by Ulf Laessing and Ed Cropley; Editing by Ruth Pitchford and Diane Craft) Sumner Redstone opposes Viacoms plans to sell a stake in Paramount Pictures, but hes on board with CBSs plans to sell or spin off its radio division, according to CBS chairman and CEO Leslie Moonves. The Eye in March announced it would explore a sale of the 117-station CBS Radio group. During the Q&A portion of CBSs 2016 shareholders meeting Thursday in New York, Moonves was asked if that deal was contingent on the approval from Redstone (CBSs controlling shareholder) or his representatives in light of his opposition to the Paramount proposal. Our situation with radio has absolutely nothing to do with Viacom, Moonves responded. We have received full support from Mr. Redstone with what we are doing with the planned CBS Radio divestiture. Sumner Redstone was not present at the CBS shareholders meeting at NYCs Museum of Modern Art, but was dialed in via phone, according to Moonves. Meanwhile, when Moonves and CBS chief legal counsel Larry Tu were asked about the potential for a CBS-Viacom recombination, Tu said only that any major transactions would be reviewed by board and he noted that the board is mostly comprised of independent directors. Separately, Redstone has been engaged in a pitched battle with Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman. Last week the 92-year-old media mogul removed Dauman from his role as a board member of Redstones National Amusements holding company and from the trust that will inherit those holdings after Redstones death. Dauman on Monday filed a lawsuit to reverse his removal from the trust, arguing that Redstone now lacks the capacity to have taken these steps. At the CBS shareholders meeting, voters elected the boards recommended slate of 13 directors: Moonves, David Andelman, Joseph Califano Jr., William S. Cohen, Gary Countryman, Charles Gifford, Leonard Goldberg, Bruce Gordon, Linda Griego, Arnold Kopelson, Leslie Doug Morris, Shari Redstone and Sumner M. Redstone. Shareholders voted down a proposal that CBS adopt greenhouse gas emission goals. Story continues During his prepared presentation, Moonves noted among other things that CBS has locked up rights to the NCAA March Madness tournament through 2032. And Im looking forward to renegotiating that deal as well, quipped the 66-year-old exec. Related stories TV Ad Sales Revenues Have Been on the Rise, But Don't Call It a Comeback CBS Re-Piloting Comedy 'Superior Donuts' with Midseason Plans 'Limitless' Showrunner Confirms CBS Cancellation Beirut (AFP) - Syria's devastating war has killed more than 280,000 people, a monitoring group said on Thursday in a new toll for the five-year conflict. The toll of 282,283 includes 81,436 civilians, among them 14,040 children and 9,106 women, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Non-jihadist rebel fighters accounted for 48,568 of those killed, while extremist militants -- including non-Syrians -- numbered 47,095. The Observatory documented the deaths of 101,662 pro-regime fighters, including 56,609 government soldiers. Another 3,522 of the deaths were unidentified. The Observatory is based in Britain and depends on a network of sources inside Syria to gather its information on the conflict that erupted in March 2011. The toll was the first given since a partial truce came into effect between the government and non-jihadist rebels on February 27. Several weeks into the truce, the Observatory said violence -- and daily death tolls -- had dropped dramatically. But since then clashes have broken out in parts of the country where the ceasefire was meant to have taken hold. The previous toll of 271,138 had been published by the Observatory on February 23. May 26 (Reuters) - Factbox on the Indianapolis 500, which will be run for the 100th time on Sunday. * The first Indy 500 was run on May 30, 1911 and won by Ray Harroun, who retired from driving immediately after the race. * The first Indy 500 offered a purse of $25,000 with the winner getting $14,250. The winner's purse is not determined until after the race but this year's winner will pocket close to $3 million. * The speedway complex earned the name "The Brickyard" when the oval was repaved with 3.2 million bricks in 1910 after several deadly crashes. * The tradition of the winning driver drinking a quart of milk began with Louis Meyer in 1936. Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi, the owner of several orange groves, drew the wrath of IndyCar fans in 1993 when he chugged from a bottle of orange juice instead. * The Indianapolis Motor Speedway does not announce attendance but the sprawling grandstands around the 2.5 mile oval seat over 250,000. Crowds have been estimated at over 400,000. * The massive speedway complex covers 253 acres and is large enough to hold Yankee Stadium, Churchill Downs, the Rose Bowl, the Roman Colosseum and Vatican City. * In 1977 Janet Guthrie becomes the first woman to race in the Indy 500. Danica Patrick became the first woman to lead a lap at the Indy 500 in 2005. Her third place finish in 2009 is the best by a woman. * Three drivers have won the 500 four times; A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears. * Mears also holds the record for pole positions (six). * Eight rookies have won the Indianapolis 500. The most recent was Helio Castroneves in 2001. * Troy Ruttman is the youngest driver to win the Indianapolis 500, age 22, in 1952. Al Unser is the oldest driver to win, age 47, in 1987. * Briton Graham Hill is the only driver to win motor racing's Triple Crown (Indianapolis 500, Monaco Grand Prix, 24 Hours of Le Mans) (Editing by Frank Pingue) By Larry Fine May 26 (Reuters) - Two female trailblazers of the Indianapolis 500 are not alarmed by the dwindling number of women drivers at the famed Brickyard, saying the talent and opportunity are still there. Britain's Pippa Mann is the lone woman competing in Sunday's 100th running of the Indy 500, down from a record four in each of 2010, 2011 and 2013, but former drivers Lyn St. James and Sarah Fisher say it is just a matter of timing. St. James, who followed 1977 pioneer Janet Guthrie as the second woman to drive in the fabled event in 1992, and Fisher, who at age 19 became the third in 2000, still see the iconic race as a beacon to race drivers. Six more women have followed them. "It's clearly the most well known, significant, historically important, longstanding motor race in the world," St. James, 69, told Reuters. "You aspire to it." St. James noted that this year other top female drivers have other commitments or are racing other circuits such as NASCAR's Danica Patrick, who has the top Indy 500 finish among female drivers with a third place in 2009. "What I love about the girls that are competing, that followed, whether it be Danica, Simona (de Silvestro) and all the others is that it isn't such a big deal anymore and that was what our goal was," said St. James. "That we could just be a racer and show up." St. James and Fisher, in their own ways, have encouraged and inspired those that followed. "After '92 and '93 I was overwhelmed by the amount of fan mail that I got. Much of that fan mail was not just wanting an autograph, but wanting advice," said St. James. "It was not just about me. I realized this is a responsibility if I can help others achieve success in racing or in their lives, this was a responsibility for the gift that I was given." St. James established the Women in the Winner's Circle Foundation in 1994 dedicated to professional development for young women in racing. "Danica came into my program when she was 14, Sarah Fisher came into my program when she was 15," St. James said. Fisher has been an inspiration with her own career arc. After becoming the youngest woman to qualify for the race and first female IndyCar podium finisher, Fisher became the circuit's first female owner and its youngest boss in 2008. "I was a car owner, successfully running only off of sponsorship and prize money for four years starting in 2008 and we were really proud of that," Fisher, 35, told Reuters. She later formed an IndyCar team partnership but when that broke apart, Fisher changed gears and with her husband last month opened the massive Speedway Indoor Karting near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "It's an opportunity for parents to bring their kids in and experience racing behind the wheel and see if they actually do want to do it or not," she said, adding she was eager to help committee youngsters take the next step in the journey. A journey St. James said remained special. "It is still a sport that women and men compete on an equal level. There are very few of them," she said. St. James singled out a pair of drivers to watch for in Ayla Agren of Norway, 22, and 15-year-old prospect Courtney Crone. "The chances are there for success. The sport wants it, I know. I talk to the leaders. I know they all would be very excited to see women successful in their type of racing," St. James said. "It's a win, win, win. It's a win for the drivers, it's a win for the league and the series and it's a win for the fans. We don't need any special pass. We've got to get the right ingredients, the right timing and the right people. "I feel it in my bones. I certainly hope I'll still be able to watch the first woman to win the Indy 500 and see women win more." (Editing by ......) (Adds BNY Mellon, COFCO Agri, KBS Capital, UBS) May 26 (Reuters) - The following financial services industry appointments were announced on Thursday. To inform us of other job changes, email moves@thomsonreuters.com. CREDIT SUISSE GROUP AG The bank said it has hired Marco Chisari, a corporate development executive at Abu Dhabi's state-owned fund Mubadala, as an investment banker focused on technology and semiconductor deals in San Francisco, according to a memo. BNY MELLON WEALTH MANAGEMENT The part of Bank of New York Mellon Corp promoted Jeroen Kwist to lead its international wealth management business. COFCO AGRI Chinese state-owned agricultural trader has hired an ethanol trader from rival Louis Dreyfus to set up a U.S. trading desk, four sources told Reuters, as it aims to secure a foothold in the United States, the world's top biofuels producer. UBS GROUP AG The Swiss bank has recruited former Westpac Chief Executive Gail Kelly as a senior global adviser to its top management, according to a memo seen by Reuters. The bank also hired Ian Hart as co-chairman of Investment Banking in the United Kingdom and Facundo Vazquez as head of equity capital markets (ECM) solutions in Latin America, according to an internal memo obtained by Reuters. KBS CAPITAL MARKETS GROUP The real estate investment services provider appointed Dominic Alto regional vice president. AGRICULTURAL BANK OF CHINA LTD (AGBANK) China's third biggest lender said it has appointed Zhou Mubing as the bank's Communist Party secretary, a position typically held by the chairman of a state-owned bank. ALLIANZ GLOBAL INVESTORS The unit of Germany-based Allianz SE named Deborah Zurkow head of the alternatives within its global investment platform. SAVILLS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT The property investment manager appointed James Bury and Michael Flynn chief executives for Europe and Asia Pacific, respectively. (Compiled by Subrat Patnaik and Kshitiz Goliya in Bengaluru) NAIROBI (Reuters) - MTN Uganda, a unit of South Africa's MTN Group , got a $114 million syndicated credit which will be invested in its network infrastructure, it said on Thursday. The company, Uganda's biggest telecoms network operator with 8.9 million subscribers at the end of last year, said the loan was arranged by Stanbic Bank Uganda, which teamed up with Citi, Standard Chartered and Barclays for the deal. The syndicated loan has a local currency portion equivalent to $74 million with the rest being in foreign currency. MTN Uganda Chief Executive Brian Gouldie said the company had repaid another syndicated loan that was raised in 2009. "This placed us in an ideal position to fund our continued aggressive network roll-out of high speed data capacity across Uganda," he said in a statement. Rising competition has forced firms to raise their investment to keep up with demands for faster connectivity, he added. Parent MTN Group said on Wednesday its business was also under pressure in its two biggest markets of South Africa and Nigeria from tough competition and weak economic growth, as well as the rand's low exchange rate. It is also still negotiating with the Nigerian authorities over a $3.9 billion fine for failing to disconnect millions of unregistered SIM cards users from its local cellular network. (Writing by Duncan Miriri; Editing by Greg Mahlich) By Martyn Herman PARIS (Reuters) - A dominant Rafa Nada reached one career milestone on Thursday but the nature of the Spaniard's passage through the early rounds of the French Open suggests his eyes are fixed firmly on another more significant landmark. The world number five, seeded four at the tournament he once owned, destroyed Argentina's Facundo Bagnis 6-3 6-0 6-3 to reach the third round with the loss of only nine games, chalking up a 200th match victory in grand slams. "That's only another number and that's it," Nadal, who would become the only man to win the same grand slam 10 times in the professional era if he triumphs this year, told reporters. "I know I have to play at a very high level in order to go deep. That's my sole objective, my only reality." It was his first appearance on Court Philippe Chatrier, where he has sunk his teeth into La Coupe des Mousquetaires nine times, since being humbled by Novak Djokovic in a one-sided quarter-final last year. World number one Djokovic, who dispatched Belgian qualifier Steve Darcis 7-5 6-3 6-4, will be a formidable obstacle again. Djokovic, who has a burning desire to claim the only grand slam title to elude him, was, however, critical of his performance against a player nicknamed The Shark. "There were things that I definitely didn't like in my game today. Too many unforced errors," Djokovic, who next plays Slovenian-born Briton Aljaz Bedene, told reporters. Defending women's champions Serena Williams was joined by sister Venus in the third round, the American siblings posting symmetrical victories on Court Suzanne Lenglen. Serena beat Brazil's Teliana Pereira 6-2 6-1 before ninth seed Venus produced the same result against fellow American Louisa Chirico to reach the third round for the first time since 2010. With Maria Sharapova suspended, pending the outcome of a doping hearing, and several leading seeds knocked out early, Serena looms as the overwhelming favourite to claim a fourth title in the French capital. But others will have something to say about that. Former champion Ana Ivanovic is a possible last-16 opponent and the Serbian 14th seed looked in good form as she belted 22 forehand winners in a 7-5 6-1 defeat of Japan's Kurumi Nara. TRICKY MATCH Prospective last-eight opponent Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain, seeded 12th, beat China's Wang Qiang 6-1 6-3 while eighth seed Timea Bacsinszky survived a tricky second round against 2014 runner-up Eugenie Bouchard 6-4 6-4. Bouchard, who has slumped down the rankings after reaching number five in 2014, led 4-1, then lost 10 games in a row before mounting a late comeback attempt. "The brain is like a muscle. You got to work it out," Bouchard, tipped as the new queen of tennis not so long ago, said of her ongoing battle to rediscover the mental strength needed to survive in the higher echelons. Only one women's seed fell on Thursday, number 28 Andrea Petkovic who was beaten by Kazakh Yulia Putintseva. Five Frenchmen set out to reach the third round on day five but only one succeeded in joining the three already there. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, seeded six, did so to the delight of a noisy crowd, although he did it the hard way, coming from two sets down to beat mercurial Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 6-7(6) 3-6 6-3 6-2 6-2 and notch a 100th grand slam win. "It's an anecdote, it's a number. The match itself is something I'll remember, because to recover after two sets to zero, it's not something you do daily," Tsonga said. Seventh seed Tomas Berdych, like Tsonga a former semi-finalist here, beat Tunisian Malek Jaziri 6-1 2-6 6-2 6-4 while 12th seed David Goffin and 13th seed Dominic Thiem, both advanced in straight sets. Borna Coric and Alexander Zverev, two 19-year-olds billed as the next big things, reached the third round with Coric surprising Australia's 20th seed Bernard Tomic 3-6 6-2 7-6(4) 7-6(6) and Zverev seeing off Frenchman Stephane Robert. (Editing by Ed Osmond) By Jonathan Landay and Idrees Ali WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The selection of a hard-line cleric as the new Taliban chief on Wednesday all but dashes U.S. President Barack Obama's hopes for opening peace talks before he leaves office, one of his top foreign policy goals, current and former U.S. defense and intelligence officials said.The Taliban leadership council tapped Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, a conservative Islamic scholar from the group's stronghold in southern Afghanistan, to succeed Mullah Akhtar Mansour, four days after Mansour was killed in a U.S. drone strike. U.S. officials had called Mansour a major impediment to peace talks, and some had expressed hope his death would eliminate an obstacle to peace negotiations between the Taliban and the government of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Instead, some experts said, Akhundzada is likely to pursue aggressive attacks throughout the summer, intensifying the pressure on Obama to reconsider his plan to withdraw U.S. military trainers and special forces and leave the decision on how to end America's longest war to his successor. Late last year, Obama announced he would keep 9,800 U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan through most of 2016. He added that U.S. troops would be drawn down to 5,500 by the start of 2017.Obama has made extracting the United States from its 15-year war in Afghanistan a top priority, unsuccessfully pursuing efforts to bring the Taliban into talks with successive Afghan governments. "Prospects for the Afghan peace process remain poor. The Taliban leadership, including the new commander, Mullah Akhundzada, believe military victory is only a matter of time," said Bruce Riedel, a Brookings Institution expert and former CIA officer who headed Obama's first Afghanistan policy review. Riedel said Pakistan's powerful Inter-Services Intelligence agency also believed that the Taliban, which ruled Afghanistan for five years before their ouster in a U.S.-led invasion in 2001, could win a military victory. "The war is entering a more violent phase," he added, his prediction punctuated by a suicide bombing in Kabul that killed 11 people shortly after Akhundzada's selection was announced. TROOP PLAN UNDER REVIEW Confronted with Taliban gains, a weak Kabul government and the emergence of an Islamic State branch, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan is reviewing the withdrawal plan and is expected to complete his findings within a month. The administration remains committed to its strategy of pressing for peace talks while providing funds and military advice, training and equipment to Afghan forces, said Defense Secretary Ash Carter, who indicated the U.S. troop drawdown would resume. The Taliban should realize "that they cannot win, that the Afghan security forces aided by us are going to be stronger than them and are going to be able to defend the state of Afghanistan and the government of national unity there, and therefore that the alternative to coming across and making peace with the government is their certain defeat on the battlefield," Carter said on Wednesday in Rhode Island. But current and former U.S. government experts and independent analysts said they saw little chance of that happening, with one U.S. defense official noting the Taliban announcement of Akhundzada's accession made no mention of negotiations. 'WHAT HAVE THEY BEEN SMOKING?' Whenever I hear anyone in the administration talking about the prospects for peace negotiations or how killing Mullah Mansour could improve them, I have to ask what theyve been smoking," a U.S. military officer with extensive experience in Afghanistan, said on condition of anonymity. "Regardless of who leads them, the Taliban have zero incentive to negotiate on their determination to restore their brand of Islamic rule." He and other U.S. military and intelligence officials pointed out that the Taliban had been making steady battlefield gains against Afghan security forces, who have been suffering high casualty rates. Moreover, the coalition government brokered by the United States between Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, his former rival and now the country's chief executive, is riddled by disputes and deeply unpopular. The insurgents have little reason to trust the coalition government or Obama's successor, who takes office in January, to keep any agreement, said a U.S. official with experience in Afghanistan. (Reporting by Jonathan Landay, Idrees Ali, Yeganeh Torbati and John Walcott; Editing by John Walcott and Peter Cooney) (Repeats story from late Wednesday) By Joachim Dagenborg OSLO, May 25 (Reuters) - Norway will take a first step this week towards using its $850 billion sovereign wealth fund, the world's biggest, as a tool to combat the use of tax havens, two key members of parliament's finance committee told Reuters on Wednesday. The country's right-wing minority government will be asked to take a two-pronged approach to regulation, examining both the fund's own use of ownership structures designed to cut its liability for tax on its foreign investments as well as that of companies it invests in, the politicians said. The move follows the Panama Papers leaks in April, which revealed details of corporate and individual tax evasion and triggered a global backlash against tax havens. "We need to clarify the extent of the fund's exposure to tax havens," said finance committee chairman Hans Olav Syversen of the centrist opposition Christian Democrats, on which the government frequently relies for support. "The most probable scenario is that parliament will tell the government to provide a set of tools to help ensure that tax havens, in the real sense of the word, don't find the room for manoeuvre that they've had until now," he added. The Government Pension Fund Global, commonly known as the oil fund, invests cash from Norway's crude and natural gas production in foreign stocks, bonds and real estate to share the windfall revenues with future generations. The finance committee is currently processing the government's annual whitepaper on the fund and is expected to publish recommendations to the full parliament on Friday. "There will definitely be an amendment about tax havens," said Torstein Tvedt Solberg of Labour, the largest opposition party. "As shareholders we don't want companies to conduct negative tax planning. We don't want them to be in tax havens." FUND'S SUBSIDIARIES Most of the fund's assets are held in stocks and bonds, but it also owns stakes in more than 800 properties in Europe and the United States, with much of the ownership organised through subsidiaries in Luxembourg and the state of Delaware. Story continues Among the arguments for this is to limit the fund's own tax costs, which has now come under scrutiny. "We believe we will get a majority for a thorough probe into the fund's subsidiaries in Luxembourg and in Delaware to see if there is a better way to structure them. There needs to be a debate about this," Tvedt Solberg of Labour said. The fund already has several areas where it aims to hold companies accountable, including child labour, climate change and water management. It is also forbidden from investing in some industries, including tobacco makers and producers of nuclear arms. Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), which operates the fund, said it welcomed the raised awareness around tax havens. "This subject is, and will continue to be, part of our risk surveillance. As an investor in more than 9,000 companies worldwide, closed jurisdictions and tax evasion are a risk to the fund," NBIM spokesman Thomas Sevang said. The Finance Ministry declined to comment. (Writing by Terje Solsvik; Editing by Gareth Jones) Mourning mom. Jennifer Aniston and her loved ones are grieving the death of her mother, Nancy Dow, who passed away after a long illness at age 79 on Wednesday, May 25. The pair had been estranged for nearly a decade, but reconciled in recent years. PHOTOS: Celebrity Deaths in 2016: Stars Weve Lost Dow, an actress and model, was married to Aniston's dad, soap opera star John Aniston, for 15 years. Following their 1980 divorce, the Friends alum lived with Dow in New York and grew up Greek Orthodox. Her older half-brother, John T. Melick, moved to Los Angeles. (Dow had Melick with her first ex-husband, Jack Melick. John Sr. later welcomed son Alexander John "AJ" Aniston with his second wife, Sherry Rooney.) Aniston, 47, and Dow would have a falling out years later, at the height of her fame, after Dow penned the 1999 memoir From Mother and Daughter to Friends. Aniston didn't invite Dow to her 2000 wedding to Brad Pitt, but they would reconcile after her divorce. PHOTOS: Jennifer Aniston's Us Weekly Covers Last year, Aniston opened up about her relationship with Dow in a candid interview. She marveled over her mom's beauty, and revealed that the two were "fine" after their rift. (It's unclear whether Dow attended Aniston's 2015 nuptials to Justin Theroux.) "She was critical. She was very critical of me. Because she was a model, she was gorgeous, stunning. I wasn't. I never was. I honestly still don't think of myself in that sort of light, which is fine," Aniston told The Hollywood Reporter at the time. "She was also very unforgiving. She would hold grudges that I just found so petty." Aniston recalled one time where their personalities particularly clashed. "She had a temper. I can't tolerate that. If I get upset, I will discuss [things]. I will never scream and get hysterical like that. [But] I was never taught that I could scream," she told THR. "One time, I raised my voice to my mother, and I screamed at her, and she looked at me and burst out laughing. She was laughing at me [for] screaming back. And it was like a punch in my stomach." Story continues PHOTOS: Famous Celebrity Families The TV and movie star, meanwhile, appears to remain close with her 82-year-old dad. Back in 2012, he supported her at her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony. The following year, the longtime Days of Our Lives actor surprised her during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Through it all, Aniston has learned a lot from her famous parents. "Time moves really quickly these days, I don't know why. How many times did our parents say, 'Stop wanting everything to rush'? You want summer to be over, you want Christmas to be over, you want this to be over, you want everything to be over just so you can get to the next thing," she told THR last year. "And boy, you really wish you'd listened to a lot of the things they said." The Navy is investigating a possible discrepancy in the number of medals Navy SEAL Chris Kyle claimed to have been awarded for his service. Kylewho wrote American Sniper, a bestselling autobiography that was made into a 2015 moviesaid in the book that he received two Silver Stars and five Bronze Stars, but a report published Wednesday by the Intercept suggests those claims were erroneous, citing Navy documents that say Kyle earned one Silver Star and three Bronze Stars. USA Today and the Washington Post reported Wednesday that a Navy spokeswoman confirmed that officials were looking into the discrepancy. Navy spokeswoman Lt. Jackie Pau said the Navy was working to determine why there was a difference between reports about the number of medals Kyle received. Read more: The True Story Behind American Sniper The Navy previously released Kyles discharge paperwork, which said he received two Silver Stars and at least five Bronze Stars, the Washington Post reported. Kyle, whose story has previously been the subject of questions about accuracy, has also been praised for his heroism and years of service. He was killed in 2013 at a Texas gun range by another military veteran. Will NextEra Energy Chase Oncor Instead of Hawaiian Electric? NextEras Hawaiian Electric deal is uncertain NextEra Energys (NEE) proposed acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Industries (HE) has started looking more uncertain as Texass largest transmission and distribution company, Oncor Electric, is now available for potential buyers. Hunt Consolidated, a privately held company, abandoned its deal to buy Oncor, which may encourage NextEra Energy to make an offer for Oncor. Hunt withdrew its offer because regulators believed that the tax benefits the buyer would receive should be shared with the ratepayers. NextEra announced its proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Electric 18 months back. NextEra may exit the deal for $95 million. Environmentalists have been opposing the deal claiming that it may get in the way of the states target of 100% clean energy by 2045. Is Oncor a strategic fit for NextEra? Oncor Electric is a unit of Energy Future Holdings with a substantial presence in Texas. Oncor serves more than 10 million customers in the state and operates 119,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines. Industry veterans believe that Oncor is a strategic fit for NextEra Energy. Energy Future Holdings, the parent of Oncor, filed for bankruptcy reorganization in April 2014. At the time of the bankruptcy filing, Energy Future Holdings had debt of $50 billion. The situation has worsened since then, as natural gas (UNG) prices took a plunge. Renewables giant NextEra Energy is the largest utility by market capitalization in North America. The Utilities SPDR ETF (XLU) invests more than 9% of its holdings in NextEra Energy. Duke Energy (DUK) and Southern Company (SO) are XLUs other top holdings. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: How Did Major US Railroads Perform in 1Q16? (Continued from Prior Part) Operating margins in 1Q16 Earlier in this series, we looked at the change in volumes of major US railroads in 1Q16. Now, well go through the most crucial aspect of a railroads financialsoperating margins. Norfolk Southerns (NSC) operating margins in 1Q16 were 29.9%up 630 basis points from 23.6% in the same quarter last year. Although the companys revenues fell by 5.7% in 1Q16, the operating expenses fell by 13.5% during the same time. The major share was born by fuel expenses falling 43.6% and materials and other expenses falling 21.1%. CSXs (CSX) operating margins fell by roughly 1% on a YoY (year-over-year) basis. They settled at 26.9% in 1Q16. This was mainly due to CSXs 13.5% decline in revenues. It was higher than the fall in operating expenses at 12.4% in the reported quartercompared to 1Q15. In the Western US, the dominant rail carrier was Union Pacific (UNP). Its 1Q16 operating margins fell by 30 basis points at 34.9%. The major reason behind Union Pacifics decline in operating margins was an 8% decline in volumes that werent offset by pricing growth and productivity improvements. Also, the companys revenues in 1Q16 fell by 14%. An equal fall in operating expenses failed to lift up the operating margins. Union Pacifics main competitor is Burlington Northern Santa Fe. Its operating margin was 31.6%down 220 basis points in 1Q16. Its important to note that the companys revenues in the same quarter fell by ~15%. However, the operating expenses only fell by 12%. This shows that the fall in volumes outweighed the productivity improvement and pricing gains. For Canadas largest freight rail, Canadian National (CNI), its 1Q16 operating margin was 680 basis points higher at 41.1% on a year-over-year basis. A comparison between its revenues and operating expenses reveals that the revenues fell by 4.3%. The operating expenses tanked by 14.2% in the reported quarter of 2016. Story continues CNIs prime competitor is Canadian Pacific (CP). It also recorded a rise of 420 basis points YoY in operating margins at 41% in 1Q16. The company was able to reduce its operating expenses by nearly 11% against a revenue decline of 4.4% in the same quarter. The WisdomTree Earnings 500 Fund (EPS) is a growth ETF. The prominent transportation and logistics companies included in this ETF are Union Pacific, United Parcel Service (UPS), and Delta Air Lines (DAL). Railroads operating margins All of the railroads shifted their focus from the top line to cost cutting amid weak industry sentiments. In such circumstances, operating margins gained footage. It brings out managements ability to drive earnings in rough weather. In the next part of the series, well focus on these railroads capital expenditure and percentage of revenues. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: A North Carolina woman allegedly confessed to suffocating her 4-day-old infant to death Tuesday morning because he wouldn't stop crying, PEOPLE confirms. A spokesman for the Alexander County Sheriff's Office tells PEOPLE Aishia Marie Pacheco, 22, is being held on $1 million bail for the alleged second-degree murder of her newborn son. Police responded to Pacheco's home shortly after 6 a.m. on Tuesday after receiving a call concerning an unresponsive infant. Soon after arriving at Pacheco's residence, investigators and first responders declared the baby dead. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. The spokesman claims Pacheco allegedly admitted she suffocated the baby when he wouldn't stop crying. WSOC9 reports that Pacheco told a reporter, "It was an accident." A neighbor, Glenda Turner, told the station, "I thought she was going to be a good mom because she looked so happy holding the baby in the hospital." The baby boy, whose name was not released, was taken to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem where his remains were autopsied. It is not known whether Pacheco has entered a plea or retained a lawyer. LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 26, 2016 / Notis Global, Inc. (NGBL), a pioneer in the worldwide hemp and CBD oil (cannabidiol) industry specializing in cultivation, production and consulting today issued a formal letter to its Shareholders from Jeffrey Goh, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Dear Shareholder, Notis Global is at a pivotal point as we navigate the worldwide hemp and CBD oil industry. As we seek to make positive strides towards becoming the industry leader, it is important to know where we came from, where we are, and where we are going. As the recently named permanent President and Chief Executive officer of Notis Global, it is vital for me to discuss this so you will understand Notis Global's plans for future growth and creation of shareholder value over the long term in this rapidly developing market. It is imperative to know that Notis Global has a new business model that differs vastly from the prior company. Our goal is to grow our business by generating revenues from hemp cultivation and production, including CBD oil and compounds, along with medicinal strains and potential cures - health through hemp. We believe the primary value in cannabidiol lies in legal applications in medicine supplements and cosmetics, along with edible and drink-based solutions that enhance the lives of consumers. Notis Global aims to effectively market healthy hemp oil as the basis for many beneficial products, which will be accepted in mainstream commerce, and for this company to emerge as a trusted leader within the hemp oil product industry. The New Notis Global Team The foundation of our success is rooted in our team and each member plays an extremely important role. As you learn what the new team has to offer, you will see how they differ from the previous management team, how they impact Notis Global's current strategy, and how they prepare the Company for long-term success. Prior to joining the Company in August 2014, I worked as an executive for more than 30 years in the consumer packaged goods industry for Fortune 500 companies such as Frito Lay (PepsiCo) and Procter & Gamble, both nationally and internationally. My work at Frito Lay has prepared me to take on this role at Notis Global by providing me with extensive experience in agriculture, consumer packaged goods, food safety and branding. I truly believe that the CBD and the hemp oil industry shows great promise and significant opportunity for our Company and shareholders. Story continues Clint Pyatt, our Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President is one of our valued team members I would like to highlight. He is responsible for all real estate, cultivation, extraction and ancillary services which are substantial. It is his leadership and intense efforts over the past several months that enabled us to produce some of the results we can point to today. Clint is a "hands on guy" and is not afraid to get mud on his boots to make sure the grow houses, farming and production operations and all are facilities are running smoothly. Clint also manages government affairs, a significant and growing responsibility on the local, state and national level. Clint comes to our team with real world knowledge and experience as the former CEO of CorGreen Technologies, Inc., a publicly traded, grow and retail solutions provider of products and services to licensed medical marijuana and recreational operators. His experience in the finance and real estate sectors have helped Notis Global through our early growth Clint was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps, and has served in Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Somalia rescue efforts. We are proud to highlight Clint as a vital member of our team. To learn more about our management team, I urge you to visit our website and read their complete bios. In addition to our dedicated management team, we have a strong, experienced board of directors that provide us with public company knowledge, operational experience coupled with commercial know how, governmental, regulatory and compliance experience and international outreach. Their complete biographies are on our website http://www.notisglobal.com/team as well, but let me briefly introduce them to you: Ambassador Ned L. Siegel (Ret.) joined our Board in April 2014 and was appointed Chairman on December 17, 2014. In 1997, Ambassador Siegel founded and has served as president of The Siegel Group, Inc., an international business management advisory firm, specializing in real estate, energy, utilities, infrastructure, financial services, oil & gas and cyber & secure technology. His firm has an unprecedented track record of acquiring and developing very successful master plan residential communities, corporate office / industrial parks and retail centers. His entrepreneurial experience and government service includes appointment by Florida Governor Jeb Bush to serve as a Member of the Board of Directors of Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI). He was also appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), and to serve with Ambassador John R. Bolton at the United Nations in New York as a Senior Advisor to the U.S. Mission and Representative of the United States to the United Nations General Assembly and as US Ambassador to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Positive ID Corp., HealthWarehouse.com, Inc., and Viscount Systems, Inc. J. Mitchell Lowe joined the board in March of 2015. Mitch was a co-founder of Netflix and the former president of Redbox. He is our first independent director and based on his diverse background and wide-ranging expertise, we expect that he will assist us with various aspects of our business, including strategy development and implementation, executive recruiting and corporate governance matters. He served as Vice President of Business Development and strategic alliances for Netflix from 1998 to 2003. Manny Flores is our Board member and brings business and professional experience, including direct oversight of the development of the Illinois medical cannabis dispensary regulations. Manny also has worked closely with state regulators throughout the country to help shape policy on significant and emerging issues in complex regulated industries. Currently a partner in the Banks and Financial Institutions. Practice Group at the Chicago office of law firm Arnstein & Lehr LLP, he was Acting Secretary at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Manny was a prosecutor in the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. As part of his board role with Notis Global, he serves as Chairman of the Audit Committee, and a member of the Compensation and Governance & Nominating Committees. The Past - Medbox, Inc. Before I address the problems related to the old Medbox, I want to make it clear that the previous Medbox management team has been changed, and the new Notis Global management team has been put into place. The new team has implemented policies and procedures to move us beyond these past problems. I am very aware of the outstanding issues and shareholder concerns regarding possible securities law violations, which arose under the Company's prior management. In late 2014, the Company became a part of a federal and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation where the Company and its auditors received subpoenas pertaining to improper financial reporting. In November of 2014, after a review by an audit committee and outside financial advisors, the Company concluded that its consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2012, the year ended 2013 including the first, second and third quarters of 2013, and for the first, second and third quarters of 2014 should no longer be relied upon. The Company then promptly restated them to correct the errors and bring them into conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) and SEC regulations. As you may know, our Company has recently received a Wells Notice from the SEC. The Notice indicates a preliminary determination by the SEC staff to recommend that the Commission file an enforcement action against the Company in connection with misstatements by prior management in the Company's financial statements for 2012, 2013 and the first three quarters of 2014. This Notice will require time and effort to resolve and we are cooperating with the SEC. We do not yet know the outcome; however, we are working diligently with our legal team to address any issues raised by the Commission. This is an important and serious matter and we do not treat it lightly. While I cannot change the past, I and our entire team are fully committed to moving the Company forward toward higher revenue generation, and in pursuing positive EBITDA as a long-term goal. The Present - Notis Global Today Notis Global is guided by four strong principles - credibility, compliance, consistency and control. I'll talk about the four C's throughout this letter and it will be clear how they apply. In early 2016, our executive management team working with our board determined that the past needed to be put behind us and it is now time to focus on the future. Here's how we see it evolving. First, we have been divesting ourselves of our direct retail distribution of legal THC containing cannabis products from our holdings in San Diego, California, Portland, Oregon and in Mount Vernon, Washington, including the underlying property in Washington, as we transition to a company focused on producing high quality hemp oil (CBD) products . Based on discussions with the government officials on the local, state and national level we have decided to transition from any activity with any products or services that would bring us into contact with THC, the psychotropic chemical in marijuana. With an eye firmly focused on the future--and ultimately FDA approval of hemp and CBD Oil production and sales in the United Stateswe are focusing on controlling our supply chain. Notis Global will control its destiny by controlling our ecosystem from "seed to sale." We intend to oversee and actively manage every phase of our operations from the seeds used to grow the mother cloning plants, through planting, cultivation, harvesting, processing, extraction, packaging, and sale. Our "seeds to sale" strategy will result in some necessary changes to our existing business agreements. Following certain disputes with Whole Hemp (now known as Folium Biosciences), we have decided to end our relationship with Whole Hemp. In its place, the Company will directly or through contractors directed by the Company, will conduct the farming operations formerly performed through Whole Hemp. Operational Developments - the Farm Developing and executing a multiyear plan is no easy task, but with the right team we have been making excellent progress. One of our integral partners and contractors is Mark Marsh who along with his family have been successful local farmers on a commercial scale for multiple generations. Mark is responsible for overseeing the farming operations. Our plan is to use our greenhouses for mother plants and cloning. We currently have built six greenhouses (36,000 square feet) with crops growing in three and ready to go into a fourth. We have been growing these "mother plants" which are then cloned and grown as genetically identical plants which are cultivated into an exceptional product. The cloned plants will grow very quickly in the Farm's superior conditions. Most significantly, we are expanding our planting from 10 up to 40 acres immediately and are planning to be farming on up to 200 acres in June. As you may know, our original plan was to farm 10 acres this year, then increase the acreage to 30 and 50 acres in the following year. We have accelerated those plans substantially and are executing them today. While we execute these plans we are increasing the vetting process of contractors to assure they are compliant with all applicable laws.. Additionally, we continue to work with the local municipalities and most especially the City of Pueblo, Colorado to take advantage of policies and programs that they offer. For a brief video from March of 2016 showing the progress on the Pharm click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouDXJHZHqJc With our move to seed to sale control and quality assurance we are designing enhancements to the production and more significantly, the oil extraction process and moving that entire system in-house. Re-branding With the help and guidance of a widely respected branding agency, our new name, Notis Global, was researched, refined and established as our brand. The Notis Global brand name was selected for a specific reason: to instantly convey credibility in the burgeoning, worldwide multi-billion dollar hemp oil (CBD) industry. Notis means to make aware of, bring attention to, or to be deserving of special attention' which our team agreed worked well for our mission, which is to bring attention to our Company and to establishing a leadership role in the health and hemp oil industry. The Global part of our new name reflects our goal to pursue a global strategy and to operate internationally as well as here at home. With our fresh new name and brand came a logo and a new ticker symbol, which as you know is NGBL and trades on the OTCQB. Business Activities We continue to have discussions with potential partners in Europe and elsewhere to assist us with best practices, newer more efficient and effective technology, product development and distribution opportunities. We are striving to raise additional capital to repay more of our outstanding debt. The Company's executive management team and board bring a broad range of skills and experience relevant to the hemp oil industry. As we continue to grow, we plan to do so in a manner that best complies with all local, state, federal and international laws and regulations and follows best manufacturing practices, and sustainable organic farming. The Future The future of Notis Global is bright. We believe that medical marijuana and its benefits are no longer an ethical issue, but a relational issue. Everyone knows someone in pain, with epilepsy, cancer, or diagnosed with a disease who could benefit from the healthy use of cannabidiol based products to lessen the discomfort or reduce their pain. We believe that we will be a significant contributor helping deliver these products into the marketplace, where legalized, and that much human suffering could be alleviated. The hemp oil business is a global industry which is changing rapidly and I feel that we have a tremendous opportunity, the right team and a solid plan for Notis Global. We can help define and elevate cannabinol production as an industry and provide international influence for good as a more products are accepted into the mainstream commerce. We as a team strongly believe in this industry and in this Company. As new legislation is approved, we are taking steps forward to serve the growing demand for CDB hemp oil products in this disruptive and emerging industry. Our board, our management team and I are working diligently and productively to develop trust in Notis Global, and to re-position the Company with new capital on better terms and to create sustainable revenue opportunities that will create value for the stakeholders in the Company. I am honored to serve as this Company's President and Chief Executive Officer. On behalf of our entire management team, our board of directors and myself, thank you for your continued belief in and support of Notis Global. About Notis Global Based in Los Angeles, Notis Global is a pioneer in the burgeoning, multi-billion dollar hemp industry. The Company and its partners are working to grow confidence and generate revenues in the hemp oil industry. Through our key partnerships, Notis is a leading provider and distributor of cannabidiol (CBD). For more information on the Company, please visit http://NotisGlobal.com. Safe Harbor Statement Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "aim," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend," "goal," "strive," or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including without limitation those set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), and including not limited to Risk Factors relating reflected in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission on April 13, 2016. Thus, actual results could be materially different. We advise you review our Annual Report and the Risk Factors set forth therein. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Our audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2015, were prepared under the assumption that we would continue our operations as a going concern. Our independent registered public accounting firm has included a "going concern" explanatory paragraph in its report on our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2015, indicating that we have sustained substantial losses from continuing operations and have used, rather than provided, cash in our continuing operations, and that these factors raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. Continued operations and our ability to continue as a going concern are dependent on our ability to obtain additional funding in the near future and thereafter, and there are no assurances that such funding will be available at all or will be available in sufficient amounts or on reasonable terms. Our financial statements do not include any adjustments that may result from the outcome of this uncertainty. Uncertainty concerning our ability to continue as a going concern may hinder our ability to obtain future financing. Without additional funds from generation of revenues through execution of our business plan, debt or equity financings, sales of assets, or other transactions, we will exhaust our resources and will be unable to continue operations. If we cannot continue as a viable entity, our stockholders would likely lose most or all of their investment in us. See Liquidity and Capital Resources under Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for further information regarding the Company's efforts to secure liquidity and future cash flows. The Company has granted to an investor a lien against its equity interests in EWSD and its other assets as security for repayment of a note in the amount of approximately $225,000 and retains the right to pledge all or any part of its real or personal property to secure Company's indebtedness in its sole discretion. If the Company is unable to meet the obligation that gave rise to this lien or to future liens on such stock and assets, it may default on such obligation or on future obligations and its lenders could foreclose upon, or cause the sale of, the Company's ownership of EWSD. SOURCE: Notis Global, Inc. Ise-Shima (Japon) (AFP) - US President Barack Obama on Thursday said that global leaders are "rattled" by some of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's policies, blasting the ideas as demonstrating "ignorance" of how the world works. Trump, the billionaire US real-estate mogul and reality TV star, has dominated headlines since launching his presidential campaign last year with a mix of incendiary comments and policy stances seen as insulting Mexicans, Muslims and women, among others. He has proposed building a giant wall along the US border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants and vows that he will get the southern neighbour to pay for it. Trump has also proposed a temporary ban on Muslim immigration, citing fears of jihadist attacks such as those that have occurred in Europe and the US city of San Bernardino. "They are not sure how seriously to take some of his pronouncements," Obama told reporters on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit, referring to global leaders. "But theyre rattled by them, and for good reason," he added. "Because a lot of the proposals that he has made display either ignorance of world affairs or a cavalier attitude or an interest in getting tweets and headlines". Trump has disdained the usual cautiousness of past candidates for the country's highest office -- Republican or Democrat -- who while appealing to their base constituencies have often tried to take positions closer to the centre that would appeal to broad cross sections of the electorate. Obama is coming to the end of this second term and hopes to pass the mantle to fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton, his 2008 rival for the White House and who served him as secretary of state. But recent opinion polls show Democrat Clinton and Trump in an increasingly tight race were they to meet, as expected, in November's election after winning formal nominations at their party conventions this summer. Story continues Clinton is vying to become the first female president in US history and while she leads challenger Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Senator has remained competitive and drawn support from younger voters. Clinton's camp has grown increasingly frustrated with the tenaciousness of Sanders, who has vowed to take his fight to the convention even as Clinton remains ahead in delegates, who decide the nomination. Obama tried to downplay the rivalry. "What is really important to remember is that unlike what you have seen in the Republican primary, for the most part there is not that big a difference in terms of the issues," he said. "They are both good people, I know them both well," he said of Clinton and Sanders, both of whom he served with in the Senate. He called it "important for us to try to end this in a way that leaves both sides feeling proud of what they have done". By Minami Funakoshi HIROSHIMA, Japan (Reuters) - Barack Obama will on Friday becomes the first U.S. president to visit Hiroshima, site of the world's first atomic bombing, a gesture Washington and Tokyo hope will showcase their alliance and breathe life into stalled efforts to abolish nuclear arms. Even before it occurs, though, the visit has stirred debate, with critics accusing both sides of having selective memories, and pointing to paradoxes in policies relying on nuclear deterrence while calling for an end to atomic arms. The two governments hope Obama's tour of Hiroshima, where an atomic bomb dropped on Aug. 6, 1945, killed thousands instantly and some 140,000 by the year's end, will highlight a new level of reconciliation and tighter ties between the former enemies. Aides say Obama's main objective in Hiroshima, where he will lay a wreath at a peace memorial, is to showcase his nuclear disarmament agenda. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 for what many said were eloquent speeches on the topic. Obama has said he will honor all who died in World War Two but will not apologize for the bombing of Hiroshima. The city of Nagasaki was hit by a second nuclear bomb on Aug. 9, 1945, and Japan surrendered six days later. A majority of Americans see the bombings as having been necessary to end the war and save lives, although many historians question that view. Most Japanese believe they were unjustified. "Our visit to Hiroshima will honor all those who were lost in World War Two and reaffirm our shared vision of a world without nuclear weapons, as well as highlight the extraordinary alliance that we have been able to forge over these many decades," Obama told a news conference after arriving in Japan for a Group of Seven summit. The White House debated whether the time was right for Obama to break a decades-old taboo on presidential visits to Hiroshima, especially in an election year. But Obama's aides defused most negative reaction from military veterans groups by insisting he would not revisit the decision to drop the bombs. "GOOD ALLIES" World War Two flying ace Dean Diz Laird, 95, who shot down Japanese fighters and dropped bombs on Tokyo, said he was pleased both that Obama was going to Hiroshima and that he would offer no apology. "Its bad that so many people got killed in Hiroshima, but it was a necessity to end the war sooner, said Laird, the only known U.S. Navy pilot to shoot down both German and Japanese planes during the war. I believe in at least showing the Japanese that we care because they are now our good allies. Laird, who lives in California, suggested the time was past when Japan had to keep atoning for its wartime history: There were a lot of atrocities but that war is over. Critics argue that by not apologizing, Obama will allow Japan to stick to the narrative that paints it as a victim. Abe's government has affirmed past official apologies over the war but said future generations should not be burdened by the sins of their forebears. Atomic bomb survivors, have said an apology from Obama would be welcome but their priority is ridding the world of nuclear arms, a goal that seems as elusive as ever. Some also worried insistence on an apology would keep Obama from visiting at all. "If the president is coming to see what really happened here, and if that constitutes a step towards the abolition of nuclear arms in future, I don't think we should demand an apology," Takeshi Masuda, a 91-year-old former teacher whose mother died a few weeks after being caught in the bombing, told Reuters last month. Anti-nuclear activists hope Obama's visit will breath life into a stalled process while critics argue the president has made scant progress and is spending heavily to modernize the U.S. atomic arsenal. Japan, despite advocating disarmament, relies on the U.S. nuclear umbrella for extended deterrence. In the end, Obama's gesture may be a sort of Rorschach test, a psychological inkblot in which viewers see what they are predisposed to perceive. "Politics being what it is, the president's visit will be used by activists of every ideological stripe," said Massachusetts Institute of Technology political science professor Richard Samuels. (Additonal reporting by Linda Sieg; Editing by Robert Birsel) By Matt Spetalnick and Thomas Wilson ISE-SHIMA, Japan (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama disparaged U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Thursday, saying the billionaire seeks tweets over solutions and has "rattled" foreign leaders with his pronouncements. Obama accused the real estate mogul and former reality TV impresario of making cavalier comments for provocative effect, and he urged all presidential candidates to take the high road in a boisterous and harsh campaign. Weighing in on the race to succeed him with his strongest broadside yet against Trump, Obama said fellow leaders from the Group of Seven nations "are surprised by the Republican nominee". "They are not sure how seriously to take some of his pronouncements but they are rattled by them," the president told a news conference on the sidelines of a G7 summit in central Japan. "For good reason, because a lot of the proposals he has made display either ignorance of world affairs or a cavalier attitude, or an interest in getting tweets and headlines, instead of actually thinking through what it is that is required to keep America safe, secure and prosperous and the world on an even keel." Many U.S. allies fear Trump will feed insecurity in countries worried about China's growing power, embolden nationalists and authoritarians, and unravel Obama's "pivot" to the Asia-Pacific. Trump has also been accused of racism and bigotry for saying he would build a wall to keep out illegal Mexican immigrants and would temporarily ban Muslims from the United States. He has also made comments considered demeaning to women. The race between Trump on the one hand and the Democratic candidates, front-runner Hillary Clinton, a former secretary of state, and Senator Bernie Sanders, for the Nov. 8 election has become increasingly bitter and personal. Trump this week took his use of accusations against Clinton to levels unprecedented in modern U.S. presidential campaigns, making incendiary statements that television networks cannot resist covering, giving him hours of free media and putting his opponents on the defensive. Obama said it was natural for journalists in such a campaign to elevate "every roll, blink, speed bump, conflict, trash talkin'", but urged, instead, that candidates from both sides stick to the issues. "Grumpiness arises where folks feel that we're not talking about issues but personalities or character." Obama, a Democrat, issued his most extensive analysis to date of his own party's race, while refusing to take sides. He rejected a suggestion that beating Trump would get more difficult as the two parties' conventions approach in July, a period when the Democratic victor can focus on fighting Trump instead of the fellow Democrat, adding that the Democrat battle was tough. "Arguing against your friends is more draining than arguing against political opponents," Obama said. He said there were no big ideological differences between Clinton, an establishment candidate who is a former First Lady and senator, and Sanders, a firebrand populist who identifies as a Democratic Socialist. The president said it was important that the race eventually end in a way "that leaves both sides feeling proud of what theyve done." (Reporting by Matt Spetalnick and Thomas Wilson; Editing by William Mallard, Robert Birsel) President Barack Obama said world leaders at the G7 summit in Japan were rattled by the rise of Donald Trump and with good reason. They are surprised by the Republican nominee, Obama said at a news conference early Thursday in Shima City, Japan. They are not sure how seriously to take some of his pronouncements. But theyre rattled by him, and for good reason, because a lot of the proposals hes made display either ignorance of world affairs, or a cavalier attitude, or an interest in getting tweets and headlines, instead of actually thinking through what it is required to keep America safe and secure and prosperous, and what it takes to keep the world on an even keel. With global attention increasingly turning to the U.S. presidential election, foreign leaders and diplomats are expressing concern and confusion about an array of pronouncements from the presumptive GOP nominee, who has railed against international trade agreements and threatened to reduce U.S. involvement in security alliances like NATO. Obama says Trump comes up constantly in his meetings, though he assures international partners that Trump wont be elected to replace him in the White House. Japanese leaders in particular have been alarmed by Trumps suggestion that the United States pull its troops from the country and nearby South Korea, encouraging them to develop their own nuclear weapons so the two nations could defend themselves without relying on Washington. Many observers have also been thrown by Trumps 1980s-style accusations that Japan is taking advantage of the United States when it comes to trade deals. Trump also said May 17 that hed absolutely sit down with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un to try to negotiate a deal for him to give up his nuclear weapons, a move that some experts say would hand the reclusive leader a propaganda win. While the Japanese Embassy told Foreign Policy after Trumps North Korea comments, We refrain from commenting on every statement made by each candidate in the U.S. presidential election, it also pushed back at his suggestion. Story continues It is vital that North Korea demonstrate its firm commitment to denuclearization without taking further provocative actions, the embassy said in a statement on May 19. As the last man standing in the Republican nominating contest, Trump is turning his attention toward likely general election opponent Hillary Clinton, well-known to the international community from her tenure as Obamas first secretary of state. But Obama declined to weigh in on Clintons ongoing battle with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has resisted pressure to drop out or tone down his rhetoric though he faces a nearly insurmountable deficit in the delegate count. Obama said in a drawn-out primary, its natural for there to be grumpiness, and a build-up in aggravation, pointing to his own long and at times bitter contest against Clinton in 2008. He expressed confidence that the party can come together by the Democratic convention in July and win in November. That kind of day-to-day choppiness is not indicative of longer-term trends, he said. Would it be nice if everybody was immediately unified and singing kumbaya and whoever the nominee ended up being could take a nice two-week vacation and recharge? Absolutely, he continued. But these are folks who are serious about trying to solve the countrys problems. Theyre going to hold up, and by time we get to the convention, Im confident theyll be in good shape. Hours before Obama spoke abroad, riots and violence broke out at a Wednesday afternoon campaign stop for the GOP front-runner back home in California, underscoring the presidents comments about the risks of Trumps divisive comments. One of the largest prizes in the 2016 election, California holds its primary on June 7. Photo credit: THE ASAHI SHIMBUN/Contributor At the end of Incognito, a new play by Nick Payne (Constellations) at Manhattan Theater Club, one line of dialogue jumps out: There is nothing whatsoever remarkable about Albies [i.e., Albert Einsteins] brain. Had they but told us that at the outset of this pseudo-scientific treatment of that very subject, we might have been spared sitting through a dull play about earthbound people who devoutly wish they had a piece of the intellectual power of a genius. Director Doug Hughes (The Father) and movement director Peter Pucci run themselves ragged moving 20 lifeless characters (played by four hard-working actors) around the spare stage handsomely set by Scott Pask and lighted by Ben Stanton. But for all that work, Paynes treatment of his philosophical subject remains leaden in theatrical form. Although it dabbles in probability theory, this inert drama is quite unlike the writers charming two-hander, Constellations, which tested the boundaries of the time-space continuum by exploring the romance of a couple destined to meet and (possibly) fall in love. Here, the only thing being tested is the audiences ability to chase shadows on the walls of a cave. The British playwright has sourced his material from the actual story of how Einsteins brain was stolen by the unhinged pathologist who performed the autopsy on his body. After giving himself permission to carry off this audacious theft, Thomas Harvey (Morgan Spector) tucks Einsteins brain into the trunk of his car and drives it home to take up residence in his basement. For a while, the doctor is content to examine his trophy in private. The problems start when he dissects the brain into bite-sized specimens and disseminates them far and wide. But Incognito (however that title is supposed to apply here) is not the screwball comedy it sounds like. The playwright, who is entirely without humor, is genuinely interested in the brain as brain how it gets its wires crossed and allows a man to murder his wife. Or how it misfires in someone like Henry (Charlie Cox, whose smile can break your heart), who suffers from Grand Mal brain seizures. Story continues Whatever emotion might be squeezed out of this dry piece can be found in the bittersweet scenes in which Henry, who is in no way in touch with reality, manages to retain the memory of his love for his wife, whom he sees in the various caretakers tenderly played by Heather Lind. And whatever resolution is delivered at the end of the play, its relief at hearing that Dr. Harvey has thrown himself off Blackfriars Bridge. Related stories August Wilson's 'Jitney' to Play Broadway for First Time London Theater Review: 'Elegy' by Nick Payne Broadway Review: 'The Father' Starring Frank Langella The Trump Train has reached its destination. As of Thursday, businessman Donald Trump amassed the 1,237 delegates needed to clinch the Republican nomination, the Associated Press reported. BREAKING: @AP finds Trump reached the number of delegates needed to clinch the Republican nomination for president.pic.twitter.com/DWWeAfBEHa https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CjY3CW0XAAAHCC-.jpg:large The AP calculated that a small group of unbound delegates pushed Trump past the milestone marker. Trump has been the presumptive GOP nominee since May 3, when Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich dropped out of the race, leaving him the last of the 17 Republicans standing. But Thursday's milestone solidifies that status, officially killing the possibility of a contested Republican National Convention in Cleveland in July. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton is still competing with Sen. Bernie Sanders. But she is expected to clinch her party's nomination on June 7, when voters in New Jersey and California head to the polls. US President Barack Obama told reporters that he doubted the Afghan Taliban would come to the table "anytime soon" (AFP Photo/Jim Watson) Hopes of negotiating peace with the Afghan Taliban's new leader were swiftly fading from all sides Thursday, as US President Barack Obama warned the extremist movement will continue killing in Afghanistan. Obama told reporters in Japan, where he is meeting with other leaders of the Group of Seven nations, that he doubted the insurgents would come to the table "anytime soon". "We anticipate the Taliban will continue an agenda of violence," he said. Obama was speaking the day after the militants named Haibatullah Akhundzada as their new leader, elevating a low-profile religious figure in a swift power transition after the death of Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a US drone strike. Analysts have said it is unclear if Akhundzada, who faces the enormous challenge of unifying the increasingly fragmented militant movement, will emulate his former boss in shunning peace talks with the Afghan government. But the US killing of Mansour showed that Washington has at least for now abandoned hopes of reviving the direct peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban, which broke down for the first time last summer. Obama acknowledged that he was never going to find a willing negotiating partner at the helm of the extremist group. "I was not expecting a liberal democrat to be appointed," he told reporters. "My hope, although not my expectation, is that there comes a point where the Taliban realise what they need to be doing" and start getting into a dialogue with the government, he said. "I am doubtful that it will be happening anytime soon." The Taliban has made no official statement on the future of peace negotiations since announcing Akhundzada's leadership. But Obama's comments were reinforced by a senior Taliban source speaking to AFP in Pakistan, where Mansour was killed in the strike Saturday, who said there would be no shift in the militants' stance. "We consider NATO and the US troops as invaders and our resistance movement will continue," the source said Wednesday, after Akhundzada's leadership was announced. Story continues "The drone strike against (Mansour) has proved that the US is not sincere in bringing peace in Afghanistan, so peace talks at any level will remain suspended till the new decision by the leadership council." In Afghanistan, an official with the High Peace Council was cautious on the future of talks, saying Akhundzada "may not be interested in political dialogue at least in the short term" but vowing the council will continue its "endeavours for peace". President Ashraf Ghani was more hawkish, tweeting Thursday: "Taliban groups have yet another chance to end violence/lay their arms & start normal life. Or they'll face the same fate as their leadership." - Peace 'scuttled' - Analysts have told AFP that even if he favours peace talks, Akhundzada -- seen by some as a symbolic rather than functional leader -- would be unlikely to proceed without consensus from his supreme council. Mansour's killing marked a significant shift for Washington, highlighting a new willingness to target Taliban leaders in Pakistan and risk retaliatory attacks against struggling Afghan security forces. It sent shockwaves through the insurgent movement, which had seen a resurgence under Mansour. He was killed just nine months after being formally appointed leader following a bitter power struggle upon confirmation of founder Mullah Omar's death. Omar died in 2013, but his death was kept secret for two years, with Mansour issuing statements in his name -- a revelation that helped fuel internal opposition and splintered the group into rival factions, shattering the nascent peace process that had begun last summer. Before his killing, Mansour had written a will handpicking Akhundzada to be his successor, Taliban sources told AFP, in an apparent bid to lend legitimacy to his appointment. Pakistan said that attempts to restart talks had been "scuttled" by Mansour's killing, with the country's top foreign affairs official lashing out at a briefing in Islamabad Thursday. The strike has "undermined the Afghan peace process", Sartaj Aziz said. The US, China, Afghanistan and Pakistan had agreed at talks about the peace process in Islamabad earlier this month that a "politically negotiated settlement was the most viable option", he said. "This understanding has not been respected... In less than a year, the peace process has been scuttled twice." A puppy from an Ohio shelter is unloaded from the Welcome Waggin, a transportation service that takes animals from crowded shelters to uncrowded ones, at the Washington Animal Rescue League in Washington, on Aug. 25, 2009. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Ohio lawmakers just passed a law that would make it a fifth-degree felony to knowingly harm a pet by inflicting pain or depriving it of food, water, or shelter for a first offense. On Wednesday, House Bill 60 passed through the state Senate unanimously with a 33-0 vote, and the House approved of new amendments by a 92-1 vote. Sponsored by Reps. Dave Hall (R-Millersburg) and Bill Patmon (D-Cleveland), the bill was nicknamed Goddards Law after Dick Goddard, a Cleveland weatherman who has advocated for strengthening the penalties against animal abusers for years. Now its heading to Ohio Gov. John Kasichs desk. Once signed into law, HB 60 will make it illegal for anyone to knowingly torture, torment, needlessly mutilate or maim, cruelly beat, poison, needlessly kill, or commit an act of cruelty against a companion animal. The move was a long time coming, according to one of the sponsors. It was a minor misdemeanor before. A lot of times it was a slap on the wrist, Hall said in an interview with Yahoo News. So we felt that we needed to put teeth into the law in Ohio. Animal activists protested against what they say is inhumane treatment of monkeys and other animals on Dec. 14, 2012, outside the Charles River Laboratories research lab in Reno, Nev. (Photo/Scott Sonner/AP) Under Ohio law, a fifth-degree felony is punishable by six to twelve months in jail and a $2,500 fine. Goddards Law is indicative of a larger shift within national law enforcement toward protecting animals from abuse. In January, the FBI started tracking animal cruelty as a separate offense in its National Incident-Based Reporting System. Lora Dunn, a staff attorney for the Animal Legal Defense Funds Criminal Justice Program, explains that all 50 states, including Ohio, already have felony penalties available for animal cruelty. However, whether cruelty is punishable as a misdemeanor or felony can depend on a variety of factors, including the nature of the offense, whether it was the perpetrators first or subsequent offense, whether a child was present, how many animal victims were involved, and more, Dunn said via email. Currently, under Ohios cruelty law [Ohio Rev. Code 959.131(B)], knowing cruelty to a companion animal is only a misdemeanor on first offense, and a fifth-degree felony for any subsequent offense. Story continues Goddards Law makes knowingly causing serious physical harm to an animal a felony offense the very first time. This is a significant change that recognizes the serious danger of perpetrators who subject animal victims to prolonged suffering, be it by active physical abuse or leaving an animal to die slowly by starvation, Dunn said. With Goddards Law, the Ohio legislators also strengthened the penalties for assaulting a police dog or horse. This addition was inspired by the killing of Canton, Ohio police K-9 dog Jethro in January. Some representatives and senators had existing bills out there [inspired by Jethro] but didnt have time to go through the process of committee hearings, so we had members ask me and Patton if wed be willing to add that into Goddards Law, Hall said. We felt that it was the right thing to do. Amy Beichler, director of the Public Animal Welfare Society (PAWS Ohio), who has been advocating for Goddards Law for years, said first-time offenders have been getting free passes for too long. She said Ohio was one of only a few states to not have a felony provision for first offenses no matter how deplorable it was. In one instance, she recalled, someone was only charged with a misdemeanor after throwing a puppy off a cliff twice. An animal abuser could grab a dog, shoot it, and put it on fire in the middle of the street in front of a lot of witnesses, and if that individual had not ever been charged with animal cruelty before, the most that that person would get is misdemeanor 1, she said in an interview with Yahoo News. The next step, she said, is for animal rights advocates to educate the public. She hopes that the threat of a felony will deter people from intentionally harming animals. If you choose to harm companion animals, you may be choosing to be a felon for the rest of your life. By Barani Krishnan NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices rose about 2 percent on Wednesday after the U.S. government reported a larger-than-expected drop in crude inventories, but profit-taking after the data kept prices below the $50 a barrel level that oil bulls had been hoping for. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said crude inventories fell 4.2 million barrels in the week to May 20. While the decline was steeper than the 2.5 million barrels forecast by analysts in a Reuters poll, it was not as much as the 5.1 million expected by trade group American Petroleum Institute. [EIA/S] [API/S] Crude futures fell briefly after the EIA data showed the steepest weekly drop in seven weeks, then consolidated and traded at the lower end of the day's gains. Brent settled up $1.13, or 2.3 percent, at $49.74 a barrel. Prices climbed as high as $49.96 in post-settlement trading. U.S. crude's West Texas Intermediate (WTI) settled 94 cents higher at $49.56, after peaking at $49.62, a seven-month high. Profit taking heading into the U.S. Memorial Day weekend also pressured prices, traders said. Oil bulls have been hoping in recent weeks that crude would rise to $50 a barrel or more, after global crude flows declined nearly 4 million barrels per day due to wildfires in Canada's oil sands region, a near economic meltdown in OPEC member Venezuela and a spate of violent attacks against the Libyan and Nigerian energy industries. "While we do feel the rally could go slightly further and test the psychological $50 level, we also think the rally has been priced in, especially with the impact expected from Canadian wildfires," said Tariq Zahir, crude trader and portfolio manager at Tyche Capital Advisors in New York. "So, we wouldn't be surprised to see more profit taking from the longs, especially since there was no immediate follow-through in buying after the data." U.S. gasoline futures fell nearly 1.5 percent to around $1.63 a gallon after the EIA reported that stockpiles of the motor fuel rose over 2 million barrels last week, confounding analysts' expectations for a 1.1 million-barrel drop. "Gasoline looks to be the weakest horse right now and the momentum of the recent rally that started on May 10th now looks to be breaking down," said David Thompson, executive vice-president at commodities broker Powerhouse in Washington. He said the picture could worsen for gasoline if futures for the motor fuel break below the $1.60 support. "The bears will be encouraged to increase their selling pressure." (Additional reporting by Devika Krishna Kumar in New York, Amanda Cooper in LONDON, Osamu Tsukimori in TOKYO and Keith Wallis in SINGAPORE; Editing by David Gregorio and Alan Crosby) In what could be an important milestone for the world energy markets, oil prices have crossed over the $50 per barrel threshold for the first time in over seven months. Fueled by lower-than-expected stockpiles and global supply outages, the recent jump in oil is providing much-needed relief for an industry that has been wreaked by low prices. U.S. and Brent crude prices moved past the $50 point on Thursday, primarily in response to a report that showed U.S. crude stockpiles were down more than anticipated. Furthermore, armed militants have slowed production in Nigeria, an electricity shortage has slowed production in Venezuela, and wildfires have taken a toll on production in Canada. While $50 a barrel seems like a saving grace, especially when one considers that we were seeing $26 barrels as recently as February, its a far cry from the $100 levels that were seen just a few years ago. The recent oil glut has put a serious damper on the economies of oil dependent nations like Saudi Arabia, as well as producers like Chevron CVX and BP BP. Of course, one should never underestimate the power of a psychological barrier. Perhaps reaching the $50 price point will inspire the oil market to push further, which could definitely be true if U.S. production remains lower. Interestingly enough, lower U.S. production is exactly what Saudi Arabia and other OPEC countries wanted when they decided to continue boosting production volume in the face of falling prices. Although it hurt OPEC in the near-term, if U.S. production stays down, OPEC members can regain valuable market share. Unfortunately, some signs indicate that the $50 price may not stay for long, as much of the loss in production has come from temporary sources. The aforementioned political crises in Venezuela and Nigeria have made an impact, and pipeline explosions in Iraq and Colombia took oil out of the market in the first quarter. Oil investors will now look to next weeks OPEC meeting in Vienna. Tensions between member nations are extremely high, and the group is not expected to reach a new deal to lower or even freeze production. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report US-OIL FUND LP (USO): ETF Research Reports BP PLC (BP): Free Stock Analysis Report CHEVRON CORP (CVX): Free Stock Analysis Report SPDR-SP O&G EXP (XOP): ETF Research Reports SPDR-EGY SELS (XLE): ETF Research Reports To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research (Reuters) - Police on Thursday were investigating a shooting that left one man dead and three other people wounded shortly before a concert by rapper T.I. in lower Manhattan. The shooting started Wednesday night as an argument broke out between rival groups associated with rappers Maino and Troy Ave, according to reports. Maino and another rapper, Uncle Murda, were performing before an audience of about 1,000 at the Irving Place club in lower Manhattan when gunfire erupted at about 10:15 p.m. EDT, according to reports. The gunman and the victims were all credentialed guests with access to the VIP area, a source said told the N.Y. Daily News. No arrests have been made, police said. New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton told a local radio station on Thursday that police believe they will wrap up the investigation quickly. "We have a pretty good idea of what happened," Bratton said. A 33-year-old man was shot in the stomach, a 26-year-old woman was wounded in the leg, a 34-year-old man was shot in the chest, and a 30-year-old man was wounded in the leg, police said. None of the victims were identified. The man shot in the stomach was pronounced dead at a local hospital, police said. Two of the three others wounded were taken to local hospitals and were in stable condition. A video clip posted on Twitter showed dozens of people screaming and rushing away from the stage. They fell to the ground as shots rang out. In 2015, two people were wounded in a shooting at a North Carolina nightclub also featuring rapper T.I. Bratton told the radio station that violence is often part of the world of rap artists and music. "Unfortunately that violence often times manifests itself during performances and that's exactly what happened last evening," he said. (Reporting by Suzannah Gonzales in Chicago; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) UPDATE: The NYPD has released graphic footage from the scene of the shooting. The video shows a male suspect with a bloody leg firing a gun. Four people were shot, one fatally, at a T.I. concert in New York's Irving Plaza Wednesday night (May 25). Police said gunfire broke out at around 10:15 p.m. in a third-floor dressing room at the venue while an opening act was onstage; the violence spread to the crowd. T.I. was in the building but not onstage at the time. Billboard's reporter on the scene saw a man put into an ambulance with a gunshot wound to the chest, and a woman was carted out on a stretcher with what appeared to be a shot to the leg. According to multiple reports, two men and a woman were taken to Bellevue Hospital and a fourth victim walked into NYU Hospital. The identity of the victim, who a New York Police spokesman said died at the scene, had not been revealed at press time. Another is said to be in critical condition with a stomach wound. A rep for Troy Ave (real name: Roland Collins) told KarenCivil.com the Brooklyn rapper was grazed in the leg by a bullet, although it was unclear whether he was involved in the incident that led to the shooting. The artist was in good condition early Thursday, according to the NY Post. Police said it was unclear how the assailant was able to enter the venue with a weapon. The fact that the shooting took place in a backstage dressing room suggests the assailant accompanied one of the artists -- and thus may have entered through the building's smaller side entrance on East 15th Street, which is used by most artists and crew -- but concertgoer Rodney Molina, 37, told Billboard that he and others had not been checked for identification or patted down for weapons as they entered through the venue's front doors on Irving Place. #Breaking #NYPD confirming 1 man killed 3 ppl wounded @IrvingPlaza #shooting @HOT97 @globalgrind @funkflex @fox5ny pic.twitter.com/599MFRfNUO Story continues - Lisa Evers (@LisaEvers) May 26, 2016 Eyewitnesses described a scene of mayhem as the crowd rushed to escape the sound of gunfire. Video purportedly captured inside at the gig shows a panicked crowd scattering (see below). "Right in front of me, someone was shot right there. People were running and getting stomped on," Molina told Billboard. "I ran. I ran after that. Everyone started running and pushing people to the floor." A witness told the Post that the shooting happened shortly after T.I. left the green room. Several accounts said Maino and Uncle Murda were performing on stage at the time of the shooting. Irving Plaza, which is operated by Live Nation, posted this comment overnight: "The safety of our guests is of the utmost importance. Until we have further details about what transpired, we are referring all inquiries to the NYPD." The motive for the shooting was unclear at press time. Police said the investigation is in its early stage. Prior to the shooting, T.I. taped a performance with Anderson .Paak on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, which aired following the incident. Outside Irving Plaza, EMS pulled out one victim on a stretcher @PIX11News pic.twitter.com/8jGv6sDKBp - Myles Miller - PIX11 (@MylesMill) May 26, 2016 Gunshots just went off at the T.I concert, never been so scared in my life pic.twitter.com/rn0CjpAuaU - Marco (@markygeezy) May 26, 2016 Evacuated after shots fired while crowd waited for @Tip tonight at @IrvingPlaza pic.twitter.com/2hDT9qgO9t - Diana Zuluaga (@dmz75) May 26, 2016 It's not the first time gunfire has marred a T.I. event. Back in 2006, shots rang out at a T.I. aftershow party in Cincinnati, leaving the hip-hop artist's good friend and personal assistant Philant Johnson dead and three others injured. T.I. would later take the witness stand when the homicide case reached trial. T.I. was caught up in another incident the following year on federal weapons charges. He was sentenced to a year in prison after his arrest in October 2007 before the BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta for allegedly trying to buy automatic weapons. In 2013 Doe B, a rapper on T.I.'s Grand Hustle label, was shot and killed in Montgomery, Alabama. Two suspects were charged in relation to his death. fridge When most people hear the word chemistry I imagine eyes glazing over and maybe even an unsettling flashback to a class many would sooner forget. Except for those who moved on to study the physical sciences in college, chemistry likely falls into the When will I ever use this? department. Some investors worry that the chemical industry will leave them as confused as those hours toiling in high school chemistry. The industry is oldhundreds of years old, in fact. And in todays world where we enjoy leading-edge digital technology like virtual reality and artificial intelligence undreamt of even a few generations ago, its hard to imagine how chemistry, with discoveries going back multiple decades, can still be relevant. But it is. Rapid urbanization and an emerging middle class in developing markets means there is growing demand for air conditioners, refrigerators, quality paints, automobilesall important markers of middle class living. None of those conveniences would be possible without chemistry. Equally, in developed economies, people have come to demand that consumer goods like wearable technology and personal electronic devices be more durable, comfortable, and high performing. Chemistry-based ingredients make that happen. Lets take a closer look at just one of those modern conveniences related to the rising demand across the globe for healthy foods. Moving fresh produce from farms to tables requires refrigeration, not just in stores and homes, but all along the food distribution chain. The challenge is to provide that cold storage in a sustainable way. With products like low global warming potential refrigerants, chemistry helps reduce hydrocarbon-based emissions the world over. Screen Shot 2016 05 25 at 5.22.12 PM Chemical products are components of nearly all manufactured goods, in fact, so our industry often mirrors the health of the manufacturing sector and the economy as a whole. We are a multi-billion dollar industry that creates hundreds of thousands of jobs transforming the natural raw materials of the earth, sea and air into products that we use every day. Story continues Although segments of our industry can be cyclical, resulting in broader market volatility, these global trends mean it is well positioned for strong underlying growth in the years ahead. You dont need to know the periodic table to take advantage of this market. With a good grasp of what makes a chemical company successful, this industry can be a smart move to diversify any investment portfolio. Companies within the chemical industry offer both specialty and commodity products. Specialty chemicals are materials that are a unique offering for a specific company, often protected by patents or specific know-how and not readily available from other suppliers. For the investor, its important to find out which products these chemicals are used in and if that market is growing. As uniqueness erodes, specialty chemicals tend to evolve into commodity chemicals, as more companies are able to produce them on a large scale. For the most part, commodity chemicals are mass-produced for global markets and manufactured by a number of companies. This is where you will find more industry volatility and flux. However, commodity players can still provide significant value over their competition if they are the low-cost producer, or if they offer a specific value to a customer, such as higher quality or dependable supply. In that regard, commodities can have a specialty twist. Given that commodity chemicals can alternate between periods of tight supply and overcapacity, it is important to recognize that there will be some unpredictability and low-price periods. scientists, women in science, lab, chemistry, college That is when its best to invest in the companies that have the lower-cost position, since they will deliver the highest return, even during turbulent times. Most importantly, look for companies that supply chemicals that can support a growing, more affluent global population; theyre in the best position to deliver shareholder growth over the long haul. The world needs innovative chemical companiescompanies that push the boundaries of what chemistry can do to improve the quality of life for billions of people worldwide. I call that higher value chemistry, chemistry that supports our changing 21st century lives. Its an exciting time for our industry, as well as for anyone looking to invest in something that will help enable sustainable growth with profitable returns. In an industry approaching 300 years old, we know that taking the long view reaps rewards. And maybe, just maybe, it will change the way you think about that high school chemistry class. Mark Vergnano is the chief executive of Chemours Company, a $6 billion global chemicals company. NOW WATCH: Heres why your jeans have that tiny front pocket More From Business Insider By Kathryn Doyle (Reuters Health) - Adolescents in Europe may be just as susceptible to online alcohol marketing as their counterparts elsewhere, according to a recent study in four countries that links the ads with kids' likelihood of drinking and of binge drinking. There have been similar results from studies conducted in the U.S., Scotland and the Pacific, said lead author Avalon de Bruijn of the European Center for Monitoring Alcohol Marketing in Heerde, the Netherlands, but it was a surprise to me that the impact of online advertising was so strong and the exposure so high among young people in these countries. Alcohol marketing seems unavoidable on the internet, de Bruijn told Reuters Health by email. The researchers surveyed more than 9,000 students around age 14 at schools in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland. About 4,500 kids said they never drank alcohol and were categorized as non-drinkers; all others were categorized as drinkers. In addition, one quarter of all the participants said that they had five or more drinks at once in the past 30 days and were classified as binge drinkers. The students answered questions about having seen promotional emails or joke emails mentioning alcohol brands and websites for alcohol brands or whose content was about drinking. They were also asked about using mobile phone or computer screensavers containing an alcohol brand name or logo and about having used a profile website on social media that contained an alcohol advertisement. Two-thirds said they had noticed an alcohol ad online, and one third had used a profile website with an alcohol ad. One fourth received promotional emails containing alcohol advertisements and one in five looked at websites for alcohol brands. The proportion of kids who had downloaded a screensaver featuring an alcohol brand ranged from just under one in three in Italy to one in six in Poland. In each country, higher exposure to online alcohol marketing was tied to greater odds of being a drinker and of binge drinking, according to the results in Alcohol and Alcoholism. Existing research suggests that exposure to alcohol marketing increases the risk of starting to drink and to increase the amount and frequency of drinking among drinkers, de Bruijn said, though the current study cannot prove that one factor causes the other. Active engagement with online marketing materials was also found to be more closely linked to drinking behavior than passive exposure to them, the report notes. All types of alcohol advertising have been tied in past research to higher levels of drinking, de Bruijn said. However, the impact of online alcohol marketing is especially influential. This might be explained by the interactive and personalized character of online alcohol advertising. Past research has also shown that price policies and restricting the number of alcohol vendors in a certain area can reduce binge drinking among youth, she said. Given that teens are spending considerable amount of time online, it is not surprising that advertising and marketing are influential in the online realm, said Dana Litt of the Center for the Study of Health and Risk Behaviors at the University of Washington in Seattle, who was not part of the new study. But it is possible that adolescents who drink more are seeking out alcohol advertising and marketing more than adolescents who are not drinkers, Litt told Reuters Health by email. It may not be feasible to reduce the volume of alcohol marketing teens view online, but it is probably more realistic, at least in the short term, to work on teaching our kids how to be more savvy consumers of this alcohol content by teaching media literacy skills, she said. Most alcohol advertisers have pledged to voluntarily limit ads targeting teens but the nature of the internet makes it very hard to monitor and enforce these regulations, Litt said. In most EU countries the volume of online alcohol advertisements in not regulated by law and only by insufficient voluntary codes by the alcohol industry, de Bruijn said. There is a responsibility of EU Member States and the European Union to regulate this in order to protect children and adolescents against harmful exposure to online alcohol advertisements. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/27U4I5p Alcohol and Alcoholism, online May 5, 2016. By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch wrote in an opinion piece published on Thursday that his meeting with Merrick Garland failed to change his view that the Senate should not act on President Barack Obama's U.S. Supreme Court nominee. The problem is that no such meeting had yet taken place. Later in the day, the Utah senator issued a statement announcing that he would meet with Garland on Thursday, calling the appeals court judge "an honorable public servant who deserves our respect" but reiterating that the Senate should not act now. Paul Edwards, executive editor of the Deseret News in Hatch's home state of Utah, said by email the article was a draft that was mistakenly published on newspaper's website, and apologized to Hatch and the newspaper's readers for "this unfortunate error." "Like many of my Senate colleagues, I recently met with Chief Judge Merrick Garland," Hatch wrote in the piece. "Our meeting, however, does not change my conviction that the Senate should consider a Supreme Court nominee after this presidential election cycle," Hatch added. The 82-year-old Hatch, first elected to the Senate in 1976, is the longest-serving Senate Republican and is a long-time and influential member of the Judiciary Committee that considers Supreme Court nominees. Hatch has joined with the Senate's Republican leaders in asserting that Obama's successor, to be determined in the Nov. 8 presidential election, should fill the vacancy left by the death of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia in February. Democrats have accused Senate Republicans of ignoring their constitutional duties by refusing to consider Garland's nomination. A copy of the article was archived by Google after the Deseret News removed it. "The electronic publication of this version, awaiting edits from the Senator following his meeting with Judge Garland, was inadvertent," Edwards added. Story continues The article illustrated how unshakeable Republican opposition has been to Obama, a Democrat, appointing a replacement for Scalia. If a Democratic president appoints Scalia's replacement, that would likely end decades of a conservative majority on the court. Obama nominated Garland on March 16. Hatch helped break a partisan log jam in the Senate against Garland two decades ago when President Bill Clinton nominated him to an appeals court. Garland won Senate confirmation in 1997. (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Will Dunham) Owning a piece of American history will cost you. On Wednesday, auctioneers at Sotheby's sold an original copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, signed by President Abraham Lincoln, for $2.17 million to a bidder who called in by phone. According to the auction house's Twitter account, they also sold one of three "Senate copies" of the 13th Amendment, also signed by Lincoln, for $2.4 million, as well as a message to Congress penned by Thomas Jefferson. In total, Sotheby's raked in $6.2 million for the historical documents. ABC News reported that Sotheby's auctioneers had originally estimated that the 13th Amendment, which outlawed slavery in the United States, would sell for $5 million alone. Our 'Two Centuries of American History' totaled $6.2 million, led by two documents signed by President Lincolnpic.twitter.com/KD2QafcgiX https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CjVAKFDWkAEaLoj.jpg:large Read more: A French Auction House Is Trying to Sell These Sacred Native American Artifacts "The significance of them is really overwhelming," Sotheby's international senior specialist for books and manuscripts Selby Kiffer told the Huffington Post ahead of Wednesday's auction. S 27 authentic copies of the Emancipation Proclamation, seven of which, including the one sold on Wednesday, are owned by private collectors. The other 20 are currently on display in institutions. "In terms of historical significance other than the Declaration of Independence, bill of rights and the constitution these rare two documents are some of the greatest documents of American history," Kiffer added. Ottawa (AFP) - The law firm at the center of the Panama Papers leak broke its own policies by setting up an offshore company for a Canadian billionaire under criminal investigation, news outlets reported Thursday. The daily Toronto Star and public broadcaster CBC, which are members of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, reported that Mossack Fonseca had agreed to do work for Chinese-born David Ting Kwok Ho despite concerns about his legal woes and his prominence. Ho, who emigrated to Canada in 1986, had been charged with possession of cocaine, the unlawful confinement of a prostitute at his Vancouver mansion, and possession of an unregistered loaded pistol. He pleaded guilty to the latter two charges in 2012 and was given a suspended sentence, community service and a fine. A year earlier when the charges were still pending, however, Mossack Fonseca took him on as a client. In addition to the charges, a background check had found Ho was a "politically exposed person" because of his membership in a prominent family in China. His grandfather once ran one of the world's largest tobacco companies. In international finance, so-called PEPs are considered as posing a higher risk for corruption and bribery. In public statements, Mossack Fonseca has insisted that it conducts rigorous due diligence before taking on a PEP client. But in Ho's case, according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, this amounted to a web search and asking Ho questions about his legal troubles that went largely unanswered. "The client is much annoyed by question after question from us," read an email from Mossack Fonseca's Shanghai branch to its Panama offices, saying Ho wished to proceed urgently with incorporation. It also noted that Ho was no longer involved in politics, and said his alleged crimes were not economic crimes. Mossack Fonseca registered Harmonyworld Investment Co. Ltd. for Ho in the Seychelles on July 12, 2011. Ho's lawyer told the Toronto Star his offshore corporation was reported to the Canada Revenue Agency. Money talks. Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel explained in an interview on Wednesday, May 25, why he funded Hulk Hogan's legal battle against the Gawker media organization. PHOTOS: Biggest Star Sex Tape Scandals The Paypal cofounder, 48, spoke to The New York Times after a report surfaced that he secretly paid millions to support the wrestler's lawsuit against Gawker for invasion of privacy after it published a sex tape featuring him and a woman who was not his wife. "It's less about revenge and more about specific deterrence," said Thiel, who was outed as gay in a post on Gawker in 2007. The mogul, who was an early investor in Facebook, claims that that story and a series of articles about his friends "ruined people's lives for no reason," and prompted him to launch a secret war against the media company. PHOTOS: Stars at Court Thiel says that the Gawker stories were "very painful and paralyzing for people who were targeted," so he paid for a team of lawyers to find and help "victims" to launch cases against Gawker. "I thought it was worth fighting back," he added. The Times confirms that Thiel paid roughly $10 million for Hogan's lawsuit, which ended in March when the wrestler, 62, whose real name is Terry Gene Bollea, was awarded $140 million by a Florida court. PHOTOS: Celebrity Sex Confessions While Thiel has spoken out about protecting freedom of speech, he believes that "Gawker has been a singularly terrible bully." He added that his financial backing of cases against the company is "one of my greater philanthropic things that I've done." Gawker Media filed two post-trial motions in April, seeking to throw out the jury verdict in the Hogan trial, but they were denied by a judge on Wednesday. In a statement to the Times, Nick Denton, the founder of Gawker Media, said, "Just because Peter Thiel is a Silicon Valley billionaire, his opinion does not trump our millions of readers who know us for routinely driving big news stories including Hillary Clintons secret email account, Bill Cosby's history with women, the mayor of Toronto as a crack smoker, Tom Cruise's role within Scientology, the N.F.L. cover-up of domestic abuse by players and just this month the hidden power of Facebook to determine the news you see." The BBC has confirmed that "Peaky Blinders" will be returning for a fourth and fifth season The Guardian reported. Season 3 is already currently showing in the UK and is due to hit down in the USA on Netflix on May 31. Season 4 and 5 will both consist of six episodes each, all to be written by the show's creator Steven Knight. No release dates have yet been announced, nor has Netflix's role in the new seasons, although it is expected that both will also be picked up by the streaming site. Set in Birmingham, UK, just after WWI, the popular show stars Cillian Murphy as gangster Tommy Shelby, the leader of the Peaky Blinders gang. Other recurring cast members include Tom Hardy, Helen McCrory and Paul Anderson. By Idrees Ali WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon has concluded that an intercept of a U.S. military aircraft by Chinese fighter jets last week over the South China Sea violated an agreement the two governments signed last year, a U.S. defense official said on Thursday. The Pentagon findings contradict what the Chinese Defense Ministry said earlier in the day. Last year, the United States and China announced an agreement establishing rules of behavior to govern air-to-air encounters and creating a military hotline. "The review of the Chinese intercept of one of our reconnaissance aircraft has assessed the intercept to have been unsafe based upon the Memorandum of Understanding with China and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards," U.S. Defense Department spokesman Bill Urban told Reuters. The incident took place in international airspace last week as a U.S. military plane carried out "a routine U.S. patrol," the Pentagon said. Two Chinese J-11 fighter jets flew within 50 feet (15 meters) of the U.S. EP-3 aircraft, a U.S. defense official said at the time. The official said the incident took place east of Hainan Island. The incident came at a time of heightened Sino-American tensions in the South China Sea. China claims most of the area, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims. Washington has accused Beijing of militarizing the South China Sea after creating artificial islands, while Beijing, in turn, has criticized increased U.S. naval patrols and exercises in Asia. Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun told a news briefing on Thursday that China's aircraft acted completely professionally and in line with an agreement reached between the countries on rules governing such encounters. However, he said the agreement could only provide a "technical standard", and the best way of resolving the problem was for the U.S. to stop such flights. Urban said the two governments discussed the intercept at this weeks Military Maritime Consultative Agreement talks in Hawaii. "The United States has expressed our concern to China," he said. The agreement on rules of behavior for air-to-air encounters signed last year was broad in scope, addressing everything from the correct radio frequencies to use during distress calls to the wrong physical behaviors to use during crises. Last week, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook told reporters that it was unclear if China violated the agreement but that their actions were "unsafe." (Editing by Warren Strobel and Alan Crosby) Photos of US soldiers wearing patches from the Kurdish People's Protection Unit, or YPG, as they fight the Islamic State alongside Kurds in Syria have reignited the debate over Washington's support for the group, with some calling the patches "politically tone deaf" and others insisting it is "perfectly normal." The YPG has proved to be the most effective ground force fighting the Islamic State, the militant group also known as ISIS, ISIL, or Daesh, in northern Syria. But the territorial expansion the YPG's victories have afforded it is vehemently opposed by Turkey, an important US ally and NATO member. Ankara views Kurdish demands for autonomy as a threat to Turkey's sovereignty and backs many of the rebel groups that have clashed with the YPG. Turkey has also linked the YPG to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, a designated terrorist organization that is waging an insurgency in Turkey's southeast. As such, some analysts wonder whether the Americans' show of solidarity with the Kurds will further inflame tensions between the US and Turkey. As one Kurdish activist asked on Twitter, "How will Erdogan react?" Charles Lister, a Syria expert and senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, said it was "absolutely remarkable seeing US special forces personnel wearing YPG patches in the northern Raqqa operation." "The US National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) labeled the YPG the Syria wing of the 'designated' PKK in 2014," he added. Story continues Michael Weiss, a Middle East analyst and coauthor of "ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror," noted on Twitter that the image on the YPG patch appeared to derive from the original PKK flag. Best part about US Special Forces wearing YPG patches? The patch derives from this original PKK flag. cc: @justinjm1 pic.twitter.com/LDldPisdZe Michael Weiss (@michaeldweiss) May 26, 2016 Emile Hokayem, a Middle East analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, tweeted that the photos were "politically tone-deaf and counterproductive in this context." He was most likely referring not only to the US-Turkey relationship but also to the tension between Kurdish forces and Syrian Arab rebel groups associated with the Free Syrian Army. syrian kurds ypg Mutual distrust continues to cast a shadow over the Kurdish-Arab relationship in northern Syria, even as the Obama administration has tried to bring Arab and Kurdish forces together via the Syrian Democratic Forces to fight the Islamic State. FSA rebels were reportedly enraged, for example, when they learned that the US's top military commander, Gen. Joseph Votel, visited Kurdish commanders in northern Syria last weekend to discuss the Kurdish-dominated SDF's plans to retake territory from ISIS. Many FSA groups don't trust the Kurds, who wish to carve out an autonomous region in northern Syria known as Rojava, and are wary of US support for them. The Arab fighters [in the SDF] are just camouflage," Gen. Salim Idris, the former FSA chief of staff, told Voice of America on Monday. "The SDF is the YPG, which collaborates with anyone Assad, the Russians, the Americans when it suits its purposes." He added: "I really don't think the Obama administration has thought this through. Will the Kurds give up Arab towns they capture?" Kurdish members of the Self-Defense Forces stand near the Syrian-Turkish border in the Syrian city of al-Derbasiyah during a protest against the operations launched in Turkey by government security forces against the Kurds, February 9, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said S ome analysts worry that photos of US soldiers showing solidarity with the Kurds by wearing YPG patches will infuriate FSA rebels and Turkey even further. But Wladimir van Wilgenburg, a field researcher for the Iraqi Institute for Strategic Studies and a journalist based in the region, said the practice was "quite normal." "They do it out of respect for the local forces they are working with," van Wilgenburg told Business Insider on Thursday. "It's the same with coalition soldiers in Iraqi Kurdistan. I have seen them with Kurdish flags, or patches of different peshmerga forces (like the Zerevani)." He added: "It has nothing to do with politics. They are fighting together as a 'band of brothers' against the Islamic state, so it's quite normal." NOW WATCH: Its surreal to watch this 2011 video of Obama and Seth Meyers taunting Trump about a presidential run More From Business Insider Public health experts are increasingly concerned about the Zika virus. To combat that threat, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a full array of anti-mosquito measures, especially for people living in or traveling to parts of South America or the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico. Those steps include applying insect repellents, with ingredients such as deet or picaridin, to exposed skin and clothing. But another option recommended by the CDC is to wear clothing that has been treated with the insecticide permethrin. These clothesincluding shirts, pants, and hatsare made by several manufacturers, notably Insect Shield and Burlington, and are sold by brands such as L.L. Bean and ExOfficio. Sales of permethrin-treated clothes have jumped in recent months, as health officials around the world struggle to protect vulnerable populations from Zika-carrying mosquitoes. Thats especially worrisome for women who are, or may become, pregnant, because the Zika virus has been linked to microcephaly and other the serious birth defects. Insect Shield has even launched a new lifestyle and maternity collection and tells Consumer Reports that requests for their products have increased, particularly in Zika-affected countries like Brazil. We tested three shirts from L.L. Bean and ExOfficio, and found that while they can help protect against mosquitoes, in our tests some worked better than othersand none were foolproof. Plus, none of the permethrin-treated shirts were as effective against bites as an ordinary shirt that was sprayed with deet. And its worth noting: The shirts dont eliminate the need for using an effective repellent on your skin. In fact, the manufacturers stress the importance of wearing the clothing along with a repellent. Here's what you need to know about permethrin-treated clothing and how to best protect yourself from mosquito bites. How Does Permethrin Work? Permethrin is a synthetic version of a chemical produced naturally by the chrysanthemum flower. Its often called a repellent, but works more like an insecticide. That is, it doesnt stop bites primarily by preventing mosquitoes from landing on you (like deet or picaridin) but by incapacitating or killing the insects after they land andhopefullybefore they bite. Story continues In addition, wearing the shirts for a prolonged period may create a protective buffer around you, by reducing the number of nearby mosquitoes, says Ulrich R. Bernier, Ph.D. a U.S. Department of Agriculture chemist and leading researchers on permethrin-treated clothing. Permethrin is also used as a spray around homes and in public spaces, as a cream to treat animals, and as a lotion to treat scabies and lice on humans. The U.S. military has used permethrin-treated uniforms since the early 1990s. Deet sprayed on clothes was an option, but soldiers found reapplying it cumbersome. So the USDA figured out how to bind permethrin to fabrics. Civilian clothing based on the technology has been available since 2003. Is Permethrin Safe? The Environmental Protection Agency classifies it as a likely human carcinogen, if you consume it, and one study linked it to Parkinsons disease. But the EPA says that the amount of permethrin allowed in clothing is too low to pose risks to humans, including pregnant women. Research also shows that the permethrin in factory-treated clothing doesnt leach much onto skin, and our tests of permethrin-treated fabric suggests that to be true, too. How Did We Test the Shirts? We tested L.L. Beans permethrin-treated Crew shirt ($80, 100 percent polyester); and two similar ExOfficio shirts, the Bugsaway Breezr ($85, 100 percent nylon) and the Talisman ($85, 60 percent cotton/40 percent polyester). All three products are treated with 0.52 percent permethrin, the industry standard. The manufacturers of all three shirts claim the permethrin will last for 70 washes. We tested them new, and after 25 washes. As controls, we also tested untreated shirts (made of similar materials to the permethrin-treated ones) and one untreated shirt that we sprayed with Bens 30% DEET Tick and Wilderness Formula, the top-rated deet product in our Ratings. Four volunteerstwo women and two menput their shirt-sleeve-covered arms into two separate cages filled with mosquitoes. One cage had about 200 of the Aedes variety (aggressive daytime biters that can carry Zika), the other had 200 female Culex mosquitoes (a calmer, night-biting species known to transmit West Nile). The mosquitoes were all disease free. The subjects washed their arms before testing each shirt, and the sleeves were pulled tightly against the skin. That does make it easier for mosquitoes to bite through the shirts before they are incapacitated by the permethrin, but was necessary to control for variability in the looseness of fabric on any given arm. Arms were kept in the cages for five minutes or until they received at least two bites. Lab workers counted the number of mosquitoes that landed on each arm, the number that were incapacitated or killed, and the number that actually bit. The permethrin-treated L.L. Bean Crew shirt on the left did a better job of preventing mosquito bites than did the two similarly treated ExOfficio shirts on the right. None of those shirts, however, were as effective in our tests as was a shirt sprayed with the repellent deet. Note that while permethrin is often called a repellent, it works mainly by killing or incapacitating mosquitoes once they land on you, not by preventing them from landing in the first place. And even when wearing the shirts, the manufacturers say you should apply a repellent to your exposed skin, too. Did the Shirts Work? The permethrin-treated products did kill or incapacitate many of the mosquitoes that landedbut in some cases that didnt happen quickly enough to prevent bites. Notably, all four volunteers wearing Ex-Officio shirtsboth new and after 25 washeshad to remove their arms from the cage before the five minutes were up, because they got at least two bites from both the Aedes and the Culex mosquitoes. By contrast, volunteers didnt get any bites when wearing the new L.L. Bean shirt. After 25 washes, none were bitten by the Culex mosquitoes eitherthough three of the four volunteers wearing the washed L.L. Bean shirt did receive bites from the Aedes mosquitoes. The deet-sprayed shirt prevented all mosquitoes from landing, and thus, prevented all bites. The untreated control shirts did not prevent bites or landings. Burlington, the company behind the technology used on the L.L Bean shirt told Consumer Reports that our data was not consistent with military, laboratory and civilian field testing and had questions about our testing protocol. And Haynes S. Griffin, chairman and CEO of Insect Shield, told Consumer Reports that we should have relied on a knock down test, which checks whether mosquitoes are incapacitated or killed when exposed to permethrin-treated clothing placed in an enclosed space. But our experts felt that the cage test, another EPA-approved test, gave a better indication of whether the shirts actually prevented mosquitoes from biting, and also provided information on the number of mosquitoes that were knocked down, as shown in the chart below. Aedes Mosquitoes Culex Mosquitoes Bites Average Knockdowns Average Landings Bites Average Knockdowns Average Landings L.L. Bean Crew (No-Fly Zone) New None 7 16 None 12 15 L.L. Bean Crew (No-Fly Zone) After 25 Washings Yes (in 3 of 4 volunteers) 8 15 None 11 12 ExOfficio Breez'r and Talisman (Insect Shield) New Yes 10 30 Yes 9 31 ExOfficio Breez'r and Talisman (Insect Shield) After 25 Washings Yes 10 27 Yes 9 21 Deet-Treated Shirt None 0 0 None 0 0 Untreated Shirt Yes 0 17 Yes 0 9 Is There an Extra Benefit to Killing or Knocking Down Mosquitoes Yes, according to Bernier at the USDA. He points to a U.S. military study indicating that biting rates decreased dramatically within the immediate area where subjects wore permethrin-treated uniforms for 9 hours. We did not do tests to confirm that effect, but it does suggest that if you wear the clothing while sitting on, say, your deck, the shirts could over time reduce the number of bites you get by killing or immobilizing mosquitoes right around you. However, that benefit could be reduced if you change locations by, for example, walking off the deck into the backyard or are on a hike. Can You Make Your Own Insect-Repellent Clothing? Yes, you can buy permethrin spray designed specifically for clothing, and apply it to garments yourself. We did not test this approach, but the EPA says that clothes treated with the sprays can offer similar protection as factory-treated permethrin clothing, as long as you spray evenly and follow the package instructions. Clothing you treat yourself may need to be re-treated after repeated washings. If youre going to treat your own clothing with permethrin, look for sprays made specifically for clothing. The EPA advises that you dont apply these products while the clothes are being worn, but instead spray them in a well-ventilated area protected from the wind, and hang them outdoors to dry before wearing. You should also be mindful of the clothes youre working with. Preventing bites is a combination of not only the permethrin on the surface, but also the type of fabric, Bernier says. And its not just the weight of the fabric. The weaves, and how tightly theyre woven all factor into the probability of a mosquito being able to bite you in a certain amount of time. All permethrin-treated clothing should be washed separately from other clothing, as some of the chemical may come off. Can You Spray Clothes With Regular Insect Repellents? Yes. In our tests, shirts sprayed with deet were better at preventing bites than the permethrin-treated clothing. The CDC says that any repellent that works on your skin should work for just as long when applied to clothing, though you should wash the clothing at the end of the day and will need to reapply the next time you want protection. And note that some repellents may harm fabric. In our tests, Repels Lemon of Eucalyptus was less likely to damage fabric. If You Wear Permethrin-Treated Clothing, Do You Still Need to Use a Repellent? Yes. The CDC and the manufacturers of the products emphasize that you still need to apply an effective repellent on all exposed skin, including your hands and face. (But dont spray repellent under treated or untreated clothes; that increases the risk or irritation and other side effects.) And if you are only wearing a permethrin-treated shirt, you also need to apply repellent to your pants, skirt and hat. The top three insect repellents in our Ratings are Sawyer Picaridin (20 percent), Bens 30% Deet Tick & Insect Wilderness Formula, and Repels Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (30 percent). All three warded off Aedes and Culex mosquitoes, as well as ticks, for at least 7 hours. And all three are considered safe by the EPA, even for pregnant women, when used appropriately. Even when wearing repellent, you should take other steps to prevent bites, too, such as wearing socks and close-toed shoes, and avoiding tight clothes (theyre easier for mosquitoes to bite through), dark colors and perfumes (both attract mosquitoes). More from Consumer Reports: Top pick tires for 2016 Best used cars for $25,000 and less 7 best mattresses for couples Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright 2006-2016 Consumers Union of U.S. Viacom chief executive and chairman Philippe Dauman asked a Massachusetts probate court on Thursday for expedited discovery and a speedy trial in a lawsuit that will examine whether Shari Redstone is unduly influencing her father, Sumner Redstone, to take control of the company. Dauman filed his complaint on Monday, and has now submitted an amended version that includes as new co-defendants various Redstone family members who are beneficiaries of the Sumner Redstone National Amusements Trust. Dauman and George Abrams were booted as Trustees last week and are now looking to restore their position in an entity that will have 80 percent shareholder control of Viacom and CBS upon Sumner Redstone's death or incapacity. According to a motion to expedite, "While it remains unclear how the selection of individuals who are under Ms. Redstone's influence and control are in the best interests of Viacom, it is clear that the governance of Viacom and CBS, both substantially publicly traded companies, hangs in the balance, as do the interest of those companies' shareholders and employees. There is also risk to the grandchildren of Mr. Redstone who are not within Shari's family." Sumner Redstone has his own petition pending in Los Angeles Superior Court seeking affirmation of the changes made to the Trust. In a statement, Shari Redstone says, "We are looking forward to an expedited dismissal of this meritless suit." Read More: Viacom Stock Surges on Speculation Dauman May Be Forced Out By Andrew R.C. Marshall and Manuel Mogato DAVAO, Philippines (Reuters) - On May 14, five days after voters in the Philippines chose Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte as their next president, two masked gunmen cruised this southern city's suburbs on a motorbike, looking for their kill. Gil Gabrillo, 47, a drug user, was returning from a cockfight when the gunmen approached. One of them pumped four bullets into Gabrillo's head and body, killing the small-time trader of goods instantly. Then the motorbike roared off. The murder made no headlines in Davao, where Duterte's loud approval for hundreds of execution-style killings of drug users and criminals over nearly two decades helped propel him to the highest office of a crime-weary land. Human rights groups have documented at least 1,400 killings in Davao that they allege had been carried out by death squads since 1998. Most of those murdered were drug users, petty criminals and street children. In a 2009 report, Human Rights Watch identified a consistent failure by police to seriously investigate targeted killings. It said acting and retired police officers worked as "handlers" for death-squad gunmen, giving them names and photos of targets - an allegation denied by Davao police. But a four-year probe into such killings by the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippines' equivalent of the FBI, hasn't led to a single prosecution, and one senior NBI agent told Reuters it will probably be shelved now that Duterte is set to become president. The nations Justice Secretary last week told reporters the probe may not be able to proceed. Such impunity, and Duterte's demands in recent weeks for more summary justice, could embolden death squads across the country, say human rights and church groups. Already there has been a spate of unsolved killings in nearby cities, with other mayors echoing Duterte's support for vigilante justice. "We've seen it happen in Davao and we've seen copycat practices," Chito Gascon, chairman of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), an independent Philippine watchdog, told Reuters. "Now can you imagine he is president and the national model for crime-fighting is Davao?" Ask Clarita Alia, 62, who still lives in the Davao slum where her four sons were murdered, and she gives a mirthless chuckle. "Blood will flow like a river," she says. DENIES DIRECTING KILLINGS Duterte, who has been Davao's mayor or vice-mayor for most of the past 30 years, has denied any involvement in the murders. "I never did that," he said on the campaign trail in April, responding to allegations he had directed the killings. An Office of the Ombudsman investigation also found there was no evidence connecting Duterte to the murders. He has, though, repeatedly condoned them. For example, in comments to reporters in 2009, he warned: "If you are doing an illegal activity in my city, if you are a criminal or part of a syndicate that preys on the innocent people of the city, for as long as I am the mayor, you are a legitimate target of assassination. And more recently he has vowed to wipe out crime in six months across the country by killing criminals, drug pushers and "sons of bitches" after he takes office on June 30. "Do not destroy my country, because I will kill you," the 71-year-old former prosecutor told a news conference in Davao on May 15. He has also promised to restore the death penalty in the Philippines, warning he will hang the most heinous criminals twice: once to kill them, then again to "completely sever the head from the body". People here remember pre-Duterte Davao as a lawless battleground for security forces and Communist rebels. The city's Agdao district was so violent it was nicknamed "Nicaragdao" after the then war-torn Central American nation. Today, thanks to Duterte's campaigns against drugs and crime, Davao today feels much safer, say the locals. But it still ranks first among 15 Philippine cities for murder and second for rape, according to national police. ON WATCH FOR ASSASSINS Reuters interviews with the families of four Davao victims, one of whom was a 15-year-old, showed that murders continued even as Duterte campaigned for the presidency. All four killings occurred in the past nine months and bore the hallmarks of a loose-knit group that the locals call the Davao Death Squad. The victims were shot in daylight or at dusk, three of them on the same street in a riverside slum seething with people. The killers rode motorbikes with no license plates, their faces hidden by helmets and masks. Reymar Tecson, 19, was executed last August while sleeping at the roadside. A week later, Romel Bantilan, 15, was shot dead while playing a computer game less than 30 paces away. Tecson's family said Reymar was a drug user, but Bantilan's family insisted that Romel was clean. Romel had a twin brother, and their father, Jun Bantilan, said he had heard "rumors" that the other boy would be next. Most days Jun sits at the end of the street, watching out for assassins. Nearby, in her tumble-down shack, Norma Helardino still wondered why her husband Danilo, 53, was shot dead in January. He didn't use drugs, she said, although "maybe his friends did." The police filed a report but Helardino said she saw no sign of an investigation: "No witnesses came forward." When asked who her husband's killers were, she pointed to her tin roof and said: "Only God knows." The three dead males in the slum were "noted drug dealers," said Major Milgrace Driz, a Davao police spokeswoman. "It is their destiny to be killed because they choose to be criminals," she said. "The mayor has already said there is no place for criminals in the city." Driz described 15-year-old Bantilan as a "recidivist" with a "criminal attitude" who had been repeatedly warned to mend his ways. She said he had delivered drugs for a gang which had probably murdered him over a money dispute. Lack of witnesses meant the three murders remained unsolved despite diligent efforts to investigate, Driz added. Responding to the Human Rights Watch allegations that the police conspire with the death squads, Driz said the police get the names of local criminals through a public hotline but don't kill them. CLOSED AND TERMINATED Human rights activists say official investigations of death-squad killings have been hampered by a lack of witnesses, bureaucratic apathy and political influence. The Human Rights Watch report called on the CHR to investigate whether Duterte and other officials had been involved or complicit in the deaths. A CHR report three years later confirmed the "systematic practice of extrajudicial killings" by the Davao Death Squad. It, in turn, was successful in getting the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate whether Duterte was criminally liable for inaction in the face of evidence of numerous killings. But in a January 2016 letter seen by Reuters, the Ombudsman told the CHR its investigation was "closed and terminated" because it had found no evidence that Duterte or the police were involved in the killings. The letter also dismissed the death squad as a product of "rumors and other gossips". The CHR report also triggered a probe by the NBI. Four years later, it is still ongoing, an agency spokesman said. However, Secretary of Justice Emmanuel Caparas, who oversees the NBI, told reporters on Friday that the status of the investigation was unclear because a key witness, a former gunman, had left protective custody. "It's really just a question now if the witness will surface," he said. And another NBI source, who requested anonymity because he wasn't allowed to talk to the media, said the probe was now likely to be halted. "Who will investigate the president?" he said. (Editing by John Chalmers and Martin Howell) Per a report by research firm IHS, the year 2015 marks the least amount of oil and gas discovered in over the last 64 years. New oil discovered outside North America in 2015 totaled 2.8 billion barrels, the lowest amount since the industry actively started its worldwide oil exploration after World War II. The year also represented the fourth straight year of declining oil volumes something that had never happened before. Notably, about 9 billion barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) was added through gas discoveries in the year. This signifies the fifth consecutive year wherein gas volumes discovered surpassed oil volumes discovered. Factors Behind the Decline in Volumes Per Morgan Stanley, major oil players have been forced to make substantial budget cuts to combat the freefall in oil prices. This is particularly true with respect to exploration, where spending was reduced to a meager $95 billion in 2015 from $168 billion two years earlier. ExxonMobil Corp. XOM, Royal Dutch Shell plc RDS.A, ConocoPhillips COP, Hess Corp. HES and EOG Resources Inc EOG are among the long list of companies that have slashed their capital budget. Moreover, the industry-wide pullback of drillships from international waters as companies began to shift focus to shale formations in Texas, North Dakota and Oklahoma resulted in decline in discoveries. Given that investments in shales are both cheaper and less risky than drilling in international waters, the move was an expected one in the lackluster commodity price scenario. However, analysts are of the opinion that the unconventional oil in North America is not sufficient to resolve the lack of discoveries. Tight oil production is estimated to account for about 15% of global output by 2040. At the start of the decade, when oil demand rose rapidly, explorers were seen splurging astronomically on exploration. However, the outcome was poor with only a few notable hydrocarbon discoveries, such as Statoil ASA's STO Johan Sverdrup field off Norway's coast or EniSpA's E giant Zohr gas field off Egypt. In 2015, companies drilled about 4,300 conventional exploration and appraisal wells compared with 5,200 in 2014 and 5,300 in 2012. Deep-water drilling, which means drilling in 1,000 to 5,000 feet of water, decreased by more than 20% and the ultra-deepwater well count plunged more than 40% from 2014. However, a surge in new oil fields in recent years and the increase of Iran's production on the back of international sanctions raises optimism about exploration in the short term. Over the longer run we feel to avoid any supply gap in the future, we believe that exploration companies should continue to focus on exploring instead of waiting for the commodity price to improve. In case the companies do not take immediate action, the challenges may be difficult to overcome. After all oil discoveries are essential to substitute resources, meet an ever-growing demand and offset the depletion of existing fields. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report ROYAL DTCH SH-A (RDS.A): Free Stock Analysis Report STATOIL ASA-ADR (STO): Free Stock Analysis Report ENI SPA-ADR (E): Free Stock Analysis Report EXXON MOBIL CRP (XOM): Free Stock Analysis Report EOG RES INC (EOG): Free Stock Analysis Report HESS CORP (HES): Free Stock Analysis Report CONOCOPHILLIPS (COP): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President-elect Rodrigo Duterte has apologized to the Canadian prime minister for the beheading of a Canadian by an Islamist militant group, saying he would try to make sure "nothing like this" happens again. Duterte, 71, has yet to be declared winner of the May 9 election, but an official vote count shows him six million votes ahead of his closest rival, in part because of his campaign of crushing crime, corruption and drug abuse. "Please accept my apologies for the incident that resulted to the killing of your national," Duterte said on Thursday he told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who called him up to congratulate him on his election win. "We will try to see to it that nothing like this will happen again." Canadian John Ridsdel, a former mining executive, was beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf on the southern island of Jolo on April 25. Trudeau at the time called it "an act of cold-blooded murder". Another Canadian, a Norwegian and a Filipino woman are still being held captive by the al Qaeda-linked militants eight months after they were abducted in a upscale resort near Davao City, where Duterte was mayor for two decades. The Abu Sayyaf gave the Philippine and Canadian governments and families of the captives until 3 p.m. on June 13 to pay 300 million pesos ($6.43 million) for the release of each of the captives. Abu Sayyaf is also holding other foreigners, including one from the Netherlands, one from Japan and four Malaysian tugboat crew. (Reporting By Manuel Mogato; Editing by Nick Macfie) Buoyed by rising oil prices, the ALPS Alerian MLP ETF (AMLP) , the largest exchange traded fund holding master limited partnerships (MLPs) is up a solid 3.9% over the past month and nearly 23% over the past 90 days. The charts indicate AMLP could have some more upside to offer over the near-term. MLPs primarily deal with the distribution and storage of energy products, so their business model is less reliant on the commodities market since MLPs profit off the quantity of oil and natural gas they are able to move around. Consequently, MLPs have historically shown a weaker correlation to energy prices over longer periods as MLPs act more like energy toll roads, profiting on the volume of oil moving through their pipelines. Related: Downtrodden MLP ETFs May Offer Long-Term Opportunity With the markets flooded with oil and prices still depressed, basic economic theory suggests that consumption could rise to capitalize on the cheap crude. With higher consumption, MLP tollkeepers could profit off the increased transportation or storage of energy. Looking at the daily setup, we have a rising wedge pattern, and while this can trigger a buy on a breakout above the upside resistance, $12.50 in this case, it tends to fail more often and break lower. The wedge is so tight that we only see 2% between breakout and breakdown. I do still like the idea of a long AMLP play, but I expect well see a period of consolidation, reports Timothy Collins for TheStreet.com. Trending on ETF Trends How an ETF Can Add Benefits in Real Asset Investing Waning ETF Confidence in Metal Miners Sector Nigeria ETF Surging on Central Bank Forex Relief CRAK: Why This ETF Can Endure Oils Rise How to Quantify Quality in an ETF The MLP ETF includes a group of dividend growing partnerships. Held pointed out that the underlying names in AMLP grew their distributions at a faster rate last quarter for the third quarter in a row. As witnessed in other areas of the market, dividend growth stocks and ETFs have outperformed in the long run, whereas dividend cutters have historically underperformed. AMLP outperformed many other MLP-related exchange traded products for the past year and 3-year periods. Story continues Related: Master Limited Partnership ETFs Are Back on Trend Investors should also monitor AMLPs relationship with the United States Oil Fund (USO) , which tracks West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures. Data out Thursday indicate U.S. oil production, which slipped for an 11th week, hit its lowest level since September 2014, further supporting the inventory drawdown. Crude production dipped 24,000 barrels per day to 8.77 million, but the number of active oil rigs in the U.S. remained unchanged at 318 last week, the least amount since October 2009. Regarding USO, AMLP shows a strong but not perfect relationship. If we look at the 20-day correlation measurement near the bottom of the chart below, well see it is often strong, running 0.75 or greater, but there are clearly periods of divergence, according to TheStreet.com. For more news on MLPs, visit our MLP category. ALPS Alerian MLP ETF (Reuters) - A Pittsburgh man was sentenced on Thursday to life in prison in the killing of two of his neighbors, the sisters of an Iowa state lawmaker, after the jury deadlocked over whether to give him the death penalty, prosecutors said. Allen Darrell Wade was found guilty on Monday on all charges related to the deaths, including two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of robbery and three counts of theft. Alleghany County District Attorney spokesman Mike Manko said Wade was sentenced by a jury to two consecutive life terms with 30 to 60 years added on after they were deadlocked in their deliberations surrounding the death penalty. Wade's attorney, Lisa Phillips, could not be immediately reached for comment. Wade, 45, was charged with the murder of Susan and Sarah Wolfe, the sisters of Iowa state Representative Mary Wolfe. Their bodies were found on Feb. 7, 2014, in the basement of their Pittsburgh home. Susan, 44, was found nude and doused with chemicals, and Sarah, 38, was found clothed nearby, police said. Mary Wolfe is a Democrat serving her third term in the Iowa House of Representatives. She is the oldest of eight children, according to her biography on the Iowa House website. Christy Wolfe, one of the victims' sisters, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette after the sentencing on Thursday that the family was "absolutely satisfied" with the sentence Wade received. (Reporting by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by Peter Cooney) Johannesburg (AFP) - Poachers in South Africa's Kruger Park opened fire on a patrol helicopter, officials said Thursday, describing the attack as a "dramatic escalation" in the battle over rhinos hunted for their horns. The poachers shot five times at the South African National Parks' helicopter that was part of an operation to crack down on poaching in the southern part of Kruger where rhinos have been heavily targeted. "Quick action by all the team members involved averted a catastrophe and the helicopter managed to land with all the crew on board safe," the department of environmental affairs said in statement. "Four poachers have been arrested and three firearms, ammunition and poaching equipment recovered." The incident on Wednesday came after 363 rhinos were poached in South Africa in the first four months of this year, 232 of which were killed in Kruger National Park. Rhino horn is composed mainly of keratin, the same component as in human nails. But it is sold in powdered form as a supposed cure for cancer and other diseases -- as well as an aphrodisiac -- in Vietnam and China. Nearly 1,200 rhinos were killed by poachers in South Africa in 2015 in another year of carnage by poachers driven by the soaring price of horn. That compared to fewer than 100 rhinos poached in 2008. Jeffrey Rosen Jeffrey Rosen This week, We the People presents another episode of Ask Jeff! Podcast listeners submitted questions to Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center and host of We the People, on social media and right here on the Centers blog, Constitution Daily. Jeff received many great questions; for time, the following were answered: What are the key arguments in support of originalism? What are the key arguments in support of living constitutionalism? Are closed primaries unconstitutional? Does Harvards policy of prohibiting members of single-sex clubs from holding leadership positions on campus violate the First Amendment rights of students? How is the creation of a protected class not a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment? What about when Congress exempts itself from its own laws? The guest inquisitor was Nicandro Iannacci, web content strategist at the Center and producer of We the People. Download this episode (right click and save) This show was engineered by David Stotz and produced by Nicandro Iannacci. Research was provided by Josh Waimberg, Lana Ulrich, and Danieli Evans. The host of We the People is Jeffrey Rosen. Get the latest constitutional news, and continue the conversation, on our Facebook page and Twitter feed. We want to know what you think of the podcast! Email us at editor@constitutioncenter.org. Please subscribe to We the People on iTunes. While youre in the iTunes Store, leave us a rating and reviewit helps other people discover what we do. Please also subscribe to Live at Americas Town Hall, featuring conversations and debates presented at the Center, across from Independence Hall in beautiful Philadelphia. We the People is a member of Slates Panoply network. Check out all of our sibling podcasts at iTunes.com/Panoply. Despite our congressional charter, the National Constitution Center is a private nonprofitwe receive little government support, and we rely on the generosity of people around the country who are inspired by our nonpartisan mission of constitutional debate and education. Please consider becoming a member to support our work, including this podcast. Visit constitutioncenter.org to learn more. Story continues Recent Stories on Constitution Daily Constitution Check: Will the right of the poor to a defense lawyer be expanded? Video: The Presidents And the Constitution Podcast: Felons and the right to vote A helicopter hovered over the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles as police tried to persuade a man down on Wednesday, May 25. The man climbed the sign, held a banner that read Im back and waved an American flag before being taken into custody. The 24-year-old man was caught trespassing in the area in the past, according to Los Angeles Times, quoting Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks Senior Park Ranger Patrick Joyce. This video shows a police helicopter hovering over the iconic sign. Credit: Instagram/reesebright A new California poll shows the final contest of the Democratic primary turning into a dead heat between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. The survey from the Public Policy Institute of California found Clinton holding the support of 46% of the state's likely voters while Sanders stood at 44%. A closer look at the poll showed that America's most populous state broke down along familiar fault lines. Sanders led among younger voters, with those below the age of 45 breaking for him 66% to 27%. Over 45 and the trend reversed, with Clinton leading 59% to %. Among those who declared themselves "very liberal," Sanders led by , among those who were "somewhat liberal." he trailed by 21. Source: Wikimedia Commons Though It is virtually certain that Hillary Clinton will emerge as the nominee of the Democratic party something she herself is now saying, the California outcome will be an important symbolic contest on multiple levels. As the largest state to vote, it will proportionally award 475 delegates to the two candidates. Regardless of what happens, Clinton is likely to end the night with enough pledged and superdelegates to seal the nomination. (In fact, she is likely to reach the milestone after New Jersey's primary earlier in the day.) Still, a loss for the former first lady, especially given the diversity of voters in the Golden state, would force her into an embarrassing cycle of news coverage that would likely follow her into the Democratic convention in Philadelphia. A win for Sanders would energize his voters and lend ominous weight to threats he's made that the convention could be "messy." It all adds up to a dangerous dynamic for the party, which faces increasing pressure to unify behind Clinton as the Trump Train gains steam. Read more: Elizabeth Warren Calls Donald Trump a "Small, Insecure Money-Grubber" at Gala London (AFP) - A series of recent polls suggest a widening lead for supporters of Britain's continued European Union membership, handing "Remain" campaigners a psychological boost three weeks before the country votes in a crucial in-out referendum. The "Remain" camp leads the "Leave" camp by 53 points to 47, according to an average of the six most recent polls, published by research group What UK Thinks on Wednesday. Even a majority of conservative and older voters, who two months ago looked set to vote to leave, are now in favour of remaining, according to a poll by the ORB institute, published in the Daily Telegraph on Tuesday. "The Remain campaign continues to strengthen its position among voters with another week of effective campaigning while the Leave campaign dwindles, having failed to quell ongoing concerns about the financial and economic consequences of a Brexit," Lynton Crosby, the political strategist who masterminded Prime Minister David Cameron's 2015 general election victory, wrote in the paper. "When it comes to which side 'will create a stronger economy for the UK,' Remain leads by 21 points with 54 percent, a four-point increase in their net lead since last week," he added. The British Treasury, the Bank of England, the International Monetary Fund and US President Barack Obama have all warned of negative economic consequences of a so-called Brexit. British bookmakers are offering odds of 4/1 on the country voting to leave on June 23, estimating that it is twice as likely that Donald Trump will become the next US president. Nigel Farage, head of the eurosceptic UK Independence Party, responded that "there is still a long way to go and it's a mug's game to predict how this referendum is going to go." But polling expert John Curtice, a professor at the University of Strathclyde, noted that the psychology of the campaign "had changed," with the Remain camp apparently confident of its lead. Story continues - 'Mobilisation is key' - Others warned against calling the result prematurely, pointing to the humiliating failure of the pollsters to predict a Conservative victory in last year's general election. Polls had not yet reached a "tipping point", said Curtice while James McGrory, chief spokesman for the official Britain Stronger In Europe campaign, said the polls should be treated with caution. The widening in the polls has also coincided with a change in methodology in recent weeks, with more now being conducted over the phone. Such polls have consistently shown the Remain camp in the lead, compared to online surveys which tend to show closer results. Curtice suggested that the trend may be due to telephone surveys favouring samples containing more graduates, who are more likely to favour staying in the EU, being more comfortable with globalisation and immigration, two key campaign issues. Britain's ethnic minorities also tend to be more pro-EU, despite claims by Brexit supporters that immigration from outside the bloc could increase if freedom of movement from other European countries ended. Although convinced of the EU's benefits, the youth vote is notoriously unreliable come polling day. "In this referendum, it is now more a question of mobilisation of persuasion," explained Matthew Goodwin from the Chatham House think tank. It's no secret that outrageously long security lines are bringing fliers' frustration levels to a boil. With slow-moving security lines wreaking havoc on thousands of passengers' travel plans in recent weeks, coupled with the fast-approaching peak-season rush, the situation isn't looking good for summer travelers. And while Congress has approved the Transportation Security Administration's request to provide the agency with $34 million in funding to support the hiring of an additional 768 TSA screeners by mid-June, security checkpoints are still expected to be slow this year. Still, there are ways to expedite the check-in process, get through security faster and fly on. We caught up with industry experts to bring you savvy tips for dealing with stagnant security lines over the next few months. [See: 7 Pro Carry-On Packing Hacks for Your Next Weekend Getaway.] Arrive Two Hours Ahead of Your Flight Given the longer-than-usual wait times, it's a smart idea to carve out extra hours, rather than minutes, to get through security. "Our strong economy means air carriers are enjoying record travel volume, which is resulting in heavier than normal volumes of travelers at our nation's airports -- some with double digit increases over last summer," a TSA spokesperson wrote in a statement to U.S. News. Beyond these factors, security lines are also reaching staggering lengths because "more people are flying sans checked bags altogether to avoid costly baggage fees," says Jeff Klee, CEO of CheapAir.com. "Every time a carry-on gets flagged for additional review, this slows down the security line for everyone," he adds. The TSA encourages travelers to allot two hours for domestic flights and three hours for international flights for security screenings this summer. It's also advantageous to browse real-time alerts through social media platforms and airport websites, and shed light on epic waits by snapping a picture and using the hashtag #IHatetheWait. You can use the My TSA app to view up-to-the-minute wait times or tweet at the TSA's official customer service handle, @AskTSA, to stay updated on current security lines. If you're departing from a major hub, you may be able to scope out current wait times at different security checkpoints. At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, for example, you can check out wait times in real time online through the airport's Trak-a-Line system. If you are delayed or you didn't arrive early enough for your departure, it's a smart idea to alert the security staff of your status, Klee says, noting that in some instances you'll be moved to the front of the line. And if you're at risk of missing your flight, begin the communication process early, he says. "Get on your phone and let them know what your situation is. They might be able to get the ball rolling and come up with a better solution for you," he adds. Story continues Sign up for TSA PreCheck or Another Trusted Traveler Program With flight prices this summer at a seven-year low, an increasing number of flights and the TSA and Congress' decision last year to reduce the number of screeners to account for scaling up TSA PreCheck, there are a variety of factors that have caused lines to balloon. "Of the very few options available to summer travelers, the best is enrolling in TSA's PreCheck program, which costs $85 for five years," says Tim Winship, editor and publisher of FrequentFlier.com. Gary Leff, co-founder of MilePoint and author of frequent-flier site View from the Wing, echoes similar sentiments, recommending PreCheck and other expedited security programs such as Global Entry (for $100) or NEXUS (an expedited clearance to Canada for a $50 charge) as great options to minimize hassle and cut wait times. "Different people are eligible for different things," he notes, but if you fly more than once a year, PreCheck is worth the cost, he says. Invest in an Affiliated Rewards Credit Card If you carry certain co-branded credit cards, you'll be rewarded with access to priority screening lanes. The Platinum Card from American Express and Citi Prestige cards, for example, give cardholders priority access that allows them to enter a faster security line with their boarding pass at certain airports. While American Express cardholders can enjoy access to priority lanes for Delta flights at select airports, Citi Prestige cardholders can opt for a quicker screening lane for American Airlines flights. Plus, signing up for these cards allows you to get reimbursed for the enrollment fees for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Trusted Traveler programs, such as Global Entry and NEXUS, Leff explains. [See: 8 Ways You're Annoying Passengers During the Holidays.] Rely on Reward Membership Perks or Buy Priority Screening Access Many frequent flier programs also give higher-tier rewards program members priority screening access as an elite status benefit. And some airlines afford the luxury of priority security lanes if you purchase premium-cabin tickets, Leff says. If you're traveling with companions, "the key is knowing that you either need to show up early or pay a premium," he adds. But even if you do have status, you're not guaranteed to breeze through a special security, Klee cautions. "While some airlines do offer this as a perk of being an elite member, and it's nice to have a priority line for VIPs, the special screening areas themselves are still no faster than the screening that the general population has to go through," he says, pointing out that these lines are also operated by the TSA. A variety of carriers also offer travelers the chance to take advantage of priority security lanes where available. JetBlue, for instance, is currently offering fliers who purchase Even More Space seats expedited security at all major New York airports as well as top hubs such as Boston's Logan International Airport, San Francisco International Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Even if you opt not to upgrade for more legroom, you can pay a small fee for expedited security, known as an Even More Speed option. United Airlines offers a comparable option -- Premier Access -- for a $15 fee that gives passengers access to priority lanes. Fly When Others Are Not "If your schedule allows, be a contrarian: Fly on off-peak times and days to secondary airports," Winship says. It's important to keep in mind that there are far fewer lines in the afternoon versus the morning, so timing it right is key, Leff says. You can also turn to trusted resources, like the airport's app for terminal maps or GateGuru, after you've made it through security to reach your gate as quickly as possible. "It's always a good idea to get your airline app so you can see in real time what flight delays might be affecting your route," Klee says. [See: 8 Ways You're Irritating People at the Airport.] Pack Strategically and Stay Organized Rather than fumbling around for your toiletries and laptop when you reach the security belt, come to the airport prepared. Winship advises wearing shoes you can easily slip off and having your laptop outside its case by the time you've reached the front of the line. "Make sure you're not carrying an item that you shouldn't be," Leff says. For instance, ensure that you don't have water bottles or liquids that exceed the 3.4 ounce TSA-approved travel size. He also recommends keeping your license or passport and boarding pass in hand, emptying your pockets and to avoid wearing metal to dodge getting screened again. Liz Weiss is the Travel editor for Consumer Advice at U.S. News & World Report. You can follow her on Twitter, connect with her on LinkedIn, circle her on Google+ or email her at eweiss@usnews.com. It's no secret that outrageously long security lines are bringing fliers' frustration levels to a boil. With slow-moving security lines wreaking havoc on thousands of passengers' travel plans in recent weeks, coupled with the fast-approaching peak-season rush, the situation isn't looking good for summer travelers. And while Congress has approved the Transportation Security Administration's request to provide the agency with $34 million in funding to support the hiring of an additional 768 TSA screeners by mid-June, security checkpoints are still expected to be slow this year. Still, there are ways to expedite the check-in process, get through security faster and fly on. We caught up with industry experts to bring you savvy tips for dealing with stagnant security lines over the next few months. [See: 7 Pro Carry-On Packing Hacks for Your Next Weekend Getaway.] Arrive Two Hours Ahead of Your Flight Given the longer-than-usual wait times, it's a smart idea to carve out extra hours, rather than minutes, to get through security. "Our strong economy means air carriers are enjoying record travel volume, which is resulting in heavier than normal volumes of travelers at our nation's airports -- some with double digit increases over last summer," a TSA spokesperson wrote in a statement to U.S. News. Beyond these factors, security lines are also reaching staggering lengths because "more people are flying sans checked bags altogether to avoid costly baggage fees," says Jeff Klee, CEO of CheapAir.com. "Every time a carry-on gets flagged for additional review, this slows down the security line for everyone," he adds. The TSA encourages travelers to allot two hours for domestic flights and three hours for international flights for security screenings this summer. It's also advantageous to browse real-time alerts through social media platforms and airport websites, and shed light on epic waits by snapping a picture and using the hashtag #IHatetheWait. You can use the My TSA app to view up-to-the-minute wait times or tweet at the TSA's official customer service handle, @AskTSA, to stay updated on current security lines. If you're departing from a major hub, you may be able to scope out current wait times at different security checkpoints. At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, for example, you can check out wait times in real time online through the airport's Trak-a-Line system. If you are delayed or you didn't arrive early enough for your departure, it's a smart idea to alert the security staff of your status, Klee says, noting that in some instances you'll be moved to the front of the line. And if you're at risk of missing your flight, begin the communication process early, he says. "Get on your phone and let them know what your situation is. They might be able to get the ball rolling and come up with a better solution for you," he adds. Story continues Sign up for TSA PreCheck or Another Trusted Traveler Program With flight prices this summer at a seven-year low, an increasing number of flights and the TSA and Congress' decision last year to reduce the number of screeners to account for scaling up TSA PreCheck, there are a variety of factors that have caused lines to balloon. "Of the very few options available to summer travelers, the best is enrolling in TSA's PreCheck program, which costs $85 for five years," says Tim Winship, editor and publisher of FrequentFlier.com. Gary Leff, co-founder of MilePoint and author of frequent-flier site View from the Wing, echoes similar sentiments, recommending PreCheck and other expedited security programs such as Global Entry (for $100) or NEXUS (an expedited clearance to Canada for a $50 charge) as great options to minimize hassle and cut wait times. "Different people are eligible for different things," he notes, but if you fly more than once a year, PreCheck is worth the cost, he says. Invest in an Affiliated Rewards Credit Card If you carry certain co-branded credit cards, you'll be rewarded with access to priority screening lanes. The Platinum Card from American Express and Citi Prestige cards, for example, give cardholders priority access that allows them to enter a faster security line with their boarding pass at certain airports. While American Express cardholders can enjoy access to priority lanes for Delta flights at select airports, Citi Prestige cardholders can opt for a quicker screening lane for American Airlines flights. Plus, signing up for these cards allows you to get reimbursed for the enrollment fees for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Trusted Traveler programs, such as Global Entry and NEXUS, Leff explains. [See: 8 Ways You're Annoying Passengers During the Holidays.] Rely on Reward Membership Perks or Buy Priority Screening Access Many frequent flier programs also give higher-tier rewards program members priority screening access as an elite status benefit. And some airlines afford the luxury of priority security lanes if you purchase premium-cabin tickets, Leff says. If you're traveling with companions, "the key is knowing that you either need to show up early or pay a premium," he adds. But even if you do have status, you're not guaranteed to breeze through a special security, Klee cautions. "While some airlines do offer this as a perk of being an elite member, and it's nice to have a priority line for VIPs, the special screening areas themselves are still no faster than the screening that the general population has to go through," he says, pointing out that these lines are also operated by the TSA. A variety of carriers also offer travelers the chance to take advantage of priority security lanes where available. JetBlue, for instance, is currently offering fliers who purchase Even More Space seats expedited security at all major New York airports as well as top hubs such as Boston's Logan International Airport, San Francisco International Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Even if you opt not to upgrade for more legroom, you can pay a small fee for expedited security, known as an Even More Speed option. United Airlines offers a comparable option -- Premier Access -- for a $15 fee that gives passengers access to priority lanes. Fly When Others Are Not "If your schedule allows, be a contrarian: Fly on off-peak times and days to secondary airports," Winship says. It's important to keep in mind that there are far fewer lines in the afternoon versus the morning, so timing it right is key, Leff says. You can also turn to trusted resources, like the airport's app for terminal maps or GateGuru, after you've made it through security to reach your gate as quickly as possible. "It's always a good idea to get your airline app so you can see in real time what flight delays might be affecting your route," Klee says. [See: 8 Ways You're Irritating People at the Airport.] Pack Strategically and Stay Organized Rather than fumbling around for your toiletries and laptop when you reach the security belt, come to the airport prepared. Winship advises wearing shoes you can easily slip off and having your laptop outside its case by the time you've reached the front of the line. "Make sure you're not carrying an item that you shouldn't be," Leff says. For instance, ensure that you don't have water bottles or liquids that exceed the 3.4 ounce TSA-approved travel size. He also recommends keeping your license or passport and boarding pass in hand, emptying your pockets and to avoid wearing metal to dodge getting screened again. More From US News & World Report May 26 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories from selected Canadian newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. THE GLOBE AND MAIL ** Canada's Competition Bureau is setting its sights on the booming condominium sector in the Greater Toronto Area, ordering more than 100 condo boards to hand over records as part of a sweeping criminal investigation. The bureau is probing what it calls "allegations of bid-rigging and conspiracy" involving the region's multimillion-dollar condo renovation industry. (http://bit.ly/248YtpD) ** Canada Goose Inc is investing in its first branded stores later this year. A 4,500-square-foot location at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto will be the first to open in October, followed by a 4,000-square-foot store in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, scheduled to open in November. (http://bit.ly/248YbyW) ** A cloud of noxious particles brewing in the air above the Alberta oil sands is one of the most prolific sources of air pollution in North America, often exceeding the total emissions from Canada's largest city, federal scientists have discovered. (http://bit.ly/25hO8tQ) NATIONAL POST ** Canada police have arrested 55 people and laid more than 300 charges following a joint investigation aimed at disrupting drug distribution networks in northeastern Ontario. Drugs have been blamed for fuelling a suicide and overdose crisis in Attawapiskat and other remote First Nations communities along the James Bay coast. (http://bit.ly/1TCih4Z) ** Bank of Montreal kicked off the latest bank earnings season by substantially increasing provisions for energy-related credit losses in the second quarter. At the same time, the bank took a C$132 million ($101.8 million) after-tax restructuring charge to cover severance costs to reduce the workforce by 4 percent as more customers shift to mobile and online banking. (http://bit.ly/1WPzubt) ** The Chinese insurance company Anbang Insurance Group Co Ltd is set for a major purchase in Canada. Sources indicate that the Beijing-based company with a reported $114 billion in assets has a deal to buy what amounts to a 34 percent stake in Bentall I, II, III and IV - a sprawling commercial 1.5-million-square-foot office complex, in the heart of Vancouver. (http://bit.ly/20FAmOl) ($1 = C$1.30) (Compiled by Bhanu Pratap in Bengaluru) New York (AFP) - Two people who say they are heirs to pop icon Prince have objected to a proposal by his estate to ask for genetic tests. Prince died on April 21 without a will and with no recognized children, leaving a giant question mark on an estate that could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars and includes a vast vault of unreleased material. Bremer Trust, a special administrator assigned to manage Prince's estate, said last week that it may wish to ask people claiming to be the "Purple Rain" star's descendants to undergo and pay for genetic tests. In a legal filing made public Tuesday, two people who recently came forward as heirs said that they had already offered sufficient proof under law of their relationship to Prince in his home state of Minnesota. The proposal by Bremer Trust would "grant it complete unfettered discretion to determine when to require parties claiming genetic relationship" to Prince to undergo tests, the filing said. The objection was filed by Brianna Nelson, who says she is the sole living child of Prince's late half-brother Duane Nelson, and the guardian of an 11-year-old said to be the daughter of Duane Nelson's son, who has also died. Duane Nelson had headed security for Prince but later became estranged. He died in 2011. Another person who claims to be Prince's heir is Carlin Williams, a 39-year-old inmate from Kansas City whose mother says she had sex with the rocker in a hotel in 1976. The court in Carver County, Minnesota, where Prince maintained his Paisley Park estate, has set a June 27 hearing to examine the proposal for genetic testing. Paris (AFP) - France and Egypt will hire two private firms to help in the hunt for the black boxes from the EgyptAir plane that crashed last week on route from from Paris to Cairo, the French foreign ministry has said. "We are in talks with two private companies... in coordination with the Egyptian authorities," a ministry spokesman said Wednesday, adding: "The idea is to mobilise the resources very quickly." A diplomatic source in Paris said the two companies, both French, were the Mauritius-based Deep Ocean Search (DOS) and Alseamar, based in the French capital. EgyptAir Flight MS804 crashed in the Mediterranean last Thursday between the Greek island of Crete and Egypt's north coast with 66 people aboard, including 30 Egyptians and 15 French nationals. French and Egyptian aviation officials have said it is too soon to determine what caused the disaster although a terror attack on the Airbus A320 has not been ruled out. France and Egypt will share the costs for the search, which faces a race against the clock, as the flight data and voice recorders emit locator "pings" for no more than about a month. DOS says it can operate in depths of up to 6,000 metres (20,000 feet) and has a robot that is capable of mapping the seabed. Egypt has deployed a submersible that can operate at a depth of 3,000 metres in the hunt for the black boxes, while a French patrol boat is also in the search area, concentrating mainly on the surface. France's aviation safety agency has said the aircraft transmitted automated messages indicating smoke in the cabin and a fault in the flight control unit before contact was lost. By Madeline Kennedy (Reuters Health) - College students who are in so-called Greek letter organizations seem to be immune to programs that work for other students to reduce the use and abuse of alcohol, according to a new review of research on the topic. Fraternity members continue to drink as much and as often as usual, even while enrolled in programs aimed at reducing drinking, and they have the same number of alcohol-related problems such as injury, sexual assault and expulsion - as brethren not involved in programs, the researchers conclude in the journal Health Psychology. This was somewhat surprising given the success of alcohol risk reduction interventions in other student groups, said lead author Lori Scott-Sheldon, a senior scientist in the Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine at The Miriam Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. Members of Greek letter organizations, both fraternities and sororities, tend to drink more alcohol, drink more often and experience more alcohol-related consequences compared with students not in Greek organizations, the researchers note. To determine how well interventions might work in these groups, the team searched for studies that tracked the outcomes for individual students and found 15 papers that met their criteria. The studies included a total of 6,026 student members of Greek organizations and 21 different alcohol intervention programs. Only one in five participating students were women and nearly all were white. The research team determined how well the interventions worked by looking at how much students reduced the amount they drank per week or per month, how often students drank and how many alcohol-related problems they experienced. Most of the interventions were given to students in groups and provided alcohol education, such as explaining how to calculate blood-alcohol levels, introduced strategies to moderate drinking and addressed high-risk situations like parties. Most interventions did not focus on helping students set goals for themselves, give personal feedback or talk about social norms or motives for drinking. Overall, the researchers found, students in intervention programs tended to drink more per week or per month compared to those who did not participate in the program, but the study team notes that these results may not have been reliable. Shorter interventions and those that challenged the positive expectations students had about drinking at specific events tended to work best for fraternity members. Other approaches had little effect. Because there were no interventions targeted specifically to sorority women, we dont really know how well interventions may or may not work for sorority members, Scott-Sheldon told Reuters Health by email. Steven Giles of Wake Forest University in Charlotte, North Carolina, who studies college drinking, is not convinced that interventions do not work on fraternity members. The study team did not include studies of interventions that use mass media or rely on the school community to help, he noted. There are serious consequences to excessive drinking, said Giles, who was not involved in the review. Students who are heavy college drinkers are more likely to struggle with alcoholism in adulthood, he told Reuters Health by email. Greek-organization members may view some alcohol-related problems like blacking out, fighting or driving under the influence as a badge of membership or something to be glorified, he said. Giles warned, however, that people who experience these problems and others, like sexual assault, can face lifelong psychological or legal issues. We should all take this problem seriously, he said. New interventions that are specifically targeted toward Greek members and their attitudes about drinking are needed, Scott-Sheldon said. We also want to engage Greek leaders in health promotion initiatives, making sure that they have a place at the table and are part of the solution, she said. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/1TEA0ZI Health Psychology, online May 16, 2016. SAN JUAN, May 26 (Reuters) - Puerto Rico's Senate on Thursday joined its House of Representatives in voting to block a new round of tax increases on business-to-business transactions and stop the establishment of a valued-added tax on the island. The Senate voted 21 to 1 in favor of overriding a veto by Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla who sought to maintain the latest phase of legislation passed just last year that would have boosted the tax rate to 10.5 percent from 4 percent on June 1. The vote in the Senate comes just a few days after the House voted 47 to 1 in favor, overriding the governor's veto on May 20th. In both cases, the votes represented a flip-flop by the legislature and helped them maintain a partial repeal of the law they had created. The end result could bring relief for local businesses and signals growing discord in the island's government as election season heats up. A spokeswoman for the governor had no immediate comment. Garcia Padilla announced in December that he would not seek reelection. Puerto Rico faces $70 billion in total debt that it says it cannot pay, a staggering 45-percent poverty rate and rampant emigration that threatens to collapse its economy. The U.S. Congress is currently considering a bill to bring the island's finances under federal oversight and allow it to cut repayments to creditors. Thursday's vote means that in addition to the business transactions tax holding at 4 percent, the island's straight 11.5 percent sales tax - the highest in the United States - remains in place, instead of shifting to a VAT system. The tax hikes were passed last year at a time when Garcia Padilla warned the island faced a humanitarian crisis and desperately needed to both generate cash and cut bond debt in order to salvage social services. But members of Garcia Padilla's party, which opposes U.S. statehood for Puerto Rico and is more populist than the rival pro-statehood party, are distancing themselves as they gear up for tight races in November's election. Some legislators face challenging primary races on June 5. "It's a function of the election cycle," said Height Securities analyst Daniel Hanson, who follows Puerto Rico. "The tax increases are deeply unpopular. A lot of people understand that whether or not moving to VAT is prudent, Puerto Rico doesn't have the capacity to do it right now." (Reporting by a contributor in San Juan and Nick Brown; Writing by Nick Brown; Editing by Daniel Bases and Nick Zieminski) PVH Corporation PVH jumped 7.2% in the after-market trading session as the company raised its fiscal 2016 outlook on delivering splendid first-quarter results, wherein its bottom line surpassed estimates for the eighth consecutive quarter. The companys adjusted earnings per share of $1.50 not only beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.43, but also exceeded its own guidance range of $1.40$1.45. However, the bottom line remained flat year over year, bearing the brunt of foreign currency headwinds to an extent of about 50 cents per share. On a currency neutral basis, adjusted earnings soared 33%. On a GAAP basis, PVH Corp. reported earnings of $2.83 per share that improved considerably from $1.37 earned in the year-ago quarter. Quarter in Detail PVH Corp.s total revenue advanced nearly 2% to $1,917.8 million, also exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,890 million and the companys forecast of a 1% increase. On a constant currency basis, the companys total revenue rose 3%, coming in line with managements expectations. Revenue growth was mainly driven by continued strength noted in the Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein brands, particularly in the global markets. The company is especially pleased with the spectacular performance of these brands in the European and Chinese markets despite the prevalence of macroeconomic headwinds. Adjusted gross profit rose 3.9% year over year to $1,008.0 million, with the adjusted gross margin expanding 100 basis points, to 52.6%. Segment Analysis PVH Corp. reports its financial results under three business segments: Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Heritage Brands. Calvin Kleins revenue escalated 11% year over year to $722.7 million, while on a currency neutral basis, it was up 13%, driven by a respective 14% and 13% increase in the brands North American and International business, on a currency neutral basis. North American operations gained strength from solid wholesale business growth, which in turn was driven by robust performance across all businesses. In addition, the brands retail sales witnessed a modest upside as benefits from store expansions were partly offset by soft comparable-store sales (comps). Comps slid 4% year over year, on account of continued weak traffic and decreased spending trends across the companys U.S. stores in international tourist locations. The brands international business comps dropped 1% as strength in European and Chinese operations was more than offset by persistent softness in Brazil, Hong Kong and Korea. Revenue at the companys Tommy Hilfiger segment increased 3% to $791.8 million, while it rose 4% on a constant currency basis, backed by 11% sales growth in the brands International businesses, somewhat offset by a 5% decline in North American sales. Tommy Hilfiger North America continued to see weakness in its retail operations. Consequently, comps in the brands North American business tumbled 10%, attributable to persistent slow traffic and a decline in spending trends among customers at stores in international tourist locations. International revenues improved mainly on the back of solid European results, with comps increasing 8% year over year and solid wholesale business. Apart from this, sales also received contribution from the companys latest buyout of the remaining 55% interest in TH Asia, which was concluded in Apr 2016. The Heritage Brands segments revenues slumped 12% year over year to $403.3 million due to the ongoing rationalization of this business by exiting various lines of business, shutdown of the Izod retail division and discontinuation of various dress furnishing business operations. However, this decline was somewhat offset by a 12% jump in its Van Heusen comps. Financials The company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $365.1 million, long-term debt, excluding current maturities of $2,991.6 million, and shareholders equity of $4,862.3 million. Also, during the quarter, the company repurchased about 0.6 million shares for roughly $51 million of common stock under its Jun 2015 authorization of $500 million, extending over a three-year period. Fiscal 2016 Guidance Though management is encouraged with PVHs solid quarterly performance, it remains cautious of adverse foreign currency movements, volatility in global consumer spending and a tough promotional retail environment, going forward. Nonetheless, the company remains confident of its strategic endeavors, which encouraged management to raise its fiscal 2016 outlook. Revenue for fiscal 2016 is now expected to rise 2% year over year, compared with a 1% jump expected earlier. On a currency neutral basis, revenue is still expected to grow 2%. The company now envisions fiscal 2016 earnings per share in the range of $6.45$6.55, up from $6.30$6.50 expected earlier. The latest guidance includes an expected $1.55 per share negative impact from currency headwinds. Excluding this, however, the company anticipates adjusted earnings per share to increase 13%15% from the fiscal 2015 level, compared with 12%15% growth anticipated earlier. Free cash flow for fiscal 2016 is anticipated to be $500 million. Q2 Guidance For second-quarter fiscal 2016, the company expects total revenue to rise 4% year over year, while currency neutral revenue is anticipated to increase 5%. Adjusted earnings per share for the second quarter are expected to be in the range of $1.25$1.30, including a 45 cents negative impact from currency translations. On a currency neutral basis, adjusted earnings growth is expected in a band of 24%28%. Zacks Rank PVH Corp. currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the same industry include Delta Apparel Inc. DLA, with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Oxford Industries Inc. OXM and Perry Ellis International Inc. PERY, both carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days.Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report PERRY ELLIS INT (PERY): Free Stock Analysis Report PVH CORP (PVH): Free Stock Analysis Report OXFORD INDS INC (OXM): Free Stock Analysis Report DELTA APPAREL (DLA): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research In a wide-ranging interview with TIME for this weeks cover story, Bernie Sanders opened up about his frustrations with Hillary Clinton and laid out a new vision for the Democratic Party. Speaking on the rooftop of a hotel in San Diego two-and-a-half weeks left before the Democratic primary in California, the Vermont Senator said he still believes he has a slim chance to win the Democratic nomination despite lagging in delegates. He blamed the partys arcane primary rules for shutting out Independents and hurting his chance at winning the nomination. And he said he wants to completely reform the party even if it means a contentious fight with the Clinton campaign at the Democratic Partys convention in July. To me, a victory is becoming president of the United States, and taking the oath of office in January, Sanders said. Thats what a victory is. And right now, whether I win or lose, what I want to see is a transformation of the Democratic Party into a grassroots movement. Sanders laid out a series of reforms he wants to see the Democratic Party carry out, including opening primaries to independent voters and reconsidering the role of superdelegates, as well as policy provisions such as Medicare-for-all, free public college and a $15 minimum wage. He denied that he is hurting Clintons bid against presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, suggesting that she is a weak candidate in a general election. That a person like [Donald Trump] is actually beating or close to Hillary Clinton in national polls is pathetic, Sanders told TIME. He also expressed deep bitterness about the campaign against the Clintons, who he said have repeatedly distorted his record. He had especially harsh words for David Brock, the operative leading the pro-Clinton super PAC Correct the Record. What the Clinton people do very well which is what modern politics is about is you spin, Sanders said. I dont think you hire scum of the Earth to be on your team just because the other side does it. Story continues They play very dirty, he added. Read the interview below, which has been edited and condensed for clarity, and the cover story here. Throughout the primary process you have said that the rules Sam, let me start off, and Im happy to answer those questions. Let me start off with a broader assertion. In my view, when you have in 2014, the last national election we had, 63% of the people not voting, 80% of young people and low-income people not voting, and Republicans winning a landslide victory, it tells me that we need a complete revitalization of the Democratic Party. A remaking of the Democratic Party. One of the extraordinary things Ive learned throughout this campaign is when I go out and do our events, just yesterday, we were in National City, you know where National City is? I was there. Oh, you were at the rally. Good. What would be your guess as to the percentagewhat did we have Michael, 7,300, 7,400 people?what would be your guess as to the percentage of those working class people, Latinos, Filipinos, young people, ever walked into a Democratic Party meeting in their life? 15, 20? Oh, God, Sam. Too high? Way too high. Way too high. You know, I should have actually asked people. And then, this is what takes place all over the country, we are bringing out energy in young people, working class people, people who are prepared to fight to create a better America, a government that works for all people, and then I go to Democratic Party meetings where people are thirty years older, whose income is double that of the people who come to our rallies. And the Democratic Party, the leadership is going to have to make a very simple decision. And that is, do they open the doors of the Democratic Party and welcome those people in. Thank you so much for coming in, thank you for getting involved in the political process, thank you for your willingness to take on Wall Street, and corporate America, the fossil fuel industry and the drug companies. Or does the Democratic Party continue going along its merry way where a great deal of its time and energy is devoted to raising money from wealthy people and putting thirty-second ads on television. Those people that youre talking about, do you feel that you have some kind of obligation to them? These people who believe your message and want to see change in the party. I think youre asking the wrong question, as I often feel the media is. Do I feel I have a personal obligation to them? Of course. Ive spent my whole life working for those people. The question is, does the Democratic Party have the obligation to open its doors to those people, to hear what those people have to say, rather than worry about getting money from Wall Street and drug companies and the powerful special interests. Do you follow what Im saying? And then when you do that, not only is your public policy the right policy in terms of taking on the fossil fuel industry so we can save this planet from climate change, not only will we be able to lower prescription drug costs, and not only will we be able to end the greed and recklessness and illegal behavior of Wall Street, but its good politics, too. So what Im asking of the Democratic Party is good public policy, which translates into good politics, open the doors, stop worrying about your billionaires and Wall Street supporting you, create a vital dynamic political party which represents working families and the young people of this country. How would you rewrite the Democratic Partys rules for primaries? There are some obvious no-brainers to me. Independents, people who classify themselves as independents, are the fastest growing part of American politics. More and more people, especially young people consider themselves independents. They are not enamored with either political party. So the idea that you could go to New York State and compete. And I competed in the New York primary there and 3 million independents were denied the right to vote in either the Democrat or Republican primary is totally absurd given the context of American politics today. We ended up breaking even in Kentucky, a closed primary. And I think were going to end up doing a lot better in California, because its going to be semi-open. But in general if you want to win national elections, general elections with the strongest candidate, how do you deny that group of Americans, who are the largest group, from participating? They are going to vote in the general election, right? They have a right to vote in the New York State primary the Kentucky primary and many other primaries. So opening up the primary process to all people seems to me to make a lot of sense. One of the problems were dealing with, Secretary Clinton received the support of over 400 superdelegates before anybody else announced for the race. Thats called an anointment. Then you raise all kinds of money on top of that. You try to end the nominating process before the first ballot is cast. I think they have been shocked that as we sit here in late May we have a shot to win the California primary on June 7. That I think they never believed would happen. They wanted to end this thing before the first ballot was cast. That is totally absurd and its absurd for two reasons. It is clearly undemocratic. It is a way for the establishment to push their candidate forward. I am the strongest candidate to beat Donald Trump. That is objectively the truth. You may like me, you may not like me, but that is the fact. But not to take that into consideration and say, I support Hillary Clinton, back in April 2015, thats a pretty dumb process. I think we have to absolutely rethink the role of superdelegates. I cant give you a definitive answer, but we have to make that process far, far more democratic. The role of superdelegates, if any, should be discussed. I cant give you a definitive answer. Heres the other area. What I have learned from this campaign is the corporate media is incapable of covering a national campaign in a serious way. The overwhelming amount of coverage, which works to Trumps advantage because he knows how to manipulate that pretty well, deals with political gossip, polls, fundraising, stupid things that people say, including myself, and staff rather than allowing for a serious discussion on serious issues. Trump has gotten enormous amounts of media coverage because he insults everybody and the media goes after it. So if I say to you, I think Hillary Clinton is a dash-dash-dash, it would be front page story all over America. But if I say to you Im concerned about the decline of the middle class and income and wealth inequality, nobody gives a damn. So the Democrats are going to have to figure outand one of the reasons theyre doing so well with young people Does this interest you at all or not? Probably not. As a young person I dont want to waste my time. Does what Im saying interest you Yes, Senator. Id like to know what it means Alright! Im getting to what it means. I dont want to waste my time. Youre part of the corporate mediayoure a nice guy, but I dont want to waste my time. What Im saying here is in fact enormously important. Why do you think were doing so well with young people and doing rather poorly with old people? What do you think media has to do with that? Younger people dont get their information from CNN. Younger people dont watch television. They dont even read the New York Times. But they do get it through social media. Were able to communicate effectively through social media. Were not able to communicate effectively with old media. That breaks my heart because I spent my whole damn life fighting for senior citizens and disabled veterans. So what does that mean? The Democratic Party is gonna have to figure out a way to communicate directly with younger people and working families outside of the context of corporate media, which is incapable for their own vested interest of addressing real issues facing the American people. Fourthly, candidates including myself, have spent ungodly amounts of money on 30-second television ads. I have done that. Im not going to apologize for doing that, thats what you have to do. But I would like to see the Democratic Party invest very heavily in grassroots organizing. In engaging people, figuring out ways to work with unions, work with young people, work with environmental people, and bring them into the process. What are the top four or five policy proposals you want to convince the Democratic Party to adopt at the convention? We start off with the assumption that in some areas, theres going to be broad agreement already. I dont think theres going to be much of a debate, frankly, that we need to raise the minimum wage actually to $15 an hour. We dont have to waste time on that. I think that will probably pass quite overwhelmingly. Secretary Clinton has not come out for the [New York Sen. Kirsten] Gillibrand bill which is in the Senate on paid family and medical leave. I dont think therell be much debate on that. I think well have that as well. I think the issues of contention will be the understanding that Secretary Clinton has been wrong in supporting virtually every single one of these trade policies. I think what this campaign has shown is that working people understand that NAFTA and CAFTA and PNTR with China have been disastrous for working families. I think there will be some opposition to my point of view but I have the feeling that well win that debate as well. Secretary Clinton has come up, as usual, with a very complicated and convoluted approach on higher education. You got to spend half your life filling out forms and checking your income every day. Im not sure that we will not win fairly easily on the issue of making public colleges and public universities part of what we consider to be public education, making it free. I suspect well win that one as well. I think the real debate will center around how aggressively we take on the fossil fuel industry. I will push for a tax on carbon. Secretary Clinton now opposes that. I think the crisis on clean water is one of the evolving crises in our country around the world. I think youve got to ban fracking. I think a very contentious issue of where there will be a debateserious debateand I think we have a shot to win. When I tell you were going to have a debate, almost all of my supporters will be supportive and then we can get some of Clintons supporters. I dont think its going to be, these votes will come down all Sanders versus all Clinton. And I think, youll see, youve got progressive people, youve got Clinton with the support of some unions there, and some of those people will come over to us on the issues. I think a contentious issue which we have a shot to win is whether or not we break up the large financial institutions and we create a new financial system not based on a handful of giant Wall Street banks. That will be contentious. If I were a betting guy, Id think wed win that. But we may not. I think the polls suggest that among Democrats there is strong support for a Medicare-for-all, single-payer system. And my guess is well probably win that one too. We may not. But I think well win that one as well. The other issue that will be contentious is tax reform and making sure the wealthy and profitable corporations start paying their fair share of taxes. So those are a few of the issues. I think well win most of them. I think the Wall Street fight will be a difficult one, it may not be, depending on the wording of tax reform, that will be tough. Medicare-for-all I suspect well win but we may not. Where do you feel the Clintons have most misrepresented your record? And where do you feel they have crossed the line? In 1988, coming from [a rural] state, running for the U.S. Congress against a Republican and a Democrat, I was an independent. The gun lobbies said, Vote for anybody but Bernie Sanders because he wants to ban assault weapons in America. Now, we lost that election by 3 percentage points. I cannot tell you that was the reason that we lost, but when you take on the gun lobby in the state of Vermont in 1988 way back when because of my opposition to a ban on assault weapons, the idea that I am being called a tool of the NRA, a supporter of the NRA, is really quite outrageous. Thats number one. Number two, what the Clinton people do very well which is what modern politics is about is you spin. So if I say something to you that is ambiguous and it appears in TIME, the next day itll become a 30-second TV ad that Sanders said something which will be taken out of context. Youre familiar with that process? So I said on a television show, when asked about Planned Parenthoods support, of Hillary Clinton, I said, you have leadership as opposed to grassroots that sometime provide support. Well then Im being attacked forwhat was the word?attacking Planned Parenthood. Theres no one in Congress whos a stronger supporter of Planned Parenthood. I want to increase their funding. I think its one of the great organizations in America. So Im being attacked for the implication is that I dont support Planned Parenthood. There was one piece of legislation that came up before the U.S. Senate on the automobile bailout and of course I voted to help the workers of the automobile industry. The bill that Clinton referred to was the Wall Street bailout. Some of that money ended up going to a bailout for the automobile industry. To suggest that because I didnt vote for the Wall Street bailout that I voted against the automobile bailout and workers of the automobile industry is just an outrageous distortion of my record. Are those surprising to you? Well, Ill tell you something that is something that Clinton campaign is going to have to think very long and hard about which I think offends not only me but a lot of even Clinton supporters. Clinton named David Brock as the head of the PAC calledwhat is the PAC called? Priorities? Correct the Record. A super PAC. Now Im not a great fan of super PACs. We dont do super PACs. There are a lot of decent people who know how to raise money from rich people. That run a super PAC. But to find somebody whos claim to fame is as an attack dog, a man who admitted, later apologized for trying to destroy the character of Anita Hillwhy would you name somebody like that? And we know that they have a very large opposition research team. And we know that a lot of stuff has been leaked into the papers which are lies and distortions. Look, we do opp mail, we dont do that much opposition research, but you know, weve attacked Hillary Clinton, we do what other politicians do. But I dont have anybody on my staff who has spent his life as an attack dog who has gone about trying to destroy political opponents. And I think that should make people. They play very dirty. The Clinton response off the record would be where up against he Republicans, the Republicans do exactly that. I understand that. Believe me. My family has been exposed to that crap. The worst kinds of lies. And they have been attacked in that way for decades. The Clintons have. By people like David Brock! Before he presumably saw the light. Who lied about the Clintons. And their response is look, thats the world we live in, thats what you gotta do. I understand that. I dont think thats what you gotta do. I dont think you hire scum of the Earth to be on your team just because the other side does it. You gotta play in a little bit different way. Do you feel that youve been mistreated by the Democratic Party? Nobody debates that the entire DNC is supportive of Secretary Clinton. I dont know how many people we have but the one person we had, Tulsi Gabbard, who was supportive, had to voluntarily resign from the DNC. So all of the DNC, including Debbie Wasserman Schultz, obviously supports Hillary Clinton. That goes without saying. Can I give you many examples where the deck has been stacked against us? Yeah. Of course I can. That goes without saying. From the very beginning in terms of the debate schedule. People were really laughing out loud at how they worked overtime trying to figure out how to have a series of debates at a time when the fewest possible people would watch that debate. We all know that. We had this brouhaha over breaches. And she made the incredible action of suspending our access to information we had paid for. I think that was totally unacceptable. Whats happened in Nevada. Thats I think not the DNC but its the state people. The conduct of how Nevada was run was clearly stacked in favor of Secretary Clinton. What people dont appreciate is that in every state that we have participated in, thats 44 states up to now, we have taken on the Democratic Establishment. In some cases, the establishment has been extremely fair and friendly, and in fact I would say most cases. In some cases that has not been the case. Howard Dean, who as you know also ran an insurgent campaign, told TIME that you have to at some point switch gears and concede. Party leaders have said its time to take on Donald Trump and worry you are hurting Hillary Clinton. Now were shifting gears. Were off of the DNC being fair. You gotta put a red light on and tell me when youre going into a new issue. So were finished with whether the DNC has been fair, yes? So youre going into a new question in that Bernie Sanders is the one responsible for a Fox Poll that Hillary Clinton is 3 points behind a guy who is a pathological liar, who has insulted virtually every group in America, who is widely despised, and it is Bernie Sanders fault that in some polls Hillary Clinton is now behind. Is that what the question is? The world that I live in, is that candidates, whether it is Trump or Clinton or Bernie Sanders have got to go out to the American people and make it clear what they stand for and what they are prepared for. The idea that Donald Trump, a dangerous person, a person who has insulted tens of millions of people in this country through outrageous statements about Latinos, and Muslims or women or veterans or African Americanshe was a leader of the so-called birther movementthe idea that somebody who talks about using nuclear weapons, who wants to give hundreds of billions of dollars of tax breaks to the top two-tenths of one percent, a man who thinks climate change is a hoaxthat a person like this is actually beating or close to Hillary Clinton in national polls is pathetic. And I would remind you in poll after poll, including an NBC poll today, we are defeating Trump by fifteen points. How does it happen that in every national poll and virtually every state poll we are defeating Trump by far greater margins than Hillary Clinton? That is the question to ask. Why is that? And the answer is that we have brought a message to the American people and the determination and history that Secretary Clinton has not. Let me say this also. I think Donald Trump becoming president for this country would be a disaster for the middle class and working families, for the environment. For our position in the world. And I will do everything that I can to defeat Donald Trump. Right now my hope is that I will be in the position to defeat him as the Democratic nominee for president of the United States. Are you in favor of the superdelegates, even if you are behind in pledged delegates, supporting and are you worried that is a perversion of the democratic process. Heres what I think. The rules are what they are right now. And the rules include the fact that we have had to compete in closed primaries. I would say that the election results would be very, very different in many states if all people in those states had a right to vote rather than just people who had registered in New York state monthswas it six monthscould we have won New York State? I dont know, maybe not. Ill tell you it would have been a hell of a lot closer. If you had anything resembling a fair election process. and that is true in many, many other states. If we end up forty-eight, forty-nine [percent of the delegates], fighting in states where millions of our supporters were disenfranchised and not able to vote, and if we are in a situation where 400 or more pledged delegatessuperdelegates for Hillary Clintoncame on board before the first ballot was cast, do I think we have a right to say to those superdelegates, look, your job is not to tell us who you supported months before the first ballot was cast. Your job is determined in these very difficult times which candidate can most clearly defeat Donald Trump. Look at the evidence. And if you conclude that Bernie Sanders is the one to prevent Donald Trump from getting into the White House, do your duty to America and the Democratic Party: support Bernie Sanders. Thats where I am. Lets say theres resistance to your views at the convention. If you are encountered with hardliners in the Party I know this is what media likes to do. You want me to speculate, what happens if A, B and C happens, what do I do. Well I dont know that A, B and C is going to happen. So right now, not to bore you, my job in the next two-and-a-half weeks is to do everything I can to win the nomination and to fight for the strongest possible platform at the convention that supports the needs of the working families. What do you consider a victory come August if you do not win the primary? To me a victory is becoming president of the United States, taking the oath of office in January. Thats what a victory is. And right now whether I win or lose, what I want to see is a transformation of the Democratic Party into a grassroots movement which is designed to represent the needs of working people, low-income people, young people, elderly people, rather than having such an extraordinary emphasis on wealthy campaign contributors. bild bundesarchiv ww1 After World War I, an entire generation of battle-hardened veterans came home sporting military-issued 'trench watches,' or wristwatches as we know them today. Essential for keeping track of time and much more practical than pocket watches for troops in the trenches or flying aircraft, 'trench watches' became a "newly endowed emblem of masculinity, modernity, and First World status," author Aja Raden explains in "Stoned: Jewelry, Obsession, and How Desire Shapes the World." Before the war, these watches were called 'wristlets' and primarily seen as a female fashion accessory due to its delicate design. "Two decades earlier, men would rather have worn a skirt than a wristlet; after World War I, men wouldn't be caught dead without one ... watches had become sexual status symbols for men everywhere," Raden writes. Soon, wearing this emblem played a profound role in society. Outnumbering the once popular pocket watches fifty-to-one, there were cases in which men, who didn't serve in the forces were rebuked for wearing this "badge of bravery." marines france 1918 ww1 Author Fredric J. Friedberg's explains in his history of the "Illinois Watch Company," how one man was shamed for sporting a watch: After the end of World War I, a lawyer was arguing a point of law in court when Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis noticed that the lawyer was wearing a wristwatch. The judge halted the lawyer in mid-sentence and asked him if he served in the war. When the lawyer responded he had not, Judge Landis ordered him to remove the watch, admonishing him that it was inappropriate for non-veterans to wear a wristwatch. Ouch. Today, the standard timepiece continues its legacy among men's fashion. NOW WATCH: These are the watches worn by the smartest and most powerful men in the world More From Business Insider BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A suspected Belgian Islamist group raided on Wednesday had potential attack targets in Belgium's second city of Antwerp including the main railway station, a source close to the investigation said on Thursday. Belgian police searched eight homes on Wednesday, mostly in the port city, and detained four teenagers who were charged with participation in the activities of a terrorist organization. Those detained are suspected of seeking to recruit people to travel to Syria or Libya. Some are also suspected of planning to join Islamic State there themselves. Belgian newspaper Nieuwsblad said the group members were in direct contact with a prominent Belgian militant in Islamic State's de facto capital Raqqa in Syria. The group received orders from Hicham Chaib, also known as Abu Hanifa al-Baljiki (The Belgian), the newspaper said. Chaib, who grew up in an Antwerp suburb, has been seen in an Islamic State video taunting his own country. No weapons or explosives were found during the house searches and there was no apparent link with the March 22 suicide bombings at the international airport and on the metro in Brussels that killed 31 people. (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Tom Heneghan) American workers are more likely to support raising the retirement age than their peers in other countries. In a global survey of workers by Aegon, 32 percent of Americans said that they would support increasing the retirement age in line with increases in life expectancy, while on average only 20 percent of workers around the world feel that way. Only workers in India were more likely to agree with raising the retirement age as life expectancy increases, with 45 percent of respondents showing support. Workers in Germany and Spain were the least likely to agree, with only 10 percent supporting a higher retirement age. Related: Could You Live on $7,000 a Year? Some Retired Baby Boomers May Have To Raising the retirement age is a complex issue, Catherine Collinson, president of Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies and executive director of the Aegon Center for Longevity and Retirement said in a statement. On one hand, it can pave the way for people to extend their working years and continue saving for retirement. But, on the other hand, it can only be successful if employment opportunities are available to older workers. The survey found that 17 percent of Americans believed that the retirement age should increase except for those in dangerous jobs or manual workers. A 2014 Government Accountability Office study found that such workers are 55 percent more likely to claim early benefits. The current full retirement age is 66 for people born between 1943 and 1954, but they can claim reduced benefits when they turn 62. American workers expect 43 percent of their income to come from Social Security and other government benefits. If no changes are made to the current Social Security program, its reserves are expected to run out by 2037. Expected Retirement Age Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: A new London stage production of Shakespeare's "Richard III" is to be broadcast in movie theaters around the world reports Variety. The new production will see Ralph Fiennes star as the Shakespeare villain alongside Vanessa Redgrave as Queen Margaret at London's Almeida Theatre. The stage performance will be broadcast live on the big screen on July 21, giving audiences across the world the opportunity to see plays directly from the theater. Artistic director Rupert Goold will be in charge of the stage production, which will be filmed using multiple cameras around the stage and auditorium for the big screen. The news comes during the 400th anniversary year of the Shakespeare's death. The UK is already enjoying a series of celebrations and events throughout 2016 to mark the occasion. From Popular Mechanics You know the Gibson Les Paul: It's that chunky electric guitar hanging off the shoulders of Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, the classic axe thrust skyward by Guns N' Roses' lead guitarist Slash. You know Gibson's great rival Fender, too, even if you don't know guitars. It makes the iconic Stratocaster Jimi Hendrix played and the workhorse Telecasters so often seen in the arms of Bruce Springsteen. The names of Les Paul and Leo Fender grace many of the most famous electric guitars. Designed in the 1940s and '50s, their instruments helped create the musical world of today, where the electric guitar is ubiquitous and its impact on culture incalculable. But the real origins of the instrument go back further, to a weird and murky prehistory. It wasn't guitar gods who pioneered this technology. It was amateur radio enthusiasts from the 1920s-garage-bound tinkerers with Popular Mechanics subscriptions and patent aspirations. The story of the instrument shows that its invention, like so many others, was not a neat event when one genius saw a need and created a technology to fill it. It was a messy, scattered process, one that's difficult to piece together even 80 years later. Somehow, we still don't really know who invented the electric guitar. Recently, this mystery drew the world's foremost experts to the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum in Kansas. Over three days, these researchers met to compare findings, dismiss myths, and attempt to settle where exactly the instrument came from. I went to see what they found. Tinkerers and Rebels It turns out many of the technologies necessary for the electric guitar were around long before anyone dreamed of a whammy bar or a fuzz box. At the core of the instrument is the electrical principle of induction, which Michael Faraday discovered in 1830. Electric guitars have a pickup (or two or three), which is usually a coil of copper wire wrapped around a magnet. Because of induction, when steel strings vibrate in the vicinity of the pickup, they produce an electromagnetic signal in the copper wire. This signal travels from the guitar through a cable to an amplifier, which increases the signal strength and sends it to a speaker. Story continues The principle of induction is so simple and useful that devices based on it were widespread even before the 1900s. Telegraph keys used it, and some telephones did, too, though the first ones used primitive carbon mics. (The word "phony" comes from the awful facsimile of human speech produced by the early telephone.) Human communication was crucial in spreading the technology that would eventually become the electric guitar. "No one would have cared about this if it wasn't initially about talking," Lynn Wheelwright, a guitar historian and collector, explained in Wichita. Curiously, it doesn't seem like musicians were the ones who dreamed up the idea of an electrified instrument. Rather, it was the legions of amateur tinkerers who started taking apart products like the telephone, radio, and phonograph and seeing what they could do. Some of the uses they imagined now seem bizarre. A 1919 magazine ad offered a device for amplifying sounds, which, it said, could be used to amplify a violin-or to spy on people. Another magazine from 1922 touted an amateur-built "radio violin": basically a stick with a string and a telephone pickup connected to an amp and a metal horn. "Weak tones can be amplified by a radio loudspeaker," the caption explained. Later that decade, a few proto-rock-'n'-rollers figured out that by shoving a phonograph needle into the top of their acoustic guitar, they could get sound to come out of the speaker. They were a long way from "Free Bird," but the basic idea was there. Electrified The notion of an electrified guitar goes back to at least 1890, to an instrument patented by an American Naval officer named George Breed. Breed's design, like most of the earliest electric instruments, didn't use volts to produce volume. Rather, it employed electricity to have the machine play the instrument. It was a self-playing guitar more than a century before the self-driving car. Matthew Hill, who studies the history and development of musical instruments, built a replica of Breed's guitar based on its patent, and found that the complex electromagnetic system actually vibrates the strings. The guitar plays itself, in other words, producing an ethereal, metallic drone. The replica weighs more than a dozen pounds and is entirely impractical. At the conference in Wichita, Hill used this replica to argue that novelty-not the pursuit of more volume-was what drove the first electric guitar makers. "Everything you know is wrong," Hill said gleefully, raising hackles among a roomful of guitar geeks. The Breed guitar wasn't meant to be louder, or better-sounding, or useful. It was meant to show what cool things electricity could do. On the other hand, some evidence suggests that chasing loudness was key. On Oct. 20, 1928, an article appeared in The Music Trades announcing the arrival of an important new product: "an electronically operated device that produces an increased volume of tone for any stringed instrument." This was the Stromberg Electro, perhaps the first-ever commercial pickup. In the following year's edition of the Chicago Musical Instrument catalog, Stromberg boasted about an electric guitar and matching amplifier. "Every tone is brought out distinctly and evenly, with a volume that will fill even a large hall," the ad claimed. And then Stromberg Electro vanished. Experts have found no other mentions of the company from this period, and no instruments to prove that any models were actually produced. (Wheelwright thinks one of his guitars might have an old Stromberg pickup, but he's not sure.) It's as if, after heralding the arrival of a new era in music, its progenitor suddenly vanished. In the 1930s, after Stromberg's disappearance, the race to build a real electric axe heated up. The concept for a successful commercial model may have arrived as early as 1931, when the Ro-Pat-In Company of Los Angeles (which eventually became Rickenbacker) built its first electric prototype. Ro-Pat-In's George Beauchamp had developed an electromagnetic pickup that sensed the vibrations of metal strings, and the company built a wood-bodied test model commonly known as the Frying Pan for its round body and long neck. But the cast-aluminum production version of the Frying Pan didn't hit the market until the late summer or early fall of 1932. "It actually sounds amazingly modern. You could gig with this guitar." By then, Ro-Pat-In wasn't alone. Lloyd Loar, a former engineer at the Gibson instrument company in Michigan, began developing his own pickup in the '20s. The latest research from Arian Sheets, a curator at the National Music Museum in South Dakota who came to the Wichita conference, shows that Loar's firm, Vivi-Tone, built an electric guitar that could be played and purchased by summer 1932. Alvino Rey, a popular bandleader and pioneering electric guitarist, was performing with the instrument onstage later that year. By early 1933, he was shown in national magazines with it. Grandfather of the Gitbox? So which of these instruments is the first true electric guitar? Stromberg seems to have been first to market, but no one can say how many instruments it made or sold. Rickenbacker and Vivi-Tone were in a close race. But while all these firms created an electrically amplified guitar, their designs were strikingly different. The Stromberg Electro (or what experts think might be a Stromberg) relies on the vibrations of the wooden guitar body to move a small metal actuator, which is charged by two heavy horseshoe magnets and interacts with a coil of wire. This system is heavy, indirect, and complex. It doesn't produce a lot of volume. Loar's Vivi-Tone pickups are smaller but work essentially the same way-by amplifying the vibrations of the guitar body and bridge rather than the strings. Sheets showed us a video recording of a Vivi-Tone guitar and it sounded thin and reedy. The pickup in the Ro-Pat-In, by contrast, works exactly like pickups today: It sits near the strings and collects their vibrations, producing a familiar tone. "It actually sounds amazingly modern," the musician and writer Deke Dickerson said in Wichita as he strummed one of the earliest Ro-Pat-Ins. "You could gig with this guitar." Wheelwright looked on, seeming pleased. "This just proves that the electric guitar and pickup really haven't gone anywhere since 1932," he said. "Who invented the electric guitar?", then, is a loaded and slippery question. And frankly, it depends what you mean by "electric guitar." If you men applying electricity to the design of a guitar, then the answer could reach back to the 1800s. If you mean the first model to come to market, then maybe it's the Stromberg Electro. Maybe. And if you mean the first to function like the electric guitars of today, then the Ro-Pat-In has the strongest case. Incidentally, the later years of electric guitar are no clearer. You think the obscure 1930s Slingerland Songster was the first solid-body electric? Others say it was Vivi-Tone, or maybe Ro-Pat-In. You think Leo Fender invented the electric bass guitar? Have you heard of Audiovox and Paul Tutmarc? What about humbucking pickups-now common but made famous on the Gibson Les Paul. Surely, as popular lore goes, Gibson engineer Seth Lover invented them in the mid-1950s. Well, no: The earliest humbucking pickup actually appeared in a patent for a telephone transmitter in 1887. If you're feeling confused, don't worry-the historians in Wichita were no better off. Throughout the gathering, it seemed none of the experts could make any claim of first-ness without being immediately contradicted. Peer far back into the origins of a technology and you find fascinating antecedents, and ever more uncertainty. When a fellow expert questioned his claim about the Breed guitar-that it was novelty and not volume that drove the electric guitar's inventors-Hill shouted, semi-sarcastically, "Are you trying to impose a narrative on history?" Everyone laughed-maybe a little too hard-at this distillation of the historian's predicament. The origin of the electric guitar stubbornly resists the imposition of a neat storyline. The question of who really invented the instrument, and when, only really leads to more questions. "We're going to be arguing over this for another 80 years," Hill said. "And that's not a bug, that's a feature." Bogota (AFP) - The Red Cross said Thursday it will help search for three journalists missing in Colombia whose disappearance the government blamed on a leftist rebel group. The International Committee of the Red Cross is acting at the request of the Colombian government, spokesman Edgar Alfonso said. Colombian Defense Minister Luis Carlos Villegas said the government is blaming the National Liberation Army (ELN), a leftist rebel group. Reporter Diego D'Pablos and cameraman Carlos Melo of Colombian TV network RCN were apparently detained Monday by gunmen in the town of El Tarra. They were covering the disappearance of a Spanish-Colombian journalist, Salud Hernandez-Mora, a correspondent for Spanish newspaper El Mundo who went missing over the weekend. He was last seen in El Tarra, in the Catatumbo region of northeast Colombia. The RCN journalists and others were attacked and detained by a group of assailants who stole their cameras, cell phones and other equipment, breaking some of it in the process, the Foundation for Press Freedom, a Colombian watchdog group, said. "Based on the intelligence obtained up to just a few hours ago, we confirm with certainty that the National Liberation Army is responsible for the disappearance of those three professionals," Villegas told reporters. Three other journalists who were also attacked and detained Monday later resurfaced. Communications in the region -- where guerrilla groups and drug traffickers dominate -- are difficult and details of the case remain scarce. President Juan Manuel Santos said Wednesday he had information that Hernandez-Mora was with ELN of her own volition and doing reporting work. The ELN is the second-largest guerrilla group fighting in Colombia's half-century-long conflict. It has a strong presence in Catatumbo. The rebel group said in March it would hold peace talks with the government. But negotiations have yet to get off the ground because the rebels are accused of continuing to carry out ransom kidnappings -- long their main source of funding. Story continues The government accuses the ELN of kidnapping at least seven people so far this year. The Colombian conflict, which started as a peasant uprising in the 1960s, has drawn in various armed groups and gangs over the decades, leaving 260,000 people dead and 45,000 missing. The government says it is close to signing a peace deal with the country's largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Le Mont-Saint-Michel (France) (AFP) - The gilded Archangel Michael, resplendent after an expensive 10-week facelift, was airlifted on Thursday back to the top of the historic abbey on the French island of Mont Saint-Michel. Dozens of tourists cheered as engineers successfully lowered the 520-kilo (1,100-pound) copper statue, glinting in the sun, from a helicopter to the top of the church, one of France's most stunning sites. Artisans from the same foundry that produced New York's Statue of Liberty stripped the statue down to its original copper, which they restored and coated with protective paint. Then came the gold leaf -- twice the amount that was used in the statue's last renovation in 1987, according to Philippe Belaval, head of the French Centre for National Monuments (CMN). The overhaul costing some 450,000 euros ($500,000) should help the statue, perched 160 metres (530 feet) above the rocky tidal island, to withstand whippings by sand-laden winds -- as well as lightning strikes -- for at least the next 50 years, he added. One of France's most recognisable landmarks, Mont Saint-Michel and its 11th-century Benedictine abbey were put on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1979. According to legend, a local bishop built a monastery at Mont Saint-Michel in the eighth century after a visit from the Archangel Michael who repeatedly asked him to erect a church on the island. The statue depicts the archangel ready to strike an evil dragon with his sword. Mont Saint-Michel, which lies just off the northwestern coast of France, attracts up to three million visitors a year. Go anywhere in South Sudan these days, and one of the most common building structures is use is a banged-up old shipping container. These 8-by-20-ft metal boxes, once used to transport goods across the ocean, now serve as homes, classrooms, play yards, medical clinics and even hotels. And according to a new report from Amnesty International, they are also increasingly being used as ad-hoc prisons for government detainees, where the poorly ventilated containers can easily turn into ovens in the baking heat. Read More: The Only One God Left Alive The report details how dozens of detainees at one site near the capital, Juba, are locked together in a container, how they are fed only once or twice a week and how they are rarely given drinking water. The dire conditions, says Amnesty, have already resulted in several deaths. Detainees are suffering in appalling conditions and their overall treatment is nothing short of torture, said Muthoni Wanyeki, Amnesty Internationals Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes. This is not the first time Amnesty has documented the use of shipping containers as prisons in South Sudan. In March they released a damning report about an October 2015 incident in which government forces asphyxiated more than 50 men by shutting them in a shipping container in Leer County, in October 2015. TIME met the sole survivor of the massacre, a 13-year-old boy, who spoke of his suffering in chilling detail. Read More: Eyewitness to Hope and Hell in South Sudan South Sudans military and presidential spokesmen denied the allegations, but the Leer County commissioner, Wol Yach, who was in Juba when the massacre occurred, admitted to TIME that the men, who were suspected to be rebels, may have been put into containers for detention purposes. Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe the intention was not to kill them, but the soldiers didnt know they were putting the men in a container without air. Story continues In their assessment of the Leer incident, the African Union-appointed body overseeing the countrys fragile ceasefire noted that the government had often used shipping containers as makeshift prisons. The absence of [detention] facilities is a chronic problem, in South Sudan, says Amnestys South Sudan researcher Elizabeth Deng. But it is particularly egregious when this is done in secret or semi-secrecy by military intelligence or national security forces; when there is a very disturbing lack of concern for the health and well being of the detainees; and when the detainees are kept incommunicado, with no access to courts or to lawyers, and therefore no way to check whether they are alive or dead. Read More: War and Rape Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang was not able to comment on the Amnesty report, but he responded to a recent Human Rights Report describing horrific detention conditions and torture in the western town of Wau with an emailed statement: The Report is bias, one sided and heavily relied on incredible eye witnesses to draw conclusions. Amnestys report includes a satellite image of what the organization believes to be the Gorom detention center outside of Juba. Four metal shipping containers can be seen in an L shape. According to Amnesty, the four containers are used to house detainees that arrived in early November 2015. Like the Leer detainees, most are civilians who have not been charged with any crimes, but are accused of supporting the rebel forces of opposition leader Riek Machar. On April 26 Machar rejoined the South Sudanese government under an internationally brokered peace accord. Both sides are currently negotiating how they will work together in a government of national unity, but so far at least, the issue of illegal detentions, war crimes, and death in detention has not come up. From Delish Anyone with food allergies knows how stressful it can be to find restaurants with dishes that are safe to eat. Diners with allergies meticulously read menus and ask servers tons of questions to avoid certain ingredients-but what happens when the restaurant makes a fatal mistake? The owner of an Indian restaurant in Britain was recently convicted of manslaughter after serving a customer a dish that killed him, The New York Times reports. Mohammad Zaman, the 52-year-old restaurateur, was sentenced to six years in prison on Monday, following a deathly food allergy incident. A customer placed a to-go order for chicken tikka masala in January of 2014, specifying "no nuts" since he'd experienced severe allergic reactions in the past. After eating the curry dish, he was found dead in his home, due to anaphylactic shock. Zaman was found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence-the first time that anyone has been convicted of that offense over sale of food in the U.K. The court noted his "cavalier attitude to food safety," and claimed that the death could have easily been avoided. In order to save money, Zaman had reportedly been cutting corners at the restaurant, hiring untrained, undocumented workers and replacing ingredients in his recipes with cheaper alternatives. The almond powder used in several recipes was swapped out for a less expensive mix of groundnuts, which could very well be the culprit. In fact, another customer had to be treated for a nut allergy reaction after eating in the same restaurant just three weeks before the fatal incident. We can only hope that the sad outcome and severe punishment in this case will serve as a warning to all restaurateurs to take food safety very seriously. Follow Delish on Instagram. Reynolds American's Update on Developing Broad Brand Strategies (Continued from Prior Part) Santa Fes revenue and operating income Reynolds Americans (RAI) Santa Fe subsidiarys 1Q16 revenue increased by 27.5% to $0.22 billion compared to ~$0.20 billion in 1Q15. The increase was primarily due to higher pricing and strong volume growth. Santa Fes operating income increased by 33.7% to $0.12 billion in 1Q16. The increase was driven by higher pricing and volume growth of its premium brand, Natural American Spirit. The brand offers natural additive-free tobacco, including styles made with organic tobacco. As a result, Santa Fes products are priced higher than other cigarette brands like Lucky Strike, which is an additive-free tobacco cigarette by British American Tobacco (BTI). Peers in additive-free tobacco Other tobacco companies like Vector Group (VGR) and Altria Group (MO) do not produce additive-free tobacco cigarettes. Philip Morris International (PM), in an attempt to meet demand for innovative products, produces reduced -risk tobacco products (or RRPs). To learn more about Philip Morriss reduced-risk products, please read Philip Morriss New Innovative Products in the Reduced-Risk Tobacco Market. Natural American Spirits retail market share increased by 0.3% to 2% in 1Q16 in the US, on a volume growth of 22.1%. Natural American Spirits volume grew by double digits, increasing by 22% in 1Q16. Completion of acquisition Apart from expanding in the US, RAI is focused to expand internationally with Natural American Spirit brand. As a result, RAI successfully completed the sale of Natural American Spirit brands international rights to Japan Tobacco (JAPAY) (JAPAF) for $5 billion on September 29, 2015. This collaboration should accelerate RAIs growth trajectory. It can also benefit JAPAF to continue its overseas growth and help in offsetting shrinking cigarette demand in Japan. To learn more about this deal, please read Japan Tobacco Confirms Acquisition of Santa Fe Assets . Story continues Reynolds American (RAI) constitutes 1.1% of the WisdomTree Dividend ex-Financials Fund ETF (DTN). Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: From Esquire A long time back, I was interviewing a guy who'd been a serious member of the Black Panthers-the real Black Panthers, not the two guys with berets outside the polling station in Philadelphia who scared Bill O'Reilly white. We were talking about the riots that broke out in Los Angeles in the wake of the acquittal of the police officers who'd beaten Rodney King. The guy shook his head, sadly, and said, "We had a saying in the Panthers. 'Spontaneity is the art of fools.'" With that in mind, I would like to humbly suggest that those people who gather to protest the appearances of He, Trump kindly stop being such predictable tools for those really dark forces that are gathering around the presumptive Republican nominee. Jesus H. Christ on a satellite feed, stop making it so easy for them. What happened in Albuquerque Tuesday night not only was pointless, it was utterly stupid. It gave the campaign of He, Trump enough footage to create campaign ads all the way through his re-election campaign in 2020. It gave cable news a chance to monger some fear; by midnight, the CNN reporter on the scene was practically begging the cops to unleash hell on the people "who won't go home." It turned He, Trump into a victim. And, not least, throwing rocks at police horses is a dumb thing to do on its own merits. In fact, the events of Tuesday night so perfectly fit He, Trump's purposes that it's legitimate to wonder if there wasn't some covert design to it. He, and the campaign he's running, couldn't have asked for better visuals than people clashing with police while waving Mexican flags. For a long while, I've been curious about how protesters so easily got tickets to sold out Trump rallies only to be evicted later on what came to be an almost ritualistic performance piece that allowed He, Trump to project from the stage exactly the image he wanted to project. Why not take the show al fresco? Story continues Let us dispense with our semi-justifiable paranoia, however, and stipulate that what happened on Tuesday night was an entirely spontaneous rumble by people who are unnerved by the prospect of being ruled by a vulgar talking yam. What happened was the very living definition of counterproductive. One of the most important ways to defeat He, Trump is to be smarter than he is. That shouldn't be difficult but, so far, it's eluded the other Republican contenders, and the Clinton campaign, and the people who show up at his rallies who can't seem to understand that, by doing so, they become part of the show. Stay across the street. Protest silently and, in the name of god, don't be such easy marks. Click here to respond to this post on the official Esquire Politics Facebook page. U.K.-born Alex Heffes is neither African nor American, but he was chosen with good reason to score Historys revamped adaptation of Alex Haleys Roots: The 44-year-old composer favors projects with a sonic mash-up of influences. And he has spent time researching and recording music in Africa, for both the 2013 biopic Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and the 2006 Uganda-set drama The Last King of Scotland. So I guess thats some qualification, if you can call it that, the Oxford-educated Heffes demurs. Im interested in doing movies that have a mixture of genres and Roots is the ultimate one. Tracking the long lineage of Kunta Kinte, snatched from his Gambian village in the 1700s and sold into slavery, Roots needed a massive score. Heffes palette morphed from Kuntas African homeland into bluegrass and other flavors as the slaves descendants are forced to adapt to the American South. The first episodes score features a childrens choir from Gambia, accompanied by a kora a 21-string African instrument played by West African musician Sona Jobarteh, recorded remotely. With the arrival later in the miniseries of Kuntas grandson, Chicken George, a slave who arranges cockfights, Heffes stirs in a banjo. Its all unified by a traditional orchestra, recorded in London (as were Lincoln Jean-Maries vocals, which propel the main theme), with various percussion performed by Heffes. It was a very international way of doing it, which you can do with the internet now, the composer says. It was really important for me to have those West African influences, but then not feel constrained by them. Its the strange mixing, the melting pot of different cultures and ideas which, for me, makes it interesting. But theres always an off-screen echo of the African roots. The series, which premieres May 30, posed a unique logistical challenge in that its four episodes (which air over four consecutive nights) were each helmed by a different director Phillip Noyce, Thomas Carter, Mario Van Peebles, and Bruce Beresford and Heffes collaborated with each as though he were scoring four separate movies. Four movies in four months with four different directors, he laughs. (In total, its nearly five hours of original score.) Story continues The film styles are very different, Heffes notes. Noyces episode is stark and minimal. Beresfords episode is totally different. Im the one whos going through all of the nights, so Im trying to keep an overview on it, have it all make sense across all four nights, but give each director something special as well. Heffes created continuity largely via his main theme, a noble lament that carries across each installment. But the orchestration morphs from something much more African to being more western as it moves forward in time, he says. The theme you hear in episode one is still there in the very last scene of episode four, but its gone through a passage of time which is hopefully what the story does as well. The composers upcoming film projects include the thriller Bastille Day, starring Idris Elba, and another visit to Africa for the Disney family feature Queen of Katwe. Heffes saw the original Roots, the 1977 ABC miniseries starring LeVar Burton, many years ago, but avoided revisiting it before approaching this new incarnation. I wanted to come at this fresh, he says. I was really encouraged to do my own thing, and make this a Roots that would speak to people today. Related stories LeVar Burton on 'Roots' Remake: 'I Wanted to Share With This New Generation the Truth' TV Review: 'Roots' Contemporary Shows Like 'Scandal,' 'Shameless' Pose Unique Challenge for Costume Designer Lyn Paolo James Corden invited Neighbors 2 stars Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen to join him in a Lion King musical performed on a crosswalk in Los Angeles. Byrne was extremely excited about the crosswalk performance and was cast as both Nala and Timon. Rogen was relegated to the role of "scenery, trees, birds, rocks" and other tiny parts. "Why am I a tree?" Rogen asked Corden. "Honestly, I wasn't expecting to do this at all, but now that I'm here, I feel like I could do a part with talking. Did you see the Steve Jobs movie?" The Late Late Show host would not budge on the casting, and the group dressed up in costumes and jumped out on the crosswalk to sing popular songs from the Disney film, running back to the sidewalks when the light changed. "The stakes are higher," said Byrne, when asked how she felt about the production. "The thrill of live theater and the thrill of death." Corden yelled that if someone were to get hit by a car, technically he or she would be an animal and thus roadkill on any insurance documents. By the end of the musical, Rogen had impressed Corden, particularly with his performance as the moon. Rogen, however, still was not entertained. "Did I enjoy it more than I thought I was going to? No," he said, deadpanning. "I probably enjoyed it less than I thought I was going to. Someone's going to get killed doing this, and then they'll be like, 'Why did we do that?' " Read More: Anne Hathaway Obliterates James Corden in 'Late Late Show' Rap Battle During a press conference at the G-7 summit in Japan on Thursday, President Barack Obama said that the divisive rhetoric of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has thoroughly rattled global leaders. "... A lot of the proposals he makes display an ignorance of world affairs or a cavalier attitude or an interest in getting tweets and headlines instead of actually thinking through what is required to keep America safe and secure and prosperous," Obama said, according to the Washington Post. Obama isn't exaggerating; the leaders of many nations have voiced their opposition to Trump's more radical positions and the list isn't short. David Cameron British Prime Minister David Cameron United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron had choice words for Trump in the wake of his proposed ban on Muslims entering the United States, "divisive, stupid and wrong." Cameron at if Trump "... came to visit our country, I think he would unite us all against him," according to CNN. Enrique Pena Nieto Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto Trump also enraged Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto with comments in June 2015 about how when "... Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best ... They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists." "Whoever insults or speaks badly of Mexico doesn't know the country," Pena Nieto told El Universal. "Whoever speaks badly of Mexicans doesn't know Mexicans." I February, former Mexican President Felipe Calderon also expressed disdain for Trump's proposed border wall designed to curb illegal immigration, telling C that the Mexican people "are not going to pay any single cent for such Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Alsaud Donald Trump's latest sparring partner: a Saudi prince - CBS Newshttp://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trumps-latest-sparring-partner-a-saudi-prince/ ... Trump was embroiled in a bizarre Twitter feud in with Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Alsaud after the real estate mogul tweeted a photoshopped image of the prince standing next to Fox News host Megyn Kelly. Story continues "Trump: You base your statements on photoshopped pics? I bailed you out twice; a third time, maybe?" bin Talal fired back, referencing the fact that he a n the 1990s. Trump:You base your statements on photoshopped pics?I bailed you out twice;a 3rd time,maybe? http://bit.do/TrTwt https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/692701142803939329 ... https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CZz3RqFUcAEIgFZ.jpg:large A Fortune article said at the time that the exchange that "... at least some of the global power elite that Trump rubs elbows with are not happy with the magnate s fiery rhetoric." Benjamin Netanyahu Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined the parade of world leaders denouncing Trump after his proposed ban on Muslims, releasing a statement that said Israel "... respects all religions and strictly guarantees the rights of all its citizens." "Prime Minister Netanyahu rejects Donald Trump's recent remarks about Muslims," the statement said. So Se Pyong Source: Wong Maye-E/AP After Trump told Reuters that he was interested in meeting with North Korean leaders to discuss the country's nuclear program, the nation flatly refused the prospect of negotiations in the event of a Trump presidency. "It is up to the decision of my Supreme Leader whether he decides to meet or not, but I think his [Trump's] idea or talk is nonsense," So Se Pyong, North Korean ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, told the news service. "It's for utilization of the presidential election, that's all. A kind of a propaganda or advertisement," he added. "This is useless, just a gesture for the presidential election." MOSCOW, May 26 (Reuters) - Privatisation of Russia's oil major Rosneft is expected to take place in the second half of the year, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Thursday. The Russian government plans to sell a 19.5 percent stake in the firm. Separately, Siluanov told journalists that it is possible that the finance ministry could spend more than 2.1 trillion roubles ($32.24 billion) from the Reserve Fund, one of its sovereign wealth funds, this year. When it comes to 2017 foreign borrowing plans, the ministry will look at Russia's balance of payments and possibilities to borrow on the domestic market before making a decision, Siluanov said. ($1 = 65.1414 roubles) (Reporting by Darya Korsunskaya; Writing by Lidia Kelly and Alexander Winning; Editing by Dmitry Solovyov) When Michelle Obama speaks on Thursday at the Santa Fe Indian School as this years commencement speaker, the First Lady will surely speak of the usual hopeful graduation-day themes, and about the White House Generation Indigenous Initiative that brought her there. Optimism about the future will have an extra layer of meaning in that particular location, as the school is part of a long and ignominious story from American history. When the Santa Fe Indian School was established in 1890, its mission was not so much education as assimilation. As James Wilson describes in his history of Native America, The Earth Shall Weep, the United States government realized in the mid-19th century that it would be impossible to just keep moving the Native American population to areas where there were no white settlers, as such areas were fast disappearing. Many believed that the only possible solutions were, as Wilson quotes Interior Secretary Alexander Stuart, to civilize or exterminate them. The option of civilizing was seen as the moral choice. When the U. S. Government first turned from shooting Indians to educating them, it hoped to accomplish their gradual assimilation in white communities, TIME explained in 1936. In 1879 General Richard Henry Pratt (who once proposed apportioning the Indians, like so many marbles, nine to each county in the U. S.) founded Carlisle School in Pennsylvania. Carlisle inspired many other schools around the country, many of which were boarding institutions far from reservations, where children were sent to be purposefully removed from their families. The Santa Fe Indian School was built on the Carlisle model, as explained by the New Mexico Office of the State Historian, with a military model and a jail for those who misbehaved. MORE: The Long History Behind Your Favorite Celebrity Commencement Speech Pratt was considered a reformer at the time, Wilson writes, as he believed that Native Americans were inferior to white people because of their nurture, not naturein other words, that they could be made acceptable to society if they were taken from their homes, separated from their cultures and encouraged to forget their language and religion. Graduation was not the end of the damage, as young men and women would return home having been taught that their families were savage. Story continues In 1886, the Commission of Indian Affairs reported on the work being done at the schools. At the time, according to the report, there were more than 8,000 students in government Indian schools, including both day schools and boarding schools. Given the needs of the students, the report attested, boarding schools were best for freeing the childrenfrom the language and habits of their untutored and oftentimes savage parents. Day-school students were disadvantaged by being with their families, the report said, which put them in a state of moral and mental stupor. A sub-report by the superintendent of the schools drove home the point: Only by complete isolation of the Indian child from his savage antecedents can he be satisfactorily educated, and the extra expense attendant thereon in more than compensated by the thoroughness. As Tsianina Lomawaima of the University of Arizona explained to NPR in 2008, the goal of the schools was to change the students language, religion, family structure, economics, the way you make a living, the way you express emotion, everything. More than one generation of students had passed through the schools, separated from their cultures and taken from their families, by the time the federal government acknowledged the tactic was harmful. Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter In 1926, the Secretary of the Interior requested a report from the Institute for Government Research on the problem of Indian administration. The resulting 1928 document, known as the Meriam Report, summed up the extreme extent to which the program wasnt working. The most fundamental need in Indian education is a change in point of view, the report declared. Modern educational theory firmly rejected the idea that removing children from their homes was good for themand the schools werent giving children a good education anyway. As a start, the report recommended that non-reservation boarding schools should be limited to older children only, so that young children could stay with their families. TIME captured a poignant moment in 1927 when President Calvin Coolidge visited a South Dakota Indian school where he asked the Superintendent if the little Indian girls did not get homesick sometimes. It was during this period that the Santa Fe school introduced a painting program that produced several noted artists. And yet, this change did not mean that the era of the Indian schools was over. As late as 1950, TIME reported cheerfully on the opening of a new Indian school in Utah, and how its wide-eyed and scared Navajo students were brought in to learn how to speak English and use flush toilets. The schools did have slightly more progressive goals than those of the past: Under the old system, the Indian getting out of school had an almost pathological desire to return to something that no longer existed, said George Boyce of the Indian Service. We are attempting to provide them with the skills to fit them into a modern mold. MORE: 25 Moments That Changed America A 1969 Senate-authorized report on the national tragedy that was Indian education declared that its authors were shocked by what they had found: Others before us were shocked. They recommended and made changes. Others after us will likely be shocked, toodespite our recommendations and efforts at reform. For there is so much to dowrongs to right., omissions to fill, untruths to correctthat our own recommendations, concerned as they are with education alone, need supplementation across the whole board of Indian life. The statistics in the report mark a stain on our national conscience and lead to the conclusion that our national policies for educating American Indians are a failure of major proportions. Today, however, the Santa Fe Indian School represents pretty much the exact opposite of what such institutions once did. The school and the land on which it sits is now operated by the 19 Pueblo Governors of the state, with a goal of helping students maintain a link to their culture while thriving in the careers of their choice. Hulu is teaming with ITV for new drama series Harlots. The eight-part straight-to-series drama will star Samantha Morton, Lesley Manville and Jessica Brown Findlay and will air on Hulu in the U.S. and the U.K.'s ITV. Set against the backdrop of 18th century Georgian London, Harlots is a family drama exploring the city's "most valuable commercial activity" - sex. Based on the stories of real women, the series follows Margaret Wells (Morton) and her daughters as she struggles to reconcile her roles as mother and brothel owner. When her business comes under attack from Lydia Quigley (Manville), a rival madam with a ruthless streak, Margaret will fight back, even if it means putting her family at risk. Brown Findlay will star as Charlotte, Margaret's eldest daughter and the city's most coveted courtesan, who begins to grapple with her position in both society and her immediate family. Written by playwright-screenwriter Moira Buffini (Jane Eyre) the drama is based on an original idea by Buffini and Alison Newman. Harlots is the first series commissioned by Monumental Pictures, the independent company founded by Oscar-nominated producers Alison Owen (Suffragette) and Debra Hayward (Bridget Jones's Baby). Production begins in June in London, with Coky Giedroyc (Penny Dreadful) and China Moo-Young (Thirteen, Humans) set to direct. Lawrence Till (Shameless) will produce, with Alison Owen and Debra Hayward also on board to exec produce alongside Alison Carpenter, Buffini and Newman. For Hulu, Harlots joins a drama slate that also includes Shut Eye, Chance and newly ordered The Handmaid's Tale. By Megan Cassella WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An unconventional debate between a billionaire Republican and a democratic socialist is shaping up in California after presidential candidates Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders expressed an interest in squaring off against each other. Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, is still in a primary battle against Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, while Trump effectively clinched the Republican Party's nomination earlier this month when his two remaining rivals dropped out. In an appearance on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" late Wednesday, Trump said he was willing to participate in such an event against Sanders. "If I debated him, we would have such high ratings," the New York developer and reality television star said. "I think I should ... take that money and give it to some worthy charity." Sanders appeared to agree in a post on Twitter on Thursday. "Game on," he tweeted. "I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary." Trump and Sanders have gone through a series of debates against rivals within their parties but Republican and Democratic presidential candidates usually do not debate each other until the parties have selected a nominee. The hashtag #BernieTrumpDebate began trending in the United States with news of the possible debate. Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks said in an email to Reuters on Thursday there were no formal plans yet for such an event. Representatives for the Sanders campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Kimmel said he asked Trump about the debate at the suggestion of Sanders, who is scheduled to appear on the show Thursday night. Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist who was elected to Congress as an independent and has made economic equality a keystone of his campaign, had first challenged Clinton to a California debate. He said he was disappointed when the former secretary of state declined. The Clinton campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment to a possible Trump-Sanders debate. Clinton has tried to woo Sanders supporters as she works to secure the party's nomination for the Nov. 8 election. But some worry his supporters - who are largely young, working-class and disillusioned with party establishment - will turn instead to political neophyte Trump, who has championed a populist agenda. Sanders has said he will do everything he can to ensure that Trump does not win the White House. (Reporting by Megan Cassella; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Bill Trott) Positive news flowed in for Sanofi SNY when the FDAs Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee (EMDAC) voted in favor (12 to 2) of an approval of the companys new drug application for the fixed-ratio combination of its diabetes drugs Lantus (basal insulin glargine, 100 units/mL) and Lyxumia (GLP-1 receptor agonist, lixisenatide) for the treatment of type II diabetes in adults. The recommendation came as a surprise given the concerns raised in the briefing documents released by the FDA ahead of the panel meeting (read more: Sanofi Diabetes Drugs Briefing Documents Raise Concerns). Nevertheless, the EMDACs opinion will now be reviewed by the FDA, with a final response expected in Aug 2016. With the panel in favor of approving the fixed-ratio combination, we believe chances of gaining an FDA approval are high. The company submitted a regulatory application for the combination in the EU in Mar 2016. Meanwhile, a final decision from the FDA regarding Lyxumias approval status is expected in Jul 2016. We note that Lyxumia is already approved in the EU. Sanofis Diabetes segment has been under pressure of late, with Lantus facing pricing pressure in the U.S., and biosimilar competition in the EU and Japan. The company expects global Diabetes sales to decline 48% annually over the 20152018 time frame. Novo Nordisk A/S NVO is also looking to get an FDA approval for its combination treatment, IDegLira, for the treatment of adults with type II diabetes. The company has received a favorable opinion from the EMDAC. IDegLira is a once-daily, fixed combination of Tresiba (insulin degludec) and Victoza (liraglutide). Update on the Medivation Takeover Sanofi remains focused on acquiring Medivation, Inc. MDVN even after the latter rejected an unsolicited offer of $52.50 per share (approximately $9.3 billion) in cash late last month, citing that it significantly undervalued the company. Story continues In a recent development, Sanofi announced that it has filed preliminary consent solicitation materials with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), seeking approval to remove and replace each member of Medivations board of directors with candidates who will be open to this transaction. Following the SEC approval, Sanofi will make the definitive consent solicitation statement available to Medivation shareholders, so that they may begin delivering written consents to Sanofis proposal. However, Medivation has urged its shareholders to thwart Sanofi's efforts to replace the company's entire board of directors and expects to file consent revocation materials with the SEC promptly. While speculations are rife about other companies being interested in acquiring Medivation, Sanofi was the only one to make an official proposal. We expect investors focus to remain on further updates on this transaction. Sanofi is a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company BMY is another favorably ranked stock in the health care sector, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report SANOFI-AVENTIS (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report BRISTOL-MYERS (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report NOVO-NORDISK AS (NVO): Free Stock Analysis Report MEDIVATION INC (MDVN): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research saudi arabia student youth millennial In the aftermath of the 2003 terrorist attacks carried out by nationals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, then Crown Prince Abdullah argued that youth unemployment was the kingdom's biggest challenge. Fast-forward 13 years, and the problem remains a pressing issue for the Arab state. "Abdullah singled out youth unemployment as Saudi Arabia's No. 1 security challenge and it is," Helima Croft, head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets, told Business Insider in an interview on Tuesday. "That's the Achilles' heel of Saudi Arabia the question of how to deal with its young population." Approximately two-thirds of the Saudi population is under 30, but about 30% of the population 15 to 24 is unemployed, according to a 2014 estimate from the International Labour Organization. Plus, about 27% of the population is under 14, which implies that Saudi Arabia's going to need to create a lot more jobs in the near future. Screen Shot 2016 05 26 at 1.13.44 PM And so, in this labor market, the big question is how do these large numbers of unemployed young people occupy their time if they don't have jobs? "It's the problem of young, unemployed men who are idle. They can't marry; they have no jobs," Croft said. "In the Middle East, it takes the form of young, idle men getting swept up in extremist groups." "It's a small fraction of that unemployed population that joined groups like ISIS, [but] you only have to have a small fraction join these groups for tremendous damage to be caused," she continued. Notably, Saudis make up the second-largest group of foreign-fighter nationalities in ISIS, according to a December 2015 report by The Soufan Group. Croft continued: I look at Saudi Arabia and think, "Well, we do have those periodic ISIS attacks in the country ... these low-level attacks in the eastern provinces where the Shiites live or on the Yemen-border security outposts." But what if there is something more serious in Saudi Arabia? That's what worries me the most about Saudi. A real security incident there. Story continues ISIS Islamic State Raqqa Syria Member But the youth-unemployment issue is not limited to Saudi Arabia. It's actually a big obstacle for various countries in the Middle East and North Africa. A 2015 report from the ILO estimates that youth unemployment rates in those regions have been trending up since the global financial crisis, and are now around 30% in both. And if 30% does not sound like a very high number, the ILO thinks there are up to 75 million young jobless people in the Arab world a number roughly equal to the populations of France and Greece combined. Screen Shot 2016 05 26 at 12.41.39 PM Education and other labor-assisting programs have been implemented in many North African and Middle Eastern states, and young people in the region are "doing well in terms of near universal education" even for women. Even so, youth unemployment rates in the region have risen since the global financial crisis. This contrasts with other regions around the world, which have seen youth-unemployment rates either decrease or at least remain relatively stable in the same time frame. "The persistent high unemployment among both youth and adults in the [MENA] regions denotes the deep-rooted structural elements that cannot be resolved by supply-side policies alone," the ILO report said. yemen unemployment Notably, the correlation between unemployment rates and lack of job opportunities and joining militant groups is evident in some of these MENA countries. The 2016 Asda'a Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey, which surveyed 3,500 Arab men and women 18 to 24 in face-to-face interviews, found that young Arabs believe that the lack of jobs and opportunities is the primary reason why people join ISIS aka the Islamic State, ISIL, or Daesh. The poll also found that concern about lack of job opportunities is still a huge issue across all 16 countries surveyed, with less than half of respondents (44%) agreeing with the statement "there are good job opportunities in the area I live in." And the most striking thing about the latter finding is that this concern is particularly high in countries where ISIS has actively recruited young people, according to the Arab Youth Survey. Only 2% of young Yemenis, 7% of Libyans, 21% of Lebanese, 28% of Tunisians, and 39% of Iraqis believe that they have good job opportunities available in their countries. Croft told Business Insider: It's one of the central challenges in many countries. It's the "lost boys." These young men have nothing to do. The alienated, isolated young men who are open to recruitment whether it be by militant group in Nigeria or whether it be an online ISIS recruiter. It gives them a sense of belonging, gives them a sense of community. abu dhabi Another interesting detail from the Arab Youth Survey was that, for the fifth year in a row, young Arabs viewed the United Arab Emirates as the top country in which to live and the top country for their home nations to emulate ahead of the US, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Canada, France, and the UK. Plus, respondents noted that the top associations with the UAE were "safe and secure," "has a growing economy," "wide range of work opportunities," and "generous salary package." "The UAE's popularity is likely a reflection of its status as a model country and regional political and economic safe haven," the survey noted. "The Gulf state has developed a reputation for its robust and diversified economy, which encourages a 'can do' attitude among its residents and is respectful of religious and cultural diversity." Croft told Business Insider: The Emirates is what the young people admire because the Emirates have seem to have found a way to diversification with a hospitality sector, transportation sector, in addition to having the oil produced in Abu Dhabi. It is the model it's what the young people through the Arab world look to and say, "God, this is our dream to have the Emirates model." NOW WATCH: Saudi Arabia is building the worlds tallest building nearly twice the height of One World Trade Center More From Business Insider By Reem Shamseddine KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - Saudi oil giant Aramco is gaining market share and pushing for greater efficiency, chief executive Amin Nasser said in an interview, as it acts as a "bridge" to a future when the nation relies less on energy exports. Nasser also told Reuters that the state-owned group was pressing on with preparations for its partial privatisation via a stock market listing, which he said lay at the heart of Riyadh's "Vision 2030", a long-term economic plan headed by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Riyadh has been the driving force behind OPEC's decision in November 2014 to refuse to cut supply to boost prices. Instead it opted to raise output and fight for market share against higher-cost rivals such as U.S. shale producers - as well as fellow OPEC member Iran which has ramped up its exports since the lifting of international sanctions. "We are preserving our market share which continues to increase year-on-year," he said in the interview, conducted on Wednesday. "This year, as last year, it is increasing. Our market share is picking up," he added, without giving figures. An OPEC meeting on June 2 will be the first for new Saudi energy minister Khalid al-Falih - Saudi Aramco's chairman - at a time when Iranian exports have risen close to pre-sanctions level. Saudi and Iranian OPEC delegates clashed earlier this month over long-term strategy, sources said, with Riyadh saying OPEC should not manage the market by regulating supply - as it has done throughout its history - and Tehran arguing that the group had been created to perform precisely that task. Riyadh's current tactics seem to be working. Oil (LCOc1) has recovered to $50 (34) a barrel from a 12-year low of $27 in January despite the Iranian increase. Nasser said he expects prices to "trend upward by the end of the year" as global demand picks up and production from high-cost producers, such as shale oil and deep water offshore fields, falls. Story continues THE HEART OF VISION 2030 He saw energy continuing to play a major role while Vision 2030 aims to address falling oil revenue and sharp fiscal deficits by boosting the private sector, ending government waste and diversifying the economy. Central to this is the planned initial public offering (IPO) of Aramco shares. "Listing Saudi Aramco is in the heart of Vision 2030. We are seriously working on the IPO," Nasser said. "Of course, the oil and gas sector will be the bridge to the long-term and we need to maximise our revenue by introducing more efficiency in the sector." "Vision 2030 isn't saying no to oil by 2020. What we need is to diversify our economy and we should have a more sustainable economy because we shouldn't be totally dependent on one commodity," he added. Aramco is working on the options for floating less than 5 percent of its value, which include a single domestic stock exchange listing and a dual listing with a foreign market, Nasser said. The company is finalising its proposals and will present them to its Supreme Council soon, which could see part of Aramco publicly listed by 2017-18. However, Nasser said the timeframe was not set yet. As part of Aramco's market share push, the company plans to raise its total refining capacity - both inside the kingdom and abroad - to 8 million-10 million barrels per day from around 5.4 million bpd now. This week it signed an agreement to supply up to 270,000 bpd of crude oil to a refinery it will jointly upgrade with Indonesia's Pertamina. Forecasting growing crude oil demand, Aramco has said it was seeking to invest further downstream as part of broader expansion plans in several markets such as China, India, Vietnam and the United States. MAINTAINING OIL CAPACITY Riyadh has traditionally kept an expensive "spare cushion" of excess production capacity, allowing it to raise or reduce levels to influence prices according to the government's market strategy. Private oil companies, by contrast, do not hold back output for strategic gain. Nasser said that for the time being Aramco's maximum sustainable capacity would stay at 12 million bpd despite its plans to build new refineries and expand its petrochemicals business. "If you use oil in refining, in chemicals or to produce chemicals or products, it will be part of the maximum sustainable capacity of Saudi Aramco, so 12 million bpd for the time being is the capacity," he said. The company pumped on average about 10.2 mln bpd in 2015 "which means we still have ample spare capacity", he said. That was an all-time record, Aramco said in its 2015 annual review. While the global rig count has dropped substantially, the number of Aramco's rigs is increasing slightly due to significant growth especially in the downstream and petrochemicals sector and in gas for domestic consumption. Under the government's diversification plans, the kingdom plans to generate 9.5 gigawatts of electricity from renewable energy. Nasser said Aramco is looking to play a major role in achieving that target. "Renewable is in our radar...and we are looking forward to play a major role in renewable in the near future," he said. The company had set up a renewable energy department and is studying plans to invest in wind and solar power. (Editing by Rania El Gamal and David Stamp) Actor Dustin Diamond, best known for his role as Screech on Saved by the Bell, was arrested on Wednesday in Wisconsin after allegedly violating his parole, the Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office confirmed to ET. Earlier this year, Diamond went to jail for three months for his involvement in a bar fight on Christmas Day in 2014. Police noted at the time that the wounds inflicted by the 39-year-old actor were not life-threatening. NEWS: Mark-Paul Gosselaar Bashes Dustin Diamond -- He's Such a D*ck . Diamond was found guilty of carrying a concealed weapon and for disorderly conduct, but was deemed not guilty on the felony charge of reckless endangerment. In addition to his jail time, Diamond was ordered to pay a $1,000 restitution. EXCLUSIVE: Tiffani Thiessen Talks Mini-Saved By the Bell Reunion With Mark-Paul Gosselaar Related Articles Students in Wilmington, North Carolina, are up in arms over a proposed dress code change that would ban skinny jeans at New Hanover County Schools. The revised rules, which the district posted online, state that "no leggings, 'skinny jeans' or other excessively tight fitting pants" can be worn "unless covered by a top or dress to the appropriate length (The length of the top or dress shall cover the posterior area in its entirety)." Punishment for violating the code, according to the document, would be determined by the principal, but repeated offenses would result in an out-of-school suspension. New Hanover County School Board vice chair Jeannette Nichols told local news station WECT6 that she proposed the policy change because "bigger girls" were getting bullied for wearing the popular denim style. Via Twitter, the district asked students to share their opinions on the proposed rule, which received swift backlash. The general consensus seemed to be that the school was focusing on the wrong issues. Students: What do you think about changes made to district's Student Dress Policy? https://t.co/jmEoe6aFpa#policy8520 a New Hanover Co Sch (@NewHanoverCoSch) May 16, 2016 "@NewHanoverCoSch how about you spend your time getting us books from this century," wrote one student in response. @NewHanoverCoSch how about you spend your time getting us books from this century a BIG SMOOTH (@zacvoynow) May 16, 2016 @NewHanoverCoSch What kind of jeans are they supposed to wear? No skinny jeans? Bootcut are just as tight at the top. So what kind of jeans? a Erin (@efortiscue78) May 16, 2016 @NewHanoverCoSch I swear y'all focus more on what we wear, then our actual education & safety. a Marica Winchip (@Maricaaaaa_) May 16, 2016 In another message screengrabbed and tweeted at the school district, a student wrote, "How about you focus on... bettering our school lunches or making prom tickets affordable for everyone... Stop running from the real problems in our schools." RELATED VIDEO: Cate Blanchett Says Cinderella Has Great Message about Bullying Cinderella Has Great Message about Bullying" data-ad-channel="peoplenow" data-ad-subchannel="peoplenownews" data-auto-play="no"> Valita Quattlebaum, the school district's chief communications officer, told PEOPLE in a statement that the proposed changes have not yet been approved by the New Hanover County Board of Education. They will make a decision based on public comments and input, and are meeting next on June 1. A full vote on the proposed changes will not occur until later this summer. "The Board's Policy Committee began discussing the proposed changes to the student dress code after receiving requests from teachers and administrators to reexamine the issue of appropriate school attire," Quattlebaum said. "The intent has always been to support students and staff and prevent disruption to the education process and not to single out any student for any reason." From Popular Mechanics There are many ways to experience Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope beyond actually watching the film. You can watch it performed in ASCII on Macs, you can watch it with different fans acting out new scenes every fifteen seconds. And now you can watch it at your own leisure, scrolling down one massive scrollable schematic. Martin Panchaud, a graphic designer based out of Zurich, says that the design of a very, very long image reminds him of "ancient Chinese script rolls that had to be rolled in and rolled out simultaneously in order to be read." He purposefully attempted a style he describes as "infographics," a perfect fit with the bright, bold imagery of the 1977 film. Panchaud's also thrown a few images up showing his process, which are equally impressive. Together there are 155 pictures here, all done in twenty-two Adobe Illustrator files. A massive undertaking, to be sure, but Panchaud makes clear that it was a labor of love in honor of the Star Wars fan community. Spend a few hours scrolling down, spend a few scrolling up. It sure beats working. Source: Martin Panchaud via Sploid By Aparajita Saxena May 26 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian share markets were mixed on Thursday as Singapore's energy stocks gained after oil prices hit a seven-month high, while Philippine stocks fell on what analysts said was a technical correction. The Philippine index led losses in the region with a 1.3 percent fall, snapping a three-session rising streak and heading towards its worst intraday performance since last Friday. "The decline in the Philippine market is a normal technical move - rising oil prices may be a reason for some people to take some profit, but this is a market correction more than anything else," said Joseph Roxas, an analyst at Manila-based brokerage firm Eagle Equities. Shares of conglomerate J.G. Summit Holdings Inc led the losses among industrial stocks, falling 9.05 percent after the company announced a discounted share sale, triggering some selling pressure. The biggest percentage leader in the region was Singapore's Straits Times index, up marginally for a second day, led by oil and gas shares. Brent oil futures climbed above $50 a barrel for the first time in nearly seven months after U.S. government figures showed a sharper-than-expected drawdown in crude stocks last week. Shares of oil-rig company Keppel Corp rose 2.28 percent while those of offshore-driller Sembcorp Marine were up 1.3 percent. Vietnam shares fell 0.62 percent, snapping two sessions of marginal gains, while Indonesian stocks fell 0.19 percent, surrendering their slight gains from early trading. The Thai index rose marginally, with financial stocks leading the gains, followed by energy shares. Shares in oil and gas company PTT PCL were up 0.33 percent, retaining gains from the previous session. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was almost flat, struggling to extend its rebound from Tuesday's 12-week low. STOCK MARKETS Change at 0502 GMT Market Current previous Pct Move close Singapore 2782.55 2766.66 0.57 Bangkok 1400.48 1397.63 0.20 Manila 7366.58 7463.95 -1.30 Story continues Jakarta 4764.654 4772.977 -0.17 Kuala Lumpur 1631.65 1630.96 0.04 Ho Chi Minh 607.12 611.89 -0.78 Change so far this year Market Current End 2015 Pct Move Singapore 2782.55 2882.73 -3.48 Bangkok 1400.48 1288.02 8.73 Manila 7366.58 6952.08 5.96 Jakarta 4764.654 4593.008 3.74 Kuala Lumpur 1631.65 1692.51 -3.60 Ho Chi Minh 607.12 579.03 4.85 For Asian Companies click; SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS (Reporting by Aparajita Saxena; Editing by Anupama Dwivedi) The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival has confirmed its opening 2016 film will be World War II drama "Anthropoid," from British director Sean Ellis. The event, which runs July 1-9, is the largest film festival in the Czech Republic and presents some 200 films from around the world very year. Based on a true story and starring Cillian Murphy and Jamie Dornan, "Anthropoid" recounts the journey behind "Operation Anthropoid," which saw two Czech operatives sent to assassinate SS officer Reinhard Heydrich, the main architect of Nazi Germany's Final Solution. The film, which holds a special connection with the festival host country due to its historic significance, was shot on location in the Czech Republic last year with backing from the Czech Ministry of Defense and the State Cinema Fund according to Variety. sears worker Sears is imploding. Sales are continuing to fall, and the company's one hope for survival its home-appliances business is now in decline. "This was one of the main areas contributing to the decline in spite of the fact that across retail as a whole this category grew strongly over the first part of this year," Neil Saunders, CEO of the retail consulting firm Conlumino, said in a note on Thursday. "That Sears is unable to make gains in categories which are growing, and in which it has a more established presence, highlights its main issue: it has fallen out of favor with American shoppers who continue to abandon the chain at a fairly alarming rate." The department-store chain reported Thursday that its profit improved slightly in the most recent quarter because of trimmed expenses, but sales declined 8.3%. Kmart same-store sales dropped 5%, and Sears domestic same-store sales fell 7.1%. The company said it was exploring the possible sale or licensing of Kenmore, Craftsman, and DieHard, three of its iconic appliance brands. sears shopper The three brands "are beloved by the American consumer, and we believe that we can realize significant growth by further expanding the presence of these brands outside of Sears and Kmart," the company said. The move could yield some additional revenue for the company, which appeared to please investors. Sears' shares rose more than 4% on Thursday. But the sale or licensing of these brands is an alarming sign for the viability of Sears' retail business. "It is something of a tacit admission that Sears doesn't really see much potential to grow these assets within its own retail businesses," Saunders wrote. "This could represent the beginning of the end for Sears as it starts to sell off its 'family assets' in a bid to ensure that it remains solvent over the medium term." While Sears considers selling off its appliance brands, rivals like Home Depot and JCPenney are ramping up their investment in the category, which has been growing for most retailers. Story continues Home Depot has been expanding the amount of space in its stores devoted to home appliances, like refrigerators and stoves. The company said sales growth in that category was a major driver behind its 6.5% increase in first-quarter sales. JCPenney has made a massive investment in the space, selling home appliances this year after a 33-year hiatus. After a successful pilot earlier this year, JCPenney will be expanding appliance sales to 500 stores this summer. NOW WATCH: Johnson & Johnson just lost another multi-million dollar lawsuit over cancer risks associated with baby powder More From Business Insider WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Forty-one U.S. Secret Service employees have been disciplined over a media leak of the personal files of a congressman who had criticized the agency's security lapses, the Department of Homeland Security said on Thursday. Punishments ranged from a letter of reprimand to suspensions without pay for up to 45 days, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson said in a statement. One person found to have disclosed information on Republican congressman Jason Chaffetz to the Washington Post has resigned from the service, Johnson said, noting that privacy laws prevented disclosure of more details. The latest embarrassment for the Secret Service came as it seeks to recover from a leadership crisis and mend a culture of covering up mistakes that some trace back 12 years to when it was pulled out of the Treasury Department and absorbed into the sprawling new Department of Homeland Security. More than 40 Secret Service employees accessed the personal information of Chaffetz, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, who was leading a probe of the agency, according to a report in September by the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General. Soon after Chaffetz held a hearing on the agency in March, various media reported that he had been rejected for a Secret Service job in 2003. "Like many others I was appalled by the episode reflected in the Inspector General's report, which brought real discredit to the Secret Service," Johnson said. Access to such information has been tightened, he added. (Reporting by Susan Cornwell and Eric Walsh; Editing by Richard Chang) Jim Cramer Some shareholders of financial-news website TheStreet.com compared its board to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. In a letter on Wednesday, Spear Point Capital Management, which has a 10% stake in the company, accused the board of manipulating the process to elect new directors. Rodney Bienvenu, Spear Point's cofounder, wrote that after board member Keith Hall resigned on Monday, he created a second vacancy following the resignation of CEO Elisabeth DeMarse in February. And now the shareholders are concerned that the board is stifling their recommendations, bent on appointing someone instead of opening up the process to a vote. An appointment is the board's prerogative. But the problem, Bienvenu said, is that most of TheStreet's current directors were appointed by the board and not through a shareholder vote. "Over the past year alone we have seen the Board block stockholder director nominations, including ours, add or subtract Board seats to apparently avoid stockholder elections, and abuse its limited power to appoint new directors," he wrote. And here's the excerpt that stings (emphasis added): Considering the value destruction that the Board has inflicted on shareholders over the years, we would think it would bend over backwards in regard to shareholder concerns, rather than hiding behind questionable legal justifications to block shareholders from exercising their rights to have a say on who sits on the Board. Common sense would dictate that as well. In comparison, the Board's view of corporate democracy makes Kim Jong-un look like a veritable Thomas Jefferson. No matter what the Board may feel about shareholders, they work for us. If they find that concept so distasteful, perhaps they should find other things to do with their time or take this Company private at a fair price to shareholders. In a letter on Thursday, TheStreet CEO Larry Kramer said that he discussed these concerns with Spear Point last week, and the letter "is particularly surprising and disappointing." Story continues "We have in fact taken steps to add transparency to the nomination process and better align ourselves with best practices for public companies," Kramer said. Spear Point nominated two board members in March: Johannes Minho Roth, CEO of FiveT Capital, and Lex Fenwick, former Bloomberg CEO. But the board did not think that either of them had the mix of industry expertise and financial chops required for a seat, Kramer said. And now, Spear Point wants to deny quorum at the next annual meeting by withholding its 3.4 million shares from being counted. Business Insider competes with TheStreet in providing financial news. NOW WATCH: Jim Cramer's inspiring words on how to come back from a beatdown More From Business Insider UPDATED: Rapper Roland Collins, who records by the name Troy Avenue, has charged in connection to a shooting at a T.I. concert Wednesday night that left one dead and three wounded. Collins was charged with attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon, the NYPD announced on Thursday. The NYPD released a video of the shooting on its Twitter account. (Warning: Some may find the following video disturbing.) Collins was previously revealed to have been injured in the incident. Police said that a fistfight broke out on the upper floor of the concert hall, spilling over to a VIP area where shots ran out at about 10:15 p.m. T.I. was not yet on stage when shots broke out, and is said to have been in another part of the building. Rappers Maino and Uncle Marda were performing at the time. The person who was fatally shot has been identified as Ronald McPhatter, NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said at a Thursday press conference. Along with Avenue, others who were wounded were a 26-year-old woman, was shot in the leg, and a bystander who was struck by a bullet that pierced through the floor as he stood on the floor below. Both are expected to survive. Videos posted on social media appear to capture the chaotic scene after shots rang out. Gunshots just went off at the T.I concert, never been so scared in my life pic.twitter.com/rn0CjpAuaU Marco (@markygeezy) May 26, 2016 This is not the first time gun violence has broken out at a concert where T.I. was scheduled to perform. In 2006, a gun battle broke out at a party after a concert where T.I. performed near Cincinnati, killing a member of his entourage. Two people sustained gun wounds last March in a nightclub in Charlotte. N.C., where he was set to perform. Story continues T.I. posted a message about the shooting on his Instagram on Thursday. My heart is heavy today, he wrote. Instagram Photo T.I., who was sentenced to 11 months in prison on federal gun charges in 2010, did not appear to play a part in Wednesday nights shooting, say police. Related stories T.I., James Purefoy, Mekhi Phifer, More Cast in A&E Networks 'Roots' Revival T.I.: Women Are Too Emotional to Be President Slipknot Scores Second No. 1 on U.S. Album Chart Washington (AFP) - Billionaire Peter Thiel acknowledged funding a legal battle against the gossip website that "outed" him, sparking debate on whether the Silicon Valley mogul has taken his media war too far. Thiel told the New York Times late Wednesday he has provided around $10 million for the litigation by former wrestler Hulk Hogan, who sued Gawker Media for releasing a sex tape featuring Hogan and a friend's wife. The heretofore secret war against Gawker provoked a range of reactions in the media and in Silicon Valley, with many questioning Thiel's tactics. Thiel acknowledged he is working with lawyers to find and help "victims" of Gawker Media, whose Valleywag site in 2007 revealed he is homosexual. "It's less about revenge and more about specific deterrence," Thiel told the newspaper. "I saw Gawker pioneer a unique and incredibly damaging way of getting attention by bullying people even when there was no connection with the public interest." Thiel said Gawker's reports had been "very painful and paralyzing for people who were targeted" and added: "I thought it was worth fighting back." The 48-year-old with an estimated $2.7 billion fortune also said he was hoping to help people who have been hurt by Gawker but lack the resources he has. He told the newspaper he hired a legal team several years ago to look for cases against Gawker, and that others are in the works. A jury has ordered Gawker to pay Hogan $140 million. The company is appealing. Gawker meanwhile said it was examining its strategic options in light of the litigation, confirming a report in the Wall Street Journal. "We've had bankers engaged for quite some time given the need for contingency planning around Facebook board member Peter Thiel's revenge campaign," Gawker said in a statement. "We recently engaged (investment banker) Mark Patricof to advise us and that seems to have stirred up some excitement, when the fact is that nothing is new." Story continues The Hogan trial in the Florida city of St. Petersburg has been closely watched by legal experts because of its implications for privacy and free expression online. - Thiel as 'Batman' - But some in the media and Silicon Valley questioned whether Thiel was using his wealth to get back at Gawker for its coverage. "If ever there were a case with no one to cheer for, this is it," Ben Thompson, a technology consultant, wrote on his Stratechery blog. Thompson said Thiel "is being a bully of the first order" by "attempting to run Gawker out of business." Thompson continued that Thiel "has styled himself as a twisted version of Batman: a vigilante who is not so much above the law (what he is doing is also perfectly legal), but rather one that uses the law to first and foremost avenge himself even as he spins a story about his defense of the vulnerable." Ezra Klein, editor-in-chief of the news site Vox.com, said that "even if Gawker was wrong to post those articles, Thiel's method of reprisal is dangerous." "Billionaires might have the resources to fund endless lawsuits that bury their media enemies beneath legal fees, but that doesn't mean they should use that freedom," Klein wrote. Elizabeth Spiers, a co-founder of Gawker who now heads the website The Insurrection, said Thiel is engaged in "Olympic level grudge-holding" and "seems almost unhinged." "The notion that Thiel or any one percenter could wage a war of attrition against a media outlet with the intent of destroying it for slights real or perceived should be horrifying to anyone who believes that freedom of the press is a necessary condition for an open society," Spiers wrote in a Medium blog post. Financial journalist Felix Salmon wrote on the website Fusion that Thiel "just gave other billionaires a dangerous blueprint for perverting philanthropy." "Thiel's tactics in going after Gawker are very, very frightening for anybody who believes in freedom of speech; they're also extremely effective, in an evil-genius kind of way," Salmon wrote. Salmon wrote that Thiel's campaign undercuts Gawker's efforts to raise new funds. "Investing in Gawker right now is a very unattractive proposition, since any investor knows that they will be fighting a years-long battle with a single-minded billionaire who doesn't care about how much money he spends on the fight," he said. German-born Thiel was a founder of the online payments firm PayPal, and served as its CEO before it was sold to eBay. He was also an early investor in Facebook and has been active in venture investing in Silicon Valley. Power play. The rise of Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada as the new head of the Taliban shows that the insurgent groups old guard is still very much holding the reins of power and deciding the future of the Afghan war, writes FPs Dan De Luce. Two members of the Talibans (relatively) young guard were seen as potential replacements: Sirajuddin Haqqani, the hardline head of the insurgencys military operations, and Mohammad Yaqob, the son of the groups reclusive founder, Mullah Mohammed Omar. But they were instead appointed as his deputies. All this means that little is likely to change in the near-term, analysts say. No inside track. But the inner workings of the Taliban senior leadership remain a mystery to the outside world, said Rebecca Zimmerman, a senior analyst at the RAND Corp. She also said the Afghan government and its NATO allies would have a short window to exploit any benefit from the death of the Talibans leader, either on the battlefield or politically. The big question now is what are we going to do to wring some advantage from this? Zimmerman told FP. Longer(er) long war. The continuation of the Talibans old school leadership means that the fighting will drag on and on. Afghanistan is already Americas longest war, and the burden of fighting that conflict has fallen squarely on the shoulders of Americas Special Operations Forces. The commandos continue to deploy in large numbers not only to Afghanistan, but to Iraq, Syria, east and north Africa, and elsewhere. Weve got plenty of work to do and we dont see that slowing down any time soon, Maj. Gen. Darsie Rogers, head of special operators in the Middle East and Afghanistan, said this week at the annual SOFIC special operations conference in Tampa, Fla. Rogers said he has troops deployed to 11 countries around the region. Newly-installed commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command, Gen. Tony Thomas added, we are very, very kinetic right now; very direct action because we are trying to rectify five failed states and an extremist phenomenon thats gone rabid. Once we get that back in the box, eventually, I hope, we can have the right sort of access, placement, connective tissue, to retain stability. Story continues Managing the ask. In a sit-down with SitRep during the conference, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Tovo, head of the U.S. Armys Special Operations Command, said, in 2001 we said this is going to be a long war, and nobody can tell you whether were in the middle, or three quarters of the way down. I dont think I see the light at the end of the tunnel so we are really paying a lot of attention to how much were asking of our soldiers. Quotable: If we get this right, the Army will kill the archer instead of dealing with one of the its arrows. U.S. Navy Adm. Harry Harris, the commander of U.S. Pacific Command on Wednesday, describing the Armys role in providing coastal defense artillery in the Pacific region. Thanks for clicking on through as we work through another week of SitRep. As always, if you have any thoughts, announcements, tips, or national security-related events to share, please pass them along to SitRep HQ. Best way is to send them to: paul.mcleary@foreignpolicy.com or on Twitter: @paulmcleary or @arawnsley Vietnam Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc says his country wont pursue a military buildup in the South China Sea, despite its territorial disputes with China, Reuters reports. Rather, Phuc said that Vietnam would seek to resolve its issues with China first through peaceful measures, diplomatic measures and even justice measures. The countrys warming relations with the U.S. and President Obamas recent lifting of a decades-long arms embargo has opened the way for Vietnam to modernize its Russian-supplied military with American equipment. The arms embargo is gone and now Vietnam is reportedly window-shopping for American weapons, according to Defense News. Defense industry sources tell the news outlet that Vietnam has expressed interest in buying F-16 fighter jets, P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, torpedoes and drones. Vietnam is looking to buy the gear under the Pentagons excess defense articles program, which offers surplus American military hardware to allied countries, often for free. Japan President Obama offered an apology to Japan for the rape and murder of a Japanese woman on the island of Okinawa allegedly carried out by a former U.S. Marine. Okinawans have grown increasingly angry over the years following high profile incidents in which members of the U.S. military have attacked locals on the island, which is home to more than 50,000 American troops. Obama, in Japan this week for a G7 meeting, offered his sincerest condolences and deepest regrets for the killing of the 20-year old woman and pledged U.S. cooperation in the investigation. Russia The U.S. may be lagging behind in the race to operate in the Arctic but Russia is wasting no time buying equipment for use in the frozen tundra. UPI reports that the Russian military is adding five Mi-8AMTSh-VA helicopters specially equipped to fly in the cold weather of the Arctic. The contract with manufacturer Ulan-Ude will see choppers delivered through 2020. Russian President Vladimir Putin has pardoned Ukrainian military pilot Nadia Savchenko and sent her back home. The Russian-backed Donbass Peoples Militia captured Savchenko in 2014 and shipped her to Russia, where what is largely viewed as a sham trial was held, convicting her of the death of two Russian radio journalists. Russian prosecutors accused Savchenko of directing mortar fire onto the two journalists position. But her release was hardly a humanitarian gesture. Savchenko was exchanged for two Russian soldiers captured in eastern Ukraine, Capt. Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Sgt. Aleksandr Aleksandrov, who were flown back to Russia with much less fanfare. Syria Syrias U.S.-backed anti-Islamic State fighters arent going to be marching on the self-styled caliphates capital of Raqqa anytime soon, says a spokesman for the group. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based monitoring group, reported recent offensives by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and leaflets dropped by U.S. planes on Raqqa, the Islamic States capital, telling locals to get out of town, have the city on edge. The moves have prompted some to flee and led to speculation that a push on the city was imminent. But SDF spokesman Talal Silo says the group has no plans for that yet and is currently preoccupied with fighting the Islamic State in areas north of Raqqa. Libya Libyan militia official says that British special operations forces blew up an Islamic State suicide truck bomb on May 12. Commander Mohammed Durat of the Third Force, aligned with Libyas internationally-recognized government, says that the special ops troops hit the vehicle-borne bomb with a missile before it could reach the city of Misrata. The U.S. and Britain have both sent special operations troops to Libya to help local forces tackle the Islamic State. Britains defense ministry declined to comment on the account. Tanks Raytheon wants to resurrect a vintage Cold War tank and kit out for sale around the world. Popular Mechanics reports that the defense contractor wants to retrofit M60 Patton tanks, first introduced in 1960, with modern parts for the vehicles aging frame. The life extension program would add upgraded electronics and the 120mm M256 cannon from the M1A1 Abrams tank, which replaced the M60. A number of countries throughout the Middle East still own M60s, giving Raytheon a large potential market for the program. Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Master Sgt. Donald Sparks By Andrew M. Seaman (Reuters Health) - Outreach on social media may help encourage men at high risk for HIV infection to get themselves tested, a new study from the U.K. suggests. When researchers advertised home sampling kits to gay and bisexual men through social media and apps, nearly 6,000 men returned saliva or blood sampling kits they requested from the online service. Eighty-two of them were newly diagnosed with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS. Writing in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections, the researchers estimate that about one of every eight gay and bisexual men in the U.K. is HIV-positive, but about 16 percent of those men aren't diagnosed. "The key to HIV prevention and control of the epidemic is to test as early as possible and manage and treat," said lead author Dr. Emilie Elliot, of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London. "The more opportunities there are for that, the more you reduce barriers and the more youre likely to reduce the weight of undiagnosed HIV." She and her colleagues write that community HIV testing programs lack convenience, time and anonymity. Those barriers could be overcome by allowing people to collect their own saliva or blood at home. Offering home sampling to gay and bisexual men through social media and apps is one approach. The program evaluated in the new study began in November 2011 and is known as Dean Street at Home (DS@H). Men who have sex with men were invited to order a home sampling kit through messages or banners on Gaydar, Facebook, Grindr and Recon. Over a two-year period, starting in January 2012, more than 17,000 men completed a basic HIV risk assessment that asked about condom use, last HIV test and sexual history. They received feedback on their HIV risk and were offered a home sampling kit to collect saliva or - starting in August 2013 - blood from a finger prick. More than a third of the men had not previously been tested for HIV and nearly half were at risk for the infection. Ultimately, 10,323 requested a sampling kit, and 5,696 returned it. Overall, 121 people's kits tested positive for HIV, and 82 were confirmed as new infections. People were told of their results by mail or by phone. The program may be reaching men who would not otherwise be tested, because those diagnosed through DS@H tended to be older than those diagnosed at the researcher's London clinic, Elliot said. "Were picking up new cases and testing people who wouldn't otherwise test and getting them into care," she told Reuters Health. The main limitation of the study is that the HIV risk of those who didn't return their sampling kits remains unknown. Elliot said the program is still available. (www.deanstreetathome.com) In the U.K., the National Health Service advises men who have sex with men to have an HIV test "at least once a year, or every three months if they're having unprotected sex with new or casual partners." SOURCE: http://bit.ly/1P110R7 Sexually Transmitted Infections, online May 24, 2016. JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has said it was still unclear whether South Africa's debt could be downgraded by Standard & Poor's and Fitch after holding discussions with the rating agencies last week, the Financial Mail reported on Thursday. A team from S&P met officials in Africa's most industrialised country last week before their review due to be published on June 3, which could see the country's debt rating cut to junk. South African officials also spoke to Fitch by phone, the Treasury told Reuters on Monday. "It's hard to say," Gordhan told the Financial Mail when asked whether he was able to convince the rating agencies not to downgrade South Africa. "Look, we were able to explain everything they wanted explained. In fiscal terms, we have a credible story, and when its comes to building confidence, we have a credible story. With enough work, we can also turn the corner as far as growth is concerned," Gordhan told the weekly. "They said to us, don't tell us what you want to do, show us the evidence. And we've done that," he told the Financial Mail. Seen by numerous analysts as the most likely to push South Africa to "junk" status, S&P said earlier in May that the weak economy posed an immediate risk to the rating. Last week, the central bank cut its 2016 growth forecast to 0.6 percent from 0.8 percent, reflecting the risk the economy will tip into recession. S&P rates the debt of Africa's most industrialised country at BBB-, one notch above speculative grade and with a negative outlook, while Fitch, also due to publish its review next month, assigns a similar rating after a downgrade in December. Earlier this month, the other major rating agency, Moody's, kept South Africa's rating on hold at Baa2 with a negative outlook, two notches above junk. (Reporting by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo; Editing by James Macharia) JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's parliament on Thursday approved a bill allowing state expropriations of land to redress racial disparities in land ownership, an emotive issue two decades after the end of apartheid. Most of South Africa's land remains in white hands and many commercial and small-scale farmers are currently facing tough times because of the worst drought in at least a century. The bill, in the works since 2008, will enable the state to pay for land at a value determined by a government adjudicator and then expropriate it for the "public interest", ending the willing-buyer, willing-seller approach to land reform. Experts say it will not signal the kind of often violent land grabs that took place in neighboring Zimbabwe, where white-owned farms were seized by the government for redistribution to landless blacks. The ruling African National Congress (ANC) said the bill, criticized by some opposition parties and farming groups, would tackle injustices imposed during white-minority rule. "The passing of the bill by parliament is historic and heralds a new era of intensified land distribution program to bring long-awaited justice to the dispossessed majority of South Africans," the ANC said in a statement. Some economists and farming groups have said the reform could hit investment and production at a time when South Africa is emerging from drought - pointing to the serious economic damage arising from farm seizures in Zimbabwe. They have also complained about a lack of clarity on how it will all work. The ANC says land will only be expropriated after "just and equitable" compensation has been paid. Around 8 million hectares (20 million acres) of land have been transferred to black owners since apartheid, equal to 8 to 10 percent of the land in white hands in 1994. The total is only a third of the 30 percent targeted by the ANC. The national assembly initially passed the bill in February before it was sent for amendments and it remains only for President Jacob Zuma to sign it into law. (Reporting by Joe Brock; Editing by Mark Heinrich) JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's rand firmed late on Thursday as improved global risk appetite helped shift focus away from the possibility of a credit downgrade, while stocks also rose as retailers reported robust sales. At 1530 GMT the rand gained 0.3 percent to 15.6260 per dollar in a mixed session that saw the unit rally to 15.4955 before easing back. Standard & Poor's, which has South Africa one step short of subinvestment grade, is due to deliver its highly anticipated credit rating decision on June 3 following a visit to the country last week. "The rand will probably be quite range bound until Friday next week when Standard and Poor's makes its decision," said fx trader at Capilis Assets Management Giacomo Bonavera. "You won't find a lot of people taking big positions in either direction." Fitch, also due to give its ratings decision next month, on Thursday warned South Africa to avoid populist measures in the run-up to local elections in August rating. Bonds were also firmer, with the benchmark paper due in 2026 cutting 5.5 basis points to 9.375 percent. "If it is a downgrade our yields will pop, and that provides plenty of opportunity for us when the rest of world is struggling for yield and we provide a good whack of it," bond trader at WWC Securities Dale Forssman said. On the bourse, stocks firmed after retailers Massmart and Foschini Group rose on higher sales and earnings. The benchmark Top-40 index climbed 0.23 percent to 47,835 points while the All-Share index rose 0.37 percent to 53,921 points. South African wholesale and retail group Massmart, which is a unit of Wal-Mart, gained 4.8 percent to 125 rand after it said sales increased 9 percent for the first 21 weeks of the financial year. [5N18N1D7] "Results in the retailers are boosting overall optimism," said Avior Capital Markets trader Rabi Thithi. Clothing retailer The Foschini Group closed 2.3 percent higher at 142.20 rand after reporting an 18 percent jump in full year profit. Trading was below average, with a total of 236 million shares changing hands compared with last year's daily average of 280 million. (Reporting by Tanisha Heiberg and Mfuneko Toyana; Editing by Joe Brock) JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's Standard Bank is taking action after criminals in Japan stole millions of dollars from automatic teller machines using fake credit cards from the lender, its joint CEOs said on Thursday. The criminal gang made 14,000 withdrawals in just three hours from bank machines at 7-Eleven convenience stores across Japan on May 15, withdrawing 1.4 billion yen ($13 million), according to a source familiar with the matter. The bank's co-Chief Executive Sim Tshabalala told Reuters on the sidelines of the bank's annual general meeting that the matter was "serious" but declined to comment further. The bank's other co-Chief Executive Ben Kruger said cards were highly prone to fraudulent activity, especially if based only on relatively old magnetic strip, or mag-stripe, technology, as is the case in Japan. "In South Africa the industry and the authorities have invested significantly over the last five years in chip and pin technology to ensure that cards are not just run on mag-stripes that are clearly far more vulnerable," he told Reuters. Card fraud remains a high priority, he said, adding that the bank had "frustrated a very large amount of fraud last year and the year before." South Africa's central bank on Wednesday urged lenders to be vigilant against fraud involving cards. Central bank deputy governor Kuben Naidoo confirmed that Standard Bank would shoulder the losses. (Reporting by TJ Strydom; Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Ed Cropley) South Carolina just changed their abortion laws. Lets talk. South Carolina just changed their abortion laws. Lets talk. In the last five years alone, more than 280 laws have been passed in 31 U.S. states that restrict or limit abortion access. In other words, its legally become more difficult to attain a safe abortion in some states today than it was 10 or 20 years ago. Case in point, South Carolina, which just this week passed a law that bars women from getting an abortion after the 20th week, or fifth month, of pregnancy unless the mothers life is in danger or the fetus is no longer viable. Governor Nikki Haley, who was previously hailed for her landmark decision to remove the Confederate flag from the South Carolina state capitol building, signed the bill into law on Wednesday. According to Politico, South Carolina now joins 13 other states with a similar law. The tricky thing, is it would seem that this ruling violates Roe v. Wade the Supreme Court case that made abortion legal but one of the caveats of that ruling was that it allowed states to set restrictions on abortion based around viability. The legal cutoff is supposed to be 24-28 weeks (or six to seven months), but several states have pushed that cut off back to 20 weeks and face little to no consequences in the aftermath. Whats more, states like Texas, Ohio, and the Dakotas, are enacting increasingly creative laws that circumvent Roe v. Wade entirely, by putting limits not on women, but the abortion providers that help them. This summer, the Supreme Court will hear Whole Womans Health v. Hellerstedt, a case that will analyze whether two anti-abortion laws passed in Texas in 2013 violate the Constitution. The case concerns Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers, or TRAP laws, which restrict the ability of abortion providers to provide their much-needed services by requiring them to jump through regulatory hoops. If the Supreme Court should rule in favor of Whole Womans Health, it could reverse many of the laws that have placed an undue burden on women seeking abortions. We will be following that case, and that ruling, closely. The post South Carolina just changed their abortion laws. Lets talk. appeared first on HelloGiggles. By Jack Kim and Christine Kim SEOUL (Reuters) - Thwarted in the last parliament, South Korean President Park Geun-hye may be facing her last chance to push through a series of bills aimed at bolstering a flagging economy despite a legislature that will soon be in opposition control. Park, in the fourth year of a single five-year term, faces an uphill battle to pass legislation to loosen the notoriously rigid labor market, boost the services industry, and ease regulations to create jobs and growth in Asia's fourth-largest economy. These changes are crucial because growth in Asia's fourth-largest economy halved between January and March from the previous quarter, while the unemployment rate for South Korea's youth hit a record 12.5 percent in February. Despite a parliamentary majority, Park's conservative Saenuri Party chose not to force through legislation to make the labor market more flexible, fearing public backlash over worries about job security. But the makeup of the new parliament, and tweaks to the legislation, may help improve its chances. When South Korea's new parliament first sits on Monday, Park's conservative Saenuri Party will hold only 122 of 300 seats, the opposition Minjoo Party will hold 123 and the People's Party, led by independent Ahn Cheol-soo, will hold 38. Park may yet find the reform path made easier by the smaller People's Party if it forces the two main parties to compromise. "The People's Party has come to be more than just a swing vote," said independent political commentator Yu Chang-seon. "It is a power that can strongly influence the biggest and second biggest party, a force that eclipses the 38 seats it holds." Leader Ahn, a former software entrepreneur and 2012 presidential candidate, said his People's Party was in principle receptive to the government's labor reforms. "Politics is all about solving problems, and parliament has to stand at the center of that," he told reporters on Tuesday. Ahn's stance could force the Minjoo Party to be more amenable to compromise with the government. Kookmin University political scientist Hong Sung-gul said the Minjoo Party would want to avoid being blamed for the kind of gridlock that made the previous four-year parliament one of the least productive ever. With the proposed changes to labor laws, the president wants to make it easier for companies to fire underperformers, base wages on merit, shorten work hours, ease outsourcing rules and expand unemployment insurance. An official at the finance ministry, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that a review of the bills before resubmitting them to parliament will be underway soon. "There may be changes that would likely be to reflect the recent shift in parliament," the official said. "We may have a situation that is more conducive to compromises compared to the time parliament was more or less divided two ways," said Kookmin University's Hong. (Reporting by Jack Kim and Christine Kim; Editing by Tony Munroe and Eric Meijer) Kabul (AFP) - An ordinary, albeit strikingly clear, headshot of the secretive Afghan Taliban's newly appointed chieftain has triggered a flurry of speculation over the motive behind its release. A picture of Haibatullah Akhundzada was unofficially circulated on social media soon after he was declared the new Taliban leader on Wednesday, taking jihadi watchers by surprise. Only a grainy image of Mullah Omar, the insurgent group's secretive one-eyed founder who died two years ago, was published and the Taliban released a coarse handout photo of his successor Mullah Akhtar Mansour. So why was a high-resolution portrait photo, showing Akhundzada with a salt-and-pepper beard, circulated just days after Mansour was incinerated in a US drone strike in Pakistan? And who was behind it? Those questions have prompted an international avalanche of social media speculation. "If u were the Taliban wld u want (pictures) of your leader splashed around so he can be droned easily?" one Twitter user said. "Oh hey look the Taliban have released a picture of their latest hellfire-missile-bait leader," said another. A member of the Taliban's media commission sought to downplay the speculation, saying the picture was taken more than 12 years ago when Akhundzada went on hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. "Now Akhundzada is an old man with a white beard but we cannot release his latest picture for security reasons," he told AFP. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid added another layer of intrigue, telling AFP the group had not intended to release his picture but was forced to confirm its authenticity after it made a splash online. "We don't know who did it," he told AFP. Taliban expert Rahimullah Yousafzai suggested the picture may have been released by insurgent sympathisers rather than the group. "The new Taliban chief is an Islamic scholar and he too will not like a picture of his in the media," he said. Story continues "But now that it has been published they have no way to take it back." The clarity of the image has led some to speculate that intelligence agencies were behind its circulation. "The clear portrait shot... looks like something from the archives of a security agency," one Western official in Kabul told AFP. When the Taliban ruled Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001, almost all electronic products were outlawed as un-Islamic. Photographs of living things were illegal and ownership of a video player could lead to a public lashing. But the Taliban have avidly embraced electronic communication and social media in recent years as a recruitment tool and to promote their propaganda. "We know that we can't go forward without the help of media," the member of the media commission said. Quinto (left) and Nimoy stage a Spock summit in 2009s Star Trek (Paramount) A week ago, at a Star Trek fan event at Paramount Pictures in Los Angeles that culminated with the dedication of a street on the lot in honor of Leonard Nimoy, Zachary Quinto spoke eloquently of his predecessor as Spock. In a way I feel like he was more a part of this film [Star Trek Beyond] than he was of the other two, Quinto said of Nimoy, who died in February 2015 at age 83, about four months before filming began on Beyond. (Nimoy had appeared in 2009s reboot Star Trek and the sequel Star Trek Into Darkness.) We all held him in our hearts so much more fully. I believe that to a person, everybody showed up to work in the spirit of celebrating his life and his indelible contribution to this franchise. I do not see how it could have lasted as long without him, both as an actor and director. More: New Director! New Aliens! New Enterprise! Secrets of the Star Trek Beyond Set Nimoys death continues to reverberate with Quinto. Last July, when I visited the Vancouver-based set of Beyond, Quinto was still struggling with the loss of a man who had become a mentor and dear friend. It was the first time since filming had begun that Quinto spoke about Nimoys passing. Leonard long ago gave me the legacy of Spock and the responsibility of carrying it forward. I will never be the person who originated the role, I will never hold a flame to the level of admiration from people all over the world and the impact he made on millions and millions of lives over multiple generations, Quinto said during a break in filming. More: New Star Trek Beyond Trailer Reflects What We Were Hoping to Achieve A photo posted by Zachary Quinto (@zacharyquinto) on Mar 26, 2016 at 4:45pm PDT I spent a lot of time dealing with the personal impact that Leonards death had on me emotionally then I came up here and started the movie and was washed over again with this whole new wave of emotion for stepping into the role for the first time without him. Story continues More: Star Trek: The Stealth Musical! Quinto then paused for a moment, and added: I think hes very much a part of this with me, for me. I feel him with me in a very powerful way all the time. And doing this film, I feel hes a part of it for all of us. Everybody feels his absence. We want to honor him with continuing to tell these stories with integrity. Or, one might say, to have Star Trek, and by extension the spirit of Spock, live long and prosper. On Thursday, Starbucks (SBUX) announced it is bringing its first international Roastery and Reserve Tasting Room in Shanghai, China in 2017. The 30,000 square-foot space will be part of the soon-to-be built HKRI Taikoo Hui Project, Shanghais newest premium world-class retail, office and residential area. The latest Roastery announcement follows Aprils announcement that Starbucks will be opening a Roasteryin New Yorks Meatpacking district to open in 2018. These new locations build on the original Seattle Roastery opening in December 2014. Starbucks founder, chairman and CEO joined Yahoo Finance to talk about the importance of the Roastery roll-out particularly its presence in China. Roastery bolstering retail as an experience We opened the Roastery about a year and a half ago and it was designed to create an opportunity for our customers to literally be swept away when they walked into the Roastery a complete immersive experience beyond any other retail experience in the world, Schultz said. This speaks to the growth and development of the company not embracing the status quo and recognizing that to build a great, enduring retail company in the world today, you have to create unique experiences. And I think thats what Starbucks has been known for. Starbucks grew revenue 18% in its most recent quarter as many retailers continue to struggle. China opportunity Schultz said Starbucks can capitalize on the growth of the Chinese middle class, which is estimated to grow from 300 million currently to 600 million within the next ten years. China remains Starbucks' (SBUX) largest market outside the US and its one Schultz is focused on for expansion. The company operates 2,000 stores in Mainland China in nearly 100 cities, and its on target to reach its goal of 3,400 stores by 2019. To put this in perspective, Starbucks will be opening 10 stores a week or 500 stores per year for the next five years. And that might be just the start. Starbucks current 2,000 store base in China serves a population of 1.34 billion people. Meanwhile, the U.S. has about 12,700 stores for a population of about 300 million. Story continues Over the last 10 years, I probably have been to China as much or more than any other public CEO in America. And what Ive seen first hand is the significant growth and development of the middle class, he said. Were starting to develop the morning ritual in China. Starbucks will also be opening a retail store in China in what Schultz sees as potentially its highest grossing retail store in the world. The new store will be at the main entrance of the new Shanghai Disneyland, a destination that may well become the number one tourist attraction in Asia, Schultz said. I am more convinced than ever that Starbucks is just getting started in China. Schultz said Starbucks is well positioned to win in China, a market he predicts will one day be larger than America for Starbucks. After a recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Schultz said he has faith in their government. I believe what the Chinese government is trying to do is create economic transformation, and I think theyre taking some bold moves. And I believe over the long term the government will serve its people in a way that will be consistent with Starbucks having an opportunity to grow in that market and grow successfully, he said. For survivors of the world's first nuclear attack, the day America unleashed a terrible bomb over the city of Hiroshima remains seared forever in their minds. Though their numbers are dwindling and the advancing years are taking a toll, their haunting memories are undimmed by the passage of more than seven decades. On the occasion of Barack Obama's offering of a floral tribute on Friday at the cenotaph in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park -- the first ever visit by a sitting US president -- some of them share their stories with AFP. Emiko Okada Emiko Okada, now 79, was about 2.8 kilometres (1.7 miles) from ground zero and suffered severe injuries in the blast. Her sister was killed. "All of a sudden a flash of light brightened the sky and I was slammed to the ground. I didn't know what on earth had happened. There were fires everywhere. We rushed away as the blaze roared toward us. "The people I saw looked nothing like human beings. Their skin and flesh hung loose. Some children's eyeballs were popping out of their sockets. "I still hate to see the glow of the setting sun. It reminds me of that day and brings pain to my heart. "In the aftermath, many children who had evacuated during the war came back here, orphaned by the bomb. Many gangsters came to Hiroshima from around the country and gave them food and guns. "President Obama is a person who can influence the world. I hope that this year will be the beginning of knowing what actually happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki under the mushroom clouds." Keiko Ogura Keiko Ogura, now 78, has devoted her life to keeping alive the memory of the devastating day. "Shortly after (the bomb exploded) it rained. It was a sticky black rain and made my clothes wet. "I saw a line of seriously burnt people, like silent ghosts. "Suddenly, a girl grabbed my leg and said in a weak voice: 'Give me water.' Others also said: 'Water. Water.' Story continues "I brought water to them, but some died right after they drank it. I regretted giving it to them. "I saw smoke from a nearby park where bodies were being cremated. Sometimes I could smell the bodies burning. "We faced the horror (of nuclear weapons). I tell everybody that it was hell. But they don't understand. "There is no peace in Hiroshima. There is horror here." Park Nam-Joo Park Nam-Joo, now 83, is an ethnic Korean, who has suffered from breast and skin cancer because of the radiation she was exposed to that day. An estimated 20,000 Koreans were among the dead in Hiroshima. Many had been taken to Japan as forced labourers during its 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean peninsula: "Everything was broken to pieces. Everywhere was rubble. It's beyond description. It was inhumane. "Hiroshima was a sea of fire. People bled from everywhere on their bodies: 'I'm burning. I'm burning. Please help,' they cried. "The wounds of the living were infested with maggots. There was no medicine for it. "People say human life is to be revered but the lives of those who died in the atomic bombing were just like those of insects. "I still shed tears when I recall the scene. Many people don't want to remember that. "I want people to know that not only Japanese but Korean, Chinese and others also suffered in the atomic bombing. "I'm Catholic. Wearing a rosary and with a statue of the Virgin Mary next to me, I pray at night for a peaceful passage to heaven." Misako Katani Misako Katani, now 86, is one of the rare survivors of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki. When her mother and sister were killed in the Hiroshima bomb she took their ashes to the ancestral graveyard in Nagasaki -- only to be caught up in the second atomic blast. "My father told me 'Your mom and Tamie (Katani's sister) should be there.' So I removed the rubble and found my mother's ashen bones. "I put them into a box. And then I found bones which were too fragile to pick up. My father said: 'Those are Tamie's.' I guess my mother tried to escape while holding my sister. And then the house collapsed on them and they burned to death. "I still vividly remember the scene. It's unforgettable. I almost cry when I revisit the past. "I suffered from a lot of lung afflictions such as pneumonia. Whenever I sit at our family Buddhist altar, I tell my late mother, 'Hi mom, please take me to your place.' but she never does. "The colour of my memories is grey. "I don't dislike America although I hated it in the past. I want to meet (President Obama) and tell him, 'Please do not wage war anymore'." Shigeaki Mori Shigeaki Mori, now 79, is known for his study of the fate of US prisoners of war who were in Hiroshima. He now researches the fate of Australian POWs in Nagasaki. "I was blown into a river while walking on a bridge. I was under the mushroom cloud. I decided to stay in the river for a while. "I crawled up out of the water and saw a woman tottering toward me. Blood was everywhere on her body, and internal organs hung from her abdomen. While holding them, she asked me where she could find a hospital. Crying, I ran away, leaving her alone. "People who were still alive were collapsed all around me. I escaped by stamping on their faces and heads. I heard screams from a broken down house. But I ran away as I was still a child with no power to help." Sunao Tsuboi Sunao Tsuboi, now 91, is co-chairperson of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations. He suffered serious burns and developed cancer and other diseases, but remains active in his lifelong campaign for a nuclear free world. "I suffered burns all over my body. I had a terrible experience. Naked, I tried to run away for about three hours on August 6 but finally could no longer walk. I then wrote on the ground (with a small rock), 'Tsuboi dies here.' "I lost consciousness several times and eventually came to on September 25. "I can tolerate hardships for the sake of human happiness. I may die tomorrow but I'm optimistic. I will never give up. We want zero nuclear weapons. "An apology doesn't matter. I just want (President Obama) to come and visit Hiroshima and see real things and listen to the voice of survivors." From Cosmopolitan Two years ago, I stood in a hot parking lot near the Texas-Mexico border, sweating and watching a 22-year-old woman named Sam stand outside a closed car window to shield it with her body. Behind her, in the passenger seat of the car, was a woman who was about to be a patient at Whole Woman's Health McAllen, the only abortion clinic for 250 miles. And in front of her, less than a foot from her face on the other side of a chain link fence, was an anti-choice protester who had a poster with pictures of mutilated fetuses on it, and who was yelling at the woman in the car to leave the parking lot and come talk with her about other options. Sam didn't flinch, and the protester didn't go away until Sam had safely escorted the woman from the car into the clinic. Sam was one of five volunteers who'd come out to the Whole Woman's in McAllen, Texas, that weekend to stand in the parking lot to protect patients from the protesters they knew would come when the clinic was allowed to reopen, per a decision from a judge in Austin. The next day, in an air-conditioned restaurant on the other side of town, Andrea Ferrigno, the corporate vice president of Whole Woman's Health, told me that when she and the doctors showed up to open the clinic's previously shuttered doors, the volunteers were already there waiting, asking what they could do to help. That's how people in Texas take care of each other when their government fails to do the same - they show up, and then they keep showing up until things get better. This kind of turning up without being asked is something I saw happen a lot in the last few years I spent in Texas before moving to New York last June. In the wake of House Bill 2, an omnibus abortion law that made it hard for me to feel any love for a state I'd always called home, I watched people turn up in droves to fight back against the law and take care of each other as best they could in the interim. From inside the state, it was incredible to watch. But from the outside, looking down at the country's southernmost state, all the showing up and fighting back on the ground disappears behind the thing that keeps making headlines: the no-good, hillbilly bumpkins in Texas (or any other Southern state, really) passed yet another law that hurts its women, so why doesn't Texas just secede? Story continues When Texas, or another red Southern state, passes an anti-choice law, there's almost always a backlash from people who live in other states (read: not red, not in the South) who are so repulsed, they urge Texas/the entire southern half of the country to do what it's always threatened and just "go ahead, secede already!" It happened most recently last week, when the Associated Press announced the news that lawmakers in Oklahoma passed a bill that would make performing an abortion a felony in the state (the governor vetoed the bill a day later). The people who tweet things like, "The south is our Saudi Arabia," and,"Time to break this thing up," (or write them on national news websites) might have their minds in the right place insofar as they realize that laws that make abortion access increasingly difficult for women are bad. But suggesting that we just cut the country in two and just let the South go down in GOP flames is actually just a cop-out to having a more productive conversation about how you can help the people who are being deeply hurt by these laws. It ignores the efforts of thousands of people who are fighting to get rid of these laws. It's a kinder, covert way of saying the lives of people in Texas and Oklahoma and in the other red states with these restrictive laws matter less than the lives of people in other states. It's also incredibly misguided. The South isn't inherently bad; it's putting mostly male lawmakers in charge of women's reproductive health care that's bad. Of the 330 state lawmakers who sponsored anti-choice bills in 2013, when Texas's H.B. 2 was passed, 257 - 75 percent - were men. A more productive and actually helpful thing to do would be to draw attention to the people who are passing these laws and how badly they're affecting residents of those states. And you can also look for ways to help from afar - there are plenty. You can vote in your own state's Congressional elections, so all-male hearings on abortion legislation - like the ones that happened in 2013 - don't happen again. You can read and share stories that draw attention to the incredible toll these laws are taking on families all over the country. Or as Meg Loomis, president of Fund Texas Choice, an abortion travel fund that sprang up in Texas after H.B. 2 was passed, told Cosmopolitan.com, you can donate to abortion funds like hers that help women pay to travel and stay near clinics that keep moving farther and farther away. "We have many, many donors from all over the country from outside of Texas or even outside of the South that support our work," Loomis said. "If we didn't have people from New York or Washington state or Virginia donating to us, we wouldn't be able to do what we do." You can, and should, also stop saying things like "is it too late to let the south secede" when abortion laws get passed, because those quippy jokes ignore the efforts of people like Loomis, who was living outside of Texas herself until 2013 when H.B. 2 passed. Like so many others, she showed up when she had to. "It gives me a sense of purpose to be here, because I love this state, I love my home," she said. "I think when you live in California or New York, you tend to become complacent because you think that change will never come in certain areas, especially when it comes to women's rights and abortion. But it can." I saw the change happening when I was living in Austin during the time H.B. 2 was being passed. People were showing up because they had to. Andrea Grimes, digital editor at the Texas Observer who covered the passing of H.B. 2, told Cosmopolitan.com that a feminist meet-up she ran from a local Austin bar since 2011 that usually had about 20 members filled up to 150 the day after abortion bill filibuster. "It was just a bar swarming with feminists in orange," she said. "It was completely packed because everybody was so jazzed that there were, like, other humans in the world who cared about the thing." So why, if people in these states who are actually suffering can support each other, can the rest of us not even manage a kind tweet, instead of condemnation? "I think that [people in liberal states] don't understand how bad it is for people here in terms of reproductive rights and access to basic health care like abortion and birth control," Grimes said. "I think that they don't realize how big and culturally and economically important Texas and the South is to the U.S., and I think they don't feel an empathetic connection to Southerners or Texans. It doesn't occur to them that saying something like, 'Well, good riddance, bye assholes,' is deeply hurtful and damaging. We are never seen by coastal liberals until we do something bad, and then we are seen as being worthless. So it's like invisibility until we are hyper visible, and it comes with scorn and disdain." When I left Texas last June, I was ready to be in a place I thought would feel more like home, if only because the representatives I have in New York share more ideals with me than they did in Texas. For the first few months I spent living here, I left a silver Texas-shaped necklace I'd gotten as a graduation present in a box on top of my dresser because I was ashamed to align myself with a place so many people in this part of the country have such disdain for. But taking off a necklace and trying to forget an entire place exists, or wishing it would just go away, isn't how you make things better. You make things better by showing up and fighting, even when it feels like everything is working against you. That's what a Texan does. That's what so many in the South have already been doing. And you can bet that - if, in some insane world, those states actually do secede - there will be a mass migration of people going back home, showing up to do what they can to take care of their fellow Texans. In the meantime, I wear my Texas necklace every day and squeeze its sharp points between my fingers when I'm feeling homesick for a place I can't help but love and be proud of. Follow Hannah on Twitter. By Bate Felix PARIS (Reuters) - Oil sector workers of the CGT trade union will hold general assembly meetings on Friday to determine their next steps in the strike action that has disrupted fuel supplies and public transport, two union officials said on Thursday. A vote by the workers to extend the action after downing tools during the past 10 day will be closely watch after France dipped into its strategic reserves to ease shortages following strikes at refineries, fuel depots and ports. The hardline CGT union is trying to pressurize the government into withdrawing a contested labor law reform. French oil and gas company Total said on Thursday that all but one of its nine fuel depots were sending supplies out to filling stations even though two of its five refineries were at a standstill and two more were set to halt in coming days due to the strike. A spokeswoman for Exxon Mobil said its two refineries in France were producing normally. "So far, there has been no impact on Gravenchon (the Port Jerome refinery in northern France). We will see depending on how the conflict evolves," Exxon spokeswoman Catherine Brun, told Reuters. "We will see tomorrow and the coming weekend how things turn but so far, there is no impact," she said, declining to say how much crude stock the refinery had left. A spokesman for Paris Aeroport , the company that manages the three main airports in the French capital -- Roissy, Orly and Le Bourget -- said there had not been any disruptions due to the strike. "As of today, we have reserves to last at least a week," the spokesman said. Both Paris Aeroport and Exxon Mobil are supplied by CIM, an oil storage and supply services company which handles about 40 percent of French crude import and distribute products through France's Trapil pipeline. Ninety-five percent of CGT members who work for CIM at the Le Havre port end of the Trapil pipeline voted on Monday to join the action and have been on strike since Tuesday. "Not a drop of petrol has left our company," a CGT union delegate at CIM told Reuters by telephone. "The strike is about the determination of workers to see that the labor reform project is withdrawn. It is evident that if nothing happens, workers will remain mobilized," he said. A spokeswoman for CIM declined to comment. Union members at refineries, fuel deports and terminals will meet on Friday afternoon he said. "Depending on the outcome of those, we will also take a position." Thierry Defrense, a CGT union delegate at Total, confirmed that oil sector union members would meet on Friday, adding that members were prepared to pursue the strike. "There is no backing down now," Defrense added. (Reporting by Bate Felix; Editing by Andrew Callus) Getty Image How about another new Strokes song to freshen up your Thursday afternoon? Julian Casablancas first premiered Oblivius on his new SiriusXM radio show and now Beats 1s Zane Lowe has premiered another track, Drag Queen, from the groups upcoming EP Future Past Present. Related Links: While Oblivius has more of a vintage Strokes sound, Drag Queen sounds a bit more like Casablancas solo stuff mixed with the newer Strokes sound. The new EP will be released June 3 via Julian Casablancas Cult Records label, and will feature one more track, Threat Of Joy. Judging by the pace of groups roll out, its possible expect the third single to be released at some point today. Along with those three new songs, the EP will include a remix of Oblivious from the bands drummer Fab Moretti. Future Past Present will be The Strokes first new material since 2013s Comedown Machine and it will also be their first release on Casablancas Cult Records. The Strokes are set to headline this years Governors Ball festival in New York as well as a headlining gig at New Yorks Capitol Theatre on May 31. No word yet on if this EP will lead to a full LP release in the future but maybe Someday. UPDATE: The Strokes' new EP Future Present Past is available to stream on Spotify. The Strokes have released two new songs: a theatric new rocker, "Oblivius" and the lumbering, eerie "Drag Queen" that are both set to appear on their upcoming EP, Future Present Past, out June 3rd. The release marks the New York outfit's first since 2013's Comedown Machine. "Oblivius" is available to hear on Cult Records' website. Frontman Julian Casablancas premiered "Oblivius" on the first episode of his new monthly Sirius XM radio show, Culture Void. The track features a shimmering dance of intertwining guitars and Casablancas' fuzz-crusted, Lou Reed-esque vocals. But the Strokes leap from this delicate, intricate verse into a blown-out, bombastic chorus that later bleeds into a devastating guitar solo. 22 Things You Learn Hanging Out With Julian Casablancas Future Present Past will feature three new songs: "Oblivius," "Drag Queen" and "Threat of Joy," along with a remix of "Oblivius" by drummer Fab Moretti. The EP was recorded in Austin and New York with producer Gus Oberg, and will be the group's first release on Casablancas' Cult Records. The band is also at work on more new material and sat down for an interview to accompany the release. Future Present Past is available for pre-order on 10-inch vinyl, with limited edition color vinyl available via Cult (red) and independent retailers (blue). It can also be pre-ordered digitally now on iTunes, and on Amazon and Google Play May 28th. The Strokes will also set up a pop-up shop in New York from May 30th through June 5th at 352 Bowery in New York City, open 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily. There will be a special midnight release sale for Future Present Past on June 2nd, while special DJ sets will also be announced soon. Coinciding with the EP's June 3rd release, the Strokes will headline New York City's Governors Ball. They've also scheduled a warm-up date at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York on May 31st. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday, and information is available on the band's website. Story continues Though the Strokes have been quiet since Comedown Machine, both Casablancas and Hammond Jr. have stayed busy in the interim: In 2015, Hammond Jr., released his third solo album, Momentary Masters, while the year before, Casablancas released Tyranny, with a new backing band, the Voidz. Related Is There a Window of Opportunity for Emerging Market Assets? (Continued from Prior Part) Evidence of structural reforms addressing excess debt, industrial overcapacity and low corporate profitability is needed, particularly in China, to spark a sustainable EM bull market. Policies currently supporting Chinese growth are actually increasing structural imbalances. Market Realist Structural reforms are necessary to address economic concerns Many emerging markets (EEM) are experiencing slower economic growth amid global headwinds. These headwinds include weak external demand, declining commodity prices, and insufficient liquidity. Theres a growing feeling among economists that structural reforms are necessary to address the current economic challenges and move to a higher growth trajectory. Reforms that address excessive debt and industrial overcapacity are central in this regard. Excessive debt Some of the emerging markets (IEMG) are saddled with huge debt. They accounted for almost half of the growth in global (EFA) debt from 2007 to 2014. Despite this, many are constantly raising debt to fund deficits. According to Thomson Reuters data, in the first quarter of 2016, sovereign issuers raised debt worth $44 billion. That was the highest in more than 15 years. Argentina, which has a junk rating, intends to raise up to $15 billion this year, the first time since its 2001 default. Huge debt is a concern for many developing nations, including China (FXI) (MCHI). Total debt as a percentage of GDP in China has swelled to around 300% since 2007. In addition, companies in developing nations have about $435 billion to repay in the next ten years. A slowing economy with huge sovereign debt isnt an attractive proposition. Industrial overcapacity The slowing global economy has led to excessive capacity in many industries. Reforming its inefficient and debt-ridden state-owned industrial sector is one of the biggest challenges facing Chinese policymakers in their effort to overhaul the countrys economic model. The steel sector is one of the most prominent examples of an industrial overcapacity causing a problem for the economy. Story continues In the next part of our series, well see if its time to revisit emerging markets. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: Photo: Federico Rios For five decades, Colombia's military and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, an armed guerrilla group better known as the FARC, have been engaged in one of the world's longest-running civil conflicts. But unlike in many bloody wars across the globe, women have been on the front lines. They're estimated to make up about 30% of the group's fighting force. "Women do everything, they don't have different roles than men," Colombian documentary photographer Federico Rios told Refinery29. "They are leaders, fighters, dreamers, and FARC members." Rios spent weeks embedded in the FARC's jungle camps, meeting female commanders and soldiers. His goal was to "photograph the human condition, the daily life." One result of his work was a series of photos showing what female soldiers carry with them in their bags. In addition to guns, radios, and GPS equipment, Rios found that the women packed everyday necessities and the comforts of home, like perfumes and makeup. Many of those female guerrillas hope they will soon be able to unpack those belongings for good, as peace talks between the group and the government enter their third year. But negotiations aimed at bringing an end to the conflict that has left more than 220,000 people dead and millions more more displaced have stalled in recent months. "All FARC members, men and women, hope for the signing of an agreement with the Colombian government soon," Rios said. Ahead, Rios' powerful photos women fighting in the FARC and the things they carry into combat. Katherine, 20, Seven Years With FARC Shoots An AK-223 Norinco Katherine is the youngest of five brothers, all guerrilla fighters. Katherines 9-month-old daughter lives outside the guerrilla camps with her grandmother. Katherine gave birth in a small town through the help of a traditional midwife. She is also nurse and works with the FARC medical team. Photo: Federico Rios Katherine's backpack and AK-223 Norinco. Photo: Federico Rios Mariana, 24, Five Years With FARC Shoots An AK-47 Mariana was victim of paramilitary violence in northern Colombia. She joined the FARC shortly after her 20th birthday. She carries cigarettes, but is kept from smoking after dark because of the light they emit. Photo: Federico Rios Mariana's backpack and gun. Photo: Federico Rios Marcela, 18, Two Years With FARC Shoots An AK-47 Marcela is indigenous, from the Embera community, and joined the FARC after a paramilitary siege on her territory. She is a radio operator and carries a lot of weight for the troop. In her backpack is a computer, radio, and batteries, alongside shampoo, creams, and perfumes. Photo: Federico Rios Marcela's backpack and AK-47 rifle Photo: Federico Rios Brenda, 31, 15 Years With FARC Shoots An R9 Rifle & Five-Seven Pistol Brenda is a commander with the FARC. She utilizes a rifle and a pistol, known as a cop killer, as well as a computer assigned for intelligence missions. Her boyfriend is also a member of the FARC. She always has space in her backpack for perfumes. Her rank utilizes a GPS with confidential information. Photo: Federico Rios Brenda's belongings, including a R9 rifle and a pendant. Photo: Federico Rios Glodis, 33, 19 Years With FARC Shoots An M-15 rifle Among her possessions, Glodis has glazes, makeup, colored pencils, a radio, and a brush to wash clothes. Photo: Federico Rios Glodis' belongings include a brush she uses to wash her clothes. Photo: Federico Rios Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here? Study Finds Women Are Behind 50% Of All Misogynistic Tweets Taiwan's First Female President Deemed "Extreme" For Being Unmarried I Survived The Atomic Bomb In Hiroshima & This Is What I Want You To Know There likely aren't many occasions when you'd want to swallow a tiny robot. But what if such an ingestible bot could be put to work inside your body, targeting a foreign object or patching up an internal wound, before decomposing without a trace? A team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has proposed a new, minimally invasive way of using biocompatible and biodegradable miniature robots to carry out tasks inside the human body. The design of the bots is inspired by origami, the Japanese art of paper folding. Made primarily from dried pig intestines (commonly used for sausage casings), the tiny robots look like a cross between a caterpillar and an accordion. A tiny magnet allows them to be maneuvered by a tuneable external magnetic field, the researchers said. [The 6 Strangest Robots Ever Created] The researchers have already demonstrated origami-inspired robots capable of swimming, climbing and carrying a load twice their weight, but creating an ingestible device that can operate inside a stomach presented a whole new set of challenges, said Shuhei Miyashita, who was part of the MIT team that developed the robot but is now a lecturer of intelligent robotics at the University of York in the United Kingdom. "The toughest problem we had to solve was that of getting the robot to work in such an unpredictable environment," Miyashita told Live Science. "The robot design was re-created so that it can still walk when flipped upside down and can correspond to the change of the stomach anatomy." Building a tiny bot At the heart of the robot's layered structure is a material that shrinks when heated. When this happens, carefully placed slits cut in the outer layer cause the initially flat structure to fold into a series of box-like segments, the researchers said. This design allows the robot to rely on so-called "stick-slip" motion, in which parts of the robot stick to a surface due to friction during certain movements, but then slip free when the weight distribution changes as the robot's body flexes. Story continues But, because this particular robot is designed to work in a fluid-filled stomach, the team redesigned the robot to be more like a fin so that it also provides thrust by propelling water, effectively allowing the machine to swim as well as crawl. "It is really important to see such small robots enable both actuation [or movement] and biodegradation," said Hongzhi Wang, a professor of materials science at Donghua University in China, who works on self-folding origami-inspired materials but was not involved with the new study. "It has great potential applications to health care." How it works In a paper that was presented at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, held May 16-21 in Stockholm, Sweden, the team from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory described how they created a synthetic stomach to test the device and devised a two-step process for hypothetically removing a watch battery that had been swallowed. The scientists also demonstrated how the robot can patch the wound the battery leaves behind. [7 Weird Things People Have Swallowed] A 3D-printed open cross-section of the stomach and esophagus was lined with a silicone rubber mold, which matched both the shape and physical properties of a real-life stomach. The synthetic organ was then filled with a liquid that simulated the properties of gastric fluid. In the study, one of the robots was rolled up and encased in a pill-size capsule of ice. Once the device reached the stomach, an external array of metal coils created a magnetic field that interacted with the robot's magnet and could be tuned to make the capsule roll toward the ingested watch battery. The magnet causes the capsule to attach itself to the battery and when the robot rolls away again, it dislodges the battery from the stomach lining. Both the robot and the battery are then naturally passed out of the digestive system, the researchers said. A second robot is then ingested in the same way, but this time the ice is left to melt and the robot unfolds. The same magnetic array is used to guide the robot to the wound site, which the robot covers before it eventually dissolves. The robot's structure also includes a dissolvable layer impregnated with drugs designed to aid healing, the scientists said. Larry Howell, a professor of mechanical engineering at Brigham Young University in Utah, who works on origami-inspired mechanisms and medical devices, said the new research marks a valuable step forward in creating robots that can carry out medical procedures inside the body. "The idea of ingesting the robot in an ice capsule for initial delivery, and having it be biodegradable so that it decomposes afterwards, has the potential of having reduced long-term impact compared to some surgical alternatives," Howell told Live Science. Miyashita said it could be at least six to eight years before these robots reach the clinic, though. Control accuracy needs to be improved, he said, adding that rigorous animal and human testing will need to be conducted first. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. May 26 (Reuters) - The malware that was used to steal $81 million from Bangladesh's central bank has been linked to another cyber attack, this time on a bank in the Philippines, cyber security company Symantec Corp said in a blog post on Thursday. The company said it had identified three pieces of malware that were used in limited targeted attacks against financial institutions in South-East Asia. (http://symc.ly/1sRNHc7) The initial success of the group that attacked the Bangladesh Central Bank and the Philippines bank could prompt more attacks, Symantec said in the post. In February, thieves hacked into the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) payments system of the Bangladesh central bank, sending messages to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York allowing them to steal $81 million. The emergence of new possible instances of compromise is not entirely surprising as banks conduct more reviews, SWIFT spokeswoman Natasha de Teran told Reuters. "Many may turn out to be false positives, and or have nothing to do with SWIFT messages, but it is key that these reviews take place and banks' environments are secured," she added. (Reporting by Narottam Medhora in Bengaluru; Editing by Ted Kerr and Siddharth Cavale) By Dustin Volz WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hackers who stole $81 million from Bangladesh's central bank have been linked to another cyber attack, this time on a bank in the Philippines, in addition to the 2014 hack on Sony Pictures Entertainment, cyber security company Symantec Corp said in a blog post on Thursday. If confirmed, the Philippines incident would represent the fourth known cyber attack against a bank involving fraudulent SWIFT messages. SWIFT, as the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication is known, this week urged banks to bolster their security, saying it was aware of multiple attacks. Banks use secure SWIFT messages for issuing payment instructions to each other. Symantec said it had identified three pieces of malware that were used in limited targeted attacks against financial institutions in Southeast Asia. (http://symc.ly/1sRNHc7) Symantec said the attackers were able to infiltrate the bank's computers but there was no evidence of money being stolen. One of the malicious programs has been previously associated with a hacking group known as Lazarus, which has been linked to the devastating attack on Sony's Hollywood studio in 2014. The U.S. government publicly blamed the Sony hack on North Korea. "There is a pretty hard connection now to the Sony attacks and the actor behind them" and the Bangladesh heist, Eric Chien, technical director at Symantec, said in an interview. Chien said that if North Korea was responsible for the hacks on banks via the SWIFT messaging network it would represent the first known episode of a nation-state stealing money in a cyber attack. Security firm BAE Systems earlier this month said it had uncovered evidence linking malicious software used in the Bangladesh heist to the Sony hack. Policymakers, regulators and financial institutions around the world are stepping up scrutiny of the cyber security of the SWIFT payments system after thieves in February used it to make fraudulent transfers totalling $81 million out of the Bank Bangladesh's account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Symantec and other researchers have also linked the hack to a failed attempt to use fraudulent SWIFT messages to steal from a commercial bank in Vietnam. In addition, Reuters reported last week that Ecuador's Banco del Austro had more than $12 million stolen from a Wells Fargo account due to fraudulent transfers over the SWIFT network. The emergence of new possible instances of compromise is not entirely surprising as banks conduct more reviews, SWIFT spokeswoman Natasha de Teran told Reuters. "Many may turn out to be false positives, and or have nothing to do with SWIFT messages, but it is key that these reviews take place and banks' environments are secured," she added. (Reporting by Dustin Volz in Washington; Additional reporting by Narottam Medhora in Bengaluru; Editing by Siddharth Cavale and Leslie Adler) Geneva (AFP) - Syria was the most dangerous place for health care workers to operate last year, ahead of other conflict zones like the Palestinian territories, and Yemen, the World Health Organization said Thursday. For the first time, the UN health agency provided comprehensive statistics on attacks on health care facilities and other violence directed at health workers in major conflict areas over the past two years. The findings were bleak: nearly 600 attacks directed at medical structures, personnel and ambulances were carried out across the 19 countries and territories included in the study in 2014 and 2015. Almost 1,000 people, including health workers, patients and bystanders, were killed, the WHO report said. "One of the most concerning findings is that two thirds (of the attacks) have been deliberate," Rick Brennan, WHO's chief of emergency risk management, told reporters. Assaults intentionally targeting health care facilities, health workers, the sick and injured "represent gross violations of international humanitarian law," he said. "If proven (they) can be considered war crimes." WHO chief Margaret Chan denounced the violence against people simply trying to save lives often in horrific circumstances. "We need those facilities and we need those valuable human resources to help people from both sides," she told delegates attending WHO's main annual assembly this week. - 'Slaughtered in their beds' - Syria, ravaged by a devastating five-year conflict, in 2015 counted 135 attacks on health facilities and workers, resulting in 173 deaths. That is more than half of the 256 attacks registered across 19 conflict areas last year, which together left 434 people dead. Joanna Liu, head of medical charity Doctors Without Borders, warned that "the act of providing healthcare itself is under attack". "From Yemen to Syria, from Central African Republic to Niger, health facilities are looted, burned and bombed," she told the WHO gathering. Story continues "Patients are slaughtered in their beds. Health workers are abducted, assaulted and killed." She said that last year alone, 75 hospitals managed or supported by the charity, which goes by its French acronym MSF, were attacked. "Medicine should not be a deadly occupation," she said. Other areas that are particularly dangerous for health workers include the Palestinian territories, where there were 34 attacks in 2015 that killed three people, Pakistan, with 16 attacks resulting in 45 deaths and Libya with 14 attacks that left 39 dead. War-torn Yemen and Iraq also figured high on the list. The WHO report said that 2014 was even deadlier on a global scale, with 525 people killed in 338 attacks. Statistics for 2016 were not available, Brennan said, although he warned that the trend was continuing, with numerous attacks so far this year, including on hospitals in Syria. Taiwan's new president, whose two cats grace many of her Facebook posts, said Thursday she would adopt three retired guide dogs, but dismissed media speculation over a "civil war" among presidential pets. President Tsai Ing-wen, who was inaugurated last week, has two cats called Xiang Xiang -- "Think Think" in English -- and Ah Tsai, and local media have predicted the felines will not take kindly to three new canine arrivals. Tsai, who won a landslide election victory in January, portrayed herself as an animal lover throughout her presidential campaign. Think Think appeared in campaign videos, and one of Tsai's aides has said that cat-related posts on the president's Facebook page garnered up to 50 percent more "likes" than posts on political issues. "No, no and no," Tsai said, when asked by local media whether she was concerned about potential conflicts within her growing menagerie. "The three dogs are very well trained and they can definitely get along with the cats," she told reporters. But she said that Think Think, a large grey tabby cat, was "fierce" and might have some problems adapting to the new arrivals. Tsai did not specify when the retired guide dogs will formally move into the president's residence. Former Taiwanese presidents have also had celebrity pets. Tsai's predecessor Ma Ying-jeou liked to joke that his dog, Ma Hsiao-jeou -- or "Little Ma" -- ranked higher in the family pecking order than his owner. Former first lady Wu Shu-chen, the wife of Ma's predecessor Chen Shui-bian, was also famous for doting on her dog Honey, and often appeared in public with the white, wispy-haired Maltese. Tokyo (AFP) - Takata shares skyrocketed in afternoon trade Thursday, following a report that US private equity firm KKR wants to take control of the embattled airbag supplier. Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) is looking to take over up to 60 percent of the company from the founding family, Japan's leading business paper the Nikkei reported, prompting Takata's shares to surge 21.16 percent to 458 yen at the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The rise is a maximum allowable single day gain under the bourse's rule. KKR appears to have proposed its support plan to a Takata-hired legal panel, the Nikkei said, without citing sources. The scandal-stricken company said earlier this month it logged an annual net loss of $120 million, as it struggles with a massive recall crisis over exploding airbags tied to 13 deaths in the United States and Malaysia. US auto safety regulators have ordered Takata to recall between 35 million and 40 million airbags installed in US cars, in a push for the replacement of dangerously explosive inflators. In morning trade Thursday, Takata shares soared nearly five percent after it said Wednesday it hired investment bank Lazard to look for financial sponsors willing to invest in the company. The panel formed in February is negotiating with automakers on cost claims, Takata said in a statement released during US trade, according to Bloomberg News. The Tokyo-based auto parts giant has been hit by lawsuits and regulatory probes over claims it hid flaws in its airbags for years. The scandal has affected about a dozen global automaker clients, including Toyota and Volkswagen. Investigators increasingly suspect that the chemical used to inflate Takata airbags can be unstable, especially in hot and humid conditions, and cause the inflator canister to rupture. Most of the fatalities have been in the US, including a Texas teenager who died in March after her 2002 Honda Civic collided with another car, activating a defective Takata airbag. Story continues The Takata case constitutes the largest ever safety recall in US history, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said. Last year the agency slapped Takata with a record $200 million fine for providing inadequate and inaccurate information about the problem airbags to regulators. With the number of Takaka-related recalls across the world expected to surpass 100 million vehicles, the focus of the issue now is how to divide the massive recall cost between Takata and automakers, the Nikkei said. Sandy Gallin Sandy Gallin, Hollywood power broker-turned-house flipper, has reduced the price on his 2-acre, wisteria-draped estate in East Hampton, NY, to $22.5 million. Gallin, who made a late-career change from talent manager to the stars and Hollywood producer to home renovations and celebrity contractor, bought the Further Lane property in 2011 for $5.1 million, records show. He tore the main house down to the studs and put up a new, old-style 6,500-square-foot farmhouse. The compound includes huge outdoor entertaining areas and four outbuildings: pool house, guest cottage, gym, and three-car garage. Gallin, who likes to move from project to project, listed the property last year for $24.5 million, then whittled it to $22.5 million three months ago, says listing agent Linda Haugevik with Douglas Elliman. Throw in $2 million more, and you can own the furnishings and art within. Sandy does these projects and puts his heart and soul into them, Haugevik told us. But once its done, he wants to move on to another project. Which means Gallin, who used to manage Michael Jackson and Dolly Parton, is looking at more Hamptons properties to fix and flipbut he isnt biting until his Further Lane compound finds a buyer. Bedroom The post Talent Manager-Turned-Home Flipper Sandy Gallin Selling in Hamptons appeared first on Real Estate News and Advice - realtor.com. Related Articles anthony wood Roku has built most of its reputation on making high-quality "streaming boxes" that plug into your TV to let you watch apps like Netflix. But that's not the company's future, CEO Anthony Wood tells Business Insider. "We sell more streaming players than anyone, but it's also probably not the most important part of our business. The most important part of our distribution business is TV licensing." Wood is talking about his company's "Roku TV" program, which consists of a series of partnerships Roku has made with TV makers, such as Haier and Chinese heavyweight TCL. Roku provides a blueprint that lets TV makers bake Rokus technology, including its slick operating system, into its smart TVs in return for a licensing fee. Wood believes that all TVs will soon be powered by an advanced TV operating system. And he wants Roku to win that market. His main opponent in this battle is Google, which has introduced two competitors to Roku TV: Google Cast, which puts Chromecast technology inside TVs from companies like Vizio and Polaroid, and Android TV, a more robust operating system that has TV partners like Sony. We caught up with Wood to talk about how Roku got into the licensing business, how the company makes money, and whether Amazon will ever be a TV operating system player. Business Insider: When did you realize TV licensing was the way to go? Anthony Wood: We'd been actively engaged in the business for roughly three years, and before that we were debating what the best strategy would be. For a while I thought, "TVs should really just be monitors," because people keep their nice screens for 7 years. So it seemed to me that the best way for the TV business to evolve would be that a TV is just a monitor. And then you would get your little box [like a Roku], and you would replace that every few years. But that just never happened. The dynamics of the market are such that, first of all, you can't call it a "TV" unless there's a tuner built in. That's the law. Retailers have done experiments trying to sell a TV without a tuner [but] it's hard for retailers to sell them. So the dynamics of the industry are such that streaming is becoming a standard feature in TVs. Story continues Once we decided that was going be the trend, that's when we decided to start licensing. We are by far the leading licensor to TVs and one of the main reasons is our cost structure. We provide a very great low-cost reference design, our software uses less memory, less CPU power than competitive products. Our focus on cost means it's actually cheaper for them to use a Roku solution [than build their own smart TV operating system]. tcl roku tv BI: What are your thoughts about competition with Google [which recently entered the TV licensing business]? Wood: In licensing, really the only competitor is Google. Apple doesn't license, Amazon doesn't license. So they're our biggest competitor for TVs. In the licensing business, we're by far ahead, and there's a couple of reasons. One is our neutral positioning. We're Roku, we're not threatening, we also take all content. We have Google Play and Amazon Instant Video, so we have this open, neutral position. And also our cost is lower. It's just cheaper to build a Roku TV than an Android TV. BI: But does it worry you that Google might not need to make any money off of licensing to see it as a success? Wood: That's the way we see it as well. Our licensing fee is nominal. BI: So you make money from the advertising? Wood: We have a gross profit stream from hardware, and our bigger gross profit stream is what we call our media licensing business. And that's primarily advertising and billing. The licensing part is pretty tiny. When you sign up for Hulu on Roku, through Roku billing, we get a revenue share for the life of that customer. When you watch an ad-supported channel on Roku, some of that ad inventory is controlled by Roku, and we have an ad sales team in New York that sells ads. So those revenue streams are our biggest source of gross profit. And we view TVs as another way to expand our active installed base. We have 10 million active customers, and increasingly, that growth is coming from TVs. Roku 4 remote BI: How do you think the TV operating system market will shake out? Wood: I think it's going to be Android and Roku, and we'll be the leader. BI: Any others? Wood: I think Amazon will always have some piece of the business because they'll sell Fire [TV], just like they sell Fire Tablets, so they own a percentage of the tablet business. They'll sell Fire TV product so they'll have some piece of it. And I guess Apple will keep selling Apple TVs, but they're becoming a pretty small part of the market. BI: You don't see Amazon getting into the licensing business? Wood: I think they'll try, but they won't being successful. Because no retailers will carry Amazon products. BI: Why? Wood: Because they hate Amazon. Walmart is never going to carry an Amazon TV, ever. BI: So they'd have to sell it themselves. Wood: Yeah, just like they have Tablets and Fire TV sticks, they might have Amazon "Fire TV TVs" on Amazon. But 30% of all TVs sold in the US are sold through Walmart. Only a small percent buy through Amazon. Because TVs are one of those few things that people still want to look at it before they buy it. Google Chromecast, $35. BI: Are there things people don't understand about Roku and the market? Wood: Absolutely. First of all, generally Roku is perceived as a company that makes boxes and sticks, like a hardware company. But almost all our engineers are software engineers. We're a platform company. Advertising is our biggest business. I don't think people understand how we make money, that it's a platform we distribute, we license, and then we monetize our installed base. That's not really well-understood. I think people are starting to appreciate that all TV is going to be streamed, but that means all ads are going be steamed. That means the entire ad industry for TV is going to change. Right now, all TV ads are all based on Nielsen ratings. That's all going to move to internet-style advertising. Targeting, measured, interactive, that sort of thing. BI: Are there apps that are popular on Roku that might not be popular elsewhere? Wood: Church, there are a lot of church apps on Roku. The Mormon church app is popular. International content, like Indian language programming, Korean language programming. Nichey content is very popular. Music is very popular, both Spotify, as well as music videos [and] Vevo. The anime channel Crunchyroll is very popular. Fitness. There's a long, long tail. Roku has higher streaming hours than any other platform per user. So there's a lot more they do on Roku. It's 2 to 3 times Apple TV, Chromecast, and Fire. BI: Do you have a theory on why? Wood: Yeah, we have more serious streamers. I think we have more cord-cutters. Basically, if you're an Apple fan, you're probably going to get an Apple TV, but that doesn't mean you're going use it. But if you want to cut the cord, and get great content for a lower cost, you look at reviews. We get the best reviews, and you buy a Roku. I think active streamers self-select into Roku. Also, our user interface being very simple results in more streaming as well. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. NOW WATCH: Chrome has a ton of hidden features heres how to find and enable them More From Business Insider Hope Children's Home has received the highest possible rating from Charity Navigator for the way the donations to the non-profit are tracked and reported. The four-star ranking comes from the scoring levels of 100 percent TAMPA, FL / ACCESSWIRE / May 25, 2016 / Donors can be confident in their giving to Hope Children's Home, knowing that their money is being utilized in the best possible way. Recently, in the area of accountability and transparency, Hope Children's Home has received the highest possible scoring of 100% giving the Tampa Non-Profit Charity Navigator's coveted four-star rating. In an April 1, 2016 letter, Charity Navigator President and CEO, Mike Thatcher, explained, "On behalf of Charity Navigator, I wish to congratulate Hope Children's Home on achieving our coveted 4-star rating for sound fiscal management and commitment to accountability and transparency." Thatcher continued, "As the nonprofit sector continues to grow at an unprecedented pace, savvy donors are demanding more accountability, transparency and quantifiable results from the charities they choose to support with their hard-earned dollars. In this competitive philanthropic marketplace, Charity Navigator, America's premier charity evaluator, highlights the fine work of efficient, ethical and open charities. Our goal in all of this is to provide donors with essential information needed to give them greater confidence in the charitable choices they make." The award letter continues, "Based on the most recent information available, we have issued a new rating for your organization. We are proud to announce Hope Children's Home has earned a 4-star rating. Receiving four out of a possible four stars indicates that your organization adheres to good governance and other best practices that minimize the chance of unethical activities and consistently executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way. Approximately a quarter of the charities we evaluate have received our highest rating, indicating that Hope Children's Home outperforms most other charities in America. This "exceptional" designation from Charity Navigator differentiates Hope Children's Home from its peers and demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust." Story continues Forbes, Business Week, and Kiplinger's Financial Magazine, among others, have profiled and celebrated the unique Charity Navigator method of applying data-driven analysis to the charitable sector. Charity Navigator evaluates ten times more charities than the nearest competitor and currently attracts more visitors to the website than all other charity rating groups combined, thus making it the leading charity evaluator in America. The data shows that users of the website gave more than they planned to before viewing the findings, and in fact, it is estimated that last year, Charity Navigator influenced approximately $10 billion in charitable gifts. "We believe our service will enhance your organization's fund-raising and public relations efforts. Our favorable review of Hope Children's Home's fiscal health and commitment to accountability & transparency is now visible on our website at Hope's Charity Navigator Page," says Thatcher. Hope's Executive Director, Dr. Mike Higgins, responded to the announcement of the award with a YouTube post at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSTqRN0AikQ. Dr. Higgins explains, "We have made many changes over the past several years in our accounting department to ensure that we hold ourselves to the highest possible standard." Hope Children's Home has rescued nearly 5,000 children that have been abandoned, abused, and neglected from all over the world. The fifty-five acre campus receives no state or federal funding but relies completely on donations. For more information about us, please visit http://www.hopechildrenshome.org/ Contact Info: Name: Julie Higgins Organization: Hope Children's Home Address: 11415 Hope International Dr., Tampa, FL 33625 Phone: (813) 961-1214 Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSTqRN0AikQ SOURCE: Hope Children's Home Fitbit is currently embroiled in a class-action lawsuit over the accuracy of its heart-rate tracking. As part of their case, the plaintiffs commissioned a scientific study of the accuracy of the Fitbit Charge HR and Surge. Wareable spoke to the scientist who was paid to do the testing, and unsurprisingly, he has bad things to say about Fitbit's devices. Dr. Edward Jo, an assistant professor of Applied Physiology at California State Polytechnic University, was paid to conduct a "validation study," seeking to prove that Fitbits mis-report heart-rate data when users are working out. DON'T MISS: THE CEO OF GOOGLE IS AN UNASHAMED IPHONE USER The results appear to be damning -- according to the study, Fitbit devices are, on average, 20 beats per minute off the true heart rate. According to Jo, that's pretty bad: "This inaccuracy that we've seen can definitely pose a danger to not only the clinical population, but those population of individuals who may not know that they have any cardiac related conditions. It can definitely put them at risk." The results of a paid-for study in a lawsuit are obviously worth taking with a grain of salt, but Fitbit has hit back, and hard. In a statement given to media after the results were made public, Fitbit didn't seem amused: "What the plaintiffs attorneys call a study is biased, baseless, and nothing more than an attempt to extract a payout from Fitbit. It lacks scientific rigor and is the product of flawed methodology. It was paid for by plaintiffs lawyers who are suing Fitbit, and was conducted with a consumer-grade electrocardiogram not a true clinical device, as implied by the plaintiffs lawyers. Furthermore, there is no evidence the device used in the purported study was tested for accuracy. Fitbits research team rigorously researched and developed PurePulse technology for three years prior to introducing it to market and continues to conduct extensive internal studies to test the features of our products. Fitbit Charge HR is the #1 selling fitness tracker on the market, and is embraced by millions of consumers around the globe. Consumer Reports independently tested the heart rate accuracy of the Charge HR and Surge after the initial lawsuit was filed in January and gave both products an excellent rating. We stand behind our heart-rate monitoring technology and all our products, and continue to believe the plaintiffs allegations do not have any merit. We are vigorously defending against these claims, and will resist any attempts by the plaintiffs lawyers to leverage a settlement with misleading tactics and false claims of scientific evidence. Story continues Jo takes issue with virtually everything Fitbit says. Firstly, with regard to the Zephyr Technology BioHarness used to compare the Fitbits, Jo says "The device has been validated twice to the traditional 12-lead ECG and also a 3-lead ECG for heart rate measurement. It's FDA approved, so for them to say it's not a clinical grade device well, I don't even know what that means." He also talked about the methodology used to test the Fitbits, namely putting one Fitbit on each wrist of a participant, putting a BioHarness on their chest, and getting them to work out. Jo claims that across 43 different participants, the Fitbits were off from the BioHarness -- and from each other -- by an average of 20bpm. Assuming that he's not outright lying, that seems to point to a serious problem with Fitbit's heart-rate tracking. Whether it's a serious risk to consumers, or just bad advertising, is for a court to decide. In any case, the full interview with Jo is over at Wareable, and well worth a read. Related stories One woman's Fitbit just decided a criminal case Hackers can invade a PC with a 10-second attack on a Fitbit Big Amazon sale offers 60% or more off 58 different activity trackers More from BGR: Apples next MacBook Pro will be like nothing weve ever seen This article was originally published on BGR.com A teen who nearly died when her home caught fire two years ago has bounced back from a long an arduous recovery process to be been named prom queen. Kilee Brookbank was left severely scarred after a gas leak sparked a blaze in her Ohio home in November 2014. Read: Men Flash Their Support for Hillary Clinton by Taking Off Their Shirts Her mother Lori said the family dog, Digger, saved her daughters life. Kilee was burned over 45 percent of her body and spent the next 38 days in the hospital, undergoing multiple surgeries. Today, her legs, arms, and back are covered with scars that tell an inspiring tale of courage and survival. I felt lucky I could have been hurt a lot worse, Kilee said. Both of my arms are complete skin grafts. She added: I never really thought Id want to be in a dress again. I just didnt think Id be comfortable in my own body, she told Inside Edition. But Kilee has persevered, and despite the tough recovery and scarring, she is donning a sleeveless gown for her prom. As she posed for photos with her boyfriend, Dylan, she said: I feel good about myself. Dylan, who has been by her side through the whole situation said she is the most beautiful girl he has ever seen. Read: Baby Found Dangling Upside Down Inside Drunk Mom's Burning Car After Crash: Cops The courageous teen even penned an inspirational book, Beautiful Scars. Her dramatic survival story was featured on the TVs The Doctor's where she got a surprise visit from Justin Bieber. Watch: Retired Cop Attends College Graduation of Girl He Saved From Fire When She Was 5 Years Old Related Articles: Anchors away! Real Housewives of New Jersey stars (and previously feuding family members) Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga put their differences aside and donned matching Baywatch suits for an Us Weekly photo shoot in the new issue, on newsstands now. PHOTOS: Hottest Celebrity Bikini Bodies: Jessica Alba, Julianne Hough and More! The sisters-in-law rocked the iconic red one-pieces high-cut to show off their toned legs while discussing which of the show's characters was the hottest. While Gorga, 37, (who is married to Giudice's brother, Joe) had a major thing for David Hasselhoff, Giudice, 44, prefers "Blond cutie-pie" David Chokachi. PHOTOS: Stars Rewear Their Most Iconic Costumes From Movies, TV, and Music Videos Though they might disagree on the nostalgic hunks, they tell Us that there will be no more table flipping in the family. In fact, the pair who reconciled after Giudice completed a prison stint for fraud in December even work out together. "We went to yoga the other day!" Gorga says. PHOTOS: Real Housewives' Bikini Bodies Pick up the new issue of Us Weekly to see what other iconic screen moments the duo re-created. Workers stack steel bars inside a factory on the outskirts of the southern Indian city of Hyderabad August 12, 2011. REUTERS/Krishnendu Halder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Commerce Department, in a clamp-down on a glut of steel imports, on Wednesday issued final anti-dumping duties on corrosion-resistant flat steel from China, Taiwan, South Korea, India and Italy. China, facing pressures globally over its excess steelmaking capacity, was the worst-hit with final U.S. anti-dumping duties of 210 percent and final anti-subsidy duties ranging from 39 percent to 241 percent. (Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Leslie Adler) On Monday, just 10 minutes into her school day, Ali Chaney, an eighth grader at SC Lee Junior High School in Copperas Cove, Texas, was told that her T-shirt violated the school dress code and ordered to change. The offending message on the shirt in question? "Some people are gay. Get over it!" Chaney's mom, Cassie Watson, took up the case via Facebook, who wrote that the incident was "a heartbreaking eye-opener for my daughter," who, she said was "essentially bullied" by the school administration. Read more: This Indian Designer Used Fashion to Make a Powerful Statement in Support of Trans Women After the confrontation, Chaney called her mom because she felt discriminated against for the shirt and for being gay. "It's just a shirt, and it's not hurting anybody," Chaney told KCEN. In a statement, district spokeswoman Wendy Sledd called the shirt "disruptive to the learning environment based on reactions by other students" and said Chaney's peers were distracted by the shirt. Chaney argued that a student was allowed to wear a shirt that compared President Barack Obama to an Islamic communist, but the school said that someone wearing a shirt of Miley Cyrus twerking had to change. "If anyone knows my Ali they know she has so much spirit," Watson wrote. "She has been taught love and acceptance and not hate and bigotry!" In the five decades since her death on a cold March night in 1964, Kitty Genovese has passed into cultural immortality. The circumstances of her death attacked and murdered on the streets of her Queens neighborhood, while 38 neighbors allegedly watched and declined to intervene have fascinated true crime buffs and sociologists ever since, serving as a convenient reference point when topics like bystander apathy or urban crime are broached. But those conversations tend to treat Genovese as more of a symbol than a person. Thats decidedly not the case for the family she left behind. In James Solomons new documentary The Witness, Kittys younger brother, Bill Genovese, searches for the human being behind the headlines. Its a journey that takes the Vietnam veteran back to his sisters neighborhood, re-visiting the same streets where she walked and died. Related: New Documentary The Witness Debunks the Myths of the Infamous Kitty Genovese Murder In this exclusive clip from the film above, which opens in limited release on June 3, Bill visits the very vestibule where Kitty whod been assaulted and stabbed by a man named Winston Moseley took her final breaths. His guide is Michael Farrar, son of Sophia Farrar, a friend of Kittys who emerged from her apartment right after the attacks and held the dying woman. You could actually smell the blood, he remembers. Michael also explains that his mother declined to publicly discuss the case for years after being misquoted by a reporter. Thats when my mother said, It dont pay to talk, because they twist what you say. (In general, The Witness takes the newspaper coverage of the case to task for reporting lapses, particularly the infamous stories published in The New York Times.) As Bill remarks later on in the film, these were details his family didnt know about at the time, and it offers some comfort as he confronts the tragedy of his sisters loss. It would have made such a difference to my family, knowing that Kitty died in the arms of a friend. Watch the trailer: Last fall, Amsterdam-based director Ivo van Hove had zero Broadway credits to his name. Six months later, hes got two: A View From the Bridge, the critics-darling revival starring Mark Strong, and a revival of The Crucible, selling well with a cast that includes Saoirse Ronan and Ben Whishaw. In between, he directed the Off Broadway premiere of Lazarus, the new David Bowie musical. Youre widely recognized for whats considered an experimental approach to classic plays. How would you describe your style? I always say I have a very traditional approach, but everybody starts to laugh. Deep down, its true, though, because I try to read a play very carefully and look at every line, every character. I have really analyzed the play. Its what I call the traditional thing to do, to look at what it really means. But you dont seem to go for traditional trappings. There are no bonnets in your Crucible. You always have to look at the play through the mirror of today. For me, every play is a contemporary play, even when you do Shakespeare and Arthur Miller. You seem like you can be pretty intense to work with. Do you think you are? Theres this mythology about me, you know, which I should perhaps keep going. I always say to my actors, Well, its only theater, but it has to be the best in the world. Its a little bit of a contradiction, but there it is. I want to have a good time with them, but at the same time, I want to challenge myself and them. Are you surprised by how receptive Broadway has been to a European directors nontraditional stagings of American classics? I must say its so reassuring, the great mixture of theatergoers coming to a complicated play like The Crucible. It seems that Broadway is ready for it. My mission has always been that I want to make extreme theater, but I want to do it for as huge a public audience as possible. What you didnt know about Van Hove AGE: 57 Born: Flanders, Belgium DAY JOB: Artistic Director, Toneelgroep Amsterdam PLAYWRIGHT WHOSE WORK HE FEELS HE HASNT YET CRACKED: Chekhov NEXT UP: The Other Voice, a companion piece to his 2009 staging of Jean Cocteaus The Human Voice Story continues Related stories London Theater Review: Ivo van Hove Directs Shakespeare in 'Kings of War' Broadway Review: 'The Crucible' With Saoirse Ronan, Ben Whishaw Broadway Box Office: Signs of Spring as Saoirse Ronan Heats Up 'The Crucible' (Reuters) - Blood-testing company Theranos Inc was sued on Thursday, accused of endangering customer health through "massive failures" that misrepresented the accuracy and quality of its blood tests, according to court papers. The proposed class action was brought in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California by the law firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP. The complaint accuses the company of breach of contract, false advertising and consumer fraud, among other claims. It estimated that thousands of consumers could be eligible to join the lawsuit, citing Theranos claims that it had performed more than 6 million tests. Officals at Theranos did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Theranos last week notified U.S. federal health regulators that it voided results from its Edison blood-testing devices for two years, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a person familiar with the matter. The company informed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that it has issued tens of thousands of corrected blood-test reports to doctors and patients, nullifying some results and revising others, the Journal reported. Theranos once touted its Edison device as a ground-breaking technology able to test blood from just a pinprick. The complaint focuses on materials published by both Theranos and Walgreens Boots Alliance, which had agreed to offer blood testing from Theranos' Edison device at dozens of wellness centers in Walgreen's stores in Arizona and California. CMS said in January that the blood-testing company's practices violated several clinical-laboratory regulations, jeopardizing patient health and safety. Theranos, which recently expanded its board to include Dr. Fabrizio Bonanni, a former Amgen Inc and Baxter International Inc executive, has been under investigation by several U.S. regulators in the recent past. (Reporting By Deena Beasley; Editing by David Gregorio) Kim Kardashian West's social media following and perfectly lit selfies have become a profitable source of revenue for her. Thanks to her incredible and unprecedented success in connecting with her fans by showing off her beauty routine, applying makeup and selling ads to brands, some fortunate women who look just like her are taking advantage of the limelight. Jelena Peric, a Croatian model with over 700,000 Instagram followers could be called Kardashian West's doppleganger without any debate. Her social media profile is equally relatable to Kardashian West's: She shares "candid" photos of her casual strolls through international cities in designer heels and custom outfits, along with tutorials on her various makeup looks and promotional photos showing off beauty products. Both have an affinity for vanity lighting, traveling and glamour shots. A photo posted by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Oct 5, 2015 at 11:11am PDT A photo posted by Jelena Peric (@j_make_up) on May 6, 2016 at 9:17am PDT Unlike Kamilla Osman, another Kardashian West lookalike who ended up meeting the celebrity, Peric said she's "not trying" to look like Kardashian West. In a post acknowledging the viral fame she's received since people picked up on her striking resemblance, Peric told her followers she'd like to create her own brand. A photo posted by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Oct 3, 2015 at 10:34pm PDT A photo posted by Jelena Peric (@j_make_up) on Apr 5, 2016 at 12:15pm PDT "I know that there's a lot of comparisons going on in here but that's not what's most important," Peric captioned multiple screenshots of articles comparing her to Kardashian West. "I'm flattered to be compared with someone like KK but on the other hand I would like to stay Jelena and nothing else." A photo posted by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Jan 18, 2016 at 1:21pm PST A photo posted by Jelena Peric (@j_make_up) on Apr 3, 2016 at 10:56am PDT Meanwhile, Kardashian West is being investigated by the Iranian government for allegedly being an Instagram spy hell-bent on corrupting the minds of innocent women throughout the country with her selfies and beauty tips. It's an erroneous accusation, though there might be some validity to the fact some women would love to look (and live) just like Kardashian West, as proven by Peric and those who are sure to surface to the limelight soon enough. A quare-foot office building located just outside the Emirates Towers in Dubai may not look like much to passersby. But this is different from your average office complex in one key way: It was made with a 3-D printer. Dubbed "the office of the future," the new 3-D printed structure took 17 days to make and cost half as much to construct as a comparable building made using traditional methods, according to the government of Dubai. This is reportedly the first office building to be 3-D printed, though last year China debuted the world's first 3-D printed apartment building, according to CNET. Source: The Government of Dubai The new office will temporarily house the Dubai Future Foundation. The building's shell is made from a mixture of cement and A small team of electricians and other specialists outfitted the building with electrical infrastructure. "We see this project as a case study that will benefit regulators as well as research and development centers at the regional and international levels on real application of 3-D printing technology," said Prime Minister of Dubai, Sheik Mohammed in a statement. "We are documenting this experience and building on it to take advantage of the most important lessons, which will serve as reference points to take this technology to new levels." Source: The Government of Dubai The futuristic work station is part of Dubai's 3-D Printing Strategy, an initiative designed to grow 3-D printing innovation in Dubai through targeted construction, medical and consumer projects. DAKAR (Reuters) - Forests in Senegal's lush Casamance region risk disappearing within two years because of illegal timber smuggling, one of the West African country's foremost environmentalists said on Thursday. Casamance in southern Senegal contains the country's last remaining forests, an area of 30,000 hectares (74,000 acres) that could be depleted by 2018 as smugglers feed the demand for rosewood furniture in China, said former environment minister Haidar El Ali. Exporting timber from Senegal is illegal, so traffickers smuggle it to neighboring Gambia for shipping to China. "This unacceptable trafficking is devastating for our forests and it has to stop," Haidar told a news conference. Much of northern Senegal bordering on the Sahara Desert has succumbed to desertification, a process where land becomes increasingly arid due to drought and climate shifts, making forests unsustainable. Now what is left of the West African country's greenery is fading fast, according to Haidar. Traffickers have chopped down 1 million trees, or 10,000 hectares, since 2010, he said. Meanwhile, Gambian exports of rosewood to China totaled $238.5 million between 2010-2015, the second highest in West Africa after Nigeria, he said. Gambia has only 4,000 hectares of forests. The spokesman for Senegal's Ministry of the Environment was not available for comment. (Reporting by Diadie Ba; Writing by Makini Brice; Editing by Edward McAllister and Tom Heneghan) (Reuters) - The following timeline charts the origin and spread of the Zika virus from its discovery nearly 70 years ago: 1947: Scientists researching yellow fever in Uganda's Zika Forest identify the virus in a rhesus monkey 1948: Virus recovered from Aedes africanus mosquito in Zika Forest 1952: First human cases detected in Uganda and Tanzania 1954: Virus found in Nigeria 1960s-80s: Zika detected in mosquitoes and monkeys across equatorial Africa 196983: Zika found in equatorial Asia, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan 2007: Zika spreads from Africa and Asia, first large outbreak on Pacific island of Yap 2012: Researchers identify two distinct lineages of the virus, African and Asian 201314: Zika outbreaks in French Polynesia, Easter Island, the Cook Islands and New Caledonia. Retrospective analysis shows possible link to birth defects and severe neurological complications in babies in French Polynesia March 2, 2015: Brazil reports illness characterized by skin rash in northeastern states July 17: Brazil reports detection of neurological disorders in newborns associated with history of infection Oct. 5: Cape Verde has cases of illness with skin rash Oct. 22: Colombia confirms cases of Zika Oct. 30: Brazil reports increase in microcephaly, abnormally small heads, among newborns Nov. 11: Brazil declares public health emergency November 2015-January 2016: Cases reported in Suriname, Panama, El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala, Paraguay, Venezuela, French Guiana, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Guyana, Ecuador, Barbados, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Curacao, Jamaica Feb. 1: World Health Organization (WHO) declares public health emergency of international concern Feb. 2: First case of Zika transmission in United States; local health officials say likely contracted through sex, not mosquito bite Feb. 5: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says virus being actively transmitted in 30 countries, mostly in the Americas Feb. 8: U.S. President Barack Obama requests $1.8 billion to fight Zika Feb. 12: Brazil investigating potential link between Zika infections and 4,314 suspected cases of microcephaly. Of those, 462 confirmed as microcephaly and 41 determined to be linked to virus Feb. 17: Brazil investigating potential link between Zika and 4,443 suspected cases of microcephaly. Of those, 508 confirmed as microcephaly and most of those cases are linked to the virus. WHO seeks $56 million to fight Zika. Feb. 18: CDC adds Aruba and Bonaire to countries and territories with active outbreaks, bringing total to 32. Feb. 23: CDC investigating 14 cases of possible sexual transmission of Zika. CDC also adds Trinidad and Tobago and Marshall Islands to countries and territories with active outbreaks, bringing total to 34. Feb. 25: Brazil says confirmed microcephaly cases number more than 580 and considers most of them to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. Brazil is investigating an additional 4,100 suspected cases of microcephaly. Feb. 27: France detects first sexually transmitted case of Zika. Feb. 29: CDC adds St. Maarten, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to countries and territories with active outbreaks, bringing total to 36. March 1: Brazil says confirmed microcephaly cases rose to 641 and considers most of them to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. Brazil is investigating an additional 4,222 suspected cases of microcephaly. March 8: WHO advises pregnant women to avoid areas with Zika outbreak and said sexual transmission of the virus is "relatively common." March 9: CDC adds New Caledonia to countries and territories with active outbreaks, bringing total to 37. March 15: Cuba reports first case of Zika contracted in the country. March 16: Cape Verde identifies first case of microcephaly. March 18: CDC says during Jan. 1, 2015 to Feb. 26, 2016, 116 residents of the United States had evidence of recent Zika virus infection based on laboratory testing. Brazil says confirmed microcephaly cases rose to 863 and considers most of them to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. Brazil is investigating an additional 4,268 suspected cases of microcephaly. March 19: CDC adds Cuba to countries and territories with active outbreaks, bringing total to 38. March 21: South Korea confirms first case of Zika. March 22: CDC adds Dominica to countries and territories with active outbreaks, bringing total to 39. Bangladesh confirms first case of Zika virus. Brazil says confirmed microcephaly cases rose to 907 and considers most of them to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. Brazil is investigating an additional 4,293 suspected cases of microcephaly. March 29: Brazil says confirmed microcephaly cases rose to 944 and considers most of them to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. Brazil said the number of suspected cases of microcephaly dropped slightly to 4,291. March 31: According to the World Health Organization, there is a strong scientific consensus that Zika can cause the birth defect microcephaly as well as Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that can result in paralysis, though conclusive proof may take months or years. April 1: CDC adds Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia to countries and territories with active outbreaks, bringing total to 40. April 4: CDC adds Fiji to countries and territories with active outbreaks, bringing total to 41. April 5: Vietnam reports first Zika infections. April 6: Brazil says confirmed microcephaly cases rose to 1,046 and considers most of them to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. The number of suspected cases of microcephaly dropped to 4,046. April 7: St. Lucia confirms first two cases of Zika, contracted locally. April 12: Brazil says confirmed microcephaly cases rose to 1,113 and considers most of them to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. The number of suspected cases of microcephaly dropped to 3,836. It was the second week in a row that the overall total figure fell. April 13: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that infection with the Zika virus in pregnant women is a cause of the birth defect microcephaly and other severe brain abnormalities in babies. The CDC said now that the causal relationship has been established, several important questions must still be answered with studies that could take years. CDC adds St. Lucia to countries and territories with active outbreaks, bringing total to 42. April 18: Peru reports first case of sexually transmitted Zika virus. CDC adds Belize to countries and territories with active outbreaks, bringing total to 43. April 25: Canada confirms first sexually transmitted Zika case. April 26: Brazil says the number of confirmed cases of microcephaly climbed to 1,198 from 1,168 in the week through April 23, but suspected ones under investigation continued to decline to 3,710 from 3,741 a week ago. Brazil registered 91,387 likely cases of the Zika virus from February until April 2, the health ministry said, in its first national report on the epidemic. April 29: Puerto Rico reports first death related to Zika, according to the CDC. The country also confirmed 683 Zika cases, including 65 pregnant women, and five suspected cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome from Zika, the CDC reported. May 4: Panama confirms four microcephaly cases tied to Zika. May 6: Spain gets first case of Zika-related brain defect in a fetus. May 9: CDC adds Papua New Guinea, Saint Barthelemy and Peru to countries and territories with active outbreaks, bringing total to 46. Honduras suspects first case of microcephaly in Zika patient. May 11: Brazil says the number of confirmed cases of microcephaly dropped to 1,326 in the week through May 7 as doctors and Brazilian health officials find that some suspected cases of microcephaly are not the disorder. Suspected ones under investigation continued to decline to 3,433. May 12: CDC adds Grenada to countries and territories with active outbreaks, bringing total to 47. May 13: Puerto Rico reports first case of Zika-related microcephaly. May 20: WHO says an outbreak of Zika virus on the African island chain of Cape Verde is of the same strain as the one blamed for birth abnormalities in Brazil. May 24: Brazil reports the number of confirmed cases of microcephaly at 1,434 for the latest week to May 21. Suspected ones under investigation declined to 3,257. May 26: CDC adds Argentina to countries and territories with active outbreaks, bringing total to 48 SOURCES: World Health Organization, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Reuters (Reporting by Ben Hirschler; Editing by the Americas Desk) We all know that Memorial Day weekend is a big time for travel, but if youre already looking ahead to summer vacation, youre not alone. According to American Express, 80% of Americans, or about 196 million people, plan to travel in the next couple of months and plan to spend an average of $941 per person on travel. With cost and safety consistently ranking as top travel concerns, 72% of Americans also revealed they plan to travel domestically this summer, compared with 15% who plan on traveling abroad. Throwing down nearly $1,000 on a getaway is no small expense, so to ensure vacation success, here are summer travel tips to get the most bang for your buck. Beaches After a long slog of winter, a beach vacation is a no-brainer. So its no surprise that 40% of Americans plan on taking a beach vacation this summer, according to the American Express survey. Clearwater Beach in Fla. is ranked as one of the best beaches in the U.S. Cost: If youre planning a laid-back beach holiday, its often cheaper to rent a home on Airbnb or VRBO for your family. You can also do a home exchange and swap houses with another family looking for a vacation home. Staying in a hotel means youll end up paying more for meals, but if you rent a home, you can prepare meals in the kitchen or on the grill. Its also a great idea to buy a cooler to fill with ice, drinks and snacks so you dont end up spending $6 for a bottle for water on the beach. Where to go: While everyone else flocks to Miami to party on South Beach, consider Tampa. Tampa is rarely at the top of the list for summer destinations, but the central Florida city has great beaches and is more affordable than its southern neighbor. When it comes to airfare, plane tickets are typically a tad cheaper into Tampa than they are to Miami, and with hotels starting at just $115 a night, accommodations are also more budget-friendly. The area is home to Clearwater Beach, which was named #1 on Trip Advisors list of top 25 beaches. Over on the West Coast, sun-seekers often head to San Diegos Coronado Beach, but San Diego isnt exactly affordable: the average plane ticket costs $360. Instead, fly into Long Beach, Calif., where the average airfare is $267. From there you can hit up a local beach or drive about an hour to enjoy beaches in Los Angeles. Story continues Road trips Cost: Weve got some good news and some bad news. The bad news is gas prices are on the rise, and have hit their highest point for the year as we head into Memorial Day weekend. The good news is that the average price of gas $2.31 a gallon is still cheaper than it was five years ago. Thats probably why 31% of Americans surveyed by American Express say that they plan to take a road trip this summer, and 38% said theyd rather drive than fly in order to save money. As you drive across the U.S., use the app Gas Buddy, which highlights gas stations with the cheapest gas in every state. Use these stations to map out your route to ensure youre getting the best deal at the pump. Where to go: If youre making your way up the East Coast, dont forget to hop on the Blue Ridge Parkway. This 469-mile road connects the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Enjoy the stunning views, especially while driving on the Linn Cove Viaduct, a concrete bridge that winds high above the treetops. If youre driving from the East Coast to the West Coast, chances are youll spend some time on Route 66. The famous 2,451-mile road starts in Chicago and ends at the beautiful Santa Monica Pier in California. While some stretches of the road are perfect for a snooze, there are also some cant-miss landmarks along the way. Make sure you stop by Abraham Lincolns tomb in Springfield, Ill., and Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, where classic cars are painted in funky colors and buried halfway in the ground. When you make it to Arizona, catch some zzzs at the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook before heading over to nearby Winslow to snap a photo of the huge 550-foot deep crater made by a meteor 50,000 years ago. National Parks This year marks the National Park Service Centennial, and 21% of people surveyed said they plan to head visit a park this summer. Take time to explore Canyonlands National Park in Utah. Cost: Most national parks will be free from Aug. 25-28 for the National Park Service Birthday weekend. There will definitely be crowds, but at $0, the price is right. Its also important to note that the National Park Service has free annual passes for certain groups. Current US military members can get a free pass that lets them and three adults over 16 into parks for free. If your child is in fourth grade, they can get an Annual 4th Grade Pass for free admission into national parks. If youre 62 or older, you can obtain a $10 senior pass for lifetime admission to national parks. Theres also an access pass for visitors with disabilities. Where to go: Of the 58 national parks, the Great Smoky Mountains, the Grand Canyon, the Rocky Mountains, Yosemite and Yellowstone are the most popular. These are obviously beautiful and memorable destinations, but theyll also be more crowded. Instead, explore some lesser-visited parks that are just as impressive. For instance, Biscayne National Park in Florida is entirely covered in water, which allows visitors to kayak or snorkel around ship wrecks. If youd rather stay dry, visit Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado and explore the archeological sites and cliff dwellings left behind by the Pueblo people. Do you have questions about how to save money during summer travel? Email us at yfmoneymailbag@yahoo.com. PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Pitching for the first time in 10 days, Rubby De La Rosa ran out of gas and cost the Arizona Diamondbacks a potential victory. David Freese hit a long two-run home run to cap a four-run fifth inning, Sean Rodriguez also homered and the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied for a 5-4 victory over the Diamondbacks on Wednesday night. Freese's 451-foot blast into the Pirates' bullpen in center field off De La Rosa (4-5) put the Pirates ahead 5-4. They trailed 4-1 coming into the fifth, but Gregory Polanco hit an RBI double and Starling Marte drove in a run with a groundout. De La Rosa, pitching for the first time since May 15, was tagged for five runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings. He had his last turn in the rotation skipped because of tightness in his groin and triceps. ''He just tired out,'' Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said. ''Coming off the layoff, we were real cognizant of how many pitches he was going to go. He was going to be right around 100 - it was his game there in the fifth inning. But he hung a slider and Freese has made us pay numerous times this year.'' Freese is 6 for 15 with four doubles and a home run against the Diamondbacks this season. Freese hit a slider for the home run. Diamondbacks catcher Welington Castillo originally called for a fastball, but De La Rosa was concerned that Freese would be looking for a fastball down and in. ''He just hung it,'' Castillo said. It turns out Freese wasn't looking for any particularly pitch. ''I'm not that type of hitter,'' Freese said. ''I was just able to stay back on it and put a good swing on it.'' Chris Owings had two doubles for the Diamondbacks while Yasmany Tomas and Rickie Weeks Jr. both had a home run among two hits. Weeks started in right field, his first appearance at the position in his 13-year career. Rodriguez, subbing for an ill Josh Harrison at second base, hit a solo homer in the fourth. It was Rodriguez's fifth, one more than he had last season. Story continues Andrew McCutchen added two hits while the Pirates won for the eighth time in 10 games overall and 11th time in their last 14 games against the Diamondbacks. Jeff Locke (3-3) gave up four runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings for his first career victory against the Diamondbacks. He walked one and struck out one. Mark Melancon worked around Owings' second double with two outs to pitch a scoreless ninth and get his 16th save in 17 opportunities. TRAINER'S ROOM Diamondbacks: 2B Jean Segura and SS Nick Ahmed passed concussion tests and were cleared to play after both were hit in the head by pitches Tuesday night. Ahmed went 1 for 4 but Segura, who is hitting a team-best .316, was held out as a precaution as he still felt some dizziness after Tuesday's game. UMPIRE INJURED Home plate umpire Chris Guccione left following the first inning after he took a foul tip to the mask off the bat of Freese. Guccione walked off the field under his own power. First base umpire Sean Barber took over behind the plate. Alfonso Marquez and crew chief Larry Vanover were left to handle the bases. UP NEXT Diamondbacks: LHP Patrick Corbin (2-3, 3.99 ERA) will start Thursday in the finale of the three-game series. He has a 2.88 ERA in his last four starts. Pirates: RHP Gerrit Cole (5-3, 2.79) has won his last three starts with a 1.29 ERA. Tom Fords sophomore feature directorial Nocturnal Animals will be released by Focus Features in an exclusive engagement on Nov. 18. The film which is based on Austin Wrights novel Tony and Susan focuses on an art gallery owner who is haunted by her ex-husbands novel, a violent thriller she interprets as a veiled threat and a symbolic revenge tale. Nocturnal Animals will widen on the day before Thanksgiving, Nov. 23, before going wide on Dec. 9. The pic stars Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Isla Fisher, Armie Hammer, Ellie Bamber and Laura Linney. Ford adapted the book to screen. During the Cannes Film Festival last year, Mike Fleming broke the news that Focus Features won the worldwide rights for Nocturnal Animals in a $20M deal, the largest of the fest. Focus would take domestic rights while Universal handled overseas. The deal calls for an eight figure P&A commitment. Fashion designer Ford made his feature directorial debut with 2009s A Single Man, which won the AFI award for movie of the year and the Queer Lion at the Venice Film Festival. On Nov. 4, Focus has Jeff Nichols Loving about Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple, who were sentenced to prison in Virginia in 1958 for getting married. The pic premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to a seven minute standing ovation, with Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga winning high praise for their performances. Loving came away from Cannes as a shoo-in contender for the upcoming awards season. Related stories Jake Gyllenhaal's Nine Stories And Partner Bold Films Join With 'Sicario' Director Denis Villeneuve On Crime Feature Focus Shows Appetite For Critics Week's Hit 'Raw'; Director Julia Ducournau In-Demand Fest Breakout Star- Cannes Peter Kujawski On The New Focus Features And Its Cannes Competition Entry 'Loving:' Q&A ArtnetNews, a website specializing in the art world and its market, publishes its list of the most expensive female artists at auction each year. American artist, Georgia O'Keeffe, once again tops the list for 2016, maintaining her lead thanks to the princely sum of $44.4 million paid for one of her works in 2014. However, the Franco-American artist, Louise Bourgeois, has moved up the ranking to take second place this year. Georgia O'Keeffe Her record-breaking sum from 2014 still hasn't been beaten, when the Crystal Bridges Museum in Arkansas, USA, purchased "Jimson Wee/White Flower No. 1" for $44.4 million at Sotheby's. Louise Bourgeois After coming fourth in last year's list, Louise Bourgeois has climbed to second place for 2016 thanks to her 1996 bronze "Spider" sculpture, sold by Christie's in autumn 2015 for $28.2 million. Joan Mitchell The former second-place-holder drops one place this year but stays near the top of the list thanks to an untitled work from 1960, sold by Christie's for just under $12 million. Berthe Morisot This Impressionist artist is no stranger to record-breaking auction prices. Coming third in last year's ranking, she remains high on the list this year after the record sale of "Apres le dejeuner" (1881), which fetched nearly $11 million in 2013. Natalia Sergeevna Goncharova Like last year, the Russian avant-garde painter, Natalia Sergeevna Goncharova, comes in very closely behind Berthe Morisot, after "Les Fleurs" (1912) fetched just under $11 million in 2008. Agnes Martin Agnes Martin joins the top 10 for 2016, climbing into sixth place with "Orange Grove," which sold for $10.7 million in May 2016. Her previous record dates from 2013, when "The Beach" fetched $6.5 million. Cady Noland This artist landed in the 2015 list with "Bluewald" (1989), which sold that year for $9.7 million. Tamara de Lempicka Tamara de Lempicka drops one place this year, finishing eighth with "Le reve (Rafaela sur fond vert)" (1927), sold for $8.4 million at Sotheby's New York in 2011. Story continues Camille Claudel French sculptor Camille Claudel has been on the list for four years now, and is still hanging on thanks to the 2013 sale of "La valse, premiere version" (1893), with fetched $8 million at Sotheby's London. Frida Kahlo Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo, is another new name for 2016, joining the ranking with "Dos Desnudos en el Bosque (La Tierra Misma)," dating from 1939, which sold for a record-breaking $8 million this year. Top 5 Bike-uriosities Week of 5/22 At Bike-urious, were spending all of our time finding the most interesting motorcycles that are currently for sale for you to drool over (and maybe empty your wallet for). So lets take a look at our five favorite offerings from this week! 1. 3 Bikes Police Motorcycle Collection 3 Police Bikes - All 3 We start with a 3-for-1. Here are three police motorcycles being sold in a package deal: You've got an American, an Italian, and a Japanese bike. Sounds like the start to a bad joke (or the opening of a Benetton commercial). 1. 2005 Harley-Davidson FLHPI Police Road King. It has 31,900 miles all of which have been in civilian service. Features include an air-assisted solo police seat, quick latch luggage, police switches, and a certified 120 mph speedometer. READ MORE: The Road from Starter Bike to "Big Girl" BMW | RideApart 3 Police Bikes - All 3 Left Side 2. 2001 Kawasaki KZ1000P. Under 14,000 miles and claimed to be a very nice example. It's generally correct (of course, without the sirens/other pieces that are pulled off when police bikes are sold to the public) with the exception of a passenger seat instead of the radio rack. The seller has replaced and repainted the tank. 3 Police Bikes - All 3 Rear 3. 2001 Moto Guzzi EV1100. I've featured this bike previously, but the short story is that it's a 1-of-1, and I'm unclear if it was an official MG project or if a local dealership did it. All I do know is that the North Carolina State Police decided to go with Harley-Davidson instead at the time. This still has the lights and sirens, and the seller has mostly used it as a show/collection bike. Still, it runs and rides now that it has fresh gas and a new battery in it. The odometer shows about 9,700 miles. Find this collection for sale in New Tripoli, Pennsylvania for $17,000 here on Craigslist. 2. Asama Racer - 1960 Yamaha YDS1R Asama Racer - 1960 Yamaha YDS1R - Left Side The YDS1R was Yamaha's first production road racer. It got the name "Asama Racer" because the factory racing bikes had lots of success in races on the Mount Asama Volcano. Introduced in 1959, this model was first offered as a kit that you would use to modify a production YDS1. Yamaha eventually realized that it made more sense to just offer a complete racer as a package, which led to the TD1. This award-winning restored example looks to be on offer from Yoshi at Garage Company, who has had it since 1995. Story continues READ MORE: The Best Motorcycles For New Riders | RideApart Asama Racer - 1960 Yamaha YDS1R - Right Rear For more on the YDS1R, check out this article on Real Classic, who note that the race kit included: "expansion pipes, race tuned barrels, cylinder heads, pistons and rings, crank driven magneto ignition, Mikuni-Amal copy remote float carburettors, remote float brackets, inlet port manifolds, rear set footpegs and levers, clip on handle bars, (steel) fuel tank, seat, tacho bracket (three different types!) and tachometer, plus all associated cables, brackets, nuts and bolts." This led to an output bump from 20 to 30 horsepower. Asama Racer - 1960 Yamaha YDS1R - Left Rear This example was originally discovered in 1995 after sitting in a garage for 35 years. It was then restored and won first place in either the 2006 or 2007 (there's conflicting information online) Legend of the Motorcycle show (now defunct) in Half Moon Bay, California. It's got Ordani magnesium racing brakes, a Yazaki 2" tachometer, the large factory steel tank, and more. Find this YDS1R for sale in El Segundo, California with bidding up to $4,050 and the reserve not yet met here on eBay. For an idea of what the reserve might be, you can also find this bike for sale right on the Garage Company site, with an asking price of $22,000. 3. 1972 Alsport Steen Hodaka Alsport Steen Hodaka - Left Side In 1967, John Steen discontinued the first run of his Taco mini bikes and started selling Hodakas. On the side, he also created custom dirt bikes using Hodaka engines like the 100cc Alsport Steen. Conveniently, John didn't just sell Hodakas; he was also an importer for Ceriani suspension and Rickman Metisse parts, so he just raided his corporate parts bins to create some impressive little dirt bikes. Alsport Steen Hodaka - Engine These bikes utilized Ceriani forks and shocks, Hodaka engines, and Rickman handlebars. The 98cc engine produced 9.8 horsepower and the entire thing weighed 125 pounds. MSRP was $399. In '69, Steen sold the company to Suburban Gas and unfortunately, they let the minibikes lapse. Four years later, the Steen minibike was done. For more on the history of Steen, check out Steen's Taco Minibikes. READ MORE: Top 12 Reasons To Ride A Motorcycle | RideApart Alsport Steen Hodaka - Right Side This example (VIN: 3267340) was just restored. The frame was repainted, the engine was rebuilt by Hodaka Dave Rozier, and everything is claimed to work. The seller gives a long list of NOS parts that were used, and he or she notes that the engine has three heat cycles in it. Many Alsport Steen's came with leading link front suspension, but this has Showa front forks and shocks. Find this Steen Hodaka for sale in Union, Missouri with bidding up to $1,655.99 and the reserve not yet met here on eBay. 4. Lossa Engineering Liquidation Sale Lossa Engineering Sale - Shop I've featured a few builds from Jay LaRossa of Lossa Engineering like this CL450 Scrambler and this SR500 Cafe Racer, but this time he's unfortunately selling a whole chunk of bikes (and taking offers on some of his custom builds) due to health issues. Here's hoping he makes a full recovery. There are several bikes on offer in varying conditions, but the highlights include: 1974 Honda CB450: clean title on non-op registration. Was a Lossa build three years ago, and it's been turned into a scrambler. Work includes Lossa mufflers, LED headlight, Hagon shocks, custom buffalo leather seat/tank strap, and a recent motor tune-up. Asking $7,000. Lossa Engineering Sale - Honda Scrambler 1985 Yamaha RZ350: customized with a 'hotrod' motor, flat slide carbs, Spec 2 pipes, Tarozzi rearsets and fork brace, solo cowl, the tach from a TZ, and plenty more. Asking $6,000. Lossa Engineering Sale - Yamaha Honda NT650 Racer: Ready to race, but could be turned back into a street bike. Sharkskinz race bodywork (R1 fairing, RS250 tail), CBR front end, and brakes, and it's claimed to be completely restored and ready to paint. Asking $3,500. Lossa Engineering Sale - Hawk And as you can see here, he's also selling some of his more pristine show builds: Lossa Engineering Sale - Show Builds Find them all for sale in Signal Hill, California here on Craigslist. 5. Dual Sport Custom 1966 Honda CB160 Honda-CB160-Dual-Sport-Custom-Front-Left This interesting custom was built by a Connecticut craftsman who went by the name of "Flat-Head Jack." The New England Motorcycle Museum acquired 26 of Jack's bikes for their upcoming collection; however, they've run into some financial issues and are liquidating some motorcycles to try and salvage the operation. This CB (VIN: CB160-1021018) looks like a lot of fun: There's plenty of custom features exhaust, swingarm (extended an inch and a half), engine guards, rearsets, and more. I really want to get it dirty on a flat track. The only bummer seems to be a dent on the tank. Honda-CB160-Dual-Sport-Custom-Tank Find this fun little Honda for sale in Vernon-Rockville, Connecticut with bidding up to $1,025 here on eBay. Discover the most interesting bikes you never knew you needed from Abhi at Bike-urious. Check out the rest of Abhi's RideApart output here. Follow RideApart on Facebook and Twitter, along with @RideApart on Instagram. jim ayres The higher you ascend on the corporate ladder, the busier you get. That means you may have less time to find out what's going on with employees in other parts of the company. Jim Ayres knows that, and he's taking measures to prevent it from happening. As managing director for Amway North America, he makes sure to maintain old relationships and forge new ones across the organization. Every Friday morning, he has breakfast with a different Amway employee at a restaurant near Amway's headquarters in Ada, Michigan. He always chooses an employee he doesn't see very often. That employee might be a senior exec or an entry-level worker; someone who works in Ada or someone who works across the globe. "To be really successful," Ayres told Business Insider, "you have to build great relationships." So he keeps a running list of people he'd like to invite to breakfast and get to know better. Ayres said he gleans new insights from every breakfast conversation insights that help him generate a clearer picture of the company's future. For example, he recently had breakfast with a lower-level employee, who told him about their experiences interacting with business owners. "I got real insight into the problems our leaders having in training" new employees, he said, and walked away with ideas to improve the training curriculum. No matter who he dines with, Ayres said, he learns things that "aren't coming up in weekly executive staff meetings." Of his dining companions he said, "They can educate me on what's going on out there." NOW WATCH: Retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal on leadership and advice for his 20-year-old self More From Business Insider The Kohl's store app tops US charts after customer Candace Payne's Chewbacca mask video goes viral, French iPhone users search for active fuel stations, cute puzzle game Mekorama wins over German users, UberEats opens in Singapore and Starbucks launches its app in Japan. More details on these iPhone apps by country for the week, by number of downloads and recorded on May 26th, 2016, can be found below. USA Kohl's (Shopping) Department store Kohl's followed up on a May 19 viral video featuring a customer in a Chewbacca mask (147m views on Facebook); company reps arrived at her house with gifts for the rest of the family (32m FB views). Ahead of Memorial Day weekend, the Kohl's app rose to #1 overall. itunes.apple.com/app/id472014516 UK WhatsApp Messenger (Social Networking) Messaging and voice calls via wifi or carrier data, integration with phone contacts, and support for group chats. A new Desktop App for computers, launched May 10, requires mobile phone registration to work properly. itunes.apple.com/app/id1046846443 Australia iTunes U (Education) Billed as the world's largest collection of free education content, iTunes U rises to the top of Australia's overall free app chart as universities' autumn semesters draw to a close and exam period begins. Coincidence? itunes.apple.com/app/id490217893 China (Shopping) Online shopping app featuring a wealth of goods purchased via a virtual currency of Lucky Beans. itunes.apple.com/app/id1059383662 Germany Mekorama (Games) Guide a tiny robot through 50 puzzle levels. Fan-made levels spread via QR codes from Facebook, Twitter, and other players' devices. Contains a tiered "pay what you want" option. itunes.apple.com/app/id1079464948 France Essence (Navigation) Protests at French refineries have disrupted national fuel supply. Essence's map shows which gas stations have fuel and which don't. "Gasoil Now" is the country's #2 free app. itunes.apple.com/app/id459724569 Story continues Canada Messenger (Social Networking) Facebook's multimedia messaging app that works over WiFi or data connection, with group or personal chat, integration with existing phone contacts lists as well as Facebook friends. itunes.apple.com/app/id454638411 South Korea Friends Run for Kakao (Games) Don cute costumes, choose a course, and get your character running left to right in a race for three players. itunes.apple.com/app/id1038356454 Japan Starbucks (Food and Drink) Launched in Japan on May 25, the Starbucks app offers new product information, store locations, payments via the app, and electronic gift cards. itunes.apple.com/app/id1113037275 Singapore UberEats (Food and Drink) Singapore becomes the first Asian city to receive ride company Uber's expansion into food delivery. UberEats launched locally on May 25, currently limited to Singapore's Central Area. itunes.apple.com/app/id1058959277 Malaysia Messenger for WhatsApp (Social Networking) Unofficial app that uses legitimate web interface WhatsApp Web to adapt WhatsApp for iPad, for 2 phones, or puts 2 WhatsApp accounts on the same phone. itunes.apple.com/app/id1085836849 India WhatsApp Messenger (Social Networking) itunes.apple.com/app/id310633997 Store rankings courtesy of App Annie. (Reuters) - The Kansas City International Airport was evacuated briefly on Thursday over a tornado warning, airport officials said, a day after tornadoes destroyed or damaged nearly 30 homes in neighboring Kansas. Airport staff evacuated the Missouri terminals and led travelers into tunnels to the parking garages after the National Weather Service (NWS) issued the tornado warning, airport spokesman Joe McBride said. The incident lasted around 20 minutes, before the all clear was given and people were led back into the terminals at the airport, he said. McBride did not report any damage to the airport or surrounding area. Intense storms were forecasted across the region for Thursday and Friday, the NWS said, with large hail and damaging winds potential primary hazards. A tornado that touched down on Wednesday evening in Dickinson County, Kansas, which sits about 165 miles west of the airport, obliterated eight houses and nearly destroyed 15 to 20 more homes and farmsteads, the Kansas Adjutant General's Department said in a statement. That tornado stayed on the ground for over an hour, the statement said. The same storm system destroyed one home, heavily damaged another, and struck numerous barns and other outbuildings in nearby Ottawa County, according to the statement. The NWS said 14 tornadoes sightings were reported on Wednesday in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, where storms also snapped power lines and damaged railtrack. Two people were injured in Ford County, Kansas, on Tuesday and taken to the hospital for treatment, interim county administrator and Ford County spokesman J.D. Gilbert said. They were sent home on Wednesday morning, he said. As many as six unconfirmed tornadoes also hit an area west of Dodge City on Tuesday, Gilbert said, destroying homes, a county building housing office, and landfill equipment. Farms and ranches were also damaged, he said. (Reporting by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by Bernard Orr) What You Should Know about Toyota's Fiscal 2016 Earnings (Continued from Prior Part) Toyotas fiscal 2016 In fiscal 2016 (which ended March 31, 2016), Japanese auto giant Toyota Motor Corporation (TM) managed to perform better almost on every front than it did in the previous fiscal year. Weakness in TMs reporting currency, the Japanese yen, was one of the important factors driving this improvement. But Toyota has realized that the comfort of having a weak local currency cant lastand this shows in the companys weak fiscal 2017 guidance. Fiscal 2017 guidance Toyota expects its fiscal 2017 revenues to decline by 6.7% to 26.5 trillion yen, or about $242.7 billion, mainly due to the unfavorable foreign exchange rate. The company calculated this guidance at an exchange rate of 105 yen per US dollar and 120 yen per euro in fiscal 2017, as compared with 120 yen per US dollar and 133 yen per euro in fiscal 2015. Toyota expects this unfavorable currency movement to hurt its profitability in fiscal 2017. The company expects its fiscal 2017 operating margin or EBIT (earnings before interest and tax) margin to shrink to 6.4% from the current 10%. Likewise, TM has guided its net profit margins to be 5.7% in fiscal 2017much lower than its 8.1% in fiscal 2015. Why should investors care? In the auto industry, profitability is one of the key factors used to analyze a companys future growth prospects. Any factor that could negatively affect an automakers margins should be monitored carefully. With the strengthening Japanese yen, Toyota is also likely to face intensified competition from its peers (VLUE) such as General Motors (GM), Ford (F), and Fiat Chrysler (FCAU) in North America and Europe. We should note here that Toyotas weak guidance still doesnt include the effects of operation suspension on vehicle assembly lines in Japan after the massive earthquake in Kumamoto in April 2016. This will likely hurt Toyotas global revenues in fiscal 2017. Story continues Continue to the next part for more factors that could drive Toyotas valuation multiples going forward. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: Brooklyn rapper Troy Ave on Thursday was arrested for reckless endangerment, possession of a weapon and menacing in connection to the Irving Plaza shooting that took place Wednesday night during a hip-hop show, police confirmed to Billboard. Earlier Thursday, the New York Police Department tweeted out footage from the venue that showed a male suspect with a bloodied leg firing a gun in the green room area backstage, where the shooting and a brawl broke out. The man was later identified by authorities as the 30-year-old MC (real name Roland Collins). Opening acts Maino and Uncle Murda were performing at the time gunshots were heard, while headliner T.I. had not yet taken the stage. According to the New York Daily News, Troy Ave is expected to face a murder charge pending the results of a ballistics test; reports that Troy Ave may be charged with murder were unconfirmed at press time. Read More: T.I. Responds to Irving Plaza Shooting: "My Heart Is Heavy Today" The Daily News also reported that the gunfire stemmed from an alleged beef between Troy Ave and Maino's camps, though the latter took to his Instagram on Thursday to share a lengthy post that detailed his personal and professional relationship with Troy Ave. "First and foremost my deepest condolences to the family & friends of Ronald Mcphatter who was tragically killed last night. Despite having to cope with more senseless violence. I woke up to the usual FALSE and ridiculous lies being circulated by irresponsible members of the media," Maino wrote. "What transpired was absolutely NOT the result of MYSELF or ANYBODY IN MY CAMP, ENTOURAGE, TRAVELING PARTY or ORGANIZATION IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM. We entered the venue respectfully as always and exited in shocked like all other concertgoers." First and foremost my deepest condolences to the family & friends of Ronald Mcphatter who was tragically killed last night. Despite having to cope with more senseless violence. I woke up to the usual FALSE and ridiculous lies being circulated by irresponsible members of the media. What transpired was absolutely NOT the result of MYSELF or ANYBODY IN MY CAMP , ENTOURAGE, TRAVELING PARTY or ORGANIZATION IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM. We entered the venue respectfully as always and exited in shocked like all other concertgoers. For the last 5 years Troy Ave, his team and I have had a great working relationship. Not only have we performed and done several songs together but we've had many personal conversations about life our goals and efforts as musicians. Despite media reports to the contrary, there are No "ongoing beefs" or "entourage issues." It always has been and always will be good relations between myself AND MY TEAM and @TroyAve @Hovain @YoungLitoBsB and the BSB crew. Our deepest sympathies again to family of Ronald McPhatter and a speedy recovery to Troy Ave. The movement will not be stopped. #BROOKLYNUNITED #HEARDYOU Story continues A photo posted by The KOB (@mainohustlehard) on May 26, 2016 at 12:10pm PDT He continued: "For the last 5 years Troy Ave, his team and I have had a great working relationship. Not only have we performed and done several songs together but we've had many personal conversations about life our goals and efforts as musicians. Despite media reports to the contrary, there are No "ongoing beefs" or "entourage issues." It always has been and always will be good relations between myself AND MY TEAM and@TroyAve @Hovain @YoungLitoBsB and the BSB crew. Our deepest sympathies again to family of Ronald McPhatter and a speedy recovery to Troy Ave. The movement will not be stopped. #BROOKLYNUNITED #HEARDYOU." Three people were wounded in the shooting, including Troy Ave. The rapper's bodyguard, Ronald McPhatter (also known as "Banga"), was shot in the stomach and later died at Beth Israel Hospital, according to police. Troy Ave's manager did not immediately respond to Billboard's requests for comment. - Additional reporting by Joe Lynch This article originally appeared on Billboard.com. Read More: NYPD Commissioner Blames T.I. Concert Shooting on "So-Called Rap Artists, Who Are Basically Thugs" Manhattan: NYPD released video that shows man who fired shots last night by t.i concert at Irving plaza @NYPD13Pct pic.twitter.com/82gHUi68eH New York City Alerts (@NYCityAlerts) May 26, 2016 The New York Police Department has released footage of a man firing shots at Irving Plaza last night before T.I.s scheduled performance, which can be seen above. New York Daily News is reporting that rapper Troy Ave (who was set to perform at the show) has been arrested for allegedly firing several shots before accidentally shooting himself in the leg. Their sources say he was charged with reckless endangerment and illegal weapons possession. Police are waiting for the results from ballistics tests before making further charges. The investigation is moving forward very rapidly, and we expect to close it quickly, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said on 710 WOR radio this afternoon. There is clear video, very graphic video, an unnamed source told NYDN, referring to the video that has since been released. He walks right out, women all around, and starts shooting his gun. Its an ongoing rap group rivalry, him and Maino. This follows news that the man who reportedly died during the shooting was Ronald McPhatter, the bodyguard of Troy Ave. He was joined by three other victims who are being treated for injuries in nearby hospitals. Earlier in the day, the victims mother Rose McPhatter commented, He actually cared a lot about Troy Ave. My wish is that Troy Ave cared as much about my son as he cared about him. I say that because I watched how my son would always bend over backwards to help him. If he (Troy Ave) cared about my son as much as he alleged he does, I wouldve received a call from him. He didnt call me. He didnt call any of my other sons. Maino posted two messages to Instagram and distanced himself from the tragedy, saying Despite having to cope with more senseless violence. I woke up to the usual FALSE and ridiculous lies being circulated by irresponsible members of the media. He explained that there was no beef between him and Troy Ave, saying, Wont let them undo what were building! No ongoing beefs or entourage issues.' Story continues Remaining quiet up to this point, T.I. shared a message on Twitter: My heart is heavy today. Our music is intended to save lives, like it has mine and many others. My heartfelt condolences to the family that suffered the loss & my praters are with all those injured. .@PIX11News @NYPDDetectives to be clear, @TroyAve was picked up on a gun possession charge, cops say int hat video hes seen shooting. Myles MillerPIX11 (@MylesMill) May 26, 2016 More from Pigeons & Planes By Jessica Toonkel and Lisa Richwine (Reuters) - Viacom Inc Chief Executive Officer Philippe Dauman has asked a Massachusetts court to expedite a legal challenge to his removal from a trust that will determine the entertainment company's future after controlling shareholder Sumner Redstone dies or is deemed incapacitated. Dauman and longtime board member George Abrams requested a trial date be set for no later than the end of September, according to a court filing dated May 25. The petition also requests that legal discovery begin immediately and said it would require at least one medical examination of Redstone, who turns 93 on Friday. National Amusements, Sumner Redstone's privately held movie theater chain, owns 80 percent of the voting stock in both Viacom and CBS Corp . The outcome of the court case - and who ends up with control over the trust and the National Amusements board - will have wide-ranging implications for Viacom and CBS shareholders and could result in changes at the top of both companies, possibly through mergers and acquisitions. Redstone removed Dauman and Abrams form the seven-person Sumner M. Redstone National Amusements Inc Trust last week as well as the National Amusements board. A lawyer representing Redstone said at the time that the media mogul had concerns about Viacom's performance. Dauman fired back on Monday in a lawsuit, stating the move to replace him and Abrams from both the trust and the National Amusements board amounted to an "unlawful corporate takeover" by the mogul's daughter, Shari Redstone. "We are looking forward to an expedited dismissal of this meritless suit," Shari Redstone said in a statement Thursday. In the Massachusetts lawsuit, Dauman questioned the mogul's mental competence, a departure from testimony he gave in a California case brought by an ex-girlfriend of Redstone when he removed her as his designated healthcare agent. As part of that legal action, Dauman testified that he had conversations with Redstone and he was engaged and attentive. Frederic Salerno, Viacom's lead independent director, on Wednesday again asked for a meeting with Redstone. The meeting would be with Salerno and William Schwartz, chairman of Viacom's governance committee, according to an email from Salerno to Redstone's attorney reviewed by Reuters. In the email, Salerno outlined a four-point agenda for meeting, which included "greetings and pleasantries about our shared experiences over decades together as colleagues," as well as a question and answer session to get Redstone's thoughts a the board strategy meeting held last week. That meeting included discussion about the possible sale of a stake in movie studio Paramount Pictures. Michael Tu, Redstone's attorney, said Redstone was considering the meeting request. Salerno could not be reached for comment. Viacom CEO Dauman is looking to sell a minority stake in Paramount, and has said he expects to announce a deal in June, while Sumner Redstone has voiced concern about a sale, according to sources. Redstone has a speech impairment that hinders his ability to communicate. He struggled to speak when questioned by attorneys in the California lawsuit that was dismissed earlier this month, according to a transcript of his testimony. Separately, Sumner Redstone asked a Los Angeles Court on Monday for an order validating his removal of Dauman and Abrams from his trust and from the board of National Amusements Inc. Viacom shares ended up 1.3 percent, or 54 cents, at $42.53 on the New York Stock Exchange. (Reporting by Jessica Toonkel in New York and Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe, Bernard Orr) Bismarck (United States) (AFP) - Donald Trump said Thursday that if he is elected US president, he would support the Canadian Keystone oil pipeline project that was blocked by President Barack Obama on environmental grounds. He also reiterated his intention, if elected president in November, to reverse much of Obama's energy plan and to "cancel" the landmark Paris climate pact of last December. Speaking just after he won enough primary delegates to seize the Republican nomination for the White House, Trump told reporters that the project for a new pipeline to carry Canadian crude to the Gulf of Mexico "should be approved." "I will absolutely approve it 100 percent, but I want a better deal," Trump added. He said that because the project requires the US government to expropriate private land using eminent domain laws, the US should have a share of the profits. "I'm going to say, folks, we are going to let you build the pipeline but give us a piece," Trump said. "I want a piece of the profits for the United States. That's how we make our country rich again." The Obama administration decided in October to deny TransCanada Corp. permission to build the 1,180-mile (1,900 kilometer) Alberta-Nebraska pipeline that would be a crucial link to carry heavy Canadian oil sands-derived crude into US markets and export terminals on the Gulf of Mexico. Noting the high environmental cost of using the oil sands crude, Obama argued that approving the pipeline would harm the fight against climate change. The decision, which came seven years after the company first submitted the project, marred US-Canada relations and angered many in the oil industry in both countries. In January, TransCanada announced it would sue the US government for US$15 billion for blocking the project, saying it "was arbitrary and unjustified" under the North American Free Trade Agreement and also exceeded Obama's powers. Story continues But the plunge in crude oil prices beginning in 2014 had already lowered the economic justification for the pipeline, with a number of oil sands investments cancelled and existing pipelines beginning to struggle for business. Trump meanwhile reiterated his intention to reverse energy and climate change policies set by Obama, including US backing for the world's first universal climate change agreement by 195 countries, achieved in Paris on 12 December. "We are going to rescind all the job- destroying Obama executive actions, including the climate action plan," Trump said. "We're going to cancel the Paris climate agreement, and stop all payments of United States tax dollars to UN global warming programs." Trump said he wanted to keep the US energy-independent, suggesting he would offer support to the fracking industry that has been the source of a large surge in US domestic oil production in the past five years, but has been hit hard by the collapse of global crude prices. "We'll open it up. Be energy independent. We'll have all sorts of energy. We will have everything you can think of including solar," he said. From Esquire After vowing to improve his behavior during the general election, Donald Trump antagonized protesters Tuesday night, as demonstrators clashed with police outside of his New Mexico rally. Police later called the violence a riot, as protesters threw burning T-shirts and plastic bottles at police officers and knocked down barricades outside of the Albuquerque Convention Center, according to reports. Officers responded with smoke grenades and pepper spray. Rather than disavow the violence outside, Trump egged on the protesters during his speech inside, some of whom were dragged out of the rally. Trump told the many individuals interrupting his speech to "go home to mommy" and told the crowd that one man who disrupted him, "can't get a date, so he's doing this instead." Scroll forward to about the one hour mark in the video below: New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, who is chairman of the Republican Governors Association, has not endorsed the presumptive Republican nominee and did not attend the rally. During the speech, Trump also once again referred to Sen. Elizabeth Warren as "Pocahontas," which he later repeated on Twitter that night. On Wednesday morning, Warren fired back, calling Trump a "small insecure money-grubber who doesn't care who gets hurt." Hours after the Associated Press reported that, by its tally, Donald Trump had clinched the Republican presidential nomination, the billionaire former reality television star held a press conference in North Dakota that highlighted many of the reasons longtime members of the GOP are still deeply worried about him. For one, in a state where the shale oil boom has been an economic godsend, Trump was asked about the Keystone XL pipeline, which the Obama administration rejected last November after letting it linger for years in regulatory limbo. Related: Are Trump and Sanders Really Going to Debate? Trump said he would approve the construction of the controversial element of the pipeline, which comes into the U.S. from Canada and snakes across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska before joining up with an existing pipeline. But he had a condition. I will absolutely approve it, but I want a better deal, he said, in response to a reporters question. Im gonna say, Folks, were going to let you build the pipeline, but give us a piece. He continued, I want the Keystone pipeline, but the people of the United States should be given a piece, a significant piece, of the profits. Trump went on, Most politicians would say yes well approve it or no we wont. Im saying yes, we will absolutely approve it, I want it built. But I want a piece of the profits because were making it possible for it to happen through eminent domain and other things, I want a piece of the profit for the United States. Thats how were going to make our country rich again. That stance is, to put it mildly, surprising. Related: Dems Offer a Different Sort of Challenge to Trumps Manhood First of all, the federal government isnt in the business of shaking down private businesses for a share of their profits in exchange for favorable treatment. Theres another entity with that business model, but its leaders dont announce their plans in press conferences. Additionally, suggesting that the government share in the profits of a business it would also be in charge of regulating for safety and compliance with environmental regulations creates some pretty dubious incentives. Story continues Finally, the idea that the government should target a specific project as a source of extra cash, either through some sort of unprecedented profit-sharing arrangement or through another targeted assessment, which would amount to a company-specific tax, has got to be pretty terrifying to free-market Republicans in general. In the course of his speech, Trump hit a few more lowlights. He contradicted his campaign manager and chief strategist, Paul Manafort, who said earlier today that Trump would probably not pick a woman or a minority as his vice president because it would be seen as pandering. Related: Why Donald Trumps Attacks on a GOP Governor Are Stupid Politics Not the case, Trump said, promising that many women would be included in the process. Whether minorities would also be in the mix was unclear. He suggested that Manaforts statement had been reported incorrectly. Hes been misquoted a lot, Trump added, which seemed an odd thing to say about someone who is a regular spokesperson for the campaign across various media. For those worried about Trumps slapdash approach to foreign policy, he blithely waved off criticism from President Obama, who said while traveling in Asia this week that other foreign leaders were rattled by the tone of Trumps campaign. If theyre rattled in a friendly way thats a good thing, not a bad thing, Trump said. And for those still concerned that Trumps tone on the campaign trail is still somewhat short of presidential, he took another opportunity to refer to Sen. Elizabeth Warren, one of his loudest Democratic critics, as Pocahontas, in reference to her claim to be part Native American, and to accuse her of having a big mouth. After a journalist in the room informed Trump that the Pocahontas reference was offensive, Trump, speaking in a state with a very large Native American population, promptly used the word again. Related: Mark Cuban May Be the Next Billionaire to Seek the White House He also defended his decision to dredge up the utterly discredited claim that Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton may have had something to do with the death of former White House lawyer Vince Foster. Trump claimed that it wasnt something he wanted to bring up, and insisted that he mentioned it because it was brought up by questioners in a Washington Post interview. Trump has said in the past that he planned to become more presidential once he won the Republican nomination, but on the day when he first looked to have truly clinched it, he didnt look ready to make that transition. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Donald Trump has reached the number of delegates necessary to take the Republican nomination, according to an Associated Press tally. The news agency reported Thursday that unbound delegates in the party said they would support the real estate mogul at the national convention in July. Read: Bernie Sanders Agrees to Debate Donald Trump: 'Game On' It means that Trump has reached 1,238 delegates, The AP reported one more than the 1,237 needed to win the nomination. There are still 303 delegates up for grabs in five state primaries on June 7. "I think he has touched a part of our electorate that doesn't like where our country is," said Oklahoma GOP chairwoman Pam Pollard, who told The AP she would be backing him. "I have no problem supporting Mr. Trump." Steve House, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party and an unbound delegate, also told the news agency that he would be supporting Trump, saying he likes the billionaire's background as a businessman. Read: Men Flash Their Support for Hillary Clinton by Taking Off Their Shirts "Leadership is leadership. If he can surround himself with the political talent, I think he will be fine," he said. Republicans will finalize the party's nomination at the GOP convention. If Trump is confirmed as the nominee, he will either face Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders, who are battling for the Democrat nomination. Watch: Meet The People Who Share a Name With Donald Trump Related Articles: The raucous 2016 presidential primary season is hinting at a new round of fireworks, this time involving Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. Late Wednesday night, presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump said he would be willing to debate Democratic contender Bernie Sanders. Related: Would Democrats Be Better Off With Sanders vs. Trump? Asked on ABCs Jimmy Kimmel Live! if he was willing to debate Sanders, the billionaire said Yes, I am. How much is he going to pay me? If I debated him, we would have such high ratings and I think I should take that money and give it to some worthy charity, he added. If he paid a nice sum toward a charity, Id love to do that. Sanders quickly accepted the offer with a Game on tweet and said he looked forward to having the debate in California before the states primary on June 7. Game on. I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary. Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 26, 2016 Suggesting the Golden State as the location for the debate is no accident. The Public Policy Institute of California rolled out new data on Wednesday that shows Sanders and Clinton running neck and neck in the state. PPICs survey finds that among Democratic primary likely voters, Clinton has 46 percent support while Sanders has 44 percent. The gap is well within the surveys margin of error, which is plus or minus 5.7 percent. The states primary is open, meaning voters who arent registered as Democrats can participate. And California offers 475 pledged delegates, the largest total of any state. A debate between Sanders and Trump would be must-see TV, not only for Californians, but the entire country. Related: Five Clinton vs. Sanders Policy Battles That Could Blow Up the Convention Clinton is less than 80 delegates short of clinching the Democratic nomination, but a win in California would give a tremendous boost to Sanders, who has vowed to keep fighting until the Democratic National Convention this summer. Story continues The Vermont lawmaker needled Clinton over her campaigns decision to decline another debate before the California primary. Sharing the stage with Trump who fares worse against Sanders than against Clinton in many speculative general election match-ups would give Sanders the opportunity to elevate his own status and his message of economic inequality one last time while knocking the former secretary of state down a peg or two. The unusual development comes at the same time Clinton is once again in hot water over the private email server she used while serving as the nations top diplomat. The State Department Inspector General has issued a scathing report that said Clinton broke federal rules when she arranged her homebrew email system. Clintons email woes have dogged her throughout her presidential campaign and the renewed negative attention is sure to impact her polling numbers. Between that and a possible faceoff between Trump and Sanders, some voters could start asking themselves, Hillary who? However the debate is by no means a sure thing, and is looking less likely by the minute. Time is now reporting that the offer to debate was just a joke on Trumps part, but theres been no definitive word from the Trump camp yet either way. Sanders, of course, is still willing to do it. But its not hard to imagine that Hillary Clinton, out somewhere on the campaign trail, has her fingers crossed that the meeting never occurs. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Billings (United States) (AFP) - White House hopeful Donald Trump claimed victory in the Republican nomination race, while shrugging off criticism from the man he aims to replace, President Barack Obama, who blasted the billionaire's ignorance and arrogant attitude. Trump vaulted past the threshold of 1,237 needed to win the party's primary race when a group of unbound delegates from North Dakota said they would back him. The accomplishment caps an extraordinary rise by a political neophyte whose campaign was widely derided as a distraction and a publicity stunt last June, when Trump announced his candidacy. Trump eventually swept 16 Republican rivals aside, and was the last man standing when his remaining two challengers quit the race early this month. "The folks behind me got us right over the top from North Dakota," Trump told reporters in Bismarck, standing with some 15 unbound delegates from the Midwestern state who committed their support to the real estate tycoon. "I'm so honored." Several US media outlets, citing their own analysis of pledged delegates and unbound delegates who announced their commitment to Trump, said earlier Thursday that Trump reached or surpassed the 1,237 mark. The Republican Party will not make the delegate results official until its national convention in July, when delegates vote for their nominee. - 'Rattled' - Trump was already the Republican presumptive nominee, following a spectacular and unlikely run for the White House that thoroughly upended American politics. On Thursday, he took a victory lap of sorts, addressing a crowd in Billings, Montana where he mapped out a bit of his future campaign strategy to focus on swing states like Florida, Ohio and Michigan, as well as California. "I want to focus on 15 or so states," he said. "Because we have to win, and I want my energy to be put into states where it could go either way." Trump still faces the daunting task of unifying skeptical Republicans, with turmoil continuing to dog his campaign as conservatives grapple with their party's direction. Story continues Democrats have gleefully highlighted Republican anxiety about their nominee. Speaking in Japan, Obama plunged into the fray, telling reporters that world leaders are "rattled" by some of Trump's policies. "A lot of the proposals that he has made display either ignorance of world affairs or a cavalier attitude or an interest in getting tweets and headlines," Obama said. Trump shot back, calling Obama "incompetent" and suggesting keeping world leaders guessing about Washington was just fine. "We'll have great relationships with these countries. But if they're rattled in a friendly way, that's a good thing, John. Not a bad thing," he told a reporter. Trump will likely face Hillary Clinton in November, and the Democrat weighed in on Trump securing the Republican nomination. "This man, who is an unqualified loose cannon, is within reach of the most important job in the world," she told MSNBC. "Of course they're rattled," she said of foreign leaders. "He's talking about breaking up our alliances, letting more countries get nuclear weapons, banning all Muslims from coming to America. That is a recipe for fewer friends and more enemies that will make us all less safe." The provocative Republican has struggled to win the support of key establishment figures, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, who have voiced concern about Trump's tone and his lack of policy specifics. "What I'm most concerned about is making sure that we actually have real party unity, not pretend party unity," Ryan told reporters Thursday in Washington. The former reality TV star has dominated headlines since launching his presidential campaign with a mix of incendiary comments and policy stances seen as insulting Mexicans, Muslims and women among others. He has proposed building a giant wall along the US border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants, and called for a ban on Muslims entering the United States. Trump has also raised eyebrows by continuing to attack members of his own party. On Tuesday, he assailed popular New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez -- someone who could help him win over both Hispanics and women -- saying she was not doing a good job as governor. And the business mogul has shown his national political director the door just six weeks after hiring him. Rick Wiley, who ran Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's ill-fated presidential campaign, "was hired on a short-term basis as a consultant until the campaign was running full steam," Trump's campaign said Wednesday. Clinton meanwhile is set to clinch her party's nomination following California's June 7 primaries, but she remains locked in a battle with challenger Bernie Sanders. And while Trump has pivoted toward his likely matchup against Clinton, knocking her "bad judgment" in violating rules against using a private email account while secretary of state, he mocked her struggle to put Sanders away. "Here I am watching Hillary fight and can't close the deal. And that should be such an easy deal to close," he said. Tunis (AFP) - Tunisia's defence minister said Thursday his country must examine the possibility of allowing women to serve in its armed forces to face down "new challenges" including jihadist attacks. "Tunisia's constitution says that national service is a right for all citizens... This duty applies to all citizens, male or female, so it's now time to look into the issue," Farhat Horchani told the private Mosaique FM radio station. Women are not technically excluded from joining the armed forces but Tunisia's one-year obligatory military service is in practice reserved for men. Tunisia has been hit by dozens of jihadist attacks since its 2011 revolution, including assaults last year in Tunis and the beach resort of Sousse that killed 60 people, all but one of them foreigners. The beheading of a teenage shepherd by jihadists as his sheep grazed on Mount Mghilla last November also horrified the country. High youth unemployment and a struggling economy has led some Tunisia watchers to warn of the increased risk of radicalisation in the North African country. "There are new challenges: terrorism, limited means," Horchani said. He said Tunisia needed an "adapted infrastructure... We have seen that young people don't want to do their military service." President Beji Caid Essebsi said last week that Tunisia's battle to fight "terrorism" had already cost its economy around $4 billion (3.6 billion euros). UPDATED with Hillary Clinton reaction: Oh, Wolf! This doesnt sound like a serious discussion! Dem front-runner Hillary Clinton scolded CNNs Wolf Blitzer, when asked about the debate-for-dollars being discussed by GOP nominee Donald Trump and her Dem rival Bernie Sanders in concert with some TV networks, according to Trump. I dont think its serious. Its not going to happen! Clinton sniffed over the telephone when Blitzer pressed for her reaction to Trumps announcement hed been approached by more than one TV network about broadcasting such a debate. Clinton said this afternoon she was looking forward to debating Trump in the general election, after the party conventions in July. Meanwhile, Sanders said today at a campaign stop, Hillary Clinton has not agreed to debate me here in California, so I look forward to debating Mr. Trump. And Sanders campaign manager seemed to egg on the GOP nominee, saying he hopes Trump does not chicken out. Trump said this morning he happy to debate Sanders, if paid $10M-$15M for his time, which he says he will give to that unnamed womens-health charity. Sanders, whos got nothing to lose, kicked off this storyline last night, giving ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel a question to read on air to Trump, who was his guest. Trump stopped by Kimmels Hollywood studio on his way from a rally in Anaheim to a fundraiser in west Los Angeles. In his question, Sanders asked Trump if he was willing to debate him before the important primary, since Clinton had declined. Trump happily agreed, but said he would need to be paid for his time; he did not set a dollar amount last night. Sanders invitation came after hed recently agreed to debate Clinton on FNC, only to be thwarted this past Monday, when Clinton declined Fox News invitation. Fox News said in a statement it was disappointed, given that she previously had agreed to a final debate before the primary. Story continues Previous, 11:30 AM: Donald Trump said today that TV networks already have contacted him about debating Bernie Sanders. Last night he broke news on ABCs Jimmy Kimmel Live when he said he would debate the Vermont senator running against Hillary Clinton for the Dem nomination, but only if he got paid. But, he promised to give the money to charity. Today, during a news conference in Bismarck, ND, Trump put the pricetag at $10 million-15 million because, he says, he wants to donate the money to a charity that has to do with womens health. Ive had couple calls from the network already, and well see, Trump smiled this morning as he made more headlines. Trump did say which networks he claims to have heard from. But Fox News has tried to get Trump and Sanders on the debate stage together, as far back as February though it did not happen, reportedly when Trump, who initially had said he was interested, declined to participate, citing scheduling problems. I think it will get high ratings and it should be in big arena, Trump this morning told a packed room of slightly stunned reporters whod come to hear Trump crow about new reports hed clinched the GOP nomination ahead of the party convention by nabbing dozens of unbound delegates. The problem with debate is hes going to lose the race to become the Dem nominee, Trump said, of Sanders. But Id debate him anyway, if the price is right, he added. Sanders already has signed on, last night, via Twitter: Game on. I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary. Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 26, 2016 But then, the debate had been Sanders idea in the first place. Last night on his show, Kimmel said hed offered tonights Jimmy Kimmel Live guest, Sanders, the chance to ask Trump one question. Kimmel read Trump that question: Hillary Clinton backed out of an agreement to debate me in California before the June 7 primary. Are you prepared to debate the major issues facing our largest state and the country before the California primary? Yes I am. How much is he going to pay me? Trump had responded immediately. If I debate him, we would have such high ratings, I think I should take the money and give it to some worthy charity adding, I would love to do that. Heres Trump talking to Kimmel: This morning, Trump boasted, I love debating, claiming, every single poll following every single debate has declared him the winner.so I dont mind debating. The only thing that has ever upset him at a debate, Trump explained to reporters in the room, was when there were an even number of candidates on stage, so you had two in the middle. (Fox News Channels Megyn Kelly might take issue with that statement. ) Trump added that he insisted GOP debates have an odd number of participants on stage once he figured that out that an even number of debaters meant hed have to have middle stage. It would be a spectacle. It would be theater, CNNs chief political correspondent Dana Bash marveled, on air, when Trump stopped talking. I just wanted to disabuse our viewers of any notion Im speaking for myself here that [the debate] would be a sort of journalistic endeavor in trying to help voters decide between two candidates. Because theyre not running against each other right now. This could get awkward if CNN, which has landed many of this election cycles debates, actually secures this improbable debating-for-dollars event, given that Bash has been one of CNNs key debate question-askers. Trump s rally speech on his energy policy, in Bismark, turned into a victory lap (and debate announcement) this morning when his campaign earned the 1,237 delegates needed to secure the nomination. Several media outlets this morning reported hed hit that threshold based on their interviews with several dozen so-called unbound delegates, aka those now free to vote as they choose at the partys July convention in Cleveland. Some of those unbound delegates previously had been bound to other candidates, who dropped out of the race after Trump clobbered them. Trump at this moment has 1,150 bound delegates. But some states have not yet held their primaries, including California, New Jersey, New Mexico, Montana, and South Dakota, and Trump is the only GOP candidate left standing. He has been called the presumptive GOP nominee for some time. Related stories 'The Carmichael Show' Star On Tonight's Donald Trump Fueled Finale, Bill Cosby's Trial, Season 3 & "Big Picture" NBC Donald Trump Backs Out Of Debate With Bernie Sanders, TV Networks Mourn Donald Trump Tells Jimmy Kimmel How He Comes Up With All Those Nicknames By Steve Bittenbender LOUISVILLE, Ky (Reuters) - Nearly two dozen spelunkers safely made their way out of a Kentucky cave where they had been trapped on Thursday due to flooding, police said. Kentucky State Police said 19 Clemson University students and four tour guides entered the Hidden River Cave around 10 a.m. in the small city of Horse Cave, some 80 miles south of Louisville. About four hours later, a severe thunderstorm caused the water level in the cave to rise, and all 23 people were stranded in a portion of the cave dubbed "the attic" for its higher ceiling, police said. Police said around 3 p.m. the group decided to make their way out of the cave, and the tour guides were able to lead everyone to safety within an hour and a half. No one was hurt, police said. Hart County Emergency Management Agency Director Kerry McDaniel told local television station WAVE that the group ventured as many as 4 miles (6.4 km) into the cave, but they were accompanied by experienced guides and had action plans in case of rising waters. The National Weather Service said Doppler radar indicated heavy rain in the area due to thunderstorms. The service issued flood advisories for parts of the county and singled out Horse Cave as a place that would experience flooding. (Reporting by Steve Bittenbender in Louisville, Kentucky; Writing and additional reporting by Curtis Skinner; Editing by Marguerita Choy and Leslie Adler) (Reuters) - Twitter Inc said senior executives Jana Messerschmidt and Nathan Hubbard are planning to leave the company in its latest management shuffle. Messerschmidt, who leads the company's business development program, has spent six years at Twitter while Hubbard has led its commerce and media division for nearly three years. Ali Jafari, who runs the social media company's Amplify video ads business, will now head the units under a unified structure. Twitter, whose user growth has been stagnating, has come under considerable pressure to convince investors that it can turn itself around. The company's shares touched a record low earlier this week. Four top executives left the company shortly before it reported quarterly earnings in February, when it said it had no growth in users for the first time since it went public in 2013. Chief Executive Jack Dorsey has added a number of executives in the past few months, including American Express Co senior executive Leslie Berland as Twitter's chief marketing officer. Technology website Re/code first reported the news of the latest departures on Thursday. Twitter's shares have fallen nearly 37.7 percent this year. (Reporting by Narottam Medhora in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel) Tyson Foods Fiscal 2Q16 Earnings and Updated Guidance (Continued from Prior Part) Updated guidance In its fiscal 2Q16 earnings release, Tyson Foods (TSN) updated its outlook and guidance for fiscal 2016. The company mentioned that the Prepared Foods segment should benefit the most. It expects lower raw material costs of ~$200 million in fiscal 2016. The operating margin for this segment is supposed to be near the low end of its normalized range of 10%12% in fiscal 2016. The company plans to achieve this through continued investment in innovation, brand strengthening, and new product launches. Segment-related guidance For the Chicken segment, the company expects lower feed costs of ~$200 million in fiscal 2016. This is based on futures prices as compared to feed costs in fiscal 2015. This segment is projected to deliver an operating margin of more than 12%. For the Beef segment, the company expects industry fed cattle supplies to increase around 1% in fiscal 2016 compared to fiscal 2015. Hence, it expects the operating margin to be in its normalized range of 1.5%3.0%. For the Pork segment, the company believes industry hog supplies will increase by 2% in fiscal 2016 compared to fiscal 2015. The operating margin is expected to be around 10%. The Other segment includes Tyson Foods foreign operations associated with raising and processing chickens in China and India. It also includes third-party merger and integration costs. The company expects this segments operating loss to be ~$85 million in fiscal 2016. Outlook for fiscal 2016 Tyson Foods projection for sales remains at ~$37 billion for fiscal 2016 due to declining beef, pork, and feed prices. Capital expenditures are estimated to be ~$850 million for fiscal 2016. The company expects to increase share repurchases under its share repurchase program. Tyson Foods has repurchased ~3.0 million shares for $200 million so far in fiscal 3Q16. The company expects domestic protein production (chicken, beef, pork, and turkey) to rise ~2%3% from fiscal 2015 levels along with moderate export growth. This would put pressure on protein pricing. The company expects to realize incremental synergies of more than $200 million from the integration of Hillshire Brands in 2016. It expects to see synergies of more than $500 million in fiscal 2016 and more than $700 million in fiscal 2017 from the acquisition. The company hopes its profit improvement plan for the Prepared Foods segment will contribute to this goal. Story continues Competitors Tyson Foods peers in the industry include Cal-Maine Foods (CALM), Flowers Foods (FLO), and Pilgrims Pride (PPC). CALM, FLO, and PPC have reported year-to-date returns of 5.5%, -9.7%, and 31.3%, respectively, as of May 11. The PowerShares Dynamic Food & Beverage Portfolio (PBJ) invests 2.5% of its holdings in CALM. In the next part of this series, well see how much Tyson Foods returned to shareholders in fiscal 2Q16. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: (Adds details and comments on pricing and launch) By Natalie Grover May 26 (Reuters) - The first-ever implant to fight addiction to opioids, a class of drugs that includes prescription painkillers and heroin, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday. The matchstick-sized implant, developed by Titan Pharmaceuticals Inc and privately owned Braeburn Pharmaceuticals, is by design less susceptible to abuse or the illicit resale that plagues existing oral therapies. Fewer than half of the estimated 2.2 million Americans who need treatment for opioid abuse are receiving help, according to the U.S. Centers for Human and Health Services (HHS). Currently, two drugs are predominantly used to treat opioid addiction - methadone, which is dispensed only in government-endorsed clinics, and the less-addictive buprenorphine, which exists as a pill or strip of film. While effective, a pill or film may be lost, forgotten or stolen. Evidence suggests that the use of these medicines as part of the overall treatment program are more effective than short-term detoxification programs aimed at abstinence, the FDA said on Thursday. The implant, Probuphine, administers buprenorphine for up to six months after users have been stabilized on the oral form of the drug, and is used along with behavioral therapy and recovery support. "I intend to make this the most successful implant that's ever been marketed ... and I think it's absolutely possible given the unmet need," Braeburn Chief Executive Behshad Sheldon said in an interview ahead of the FDA decision. However, some doctors are concerned that the implant may incentivise patients to rely solely on medication, and ignore the lifestyle changes they need to make. Braeburn estimated the U.S. market for opioid addiction treatments at about $2 billion, excluding methadone and Vivitrol, Alkermes Plc's treatment for the prevention of relapse after opioid detoxification. CEO Sheldon declined to specify a price for the implant on Thursday, but said it would be substantially cheaper than Vivitrol. Story continues "We are hoping that our first patient will have received the implant by the first day of summer or June 21," she added. The market for long-acting therapies such as Probuphine could be even larger if attempts to raise the limit on the number of opioid addicts a doctor can treat are successful. Under the current law, a doctor can treat only 30 opioid addicts within a year of obtaining a waiver, rising to a maximum 100 after procurement of a second waiver. The Congress and the HHS are working toward increasing this limit. Of particular interest is a proposal that exempts from the patient limit any treatment directly administered by a physician, such as an implant or injection. Probuphine's path to approval has not been smooth. In 2013, the FDA rejected the implant, saying it needed additional data. After the submission of new trial data, FDA staff in January raised reservations about possible complications from the insertion and removal of the implant. Data also showed that some users continued to need oral buprenorphine. Despite these concerns, an independent panel of experts to the FDA voted largely in favor of the treatment. Thursday's approval comes with a black box warning, the most severe issued by the FDA, highlighting the risk of implant migration, protrusion, expulsion and nerve damage resulting from the procedure. (http://1.usa.gov/1RuiaRi) Braeburn, in collaboration with Sweden's Camurus AB , also has a long-acting injectable buprenorphine formulation in late-stage development. Britain's Indivior Plc is also evaluating a similar injectable in a late-stage study. (Reporting by Natalie Grover in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila) (Corrects name of law firm to Pomerantz LLP from Rosen throughout) SAO PAULO, May 26 (Reuters) - New York investor rights law firm Pomerantz LLP filed a class action suit against Brazil's Gerdau SA, Latin America's largest steelmaker, alleging the company issued materially misleading business information filed to investors over tax liabilities. Porto Alegre, Brazil-based Gerdau is the latest Brazilian company with shares traded in the United States to face actual or potential lawsuits over securities fraud as a result of Brazilian corruption investigations. The Pomerantz lawsuit alleges Gerdau failed to disclose it and its executives bribed tax authorities, defrauded Brazil's tax revenue service of $429 million, laundered illegal funds and carried out influence peddling, according to the filing. Federal police in Brazil raided Gerdau offices in March 2015 and February 2016 as part of Operation Zelot, a probe into tax fraud through which companies are alleged to have bribed tax revenue agents to issue favorable rulings. Earlier in May, Brazilian police filed charges alleging Gerdau evaded $429 million in taxes and against Chief Executive Officer Andre Gerdau Johannpeter for corruption. Pomerantz is seeking investors in Gerdau ADRs from June 2, 2011 and May 15, 2016 to participate in its suit. For it to proceed as a class action, a court must accept it as meeting a minimum criteria. Earlier in May, another New York firm, Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC, launched an investigation into whether investors in the company's ADRs suffered losses due to similar allegations related to Gerdau's ongoing tax corruption case in Brazil. The growing docket of securities fraud lawsuits follow probes that uncovered a giant price-fixing, bribery and political kick-back scandal at state-led oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA in early 2014. Brazil's main stock exchange was closed on Thursday for a national holiday, but the company's ADRs were trading up 4.7 percent in the early afternoon. (Reporting by Reese Ewing and Jeb Blount; Editing by Andrew Hay) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, moving back to near cycle lows as the labor markets remain healthy and the economy regains momentum after stumbling in the first quarter. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits declined 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 268,000 for the week ended May 21, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Claims for the prior week were unrevised. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast initial claims falling to 275,000 in the latest week. Claims have now been below 300,000, a threshold associated with a strong job market, for 64 straight weeks, the longest stretch since 1973. While the two consecutive weeks of decline helped to unwind some of the jump in claims between late April and early May, the trend in jobless claims has become less favorable. The four-week moving average of claims, considered a better measure of labor market trends as it irons out week-to-week volatility, rose 2,750 to 278,500 last week. Economists blame a range of factors for the recent spike in claims, including the different timing of school spring breaks, which often makes it difficult to adjust the data. An ongoing strike by Verizon workers as well as possible disruptions to manufacturing activity in the wake of recent earthquakes in Japan have also been cited. Economists expect the strike by the about 40,000 Verizon employees will hurt May payrolls because they would be considered unemployed as they would not have received a paycheck during the survey period. The government will release its closely watched employment report next Friday. A Labor Department analyst said there were no special factors influencing last week's claims data and only claims for Wyoming had been estimated. The claims report showed the number of people still receiving benefits after an initial week of aid rose 10,000 to 2.16 million in the week ended May 14. The four-week average of the so-called continuing claims increased 8,500 to 2.15 million. Story continues The continuing claims data covered the period during which the government surveyed households for May's unemployment rate. The four-week average of continuing claims fell 6,000 between the April and May survey periods. That suggests little change in the unemployment rate, which was at 5.0 percent in April. (Reporting By Lucia Mutikani, Editing by Andrea Ricci) By Jim Christie SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A U.S. jury handed Google a major victory on Thursday in a long-running copyright battle with Oracle Corp over Android software used to run most of the world's smartphones. The jury unanimously upheld claims by Google that its use of Oracle's Java development platform to create Android was protected under the fair-use provision of copyright law, bringing trial to a close without Oracle winning any of the $9 billion in damages it requested. Oracle said it saw many grounds to appeal and would do so. "We strongly believe that Google developed Android by illegally copying core Java technology to rush into the mobile device market," Oracle General Counsel Dorian Daley said in a statement. Alphabet Inc's Google in a statement called the verdict "a win for the Android ecosystem, for the Java programming community, and for software developers who rely on open and free programming languages to build innovative consumer products. The trial was closely watched by software developers, who feared an Oracle victory could spur more software copyright lawsuits. Google relied on high-profile witnesses like Alphabet Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt to convince jurors it used Java to create its own innovative product, rather than steal another companys intellectual property, as Oracle claimed. In the retrial at U.S. District Court in San Francisco, Oracle said Google's Android operating system violated its copyright on parts of Java. Alphabet's Google unit said it should be able to use Java without paying a fee under fair use. A trial in 2012 ended in a deadlocked jury. Shares of Oracle and Alphabet were little-changed in after-hours trade following the verdict. After the first trial, U.S. District Judge William Alsup ruled that the elements of Java at issue were not eligible for copyright protection at all. A federal appeals court disagreed in 2014, ruling that computer language that connects programs - known as application programming interfaces, or APIs - can be copyrighted. Story continues A flood of copyright lawsuits has failed to materialize in the two years since that federal appeals court ruling, suggesting Oracle's lawsuit will not ultimately have a wide impact on the sector. Under U.S. copyright law, "fair use" allows limited use of material without acquiring permission from the rights holder for purposes such as research. During retrial, Oracle attorneys deemed Google's defenses the "fair-use excuse." (Additional reporting by Dan Levine; Editing by Andrew Hay) By Louis Charbonneau UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The Committee to Protect Journalists, a press freedom watchdog group, was denied consultative status at the United Nations on Thursday, with South Africa, Russia and China among the countries that opposed it. The United States quickly denounced the decision and vowed to try to overturn it. New York-based CPJ reports on violations of press freedom in countries and conflict zones around the world, reporting and mobilizing action on behalf of journalists who have been targeted. A U.N. panel rejected its application for status that would have given it access to U.N. headquarters and allowed it to participate in U.N. events. The 19-member U.N. Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations has for years delayed action on the group's application for accreditation. CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon described the NGO committee process as "Kafkaesque." "A small group of countries with poor press freedom records are using bureaucratic delaying tactics to sabotage and undermine any efforts that call their own abusive policies into high relief," he said in a statement. The NGO committee rejected CPJ's application with 10 votes against, six in favor and three abstentions. Normally the committee decides by consensus. But a senior U.S. diplomat requested a vote after South Africa and other committee members kept posing questions that the United States and others denounced as a delaying tactic. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power said Washington would seek to overturn the NGO committee's "outrageous" decision by calling for a vote in the 54-nation U.N. Economic and Social Council. "We are extremely disappointed by today's vote," she told reporters. "It is increasingly extremely clear that the NGO committee acts more and more like an anti-NGO committee." Western diplomats said the U.N. NGO committee has become increasingly unfriendly to organizations supporting Western notions of human rights, noting that gay rights NGOs and other groups have had trouble securing accreditation. The NGO committee's current members are Azerbaijan, Burundi, China, Cuba, Greece, Guinea, India, Iran, Israel, Mauritania, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Sudan, Turkey, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela. Western diplomats said they were especially disappointed by South Africa, whose delegation criticized CPJ for, among other things, not supporting punishment for speech that incites hatred. The CPJ has noted that there is no internationally agreed definition of the term "hate speech." A Russian delegate said he had "serious doubts about whether this organization really is a non-governmental organization." China, Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Sudan were also among those that voted against CPJ's accreditation. Azerbaijan, Iran, China, and Cuba are on the CPJ's list of the 10 most-censored countries. It says on its website that the legacy of Nelson Mandela's drive for press freedom in South Africa has faded. On Russia it says: "Russia has a poor record of impunity in the cases of murdered journalists, which increases intimidation and acts of violence against the press." (Reporting by Louis Charbonneau; Editing by David Gregorio and Dan Grebler) By David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. International Trade Commission said on Thursday it launched an investigation into complaints by United States Steel Corp (X.N) that Chinese competitors stole its trade secrets, fixed prices and misrepresented the origin of their exports to the United States. The ITC said in a statement that it has not made any decisions on the merits of the case. U.S. Steel, in its complaint under section 337 of the main U.S. tariff law, is seeking to halt nearly all imports from China's largest steel producers and trading houses. The commission identified 40 Chinese steel makers and distribution subsidiaries as respondents, including Baosteel , Hebei Iron and Steel Group , Wuhan Iron and Steel Co Ltd , Anshan Iron and Steel Group and Jiangsu Shagang Group. The probe comes amid a barrage of efforts by the U.S. Commerce Department to clamp down on a glut of Chinese steel imports, including steep anti-dumping duties corrosion-resistant steel announced on Wednesday. U.S. Steel filed its original complaint a month ago, alleging that it was a victim of a 2011 computer hacking incident that also prompted U.S. federal cyber-espionage indictments against five Chinese military officials in 2014. The iconic Pittsburgh-based steelmaker alleged the hackers stole research data on production techniques for a new generation of lightweight, high-strength steel now favored by automakers. It said this accelerated Chinese competitor Baosteel's ability to replicate the product, which took U.S. Steel a decade to develop. Baosteel, the second-largest steelmaker in China and fourth-largest in the world, responded by saying the charges were "rootless speculation and subjective assumption and could even be described as an absurd statement.". U.S. Steel Chairman Mario Longhi applauded the ITC's decision to investigate the company's claims, which also allege that Chinese producers falsely named other countries as the origin of their products and illegally transhipped them through third countries to avoid anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties. Story continues "We remain confident that the evidence will prove the Chinese steel producers engaged in collusion, theft and fraud and we will aggressively seek to stop those responsible for these illegal trade actions," Longhi said in a statement. Such intellectual property-based claims have only been made once before by U.S. steel producers, in 1978 against 35 Japanese makers and importers of welded stainless steel pipe. But the ITC, rather than barring imports of the products from Japan, instead ordered 11 firms to stop unfair pricing practices. (Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Alan Crosby) (Adds Chinese firms named in probe, U.S Steel CEO statement) By David Lawder WASHINGTON, May 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. International Trade Commission said on Thursday it launched an investigation into complaints by United States Steel Corp that Chinese competitors stole its trade secrets, fixed prices and misrepresented the origin of their exports to the United States. The ITC said in a statement that it has not made any decisions on the merits of the case. U.S. Steel, in its complaint under section 337 of the main U.S. tariff law, is seeking to halt nearly all imports from China's largest steel producers and trading houses. The commission identified 40 Chinese steel makers and distribution subsidiaries as respondents, including Baosteel , Hebei Iron and Steel Group, Wuhan Iron and Steel Co Ltd, Anshan Iron and Steel Group and Jiangsu Shagang Group. The probe comes amid a barrage of efforts by the U.S. Commerce Department to clamp down on a glut of Chinese steel imports, including steep anti-dumping duties corrosion-resistant steel announced on Wednesday. U.S. Steel filed its original complaint a month ago, alleging that it was a victim of a 2011 computer hacking incident that also prompted U.S. federal cyber-espionage indictments against five Chinese military officials in 2014. The iconic Pittsburgh-based steelmaker alleged the hackers stole research data on production techniques for a new generation of lightweight, high-strength steel now favored by automakers. It said this accelerated Chinese competitor Baosteel's ability to replicate the product, which took U.S. Steel a decade to develop. Baosteel, the second-largest steelmaker in China and fourth-largest in the world, responded by saying the charges were "rootless speculation and subjective assumption and could even be described as an absurd statement.". U.S. Steel Chairman Mario Longhi applauded the ITC's decision to investigate the company's claims, which also allege that Chinese producers falsely named other countries as the origin of their products and illegally transhipped them through third countries to avoid anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties. Story continues "We remain confident that the evidence will prove the Chinese steel producers engaged in collusion, theft and fraud and we will aggressively seek to stop those responsible for these illegal trade actions," Longhi said in a statement. Such intellectual property-based claims have only been made once before by U.S. steel producers, in 1978 against 35 Japanese makers and importers of welded stainless steel pipe. But the ITC, rather than barring imports of the products from Japan, instead ordered 11 firms to stop unfair pricing practices. (Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Alan Crosby) May 26 (Reuters) - U.S. researchers are estimating a wide range of potential risk for the birth defect microcephaly following Zika infection in the mother, putting the figure at anywhere between 1 percent and 13 percent, according to newly-released findings. Their findings are based on statistics from a 2013 Zika outbreak in French Polynesia and ongoing reports of the virus and birth defects in Brazil's Bahia state during the current outbreak. The analysis was conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published late Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. Microcephaly is a rare birth defect marked by unusually small heads and can cause developmental problems. Brazil's Ministry of Health has confirmed 1,434 cases of microcephaly that it believes are related to Zika infection throughout the country, according to data released this week. The CDC researchers said the highest potential risk for microcephaly appears to be when the mother is infected during the first three months of pregnancy, after which the risk was greatly reduced. Zika is carried by mosquitoes, which transmit the virus to humans. It can also be transmitted through unprotected sex with an infected man. "We found a strong association between the risk of microcephaly and infection risk in the first trimester and a negligible association in the second and third trimesters," the report said. The analysis found the risk of having a baby with microcephaly in the French Polynesia outbreak was 1 percent. But in Brazil, where the outbreak is far more widespread, that is likely to be higher and the alarming numbers of cases of severe microcephaly have surprised experts. CDC researchers, however, noted several limitations of the report. It said the available data are very limited, especially in recently affected areas such as Bahia, where total infection rates are unknown and microcephaly cases are still being reported and evaluated. In addition, most people infected with Zika show no symptoms, meaning little is known about the effects of mild or asymptomatic infections very early in pregnancy, when women may be unaware they are pregnant. They also cautioned that microcephaly may be just one of a range of potential problems with fetal development that are linked to Zika. "In light of the growing evidence, it is prudent to take precautions to avoid Zika virus infection during pregnancy and for healthcare systems to prepare for an increased burden of adverse pregnancy outcomes in the coming years," the report concluded. (Reporting by Bill Berkrot, editing by G Crosse) CAI MENG/CHINA DAILY The 2016 G7 Summit, which will be held in Ise-Shima, Japan, on Thursday and Friday, comes at a time of rising strategic tensions in Asia. According to the agenda, social issues and global growth are to be discussed, as are hot security affairs, including the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's nuclear issue, which Japan would like to see reflected in a G7 joint statement. Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test in January, in particular, has fueled global concerns over possible nuclear proliferation on the Korean Peninsula. However, for some G7 members, such as the United States and Japan, playing up the DPRK's nuclear threat is also part of their strategic intentions. Japan, which is hosting the two-day talks, is keen to win an endorsement for its position as a "normal state" in the international community, and is playing up the threat of the DPRK having nuclear weapons. The US, too, is highlighting the dangers of the DPRK's nuclear ambitions to justify its rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific. Nevertheless, the G7 summit that involves Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, as well as the US and Japan, is still not an appropriate platform for discussing the DPRK nuclear issue, which concerns the international society as a whole. That explains why it was the UN Security Council that passed the four resolutions against Pyongyang's nuclear tests. Admittedly, the group plays a certain role in global governance, but it was founded over four decades ago to boost economic cooperation in the West, thus it does not represent all parties concerned in the nuclear issue. Only two G7 membersthe US and Japanare part of the Six-Party Talks aimed at denuclearizing the peninsula, which have been indefinitely stalled since 2008. The other parties are China, the DPRK, the Republic of Korea and Russia. Any consensus reached by G7 leaders on the DPRK nuclear issue, if there is one, will hardly be convincing without the other participants in the Six-Party Talks, and may further complicate the situation. What the all parties should do is to fully implement Resolution 2270 passed by the UN Security Council on March 2, which includes economic sanctions against Pyongyang, as well as measures aimed at bringing it back to the negotiation table. Should the G7 members propose to independently take additional measures, which is likely, the DPRK may seek to enhance its nuclear advocacy "in response to the security threats from the West", especially the US. The rising tensions on the peninsula are, of course, a result of Pyongyang's and Washington's flawed strategies as well as the decades-long Cold War situation. But it does not mean the G7 joint statement cannot touch upon nuclear non-proliferation, given Pyongyang's latest reiteration of its nuclear ambitions. After the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong-un assumed power less than five years ago, the country has already conducted two nuclear tests. The 7th Congress held by the ruling Workers' Party of Korea earlier this month, the first major conference of the party in 36 years, also indicated that Pyongyang will keep pursuing the development of nuclear technologies as a "responsible nuclear power". In this light, mentioning non-proliferation in the G7 joint statement would instill in Pyongyang the fact that the international community will not allow the existence of a large nuclear arsenal on the Korean Peninsula. On its part, the DPRK should drop the wishful thinking that diplomatic maneuvers and consistent nuclear advocacy will keep negotiations at bay. It is important that the G7 nations refrain from going too far and exacerbating the situation. The author is an associate researcher at the National Institute of International Strategy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. (Adds details on logistics company Cainiao) May 25 (Reuters) - U.S. regulators are investigating Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's accounting practices to determine whether they violated federal laws, the Chinese e-commerce giant said, sending its shares tumbling nearly 7 percent on Wednesday. Alibaba said the Securities and Exchange Commission launched the investigation earlier this year. Questions about its growth rate and its relations with affiliated companies have dogged the firm for years. The latest investigation highlights how far Alibaba has to go to improve transparency, as it also fights sales of fake items, while a continuing acquisition spree creates uncertainty over its earnings. It was not immediately clear what prompted the SEC investigation. Alibaba said that it was cooperating with the authorities, and that the SEC advised it the investigation should not be seen as an indication the company had violated federal securities laws. The SEC focused on the accounting for logistics firm Cainiao Network, which is around 47 percent-owned by Alibaba, accounting practices applicable to related-party transactions in general, and operating data from its annual "Singles' Day" sale, according to Alibaba's annual report filed on Tuesday. (http://bit.ly/1XwuQ1o) Some merchants in China have questioned whether results from the Nov. 11 Singles' Day promotion, which have exceeded the combined sales of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping events in the United States, are as high as reported by Alibaba. Last year it reported about $14 billion in transactions on Singles' Day, when shoppers are encouraged to treat themselves to special deals. Cainiao, started jointly in 2013 by Alibaba, Yintai Holdings, Fosun Group, Forchn Holdings and five major delivery companies, has in the past been unconsolidated in Alibaba's financial statements, raising questions among some investors and analysts. Alibaba said its latest annual report disclosed for the first time Cainiao's revenue, net loss, assets and liabilities. Alibaba spokesman Robert Christie said those figures are "exactly the kind of robust and transparent information that will address the underlying issues in SEC's inquiry". Story continues There are no other undisclosed SEC inquiries, Christie said. UPGRADING LOGISTICS Through Cainiao, Alibaba is trying to take a lead role in developing China's fragmented package delivery industry, as e-commerce spreads beyond urban hubs and requires a more robust logistics network. In partnership with delivery businesses, Cainiao crunches reams of data on everything from order trends to delivery routes and weather patterns to increase efficiency. Last March, Cainiao completed its first funding round, raising around 10 billion yuan ($1.53 billion). Investors included Singapore's Temasek Holdings and GIC Pte Ltd , Malaysia's Khazanah Nasional Bhd, and China's Primavera Capital. Noted short-seller Jim Chanos of Kynikos Associates, who has been betting on a huge decline in Alibaba shares, last year called Alibaba's delivery and warehousing infrastructure "a risk", according to a report he sent out at a conference last November which was seen by Reuters. Alibaba "appears to control Cainiao via 48 percent stake and consolidates the results via equity method", Kynikos said. "Cainiao's business is capitally intensive. It is unclear how much of this capital will be spent by Alibaba versus the delivery partners." Hedge-fund manager John Hempton of Bronte Capital, who has been shorting shares in Alibaba, said the company's accounting for acquisitions was, "The next shoe to drop". Up to Tuesday's close, Alibaba's stock had fallen 12.3 pct in the last 12 months. On Wednesday it fell 6.8 percent to $75.59. ($1 = 6.5550 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Additional reporting by Jane Lanhee Lee and Peter Henderson in SAN FRANCISCO, Jennifer Ablan in NEW YORK, Narottam Medhora in BENGALURU and Donny Kwok in HONG KONG; Editing by Anil D'Silva and David Gregorio) (Adds details of review, background on market conditions) By Tom Polansek CHICAGO, May 26 (Reuters) - A U.S. watchdog agency will launch a review of cattle pricing, including the impact of high-frequency trading on futures, after ranchers complained about a sharp price drop last year. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has accepted a request from the Senate Judiciary Committee to study the reasons for the decline, an agency spokesman said on Thursday. The GAO will review "what is known about the extent to which high-frequency trading in cattle futures contracts has contributed to price fluctuations," he said. It also will assess how changes in cattle trading over the past decade may have affected price swings in recent years, he added. The agency has no time frame yet for completing its review, the spokesman said. Futures and cash markets for cattle have come under scrutiny over pricing following a setback in the second half of last year from record levels reached in 2014. In January, R-CALF USA, a meat producers' group, asked the Senate Judiciary Committee to investigate the decline and alleged that packers had colluded to manipulate markets. Last month, committee members requested the GAO review the reasons for the drop, instead of taking it up themselves. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association, another producers' group, has attributed price swings to high-frequency traders. CME Group Inc, which operates U.S. cattle futures markets, has taken steps to reduce volatility, including cutting trading hours. The exchange operator has said high-frequency trading accounts for 10 percent of the volume in CME's cattle markets and 50 percent of its overall average daily volume. (Reporting by Tom Polansek, editing by G Crosse and Alan Crosby) Kampala (AFP) - The Ugandan ringleader of a 2010 bombing by the Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab that killed 76 people in Kampala was found guilty along with six accomplices on Thursday of masterminding one of the region's worst attacks in decades. Twin suicide blasts claimed by Somalia's Shebab targeted football fans watching the World Cup final between the Netherlands and Spain at a restaurant and a rugby club in the Ugandan capital. Of the 13 men tried, seven were convicted and found guilty of terrorism, murder and attempted murder, and are expected to be sentenced on Friday. Five others were acquitted of those charges, another was acquitted of lesser crimes. "I find the seven accused each guilty of terrorism, murder and attempted murder," Judge Alfonse Owiny-Dollo said. Issa Luyima, a Ugandan, had been shown during the trial to have played a key part in planning the attacks. "Issa Ahmed Luyima, according to the prosecution, planned the attacks but left Uganda the day before the blasts to evade arrest," Owiny-Dollo told the court as he read a lengthy verdict lasting most of the day. He added that he then "threw the phone used to coordinate the attacks in a pit latrine to evade arrest" but it was later recovered. Prosecutors said Luyima had gone to Somalia where he trained with Shebab. "The prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that Issa Ahmed Luyima masterminded the 2010 bombing and is hereby found guilty of the terrorism as charged," said Owiny-Dollo. - Heavy security - The 13 men -- from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania -- were tried on a range of charges including terrorism, murder and membership of a terrorist organisation. The men, all of whom pleaded not guilty, were brought to the High Court in Kampala under heavy security, with roads and shops around the court closed. Judge Owiny-Dollo, who began to read the verdicts mid-morning, could apply the death sentence to those found guilty. Story continues Two men were already found in guilty in 2011 for their role in the attacks. Edris Nsubuga, who admitted terrorism charges, was spared the death penalty because he expressed contrition over the carnage and was jailed for 25 years. Co-accused Muhamoud Mugisha received five years for conspiracy to commit terrorism. The Kampala trial was delayed after the lead prosecutor was murdered in March 2015. Joan Kagezi, acting assistant director of public prosecution, was shot dead by men on a motorbike as she drove home with three of her children. Al-Shebab continues to target countries in the region, carrying out the 2013 assault on the Westgate Mall in Nairobi that killed at least 67 people, and the attack on Kenya's Garissa university in April 2015, killing at least 148 people. Although the main Shebab force is Somali-led and operates mainly inside southern Somalia, it has since branched out with franchises operating in regional nations. Thousands of Ugandan troops form the backbone of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), the UN-backed force established to fight the Shebab Islamists and protect the internationally recognised government. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday urged a return to talks with North Korea, during a visit to South Korea that has fuelled speculation of his presidential ambitions in his home country. "We must find the path back to dialogue," Ban said at a peace and security forum on the southern island of Jeju. Tensions between North and South Korea have been running high since Pyongyang conducted a fourth nuclear test in January. In recent weeks, the North has made repeated proposals for military talks aimed at de-escalating the situation -- but the South has dismissed the offer as an "insincere" propaganda ploy. The current administration of South Korean President Park Geun-Hye is adamant that substantive inter-Korean talks can only begin once the North makes a tangible commitment to denuclearisation. "The rise in tensions on the Korean peninsula could cast a shadow across Northeast Asia and beyond," Ban warned. "I welcome all efforts to move forward. And I stand ready to personally contribute in any way that might be helpful", he added. Ban has actively pursued an invitation to North Korea, and such a trip had been arranged to coincide with a visit to the South last November -- but the plan fell through. Speaking to journalists in Jeju on Wednesday, Ban said the "window for a high-level dialogue" had been left open. "I am the only one that has been maintaining a dialogue channel with Pyongyang," he added. A North Korea visit would offer Ban a high-profile platform should he consider throwing his hat into South Korea's 2017 presidential race after stepping down as UN chief at the end of this year. Ban has declined to confirm a run at the Blue House, although on Wednesday he offered what was seen as a broad hint in that direction, saying he would "contemplate ...what I should do as a South Korean citizen" after leaving the UN. While calling for dialogue with the North, Ban also urged the international community to forcefully implement tough UN sanctions imposed on Pyongyang over its latest nuclear test. North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles "only undermines its own security and hurts its citizens," he said Thursday, urging Pyongyang to "cease any further provocations." Bonn (AFP) - Climate diplomats wrapped up technical talks Thursday saying they were on the right track but still far from delivering on the promise of the historic pact forged in December. Negotiators from 196 countries worked along three parallel tracks to put flesh on the bone of the Paris Agreement, the fruit of two decades of often contentious wrangling between wealthy and developing nations. The accord -- which could enter into force later this year, far sooner than expected -- sets ambitious goals for capping global warming and funnelling trillions of dollars to poor countries facing an onslaught of climate damage. The 10-day session in the German city of Bonn focused mainly on elaborating a "rule book" for implementation, and laying the groundwork for a high-level meeting in November in Marrakesh, Morocco. "It has been a very constructive session," said Elina Bardram, top negotiator for the European Union, expressing a view echoed by other diplomats and observers. "We are moving well beyond the disagreements that characterised the negotiations for so many years." Christiana Figueres, the outgoing UN climate chief, also saw a "new willingness" to work collectively, but warned that time was running out. "My concern is whether the transformation is going to happen fast enough to avert the worst impacts," she told AFP, referring to the global shift from fossil fuels to green energy. "It is a race against the clock." The most urgent question on the agenda remains how to ramp up national plans for slashing greenhouse gas emissions. The Paris pact calls for capping global warming at well below two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), and 1.5 C (2.7 F) if possible. But voluntary national pledges to cut carbon pollution would still see Earth's surface heat up by three degrees Celsius (5.4 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to the pre-Industrial Era benchmark, a scenario scientists describe as catastrophic. Story continues Much discussion in Bonn centred on how to plug this "emissions gap", and what efforts can be made before 2020, when these national carbon-cutting plans go into effect. Barely 1 C of global warming so far has already fuelled a crescendo of devastating impacts. Droughts in Africa and Asia are threatening food supplies, and rising seas could force millions to seeking higher ground. - $100 billion promise - 2015 was by far the hottest year on record, and scientists predict that 2016 could be even worse. In Bonn, developing countries pushed for hard numbers and a timetable for financial aid to make the switch from dirty to clean energy, to adapt to future climate change and to repair damage done. "Adaptation has been short-changed," said Armelle Le Comte of Oxfam France. "Developed countries must present a roadmap to show how they will deliver on their promise to deliver $100 billion (90 billion euros) a year" starting in 2020. Morocco has billed the November high-level meeting they will host as the "action COP," or Conference of the Parties. Mohamed Adow, senior climate advisory for Christian Aid, said the focus should be on the rapid transition to clean energy. "Marrakesh needs to be seen as the Renewables COP," he said. The unexpected speed with which the Paris deal is moving towards ratification shows strong political momentum, but creates other problems that will have to be sorted out, diplomats said. The European Union -- which fought hard to set the Paris deadline for a deal -- could find itself in the awkward position of its member states not being among the ratifiers of the agreement when it goes into effect. "If there is an early entry into force, we may not be part of that," said Ivo de Zwaan of the Netherlands, speaking for the EU. Negotiators also grappled with issues including transparency in reporting of emissions reductions and financial transfers; how science should inform the negotiating process; and the best way for governments to interface with the business and financial sectors. United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The UN's peace envoy for Syria said Thursday he has no plans to convene a new round of talks in the next two or three weeks as fighting flares on the ground. Staffan de Mistura told a closed session of the Security Council that more progress was needed to strengthen a ceasefire and deliver humanitarian aid before talks can resume. The envoy "briefed on his intention to start the next round of talks as soon as feasible but certainly not within the next two/three weeks," said a statement from his office. Two weeks of UN-brokered talks between the Syrian government and opposition groups in Geneva ended on April 27 with no breakthrough. A new round had been expected for the end of May, but no new date has been announced. Diplomats said there was little chance that the opposition would take part in a new round of peace talks if violence was raging and no aid was reaching civilians. De Mistura "reiterated the need to see progress on the ground - particularly in reference to the cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access," said the statement. The envoy has called on the United States, which backs moderate opposition groups, and Russia, the Syrian leader Basha al-Assad's ally, to take action to shore up the ceasefire that has been in place since February 27. US Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters that the violence on the ground had reached "pre-cessation-of-hostilities levels" and blamed the Damascus regime for the upsurge in fighting. "The dangers to the cessation are largely being driven by the Syrian regime and its allies," Power said. "Russia has special responsibility to press the Assad regime to abide by the cessation of hostilities and end its bombardment and siege of innocent civilians," she added. De Mistura earlier told reporters in Geneva that many Syrians will face starvation if the regime and rebel groups do not allow greater access to humanitarian convoys. There "are plenty of civilians at the moment in danger of starvation," he said. The peace talks are to reach a settlement to end the five-year war that has left 280,000 dead and driven millions from their homes. The United Nations is reaching out to China as it pulls together a standby force of 15,000 troops for quick deployment to conflict zones, the UN peacekeeping chief said Thursday. Although Herve Ladsous did not name the countries that will take part in the new reserve force, he does plan to travel to China early next month to discuss its offer of 8,000 troops. "The goal we are pursuing is that, by the end of the year, we would have the capacity of 15,000 people ready for deployment within a very short period," he told reporters. China made a splash last year when it announced that it was ready to set up an 8,000-strong standby force to bolster UN peacekeeping. That would put Beijing among the top contributors of UN troops and police. China's offer was "remarkable," Ladsous said, praising Beijing for contributing peacekeepers to South Sudan and a squadron of transport helicopters to Sudan. "These are very welcome factors," he said. The standby force will be fully trained and equipped for peacekeeping missions, which is expected to reduce deployment time by several months. More than 100,000 soldiers and police serve in the UN's 16 peacekeeping mission worldwide, the bulk of them provided by a small group of countries. They include Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Ethiopia and Rwanda. How Did Major US Railroads Perform in 1Q16? (Continued from Prior Part) 1Q16 coal revenues Previously, we discussed the 1Q16 revenues for all of the US Class I railroads. Now, well look at coal. Since 2015, coal has turned into a black hole in the universe of commodities hauled by these carriers. Lets look at the coal revenues lost by these railroads in 1Q16compared to 1Q15. As you can see in the above graph, Union Pacific (UNP) saw its coal revenues fall by 43% in 1Q16 on a year-over-year basis. The immediate followers were Canadian National Railway (CNI) and Burlington Northern Santa Feowned by Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B). They had a loss of 42% and 38.6% in coal revenues, respectively. However, investors should note that coals exposure in total revenues is merely 5% for Canadian National RailwayCanadas largest railway. Coals exposure in total revenues is 16.3% for Burlington Northern Santa Fethe United States biggest Class I railroad. For the major eastern US Class I rail carrier, CSX (CSX), you should know that the coal revenue loss was 37% compared to 23.3% for Norfolk Southern (NSC) in 1Q16. Whats worrisome is the fact that coals share of CSXs total revenues is 1% higher than rival Norfolk Southerns 14.4% in 1Q16. In this scenario, Canadian Pacific appears to be relatively better off in the peer group. We would like to remind investors that this railroads coal traffic in Canada starts primarily from Teck Resources (TCK) mines in southeastern British Columbia. The good news is that Tech Resources intends to produce slightly more coal in the current yearcompared to 2015. Coal outlook However, the coal production and consumption outlook remains bleak. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Forecast coal production is expected to decrease by 143 MMst (16%) in 2016, which would be the largest annual percentage decline since 1958. Interior region production is projected to account for more than 20% of production in 2016 and 2017, up from 13% of coal production 10 years ago. This increase in share reflects the Interior regions growing competitive advantages compared with other U.S. coal-producing regions, despite the higher sulfur content of its coal. Story continues Norfolk Southern and CSXs coal freight prospects are more dependent on coal production in the Appalachian region. Burlington National Santa Fe and Union Pacific depend on coal shipments originating from the Powder River Basin region. The Powder River Basins coal output is expected to fall significantly for the first time since 1998. The Appalachian regions 2016 output is expected to fall ~13%. It will impact the future coal volumes for eastern US railroads. The WisdomTree Earnings 500 Fund (EPS) is a growth ETF. The prominent transportation and logistics companies included in this ETF are Union Pacific, United Parcel Service (UPS), and Delta Air Lines (DAL). In the next part, well discuss the factors impacting the growth of these railroads intermodal business in 1Q16. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: Washington (AFP) - The Air Force general overseeing US air operations in the fight against Islamic State jihadists in Iraq and Syria said Thursday he was concerned about dwindling stockpiles of precision bombs. A US-led coalition has since August 2014 been striking IS targets, usually with smart bombs that hone in on a target using GPS coordinates and other technology. The Pentagon in February said it would spend $1.8 billion to buy over 45,000 more of the sophisticated bombs, but supplies remain low for now. "It's still a concern," Lieutenant General Charles Brown Jr, who works for the US Central Command that runs operations across the Middle East, told Pentagon reporters in a video call. "The Air Force has taken some steps to... to buy more weapons... Those weapons are about two years or so away, if not more." Brown said the military is assessing whether it needs to draw down stockpiles from other regions and move them to the Middle East to ensure it has enough bombs there. "We have to do some analysis of where we take risk," he said. The US-led anti-IS coalition has conducted about 12,500 air strikes in all. Separately, Brown also said there had been a "little uptick" on air strikes in Afghanistan, though he declined to provide further details. Fatisah (Syria) (AFP) - US forces on the ground in northern Syria are helping a major offensive against the Islamic State group in its stronghold of Raqa province, Kurdish-Arab fighters battling the jihadists say. Near the frontline north of the IS bastion of Raqa city, American commandos climbed onto a low rooftop carrying US-made anti-tank missiles. "These are US special operations forces and this is why you cannot follow them or take many pictures," said a fighter with the Syrian Democratic Forces, which announced on Tuesday an assault on the jihadists north of Raqa. Leaning on a partially destroyed home in the village of Fatisah recently seized from IS, SDF field commander Hawkar Kobane told AFP that "US forces are taking part in this operation" alongside his own troops. "On the rooftop of this house, there are US forces using (anti-tank) TOW missiles to fire on the explosives-rigged cars that Daesh is using to attack the SDF," he said, using an Arabic acronym for IS. The SDF has also received air support from the US-led air coalition bombing the jihadists in Iraq and Syria. And this week, the first of 250 members of the US special operations forces were set to arrive in northeast Syria to support the fight, joining dozens of advisers already on the ground. Though the Pentagon insists the commandos are working away from the frontlines, the troops' presence in Fatisah shows just how close to IS forces they are. Several US commandos were photographed wearing the military insignia of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which make up the bulk of the SDF. Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook downplayed the significance of the foreign military patches. "Special operations forces, when they operate in certain areas, do what they can to, if you will, blend in with the community to enhance their own protection, their own security," Cook said. Observers questioned the wisdom of such a display of support for Kurdish fighters whom neighboring Turkey -- a NATO ally and vital US partner in the region -- considers an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Story continues "On a human level, I get it. They are probably doing it in some way to try and present (themselves) as a friendly ally to the locals," said Charles Lister, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. "But the broader reality here is that US-Turkish relations are already on a pretty low level, and I know for a fact that something like this will have stirred significant anger in Ankara -- and that's not a good thing." Emile Hokayem, a Middle East analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, wrote on Twitter that the move was "politically tone-deaf and counterproductive in this context." - 'A lot of experience' - An AFP photographer saw as many as 20 US soldiers in Fatisah on Wednesday and heard them communicating in English. They refused to speak to journalists but generally appeared less wary than usual about the media presence. The US soldiers could be seen climbing onto pickup trucks fitted with heavy machine guns and driving across the swathes of agricultural plains that make up northern Raqa province. Other US soldiers surveyed territory alongside SDF forces identified by the patches on the arms of their uniforms. "The American forces present here have a lot of experience," Kobane said. "We will take advantage of their experience to fight terrorism and capture the other villages as quickly as possible with as few casualties as possible." Another SDF field commander, Baraa al-Ghanem, said US fighters were "present at all positions along the front... They are taking part on the ground and in the air." "We have a joint operations room with the coalition. We also have special weapons, both heavy and light, and we are facing the problem of mines," he added. The US forces on Wednesday could be seen accompanying a special unit within the SDF known as the "counterterrorism forces." The two forces entered a building on the edge of Fatisah used as the town's school, reportedly to carry out a training session on using US weaponry. Kurds play a dominant role in the US-backed SDF, providing the core of the forces that have pushed back IS in the country's northeast. The SDF has a total of about 25,000 Kurdish fighters and around 5,000 Arab fighters. Washington is pushing to bring more Arab forces into the group. The Syrian war erupted in early 2011 after Bashar al-Assad's forces launched a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests, and has since claimed more than 270,000 lives. Imports of steel, which have caused significant damage to the U.S. steel industry, dropped on a monthly comparison basis in April, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute ("AISI"). The decline appears to reflect the punitive actions (in the form of tariffs) taken by the U.S. trade regulators in the recent past to repel the tide of steel imports. AISI an association of North American steel makers said that, based on preliminary U.S. Census Bureau data, total steel imports fell 5.6% from the previous month to 2,456,000 net tons in April. Finished steel imports also declined 4.1% sequentially to 2,014,000 net tons for the reported month. Total steel imports for the first four months of 2016 dropped 34% from the same period a year ago. Finished steel imports for the same period also went down 33% year over year. Estimated market share of finished steel imports was 24% for April (same as in March) and 25% year to date. Major finished steel products that showed a significant import increase on a monthly comparison basis in April are line pipe (up 38%), hot rolled bars (up 35%), structural pipe and tube (up 27%), standard pipe (up 17%) and cold rolled sheets (up 15%). Biggest volumes of finished steel imports in April were from South Korea with 337,000 net tons (up 20% from March), Japan with 140,000 net tons (down 6%), Turkey with 123,000 net tons (down 56%), Germany with 88,000 net tons (up 22%) and China with 68,000 net tons (down 2%). The AISI also noted that annualized total and finished steel imports in 2016 would be 29.9 million net tons and 25.3 million net tons, respectively, down 23% and 20% year over year, respectively. While the latest import data paints an encouraging picture, the domestic steel industry still remains under the risk of cheaper imports. Unfairly-traded, subsidized imports are still flowing into the American market due to foreign producers overcapacity. Low costs of production have enabled foreign producers (notably China) to sell their products at cheaper rates, leading to an industry-wide price decline, hurting margins of American steel makers. U.S. steel producers including Nucor NUE, U.S. Steel X, AK Steel AKS, Steel Dynamics STLD and ArcelorMittal USA a part of ArcelorMittal MT have suffered heavily due to high levels of cheap steel imports, reflected by declined orders, idling of mills and layoffs across the nation. China, which accounts for around half of global steel output, continues to pose a threat to the U.S. steel industry. The Chinese steel industry continues to reel under massive excess steel capacity and sluggish domestic demand amid a cooling economy. The countrys steel exports jumped 7.6% year over year in the first four months of 2016 (per customs data), indicating sustained demand weakness at home. Chinas economy rose at an annual rate of 6.7% in the first quarter of 2016, its slowest in seven years. Major U.S. steel makers have taken a series of steps (in the form of anti-dumping and countervailing duty petitions) in the recent past in their ongoing battle against low-priced imports from a host of foreign producers. The U.S. Department of Commerce ("DOC") slapped final anti-dumping duties on imports of corrosion-resistant steel from China, India, Italy, South Korea and Taiwan yesterday including a massive anti-dumping duty rate of 209.97% on imports of these products from China. The DOC, last week, also levied a whopping final anti-dumping duty rate of 265.79% on imports of cold-rolled steel from China. The commerce department also imposed a hefty final countervailing duty rate of 256.44% on Chinese imports. Moreover, the regulator levied preliminary anti-dumping duties on imports of certain hot-rolled steel flat products by seven countries in Mar 2016. These actions are expected to help American steel makers defend their turf against illegally dumped steel products. Steel market conditions in the U.S. have somewhat improved of late, driven by favorable rulings on steel trade cases in the recent past. Domestic steel makers continue to actively press the U.S. regulators to stop unfair trade practices and enforce new trade laws to rescue the crisis-hit U.S. steel industry. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report AK STEEL HLDG (AKS): Free Stock Analysis Report STEEL DYNAMICS (STLD): Free Stock Analysis Report ARCELOR MITTAL (MT): Free Stock Analysis Report UTD STATES STL (X): Free Stock Analysis Report NUCOR CORP (NUE): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan authorities seized 3.7 metric tons (4.08 U.S. tons) of cocaine and dismantled a drug trafficking ring linked to the bloody Mexican Zetas drug cartel this month, the country's National Guard said on Thursday. The operation began when a truck transporting 154 sacks of 30 kg (66 pounds) of cocaine hydrochloride each was stopped in Tachira, near Venezuela's border with Colombia, on May 14. That incident led to the discovery of the multiton deposit of cocaine where the group was preparing to export drugs, presumably to Central America. Authorities arrested 10 people in a gang they believe is linked to the Zetas, who in recent years set off the most violent phase in Mexico's drug war. "We achieved a significant dismantling of an international network that sought to use our territory for international drug trafficking," said Nestor Reverol, the commander of the country's National Guard. Venezuela's National Guard is itself accused of involvement in drug trafficking by the country's opposition and U.S. prosecutors. Authorities have denied this, calling it part of a plot to overthrow the leftist government. An indictment containing drug trafficking charges against Reverol himself, who used to head Venezuela's anti-drugs agency, is pending in a New York federal court, according to sources. (http://goo.gl/bmJn1h) Security analysts say Venezuela has become an export platform of cocaine to Europe and the United States. (Reporting by Eyanir Chinea; Writing by Girish Gupta; Editing by Alexandra Ulmer and W Simon) Ventas, Inc. VTR has announced the pricing of public offering of senior notes of $400 million aggregate principal amount. This pricing of the offering is likely to add flexibility to the Chicago, IL-based healthcare real estate investment trusts (REIT) balance sheet. The notes issued by the Ventas Realty, Limited Partnership, the operating partner of Ventas bear a rate of 3.125% and is due on 2013. Subject to the satisfaction of certain customary closing conditions, the notes sale is slated to be completed on Jun 2, 2016. The company expects to utilize the net proceeds derived from this offering to purchase 1.55% senior notes due 2016 and for various corporate purposes. Ventas is mainly engaged in the acquisition and ownership of seniors housing and healthcare properties, and leasing them to unaffiliated tenants or operating them through independent third-party managers. Last month, the company reported first-quarter 2016, normalized funds from operation (FFO) of $1.04 per share which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.02. On a comparable basis, adjusting the effect of spin-offs, normalized FFO for the quarter grew 7% year over year. The stock presently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the retail REIT space include Brookfield Canada Office Properties BOXC, Summit Hotel Properties, Inc. INN and W. P. Carey Inc. WPC. All these stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Note: FFO, a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs, is obtained after adding depreciation and amortization and other non-cash expenses to net income. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report BROOKFLD CDA OP (BOXC): Free Stock Analysis Report VENTAS INC (VTR): Free Stock Analysis Report WP CAREY INC (WPC): Free Stock Analysis Report SUMMIT HOTEL PR (INN): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research (Adds details about request from Viacom board to Sumner Redstone) By Jessica Toonkel and Lisa Richwine May 26 (Reuters) - Viacom Inc Chief Executive Officer Philippe Dauman has asked a Massachusetts court to expedite a legal challenge to his removal from a trust that will determine the entertainment company's future after controlling shareholder Sumner Redstone dies or is deemed incapacitated. Dauman and longtime board member George Abrams requested a trial date be set for no later than the end of September, according to a court filing dated May 25. The petition also requests that legal discovery begin immediately and said it would require at least one medical examination of Redstone, who turns 93 on Friday. National Amusements, Sumner Redstone's privately held movie theater chain, owns 80 percent of the voting stock in both Viacom and CBS Corp. The outcome of the court case - and who ends up with control over the trust and the National Amusements board - will have wide-ranging implications for Viacom and CBS shareholders and could result in changes at the top of both companies, possibly through mergers and acquisitions. Redstone removed Dauman and Abrams form the seven-person Sumner M. Redstone National Amusements Inc Trust last week as well as the National Amusements board. A lawyer representing Redstone said at the time that the media mogul had concerns about Viacom's performance. Dauman fired back on Monday in a lawsuit, stating the move to replace him and Abrams from both the trust and the National Amusements board amounted to an "unlawful corporate takeover" by the mogul's daughter, Shari Redstone. "We are looking forward to an expedited dismissal of this meritless suit," Shari Redstone said in a statement Thursday. In the Massachusetts lawsuit, Dauman questioned the mogul's mental competence, a departure from testimony he gave in a California case brought by an ex-girlfriend of Redstone when he removed her as his designated healthcare agent. As part of that legal action, Dauman testified that he had conversations with Redstone and he was engaged and attentive. Story continues Frederic Salerno, Viacom's lead independent director, on Wednesday again asked for a meeting with Redstone. The meeting would be with Salerno and William Schwartz, chairman of Viacom's governance committee, according to an email from Salerno to Redstone's attorney reviewed by Reuters. In the email, Salerno outlined a four-point agenda for meeting, which included "greetings and pleasantries about our shared experiences over decades together as colleagues," as well as a question and answer session to get Redstone's thoughts a the board strategy meeting held last week. That meeting included discussion about the possible sale of a stake in movie studio Paramount Pictures. Michael Tu, Redstone's attorney, said Redstone was considering the meeting request. Salerno could not be reached for comment. Viacom CEO Dauman is looking to sell a minority stake in Paramount, and has said he expects to announce a deal in June, while Sumner Redstone has voiced concern about a sale, according to sources. Redstone has a speech impairment that hinders his ability to communicate. He struggled to speak when questioned by attorneys in the California lawsuit that was dismissed earlier this month, according to a transcript of his testimony. Separately, Sumner Redstone asked a Los Angeles Court on Monday for an order validating his removal of Dauman and Abrams from his trust and from the board of National Amusements Inc. Viacom shares ended up 1.3 percent, or 54 cents, at $42.53 on the New York Stock Exchange. (Reporting by Jessica Toonkel in New York and Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe, Bernard Orr) Image via Wikipedia Image via Wikipedia Original Spice Girls member Victoria Beckham hasnt released any music since her lone solo album, Victoria Beckham, all the way back in 2001. Despite this, she did plan on releasing two albums around 2003-2004, but when her label Telstar went bankrupt neither of the releases saw the light of day. Years later, portions of one of the albums, Open Your Eyes, surfaced online. Billed as her eurodance and electropop album, it was meant to compliment another album entitled Come Together, which supposedly took her music in more of an R&B and hip-hop direction. Now that album, which was recorded with Dame Dash of Roc-A-Fella fame, has also leaked. Uploaded to YouTube after someone allegedly bought a demo disc of songs from the album off of eBay, the album features a collaboration with Ol Dirty Bastard as well as Brooklyn duo M.O.P., for some reason. Clearly unfinished and unmastered, the leaked songs in question make it easy to see why the album never saw the light of day, but it definitely makes for an interesting listen regardless. The Mirror reports that Telstar were upset with how Victoria went to NYC to record the album with Dame Dash, and that they began making up stories about the record. Speaking with the Evening Standard around the time the albums were recorded, Dash said, Because Victorias record company arent happy about the fact that she came over to New York to work with me they are putting out stories. Before anyones even heard the album they were making things up. I heard a story that Victoria was calling herself the female Eminem. Thats just dumb. She never said that. Listen to a number of tracks from the album below. More from Pigeons & Planes Victorias Secret model Taylor Hill just got a pixie cut and it looks amazing Victorias Secret model Taylor Hill just got a pixie cut and it looks amazing Its nerve-wracking for us to chop off all our hair, so we cant imagine the stress of being a Victorias Secret model whose lewk is all about long locks. But Taylor Hill, who became an Angel last year, just revealed on Instagram that shes gone super-short with an incredibly cute pixie cut. Heres the before: Today's dream team @daniellepriano @cgonzalezbeauty @victoriassecret A photo posted by Taylor Hill (@taylor_hill) on May 21, 2016 at 12:19pm PDT And heres Taylors new short hair, captioned Short hair dont care: Short hair don't care A photo posted by Taylor Hill (@taylor_hill) on May 25, 2016 at 4:59pm PDT Were getting total Linda Evangelista vibes, arent you? Experimenting @nomadrj @elizabethsulcer @italogregorio @fulviafarolfi A photo posted by Taylor Hill (@taylor_hill) on May 25, 2016 at 4:49pm PDT It appears that Taylor cut her hair for a job, as she tagged a hairstylist who does tons of glossy magazines, Italo Gregorio, on the snap. TeenVogue.com even surmised that he also dyed her hair a darker brown. In any case, hes a master at Victorias Secret model hair, having worked with her fellow Angel, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in the past: My Gorgeous !!! @rosiehw it's always an easy day with this beauty!!! @nomadrj @bobette_cohn @_virginiayoung_ #hair @italogregorio A photo posted by Italo Gregorio (@italogregorio) on Apr 30, 2016 at 12:16pm PDT That doesnt mean Taylor Hills new pixie cut isnt kind of a big deal. She told Vogue.com last year that shes used to much more humble haircuts: My mom does it! She cuts hair for everyone in my family. Shes been cutting it my whole life, so she knows my hair. Hey, we think your newly short hair looks amazing, Taylor. It kinda makes us think about getting a pixie cut ourselves . . . The post Victorias Secret model Taylor Hill just got a pixie cut and it looks amazing appeared first on HelloGiggles. A viral Reddit thread is highlighting why women all over the world desperately need not only access to safe abortions, but to reproductive health resources in general. In a thread on r/TwoXChromosomes, redditor borninabiggreycloud recounted how her Cuban grandmother had 33 illegal abortions between 1954 and 1966. (Abortion has been available via the national health care system since 1965.) According to the thread, borninabiggreycloud's grandmother got married at 16 and got pregnant for the first time when she was 20. She lived in poverty with a philandering husband who refused to wear condoms. "She couldn't refuse sex either, women were basically considered property and that meant their husbands had more rights over their bodies than they did," borninabiggreycloud wrote. After giving birth to several healthy children, she got pregnant again. So she decided to have an abortion, one of many she would have over the next 12-year period. "She is proud of this," borninabiggreycloud wrote. "She saved those unborn children from hungry bellies." Source: Mic/Getty Today, Cuba has one of the highest abortion rates in the world, with one Guttmacher Institute report estimating the numbers are as high as 78 per 1,000 women of child-bearing age. Cuba's state-sponsored healthcare provides free abortions available on demand, so, as the New York Times put it: "in many respects, abortion is viewed as another manner of birth control." and young men are not seen as equally responsible for birth control and family planning, according to a report from the Inter Press Service he United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women to express concern over Cuba's abortion rates. Source: STR/AFP/Getty Images When borninabigreycloud's grandmother was a young wife, Cuba didn't provide safe, medical abortions, and the black market for birth control took its toll on her body. Story continues "By the time she was 36 years old, her uterus had been ripped to shreds, and she had to have [a] full hysterectomy," borningabigreycloud wrote. "Sometimes it's the most humane thing they can do, not for themselves, not out of selfishness, but out of selflessness. Out of a concern for a human that will never exist. They endure some suffering to prevent the future suffering of something else." Years later, when her family found a way to leave Cuba for the United States, borninabiggreycloud's grandma didn't have to worry about finding room for all her children because she had already made sacrifices to ensure she could focus on her kids and keep the family together. "In 1967 when my grandfather received the call that they had a way out of Cuba, my grandmother didn't have to worry about which children she would leave behind, like so many others did," borninabigreycloud wrote. She shared this family story in light of all the recent anti-abortion laws passing in states across the U.S. It's becoming more and more difficult for American women to take control of their own reproductive choices. Borninabiggreycloud believes these legal restrictions don't prevent abortions, as her grandma's story shows desperate women will endanger themselves if safer outlets aren't available. Dozens of redditors replied to this story with comments about how their own grandmothers, both in the United States and abroad, also got multiple back-alley abortions because safe, medical options weren't available. This Cuban-American redditor feels the current nationwide trend infringes on the freedom her immigrant grandmother worked so hard to obtain for her family. "Reproductive rights are human rights. Freedom to choose if, when and how we have children is basic human right," borninabiggreycloud wrote. "My grandmother had 33 abortions so that From Popular Mechanics Air Force One isn't a specific plane, it's the air traffic control designation given to any Air Force aircraft with the President of the United States on board. The designation was first used when an Eastern Airlines commercial flight entered the same airspace as a plane carrying President Eisenhower, and both planes had the same call sign. Air Force One has been the designation for the President ever since, but the history of presidents on planes goes back a lot further than that. First Flight Theodore Roosevelt (who else?) was the first president to fly in an aircraft. Or ex-president, rather. Roosevelt had already left office by the time he took to the skies in this Wright Flier-the very first heavier-than-air powered aircraft-on October 11, 1910. Archibald Hoxsey, who worked for the Wright Brothers, had the honor of piloting the former president. The President Needs a Plane The Douglas Dolphin was the first aircraft specifically designated as a transport for the president. One of these amphibious planes was modified for President Franklin D. Roosevelt and designated RD-2 by the U.S. Navy. It remained at the ready from 1933 to 1939, though there is no evidence FDR actually flew in the plane. FDR Goes to Europe Still, Franklin Roosevelt was the first sitting president to fly. In 1943, a Boeing 314 Clipper flying boat named the Dixie Clipper carried him 5,500 miles in three legs to attend the Casablanca Conference, where he met with Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle to discuss the next phase of World War II. Air travel was the preferred method of transatlantic transportation due to the ongoing threat of German submarines during the Battle of the Atlantic. It was at this conference that the Allies declared that they would accept nothing short of the unconditional surrender of the Axis powers. The Sacred Cow Toward the end of the War, the Secret Service outfitted a C-54 Skymaster for transporting the ailing FDR. Nicknamed the Sacred Cow, the C-54 had a radio telephone, a sleeping area, and even a retractable lift to hoist Roosevelt and his wheelchair into the plane. President Roosevelt flew on the modified aircraft only once before his death. The Sacred Cow transported him to the Yalta Conference in February 1945. Story continues The Independence Harry S. Truman flew aboard the Sacred Cow after Roosevelt's death in April 1945-he was on this plane when he signed the National Security Act of 1947, which established the office of Secretary of Defense and created the U.S. Air Force as a distinct branch of the military (it was formerly the U.S. Army Air Forces). Later that year, Truman replaced the Sacred Cow with a C-118 Liftmaster he named Independence after his hometown in Missouri. This was the first presidential transport aircraft with a unique exterior-the nose of the aircraft was painted with a bald eagle's head. Air Force One In 1953, Eastern Airlines commercial flight 8610 flew into the same airspace as a plane carrying President Dwight D. Eisenhower with the call sign Air Force 8610. To avoid future confusion, the Air Force established the unique air traffic control designation "Air Force One" for any aircraft carrying the President of the United States. President Eisenhower introduced four propeller-driven aircraft to serve as presidential transports: two Lockheed C-121 Constellations nicknamed Columbine II and III (Columbine II pictured above), and two Aero Commander aircraft, the smallest planes to ever serve as Air Force One. The first official flight of Air Force One carried President Eisenhower in 1959. The First Presidential Jet Toward the end of the Eisenhower Administration, the Air Force decided that prop planes were just not going to cut it for the president anymore. Air Force One would henceforth be a jet aircraft. SAM (Special Air Missions) 970, a Boeing 707, replaced President Eisenhower's C-121 Constellations in 1959. SAM 971 and 972 were added to the fleet shortly after. A Boeing 707-120 with modified interior and communications equipment, called VC-137, took Eisenhower on his 22,000-mile "Flight to Peace" goodwill tour when he visited 11 Asian nations over the course of 19 days in December 1959. The jet made the trip in half the time that the Columbine aircraft would have. SAM 26000 and 27000 John F. Kennedy traveled in the SAM 970, 971 and 972 on multiple occasions, but in October 1962, the U.S. Air Force purchased a long-range 707, the Boeing C-137 Stratoliner, to become the new presidential transport aircraft: SAM 26000. President Kennedy famously had the red and gold livery of the plane changed because he thought it looked too regal. The plane used a more modest polished aluminum design with blue and white instead, and aircraft designated for presidential use have mimicked the look ever since. The most famous moment on board SAM 26000 was Lyndon B. Johnson taking the oath of office after the assassination of President Kennedy, an event captured in this iconic photo. President Johnson used the plane for a trip to South Vietnam during the war, and President Nixon flew on SAM 26000 during his historic trip to China in 1972-the first time a president ever visited the People's Republic. SAM 26000 stayed in service until the Clinton administration, though the plane was replaced as the primary presidential aircraft by another VC-137, SAM 27000, in 1972 during the Nixon administration. In 1974, when Air Force One was flying President Nixon into Syria, two Syrian MiG fighter jets flew up to act as escorts. However, no one informed the pilot of Air Force One, and he immediately took evasive maneuvers including a dive that sent staffers on the aircraft sprawling. The U.S. Air Force alerted the pilot of Air Force One that the MiGs were escorts and not hostile interceptors shortly after the encounter. Nixon boarded SAM 27000 shortly after resigning the presidency. The pilot of the aircraft at the time, Colonel Ralph Albertazzie, was forced to contact air traffic control to report that the call sign for the plane had changed from Air Force One to SAM 27000, as Gerald Ford was sworn in as president with Nixon still in flight. According to the New York Times, Albertazzie radioed in while flying over Jefferson County, Missouri: "Kansas City, this was Air Force One. Will you change our call sign to SAM 27000?" Air traffic control responded: "Roger, SAM 27000. Good luck to the President." SAM 27000 flew every subsequent President of the United States except for Barack Obama. On August 29, 2001, it flew George W. Bush from San Antonio to Waco, Texas for its last flight. Executive One, Marine One, Army One and Navy One The aircraft carrying the United States President isn't always referred to as Air Force One-specifically when it is not an aircraft operated by the Air Force. President Nixon is the only president to have flown on Executive One, the designation for a regularly scheduled civilian flight that has a sitting president on board. Nixon and his family flew on a United Airlines DC-10 from Washington Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport in December 1973 to "set an example for the rest of the nation during the current energy crisis," according to the administration. Other branches of the armed forces get to transport the president from time to time as well. Helicopters operated by the U.S. Marine Corps receive the designation Marine One when they carry the POTUS. The Army assisted with helicopter transport for the president prior to 1976, using the rarely seen designation Army One. A Bell UH-13J Sioux was the first helicopter used to transport a sitting president when it flew President Eisenhower to his summer home in Pennsylvania in 1957. The Navy first had the honor of flying the president, and of using the call sign Navy One, in May 2003. A Sea Control Squadron Thirty-Five S-3B Viking carried President George W. Bush to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln off the coast of California, making him the first president to land on an aircraft carrier in a plane. In a unique operation carried out in March 2000, President Clinton flew to Pakistan aboard an unmarked Gulfstream III that was not designated Air Force One. A C-17 Globemaster III used the call sign Air Force One, without the president on board, as it flew the same route a few minutes behind the Gulfstream III to act as a decoy. Boeing 747 The Air Force decided the president needed new planes to replace the aging 707s during the Reagan Administration, though the pair of 747s that replaced SAM 26000 and 27000 were not ready for service until George H. W. Bush took office. Production of the first Boeing 747-200B to serve as Air Force One was delayed so additional work could be done to protect the aircraft from the effects of an electromagnetic pule (EMP), either from a nuclear blast or as a direct attack on the plane's electronics. The VC-25s-two 747s modified by the military for presidential transport-contain secure telephone and computer communications systems so the president can continue to conduct operations while in flight. The aircraft also have an office for the president, a conference room, and private quarters for the president and the first lady. Immediately after the attacks of 9/11, George W. Bush boarded SAM 28000 and took off from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport in Florida. An airliner neared Air Force One shortly after takeoff and ominously failed to respond to air traffic control's attempts to radio the plane (it turns out the plane's transponder was mistakenly switched off). Colonel Mark Tillman, the senior pilot of Air Force One at the time, took no chances and flew his aircraft over the Gulf of Mexico, requesting "fighters on the wing" to fend off any possible attacks. The airliner did not follow Air Force One. The two VC-25s remain the primary aircraft for presidential transport to this day. Air Force One of the Future The Air Force announced in January 2015 that the Boeing 747-8 will serve as the next presidential aircraft. The new aircraft will have defenses against electromagnetic pulses, in-air refueling capabilities, and likely a sophisticated onboard missile defense system. It could be some time before the aircraft are ready to fly the president however, and the V-25s, though aging, will likely see plenty more use. From ELLE When New York Citybased actress Coco Baudelle sat down for lunch at the Lower East Side hipster eatery Dimes precisely 83 weeks ago, she didn't think much of the post-meal Instagram the restaurant later posted. She certainly didn't expect that photo to lead to a modeling career. "I thought I was the opposite of what the modeling world is looking for," she says. "I'm short, petite in every way, I have a weird tooth." But it was that photo that caught the attention of Glossier founder and CEO Emily Weiss, who subsequently slid into her DMs. "I thought it was a prank because I was a pretty big fan of Into the Gloss [the blog, created by Weiss, that preceded the launch of Glossier]," Baudelle says. "She set up a casual meeting, just me and her, and we just talked. By the end of our coffee Emily said, 'You laugh a lot, I love that.' A few days later we were shooting Glossier's first campaign." We've all lost hours, days, hell, probably even months of our lives at this point down Instagram's rabbit hole: one wedding hashtag leads to the page of a girl you sorta remember and were sorta scared of in college and definitely want to find out what she's up to now-Whoa. She has three kids!? But if you work at Glossier, the cool-oozing beauty start-up, it's part of the job. That's how the company finds the fresh-faced, bold-browed beauties who represent their brand. "The trick is to look at the 'tagged' photos. Especially with so many people using Photoshopping apps, Instagram can be a bit misleading." "In the beginning when we were doing the first round of casting for Glossier, I was totally consumed with discovering these amazing girls on Instagram," Weiss says. "I would literally fall into a black hole until the wee hours of the morning, scrolling through girls' feeds who I found inspiring." Annie Kreighbaum, Glossier's executive editor, lays the strategy bare: "I find girls just through good old-fashioned stalking," she says. "I see someone post a photo and tag their friend, go on her page to see more and so on. The trick is to look at the 'tagged' photos. Especially with so many people using Photoshopping apps, Instagram can be a bit misleading." Story continues Occasionally the strategy backfires. "I DM'd this really cool girl with an amazing haircut and bone structure," Kreighbaum recalls. "I'd been following her for a while because she's so intelligent and witty. We planned to meet up at the offices on a Saturday because it was best for her schedule. And the night before she messaged me saying "Hey, is it okay if my dad comes? I'm only 15." Anyway, that's why we haven't used her-she's a baby! Needless to say I felt like a huge weirdo. Her dad was actually really good looking, so I'll keep him in mind if we transition into men's products." "We no longer have to rely on chance to discover a fantastic new face." Traditional modeling agencies have been using Instagram to scout for the past couple of years. In December 2014, IMG launched @weloveyourgenes, an Instagram account with the express purpose of "finding new modeling talent around the world!" "By using social media we no longer have to rely on chance to discover a fantastic new face," says Jeni Rose, VP of IMG Models. "Scouting no longer has to be random process for us. It's a pleasure to connect directly with potential talent via the strength and following of our brand." Casting agent Noah Shelly told The Cut in March 2015, "They have interns at the model agencies going through Instagram and looking for people with large followings, and they're just signing them." But it wasn't until fairly recently that brands have started to forgo modeling agencies and head straight to Instagram. Because more and more, Instagram-not the NYC streets or a South London mall or some far-flung corner of Russia-is the most effective place to discover new faces in the modeling world. In some instances, as in Glossier's, Instagram has all but replaced traditional modeling agencies. (Glossier still, on occasion, uses agencies, but relies heavily on Instagram.) Two years ago, Marc by Marc Jacobs cast its campaign via Instagram, inviting submissions with the hashtag #CastMeMarc. Jacobs told WWD at the time that he thought the strategy was "current and strong." It's a strategy that works for Glossier. Because even though Instagram is known for its filters and is filled with Facetune-d selfies, it's also become a place where women feel increasingly comfortable sharing #iwokeuplikethis no-makeup, pimple-revealing photos of themselves. "Right alongside someone that uses fillers and Facetune, you'll see someone showing off their zits and natural eyebrows. Sometimes it's the same person!" Kreighbaum says. "We have a long way to go before the digitally and surgically enhanced options lose out to something more raw and real, if that's even what people want. But, at least with Instagram, people are rapidly learning the difference." What's more, Instagram offers a fuller and richer portrait of a potential model. "I like to work with girls that have a strong sense of self," Kreighbaum adds. "It doesn't feel natural just to pick a girl from a few images on an agency's website and say, 'She should represent our brand!' Even if we decide to go with someone signed to an agency, we do our homework to make sure we're right for each other." That homework, naturally, involves an "Instagram creep." Ever since laundry appliances moved from the basement to the main floor of the home, American consumers started to care more about the color and style of the appliances and whether they looked good together. Matching washer and dryer setssuch as those featured in our article on the best matching washers and dryerscontinue to be big sellers. Thats why we added 57 washer and dryer sets to our Ratings of washing machines and clothes dryers. Were trying to make it easier for you to find the best pair for your budget. In both the washing machine and dryer ratings we highlight washer and dryer sets, noting the price of the pair and an overall test score. The score is a combination of the overall scores for both the washer and dryer. The washers score is weighted more since the washer typically drives the decision when buying a matching set, says Emilio Gonzalez, who runs Consumer Reports tests of washing machines and dryers. The washer and dryer sets are grouped by pairs in both the washing machine and clothes dryer sections of ConsumerReports.org. One of the highest-rated pairs is the Samsung WF56H9110CW washer and the Samsung DV56H9100EG electric dryer, which together sell for $2,650. All recommended models are excellent performers, relatively quiet, and have jumbo capacities. But, as always, a high price doesn't mean top performance. A Staber top-load HE washer and electric dryer pair that costs $2,600 is the lowest-rated matching set. Your best bet is to check the results of our tests before committing to a couple. To learn more about each appliance, click on the washer or dryer, and look at our brand reliability information too. Let us know if these new ratings helped you make your buying decision. If you have any questions, send me an email at kjaneway@consumer.org. More from Consumer Reports: The best matching washers and dryers Generator Buying Guide 8 ways to boost your home value Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright 2006-2016 Consumers Union of U.S. Washington (AFP) - Two senior officials from President Barack Obama's administration acknowledged Europe's increased cooperation in the fight against terror, but cautioned that further progress was needed. European countries "are improving in the sharing of information when it comes to anti-terror efforts, they are on the right path," Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told a US Senate panel. "They are not where we need to be but we are working to make sure they are." Justin Siberell of the State Department's Bureau of Counterterrorism said recent attacks in Paris and Brussels highlighted the need for heightened transatlantic collaboration. "There is political will now within Europe for improving their systems, improving their watching lists," Siberell told lawmakers. He added that US officials have seen "a greater openness to work with us" from European countries. The spate of attacks in Europe left US officials and lawmakers concerned with the pitfalls of Europe's counterterroroism systems. Those weaknesses are seen as a direct threat to US homeland security, as most Europeans can enter American territory without a visa. Washington was particularly pleased after Europe reached an agreement in April on the collection of air passenger data. Mayorkas also praised initiatives taken to reinforce Europol, the European Union's law enforcement agency. Europeans have "really empowered and equipped Europol as a central repository off information and cooperation. It's a really important issue in which we participate considerably," Mayorkas said. He added that the US had actively offered technological advice to boost Europe's forces. Mayorkas plans to discuss counterterrorism cooperation when he travels to Europe next week for meetings with his European counterparts. From Popular Mechanics Here's a video of military aircraft using a plain old highway as their landing strip. The use of highways as runways is actually fairly common as a means of keeping your air force viable in wartime. The video comes from a military exercise in Belarus and shows MiG-29 multirole fighters and Su-25 ground attack aircraft of the Belorussian Air Force taking off and landing from a remote stretch of highway. The highway appears to have been converted into a temporary airfield, complete with fuel trucks and radar station. The aircraft appear to be resting off the side of the road on perforated steel plate, known in the U.S. as Marston Mats. Launching and recovering aircraft from well-developed highways is a technique popular with frontline air forces. Taiwan, Poland, Pakistan and North Korea do it, and it's especially popular with neutral or neutral-leaning countries including Sweden, Finland, and Switzerland. The idea is that big airfields are fixed positions that are easy to seek out and destroy. Dispersing some of your jets to the countryside, where they're difficult to find, can ensure your air power survives the first day of the war. Taking off and landing from highways is also practiced in Russia, although in at least one case the Russian Air Force forgot to close the highway to oncoming traffic. For Immediate Release Chicago, IL May 26, 2016 Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include Southwest Airlines (LUV), Alaska Air Group (ALK), Ryanair Holdings plc ( RYAAY), Delta Air Lines (DAL) and American Airlines Group (AAL). Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free. Here are highlights from Wednesdays Analyst Blog: Airline Stock Roundup The past week saw the Dallas-based carrier Southwest Airlines (LUV) announce two shareholder friendly moves a dividend hike and a new share repurchase program. However, the recent crash of the EgyptAir jet into the Mediterranean Sea, claiming 66 lives, has been dominating headlines. Furthermore, the employment data released by Bureau of Transportation Statistics for passenger airlines showed a substantial year-over-year increase in full-time equivalent (FTE) employment for March. Moreover, expansion related news from Alaska Air Group ( ALK) grabbed headlines in the past week. On the earnings front, European low-cost carrier Ryanair Holdings plc (RYAAY) reported healthy results in fiscal 2016 (ended Mar 31, 2016), on the back of increased revenues and low costs. (Read the last Airline Stock Roundup for May 18, 2016 ). Recap of the Past Weeks Most Important Stories 1. Close on the heels of Delta Air Lines (DAL) decision to hike its quarterly dividend payout, Southwest Airlines announced a dividend raise along with a new share repurchase program worth $2 billion. The low-cost carrier raised its cash quarterly dividend to $0.10 per share ($0.40 per share annualized), representing an increase of 33.33% over the previous quarterly payout (read more: Southwest Airlines Up on Dividend Hike & New Buyback Plan ). Story continues 2. Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the crash of the EgyptAir jet which was travelling from Paris to Cairo. According to a Bloomberg report, Egypts aviation minister Sherif Fathy had cited terrorism as a probable cause behind the tragedy. Although it has not yet been proved conclusively that the flight was a victim to a terror act, we believe that in the event of it being proved so, travel to Europe will take a hit (read more: US Carriers Sell Off in Wake of EgyptAir Tragedy ). 3. Alaska Airlines, the wholly owned subsidiary of Alaska Air Group, announced the addition of a three-times-a-day nonstop service connecting San Diego to Sacramento and Burbank to San Jose. The new service is set to commence on Mar 16, 2017 (read more: Alaska Airlines Eyes Route Expansion, California in Focus ). 4. According to data released by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, there was a 3.9% increase in the number of workers employed by U.S. scheduled passenger airlines for March. This marked the 28th consecutive month of year-over-year increase. FTEs for Mar 2016 came in at 406,113. According to the update, the most number of FTEs in the month were employed by the American Airlines Group (AAL) among the network airlines. Southwest Airlines secured the top spot in this regard in the low-cost carrier category. 5. Ryanair Holdings reported robust financial and operating numbers with net profit for fiscal 2016 up 43% year over year at 1,242 million. Moreover, load factor increased 500 basis points to 93%. The top line expanded 16% to 6,536 million on the back of an 18% rise in passenger count to 106.4 million. The customer friendly Always Getting Better (AGB) program drew massive number of new customers to Ryanair. However, the carrier issued a cautious outlook for fiscal 2017 in the wake of the recent terror attacks. The carrier expects airfares to face pressure due to concerns which could hurt travel demand in Europe. That the carriers fears are not baseless is reflected by the update coming from travel company, Thomas Cook. The agency has revealed a 5% decline in summer bookings compared to last year. With average fares expected to decline approximately 7%, net profit for fiscal 2017 is expected to increase only 13%. The company plans to fly 116 million passengers in fiscal 2017, reflecting an increase of 9%. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free. About Zacks Equity Research Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term. Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons. Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today. About Zacks Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978. The later formation of the Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock picking system; continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zacksresearch Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates. Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report SOUTHWEST AIR (LUV): Free Stock Analysis Report ALASKA AIR GRP (ALK): Free Stock Analysis Report RYANAIR HLDGS (RYAAY): Free Stock Analysis Report DELTA AIR LINES (DAL): Free Stock Analysis Report AMER AIRLINES (AAL): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Wells Fargo & Company WFC has been hit with a $70 million penalty by The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) as the bank failed to correct the shortcomings identified in the 2011 consent orders related to mortgage practices in a timely fashion. However, the OCC ended the mortgage servicing consent order against Wells Fargo as the bank was found to be compliant. The release stated, The termination of the orders ends business restrictions affecting Wells Fargo that the OCC mandated in June 2015. On imposing penalty, the OCC noted that the bank violated the 2011 consent order from Oct 1, 2014, through Aug 30, 2015. The agency identified that Wells Fargos payment change notices in bankruptcy courts were not in compliance with bankruptcy rules and safe and sound banking practices. Also, the San Francisco-based banking giant made inaccurate escrow calculation. In Brief Last June, Wells Fargo was among the six banks including JPMorgan Chase & Co. JPM, HSBC Holdings plc HSBC and U.S. Bancorp USB who faced restrictions on business activities related to mortgage servicing as they failed to comply with the consent orders tied to faulty foreclosures in the past. Precisely, the banks did not fulfill all the requirements of the consent orders related to the 2011 independent foreclosure review (IFR). The banks faced restrictions with respect to the acquisition of residential mortgage servicing or residential mortgage servicing rights, new contracts of residential mortgage servicing for other parties, outsourcing and off-shoring of new residential mortgage servicing activities. However, the restrictions differed depending on the case of each bank. Notably, the IFR review was part of the $10 billion settlements with the OCC and the Federal Reserve related to mortgage abuses. Per the agreements, banks were required to modify and improve their mortgage servicing operations to settle claims of mishandling loan documents, robo-signing papers to initiate rapid foreclosures and undertaking other fraudulent measures that triggered large number of home foreclosures following the 2008 financial crisis. In a similar move, the OCC imposed a $48-million fine on JPMorgan in January while U.S. Bancorp was hit with a $10 million penalty in February. However, the regulator lifted mortgage servicing restrictions on both the banks. Bottom Line The latest announcement by the OCC seems to send a clear message that the banks cannot escape from their past misconducts and that they are strictly required to improve their business practices in order to prevent any further crisis. We remain encouraged by the continued efforts of regulators to bring stability in the financial sector and protect interest of investors. Wells Fargo currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report JPMORGAN CHASE (JPM): Free Stock Analysis Report US BANCORP (USB): Free Stock Analysis Report WELLS FARGO-NEW (WFC): Free Stock Analysis Report HSBC HOLDINGS (HSBC): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Is BP's Upstream Portfolio Poised for Growth? (Continued from Prior Part) BPs cash flow from operations, investing, and financing In 1Q16, BPs (BP) cash flow from operations stood at $1.9 billion, almost the same level as in 1Q15. BPs cash outflow from investing stood at $3.2 billion in 1Q16 compared to $3 billion in 1Q15. BPs cash flow from financing activities mainly consisted of changing debt levels and dividend payments. BP focuses on providing returns to shareholders in the form of dividends. BPs current dividend yield stands at 7.5%. BPs peer ExxonMobils (XOM) dividend yield stands at 3.3%. Comparatively, Chevron (CVX) and Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A) have higher dividend yields of 4.3% and 7.4%, respectively. If youre looking for exposure to high-dividend stocks, you can consider the iShares Core High Dividend ETF (HDV). The ETF also has ~21% exposure to energy sector stocks. Analyzing BPs cash flow strategy In 1Q16, BP generated $1.9 billion in cash from operations after deducting Gulf of Mexico oil spill charges worth $1.1 billion. However, the company had cash outflows of $4.3 billion in capital expenditure, $1 billion in dividends, and $0.9 billion in net debt repayments, amounting to total of $6.2 billion. How did BP make up the difference in cash flows? Due to lower cash flow from operations due to oil spill charges and lower oil prices, the company had to utilize its cash balance and resort to asset sales. BP executed asset sales to the tune of $1.1 billion in 1Q16. The remaining shortfall was mainly funded by drawing down its cash reserves. For how long can this strategy be maintained? BP cannot perpetually utilize its cash reserves. If oil prices remain subdued for an extended period and oil spill charges continue to be a burden, BP will have to boost its leverage, cut its capital expenditure or dividends, or adopt a mix of these strategies. As pointed out in the previous article, ascertaining the right leverage level will be imperative for the company to maintain its financial strength and flexibility. Story continues Going forward, higher production will likely improve cash flow from operations, but the degree of the improvement will mainly depend on oil price levels and further oil spill charges. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: The Present Revolution in US Electricity Generation: Key Trends (Continued from Prior Part) Clean Power Plan According to the EIA (US Energy Information Administration), the implementation of the CPP (Clean Power Plan) in accordance with the recent international agreement is expected to have a significant impact on carbon emissions from the US power sector. Factors like fuel mix and electricity prices may also get impacted when the CPP goes into effect. The Clean Power Plan targets a 32% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, as compared to 2005 levels. Power plants are the biggest sources of carbon dioxide emissions in the US, with the US power sector (XLU) accounting for 33% of total greenhouse gas emissions. When the plan goes through With the CPP in effect, power sector emissions are forecasted to decline by a robust 28% in 2022, as compared to 2005 levels. From 2030 to 2040, carbon emissions are expected to decline by nearly 35%. Meanwhile, energy efficiency programs and equipment contribute greatly to lower energy usage, which ultimately helps in lowering emissions. And so coal-heavy power generators like DTE Energy (DTE), American Electric Power (AEP), Duke Energy (DUK), and Southern Company (SO) are slowly switching away from coal (KOL) to lower-emitting sources. Retirements and toxic air If the CPP were not implemented, carbon dioxide emission levels are expected to soar by 7% in the US through 2022. And the significant coal retirements that are already scheduled would continue, though likely by a smaller degree. In 2015, nearly 14 gigawatts of coal plants were retired due to cost-competitive natural gas (UNG). In 2016, 40 GW (gigawatts) to 45 GW of coal plants are expected to retire in accordance with the final deadline for the MATS (Mercury and Air Toxic Standards) passed in April 2016. Coal production, however, will likely stay relatively stable through 2040. In the next and final part, well discuss how power prices have reacted to the recent decline in fuel costs. Story continues Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: The geniuses of Silicon Valley are hacking every aspect of society to make it better thats what they constantly tell us, anyway. From how we consume music and TV and news to how we get around, theres almost no aspect of modern life that tech companies havent changed, sometimes radically. And theres no doubt that many of these changes have brought about positive results for many people. But now it appears one Silicon Valley titan is hacking democracy hacking it to pieces, that is. In recent days, tech billionaire Peter Thiel was revealed as the man funding a series of lawsuits against Gawker, a news site that is engaged in a lawsuit with Terry Bollea, a.k.a. Hulk Hogan. Thiels deep pockets not only ensured that Bolleas case got as far as it did, his money also provided the backing for an array of lawsuits that look as though theyre designed to leave a smoking crater where the network of Gawker sites used to be. Todays the day Donald Trump apparently clinched the number of delegates hell need to be the Republican nominee. But right now, Im more afraid of Thiel and his ilk. We all should be. Chances are Trump wont win in November. He is a threat to many things the majority of Americans hold dear, if the polls are to believed. But rampaging magnates like Thiel are an even bigger threat to democracy itself. Lets get one thing clear: I have no particular love for Gawker. Last year, like almost every other media person on the planet, I vociferously condemned one story in particular that I wont rehash here because the rationale that allowed it to be published in the first place still nauseates me. That non-story embodied everything journalism should avoid, not embrace, in my opinion. And there have been a number of other pieces Gawker and its affiliated sites have published that I have found deeply troubling or misguided over the years. So Im not here to tell you Gawker founder Nick Denton is an innocent lamb being led to the slaughter. Story continues That said, Gawker funds and publishes a lot of really good, smart writing and worthy, tough-minded journalism as well, and it has done so since it snarked its way onto the media scene in the early aughts. It also has an array of blind spots and problematic practices, some of which Thiel and others have every right to object to, but every media company makes mistakes, sometimes big ones. But the punishment Thiel clearly has in mind the scorched-earth destruction of the entire company in no way fits the crime he thinks it has committed. Itd be like you crashing into your neighbors car not once but two or three times, and in response, your neighbor, instead of getting angry, lobbing some valid complaints and filing an insurance claim, burns down your house and runs over your dog. And then moves away and drops a bomb on the neighborhood. Gawker isnt innocent in this, nor is it Satan incarnate. But this isnt about Gawker. This isnt about one mogul having a tantrum and scrubbing things he doesnt like from the Internet, as the fictional Gavin Belson recently did on Silicon Valley. (Sidebar: Nothing about the Belson character feels even remotely fictional, which is one reason the HBO comedy is so funny in a slightly scary way.) This is about one of the fundamental pillars of democracy being threatened by entities with almost infinite power and resources. You know those superhero films in which unstoppable, power-mad villains in the midst of meltdowns decide to threaten entire planets? Yeah, that scenario doesnt feel all that far-fetched, especially if youve spent a decade or two or three working in the media industry. There have always been rich people whove gone after the media, sometimes for frivolous reasons, sometimes for good ones. But the fact is, there are more billionaires in this country than ever. If they all decide to go scorched-earth on journalism outlets they dont like, well, say goodbye to a free press. A thriving media ecosystem in which journalists and critics can speak truth to power on a regular basis is one of the foundations of a civil society. Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, as long as the press doesnt make rich and powerful people angry. Wait, I may have that excerpt from the Constitution wrong. Or do I? If you think Im being hyperbolic, Im not. Amazons Jeff Bezos now owns the Washington Post. Magnate Sheldon Adelson is the owner of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, which he appears to be gutting like a fish. And as many commentators have pointed out, Thiel has the ear of the most powerful man at any media company on Earth: Mark Zuckerberg. Thiel is friends with Zuckerberg and is on the board of Facebook, which, in case you werent aware, holds the fate of many media firms in its clammy, data-driven hands. You havent seen frenzy behind the scenes at a media company until youve lived through a week in which Facebook changes its cryptic algorithms. Few things cause more newsroom ulcers than Facebook or Google altering the the ways in which their users engage with news content. Forget Oprah and Time, Inc: A small array of tech firms hold the keys to the media kingdom, they move in mysterious ways and they answer to no one. And many of these tech firms believe its their mission to fundamentally change our society, which isnt necessarily a bad impulse, but theyre coming from a culture in which secrecy is an ingrained survival instinct. They dont like scrutiny and they think pulling back the curtain means giving away trade secrets. In short, many of these companies and the titans theyve spawned want to build the future without being transparent about their motives, methods or endgames. And the press? Thats merely something to be controlled. Not so much a pillar but a pet. So what if, as Felix Salmon suggests, Thiel convinces his Silicon Valley cronies that nuking media companies that misbehave is not just a social good but an altruistic act? Yes, Thiel compared his grudge match against Gawker to a charitable cause. And thats the kind of messianic thinking that makes me wonder if Thiel is merely trying to provide the next season of Silicon Valley with a satire-rich environment. However, there is something much deeper and darker at work. You can dislike what some media companies do thats fine, we can take it. We know we make mistakes, and the kind of free and open exchange of ideas that allows people to squawk about stories they dont like is a very good thing. All that debate and discussion has its effects. For example, Denton announced Gawker had changed its editorial policies after the outcry over the sites reprehensible 2015 story. Media companies evolve, in part due to feedback, in part because of the times we live in. If they dont keep pace with change, theyll die. And too many good newspapers, news sites and valuable media resources have already bitten the dust. And thats why you are probably seeing many people who work in the media reacting to the Thiel revelation with a mixture of horror and terror. We already know that most news organizations are already facing an ever-shifting array of existential threats. Making money as a media firm in this day and age is not for the faint of heart. In general, margins are slimmer and less dependable than ever, and paying the bills via Internet advertising is a chancy game, made chancier by more consumers who install ad-blocking software. A lot of journalism-dependent companies are hanging by a thread, or maybe four threads on a good day. You may sometimes think that news outlets of various kinds are falling into a clickbait-obsessed spirals in response to the radical changes of the past decade. Some days I think that too. But I exited journalism school in the early 90s, well before the Internet was really a Thing, and one fact has remained true since that time: The vast majority of journalists, critics and reporters in this game do what we do because we love it and we think what we do is important and even fun, and were not doing it in a spirit of destructive glee, nor do we think were going to make bank doing it. Uncovering wrongs, spotlighting good works, championing and analyzing and criticizing, investigating and exposing without fear or favor a functional society needs a lively press that is doing all these things, every day. To put it in tech-adjacent terms, its the kind of data set that leads to rational, informed choices. But maybe Silicon Valley isnt after educated citizens: Maybe the Peter Thiels of the world just want an array of obedient consumers. Good luck with that. Related stories Gawker On Reports of Possible Sale: 'Everyone Take a Breath' Hulk Hogan's Sex Tape Lawsuit Reportedly Financed by Tech Billionaire; Gawker Asking for Reduced Damages WWE Stars, Hollywood Remember 'Pioneer,' 'Beautiful Soul' Chyna One of the countrys largest pizza chains thats been a big winner for investors over the past several years may be set for a massive selloff. Since May 2011, Dominos Pizza (DPZ) has shot up more than 400% in price, trading at an all-time high of $140.80 on April 20. But that is about to change, according to a recent report by GeoInvesting. Dan David, co-founder of GeoInvesting, told Yahoo Finances Seana Smith that the recent dip in the stock is just the beginning, and a "perfect storm" of factors could trigger a big pullback. We looked at Dominos as a high flyer, a hedge fund darling, and tried to decide what theyre doing better than the competition. What we came away with is really, not much, said David. Management positions themselves as a pseudo technology company, with its pizza tracker and ordering pizzas by emoji, but that doesnt make it a technology company. They dont deserve a technology multiple. GeoInvesting initiated a short position on the stock around $135 per share because of the companys debt. At $2.2 billion, David says it cant sustain that debt without refinancing down the road. But thats not the only headwind facing Dominos Pizza. Wage increases and higher commodity prices could prove challenging for the company. Oil is going to go up. Pork and cheese are at or near three-year lows. Also, historic wage increases coming our way are going to affect them, said David. As the wage increases become more prevalent, this is going to be a problem for them. In a suit filed Monday night, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman accused Dominos Pizza and three of its franchisees of underpaying workers at least $565,000 at 10 New York locations. And this is not the first suit filed by New York against Dominos. The attorney generals office has settled cases with 12 other Dominos franchisees who agreed to pay about $1.5 million. David says he expects wage violations to continue to be a problem for them. As for the next opportunity to buy Dominos Pizzas stock, he plans to reevaluate when shares are trading at $80. Dominos Pizza declined Yahoo Finances request for comment on GeoInvestings report. Hand-wringing among Democrats has been trending upward along with presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps poll numbers. The New York billionaire and Hillary Clinton are tied within the margin of error in national polling, with Trump sometimes holding a slight edge. Given Trumps general unpopularity, thats not the way things were supposed to be, and many in the Democratic Party are starting to cast withering glares at Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, concerned that his persistence in waging a doomed campaign to topple Clinton is reducing the amount of time she has to unite a party that his candidacy has divided. Related: Dems Offer a Different Sort of Challenge to Trumps Manhood As Ron Brownstein, writing for The Atlantic, put it, The nightmare precedent for Clinton strategists is a replay of the 1980 convention, which was dominated by Jimmy Carters largely unrequited pursuit of reconciliation with his own liberal challenger, Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Carter, of course, went on to lose to Ronald Reagan in the general election. However, academics who study American politics and longtime political analysts have a clear message for Democrats preparing to panic over the state of the party: Chill out. Writing for Larry Sabatos Crystal Ball, Emory University political scientist Alan Abramowitz argues for a little historical perspective. Democrats appear to be forgetting just how nasty the partys 2008 primary between Clinton and then-Sen. Barack Obama was, and how deep the divisions between their supporters seemed, he says. Clinton battled Obama to the very end of the primary season in early June, winning several of the late contests. In the end, Clinton actually won slightly more votes than Obama in Democratic primaries but fell short in terms of delegates because of Obamas overwhelming margins in caucus states. Related: Why Donald Trumps Attacks on a GOP Governor Are Stupid Politics However, despite the acrimony and the short-lived rise of the so-called PUMA Democrats -- anti-Obama activists whose acronym stood for Party Unity My Ass -- Democrats overwhelmingly supported Obama in the general election. Story continues Bringing the party back together behind the nominee will probably be even easier in 2016, Abramowitz says. The major reason for this is that Donald Trump is a far less attractive alternative to disgruntled Democrats than John McCain was in 2008, he writes. And no matter what Sanders does, someone else should be extremely helpful when it comes to unifying Democrats once the primary contest is over: President Obama. In 2008, Clinton eventually endorsed Obama strongly, and her backing (and that of her husband, former president Bill Clinton) at the nominating convention and beyond, no doubt helped win over her disappointed supporters. Related: Is This How Nancy Pelosi Turns Sanders Supporters into Clinton Voters? Sanders has already indicated that he will endorse and campaign for Clinton against Trump, as Clinton did for Obama eight years ago. However, in that election the Democrats didnt have the benefit of an incumbent president who enjoys a positive favorability scores of 88 percent among Democrats as a whole, and 82 percent among the defeated candidates supporters, as Obama does. And of course, there are Trumps enormous deficits with key segments of the electorate -- women, Hispanics, African Americans -- that will be difficult, if not impossible, to overcome. Clinton has her own baggage, to be sure. Shes almost as unpopular as Trump, and as yet another report on her use of a private email server while secretary of state shows, has plenty of ghosts from her past that will continue to haunt her. However, theres good reason to believe that barring something truly surprising and unexpected, Clintons past will be more of an annoyance than a real problem. In the end, according to observers like Abramowitz and Brownstein, Democrats anxiety about a Clinton v. Trump general election is probably not very well founded. As Brownstein reminds readers, The history in both parties is that primary wounds eventually get healed. But with Trump stirring in these early polls, that healing process cant start too soon to soothe the nerves of anxious Democrats. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: From Popular Mechanics The Soviet Union was a juggernaut of a state given to grandiose statements of power, especially the military and industrial kind. It threw immense amounts of scientific and financial resources at projects aimed to prove the superiority of the socialist system over capitalism. Often, it failed. But state control over information and the press meant that the extent of many of its failures were hidden until after the collapse of the USSR in 1991. The excellent aviation blog Hush-Kit has put together a list of the worst military and civilian aircraft produced by the Soviet Union from 1917 to 1991. Many of the aircraft are designs that were looked upon with fear and trepidation when first observed in the West were actually terrible airplanes. Take the Tupolev Tu-144, for example. The Soviet Union's answer to the Anglo-French Concorde supersonic transport, the Tu-144 actually flew two months before the Concorde did. As Hush-Kit notes, "in the rush to achieve this symbolic victory, Tupolev had made a dog. The first flight was misleadingthe production machine was virtually a complete redesign, most notably in the critical relationship between the wing and the engine." Another example, the Tu-22 "Blinder" medium bomber, was seen as a hotrod of a nuclear bomber that could penetrate enemy airspace at supersonic speeds. And yet, it was actually a dangerous airplane that had a string of lethal accidents. The Tu-22 needed constant maintenance, couldn't fly (or land) at less than 180 miles an hour, and had terrible visibility. For those reasons, the Tu-22 was known as "Blind John" (the Tu-22's NATO code name, "Blinder", may be a nod to this) and the "Man-Eater." And that's just a taste of the whole horrible menagerie which also includes the Lavochkin LaGG-3-which couldn't pull out of a dive-and of course, the monstrous Kalinin K-7. Read about them all at Hush-Kit. London (AFP) - Winnie-the-Pooh meets Queen Elizabeth II and a little boy who looks just like her great-grandson Prince George in a new story published Thursday to mark both their 90th birthdays. A.A. Milne's honey-loving bear, who first appeared in a story in 1926, the year of the queen's birth, travels to London with Christopher Robin, Piglet and Eeyore the gloomy donkey to give the monarch a birthday "hum" or poem. They meet her by chance outside Buckingham Palace, where she is holding the hand of a unnamed young boy, described as "almost as bouncy as Tigger" and looking remarkably similar to Prince William's son George. Winnie-the-Pooh famously tried to see the king in the poem "Buckingham Palace", but he was "much too busy a-signing things". They watched the changing of the guard, and then went home for tea. "Winnie-the-Pooh and the Royal Birthday" was written by Jane Riordan with illustrations by Mark Burgess, who also drew the pictures for "Return to the Hundred Acre Wood" in 2009, the first authorised book since Milne's death. It is free to download from the Disney website and there is an audio version narrated by Oscar-winning actor Jim Broadbent, who said it had been "an honour" to record. "I have been a fan of Winnie-the-Pooh since I was a boy, in fact I named my very first and much loved teddy Pooh, and that can only have been after the A.A. Milne character," he said in a statement. The queen was also said to enjoy the Pooh tales as a child. It turns out that Queen Elizabeth isn't the only beloved icon to celebrate a 90th birthday this year. A.A. Milne's classic children's character Winnie-the-Pooh was also born in 1926 and a brand-new tale is being released on Wednesday to mark the occasion. Winnie-the-Pooh Meets the Queen and Prince George Too!| The British Royals, The Royals, Prince George, Queen Elizabeth II Winnie-the-Pooh and the Royal Birthday, an original illustrated and audio story narrated by Oscar winner Jim Broadbent, finds the kindly bear and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood including Piglet, Eeyore and Christopher Robin receiving a "Most Urgent" letter informing them of the Queen's big birthday. Winnie-the-Pooh Meets the Queen and Prince George Too!| The British Royals, The Royals, Prince George, Queen Elizabeth II An exclusive sketch created by Mark Burgess (in the style of original Pooh illustrator E.H. Shepard) especially for PEOPLE shows Pooh and Piglet playing outside Buckingham Palace with the Queen's corgis. In the new adventure, Pooh and his pals decide to visit Buckingham Palace, but first they encounter big-city sights in London, including the Tube and Trafalgar Square. Winnie-the-Pooh Meets the Queen and Prince George Too!| The British Royals, The Royals, Prince George, Queen Elizabeth II At the palace, they see the Queen's Guard ("What do you think they keep under their hats, Pooh?" asks Piglet) before meeting the Queen. Want to keep up with the latest royals coverage? Click here to subscribe to the Royals Newsletter. The tale also features a guest appearance by nearly 3-year-old Prince George, who is described as "much younger than Christopher Robin and almost as bouncy as Tigger." WATCH: How Cute Is Prince George in the Latest Royal Portrait? It's all perfectly charming right down to Piglet's iconic red balloon and somewhere we imagine Marvin the Royal Hamster is plotting a trip to the Hundred Acre Wood! Winnie-the-Pooh and the Royal Birthday, written by Jane Riordan and illustrated by Mark Burgess, is available for free here. The world needs to act together on the refugee crisis gripping Europe, and not leave the continent to battle the problem alone, European Council President Donald Tusk said Thursday. Speaking on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Japan, Tusk said European nations needed help in dealing with the tide of people fleeing conflict in the Middle East and Africa. "We are aware that it is because of geography that the most responsibility is, and will continue to be, placed on Europe," Tusk told reporters at Ise-Shima, 300 kilometres (200 miles) southwest of Tokyo. "However we would also like the global community to show solidarity and recognise that this is a global crisis." Last year, some 1.3 million refugees, coming mostly from the conflict-ridden countries of Syria and Iraq asked for asylum in the European Union -- more than a third of them in Germany. So far this year, the International Organisation for Migration says an estimated 190,000 migrants and refugees have entered Europe by sea, arriving in Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Spain. More than 1,300 are known to have died en route. The European Union has put in place a programme aimed at redistributing a first group of 140,000 people throughout the 28 member states. "The world has been confronted with the highest number of refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons since the Second World War," said Tusk. "Those who criticise Europe should rather think how to increase their assistance because what Europe provides is already massive." Tusk, who is at the G7 with Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, said he would be asking leaders to get behind a worldwide solution. Firstly, he said, the world needed "to commit to increasing global assistance so that immediate and long-term needs of refugees and host communities are met. "The international community should acknowledge that when Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan assist refugees, they are in fact providing a global public route." Story continues Secondly, he said, the G7 should encourage international financial institutions and other donors to boost their contributions. "In this regard, the EU fund for Syria, Africa and Turkey along with the work of the European investment bank serves as a role model for all of us. "Third, that the G7 encourages the establishment of resettlement schemes and other legal forms of migration all around the world." London (AFP) - Britain would face gruelling negotiations to set the terms of its World Trade Organization membership if it decided to leave the European Union, the group's chief warned in Thursday's Financial Times. WTO director-general Roberto Azevedo doubted claims made by supporters of a so-called Brexit that Britain would be able to access the European market through the WTO if it were unable to secure favourable alternative deals on leaving the EU. "Pretty much all of the UK's (global) trade would somehow have to be negotiated," he told the business newspaper, adding Britain would not be allowed to "cut and paste" a new deal. The warning follows similar interventions by the British Treasury, the Bank of England, the International Monetary Fund and US President Barack Obama, who have all raised the spectre of negative economic consequences of a Brexit. Polls currently show the "Remain" camp in the lead ahead of the June 23 in-out referendum. Britain's current WTO membership is under the agency of the EU. KUWAIT (Reuters) - Yemen's warring parties have agreed to a prisoner exchange before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in early June, sources from both delegations told Reuters on Thursday. The decision was a show of goodwill between the Iran-allied Houthis and Yemen's Saudi-backed exile government as peace talks in Kuwait aimed at ending a year-long war dragged into a second month. However, the two sides appeared to differ on the number of prisoners to be released. Sources from the Houthi militia's delegation said 1,000 prisoners would be swapped, while a government source said the agreement entailed the release of "all detainees," who number more than 4,000. The sides will submit a list of prisoner requests to U.N. mediators within two days, after which "local committees" would be created to facilitate the exchanges, the Houthi sources said. At a news conference earlier in the day, U.N. envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed told reporters officials from the International Committee of the Red Cross had met with the delegations to explain its possible role in a release process. A prisoner swap has been a long-sought sign of progress for the talks. Government sources at the U.N.-backed peace talks said in early May an agreement had been struck to release all prisoners within 20 days, but Houthi delegates said they had only considered the proposal, not approved it. A tentative U.N-backed ceasefire has been in place since last month to give the peace talks in Kuwait a chance. Both sides have regularly accused the other of violations. (Reporting by Mohammed Ghobari in Cairo and Mahmoud Harbi in Kuwait, Writing by Katie Paul; Editing by Janet Lawrence) (Adds enforcement to begin June 6) By Karen Freifeld NEW YORK, May 26 (Reuters) - New York City can enforce a rule requiring chain restaurants to post warnings on menu items high in sodium, a New York appeals court ruled on Thursday. In February, a New York state judge upheld the rule, knocking down a challenge by the National Restaurant Association. But the Appellate Division, First Department, temporarily stopped New York City from enforcing it. The court lifted has now lifted that interim order. The rule, believed to be the first of its kind in the United States, requires city restaurants with 15 or more locations nationwide to post a salt shaker encased in a black triangle as a warning next to menu items with more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium, the daily limit recommended by the federal government. Violators will be subject to $200 fines. A spokesman said the city would begin enforcement on June 6. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he was pleased with the court's ruling on what he called a "common sense" regulation. "New Yorkers deserve to know a whole day's worth of sodium could be in one menu item, and too much sodium could lead to detrimental health problems," de Blasio said in a statement. Christin Fernandez, a spokeswoman for the National Restaurant Association, said that, while the decision means restaurants will have to comply with what she called an "unlawful and unprecedented" rule, the trade group continued to move forward with its appeal. The group has argued the rule is arbitrary and causes confusion for consumers. In February, Justice Eileen Rakower of state Supreme Court in Manhattan found the city's Board of Health within its rights to adopt the rule, which took effect in December, to help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The sodium warning follows public health crusades by the city under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. In 2003, the city banned smoking in bars and restaurants that had not been covered by previous no-smoking laws. Three years later, the city voted to ban transfats in restaurants and amended the health code to require chains to post calorie counts. Story continues In 2012, Bloomberg also proposed a ban on selling sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces (0.5 liters), but it was eventually struck down by the state's highest court. Unlike the failed soda ban, Rakower noted, the salt rule did not restrict the use of sodium. (Reporting by Karen Freifeld; editing by Dan Grebler and Alan Crosby) From Cosmopolitan A mom named Kate Haslam says she was told by a YMCA employee to leave a toddler gym class because nursing her 19-month-old son West on a balance beam against the wall was making other people "uncomfortable." Haslam shared about her experience on Facebook, explaining that just as she was finishing up with West, she was approached by two staffers. "Two upper level management entered the room and approached us to tell me that I would need to nurse on the benches outside of the classroom as there were 'men in this class that are uncomfortable,'" Haslam wrote. "A friend asked if they had a dedicated nursing area and we were told no we could nurse in the locker room. The locker room that is full of men, women and children. I explained that and that I wouldn't be nursing my son in the bathroom and she said I wasn't to nurse in the class. I mentioned this was illegal, and she argued with me that it wasn't illegal." Haslam went on to detail her interaction with YMCA staff. "I explained that as a nursing mother being told to cover up and be hidden away isn't making me comfortable and was against the law. ... I honestly can't believe in 2016 at a family friendly facility of all places we are discriminating against women on how they choose to feed their child." Since her story spurred other local women to leave comments on the YMCA Facebook page, Haslam said that she's received a written letter and two phone messages from the YMCA. But it's "quite frankly, it's not enough," she noted. "This is not acceptable and this stuff needs to stop." Shaun Elliott, the president and CEO of the Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA, says the incident was the result of a misunderstanding, telling FOX 29: "For me, the message is women are welcome to breastfeed anywhere in our facility. It's a natural thing any miscommunication is unfortunate and if we can do a better job communicating, we're happy to do so." Follow Maressa on Twitter. Cast and crew of Young & Fabulous (). (Encore Films) Marcus Goh is a Singapore television scriptwriter. Hes also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. He Tweets/Instagrams at Optimarcus and writes at marcusgohmarcusgoh.com. The views expressed are his own. Producer-director of Young & Fabulous () Joyce Lee set out to help people understand cosplay better. Cosplay is a portmanteau of the words costume play, where participants wear costumes in the likeness of a particular character. In Singapores context, cosplay is often used in relation to Asian pop culture characters (such as Naruto, a manga about an aspiring ninja). Cosplay conventions are held every few months in Singapore, with Cosfest, CharaExpo, Anime Festival Asia, and Singapore Toys, Games, and Comics Convention being some of the larger names that host these events. Many of us think that cosplayers are weirdos. We wonder what on earth theyre doing when see them, said Lee in Mandarin at the Young & Fabulous () press conference on 24 May. But if you examine it carefully, its a pretty normal and respectable hobby. Young & Fabulous () is a movie about a trio of teenagers who aspire to be cosplayers in conformist Singapore. It stars Aloysius Pang, Joshua Tan, Joyce Chu, Gurmit Singh, Quan Yi Fong, and Henry Thia. It is co-directed by Michael Woo and Joyce Lee. Joyce Chu, producer-director of Young & Fabulous (). (Encore Films) Challenges in the cosplay community Lee faced resistance in garnering the support of the local cosplay community after the Young & Fabulous () team held a press conference to announce that principal photography had started in April last year. When the news first came out [that we were shooting a film about cosplay], the cosplay community voiced their concerns online. They were worried that cosplay might be misrepresented, especially since [the cosplay community] wasnt consulted beforehand, said Lee. Story continues I was quite upset when I heard that because I wanted to change audience perception of cosplay. So I hope that the cosplay community will be supportive and understand that were trying to give an accurate portrayal of their hobby. Michael Woo and Joyce Chu, directors of Young & Fabulous (). (Encore Films) Inspiration for Young & Fabulous () The premise of the film was born out of a desire to create a film by Singaporeans, for Singaporeans. We interviewed some teenagers in a focus group as part of the brainstorming process for our film, Lee shared. But when we asked them what sort of local films they would like to watch, they said they didnt watch local films, and preferred Hollywood fare. I felt this was very unjust. So I thought I should make a local Singaporean film for local Singaporean teenagers to watch, otherwise in 10 years time nobody will watch Singaporean films. This led to the youth-focused subject of cosplay for Young & Fabulous (). The young leads, Aloysius Pang, Joshua Tan, and Joyce Chu, of Young & Fabulous (). (Encore Films) Chemistry and awkwardness between the three young leads The three young stars of the film, Aloysius Pang, Joshua Tan, and Joyce Chu, shared good chemistry while working together on the Young & Fabulous (). The two young men are 26, while Chu is 19 this year. Our personalities are quite compatible. Aloysius is quite shy while Joshua is quite loud, said Chu in Mandarin. Tan also agreed that they had good chemistry during the shoot, as they still tried to keep in touch with Malaysia-based Chu in Kuala Lumpur. The teen characters of Young & Fabulous (). (Encore Films) Thanks to their good chemistry, an affectionate scene between Pang and Chu wasnt as awkward as it could have been. In the film, Pang and Chus characters accidentally find themselves in a romantic situation, while Tans character is oblivious to whats happening. Were both quite liberal, and its for work after all, said Pang. But he admitted that when we were on the bed, my heart really did race. Maybe because its been a while since Ive been so close to a girl. Chu also agreed. It was a little nervous for me because its my first time doing a film, and also because my parents were on set watching as well! It was the worst for me, because Im like a lamp post in the scene! laughed Tan. But there were a lot of feels in the scene. Lee had to chime in with a disclaimer though. The scene isnt what you think by the way! Id like to emphasise that the film is rated PG. Answering questions about Young & Fabulous (). (Encore Films) The three actors play the teenage protagonists in the film. Pang plays the shy, studious student Royston who meets the boisterous and opportunistic Haoren (played by Tan), all while falling in love with the Violet the school belle, played by Chu. Young & Fabulous () opens in cinemas 26 May, 2016. SINGAPORE / ACCESSWIRE / May 26, 2016 / Zecotek Photonics Inc. (ZMS.V) (W1I.F) (the "Company"), a developer of leading-edge photonics technologies for medical, industrial and scientific markets, today announced that the Company has increased the non-brokered private placement announced on May 19, 2016 to $925,000. The Company also announced it has closed on the first tranche of the private placement by selling 2,259,997 units of the Company at a price of $0.30 per unit for gross proceeds of $678,000. Each unit consists of one common share and one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder to acquire one common share at an exercise price of $0.43 per common share until May 26, 2018. The Company paid finder's fees on the first tranche consisting of cash fees totalling $47,459.94 and issued 158,200 finder's warrants. Each finder's warrant entitles the holder to acquire one common share at an exercise price of $0.43 per common share until May 26, 2018. All securities issued in the first tranche are subject to a four-month hold period expiring on September 27, 2016. Net proceeds from the funds raised will be used to complete the transfer of technology for the purpose of immediate commercialization, to strengthen and maintain patents of the Company's IP portfolio, for purchase order financings and general working capital purposes. About Zecotek Zecotek Photonics Inc (ZMS.V) (W1I.F) is a photonics technology company developing high-performance scintillation crystals, photo detectors, positron emission tomography scanning technologies, 3D auto-stereoscopic displays, 3D metal printing, and lasers for applications in medical, high-tech and industrial sectors. Founded in 2004, Zecotek operates three divisions: Imaging Systems, Optronics Systems and 3D Display Systems with labs located in Canada, Korea, Russia, Singapore and U.S.A. The management team is focused on building shareholder value by commercializing over 50 patented and patent pending novel photonic technologies directly and through strategic alliances, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (Switzerland), Beijing Opto-Electronics Technology Co. Ltd. (China), NuCare Medical Systems (South Korea), the University of Washington (United States), and National NanoFab Center (South Korea). For more information visit www.zecotek.com and follow @zecotek on Twitter. Story continues This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are based on management's expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results and trends may differ materially from what may have been stated. For Additional Information Please Contact: Zecotek Photonics Inc. Michael Minder T: (604) 783-8291 ir@zecotek.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. If you would like to receive news from Zecotek in the future please visit the corporate website at www.zecotek.com . SOURCE: Zecotek Photonics Inc. What makes being at the top of the market so special? To start with, it's no easy feat to make that ascent in the first place. In that regard, it is reasonable to ascertain that the companies that do make it to the top will not remain there forever. Recently, one of the titans of the tech world, Apple Inc. AAPL, has been subject to that very same scrutiny -- more so than usual. Having revolutionized the smartphone industry with status both socially and economically, it's no wonder that Apple generates as much chatter as it does. Recent weeks have seen that chatter become that of anxious investors planning their escape route. However, I would argue that rather than planning on an exit, now is the best time to enter into the tech giant. With a market cap of $519.57B, Apple is very much a big-cap stock, typically characterized as a low-risk/low-reward investment. Sure, consumer confidence may be decreased now that hedge funds have unloaded more than $7B worth of AAPL stock in Q1, but major investors such as Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway have made news with purchases such as nearly 10m shares (or $1B) as well. When analyzing Apples current downward trend, it is important to note that many factors have been external. U.S. News and World Report notes that luxury sales like those of many other industries, have diminished considerably in China. This is due largely in part to Chinas slowed economic growth in recent months as well as a weakening Yuan. Furthermore, Hong Kong has been negatively affected by its tie to the U.S. dollar, which has recently strengthened, in turn increasing the cost of living for Hong Kong residents and driving down tourism. Jackdaw Research reports that although China has accounted for half or more of Apples revenue growth for multiple quarters, it is now part of the cause of Apples current shrinkage. For short-term investors, given its current state, Apple is not an option worth considering. A weakened smartphone and tablet market coupled with the aforementioned macroeconomic atmosphere has lowered Apples EPS, however the horizon is bright. Zacks estimates that as soon as the next quarter Apples sales will increase by at least $4B. This past week, CEO Tim Cook visited India and met with Prime Minister Modi, along with other Indian elites. Apple is interested in expanding their operations in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in refurbishing and selling used iPhones. This movement is especially important considering Apples status in India as selling more premium productions. In a nation where 70% of smartphones cost less than $150, Cooks objective is to make the iPhone as accessible as possible. Furthermore, Apple unveiled plans to open a new office in Hyderabad that will focus on development of Maps for Apple products according to their official press statement. The fact of the matter is that Apple currently finds itself at a crossroads -- not unlike Blackberry BBRY in 2007 or IBM IBM in the 1990s. The question becomes whether it will handle itself the same way, and succumb to the complacency that usually comes with an extended period of unprecedented success. For long-term portfolios, buy now while Apple is low, and think forward to the next ten, twenty, and even 30 years. Apple has been chastised for their recent lack of innovation, but it is by no means an old dog without any tricks left to learn. There are plenty of rumors surrounding Apples potential business ventures, from the iTV to the Apple Car, which is believed to be their answer to the emerging electric vehicle market. There is still plenty of upside left to be seen with Apple. Many look back on the early 2000s and regret either not buying in, or selling their shares of Apple too soon. The point that Apple stands at right now is a chance for those people to find redemption. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report INTL BUS MACH (IBM): Free Stock Analysis Report APPLE INC (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report BLACKBERRY LTD (BBRY): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research From Road & Track Electric car charging is kind of a shambles right now. Some models use the CHAdeMO plug standard; others use the SAE-developed J1772 design. Tesla uses its own proprietary setup that's only found at Tesla Supercharger stations. Annoying adapters abound. Well, it sounds like you can add one more to the list, because Apple seems to be secretly trying to find ways into the electric car charging business. Reuters reports that Apple has been in talks with charging station companies, in addition to hiring a spate of engineers knowledgeable in electric car charging. While Apple's rumored "Project Titan" car experiment has never been officially acknowledged, it's widely assumed that the tech giant wants to introduce an electric, possibly self-driving car, perhaps as soon as 2019. Based on conversations with unidentified knowledgeable individuals, Reuters reports that Apple has been asking charging station companies about the tech that powers their infrastructure installations. The Cupertino tech company has also hired a number of former Tesla engineers in recent months, as well as at least one former BMW engineer who worked on charging tech for the electric i3. As any frustrated iDevice owner will tell you, Apple has a long history of bucking the trend when it comes to standardized electronic connectors. While nearly every other smartphone company has used universal micro-USB plugs for charging and data transfer for years, iPhones, iPads and iPods all used an Apple-only 30-pin connecter . . . until 2012, when they switched to a different proprietary "Lightning" plug design. Meaning that, for a significant portion of the past four years, even your iPhone-using friends and coworkers might not have been able to lend you a charger for your iPhone. Admittedly, we've got nothing to go on other than a hunch. But it's not hard to imagine a future in which a (hypothetical) first-generation Apple electric car uses one type of Apple-designed plug, only to be replaced by a different proprietary plug on the second-generation car. Here's hoping that's not the case. Since 2007, Ive read countless versions of the Apple is doomed argument, most of them related to the iPhone. Apple was doomed because it dared compete in the smartphone business, then it was doomed when Android came along, and then it was doomed every time a product failed to arouse the imagination of some analyst or journalist. In all this time, however, Apple has been anything but doomed. And its likely that will not happen in the foreseeable future. Todays version of "Apple is doomed" comes from well-known outspoken software developer Marco Arment, who has often shared his views on Apples business. His take on the matter has an if in it, suggesting this scenario isnt likely to happen, but his reasoning isnt entirely accurate. DONT MISS: Apple's next MacBook Pro will be like nothing we've ever seen Arment argues that Apple could repeat BlackBerrys fate if advanced AI becomes the new hot thing in tech. Facebook and Google have recently announced products that are based on smarter AI and Google certainly impressed with a few of its initiatives at Google I/O last week with Arment arguing that Apple is trailing well behind. google-home The developer says that AI could do to Apple what iPhone did to BlackBerry. The BlackBerrys success came to an end not because RIM started releasing worse smartphones, but because the new job of the smartphone shifted almost entirely outside of their capabilities, and it was too late to catch up, he writes. RIM hadnt spent years building a world-class operating system, or a staff full of great designers, or expertise in mass production of luxury-quality consumer electronics, or amazing APIs and developer tools, or an app store with millions of users with credit cards already on file, or all of the other major assets that Apple had developed over a decade (or longer) that enabled the iPhone. Thats right; RIM didnt do that. It was Apple. But I think its troubling to think that Apple has stopped doing that, and now its simply riding on the iPhones success. Story continues The problem with Apple is that it never announced moonshots. Yet read through its patents which is a testament to all the crazy hardware and software innovations going on at Cupertino and youll see that Apple is thinking far ahead. Not just for the iPhone, but for many other products, some of them not ever made official. Tim Cook said a few times that the company is working on stuff thats not even rumored. Its likely certain products will emerge from there that not only will not "doom Apple", but which will also help it compete in a post-iPhone world. Arment does make a solid point though -- that Google and Facebook are so far ahead in AI that its scary. Moreover, you cant build good AI overnight and then just unveil it during a keynote. Thats very true. Siri lags behind Google Now and the new Assistant, and it doesnt have Facebooks drive for bots either. But assuming that the emergence of AI from the likes of Google and Facebook will crush Apple (or the iPhone) is a stretch. google-allo-incognito-mode Today, Apples being led properly day-to-day and doing very well overall, Arment said. "But if the landscape shifts to prioritize those big-data AI services, Apple will find itself in a similar position as BlackBerry did almost a decade ago: what theyre able to do, despite being very good at it, wont be enough anymore, and they wont be able to catch up. Again, we have no idea what Apple is working on. But we do know that its definitely skating where the puck is going. Apple is doing VR, and its doing cars, according to recent reports. But we have no clear details on what kind of products and services its developing. Patents and company acquisitions point us in the right directions, but that doesnt mean we have any idea what the company is creating. And its probably safe to say its not ignoring AI. Speaking of buying its way into things lets not forget the massive amount of cash Apple is hoarding. Imagine what all that money can do in a worst-case scenario where Apple has to buy itself out of trouble. $3 billion was enough to buy Beats and transform it into the most popular music subscription service out there Spotify may not like that claim at a time when Apples music sales business was unable to compete against streaming services. $1 billion got Apple a stake in a Chinese car company, and were not even sure what that buys Apple. These are the biggest investments Apple made to date, but the company has quietly acquired plenty of talent in the last years, including many companies thatll help it keep up (and overhaul) the competition. Earlier this week, a scoop from The Information told us that Apple is about to make several major Siri-related announcements at WWDC 2016 in June, the type of products we didn't see in leaks in rumors. Apple plans to open up Siri to developers, which should further enrich the app experience on iPhone and other devices that have Siri enabled, and it's making a Siri standalone device that's supposed to take on Amazon's Echo and Google's Home. If Google is wrong, and computing continues to be defined by a tightly controlled grid of siloed apps that you poke a thousand times a day on a smooth rectangle of manufacturing excellence, Apple is fine, Arment says. Theyre doing a great job of what computing is today, and what it will probably continue to be for a long time. But if Google is right, thats a big problem for Apple, he concludes. her-movie AI and the iPhone aren't mutually exclusive, though. Yes, were heading to a future where voice will probably be the main way to interact with a computer. But that future will still need a version of the screen. It might not be a touch-based rectangle. It might be some sort of virtual or augmented reality experience that involves either wearing a headset on your face or not. But it will definitely need the right hardware to run the AI, and that hardware will project images most of the time. AI wont just float in the air. And just talking to a smart computer is going to be way too boring for most computer users. We'll still want to have a visual input for most of our computing needs, especially when it comes to our leisure time. Theres no way AI will catch Apple by surprise or kill the iPhone. But itll definitely shape its future. Apple will still build some of the best devices to run Googles and Facebooks AI for work and fun purposes, regardless of whether theyre rectangles with touchscreens or not. Surely, AI doesnt signal Apples impending doom, even if Google can revolutionize computing and make it all about smart AI. Related stories Robots could be the key to moving iPhone production stateside Why Amazon's Echo is better to talk to than Siri An Apple vs Tesla showdown looks increasingly likely More from BGR: There wont be a Galaxy Note 6, because Samsungs numbering system is dumb This article was originally published on BGR.com 2000 - 2022 24 .- . focus-news.net, () . 24 . 24 . . 24 . Chinese technology giant Lenovo reported a $128 million net loss for the year ending March 31, compared with a net profit of $829 million in the same period last year (AFP Photo/Wang Zhao) (AFP/File) Chinese technology giant Lenovo said Thursday it posted a net loss last year, as its smartphones struggle to keep apace with Apple and Android rivals and as the market for personal computers fizzles. The Beijing-based company, which has traditionally manufactured computers but has been trying to broaden its smartphone business after scooping up Motorola two years ago, reported a $128 million net loss for the year ending March 31, compared with a net profit of $829 million in the same period last year. "They are still trying to find a way to turn their business around that's why they are recording a loss right now," financial analyst Jackson Wong told AFP. "They have not done extremely well in China, other brand names are doing much better," said Wong, the associate director for Simsen Financial Group, adding that their traditional business of manufacturing PCs is in decline. Analyst Dickie Wong of Kingston Securities said the company was failing to snatch customers from competitors. "If I want to buy a cellphone I would pick Apple or Samsung. If I want to buy a cheap cell phone I'll pick Xiaomi," Dickie Wong told AFP. The company's revenue also fell three percent to $44.91 billion, it said in a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange Thursday. It added that global smartphone shipments fell 13 percent year-on-year, and that its market share in the worldwide smartphone market dipped one percent to 4.6 percent. "In view of the softer demand and keen market competition, the group accelerated its actions to build up the quality of its mobile business," it said. Revenue from PC sales, which accounts for the lion's share of its business, was down 11 percent year-on-year, dragged by currency fluctuations and a slumping demand. "Looking forward, the markets where the group is in will remain challenging in the short term." Lenovo announced plans to slash costs by $1.35 billion and cut 3,200 staff from its non-manufacturing workforce when it announced first-quarter results on August of last year. The company had also purchased IBM's low-end server business in 2014 as part of a strategy to expand business beyond PCs. Brussels and Washington announced the new "Privacy Shield" deal, replacing a previous agreement that was thrown out by the European Court of Justice last year, but has generated mixed reviews since (AFP Photo/Win McNamee) (Getty/AFP/File) Brussels (AFP) - The European Parliament called Thursday on Brussels to pursue talks with Washington to remove "deficiencies" from a deal to curb government spying on the personal Internet data of EU citizens. Brussels and Washington announced the new "Privacy Shield" deal in February, replacing a previous agreement that was thrown out by the European Court of Justice last year, but has generated mixed reviews since. Top US companies including Facebook and Google in particular are eager to end the legal void as they transfer data from their European subsidiaries to their headquarters in the United States. In a non-binding resolution, 501 members of the European Parliament voted for the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, to continue negotiating with the United States to remedy "deficiencies" in the agreement. Another 119 MEPs voted against it, with 31 abstaining. The resolution cited "deficiencies" in terms of protection from US government access to data transferred under the deal, as well as in bulk data collection, with concerns it may not meet EU standards of "necessity" and "proportionality." MEPs said a proposed US ombudsman to deal with complaints by European citizens would neither be "sufficiently independent" nor have enough powers to act. They also said Brussels and Washington need to make the mechanism to redress problems more "user-friendly and effective." Austrian Internet activist Max Schrems -- who brought a case against Facebook in Ireland that led to the EU court judgment last year -- said the new deal amounts to putting "10 layers of lipstick on a pig." He said that the deal includes too many areas under which "bulk" data collection is allowed. The old Safe Harbor agreement effectively meant that Europe treated the United States as a safe destination for Internet data on the basis that Brussels and Washington adhered to similar standards. But the EU court declared Safe Harbor "invalid" in October because of US snooping practices exposed by Edward Snowden, the former intelligence contractor who leaked a hoard of National Security Agency documents. A damning report from the State Department yesterday added new fuel to a fire that was already a problem for Hillary Clinton. Now, a former military adviser to the State Department has broken ranks, saying that Clinton's "sloppy communications with her senior staff" may have compromised counter-terrorism operations. MUST READ: The iPhone 7 might actually be in trouble Speaking to Newsweek, Bill Johnson, the State Department's adviser to US special forces in the Pacific in 2010 and 2011, claimed Clinton's lax security "may have compromised at least two counterterrorism operations." He said that operations to "eliminate the leader of a Filipino Islamist separatist group and intercept Chinese-made weapons components being smuggled into Iraq were repeatedly foiled." The targets were said to be "one step ahead of us" on a constant basis. Johnson said that his team considered other sources for a security breach, but settled on Clinton's unencrypted phone calls to senior staff as the only option. There's no concrete evidence, so of course the Clinton camp is calling the allegations "patently false." The circumstantial evidence is pretty strong, however. When the special operations command became tired of botched missions, it stopped giving advance warning to the State Department officials in Manila. Once they did that, they finally had missions start to go to plan. Even if Clinton's phone calls weren't responsible for counter-terrorism ops going wrong, Johnson's stories of Clinton knowingly using unsecured phone lines to discuss military matters in worrying. The State Department report into Clinton's email use highlighted the fact that Clinton knew she was bypassing security rules; the fact that she also disregarded protocol for phone conversations isn't going to help her case at all. Related stories Hillary Clinton's 1995 'Forrest Gump' parody is as cringe-worthy as it sounds Story continues Pro-Clinton PAC unleashes a ridiculous $1 million plan to 'correct' Reddit Did Hillary Clinton just say she wants a some sort of iPhone backdoor? More from BGR: The iPhone 7 might actually be in trouble This article was originally published on BGR.com For a long time, Apple's secrecy was legendary. The company managed to keep secrets under wraps better than any other consumer electronics company in the world. But the explosive popularity of the iPhone changed everything. Workers at the factories where Apple's gear is built found out how valuable these leaks can be, and almost nothing is a surprise these days when Apple finally announces something new. In the past, these leaks have done precious little in terms of a material impact on Apple's bottom line. This year with the iPhone 7, however, that could change. DON'T MISS: Axon 7 is a flagship Android phone with killer specs that you never saw coming Apple shares have recovered nicely since dipping on the revelation (which wasn't really a revelation) that iPhone sales can't keep skyrocketing forever. But what hasn't recovered is the narrative in the tech media that the new iPhone 7 has to be remarkably exciting or it's doomed. This line of thinking obviously doesn't represent reality, and it's also nothing new blogs and even mainstream news sites cook up similar stories ahead of each new iPhone launch. What's interesting this time around, however, is some subtext to the story that actually could be based in reality. Apple's new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are going to sell very, very well. They'll almost certainly be the best-selling high-end smartphones in the world until 2017 when new iPhones come out. What's interesting though, is that the rumor mill might actually have an impact on sales this time around. According to news from well-connected Apple blogger John Gruber, next year's new iPhones are going to be a complete reimagining of Apple's smartphone lineup. It would normally be an "S" year, but it makes perfect sense. 2017 marks the 10-year anniversary of the original iPhone, so Apple might be planning something big. Apple's 2017 iPhone iPhone 8? iPhone X? almost certainly isn't even finalized at this point, but Gruber says the phone may feature a display that is practically edgeless. He also says Apple might finally do away with the home button and integrate the Touch ID fingerprint scanner into the display panel. This is something Apple has been working on for quite some time, and we know that the technology now exists to make it happen. On top of that, earlier rumors had stated that the phone will also finally feature an upgraded OLED display. Story continues Now here's where things get interesting. These are very early rumors that have only appeared on tech blogs. Nothing about next year's iPhones has been reported by mainstream media yet. But I'm already seeing chatter from people who have seen the rumors and are starting to turn negative on this year's iPhone upgrade. In fact, I've heard this narrative from a number of people offline as well people who could hardly be considered tech enthusiasts. They already seem to know that this year's iPhone 7 isn't going to be a big redesign, and they have already heard that next year's model will be. Several of them have said flat-out that they plan to skip the 7. Some industry watchers like Wells Fargo's Maynard Um are already dismissing the notion that iPhone 8 rumors might impact sales this year. While it is reasonable to assume Apple may introduce an iconic iPhone in 2017, we believe it is not a foregone conclusion that the consumers will skip the iPhone 7 upgrade in 2016, Um wrote in a note to clients. The core of our premise revolves around continued competition for subscribers as two-year contracts come up for renewal. But what's most interesting to me is how early we are in the rumor cycle. It's only May and there are already details from solid sources about next year's major iPhone redesign. And those reports are already starting to make people think about skipping this year's model. What happens when The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal start reporting on next year's iPhone models? Word is already out and you can be sure that the mainstream media will dig into this story in the coming months. It's obviously still early days. Opinions will change as people learn more about the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. And once they're out and in people's hands, everything could change. But as I mentioned, the iPhone 8 could pose a serious problem if the iPhone 7 doesn't have any truly appealing new features. Plenty more details on next year's model will emerge long before the iPhone 7 is released, and some people will decide to wait and save money. Will it be enough people to make a dent? Will so many people be coming off two-year iPhone 6 contracts that it will completely offset any impact? Only time will tell. Related stories Apple's efforts to buy Time Warner fell through Artificial intelligence isn't going to be the end of Apple Why Amazon's Echo is better to talk to than Siri More from BGR: Axon 7 is a flagship Android phone with killer specs that you never saw coming This article was originally published on BGR.com Microsoft and Facebook are working together on a new sub-sea "MAREA" cable aimed at meeting growing demand by the tech companies' customers for fast, reliable data connections (AFP Photo/Lionel Bonaventure) (AFP/File) San Francisco (AFP) - Microsoft and Facebook on Thursday announced they will work together to lay a high-speed Internet cable across the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. A new, sub-sea "MAREA" cable was expected to be completed by late 2017, with the aim of meeting growing demand by the tech companies' customers for fast, reliable data connections. "As the world is increasingly moving toward a future based on cloud computing, Microsoft continues to invest in our cloud infrastructure to meet current and future growing global demand for our more than 200 cloud services, " Microsoft data center strategy general manager Christian Belady said in a release. MAREA will be the highest-capacity sub-sea cable ever crossing the Atlantic, with an expected capacity of some 160 terabytes per second of data, according to the companies. The 6,600 kilometer cable system will also be the first connecting the United States and southern Europe, running from Northern Virginia to Bilbao, Spain, Microsoft and Facebook said. From Spain, the data network will link to hubs in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and other parts of Europe, according to the companies. Microsoft and Facebook said that they are working with global communications company Telxius, owned by Telefonica, on the cable project. "We're always evaluating new technologies and systems in order to provide the best connectivity possible," said Facebook vice president of network engineering Najam Ahmad. "We want to do more of these projects in this manner allowing us to move fast with more collaboration." Microsoft bought into Facebook nine years ago, paying $240 million for a 1.6 percent stake in the leading social network. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f98040%2fsurface_phone_topcat_02 If we needed any more confirmation that Microsoft's Nokia acquisition was a disaster, it came today in the form of another 1,850 layoffs, mostly from legacy operations in Finland. That's in addition to the nearly 8,000 heads that rolled last year in the wake of the Nokia write-off. After the layoffs last year, CEO Satya Nadella said Microsoft was "committed to first-party devices including phones," but also effectively admitted iOS and Android had won the mobile war, a war Microsoft couldn't afford to wage any longer at least directly. As a result, I declared Windows Phone (and by extension Windows 10 Mobile) all but dead. SEE ALSO: The Microsoft smartphone retreat continues with another 1,850 layoffs I stand by that assessment, although the picture today is slightly different. Microsoft now has fully released its Windows 10 platform desktop, tablet and mobile (and even HoloLens). There are now Windows phones, running Windows 10, in the market, and those phones are capable of doing some unique things, most obviously Continuum, which leverages Windows Universal Apps to run desktop apps from a phone. At the same time, the market share of Windows phones is in free-fall. Whereas at the end of 2013 things were looking decent for the platform market share was small but growing, and even second place in some markets today Microsoft's presence in mobile is basically a rounding error. It may not technically be dead, but it's effectively walking dead a zombie platform. That's bad news for a company whose stated strategy is to see Windows 10 running on all form factors, and a billion total devices by 2018. In fact, having a mobile component is a key part of Microsoft's developer pitch: Universal Windows Apps aren't much good if there aren't any phones to run them on. Why not then just stick with traditional Windows desktop apps and call it a day? Story continues Enterprise: A new hope As weak as Windows phone is now, Microsoft can't just drop it entirely, or its whole platform will collapse. And there's still one last hope for Microsoft's phones now, and that's enterprise. In the past couple of years, businesses have adopted Windows hybrid devices those that can do double duty as both a PC and tablet much faster than before. That's partially because technology has improved; it's easier for manufacturers to build touch-friendly convertible PCs without compromises and a competitive price. But it's also because of a Microsoft hardware success story called the Surface Pro. "Two-in-ones have become one of the hottest segments in IT," says Tim Bajarin, president of analyst firm Creative Strategies. "The early ones were pretty clunky. But if you look at the new Surfaces and Lenovos, they're sleek." It took Microsoft a few tries to get it right, but it turned a corner in 2014 when it released the excellent Surface Pro 3. That product finally got the right mix of portability and power, and today the Surface line is the poster child for the adaptability of the Windows 10 platform. Businesses have responded, and the Surface Pro has set records for enterprise adoption. If the Surface is supposed to be the textbook example of Windows running across for factors, there's still something missing: a Surface phone. "There are still lots of companies using Microsoft devices and management software fairly exclusively, so there's likely something of an opportunity there," says Jan Dawson, chief analyst at Jackdaw Research. "They've demonstrated with Surface that they're able to mine some new niches in other markets and they might be able to do the same thing with business-centric phones." With a Surface phone, Microsoft's enterprise pitch is that much stronger. Microsoft isn't offering businesses so much individual devices as a complete device solution. A Surface phone completes that offering: a set of adaptable, convertible high-end devices with native Microsoft software (which the businesses are running anyway) not to mention Continuum, which means the Surface phone can effectively be your PC (albeit without the same power). Microsoft is definitely working on such a device. After the announcement of the Surface Book last fall, product managers strongly alluded to eventually extending the Surface brand to mobile. The marketing challenge But how would Microsoft position such a phone? The Surface devices up till now have been designed and marketed as the epitome of the Microsoft goal of "reinventing productivity" possibly the most effective tool in your arsenal in getting stuff done. "We believe they are still committed to the Surface as an enterprise phone," says Bajarin. "I'm not sure there's going to be great innovation. The real value proposition is they are now selling complete solutions, and their enterprise stuff is more and more focused around the Surface branding." However, with a phone, the productivity changes. A phone is inherently less about doing heads-down work and more about quicker, more direct tasks it doesn't matter how well it runs Word as much as how efficiently it summons an Uber. Windows, unfortunately, stands out from iOS and Android in that its app catalog is woefully inefficient. A pure enterprise-hardware play doesn't quite work either. To launch a Surface phone at a business-focused event that effectively tells consumers they shouldn't bother even looking at it is a bad a long-term strategy for the line. We've seen BlackBerry try to play the enterprise-only game and further diminish in profits and influence. What Microsoft should (and probably will) do with to market the Surface phone is one simple message: The phone that can replace your PC. That's exactly what Continuum delivers, and the sentence is only a slight variation of what the Surface tablets have promised all along, and it has some appeal for consumers as well. Never needing to carry a laptop, or even a tablet, while on the go? And still run full apps from Microsoft and a few key partners? That has to have some appeal beyond enterprise. Still, businesses will need to buy in first. And, as those first few Surface phone users get a taste of Continuum and the areas it can be most effective, they might even like it. It may be the long way around to getting people to "love Windows," as Nadella wants, but it's the only hope left for Microsoft's fortunes in mobile. The battle between Elliot and Mr. Robot has just begun. Ahead of the Golden Globe-winning drama's July return, USA Network has released a lengthy new season two trailer. The video not only features footage from the new season of Mr. Robot but also interviews with the team behind the show: creator and showrunner Sam Esmail, and stars Rami Malek and Christian Slater. The normally tight-lipped Esmail reveals in the trailer that season two picks up 30 days after the attack on Evil Corp that turned the economy, and the world, upside down. But while the battle between fsociety and the world - President Obama included - may be a big part of the new season, so is the growing battle between Elliot (Malek) and Mr. Robot (Slater), particularly now that Elliot is aware that Mr. Robot is not a real person but a manifestation of his dead father in the form of a hacker. Read More: 'Mr. Robot' Season 2 Trailer Unveiled: "Control Is an Illusion" "It's very different from last year," Malek says. "What he's trying to do, at all costs, is to remove him from his world." Adds Slater: "Season two will go to some pretty dark places. We delve into several of the nooks and crannies of Elliot's psyche." Aside from these cryptic teases and select new footage from season two, Esmail says that, just like season one, viewers can expect the unexpected. "We kind of press the gas pedal down really hard," he says. "We're taking some risks." The new trailer can be seen in top movie theaters nationwide in National CineMedia's FirstLook pre-show starting Friday. Mr. Robot returns on Wednesday, July 13 at 10 p.m. on USA Network. var el = document.getElementById('targetParams');if (el !== null && typeof(el) != 'undefined') {var srcParams = $('.advert iframe').attr('src');var addParams = srcParams.split(";");for (i=1;i<=addParams.length - 1;i++) {if (addParams[i] != '=null' && addParams[i] != 'dcopt=ist' && addParams[i] != '!c=iframe' && addParams[i] != 'pos=t' && addParams[i] != 'sz=728x90') {el.value += addParams[i]+";";}}}brightcove.createExperiences();>>>>>>> Flip phone fans hoping for a new Motorola RAZR might be left disappointed, as the Lenovo-owned brand has no plans to release an updated version of the widely popular device. A nostalgic Motorola ad released May 19 led some observers to speculate that the company would revive its iconic metal flip phone, which sold more than 130 million units over the course of its four-year lifetime. But a Motorola spokesperson says thats not the case. We love how the throwback video has been embraced and the excitement it has generated, says Morotola rep Kathryn Hanley. The RAZR was one of the most iconic phones ever designed and redefined how stylish a mobile phone can be. While Moto is not re-releasing the RAZR, we will transform mobile again on June 9. (That date is a reference to Lenovos upcoming Tech World conference, when it is expected to announce new products and make other news.) Lenovo, a Chinese company, purchased Motorola Mobility from Google in 2014 in a deal worth nearly $3 billion. The tie-up instantly made Lenovo one of the worlds largest smartphone makers. But it has been rocky going since. The company was recently surpassed by a pair of less well-known Chinese firms in research firm IDCs list of the top smartphone brands by shipments. Indeed, in its quarterly report Thursday, Lenovo said the integration of the two brands did not meet expectations. Peter Thiel, pictured October 3, 2011, acknowledged he is working with lawyers to find and help "victims" of Gawker Media, whose Valleywag site in 2007 revealed he is homosexual (AFP Photo/Chip Somodevilla) Washington (AFP) - Billionaire Peter Thiel acknowledged funding a legal battle against the gossip website that "outed" him, sparking debate on whether the Silicon Valley mogul has taken his media war too far. Thiel told the New York Times late Wednesday he has provided around $10 million for the litigation by former wrestler Hulk Hogan, who sued Gawker Media for releasing a sex tape featuring Hogan and a friend's wife. The heretofore secret war against Gawker provoked a range of reactions in the media and in Silicon Valley, with many questioning Thiel's tactics. Thiel acknowledged he is working with lawyers to find and help "victims" of Gawker Media, whose Valleywag site in 2007 revealed he is homosexual. "It's less about revenge and more about specific deterrence," Thiel told the newspaper. "I saw Gawker pioneer a unique and incredibly damaging way of getting attention by bullying people even when there was no connection with the public interest." Thiel said Gawker's reports had been "very painful and paralyzing for people who were targeted" and added: "I thought it was worth fighting back." The 48-year-old with an estimated $2.7 billion fortune also said he was hoping to help people who have been hurt by Gawker but lack the resources he has. He told the newspaper he hired a legal team several years ago to look for cases against Gawker, and that others are in the works. A jury has ordered Gawker to pay Hogan $140 million. The company is appealing. Gawker meanwhile said it was examining its strategic options in light of the litigation, confirming a report in the Wall Street Journal. "We've had bankers engaged for quite some time given the need for contingency planning around Facebook board member Peter Thiel's revenge campaign," Gawker said in a statement. "We recently engaged (investment banker) Mark Patricof to advise us and that seems to have stirred up some excitement, when the fact is that nothing is new." Story continues The Hogan trial in the Florida city of St. Petersburg has been closely watched by legal experts because of its implications for privacy and free expression online. - Thiel as 'Batman' - But some in the media and Silicon Valley questioned whether Thiel was using his wealth to get back at Gawker for its coverage. "If ever there were a case with no one to cheer for, this is it," Ben Thompson, a technology consultant, wrote on his Stratechery blog. Thompson said Thiel "is being a bully of the first order" by "attempting to run Gawker out of business." Thompson continued that Thiel "has styled himself as a twisted version of Batman: a vigilante who is not so much above the law (what he is doing is also perfectly legal), but rather one that uses the law to first and foremost avenge himself even as he spins a story about his defense of the vulnerable." Ezra Klein, editor-in-chief of the news site Vox.com, said that "even if Gawker was wrong to post those articles, Thiel's method of reprisal is dangerous." "Billionaires might have the resources to fund endless lawsuits that bury their media enemies beneath legal fees, but that doesn't mean they should use that freedom," Klein wrote. Elizabeth Spiers, a co-founder of Gawker who now heads the website The Insurrection, said Thiel is engaged in "Olympic level grudge-holding" and "seems almost unhinged." "The notion that Thiel or any one percenter could wage a war of attrition against a media outlet with the intent of destroying it for slights real or perceived should be horrifying to anyone who believes that freedom of the press is a necessary condition for an open society," Spiers wrote in a Medium blog post. Financial journalist Felix Salmon wrote on the website Fusion that Thiel "just gave other billionaires a dangerous blueprint for perverting philanthropy." "Thiel's tactics in going after Gawker are very, very frightening for anybody who believes in freedom of speech; they're also extremely effective, in an evil-genius kind of way," Salmon wrote. Salmon wrote that Thiel's campaign undercuts Gawker's efforts to raise new funds. "Investing in Gawker right now is a very unattractive proposition, since any investor knows that they will be fighting a years-long battle with a single-minded billionaire who doesn't care about how much money he spends on the fight," he said. German-born Thiel was a founder of the online payments firm PayPal, and served as its CEO before it was sold to eBay. He was also an early investor in Facebook and has been active in venture investing in Silicon Valley. shutterstock_383832445 Shutterstock One of the day-to-day realities of modern life is targeted advertising. You look up a movie in theaters, and ads for it turn up on your Facebook feed. Sometimes it becomes absurd, like the man who jokingly shared a gigantic vat of personal lubricant and was turned into its unwilling spokesman. But increasingly, advertising technology has a darker side, where your phone can throw you in the center of a political battle whether you want to be there or not. How Smartphones Make Us Political Targets Rewire recently explored the technology of Copley Advertising, a Boston-area technology company that developed a campaign to target women who might be considering an abortion. Flynn claims to be able to pull a shocking amount of data from phones, ranging from most commonly visited locations such as workplace and home to pet ownership to which brand of car the person hes catering to drives. How does Copley know women are considering an abortion? It uses a common technology called geo-fencing, which only triggers ads when a phone is in a certain location. Geo-fencing is incredibly common and generally used for hyperlocal advertising, but any advertiser can do it for any reason. And political campaigns are using more and more complex data-gathering tools to form profiles of likely voters, without asking for their permission. Ted Cruzs campaign, for example, got in trouble for an app that harvested not just the Facebook profiles of users, but also their friends. In theory, this data is anonymous, but with enough data and legwork, anyone can determine a persons identity, especially if a researcher knows where that person works or lives. In fact, the simplest way to get somebodys data is to ask them for it; in the guise of a contest unrelated to a political cause or a request to send more information, a request for a name and address can be paired with an advertising profile. And with access to voter databases, your complete identity (more or less) can be handed out to any political operative who wants it. Story continues Why Is This Legal? This may leave smartphone users wondering why this is even allowed in the first place. And the answer is that in the modern tech industry, if theres no law against it, then it must also be morally right. Legally speaking, theres no difference, at the moment, between a billboard and an app selling your every move to anybody who wants it. Unfortunately, companies like Google have a long history of failing to consider the full implications of the products they roll out. For example, in 2010, Google rolled out a Twitter competitor called Google Buzz that it forcibly enrolled the entirety of Gmail in, and which quickly became one of the companys biggest disasters. Among other problems, it made your entire Gmail contact list public, it put your email address on public display, pulled pictures from users phones without permission, and forced users to opt out of GPS tracking. Its a problem that filters all the way down. The widely reviled app Peeple, which literally lets you review and rate other human beings as if they were consumer products, was created by executives who were hoping to forcibly enroll everyone on Facebook into the app. In fact, the company forced YouTube to take down a video of Peeples CEO complaining about how they couldnt do exactly that. How Can We Protect Ourselves? The good news is that even if consent is implied as given, you can take that consent away. If youre concerned, disable your phones GPS, something all smartphones allow with a few taps. Before downloading any app, especially a free app, look closely at the privacy settings. Apple and Google require apps to disclose what information they collect before you download, and make a point of looking at the privacy settings of apps you might have already put on your phone. Beyond that, treat interacting online as if you were talking in person. You wouldnt hand a total stranger your name and address, right? So why do it on the internet? Were only political targets if we volunteer to be, and weve got the tools to say no. The U.S. telecom industry remained rather subdued last week. Nevertheless, a few developments were worth noting. U.S. telecom behemoth Verizon Communications Inc. VZ warned that the companys second-quarter 2016 financial results may be affected by the ongoing strike of its wireline and cable TV workers which started from Apr 13, 2016. Verizon and the striking unions, The Communications Workers of America (CWA) and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), are currently at a stalemate over a new labor contract. The companys wireline employees have been working out of contract since August last year. The CWA said nearly 40,000 workers have gone on strike. Lowell McAdam, CEO of Verizon recently stated thatthe company is currently on track with respect to repairing and maintenance issues of the existing installed bases. However, the number of new installations of FiOS high-speed Internet and FiOS pay-TV has dropped significantly. As a result, the company may suffer high-speed broadband and pay-TV customer attrition. The situation may become even worse going forward if the strike continues for an indefinite period of time. Meanwhile, videoconferencing giant Polycom Inc. PLCM recently received a new takeover bid from an unnamed private equity (PE) firm. Notably, IP-based integrated communications solutions provider Mitel Networks Corp. MITL had placed a bid of around $1.96 billion to acquire Polycom this April. The PE firm offered two options to Polycom. Under Option 1, Polycom stockholders would receive a cash dividend of $11 per share and the private equity firm would purchase $650 million in shares of a new convertible preferred stock of Polycom. Resultantly, the PE firm will get hold of a 56% stake of the company and the remaining 44% will stay with Polycoms existing shareholders. Under Option 2, the PE firm will make Polycom a private entity in an offer worth $11.5 per share in cash and a contingent value right worth up to $3 per share. Story continues Several interesting developments took place outside the U.S. in the past one week. According to a recent report by Bloomberg, Spanish telecom giant Telefonica SA TEF is in talks with several banks to conduct an initial public offering (IPO) of its infrastructure division Telxius. Telefonica is aiming to raise around 4 - 5 billion ($4.5 - $5.6 billion) from the Telxius IPO. The spin-off of an infrastructure unit is not new in the global telecom space. Earlier America Movil SAB AMX had spun off its Telesite infrastructure division and Telecom Italia SpA TI also opted for the same. As per a recent report by NextTV Latam, Mexican telecom behemoth America Movil is eyeing Argentina as its new growth area. The report stated that America Movils owner Carlos Slim recently had a meeting with the Argentine president Mauricio Macri to assess investment opportunities in Argentinas state-owned telecom operator Arsat and Buenos Aires-based cable company TeleCentro. The deal, if it materializes, may see America Movil acquiring a stake in Refefo Federal Fibre-Optic Network as well as on the Arsat-2 satellite. Notably, America Movil already has a footprint in Argentinas telecom market through its Claro and Telmex Argentina subsidiaries. However, the company is barred from providing pay-TV services under the provisions of the Broadcast Media and Telecommunications Law. Liberty Global Plc. LBTYA - a leading cable MSO (multi service operator) in Europe and Latin America - recently took over a major Caribbean cable operator Cable & Wireless Communications Plc. The deal was valued at approximately $7.4 billion on an enterprise value basis. Cable & Wireless will be integrated into Liberty Globals Latin American and Caribbean group (the LiLAC Group). Read the last Telecom Stock Roundup for May 12, 2016. Recap of the Weeks Most Important Stories 1. It is crucial for Verizon to ensure smooth operations and continuing service even in the face of a walkout. Cable and landline revenues, although not comprising a large share of the pie, come directly from Verizons business customers. In 2015, FiOS generated 29% of Verizons total revenue and slightly less than 7% of operating income. Earlier this month, the U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez met with the Verizon CEO and the heads of the two unions that represent the companys striking workforce. Perez requested both sides to sit at the negotiation table to resolve the issues. However, nothing fruitful has emerged so far. (Read more: Verizon Q2 Results Likely to be Hit by Labor Unrest) 2. Per the Mitel deal, Polycom's shareholders will receive $3.12 in cash and 1.31 Mitel shares for each Polycom share they own, or $13.68 based on Mitels closing share price on Apr 13, 2016. As a result, Polycom shareholders will own 60% of the combined entity.Although Polycom stated that its board of directors still supports Mitel's offer, it would also evaluate the new proposal to see whether it constitutes a superior offer for its shareholders. (Read more: Polycom Stock Up on New Takeover Bid from PE Firm) 3. In Feb 2016, Telefonica created the Telxius division which was assigned the task of managing the companys infrastructure assets. At present, Telxius manages about 15,000 wireless towers and an international submarine-cable network covering 31,000 kilometers (19,000 miles) of Telefonica. More assets are likely to be assigned to Telxius over time. The flotation of the Telxius IPO has become important for Telefonica after the European Union telecom regulator blocked the proposed sale of its O2 unit in the U.K. to 3UK of Hutchison Whampoa. The deal size was around $14.9 billion. (Read more:Telefonica Reportedly in Talks with Banks for Telxius IPO) 4. America Movil is facing intense competitive pressure in Mexico. We believe the companys expansion drive in Argentina and other international markets is fuelled by the increasing competitive pressure in its homeland. In 2014, the government of Mexico had introduced reforms within its telecommunications sector. The countrys telecom regulator, the Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT), seeks to restrict the maximum hold of a company in the market to 50%. However, America Movil currently controls an enviable market share of nearly 68%. (Read more: Is America Movil Looking to Expand in Argentina?) 5. The acquisition of Cable & Wireless will enable Liberty Global to boost its rapidly growing operations in Latin America and the Caribbean region. Also, Liberty Global aims to gain from Cable & Wireless extensive network of undersea cables in the region, given the rapid increase in broadband data consumption. Further, the combined operations will help Liberty Global achieve economies of scale. Moreover, it is estimated to deliver low double-digit rebased operating cash flow growth over the medium term. (Read more: Liberty Global Acquires Cable & Wireless Communications) Price Performance The following table shows the price movement of the major telecom players over the past week and the last six months. Company Last Week Last 6 Months VZ -1.07% 13.53% T 0.44% 18.54% S -1.40% -6.12% TMUS 3.54% 13.93% VOD 0.18% 1.48% CHL 3.62% -3.79% AMX -2.13% -25.55% CMCSA 3.68% 2.86% DISH 6.48% -23.99% Over the last five trading sessions, share price movement of the major telecom stocks was predominantly positive. DISH Network (6.48%) and Comcast (3.68%) gained substantially while America Movil (2.13%) lost the most. On the other hand, over the last six months, the price performance of most of the key telecom stocks witnessed a mixed trend. Among the stocks that depreciated most were America Movil (25.55%), DISH Network (23.99%) and Sprint (6.12%). On the contrary, AT&T (18.54%), T-Mobile US (13.93%) and Verizon (13.53%) gained significantly over the last six months. Whats Next in the Telecom Sector? We do not foresee any significant change in the telecom industry, nor do we see any macroeconomic factors affecting the industry in the coming week. Therefore, we expect stocks to trade in line with the broader market. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report POLYCOM INC (PLCM): Free Stock Analysis Report MITEL NETWORKS (MITL): Free Stock Analysis Report TELEFONICA S.A. (TEF): Free Stock Analysis Report VERIZON COMM (VZ): Free Stock Analysis Report TELECOM ITA-ADR (TI): Free Stock Analysis Report LIBERTY GLBL-A (LBTYA): Free Stock Analysis Report AMER MOVIL-ADR (AMX): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Yasmeen Abutaleb SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The Vietnamese government restricted access to Facebook Inc inside Vietnam for several days this week as part of a broader crackdown on human rights and political dissidents during a visit by President Barack Obama, two activist organizations said on Thursday. Officials of Access Now, a digital rights organization, and Viet Tan, a Vietnamese pro-democracy group, said the social media site was restricted and at times blocked inside Vietnam from Sunday to Wednesday, citing reports from people inside the country on Twitter and to Access Now's digital security help service. The move coincides with a trend toward restrictions on Facebook in countries including China, Uganda and Turkey during politically sensitive times as the 1.6 billion-person social network grows more powerful. Obama's three-day visit to Vietnam ended on Wednesday. Obama largely focused on normalizing relations with Vietnam. But he also promoted human rights and chided Vietnam about restrictions on political freedoms after critics of its communist-run government were prevented from meeting him. The Facebook shutdown was part of a stepped-up campaign by the Vietnamese government to limit use of the social network for political protests, activists said in phone interviews. Facebook was blocked several times earlier this month as street protests erupted over an environmental disaster that resulted in mass fish deaths, the two groups said. The social media site was also unavailable inside Vietnam ahead of parliamentary elections on Sunday as pro-democracy activists called for a boycott, members of the two groups said. Facebook declined to comment. Vietnamese government officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment submitted via a government website. Uganda's government blocked Facebook and Twitter Inc in February during presidential elections. In March, after a deadly bombing in Turkey, an Ankara court ordered a ban on access to Facebook and Twitter. And during the 2011 Arab Spring in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, social networks were repeatedly shut down. Facebook is often shut down in Vietnam during politically sensitive times, Angelina Huynh, advocacy director for Viet Tan, which has members around the world, including in Vietnam, said in a phone interview. "People were using Facebook to call for protests. They did not want people to take to the streets," Huynh said. (Reporting By Yasmeen Abutaleb; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) If you just got yourself a shiny new Tesla and you cant wait to test its self-driving capability, you really should remember that driverless cars arent quite ready for primetime yet and Teslas Autopilot features are still in beta. That means you definitely shouldn't fall asleep behind the wheel like this guy, and you always need to be ready to take control if something goes wrong. The following video shows you what can happen with car software thats not finalized even when the driver is actually paying attention to the road. In it, we see a Tesla Model S crash itself into a van thats parked partially in the lane the Model S is traveling in. DONT MISS: New free app and site makes watching online videos like regular TV channels TACC, or Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, is the software feature that crashed this Tesla into the parked van. The safety feature should keep the Tesla at a safe distance from the car in front of it. But in this case, the car in front of the Model S did not stop when approaching the parked van, instead it changing lanes or at least half a lane, to avoid the stopped vehicle. The Tesla did stay locked on the car in front of it, but failed to detect the obstacle and ended up crashing. The accident occurred somewhere in Switzerland in what appears to be heavy traffic. The parked van had its hazard lights on, and the Model S wasn't speeding. None of the safety systems worked correctly, the Tesla driver who posted the video on YouTube wrote, listing the following things he identified as having failed: 1. The TACC, active cruise control did not brake as it normally does 2. The collision avoidance system (AEB) did not make an emergency brake 3. The forward collision warning turned on way too late; it was set to normal warning distance 4. The TACC actually was speeding up just before I did hit the brakes Yes, I could have reacted sooner, but when the car slows down correctly 1,000 times, you trust it to do it the next time too. My bad, he wrote. Story continues Meanwhile, Tesla Europe told the driver that all systems worked as expected. The damage to the car was extensive apparently the entire front of the car needs to be replaced, including a parking sensor and a steel beam. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQkx-4pFjus Related stories Welcome to the future: Video shows Tesla driver sleeping at the wheel while Autopilot drives Will the Model 3 really ship on schedule? Some Tesla suppliers are skeptical Tesla has a serious quality problem, and it needs fixing More from BGR: Axon 7 is a flagship Android phone with killer specs that you never saw coming This article was originally published on BGR.com Researchers have made the first microscopic movies of liquids getting vaporized by the worlds brightest X-ray laser at the Department of Energys SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. The new data could lead to better and novel experiments at X-ray lasers, whose extremely bright, fast flashes of light take atomic-level snapshots of some of natures speediest processes. Understanding the dynamics of these explosions will allow us to avoid their unwanted effects on samples, says Claudiu Stan of Stanford PULSE Institute, a joint institute of Stanford University and SLAC. It could also help us find new ways of using explosions caused by X-rays to trigger changes in samples and study matter under extreme conditions. These studies could help us better understand a wide range of phenomena in X-ray science and other applications. Researchers have recorded the first movies of liquids getting vaporized by SLACs Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), the worlds brightest X-ray laser. The movies reveal new details that could lead to better and novel experiments at X-ray lasers. (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory) Caught on Camera: X-ray Laser Makes a Splash Liquids are a common way of bringing samples into the path of the X-ray beam for analysis at SLACs Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), a DOE Office of Science User Facility, and other X-ray lasers. At full power, ultrabright X-rays can blow up samples within a tiny fraction of a second. Fortunately, in most cases researchers can take the data they need before the damage sets in. The new study, published today in Nature Physics, shows in microscopic detail how the explosive interaction unfolds and provides clues as to how it could affect X-ray laser experiments. Stan and his team looked at two ways of injecting liquid into the path of the X-ray laser: as a series of individual drops or as a continuous jet. For each X-ray pulse hitting the liquid, the team took one image, timed from five billionths of a second to one ten-thousandth of a second after the pulse. They strung hundreds of these snapshots together into movies. Thanks to a special imaging system developed for this purpose, we were able to record these movies for the first time, says co-author Sebastien Boutet from LCLS. We used an ultrafast optical laser like a strobe light to illuminate the explosion, and made images with a high-resolution microscope that is suitable for use in the vacuum chamber where the X-rays hit the samples. The footage shows how an X-ray pulse rips a drop of liquid apart. This generates a cloud of smaller particles and vapor that expands toward neighboring drops and damages them. These damaged drops then start moving toward the next-nearest drops and merge with them. This movie shows how a drop of liquid explodes after being struck by a powerful X-ray pulse from LCLS. The vertical white line at the center shows the position of the X-ray beam. The movie captures the first 9 millionths of a second after the explosion. (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory) In the case of jets, the movies show how the X-ray pulse initially punches a hole into the stream of liquid. This gap continues to grow, with the ends of the jet on either side of the gap beginning to form a thin liquid film. The film develops an umbrella-like shape, which eventually folds back and merges with the jet. Researchers studied the explosive interaction of X-ray pulses from LCLS with liquid jets, as shown in this movie of the first 9 millionths of a second after the explosion. (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory) Predicting Future Challenges and Opportunities Based on their data, the researchers were able to develop mathematical models that accurately describe the explosive behavior for a number of factors that researchers vary from one LCLS experiment to another, including pulse energy, drop size and jet diameter. They were also able to predict how gap formation in jets could pose a challenge in experiments at the future light sources European XFEL in Germany and LCLS-II, under construction at SLAC. Both are next-generation X-ray lasers that will fire thousands of times faster than current facilities. The jets in our study took up to several millionths of a second to recover from each explosion, so if X-ray pulses come in faster than that, we may not be able to make use of every single pulse for an experiment, Stan says. Fortunately, our data show that we can already tune the most commonly used jets in a way that they recover quickly, and there are ways to make them recover even faster. This will allow us to make use of LCLS-IIs full potential. The movies also show for the first time how an X-ray blast creates shock waves that rapidly travel through the liquid jet. The team is hopeful that these data could benefit novel experiments, in which shock waves from one X-ray pulse trigger changes in a sample that are probed by a subsequent X-ray pulse. This would open up new avenues for studies of changes in matter that occur at time scales shorter than currently accessible. Other institutions involved in the study were Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Germany; Princeton University; and Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland. Funding was received from the DOE Office of Science; Max Planck Society; Human Frontiers Science Project; and SLACs Laboratory Directed Research & Development program. This movie shows how shock waves travel through a liquid jet (vertical stripes inside the jet) during the first 2 millionths of a second after an explosion caused by an X-ray pulse from LCLS. (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory) Citation: C. Stan et al., Nature Physics, 23 May 2016 (10.1038/nphys3779). For questions or comments, contact the SLAC Office of Communications at communications@slac.stanford.edu. SLAC is a multi-program laboratory exploring frontier questions in photon science, astrophysics, particle physics and accelerator research. Located in Menlo Park, Calif., SLAC is operated by Stanford University for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The 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. We value your privacy. Focus Taiwan (CNA) uses tracking technologies to provide better reading experiences, but it also respects readers' privacy. Click here to find out more about Focus Taiwan's privacy policy. When you close this window, it means you agree with this policy. To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below. Taipei, May 26 (CNA) Economics officials said Thursday that the Asia Cement Co.'s mining project inside the Taroko National Park can be terminated next year as new Environment Minister Lee Ying-yuan () hopes, but the company's operations in the 417 hectares outside the park cannot be suspended without new legislation banning such activities. something something racism.The Chatham County District Attorney's Office on Monday, May 23, 2016, made public police body camera video of the fatal shooting of 25-year-old Tyrie Cuyler in Savannah, just before midnight on Oct. 27, 2015. The four officers involved -- Michael Gonzales, Ruben Colon, Daniel Kang and John Hauber -- with the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department were cleared by a grand jury on Monday. Gonzales and Colon were shot during the incident, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, suffering non-life-threatening injuries. The shooting took place after a traffic stop near the intersection of 37 Street and Ogeechee Road UMass Becomes First Major Public University to Divest from Direct Fossil Fuel HoldingsBOSTON The University of Massachusetts today became the first major public university to divest its endowment from direct holdings in fossil fuels. The decision was made by a unanimous vote of the Board of Directors of the UMass Foundation, a separate not-for-profit corporation that oversees an endowment whose value was $770 million at the end of the last fiscal year.The decision followed a series of developments that signaled the University communitys desire to fight climate change. Last year, the Foundation voted to divest from direct holdings in coal companies in response to a petition from the UMass Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign, a student group. The UMass Board of Trustees later endorsed the Foundations decision and described climate change as a serious threat to the planet. Last month, the Campaign staged a series of demonstrations at UMass Amherst to call for divestment from all fossil fuels."This action is consistent with the principals that have guided our university since its Land Grant inception and reflects our commitment to take on the environmental challenges that confront us all, said UMass President Marty Meehan. Important societal change often begins on college campuses and it often begins with students. Im proud of the students and the entire University community for putting UMass at the forefront of a vital movement, one that has been important to me throughout my professional life.During last months protest at UMass Amherst, Meehan met with two representatives of the UMass Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign, Sarah Jacqz and Kristie Herman. After that meeting, he said he was prepared to recommend that UMass build on its coal divestment by removing from its endowment direct investments in fossil fuel companies and making additional investments in clean/sustainable energy.To accomplish the latter, Meehan also announced today that he planned to tap the Presidents Science and Technology Initiative Fund, which last year provided more than $900,000 in grants to UMass faculty researchers, to ensure future funding for sustainability/green technology projects. He said that UMass is also set to boost its academic and financial involvement in offshore wind energy.The Foundations action today makes a powerful statement about UMasss commitment to combatting climate change and protecting our environment, said UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy. It also speaks volumes about our students passionate commitment to social justice and the environment. It is largely due to their advocacy that that this important issue has received the attention that it deserves.UMass Board of Trustees Chairman Victor Woolridge said he would ask the Board to endorse the Foundations decision when it meets on June 15.With this vote, the UMass Foundation adopts a divestment position that is among the most aggressive established for any major university public or private in the United States, said Woolridge. We do so, in part, because members of the UMass community have urged us to consider divestment in moral terms. Since we acknowledge the moral imperative, we are willing to go beyond last years action and take this additional step, but were also mindful of our moral and fiduciary obligation to safeguard the Universitys endowment, which provides critical funding for faculty research and student scholarships, and must be protected against losses. We believe this conclusive action balances those two priorities.Divesting from investments in any particular sector is not done lightly and we have done so rarely, said Foundation Treasurer and Investment Committee Chairman Edward H. DAlelio. The Foundations primary responsibility is a fiduciary one. Its primary mission is overseeing the endowment in an effort to maximize returns on funds donated for research, academic programs, financial aid and other purposes. That we took this step reflects not just our comfort as fiduciaries but the seriousness with which we see climate change.In addition to its divestment moves, the Foundation has taken a series of other steps to promote socially responsible investing. These include:Becoming a founding member of the Intentional Endowment Network, which supports colleges, universities, and other mission-driven tax-exempt organizations in aligning their endowment investment practices with their mission, values, and sustainability goals without sacrificing financial returns.Formally incorporating into its investment policies Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria.Establishing a Social Choice Endowment option for donors.Becoming a signatory to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), which provides a global system for organizations to measure, disclose, manage and share environmental information. No one believes that Roots, a new interpretation of Alex Haleys blockbuster novel airing next week, will get the attention the 1977 version did. Then again, expectations werent too high the first time around. ABC, whose pride and joy at the time was Happy Days, was so skeptical of the sprawling history lesson about American slavery that it elected to burn off the entire story over eight consecutive nights in January, todays equivalent of banishing a new show to Saturday evenings. By the final evening, roughly 85 percent of all TV viewers in the United States had watched at least part of the series and television executives fully embraced the concept of the miniseries, setting the stage for such blockbusters as Shogun, The Thorn Birds and The Winds of War. More important, the phenomenon sparked spirited discussion in living rooms across the country, inspiring teenagers to explore black culture and struggles beyond the Evans household on Good Times. Mark Wolper, 16 at the time, had a particularly advantageous seat his father, David Wolper, was the series executive producer and its main champion from Day 1. The two would go on to work together on the 1988 sequel Roots: The Gift and 1993s Queen, another miniseries based on an Alex Haley book, this one starring Halle Berry. Wolper was approached many times, before and after his fathers death in 2010, to take a stab at a remake. He refused. Even without the father-son shadow issues, I cant think of a more daunting, frightening thing to do, Wolper said by phone last week. A couple of years ago, he decided it was time for his own 16-year-old son to experience some family history, almost forcing him to sit through all 9{ hours of his grandfathers most heralded project. Junior wasnt impressed. He couldnt get into it, Wolper said. He said, Dad, I get why its important, but its a little like your music. It doesnt speak to me. It was at that moment I had this revelation. His generation knows the stories of slavery and even Roots, but they havent seen it visually in a way that school doesnt really teach you. Traditionalists have the opportunity to see the original when its re-released on Blu-ray on June 7. But younger people are likely to be more attracted to this History Channel production with its slightly shorter running time eight hours stretched over four straight nights beginning Monday revved-up action and more defiant characters. Grueling scenes of central character Kunta Kinte training to be a warrior in his West African village could have been lifted from Survivor. Extended scenes from the Revolutionary War, in which slaves were promised freedom in exchange for siding with England, feature a moment in which an African-American soldier emerges from muddy waters like Rambo getting ready to pounce. Slaves are still whipped and raped in this version, but not before delivering a kick to the masters groin. Daina Ramey Berry, a professor of American history at the University of Texas, defended the more rebellious approach. In my classroom, students often ask, Why didnt they just run away? Berry said. As I see it, its important to show that African-Americans didnt just bow down to the oppression. The emphasis on fighting back and casting of young, contemporary stars Anna Paquin, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Mekhi Phifer all make appearances may inspire a new generation to start examining their genealogical trees. Berry also hopes the miniseries will help explain the anger still simmering in the country. You dont have to accept the context, but you have to understand it, she said. LeVar Burton, who played Kinte in the original series, has no doubt that Roots can make a difference again. As far as we have come in the area of race relations and the topics of social justice, fairness and equality, we still have a long way to go, said Burton, who served as an executive producer on the 2016 version. Roots was, and I believe can be again, an opportunity to do more than simply entertain. Its an opportunity to educate and enlighten through our storytelling. Now if only Wolper can convince his son, now in college, to give it another chance. Id like to have a family screening this summer, he said. But unfortunately, hell probably watch it on his cellphone in his dorm room. UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner (second, left) poses for a photo while holding two reports published on Tuesday at a news conferrence with three other environmental experts. [Photo by Hou Liqiang/chinadaily.com.cn] The world has seen progress in air pollution control with investment in renewable energy and cleaner indoor burning fuels, but more effort still should be made in reducing emissions to reduce the number of people air pollution kills, said a report. Actions on Air Quality, released on Tuesday at the second United Nations Environment Assembly by the United Nations Environment Program found improvements in areas such as access to cleaner cooking fuels and stoves, renewables, fuel sulphur content and public transport. According to the report, 97 countries have increased the percentage of households that have access to cleaner burning fuels to more than 85 percent. This a key move to tackle indoor air pollution, which claims 4.3 million of the total 7 million that are killed by air pollution each year, said the report. It said more than 82 countries out of 194 analyzed have incentives to promote investment in renewable energy production, cleaner production, energy efficiency and pollution control equipment. Renewables accounted for a majority of the new electricity-generating capacity added around the world for the first time last year at an investment of $286 billion, according to research by UNEP, Bloomberg and the Frankfurt School. Another report released on Tuesday, which looks at attempts to control Beijing's air pollution over a 15-year period, also finds steady improvements are being made. A Review of Air Pollution Control in Beijing: 1998-2013 analyzed measures implemented since Beijing began launching its air pollution control program, which saw a steady downward trend in the concentrations of many harmful pollutants. The Beijing analysis, carried out by UNEP and the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau, found that carbon monoxide and sulphur levels are now below limits set by China's National Ambient Air Quality Standards, while nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter ten levels are also creeping closer to the standards. This trend has been driven by a decrease in coal consumption in the power sector and a drop in vehicle emissions resulting from vehicle emission control measures. Coal use fell from a peak of 9 million metric tons in 2005 to 6.44 million tons in 2013, while the 2013 levels of carbon monoxide dropped by 76 per cent compared to 1998. When it comes to emissions control, however, it's not impressive with only 29 per cent of countries having adopted Euro 4 emissions standards or above and less than 20 per cent of countries regulating open waste burning. The report said policies and standards on clean fuels and vehicles could reduce emissions by 90 per cent. According to the World Health Organization, global urban air pollution levels increased by 8 per cent between 2008 and 2013. More than 80 percent of people living in urban areas that monitor air pollution are exposed to air quality levels that exceed WHO limits, threatening lives, productivity and economies. UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said, "A healthy environment is essential to healthy people and our aspirations for a better world under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. "We are indeed making progress on air pollution, but the fact remains that many people are still breathing air outside of World Health Organization standards. The health, social and economic costs are massive and rising." UNEA is the world's most powerful decision-making body on the environment, and responsible for tackling some of the most critical issues of our time. Attracting hundreds of key decision makers, businesses and representatives of intergovernmental organizations and civil society this year, UNEA-2 is one of the first major meetings since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Climate Agreement. Contact the writer at Kenya houliqiang@chinadaily.com.cn. CEDAR RAPIDS | Four Democrats seeking their partys nomination for the U.S. Senate will debate on statewide public television May 26. Former state lawmakers Tom Fiegen of Clarence and Bob Krause of Fairfield, State Sen. Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids and former Lt. Gov. Patty Judge of Albia will participate in the live televised "Iowa Press" debate at the Iowa Public Television studio in Johnston beginning at 7 p.m. The winner of the June 7 Democratic primary election will face Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley in November. The debate also will be carried live on Iowa Public Radio. -- James Lynch Are prices headed up or down? Where are the hotspots for buyers and sellers? Find out with these charts and graphs, updated weekly. MASON CITY | A Mason City woman was sentenced to up to nine years in prison Monday on drug and theft charges. Casondra Wilmarth, 23, was sentenced to up to five years in prison for marijuana possession with intent to deliver, a Class D felony. She was arrested on that charge on Oct. 9. An additional charge of possession of contraband in a correctional facility, also a Class D felony, was filed after a bag of methamphetamine allegedly was found in her mouth during the jail booking process. However, that charge was dismissed through a plea bargain. Wilmarth also was sentenced to two years in prison each on two counts of third-degree theft. She was accused of shoplifting a $170 pair of jeans by putting them in her purse on Sept. 9 in Clear Lake. Wilmarth was accused of stealing a dealer license plate from a vehicle owned by Scotty's Auto in Mason City on Oct. 20 and putting it on her own vehicle. She pleaded guilty to both charges. -- Mary Pieper CLEAR LAKE The 10th annual Little Black Dress Night on June 2 will raise funds for the Opportunity Village Childrens Autism Center. The event is from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at District 619 Steakhouse, located at 619 Buddy Holly Place in Clear Lake. Local radio personality Jay Brooks from 98.7 KISS Country will be the host for the evening. A $10 cover fee will be charged with all proceeds going to the autism center. Swag bags will be given to the first 50 people through the door. Celebrity guest bartenders will be Sharon Wille Steckman, Whitney Blakemore, Jon Rivas, Steve Minert, Shane Cooney, Laurie Potter Lietz, Colleen Devine, Karen Hutzell, and Justin Perez. All guest bartender tips will go the autism center. Mr. Tacos food truck will be parked outside and will donate a portion of the sales to the cause. The band Six Pool will play outside. There will be a guest DJ inside. Local businesses have donated prizes for silent and live auctions. Opportunity Village Childrens Autism Center, located in Clear Lake, serves more than 70 children on the autism spectrum. MASON CITY | For Newman Catholic seniors, their path to graduation came with high-fives and hugs. For the first year, about 50 outgoing seniors paraded down the elementary school hallways to cheers as they passed students holding hand-drawn signs reading "You Rock" and "Keep Calm and Graduate On" before heading to their seniors awards ceremony. Their graduation marks a milestone for Newman Catholic Schools as the first class to attend all grades there since it built a $5.5 million elementary wing to the high school in 2003. That addition replaced the longtime Newman Elementary School located on Highway 122 East. Known to most as St. Joseph's School, the old three-story school, built in the early 1900s, had accessibility, space and storage problems, school officials said at the time. "It's crazy how fast it went by," said senior Michael Fitzsimmons, 18. That move helped unify Newman's sense of community, said Principal Tony Adams, with monthly mass services shared between high school and elementary school students. "Maybe it will be the start of a Newman tradition," he said. "As any class does, they go through their growing aspect," Adams said. "It's fun to see them find their own little niche." Shelly Schmit came to watch her oldest daughter, Ellie, 18, walk the halls. "I hope I make it through without breaking down," she said. Fitzsimmons, who plans to study theater at Bendictine College, said it was a time to repay parents for the time they spent there. "It's about the legacy here our graduating class ... (the community) put into making us what we are today," Fitzsimmons said. MASON CITY | The North Iowa Area Community College Automotive Department invites the community to an open house from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 4. The public is encouraged to bring a car to display in the parking lot outside the Automotive Department at no fee. Tours of the Automotive Department will be available. Members of the public will have the opportunity to have the horsepower of vehicles that can run in two-wheel mode tested on the Chassis Dyno. There will be a scoreboard for high/low horsepower numbers for the day along with prizes. Chassis Dyno runs are on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost is $45 for two pulls. A registration table will be available in the Automotive Department. Contact Gerrot Jacobson at 641-422-4263 or jacobger@niacc.edu) or Rob Heimbuch at 641-422-4155 or heimbrob@niacc.edu for more information. Guy O. Olson NORTHWOOD Guy Orville Olson, 95, of Northwood, died Saturday, May 21, 2016, at the Muse-Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City. A funeral service will be 1 p.m. Saturday, May 28, 2016, at Northwood United Methodist Church, 1000 First Ave. N., in Northwood, with Pastor Shirley Hoffman Will officiating and Pastor Dennis Hudson concelebrating. Burial will be in Sunset Rest Cemetery in Northwood, with military honors provided by Our Buddies V.F.W. Post 6779. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 27, 2016, at Conner Colonial Chapel, 1008 First Ave. S. in Northwood. Family suggests memorial contributions to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. Guy was born Feb. 4, 1921, the son of Clarence C. and Florence (Lent) Olson in Cromwell, Iowa. He had four sisters and six brothers. A graduate of Diagonal Public School, class of 1938, Guy enlisted in the Air Force in 1942, serving in England with the 8th Air Force until 1945. He was united in marriage to Eva Lois Reed in 1942 and to this union four children were born: Susanne, Ronald, Janet and Jill. In 1952, Guy graduated from the University of Missouri and shortly after he and his family moved to Northwood. After being employed by Allied Mills in Mason City for three years as a chemist, he began Guy Olson Construction in 1955 and built many homes in the area and developed subdivisions in Northwood. In 1967 Guy became a real estate broker, owning Worth Realty for 33 years until his retirement at age 80 in the year 2000. During that time he was also involved with the city government as a councilman and later serving as mayor of Northwood. His first term was served in the early 1970s and second in the early 1990s. Guy was a member of Northwood United Methodist Church for over 60 years and served on various committees. Guy is survived by three daughters, Susanne Olson-White of Los Angeles, CA, Janet Olson of Ankeny, and Jill (Frank) Hilton of Des Moines; four grandchildren, Dana (Ray) White, Tyler (Abby) Neuschwanger, Olivia Barnes and Evan Hilton; a great-grandson, Archer Neuschwanger; a brother, Ivan (Elaine) Olson; and a special friend, Norma Fulton of Clear Lake, and her daughter, Beth, of Des Moines. He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Ron; four sisters, Opal, Vivian, Rosalie and Lola; five brothers, Wendall, Leo, Gene, Dale and Dwayne; and a son-in-law, Jim White. Guy was a workaholic and greatly regrets the weekends he worked instead of spending time with his family and relaxing. Perhaps now he will have time for that. Conner Colonial Chapel, 1008 First Ave. S., Northwood. 641-324-1543. ColonialChapels.com. Lillian Holstad NORTHWOOD Lillian Holstad, 99, of rural Northwood, died Monday, May 23, 2016, at the Lutheran Retirement Home in Northwood. Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Lime Creek Synod Lutheran Church, rural Lake Mills, with Pastor David Emmons officiating. Burial will be in Somber Cemetery, rural Lake Mills. Visitation was held from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Mittelstadt Funeral Home, Lake Mills. Mittelstadt Funeral Home, Lake Mills, is in charge of arrangements. Lyle E. DeGraw ROCKFORD Lyle E. DeGraw, 80, of Rockford, passed away Tuesday, May 24, 2016, at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa. A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 27, 2016 at the First United Methodist Church, Mason City, with the Rev. Kathy Moore officiating. Visitation will be held from 5 until 7 p.m. Thursday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 North Pennsylvania Ave. Memorials may be directed to the Lyle DeGraw Memorial Fund in care of his family. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com. Lyle was born Jan. 16, 1936, the son of Edward G. and Vera E. (Baumgartner) DeGraw on the family farm in rural Rockford, Iowa. He graduated from Nora Springs High School with the class of 1954 and later went on to Iowa State University, graduating in 1956. On Aug. 23, 1959, Lyle was united in marriage to Rosemary Strahm in Decatur, Indiana. The couple has been blessed by three children. After farming north of Mason City, Lyle and Rosemary felt the calling to serve the Lord by working at Red Bird Mission in southeastern Kentucky, the site of their first meeting. They began as boys dorm parents, then served as work camp supervisors and worked in maintenance. After five years of mission work, the family returned to the Mason City area so Lyle could farm and raise sheep with his father. Lyle worked as a painter at Brakke Implement for 27 years. Over the years Lyle served the local Boy Scout troop and 4H group as a leader, and was involved with Habitat for Humanity. Lyle served on the Farmers Coop Board and the Cerro Gordo County Extension Council, and volunteered at the Lime Creek Nature Center. He was a proud supporter of the North Iowa Dirt Riders and Trees Forever. Lyle was a very active member of the First United Methodist Church and enjoyed his church family very much. He enjoyed attending his childrens and grandchildrens many activities, visiting with friends, and collecting toy farm tractors. Lyles genuine smile and positive attitude were ready for everyone he met. Those thankful for having shared in Lyles life include his wife, Rosemary, children, Joseph (Yvonne) DeGraw, Stephen (Judy) DeGraw, Sarah (Mang) Thao, two sisters, Laura Shanks, Ruth (Ken) Rice, brother, Harold Hal (Barbara) DeGraw, six grandchildren, Joshua, Mackenzie, Beth, Kristina DeGraw, Cael and Ephraim Thao and many nieces and nephews. Mr. DeGraw was preceded in death by his parents and one brother-in-law, Howard Shanks. Arrangements are with Major Erickson Funeral Home and Crematory, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Mason City, IA 50401, 641-423-0924. Democrats hoped this presidential election would be a cakewalk. In their eyes, the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump, spent most of the spring alienating big chunks of the electorate, beginning with women. Meanwhile, the presumptive Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton, has run a careful, well-funded, well-honed campaign. What could go wrong? And yet, in a spate of reputable surveys Trump has suddenly erased the advantage Clinton had held all year. The average of major polls compiled by the website RealClearPolitics shows the two candidates tied with 43 percent each. In at least three polls, Trump has even pulled ahead by a slim margin. Thats been enough to send some Democrats into a swivet. But they shouldnt panic. First of all, polls in May dont have much predictive value about an election thats more than five months away. Four years ago, in May 2012, Mitt Romney was tied with President Barack Obama in the RealClearPolitics average, just as Trump and Clinton are tied today. In November, Romney lost by 4 percentage points. In May 2008, John McCain was only a little behind Obama, according to the same index. In November, McCain lost by 7 percentage points. Theres one big reason Trump is doing better than expected in the polls: Republican voters have rallied behind him faster than some analysts expected. Many GOP leaders, beginning with Romney, House Speaker Paul Ryan and presidential runner-up Ted Cruz, have refused to endorse the apparent nominee, but that hasnt stopped rank-and-file conservatives from closing ranks. In an NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll released this week, Trumps support among Republicans in a head-to-head contest with Clinton jumped to 86 percent, up from 72 percent a month earlier. Democrats, by contrast, are still divided between Clinton and Bernie Sanders. In the same poll, only about two-thirds of Sanders voters were willing to say they would vote for Clinton in November if she wins the nomination. Her support among Democrats has actually declined slightly, from 87 percent a month ago to 84 percent now, and so has her backing among independents. That depresses Clintons overall number and makes her look weak, but its probably only a temporary weakness. If history is any guide, almost all of those Sanders voters will move into Clintons column once she is actually the nominee, especially if Sanders keeps his promise to campaign for Clinton (or against Trump) in the fall. One more factor that should help Clinton: Obama has regained some of his lost popularity. In recent polls, the presidents job approval has reached 51 percent, its highest level since his second inauguration in 2013. That means Obama would be an asset to the Democratic nominee. All that said, Clinton still faces serious challenges. After six years of political gridlock, many voters are yearning for change in Washington, and that should help Trump. In the NBC-Journal poll, 53 percent of voters said they would prefer a president who would bring major changes to Washington even if it is not possible to predict what the changes may be. Only 43 percent said theyd prefer a steady approach (with) fewer changes. Clinton also has a problem with independent and moderate voters (two different but not always distinct categories). Several polls have shown her losing to Trump among independents. Among moderates, who ought to be a natural constituency for her, the NBC-Journal poll found her running roughly even with the Republican. The more she pulls to the left because of pressure from Sanders, the less appealing she is for independents in the center, said David Winston, a former adviser to Newt Gingrich. She has to find a way to appeal to Sanders supporters and also build a majority coalition. Thats not an easy task. Guy Cecil, who runs the biggest super PAC supporting Clinton, disagreed. Obama lost independents in 2012 but he still won the election, he noted. The polls that show Trumps support rising and Clintons slipping are neither mirages nor predictions. Theyre snapshots of a moving target. Its too early to panic. But its never too early to worry. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to let stand an egregious violation of a citizens right to a fair trial. In a 7-1 ruling, the Supreme Court agreed with defense attorneys for Georgia death row inmate Timothy Tyrone Foster that prosecutors kept blacks off his jury, in clear violation of his rights. Foster was convicted three decades ago by an all-white jury of murdering a white woman. His lawyers were able to petition successfully for the prosecutions notes that laid bare its strategy of peremptory strikes and challenges against all of the potential black jurors. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts, a conservative who is often criticized for being naive about the impact of race on American life, agreed that prosecutors were motivated in substantial part by race. Georgia argued that there was no evidence that Foster was ever discriminated against, despite being convicted by an all-white jury and even after the prosecutors notes were made public. When the case was argued before the Supreme Court last fall, Justice Elena Kagan commented it seemed as clear a violation as a court is ever going to see. It was a hint of what the justices said this week, with Justice Clarence Thomas as the lone dissenter. Without explaining his logic, the courts only black justice said he would have deferred to the state judges who rejected Fosters claims. Thomas sees no discrimination here. Fortunately, he is a minority of one. The Supreme Court ordered the case returned to state court, where Fosters lawyers will call for a new trial. The courts decision doesnt take away lawyers ability to use peremptory strikes or limit its prerogative to reject jurors, but it is clear that the highest court in the land wont look kindly upon a jury decision that looks like naked bias and racial discrimination. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Ladies and gentlemen of our government. I am going to talk some sense to you elected Congress people. First of all, we out here in the heartland of America don't get the level of pay that you get and our health care isn't paid like yours. Your pension and Social Security keep up with the cost of living adjustment; mine does not, so pretend for one minute that you are not living off the fat of the land and like we have to as responsible Americans out here in middle America. First and foremost we must close the borders. We are the only country in the world with open borders. Border Patrol cannot do their job with their hands tied like is happening at the present time. Second, S.B.-1070 must be scrapped and should have never been permitted. Third, the president who was the instigator of this policy must live on the border and view the problems himself, over a 24-hour period and talk personally with immigrants coming in. This should give him some insight on the circumstances he has created, plus the dangers to the Border Patrol. This border problem had changed dramatically since lSlS has vowed to fly the black flag over the White House and is training drug cartels on battle tactics and explosives use. The mindset on immigration can't stay like it is at the present time or we will break the system through health care, Social Security, welfare, schools, taxes and burden our economy to the point of collapse. Chain immigration must stop. My thoughts for a long time has been to call a moratorium on immigration for five years, to check out who has come legally and forget amnesty until all are accounted for, which will take an extended period of time. If we were to go to another country it would be expected of us. We can't have the world's population at our door, with no identification. Eugene Meier, Rockford IRVINE, Calif., May 26, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Future City Holding Inc. (OTCQB:FTCY) (the Company) is pleased to congratulate its strategic partner, Great Coin, Inc. on reaching 11,430 approved trading accounts for its digital currency trading platform. In addition to the 11,430 approved trading accounts, Great Coin, Inc. is currently processing applications for an additional 11,105 trading accounts and expects to receive many more applications in the days and weeks to come. The vast majority of the 22,435 approved or pending applications were received after the official launch on May 5, 2016 with approximately 550 in the United States, all of which are in California. Great Coin, Inc. is wholly owned by officers and directors of the Company. Great Coin, Inc.s trading platform supports the digital currency GX-Coin and is based on the Ethereum platform, which is quickly growing in popularity in the industry. For example, Coinbase, which is widely believed to be the largest Bitcoin focused company in terms of investment, recently announced it will be expanding its platform to accommodate Ether, a digital currency based on the Ethereum platform (http://www.reuters.com/article/us-bitcoin-coinbase-ether-idUSKCN0YA2VF). Likewise, the San Francisco based exchange Kraken announced it would begin offering Ether trading pairs on its exchange. (http://www.coindesk.com/ethereum-bitfinex-ether-trading/). Moreover, Gemini, the digital currency exchange affiliated with the Winklevoss twins, also announced it will add Ether to its trading platform. (http://www.coindesk.com/winklevoss-brothers-invest-ether-leading-launch/). About Global Future City Holding Inc. Global Future City Holding Inc. is a holding company focused on implementing an EB-5 immigrant investor program for foreign investors who are interested in acquiring lawful permanent residence in the United States, and the marketing and deployment of its loyalty-based membership program. The Company plans to focus its initial efforts on acquiring qualified investment projects that are aligned with its EB-5 Regional Center and launching the digital currency-based membership program. Additional information on the Company may be viewed at http://www.gf.city. About GX-Life Global, Inc. GX-Life Global is in the process of developing a robust, scalable platform to support its membership program throughout the world. GX-Life Global is supported by GX-Coins which is a digital currency that functions as a store of value and a medium of exchange. GX-Life Global plans to deploy the GX-Coins it acquires from Great Coin by distributing them to members of their membership program community as loyalty points for the members participation in the membership program. Members of GX-Life Global will be able to redeem their status points, reward points, and status reward points for GX-Coin at 100% of their points dollar value. Additionally, users of GX-Coin will be able to use their GX-Coins to purchase products offered by GX-Life Global. About Great Coin, Inc. Great Coin, Inc., a Nevada corporation, is a technology company in the process of developing Great Coin or GX-Coin which is a digital currency that functions as a store of value and a medium of exchange. Great Coin intends for the GX-Coins to be freely transferable on an online trading platform, and the price of a GX-Coin once on the trading platform will be determined by market forces through trading activity. As a digital currency, GX-Coins ownership and transfer will be recorded on an encrypted, secured distributed ledger system using technology similar to the distributed ledger technology used for trading digital currencies. Information about Forward-Looking Statements This release contains "forward-looking statements" that include information relating to future events and future financial and operating performance. The words "may," "would," "will," "expect," "estimate," "can," "believe," "potential" and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which that performance or those results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time they are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause these differences include, but are not limited to: the Company pursuing digital currency, which could have fluctuations in demand and pricing, the introduction and impact of new competitive products or digital currency, the Company's ability to acquire and maintain customer strategic business relationships in the MLM space, growth in targeted markets, and other information that may be detailed from time-to-time in the Company's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. For a more detailed description of the risk factors and uncertainties affecting the Company, please refer to the Company's recent Securities and Exchange Commission filings, which are available at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SILVER SPRING, Md., May 26, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc. (OTCQB:PMCB), a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing targeted treatments for cancer and diabetes using its signature live-cell encapsulation technology, Cell-in-a-Box, today announced that Kenneth L. Waggoner, the Chief Executive Officer of PharmaCyte, will be a featured presenter at the 5th Annual Marcum MicroCap Conference on Thursday, June 2, 2016, in New York City at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. The annual Marcum MicroCap Conference is a signature showcase for superior quality, lesser-known public companies with less than $500 million in market capitalization. The Marcum MicroCap Conference is dedicated to providing a forum where these companies can network with the investment community. The event attracts fund managers and high net worth investors who focus on small cap equities, a number of whom Mr. Waggoner will be meeting. In addition to the Marcum MicroCap Conference, PharmaCyte will be well represented at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), which will be held from June 3-7 in Chicago at McCormick Place. During ASCO, PharmaCyte will host a medical and scientific discussion of its therapy for pancreatic cancer among top oncologist investigators who have expressed interest in PharmaCytes technology and possible participation in the clinical trial. Joining Mr. Waggoner will be Dr. Gerald W. Crabtree, PharmaCytes Chief Operating Officer, and Dr. Sanjay Batra, PharmaCytes Senior Business Development Advisor. Presentations will be made by Prof. Dr. Walter Gunzburg and Dr. Brian Salmons, co-developers of the Cell-in-a-Box, technology, Dr. Matthias Lohr, the Principal Investigator in the two previous clinical trials using the Cell-in-a-Box technology, and Dr. Manuel Hidalgo, one of the principal architects of PharmaCytes trial design. Prof. Gunzburg and Dr. Salmons will explain the development of the technology, the mechanism of action and the encapsulation process. Dr. Lohr will present data from the two previous trials and discuss placement of the capsules in the patients involved. Dr. Hidalgo will discuss the trial design and rationale for it, and solicit feedback from the oncologists in attendance. PharmaCyte will also be attending the 2016 BIO International Convention (BIO) being held June 6-9, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. PharmaCytes Chief Executive Officer will be meeting with companies involved in the clinical trial, companies interested in PharmaCytes product candidates and others critical to the success of the development of those products. BIOs annual convention attracts over 15,000 biotechnology and pharmaceutical leaders who come together for one week of intensive networking to discover new opportunities and promising partnerships. This event covers a wide spectrum of life science applications. About PharmaCyte Biotech PharmaCyte Biotech is a clinical stage biotechnology company developing and preparing to commercialize treatments for cancer and diabetes based upon a proprietary cellulose-based live cell encapsulation technology known as Cell-in-a-Box. This technology will be used as a platform upon which treatments for several types of cancer and diabetes are being developed. PharmaCytes treatment for cancer involves encapsulating genetically modified live cells that convert an inactive chemotherapy drug into its active or cancer-killing form. These encapsulated live cells are placed as close to a cancerous tumor as possible. Once implanted in a patient, a chemotherapy drug which needs to be activated in the body (ifosfamide) is then given intravenously at one-third the normal dose. The ifosfamide is carried by the circulatory system to where the encapsulated cells have been placed. When the ifosfamide, which is normally activated in the liver, comes in contact with the encapsulated live cells, activation of the chemotherapy drug takes place at the source of the cancer without any side effects from the chemotherapy. This targeted chemotherapy has proven remarkably effective and safe to use in past clinical trials. In addition to developing a novel treatment for cancer, PharmaCyte is developing a treatment for Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 insulin-dependent diabetes. PharmaCyte plans to encapsulate a human cell line that has been genetically engineered to produce, store and release insulin in response to the levels of blood sugar in the human body. The encapsulation will be done using the Cell-in-a-Box technology. Safe Harbor This press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding PharmaCyte Biotech and its future events and results that involve inherent risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "plan" and similar expressions, as they relate to PharmaCyte or its management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Important factors, many of which are beyond the control of PharmaCyte, could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. They include PharmaCyte's ability to continue as a going concern, delays or unsuccessful results in preclinical and clinical trials, flaws or defects regarding its product candidates, changes in relevant legislation or regulatory requirements, uncertainty of protection of PharmaCytes intellectual property and PharmaCytes continued ability to raise capital. PharmaCyte does not assume any obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements. More information about PharmaCyte Biotech can be found at www.PharmaCyte.com. It can also be obtained by contacting Investor Relations. Recommended Tweet: Donate to @miracleflights at www.flyit4ward.org. Fold a dollar bill into a plane, upload your video, tag your friends & #flyit4ward. LAS VEGAS, NEV., May 26, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Miracle Flights, a national medical flight nonprofit is launching a philanthropic initiative on multiple social channels, encouraging donors to give through its campaign titled Flyit4ward. This campaign aims to raise awareness and monies that will fund flights for those in need of critical care. Since 1985, Miracle Flights has established itself as the nation's leading medical flight organization. Miracle Flights provides free airline tickets so that seriously ill children can reach life-altering, life-saving medical care and second opinions from experts and specialists throughout the United States. This themed social media campaign is designed to inspire supporters to donate at www.flyit4ward.org. The Flyit4ward premise is to share videos of donors folding dollar bills into paper airplanes and then nominating a friend to continue to Flyit4ward. The Flyit4ward website at http://flyit4ward.org, will feature heartfelt videos highlighting experiences from the nonprofit's beneficiaries, showcase family stories, tributes, milestone events and garner general support for Miracle Flights' charitable mission. View the #FlyIt4ward Campaign Video:www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_Y7vPX3kh4" rel="nofollow"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_Y7vPX3kh4 (60 second) Contributors are encouraged to not only give on the landing page, but also to share the conversation and "fly it forward" by uploading their video on social channels and tagging friends and family using the #Flyit4ward hashtag. The videos will be promoted across the Miracle Flights' social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and will also be located on the Flyit4ward website for the duration of the campaign. "We hope communities around the world will participate in the Flyit4ward campaign. A donation of $20 dollars will fund 25 miracle miles and help a child receive specialized medical care," said Mark E. Brown, Miracle Flights CEO. "Flyit4ward is a creative giving campaign and a fun interactive outlet for our families to share their personal stories, all while supporting the cause. Miracle Flights encourages people to share the campaign by creating a paper airplane, uploading to their social channels, tagging and challenging their friends and flying it forward." The national nonprofit, which has flown more than 55,000,000 miles has seen a steady increase in monthly flight requests, with a record average of 600 700 coordinated flights per month, and will hit a milestone this June, of flying more than 100,000 flights. About Miracle Flights Miracle Flights is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides free medical air transportation via commercial airlines throughout the United States. Now in its 30th year of operation, Miracle Flights has coordinated more than 99,000 flights and counting. For more information about Miracle Flights, to request flight assistance, or to make a donation, call 800-359-1711 or visit www.miracleflights.org. Follow Miracle Flights on Twitter https://twitter.com/miracleflights and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MiracleFlights/. For more information on the #Flyit4ward campaign, visit the website at www.flyit4ward.org. A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=40376 SALT LAKE CITY, May 26, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Scientists at the University of Utah, ARUP Laboratories, and IDbyDNA, Inc., have developed ultra-fast, meta-genomics analysis software called Taxonomer that dramatically improves the accuracy and speed of pathogen detection. In a paper published today in Genome Biology, the collaborators demonstrated the ability of Taxonomer to analyze the sequences of all nucleic acids in a clinical specimen (DNA and RNA) and to detect pathogens, as well as profile the patient's gene expression, in a matter of minutes. Infectious diseases are one of the biggest killers in the world. Almost 5 million children under age 5 die each year from infectious diseases worldwide, yet many infections are treatable if the pathogen culprit can be quickly and accurately identified. "In the realm of infectious diseases, this type of technology could be as significant as sequencing the human genome," says co-author Mark Yandell, PhD, professor of human genetics at the University of Utah (U of U), H.A. & Edna Benning Presidential Endowed Chair holder, co-director of the USTAR Center for Genetic Discovery, and co-founder of IDbyDNA. "Very few people have inherited genetic disease. But at some point, everyone gets sick from infections." It is difficult for infectious pathogens to hide when their genetic material is laid bare. Taxonomer opens up an entirely new approach for infectious disease diagnosis, driven by sophisticated genomic analysis and computational technologies. After a patient's sample is sequenced, the data are uploaded via the internet to Taxonomer. In less than one minute, the tool displays a thumbnail inventory of all pathogens in the sample, including viruses, bacteria, and fungi. The interactive, real-time user interface of Taxonomer is powered by the iobio system developed by the laboratory of Gabor Marth, DSc, professor of human genetics at the U of U and co-Director of the USTAR Center for Genetic Discovery. "Our benchmark analyses show Taxonomer being ten to a hundred times faster than similar tools," says co-author Robert Schlaberg, MD, Dr Med, MPH, a medical director at ARUP Laboratories and cofounder of IDbyDNA. Schlaberg was awarded a $100,000 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to apply Taxonomer toward decreasing high mortality rates of children with infectious diseases in resource-limited settings. Schlaberg points out that current diagnostic testing still relies heavily on growing cultures of suspected pathogens in the laboratory, which is often inconclusive and time consuming. Even with much faster tests like PCR, the number of pathogens that can be detected is limited. Schlaberg explains that Taxonomer can identify an infection without the physician having to decide what to test for, something a PCR-based test cannot do. In other words, a doctor doesn't have to suspect the cause of a patient's infection, but can instead simply ask, "What does my patient have?" and Taxonomer will identify the pathogens. In the new study, Taxonomer was put to the test with real-world cases using data published by others and samples provided by ARUP Laboratories and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Taxonomer determined that some patients who exhibited Ebola-like symptoms in the recent African outbreak did not have Ebola but severe bacterial infections that likely caused their symptoms. "This technology can be applied whenever we don't know the cause of the disease, including the detection of sudden outbreaks of disease. It is very clear we urgently need more accurate diagnostics to greatly enhance the ability of public health response and clinical care," says Seema Jain, MD, medical epidemiologist at the CDC. Another unique feature of Taxonomer is its ability to delve into human gene expression profiling, which provides information on how or if the patient's body is reacting to an infection. "As a clinician, this gives you a better idea, when we identify a pathogen whether it is really the cause of the disease," says Carrie L. Byington, MD, professor of pediatrics of the U of U and co-director of the Center for Clinical and Translational Science. "This tool will also allow us to determine if the patient is responding to a bacterial or viral infection when we don't find a pathogen or when we find multiple potential causes." She says that she sees the exceptional value of this tool for treating children, who experience more life-threatening infections early in life. "Seeing how a host [patient] reacts is extremely valuable; I believe this is a paradigm shift in how we diagnose people. It is why I wanted to be involved." In a previous paper published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, Schlaberg and his collaborators demonstrated that high-throughput sequencing in combination with Taxonomer can reliably detect pathogens, and identify previously missed pathogens, in patient samples. "Taxonomer provides a critical step forward, as it is extremely fast, accurate, and easy enough to use for implementation in diagnostic laboratories," says Schlaberg. About ARUP Laboratories Founded in 1984, ARUP Laboratories is a leading national reference laboratory and a nonprofit enterprise of the University of Utah and its Department of Pathology. ARUP offers more than 3,000 tests and test combinations, ranging from routine screening tests to esoteric molecular and genetic assays. ARUP serves clients across the United States, including many of the nation's top university teaching hospitals and children's hospitals, as well as multihospital groups, major commercial laboratories, group purchasing organizations, military and other government facilities, and major clinics. In addition, ARUP is a worldwide leader in innovative laboratory research and development, led by the efforts of the ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology. About IDbyDNA Inc. Based in Sunnyvale, California, IDbyDNA is developing technologies to enable universal microorganism detection. IDbyDNA's mission is to help doctors and scientists to detect any pathogen in any sample. For more information about IDbyDNA, please visit www.idbydna.com. For Taxonomer, please visit taxonomer.com. Photos accompanying this release are available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=40372 http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=40373 English Icelandic Revenue EUR 113.3 million, up by EUR 0.6 million from Q1 2015 EBITDA EUR 9.6 million compared to EUR 5.8 million, up by 66.5% from Q1 2015 Net earnings EUR 1.8 million compared to EUR 1.5 million, up by 21.1% from Q1 2015 Transported volume in North Atlantic liner services up by 8.1% from Q1 2015 Transported volume in forwarding services up by 5.9% from Q1 2015 Equity ratio 59.9% and net debt EUR 33.4 million at the end of March EBITDA forecast for the year 2016 has been raised to the range of EUR 49 to 53 million GYLFI SIGFUSSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO Eimskips EBITDA for the first quarter 2016 was EUR 9.6 million, up 66.5% compared to the same period last year. Revenue for the quarter amounted to EUR 113.3 million, up by 0.5%, but lower cargo rates in international forwarding affected the revenue growth. The company took action in recent months to change its sailing system in order to be able to operate more efficiently during the winter season. Due to the streamlining of operations and increased cost control measures, operating expenses excluding salaries were down in the quarter. Total operating expenses including salaries were down by 3.0%, an excellent performance despite materially increased cost related to Icelandic wage agreements. Net earnings came to EUR 1.8 million and grew by 21.1% from the first quarter 2015, despite a negative turnaround of currency exchange difference of EUR 3.7 million. Cash flow from operating activities amounted to EUR 12.7 million compared to EUR 3.1 million in the same period last year and the cash position at the end of March stood at EUR 47.3 million. This is the companys best first quarter in terms of revenue, EBITDA, EBIT and cash flow since 2009, but the first quarter has historically been Eimskips weakest quarter of the year. Transported volume in the North Atlantic liner services grew by 8.1% from the first quarter 2015. There was good growth in transport related to Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Norway and especially good growth in Norway compared to their difficult first quarter last year. From now on we will be presenting changes in transported volume in the companys total forwarding services for both reefer and dry cargo forwarding, which grew by 5.9% from the same period last year. Eimskip and Royal Arctic Line, the national carrier of Greenland, have signed a letter of intent to connect Greenland with Eimskips international sailing system. The companies plan to invest in and operate three approximately 2,000 TEU container vessels designed and built for the special conditions in the North Atlantic and they will connect the transport systems of Greenland and Iceland with Scandinavia, Europe and North America. The new vessels will be more fuel efficient and better for the environment. This will be a strategic relationship that will create cost efficiency, increase capacity and is a future step for Eimskips fleet renewal program. The estimated time of designing and building the vessels is two to three years. Eimskip continues to evaluate strategic acquisitions and growth investment opportunities. The company is in the position to gain from its strong financial position as the ongoing consolidation in the industry continues. We are in advanced acquisition process and anticipate closing transactions in the third quarter. The second quarter looks favorable compared to last year. The EBITDA forecast for the year 2016 has been raised and is now in the range of EUR 49 to 53 million, from the range of EUR 46 to 50 million as presented last February. Estimated EBITDA related to new acquisitions and strategic investments and cost related to the transactions is not included in the current EBITDA forecast for the year. FURTHER INFORMATION SEATTLE, May 26, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On 20 May 2016 the Merchant Risk Council (MRC), a leading global trade association for eCommerce fraud and payments professionals, released comprehensive results of the 2016 Global Payments Survey at their European Congress in Seville, Spain. The 2016 Global Payments Survey was conducted in partnership with CyberSource, a payment management company with over 400,000 businesses worldwide using their solutions. This report draws conclusions from a survey involving MRC and non-MRC merchants in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific countries who were asked about their payments experience and management practices. The results of this survey show that MRC merchant members support twice as many payment types (14 average) as nonMRC merchants (7 average). More Key Survey Findings: 3D Secure is not widely used due to friction concerns. Only 14% of Canadian merchants, 18% of US merchants, 40% of UK merchants, 45% of French merchants and 46% of German merchants are utilizing 3D Secure. Checkout conversion rates for all payment methods consistently averaged 65%. The top eCommerce markets rank similar to last year with China, Japan, Russia and Mexico joining the top 12 global markets. Top payment priorities for MRC merchants are: fraud, IT constraints, system changes and integration, cost of payment and checkout conversion rate. MRC members are more likely to be focused on order conversion and payment success. MRCs 2016 Global Payments Survey offers members the ability to analyze systems, policies and results against merchants in different regions and markets, providing a more robust set of comparison points to help better measure and optimize their business. The 2016 Global Payments Survey is only available to MRC members. Members can download the survey here. For information on membership please visit the MRC. ABOUT THE MRC: The MRC is the leading global trade association for eCommerce fraud and payments professionals. As a not-for-profit entity, the MRC offers its members year-round education, training, networking opportunities and community discussion forums to help professionals thrive. The MRC was launched in 2000 at the start of the eCommerce boom by a small group of industry professionals from leading consumer brands, with the ultimate goal of combating online fraud in the card-not-present space. Since its inception, the MRC has also added online payments to its portfolio, expanding its presence further into eCommerce. The MRC is headquartered in Seattle, WA and has an office in Dublin, Ireland. Learn more at www.merchantriskcouncil.org. TORONTO, May 26, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Electrovaya Inc. (TSX: EFL) today announced that it signed a Multiyear Service Agreement (MSA) with a US based Fortune 1000 OEM to supply Lithium Ion Battery Modules, Battery Management Systems and related services. The Agreement is expected to generate revenues of up to $80 million over the next three years. The revenues from this Agreement starts in Q2 CY2016, growing through rest of CY2016 and accelerates in 2017. The first Purchase Order from this MSA has been received. This Fortune1000 Company is our first major customer for the LITACORE1000 module, announced recently. The LITACORE1000 module significantly increases the market size for Electrovaya's product offerings as all major OEMs can now use the Electrovaya module as a building block for their specific Lithium Ion battery application. The LITACORE1000 modules, uses the LITACELL40, which delivers industry leading cycle life and safety. "We are extremely pleased to receive this multi-year production contract in this fast growing sector from one the world's leading OEMs," said Dr. Rajshekar Das Gupta, VP, Business Development. "Electrovaya received this contract after an intense qualification exercise, against Global majors". About Electrovaya Inc. Electrovaya Inc. (TSX:EFL) designs, develops and manufactures proprietary Lithium Ion Super Polymer batteries, battery systems, and battery-related products for energy storage, clean electric transportation and other specialized applications. Electrovaya, through its fully owned subsidiary, Litarion GmbH, also produces cells, electrodes and SEPARION ceramic separators and has manufacturing capacity of about 500MWh/annum. Electrovaya is a technology focused company with extensive IP. Headquartered in Ontario, Canada, Electrovaya has production facilities in Canada and Germany with customers around the globe. To learn more about how Electrovaya and Litarion is powering mobility and energy storage, please explore www.electrovaya.com, www.litarion.com and www.separion.com Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements that relate to, among other things, revenue forecasts, technology development progress, plans for shipment using the Company's technology, production plans, the Company's markets, objectives, goals, strategies, intentions, beliefs, expectations and estimates, and can generally be identified by the use of words such as "may", "will", "could", "should", "would", "likely", "possible", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "objective" and "continue" (or the negative thereof) and words and expressions of similar import. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Certain material factors or assumptions are applied in making forward-looking statements, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include but are not limited to: general business and economic conditions (including but not limited to currency rates and creditworthiness of customers); Company liquidity and capital resources, including the availability of additional capital resources to fund its activities; level of competition; changes in laws and regulations; legal and regulatory proceedings; the ability to adapt products and services to the changing market; the ability to attract and retain key executives; and the ability to execute strategic plans. Additional information about material factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations and about material factors or assumptions applied in making forward-looking statements may be found in the Company's most recent annual and interim Management's Discussion and Analysis under "Risk and Uncertainties" as well as in other public disclosure documents filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the forward-looking statements contained in this document, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Hope you will find it engaging and meaningful . Hi all,surfing web I came across this article -> http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson ... -b-school/ I went to B-School about 10 years ago. I remember the good times, the parties, the camaraderie. I also remember the long hours in the library, working on team projects with other keen classmates, and the sense of accomplishment at graduation.However, 10 years later, Business School missed out on a lot in terms of teaching me the skills needed to succeed in my career and life.Here are the ten biggest lies of B-School you should protect yourself against:1. You will be rich. My experience (and from talking to others) is that it will take you 2 or 3 times as long as you think it will take to succeed after Business School. So take it easy running up your student loans and credit card debts expecting youre going to be a rock star later.2. You are smarter than people without an MBA. You were smart enough to get in to Business School. That doesnt mean you are smarter than other people without an MBA. Stay humble.3. Theres always a right answer. B-School students are usually very analytical and achievement-oriented. They like to think theres always a best answer. Theres not. The perfect answer is always the enemy of the good enough one. You make decisions you can with the best information available. Life and business today doesnt let you count how many angels can fit on the head of a pin.4. If youve made it this far (to B-School), youre destined to succeed. In my B-School, there were always amazingly talented executives coming in to give talks on business and life. Theyd always compliment us on what a great school we attended and why we had our future by the tail. It made us all feel invincible destined to succeed once we set out on our various career paths. It doesnt work that way. I know B-School classmates whove failed miserably, under-achieved, gotten divorced, gotten severely depressed, etc. B-School is a great educational opportunity in life, but you still have to go out there and succeed. Nothing is given to you as a birthright.5. You know how to fix the first few companies you join after school. Youve probably worked at companies were people whove been there for 2 decades roll their eyes telling you about the new hotshot MBA who just started and is now telling everyone how to do their jobs. Its so clear to him, yet others find it deeply offensive that he would think he knows how the company works when theyve spent countless years there and are still trying to figure it out. All hotshot MBAs should wear tape over their mouths for the first 3 months on the job and not be allowed to fix anything.6. Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) will always tell you what a company is worth. MBAs love DCF. They think the true answer to what a company is worth is always a DCF away. Just crank it out on a spreadsheet or whiteboard, show the boss, and move on to the next problem. Unless youre going to be a sell-side analyst, youll never do a DCF after B-School. And even the sell-side analysts get their underlings to do them. And no one reading your reports will read them anyway.7. The soft courses (leadership and people management) are least important. I remember talking to the professors from the Management Department at my school who had to teach the courses on leadership and people management. They used to lament that the MBAs never paid attention to them in class. Yet, the Executive MBAs (usually in their 40s or 50s) always told them that these courses were the most important of all the B-School classes they took. You learn after B-School that the perfect answer or strategy means nothing if you cant get people around you to buy in to it and help you achieve it. To do that, you need to motivate them, listen to them, connect with them, and support them when they need it.8. You are going to be more creative and entrepreneurial after Business School than before. In my experience, B-School makes you less creative, the longer youre in it. They teach courses on entrepreneurship but its kind of an oxymoron the idea of the analysis paralysis B-School Students being entrepreneurial. You will learn a lot of tools and frameworks in B-School, but you wont learn how to start a company. You just need to start a company.9. Your peers will give you lots of tips and insights that will help you succeed in your career. In my experience, the majority of B-School students are lemmings. They dont know what they want to do afterwards, so they just do what their peers say they should do (maybe thats why they applied to B-School in the first place). Ten years ago, everyone at my school wanted to be a dot com entrepreneur. That didnt work out so well and most students later went back to being investment bankers or management consultants. Your peers dont know what you want to do with your career. You need to start listening to that voice inside your head.10. The Ivy League MBAs will be even more successful. An Ivy League credential will be a big plus for you on your resume no question. However, you have to realize that if youre getting an Ivy League MBA, youre probably 10x more susceptible to the previous 9 lies than other MBAs. Dont let yourself be the next Jeff Skilling, the smart Harvard MBA, who worked at McKinsey and then went to Enron and drove the company off a cliff. He had a golden resume and where did it get him?If you treat B-School like an amazing educational experience, chances are youll get a lot out of it. Just keep your attitude and sense of entitlement in check.As Casey Kasam used to say, Keep your feet on the ground, and keep reaching for the stars._________________ nanditabothra wrote: I am an Indian female with 2 years work experience (will have 3 by the time I join college). Company: Microsoft (Services division as a Consultant) GMAT: 740 GPA: 3.8 Pros: 1. Good international exposure due to office visits and clients 2. Good communication and people skills 3. Will be able to get good recommendations 4. Good academic record Cons: 1. Less work experience than average 2. No start up or entrepreneurship experience Thank you for your detailed post. I have a couple follow up questions:1) What type of work do you do specifically at Microsoft?2) What school did you go to for undergraduate?Your stats and experiences are pretty good and you have a good chance of getting in! Depending on your role (including promotion, leadership experience, rating at work), you may have even a better profile to apply this year. An additional year of experience would help you but if you are a leader at work you could apply now.Reach out if you want to chat or if you want further assistance with your applications.Best,Scott_________________ The City Council today enacted a series of bills that will give police officers the discretion to steer certain low-level broken windows offenses like drinking in public, littering, and public urination to civil court, rather than criminal court. "Nobody who has littered or made excessive noise... should bear the brunt of the criminal justice system," said Queens Council Member Rory Lancman, a bill sponsor, on Wednesday. "Every offense that was prohibited yesterday will still be prohibited tomorrow, but we are moving these offenses primarily into the civil justice system, so that people can be held accountable for their conduct but not have the heavy hammer of the criminal justice system come down on their head." The parameters outlined in the group of eight bills, known collectively as the Criminal Justice Reform Act, are already used for offenses like riding a bike on the sidewalk or turnstile jumping. The new laws encompass littering, public urination, public consumption of alcohol, breaking certain park rules, and making excessive noise. Under current law, anyone issued with a criminal summons is given a date to appear in court. Miss a court date, and a warrant is issued. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, 40% of summonses result in an arrest warrant being issued for a failure to appear in court. Warrants, in turn, can hinder eligibility for a job, child custody, or financial aid. According to the City, there are 1.5 million open warrants in NYC dating back to 1980. Of those, 1.1 million belong to unique individuals. "This has... both individual consequences for those issued warrants and for the criminal justice system's use of resources," said Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice Director Elizabeth Glazer in January. Bill sponsors estimate that the new laws will prevent about 10,000 New Yorkers per year from getting a criminal record. The NYPD will also be required to document and make public the number of summonses to appear in civil court versus criminal court, as well as the age, race, and gender of each person summonsed. On WNYC's Brian Lehrer show on Tuesday, NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton reiterated that he supports the legislation in large part because it preserves his officers' right to make an arrest. "The rights, responsibilities, and capabilities of my police officers don't change at all," he said. "If anything we're giving them more discretion... My officers still have the right to make an arrest if the behavior is egregious or inappropriate." "We don't want people to think it's okay to urinate in the street," said Staten Island Council Member and Assembly minority leader Steven Matteo, voting 'no.' "This package takes the teeth out of these [Broken Widows] laws." Flatbush Council Member Jumaane Williams countered that the tone of some of the bills' opponents was derogatory towards communities of color. "The paternalism in this opposition is sometimes frustrating," he said. "Our constituents understand the need for police. They also understand they don't want police brutality. They want [everyone] to be dealt with with equity. They don't want someone who plays loud music to not get a loan for college." But while some advocates have praised the proposals as an effective way to prevent New Yorkersa disproportionate number of them young men of colorfrom accumulating criminal records for quality of life offenses, others are concerned that it still empowers the NYPD to stop and ID citizens for those same offenses. Monifa Bandele, a Spokeswoman for Communities United for Police Reform, said earlier this year that while summons reform is a "positive first step," New Yorkers also deserve the passage of the Right To Know Actlegislation that would require NYPD officers to identify themselves to civilians and provide specific reasoning for their activities. "It is also essential that the Council simultaneously advance [reforms] to end the policing abuses that make some New Yorkers and communities the disproportionate target of low-level enforcement in the first place," she said. "I'm very pleased to know that [the Criminal Justice Reform Act] will reduce the penalties for low-level offenses," said East New York Council Member Inez Barron, before making her 'yes' vote. "My problem with the bill is that the guidance [as to] when a person will be issued a civil summons is still arbitrary, discretionary, and up to the officer.... The CCRB has documented that unlawful stops are still common." "I'm voting for this bill, because I think this is an opportunity... to move forward with the Right To Know bills," she added. "The potential benefits of this bill are significant." Endorsing the legislation on WNYC, Commissioner Bratton said thatthanks to the right to arrestit would not get in the way of his broken windows policing method. "If you decriminalized these activities then I would be seriously doubtful about our ability to effectively control disorder," he said. "And disorder not controlled leads in my opinion to much more serious crime." We rely on your support to make local news available to all Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2022. Donate today The NYPD watches you. They scan you with secret x-ray vans, listen to your phone calls with fake cellphone towers, and drive you around in fake cabs. If you're Muslim, the NYPD will keep secret files on your business, stake out your mosques, and faux-convert to your faith so they can hang around your college campus and spy on students. Now, Commissioner Bratton has claimed that there's an ongoing "epidemic" of civilians filming the police and yeah, our heads are hurting too. There is a phenomenon in this country that we need to examine and its just not in New York, Bratton said while speaking before a conference of police chiefs and officials at a Manhattan hotel Wednesday. "This has become very serious. I would almost describe it as an epidemic in this country." According to the Daily News, Bratton's criticism of police-filming came as he addressed Risel Martinez, an NYPD officer who was caught on video pointing a gun at innocent bystanders while making an arrest. Martinez also punched the 19-year-old who shot the cellphone video. Martinez was stripped of his badge and gun after the video footage was made public, but that didn't stop Bratton from shifting the blame onto innocent bystanders. "When you interfere with a police officer making a lawful arrest, you with your cameras attempt to really get into it Im not talking about standing back 10, 15 feet or incite by yelling and screaming, raising the tension level, then you are creating circumstances that are dangerous for the public and dangerous for the police officers," Bratton said, according to the Post. Why did he pull his weapon?" Bratton mused. "What was going through his mind that resulted in him pulling his weapon. The punching of one of the people who was evidently filming the incident as the officer exited we want to understand that also. The Justice Committee, a New York City-based nonprofit that promotes "copwatch" style video oversight of police conduct, described Bratton's remarks as deeply troubling. "In light of decades of police abuse of low-income communities of color and a systemic lack of police accountability, Cop Watching is an important act New Yorkers can and should engage in to help protect one another," Loyda Colon, the Committee's co-director, said. "Brattons mischaracterization of this practice raises serious questions about why he wants to avoid public scrutiny and demonstrates his lack of commitment to ensuring safety and respect for all New Yorkers." The Commissioner may have been encouraged by FBI Director James Comey, who recently blamed video of police encounters with the public as responsible for spiking crime rates across the U.S. Bratton's defense of Martinez is inconsistent with his stark condemnation of four undercover NYPD officers that were caught on video harassing and arresting Crown Heights postal worker Glen Grays without cause. "You do not have a right to resist arrest and in so many of those videos, people are resisting violently and being encouraged by the crowd, Bratton said Wednesday. Two years ago, Eric Garner was arrested and put in a chokehold by plainclothes NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo on Staten Island. Garner was killed in the incident, and his death was ruled a homicide. (A Staten Island grand jury declined to indict Pantaleo.) His deadly arrest was filmed by Ramsey Orta, and the footage ignited heated nationwide debate about police brutality, racist policing patterns, and the potential benefits of placing mandatory body cameras on law enforcement officers. Filming police with your cellphone is completely legal, but plenty of NYPD cops will still arrest you for it. A man has been found guilty of attacking a gay couple at a Dallas BBQ in a widely-publicized incident that occurred a year ago in Chelsea. Bayna Lekheim El-Amin, 42, was convicted of attempted assault in the first degree and assault in the second degree in the fight with Jonathan Snipes and his boyfriend Ethan York-Adams. "There was no justification for this brutal attack," said District Attorney Cy Vance in a statement. "Bayna-Lekheim El-Amin struck both victims in a public restaurant with a heavy wooden chair, knocking one of them unconscious. I commend the victims for their courage and my Offices prosecutors for ensuring this defendant is held accountable for this horrific attack." The incident occurred around 11 p.m. on May 5th, 2015, when Snipes and York-Adams were dining at the Dallas BBQ at West 23rd Street and 8th Avenue, and the two men got into an argument with El-Amin as they were preparing to exit the restaurant. Snipes claimed that he had knocked over his fishbowl margarita drink, and overheard El-Amin say he was "a white faggot spilling drinks." Snipes confronted him, admitting to hitting him with his "light purse." "I was forceful, I was angry, I was definitely intoxicated, but I wanted to know why they thought they could say these things," Snipes testified. El-Amin retaliated by hitting Snipes over the head with a wooden chair, then repeatedly hit him while he was on the ground. That part of the incident was captured on video that was widely circulated on the internet last year. York-Adams was knocked unconscious during the attack, and Snipes collapsed onto a nearby chair. As a result of the attack, the victims suffered substantial head, back, and neck pain, as well as cuts, bruising, and swelling. El-Amin's lawyer unsuccessfully argued that his client, who is also gay, was acting in self-defense. Prosecutors said El-Amin attacked out of rage: "The defendant was angry, he was humiliated, and he wasnt about to let these girly men get the last word," said ADA Leah Saxtein. El-Amin now faces up to 15 years in prison for the incident. Police released images of a suspect accused of forcibly touching a woman in Prospect Park yesterday afternoon. According to the NYPD, at around 2:40 p.m. on May 25, a 24-year-old woman was "was approached by a an unknown male" who then "grabbed the victims' hand and lead her into Prospect Park, where he [grabbed] the victim buttocks and breasts over her clothing. The individual then pushed the victim against a tree and exposed his penis." The victim fled and reported no injuries. The suspect is described as being around 20 years old, 5'8" and 160 pounds, with black eyes and short black hair; he was last seen wearing gray jeans, white sneakers and a blue top. Anyone with information in regards to the missing person is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. [UPDATE BELOW] A four-year-old boy slipped through a gap between an elevator and the wall at a Brooklyn parking garage last night, "dropping some 50 feet." The incident occurred around 8 p.m. at 841 Union Street, at a parking garage condominium; a listing offers a spot for $279,000. The staff usually takes the cars up and down. NBC New York reports, "Although residents normally don't go up to their cars, the parents wanted to grab something quickly, so an attendant made an exception and went up with them. The parents lost sight of their boy for just a moment and he somehow fell through a 10-inch gap between the elevator and the third floor." The Department of Building's listing for the building notes a complaint, "OEM REQUESTS AN INSPECTION DUE TO A CHILD FALLING DOWN AN ELEVATOR SHAFT." The boy was rushed to Methodist Hospital and is in critical condition. The garage manager told NBC New York that "he didn't know how the boy fell down the elevator shaft and that it has never happened to anyone before." He also said he would visit the boy. Update 11:58 a.m.: The NYPD says that the boy has died. New York State is on track to abolish a tax on feminine hygiene products, after a bill to end the so-called tampon tax unanimously passed both the state senate and assembly this week. The law is now headed to Governor Andrew Cuomo's desk, where its approval is assured. Repealing this regressive and unfair tax on women is a matter of social and economic justice," Cuomo said in a statement. "I look forward to signing it into law." Under current law, New York State exempts medical items from its sales tax, but excludes pads and tampons from the "medical" classification. According to the Department of Taxation's guide for retailers [PDF], feminine hygiene products are "generally used to control a normal bodily function and to maintain personal cleanliness." This differentiates them in the fine print from over-the-counter medication for a "vaginal infection," which treats a "specific medical condition." Critics have called the state's 4% sales tax on tampons and other feminine hygiene productsbut not "medical" items like Rogaine, adult diapers and dandruff shampoodiscriminatory and misogynistic, putting an outsized burden on low-income consumers. Earlier this year a group of women filed a class action lawsuit against the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, arguing that the tax violates the Equal Protection clauses of the United States and New York State Constitutions. "This is one of many laws made by men and for men," said attorney Zoe Salzman at the time. "If men menstruated once a month, there is no way there would be a sales tax on these products." The bill also includes specific language exempting panty liners from the tax, as well as DivaCups and period underwear (a product that's recently raised a few eyebrows in response to a subway ad campaign). It was very important that the bill language was broad enough to envisage new menstrual products, said bill sponsor Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal in a statement Wednesday. If and when the day comes that a new and improved menstrual technology hits the market, this law, once it is signed, will provide us with flexibility so that we dont have to go back in and amend the law to exempt each and every new product, that new product will simply be exempt. The exemption will go into effect on September 1st, at which point New York State will finally be on par with Canada. In the meantime, Queens City Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras would like NYC to take it a step further, with free tampons for teen girls distributed in public schools. Twenty-five middle schools and high schools in the Bronx and Queens are already proving that this can work. Yesterday, a python crawled out of a man's toilet in Thailand while he was sitting on it and latched onto his penis. This horror story, an obvious sign that the patriarchy is at death's door, sounds far away, but toilet snakes are not merely confined to overseas sewage systemsmuch like toilet rats, they are a real threat in New York City, which is something to keep in mind each time you take a dump. This week's victim, Attaporn Boonmakchuay spent a good 30 minutes wrestling with the snake and passed out from blood loss. He has a really good attitude even though his own wife and children were in shock. Hes been smiling and giving interviews all day from his bed, a doctor told the Post. Boonmakchuay managed to keep his penis and expected to recover, making him luckier than some of his fellow snakebite victims. Still, it could happen to you. In 2012, a man in Staten Island found a four-foot-long California Kingsnake in his toilet bowl. "I came out [of the bathroom] and closed the door and I got a broom. The snake was getting up on top of the rim, ready to strike," Allen Shepard told SI Live. Luckily, the snake snapped at Shepard's broom and not his penis, but even his plumber was freaked out at the sewer serpent. "I went to pull him out and it kept getting longer and longer," the plumber told the paper. "I was jumping back." In 2010, a man found a 3-foot-snake sitting on the seat of his toilet in the Bronx. "Look, anytime you walk into your bathroom and find a big snake staring you in the eye, it's going to spook you," a responding officer apparently prone to understatements told the Daily News. And in 2007, Brooklyn resident Nadege Brunacci found a 7-foot-long python in her toilet in Cobble Hill. "No one knows where it came from. It's either an escaped or released pet and it could only have gotten into her bowl via the pipes (eek!)," a source told us soon after the incident. He added, "The police weren't involved for the final removal and were dubious at the first report." So, toilet snakes are a thing worldwide, as are toilet rats, toilet squirrels, toilet spiders, toilet possums, toilet frogs, toilet birds, toilet bats, toilet scorpions, and this turtle a man found in the toilet of a MOVIE THEATER in some unknown location. He's pretty cute: Anyway, my apologies to your urologist. A couple of weeks ago, I joined a group blogger brunch at The Kinsale, an Irish pub right by the Government Center station in downtown Boston. As you can see from the beautiful decor, The Kinsale is a classic Irish pub, but their food menu beyond traditional Irish offerings. While many Irish pubs have an extensive menu, we don't usually equate them with brunch either, so it was fun to check out what they would offer for brunch. Our group started with some French 75, made gin, lemon, sugar, and sparkling wine. While not traditionally served in a tall glass, it was a well made version of this refreshing cocktail. We also started with some traditional New England fare: Brown bread with cedar syrup The Boston brown bread is round since it's made by steaming it in a can. Since no yeast is added, this style of brown bread is dense in texture. This is only my second time having brown bread, and I have to say I like it sweetened with the cedar syrup. As a starter, I opted for the Irish red ale onion soup with New England brown bread I thought this version of the French onion soup is a fun take that incorporates the Irish pub backdrop using the Irish red ale, and the Boston locale with the brown bread inside the soup. Cinnamon French Toast (vanilla and egg battered cinnamon swirl toast, raspberry sauce, warm apple compote, $8.50) Apples aren't usually my fruit of choice, but it works well here since apple and cinnamon is a nostalgic combination. Of course, they have a full Irish breakfast and other hearty fares, both American and Irish. The other bloggers' dishes also looked good. Although I didn't try these, here are some photos of the other brunch items: Blueberry mascarpone pancakes ($9) Eggs benedict ($11) Instead of bacon or ham, the menu lists "back rashers" with the eggs benedict, so I had to look up what that was! Back rasher is apparently Irish bacon, and the meat comes from the back of the pig, instead of the belly like American bacon. When it's warm, The Kinsale opens up the patio seating, so brunch would be an even better time to come. Not only is it right by a T stop, they actually validate parking (I wish I knew earlier!) Disclaimer: this visit was hosted The Kinsale 2 Center Plaza Boston, MA 02108 For All U of U Health Patients & Visitors Around Memorial Day, my thoughts turn to the service and safety of my son and his family. He is a West Point grad and US Army combat engineer. His mother and I liked this assignment because we thought he would be safely building bridges somewhere. Instead we found out that if he is deployed, he'll be working with the infantry on the front lines clearing IEDs. There are no words to describe how proud we are of him and his choice to serve, and we trust that the Army is providing him with the best training, protection, and support possible. That is one reason why we applaud the vital efforts jointly undertaken by all branches of the military, Departments of State, Homeland Security, and others, to assess global risks accurately, communicate them to policy makers, and plan for contingencies. Consider the analysis of the Quadrennial Defense Review from 2014. As greenhouse gas emissions increase, sea levels are rising, average global temperatures are increasing, and severe weather patterns are accelerating. ... The pressures caused by climate change will influence resource competition while placing additional burdens on economies, societies, and governance institutions around the world. These effects are threat multipliers that will aggravate stressors abroad such as poverty, environmental degradation, political instability, and social tensions conditions that can enable terrorist activity and other forms of violence. That same year, the Department of Defense issued the Climate Change Adaptation Roadmap. At home, a changing climate will have real impacts on our military and the way it executes its missions. The military could be called upon more often to support civil authorities, and provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in the face of more frequent and more intense natural disasters. Military infrastructure and supply chains will be at risk. While it may not have made headlines, the Department of Defense released another report last month evaluating current and potential climate change impacts on 1,774 U.S. military installations world-wide. Already coastal bases are subject to sea level rise, storm surge, and extreme flooding events. Then there's a completely new theater of operations needing protection, the ice-free Arctic, which will draw stretched military resources. Summing it all up, the Adaptation Roadmap concluded: Climate change will affect the Department of Defenses ability to defend the Nation and poses immediate risks to U.S. national security. World and business leaders (even Exxon) advise we include these "social costs" of climate change in the price of fossil fuels in a policy called carbon pricing. National groups like Citizens' Climate Lobby, with chapters in Billings, Bozeman, and now Missoula, are following the lead of economists like Greg Mankiw (advisor to Mitt Romney), and George Shultz (Reagan's Secretary of State), who advocate for the simplest form of carbon pricing: placing a predictably rising fee on the carbon content of fossil fuels. Fourteen countries have or will soon implement this policy that encourages investors, industry and consumers to innovate and find alternatives. A study by Regional Economic Models, Inc. (REMI) has found that US emissions could be reduced by 33 percent below 1990 levels in 10 years! Many are worried about the impacts of higher energy prices on low and middle income Americans. Researcher Kevin Ummel found that returning 100 percent of the revenue from this fee to households on a per capita basis, similar to the Alaska Permanent Fund, would result in 85 percent of the lowest income Montanans receiving as much or more in dividends as they spend in added costs. There are co-benefits of the dividend and investment, too: nationally GDP would increase annually by $70-85 billion, and 2.1 million additional jobs would be created in a decade. (REMI) Over the years, expert witnesses like Rear Admiral David Titley, now retired meteorologist for the Navy, have been called to testify before Congress, but only recently have there been bipartisan efforts to address climate change. (See citizensclimatelobby.org for information about the Climate Solutions Caucus.) It's clear that Sens. Daines and Tester and Rep. Zinke need to hear from us. Please ask them to heed these reports by our military planners and support reasonable legislation to lower emissions without harming the economy. Our children and grandchildren, especially the 3,500 Montanans on active duty, deserve our best efforts today. Scott Bovard, Citizens' Climate Lobby Volunteer and Missoula Group Leader In the upcoming Democratic primary for House District 83 I am strongly supporting Kim Abbott. Kim is deeply rooted in the Helena community and thus the Helena communitys needs. But her advocacy has included all Montanans on behalf of expanding Medicaid, public school funding and increasing the minimum wage. Most importantly, much of this advocacy took place in the halls and committee rooms of the Capitol building and working directly with legislators and interest groups, always keeping the needs of Montanans in mind. Kims remarkable skill set will be even more valuable when she takes her seat in the House of Representatives representing House District 83. Please join me in voting for Kim Abbott. BILLINGS Shelly Fyant painted circles around the eyes of a horse named Big Medicine last week. The circle gives us a clear vision so we can see our enemy, she said. The enemy Fyant, of Arlee, is talking about is methamphetamine. She and a dozen others gathered at a horse barn west of Billings to learn about equine-assisted therapy and the role it can play in recovery. The event was held in conjunction with a meeting of the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leadership Council here last week to address what is being called an epidemic of meth abuse on Montanas reservations. A warrior without a horse is at a disadvantage, said Gordon Birch, who led the training. Birch runs the Utah-based Pretty Shield Foundation and conducts equine-assisted therapy around the West. We are at war, he said. Many, many years ago when we went into battle, did we leave our war ponies behind? he asked. Today we have the opportunity to fight this battle with our horses, as one. Participants painted four horses -- Big Medicine, Spirit, Paladin and Aria. Bertie Brown, of Lame Deer, painted rectangular symbols on Big Medicine that represent calling for hail to fall on enemies. The roads that cartels use to bring meth into Lame Deer are not maintained, she said, and rain will stop their travel. Delia Morsette and Mike Geboe, of Rocky Boy, painted Spirit with their 9-year-old daughter Faren Geboe. They used symbols from their Chippewa Cree tribe. Mike Geboe painted a spiral with his left hand because warriors need to know how to use both hands. Faren painted a bison, her favorite animal. The family said they felt more connected painting the horse together. Meth is a family disease. When we are dealing with it, its got to be a family together, Mike Geboe said. Its going to be tribal ways that are going to save us. Morsette panted a cross because it signifies escaping damage, something she identifies with after recovering from her own addictions. Spirit has his own recovery story. He was strong for a colt and someone wanted to train him to be a roping horse, but he wouldnt run. Because of that, he was beaten. Jolene and Richard Whiteclay, from Pryor, painted the palomino Aria. Jolene Whiteclay said her grandmother taught her caring for animals teaches children responsibility. Building a bond Equine-assisted therapy involves people working with horses to build a physical and emotional bond. People might train horses to respond to commands or ride the horse as a form of therapy. The therapy can build both strong children and communities that are less prone to fall into the trap of addiction, Birch said. It can also be helpful in recovery. Using interventions that are a part of Native culture is important, said William Snell, executive director of the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leadership Council. "Indian people have the answers, our tribe has the answers, it's just a matter of practicing them again," he said. Many on the reservation begin using drugs as a way to momentarily escape poverty and a lack of opportunity. With meth addicts, using feels so good, Snell said. This replaces that thing with another thing thats meaningful in their life and thats good. Before the painting, participants stood in a circle, which Birch said represented many things -- unity, equality and a continuum -- that all play a role in building strong relationships and when trying to recover from a meth addiction. We have to look at it from a holistic standpoint, Birch said. Horses have the same wants, needs and desires as people, Birch said. We learn by working with them how to manage our fears, our emotions, he said. Big Medicine and Spirit weigh around 1,350 pounds. When the horses are angry, they attack, Birch said. When they're scared, they run. The same is true for a person. Weve also seen what 200 pounds of scared looks like, what 200 pounds of mad looks like. Richard Whiteclay said many of the tribes in Montana are horse people. His wife, Jolene Whiteclay, has worked with children from broken homes and thinks having them paint horses would give an insight to what a child is thinking and feeling. What they choose to put on the horse can show whats inside, she said. A person and a horse can do a different exercise every day, Birch said. Working together builds up both sides and helps them overcome. After a few months, Birch said, you have the same horse, the same person, and were winning the war. DECATUR A 34-year-old parolee who pleaded guilty in January to battering a pregnant woman is facing new charges for allegedly battering the same pregnant woman in May. The victim, a woman in her 30s, said she was at the westside residence of John M. Justice about 9:30 p.m. May 14, when he grabbed her by her hooded sweatshirt and shoved her against the wall, and in the process scratched her on her upper right chest, said a probable cause affidavit by Decatur patrol officer Todd Cline. She said that Justice grabbed her neck, but did not choke her or cut off her airway. The victim said that she is almost nine months pregnant and Justice is well aware of this. Cline wrote in his statement that he observed and photographed scratches on her right upper chest, left neck and left upper chest. Justice was arrested May 17 and booked into the Macon County Jail, where he is being held without bond. He was arraigned Tuesday on felony counts of aggravated battery, domestic battery with a prior domestic battery conviction and unlawful restraint, as well as a misdemeanor count of criminal damage to property, for damaging the same victim's vehicle. Justice, who has served seven terms in the Illinois Department of Corrections, was released from prison March 31, after serving part of a four-year term for aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol. He was on parole on Nov. 4, when he battered the same victim, who was then about 10 weeks pregnant. After he pleaded guilty to domestic battery in that case and served 78 days in jail, he was returned to prison on Feb. 28. In that incident, Justice went to the victim's house at about 2 p.m. on Nov. 4, and pounded on the front door, said a police affidavit. When the victim did not respond, he entered through a window. He tried to hug her but she pushed him away. As she began to exit from her home, Justice grabbed her and slammed her down on her bed. The victim told police Justice knew she was pregnant because she had told him. She said she never called the police on him before, but in the past couple of months he had punched her and choked her, leaving bruises on her body. Justice has two prior convictions for aggravated battery/great bodily harm: a 2003 case in which he was sentenced to two years, six months in prison; and a 2007 case in which he received a sentence of four years, six months. In his most recent case, he is due in court for his preliminary hearing June 1. DECATUR A Macon County judge said Thursday that he would issue a written decision on whether former Decatur police Chief Brad Sweeney's lawsuit against the city of Decatur would be allowed to continue. Macon County Circuit Judge A.G.Webber IV heard more than an hour of arguments concerning the legal basis for the case before saying he would take them under advisement. I do want a chance to take a look at what's been pleaded, compare it with case law, and give you a written decision in the reasonably near future, Webber said. Sweeney alleges that he was fired by City Manager Tim Gleason on Feb. 4 in retaliation for several events: refusing to publicly support a local motor fuel tax, voicing his opposition to the tax during a city staff meeting and objecting to Gleason's use of a police car and driver for a personal trip in May 2015. The city has argued that Gleason had multiple reasons to fire Sweeney, none of which related to the gas tax or police car ride. The hearing Thursday was not meant to determine whether Sweeney's allegations are true, but to focus on legal aspects of the case. This story will be updated. LINCOLN Two firefighters and a civilian were injured Wednesday after a passenger van collided with a fire tanker truck in Lincoln. The firefighters, from Lincoln Rural Fire Protection District, were taken to St. John's Hospital in Springfield. The van's driver was extricated by firefighters from Lincoln and Lincoln Rural, and taken to Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln. Lincoln Rural Fire Chief Chris Buse said none of the injuries was considered life-threatening. "Thank God that no one was injured badly," he said. "This is a prime example of why people need to obey Scotts Law," Buse told The (Bloomington) Pantagraph. "Were on our way (to a call, and) our tanker came into the intersection with lights and siren and a vehicle did not yield and collided with our tanker." The tanker, which carries 2,000 gallons of water, rolled onto its side and came to rest partially on the van. The accident occurred at the intersection of Old Route 66 and Woodlawn Road. Southbound Route 66 remains closed. The firefighters were responding to a brush fire along Interstate 55 at Elkhart when the accident occurred. "There are countless times weve had close calls on the interstate, but not one right down the street from our station," Buse said. "The bad thing is that this is going to be tough because that was our only tanker." Scott's Law is a state law that requires motorists to slow down and pull over for emergency vehicles using their lights and sirens. WASHINGTON -- Everything Rep. Darrell Issa knows about impeachment he learned from Wikipedia. At Tuesday's House Judiciary Committee hearing to consider the impeachment of Internal Revenue Service Commissioner John Koskinen, Issa, the California Republican and dogged investigator of the Obama administration, confessed he was relying on an open-source website. "You and I are not lawyers," Issa told Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, who was presenting the panel with the legal case for impeaching Koskinen, "so we'll tax each other a little bit on a constitutional question. According to Wikipedia, at least, the definition of high crimes and misdemeanors constitutionally says it covers allegations of misconduct. ... " Issa then questioned Chaffetz about each of the examples cited by Wikipedia contributors. This was a fitting close to the congressional probes of the Obama years. Again and again, Republicans in Congress have dug into President Obama's White House, and each time they have failed to unearth high-level scandal. Now House Republicans are taking up the low-probability impeachment of the IRS commissioner -- even though Koskinen wasn't even working at the IRS until well after the behavior in question, the targeting of conservative political groups, had allegedly occurred. Only three executive-branch officials have been impeached by the House in all of U.S. history, as my colleague Lisa Rein has noted: Presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton, and a secretary of war (In 1876). The case against Koskinen is weak: The Justice Department declined to launch a prosecution, saying its investigation found no evidence that IRS officials acted on political motives. Both Justice and an inspector general first appointed by President George W. Bush cast doubt on lawmakers' allegations that there was a conspiracy to destroy or hide evidence or hide it from investigators. And so Obama's congressional accusers defined impeachment down. "I don't believe you have to prove intent," Chaffetz alleged Tuesday. "False testimony or dereliction of duty is still impeachable whether or not the Justice Department determines it as a crime," Issa intoned. "The notion that you can only impeach someone that commits an actual violation of the criminal code is nonsense," asserted Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C. The Obama-hunters have been thwarted by a relatively scandal-free administration. Second-term scandals are the norm: Nixon had Watergate, Reagan had Iran-contra, Clinton had Monica Lewinsky, and George W. Bush had the Valerie Plame affair, which led to the conviction of Vice President Cheney's chief of staff. But Obama? "The Obama administration has been remarkably scandal-free," David Brooks, a conservative New York Times columnist, wrote this year. Conservative critics of the administration protested that assessment by listing a variety of controversies: a gun-running sting gone bad, mistreated veterans, the botched rollout of HealthCare.gov, the Bowe Bergdahl prisoner exchange, stimulus funds wasted, Edward Snowden's leaks, Secret Service debauchery, the harassment of whistleblowers and journalists, the IRS targeting, Hillary Clinton's email server and Benghazi. There have, no doubt, been screw-ups: failures of policy, misbehavior and poor management. But Obama's accusers have yet to document high-level malfeasance or corruption, and in the case of Benghazi, even some investigations led by Republicans have discredited the allegation. Support for the impeachment inquisitors Tuesday was iffy: Half the seats in the room were empty when they began, and two hours later, 25 percent were filled. Koskinen blew off the panel. GOP leaders, who stalled the hearing for months, didn't allow "impeachment" to be used in the title. Chaffetz made the case for impeachment with a 10-minute video -- part documentary, part attack ad -- narrated by one of his staffers: "This was orchestrated. It was planned. ... Possibility of criminal activity." Chaffetz rationalized his use of the nuclear option of impeachment this way: "Rather than Congress continuing to whine and complain about ... the executive branch, the founders gave us tools." Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, asked if this tool might connect the scandal to the White House. Chaffetz acknowledged that "I've seen no evidence of that." But who cares about evidence? By the impeachment standard House Republicans set, the punishment needn't fit the crime -- or any crime. "There are lots of ways to screw up in your job that don't rise to the level of meeting the U.S. criminal code," Gowdy argued. "The failure to perform the duties of your office could be an impeachable offense." If so, half the members of Congress would be out of work. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. The military division of Armenias Investigative Committee reports that it has launched a criminal case into the May 25 murder of army sergeant Hakob Gevorgyan and that a suspect has been arrested. Gevorgyan died while being taken to the Meghri Medical Center from the army base where he was serving. He had suffered a wound to his chest. The Investigative Committee reports that on the day of the incident, Gevorgyan had an argument with another contract soldier at the base that led to a fight during which Gevorgyan was stabbed with a sharp instrument. Gevorgyans alleged attacker was arrested today. The investigation into the incident continues. A monster of an airplane will be parked at the La Crosse Regional Airport until this weekend, when it picks up a special delivery. Jason Gillett, assistant director of the airport, said an Antonov An-124-100, one of the largest planes in the world, arrived at the airport late Wednesday night. Able to transport more than 100 tons of troops, cargo or equipment, this Ukrainian-built cargo jet is one of the largest airplanes in the world and one hasnt been seen in La Crosse since 2004. The aircraft, operated by air charter company Volga-Dnepr Group of Russia, is so big that it can only be parked in a few places at the airport that can handle its weight, Gillett said, and those who drive by will notice the behemoth parked near the air tower. Because of the size of the plane, extra firefighting protection is required, and Gillett said the La Crosse Fire Department is providing assistance as long as the An-124-100 is here. Just like in 2004, the jet is visiting La Crosse to pick up and deliver one of Charts massive brazed aluminum heat exchanger units, which act like giant radiators. These 30-ton pieces of equipment can take up 1,400 cubic feet too big for smaller aircraft, such as a Boeing 747 and are used in the oil and gas industry for cryogenic applications and processes. The cargo is expected to be delivered to the airport today. Airport officials were unsure of when the cargo would be loaded, but did say the jet is expected to take off from the airport around 1 p.m. on Sunday. Shipping a unit can take more than a month by sea; inside the Antonov An-124-100, the product can reach its destination in under a day. A charter freight flight like this can cost around $1 million. Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less. In the last fiscal year, the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs spent nearly double the amount to administer grants and run programs for veterans compared to the grants and programs themselves, according to data from legislative reports and the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. A Democratic suit filed in federal court to repeal the Republican re-districting of the Wisconsin Assembly is set for trial May 24, with hearings judges say should last no longer than four days. US Official Warns 'Door for Christians in Iraq is Closing' Knox Thames, the U.S. Department of State's Special Advisor for Religious Minorities in the Near East and South and Central Asia. ROME -- A U.S. government official visiting Rome on Monday said that as a result of Islamic terrorist groups such as ISIS, the "door for Christians in Iraq is closing" and the window of time to prevent their eradication is narrowing. "I feel a sense of urgency, because Christians are leaving [the Middle East], and at some point it could become demographically unable for this community to sustain itself," said Knox Thames, the U.S. Department of State's Special Advisor for Religious Minorities in the Near East and South and Central Asia. Pushing the door back open, Thames said, "will be hard, it's a long [and] complicated answer to a complicated situation." Thames said guaranteeing religious diversity and the survival of churches such as the Assyrian Church of the East, which after having its patriarchal see in Chicago for over 70 years is now moving back to Erbil, Iraq, is a priority of the Obama administration. Speaking to journalists on Monday in Rome, Thames highlighted Secretary of State John Kerry's declaration of genocide of Christians and other minorities in Iraq and Syria as a sign of that commitment. Recognizing that ISIS is systematically trying to eliminate ethnic and religious minorities was an attempt to "give the [persecuted] hope that the world has noticed," he said, adding that in the past, recognizing a genocide has led to a concrete international reaction. Thames also acknowledged that as things stand, Christians and other minorities from Iraq and Syria have "lost faith" in their countries, and that the international community will have to assist in reconstruction efforts to guarantee not only the safety of these communities, but also some basic development, such as electricity, sewage and sanitation. Without these infrastructure investments, he lamented, "no one will want to stay, Christian or other." "What can we do so they have faith in their country?" he wondered. "I'm not sure what's the right approach, but we need to make sure we find what works in each context." Thames gave three models of coexistence: Qatar, Lebanon, and the recently signed "Marrakesh declaration." Qatar, he said, is "a fascinating example where cultures are intermixing." As result of heavy immigration, mostly from the Philippines and India, religious minorities are growing rapidly. For the first time, a non-Abrahamic religion, Hinduism, is entering the Gulf, and the strong Filipino presence represents a second wave of Christianity. Thames said that the United States and other countries are monitoring Qatar because they want to see an interaction between Qataris and immigrants that fosters "mutual understanding." Lebanon was the first country Thames visited after assuming his position in the Secretary of State, back in 2015. He applauded the "heroic" response to the migrant crisis- one fourth of the total population is immigrant-, and the "sectarian balance" the country has achieved. Often criticized by other countries in the region, Lebanon has been able to create a stability other Middle Eastern nations lack. This country too is being monitored closely to ensure that the plurality of voices envisioned in its Constitution is being guaranteed in the government through, for instance, diversity in the parliament. The third model of coexistence is that proposed by the Marrakesh Declaration, signed in January by religious leaders based in Muslim-majority countries. The document is based on the Charter of Medina, a document allegedly written by Muhammad which talks about the treatment of non-Muslims and calls for accepting a plural religious state. The Morocco-sponsored summit called on predominantly Muslim-majority communities to apply Muhammad's Charter of Medina and grant non-Muslim minorities "freedom of movement, property ownership, mutual solidarity and defense." Retired Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington, D.C., recently spoke about this declaration, urging journalists "not to let this document die," defining it as a "living challenge to the Islamic people and to non-Islamic people around the world." The official was in Italy to visit several Vatican offices to see how the United States and the Catholic Church can work together in the common goal of providing safety to historic religious minorities in the Middle East. "The Vatican gets us intrinsically," Thames said, adding that Catholic teaching on protection of conscience actually helps the U.S. government to deepen its arguments. Talking specifically about what the United States is doing to help persecuted minorities, Thames listed financial aid for economic development, prosecution for mass atrocities, protection of historic religious sites with the help of UNESCO, and documentation of things such as mass graves and cases of gender violence. He also said that his work is basically divided in three axes: "protection," what can the United States and its allies do to defend minorities that are either still in the region or those who have fled; "equipping," meaning how to help local governments in their responsibility for protecting minorities; and "reform," what can the US do to encourage countries that are either persecuting or refusing to aid those persecuted. The key, Thames said, is education: "When extremists take over a government, the first thing they do is take over the education ministry." This, he said, is because they know that with 15 years of indoctrination, they can change the structure of society. Baraboo will seek a grant to raze a former Ringling building and analyze the quality of the soil beneath. On Tuesday, the City Council unanimously directed staff to apply for a Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation grant to assess the site of the former St. Marys Ringling Manor on Oak Street. That money would help the city afford to level the building. Once the site of a hospital, a nursing home and a convent founded by the famed circus family, the building has become an eyesore and a neighborhood nuisance. Its ownership is in dispute, but the city is working to clear and rehabilitate the site, preparing it for residential development. Last week, in a study funded through a state Department of Natural Resources grant, the Sigma Group of Milwaukee reported its preliminary assessment of the site indicated the likely presence of hazardous material. This made the property eligible for additional funding through WEDC, as well as through the DNR. Those funds, along with the transfer of tax increment funds and the eventual sale of residential lots, would pay the estimated $500,000 cleanup bill. We have to take the building down to examine the ground underneath, City Administrator Ed Geick said. The city can apply for grant funding without owning the property. If that money comes through, the city will work with Sauk County and the state to acquire the property, which previously was owned by an estate that went broke. The state and county are eager to wash their hands of the property, which is $73,000 in arrears on taxes. Private developers have balked at buying the property because of the estimated $1.5 million cost of repairing the building, which has been boarded up since 2012 and has become a haven for unsavory activity despite police efforts to secure it. If we want to do anything with this building, I think wed better proceed, Alderman Dennis Thurow said. Nothing will be done with this unless the city takes the lead, Alderman Joel Petty agreed. Two men from Edgerton allegedly delivering cocaine were arrested along the Interstate on Tuesday, with a kilogram of the drug worth about $30,000 allegedly found in their vehicle. Francisco Grajales Arce, 46, and Damasio Velazquez, 33, were taken into custody, tentatively charged with being party to the crime of possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, the Dane County Sheriff's Office said. Sheriff's detectives working with the Dane County Narcotics Task Force made a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle on I-39/90 near the Beltline. "Detectives believe they were delivering the cocaine from Edgerton to an unspecified location in Dane County," said Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Elise Schaffer. The Nissan Rogue used by the suspects and their cellphones also were seized. Following the arrest, a search was made of the suspects' residence in Edgerton, but nothing else was found. A federal appeals court on Thursday dealt a setback to Epic Systems defense of a lawsuit for overtime pay by the companys technical writers, finding that the company violated federal law by requiring some of its employees to arbitrate wage disputes individually rather than as a group. Two groups of current and former Epic technical writers sued the Verona-based medical software maker in separate class-action lawsuits in February 2015, alleging that Epic misclassified them and denied them overtime pay that they were entitled to receive. On April 2, 2014, members of one of the groups were forced to agree or lose their jobs to arbitrate wage disputes individually instead of in a class or collective action. The agreement, sent to workers in an email, said that they waived the right to participate in or receive money or any other relief from any class, collective, or representative proceed- ing. By continuing to work at Epic, the agreement stated, the employees were deemed to have accepted that agree- ment. The other group wasnt subject to the agreement because they had left Epic before it was imposed, and their lawsuit wasnt part of the appeals court action. Epic sought to dismiss the lawsuit involving workers subject to the agreement and compel them to individual arbitration. U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb denied the motion, ruling that the arbitration clause violated the National Labor Relations Act because it interferes with employees right to act together for mutual aid and protection. Epic appealed the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, which on Thursday affirmed Crabbs ruling. Chief Judge Diane Wood wrote for a three-judge panel of the court that under the NLRA, collective actions are broadly interpreted to include joint, collective, or class legal remedies, and need not be taken by a formally recognized union. She wrote that the arbitration agreement impinges on those rights. Epic argued that the Federal Arbitration Act trumped the NLRA in this case and requires arbitration, but Wood disagreed. Epic spokesman Eric Helsher said the company had no immediate comment on the ruling. The law firms representing the technical writers in court called the ruling a stunning victory for workers rights. The Seventh Circuits decision makes clear that employees have the right to act together when an employer is not paying them correctly, Caitlin Madden of Hawks Quindel said in a statement. Further, employers cannot take away employees right to their day in court. Coupled with new overtime rules issued last week by the federal government, these are two big wins for employees nationwide, Madden said. In 2014, another group of then-current and former Epic quality assurance workers reached a $5.4 million settlement with Epic concerning overtime wages. That agreement was formally approved by Crabb last year. A federal appeals court has upheld six criminal convictions against Fitchburg businessman Christian Peterson, but ordered that he be re-sentenced because of an error in calculating his potential sentence. Peterson, 47, who owned the Pancake Cafe, was sentenced in December 2014 to seven years in prison after a jury found him guilty of bank fraud, making false statements to banks, money laundering and theft from an employee trust fund. The jury found that Peterson took out bank loans for a now-closed scrap foam business in 2006 and 2007, wiring some of the money directly to a casino, and using some of it to pay a gambling debt. He also took nearly $30,000 from an employee retirement fund. Judge Diane Sykes, writing for a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, said Wednesday there was easily sufficient evidence to support the jurys verdicts. But Sykes wrote that $300,000 that was included in a $1.1 million loss figure, used to calculate Petersons possible sentence, should not have been included, because Peterson paid back the $300,000 before his fraud was detected. Subtracting that amount affects Petersons sentencing guideline range, Sykes wrote, so U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb must re-sentence Peterson, who is serving his sentence at the federal prison camp in Duluth, Minnesota. A man wanted by the state on a parole violation escaped arrest by U.S. marshals in Cambridge on Tuesday, but turned himself in on Thursday. Edward Johnson, 26, Madison, turned himself in to the Cambridge Fire Department, the Dane County Sheriff's Office said. He was wanted by the Department of Corrections. The Sheriff's Office said U.S. marshals learned Johnson was at an apartment on Ripley Road in Cambridge on Tuesday, but when marshals went to the apartment, he fled on foot. There was no ornate venue and no ceremony, just a signing of paperwork at the City-County Building and a handful of family and reporters. Katherine Sand held a bouquet as she stood next to her fiance, Joshua Gokey, minutes before they filed paperwork Wednesday to become Dane Countys first opposite-sex domestic partners since County Clerk Scott McDonell announced May 13 he would issue such declarations. For the Madison couple, it meant having Sands twin sister, Elizabeth, witness a significant moment in their relationship. Sand, 32, and Gokey, 38, had been engaged for five years, and with Elizabeth Sand bound for West Africa next week for a 27-month Peace Corps stint in Togo, they didnt want to wait for her return to formalize their relationship. After hearing McDonell would issue domestic partnership licenses to opposite-sex couples, Gokey called the clerks office last week. The couple decided a domestic partnership would suffice until they could plan a wedding that would include the whole family. I wanted to solidify my relationship with Kate, Gokey said. I want to be with her for the rest of my life and I dont want to leave her hanging and wondering if Im ever going to marry her, but just with the timing of everything in our lives, this is what will work for us. The limit on domestic partnerships to same-sex couples was a remnant of Wisconsin voters 2006 constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. A subsequent 2009 state law allowed domestic partnerships to provide same-sex couples some of the legal benefits achieved through marriage. Challenges and appeals of the constitutional amendment led to legalization of same-sex marriage in 2014, but domestic partnerships were not extended to opposite-sex couples in turn. A May 13 legal opinion from Milwaukee County corporation counsel Paul Bargren concluded that not extending domestic partnerships to opposite-sex couples would violate equal protection. The opinion prompted a handful of county clerks from around the state, including McDonell, to say they would issue declarations for opposite-sex couples. Its unclear whether other couples outside of Dane County have applied. The Milwaukee County Clerks Office could not be reached before closing Wednesday. Dane Countys newly committed couple were also joined by Sands mother, Gail, who traveled from Iron Mountain, Michigan. She said she was happy a domestic partnership was an option for her daughter, though she was rattled by the media attention. Obviously Id like them to get married and get married in a church, but the circumstances for our family didnt work that way, Gail Sand said. Elizabeth is leaving in a week to go to Africa and Katherine is her twin. And it meant a lot to them, so if it means a lot to them Im their mother it means a lot to me. Josh is wonderful, so were grateful to have him in our family however he gets here, she said. DeForest has begun construction on a $7.5 million expansion of the villages civic buildings to accommodate the eastern Dane County communitys growth over the last two decades. The village began work last week on the project, which will more than double the size of Village Hall and create space for a growing police department. The Village Board unanimously approved a contract with Vogel Bros. Building Co. for the the project during its April 19 meeting. The Public Safety Building was built in 1997 to hold DeForests fire, EMS and police departments, but the village has seen its population grow by nearly 30 percent, to almost 9,500, since the 2000 census. It has also expanded significantly through annexation. Both the fire and police departments have added staff during that span to serve a larger population and territory. Theres lots of new housing starts happening and tons of new businesses that are coming to town like The Little Potato Co. Thats 130-plus jobs and hopefully theyll live in DeForest, Village President Judd Blau said. When the shared Public Safety Building was opened, the police department had 10 sworn officers and one civilian staff member. The department now has 17 officers and three staffers, and its expected to add at least 10 employees over the next two decades. The fire department has also expanded into a shared space with the police department. Right now, our police department is busting at the seams. They all have to share this one little room and share desks We have another officer coming in the next year or two when we close out our first (tax incremental financing) district, Blau said. The construction will add 12,843 square feet to the east end of the Public Safety Building that will accommodate the police departments larger staff with new offices, storage and locker rooms. It is also designed to include a soft interview room for victims of sensitive crimes and a garage for squad cars and equipment. The department currently houses its squad cars outside. DeForests Village Hall was purchased in 1974 and remodeled in 2006, but it remains undersized and lacks features many village and city halls have. All seven offices in the building are occupied and the building does not have a meeting room for the Village Board and its committees. Instead, the Village Board has used a smaller conference room in the Public Safety Building. The completed Village Hall renovation will add 7,230 square feet to the east end of the building and remodel existing office space. It will add six new offices, three new conference rooms and a formal Village Board meeting room with expanded public seating. The additions will allow the building to be used for community use and could accommodate future village employees. DeForest officials plan to pay for the project over 20 years. During that span, the village will close TIF district No. 1 and finish paying off library construction debt to help keep property taxes mostly flat. The village, however, is projecting several years of property tax increases of less than 3 percent. Blau said the Public Safety and Village Hall buildings are being renovated in phases so they can stay open during construction. Both buildings are expected to be completed by spring. The states job creation agency has so far identified more than $412,000 in erroneously awarded tax credits a figure that could stretch into the millions of dollars based on a preliminary review released Thursday. The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. is reviewing 222 tax credits awarded since 2006, including under the former Commerce Department, for discrepancies in how jobs should have been counted. Based on 18 awards reviewed so far totaling $4.5 million, the agency found it over-awarded $448,674, for a net excess credit of about $25,000 per award. The agency also found $36,479 in under-awarded credits. WEDC first disclosed the tax credit problem at a board meeting last month. The report Thursday was the first time WEDC indicated the scope of the problem. CEO Mark Hogan told a WEDC board committee that the agency has already signed off on $65 million in tax credits related to the awards under review. He said he didnt want to estimate what the total overage might be. Hogan said the agency may work with companies to try to recoup any excess credits by reducing the amount of tax credits that have yet to be verified. Hogan said the most common reason for discrepancies is how mid-year hires were counted in the agencys verification process. The agency is having two staff members review each award and then reconciling any differences between them. So far, the agency has conducted an initial review on 45 awards and a second review on 18 of those. The third step of the review will involve meeting with each affected company. Each credit will be reviewed twice. Hogan said the full review will likely take until August. The review includes 157 economic development tax credits, 45 jobs tax credits, 12 enterprise zone tax credits and eight development opportunity zone tax credits. The agency is not reviewing 98 awards that didnt have a jobs component, 101 awards in which the agency hasnt signed off on the credits yet and 80 awards for which the contracts have already been closed out. Just as the full WEDC board did last month, the committee discussed the issue in open session before moving into closed session for further talks about the tax credit problem. The meeting agenda said the committee needed to talk about the matter in private to confer with legal counsel with respect to litigation which WEDC may become involved. Committee members didnt discuss the issue in depth in open session. For crime victims and witnesses of traumatic events, the criminal justice system can be bewildering and frightening. Thats why Julie Foley, who manages the Crime Response Program in the Dane County District Attorneys Office, goes to work every day. Foley, 55, who has led the program since 1996, says its a vital job, giving a voice to people who otherwise might become lost in the system. The purpose behind the unit was to identify witnesses and victims as early as possible and address that immediate stress and trauma so that they can recover and be resilient, Foley said. And also, from the standpoint of a successful court process, victims and witnesses are the case. If you dont take care of them, if you dont acknowledge their needs and the trauma, then youre doing a disservice to them as humans and to justice. The program began as a response to an incident near East High School in 1993 in which two students were killed after being struck by a van. A witness who saw the crash and tried to help the girls was distressed at the idea of having to relive the incident from the witness stand. Now the program has three staff members, Foley said. Seven others, three of them psychologists, have contracts with Dane County to help on an on-call basis. Born to Wisconsin natives, Foley grew up in St. Louis, Denver, Toronto and New Jersey, where she graduated from high school. Her family then moved to Freeport, Illinois, to be closer to Wisconsin kin. Foley attended Beloit College for two years, and got her first taste of social work in Beloit, working with delinquent girls. She transferred to UW-La Crosse, where she volunteered at a shelter for battered women. And then I knew, I had to be in social work, she said. She ran a demonstration project in La Crosse on mandatory arrest in domestic violence cases, then started a small nonprofit agency that she ran until her first child was born. After moving to Madison, Foley attended graduate school, then worked at the state Department of Justice. She met Susanne Beaudoin, then the victim-witness coordinator for the Dane County District Attorneys Office, who offered Foley the job that she still has. Despite being part of the district attorneys office, the Crime Response Program receives very little county funding, and instead survives on federal grants. TDS, the telecommunications company, also helps by providing money to a fund the Madison Community Foundation, which the program can draw upon for victim crisis needs, such as emergency housing or gas vouchers.What is your job about? We have this opportunity to meet victims and witnesses when they most need assistance and safety planning and a voice. We have a really good relationship with law enforcement, and often times, from the scene, they will call or page the unit and ask for a field response, or at least phone contact with the victim to let them know that we are here, that we can provide practical assistance and information about the court process, and give them a voice in things like bail conditions. It sounds like it can be a very emotional and demanding job, right? It is. We do the early response, then we pass the baton to our counterparts (in the Victim-Witness Unit) because they are the court support throughout the entire proceeding of the case. The thing I think about is there are times when you go home and youre exhausted but I get so much more back than what I give. The resilience of people that have lost children and can find a reason to get up every day, or can find meaning in that loss. Its like you take this terrible tragedy and you move it into some way to create meaning for yourself, to honor your child and to create meaning for others. What an honor for people to allow you into their life. It sounds like those are the benefits. What are the hardships involved in doing this every day? You certainly dont schedule crisis. There are many times where, I think about with my kids, if were in the middle of a family gathering or something is planned, and it gets derailed. But it does take a toll and were working right now on having some folks come in and talk about mindfulness and release techniques and how to do better self-care. You carry this with you. As much as youd like to say, I can go home and shut that off, it isnt very real because people trust you with their story and their pain and if youre being true to them, then it becomes part of your story. Do you think more could be done to protect victims of crimes? Absolutely. One of the things I hope will be a reality at some point in time I dont know why victims full names have to be in criminal complaints. Our (state) constitutional amendment is about privacy and dignity and respect. To me, I think victimization is life-changing. The process of getting justice for the victim should not be re-victimizing but it is at this point in time. There is a balance, and sometimes the victims voice gets really lost in the big picture of justice in our system. Interview by Ed Treleven I have yet to hear a single member of Congress advocate getting rid of Puerto Rico, i.e., giving it independence. We did that with Cuba and the Philippines, also acquired after our victory in the Spanish American War. Cuba, of course, went on to be a major headache. The Philippines has succeeded as an independent nation. Puerto Rico is even worse than Illinois. Billions in debt, barely able to pay the interest on its notes to creditors, corrupt, tied down by powerful unions and political machines, an economic basket case. The difference is, we can get rid of it by a simple act of Congress. Instead, Congress, that means Republicans, are about to pass a bail-out bill that will cost taxpayers billions. There is no reason to fear Puerto Rico would go Communist. Communism is essentially dead. Even Communist Cuba, China, and Vietnam, all our former enemies, are going capitalist. Puerto Rico would end up like Greece, an economic beached whale begging for handouts from its more prosperous neighbors. But it would not be our primary responsibility anymore. Puerto Rico has serious systemic problems: a third of its residents are on food stamps, the average income is about $12,000 and unemployment is high. Its a fiscal drag on U.S. taxpayers. Lets cut the cord. As for citizenship, Id point out Congress only made Puerto Ricans citizens in 1917, years after it became a Territory. The motive for doing so was to conscript draft age men into the army to fight World War I. Puerto Ricans resented it at the time and rightly so. Now we American taxpayers resent their sky-high welfare dependence and other expenses, such as the coming bail out. (And it is only a temporary solution. There have been years of Greek bailouts.) So Congress can not only terminate the Territorial status but also decree no Puerto Rican born after that date will be a U.S. citizen. We can also cut off the welfare rights of Puerto Ricans even though they are U.S. citizens once they stop paying U.S. taxes. It would be a net plus to the rest of the nation. Puerto Rico should not get to decide its fate. A majority of its population seems to favor statehood. But Congress should get to decide. And the bailout thats on the verge of passing is just a way of avoiding the big decision. Heres a new issue for Donald Trump. Delhi University is set to adapt a new set of procedures for admission this year. Here is all you need to know about DU admissions 2016-2017. By India Today Web Desk: Every year Delhi University, one of the elite universities in the country, witnesses tremendous competition and what one may call a rat-race. With cut-offs soaring high each year, DU has never failed to astonish applicants nation-wide. (Read: The rush to Delhi University: Is it really worth it?) Here is a new set of changes adapted by DU this year. This is your one-stop destination for all you need to know about the Delhi University admissions of 2016: advertisement 1. Courses that will hold entrance exams this year are: 1500 DU seats call for entrance tests this year. Following are certain subjects that will take admissions on the basis of entrance examinations this year: Bachelors of Management Studies BA Honours Bachelors of Business Administration BTech (IT and Mathematics) Bachelors of Elementary Education BA Multimedia and Mass Communication (Read: Punjab Board Class 10 Result 2016 declared: Check your scores at pseb.ac.in) 2. Application form and examination dates: The date of starting to apply for admissions is May 13, 2016. Students can apply for admission till May 31, 2016 Application for all courses will be online this year. Apart from regular candidates, applicants from sports and extra-curricular activities also have to apply online The written examination for these courses will be held from June 19, 2016 to June 23, 2016. The results can be expected by July 4, 2016 Online registration for 54,000 candidates on cut-off basis will begin from May 28, 2016 and end on June 16, 2016 (Read: Meghalaya MBOSE SSLC (class 10) results declared at www.mbose.in: Check your scores now!) 3. Addition of 500 seats in Delhi University: At present there are 54,000 seats in 63 DU colleges. There could be an addition of nearly 500 seats. Following are the colleges that are either introducing new courses or adding seats to the previous ones: Bhim Rao Ambedkar College will add 40 seats to History (hons) that has 872 seats Daulat Ram College will start BSc (hons) adding 46 more seats to the existing number Indraprastha College for Women will start BA (hons) in Sociology and Geography Kalindi College is likely to introduce honours courses in Botany, Zoology, Chemistry and Geography Aryabhatta College will introduce BSc (hons) Computer Science and BA (hons) Psychology Gargi College and DCAC are initiating honours courses in Mathematics this year (Read: Delhi University Admissions: 17 transgender students register for post-graduate courses) 4. No separate registration for admission in St. Stephen's and Jesus and Mary college: The 24-member admission committee on Monday, May 23, took a decision for all minority colleges under DU to be a part of centralised admission procedure. The minority colleges include: St. Stephen's College Jesus and Mary College The two colleges will however have their independent procedures for admission after the centralised application procedure under DU. advertisement (Read: Delhi University: So slowly moves the administration ) 5. Three colleges run by Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) demand separate entrances as well: Sri Guru Nanak Dev (SGND) Khalsa College Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce Mata Sundari College for Women These colleges had asked for a minority status by the Delhi government and were granted so by the Delhi High Court last year. They have now approached the university for separate admission procedures. 6. Transgender admissions encouraged at Delhi University In the first two weeks of May, students from Delhi University visited areas like Nand Nagri, Jehangirpuri, Shahadra and Tughlaqabad where most transgender communities reside together Transgender students in DU will be enrolled under the OBC category In 2014, inclusion of the 'other' category (gender specification) in DU application forms brought 9 applicants, while this number increased to 66 in the year 2015 All queries of aspirants were resolved in the sessions held with students from Delhi University in their visit to transgender residing areas earlier this month. (Read: Delhi University preparing to make admissions for transgenders easy) Here's an 'interesting' insight on the cut offs so far! advertisement Click here for more updates on India Today Education. --- ENDS --- TS EAMCET 2016 results are declared on its official website. By India Today Web Desk: Telangana State Engineering, Agriculture and Medical Common Entrance Test (TS EAMCET) results have been declared on its official website. On behalf of Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE), Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad had conducted the entrance examination. The candidates, who appeared in the examination, can now access their results on the official website. The following are the steps the candidates should take to check their results: Log on to the official website, the link for which is www.tseamcet.in. Click on the 'Results' tab Enter the requisite details, such as roll number, name etc. in the space provided and submit. The result would appear on the screen, the candidates are advised to take a print out of the same for future reference. advertisement The examination was conducted on May 15, 2016 from 10.00 AM to 1.00 PM for engineering (E) stream, while for agriculture and medical (AM) stream from it was held between 2.30 PM and 5.30 PM. About 2,46,522 candidates were registered for the TS EAMCET examination this year. Out of the lot, 1,44,510 candidates registered for engineering and 1,02,012 for agriculture and medical streams. India Today Education wishes all the candidates the very best for results! Read: Jharkhand PSC Combined Civil Services Examination 2015: Exam date postponed For information on more upcoming exams, click here. --- ENDS --- Aashiqui 3 producer Mukesh Bhatt reveals the reason Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra were cast in the lead roles. By India Today Web Desk: Sidharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt have been signed for the third instalment of Aashiqui 3. Aashiqui 2, which hit the screens in 2013, saw Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor in the lead roles. ALSO READ: Shraddha rubbishes rumours of rift with Alia, says happy to see her in Aashiqui 3 ALSO READ: Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra to star in Aashiqui 3 advertisement Soon after its release, the film became a rage of sorts among the youth of the country. The title track in Arijit Singh's voice, Tum Hi Ho, was on the lip-tips of innumerable people. Shraddha and Aditya's chemistry too was praised to the heavens. Going by the success of Aashiqui 2, when Aashiqui 3 was announced, it was but expected that Shraddha and Aditya were reuniting for the silver screen. However, Aashiqui 3 went to Sidharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt instead. Producer Mukesh Bhatt says Sidharth and Alia have been signed for the film since the two are perfect for the roles. Aashiqui 3 will be Sidharth and Alia's third film together, after Student Of The Year and Kapoor And Sons. "Yes, it is true. We have signed Sidharth and Alia for the film. They completely fit the role. When we make films, we look for the perfect casting. They both fit the bill," Mukesh Bhatt told PTI. The first part of the musical romantic drama was released in 1990 and went on to become one of the biggest hits of that time. Its sequel, Aashiqui 2 in 2013 was directed by Mohit Suri. Suri will return to helm the third instalment of the successful franchise. When asked whether the film will go on floors this year, Bhatt said, "We are currently in the process of figuring out the dates and other details. When it goes on floors will be decided soon." Meanwhile, Aditya and Shraddha are busy with OK Jaanu, the Hindi remake of the successful Tamil film OK Kanmani. --- ENDS --- Superstar Amitabh Bachchan informed that he will only host a small segment of the second anniversary of the Narendra Modi government's Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign, of which he is the brand ambassador. By Mail Today: Amitabh Bachchan on Wednesday denied hosting the mega bash the BJP has planned to celebrate the second anniversary of the Narendra Modi government, and informed that he will only host a small segment of the programme based on the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign, of which he is the brand ambassador. Congress questions Modi government Earlier in the day the Congress had questioned the Modi government's decision to associate Bachchan with the celebrations scheduled to take place on Saturday, pointing out that the actor's name had come up in the Panama Papers controversy advertisement "We want to question Modiji... he promised to bring back black money, promised to punish each person who was involved. Would it not send a wrong message to all investigative agencies when a person accused of money laundering is seen hosting a program to celebrate two years of the Modi government?" wondered Congressman Randeep Surjewala. Bachchan in the line of Congress fire Bachchan however denied hosting the show while talking to a leading television channel, adding that he had been invited as the brand ambassador of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign. "It is up to the government whether they want to have me there or not," the actor said. BJP's clarification Soon after the Congress attack, the BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain was ready with the party's defence of Bachchan. "Big B is a superstar and the people love him. The people of India love Big B more than Rahul Gandhi. The Congress does not need show its jealousy," Hussain said, suggesting that the Congress was upset over losing out to the BJP in the recent state elections. BJP MP and Bachchan's Cheeni Kum co-star Paresh Rawal was among several politicians of the party who stood by Bachchan. Rawal said the Congress had no issue to raise at the moment and added this was a bogus issue like awards wapsi. Union Law Minister DV Sadananda Gowda said Bachchan's attending the celebratory gala would not impact the ongoing probe in the Panama Papers case, while Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma pointed out Bachchan was yet to be proven guilty by any law court. Also Read: Amitabh Bachchan is in the Congress' line of fire --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, May 26 (PTI) Vice President Hamid Ansari will undertake a five-day visit to Morocco and Tunisia beginning May 30 as part of efforts to build on diplomatic gains from the India-Africa summit held in October last year. The Vice President will discuss with leaders in the two North African countries issues of terrorism, UN Security Council expansion and investments in private sector, as well as ways to strengthen outreach to Africa and regional matters. advertisement Ansari will be in Morocco from May 30 to June 1 at the invitation of Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane, the External Affairs Ministry (MEA) said today, adding the two leaders would jointly launch the India-Morocco Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Rabat. During the visit, a number of MoUs will be signed in areas like education amd IT, focusing on "capacity building and cultural exchange". In the second leg of his two-nation tour, Ansari will be visiting Tunisia from June 2 to June 3. Ansaris visit "will build on diplomatic gains" from the India-Africa summit and "we have chosen these two countries as they are great examples of democracy", Secretary (Economic Relations) in the MEA Amar Sinha told reporters here. "Hello Africa, Tell me how are you doing?" will be Indias motto for the continent, he said, adding there will be a series of visits by Indian leaders to Africa in the coming days. He also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Africa this year. MORE PTI AKA VJ RT --- ENDS --- "Delhi is not a full state as a result of which such problems are coming up repeatedly. Every crime incident reminds that somehow law and order should be under democratic control so that the law enforcement agencies and public could work together," Arvind Kejriwal said. "If there is greater democratic control over the agencies at local level and public is taken along, a solution could be found for this," Kejriwal said. By India Today Web Desk: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today met the 13-year-old girl, who was brutally raped and has been admitted to AIIMS here, and raised the issue of granting full statehood to Delhi in order to curb such incidents which "occur repeatedly". "Delhi is not a full state as a result of which such problems are coming up repeatedly. Every crime incident reminds that somehow law and order should be under democratic control so that the law enforcement agencies and public could work together," he said. advertisement "I have sought an appointment to meet Rajnath Singh. Full statehood will take time but even in the existing system we can function together so that such incidents could be stopped. "If there is greater democratic control over the agencies at local level and public is taken along, a solution could be found for this," he said. The Chief Minister also assured all possible help of Delhi government to the family members of the girl. The Case The girl was brutally raped and dumped near a railway track in South-east Delhi's Pul Prahladpur area, allegedly by a teenager who lives in her neighbourhood. The minor girl, who is an orphan and mentally challenged, is admitted in AIIMS and her condition is stated to be stable now. The victim lives with her maternal aunt at a village near Pul Prahladpur. She went missing on May 17, and a search operation was conducted but she could not be found. In the wee hours of May 18, locals spotted the girl lying unconscious near the railway track and raised an alarm, a senior police official said. The accused was apprehended yesterday by the police who are trying to verify his age. Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal met the girl at AIIMS and the commission yesterday issued notice to the Pul Prahladpur Police Station seeking to know why it was not informed about the incident. Also Read DCW show cause notice to police in minors rape case --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Anisur Rahman Dhaka, May 26 (PTI) Bangladesh has sent a special jamdani sari, 20 kgs of hilsha fish and molasses for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee which will be presented to her by a senior minister at the swearing in ceremony tomorrow. Industries minister and senior leader of ruling Awami League Amir Hossain Amu will represent Bangladesh at the installation of Banerjee for the second term. advertisement "We are sending her 20 kilograms of hilsha fish and our famous molasses of Jessore as a mark of greetings along with jamdani sari," junior minister for foreign affairs Shahriar Alam told newsmen. His comments came a day after foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali said Amu would attend Banerjees swearing in ceremony. Banerjee is set to be installed as the West Bengal chief minister tomorrow after landslide victory of her party Trinomul Congress in the recent state elections. Banerjee had visited Bangladesh accompanying Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June last year. PTI AR MRJ AKJ MRJ --- ENDS --- By PTI: Hyderabad, May 26 (PTI) Banks have so far distributed Rs 1.32 lakh crore under the NDA governments flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana to as many as 3.48 crore beneficiaries, most of them from weaker sections across the country, Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya said today. "Most of the beneficiaries belong to SC, ST and weaker sections. This is not an ordinary task. Loans worth Rs 1.32 lakh crore were extended by banks to you people (economically weaker sections). So this government is pro-poor government. But Rahul Gandhi (Congress Vice-President) does not accept and understand this," Dattatreya said in a meeting here organised by Andhra Bank. advertisement He also said under the Prime Minister Jan Dhan Yojna as many as 22 crore new bank accounts were opened and the banks have got Rs 32,000 crore towards deposits in those accounts. The Labour Minister further said that so far 87 lakh youths have been given training in skill development. "Providing employment to unemployed is on the high priority for our government. In the coming next two years, one crore unemployed (people) will be provided employment opportunity," he said. Meanwhile, Andhra Bank said the bank has sanctioned Rs 1,721.19 crore to 2.34 lakh beneficiaries under PMMY. PTI GDK NSK MKJ BAS --- ENDS --- "They are rattled by it (Trump's campaign) - and for good reason," Barack Obama said on the sidelines of a G7 advanced economies summit in Japan. By AP: President Barack Obama said today that foreign leaders are "rattled" by Donald Trump and have good reason to feel that way, as he accused the presumptive Republican presidential nominee of ignorance about world affairs. Obama offered his assessment of the presidential campaign on the sidelines of a G7 advanced economies summit in Japan, the latest world gathering to be coloured by global concerns about Trump. Obama said foreign leaders at the conference were unsure how seriously to take his pronouncements. advertisement OBAMA VERSUS TRUMP "They are rattled by it (Trump's campaign) - and for good reason," Obama said. "Because a lot of the proposals he has made display either ignorance of world affairs, or a cavalier attitude, or an interest in getting tweets and headlines." Trump, who speaks of banning Muslim immigration, starting trade wars and spreading nuclear weapons to Japan and South Korea has increasingly worried world leaders. Obama has said that Trump now comes up in every one of his foreign meetings, with the president offering reassurances that he doesn't believe Trump will be elected. Though Obama has generally avoided opining on the presidential race, he's made no secret of his distaste for Trump. In addition to opposing the sweeping Asia-Pacific free trade deal that Obama brokered, Trump has threatened to renegotiate Obama's nuclear deal with Iran and the global climate pact reached in Paris. "I think it's fair to say they are surprised by the Republican nominee," Obama said. ALSO READ | Trump loaned White House campaign $7.5 mln as he nears Republican nomination --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: A town in Australia's New South Whales called Batemans Bay, also a tourist spot, has developed a bad bat problem. The destructive bats have caused power cuts, kept tourists away and hit property prices. But this is nothing compared to the inconvenience and trauma it has caused the residents. Nearly 100,000 grey-headed bats are everywhere in the town, be it on a tree or any surface. In fact, the residents have started feeling prisoners in their home. advertisement "I can't open the windows, I can't use the clotheslines, it's just, I can't study because the noise just goes constantly," Danielle Smith, a resident of the town, told Sky News. In this 'state of emergency' the New South Wales Government announced that the community will receive 2.5 million Australian dollars to help with the relocation of the bats. These bats, commonly known as flying foxes, are about 9 to 11 inches long and have a ring of orange fur around their heads and grey fur on their bellies and heads. Batemans Bay was declared a disaster area. --- ENDS --- Police found the bodies of the Agarwal brothers in a forested area near Seoni Malwa, some 50 kms from Harda in Bhopal By Rahul Noronha: Decomposed bodies of two brothers, who were missing from Harda town, were found in a forested area on Thursday. The victims identified as Navin Agarwal and Sudhir Agarwal went to settle a land dispute they had with Jagdish Rajput in Mohanpur village on May 23 and had been missing ever since. Navin Agarwal was a lawyer at the Bhopal district court while Sudhir lived in Harda and was a farmer. The third brother, Sunil, is a top official in a power sector PSU in Delhi. advertisement Family wants justice Police found the bodies of the Agarwal brothers in a forested area near Seoni Malwa, some 50 kms from Harda and the family of the deceased was summoned to handover the bodies. But Irate relatives refused to accept the bodies and pelted stones at the police station. The relatives accused the police of not acting in time in the case. They demanded the suspension of top district police officials including the SP. The SP has suspended the Inspector in charge of Sirali police station, BS Ghuraiya and have detained two suspects, Jagdish Rajput and Nikhil Tiwari in connection with the murder. --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Anisur Rahman Dhaka, May 26 (PTI) A senior BNP leader in Bangladesh was today charged with sedition over his alleged involvement in a plot to oust the ruling-Awami League government in collusion with Israel following his meeting in India with a top Israeli politician, police said today. The home ministry has cleared the police to book Aslam Chowdhury, a joint secretary of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), on sedition charges over a "plot with Israel," inspector general of police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque said. advertisement A Chittagong-based business tycoon, Chowdhury was arrested last week and a travel ban was enforced on him after media reported his meeting with Israeli government adviser in India in March. "He tried to create anarchy by making the present government seem unpopular to the leaders of Israels Likud party. Our initial investigation has found evidence that suggest that," IGP Hoque said. "We had sought the home ministrys permission to file a sedition case against Aslam Chowdhury. The ministry has sanctioned that," Hoque was quoted as saying by the BDnews. Chowdhury has denied plotting to overthrow the government, claiming that he met the Israeli adviser during a "personal business trip" to India, while his lawyers claimed that he met some Israeli people at an event he was invited to, but did not had a meeting with them. Aslam also said he was not aware that Mendi N Safadi, a former advisor to Israeli deputy minister MK Ayoub Karar, was a leader of the Likud Party. The ruling-Awami League leaders had claimed that the meeting was part of a larger conspiracy to oust Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with the help of Israeli spy agency Mossad. Muslim-majority Bangladesh does not have any diplomatic relations with Israel and Bangladeshis are banned from travelling there. Bangladesh has also voiced concerns over Israeli atrocities in Palestine. Chowdhury is known to be a trusted lieutenant of BNPs senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman, who is former prime minister Khaleda Zias son. Rahman has taken political refuge in the UK to evade a number of graft and criminal cases in which he is being tried in absentia at home. The BNP is the key opposition party outside parliament as it had boycotted the 2014 general election citing unfair conditions for polls. PTI SUA AKJ SUA --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Anisur Rahman Dhaka, May 26 (PTI) A senior BNP leader in Bangladesh was today charged with sedition over his alleged involvement in a plot to oust the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas government in collusion with Israel following his meeting in India with a top Israeli politician, police said today. The home ministry has cleared the police to book Aslam Chowdhury, a joint secretary of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), on sedition charges over a "plot with Israel," inspector general of police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque said. advertisement A Chittagong-based business tycoon, Chowdhury was arrested last week and a travel ban was enforced on him after media reported his meeting with Israeli government adviser in India in March. "He tried to create anarchy by making the present government seem unpopular to the leaders of Israels Likud party. Our initial investigation has found evidence that suggest that," IGP Hoque said. "We had sought the home ministrys permission to file a sedition case against Aslam Chowdhury. The ministry has sanctioned that," he added. Chowdhury has denied plotting to overthrow the government, claiming that he met the Israeli adviser during a "personal business trip" to India, while his lawyers claimed that he met some Israeli people at an event he was invited to, but did not had a meeting with them. Aslam also said he was not aware that Mendi N Safadi, a former advisor to Israeli deputy minister MK Ayoub Karar, was a leader of the Likud Party. The ruling-Awami League leaders had claimed that the meeting was part of a larger conspiracy to oust Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with the help of Israeli spy agency Mossad. Muslim-majority Bangladesh does not have any diplomatic relations with Israel and Bangladeshis are banned from travelling there. Bangladesh has also voiced concerns over Israeli atrocities in Palestine. Chowdhury is known to be a trusted lieutenant of BNPs senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman, who is former prime minister Khaleda Zias son. Rahman has taken political refuge in the UK to evade a number of graft and criminal cases in which he is being tried in absentia at home. The BNP is the key opposition party outside parliament as it had boycotted the 2014 general election citing unfair conditions for polls. PTI AR SUA AKJ SUA --- ENDS --- Two Pakistani nationals, identified as Ahmed Khan Durrani and Afghan Abdul Qadri, used the medical-tourism method to arrive in New Delhi. Durrani posed as an Afghan patient and Qadri his attendant, officials explained. The Indian Army has been fighting endless battles along the border to avert infiltration bids. A botched terror test-run in New Delhi has left security agencies alarmed about a new ISI-backed module whose operatives were able to infiltrate the national Capital, posing as Afghan medical tourists, intelligence sources disclosed to India Today. The mastermind of the failed terror bid in December last was Maulana Abdul Rehman, better known as MAR in Jehadi circles, highly-placed sources revealed. He is believed to be a plotter of the 1999 hijacking of the Indian Airlines IC 814 flight from Nepal to Kandahar in Afghanistan. Rehman has now fallen out with Maulana Masood Azhar, the founder of the Jaish-e-Mohammad group and one of the three terrorists India freed to secure the release of the IC-814 passengers in 1999. advertisement Backed by Pakistans ISI and the Haqqani network, Rehman launched his first terror attempt on India in November when he sent in two of his men to target five locations in Delhi with chemical bombs, according to intelligence officials. Medical Tourism The two infiltrators - identified as Pakistani Ahmed Khan Durrani and Afghan Abdul Qadri - used the medical-tourism method to arrive in New Delhi. Durrani posed as an Afghan patient and Qadri his attendant, the officials explained. Durrani had a forged passport issued in the name of Sohaib Abbas. They chose a Lajpat Nagar neighbourhood, popular with Afghan medical tourists, to rent a room with the help of a local Afghan contact. Their Delhi address - M-3, Kasturba Niketan Complex, Lajpat Nagar-II - passed police verification in the last week of November, a copy of which was obtained by India Today. Durrani had undergone a training in making chemical bombs. When triggered, such explosives produce a high-intensity fire capable of causing substantial damage within five to six minutes. Copy of their Delhi address proof - M-3, Kasturba Niketan Complex, Lajpat Nagar-II - which passed police verification. The duo remained in contact with their handler, identified as Abid, who had set up a controlroom in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area of Pakistan-Afghan border. Terror targets They different locations of Delhi. On their hit list were the Iskcon temple, a plush mall and three other targets, according to security officials. The two bought bomb-making materials, such as fireworks for gunpowder, wires, bottles and watches, from Old Delhi markets. From that, they were able to make six chemical bombs that they were to use in serial attacks planned for the second week of December, sources said. Terror Trail But a test then went awry. The two men panicked after a bomb they tried to detonate in the bathroom of their room set of huge trail of smoke out of their building. Scared, they flushed all their devices and fled to Afghanistan on the next flight available, according to intelligence sources. After investigators unearthed the terror plan, intelligence agencies put the police in Kabul on alert, who then arrested Durrani and Qadri. Explosives and secret documents were recovered from their possession. Indian Intelligence officials, however, describe the entire modus operandi as alarming, with a new module using a new route of medical tourism to strike India. advertisement MAR has an office in Peshawar and heads an organisation called Al Barkat Trust, security officials say. His trust runs a new group named Jaish-ul-Haq. His secondin-command is identified as Dr Zubair. MAR has a syndicate of terrorist who are recruiting and training for anti-India operations, intelligence officials say. Also Read: 'Reached Sudan, joining ISIS': Indian recruit's text to dad key evidence for NIA --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Aditi Khanna London, May 26 (PTI) A major terror attack on UK soil is imminent, a British Islamic State (ISIS) woman suspect who joined the terror group in 2013 has warned on social media. Sally Jones, dubbed "Mrs Terror", tweeted a warning against travelling into London by Tube in the coming months, according to The Times. advertisement The 46-year-old wrote: "To be honest I wouldnt go into central London through June... or even July well to be honest I wouldn?t go there at all especially by Tube." Her last tweet read: "England... Boom". Moments later, her account was suspended from Twitter. She also posted a picture of herself in a black burka, posing next to a river which she captioned as the Tigris, Iraq. Jones, who once played guitar in a female punk band, was receiving grocery parcels from a church-run food bank near Sevenoaks, Kent, before she fled to Syria with her ten-year-old son towards the end of 2013. She married another ISIS recruit Junaid Hussain, a computer hacker from Birmingham who was killed in a drone strike last year. PTI AK SUA AKJ SUA --- ENDS --- "Sexual violence against children, as I have said, is an extraordinary crime," President Joko Widodo said on Wednesday after issuing the new law. By Indo-Asian News Service: Child sex abuse is now punishable by death and chemical castration in Indonesia after President Joko Widodo issued a new law following the brutal gang rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl. The battered body of the victim was discovered, naked and tied up, in a forest on the island of Sumatra after she was attacked by a group of teenagers in April. Seven offenders have been jailed for 10 years. advertisement NEW LAW "Sexual violence against children, as I have said, is an extraordinary crime," President Joko Widodo said on Wednesday after issuing the new law. "We hope that this law will be a deterrent for offenders and can suppress sexual crimes against children," Widodo said. The law is effective immediately, although Indonesia's parliament has the power to overturn it or demand revisions. SAVING CHILDREN "These acts threaten and endanger children, and they destroy the lives and development of children for the future," the president said. Chemical castration is a legal form of punishment in South Korea, Poland and the Czech Republic, as well as in some US and Australian states. --- ENDS --- In a video released by CCTV, two children can be seen trying to pull down a wall-mounted artwork while bystanders don't give a hoot about stopping their reckless act. By India Today Web Desk: Picture this: you are at an art gallery, walking around trying to immerse yourself in quiet pondering. All of a sudden you have children running all over the place screaming and wrecking valuable artwork along the way. The very first instinct for most would be stop them, but this wasn't the case in Shanghai Museum of Glass in East China. advertisement In a video released by CCTV , two children can be seen trying to pull down a wall-mounted artwork and the adults watching them don't give a hoot about stopping their reckless act. As the bystanders film the two boys having a ball, a part of the precious sculpture starts to break. In the nick of time they frantically pull the two boys away. The art work called "Angel is Waiting" is a masterpiece by a famous Chinese artist Shelly Xue, she is also a pioneer of China's studio glass movement, reports the Telegraph. AA?A??A? A photo posted by A??AA?A? (@et_gloria) on Apr 30, 2016 at 8:06am PDT The sculpture depicting a pair of angel's wings was painstakingly constructed over 27 months from glass fragments and it has been on public display since 2014. Xue humbly decided to leave the damaged art work as it is and instead renamed it as 'Broken'. Now that's what a stellar artist does! The footage can now be seen at the museum playing on a loop beside the damaged artwork. --- ENDS --- By PTI: From K J M Varma Beijing, May 26 (PTI) China has signed agreements with Sudan, its close ally in Africa to build600-megawatt atomic reactor, the first such project in the African country, official media reported today. Two framework deals have been signed by state-owned China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC) with Sudan on nuclear power development, including building a 600-megawatt atomic reactor, official media China Daily reported. advertisement The agreements may involve a blueprint for nuclear power development in the next decade for Sudan and building the first nuclear power station in the country,the daily quoted a statement issued by the nuclear giant. China already is having a long standing nuclear cooperation with Pakistan as it has built several nuclear power reactors and is currently building two 1100 mw reactors in Karachi. The agreements with Sudan were signed on Monday during a three-day visit to Sudan by a Chinese delegation led by Nur Bekri, head of the National Energy Administration and deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission. Sun Qin, chairman of CNNC, said the company will cooperate with Sudans Ministry of Water Resources and Electricity through the agreements. The company did not disclose the contract value or the type of nuclear technology to be used for the reactor. But experts said there is a great opportunity for the homegrown reactor design Hualong One, a type of third-generation technology, to be used for the reactor. "Hualong One is most likely to have been chosen for Sudan, said Chai Guohan, chief engineer at the Ministry of Environmental Protections Nuclear and Radiation Safety Centre. "China is looking to popularise this nuclear technology at home and abroad," Chai said. With the worlds largest number of reactors under construction, China plans to develop this experience into nuclear exports, the report said. Chinese nuclear companies are making huge inroads in global nuclear markets, including Britain and Argentina. CNNC has clinched deals with Argentina to build two nuclear reactors, while CGN, another domestic energy giant, partnered with Electricite de France to build three reactors in Britain. Sudan has faced power shortages in recent years and is seeking to build two 600-mw pressurised water reactors to meet the growing demand for electricity, with construction on the first one starting in 2021. Sudanese Finance Minister Badr-Eddin Mahmoud said the agreements reviewed all energy issues facing the country and will provide solutions for these and for new projects. PTI KJV AJR --- ENDS --- advertisement By PTI: research: Gowda New Delhi, May 25 (PTI) The government today said the report cited by the Chief Justice of India to claim that the country needed 40,000 judges was not based on any scientific research but maintained it has hastened efforts to fill up vacancies in Supreme Court and the high courts. Addressing a press conference to mark two years of the Narendra Modi government, Gowda said the adequacy of bench strength in a country is determined on the basis of workload on the courts and not judge-population ratio. advertisement Virtually breaking down in the presence of the Prime Minister here on April 24, CJI T S Thakur had lamented the governments "inaction" in increasing the number of judges from the present 21,000 to 40,000 to handle the "avalanche" of litigations, saying, "you cannot shift the entire burden on the judiciary". "Nothing has moved" since 1987 when the Law Commission had recommended increase in the number of judges from then 10 judges per 10 lakh people to 50, an unusually emotional Thakur had said. Responding to a question on whether the government will ever be able to reach the target of 40,000 judges (judges in the lower courts as well as judges of the Supreme Court and the 24 High Courts), Gowda said the Law Commission report given in 1987 was based on the opinion of some experts and the public. "In the report itself they said that this has to be calculated on the basis of scientific data. But no scientific data was available. "Even recently in the Imtiaz Ahmed case, the Supreme Court itself has asked the Law Commission to once again look into the matter. They once again said that this may not be possible unless we get the scientific data," Gowda said. (MORE) PTI NAB SK SK --- ENDS --- By PTI: Srinagar, May 25 (PTI) Ahead of the shutdown called by separatists, moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was today put under house arrest while JKLF chief Yaseen Malik was taken into custody to foil their programme tomorrow against Sainik colonies and Kashmiri Pandit townships. Mirwaiz was put under house arrest this morning when a large contingent of police arrived at his residence in Nigeen area, a Hurriyat spokesman said here. advertisement He was scheduled to head a meeting to discuss Hurriyat strategy to resist Sainik colonies and Pandit townships in the valley, the spokesman said. Malik was taken into custody by police from his office at Abi Guzar here, a JKLF spokesman said. He said the police raided the JKLF office this afternoon and arrested Malik. Hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani continues to be under house detention. Mirwaiz, Geelani and Malik, on Monday, had jointly called for a shutdown for tomorrow against the establishment of Pandit colonies and Sainik Colony in the Valley. PTI SSB MIJ AKK --- ENDS --- Indian shops and establishments in Congos capital Kinshasa were attacked and gunshots fired injuring two Indians. The Indian embassy, in a statement, said Chief of police in Kinshasa, General Jean De Dieu Oleko, has assured the embassy that everything will be done to secure the life and property of all Indians residing in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It said that police have already been deployed in the commercial area and that every effort is being made by local authorities to defuse the situation. It requested all Indian nationals to "stay calm, avoid any confrontation or arguments and generally keep a low profile for the next couple of days". The embassy, while deeply regretting on behalf of the Indian government the killing of the Congolese national in New Delhi, said it had conveyed to the Congolese authorities about the steps being taken in India to arrest the culprits, one of whom has been arrested, and prosecute the perpetrators. "The crime itself, it has been conveyed, was based on impulse without any planning or motive," the statement said. In New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said some shops in Congo were attacked in retaliation to the killing of Masonda Ketada Olivier, 29, in Vasant Kunj area of south Delhi following an altercation with some men over the hiring of an autorickshaw "Our embassy in Congo is in touch with local authorities and as of now things have calmed down," he said, adding: "India's relations with Congo go back many years. Thousands of African students continue to benefit from the Indian education system and we will ensure full safety to them." According to reports, hundreds of protesters allegedly forced Indian shopkeepers to keep their businesses shut and attacked their property demanding appropriate action in the case. On Wednesday, India had assured the African envoys of the safety of their nationals. By India Today Web Desk: If you haven't been able to grab the discounted airfares that were offered by private airlines such as Spicejet, IndiGo and AirAsia only a few days ago, fret not. Air India has come to your rescue. Believe it or not, the airline is offering unbelievable discounts on domestic flights. Air India's Super Sale 2016 started on May 21 and is valid till May 29, with fares starting as low as Rs 1,499. Now, don't compare this with a few private airlines whose starting fares were pegged at around Rs 500 or so. This sale is different, and we'll tell you why. advertisement The discounted airfares offered by Air India are being offered for almost every sector of the country. The fares are way lower than what you'd normally find, but there's one catch. The sale is valid only for travel during the monsoon season--between July 1 to September 30. Coming to the most attractive airfares as promised, we checked out some of the most touristy routes and the airfares were too good to be true. The all-inclusive return fare for the Delhi-Goa circuit for one person is just Rs 6,200! You can book a Delhi to Jaipur return flight for Rs 3,090; and Delhi to Udaipur return fare is Rs 4,424. Check the rest yourself--you'd probably be tempted to book immediately. Just remember that the fares are changing by a few hundred bucks every few minutes. Given below are the airfares for all sectors, exclusive of taxes: For more, visit www.airindia.in/monsoon-sale --- ENDS --- The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), an umbrella organisation of 15,000 resident doctors across 41 government hospitals in Delhi, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to revise the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission that they said were "particularly discriminating to doctors". By India Today Web Desk: Doctors in government hospitals in Delhi will go on a strike today, demanding an increase in their salaries and allowances. They also threatened to go on an indefinite strike from June 1 if their demands are not fulfilled. Demand revision of 7th Pay Commission The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), an umbrella organisation of 15,000 resident doctors across 41 government hospitals in the national capital, has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to revise the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission that they said were "particularly discriminating to doctors". advertisement "We will be on strike tomorrow for a day. If our demands are not fulfilled even after that, we will go on indefinite strike from June 1," said Dr Narayan Dabas, Convenor, FORDA. Additional secretary in the health ministry, Arun Panda, held deliberations with medical superintendents of RML, Lady Hardinge and Safdarjung hospitals on Wednesday and said "our hospitals have put in place contingency plans so that all emergencies, trauma cases are taken care of". "Senior doctors will handle the situation today. We are still trying to make them (FORDA) see reason. RML has cancelled all leave. Senior doctors have been asked to come and attend patients. Hospitals think they can handle the situation. All trauma and emergency will be taken care of. The MS of RML, Lady Hardinge and Safdarjung have also talked with FORDA," Panda said. - With PTI inputs --- ENDS --- According to sources, the police is likely to move an application under section 15(2) of the amended Juvenile Justice Act to try the teenager as an adult in the case. Marketing executive Siddharth Sharma was run over by a teen driving his father's Mercedes on April 4. By PTI: The Delhi Police today filed the chargesheet in the Civil Lines hit-and-run case in which a 32-year-old marketing executive was run over by a teenager driving his father's Mercedes. According to sources, the police is likely to move an application under section 15(2) of the amended Juvenile Justice Act to try the teenager as an adult in the case. advertisement The Juvenile Justice Act, which allows children aged 16 to 18 years and in conflict with law to be tried as adults in cases of heinous offences, will come into force from tomorrow (May 27). If Delhi Police plea is accepted and if the juvenile is tried as an adult then a special children's court will be set up under the JJ Board as per the amended act for the trial. All about the case: The 25-page chargesheet includes testimonies of nearly 50 eye witnesses. The teen accused will be charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder and destruction of evidence. The offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder entails a maximum of 10 years jail. The father of the accused has been charged with abetment to culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The police said in its chargesheet that the boy had run over marketing executive Siddharth Sharma with his father's Mercedes when he was trying to cross a road near Ludlow Castle School in north Delhi on April 4. The police said that the car was being driven at a speed of at least 80km per hour and Sharma was flung several feet into the air by the impact of the crash and landed around 15 metres away from where he stood. Also Read: Juvenile Justice Act comes into force tomorrow: Here are the draft rules Delhi hit-and-run case: Father of accused juvenile arrested --- ENDS --- Head of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication Professor Anil Gupta expressed his happiness and hopes that their association will infuse more energy and enthusiasm in the department. By Siraj Qureshi: Professor Devesh Kishore and Professor Pradeep K Mathur have been appointed as professor emeritus in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication of Mangalayatan University. Expressing his happiness over the development Vice Chancellor Professor Satish C Jain said, "It is a great achievement for the Department. I wholeheartedly welcome them. I am sure that the Department will touch new heights under their guidance". advertisement Head of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication Professor Anil Gupta also expressed his happiness and hopes that their association will infuse more energy and enthusiasm in the department. Know about Pradeep K Mathur Professor Pradeep K Mathur is a stalwart in the field of Media education. He possesses a four decades of industrial and teaching experience. He has held several responsible positions in various leading newspapers of the north India before jumping into the media teaching. He played a vital role to build IIMC New Delhi as a premier institute of Mass Communication. He was also involved in the curriculum design of numerous universities including IGNOU, Aligarh Muslim University, MG International Hindi University, Wardha, Kota University, Rajasthan, and Guru Jambeshwar University. Devesh Kishore, a veteran teacher On the other hand professor Kishore has half-a-century of experience in media practice and teaching. He was awarded doctorate in 1967 for his pioneering research on Indian broadcasting. He headed IIMC from 1972 to 1977. There he was also the course director for PG diploma in Development Communication for Developing countries, which attracts participants from a number of Third World countries. He has worked as the communication head for National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM) as well as the director for School of Mass Communication of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). Presently, he is the chairman of Committee of Experts on Science Media Resources, Ministry of Science and Technology of government of India. They will be present in the department on special occasions such as seminars, conferences and workshops as per the terms of appointment. However, they will be available any time for consultations also. --- ENDS --- Sapra Begum, who was suffering from arthritis and respiratory problems, was brought to the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan hospital's emergency but died due to absence of timely treatment. By Indo-Asian News Service, India Today Web Desk: Nearly 25,000 resident doctors of the central and Delhi government hospitals went on a one-day strike on Thursday to protest against de-merger of NPA from their basic salaries. In the alleged absence of timely treatment following the strike, a septuagenarian woman patient died at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJPN) hospital. HERE'S WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW Sapra Begum (70), who was suffering from arthritis and respiratory problems, was brought to the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan hospital's emergency around 11 a.m., but died around 12.30 p.m. in the alleged absence of timely treatment. "My mother's condition was very bad. We took her to the LNJPN emergency this (Thursday) morning. At the hospital, we were told there were no doctors because of the strike and that she should be taken to AIIMS," said her son Shabbir of Laxmi Nagar area in East Delhi. "After waiting at the LNJP for about two hours, they gave her an injection, following which she started vomiting and died within 15 minutes," he added. Resident doctors across Delhi are demanding merger of the non-practicing allowance (NPA) with their basic salary, as against the seventh pay commission recommendations. The doctors from Safdarjung, LNJPN, Ram Manohar Lohia and other Delhi government hospitals gathered at Lady Hardinge hospital and took out a protest march up to Jantar Mantar. "We called for the one-day token strike to pressurise authorities to consider our demand for the merger of the NPA with our basic salary. Earlier, the NPA was merged with basic salary. But after the seventh pay commission recommendations, it has been separated from basic salary," Pankaj Solanki, president of the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), told IANS. "I have written to authorities concerned on this issue but to no avail. Today, except for All India Institute of Medical Sciences, resident doctors of all government hospitals in Delhi are on strike," he said adding that "emergency and OPD services are being handled by senior faculty at these hospitals," Solanki said. advertisement ALSO READ | Delhi: Govt hospital doctors to go on strike today over salaries --- ENDS --- The move is the latest in a tug of war between Trump's original campaign team, including press secretary Hope Hicks and campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, and a group of professionals he brought in later to shore up support from more traditional corners of the Republican Party. By Reuters: US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has fired his national political director after six weeks on the job, campaign sources said on Wednesday. Trump told staffers and supporters gathered backstage before a campaign rally in California on Wednesday that political director Rick Wiley "should be fired" for his handling of a fundraising deal with the Republican National Committee, according to the sources. advertisement RNC fundraising deal The RNC fundraising agreement included 11 states but not Nevada, where Republicans in the state are angling for key victories in the November elections. Three sources confirmed Trump said Wiley should be fired after Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald told Trump that Wiley was responsible for leaving Nevada out of the deal. McDonald did not return calls seeking comment. Wiley did not respond to emails, text messages and phone calls seeking comment. ALSO READ: Donald Trump to British PM Cameron: 'I'm not stupid, Okay' Internal crisis The move is the latest in a tug of war between Trump's original campaign team, including press secretary Hope Hicks and campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, and a group of professionals he brought in later to shore up support from more traditional corners of the Republican Party. The new arrivals, led by veteran strategist Paul Manafort, whom Trump hired in late March, have urged Trump to tone down some of his most provocative positions, such as his proposed ban on Muslims entering the United States. But Trump reprimanded Manafort, according to two sources familiar with the conversation, after Manafort told a gathering of RNC members at an April meeting in Florida that Trump was only "acting" when describing his proposed Muslim ban or his plan to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Manafort hired Wiley on April 13. A statement issued by the Trump campaign said Wiley had been hired on a "short-term basis as a consultant until the campaign was running full steam" and it thanked him for "for helping us during this transition period." Manafort did not responds to calls and emails seeking comment. ALSO READ: Donald Trump beats Hillary Clinton in new opinion poll --- ENDS --- By PTI: NDAs two years Jaipur, May 26 (PTI) As the Modi government completes two years in office today, Congress leader RPN Singh attacked it for "ignoring" the interests of youths and farmers, "kneeling down" before Pakistan, and "playing" with internal security of the country. Highlighting the "failure" of the government, the former Union minister told a press conference here, "PM Modi made tall promises in elections for youths and farmers but the result is disappointing." advertisement On the foreign policy front, Singh said the government has "knelt down" before Pakistan which is a "failure". "Pakistans (investigation) team came to India to probe Pathankot Airbase attack but when it comes to NIA, it cannot go to a country from where the terrorists came," he said. Singh also blamed the ruling BJP of "playing" with internal security of the country. "The BJP is trying to save and protect its people who were lodged in jail in connection with Malegaon blasts case and this is the biggest game the BJP is playing with the internal security of the country," he said. Singh said Prime Minister Modi had promised two crore jobs in a year but opportunities are shrinking. "Only 1.34 lakh jobs were given. In eight sectors, 20,000 jobs have been cut between October 2015 and December 2015." "48 per cent of people of the country earn livelihood in agriculture sector but the government is not concerned about them. Rs 1.14 lakh crore of bad debts of corporate sector were written off but if a farmer fails to return a loan of Rs 10,000, action is taken against him," he said. He said industrial production, export, and area under cultivation have reduced. "The PM had promised farmers to raise MSP incorporating entire production cost and 50 per cent profit but the MSP has increased only by 4-6 per cent. 3,000 farmers, 1800 in Maharashtra alone, and 6,710 farm labourers have committed suicide," he claimed. The former MoS Home also targeted the government for not passing on the benefit of the reduction in crude oil prices in the global market to the consumers and instead "saving Rs 2 lakh crore". On the issue of the corruption, the Congress leader said, the Prime Minister is "quiet" on "Vyapam scam in MP, mines scam in Rajasthan and PDS scam in Chhattisgarh". He also raised question on the gas pipeline project of the Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GPSC) in Krishna Godavari Basin saying the PM had announced huge deposits of natural gas there but "now there is confusion over gas reserve". advertisement The project involves expenditure Rs 20,000 crore and PM Modi should give a reply on this issue, he said. PTI SDA TIR SK TIR --- ENDS --- The company that runs the Fukushima plant sent 5 robots to ground zero and not a single one survived. Incredibly high radiations in the block causes heat levels to rise and this melts the robots' wiring. By India Today Web Desk: A tsunami, triggered by an earthquake on March 11, 2011, initiated the Fukushima Daaiichi nuclear disaster in Japan which led to the evacuation of over 200,000 people. Photo Credit: opensourceinvestigations.com Even after 5 years, there is still a tremendous amount of cleanup work left at ground zero. The Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) which runs the plant has managed to clean up one building but is still struggling to do the same with other buildings which has burnt fuel rods. These fuel rods are nothing but chunks of radioactive waste weighing hundreds of metric tonnes. Photo Credit: Reuters/Toru Hanai/Files advertisement It took 2 years for TEPCO to design the robots for the job of extracting melted fuel rods and according to TEPCO's head of decommissioning, Naohiro Masuda, the heat levels due to radiation are so extreme that it simply melts the robot's wiring. Japan had been trying out various methods to stop the radiations from damaging the area further. One such method was building "ice walls" to keep groundwater from reaching the reactors. A refrigerant chemical that forms an ice wall to block Fukushima's fallout water and stop the ground water intrusion into the plant. Photo Credit: engadget.com Photo Credit: engadget.com A million metric tonnes of irradiated water is being stored on the site and is pumped in to cool down the reactors. Disposing the radioactive water is still a challenge for TEPCO as storage tanks have already leaked some of the material into the ocean. After TEPCO's robots not surviving the heat levels of the radiations, it's a place for no man or machine. Toshiba has developed new robots for picking up the fuel rods and to clean up the scene which previous robots failed to. The entire cleanup process is expected to take around 30 to 40 years, but TEPCO is being blamed for its lukewarm response to the incident and is facing flak from the Japanese government and the people alike. --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: Having lost the Nano small car project to Gujarat, Uttrakhand Chief Minister B.C. Khanduri on Tuesday put up a brave face, claiming that it was not a loss for his state as it could not provide 1000-acre land at one place for the project as required by the Tatas. "We could not have parted with the cultivable land for the project...There are other industries too demanding land in Uttrakhand. We have to keep them in mind too," Kanduri said after laying the foundation stone for a state guest house of Uttarakhand government in New Delhi. He said the Nano car project going to Gujarat was not a loss for Uttarakhand. "The over 1000-acre land they required for the plant at one place could not have been given without parting with cultivable land," he explained. Before Tatas decided to set up the small car plant in Gujarat there were reports that the corporate group may opt for Pantnagar in Uttrakhand - where Tata Ace pick-up trucks are being manufactured - to produce Nano. The Tatas, however, opted for Gujarat where they got 1100 acres of land in Sanand. Khanduri claimed development of border areas was essential to ensure that local population is not forced to leave the area for want of employment. "It is also an essential aspect of national security as it is necessary to have local population in border areas...It is a must for security," he added. For the inflow of industries into the state, Khanduri credited the 10-year special package announced by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003. To a poser, the Uttrakhand Chief Minister termed as "imaginary" the claim of Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal that special package to states like Uttrakhand had led to a "flight" of industries from Punjab. "Give us the figures of the industries which have closed shop in other states and have reopened operations in Uttrakhand...New industries have come to our state because of the industrial policies," he claimed. --- ENDS --- advertisement By PTI: From Anisur Rahman Dhaka, May 26 (PTI) Rejecting reports that Islamists had a role in the killing of a Hindu businessman, Bangladesh police today said the pattern found in the recent brutal murders by militants was missing in the case. Debesh Chandra Pramanik, 68, a shoe store owner, was murdered inside his shop in Gaibandha of northwestern Gobindaganj Upazila. advertisement "We still do not have any reason to believe that Debesh Chandra Pramanik was killed by (Islamist) militants as it did not match the pattern which was seen in all the cases where they were involved," Gaibandha district police chief Ashraful Islam told PTI. He made the remarks when asked about reports stating that the hand of Islamist militants was being suspected in Pramaniks murder. Islam said the assailants used small knife-like sharp weapons in killing Pramanik while "militants preferred machetes in murdering their victims" earlier. "In all the cases of murder carried out by the suspected militants, the assailants appear on the crime scene on motorbikes, but no motorbike is used in this case," the police official said. Another senior officer in polices detective branch said, "Someone identifying them to be IS or al-Qaeda claim responsibility after every such murder by militants but no such claim has been made in Debeshs (murder) case." The victims family claimed that some local drug addicts tried to extort money from Pramanik a few days ago and when he refused to pay, an argument broke out at the shop. Pramaniks son Debashish Chandra told reporters that his father could be a victim of the drug addicts. Immediately after the murder, police arrested a man named Nepen Chandra in connection with the murder acting on allegations of the victims family members. Bangladesh recently has witnessed a wave of murders of liberal and secular activists, writers and minorities by suspected Islamist militants. A Muslim homoeopath doctor being their last victim last week in western Kushtia. The Islamic State reportedly claimed responsibilities of most of the murders but Bangladeshi authorities rejected the claims. "The home grown militants are repeatedly trying to prove their links with international outfits like IS or al Qaeda," a senior home ministry official had said after last weeks murder. "Our investigations found no link of any international group to the incidents (clandestine attacks) in Bangladesh." A Buddhist monk, a atheist student, two gay rights activists, a liberal professor, a Hindu tailor and a sufi Muslim leader were the other victims of the deadly attacks since last month. PTI AR ASK AKJ ASK --- ENDS --- advertisement Amber Heard has reportedly filed for divorce from her husband Johnny Depp after 15 months of their marriage. Johnny Depp and the 30-year-old former model met while playing love interests in 2011's The Rum Diary. By Bang Showbiz: Amber Heard has filed for divorce from Johnny Depp after just 15 months of marriage. WATCH: Johnny Depp's wife Amber Heard pleads guilty in dog smuggling case in this bizarre video The 30-year-old actor reportedly filed a divorce petition on Monday (May 23), citing irreconcilable differences, according to gossip website TMZ. The publication claims Amber wrote in the divorce documents that the pair separated on May 22, which was just two days after the 52-year-old actor's mother Betty Sue Palmer passed away. advertisement A source told the site that the couple did not have a pre-nuptial agreement in place. Amber - who married Johnny in February 2015 - is said to be seeking spousal support. Johnny and Amber were recently reprimanded by the Australian government for sneaking their Yorkshire Terriers, Pistol and Boo, into the country. The made a cringe-worthy apology video to the Australian government after she pleaded guilty to supplying false documents. At the hearing at Southport Magistrate's Court in Queensland last month, Amber's lawyer Jeremy Kirk told the court she thought Johnny's staff had already dealt with the two dogs' travel documents, adding the documents had "slipped through the cracks". He said, "It was a terrible, terrible mistake. There was no attempt to deceive." Prosecutor Peter Callaghan agreed that Amber's fame had drawn attention to the case but insisted "the laws apply to everyone". Johnny has been filming the latest installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie this year. Depp recently reprised his role as the Mad Hatter in Alice Through the Looking Glass, released in theaters on Friday, whereas Heard was last seen in Oscar nominated film, The Danish Girl. --- ENDS --- Left Democratic Front government headed by Pinarayi Vijayan kicked off with a bang with popular measures including a new police team to investigate the controversial Jisha murder. By Jeemon Jacob: Left Democratic Front government headed by Pinarayi Vijayan kicked off with a bang with popular measures. In the first cabinet meeting, LDF government appointed a new team to investigate controversial Jisha murder case and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan hinted that "women security would be prime concern of the government". "Cabinet has decided that B. Sandya, Additional Director General of Police would lead the investigation in the case. It's reported that there were serious lapses in the investigation. So the government has set up a new team to probe the case," Chief Minister Pinarayi told the media while briefing the cabinet decisions. advertisement Sandhya, 1986 batch IPS officer was heading the Community policing programme in Kerala. "Our first priority is to find out the culprit who is responsible for the murder," Chief Minister told the media. 29 year old Jisha, a dalit law student was brutally raped and murdered on April 28 and even after 27 days, the police could not identify her murderer. Chandy government entrusted Additional DGP K. Padmakumar to conduct the investigation in the case, but failed to report any progress. Jisha murder case and a series of protests put Chandy government in poor light during the poll campaign. Police complaints authority Chairman retired Justice K. Narayana Kurup criticised police officials for destroying vital evidence and summoned senior officials to appear before him. But Inspector General of Police Mahipal Yadav and other officers refused stating the authority has no power to summon the police officials. "Youth organizations have complained that there was an undeclared ban on appointments in the state and many departments were not reporting the vacancies. This has resulted in cancellation of many rank lists prepared by Public Service Commission," Chief Minister revealed. The cabinet revoked the undeclared ban on appointments in the state and directed all departments to report vacancies on priority basis. The cabinet has entrusted Chief Secretary to review the positions of vacancies in various departments. The cabinet decided not to parade school children and women for government functions. It was a practice in Kerala as school children and women were paraded for the reception of VIPs and they had to wait for hours under the scorching sun. The first cabinet meeting also decided to check price rise of essential commodities in the state. Also Read: Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath as Kerala CM, says will rise to the occasion --- ENDS --- In another instance of growing lawlessness in Bihar, a Lok Janshakti Party leader was shot dead in the Naxal-infested Dumaria block of Gaya on Wednesday. In a breakthrough in the scribe Rajdeo Ranjan killing, main shooter Rohit Kumar and four others were arrested. By Mail Today: In another instance of growing lawlessness in Bihar, a Lok Janshakti Party leader was shot dead in the Naxal-infested Dumaria block of Gaya on Wednesday. Sudesh Paswan, the block president of Union minister Ram Vilas Paswans party, was canvassing for his wife Maya Kumari, a mukhiya candidate from Kachar panchayat, in the ongoing panchayat election when he was gunned down by unidentified motorcycle borne criminals at Duaath village. His cousin Sunil Paswan, who sustained injuries in the shootout, succumbed to his injuries later at a hospital. The killings, said to have been executed by the Maoists, had spread panic in the area. The murder took place barely a few hours after the Bihar police claimed to have made a major breakthrough in the Siwan journalist Rajdeo Ranjan killing case by arresting five persons, including the alleged main sharpshooter. advertisement Additional director-general of police (ADG) Sunil Kumar said in Patna that the Siwan police and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) had taken five persons, including shooter Rohit Kumar, into custody who confessed to their involvement in the recent killing of Ranjan, the bureau chief of a vernacular daily in Siwan. The arrested persons were idenitified as Rohit Kumar, Vijay Kumar Gupta, Rishu Kumar, Sonu Kumar Gupta and Rajesh Kumar. A countrymade pistol and three motorcycles have also been recovered from their possession, the ADG said. Also Read: Journalist Rajdeo Ranjan murder: Shahabuddin shifted to Bhagalpur central jail --- ENDS --- Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee today will take oath as the next chief minister of West Bengal along with 41 party MLAs as ministers in the new cabinet in the state Assembly. By Romita Datta: Even though the state Congress, state BJP unit and Left Front are boycotting the swearing-in-ceremony of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, the event will be attended by many leaders. HERE'S WHAT ALL YOU SHOULD KNOW Mamata on Friday will take oath as the next Chief Minister of West Bengal along with 41 party MLAs as ministers in the new Cabinet in the state Assembly. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Union Minister Babool Supriyo, Bangladesh Industry Minister, Bhutan Prime Minister, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Singh Yadav are expected to attend the event. The event will be held at prestigious Red Road and arrangement will be made to seat 20,000 people. Banerjee said the swearing-in ceremony would be open to the common people. Along with me, altogether 42 of us will take oath tomorrow at the swearing-in ceremony. There has been representation from all districts, except Malda, caste, religion and creed, Banerjee said. In Malda we don't have any representation. Out of the 42 there are a few new faces. The rest are the same," Banerjee added. advertisement --- ENDS --- By PTI: Hyderabad, May 25 (PTI) A man was today arrested for allegedly murdering a 26-year-old software professional here with whom he had befriended recently, police said. V Hashmi, who had joined his duty with an IT giant at Nanakramguda area here few days ago was found murdered near a railway under-bridge late last night and during course of investigation, Gachibowli Police nabbed one Naresh Reddy, who during interrogation confessed of killing Hashmi, Inspector J Ramesh said. advertisement Hashmi, a native of Mahabubnagar district in Telangana, had been staying in a rented accommodation in Balkampet here and Naresh Reddy, an electrician, too, was staying in a adjoining room and both had become friends around 20 days ago, police said. "Yesterday, Reddy and Hashmi went towards Hitech city where the accused asked the victim to give some money. Both had an argument over the matter and Hashmi fell down on the ground when Reddy allegedly hit him with a boulder resulting in his death. Later, he fled from the spot after taking away Hashmis wallet, gold chain and bike ," the Inspector said based on preliminary investigation. Reddy was arrested after questioning and a case under section 302 (murder) of IPC was registered, police said, adding investigations are underway. PTI VVK NRB ANP RDS --- ENDS --- By PTI: Thiruvananthapuram, May 26 (PTI) Amidst squabbling in Kerala Congress over the severe drubbing it received in the state assembly polls, a meeting of newly-elected MLAs would be held here on May 29, apparently to choose the parliamentary party leader who will be the leader of opposition in the assembly. KPCC President V M Sudheeran said Congress leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit would participate in the meeting as a high command representative. advertisement AICC General Secretary Mukul Wasnik and Secretary Deepak Babaria also would attend the crucial meeting, Sudheeran said in a statement here today. The meeting assumes significance in the wake of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy expressing reservation in taking over as opposition leader after the UDFs defeat in the polls. Besides, Congress workers loyal to former KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala had demanded the post for their leader. Congress leaders Chandy, Sudheeran and Chennithala, who led the high-profile campaign, have come under fire from a section of Congress workers. A meeting of UDF liaison committee in its preliminary poll analysis had held that the Front failed to understand the magnitude of the threat posed by NDA in the wake of BJPs growth in the state. CPI(M) successfully led to communal polarisation and made an impression that they were the real protectors of minorities in the state that led to shifting of minority votes to LDF, it was pointed out. KPCC is slated to meet here on June 4 an 5 to evaluate in detail the electoral result. UDF could secure only 47 seats in the polls in which Congress could win only 22 seats out of the 87 it contested. The second largest partner Indian Union Muslim League won 18 while Kerala Congress (M) six seats and Kerala Congress (J) won one. Its other two minor partners RSP and JD(U) failed to get even a single seat this time. PTI JRK RC AAR --- ENDS --- In an exclusive interview to Aaj Tak, Rajnath Singh said that the Modi government has been successful in meeting people's expectations. By India Today Web Desk: As the BJP-led NDA government completes two years in office, Home Minister Rajnath Singh has given Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership full marks. | Special coverage: 2 years of Modi govt In an exclusive interview to Aaj Tak, Rajnath Singh said that the Modi government has been successful in meeting people's expectations. Commenting on his party's victory in Assam polls, Rajnath Singh said that Modi magic was still intact that his party will continue the good show in Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections next year. | #Modi2: The top performers advertisement Replying to a question over the Batla House encounter, the home minister stopped short of naming the the Congress directly but asked parties to stop using such sensitive issues to score political brownie points. Here are the highlights of Rajnath interview: 100/100 for Modi rule 1. I will give 100/100 to Modi government. | #Modi2: The so-so performers 2. This government has fulfilled people's expectations. 3. No one can deny the fact that in the last 2 years, India has been able to stand tall on the international stage. 4. Not a single case of corruption in the 2 years of Modi government. 5. Country's economy was struggling in the UPA rule. Modi government has successfully resurrected India's economy. India is now the fastest growing economy in the world. Muslims in India won't let ISIS grow 6. Terror and violence must stop. 7. I don't consider ISIS as a major threat to India. 8. I firmly believe that Muslims of India won't let organisations like ISIS expand its tentacles in the country. 9. We won't compromise with country's security. Dawood is in Pakistan 10. Dawood is an international criminal. 11. We have provided ample evidence to Pakistan regarding Dawood's presence on their soil. 12. Pakistan should handover Dawood to India. 13. The international community should also persuade or pressurise Pakistan to take action against Dawood. On Maharashtra minister's Dawood links 14. Won't hesitate to act against whosoever found guilty. | #Modi2: Struggle of the Stragglers 15. The matter will be investigated thoroughly. Lessons from Pathankot terror attack 16. I salute our securitymen, they prevented any major damage to important installations inside the airbase. 17. We want the NIA team to visit Pakistan so that it can carry out an in-depth probe. 18. We are also keeping an eye on what action Pakistan has taken. Politics over Batla must stop 19. Politics over the Batla House encounter must stop now. 20. Wahtever former Home Minister Shivraj Singh Patil has said over the statement is true. 21. Patil had rejecting Congress leader Digvijaya Singh's remark that Batla encounter was staged. advertisement No politics of polarisation 22. Politics of polarisation is destructive for the nation. 23. BJP has never approved of such kind of politics. 24. BJP's politics is only about forming government, we want to work to make a better society, nation. Also Read: #Modi2: I undertook the maximum reforms, curbed corruption, says PM #Modi2: Govt spent over Rs 1,000 crore on anniversary ads, claims Kejriwal --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: In an exclusive interview to the Wall Street Journal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi backed his government policies, claiming he had "undertaken the maximum reforms". The PM spoke to the paper on the eve of the anniversary of his swearing-in. The Modi administration will complete two years in office today and the government has already unleashed a publicity blitzkrieg to celebrate it. advertisement ALSO READ: BJP has a song for two years of Modi rule A mega event is expected to take place at India Gate for which a massive podium is being constructed. This celebrations will not be limited to the just the capital. Apart from Delhi, functions will be hosted in six other places - Shillong, Mumbai, Vijayawada, Jaipur, Karnal and Ahmedabad. In all these 5-hour functions, Cabinet ministers accompanied by their MoS will be present. A huge ladoo weighing 731 kgs has been prepared for celebration of Two years of Modi government. The interview comes ahead of Modi's visit to Washington early next month, where he is expected to meet President Barack Obama and address a joint session of the US Congress. WHAT THE PM SAID: We opened up our economy to foreign investment NDA government curbed corruption Filled gaps in rural infrastructure and made it easier to do business Unlike before, India isn't standing in a corner now I have actually undertaken the maximum reforms Expects the Goods and Services Tax bill to be passed this year When I came to the government, I used to sit down with all the experts and ask them to define for me what is the 'big bang' for them. Nobody could tell me Efforts to amend GST law at federal level over now. It is now up to individual states to pursue changes Labour reform should not just mean in the interest of industry. Labour reform should also be in the interest of the labourer I have an enormous task ahead for myself In any developing country in the world, both the public sector and the private sector have a very important role to play. You can't suddenly get rid of the public sector, nor should you ALSO READ: Prime Minister's governance record scuffed but intact Two years of Modi: Prime Minister's governance record scuffed but intact --- ENDS --- Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur, the first of many such events planned to celebrate two years of the BJP government at the Centre. By India Today Web Desk: The Narendra Modi government turned 2 today and to kickstart the fortnight-long celebrations, the prime minister addressed a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur. | Special coverage: 2 years of Modi govt Apart from highlighting the achievements of 2 years of his rule, PM Modi made a big announcement at the rally concerning the retirement age of doctors in the country. Modi said the government doctors will now retire at the age of 65 instead of 62 years. advertisement "We have a shortage of doctors in our country. There are different rules for government doctors in states. If there were enough medical colleges in our country, we wouldn't have this shortage. It is difficult to create doctors in 2 years," Modi said at Saharanpur, some 60 kms from Muzaffarnagar - the town which witnessed deadly communal riots in 2013. Here are the highlights: I urge you all to participate in the development story: Modi Only development can change the fate of the country: Modi The retirement age of doctors will be increased to 65 years so that people get more of their service: Modi so that people get more of their service: We've shown how to empower the poor. Jan Dhan Yojana has emerged as a powerful tool to support the poor : Modi has emerged as a powerful tool to support the poor My aim is to provide electricity to each and every village of Uttar Pradesh: Modi My work is being scrutinised ...every step is being minutely watched and I am happy about it: Modi It pains me ... when I see that several villages in the country are yet to get electricity, almost 70 years after Independence: Modi Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme is meant for everyone, not for a particular caste or community: Modi scheme is meant for everyone, not for a particular caste or community: There has been a fashion in the country to connect every scheme with caste, religion: Modi Do you remember anyone asking people to present the report card of government? Modi I have vowed to end the loot of public money which existed in the previous regime: Modi Have you heard in the two years that Modi Govt indulged in corruption? Paisa khaaya hai? Kabhi suna hai aapne?: PM pic.twitter.com/Q3ckm2OhHS ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 26, 2016 Pradhan Mantri Fasal Yojana is first of its kind in the country: Modi Successive government's Uttar Pradesh have betrayed the people of the state: Modi Will work to double farmers' income by 2022: Modi The country is transforming... leking kuch logon ka dimaag nahi badal rha : Modi : My government's aim is to work with the state government's for the people: Modi I am your pradhan sewak not the prime minister: Modi My Government dedicated to the poor, here to give you the account of my work: PM Modi in Saharanpur(UP) pic.twitter.com/wmXTq05rpw ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 26, 2016 Main Uttar Pradesh wala hoon : Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking at Saharanpur rally | #Modi2: Meet the Panchratnas speaking at Saharanpur rally | Time has come for BJP's vanwaas in UP to end: Rajnath in UP to end: The list of achievements of Modi govt is very long, won't go into the details: Rajnath | #Modi2: The top performers The Samajwadi government has failed to provide any help to sugarcane farmers of Uttar Pradesh: Rajnath The Modi government is committed to development of villages: Rajnath For India to prosper, our villages must prosper: Rajnath This government has launched many schemes to benefit the farmers: Rajnath | #Modi2: The so-so performers I am farmer myself, I can feel the pain of our farmers: Rajnath Singh Home Minister Rajnath Singh speaking at the public gathering dubbed as Vikas Mahaparv Rally . speaking at the public gathering dubbed as . Modi alongwith Home Minister Rajnath Singh, other BJP leaders have reached Saharanpur. Uttar Pradesh: PM Modi arrives in Saharanpur to address a rally on the second anniversary of NDA govt. pic.twitter.com/i29dQIvwYM ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 26, 2016 To highlight its achievements, the government has planned a mega show at Delhi's India Gate on May 26 (Saturday). The upcoming event ran into controversy yesterday when the Congress questioned the government's move to rope in actor Amitabh Bachchan to host the show. Congress said Bachchan's name figured in the Panama Papers - list of people having undeclared assets at tax haven foreign locations. The superstar, however, said that he will be hosting a part of the 5-hour show, which is about the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme.| #Modi2: Struggle of the Stragglers The NDA MPs have also been asked to spend at least a week in their constituencies so that the message of the work done by the government will reach the masses. Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Assam victory proves Modi's magic intact, will win UP, says Rajnath Singh Nehru-Gandhi family has got more than their due, says Arun Jaitley --- ENDS --- While the Modi government successfully rolled out some major health initiatives, spending of the common man on healthcare, is still in progress. By Neetu Chandra Sharma: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spun the achhe din?? (good days) dream for the country in the run-up to his election but the health report card of his government spoils the prognosis. While the Modi government successfully rolled out some major health initiatives, the big plans, like the National Health Assurance Mission aimed at reducing pocket spending of the common man on healthcare, is still in progress. advertisement Officials are confident of launching the mammoth scheme next year but the experts dont share the optimism because of the crunch in resources. From India Today magazine: Now for the hard part All is not gloomy though for the common man as the government has been able to cut prices upto 55 per cent of several essential drugs for significant diseases such as cancer (brain and breast), hypertension, diabetes, antibiotics and other heart disorders. Reducing the drug prices has helped patients like Naseem Bano, 56, a villager in Dadri, Ghaziabad, suffering from stomach cancer. Naseem is also waiting for the governments free drugs plan. Among the major misses of the Modi government is the failure to establish the promised 3,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras (public medicine centres) across the country. The progress has been tardy. The government certainly has a positive approach for health but they are not aggressive towards its implementation, which is need of the hour,?? said Dr K K Aggarwal, Secretary General Indian Medical Association (IMA). All is certainly not lost as Mission Indradhanush?? - aiming to completely immunise more than 89 lakh children against seven life-threatening diseases, including diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis-B, - has been successful. The decisions of the government that were widely appreciated included 85 per cent pictorial warnings on tobacco products and banning of sub-standard fixed dose combinations. We are working on all schemes. We also have an emphasis on curbing sub-standard drugs by hiring drug inspectors, adding mandatory training in emergency medicines and elderly studies,?? said Dr Jagdish Prasad, Director General of Health services (DGHS). This mission broke immunisation myths Shabana Begum, who lives in Badaun district of Uttar Pradesh, wanted to get her 10-month-old daughter Zoya immunised. She faced tough resistance from her family members but she insisted on taking her child to an immunisation camp. The family succumbed to persuasion by the volunteers of the camp. My in-laws believed that a child develops inflammation and gets fever after vaccination. They were not allowing me to take my daughter to the camp set up by the government under Mission Indradhanush. advertisement Thanks to the mobilisers and workers from the government who made them understand that the vaccines would prevent Zoya from life-threatening diseases,?? Shabana said. Shabana is not the only one who has benefited from Mission Indradhanush. A large number of women in Badaun and Bareilly, with sizeable Muslim populations, were made aware of the importance of getting their children vaccinated by the volunteers. The Central and the Uttar Pradesh health department volunteers, together with UNICEF workers, motivated people to get their children vaccinated. State health department, WHO and UNICEF officials observed that the community members had several doubts and myths associated with immunisation. They reached out to religious leaders like Imams, Maulvis and Madrasa teachers as mobilisers at the grassroots level. Thousands of children across the state got immunised. 'Need funds for our daughter's surgery' Komal and her husband, Jitendra Kumar, have run from pillar to post to get their daughter's surgery done. A classic example of lapse in the functioning of the government in the healthcare sector are 22-year-old Komal and her daughter, two-yearold Varsha. Komal, a resident of Delhi, did not get any maternal counselling or access to any pregnancy-related tests when she conceived. She was forced to get her ultrasound scan done in a lab which did not have a licence. Unaware of the government's mother and child tracking system, that helps monitor the healthcare system to ensure that all mothers and their children have access to a range of services, including pregnancy care, medical care during delivery and immunisations, Komal gave birth to Varsha in June 2014. advertisement The child was born with a rare congenital defect. She had an extra limb on her back and a disability in her leg. Varsha's father Jitendra Kumar (25) was forced to run from pillar to post to get her surgery done. "MRI and CT scans are so costly. With an income of `5,000 a month, I can't afford her surgery. I want help from the government," said Jitendra. When AIIMS allegedly refused to perform the surgery and others demanded Rs 3 lakh, Varsha's parents approached an NGO to get the surgery done at GB Pant Hospital. Varsha is yet to receive proper treatment. 'Make newborn screening a must' Pooja Mehta lost her nine-month-old daughter to a rare genetic disorder. She feels more can be done on early detection of ailments in babies, on which the government has started working. advertisement The Modi government's Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) claims to conduct health screening of children and timely intervention of services with an aim to improve the overall quality of life for children. The scheme aims to detect birth defects, diseases, deficiencies, development delays and disabilities and also reduce out-of-pocket expenditure for the families. The scheme, however, is helping patients to an extent but seems to have a long way to go, opined 28-year-old Pooja Mehta, a corporate sector employee. Pooja lost her nine-month-old daughter, Nanki Singh, to a rare genetic disorder. Nanki was born in Ludhiana on September 17, 2014. On the second day of her birth, she was diagnosed with the genetic disorder. "We were lucky that her problem was detected early, in a majority of the cases, newborns die as doctors are unable to diagnose the problem," said Pooja. "Maximum number of tests and treatment, worth `30,000 to `35,000, was done for free, but the government needs to do a lot more. These special kids cannot have normal milk; we have to get their food imported from the US. The government has tried to reduce the customs duty on these products. As a mother, I have gone through a very tough time," she said. Pooja, now, a member of MERD India, an organisation working on genetic disorders, has written to the health ministry. "We do not have any standard milk or food available in India. Some people through NGOs get this food at nominal prices. These too are not affordable for all. There is no awareness on rare diseases in India. The government should come out with strict guidelines, to make newborn-screening (NBS) compulsory," said Pooja. "Like polio drops are compulsory and everyone is aware of it. Similarly, NBS should be made compulsory. This will help in saving a child's life," she said. Also Read: Modi government's healthcare schemes have brought smiles on some faces and disappointed a few --- ENDS --- Our romantic choices are not just based on feelings and emotions, but how rich we feel compared to others, finds an interesting study. By Indo-Asian News Service: According to researchers, the study suggested that human beings engage in "conditional mating strategies", basing their romantic choices on environmental factors like wealth. "We wanted a better understanding of the psychological importance of money in the development of romantic relationships because very little is known about this subject. That way people would have a better perspective of the relationships they are in," said Darius Chan, professor at the University of Hong Kong. advertisement Also read: Love-bite removal 101: 5 ways to get rid of a hickey Two experiments were performed on groups of Chinese college students already involved in heterosexual long-term relationships. The couples were made to think they were either wealthy or poor to examine their mating behaviour. In the first study men who felt rich were less satisfied with their partner's physical attractiveness and were more interested in short-term relationships than those who were made to feel that they were poor. However, women who felt wealthy did not make higher demands regarding the men's physical appearance. In the second study, all of the wealthy participants found it easier to interact with an attractive member of the opposite sex than those belonging to a financially disadvantaged class. Also read: Thanks to dating apps, modern-day romance is all about options and choices Also, more men than women from both wealthy and poor conditions selected a closer seat to the more attractive people. "Wealthy men attach more importance to a mate's physical attractiveness setting higher standards and preferring to engage in short-term mating than those who have less money. However, for committed women, money may lead to less variation in their mating strategies because losing a long-term relationship generally has a higher reproductive cost," Chan explained. The study was so far limited to a particular culture, but this plays a role for human mating overall, the researchers noted in the paper published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. "We expect that our findings are likely to be found in other cultures as well," Chan said, adding "because the basic mechanisms of mate selection have been found to be rather similar across culture." --- ENDS --- Chaldean Patriarch Criticized for Opposition to Assyrian Military Forces Patriarch Louis Raphael I Sako. (AINA) -- The Assyrian Confederation of Europe is concerned by recent statements made by Mar Louis Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, concerning Assyrian security forces in Iraq. In a widely quoted interview with the Vatican Radio on May 20th, Patriarch Sako stated his opposition to the existence of an Assyrian military force in the Nineveh Plain. There is broad agreement between Assyrian organizations in Iraq and the diaspora that Assyrians must actively participate in the military campaign to liberate the Nineveh plain and secure the area after the liberation. The Nineveh Plain Protection Units (NPU), which is tasked with that mandate, is officially recognized and supported by the Iraqi government, in direct contradiction to the Patriarch's claims. The importance of Assyrian-led forces was made abundantly clear when the Kurdish Peshmerga disarmed (AINA 2014-08-14) and then abandoned the Assyrians of the Nineveh Plain to genocide at the hands of ISIS. Patriarch Sako's urging of the United States to support the Peshmerga instead of Assyrian forces is a clear illustration of how utterly at odds his ideas are with the real needs of Assyrians in Iraq. Assyrian-led military participation is essential if displaced Assyrians are to return to Nineveh, as Patriarch Sako claims that he wishes them to. We find Mar Sako's description of the Assyrians participating in the liberation and defense of Nineveh, many of whom are Chaldean Catholics, as "simple people in desperate need of a salary" particularly distasteful. The NPU is a legitimate military expression of the desire of Assyrians to fight for their homeland. It is not a "sectarian militia", as Patriarch Sako alleges, and aims to fight alongside other legitimate forces and contribute to the survival of a multi-ethnic Iraq. The NPU has already participated successfully in battles against ISIS and is set to play an increasingly important role in the Nineveh Plain. Patriarch Sako has on several occasions expressed a desire to separate religion from state in Iraq. It is therefore embarrassingly inconsistent of him to continue to interfere in the political affairs of his people. We urge Patriarch Sako not to confuse his role as a religious figure with that of a political leader, just as political and secular leaders refrain from passing comment on theology or ecclesiastical affairs. The Assyrian Confederation of Europe, which is made up of national federations supported by tens of thousands of Assyrians, including Assyrians from the Chaldean church, calls upon the international community to support the Nineveh Plain Protection Units with arms, training and other resources and to disregard political statements made by religious figures within our nation, as they are not democratically elected by the people and do not represent the Assyrian people politically. Want to go to Mumbai's oldest red light area at night? This weekend your wish might just come true! By India Today Web Desk: Anything to do with a visit to a red light area always manages to evoke interest from the blandest of people. However, strolling in such an area without any particular motive (besides scandalising others or having bragging rights in the future) is one thing, while exploring it with a sense of meaning is something completely different. advertisement Also read: I visited the brothels of GB Road and they were not what I'd expected... With Mumbai's oldest red light area, Kamathipura going through an overhaul courtesy development, there's a looming possibility of the area's sex workers being left without a shelter in the near future. RaahGeer--the brainchild of architect Deepa Nandi, who organises various walks across the city--came up with a way in which sex workers from the area could discuss their lives with people. The organisation has collaborated with Pehchan, an NGO that builds shelter homes for the homeless in order to organise a walk through Kamathipura on both 27 and 28 May, during which people who sign up for it will not only be able to visit the area but also get an opportunity to interact with the locals. Priced at Rs 700 per person, a portion of the sum generated will also be donated to Pehchan. So, if you are free for the weekend, we'd suggest you head here to add another perspective to the manner in which you have always seen Kamathipura. --- ENDS --- Several house wives and professional women have been working on this project for the last two months and finally managed to set up the shop named Raj Roti Centre just a fortnight back. By Vidya : In the posh Matunga area in Mumbai, eleven Gujarati women who are either busy house wives or have flourishing careers in homeopathy or teaching have set up a shop where between eleven in the morning to one in the afternoon a hefty lunch is distributed to the needy. Raj Roti Centre The women have been working on this project for the last two months and finally managed to set up the shop named Raj Roti Centre just a fortnight back. advertisement Jigna Kala who is associated with the Raj Roti Centre says, "we all live in Matunga-Wadala area and we got our minds together to help those who could not afford home made hygienic food. We arranged a place that could serve as a distribution center and hired cooks who can cook nutritious food." These women started working on this idea with a corpus fund of Rs 1,25,000 which is their own contribution. But slowly and steadily other donations have started trickling in. Since eleven in the morning people could be seen queuing up outside the shop. Prashant Bhosle who works and lives in Dadar all by himself says, "Earlier I used to eat at a hotel and used to spend minimum Rs 50. But after my boss told me about this place I now spend only Rs 5 and their food is good too." Distributing food to the poor Most of the people who are opting for this service are old, handicapped or poor people who are unable to feed their large families. Usha Mahadev a senior citizen who lives in Matunga says, "there are days when am unable to walk, but when I can, I come here and collect food for myself and my sister." Bhadrashvini, another local resident says, "I don't even get a vada pav by the road side in Rs 5 but here I get a wholesome meal with seasonal fruits with the same amount." Mina Gosar, a member of Raj Roti Centre and also a homeopathy doctor says, "we wanted to keep food distribution for free but to maintain the dignity of those who come here, we decided to put in a minimal charge of Rs 5." The centre checks the identity card and ration card of people wanting to avail this lunch facility and only after confirming that they indeed need help with food, the centre issue a master card to them. Every time they avail the facility a notation is made in the card. Moreover the women working here also try to ensure that those availing the food facility do not have any vices like drinking alcohol or chewing tobacco. advertisement Raju Padle, a resident of Ulhasnagar, who comes to Matunga to work as peon in a company, brought all his documents to show that he needs the food and got his warm lunch to his heart's content. Currently the distributing centre is feeding 50 people but they are hoping that soon the centre will be able to feed 200 people and continue increasing the number. --- ENDS --- Manohar Parrikar himself did some tough talking to the Navy's top brass and has sought a detailed report on the issue. By Jugal R Purohit: A day after India Today reported the allegations of molestation made by a female doctor of the Indian Navy against her senior, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) swung into action in the case. It was reliably learnt that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar himself did some tough talking to the Navy's top brass and has sought a detailed report on the issue. advertisement PARRIKAR TALKS TOUGH "On this issue, I am not going to keep quiet. I have checked up and asked the Navy to look into it and I will see to it that fairness is maintained. The board has been constituted, the officer has been sent on leave and once the report is submitted, we shall take a call. I do believe they are proceeding on the proper path," Parrikar said. TOP NAVAL DOCTOR ACCUSED OF MOLESTATION, NAVY ORDERS PROBE In her complaint, the junior officer has accused her senior, a Surgeon Commander by rank, of having twice attempted molesting her over successive days earlier this month. The first instance allegedly took place inside the residence of Indian Navy's Chief of Personnel (COP) Vice Admiral AR Karve, where the duo had gone to treat the admiral's ailing mother. The Navy stated it had ordered an inquiry immediately. The accused Surgeon Commander was posted at INS India, the establishment looking after administrative and logistical requirements of the navy in the national capital. He was recently recognised for his meritorious service by the leadership of the Indian Navy. ALSO READ | Top naval doctor accused of molestation, Navy orders probe --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Shirish B Pradhan Kathmandu, May 26 (PTI) Nepali Congress chief and opposition leader Sher Bahadur Deuba today accused K P Sharma Oli-led coalition government of giving false assurances to the people, warning against "misusing" the taxpayers money for "populist budget" to be announced soon. "The Prime Minister is giving false assurances to the people making a mockery of democracy and in this situation there is every possibility of misusing the budget money, which is a product of grants of the international donors and the contributions of the tax payers," Deuba said, addressing a function organised by the Nepal Press Union to honour the founders of the organisation. advertisement "The Prime Minister is giving such assurances as to bring railway line in Kathmandu, to generate 10,000 MW of electricity in ten years, to supply cooking gas to the households through pipeline and to produce petroleum products within the country without creating any infrastructure and doing any ground work, which has become a laughing subjects for the ordinary people," said the main opposition leader. "In this situation there is every possibility of the tax payers money to be misused when the government announces the new budget in a few days," he said. He said if the government tries to "misuse the taxpayers money in the name of populist budget", Nepali Congress will not keep quiet. "We will take strong measures to counter the governments move," he said. On the occasion, Nepali Congress general secretary Shashanka Koirala said the Nepalese journalists have played a key role during establishment of democracy at different time periods and asked the press to be vigilant against any attempt to derail the democracy. "We have produced a good Constitution, and the media has an important role to play in implementing it," he added. PTI SBP PMS --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Sajjad Hussain Islamabad, May 26 (PTI) Pakistan today confirmed the death of Mullah Akhtar Mansour, five days after the Taliban chief was killed in a US drone strike in its troubled Balochistan province while travelling under a false name and fake ID card. "All indicators confirm that the person killed in the drone strike was Mullah Akhtar Mansour who was travelling on a fake identity. The DNA test result will be available shortly," the Prime Ministers advisor Sartaj Aziz said at a briefing. advertisement Mansour, in his mid 50s, was targeted by a drone operated by US special forces in Balochistans Noshki district on May 21 when he headed towards Quetta in a rented car. Aziz said they are also waiting for the DNA test report. "The body will not be handed over till we get the DNA report." Pakistan was earlier reluctant to confirm Mullah Mansours killing. On Tuesday, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had said that the body recovered on Pakistani soil, near the Afghan border, was charred beyond recognition. Aziz said that the drone action was a violation of Pakistans sovereignty as well as breach of the principles of the UN Charter governing the conduct of the states. "We have conveyed our serious concern to the United States on this issue," Aziz said. Pakistans confirmation came a day after Afghan Taliban yesterday announced the death of Mullah Mansour and appointed Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada as the groups new chief. Pakistan has long been accused by both Afghanistan and the US of providing shelter and support to some Taliban leaders. Aziz said that the death of Mansour has added to the "complexity of the Afghan conflict". "We believe that this action has undermined the Afghan peace process," he said. He said just before the attack, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the US and China had agreed in a meeting on May 18 that politically negotiated settlement was the most viable option. "This understanding has not been respected," he said. "Earlier in July 2015, peace talks were scuttled at a key stage when the issue of reduction in violence was to be discussed and in less than a year, peace process has been scuttled twice," he said. "In our view there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. The use of force for past 15 years has failed to deliver peace," he said. He said this approach will further destabilise Afghanistan, which will have negative implications for the region, especially due to the presence of large number of terrorist groups in the war-torn country. advertisement Aziz said Pakistan believes that politically negotiated settlement remains the most viable option for bringing lasting peace to Afghanistan as the military approach has been tried for 15 years and could not achieve the objective. PTI SH NSA SUA ASK AKJ ZH --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Sajjad Hussain Islamabad, May 26 (PTI) Pakistan has decided to verify its computerised national identity cards after it was left red-faced over the revelation that Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was registered as a citizen under a false name. Mansour was targeted by drones operated by US special forces in Balochistans Noshki district on May 21 when he headed towards Quetta in a rented car. advertisement Mansour had not only Pakistans computerised national identity card (CNIC) but also a valid passport with him. He had a fake name -- Wali Muhmmad -- on the documents. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan yesterday gave a 48-hour deadline to National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) for a roadmap to launch a country-wide CNIC re-verification campaign of the entire population. "NADRA has 48 hours for submitting a work plan with a set deadline for initiation of National Plan for Re-verification of CNICs across Pakistan," Khan said after a meeting at NADRA. He said Pakistan should send a message that its CNIC are not easily available to anyone who is willing to pay for it. "Being a responsible state we will ensure that the usage of CNIC by any alien is completely eliminated after this exercise," he said in a statement. Earlier, Khan in a media briefing this week accepted that NADRA was plagued with corruption and several officials have been removed or being prosecuted for issuing fake CNIC and passports. Pakistans Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) yesterday arrested Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Revenue Rafique Tareen on allegations of verifying and approving Mansours CNIC under the fake identity of Wali Muhammad. It is believed that already thousands of Afghan refugees have gained Pakistans citizenship through fake documents. PTI SH ASK AKJ ASK --- ENDS --- Pilot Amit Kumar and copilot Rohit Singh made the decision to land the aircraft on a swampy field in southwest Delhi after both the engines of the craft died. Security officials cordon off the area in Najafgarh where an air ambulance crash-landed even as locals gather around it. All 7 people on board were safe. By Ankur Sharma: Authorities hailed as "heroes" on Tuesday two young pilots who crash-landed an air ambulance from Patna on a swampy field in southwest Delhi after the engines shut down while approaching the nearby airport's runway, as the seven people on board had a miraculous escape. Officials said pilot Amit Kumar and copilot Rohit Singh had detected problems in the Beechcraft King Air C90 plane about 10 minutes before landing. They notified ground-based controllers, or ATC, about the situation and swiftly decided to put the aircraft down on a piece of land with no plants and trees. advertisement "We landed safely and immediately informed the concerned department," Amit Kumar told MAIL TODAY over the phone. The plane belonging to Chandigarh-based private operator Alchemist Airways was ferrying five passengers, including a heart patient from Patna. No one suffered any major injuries. Dexterity According to an ATC official, the pilots landed the 1989-make airplane with such dexterity that it was remarkably intact. Sources say the permit of the aircraft operator will expire in November. In May 2011, an air ambulance had crashed in a colony in Harayana's Faridabad city, killing all 10 people onboard. The aircraft was also on its way from Patna to Delhi. Experts are also pointed out that landing a plane on bumpy ground requires great skill. Otherwise it can prove fatal. "We had got a message from the pilot of VT EQO (plane's registration number) that one engine of the aircraft may have failed and the other engine was carrying the load. But before we could have reacted, the pilot again said that the engines had stopped and they had to make an emergency landing," an airport official said. "After some time, we got information that aircraft VT EQO had landed on a muddy tract in Najafgarh area, almost 10 kilometers from Delhi airport." According to ATC officials, the pilots made the decision to set down the aircraft in a field. "The young pilots took the final call to land the aircraft as their distance from the ground was reducing every second," the official said. Presence of mind Amit Kumar lives in Mumbai with his wife and four-year-old daughter. Rohit Singh has become a pilot recently and was assisting Kumar. Delhi Police officials who responded promptly and reached the spot along with fire department personnel also applauded the pilots for their presence of mind. "When cops reached, they found that everyone was fine and locals were praising the pilots," DCP southwest Surender Kumar said. "The pilots saved lives, which should be appreciated." The six-seater plane crash-landed at around 2.40 pm at Kair village in Najafgarh. Aviation regulator DGCA has already started an inquiry. "The aircraft was carrying a 61-year-old cardiac patient, Virender Rai, who was being flown to Delhi. He was taken to Medanta hospital in Gurugram immediately after the incident. The other passengers were taken to a nearby government hospital for medical examination," a senior police official said. Inquiry According to the DGCA, the aircraft was registered with it on October 21, 2001. It weighs 4581kg and can accommodate six passengers. "We received an emergency call from the pilot. Both the engines of the aircraft had reportedly failed. They made a safe landing. The DGCA is looking into the incident," civil aviation minister Mahesh Sharma told reporters. advertisement A six-seater aircraft, of the same make and model, belonging to the Punjab government had crashed near Ludhiana eight years ago, killing the pilot and copilot. Last year, an 11-seater plane carrying 10 BSF officers, including seven technicians, crashed near Dwarka in Delhi. All 10 people on board were killed. The plane had developed a technical snag soon after taking off from Delhi airport and was returning to the runway when it hit a tree and crashed. --- ENDS --- President Pranab Mukherjee said both sides needed to take each other's sensitivities and interests into account if they were to expand counter terror cooperation. By Ananth Krishnan: President Pranab Mukherjee told China's President Xi Jinping on Thursday that there was "no such thing as good terrorists and bad terrorists" and both sides needed to take each other's sensitivities and interests into account if they were to expand counter-terror cooperation. While the president did not specifically raise the issue of China blocking the listing of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar at the United Nations Security Council - officials said specific issues are not usually discussed at the presidential level but talks have been going on between the two sides at other levels - he had "explicitly referred to the menace of trans-border terrorism and that there were no good terrorists and bad terrorists". advertisement "What was conveyed by the president was this was really a global fight...and both India and China have been affected by terrorism," Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar told reporters. "That there was no such thing as good terrorists and bad terrorists was something the president said with emphasis." The president also conveyed to China that India required "a predictable international environment" to be able to expand its civilian nuclear programme. Foreign Secretary Jaishankar raises issue of India's membership to NSG Separately, Foreign Secretary Jaishankar who met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi specifically raised the issue of India's membership to the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group, which China has expressed reservations about. Beijing said on Monday it was not in favour of Indian being granted an exception and that other countries that haven't signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) should also be considered along with India. Jaishankar said both sides would have continuing conversations on the issue. The NSG, which governs global nuclear trade, will be holding a key plenary meeting next month. "We should not be hostage to changes in rules of trade and access," Jaishankar said. "The broad approach the president took was that like many developing countries India does suffer from acute energy shortage. There are over 300 million people in India without basic access to power and that as we expand power generation and access to power we also have to be mindful of our responsibility to climate change." The president asked Xi to give his "personal attention" to India's efforts to boost its civil nuclear programme as it looks to address its climate change challenge. Xiao Qian, Director General of the Asia Department at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said both sides "agreed to strengthen cooperation and exchanges in peaceful uses of nuclear energy". "On the disagreements between our two countries, the two leaders agreed to work to resolve them by every effort but at the same time, to be realistic," he said. "It means they will manage well the issues that cannot be addressed in a very short time so that these disagreements will not stand in the way of our development and cooperation." advertisement He cited the boundary dispute as an example, saying both "agreed on advancing the boundary negotiations.. but before the final settlement of the boundary question, we will take actions to maintain the peace and tranquillity in the boundary region." Xiao said China had also conveyed its readiness to expand the scale of Indian pilgrims travelling to Tibet for the Kailash yatra. --- ENDS --- President Pranab Mukherjee is likely to remind China of India's concerns over its blocking of sanctions against Jaish chief Masood Azhar as well its reluctance to back India's membership to the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group. By Ananth Krishnan: President Pranab Mukherjee in Beijing reminded China of the "constant public support" that India gave Beijing for its entry into the United Nations and for a seat on the UN Security Council, as he called on both countries to "remain sensitive to mutual concerns". President calls for solidarity In a speech at the elite Peking University, the president said, "Both sides should work with the aim of ensuring that we do not burden our coming generations by leaving our unresolved problems and differences to them. I am confident that by ensuring that these matters are not aggravated and by remaining sensitive to mutual concerns, we can minimise our differences and maximise our convergences." advertisement Both sides had "broadened the common ground and learned to manage our differences", he said, with challenges such as the boundary dispute still unresolved. He said the relationship had been "tested by differences" but both had shown the determination to safeguard ties. "It was demonstrated in India's early recognition of the People's Republic of China in December 1949, the establishment of our diplomatic relations in April 1950 and India's constant public support through the '60s and '70s for the admission of the People's Republic of China to the UN and the restitution of its Permanent Membership of the UN Security Council," he said. Masood Azhar issue, NSG row to be discussed Later on Thursday, the president will hold talks with the top leadership in Beijing, including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang. The entire range of bilateral issues is expected to be discussed including the boundary question, while the President is also likely to remind China of India's concerns over its blocking of sanctions against Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as well its reluctance to back India's membership to the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group. The president said India and China had a played key role in regional and global stability and maintained growth in a time of global uncertainty. "Our joint contribution to the world economy as well as regional and global stability, cannot be underestimated: India and China are poised to join the ranks of leading global powers," he said. People-to-people ties vital He outlined eight steps to boost people-to-people ties, particularly through expanded exchanges between the youth of both countries and civil society. "When Indians and Chinese understand the benefits of cooperating to address global challenges and as they perceive the advantages of building shared interests, we will, in doing so, unleash the potential of our mutually advantageous partnership. There are no limits to what our two peoples can jointly achieve," he said. At Peking University, the president addressed students, including those studying South Asian languages, and also garlanded a bust of Rabindranath Tagore. advertisement In his speech, the president interestingly explained to his student audience why India was a secular parliamentary democracy. "Our system of participative governance is founded on the principles of tolerance, inclusiveness and consensus," he said. "Our society is resilient and public interest is protected by a free media, an independent judiciary and a vibrant civil society." ALSO READ: Come, Make in India, Pranab tells investors in China --- ENDS --- By PTI: Pune, May 26 (PTI) A Pune-based builder suffered injuries while his driver was killed when their car was hit by a container truck near Khandala in the district, police said today. The builder, D S Kulkarni, along with one of his associates and his driver Neeraj Singh were returning to Pune in the car late last night. advertisement "When they came out of the Khandala tunnel, a container, which was coming from Pune side, might have lost control and landed on opposite lane of the road and dashed against the car on Mumbai-Pune Expressway," a Lonavla police station duty officer said. Singh died on the spot in the mishap, he said, adding that the builders associate escaped unhurt. Kulkarni was rushed to a private hospital in Pimpri-Chinchwad for treatment and is said to be out of danger, he said. The container truck driver did not stop at the accident spot and drove away, he said. "We have registered a case against the unidentified driver. We are taking help of CCTV footage at the toll plaza to identify the vehicle," he said. Dr Shrikrishna Joshi of Lokmanya Hosptial, where Kulkarni has been admitted for treatment, said the builder sustained injuries on his left side ribs, but is out of danger. PTI SPK GK AMS RDS --- ENDS --- After Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, AAP's national convenor and New Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale on Wednesday who is believed to have raised state's law and order issue with him. Two Sikh leaders were engaged in a war of words against each other after Dhadrianwale survived a murderous attack on May 18 near Ludhiana. By Manjeet Sehgal: The standoff between the ancient Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal chief Harnam Singh Dhumma and Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale has acquired political overtones. The ongoing feud between the two Sikh leaders while at one hand left the state government high and dry, it has steered Punjab's realpolitik. The two Sikh leaders were engaged in a war of words against each other after Dhadrianwale survived a murderous attack on May 18 near Ludhiana. His cavalcade was attacked by unidentified persons killing one. advertisement The police has so far arrested 14 persons - most of them hardliner Dhumma followers - on charges of attempting Dhadrianwale's murder but the religious leader is not contented with the police action and says the real culprit is beyond the police reach. "I have not named any party or group but the real culprit is still beyond the reach of police. The situation in Punjab has become worse as now the religious heads are being targeted," Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale said. Meanwhile Harnam Singh Dhumma has denied the allegations and has announced a support to his arrested followers. "The allegations are baseless. Whatever happened is the repercussion of Dhadrianwale's propaganda. We will offer all sorts of help to the arrested people as they are our followers," Dhumma said. Meanwhile, the Gurudwara Parmeshwar Dwar located near Patiala, headquarters of Dhadrianwale's Nirvair Khalsa Jatha has become a favourite hunting ground for political parties. Caught in a dilemma, Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday visited the Sikh leader and assured him all help. Deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and AAP's Sanjay Singh had also visited the religious leader. After Badal, Arvind Kejriwal visits Patiala Dera Leaving no stone unturned to woo the voters, AAP's national convenor and New Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal met Dhadrianwale on Wednesday who is believed to have raised state's law and order issue with him. Kejriwal did not speak to media and left within 30 minutes after meeting the religious leader. "Arvind Kejriwal expressed his solidarity with the religious leader. He is the second religious leader who was attacked.Dreaded gangs are operating in the state as the police has failed to control them.The law and order has collapsed in the state," AAP Spokesperson Sukhpal Singh Khaira said. After Political parties now religious leaders are raising the issue of law and order in the state.Congress on Tuesday had submitted a memorandum to the Governor in the law and order "The crime has become so much organised and institutionalised that no less a person than the Director General of Police himself admitted that there are 57 organised criminal gangs operating in the state. However, the Police is not doing anything despite knowing everything for the obvious reasons of political interference and pressure by their Akali bosses," Former PunjabKeader of Opposition Sunil Jakhar said. Ruling Shiromani Akali Dal is walking on a razor's edge on the issue as Hardliner Dhumma is believed close to Alkali Dal.Dhadrianwale has indirectly hinted that proximity to Akali Dal is the real cause why the real culprits not behind the bars. advertisement Accused of hobnobbing with the hardliner Sikh groups AAP is also avoiding comment against the Damdami Taksal leader Harnam Singh Dhumma. Arvind Kejriwal did not speak to the media in Patiala. ALSO READ: Law and order has collapsed in Punjab: Congress --- ENDS --- Addressing a massive rally in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur, Modi said that there is a need for more doctors across the country. By PTI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced raising the retirement age of government doctors to 65 years. Addressing a massive rally at Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, as part of 2-year celebrations of his government, PM Modi said that the Cabinet will soon approve the decision. Citing shortage of doctors in the country, Modi said that there is a need for more doctors across the country, however, it was not possible to fill the gap in two years of his government's rule. advertisement Here's what Modi said at Saharanpur rally: As we are facing a huge shortage of doctors in the country, our government is working on a plan to extend the retirement age of the doctors to 65 years. The Cabinet will soon take a decision and the retirement age of our doctors, whether in states or government of India, would be made 65 years instead of 60 or 62. It will allow doctors to serve patients and provide education for a longer period. The government is also working fast to have more medical colleges. I appeal to our doctor brothers to serve poor pregnant women for free on the ninth of every month. This free health service for 12 days in a year will ensure that no mother bears the pain of poverty. Also Read: #Modi2: Who are the top performing ministers in Modi Cabinet EXCLUSIVE: Assam victory proves Modi's magic intact, will win UP, says Rajnath Singh --- ENDS --- By PTI: Jammu, May 26 (PTI) Amid a row over return of Kashmiri Pandits, Congress today said it should not be done under police protection but an atmosphere should be created so that they can live in the Valley like they did prior to migration. The partys national spokesman Raj Babbar accused the Centre as well as the Jammu and Kashmir government of indulging in "rhetoric and drama" over the issue. advertisement "We want that things (regarding the return of Kashmiri Pandits) should not be confined to only papers but a conducive atmosphere should be made so that when the Kashmiri Pandit returns, his security and safety should be ensured," he told reporters here. "Their return should not be under the shadow of guns, under the protection of police. They should be able to roam freely in the markets with dignity," Babbar said. His comments come amidst stiff opposition by separatists and some others to the governments reported proposal for setting up colonies to resettle the Kashmiri Pandits. He said Kashmiri Pandits should get an environment which was like they used to get when they lived in the Valley prior to migration. Asked to comment on the issue of Amitabh Bachchan being slammed for his proposed participation in government programme tomorrow, the Congress spokesman said, "Why should we target someone who is getting ready to be targeted himself? "We have nothing to do with it, neither we targeted. The question is that his name surfaced in Panama Leaks and it was not Congress which brought him into it. If his name has come in the Leaks, then it is the BJP government which has to give an answer." (MORE) PTI TSS AB AKK AKK --- ENDS --- By PTI: Dubai, May 26 (PTI) In an emotional reunion, a 76-year-old man who left India and went to Pakistan nearly 50 years ago has met with his two siblings in the UAEs capital Abu Dhabi. Hamza Sarkar, who is now a Pakistani citizen, met with his brother TP Mammikutty, 75, and sister Eyyathu, 85, both from Kerala. He flew from Karachi while Mammikutty and Eyyathu came from Kerala for the reunion in Abu Dhabi. advertisement Sarkar had gone missing first time from Kerala in 1951 when he was 11 years old, Gulf News reported. "He was fond of travelling. One day our mother sent him out to graze the cattle. He never returned," Mammikutty said. Sarkar boarded a train to Kolkata. "From Kolkata I went to Bangladesh, which was then part of Pakistan. Later I went to Karachi," Sarkar said. After 18 years, he returned home in 1968. "I risked my life and slipped through the borders near Rajasthan in India. I walked for three weeks and finally took a bus to Hyderabad. I wrote a letter to my mother and she sent me money for a train ticket to Kerala," Sarkar said. In the hope that he will stay, Sarkars family set up a grocery shop for him but he ventured out again after nine months on the pretext of buying supplies and never returned. "That was the last we saw him. I still remember how my mother used to keep his picture under her pillow and would cry all night," Iyyathu said. After 48 years, Sarkars family traced him in Karachi when his daughter Aasiya living in Pakistan and Mammikuttys Abu Dhabi-based grandson Nadirshah, 23, connected on Facebook. "I never thought I would see my brother and sister in this lifetime. I have waited for this moment for so long and now I do not want to leave them and go to Pakistan," Sarkar said. PTI CORR CPS AKJ CPS --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, May 26 (PTI) Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today urged Bahrain to enhance its investments in India, highlighting the investment opportunities in the country. In a meeting with the Bahrains Minister of Industry, Commerce & Tourism Zayed R Alzayani, Sitharaman "mentioned the high investment opportunities in India and requested Bahrain to enhance its investments". During the meeting, Alzayani emphasized on the strong bond between both the countries and said that India is a vital partner for Bahrain, a Commerce Ministry statement said. advertisement Indo-Bahrain bilateral trade stood at around USD 1.2 billion in 2013-2014 -- a jump from merely USD 220 million in 1999-2000. PTI RSN SOM --- ENDS --- By PTI: Washington, May 26 (PTI) In a first, scientists have integrated a solar cell and a nanogenerator that can convert wind energy into electricity in a single device that may power the Internet of Things. The Internet of Things could make cities "smarter" by connecting an extensive network of tiny communications devices to make life more efficient, according to researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology in the US and National Centre for Nanoscience and Technology in Beijing. advertisement However, all these machines will require a lot of energy. Rather than adding to the global reliance on fossil fuels to power the network, researchers say they can be powered by a single device that harvests wind and solar energy. According to reports, computer industry experts predict that tens of billions of gadgets will make up the Internet of Things within just five years. They will be in homes, syncing coffee makers to alarm clocks. They will also be in buildings, managing lights and air temperature, researchers said. However, they also require energy to run. Sustainably generating more energy in cities close to where the devices will be used is challenging. For example, cities do not have much space for towering wind turbines, they said. For the first time, researchers have integrated two energy harvesting technologies in one - a silicon solar cell and a nanogenerator that can convert wind energy into electrical output. The solar cell component of the system delivers 8 milliWatts of power output. One milliWatt can light up 100 small light-emitting diodes (LEDs), researchers said. The wind harvesting component delivers up to 26 milliWatts, they said. Together, under simulated sun and wind conditions, four devices on the roof of a model home could turn on the LEDs inside and power a temperature-humidity sensor. Installed in large numbers on real rooftops, the hybrid device could help enable smart cities, researchers said. The findings were published in the journal ACS Nano. PTI SAN SAR SAR --- ENDS --- Television actress Sonarika Bhadoria, who played the role of Parvati in Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev, took on her haters with this post. By India Today Web Desk: She played the role of Parvati in Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev (from 2011 to 2014), and was usually seen in heavy Indian outfits that pretty much covered her from head to toe. To complete the look, the actress was also covered with garlands and wore traditional jewellery onscreen. So when she put up some bikini pictures from a recent holiday on her Instagram profile, Sonarika probably expected fans to gape and admire, but what she definitely did not bargain for was the hate. advertisement Unfortunately, the trolling forced the actress to delete the picture, after she was criticised for her choice of clothes. These are two pictures that are still visible on her profile: The actress, though, made it a point to say that the West was going a step forward by calling out body shaming. She did add that maybe she isn't mature enough to handle the criticism, which is why's taking the picture off. While removing the picture is her personal decision, we're glad to see she stood up for herself with this post: --- ENDS --- By PTI: Washington, Mar 26 (PTI) Standing desks - which a person can raise or lower to stand or sit while working - may boost productivity in employees, as well as improve their health, a new study has found. Researchers at the Texas A&M Health Science Centre School of Public Health in US examined the productivity differences between two groups of call centre employees over the course of six months and found that those with stand-capable workstations were about 46 per cent more productive than those with traditional, seated desk configurations. advertisement Productivity was measured by how many successful calls workers completed per hour at work. Workers in the stand-capable desks sat for about 1.6 hours less per day than the seated desk workers. "We hope this work will show companies that although there might be some costs involved in providing stand-capable workstations, increased employee productivity over time will more than offset these initial expenses," said Mark Benden, associate professor at the Texas A&M School of Public Health. "One interesting result of the study is that the productivity differences between the stand-capable and seated groups were not as large during the first month," said Gregory Garrett, doctoral student and lead author of the study. "Starting with the second month, we began to see larger increases in productivity with the stand-capable groups as they became habituated to their standing desks," Garett said. In addition to helping the bottom line of the company, standing during the day can improve worker health. Nearly 75 per cent of those working at stand-capable workstations experienced decreased body discomfort after using these desks for the six-month duration of the study. "We believe that decreases in body discomfort may account for some of the productivity differences between the two groups," Garrett said. "However, standing desks may have an impact on cognitive performance, which is the focus of some of our research going forward," he said. Benden cautioned that the research did not employ a random sample. All 74 employees with stand-capable workstations had been on the job for one to three months, while the 93 workers with more longevity - one year or more at the company - acted as the control group and remained seated throughout the day. "Still, we believe that the fact the new employees had at least one full month on the job, in addition to 60 days of training, before we began measuring, was more than enough to minimise experience variation between the groups," Benden said. The study was published in the journal IIE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors. PTI MHN SAR SAR --- ENDS --- advertisement A top Indian Navy doctor, currently posted in the Capital, is in the dock over accusations of molesting his female colleague, a junior naval medical officer When the alleged incidents took place, the Surgeon Commander was posted at INS India, the establishment looking after administrative and logistical requirements of the Navy in Delhi. By Jugal R Purohit: At a time when the government and the Armed Forces are exhorting women to take up careers in the services, a molestation case is hardly the endorsement they need. Molestation charges A top Indian Navy doctor, currently posted in the Capital, is in the dock over accusations of molesting his female colleague, a junior naval medical officer. In her complaint, the junior officer has accused her senior, a Surgeon Commander by rank, of attempting to molest her on successive days this month. Shockingly, the first instance reported allegedly took place inside the residence of Indian Navys Chief of Personnel (COP) Vice Admiral AR Karve, where the duo had gone to treat his ailing mother. The navy has taken cognisance and constituted a Board of Inquiry (BoI) the first step in investigating the alleged instance. advertisement When the purported incidents took place, the Surgeon Commander was posted at INS India, the establishment looking after administrative and logistical requirements of the navy in the national Capital. Sources said the doctor has not been reporting to duty for the past few days. He was recently recognised for his meritorious service by the navy leadership. First instance The first alleged instance occurred on Friday, May 6, when the lady officer sought to use the bathroom at Karves residence. After this, the Commanding Officer of INS India and senior authorities, including Controller of Personnel Services (CPS) Rear Admiral KK Pandey were alerted by her. That it had no impact can be confirmed by the alleged second instance when the senior again made an approach. That was when the lady gave an ultimatum and ordered a probe,?? said a source. The navy contested this and said there was no delay whatsoever. It also rejected allegations of being slow. Captain DK Sharma, Indian Navys spokesperson, said, We are seized of the matter and a BoI was ordered immediately on receiving the complaint. Navy has a zero-tolerance outlook on such matters. Please wait for the inquiry to conclude and we can assure you that justice will be done.?? It was reliably learnt that the board of inquiry report is soon to be handed over to the naval headquarters following which a final decision will be taken in the case. What is also raising eyebrows is the place of occurrence. Military doctors are not supposed to treat a patient at home. If the patient is in such a bad condition, then he or she should be in the hospital,?? said a source. A military doctor, when asked to explain this anomaly, said, There is a legal framework and there is a humanitarian framework. The latter supersedes the former, but the former still exists.?? Meanwhile, navy sources said it was done keeping in mind the humanitarian aspect and given the seniority of the officer concerned. Women in Armed Forces Unlike in the past, more number of streams within the army, air force and navy are opening up for women. The navy in April announced its first permanent commission for female officers, becoming the last among the three services to do so. advertisement Apart from opening up fields like education, naval constructors, the navy is also looking at finalising a policy for women officers to serve on select warships that have appropriate facilities for women??. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) informed Parliament in December last year that excluding officers in the medical, dental and military nursing services, the army had 1,412 women officers, the air force had 1,128 and the navy had 418, all of them on Short Service Commission (SSC). Previous instances In a similar case reported in August 2014, a young woman officer holding the rank of a Lieutenant had complained against her senior, a Commander rank officer in the navys Eastern Naval Command for making inappropriate advances. Her complaint was supported by other civilian naval employees. However, when the navy investigated the case, of the five charges only one stuck and the Commander was handed out 18 months forfeiture of seniority and consequential penalties??. The officer quit. Also Read: Top naval doctor accused of molestation, Navy orders probe --- ENDS --- advertisement By PTI: New Delhi, May 25 (PTI) Broadcasting sector regulator TRAI is counting on the acumen of experts from institutions like IITs and IISc to overcome technological challenges that block the possibility of inter-operability of Set Top Boxes (STBs). TRAI chairman R S Sharma today said that with the interest of the consumers in mind, inter-operability of STBs has been high on the regulators agenda for long, but technological factors have impeded progress in this regard. advertisement Inter-operability refers to a situation where STBs of different cable or DTH operator become inter-useable and a consumer is not forced to spend on buying a new one set-top box everytime he or she decides to changes the service provider. Sharma said that many people feel that it is not possible to have a common STB because of security reasons and the need of broadcasters to keep their content encrypted and safe from piracy. "Because it is essentially a technology issue, we have brought on board professors from IITs and other institutions to look at it from a technology perspective," Sharma said adding that C-DoT is the technology partner in this venture. TRAI officials said that a panel of 12 experts from institutions like IIT Mumbai, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore is looking at this issue. "We are on a speed on this issue and we are having regular updates," Sharma said. TRAI officials said while a common STB for cable services may be a bit easier as shown by lab tests, but another challenge is bringing STBs which are inter-operable between cable as well DTH operators. Another major initiative, for which TRAI has initiated a consultation process in the broadcasting sector is ensuring that the broadcasters share infrastructure. Sharma, said that "learning from the Telecom sector" where competitors also share towers, it is being examined if such a practice can be instilled in the broadcasting sector. MORE PTI ADS PRS UZM RG UZM --- ENDS --- Bajrang Dal's reactions came after the Faizabad Police on Wednesday registered an FIR against functionaries and members of the Bajrang Dal for involving in activities that prompt enmity among communities. By India Today Web Desk: In a press release, the Bajrang Dal today clarified that the 'counter-terror training camps' held in Ayodhya are in national interest. Bajrang Dal and VHP joint general secretary Surendra Kumar Jain said, "Bajrang Dal training camps are in national interest and opposers have selfish motives." The Dal's reactions came after the Faizabad Police on Wednesday registered an FIR against functionaries and members of the Bajrang Dal for involving in activities that prompt enmity among communities. advertisement It is to be mentioned that the Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of Vishva Hindu Parishad, held a 'counter-terror training camp' in Ayodhya earlier this month to train youths to protect the country. The organisation held the controversial training camp in Ayodhya on May 10 but the 'drills' shot into the limelight only on Monday after videos of the rigourous training sessions went viral. The kind of controversy that has been created around the closing ceremony of the regional training camp is an attempt to jeopardise Hindu-Muslim camaraderie and disparage the entire Muslim community by branding them as terrorists This is not the first time that a training camp of this kind has been organised. For the last 25 years, training camps based on the same principles/curriculum have been a regular feature of the Bajrang Dal activities. This is purely an organisational event It is baseless to portray the event as some sort of a conspiracy hatched by the central government or link it to the state elections that are due in Uttar Pradesh in 2017 No questions had ever been asked in the last 25 years on these training camps of the Bajrang Dal The kind of training provided at these camps is perfectly within the ambit of the law. Thousands of akhadas all over the country impart the same kind of training and all this is done publicly and nothing is ever under wraps No country in the world has bore the brunt of terrorism like India has, therefore people and organisations that inspire people to fight terrorism should be rewarded and not vilified The attire, the kind of outfit and robes that the terrorists-used as symbolic targets-were wearing was inspired from what is shown in the media only The videos released by ISIS have been showing Laden, Yakub and Baghdadi in a particular kind of attire which has become a standard symbol of terrorist attire The way the Uttar Pradesh government is going after the Bajrang Dal is ample proof that the state government is trying to polarise the society on communal lines only to benefit in the state assembly elections Bajrang Dal is an organisation that acts only in the interests of the nation ALSO READ: Bajrang Dal holds counter-terror training camp with 'enemies' in Islamic uniform --- ENDS --- None of Narendra Modi's ministers or the prime minister himself have uttered the most repeated slogan of Achche Din of late. By India Today Web Desk: "Acche din aane wale hai" , perhaps every Indian is familiar with this slogan of the NDA government. While campaigning for the 2014 Lok Sabha election, "Achche din" was the BJP's mantra. Don't you remember watching the to-be prime minister Narendra Modi repeat it in a speech from April 2014, a month before he took the PM's office. The lotus party touted its promise to bring a positive change by using this statement to establish the brand image of Modi. Even the masses embraced the slogan. The social media chipped in with memes and trolls. advertisement Piyush Pandey's Ab ki baar Modi sarkar went so viral that even two-year-old started singing it. Google it and you will know! BJP's persuasive force made the Indian voters believe that the 'Modi wave' will bring achche din (better days). However two years later, this promise or just mere utterance is nowhere to be heard and has rather vanished. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in an interview to India Today recently clarified that "Achche din was also based on the premise that we will get rid of the bure din". But the question remains where is achche din? Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mantra has shifted to "Transforming India" it seems. Today, May 26, Modi released a video titled 'Transforming India' to mark the achievements of the NDA government on its two-year anniversary. Is it that Modi's agenda has shifted to 'Transforming India' and the arrival ofAchche Din remain bleak for the time being? --- ENDS --- As the immersive travel trend picks up, apps like Google Maps make your travel easy and enriching. Here's how you can use them for more than just navigation. By Lipla Negi: You have zeroed in on a place for your next vacation. But you don't want to do the same run-of-the mill holiday. Instead, you want to dive deep in the destination and look for unique, authentic experiences. So how do you go about it? One way is to tap into Google Maps. An array of new features on Google Maps helps make immersive travel a hassle-free experience. Whether you wish to do a selfdrive tour to a country side and explore its local culture or experience the underbelly of a populous city with your pals and dine out at the Michelin star restaurants, you can do it all with the help of your phone. advertisement SEARCH ALONG ROUTE Travel is all about those small, spontaneous and chanced upon moments that leave you with pleasant memories once the holiday is over. It was his first visit to the scenic land of Switzerland when chef Kunal Kapoor decided to drive to Gstaad from the Lake Geneva region in search of gourmet hard cheese. "It was a long journey and after a few kilometres we started feeling hungry. But we weren't sure if we would find a restaurant on this long and lonely stretch," says Kapur. But he still decided to search for one on Google Maps. "The map pointed towards a restaurant 20 minutes away from our current location," he says. Upon reaching he found a small eatery at a farmhouse serving farm fresh food. "The eatery run by an old couple was actually an extension of their courtyard. In the middle of nowhere, we enjoyed this simple and sumptuous meal of cheese, bread and sausages served with wine and beer," says Kapoor. Without exiting navigation mode in Google Maps you can search for and add an extra stop to your route. From petrol station to gift shops and local restaurants you can find it all -on your way. It will also tell you how long a stop will add to your trip while keeping you on your route. ON TRACK, OFFLINE Do not want to exhaust your data while travelling? Or travelling to a remote area where you may have a spotty connection? Fret not, and download the map of the area you are going to in advance. A recent addition to Google Maps, offline maps gives you the ability to get the driving directions, search for specific destination and find useful information about places - like hours of operation, contact information and ratings - all without an Internet connection. When a connection is found, it will switch back online so you can easily access the full version of maps. TAG AND SHARE You are in a new city and you liked this local eatery or an art gallery. So what do you do so that it gets etched in your memory? You can imprint it on the virtual memory with "tag your favourite place" feature on Google Maps. On your next visit, it will automatically flag your favourite place in bold colour. advertisement This also allows you to drop your pin and share your location with your friends through email, SMS or your favourite messenger - it's actually easier done than said. "I do it all the time when I am in Dubai, which is like a second home to me. It's a very convenient way to meet your friends at a common place," says Kapur. "You can explore, review and share your experiences of places with the Google Maps app. Search for restaurants, bars and hotels by opening hours, price and even check out what time of the day they are most busy," says Sanket Gupta, product manager, Google Maps India, "you can also sign up for the 'Local Guides' and upload photos and reviews. And also add missing places to the map!" DITCH THE TRAFFIC While populous cities like New York, Hong Kong, Mumbai and Delhi have an alluring charm of a cosmopolitan, the crazy traffic in these cities is a hard reality. Whether you are on a holiday or travelling for business, a bad traffic can spoil your mood and plans. However, the Real Time Traffic feature in the app shows a user current traffic conditions as well as helps compare how long certain routes will take. It helps identify the quickest route. You'll also get the option to take alternate or the quickest routes EXPLORE ON FOOT Trying to catch a gig at a local theatre or bar in a new city, but not sure if it's best to drive, take the local transport or simply walk to your destination? Navigating around big, unfamiliar, cities is never easy - it can take precious minutes to figure out whether it's best to drive hop on a train or bus, or take a cab. With this app, it's easier to look and compare all the options. It comes quite handy when you want to explore cities like London and Paris on foot, enjoying the landmark sights and shops from the older days - making the entire experience more wholesome and immersive. advertisement Here are a few more apps that help you travel like a pro: GOOGLE TRANSLATE Can't understand the street sign? Want to explore regional cuisine but cannot read the menu as it's in the local language? Open the Google Translate app, click on the camera, and point it at the text you need to translate - a street sign, ingredient list or instruction manual. Soon you'll see the text transform live on your screen into your preferred language. advertisement Used by millions of people worldwide, the TripAdvisor is the best place to find local restaurants and attractions. Although a lot of apps offer the same information, the TripAdvisor is completely crowd-sourced and that makes its recommendations so good because they are written by people who have actually experienced the place. GOOGLE NOW It's already there on your Android phone. You just have to use it. The best feature of Google Now, when you are travelling is that it automatically creates itinerary. It pulls the details of your travel from your mailbox and then gives you a neat itinerary. It also shows relevant forex rates, weather, local attractions etc automatically as well as can show you your flight information including gate numbers, etc, even before they are displayed at the airport. --- ENDS --- Desai said that while at the other temples they were fighting only against gender inequality, at Kapleshwar its also about caste discrimination. "Last time, when we tried to enter the temple, we were told by the priests that we are of lower caste, and hence they would not allow us to enter the inner sanctum,a? Desai claimed. (Pic: ANI) By India Today Web Desk: Trupti Desai led Bhumata Brigade to make second attempt to enter the inner sanctum of Kapaleshwar temple in Nashik on Thursday. They were stopped from entering the sanctum sanctorum of the temple last Thursday. Desai said that while at the other temples they were fighting only against gender inequality, at Kapleshwar its also about caste discrimination. advertisement "Last time, when we tried to enter the temple, we were told by the priests that we are of lower caste, and hence they would not allow us to enter the inner sanctum,?? Desai claimed. "I hope today the women will get their rights, and police should not stop us," she added. TRUPTI DESAI AT HAJI ALI DARGAH Desai had entered the Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai earlier this month. However, she wasn't allowed to enter the inner sanctorum. She was allowed till the gate of sanctrum where every normal women are allowed. But she was not allowed inside the sanctrum," a dargah member had said. WHO IS TRUPTI DESAI Trupti Desai has been in the news for months for leading a campaign to secure women's entry into the Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar district and the Trimbakeshwar Temple in Nashik district. She is the founder of an organisation called the 'Bhumata Brigade', which claims to have 4,000 members. Also Read Bhumata Brigade chief Trupti Desai enters Mumbai's Haji Ali dargah --- ENDS --- By PTI: Nairobi, May 26 (PTI) Underlining that environmental governance is the key factor in planning the future of any country, India today said the UN environment programme must work on integrating the green dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals. "The world must build upon the momentum generated in Paris on Climate Change and in UN on SDGs. Environmental governance is going to be the key factor in planning the future of any country and will always remain the focal point of respective national plans," Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said in his intervention at the United Nations Environment Assembly at Nairobi. advertisement "Therefore, India suggests that United Nations Environment Assembly/ United Nations Environment Programme (UNEA/UNEP) should concentrate in environmental policy and governance issues. UNEP should work upon integrating the environmental dimensions of the SDGs," he said. Observing that no country should "try to divert" the debate to "unrelated issues", Javadekar said that nations should not "tinker" with the gains made through collective consensus and sanctity of each forum should be maintained. Noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed upon lifestyle issues at the Paris meeting and the agreement signed there adopted sustainable consumption in its preamble, Javadekar said that SDGs cannot be achieved unless lifestyle issues are addressed and more sustainable consumption patterns are adopted. Each country must come out with its action plan to achieve its sustainable lifestyle and the time frame to achieve it. Developed world must also come out with concrete timetable on finance and technology support and their own actions to achieve lifestyle issues. "The ultimate goal of global community has to be equitable per capita consumption of resources. Financial resources must be mobilised by next year. And therefore the review process must include a transparent review of progress made in the Means of Implementation," he said. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda. PTI TDS ASK AKJ ASK --- ENDS --- According to the sources, over half dozen names are being discussed by the party high command, but the most prominent name rising in this crowd is that of Union HRD minister Smriti Irani. By Siraj Qureshi: Following the completion of Modi government's two years in power, political parties of Uttar Pradesh have begun gearing up for the Assembly elections in 2017. Although, the faces of Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party's chief ministerial candidates are clear, the Bharatiya Janta Party is yet to arrive on a likely candidate's name who could be projected as the forthcoming chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. advertisement According to the sources, over half dozen names are being discussed by the party high command, but the most prominent name rising in this crowd is that of Union HRD minister Smriti Irani. Who will be the new CM of UP? When India Today asked BJP MP Sacchidanand Hari Sakshi Maharaj in Mathura, he was of the opinion that any chief minister in Uttar Pradesh should be from the backward caste and being young and local would be added qualities in such candidate. Union Food Minister Sadhwi Niranjana said that the chief ministerial candidate projected by the party high command will be the unanimous choice of the party. Asked about the likely candidature of Smriti Irani, she said that Irani has been involved with the politics of Uttar Pradesh for a long time and the opposition parties are scared of the way she wards off any slurs thrown at her. She said that Smriti is a native of Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh and would be a good choice for the chief minister of this states. Asked about her comments on UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's letter to the Prime Minister demanding reservation for Muslims, she counter questioned that why did Samajwadi Party remember the Muslim reservation issue in the last year of its tenure? She said that the party has played the Muslim card keeping in view the forthcoming UP elections and this reservation will remain a political gimmick. She said that the Constitution of India does not allow reservation according to religion and it has never been awarded to any community, neither will it be given to anyone now. Talking to India Today, Sami Agai, chairman of Bharatiya Muslim Vikas Parishad said that if the BJP declares a Muslim name as the chief minister, it will go a long way towards establishing the trust of Muslims in Modi's government. He said that the Samajwadi Party sent seven people in the Rajya Sabha, but none of them was Muslim. "If the party could not abide by the reservation quota in its internal structure, how could it expect the entire country to accept Muslim reservation?" asked Sami Agai --- ENDS --- "We will not use potassium bromate and iodate if people don't like it. We were using them as their use was allowed by our government and scientists. We have other enzymes and emulsifiers as their alternate," said Aadil Hassan, heading a delegation of All India Bread Manufacturers' Association By Indo-Asian News Service: Leading bread makers on Thursday asserted that they will give up the use of chemicals like potassium bromate and iodate, in wake of a study warning these chemicals may cause cancer, in their products. "We will not use potassium bromate and iodate if people don't like it. We were using them as their use was allowed by our government and scientists. We have other enzymes and emulsifiers as their alternate," said Aadil Hassan, heading a delegation of All India Bread Manufacturers' Association, at a press conference here. advertisement Potassium bromate is harmful when consumed Explaining the rationale for potassium bromate's use in baking bread, Hasan, who is the managing director of Harvest Gold Breads, said that was an oxidizing agent. Admitting its over use was harmful, he said that "if used with sophistication, it only adds to the product". "Potassium iodate never had any use for us. We were using it since government had mandated its use for breads," he said, adding that the AIBMA has decided to give up use of both additives because "there is a confusion among the consumers regarding its use." He also said that both the additives are in use among the leading countries of the world including the US. "In Europe these additives are not used as there are other enzymes available," Hassan said, adding the CSE never shared their reports with the bread manufacturers and they came to know about their claims only from the media. Meanwhile, an AIBMA statement also called for a wider debate to make food products in India better. After a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report suggested the use of potassium bromate as an additive in food products may lead to cancer, the country's food regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), on Monday had banned use of both additives in preparation of bread. --- ENDS --- Women often end up behaving in way that is not in sync with their actual thoughts. Photo: Pexels By India Today Web Desk: Before giving away the reason behind women giving out those 'double messages'--let us first clarify what we mean by the term. According to Psychology Today, "The term double messages refers to an individual's message where the verbal and nonverbal meanings contradict each other." In simple words a person is sending out a double message when his/her thoughts and actions are not in sync with each other. And according to the results received by a research women seem to send out more double messages as compared to their male counterparts. Also Read: 5 misconceptions people have about girls from all-women colleges advertisement But why does it happen? Embarrassing situations and the mere thought of causing discomfort to others often restrict women from speaking their mind. For example if a female employee does not agree with her boss, she's more likely to smile or nod in agreement--creating a false impression. Also Read: Vir Das imitates Katrina, speaks against the objectification of women in this new ad Why it's not good for women By sending out double messages, a woman might be keeping those around her comfortable and happy, but in the long run, those very people gradually begin doubting her credibility and develop trust issues. So ladies, your 'habit' of sending out double messages might be keeping people happy, but not for long. --- ENDS --- The yet-to-be named newborn, born in a government hospital in Karnataka, is being called the world's heaviest baby girl. By India Today Web Desk: India welcomed the 'world's heaviest baby girl' on Monday in Hassan, Karnataka. The yet-to-be named baby girl, born to a 19-year-old woman, weighs 6.8 kg, which is almost the same as an average six-month-old. Dr Venkatesh Raju, the local health officer, said, "In my 25 years of experience, I have never seen such a big baby. She is a miracle. I believe she is not only the heaviest baby born in India but the heaviest baby girl ever born in the world." advertisement The doctors were as concerned about the mother Nandini who weighs 94 kg and has diabetes. But the baby turned out to be healthy and "does not have any health issues like irregular sugar levels or thyroid, and is breathing well." Dr Poornima Manu, who delivered the baby, said, "The surgery took place for nearly half-an-hour and it was free of any risk. She is really big and beautiful." The Guinness Record for the world's heaviest baby is currently held by a baby boy born in 1955, who weighed 10.3 kg at birth. Here are some of the record-holding heaviest babies in the world: A woman named Anna Haining Bates, who herself weighed 8.2kg at birth, delivered a boy weighing 9.98kg in 1879. The baby died 11 hours later. In 1955, Carmelina Fedele from Aversa, Italy, gave birth to a baby boy weighing 10.3kg. In 2013, British woman Maxime Marin gave birth to daughter Maria Lorena who weighed 6.2kg. Carisa Rusack, born in 2014 in Boston, Massachusetts, weighed 6.5kg at birth. Last year in November, an Indian woman named Firdous Khatun had given birth to the a baby boy weighing 6.6kg. --- ENDS --- Yoga break could become part of office schedules of organisations if India Inc. accepts a suggestion by the government. The AYUSH Ministry has asked business chambers and other corporate bodies to make a 30-minute yoga break mandatory for their employees. By Neetu Chandra Sharma: Yoga break could become part of office schedules of organisations, if India Inc. accepts a suggestion by the government. Highlighting the benefits of yoga in lowering stress, Ministry of AYUSH has suggested corporate houses to encourage the physical exercise regime. Corporate Yoga To begin with, the ministry has requested participation of the corporate world on Yoga Day on June 21. Along with the invitation, the government has asked the business chambers and other corporate bodies to make a 30-minute yoga break mandatory for their employees. advertisement "We have invited all corporate houses to participate in Yoga Day this year because employees in the corporate sector face a lot of stress. It will be a good opportunity for them to release their stress with yoga. Also, we have written to corporate bodies like the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India for releasing a circular in corporate offices associated with them to include a 30-minute mandatory yoga programme for their employees," said Anil Kumar Ganeriwala, Joint Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH. "AYUSH ministry is ready to provide with all the necessary help to the corporate sector as and when required. We have realised that employees working in the private sector are very stressed, especially in metropolitan cities. They are always under pressure be it because of their long working hours, sitting postures or travelling time. They need to be rejuvenated and yoga can be the answer for them," he said. Work Related Stress In India, software industry has become one of the fastest growing sectors employing lakhs of people. According to doctors, there is high volume of medical complaints coming from these employees, including depression, eye and neck pain, and work related stress due to tight deadlines. As per the common yoga protocol of the AYUSH ministry, medical research in recent years has uncovered many physical and mental benefits that Yoga offers, corroborating the experiences of millions of practitioners. A small sampling of research shows that yoga is beneficial in reducing depression, fatigue, anxiety disorders and stress. It helps in the management of diabetes, respiratory disorders, hypertension, hypotension and many lifestyle related disorders. Yoga helps for physical fitness, musculoskeletal functioning and cardio-vascular health. Yoga regulates menopausal symptoms. Stress free Youth "As youth is the future of India, they need a life without stress. Many corporate houses have started optional yoga programmes. We suggest making it mandatory for the employers to start these programmes for at least half an hour," said Ganeriwala. "We have also advised the corporate sector to conduct brief workshops on yoga as this will create interest and awareness among employees," he said. Also Read advertisement WHO to certify yoga and ayurveda UGC asks universities to include yoga module in physiotherapy courses --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: For centuries the inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent have been assumed to be a bunch of samosa-eating-yoga-loving-henna-sporting individuals. While there is no denying the fact that these stereotypes exist for a reason, and are even true to some extent (samosas are fantastic and yoga is downright wonderful) but to limit our existence to just these stereotypes is plain unfair. But that's not what we're here to talk about. advertisement We're, in fact, talking about two LA-based YouTubers, Krishna Kumar and Kausar Mohammad, whose latest video has them embracing their 'desi-ness' like it's nobody's business! Titled Namaste, the video has them crooning to Beyonce's recent and extremely badass track, Formation. From arranged marriages and threaded eyebrows to the Kamasutra and Priyanka Chopra, Krishna and Kausar's track makes it a point to mention all the stereotypes the residents of the Indian subcontinent are associated with. Also Read: Meet the daddy of all 50 Shades of Grey parodies And what happens when you throw in some Beyonce-inspired steps in a video about being desi? Sheer brilliance, of course. With lyrics like, "I'm so reckless when I rock my handmade sari dress/Parents so possessive trying to arrange marriages" and "I got hot samosas in my bag, swag" the track is packed with witty and hilarious one-liners. But to just think of this video as a hilarious parody would be trivialising its existence because in actuality, it's so much more than that. Also Read: We left swipe the new Tinder ad, and here's why you probably will too Only recently the internet went berserk when rapper Azealia Banks accused Zayn Malik of copying one of her music videos and hurling homophobic and racist abuses at him. Malik, who has Pakistani roots, was addressed by Banks as a "curry scented b***h" and was 'threatened' with sentences such as: "Imma start calling you punjab you dirty b**ch" over a rather hostile Twitter exchange. The incident sent the social media world into a frenzy and led to people from across India and Pakistan uploading their pictures using the hashtag #curryscentedbi*ch--which now seems like a mere trailer for Krishna and Kausar's Namaste. Watch the video here. --- ENDS --- By Indo-Asian News Service: The world's first robotic mobile phone RoBoHon, a pocket-size walking and dancing robot, started sale on Thursday in Japan. The human-shaped smartphone, developed by Japanese electronics company, Sharp and engineer Tomotaka Takahashi, inventor of the first robot astronaut 'Kirobo', went on sale with a base price of 198,000 yen ($1,800), EFE news reported. To mark the launch, the Osaka-based company opened the RoBoHon Cafe in Tokyo where visitors can test the robot until June 7. advertisement The Japanese electronics manufacturer is producing 5,000 units per month, aiming to be the leader of this type of mobile after sealing a takeover agreement with the Taiwanese company Hon Hai, also known as Foxconn, otherwise known for assembling iPhones and iPads for Apple. Also read: Google and Levi's make jacket that lets you control your phone Apart from being used as a mobile, the 19.5-cm tall humanoid robot weighing 390 grams could be used as projector to display video, photos or maps. It also offers a wide range of applications based on conversation with the android. RoBoHon can also recognise faces of people using its front camera and then address them by their name. Also read: Nextbit to launch cloud-based Robin phone in India on May 25 --- ENDS --- IIM-Ahmedabad has written to Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal on the issue, saying the students felt cheated for no fault of theirs for choosing the company over other brands and will suffer as they have to re-pay their education loans. By Press Trust of India: Facing flak for postponing the joining dates of students hired from IITs and IIMs, Flipkart has offered Rs 1.5 lakh as an additional joining bonus to all campus recruits to ease their "financial burden" in case they are to pay back loans. The Bengaluru-based company has cited restructuring of its businesses as the reason behind the deferring of joining dates for campus recruits from June this year to December. advertisement However, it did not disclose the number of campus offers made this year. There are, however, reports that suggest the move to defer the joining of recruits comes as a part of Flipkart's efforts to cut costs amid funding crunch and falling valuations. "As we work on redesigning this programme, we have taken a decision to postpone the joining of new recruits by a few months. Instead of June 2016, the new recruits will now be part of the improved campus program in December 2016," Flipkart has said in a blogpost. Also Read: For IIMs & IITs of India, Flipkart is too poor for their students Also Read: Full text: Flipkart explains why it is delaying joining date of new hires from IIM-A "Flipkart will also pay an additional joining bonus of Rs 1.5 lakh to all campus recruits," it added. IIM-Ahmedabad has written to Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal on the issue, saying the students felt cheated for no fault of theirs for choosing the company over other brands and will suffer as they have to re-pay their education loans. In response, Flipkart said while it was a "difficult decision" to take but "it is important for us to land our campus hires into Flipkart at the right time and into meaningful roles which give them opportunity to learn and grow". Also Read: Full text: Flipkart delays joining date for IIM-A students, institute responds with angry letter It further said the company is committed and confident to bring on-board the campus hires in December and that revised offer letters with updated joining date will be shared in the coming few weeks. Flipkart, which competes with the likes of Snapdeal and Amazon, said the decision to pay the joining bonus was taken keeping in mind that many students have to repay their education loans. Loan repayment starts a year after the end of studies or six months after the student gets a job, whichever is earlier. advertisement "Candidates can seek an extension on this period by submitting their revised offer letters to the bank... Further, the decision to award campus recruits the specified additional joining bonus is also intended to ease their financial burden," the blog said. Flipkart said it has been working on restructuring its businesses to strike the right balance among key levers such as innovation, strategic execution and operational excellence. "As a part of this ongoing restructuring, the campus programme will also go through a comprehensive overhaul to ensure that it is in line with our new business structure and that our campus recruits start working towards larger company goals from day one," it said. --- ENDS --- Google currently tests its prototype cars in its home base of Mountain View, California and Austin, Texas By Reuters: Alphabet Inc's Google self-driving car project said Wednesday it will launch this year a new technology development center in suburban Detroit. The Mountain View, Calif. search company said in a blog post that engineers at the facility, located in Novi, Mich., will start with work fitting the company's autonomous driving systems into Chrysler Pacifica mini vans, under a previously announced agreement with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV. Also Read: Google is hiring for self-driving car manufacturing advertisement Google said the 53,000 square foot facility "will help us collaborate more easily and access Michigan's top talent in vehicle development and engineering" as it develops its self-driving vehicle systems. --- ENDS --- WhatsApp currently has over one billion monthly active users. In India, over 70 million people use the messaging service. By Indo-Asian News Service: Instant messaging app WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app all over the world and is used in 109 countries, or 55.6 per cent of the world, a new report said on Wednesday. The countries include India, Brazil, Mexico, Russia and many other countries in South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania. WhatsApp currently has over one billion monthly active users. In India, over 70 million people use the messaging service. Also Read: WhatsApp is more private now: Everything you need to know in 10 points advertisement Of the 187 countries that SimilarWeb -- a Britain-based information technology company -- examined, WhatsApp was the world leader claiming 109 countries. "Facebook's Messenger app came in second overall, claiming 49 countries including Australia, Canada and the US. After Messenger, Viber was the only other messaging app to claim 10 or more countries," the report said. Viber has strong popularity in Eastern Europe and is the top app in Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, among others, and as of April 2016, Viber was installed on 65 per cent of all Android devices in Ukraine. Line, WeChat and Telegram are three other messaging apps claiming multiple countries with China, Iran and Japan representing countries using one of these apps. The report also said that BlackBerry's BBM is still used by the masses in at least one country in the world: Indonesia. Also Read: WhatsApp is now probably illegal in India "As of April 2016, the app was installed on 87.5 per cent of all Android devices in the country, far surpassing any other country in terms of BBM use," the report noted. In the US, only 0.42 per cent of Androids had the BBM app, with Australia and Britain showing slightly higher use. --- ENDS --- Insurance Back EIOPA launches the EU-wide Insurance Stress Test 2016 Aiming to respond to the current challenging macroeconomic environment by taking measures which can improve European insurers' resilience to the adverse scenarios, EIOPA - the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority -, launched a new EU-wide stress test for the European insurance sector. This regular exercise aims to assess insurers' vulnerabilities and should not be interpreted as a pass-or-fail test. It is designed to assess the resilience of the European insurance sector to severe adverse market developments based on a common analytical framework. Furthermore, this stress test will examine the potential increase of systemic risks in situations of stress. The Stress Test 2016 focuses on two major market risks: The prolonged low yield environment The so-called "double-hit", i.e. a negative market shock to asset prices combined with a low risk free rate "The current challenging macroeconomic environment has to be acknowledged in such a stress test exercise. Therefore, EIOPA decided to conduct severe stress scenarios. I am confident that the results of the simulation of such shocks will provide us a "high-resolution" picture of the European insurance sector and its most critical vulnerabilities. We need to see the issues requiring particular supervisory attention and response to the potential built-up of systemic risks at the European level. Hence this exercise will not focus on who is not meeting the capital requirements after the shocks but on the financial stability implications of those scenarios," Gabriel BERNARDINO, Chairman of EIOPA, said. The exercise focuses on long-term business performed by solo undertakings (no insurance groups). In order to include a higher number of small and medium size insurers, the participation target was increased from a 50% in 2014 to a 75% share of each national market in terms of gross life technical provisions. To limit the burden on the insurance industry EIOPA makes use of this exercise to collect at the same time information on the Solvency II equity and Long Term Guarantees (LTG) measures. This collection of information is part of the mandatory review to be performed by EIOPA in accordance with Article 77f of the Solvency II Directive and thus not to be connected with the stress test exercise. The launch date of the exercise (24 May 2016) is one week earlier than initially planned (31 May 2016) to allow the participating insurance companies for more time to complete the test. EIOPA will publish on a weekly basis Questions & Answers addressing possible queries of the participating companies. The deadline for submission of results to the national competent authorities (NCAs) will be 15 July 2016. The EU-wide results of the stress test will be disclosed in December 2016 in an anonymized and/or aggregated way. Author: Daniela GHETU on 26.05.2016 Archive Comment this article 0 comments Atention! "Comment" and "E-mail" are mandatory Name: If you are logged on and you do not fill in your name, will be used the name that you used when you registered If you are not logged on, your name will appear preceded by '(Anonymous)'. For authentication, click here If you are logged on and you do not fill in your name, will be used the name that you used when you registered E-mail: Comment: < 10.000 car. Fill in the code from the image: Name: If you are logged on and you do not fill in your name, will be used the name that you used when you registered If you are not logged on, your name will appear preceded by '(Anonymous)'. For authentication, click here If you are logged on and you do not fill in your name, will be used the name that you used when you registered Information Technology has seen the most innovation this year Innovation is moving forward at a record pace, according to this year's report from Thomson Reuters. Global innovation year on year is in the double-digits (at 14%), with Information Technology dominating the landscape, but substantial increases also observed in Medical Devices, Home Appliances, and Aerospace and Defense. The report combines analysis of patent applications with research of global scientific literature to put these innovations in context; worldwide patent volume grew at an annualized rate of 13.7 percent in 2015, driving the overall growth rate for patents to over 100 percent since the State of Innovation study was launched six years ago. Vin Caraher, the president of Intellectual Property and Science at Thomson Reuters, said: The last year has been marked by a series of epic breakthroughs: the first autonomous cars tested on public highways, the longest-ever human space mission, the first biosimilar drug approval all of these were made possible by disrupting conventional boundaries and testing the limits of human creativity. By consistently benchmarking innovation with concrete metrics on global patent and scientific literature production, were able to get a clear outlook on future growth areas. You can see the press release here and download the full report here India's National IPR policy. India's recently unveiled new India's recently unveiled new IPR policy is intended to promote "a holistic and conducive ecosystem to catalyse the full potential of intellectual property for India's economic growth and socio-cultural development, while protecting public interest". The main objectives involve such broadbrush aims as increasing IP awareness and creating a stronger framework for IP generation, legislation, administration and commercialization. The policy has been received sceptically optimistically by the US Chamber of Commerce s Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC), with the Executive Director of International Intellectual Property, Patrick Kilbride saying: We hope todays announcement is a precursor to the concrete, structural changes that are necessary if India is to implement a strong IP-led innovation model. Words are empty without action, and we need to see the Modi administrations expressed commitment to IP matched by decisive legal reforms..." Critics have described the policy as rather vague and a missed opportunity for meaningful reform - we are grateful to Katfriend and former Indian Government Patent Examiner, R.S. Praveen Raj for drawing it our attention and for his comments in the Deccan Chronicle . ACID & Boult Wade Tennant IP Seminar and Drinks. Anti Copying In Design and Boult Wade Tennant cordially invite us to a seminar about proactive IP protection strategy and how to get the most out of the CTM before this September 2016. All will be revealed in the Boult Wade Tennant's Grays Inn offices on 22 June. For more information and to register, go here Baths are scary enough without interlopers... "the general view [from the Australian experience] is that this procedure is beneficial for four reasons: (i) The procedure is quicker and more focused than the traditional sequential format. (ii) Experts find this procedure easier; they give evidence better and sometimes more impartially than under the traditional sequential format. (iii) Judges find it easier to understand complex technical evidence when it is given in this way. (iv) The procedure achieves a significant saving of both trial time and cost." "Nonetheless, when it comes to expert evidence, I can see considerable attraction in the notion of the experts giving their evidence at a somewhat more informal basis, at a hearing which is more like a meeting chaired by the judge. Court rules now permit such concurrent evidence, or hot-tubbing as it was dubbed by the Australians who developed the concept, and who now, I understand, adopt it in most civil cases. However, it is currently little used in this country, owing no doubt to what is, depending on your view, appropriate scepticism or innate conservatism on the part of lawyers and judges. Lawyers may fear that concurrent evidence would result in a loss of control on their part, and judges may fear that it would involve greater preparation and early understanding of the issues on their part. Both fears are justified in fact, but do not represent good reasons to avoid hottubbing. So far as the justice system is concerned, lawyers are there to assist on getting the right answer. The fear of the judges may, at least in some cases, be partly attributable to the fact that there are very few judges, other than those who specialised in patent law when in practice, with any significant scientific education! "For legal representatives who have not used "hot-tubbing" as part of legal proceedings, please feel free to make any comments about the process in the box below (including whether you may have proposed the use of hot-tubbing in a particular case, but the court declined to make that direction)." What is not to love? Nothing or possibly everything when viewed in the context of expert evidence. The practice of "hot-tubbing" or "concurrent evidence" has long been a topic of intrigue for us in the UK. The practice is more common in Australia and allows the judges and trial lawyers to question experts together. Experts are also able to directly challenge each other's evidence, which can make it easier to identify the issues in contention. As Lord Justice Jackson explained Following the Jackson review, hot-tubbing was introduced to legal proceedings in England and Wales. The process is set out in Practice Direction 35 which states that at any stage of the proceedings the Court may order hot-tubbing. Paragraph 11.2 of PD 35 and onward sets out the procedure. Importantly the judge initiates and leads questions addressed to each expert witness and may invite the other expert to comment. The parties' representatives then get their turn, but only insofar as it tests the correctness of an expert's view or clarifies it. The judge then summarizes the views expressed.So, what has happened? Well, as far as the AmeriKat is aware, nothing in the Patents Court. This is despite Sir Robin Jacob commenting in his recent book,, that there should be "no formal reason why it should not happen in England and Wales", despite lawyers obviously being resistant to the idea. Cross-examination of your expert is scary enough, why make it scarier with having the other side's expert having a crack at it? Or so, the complaint would go.Lord Neuberger described this state of affairs in a recent speech he gave to the Royal Society last November on "Science and Law: Contrasts and Cooperation" in which he stated Lord Neuberger goes on to discuss the fact that "scientific ignorance has not prevented some judges with no significant scientific education proving themselves to be very find judges of scientific issues" and some other great quotes worthy of a read.The Civil Litigation Review Working Group of the Civil Justice Council is conducting a survey of the practice, with responses due. A full report of the findings of the survey will be published in July 2016. The survey is focused on those legal representatives who have actually bee involved in hot-tubbing - either in England and Wales or in another jurisdiction. Those who have not had experience are immediately ushered to Question 10 which reads as follows:Views on Question 10 will be "most helpful" to the Civil Litigation Review Working Group, so if you want the Courts to direct more hot-tubbing or not, perhaps now is your chance.To complete the survey, click here. With a Kat pat to Alisa Carter of Gowling WLG for bringing this to the Kat's attention. Abrams naturally agrees with already-familiar claims that Jannatis victory is a sign of the absence of moderation within the Assembly and by extension within the regime as a whole. But unlike some other commentaries on the situation, Abrams says that this latest development comes as no surprise, given the various other indicators of persistent hardline views on foreign and domestic policy throughout much of the regime. Abrams piece states that the notion of Iranian moderation, though frequently repeated in the media against the backdrop of last summers nuclear agreement, is nonsense. It also reiterates that the moderation narrative was given additional currency in the midst of Februarys national elections in Iran, which were widely described as a defeat for hardliners like Jannati, who only narrowly maintained his seat on the Assembly of Experts. Abrams links to an earlier piece that he had written, which collected together a number of instances of dissenting coverage of the elections for the Assembly and the Iranian parliament. He then emphasizes that Jannatis ascendance to the head of the clerical body constitutes even more proof that the optimistic accounts of the February elections were a fiction. That claim was given a significant boost earlier this month in the wake of the New York Times profile of White House foreign policy advisor Ben Rhodes, detailing how he helped to shape the narrative on the nuclear deal via a media echo chamber. The profile led to widespread accusations that the Obama administration knew the moderation narrative to be false, but presented it to the public anyway following the 2013 election of President Hassan Rouhani, in order to justify diplomatic outreach to the Islamic Republic. The implication of that profile remain a hot topic of discussion, as evidenced this week by the newfound scrutiny being visited upon National Public Radio and the Ploughshares Fund, alleging that financial grants may have influenced reporting and discouraged sympathetic media outlets from giving adequate voice to the American politicians and experts who opposed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. One politician who raised such a charge against NPR was Kansas Republican Representative Mike Pompeo, who claimed to have reached out to the new outlet in hopes of acting as the counterpoint to deal supporters who were scheduled to be interviewed. Hot Air reported on Wednesday that NPR has since admitted that they canceled a planned interview with Pompeo, thus contradicting previous claims that they had no record of communication with him over stories on the JCPOA. Such accusations against NPR and other media outlets tie into broader accusations that the Obama administration and its supporters had effectively suppressed information that would have undercut the moderation narrative. In instances where this contradictory information was already well-known, it was allegedly downplayed, as in the case of the January capture of 10 American sailors by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. After the Americans were released within a 24 hour period, the Obama administration credited the contacts established during nuclear negotiations for helping to make such a speedy resolution possible. While this initial incident was widely report, less attention was subsequently given to the extraordinary lengths to which the IRGC and Irans official state media went to utilize images of the American sailors for propaganda purposes. The IRGC officers involved in the capture were given Irans highest military awards by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and plans were announced for the construction of a statue commemorating it. It has also been argued that the Obama administration downplayed or otherwise enabled several instances of Iran testing ballistic missiles that are capable of carrying nuclear weapons. The first of at least six such tests took place in October, and did in fact spur the imposition of new sanctions by the Obama administration. But this move came only after extensive urging by the US Congress, and only months later, after the JCPOA had been implemented in mid-January. The subsequent tests have led to no official measures from the White House, even though those tests were encouraged by the supposedly moderate Iranian President. In response to the sanctions imposed on entities linked to the October test, Rouhani ordered Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan to greatly expand the Iranian ballistic missile program and stockpiles. This project is still ongoing, as made clear on Wednesday by a report from Middle East Confidential, which noted that Dehqan had officially inaugurated a new military fuse production line, which could lead to mass production of at least four models of Iranian missiles and rockets. The report specifies that the country has developed several missiles and rockets over the years and the new production facility will include contact, proximity and electronics fuses used in penetration weaponry of the ordnance and mortar class. Middle East Confidential also adds that such a military buildup is predictably a source of anxiety for Irans major regional rivals, Saudi Arabia and Israel. Both expressed opposition to the nuclear agreement and the associated change in the tone of US policy on Iran. And in the aftermath of the nuclear agreement, relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia have steadily deteriorated, thanks in large part to sectarian conflicts that Iran is involved in throughout the region. Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic in January after mobs sacked and burned the Saudi embassy in Tehran, upset over the execution of a Shiite cleric, which Iranian state media had portrayed as an assault on Shiite Islam itself. Since then, there have been a series of indications that hostility might cool between the two countries, but so far, little progress has been made. Saudi Arabia canceled plans for a freeze on oil production among OPEC and several non-OPEC countries, because Iran refused to participate at least until it had fully recovered its production to pre-sanctions levels. The Iranians had initially announced their intention to attend a Doha conference on this subject, but pulled out at the last minute. If the project goes forward, it can be expected to be a source of increased revenue for the Islamic Republic, as well as a new factor encouraging regional states like Iran and Pakistan to enhance their competition for a share of the Iranian market. As such, it is only natural that the agreement has come under scrutiny from individuals and groups that are opposed to the Iranian regime and thus interested in constraining the effects of sanctions relief upon its economic and political outcomes. The majority of the US Congress has expressed either strong reservations or outright opposition to that sanctions relief, codified under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which was concluded last July. Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty reports that some of the members of that Congress have raised questions about whether the Chabahar port deal would violate existing restrictions on doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Under the JCPOA, sanctions specifically related to Irans nuclear program have been lifted in exchange for restrictions on the countrys nuclear enrichment activities and stockpiles of nuclear material. However, sanctions related to Irans human rights violations and support of international terrorism remain in place. And because of such factors as the prevalence of money laundering in the Islamic Republic, its financial system remains isolated from international transactions involving the US dollar. These persistent restrictions have been widely discussed in the media in recent weeks, highlighting the origins of Iranian frustration with the effects of the nuclear deal. Those restrictions have reportedly prevented a great many Western businesses from fully pursuing investments in the newly de-sanctioned Islamic Republic. This is in spite of the fact that the Obama administration has been at times accused of trying to drum up such investments for Iran. Representatives of the administration have certainly made considerable efforts to communicate with international business leaders about the situation, emphasizing that they will not be penalized for legal transactions with Iran. RFE/RL reiterated this in its report, quoting a State Department official as saying that the administration has been very clear with the Indians and others about the extent of existing restrictions on Iran. Although these restrictions have kept many investors and companies at bay despite the sanctions relief, the limits on those restrictions have been sufficient to entice some Western entities into signing agreements with Iran, including agreements for the sale of aircraft and motor vehicles to the Iranian market. Presumably, the competition initiated by these early adopters is continuing to entice others to join their ranks. On Wednesday, RT reported that billionaire entrepreneur Vladimir Potanin had become the first Russian investor to buy a stake in an Iranian company, specifically the online retailer Digikala, which reportedly controls 91 percent of this Iranian market. Meanwhile, some countries that are geographically close to Iran are using the post-sanctions environment to expand cooperation not just in oil and commodities but also in tourism cooperation. Last week, for instance, Xinhua reported that Iran and Turkey had entered into an agreement to allow 4,000 flights between the two countries over a period of about six months, on the expectation of heightened demand for tourist-oriented travel between the two countries. This is particularly remarkable in light of the traditionally strained relations between Iran and Turkey, especially in light of their backing of different factions in the Syrian Civil War. Tensions between the two have diminished in recent weeks, however, in part because of Turkeys need for Iranian oil at a time when the formers relations with its Russian oil providers have deteriorating. At the same time, Turkeys outreach to Iran is partly attributable to the growing power of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who recently reorganized his cabinet following the removal of an adversarial Prime Minister. According to Quadrangle, the new cabinet and the newly empowered Turkish president have quickly moved to seek closer relations with Iran. There are, however, still signs of tensions. One of these was presented by the Iranian propaganda outlet Press TV on Wednesday in a report upon Iranian plans for new railways linking it to Eastern Europe, and potentially also to Mumbai and Moscow. A spokesperson for Islamic Republic of Iran Railways indicated that the proposed route had been designed specifically with an eye toward avoiding Turkey. As with the Chabahar port, such exclusionary treatment of one nation that is also a somewhat fledgling trading partner promises to increase pressure on that partner to compete with alternative markets. In the case of the railway plans, those alternative markets are mainly Western Europe, which will supposedly be reached via ports in Bulgaria and Romania. And of course, the primary commodity involved in such competition remains oil. A number of Western European countries have already stepped up their imports of Iranian oil, although to a lesser extent than geographically nearer and more closely dependent countries like India. While India waits for an answer to US congressional challenges regarding expanded access to Iranian oil via Chabahar, it will already be pursuing plans to personally operate a new Iranian oil field. The Free Press Journal reports that this is part of a larger effort to move away from buyer-seller relationship to a strategic partnership, although Iran has not yet requested to Indian proposals on the matter. [May 25, 2016] Personal.com Becomes TeamData WASHINGTON, May 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Personal.com today announced that it is exiting its consumer business to focus on workplace productivity, collaboration and security. The company and its products will now be called TeamData (the company will retain its Personal, Inc. corporate name). The company also announced the release of a new suite of products for information management and collaboration in the office, including TeamData for the web (teamdata.com), iOS, Android, Office 365, and extensions for major browsers. "Until now, productivity and collaboration solutions could not solve the fundamental information management problem inside companies because they do not understand data and were not designed to protect it. Every person has had to rely on their own unencrypted spreadsheets and documents to try to organize information they need while depending on email to share or request new information," said Shane Green, co-founder and CEO of TeamData. "TeamData allows teams to work together for the first time to create and set permissions to reusable data for literally thousands of tasks." Among the benefits seen by customers of TeamData: 90% lss email and interruptions related to sharing data and finding/resetting passwords 3-6 hours more productivity each month per employee 5x more access to data with 75% less effort per employee 50% less time for assistants to book travel & accomplish other information rich tasks 3x faster onboarding of new employees, consultants, vendors and clients 5-7 information look ups per day per employee The shift to business solutions follows a $3.7M venture round last year led by Eric Anderson, known for his investments and leadership in advanced software development technology platforms, artificial intelligence, commercial space ventures including orbital space tourism and asteroid mining, renewable energy, and on-demand fuel delivery services. "Virtually every task these days requires sensitive information to complete, from logging into company accounts, making payments and setting up a new device to filling out forms or applying for a business loan," said Eric Anderson, who serves as Chairman of TeamData. "Increasingly, that information is needed by multiple people, including externally. Companies of all sizes simply can't afford to keep doing things the old way given the magnitude of savings and reduced liability." "There is literally only one copy of the company name, address and Federal Tax ID in a TeamData graph. One instance of the company social media account logins, demo server credentials, and visitor wi-fi. And so on, for over 1,200 different types of data covering thousands of different tasks," said Tarik Kurspahic, co-founder and CTO of TeamData. "It's a new way of thinking about data and will unleash entirely new kinds of innovation." Personal.com originally captured the market's attention with its goal of empowering individuals with their data, as well as its privacy by design architecture. Its Personal Cloud & Data Vault app helped consumers organize data and automatically complete online forms. The Personal.com platform and data library serve as the technical foundation of TeamData. About TeamData TeamData by Personal, Inc. is revolutionizing the way businesses, employees and teams of all kinds co-manage and collaborate on the essential data. Built on an award-winning privacy- and security-by-design platform, TeamData dramatically boosts productivity, reduces wasted time and hassle, and unlocks entirely new data-driven experiences. TeamData is based in Washington, DC and Seattle. Contact: Ann Bagan [email protected] +1 202 499 4040 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372210LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/personalcom-becomes-teamdata-300275063.html SOURCE TeamData [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 25, 2016] IFX Forum "Open Banking APIs Summit" Scheduled June 21-23 Near Minneapolis May 25, 2016 - The IFX Forum announced today that registration is now open for its Open Banking APIs Summit event, to be held June 21-23 at the U.S. Bank facility in Richfield, just outside Minneapolis, Minnesota - 15 minutes from the airport. The event will explore ways to address the growing imperative for banks to provide more open access to their data in order to serve a variety of needs in the marketplace. All those interested in exploring this important current topic are invited to attend. Bank customers worldwide are demanding more freedom to share their account information with third parties in order to get the services they want. In the EU, open banking APIs are becoming a regulatory requirement; elsewhere banks are being put in a position where they must provide greater access while simultaneously protecting privacy and sensitive information. The June event will suggest approaches to meeting these challenges and provide the IFX Architecture Committee with guidance on how to optimize the IFX standard. Sessions will cover: Charter development for a working group charged with adapting the IFX specification to REST architecture, JSON implementations and fine-grained IFX message-enabled services Implications for IFX, such as smaller messages, Service/API standardization strategies, IFX versioning considerations, and compatibility implications, as well as GUI, access control and code generation modifications Input from current implementers of APIs, with discussion of REST strategies and performance and coding style considerations Business requirements discussion, including strategy for gathering bank requirements and feedback from the NACHA Board of Directors "With the topic of open banking APIs assuming an ever-higher profile, our June event wil kick off a collaboration between banks and service providers that will lead to standardized data exchange mechanisms and recommended best practices," said IFX Forum President Richard P. Urban. "Building on our popular recent webcast, we urge people with a stake in providing safe, efficient open access to banking data to join us in June, and help start an effort that will deliver benefits to all sectors of the financial services industry." As part of its initiative to help bring clarity, order and standardization to this topic, the IFX Forum earlier this month staged a free public webcast entitled "IFX Moves Forward with Open Banking APIs," which included real-world examples of IFX in action from Moven. The recorded webcast is now available for on-demand viewing. The IFX Forum is an international non-profit industry association whose mission is to develop and promote the adoption of its open, interoperable standard for financial data exchange, IFX, which is available at no charge at http://bms.ifxforum.org/. In addition to developing the IFX specification, the Forum actively engages in international standards activity, including longtime liaison efforts with ISO and contributions to ISO 20022, a leadership role in the Remittance Coalition set up by the U.S. Federal Reserve, and Memoranda of Understanding with ASC (News - Alert) X9, BIAN and EPASOrg/nexo. The Forum welcomes additional members to join in all its activities. The Forum also hosts a free IFX Discussion Forum, where knowledgeable Forum members and other subject matter experts will answer IFX-related questions from the public. About the IFX Forum Founded in 1997, the Interactive Financial eXchange (IFX) Forum is an international not-for-profit industry association whose mission is to develop IFX and promote its adoption as an open, interoperable standard for financial data exchange, suitable for use by all sectors of the financial services industry. The IFX Forum also promotes interoperability of industry standards by working cooperatively with other standards organizations and consortia. Forum membership is open to all organizations interested in contributing to the development of open financial standards. Forum members include financial institutions, hardware, software and service firms, and related non-profit groups. IFX Forum Working Groups, in concert with an Architecture Committee to coordinate their efforts, develop open Internet-compatible messages for all sectors of the financial services industry. More information about IFX and the benefits of IFX Forum membership can be found at www.IFXForum.org. Follow the IFX Forum on Twitter -- @IFX_Forum View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160525006331/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 25, 2016] Leading Global Annual IT Industry Exhibition and Conference CISIS 2016 to Be Held in Dalian in June DALIAN, China, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The China International Software & Information Service Fair (CISIS) 2016 will be held in Dalian, China from June 16 to June 19, 2016. This year's tagline "Digital, Synergy, Smart, Innovation" embodies the event's focus on big data, intelligent manufacturing, artificial intelligence (AI), innovative entrepreneurship, cross-border e-commerce and other industry-related hot topics. The event is expected to be highly representative of the new state and momentum of economic development in China. The large-scale exhibition has received a positive response from attendees. The show's 30,000-square-meter exhibition area will house over 700 exhibitors and nearly 100 delegations from more than 20 countries and regions as well as 30 Chinese provinces and cities. The delegations will include groups from over 30 of the world's Fortune 500 companies and 50 of China's industry leaders. The event is expected to also attract over 30,000visitors who will participate in more than 50 sessions, forums, and competitions. CISIS 2016 will bring together exhibition delegations from over 20 countries and regions, including the UK, France, Russia, the USA, Germany and Japan. SAP, NTT, Dell, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Accenture, Neusoft, Pactera, Huawei, Kingdee, Dalian Hi-Think Computer Technology, Hualu and other global leaders, as well as 21 exhibition delegations and a dozen visiting delegations from 21 Chinese provinces and cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chongqing as well as Liaoning, Hebei and Zhejiang provinces, plan to participate in the event. A prestigious line-up of speakers will share their insights at the summit forums during the event, including Stanford University professor and American AI leader Jerry Kaplan, French computer scientist and Turing Award winner Joseph Sifakis, IBM China GDC general manager G K Sukumar, Neusoft Group Chairman and CEO Liu Jiren, Kingdee China SVP and CTO Tian Rongju and Pactera CEO Tiak Koon Loh. The organizing committee of CISIS 2016 plans to also host more than ten seminars that promote exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and foreign companies. Delegations consisting of high-tech project owners from Russia, Europe, the US, Canada, South Korea and countries along the "One Belt, One Road" route will be invited to discuss cooperation focused on artificial intelligence, intelligent manufacturing and other high-tech projects. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/371891 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 26, 2016] Ekinops Opens New North American Headquarters Ekinops, a leading supplier of next-generation optical network equipment, will move into its new North American corporate headquarters in Maryland in June. The new facility will be home to Ekinops (News - Alert) Corp., the wholly-owned North American subsidiary of France-based Ekinops SA. It will serve not only as a company headquarters, but also as a complete customer support office, housing administrative and support employees. Ekinops support personnel will conduct customer training at the site, with a full product integration lab for staging prior to shipping, to streamline training and to demonstrate product capabilities for customers. In addition, this facility will serve as a logistical center for current and new customers across the U.S. and Canada. While Ekinops sells its advanced optical networking products globally, its sales are increasing faster in North America than in other regions. Its customers here include service providers, from very large and national to regional carriers, as well as data center operators. "The opening of this new office is in response to our rapid growth in North America and confirms the long-term commitment that Ekinops is making in the region," said Kevin Antill, Vice President for North America. "What is most important about this new facility is that it allows us to focus on support for our customers. With our team there, along with the fully functioning lab, customer training center, and warehouse depot, we can fill all our customers' needs from one primary location." Antill added that the ability to provide customers the training they need on Ekinops hardware and software, and to validate network models on live equipment, will accelerate their move from the design phase to implementation so they can deploy new services to their customers more quickly. About Ekinops Ekinops is a leading supplier of next generation optical transport equipment for telecommunications service providers. The Ekinops 360 addresses Metro, Regional, and Long-Haul applications with a single, highly-integrated platform. Ekinops is a market-leading innovator in 100G and 200G transport with a coherent line of products that truly optimizes optical networks and comes in 1RU, 2RU or 7RU chassis. The Ekinops 360 relies on the highly-programmable Ekinops T-Chip (Transport-on-a-Chip) architecture that enables fast, flexible and cost-effective delivery of new services for high-speed, high-capacity transport. Using the Ekinops 360 carrier-grade system, operators can simply increase capacity of their networks - CWDM, DWDM, Ethernet, ESCON, Fibre Channel, SONET/SDH, and uncompressed video (HD-SDI, SD-SDI, ASI). Ekinops is headquartered in Lannion, France, and Ekinops Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary, is incorporated in the USA. Mnemonic code: EKI Number of shares: 5,796,827 View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160525005897/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 26, 2016] GENBAND Employees Participate in Volunteer Activities around the World during 6th Annual Global Day of Service PLANO, Texas, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- GENBAND, a leading provider of real time communications solutions, today announced as part of its year-round Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts the kickoff of its sixth annual Global Day of Service with more than 75 volunteer activities scheduled in more than 25 countries. Each year on June 1st, GENBAND's global employee base participates in volunteer activities benefiting non-profit agencies and charitable organizations all around the world. Since the inception of the Global Day of Service or "GENBAND Day" in 2010, GENBAND employees have dedicated more than 50,000 hours to community service. "Our Global Day of Service has become part of our fabric and DNA at GENBAND and it's something that our team members take extreme pride in every year," said Robin Wright, Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Corporate Operations at GENBAND. "The activities, individuals and organizations that we serve have special meaning to us and spending time giving back to them during not only this day, but throughout the year, is our way of showing our appreciation for all of the great services that these organizations provide in communities throughout the world." Wright, along with CEO David Walsh, other GENBAND executives and local team members will be volunteering at GrowNYC, a non-profit created in 1970 whose mission is to empower all New Yorkers to secure a clean and healthy environment for future generations. GENBAND employees in Galway, Ireland will be working with Jigsaw Galway, a non-profit that supports local youth with mental health issues. On May 27th employees from the GENBAND Galway office will be participating in a fundraising "Pop-Up Shop" during which they will be selling new clothes, electrical goods, gift ideas and toys with proceeds benefitting Jigsaw Galway. "Everyone at Jigsaw Galway is so honored and delighted to have been selected by the team at GENBAND Galway to be their chosen charity for GENBAND Day," said Justin McDermott, Fundraising Manager at Jigsaw Galway. "It has been such a pleasure working with them to develop the GENBAND fundraising Pop-Up Shop. Not only are the funds that we will raise of vital importance, but the awareness generated in our community around supporting young people and their mental health is fantastic. One-in-three Galway youth experience mental health distress. This day and GENBAND's support will assist us in ensuring that when young people come to us in need of help, we will be there for them." For more information on the GENBAND Global Day of Service, please visit the Global Day of Service page at www.genband.com/gbday and watch the video of 2015 worldwide volunteer activities here. Follow GENBAND on Twitter and Facebook for updates on its 2016 Global Day of Service and use #GBDay16 to join the conversatio. In addition to many global individual activities planned by GENBAND teleworkers and remote employees, below is a summary of the company's volunteer events for GENBAND Day. Frisco and Plano, Texas Billerica, Massachusetts Little Community Farm field work Town of Newbury Port Beach clean-up Restore (Habitat for Humanity) Raleigh, North Carolina Other US Regional Offices Volunteer Activities GrowNYC (New York) Queeny Park Gardening ( St. Louis, Missouri ) ) Habitat for Humanity (Ft. Lauderdale) Ottawa, Toronto and Canadian Regional Offices Regional Offices in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Asia Pacific Regional Offices Caribbean and Latin America Offices About GENBAND GENBAND is a global leader in real-time communications software solutions for service providers, enterprises, independent software vendors, systems integrators and developers in over 80 countries. Kandy, its award-winning, disruptive real-time communications software development platform, is built from the company's global telecommunications network and security technologies. The platform enables these companies to easily embed a full suite of voice, video, chat, screen-sharing and collaboration capabilities into their existing business, web and mobile applications. The company's Network Modernization, Unified Communications, Mobility and Embedded Communications solutions enable its customers to quickly capitalize on growing market segments and introduce differentiating products, applications and services. GENBAND's market-leading solutions, which are deployable in the network, on premise or through the cloud, help its customers connect people to each other and address the growing demands of today's consumers and businesses for real-time communications wherever they happen to be. To learn more visit genband.com. GENBAND, the GENBAND logo and icon are trademarks of GENBAND. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372310LOGO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160121/324822LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/genband-employees-participate-in-volunteer-activities-around-the-world-during-6th-annual-global-day-of-service-300275154.html SOURCE GENBAND [May 26, 2016] Women in IT Networking Call for Participation @ SC16 The Women in IT Networking at SC (WINS) program, introduced in November 2015 at the SC15 conference in Austin, Texas, developed as a means for addressing the prevalent gender gap that exists in Information Technology (IT) particularly in the fields of network engineering and high performance computing (HPC). This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160526005213/en/ Marla Meehl and Jason Zurawski (on left) and Mary Hester (far right) were instrumental in making the WINS program possible. Here, they visit the new NCAR booth at SC15 with the five WINS recipients: from left, Sana Bellamine, Kathy West, Amy Liebowitz, Debbie Fligor, and Megan Sorensen. (Photography by Marijke Unger) The 2015 program* enabled five talented early to mid-career women from diverse regions of the U.S. research and education community IT field to participate in the ground-up construction of SCinet, one of the fastest and most advanced computer networks in the world. WINS is a joint effort between the Energy Sciences Network (ESnet), the Keystone Initiative for Network Based Education and Research (KINBER), and University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). SCinet, SC's dedicated high-performance research network and backbone of information and communication, is seeking qualified female U.S. candidates in their early to mid-career to join the SCinet volunteer workforce for SC16. Selected candidates will receive full travel support and mentoring by well-known engineering experts in the research and education community. SCinet provides an ideal "apprenticeship" opportunity for engineers and technologists looking for direct access to the most cutting-edge network hardware and software, while working side by side with the world's leading network and software engineers, and the top network technology vendors. There are more than 15 teams that comprise SCinet, all focused on specific areas of expertise involved in setting up and operating a research network. Selected candidates will be matched with a mentor in one of these areas based on iterest and background. Learning and training opportunities include (but are not limited to): Operating and maintaining traditional "IT" services for SCinet; Installing fiber optic network connections; Installing and configuring wireless access points; Installing and configuring wired network devices for conference meeting rooms; Managing internet routing protocols; Configuring wide-area network connections to national telecom providers; Supporting conference attendees, high-performance computing (HPC) and high-performing network demonstrations; Participating in cybersecurity activities focused on prevention, detection, and countermeasures to protect the resources of the conference. Background: SC is an annual conference co-sponsored by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE (News - Alert)) Computer Society. The conference focuses on the science and application of HPC and communication technologies. Since 1988, volunteers funded from academic, government and corporate organizations in the HPC industry have worked together to produce the SC Conference series. The conference attracts more than 10,000 technical program attendees, exhibitors and exhibit visitors. SC has been the breeding ground for the technologies that now underpin services ranging from cloud computing, high-speed Internet services, and current ubiquitous computing architectures. Attendees are primarily computer engineers, computer scientists, computational scientists and managers/executives of computing facilities who use high-speed and high-performance computers for research and other technical applications. Executives, sales and engineering managers from companies involved in producing and selling HPC products and services also attend and participate. SCinet provides the essential advanced and commodity networking capabilities the conference needs to support large-scale HPC demos. In recent years, SCinet has delivered bandwidths exceeding 1 terabit per second and has had the opportunity to utilize new services and technology, such as pre-production software-defined networking and intrusion detection systems. Travel for SCinet Training: This grant funds selected participants to travel for the staging (if applicable), setup, and attendance of the SC conference and SCinet. Travel could include up to three weeks (or some portion of these three weeks) depending on the SCinet team needs. SCinet Staging: October 20-28 SCinet Setup: November 7-12 SC Exhibit Show and Conference: November 13-19 Project Measurement: After completion of the conference, participants will be asked to report on their experiences and touch on topics such as: what part of the training was new or useful, which learning experiences were not effective or valuable, and other targeted questions that will help drive the future of gender diversity outreach efforts. This reflection will be shared with their home institution, SCinet leadership, project PIs, the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. Selection Criteria: Candidates will be reviewed by a panel of experts from the research and education community for current job relevance, stated support from applicant's employer, ability to attend the conference (we will take care of the travel costs but you must be able to set aside time to attend), areas of interest (see application form), and desire to participate in SCinet! The review committee will select up to seven candidates to receive funding to set up SCinet at the SC conference in Salt Lake City from October 20-28 and November 7-19, 2016. Final candidates will be notified by mid to late August 2016. Proposal Submission: Please review and fill out the application by clicking here. If you have any questions about WINS, please email to: [email protected] The WINS project team includes: Marla Meehl - NCAR/UCAR (PI), Mary Hester (ESnet), Wendy Huntoon (KINBER), Kate Petersen Mace (ESnet), Lauren Rotman (ESnet). *NSF 2015 grant #ACI-1440642 View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160526005213/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 26, 2016] Huawei Servers Moved Up to Gartner's Challengers Quadrant SHENZHEN, China, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Huawei today announced that its servers have been moved up from the Niche Players Quadrant to the Challengers Quadrant by Gartner, the world's leading IT technology research and advisory company, according to newest release of Gartner's Magic Quadrant. Huawei believes these results confidently show that Huawei servers are receiving extensive industry recognition and that their reputation is spreading quickly. For the 2016 Magic Quadrant, there are 15 weighted criteria that are used to rate vendors based on their relative strengths in the market. The vertical axis of the quadrant measures the vendor's ability to execute, and the horizontal axis measures the vendor's completeness of vision. Ability to execute includes the following criteria: product or service, overall viability, sales execution/pricing, market responsiveness/record, marketing execution, customer experience, and operations. Completeness of vision includes the following criteria: market understanding, market strategy, sales strategy, offering (product) strategy, business model, vertical/industry strategy, innovation, and geographic strategy. Gartner's evaluation on Huawei has been moved from the Niche Players Quadrant in 2015 to the Challengers Quadrant in 2016, and Huawei believes this is demonstrating Huawei servers' improvement in terms of execution ability and vision completeness. Huawei is committed to innovation of server products, and has developed a broad portfolio of products including scale up, scale out, converged architecture and I/O acceleration. The recently launched Huawei KunLun server is the world's first 32-socket mission critical server and serves as Huawei's flagship product. Employing a modular architecture, KunLun brings together the most cutting-edge server technologies of Huawei. It delivers reliability and performance that far surpasses existing standard open-architecture midrange computers by leveraging Huawei's innovative reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) 2.0 technologies and processor interconnect technologies. "Huawei has been relentless in building servers that differentiate themselves by their high quality, reliability, and cutting-edge technologies, servers that are engineered by centering around customer requirements and tailored to the customers' usage scenarios," said Qiu Long, president of the Huawei Server Product Line. "Thanks to Huawei's dogged determination of investing in R&D, with over 10% of Huawei's annual revenue going to product research and development, Huawei has been able to continuously innovate servers from the bottom-layer chips, overall architecture, engineering design and upper-layer applications, meeting the customers' requirements for a computing infrastructure of today and tomorrow. Huawei believes the move up to the Challengers Quadrant and recognition from the world's leading information technology research and advisory company demonstrates the success of Huawei servers' strategies and the strength of our market position." According to a 2015 server market share report from Gartner, Huawei servers ranked No. 4 by shipment in the global market1, and No. 1 by rack-blade server shipment in China2. Huawei has extended its server business footprint to over 150 countries in the world. Source 1, Gartner Press Release " Gartner Says Worldwide Server Revenue Grew 8.2 Percent in the Fourth Quarter of 2015, While Shipments Increased 9.2 Percent" March 9, 2016 http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/3243417 Source 2, Gartner "Market Share: Servers, Asia/Pacific, 4Q15 Update" 09 March 2016 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/huawei-servers-moved-up-to-gartners-challengers-quadrant-300275419.html SOURCE Huawei [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] CHARLESTON -- Dan Nadler, former Eastern Illinois University vice president for students affairs, will be leaving the campus after 10 years as a vice president to go to Northern Kentucky University. I am honored and excited for the opportunity to join President Mearns and the NKU leadership team, Nadler said. NKU has a strong commitment to student success, as evidenced by the priorities set out in its strategic plan... I look forward to building and strengthening dynamic and innovative programs that will meet the needs of our diverse student body. Starting July 18, Nadler will begin at NKU as the vice president for student affairs. This comes before he would have fully transitioned to faculty status as a tenured professor at EIU on a full-time basis in the Department of Counseling and Student Development at the start of the 2016 fall semester. He was on educational leave for the period of the 2016 spring semester. NKU President Geoffrey Mearns said in a press release he is pleased to bring Nadler into the fold. He said Nadler joins the leadership team at a critical time with NKU facing issues many state universities across the country are facing, such as dwindling state funds. With state funding continuing to decline, student retention is more important than ever, Mearns said in the release. We must do all that we can to recruit students who are prepared to succeed here and then give them the support they need to be successful at NKU and beyond. As the NKU vice president for student affairs, Nadler will head a variety of departments at the university, according to the release. Lynette Drake, EIU director of health services, has served as the interim associate vice president for student affairs, a position that has been previously vacant, since the start of Nadler's transition to serve as a faculty member. "EIU appreciates the excellent leadership and service Dr. Nadler has provided to the university as vice president of student affairs and wish him much success in his new position," EIU President David Glassman said in an email. SPRINGFIELD -- House Speaker Michael Madigan says House Democrats plan to move ahead with their own budget plan despite efforts among rank-and-file lawmakers to forge a compromise with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. After meeting today with Rauner and the three other legislative leaders, Madigan, a Chicago Democrat, said the governor and his agents havent been convincing in the working groups. Rauner has continued to insist that portions of his pro-business, union-weakening turnaround agenda be included in any budget deal. Hes not being real persuasive, Madigan said. While Madigan plans to continue sending members to the working groups, he said his caucus will call for a vote on its own budget plan as soon as this afternoon. Thats the same path Democrats followed last year, when they sent Rauner a budget that was roughly $4 billion out of balance. Rauner vetoed all but the portion covering elementary and secondary education. This years budget plan is reportedly $7 billion out of balance. Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, said her skepticism following a meeting among the leaders last week was proven correct. What we heard today was a vigorous defense of the status quo, Radogno said. She added: My sense is they have absolutely no interest in trying to save the state from going off the deep end. But Ill tell you, every single rank-and-file Democrat who follows the speaker is on notice that they are a party to this. House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, said its irresponsible of the House Democrats to move budget bills before the working groups have finished their work. Neither Rauner nor Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, spoke to reporters after the meeting. The governors office says the working group meetings will continue and that the administration will call daily meetings with the legislative leaders through Tuesdays scheduled end of the spring legislative session. SPRINGFIELD -- Buoyed by a labor rally outside the Capitol last week that drew an estimated crowd of 10,000, Illinois House Democrats on Wednesday made another failed attempt to override Republican Gov. Bruce Rauners veto of a bill that wouldve sent stalled union contract talks to arbitration. Rauner vetoed a similar bill last year, calling it the worst legislation hed ever seen, and the House fell three votes short of overriding him. This time around, the override failed by two votes. The governors office was quick to praise the outcome, issuing a statement thanking those members who took the pro-taxpayer position today. It is now time to move forward and find compromise on a balanced budget with structural reforms that will put our state on the path to prosperity, spokeswoman Catherine Kelly said in a written statement. The bill would have applied to any state contract that has expired or will expire between June 30, 2015, and June 30, 2019, and would have authorized an independent arbitrator to decide on an issue-by-issue basis which side had made the more reasonable offer. Rauner said the bill would have taken the power to negotiate away from him and given it to an unelected arbitrator who wouldnt be accountable to taxpayers. Supporters said the bill was necessary due to anti-union statements Rauner made while campaigning for governor and because his administration has walked away from the bargaining table with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, which represents 38,000 state employees. The bills sponsor, Rep. Chris Welch, D-Hillside, said it represented a serious concession on the part of unions because they would be giving up their right to strike. Welch urged fellow lawmakers to listen to the voices of those who filled the streets outside the Capitol last week. This is not about Rauner versus (Democratic House Speaker Michael) Madigan, he said. This is not about AFSCME. This is about those real people you heard from last week. Rep. Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale, another supporter, noted that voters are already being flooded with robocalls and campaign mailers claiming that the bill would result in a $3 billion tax increase. Its just the machine perpetrated by (the governors office) to go against working men and women in this state, Smiddy said. Shortly after the vote, the Illinois Republican Party sent out emails targeting Democratic lawmakers who voted in favor of the override, including Reps. John Bradley of Marion and Brandon Phelps of Harrisburg. The state GOP said each lawmaker sent a clear signal today that he wants to raises taxes on Illinois families by $3.6 billion. AFSCME has said the cost claims that the governor and other Republicans have made are wildly exaggerated because they include costs associated with the unions existing contract. We are deeply disappointed in the 48 legislators in the House today who failed to override Gov. Rauners veto of the fair arbitration bill, AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch said in a written statement. They sided with the governor against the people of Illinois and against the public service workers who protect kids, care for veterans and the disabled, respond to emergencies and keep us safe. The Rauner administration in January moved to have an impasse declared in contract talks with AFSCME. An administrative law judge for the Illinois Labor Relations Board is currently hearing arguments in that case. The hearings are scheduled to conclude this week, but a decision is not expected until July at the earliest. If Administrative Law Judge Sarah Kerley sides with the state, it could clear the way for Rauner to impose his contract terms on the union. CHARLESTON -- A woman was sentenced to prison when she admitted driving with a revoked license last year, marking at least her eighth conviction for that type of offense. Tanisha C. Morris, 37, for whom court records list an address of an apartment at 950 Edgar Drive, Charleston, received a one-year sentence. She pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while license revoked that resulted from a traffic stop on Jan. 12 of last year. The charge was a felony because of prior convictions, and records show seven prior license revoked or license suspended convictions for Morris in Vermilion County. Prison time wasn't required but one year was the minimum prison sentence possible for the conviction. Morris did face a possibility of up to six years, twice the normal maximum, because of her record. Morris also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor driving under the influence charge stemming from a June 20 traffic stop. Her one-year probation sentence for that offense will be in place when she's released from prison. Probation terms included substance abuse treatment. Coles County Circuit Judge Teresa Righter also included about $3,400 in fines and court fees in the sentence. The judge allowed Morris to wait until June 16 to report to the county jail for transport to prison. Righter imposed the sentence by accepting the terms of a plea agreement that Assistant State's Attorney Jesse Danley and Public Defender Anthony Ortega recommended. In other cases in court before Rigther recently: Charges accusing Jason D. Nield, 35, of choking and pushing a woman at her Mattoon residence on Feb. 20, 2014, were dismissed. Assistant State's Attorney Rob Scales, who prosecuted the case, said he had been unable to contact the woman Nield was accused of attacking. The lack of the chief, complaining witness meant he couldn't take the case to trial, Scales explained. Nield, for whom records list a Paris address, was charged with felony domestic battery offenses. The charges alleged he impeded the woman's breathing by choking her and that he also has an earlier domestic battery conviction from Edgar County. Righter granted Scales' motion to dismiss the charges. Ortega represented Nield. Mildred B. Gross, 48, whose address on record is 1804 20th St., Apt. A, Charleston, was sentenced to 2 1/2 years of probation for having cocaine on June 1. Gross pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of a controlled substance in February, when there was no agreement on the sentence. A prison sentence of one to six years had been possible. Probation terms included substance abuse treatment and other counseling and payment of about $2,500 in fines and fees. Righter based the sentence on recommendations from Ortega and Assistant State's Attorney Bryant Hitchings. MATTOON -- The process to get new school buildings for the district was an arduous one stemming from community concerns over the project, but it ultimately succeeded with Williams Elementary School and Riddle Elementary School opening their doors to students in 2003. In August of that year, students in the first class to walk through these schools doors as kindergartners experienced the first day of their school career. Now, 13 years later, this class of students is preparing to graduate Friday as the first students to have spent their entire elementary school career in Williams and Riddle. It is hard to believe that it has been that many years, said Jennifer Hunt, a kindergarten teacher at Humboldt before moving to Williams. Its wonderful to think they were the first group that we had here in the new schools and that now they have made their way all through here. It is very neat to think about that. Williams and Riddle replaced the original six old schools that were strewn across Mattoon: Washington, Lincoln, Columbia, Humboldt, Bennett and Hawthorne elementary schools, said Les Edwards, former principal at Williams during the transition. Nancy Conlon, who was a kindergarten teacher at Lincoln before moving to Riddle, said it was interesting considering the idea that when the students walked through the doors, they did not know anything better or worse. According to some of the teachers at those six schools, the move to these new schools was a breath of fresh air compared to dealing with the quirks of the old buildings. One such quirk included the air conditioning, or lack thereof, in the buildings. Hunt said fans become a necessity to cool off their students as well as themselves. In her class, she even turned off the lights to help with the heat. I would probably have at least two (fans) going. You would have to turn the lights off too because lights add heat, Hunt said. You could (have the lights off) because the room I had had windows all along the walls. Even so, students often had to be let out early on very hot days. At the time, with Williams and Riddle on their way, teachers and staff were especially ready for the change in scenery. It was like moving into a brand-new house, said Chris Bough, Riddle assistant principal, who was a third-grade teacher at Washington. The transition to these buildings, though, said Bruce Barnard, former principal at Riddle during the transition, was not easy. Leading up to the first day students would fill the building in August, teachers and staff had extensively planned for the growing onslaught of students enrolled. Edwards said the transition from the old neighborhood-style schools to these mega schools was substantial not only because of the larger size of classrooms but classes as well. Barnard said one cafeteria period at the new schools was equivalent to the entire population of one of the smaller, old schools at the time. The district went from dealing with 200 children per school to about 800 or more. Even with preparation, the schools still went through growing pains, Edwards said, specifically with traffic control not only outside, but in. Routes for classes of students needed to be mapped out for each building because of their size and a number of students that scurried along their hallways. Growing pains were especially evident on the first couple of days. Chris Bough said the first day for teachers posed special challenges especially when letting out the 800 students to their buses or parents. We were used to having one bus, maybe two, Bough said. That first day we were here and we walked out at dismissal and there are a dozen buses out there... We walked and we went Oh my gosh. I think that is when I realized we were so big It was scary. Conlon said they eventually had to put signs in the windows of the buses so that if a student didn't know which bus was his or hers, at least an adult would. Barnard said it was a marvel in itself that in three years' time the buildings were up and occupied, considering the scrutiny that was raised in the community against the structures being built, but it was especially inspiring to see what the buildings have been able to offer the students. Along with air conditioning, the new buildings provide more opportunity for technological expansion that would not have been possible in the old buildings. Barnard said the new buildings set Mattoon up for modern education. I don't think anyone would go back, Edwards said. Members of the Class of 2016 who were the first to go through these schools for their entire grade school education will be graduating at 8 p.m. Friday in the Mattoon High School gym. Yeah, okay, then, what's up with this? Goodbye, empty nest: Millennials staying longer with parents WASHINGTON (AP) Many of America's young adults appear to be in no hurry to move out of their old bedrooms. For the first time on record, living with parents is now the most common arrangement for people ages 18 to 34, an analysis of census data by the Pew Research Center has found. And the proportion of older millennials those ages 25 to 34 who are living at home has reached its highest point (19 percent) on record, Pew analysts said. Nearly one-third of all millennials live with their parents, slightly more than the proportion who live with a spouse or partner. It's the first time that living at home has outpaced living with a spouse for this age group since such record-keeping began in 1880. The remaining young adults are living alone, with other relatives, in college dorms, as roommates or under other circumstances. The sharp shift reflects a long-running decline in marriage, amplified by the economic upheavals of the Great Recession. The trend has been particularly evident among Americans who lack a college degree. ... Jennifer Post, 26, has been living with her parents in Villas, New Jersey, since dropping out of law school two years ago. A law career wasn't a good fit for her, Post decided, and now she's seeking a job in digital media or marketing. There aren't many opportunities in Villas, a beach town. Even living at home, she said it's been hard to save for a move to a bigger city after she was laid off from a baking job in March. Post spends her days on her laptop, sending resumes and refreshing LinkedIn and other job sites. To her parents, it looks as though she's slacking off. "It's definitely a generation gap," she said. "I think they literally think I just sit down and watch Netflix all day." ... In 2000, only 23 percent of young adults were living with parents. In 2014, the figure reached 32.1 percent. ... "We've simply got a lot more singles," said Richard Fry, lead author of the report and a senior economist at Pew. "They're the group much more likely to live with their parents." The typical U.S. woman now marries at 27.1 years old, the typical man at 29.2, according to census data. That's up from record lows of 20.1 for women and 22.5 for men in 1956. "They're concentrating more on school, careers and work and less focused on forming new families, spouses or partners and children," Fry said. ... Other factors contributing to more millennials living with parents range from rising apartment rents to heavy student-debt loads to longer periods in college. Many analysts had expected that as the economy improved, younger adults would increasingly move out on their own. That hasn't happened. Jed Kolko, a senior fellow at the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at the University of California, Berkeley, says soaring rents are discouraging some from leaving their parents' homes. ... Heavier student debt loads have sent more young people back to their parents' nests, according to research by economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Other economists aren't convinced that student debt plays a dominant role. They note that the proportion of young adults without college degrees who live with parents is especially high: Nearly 39 percent of those with only a high school degree were living with a parent in 2014, up from around 26 percent in 2000. That compares with just 19 percent of young adult college grads living at home in 2014. That figure, though, is up sharply from 11 percent in 2000. ... Casey Marshella moved back in with her parents in Fairfield, Conn., after graduating from Boston University last year. Just this week, she moved into an apartment with her sister. Within weeks, she and a friend who also lives with her parents expect to find their own place. Marshella, 22, says living at home has helped her save money from her job as a human resources specialist. Because many people her age share the same circumstances, most sympathize with her. Still, Marshella says their first question is usually, "So when are you planning on moving out?" *** I think most of us have been aware of this trend. What I want to know is: What ever happened to having pride in achieving one's independence? That used to be a staple of youth: to become a teen and start practicing driving; then to drive on your own; then to go off to college or trade school, or get some kind of full-time job, and start learning to do your own thing, make a living and be fully independent of your parents. Of course, we all need our parents all of our lives. But why isn't there the impetus now to get away from Mama and Dada and be on your own? I wonder how many of these young people still have Mommy doing their laundry. Does she iron their Underoos? Does Daddy still fill their car up with gasoline every week? Sheesh. I understand there are economic constraints in many situations. But at the least, these young people should be paying their parents rent while they live at home. And it's the fault of both the parent and the child if they're not. An empty nest was once a source of pride. It meant that you raised your youngster to be a strong, independent adult and he/she was on his/her own. Independence once was one of the most sought-after qualities for young people. Now apparently it's just to keep looking at that poster of Ralph Macchio on the wall (yes, I'm dating myself now) or all those Matchbox cars on the shelf and go off to work at a fast food restaurant at age 32. My nieces and nephews know the expectations already, and they range in age from 16 to 9. Generally speaking, they're expected to get a job by about age 16 (my nephew Danny is a lifeguard for the summer) and start saving (more) for college. It's assumed that they'll get good grades and head off for college, or trade school, or some education past high school. They may live at home while in college -- at least community college, if that's the route they choose. But once that college diploma is in hand, they're expected to be on their own. What's so bad about these expectations? Where did they go for the majority of young people? Parents aren't doing their kids any favors by letting them live at home indefinitely. There's a lot to be said for keeping your own house or apartment (or one with a roommate/spouse): the little things like doing your own laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc.; paying the rent, utilities and insurance; and maintaining your own vehicle, for example. I always thought it was called "being a grownup." Alas, perhaps I'm just not "with the times." Maybe it's just so much harder now because college costs so much and young people just can't make it on their own. Maybe job prospects are so poor that the majority of college grads have to go home to Mom and Dad's for a while before they are gainfully employed. But I'm not buying that. Are you? SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois Senate is considering a different overhaul to the states education funding formula than the one it approved earlier this month. The new bill, sponsored by Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, would transition the state from the way it currently distributes money to elementary and secondary schools -- widely believed to do a poor job getting funding to the districts that need it most -- to a new evidence-based model beginning with the 2017-18 school year. For next school year, the state would use the formula created in the earlier bill, sponsored by Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill. Lightfords bill would create a four-tiered system to direct state money to the districts with the highest need and make sure all are adequately funded. Ralph Martire, executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, worked with school officials to develop the new formula, which he said is based on 27 factors that have a strong statistical correlation to student success. If we do in fact fund an evidence-based model, you will see test scores go up, graduation rates go up, dropout rates go down, college attendance rates go up, college completion rates go up, Martire told the Senate Executive Committee, which approved the bill Thursday. Youll see the kinds of outcomes from the educational system we want. The model is designed to adequately fund the practices that research has shown will improve those measures, he said. Lets ensure every school has the resources it needs to educate the children that walk through its doors, predicated on their requirements, Martire said, adding that the formula takes into account demographic factors such as students English proficiency, socioeconomic backgrounds and disabilities. Republicans on the Senate committee objected to being asked to vote on the bill without projections from the Illinois State Board of Education on what it would mean for individual districts. Supporters said those figures arent available because next years funding level hasnt been set. The new plan is expected to require hundreds of millions of dollars in additional funding. Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, questioned whether it would be wise to go through three different school funding formulas in as many school years. Republicans also raised questions about whether Chicago Public Schools would get more than its fair share of funding. The GOP has called for fully funding elementary and secondary schools next year under the existing formula, an increase of $55 million compared with this year. The House, meanwhile, has passed a budget bill for next year that would increase school funding by $700 million without changing the formula. While the Senate committee was hearing testimony Thursday morning, the voices of people rallying in support of Manars bill, including many from Chicago Public Schools, could be heard echoing under the Capitol dome. They chanted, Fair funding! Now! Manar, who spoke at the rally, said later that he doesnt see Lightfords bill as being in competition with his. Both plans are trying to get to the same place, he said. The bill appears on the surface to be somewhat similar to a proposal Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, floated to members of the General Assembly last week as a bipartisan compromise. He suggested using portions of Manars bill as a bridge to the evidence-based model. But Barickman said the new bill deviates from his proposal in major ways, most significantly in provisions dealing with Chicago Public Schools. For example, it includes $205 million in additional funding next year to cover the employers share of Chicago teachers pensions. Thats a cost the state already picks up for all other districts. Barickman also objects to the fact that Chicago would continue to receive lump sums for expenses such as special education and early childhood education. That money is distributed to other districts on a per-pupil basis. This is dramatically different than what I proposed, he said, adding, You cant just cherry-pick the ideas that you like and then pretend like youve embraced some compromise. Reminiscences on the Theory of Time-Sharing John McCarthy, Stanford University 1983 Winter or Spring I remember thinking about time-sharing about the time of my first contact with computers and being surprised that this wasn't the goal of IBM and all the other manufacturers and users of computers. This might have been around 1955. By time-sharing, I meant an operating system that permits each user of a computer to behave as though he were in sole control of a computer, not necessarily identical with the machine on which the operating system is running. Christopher Strachey may well have been correct in saying in his letter to Donald Knuth that the term was already in use for time-sharing among programs written to run together. This idea had already been used in the SAGE system. I don't know how this kind of time-sharing was implemented in SAGE. Did each program have to be sure to return to an input polling program or were there interrupts? Who invented interrupts anyway? I thought of them, but I don't believe I mentioned the idea to anyone before I heard of them from other sources. My first attempts to do something about time-sharing was in the Fall of 1957 when I came to the M.I.T. Computation Center on a Sloan Foundation fellowship from Dartmouth College. It was immediately clear to me that the time-sharing the IBM 704 would require some kind of interrupt system. I was very shy of proposing hardware modifications, especially as I didn't understand electronics well enough to read the logic diagrams. Therefore, I proposed the minimal hardware modification I could think of. This involved installing a relay so that the 704 could be put into trapping mode by an external signal. It was also proposed to connect the sense switches on the ccnsole in parallel with relays that could be operated by a Flexowriter (a kind of teletype based on an IBM typewriter). When the machine went into trapping mode, an interrupt to a fixed location would occur the next time the machine attempted to execute a jump instruction (then called a transfer). The interrupt would occur when the Flexowriter had set up a character in a relay buffer. The interrupt program would then read the character from the sense switches into a buffer, test whether the buffer was full, and if not return to the interrupted program. If the buffer was full, the program would store the current program on the drum and read in a program to deal with the buffer. It was agreed (I think I talked to Dean Arden only.) to install the equipment, and I believe that permission was obtained from IBM to modify the computer. The connector to be installed in the computer was obtained. However, at this time we heard about the "real time package" for the IBM 704. This RPQ (request for price quotation was IBM jargon for a modification to the computer whose price wasn't guaranteed), which rented for $2,500 per month had been developed at the request of Boeing for the purpose of allowing the 704 to accept information from a wind tunnel. Some element of ordinary time-sharing would have been involved, but we did not seek contact with Boeing. Anyway it was agreed that the real time package, which involved the possibility of interrupting after any instruction, would be much better than merely putting the machine in trapping mode. Therefore we undertook to beg IBM for the real time package. IBM's initial reaction was favorable, but nevertheless it took a long time to get the real time package - perhaps a year, perhaps two. It was then agreed that someone, perhaps Arnold Siegel, would design the hardware to connect one Flexowriter to the computer, and later an installation with three would be designed. Siegel designed and build the equipment, the operating system was suitably modified (I don't remember by whom), and demonstration of on-line LISP was held for a meeting of the M.I.T. Industrial Affiliates. This demonstration, which I planned and carried out, had the audience in a fourth floor lecture room and me in the computer room and a rented closed circuit TV system. Steve Russell, who worked for me, organized the practical details including a rehearsal. This demonstration was called time-stealing, and was regarded as a mere prelude to proper time-sharing. It involved a fixed program in the bottom of memory that collected characters from the Flexowriter in a buffer while an ordinary batch job was running. It was only after each job was run that a job that would deal with the characters typed in would be read in from the drum. This job would do what it could until more input was wanted and would then let the operating system go back to the batch stream. This worked for the demonstration, because at certain hours, the M.I.T. Computation Center operated at certain hours a batch stream with a time limit of one minute on any job. Around the time of this demonstration, Herbert Teager came to M.I.T. as an assistant professor of Electrical Engineering and expressed interest in the time-sharing project. Some of the ideas of time-sharing overlapped some ideas he had had while on his previous job, but I don't remember what they were. Philip Morse, the Director of the Computation Center, asked me if I was agreeable to turning over the time-sharing project to Teager, since artificial intelligence was my main interest. I agreed to this, and Teager undertook to design the three Flexowriter system. I'm not sure it was ever completed. There was a proposal for support for time-sharing submitted to NSF and money was obtained. I don't remember whether this preceded Teager, and I don't remember what part I had in preparing it or whether he did it after he came. This should be an important document, because it will contain that year's conception of and rationale for time-sharing. Besides that, IBM was persuaded to make substantial modifications to the IBM 7090 to be installed at the M.I.T. Computation Center. These included memory protection and relocation and an additional 32,768 words of memory for the time-sharing system. Teager was the main specifier of these modifications. I remember my surprise when IBM agreed to his proposals. I had supposed that relocation and memory protection would greatly slow the addressing of the computer, but this turned out not to be the case. Teager's plans for time-sharing were ambitious and, it seemed to many of us, vague. Therefore, Corbato undertook an "interim" solution using some of the support that had been obtained from NSF for time-sharing work. This system was demonstrated some time in 1962, but it wasn't put into regular operation. That wasn't really possible until ARPA support for Project MAC permitted buying a separate IBM 7090. Around 1960 I began to consult at BBN on artificial intelligence and explained my ideas about time-sharing to Ed Fredkin and J. C. R. Licklider. Fredkin, to my surprise, proposed that time-sharing was feasible on the PDP-1 computer. This was D.E.C.'s first computer, and BBN had the prototype. Fredkin designed the architecture of an interrupt system and designed a control system for the drum to permit it to be used in a very efficient swapping mode. He convinced Ben Gurley, the chief engineer for D.E.C. to build this equipment. It was planned to ask NIH for support, because of potential medical applications of time-sharing computers, but before the proposal could even be written, Fredkin left BBN. I took technical charge of the project as a one-day-a-week consultant, and Sheldon Boilen was hired to do the programming. I redesigned the memory extension system proposed by D.E.C. and persuaded them to build the modified system instead of the two systems they were offering, but fortunately hadn't built. I also supervised Boilen. Shortly after this project was undertaken, D.E.C. decided to give a PDP-1 to the M.I.T. Electrical Engineering Department. Under the leadership of Jack Dennis, this computer was installed in the same room as the TX-0 experimental transistorized computer that had been retired from Lincoln Laboratory when TX-2 was built. Dennis and his students undertook to make a time-sharing system for it. The equipment was similar, but they were given less memory than the BBN project had. There wasn't much collaboration. My recollection is that the BBN project was finished first in the summer of 1962, but perhaps Corbato remembers earlier demonstrations of CTSS. I left for Stanford in the Fall of 1962, and I hadn't seen CTSS, and I believe I hadn't seen Dennis's system operate either. BBN didn't operate the first system and didn't even fix the bugs. They had few computer users and were content to continue the system whereby users signed up for the whole computer. They did undertake a much larger follow-on project involving a time-shared PDP-1 that was installed in Massachusetts General Hospital, where it was not a success. The computer was inadequate, there were hardware and software bugs, and there was a lack of application programs, but mainly the project was premature. At the same time that CTSS, the BBN system, and the EE Department systems were being developed, M.I.T. had started to plan for a next generation computer system. The management of M.I.T. evidently started this as an ordinary university planning exercise and appointed a high level committee consisting of Philip Morse, Albert Hill and Robert Fano to supervise the effort. However, the actual computer scientists were persuaded that a revolution in the way computers were used - to time-sharing - was called for. The lower level committee was chaired by Teager, but after his ideas clashed with those of everyone else, the committee was reconstituted with me as chairman. The disagreement centered around how ambitious to be and whether to go for an interim solution. Teager wanted to be very ambitious, but the rest of us thought his ideas were vague, and he wanted M.I.T. to acquire an IBM 7030 (Stretch) computer as an interim solution. As it turned out, acquiring a Stretch would have been a good idea. Our second report to M.I.T. proposed that M.I.T. send out a request for proposals to computer manufacturers. On the basis of the responses, we would then ask the Government for the money. The RFP was written, but M.I.T. stalled perhaps for two reasons. The first reason was that our initial cost estimates were very large for reasons of conservatism. Secondly, IBM asked M.I.T. to wait saying that they would make a proposal to meet M.I.T.'s needs at little or no cost. Unfortunately, the 360 design took longer than IBM management expected, and along about that time, relations between M.I.T. and IBM became very strained because of the patent lawsuit about the invention of magnetic core memory. As part of the stall, President Stratton proposed a new study with a more thorough market survey to establish the demand for time-sharing among M.I.T. computer users. I regarded this as analogous to trying to establish the need for steam shovels by market surveys among ditch diggers and didn't want to do it. About this time George Forsythe invited me to come back to Stanford with the intention of building a Computer Science Department, and I was happy to return to California. In all this, there wasn't much publication. I wrote a memo to Morse dated January 1, 1959 proposing that we time-share our expected "transistorized IBM 709". It has been suggested that the date was in error and should have been 1960. I don't remember now, but I believe that if the memo had been written at the end of 1959, it would have referred to the 7090, because that name was by then current. In that memo I said the idea of time-sharing wasn't especially new. I don't know why I said that, except that I didn't want to bother to distinguish it from what was done in the SAGE system with which I wasn't very familiar. Most of my argumentation for time-sharing was oral, and when I complained about Fano and Corbato crediting Strachey with time-sharing in their 1966 Scientific American article, Corbato was surprised to find my 1959 memo in the files. Their correction in Scientific American was incorrect, because they supposed that Strachey and I had developed the idea independently, whereas giving each user continuous access to the machine wasn't Strachey's idea at all. In fact, he didn't even like the idea when he heard about it. Teager and I prepared a joint abstract for an ACM meeting shortly after he arrived, and I gave a lecture in an M.I.T series called Management and the Computer of the Future. In this lecture I referred to Strachey's paper "Time-sharing of large fast computers" given at the 1959 IFIP Congress in Paris. I had read the paper carelessly, and supposed he meant the same thing as I did. As he subsequently pointed out, he meant something quite different that did not involve a large number of users, each behaving as though he had a machine to himself. As I recall, he mainly referred to fixed programs, some of which were compute bound and some input-output bound. He did mention debugging as one of the time-shared activities, but I believe his concept involved one person debugging while the other jobs were of the conventional sort. My 1959 memo advertised that users generally would get the advantage of on-line debugging. However, it said nothing about how many terminals would be required and where they would be located. I believe I imagined them to be numerous and in the users' offices, but I cannot be sure. Referring to an "exchange" suggests that I had in mind many terminals. I cannot now imagine what the effect was on the reader of my failure to be explicit about this point. I'm afraid I was trying to minimize the difficulty of the project. The major technical error of my 1959 ideas was an underestimation of the computer capacity required for time-sharing. I still don't understand where all the computer time goes in time-sharing installations, and neither does anyone else. Besides M.I.T.'s NSF proposal, there ought to be some letters to IBM and perhaps some IBM internal documents about the proposal, since they put more than a million dollars worth of equipment into it. Gordon Bell discusses D.E.C.'s taking up time-sharing in Bell and Newell book, but I don't recall that they discuss Ben Gurley's role. Fredkin and perhaps Alan Kotok would know about that. After I came to Stanford in 1962, I organized another PDP-1 time-sharing project. This was the first time-sharing system based on display terminals. It was used until 1969 or 1970 for Suppes's work on computer aided instruction. [1994 note: Then it was donated to the Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur, where it was used for about 10 years.] Apppendix: Don Knuth, who was curious about who had done what, wrote to Christopher Strachey and got the following reply. OXFORD UNIVERSITY COMPUTING LABORATORY 45 Banbury Road PROGRAMMING RESEARCH GROUP Oxford OX2 6PE 1st May 1974 Professor D. E. Knuth Stanford University Computer Science Department Stanford, California 94305 U.S.A. Dear Don: The paper I wrote called `Time-Sharing in Large Fast Computers' was read at the first (pre IFIP) conference at Paris in l960. It was mainly about multi--programming (to avoid waiting for peripherals) although it did envisage this going on at the same time as a programmer was debugging his program at a console. I did not envisage the sort of console system which is now so confusingly called time-sharing. I still think my use of the term is the more natural. I am afraid I am so rushed at the moment, being virtually alone in the PRG and having just moved house, that I have no time to look up any old notes I may have. I hope to be able to do so while settling in and if I find anything of interest I will let you know. Don't place too much reliance on Halsbury's accuracy. He tends to rely on memory and get the details wrong. But he was certainly right to say that in l960 `time-sharing' as a phrase was much in the air. It was, however, generally used in my sense rather than in John McCarthy's sense of a CTSS-like object. Best wishes, Yours sincerely, C. Strachey Professor of Computation University of Oxford Michael John Holland died gently at noon on Tuesday, May 24, 2016, following an illness of several years. He leaves this world a better place for having lived here 75 years. It was beautiful to live where he lived. Services will be held at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 27, at St. David's Episcopal Church. Friends are invited to a celebratory luncheon at 11 a.m. at the church. A private interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery. This summer the family will gather in New Mexico to scatter remaining ashes in the forest foothills of the Sangre de Christo Mountains. Condolences to aspenaftercare.com The University of Nebraska Board of Regents approved a $941 million budget Tuesday that increases operations by 3.4 percent for 2016-17. NU will draw from a 3 percent increase in state aid approved by the Legislature and a 2.5 percent increase in tuition approved by regents last year, potentially adding $31 million to the university system's coffers next year. The budget includes a 2.5 percent increase in need-based aid for students, bringing the total investment by the university to $11 million. It also provides a 2.5 percent hike to a salary merit pool for faculty and staff members across the university system. NU will make several targeted investments in next years budget, including a $2.5 million increase for its Programs of Excellence, bringing to $30 million total funding for the academic programs deemed important to both the state and the university. The Programs of Excellence are competitive funding sources awarded within the university by Provost Susan Fritz in areas including engineering, information technology, medical research, agriculture and early childhood. The 2016-17 budget also adds $250,000 to the Intercampus Development Fund, which provides money for NU President Hank Bounds to invest in university-wide programs. The university also will invest in programs identified by Gov. Pete Ricketts and members of the Legislature that further the states economic competitiveness. The budget approved Wednesday is based on enrollment projects, and depending on the number of students that attend individual campuses, the system may have to cut as much as $4.5 million across all four next year. If cuts are necessary, the individual campuses would make them, with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln taking about half of whatever amount needs to be shaved systemwide. Chancellor Ronnie Green said that based on initial estimates, UNL could have a record freshman class, which would negate the need for cuts. And Bounds noted that budget and enrollment are estimated conservatively, with resident tuition estimates staying nearly flat, not counting the tuition increase. NU officials estimate non-resident tuition will rise by about 1 percent. Distance, or online, education is growing the fastest, with estimates it will go up by 5 percent next year. It appears students are taking some traditional and some online courses, a dynamic that could have long-term effects on how the university delivers education. The confusion is understandable, when for some unknown reason your elementary school principal shows up at your high school pep rally. Or when you're sure the principal you see every day at your grade school is right there, in the grocery store, so of course your face lights up and you say, Hello, Mrs. Suarez! Marcella Sanchez-Nelsen knows this, and so does Michelle Suarez, and so for the past three decades whichever woman happened to be mistaken for the other would explain -- patiently and kindly. The incidents of mistaken identity are nothing new. Theyve happened over a lifetime, are wrapped up in the history that led the two women to spend their careers at Lincoln Public Schools, share a passion for education and understand the power it holds for the future. No, the women have grown accustomed to explaining, youre thinking of my identical twin. Except, Sanchez-Nelsen decided, if a student was really young it was better to just go with it. One time I saw one of her kindergartners at the store, she said. I tried to explain to him I was not Mrs. Suarez. His face just crumbled, so then afterwards I decided if they are younger than a certain age Im just going to say, Well hello, how are you? Its so good to see you. The lives of the twin sisters, daughters of a migrant worker whose family settled in western Nebraska, have followed strikingly similar paths. They grew up in Scottsbluff, part of a big family that lived in the town's close-knit Mexican-American community. After high school, they both came to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and earned degrees in education. They worked -- Sanchez-Nelsen as a middle and high school Spanish teacher, Suarez as an elementary school teacher and principal -- in the same part of town for much of their careers. They married, had children and live three-quarters of a mile away from each other. So its not surprising the women, 56, decided to retire the same year, although they didnt exactly plan it. Like so much in their lives, it just happened -- some divine combination of fate, family, hard work and a lifetime of friendship. *** In 1977, Michelle and Marcella Sanchez climbed into their 1969 Camaro and headed east toward UNL and their brother. We asked our older brother and he said, 'If you want to keep going to high school, go to the community college. If you want a college education go to UNL,' Sanchez-Nelsen recalled. And so the high school graduates took the luggage theyd gotten as a graduation present, packed their typewriter, shifted the Camaro into drive and left. Wed never driven by ourselves, Suarez said. We just knew he would be waiting for us at the end of the journey. But how to get there, we just werent really sure. But we were together so we knew we could do it." They shared a dorm room in Pound, but culture shock and homesickness threatened to overwhelm them. It was just a different way of life because wed been cocooned in our little community and we had our little church on the corner and just this whole family sense, Sanchez-Nelsen said. We were alike in this community because we were all Mexican-American and so it was just so different in that way. The Sanchez family was part of a wave of Mexican-American immigrants drawn to western Nebraska to work in the sugar beet fields. Their dad was Mexican, the son of a migrant worker. Their mom was of Irish, English, Dutch and Welsch descent, but she embraced the Latino culture. Their maternal grandparents moved to Minatare from Michigan. Their paternal grandparents landed there because of a broken truck. They'd stopped to get it fixed on their way to Montana. The mechanic told them the truck would never make it, but there was work in Nebraska. After two years, they made it permanent, and the twins' parents grew up in the same Minatare neighborhood, married and had six children. Their mom taught them to make Mexican food and sang in the church choir, although she didnt speak the language. For 25 years, the twins were part of a Mexican folk dance group, their mom sewing their sequin-laden dresses. They didnt speak Spanish at home, but they loved the language. We always valued language because we never took it for granted, Suarez said. We always valued culture because we are, in a sense, bicultural. They also understood how education could change things. Their dad joined the Army and learned the auto body trade through the GI bill, which allowed him to provide a stable home for his family. Its that value of education, Suarez said. It changes lives, truly. Thats why weve devoted our lives and careers to making sure others have that opportunity. *** Sanchez-Nelsen and Suarez didnt decide together to major in education, exactly, although they were subject to the same influences: parents who believed and lived by the idea that it was important to make a positive difference in others lives. The most vulnerable people in our society are children and they need the very best, so I think we thought, How can we make the biggest impact?" Suarez said. "Im not sure it was all laid out in our minds, but (we thought) this is a way we can make an impact. Marty Ramirez, a UNL counselor and minority recruiter in the '70s, met the Sanchez twins on a recruiting visit to western Nebraska. A Scottsbluff native himself, he knew of the family and remembered the girls, who were 10 years his junior. There were few Latinos at UNL then, and few scholarships made available to them in high school. Ramirez helped the Sanchez girls secure a scholarship, and he kept tabs on them, encouraging them to get involved in the Mexican American Student Association. That was important, because part of the culture shock was the social element of college, they said. From the time they got their first paper route at age 10, theyd worked. Some kids would go out and have fun, and we had a wonderful life, but it was work, Suarez said. Then we came to college and there were lots of activities and we really didnt know how to join those activities because we werent used to doing that. They never felt they lacked anything growing up, but they had little money and knew it was on them to succeed once they left home. We had all the foundational pieces, the stability and the love, so we were equipped, Suarez said. We knew from that moment (we left) we were on our own. So we had to make sure we made good choices, covered our bills between scholarship and work. After a year in the dorm, they shared apartments and had lots of jobs: bank teller, bilingual secretary, coat factory worker, stuffing chocolates into Easter baskets at Russell Stovers. They both studied abroad for a semester in Mexico City, first Sanchez-Nelson, then Suarez. Sanchez-Nelsen loved the language, took to it quickly and earned her secondary education degree with majors in Spanish and history. Suarez started out in a bilingual education program but graduated with a degree in elementary education. Ramirez, whod watched them excel academically, talked to a friend who worked in personnel at LPS. You cant go wrong with these two, he told her. *** The twins became the first two in their family to graduate from college. Sanchez-Nelsen began teaching at what was then Dawes Junior High and after four years moved to Irving. In 1990, she started teaching at Southeast High School. Suarez started teaching first grade at Wilber-Clatonia and two years later moved to Beattie Elementary in Lincoln. She spent 13 years there, then became principal at Calvert Elementary. In 2010, she was named principal of Everett Elementary. It was challenging, hard work. The poverty rate at Everett is 87 percent, students speak 13 different languages and more than 40 percent are Latino. Suarez worked hard to involve families in school, creating programs where they could tell their own stories, share their culture and traditions. She and her staff faced the challenge of helping students learn the language, master the schoolwork and, often, adjust to life in a new country. But she saw the move to Everett as a gift. I feel like the reason I went into education was to help kids, to support kids like ourselves who grew up, perhaps, poor, and I wanted to be able to make sure everyone had an education, she said. I would have missed out on something if I hadnt come here. I feel like I ended my career at LPS in the right spot. Sanchez-Nelsen spent several summers teaching in LPS migrant childrens program and Suarez did the same in Scottsbluff. Their own background offered some context. I guess it helps you see that these are just people, Sanchez-Nelsen said. And everyone matters. She spent another semester studying in Mexico with her family 20 years after her college experience and encouraged her students at Southeast to travel, to learn a different language. She worked with Latino students and co-sponsored the schools Latino caucus. Both women encouraged their Spanish-speaking students to retain that language as they learned English, to see the value in bilingualism. Chandra Diaz, who teaches at Culler Middle School, heard about the twins when she was in college and looked up to them as role models, first from afar, then when she worked with them at LPS. They were very well known in the Latino community, Diaz said. They were like silent mentors to me. They were always so graceful and poised and always spoke with such eloquence. *** The sisters married -- Suarez in 1982 to a man she met in college, although they learned later they'd both grown up in Scottsbluff and his parents and her grandparents were friends. Seven years later, Sanchez-Nelsen married a science teacher she met at Dawes. She has one daughter and her sister has two, the second born just eight months before Sanchez-Nelsen's, prompting more confusion. Youre pregnant? Again? So soon? The children are grown now: Sanchez-Nelsens daughter works at a Washington, D.C., investment banking firm and Suarezs daughters are teachers -- one at LPS. Their husbands are both retired and so they came to the same decision -- separately -- that it was time for them to do the same. Well, sort of. Suarez has taken on a four-year obligation working on the early childhood initiative for Prosper Lincoln, but she doesn't believe it will be as demanding as overseeing 600 students every day. The sisters are considering a joint family trip to Europe next year -- Sanchez-Nelsen would like to learn Italian -- and theres a good chance theyll visit the place they still call home, where their maternal grandparents and mother are buried, where the history that led them to careers in education began. It centered us, Suarez said. And it still does. Alicia Shoemaker's classroom at Waverly High School is a busy place. Shoemaker, who teaches Spanish, English and world geography, heads the Spanish department, is on the school improvement team and was chosen for the Waverly school district's first leadership cadre, is this year's winner of the Frieda Battey Distinguished Educator Award. The award, which recognizes excellence in teaching and comes with a cash award for both the teacher and school, will be presented Friday. "Alicia Shoemaker is the reason that I want to be a Spanish teacher," said Stephanie Tabor, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln student who nominated Shoemaker. "She truly never stops teaching and helping her students, even once they graduate. I graduated from high school two years ago and she has taught and encouraged me so much." Shoemaker sees her personal mission as a teacher to "engage and serve students within the global community via optimism, resilience and empathy." She leads study abroad trips for students and regularly brings international guests to her classroom, in person or via Skype. Although she was educated in a one-room schoolhouse in rural Nebraska, Shoemaker has embraced a global view and has taught on three different continents through scholarships and Fulbright grants. She is working on a master's degree in educational leadership. "Alicia's expertise lies in her visionary thinking, her innovative classroom style and her deep desire to impact every student in her classroom," Waverly Principal Ryan Ricenbaw said. The Battey Award honors the work of Freda Drath Battey, a 1923 graduate of the University of Nebraska Teachers College and a teacher in Ashland for many years. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy The frustration of many voters over the way presidential candidates are selected has come to a head with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the presumptive nominees of their respective parties. If this is the best we can do, maybe we should consider a better way. As of May 3, according to fairvote.org, while some states have seen a surge in primary voters over previous years, nationwide primary turnout remains low: "At this point in the process, 30.14 percent -- less than one-third of eligible voters -- have participated in a primary contest. The last time both parties had competitive presidential nomination races was 2008, which saw 30.82 percent voter turnout after all states had participated." There is nothing about primaries or nominating conventions in the Constitution, so the process could be changed without causing additional damage to that great document. Most of what current election cycles produce is the result of rules established by each political party. We can't say we weren't warned by some of our Founders about the consequences of extreme partisanship. They may not have had the Internet, but they knew history and understood human nature in ways many of us seem to have forgotten. In Federalist Papers 9 and 10, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, respectively, warned of the dangers of political factions. Thus, in the elections of 1789 and 1792, which selected George Washington, the Electoral College took care of the nominations and elections. Hamilton and Madison didn't hold on to their high-minded method of selecting presidents for long. Both quickly embraced partisanship with Hamilton becoming the leader of the Federalist Party and Madison teaming up with Thomas Jefferson to form the Democratic-Republican Party. Beginning with the 1796 election, presidential candidates were selected by their respective congressional parties, or a party caucus convened by state legislatures. Before 1820, Democratic-Republican members of Congress nominated a single candidate from their party, but by 1824 that system collapsed and since 1832 the national convention has been the preferred mechanism for nominating presidential candidates. It wasn't until 1901 that Florida became the first state to conduct a presidential primary with voters allowed to select delegates pledged to the candidate of their choice. Other states soon followed with either primaries or, in a few cases, caucuses. The chaotic 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago changed everything. Though he didn't win a single primary under his own name, Vice President Hubert Humphrey won his party's nomination. Subsequently, a panel commissioned by the Democratic National Committee and led by Sen. George McGovern (D-SD) recommended that states adopt new rules to assure wider voter participation. Most opted for presidential primaries and the Republicans soon followed. By 1992, Democrats had primaries in 40 states and Republicans in 39. In the current election cycle, there were a number of intelligent, experienced and articulate candidates who did not carry the heavy baggage of the two who emerged as frontrunners. The result makes the old smoke-filled room approach of selecting candidates seem appealing. Perhaps a coalition of historians, former presidents and former members of Congress, who are not known for extreme partisanship, could get together and design a new system by which we choose the nominees. It might be an idea that entices more people to turn out and vote during primary season, or it could eliminate the current system entirely and replace it with one that gives us better options. Clearly the process we have now is not working. We should be able to do better. LONDON -- Sixty-five years ago, what has become the European Union was an embryo conceived in fear. It has been stealthily advanced from an economic to a political project, and it remains enveloped in a watery utopianism even as it becomes more dystopian. The EU's economic stagnation -- in some of the 28 member nations, youth unemployment approaches 50 percent -- is exacerbated by its regulatory itch and the self-inflicted wound of the euro, a common currency for radically dissimilar nations. The EU is floundering amid mass migration, the greatest threat to Europe's domestic tranquility since 1945. The EU's British enthusiasts, who actually are notably unenthusiastic, hope fear will move voters to affirm Britain's membership in this increasingly ramshackle and acrimonious association. A June 23 referendum will decide whether "Brexit" -- Britain's exit -- occurs. Americans should pay close attention because this debate concerns matters germane to their present and future. The EU is the linear descendant of institution-building begun by people for whom European history seemed to be less Chartres and Shakespeare than the Somme and the Holocaust. After two world wars, or a 31-year war (1914-1945), European statesmen were terrified of Europeans. Under the leadership of two Frenchmen, Robert Schuman and Jean Monnet, they created, in 1951, the European Coal and Steel Community to put essential elements of industrial war under multinational control. This begat, in 1957, the European Economic Community, aka the Common Market. Money, said Emerson, is the prose of life. The EU is the culmination of a grand attempt to drain Europe of grandeur, to make it permanently peaceful by making it prosaic -- preoccupied and tranquilized by commerce. European unity has always been a surreptitious political project couched in economic categories. Britain's Remain side is timid and materialistic, saying little that is inspiring about remaining but much that is supposedly scary about leaving. The Leave campaign is salted with the revolt-against-elites spirit now fermenting in nations on both sides of the Atlantic. The Remain camp relies heavily on dire predictions of economic wreckage that would follow Brexit -- forecasts from the U.K. Treasury, the International Monetary Fund, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, etc. Although none of these, in spring 2008, foresaw the crisis of autumn 2008, they now predict, with remarkable precision, economic damage to Britain's economy, the world's fifth largest, if it is detached from the stagnation of the EU. For example, the U.K. Treasury projects that Brexit would cost Britain 6.2 percent of GDP by 2030. This confirms the axiom that economists prove their sense of humor by using decimal points. Passion is disproportionately on the Leave side, which is why a low turnout will favor Brexit: Leavers are most likely to vote. Current polls show Remain slightly ahead, but Leave has a majority among persons over age 43, who also are most likely to vote. The most conspicuous campaigner for Brexit is Boris Johnson, the two-term Conservative former mayor of London. He is an acquired taste, and some thoughtful people oppose Brexit because if it happens, Prime Minister David Cameron, who leads the Remain campaign, might be replaced by Johnson. Johnson is frequently compared to Donald Trump. Johnson, however, is educated (Eton; an Oxford classics degree), intelligent, erudite (see his book on Roman Europe), articulate and witty. (Johnson says the EU's latest compromise with Britain is "the biggest stitch up since the Bayeux Tapestry." The British locution "stitch up" denotes something prearranged clandestinely.) So, Johnson's only real resemblance to Trump, other than an odd mop of blond hair, is a penchant for flamboyant pronouncements, as when he said that Barack Obama opposes Brexit because Obama's Kenyan background somehow disposes him against Britain. Obama said Britain would go to "the back of the queue" regarding a U.S. trade agreement. Surely, however, reaching an agreement with one nation is easier than with 28. Perhaps Obama has forgotten U.S. diplomat George Kennan's axiom: The unlikelihood of a negotiation reaching agreement grows by the square of the number of parties taking part. Brexit might spread a benign infection, prompting similar reassertions of national sovereignty by other EU members. Hence June 23 is the most important European vote since 1945. Democrats and other activists on the left are doing their part to ensure that the 2016 presidential election is one of the ugliest in decades. Their actions sully the democratic process and detract voter attention from where it belongs. In the most recent incident protests turned violent Tuesday night outside the Albuquerque convention center were presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was holding a rally. Protesters broke a glass door, jumped on police vehicles and threw burning T-shirts, rocks and bottles at police. Police used smoke grenades and pepper spray. Protesters inside the center were forcibly removed by police when they tried to disrupt the event. In March Trump cancelled a rally in Chicago for safety reasons after hundreds of protesters showed up in the pavilion where the rally was to be held. After the cancellation fist-fights broke out between Trump supporters and protesters. In April hundreds of demonstrators took over streets near an Orange County amphitheater where Trump was holding a rally. Protestors threw rocks, broke a window on a police vehicle, punctured the tires on another and hurled objects at passing motorists. Occasionally Democrats have turned on each other. After the Nevada Democratic convention gave most of the states delegates to Hillary Clinton, death threats were left on a cellphone belonging to the state party chairwoman. Heres a sample: Praying to God someone shoots you in the face and blows your democracy-stealing face off! And, Hey bitch.We know where you live. Where you work. Where you eat. Where your kids go to school/grandkidsPrepare for hell. The behavior of Sanders supporters have Democratic leaders understandably worried about what might happen at the Democratic National Convention in July. Earlier this month Gabriel McArthur, a delegate from Colorado, told the Associated Press. I dont think were going to see a lot of violence, but we are going to see some screaming and shouting if the DNC does not humanize itself. Perhaps Sanders could be doing more to discourage violence among his supporters. Perhaps other Democratic leaders could be doing more to discourage violence at Trump rallies. But the real responsibility for violence rests on the participants. Their actions disgrace American democracy. There should be no need for riot police at campaign events. The violence must end before it escalates into scenes that are even worse. Jocelyn Nickerson of the Nebraska division of the Humane Society of the US laments the loss of family farms in her Local View column ("Nebraska farmers should lead," May 21). On this we can agree, but it's unfortunately inevitable. What concerns me more is ignoring one of HSUS' other goals, the elimination of all hunting, a cherished tradition in Nebraska. To quote their president Wayne Pacelle, We are going to use the ballot box and the democratic process to stop all hunting in the United States. We will take it species by species until all hunting is stopped in California. Then we will take it state by state. Don't be fooled into thinking this is just a warm fuzzy organization trying to improve farm animal treatment; they go way beyond that. Also, don't make the mistake of thinking HSUS has anything to do with local humane societies such as Capital Humane Society, who do a wonderful job locally of taking care of abused or neglected animals. If you want to help animals instead of funding lobbying efforts, including eliminating hunting, give to CHS. Steve Tonkin, Lincoln Cal Thomas ("Hamilton: Lessons from the man and the musical," May 22) writes that, "Jefferson and Hamilton debated how strong the national government they were creating should be, but it is fair to say both would be shocked at the monster it has become." I'm sure he's right, but he neglects one basic reason for the growth of government over more than two centuries. The United States was born at a time when the vast majority of citizens lived self-sufficiently on farms, which sufficiency necessitated an arduously low level of material abundance and from which most happily escaped as soon as possible. The aforementioned Founding Fathers would likewise be shocked and awed at the anarchic gigantism of industrial development which occurred over those centuries, especially after the Civil War, which unmoored the sensibilities of the average citizen sufficiently as to evoke the only available counterbalance, massive public regulation. Jefferson and Hamilton lived at a time when men and women were first blinking aware at the very beginnings of the scientific and industrial revolutions, thinking all things possible, mastery of nature and liberation from the ancient curses of want and pestilence. Both the tragedy and glory of this upheaval in the human condition is that they were very nearly correct. Henry Eugene Brass, Lincoln Ray Boston and another man were in a canoe on Lake Arrowhead when a storm blew through about 1:30 a.m., according to the sheriff's office. The canoe capsized, and the other man made it to shore but Boston did not. MADISON Municipal leaders in Wisconsin are seeking changes that would hasten the demise of the trend of big box retailers challenging their property tax assessments, in which the retailers argue that their stores should only be compared to vacant stores. Called the dark store strategy, the argument has been employed by chain retailers across the country, and resulted in dozens of those retailers including Walgreens, Target and Lowes successfully cutting their property tax bills, sometimes by up to 50 percent. The result, say municipal officials, is that homeowners end up shouldering an even greater share of the property tax burden. Big box stores argue that their businesses and buildings are branded to such a degree, that there is no market to speak of, so the only comparable properties are unused big box stores currently on the market. Assessors, on the other hand, say there is a market, based on the fact that the retailers chose their locations and have thriving businesses. The cost In Racine, the dark store strategy was employed by Target in five property tax challenges filed between 2010 and 2015. Although Racine County Circuit Judge John Jude did not agree with the retailers argument that its Racine store, 5300 Durand Ave., should be compared to vacant stores in the region a former Home Depot in Milwaukee and a vacant K-Mart in Madison were among the comparable properties presented by the retailer his final decision and a subsequent settlement resulted in the city refunding the retailer $386,000 in property taxes. In the Village of Pleasant Prairie, Target used the dark store approach to challenge its assessments over a three-year period. A settlement eventually resulted in the village returning $118,947 in property taxes to the retailer. In Janesville, the approach most recently resulted in a settlement in which the city agreed to refund U.S. Bank $28,100 in property taxes, the Janesville Gazette reported. While the dark store strategy isnt the only approach major retailers in Racine Sears, Toys R Us, and Regency Mall among them have used to challenge their property tax assessments, addressing the issue is key, said Mayor John Dickert. The question is, really: How much can the residential property taxpayers afford when large corporations are not paying their fair share? Dickert said. The legislation To address the situation, the League of Wisconsin Municipalities is working on legislation that would set standards for the kind of information assessors can use when valuing commercial properties; avoiding situations in which a thriving Meijer or Target that took $10 to $12 million to build is compared to a boarded-up big box store, explained Curt Witynski, the leagues assistant director. The bill is patterned after legislation recently signed into law in Indiana and a proposal recently introduced, but not passed, in Michigan. Although those states follow different processes when it comes to property tax challenges state tribunals settle property tax disputes, not circuit court judges the legislation is designed to have a similar effect, Witynski said. This would be the law that assessors would follow, and then if there was a challenge, the assessor would say to the judge: The Legislature has spoken. Here is the methodology that I used, and this is what they said we should use, Witynski said. In the case of disputes brought by companies like Walgreens that hire developers to construct their stores and pay leases, the bill would instruct assessors to take into account the value of the lease. Why a law The league is drafting the legislation, Witynski said, because its concerned about the tax shift that will occur if the strategy is adopted statewide by commercial property owners. If all, or even a great majority of commercial property owners, start challenging their tax bills by employing a similar strategy, it could reduce commercial property values across the state by up to 50 percent, he said. That hole would largely have to be made up by residential property owners, who already pay 70 percent of the property tax levy across the state, Witynski said. I think everyone can agree, regardless of where your perspective is on the property tax, that we cant put more of the burden on homeowners, Witynski said. The league has been seeking to address the issue for about two years, Witynski said. It even had language drafted last year, but the people they were working werent ready to introduce it at that time, he said. I mean lets face it, this is going to raise the hackles and be aggressively opposed by those who are able to take advantage of (the approach), he said. Asked about the issue, state Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, said he hasnt seen the legislation but called the dark store approach shortsighted and certainly something that would merit a change in public policy. I understand that Target and some of these other companies want to pay less in taxes, but their customers are the people in the cities that they are located in, and those customers need good schools and police and fire services, and good roads to get their store, Mason said. RACINE Local attorney Rebecca Mason will be Racines next municipal judge after edging out former Racine City Attorney Robert Weber in a City Council vote Wednesday night at City Hall, 730 Washington Ave. The contest came down to the finalists two of six applicants who submitted letters of interest for the job after an initial round of ballot voting that left each with seven votes, and Racine County Assistant District Attorney Maureen Morris Martinez, with one vote. In the second round of voting, Rebecca Mason netted eight votes, Weber seven votes. Supporters of Rebecca Mason gathered in the audience including Racine County Democratic Party Chairwoman Meg Andrietsch; the partys vice chairman, Beth Pramme; and Rebecca Masons husband, state Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine erupted in applause when she was announced the winner. After the applause, Weber congratulated Mason, stating she would do an excellent job. I am honored, and humbled, Mason said of her appointment. Mason will likely begin the job around July 1, when current Municipal Judge Mark Nielsen plans to leave the bench. Nielsen begins his new job as a Racine County Circuit Court Judge on Aug. 1. Asked if she would run for election to the position next April, Mason said yes. She said she would also run again in 2018, during the next regular election for a full-term to the bench. Im in this for the long haul, Mason said. The annual salary for the part-time municipal judge position is $50,250.72. Modernization During a question-and-answer period at the Committee of the Whole meeting that preceded the City Council meeting, Mason stated that one of her key goals if appointed would be to modernize the court. She also said she would focus on residents needs when scheduling the hours of the court, and would be open to having night and weekend hours to accommodate defendants. An innovative and motivated municipal judge can be a game changer for the city, Mason said. For those of you who do not know, parts of Municipal Court are still done using carbon paper Racine cannot sit and wait. We have been on an innovation pause. Weber, who served as Racines municipal judge between 2002 and 2006, touted his experience and wisdom, arguing that aldermens selection should be based on qualifications and a proven track record of trying and judging cases. Aldermen heard from all six of the candidates during the Committee of the Whole question-and-answer session, including: Lori A. Kuehn, a Racine resident who runs her own law practice in Milwaukee; local attorney Sally Hoelzel; and John J. Buchaklian, a Milwaukee-based attorney with the Social Security Administration. The committee did not make a recommendation to the full City Council, nor was there any discussion of the candidates themselves, their qualifications or their responses at either the committee or council meeting. A few aldermen, including Sandy Weidner, Henry Perez and Steve Smetana, backed a motion to discuss the qualifications of the candidates and their responses, but that proposal failed for lack of support. MOUNT PLEASANT A day after Case High School went into lockdown after dispatchers received a threatening phone call targeted at the school, police continued to watch the building closely while investigating the source the call. We are continuing to provide extra attention and high visibility to the school, Mount Pleasant Police Chief Tim Zarzecki said Wednesday. While Zarzecki couldnt reveal any details about the call, citing the possibility that it could jeopardize the ongoing investigation, he noted that schools in Pleasant Prairie and Franklin have received similar threats in recent days. He added that nothing found during a search at Case substantiated the phone threat. We checked the safety and security of the school and were unable to find anything that would harm anyone, he said. Case returned to business as usual Wednesday, according to Zarzecki, although he said school staff was taking necessary precautions just in case something serious occurred. The call could be part of a national scam of threats phoned into schools across the country. According to an Associated Press story published Monday, evacuations based on electronic phone calls have taken place in Colorado, Utah, Delaware, Minnesota and New Hampshire in recent days. Zarzecki said his department is collaborating with other law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, to get to the bottom of the threat. Our investigators are working on it diligently trying to determine what happened, he said. RACINE COUNTY County Executive Jonathan Delagrave has issued a declaration of emergency due to severe bluff erosion threatening homes in Racine County. The emergency declaration better positions the county to get state and federal assistance and gives the county authority to make personnel and resources available, according to a news release. The declaration also allows the county to close public streets and, if necessary, evacuate residents from their homes, Delagrave said. High Lake Michigan levels have eroded the bluffs, putting homes in Mount Pleasant and Caledonia in danger. One home has already been removed and officials say 10 to 12 other homes in Mount Pleasant and multiple properties in Caledonia are threatened. In addition to homes, officials are worried about public utilities and streets, Delagrave said, and fear a strong storm could move through and erode more of the bluffs. We dont want homeowners to lose their houses unnecessarily and were also concerned about erosion encroaching on public utilities, Delagrave said. Lake Michigan is not under the jurisdiction of Racine County, but the emergency declaration is one way to support our municipalities in raising awareness and finding an expeditious solution, Delagrave said in the release. The presidents of the villages of Caledonia and Mount Pleasant are aware and in agreement with this action regarding this precarious erosion along their shorelines, he said. Local officials have asked for help from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. The agency says it is determining whether and how it can help, but a spokesman has said it likely cannot provide any immediate assistance. Delagrave said the Army Corps and state Department of Natural Resources have been responsive and the county hopes to hear back soon on a plan of action. State Rep. Peter Barca, a member of the Federal Emergency Management Agency National Advisory Council, said he has also contacted federal and state entities and hopes for a quick solution. There are people in Wisconsin right now who could wake up tomorrow without a home, said Barca, D-Kenosha, whose district includes the Lake Park neighborhood. We need to take action as quickly as possible. For the people of Mount Pleasant, time is of the essence. We hear the phrase a trial by a jury of your peers in TV courtroom dramas. The Constitution doesnt actually say that; the Sixth Amendment reads that the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury. But since 1986, the Supreme Court has said that trial judges have a duty to prevent prosecutors from screening potential jurors based on their race. It was on that basis Monday that the Supreme Court upended the conviction and death sentence of a black Georgia man, Timothy T. Foster, because prosecutors violated the Constitution by excluding blacks from the all-white jury that determined his fate. In the 7-1 ruling, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court that prosecutors were motivated in substantial part by race when they struck blacks from the jury pool, focusing on the decision to exclude two black jurors, the Associated Press reported. Two such jury strikes on the basis of race are two more than the Constitution allows, Roberts wrote, adding that the record shows a concerted effort to keep black prospective jurors off the jury. The high court returned Fosters case to state court, but Stephen Bright, Fosters Atlanta-based lawyer, said there is no doubt that the decision Monday means Foster is entitled to a new trial, 29 years after he was sentenced to death for killing a white woman. Georgia courts had consistently rejected Fosters claims of discrimination, even after his lawyers obtained prosecutors notes that revealed their focus on the black people in the jury pool. In one example, a handwritten note headed Definite Nos listed six people, of whom five were the remaining black prospective jurors. The sixth person on the list was a white woman who made clear she would never impose the death penalty, according to Bright. And yet even that woman ranked behind the black jurors, he said. The court was not persuaded by the states argument that the notes focused on black people in the jury pool because prosecutors were preparing to defend against discrimination claims. The Supreme Courts ruling about race discrimination in jury selection was about a year old when Fosters case went to trial, the state said. The 1986 decision in Batson v. Kentucky set up a system by which trial judges could evaluate claims of discrimination and the explanations by prosecutors that their actions were not based on race. The jury issue in the 1987 trial was revived 19 years later, in 2006, when the state turned over the prosecutions notes in response to a request under Georgias Open Records Act. The name of each potential black juror was highlighted on four different copies of the jury list and the word black was circled next to the race question on questionnaires for the black prospective jurors. Three of the prospective black jurors were identified in notes as B#1, B#2, and B#3. On one file was marked NO. No black Church, suggesting blacks should be excluded if they mentioned their church, the Tribune Washington Bureau reported. You dont need a law degree to interpret that kind of note-taking as a concerted effort to keep blacks off the jury in a black mans murder trial. Timothy T. Foster may actually be guilty of the sexual assault and murder of Queen Madge White, a 79-year-old retired schoolteacher. He may yet receive the death penalty for the crime. But we wont know that until he has a fair trial. He hasnt yet. Public labor unions may not have much power in Wisconsin these days, but a local at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has been trying to flex its muscles recently. United Faculty and Academic Staff (UFAS) circulated the resolution of no confidence in UW System leaders that was overwhelmingly endorsed by the campus faculty senate earlier this month, setting off a series of union-led actions across the state. Chad Alan Goldberg, the UW-Madison sociology professor who drafted the resolution and helped marshal forces in support, is president of UFAS, Local 223 of the American Federation of Teachers-Wisconsin. The features of this university that have done so much to motivate me are now under attack, Goldberg wrote in an op-ed piece explaining the genesis of the no confidence vote. Worst of all, UW System President Ray Cross and the Board of Regents the people who should the universitys biggest advocates have been complicit in these attacks. The continued quality of the university is important to all residents of the state, Goldberg said. We are standing in for them because they deserve better. After Madison's vote on May 2, shared governance organizations at River Falls, La Crosse, Green Bay, Stout, Parkside and UW Colleges quickly passed similar statements, as did a unanimous meeting of the full UW-Milwaukee faculty. The no-confidence votes, which call on UW System leaders to renew their commitment to the mission of the university, are symbolic. Yet the votes have drawn cautions from legislators and others, including UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank, that they dont set a good tone for future budget discussions with the Legislature. But UFAS leaders say the votes, and the media attention they received, were important because they got people talking. And they hope the attention convinces more faculty and academic staff to join the union. The no-confidence statements took conversations faculty, staff and students have been having about the future of public education in Wisconsin and brought them to a larger audience, said Jason Lee, academic staff in the UW-Madison School of Education and secretary of UFAS, at a recent social gathering of the unions members. The votes are a way to start engaging in a difficult environment, Lee said. We need to have a conversation about how we got to where we are and responses that are public, political, and student and worker focused. Beyond fostering public discourse on public higher education, UFAS leaders say the energy around the no confidence votes translates into increased membership, which has hovered around 100 for years, they say. UFAS has been around since 1930, but collective bargaining among UW faculty and professional staff was prohibited by law except for a brief period at the end of Gov. Jim Doyles administration. And there was no great enthusiasm to sign up for collective bargaining when it became possible in 2009. Historically at UW-Madison there has been some sentiment that is not friendly to union activity amongst academic staff," said Aaron Crandall, an academic staff member at the School of Medicine and Public Health and vice president of UFAS. Because weve had shared governance, I think theres been this notion that we didnt need a union, Crandall said. The Academic Staff Assembly at UW-Madison, a shared governance body, in 2007 opposed Doyles budget bill proposal to grant faculty and staff collective bargaining powers because of dissatisfaction with the conditions of implementation. In 2010, the Academic Staff Assembly opposed efforts by several unions affiliated with AFT to reclassify staff positions at other campuses in order to include them in bargaining units, saying that step would deny staff the freedom to choose whether to join a union. The staff reclassifications became tied up on legal proceedings. Faculty at UW-Madison showed little interest then in organizing to exercise collective bargaining. However, faculty at UW-Green Bay, UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout and UW-Superior voted in favor of collective bargaining representation. Gov. Scott Walker eliminated UW faculty and staffs power to collectively bargain in his 2011-2012 biennial budget bill. The erosion of the protections of tenure and shared governance protections under Walkers 2015-2017 budget bill may make union membership more appealing on campus, members say. In addition, the $250 million cut in state funding to the UW System in the budget brought belt-tightening that is thinning the ranks of faculty and staff through attrition and could bring layoffs this coming year. With the changes to tenure, its going to erode the overall climate of working at the university. We have to be cognizant of that, said Crandall. What can UFAS offer? We can bring up issues on a collective front and confront administrators together instead of individual by individual, he said. With changes in tenure that give administrators more latitude to lay off faculty and the relegation of faculty and staff to an advisory role in university governance, speaking out seems perilous to some, Lee said. But at some point, its riskier not to speak out. If we dont fight now, who will? he asked. Theresa Duello, an associate professor at the School of Medicine and Public Health and UFAS grievance chair, said that there could not be a better time to join the union. My pitch is now more than ever, Duello said. A lack of collective bargaining powers doesnt mean that UFAS members cant work on pay issues, do salary equity studies or educate the public, she said. Right now, UFAS is detailing the impact of budget cuts. We need to be positioned and out ahead of it, Duello said. Kim Kohlhaas, AFT-Wisconsin president, said UW-Madisons no-confidence resolution turned into a movement. She recalled watching progress of the resolution before the Faculty Senate on Twitter and within 48 hours, nine campuses were considering the same action." Its been very energizing to see workers stand together and say: Were going to defend our workplace,' Kohlhaas said. In addition to nine UW institutions that immediately considered resolutions, several campuses are planning to take up the issue this fall, she said. Several campuses are looking at doing community events prior to a vote because they want to have conversations with their communities about it, Kohlhaas said. She said AFT-Wisconsin has affiliate units at nine campuses: UW-Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Eau Clair, Stevens Point, La Cross, River Falls, Stout, Superior and Platteville. I think there is a big difference between the number of people who currently are members and the number of people willing to stand together on campus," Kohlhaas said. 3 foreigners, 1 Nepali caught with 2 kg cocaine The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has seized more than 2 kg cocaine from three foreigners and a Nepali just months after two foreign women were arrested with 2.72 litres of liquid cocaine. 5 killed, 9 injured in Ramechhap jeep accident Five people were killed and 9 others injured when a jeep skidded off the road and plunged some 150 metres in Okhreni-1 of Ramechhap district on Thursday. Court moved against arrest of activist, journo A writ has been filed at the Supreme Court against police detention of activist Ishan Adhikari and journalist Shesh Narayan Jha. European migrant crisis: Capsized boat horror caught on camera The deadly capsizing of a migrant boat in the Mediterranean has been caught on camera by the Italian navy as it rescued 562 people. Finance Committee endorses bill on Banks and Financial Institutions Act The parliamentary Finance Committee on Wednesday endorsed the bill on the Banks and Financial Institutions Act (Bafia) that has set a two-term limit for CEOs of banks and financial institutions (BFI), provisioned tough penalties for financial misappropriation and barred promoters from holding managerial positions. Flawed category Can the state have two definitions of family, one for imposing tax and another for providing compensation? Gathabandhan to dwell on PM letter Madhesi and Janajati leaders on Wednesday said that they are planning to write back to Prime Minister KP Oli in response to the governments invitation for talks. Parties in Sanghiya Gathabandhan are expected to meet later this week to make formal opinion on Olis invitation and political agendas. Hongshi Shivam begins factory construction Hongshi Shivam Cement Private Limited, a Nepal-China joint venture company, has started construction of its cement factory at Sardi in Nalwalparasi. House panel endorses bill on Education Act amendment Amid differences among the lawmakers, the Parliamentary Committee on Women, Children and Social Welfare on Wednesday endorsed the bill on eighth amendment to Education Act-1972 moving a step ahead in restructuring the school level education. India court allows Italian marine to go home India's Supreme Court has allowed an Italian marine, accused of killing two Indian fishermen in 2012, to return home to Italy. Indian aid to build school The Government of India (GoI) has extended financial support to build a school in Gulmi district. Indonesia approves death penalty for child rapists Indonesia has toughened its punishments for child rapists to include the death penalty and chemical castration. Ministry protecting pvt school operators charging exorbitant fee Fourteen student unions affiliated to ruling and opposition political parties have blamed the Ministry of Education for protecting the private schools which were found charging exorbitant fee, flouting the government ceiling. NFC seeks additional money to supply food to drought-hit districts Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) has sought additional grants from the government to supply food in Humla, Kalikot, Mugu and Dolpa districts in Karnali region and Bajura district in Seti Zone, which have been hit the hardest by food shortages. Public vehicles off road in protest against traffic fine hike Transport entrepreneurs enforced a nationwide vehicular strike on Thursday against the government decision to hike fines for traffic rule violations. Respect HR principles at all times: Intl community Welcoming governments renewed commitment to human rights, the Kathmandu-based international community has called on all parties, including non-state actors, to implement the commitment. Tracing a midway in these polarised times Acclaimed author Manjushree Thapa launched her latest offering, a novel titled All of Us in our Own Lives, amid a ceremony at the Patan Museum on Wednesday. Sanjit Pradhananga caught up with Thapa for this interview to talk about her new book and the deeply entrenched Nepali society that we are currently living in. Manjushree Thapas latest book All of Us in Our Own Lives launched The recent arrests of journalists, artists and an activist, and the flaring of violence across the Tarai following the protests against the constitution have left the citizenry divided in their opinions. Will take reins of govt right after budget: Dahal CPN (Maoist Centre) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that he will take the leadership of a new government that will be formed soon after the presentation of budget as per the nine-point understanding reached between his party and the CPN-UML. Yes, its hard to to tell when one enters the city limits Yes, they will make the city more inviting Maybe ... does it really matter? No, the signs in place are fine No, it would be a waste of taxpayer dollars Vote View Results The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda has condemned the move by the speaker of parliament to visit a shrine. This comes as Rebecca Kadaga is put on the spot for visiting her ancestral shrines over the weekend. In a statement to the media his Grace Stanley Ntagali says the Church of Uganda condemns syncretism, urging the Bishops and clergy to use this opportunity to proclaim the sufficiency of Christ crucified to meet all peoples needs. Religious syncretism exhibits blending of two or more religious belief systems into a new system, or the incorporation into a religious tradition of beliefs from unrelated traditions. His Grace Ntagali says that while we value our ancestors, our trust must always be only in God. He further appeals to all Christians, especially those serving in prominent positions in government and business to live above reproach and not to cause others to stumble. Kadaga has however defended her action saying she was promoting cultural tourism. Story By Benjamin Jumbe Traffic police has released traffic flow guidelines for Entebbe road ahead of the South Korean Presidents visit to Uganda. According to the plan, Park Geun-hye will be in Uganda between 28th and 1st June for a state visit. A statement from the traffic police chief Dr. Steven Kasiima shows that during this period when convoys of VIPs are in motion, motorists will be required to leave the highway for a period of time ranging from one hour to two hours. Motorists who use this highway regularly are advised to use alternative routes to avoid traffic disruptions. Kasiima also advises all people operating taxi stages and road side markets to relocate during this period. Movement of fuel tankers along this highway will also be restricted to night time from 28th 30th May and will be escorted by police. South Korea has deployed the latest upgraded model of Apache helicopters, which are expected to enhance its overall combat capability, the country's defense procurement agency said Thursday. According to the Defense Acquisition Procurement Administration (DAPA), four AH-64E Guardians were delivered to Army units, which recently completed combat deployment. The four are the first to reach front-line South Korean combat units. The agency signed a US$1.6 billion contract with the U.S. in 2013 to buy 36 AH-64Es, an upgraded model of the AH-64D Longbow. It is to deliver all of the Apache helicopters to the Army by early next year. The AH-64E is a heavily armed helicopter featuring more powerful, fuel-efficient engines and enhanced rotor blades. It has improved aircraft handling compared to older models with superior performance and agility at higher altitudes. The attack choppers are also equipped with updated sensors that improve a crew's situational awareness and can strike a more diverse range of targets. "We will deliver all helicopters and other support equipment as planned," DAPA said. "The Army plans to ensure operational capacity for the new choppers by training pilots and repair staff through live-fire drills and other real combat-like training programs." (Yonhap) Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Partly cloudy this morning. Increasing clouds with periods of showers this afternoon. High 71F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 53F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. The robust economy and area construction boom have a downside. The countys landfill is filling up faster than expected. The good news is the greater-than-anticipated flow of waste also has meant more money coming into the La Crosse County Solid Waste Departments account, and the department has the funding on hand to start construction on a new cell a year early. At its monthly meeting May 19, the La Crosse County Board voted unanimously to let the department spend a little more than $1 million to move up work on the new cell as well as accelerating work on a new entrance road, scale and scale house at the landfill. The work was in the solid waste departments budget for next year, but the county board needed to sign off on moving that spending into this year. Hank Koch, the countys solid waste director, said in an interview last week that its important that work begin early on the landfill project, but, he added, its not like its a crisis. At this point, Koch said, the landfill cell now in use has a window of usefulness of about 18 months, if there are no extraordinary circumstances. We want to keep that window open to us. What if we had a major tornado in our area? What if we had a major flood? Koch said. We want to try to keep enough capacity so that if we had a catastrophe like that we could absorb it in the landfill. The new cell will require more work and about $500,000 more than originally expected. Results of a geological study released earlier this year revealed that there was more bedrock on the site of the new cell. But Koch noted the extra expense of removing the bedrock will extend the life of that cell by about five years, during which the county would bring in an additional $2 million in tipping fees. The new cell will be the fourth out of five new cells approved by the state Department of Natural Resources in 2005. Previous cells were built in 2007, 2009 and 2014. The previous plan was to build the final two cells in 2017 and 2018, but the increased flow of waste last year, particularly demolition debris from construction sites, prompted Koch to move things up a year. Part of the reason its a great idea to open a new cell before the old one is full, Koch noted, is it will cut down on wind-blown litter issues. If the landfill has a lower cell to use in the summer months, he explained, there will be less litter to deal with. Building the two cells close together will help a lot, according to Koch. With the final two cells built, Koch estimated the county will have about 23 years of use left. Like the fourth and fifth landfill cells, a new entrance road has been in the long-term plans for a while. The existing entrance is on a curve on Berlin Drive, and the scale is so close to the road that theres not room to accommodate more than a few trucks in line before they are backed up onto Berlin Drive. Weve always had this safety issue, and for years weve talked about a new entrance, Koch said. This is prudent to have a new entrance and make it safe. Koch said the plan originally was to phase the construction of the new entrance road, scale and scale house over four years. But work on a new frontage road by the city of La Crosse means the landfill entrance project timeline will be cut in half, with completion of the $1.4 million project expected by fall 2017. The solid waste department has the money to cover the unbudgeted costs without borrowing or tapping the county coffers for help. Koch said the department, which is a self-sustaining entity, has about $4.3 million in the undesignated fund balance, $1.3 million above the minimum fund balance recommended by the countys finance department. New attorney The county board also unanimously approved the hiring of a fourth attorney for the corporation counsel office, the first expansion of the office since 1997. The office has long been in need of help, but the decision to add the new position mid-year is related to the planned year-end retirement of Dave Lange, who has headed the corporation counsel office since 2012. I dont know how theyve gotten by without it until now, board member Sharon Hampson said of the fourth attorney. The new position offers about $91,000 in annual salary and benefits. The new attorney will work on child support-related cases, and about half the cost of the new position will be covered by increased federal funding for handling those cases. The amount of blind, ignorant political loyalty in the 21st century is mind boggling. Congratulations, Fox News, MSNBC, and other news organizations. You are succeeding in brainwashing and dividing the American public. Obama is not from Kenya. Global warming exists. If your party in Congress didn't think of it, you can still discuss it and even act on it. It is childish to leave the highest court in the country one justice short for almost a year, especially with a perfectly acceptable nominee standing in front of us. All Muslims are not terrorists; in fact, most aren't. We do not and should not have to rely on fossil fuels. These things are true, folks. Why do so many people refuse to believe them? Where does this nonsense end? How did people come to accept this garbage? What will it take to make people want to know more? When do they climb out of their ignorance? Are they happy being as dumb as Sarah Palin and as resistant to progress as Mitch McConnell? Are they forever set against our country working together to fix our problems? Are they happy and proud that the U.S. is falling apart, largely due to lies? Really? Terry Schmeckpeper, Onalaska Retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Lem Genovese hasnt been on a magazine cover or cereal box, but he will have the distinction of having his story featured on a special edition of Evan Williams Bourbon bottles. The Holmen resident was selected for the bourbon makers Red, White and Blue American Hero Edition label set to be released for a limited time this summer. The limited-edition bottles recognize 10 American heroes with their stories of service at home as well as abroad. Genovese served as a medic in the National Guard and saw action in the Middle East. He considers his time in the Army as a way to serve others. Thats one of the reasons I wanted to become a medic in the first place; it was to make that connection with my beliefs, Genovese said. Im blessed, thats all I can say. When I put on the uniform, I take it seriously. Originally from Des Moines, Iowa, Genoveses beliefs were influenced by relatives. His uncles served in WWII and taught their nephew the importance of service. In 1971, he served with the 214th Combat Aviation Battalion Headquarters Company of the Armys First Aviation Brigade in the Vietnam Mekong Delta. Following that tour, Genovese signed on with the National Guard and received basic medical training. With that training, he voluntarily joined the 209th Medical Clearing Company when he was 41 and served in the Desert Storm campaign. During the ground war, Genoveses unit completed more missions and did more humanitarian medical operations than any other unit in the U.S. Army. As a member of the Third Platoon, he helped established the first working field hospital the day after Kuwait City was liberated from Iraqi forces. Genoveses unit treated Iraqi enemy prisoners of war, as well as civilians and international troops. We treated 300 Iraqi POWs and didnt lose any, he said. During his Desert Storm tour, Genovese started corresponding with pen pal Nancy Rowe. The correspondence led to the two marrying and settling in Holmen. During a 12-year break from service, Genovese wrote, recorded and performed nationwide on behalf of the nations military families and Vietnam vets. Now, he performs for the military families of Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. While serving in the guard and after 20 years of service, Genovese continued to assist military personnel through his musical talent. Proficient on a number of instruments, Genovese performs in benefits for veterans and military families. Since 1975, hes traveled around the country performing at various benefits, which included LZ Lambeau in 2006 and the Vietnam War Memorial dedication in 1982. He also did a benefit to raise funds for the Vietnam nurses memorial statues. Hes also helped friends who were transitioning to home life after returning from Vietnam. Service members gravitate toward each other because we understand what weve been through and theres that respect about it, Genovese said. For our veterans, to have an opportunity to give back to the community or the nation as a whole, thats golden. According to Chris Ratterman, Evan Williams spokesperson for the American Made Hero program, the promotion is the distillers way to honor service personnel and their service. For us, it was a great way to do something personal to recognize their achievements and successes overseas and at home, Ratterman said. We reached out to MilitaryTimes.com and posted an article about American Made Heroes letting veterans know about the promotion. This is the first year of the promotion, and service personnel were invited to nominate themselves. Genovese was one of 10 selected out of the 2,000 who applied. The 10 service personnel were selected on the culmination of what they achieved, both while on active military duty and after, Ratterman said. Those selected had very amazing stories of selfless service. Evan Williams Bourbon is also holding an American Made Hero contest on www.American-MadeHeroes.com where 200 veterans can win a $250 honorarium in celebration of their patriotic contribution. Anyone can nominate a serviceman for the recognition and award, as well as the chance to become an Evan Williams American-Made Hero in 2017. As the brand grows, we hope and plan on continuing next year, Ratterman said. The American Made Heroes bottles are distributed throughout the country and are currently on store shelves. They will be available for purchase while supplies last or until July 4. The worlds second-largest selling bourbon, Evan Williams is one of the labels produced by Heaven Hill Distilleries of Bardstown, Ky. Among the distilleries other products include Elijah Craig bourbon, Larceny bourbon, Christian Brothers brandy, Burnetts vodka, Admiral Nelsons rum and Lunazul tequila as well as liqueurs. The distillery is the largest independent, family-owned and operated producer and marketer of distilled spirits in the United States. Two local high school students will receive educational scholarships from Foremost Farms USA. The organization announced ten recipients of its annual $2,000 scholarship program for high school and college students. All are pursuing careers in agriculture and their parents are dairy farmer member-owners of the organization which serves farmers in the Midwest. Joshua Korn is the son of William and Jane Korn of Cashton, Wis. Korn is a graduating senior at Cashton High School and this fall plans to study agribusiness and science at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College in Fennimore, Wis. Zachary Servais is the son of Tim and Lisa Servais in Stoddard, Wis. Zachary is a graduating senior at Central High School and plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study dairy science. Chia Vue was a longtime drug user selling methamphetamine to feed his addiction. It destroyed his relationship with his family and the lives of untold others. Sober now after seven months in jail, Vue begged for another chance in the community. Im determined to take back my life, he testified Thursday. I want more for myself than living a life of drugs and crime. But Vue has failed on probation, wasted treatment opportunities and re-offended, which shows your character and your disregard for the health and well-being of others, La Crosse County Circuit Judge Todd Bjerke told him. The judge sentenced Vue, 34, to seven years in prison, three years on extended supervision and five years on probation. Its clear that society needs to be protected from you, Bjerke said. Youre not yet in a position where youre able to make the right decisions to move forward in life without harming other people. Vue on March 13, 2015, while on probation had 23 grams of meth packaged for sale, pipes and a scale, according to court records. On July 27, he lied to officers about his name to avoid arrest on a warrant, and then broke into a house on Sept. 15 and attacked his brother, court records state. Police arrested Vue on Oct. 8 after he sold 7 grams of meth to an informant. Investigators found 76 grams of meth, a digital scale, glass pipe, $3,025 in his wallet and a GPS monitoring bracelet inside his room at the Adriatic Motel, 3438 Mormon Coulee Road. Three children, ages 7, 6 and 3, were asleep on the floor. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth, delivery of meth and obstructing officers, while 11 other charges were dismissed but considered by the judge at sentencing. Prosecutors recommended Vue serve no more than seven years in prison, while his attorney argued for a shorter sentence in custody. Both sides agreed he must undergo drug treatment. The city of La Crosses approval of a $300,000 loan to a developer planning to renovate the former Roosevelt Elementary School into affordable housing was delayed Thursday while the city sorts out the paperwork and explores a payment in lieu of taxes agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, approved by both the citys Economic Development Commission and Redevelopment Authority on Thursday, the city will fund a $300,000 loan to Oregon, Wis.-based Gorman & Co. Inc. in two parts through the Redevelopment Authority, which will be paid back over 15 years at one percent interest. The two disbursements will be made in 2016 and 2017 using tax increment district 13 funds. The city finalized an amendment to TID 13 last week that allows TID funds to be used for projects within a half-mile of the districts boundary, including Roosevelt school, 1307 Hayes St. The changes to the agreement and resolution approved by La Crosse Common Council last month primarily remove the development agreement and replace it with a promissory note and guaranty, according to city attorney Stephen Matty. Because it is a loan, rather than a grant, the developers agreement does not apply, he said; however, the developer will still commit to creating a building valued at $1.25 million. One of the significant things there was that you actually have the guaranty made by Gorman and Co., Matty said. The guaranty made by Gorman, rather than its subsidiary Roosevelt School Apartments LLC, ensures the city will be able to collect on the loan should the project not reach its financial goals. Gorman will close its deal to buy the school June 3 and then get started on the $6 million project to convert the 92-year-old building into 33 one- and two-bedroom apartments. The building is planned as affordable housing, which means tenants could earn no more than 60 percent of La Crosse Countys median income: $25,000 if single or up to $45,000 for a family of four. When complete, the building, which was previously tax exempt due to its status as a school district building, will be added to the citys property tax roll. Council member Fran Formanek, a member of the Economic Development Commission, asked Matty to include a provision for a PILOT that would be required if the property went to tax exempt status, saying the primary reason he voted to approve the loan was to put the property back on the tax roll. If some reason this property does go to a nonprofit, wed be basically sitting there without any tax revenue from this property, Formanek said. The agreement would call for Gorman to pay the full tax rate on the property for 20 years if it sells the property to a tax-exempt entity within 20 years of the city issuing it the loan. While representatives from Gorman were unavailable Thursday, city planner Jason Gilman said he doesnt anticipate the request for a PILOT provision creating a problem. I dont think its going to be a big issue for them, because (Gormans Wisconsin market president Ted Matkom) had expressed in their presentation that this is going to remain taxable for at least the life of the loan, Gilman said. The city previously awarded Gorman $400,000 in community development block grant loans, which will be paid back with 2 percent interest after the TID loan is repaid, according to the deal. The altered deal will need to go back before the Finance and Personnel Committee and Common Council, which will likely prevent the city from disbursing the loan funds by Gormans June 3 closing date. Prosecutors Thursday charged an Onalaska man with trying to stab a woman while holding her captive. The victim told authorities Kyle Stein, 27, on May 19 threw her against a wall at her apartment and strangled her, according to the complaint filed in La Crosse County Circuit Court. He took her cellphone, pushed her to a dark basement and shoved her into walls when she tried to leave. He strangled her twice when she tried to escape through a window, the complaint stated. Stein allowed her upstairs after two hours to check on her cat, then tried to stab her with a steak knife when he caught her with her phone, according to the complaint. He threatened to gag her and hide her in the basement if she contacted police. Stein strangled her again when she tried to leave and threatened her with a broken picture frame. He eventually drove her to work, apologized and left in her car. The woman called police. Officers found him later that day at Wal-Mart in Onalaska, where he hid in the receiving area until he was arrested. MADISON Wisconsin and 10 other states sued President Barack Obamas administration Wednesday over guidance directing schools to allow students use bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identities. In challenging the federal guidance, the suit alleges the Obama administration has conspired to turn workplaces and educational settings across the country into laboratories for a massive social experiment. The new guidance from the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education reiterates 2014 guidance released by the U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights that said the federal anti-discrimination law known as Title IX covers discrimination on the basis of gender identity. The recent guidance also threatened to withhold federal funding if a school district did not comply. Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel said in a statement that after talking to Gov. Scott Walker, he decided to join the lawsuit led by Texas to challenge the administrations latest power grab. The suit was filed in a federal court in Texas on behalf of Alabama, West Virginia, Tennessee, Arizona, Maine, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Utah, Georgia, Wisconsin and two school districts in Texas and Arizona. President Obamas attempts to re-write the laws of our country without congressional consent and approval are not going to be tolerated by the state of Wisconsin, said Schimel. Walker granted Schimels request to join the lawsuit as this is yet another example of President Obamas unlawful use of executive power, Walker spokesman Tom Evenson said. Evenson said the governor believes the decision of whether to set gender restrictions on school bathrooms or locker rooms should be made by local school districts and not the federal government. But supporters of the federal governments approach characterized the lawsuit as moving Wisconsin in the wrong direction. I dont think its a social experiment at all I think its schools being responsive to the needs of students and families just as they always have been, said Brian Juchems, senior director of education and policy at LGBTQ advocacy group GSAFE. Having people in these positions challenge a students right to fees safe in a school definitely communicates their attitudes and opinions toward transgender students. Juchems said school districts have been seeking guidance on the issue from the federal government for years as more transgender students assert themselves and as school districts across the country face lawsuits from transgender students alleging the environments in their schools were discriminatory by not having bathrooms or locker rooms associated with their gender identity available for their use. Bathroom bill failed in Wisconsin The lawsuit comes after a legislative session during which a bill co-authored by Rep. Jesse Kremer, R-Kewaskum, that would set gender restrictions on school bathrooms and locker rooms failed to get traction. Kremer has since said he hopes to bring the legislation back in a future legislative session. Evenson said Walker would evaluate the bill if it gets to his desk. On Wednesday, Kremer and bill co-author Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, said because Walker signed laws criminalizing taking photos of womens anatomy without their knowledge and parental use of nude images or videos of children for commercial use or sexual gratification and a law making it easier for state investigators to find the IP address of computers containing child pornography, Walker should support their bill setting gender restrictions on bathrooms and locker rooms. How, then, are we to turn a blind eye when children with different anatomy will be allowed to change in an open locker room within mere feet of one another something that is potentially disorderly conduct or indecent exposure? Kremer and Nass said in a joint statement. The original bill would have set a statewide standard for bathroom use in Wisconsin schools. As it stands, schools are free to establish their own policies. Wisconsins participation in the lawsuit doesnt prohibit state schools from following the federal guidance. And while the guidance doesnt come with a requirement that districts follow it, schools could lose federal funding if theyre found not to be in compliance. Texas lieutenant governor has previously said the state is willing to forfeit $10 billion in federal education dollars rather than comply. According to the filing, the states are challenging the guidance to stand behind the singular principle that the solemn duty of the Federal Executive is to enforce the law of the land, and not rewrite it by administrative fiat. Schimel also said the new guidance conflicts with state law, which prohibits discrimination in schools on the basis of sex, race, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, or [disability]. Wisconsin has not chosen to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity in our schools. Imposing a new federal standard on top of our states own discrimination policy would undermine our states sovereign choice in how to prohibit discrimination in schools, Schimel said. North Carolina law prompted guidance The federal guidance was issued after the Justice Department and North Carolina sued each other over a state law that requires transgender people to use the public bathroom that corresponds to the gender on their birth certificate. The law applies to schools and many other places. Schimel called the directive a new policy that conflicts with the plain language of Title IX, and is therefore an unlawful interpretation. Title IX does not prohibit gender identity discrimination, but sex discrimination. Wisconsin Schools Superintendent Tony Evers said discussions about accommodations for transgender students is a conversation best held at the local level. However, the federal Title IX guidance is an important component of those ongoing discussions. At the end of the day, we have an obligation to ensure all students feel safe and can access to the same educational opportunities as their peers, said Evers in a statement. TOMAH Tomah will be the site of another congressional hearing Tuesday on the scandal at the Tomah Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The Senates Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has scheduled an oversight hearing at 10 a.m. at Cranberry Country Lodge. Its the second congressional hearing in Tomah in 14 months. The first was held in March 2015, three months after revelations that patients at the Tomah VA were prescribed opiates far in excess of safe and customary dosages. The Tomah VA became known as Candy Land, and its former medical chief of staff, Dr. David Houlihan, was called the Candy Man. The scandal resulted in the dismissal of Houlihan and Tomah VA director Mario DeSanctis. The committee, chaired by Wisconsin U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, will examine how drugs were prescribed in Tomah and an alleged culture of fear among hospital employees. A press release issued by Johnsons office said he would also release findings from his extensive investigation into the problems at the Tomah VAMC. The hearing will concern chairman Johnsons investigation that began when he learned in January 2015 of the tragedies at the medical center and the VAs response, said Brittni Palke, committee press secretary. It will concern the allegations of over-prescription, abuse of authority and mismanagement. The issue of when lawmakers were warned about the problems in Tomah has become a hotly disputed issue in Johnsons re-election campaign. Johnson and his Democratic opponent, former Sen. Russ Feingold, have traded accusations that they were alerted to the problem but failed to respond. When asked whether the issue will be brought up at the hearing, a Johnson spokeswoman referred to the press release. The two witnesses set to testify are Sloan Gibson, deputy secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and Michael Missal, VA inspector general, who was confirmed by the Senate in April. WINONA, Minn. The Winona YMCA on Thursday stepped back from plans to sell its building and land to Kwik Trip, following a contentious public hearing and a week of backlash from some concerned about a convenience stores effects on downtown and the surrounding neighborhood. Thursdays decision doesnt mean that the agreement or the project is dead, only that the YMCA is planning several steps in order to address concerns and will also entertain other qualified offers. The YMCAs leadership and its board plan to re-engage homeowners in the historic Windom Park neighborhood and others to see if there is a different solution to funding the YMCAs move, as some opponents suggested this week but without offering specifics. The YMCA also plans to publicly list the building and land for sale. The YMCA will also continue discussions with city of Winona planning staff and officials about revising the comprehensive plan, a prerequisite to rezoning the land, currently zoned as residential. As a community-based charitable organization, the YMCA seeks to serve the greatest number of our neighbors possible through programs that improve total wellbeing, YMCA CEO Derek Madsen said in a statement. Forging onward with an issue that is potentially divisive is not in line with our goals for the organization. All of this must be done in a timely fashion, he said. The Y is committed to resolving this issue quickly so that we can progress with our project. We will continue to pursue the greatest possible community support. The biggest challenge to the YMCAs plans came from Windom Park neighbors and others upset not with the Ys plan to relocate, but instead with the relocation resulting in a convenience store on the west end of downtown at the foot of the new interstate bridge, with concerns including lighting, traffic and overall fit. The neighborhood has changed dramatically in the last two years because of the bridge project, which led to the removal of nearly two dozen residential and commercial properties, and has led to a number of proposed or ongoing new developments, including the owners of the former Timbers restaurant proposing a major mixed-use retail and residential development. The plan has also drawn large support, not only from longtime YMCA backers and those interested in the proposed collaboration with Winona Health, where the YMCA is planning to develop its new facility, but others who pointed out that the La Crosse-based Kwik Trip has been approachable and flexible in developing several stores in Winona to fit in with surrounding neighborhoods The Winona Planning Commission on Monday, following an hours-long meeting that drew an overflow crowd to City Hall chambers, narrowly voted to recommend denial of changing the comprehensive plan. That recommendation was scheduled to come before the Winona City Council at its first June meeting, but has subsequently pulled, city staff announced Thursday. The loss of Kwik Trip could mean a major blow to the YMCAs plan to raise $13 million for the move. The company has proposed purchasing the building for $750,000, but more importantly offered as a donation paying for the demolition and site prep, estimated to cost near or above the purchase price. There isnt any alternative to the proposal, at least not one thats been announced publicly and backed with similar funding. (Kwik Trips) aim was to support the community by bringing a solution to our concern of future use, and we are grateful to them, Madsen said. The YMCA hasnt previously listed its building and land for sale, but has approached a number of area parties without success in recent years, targeting those who would be interested in and financially capable of developing a building constructed more than 60 years ago and renovated multiple times specifically for the Ys purposes, including a pair of swimming pools and other features. The YMCA had hoped, during the planning phases of the interstate bridge project years ago, that the bridge landing would extend into the YMCAs property, forcing the Minnesota Department of Transportation to buy the building and land. But that didnt happen, with MnDOT instead carefully routing the plan around the property. The YMCA is working to create a state-of-the-art building the organization believes will meet the communitys current needs while providing new and innovative wellness models aimed at serving everyone from seniors to at-risk youth to Winona Health clients. It has been investigating and planning a move for several years, but has not been able to find enough donors in the community to fully fund a move without selling its existing assets. Forging onward with an issue that is potentially divisive is not in line with our goals for the organization. Derek Madsen, YMCA CEO The debate over access to public restrooms has provided an opportunity for us to think carefully about the need for truly accessible bathrooms for all. My own experience in this area does not mirror those advocating for transgender rights, but bathroom access is nonetheless central to my familys daily life. My daughter is 12 years old, weighs 77 pounds, and is nearly as tall as me. She also wears diapers. You may think that a public bathroom is accessible because there is a handicapped stall, but I assure you that is not the case for many, many people. Im not alone in seeing the restroom controversy in this light. Parents like me are increasingly vocal about the need for larger, height-adjustable tables for changing older children and adults. Without tables, the only option is to get down on the never-sanitary bathroom floor to change. Other advocates protest similarly difficult barriers. Some people may be able to use the toilet, but are unable to manage without the assistance of a caregiver (not always of the same gender), or simply need a mechanical lift to help them access the toilet. Its no coincidence that movements for greater inclusiveness center on (or around) the bathroom. Legal analyst Daniella A. Schmidt reminds us that bathroom restrictions have been, and are, acts of exclusion, oppression and power. The mid-20th century civil rights movement is famously remembered for dismantling segregated lunch counters, but we forget that protesters also staged integration actions in bathrooms. Under Jim Crow, if there was no bathroom for you, you either did not go, or faced the choice between personal humiliation or arrest. In 1961, the Chicago Defender reported a story about an African-American woman in Atlanta who was refused entry to the white ladies room at the insurance company where she was doing business. Only when she embarrassed herself by losing control of her bladder was she finally led to a toilet. Even then she was forced to use the white mens room (reminding us that the idea of forcing people into bathrooms where they dont feel they belong has a history in America). Jim Crow segregation of this kind eventually came to an end thanks to searing citizens protest, the power of U.S. Supreme Court decisions and determined enforcement efforts of the federal government. It seems that the latest controversy will be subject to similar action. Earlier this month, the federal Justice Department first sued the state of North Carolina to challenge its legislation insisting that sex at birth determined ones legal access to a bathroom, then asserted that it will use the provisions of Title IX to ensure that public schools allow children to use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity. In theory, people with disabilities should have the same recourse thanks to the Americans With Disabilities Act. But as scholar David Serlin has argued, the ADA has never approached meeting this need because policymakers carved out a space within the able-bodied restroom, heedless of the requirements of people they did not consult, or whose needs they could not imagine. Once set in bricks and mortar, the accommodation is supposedly complete, and no one gets or deserves any further privilege or consideration. We need the ADA to do more. Indignity and humiliation are forced upon people when they are not accorded appropriate, private spaces to do what we all must do. Just as the Justice Department has done in the case of Title IX and transgender peoples rights, public policy makers must grapple honestly with the realities of bodily functions for many people with significant disabilities. They need to overcome the ignorance, shame and revulsion that has plagued discussions of what happens in the bathroom, and what it means to be dependent upon significant supports or the help of others to go to the toilet. It is a great privilege not to have to make decisions about if, and where, to use the bathroom, to not have to run through a series of calculations about risks and benefits, some of which are nearly untenable. For this reason, paying what it will cost to make room for all people will demand more than monetary sacrifice. Being a society that ensures dignity for all will mean coming to terms with all of our vulnerabilities to misfortune. It will mean facing what we fear or dont understand. It will mean relinquishing the freedom of not having to think about these realities, and of not having to see much less overcome these barriers. Imagine, for a moment, that this is you. And ask yourself, what would you do? Stockpiling of manure is a common practice for area livestock producers (typically beef or dairy) during the growing season. As is the case many times, dairy and beef producers find themselves in a situation where growing crops in the field prevent the application of manure during the months of May and June. Now is the time of year, prior to hay-making, when crops have just been planted and are growing that makes it difficult to apply manure to cropland. As is the case during extreme winter weather, the summer months can also cause livestock producers to stockpile manure until a field has been freed up via hay harvest or later in the fall after row crop harvest. Stockpiling of manure, if done right, can be an effective way for producers to manage the nutrients within the manure and can be a reasonably environmentally safe method of manure storage. There are two types of stockpile sites in the eyes of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency: short-term and permanent. For the purposes of this article, I will focus on the short-term sites. There are a couple of guidelines to keep in mind while managing short-term stockpile sites. They are as follows: Short-term sites must have the manure removed within one year of the date the stockpile was formed. Location of short-term stockpiles shall be at least 300 feet from a sinkhole, river or stream, drainage ditch, open tile intake, road ditches that lead to a sensitive feature, 100 feet from a well, not located in a floodplain or shoreland area, or not located in quarries or other mining excavation sites. In addition, stockpiles shall be at least 1,000 feet from a community well or wells serving schools where the well is vulnerable. Sitting of manure stockpiles shall be in areas where upland water can be diverted around the stockpile. Location of stockpiles should also be located on areas where soil permeability is low. Placement should be avoided in areas where sand is the parent material of the topsoil, alternatively stockpiles located on denser soil or clay is a better alternative in order to aid in prevention of leaching. In addition, stockpiles are prohibited on slopes greater than 6 percent. The maximum volume of a stockpile is the volume needed to fertilize crops on a 320-acre field at agronomic rates. In addition, MPCA requires records of stockpiles manure. The records should include information on: Location of each stockpile. Date it was piled. Volume of manure in the stockpile. Nitrogen and Phosphorus content of the manure. Date when the stockpile was land-applied. For more information on this or other conservation practices, call the Root River SWCD office at 507-724-5261, ext. 3. This year Memorial Day falls on May 30. Ceremonies will be held all around the Vernon County area and the nation as we pause to remember those who fought in all wars and who gave their lives in service to our country. This year's ceremonies are part of a long tradition of paying tribute to our war dead. Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day and had its beginnings after the Civil War when General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), proclaimed the following: "The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and who bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land." He said he chose May 30th because that date wasn't the anniversary of any particular battle at that time. Originally the day honored only those who had died in the Civil War but after World War I, the holiday evolved to honor all American military personnel who died in service in all wars. During World War I, following the Second Battle of Ypres in France in 1915, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, who was a physician with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, wrote the poem, "In Flanders Fields". The opening line of that poem, "In Flanders fields the poppies blow between the crosses, row on row", was the inspiration for a poem written in 1918 by Moina Michael, a volunteer with the YWCA. Her poem begins "We cherish too, the Poppy red that grows on fields were valor led, it seems to signal to the skies that blood of heroes never dies." She also conceived the idea of wearing a red silk poppy on Memorial Day to honor those who served and began the tradition of selling and wearing of red poppies. In 1948, the United States Post Office issued a red 3 cent postage stamp to honor Ms. Michael for her role in the founding of national Poppy Day. In 1922, the VFW became the first veterans' organization to nationally sell red poppies prior to Memorial Day. Thus, the term Poppy Day came to be. Today the VFW continues the tradition of selling red poppies to be worn with proceeds going to help disabled veterans. Have you bought your Memorial Day Poppy from the Westby American Legion Auxiliary this year? In Westby, this tradition was carried on by the American Legion Auxiliary. Throughout the years, the Westby Times carried articles each May with a brief history of Poppy Day and a reminder from the president of the American Legion Auxiliary to buy a poppy to remember the war dead. The Westby Times, May 16, 1956, announced that May 26 that year, was to be set aside for the selling of poppies. That year, Mrs. Olaf Johnson, Mrs. Robert Sveum, and Mrs. Noble Stendahl were in charge of selling poppies. There was also a poster contest. The 7th grade class in Westby submitted nine posters. Top prizes went to Shirley Brendum, Ingrid Bekkedal and Frances Moon. Their posters were on display at the Anderson Furniture store, with the others to be displayed in various downtown business windows in Westby. In 1971, Memorial Day became a national holiday by an act of Congress and is now celebrated on the last Monday in May. This year it happens to fall on May 30, the same date that was proclaimed 148 years ago in 1868 as Decoration Day. Today many of us observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries, placing flowers on the graves of loved ones, participating in or attending parades, and Memorial Day often marks the unofficial beginning of summer. American flags are placed on the graves of those who fought in all wars. But the true meaning of Memorial Day is to honor and remember those brave young men and women who left home to serve our country and who paid the ultimate sacrifice. The Westby Area Historical Society pauses with the rest of the nation to remember and honor those from Vernon County who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle in service to our country. News Story not available This story has been published on: 2022-10-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. This story is no longer available on our site. A journalist from Azerbaijan was released from prison on Wednesday. Khadija Ismayilova will now be permitted to serve her sentence at home. The countrys supreme court also reduced her sentence from seven years to just over three years. Ismayilova is a reporter for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. She has won awards for her investigative journalism. In 2015, Ismayilova was sentenced to prison on charges of tax evasion and abuse of power. Many think the charges were motivated by politics. John Lansing is the CEO and director of the U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Lansing said her release was a positive development for the people of Azerbaijan and a step forward for press freedom. The U.S. State Department also welcomed news of Ismayilova's release. A statement by deputy spokesman Mark Toner said the decision would strengthen the country of Azerbaijan and its relationship with the U.S. The statement also urged the Azerbaijani government to drop the remaining charges against her. Human rights groups echoed that idea. Human Rights Watch also called on the government of Azerbaijan to release other journalists and activists held on politically motivated charges. Im Jonathan Evans. The staff at VOA News wrote this story. Jim Dresbach adapted it for Learning English and VOANews.com. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story journalist n. a person who collects, writes and edits news stories for newspapers, magazines, television or radio tax evasion n. the illegal nonpayment or underpayment of taxes CEO n. the person who has the most authority in an organization or business; an abbreviation for chief executive officer A new report says former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton broke department rules by using private email to do government business. Clintons use of private email has been an issue in her presidential campaign. Her critics say she has been dishonest. She has said she did nothing illegal. Clinton admits to making a mistake by not having two separate accounts one for work and another for personal email. I am sorry about that. I take responsibility, she said in a television interview last year. The 83-page report by the Inspector General said Clinton risked the security of official information when she stored email on a private server, or equipment, in her home. It also said the department would not have approved use of the server if security officials had known about it. Clinton provided 50,000 pages of official email, as well as her personal server, as part of the investigation. The report said she should have given all her official government email to the State Department. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Clinton was not the only secretary to break the policies. We could have done a better job at preserving emails and records of secretaries of state and their senior staff going back, frankly, several administrations. So back to before Secretary Clinton. We recognize that. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell also was criticized in the report for using personal email for government business. The report found that many employees use personal email accounts for official business. But it identified three officials who used it exclusively: Clinton, Powell and a former ambassador to Kenya, Scott Gration. Every time a new government report is released, the issue returns to the campaign discussion. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump quickly reacted Wednesday to the inspector generals new report. Crooked Hillary, crooked Hillary, shes as crooked as they come, he said at a campaign rally. He later described the report as not so good. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi defended Clinton. She said the report showed weaknesses in the system that included other high-ranking government officials. The report criticized the State Department for being slow to recognize and to manage effectively the legal requirements and cybersecurity risks of official email use. Im Bryan Lynn. Zlatica Hoke reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bryan Lynn adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Do you think the Hillary Clinton email issue should stay a part of the presidential campaign? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story server n. a computer that manages access to a centralized network exclusive adj. not shared, available to only one person or group crooked adj. not honest or trustworthy pants on fire -- idiom, from a children's rhyme, or poem, about someone who lies so much, their pants catch on fire cybersecurity n. measures taken to protect computers from unauthorized attacks A decision made by a soldier during battle can have a national and international political, social and cultural effect. When the decision is a poor one it can damage the credibility of the operation. U.S. Army Colonel Philip J. Deppert works to help soldiers avoid tactical mistakes. Deppert is the commanding officer of the Defense Language Institute (DLI), in Monterey, California. He told VOA that cultural education is a major part of the institutes educational programs. Deppert said DLI is famous around the world for producing well-trained military linguists who understand both the language and the culture of a country. The United States -- and specifically our military -- understands that in order to be the best partner with all nations around the world we not only have to understand the language but the culture embedded with that as well, he said. About 3,500 soldiers, Marines, sailors, airmen and civilians attend DLI. Their agencies pay for their study. DLI diplomacy Wherever there is a U.S. embassy, there is a U.S. military representative who trained at DLI. Air Force Major Braden Coleman is a foreign affairs officer. Six months ago, he began learning the Urdu language at DLI in preparation for his deployment to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad. He said DLI is preparing me to work at the embassy and to help with relations. So I will be in the program for at least the next four years. The DLI has about 1,800 specially trained teachers. Almost all of them are native speakers of the language they teach. Isabella Christopher teaches her students the Urdu language and the culture of Pakistan. She has worked at DLI for about five years. She said if we tell someone that our students learn a language in nine months, or 35 weeks, or 47 weeks, nobody believes that. Emphasis on culture In addition to native speakers, DLI students also learn from U.S. military teachers who are educated in languages. U.S. Army Sergeant Garrick Bartlett received four years of education in the Pashto language before he became a teacher at DLI. He said his primary role is to help bridge the gap between Pashto and English, coming from that of an English native-speakers background. DLI has separate schools that focus on different areas of the world. William Sameer al-Wahab heads one of the institutes Middle East Schools. He said the training permits students to communicate on at least a basic level with people who live and work in the areas where they are deployed. Once the population feels that the soldiers are speaking their language, they will try to do the same thing and be very helpful, he said. Total immersion Besides language training, students are also sent to what DLI calls the Immersion Facility. There, they experience possible real-life situations. They are not permitted to speak English. They wear local clothing and communicate in the target language. The Obama administration is broadening the U.S. military campaign against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. U.S. special operations forces are to advise local U.S. allies. DLI will likely play a major part in that effort. Colonel Deppert said DLI would not send students from the school unless it believes they are fully prepared. He said the training center can show proof of how well prepared its linguists are. He said the school has linguists right now in Japan helping with earthquake relief in that country. Im Caty Weaver. Hasib Danish Alikozai reported this story for VOA. Caty Weaver adapted it for Learning English. Christopher Jones-Cruise was the editor. Share your thoughts in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story credibility n. the quality of being believed or accepted as true, real or honest tactical adj. of, relating to or used for a specific plan that is created to achieve a particular goal in war, politics, etc. linguist n. a person who speaks or studies languages specifically adv. in a definite and exact way embed v. to place or set (something) firmly in something else; to be a part of (often used figuratively) focus v. to direct your attention or effort at something specific Let's just cut to the chase. No small talk. The current lot of rumours (there are always plenty) surrounding Kangana Ranaut feed very easily into the whole (absurd) narrative of her being a black-magic loving witch. Forget her 10-year long Bollywood career, all the Indian media seems to care about is that Kangana's lying about her age, about how much money she says she is charging versus how much she actually gets, how she's a period-blood eating, psychotic "queen of lies". Basically, 'b*tches be crazy yo'. There is something fundamentally wrong with all these speculations made about Kangana Ranaut, and its coverage in Indian media: they are sexist, judgmental and hearsay. Picture this: if we were to spread rumours about you, the reader, based on half-baked things we heard from someone's source from somewhere we don't know, how would you feel? Violated, right? Now imagine if you were a national figure. Shudder. The rampant sexism and judgmental reports written about Kangana Ranaut can scare even the bravest of the lot, and this India Tv news article is the numero uno example of that. After accusing Kangana of lying about her age (awww, damn, she's 30 not 29, now I can't go watch her movies at all!) and quoting a higher fee than she received for Vishal Bhardwaj's Rangoon, the article decides to sum up their peevish piece with this statement: Looks like Kangana is too much into being in the limelight, no matter the reason is good or bad. After all, badnaam hue to kya hua, naam to hua. Sigh, this is what cherries on cakes are made of. Then, there's this Zee News report, that tries to be sensationalist but fails rather badly. After claiming that Kangana lied about the remuneration offered to her in Rangoon they say, "this latest bit of news about her is definitely going to come as a shocker to her fans". Yes, because a couple of crores more or less that Kangana gets for herself, is such an important piece of information for our lives. And then there's the hoard of tabloid portals that in one breath with call her "bold and beautiful Kangana Ranaut" but will also use "SHOCKING BIG LIE" in caps, no less, as if the world is falling apart because of her rumoured dishonesty. Isn't all of this just so convenient? Can't shut Kangana down (why we feel the need to, is a conversation we'll save for later)? Well, let's just inflate every rumour we hear about her and pass it off as a scoop. Here's a thought: has is occured to those who write such reports and stories to read up about why there's even a battle related to Kangana's remuneration? The actress has been fighting to get the same fee as the male actors in the industry, which is no mean feat. At a time when 50 year old actors are still romantically paired with 20-somethings, female actors who speak about the unfair practices in Bollywood are few and far between. All these "reports" are starting to sound like the colony aunty. "Haw National Awards mein isne saree nahi dress pehna, chee chee" or "haww shaadishuda mard ke saath fraanship". And just with that we are back in the 1940s. Why we should be speculating about Kangana's age is a concept we just don't understand, and since somebody has to say this, we solemnly volunteer. Back off, guys. Kangana Ranaut's personal life, or anybody's for that matter, while might be interesting to speculate about, is none of our business. If we can disassociate Woody Allen's molestation and sexual abuse charges from his body of work, we should be holding all public figures to the same standard, regardless of gender. Stop spreading baseless, unauthentic, mass-produced rumours and ruining the reputation of journalism for the rest of us. Kammatipaadam, a pro-Dalit gangster movie with a difference, directed by cameraman and director Rajeev Ravi, is turning out to be a trendsetter in Malayalam commercial cinema. The film, which released last Friday, has the young star Dulquer Salmaan in the lead, along with an array of actors like Vinayagan, Manikandan and Shaun Romy. Through a history of blood and violence, Ravi chronicles the transformation of Ernakulam (Kochi), as a metro city full of skyscrapers and a concrete jungle, from its lush green past of paddy fields. Rajeev Ravi, Anurag Kashyaps regular cameraman (Dev D, Gangs of Wasseypur Part 1 & 2, Bombay Velvet etc), is born and brought up in Kochi and did his college at the prestigious Maharajas College. He knows the city like the back of his hand as he spent a major part of his childhood in Kochi. Ravi has earlier directed two critically acclaimed Malayalam films, the romantic hit Annayum Rasoolum (2013) and Njaan Steve Lopez (2014). Ernakulam was a small town, and during the first communist government of EMS Namboodiripad in 1957, small tracts of farm land were given to the landless, mainly from the Dalit community, under the Land Reforms Ordinance Act. But following the Economic Liberalisation of 1991, Kochi boomed into a metro city, and real estate skyrocketed. The then government set up Greater Cochin Development Authority, which helped the real estate boom, all the while paddy fields were converted to housing boards, luxury villas and apartments. In Kammatipaadam, Ravi shows how the Dalits were forced to sell out their lands by their own brethren to upper caste real estate sharks, mainly the Syrian Christians. In the film, the land mafia uses dark skinned Dalit gangs mainly from the Pulaya community to usurp real estate. The hero, a middle class Ezhava man named Krishnan (Dulquer), grew up in the slums along with his best friend Ganga (Vinayagan) and his thuggish brother Balan (Manikandan), who mentors them into a life of crime and violence. Krishnan is also in love with Gangas cousin, a fellow dark skinned girl, Anita (Shaun Rommy). The use of complexion reveals a lot about how Ravi wants to shatter the false image of beauty and fairness. Malayalam commercial cinema has always been dominated by Hindu upper caste and Muslim superstars like Prem Nazir, Jayan, Soman, Sukumaran, Mammootty, Mohanlal, Jayaram, Dileep and new generation actors like Prithviraj, Dulquer and Nivin Pauly. The only Dalit actor, who to a certain extent made it to the top was the late Kalabhavan Mani. Post Kammatipaadam, the bad guys played by Vinayakan and Manikandan, who debuted with the film, are now being flooded with offers. Both actors have gained quite a cult following post the film. There is enough evidence to believe that their popularity is increasing because of a sense of identification coming from movie goers, on actors of darker complexions playing important roles. In an exclusive interview with Firstpost, director of the controversial film Rajeev Ravi, opened up about the film. I went through hell getting the film censored. It looked like they didnt want the film to come out in the form that I conceived. The censors wanted all caste references, especially the word Pulayan in a background song to be removed, along with a lot of dialogues. Finally they reluctantly cleared the film with an A certificate with cuts, saying there is violence in the film, said Ravi. On the positive reviews to his film, he added: Im very happy with the emotional response of audiences across India (the film was released simultaneously across India with English subtitles). I grew up in Kochi of the 1980s and 90s, and at that time it was a small town. But post liberalisation and the gulf boom, real estate mafia took over the city and the poor and marginalised lost all their land. I wanted to convey that development is like cancer and only a few, mainly from the upper echelons of the society, benefit from it. About his idea of casting black skinned actors, Ravi said, Except for Dulquer who is fabulous as a middle class guy, all other characters are from the lower strata of society. I feel it suited my characters, and the way my story unfolds. Vinayagan and Manikandan have done a superb job along with Shaun Romy. In a way I wanted to break the conventional commercial cinema concepts. I hope these new actors make it big as the audiences have given thumbs up to them. Kammatipaadam has definitely shaken the edifice of Malayalam commercial cinema as it will turn profitable for its makers Global United Media from its theatrical and television rights. The attacks against three policemen in Srinagar need to be carefully analyzed. There are tell-tale signs that a carrot and stick strategy might be subtly coming into play to weaken the morale of the Jammu and Kashmir police force if not a large-scale gameplan to try and neutralize the force. If the killings constitute a hard-knuckled warning, a recent ground-level discourse in the Valley about our policemen could comprise the carrot part of the strategy. Such talk might have been deliberately spread to try and pose a choice for policemen to stand for or against Kashmiris. The discourse held that, in their hearts, Kashmiri policemen feel the pain of common Kashmiris. It is pointed out as part of that discourse, most members of the counter-insurgency Special Operations Groups (SOG) are ethnic Gujjars or Pahadis although this preponderance has gradually been less true over the past decade and more and that ethnic Kashmiris are sympathetic to the freedom movement. Pertinently, the Hizb-ul Mujahideen statement that claimed responsibility for the recent killings stated that the policemen who were on traffic detail had earlier been part of the SOG. Perhaps no less pertinent is the fact that this was hotly contested by the deceased policemens families a tacit acknowledgement that killing SOG members might be defensible in their eyes. Indeed, the SOG has been in the forefront of the counter-insurgent war, and their methods have often been unpalatable. To lower the morale of a local police force can be a key strategy near the start of a new, high-intensity phase of militancy. The local police was barely functional for three or four years from 1990, when the previous phase of high-intensity militancy got going. There was even a police revolt, during which the JKP was disarmed. It was only after 1995 that the police force came back into its own. The SOG modules were at the cutting edge. A militant campaign to target serving and retired police men and officers now could take a heavy toll on morale. There is a danger that this could cause a spiraling cycle of revenge killings, which could cause panic after a point. Another danger is that continued targeting of policemen would lead to far heavier arming of the police force, including those on traffic duty. This too could lead to problems, in light of the experience of uncoordinated, badly aimed firing on an almost daily basis during the summer of 2010 often in contravention of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). Already, we have seen a sad breach of SOPs by even some (arguably much better trained) Army personnel during April. The high-profile controversies over differentiation between local and outsider students at the National Institute of Technology in Srinagar (last month) and over proposals to rehabilitate Kashmiri Pandits and to settle retired Army personnel in the Valley could give opportunities to increase insider-outsider stress in the ranks of the police force and thus contribute to lowering morale. It was widespread public anger over the perception that land transfer to the Sri Amarnath Shrine Board in 2008 was meant to allow outsiders to own land in the Valley that set off the unsavoury events that have snowballed into a new militancy. It would be foolhardy to ignore the deeply-felt sentiments, which border on paranoia, around Kashmirs sense of ethnic exclusivity. Not only the members of the police force, a wide range of officials and politicians in the Valley shared the anger and distress that animated the 2008 agitations. Not the least among these were leaders and cadres of the now-ruling Peoples Democratic Party. Resettlement of retired Army personnel has similar potential. It could become a Catch-22 even for those in the establishment. On the other hand, it could energize anti-state activists more than most issues particularly if it is presented as an assault on Islamic identity. Already, almost simultaneously with the killing of the three policemen, the three main rival leaders of Kashmirs separatist struggle Mirwaiz Umar, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, and Yasin Malik agreed to work together to counter such anti-Kashmir moves. It is worth noting that Pakistan has been trying for some time to bring them together but its efforts have hitherto faltered. It would be important for its own sake to take steps to ease the insider-outsider animosities that have been increasing in the Valley. It is even more critically urgent in light of the rising tide of militancy. New Delhi: Police have arrested the neighbour of a differently-abled girl who allegedly raped her and left her for dead in New Delhi, officials said Thursday, the latest incident of sexual violence to spark public outrage. Locals found the 13-year-old orphan unconscious and with multiple injuries, lying near a secluded railway track on 18 May, after she went missing from her relatives' home the day before. She is now recovering in hospital after undergoing life-saving surgery, following the attack in a southern district of Delhi. "We have arrested the girl's neighbour for rape and on attempted murder charges. The girl is mentally disabled," Rajesh Kumar, an investigator in the case told AFP. The perpetrator raped the girl before attacking her with a sharp object, causing grievous injuries all over her body, he said. "She had injuries and cuts on her torso, neck, private parts and limbs. He had left her to die by the railway tracks," Kumar said. A spokesman for Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences, where the victim was treated, said she was stable and under observation. "She will need more time to recover completely," Rajeev Maikhuri said. Opposition parties seized on the attack to criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's national government, which controls the Delhi city police force. "Such incidents remind us that the Delhi government should have control over law and order," the city's chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was quoted by television network NDTV as saying, after visiting the victim in hospital. The fatal gang-rape of a student on a bus in New Delhi in 2012 unleashed a wave of public outrage and street protests against violence towards women in India. That incident prompted the government to toughen penalties for rapists and overhaul policing to better protect women and children. The transport minister said Wednesday panic buttons would be fitted on all India's public buses to curb sex attacks on women. Last month a student was brutally raped and murdered in southern Kerala state, triggering days of protests across the country. More than 36,000 rapes were reported in India in 2014, although activists say the true number is likely much higher. Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday put on hold Haryana government's recent notification according 10 percent quota in jobs for Jats and five other communities. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said his government will "make all possible efforts to get the stay vacated". The high court order came in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Bhiwani resident Murari Lal Gupta, who argued the decision was contrary to the constitution's basic structure as he cited the Supreme Court ruling last year that the Jats could not be treated as a backward community. The petitioner argued that after the apex court ruling, the state legislature had no right to pass the act. Reacting to the development, Khattar said that the "BJP government would not wait till 21 July (the next date of hearing in the court when the Haryana government has been asked to submit its reply) to initiate legal action against the ex parte decision of Punjab and Haryana High Court as per which the court has granted interim stay on benefit of reservation to six castes including Jat, Jat Sikh, Mula Jat, Bishnoi, Ror and Tyagi under Backward Classes 'C' category in government jobs and admission to educational institutes in the state". "The BJP government would present its case in the high court at the earliest and would make all possible efforts to get the stay vacated," he said in a statement, adding that the reservation was given "within the ambit of the constitution". Khattar said that had the previous government legally given reservation benefit to these castes, the issue would have not got entangled in the court. The Haryana government on 13 May notified the Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in services and Admission in Educational Institutions) Act, 2016, to provide reservation in services and admission to people belonging to backward classes in the state, including the politically dominant Jat community. The act provides for 10 percent job reservation for Class III and IV posts and six percent reservation in Class I and II posts to these six castes as well as 10 percent reservation in admissions to educational institutions. The Haryana assembly on 29 March this year unanimously passed the bill. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government had promised reservation for the Jat community and others after the Jat agitation for reservation left the state paralysed for nine days in February this year. As many as 30 people were killed and 320 injured and property worth hundreds of crores of rupees was destroyed during the violent agitation. The Supreme Court on Thursday said an Italian marine under investigation for the killing of two fishermen is free to go home while international arbitration into the case is ongoing. Salvatore Girone, who has been living in the Italian embassy in New Delhi, was one of two marines arrested in 2012 on suspicion of killing the fishermen during an anti-piracy mission on an Italian oil tanker. The other marine is already back in Italy after suffering health problems. The Supreme Court ruled that Girone can return to Italy while the United Nations tribunal decides on a jurisdictional issue between India and Italy. The SC said that the Italian Ambassador has to file fresh undertaking that Girone will return to India if Tribunal decides in India's favour, reports PTI. With inputs from agencies. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday relaxed the bail conditions of Salvatore Girone, one of the two Italian marines accused of killing two fishermen off Kerala coast in 2012, and allowed him to go to his country till an International Arbitral Tribunal decides the jurisdictional issue between India and Italy. The other marine Massimiliano Latorre is already in Italy on health grounds and his stay there was recently extended by the apex court till September 30 this year. A vacation bench of Justices P C Pant and D Y Chandrachud sought a fresh undertaking from Italian Ambassador in New Delhi stating that if the International Arbitral Tribunal (IAT) decides jurisdictional issue in India's favour then he will be responsible in bringing back the marine within one month. The apex court imposed four conditions on the marine which include that he has to report to police station in Italy on first Wednesday of every month and the Italian Embassy has to inform the Indian Embassy in Rome about the same. It also said the marine will not tamper with any evidence nor influence any witness in the case. The third condition imposed was that Girone will give an undertaking that he will remain under the jurisdiction of Supreme Court. Lastly, if found violating any of the conditions imposed, his bail will be cancelled, the apex court said. During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) P S Narasimha said that Centre has no objection to the application moved by Girone if he complies with the conditions imposed by the apex court. "We support the application on humanitarian grounds subject to his compliance with the conditions imposed by the court," the ASG said. Girone, who presently is in the custody of the apex court and residing in Italian embassy here, had filed the application through lawyer Jagjit Singh Chhabra, also seeking a direction that Ministry of Home Affairs and the Foreigners Regional Registration Office be asked to provide him with the "necessary residential permit and exit visa". The marines, who were on board ship 'Enrica Lexie', are accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast on 15 February 2012. Italy and India have been making contrary claims over the right to prosecute the two Italian marines in the case. Girone had also said the authorities at the Indira Gandhi International Airport including the Bureau of Immigration and the concerned CISF and other security authorities be apprised of the court's direction that he can leave India. The Centre had on the last hearing said the international arbitration proceedings are expected to decide the jurisdictional issue "expeditiously" and the marine can be be allowed to leave on the terms which was imposed on Lattore. Earlier, the apex court on April 26, had extended the stay of Latorre in Italy till September 30. The court was informed by the Centre that international arbitration proceedings in the matter would be completed by December 2018. Solicitor General (SG) Ranjit Kumar had apprised the bench about the schedule of proceedings fixed before International Tribunal for Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in Germany. The apex court had on January 13 asked the Centre to apprise it of the status of international arbitration proceedings in the case. The court had earlier stayed all criminal proceedings, including the trial of the two marines. While allowing the joint request of India and Italy, the apex court had said the proceedings would remain stalled till the jurisdictional issue about which country has the right to conduct trial was decided through international arbitration. The apex court had on 26 August 2015 suspended all court proceedings here in pursuance of an interim order of the ITLOS asking India to maintain "status quo" in the case. Latorre, who had suffered a brain stroke on August 31, 2014, was allowed by the apex court on September 12, 2014 to go to Italy for four months and after that, extensions have been granted to him. The complaint against the Italian marines was lodged by Freddy, the owner of the fishing boat 'St Antony', in which the two Indian fishermen were killed when the marines opened fire on them allegedly under the misconception that they were pirates. Nagpur: Mirza Himayat Baig, the lone convict in the 2010 German bakery bomb blast case, allegedly attacked an inmate on death row inside the high security Central Prison in Nagpur, following which the latter had to be hospitalised. The incident occurred yesterday in the kitchen premises of the jail, authorities said on Wednesday. According to sources, Baig assaulted Rajesh Daware following a brawl between them over an unknown issue. Daware and his associate Arvind Abhilash Singh were sentenced to death by a Nagpur sessions court on February 4 for murdering Yug Chandak, the 8-year-old son of a doctor, on September 1, 2014. The sources said the duo had a heated exchange which culminated into Baig thrashing Daware. The guards and other authorities rushed to the spot hearing the shouts of other inmates and separated the duo. Daware received some head injuries and was taken to the jail hospital for treatment. The Bombay High Court had recently commuted the death sentence awarded earlier to Baig by a Pune court to life imprisonment. Seventeen people died and over 50 were injured in the blast that happened on February 13, 2010. Confirming the incident, Jail Superintendent Yogesh Desai told PTI that it took place yesterday and that the security staff have now placed Baig and Daware separately. "The security outside the barracks of the inmates has been enhanced," he said. Desai said they are reviewing the CCTV footage. He said though the audio of the incident is poor, the visuals could help them in the probe. The immediate provocation behind the incident could not be known, he added. Meanwhile, Dhantoli Police under whose jurisdiction the prison falls were informed about the incident. A team of police personnel, led by inspector R Mane rushed to the facility and reviewed the situation. Police have launched an investigation to ascertain the cause behind the attack. Kolkata: A massive fire broke out at a factory in Tollygunge area in southern part of the city on Thursday evening, officials said. UPDATE: Fire at a rubber factory in South Kolkata,12 fire tenders at the spot pic.twitter.com/I9eb0ilJl2 ANI (@ANI_news) May 26, 2016 12 fire tenders were working in tandem to douse the fire which broke at a factory located on Sultan Alam Road in the Charu Market area of Tollygunge at around 5 pm, they said. "The cause of the fire is not yet known, but large amount of plastic substances and adhesive stacked inside the factory is helping the blaze," a senior officer of the fire department said. "Because it is a very congested residential area we are trying our best so that the fire does not spread to the adjacent buildings," he said. The presence of Charu Market beside the factory was also a matter of concern for the fire department officials, he added. New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday alleged that two years of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre have seen only "corruption" and "hooliganism" and claimed the Prime Minister's Office has been reduced to an "international travel agency". "Modiji got massive mandate on the development plank and the only development in the country has been done by PMO which is now functioning as an international travel agency. The officials have been reduced to travel agents who keep on arranging his visits to one country or the other," AAP leader Dileep Pandey told reporters here. "These visits are planned only in hope that situation or relations with other countries will improve but we have seen how they have gone worse be it with Pakistan, China or Nepal. "There is no consistent, transparent, convenient foreign policy and the country has not reaped any benefits from your foreign trips. The FDI that you boast about has only turned out to be short term investment by foreign companies which come here for 3-4 months, make profits and leave," he added. The AAP leader alleged that the Modi government was attacking educational institutions such as JNU, AMU, Allahabad University, BHU and FTII among others only to establish RSS ideology and it resorts to hooliganism to crush voices of dissent. "They attacked so many educational institutions. We all know what happened in JNU, FTII, AMU and now in BHU. Their sole agenda has been to establish RSS ideology there. Wherever there are voices of dissent they resort to hooliganism" he said. "There is hooliganism on chanting or not chanting of Bharat Mata ki Jai, Akhlaq was killed over beef, Rohith Vemula was forced to commit suicide. All these were part of the two-years of their regime," Pandey added. Party leader Ashutosh alleged, "He is the first PM in our history to bow down in front of Pakistan. While he hugged Pakistan PM, Pathankot attack followed and ironically we asked the same party to investigate the attack who conducted it". "Following three levels of corruption-regional corruption, national corruption and international corruption-Modi has proved himself to be standing parallel to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. "He not only kept silent on various corruption issues be it of Vasundhra Raje, Lalit Modi, Agusta Westland, Smriti Irani's degree or his own degree. Be it Supreme Court or High Court, BJP government was slammed but they did not learn any lessons. People feel let down for having voted for the party," he added. New Delhi: Vice President Hamid Ansari will embark on a five-day foreign tour on 30 May that will take him to the north African nations of Morocco and Tunisia. On 30 May, he will reach Morocco's capital Rabat at the invitation of Abdelilah Benkirane, prime minister and head of government of Morocco. This visit intends to further strengthen the cordial relations between the two countries, further develop and diversify profile of bilateral economic cooperation and explore new avenues of co-operation and partnership on a wide range of issues of shared common interest, an external affairs ministry statement said. During the course of visit, Ansari will hold discussions with King Mohammed VI and Prime Minister Benkirane. Speakers of both houses of the Moroccan parliament and the Moroccan minister for foreign affairs and cooperation will call on Ansari. The vice president and the Moroccan prime minister will also jointly launch the India-Morocco Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Rabat. Members of the Indian diaspora will interact with Ansari during this event. During the course of his visit, Ansari will also meet with leading intellectuals and imams of Morocco besides delivering a talk at Mohammed V University in Rabat. In the second leg of his visit to Morocco, he will visit the city of Marrakesh where he will be hosted by the governor of Marrakesh. From Morocco, Ansari will reach Tunis on June 2 for a two-day visit to Tunisia at the invitation of Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid. India has very cordial bilateral relations with Tunisia, another external affairs ministry statement said. The economic cooperation between the two countries is deepening with Indian investments in the phosphate sector. During this visit, further avenues of cooperation in various areas of growth would be discussed, it added. During the course of the visit, Ansari will hold discussions President Beji Caid Essebsi and Prime Minister Essid on a wide range of issues of shared common interest. The vice president will also be received by the president of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People of Tunisia where he will meet with members of parliament from various parties and the Tunisian-India Parliamentary Group. Ansari will also deliver a keynote address to the Tunisian diplomatic corps and leading scholars and think tanks at the Tunisian Institute for Strategic Studies. During his visit to both the countries, Ansari will be accompanied by union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Hansraj Gangaram Ahir and four members of parliament. New York: Vampires are real at least the amoebae variety and they have been around for millions of years, say researchers who found evidence of predation in ancient microbial ecosystems dating back more than 740 million years. Using a scanning electron microscope to examine minute fossils, the researchers found perfectly circular drill-holes that may have been formed by an ancient relation of Vampyrellidae amoebae. These single-celled creatures perforate the walls of their prey and reach inside to consume its cell contents. "To my knowledge these holes are the earliest direct evidence of predation on eukaryotes," said Susannah Porter, associate professor at University of California, Santa Barbara in the US. Eukaryotes are organisms whose cells contain a nucleus and other organelles such as mitochondria. "We have a great record of predation on animals going back 550 million years starting with the very first mineralized shells, which show evidence of drill-holes. We had nothing like that for early life -- for the time before animals appear. These holes potentially provide a way of looking at predator-prey interactions in very deep time in ancient microbial ecosystems," she said. The findings appeared in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. For the study, Porter examined fossils from the Chuar Group in the Grand Canyon once an ancient seabed that are between 782 and 742 million years old. The holes are about one micrometre (one thousandth of a millimeter) in diameter and occur in seven of the species she identified. The holes are not common in any single one species. In fact, they appear in not more than 10 percent of the specimens, the findings showed. "I also found evidence of specificity in hole sizes, so different species show different characteristic hole sizes, which is consistent with what we know about modern vampire amoebae and their food preferences," Porter said. Merin Joseph was the youngest IPS officer in the Kerala cadre. But going by Google search, people are not interested in her policing qualities; the top queries are about her age, husband and Facebook page. Reacting to a listicle, 10 Most Beautiful Female IAS and IPS officers in India that was published on Bhaskar.com, Joseph posted on Facebook, "Shameless objectification of women and propagation of patriarchal structures, reducing a lady's worth to her face value. These are bold and brave officers working in the complex bureaucratic system in India, negotiating their way through the good, bad and ugly of our body politic- and here we have a list of officers whom people can ogle at." Following the backlash, the listicle was later taken down. Angoorlata Deka, the newly-elected BJP MLA from Assam, too faced a similar predicament. Though the first-time candidate managed to clinch the seat from a veteran MLA, most of the news headlines focused on her beauty. Doesn't matter what she has achieved, she was reduced to her physical attributes. Elections were recently held in four states but how many headlines do you see about the most handsome male candidates? Or where is the listicle on 10 most hunky male officers? In a world driven by the visual media, why are qualified and intelligent women reduced to just a pretty face? Should Merin Joseph or Angoorleta Deka be defined and identified by their looks? How many men have taken to social media sites expressing disgust over the gender bias and urging people to look beyond their bodies? Was Merin right in blaming the media? Take for instance India.com: One of their stories is Kerala IPS officer Merin Joseph slams objectification of women that reduces women to just face value. Right below that story, their photo gallery has "hot and sexy" pictures of Sonam Kapoor and Deepika Padukone. Let's not single out only India.com, many media websites have photo galleries dedicated to 'celebs go nude on Instagram' or 'actresses with wardrobe malfunction'. Of course, media houses will argue that why blame the messenger, when people are actually searching for such posts. Away from home, how many posts have you seen glorifying the achievements of international lawyer and human rights activist Amal Alamuddin? Never mind the fact that she recently helped free an Azerbaijan investigative journalist, in jail since December 2014; the queries are mostly about her style and wedding. Why do women have to be desexualised before they are taken seriously? There was a period when feminists had to distance themselves from fashion and style to get their point across. The dialogue has gradually shifted to why a woman with a great fashion sense can't be taken seriously on a professional level. Beauty, irrespective of how you define it, is something a person is born with. If a person is identified just by their looks, it undermines her (his) achievements. Women like Merin or Angoorlata should not have to take to social media sites to point out the blatant flaws in the way women are treated. It should be obvious that they are much more than just a pretty face. London: Workaholics, take note! You may be more prone to psychiatric symptoms such as depression and anxiety, researchers including one of Indian-origin have warned. Scientists examined the associations between workaholism and psychiatric disorders among 16,426 working adults. "Workaholics scored higher on all the psychiatric symptoms than non-workaholics," said Cecilie Schou Andreassen from University of Bergen in Norway. Among workaholics, 32.7 percent met attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) criteria compared to 12.7 percent among non-workaholics, researchers said. More than 25 percent of workaholics met obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) criteria compared to almost nine per cent among non-workaholics, they said. Almost 34 percent met anxiety criteria compared to 12 percent among non-workaholics, researchers said. Almost 9 percent met depression criteria, while the figure was 2.6 percent for non-workaholics, they said. "Thus, taking work to the extreme may be a sign of deeper psychological or emotional issues," said Andreassen. "Whether this reflects overlapping genetic vulnerabilities, disorders leading to workaholism or, conversely, workaholism causing such disorders, remain uncertain," she said. Researchers including Rajita Sinha from Yale University in the US used seven valid criteria when drawing the line between addictive and non-addictive behaviour. Participants rated experiences occurring over the past year from 1 (never) to 5 (always). The experiences were - you think of how you can free up more time to work, you spend much more time working than initially intended, you work in order to reduce feelings of guilt, anxiety, helplessness or depression, you have been told by others to cut down on work without listening to them. The other experiences included - you become stressed if you are prohibited from working, you deprioritise hobbies, leisure activities, and/or exercise because of your work, you work so much that it has negatively influenced your health. Scoring 4 (often) or 5 (always) on four or more criteria identify a workaholic, researchers said. The findings were published in the journal PLOS ONE. Shillong: The most recent legislative assembly victory in Assam, northeast Indias biggest and most important state, is a testament to what a campaign based on fear of the outsider can get you. This is a tactic that the BJP employs to great effect. It worked wonders in a state where the Congress has been in power for the past three election cycles. The BJP along with its ally, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), the most prominent regional party of the state won on a wave of anti-migrant, anti-Bangladeshi sentiment. The AGP which was born out of student movement politics has a pro-Assamese, anti-outsider ideology. So it was only natural that the BJPs veiled anti-Muslim rhetoric became the perfect vehicle to hitch its aspirations on. And that was what the election was campaigned and won onanti-Bangladeshi sentiments, which became indistinguishable from anti-Muslim ones. These are campaigns that are the trademark of an RSS-supported, Hindutva-inspired Bharatiya Janata Party. The BJP is a party that, for better or worse, has become the biggest national party. In a country as big and diverse as this one, an outlook that demonizes Muslims, Christiansand in very veiled policies Scheduled Castes and Tribesis cause for concern. The weakness of the Indian National Congress and the perception of ineptitude, especially of Mr Rahul Gandhi, who is seen as an ineffective leader, has allowed the Bharatiya Janata Party to gain footholds in states and regions where they had not done so earlier. The fear of the Bangladeshi migrant is not a new phenomenon in the northeast of India. In Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Assam, states that share very long borders with Bangladesh, many an election campaign have been fought and won on stoking of fear and hatred of a foreign and Muslim population thats bent on destroying and taking over communities. The Bangladeshi migrant is every communitys favourite punching bag. Jobs that local populations wont even look at are done by them for wages that are very low. These are wages that business owners get away with because of the status of the employee. While they would have constitutional protection, and protection under the labour laws if they were to working in the organized sector, the overwhelming number of jobs that they are involved in are in the unorganized and unregulated sectors, and labour law protection, if any, is insignificant. The region with its many tribal communities whose populations range between a few thousand and two million, has always been a hotbed for narrow identity politics, that prey on the fears of people. A fear that their villages and towns, might get overrun by people whose culture and religion, they are told repeatedly by politicians, student leaders, and the media, seeks to destroy theirs. In the state of Meghalaya, this anti-Bangladeshi theme played out in 2014 in the movement for the demand of the implementation of the Inner Line Permit. The coalmines and limestone quarries in the state attract migrant labourers who, along with their extended families add to the burgeoning population. Migrants from Bangladesh who work for lower wages fill that space. The consensus among the indigenous population is that the number of illegal immigrants pouring into the state is unsustainable. Ours is a very small state with very limited avenues. There is no truth to the argument that we dont want to do menial labour. Shaphrang Pyrbot, a twenty-one-year-old said. Shaphrang is an avid supporter of the implementation of the ILP and does not understand why other people are against it. You cant expect us to work for one hundred rupees a day. Its because these people can get away with paying fifty rupees a day to someone from Bangladesh that there is no room to negotiate a more reasonable wage. Shaphrang added that he and many of his friends and relatives would happily work the jobs that illegal migrants are taking up, if a system of reasonable and fair wages ware implemented. But Khasi boys dont want to do the jobs that Bangladeshis do, explained Bah Jo, a 50-year-old contractor who has been designing and building houses for twenty years. Currently, I am building three different houses in three different localities of Shillong. I have one hundred and fifty two people who work for me and one hundred and thirty five of them are from Bangladesh. "Thats the travesty of it all, he added Jobs are available but our boys and girls dont want to do them. Assam has a considerable Muslim population that is as Assamese, and as Indian, as anyone else. It has had to be defensive about its religion and patriotism, especially in the face of the ugly campaigning in the last election by the BJP. This kind of rhetoric finds passionate support in many an impressionable individual, whose current situation and future prospects look neither bright nor promising. They are told that the ones responsible for all their problems are foreigners from the neighbouring country, and they lap it up. In this process of scapegoating, responsibility for an adverse situation is passed on to the hapless foreigner. New Delhi: As the Modi government celebrates its second anniversary on Thursday, Congress has decided to come out with a booklet and a video highlighting its "failures", provoking a sharp reaction from BJP with Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu accusing it of engaging in "negative" politics as it is "nervous". Party general secretary Digvijaya Singh will address a press conference in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency Varanasi on Thursday while Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and party spokespersons Kapil Sibal and Randeep Singh Surjewala will train their guns on the government in Delhi as part of the plan charted out by the Congress. "Congress party will be releasing a video and booklet on issues where the Modi government has failed India. Entire country expected Modiji to have governance as the central point of its agenda. This has been missing. After leading BJP to victory in 2014, Modi and his government have utterly failed on all the important indices of development." "Modi government has become one of rhetoric and theatrics. Government is yet to begin its principal agenda of governance and development. BJP has failed the people of India," AICC Communication Department Chairman Randeep Surjewala alleged. In a series of tweets, Surjewala said that the state chiefs of Congress as well as CLP leaders will also bring out the state issues while Congress leaders will hold press conferences across the nation on 26 May and 28 May. Reacting sharply to the Congress plans, Naidu said marking the completion of two years in office on 26 May, the NDA government is confidently going to the people with its report card of achievements "in contrast to Congress, which continues to be nervous and diffident." "With the successes achieved by the NDA Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on various fronts from putting economy back on rails to restoring India's image internationally, the Congress appears to be clueless on what to say. "Instead of going to people to explain our shortcomings, if any, they have decided to conduct mega press conferences," Naidu said. Congress lacks confidence. Instead of going to the people, they want to conduct media campaign against NDA government. 1/ M Venkaiah Naidu (@MVenkaiahNaidu) May 25, 2016 We are confident... They are diffident. We are moving forward... They are pulling backward... 4 M Venkaiah Naidu (@MVenkaiahNaidu) May 25, 2016 Naidu, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Urban Development, also mentioned that 33 Union ministers will be travelling across the country to report to the people on its "achievements" and policies across 200 centres. "Normally, the Opposition goes to the people to complain and the government uses the media to publicise its achievements," he said, arguing, the ministers going to the people is a "sign of the confidence" in the government about its work. "While we are confident, the Congress is diffident. We are moving forward and the Congress is pulling backward. The Congress is continuing with its negative politics and appears to have not learnt any lessons even after the recent verdict," he alleged. Congress has planned to bring out a booklet titled Do saal, Deshka bura haal which will feature "omissions and commissions" of the government which came to power on promises of 'acche din'. Press conferences will be held at 27 places tomorrow, and 25 on Friday. President Pranab Mukherjee's daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee will be addressing a press conference in Kolkata on 27 May. The same day P Chidambaram will address a press conference in Delhi and Jairam Ramesh in Lucknow. The Congress has also roped in a number of former chief ministers to address these conferences seeking to puncture NDA government's claims of achievements. While the video will be released tomorrow, the booklet will come out on 28 May. On Thursday, on the second anniversary of Rahul Gandhi's rout in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and many before and after that the Congress ignored its own track record of failures and instead issued a report card on two years of Narendra Modi government. (Don't worry about the grades, that's beside the point. And, frankly, my dear, nobody gives a damn about what Subramanian Swamy says about Raghuram Rajan and the Congress says about Modi sarkar!) In the '60s thriller Waqt, the inimitable Raj Kumar delivered a dialogue that has become immortal. So, let's rephrase it here and give a solemn advice to the Congress: Jaani, those who flunk every exam do not issue report cards to others. Since 2013, the Congress has not won any election of significance. In state after state, its governments have been mercilessly rooted out by voters, primarily for their incompetence and corruption. All across the country, rebellion is brewing against the party leadership, forcing insecure sycophants to make legislators sign loyalty bonds. Its future president hasn't shown any sign of winning an election, making a memorable speech or donating a single bright idea to the country's political discourse. His seniors do not trust him, contemporaries do not respect him and the minions do not fear him. For a large population of the country, Rahul Gandhi matters because he somehow ends up giving bright ideas for ROFL jokes or hilarious memes. Even after huffing and puffing in the electoral ring for almost a decade, he hasn't acquired the political muscle to match even an Arvind Kejriwal or a Mamata Banerjee. At this rate, the 56-inch chest required for the fight with the PM looks several electoral years away. It would be wrong to assume that the Congress doesn't issue report cards to its own. After every election, it organises chintan shivirs (some quip they should be renamed chita (funeral) shivirs), forms committees, invites feedback and generally makes the kind of noise a hen would if delivering a donkey. But, like Jai's coin in Sholay, whichever way you flip the election results, they always end up being a score of distinction for the dynasty. (Exception: Victory in municipality elections earns Rahul A+.) After every loss, the clamour for promoting Rahul gets louder. When the Congress lost UP, he became the VP; when it lost Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Chhattisgarh, he became the party's PM candidate. At this rate, if the Congress loses the next election, Rahul might become a candidate for taking on Donald Trump in 2020! Some mothers are indeed lucky. Their Rahuls are always declared passed with distinction. New Delhi: Congress on Wednesday reacted sharply to Union minister Smriti Irani's dig at Rahul Gandhi over the electoral loss in Assam, warning that ego of those in power destroys them. "Ego is the biggest enemy of those in power... Our earnest request to her (Irani) is that she should focus more on her ministry instead of always targeting the opponents, show them in poor light and ridiculing the opposition," party's chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala told reporters. In a tongue-in-cheek remark, he also said that Irani is very well educated and one does not know from which all universities she has got her qualifications. In an online ugly spat with Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi, Irani had remarked that losing Assam was Rahul's forte. New Delhi: Government has finally enforced the decision of retirement fund body EPFO to almost double the maximum sum assured under its insurance scheme to Rs 6 lakh for its 4 crore subscribers. In September, Employee Provident Fund Organisation's apex decision making body Central Board of Trustees (CBT) had decided to increase benefits under the Employees' Deposit Linked Insurance ( EDLI) scheme from Rs 3.6 lakh to Rs 6 lakh. However, the notification to amend the scheme could not be issued by Labour Ministry as it was stuck in the Law Ministry. "The notification to enhance EDLI amount has been issued. It (the maximum sum assured) has been enhanced from Rs 3.6 lakh to Rs 6 lakh," Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya told reporters after launching a modernisation plan for National Academy for Training & Research in Social Security (NATRSS). Besides, he said, the decision to provide 8.8 percent rate of interest to over 4 crore EPFO subscribers for 2015-16 has also been notified. Some officials present on the occasion said however that they have not received the notification and are still settling the PF claims at 8.75 percent for 2015-16. The minister was here at NATRSS to preside over a function where institute was renamed as Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya National Academy of Social Security (PDUNASS). Under the modernisation plan, PDUNASS will be developed as an international centre of excellence in the area of social security administration. PDUNASS will also collaborate with bodies like International Social Security Association (ISSA) and International Labour Organisation (ILO) to encourage research in the field of social security. Given the pre-eminent position that India enjoys in SAARC, it is appropriate that India's foremost Social Security Organisation EPFO, takes a lead in fulfilling the training needs of the other constituent countries of SAARC, officials said. The minister announced that PDUNASS will be developed as an international centre of excellence in the area of Social Security Administration and Research. To begin with participation of officers from Social Security Agencies in the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) countries would be invited. Social Security Professionals from the BRICS group of countries would be associated for experience sharing and learnings. Collaboration with a reputed University will also be explored to lend academic support and recognition to the research related work done by PDUNASS. Washington: A government should not respond to campaign rhetoric, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said as he refused to react to presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's controversial proposal to ban Muslims from entering the US. "These are issues of debate in the election. A government shouldn't respond to that," Modi told The Wall Street Journal in an interview. "As a part of the election debate many things will be said there, who ate what, who drank what, how can I respond to everything?" Modi said when asked about Trump's proposal to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the United States. Several world leaders including British Prime Minister David Cameroon have reacted strongly to such a proposal describing it as dangerous. Modi declined to comment on the question, the paper said. Saharanpur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asserted that a mood of hope pervaded the country replacing hopelessness that prevailed under the UPA rule as he pitched his government as one dedicated to the poor and farmers which prevented the "loot" of public money. Addressing the first of his four public rallies here in Uttar Pradesh, which will have assembly polls next year, to mark the second anniversary of his government, Modi reached out to the electorate, calling himself a "UP wala" who cared for the farmers. Asserting that India was growing at the fastest rate, Modi said only two years ago many thought the country had "sunk". "They would say India has sunk and things cannot change. There was a mood of hopelessness while there is hope and enthusiasm today. Earlier there was a mood of unease, now it is about moving forward," he said. He also attacked the previous Congress-led government over corruption, while flagging his government's "honest" credentials. "Look at the newspapers and TV channels two years ago. Corruption in high places was the norm. I am now in the government and I am shocked how past governments have looted the country. "Are governments installed to loot? I am here to end that culture. I want to ask you have you heard of any news about our government looting even a rupee? Have even our critics managed to accuse us of corruption? Two years ago no one had the courage to come to the people and ask them for an opinion, he said. The Prime Minister repeatedly spoke of his "pro-poor" and "pro-farmer" schemes throughout his half-an-hour speech and took swipes at the previous Congress-led government by raising the issue of corruption and speaking of BJPs taint free governance. He said his government had taken a series of measures to help clear the dues of sugarcane farmers, a politically important constituency in the region, while other governments were not concerned about them. Recalling that in his address after he was elected the leader of the BJP-led NDA following the Lok Sabha win he had promised his government would be dedicated to the poor, Modi said every decison he had taken ever since was in that direction. "If you look at my work of two years, you will see one decision after the other was taken to empower the poor to fight poverty, to strengthen the poor against poverty so that they could defeat it. No poor man wants to bequeath poverty to his children. I have always tried to work for the common man," he said. Development, Modi said, was the solution to all problems and all other talk was meant to win elections and cater to vote bank politics. "Many people are minutely looking at my record. My work is being closely watched. I welcome this oversight. Governments must give account of every second. Thats why I say that out of 18000 villages which had no electricity till the rule of the previous government, we have electrified 7000 in just 300 days of our Government," he said. Flanked by Cabinet colleague Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP in-charge of UP Om Mathur and UP state party chief Keshav Prasad Maurya, Modi delivered another important message one of solidarity with all communities. "In the previous government it was fashionable to name schemes after communities and religious groups. But my governments schemes are meant for all 125 crore Indians who are my family. We are not driven by caste, creed or religion," he said citing the example of Beti Badhao Beti Badhao, which he described as a scheme that aims to empower daughters of all communities. He also sought to trash the allegations of Congress and other opposition parties which say nothing had been done during the two years of the NDA Government. "Things are changing, but some peoples mindset is not changing. India is the fastest growing country today. Two years ago, Indias morale was low. But today disappointment has been replaced with enthusiasm and despair with hope. The country wants to move forward and development is the only solution to all our problems. Every other talk is for petty vote bank politics," he said. With the NDA dispensation facing criticism over alleged intolerance, Modi said his government's "conscience was clear" and it wanted to develop all sections of society. Invoking his "Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas" slogan, Modi described development as the sole solution to all problems saying, "The rest of the rhetoric is rooted in vote bank politics." Citing Swachh Bharat initiative, Mudra loan scheme, Prime Minister crop insurance scheme, free LPG connections to poor and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign, he said these programmes were meant to serve everybody, irrespective of caste and religion, while schemes launched earlier were made keeping in mind castes and vote banks. Modi said his government was observing 'vikas parv' (festival of development) and all his ministers would travel across the country to give to the people an account of their work. He told the gathering that being an MP from UP he was a 'UP walla' and wanted to seek their blessings as he recalled it was around this time two years ago that his government had taken oath. Citing shortage of doctors, Modi announced raising the age of retirement of government doctors to 65 years and said the Union Cabinet will give its nod to the decision this week. He also appealed to doctors to serve poor pregnant women for free on the ninth day of every month, saying it will contribute to his government's efforts to deal with illness among the poor. As the 'Pradhan Sewak', a term he has often used for himself, Modi said he is giving an account of his work to people. Modi said the ratio of divisible resources between Centre and the states earlier was 65:35 which his government changed and now 65 percent of the share was going to the states. Over Rs 2 lakh crore was given to panchayats, Modi said, underlining his government's "commitment" to development of states and villages. When he had taken over the reins, the dues of sugarcane farmers ran up to Rs 14000 crore, which had come down to about Rs 700-800 crore now due to measures taken by his government, Modi said and "warned" the sugar mill owners against treating the farmers the way they did in the past. "We have taken a pledge that when the country celebrates 75 years of independence in 2022, we will double the income of farmers through implementation of various policies," he said and listed a host of schemes launched for their benefit like soil health card and crop insurance. Modi also called for judicious use of water, saying adequate amount of it will help farmers against all odds. "I request you to save as much water as you can," he said. Modi is expected to address three more rallies in different parts of the country in the coming days. "Bihar is not merely India's poorest state; it is also its most corrupt, violent and lawless state," Steven R Weisman of the New York Times wrote in 1987. Almost three decades later, little of that statement seems to have changed. "Deeply saddened and concerned about some incidents that took place in Bihar recently. We wont rest until all those responsible are brought to justice." This was state's Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at a function in Lucknow this May. Nitish was referring to the recent killings in the 'lawless state' which sparked debates of resurging 'jungle-raj'. A senior journalist, bureau chief of Hindi daily Hindustan, in Siwan was shot dead in full public view in a market and a youth died over an incident of road rage in Gaya. On Wednesday, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Sudesh Paswan was murdered in Dumaria district near Gaya. He was campaigning for Panchayat elections before he was shot dead. According to ANI, Maoists murdered Paswan and his cousin and then set their vehicles on fire. Earlier this year, in February, another LJP leader Baijnath Singh was murdered. In the same month, BJP's Bihar vice-president and prominent Bhojpur leader, Visheshwar Ojha was shot dead at Sonbarsha village in Ara. The incidents resulted in Nitish's governance being heavily criticised. This was precisely why Nitish's decision to go with Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD during the Bihar assembly election, was widely criticised. An idea of a Bihar where one can walk around freely became the crux around which every decision of the government revolved. Just the simplicity of this notion should highlighted what had become of the state. From 1990 to 2005 (the year when Kumar came to power in the state), the state had been more of less under the control of Lalu Prasad's Rastriya Janata Dal. This year when Bihar became one of the only state to withstand the "Narendra Modi wave" in the country, it was largely because the JD(U)-RJD combine was riding on the back of the idea of a developed and a safe state. An intense election campaign was used to reiterate what Kumar and his government have been saying over the span of past several years since he came to power in 2005 with Sushil Modi as his deputy chief minister. The approach to governance changed dramatically after Kumar came to power. "I was impressed by how safe Patna had become since the National Democratic Alliance government had come to power... The Nitish Kumar-Sushil Modi jugalbandi worked superbly," wrote historian Ramchandra Guha before the 2016 elections, expressing his fears on the reversal of state's fortunes following the Kumar-Sushil Modi split and Lalu coming back to power. But it was not just Guha's musings, the numbers too seem to supports his assertions. Indias third-most-populous state, with the countrys poorest people had a crime rate lower than more prosperous states with fewer people, such as Gujarat, Kerala, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, an IndiaSpend analysis of national crime data reveled. The only problem is, this idea is difficult to back with facts, no matter not hard the chief minister and his government tries. The numbers don't lie, bet they can be manipulated. As the report points out, some crimes, such as rape and assault, could be hidden or not reported, but others that result in a body such as murder or dowry deaths are harder to hide. In 2014, the latest year for which data are available, Bihar reported 1,77,595 cognizable crimes, while the Hindi-belt states of Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Rajasthan recorded 2,72,423 and 2,10,418 such crimes, respectively. But Bihars murder rate or murders per 1,00,000 people is higher than either MP, Rajasthan, Gujarat or Kerala. One possible explanation is that Bihar is generally low on crime but, for some reason, is more prone to murder. The other explanation is that crime in Bihar is under-reported a process called burking except for murder, where there is a body that cannot be ignored without some form of due process. Bihars murder rate is substantially worse than other larger states and above the national average. A similar trend is evident with crimes against women. For instance, in 2014, Bihar reported 574 assaults on women with intent to outrage modesty, to use legal parlance. MP reported 9,618 such cases while Rajasthan had 6,015. Kerala, with one-third the population of Bihar, and a better place for women, reported 4,412 assaults, about eight times as many. Bihar also reported substantially fewer rapes than Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan or even Kerala. Does this mean Bihar is a better place for a woman, despite lower incomes and living standards? Again, the data do not suggest that. Bihar also reports more dowry deaths than Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kerala and Gujarat combined. This statistic doesnt appear to indicate social respect for women. One explanation is that women are indeed a target of violence, but crimes against them are not reported. However, as with general murders, a dowry death produces a body, a situation hard to hide. As Kumar's government plans to ride a prohibition wave all the way to the 2019 general elections, things at home look bleak on a closer inspection. Cracks might be already appearing on the carefully painted image of the 'mahagathbandhan'. Yes, the state has seen development since 2005, but past success in selected spheres cannot be used to draw curtains over the current state of lawlessness in the state. It will only be a matter of time before people stop digesting Nitish's rhetoric of comparing crime rate in Bihar with other states ruled by BJP. With inputs from IndiaSpend. At the two-year mark of the Modi government, it is natural that different aspects of its performance are reviewed. While the subject has been approached from many different perspectives, this piece looks at whether there is qualitative improvement in the governance standards at the Centre, and what this could portend for the administrative systems in dealing with the issues of the average citizen. On one item, there is general agreement that the governance in Delhi is much cleaner than it was two years back, and also that the bureaucracy in Delhi is much more action-oriented. The former will come as no surprise the previous Central government was riddled with scams of nearly every variety, some of which have reached various stages in the legal process; the possibility of many more such questionable deals being reopened now is very real. The earlier group of ministers at the Centre were probably more experienced, with a higher capacity for comprehension and analysis however, this was marred by a propensity of the system to be generally unscrupulous. While comparisons may not always be appropriate, it should also be mentioned that there is a marked lack of talent in the present set of ministers at the Centre. Many of them are newcomers to governance and administration, some of them surely are learning fast and will mature with time however, many do not have the capacity for analysis and to coordinate action on their own. One needs to link this with the observation that the present crop of secretaries in the union ministries are now playing roles of enhanced importance, as nearly full partners in implementation and operational decision-making at the higher echelons. One can point to a large number of initiatives, indeed successes, which have been sponsored or pioneered by the senior bureaucrats in Delhi working closely in tandem with the political hierarchy. In other words, the senior bureaucracy in Delhi is now trusted, and asked to perform and to deliver. In some senses, this is a test-period for the quality of higher services in India the future of the administrative system as bequeathed by the British under trial. With the project approval processes getting increasingly streamlined, and transparent, the focus has to be shifted naturally on implementation, which is equally if not more important. The main administrative and coordination issues now concern this aspect; much of field level implementation is in the province of the state governments. Programmes like Make in India can succeed only if the ground-level issues are sorted out smoothly, without delay or irritation and with empathy and understanding, and with coordination between local state agencies. However, one can see no overarching or effective mechanism in which the Centre can act as a partner of the State, in successful implementation of projects and processes. This is the important reason why the Centre does not seem to have any leverage of any sort, on the efficacy of the intervention by the state governments. There seems to be no political or financial carrot-and-stick mechanisms to encourage early implementation of projects and systems. This issue needs early attention. Mention needs to be made of far reaching major structural initiatives pioneered by the Centre in the past couple of years. Lately, one hears increasingly of such ideas as Digital India, insurance to farmers, vocational education etc; in fact, these have moved swiftly from tentative concepts into the action arena. There is likelihood that Digital India may cover every gram panchayat (about 300,000 locations) in the next two or three years, to effectively bridge the rural-urban divide. Thus, more than 500 processes or operations which could hitherto be done, say only from the district or tehsil towns, in some states from block towns, can now be transacted directly from each tiny village. This has major implications for delivery of services to the weakest citizen, the denizen of far-flung out-posts. If harnessed with imagination, the day is not far off when the growth in learning levels of each student can be captured periodically by big data, and correlated with the performance of each rural teacher, thus providing a vehicle for sharp, improved primary and secondary schooling in each village; similarly classroom learning-aids can reach each nook and cranny, with ease. Noting that over 90 percent of all enterprises (the smallest of the small) are outside the financial ambit of organised banking institutions (with KYC Know Your Customer being the key mantra), the scope can be sharply increased to bring agencies into micro-micro lending, with the ability to increase proximity and drastically bring down the prevailing absurdly high financing rates in rural India. This is imperative, if employment generation of significantly accelerated pace is to take place the additional employment can only come through the smallest of the small units, which the finance minister has estimated in the budget to a number over six crore. Along with this concept, the skills and vocational training needs to be sharply upgraded, to ensure that the projected demographic 'dividend does not turn into a demographic disaster. The incredible rate at which the Aadhaar Card has already reached 90 percent of the population, including the illiterate and those at the bottom of the pile, is an indication as to how these new ideas, imaginatively using technology can be used to transform our rural areas (note that the Aadhaar idea originated in the earlier government, but the present system has used it effectively.) The key to future progress is in including Rural India, hitherto left out of the development process, to come in its own, and start contributing to nation building. In the last two years, many of these ideas have not just come on the table, but implementation has started apace. The quality of the policy makers in Delhi, particularly the higher bureaucracy, will be on test to see if these far-reaching concepts can be actually put to use. Equally, will the politics and the higher bureaucracy of the states respond to the challenges, by embracing these new instruments? Encouragingly, the past two years have clearly shown that many states are willing to take the ball and run will the laggard states be persuaded to wake up from their slumber? Ultimately, the success of the Central government will depend on how it can use the political and bureaucratic machinery to convince the common man that he can actually benefit, tangibly, by the new administrative ambiance that is ought to be rolled out. The success of the Modi government will be in demonstrating these to the common man if not entirely fully in the next three years of the present governments tenure, but surely within the next five years thereafter. The ultimate question is not whether the Modi government will succeed or fail the stakes are much larger but will India succeed or collapse. SANTIAGO Police clashed with student demonstrators in the streets of Chile's capital Santiago on Thursday, in the latest protest by university and high school pupils who say the government is moving too slowly on planned reforms. During the march, which authorities had not authorized, students attempted to walk along the Alameda, Santiago's main artery, and demonstrate in front of La Moneda presidential palace. But heavily armoured police officers dispersed the crowd with water cannon and tear gas, as protesters threw stones and set up flaming barricades. "We occupied the street peacefully, but unfortunately the police pushed us back brutally," high school student union president Jose Corona, soaking wet from police water cannon, told local media. The clashes are the latest in a number of high-profile protests in Chile in recent weeks, which have included a fatal arson attack and a scuffle with protesters inside La Moneda.[nL2N18L0ZI] According to student unions, the protests are a response to what they perceive as a slow pace of reforms by the government of President Michelle Bachelet, particularly with regard to education. "We the students have adopted a position of offence," Marta Matamala, head of the University of Santiago student union, said in broadcast comments. "We are going to stay on the streets. From today onward, we expect that the protests will only intensify." Bachelet, who began her second, non-consecutive presidential term in 2014, campaigned on a slew of reforms that included shaking up Chile's highly privatized education system and making university free of charge. However, the planned reforms have been delayed and scaled back over the past year due to a recalcitrant Congress, far-reaching corruption scandals, and a sluggish economy, angering many on the left.[nL2N16C0U0] (Reporting by Gram Slattery and Antonio de la Jara; Editing by Sandra Maler) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Ise-Shima: Hopes of negotiating peace with the Afghan Taliban's new leader were swiftly fading from all sides Thursday, as US President Barack Obama warned the extremist movement will continue killing in Afghanistan. Obama told reporters in Japan, where he is meeting with other leaders of the Group of Seven nations, that he doubted the insurgents would come to the table "anytime soon". "We anticipate the Taliban will continue an agenda of violence," he said. Obama was speaking the day after the militants named Haibatullah Akhundzada as their new leader, elevating a low-profile religious figure in a swift power transition after the death of Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a US drone strike. Analysts have said it is unclear if Akhundzada, who faces the enormous challenge of unifying the increasingly fragmented militant movement, will emulate his former boss in shunning peace talks with the Afghan government. But the US killing of Mansour showed that Washington has at least for now abandoned hopes of reviving the direct peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban, which broke down for the first time last summer. Obama acknowledged that he was never going to find a willing negotiating partner at the helm of the extremist group. "I was not expecting a liberal democrat to be appointed," he told reporters. "My hope, although not my expectation, is that there comes a point where the Taliban realise what they need to be doing" and start getting into a dialogue with the government, he said. "I am doubtful that it will be happening anytime soon." The Taliban has made no official statement on the future of peace negotiations since announcing Akhundzada's leadership. But Obama's comments were reinforced by a senior Taliban source speaking to AFP in Pakistan, where Mansour was killed in the strike Saturday, who said there would be no shift in the militants' stance. "We consider NATO and the US troops as invaders and our resistance movement will continue," the source said Wednesday, after Akhundzada's leadership was announced. "The drone strike against (Mansour) has proved that the US is not sincere in bringing peace in Afghanistan, so peace talks at any level will remain suspended till the new decision by the leadership council." In Afghanistan, an official with the High Peace Council was cautious on the future of talks, saying Akhundzada "may not be interested in political dialogue at least in the short term" but vowing the council will continue its "endeavours for peace". President Ashraf Ghani was more hawkish, tweeting Thursday: "Taliban groups have yet another chance to end violence/lay their arms & start normal life. Or they'll face the same fate as their leadership." Peace 'scuttled' Analysts have told AFP that even if he favours peace talks, Akhundzada seen by some as a symbolic rather than functional leader would be unlikely to proceed without consensus from his supreme council. Mansour's killing marked a significant shift for Washington, highlighting a new willingness to target Taliban leaders in Pakistan and risk retaliatory attacks against struggling Afghan security forces. It sent shockwaves through the insurgent movement, which had seen a resurgence under Mansour. He was killed just nine months after being formally appointed leader following a bitter power struggle upon confirmation of founder Mullah Omar's death. Omar died in 2013, but his death was kept secret for two years, with Mansour issuing statements in his name -- a revelation that helped fuel internal opposition and splintered the group into rival factions, shattering the nascent peace process that had begun last summer. Before his killing, Mansour had written a will handpicking Akhundzada to be his successor, Taliban sources told AFP, in an apparent bid to lend legitimacy to his appointment. Pakistan said that attempts to restart talks had been "scuttled" by Mansour's killing, with the country's top foreign affairs official lashing out at a briefing in Islamabad Thursday. The strike has "undermined the Afghan peace process", Sartaj Aziz said. The US, China, Afghanistan and Pakistan had agreed at talks about the peace process in Islamabad earlier this month that a "politically negotiated settlement was the most viable option", he said. "This understanding has not been respected... In less than a year, the peace process has been scuttled twice." Paris: French prosecutors will use leaked Islamic State documents to help identify seven suspected jihadists going on trial next week, including the brother of a Paris attacker, sources close to the investigation said on Wednesday. The seven men from Strasbourg in eastern France, aged between 24 and 26, are accused of travelling to join the Islamic State group (IS) in Syria in late 2013 and returning several months later. Among the men, who were arrested in May 2014, is Karim Mohamed-Aggad, brother of Foued Mohamed-Aggad who was part of the three-man group that attacked the Bataclan concert hall on the night of the Paris attacks in November. The Paris prosecutor's office intends to use the documents, acquired by British TV station Sky News in March, during the trial that starts on Monday, but the move has been criticised by the defence lawyers. "Five days from the trial, this is an unusual step," said one of the defence lawyers, Eric Plouvier, saying there were doubts over the authenticity of the IS documents. "Either these elements should be removed, or there should be a report to study (their authenticity)," he said. The documents contain some 22,000 names of individuals linked to IS in 2013 and early 2014, the investigation source said. An estimated 173 of those names are French citizens or residents of France, including several who have died in Syria and Iraq and two more of the Paris attackers -- Samy Amimour and Omar Ismail Mostefai. The documents, written in Arabic under the title "General Border Administration", log the name, blood type, date of birth, previous job, level of religious education and more of each new arrival to the IS zone of control. They are also listed as "combattant", "martyr" or "Inghimasi", a term referring to fighters who carry weapons as well as an explosive suicide vest. The documents list the seven men from Strasbourg as "combattants". However, all seven claim to have travelled to Syria for humanitarian reasons. Shima: Barack Obama's historic visit to Hiroshima this week "will honour all those who were lost in World War II" the US president said on Wednesday, hours after arriving in Japan for a Group of Seven summit. Obama and his fellow world leaders from the club of rich democracies are gathering for a meeting where much energy will be spent discussing the lacklustre state of the global economy. But it will be Obama's trip to Hiroshima as the only sitting president to visit the site of the world's first nuclear attack that is likely to dominate the headlines this week. "Our visit to Hiroshima will honour all those who were lost in World War II and reaffirm our shared vision of a world without nuclear weapons," Obama said at a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. It will also "highlight the extraordinary alliance that we have been able to forge over these many decades," he said. The leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Canada were also making their way to Ise-Shima, a mountainous and sparsely populated area 300 kilometres (200 miles) southwest of Tokyo, whose mainly elderly residents rely chiefly on tourism and cultured pearls. Security was tight across the region, with thousands of extra police drafted in to patrol train stations and ferry terminals, and to direct traffic on the usually quiet roads during the two-day meeting. Tokyo said it was taking no chances in the wake of terror attacks that struck Paris and Brussels in recent months. Dustbins have been removed or sealed and coin-operated lockers blocked at train and subway stations in the capital and areas around the venue site. Authorities said they will be keeping a close eye on so-called "soft targets" such as theatres and stadiums. However, unlike in many other rich democracies, protests were unlikely to cause much of a security headache. One left-wing demonstration organised for today morning and focused mostly on Japan's domestic politics attracted just a handful of largely elderly protesters. Britain's David Cameron, whose country's referendum next month on continued membership of the European Union was likely to figure prominently on the summit agenda, arrived late afternoon at the main international airport near Nagoya. France's Francois Hollande and Germany's Angela Merkel were expected to arrive on Thursday morning. The meeting will also be joined by Italy's Matteo Renzi and Canada's Justin Trudeau. The Taliban has a new leader. Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada was appointed as the new Taliban chief after Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in a US drone strike last week. Their new leader, who is a religious scholar and the Taliban chief justice, was one of Mansour's two deputies. Akhundzada's two new deputies have also been appointed. According to AP, one of them is Sirajuddin Haqqani, who was also one of Mansour's deputies and who leads the notorious Haqqani Network the faction behind some of the most ferocious attacks in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001 and the other is the son of Mullah Omar, Mullah Yaqoub, who controls the Taliban military commissions for 15 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces. Who is Haibatullah Akhundzada? The new Taliban chief is a member of the Noorzai tribe. He heads close to 10 madrassas across Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province and his known to be a powerful orator. It is also believed that Mullah Omar consulted Akhundzada on religious matters. A hard-liner, he is known to advocate their war against the Afghan government and the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan. Sami Yousafzai, an Afghan expert told Al Jazeera that Akhundzada in known to be "a Stone Age mullah" and could affect the peacekeeping process in Afghanistan. A former foreign minister under the Taliban, Mullah Mohammad Ghous, told AP that the choice of Akhundzada was "a very wise decision" and could be a unifying force for the fractured movement. It won't be surprising if he follows the aggressive footsteps of his predecessor. According to The Telegraph UK, those who were opposed to Akhundzada's appointment, have extended their support to him and have taken an oath of allegiance, to continue waging war against the US. Akhundzada was a top-ranking judge, who regularly issued fatwas advocating suicide bombings, as per Foreign Policy. The article said that although he has never led a military operation, his background as a religious scholar might help in unifying the splintering factions. It added that first task ahead of him will be to avenge the death of Mansour. Not just commanding obedience from the Talibans, Akhundzada has to focus on their relationship with Pakistan, reported CNN. The report added that over the past six months, Mansour has consistently ignored Pakistan's insistence on initiating talks with the Afghan government or face the consequences. Now, it is up to the new leader whether to follow Mansour's policies or reassess their relations with Pakistan. Akhundzada also has to decide if the Taliban will continue with Mansour's anti-Islamic State policy and maintain its alignment with Al-Qaeda, the report added. What happens to peace process? US President Barack Obama's hopes of initiating talks between the Taliban and the Ashraf Ghani government might take a hit if the new Taliban chief follows Mansour's hardline policies. According to Reuters, Akhundzada is likely to pursue aggressive attacks throughout the summer, intensifying the pressure on Obama to reconsider his plan to withdraw US military troops and special forces. "Prospects for the Afghan peace process remain poor. The Taliban leadership, including the new commander, Mullah Akhundzada, believe military victory is only a matter of time," said Bruce Riedel, a Brookings Institution expert and former CIA officer who headed Obama's first Afghanistan policy review told Reuters. "We would hope that the new Taliban leader would seize the opportunity," State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner told reporters at his daily news conference on Wednesday. "He (Akhundzada) does have an opportunity in front of him to choose peace and to work towards a negotiated solution. We hope that he makes that choice now. I'm not going to predict who we might target in the national security interest of the US," Toner said in response to a question. Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter hoped that better sense would prevail on the new Taliban leadership headed by Akhundzada. "We'll have to see what new Taliban leadership concludes. Obviously, the conclusion that they should draw is that they can not win," Carter told reporters travelling with him at Newport in Rhode Island. Carter said that the Afghan Security Forces, aided by the US, are going to be stronger than them. "Therefore, the alternative to coming across and making peace with the government is their certain defeat on the battlefield. That's the environment in which we intend to put them in," Carter said. He added the plan to reduce the overall footprint of US forces in Afghanistan remains unchanged. Last year, Obama had announced he would keep 9,800 US military personnel in Afghanistan through most of 2016 and US troops would be drawn down to 5,500 by 2017. Obama has made extracting the United States from its 15-year war in Afghanistan a top priority. With inputs from agencies Washington: Hillary Clinton and her team ignored clear guidance from the State Department that her email setup broke federal standards and could leave sensitive material vulnerable to hackers, a department audit has found. Her aides twice brushed aside concerns, in one case telling technical staff "the matter was not to be discussed further." The inspector general's review on Wednesday also revealed that hacking attempts forced then-Secretary of State Clinton off email at one point in 2011, though she insists the personal server she used was never breached. Clinton and several of her senior staff declined to be interviewed for the investigation. Earlier this month, Clinton declared that she was happy to "talk to anybody, anytime" about the matter and would encourage her staff to do the same. Opponents of her Democratic presidential campaign pointed to the audit as proof that Clinton has not been truthful about her private email use, citing it as fresh evidence she is not trustworthy or qualified to be commander in chief. Campaigning in California, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump noted solemnly that Clinton had received "a little bad news" and then railed against her "horribly bad judgment." Clinton, also campaigning in California, didn't mention the controversy and ignored reporters' shouted questions. A spokesman for Clinton, who served as the nation's top diplomat from 2009 to 2013, declared the audit showed her email use was consistent with what others at the department have done. The 78-page analysis, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, says Clinton ignored clear directives. She never sought approval to conduct government business over private email, and never demonstrated the server or the Blackberry she used while in office "met minimum information security requirements." Twice in 2010, information management staff at the State Department raised concerns that Clinton's email practices failed to meet federal records-keeping requirements. The staff's director responded that Clinton's personal email system had been reviewed and approved by legal staff, "and that the matter was not to be discussed any further." The audit found no evidence of a legal staff review or approval. It said any such request would have been denied by senior information officers because of security risks. The inspector general's inquiry was prompted by revelations of Clinton's email use, a subject that has dogged her presidential campaign. The review encompassed the email and information practices of the past five secretaries of state, finding them "slow to recognize and to manage effectively the legal requirements and cybersecurity risks associated with electronic data communications, particularly as those risks pertain to its most senior leadership." Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon underscored that point Wednesday. "The inspector general documents just how consistent her email practices were with those of other secretaries and senior officials at the State Department who also used personal email," Fallon said. The audit did note that former Secretary of State Colin Powell had also exclusively used a private email account, though it did not name any other prior secretaries who had done so. But the failings of Clinton were singled out in the audit as being more serious than her predecessor. "By Secretary Clinton's tenure, the department's guidance was considerably more detailed and more sophisticated," the report concluded. "Secretary Clinton's cybersecurity practices accordingly must be evaluated in light of these more comprehensive directives." Republicans said Wednesday the audit showed Clinton was in clear violation of the Federal Records Act and endangered national security. The State Department has released more than 52,000 pages of Clinton's work-related emails, including some that have since been classified. Clinton has withheld thousands of additional emails, saying they were personal. Critics have questioned whether her server might have made a tempting target for hackers, especially those working with or for foreign intelligence services. Separately from the State Department audit, the FBI has been investigating whether Clinton's use of the private email server imperiled government secrets. It has recently interviewed Clinton's top aides, including former chief of staff Cheryl Mills and deputy chief of staff Huma Abedin. Clinton is expected to be interviewed. Clinton has acknowledged in the campaign that the homebrew email setup in her New York home was a mistake. She said she never sent or received anything marked classified at the time, and says hackers never breached the server. The audit said a Clinton aide had to shut down the server on 9 January, 2011, because he believed "someone was trying to hack us." Later that day, he said: "We were attacked again so I shut (the server) down for a few min." The next day, a senior official told two of Clinton's top aides not to email their boss "anything sensitive," saying she could "explain more in person." On CBS' "Face the Nation" this month, Clinton said, "I've made it clear that I'm more than ready to talk to anybody, anytime. And I've encouraged all of (my staff) to be very forthcoming." The audit said four of her closest State Department aides Mills, Abedin, policy chief Jake Sullivan and strategy aide Philippe Reines all declined interview requests. Rome: The Italian government on Thursday expressed "satisfaction" and promised to fulfill all the conditions set by the Indian Supreme Court for allowing marine Salvatore Girone, accused of killing two Indian fishermen, to return home till international arbitration goes on in the case. "Italian marine Salvatore Girone might be going home any day now," the foreign ministry said in a statement hours after the Indian court relaxed the bail conditions of the accused, allowing him to leave the country. The Indian court order came in the wake of 29 April ruling of the International Tribunal of Arbitration, asking both India and Italy to cooperate for Girone's return till arbitration proceedings before it continue. The court, however, added fresh conditions to his bail. He has been asked to surrender his passport once he lands in Italy. The foreign ministry said the Italian government "renews its commitment to comply with the terms and conditions established by the Supreme Court of India". It said the decision was "an important result that recognises the effort made by the Italian government in resorting to an international arbitration to uphold the reasons of the two Italian Marines. Italy will show the same commitment during the next phases of the arbitration proceeding". The tribunal in The Hague is holding an international arbitration to decide the question of jurisdiction between India and Italy as to who will try the two Italian marines for the murder of the fishermen during an anti-piracy mission. ABIDJAN Ivory Coast authorities arrested a man on Thursday suspected of transporting weapons for an attack that killed 19 people at the beach resort of Grand Bassam in March, according to national television. "The driver who transported the weapons was arrested Thursday. He is currently being interrogated in the police station," said a presenter on national television. No other details were given. Reuters could not immediately verify the statement and the police were not available for comment. Gunmen shot swimmers and sunbathers before storming into several hotels in Grand Bassam, 40 km (25 miles) from the commercial capital, Abidjan, on March 13. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack. About 17 people have been arrested in connection with the attacks, although the suspected ringleader, Kounta Dallah, remains at large. (Reporting by Loucoumane Coulibaly; Writing by Edward McAllister; Editing by Peter Cooney) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. GENEVA There will be no new round of Syria talks for at least two or three weeks, the office of U.N. special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said in a statement on Thursday, after he consulted the U.N. Security Council for about two and a half hours. "He briefed on his intention to start the next round of talks as soon as feasible but certainly not within the next two/three weeks," said the statement. It said de Mistura wanted to see progress on the ground, particularly relating to the cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access. "Meanwhile, the special envoy will maintain close and continuous contact with the Syrian parties as well as the members of the ISSG before determining the 'appropriate time' to reconvene the parties to Geneva." The ISSG, or International Syria Support Group, is the group of countries led by the United States and Russia that is backing de Mistura's peace efforts. It also includes regional powers such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, who are expected to press the warring parties to respect the statements made by the Security Council. But Syria's cessation of hostilities, a partial truce brokered by the United States and Russia in February, has been unravelling for weeks, and the Syrian government has largely blocked humanitarian aid access despite repeated U.N. appeals to prevent civilians starving in besieged towns. Earlier on Thursday de Mistura had said he expected to announce a date for a new round of talks after consulting the Security Council. "There is a sense of urgency in having the talks resume, because we need to keep the momentum," Mistura told reporters after a weekly meeting of the ISSG's humanitarian taskforce. (Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Janet Lawrence) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. New York: One person was killed and three others wounded in a shooting inside a concert venue in New York City, where hip-hop artist TI was scheduled to perform, police said. It happened around 10.15 pm Wednesday at Irving Plaza, near Manhattan's Union Square. Police said a 34-year-old man was shot in the chest and a 33-year-old man was shot in the stomach. One of the men later died at a hospital, police did not say which one. A 26-year-old woman was shot in the leg. Police said a fourth person walked into a hospital on their own. Elijah Rodriguez, who was at the concert with his sister, said that TI was supposed to go onstage at around 9 or 9.30 pm but "he never showed up." He said TI was not onstage at the time shots were fired. Representatives for TI, whose real name is Clifford Joseph Harris Jr, said they were referring all questions about the shooting to the police. No arrests were made. No other information was immediately available. Irving Plaza is a 1,025-person ballroom-style music venue. PARIS Protesters clashed with police in Paris and other French cities during a nation-wide day of demonstrations against labour reforms. In the south west city of Bordeaux, about 100 people targeted a police station, throwing objects at it and damaging a police car. In Paris and in the western French city of Nantes, bank windows were broken. Police responded with tear gas. (Reporting by Claude Canellas in Bordeaux and Ingrid Melander in Paris; editing by John Irish) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Mumbai: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan has warned that a "sharp" slowdown in China's growth posed a threat to the global economy, highlighting possible impact from the shadow banking system of its neighbour, the Reserve Bank of India said. Rajan's comments were made in India's financial capital in a speech on Thursday to central bank governors from the nations of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) grouping, the RBI said in a statement. "Bad loans in the banking system were likely to grow over current levels, and, in addition, there might be serious weaknesses in the shadow banking system, which could feed back to banks," the RBI summarised Rajan as saying on China. "Both could be significant downside risks as they could have second round effects for SAARC economies. Chinese growth would depend not just on its policies, but also on growth elsewhere in the world." A "sharp" slowdown of the Chinese economy "still remained a significant risk for the global economy and the SAARC region," Rajan added, according to the RBI. The RBI governor has previously warned of the potential spillover effect from China's economy to other countries, including India. Paris: The Statue of Liberty, Uganda's gorilla forest, Stonehenge and Venice the United Nations on Thursday listed 31 protected sites threatened by sea level rise, drought and other climate change effects. "Climate change is fast becoming one of the most significant risks for World Heritage sites," said a statement from the US-based Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) thinktank and two UN bodies. Researchers reviewed existing data and reports to measure the climate-specific threat to 31 sites in 29 countries, ranging from coral reefs and tropical forests to deserts and archaeological icons. And they found that "every site in the report is already experiencing some impacts of climate change," according to lead author Adam Markham of the UCS. Representatives of 195 nations agreed in Paris in December 2015 to limit average global warming to "well below" two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over pre-industrial levels, and 1.5 C if possible. This must be achieved through deep cuts in fossil fuel use coal, oil and gas which releases planet-warming greenhouse gases into the atmosphere when burnt. But scientists say that even a two degree Celsius increase will mean a land-gobbling sea level rise, longer and more frequent droughts, dramatically-altered storm and rainfall patterns, and increasingly acute water shortages. Beyond the two degree Celsius threshold, the projected impacts worsen exponentially. "As the report's findings underscore, achieving the Paris Agreement's goal... is vitally important to protecting our world heritage for current and future generations, said Mechtild Rossler, director of the UN culture agency's World Heritage Center. New York's Statue of Liberty is threatened by sea-level rise and superstorms, Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by hotter temperatures and drought, and England's prehistoric Stonehenge monument by storms and flooding, the report found. Along with the UCS thinktank, the report was compiled by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Venice will 'succumb' "The archaeological site of Skara Brae in Scotland and some of the statues on Easter Island are in real danger of being lost to the sea as a result of coastal erosion (worsened by climate, storms and sea level rise) in the near future," Markham told AFP by email. The Yellowstone National Park may be transformed in just a few decades by more frequent wildfires and ever-less snow due to warmer and shorter winters. "Venice is likely to eventually succumb to rising water levels," said Markham. "Coral reefs such as those in New Caledonia and Palau are already being damaged by stronger and more frequent El Ninos." Most of the sites face multiple threats, from damage caused by tourists to mining, poaching and human encroachment, Markham explained. "Climate change impacts are a new and additional stress that makes the combination of all the others worse and brings new direct threats." In many cases, loss or damage to the sites would make a significant dent in tourism income and livelihoods. UNESCO lists more than 1,000 heritage sites. Of these, nearly half are threatened by industrial activities such as mining, oil exploration and illegal logging, according to a report released in April by conservation group WWF. Climate bureaucrats tasked with drawing up a roadmap for executing the Paris agreement close a 10-day session in Bonn on Thursday the first official negotiating round since the historic pact was concluded. Taipei: Taiwan has said President Tsai Ing-wen will visit allies Panama and Paraguay next month on her first overseas trip since taking office, amid speculation over possible moves by China to tighten its diplomatic noose around the self-governing island. Tsai's trip will likely include the usual stop-overs in the US, although arrangements are still being made, Foreign Minister David Lee told legislators in the capital Taipei. Lee said Tsai would attend the formal opening the expanded Panama Canal next month, an event to which Beijing is also expected to send a representative. The Republic of China has formal diplomatic relations with just 22 nations as a result of China's efforts to isolate the island it claims as its own territory. Most allies are in Central America, the Caribbean, Africa and the South Pacific. Some observers expect China to further reduce Taiwan's diplomatic breathing space in order to put pressure on Tsai, who since her inauguration last week has refused to explicitly endorse Beijing's stance that Taiwan is part of China and whose Democratic Progressive Party advocates the island's formal independence. A renewed effort to win away Taiwan's remaining allies would be a key indication that China plans to get tough on her administration. China in March established formal diplomatic ties with the small African nation of Gambia, which had severed relations with Taiwan in 2013, in what was seen as a move toward abandoning the unspoken diplomatic truce between the sides that lasted for eight years under Tsai's China- friendly predecessor. However, China has made no move to block Taiwan's participation in this week's World Health Assembly in Geneva, run by the United Nations, from which Taiwan is excluded. Taiwan's health minister delivered a letter of protest to World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan stating that Taiwan's participation in the annual gathering should not be contingent on it accepting Beijing's "one-China principle." Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump stumped on Wednesday in California, the US state with the largest Hispanic population, doubling down on his anti-immigration position but assuring that "Mexican people" will vote for him in November. The presumptive Republican nominee took the stage in Anaheim, outside Los Angeles, with police on high alert one day after violence marred a Trump rally in the southwestern state of New Mexico, where anti-Trump protesters hurled rocks and police fired smoke grenades in efforts to rein in the chaos. Dozens of security personnel including police on horseback maintained control in Anaheim, although some skirmishes broke out between Trump opponents and his backers as protesters chanted expletives about the brash billionaire. At least eight people were arrested. Inside, Trump attacked his likely Democratic general election rival Hillary Clinton and railed against undocumented immigrants stealing US jobs. But he insisted legal immigrants would vote for him in large numbers, despite polls showing they would overwhelmingly favor Clinton. "The Mexican people are great, they're going to vote for me like crazy, the ones that are legally in this country," Trump said, as a woman waved a "Latinas for Trump" sign behind him. Sydney: Three new pieces of debris have been found in Mauritius and in Mozambique that could be linked to missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, Australia's transport minister said Thursday. The fate of the passenger jet, which is presumed to have crashed at sea after disappearing en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew on board in March 2014, remains a mystery. Five other fragments have previously been found and identified as definitely or probably from the Boeing 777. All of them were discovered thousands of kilometres (miles) from the current search zone far off Western Australia's coast. Transport Minister Darren Chester said two of the new pieces were found in Mauritius, with the other in Mozambique and were "of interest in connection to the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370". "The Malaysian government is yet to take custody of the items, however as with previous items, Malaysian officials are arranging collection and it is expected the items will be brought to Australia for examination," Chester said in a statement. "These items of debris are of interest and will be examined by experts." No other details were given. Australia is leading the hunt for MH370 in the remote Indian Ocean, with more than 105,000 square kilometres (40,500 square miles) of the designated 120,000 square kilometre search zone scoured without success. If nothing turns up once the area is fully scoured, the search is likely to be abandoned, Australia, Malaysia and China have jointly said. The head of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said last week that the hunt could wrap up in August. WASHINGTON Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Bernie Sanders could be heading to an unconventional face-off in California, after the two presidential candidates expressed an interest in squaring off in a one-on-one debate. That would leave Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton on the sidelines in another bizarre twist to an unconventional election season. Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, is still running behind Clinton in the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination. Trump reached the number of delegates needed to secure the party's presidential nomination on Thursday, the Associated Press reported on Thursday, citing its own delegate count. In an appearance on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" late on Wednesday, Trump said he was willing to participate in a debate with Sanders. "If I debated him, we would have such high ratings," the billionaire New York developer and former reality TV star said. "I think I should ... take that money and give it to some worthy charity." Sanders appeared to agree in a post on Twitter on Thursday. "Game on," he tweeted. "I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary." Trump and Sanders have gone through a series of debates against rivals within their parties, but Republican and Democratic presidential candidates traditionally do not debate each other until the parties have selected their respective nominees. The hashtag #BernieTrumpDebate began trending in the United States with news of the possible debate. Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks said in an email to Reuters on Thursday that there were no formal plans yet for such an event. Representatives for the Sanders campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Kimmel said he asked Trump about the debate at the suggestion of Sanders, who is scheduled to appear on the show Thursday night. Sanders, a democratic socialist who was elected to Congress as an independent and has made economic equality a keystone of his campaign, has criticized Clinton for backing out of an agreement to debate before the California primary. The Clinton campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on a possible Trump-Sanders debate. Clinton has tried to woo Sanders supporters as she works to secure the party's nomination for the Nov. 8 election. But some worry that his supporters - who are largely young, working-class and disillusioned with the Democratic Party establishment - will turn instead to political neophyte Trump, who has championed a populist agenda. Sanders has said he will do everything he can to ensure that Trump does not win the White House. (Reporting by Megan Cassella; Editing by Mohammad Zargham and Jonathan Oatis) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. GENEVA/UNITED NATIONS There will be no new round of Syria talks for at least two or three weeks, the office of U.N. special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said in a statement on Thursday, after he consulted the U.N. Security Council for about two and a half hours. "He briefed on his intention to start the next round of talks as soon as feasible but certainly not within the next two/three weeks," said the statement. It said de Mistura wanted to see progress on the ground, particularly relating to the cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access. "Meanwhile, the special envoy will maintain close and continuous contact with the Syrian parties as well as the members of the ISSG before determining the 'appropriate time' to reconvene the parties to Geneva." The ISSG, or International Syria Support Group, is the group of countries led by the United States and Russia that is backing de Mistura's peace efforts. It also includes regional powers such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, who are expected to press the warring parties to respect the statements made by the Security Council. But Syria's cessation of hostilities, a partial truce brokered by the United States and Russia in February, has been unravelling for weeks, and the Syrian government has largely blocked humanitarian aid access despite repeated U.N. appeals to prevent civilians starving in besieged towns. Earlier on Thursday de Mistura had said he expected to announce a date for a new round of talks after consulting the Security Council, citing the need to keep up momentum. Speaking to reporters in New York after de Mistura's briefing, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power said the U.N. mediator was increasingly impatient. "He expressed his continued frustration with insufficient humanitarian access, the serious dangers to the cessation of hostilities, and the need for real progress on the political talks," she told reporters. Power said the main threat to the cessation of hostilities was the Syrian government and its allies - and their attacks on civilians. "Russia has a special responsibility to press the Assad regime to abide by the cessation of the hostilities and end its bombardment and siege of innocent civilians," she said, referring to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Power acknowledged there were concerns about the fact that the U.S.-Russian partnership on Syria had not yet ended the five-year-old war. "We think the answer is to continue to press Russia and Iran to use the influence they have" on Assad's government, she said. (Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Janet Lawrence and Chris Reese) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Seoul: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday urged a return to talks with North Korea, during a visit toSouth Korea that has fuelled speculation of his presidential ambitions in his home country. "We must find the path back to dialogue," Ban said at a peace and security forum on the southern island of Jeju. Tensions between North and South Korea have been running high since Pyongyang conducted a fourth nuclear test in January. In recent weeks, the North has made repeated proposals for military talks aimed at de-escalating the situation - but the South has dismissed the offer as an "insincere" propaganda ploy. The current administration of South Korean President Park Geun-Hye is adamant that substantive inter Korean talks can only begin once the North makes a tangible commitment to denuclearisation. "The rise in tensions on the Korean peninsula could cast a shadow across Northeast Asia and beyond," Ban warned. "I welcome all efforts to move forward. And I stand ready to personally contribute in any way that might be helpful," he added. Ban has actively pursued an invitation to North Korea, and such a trip had been arranged to coincide with a visit to the South last November - but the plan fell through. Speaking to journalists in Jeju yesterday, Ban said the "window for a high-level dialogue" had been left open. "I am the only one that has been maintaining a dialogue channel with Pyongyang," he added. A North Korea visit would offer Ban a high-profile platform should he consider throwing his hat into South Korea's 2017 presidential race after stepping down as UN chief at the end of this year. Ban has declined to confirm a run at the Blue House, although on Wednesday he offered what was seen as a broad hint in that direction, saying he would "contemplate ...what I should do as a South Korean citizen" after leaving the UN. While calling for dialogue with the North, Ban also urged the international community to forcefully implement tough UN sanctions imposed on Pyongyang over its latest nuclear test. North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles "only undermines its own security and hurts its citizens," he said, urging Pyongyang to "cease any further provocations." New York: Washington broadly supports India and Afghanistan signing a deal with Iran for a transport corridor opening up a new route to Afghanistan via the Iranian port of Chabahar, as it outflanks the $46-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project with Gwadar as its focal point. Analysts say Washington is acutely aware that China's plans to develop Pakistan's southern coastal fishing town of Gwadar into an economic hub, potentially redraws the regions geopolitical map. It gives China a new trade link from its relatively undeveloped west to key Arabian Sea shipping routes at the mouth of the oil-rich Persian Gulf giving it potentially strategic as well as economic leverage. "The massive Gwadar project reveals China's regional power play. There is no comparison in scale and intent between Chinas role in Gwadar and Indias in Chabahar, but the Americans are pleased that India is pushing back against the Chinese expansionist mindset," said author and South Asia expert Adam V Larkey. "The transport corridor will open up a much-needed independent route to Afghanistan via Iran's Chabahar port circumventing Pakistan. This is significant for India and Afghanistan, whose economic stability in turn, is important to the United States. There are fissures in Pakistans relations with the US and Afghanistan, while its ties with old friend China remain rock solid," added Larkey. The Gwadar project is about more than simple trade its backers hope that once finished, it will bolster Pakistan's economy and potentially give China's navy access to the Indian Ocean. The plan would also strengthen both China and Pakistan's positions versus India, and hedge against US influence in Asia. India's Chabahar investment has been pending for years, in part owing to US sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, many of which were lifted earlier this year. New Delhi will invest $200 million to develop two terminals and five berths at Chabahar. Gwadar is being built as a commercial port and not as a naval facility for Chinas navy at least for the time being, but it could potentially be developed as one in the future. Situated on a barren, hammerhead-shaped peninsula in the south of insurgency-ridden Balochistan and just north-east of the strategically important Straits of Hormuz Pakistan's generals and China's politicians predict the development of Gwadar will be a game-changer. It would give China a firm and reliable long-term beachhead in the Indian Ocean and close to the Persian Gulf, "effectively making it a two-ocean power," said Claude Rakisits, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. Some US senators were caught off guard by the announcement of the Chabahar port deal, but the Obama administration has batted for India. "For India to be able to contribute to the economic development of Afghanistan, it needs access that it does not readily have across its land boundary. And India is seeking to deepen its energy relationship with the Central Asian countries and looking for routes that would facilitate that," assistant secretary of state for South Asia Nisha Desai Biswal told the Senate foreign relations committee on Tuesday. Biswal assured the senators that the Obama administration has been "very clear with the Indians what our security concerns have been and we would continue to engage them on those issues". The list of Australia's richest 200 people has become even more of a family affair after a series of carve-ups and bitter court cases split the fortunes of some of the country's wealthiest dynasties. Several members of Australia's richest and best-known families will make their debut on this year's BRW Rich List, according to the The Australian Financial Review, which publishes the list. Gretel Packer struck a deal with her brother to carve-up the family's riches. Credit:Jesse Marlow The AFR says Kerry Packer's daughter Gretel will burst onto the list with an estimated wealth of $739 million, which includes her stakes in Crown Resorts and in her brother James' Consolidated Press Holdings. A deal between Gretel and James was struck last year to carve up the family's wealth, a decade after their media and casino baron father died in 2005. Two years ago, hardly anyone in Australia's business community had even heard of Dave Greiner and Ben Richardson. Today, despite having founded one of Australia's most valuable start-ups arguably the most exciting technology firm this nation has produced to date they are still relatively unknown figures. Campaign Monitor, the email marketing firm they founded in a garage in Sydney's Sutherland Shire over a decade ago, shot to prominence in 2014 when Greiner and Richardson sold a $US250 million ($348 million) stake in their business to prominent US venture capital firms. It remains one of the largest investments into an Australian tech start-up. Yet Richardson and Greiner are not household names and have rarely given media interviews "Yes, it's a conscious thing," says Richardson tells the Australian Financial Review. "The two of us have no particular interest in building a profile or pushing a political agenda." This week, the AFR Magazine tells the story of Campaign Monitor's remarkable rise from obscurity to global prominence. Greiner and Richardson, who don't work on Mondays and for years listed their own credit cards on the company's intranet for staff to use for expenses, now have an estimated combined wealth of $543 million, ranking them in 118-119th place in the BRW Rich 200. Home prices will grow more slowly under Labor's negative gearing and capital gains tax changes but the housing market will not crash, according to the ALP-aligned think tank that first proposed the policy. Instead, housing will be more affordable and the slowdown in price rises will be tiny - meaning Mums and Dads will still see the value of their homes grow each year. The findings, contained in the McKell Institute Switching Gears: Addendum II report will be published on Friday ahead of a crunch National Press Club debate between Treasurer Scott Morrison and his Labor counterpart, Chris Bowen. It says NSW will be increasingly reliant on state taxes - from 40 to 50 per cent as a proportion of revenue - as its GST share shrinks due to population growth slower than the national average and Commonwealth payments fall. Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian has delivered her second budget. Credit:Louie Douvis "Improving the way we deliver services and infrastructure can help to address the fiscal gap, but governments also need a sustainable revenue base to meet future demand," the report says. "Reforms to state taxes provide governments with an opportunity to support productivity and growth, and to provide a more stable revenue base that aligns with expenditure. In particular, decreasing the reliance on volatile and inefficient taxes would deliver large economic gains." Jodie Watt, a 20-year-old nursing student who lives with her parents in Beverly Hills, said she was already considering moving to another state due to the high cost of living in Sydney. Ms Watt said the projected $17 billion fiscal gap is "pretty worrying". "Just now as I get closer to moving out of home, getting a job and moving on in my life, it's a worrying fact that I just feel like I'm not going to be able to do and get all the things my parents could and all the things I've wanted to do since I was younger. They are starting to seem less achievable." Ms Watt said she was worried about the quality of the healthcare she and her parents would be able to receive in the future as the state grapples with an ageing population. "As a nursing student I know we don't have the capability and I'm worried what's going to happen with my parents as they get older, if we're going to have to carry the burden. It's going to keep on spiralling," she said. Ms Watt said a balance would need to be found between cutting services and raising taxes to address the projected fiscal gap. However it is a problem Ms Watt might not be here to witness in 2056, as she is considering buying or renting interstate when she finishes her studies. The statement refocuses attention on NSW's heavily reliance on stamp duty from property transactions - regarded as an inefficient and volatile tax - and the issue of housing affordability, before Ms Berejiklian's second budget on June 21. NSW's ageing population is identified as by far the biggest contributing factor to the fiscal gap because as more people retire they are not being replaced in the workforce due to a low fertility rate. Ageing "contributes 2.2 percentage points or almost two thirds of the fiscal gap" it says, mainly due to health expenses. The 2014 health and education funding cuts increased the fiscal gap by 1.3 percentage points, but the agreement on the National Disability Insurance Scheme reduced it by 0.4 percentage points. Ms Berejiklian noted COAG had agreed to consider long term health funding arrangements beyond 2020. One way to moderate the impact of ageing, the report suggests, is boosting overseas migration, instantly adding to the workforce. This serves to offset 19,000 people leaving NSW for other states and territories each year. NSW's share of national overseas migration is expected to be around 28 per cent or 60,000 people a year to 2056. NSW can influence its share of overseas migration by "providing services and infrastructure to enable a larger housing supply, and therefore a larger population," the report says. This is because house prices and job opportunities "are key determinants of a migrant's decision about where they will live". But it is a double edged sword. "Migration can add to underlying demand for housing and therefore increase house price pressures," the report says. "Conversely, higher relative house prices or a less attractive job market in New South Wales can deter overseas migration and increase the interstate outflow of residents." The report says a recent spike in house prices in NSW is "likely to deter migrants" and encourage more people to leave for other states. However, prices are expected "to gradually abate, as the strong housing construction outlook translates into increased housing supply, and reduces the current imbalance between supply and underlying demand". The report says NSW has 100,000 fewer dwellings than it needs. The increase in housing is projected to average 45,000 a year to 2030-31 and 43,500 a year to 2055-56. On Friday, President Barack Obama will visit Hiroshima, Japan, the first American president to do so while in office. In August, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the city to force Japans surrender in World War II. Although their city lay in ruins, some Hiroshima school children drew remarkable pictures showing hope and peace. The former students and their drawings are now part of a documentary called Pictures from a Hiroshima Schoolyard. VOAs Deborah Block has the story. A court in Senegal is scheduled to deliver a verdict Monday in the trial of former Chadian dictator Hissene Habre. Habre was tried on charges of crimes against humanity, torture and war crimes before a special tribunal in Dakar, the Extraordinary African Chambers. The verdict could mark the end of a battle to bring Habre to justice in Senegal, to which he fled and where he has lived since being overthrown in a coup in 1990. It took 25 years of relentless campaigning by Hissene Habres victims to make this trial happen, said Reed Brody, counsel at Human Rights Watch. The tribunal indicted the former Chadian leader in 2013 and placed him in pretrial custody. After a 19-month investigation, judges said there was sufficient evidence to bring Habre to trial. It was the first time that courts in one country had prosecuted the former ruler of another for alleged human rights violations, Human Rights Watch said. The trial began July 20, 2015, amid resistance from Habre, who had to be carried into the courtroom and would not recognize the legitimacy of the court. His lawyers refused to appear, forcing the court to appoint lawyers to represent him. Bandoum Bandjim, a former member of Habre's political police, testified during the trial that the police director often went to Habre with documents to order the release, torture or execution of prisoners. There were official documents addressed to his excellency, President Hissene Habre, and the director took these files to the presidency and either the persons were set free or executed or tortured. This I can confirm, Bandjim said in court. Sexual slavery and rape also were cited during trial. During our stay at Ouadi Doum [military camp], we didnt receive any medical care. We didnt get proper food. They just brought us as sexual slaves, victim Kaltouma Defallah said in court. Defallah said that when government officials finally gave the women medication, it was to make sure they did not get pregnant. The Hissene Habre trial is a watershed in the fight for accountability for the worlds worst crimes, HRW's Brody said. FAIRFIELD Ravens were the first clue that helped Brandyn Hurd find a bear hunters smelly bait site. A trail camera strapped to a tree trunk was the second. A square in nature is not very common, Hurd said May 19, revisiting the bait site in forested Chimney Creek canyon west of Fairfield. This time, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game conservation officer scrambled through rain-drenched brush to avoid his approach being photographed. Hurd covered the hunters trail cam with his cap before he and District Conservation Officer Tim Ferguson explained the piled branches, the moldy hamburger buns, the bucket in a nearby tree. The black bear hunting season runs from April 15 to June 15 here in Unit 44, and a hunter with a bear baiting permit from Fish and Game may maintain up to three bait sites, each displaying a numbered tag. This one offered a spread of dog food, old fat and moldy buns inside a V formed by logs and branches. The yellow bait tag encircled a branch above. A bucket was suspended high in the air, the better to disperse its contents nasty scent. The bait stays in place around the clock, but the hunter doesnt, so the camera aimed at the bait was the hunters attempt to learn the habits of any ursine visitors. Older bears are a lot harder to find and harvest, because theyve learned these tricks, Hurd said. Yet bears are curious and opportunistic, and Ferguson pointed out bear tracks in the soft dirt. If one scent isnt sufficiently attractive, another might be. On previous visits here this spring, the officers found breakfast syrup and crayfish. The syrup wasnt a problem, but the crayfish was: Its a game fish, and bear baiters must not use any parts of animal or fish that Idaho classifies as game. Another violation: That small yellow tag was missing the first time Hurd found this site. So Hurd deployed a trick of his own: a trail camera aimed at the nearby vehicle track. The camera caught the license plate of a four-wheeler, and Hurd was working that angle when Ferguson made a follow-up visit and found that the tag had appeared at the site. So Hurd knew he had the right guy before he dropped by Mountain Home to get the hunters side of the story. The hunter didnt realize crayfish was a game fish and brought the leftovers from a crayfish boil, Hurd learned. He gave the hunter two warnings. In the foothills 11 miles west of Fairfield, pretty Chimney Creek canyon where the yellow blooms of bitterbrush and arrowleaf balsamroot shined through the May 19 rain is popular with hunters and snowmobilers. The spring bear season started slowly here, Ferguson said, but a switch flipped with the rapid snowmelt in mid-May. More people are going in daily, because you can get in there, he said. His Fish and Game pickup, like Hurds, carries a four-wheeler in the bed. This spring, Ferguson found four bait sites accessible by four-wheeler that had no violations of Idaho regulations. But for the May 19 patrol he chose three other sites to show ones accessible by short hikes. And all three had something wrong. At one, a hunter used a plastic barrel and left it there for years. Both actions are illegal. Bears tear things up, and a plastic barrel could become litter on the forest floor; Idaho allows only metal containers for bear bait. And hunters are required to remove all bait containers and refill any excavations within seven days after the close of the hunting season or of the dog training season that follows in some units. During Unit 44s June 16-July 31 training season, hunters may pursue and tree a bear with their hounds but may not kill it. This plastic barrel isnt in use anymore, and brush has grown up to cover the opening. The officers would remove the barrel, Ferguson said, picking his way back down a densely vegetated hillside as another cloudburst soaked his uniform. But not that day. Hiking in a part of Chimney Creek canyon where hunters have baited bears for years, Hurd and Ferguson pointed out an old bait site where one of Fish and Games trail cameras was stolen last year. Branches were still piled in a V, but other evidence of the site was gone. Soon the officers stopped at another tree one with a 55-gallon metal barrel chained to it. Lying on its side, the barrel held peanuts and banana chips, visible through a hole cut in the metal, and smelled like hikers trail mix. Somethings been eating on it, Ferguson said. It was fuller. Sometimes hunters place sticks in the openings of their barrels so they can see at a distance when bears have pulled them out. This barrels owner, he surmised, is a hound hunter whose dogs will strike the scent from the road. When he first found this bait site this spring, Ferguson pegged it as 200 yards from the nearest road exactly the minimum required distance from any established roadway that is open to the public for motorized traffic and capable of travel by full-sized automobiles. On the May 19 patrol, Hurd and his GPS produced a measurement of 198 yards, but the officers said they wouldnt quibble about a couple of yards. But something else was clearly out of order. On his earlier visit Ferguson noted that this bait site doesnt display the required yellow tag, and he recorded a 360-degree video as evidence. I looked and looked and looked for a tag, and I have not found one, Ferguson said. Hurd uncovered the end of the heavy chain to check there for a tag, then brushed dirt back over the chain with his fingertips. What now? The officers could remove the bait and leave a card. Or they could monitor the site using a camera or frequent visits. I think well leave it for a little while, Ferguson said, then explore the latter option. Idahos bear hunting rules: Fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/docs/rules/bgBear.pdf Volunteers Hospice Visions Inc. is looking for volunteer handy men and women for light home modifications, Light Touch Massage therapists, hair dressers, volunteers for meal assistance, and to visit with, play music and games with those on hospice services. Volunteers are needed with licensed certified therapy animals to love our hospice patients in their own homes or assisted living centers. Hospice Visions is looking for volunteers interested in doing art projects with our patients or filming and creating a Life Legacy Video, or can take someone to the store, run an errand or out for a drive. Veterans can become a Vet-to-Vet Volunteer and visit with other veterans. Volunteers are also needed to assist with fundraising events and provide office assistance Information: Nora at 208-735-0121 or nwells@hospicevisions.org Drivers The Twin Falls Senior Center delivers meals to homebound seniors in the Twin Falls area Monday through Friday, and the routes take an hour or less to complete. Commitment is based on your availability; pick a day to drive once or twice a month, pick a week to drive, pick a day of the week to drive, or be a substitute driver. Volunteers must be 18 years of age with their own car, and have proof of liability insurance. Drivers receive 54 cents a mile fuel reimbursement. Information: Sandee Earl, 208-734-5084. Volunteers St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center is in need of volunteers for a variety of positions from shuttle drivers to care volunteers to gift shop volunteers and more. The medical center is looking for pleasant, and friendly individuals with a sincere interest in voluntary services offered to patients, visitors, employees and guests. Meet new people and learn new experiences and challenges. Information: Kim Patterson at 814-0861 or kimpa@slhs.org, or visit the Volunteer Services Office, lower level at St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center; 801 Pole Line Road W., Twin Falls. Applications are available at the Front Information Desk. Volunteers The Twin Falls Senior Center has a ladies group (The Crazy Quilters), who are looking for individuals to put finishing touches on quilts as a group while socializing at the same time. The group meets from 9 a.m. to noon every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. All quilt project proceeds are given to the Twin Falls Senior Center. Information: 208-734-5084. Volunteers The CSI Office on Aging is looking for a volunteer with general office skills. The volunteer will sit at the front desk, greet customers, answer phone calls, file, input data on computer and perform other general office duties as requested by the director. The office is open from 8 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Info: Suzanne, 208-731-2122. Volunteers/drivers Habitat for Humanity of the Magic Valley and the ReStore are seeking adult volunteers. At the ReStore, volunteers are needed to provide general customer service, receiving, coordinate volunteers, fixing items to be sold in the store, and drivers to pick up donations. Information: 208-735-1233 or the Habitat office, 669 Eastland Drive S., Twin Falls. Volunteers The CSI Refugee Center is in need of adult volunteers to assist refugees with English as a Second Language instruction and one-to-one ESL tutoring of adults. No previous teaching experience is required. Information: Kathy at 208-736-2166. BURLEY For four years, Cruz Kelly Chacon, owner of Kellys Tax Service in Burley, prepared more than 2,500 falsified income tax returns for her clients. Chacon, 42, was sentenced Wednesday to 18 months in federal prison followed by a year of supervised release. She pleaded guilty in federal court in February to assisting, advising and counseling clients to submit materially false federal income tax returns to the IRS, from 2008 to 2011. Wednesdays sentencing comes after the IRS Criminal Investigations division found Chacon helped clients claim tax credits they were not entitled to. Chacon and her employees prepared tax returns claiming the child tax credit and the additional child tax credit for non-qualifying clients. The IRS said this increased clients tax returns and in turn Chacons business. Chacons sentence comes as part of a plea agreement that also requires her to pay $81,384 in restitution. Those who intentionally submit falsified income tax returns to the IRS victimize all taxpayers because we share the costs of paying for the improper tax refunds, U.S. Attorney Wendy Olson said. We will continue to work closely with the IRS to root out this illegal activity, especially where a tax preparation business assists individuals in breaking the law. Horace Hart managed to escape the fate of some 617,000 soldiers who died in the Civil War. Hart was wounded in the battles of Antietam and Fredericksburg, and had his horse shot out from under him at Gettysburg. Born July 20, 1828, he served in Company E of the Eighth Illinois Cavalry. After the war, Hart and other soldiers pursued John Wilkes Booth after the assassin shot and killed President Abraham Lincoln. He eventually lost track of his relatives, and in 1905, at age 77, moved to Twin Falls with the Orson Strong family, whom he considered his only family. On his 105th and last birthday, Hart was honored with a picnic in Twin Falls City Park by Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Elks Lodge, the American Legion and the United Spanish Veterans. Just days before his death in 1934, the dwindling GAR staged its annual encampment in Twin Falls. The 15 members who attended the convention named Hart the encampment surgeon. Though too ill to attend the convention, he insisted on voting in the election session. Hart died June 21, 1934, in the Twin Falls County General Hospital. He is buried in the Twin Falls Cemetery next to Orson Strong. The first thing to understand is that before its a presidential election, its a TV program. To the suits at CNN, NBC and Fox News, that means its about ratings and money. So of course theyre going to play it as a cliffhanger. Do they ever say, Tune in Saturday to watch the Alabama Crimson Tide humiliate hopelessly overmatched Kent State! Never. So its going to be with Trump vs. Clinton. Almost regardless of what political scientists and number-crunchers say, the race will be depicted as a nail-biter. The fact that Charles Manson could win Texas electoral votes with an R after his name, while Democrats could take Massachusetts with a Kardashian sister, will prolong the manufactured suspense. Its going to be a very long five months. Even so, its hard to imagine a manifest fraud like Donald J. Trump becoming president of the United States. Surely voters have too much self-respect. If Trump came to power, writes Adam Gopnik in the New Yorker, there is a decent chance that the American experiment would be over. This is not a hyperbolic prediction; it is not a hysterical prediction; it is simply a candid reading of what history tells us happens in countries with leaders like Trump. Countries dont really recover from being taken over by unstable authoritarian nationalists of any political bent, left or right not by Perons or Castros or Putins or Francos or Lenins or fill in the blanks. All politicians fudge the truth, exaggerating their successes and minimizing their failures. Trump, however, takes it to a different level. Hes a contemporary version of Baron Munchausen, an 18th century literary character whose wildly exaggerated military exploits riding on a cannonball, voyaging to the moon made him a comic-heroic favorite for generations. Trump tells falsehoods so brazen as to redefine political lying. To see what I mean, lets compare a couple of Clinton classics that emailers harangue me about all the time. I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky. The beauty of this Clintonian masterpiece lies in the fact that people often misquote it changing sexual relations to sex. Because according to the evidence assiduously gathered by independent counsel Kenneth Starr, its literally true and therefore perjury-proof. Cunning and deliberately deceptive, yes. But sexual relations means intercourse, and that supposedly didnt happen. Cute, huh? Thats Bill Clinton. Readers who have never lied about sex are encouraged to vent. Then theres Hillarys infamous Bosnian adventure: I remember landing under sniper fire, she told a 2008 audience. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles. Confronted with CBS News footage that showed her walking calmly across the tarmac of Tuzla airport from an Air Force C-17 in 1996, Hillary Clinton basically blamed an overactive memory. Shed actually written about the incident in her 2003 book Living History without mentioning the imaginary snipers. Her press secretary later explained the possible origin of Hillarys false memory: We were issued flak jackets for the final leg because of possible sniper fire near Tuzla. As an additional precaution, the first lady and Chelsea were moved to the armored cockpit for the descent into Tuzla. She wont say so, but Im guessing Hillary got scared, and her mind played a trick on her. Confronted with the discrepancy, however, she owned it. Suffice it to say that is not the Trump method. With a background in professional wrestling, he understands that theres a vast audience out there only slightly more discerning than a potted geranium and willing to believe (or pretend to believe) damn near anything. Trump doesnt trim or embroider as much as invent huge, thunderous fictions aimed at boosting himself or hurting his enemies evidence be damned. In Trump World, facts dont exist. He cannot be shamed. Trump went on Morning Joe recently to attack Hillarys terrible judgment about Libya. See, if people had listened to Donald, the U.S. would never have helped NATO overthrow Gaddafi. I would have stayed out of Libya, he affirmed. Except that Trump shot a video back in 2011 urging an immediate invasion: Gaddafi in Libya is killing thousands of people, he said then. Nobody knows how bad it is, and were sitting around, we have soldiers all [around] the Middle East, and were not bringing them in to stop this horrible carnage ... . Now we should go in, we should stop this guy, which would be very easy and very quick. The candidate does this stuff every day, on every imaginable topic. Its brutal, demagogic make-believe, demanding his followers blind themselves to reality and enlist in his cult of personality. So who are you going to believe, Trump or your lying eyes? This year more than 400 climbers and sherpas decided to try their luck at summiting Mount Everest during the spring climbing season. Tragically, at least four have died so far and more than 30 others are reported to be suffering from severe frostbite and other ailments caused by prolonged exposure to Everests brutal conditions. With several days remaining in the climbing season, and many climbers still preparing to make ascents, the potential for further tragedy is high. Whats keeping climbers stuck up there isnt bad weather, a natural disaster or even equipment failures. The problem is depressingly familiar: Too many people are trying to climb the worlds tallest mountain and are contributing to deadly traffic congestion in the process. An issue for years, overcrowding on Everest poses a particular threat to Nepal now, as it seeks to rebuild its economy after a catastrophic April 2015 earthquake. In 2014, tourism accounted for 8.9 percent of Nepals GDP and 7.5 percent of its total employment. Everests direct contribution to those figures was relatively small around $3.5 million in fees paid to the government and $12 million in additional spending. But the mountain plays an outsized role in marketing Nepal to the rest of the world. If Everest cant be safely managed for tourists, the countrys reputation as a whole suffers. Indeed, Everest climbing permits themselves were down sharply this year, with roughly 40 percent of those serving as extensions to permits issued for the 2015 season. Though no data exists on why fewer people applied, the more than three dozen earthquake- and avalanche-related deaths that occurred on the mountain in 2014 and 2015 probably made at least a few climbers skittish. Even with the reduced number of climbers, too many are still trying to ascend at once. Thanks to better weather forecasting technologies and wide access to communications at the top of the world, expeditions know precisely when the ideal conditions are to summit. As they rush for the peak, they create dangerous logjams. In 2012, the mountaineer Ralf Dujmovits captured a now-iconic photo of dozens of climbers ascending Everest in a virtual conga line. Ten people would die that year under clear skies, most because the large crowds meant that climbers were stuck in the high-altitude, low-oxygen death zone below the summit while waiting to ascend or descend. If a climber spends too much time there, the chances of succumbing to a fatal version of altitude sickness increases substantially. That appears to be what happened to at least three of the climbers whove died over the last several days. In Nepal and in the mountaineering community, the problem is widely recognized. This was a man-made disaster that may have been minimized with better management of the teams, Ang Tschering Sherpa, President of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, told the Associated Press. The question is how beyond sharply limiting the number of permits handed out every year for Everest to reduce the crowds. The politics are difficult. Nepals government earns $11,000 in fees from each climber and Sherpas are desperate for employment; neither is keen to lose potential customers. Meanwhile, proposals to limit the climb to experienced, able-bodied, age-appropriate climbers (no children, no 80-year-olds, for example) are still pending, with many veteran mountaineers doubting they can be effectively enforced. That doesnt mean Nepal is out of options. The first step is for all parties to admit that a deadly Everest hurts both Nepals Sherpa community and its international image. The government can both cut down the number of climbers and make up some of the loss in revenues by substantially raising fees. For most climbers, the permit is a relatively small portion of an expedition that can cost as much as $74,000 per person. But at the low-end of the business, budget guides will take inexperienced and even out-of-shape climbers up the mountain for less (with occasionally disastrous consequences). Higher fees could dissuade at least some of those customers from risking an ascent. Meanwhile, Nepal could expand employment opportunities for Sherpas by reviving a delayed proposal to lease out some of the countrys more than 1,300 unclimbed peaks to private concessionaires for management. The proposal, which has the tentative support of the guide community, would allow the government to concentrate its efforts on earthquake reconstruction while leaving the marketing of its peaks to professional tour companies. Those companies, no less than the government, should have an incentive to provide a safe and less-crowded climbing environment. For everyones sake, it should be a little lonelier at the top of the world. As part of celebrations marking Liberation and Resistance Day, Secretary General of Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah accused Arab States of inaction against Israel. He claimed that the Jewish State is Lebanons main and real enemy and continues to be its biggest threat as it tries to usurp our resources. He alleged that some parties are seeking to turn it into a friend and ally which he warned would affect the entire axis of resistance of the country. Hezbollah, recently listed as a terrorist organization by the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League, claimed that individual incidents are being used to practice sectarian incitement in order to tear our people apart and also weaken the army. The group is a Shia politico-military group, which defines its armed group as a resistance army. It is close to Tehran and has been accused by the Gulf States of collaborating with Iran to destabilize them. Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri who returned to the country this year ending a self-imposed exile reacted to Nasrallahs speech accusing him of holding the country at a ransom. He urged him to listen to the opinion of the majority of the Lebanese people, including the silent majority of Shiites before sending militants to fight in Syria and Yemen. Hariri is close to Riyadh. He reminded him of the presidential stalemate that is more than two years old and there are no signs of it ending soon. Nasrallah in his televised speech said Hezbollah wants a new modern and correct electoral law to replace the current one approved in 1960 in order to promote proportional representation. Hezbollah is not the only party responsible for the failure to elect a president, he said warning that if the term of the current parliament expires, were with holding the elections under any law. Thursday marks the beginning of the third year of the presidential vacuum in the country. A local Libyan military commander in the ranks of Misratas Third Force confirmed the presence and engagement of British and American forces on the ground in Libya. In an interview with The Times, Commander Mohammed Durat referred to an incident, which took place on May 12, saying that British forces helped to neutralize a truck loaded with explosives by militants of the Islamic State who were apparently preparing to launch an attack. He said the truck was hit with a single missile fired by the British. The incident took place at the Shaddadah Bridge, 50miles away south of Misrata, and the local troops were fleeing before the British forces intervened. The British troops are believed to be members of the Special Air Service or Special Boat Service, which are part of the elite military troops. A Javelin missile is believed to have been used. During the operation, our British friends seemed quite calm about it that day, Durat stated. The bombing of the truck helped them to remobilize, he said adding that not one of our own forces was killed which hints that they usually suffer casualties when faced with such situations without the support of the well-equipped foreign troops. My unit works just with the English. I have met with them personally and they have destroyed two suicide vehicles that were targeting my fighters, Commander Durat highlighted before adding that the Americans and English are working here together helping us. The presence of foreign troops operating in Libya could be considered illegal as it not approved by any of the authorities in Libya and the government recognized by Washington and London rejected any foreign intervention in the country. With Western forces fearing that Libya could be used as a launch pad by Islamic State for attacks on their territories, several countries are believed to be having clandestine military operations in the country. The extremist group is estimated to have at least 3,000 militants in Libya. In the latest developments over the Hajj feud between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the Saudi hajj ministry undersecretary Hussein Sharif said talks with an Iranian delegation on Wednesday ended on a positive note. The talks reviewed the arrangements, as well as organization and services for pilgrims, he said, adding that Iranians aspiring to perform hajj this year could use electronic visas which could be printed out. Although the positive steps made at the talks are yet to be officially finalized, there are reports that Iran will maintain its allocated 63,000 visas. The Saudi officials remarks sounded like a compromise between the two sides as Iran was demanding that Riyadh issues visas through the Swiss embassy in Tehran, which caters for its interests since the closing of its own embassy in January while Riyadh demanded that pilgrims travel to other countries to obtain visas at the Saudi embassies there. If the visa issue seems solved, the difference over the air carrier is still pending. Sharif told Alriyadh that directives concerning the air carrier will come from the Saudi civil aviation authority. Tehran wants to use its national carrier but Riyadh has objected to it. He however stated that Iran agreed to all Saudi regulations and conditions related to Hajj. Iran has not made any statement regarding the meeting although it had confirmed that it was held at the invitation of the new Saudi Hajj minister. The last hajj season was sorrowful as more than 2400 pilgrims died in a stampede in Mina; including 464 Iranians. Tehran blamed Riyadh for incompetency. Daughter of Nobel Peace Prize Winner Desmond Tutu has been forced to abandon her priesthood in the South African Anglican Church after she married a female atheist professor. Tutu Van Furth violated the Anglican Churchs position that marriage is between a man and a woman when she wed academic atheist Marceline Van Furth. According to AFP, Reverend Canon Mpho Tutu-van Furth can no longer preside at Holy Communion, weddings, baptisms or funerals after handing in her license. My wife and I meet across almost every dimension of difference. Some of our differences are obvious; she is tall and white, I am black and vertically challenged. Some of our differences are not apparent at a glance; she is Dutch and an atheist, I am South African and a priest in the Episcopal/Anglican Church, Tutu Van Furth said. She said her father, the retired archbishop and celebrated anti-apartheid campaigner, was sad but not surprised at the news. Her father, Anglican Bishop Desmond Tutu, won the Nobel Peace Prize for his opposition to South Africas brutal Apartheid regime. Desmond Tutu himself told media in 2013 he would fiercely fight against discrimination against the gay community as he did against horrific racism. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR, will move hundreds of Nigerian displaced persons to more secure camps, where they will receive basic healthcare, food, clean water and shelter, the organization said on Wednesday. According to the UN agency, the refugees will be relocated to a camp about 25 kilometers from two spontaneous sites in Niger threatened by Boko Haram attacks. It is estimated that there are over 250,000 refugees, internally-displaced people and Niger returnees in the Diffa region now, after years of Boko Haram attacks and atrocities in neighboring Nigeria. The Islamist militant group has ramped up attacks in Diffa after being driven further and further back into northeast Nigeria, near its borders with Chad and Niger, by a 9,000-strong regional taskforce and Nigerian and Cameroonian troops. We have a very short time period to move people under these harsh desert-like conditions. The trucks arent equipped to protect the refugees from the heat. We dont have facilities for people with special needs like children and pregnant or breastfeeding women, said Guide Adamou, the head of UNHCR Office in Diffa. The UN estimates that the insurgency group has carried out about 30 attacks in the Diffa region this year. Recently, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) called for greater world attention on the massive humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Diffa region. In all, 2.7 million people are displaced in the Lake Chad Basin area because of the violence linked to Boko Haram. 2.1 million are internally displaced in Nigeria. The United Nations in Burundi has completed the deployment of a team of human rights monitors to investigate allegations of human rights abuses in the chaotic East African nation. The investigation team is expected to make recommendations on how to improve the human rights conditions in the country and also meet with Burundian refugees in neighboring countries like Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo to collect more evidence. Burundi was plunged into crisis last year following Pierre Nkurunzizas bid for a third term which was considered by his critics as unconstitutional. About 450 people have been killed and more than a million displaced following the year-long violence in the country. In the latest attack in the capital Bujumbura on Wednesday, a retired army colonel was shot dead and his son wounded, police said. The former officer, named Lucien Rufyiri, was shot as he sat in his car waiting for his gate to be opened in the Ngagara neighborhood. A new round of peace talks was launched in the Tanzanian city of Arusha at the weekend. The full operation of the UN investigation mission counts on information from individuals, groups and organizations on the human rights violations and abuses, which have been taking place in Burundi since the crisis started last year. President Roch Marc Kabores ruling Peoples Movement for Progress (MPP) was declared Wednesday leader in the provisional breakdown of votes in the Sunday Municipal elections. The MPP has swept around 62 per cent of the mayorship positions available in the contest. Provisional results show the ruling party won 11,167 positions out of the 19,222 proposed by the National Commission. The party has been able to win key and most cities including Ouagadougou, Bobo Dioulasso (second largest city), Banfora, Koudougou (both in the West), Ouahigouya (North), Fada NGourma (East), Gaoua. The second place goes to main opposition party (UPC) of Zephirin Diabre, which only garnered 3,051 seats outclassing former party (CDP) of ousted President Blaise Campaore. The CDP comes third with 2,134 positions. The turnout of the Sunday election estimated at 47.65 is reportedly the lowest ever recorded since the beginning of municipal elections in the country. Final results will be released after one week by the National Council so as to allow the electoral commission to process complaints. Georgias exports worth $608m in January-April 2016 Georgia has exported goods worth $608 million in the first four months of this year.The value of Georgias exports and imports (External Merchandise Trade) was growing year-on-year (y/y), said the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat).Preliminary data published today showed Georgias External Merchandise Trade (excluding non-organised trade) amounted to $3.3 billion in January-April 2016. This was an eight percent increase compared to the same period of 2015.Furthermore, Geostat said the value of goods exported from Georgia decreased 12 percent to $608 million, while the value of goods imported grew 14 percent to $2.7 billion in January-April 2016.Georgias trade deficit equalled $2.071million, which made up 63 percent of total trade turnover.Trade with EU countriesGeorgia increased its external trade turnover with European Union (EU) countries by 11 percent y/y.Geostat said in January-April 2016 the external trade turnover of Georgia with EU countries amounted to $936 million.Exports to these countries were worth $47 million (28 percent lower), while imports amounted to $789 million (24 percent higher). The share of these countries in the external trade turnover of Georgia amounted to 28 percent; 24 percent in exports and 29 percent in imports.Geostat said 31 percent of its trade deficit came from EU countries.Trade with CIS countriesWhile Georgia experienced increased trade turnover with EU countries, its role as an important trade partner for countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was weakening.Geostat said in January-April 2016 the external trade turnover of Georgia with CIS countries totalled $765 million a 15 percent reduction y/y.Exports stood at $184 million (26 percent lower) while imports equalled $581 million (10 percent lower). The share of the CIS countries in the external trade turnover of Georgia constituted 23 percent; 30 percent in exports and 22 percent in imports.Year-on-year CIS countries accounted for 19 percent of the overall trade deficit, said Geostat.Georgias top trading partners in January-April 2016In January-April 2016 Georgias top 10 trading partners made up 70 percent of Georgias total trade turnover.Georgias top trading partners were: Turkey ($475 million); Canada ($450 million); and Russia ($256 million).What commodities does Georgia export/import?Copper ores and concentrates were the top items Georgia exported, worth $113 million or 19 percent of total exports in January-April 2016.The next largest exported commodity was motor cars, the value of which was worth $48 million or eight percent of the total exports, said Geostat.Nuts (fresh or dried) were the third most exported item. Exports of this commodity group stood at $45 million and made up eight percent of total exports.Top imported commodities in January-April 2016Geostat revealed the top imported commodity in January-April 2016 were medicaments which import amounted to $723 million. This was 27 percent of all imported goods.The group covering motor cars was the second most imported commodity. In the reporting period Georgia imported $136 million worth of these products, which was five percent of all imports.Petroleum and petroleum oils came third with $135 million (five percent of imports). Businesses in Georgia to save 9m GEL by using Trade Facilitation System Georgia is harmonising the electronic flow of information among key players in logistics, shipping and transport industries, and improving the countrys reputation as a business-friendly country by launching the Trade Facilitation System (TFS).Today Georgias Minister of Justice Thea Tsulukiani announced Georgia would adopt the TFS after intensive testing modules were carried out successfully.Parties involved in the project were the Revenue Service, Georgian Railway, Poti and Batumi Sea Ports, shipping lines, terminals and others. A total of 25 companies plus Governmental institutions were now ready to use the information hub (www.tfs.ge) however Tsulukiani hoped more small companies would be interested in using and benefitting from the TFS.We are introducing a platform that enables companies to exchange information electronically and without paper. As a result the TFS will substitute one million paper documents annually and thanks to that businesses will save about 9 million GEL every year, Tsulukiani said.Furthermore, research by Georgias Data Exchange Agency showed the TFS streamlined procedures will save 3.7 hours of operators working time and 26 printed pages on each container, resulting in the total annual estimated savings related to container management at 4.53 million GEL.The TFS enables traders, customs brokers, freight forwarders, shipping lines and other players in international trade to submit information through a single entry point.It will also ensure connection between different operational software systems to exchange the data timely and safely, Tsulukiani said.Businesses that use the TFS will be able to optimise their logistic processes and improve their competitive market position, said Georgias Ministry of Justice.The TFS was implemented in Georgia by the Data Exchange Agency of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia with significant support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and its Economic Prosperity Initiative (EPI). Georgia to be given a date of NATO membership By Messenger Staff Its time for Georgia to be given a particular date of its membership in NATO membership, former Director of Georgias Security Analytical Center David Smith has stated.As Voice of America Georgian Office reports, Smith has focused on Georgias achievements and its integration in Euro-Atlantic structures.At present, Georgia can be proud of its successful democracy, developed economy and reforms. Indeed, its time for the country to become a member of NATO and then the EU. This is the interest of not only Georgia but U.S. and NATO-member countries. Georgia has fulfilled all the given recommendations. Its time for NATO to make a concrete decision over Georgia, he remarked.Meanwhile, in his recent interview for Georgias Public Broadcaster, James Appathurai, Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy and NATO Secretary Generals Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, said Georgias NATO membership is a political decision and was never dependent only on Georgias efforts or reforms. We should make the NATO-Georgia Substantial Package more comprehensive and tangible for Georgia to be ready for the NATO membership. Membership in the alliance is a political decision and is not dependent only on your Armed Forces or reforms.We should do now what we can and what we can control, the NATO official said.Appathurai said compared to the previous NATO Summit, there have not been any serious changes in the geopolitical situation, and so it is unlikely that NATO members views about Georgias NATO membership will be any different.At the same time, NATO claims it retains an 'open door policy', which implies giving a chance to Georgia to become a NATO member.However, it is just a general decision and no one knows when this one day might come when Georgia gains a tangible result from its NATO aspirations.Its more likely that this year Warsaw Summit Georgia gains an empowered Substantial Package and not a Membership Action Plan (MAP). The News in Brief President at Cadets Military Academy The Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Georgian Armed Forces visited the Giorgi Kvinitadze Cadets Military Academy in Kutaisi. The First Deputy Minister of Defence of Georgia, Davit Ebralidze, hosted President Giorgi Margvelashvili at the military educational institution. The Head of Presidents Administration Giorgi Abashishvili, Governor of the Imereti region Givi Chichinadze, Land Forces West Commander Colonel Shalva Jabakhidze and Commander of Training and Military Education Colonel Malkhaz Makaradze also visited the Academy together with the President of Georgia. Acting Rector of the military educational institution Colonel Zaza Kakhidze showed the visitors around the infrastructure of the Academy, then briefed the President on the study process of the institution. Giorgi Margvelashvili also delivered a public lecture to the cadets and answered their questions about the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of Georgia, the Warsaw Summit, the August War, regional security and the situation in the occupied territories of Georgia. With the assistance of the Presidents Reserve Fund, several books will be allocated for the Library of the Academy. Representatives of the military educational institution thanked President Margvelashvili for the support and informed him that female students will be admitted at the Cadets Lyceum from September, for the next academic year. (MoD.gov.ge) TripAdvisor promotes Georgia among international travellers Georgia is trying to attract more tourists by signing a cooperation agreement with the worlds largest travel website. Georgias National Tourism Administration today penned a deal with TripAdvisor, a popular travel internet portal enabling travellers to plan and book their trips. Within the agreement, www.tripadvisor.com will promote Georgia as a tourist destination among its users from 10 countries for the next six months. These countries will include: 1. Germany 2. Italy 3. Poland 4. Israel 5. Ukraine 6. Turkey 7. Azerbaijan 8. Kazakhstan 9. Armenia 10. Russia "Within the campaign we will use all sorts of information and present the reasons why to visit this country, National Tourism Administration Giorgi Chogovadze said. "Such information will be published on the portal. This will include the events that were planned in the country, such as Check in Georgia, and make foreign tourists interested in Georgia. Once the six-month campaign ends, the Georgian side plans to begin another new major project with TripAdvisor. The budget for the current campaign was about 200,000 GEL. TripAdvisor offers advice from millions of travellers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to booking tools that check hundreds of websites to find the best hotel prices. TripAdvisor branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, reaching 340 million unique monthly visitors, and 350 million reviews and opinions covering more than 6.5 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions. The sites operate in 48 markets worldwide. (agenda.ge) Locals accuse prosecution of Javakheti region of pressure, blackmail and extortion of property Forty families have been left without property; the Prosecutor's Office has already begun an intense investigation to study the legality of the registered plots of land of residents of Bakuriani. Several of them were arrested on charges of misappropriation of land. The locals accuse the prosecution of Javakheti of pressure, blackmail and extortion of property. The arrests and then release of Bakuriani residents in exchange for property in the tourist part have been confirmed by Irakli Baramidze. The plaintiffs` lawyer said that several people have been kept in detention for the illegal appropriation of land, and those who were released had to give up their property under pressure from the Prosecutor's Office. The local Prosecutor's Office did not respond to the allegations, which prompted the population of Javakheti to hold a rally. (rustavi2.com) Directors from several kindergartens dismissed Four directors of Tbilisi kindergartens have been dismissed, the former director of #26 kindergarten Elza Udesiani has told IPN. She said that her dismissal was due to political motives as her brother, Gia Udesiani, is currently a 'political' prisoner. Four people were dismissed, including me. They say extra money was spent on the childrens food. We think this is linked with a political decision made by the Georgian Dream political council. Directors are appointed according to political opinions, she said. Elza Udesiani plans to appeal her dismissal. (IPN) Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister met newly-appointed representative of FAO of UN to Georgia On 18 May 2016, Deputy Foreign Minister David Jalagania met the newly-appointed representative of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to Georgia Raimund Jehle and Assistant Representative Mamuka Meskhi. Raimund Jehle presented his credentials to David Jalagania. At the meeting, discussions focused on the implementation of the FAO projects in Georgia and on the prospects of further enhancement of co-operation between Georgia and the FAO. The Georgian side spoke about the existing fruitful co-operation between the UN structures, including the FAO and Georgias appropriate agencies. Raimund Jehle underlined that the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations would continue to support the policy and projects of the Georgian Government directed towards the development of agriculture in Georgia. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) via @DavidOvalle305 Former prosecutor Jason Pizzo is joining the crowded Florida State Senate race to represent Northeast Miami-Dade. The six-person race among all Democrats includes Sen. Gwen Margolis, Florida Rep. Daphne Campbell and former Rep. Phillip Brutus. The newly configured district include coastal cities such as Aventura and North Miami Beach, as well as predominately black neighborhoods such as Liberty City and Overtown. Pizzo, 40, spent more than four years as a prosecutor, leaving in November to go into private practice. During his last 10 months at the state, Pizzo said, he helped lead a pilot project that embedded prosecutors and community-support staff with police in Northeast Miami-Dade neighborhoods hardest hit by gun violence. The efforts resulted in more arrests in shooting cases, convictions at trial and even the targeting of slum lords and shoddy housing conditions, he said. To begin his campaign, Pizzo lent himself $200,000. "I can speak my mind," Pizzo said. "I don't need to go ask for money. I'm not beholden to any lobbyists or special interest or old guard crusty bureaucratic B.S. If there is something to do, I'm going to make sure it gets done." Pizzo, a graduate of New York University, Columbia University and the University of Miami's law school, is married with 10-year-old twin boys. --DAVID OVALLE Alan Koslow, a longtime politically connected lawyer in Broward, was charged with money laundering by federal law enforcement Thursday related to an FBI sting that involved counterfeit Viagra and narcotics. Koslow will surrender June 2 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry S. Seltzer in Fort Lauderdale. Koslow, a former city of Hollywood attorney, worked for the Becker & Poliakoff law firm in Fort Lauderdale and was a lobbyist. The law firm was not involved in the crime, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Koslow, 62, of Hollywood, and Susan Mohr, 57, of Delray Beach, were charged by federal prosecutors with conspiracy related to laundering what they say was cash proceeds from illegal activity. Mohr will surrender May 31. Here is what happened, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorneys Office: Beginning in November 2012, Koslow met with two undercover agents from the FBI. During the course of several meetings that followed, the undercover agents explained to Koslow, and later to Mohr, their need to launder cash that was being generated from an illegal gambling business and from the unlawful sale of narcotics and counterfeit Viagra. Koslow and Mohr agreed to accept the cash and then provide checks to the agents, for the amount of the cash minus a five percent fee, drawn on the business bank account of Mohr2GoGifts, a business owned by Mohr and located in Fort Lauderdale. Both face up to five years in prison if convicted. Koslow was Hollywoods city attorney from 1990-93 until he resigned after it came to light that he had a relationship with a city secretary with whom he helped negotiate a lawsuit settlement. In 1994 he agreed to a 30-day suspension from practicing law after admitting he violated the rules of the Florida Bar. He was later a regular force at City Hall, where he represented developers in many big deals. Koslow established Becker & Poliakoffs first gaming division and represented slot-machine manufacturers. Keep reading here. @doug_hanks Jeb Bush is inching back into the political scene after his failed presidential run, scheduling a fundraiser next month for Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez. The evening event is scheduled on June 6 at the Coral Gables home of Nestor and Sonia Plana. The suggested contribution is $1,000 a person. This appears to be Bush's first political fundraiser since dropping out of the presidential race earlier this year. The Coral Gables resident backed Gimenez's opponent, Julio Robaina, during the 2011 mayoral election that put Gimenez in office, but the fellow Republicans have been allies since. Gimenez endorsed the former governor over Miami's other hometown GOP hopeful, Sen. Marco Rubio, when the presidential primaries began. (Gimenez switched to the Rubio camp after Bush dropped out, but has so far declined to endorse Donald Trump.) Bush was listed on the host committee of a fundraiser for Gimenez in April, but this would be his first head-lining event for the mayor, who is being challenged by school-board member Raquel Regalado and five others. Bush's event would come a week after a June 2 Gimenez fund-raiser featuring the former governor's son, Jeb Bush Jr. That $100-a-head reception at The Local Craft Food and Drink in Coral Gables is slated for June 2, and is advertised as a "young professionals" gathering. via @learyreports Marco Rubio earned an additional $102,500 in 2015 from book royalties, his financial disclosure form shows. That adds to the $1 million or more he'd already earned from two books, chiefly An American Son published in 2012. He also earned $9,016 for teaching at Florida International University. His wife shows "partnership distributions" for JDR Events but Rubio is only required to say it was more than $1,000. Bill Nelson reported $49,100 in retirement income from his time in state government and about $5,600 from an IRA. More detail here. --ALEX LEARY, Tampa Bay Times For the first time in six years, the annual Wings Across the Big Sky Festival will be in Missoula on June 3-5. The festival features field trips, speakers, informational booths and other festivities that celebrate efforts to conserve birds and wildlife in Montana. Dr. Erick Greene of the University of Montana will be the keynote speaker and highlight his research into songbirds and how they communicate danger to others. Sponsored by Montana Audubon and the Five Valleys and Bitterroot Audubon chapters, the festival will be at the Holiday Inn and welcomes anyone interested in birding, getting outdoors and learning more about our states natural wealth. Last week marked my first fishing trip to Fort Peck Reservoir. Downrigger Dale from the Montana Outdoor Radio Show joined me for the week-long walleye fishing trip. Fishing for walleye during the month of May can be really good or not very good at all. The walleye bite is always susceptible to the weather and the water temperature. Both go hand in hand if the weather calls for cold spring time temperatures then the water temperature will also be cooler. The week before we headed over the water temperature was 59 degrees. Then a massive storm moved through the area, dropping as much as 4 inches of rain in a couple of days. As a result, it took the water temperature down to 49 degrees. The above-average rainfall also added a foot of water to Fort Pecks water elevation. What did all this mean to the walleye fishing? A much slower bite, and if you were going to catch walleyes, you had to go deep. Instead of 10-20 feet depth and trolling at around 1 miles per hour, we were catching walleyes in 25-36 feet of water while trolling .4 miles per hour with bottom bouncers that were trailed by a 3-foot leader with a small smiley blade and a float with a hook that was tipped with minnow. The walleyes that we were catching were small. The biggest one we caught was 17 inches with the one exception of a 32-inch, 12-pound walleye. The winds for most of the days we spent fishing were light and variable except for one. On that day the wind blew out of the south at 10 to 20 miles per hour with gusts to 25 miles per hour. Normally a wind like that would get fish more active on the windswept shorelines and it did. In this case the active fish were northern pike. We caught eight nice pike in a matter of just a few hours and lost just as many, as they broke the line with our tackle in their mouths. The pike were mostly active that day. However, it was also the day we ended up catching the one large walleye. One of the great things about fishing Fort Peck is from day to day and hour to hour, you dont know what you will hook into like when Downrigger thought he had a snag initially until he felt the snag move. After a 20-minute fight, what we thought was a new state record walleye ended up being a huge catfish that was 34 inches long that weighed 18 pounds. After witnessing that large catfish fight, I cant imagine how long it took the current state catfish record holder to reel his catch in. It was caught in 2013 and also on Fort Peck by an angler who was targeting walleyes just like we did. That catfish weighed over 34.8 pounds and was 41.75 inches long. All in all it was a typical week of fishing on Fort Peck for us. In just a few days we were able to land walleye, northern pike, small-mouth bass, perch, and even a huge catfish, all just a short boat ride away from the dock of where we camped at Rock Creek Marina. In fact several folks were landing huge northern pike fishing right off the marina dock. A Fort Peck fishing trip is a must for just about every angler. Its a lake where when your rod bends down with a fish, you might just have a new state record on the other end of the line. To view a picture of the large walleye and catfish that we caught log onto montanaoutdoor.com. *** Mark Wards statewide Montana Outdoor Radio Show airs Saturdays from 6 to 8 a.m. in Missoula on KGVO 1290 AM and 101.5 FM. Email Ward at captain@montanaoutdoor.com. Important news for Interstate 90 travelers in western Montana: The busy Bearmouth rest areas west of Drummond should be reopened in time for the Memorial Day weekend. Opened in late April 2015 after a reconstruction project of more than a year, the eastbound and westbound rest areas 35 miles east of Missoula were shut down 10 days ago due to what Steve Felix called warranty issues. The sealant was failing so we had to go in and reseal the floors, Felix, the Montana Department Transportations Missoula area maintenance chief, said Wednesday. We hope to reopen tomorrow morning as long as we've determined the new sealant is holding. In other rest area news, Felix said the next ones to the east of Bearmouth near Gold Creek in Powell County wont reopen. Formerly seasonal roadside attractions with kiosks and signs documenting area history, the eastbound and westbound Gold Creek rest areas have been mothballed pending an MDT decision on their futures. Felix said they could turn into truck parking areas. The transportation department operates two I-90 rest areas west of Missoula: Quartz Flats near mile marker 58 and Dena Mora near Lookout Pass between mile markers 4 and 5. East and south of Missoula beyond the Bearmouth rest area at mile marker 143 is the Anaconda rest area, on Highway 1 near Exit 208. Eastbound travelers on the interstate won't encounter another MDT rest area until Bozeman, 105 miles farther on down the road. HAMILTON An El Mirage, California, man was charged with felony aggravated assault and stalking after he allegedly ignored a restraining order, broke into a womans house and strangled her eight times. Donald Ray Schermerhorn, 51, appeared Monday before Ravalli County Justice Jennifer Ray on the felony counts and misdemeanor charges of partner or family member assault and violation of a standing order of no contact. Schermerhorn has been before Ray before on assault charges. On April 29, the judge ordered him to stay away from the woman after he was charged with assaulting her. On May 22 at about 3 p.m., Ravalli County sheriffs deputies were called to a residence east of Stevensville for a disturbance. The responding deputy made contact with a woman who said at about 11 a.m., she had responded to a knock on her door and found Schermerhorn standing on her porch, according to an affidavit filed in the case. She immediately slammed the door shut. The woman began running toward the back bedroom of her trailer, but Schermerhorn allegedly caught up with her and shoved her in the back with both hands. When she reached the back bedroom, the woman said Schermerhorn threw her to the ground, straddled his legs around her and placed his right hand on her neck as he began to strangle her. He told the woman she was "a piece of (expletive), slut and whore. The woman told the deputy that Schermerhorn was laughing and had a smirk on his face as he strangled her. She said he strangled her about eight times throughout the day, each time for two or three seconds. Schermerhorn told her that he could kill her if he wanted, the affidavit said. When the woman had the opportunity, she exited the trailer and started walking down the road in an attempt to get to her sisters home. The deputy was able to observe red marks on the side of her neck. She reported that her neck was sore just below her ear. She also told the deputy that she was about to have a mental breakdown. The woman said there had been a history of domestic violence between Schermerhorn and her. She said he had been arrested several times and was currently prohibited from having contact with her due to a pending partner or family member assault charge. She told the deputy that he had continued to send her text messages despite the court order. The messages said that he was watching her. She believed he was living in a nearby abandoned trailer. When a deputy spoke to Schermerhorn, he allegedly admitted to making contact with the woman despite the court order. He claimed that since the woman asked for contact, he wasnt in trouble. A sheriffs sergeant had been in contact with the woman a few days prior to the incident. At that time, she complained that Schermerhorn was violating the order by texting and calling her. A review of records on her phone confirmed that he had been doing just that, the affidavit said. Ray set bail at $25,000. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Water Compact is officially in front of the United States Congress. U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., introduced the bill Thursday, saying its critical to get the ball rolling now on a complex and costly piece of legislation. It takes a long time to get stuff done in D.C, Tester said Thursday during a conference call with the media. We have to move forward if we wait for the perfect storm, its never going to happen. To start the conversation, we need to introduce the bill. It took years, and bipartisan support, to move the controversial compact through the Republican-controlled Montana Legislature, and both Gov. Steve Bullock, a Democrat, and Attorney General Tim Fox, a Republican, worked to secure its passage. Tester, so far the lone sponsor, said it will be critical that the Republican members of Montanas congressional delegation U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, and U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke back the compact, as they have done with previous water compacts. The proposed compact quantifies water rights of the tribes both on and off the Flathead Indian Reservation, and provides for the administration of water rights on tribal lands. The cost of not passing this bill far outweighs the cost of the bill, Tester said. If you want to make a bunch of lawyers happy, dont do this. Without the water compact, their wallets will be fat. *** The compact comes with a $2.3 billion price tag, most for infrastructure improvements. Thats some serious bill, Tester said, adding that he already is carrying legislation originally introduced by senators before him that would allow the money to come from a $10 billion pool controlled by the Bureau of Reclamation. In a Congress that only meets 100 days a year, we dont have time to get it up to the floor, Tester said of that bill. The bill allocates money to improve and modernize the Flathead Indian Irrigation Project, upgrade municipal and tribal water and wastewater systems throughout the 1.2 million-acre reservation, restore and rehabilitate tribal wetlands and streams, and improve livestock fencing and noxious weed control. CSKT Chairman Vernon Finley, who took part in the conference call, said the tribes made major concessions as the compact was negotiated over the course of a dozen years in an effort to provide certainty about water resources for both themselves and their neighbors on and around the Flathead Indian Reservation. The compact does so much for having all the water needed by everyone, Finley said. The tribes put a lot on the table and compromised an awful lot, considering the reality of what our water claims could be. In a formal statement after the conference call, Finley said, The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes sought this legislation after great consideration and evaluation because we believe it to be the best path forward for our tribal members and communities. Rather than pursuing an exponentially larger settlement that would have more accurately compensated our tribes for the damages that have been incurred, we support legislation that invests in infrastructure to strengthen our community, enhances our resources and brings finality and certainty to our members and all Montanans. *** Tester admitted it will not be easy to get the bill through Congress, and said he would be surprised if it happens during the next session. A water compact with Montanas Blackfeet Tribe has been in front of Congress for six years. One with the Crow Tribe took 11 years after it was introduced in 1999. No compact at the federal level hasnt had controversy, the senator said. My crystal ball is cloudy on what could come up. I recognize the challenge of passing a bill this large, but its critical we get it done, and done in a fiscally responsible way. To do nothing is not a solution. Also speaking during the conference call was Susan Lake of Ronan, whose family farms and ranches 1,000 acres on the reservation. Like some irrigators who still oppose the compact, Lake said her family began with a fear that when this started out, it looked like it wouldnt be viable for us. The tribes came to the table with most of the solutions that made this work, Lake said. Its a fair resolution to a complex problem. Lake praised the 1979 Montana Legislature for having the foresight to establish the Montana Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission, which has negotiated this and 17 other water compacts in the state. The commission was established to negotiate settlements with federal agencies and Indian tribes claiming federal reserved water rights within the state, and avoid thousands of claims being filed in courts. Kevin Ritchlin will be the new principal at Willard Alternative High School, Missoula County Public Schools announced Thursday. The Willard principal position was opened after Jane Bennett announced she would retire at the end of the year. Ritchlin, whose 10 years with MCPS include time as a high school social studies teacher and International Baccalaureate coordinator for Big Sky and Hellgate high schools, is currently on a leave of absence from the district, working as academic program coordinator for the Suzhou Singapore International School in China. We are happy to see the way the students, staff and community connected with Kevin and we all welcome him back to the (district). Everyone stands to benefit from his experience working as a group home case manager, a classroom teacher and an administrator. The breadth of his career in education will be an invaluable resource to the staff and students at Willard, MCPS Superintendent Mark Thane said. Ritchlin officially will begin his new job at Willard on July 1. Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct an error about the raises. New three-year collective bargaining agreements for Missoula County Public Schools' teachers and classified employees gained overwhelming support on both sides. At their Tuesday meeting, the MCPS trustees unanimously approved both the Missoula Education Association and Merged Missoula Classified Employees Organization's three-year contracts. They will take effect July 1, 2016, and run through June 30, 2019. MEA, which represents all certified teachers, saw some changes in compensation and work days. The three-year contract provides salary increases of 2 percent of the base salary in 2016-2017, 2.25 percent in 2017-2018 and 2.5 percent in 2018-2019. Teachers with a doctorate degree will also receive a stipend, $2,000 annually. The contract provides three additional early-out Thursdays for K-5 teachers in order to give them more time to complete standards based on report cards. Middle school band, orchestra and choir teachers will receive extra compensation 0.00082 times their base salary for their work at evening performances. There also will be an increase in the stipend for professional development that takes place outside of the contracted school day. From our side, its all systems go, said MEA president Melanie Charlson. The MMCEO, which represents the district's classified staff, voted 328-10 for the tentative agreement. MMCEO president Sheri Postma said employees will receive increases in each cell each year of the three-year contract. In addition, once a classified employee retires or leaves the district, they'll receive half of their accrued sick leave hours for the first 960 hours, up from one-third. The MMCEO members will receive an increase each year of the three-year contract: 30 cents in 2016-2017, 30 cents in 2017-2018 and 40 cents in 2018-2019. We believe this agreement fairly compensates our 12-month hourly wage MMCEO members while enabling many of our 10-month members, who are exempted from unemployment benefits by Montana code, to return to their classrooms, kitchens and offices to greet the staff and students they have served, said MMCEO bargaining chair Diane Anderson. As one of our paraeducators put it, I think I can afford to stay. The College of Humanities and Sciences at the University of Montana is facing cuts that will amount to several million dollars from its 2017 fiscal year budget, according to Dean Chris Comer. After making reductions last year, the dean anticipated further requests to trim, but the college received reduction requests earlier this month that frankly are on the high side, scary high, he said Wednesday. Although Comer said the final dollar figure isnt clear, the reduction for the college could amount to an estimated 50 percent in a departments operational costs or a 30 percent decline in its instructional dollars. "It's several million dollars, and that's not a trivial cut to absorb in one year," he said. All told, he said, the College of Humanities and Sciences is taking a hit thats noticeably on the high end compared to other campus colleges and schools when accounting for both the recent cuts and the ones enacted in December. And thats always of concern to us because we do consider ourselves the central and core college of the university, and we provide most of the general education, Comer said. Faculty in the College of Humanities and Sciences teach 80 percent of the general education courses at UM, and count an estimated 5,000 students; in the fall, the budget plan for 2017 estimated campus enrollment at 10,915. Comer said the administration of the college is taking a comparable reduction in operations; it will have two fewer positions this coming fall than it did last year. *** Vice President for Finance Mike Reid said the cuts are part of the budget plan UM President Royce Engstrom announced last fall. At the time, some departments made permanent reductions of 2.5 percent, but those that found only temporary savings are currently looking to lower their base budgets for 2017, he said. Last fall in an emergency budget forum, the president announced a plan to cut faculty and staff to save money. In December, Reid estimated the total shortfall for 2017 to be around $12 million. This week, he said the personnel cuts made up $8.5 million and UM also found an estimated $1 million in other savings. The most recent cuts represent the remaining $2.5 million of the total discussed in the fall, he said. Vice President for Integrated Communications Peggy Kuhr said the 2.5 percent reduction amounts to $1.9 million for the academic affairs sector, and the figures do not represent a change in the president's budget plan. She also said the institution remains committed to education. "UM's goal continues to be that 50 percent of our general fund budget goes to instruction," Kuhr said. UM is seeing a higher number of applicants and other signs of good news for enrollment in the fall, Reid said. However, he also said the university has witnessed positive signals in the past that didn't translate into higher enrollment. *** Comer said he has already had one conversation with Provost Perry Brown about the budget, and Brown listened and added in a little more money. "I don't think he had much room to add back what I would consider the correct amount," Comer said. "All I can say is I will be talking with other people in Main Hall in the next 48 hours to get things clarified and maybe improved a little." Provost Brown was out of the office and unavailable for comment Wednesday. At UM, operational budgets already are stretched thin. Comer said those dollars pay for items like telephones, copy machines, staples, and in some cases, faculty travel. "(Faculty are) scrambling to figure out how to best make those cuts, and I know it's a very difficult job for them," he said. He said faculty are weary at being squeezed, but they're mostly rolling up their sleeves and figuring out how to handle less money and increased demands. The only possible bright side to the budget shortfall is it might be a nudge toward innovation, he said. "Sometimes, people have an impression of college faculty having cushy jobs. Nobody's got a cushy job here. Everybody is working very hard. Every year, they're learning to do more with less," Comer said. Former Missoula County Attorney Fred Van Valkenburg said District Court Judge Ed McLean lacks the jurisdiction and has "no authority" to grant current Missoula County Attorney Kirsten Pabsts motion to dismiss the case against Cody Marble. In 2002, Marble was convicted of raping a 13-year-old boy while they were in custody in the Missoula County jail. In August, following a series of failed appeal attempts and other measures to overturn his conviction, the Montana Supreme Court remanded the case back to the District Court level, asking it to re-examine the decision to deny Marble a new trial using a new standard regarding new evidence. In April, Pabst filed a motion to dismiss the underlying case against Marble, saying the conviction lacked integrity and that it was never too late to do the right thing. McLean, a retired judge who is presiding over the case, has not granted the motion, but did release Marble from custody on April 21 pending further court proceedings. He also invited Van Valkenburg to weigh in on the matter as an amicus curiae, or friend of the court. In early May, Pabst filed a motion asking McLean to make an immediate ruling on the dismissal without Van Valkenburgs input, which the judge denied. In his brief filed Tuesday, Van Valkenburg said the court could not make a ruling on the motion to dismiss the case, saying it was remanded with very specific instructions from the state Supreme Court on what the judge should be deciding. The Supreme Court has previously said that when it remands a case with specific directions to the district court, the lower court is limited in its jurisdiction and authority in the case to carrying out the Supreme Courts specific directions on remand, he wrote. Pabsts filing asking to dismiss the case included part of a deposition between Van Valkenburg and Marbles now-deceased victim Robert Thomas after Thomas recanted the story of his rape. Thomas had been given limited immunity during the deposition, and while statements he made during the hearing couldnt be used against him, he could be charged with perjury for recanting his story. And I would advise you that if in fact I am able to establish sufficient evidence outside of what you say in this deposition, that you lied during that trial on the substance of the issue, and that is whether or not Cody Marble raped you, that I would in fact prosecute you for perjury for your actions in lying at that trial, Van Valkenburg told Thomas, according to the record. Thomas then recanted his recantation, and reverted to the story that he had been raped by Marble. Pabst also wrote that since the trial, two other unnamed witnesses had recanted. Van Valkenburg said in his brief that while Pabst used the quote to indicate some type of threat had been made, he had simply made an accurate statement of the law. If there had in fact been a threat made at the deposition (Van Valkenburg), surely the attorney for the witness or the attorney for the Petitioner would have previously raised such matter, he wrote. In her motion for McLean to rule immediately, Pabst said that failing to grant the dismissal violated the separation of powers under both the federal and state constitutions. Nothing could be further from the truth, Van Valkenburg wrote in his brief. He said Pabst attempting to dismiss the judgment in the original case seriously invades the authority of the judicial branch, and said while the county attorney has discretion to decide charges at an early stage in a case, doing so now is inappropriate. The train long ago left the station with respect to the County Attorneys appropriate exercise of her prosecutorial discretion in this case, he wrote. Van Valkenburg concluded his brief by saying that McLean should both deny Pabsts motion to dismiss and find that Marble has not met the standard for new evidence the case initially had been remanded to decide. He said that while he doesnt know who the other witnesses who recanted their statements were, he guessed at their identities, saying one had retracted his statement during trial and therefore shouldnt be new evidence. To the other, Van Valkenburg said Pabst made no attempts to tell the court about the circumstances of how the recantation was gathered. On Wednesday, Pabst responded to Van Valkenburg's filing, saying that as the elected county attorney, she is called upon to make difficult decisions on a daily basis. "One of the hardest things for lawyers to do is to admit when weve made a mistake. No human system is perfect but, if we are truly committed to improving the criminal justice process, we must admit when we are wrong and commit to making sure that doesnt happen again," she said. "After conducting an exhaustive investigation and carefully examining all of the facts and evidence in this case, in light of my ethical obligation to do justice, I firmly stand by my decision that the charges against Cody Marble must be dropped. It may not be popular, but its the right thing to do." Human trafficking is modern-day slavery occurring right here in Montana. Human trafficking is when a person is forced to perform labor or commercial sex acts through force, fraud or coercion. This is a $32 billion criminal industry enslaving an estimated 27 million people worldwide. Spearheaded by Rep. Kimberly Dudik, the Montana Anti-Trafficking Project is collaborating with other organizations and leaders to provide three events on Friday, May 27, at the University of Montana, to raise awareness of human trafficking. The Stop Human Trafficking in Montana Conference is a full day of events and the perfect way to become involved in the fight against human trafficking. The day kicks off with the Montana Red Sand Project at 7:30 a.m. at the University of Montana Oval. This is part of a national movement of participatory artwork where individuals spread packets of red sand, filling cracks, to signify the people falling through the cracks with human trafficking. Participants document the sidewalk transformation by taking a picture and placing it on social media using #RedSandProject. Missoula County Commissioner Stacy Rye will speak at this event, reminding us to stand up for victims enslaved by traffickers and not merely walk over the most marginalized people in our communities those who fall through the metaphoric cracks. The educational conference begins at 8:30 a.m. at the University of Montana University Center North Ballroom. U.S. Sen. Jon Tester and Montana Attorney General Tim Fox will open the event, followed by leading experts presenting on human trafficking in Montana, how to recognize red flags, and how to appropriately respond. Presenters include Missoula City Detective Guy Baker, Assistant Attorney General Ole Olsen, Department of Justice Victim Services Director Matt Dale, Montana Native Womens Coalition Executive Director Toni Plummer-Alvernaz, Childrens Justice Bureau Director Dana Toole, Department of Homeland Security Special Agent Brad Bybee, and YWCA Grants Manager and Social Worker Kat Werner. The day concludes with the Second Run for Freedom 5K Run/Walk. Dudik and Fox kick off this great community event. The course winds through the beautiful UM campus and surrounding areas. This is fun run for the entire family with awards, raffle items and a swag bag. Register at https://runsignup.com/Race/MT/Missoula/RunforFreedom5KRunWalk, or onsite on raceday. Contact mtatproject@gmail.com or visit montanaantitraffickingproject.com to learn more about the Montana Anti-Trafficking Project. Our family has known Hillary Clinton for over three decades. Each of us has worked alongside her on various pressing problems and issues facing America and the world. In doing so, she has become a friend. Perhaps it is helpful to hear from folks who personally know a presidential candidate. It is with that in mind that we share these impressions. In 1985, at the height of the Cold War, Carol was running Peace Links, an organization that had the bold idea to bring professional women from the former Soviet Union to the United States with the aim of increasing understanding of one another. This was a visionary exercise in citizen diplomacy at a time when engaging with the Evil Empire was risky and unpopular. We asked a handful of states' First Ladies if they would be willing to host the visitors. Hillary was the first to agree. Not only did she invite them to Little Rock, she hosted them at the governors mansion for a public conversation and arranged various visits with schools, businesses and hospitals. Perhaps not surprisingly, more than a few people attacked Hillary for being too progressive for hosting the Russian visitors. We learned first-hand how she identified problems and courageously went to work on a plan to fix them. During her life of public service, her creativity and experience has only grown, and with it has grown our admiration. Pat met Hillary when he was chair of the House Committee on Labor-Management and Hillary was First Lady, helping develop President Clintons health care proposal. Pats committee had legislative jurisdiction over the legislation. Working closely together on health care, Pat was impressed with her considerable smarts, dedication and joyous sense of humor. They traveled the country, including Montana, listening to folks' needs and doing what they could to craft a plan to solve them. Hillary always came to Capitol Hill and all of the meetings prepared, knowing the issues, saying what she meant and keeping her word. Pat has liked, supported and trusted Hillary ever since that first meeting 26 years ago. A few years after graduating from the University of Montana, Whitney went to work for Hillary in the White House, serving as the First Ladys trip director. Traveling alongside Hillary to more than 40 states and countries, Whitney got to know Hillary, the person. Hillary is funny and she has one of the best laughs you have ever heard. She is loyal, shes a great mom and a very good friend to many. At her core Hillary is fearless, humble and kind. She is a hard worker entirely driven by public service and she has limitless grit and determination to leave the world better than she found it. Hillary is trustworthy and has never forgotten where she came from or the progressive values she is fighting for. Whitney has remained close to Hillary since her time in the White House. They worked together on domestic and foreign issues from foster care advocacy when Hillary was a U.S. senator to development projects in the Congo as Secretary of State. Hillary is a remarkable leader with an impressive track record fighting for progressive causes our family cares deeply about. Each of us is delighted to have worked alongside Hillary to further many of them but we are most proud to call her a friend of the family. BUTTE Anaconda police arrested a former state addiction treatment doctor early Wednesday on a warrant after he tried to post bail for a woman in the Anaconda jail. Mark Jay Catalanello, 55, who lists an Anaconda address, also faces a misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Authorities said he tried to hide a syringe inside a cast on his right hand while being booked at the jail. Anaconda Police Chief Tim Barkell said Catalanello showed up at the Anaconda jail around 1 a.m. Wednesday to bail out Victoria Lindley, 35. Lindley was jailed on a warrant out of Anaconda for contempt of court, no insurance and driving with a suspended license. Meanwhile, a district court warrant had been issued for Catalanello in Anaconda after he failed to follow through with mandatory alcohol-monitoring testing within the past two weeks. During the booking, Catalanello became upset, waving his arms and tried to conceal the syringe, Barkell said. That led to the charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Catalanello remained in jail as of Thursday afternoon with no bond set. Wednesdays arrest follows several incidents Catalanello has had this year with law enforcement. Anaconda-Deer Lodge County prosecutors on April 18 filed misdemeanor charges of criminal possession of dangerous drugs (marijuana) and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia against Catalanello, 55. Hes scheduled to appear in Anaconda district court on Friday. He was arrested March 10 after Anaconda police found him attempting to hide in a culvert after he fled the scene of a two-car collision near the intersections of Highways 1 and 48. Catalanello was charged in justice court with driving under the influence second offense obstructing a peace officer, failing to report an accident and a stop sign violation. He was released from the county jail on $1,940 bond. Not guilty pleas to the misdemeanor offenses were entered by his attorney, court documents state. Also, he was arrested in Rocker on March 4 for allegedly acting belligerent and making vulgar comments to staff at the Living Water Coffee Co. and the It Club, and to police. Catalanello pleaded not guilty March 8 in Butte city court to misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and criminal possession of marijuana. A jury trial is slated for Aug. 10. Catalanello, who has a long history of drug abuse and felony drug arrests, came under fire last fall when staff at the Montana Chemical Dependency Center reported erratic behavior they suspected stemmed from Catalanellos illegal drug use. The Montana Board of Medical Examiners has since suspended Catalanellos license. BILLINGS Not even halfway through 2016, Yellowstone County has already seen as many crash deaths 17 for the year as it did in all of 2015. Across Montana through May 16, the number of traffic fatalities has increased 45 percent from the same time last year, from 42 to 61. With those numbers in mind, along with the often busy Memorial Day weekend approaching, state transportation officials spent Tuesday morning in Billings speaking with local organizations and businesses about deadly crashes and the role seat belt use can play in preventing them. "It's pretty much double in some places in Montana over this time last year," said Mike Tooley, Montana Department of Transportation director. "And those are preventable deaths." In 2015 in Montana, about 70 percent of the fatalities in automobiles equipped with seat belts involved the victims either not wearing seat belts or not wearing them properly. During Tuesday's tour, Tooley, along with Montana Highway Traffic Safety Section Supervisor Janet Kenny and MDT cultural liaison Sheila Cozzie, spent time speaking with St. Vincent Healthcare staff about the effects of vehicle crashes, went over child car seat safety with ambulance crews and checked out wrecked vehicles and a local wrecking yard. A common thread worked its way through each stop: Many fatal crashes can be prevented with seat belt use. At St. Vincent, Dr. Barry McKenzie, director of the hospital's trauma center, told Tooley that one of his biggest challenges in dealing with crash victims is "knowing it's preventable" and that he's tired of Montana having some of the worst fatality rates in the country. "The best form of trauma care is trauma prevention," he said, adding that using seat belts, not drinking and driving, not driving distracted and wearing a helmet while on a motorcycle can go a long way to providing that prevention. In Yellowstone County in 2015, 12 of the 18 crash deaths were in vehicles with seat belts and of those, three-quarters involved improper seat belt use. To demonstrate the importance of seat belt use, the officials also had the chance to tour one section of the hospital's intensive care unit where half of the patients are there for serious trauma injuries, all but one of whom suffered injuries in vehicle crashes while not wearing a seat belt. "We don't see or treat a lot of people that were wearing a seat belt," said Justin Logan, a clinical specialist in the hospital's emergency department. On several occasions, Tooley brought up that Montana doesn't have a primary seat belt law, only a secondary one. That means that while people can be ticketed for not wearing one, they can't be pulled over solely for that reason. Statistics from other states have shown, Tooley said, that the implementation of a primary seat belt law can increase seat belt usage by more than 10 percent. According to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates, such a law could also prevent 11 fatalities and more than 1,100 injuries each year in Montana, while increased fines for not wearing one could have a similar effect. Medical officials said they're working on getting such a law passed in Montana. "We really want to show people what could happen," Tooley said. "Driving is serious business, and I think a lot of people take that simple act for granted." Child safety During a stop by American Medical Response, emergency crews there talked with the state officials about proper child car seat use, including how to correctly install them while advising that parents carefully read and follow both the seat's and the car's owner's manuals. Crews also went over some of the state's traffic injury and fatality numbers involving youth, noting that about 10 children age 14 and younger and 25 ages 15 to 19 die each year in crashes. "We have a pretty high rate in Montana for these kids," said Andrew Goss, a registered nurse at Billings Clinic and certified car seat technician. "Part of that is making sure they're restrained properly and parents can set an example there." Later on, the group visited Hanser's automotive services business, which is one of several companies in the area that tows vehicles after wrecks, to speak with employees and the Montana Highway Patrol while looking at cars and trucks damaged in serious crashes. MHP Sgt. Scott Ayers said that education is important in getting more people to wear seat belts. "I can't say enough about the proper use of seat belts and child seats," he said. "If someone wants to survive a crash, that's the No. 1 thing you can do." Tooley said that it's tough to tell exactly why traffic fatality numbers are up so much this year, but that it's got to change. As he toured the yard at Hanser's, he came across the mangled remains of a car. Hanser's employees told him the car crashed in a nearby county. The driver, they told him, wasn't wearing a seat belt and died, and a young child was injured. "None of this has to happen," he said. "How would somebody behave if they knew their car was going to end up here today like this from a crash? I bet they'd change." GAZA CITY Hamas, the militant Islamist group that rules Gaza, called on Wednesday for the resumption of the death penalty for certain crimes. Several Palestinians convicted of collaborating with Israel or of murder are now facing execution. In a terse statement, Hamas called on the competent judicial authorities to undertake their duties. The statement was widely seen as a green light to begin executions, because Hamas officials had been arguing for days about reinstating the death penalty. We found it was important to implement the death penalty rule to maintain civil peace in society and to prevent cases of murder, said Yehia Mousa, a Hamas legislator in Gaza. The death penalty exists in America, he said. Killings warrant the death penalty. We have three or four cases that are ready for the death penalty, Mr. Mousa said, adding that the executions would be carried out in police stations. LAMAR VALLEY The Wolfe pack is back. When Karen Wolfe got word that a Yellowstone wolf packs den was visible from a road she scheduled an emergency trip from her Phoenix home located 17 hours and more than 1,000 miles to the south. She also called her sister, Virginia Wolfe, who lives in Vashon, Wash. 13 hours and almost 800 miles to the west of Yellowstone National Park to meet her in the Lamar Valley. We love wolves, Karen said. Theyre beautiful beautiful and mysterious. WAITING, WATCHING Last Thursday Karen was bundled against a cold spring breeze in a knee-length blue parka with fake fur trim around the hood. Next to a large flat boulder placed at the edge of a parking area along Slough Creek, Karen had set up her tripod and spotting scope to zoom in on the wolf den about a mile-and-a-half away. In a purple notebook with a wolf illustration on the cover, she took notes of what she saw. Her sister, Virginia, had her tripod and spotting scope set up next to Karens, and together they took turns allowing tourists to look through their high-powered magnifying lenses to see wolves in the wild while also repeatedly answering the same questions about the wolf pack. The center of attention was on a hillside to the northwest. There, barely visible even with the intense magnification, were two adult members of the 10-member Junction Butte pack resting in the shade of pine trees. Behind the trees, on a steep hillside covered only with sagebrush, was the dark opening to a den. At about 5 p.m. four black pups exited, one with a bright white blaze on its chest. The pups were just a portion of two litters using the den, five black and three gray, according to Doug Smith, Yellowstone wolf biologist. This is what they had been waiting so long to see. FIRST-TIMER Woo hoo! shouted an excited Jim Smith as he saw the wolf pups at the entrance to the den through Karens spotting scope. He literally jumped for joy. Smith had driven from his home in Tampa, Fla., on a tour of parks around the nation. At age 60 he said there was no better time to take such an extensive excursion, which had also taken him to national parks in Arizona and Utah. He called the wolves a symbol of wilderness, along with mountain lions and grizzly bears. Shouldnt we save a little something that is wild and beautiful in us? he said. Now it has become a bit of a challenge to find these beautiful creatures. Karen seemed almost as excited by Smiths response to seeing the wolves as to spotting them herself. You see this reaction?'" she said pointing to Smith, a smile lighting her face. You dont get to see this all of the time. The reactions of people is marvelous, especially the reactions of kids. They are so excited to see a wolf. HOOKED Becoming a Yellowstone wolf groupie was far from Karens mind when she worked as an economist for a utility company in Arizona, a job that she said gave her all of her gray hair well, that and her son. Then on a May trip to Yellowstone in 2011 following a very, very snowy winter Karen saw her first wolf in the Hayden Valley and someone let her look through their spotting scope. On the same trip she later saw a famed female wolf on a bison kill in the Lamar Valley. I had never seen anything like that, she recalled, wide eyed. And now I come here to relax and see the wild. Karen later brought her sister to Yellowstone and nurtured her infatuation with the parks wild wolves. Virginia, age 55, took a leave of absence from her job this year that will make it easier for her to visit Yellowstone more than twice. Next, Karen wants to bring her 9-year-old granddaughter to view the wildlife and incredible natural setting of mountains, forests and streams. I kind of feel young, said Karen, now 69 and retired. My head feels young, but not my knees. RETURNING Typically the Wolfe sisters visit twice a year in May and October. This year they plan on visiting four times. So thank the wolves for our tourist dollars, Karen said. On this day the Wolfes had set up their tripods and spotting scopes at about 6:30 a.m. A large crowd soon formed, including photographers with lenses as long as a mans arm and as big around as a babys head worth thousands of dollars. By 9 a.m. most of the wolf activity had died down and the wolf watchers dispersed to seek out other, more exciting subjects. Wolf biologist Smith said it's great that visitors to Yellowstone can see a large carnivore that was nearly exterminated from the lower 48 states. But he cautioned that visitors, in their excitement to view the pups, park carefully, watch out for traffic and be respectful of other visitors and rangers. Right now, there are fewer visitors during the week. That will change in June when there are typically more visitors during the week. By last Thursday evening only a half-dozen cars and people were present. That made it easier for self-described city girl Victoria Condell, of Chicago, to look through Karens spotting scope and see the wolf pups. Now I know why you do this, Condell told Karen after looking at the wolves. Its so exciting. Oh my god! HELENA Butte, Deer Lodge and Sheridan are among Montana cities slated to receive grant money through the Montana Department of Commerce, according to a news release. Governor Steve Bullock and Montana Department of Commerce Director Meg OLeary on Thursday announced the award of $50,000 in seven Montana communities through the Montana Main Street Program. The other recipients are Libby, Miles City, Stevensville and Thompson Falls. Also, Red Lodge and Roundup were named as new community members. Money awarded includes: Butte-Silver Bow County, $10,000 Preliminary architectural report for the Phoenix Building in Uptown Butte as an initial step toward the rehabilitation and redevelopment of the seven-story structure. Sheridan, $5,000 Streetscape infrastructure improvement project to complement local fundraising success and toward the completion of a downtown streetscape and infrastructure transformation City of Deer Lodge, $3,750 Preliminary architectural report for the historic Hotel Deer Lodge building in downtown Deer Lodge, which serves as a potential catalyst for the revitalization of the downtown business district. Details on the Montana Main Street Program: Tash Wisemiller, Montana Main Street Program Coordinator, 406-841-2756 or DOCMainStreet@mt.gov. Anaconda police arrested a former state addiction treatment doctor early Wednesday on a warrant after he tried to post bail for a woman in the Anaconda jail. Mark Jay Catalanello, 55, who lists an Anaconda address, also faces a misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Authorities said he tried to hide a syringe inside a cast on his right hand while being booked at the jail. Anaconda Police Chief Tim Barkell said Catalanello showed up at the Anaconda jail around 1 a.m. Wednesday to bail out Victoria Lindley, 35. Lindley was jailed on a warrant out of Anaconda for contempt of court, no insurance, and driving with a suspended license. Meanwhile, a district court warrant had been issued for Catalanello in Anaconda after he failed to follow through with mandatory alcohol-monitoring testing within the past two weeks. During the booking, Catalanello became upset, waving his arms, and tried to conceal the syringe, Barkell said. That led to the charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Catalanello remained in jail as of Thursday afternoon with no bond set. Wednesdays arrest follows several incidents Catalanello has had this year with law enforcement. Anaconda-Deer Lodge County prosecutors on April 18 filed misdemeanor charges of criminal possession of dangerous drugs (marijuana) and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia against Catalanello, 55. Hes scheduled to appear in Anaconda district court on Friday. He was arrested March 10 after Anaconda police found him attempting to hide in a culvert after he fled the scene of a two-car collision near the intersections of Highways 1 and 48. Catalanello was charged in justice court with driving under the influence second offense obstructing a peace officer, failing to report an accident, and a stop sign violation. He was released from the county jail on $1,940 bond. Not guilty pleas to the misdemeanor offenses were entered by his attorney, court documents state. Also, he was arrested in Rocker on March 4 for allegedly acting belligerent and making vulgar comments to staff at the Living Water Coffee Co. and the It Club and to police. Catalanello pleaded not guilty March 8 in Butte city court to misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and criminal possession of marijuana. A jury trial is slated for Aug. 10. Catalanello, who has a long history of drug abuse and felony drug arrests, came under fire last fall when staff at the Montana Chemical Dependency Center reported erratic behavior they suspected stemmed from Catalanellos illegal drug use. The Montana Board of Medical Examiners has since suspended Catalanellos license. Catalanello at one time worked for two state agencies, serving as a physician at the Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs and medical director at MCDC in Butte. Reporter Kathleen J. Bryan contributed to this article. Wallace Wally Jennings Hutchinson III, 76, passed from this life in the early hours of May 22, 2016, after a battle with Alzheimers. He was born Dec. 4, 1939, to Lola Davis Hutchinson (Peed), and Wallace J. Hutchinson, Jr. in Los Angeles, California. He moved as a young boy to Willow Creek, Montana where he attended school and grew up on his grandfather, Earl Davis Table Mountain Ranch. Wally graduated from Willow Creek High School and always loved to joke about how he graduated as valedictorian of his Senior Class, of four. After graduation he attended Montana State College in Bozeman. Wally served time in the U.S. Army including a tour in Korea. During this time he married his first wife Mary Lou Hiller of Bozeman, Montana. He worked in banking as a loan officer and vice president where he met, fell in love and married Kathleen Garrity DeMillo of Hibbing, Minnesota. Together they owned and operated motels in Nevada and Arizona and later retired to Ennis, Montana. Wally inherited his fathers love for travel including a multitude of cruises, many explorative drives, and motorcycle rides. He enjoyed sharing happy hour daily with his friends at home or on a journey. Wally was preceded in death by his brother, William (Billy) Hutchinson; his father; his mother; his uncle, Clancy Stalcup; and his aunt, Juanita Stalcup. He leaves behind his beloved wife, Kathleen, his sister, Joan Y. Clark and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. A Memorial will be held at Thursday, June 2, at St. Patricks Catholic Church in Ennis, Montana. The service will be at 11 a.m., graveside immediately following and then a reception to celebrate his life will be held at the Catholic Church. Viewing, at the K&L Mortuary (Ennis), will be available daily May 31June 2 until 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers donations in his honor may be made to Madison Valley Manor Activities or a charity of your choice. Express condolences at www.mtstandard.com. There have been many news articles lately on Montana gubernatorial millionaire candidate Greg Gianforte and his stand on stream access and the transfer of our public lands. The candidate in most cases in very elusive with his answers. When Gianforte made an appearance at the Metals Bank in Butte some time ago, several people heard him say that public lands should be transferred to the states. A couple of my Republican friends who were there were surprised at his comments, and because they are believers and users of public lands, they are not going to vote for him. In another recent news story, Gianforte was accused of being against stream access along the Gallatin River on a purchased easement along his property. This issue was glazed over by an apparent mistake in the wording of the easement. In my opinion, this sounds similar to our 13-year court battle with billionaire James Cox Kennedy and the Ruby River. Kennedy also gave $100,000 to elect Justice Laurie McKinnon to the Montana Supreme Court. If Dirk Sandefur loses his bid for Montana Supreme Court justice seat No. 3 in June, his opponent, Kristen Juras, could win. She is not for stream access in my opinion. Gianfortes latest remarks about the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks shows his lack of understanding of the years and years of work that volunteers, organizations and recreational groups have put in, working with landowners and the Legislature to solve wildlife issues. He also doesnt realize the effect wildlife harboring has on adjacent landowners. Hes similar to some folks on the right who would like to totally defund the department and terminate its employees. Gianforte seems to be riding the coattails of a dysfunctional Congress, which has steadily defunded not only wildlife agencies, but the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. The BLM and Forest Service budgets have been cut 10 percent per year for the next three years so we are losing our public lands with each passing year even though surveys show over 70 percent of the taxpayers are not in favor of losing any public lands. As the public lands disappear, our stream access opportunities will soon follow. Extreme wealth by a few individuals seem to be dictating the future of our public lands and waters in Montana. Montana has been very fortunate with Gov. Steve Bullock as our governor. His political service has proven his strong commitment to retaining stream access and the public ownership of our fish and wildlife and public lands. He has never wavered on these issues. Big money is endangering our heritage and way of life in Montana so voters beware. Tony Schoonen, Butte, is president of the Montana Coalition for Stream Access. COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa An additional $111,200 in expenses and $155,900 in revenue was added to Columbus Junctions Fiscal Year 2016 budget under a budget amendment approved by the city council Wednesday. According to a budget worksheet preopared by city clerk Julie Heindel, the amendment increases the citys total expenditures for Fiscal Year 2016 to $1,858,476 and its total revenue to $1,946,883. With the amended figures, the ending balance on June 30, 2016 will increase from $436,241 to $480,941. Mayor Dan Wilson said the additional revenue had come from a 2015 Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) grant that had not been received until this fiscal year. Other additional revenue included law enforcement academy reimbursements paid by two police department officers who resigned last year. There were also delinquent utility payments that had been repaid and money transfers from the Roundy Fund, according to the worksheet. Additional expenses for FY16 included a portion of the cost for a new police squad; new street signs; and an increase in the salary of a new library director. Officials said the additional library funds would come from the Roundy Fund. In addition, the city transferred the city clerks salary to the city hall budget line item, following a recommendation from auditors. Other increased spending included higher flood insurance premiums; employee training/certification; and costs to correct water quality issues in the city. Wilson said needing a budget amendment was normal and not unexpected. Its not out of the ordinary to have something turn up, he said. The council approved the amendment following a public hearing that drew no public. In other action, Wilson and council member Mark Huston said repair work on County Road G40 that runs through Fredonia and into Letts could mean improved streets for Columbus Junction. Huston said in the past, the repair has included pavement milling. The recovered millings are then used to resurface streets, parking areas and other travel surfaces. The two said Collins Road, the parking lot at Chautauqua Park and other areas had been resurfaced in Columbus Junction in the past. We have places to use it, Huston told the council. In final action, Wilson reminded the council about several upcoming events and ongoing activities in the city this summer, including the Swinging Bridge Festival on June 1, RAGBRAI and construction of the ambulance barn addition. Well keep one eye on all of these, he said. COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa There will be no sharing of an ag instructor/FFA advisor between the Columbus and Wapello school districts, following the rejection of a proposed agreement by the Columbus School Board during a special meeting Wednesday. The board took the action after hearing objections from several district residents and students. According to a budget worksheet presented by Superintendent Gary Benda, the two schools would have shared Danielle Wanfalt, who is currently the Columbus ag instructor, but has accepted the same position for next year in Wapello. If the school board had agreed to the sharing plan, Columbus students would have traveled to Wapello for ag classes and the FFA chapter would have been identified as Wapello. The current Columbus ag exploratory courses in junior high would either have been dropped or another teacher hired to cover that one period per day. Benda calculated the sharing proposal would have cost the district around $19,000 in salary and a maximum of $13,000 in transportation costs. There would also have been another $6,300 cost if another person was hired to teach the junior high exploratory course. The $38,300 cost for sharing would have compared with the estimated $51,000 to replace Wanfalt with another teacher. On the revenue side, the sharing would have generated the Columbus district $15,816 annually. Next year the sharing would have saved the district $12,700 and for each additional year, the savings would have been $26,500, Benda reported. The sharing option quickly drew heat from many of the district residents and students who attended the meeting. I would like to save money, but $12,000 is not worth it to lose our program, Dayle Pretz told the board. Tammy Virzi agreed. I dont want to see our FFA go. I think it would be ridiculous. Its 75 years old this year, she said. Students also protested, explaining a move to Wapello would significantly reduce the opportunities they have now with their own chapter. Abel Mena said he had just joined FFA and was concerned how the two sets of students would interact. If we share with Wapello I think Wapello will have different goals, he said. Board members were also unanimously opposed. Were a farming community, Im totally opposed to sharing, Wayne Finke said, expressing the universal feeling of the board. After the board voted down the sharing proposal, members indicated they wanted Benda to talk with former Wapello ag instructor/FFA advisor Irv Meier about possibly assisting the district. If Meier was interested, the district could hire him as a temporary replacement and ask him to work with Iowa State University to locate a student teacher at Columbus later in the year. That person possibly could then move into the position permanently after graduating. Another option would be to hire a new permanent teacher now. Benda said he had recently interviewed a candidate who had declined other job offers because of a desire to stay in this area. Benda said he hoped to have a final solution within a week. In other action, the board: Approved a junior high softball sharing agreement with WACO; Accepted the resignations of Jane Thomann, nutrition secretary and Tonia Takyi, special education associate; Authorized the boards building/grounds committee to move forward on accepting bids for a concrete repair project; Hired Scott Symmonds as head football coach Discussed possible solutions for reducing the districts high cost for on-line courses, but did not take any action. MUSCATINE, Iowa, M When school is out for the summer, Muscatines K 12 students can ride MuscaBus route buses for free. This is a great opportunity to explore the Muscatine community while learning more about the MuscaBus service. Information about route buses can be found on the Citys website at www.muscatineiowa.gov/75/Public-Transit. Parents or students with questions can call 563-263-8152 or ask a driver for assistance. Middle and high school students must carry their school IDs for verification. Free rides begin on Friday, May 27 and run through Monday, August 22, 2016. WEST BRANCH, Iowa West Branch is known as being the birthplace of Herbert Hoover, 31st President of the United States. But it is also home to a remarkable downtown district representing the period from the 1870s through the 1910s when a booming farm economy supported new buildings and businesses in small towns across the Midwest. Join a park ranger from Herbert Hoover National Historic Site for a walking tour of West Branch's historic commercial downtown. Meet at the Visitor Center of Herbert Hoover National Historic Site at 5 p.m. Participants are invited to bring a photo, artifact, story, or memory that illustrates how West Branch has changed. The walk will last no more than an hour and cover about a third of a mile. It will conclude at the West Branch Heritage Museum on Main Street. This collection of downtown buildings is on the National Register of Historic Places, a program of the National Park Service. The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the nation's historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources. These historic buildings tell an important story and provide a valuable connection in context of time, said Superintendent Pete Swisher. This represents an opportunity for the public to learn of another important program of the National Park Service. Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum are in West Branch, Iowa at exit 254 off I-80. Both are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. For more information go online at www.nps.gov/heho or call (319) 643-2541. High school students (those completing grades 9-12) from Iowa are invited to put their crop scouting skills to the test, competing against other Iowa youth teams across the state. In addition to team competition, the goal of the event is to bring awareness to Iowa agriculture and learn more about integrated pest management basics through hands-on learning and teamwork. Its been really great to see these young students embrace the idea of learning about whats going on in the fields and using that information either to help them with summer employment or even with determining what theyre going to study in college, said Daren Mueller, extension plant pathologist and IPM program coordinator at Iowa State University. Joe and Suzanne Shirbroun of Clayton County have been team leaders at the Crop Scouting Competition for the past five years. Joe says hes witnessed the competition make a big impact on the participating youth. The competition is a great way to connect education to the industry, said Shirbroun. Over the last five years, weve had several students on our team realize this is something they have a passion for and decide to pursue it in college. Ben Wikner attended the Crop Scouting Competition in 2012 as a member of the Shirbrouns' team. Wikner is now an Ag Business and Agronomy major and works on the Shirbrouns' farm, helping with operations including the farms crop scouting program. The competition really opened my eyes to the agronomy industry, said Wikner. It convinced me to go to college and pursue a career in agriculture. This year, the event will consist of 10 to 12 outdoor field stations run by ISU Extension and Outreach faculty and staff. The stations will focus on different aspects of corn and soybean scouting including crop diseases, insects, disorders, weed identification, crop growth stages and soil sampling. In addition to the field stations, participants will be required to take a written test on crop scouting material. The top four teams, based on points accrued from the field stations and exam, are eligible to win cash prizes, and all participants will receive a free event t-shirt. The top two teams will be invited to the regional competition held near Ames on Aug. 31. To register, submit a completed registration form with a fee of $50 by July 1. This fee will be refunded when the team attends the competition. For more details, event registration and preparation resources visit www.ipm.iastate.edu/cropscouting. A video recap from last years crop scouting competition can be viewed at the site. The event is sponsored by DuPont Pioneer, Iowa Soybean Association On-Farm Network, Iowa Independent Crop Consultants Association, Iowa Certified Crop Advisors, ScoutPro and USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information, please contact Adam Sisson at ajsission@iastate.edu or Daren Mueller at dsmuelle@iastate.edu. Kevin Levrone - Can He Turn Back Time at the Olympia? Written by Peter McGough 26 May 2016 Kevin Levrone - Can He Turn Back Time? Where Will He Place at the Olympia?...You Tell Us Where will Kevin Levrone place at the 2016 Mr. Olympia. Give us your vote and tell us why. 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th Out of top ten In one of the most intriguing storylines in years former four-time Mr. Olympia runner-up Kevin Levrone will compete at the 2016 Mr. Olympia on September 16th and 17th in Las Vegas. At age 51, The Maryland Muscle Machine has been out of serious flexing action since his third place finish at the 2003 Show of Strength and a couple of week earlier he was sixth at his last Olympia. (Which incidentally was his worst ever showing in the dispute for a Sandow. In 12 Olympia appearances, 1992-2003, this is his exemplary record: Four seconds; three thirds; three fourths; one fifth; one sixth.) Kevin also won 20 pro contests, the third highest in the open pro division behind Dexter Jackson on 23 and Ronnie Coleman on 26. In fact at this weekends Arnold Africa Jackson is favorite to notch his 24th win. LOGIC AND LEVRONE Logic declares that a 51-year-old bodybuilder returning to the ultimate contest on the calendar after a 13 year gap will be blown away. Logic is right, but logic has never been the 1991 NPC overall champions strong suit. Overruling logic are the genetics of this comeback kid and his fighting spirit. On the question of genetics and his ability to put on quality muscle fast two episodes stands out. It was June 2002 and a meeting of Weider athletes was called for a get together at the companys HQ in Woodland Hills, California. The likes of Ronnie Coleman, Shawn Ray, Chris Cormier, Nasser El Sonbaty and Gunter Schlierkamp attended and then in walked a guy who looked like Kevin Levrones undernourished little brother. It was if The Maryland Muscle Machine had morphed into The Maryland Shrinking Machine. He was about 210 pounds and it was clear he wouldnt be ready for the Olympia in four months time. But nobody told Kevin, and at that years Olympia a 34 pounds heavier Levrone stormed to second place and nearly unseated incumbent Ronnie Coleman. It was drive and muscle memory that kicked in to transform Levrones physique in four months. Theres no quit in this guy, hes not a whiner and he is as tough as old boots as is proved by the second episode. Rewind to late January 1993 and the news comes that the Olympia runner-up of the previous year had ruptured his right pec while bench pressing. The consensus was there was no way he could make it to Septembers Olympia in Atlanta. Again nobody told Kevin. He went through a pretty advanced operation had a lot of setbacks but never lost his focus on getting back to the Olympia. From a state of muscle atrophy in June he had been granted just over three months to whip himself into shape. I spoke to him many times and told him to forget 1993 and concentrate on 1994. In his distinctive drawl he would say, No man, I gotta do this, its more than getting ready for a contest. This is personal and a battle I have to win. The night before the 1993 Olympia I visited Kevins room and he looked tremendous. His warrior spirit had taken physical form in hitting Olympian level shape. At 240 pounds he was 12 pounds heavier than the previous year. Sad to report by the morning of the contest he had taken on a film of water and finished fifth. He was disappointed with his eventual placing but as I wrote at the time, Considering where he started from, Kevin had travelled further than any of his contemporaries. There was no bigger heart in Atlanta that weekend than the one that beat inside the formerly damaged chest of this fifth place finisher. CONCLUSION So in summation the two great attributes Kevin Levrone has is genetics and his iron will to prevail. His ability to quickly accumulate muscle mass is what prompted me to dub him The Maryland Muscle Machine. His genetics are extra freaky in comparison to other genetic freaks. Of all the 90s luminaries Kevin has always been the one I would have said was capable of getting into top shape at an advanced age. This humble scribe is convinced that his warrior heart and spirit will augment his genetic inheritance and drive him to stand on the 2016 Olympia stage and not look out of place. And Hey! Whatever happens you can always count on Kevin Levrone to produce a great storyline. The more things change So take our poll and tell us where Kevin will finish at this years Mr. Olympia. DISCUSS THIS ARTICLE ON THE MD FORUM WATCH LEVRONE'S COMEBACK ANNOUNCEMENT VIDEO READ MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS IN THE MCGOUGH REPORT Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes [] In a first for South Africa, Absa has launched Absa ChatBanking, which will allow its social media-savvy customers to perform certain transactions via Twitter. The bank has set up a ChatBanking account @AbsaChatBanking which invites Absa clients to interact with it via DM (Direct Message) to receive an account balance, buy data and airtime or to view the last 3 transactions on the account, instantly. To set up the service, users must: Logon to online banking, click on Settings from the Express tab and add your profile Logon to Twitter and follow @AbsaChatBanking Send a DM to @AbsaChatBanking and simply say hi For now it will limit you to specific transactions within your own profile, Absa said, speaking to security concerns. Your profile is linked to the Absa ChatBanking and is very secure. In a one-time only process you will register in a secure environment which will link your Twitter profile to your Absa bank account, the bank said. You will be sent a sure-check via your registered cell phone number to ensure that you have permission to link the account. Your account number and personal details will never be displayed in a chat to ensure that even if someone stole your cell phone and looked at your Twitter chat, they would not be able to use the information in the same way that someone who picked up your old ATM slip would not be able to use the information on it. The bank added that data and airtime purchases are only for the account holder. In April, the bank said that would pilot a chat bot system to enable customers to transact over social media. Chat bots use artificial intelligence to simulate intelligent conversation through written or spoken text. At the time, Absa noted that messaging apps continue to eclipse social media as the conversational channel of choice in monthly active users, which means that consumers are quickly adopting smart two-way messaging apps as opposed to traditional, and more limited options such as SMS or email. According to Barclays Africas Jan Moganwa, artificial intelligence enabled chatbots can answer simple customer questions quickly, freeing up staff to focus on more complex customer issues that require deeper human insight. First for South Africa Hashtag transactions are a new concept in South Africa, but is not a new concept in digital transactions. In 2014, Vodacom told BusinessTech that it was considering hashtag transactions in the country, where Vodacom customers would be able to purchase products directly through social media, taking advantage of the social relationship between customers and the brand. The concept was based off an American Express partnership with Twitter in 2013, where Amex cardholders could complete purchases of specific items by mentioning the appropriate hashtag in a tweet. Once a confirmation hashtag was retweeted, Amex sent a confirmation e-mail, giving consumers 15 minutes to confirm a product order. The consumers card would then charged with the items shipped to their billing address. BusinessTech More on Absa Free Vodacom and MTN data for Absa app Absa Internet banking security concerns If you take some time to look, there are some very expensive, and sometimes wacky, things for sale online in South Africa. Import services like WantItAll also occasionally run into trouble with their software, listing items for ludicrously-high prices due to technical errors. While we know its just a glitch, its still funny to see a 6-man tent on sale for over a million rand. Below are an assortment of expensive and interesting items you can buy online in South Africa. Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Offices And Plant For Sale R150,000,000 neg. (OLX) Looking to start your own business? Globalization in World History R2,320,646 (Loot) This seems to be an error, as Amazon has the book for $125. LG 105 3D Smart UHD LED TV R1,405,000 (Makro) If youre looking for the best, most expensive TV available in South Africa, LG offers this monster. Injection Moulding Machine (Supermaster 700 Ton) + Chair Mould R1,200,000 (Gumtree) If you cant afford this, we suggest you take a seat. Coleman 6-person tent R1,011,093 (WantItAll) This listing was corrected between the time of writing and the time of publication. The tent is now R8,875. Star Home double-layer family tents R545,450 (WantItAll) They missed this one, though. Asus ROG GX700VO R108,792 (Wootware) Asus isnt the only manufacturer to sell R100,000+ laptops in South Africa. Masterline Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice Superman statue R64,298 (Raru) True fans would get a pre-order in for a R60k+ 1m tall polystone statue. 2TB Intel P3700 PCI-Express 3.0 SSD R51,878 (Rebel Tech) When you need storage that costs as much as a whole gaming PC, get a high-end SSD. The Sojourner Keyboard R26,017 (Importitall) A steampunk keyboard from Datamancer, as seen on SyFys Warehouse 13. Knight Rider: Complete Region A Blu-ray Box R14,156 (Raru) For the true Hasselhoff fan, there can be no substitute. In Japanese and English, with Japanese subtitles. 3-Star lodge R12,875,000 (Gumtree) Some of the most expensive online listings on auction and classifieds sites are properties and businesses, such as this 3-star lodge. Japanese Vase R10,000,000 (Bidorbuy) The listing does state it is rare. More online shopping news Getting your online shopping parcels through the Post Office South Africas best online shopping deals tested the result is clear Massive growth in online shopping in South Africa International online shopping products to South Africa go missing Internet ride-sharing app Uber will decide on June 6 if it will keep its winter price cuts or hike fares again. Last month, the company cut UberX fares by up to 20% in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban to try boost demand during the quieter winter period. Uber said the move was designed to bolster its driver-partners earnings and that the company would offer minimum payment guarantees for driver-partners. Uber drivers and car owners are not employed by the internet app but rather partner with the service and take a percentage of each fare. Several Uber driver-partners and car owners last month told Fin24 of lower earnings and longer hours owing to the price cut. But Uber, thus far, is sticking to its guns over the move. As weve said all along, we will put guarantees in place, Lits told journalists in Johannesburg on Thursday. We stand behind these price cuts, he added. Lits further said that Uber driver-partners have asked the service for a definitive date as to when well make a call as to whether the price cut has been a success or not. So, what we have communicated to driver-partners is that on June 6 we will be communicating a decision whether prices will revert to normal price (or) will stay where they are or maybe end up somewhere in between, said Lits. But by that date we will make a decision around the price cut. The only factor that we look at regarding the success or not of the price cut is are drivers earnings higher than they were before the price cut. That is how we define success of the price cut. If thats not the case, then we would obviously look to roll pricing back, Lits added. Lits further revealed to Fin24 on Thursday that the service has over 4 000 partner-drivers in South Africa. Uber launched in South Africa in 2013. Fin24 More on Uber Why Uber is testing cash payments in South Africa Toyota and Uber join forces GET OUR APP Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Download it here. Police on Tuesday 24th May foiled another ISIS terror plot and arrested two terror suspects during a raid in their hideout in Kangemi estate, Nairobi. The two, Kiguzo Mwangolo Mgutu and Abubakar Jillo Mohamed, were planning retaliatory attacks following the arrest of the leader of their cell Mohamed Abdi Ali. The attacks were planned for Nairobi and Mombasa and were to be carried out using homemade IED explosives. Police said they recovered various materials that were to be used to manufacture the explosives at Mgutus residence in Kangemi. They included fertilizer, batteries, electrical wire, nails and ball bearings. Kiguzo Mwangolo Mgutu and Abubakar Jillo Mohamed are said to have been radicalized at Kangemi Mosque and were recruited by Mohamed Abdi Ali who has links with the Syrian group. Heres the press release: The Anti-IEBC demos were supposed to be a Cord thing. All leaders in the coalition are supposed to be contributing, not just their presence but their supporters. However, until this week, the demos were confined to Railas strongholds. On Monday we saw protests in other counties, among them Kakamega, Kisumu and Mombasa curiously none in Ukambani. Here in Nairobi, the protesters are always believed to come from Kibera Slum where Raila has absolute support. Mombasa probably had the most peaceful protest of all the counties. Coast residents lived up to their reputation of being mostly calm and collected. There was some tear gas thrown around, but unlike Kisumu or Nairobi, there were little or no reported cases of throwing stones, mugging or looting shops. Mombasa governor Hassan Joho even took the mic and warned those in the demo to be as peaceful as possible. While the police are allowed by law to disperse rioting crowds, the rioters are not allowed to reiterate by throwing stones. Railas supporters have never shown any form of restraint. Not in the anti-IEBC demos, not historically. Instead of Raila preaching peace and cracking down on his supporters who carry stones with them, he blames Jubilee for ferrying hooligans to tarnish Cords image. Reversing the blame may convince some in Nairobi, but I doubt Moses Kuria or whomever they blame can ferry youths all the way to Kisumu to cause chaos. Fact is Raila and peaceful protests have never been synonymous all his life. My opinion.. Whats yours? UPDATE: Cord has called off the demonstrations temporarily to give dialogue a chance ANAHEIM A day after violent protesters outside a Donald Trump rally threw burning items at police and toppled barricades, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee railed against Crooked Hillary Clinton and leaders in his own party who havent endorsed him in a boisterous but less heated rally on Wednesday. Outside, demonstrators quietly held up signs reading Love and Peace and Migration is beautiful during the rally, but the modest crowd grew rowdier when Trump supporters came outside. The two sides shouted at each other as dozens of police, some on horseback, moved in to prevent a renewal of the violence that included rock-throwing and burning T-shirts Tuesday night in New Mexico. Five people were arrested as a line of police slowly moved scattered protesters along a nearby street. Inside, Trumps rally was interrupted several times by protesters who were escorted out of the Anaheim Convention Center, which was packed with thousands of Trump supporters. Get em out! he shouted at one point. Out! Out! Out! But Trump urged his supporters and security to handle his interrupters gently. Dont hurt em, he told them. I say that for the television cameras. Do not hurt him even though hes a bad person. Later, a pair of protesters in the stands behind the candidate ripped a Trump sign in half and made a rude gesture toward the crowd. As for Clinton, Trump noted Wednesdays report by the State Department inspector general that faulted her for her use of private email for official business when she was secretary of state. She had a little bad news today, as you know. Some reports came down, werent so good, Trump said. The inspector generals report not good. Trump said that he was eager to run against Clinton, but wondered aloud, as he often does, whether she would actually be the Democratic Partys nominee. It could be were going to run against Crazy Bernie, he said. Hes a crazy man, but thats OK. We like crazy people. Trump appeared to be making a concerted effort on Wednesday to tout his support with women. He met with a group of female business leaders ahead of the rally and invited several onstage. Im telling you, women do like me, he said. But later he went after Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who has been vigorously criticizing him. She gets nothing done, nothing passed. Shes got a big mouth, and thats about it, he said of Warren. But they use her because Hillarys trying to be very presidential. Shes stopping with the shouting, OK? Ill be honest with you, I cannot listen to her, he added of Clinton. Trumps western swing comes as he works to unify a Republican Party that often remains skeptical of his candidacy. During the rally, Trump offered jabs at 2012 nominee Mitt Romney and former rival Jeb Bush, who have yet to endorse his candidacy. House Speaker Paul Ryan is still holding out on endorsing Trump even as his staff and other House Republicans and aides communicate increasingly closely with the Trump campaign on policy. Meeting with reporters Wednesday, Ryan shot down rumors that an endorsement was imminent. I dont have a timeline in my mind and I have not made a decision and nothings changed from that perspective, he said. Later in the day his staff disclosed that Ryan planned to speak with Trump Wednesday evening by phone but insisted it was not about endorsing. The purpose of the call tonight is for the two of them to continue their conversation about unifying the party, said spokesman Zack Roday. Before the Anaheim rally, police issued a firm warning to protesters that violence would not be tolerated following the clashes between anti-Trump protesters and police in New Mexico a day earlier. In one of the presidential campaign years more unruly spectacles, anti-Trump protesters had thrown burning T-shirts, plastic bottles and other items at police officers, injuring several, and had toppled trash cans and barricades. Police responded by firing pepper spray and smoke grenades into the crowd outside the Albuquerque Convention Center. In Anaheim, pro- and anti-Trump demonstrators clashed last month at Anaheim City Hall when the City Council discussed a resolution criticizing Trump as divisive. Rally attendees arrived early Wednesday, weaving through a maze of police barricades and security checkpoints before entering the venue. The violence in New Mexico has prompted security concerns beyond neighboring California. Police in Bismarck, North Dakota, said Wednesday they would dedicate about a quarter of their force for security when Trump heads to the state Thursday. Sgt. Mark Buschena said about 30 officers would be assigned to the event at the Bismarck Civic Center. Trump is keynoting the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference and Expo, with about 7,000 people expected to attend. Trump was also scheduled to attend a TV taping and a fundraiser in the Los Angeles area Wednesday evening. Hell be back in California on Friday with visits to Fresno and San Diego. The application process is now open, and the administration says the forms should take five minutes to complete. Get more info on that and more recent business news here. There are so many next-big-things in beauty right now, it's hard to predict what'll truly be next. But Koko Hayashi is hoping it will be persimmon extract, which she describes as having astonishing powers over body odor in her Mirai Clinical Deodorizing Soap with Persimmon. Hayashi's tiny skin-care company is just one of countless indie beauty brands trying to break into the American market, but her body bar comes with an epic saga of pre-industrial soap-making techniques and the wisdom of long-ago geishas. These days, the artisanal process is as much the selling point as the product itself - and Hayashi is accustomed to spending a lot of time explaining why her soap costs $19 a bar. Here it goes: It's crafted at an old family-owned soap mill, spearheaded by a man known as "Mr. Soap," who, Hayashi says, knows by "some special formula in his brain" how to adjust his recipes to account for fluctuations of wind and temperature. The liquid ingredients are mixed in a gentle, time-consuming fashion to avoid damaging the delicate ingredients, and if some young whippersnapper agitates the soap too vigorously, Mr. Soap yells. "Persimmon is very sensitive," Hayashi says over Skype from her hometown of Sapporo, Japan. After the soap cools, it is cut and dried and soaked and hand-polished, then dried and soaked and hand-polished again, without the benefit of an industrial process. With machines, it would take a few days, but "we put it outside and, considering humidity, temperature, wind, usually it takes three months for drying." This is the labor-intensive, heavily pedigreed, exotica-spiked world of artisanal beauty. The artisan movement long ago blew through the world of food on a wind of old-timey brand names and wordy labeling. (Recall the Mast Brothers, makers of $10 craft chocolate bars, who paid such obeisance to Victorian-era methods that they were said to ship their beans from the Dominican Republic to Brooklyn via a wind-powered schooner.) The explosion of farmers markets, backyard beekeeping and crocheted Etsy baby collars attests to a hunger - largely among a privileged set - for handcrafted authenticity, simple supply chains and the glory of the way things used to be, or might still be, in some far-off corner of the world. Now, the beauty market, too, has been inundated by companies that talk of their beginnings in kitchens handcrafting small-batch face serums out of things such as carrot seed oil. The brands may be small-scale and homespun, but artisanal beauty is fast becoming a big business, with more and more dedicated websites and retail outlets cropping up - such as San Francisco-based Credo Beauty, which features brands like Graydon Clinical Luxury, started by a yoga teacher/macrobiotic chef who makes skin-care products out of "cold-pressed broccoli seed oil," or Follain, which has a location in the District's Union Market and a founder who once apprenticed on an organic lavender farm in France. Last year, New York City hosted its first Indie Beauty Expo, which one marketing agency described as a "sold-out media and buyer frenzy." Gwyneth Paltrow's new Goop skin-care products boast ingredients with highly specific names - "poet's daffodil" and "sweet iris," for instance, in her $90 Luminous Melting Cleanser - to emphasize their individuality (like yours, dear consumer). "People are looking for an increased identity with the products, a personal relationship," says Eleanor Dwyer, a beauty researcher for the market analysis firm Euromonitor. "There's an idea that the products you use symbolize yourself." --- Hair and skin products have always thrived on what one might call "magic elixir" ingredients, and Mirai's persimmon seems to be a perfect one for this moment. The taut, dainty, orange fruit is still sufficiently exotic to American consumers; plus, Asian beauty trends and the ancient-geisha-wisdom meme are big right now. (A few years back, there was buzz about the $180 Geisha Facial, at New York's Shizuka spa, combining fine-milled nightingale poop with Japanese rice bran to lighten the complexion). This year, Hayashi managed to get her soap, body wash, serum and spritzer into some of those Oscars celebrity gift bags. So far, Mirai Clinical is sold almost entirely online, but Hayashi hopes to place it in retail locations soon. "I feel like I have a mission to introduce this Japanese greatness to the world," she says. The artisanal beauty trend has been fueled by a growing interest in natural ingredients, as Whole Foods shoppers who buy grass-fed beef consider what they're putting on their T-zones, and environmentalists warn about the dangers of parabens and phthalates. Within skin care, "natural organic ingredients are among the fastest-growing [segments] in the marketplace," says Karen Grant, NPD Group's beauty analyst. A growing number of consumers care deeply about transparency, sustainability and fair trade, so companies that source carefully and recycle and give back to communities where they harvest are often rewarded for it. Most brands don't have Paltrow, though, so they must rely on compelling brand stories to distinguish themselves. The result is a bevy of origin tales as familiar as Greek mythology. These stories all seem to start with protagonists seeking to craft greatness from nature; they're described as "plant-whisperers" or are said to be devoted to "wild-crafted" ingredients or a "farm-to-face" mission. The founder might be a professional apiarist who discovered the secret to good skin in the honey she was harvesting, or perhaps a globe-trotting pharmacognosist who has studied the curative powers of extracts taken from South Africa's kigelia and baobab plants. So goes the story behind the British brand Dr Jackson's, which launched a few years ago but packages products in amber apothecary bottles that look straight out of a Victorian lithograph. Artisanal beauty products are often built around at least one obscure ingredient, the procurement of which (it's implied) is really difficult. There's no distance these brands won't travel, whether for a body scrub with "white sand particles from the shores of Bora Bora," or a "gel treatment serum" made from "the stem cells of Australian kakadu plums." They might need to go back in time to craft skin products made with "donkey milk ... known as a beauty elixir since the ancient ages." There's an emphasis on the rare find from nature, almost but not quite lost to mankind - "the stem cells of a rare Swiss apple," or the fruit from a tree previously known only to peoples of the Amazon, drawing on what Dwyer calls "that trope of the insightful magical native." That rare ingredient must be gathered with care, ideally by local villagers, processed in a lab under the most stringent standards, and then placed into a product whose label declares its transparency of its process, its freedom from potentially dangerous chemicals, its fair trade and cruelty-free status, its philanthropic efforts, and the all-around goodness of its intentions. Consider the sea buckthorn berry. Ten years ago, no one had heard of it. Nowadays, well, lots of people still haven't heard of it, but that's only because they haven't been watching "The Dr. Oz Show." (A healthy number of magical elixir trends feature a plug from Dr. Oz.) A Salt Lake City brand called Sibu, now in 2,500 retail locations, bases its entire existence on this tiny fruit - which, Dwyer says, could well be "the next argan oil." (Everybody wants to be the next argan oil.) The story of this fruit has, in turn been crafted with great care by Sibu on its website: One day, the entrepreneur Bruce McMullin went to India, where he "crossed paths with an Ayurvedic specialist" who "mentioned a powerful holy fruit, the Sea Buckthorn berry" that McMullin decided to bring to the West. (This sour, orange fruit grows wild across Europe and Asia, but Sibu says its particular variety boasts the greatest amount of omega-7 because it grows 12,000 feet up, high in the Himalayas.) The berries are "hand-harvested the traditional way," with villagers hitting the shrubbery with sticks in the dark, for "it is crucial that these berries are collected in the predawn hours to protect them from the relentless UV rays and lock in the greatest nutritive value." The berries are quickly pureed and refrigerated in "state-of-the-art facilities," and sent across the ocean in refrigerated shipping containers "for formulation, blending, purification and testing." Sibu's "brand ambassador," Wendi Coombs, says the company is PETA-certified, cruelty-free, vegan and in the process of becoming fair-trade-certified. She says McMullin and his wife are active philanthropists for causes in the Himalayas and Africa. And she says the narrative of the sea buckthorn berry's discovery is integral to its existence. "Without that story, there would be no Sibu," Coombs says. "It all goes really back to Bruce McMullin and his passion for this little berry." --- Randy Schueller and Perry Romanowski are cosmetic chemists who run the Beauty Brains, a website that happily debunks many claims of beauty manufacturers large and small - noting when a highly touted ingredient in a moisturizer is included in an infinitesimal amount, or when the quinoa protein in a conditioner won't do much because it's rinsed away. They've seen a lot of trends. Some suffer from inherent marketing limitations - viscous snail mucin, emu oil made from the fatty tissue of the flightless bird - while others at least "sound sexy," Schueller says, and are destined to be featured in big print on labels, whether or not they "have any bearing on the functionality of the product." Schueller says that trends often emerge from the marketing departments of big companies ("pomegranate is a hot color, let's put pomegranate extract in our shampoo"), or because suppliers offer a good deal on a raw material. ("I got this hot microencapsulated goat urine - are you interested?") "The difficulty with personal care products is that the technology hasn't really changed much in the last 30 or 40 years, and so everybody has access pretty much to the same technology," Romanowski says. "If you can get ingredients that no one else can get, and they have a good story, it can give you an edge - even if they don't work any better." So if it's not their actual effectiveness, what factors determine which magical elixirs emerge next? Look to the food world. Grant, of NPD Group, says there's often a lag of a few years between when certain foods trend on kitchen tables and when they make it to medicine cabinets. Recent ingredients to make the jump include probiotics, cocoa, turmeric and quinoa. Also, coconut oil, which Annie Jackson, Credo Beauty's vice president for merchandising and planning, describes as the "avocado toast" of the beauty world. Consult experts about artisanal beauty, and you'll get a bevy of next-big-things: Palmerosa rose hip oil, prickly pear seed oil. (Beauty Brains headline: "Is Moringa oil the new Argan oil?") Sea kelp could rise again, Dwyer suggests - perhaps with the help of a compelling founder and a group of villagers schooled in centuries-old kelp-harvesting ways. "The ocean is mystical, and it's home to fish," she says. "Even though it's slimy, it's sort of a more relatable ingredient than snail mucus." And there will always be a next argan oil to fall in love with. "On some level, consumers don't want to be demystified," Romanowski says. The perfect ingredient doesn't just moisturize or smell good or look pretty on a label; the perfect ingredient tells a story we all want to hear. Napa Countys quest to secure 2016-17 California budget money to help build a new jail is off to a good start. The state Assembly Committee on Budgets version of the upcoming state budget includes $20 million for the proposed, local $103 million jail. Thats only a first step, with the Assemblys budget now having to be reconciled with a Senate version that doesnt include the jail. Still, county Housing and Intergovernmental Affairs Director Larry Florin sees the Assemblys move as a big first step. He credited Assemblyman Bill Dodd, D-Napa, for helping with the effort. This is very significant even to get into the Assembly budget, he said. Napa County wants to build a new jail on land it owns along Highway 221 near the Syar quarry. The county has been trying to cobble together the $103 million, coming up with $35 million on its own from savings and selling surplus property. Measure Y on the June 7 ballot could provide the remaining $68 million. It would, if passed by a majority of voters, raise the local sales tax by a quarter-cent for 10 years. Though that funding would go to the countys general fund, the Board of Supervisors has targeted the money for a new jail and for childrens programs. Measure Y campaign chairwoman Sara Cakebread has said that securing $20 million from the state for the jail would make more Measure Y money available for children. June 15 is the deadline for the state Legislature to pass the 2016-17 budget and send it to Gov. Jerry Brown. Florin said he is cautiously optimistic that Brown would leave $20 million for a new Napa County jail in place. The county operates a jail in downtown Napa that county officials say is aging, earthquake-damaged and ill-designed to handle todays inmate population. The 2014-15 county grand jury recommended the county replace the jail. Under the current plan, the county will build a 256-bed jail along Highway 221 and use the downtown jail for extra space. It ultimately wants to make the Highway 221 jail large enough that it can demolish the downtown jail and make the land available for redevelopment. Napa County is also seeking $250,000 from the state to help operate its three farmworker centers that house 180 people. Assessments from vineyard owners and the fees charged to farmworkers using the lodgings wont sustain the program in the long run under current budget scenarios. Florin said the Assembly budget committee also included one-time money for the farmworkers center in its version of the budget. As with the jail, the county would have to wait until this summer to see if the money survives the entire budget process. The county wants to avoid raising the $13-a-day rent paid by farmworker housing lodgers. The $10-per-acre annual vineyard owner assessment is capped by state law. For eight years, former soldiers entered The Pathway Home in Yountville in search of a hand up from the depths of the mental trauma triggered by their experiences on Iraqi and Afghan battlefields. Some 450 men emerged from the treatment program, each receiving a yellow rose from the homes founder and a hope for a brighter civilian life. But few people outside the Pathway walls got to see the transformations up close until the release of a documentary film showing the emotionally wounded veterans at their most vulnerable, and their journeys of healing at their rawest and most intense. The flashes of rage, the impulsiveness, the strains on marriages and family relationships these and other open scabs of post-traumatic stress disorder are on full display in Of Men and War. It takes only one thing to (expletive) send me off, an unnamed veteran confesses to the camera to several fellow veterans. You felt strong. You dont feel as strong as you used to be. You feel defective. This anxiety (expletive) sucks I (expletive) hate it. Of Men and War is an most intimate look inside The Pathway Home, whose therapists helped veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars come to grips with the demons that stuck with them long after their tours of duty ended. Completed in 2014 after more than five years of work, the non-narrated documentary follows the lives of a dozen Pathway clients during their nine months of therapy, as well as their spouses and relatives trying to welcome them back into civilian life. Following showings at several film festivals and a theatrical run last November, the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) will give Of Men and War its first U.S. telecast on Memorial Day, as part of its POV (point of view) series. KQED-TV, the Bay Areas PBS outlet, will carry the documentary at 10 p.m. Monday. The holiday showing of Of Men and War is sharp, stark departure in mood from the flag displays and grave decorations that usually mark the occasion. But Laurent Becue-Renard, who directed the film as the second installment of a war-themed trilogy, hopes the airing will remind Americans of how deeply and how long the aftereffects of combat can stretch out. I really hope the public will have a different view of the war experience, the director said Wednesday by telephone from his Paris home. Who they are today may be linked to what happened to their fathers, their grandfathers. We cannot avoid the fact that war has an enormous legacy within families. The Western Hemisphere has so much of a war legacy; this is a part of who we are. I would like American audiences to not only thank veterans for their service when they come across them, but also to think about the real cost of war on them and on their families. Preparations for what eventually became Of Men and War began in 2004, a year after Becue-Renard released his trilogys opening act War-Wearied, which follows the recovery of three women caught up in the Bosnian war of the 1990s. There was no Pathway Home to document but there was a friendship between the filmmaker and Fred Gusman, then a Veterans Affairs clinical social worker in Menlo Park. The two got to know each other over the next four years, as Becue-Renard came to know veterans, family members and therapists, and when Gusman opened The Pathway Home in 2008, Becue-Renard spent five months observing daily life at the Yountville facility before bringing cameras to follow a group of clients through a nine-month program that ended in 2009. (Attempts to contact Gusman this week were unsuccessful. The Pathway founder left the organization in September.) In confronting the emotional detritus of combat, the veterans appearing in the film often must revisit acts unconsciously covered in a cocoon of toughness. Dont know, dont care. He was running. I shot him, one veteran says in a low, flat voice while describing the killing of an enemy soldier. But when he recalled trying and failing to close the dead mans fixed-open eye the eye that was not already obliterated the mask of apathy dissolved in tears. Thats why I dont sleep, he forced out between heaving breaths. Because when I sleep I see him. Such labored confessions are a sign of the difficulty many soldiers have in leaving behind feelings of shame long after returning to the home front, according to the French-born Becue-Renard, who had one grandfather wounded in action and another taken prisoner during World War I. Its not shame as we are used to knowing it, he said. We are used to saying someone is ashamed of doing something or not doing something. But the shame, in this case, is what I call the shame of the human species each one of them has seen, has witnessed, has touched with own hands something shameful for the human species, namely its capacity to destroy itself. This is beyond this side or that side, the enemy or yourself. Its everybody in the context of war. A Pathway Home director who saw Of Men and War during a 2015 screening at the nearby Lincoln Theater credited the documentary with making plain the need to support those scarred by their military experiences. If you dont have a military background in your family, thats not your reality, said Mike Horak, Pathways development director, who is part of the homes ongoing transition into a program serving veterans enrolled at Napa Valley College. You dont necessarily understand what military life is like and you dont have the concept of what happens. This (film) brings home that harshness and brutality in stronger, more graphic, no-holds-barred terms that this is why its ugly and brutal and nasty. Thats the part Laurent captured very well; he got permission from all those guys to film them at their rawest moments, and they didnt hold back. The closing scenes of the documentary, filmed in the years after the veterans graduation from Pathway, show their divergent paths marriage for one man, a new job for another, but suicide for a third. Not all who are treated for their post-combat suffering will enjoy a happy ending, but to Becue-Renard, their efforts to heal are at least as admirable as their service for their country. Its a battle, an everyday battle, but they are very courageous, the director said of Pathways graduates. With these guys, theres no (expletive); they know what life is about and we have a lot to learn from them. Seeing their journey of resilience is very uplifting and inspiring. We are witnessing a battle within each and every one, a battle to survive. Its a battle to root themselves into life again. Christian Palmazs goal of having a private helipad at his rural family home east of Napa simply didnt fly with the crowd attending a county Planning Commission hearing. Twenty-six people went to the microphone and all except the applicant spoke against the project. Some amid the crowd of about 65 people in the room wore red T-shirts emblazoned with the words Heli-NO. Commissioners said neither no nor yes to the proposed helipad and hangar at the Wednesday morning meeting. As scheduled, they listened to comments on the projects draft environmental impact report. That report analyzed the proposal to build the personal-use heliport at 4031 Hagen Road near the foot of Mount George. It found all potential problems among them noise from a helicopter can be rendered less than significant with mitigation. For example, the report said Palmaz would fly a Bell 429 Global Ranger helicopter with advanced noise-reducing technology. He would arrive and depart using a certain flight path that takes him away from homes and do so only between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Most people in the crowd didnt see the prospect of having a heliport in the rural neighborhood as being less than significant. Patricia Carpignano lives near the Palmaz property. She made a video of a helicopter she said flew over her house a few days ago, though she didnt know who was piloting the aircraft. Our whole house was vibrating and it was pretty loud and pretty incredible, she said. Carol Nagle lives about a mile from the proposed Palmaz helipad site. A Pacific, Gas & Electric helicopter recently flew near her house, she said. The house vibrated and the windows shook and rattled like it was an earthquake, she said. Several people said that noise carries in the quiet, rural area. Others said that helicopter noise has a unique quality to it and this must be taken into account. A significant noise impact as perceived by some people might not qualify as a significant impact in the world of California environmental law. County Planning, Building and Environmental Services Director David Morrison addressed this potential disconnect. For the environmental impact report, the county must use state noise standards, he said. A significant impact is usually noise that affects human health or is more constant than a 15-minute flyover out of 24 hours, he said. There are a lot of factors that go into noise, rather than just simply, I heard it and it bothers me, Morrison said. But the Planning Commission could certify the environmental impact report, noise analysis and all, and still turn down the project. Some people questioned how the county can enforce the proposed noise-reduction measures of flight path restrictions and flight hour restrictions, given that flights are under the authority of the Federal Aviation Administration. Others worried that a Palmaz heliport would lower property values in the area. Commissioner Heather Phillips said that this is a topic to be addressed apart from the environmental impact report. Morgan Morgan said allowing a private helipad at the Palmaz property could lead to more helipads in Napa Valley. This isnt just one application, she said. This is definitely opening Pandoras box. Or Palmazs box, Julia Winiarski said. Steven Humphrey saw the draft report as lacking. Whats missing here is a prologue, he said. The prologue is, why is this (helipad) necessary? What is the reason for this being here? Commissioner Michael Basayne said he wants to know what effects the helicopter operations might have on livestock. He mentioned an equestrian breeding center in the vicinity of the proposed helipad. Palmaz came more than half an hour early to the meeting and took a seat in the front row with his attorney Brian Russell. The self-described flying enthusiast in his early-30s seemed unfazed by the prospect of entering what promised to be a lions den of criticism. We respect everyones opinion, Palmaz said before the meeting started. Thats why were here, to listen to the thoughts of everyone and make sure everyone has their views heard. Russell addressed the commission on behalf of Palmaz. Overall, were satisfied by the analysis that was done by (the report consultant) and county staff, he said. We feel that no stone was left unturned in terms of their analysis. The Planning Commission made one decision on Wednesday it agreed to extend the 45-day public comment period on the Palmaz draft environmental impact report to July 15. David Heitzman, a veteran of other county growth battles, made a plea for the extension. Its difficult for citizens within 45 days to figure out state environmental laws and other laws. They are left to make emotional arguments that have no legal standing, he said. I implore you to give these folks more time, he said. Robert Pursell lives next door to the Palmaz property. Pursell said he represents a neighborhood coalition that is working with attorneys to respond to the draft environmental impact report. He too wanted the comment period extension. Once the July 15 comment deadline passes, the county will work to finish a final environmental impact report that will include responses to the comments received. The Planning Commission could hold its next hearing on the proposed Palmaz helipad this fall. As 2nd Lt. Alix Schoelcher Idrache stood at attention during the commencement ceremony at West Point, New York, on Saturday, he was overcome with emotion. Tears rolled down both cheeks, but his gloved left hand held firm on his white, gold and black "cover," the dress headgear that Army cadets wear. The photograph of Idrache, by Army Staff Sgt. Vito T. Bryant, was published Tuesday on the Facebook page of West Point's U.S. Military Academy, and it almost immediately went viral. Part of that is Idrache's background: He worked his way through one of the nation's most prestigious military schools after immigrating to the United States from Haiti, earning his citizenship and serving for two years as an enlisted soldier with the Maryland Army National Guard, according to Army records. "I woke up this morning and found my face all over Facebook and with it myriad of amazing comments about my accomplishments," Idrache wrote Tuesday on Facebook. "I am humbled and shocked at the same time. Thank you for giving me a shot at the American Dream and may God bless America, the greatest country on earth." On West Point's Instagram page, he left another message thanking people for their support. Bryant, the photographer, "captured a moment that I will never forget," Idrache said. He credited past generations of soldiers and Capt. Kristen Griest, 1st Lt. Shaye Haver and Maj. Lisa Jaster, the three West Point graduates who last year became the first women to graduate from the Army's grueling Ranger School. "Three things came to mind and led to those tears," Idrache wrote. "The first is where I started. I am from Haiti and never did I imagine that such honor would be one day bestowed on me. The second is where I am. Men and women who have preserved the very essence of the human condition stood in that position and took the same oath. Men who preserved the Union [in] a dark period of this country's history. Men who scaled the face of adversity and liberated Europe from fascism . . . Women like CPT Griest, LT Haver, MAJ Jaster who rewrote the narrative and challenged the status quo to prove themselves worthy of being called Rangers." The third thing Idrache thought about, he wrote, is his future. Shortly after he leaves West Point, he will report to Fort Rucker, Alabama, to start flight school. "Knowing that one day I will be a pilot is humbling beyond words," Idrache wrote. "I could not help but be flooded with emotions knowing that I will be leading these men and women who are willing to give their all to preserve what we value as the American way of life. To me, that is the greatest honor. Once again, thank you." Idrache was a leader in his class of 950 cadets. According to a West Point news release, he was named a regimental commander last summer. Army officials at West Point said that he was on leave Thursday and not available for comment. His home town is listed as New Carrollton, Maryland, a Washington suburb. JOHANNESBURG Lions lick tent while campers inside it in Botswana park Two South African campers had a close encounter with lions who licked the tent they were in at a campsite in Botswana. Danie and Fransie Lubbe said Wednesday that they were in their tent at the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park earlier this month when they heard a sound and looked outside to see two female lions licking the moisture off the tents canvas. A third lioness was nearby. My wife said There are lions at the tent! said Danie Lubbe. She closed the tent flap, but Danie quickly reopened it to see the lions right at their tent. We were actually more excited to have them so close than being scared in their presence, said Fransie Lubbe. I think it was a very big privilege to be in their presence, so close to nature. Danie Lubbe took photos of the lions as they circled the tent and their barbeque grill and then eventually ambled away. He said he and his wife were not scared and felt privileged to be so close to the lions. Kgalagadi park straddles the borders of Botswana and South Africa. ROME U.K. looks into claims that WWII sub has been found Britains Royal Navy says its looking into claims by an Italian diver that he located the long-lost wreck of the HMS P311 submarine, which was downed off Sardinia during World War II. Diver Massimo Bondone told the La Nuova Sardegna daily he found the P311 at a depth of 80 meters (262 feet) off the isle of Tavolara during a dive last weekend. Paola Pegoraro of the Orso diving club, which provided logistics for the dive, told The Associated Press the sub was positively identified by the two Chariot human torpedoes affixed to the outside. We are examining our records to determine whether or not this is a Royal Navy submarine, a British Navy spokesman said Wednesday on condition of anonymity, in line with navy regulations. The spokesman stressed that if it is indeed the P311, the wreck belongs to Britain and any possible remains on board must be respected. MEXICO CITY Lawyer for drug lord demands payment from U.S. networks A lawyer for imprisoned drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman says hell sue television networks if they air a new series on Guzmans life without paying him. Lawyer Andres Granados says the two networks have to pay for the right to use Guzmans name and nickname, which means shorty. Granados said Wednesday that at the right price, Guzman might even be willing to supply more information to make it a better project for them. Guzman earlier gave rights to his life story to Mexican actress Kate del Castillo, and Granados said she could also negotiate with the networks. BRUSSELS 4 ISIS suspects who may have planned attacks detained Belgian prosecutors say they have questioned four suspected Islamic State group recruiters, who they say may have planned new attacks in the country. The Federal Prosecutors Office said in a statement Wednesday that all four were charged with participating in the activities of a terrorist group. Two were ordered arrested by an investigating judge, but one of them was released with an electronic bracelet. The other two were released under strict conditions. To date, the money poured into the current race for the 3rd Senate District is close to $1.5 million -- an astronomical sum for a state Legislature race. Outside interests funnel much of that money through often less-than-transparent political action committees (PACs) and independent expenditures. It isnt hard to imagine that these interests look at their contributions to their chosen political candidates as investments who will give them their best return in terms of access and influence. Thats why we need a true fighter in office - a representative who isnt getting the big dollar support from the independent expenditures because her track record is one of standing up for her constituents instead of looking out for the needs of deep-pocketed special interests. We need a representative who doesnt back down from advocating for working families, seniors, children and the environment. We need a representative who is willing to look us in the eye and tell us truthfully where she stands on issues and why. We need a representative who will take the time to consider the tough decisions, make the call that she believes is right for the people, and then stick to it no matter how much pressure the big-money political status-quo might bring down on her. That is why I support Mariko Yamada for Senate District 3. Born to a family who had their home, their livelihood and their reputation taken from them when forced into a Japanese-American internment camp during World War II, Mariko has known from a very early age that everyday people have to fight to be heard. As a social worker, Mariko worked directly with the most vulnerable in our society. She learned when to be compassionate, when to be firm, and always how to work with people to improve their situations. As a county supervisor and state assemblymember, Mariko was consistently recognized for prioritizing people and the environment over political games. Her reputation is that of an on the ground elected official who is far more likely to be out in her district listening to constituents and working for families then at cocktail parties and lobbyist receptions in Sacramento. The country and our state are calling out for a new kind of elected leadership: leaders who are more interested in fighting for whats good for all of us rather than fighting just for those who are funding them. Mariko has a long record of exactly that kind of principled leadership. I hope that you will join me in supporting a true advocate and voice for all of us in the state Senate by voting for Mariko Yamada on June 7. Matt Pope Napa RICHMOND Darrylone Shuemake, the Vallejo man wanted for arson and the murder of his son, turned himself in late Wednesday morning to Richmond police, a police lieutenant said. Shuemake, 53, called the Richmond Police Department dispatch center at 11:34 a.m. and said he wanted to surrender, Lt. Andre Hill said. Shuemake gave his location and Richmond police arrested him at San Pablo and Barrett avenues, Hill said. Vallejo police responded and took custody of Shuemake, Hill said. Shuemake is suspected of starting a fire inside a residence at 827 Stella St. in Vallejo on Sunday morning. His 5-year-old son Dayleone Seil-Shuemake perished in the blaze, and the boys mother suffered second-and third-degree burns, Vallejo Fire Department officials said. A 13-year-old boy in the home suffered minor burns. LOS ANGELES The nexus of wine and art can be a fruitful place. Consider Vendemmia dArtista, an unrivaled program, created in 2009 by the venerable Tuscan winery Ornellaia, which is global in its touch. And it all begins with a single word. Its the word chosen by the Ornellaia winemaker Axel Heinz to describe each new vintage of the estates flagship wine. This word is given to an artist to interpret in a work of art for the estate, and a limited series of wine labels, all signed by the artist. At a subsequent charity event in the artists hometown, the wines are auctioned with the proceeds benefiting a local arts foundation. Vendemmia dArtista began in 2009 with the release of the 2006 Ornellaia wine. The word was Lesuberanza exuberant; the artist, chosen by the the estate and Vendemmia dArtista art curators Bartolomeo Pietromarchi, director of the Maxxi Museum in Rome, and Maria Alicata, was the exuberant Italian sculptor and painter Luigi Ontani. Since then, the words have included lincanto (enchantment); linfinito (infinity); la celebrazione, lequilibrio (balance); lenergia; and larmonia (harmony); and the works by artists including Zbang Huan, Ghada Amer and Rebecca Horn have raised more than 1.5 million euros for institutions that included the Whitney Museum in New York, the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, the Royal Opera House in London, the H2 Foundation in Shanghai and Hong Kong, the Museo Poldi Pezzoli in Milan, the AGO in Toronto, and the Beyeler Foundation in Basel. This year, Ornellaia came to Los Angeles, where Japanese artist Yutaka Sone had been working on the word for the 2013 Ornallia, leleganza elegance. At a gala dinner and auction on May 19 at the Hammer Museum, Sothebys America auctioned wines with Sones signed labels for nine lots, that included 109 large-size bottles of Ornellaia, 100 three-liter double-magnums, eight 6-liter Imperials, and a single 9-liter Salmanazar. The $114,000 raised at the auction will all go to the Hammer Museum, which houses exhibitions and collections and presents nearly 300 programs a year, all free for the public. Sone also created a special 750-ml bottle of Ornellaia to be included in a six-bottle wood box. The mercurial Sone, wearing dazzling silver heels, explained how he decided to express leleganza. When I began this project, and as I have worked with marble all my life, I knew exactly where I needed to go, he said. I decided to visit the marble quarries of Carrara where Michelangelo used to take the stone for his celebrated sculptures. He invited two artist friends, Luc Tuymans and Rirkrit Tiravanija, to accompany him on this special journey and together we enjoyed a picnic in this magical place, high in the mountains, surrounded by the pure white marble cliffs facing out to the sea and beyond, he said. For me, this place epitomizes the sublime elegance of nature and it inspired me as we shared food, great wine, conversation and our close friendship. As you see from the labels I have created, I wanted to interpret the values of sharing, of friendship and the extraordinary uniqueness of this experience. Axel Heinz, who is Ornellaias estate director as well as winemaker, meanwhile, described the wine itself. Spring 2013 was much cooler than normal and resulted in later budding and delayed flowering, compared to previous vintages. In the end, this was a great advantage, since a prolonged summer followed these cool temperatures, offering us textbook growing conditions and perfect ripeness at harvest time. Ornellaia 2013 is a dense wine with vibrant colour and a marked aromatic complexity. What is striking about Ornellaia 2013 is its long and delightfully aromatic finish, which leaves a lasting impression of elegance. I will always remember this vintage because of the delayed start to the vines growth cycle that gave us some cause for concern. This was swiftly remedied, however, when Mother Nature intervened and provided us with great condition. The guests all tasted the 2013 wine, as well as other Ornellaia wines at the dinner, prepared by Suzanne Goin, the 2016 James Beard Outstanding Chef of Los Angeles, and her staff. Among the guests were Michael and Isabel Mondavi, from Napa, whose company, Folio Fine Wine Partners, imports the Ornellaia wines. Vendemmia dArtista has reached its eighth edition, Giovanni Geddes da Filicaja, CEO of Ornellaia, concluded, Its proceeds will continue to go towards restoration of artworks that are part of our international heritage. In six years, we have been successful in donating more than 1 million euros across the globe, just a very small part of what we have committed ourselves to raise in the future. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will delve into the personal stories and significant events of one of the most popular bands in America with Alabama: Born Country. The exhibition will open Aug. 25, 2016, and run through June 2017. It will feature musical instruments, performance clothing, awards, childhood mementos, tour memorabilia, photographs and more. In support of their exhibit, Alabama, featuring Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry, and Jeff Cook, will perform live in the CMA Theater on Wednesday, July 6 for the museums exclusive member concert, The Big Gig. For more information on Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum membership and this exclusive concert visit www.countrymusichalloffame.org. The exhibit will spotlight Alabamas humanitarian efforts. The groups long-running June Jam in Fort Payne, Ala., raised millions of dollars for local charities, and their support of St. Jude Childrens Hospital inspired other country artists to follow suit. Alabama will be inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame on Thursday, May 26 at 1:00 p.m. in Walk of Fame Park in Nashville, Tennessee. The Music City Walk of Fame on Nashvilles Music Mile is a landmark tribute to those from all genres of music who have contributed to the world through song or other industry collaboration and made a significant contribution to the music industry with connection to Music City. Saudi minister: Saudi Arabia and US will overcome unjustified spat Rishi Sunak vows to fix 'mistakes' of Liz Truss MFA comments on information about meeting of special envoys of Armenia and Turkey Daily Sabah: Armenian, Turkish special representatives next meeting planned in Turkey The Telegraph: US President Biden mispronounces Rishi Sunak's name Zelenskyy proposes creating platforms for the 'de-occupation' of Transnistria and Abkhazia 'Armenia' bloc deputy: Nikol Pashinyan and Suren Papikyan are lying Dollar falls, euro rises Stanislav Zass discusses with Lavrov situation in CSTO zone of responsibility New British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife are richer than royalty Klaar: EU actively engaged in Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process at all levels Nissan reveals updated Juke crossover FM briefs Sovereign Order of Malta Grand Chancellor on Armenia position on normalizing relations with Azerbaijan Azerbaijan prepares for peace with Armenia but dramatically increases military budget North Korea completes preparations for nuclear test Azerbaijan manipulates facts, creates information pretext to encroach on Lachin corridor Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia is discussed at Francophonie Parliamentary Assembly conference (PHOTOS) Peskov says details of gas hub with Turkey were being worked out Konstantin Zatulin on ban on his entry into Armenia: I see it as insulting move Putin's spokesman says building wall on Russian-EU borders is nonsense Turkey begins its part of work on gas hub agreement with Russia Kremlin responds to Macron's appeal to Pope to negotiate with Putin Millliyet: Turkish and Finnish delegations hold talks on NATO membership in Ankara Zelenskiy: Ukraine receives not 'a single cent' on $17 billion rapid recovery plan Rishi Sunak takes office as Prime Minister of Great Britain Indonesian armed woman tries to break into presidential palace Pashinyan's family newspaper writes that Konstantin Zatulin is forbidden to enter Armenia from now on President Raisi accuses U.S. of information terrorism, organizing riots in Iran AraratBank and 4090 Charity Foundation team up for the education of war participants Ursula von der Leyen: EU to provide Kyiv with 1 billion for urgent restoration of energy supply World Bank to provide Armenia with EUR 22.6 million of additional credit funds Macron asks Pope to call Putin to solve Ukraine crisis PM: Azerbaijan hinders search of Armenian soldiers' bodies in occupied territories German president assures Ukraine of his full support Armenia ruling force MP: Major powers have told us You should sign that agreement by the end of the year WSJ: Saudi Prince Bin Salman mocks Biden in private talks OSCE needs assessment mission is briefed on situation in Armenias Jermuk after Azerbaijan military aggression (PHOTOS) Armenias Pashinyan to Kazakhstans Tokayev: Mutually beneficial cooperation corresponds to our countries interests Driver, 41, dies in hospital 2 days after Armenia car accident US: Former student opens fire at school Turkish Finance Minister says he would seek gas discount from Gazprom US State Dept.: We are interested in seeing stable Caucasus where we work both with Armenia and Azerbaijan US plans to allocate $25M to project to strengthen Armenia economy Copper prices decline Armenia premier: Italy is friendly country, important partner for us Pashinyan to Xi: We will succeed in qualitatively raising Armenian-Chinese political dialogue to new level World Bank allocates Ukraine additional $500 million Zelenskyy: If Moscow says Ukraine is making dirty bomb, then Russia made it Newspaper: Anti-CSTO consolidation initiative group of Armenia sends petition to parliament speaker World oil prices going up Newspaper: Armenia PM forbids political teammates to say anything about Karabakh Azerbaijan opens fire at Armenia positions Largest cruise liner in world 'Icon of the Seas' presented U.S. police officers mistake pet cat for mountain lion Joe Biden gets another Covid-19 booster shot US imposes sanctions on Nicaragua's gold mining industry Kremlin says Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents prepare to meet Leading Party Sponsor: Conservative Party is not fit to run Britain 'From Old Memory': Drivers can't see road signs on section of North-South highway under construction in Yerevan Russian MFA: We are sure that attempts of external forces to split Moscow and Yerevan will not succeed Yair Lapid: Israel is deeply concerned over Russia and Iran's military ties Another school shooting in U.S.: 3 dead, including shooter Azerbaijani Armed Forces shell Armenian positions Kenyan police shoot and kill prominent Pakistani journalist OSCE representatives visit villages affected by Azerbaijani aggression in Syunik Province US presidential adviser calls OPEC's decision to cut oil production political move Lavrov: Russia and Iran gave comprehensive answers about alleged use of Iranian drones Netanyahu's comeback dominates Israel's elections Georgian president complains that she was not informed about Aliyev's visit S&P Global Market Intelligence: Recession in Eurozone looks increasingly inevitable Benny Gantz tells his Ukrainian colleague that Israel will not supply weapons to Kiev Greek Armed Forces can effectively respond to any provocation by Turkey Qatar urges to depoliticize oil and gas General Staff of Armed Forces head discusses Ukraine with his British colleague Zelenskyy: Russia wouldn't cooperate militarily with Iran if Israel had not denied air defense systems to Kyiv Azerbaijan sends note in connection with 'anti-Azerbaijani statements' on Channel One Goldman Sachs foretells European business worst year since global financial crisis Artificial intelligence leads political party in Denmark Aliyev says Baku-Tbilisi-Kars route should be increased U.S. State Department official expresses support for Armenia's sovereignty Iranian MFA: IRGC exercises on borders with Azerbaijan are not directed against any neighboring state Pashinyan: Damage caused to country by corruption must be restored Rishi Sunak to become UK PM Armenia official: Defense sector expenses will increase the most, state budget allocations will increase by 160bln drams Iranian president congratulates Xi Jinping: Tehran is determined to expand comprehensive relations with Beijing Russian MOD: Work on Ukraine's 'dirty bomb' comes to end Dollar drops, euro goes up in Armenia Fly Arna planning to conduct 2 weekly flights between Yerevan and Beirut Ilham Aliyev: Azerbaijan doubles gas and oil exports to Europe via Georgia Two quakes hit near Tbilisi Aliyev: Azerbaijan-Armenia agreement signing will be guarantee of peace in entire South Caucasus Over 1.5 million light bulbs lit simultaneously in India: New Guinness World Record Garibashvili: Georgia is ready to support peaceful neighborhood initiative in South Caucasus Azerbaijan to export 157 GW of electric energy via Georgia 3, including one foreigner, arrested after illegal weapons, ammunition found in Armenia town house Milliyet: Turkey has tightened control over the Bosphorus Strait due to mines in the Black Sea Northern France hit by tornado Armenia FM to head for Vatican on official visit NYT: Israel gives Ukraine intelligence data to fight UAVs Police detains opposition activists in Azerbaijan President of the European Commission (EC), Jean-Claude Juncker urged the Turkish authorities not to intimidate the EU with threats in order to achieve the desired result in the negotiations on the liberalization of the visa regime. In early May, the European Commission (EC) has suggested European Parliament (EP) and the EU Council to lift visa limits for citizens of Turkey if Ankara satisfies the remaining conditions for visa abolition until the end of June. These included measures for prevention of corruption, negotiations on an operational agreement with Europol, judicial cooperation with all member countries, revision of the legislation on fight against terrorism. As far as the deal with Turkey is concerned, I am very confident that this deal will produce effects. It is already producing effects. We have negotiated with our Turkish partner 72 conditions, benchmarks. This was a negotiation by two parties, not only benchmarks having been imposed by the European Union. Five out of these 72 were missing, two have been achieved in the last days. As far as the benchmark concerning the anti-terror legislation, we do expect that Turkey will stick to its commitments. And threats are not the best diplomatic instrument you can use so one should stop to use them, because they will produce no effect whatsoever, Juncker told journalists before the G7 Summit in Brussels on Thursday, Europa.eu reported. Earlier, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan threatened the EU with withdrawal from the migration agreements, if the European Union fails to provide the citizens of his country with visa-free regime. Erdogan also stated that Turkey will not revise its anti-terrorism legislation and accused the EU of duplicity. The official spokesperson of the European Parliament president Martin Schulz told RIA Novosti that the EP will start the legislative process on the issue of visa-free travel for Turkish citizens only after Ankara fulfills all requirements of the EU connected with it without exception. YEREVAN. Armenia and the European Union (EU) continue talks in normal fashion, to sign a new framework document on cooperation. Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian stated the above-said during his report at Thursdays joint session of the National Assembly committees, and regarding the performance of the 2015 State Budget of Armenia. Commenting on the statement by Ambassador Piotr Switalski, Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, who had said there are complications in the talks on the new Armenia-EU agreement, Nalbandian noted: I would not say so. Any negotiations have complications, which the parties certainly try to surmount; there are also problems. But it has never been so that one of the parties so declares. If Switalski believes that this is kind of pressure, its a bad kind. As per the Armenian FM, although there are no specific deadlines, the Armenian side does everything possible so that the talks conclude as soon as possible. Moreover, according to Nalbandian, the work was not limited to the negotiations on the future document, and recently, Armenia has joined several EU programs. Incidentally, not all of the countries that have signed an agreement on association with the EU have even joined those programs, Edward Nalbandian noted. Our dialogue is quite rich and varied, and we [i.e. Armenia] are interested in deepening cooperation in all possible directions. YEREVAN. - Armenia has never abandoned its announcements on Eurasian integration, Armenian FM Edward Nalbandian stated the aforementioned Thursday at the joint session of the parliamentary committees. According to the FM, he had stated about the focus of those talks. The Armenian side was ready to sign an agreement with the EU in areas it had negotiated on, he said. I have repeatedly talked about the close and open formats, and am repeating this now. Earlier the issue concerned the impossibility of our joining to the Eurasian Union due to the absence of a common border and a number of other factors. And the working group formed from the representatives of the Armenian Government and states of the then Customs Union concluded that despite these obstacles Armenia may become a Union member. Werepeatedly and publicly stated and everyone, including the EU, knew - that Armenia wanted to become a member of the Customs Union, but that was impossible. And when conclusion was reached on that this was possible, we launched the talks. We didnt become a Union member in a day and didnt sign documents of thousand pages. We were ready for the talks. In Brussels I also stated that we are ready to sign a document in the areas which dont contradict our obligations in the framework of other international integration processes and organizations. And now we are speaking of what had been publicly announced. Before the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius [in November 2013] Commissioner Ashton and me prepared a joint statement on that Armenia and EU are ready to develop and deepen cooperation in all possible formats and directions, considering the obligations of Yerevan in other integration formats and directions. We announced about this also afterwards, both at the summit in Riga and in December when the talks with the EU resumed and we announced together with Ms Mogherini about the launch of new talks [on new EU-Armenia framework agreement]. Armenia was ready to resume them very quickly, but 28 countries in the EU were to give a mandate for the talks. But three stages of the talks have already taken place, being carried out as planned, Nalbandian noted. YEREVAN. We henceforth have a wide consolidation round the Armenian Electoral Code, spokesperson of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Eduard Sharmazanov, who is also the Deputy Speaker of Armenian National Assembly (NA), told journalists after the meeting of the RPA Executive Body Thursday. According to him, the meeting addressed the Contact Line situation. The President presented the developments of the last week and the measures taken towards ensuring the security. To the observation that some of the opposition forces insist that there has been no consensus on the Electoral Code during the third reading, Sharmazanov noted that the democracy implies pluralism and 100 percent consensus doesnt happen even in the most democratic states. The Electoral Code was adopted by 102 votes, all the factions but for the Orinats Yerkir voting in its favor, he said. The Spokesperson also expressed conviction that the Bundestag will adopt the resolution condemning the Armenian Genocide on June 2. Germany is a superpower, and the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by it is very important, he noted. Our German partners at least note that they have precise principles. We will follow the events on June 2 and I think we will have an occasion to congratulate each other, added Sharmaznov. Researchers at Emory University, the University of Georgia, and the Georgia Institute of Technology, along with national and international collaborators, will investigate the mechanisms behind resilience following malaria infection. The investigators believe learning why malaria causes acute, potentially lethal disease in some humans and animals, while others are much more resilient or tolerant, could lead them to better intervention strategies for malaria and other diseases, including new and better drugs. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) are supporting the research through a $6.4 million contract. The research partnership is part of DARPAs THoR (Technologies for Host Resilience) program and is termed the HAMMER (Host Acute Models of Malaria to study Experimental Resilience) project. HAMMER is one of a few projects in the THoR program, established for a three-year period, covering a variety of diverse host-pathogen model systems. The HAMMER project uniquely focuses on malaria and its effects on human and non-human primate hosts. Malaria, which is transmitted through mosquito bites, is the most widespread human parasitic disease and is endemic in approximately 100 countries. It causes fever, pain and other acute responses, and in severe cases it can become deadly within days of the onset of symptoms. Malaria is a potentially lethal disease, but resilience in some people and non-human primates allows them to control the disease and avoid adverse outcomes, so that the infection is not incapacitating, says Mary R. Galinski, PhD, principal investigator for the project and professor of medicine and infectious diseases at Emory University School of Medicine, Emory Vaccine Center and Yerkes National Primate Research Center. Our goals are to identify host features associated with resilience, thinking beyond the hosts immune response into the realms of physiology, biochemistry and pathogenesis, and develop interventions that could enhance that resilience. In addition to Galinski, key leaders of the THoR HAMMER project include Juan B. Gutierrez, PhD, associate professor of mathematics and bioinformatics at the University of Georgia, and Rabindra Tirouvanziam, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine. The project includes more than 40 established investigators in infectious diseases, systems biology, physiology, pathology, immunology, genomics, bioinformatics, pediatrics, cardiology, pulmonology, biomedical engineering, and mathematics at the three institutions, and through other collaborations. THoRs HAMMER project focuses on the malaria parasite Plasmodium knowlesi, which can infect both humans and non-human primates. Plasmodium knowlesi causes mild chronic infections in some monkeys, such as long-tailed and pig-tailed macaques, which are its natural hosts. However, it causes severe, virulent infections in other monkeys, such as rhesus macaques. Using systems biology approaches, the THoRs HAMMER team will generate large datasets on characteristics of P. knowlesi infection in the two types of non-human primates and in humans. They will then develop and apply mathematical models to compare and contrast the different scenarios of infection to identify particular host features associated with resilience. This may yield insights that could lead to novel interventions for malaria, including new drugs. The researchers will use surgically implanted telemetry devices to gather continuous real-time physiological data from the two types of monkeys, before and during infection, including temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and mobility. The HAMMER project will investigate correlates of physiological signals captured via telemetry with clinical and molecular variables, to detect signatures of the onset of severe disease. The team also is collaborating with Balbir Singh, professor and director of the Malaria Research Centre at the University of Malaysia, Sarawak, to examine a large cohort of samples from human P. knowlesi infections. Malaysian Borneo is the epicenter of a significant animal-to-human public health threat in Southeast Asian countries and P. knowlesi accounts for the majority of Borneos malaria cases. Such zoonotic infections have been reported in other parts of Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam. By combining the new technology of telemetry devices in non-human primates with data from human infections, our project will both deepen understanding of malaria caused by P. knowlesi, and generate valuable information to address other types of malaria, including disease caused by P. falciparum and P. vivax, the most common malaria parasites worldwide, says Gutierrez. The researchers' ultimate goal is to test candidate therapeutic interventions in highly susceptible hosts with the aim of reducing disease severity and death in the absence of effective antimalarial chemotherapy, or in conjunction with antimalarial chemotherapy. If successful, such host-directed therapeutic strategies could be available for use by people in need, whether they are infected with P. knowlesi, other species of Plasmodium, and possibly other pathogens. These challenging goals are fitting with DARPAs track record taking on some of the worlds most difficult and creative research projects, venturing into unchartered scientific territory. The THoRs HAMMER project builds upon the scientific infrastructure of the Malaria Host-Pathogen Interaction Center (MaHPIC), a malaria systems biology partnership between Emory, UGA, Georgia Tech, and the CDC Foundation, established in 2012 with Federal funds from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. HHSN272201200031C. Through its robust, multi-institutional research partnership and global collaborations, MaHPIC has used technological advances to conduct innovative systems biology research in non-human primates and applied mathematical modeling tools to integrate large, diverse datasets, including from human samples. The MaHPIC and HAMMER team members will work collaboratively to further the distinct goals of both projects. Our systems biology team, which has become well-established through our MaHPIC consortium, plans to positively impact the work of all THoR projects by continuing to promote cross-fertilization of ideas both within our team and among all THoR project participants nationally, says Tirouvanziam. Matthew Siracusa has been accepted to the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. When Matthew Siracusa came to Cal State Fullerton as a freshman, he set his sights on pursuing a career in dentistry after shadowing his familys dentist while in high school. This fall, Siracusa is leaping toward realizing his goal as he begins his four-year doctor of dental medicine studies at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in Philadelphia. He also was awarded a Deans Scholarship of $30,000 a year for his studies. For his high academic achievement and commitment to serve humanity, Siracusa was awarded a 2016 Miles D. McCarthy Health Professions Award, named for the founding faculty member of the Biological Science Department who started the health professions advising program more than 50 years ago. Im honored to have won this award. It means that all of the hard work I put in at CSUF has paid off, said Siracusa, who graduated summa cum laude in 2014 with a B.S. in biological science and minor in chemistry. Since his CSUF graduation, he prepared and applied to a number of dental schools and was accepted to several, including Columbia University, UCLA and USC. He also works at UCLA conducting studies into engineering bacteria to produce sustainable industrial biofuels. While an undergraduate, Siracusa conducted research on a certain proteins effect on how the body reacts to stress and disease as a scholar in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Program. His faculty mentor was Nikolas Nikolaidis, associate professor of biological science. For his research, he was awarded a $3,500 scholarship from the California State University Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology and Doris A. Howell Foundation for Womens Health Research, which funds promising undergraduate student research projects in topics related to womens health. Dr. Nikolaidis taught me the importance of critical thinking and instilled in me a passion for science and lifelong learning, said Siracusa, who co-authored two scientific journal articles with his research mentor. Siracusa also sought assistance from the Health Professions Advising Office, which provided him with advice on the dental school application process and how to be a competitive applicant. He also spent five semesters as a Supplemental Instruction leader, helping his peers understand difficult concepts and achieve in an introductory biology course, and volunteered at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach. Siracusa wants to become a health professional to improve the quality of life for others. Through my experiences in the dental field I have seen firsthand how many people suffer from lack of dental care and education, said Siracusa. As a dentist, I want to be a leader in community outreach and use my resources to educate and provide treatment to those less fortunate. Im looking forward to embarking on a new adventure and working towards achieving my goal of becoming a leader in the field of dental medicine. 16:45 Seventy-one years ago, on a bright cloudless morning, death fell from the sky and the world was changed. A flash of light and a wall of fire destroyed a city and demonstrated that mankind possessed the means to destroy itself. Why do we come to this place, to Hiroshima? We come to ponder a terrible force unleashed in a not-so-distant past. We come to mourn the dead, including over 100,000 Japanese men, women and children, thousands of Koreans, a dozen Americans held prisoner. Their souls speak to us. They ask us to look inward, to take stock of who we are and what we might become. It is not the fact of war that sets Hiroshima apart. Artifacts tell us that violent conflict appeared with the very first man. Our early ancestors having learned to make blades from flint and spears from wood used these tools not just for hunting but against their own kind. On every continent, the history of civilization is filled with war, whether driven by scarcity of grain or hunger for gold, compelled by nationalist fervor or religious zeal. Empires have risen and fallen. Peoples have been subjugated and liberated. And at each juncture, innocents have suffered, a countless toll, their names forgotten by time. The world war that reached its brutal end in Hiroshima and Nagasaki was fought among the wealthiest and most powerful of nations. Their civilizations had given the world great cities and magnificent art. Their thinkers had advanced ideas of justice and harmony and truth. And yet the war grew out of the same base instinct for domination or conquest that had caused conflicts among the simplest tribes, an old pattern amplified by new capabilities and without new constraints. In the span of a few years, some 60 million people would die. Men, women, children, no different than us. Shot, beaten, marched, bombed, jailed, starved, gassed to death. There are many sites around the world that chronicle this war, memorials that tell stories of courage and heroism, graves and empty camps that echo of unspeakable depravity.Continue reading the main story. Yet in the image of a mushroom cloud that rose into these skies, we are most starkly reminded of humanity's core contradiction. How the very spark that marks us as a species, our thoughts, our imagination, our language, our toolmaking, our ability to set ourselves apart from nature and bend it to our will -- those very things also give us the capacity for unmatched destruction. How often does material advancement or social innovation blind us to this truth? How easily we learn to justify violence in the name of some higher cause. Every great religion promises a pathway to love and peace and righteousness, and yet no religion has been spared from believers who have claimed their faith as a license to kill. Nations arise telling a story that binds people together in sacrifice and cooperation, allowing for remarkable feats. But those same stories have so often been used to oppress and dehumanize those who are different. Science allows us to communicate across the seas and fly above the clouds, to cure disease and understand the cosmos, but those same discoveries can be turned into ever more efficient killing machines. The wars of the modern age teach us this truth. Hiroshima teaches this truth. Technological progress without an equivalent progress in human institutions can doom us. The scientific revolution that led to the splitting of an atom requires a moral revolution as well. That is why we come to this place. We stand here in the middle of this city and force ourselves to imagine the moment the bomb fell. We force ourselves to feel the dread of children confused by what they see. We listen to a silent cry. We remember all the innocents killed across the arc of that terrible war and the wars that came before and the wars that would follow. Mere words cannot give voice to such suffering. But we have a shared responsibility to look directly into the eye of history and ask what we must do differently to curb such suffering again. Some day, the voices of the hibakusha will no longer be with us to bear witness. But the memory of the morning of Aug. 6, 1945, must never fade. That memory allows us to fight complacency. It fuels our moral imagination. It allows us to change.And since that fateful day, we have made choices that give us hope. The United States and Japan have forged not only an alliance but a friendship that has won far more for our people than we could ever claim through war. The nations of Europe built a union that replaced battlefields with bonds of commerce and democracy. Oppressed people and nations won liberation. An international community established institutions and treaties that work to avoid war and aspire to restrict and roll back and ultimately eliminate the existence of nuclear weapons. Still, every act of aggression between nations, every act of terror and corruption and cruelty and oppression that we see around the world shows our work is never done. We may not be able to eliminate man's capacity to do evil, so nations and the alliances that we form must possess the means to defend ourselves. But among those nations like my own that hold nuclear stockpiles, we must have the courage to escape the logic of fear and pursue a world without them. We may not realize this goal in my lifetime, but persistent effort can roll back the possibility of catastrophe. We can chart a course that leads to the destruction of these stockpiles. We can stop the spread to new nations and secure deadly materials from fanatics. And yet that is not enough. For we see around the world today how even the crudest rifles and barrel bombs can serve up violence on a terrible scale. We must change our mind-set about war itself. To prevent conflict through diplomacy and strive to end conflicts after they've begun. To see our growing interdependence as a cause for peaceful cooperation and not violent competition. To define our nations not by our capacity to destroy but by what we build. And perhaps, above all, we must reimagine our connection to one another as members of one human race. For this, too, is what makes our species unique. We're not bound by genetic code to repeat the mistakes of the past. We can learn. We can choose. We can tell our children a different story, one that describes a common humanity, one that makes war less likely and cruelty less easily accepted. We see these stories in the hibakusha. The woman who forgave a pilot who flew the plane that dropped the atomic bomb because she recognized that what she really hated was war itself. The man who sought out families of Americans killed here because he believed their loss was equal to his own. My own nation's story began with simple words: All men are created equal and endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Realizing that ideal has never been easy, even within our own borders, even among our own citizens. But staying true to that story is worth the effort. It is an ideal to be strived for, an ideal that extends across continents and across oceans. The irreducible worth of every person, the insistence that every life is precious, the radical and necessary notion that we are part of a single human family -- that is the story that we all must tell.That is why we come to Hiroshima. So that we might think of people we love. The first smile from our children in the morning. The gentle touch from a spouse over the kitchen table. The comforting embrace of a parent. We can think of those things and know that those same precious moments took place here, 71 years ago. Those who died, they are like us. Ordinary people understand this, I think. They do not want more war. They would rather that the wonders of science be focused on improving life and not eliminating it. When the choices made by nations, when the choices made by leaders, reflect this simple wisdom, then the lesson of Hiroshima is done. The world was forever changed here, but today the children of this city will go through their day in peace. What a precious thing that is. It is worth protecting, and then extending to every child. That is a future we can choose, a future in which Hiroshima and Nagasaki are known not as the dawn of atomic warfare but as the start of our own moral awakening. BENGALURU: At the annual developer conference 2015, Google introduced a new system, Project Abacus, to roll out the password system for identity verification. This new system is based on various patterns that will be used to verify user identity. The Director of Googles ATAP team, Mr. Dan Kaufman, briefed about the status of Project Abacus with the expected release date by the year-end. NDTV Gadgets360.com website compiled about the Googles ready to launch technology. Project Abacus was introduced at Google I/O last year for the first time, as an improved version of two-factor authentication. At the time of initial project introduction, company officials announced that it was in a trial period and tech giant did tie-up with 33 universities for feature testing. Google mentioned that it is hard to remember multiple passwords, so Project Abacus is designed to monitor user patterns, like location, typing, walking, and others and compile them for authentication process. The officials stressed that the Project Abacus will manage sign-in to the applications or unlocking of devices on different patterns based Trust Score. The patterns behind the calculation of Trust Score include current location, typing patterns, facial recognition, voice patterns, speed, and others. While providing details about the project, Mr. Dan Kaufman mentioned on how a cell phone consists of various sensors. Why not utilize these sensors for user recognition instead of entering a string of password. He also mentioned that the engineers at Google are working to change Trust Score to Trust API. The first hand testing of the Trust API will be done at various large financial institutions. Based on the expected outcome company will be planning to make it available for Android Developers by the end of the year. Developers can implement the system while developing Android applications and it will provide an advantage to Google over Apples fingerprint-based TouchID. Read Also: Nokia In Talks With Indian Telcos Over 5G Networks Microsoft Opens Wallet To Extend Internet In Remote Areas At least five workers were killed and around 125 others injured when in a massive blast when a boiler at a private chemical company in the MIDC industrial complex here on Thursday morning, police said. The blast in Probace Enterprises around 11 a.m. caused a devastating fire at the factory, located in the Phase II of Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) complex, on the outskirts of the Dombivali city, said an official of the Manpada police. The fire was quickly brought under control and as smoke dissipated, it revealed the entire factory building had collapsed. The huge blast and blaze also caused huge damage to two other adjacent plants - belonging to the Herbert Brown Pharma & Research and Acharya Group. So severe was the blast, which some eyewitnesses compared to a bomb explosion, that it was heard even four-five km away. The shock wave shook buildings, shattered glass windows of several residential and industrial buildings, moving or parked vehicles, injured pedestrians, vehicle drivers and even cattle in the surrounding vicinity for almost two kms. It also disrupted mobile communication and television cable services in the area for a few hours. Many locals mistook it for an earthquake and dropped everything to flee their homes to open places for safety. Fifteen fire-tenders and water tankers from Dombivali, Thane, Kalyan and other surrounding towns, as well as National Disaster Response Force teams from Thane and Pune, and the National Security Guard team from Mumbai, rushed to the spot to tackle the emergency, said District Collector Mahendra Kalyankar. Kalyankar said arrangements were made for augmenting blood supplies for the injured victims who were admitted to nearby government or private hospitals and other relief measures. Taking a serious view of the incident, Industry Minister Subhash Desai announced that all chemical industrial units in and around Dombivali would be shifted to alternate locations for which suitable legislative change would be effected. He also announced that all such chemical industries in the city shall be shut down for a week to carry out an inspection and combing operation to ascertain implementation of various safety and security measures. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed anguish over the tragedy and assured for relief and rehabilitation measures for the victims. He also visited the injured undergoing treatment at various hospitals in the evening. The district authorities have ordered a probe into the blast's cause and will carry out a safety review of all the 900-odd industrial units located in the sprawling MIDC area in Dombivali. --IANS qn/vd ( 428 Words) 2016-05-26-18:10:04 (IANS) Hearing petitions accusing the Art of Living foundation of violating the green court's order and its founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar reportedly saying political motive behind the fine imposed for hosting the World Culture Festival on the Yamuna floodplain, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) court on Wednesday adjourned the matter to August 2. The court, meanwhile, asked the expert committee to file within two weeks a report on the impact of The Art of Living's World Culture Festival on Yamuna floodplains. Though the Art of Living was prepared with the replies to applications on "enzymes" and alleged statements by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to some media, the NGT had been given three more days to file its replies, said a statement issued by The Art of Living. The issue regarding the power of the tribunal to entertain an application for contempt was very briefly discussed, it said, adding that the tribunal has not recorded any finding on this question. It statement said the allegation by environmentalist Manoj Misra regarding Sri Sri's comment on the NGT are baseless, and the petition was based on unverified newspaper reports. The Art of Living claimed that it got the video of the speech that clearly shows that no such comment was made by Sri Sri. "It was yet another malafide attempt by Misra to malign and tarnish his image by false claims," said the statement. Held in March, the World Culture Festival sparked a controversy, with the foundation being accused of causing extensive damage to the eco-sensitive floodplain and the river while building the stage for the three-day extravaganza. The tribunal asked the foundation to pay Rs 5 crore as environment compensation charge before giving the go-ahead to the festival. Several cases related to the event are being heard by the green court. The NGT on May 10 asked Ravi Shankar to reply to a plea by environmentalists Misra and Anand Arya accusing him of describing as "politically motivated" the tribunal order asking the foundation to pay Rs. 5 crore. The applicants have sought action against Ravi Shankar for "scandalising the tribunal", said. (ANI) Transport, Highway & Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday presented 20 buses of the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation under the 'NIRBHAYA' scheme to provide safe and secure transport to women, with IT-enabled safety measures to the public, at a function in the national capital. The 20 buses included 10 luxury and 10 general buses fitted with Vehicle Tracking System, CCTV cameras and panic buttons on every seat to provide immediate help to women passengers in distress. Speaking on the occasion, Gadkari said certain unfortunate incidents in the recent past have forced his ministry to take this step, so that women travelling in buses feel safe. He shared that the CCTV cameras, the Vehicle Tracking System and especially the panic buttons will enable the police to know the exact location of the bus and will provide prompt assistance. The minister also said that efforts would be made to ensure that the scheme is extended to other buses and other states as well in due course. He added buses in future should be manufactured along with these features. Gadkari said that these measures will keep anti-social elements under check. The ministry will issue a notification after June 2, 2016, making it mandatory for public vehicles with seating capacity of 23 or above to have CCTV camera, Vehicle Location Tracking Device and panic buttons. Those with seating capacity of less than 23 will be required to have Vehicle Tracking Device and emergency buttons. A draft notification has already been issued in this regard. The Minister for Women & Child Development, Maneka Gandhi, who was also present during the function, thanked the Rajasthan Government for the initiative. She said the initiative would also help prevent as well as rescue children, who get kidnapped. She expressed her desire that this system should be extended to trains also. (ANI) The Cabinet on Wednesday granted ex-post facto approval to the amendment to the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 for incorporation of six new IITs and conversion of Indian School of Mines (ISM) Dhanbad to an IIT. The six new IITs will be located at Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Palakkad (Kerala), Dharwar (Karnataka), Bhilai (Chhattisgarh), Goa and Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir). The decision came at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Cabinet granted ex-post facto approval for establishment of National Institute of Technology (NIT), Andhra Pradesh, which has been registered as a Society under the Andhra Pradesh Societies Registration Act, 2001. The approval will give a legal entity to NIT Andhra Pradesh. This institute is being funded by the Centre. The Cabinet has also approved introduction of a Bill namely the National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2016 for inclusion of the NIT Andhra Pradesh in its First Schedule. The proposed amendments to the Bill will ensure a high level of public accountability and increased participation of the stakeholders in the administration and academic activities of the institute. In other decisions, the Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between India and Japan for promoting sustainable, stable and low-carbon thermal power development in India. The Cabinet also granted ex-post facto approval to the cadre review of the Indian Postal Service. The cadre review will enable the Department of Posts to meet the functional requirements and strengthening the cadre structure both in the headquarters and in the field on the basis of functional requirement. It will lead to the creation of new posts at DG, ADG, SAG, JAG and JTS levels by decreasing Senior Time Scale posts. (ANI) Temperature in northern states including New Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh is likely to cross 45 degree Celsius. "The (northern) region which has been receiving thundershowers for the past couple of days, will not receive any rainfall for the next three to four days be it Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh. Instead temperature will rise around these regions," said Director of Meteorological Department, B.P.Yadav. He added that Telangana would also see a rise in temperature in the coming days. Temperature fell by more than 10 degrees in northern India after dust storms followed by rains that hit the region on Monday. Some parts of the national capital received brief spell of rains bringing the temperature down to 30 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. This year's summer has been harsh as temperature has risen by several degrees in most parts of the country in the beginning of May leading to severe shortage of water and power. (ANI) Air India has announced the institution of 100 more aircrafts over the next four years aimed at encouraging better connectivity and easing transportation for the passengers. Air India chairman and Managing Director, Ashwani Lohani, today tabled a meeting with the representatives of various state governments to discuss the liability and feasibility of different routes. "The solo aim of this meeting was to understand the needs and demands of the sates. We aim to connect tier-2 and tier-3 cities in various states to provide a proficient flying experience to our passengers. We have laid out a plan along with the state governments to prepare a fair spread-out across the country," he said. "Market is growing rapidly and our share in market which used to be quite high is going down steadily. This is the time we react. If market grows, we should also grow proportionately. Since more and more people are travelling these days, fanning out more options will not only help the regular flyers but also attract new ones," he added. The airlines is also working to tie up with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), which will facilitate any regular passenger to fly with Air India using the same ticket if failed to get a confirmed seat.(ANI) The terrorists earlier attacked a police party guarding the NC leader and former Rajpora MLA when he was on his way to attend a marriage function. The security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a massive manhunt to nab the terrorists. (ANI) In wake of the Congress Party cornering Amitabh Bachchan over reports that he would be hosting a mega show in Delhi to celebrate Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's two years in office, the Bollywood megastar's son and actor Abhishek Bachchan on Wednesday clarified that his father was not hosting any political event. Talking to the media here while promoting his upcoming film 'Housefull 3', Abhishek said that his father would just be a part of the occasion where he would be talking about educating the girl child. "He (Amitabh Bachchan) is not hosting any political event. He is part of a function and is talking about educating girl child and I think that's not a political event," he said. Abhishek's response comes in response to Congress' attack on his father after reports emerged that he would be hosting the event. The Congress Party had earlier criticised Big B over reports that he would host the event. "We have no objection if the Prime Minister participates in any sort of a programme with Amitabh Bachchan," said Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala. "But there is one thing to keep in mind. When there is an investigation into an individual for black money, and the PM takes part in a programme hosted by that individual, what sort of a message does it send to the investigation agencies? There is a need to keep this in mind," he said, adding everyone in India loves Amitabh Bachchan as an artist and as an elder. He further said that the actor has denied charges and he may be proved innocent, but what message was the Prime Minister trying to send. As per reports, the five-hour show from 5-10 p.m. to be hosted at the India Gate is likely to be titled 'Ek Nayi Subah' or a new morning. The show will also feature other Bollywood stars like Anil Kapoor, Anupam Kher and Juhi Chawla. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the finale. However, there are reports that R. Madhavan, and not Amitabh, would be hosting the event. Amitabh's name figured last month on a list of Indians in what has been dubbed the Panama Papers - a massive leak of tax documents on offshore companies and accounts of the rich and the powerful. Big B has, however, denied all knowledge of the companies said to be linked to him. (ANI) Human rights activist Jomon Puthenpurackal has written a letter to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, demanding probe into the role of a senior Congress leader in the murder of Dalit law student, Jisha, who was raped and murdered in Perumbavoor on April 28.In his letter, Mr Puthenpurackal alleged that the Dalit girl was the daughter of the senior Congress leader as Jisha's mother was a servant in his house 20 years back. The murder occurred after Jisha met her biological father and sought financial aid. When she was denied the aid, she threatened to file a paternity claim by conducting a DNA test."After this incident, the Dalit girl was raped and murdered by the men of this senior leader. Though the involvement of the Congress leader is well known in the area, there was no effort from the probe team to conduct an impartial inquiry in this regard," he alleged. The local police has also intentionally destroyed all the evidences in the first stage of the probe to help the senior Congress leader, he alleged.UNI DS PR 1001 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0324-752423.Xml The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) wasnearly steady at 1,958.91 as of 0240 GMT. "Weak Chinese stocks are currently pressuring the KOSPI,while investors are holding their positions ahead of theevents," said Kim Ye-eun, a stock analyst with LIG Investment &Securities, adding Chinese stocks' movement would decide thedirection for the day. South Korean shares had risen early in the session but gainswere erased after Chinese stock markets opened down. Offshore investors were expected to be net buyers and hadpurchased a net 46.8 billion won ($39.62 million) worth sharesnear mid-session. Shares of STX Group-related firms plunged to their all-timelows after lead creditor Korea Development Bank said onWednesday that STX Offshore & Shipbuilding Co Ltd will likelyneed to enter court-supervised receivership. Automobile shares supported the broader market, with HyundaiMobis Co Ltd up 4.7 percent and Ssangyong Motor CoLtd 1.4 percent higher. Losers outnumbered winners 436 to 341. The South Korean won was up 0.1 percent at 1,181.3per dollar, compared with the previous close of 1,182.5. June futures on three-year treasury bonds wereunchanged at 110.29. REUTERS RSD RK0905 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-752438.Xml With the Congress dubbing as illegal, unethical and immoral Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan hosting an event to celebrate the NDA regime's two years in office, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Thursday said this reflected the 'utter hypocrisy' of the grand old party as its top brass is presently out on bail following charges of cheating and conspiracy. Swamy said this is utter hypocrisy because Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi are presently out on bail. "They have been proved prima facie guilty of cheating, criminal misappropriation, fraud, conspiracy. And they had to come to court to get bail and give surety and today they are talking about Amitabh Bachchan because there is some enquiry going on," Swamy told ANI. "Enquiry is going on against so many people. This does not mean that they will be presumed guilty, not even prima facie guilty. So, how can the Congress talk when their own leaders are out on bail?" he added. The Congress on Wednesday questioned Centre's decision of selecting the megastar to host the show, likely to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and said this step might send wrong signals to the investigating agencies probing the Panama paper leaks. "We have no objection to Amitabh Bachchan hosting the NDA programme, but what signal will it send to investigation agencies?" said Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala. The Bollywood megastar's son and actor Abhishek Bachchan, however, downplayed the entire controversy yesterday and said that his father would be hosting only a part of the event where he would be talking about educating the girl child. "He (Amitabh Bachchan) is not hosting any political event. He is part of a function and is talking about educating girl child and I think that's not a political event," he said. The five-hour long event beginning at 5 p.m. at the iconic India Gate on May 28 will highlight the achievements of the BJP-led NDA regime in the last two years in office. Reports, however, not suggest that actor R. Madhavan and not Amitabh Bachchan will be hosting the event. (ANI) Tripura police suspects passport racket after interrogating three Bangladesh nationals, arrested for illegal entry into the Indian territory. According to police, an amount 23,000 US dollar was recovered from their possession when they attempted to cross Indian border via Sonamura. Besides, possessing huge amount of foreign currency, they also carried fake identity of Bangladesh government. The interrogators found their link with several Indians living in bordering villages of Tripura and Assam as well as in Comilla, Brahmanbaria and Dhaka of Bangladesh. The detainees are the residents of Syllet district of Bangladesh and identified as Shahin Alam Abul (33), Md Ibrahim Chowdhury (26) and Khaled Ahmed (38). They entered into India through Irani Bazar of Unokoti district in North Tripura last week. They also revealed that they were supposed to go to Turkey but somehow it did not happen and then they came to India. "We smell a big gang of cross border fake passport who are not only sending the people to India also in several countries of Middle East. It is also suspected that the gang is operating for sending the innocent civilians to international terrorist groups and imparting them training on Islamic fundamentalism," said a senior police officer here today. Allegedly, the gang has link with different district administration of Tripura, who has been providing those papers and inspection report for getting passport. As many as 23 such cases of fake passport holders having reference documents of Tripura have been arrested in the state in past one and half years, police said. A local court of Sonamura in West Tripura has sent the trio to jail yesterday.UNI BB AD PR RK1115 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0108-752511.Xml Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy has used a racist term for Pakistanis and accused its Army of "butchering" Hindus during the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971. Mr Roy tweeted, "Yes, May 20, 1971, at Chuknagar, Khulna, Bangladesh, Pakistani Army and Razakar butchers killed 8000-10,000 unarmed Hindus by bullets, bayonets and stampede." Detailing the incident, he stated that a small contingent of Pakistani Army with some Razakars confronted them and started shooting. In 1971, a huge number of Hindus assembled here to escape to India, he tweeted on the 45th anniversary of Chuknagar massacre in Khulna of Bangladesh. Nearly, 10,000 people were gunned down by the Pakistan army in Dumuria in what is now Bangladesh. Razakar Bahini was a Bengali-manned auxiliary force of the Pakistan army. Several of its members are being tried for war crimes in Bangladesh. Some have been awarded death penalty, he pointed out. Opposition says the governor continues to behave like the BJP leader he once was. Though he promised "no more political tweets" on taking over as the Governor, Mr Roy, who has 21,300 followers on the micro-blogging site, has been busy. UNI BB AD PR ADG RK1110 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0108-752513.Xml Chairmen of both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC) and dozens of other separatist leaders were put under house arrest while Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief and scores of others have been taken into preventive custody. HC and JKLF had jointly called for a general strike today in protest against alleged attempts to change the muslim character of the state, proposal to construct colonies for Sainik and pandit migrants in the valley.However, official sources said restrictions on separatist leaders had been imposed to maintain law and order.A spokesman of the moderate HC Advocate Shahidul Islam said that chairman Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq has been put under house arrest yesterday. He said a large number of security forces and state police personnel were deployed outside the Nigeen residence of Mirwaiz who was informed that he has been put under house arrest and he cannot leave till further orders. Chairman of hardline HC Syed Ali Shah Geelani and general secretary Shabir Ahmad Shah remained under house arrest since they returned from New Delhi, a spokesman of the amalgam Aiyaz Akbar said.Aiyaz, who has also been put under house arrest since last evening, said the separatist leaders were not even allowed to offer Friday prayers in a mosque by the security forces deployed outside their houses. He said about a dozen other leaders of the amalgam, including Mohammad Ashraf Sehrayee were also put under house arrest since last evening. He said dozens of Hurriyat leaders and activists, including Raja Mohiuddin, were also taken into custody and lodged in different police stations since yesterday. JKLF chief, who was meeting different separatist leaders, traders, civil society and employees unions for the past one week, also remained under detention since yesterday. Malik, who was arrested from Abi Guzar office of the front has been lodged in police station Kothibagh.UNI BAS ADG SB1124 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-752505.Xml NIIT, a global leader in skills and talent development, has entered into two strategic agreements in China - with Guiyang Municipal Government and Guizhou Professional Collegeof Electronics in Gui'An New District, to develop a pool of next generation IT professionals in Big Data and Analytics. Through these partnerships NIIT aims to develop the Human Capital in line with China's vision to promote Guizhou province as the hub of Big Data industry in China and the world. Under the agreement with Guiyang Municipal Government, NIIT will establish a training base in public-private partnership model with Guiyang government to conduct IT and Big Data training foruniversity graduates, working professionals and government employees in Guizhou province. Additionally, NIIT and Guiyang government will establish a Big Data Talent Research Center in Guiyang to enhanceinnovation and research for scalable talent development methods for IT and Big Data in China. The objective of this partnership is to have a steady supply of IT talent trained inside college campus to meet the demand of growing IT and Big Data industry in Guizhou province.UNI JS NV AW1256 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0169-752725.Xml Delivering a lecture at Peking University, here, on the topic 'India-China Relations: 8 steps to a people-centric partnership', President Pranab Mukherjee said to build a people-centric partnership between both the country there must be mutual trust predicated on mutual respect and a better appreciation of respective political and social systems. Addressing the gathering, the President said at a time of global economic uncertainty, India and China, despite the pressure of having 40 per cent of the world's human population, have managed to maintain unity and growth. "The joint contribution of the two countries to world economy as well as regional and global stability, cannot be underestimated. India and China are poised to join the ranks of leading global powers. It is incumbent on the two countries, as emerging economic powers to remain equally focused on nurturing regional and global prosperity," said President Mukherjee. The President said both countries are at the threshold of an opportunity to join hands and create a resurgence, a positive energy, an 'Asian Century'. "This will not be an easy task. Obstacles need to be resolved with fortitude. The two countries must persevere to realise this dream. They must join hands in a durable friendship," he added. The President said political understanding between India and China is vital for a Closer Developmental Partnership. One of the ways it could be developed is through enhanced political communication. There is need to enhance and strengthen co-operation to the mutual benefit of both peoples. The President quoted Gandhiji and said "I look forward to the day when a free India and a free China will cooperate together in friendship and brotherhood for their own good and for the good of Asia and the world." He called on the peoples of India and China to tirelessly strive for that objective - despite current challenges. Underling the steps for people-centric India-China relations, the President said both India and China are 'young' societies. "Our youth share common aspirations and perceptions. Their annual exchanges have been fruitful but both sides need to synergize their potential. In a digital age, joint film productions could be useful instruments for creating positive perceptions among our peoples," he added. President Mukherjee said that greater exchanges between institutions of higher learning, more cultural festivals and joint research and scholarship programmes can help dispel the notion that we need to look to the West and not to each other to make progress in education, science and technology. "Travel can also be a very important binding factor between the two countries. Indians would like to have more opportunities to travel to their holy sites in China and, in turn, welcome more Chinese visits to Buddhist pilgrimage centres in India," he added. The President said by pursuing sustainable solutions and sharing experiences, civil societies on both sides can collaborate - duly respecting the parameters in which they are required to operate in their respective countries. "We can use multilateral fora including the G-20, BRICS, EAS, AIIB, SCO and the United Nations to enhance public awareness of the desire of both our countries for a shared future shaped by us together. Trade and commerce can also be the most powerful agents in reinforcing our complementarities. He called upon India-China entrepreneurs to jointly innovate to create a new model for business," he said.(ANI) BJP president Amit Shah and senior Cabinet Ministers today gave thumbs up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre on the completion of its two years in the office. Mr Shah said the BJP government, which is working on ideology of 'Sabka Sath Sab Ka Vikas', has set new parameters for country's development and progress. In a series of tweets, Mr Shah congratulated the Prime Minister on successful completion of two years in office. ''I, along with crores of proud BJP karyakartas, congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi on successful completion of 2 years in office,'' the BJP President tweeted. ''Our Ministers have left no stone unturned in providing people-friendly and corruption-free Government, that will take India to newer heights. ''Mr Modi's vision for transforming India and the exceptional work of the Government has redefined the idea of governance and delivery,'' Mr Shah tweeted. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the completion of two years of the Modi Government. The two years of NDA government has put the country back on the right track of development and good governance, Mr Singh tweeted. ''Earlier it was said that India was in transition and needed reform. NDA government led by Modiji has taken decisive steps towards Transforming India,'' the Union Home Minister tweeted. Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has thanked people for their support to the Government. Talking to UNI, Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan said since the NDA Government took charge there has been a development in last two years. Dr Vardhan said significant thing is that one will find transparency in every department of the Government. The Premier will this evening kick-start the programmes on the completion of two years of the NDA government at the Centre from Saharanpur in Hindi heartland Uttar Pradesh which is going to the Assembly polls early next year. The BJP will be organising programmes from today till June 15 in 198 cities across the country to take the policies and achievements of the NDA government to the common man. The party has made a total of 33 teams which will be visiting these cities. The Prime Minister will be addressing first such programme at 1700 hrs in Saharanpur.UNI NY AE SB 1435 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0099-752854.Xml Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav today announced to provide charkhas( mini looms) to the people of the drought hit Bundelkhand region free of cost for their self employment and to earn their livelihood. " Charkhas are the symbol of Indian independence and it is related to Mahatma Gandhi. It would be provided free of cost to the poor people of Bundelkhand and other backward regions so that people can earn their livilihood," he said. Mr Yadav said if governmeent can distribute free laptops and give Kanya Vidya Dhan then, these charkhas could also be given whose cost is similar like the laptops. Chief Minister announced this while inaugurating a programme to promote Khadi items in the state with distributing 75 charkhas to the people of Bundelkhand region. While 50 charkhas were given in Jhansi, 25 were distributed in Banda district . On the occasion, Mr Yadav sought an urgent need for promoting and publicising Khadi and even suggested that people should wear Khadi clothes at least once in a week. " I have been wearing only Khadi cloths after joining the politics. Though during the early times I had to face certain problems like shrinking of the fabrics but now I am wearing Kurta -Pajama of thick fabric," he said while adding that Khadi should be made a brand. The CM also appreciated the role of NIFT , Rae Bareli, which has unleashed a series of initiatives to promote Khadi by going for designer dresses. Students of NIFT also gave a presentation before the CM even held an exhibition inside the CM residences of the Khadi dresses. Mr Yadav also stressed the need for more NIFT like institutions in the state and questioned the Centre over the demand of the state government to open NIFT in Noida and Lucknow for which letter has been sent to the concerned union minister long way back with proposing to given free land for the purpose. Earlier UP Khadi minister Brahma Shanker Tripathi appreciating the interest shown by the CM in providing all financial assistance to promotion of Khadi appealed to the government to make mandatary for the government employees to wear Khadi clothes at least once in a week during duty. " The employees of the Khadi Gramudyog are now attending their duties only wearing Khadi clothes," he claimed. The minister informed that during 2015-16 on the initiative of the government schemes and financial assistance, 1478 new khadi units were set up giving an additional job opportunity to 29,000 people. The government has fixed 3000 new khadi units in the state during the current fiscal which will provide jobs to 60,000 people, he further said.UNI MB ADG AS1646 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-752790.Xml In a biggest ever haul of contraband in Chhattisgarh, Balod police have seized nearly 700 kg of cannabis worth Rs 1.5 crore from a Maharashtra-bound empty-looking truck, police said. Acting on a tip-off about smuggling of a massive consignment of contraband, Balod police launched a special motor vehicle checking drive across the district and finally succeeded in tracing the truck after its driver broke the Batera Chouk check post on Tuesday night and fled leaving the vehicle near Daundi Lohara following a chase by the police. After conducting a thorough checking of the vehicle, police discovered a secret compartment in the base of the truck where 95 packets of cannabis weighting about 700 kg worth Rs 1.5 crore were hidden, Superintendent of Police Sheikh Arif Hussain told UNI. "We have found some vital clues about the contraband's trafficking with the arrest of one drug peddler from Chhattisgarh today under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act," the SP said while adding that his interrogation was underway and all those involved in the smuggling would be booked soon. Claiming that this was the biggest ever seizure of contraband in the state, Mr Hussain said the consignmentwas on its way to Maharashtra from Odisha with fake number plates.UNI SS BDG SW AS1549 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0044-752887.Xml Welcoming the issues raised in the Governor's address at the joint session of the legislature on the first day of the Budget session here, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today said there should be no more politics on special status of the Jammu and Kashmir. PDP Chief-spokesperson and former Parliamentarian, Dr Mehboob Beg welcomed the issues raised in the Governor's address yesterday saying it reiterated the commitment of the government. The government has reiterated its unflinching stand of safeguarding the best interests and the special status of the state of Jammu & Kashmir and no more politicisation and rumor mongering in this regard should be resorted to, Dr Beg said in a statement here. He said upgradation of cross-Line of Control (LoC) trade, development of border tourism and providing interest subvention to traders are all laudable steps which shall go a long way in boosting the economy as well as ensuring healthier relations on both sides of the LoC. He also underlined the importance of the return of Kashmiri Pandits to their homeland to complete the ethnic diversity of Kashmir and assured a secure environment for them. Mr Beg appreciated the efforts of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to mend ties with Pakistan while pointing-out that the same shall have a direct bearing on the state. He also said that the Prime Minister's visit to Lahore as well as the subsequent dialogue between India and Pakistan at various levels had generated hope in the state and the people stood for healthy relations between the two nations. "The Confidence Building Measures (CBM)in collaboration with the Government of India in seeking upgradation of cross-LoC trade and infrastructure of trade facilitation centres have been strengthened and the banking facilities have been worked-out in consultation with the GoI as well as the RBI," Mr Beg added.UNI BAS SB CS1515 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-752838.Xml At least four industrial workers were killed and more than hundred injured in a major explosion in a unit at the MIDC industrial unit of Dombivili of the district today. District Disaster Control Officer, Dinesh Kurhade said the cylinders exploded in the manufacturing unit of Herbert Brown Pharmaceutical and Research Laboratories, Shivaji Udyog Nagar, MIDC Phase II, Dombivli (East) leading to a fire. He said that the work of extinguishing the fire by more than a dozen fire tenders was still on and would take at least an hour or so to put out the flame. The impact of the explosion was so strong that it could be felt at a distance of more than5 kms in the township. The injured were being rushed to the various hospitals and there was utter chaos in the vicinity, the officials said. The District Collector Mahendra Kalyankar is personally monitoring the entire rescue operations with the help of the municipal commissioner E Ravinderan. The local police and firemen of the Kalyan-Dombivili were also seen in action along with the firemen from the other fire stations and a brigade call had been given for the rescue operatiosn he said. It was not immediately known as to how many people were injured as more than one hundred workers were present in the factory manufacturing chemicals. The sources also said that there were at least a couple of explosions in the factory premises as a result of which the nearby half a dozen factories were also hit and their glass panes broke.More UNI XR NV SB AS1533 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0169-752832.Xml Bajrang Dal has alleged that unnecessary controversy has been created around the closing ceremony of the regional training camp of the Bajrang Dal in Ayodhya by some vested political groups. They claimed that it is an attempt to derail the Hindu-Muslim camaraderie and disparage the entire Muslim community by branding them as terrorists. A Vishwa Hindu Parishad's press statement here today claimed that this is not the first time that a training camp of this kind has been organised. "For the last 25 years, training camps based on the same principles/curriculum have been a regular feature of the Bajrang Dal activities. This is purely an organisational event. Anyone who is trying to portray this as some sort of a conspiracy hatched by the central government or even remotely associates this with the state elections that are due in Uttar Pradesh next year is completely ignorant of the history of the Bajrang Dal or is someone who simply revels in creating sensationalism," it further said. VHP leaders also question that," No questions had ever been asked in the last 25 years on these training camps of the Bajrang Dal. But now an attempt is being made to communally polarise the society and a conspiracy is being hatched to drag a popular and successful union government into a controversy. The kind of training provided at these camps is perfectly within the ambit of the law. Thousands of akhadas all over the country impart the same kind of training and all this is done publicly and nothing is ever under wraps." They said,"We all know that the countries or states that have successfully countered terrorism have been able to do it only with the cooperation of the society. Punjab is a glowing example of this where terrorism was completed eliminated with the help of the people of the state. No country in the world has bore the brunt of terrorism like India has, therefore people and organisations that inspire people to fight terrorism should be rewarded and not vilified." The VHP clarified that the attire, the kind of outfit and robes that the terrorists-used as symbolic targets-were wearing was inspired from what is shown in the media only. The videos released by ISIS have been showing Laden, Yakub and Baghdadi in a particular kind of attire which has become a standard symbol of terrorist attire. Therefore, it is these terrorist organisations which should take the blame for the generalisation of this attire; there is no way the blame for this can be laid at the doorstep of the Bajrang Dal which was only following a media pattern". They also criticised the Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh for taking harsh action against the Bajrang Dal activists in Faizabad." The way UP government is going after the Bajrang Dal is ample proof that the state government is trying to polarise the society on communal lines only to benefit in the state assembly elections. In doing this, the state government is only trying to conceal its failure in stopping terrorist activities in the state and the attacks on the Hindu society. If they really want to do something in favour of the nation, then they should act against the Dar-ul-Uloom, Deoband, which issues anti-national fatwas and is a source of inspiration for terrorists. The nation is already reeling under the nefarious activities of such muslim organisations, by indicting the Bajrang Dal, the state government should not fall into the trap laid by the terrorist organisations". The leaders further claimed that Bajrang Dal is an organisation that acts only in the interests of the nation and only the terrorists and anti-national elements take offence at its activities. "In 32 years of its existence, the Bajrang Dal has so many records to its credit, "the largest blood donation camp in one single day, running a cow-protection programme where lakhs of cows are cared for, anti-conversion programmes, fight against the terrorists to save the Amarnath yatra pilgrims, making the 'baba budha amaranth ki yatra' successful in Poonch," and the list could go on and on," they claimed. UNI MB ADG AS1505 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-752727.Xml Mr Pul made a courtesy call to the newly elected Assam Chief Minister at Brahmaputra state guest house in Guwahati yesterday, official sources informed here. Also in his confidence-building measure, Pul urged to resolve boundary issues through dialogue and peaceful means. He also urged for working together on all development issues and for close cooperation between the two states in developing hydro projects in Arunachal and stressed on the need for taking confidence of the local people. Mr Pul also met Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma, Irrigation Minister Ranjit Dutta, Commerce and Industry Minister Chandramohan Patowary, PHE Minister Rihan Daimary, Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary and BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary.UNI PB AKM SW SB AN1648 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0213-753092.Xml Ms Gandhi drove to the hospital and inquired about the victim's attendant and the hospital staff. A 13-year-old girl was brutally raped and dumped near a railway tracks in South-East Delhi's Pul Prahladpur area yesterday. Victim's condition is stated to be critical at the hospital.UNI SS AE SB 1725 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0089-753237.Xml After reports of use of Potassium bromate in bread causing cancer in humans, and a proposal of ban by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on the product, the bread manufacturing companies have decided to stop its usage at once. In a report released on May 23, Centre of Science and Environment pointed out that out of 38 samples of packaged bread, bun, pav tested, 34 were found to be having potassium bromate or potassium iodate.Potassium iodate causes thyroid-related illness. The reports also said European union and some other nations have already banned use of these ingredients. The All India Bread Manufacturer's Association (AIBMA) told media persons here today that potassium bromate is not banned in India and therefore the bread consumed by people is totally 'safe' and 'healthy'. ''Despite that, considering the amount of fear it has generated in the minds of people, the body has decided against its use. Addressing media persons, Harvest Gold, management director Aadil Hasan said, ''Within two-three days, the big companies will start using alternative chemicals.''Potassium bromate is used as an oxidising agent in bread. Mr Hasan said ''enzyme'' or '' emulsifiers '' can be used as other agents. These chemicals are comparatively cheaper but high tech is required for its usage.UNI SY AE SS -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0093-753264.Xml A local court of West Tripura today sentenced a retired deputy superintendent of police (DSP) to two years rigorous imprisonment for custodial torture of an innocent youth in June 2000 at Sidhia police station of Northern part of Agartala. Convicted DSP Debajyoti Goutam has been granted bail by the same court, as the quantum of punishment is less than three years. He said the judgement is not satisfactory for him and he will appeal in the higher court. Goutam was accused of beating up a detainee in his office when he was circle inspector of Sadar north of Agartala. The 25-year-old youth was severely wounded and had gone for treatment. Still he has not recovered fully. According to report, on June 20, 2000, Sidhai police had picked up Parimal Debnath, the son of former Congress MLA Radha Raman Debnath at night from his house without any proper allegation or complaint. The family was refused to grant him bail or produce him to court. On the next day, accused officer Goutam assaulted him severely and handed him over to the family from his office, former MLA Debnath alleged. "When we went to lodge complaint against Goutam, police refused us and threatened of dire consequence if we pursued further. Later, after a month, the family lodged complaint with the then Superintendent of Police but no action was taken. Rather police threatened us to withdraw the case," Debnath recalled. Finally, they registered case in the court and after investigation a charge-sheet was framed against Goutam in 2007. However, he was not awarded any punishment during his service life. He was promoted to DSP and the retired. After a long trial, first class judicial Magistrate Ms Ishita Da today convicted him.UNI BB AKM AE SB AN1729 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0213-753134.Xml Deposed JD(U) president Sharad Yadav and R C P Singh, a close confidante of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, were today confirmed as party nominees for biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha for five seats from Bihar. However, party national general secretary K C Tyagi, a close confidante of Mr Yadav, missed the bus along with two other retiring members Ghulam Rasiik Baliyavi and Pawan Verma as the party could send only two members to the Upper House due to its depleted strength in the state assembly. While Mr Tyagi and Mr Verma were cold shouldered, Mr Balliyavi, though demoted, had the consolation of being nominated to the Bihar Legislative Council seat. With 71 MLAs, the JD(U) will need support of 11 more MLAs to ensure victory of its two nominees as a minimum of 41 first preference votes are needed by a candidate to sail through. Since the RJD, one of the major constituents of the grand alliance, would be contesting an equal number of seats, JD(U) nominees would be backed by 27-member Congress Legislature Party. The JD(U) has also named C P Sinha, a close associate of Mr Kumar since the days of erstwhile Samata Party. While naming two candidates, the party has made it clear that would back the Congress in lieu of its support in the biennial elections to seven state legislative council seats. As it is, the Congress with only 27 members in the state assembly cannot win a single seat on its own. However, it remains to be seen how many seats are given to Congress in lieu of its support to JD(U) nominees.MORE UNI IS-KKS AKM SW AS1704 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0213-753148.Xml A court here on Thursday asked Delhi Police to file a status report on investigation being carried out in the JNU sedition cases while hearing a complaint against three news channels which allegedly ran doctored videos of the controversy. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sumit Dass asked the Special Cell, which is probing the case, to file a status report while hearing a complaint filed by the Delhi government seeking action against Zee News, NewsX and India News for broadcasting alleged doctored videos of the February 9 incident at the JNU where "anti-India" slogans were said to have been raised. The court fixed July 12 as next date of hearing. The Delhi government has said that the accused knowingly and with malicious intent caused damage to JNU students and the university and disrupted communal harmony and security in Delhi by transmitting a forged, fabricated, doctored and altered video, which was shown as genuine. "The accused people are therefore liable for prosecution under sections 465 (punishment for forgery) and 471 (using as genuine forged document or electronic record) of the Indian Penal Code," the counsel added. In the plea, the government sought action against the editors-in-chief, managing directors and directors of the news channel and two companies - Zee News Media Corp Ltd and Information TV Pvt Ltd. A magisterial report submitted to the Delhi government on March 2 said that "no direct link" had been found between JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar and the anti-India sloganeering of February 9. It said seven videos related to the JNU incident were sent to Truth Labs, Hyderabad, of which three were found to be doctored. "In those doctored versions, the video has been edited and voices added." The report added that the role of Umar Khalid, another JNU student accused of raising anti-India slogans, needed to be further investigated. On February 9, an event was organised at the JNU to commemorate the third anniversary of the execution of parliament terror attack convict Afzal Guru. At the event, anti-India slogans were allegedly raised, following which Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested on charges of sedition. He was later granted bail for six months by the Delhi High Court on March 2, while Khalid and another JNU student, Anirban Bhattacharya, also got bail. --IANS gt-akk/vd ( 390 Words) 2016-05-26-18:22:14 (IANS) Indian Union Muslim League leader Parakkal Abdulla, MLA released the directory by handing over a copy to Calicut Press Club President Kamal Varadoor at Beach Hotel in the city. KMCT Medical College and National Hospital Managing Director Dr K Moidu launched the website of the directory.UNI PCH MVR ADB 1840 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-753198.Xml The Army has ordered an inquiry into the death of a porters during a search operation in the frontier district of Kupwara, defence ministry spokesman said here today. Colonel N N Joshi said an inquiry has been instituted to establish in detail the possible circumstances leading to the death of Liaquat Ali, who was working with the Army as porter. He said, ''Since the deceased was working with the Army, we are committed to providing all possible assistance including authorised entitlements to his family. However, giving details he said on the intervening night of May 24 and 25 2016, a joint search operation was undertaken by the Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police , based on the specific intelligence inputs regarding movement of some militants in the area of Watsar forest about 12 KM west of Handwara. Liaquat Ali of Nagni Wadar Payeen village, who has been working as a porter with the Army, accompanied the search party. At about 0500 hrs on May 25, the column of security forces came under fire which was immediately retaliated. After a brief exchange of fire, the area was searched during which Liaqat Ali was found injured. After administrating immediate first aid, he was evacuated by foot to the Handwara -Bunawadar road head but he had unfortunately succumbed to the injuries. His body was handed over to police at 0630 hrs, he said.UNI BAS SB AS1902 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-753482.Xml In solidarity with the tourists, who died during the terror attack on Bardo Museum in Tunis last year, Vice President Hamid Ansari will visit the museum during his two nation visit to Morocco and Tunisia, starting May 30."The five-day visit, which will encompass a range of areas, will be marked by the visit of the Vice President to Bardo Museum in Tunis as a mark of solidarity with the victims of terror attack last year," Secretary (Economic Relations) Arun Sinha said, while briefing the mediapersons about the forthcoming visit to north African neighbours.Twenty-one foreign tourists mostly Germans, Poles, Spaniards and Italians were killed when two Islamic State gunmen took hostages on the morning of March 18, 2014 in a three-hour long standoff with the security forces. Tunisia continues to be target of terror attacks, ever since a more inclusive President Beji Caid Essebsi-led government came to power in December 2014 on agenda to repulse Islamic State. The museum, housed in an Ottoman Palace, is biggest in Africa and has largest collection of Roman mosaics.During the five-day visit, Mr Ansari will be accompanied by wife Salma Ansari, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, four Members of Parliament, senior officials and media. The visit is expected to see signing of a number of MoUs in the field of chemical, automobile and cultural exchanges.In the first leg of his tour, Mr Ansari will be visiting Morocco from May 30 to June 1 at the invitation of Abdelilah Benkirane, Head of Government of Morocco. The visit intends to further strengthen the relations between the two countries, further develop and diversify profile of bilateral economic cooperation and explore new avenues of co-operation and partnership on a wide range of issues of shared common interest.During this visit, the Vice President would be holding discussions in Rabat with King Mohammed VI and Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane. Speakers of both Houses of Moroccan Parliament and the Minister of Foreign Affairs & Cooperation of Morocco will call on the Vice President. Later he will be visiting the city of Marrakesh where he would be hosted by the Governor of Marrakesh.The Vice President and the Prime Minister of Morocco would be jointly launching the India-Morocco Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Rabat where members of Indian diaspora would interact with him. During the course of his visit, the Vice President would be meeting with leading intellectuals and Imams of Morocco as well as delivering a talk at Mohammed V University in Rabat.In the second leg of the visit, he will be visiting Tunisia from June 2 and 3 at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Tunisia Habib Essid. Mr Sinha said India has very cordial bilateral relations with Tunisia and the economic cooperation between the two countries is deepening with Indian investments in phosphate sector. During this visit, further avenues of cooperation in various areas of growth would be discussed.The Vice President would also be holding discussions in Tunis with the President Beji Caid Essebsi and the Prime Minister Habib Essid on a wide range of issues of shared common interest.The Vice President would be received by the President of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People of Tunisia where he would be meeting with Tunisian multiparty Members of Parliament and Tunisian-India Parliamentary Group. The Vice President would deliver a key note address to the Tunisian Diplomatic Corps and leading scholars and think tanks at the Tunisian Institute for Strategic Studies.UNI PRA RJ 2016 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0384-753798.Xml The Shiv Sena today took a jibe at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the centre on completion of two years in the office, saying that it won't be correct to judge its performance in two years when the public has elected the government for a five-year term. ''It is not right to evaluate what the government has done and has not done in two years while continuing to evaluate its own government like an external invigilator,'' an editorial in the party's mouthpiece 'Saamna' said here. The front page of Saamna had an image of the Sena's emblem, the tiger, strangling a lion in an African jungle with a caption saying, 'Going for the lion's throat, tiger is the only king'. The Sena further criticised the BJP-led government in its editorial for its efforts at a dialogue with neighbouring Pakistan, inability to control rising prices, farmers' suicides and faltering on its promise of bringing back black money stashed in offshore accounts. While talking about the BJP's foray into the North-east by acing the Assam assembly polls and forming its first government in the state, the Sena said that the BJP had failed to get much traction in the recently-concluded polls in Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. In Kerala, the party got one legislator elected, opening its account in the state. The people of Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have independently done this evaluation, the edit observed. ''But one cannot link it to the threads of national policy,'' the Sena said. The Sena, which has been known to play opposition from the Treasury benches, also complained about schemes that the BJP-led government has rolled out in the past two years. Although the Modi government has announced almost 40 schemes since it came to power, in reality people are aware of only about six or seven, the edit said. Except for schemes like Jan Dhan, Swachcha Bharat and rural roads scheme, other schemes have not really reached the people, it said. ''Of course, a country does not run only because of schemes,'' it pointed. The previous UPA government too had these schemes under some or the other name, but there was so much corruption that the nation's state of affairs collapsed, the Sena said in its editorial. While the Prime Minister's multiple foreign visits often attracted criticism, the Shiv Sena chose to defend Mr Modi in this regard, saying with neighbours like Pakistan and China, India needs to go around making as many friends over the world as possible. Sena president Uddhav Thackeray heaped praises on the Prime Minister, saying Prime Minister Modi's leadership is stern and he is single-handedly running the chariot of the government.UNI AAA SS SB GC2006 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0169-753809.Xml An inter-state drug cartel has been busted with the arrest of five narcotic peddlers and recovery of 105 kg of fine quality opium worth Rs 20 crore in international market, police said today. The accused have been identified as Nand Ram (56), Mangli Ram (30), Umesh Sahni (50), Chanderpal (50) and Rakesh Gupta (50). The senior police officer said two accused- Nand Ram and Mangli- were arrested on May 24 from Mukarba Chowk, following a tip-off. During interrogation, both the accused revealed that they, along with some other accused, have been into drug smuggling business from the last 15-20 years.The arrested duo then disclosed that they, along with Sahni, had brought 105 kg of opium from Manipur from one Jagannath.They disclosed that they had put 105 packets of opium, each weighing one kg in secret cavities and brought the same in Bareilly and along with other accused, who packed 80 kg opium in three big containers, they brought the contraband to Delhi to deliver the consignment to one of their contacts. After both disclosed the location of rest of the gang members, police arrested them on May 25 from Bareilly.Police said 105 kg of fine quality opium has been recovered from their possession.UNI SHS CJ RJ 2028 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0329-753901.Xml The Ministry of External Affairs has appealed to the Indian community in Congo to "exercise caution and stay calm" amid tit for tat attacks there following the killing of their national here in Delhi few days ago."We have seen the reports that some Indian establishments been attacked and some are reportedly injured. The situation is in control now as the police has been deployed in the areas where Indians are running their business. We would advise the Indian community living there to exercise caution and stay calm," the MEA spokesman Vikas Swarup said here today.Terming the death of Congolese national Masonda Ketanda Olivier on May 20 as unfortunate, Mr Swarup vehemently rejected the attack as racial saying it was a criminal assault. "The CCTV footage shows that the culprits attacked the Indians also who came to the rescue of Mr Olivier."The MEA spokesman said Congo-India relations were old and for many Indians Congo was a second home. He hoped the situation would return to normal soon.Meanwhile, the authorities heaved a sigh of relief after envoys from several African nations, who earlier announced their boycott of Africa Day celebrations in the national capital over the killing, today attended the function following strong assurance from the Ministry.The ICCR hosted the Africa Day function in the national capital titled 'India-Africa: Bound Together With a Cultural Performance' featuring African cuisine, African films, a week-long African exhibition and a seminar.UNI PRA SHK 2038 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0384-754014.Xml Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will give a pep talk to the party workers in the second leg of `Vikas Parv' in state capital here while his other ministerial colleagues will address the cadres in other parts of the state tomorrow. BJP spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said that Union Health Minister JP Nadda will address party workers in Varanasi, Union HRD Minister Smritia Irani in Gorakhpur and Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal in Agra. "These ministers will visit different parts of the state under a campaign in which they will educate party workers about the policies of the Union Government. The party workers will then go to villages and apprise people of the welfare scheme Modi government had launched in last two years," Mr Pathak said. At least 45 Union Ministers and senior party functionaries will visit length and breadth of the state in next one week or so. Every union minister would be accompanied with a Minister of State and a senior party leader. In Lucknow, besides Jaitley Minister of State for HRD Upendra Kushwaha and national vice-president Prabhat Jha will address party workers. Convener of the Vikas Parv Ashok Katari said that the function will be held at CMS, Kanpur Road where ministers and leaders will give talking points to the party workers.UNI MB SB VN2041 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-753787.Xml ATS sources said here that Nizamuddin Ansari native of Champaran district of Bihar was arrested near VIP waiting room. Police recovered fake currency of Rs seven lakhs from him. During interrogation Ansari disclosed that one Manoj Gupta native of Delhi was supplying the fake currency to him, which he was receiving from Nepal . Gupta was arrested with fake currency early in January this year. ATS was tracking whole network of fake currency working from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Singapore and Nepal from long time. ATS also arrested some criminals for trading of fake currency in between. In the same sequence on the information of Ansari traveling to Lucknow with large amount of fake currency ATS arrested him and recovered fake currency from him.UNI XC-MB CJ RJ VN2042 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-753887.Xml The Delhi Government today suspended welfare officer of the Abhay Mahila Ashram Poonam Rana with immediate effect after Minister for Women and Child Development Sandeep Kumar in a surprise visit to the home, found it in a very bad condition. Besides, showcause notices were issued to Superintendent of Nari Niketan Namrata Biruli and Superintendent of Abhay Mahila Ashram Inderpreet Pathak.An official statement said here that the facilities in both the shelters for women in Harinagar Ashram area were found to be in very poor.The Minister put up several questions on the state of cleanliness in the bedroom and kitchen, but the officials could not provide satisfactory answers, following which the Government decided to take action against them.UNI SM/RG RJ 2110 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0098-754193.Xml At least five industrial workers were killed and 140 injured in an explosion in a chemical unit at the Dombivili MIDC in the district this morning, the district authorities said. District Collector Dr Mahendra Kalyankar said that the massive rescue opearation was underway and the work of clearing the debris was still in progress, and the injured have been admitted to the local hospitals. Also among the injured is a news reporter of a Marathi daily Lokmat Times, Akash Gaikwad. He is being treated at a hospital, it was stated tonight.Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis this evening visited the mishap site and examined the extent of damage. He also visited the hospitals and enquired about the injured in the blast. Talking to the media later, the Chief Minister said that this was a seious and major incident as its impact was felt at a long distance. He also said the state government would carry out a detailed enquiry into the blast and promised to render all possible assistance to the injured.Minister of State for Home Ram Shinde said that the police would take action against those found guilty in the case. Industries Minister Subash Desai said that chemical industries in the belt would be kept shut for the next eight days from tomorrow. Thane District Guardian Minister Eknath Shinde, who has been camping at the site following the incident, told newspersons that the issue of relocating chemical industries out of the present MIDC at Dombivili, which is surrounded by residential zone, would be done.UNI XR SS RJ GC2238 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0169-754162.Xml Texas and 10 other states will sue the Obama administration over a directive that forces states to adjust their policy to allow transgender students to use bathrooms that match their gender identity. Texass action was announced on Twitter by Texas Gov. Greg Abbot (R) on Wednesday, RT online reported. The other states that joined the lawsuit as plaintiffs are Alabama, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Utah, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Georgia, Maine, Arizona and Maine. The filing accuses the Obama administration of "running roughshod over commonsense policies" that protect children and asks a judge to declare the move unlawful. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is expected to discuss the lawsuit in a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. The Education Departments directive, which was made earlier this month, orders public schools to create policies allowing transgender students to use bathrooms based on their gender identity rather than their biological sex. No student should ever have to go through the experience of feeling unwelcome at school or on a college campus, said Education Secretary John King Jr. The administration justifies its action on the basis of Title IX, a federal statute that prohibits gender discrimination at educational institutions that receive public funding. Abbot said that Paxtons lawsuit challenging the way that the Obama administration is trampling the United States Constitution during a stop on a book tour, according to The Texas Tribune. "The president has no authority to enact laws whatsoever. Several times Congress has taken up the issue of whether to expand the Civil Rights Act and Title IX and whether or not to include transgender. Both times or multiple times, Congress has decided against that, Abbot added. The lawsuits are part of a national transgender bathroom usage controversy, which erupted following the passage of a bill in North Carolina that required that people use the bathroom corresponding to their biological gender. Supporters of Obamas directive say that it protects transgender students from unjust discrimination, while opponents argue that activists are asking for an unprincipled exception to bathroom policy that continues to segregate most people by gender. Texas has led the charge in dozens of lawsuits against the Obama administration. In 2015, the state brought a lawsuit that halted Obamas executive action to grant amnesty to four million illegal immigrants. The case, which named 25 other states as plaintiffs, has so far been successful in in the courts and has prevented the order from taking effect. The administration has fought these rulings, and Supreme Court will eventually make a final decision on the matter. --IANS ahm/ ( 432 Words) 2016-05-26-06:22:03 (IANS) In a bizarre move, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has proposed its own Women Protection Bill, recommending 'a light beating' for the wife if she defies her husband. The council has proposed that a husband should be allowed to 'lightly' beat his wife if she defies his commands and refuses to dress up as per his desires, turns down the demand of intercourse without any religious excuse or does not take bath after intercourse or menstrual periods. It further suggests that beating is also permissible if a woman does not observe Hijab, interacts with strangers, speaks loud enough that she can easily be heard by strangers and provides monetary support to the people without taking consent of her spouse. It says that there should be a ban on co-education after primary education, ban on women from taking part in military combat, ban on welcoming foreign delegations, interacting with males and making recreational visits with 'Na-Mehram'. It further states that female nurses should not be allowed to take care of male patients and recommends that women should be banned from working in advertisements. The council recommends that an abortion after 120 days of conceiving should be declared 'murder'. However, it says a woman can join politics and contract a 'Nikah' without the permission of parents. The bill suggests that anyone, who tries to force women to marry with the Holy Quran or facilitate this, should be awarded 10-year imprisonment. Similarly, the proposed bill says if any non-Muslim woman is forced to convert then the oppressor will be awarded three-year imprisonment while the woman will not be murdered if she reverts to her previous faith. The Express Tribune quoted sources as saying that this proposed bill is under consideration by the body and further deliberation will continue today when CII chairman Muhammad Khan Sheerani will give final recommendations with the consent of other members. The three-member delegation of Justice (Retd.) Manzoor Hussain Gilani, Noor Ahmed Shahtaz and Muhammad Abdullah yesterday raised objections on many clauses of the proposed bill and urged the chairman to moderate the same. They said the bill was drafted by Mufti Imdadullah, a member who belongs to JUI-F, adding that the above three members have insisted the chairman and Imdad follow the current circumstances while drafting the law. They said the bill was discussed by a panel comprising men as the only female CII member, Sameeha Raheel Qazi, was not present yesterday. The bill was drafted after the CII rejected Punjab's controversial Protection of Women against Violence Act (PPWA) 2015, terming it un-Islamic. The CII will now forward its proposed bill to the Punjab Assembly. (ANI) Heads of state and government from the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and host Japan are meeting in Ise Shima, 300 kilometres southwest of Tokyo. US President Barack Obama arrived in Japan for the summit that will also take him to the atomic-bombed city of Hiroshima. Britain's David Cameron, whose country's referendum next month on continued membership of the European Union is likely to figure prominently on the summit agenda. With the G7 leaders expected to continue their support of David Cameron's argument, the Australian prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has hit back at criticism of his own position, arguing he is on a "unity ticket" with Barack Obama, Justin Trudeau and John Key, reports the Guardian. The G7 leaders are set to discuss how to deal with China's dumping of surplus steel with global steel industry crisis likely high on the agenda in Ise-Shima. Earlier, the visiting politicians in the Ise Jingu shrine were greeted by the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe. The leaders were taken to the inner Naiku shrine, where they underwent a cleansing ceremony. British Prime Minister Cameron, French President Franois Hollande and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau then planted a Japanese cedar tree, helped by schoolchildren from the Mie prefecture, reports the Guardian. The G7 leaders begin their talks on Thursday afternoon.(ANI) Philippine President-elect Rodrigo Duterte has apologised to the Canadian prime minister for the beheading of a Canadian by an Islamist militant group, saying he would try to make sure "nothing like this" happens again.Duterte, 71, has yet to be declared winner of the May 9 election, but an official vote count shows him six million votes ahead of his closest rival, in part because of his campaign of crushing crime, corruption and drug abuse."Please accept my apologies for the incident that resulted to the killing of your national," Duterte said on Thursday he told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who called him up to congratulate him on his election win."We will try to see to it that nothing like this will happen again."Canadian John Ridsdel, a former mining executive, was beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf on the southern island of Jolo on April 25. Trudeau at the time called it "an act of cold-blooded murder".Another Canadian, a Norwegian and a Filipino woman are still being held captive by the al Qaeda-linked militants eight months after they were abducted in a upscale resort near Davao City, where Duterte was mayor for two decades.The Abu Sayyaf gave the Philippine and Canadian governments and families of the captives until 3 p.m. on June 13 to 6.43 million dollars for the release of each of the captives.Abu Sayyaf is also holding other foreigners, including one from the Netherlands, one from Japan and four Malaysian tugboat crew. REUTERS RSD RK1231 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-752490.Xml The actor known for playing the character "Screech" in the 1990s US TV sitcom "Saved by the Bell" was back in a Wisconsin jail today, accused of violating probation after being freed last month following a conviction over a stabbing, officials said.Dustin Diamond, 39, was being held at the Ozaukee County jail after being taken into custody yesterday afternoon, corrections officials said.Authorities were investigating the alleged probation violation and Diamond will likely remain in jail in the meantime, Wisconsin Department of Corrections spokesman Tristan Cook said. He said he could not elaborate on the violation.In April, Diamond was released from Ozaukee County jail a month early after serving three months for a barroom stabbing in Wisconsin. Diamond was freed after providing custodial maintenance in the jail under a program that awarded him 30 days of "good time," officials said.Diamond began serving a four-month jail sentence on Jan. 15 after he was convicted last year of carrying a concealed weapon and disorderly conduct in the incident in which he was accused of stabbing a man.Diamond's fiance at the time, Amanda Schutz, was accused of pushing a woman who was harassing her and Diamond on Christmas night at the Grand Avenue Saloon in Port Washington, Wisconsin, north of Milwaukee.Police said Diamond stabbed a man with a switchblade during the ensuing fight, causing a non-life-threatening wound. Diamond said he pulled the knife to defend himself and Schutz.Diamond and Schutz, who was found guilty of disorderly conduct, also were ordered to pay 1,500 dollars in restitution to the stabbing victim.Diamond, who lives in Port Washington, played socially awkward but brainy student Samuel "Screech" Powers on "Saved by the Bell," which ran from 1989 to 1993. REUTERS JW SB2018 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-753883.Xml The man was arrested on March 27 this year in a house in Rotterdam, after which the French authorities requested his extradition on suspicion of involvement in a criminal terrorist organisation, related to the Paris and Brussels attacks, several weapons offenses, fraud, handling stolen goods and forgery, Xinhua news agency reported. No appeal is possible against the decision. Anis B. will be extradited within 10 days. --IANS lok/ ( 104 Words) 2016-05-27-03:14:04 (IANS) No foul play in babys death Dr Alexandrov said that because he had nine autopsies planned for Tuesday, when the babys body was brought to the Science Centre at 2 pm, he decided to delay the autopsy to today. He said it was unfair for a talk show host to question his motive behind the delay in the autopsy. I expressed my discontent and anger over the behaviour of that talk show host who said there was something fishy about the babys death and who claimed he will turn every stone to dig deeper into exactly how the baby died. At the same time I was absolutely shocked about all he was saying even before the autopsy was done. He was blaming me for cancelling the autopsy, said Dr Alexandrov. He pointed out that now that the autopsy has been completed and the results handed over to the parents, he is hoping that the talk show host apologises not to him but to the people of Trinidad and Tobago, who view that programme. The parents of baby Kristiano told reporters at the FSC yesterday that although they are relieved there was no foul play, they still intend to explore all of their options. Lisa Ramjattan, Kristianos mother, told Newsday when she arrived at Sues Step by Step Daycare Centre in Barrackpore on Monday, her child was dead. These people are saying that the baby was panting when he was being taken to the hospital, but that is not true. The person who is saying that could not know what happened because he was not there Ramjattan said. Lisa told Newsday that she and husband Kristan Aziz, had gone to the daycare centre in Barrackpore at about 3 pm to collect Kristiano. When they got to the centre, they were told by one of the caretakers that the child was on the bed and Lisa could go pick him up. Lisa said when she picked up the child, he was cold and stiff. Recounting the ordeal at the yesterday, Kristian said he tried to wake the child up, but he was already dead. She (Lisa) ran outside and told me what happened. I went in to check and I saw my son lying there on the bed. I took his little arms and I shook him and I said, wake up son, but he was not responding. I put my ear to his chest to hear a heartbeat but there was none. The couple said they paid the owner of the daycare $45 for a day for the past month to look after Kristiano. The husband and wife own and operate Rhondas Bar located at their home address at St Cross Road in Princes Town. Investigations are continuing Sex accused for trial July 1 Rambachan also denied bail to Surajbally, 39, a technician, and informed him of his right to apply to a judge in Chambers on the issue of bail if he so desires. PC Alcala of the Child Protection Unit (CPU) charged Surajbally of Lothians Road, Princes Town, with two counts of kidnapping (one for each minor); two counts of serving alcohol to a minor and two counts of sexual assault. The charges stem from an alleged incident in the Princes Town district last week Tuesday. On his initial court appearance last week Thursday, defence attorney Yohan Pancham told the court his client was fearful for his life if placed in the general prison population. The attorney also made a bail application. However prosecutors Sgts Roger Richardson and Shazeed Mohammed had objected to bail on three grounds. Richardson had submitted that the criminal record tracing was not done on the accused. He added that the prosecution believes attempts may be made to interfere with witnesses or obstruct the course of justice if bail is granted. Lastly, Richardson further submitted that the accused should be kept in custody for his own protection. To support the last ground, the prosecutor cited Section 2(B) of the Bail Act. Yesterday, unlike last week Thursday when Surajbally made his first court appearance, the accused was not greeted with derogatory remarks by members of the public. Passers-by seemed oblivious of the allegations against Surajbally. As police officers escorted the handcuffed accused, passers-by continued on with their activities. The magistrate heard the case in-camera (privately), as he did at the first court appearance, and so only immediate family members were allowed to sit in the courtroom. Sgt Winston Hajaree prosecuted. The magistrate adjourned the case to June 22, for mention. On that date, the magistrate will adjourn it on July 1 for trial and then again on July 4, for the continuation of the trial. The accused is being kept in a cell by himself at the Golden Grove prisons, as a precautionary measure. 4 versus terrorism Replying for the Ministry, June Thomas, Director of Finance and Accounts, stated this staff as being just four persons. She said their role is to set policy, but with enforcement to be carried out by an undisclosed number of persons on the staff of the Ministry of Finance. Thomas also revealed that her Ministrys Counter Trafficking Unit consists of eight or nine persons. Shalisha Mohammed, Auditor III in the Ministry, said the unit responsible for TTs compliance with a financial probity treaty known as the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) is comprised of two persons - herself and the Director of Anti Money laundering, Camille Rennie. Tewarie was plainly dissatisfied with these staffing levels to combat terrorist financing and money laundering. Given what these things represent in our time, I think these units are grossly undermanned, hit Tewarie. And I have not even asked a question about the capacity and capability of the individuals and the technical competence that is required for this kind of job. And I think that puts our country in a very, very risky position, given what is happening in todays world. Independent Senator Dhanayshar Mahabir asked if the Ministry liaises the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Ministry of Finance, to which Thomas replied, We have collaboration. I cannot divulge. Tewarie asked broadly what was being done against the countrys high crimerate. Citizen Security Programme head, Gregory Sloan Seale replied that his unit runs a number of programmes to help stabilise certain high-needs communities. These include programmes to address domestic violence, child abuse and child neglect and the offer of training/help in conflict resolution, mediation and trauma reduction. He said that in those specific communities the murder-rate has fallen from 71 deaths in 2008, to 40 in 2014, to 39 last year. Earlier in the sitting, permanent secretary, Simeon Yearwood replied to Tewaries questions by saying that the total number of civilian and protective services staff working under the Ministry is 21,000 persons. The Ministry has two permanent secretaries and three deputy permanent secretaries, said Yearwood, and is run by a Minister, Junior Minister and Parliamentary Secretary. The Ministry consists of nine divisions - such as Police, Fire, Defence Force, Cadet Force, Forensic Science Centre and General Administration - plus 16 other smaller units. The Ministrys main income- earner consisted of the Immigration Divisions issuance of machine-readable passports, which earned $45 million to $50 million last year, said Thomas in reply to Mahabir. Otherwise the Ministrys head office earned $5 million from several sources, she added. Tewarie, in his conclusion said the world is not getting any safer and there must be a re-think of how the Ministry is structured. Police challenged with firearm violence The problem in the country is built around firearms and we really have to address the issue of firearm violence. We have seen a trending downwards in serious crime in Trinidad and Tobago. In 2009, 22,162 serious crimes, in 2015 we have recorded 11, 135 that is half the total number. He added, In 2016, it is again going lower than the figure recorded that 33-year low figure recorded in 2015. Williams said as they look at all crime types which include, robberies, larcenies, sexual related offences, all are going down. He was speaking to the media yesterday after a Promotion ceremony to 611 Police Constables to Corporal of Police, at the Police Academy, St James. Williams told reporters that in 2015 they took off the streets 691 firearms, which is the highest annual total in the entire region. He explained that Jamaica has more murders than TT, recorded more than 1,200 in 2015, with a population twice as TT, they took off the street 576 firearms in 2015. Williams said there is a need for a discussion beyond the police service and if everyone is engaged there will be a reduction in crime. The discussion beyond the police service, it is not about a manpower shortage, its about a societal challenge for which the society is only focusing on the police service, and we have to embrace that every single one of us has a role, Williams added, Every time a police officer dies it is a painful blow to the organisation, and I encouraged police officers to stay focused. Williams said he hopes the promotion can be a form of motivator for police officers, because at present the Police Service is in need a lot of motivation. He explained that there is a high demand for the service of police officers, and it is already beyond the normal call. I am able to promote in excess of 1,000 officers in the last few weeks, which is a massive number and I am hoping that it will give the extra drive across the entire country. The demand for our service is growing and the officers are called beyond their normal call of duty, so I am hoping that this act as a major motivator and aid us in the fight against crime, he emphasised. Detained Guyanese woman wants to go home Persons close to her were told that the Immigration Detention Centre can detain her for up to seven weeks, before a special inquiry can be conducted and it can be determined whether she will be deported by force or allowed to leave on her own volition. But a male relative, who wished not to be named, told Newsday that she has people waiting to buy a ticket for her to return to her homeland and her two children. She just wants to go home, said the male relative. We are trying to expedite the situation so that she can get back to her family as soon as possible. Newsday was told that the woman, who asked that her name not be mentioned for fear of being targeted, was arrested at a club six weeks ago. She was later charged for overstaying, and taken to the Immigration Detention Centre (IDC), where she awaited a special inquiry. Officials then transferred her to the Womens Prison at Golden Grove on the basis that the IDC was full and was undergoing renovations. Newsday made attempts to reach officials at the Ministry of National Security to get a response, but efforts proved futile. In the meantime, relatives of the woman continue to hope that due process would be carried out. We dont know if this would take days, weeks or years, said the male relative. Because people are refusing to tell us anything. They keep acting like they dont care, but we just want her out of that prison Ramesar: Consider officers killed while off duty Ramesar told Newsday during an interview yesterday, It is necessary for another tier of consideration when it comes to the compensation to relatives of police officers who have lost their lives. There are sufficient concerns among the membership that police officers are being targeted in relation to matters which occurred while on duty, but attacks on them are taking place while off duty. Ramesar made the comment following the murder of Special Reserve Police (SRP) Constable Jason Cyril John, who was shot dead by unknown gunmen on Monday evening. John was talking to his wife on his cellphone a short distance away from his house in Five Rivers, Arouca when loud explosions were heard. Newsday was told that Johns wife heard the gunshots and ran outside the house only to see his body on the ground. A report was made to the police and John was rushed to the Arima District Hospital where he was pronounced dead at about 1.08 am. Selby Wilson worried by crime, social decay Wilson said he was confident that the Government would be able to rebound its economy in the next year or two. He said the economic situations were cycles and Trinidad and Tobago was in a cycle adding that the country was influenced by what was happening externally mainly because of the price of oil and gas falling and the petrochemical prices were also falling. We just have to be able to ride out the cycle, Wilson told reporters. It would be fair to say the country is in very challenging times. I do not like to refer to it as a recession. We are in challenging times which requires very astute management of the funds and I have every confidence that the Government would develop the correct posture eventually in getting it right. In a way it was unfortunate that we have built up hard core recurrent expenditure in the time we had plenty and that is always a difficult proposition how rapidly we can put that under control, Wilson said. When asked about the aid offered to the economically challenged South American country, Venezuela, Wilson said international cooperation was a way of life. Hopes lifted for Trini Muslims in Venezuela Gloria Charles, mother of Wade Charles one of the five detained, told Newsday yesterday, her son said he was happy on hearing the news. All of them are happy. Their hopes are alive, she said, They are looking forward to Mondays visit of National Security Minister Edmund Dillon. Dillon is due to go to Caracas on Monday for direct government to government talks on a number of cross-border security issues including talks that could lead to the repatriation of the Trinis, and of Venezuelans currently in detention in Trinidad. The other detainees are Dominic Petilal, Asim Luqman, Andre Battersby and Leslie Daisley. Charles said, her son - the father of ten - asked her to thank Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley for making their issue a priority in his talks with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday. She quoted him as saying that he was confident that since Rowley took office the detainees would get the help they needed through diplomatic channels or high level discussions. I personally want to meet Dr Rowley, she said, to thank him for what he has done so far. Right now, I am the happiest mother alive. She also wanted to thank Independent Liberal Party leader Jack Warner who has called often and assisted her. Saadiqua Mohammed, wife of Petilall - the father of three sons, told Newsday that initially when she heard the news on Monday about the swap of the Trinis for Venezuelans in detention here she was not as hopeful. The past administration had made promises, she said, but nothing came out of the promises. On reflection, she told Newsday yesterday, she was now more hopeful. On Monday it was the first time, she said, that a government had made public its intention on what it intends to do. In the past, she said, all the discussions were behind closed doors. Both Charles and Mohammed said the men were still facing severe hardships including food shortages and medications due to Venezuelas economic conditions. One of the men is reportedly suffering from kidney problems. The women said that someone from Venezuela was in Trinidad over the past few days and was due to travel back today. The relatives have put together food and medication to send for them. We will send as much help. Tomorrow (today) they will get food stuff and medication, Charles said. In brief remarks, Nafeesa Mohammed, attorney for the relatives of the detainees in TT told Newsday, We feel very hopeful that it is just a matter of time before the men are returned to Trinidad. We have been sharing information with Government to show that the men have not committed any crime or offence in either Trinidad or in Venezuela. It was clear from the information, she said, that the men were in Venezuela to obtain visas to perform the Umra. The men believed, she said, that misinformation that had been sent by the previous administration might have complicated the process and tarnished their reputation which led to them being held for so long. Thanking Rowley, the respective ministers and others behind the scene working to secure their repatriation, Mohammed said, We believe that with further dialogue, Government will expedite the return of our nationals. However, she said, It is not over yet. Our plea, our hope is for these men to be returned home in the shortest possible time. It will be a blessing if these men could be reunited with their families in time for the Holy Month of Ramadan which will begin about June 7. The men had been going to court since the year began but they have not been charged. Shoppers go about their business On Monday night, a voice note shared on Whatsapp suggested that terrorists intend to stage some sort of attack at malls. Employees at several malls told Newsday that while Tuesdays patronage was lower than usual, it picked up again yesterday. They attributed the spike in patronage to the time of the month. This (yesterday) was the day before the holiday, plus it is the end of the month, said one mall employee. I dont think that the threats affected persons decision to come to the malls. One patron told Newsday that while the threat seemed to lack substance, people should still be wary of going to the malls this weekend. We didnt know what was going to happen in 1990 either, said the patron, So we never know. Newsday understands that officers of the Cyber Crimes Unit of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service are attempting to ascertain the source of the voice note After three months, Ecclesville students back in class The school was closed following reports of an electrical problem which surfaced last year when a circuit got burnt from the inside causing sparks to fly. The building was deemed unfit by the Ministry of Education and was closed. Students were transferred to the nearby Ecclesville Presbyterian Church hall for schooling . President of the school PTA, Florence Cardinez extended thanks to the ministry as well as parents and the media for assisting in rectifying the electrical problems at the school. Cardinez said TTEC replaced the faulty wires, and the electricity problem has been resolved . Cardinez also said the Minister of Agriculture Clarence Rambharat lives in close proximity to the school and promised to assist in getting a new flooring. She said as soon as the PTA gets the green light they will be raising funds to purchase new furniture for the school . The school has a student population of 165 . Meanwhile, parents of students attending the La Brea RC School in South Trinidad are calling on the Ministry of Education to say when the school would be reopened . Parents say the school has been closed for the past two weeks because of a malfunctioning sewer system but despite complaints no work has started . The concerned parents say the over 300 plus students are losing valuable school time and they are calling on the Education Minister to intervene . And the Education Minister has confirmed that he will be meeting with members of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha Board, SDMS, Education Facilities Company Limited (EFCL), TTUTA and the National Parents Teachers Association (NPTA) this week to discuss the current status of construction works at the Rousillac Hindu School . A statement from the Ministry said parents of students attending the school visited the Ministry of Education to air their concerns over the issue of the current temporary location which they said are inadequate. A team from the Ministry of Education visited the community centre on Friday May 20th, 2016 to determine the necessary infrastructure works to be carried out . Thus far, construction at the school has been stalled. Minister Garcia is promising to make every effort to settle the outstanding amount so that construction could be restarted at the school . PM: Intelligence is key Addressing the post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair, Rowley noted the SSA Bill was passed in the House of Representatives and the Senate on April 15 and May 10, respectively. He explained, Once a bill like that is passed in the Parliament and the vote is taken, the Office of the President would be advised of the outcome in the Parliament. Then it falls to the President to assent. Rowley said after that happens, Then it falls to the Cabinet to determine the date of the proclamation which means, the date upon which that law comes into force. However he reiterated, Without the presidential assent, the Cabinet cannot proclaim and the work of the Parliament remains in limbo until the assent is had. The Prime Minister said while those who feel defeated felt the President should not give his assent, he trusted, that such advice may not be taken seriously. Asked if the amended SSA legislation was hindering the Governments ability to treat with crime in TT, Rowley said. Part of the failure of our national security apparatus is an absence of appropriate information. He explained the Bill, is an action that is meant to improve access to information. The Prime Minister declared, We cannot start a moment too soon, to begin to find out, what the criminal element is doing and is thinking. In todays world, the communications system is such and so all pervasive that criminals in all kinds of activity, are engaging in communication. Stressing that communication is the glue that holds a lot of criminality together, Rowley said, is for the security services to get in on that communication. Regardless of which administration is in power or who the national security minister, Rowley said the absence of pertinent information for law enforcement will result in low detection levels and persons committing offences, would do them with impunity. The Prime Minister added in such a scenario, the security services would be leaping in the dark. Saying the Opposition and others have confused the issue with spying, Rowley said issue of privacy was dealt with in the Interception of Communications Act (ICA) that was passed in 2010 under the former Peoples Partnership (PP) government. Rowley recalled that as Opposition Leader at that time, he insisted to the PP that interception of communications be governed by statute. Reminding reporters that only the Police Commissioner, Chief of Defence Staff and SSA Director are authorised to intercept communications under the ICA, Rowley said before the ICA,anybody could do it. As he indicated the large numbers of firearms on the streets, the Prime Minister said he was heartened by the security agreement reached on Monday with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to tighten up cross border security between the two countries. A statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister after the briefing, indicated the VENTRI Exercise in the first half of this year would be part of the TT-Venezuela security initiative. Respect the vote Addressing these issues at the post-Cabinet news conference yesterday at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair, Rowley said the Opposition is now, misleading the public about how many votes and who voted and is questioning the member to the point of infringing the privilege of a member of the House (Senate). The Prime Minister explained, The law is very clear. If the Government gets one vote from the Independents, the law is well and truly passed. Two members of the Independents voted with the Government and we are very happy for their support. Junkere and Independent Senator Ian Roach voted with the Government to pass the SSA Bill (which required a simple majority) in the Senate on May 10. Reiterating the intention of the legislation to enhance the SSAs ability to help the security forces deal with crime, Rowley said, I dont know that the average person in TT has a problem with that. With the Bill being passed with the requisite majority, the Prime Minister declared, We expect that such a majority will be respected at every level and the Government will not be impeded in its very urgent exercise, in setting about to provide the citizenry with every possibility of being successful in bringing about safety and security in TT. Recalling that in 1987, the then Opposition Peoples National Movement (PNM) did not condemn the then National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) government or Independent senators when the NAR got one Independent to support a bill in the Senate to cut public servants salaries, Rowley said this is what the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) is now doing regarding the SSA Bill. As he said Govermment, will not be distracted by the obstructionists, the Prime Minister also observed there were some Independent senators, who are free to be independent but organising themselves as a political party in the Parliament to obstruct the Governments progress. Rowley said the Senates Standing Orders clearly indicate, that any member of the Senate could raise a motion of privilege if that member perceives that the privilege of their House has been interfered with. In this regard, Rowley said it was not for Independent Senator Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir, to tell the government senators what they should and shouldnt do. He questioned why Mahabir (as the Independent benchs coordinator) was not in the forefront of filing the motion against Ramdeen, and not making it relevant for the Government to do such. Rowley did not see what the story is, regarding invitations extended to all Independent senators to attend a meeting with Attorney General Faris Al Rawi and technocrats on the SSA Bill on May 9. Only Junkere and Roach attended that meeting. Rowley stated, If in the interim senators come and go, it is not for the AG to keep a tab on who is there. The Prime Minister made it clear that he was not defending Junkere but, the privilege and right of any member of the House (Senate)to vote as he or she sees fit. Rambharat: Court not Senate to mull Jwala The Senate continued debate on Opposition Senator Wade Marks private motion to condemn Rambarrans firing. Rambharat said it is a very difficult debate to have but most senators had tried hard to tread carefully in their utterances in line with the House rules, aware of the pending court case. Earlier, Opposition Senator Wayne Sturge asked if one of the attorneys supplying legal advice to fire Rambarran was an attorney paid his $400,000 legal fees the day after submission of invoice who is the son of a Government Minister? He justified his question by saying one such attorney was already named as Martin Daly SC. Deputy Speaker Nigel De Freitas reined in Sturge to stay relevant to the motion. Sturge insisted that the Opposition is entitled to a reply, as he alleged that silence means the Governments electoral platform of transparency and accountability is now a sham. He used the opportunity to allege that the Government is planning to give $50 million to Venezuelas government following President Nicolas Maduros visit on Monday, and declared that this stance would contrast sharply to previous Government remarks that this country is now running on fumes. In a motion on the adjournment, Mark complained that persons given the nod for public housing under the former government were now being abandoned by the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) under the current Government. Housing Minister, Randall Mitchell, replied that some 26 applicants who had signed documents and paid a deposit were now awaiting allocation pending remedial work to some housing units. However, he added that some 200 applicants were now subject of an extensive review of their application process to ensure that they are properly qualified for a unit. Mitchell bemoaned that unit cost-prices had risen from a range of $250,000 to $300,000 under the former PNM government to a range of $570,000 to $4 million under the former PP government. He said the Government has tried to stop the lure of high-earners seeking State housing by reversing the qualifying joint income from $45,000 back to $25,000 per month. What you need to know about the Octagon Art Festival on Sunday in Ames news Cliven Bundys lawyer preparing to sue Obama and several government officials Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, who led an armed standoff over unfairly manipulated government grazing fees on federal lands, has filed suit against President Obama and officials in Nevada in a bid to get charges against him dismissed, The Hill reported. Bundys lawyer filed the complaint last week against the president; Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.; Reids son, former Clark County Commissioner Rory Reid; and U.S. District Court Judge Gloria Navarro. The suit alleges that they violated several of Bundys constitutional rights and seeks to dismiss an indictment against him, as well as have him released from solitary confinement. The Hill noted that his legal team discussed the action last week after a detention hearing in Las Vegas. Bundy was arrested in Portland, Ore., in February as he made his way to a wildlife refuge that was being occupied by his two sons and others, as a protest against unfair federal land use rules and the re-sentencing of local ranchers for what many believe are bogus charges. As The Hill reported further: His arrest was part of escalated efforts by the FBI to end the 41-day occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in rural Burns, Ore., about a six-hour drive from Portland in the eastern part of the state. Bundy came to national attention after drawing scores of armed militiamen to Nevada to ward off federal authorities after a fight over grazing fees. For years, Bundy grazed cattle on land owned by the Bureau of Land Management, which did not own much of the land when Bundy began his grazing operations decades ago. The BLM imposed up to $1 million in fees, which Bundy says were improperly levied because he does not believe the federal government has authority over the land. As Natural News founder Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, reported in April 2014, the same month as the Bundy-led standoff in Nevada, the governments real agenda behind the harassment of Bundy was its interest in leasing the land that he was using to energy companies interested in setting up fracking operations: This document from the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology(1) shows significant exploratory drilling being conducted in precisely the same area where the Bundy family has been running cattle since the 1870s. The Gold Butte area is indicated on the lower right corner of the document (see below), and it clearly shows numerous exploratory drilling operations have been conducted there. Whats also clear is that oil has been found in nearby areas and possibly even within the Gold Butte area itself. Adams further noted that the BLM, prior to the Bundy standoff, had cashed in on some $1.27 million in shale fracking leases, demonstrating again that our broke and heavily indebted government uses whatever land it can grab as a means of generating revenue. Adams noted further: Once control of the land is established via court order or by bringing armed men with automatic weapons, BLM then turns around and leases the land to fracking companies who proceed to exploit the land using hydraulic fracturing techniques that inject toxic chemicals into groundwater supplies (and have been linked to earthquakes). The money collected by the BLM is then used to increase BLM salaries and bonuses. In essence, the BLM is a criminal mafia racket, and Cliven Bundy just happened to be in the way of their next target, the Gold Butte area of Nevada. That is why they brought hundreds of heavily armed men to a save the tortoise operation. As for the Oregon fracas, that began about 14 years ago, Dwight Hammond, now 70, and his son Steven Hammond, now 43, set a fire on the BLM land, for which they had grazing permits, to clear underbrush in a common practice that revitalizes land. Though a court ruled that the fire helped improve productivity on the land, the father and son were tried and convicted in 2012 under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 for arson on public land for the 2001 fire and a similar fire in 2006, states the Bundy Ranch blog spot. Submit a correction >> Does Clinton have a black ops team that fired shots at Sanders and broke into his campaign headquarters? Has Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont so endangered rival Hillary Clintons chances of becoming the Democratic Partys presidential nominee this time around that her campaign is using wannabe mercenaries to shut him up and make him back off? At this point that isnt known, but what is apparent is that the violence between Sanders and Clinton loyalists is ramping up. As reported by Breitbart News, the battle that began recently during Nevadas Democratic Convention entered another dimension a few days later as a war of press releases, phone calls and tweets from a variety of people and groups on the Left began in earnest. Most shocking among them: A statement from Sanders himself revealing that someone had fired gunshots into his Nevada campaign offices. Now, it is known, as Republicans begin to coalesce around their partys frontrunner, Donald Trump, Democrats are tearing themselves apart choosing between an avowed socialist who would turn the United States into a giant Venezuela and a deeply flawed candidate whom many believe is an unindicted (to this point) criminal. On a recent morning, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid a Nevada Democrat spoke with Sanders for 10 minutes via phone to recap what happened in his state. He and I had a very long conversation, Reid said about the call. He said that he condemns that. Im confident he does. Im confident hell be saying something about it soon Im hopeful and very confident that Sen. Sanders will do the right thing, he added. After talking with Reid, Sanders campaign released a statement about what happened in Nevada. That said, the statement likely wasnt what Reid was looking or hoping for: It revealed the shooting incident and more about the infighting in Nevada, including a break-in months ago at his campaign staffs living quarters. Within the last few days there have been a number of criticisms made against my campaign organization, Sanders said. Party leaders in Nevada, for example, claim that the Sanders campaign has a penchant for violence. That is nonsense, the Senator continued. (Remember when his naysayers began saying that about Trumps campaign?) Sanders went on to add, when we speak of violence, I should add here that months ago, during the Nevada campaign, shots were fired into my campaign office in Nevada and apartment housing complex my campaign staff lived in was broken into and ransacked. As the statement continued, Sanders explained in detail his argument against what went on in Nevada, which eventually had to be broken up by police, by the way. The chair of the convention announced that the convention rules passed on voice vote, when the vote was a clear no-vote. At the very least, the Chair should have allowed for a headcount, the Weekly Standard reported. The chair allowed its Credentials Committee to en mass rule that 64 delegates were ineligible without offering an opportunity for 58 of them to be heard. That decision enabled the Clinton campaign to end up with a 30-vote majority, he wrote. However, the chair would not acknowledge any motions that came from the floor, let alone allow any votes on them. These claims were then followed up by a Sanders bombshell: He said the Democratic Party has a choice: It can open its doors and welcome into the party his supporters or maintain its status quo. At (the Nevada) convention, the Democratic leadership used its power to prevent a fair and transparent process from taking place, Sanders said, adding that there have been zero reports of violence during his rallies across the country. So divided is the party becoming that even Left-wing media outlets like MSNBC are calling on the leader of the Democratic National Committee, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, to step aside. This has been very poorly handled from the start. It has been unfair and they havent taken him seriously, and it starts quite frankly with the person we just heard speaking. It just does. You know that, Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski said after an interview with Wasserman Schultz. She should step down. She should step down, Brzezinski said. Sanders full statement is here. Sources: BreitBart.com TheNewAmerican.com TheHill.com WeeklyStandard.com Trofire.com Science.NaturalNews.com Submit a correction >> Israel is now a cybersecurity superpower and heres how it happened (Cyberwar.news) Israels rise as one of the worlds leaders in cybersecurity has been boosted by cooperation between the military, government, education, and private sectors, a level of partnership unmatched in the Western world, the Washington Post reported Saturday. (Article by The Tower, republished from //www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/dr20160518-how-israel-became-a-cybersecurity-superpower) Israels cybersecurity sector is now worth half a billion dollars annually second only to the United States. Public and private investment in this field is due not only to the frequent hacking attacks Israel is bombarded with, but also the countrys desire to use its tech knowledge to boost its overall economy. As a result, the Post reported, Different sectors of society that in the United States do not have a tradition of collaborating appear willing in Israel to work closely together under a strong centralized authority. This level of collaboration is borne of necessity, explained Eviatar Matania, the head of the National Cyber Bureau. First, we have more enemies than others. We understand that the cyberthreat is here and now. Second, a lot of Israels high-tech and innovation culture is in cyber. This is where we can gain an advantage over other countries in defending ourselves. And thus, we see cyber not just as a threat to mitigate, but also as one of our economic engines. To that end, a new cyber-city is being built in Beersheba, which will serve as a hub for Israels most talented computer experts. It will house Israels National Cyber Bureau and national cyber response team, as well as the local headquarters of several major multinational corporations, including PayPal, Lockheed Martin, and Deutsche Telekom. The IDFs Unit 8200 signals intelligence division will also move into the area, as will the Shin Bet, Israels internal security service. And nearby Ben-Gurion University is described as the nations top school for cybersecurity. Never go hungry in an emergency Click here What you get out of that is the research capabilities that academia brings, the real-world knowledge that the [tech firms] bring, the hands-on experience that the military brings, alongside the entrepreneurial ability that the start-ups bring, Nadav Zafrir, a former head of Israels Unit 8200 who now works invests in cybersecurity startups, told the Post. You put all that together, it sparks magic. The levels of collaboration spread beyond Beersheba. The Shin Bet is responsible for the cybersecurity of the Israel Electric Corporation, the Bank of Israel, and other critical businesses and institutionsthe equivalent of the FBI regulating major U.S. businesses or private entities for cybersecurity, the Post noted. While civil libertarians and businesses in the United States would likely object to such involvement, in Israel it is viewed as necessary. The Shin Bet does not actually monitor the computer networks of the groups it protects, but rather relies on information from sensors it installed in the companies computer systems. Additionally, Unit 8200 and the Mossad, Israels foreign intelligence service, share information on cyberattacks with the Shin Bet. In contrast, it took years for the United States to pass a law encouraging (not forcing) companies to share data with the government. Perhaps the driving force behind Israels growing cybersecurity sector is Unit 8200, which scouts the top math and computer science talent in the nations high schools to recruit when they graduate. A two-year-old program has military cyber-officers working with around 800 students at four high schools known for their advanced math and computer science programs. If you ask me whats the biggest secret of the Israeli high-tech system, its the militarys ability to look at people when they are in high school, Zafrir observed. Read more at //www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/dr20160518-how-israel-became-a-cybersecurity-superpower. More: Cyberwar.news is part of the USA Features Media network. Check out ALL our daily headlines here. Submit a correction >> With new subs, China enters an exclusive club as one of few world powers possessing the nuclear triad (NationalSecurity.news) After decades of development China may be set to finally launch its Jin class submarines this year, undersea platforms which will carry nuclear-tipped ICBMs and give Beijing an air-, land- and now sea-launch capability. As reported by The Daily Beast, Chinas Peoples Liberation Army Navy looks likely to conduct its first operational patrols with nuclear weapons aboard the subs at some point this year. When that happens, China will have achieved a level of maritime nuclear strike capability that, at present, is only possessed by the United States and Russia. China will probably conduct its first SSBN nuclear deterrence patrol sometime in 2016, the Pentagon warned in the latest edition of its annual report on the Chinese military, published in mid-May. Once the Jins set sail, Beijing will command a nuclear triad composed of ground-, air- and sea-launched nuclear weapons. The theory is that a diverse array of delivery systems creates survivability by complicating a first strike, Jeffrey Lewis, an expert on nuclear geopolitics with the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, told The Daily Beast. What he means is, if a country possesses all three manners of attacking with nuclear weapons, it becomes infinitely more difficult to destroy that enemys nuclear strike capabilities in one fell swoop, giving that nation a second-strike capability to hit back. That creates a deterrence; nations refrain from attacking each other over fear that any escalation might result in nuclear retaliation. In an emergency, make sure you can eat when others cant Click here The nuclear triad is a level of deterrence that most nations simply do not have the resources financially and technologically to possess. Some that do say, Japan, Germany and Britain have made the conscious decision not to invest in such capabilities. As for China, its military reportedly possesses a few hundred nuclear warheads, which is far fewer than the 7,000 or so each possessed by the U.S. and Russia. Also, Washington and Moscow boast a wider range of launchers for their nuclear weapons. The Daily Beast reported further: The Chinese militarys rocket branch maintains around a hundred long-range rockets in land-based silos. The Chinese air forces H-6 bombers first dropped atomic bombs back in the 1970sand modern versions of the bombers can fire cruise missiles that are compatible with nuclear warheads. When the Jins are finally war-ready, they will complete Beijings land-air-sea atomic triad. As for Chinas operational experience with nuclear missile subs, designated SSBNs by the Pentagon, Beijings navy lacks the decades of experience inherent in the U.S., Russian, British and French navies, the latter of which still operate SSBNs (India is working on its own version). Missile boats first appeared in the 1960s; China has been working on developing its own version since 1981 and is just now ready to put one to sea. While it is clear that the [Chinese navy] is making strides towards correcting these issues, the capabilities of Chinas nuclear-powered submarine fleet remain in a process of maturity, the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a Washington D.C.-based advocacy group, explains on its website. More: NationalSecurity.news is part of the USA Features Media network. Check out our daily headlines here. Submit a correction >> HILLARY CLINTON ADMITS U.S. CREATED AL-QAEDA, ISIS By Chuck Baldwin May 26, 2016 NewsWithViews.com Why isn't the Mainstream Media (MSM) in America reporting the fact that Hillary Clinton admitted in public that the U.S. government created Al Qaeda, ISIS, Al Nusra, etc.? Why does the MSM refuse to tell the American people that the United States has not ever actually fought ISIS but instead has surreptitiously and very actively supported ISIS and the other radical Muslim terrorists in the Middle East? Why has the media refused to reveal the fact that ever since Russia started to fight a true offensive war against ISIS the terrorist organization has been reduced to almost half? I'll tell you why: the MSM is nothing more than a propaganda machine for the U.S. government--no matter which party is in power. The MSM doesn't work for the U.S. citizenry. It doesn't even work for its corporate sponsors. It works for the Washington Power Elite permanently ensconced in D.C. (and yes, those same Power Elite control most of those media corporate sponsors). It is a sad reality that if one wants to get accurate news reporting, one must mostly bypass the U.S. propaganda media and look to sources outside the U.S. Here is a Canadian publication that covered the Hillary admission: The following video features Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton acknowledging that America created and funded Al Qaeda as a terrorist organization in the heyday of the Soviet-Afghan war: Lets remember here the people we are fighting today we funded them twenty years ago. Lets go recruit these mujahideen. And great, let them come from Saudi Arabia and other countries, importing their Wahabi brand of Islam so that we can go beat the Soviet Union. What she does not mention is that at no time in the course of the last 35 years has the US ceased to support and finance Al Qaeda as a means to destabilizing sovereign countries. It was a pretty good idea, says Hillary, and it remains a good idea today: Amply documented, the ISIS and Al Nusrah Mujahideen are recruited by NATO and the Turkish High command, with the support of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Israel. The more fundamental question: Should a presidential candidate who candidly acknowledges that We created Al Qaeda without a word of caution or regret become president of the US, not to mention Hillarys commitment to waging nuclear war on Russia if and when she becomes president of the United States of America. The report continues: The Global War on Terror (GWOT) is led by the United States. It is not directed against Al Qaeda. Quite the opposite: The Global War on Terrorism uses Al Qaeda terrorist operatives as their foot soldiers. Political Islam and the imposition of an Islamic State (modeled on Qatar or Saudi Arabia) is an integral part of US foreign policy. The report further states: It is a means to destabilizing sovereign countries and imposing regime change. Clintons successor at the State Department, John Kerry is in direct liaison with Al Nusra, an Al Qaeda affiliated organization in Syria, integrated by terrorists and funded by the US and its allies. In a bitter irony, John Kerry is not only complicit in the killings committed by Al Nusra, he is also in blatant violation of US anti-terrorist legislation. If the latter were to be applied to politicians in high office, John Kerry would be considered as a Terror Suspect. See the report here. Think it through, folks: the U.S. government creates the radical Islamic terror networks that justify America's "Global War On Terror" which directly results in millions of refugees (and no doubt plants terrorists among them) flooding Europe. At the same time, it purposely refuses to protect our own borders and even forces states and local communities to accept hundreds of thousands of Muslim refugees (but the government is not sending any Christian refugees to America, even though a sizable percentage of the refugees include Christians also) and pushes NATO to the doorstep of Russia, which to any objective observer could only be regarded as an overt incitement to war. Furthermore, why doesn't the MSM report the words of Hillary saying that the best way to help Israel is to destroy Syria? Why doesn't the media acknowledge that official U.S. foreign policy is to foment perpetual war, not in the name of the safety and security of the United States, but in the name of "helping" Israel? Here is how the same Canadian publication covers this part of the story: A newly-released Hillary Clinton email confirmed that the Obama administration has deliberately provoked the civil war in Syria as the best way to help Israel. In an indication of her murderous and psychopathic nature, Clinton also wrote that it was the right thing to personally threaten Bashar Assads family with death. In the email, released by Wikileaks, then Secretary of State Clinton says that the best way to help Israel is to use force in Syria to overthrow the government. It continues: Even though all US intelligence reports had long dismissed Irans atomic bomb program as a hoax, (a conclusion supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency), Clinton continues to use these lies to justify destroying Syria in the name of Israel. And again: The email proves--as if any more proof was needed--that the US government has been the main sponsor of the growth of terrorism in the Middle East, and all in order to protect Israel. It is also a sobering thought to consider that the refugee crisis which currently threatens to destroy Europe, was directly sparked off by this US government action as well, insofar as there are any genuine refugees fleeing the civil war in Syria. In addition, over 250,000 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict, which has spread to Iraq--all thanks to Clinton and the Obama administration backing the rebels and stoking the fires of war in Syria. See the report here. If destroying Syria is the way we help Israel, how many other nations must the U.S. destroy to "help" Israel? And before John Hagee's braindead disciples start shouting "Destroy them all! I remind you that Syria and other parts of the Middle East is the historic home of millions of Christians going back to the time of the Apostle Paul. The truth is, Hillary (and the rest of the grubby gaggle of Neocons) doesn't give a tinker's dam about Israel. Neocons such as Hillary Clinton simply use Israel (and the misguided passions of Christians and conservatives who blindly support Israel) as cover to accomplish their real agenda: manipulating world governments to the enrichment and empowerment of themselves. Donald Trump is untested. But if Hillary should be elected, I'm confident she would not make it through her first term without taking us into another G.W. Bush-type war (or worse)--except she will also add the attempted disarmament of the American people to her nefarious agenda. That's what Neocons do: they foment war. To their very soul, they are warmongers. And never forget that Hillary Clinton is a true-blue Neocon. Or if the word Neoliberal sounds better to you in describing Hillary, so be it. They both mean the same thing: WAR. Here is a good explanation of how both Neocons and Neolibs are working from the same script. On the whole, Neocons and Neolibs are people without conscience. At their core, they have no allegiance to the United States or any other country. They are globalists. The only god they serve is the god of power and wealth, and they don't care how many people--including Americans--they kill to achieve it. The blood of millions of dead victims around the world is already dripping from their murderous hands. And if you think my indictment against the Neocons is an exaggeration, Paul Craig Roberts (Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under President Ronald Reagan) was even more scathing in his condemnation of them: The remaining danger is the crazed American neoconservatives. I know many of them. They are completely insane ideologues. This inhuman filth has controlled the foreign policy of every US government since Clintons second term. They are a danger to all life on earth. Look at the destruction they have wreaked in the former Yugoslavia, in Ukraine, in Georgia and South Ossetia, in Africa, in Afghanistan and the Middle East. The American people were too brainwashed by lies and by political impotence to do anything about it, and Washingtons vassals in Europe, UK, Canada, Australia, and Japan had to pretend that this policy of international murder was bringing freedom and democracy. The crazed filth that controls US foreign policy is capable of defending US hegemony with nuclear weapons. The neoconservatives must be removed from power, arrested, and put on international trial for their horrendous war crimes before they defend their hegemony with Armageddon. Neoconservatives and their allies in the military/security complex make audacious use of false flag attacks. These evil people are capable of orchestrating a false flag attack that propels the US and Russia to war. See Roberts column here. And make no mistake about it: the national news media is a deliberate and willing facilitator of these international crimes against humanity. [If you appreciate this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link.] 2016 Chuck Baldwin - All Rights Reserved Share This Article Click Here For Mass E-mailing Chuck Baldwin is a syndicated columnist, radio broadcaster, author, and pastor dedicated to preserving the historic principles upon which America was founded. He was the 2008 Presidential candidate for the Constitution Party. He and his wife, Connie, have 3 children and 9 grandchildren. Chuck and his family reside in the Flathead Valley of Montana. See Chuck's complete bio here. E-mail: chuck@chuckbaldwinlive.com Website: ChuckBaldwinLive.com Home I'll tell you why: the MSM is nothing more than a propaganda machine for the U.S. government--no matter which party is in power. The MSM doesn't work for the U.S. citizenry. It doesn't even work for its corporate sponsors. It works for the Washington Power Elite permanently ensconced in D.C. (and yes, those same Power Elite control most of those media corporate sponsors). Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain. Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred. For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here. Apple and Samsung supplier Foxconn has reportedly replaced 60,000 factory workers with robots. One factory has reduced employee strength from 110,000 to 50,000 thanks to the introduction of robots, a government official told the South China Morning Post. Xu Yulian, head of publicity for the Kunshan region, added: More companies are likely to follow suit. China is investing heavily in a robot workforce. Foxconn, spent a total of 4 billion yuan (HK$4.74 billion) on artificial intelligence last year. The manufacturing hub for the electronics industry, Kunshan, in Jiangsu province, is seeking a drastic reduction in labour costs as it undergoes a makeover after an industrial explosion killed 146 people in 2014. The county, one-seventh the size of neighbouring Shanghai and the mainlands first county to achieve US$4,000 per capita income, was adjudged the best county for its economic performance by Forbes for seven years in a row. Foxconn Technology Group confirmed that it was automating many of the manufacturing tasks associated with our operations but denied that it meant long-term job losses. We are applying robotics engineering and other innovative manufacturing technologies to replace repetitive tasks previously done by employees, and through training, also enable our employees to focus on higher value-added elements in the manufacturing process, such as research and development, process control and quality control. Economists have issued dire warnings about how automation will affect the job market, with one report, from consultants Deloitte in partnership with Oxford University, suggesting that 35% of jobs were at risk over the next 20 years. Former McDonalds chief executive Ed Rensi recently told the USs Fox Business programme a minimum-wage increase to $15 an hour would make companies consider robot workers. Its cheaper to buy a $35,000 robotic arm than it is to hire an employee who is inefficient, making $15 an hour bagging French fries, he said SOURCES- BBC News, South China Morning POst We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Egyptian forensic department chief Tuesday denied claims that an explosion brought down the EgyptAir plane which crashed last Thursday in the Mediterranean. Everything published about this matter is completely false, and mere assumptions that did not come from the forensics authority, Hesham Abdelhamid was quoted as saying. Abdelhamid debunked a report by one Egyptian official involved in the investigations of the doomed plane. The official had said given the fact that small parts of human remains were recovered, there are greater chances that the plane exploded mid-air. The official had told the Associated Press under condition of anonymity that there could be only one explanation of the crash. The logical explanation is that an explosion brought it down, he said. There isnt even a whole body part, like an arm or a head, he added. But I cannot say what caused the blast. Relatives of the victims arrived at Cairo morgue and gave DNA evidences to identify the 66 people killed in the crash. Previous reports indicated that the plane caught fire before crashing but experts said that might be due to a technical snag. The doomed flight traveling from Paris to Cairo disappeared from radar 40 minutes before landing. It was around 16 km into Egyptian airspace before it crashed into the Mediterranean. South Koreas Ban Ki-moon, the outgoing Secretary General of the United Nations, has been described by the Economist as the dullestand among the worst UN chiefs that preceded him. In a recent story on the job of UN Secretary General, described as something of a poisoned chalice and on the candidates to the UN helm, the influential British magazine stated that Ban Ki-moon is painfully ineloquent, addicted to protocol and lacking in spontaneity and depth. Touching on bans missteps during his Maghreb tour last March, the magazine pointed out that Even after nine years in the job he is apt to stumble, most recently by calling Moroccos presence in Western Sahara an occupation. Overall, Ban personifies the defect to which the UN is prone: plumping for the lowest common denominator. He got the job because none of the permanent members of the Security CouncilAmerica, Britain, China, France and Russiafound him too objectionable. China wanted an Asian; America regarded him as broadly in its camp; Russia found him acceptably nondescript, the Economist wrote, adding that the UN looks set to repeat the same error when Ban steps down by the end of this year. The secretary-general is also the UNs chief administrative officer. In this respect, too, under Mr Ban it has floundered, the weekly wrote, recalling that Anthony Banbury, a long-serving American UN official, penned a tale of woe in the New York Times soon after he had retired in disgust in March. It was failing, he wrote, thanks to colossal mismanagement. In Bans defense, the weekly deems that he is decent and dogged and that he can claim some credit for new development goals set last year and for overseeing a climate-change agreement in Paris in December. In South Korea, where Ban Ki-Moon is eyeing the presidential elections of 2017, the Korea Times newspaper reproduced the British magazines story under the title: Ban Ki-Moon, one of the worst secretaries-general of the UN. British troops have been spotted in Libya, fighting on the side of Libyan forces loyal to the Government of National Accord (GNA) against IS despite repeated rejections by London of the presence of British fighting squad in the North African country, British media The Times reports on Thursday. The latest confirmation came from Libyan commander Mohammed Durat of Misratas Third Force who told the daily that British forces neutralized earlier this month two suicide car bombings. Durat explained that British intervention helps loyal forces to stem the advance of the militants. My unit works just with the English, Durat said. I have met with them personally and they have destroyed two suicide vehicles that were targeting my fighters. British authorities on several occasions denied the presence of their troops in Libya. Not later than Tuesday, British Defense Minister Michael Fallon reportedly told members of the House of Commons that the UK has no plan to deploy ground forces to Libya and if it has to so, it will seek parliaments authorization. Weve made it clear that we are not planning any kind of combat role either for our troops or for the RAF in Libya, Fallon was quoted as saying. UKs Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond in April told The Telegrpaph that UK could intervene in Libya to help ouster IS but only upon a formal invitation by new Libyan authorities backed by the international community. Another military source also early this month indicated that London would send up to 50 troops to Libya this month. British troops are not the only foreign forces spotted in Libya. The Middle East Eye on May 17 reported that some US forces were seen in Libya on a patrol and observation routine in Misrata. They were not involved in fighting like their British counterparts. The US confirmed the information saying that was the only way to have information on the various playmakers in the Libyan war chessboard. The Speaker of the Tunisian parliament, Mohammed Ennaceur, denied reports that Tunis has approved the deployment of a military base in the country after it was designated as a major non-NATO ally of the US by President Obama. Speaking to Russia Today, Ennaceur claimed the reports are not true because there are no such plans. Tunisia, which suffered from terrorist attacks last year, has been under a State of Emergency, for more than a year. The parliament Speaker stressed that Tunisia would never agree to the presence of any foreign military base on its territory to help in its fight against terrorism because this would be equivalent to foreign intervention. Meanwhile, Tunisia is in need of more financial and economic assistance to face up the challenges threatening its transition towards democracy. In this vein, Tunisian Minister of Development, Investment and International Cooperation Yassine Brahim said during the European Days that his country needs a higher level of material and financial support from the European Union. Tunisia is in need of around 200 to 300 million to ease the democratic transition as the country struggles with economic and financial crises worsened by the crippled tourism sector hard-hit by terrorist attacks, he said. The North African country has received almost 1.3 billion in assistance, 300 million in the form of loans and the remainder as donations, from the EU over the past 5 years. The Tunisian Minister however criticized the EU for its slow pace of decision-making as he urged for more promptness because Tunisia is witnessing a period of transition and we need this (material and financial support) quickly. In another development, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced it has approved a $2.9 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for Tunisia to help the country carry out its economic and financial reform program. Let the lawsuits begin. Photo: Sara D. Davis/Getty Images When the Obama administration sent out guidelines to every public-school district in the nation concerning the treatment of transgender students, it did so with the assumption that Title IX a law that forbids government-funded institutions from sex-based discrimination includes discrimination based on gender identity. The letter, said Attorney General Loretta Lynch, was issued at the behest of school administrators and was designed to give them, teachers, and parents the tools they need to protect transgender students from peer harassment and to identify and address unjust school policies. Although the letter isnt legally binding, it ever so delicately suggests that schools that dont comply could lose their federal funding. And its that aspect that led 11 states and state representatives to file a lawsuit against the federal government on Wednesday accusing it of overreach and in the words of Texas lieutenant governor Dan Patrick blackmail. The suits plaintiffs include nine states Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wisconsin as well as the governor of Maine, the Arizona Department of Education, and school districts in Arizona and Texas. It was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. According to the New York Times, the lawsuit asks the court to block the Obama administration from implementing, applying, or enforcing the new rules, regulations and guidance interpretations. It claims that by issuing the letter, the federal government had conspired to turn workplaces and educational settings across the country into laboratories for a massive social experiment, flouting the democratic process, and running roughshod over common-sense policies protecting children and basic privacy rights. It also takes issue with the governments interpretation of Title IX, referencing one passage from the letter in particular, which states: A schools obligation under federal law to ensure nondiscrimination on the basis of sex requires schools to provide transgender students equal access to educational programs and activities even in circumstances in which other students, parents, or community members raise objections or concerns. As is consistently recognized in civil rights cases, the desire to accommodate others discomfort cannot justify a policy that singles out and disadvantages a particular class of students. By lumping transgender students in with requirements of nondiscrimination on the basis of sex, the suit claims the Obama administration is officially foisting its new version of federal law on schools and attempting to rewrite Title IX to include gender identity by executive fiat. But Dena Iverson, a Justice Department spokesperson, told the Times that the federal government has strong legal foundations to uphold the civil rights of transgender Americans. Texas governor Greg Abbott said during a news conference that his state joined the suit to protect Harrold Independent School District, where the board just passed a policy similar to North Carolinas requiring students to use the bathroom that corresponds with the sex on their birth certificate. [Now] the district is in the crosshairs of the Obama administration, which claims it will punish anyone that doesnt comply with their orders, Abbott said. Patricks condemnation was a little more enthusiastic: [Obama] says hes going to withhold funding if schools do not follow the policy, he said earlier this month. Well in Texas, he can keep his 30 pieces of silver. We will not yield to blackmail from the president of the United States. If Democrats are trying to fracture the Republican Party (and expose its most vehement bigots) through bathroom-baiting, it seems to be working. Ben Shapiro, the 32-year-old former editor-at-large of Breitbart News, doesnt come across as the sort of conservative who would be cannibalized by his ideological fellow travelers for being too soft. The titles of his books and e-books, for example, suggest solidly right-wing beliefs: Porn Generation: How Social Liberalism Is Corrupting Our Future, Brainwashed: How Universities Indoctrinate Americas Youth, and The People vs. Barack Obama: The Criminal Case Against the Obama Administration, to name a few. But these are strange times on the right, and since his resignation from Breitbart in March, Shapiro, currently editor-in-chief of Daily Wire, has increasingly found himself targeted by the so-called alt-right movement, a loose conglomeration of online personalities many if not most of them anonymous currently devoted to tweeting and posting their support for Donald Trump and attacking those who disagree, often in racist and anti-Semitic ways. They have been denigrating Shapiro as a pussy, a cuck, and inevitably, given the nature of this movement a Jew and a kike. His former employer has gone after him too. Shortly after Shapiro resigned, Breitbart published and then quickly pulled down a bizarre article bylined with a pseudonym previously used by Shapiros father on Breitbart and headlined Ben Shapiro Betrays Loyal Breitbart Readers in Pursuit of Fox News Contributorship (Shapiros father, David Shapiro, stepped down as a contributor at the same time Shapiro did Ben told Politico that his father had written under a pseudonym to shield himself from the death threats Ben receives). Then, last week, Breitbart published a piece by an alt-right Twitter personality known as Pizza Party Ben yes, that was how his byline appeared on the site that consisted mostly of a video mocking Shapiro for having complained about anti-Semitism, the alt-right, and Trump: The nadir came a couple of weeks ago, though, when Shapiros wife gave birth to the couples second child. As the Daily Wire noted, Shapiro was hit with a wave of vicious anti-Semitic abuse, including multiple Holocaust references and requests that Shapiro and his family be sent to the ovens. It wasnt supposed to go down this way. Until he left Breitbart, Shapiro, a conservative wunderkind who graduated from UCLA when he was 20 (he also published his first book that year) and Harvard Law when he was 23, was the sites young, telegenic face. On YouTube, there are dozens of videos of him on TV and at speaking events discussing everything from Black Lives Matter to media bias favoring the anti-Israel left to the spoiled children of the microaggression era, and they tend to rack up hundreds of thousands of views or more. Even if you disagree with him and, full disclosure, I disagree with almost every one of his positions on everything its hard not to acknowledge that he is a forceful speaker. Breitbart made a regular habit of publishing articles about the protests and controversy Shapiros campus appearances sparked. During the Republican primary, Shapiro supported Cruz no surprise given that both men are staunch conservatives. But his overriding focus this campaign season has been on Trump, whom he views as not only a fake Republican, but a legitimately dangerous figure. So on March 4, Shapiro came out as a #NeverTrump proponent on the Daily Wire: I will never vote for Donald Trump because I stand with certain principles. I stand with small government and free markets and religious freedom and personal responsibility. Donald Trump stands against all of these things. He stands for Planned Parenthood and trade restrictions and targeting of political enemies and an anti-morality foreign policy and government domination of religion and nastiness toward women and tacit appeals to racism and unbounded personal power. I stand with the Constitution of theUnited States, and its embedded protection of my God-given rights through governmental checks and balances. Donald Trump does not. I stand with conservatism. Donald Trump stands against it. I stand with #NeverTrump. It was clear that this put him at odds with Breitbart, which by then had transformed itself, in the eyes of many, into something of a Trump propaganda outlet. Breitbart employees themselves had taken note of this: Last August, BuzzFeed ran an excerpt from McKay Coppinss then-upcoming book, in which he revealed that staffers at Breitbart Believe[d] Trump Has Given Money to Site for Favorable Coverage, as the headline put it. At a time when Trump had only recently established himself as the GOP front-runner, Coppins noted that Breitbart had set itself apart by plastering its homepage with fawning headlines about the candidate, and all-caps assaults on his critics. Others noticed this, too: By February of this year, Glenn Beck was angrily lashing out at Breitbart on his radio show for what he saw as overly favorable coverage of Trump, comparing the sites executive chairman, Steve Bannon, to Joseph Goebbels. At first, Shapiro didnt react to this shift. In the months preceding his departure, he explained to me, I didnt pay much attention to what else was going on on the site. I wrote my pieces, but I didnt read the rest of my site, and I certainly didnt read the comments sections. He did get the sense, however, that the sites higher-ups were growing more and more comfortable stoking the racial resentment constantly bubbling up from its comments section (as rough as the rest of the internet can be, the Breitbart comments section is basically the sewer from Ghostbusters 2). It was the Michelle Fields incident that severed Shapiros relationship with Breitbart, though. In March, Fields, then a reporter for the site, was grabbed hard by Donald Trumps chief of staff, Corey Lewandowski, after a press conference in Florida. Breitbart did not exactly come out swinging in defense of Fields, raising eyebrows among journalists both outside and within the organization the prevailing assumption was that Breitbarts higher-ups didnt want to jeopardize the sites cozy relationship with Trump, even in an instance where one of its reporters had been manhandled by a campaign operative. (Fields, who posted photos of her bruised arm, filed charges against Lewandowski, but they were later dropped by Palm Beach County.) When Fields resigned in protest, Shapiro went with her (as did various other staffers) and on his way out the door he made a loud point about what he saw as Breitbarts dangerous trajectory. Andrews life mission has been betrayed, Shapiro wrote in his statement about his decision, referring to the sites founder, the controversial conservative-media figurehead Andrew Breitbart, who died in 2012 and was a mentor of Shapiros. Indeed, Breitbart News, under the chairmanship of Steve Bannon, has put a stake through the heart of Andrews legacy. In my opinion, Steve Bannon is a bully, and has sold out Andrews mission in order to back another bully, Donald Trump; he has shaped the company into Trumps personal Pravda, to the extent that he abandoned and undercut [Fields] in order to protect [Lewandowski]. Once Shapiro had bashed his former employer that assertively, an open feud quickly erupted. And Shapiros main nemesis in it has been Milo Yiannopoulos, the flamboyant 31-year-old British provocateur who, since carving out a name for himself as a Gamergate supporter in 2014, has been one of Breitbarts most attention-getting figures, largely by writing and saying outrageous things about Black Lives Matter, feminism (feminism is cancer is one of his catchphrases he sells a shirt with those words emblazoned on them), and everything else. His current college speaking tour has left a wake of upset students, and just as Breitbart has capitalized on the outrage generated by Shapiro by covering that outrage itself, the site has done the same with the even greater campus drama sparked and sparked quite consistently by Yiannopoulos (just this week, he was threatened by protesters who climbed onstage at one of his events at DePaul University). At first glance, Shapiro and Yiannopoulos occupy or occupied similar places in the Breitbart ecosystem: Both are youthful pundits whose main draws are their ability to appeal to young people, and who can capably do a lot of TV and campus appearances. But to Shapiro, at least, the similarities end there. In his mind, he is a principled defender of an embattled conservative ideology, while Yiannopoulos, who refers to Trump as Daddy, is a clown who is simply trying to get attention by stoking and excusing the very extremism that is hollowing out American conservatism. In their feuding, the two have something like the dynamic you might see between a straight-edge older brother and party-animal younger one. (Yiannopoulos: DONALD TRUMP IS MY DADDY; Shapiro: No, Donald Trump Isnt Your Daddy. Grow Up.) One reason the feud between Shapiro and Yiannopoulos has escalated is that, as part of his project of promoting the alt-right and attracting its followers to himself and to Breitbart, Yiannopoulos has repeatedly excused and explained away the movements anti-Semitism, which targeted Shapiro and which seems to target basically any Jewish writer (myself included) who expresses anti-Trump or anti-alt-right opinions on Twitter. Recently, for example, Yiannopoulos who at various points has said he identifies as Catholic, Jewish, or having matrilineal Jewish heritage told the talk-show host Dave Rubin (as quoted by Daily Wire): Generation Trump, the alt right people, the people who like me, theyre not anti-Semites. They dont care about Jews. I mean, they may have some assumptions about things, how the Jews run everything; well, we do. How the Jews run the banks; well, we do. How the Jews run the media; well, we do. Theyre right about all that stuff Its a fact, this is not in debate. Its a statistical fact Jews are vastly disproportionately represented in all of these professions. Its just a fact. Its not anti-Semitic to point out statistics The anti-Semitism on the internet, which is really important, I want people to understand this because nobody seems to, when Jonah Goldberg of National Review is bombarded with these memes, and anti-Semitic take a hike, kike stuff, its not because theres a spontaneous outpouring of anti-Semitism from 22-year-olds in this country. What it is is its a mischievous, dissident, trolly generation who do it because it gets a reaction. Right? Thats been the case for young people for generations They can get to people in positions of power, and people in positions of power and keep biting, they keep taking the bait Its a direct response to the language policing, its a direct response to being told they cant say things. Around that same time, Yiannopoulos co-authored an article with Breitbart reporter Allum Bokhari in which the duo wrote, Just as the kids of the 60s shocked their parents with promiscuity, long hair and rocknroll, so too do the alt-rights young meme brigades shock older generations with outrageous caricatures, from the Jewish Shlomo Shekelburg to Remove Kebab, an internet in-joke about the Bosnian genocide. They went on to write that the openly racist websites VDARE and American Renaissance have been accused of racism, and they cast a variety of figures widely understood by just about everyone to hold racist or anti-Semitic views as part of some sort of vibrant intellectual movement reacting to the strictures of political correctness. That article earned Breitbart a rebuke from the Southern Poverty Law Center: In an article posted on that organizations website, SPLC staffer Stephen Piggott ran down the many recent examples of Breitbarts racially charged content and then argued that Yiannopoulos and Bokharis article represented possibly its most disturbing piece to date. The piece ignores the racist views of the Alt-Right founders white nationalists Richard Spencer, Jared Taylor and others instead referring to them as the movements intellectuals. The piece is a striking example of the direction the network has moved over the past year. (Disclosure: Bokhari recently wrote an article that was critical of my reporting on an internet controversy, and I have in the past been critical of Yiannopouloss reporting.) There is a kernel of truth to the idea that there are some anti-Semitic Twitter accounts that seem to exist more to provoke outrage by tweeting out offensive content than to express the actual felt sentiment of the person behind them, and this elevation of gonzo ultra-offensiveness to a first-order virtue is one driving force behind 4chan and other communities where alt-righters gather. But for any Jewish writer with even a bit of internet sophistication, its not hard to distinguish these accounts from the many that are run by actual, real-life Nazis and white supremacists who, if they dont really and truly hate Jews and view them as part of an attempt to corrupt the European Union and America, sure do put a lot of time into playing those roles on Twitter as soon as someone tweets about Trump or the alt-right. Plus, plenty of self-professed white-supremacist and anti-Semite figures, among them David Duke, have explicitly endorsed Trump its not like the idea of a connection between Trump and white extremism was conjured up the Donalds political opponents. So its not surprising that commentators from across the political spectrum have forcefully disagreed with Yiannopouloss characterization of the alt-rights beliefs and motives many of those commentators, like Shapiro, solidly conservative. Ian Tuttle argued convincingly in National Review, for example, that in examining the intellectual roots of the alt-right, any thread you tug on leads invariably back to figures with genuinely racist understandings of human relations. All of this explains why Shapiro doesnt spend much time parsing the distinction between real and trolling online anti-Semitism. [Yiannopouloss] argument seems to be that an alt-right person tweeting a gas chamber at me in a way thats indistinguishable from David Duke tweeting a gas chamber at me, or an alt-right person calling me a cuck Jewish supremacist, versus David Duke doing the same thing its my responsibility to attempt to distinguish between the two and read into their mind a distinction that simply doesnt exist in objective reality. This is a consistent refrain from the debate-minded Shapiro: Words have meaning, and we cant pretend otherwise. He described the Yiannopoulos approach to speech as a populist counterpart to the left-wing deconstructionist movement. So left-wing deconstructionism basically says language has no meaning, and therefore meaning is whatever we assign to it. The Trump movement and its not this intellectual, but on a gut level this is what they think they basically say that all words also have no meanings and therefore whatever I say thats truly offensive or terrible, its your fault if youre offended by it; it just shows that youre a weak-minded person if youre offended by anything I have to say even if its Your wife and your two children and you should be put in a gas chamber. If youre offended by that, thats really your problem, its not the problem of the person who is tweeting it at you. Shapiro sees this same logic at work in the alt-rights constant use of the slur cuck, short for cuckservative, which Yiannopoulos referenced in a tweet he sent to Shapiro shortly after his child was born: The joke here, of course, is that Shapiros wife had sex with a black man. This is a not-very-veiled reference to the alt-right idea that effete progressive white men, as well as RINOs, secretly want to watch their white wives have sex with black people. The idea is that youre somebody who puts Western civilization in danger, because Western civilization is based on white supremacy, and so you are pandering to black people and minorities because you are desperate to have a minority person have sex with your wife, explained Shapiro. Thats why its an insult to these people. So theres obviously a pure racist bent to the word cuck, and its been true a long time. Then, as with the anti-Semitic memes, there are the trolls who simply hurl the insult in an attempt to provoke. So if they use the word cuck and it gets a rise out of you, then theyve succeeded in their goal, said Shapiro. In short, Shapiro thinks that the alt-right is attempting to shift the boundaries of discourse in such an extreme fashion that anyone who expresses any offense at anything is, by definition, a cuck who lacks the manliness to support Trump (one can only assume Twitter eggs spewing racism at journalists are a virile, muscular bunch, of course). What youll see is that if you even mention [the alt-rights racism and anti-Semitism], its, Oh, hes a weakling. Oh, youre a child, Oh, youre so easily offended youve become a social-justice warrior! said Shapiro. I think a social-justice warrior is someone who is offended by a basic fact they think a social-justice warrior is just anybody who is offended ever, for any reason. And he views this stance as not just stupid but hypocritical. Of course, the irony is that they are the most easily offended people on Earth the Trump people are so easily offended, he said. If you insult the stubby fingers and Cheeto face of their orange god-king, then they lose their minds. They absolutely lose it. And, obviously, Breitbarts pretty easily offended, because when I point out the level of anti-Semitism thats crept up in their comments section and thats being patted on the head by their editorial board, the first thing they do is they run a lead story on their website by some Twitter follower of Milos named Pizza Party Ben the estimable journalist Pizza Party Ben. *** Shapiro believes the Trump movement and its online supporters reflect a corrupted, harmful ideology a mash-up of nationalism without constitutionalism, vileness masquerading as political incorrectness, and frustration at the status quo misdirected to support a corrupt insider, all of it channeled into a frightening cult of personality with Trump at its center. And he thinks Breitbarts decision to pander to this crowd is couched, for the most part at least, in a lack of principle. The way you get traffic now is theres a whole untapped side of the web that people in the mainstream conservative movement havent wanted to get into the Reddits and the 4chans and all the rest that are also new to a lot of people who are older in the conservative movement, said Shapiro. And so kind of embedding yourself there is smart business, but it also means embracing some of the politics of these things, because they are underground trends. What makes it feel cool and underground is the fact that its underground. It may seem cool to frustrated, politically inexperienced kids, but Shapiro also views flirtation with the alt-right as a potentially damaging dead end for young people who fall into a Milological view of the world. Ive met all these kids who think getting a rise out of people is the equivalent of being brave, and they dont understand that the moment they say this stuff online they destroy whatever chance they have of working in polite society, said Shapiro. Its easy for Milo to do it, because Milo is making his money off of being a provocateur, but these kids are being told to do things that Milo himself would never do. One example, Shapiro told me, jumped out at him: a kid he met at one of his college speaking events who introduced himself as a Trump supporter. We do the event, and after the event, as hes walking away, I make a joke about how the Trump supporters are constantly mocking me about being short and all this stuff. And he turns to me and says, Another Shoah, which is one of their online things. He grins at me like its fine to say this sort of thing. So to Shapiro, a generation of young would-be conservatives are getting the message that to fight for free speech is to tweet anti-Semitic memes at Jewish writers, and to make casual jokes to them about the Holocaust, and, during this awkward exploratory phase, many of them could do permanent damage to their life prospects by dabbling in rhetoric that has previously been associated with and only with hate groups, with hardened Nazis and other species of white supremacists. Whatever lumps Shapiro has taken since leaving Breitbart in March, hes about to have a chance to go toe-to-toe with his ideological nemesis in a place where hes very much at home: the debate stage. About a month ago, Shapiro told me, Rubin and the conservative comedian Steven Crowder both offered to host a debate between him and Yiannopoulos. Yiannopoulos originally refused, said Shapiro, claiming his employer wouldnt let him, but last week he relented, and Shapiro despite feeling a little weird about debating someone who publicly joked about his wife cheating on him wants the debate to happen soon (though he says Yiannopoulos hasnt yet responded to the dates he proposed last Friday). Im hoping against hope that people will see the intellectual incoherence and childishness of the alt-right and ardent Trump support base I feel obligated to attempt to at least make the argument, he said. But he realizes that debating with someone who calls Trump Daddy and is cheered by his adoring fans for doing so is partially, by the inherent nature of the exercise, a lost cause however the debate goes down, in other words, Breitbart is still gonna Breitbart: I fully understand that, no matter what happens, Breitbart will declare Milo the big winner, and so will the alt-right. But those arent the people Im talking to. These voters may not want to call themselves Democrats, but they vote like them in the end. Photo: Mark Makela/Getty Images Harry Enten of FiveThirtyEight has helped unravel one of the great mysteries of Campaign 16: Who are the self-identified independent voters Bernie Sanders is carrying so heavily in primaries and caucuses? Are they swing voters who might well swing to Donald Trump in a general-election contest with Hillary Clinton, or stay home in large numbers? According to the Gallup data Enten is looking at, no, theyre not. Sanderss real advantage over Clinton is among the 41 percent of independents who lean Democratic, with whom he has a 71 percent approval rating as opposed to HRCs 51 percent. Among the 23 percent who do not lean in either partys direction the stone swing voters Sanderss approval rating is 35 percent, virtually the same as Clintons 34 percent (both are much better than Trumps 16 percent). But arent a lot of the leaners swing voters, too, particularly if their favored candidate does not win the nomination? Probably not: In the last three presidential elections, the Democratic candidate received the support of no less than 88 percent of self-identified independents who leaned Democratic, according to the American National Elections Studies survey. These are, in effect, Democratic voters with a different name. Yes, Clinton may need to work on this category of voters, but the idea that they are unreachable or likely to defect to Trump doesnt make a whole lot of sense. These arent left-bent voters who have lurked in hiding for years, waiting for a Democrat free of Wall Street ties or militaristic tendencies, and theyre not truly unaffiliated voters who will enter the general election as likely to vote for a Republican as a Democrat. Theyve been around for a while, and in fact they are being affected by partisan polarization more than the self-identified partisans who have almost always put on the party yoke. So while a majority of these Democratic-leaning independents clearly prefer Bernie Sanders as the Democratic nominee, they represent a reservoir of votes that are ultimately Hillary Clintons to lose. Capitol Hill is beautiful from a distance. Photo: Drew Angerer/Bloomberg via Getty Images Good morning and welcome to Fresh Intelligence, our roundup of the stories, ideas, and memes youll be talking about today. In this edition, still more states sue the White House, Trump says youre fired, and were still talking about Hillary Clintons emails. Heres the rundown for Thursday, May 26. WEATHER Extreme and potential deadly weather is set to continue through a swath of the central United States today, with strong winds, large hail, and tornadoes expected in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and maybe even in parts of Texas and Colorado. New Yorkers can expect another lovely day with temperatures in the 80s, no rain, and a few scattered clouds. [Weather.com] FRONT PAGE 11 States Sue White House Over Anti-Discrimination Guidelines Eleven states filed a lawsuit in Texas yesterday against the Obama administration over a recent set of guidelines clarifying that federally funded institutions namely public schools should let transgender students use the facilities where they feel the most comfortable. The suit charges the administration with trying to rewrite the law and force schools to follow its executive order while the Obama administration says simply that, There is no room in our schools for discrimination of any kind. Those totalitarian bastards. EARLY AND OFTEN Clinton Email Scandal Still a Thing The State Departments inspector general presented a much-anticipated report to Congress today about Hillary Clintons use of a private email server while she was serving as secretary of State. The report took Clinton to task saying she did not ask for permission to use her own server, and if she had, she would have been told not to. The Clinton camp responded to the report point by point, saying among other things that past secretaries of State have also used their personal email accounts to conduct business. No Place for Experience: Trump Campaign Jettisons Veteran GOP Operative Rick Wiley, Trumps recent hire for national political director and a seasoned GOP operative with decades of experience, reportedly clashed with longtime Trump loyalist Corey Lewandowski, whos best known for getting charged with battery after he manhandled a reporter. So, you guessed it, Wiley is packing his bags. The campaign is claiming Wileys position was always intended to be temporary, but word on the street (the street is Politico) is that he was fired. [Politico] LGBT Measure Comes Back to Life, Passes the House Last weeks cries of shame have become whoops of joy as the House passed a measure enforcing an executive order that stopped the federal government from hiring contractors that discriminate against employees based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Last week, Republicans snuck legislation that wouldve nullified that order into an energy-department bill that passed by one vote. This time, the anti-discrimination amendment passed by 28 votes, with 43 Republicans supporting it. [The Hill] South Carolinas Controversial Abortion Bill Becomes Law While liberal outrage has been mostly focused on its neighbor to the north, South Carolina governor Nikki Haley has quietly signed one of the nations most restrictive abortion bills into law. The law forbids women who are more than 20 weeks pregnant from getting abortions unless the mothers life is in danger or the baby would not survive outside the womb. South Carolina joins 13 other states with 20-month bans, even though Roe v. Wade said states could only legislate abortions after 24 weeks. But whos counting? THE STREET, THE VALLEY Crude Oil Hits Six-Month High Brent crude which would be a really good name for a bass player hit $50 a barrel yesterday for the first time in more than six months; the hike came in response to decreasing domestic stockpiles of crude oil in the United States. Wildfires in Canada, terrorism in Nigeria, and chaos in Venezuela havent hurt, either. [Bloomberg] Google Joins All the Other Cool Kids Moving From the Bay Area to Detroit Google has announced it will open a new center outside Detroit where it will expand development of self-driving cars. A spokesperson explained that the move made sense because the companys automotive partners were based in Detroit. What is it with Detroit and cars? [Bloomberg] $20 Says Youre Not Reading This on a Lumia Microsofts foray into smartphones continues to flounder just two years after it purchased Nokia exhibit A: its failed Lumia model. The company announced yesterday that it would let go of up to 1,850 employees in its smartphone unit; most of the lost jobs will be in Finland, where Nokia was founded. [Reuters] Two Years of Shoddy Blood Tests and All Theranos Got Was This Lousy Class-Action Suit Another day, another story about Theranos, the startup that wanted to disrupt blood testing but ended up mired in controversy. Yesterday, the company was hit with a consumer-fraud class-action lawsuit from patients who said inaccurate tests led to potentially harmful treatments or missed existent conditions. [The Verge] MEDIA BUBBLE Peter Thiel Looking Smugger Than Usual Today A court in Florida has upheld a jury verdict against Gawker Media for more than $140 million in favor of professional wrestler and Mr. Nanny himself, Hulk Hogan. The judge denied Gawkers motions to reverse or reduce the verdict. Her decision comes just a day after another Gawker platform, Gizmodo, discovered that Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel was paying Hogans legal fees. As a reminder: This is all over a clip of a sex tape featuring Hogan that Gawker posted in 2012. What a wild ride its been. [PoliticoMedia] New York Times to Offer Employees Buyouts The New York Times announced yesterday that it would begin offering voluntary buyout packages to members of its newsroom and business departments at the end of the month. The job-culling is an integral part of the papers plan to aggressively pursue digital expansion to reach its goal of doubling digital revenue by 2020. [NYT] Pulitzer PrizeWinning Journalist Takes Top Job in Montana News Kathy Best, the popular vice-president of news for the Seattle Times, is headed to Montana where shell take on the job of editor for both the Missoulian and the Revalli Republic. Best is well-known for her dedication to investigative reporting; under her purview, the Seattle Times won three Pulitzer Prizes. [Missoulian] PHOTO OP Clinton Campaign Heats Up These are the two gentlemen who distracted Hillary Clinton at her recent campaign stop in California. When security tried to escort them out, she intervened, telling them if they left their pants on they could stay. Okay, where was I? she asked. I gotta admit, it is a little distracting standing up here looking at them. MORNING MEME Spoiler Alert! We think the spoiler statute of limitations is over for this one, and man is it good. Maybe the best Game of Thrones meme ever? OTHER LOCAL NEWS Indiana Declares Fake War Beech Grove, Indiana, residents had quite the scare Tuesday morning when they awoke to low-flying helicopters and the sound of falling bombs and gunshots. Residents fear quickly gave way to frustration with the military, which really shouldve warned them it was conducting a training exercise in their town. Some of these tweets from Beech Grove residents are gold. [Fox] Maine Mystery Probably Batman A series of car break-ins in Lisbon, Maine, have come to a remarkably convenient and mysterious end. Responding to a report of another theft, officers arrived to discover two teens handcuffed together behind a local convenience store with a collection of stolen items. Police believe the thieves accidentally locked themselves together while playing with the handcuffs which were also stolen but surely theres more to this story. Our money is on a cloaked vigilante. [Portland Press Herald] HAPPENING TODAY Flint Fire Stations Get Out of the Water Business Fire stations have been important sources of bottled water and water filters in Flint, Michigan, following the recent lead-tainted-water crisis there, but today, the last fire station will stop providing water supplies. Although this is no doubt a sign of the improving conditions in Flint, residents will still have access to bottled water, filter systems, and replacement filters at five community water-resource sites set up around the city. [MLive] SpaceX Attempts First High-Speed Non-Water Landing SpaceX will try to make history today by pulling off a high-velocity, solid-ground landing with a Falcon 9 rocket. The landing will take place after the rocket launches a communications satellite that will provide internet service to parts of Asia and Africa. SpaceX has previously landed a rocket at high velocity, but only on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. [Inverse] Celebrity Chefs Head to Capitol Hill A consortium of celebrity chefs is headed to Washington, D.C., today where they will address the House Agriculture Committee about how to deal with the more than 70 billion pounds of food waste this country produces every year. Chefs, including Tom Colicchio, will push for labeling that will help decrease waste. [NYT] Paul Ryan. Photo: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images All Paul Ryan wanted was to appropriate some funds for energy and water spending: a quick and easy vote, bang the gavel, go home, and CrossFit hard enough to forget the Donalds name. But lately, routine spending bills in the House have had a funny habit of turning into acrimonious debates over LGBT rights. Last week, Democratic congressman Sean Patrick Maloney proposed an amendment to a Veterans Affairs appropriations bill barring federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT employees thus enshrining President Obamas 2014 executive order on that matter into law. The amendment appeared to pass then a bunch of Republicans switched their votes. And then Democrats chanted Shame, shame, shame, and the Human Rights Campaign blasted the GOP flip-floppers over Twitter, and Speaker Ryan had another fire to put out. Late Wednesday night, Maloney reintroduced the amendment, this time to an energy and water spending bill. Pennsylvania Republican Joe Pitts tried to split the baby, adding a line stipulating that the ban wouldnt apply in circumstances where its enforcement would violate the Constitution. Since conservatives think the Constitution guarantees Christians the right to discriminate against gay people, while liberals think it demands the exact opposite, this was supposed to let both sides win. And for a while there, they seemed to: The amendment passed with 43 Republican votes. And then, just before the full bill came up for a vote, Georgia congressman Rick Allen treated his colleagues to a prayer about the gays. Per Politico: The breakdown of the appropriations process started earlier in the day when Rep. Rick Allen (R-Ga.) opened the weekly GOP conference meeting with a prayer about the LGBT issue, prior to the vote. He read a passage from the Bible and questioned whether members would violate their religious principles if they supported the bill. Moderate Republicans were stunned by Allens remarks, and some walked out of the meeting in protest, according to GOP lawmakers. The appropriations bill fell 305112, as a majority of Republicans voted it down in protest of the LGBT-rights provision. The vast majority of Democrats also turned on the bill after the GOP caucus filled it with poison pills. Among these was a provision barring the federal government from spending money to calculate the climate impact of regulations, one cutting off all funding to sanctuary cities, and an amendment prohibiting the federal government from withholding funds from North Carolina if it continues to violate the presidents federal order about transgender bathroom rights. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was infuriated by the latter or at least she pretended to be. The success of the Maloney Amendment does not hide the reality that House Republicans have chosen to make enabling discrimination against LGBT Americans a top legislative priority, Pelosi said in a statement. But other House Democrats have indicated that they see such amendments and the reality they expose as political gifts. Democrats are being given a huge opportunity to put Republicans on the record on issues that alienate most independent, moderate voters, former Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman and New York representative Steve Israel told the Washington Post. Every time that Republicans give us the opportunity, were going to take it. According to the Post, Democrats are planning to weave these LGBT-rights skirmishes into a larger, Trump-themed narrative about the GOP as the party of intolerance. Paul Ryan is not eager to oblige that strategy: The speaker this week cautioned GOP members at a closed-door session that Democrats were likely to keep trying to force them into uncomfortable votes on LGBT discrimination, according to aides and members who were present. He floated the idea of modifying House rules in a move that would likely restrict the number of amendments that could be offered on the floor, which would allow leaders to get out ahead of controversial votes and avoid any potentially embarrassing floor fights. But for House Republicans from deep-red districts, such floor fights are less embarrassing than they are politically useful. For such members, any opportunity to rail against Obamas tyrannical attempts to persecute Christians is an opportunity to boost fundraising and keep potential primary challengers from getting any ideas. If they drive the bulldozer at us, we have to push back, Republican Arizona representative Trent Franks told the Post. Just a day after protesters at a Trump rally in New Mexico hurled rocks and bottles at police, yet another Trump rally this one in Anaheim, California got out of hand when anti-Trump protesters clashed with Trump supporters and law enforcement. A small group of protesters remained outside the rally after larger crowds dispersed, setting a trash can on fire and throwing objects at police, the Los Angeles Times reports. At least eight people were arrested at the scene. First arrest by #Anaheim PD post-Trump rally on Katella. There are a couple more being conducted... pic.twitter.com/pecIzF9eGH Erika Aguilar (@erikaaaguilar) May 25, 2016 Rico Jimenez gets a arrested for illegally selling political TShirts just outside the #TrumpRally in Anaheim. pic.twitter.com/J2evoplt7k barbara davidson (@photospice) May 25, 2016 Eight protesters were arrested in clash with police outside a Trump rally in Anaheim, Calif. https://t.co/3bHSX9F99i pic.twitter.com/rYvtuoM4En NYT Politics (@nytpolitics) May 26, 2016 Police issued a statement the day before the rally noting that, While we recognize and respect the First Amendment rights of all individuals to express their viewpoints and protest peacefully, we will not tolerate violence or disobedience of the law. Sergeant Daron Wyatt, an Anaheim police spokesperson, told the Times that officers were able to break up fights fairly quickly. I think a lot of it was the planning and preparation, he said. We had a very strong uniformed presence from the beginning, which I think set the tone. It helped by keeping the protesters away from the attendees as well. Deputies moving into place to disperse crowd at #Trump rally in #Anaheim. pic.twitter.com/CBlIbOUJ5u Greg Lee (@abc7greg) May 25, 2016 Nevertheless, there were a few tense moments between protesters and Trump supporters: Before the rally, two men were positioned at the main entrance of the convention center, holding a sign calling for an end to abortion and Islam while a few people holding signs denouncing Trump looked on. One man with a loudspeaker was pacing in front of a police line, screaming a series of pro-Christian, anti-gay messages, and a small crowd of people chanting against Trump began trying to shout him down. One Trump backer engaged in a verbal exchange with protesters.Are you an illegal? the man repeatedly asked the anti-Trump crowd members. Donald Trump has got to go! Protesters standing strong at todays Anaheim #TrumpRally https://t.co/kOZvtsJWnR Fusion (@Fusion) May 25, 2016 God believes in having borders too. Trump supporter to protesters at Anaheim #TrumpRally https://t.co/CYx7sm1n6i Fusion (@Fusion) May 25, 2016 One person was reportedly ejected from the rally itself for causing some sort of disturbance, while inside Trump boasted: The safest place to be in our country is a Trump rally. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images On February 7, Donald Trump told an audience of supporters in New Hampshire that he would represent their interests, but Jeb Bush would not, because Bush was in the pocket of special interests. Trump singled out Woody Johnson, the heir to a pharmaceutical fortune, owner of the New York Jets, and contributor to Bush. Trump suggested, not unreasonably, that Johnsons support would ensure that Bush would never allow the federal government to negotiate for lower prescription-drug prices. I dont get any money from any of these special interests, and I know the special interests I know them better than anybody. But I dont want their money, he said. So tell me, let me ask you: Do you think Jeb Bush is going to make drug prices competitive? he asked. The crowd shouted, No! This week Trump announced that Johnson would serve as vice-chair of the Trump Victory Fund. Hes a terrific guy, hes been a friend of mine a long time, Trump announced. It was a head-spinning move the very man Trump had held up as the embodiment of corruption, and whose funds he pledged never to accept, would now take a prominent role as a Trump fund-raiser. Donald Trump is a wildly promiscuous liar. He also has disturbing authoritarian tendencies. Trumps many critics have seized upon both traits as his two major disqualifications for the presidency, yet both of them frustratingly defy easy quantification. All politicians lie some, and many of them lie a lot, and most presidents also push the limits of their authority in ways that can frighten their opponents. So what is so uniquely dangerous about Trump? Perhaps the answer is that both of these qualities are, in a sense, the same thing. His contempt for objective truth is the rejection of democratic accountability, an implicit demand that his supporters place undying faith in him. Because the only measure of truth he accepts is what he claims at any given moment, the power his supporters vest in him is unlimited. Trump lies routinely, about everything. Various journalists have tried to tally up his lies, inevitably giving up and settling for incomplete summaries. Some of these lies are merely standard, or perhaps somewhat exaggerated, versions of the way members of his party talk about policy. (The real unemployment rate is as high as 42 percent, or his gargantuan tax-cut plan will be revenue-neutral.) At times he engages in especially brazen rewriting of his own positions, such as insisting he opposed the Iraq War when he did not, or denying his past support for universal health insurance. Some of his lies are conspiracy theories that run toward the edges of respectable Republican thought (Barack Obama was actually born abroad) or even well beyond it (Ted Cruzs father may have conspired to kill John F. Kennedy). In all these areas, Trump has merely improved upon the methods used by the professionals in his field. Where he has broken truly unique ground is in his lies about relatively small, routine matters. As Ive pointed out before its become a small personal fixation after Mitt Romney mocked the failure of Trump Steaks, Trump held a press conference in which he insisted Trump Steaks remained a going concern, despite the undeniable fact that the business no longer exists. (His campaign displayed store-bought steaks for the media, not even bothering to fully remove the labels of the store at which they purchased them.) The New York Times actually reported this week that Trump had displayed his steaks, without mentioning the blatant deception. Another such example is Trumps prior habit of impersonating an imaginary p.r. representative while speaking to reporters. Obviously, the practice itself is strange enough, but the truly Trumpian touch is that he admitted to the ruse publicly, and then subsequently went back to denying it. The normal rules of political lying hold that when the lie has been exposed, or certainly when it has been confessed, the jig is up. You have to stop lying about it and tell the truth, or at least retreat to a different lie. Trump bends the rules of the universe to his own will, at no apparent cost. His brazenness is another utterly unique characteristic. His confidence that he can make the truth whatever he wishes at any moment, and toggle back and forth between incompatible realities at will, without any cost to himself, is a display of dominance. Possibly Trumps most important statement of the campaign was his idle boast that he could shoot somebody on Fifth Avenue without losing any votes. Finally, there is Trumps habit of settling all disputes with his own peculiar form of ad hominem. He dismisses all criticisms of his statements and his record with an array of put-downs, and likewise confirms all endorsements with praise. Anybody who disagrees with Trump is ugly, short, corrupt, a loser, a habitual liar, a total joke, and so forth. People who support him are smart, beautiful, fair, esteemed, etc. But politics being as it is and, especially, Trumps positions being as fluid as they are the composition of the two categories is in constant flux. One day, you are a failing, ridiculous, deranged liar, and the next day a citizen of the highest regard. Trump literally called Ben Carson a violent criminal and a pathological liar, akin to a child molester. When later accepting Carsons endorsement, Trump praised his dignity. Once Trump mocked Rick Perry as a moron who wore glasses to look smart and who should be required to take an IQ test to participate in presidential debates. Now he is a good guy, good governor. This is the pattern Trump uses to dismiss all media criticism, or to amplify friendly coverage. Every reporter or publication is either pathetic and failing or fair and wonderful, and the same reporters and publications can be reclassified as one or the other as Trump sees fit. 1984 is a cliche for invoking totalitarianism, and in any case, Trump is merely an authoritarian and a bully, not a totalitarian. (A totalitarian government, like North Korea, exerts control over every aspect of its citizens lives; an authoritarian one, like Putins Russia, merely uses enough fear and violence to maintain control.) Nonetheless, the novel does capture the relationship between dictatorial authority and the power to manipulate any fact into a binary but permeable scheme: The past was alterable. The past never had been altered. Oceania was at war with Eastasia. Oceania had always been at war with Eastasia. Jones, Aaronson, and Rutherford were guilty of the crimes they were charged with. He had never seen the photograph that disproved their guilt. It had never existed, he had invented it. He remembered remembering contrary things, but those were false memories, products of self-deception. Truth and reason are weapons of the powerless against the powerful. There is no external doctrine he can be measured against, not even conservative dogma, which he embraces or discards at will and with no recognition of having done so. Trumps version of truth is multiple truths, the only consistent element of which is Trump himself is always, by definition, correct. Trumps mind is so difficult to grapple with because it is an authoritarian epistemology that lies outside the democratic norms that have shaped all of our collective experiences. Photo: Bloomberg Finance/Getty Images Last night, following roughly 24 hours of reports (and months of speculation), investor Peter Thiel confirmed that hes currently financing multiple lawsuits against the blog network Gawker Media. Thiels long-simmering resentment, dating back to a 2007 post on the tech-industry gossip site Valleywag entitled Peter Thiel Is Totally Gay, People, is well-documented (hes compared the site to Al Qaeda), but the lengths hes gone to to destroy Gawker and his apparent pleasure in doing so didnt really become apparent until last nights article. And, well: One of my friends convinced me that if I didnt do something, nobody would, he told the New York Times Andrew Ross Sorkin. Thiel classified the $10 million he had put toward Hulk Hogans case against Gawker as one of my greater philanthropic things that Ive done, and said that the Hogan case, as well as other, unspecified lawsuits against Gawker that hes funded, were less about revenge and more about specific deterrence. If Thiel, an eccentric libertarian whos invested millions in seasteading and has said that freedom and democracy might be incompatible, was seeking to dispel the spurned-supervillain vibe hed been emanating since it was first revealed hed spent a decade, and several million dollars, secretly destroying one of his enemies, this interview did not help. And the idea that a power-mad billionaire could legally, and at very little cost to himself, obliterate a media outlet that he didnt like, disturbed more than a few commentators. At Fusion, Felix Salmon laid out the case that Thiel had given other billionaires a dangerous blueprint for perverting philanthropy: It gets worse. If Thiels strategy works against Gawker, it could be used by any billionaire against any media organization. Sheldon Adelson, Donald Trump, the list goes on and on. Up until now, theyve mostly been content suing news organizations as plaintiffs, over stories which name them. But Thiel has shown them how to go thermonuclear: bankroll other lawsuits, as many as it takes, and bankrupt the news organization that way. Very few companies have the legal wherewithal to withstand such a barrage. Does Thiels strategy to bankrupt Gawker open the floodgates? Consider that the Thiel-Hogan-Gawker nexus is so specifically odd a confluence of personal and professional grudges, high-profile egoists, and lopsided legal proceedings that its hard to imagine it could really set a particular pattern of attack. To start with, few publications are as eager as Gawker to push the boundaries of first-amendment law; maybe more important, the Hogan case is itself a kind of black swan a lawsuit that, were it not for the venue, the judge, and the fact that it was argued in front of a jury, would likely never have made it as far, and which is expected to be overturned or greatly reduced on appeal. In that sense, Thiels plan for revenge relied not just on tenacity and wealth but on luck. As Ken Paulson, president of Vanderbilts First Amendment Center, points out, the other lawsuits that hes believed to be funding against the company are extremely unlikely to ever result in enormous adverse judgments: If the suit is frivolous, and intended to inflict thousands of paper cuts, responsible judges will throw that out right away. (We can note here that the judge in the Hogan trial, Pamela Campbell, probably shouldnt be considered a responsible judge.) And Thiel seems to have only opened up two paper cuts lawsuits by freelance writer Ashley Terrill and scientist Shiva Ayyadurai anyway. I realize there are gradations in some things. You can always eat up somebodys resources, time, and budget by suing them and particularly by suing them repeatedly, Paulson says. But even so, I dont think theres anything thats happened in this case that escalates the threat against a free press. The circumstances of the Hogan case, which Thiel is funding for highly personal reasons, are largely unique. Thats highly unusual and I dont think its a game-changer for anybody, Paulson said. But maybe the bigger reason Thiels scheme doesnt open any floodgates is that those particular floodgates were never really closed. Media companies operate in a hostile climate; presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump has explicitly advocated making it easier to litigate against media companies. Thiel may have the Count of Monte Cristo flair for chilled revenge, but he isnt even the first billionaire in the last year to put his wealth toward lawsuits intended to destroy a media organization. Mother Jones, the liberal nonprofit magazine, recently won a judgment against billionaire Republican donor Frank VanderSloot, but at a cost of $2.5 million to the publication and its insurance company (and two years of consequent financial and institutional stress). In the wake of VanderSloots loss, the Idaho billionaire established the Guardian of True Liberty Fund, in order to defend conservatives against the liberal media, and said hed put up $1 million of his own money for anyone who wanted to sue Mother Jones or members of the liberal press. The only difference between VanderSloot and Thiel is that VanderSloot hasnt tried to hide his bullying tactics. A still of Bill Clinton from the ad. Donald Trump is now entrenched in his campaign against Hillary Clinton, and his grand plan to undermine her support with women is to remind them that her husband has been accused of sexual assault. On Tuesday he released a 15-second Instagram ad that featured Bill Clinton sucking on a cigar while recordings of interviews with his alleged victims played in the background. Among the clips featured is a 1999 interview with Juanita Broaddrick, a former nursing-home administrator who claims Bill raped her in Arkansas in 1978 while he was the states attorney general. According toBuzzfeed, Broaddrick had no idea her voice would be used in Trumps ad but shes totally fine with it. I was extremely surprised about it, Broaddrick, who added shes had no contact with Trump, said of hearing herself in the ad. I was surprised, but I have to say Im not unhappy about it. Its painful to hear my voice say those words again, but I think its important. She went on, When people ask, I try assist as best I can to explain about Hillary. Broaddrick said shes definitely not voting for Hillary Clinton, which leaves Trump as the only viable option although she stopped short of saying shed like to get involved in his campaign. Im very appreciative to him for bringing [this] out about Clinton, she said. Trumps line of attack is unlikely to have any real influence on female voters, especially because Trump himself isnt exactly known for treating women well. In fact, he once described Bill Clintons alleged victims as a really unattractive group. And Im not just talking about the physical, but I am also talking about the physical. If the accusers had been supermodels, he said, they would be more pleasant to watch. Gov. Nikki Haley. And here we are again, with this week in restrictive repro-rights laws. Welcome back. Im your host an incredibly concerned citizen watching womens health care slide down a dangerous path designed by legislators. This week features Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina, who just signed a ban on abortions at 20 weeks or later in her state, reports CBS News. The bill passed on Tuesday, May 17, and states that a doctor who performs an abortion past 20 weeks will face felony charges and be fined up to $10,000. The action in South Carolina was closely followed by Oklahomas totally garbage bill that criminalized all abortion in the state. When the Republican governor signed the South Carolina bill, her state became the 13th in the U.S. with similar laws joined by Oklahoma, Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. There are only two exceptions to this bill. Rape and incest? Nope. Not there. The only reasons a South Carolinabased doctor could abort a fetus after 20 weeks is if the mothers life is in danger or if the fetus is determined to be unable to survive outside the womb. According to Roe v. Wade, states can restrict abortions after viability but the range listed is anywhere between 24 and 28 weeks. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, found in 2005 that fetuses likely cant feel pain until after the 28th week of pregnancy, or the third trimester, which is two months longer than the South Carolina bills timeline. The high court hasnt yet taken any action against these bills, but heres hoping their numbers dont keep climbing. Bill Cosby in court Tuesday. Photo: William Thomas Cain/Getty Images Andrea Constand went to police more than a decade ago with allegations that Bill Cosby, the comedian, Americas Dad, had given her three blue herbal pills at his Pennsylvania home. She took them, and became dizzy. Her legs felt like jelly. She started to panic; Cosby told her to lie down on the couch. She was in a haze, but felt Cosby penetrate her with his fingers. I was unable to speak. I was like paralyzed, she said, in 2005, about the incident, which allegedly happened the year before. Constand came to with her bra askew. Cosby, at the time, told cops that he gave Constand Benadryl to help her sleep. Cosby said they petted, it was consensual, and he went to bed. The Montgomery County District Attorney, Bruce Castor (who ran again last year but more on that later), declined to prosecute. Constand brought a civil suit against Cosby. Twelve other Jane Does made sworn statements about nonconsenual encounters they had with the comedian. The suit settled out of court for an unknown amount. Those Jane Does never testified in court, though some women did come out and identify themselves. Those women got little attention, and they were often met with scrutiny and even vitriol a ripple that went quickly flat and faded out of public consciousness. Fast-forward ten years, and Bill Cosby is going to go to trial for the very case that Montgomery County initially declined to prosecute. Since then, of course, close to 60 women have spoken out and said Cosby drugged them and sexually assaulted them, or tried to. Damning transcripts from Cosbys deposition in Constands civil suit went public. In them, the comedian confessed to giving quaaludes to young woman to sleep with them. That helped push Montgomery County to start reexamining Constands complaint. Another factor was that the county D.A. race gained national attention when Kevin Steele launched a challenge against Castor last fall, making the latters refusal to bring charges against Cosby a central issue. Steele won, and in December of last year, just before the statute of limitations expired, charged Cosby with three counts of aggravated assault. At a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, police officers read aloud Andrea Constands 2005 report. That testimony, along with other evidence, led a Pennsylvania judge to say theres enough to proceed with Constands case. This is the first, and very likely to be the only, criminal trial Bill Cosby will face. The statute of limitations on most criminal and civil cases has long passed for most of the women though Cosby faces a slew of civil litigation from other women who are suing for defamation. But symbolically, the Constand case is the day in court that so many others cannot have. I think its highly unlikely that this trial is going to be a he-said, said attorney Gloria Allred, who represents many of Cosbys accusers. Its going to be she said, she said, she said. And that will likely be the biggest question that hangs over the Constand case: Will Cosbys other accusers get the chance to testify? In Pennsylvania, bad-character evidence is not admissible in court, explains David Rudovsky, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania. But theres an exception to this rule, when prior offenses can show a unique way of committing a particular crime. Prosecutors will argue that Cosbys misdeeds speak to a specific pattern: to give women drugs, and take advantage. If you believe all these women were assaulted in the same fashion or similar fashion, Rudovsky says, that lends credence to what [Constand] is saying. But Rudovsky notes there is a danger in introducing other womens stories, as Cosby remains uncharged in all those other instances. Now youve got to litigate every one of those cases, he says. You could have several little trials going on when the main event is what this complainant is alleging. Allred believes at least some of these women will be heard in court. I do believe there will be accusers who will be willing to testify under oath, she said, and endure what will certainly be a very vigorous and perhaps a brutal cross-examination. Cosbys attorneys will fight, and hard, to bar women from testifying. (The admissibility of Cosbys incriminating deposition, too, is likely to be a source of legal wrangling.) But even if no other women can speak, at least one will face that brutal and vigorous cross-examination: Andrea Constand. Constand did not need to testify at the preliminary hearing on Tuesday, but its almost certain shell testify in a trial. And here, Constand will face Cosbys entire well-paid defense team, who will go at her with the kinds of questions that so many of the other women heard or feared theyd hear if they came forward, and so chose silence instead. They are the kind of questions intended to sow doubt: Why did you wait so long? Why did you see Cosby again after it happened? Her entire life will be subject to scrutiny because of these allegations, said Stuart Slotnick, a former prosecutor and New York defense attorney. The Constand case helped ignite the first public allegations against Cosby. It took a decade, and dozens and dozens of more women to speak out, but the claims made in 2005 are finally bringing the comedian to trial in 2016. Her story didnt change; public opinion has. who da hell is belly? Reply Thread Link Fuck, this a bop Reply Parent Thread Expand Link lmao i read it as "might not feature the weeknd" and i was like uhhh great Reply Parent Thread Link Yo this goes off, adding it to one of my Spotify playlists now Reply Parent Thread Link o @ him using nigga. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Ho's and bitches, dehumanizing women, what a beautiful campaign of positivity. Reply Parent Thread Link lmao i thought it was bella hadid Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I was hoping it was referring to this 90s band. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Creator of this brilliant line: "She don't believe in God but her shoes' Christian." Reply Parent Thread Link #StopOompaloompa2K16 Damn @ Belly and Abel of all people having scruples. Reply Thread Link I don't blame him tbh. I wouldn't want to be in the same building as a raging bigot either. Reply Thread Link Deport him back to Canada! Reply Thread Link Game on. I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary. Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 26, 2016 slightly trump related, i just saw this on twitter. what on earth... Reply Thread Link bernie knows hillary's not gonna be able to run because of her email scandal Reply Parent Thread Expand Link He needs to stop. He won't/can't win the nomination at this point. unless the super delegates magically decide to switch to him, but what does that say about our "democracy" to just override the 3 million+ lead she has and invalidate the majority who voted for her... Him doing this is only diving the party more and helping trump in the end. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i want this to happen just so trump can stop pretending to like bernie in his pathetic attempt to woo bernie bros. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Since he isn't really in the running anymore I want him to call a spade a spade and say what we all know to be true, that Trump's a racist pos. One of these candidates should have done so by now. Reply Parent Thread Link Wait...he's still in the running? My god, is this gonna be like Mitt Romney's web page levels of delusion or does he really still have a chance? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link why are hillary supporters so fucking nasty, condescending, overzealous and NEVER ACTUALLY SAY WHY SHE ISN'T A WAR CRIMINAL lmao nothing but deflecting with buzzwords about bernbots~*~* Reply Parent Thread Expand Link If this does happen this seems smart. Bernie will make it harder for independents to vote for the GOP after he holds him accountable for his crazy statements and actually gives him tough follow up questions. Reply Parent Thread Link good. i can't believe how complicit the media is in trump's ascendancy, down to jimmy kimmel. jfc Reply Thread Link I can easily imagine Jimmy Kimmel voting for Trump. Reply Parent Thread Link good for them Reply Thread Link 99% chance he doesn't. The fringes don't elect presidential candidates, the center does. That's why the post-primary "pivot to the center" is such a big deal, and why most presidents have been either just left or just right of center. Trump is so far from center, he can't pivot. His fat orange ass would need to take a train to get to center. Reply Parent Thread Link Good thing you're not a bookie in Vegas, you'd lose your shirt. They have Hillary winning in November by a large margin, 63 to 31, and they should know, they have to put their money where their mouth is, they can't just talk out of their ass. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link On my way to the city today I found out that there's a Donald Trump State Park. I love nature and all but I kinda hope it catches fire. Reply Thread Link or even better, someone will buy it and change the name lol or petition to have the name changed. Reply Parent Thread Link A hybrid Planned Parenthood/NAACP chapter/Center for Women's and Gender Studies, preferably. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/donald-j-trump-state-park--not-exactly.-486748227809 apparently its been in shambles and been closed to the public actually. i remember seeing a news vid about it a couple months ago. Reply Parent Thread Link Was the Casey Anthony stuff already posted here somewhere? ONTD is loading slow as hell tonight for me. Reply Thread Link Honestly, this dude has made unsubstantiated claims before, so I'm taking it with a grain of salt. I think he's planning to release a book soon and this is just his attempt at garnering press. ETA: my mistake, he's already published a book, but I stand by the fact that he's just stirring shit. I was thinking of James Renner, who just came out with his bullshit book. Edited at 2016-05-26 06:27 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link I wouldn't be surprised. And wasn't he working for them? Too bad she can't be tried again. Poor Caylee will never get justice. Reply Parent Thread Link let's talk about abortion, women's rights--anything but the same shit they've said the last few debates You want them to debate topics on which they're in total or near-total agreement? Because they tried that, it was basically those two taking turns lecturing us, with occasional interjection from Martin O'Malley. but i hope we don't see mud-slinging within the party. I've got some really bad news for you.... Reply Parent Thread Link i luv both belly & abel tbh oop @ me Reply Thread Link i think it would have been better if they went on and did something a la kanye's "george bush hates black people" Reply Thread Link remember when kanye apologized because bush said his feelings were hurt? lol Reply Parent Thread Link didn't bush dedicate like...a paragraph/page in his book to how much kanye hurt him and how sad it made him kanye felt that way? it was so strange. post-president bush is so...he's um...well, he's a character. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Kanye's finest moment tbh. Reply Parent Thread Link Unfortunately it's taped and Trump would probably demand anything like that would be cut out. Reply Parent Thread Link i might pay for their song now. tbh this is a wonderful surprise that artists are publicly showing their beliefs and saying no i wont bring my fans and supporters to his platform, Reply Thread Link this post has reminded me to ask for a tag for disability/disabled or something cause i was surprised we don't have one Reply Thread Link that's a great idea, we should be getting a tag suggestion post soon Reply Parent Thread Link yeah! i'm gonna make sure to suggest it when it comes. Reply Parent Thread Link that's a great idea! we should have a mental health tag too Edited at 2016-05-26 04:39 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i thought of suggesting it in the future tag post, but i feel like most people here dgaf about that. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Not sure about this one. It could be terribly misused. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link "The latest blockbuster to come out of Hollywood called Me Before You is seen as a gross misrepresentation of the lived experience of most disabled people," it said. "Not Dead Yet UK is deeply concerned to see yet another film which casts non-disabled people as disabled people and shows the lives of disabled people as not worth living." well, they have a point. but maybe their problem should be with the book and its author... it's been out for a while. they aren't kidding about "another film" that does this though. isn't it a very similar story to Guzaarish? Edited at 2016-05-26 04:15 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link It is basically the same story as Guzaarish. The book came out after that movie too so Sanjay Leela Bhansali should sue all their asses lol Reply Parent Thread Link wow i did not make that connection but you're so right, it IS the same story as guzaarish. i didn't know it predates me before you! Reply Parent Thread Link At last, someone steals from Bollywood instead of the other way around. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link oh my goddd Reply Parent Thread Link [ Spoiler (click to open) ] suicide is a legitimate option to some disabled people and totally repugnant to others, depending on their views and experiences. The male lead was intending to kill himself before ever meeting Emilia's character, but she thinks she can kind of ~cure him (er, not his paralysis, but his feelings about it) with love or whatever. But he firmly tells her that no, he hasn't changed his mind at all and he can't just live 'for' her, and that they'd both come to resent each other if he did. I thought it was handled fairly well. The movie might fuck up the subtleties, tho. Well, I assumed this was coming, though some of the descriptions of how it all goes down are kind of unfair. (Unsurprisingly, many people protesting it haven't read the book, it seems.) The book does a decent job of presenting why Reply Thread Link That's what I appreciate. It would have been so eye roll worthy if it ended any other way Reply Parent Thread Link [ Spoiler (click to open) ] because she makes it a lot about her, that now that he's met her he should totally decide to live FOR HER, that his choice is selfish (despite how much pain the nurse says he's in when he's not hiding it for her sake), and that she wishes she'd never met him. Honestly, just livid really, she had no respect for him or his wishes. She came around, but yeah...not a good scene. Edit: Also, I have not read the book, but I did like the movie, and it really happened like you said re: his reasoning in my opinion. Edited at 2016-05-26 05:04 pm (UTC) I agree; I saw the movie Tuesday actually and I was more angry at Emilia's character towards the end Reply Parent Thread Link Ooh, my mom was wanting me to see this with her and I said I would, but I'm pretty sure she thinks it's going to be a sweet romantic comedy-drama type of film. She just got diagnosed with breast cancer and has been kind of wavering between optimism (she's part of a clinical trial) and saying things like "if the treatment's going to be bad maybe I should just enjoy the time I have left instead of being sick trying to fight it for years." I wonder if maybe this would not be the greatest plotline for her state of mind right now and I should try to steer us away from it. (ETA: To be clear I completely support people's right to euthanasia but my mom's cancer is only Stage 2 and the doctors consider her numbers to be pretty favorable, so I don't feel that she needs to be focusing on how maybe she should just die just yet.) Edited at 2016-05-26 05:47 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I think it's realistic though to have a very selfish outburst of raw emotion when your lover tells you their intentions like that - obviously it's messed up of her but it makes sense emotionally speaking. I know it'd be very, very hard to be understanding and supportive initially if I was in her position. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Your icon is so cute!! Reply Parent Thread Link I saw it on Tuesday too. I understand why she had that outburst, I think it's a very real emotion to have when you think you've accomplished something huge and life changing and then find out that it didn't turn out how you thought it would - especially when the stakes are that high. Was it selfish of her? Totally, but I think it was a very real scene. Still NAGL for the character, I felt so bad for him having to put up with that and then not even be able to go after her :( Reply Parent Thread Link I agree. I honestly thought he would change his mind because that's how those books typically end. I found it much more realistic. Reply Parent Thread Link [ Spoiler (click to open) ] emilia's character in the book's ending was a bit wonky to me that she's inspired to like really live the most of her life following the advice of sam's character but overall, I thought it was respectful to both sides (but again, i'm not disabled so i don't think my thoughts should count if someone else who is disabled didn't like the way it ended) I read the book too and I also came out the same way; like it wasn't that all disabled people should choose to end their life, but some disabilities are too debilitating to even work with that living with constant pain doesn't seem like a good option. Reply Parent Thread Link [ Spoiler (click to open) ] I thought the book did a good job showing that Will's decision was about who he was, and that he was so uncompromising that HE could not stand living such a changed life. I remember Louisa's conversations with quadriplegics on the internet who explained that while they loved THEIR lives, they could understand why someone else could not stand to go on. At first my hackles rose at the idea of portraying a disabled life as a life not worthy, but that's not what the book did. IA. Reply Parent Thread Link Isn't it adapted from a novel? And they used the canon ending? Go at the author/publisher, not the movie. Reply Thread Link i haven't read the book and i can understand their points but i also think there is room for literature that explores those who choose to end their lives for whatever reasons. in a sensitive way of course. idk. they could have cast an actual disabled actor though Reply Thread Link Of course the lives of disabled people are worth living. But if they decide that the pain and suffering is too much, legal and available euthanasia should also be an option. What happens in the story (from the Wikipedia summary) is just an experience. Just because the book/movie chooses to portray this one aspect doesn't mean their message (if they even have one) is "disabled people should kill themselves". Reply Thread Link IA. My grandfather committed suicide after he suffered a stroke and was disabled. It happens. Reply Parent Thread Link this! My fave docs on the issue are "How to Die in Oregon" and "The Suicide Tourist" and both are heartbreaking, but it's relieving to me that these critically ill people were allowed to make their own decision on how they wanted to die. When it comes to abortion or even killing yourself, I don't understand why folks want to take away other's autonomy. Like would you really want to see a loved one suffer so badly before dying? As much as the idea hurts, I wouldn't want to see my loved one suffer. Reply Parent Thread Link How to Die in Oregon was amazing! Reply Parent Thread Link mte Reply Parent Thread Link I think the problem is that so few movies about it are made so that the ones that do exist are heavily criticized. If there was also a recent movie about a person with a disability living their life and doing them, maybe people wouldn't be all over this one Reply Parent Thread Expand Link My father in law had a DNR when his cancer progressed too far. It basically meant we had to watch him die in the most agonizing way. In the end it was...it just wasn't him anymore, you know? I'm sure, given the choice, he would have preferred to go in a legal and humane way, not the way he actually did. Reply Parent Thread Link exactly, everyone should have a choice, this movie is just depicting one of the choices Reply Parent Thread Link I think it all comes down to quality of life, and really only the person living that life can decide on that. Plenty of disabled people of course live full, happy lives, but if someone really feels that their quality of life is terrible, they're in constant pain and have no joy in living, I wish more people would treat that with sympathy instead of just shrieking NO LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL. Reply Parent Thread Link Thank you for your compassion on this topic. Um...I haven't really told anyone this before but just in case there is anyone else out there...I was diagnosed with something terrible a little while ago and was considering committing suicide. I had a date planned out and everything, but something told me to keep holding out, so I did. It will be a year this month since that date I had planned for has passed. Today I realized that I have had a pretty good last couple of months, and I am hoping to have a great year. I don't know what will happen in the future, and I think the option should be available for people in my situation or similar. While life with a disability can be worth living, sometimes your quality of life can be so bad that you aren't really living anymore. You become stuck in a weird gray area. Hoping no one judges me for this! Just putting this out there in case anyone else is in a similar situation. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Welp, it should. Reply Thread Link lol i love the simplicity of your comment tbh Reply Parent Thread Link This ain't a Nicholas Sparks book? Reply Thread Link If I learned anything from that shitty Kate Winslet movie "Labor Day," you no longer even need Nicholas Sparks to make a Nicholas Sparks movie. Reply Parent Thread Link lol the ads for that movie looked so dumb. Reply Parent Thread Link is not? I honestly thought it was lmao Reply Parent Thread Link oh I thought it was lol Reply Parent Thread Link The Intouchables are better. Reply Thread Link i thought maybe they would change the ending for the movie im glad for the attention it brings to the issue but the message at the end is so sad and as some of you know bc ive mentioned on here a friend of mine was recently paralyzed and i thought maybe this movie would help change some ideas about all of it but the sad ending really kills it Reply Thread Link lalala let's pretend like the people who want out don't exist because it makes us uncomfortable lalala Reply Thread Link Yes, this is exactly what I was thinking but you expressed it better. Reply Parent Thread Link exactly Reply Parent Thread Link you're right, media is always trying to do this with any suicidal texts or anything that makes them uncomfortable. Sadly, it happens and sometimes it's best not to sugarcoat it and offer a help line for people who may need it. Reply Parent Thread Link I don't want to judge until I see how the movie handles it, both disability and lbr, the reality that some people do choose to die; however, good chunk of the plot hits a bit too close to home so I'm going to pass on downloading it. Reply Thread Link Idk i think it would be worse to change the end of the novel Reply Thread Link I never see suicide presented sensitively so I think having this out in the world is a good thing, not a bad thing. Many people's experiences are different. A disabled person's life is both worth living and extremely difficult, expressing that range is not a bad thing. Reply Thread Link Agreed completely. This movie/novel isn't saying that they are speaking for every single disabled person in the world. It is one particular story that I am sure a lot of people can relate to. I think it is good to have a range of opinions and stories told. Reply Parent Thread Link No interest in the movie, but why shouldn't fiction examine the right to die movement? Reply Thread Link According to Nigerian media, militants used explosives to blow up the Escravos terminals main electricity feed pipeline, rendering the terminal inoperable. Reuters has also reported that it has received confirmation from company sources that the terminal has been shut down following the attack. Related: Would Regulated Oil Prices, Argentine-Style, Help U.S. Shale? It is a crude line which means all activities in Chevron are grounded, the source told Reuters, without elaborating. The attack is being attributed to the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), the group responsible for a string of recent attacks on oil installations. Reuters cited a tweet ostensibly put out by the group, claiming responsibility for the Escravos attack. The Niger Delta Avengers have fiercely stepped up assaults on the likes of Chevron, Shell and Eni in recent weeks. Oil prices have increased over the same time period as the disruptions combined with the major outages in Canada have erased the global glut for crude oil. Related: OPEC Head Calls for $65 Oil Nigerias oil production has plunged by 40 percent, falling to just 1.4 million barrels per day, the lowest level in decades Last week, Italian oil giant Eni declared force majeure after another attack on its AGIP pipeline took oil offline. Earlier this month, Shell also declared force majeure on its exports of Bonny Light crude, evacuating staff from its Eja OML 79 production facility. Chevron has also evacuated staff as multiple attacks on its facilities in the Niger Delta. The first week of May saw militants attack one of Chevrons offshore platforms, the Okan facility, disrupting 90,000 barrels per day of oil production. The Okan facility, which it operates in conjunction with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp., is also a gathering point for production from several fields, so the attack knocked off output from all of them at once. Nigerian media report that Wednesdays attack on the Escravos terminal has created a massive oil spill emanating from the trunk line. A news agency quoted a local source in the area as saying: At the moment, the entire creek has been littered with crude oil. By James Burgess of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Canadas oil sands producers in the Fort McMurray region are watching the weather to determine if and when they can move the necessary people back to their operations to resume production and put some one million barrels per day (b/d) of bitumen back on line. Several operators are already moving personnel back to the region. Only a week ago it looked like oil sands operations north of the city had been spared. Then the fire changed direction requiring the evacuation of the same plants and camps in which displaced residents of Fort McMurray had sought refuge only a week earlier. The 5,000 square kilometer boreal forest wildfire, accurately named the beast, has a mind of its own. To put the size into perspective, greater Houston only covers 1,500 square kilometers. While hundreds of firefighters employing hundreds of millions of dollars of support equipment have proven their ability to protect dwellings and assets, only the weather will determine where the beast goes next. Recent colder weather, gentler winds and a bit of rain has helped slow this monster fire that raged out of control in early May due to a dry winter, hot windy weather, and decades of well-intentioned fire suppression that has left more fuel on the ground than mother nature would normally allow. Much has been written about the plight of evacuees, the loss of 10 to 15 percent of the homes in Fort McMurray, oil sands producers, remote work camp providers, the short- and long-term economic damage, and the impact the loss of a million b/d of oil production has had on recovering world oil prices. The current prognosis is the fire poses no immediate threat to the city nor the bitumen recovery operations north of Fort McMurray so the return of workers and the startup of production is underway. The Government of Alberta and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (in which Fort McMurray and the producing operations are located) have announced a staged schedule commencing June 1 by which people can return to their homes, if they still have one. Crews are working feverishly to restore natural gas, electricity, the hospital and other essential support services and infrastructure so people can indeed live and work from their homes. Related: Why Did Saudi Arabia Kill OPEC? But of all that has been written about the wildfire and the destruction it has created, nobody has noted the main industrial park (Mackenzie) and others in southeast Fort McMurray and north of the river were largely spared, and what this means to the pace of recovery. (This is of particular interest to your writer because his last company has occupied an office/shop/warehouse in this part of the city since 2005). These key industrial hubs avoided major fire damage not because of location but because of their construction. Businesses dont want or need trees in their yard so the setback from the forest was substantial. Industrial buildings often have metal clad roofs and siding as opposed to houses with flammable asphalt shingles on top and vinyl siding on exterior walls. They are usually spaced a significant distance from each other to allow for parking lots, storage yards and loading and unloading room for big trucks. While likely nobody thought of this during construction, industrial parks are actually designed to be relatively fireproof from the outside, although they have house contents which are more flammable and hazardous. Amazing how forward-thinking industry can be even by accident. What Tier 2 oil and gas production requires to be economically developed is Tier 1 support from the service and supply sector. Tier 2 reservoirs are those which will not yield oil or natural gas from a simple vertical drain hole in the rock as was the case for the first century of global hydrocarbon recovery. Tier 2 reservoir exploitation takes place almost exclusively in North America and it includes bitumen or oil sands, shale gas and light tight oil (LTO). Each of these requires significant mechanical intervention, processing and/or stimulation processes to yield a saleable product. They also require substantial support infrastructure from the service and supply sector to be economically viable. Why shale gas and LTO succeeded is well known. Unlocked using extended reach horizontal drilling and multi-stage completions and hydraulic fracturing, this business got started because the oilfield services (OFS) industry already did these things and had service locations nearby. In the areas where this type of recovery has grown from the Eagle Ford in Texas to the Marcellus in Pennsylvania to the Montney in northwest Alberta it works because everything required is no more than an hour away. If a mud motor or MWD system craters; if a replacement pumping unit is required for the frac spread; when fluid storage systems or frac sand is required in large quantities; North Americas world-class OFS sector is nearby and eager to help. If it doesnt exist yet OFS will design and build it. This industry has invested billions of its own capital in recent years to ensure shale gas and LTO developers have the new generation of rigs, multi-stage packers, fracking systems and everything else required to develop this r esource in volumes that have changed the global oil and gas industry. What it not as well understood is oil sands developers have succeeded because OFS has done the same thing in northeast Alberta, particularly Fort McMurray. When Great Canadian Oil Sands (GCOS, now Suncor) began producing in 1967 there was no local supply chain. Everything had to come from Edmonton first by train and later by road, four hours away under ideal travel conditions. The Syncrude consortium opened the second oil sands plant in 1978. The two facilities started producing oil in volumes that justified additional investments in support infrastructure. Nearly 50 years after economic (well, most of the time) bitumen recovery began the service and supply support infrastructure in Fort McMurray is significant and critical to ongoing operations. Fort McMurray is the industrial support epicenter for some 1.5 million b/d of bitumen recovery within a 90-minute distance to the north and south (the remaining 900,000 b/d of oilsands production further south is supported primarily from Bonnyville and Lloydminster, which were unaffected by the current wildfire). The growth of the industrial support capability in Fort McMurray has made every incremental oil sands development after GCOS and Syncrude more cost-effective. While not all the workers may live in Fort McMurray, the myriad of industrial suppliers of everything from electric motors to instrumentation to valves and services ranging from transportation to waste disposal to pressure testing all have shops and technical staff in Fort McMurray. This has greatly reduced the specialized inventory oil sands developers must carry on site and the vast array of skilled technicians required to fix or trouble-shoot anything and everything. Related: Why Cheap Shale Gas Will End Soon But one example is Levitt Safety Limited, Canadas longest established private and independent safety equipment supply company. Several years ago Levitt secured a contract to install and service fire suppression systems in the giant oil sands-hauling equipment used in the bitumen mines. Levitt then opened a service shop and bought housing for its staff in Fort McMurray. On-board fire suppression is a proven way to reduce costs should a fire break out on these massive and expensive pieces of equipment. This works for oil sands developers because they get world-class equipment and service without having to maintain specialized inventory or expertise in-house. Levitt supplies other specialized safety equipment to numerous other oil sands producers. Fortunately, and like most, Levitt was spared major damage. President and CEO Bruce Levitt reports his warehouse is okay as is the worker housing. But of course ramping up to full and normal operations will take time and money. There is no possible way the continued expansion of all the oil sands production in northeast Alberta which has taken place in the last 50 years could have occurred without the simultaneous growth of the industrial support infrastructure in Fort McMurray. Because they produce and process (and even refine in the case of bitumen upgrading) at the same location, the numbers of individual things oil sands developers need and industry supplies are mind-boggling compared to conventional oil and gas, even shale gas and LTO. Producers and their suppliers have grown in tandem and are utterly symbiotic in the way they co-exist. Which is why the preservation of the majority of Fort McMurrays industrial infrastructure in the path of the beast is so important to the expeditious recovery of oil sands production. For the most part it is all still there. While the housing stock in Fort McMurray has been reduced, this can be augmented by work camps surrounding the community which, until recently, were suffering from low occupancy rates. They will ensure there is a place for the myriad of technical support workers to eat and sleep until the community is fully rebuilt. But most importantly, the shops and warehouses stocked with components, parts and service equipment for just about everything an oil sands plant needs to function are still standing in Fort McMurray and are ready to resume business. This means that when the producers start producing they will be able to do so without having to bring technicians and support components from further afield like Edmonton. This will significantly reduce costs, an incredibly important factor for an industry that has been clobbered by the oil price collapse then a natural disaster. Its been a tough few years for the oil sands. First it became the oil the anti-carbon crowd loved to hate. Then development costs skyrocketed. Next came the market access pipeline protests and blockages. This was followed by the oil price collapse. Now the beast has halted production from Syncrude for the first time since it began operations in 1978. It's just got to get better because it cant get worse. By David Yager for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Leaked emails obtained by The Intercept reveal Hillary Clintons multiple stances on frackingwhich apparently differ depending on whether were talking about fracking on U.S. soil or abroad. At a debate with Bernie Sanders in New York in early April, Hillary Clinton said she doesnt support fracking, unless certain conditions are met, such as acceptance from the community and full disclosure of the chemicals that will be used in the process of releasing oil and gas from shale rock. Just four years ago, however, she was quick to point fingers at communities abroad who were fighting proposed fracking projects in Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria, as leaked emails obtained by The Intercept reveal. At that time, she promoted fracking more specifically gas fracking as a way for any country, especially those in Europe, to achieve energy independence (from Russia). Related: OPEC Head Calls for $65 Oil Now, its a well-known fact that politicians care above all about their own votersand are less concerned with the voters of another politician in another country. Its also a well-known fact that people in their capacity as voters have notoriously short memories and tend to forget what this or that politician did four years ago. Still, its considered good manners, if nothing else, to avoid radically changing your stance on important political and economic issues such as energy. Yet, this is something that the most likely Democratic presidential candidate is either unable or unwilling to do. Bernie Sanders is very vocal about his anti-fossil fuels stance, a stance that has been one of the reasons he has achieved such success among liberals. Clinton is apparently ready to do anything to win these liberal votes, including making yet one more U-turn regarding her position on fracking. During her term as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton made no attempt to hide her international energy ambitions, which could be easily summed up as more locally produced gas for everyone, and more profits for the American companies that would pump that gas. Pretty much the usual run-of-the-mill approach to nurturing large corporate taxpayers and campaign supporters. Now, it seems, Clinton is ready to antagonize these same corporate campaign supporters in order to win more liberal votes. Related: Oil Hits $50, But Can It Maintain Its Gains? This approach risks alienating more than just the energy industry, as Jude Clemente rightly noted in an article for Forbes that offers a comprehensive summary of all the benefits the U.S. has reaped from fracking (although it fails to mention the risks). He warned that she might lose Ohio and Pennsylvania with her new anti-fracking position, but Clinton won both states, which are heavily dependent on gas fracking. In Ohio, she got the upper hand before declaring her new anti-fracking stance, but her Pennsylvania victory came after the New York debate. Apparently, the strategy of changing positions to suit the moment and the target audience is working, distasteful as it may seem to observers. But there could be more to Clintons shift from a pro-fracking to a (conditional) anti-fracking stance. Gas prices in the U.S. are at historic lows thanks to oversupply. The economic viability of LNG exports is still doubtful. Curbing production is the most direct way to stimulate prices and increase returns for energy companies. Whats more, to be fair, when Clinton talked about her conditions for fracking, she meant American communities and producers. She didnt say anything about gas fracking abroad. From that angle, her position could actually be seen as quite consistent, although its unlikely to win her many friends and fans. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The opinions expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the opinions of OnMilwaukee.com, its advertisers or editorial staff. Charlie Sykes has long been a star of Wisconsin conservative politics, having built a kind of cottage industry mixing radio, television, books and his own peculiar brand of journalism. Thanks to Donald Trump, however, Sykes is now a national figure and in serious danger of becoming part of what he seems to hate the most: the "mainstream media." Ever since Rush Limbaugh became radio king and spawned hundreds of local market clones all over the country, the "mainstream media" has been the big bogeyman for conservatives. Never mind that radio ratings around the country show that conservative radio and television is pretty much the "mainstream media" itself. The phrase still trips with acid off the tongue of Sykes and his pals. Sykes has become a true national figure because of his fiery commentary on the candidacy of Trump, leading up to a blistering interview with the candidate before the Wisconsin primary. The veteran WTMJ host is one of the national leaders of the "Never Trump" movement. In the most recent past, Sykes has been written about and/or appeared on: ABC, NBC, CNN, Fox, MSNBC, The New York Times, Washington Post, Politico, NPR, Los Angeles Times, Weekly Standard, Washington Times, Bloomberg, National Review, Huffington Post and C-Span. And those are just the biggies. I like Charlie Sykes. I consider him a friend. I knew and worked with his father, and Ive known Sykes for better than 30 years all the way back to the time he was a liberal. We disagree on almost everything politically, but he has done a great job building his brand and becoming arguably the most well-known person in Wisconsin who isnt an athlete or the governor. I wanted to find out how he felt about his growing national profile so I called his radio show. "He cant talk to you," said the guy who answered the phone, after I called him back to ask if Charlie could spare five minutes. Ive been blown off before, and I can easily recognize it. Im surprised, but not shocked. And I dont take it personally. Sykes is pretty busy this time of year. I mean, when Wolf Blitzer, Megyn Kelly or Lawrence ODonnell call, you have to take their call. The race for president, including and especially that tumultuous Republican primary, is fertile grazing ground for Sykes. And if there is one thing about Sykes that everybody will agree with, he is a smart man. He has refined his politics to the point where he is certain of what he believes and equally certain that what he believes is the right way for all of us. Sykes is, above all, a wordsmith. On MSNBC the other night, he said that this year is "an election of fear and loathing." He was on ODonnells show with Peter Hart, perhaps the most respected pollster in the world, as well as Howard Dean, the former presidential candidate. As they say, Charlie is "walkin in high cotton." "What you are seeing is that conservatives," he said, "not those listening to me (slight smile), are coalescing around Donald Trump because every time you bring up his demagoguery, his serial lying and the fact that hes a con man, people say, Yes, but Hillary Clinton is worse." Not many people know this, but Sykes has a wonderful and acerbic sense of humor, like his crack over the conservatives who listen to him. He can tell a joke, and he gets it when you tell one. He can, and often does, use humor as a lightsaber swishing past you with speed. I used to think, and research had shown, that talk radio hosts were only talking to the converted, that they didnt have the ability to change minds. That may still be true, but Sykes has demonstrated that he does have the ability to motivate his listeners to action. I feel very comfortable saying that his influence has grown significantly in the WTMJ listening area. In the primary in March, as unusual as it may be, every county in the listening area voted for a Republican, except for Milwaukee, Dane and Rock. Racine and Kenosha counties have always been stalwart Democratic strongholds, but they went for the GOP this year. Many political experts say that in order for Trump to win, he has to take a state or two in the Midwest rust belt. And Wisconsin is high on that list. What I wanted to ask Sykes was whether he was ready to go to the mat and try and deliver Wisconsin to Trump in November. I wish Charlie had been willing to take a call from his old friend. But after thinking about it, I can guess his answer. Yes. Milwaukee was recently focused on the Goll House, 1550 N. Prospect Ave., built in 1898 for Fred T. Goll by Ferry & Clas, which a developer proposed moving 30 feet away to accommodate a new residential tower. But, Milwaukees Department of City Development has been keeping an eye on another Goll House in Milwaukee, this one dating to 1900, designed by architect Carl Ringer, and located at 3005 W. Kilbourn Ave., adjacent to a row of gorgeous turn of the 20th century houses in the near West Side Concordia neighborhood. While Fred Goll was heir to the founder of the successful Goll & Frank wholesale dry goods company, Henry G. Goll who hired Ringer to design his west side house was an assistant cashier at First National Bank. It is unclear how and if these Golls were related, but considering that Fred was a director of First National, it would seem quite possible that they were kin. The house seems a rather lavish one for an assistant cashier, but it seems that Henry Goll was also an investor, having funded and owned, along with bank president Frank Bigelow and a Samuel Watkins, Christiansen Engineering Co. run by inventor Niels Christensen on a site along the Milwaukee River that is now home to the Rotary Centennial Arboretum run by the Urban Ecology Center. And perhaps Goll who had previously lived on Cambridge Avenue on the East Side had over-extended himself when he built this more than 4,000-square foot Tudor Revival gem in buff brown brick. That might explain why in 1905, after Bigelow was caught with his hands in the bank till, Goll was also implicated and quickly disappeared. In the meantime, panicked Milwaukeeans flooded the bank demanding their money, leading Mayor David Rose to take one of his typically flamboyant measures. "One of the most spectacular happenings of the day was the action of Mayor Rose in walking down Wisconsin Street, in full view of the crowd, with $500,000 in currency and gold in canvas bags," wrote The New York Times. "He was surrounded by policemen and detectives, and walked into the bank with the treasure. This money was part of the shipment from Chicago banks and some from other Milwaukee banks." On the lam since Bigelow threw him under the bus on April 25, a $1,000 reward was offered for information leading to Golls whereabouts. On May 4, the "absconding cashier" was arrested at Chicagos Dakota Hotel, where hed checked in as A.C. Smith. Turns out detectives had been hot on his trail as he wended his way around Illinois and Indiana before landing at the Dakota. According to a report in the Pittsburgh Press the details of the Milwaukee embezzlement case made newspapers around the country noted that "Goll had only $26 on his person. He refused to answer any questions and would not tell his age on being booked" at the central police station on Broadway and Wells. Charged with 34 counts, Goll was convicted of 19 of them in May 1906 and sentenced to 10 years at Leavenworth. President Taft refused a 1910 request for a pardon, and Goll was released in October 1911. "It is not known what he will be employed at after he reaches Milwaukee," wrote the Milwaukee Journal. What is known is that the house at 3005 W. Kilbourn Ave. (3015 Cedar Street in those days) had already become the property of a T. S. Smith. By the 1920s, the home belonged to Dr. Frederick H. Emmerling. A 1930 permit to install a fire escape lists C. Hennecke as the owner, though by 1932, the building was occupied by the Bethany Home for Girls, which soon became Lutheran Welfare Society of Wisconsin. In 1941, the building was converted to offices and the second floor was converted into a one-family apartment, occupied in those days by caretaker Alf Hartung and his wife Elisa. Meanwhile, Goll appears to have returned to and stayed in Milwaukee at least for a while, working as a clerk, bookkeeper and accountant and renting apartments at 170 Chambers Street and 1193 2nd St. (later 2943 N. 2nd St.) until he passed away in 1940. According to FindAGrave.com, "After serving his sentence Henry Goll returned to his family and help cared for them. He never married again and his sister Lily who was a widow helped care for his children and then his grandchildren. Henry Goll worked as a manager and then as a bookkeeper in a restaurant. He died on 19 July 1940 and was laid to rest in Forest Home Cemetery." In 1951, Marquette's Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity nicknamed Da Zoo moved into the old Goll house with room for about 18 students, and they seem to be the ones who got the most fun out of the basement. The frat's Greek letters are still painted in a mural on a wall down there. Former frat brother Vince DiPaolo remembers roughly 12-15 guys living in the house's second and third floor, with a kitchen in the basement and a billiards room on the first floor. They'd roast pigs at parties in the backyard, but downstairs is where the fun really was, according to DiPaolo. "The room with that painting (above) was where the band was, and we had a dance floor and a bar," he recalls. "We were allowed to have one party a week at the house. Every Friday night. We'd order five half-barrels every week. We'd party until the beer ran out." DiPaolo estimates the parties were attended by 30-40 active members and their dates. "Every year we had a beach party and we had this big truckload of sand and the pledges had to bring it all down into the basement. We had a little pond with water in it and a little iguana running around. And of course the pledges had to take all that sand back out. I remember when I was a pledge, that was one of the hardest things cleaning that place up." DiPaolo, who graduated in 1971 and now lives in Arizona, says that the basement was up and running by the time he got there and some of the paintings on the wall which are still there now pre-date his years living in the house. The fraternity lost its charter soon after DiPaolo's time there and, by 1973, John Langmesser was the owner. That year a city permit called for, "general renovation of the building three floors ... per department orders," which suggests the house described in the document as a one-family home had fallen into disrepair. In the late 1990s, the garage added in 1911 and designed by Kirchhoff & Rose fell victim to fire and the building has undergone a string of sales over the past six years, ending up in the DCD's portfolio last year. Nowadays, Goll's name lives on in the home he built at 3005 W. Kilbourn Ave. and you could add your name to the saga because the eight-bedroom house with three full bathrooms and two half baths, is owned by the city, which is in the process as always of liquidating its seemingly endless influx of real estate, which come to the city, typically, via tax foreclosure. Last year, the Department of City Development, which handles these properties historic or otherwise sold 511 homes, 245 vacant lots and 19 commercial properties. "We are delighted by the inspiring and successful rehab stories from our buyers, each of whom took a once blighted property and breathed new life into it," reads a DCD flyer. The H.G. Goll house was listed by the city at $58,000, with an estimated rehab cost at $86,500, though, frankly, that seems a little optimistic (indeed, in October 2016, the DCD updated that renovation estimate to $138,850). Thats because, DCDs Tina Klose tells me, thats the estimated amount it would take to get the property up to code. The price has now been lowered to $38,000. Amazingly, while the City's assessment is $111,700, Zillow lists the home's value as $222,979. Certainly, the bones of a $223,000 house are here. The exterior with its brown brick and quoins is beautiful. Inside there is some remaining wood paneling and a gorgeous built-in buffet. A regal staircase connects the first and second floors and there are nice little details, like a curved molding and tile bathroom floor, throughout. The attic is tall enough to serve as bedroom or other spaces, and there are a couple fireplaces. But most of the finishes are gone and most rooms are stripped down to the studs. The attic floor feels risky and, indeed, there are some gaps that allow you to look down to the floor below. On the flip side, the city has done some major repairs, including not only a new roof, but new roof rafters, too. There are also new galvanized gutters and downspouts, to help keep the house water-tight while a buyer is found. For someone with the skills and/or means, there is serious potential here to build out a stunning modern home inside a vintage Milwaukee mansion. One need look at the trio of houses standing just to the west to get a sense of the possibilities. But, let Henry Golls story be a lesson. Dont over-extend yourself. The opinions expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the opinions of OnMilwaukee.com, its advertisers or editorial staff. On a whim, I decided to plug my name into the State of Wisconsin unclaimed property database. I was online late one night, stumbled upon it and thought why not? I discovered that Google turned over the $58 it owed me to the State. Well, that will fill up my car twice. Not sure why Google owed me money ... but thanks! It turns out this unclaimed property database is like shooting fish in a barrel, and I want to make sure you get the cash youre owed. Hence, this column. I started putting in names of relatives, and then friends, and then well-known people and companies. Turns out everyone only a slight exaggeration is owed money by the State of Wisconsin. Even Scott Walkers campaign! The state Republican and Democratic parties have abandoned property just waiting for them to reclaim it, too. Try it yourself. When you find out that you, your friends or your relatives are owed a bunch of money, you know where to send the finders fee. Just kidding; this ones on me. Unlike those companies who try to get money off you by informing you that, "Youre owed money!" Im telling you how to look it up yourself. Im basically the Bernie Sanders of column writers: I tell you how to get free stuff. Well, in this case, its not really free. Its your property. On second thought, Bernie would probably let the government take it ... The more I plugged names into the states unclaimed property database, the more hilarious the exercise became. For starters, it turns out that the State owes Scott Walkers campaign money in three different accounts. I thought his campaign was in so much debt that hes basically begging people to help him pay it off! Governor, you might want to check this out: Side note: I feel sorry for that guy in Fennimore and that guy in Fort Atkinson named Scott Walker. It cant be easy being named Scott Walker in Wisconsin these days (hey, another idea for a column). But "Friends of Scott Walker" is the guvs campaign. What is the unclaimed or abandoned property in the database? According to the State Department of Revenue, it comes from a variety of sources in which there wasnt activity for a year or more by the owner and the "holder of the asset is not able to contact the owner." Seriously, Westbury Bank cant figure out how to reach Scott Walker? The unclaimed or abandoned property law dates to 1970. The Department of Revenue is the one that gets the cash so companies dont have to report it in their finances. Then the DOR holds it for you. There is no time limit to get the money. You just have to prove ownership or legal right to it, and you can get it back without paying any fee. DOR claims it does all sorts of things to reach owners, including advertising in newspapers. The property can include savings and checking accounts, customer overpayments, refunds, stocks and mutual funds, and so forth. The DOR also claims it crossmatches "the names of unclaimed property owners with public record information retained by other state and federal agencies." Oh, really? The Secretary of the Department of Revenue is Richard G. Chandler. Two Richard Chandlers do come up, but its a common name so who knows ... Then I had a bright idea. Might the State of Wisconsin be holding onto money owed to the financially beleaguered University of Wisconsin? Sure enough, there are 69 entries for the University of Wisconsin, including some from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Someone might want to go claim that cash, especially the accounts that are listed as being worth more than $1,000. United Healthcare and IBM are among companies that owed the UW unclaimed property now held by the State. In fairness, some of the accounts are worth peanuts. But hey, when youre letting ad hocs go and pleading poverty, every penny counts. Heres a section of that: I found my sister in this database. I found my cousin and my aunt as well. I found two close friends one owed between $100-$1,000! Trust me, EVERYONE is in this (almost everyone, anyway). Talk show host Charlie Sykes has abandoned property being held by the state too (News Corporation owes him money). State Rep. Joel Kleefisch is in there. It goes on and on and on. I even found my editor, Andy Tarnoff of OnMilwaukee (he didnt think hed get left out of this column, now did he?). Hes listed as being owed money from some animal health thing. Not sure what thats about. Unfortunately, for Andy, hes owed under $10. Its sort of nice to be owed money, not to owe it, to the state, now that I think about it. OnMilwaukee is owed money, too. So is the Journal Sentinel. WTMJ is owed money from Turner Broadcasting. And so forth. Even rich people like the now deceased Harry Quadracci are owed money. It doesnt seem like the state is doing much to let people know they are owed money. How hard is it to track down the Journal Sentinel? Cmon! Russ Feingold and Gwen Moore show up too. That Aspen Commons address comes up as being listed to the Senator on political sites. The 25th St. address below is listed on Democratic Party websites for Congresswoman Moore, who is owed money by Best Buy. I have a feeling a lot of people will thank me for this column. (Article changed on March 2, 2014 at 10:03) The pro-gun lobby has successfully changed the gun violence argument from asking how mass shooters pass background checks and buy guns legally to why weren't there more guns around . Almost every mass shooter from Seung-Hui Cho (Virginia Tech), James Holmes (Aurora), Jared Loughner (Tucson) and Stephen Phillip Kazmierczak (Northern Illinois University) to the more recent shooters, Aaron Alexis (Navy Yard) and Paul Ciancia (LAX airport) sailed through their background checks and bought the weapons legally. These facts unseat the pro-gun lobby's meme that "criminals won't obey laws" because these criminals did obey laws--and the law smiled on them. (Nor did Adam Lanza's mother break laws in amassing her many weapons and regularly taking her son to shooting ranges.) So now the pro-gun lobby wants to pretend the issue isn't the EZ procurement of guns but lack of more guns to stop the bad guys who easily procured them so easily. Stand Your Ground produces vigilantes (Image by Martha Rosenberg) Details DMCA The "gun-free zone" meme is not just an insult to every citizen who does not want to live in an armed society, it is an insult to law enforcement personnel who give their lives to protect us. By implying that the lack of "armed citizens" is the reason for gun deaths in a shooting, it actually equates cop wannabes like George Zimmerman and Michael Dunn (the loud music shooter) with hired and trained law enforcement personnel. Open and concealed carriers are so full of fear, they are afraid to go where normal people go--including children, the elderly and 90 lb women--every day unless they have their loaded lethal weapons. They clearly have a mental problem. Yet they parlay this cowardice into some kind of public service in which they are protecting you and me. Most, if not all, examples of "armed citizens" protecting the public are anecdotal and there are even instances where the "armed citizens" added to the bloodshed. When the ABC news show 20/20 conducted an experiment of "carriers" protecting against an armed assailant they failed miserably, sometimes even failing to get their gun out or a shot off. According to the "gun-free zone" meme, a mass shooter chooses a gun-free zone because no one will shoot back. Does anyone believe Aaron Alexis chose the Navy Yard or Paul Ciancia (LAX airport) because they were "soft targets" with no armed guards? Or the Fort Hood shooter? Hello? But there weren't "armed citizens" in the actual room the pro-gun lobby would whine as if the 20/20 experiment and other instances haven't buried this fallacy once and for all. "Crazy people shoot up schools and other institutions because they are crazy and harbor some angst toward those institutions," wrote a recent poster on our website. "It's the same reason they tend to shoot family members or close acquaintances. They are not targeting 'soft targets,' they are targeting places with lots of people, lots of publicity, and some sort of revenge motive. There is no evidence that these crazy people would be in ANY way discouraged by a minimally trained civilian waiting to pull his gun for the first time. Statistically, such a person will only serve to increase the chaos and help the shooter claim more victims in the crossfire." Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). This piece was reprinted by OpEd News with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source. Reprinted from Consortium News State Department functionaries faced a hopeless task as they tried to spin their own Inspector General's matter-of-fact critique of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's imperial attitude toward basic security measures everyone else is required by law to follow. It turns out that she deliberately chose to use a hacker-friendly, unprotected email server, and not so much for convenience -- unless you define "convenience" as the ability to operate in total secrecy with no possibility of being held accountable for your policies or behavior. In one email to an aide, Clinton explained, "I don't want any risk of the personal being accessible." When some staffers had the temerity to voice concerns over the vulnerability of a non-governmental email system, they were warned by their seniors "never to speak of the Secretary's personal email system again." The IG report establishes that Clinton's claim that her use of an insecure email system for official business had been "allowed" is, well, disingenuous. Pity the State Department spokespeople tasked with putting the best face on the IG's stark criticism. Media representatives actually posed some direct questions to those applying the cosmetics, who showed themselves far more guilty than Socrates in "trying to make the worst case the better." At several points, I sensed them wishing some hemlock came in their job jar. Just doing their job, I know. But it was bizarrely clear that their instructions included taking a bullet for Secretary Clinton. It wasn't really her fault, you see. It was actually the State Department's fault, collectively. There were only a few variations on the meme: "We could have done a better job ensuring that people understand security policies;" "We could have done a better job at preserving emails;" "We have not lived up to all our obligations." In other words, "we" failed the Secretary, not that Clinton failed in her duty to ensure that government information was properly secure. I counted no fewer than 15 examples of this kind of self-criticism, and it was more than a little nauseating. But then, again, if Clinton becomes President, who wants to be assigned to be deputy chief of mission in Upper Slovobia? It was encouraging as it was heartening to notice that this time the press corps was not sitting still for the notion that it wasn't really Clinton's fault, after all. The fly in the ointment preventing the usual careful orchestration of such announcements was an early leak of the IG report. Worse still, for the State Department spokespeople, several of the journalists had actually read the report and noticed that its declarative prose did not square with the collective self-flagellation serving as a diversion. Even the mainstream press corps could see through the transparent attempt to direct the public lashes onto a group of whipping boys and girls to spare the ex-Secretary and likely Democratic presidential nominee. Again, some pity is in order for the briefers. It was not supposed to go down this way. Clearly, the State Department had intended to disclose the IG report this (Friday) afternoon to those few unlucky enough to be still around before the Memorial Day weekend. No doubt the spokespersons fully expected to have an extra day to do the homework required to be more plausible in the squaring-a-circle task they were given. The task would have been quite difficult with even a week to prepare. Small Miracle Opening my Washington Post, I encountered another surprise. For the first time since our Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity began writing corporate Memoranda for the President, the Post and VIPS were of one mind on something important. The editors of the Post do not let us onto their pages, of course. But apparently they did read our open appeal to President Obama three days ago urging his administration to wind up the email investigation as quickly as possible and let the country know now what the FBI has learned -- before the Democratic nomination is locked in. Where else would they have gotten such a good idea? Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testifies before Congress on Jan. 23, 2013, about the fatal attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya, on Sept. 11. 2012. (Image by (Photo from C-SPAN coverage)) Details DMCA In the print edition, the Post lead editorial's headline reads: "Ms. Clinton's willful misjudgments: She repeatedly ignored warnings not to use private email during her tenure as secretary of state." The online headline reads: "...Clinton's inexcusable, willful disregard for the rules." The editorial ends with the recommendation: "We urge the FBI to finish its own investigation soon, so all information about this troubling episode will be before the voters." In the Post's news columns, a report on the IG findings runs as the page-one lede under the headline "State Department watchdog rebukes Clinton over email: No approval sought for private server," undercutting Clinton's argument that her decision to operate an email tied to her home-based server "was permitted" by the State Department. Too early to tell, of course, but Ms. Clinton may begin to worry that the editorial page editors, who until now have enthroned her as their favorite neocon, may be getting wobbly. It's been nearly seven years since the November day in 2009 when Maj. Nidal Hasan, a major and a psychiatrist in the Army, walked into a room at Fort Hood, near Killeen, Texas, and fatally shot 13 people, then injured more than 30 others -- all unarmed soldiers but for one civilian. The shooting produced more casualties than any other on an American military base and was the deadliest domestic military attack in U.S. history. Why, then, is it still classified as "workplace violence" rather than a terrorist attack? That question is being raised by Kathy Platoni, a retired Colonel in the U.S. Army and a survivor of the Fort Hood Massacre, as well as by noted psychologist and veterans' advocate Paula J. Caplan, Ph.D., founder and director of The Welcome Johnny and Jane Home Project. "Given that 'terrorist' is understandably such a scare word, what explains the classification of a terrorist's killings of and injuries to so many in the Fort Hood Massacre as simple 'workplace violence?" That classification certainly lowers the profile of the Massacre and what has followed, including the neglect of those who were injured or emotionally traumatized directly or by losing loved ones," Caplan says. In a recent letter to veterans' advocates Dr. Platoni, who like Dr. Caplan has a doctorate in psychology, says "the maltreatment of the victims of the Fort Hood Massacre continues to be a national disgrace. We have been betrayed and left to our own devices to heal, despite the promises of the Department of the Army, and the current administration, to assure that all the victims of this enormous tragedy have been restored to health and that all requisite benefits are awarded. It's been seven years and we are still fighting to obtain our due." An article by Dr. Platoni in T ime Magazine published in April pointed out that "The Fort Hood Massacre was unequivocally and indisputably an act of terrorism [but] the Army prosecuted the shooter on murder charges, not terrorism ones. It considered it to be the act of a disgruntled employee even though the shooter had messaged for years with a member of al-Qaeda before the attack." Platoni explained that neglecting to call the massacre terrorism meant that "it took almost six years for the U.S. to award Purple Heart medals to the victims and the families of the fallen. They were only awarded these medals last April after Congress broadened the requirements for recipients to include attack where 'the individual or entity was in communication with the foreign terrorist organization before the attack.'" Further, according to Dr. Platoni, at that time the Secretary of the Army had agreed to grant special compensations to the wounded in action and the families of those killed in action. But to date many of those endowments have not been provided in full. "These special compensations will never be paid retroactively to the date of the Fort Hood Massacre, but only to the date of the Purple Heart ceremony," she says. Perhaps even more shockingly, some of the people wounded at Fort Hood have been paying for medical treatment out of their own pockets as they try to recover physically and emotionally from the terrorist attack. "How much longer it will take for full benefits and entitlements to be delivered remains an unknown," Platoni says. "It's egregious neglect." In March of this year a memorial was dedicated to the memory of those lost at Fort Hood in Killean, Texas. But as Dr. Caplan says, "the sequence of events began with bizarre and disturbing attempts to minimize what happened and the neglect of those whose lives were tragically altered that day." I've written before about the military's neglect of those who serve in the U.S. military, whether they are physically or emotionally wounded combat veterans, long-suffering wives who lovingly care for them, or women vets whose sexual assault has been disbelieved, pathologized or covered up. It's a disgraceful tradition that has a long history. For example, where is the recognition of the women who ferried planes or broke codes or nursed soldiers in Bataan and Coregidor during World War II but never received full military honors because they weren't in direct combat? It's a tradition I would like never to have to write about again. But it seems the military is far from resolving the often disgraceful treatment that our military personnel get, or the care they don't get despite how much they deserve it. That's why advocates like Dr. Platoni and Dr. Caplan continue to cast light on great gaps in a system that likes nothing better than monuments, medals, and the sound of self-congratulation in lieu of any serious attempt to address its shameful systemic deficits. By Dave Lindorff As Clinton email scandal grows Nixonian, Sanders must ask hard questions (Image by ThisCantBeHappening!) Details DMCA When it comes to Hillary Clinton's State Department email scandal, reporters -- and even her right-wing critics in the Republican Party -- are asking the wrong question. Sure, doing all her official business on an unprotected, unscrambled private server in her own home and on an unsecured private Blackberry phone device means that any two-bit spy outfit, not to mention sophisticated ones like those of Russia, Iran, Israel or China, could easily hack it and read secret State Department and other agency communications. But really, those entities have ways of getting that kind of secret stuff anyhow. The real question is what kind of private conversations Clinton, in her role as Secretary of State, was having with powerful people both at home and abroad that may have involved cash donations to the Clinton Foundation and to her and Bill's personal enrichment or her future campaign for president. Hillary Clinton is a lawyer, and while she's slippery, she's no dummy. She may have played dumb when asked earlier by reporters about her server's hard drive being wiped clean of data before she turned it over to the FBI, saying, "What, like with a cloth or something? I don't know how it works at all," but she surely was involved in the deletion of her private emails -- over 30,000 of which were reportedly erased. And those erasures were made without any involvement of State Department security or legal officials. The decision, according to Clinton, on which emails were "private communications," was made by her personal attorney, whose interest, by definition, was her and not the public or even national security for that matter. As the Washington Post has reported, the Clintons went from being, as Hillary Clinton has said, "dead broke" upon leaving the White House in January 2000, to earning some $230 million by this year -- a staggering sum of money even in a new Gilded Age of obscene wealth. Most of this money has been little more than influence buying by corporations and wealthy people trying to curry favor with a woman who was already Secretary of State, perhaps the second-most powerful position in the US government and whom many expected to become the next president after Obama. The power couple's two foundations, the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative, now together reportedly worth more than $2 billion, both function effectively as money-laundering operations providing salaries to Clinton family members and friends. And Hillary Clinton, particularly while serving as President Obama's secretary of state, was in a perfect position to do favors for unsavory foreign leaders seeking to have their countries kept off of State Department lists of human rights violators, and for US businesses seeking lucrative business deals abroad. It's those kinds of email conversations that would have benefitted from a private server, since US State Department official computers have dedicated back-up systems that would be hard or impossible to wipe, and are also by law subject to Freedom of Information inquiries from journalists and the public. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "Rob's bottom-up consulting for Thought Technology over the years to help us incorporate bottom-up thinking in our business and product development has been very valuable. It is a truly disruptive technique, well worth considering, which is well explained in his book." Hal Myers, PhD, President, Thought Technology, Ltd. Member of the Board of Directors for the Ten to the Ninth Foundation (formerly Singularity University) A few days ago Anonymous hacker group published a number of Turkish hospitals' databases. The stolen DBs are reported to contain patients' personal data and their case histories. A thorough study of some published documents (ovh.to/6bRcXP5) revealed horrifying facts that should make us, Europeans, mind the mortal danger we may face in the near future. Let us have a closer look at a database fragment of a Turkish hospital located not far away from the Turkish-Greek border. First of all, it's worth learning the way the database is structured. For illustration purposes, HIV tests are highlighted with red and VDRL ones with yellow. The first number in each line stands for the database part containing information about patients' tests. Table 1. Turkish hospitals database. HIV- and syphilis tests (Image by Ion Todescu) Details DMCA Table 1. Turkish hospitals database. HIV- and syphilis tests Table 2. A database fragment with patients' personal data and VDRL tests results. (Image by Ion Todescu) Details DMCA Table 2. A database fragment with patients' personal data and VDRL tests results. (Image by Ion Todescu) Details DMCA Table 2. A database fragment with patients' personal data and VDRL tests results. To illustrate the way it goes let's take the syphilis tests, for instance, record 365; the next step is to find medical cards of patients with positive test results ("POZITIF"). Card numbers will provide full information about a person. Therefore, a medical card numbered 2013362145 belongs to Mr. Hasan Karakos, a VDRL-positive patient, born in 1986. Apart from it, there are his ID-card number and mobile phone available. The data published by the hackers testify to the fact that syphilis as well as HIV and AIDS incidence in Turkey has zoomed up in the last six months. The in-country sanitary and epidemiological situation keeps deteriorating amid a huge refugee's inflow from unstable regions with ruined national health services and back morals undermined by long-running wars. Table 3. HIV- and AIDS prevalence estimates in Turkish locations near refugee camps (Image by Ion Todescu) Details DMCA Table 3. HIV- and AIDS-prevalence estimates in Turkish locations near refugee camps It is quite evident that outbreaks of the diseases mentioned should fall on the European part of Turkey, according to the AIDS and HIV statistics presented by the hackers. The average Turkish HIV prevalence is less than 0,009% of population. Focusing on the city of Krklareli close to the Greek border, we find 0,129% of positive test patients registered in local hospitals, where Anonymous have gained access. The rate in the border town of Edirne is the similarly high - 0,104%. The following map depicts the main routes to be followed by Iraqi and Syrian refugees on their way to EU through Turkey. A Red zone is mainly significant for HIV and AIDS outbreaks and is home for the cities of Krklareli and Edirne mentioned above. A great deal of refugees has been crowding at the border between Greece and Bulgaria since they are craving to come into Europe safely by land. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here. One small aspect of a trip I took to El Paso, Texas, back in the 1970s remains in my mind: the weather. No, not the weather in El Paso, which is more or less the same much of the year, but the weather on the local television news. I remember watching a weatherman begin his report in -- of all places at the time -- the Persian Gulf and sweep swiftly and dramatically across the globe (and its various weather perturbations) before finally reaching El Paso where things were, of course, predictably hot and dull. It might have been my earliest introduction to the charms of the weather to television news, which could be summed up this way: plenty of drama -- storms, floods, droughts, fires, wrecked homes, weeping survivors, shipwrecked people -- and no politics to muck things up. Just Ma Nature, just The Weather! What was then a strange phenomenon on one city's news has since become the definition of all TV news. At this point who hasn't watched countless weather reporters struggling against the slashing winds and driving rain of some oncoming hurricane while shouting out commentary or heading into the waters of what had only recently been a town or city in the hip waders that are now requisite gear for flood coverage? Only one problem: climate change threatens to screw up the formula. That phenomenon has complicated weather coverage by inserting human (that is, fossil fuel) politics where only the periodically awesome destructive power of nature and raw human emotion once were. All too often, bad weather may now be traced back, at least in part, to our endless burning of fossil fuels. On the whole, however, onscreen news coverage continues to ignore that reality even as it features the weather ever more prominently. In a sense, the news has been coopting climate change. A small sign of this is the way the tag "extreme weather" has become commonplace as reports of floods ravaging the Southwest, fires the West, and tornadoes the South and the Great Plains proliferate. Extreme weather, in other words, has gained its place in our consciousness largely shorn of the crucial factor in that extremity: the increasing amounts of greenhouse gases humanity has been dumping into the atmosphere. Case in point: the staggering fire that continues to ravage the tar sands regions of Alberta, Canada, after an uncomfortably hot and dry winter and early spring that left local forests little more than kindling (in a world in which fire seasons are extending and intensifying globally). With the industry that extracts those carbon-heavy tar-sands deposits endangered -- their work camps incinerated, the city of Fort McMurray, which supports their operations, devastated, and tens of thousands of climate refugees created -- you would think that some sense of irony, if nothing else, might have led the onscreen news to focus on climate change this one time. But no such luck (at least as far as I could tell), even if the extremity of that fire was indeed big news. There were, of course, mainstream exceptions to this -- in print. Among others, perhaps our finest environmental journalist, Elizabeth Kolbert of the New Yorker, weighed in early, as did Justin Gillis of the New York Times with a similarly themed front-page story. Otherwise, to this day, extreme weather remains the great-grandchild of the TV weather reporting I first saw in El Paso four decades ago. Fortunately, at TomDispatch, Michael Klare continues to follow the world of oil exploitation and the extremity that accompanies it with a keen eye. For the petro-states of our planet, the "weather," it seems, has been undergoing a distinct change for the worse. For them, extremity of an unsettling sort is becoming a way of life. Tom The Desperate Plight of Petro-States With a Busted Business Model, Oil Economies Head for the Unknown By Michael T. Klare Pity the poor petro-states. Once so wealthy from oil sales that they could finance wars, mega-projects, and domestic social peace simultaneously, some of them are now beset by internal strife or are on the brink of collapse as oil prices remain at ruinously low levels. Unlike other countries, which largely finance their governments through taxation, petro-states rely on their oil and natural gas revenues. Russia, for example, obtains about 50% of government income that way; Nigeria, 60%; and Saudi Arabia, a whopping 90%. When oil was selling at $100 per barrel or above, as was the case until 2014, these countries could finance lavish government projects and social welfare operations, ensuring widespread popular support. Now, with oil below $50 and likely to persist at that level, they find themselves curbing public spending and fending off rising domestic discontent or even incipient revolt. At the peak of their glory, the petro-states played an outsized role in world affairs. The members of OPEC, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, earned an estimated $821 billion from oil exports in 2013 alone. Flush with cash, they were able to exert influence over other countries through a wide variety of aid and patronage operations. Venezuela, for example, sought to counter U.S. influence in Latin America via its Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA), a cooperative network of mostly leftist governments. Saudi Arabia spread its influence throughout the Islamic world in part by financing the efforts of its ultra-conservative Wahhabi clergy to establish madrassas (religious academies) throughout the Islamic world. Russia, under Vladimir Putin, used its prodigious oil wealth to rebuild and refurbish its military, which had largely disintegrated following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Lesser members of the petro-state club like Angola, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan became accustomed to regular fawning visits from the presidents and prime ministers of major oil-importing countries. That, of course, was then, and this is now. While these countries still matter, what worries these presidents and prime ministers now is the growing likelihood of civil violence or even state collapse. Take, for example, Venezuela, long an ardent foe of U.S. policy in Latin America, but today the potential site of a future bloody civil war between supporters and opponents of the current government. Similar kinds of internal strife and civil disorder are likely in oil-producing states like Algeria and Nigeria, where the potential for the further growth of terrorist violence amid chaos is always high. Some petro-states like Venezuela and Iraq already appear to be edging up to the brink of collapse. Others like Russia and Saudi Arabia will be forced to reorient their economies if they hope to avoid such future outcomes. Whatever their degree of risk, all of them are already experiencing economic hardship, leaving their leaders under growing pressure to somehow alter course in the bleakest of circumstances -- or face the consequences. A Busted Business Model Petro-states are different from other countries because the fates of their governing institutions are so deeply woven into the boom-and-bust cycles of the international petroleum economy. The challenges they face are only compounded by the unnaturally close ties between their political leaderships and senior officials of their state-owned or state-controlled oil and natural gas industries. Historically, their rulers have placed close allies or even family members in key industry positions, ensuring continuing government control and in many cases personal enrichment as well. In Russia, for example, the management of Gazprom, the state-controlled natural gas company, and Rosneft, the state-owned oil company, is almost indistinguishable from the senior leadership in the Kremlin, with both groups answering to President Putin. A similar pattern holds for Venezuela, where the government keeps the state-owned company, Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), on a tight leash, and in Saudi Arabia, where the royal family oversees the operations of the state-owned Saudi Aramco. In 2016, one thing is finally clear, however: the business model for these corporatized states is busted. The most basic assumption behind their operation -- that global oil demand will continue to outpace world petroleum supplies and ensure high prices into the foreseeable future -- no longer holds. Instead, in what for any petro-state is a nightmarish, upside-down version of that model, supply, not demand, is forging ahead, leaving the market flooded with fossil fuels. Most analysts, including those at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), now believe that increases in energy efficiency, the spread of affordable alternative energy sources (especially wind and solar), slowing worldwide economic growth, and concern over climate change will continue to put a damper on fossil fuel demand in the years ahead. Meanwhile, the oil industry -- now equipped with fracking technology and other advanced extractive techniques -- will continue to boost supplies. It's a formula for keeping prices low. In fact, a growing number of analysts are convinced that world oil demand will in the not-so-distant future reach a peak and begin a long-term decline, ensuring that large reserves of petroleum will be left in the ground. For the petro-states, all of this means persistent pain unless they can find a new business model that is somehow predicated on a permanent low-oil-price environment. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Reprinted from Paul Craig Roberts Website Germany's Assault On The IMF Having successfully used the EU to conquer the Greek people by turning the Greek "leftwing" government into a pawn of Germany's banks, Germany now finds the IMF in the way of its plan to loot Greece into oblivion. The IMF's rules prevent the organization from lending to countries that cannot repay the loan. The IMF has concluded on the basis of facts and analysis that Greece cannot repay. Therefore, the IMF is unwilling to lend Greece the money with which to repay the private banks. The IMF says that Greece's creditors, many of whom are not creditors but simply bought up Greek debt at a cheap price in hopes of profiting, must write off some of the Greek debt in order to lower the debt to an amount that the Greek economy can service. The banks don't want Greece to be able to service its debt, because the banks intend to use Greece's inability to service the debt in order to loot Greece of its assets and resources and in order to roll back the social safety net put in place during the 20th century. Neoliberalism intends to reestablish feudalism -- a few robber barons and many serfs: the One Percent and the 99 percent. The way Germany sees it, the IMF is supposed to lend Greece the money with which to repay the private German banks. Then the IMF is to be repaid by forcing Greece to reduce or abolish old age pensions, reduce public services and employment, and use the revenues saved to repay the IMF. As these amounts will be insufficient, additional austerity measures are imposed that require Greece to sell its national assets, such as public water companies and ports and protected Greek islands to foreign investors, principally the banks themselves or their major clients. So far the so-called "creditors" have only pledged to some form of debt relief, not yet decided, beginning in two years. By then the younger part of the Greek population will have emigrated and will have been replaced by immigrants fleeing Washington's Middle Eastern and African wars who will have loaded up Greece's unfunded welfare system. In other words, Greece is being destroyed by the EU that it so foolishly joined and trusted. The same thing is happening to Portugal and is also underway in Spain and Italy. The looting has already devoured Ireland and Latvia (and a number of Latin American countries) and is underway in Ukraine. The current newspaper headlines reporting an agreement being reached between the IMF and Germany about writing down the Greek debt to a level that could be serviced are false. No "creditor" has yet agreed to write off one cent of the debt. All that the IMF has been given by so-called "creditors" is unspecific "pledges" of an unspecified amount of debt writedown two years from now. The newspaper headlines are nothing but fluff that provide cover for the IMF to succumb to pressure and violate its own rules. The cover lets the IMF say that a (future unspecified) debt writedown will enable Greece to service the remainder of its debt and, therefore, the IMF can lend Greece the money to pay the private banks. In other words, the IMF is now another lawless Western institution whose charter means no more than the US Constitution or the word of the US government in Washington. The media persists in calling the looting of Greece a "bailout." To call the looting of a country and its people a "bailout" is Orwellian. The brainwashing is so successful that even the media and politicians of looted Greece call the financial imperialism that Greece is suffering a "bailout." Everywhere in the Western world a variety of measures, both corporate and governmental, have resulted in the stagnation of income growth. In order to continue to report profits, mega-banks and global corporations have turned to looting. Social Security systems and public services -- and in the US even the TSA airline security screening -- are targeted for privatization, and indebtedness so accurately described by John Perkins in his book, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, is used to set up entire countries to be looted. We have entered the looting stage of capitalism. Desolation will be the result. Afghan Taliban announced Maulvi Haibatullah as their new leader PESHAWAR: Afghan Taliban on Wednesday formally announced the appointment of Maulvi Haibatullah as their new leader after the death of Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a US drone strike in Balochistan province a couple of days back. Sirajuddin Haqqani and Mullah Yaqoob were appointed deputy leaders of the movement. In a press release issued to the media, the Taliban also formally confirmed the death of former chief Mullah Mansour in the US drone attack. A day earlier, the Taliban shura discussed six names including Maulvi Haibatullah, Mullah Abdul Qayyum Zakir, Mullah Ahmed Rabbani, Mullah Hasan Akhund (former foreign minister and governor of Qandahar during the Taliban rule), Sirajuddin Haqqani, son of Jalaluddin Haqqani and head of the Haqqani network, and Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob, son of former Taliban leader Mullah Muhammad Omar, to head the movement. Mullah Akhtar Mansour had himself nominated Maulvi Haibatullah and Sirajuddin Haqqani as successors after his death. Senior journalist and expert on Pak-Afghan affairs Rahimullah Yusufzai said by elevating Mullah Yaqoob to the position of deputy to the new chief, it seemed Taliban wanted to groom him to lead the movement in future. According to Yusufzai, Mullah Yaqoob is the most non-controversial as well as acceptable figure among the current emerging leaders to all the factions of the Taliban. Experts believe the succession of Maulvi Haibatullah as leader of the Taliban would bring all the breakaway factions together under one command. According to expert on Afghan affairs Tahir Khan, Haibatullah used to run seminaries in both Afghanistans Qandahar province and Pakistans Balochistan and has taught many militants. He maintained that the new Taliban leader has very little combat experience but his command on matters related to religion is beyond doubt. Prior to 2001, Maulvi Haibatullah was heading the military courts system of the Taliban. He was the overall in-change of Talibans military courts and used to oversee and address the complaints against the military courts. According to Tahir Khan, Haibatullah is likely to be a symbolic head of the Taliban movement while the real powers will reside with Haqqani and Mullah Yaqoob. Despite his young age, Yaqoob has headed the military command of 14 districts of Afghanistan, he maintained. Haqqani has been enjoying the real powers even when Mansour was alive, Tahir said, and added in April this year, Haqqani headed a shura meeting and approved the inclusion of Yaqoob as a member of the council. In contrast to Haqqani, he said, Haibatullah is a shadowed figure. You can call it a strategy by Taliban who selected a symbolic head but kept the real power manager behind the scene, he said. Haibatullah was part of Maulvi Younas Khalis Hizb-e-Islami group and had participated in Afghan jihad against the Soviet occupation forces. After the death of Maulvi Younas Khalis, he joined Taliban along with many other fighters of the group. Security experts are, however, sceptic of the prospects for peace in the region in the aftermath of Mullah Mansours death. They say that violence is expected to escalate in the war-torn Afghanistan. They argue Talibans first priority would be to keep their own house in order and unite the fighters. Tahir Khan said the selection of new chief will follow the process of allegiance in the coming days and then nominations of the governors in the provinces will take place. He said that Haibatullah and Mansour had fought side by side in the past and were very close to each other. A participant performing point-to-point length measurements on a calibrated grid of spheres in the large-scale laboratory at NIST. Credit: Sean Kelley/PML Large-volume 3D laser scanners play an essential role in manufacturing large products (e.g., airplane wings), making measurements for large-scale construction (e.g., bridges), and other applications where very large structures must be measured in three dimensions. At present, however, there is no comprehensive standard to judge how well the instruments perform. As part of an effort by NIST's Physical Measurement Laboratory to produce an international performance evaluation standard for these instruments, scientists at the Engineering Physics Division (EPD) designed and constructed a calibration facility to evaluate proposed tests in a draft ASTM International standard, which is being developed under the EPD's leadership. In May 2016, major manufacturers of 3D laser scanners from all over the world converged at NIST to put their scanners through the paces. This laser scanner "runoff" was orchestrated by EPD's Bala Muralikrishnan, Meghan Shilling, and Prem Rachakonda, with key assistance from Gerry Cheok of the Engineering Laboratory at NIST and Luc Cournoyer from the National Research Council (NRC) of Canada. An invitation was sent to all leading manufacturers of 3D laser scanners to visit NIST and run the approximately 100 tests specified in the draft standard. Four of the manufacturers traveled to NIST (one each from Germany and France) to participate in the runoff. Another sent an instrument during the week for testing. Two other manufacturers who could not attend in May have expressed interest in visiting NIST soon to try out the tests. These seven manufacturers represent about four-fifths of the entire market for large volume laser scanners. Additional participants included representatives from a company interested in entering the 3D scanner market and a company manufacturing precision spheres that are used as targets. The draft standard specifying the test procedures was the product of three years of work by a standards committee led by Muralikrishnan that met biweekly. "With large volume 3D laser scanners, you basically put them in the center of the room, and they sweep across the room, producing 3D point clouds," Muralikrishnan explains. "The only current standard for these types of instruments evaluates the instrument only along one axis. That standard was released in 2015. "The standard released in 2015 was envisioned to be one of several standards. Thus, we decided that we should extend this so that it covers the entire volumetric space. We started work in the summer of 2013 to come up with test procedures that would evaluate the performance of these instruments over the work volume." "After three years, we had a document that was mostly complete," Muralikrishnan explains, "but we didn't want to publish it until we could realize all of the test procedures. That's what we did here at NIST this month. A participant performing relative range measurements in the long length tape tunnel facility at NIST. Credit: Sean Kelley/PML "The NIST team set up facilities to enable all the test procedures from the draft standard in the NIST dimensional metrology facilities, and participating manufacturers brought their instruments to NIST. There were three full days of testing across two NIST labs containing multiple experiments, each of which contained multiple tests. Often, two manufacturers were running tests on the same day with staggered times and locations. On average, it took each manufacturer an entire day to complete the full suite of tests. One set of tasks involved measuring point-to-point distances on a calibrated grid of spheres in the EPD's large-scale laboratory at NIST. Once performance testing was completed, the manufacturers met with NIST and NRC staff to provide feedback on the process. While the manufacturer's overall experience was extremely positive, the clear consensus was that the number of tests needed to be reduced in order for the standard to become more practical to use. This will be a key consideration as the draft standard is revised. Cournoyer elaborates: "We want the test to be useful, but we also want it to be feasible. It shouldn't take a day. It should be done within a few hours at the most, without sacrificing too much of the performance evaluation. We think we can accommodate most of the concerns that the manufacturers were discussing. We will revise the document and discuss again." The standard needs to be practical for both end-users, who might not have access to ideal measurement facilities, as well as the manufacturers, while maintaining sensitivity to known error sources. And, in cases where the users do not have the necessary facilities to run the tests, there needs to be a way for manufacturers to generate an accurate set of specifications. "If someone in an organization wants to know which scanner to buy, he or she will look at the specs," Cournoyer explains. "And the specs will mean the same thing because they were tested against the same type of standards and the same type of objects. Today, that's not the case at all." Thanks to the NIST run-off, users are an important step closer to having these comparable specifications available. The willing participation of the world's major manufacturers of 3D scanners in this effort, at their own expense, indicates the importance of performance evaluation standards in the buying and selling of manufacturing technology. Along with the important next step of revising the draft standard, the NIST scientists will be spending many hours perusing the vast quantity of data acquired during the runoff. "Now that we've had the opportunity to test all of the instruments and get data from all of the instruments, we can now analyze all of the data and see what type of algorithms make sense," Muralikrishnan explains. "That is something that was not possible before this runoff. By having the manufacturers bring their instruments here and scan them in our facility with us controlling how they collected the data, we have the chance to do that now." NIST's role in orchestrating the runoff, acquiring these important data, and completing the standard is critical according to Cournoyer: "None of this would've happened without the NIST installation, the NIST people, and the NIST desire to complete the standard." Explore further NIST develops first widely useful measurement standard for breast cancer MRI Finding extra-terrestrial life may be easier, now that we know what to look for. Credit: NASA/Serge Brunier Finding examples of intelligent life other than our own in the Universe is hard work. Between spending decades listening to space for signs of radio traffic which is what the good people at the SETI Institute have been doing and waiting for the day when it is possible to send spacecraft to neighboring star systems, there simply haven't been a lot of options for finding extra-terrestrials. But in recent years, efforts have begun to simplify the search for intelligent life. Thanks to the efforts of groups like the Breakthrough Foundation, it may be possible in the coming years to send "nanoscraft" on interstellar voyages using laser-driven propulsion. But just as significant is the fact that developments like these may also make it easier for us to detect extra-terrestrials that are trying to find us. Not long ago, Breakthrough Initiatives made headlines when they announced that luminaries like Stephen Hawking and Mark Zuckerberg were backing their plan to send a tiny spacecraft to Alpha Centauri. Known as Breakthrough Starshot, this plan involved a refrigerator-sized magnet being towed by a laser sail, which would be pushed by a ground-based laser array to speeds fast enough to reach Alpha Centauri in about 20 years. In addition to offering a possible interstellar space mission that could reach another star in our lifetime, projects like this have the added benefit of letting us broadcast our presence to the rest of the Universe. Such is the argument put forward by Philip Lubin, a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the brains behind Starshot. In a paper titled "The Search for Directed Intelligence" which appeared recently in arXiv and will be published soon in REACH Reviews in Human Space Exploration Lubin explains how systems that are becoming technologically feasible on Earth could allow us to search for similar technology being used elsewhere. In this case, by alien civilizations. As Lubin shared with Universe Today via email: "In our SETI paper we examine the implications of a civilization having directed energy systems like we are proposing for both our NASA and Starshot programs. In this sense the NASA (DE-STAR) and Starshot arrays represent what other civilizations may possess. In another way, the receive mode (Phased Array Telescope) may be useful to search and study nearby exoplanets." DE-STAR, or the Directed Energy System for Targeting of Asteroids and exploRation, is another project being developed by scientists at UCSB. This proposed system will use lasers to target and deflect asteroids, comets, and other Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). Along with the Directed Energy Propulsion for Interstellar Exploration (DEEP-IN), a NASA-backed UCSB project that is based on Lubin's directed-energy concept, they represent some of the most ambitious directed-energy concepts currently being pursued. Using these as a teplate, Lubin believes that other species in the Universe could be using this same kind of directed energy systems for the same purposes i.e. propulsion, planetary defense, scanning, power beaming, and communications. And by using a rather modest search strategy, he and colleagues propose observing nearby star and planetary systems to see if there are any signs of civilizations that possess this technology. Project Starshot, an initiative sponsored by the Breakthrough Foundation, is intended to be humanitys first interstellar voyage. Credit: breakthroughinitiatives.org This could take the form of "spill-over", where surveys are able to detect errant flashes of energy. Or they could be from an actual beacon, assuming the extra-terrestrials us DE to communicate. As is stated in the paper authored by Lubin and his colleagues: "There are a number of reasons a civilization would use directed energy systems of the type discussed here. If other civilizations have an environment like we do they might use DE system for applications such as propulsion, planetary defense against "debris" such as asteroids and comets, illumination or scanning systems to survey their local environment, power beaming across large distances among many others. Surveys that are sensitive to these "utilitarian" applications are a natural byproduct of the "spill over" of these uses, though a systematic beacon would be much easier to detect." According to Lubin, this represents a major departure from what projects like SETI have been doing for the past few decades. These efforts, which can be classified as "passive" were understandable in the past, owing to our limited means and the challenges in sending out messages ourselves. For one, the distances involved in interstellar communication are incredibly vast. Even using directed-energy, which moves at the speed of light, it would still take a message over 4 years to the nearest star, 1000 years to reach the Kepler planets, and 2 million years to the nearest galaxy (Andromeda). So aside from the nearest stars, these time scales are far beyond a human lifetime; and by the time the message arrived, far better means would have evolved to communicate. Directed-energy technology, such as the kind behind the Very Large Telescoping Interferometer, could be used by ET for communications. Credit: ESO/G. Hudepohl Second, there is also the issue of the targets being in motion over the vast timescales involved. All stars have a transverse velocity relative to our line of sight, which means that any star system or planet targeted with a burst of laser communication would have moved by the time the beam arrived. So by adopting a pro-active approach, which involves looking for specific kinds of behavior, we could bolster our efforts to find intelligent life on distant exoplanets. But of course, there are still many challenges that need to be overcome, not the least of which are technical. But more than that, there is also the fact that what we are looking for may not exist. As Lubin and his colleagues state in one section of the paper: "What is an assumption, of course, is that electromagnetic communications has any relevance on times scales that are millions of years and in particular that electromagnetic communications (which includes beacons) should have anything to do with wavelengths near human vision." In other words, assuming that aliens are using technology similar to our own is potentially anthropocentric. However, when it comes to space exploration and finding other intelligent species, we have to work with what we have, and with what we know. And as it stands, humanity is the only example of a space-faring civilization known to us. As such, we can hardly be faulted for projecting ourselves out there. Here's hoping ET is out there, and relies on energy beaming to get things done. And, fingers crossed, here's hoping they aren't too shy about being noticed! Explore further Photonics advances allow Earth to be seen across the universe More information: The Search for Directed Intelligence: The Search for Directed Intelligence: arxiv.org/abs/1604.02108 Should people with brain disorders receive different punishment for crimes? Credit: Shutterstock Australian law may be on the cusp of a brain-based revolution that will reshape the way we deal with criminals. Some researchers, such as neuroscientist David Eagleman, have argued that neuroscience should radically change our practices of punishment. According to Eagleman, the courts should give up on the notion of punishment altogether and instead focus on managing criminals and containing their behaviour in order to keep the rest of us safe. Is this a good idea? And is this how Australian judges are responding to our increasing knowledge of the neurobiological bases of behaviour? Two approaches There are two broad approaches to justifying punishing someone who commits a crime.The first is in terms of "moral culpability" or "just deserts". Crudely, if someone has caused harm, they deserve to have harm inflicted on them in return. This is known as the "retributive" view; retributivists aim to mete out just deserts, or "just punishment". The second approach is to think in terms of the consequences of punishment. If punishment might deter or rehabilitate the offender, or prevent them from committing another crime by incapacitating them, or if it could serve as a deterrent to others, then and only then, is punishment justified. If the punishment will only harm the individual who committed the crime, but it won't prevent further crime or benefit others then, on pure consequentialist grounds, it is not justified. In Australia, judges usually take both retributive and consequentialist considerations into account when determining punishment. A clear illustration of retributivism is in the sentencing of the serial killer, Ivan Milat where the judge said: These truly horrible crimes demand sentences which operate by way of retribution [] or by the taking of vengeance for the injury [] the community must be satisfied the criminal is given his just deserts. Currently, Australian offenders are also given the opportunity to make a plea in mitigation after their conviction for a crime. The aim of such a plea is to reduce the severity of punishment. In some cases, the defence may engage a psychologist or psychiatrist to provide expert evidence about mental or neurological impairment to suggest that an offender is less morally culpable for the crime, and therefore deserving of less retribution. Neuroscientific tilt But some academics, such as American psychologists Joshua Greene and Jonathan Cohen, have argued that consequentialist considerations will be all that is left after neuroscience revolutionises criminal law. Punishment as retribution will be consigned to history. According to Greene and Cohen, retributivism relies on the notion that people have free will. They say the advance of neuroscience will cure us of that notion by opening the black box of the mind and revealing the mechanistic processes that cause all human behaviour. Once these causes are revealed, we will give up the idea that people are responsible for their bad actions. We will start to think that a criminal's frontal lobe impairment caused him to lash out, for instance, and focus on how we can prevent this happening again, rather than thinking they chose to punch their victim and thus they deserve punishment. According to Greene and Cohen, this will make crime reduction the only goal. If they are right, punishment practices will move in the direction advocated by Eagleman. Case by case Greene and Cohen made their argument about the demise of retributivism ten years ago. In light of their predictive claims, it is interesting to examine how the legal system is actually responding to the increasing use of neuroscientific evidence. We can get an idea of what is happening in Australia from cases in the Australian Neurolaw Database, which was launched in December 2015. The database is a joint project between Macquarie University and the University of Sydney, and includes both Australian civil and criminal cases that employed evidence derived from neuroscience. Interestingly, the sentencing cases in the database do not suggest retributive justice is being abandoned when the court is confronted with evidence of impairment to an offender's brain. Where used in sentencing, neuroscience evidence is often put forward in relation to assessment of the moral culpability of the offender. It is thus used to help determine how much punishment an offender deserves. This is very different to suggesting moral culpability ceases to be a relevant consideration in the determination of punishment, or that courts should pay no regard to questions of desert. It presupposes that questions about appropriate punishment are important ones to answer correctly. One example of the way Australian courts regard evidence derived from neuroscience is in the sentencing of Jordan Furlan in 2014. In sentencing 49-year-old Furlan for a violent incident involving a 76-year-old victim, Justice Croucher considered the impact of evidence of a brain injury some years prior to the offence, on Furlan's moral culpability. Justifying a sentence of three years and six months, the judge said the offender's "moral culpability was reduced, but only to a moderate degree because his judgment was impaired as a result of his acquired brain injury". The judge went on to say that just punishment was an important factor (among others) in crafting the sentence. A more striking case relates to the sentencing of former Tasmanian legislative council member Terry Martin for child sex offences. Expert evidence indicated he had developed a compulsive form of sexuality as a result of the effects of medication for Parkinson's disease on the dopamine system of his brain. The judge imposed a much more lenient sentence than would have otherwise been the case because of the clear link between the medication and the offending. This link was said to reduce Martin's moral culpability. Slow revolution We cannot be sure how neuroscience will affect the law in future. Indeed, there may even be a backlash against this form of evidence. What can be said is that Furlan, Martin and other cases show Australian judges still consider moral culpability, even in the face of neuroscientific evidence of impaired mechanisms. They do not move to purely consequentialist considerations. This means retributivism is still alive and well, and just punishment still matters to Australian courts. So, at least for now, the impact of neuroscience is not revolutionary. Explore further My genes made me do itthe problem of genetic evidence and diminished culpability This story is published courtesy of The Conversation (under Creative Commons-Attribution/No derivatives). A newly acquired drone has helped Fauna & Flora International discover important seagrass habitat in Cambodia's Koh Rong Archipelago. Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and partners have discovered a previously undocumented seagrass bed on the east coast of Koh Rong Island, thanks to the acquisition of a brand new conservation drone that is giving the team a fresh new perspective on Cambodia's coastline. This significant discovery has caused much excitement, as seagrasses provide important nursery habitat and feeding grounds for seahorses, sea turtles, dugongs and many other species. They are also home to commercially-important fish and invertebrates which in turn support the livelihoods of the 3,000 people from five fishing communities across the Koh Rong Archipelago. Despite their importance, however, seagrass habitats around the world face many threats including unsustainable development, destructive fishing methods, and pollution. In Cambodia, scientific research into the country's marine environment is still in its infancy, which adds to the challenges of effective marine conservation and management. High flying ambitions The drone is a relatively recent addition to the conservation toolkit that allows us to efficiently map large and often inaccessible areas from the sky. In Cambodia, FFI team members and project partners from the Cambodian government's Fisheries Administration are using one to effectively monitor and map mangrove and seagrass habitats, and the results will be used to inform strategic conservation management of Cambodia's marine resources. But despite their growing popularity among the conservation community, drones are easy to crash or damage without adequate training. For this reason, FFI joined forces with Amaury Peeters and Guillaume Bets from Made in Mars to train the team as effective, careful and responsible pilots. By building local capacity through this thorough training, FFI has ensured the effective long-term use of this innovative tool for monitoring and conservation. "Flying drones for conservation is important for FFI to help us easily identify and monitor habitats. It will also save survey time and allow us to monitor the exact same areas from the air over many years," said Phalla Leng, Project Coordinator for FFI's Coastal and Marine Conservation Project. "As a researcher, training in this new skill has been really useful it will help me conduct scoping studies that help prioritise research areas." "Drones are of great benefit to Cambodia, making it easy to create habitat maps and identify areas that need research and protection," said Mr Nhem Vanna, Cambodia's Fisheries Administration. "They will help us to conserve and monitor important habitats such as coral reefs, seagrass, and mangroves. This new technology will save us time while allowing us to conduct new research in Cambodia." Learning how to handle the drone. Credit: Marianne Teoh/FFI. FFI has been working in the Koh Rong Archipelago since 2011 with local communities and the Fisheries Administration to protect coral reefs, mangroves and seagrasses which are vital for the health and productivity of Cambodia's seas, but which are under threat from habitat destruction, poorly planned coastal development, illegal and destructive fishing and pollution. The drone will help FFI design, implement and manage the country's first large-scale marine protected area. Marianne Teoh, consultant for FFI's Coastal and Marine Conservation Project, sees it as an opportunity to put Cambodia's marine environment on the map. "I'm excited," says Marianne. "The images and footage we capture will help us share the beauty and importance of Cambodia's coasts and marine life with both the local and international community, and it will totally change the way we monitor the health of these habitats." There is also potential for the drone to be used to help the Cambodian Crocodile Conservation Programme team track the population and health of Critically Endangered Siamese crocodiles in areas obscured by tall grasses. The drone flying into the sunset in Koh Rong. Credit: Amaury Peeters/FFI Explore further Key threats to siamese crocodiles and highlights lessons learned from 15 years of conservation work An artist's conception of Earth's inner and outer core. A trio of researchers in Denmark has calculated the relative ages of the surface of the Earth versus its core and has found that the core is 2.5 years younger than the crust. In a paper published in the European Journal of Physics, U I Uggerhj and R E Mikkelsen with Aarhus University and J Faye with the University of Copenhagen, describe the math involved in their effort and their results. During one of his famous lectures at Caltech in the 1960's, Richard Feynman remarked that due to time dilation, the Earth's core is actually younger than its crusta difference he suggested that was likely a "day or two." Since that time, physicists have accepted both the notion that the core is younger than the surface, and the amount of time given by Feynman, without checking the math. General relativity suggests that really big objects, like planets and stars, actually warp the fabric of spacetime, which results in a gravitational pull capable of slowing down time. Thus, an object closer to Earth's center would feel a stronger pulla clock set near the core would run slower than one placed at the surface, which means that the material that makes up the core is actually younger than the material that makes up the crust. This seems counterintuitive to our sense of reason. Such oddities have long been taken for granted in physics, as has the degree of time difference offered by Feynman during his lecture. In this new effort, the research trio ran the math to discover the actual number involved. They found that over the course of our planet's 4.5 billion year history, the pull of gravity causes the core to be approximately 2.5 years younger than the crustignoring geological processes, of course. The findings by the team not only serve as an example of the influence of gravity over time, but the problems that can arise when scientists take the words of famous colleagues at face value, simply because of their prestige. No one should be above review, of course, which, as many who knew Feynman can attest, was one of his mantras. Explore further Famous Feynman lectures put online with free access More information: U I Uggerhj et al. The young centre of the Earth, European Journal of Physics (2016). U I Uggerhj et al. The young centre of the Earth,(2016). DOI: 10.1088/0143-0807/37/3/035602 2016 Phys.org Harbour porpoise in the vicinity of a fish. Credit: Fjord & Belt Harbour porpoises have sometimes been described as "living in the fast lane." Being smaller than other cetaceans and living in cold northern waters means that the porpoises require a lot of energy to survive, making them prone to starvation. Now researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on May 26 have monitored harbour porpoises in the wild with tiny computers attached to them by suction cups show that the animals hunt and eat almost constantly. The findings by researchers in Denmark, Germany, and Scotland suggest that even a moderate level of disturbance in the busy shallow waters that they share with humansanything that might limit their ability to feedcould put the animals in serious jeopardy. "Our results show that porpoises hunt small fish, typically less than five centimeters, nearly continuously day and night at ultra-high rates, attempting to capture up to 550 fish per hour, and frequently more than ten per minute with a remarkable success rate of more than 90 percent," says Danuta Wisniewska of Aarhus University in Denmark. "The tiny fish targeted by porpoises are not of interest in commercial fisheries; however, relying on such small prey makes porpoises especially vulnerable to disturbances, because there is no room for compensation." To study the animals' foraging behaviors, the researchers attached miniature computers developed at University of St. Andrews to five wild porpoises. The computers recorded the porpoises' echolocation calls and the echoes that came back as those calls bounced off of nearby prey. By analyzing the sound, the researchers were able to determine how often porpoises attempted to catch fish. They could also estimate the size of those fish and whether the fish managed to escape. This video shows a harbour porpoise catching a fish. Credit: Lee A Miller "This is the first time we have been able to measure simultaneously how a marine mammal hunts and how often it is successful," Wisniewska says. "The trick here was to tap into the echolocation sounds that porpoises use to sense their environment. Porpoises make hundreds of clicks a second as they approach prey, and the echoes coming back give us incredible detail about what the prey are doing." The data showed that the porpoises hunt around the clock. They are also incredibly successful in landing their prey. "We were surprised by the efficiency with which these small predators feed," Wisniewska says. "A success rate of over 90 percent, translating into as many as 3,000 fish caught per day, means that porpoises are amongst the most successful known hunters." This video shows a tagged harbour porpoise catching a fish. Credit: Danuta Wisniewska The study also shows that harbour porpoises live on an energetic "knife edge," the researchers say. To meet their energy demands, they must eat all of the time, with little room for error. The team will continue to explore different foraging tactics of the harbour porpoises, including foraging in different parts of the water column. They'll also investigate whether and how noise from ship traffic or other human activities affects the porpoises' foraging rates. Explore further Harbour porpoises need large, oily fish NORTHUMBERLAND A Wilton man is facing a felony charge following an incident in March. State Police said 46-year-old Charles E. Hodge got into an accident on March 26 on Rugg Road. When police interviewed the driver, officers found that he was in possession of a Glock 21 0.45 caliber handgun and some ammunition. Hodge had moved from Florida to New York in December and did not register the pistol, according to State Police spokesman Marc Cepiel. Hodge was charged with felony criminal possession of a firearm and a misdemeanor of unlawful possession of ammunition. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due back in town of Northumberland Court on June 7. MOREAU The decision about Blue Flame Gas Co. Inc. is now in the Zoning Boards hands. The board held a meeting Wednesday with Supervisor Gardner Congdon, residents of the nearby English Village neighborhood and Blue Flame representatives. At the end, the board decided not to vote on the issue yet. A decision could come as soon as next month. The board has appointed an independent attorney to guide its decision. Attorneys for residents and Congdon argued that the propane distribution facility could not be built at 1325 Route 9 because the site is zoned commercial. They said a facility with two 30,000-gallon tanks and no retail sales would be considered a fuel depot, which is limited to the manufacturing zone. Residents attorney Thomas Shepardson said he couldnt understand how the proposal was approved by the Planning Board. He read from the description of allowed uses in a commercial zone, saying, Apparently they forgot to read such as a restaurant, diner or bar. This is nothing like a bar. Instead, he said, the facility would deter residents from living nearby out of fear of an explosion. Blue Flame attorney Michael Naughton dismissed that concern. Gas stations can blow up, too, and theres lots of them on the highway, he said, referring to Route 9. He also warned that English Village residents would have to accept some commercial neighbor because the site next to their entrance is zoned commercial. It could be a gas station. It could be a McDonalds, he said. He focused on technicalities, questioning whether the Zoning Board had the authority to make a decision at all and whether Congdon and English Village had objected on time. He also said the zoning code was too vague, and the description of a fuel depot was not tight enough to allow the board to determine whether Blue Flame qualified. Shepardson said those arguments proved Blue Flame couldnt defend the zoning question. Because, we believe, they are so weak on the merits, they throw at you all these procedural issues, he said. Congdons attorney also focused on the law, explaining that the Zoning Board should overturn the building inspectors decision that the site was properly zoned for the facility. Attorney Brian Borie emphasized that he was not asking the board to overturn the Planning Boards decision, but to reverse the building inspectors decision. He said the board would only need to use common sense. I dont think its that difficult to see a fuel depot is not a permitted use in a C1 zone, he said. Congdon noted that not only would customers not buy propane on-site, but the truck drivers would hand out bills at each location when delivering the propane. But Naughton said the facility could be seen as a retail establishment. We dont wholesale propane. We dont resell it to other propane companies, he said. So in our position its retail. Democratic congressional candidate Mike Derrick on Thursday endorsed legislation U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., proposed to transfer prosecution of military sexual assault cases from military commanders to independent military trial lawyers. Its well past time Congress passes this bipartisan effort to protect the brave women and men who protect us, Derrick said in a press release. Derrick, a retired Army colonel from Peru, in Clinton County, is running in the 21st Congressional District against U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, and Green Party candidate Matt Funiciello, a bread company owner and political activist from Hudson Falls. Derrick criticized Stefanik for opposing Gillibrands legislation. I do not think we should take authority away from the commanders. I think we should strengthen our outreach at the earliest level, Stefanik said in a telephone interview on Tuesday, responding to a report Gillibrand issued this week that examined case files from 329 sexual assault cases that occurred at U.S. military bases in 2014. Derrick said studies show military commanders are not effectively handling cases. If the military is less effective at performing its mission, and the current system is unable to solve the problem, then the system must be adjusted, he said. Gillibrand has been advocating to change jurisdiction since 2013, and now is attempting to add proposed legislation as an amendment to the Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act, a comprehensive annual military policy bill. U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, has introduced legislation to direct the U.S. Postal Service to issue a stamp to raise awareness of invasive species and raise funds for eradication and management efforts. The stamp, modeled after the breast cancer awareness stamp, which sells for 60 cents, would sell at a yet-to-be-determined premium price, with net proceeds going to fund federal Department of Agriculture and Department of Interior grant programs. Stefanik said the concept came from an invasive species summit she held in February. Fred Monroe (executive director of the Adirondack Local Government Review Board) suggested this concept and some of the other participants agreed. And weve been working with them since the roundtable to craft the language, Stefanik said in a telephone interview on Thursday. Actually, it was both Eric Siy from the Fund for Lake George and I that suggested it, Monroe said later Thursday. Monroe said Stefanik adapted their original suggestion for an invasive species program based on the U.S. Department of Interior duck stamp. Purchase of the $25 annual stamp allows purchasers to hunt ducks and provides free admission to federal wildlife preserves, with funds going to preserve habitat. Many people interested in conservation purchase the stamp, even though they do not hunt, Monroe said. Thats what we were originally thinking of, and the congresswoman came up with the theory of the semi-postal stamp, he said. Fifteen original co-sponsors nine Republicans and six Democrats joined Stefanik in sponsoring the legislation, which does not yet have a Senate companion sponsor. Seven of the original co-sponsors are from New York. Others are from Arizona, Guam, Minnesota, California, Illinois and Pennsylvania. I was proud to introduce it with such significant New York support and such bipartisan support, she said. The U.S. Postal Service will design the stamp, with input from House members on what invasive species might be featured in the design. Stefanik said she does not yet have a preference. I will be working with my original co-sponsors to come up with some suggested invasive species, she said. Stefanik also introduced a separate resolution expressing it is the sense of Congress that invasive species control is important. Its about awareness. Thats why I introduced two bills, she said. Awareness is equally important as funding, said Walter Lender, executive director of Lake George Association. Any time that you have an opportunity to talk about invasive species and the damage that they can cause in water and watersheds is great. So if this stamp is going to start new conversations, that is great, he said. Lender said invasive species is an issue that crosses geographic and partisan lines. Invasive species, on many different levels, is a national issue, he said. Stefanik is running for re-election in November against Democrat Mike Derrick, a retired Army colonel from Peru, in Clinton County, and Green Party candidate Matt Funiciello, a bread company owner and political activist who lives in Hudson Falls. TICONDEROGA Inter-Lakes Health, parent company of Moses-Ludington Hospital in Ticonderoga, on Thursday announced its board has approved the sale of its Heritage Commons nursing home and Moses-Ludington adult home to Post Acute Partners, Inc., a healthcare company operating facilities in four northeastern states. The sale clears the way financially to restructure the hospital under a medical village concept that would incorporate modern technology and emphasize increased outpatient options as various regional health care providers collaborate to offer services at a central location. The changes that will be taking place over the next few months, beginning with the new partnership forged with Post Acute Partners, will provide a solid foundation for many important and exciting changes to the way that health care is delivered in this region, said John Remillard, chief executive officer of Inter-Lakes Health and its affiliated Elizabethtown Community Hospital of the University of Vermont Health Network. The new nursing home owner, for example, will collaborate with providers to offer a hospice program at the nursing home, according to the press release. Hospital officials will be discussing details of the plan soon, said Jane Hooper, a hospital spokeswoman. Post Acute Partners, based in New York City, operates nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and pediatric specialty residential programs in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The company also operates a pharmacy program, health care transportation program and a Medicare managed care plan. Dr. Jeffrey Rubin and Warren Cole founded the company in 2010. I am very pleased that the care of our nursing home residents will be managed by this outstanding organization, said Rolly Allen, chairman of the Inter-Lakes Health board. Inter-Lakes Health will temporarily continue to operate the nursing home and adult home until state regulatory agencies approve the sale, which is structured as a lease/purchase agreement. The approval process is expected to take several months. Once the sale is approved, the nursing home and adult home names will be changed to Elderwood at Ticonderoga, the brand name Post Acute Partners uses. Brad M. Hoylman is a New York State senator representing the 27th District in Manhattan. The 50-year-old, who graduated from West Virginia University and Harvard Law School, has been in office for just four years, so he may be naive enough to still think he can make a difference in the sewer system we call a state capital. Here is how bad things are in Albany. For some time, Hoylman who is in the minority as a Democrat in the Senate has been trying to introduce a bill that would eliminate the statute of limitations for prosecuting child sexual abuse crimes. Its a good bill and long overdue. We know from scandals within the Catholic Church that prosecuting these types of predators is almost impossible, because the victims rarely come forward until they are adults and the statute of limitations is past. Even then, it is going to be difficult to prosecute someone like Jerry Sandusky, former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert or your local parish priest. But Hoylmans bill went one step further. It allowed for a one-year revival period for previously time-barred civil actions for a child younger than the age of 18. It gives victims one last chance to sue for justice. Many argue that would lead to an avalanche of civil litigation that could bankrupt religious organizations. Marci Hamilton, an advocate for the legislation who has done extensive research on the matter, told the New York Daily News this is not the case. She found that in eight states that enacted the one-year window provision, fewer than 3,000 people filed lawsuits. The Daily News cited a 2012 insurance report that estimated 100,000 children in the United States were victims of clerical sex abuse. Considering that the Catholic Church has already paid approximately $3 billion to resolve child sex abuse claims, we believe we are beyond the point when there is any debate that these events happened. Justice is long overdue. Those kinds of facts make the Albany power game that was waged this past week that much more despicable. Frustrated by his inability to get his bill introduced in the state Senate, Hoylman attached his bill as a hostile amendment to the human trafficking hotline bill, a totally innocuous bill that would allow emergency rooms and other sites to hang posters about a human trafficking resource center hotline. The Republicans bellowed that this was grandstanding, and a political stunt. We believe it was a frustrated legislator trying to get something done on a serious issue that has been ignored for too long. Sen. Joseph Griffo, who presided over the session for the Republicans, ruled the amendment was not germane to the human trafficking hotline bill, which was essentially true. Democrats then asked for a procedural vote to overrule Griffo. The vote was 30-29 against overruling Griffos ruling and killing Hoylmans amendment. All 30 Republicans including Sen. Elizabeth Little and Sen. Kathy Marchione voted to derail the bill from moving forward. The Democrats said it was a vote to support past child predators. Considering what was at stake, it is hard to argue with them. In another era, Hoylman might have been able to reach across the aisle and get important work done with a like-minded member of the other party, but not in the cesspool of current Albany politics where nothing of any importance gets done. If just one of the 30 Republican senators had rebuffed the majority or showed just a hint that they had a moral compass, we might be on our way to a new law. But not one senator did that. Later that day, the Senate passed the human trafficking hotline bill, allowing important posters to appear all around the state. I guess we should congratulate them for that. Local editorials represent the opinion of The Post-Stars editorial board, which consists of Publisher Terry Coomes, Controller/Operations Director Brian Corcoran, Editor Ken Tingley, Projects Editor Will Doolittle and citizen representative Tom Portuese. Shortage of cassava has been reported across the country prompting a sharp rise in the price. A bag of 250 kilogram of cassava which used to sell for GHC 200 now sells at GHC 600 and beyond in Accra. Same kilos which used to sell for GHC20 in parts of the Brong Ahafo region now sells at GHC 100 . According to Alhassan, the problem is wider than the ministry's mandate. "There are transport issues, there are infrastructure issues," he said in an interview with Citi FM. "So you know that it is a distribution problem which is wider than the mandate of the ministry." "There are remoteness of production areas in relation to markets..."These are all things that are outside the mandate of the ministry, he said. "I don't build roads," he noted. He stressed that Ghana produce enough cassava to feed the country. "This country as at last year produced17 million metric tonnes of cassava and we need just 10 million tonnes to feed the population," the minister added. Cassava traders have rubbished claims by consumers that they have taken undue advantage of the situation to further increase cassava prices on the market. Some cassava sellers who spoke to Pulse.com.gh indicated that it has become a waste of time and resources moving from village to village and town to town in search of cassava to sell since the commodity is so scarce. The situation has compelled traders in the Brong ahafo and surrounding villages such as Ampoma, Amoma, Anyima and Suamere know for the best quality of cassava to inflate the prices of the little cassava that are available for sale. I use to buy a bag of cassava from Ampoma for as low as GHc 20 but it is now expensive and I now buy the same bag at GHc 100 so I have to inflate it in order to make profit, Maame 5 told Pulse.com.gh in an interview. Before you can get just one bag of cassava, you have to reach Agbogbloshie market as early as 2am. You should have the strength to climb the truck that brings the cassava and also to struggle with others over the tubers, because the traders are more than the bags of cassavas that are brought to the market, another cassava seller at Lapaz market in Accra recounted. This scarcity has been largely blamed on the weather pattern. The rains have not been favorable affecting the tuber which used to be the cheapest product on the market. Transport hikes in transportation fares is also another factor. I also consider the cost of transport fares when pricing, another cassava seller at the Madina market said. The sad thing is the little cassava one is able to buy is not wholesome after cooking in many instances. This in turn led to calls for policies to be redirected. Countries were urged to strengthen their middle classes. The leading proponents were the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) followed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The OECDs view is evident in its Global Development Perspectives 2012report and the UNDPs in its 2013 Human Development Report. They define middle class as a group of people with a minimum of anything from US$2 to $10 monetary income/expenditure a day. But such a reduced approach misses much of what is required for a proper analysis of a class its character, and its positioning in and impact on society. Rather, the discovery of the middle class was linked to its anticipated role in promoting social change to which those in the business of development could pin their hopes. This, however, shifts the debate away from the critical assessment of obstacles to development. It thereby gets in the way of a proper diagnosis of the real challenges to promoting more social equality and justice in some of the most unequal societies in our world. The problem with the definition Defining the middle class as a group of people with a minimum of anything from $2 to $10 monetary income/expenditure a day is itself fuzzy. With reference to the $2 threshold, the African Development Bankdeclared one-third 300 million of the continents population as middle class in 2011. A year later it adjusted its size up to 500 million. It considered this a key factor for development. It takes quite some fantasy to imagine how, based on the living costs in Africas urban centres, a $2-a-day threshold catapults someone from the $1.99 margin as criteria for poor into a middle-class existence. And then into playing a pioneering role in the continents future transformation. It seems, therefore, that all those not starving are nowadays considered middle class. Limiting the debate to purely monetary categories also ignores a range of other important aspects. These include employment or social status, sources of income, lifestyle-related attributes, cultural norms, and religious or ethnic identities as contributing factors. Rigorously explored differentiations not to mention any substantial class analysis have been largely absent. This turns the middle class into a muddling class, devoid of any true meaning in terms of social analysis that seeks to identify a social agenda and the role members of society can play in transforming societies. The new demand for supporting the middle classes within developmental policy therefore remains a vague appeal. Who, after all, should be supported for what purpose? African studies have more recently offered much more nuanced assessments from the point of view of social anthropology and cultural studies, political science and economics. These offer a better diagnosis of how certain segments within societies change, adapt and adjust. And how a higher income, combined with other factors, might have an impact on policy orientations and social positions. Misplaced expectations A closer look at the widely held assumption that middle classes by definition play a positive meaning socially progressive role is not convincing. History suggests a rather mixed balance, if not mainly opportunistic behaviour, of middle class members. They usually do not tend to bite the hand that feeds them. The new Chinese middle class is anything but known for its opposition towards an authoritarian state. The Chilean middle class of the early 1970s in its majority did not side with Salvador Allende, but supported the military coup by General Augusto Pinochet. Politically, middle classes seem not as democratic as many of those singing their praises believe. According to a recent Afrobarometer survey, a majority of those with higher education argue that the less educated should not have the same say in democratic elections, as they would not know what is best for their country. In South Africa the black middle class is no more likely to hold democratic values than other black South Africans. But it is more likely to want government to secure higher-order survival needs over basic ones. It is also dubious that African middle classes by their sheer existence promote economic growth. Their increase was mainly a limited result of the trickle-down effects of the resource-based economic growth rates during the early years of this century. Their position and role in society hardly has the economic potential and dynamics to induce further productive investment that contributes to sustainable economic growth. And there is also little evidence of any correlation between economic growth and social progress, as even a working paper of the International Monetary Fund admits. Even the African Development Bank concedes that income discrepancies as measured by the Gini-coefficient have increased, while six among the ten most unequal countries in the world are in Africa. Real sociopolitical influence is hardly owned by a growing middle class. While the poor partly became a little bit less poor, the rich got much richer. Myth of Africas growing middle class The celebrated growth of the African middle class(es) is also questionable. The UNDPs 2013 Human Development Report predicted that by 2030 80% of middle classes would come from the global South, but only 2% would be from sub-Saharan Africa. Recent assessments suggest that it is not the middle of African societies that expands, but the lower and higher social groups. According to a report by the Pew Research Centre only a few African countries had a meaningful increase of those in the middle-income category. Multinationals in the retail and consumption sector have already reacted to the dwindling purchasing power of the middle class. They have reversed earlier investments. The worlds biggest food producer, Nestle, has reduced its presence in Africa by 15% of its employees. Debate shows signs of shifting Fortunately the discussions following the middle-class hype have created sufficient awareness to trigger a debate separating fact from fiction in the assumed transformative power of a middle class. This includes challenging the myth that a middle class is the cure for the social woes of countries considered less developed and affected by massive poverty. Rather, its variety of members will most likely continue to act in their own best interests. Deconstructing and demystifying the trendy discourse, and thereby dismantling the proclaimed middle-class torch bearers, brings back the sobering need to properly analyse and assess social structures. The aim would be to offer a more realistic diagnosis of where the dividing lines between a policy for the rich and one for the poor should or could be drawn. If we are serious about the need for social change and transformation, we should be as serious about class analysis. As he continued with his performance, Elorm Adablah, as the rapper is known in real life, continuously mentioned that he had something to say but never did, a situation which led to a section of the crowd hooting at him. Reacting to his actions, the former host of political talk show "Alhaji and Alhaji" on Radio Gold, who witness the event took to Facebook to lambast the rapper and described EL's actions as immature. "I had no problem with EL beating Stonebwoy and Bisa Kdei to be artiste of the year but I have a big problem with his immature conduct at the Ghana meet Naija concert," he wrote. He further stressed that, after watching him, he discovered another reason to infer that Dancehall musician, Samini, is a legend. "I watched him and discovered another reason why I think Samini is a legend. I could just imagine Samini going free style with the audience and entertaining them regardless of that hitch and perhaps as an icing on the cake walking off the stage when the sound was restored. That is what an artist of the year should be able to do," he stated. The Brokers & Reinsurance Forum was organized to say a big thank you to all Broker & Reinsurance business partners that have supported GLICO GENERAL to attain ten years. The theme for the forum was, Local Content; the path to our future and was chaired by the Commissioner of Insurance, Ms. Lydia Lariba Bawa. The Managing Director of GLICO GENERAL, Mr. Alfred Ofori-Kuragu, in his opening address, expressed appreciation to all Brokers & Reinsurances companies, stakeholders and GLICO staff for their commitment to GLICO GENERAL over the past 10 years. He stated that, in an era when non-life insurance companies come and go, GLICO GENERAL, which started business operations in 2006, has achieved a decade of innovation and steady growth. Additionally, Mr. Ofori- Kuragu indicated that GLICO GENERAL has been able to travel this decade due to good business partners, stakeholders and hard working employees who have shared the vision and seen to its successful implementation. The Chairperson for the occasion, Ms. Lydia Lariba Bawa, stressed in her opening remarks the need for Brokers & Reinsurance partners to support Insurance companies provide the necessary Insurance cover for the Ghanaian populace. She indicated that all players have a collective responsibility to educate and inform Ghanaians on insurance to ensure higher insurance penetration which currently stands at less than two percent. The Commissioner iterated the fact that local content partnerships should be the effective course to develop the insurance sector as it promotes the maximization of value, job-creation and the use of local expertise. She further stated that the local content policy would facilitate growth of the insurance industry and Ghanaian economy at large. Delivering his Guest Speakers address, Mr. Gustav Siale, Managing Director of GhanaRe, encouraged brokers to utilize insurance services in the local market before using the services of overseas insurance companies. Mr. Siale additionally accentuated that insurance categories such as life, motor, workmens compensation and general accidents are all well established policies that insurance businesses in Ghana have the technical expertise to underwrite and therefore must be patronized by the all Brokers. The Managing Director for GhanaRe additionally advised industry players to gain insights of the dynamics of insurance business in the Ghanaian market. He added that it is only through such trends analysis and the provision of insurance solutions that Ghanas resources will benefit Ghanaians, whilst also allowing foreign companies to reap fair returns on their investment. As a side attraction to the forum held at the Tang Palace Hotel, Broker & Reinsurance business partners were engaged in a fun lucky-dip contest that won them exciting prices. This was just one of the few ways GLICO GENERAL showed appreciation to their business partners. The yearlong anniversary celebrations has other events planned to drive home the theme for the celebrations, 10 years of creating value.Our Stakeholders; our All ". With immense gratitude, GLICO GENERAL says a BIG THANK YOU to all stakeholders whose immense confidence and support has brought the company this far. The treatment centre is expected to help in treating cholera and other infectious diseases should there be any outbreak according the Deputy Health Minister Dr. Victor Bampoe. "In the eventuality that some people get cholera we don't want the situation that people are being treated on benches and so on. The Danish government gave one million dollars to the government of Ghana as funding towards this project. Dr. Bampoe said there are five more of such isolation centers to be built in the Greater Accra Region at a cost of one hundred and fifty Ghana Cedis (150,000) . The other locations for the other centers are Mamprobi, Mamobi, Ga-South, Abadraka and Korle-bu. Pulse News has also gathered that more of such centers will be built across the country. Japan, which holds the G7 Presidency, committed the first $50 million in funding toward the new initiative. Pandemics pose some of the biggest threats in the world to peoples lives and to economies, and for the first time we will have a system that can move funding and teams of experts to the sites of outbreaks before they spin out of control, said Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group. This facility addresses a long, collective failure in dealing with pandemics. The Ebola crisis in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone taught all of us that we must be much more vigilant to outbreaks and respond immediately to save lives and also to protect economic growth. The announcement came a week ahead of the May 26-27 Summit of Group of Seven Leaders in Ise-Shima, Japan. G7 leaders had urged the World Bank Group to develop the initiative during their May 2015 summit in Schloss-Elmau, Germany. Japan is proud to support the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility, which prevents pandemics from undermining important development achievements", said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Japan Taro Aso. Innovative financing for crisis responses by the PEF, together with financing for preparedness and prevention in peacetime including through IDA,are important to mitigate human and social losses and to help quickly recover in the event of a crisis. It is cost-effective and should be emphasized at all stages of economic development. The new facility will accelerate both global and national responses to future outbreaks with pandemic potential. It was built and designed in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the private sector, introducing a new level of rigor into both the financing and the response. Recent years have seen a dramatic resurgence of the threat from emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, said Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization. WHO fully supports the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility as a critical contribution to global health security and a crucial line of defence against high-threat pathogens. The PEF includes an insurance window, which combines funding from the reinsurance markets with the proceeds of World Bank-issued pandemic (catastrophe, or Cat) bonds, as well as a complementary cash window. This will be the first time World Bank Cat Bonds have been used to combat infectious diseases. In the event of an outbreak, the PEF will release funds quickly to countries and qualified international responding agencies. The insurance window will provide coverage up to $500 million for an initial period of three years for outbreaks of infectious diseases most likely to cause major epidemics, including new Orthomyxoviruses (e.g. new influenza pandemic virus A, B and C), Coronaviridae (e.g. SARS, MERS), Filoviridae (e.g. Ebola, Marburg) and other zoonotic diseases (e.g. Crimean Congo, Rift Valley, Lassa fever). Parametric triggers designed with publicly available data will determine when the money would be released, based on the size, severity and spread of the outbreak. The complementary cash window will provide more flexible funding to address a larger set of emerging pathogens, which may not yet meet the activation criteria for the insurance window. All 77 countries eligible for financing from the International Development Association, the World Bank Groups fund for the poorest countries, will be eligible to receive coverage from the PEF. The PEF is expected to be operational later this year. Recent economic analysis suggests that the annual global cost of moderately severe to severe pandemics is roughly $570 billion, or 0.7 percent of global GDP. A very severe pandemic like the 1918 Spanish flu could cost as much as 5 percent of global GDP, or nearly $4 trillion. During the past two years alone, pandemic threats have included the devastating Ebola crisis in West Africawhich crippled the economies of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and cost them an estimated $2.8 billion in GDP losses ($600 million in Guinea, $300 million in Liberia and $1.9 billion in Sierra Leone); the MERS outbreak, which took a toll on the South Korean economy; and the Zika virus that is spreading in the Americas and putting thousands of unborn children at risk. Four global expert panels that were convened over the past year in the wake of the Ebola crisis concluded that the world must urgently step up its capacity for a swift response to outbreaks before they become more deadly and costly pandemics. The PEF will do a number of important things to prevent another Ebola crisis: A statement signed by the President of the Union, Bice Osei Kuffour, otherwise known as Obour, urged musicians to put together lyrics which can have a positive impact on the listener than one punctuated with profanity. The Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) has noted with concern, the rising incidence of profane lyrics in songs released by Ghanaian musicians. This current trend is particularly disturbing considering the fact that these songs are played without any radio edits on primetime radio and given wide currency on social media. In that regard, the Union is calling on musicians and song writers in Ghana to desist from writing songs with profane lyrics. As much as the Union appreciates the creative liberties of song writers to freely express themselves, it is essential that artistes appreciate the impact of their songs on the public especially in an era where technology has made it relatively easier for songs to be heard, portions of the statement read. The union further called on the National Media Commission (NMC) to check such songs which are sometimes played on air during primetime. It also asked media houses to do well to ensure that such practices are discouraged. MUSIGA is therefore urging all musicians to be mindful of the need to provide inspiring and positive lyrics in our songs. In the same breadth, we are also calling on radio and television station operators to be mindful of their role as gatekeepers of society and be circumspect in what they play on air. We are also calling on the National Media Commission to throw their spotlight on the content of music played on air not only on the political content of programmes. In a statement released on Wednesday, the union urged Ghanaian musicians to put together lyrics which can have a positive impact on the listener than one punctuated with profanity. The union further called on the National Media Commission (NMC) to check such songs which are sometimes played on air during primetime. The statement also asked media houses to do well to ensure that such practices are discouraged by not giving it rotation. In response to the statement, Kontihene rather asked Obour to apologise to Ghanaians over the profane lyrics he used in his songs when he reached the pinnacle of his music career. In an interview with Pulse.com.gh, Kontihene, stated that Every artiste has his own followers and the kind of music his followers understand. Music is a medium through which artistes communicate to their audience. There are certain audience who understand certain kinds of languages and there are others who dont tolerate such languages. So if the artiste is comfortable (with his lyrics), then his fans will also understand him best. If they communicate through music and certain languages, I dont have a problem with it. Speaking about why Obour should apologise for his popular song Konkontiba, the Dedeede hit make disclosed that, the MUSIGA president has no right to condemn the act since he once indulged in it and has not rendered an apology for that. Obour should come out and apologise to Ghanaians about Konkontiba because of the kind of (profane) words he used in the track. Before talking about profane music in the industry, he should first come and apologise. I think morally, Obour is not fit to condemn any profane song. He championed a profane song and he succeeded so at this time, he should enjoy his tenure in office, loot all the money he can and after his tenure, we can sit down and talk about profane songs. For now, he is not fit to talk about profane song, he told Pulse.com.gh Wei Ye Oteng, as he is widely known in showbiz circles, has asserted that the use of profane lyrics in songs needs to be controlled as it impacts negatively on the listener. Im finally glad that this has come to play. When I read the statement, I asked, what have we been waiting for? Its been long overdue But where does this thing start from? It first of all has to start with the people themselves. Where are you coming from? What target do you have? How do you see your future like? Weve corrupted our language and now the people growing up think it is right Lumba sings profane than anyone else but you can listen to his song and wont notice it, he said on Pluzz FMs AM Pluzz. The statement signed by President of the Union, Bice Osei Kuffour, otherwise known as Obour, urged musicians to put together lyrics which can have positive a impact on the listener than one punctuated with profanity. The Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) has noted with concern, the rising incidence of profane lyrics in songs released by Ghanaian musicians. This current trend is particularly disturbing considering the fact that these songs are played without any radio edits on primetime radio and given wide currency on social media. In that regard, the Union is calling on musicians and song writers in Ghana to desist from writing songs with profane lyrics. As much as the Union appreciates the creative liberties of song writers to freely express themselves, it is essential that artistes appreciate the impact of their songs on the public especially in an era where technology has made it relatively easier for songs to be heard, portions of the statement read. Upon reaching the station, he was asked to write a statement, in the process of which he was attacked with canes by some police personnel from the station who accused him of being a criminal himself. District Commander of the Sofoline police, ASP Nakpin in an interview with Pulse.com.gh said investigations have begun in a bid to ascertain the veracity of the claims and the culprits. According to him, the overbilling issue has always been a concern only that the margin of error had gone up due to the transfer of data from old billing system to new one. Customers who use the post-paid meters have often complained that they are being overcharged after the new tariff implementation. The PURC subsequently indicated that "The Commission after a thorough investigation into the matter through our Monitoring Exercise which culminated into visits to specific areas and also interrogation of bills which were presented to consumers by the Electricity Company of Ghana, came to the conclusion that there was an anomaly in the initial implementation of the new billing software." But Mr Boateng said the said errors have already been detected, adding that the Minister of Energy has already constituted a team of experts to handle the situation. Complaints we hear from customers is more to do with overbilling errors...Where you see that a bill has multiplied. And we have made mention that yes it is true, because when we create the system, it tells you that these are all billing errors...because the internet has not been reliable, Mr Boateng added. Speaking on Peace FM's morning show on Thursday, Henry Kokofu said the country must take a second look at the country's tax buildup on electricity. "The tax on electricity is too much. we must look at that area. We have energy levy, 10 percent, service charge of GHc7 flat rate for every consumer and a VAT of 17. So the clear taxes alone is 27.5 percent. "Every 100 Ghana Cedis of electricity of light you buy, government profit from you by 27.5 Ghana Cedis and if you add it to the 7 cedis, you get 34.5 for every 100 Ghana Cedis [ of electricity you buy.]," Kokofu said. On Tuesday, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission asked the ECG to stop the implementation of the new billing software after its investigations revealed anomaly in the billing system. According to a statement from the PURC and copied to Pulse.com.gh, the directive has been "necessitated by Complaints which it has received from consumers of Electricity regarding issues of overbilling." The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission on Tuesday asked the ECG to stop implementation of the new billing software after its investigations revealed anomaly in the billing system. CEO of GCCI Mark Badu Aboagye said the directive is in the right direction and a relief to us. Speaking in an interview with Accra based Citi FM, Aboagye said: We have, from the beginning of the year, drawn the PURCs attention to the fact that there seems to be a problem with the billing system. Our members have been complaining about the fact that they are paying more than the approved rate, so, if they have realised that and suspended it, I think it is a relief to us. According to him, It is very difficult paying for something that you did not use, and looking at the current economic situation, if you are to pay for something that you did not use, that will be unfair We are happy that they have really listened to us, but we are expecting that the right thing be done and should be done on time as well, he added. Minority spokesperson on energy K.T. Hammond alleged Tuesday that consumers are paying so much for electricity because there appears to be a collusion between the Government of Ghana, the Public Utility Regulatory Commission and the Ghana Standards Authority. He said his investigations into the issue have revealed that electricity consumers pay more lately because the number of revolutions that go into credit unit has reduced considerably. I have conducted my investigations. I think what has come out is that somehow the PURC has sanctioned a situation where the number of revolutions that go into credit unit, the number has been reduced considerably," he said. Those days my understanding is that, your meter would have to run 60/55 revolutions before you have one unit which you paid for. What is happening now is that it has been sanctioned by PURC, by the standards board that we no longer do that. The revolutions are now 45. So when you have paid for 100 cedis and you bought 100 units of credit and you thought that you were going to have 60/55 revolutions to give you a unit, you now actually going to have only 45 revolutions, he explained further. So when the mercury dial is done 45 revolutions, it gives you a unit to pay for. Touching on the role of the standards authority, Mr. Hammond said when the meters are brought into the country, the board takes charge of the calibration of the meters. Now in the process of the calibration that these things happen, he said. Presidential candidate of the NPP Nana Akufo Addo waded into the matter, calling on the ECG to reduce tariffs on electricity immediately following the instruction by the PURC. "If you look at the rates we are charging industry, as well as domestic users, for electricity in Ghana, compared, for instance, to Cote dIvoire, already, it puts our enterprises in a very uncompetitive comparison, he said in a statement. I dont believe any media house would do anything that would spark a confrontation in this country, the medias role would be crucial in ensuring that the election are conducted fairly and peacefully thus the media should position themselves as neutral arbiters, and avoid hate and violence in publication and broadcasting. I think it is important for there to be clarity on this matter. If the government cannot or will not listen to the calls for the reduction of electricity tariffs, it is important for the people of Ghana to know that, God-willing, if I win the elections of this year, I definitely will, Nana Addo said. I will definitely reduce electricity tariffs, he emphasised. Responding to Nana Addos comments on Asem FMs afternoon political show, Member of Parliament for Juaboso, Kwabena Minka Akando, said the NPP flagbearer has no campaign message. According to him, Nana Addo only capitalise on government challenges to make his promises. A member of the panel of Supreme Court Judge, Justice Dotse has stressed that the apex court was clear on its order for the Electoral Commission to delete from the electoral roll persons who used the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cards as a form of identification for their registration. The EC had said it cannot delete names of those who registered with NHIS cards based on its own understanding of the ruling. But Justice Dotse speaking to journalists said any individual who is finding it difficult to understand the ruling should come back to the court. we [Supreme Court] said the use of the NHIS cards is therefore unconstitutional and it should take the opportunity to clean the register of those undesirable persons. We also do not want to disenfranchise anybody so the Supreme Court went on to say that anybody who will be affected by that exercise should be given the opportunity to register according to the law and the constitution, period. In his response on Facebook, Abu Ramadan, who is also the Former PNC youth organiser said I have really been vindicated once again but will forgive all those whose law and its understanding is challenged. Abu Ramadan had earlier threatened to file a contempt suit against the Electoral Commission following its stance on the Supreme Court ruling on the voters' register. The IT Consultant who was disappointed in the idea by the police, said it is a lazy way of trying to forestall any kind of misinformation on the day. The idea should not be entertained. It doesnt help our democratic credentials. How will people express their views about what is going on that day, he asked. READ MORE: Formed Police Unit Ghanaian Peacekeepers denied entry into Cameroon He added that There are already laws policing the publication of false information in the public domain, including social media. You can be prosecuted, he said. They should rather work to enforce those laws, rather than decide to shutdown social media use. The Ghana Police Service in a press conference on Thursday revealed it is considering shutting down social media services in the country on election day, November 7. According to the Inspector General of Police, John Kudalor, social media is a potential tool for fomenting violence based on the irresponsible use by political parties and a section of the public. At one stage I said that if it becomes critical on the eve and also on the election day, we shall block all social media as other countries have done. Were thinking about it, John Kudalor said. However, Maximus Ametorgoh believes more can be done to curb irresponsible use of social media in the build- up to the elections, which will ensure that there will be no need for social media platforms to be shutdown on election day. On how the Police can build enough capacity before the elections to properly police social media excesses without shutting down platforms, the CEO of Pop Out Ghana said, "This broke my heart !!!! Sad... Hurt ... How can humans be this wicked! His "Stepmom" did this to him ,broke his 2legs,arms,cut off his tongue and God knows what else is broken,what could he have done that was so bad.. An innocent child who is still learning how to even speak ,a child that needs love and protection ...God!this kid is even a few months younger than my 2yrs old daughter ,I can't get this child off my mind and the trauma this little toddler is going through... Pls am calling on all Legal Practitioners ,human right lawyers, to join and let's get #justiceforMusa. The monster who did this to him must be put behind bars and Punished!!! Heard he has a senior sister too.. Please should be taken out of the reach of her wicked step mom and back to her mother ... Also heard the boy father is busy defending his wife that she didn't mean it ... Please ,such evil should be dealt with! Thank you @angelsofhopefoundation for letting us know and everyone else's trying to get help for Musa!God bless you. Pls post Musa pic with the hashtag #justiceformusa till it gets to our leaders ... Musa must get justice ...#endviolenceagainstchildren #justiceformusa." Read his full piece below: "The other day, I was at radio continental where Wale Powpowpow and his crew engaged me in a fierce discourse about the future of many of our hopeless youths. I was so mad about the youths predicament in Nigeria, that I kept swearing, cursing and dissing our leadership for mortgaging and stealing away the future of the Nigerian youths. Trust me, by the time I gave my phone number out on radio, the phone lines were jumping off the hook, Hummm come and see calls. Many who called in, plagued to stand behind me on battle day. Nonsense why would you people stand behind me and not besides me, how many times have I led different groups in the advocacy of whatever their challenge may be only to turn around and not see anyone behind me or is it the people youre fighting for always denying you? For any nation or people to succeed, such people must be united in their effort with unabated spirit to fight for a course which is no other than social justice and equality. However most Nigeria youths are wasting and dying in the sad river of frustration, dejection, suffocation and total hopelessness, Chai!!! Most of our youths these days are, incapacitated, unwilling, unable and incapable of standing up for their rights. How can they? When most of us are still collecting pocket money from our parents, some still writing Jamb., cant feed or fend for themselves, still jobless and not even making any tangible effort to reshape their bleak future. My guys why have most of us become so docile? Why for Christ sake aint we angry, what can Sagging our trousers achieve when we have been robbed of our destiny and future by all the Yahoo yahoo kalukalu leaders. Why for heavens sake are you not Mad that the leadership for long have never cared about us, hence they have killed education because all their children are abroad in the best schools with our stolen money. Oh God! Our Mumu never do?" Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! South Korea is set to change the rules of drinking for good, haven invented a hang over curing ice cream. According to Reuters, a convenience store chain, Withme FS, in South Korea, which is Asia's hardest drinking country, has invented the Gyeondyo-bar which is a grapefruit flavored ice cream bar with a small amount of oriental raisin tree fruit juice. Before you raise your brows at its effectiveness, you should know that a 2012 study from The Journal of Neuronscience found that raisin tree extract could reduce effects of intoxication in rats. In a statement, Withme FS explained that Gyeondyo-bars name translates to hang in there, which expresses the hardships of employees who have to suffer a working day after heavy drinking, as well as to provide comfort to those who have to come to work early after frequent nights of drinking, According to Munchies, South Koreans drank 12.3 liters booze a year, leading to nearly $8 billion in lost productivity, medical costs, and early deaths in 2013. It is envisaged that the new hangover cure will therefore help out a lot of hung over folks in South Korea. Bello, who is attached to the Itire Police Division, was arrested alongside one of his accomplices, Idowu Badmus, by the Igando Police Division after a victim, identified as Aramide, reported that he was robbed of his motorcycle at Iyana School bus stop on the Lagos State University-Iyana Iba Road. The stolen motorcycle and two others were later recovered from Bello and Badmus, while the buyer and a motor mechanic, were also arrested by the police, after the complainant had identified his motorcycle among the three recovered by the police. It was gathered that on Sunday, May 22, at about 1pm, Bello, who reportedly wore a black police T-shirt, and Badmus, who was in mufti, had accosted Aramide, at the Iyana School bus stop. The suspects, who had also came on a motorcycle, were said to have slapped Aramide, and ordered him to come down from the motorcycle, with Badmus displaying a police identification card and a pair of handcuffs. The two allegedly told their victim that they were from the Iba Police Division, adding that they were taking his motorcycle into the police station. When the victim came down from his motorcycle, one of the two suspects started the motorcycle and rode off, while the other followed him on the motorcycle they brought. The suspects were said to have escaped with the motorcycles instead of riding it into the Iba Police Division, where they claimed to have come from, an the victim rushed to the station to report that his motorcycle had been snatched from him. Badmus was, however, arrested at Ile-Epo bus stop on LASU-Iyana Iba Road, while allegedly returning from another operation, by some residents of the area who handed him to the police and it was his arrest that led to that of the police sergeant A police source said that the suspects tampered with the motorcycles they snatched before selling them. He is in a dilemma: as much he wants to keep his marriage, at least for the sake of the children, he has found it difficult to forgive Iheoma. Read his letter here: "My name is Paul and I have been married to Iheoma for the past six years, with two kids, a boy and a girl. Though I cannot lay claim to being the best husband and father, I have never shirked in my responsibilities to my family, my wife especially. I work in a multi-media outfit that requires me to travel round the world and could be away for two to three months at a stretch, all in a bid to take care of my family and provide them with the best. Anytime I am home, I make sure I spend good time with them to make up for my absence. When my job demands became so strenuous, I advised Iheoma to resign from her job and I opened a boutique for her so that she would have more time for the kids. I did not know that I did the wrong thing because the boutique opened her up to meeting many people, including single women who became her friends and I believe, influenced her wrongly. You would not imagine that I stumbled on some nude photos she sent to a man. I had just returned to Nigeria from France where I had gone to represent my company in a conference and was relaxing in the sitting room while Iheoma was in the kitchen preparing lunch. Her phone was on the table when a message came in. I was not used to checking her phone by the way but that day, out of curiosity, I picked it up and it was a Whatsapp message that came in. On opening it, I saw a text that read: 'Baby, I must confess that you are hot babe and I can't seem to have enough of you. The last time was out of this world. When will hubby leave town again? I can't wait to have you screaming under me in the usual way.' I did not know when I felt faint but I managed to scroll back to earlier exchanges and that was when I found out that my wife had been engaging in this extra-marital affair for many months and had sent more than 20 nude photos to the man. I was shocked and switched off the phone and left the house. When I came back, I asked her if she had any affair with another man and typically, she denied vehemently and even picked up a fight. When I showed her the screen shots I had made of the messages and the nude photos, she broke down and confessed that it was loneliness that led her into the scandalous affair. She has been begging me to forgive her but how can I forgive a woman who went that far? Paul." The teaser for the day was: How Nigeria voted: Yes, I will forgive him/her - 49% No, I will never forget such a spouse - 11% That will be the end of our marriage - 41% Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) helped carry the wounded people to a nearby hospital. According to Elmounzer Ag Jiddou, MSF head of mission in Niger, "We are very concerned about the impact of these attacks on the population and also about the lack of respect for the medical facilities, which could jeopardize the already limited access to health care in Diffa. "We are planning to resume activities as soon as possible." During the attack, which took place at night, the market and many houses were burnt down. Three wells that provided water to the village were also destroyed, along with the generator that powers the pump. Without these wells the village has no water supply, as there is no other free water source around Yebi. A measles vaccination campaign, which had started just before the attack, had to be postponed for several days. According to a statement issued by Femi Adesina, the President's spokesman on Wednesday, May 25, Buhari stated this in his farewell message to the outgoing Iranian ambassador, Saeed Koozechi. We made a terrible mistake by becoming a mono-product economy hinged on oil and we are now in a volatile situation, due to the crash in oil prices, he said. We have seen the benefits of diversification which helped Iran to survive many years of sanctions and still come out strong. We are now fully committed to economic diversification. Most of the things on our import bills can be produced here. And we are determined to achieve that self-dependency, the President said. At a separate audience with the outgoing Chinese ambassador, Gu Xiaojie, Buhari gave an assurance that the federal government would strive to meet its obligations under bilateral agreements with China for the development of critical infrastructure in Nigeria. He said the administration would uphold contractual agreements with Chinese companies for the development of essential infrastructure which it inherited from past administrations, saying the projects would be speedily completed. The President also stressed his commitment to the completion of the Mambilla Power Project which, he said, is of great strategic importance to his governments efforts to ensure that Nigeria does not become over-reliant on gas-powered electricity generation. ---------------------------------------------- The co-convener of the group, Oby Ezekwesili also called on the government to prosecute everyone involved in the scam. Leadership reports that Hassan Tukur, ex principal secretary to former President Goodluck Jonathan, allegedly confessed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that he diverted the sum of $40m meant for negotiating with Boko Haram to release the Chibok girls. Tukur was arrested by EFCC agents in Abuja on Monday, May 16, 2016. Ezekwesili said This group will write a statement to that effect. We want thorough investigation and we want the prosecution of those involved. It is unimaginable that people will play with the lives of the citizens. That is what Nigeria has degenerated to. Former President Goodluck Jonathan has however denied reports that he attempted to broker a deal with terror group, Boko Haram. They are being investigated for their role in the sharing of about N1.150 billion allocated to their states, out of the N23.29 billion election campaign funds disbursed by the former minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, through Fidelity Banks. The others being grilled by the EFCC are a former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Joel Ikenya Danlami, a former Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Hon. Mark Bako Useni, a former National Secretary of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), Senator Saidu Umar Kumo, from Gombe State and the Chairman, Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in Adamawa State, Chief Joel Madaki. Each of the three states were said to have received N450 million from Fidelity Bank totaling N1.150 billion. Report said Ikenya has refunded N2 million while Useni paid back N1 million. The bribe was said to have been distributed to all the 36 state chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2015 presidential elections. According to the online news portal, TODAY, which cited a top source at the EFCC, Senator Danladi Abubakar chaired "the sharing committee of the N450million campaign slush fund for the re-election of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan." Other members are Senator Ikenya and Hon. Useni," the source was quoted to have said. Ikenya and Useni were alleged to have signed and collected the fund on behalf of the state PDP before proceeding to the Government House to share it. When interrogated, the two former office holders claimed they distributed the money to the 16 local government areas of the state. They gave N140million (at N28m each) to five local government areas and N264 million ( at N24m each) to the remaining local government areas. Useni admitted he collected Takum Local Governments N24m. They confessed to have personally benefited individually from the fund. The former minister admitted to have taken N4million. He presented a GTB draft of N2million and promised another draft for the same amount today. His co-suspect deposited a draft for N1million and the balance to be paid later," the source said. The EFCC said it has intensified its investigation with aim of recovering the funds from as many beneficiaries as possible. On Gombe and Adamawa states, the source said: Senator Kumo signed and collected N450million campaign fund for the re-election of former President Jonathan. He admitted that out of the said amount, he got only N2m which he promised to pay back." The Adamawa PDP chairman, Madaki and Ambassador Adamu (Wakili Adamawa) allegedly signed and collected N450million campaign fund for Adamawa State. In his statement Madaki admitted that out of the said amount, it was only N5 million that passed through his office, which he promised to pay back, report said. ---------------------------------------------------- He said that the monthly wage bill is over N2 billion but the state received as low as N751 million in April, stressing that he cannot sell himself or his family to pay the workers. Speaking in a broadcast, Fayose said: Right now, Im helpless. It is difficult to sell myself, my family or my property. I can only depend on what I get from Abuja. I want workers to understand that it is my priority to make them comfortable. Even before going on their strike, I got to know that many of them no longer come to office while many others were coming late to office. Why I refused to come hard on those involved was that I had no moral justification to do so since I knew we were owing them. I dont have powers to go on strike, we shall be waiting till when they come back, but they must realise that strike is not the best option Even in Government House, we dont have money to power generators with diesel, whereas, I cannot sell myself or members of my family to raise funds, things are that difficult, he said. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state embarked on an indefinite strike on Thursday, protesting the non-payment of workers' five months salaries. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engineer Lawal David Babachir, also announced that President Buhari has appointed Alhaji Mohammed Buba as the new chairman of Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA). The re-constitution of the PPPRA was also part of the agreement reached by both parties during negotiations earlier. Babachir, said We just finished our meeting with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Im happy to announce we had a very successful meeting with an outcome that will make every Nigerian happy. First of all, on the side of the government, we want to thank the Nigerian Labour Congress for their magnanimity in calling off the strike, and we thank Nigerians for being patient while the strike lasted." In this meeting, we have arrived at some major decisions. First of all, you would recall that before we adjourned the last meeting, we had basically decided to discuss three major issues. One was the issue of the minimum wage for workers, both in government and in the private. And also Labour had raised the issue of requirement to be involved in the implementation of the half a trillion naira in the budget meant for palliatives for Nigerians that are on the fringes of society economically. Then, Labour had requested that the government reconstitute the Board of PPPRA which, they said that, had it been in place, the issue of the misunderstanding in the price regulation would not have arisen. This evening, Im proud to announce that, first of all, a 16-man committee has been set up as a technical committee half from the labour side and half from the government side to discuss issues concerning the minimum wage, to advise on the setting up and possible modalities of working out the committee to discuss minimum wage issue," the SGF added. The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, on his part, said the meeting was successful, adding that labour will present 8 members who will sit on the PPPRA board. Wabba also said As you are aware, we resumed the meeting today and I can tell you the meeting was very successful. We have agreed to have the technical committee to look at the details, including the fact that the pricing issue and template would have to be considered by an appropriate body which, by law, is allowed to do that which is PPPRA. Part of the issue is also to get the Board (of PPPRA) in place. undefinedafter meeting with the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Semenitari, who served as commissioner for information under Amaechi as the Rivers state governor, said her former boss turned against Jonathan to save Nigeria from the brink. Amaechi believed that Muhammadu Buhari had all it took to change the trajectory and envisioned that Nigeria was heading in a different direction," Semenitari told The Interview magazine. For him (Amaechi) having Buhari there was great for the integrity of the country and also to pull back the country from the brink. On whether Amaechi's ministerial appointment is his reward for his efforts in Buhari's race to Aso Rock, she said the former governor did not nurse the thought of any personal gains, noting that Amaechi's support for Buhari was purely in Nigeria's interest. The PDP on the Twitter page, alleged that Kachikwu met with some members of the militant group at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. The new militant group, Niger Delta Avengers claimed responsibility for the recent bombing of offshore oil facilities. The group also vowed to carry out more bombings if the Federal Government does not meet their demands. The militants also said their goal is the attainment of a sovereign state of Niger Delta. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and other ex militants have also condemned the new group, calling on them to give the Buhari led administration some time to fufill the promises it made to the Niger Delta people. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, has however dismissed the claims of the Niger Delta Avengers, describing them as criminals. He said the Commission only goes after "thieves", noting that anyone invited by the EFCC cannot be innocent as it invites people after thorough investigations and after evidence has been found. He stated this on a Channels TV programme, Question Time. We dont chase innocent people; we investigate people before we arrest them. We follow the money, we trace when you received the money, and we also investigate how you utilized the money, he said. Thats why anybody that is invited here will not come out clean, because we do our homework before we invite you. We may investigate for a year or six months and the person would not know. Magu said the agency will not spare anybody, as it will go after any corrupt individual irrespective of his or her social status. He said: There is no sacred cow, we will go after anybody who has stolen the resources of the people. We have no reservations. We fight corruption both within and outside. We dont go after innocent people for political reasons, we are going after the thieves of state resources. Magu described London as the headquarters of money laundering, noting that is the destination of looters. London is the capital of money laundering; it is where all the stolen money is hidden. It has given a haven to all the corrupt persons and stolen money from all states of the world. In fact, it is the headquarters of money laundering. Most of the stolen money are hidden either by properties or in banks or as physical cash. Pulse recalls that British prime minister, David Cameron, had in a private conversation with the Queen referred to Nigeria as a fantastically corrupt country. ---------------------------------------------- The statement reads: The unfortunate development is scaring foreign investors away from investing in the country. The recent development is affecting the socio-economic growth of not only the state, but the entire region. May I therefore call on stakeholders to discuss the way forward to nip in the bud, the unwarranted and incessant destruction of critical national assets. The way forward is for all stakeholders to discuss the issues and the need for the Federal Government to tread with caution and not adopt military approach as a means of solving the problem. No one person can protect the assets in the remote areas of the region. I, therefore, call on those involved in this act of criminality and brigandage to stop forthwith. We also commend the military and other security organs in their fight against pipeline vandalism and the protection of lives and property in the region. Meanwhile, the Niger Delta Avengers have carried out another attack on a Chevron facility in the region. ------------------------------------------------------- Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, Kachikwu said that the militant leaders have resolved to work with government to stop the recent upsurge in attacks on critical oil and gas installations and ensure security, stability and economic development of the region. The Minister also disclosed that all the stakeholders resolved that solutions to the incessant attacks on oil and gas pipelines are within the communities, emphasising that communities were now saddled with the responsibility of ensuring the protection of pipelines within their domain. According to him, all the states in the region will nominate four or five representatives who will work hand-in-hand with security agencies to secure oil facilities in their respective states. He said it was also resolved at the meeting that all threats from the region should end because violence is not an option in resolving the problems of the Niger Delta. On the complacency of government and the international oil companies on the the amnesty programme, Kachikwu said there is the need to restructure the programme so as to address the critical issue of neglect by the two parties. The Niger Delta Governors must be involved in providing lasting solutions to the resurgence of pipeline vandalism and there is urgent need to create business opportunities for the locals in the region, NNPC spokesman, Garba Deen Muhammad, quoted the Minister as saying. We are no more in recession, we are now in depression because five consecutive quarterly growth which Q1 2016 shows a negative balance is a depression, he said at a press conference in Lagos on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Technically speaking, you calculate growth rate by GDP over population, goods and service produced over population. Do you know the current growth rate for the Q1? According to the National Bureau of Statistics, it is 0.34. The last growth rate was two, so we lost two. Therefore, we are now at the depression stage. Also, if you look at all the critical indexes, you will find out that things are really bad, foreign direct investment is zero, stock market is down, petroleum prices are up, in fact no good news. And in appraising the one year of President Buhari government, we must also acknowledge the crises of the old order. So all I am saying is the crises of the old order and the hope of change, and now what has happened? The crises of the old order meant that things were very difficult, there was high rate of corruption, insecurity occasioned by Boko Haram among others, so how has President Buhari handled all these? In the beginning, I was cautiously positive, but now, I am cautiously negative. I am waiting to see what will happen, but in fairness to Buhari, he has been challenged by the envisaged crises of governance that he found. These crises meant that he was bucked down. Also, more credit should go to him in respect of the anti-corruption war but the anti-graft programme is a rigmarole, and like I said, if you keep looking in the rear mirror, you dont move. The anti-corruption programme is suffering from the equivalent of a driver who is looking in the rear mirror on what has happened behind, he is not going to move forward. We know that many people have stolen money, but what we want to see is an aggressive action plan. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other law enforcement agencies clearly dont have the resources, capacity and skill, so the resources we could have gathered (at least 3 to 4 trillion naira from the anti-graft war) are not coming in. We hear a lot about corruption, although quite agreed that there have been strong action from the government in respect to corruption, insecurity has had flip flops-Fulani herdsmen, kidnappings, Niger Delta militancy, and the suppressed Boko Haram-with all these, and we need a new anti-corruption apparatus that can deliver results but lets also agree that something has happened in the anti-graft war. We need to rebalance the federation. We need to include all Nigerians. So I think that the president appraisal in handling political stability in the country has be rather weak. Going forward, he needs to address how to make Nigeria a place where everybody participate, so that little issues dont this national ramifications, he added. Emefiele had said, on May 24, that a recession is imminent in Nigeria due to a four-month delay in passing the nations budget. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- In a statement issued on Thursday, May 26, by Gilbert Metuh, on behalf of the family, the PDP Chieftain, who is believed to be currently sick, has told the government he is ready to return the money. According to the statement, the Federal Government however refused to accept the offer of refund. The family expressed displeasure over the government's refusal of the refund, alleging that clearly, the government is bent on persecuting their son, whom they said is critically ill and needs urgent surgery to correct his spinal cord problem. Nigerians are aware that of all the people who have been facing the predicament of having worked for either the PDP or the previous federal government, our son has been the only one that was brought to court in handcuffs, paraded as a common criminal and treated without any dignity whatsoever, the statement read. May we also point out that since his arrest and even up to about a week ago, our son has made several overtures to the arresting authority for him to refund the money since they now claim in court that it came from government coffers. All efforts have been unsuccessful. It is instructive that out of over 300 names listed as having received money from the ONSA, all those who offered to refund money were not arraigned in court. Our son is the only one whose offer to refund money was rejected and has been arraigned in court and his case given accelerated hearing. On each trial date the hostility in the courtroom is palpable. As we speak to you the offer to refund the money to the federal government is still open and the government is yet to accept the offer. It is therefore clear to us that the intention is not the recovery of funds but a clear persecution of our son. Our son was diagnosed with a spinal cord problem in 2004. He has consistently managed it over this period. However, due to the treatments he received while in custody, the situation got aggravated. In the course of his trial, the situation deteriorated, especially after he fell at a meeting in the party office for which he was rushed to the National Hospital and was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit. Notwithstanding the grave medical condition, he still kept his court date the very next morning in spite of medical advice by the doctors. On another such occasion he vomited in court and had to be rushed back to the hospital where he is lying critically ill. Our concern now is that that our son should not be sentenced to a life in a wheel chair especially as we believe that the paramount interest of the authorities should rather be more on the recovery of funds. In this case, our son has from the onset shown his willingness to refund the money rather than dragging in other party members involved in the said assignment. Finally we want Nigerians to note that our son has never held any public office, has never worked for any arm of government and is not being charged for stealing and/or corrupt enrichment. Metuh is facing trial for alleged criminal breach of trust and money laundering at the Federal High Court, Abuja. ------------------------------------------------- The Minister of state for petroleum and Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Ibe Kachikwu had earlier announced that the Federal Government will privatise the nations refineries within 12 months. The House committee chairman, Ahmed Yerima said the planned privatisation was a breach of the law. Yerima said this at an interactive session with representatives of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and NNPC, yesterday, Wednesday, MAY 25, 2016. The committee chairman said I think theres a clear violation of the law in seeking investments based on what the BPE DG said. I suggest we call off the meeting and you stop all procedures of privatisation, and we are going to report this to the House. It is a total violation of the BPE Act. The Group Executive Director, Refineries, at the NNPC, Mr Anibor Kragba told the lawmakers that the corporation does not have the powers to privatise the refineries. Kragba also said all the NNPC management was trying to do, was to get the refineries up and functional. He stated this in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Thursday, May 26, while on a courtesy visit Governor Ibikunle Amosun. "We want to call on all Nigerians to be security conscious and to report any suspicious persons or group of people that are roaming about in their communities," he said. One may not be too far from the fact that some of these herdsmen that are attacking communities across the country may have some affiliation with the Boko Haram terrorists. "This we are further investigating and also pursuing them so that we can address the situation, so let's be security conscious. Let's report quickly movement of suspicious persons carrying arms. "If you suspect any individual within your community, we should be able to report immediately. Timely information is very important. We have our troops deployed in certain areas and I believe the Police are working with them to be able to tackle any challenge that comes, " he said. Amosun commended the Nigerian Army for restoring peace in the North East. "We want to commend their effort because we know that before now, we all know what the Boko Haram has turned Nigeria into, but for their effort, they have restored sanity," the Governor said. Amosun praised the Army for restoring the dignity of the Nigerian Army and the entire Nigerians. ------------------------------------------------------ He said the sect "rose from systemic and widespread corruption of Nigerian government." Soyinka was quoted to have said this during "The Road to Justice" session at the Oslo Freedom Forum 2016, held in Norway, where he was a guest speaker. Speaking on the topic; "How Corruption Created Boko Haram", the novelist said Boko Haram literally means "book anathema" meaning they hate books and learning. "A tragic gulf often exists between a people and their leadership. Nowhere is this better illustrated than with Boko Haram," Soyinka added. The three-day event, which kicked off Monday, May 23 and wrapped up on Wednesday, May 25, was an engaging and unique platform to learn and share stories with some of the bravest and most captivating global leaders in activism, business, media, philanthropy, policy, and technology. The 2016 edition bordered on how best to promote a more peaceful, prosperous, and ultimately a free world. ------------------------------------------- I'm extremely proud of myself and of the other finalists, Shamilla and Alex. Those two will never know how much they pushed me and played a part in how hard I had to work for this. They won't ever know the impact they've made in my life and I'm grateful to have met them and I'm honoured to be an actor alongside them," Suntele said. 1. Directed by Teco Benson, the movie starred Saint Obi, J.T Tom West as Charles, Kunle Coker, Bimbo Manuel, Emeka Okoro, Robert Peters, Livinus Ochiri, Ernest Azuzu, Ashely Nwosu, Gentle Jack, Rachael Oniga, Bruno Iwuoha, Emeka Ani, Ejike Asiegbu, ALSO READ: undefined 2. The movie told the story of a group of terrorist who invade a town to disrupt the peace in the nation through kidnap and murder. 3. The terrorists who were identified as former members of squad twelve in the military, kidnapped and held hostage nine ministers. ALSO READ: undefined 4. The terrorists murdered Major Chris Daniels, who they accused of treachery for abandoning them in Somali during one of their peace keeping missions. 5. The terrorists' ransom was the release of some prisoners held hostage as spies in Angola. 6. The Federal Government denied having prisoners in Angola to avoid destroying the diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Angola. 7. We still find the scene with Saint Obi saving Rachel Oniga's son from a bomb blast hilarious - that African James Bond move. 8. It's 2016, and we think "State of Emergency" is still the best action Nollywood movie ever. ALSO READ: undefined What do you remember about the classic movie? Vanguard also reports that eight members of the dissolved National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have dumped the embattled chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff. The former NWC members also pledged their support for the newly elected caretaker committee chairman, Ahmed Makarfi. They also called on PDP leaders to stop promoting their personal interests, adding that the election of Makarfi is in line with the PDP constitution. The crisis in the party deepened after the national convention which held in Port-Harcourt on Saturday, May 21, 2016, sacked Sheriff. According to Vanguard, the former NWC members said we accept without equivocations all decisions and resolutions of the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party held at Port Harcourt on the 21st of May, 2016. Governor Nyesom Wike, who spoke to newsmen after the Port-Harcourt convention, said the removal of Sheriff was in the best interest of the PDP. We have seen that there is a hidden agenda. But nobody can destroy the PDP. PDP will wax stronger, Wike said according to the statement. Those around the former acting National Chairman have questionable character. They are people who think that they can use the judiciary to cause crisis. In my entire political career, I have never seen a man with many opponents as Senator Sheriff. Modu Sheriff should apologize to the party, Wike said. Sheriff was removed from office during the convention and the partys National Working Committee (NWC) was also dissolved. Wike had earlier said that Sheriff had to be sacrificed for the good of the party. --------------------------------------------------- In this interview with Sunday Isuwa, he analyzes President Buhari's one year in office. He also speaks on some important national issues. See excerpts of the interview below: Its like you are not close to President Buhari after you worked for him for several years? You see, not many of you really will understand because the feeling in the country is that everybody works for benefit. Everybody works for benefit or work for reward. Nobody ever thinks of giving to the nation or giving to the community without getting back. All my life, I have been a fighter for social justice. It never crosses my mind that I should do something and be rewarded as a person. The only reward I am looking for from Buhari's government is that he should fulfilled his campaign promises, and do justice to ordinary Nigerians, and provide dividendsof democracy. If he is able to do that, he has fulfilled my expectation. Naja'atu Mohammed said recently that most of the people that suffered with Buhari for many years are not in his government. She said the people that now work with Buhari don't even mean good for him. What is your view? This means also that Naja'atu falls into the categories of those Nigerians that believe that because you work, you most get reward. If that is not the case, I don't expect her really to say that. What we will hold Buhari responsible is he has he done to the people of Nigeria. Nigerians have suffered for 16 good years and have even sacrificed their lives and privileges just to make him become president, now he is president. What is it that they can say for sure that they have benefited from the President? I know of one already. What is that one thing that Buhari has done? The one I am talking about is that the security situation in the country has fared and improved. But not to the level that some of us would have expected. But it has improved. Some people can now sleep with their eyes close. Not like before that even in Abuja, you are not sure of what next will happen. So, all that we are saying is that let Buhari remember his constituency, those that have worked for him. I mean, people who work day and night to ensure that he became president because they want dividend of democracy. Two, it doesn't matter who Buhari elects to work with as far as they key into our principles of good governance; I have no problem with that. It will be sad if those he appointed did not share in our political party perspective for which we have worked for in the past 14 years. But do you see the present government going in-line with what you people yearned for? Many people including myself will prefer to say that one year is too short to pass a judgement. Because of the situation we found ourselves before Buhari took over. If he had found a smooth, buoyant and a secured country, then we could have said he has not done much. But he found a country whose economy was in tatters, social welfare, relationship between communities was nothing to ride home about. Terrorists and other militants were threatening to take the country from all sides. Kidnappers, those that are blowing pipelines, Boko Haram and all sorts were on the prowl. He is just trying to find his feet. His first point of call as a military man was to secure the country then he will start building it. But are you satisfied with the removal of oil subsidy by NNPC? Precisely eight out of the 12 members of the former NWC including the former Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus; Deputy National Secretary, Mr. Onwe Solomon; National Legal Adviser, Mr. Victor Kwon and the National Woman Leader, Dr. Kema Chikwe. Others are National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, National Youth Leader, Abdullahi Maibasira; National Financial Secretary, Bolaji Anani and the National Treasurer, Alhaji Buhari Bala. In a statement the eight of them jointly signed, they said they have accepted the outcome of the partys national convention held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, which dissolved their committee. According to them, they resolved to support the Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee to steer the affairs of the party. The National caretaker committee constituted by the national convention on May 21, 2016, is fully within the powers of the national convention under section 33 (5) (e) of the partys constitution," the statement said. We recognise the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led national caretaker committee of the PDP and offer the committee all our support and cooperation. As responsible and honourable party members who have had the privilege of serving the party at the highest level, we dont support and are not party to any suit, action or activity seeking to challenge the decisions of the national convention in appointing the national caretaker committee or dissolving the former NWC, which had, at any rate, earlier agreed to go. In the absence of the then national chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, the then deputy national chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, presided over the convention in accordance with section 33 (1) (a), 35 (3) (b) of the constitution of the party. However, the trio of the ousted PDP National Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff, the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, and the National Auditor, Alhaji Fatai Adeyanju have dragged the party to court, contesting their removal from office. It is however not clear why the National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Mustapha Abubakar, did not go along with the Secondus' caucus given that he is from Kaduna State like Makarfi. ------------------------------------------------------ The Board also set up a committee to meet with the aggrieved former Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff, to join hands with the Makarfi leadership in the interest of the party. BOT Secretary, Ojo Maduekwe disclosed this on Thursday, May 26, in Abuja, while addressing newsmen on the resolutions of the board's expanded meeting with various organs and groups in the PDP. Maduekwe said that the groups agreed to work together and support the decisions reached at the PDP May 21 National Convention, held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on May 21. "We agreed that the National Caretaker Committee led by Markafi should involve members of the Concern PDP Stakeholders group for effective integration of all points of views and indices," Maduekwe said. He added that in order to settle the latest leadership crisis in the PDP, the meeting set up two committees to engage all aggrieved leaders and members of the party. "The BOT at the expanded meeting decided to immediately engage all groups, party leaders and members involved in whatever disputes towards a just, lasting and amicable resolutions. "The BOT will therefore preside over the processes of major reconciliations in our party as part of its leadership responsibility. "A committee has also been set up to meet with Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff (former National Chairman of PDP) in the spirit of working together and resolving outstanding issues," he added. Maduekwe added that the meeting equally resolved that all matters that are in courts be withdrawn for the party to apply internal mechanisms towards resolving them. He said that the advice was based on the party's extant regulations that no matter should go to court without exhausting internal mechanisms. Chairman of BOT, Senator Jubrin Walid, who also spoke, said the decisions were reached by all organs of the party represented at the meeting. He listed them as the BOT, forum of former ministers, PDP leadership at the National Assembly, the party national caucuses, among others. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Wike said We have seen that there is a hidden agenda. But nobody can destroy the PDP. PDP will wax stronger. Those around the former acting National Chairman have questionable character. They are people who think that they can use the judiciary to cause crisis. In my entire political career , I have never seen a man with many opponents as Ali Modu Sheriff should apologise to the party. Wike told journalists that the decision to remove Sheriff was in the interest of the PDP. He accused Sheriff of trying to make himself bigger than the party. A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has ordered Sheriff not to parade himself as the party's chairman. The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State also undefinedwhich held in the state on May 21, 2016. A 500-level student of the school, Ezekiel Efeobhokhan reported that Obakpolor, a 400-Level Pharmacy student beat five other candidates with 2,283 votes to win the coveted position. TheNation reported that excited shouts of her name rented the air as soon as she was declared winner by the electoral committee. Her supporters moved round the campus singing victory songs. She was also reportedly not encouraged from the very start, but as soon as she unveiled her programme on Manifesto Day, she was greeted with applause. The same could not be said for other candidates. Emeka Onyeji, a final year student of Economics and Statistics, said: When I heard Lauretta speak for the first time at the manifesto, I knew there was more to the aspiration of this lady than just being a candidate. Immediately she mounted the podium, every word from her wowed the audience. We believed she has good plans for the union. This is why we all voted for her. The other candidates Obakpolor had to compete with were Victor Arigbe of the Faculty of Education; Nelson Ehrauyi (Faculty of Engineering), Efosa Iyekekpolor (Faculty of Education), Godstime Oghogho (College of Medicine) and Leslie Oghama (Faculty of Social Sciences). The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Faraday Orumwense spoke to the students during the elections. He said, I congratulate you on your election, but you must know leadership comes with responsibility. In the period of grievances, I will advise you to seek all known channels of dialogue and peaceful resolution. In every decision you take, endeavour to carry your colleagues along. Obakpolor, in her acceptance speech, said To all those who are sceptical about a female being a president, I say we have crossed the Rubicon. Those people need to read the Bible and learn about the story of Deborah. This is another Deborah standing in front of you today. I bear the plight of a woman and understand the pains of a man. Leadership is not about gender. I seek the support of all as we take the union to another level. Below are five social media app we have in excess [probably taking for granted] that is banned in China. 1. Google What happened to the phrase, "Google is your friend" [This is no tale because Google is a better friend than the police.] 2. Snapchat What! How do they flaunt their new hairdo though? 3. Facebook This literally puts an end to your stalking game! 4. Twitter So you probably would not know that cool accounts like 'Ambodeobsever' 'subdeliveryman' man exist. Kuku kill us na! 5. Instagram Jezuz! When you remember certain accounts make money off instagram The younger Jugnauth, 53, was earlier in the day cleared by the country's supreme court of a conflict-of-interest conviction. The appointment of Pravind Jugnauth, who also previously served as technology minister, had been widely expected once his conviction had been quashed. Anerood Jugnauth has been covering the finance ministry brief since March, when Seetanah Lutchmeenaraidoo quit citing personal reasons. The prime minister, who was also head of government from 1982 to 1995 and from 2000 to 2003, is hailed by his supporters as the father of the Mauritius economic miracle of the 1980s, when the Indian Ocean island liberalised its economy and began the process of reducing it dependency on sugar cane production. It now serves as an offshore financial centre favoured by many firms and investors as an entry point into Africa. Security forces also fired tear gas at an opposition march in the capital Kinshasa, in the far west of the vast country. Opposition parties and civil society groups called for nationwide demonstrations to protest against a May 11 ruling by Congo's highest court that would allow the president to remain in power if elections due in November are not held. While a march that was authorised in Kinshasa drew several thousand opposition supporters, demonstrations in other cities were banned by local authorities. In Goma, eastern Congo's largest city, police fired tear gas at stone-throwing protesters who burned tyres and blocked streets with large rocks, according to local civic leader Thomas d'Acquin Mwiti, who was present at the demonstration. He said he had also heard gunfire but could not determine who was shooting. Other witness confirmed that clashes had occurred. Police officials in Goma were not immediately reachable for comment. Constitutional term limits bar Kabila, in power since 2001, from running for a third elected term. But the government has said the election to choose his successor is likely to be delayed by budgetary and logistical obstacles. Opposition leaders, however, accuse Kabila of stalling the elections in order to extend his rule, and Western nations including the United States have warned him to stick to the electoral calendar. Government officials have denied Kabila is seeking to cling to power. "Kabila is one man. The republic will remain. This is not a monarchy," said Xavier Mdula, an unemployed middle-aged man who participated in the demonstration in Kinshasa. While the march began peacefully, security forces soon intervened, accusing opposition supporters of straying from the approved route. When the marchers continued to advance, police fired tear gas, scattering protesters into side streets, before some attempted to continue the demonstration along the previously agree upon route. Calls to Kinshasa's police chief were not answered. The incident occurred early on Monday morning off the coast of northern Sierra Leone near the countries' border, the officials said. He said the Guineans had been holding the vessel's crew at gunpoint demanding money. Guinea rejected that version of events. "There was a Chinese boat that was being pursued by the Guinean navy and entered into Sierra Leone's territory. During the manoeuvre, the Guinean navy entered into Sierra Leone's territory," said government spokesman Damantang Albert Camara. He said the Guinean personnel had disembarked to carry out administrative formalities and would return home soon. "There was no gunfire or arrests," Camara said. West Africa, home to some of the world's richest fishing waters, loses up to $1.5 billion worth of fish each year to vessels fishing in protected zones or without proper equipment or licenses. Under-equipped West African maritime forces are struggling to clamp down on illegal foreign vessels, many of them Chinese. The unanimously adopted resolution by the 15-nation council welcomed "the sustained progress made by the government of Liberia in rebuilding Liberia for the benefit of all Liberians." U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations David Pressman welcomed the move, saying the targeted sanctions on key individuals, the arms embargo and a ban on the export of Liberian timber and rough diamonds had contributed to Liberia's stability. Washington wanted to see Liberia continue to strengthen its security agencies to ensure better arms flow monitoring and border patrols, he added. The decision formally dissolves the U.N. Liberia sanctions committee and panel of experts that monitored implementation of the arms embargo and other measures, most of which had been in place since 2003. The U.N. first implemented a type of arms embargo for Liberia in 1992. Liberia's former president, Charles Taylor, began the 1989-2003 civil war in the nation, which was founded by descendants of freed American slaves. He was sentenced in 2012 to 50 years in prison for his role in atrocities committed in neighboring Sierra Leone during its 1991-2002 civil war. The Security Council last year lifted a travel ban and asset freezes on individuals deemed a danger to Liberia's stability. The United States lifted its own economic sanctions on Liberia in November. Concern about the use of Liberian "blood diamonds" to help fund the civil war helped inspire the creation of the U.N.-backed Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, a program to certify the origins of diamonds that was set up in 2002 following devastating civil wars in Angola, Sierra Leone and Liberia. The system has made it far more difficult to traffic in conflict diamonds. Union members of Laborers' Local 309 walked the picket line for a third day Wednesday after contract negotiations broke down with a group of the Quad-City region's building companies. Brad Long, business manager for Local 309, Rock Island, said the strike affects about 300 of its 940 members. The union represents laborers in the building and heavy/highway construction industries across the bistate area, but only the building workers are on strike. They include laborers in Rock Island and Mercer counties in Illinois and Scott County in Iowa. Their contract expired April 30, he said. The laborers began picketing Monday at various job sites, including Davenport Central High School's expansion, as well as many of the local construction companies' headquarters. Other jobs being picketed include John Deere Harvester in East Moline and the 3M plant in Cordova. "Each day, we're ramping up," Long said, adding that "every job we picket, we shut down. Each day, we're adding another 15 projects." Steve Tondi, the president and CEO of Quad-City Builders and of Associated General Contractors, is negotiating on the construction companies' behalf in his role with Quad-City Builders. "I represent all the companies that have a labor contract," he said. Both Tondi and Long said the strike could affect several large construction projects. Some of the largest companies involved in the contract dispute include Estes Construction Co., General Constructors, Ryan Associates, Ryan Companies, Russell Construction and Treiber Construction. Tondi said the companies offered a six-year contract last week and "they walked away from it." He said no new talks have been scheduled. "We don't want to do this, we feel there is no alternative," Long said of the union's first strike since 1988. "We just want to get back to the table." According to Long, the union has called in a federal mediator, but the association refuses to meet with the mediator. "There's only one issue, and it's wage," Tondi said. "They are the last group to settle. We have agreements with the carpenters, finishers, iron workers and bricklayers." He added that the other trades approved contracts with a raise of 3 percent or less. "They want a bigger percentage than everybody else got," he said. Long said the union is asking for a 3.6 percent raise, and the other side has offered 2.8 percent or 2.9 percent. "We're not that far off, but they said they gave us their final offer, and we rejected it," he said. If the strike continues, he said it could affect many other construction projects scheduled to begin soon, including a new police department in Silvis and a project with Augustana College in Rock Island. "Who loses is the guys who are on strike," Tondi said. "They lose hours ... That work is going to get done one way or another. Usually, you don't get enough raise (in a new contract) to make back those days you lost." Honor Flight of the Quad-Cities takes off Thursday with 100 area veterans and only a few of them are World War II veterans the very demographic whose military service led to Honor Flight's creation. Steve Garrington, new hub director of the Quad-City chapter, said there are six World War II veterans on what is the hub's 36th flight since its inception in 2008. "We're really getting to the end of the World War II vets that are in the Quad-Cities," he said. However, the organization continues to reach out to make sure all the area's World War II veterans, who are interested, get to go. The daylong trip takes veterans free of charge to Washington, D.C., to see the war memorials. Some of the remaining veterans have turned down the opportunity because of their health or mobility issues. "Think about it. D-Day was in 1944 that was almost 70 years ago. A lot of these people are in the 90s," Garrington said. With fewer of the Greatest Generation signing up for the flights, the local hub has expanded its program to Korea- and Vietnam-era veterans. More than 90 of these veterans are on Thursday's flight along with 60 volunteer guardians, who escort them, and five Honor Flight staff. The majority of the funding for this flight was raised by the Bishop Hill, Ill., community. "You see these Korean and Vietnam guys, who basically were ignored when they came home, and they are really appreciating the Welcome Home event," he said of the greeting all Honor Flights receive at the end of the day. The public is invited to welcome the veterans home when the Honor Flight returns Thursday to the Quad-City International Airport. The event should begin about 10:15 p.m. in the terminal. "We're always looking for the veteran who hasn't gone," he said. Garrington added that anyone who knows one should download an application from the website, honorflightqc.org, and give it to a veteran. Boston-based Bat House drove south in their van from Minnesota, past the farmland and occasional meadow. "Its kind of like a Miyazaki film," someone exclaims from their seat. The band headed to Des Moines for a tour stop before packing everything up again and heading back to Minnesota for two more sets before playing Thursday, June 2, at Rozz-Tox, Rock Island. "Our routing got a little weird because we ended up with a really good show in Chicago," said Nicole Pompei, the bands drummer. "So we kind of had to loop around a little bit." Bat House consists of Pompei, guitarists Shane Blank and Ally Juleen, and Emmet Hayes, who plays bass and performs vocal duties. Chicago was just as rad as we had imagined it. Thank you Oshwa & Spooky Action Space Captain for being the gnarliest. Tonight we play Columbus, OH with hometown baes @realsportsboys A photo posted by Bat House (@bathouseband) on May 17, 2016 at 12:42pm PDT The influence of Japanese animator and director Hayao Miyazaki permeates the cosmic, psychedelic rock music filling Bat Houses energetic and ethereal repertoire. "If anything I think its more relevant now than it was ever," Blank said. "It is important to take influence from non-musical influences. Everyone that plays music obviously listens to music, but finding influences in other things that arent music allow you to push that boundary a little further." Fellow guitarist Juleen said the group can relate to Miyazaki's "vast colorful worlds" when writing. "It can get pretty wild but we always try and keep it colorful, move through these various atmospheres," she said. "I think we hope we can create music as colorful as Miyazaki films: all the different characters, the mythology, and stuff like that. The creativity really resonates without us." (If youre curious, she ranks "Princess Mononoke," "Spirited Away" and "Howls Moving Castle" among the bands favorites Miyazaki films.) At the mention of fellow Japanese animation director Satoshi Kons 2006 film "Paprika" the band fills the van with exclamation and excitement. "Oh yeah, weve recently seen Paprika. Thats up there also. Thats crazy. It blew us away. Thats a next level film." Aside for their love of animated films, the quartet also attended Berklee College of Music, Boston, which brought all four musicians from across the U.S. together. The group members hail from all parts of the U.S.: Pennsylvania, Los Angeles, Florida and Las Vegas. "We were all friends," Pompei said. "We started jamming and messing around. Things meshed pretty well pretty quickly. We all get along super well so it kind of took off from there." The groups ability to work together and play a technical style of post rock lends itself to playing live venues, instilling an energy into the crowd with their frenetic rhythms. "I feel like were not very conscious of playing psyche rock," Blank said. "The music that we initially started writing is very different than the music that we write now. I cant say we picked psyche rock more than it picked us in a weird way." The group is working on their debut studio album slated for release this summer. They'll record a large portion of the album over a three-day span at the Converse Rubber Tracks studio in downtown Boston. "After that weve basically been recording guitars, vocals, synths and all kinds of hand claps and what not at our house in Allston (a neighborhood of Boston)," Blank said. "Were pretty much just mixing it now. We have to record a few more ear candy things, but for the most part right now its kind of in the final stages of mixing which were also doing out of the house." Bat House looks forward to their first trip to Rock Island. "Weve never been there," Juleen said. "Were really excited to see all these people and itll be a new spot to play music in." Q. On April 25, the Belmont addition in Bettendorf was hit hard by hail. Many houses in our addition need new roofs, and they are getting them. The question I posed to our insurance company, "Has it ever been considered when so many houses need new roofs to get together with the neighborhood regardless of your insurance carrier, have three or four roofing contractors come in and bid all the damaged houses, go with one contractor, purchase all the shingles from the same location and do the whole neighborhood at once?" The money that could be saved would be substantial. Randall, Bettendorf A. Tom O'Meara, assistant commissioner with the Iowa Insurance Division, responded, "Thank you for reaching out to us with your suggestion. Great idea in theory However, insurance contracts (policies) are between the insurance company and the policy holder. The insurance company is required by the policy to pay the homeowner for covered damages and the homeowner has a right to choose who they wish to make repairs. For a company to dictate whom the homeowner must use for repairs may be a violation of the contract not to mention the potential for liability on the insurance company if a homeowner is not satisfied with workmanship, or any other general liability possibilities. "The concept is 'kind of' used in the automobile insurance world. Many insurance companies have 'preferred' body repair shops that they will direct policy holders to in the event of a covered automobile accident. These shops often have contracts with insurance companies to make repairs for them. We often hear from consumers (and small body shops) upset with this practice because they have their own body shops that they prefer to use on their vehicle. We remind these consumers that they do not have to have their vehicle repaired at the preferred shop and they can take their vehicle to where they choose, however, the company may only have an obligation to pay the amount agreed to with the preferred shop." The Iowa Insurance Division supervises all insurance business transacted in the state. The insurance commissioner grants permission to companies wishing to sell insurance in Iowa and has general control over all aspects of their business, from the forms they use to the rates they charge. The commissioner also serves as the administrator of the securities act, which involves the licensing of brokerage firms and their agents, examining new securities offerings and investigating investment fraud cases. Source: Iowa Insurance Division website A state report issued Thursday outlines several problems with Bettendorf Community School District policies and procedures and notes a potential conflict of interest by high school Principal Jimmy Casas. The state auditor's office released the report, a re-audit focused on potential conflicts, business relationships and travel policies dating from July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2014, with some topics from July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015. School Board president Pepper Trahan said she agrees with the re-audit's findings and recommendations. Trahan said the board has a responsibility to the Bettendorf taxpayers "to discover what went wrong and how we will prevent this from ever happening again." State Auditor Mary Mosiman recommended the School Board review policies to ensure they are appropriate, complete, adequately defined and properly followed. Casas said the re-audit caught him off guard. He said he followed district rules, such as when he purchased T-shirts for his staff, an action that was pre-approved by the business office. "I've done that for years," he said. The T-shirts had "R U CONNECTED?" and "#bettpride" on the front, the report stated, and it had "#iaedchat" on the sleeve. The #iaedchat refers to a personal business that Casas is involved in. Casas also denied taking payments while he did speaking engagements on professional leaves of absence. Mosiman said Bettendorf's travel policies should be strengthened by including more limits to gratuities and lodging policies. The district also should ensure the actions and disbursements are a public benefit and in the best interest of the district. The re-audit affirmed previous legal and audit findings, according to Bettendorf Superintendent Theron Schutte. Additional recommendations made by the state will be addressed promptly, he said. "Though at the end of the day, we will spend a lot of time to see how to further strengthen protocols and procedures, what is permissible and what isn't permissible," Schutte said. Schutte recently accepted a position as superintendent of schools in Marshalltown, Iowa. His last day in Bettendorf is June 30. A member of the state Auditor's Office, Tami Kusian, said there was no reason found to relay Bettendorf's re-audit to a special legal investigation. Kusian also warned against taking the findings against any one individual. "This is not to say this hasn't happened to others," she said. "People need to know what the ethical boundaries are and then make sure they are followed." What the re-audit found: Casas worked as a professional speaker outside the district. He frequently traveled for speaking engagements, hired acquaintances for in-service training at the district and received hotel points while traveling on Bettendorf business, using the district's credit card. The potential conflict of interest in the re-audit cites Casas, who manages his own website, stating that he co-founded EdCampIowa, co-founded and co-moderates #Iaedchat and co-authored a book, "What Connected Educators Do Differently." Casas took professional leave for speaking engagements in 2014, and the district paid travel costs. Casas reported that he was representing Bettendorf at the conferences and did not accept an honorarium. The Bettendorf district now has agreed to review this policy, especially to clarify when the district should pay expenses at a training event or the procedure if an employee receives an honorarium or has other costs reimbursed by a third party. In the re-audit, the district responded with strengthened policies in nine areas: potential conflicts of interest; professional leaves of absence; business relationships between employees and a third party; the EdCamp Conference; food purchases; travel and other food expenses; hotel rewards; taxable items; and oversight. In each of those categories, an audit brought up the problems. The re-audit addressed the issues, and the Bettendorf district responded with tighter or different controls, according to the report from the state office. The state accepted the district actions. The re-audit was sought by a district employee and a school board member last year. Maxine McEnany, Bettendorf's director of finance and business services, issued a statement on Thursday: "I brought my concerns to the district auditing firm, the superintendent, to the board finance committee and to the Board of Education as I discovered things happening. "We had a difference of opinion on the validity of these issues. I did not feel there was any resolution on these matters and they continued to happen so I felt I needed to have the State Auditor address my concerns," she said in the statement. Trahan said the results do not define the district, overall. "There are many outstanding, conscientious and hard-working administrators and teachers throughout the district," she said. Paul Castro, board member for 14 years and a proponent of the re-audit, said he wishes the board could have dealt with the issues identified in the inquiry more quickly. "But it is what it is," he said. Trahan said a public meeting on the topic tentatively is set for Tuesday. No details are yet available. Wednesday marked the seven-year anniversary of the last time the federal government granted hardworking Americans a raise. Since May 25, 2009, the federal minimum wage has remained frozen at $7.25 an hour. Here in Iowa, despite efforts in the Iowa Senate to raise the states minimum wage, Iowa families continue to attempt survival on the bare minimum wage allocated by the federal government. The minimum wage isnt about high schoolers or lazy people. Its about families. Its about the mothers and fathers who work 40 hours each and every week, doing anything from flipping burgers to filing paperwork, and yet still worry about paying for health care, housing, even food. Its about the single parents working two full-time jobs just to pay for the basic needs of life for their children, and who never get to see them as a result. Its about our friends and neighbors all across this state who work as hard as anyone, and yet struggle far too much. As Democrats, we believe in fairness and giving everyone a fair shot at a better life and a brighter future. In fact, Democrats in Iowa increased the minimum wage in the state in 2007 and 2008, before Congress even acted. It was our first priority when we controlled the House, Senate, and Governorship, and I was proud to floor manage the bill that made it happen. earned. Democrats understand the struggles of working families. We know that not having to worry 24/7 about the next doctors visit or grocery bill makes for a better environment for our kids. Republicans operate under a different business model, and most oppose raising the minimum wage. Some Republicans are ready to nix the minimum wage altogether. Their stance on this issue highlights just how out-of-touch they are with hard-working Iowa families and the rising costs they face. In order to advance their anti-worker agenda, conservatives have put forth misleading propaganda regarding the minimum wage issue. They promote a false argument that the only people earning a minimum wage are teenagers working part-time jobs. Last week, the Iowa Policy Project debunked some of these myths with data and statistics that showed raising the wage would most benefit full-time workers and parents. The study also poked holes in the anti-business argument with findings that revealed raising the wage reduces employee turnover and hiring costs for business owners. In reality, it is a win-win situation for employees and business owners. Seven years is too long for Iowans to wait to be rewarded for their hard work. Iowa Senate Democrats have led the way on increasing Iowas minimum wage, and last year we passed an increase that was then killed by House Republicans. We will fight to keep the conversation going next legislative session and pass the increase in the minimum wage that Iowans deserve. Hard-working Iowa families fighting to survive on the $7.25/hour should be able to spend their extra time with their loved ones, not fighting for basic dignity. Thats why Democrats in the Iowa Senate will have their backs and wage that battle, and we will keep fighting until every Iowan who works 40 hours a week feels like their work is being valued. Rock Island County Administrator Dave Ross was hired to do an unenviable task: Righting the sinking ship that is the county budget. And he deserves his shot. Ross's proposed sales tax hike probably won't sit well with voters who, before his time, suffered incessant property tax increases. County board back-benchers will gripe. And the cancellation of Wednesday's special meeting makes us wonder if the votes simply weren't there. Ross didn't create this mess. He's but a janitor dumped in a nuclear waste site with only a broom to clean up the mess. The fallout belongs to the county board and its Finance Committee. The county is broke, busted by pensions costs, years of political fecklessness and decades of mismanagement. In essence, Rock Island County is a microcosm of Illinois. There's not a single beauty queen among the four five-year budget options facing the county board. The Do Nothing option (Budget C) would maintain all services and staffing by immediately boosting property taxes 13 percent. The Hail Mary draft (Budget A) would bilk county reserves for basically all it's worth, then all will hope and pray something or someone bails the county out by 2022. And don't even get us started on the Let It Burn proposal (Budget D), which would slash taxes and gut the county, particularly the Sheriff's Office. Then there's the Let's Be Reasonable option (Budget B), which includes a half-cent sales tax hike to pick up the additional cost. Property taxes would actually decline 2.4 percent over the next five years under this one. The half-cent sales tax hike would maintain county buildings, a necessity put on display by the county courthouse fiasco, and keep basic services operational. Really, Budget B is the only option real option here. The rest is either fire and brimstone or continued political mismanagement. It's been a year since Ross became Rock Island County's first administrator. The appointed post is designed to buffer basic management from the politics that, for too long, fostered the county's pervasive mismanagement. Ross is tasked with speaking truth to power. With a year under his belt, he's doing just that. Electric company Exelon has pledged to close the county's largest taxpayer, Quad-Cities Generating Station, unless Springfield OKs a rate hike. Employee health care and pension costs continually spike. County politics are set for a wholesale overhaul following the 2020 census, when the number of seats on the county board will drop from 24 to 15. Rock Island County can't gamble on a state bailout, especially in Illinois. The variables are mounting. Ross, for his part, is hoping to grapple with those within his purview. Voters will complain if the county, yet again, comes at them with a tax hike. Sales taxes are, after all, some of the most regressive systems out there. But property tax payers have been pumped for years and have nothing left to give. The county board should show some courage and approve Ross's viable, albeit painful, Budget B. It should send the sales tax hike to the voters in November. It should do its part to assure that the county maintains some semblance of operation. Ross was hired to offer an honest, apolitical answer to the countys woes. After a year, he's crunched the numbers and forced the board to face the toxic brownfield it has created. He can't clean this mess on his own. SPRINGFIELD The Illinois Senate is considering a different overhaul to the state's education funding formula from the one it approved earlier this month. The new bill, sponsored by Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, would transition the state from the way it currently distributes money to elementary and secondary schools widely thought to do a poor job of getting funding to the districts that need it most to a new "evidence-based" model beginning with the 2017-18 school year. For next school year, the state would use the formula created in the earlier bill, sponsored by Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill. Lightford's bill would create a four-tiered system to direct state money to the districts with the highest need and make sure all are adequately funded. Ralph Martire, executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, worked with school officials to develop the new formula, which he said is based on 27 factors that have a strong statistical correlation to student success. "If we do, in fact, fund an evidence-based model, you will see test scores go up, graduation rates go up, dropout rates go down, college attendance rates go up, college completion rates go up," Martire told the Senate Executive Committee, which approved the bill Thursday. "You'll see the kinds of outcomes from the educational system we want." The model is designed to provide adequate funds for the practices that research has shown will improve those measures, he said. "Let's ensure every school has the resources it needs to educate the children that walk through its doors, predicated on their requirements," Martire said, adding that the formula takes into account demographic factors such as students' English proficiency, socioeconomic backgrounds and disabilities. Republicans on the Senate committee objected to being asked to vote on the bill without projections from the Illinois State Board of Education on what it would mean for individual districts. Supporters said those figures aren't available because next year's funding level hasn't been set. The new plan is expected to require hundreds of millions of dollars in additional funding. Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, questioned whether it would be wise to go through three different school funding formulas in as many school years. Republicans also raised questions about whether Chicago Public Schools would get more than its fair share of funding. The GOP has called for fully funding elementary and secondary schools next year under the existing formula, an increase of $55 million compared with this year. The House, meanwhile, has passed a budget bill for next year that would increase school funding by $700 million without changing the formula. While the Senate committee was hearing testimony Thursday morning, the voices people rallying in support of Manar's bill, including many from Chicago Public Schools, could be heard echoing under the Capitol dome. They chanted, "Fair funding! Now!" Manar, who spoke at the rally, said later that he doesn't see Lightford's bill as being in competition with his. "Both plans are trying to get to the same place," he said. The bill appears on the surface to be somewhat similar to a proposal Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, floated to members of the General Assembly last week as a bipartisan compromise. He suggested using portions of Manar's bill as a bridge to the evidence-based model. But Barickman said the new bill deviates from his proposal in major ways, most significantly in provisions dealing with Chicago Public Schools. For example, it includes $205 million in additional funding next year to cover the employer's share of Chicago teachers' pensions. That's a cost the state already picks up for all other districts. Barickman also objects to the fact that Chicago would continue to receive lump sums for expenses such as special education and early childhood education. That money is distributed to other districts on a per-pupil basis. "This is dramatically different than what I proposed," he said, adding, "You can't just cherry-pick the ideas that you like and then pretend like you've embraced some compromise." CEDAR RAPIDS Citing the 34-year-old disappearance of Des Moines newspaper delivery boy Johnny Gosch and the 2005 kidnapping, rape and murder of 10-year-old Jetseta Gage of Cedar Rapids, Sen. Chuck Grassley said U.S. Senate action this week will help protect children from sexual predators. Too many kids fall prey to sexual predators, Grassley said Wednesday. The names Johnny Gosch, Eugene Martin and Jetseta Gage, for example, still bring heartbreak to all Iowans, he said, noting that Gosch and Martin, who disappeared in 1982 and 1984, respectively, have never been found. Gage, was kidnapped, raped and murdered by a convicted sex offender. The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act Reauthorization passed the Senate by a vote of 89-0. Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee where the legislation originated, said it will help prevent future tragedies and ensure that victims have a good shot at justice. It was offered in response to these notorious cases involving children who had been targeted by adult criminals, many of them repeat sex offenders. In addition to providing assistance to state and local law enforcement, Grassley said the reauthorization added a survivors bill of rights to codify additional rights and assure survivors their tragedy will not be shoved aside. Also Wednesday, Grassley said he was encouraged by presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trumps making public a list of potential Supreme Court nominees. He hasnt expressed a lot of opinion on policy when he was getting the nomination, (so) its very essential to express in a whole lot of areas the basic policy he intends to run on and serve on, Grassley said. Its important for Trump as a candidate to continue to express policy decisions that he might follow as a president. It also put the onus on presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton to release a list so the American people know the direction of the court she wants. The more transparency, the better off it is, Grassley said. SIOUX FALLS | Former Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis is campaigning for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at the opening of her first South Dakota office. The office is set to open Thursday in Sioux Falls. Davis is scheduled to discuss Clinton's candidacy and urge voters to support her in South Dakota's June 7 primary. Davis is known for a more than 12-hour filibuster to temporarily stall new abortion restrictions in Texas. Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders formally opened a field office in Sioux Falls last week. Sanders is competing with Clinton for the Democratic nomination. Whoever gets it likely will run against presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump in the general election. SIOUX FALLS | The head of the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce is retiring after 37 years. Evan Nolte says he'll step down as the chamber's president and CEO at the end of 2016. He made the announcement at a board of directors meeting on Thursday. Nolte has served in this leadership position since 1992. He also serves as co-president of the Forward Sioux Falls 2021 economic development joint venture partnership between the chamber and the Sioux Falls Development Foundation. Board Chairman Paul Bruflat says Nolte has been at the forefront of many large and small initiatives that have built Sioux Falls into the best place to live, work and play. The chamber plans to conduct a search for Nolte's replacement using a professional recruiting firm with expertise in chamber searches. Most of the Republican Butte County political primary ballot names were on hand last Thursday for a candidate forum. If they found agreement, it was in general supporting smaller government and low taxes, and in particular in support for 2nd Amendment firearms ownership rights but not always for allowing guns in schools except by trained law enforcement officers. All agreed also that government reach through regulations is generally not in the public interest or is poorly handled by the regulators in ways that add unneeded burdens to business and individuals. A few points from candidates broke up the general agreement with individual insights. The S.D. Senate candidates brought totally different responses to the table on expansion of Medicaid. Maher, who has served in both houses of the S.D. Legislature, noted that much of the difficulty has to do with getting Native American tribal residents under Medicaid that's partially paid for by the state, but he wants the Indian Health Service to pick up that share of the costs for tribal people. Ritch, a current Belle Fourche City Council member, said he is covered under Medicaid but opposes expansion in the state. He said that a work requirement should be considered. Maher and Ritch brought unique comments to discussion of gun control that overall supported individual rights to own and carry firearms. Since support for the 2nd Amendment was general and several candidates noted they have concealed carry permits, Maher said, "I guess we're all packing." Noting that generally the group had varying degrees of opposition to arming teachers in schools, Maher added that after a school considering arming teachers, "The media pretty much crucified them for it." Ritch said, "I'm probably the only Republican in the world who doesn't own one (a firearm)." But, he added, "Gun-free signs are a terrible idea," agreeing with others that making sites "gun-free" may offer an attractive "soft target" to people with inclinations to violence. State's attorney candidates both supported 2nd Amendment rights. The state's attorney is responsible to prosecute criminal activities in court. Dill noted, "If someone is legally carrying, that should be the end of it." He added that when he was in high school, many of the students had firearms in their vehicles and it never was an issue. Wendt said, "I am a concealed carry permit holder," and added she has shot coyotes on her way to school and hunts with her family. Since no Democrat, independent or other party candidates have filed for posts found on the county's GOP primary, winning the county primary functionally puts all but District 28's S.D. Senate candidates into a position of being unopposed in the November general election. At the forum were County Commission District 2 candidate Cal Geis, but not his opponent Polly Odle, state's attorney candidates Jon Dill of Summerset and Cassie Wendt of Belle Fourche, District 28B S.D. House Sam Marty and Karen Wagner, and District 28 S.D. Senate, Ryan Maher and Steven Ritch. The only race all in Butte County is that for state's attorney. Butte County Auditor Elaine Jensen said Monday that there have been questions on the state's attorney race. A third candidate, Steve Christensen of Spearfish, had filed a petition for the office. His name also appears on the ballot. But, Jensen said, Christensen had called her to request his candidacy be removed. His name remains on the ballot since the request came after deadline to remove it, Jensen said. Also, Jensen said, a candidate for a county elected office does not need to reside in that county to run for election. If a candidate from outside the county wins election, she said, he or she would be required to establish residence before being sworn into office. That situation this year affects John Dill's candidacy for state's attorney. In Butte County, the District 28B race for S.D. House mostly affects Belle Fourche voters. Marty, from Prairie City, and Karen Wagner from Belle Fourche, would effectively win the November election by default to represent the Northwest part of South Dakota in the state's House of Representatives. The District 28 S.D. Senate race includes not only the territory in the Northwest area of the state, but also most of Northwest South Dakota from the Missouri to the Wyoming and Montana state lines, and north of U.S. Highway 212 to North Dakota. The Republican primary winner will be opposed by a Democrat in the November election. County party chair Lon Carrier set the tone for the evening's candidate comments by explaining that it was a forum, not a debate. Questions were asked by Fred Wells of Vale and Warren Wilson of Belle Fourche. Timing for the candidate responses was by Debra Elliott representing the chamber. Each candidate offered a short introduction followed by about two hours of questions and answers, sometimes with the questions longer than the answers. The longest active Rapid City employee, water superintendent John Wagner, will retire Friday, and the forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies with a 20 percent chance of rain. Rain was one of the only things Wagner could think about when he started working for the city in August 1972. Wagner's first job for the city was as a team worker on the city utility crew. He started just weeks after the June 9 flood that destroyed a large portion of the city and killed 238 people. "The town was still a mess," he said. "There was a lot of mud, a lot of debris to work through. It was an ominous experience." It also was a chance for Wagner, a Rapid City resident since age four, to give back to the place that helped raise him, and ahead to the place he would raise his family. "I was excited about being part of it because I was part of the cleanup," he said. "I was actually contributing to the recovery. I felt good about it." Wagner was born in Hot Springs. His family moved to Rapid City and he attended the Catholic school system until it closed in 1968. He graduated from Stevens High School in 1969. After high school, Wagner stayed local, attending South Dakota School of Mines &Technology for two years before transferring to Black Hills State for one year. "At that time I decided to take some time off and think about my college education," he said. "One thing led to the other: I got married and started working. I'm still here." Wagner started in the Mountain View Water Treatment Plant as an operator in 1973 and soon rose through the ranks. He was promoted to foreman and then to supervisor before taking over the superintendent job in 1993. After 43 years, Wagner says he will retire with many memories and admiration of the people he worked with and who worked for him. Interim water superintendent Tim Weber has worked with Wagner for 28 years. Wagner hired him when he was a supervisor. Weber said Wagner's successor will have big shoes to fill. "He started when this job was a lot smaller, and as the job's grown, he's had to grow with it," Weber said. "He runs a pretty tight ship. If you walk around the plant, it's always clean and up to standards." That growth and constant change is why Wagner said he's been able to enjoy his job for as long as he has. "Water regulations are always changing. There's always something new to learn and get on top of," Wagner said. "The technology is also always changing. For me, it was always exciting. No two days were the same." The job also has had its share of drama, like in the summer of 1988 when Rapid City experienced a bad drought that put water conservation in the spotlight. Wagner said the dry late 1980s were difficult, as Pactola Reservoir was the only source of surface water for the city's water supply, and even in drought residents weren't concerned with saving water. "I would say a picture is worth a thousand words, because people could see the depletion of water in the Black Hills," he said. "That's what really started the conservation program." Wagner considers it his biggest accomplishment as a city employee. "One of my highlights was seeing conservation go from being a disaster, which it was in the late 1980s, to what it is today," he said. "It's really neat to start a program and see it take off." With rebates for older and more wasteful appliances, general education and a new billing pattern, Rapid City uses less water today than 20 years ago. During the 1988 drought, the peak water usage day was June 9, the same date as the 1972 flood, when 14,500 customers on the city's grid used 36 million gallons of water. "At the time we didn't have water conservation efforts," he said. "The way the billing structure worked was the more water someone used, the less they were charged." Since then, the city has increased its customers and now has 24,000 accounts. Customers have never used more than 32 million gallons of water in one day. Wagner is a self-described outdoorsman who has stayed in the Black Hills in part because of their beauty. He said he doesn't have solid retirement plans, but knows he will be relaxing with his family, seeing his three grandchildren and spending a lot of time in the Black Hills. Weber said he hopes water operations continue flowing smoothly with Wagner gone. "He's been great to work with. He worked his way up and knew every job really well," he said. "I hope nothing changes too much when he's gone." Wagner's last day will be Friday. There will be a retirement party today at the Mountain View Water Treatment Plant from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The states top law enforcement officer for game and fish violations said he will speak to his staff in western South Dakota about claims of poaching by residents of a secretive compound in the southern Black Hills. The claims were made and published on May 8 in a Rapid City Journal profile of Roy Jeffs, who said he resided at the compound in rural Custer County in parts of 2007 and 2008 and knew about poaching that occurred there. The poached animals included deer and wild turkeys, Jeffs said. Jeffs is one of dozens of children of Warren Jeffs, the imprisoned former leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, commonly known as the FLDS. The church is a breakaway Mormon sect that condones polygamy, and Warren Jeffs is serving a life sentence for sexually assaulting girls he took as underage brides. The headquarters of the FLDS is the community known as Short Creek, the colloquial name applied to the twin border cities of Colorado City, Ariz., and Hilldale, Utah. There are other FLDS enclaves in North America, including the one in the Black Hills of South Dakota, where an FLDS compound is overlooked by a three-story guard tower, surrounded by a pine forest and has only one entry road that dead-ends at the precipice of Red Canyon. Andy Alban, law enforcement administrator for the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish & Parks, said he had not previously received any reports of poaching at the compound. Well certainly have some conversations about it, Alban said. Its upon us to look into the claim a little bit further. Alban said Jeffs' comments in the Journal would probably be considered hearsay in a legal setting, and an investigation would be necessary to produce evidence and probable cause for an arrest or arrests at the compound. Alban said it is "premature" to characterize his interest in the poaching report as a formal investigation, and he said the department would not comment on an ongoing investigation if one is begun. Anyone with information about poaching at the compound or elsewhere in South Dakota should call their local GF&P conservation officer, Alban said, or submit a tip via the Turn In Poachers (TIPs) hotline. That can be accomplished by phone at 888-OVERBAG (683-7224) or online at gfp.sd.gov/agency/law-enforcement/TIPs. In releasing his list of potential Supreme Court nominees, Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has begun to solidify his support among conservatives as perhaps no other announcement could do. The record of any of the 11 judges currently serving on federal or state benches may calm the fears of those who are not committed "NeverTrump-ers." A clear sign of how well these men and women would perform on the court is the reaction by Hillary Clinton, who calls them "extreme ideologues." Today, if one wishes to return to the boundaries set for government by the Constitution, the left considers that extreme. Violating constitutional boundaries is considered "progressive." CNN.com writes, "John Malcolm, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation who compiled and published the foundation's list of eight potential Supreme Court nominees in March, called Trump's selections 'excellent' ... and (the list) should be reassuring to those conservatives who have had doubts about Trump's judicial appointments." Malcolm responded to my request for an analysis of their philosophy and rulings: -- Steven Colloton, who serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2003. He earned a law degree from Yale and clerked for the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist, a conservative icon. -- Allison Eid is an associate justice on the Colorado Supreme Court. Prior to her judicial service, Eid was Colorado's solicitor general and a law professor at the University of Colorado. She clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas, another conservative favorite. Raymond Gruender was named to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit by President Bush in 2004. Among his decisions that will delight conservatives was a written opinion that the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 did not give female employees the right to insurance coverage for contraceptives used solely to prevent pregnancy. Judge Gruender also dissented from a panel ruling that upheld an injunction striking down a South Dakota law requiring abortion providers to inform patients that an "abortion will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being." Joan Larsen is an associate justice of the Michigan Supreme Court and before that a professor at the University of Michigan School of Law. She clerked for the late Justice Antonin Scalia, which would make her nomination especially poignant. Of interest to conservatives is her statement after being named to the Michigan court. Promising to be a "strict constructionist," she explained, "I believe in enforcing the laws as written by the legislature and signed by the governor. I don't think judges are a policy-making branch of government." Thomas Hardiman of Pennsylvania has been a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit since 2007. His ruling that a jail policy of strip-searching all arrestees does not violate the Fourth Amendment was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2012. The following year, he dissented from his court's decision on a New Jersey law requiring applicants for licenses to carry handguns in public to show "justifiable need," citing the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The others on Trump's list also have stellar conservative credentials. The question is: will he follow through, or change his mind, as he has done on so many other issues? A Washington Post editorial said that by publishing their names now, Trump "has practically guaranteed that none of the judges he offered will be seen as fair over the next several months, their every ruling scrutinized for evidence that they are applying for the job even if they try to conduct their duties evenhandedly." The Post also chastised Clinton and Sanders for applying litmus tests to judges they would nominate, but it's no secret that liberal presidents name liberal judges and conservatives presidents mostly, but not always, nominate conservatives. The Heritage Foundation would be a good source for Trump, as it was for Ronald Reagan, who used its 1980 "Mandate for Leadership" as a guide for his first term on many domestic and foreign policy issues. Trump would improve his credibility and knowledge of important issues if he did the same. BILLINGS A federal judge sentenced a Lame Deer man on Wednesday to two years in prison for hitting and killing a pedestrian, and then leaving the scene after having smoked marijuana and drunk alcohol before the crash. U.S. District Judge Susan Watters in Billings followed a prosecution and plea agreement recommendation for the two-year term in sentencing Marlin Dell Whitedirt, 44. She also ordered $13,384 restitution for funeral, tribal and family expenses. Watters said while Whitedirt didnt intentionally kill the victim, identified in court as Alex Little Coyote, he decided to drink alcohol and smoke marijuana and then drove. That is intentional conduct, she told Whitedirt. He (Little Coyote) was struck by you and killed. And then you fled the scene, she added. Watters noted Whitedirts three previous drunken driving convictions, 11 convictions for intoxication in tribal court and history of marijuana use to address pain because of a pain medication addiction. Whitedirts choices demonstrated a real lack of judgment and led to tragic consequences, Watters said. The judge rejected a defense recommendation for time served of about six months. Im sorry for what happened that night. I think of it all the time, Whitedirt said. Whitedirt pleaded guilty in November to involuntary manslaughter in the Nov. 2, 2013, death of Little Coyote, who was 18. Whitedirt faced a guideline range of 30 to 37 months and a maximum penalty of eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Little Coyote was intoxicated while walking near the fog line along Highway 212 on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation when he was struck and killed by Whitedirts 2006 Chevrolet Suburban. The crash happened at about 2:30 a.m. Whitedirt, who was working as a security guard on the graveyard shift at the senior living center in Lame Deer, smoked marijuana and drank alcohol then hit Little Coyote as he drove home from work, the prosecution said. Whitedirt drove to the Muddy Cluster area and waited a few hours before going home. The next morning Whitedirt and his wife called law enforcement after Whitedirts wife read about a pedestrian being killed on Highway 212. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sullivan said that while Whitedirts relatives talked about his good qualities at sentencing, the fatal crash was a natural consequence of drinking, using drugs and then driving. Whitedirt, Sullivan said, put his own interests before others and didnt care about Little Coyote when hit him and left him to die. Whitedirts attorney, Ashley Harada, said a time-served sentence was appropriate and that Whitedirt had accepted responsibility and was remorseful. While Whitedirt had a difficult upbringing, as an adult he has worked to support his children and extended family and is involved their lives, she said. He also gives his time and money to help others in the community, she added. Relatives of Whitedirt asked the judge for leniency saying Whitedirt is family-oriented, community-minded and a role model. Little Coyotes uncle, Eugene Little Coyote, former Northern Cheyenne Tribal president, told the judge his family has experienced pain and immeasurable grief over his nephews death. Eugene Little Coyote described his nephew as deeply spiritual and a caring and loving person who helped with tribal ceremonies. The tribe, he said, lost someone good and someone important to our future, he said. KATHMANDU: Lawmakers speaking during the Zero Hour of the Parliament meeting on Thursday drew the governments attention toward national as well as local problems. They mentioned problems including increasing cases of violence against women in recent days and alleged the government of not taking action against perpetrators of such offences as rape and women harassment. The lawmakers showed their concern over the increasing commercialisation in education sector and the involvement of unscrupulous people in it, even blaming the government employees for inviting aberrations in the sector. They underlined the need of addressing this problem pronto. Likewise, referring to the loss of lives and property caused by windstorms in different places of the country, the lawmakers commented that the government has not paid attention towards providing reliefs to the affected people. They also lashed out at the government claiming the earthquake survivors did not get relief. They also claimed of partiality in the distribution of relief to the earthquake survivors. The MPs demanded that the government should allow the National Cooperatives Development Bank to distribute the relief amount to the survivors. The lawmakers drawing the governments attention to these issues were Anita Devkota, Anuradha Thapamagar, Amar Singh Pun, Asta Laxmi Shakya, Kamal Prasad Pangeni, Ang Tawa Sherpa, Kanta Bhattarai, Keshav Badal among others. Lawmakers from Madhes-centric parties boycott House Meanwhile, lawmaker Jangi Lal Raya announced that the lawmakers belonging to the Federal Alliance and other Madhes-centric parties that are in agitation, were boycotting the Parliament meeting today as the government neglected demands raised by the Madhes-centric parties, indigenous people and minorities. Immediately after this, the lawmakers from the Madhes-centric parties had walked out of the assembly hall boycotting the House session.RSS The body of Dutch climber Eric Arnold is being carried to the Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal, Thursday, May 26, 2016. AP KATHMANDU: A helicopter has retrieved the body of a Dutch climber who died last week on Mt Everest while attempts were being made to retrieve the bodies of two other climbers. The body of Eric Arnold of Rotterdam was flown from Everest directly to a hospital in Kathmandu on Thursday to be put in the morgue. He died Friday night near South Col after showing signs of altitude sickness. Attempts were being made to retrieve the bodies of an Australian and an Indian climber but it was unclear when they will be brought to Kathmandu. Five climbers have died and two are missing on Everest, while nearly 400 have scaled the 8,850-meter (29,035-foot) peak this month. This years busy climbing season follows two years of disasters that virtually emptied the mountain. (Mmegionline) - Far from the usual tales of corporations looting Africa, Botswanas primary corporate partner, De Beers, has been involved with the government in what is considered as one of the worlds longest public-private partnerships. De Beers has gone so far as to give Botswana a 15% share in the corporation. Botswana has even established a sovereign fund to ensure that the finite resource of diamonds can reap indefinite revenues. But it is also one of the most unequal countries in the world, hosting significant poverty and lack of opportunity. An exceptional diamond agreement revealed by Mossack Fonseca, a Panama-based offshore service provider, obtained by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, raises questions about the secrecy that shapes Botswanas diamond industry. Kansas coach Bill Self is still looking for a big man to emerge If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). This breaking news just in: the Connecticut death penalty is still dead | Main | California Supreme Court says juve killers sentenced before Miller get benefits of new post-Miller state parole statute May 26, 2016 Split Florida Supreme Court finds technical eligibility for parole insufficient to comply with Miller Eighth Amendment requirements The Florida Supreme Court today handed down a notable new opinion applying Miller in a case involving a juvenile offender who got a life sentence for a murder back in 1990. Here is how the opinion in Atwell v. Florida, No. SC14-193 (Fla. May 26, 2016) (available here), gets started: Angelo Atwell was sixteen years old when, in August 1990, he committed armed robbery and first-degree murder. Under the statute then in effect, Atwell was sentenced for the first-degree murder to a mandatory term of life imprisonment, with the possibility of parole after twenty-five years, and was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for the armed robbery. As mandated by the existing statutory scheme, Floridas parole process requires primary weight to be given to the seriousness of the offenders present offense and the offenders past criminal record. See 947.002, Fla. Stat. (2015). Under this statutory scheme, twenty-five years after Atwell was sentenced, the Commission on Offender Review conducted a parole hearing and set Atwells presumptive parole release date, which is the earliest date he may be released from prison as determined by objective parole guidelines, for the year 2130one hundred and forty years after the crime and far exceeding Atwells life expectancy. Thus, while technically Atwell is parole-eligible, it is a virtual certainty that Atwell will spend the rest of his life in prison. The issue we consider is whether Atwells sentence for first-degree murder is constitutional, in light of the United States Supreme Courts decision in Miller v. Alabama, 132 S. Ct. 2455, 2469 (2012), which held that the Eighth Amendment forbids a sentencing scheme that mandates life in prison without possibility of parole for juvenile offenders. We conclude that Floridas existing parole system, as set forth by statute, does not provide for individualized consideration of Atwells juvenile status at the time of the murder, as required by Miller, and that his sentence, which is virtually indistinguishable from a sentence of life without parole, is therefore unconstitutional. May 26, 2016 at 03:18 PM | Permalink Comments My name is Jennifer Thomas and I am a Criminal Justice major as well as a fiance of an inmate that was charged with basically the same charges as this person except for my fiance was charged with the felony murder rule. We are in the process now of trying to get him home. He has been locked up for 13 years now. We are looking for anything that will help make our argument stronger. Matt has been rehabilitated and is no where near the person that he was before he got locked up. If there is anything that you can help me with, I am asking to please contact me. Your help will be greatly appreciated. We live in the State of North Carolina. Thank You and be blessed. Posted by: Jennifer Thomas | May 27, 2016 2:11:35 AM Post a comment "Creating Meaningful Opportunities for Release: Graham, Miller and California's Youth Offender Parole Hearings" | Main | Split Florida Supreme Court finds technical eligibility for parole insufficient to comply with Miller Eighth Amendment requirements I am demonstrating my age (and my affinity for Saturday Night Live) when I thought of one of the first famous SNL catch-phrases upon seeing this new local headline from Connecticut: "State Supreme Court Upholds Abolishment Of Death Penalty, Including For Death-Row Inmates." Here are the serious details of a serious decision that prompted my not-so-serious reaction: The Connecticut Supreme Court has upheld its decision to abolish the state's death penalty, including for inmates on death row. The 5-2 ruling, released Thursday, upholds the justices 4-3 decision last August that the death penalty was unconstitutional for all including 11 convicts on Connecticut's death row following the legislature's abolition three years ago of capital punishment in Connecticut. Lawmakers made the law prospective, meaning it applied only to new cases and kept in place the death sentences already imposed on those facing execution before the bill was passed. Attorneys for those on death row challenged the law, saying it violated the condemned inmates' constitutional rights. The ruling last August came in the case of Eduardo Santiago, who had faced the death penalty for the December 2000 killing of Joseph Niwinski in West Hartford. Santiago has been resentenced to life in prison without the possibility of release. In the August ruling, the justices in the majority wrote that executing an inmate "would violate the state constitutional prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment" and that the death penalty "no longer comports with contemporary standards of decency." Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers, who joined with Justice Carmen E. Espinosa and Justice Peter T. Zarella in the August dissents, voted this time with the majority, saying she felt bound to the doctrine of "stare decisis," a Latin term meaning "stand by things decided." "Just as my personal beliefs cannot drive my decision-making, I feel bound by the doctrine of stare decisis in this case for one simple reason my respect for the rule of law," Rogers wrote. "To reverse an important constitutional issue within a period of less than one year solely because of a change in justices on the panel that is charged with deciding the issue, in my opinion, would raise legitimate concerns by the people we serve about the court's integrity and the rule of law in the state of Connecticut." Rogers said, "stability in the law and respect for the decisions of the court as an institution, rather than a collection of individuals, in and of themselves, are of critically important value, especially on an issue of such great public significance as the constitutionality of the death penalty." In separate dissents, Zarella and Espinosa rejected the assertion that respect for precedent mandated Thursday's ruling, saying that doctrine should never be used to enshrine a flawed decision. And they pointedly noted that Rogers herself had blasted the original Santiago decision as "a house of cards, falling under the slightest breath of scrutiny." They also criticized Justice Richard A. Robinson, who came on the court after the Santiago decision and voted with the majority, along with justices Richard N. Palmer, Dennis G. Eveleigh and Andrew J. McDonald. Like Rogers, Robinson cited the importance of respecting precedent. "I cannot fathom how Chief Justice Rogers and Justice Robinson believe they respect the rule of law by supporting a decision that is completely devoid of any legal basis or believe it is more important to spare this court of the purported embarrassment than to correct demonstrable constitutional error," Zarella wrote.... Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, in a statement released Thursday afternoon, said the ruling "reaffirms what the court has already said: those currently serving on death row will serve the rest of their life in prison with no possibility of ever obtaining freedom." Malloy noted that Connecticut in the last half century has executed only two inmates, both of whom volunteered for death.... Chief State's Attorney Kevin T. Kane said his office respects the decision and would "move forward" to re-sentence the individuals currently on death row to a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of release. "The Division of Criminal Justice and I extend our deepest sympathy and condolences to the victims of these crimes and to their families," Kane said in a statement. "I also wish to express my appreciation to the dedicated professionals in the Division of Criminal Justice who have devoted so much of themselves throughout this process." A brand new Mission Bay park is surrounded by fences locked up and off limits to the community even though work on the park was finished months ago. The reason? Well, it's complicated, of course, but CBS 5 reports that a big factor in the park remaining closed to families is that the Board of Supervisors hasn't formally approved it yet. The Mission Bay Children's Park needs to be approved by the Board, something which strangely has not happened even though the park has been fully built, and then according to the channel there must a review period. That, and the fact that construction work is still happening on an adjacent road, has created enough red tape that families are not allowed inside. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this extremely delayed opening has some neighbors feeling frustrated. The first opening date we heard was November, Mission Bay resident Beth Roy told the channel. Neighbor Danielle Swaney says that she was told "it would be opening in January," and that she's not the only one confused at the delay. My daughter asks me every day if I can go open it with scissors, related Swaney. One neighbor decided to take action, and on a February day used bolt cutters to break the lock. As evidenced by a photo posted to Nextdoor, the community took advantage of the unexpected opening. We got a weekend to play, Swaney said. The place was flooded with kids and parents. It was amazing. According to the Mission Bay Development Group, blame for the delay in opening the Mission Bay Children's Park lies not with the Board, but with city regulations requiring that work on surrounding streets be completed before the park can open. "The City of San Francisco is currently working closely with the developer to complete construction and acceptance of the streets fronting the park (Long Bridge and China Basin)," a statement reads. "These streets must meet the city of San Francisco's requirements prior to park opening to ensure safe paths of travel to and from the park." The new target opening timeframe is late summer of this year. Related: Arena Opponents File Lawsuit To Block Warriors' Move To Mission Bay A man waiting for a Muni bus in the Castro is recovering today, after another man walked up and stabbed him in the neck. According to the San Francisco Police Department, a 41-year-old man was waiting at a Muni stop on the 3900 block of 17th Street (which is between Castro and Noe Streets) at 8:49 Wednesday night. Suddenly, police say, a 52-year-old man walked up to him and told the aspiring Muni rider "that he was going to kill him." The suspect then followed through on his threat, stabbing the waiting man "in the neck with a knife," according to SFPD's report on the stabbing. Emergency responders rushed the victim to San Francisco General Hospital, with injuries that police say are not considered life threatening. The attacker, police say, was arrested shortly after the stabbing, and remains in custody as of Thursday morning. In San Francisco in 2016, a lot of people are going to tell you that everything is terrible, that things aren't the way they used to be, and that everyone has forgotten how to have fun. Gone are the days of rocking Monday and Tuesday night parties mostly, anyway and in their place you have Friday night noise complaints from condo owners who just moved in next to a nightclub that's been there 20 years. Go out to a bar or club on a Saturday and you're just as likely to find people huddled in corners, even in groups, staring at their phones, joylessly drinking their well balanced Mai Tais and discussing their vesting schedules instead of texting their coke dealers or figuring out where to go after-hours like people did when this town still had an edge. Some of the above is no doubt true. But to generalize and say that San Francisco's no fun anymore, and that fun things don't happen, or to make the blanket statement as, seriously, tens of thousands of you have done in the last couple years that Evil Tech has come and destroyed everything good and whimsical and creative about the city and that everyone just listens to Coldplay and drinks expensive Scotch and goes to bed early is, most certainly, irresponsible hyperbole. I am here to reiterate, with the help of a few local experts who make their living in the nightlife, that yes, the city has changed. Yes, things are quite sleepy in the early part of the week in almost all corners of the city though that has been the case, with a few exceptions, for a long time. But no, not all is lost, and people do still go out, but they go out a little differently than they used to, some of them less frequently for reasons I'll get into below, and lots of bars and clubs are still thriving in the age of hookup apps and liquor delivery apps. San Francisco's not alone in facing the many ways in which Millennials, on-demand television, and smartphones have impacted how and when we have fun. It was with a fair number of sighs and eyerolls that I read this piece in the New York Times' T Style Magazine titled "Is Staying In the New Going Out?", describing from one woman's perspective how neither she nor her coworkers or friends really went out anymore. A few years ago, my coworkers and I exchanged happy highlight reels of ambitious urban activities before cracking open our laptops and pouring ourselves a tall, refreshing glass of work. One of us went to an off-Broadway play. One of us went to a Beyonce concert. One of us went on a date. We had fun! These days, we respond to the question with a look of puzzled amnesia.... The reason is obvious: We no longer go out. And why would we, when the allure of staying in has reached irresistible proportions? Why risk a restaurant when you can order Seamless or saute premade gnocchi from Blue Apron? Why go to a bar when you can swipe right? You get the point. It's yet another trend piece about how "binge-watching" is a thing now, and how urban professionals lead far more insular, depressing, anti-social lives because of TV. Or something. Molly Young, the writer of that piece, may or may not speak for an entire generation, or just a specific subset of New Yorkers who perhaps rightfully have grown disillusioned with the nocturnal draws of their formerly sleepless city, and the difficulty of getting anywhere, and the idiocy of their peers, and instead they hole up in their expensive apartments and get the most mileage out of their cable bills and Hulu subscriptions. I spoke with several San Francisco nightlife people to get a sense of what's working in our city, and how things may have changed in the last few years. You may be surprised that, for the most part, they were pretty confident that San Franciscans aren't all staying inside every weekend, despite any reports to the contrary. "Yes, there's more to watch at home than ever before, and I've seen a lot more to-go orders from Palm House," says Anderson Pugash, one of the partners behind The Dorian, SoMa's Bergerac and Audio, and tropical-themed restaurant Palm House. "But other than that things don't feel all that different." Pugash says that the music scene in San Francisco has stayed especially vibrant, and his club Audio, which has a music-centric approach in booking many name DJs, "has never been busier." Juan Garcia, a local promoter who also works full time booking and coordinating events at Temple nightclub, sees it a bit differently. He says "Nightlife has changed dramatically in SF in the last five years." He cites online dating and hookup apps as part of the trouble, but he qualifies that by saying more people may be seeing these apps as time-wasters by now, "riddled with phonies" and not really an adequate replacement for real-life socializing. "Younger people are wanting interaction and finding more interest in vibrant community-based events that you dress up, travel, or get naked for," Garcia says. "Burning Man camps and fundraising groups are the new promoters." Mystopia in 2015. Photo: Facebook There has, at least in SF's gay nightlife world, been a steady drifting away from large weekly club nights like the long-gone Club Universe toward smaller, more niche-driven events, and bigger parties that only happen once a month or every two months. One example is the ongoing series of themed parties thrown by Mystopia, a Burning camp, which happen on occasional Saturdays at Mighty. And as far as weekly things go, the success of Oasis in its first year and a half, drawing decently dense crowds every Friday and Saturday as well as other nights, is sure proof that gay guys, at least, aren't all staying home on Grindr and Scruff. Pugash admits, though, that "Cell phones often make people less present and engaged with their surroundings." He adds, "Between social media and everyone carrying a camera in their pocket, we are always forced to be on our best behavior." And sure, too many photos put a damper on things in a town previously known for getting wild and NSFW on the regular. Mica Sigourney, better known to many in the gay party scene as drag queen Vivvyanne ForeverMore, adds some nuance to the discussion of how he sees nightlife shifting. And yes, he says, people on their phones are definitely making it harder to host a party and keep their attention. "I've been Scruffed at my show by an audience member who is at my show," Sigourney says, referring to his gig as MC of the Friday night drag show SomeThing at The Stud. He says, regarding the photo problem, "People don't just take pictures at the drag show but also take the time to upload to Instagram and Facebook so other people at other clubs can see what they are doing. So there is socializing and meta-socializing going on." And he adds that our saturation of media, always at the ready in our pockets, changes nightlife dynamics for the worse. "In my experience there's less thirst for actual experience," he says. "Rupaul's Drag Race is such a good example: Instead of flocking to see local talents in bars it takes a TV reality star to draw huge crowds to the clubs these days." Sigourney's club isn't hurting for crowds if a recent Beyonce Lemonade tribute night was any example. And, he says, "There are still very magical things happening every night at clubs, but fewer witnesses for those. I don't think nightlife is dying just shifting... it's still so vibrant here. But I'd say it's a different ethos when people are out, a little less present, or rather multi-present, everyone both in the room and simultaneously on their phones." Another factor during these recent boom times, says Garcia, is that big SF clubs have become more economically stratified a lot more like the glitzy nightlife venues in Los Angeles and Las Vegas that people see on reality TV and celebrities' Instagram feeds. "The larger clubs don't allow you to sit down anymore without a service charge or drink-package minimum," he says. "They're adding corny pomp and circumstance to ordering a bottle of Dom Perignon to lure guests who are not really there to interact but would rather just be seen, and envied. It's all long lines and fake VIP these days, so you see nightlife getting split down the middle, with half of it requiring a whole lot more money." Pugash, for his part, remains mostly bullish about local nightlife, going forward. But he does note that it's become increasingly hard to open new nightspots due to the non-fictional "war on fun" that's gone on in multiple neighborhoods. "A lone cranky neighbor has way too much power in this city and some have even shut down longstanding institutions due to noise complaints," he says. One example is the deal struck between the condo developer at Market and Sanchez and the operators of the Swedish American Hall and Cafe du Nord. The latter, once a loud below-ground rock venue, has become a restaurant which will have occasional but likely not very loud music acts in the future, and the former, being run by NoisePop, is devoted to acoustic music now. Still, Pugash points out, "Outside Lands, Decompression, the How Weird Street Faire there are still lots of quirky and quintessential SF events around to keep things thriving." (It should be noted, though, that those are all primarily daytime events.) And, for what it's worth, chemical testing conducted by New York Magazine last year determined that, yes, San Francisco has all the good molly. San Franciscans, hopefully, will always know how to party, and it's the duty of those who have been here the longest to keep all the zany and drunken traditions alive for each successive wave of newcomers. "We are still the largest consumers of Fernet per capita of any city in the world," Pugash says. And to be sure, our well worn livers certainly had better count for something. Related: The 13 Coolest Dance Parties In The Bay Area The 17 Best Gay and Lesbian Clubs And Parties In San Francisco After speculation that appeared to verge on conspiracy theory, Paypal cofounder Peter Thiel, a Silicon Valley billionaire, Facebook board member, and pledged Trump delegate, was revealed this week to have been footing the bill for Hulk Hogan's lawsuit against the media company Gawker, a suit that resulted in a massive jury award in March. Now that his role in the matter is out in the open, Thiel is taking credit and sort of embracing it, speaking to the New York Times to call the controversial bankrolling of Hogan, a tactic known as third-party litigation funding, "one of my greater philanthropic things that Ive done." The chip on Thiel's shoulder is pretty unequivocally a decade-old item that ran on Gawker's Silicon Valley gossip blog Valleywag a site which the company later shut down. "I did discuss his sexuality," Owen Thomas, the piece's author and a current Chronicle staffer, tells the Times, "but it was known to a wide circle who felt that it was not fit for discussion beyond that circle. I thought that attitude was retrograde and homophobic, and that informed my reporting. I believe that he was out and not in the closet. Thiel says he spent about $10 million to fund Hogan's case, emphasizing that the move was not a business venture," although it may well have been a profitable one, had it been so. Its less about revenge and more about specific deterrence, Thiel said, pointing to Gawker specifically as pioneering "a unique and incredibly damaging way of getting attention by bullying people even when there was no connection with the public interest. I refuse to believe that journalism means massive privacy violations, Thiel said, reconciling the move with his previous donations to the Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent nonprofit that promotes freedom of the press. I think much more highly of journalists than that. Its precisely because I respect journalists that I do not believe they are endangered by fighting back against Gawker. While Thiel argues that third-party litigation funding grants access to legal recourse for those who might not otherwise be able to afford it " One of my friends convinced me that if I didnt do something, nobody would," he said the Recorder quotes some lawyers who disagree. "This is a profit game," says John Beisner, a class action and mass tort defense litigator. The Recorder describes laws governing third-party litigation funding as a "patchwork at best." There's been no shortage of reaction, often quite mixed, to the revelation of Thiel's role. For example, the Times quotes Fred Turner, a Stanford communication department chairman, on the tech industry's relative disdain for the press. Silicon Valley is a closed world and has become more closed at the elite levels," he said. "The gossip that circulates between people doesnt always leap into the media the way it might in New York. So Americans know the Valley primarily through its advertising, its self-promotion and its products... We should not be surprised that they act like entitled industrialists out here, because they are." Others pointed to a similar disdain for Gawker across multiple industries, though no one seems to have put quite as grand a financial stake in its demise as Thiel. Dan Lyons, a onetime Valleywag writer, says My guess is that most people hate Gawker as much as he does, so he probably ends up looking like a hero among his own crowd. The response of Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff to all this might speak for many: I dont care about any of those people. Previously: Silicon Valley Billionaire Peter Thiel Secretly Funded Hulk Hogan V. Gawker Suit More than 250 wineries have sprung up in the 10 counties that can be considered part of the Foothills of the Sierra Nevada. The wines being produced are incredible: intense, unique, sometimes even experimental in terms of blends and varietals. Learn more about this great and growing California wine region! CEDAR RAPIDS | An inspector generals report that an Army general retaliated against a National Guard officer for reporting her rape by a more senior officer is why U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is supporting legislation to take the handling of sexual assault cases out of the hands of the military. This is a perfect example of why it needs to come out of the chain of command and set up a separate prosecution unit for these rapists, the Iowa Republican said Wednesday. The Department of Defense inspector general offices finding is unprecedented, Grassley said, because its the first time it has substantiated whistleblower reprisal for reporting a sexual assault. The inspector general found that after a Lieutenant colonel commanding a military police battalion reported being raped by a more senior officer, Brig. Gen. Charles Viet issued her an unfavorable and career-damaging officer evaluation. It kind of fits with Gillibrands legislation that were trying to get into the Department of Defense authorization up this week to make sure we take the sexual assault cases out of the chain of command, so generals cant interfere like this, Grassley said. Earlier this week, Grassley joined New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand at a news conference calling for passage of her Military Justice Improvement Act to help make sure sexual assault is treated as the serious crime it is. Her amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act would set up an impartial, fair and accountable military justice system. Its necessary to make sure the person who committed the crime is convicted and pays the penalty, Grassley said. Its also needed to protect the victim of military sexual assault, he said. Today they are discouraged from doing it because the person who is raped is treated more harshly than the person who did the raping, Grassley said. Grassley also claimed the military had lied to senators last year when it claimed local prosecutors lacked interest in prosecuting military sexual assault cases. However, Grassley said a report from the advocacy group Protect Our Defenders and reporting by the Associated Press show the Pentagon appeared to be manipulating the facts. They misled us. Weve been lied to, he said. A 2014 study of military sexual assault found that more than 20,000 of the 1.3 million active duty members -- 1 percent of men and 4.9 percent of women -- had been sexually assaulted in the previous year. Gillibrands examination of 329 sexual assault cases in 2014 found that 22 percent went to trial with about 10 percent resulting in a sexual assault conviction. Another 5 percent result in conviction on another charge. STORM LAKE, Iowa | A Sacramento, California, man sought by the California Department of Corrections for four months was arrested Thursday afternoon by the Storm Lake Police Department. According to a Storm Lake Police Department news release, officers received information on Monday that a person wanted out of California named Fue Fang, age 37, may be hiding at a residence in the 700 block of Michigan Street in Storm Lake. Fang was wanted by the California Department of Corrections on a warrant charging him with absconding parole in reference to a first-degree burglary charge, the release said. Police monitored the Michigan Street address until Thursday afternoon, when a surveillance team observed Fang on the front porch of the residence. Plainclothes officers took Fang into custody without incident, the release said. Fang has been booked into the Buena Vista County Jail, where he is being held pending extradition. ORLEANS, Iowa | A Ford F-150 landed in Big Spirit Lake near Orleans Thursday morning after the driver was unable to stop due to a brake malfunction. According to a Spirit Lake Police report, 25-year-old Kristen Anne Harleman, of Spencer, called the Dickinson County Sheriff's Office at 6:55 a.m. Thursday and advised that the brakes in her Ford F-150 had malfunctioned. She was traveling north on Hill Avenue in Orleans. Harleman was told to place the vehicle in neutral, but she told authorities the vehicle would not switch over to neutral. Harleman's vehicle continued north to the T-intersection at 140th Street, then went off the road, traveled on the west side of a nearby pump house, turned sharply to the east and struck a bench before going down the bank and into Big Spirit Lake. The vehicle came to rest after it struck a dock in the lake, the report said. Harleman was transported to Lake Regional Healthcare by ambulance with the complaint of neck and back pain. A hospital spokesperson said Friday that Harleman was treated and released. SIOUX CITY | The last surviving Sioux City school named after a U.S. president celebrated its final day of serving children Thursday. Lincoln Elementary, which opened in 1952, will close its doors for good, as students from Lincoln, Clark and Crescent Park elementaries will attend the new Perry Creek Elementary in the fall. Presidents names had long graced many of Sioux City public school buildings in the past, said Tom Munson, archival clerk at the Public Museum. The first, dubbed Franklin School, was named so in 1891. The building at Ninth and old Plymouth Street (now Old Highway 75), closed in 1982. Munson said Lincoln Elementary was actually the second school in Sioux Citys history named after the nations 16th president. Formerly the East Third Street School and Peabody School, Munson said it was named after Lincoln in 1906 and stayed as such until it closed in 1929. Other presidents after which schools were named include George Washington, William McKinley, Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt and Iowa native Herbert Hoover. Munson noted that recent elementary schools built in the district have been named after neighborhoods and features, like Loess Hills, Morningside and Perry Creek. He said this actually harkens back to the 1800s, when schools were commonly named after which street or ward in which they were located. Lincoln Elementary celebrated its final day Thursday, along with Bryant, Crescent Park and Clark elementaries. The final day for the rest of the district's schools is Friday. SIOUX CITY | The last day of school before summer vacation drums up a wide range of emotions as students and teachers say goodbye to one another for a couple of months. Wednesday was doubly emotional as 450 students and staff members celebrated the end of Bryant Elementarys 125-year service to the district. It's the oldest school in the district, with parts of the building dating to 1890, when Benjamin Harrison was president and horse and buggies were a common sight on city streets. The academic year for Sioux City public school students ends Friday, but Thursday is the last day of classes in the landmark brick building at 30th and Jennings streets, as it will be torn down in July. In its place, a brand-new, nearly $22 million replacement school will be built. Happy and sad, answered fourth-grader Marik Torevell when asked what it was like for him to say goodbye to a building hed attended since kindergarten. Marik, and many of his fellow students will attend classes at the former Crescent Park building until the new Bryant building is completed in 2019. Students at the current Crescent Park, Lincoln and Clark elementaries will attend the new Perry Creek Elementary at 36th Street and Hamilton Boulevard this fall. The Clark building will be converted into an early childhood center. Marik said he was sad because he has so many memories in Bryant and wont be able to be in the new school. But Im happy that the next Bryant kids get air conditioning, he added. Bryant, named for American poet William Cullan Bryant, was built as a four-room school house in 1890. It received additions in 1910 and 1916 and underwent a remodel and renovation project in 1932. The most recent addition took place in 1957. Brian Fahrendholz, director of operations and maintenance for the district, said a replacement school had been in the works for years, but logistical issues to find the appropriate space delayed the process. In order to keep the process to replace the districts aging elementary schools in motion, Fahrendholz said the board approved construction of the new Morningside Elementary. Fahrendholz said some sandstone features from Bryant's exterior may be salvaged and possibly worked into the new school. The old walls of Bryant hold many stories and memories of the countless students who wandered its halls and learned in its classrooms. Nancy (Levin) Geyer, who attended Bryant from 1960 to 1964, said shell never forget the teachers she had. English and math skills she learned in sixth grade have stuck with her through adulthood, she said. Friends she met in her early education years are friends today, she said. Like many students who had entrenched memories and lasting friendships made at the school, Geyer said she was sad to see Bryant torn down but understood that safety and updated education is important for current students. As long as we have pictures to remember it by, Ill be happy, she said. Students celebrated the end of an era Wednesday by joining hands around the building. Farewell, we love Bryant echoed throughout the grounds as students and staff said goodbye. Principal Mary Kay Kollars, who will continue to serve as such at Crescent Park, said the past week has been emotional. Students, staff and alumni have taken the chance to recount stories and visit the old hallways and classrooms. From his first day of kindergarten at Bryant, fourth-grader Luis Barrios said the school was special to him. He remembers the trouble he and his mother had finding the building on his first day, but ever since then, hes cherished the opportunity to learn there. He said hes sad the building will be taken down, but is pleased to know hell be able to continue school with the teachers and students hes known for the last four years. That makes me feel not so bad, he said. But I cant believe its my last year here. Tom Renfro has told this story a number of different times to a number of different people. I met with the 68-year-old Vietnam War veteran in his small Sioux City home more than a month ago. He had just returned from working out at Norm Wait Sr. YMCA in South Sioux City, an activity he seldom misses. The sweat was just beginning to dry near the collar of Renfro's light gray T-shirt when he motioned for me to take a seat in his narrow kitchen. A set of bongos were positioned near a small chair in his living room. Renfro was playing the instrument seconds before I arrived. His hands continued to bounce along the kitchen counter as he told me the story of how he found "Tiny." Tiny was an American soldier serving alongside Renfro during the war. The two met at Camp Evans, an outpost near Hue in Vietnam that served as headquarters of the 1st Cavalry Division and other units. Despite his nickname, Tiny was a rather large 19-year-old. Renfro said he was well over 6 feet tall and probably weighed more than 200 pounds. They were both assigned to the 13th Signal Battalion 1st Cavalry Division, A Company. "He was just one of the guys," Renfro recalled. "He was at a communications bunker at Camp Evans. I only met him a couple times. He was there working on radios, talking on radios and taking care of generators." On July 3, 1968, Tiny was killed in Vietnam. It happened right in front of Renfro. He and Tiny and another soldier were taking shelter inside a bunker during an attack at Landing Zone (LZ) Miguel in Vietnam. The impact from a nearby explosion threw Tiny into Renfro's arms. The massive soldier lay dead. With his hands, Renfro could feel the multiple fragmentation wounds peppered across Tiny's back. Renfro has thought about that attack in its entirety ever since it happened. Most of all, he thought about Tiny and how he never even knew his real name. Renfro suffered a head injury during the early morning ambush; he never fully remembered everything that occurred that day. "And it was always my quest to find out what his real name was and what really happened," said Renfro. "I wanted to know what happened to everybody. I wanted to know about this attack. And I wanted to know what happened to Tiny." In 2003, Renfro got his wish. While he was teaching his fellow veterans how to search for jobs on the Internet, he stumbled upon the website facesfromthewall.com, which serves as a way to "place faces to the names of the 1,050 Washington State men whose names are on the Vietnam Memorial Wall." There, Renfro saw a face; a pudgy, rectangular face with childlike eyes and short, dark hair. The man was killed on July 3, 1968. He served in the 13th Signal Battalion 1st Cavalry Division, A Company. His name was James Scott Langworthy. But to Renfro and the rest of the guys, he was known as Tiny. "I scrolled down and there was his picture," said Renfro. "I about fell off my chair. I found him." DETAILS UNFOLD On the website, visitors are able to submit testimonials and memorials about the fallen soldiers. Renfro did just that. He wrote: On July 3rd 1968, on Lz Miguel, we came under heavy mortor [sic] fire and were overrun. James shared the same foxhole as I during that attack. I received a serious head wound and the details of that night have been somewhat cloudy. I have never been able to really know exactly what happened that night and would like more information. I did not know James's real name until today when I was able to search the national archive database. I then did a search for his name and found his picture and data on your site. You can imagine my feeling that after 35 years I was able to fill in a few of the pieces of that terrible puzzle. Renfro learned two things the day he found Tiny: the departed soldier's real name and the actual date of the attack. Before 2003, Renfro believed the attack took place July 1, 1968, his birthday. While stationed in Vietnam, Renfro had lost track of time. The attack had taken place two days after his birthday. The head injury he received only exacerbated the situation. His memory of what happened was cloudy. He couldn't remember every detail. But a fellow Vietnam War veteran stumbled upon Renfro's testimonial on facesfromthewall.com and reached out to the Sioux City native. That person was Tom Carty, and he remembered the attack on LZ Miguel. Carty's son found Renfro's profile on Facebook and arranged for the two men to chat on the phone about what happened. Carty and Renfro would later meet at the Murray Bros. Caddyshack Restaurant in St. Augustine, Florida, in March. Carty explained to Renfro everything that happened. MISSING PIECES Renfro remembered parts of what happened at LZ Miguel in 1968. He remembered being woken up at 3:30 a.m. The sounds of ammunition fire and explosions echoed in the tent. At first, Renfro thought it was his own army firing artillery. "Then I looked over and saw one of the guys in our tent -- his name was Dixon -- and he was sitting in our hole that we had dug," said Renfro. "We dug a big hole about the size of a grave and put sandbags around it so we could hide during an attack. He was in there yelling at me." Half asleep, Renfro dove face first into the hole. "Stuff was blowing up all over the place," he said. "They were shooting flares off, too. These flares were lighting up everything. After I was in that hole for a couple minutes, Tiny came out. I don't know why he came out late from the tent. I still don't know. The hole was right next to the tent. He came out and sat across from me. He sat cross-legged." Then came more explosions. Tiny's body was thrust into Renfro's arms. Renfro remembered Dixon saying something to him like, "We gotta get outta here! They've got us zeroed in!" before running out of the hole. To this day, Renfro is still unsure of where Dixon went. "Tiny was dead, so I got out of the hole," said Renfro. "I was on my hands and knees when a mortar round landed next to me. I was wounded in the head. It stunned me. But I got up and ran over to a bunker that I knew about." Renfro also suffered shrapnel wounds along the left side of his body. The head wound left Renfro with a hole in his head. Doctors would later perform a craniotomy, replacing the bone with a metal plate. When Renfro finally arrived at the bunker, he thought he rolled down the wooden steps made of discarded ammo cases. "Well, that's not what really happened. My dark shadow came up to the entrance and [Carty] almost shot me. Apparently I said, 'Don't shoot me!' Carty pulled me down those steps. My memory is that I fell down the stairs. Tom Carty said, 'You're OK, Tiny.' And I said, 'I'm not Tiny. I'm Tom.' I had no idea I even said that." North Vietnamese soldiers threw a grenade in the underground bunker. Renfro remembered the explosion. He thought he crawled into a corner and passed out, waking up off and on throughout the attack before he was airlifted to safety. "What I didn't know until I talked to Tom is that the hand grenade didn't completely go off," said Renfro. "Just the primer charge went off. It went off and Tom got wounded in the face. I thought I crawled across the bottom of the bunker to find the nearest wall. But apparently somebody drug me there." Renfro remembered hearing the sound of whirring heavy machine gun fire from a Cobra helicopter before the mayhem ended. It turns out someone called a C-130 to strafe the perimeter. With the help of Carty's first-hand account, Renfro was able to piece together exactly what happened that day. Does he feel a sense of closure? Yes and no. "I don't know what that's supposed to feel like," he said. "But I'm not going to stop thinking about it. That kind of trauma doesn't go away. What I remember, I remember very clearly." Finding Tiny was comforting for Renfro. He was elated to discover the young man's real name after searching for so long. "My goal was to find out who he was," said Renfro. "I met that goal." The frisky four SIOUX CITY | Four women from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, were arrested in the wake of a prostitution sting Wednesday night in Grandview Park. According to court documents, police found an ad on Backpage.com, a known prostitution website, and answered it. One of the women, Jazmere Townsend, 21, agreed to meet an undercover officer in the park, the documents said. The officer met Townsend, who agreed to sex for $120 in an unmarked city minivan. Townsend had a two-girl special advertised, which the officer inquired about. The officer was asked if he preferred skinny or thicker women, but he left the decision up to Townsend, according to court documents. Kendra Bey, 23, walked over to the defendant. The agreement was for $120 each, but $250 was paid in cash for the women to get into the unmarked van. Both women were arrested. Two other women with Townsend -- Ranisha Boyd, 19, and Samaria Williams, 20 -- also were arrested in connection to the prostitution ring. Townsend is charged with pimping, a felony, and soliciting prostitution. She is being held in the Woodbury County Jail on $3,000 bond. Bey, Boyd and Williams are charged with prostitution and are being held on $2,000 bond. Like taking candy from a... wait SIOUX CITY | Sioux City police arrested a suspect in the May 9 burglary of Palmer's Olde Tyme Candy Shoppe after receiving tips through Facebook messages and their tip line. Police arrested 54-year-old Michael Smith, of Sioux City, Friday. He was charged with second-degree burglary and fifth-degree theft and is being held in Woodbury County Jail on $10,300 bond. Police had posted a request for tips and a surveillance camera photo of the burglary suspect on the Sioux City Police Department Facebook Page on May 11. Sioux City Crime Prevention Officer Lori Noltze said the suspect had stolen personal items belonging to Palmer Candy employees. Noltze said several people submitted Smith's name to the department, and police found Smith's description matched the suspect they were looking for. Noltze then found Smith while working another police-related event Friday. When Christopher Gray was preparing to go to college, he knew that covering all of his tuition and expenses was going to be difficult. He didnt want to find himself buried in student loan debt after graduation, as so many other college grads do. So he dedicated his time to searching for scholarships to help relieve some of that financial burden. But getting those scholarships wasnt easy. Gray didnt have Internet access at his home. So he used the local library, resources at his school and even his cell phone to find and vet different scholarship opportunities. Although his scholarship search was ultimately successful he was awarded about $1.3 million in total scholarships it was a lengthy and tiresome process. He knew that he wasnt the only student to have issues finding relevant scholarships to help pay for school. So he created Scholly to change the whole process and help others find scholarship opportunities. Find Scholarship Opportunities Gray explained in a phone interview with Small Business Trends, The idea is that Scholly turns those months of searching for scholarships into about two minutes. It decreases the amount of time you need to make sure you actually get what you qualify for. To use the service, students can sign up by paying a $2.99 registration fee. Then theres a registration form that collects information from students to help determine which scholarships are most likely to be relevant. For example, the form collects information like the students GPA, demographic information, and even some miscellaneous factors that might qualify them for lesser known scholarships. For example, Gray mentioned that there are sometimes opportunities for students who are left-handed or vegetarian. After Scholly has collected all of the relevant information, it takes a couple of minutes to develop a list of scholarship opportunities that match with the students responses and qualifications. Gray says that it uses a search function to aggregate the information. However, it doesnt just search the Web for anything that matches a set of keywords. Scholly actually vets scholarship opportunities first before including them in its list of potential search results for users. So its a multi-step process. Scholly first scours the Web for any potential scholarship opportunities. These can come from other scholarship sites, schools, independent organizations or pretty much anywhere else on the Web. But then the Scholly Squad goes through those opportunities to determine if theyre legitimate and what students they would potentially apply to. Then when students sign up and input their information, Scholly searches within that collection of vetted scholarship opportunities to find the most relevant results. In addition, students can continue to use their Scholly accounts throughout high school, college and even graduate school. So you dont just input your information to get a one-time list of search results. You can save the opportunities that youre interested in and even sign up for alerts when scholarship deadlines are approaching or if there are any new scholarships that you qualify for. Scholly also offers the opportunity for schools, organizations and individuals to pay for the service on behalf of students. The Give:Scholly program offers everyone the opportunity to help students access Scholly for free. In addition, Scholly has partnered with CommonBond to give students who have had to utilize loans the opportunity to refinance those loans to get the best rates possible. The issue of student loan debt is certainly not a new problem. But entrepreneurial students like Gray are working to alleviate that burden as much as possible for their peers and for the next generation by creating platforms like Scholly to find scholarship opportunities. There are many fitness goals out there that we desire. Some of us want to be leaner and others wish to put on muscle mass. The thing is, for you to achieve your fitness goals, you need to GREENBELT, Md. (May 26, 2016)U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Robert Anthony Fitzgerald Lathan, age 48, of Accokeek, Maryland, today to 42 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a bank fraud conspiracy in which the conspirators obtained fraudulent vehicle loans. Judge Chasanow also ordered Lathan to forfeit and pay a money judgment of $169,385.83.The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George's County Police Department.According to his plea agreement and other court documents, from January 2009 to April 29, 2015, Lathan and others applied for vehicle loans with financial institutions and lenders using false information as to employment history at shell entities created by the conspirators, addresses, dates of birth and social security numbers. Lathan and others created and submitted fake documents, such as lien releases, utility bills, paystubs, letters of recommendation and a police report. The defendants often applied for vehicle loans on the same vehicle with different lenders. They sold the vehicles, obtained money from the sales and then did not provide the vehicles to the buyers. They deposited the loan funds into bank accounts and cashed loan checks at liquor stores. Lathan and his co-conspirators failed to pay the vehicle loans, which often resulted in the vehicles being repossessed by the lenders. Lathan knew that he had no intention of purchasing a vehicle and that the loan proceeds would be split between himself and his co-conspirators.One of Lathan's roles in the conspiracy was to create fake documents for other co-conspirators to use when making fraudulent loan applications. For example, Lathan created a fake lien release for a vehicle, a deal worksheet with false information, and fake paystubs. Lathan sent the fake documents to a co-conspirator, who either used the documents himself or provided them to other conspirators to use while applying for fraudulent loans. In addition, Lathan permitted co-conspirators to use his name and other information on fraudulent loan applications.The total intended loss resulting from Lathan's conduct in the scheme was at least $304,560.83.Four co-defendants have pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing.The Maryland Identity Theft Working Group has been working since 2006 to foster cooperation among local, state, federal, and institutional fraud investigators and to promote effective prosecution of identity theft schemes by both state and federal prosecutors. This case, as well as other cases brought by members of the Working Group, demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to work with financial institutions and businesses to address identity fraud, identify those who compromise personal identity information, and protect citizens from identity theft.Today's announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys' offices, and state and local partners, it's the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants. For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended HSI Baltimore and the Prince George's County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas P. Windom and Joseph R. Baldwin, who are prosecuting the case. From left to right: Shirley Havelka, store manager for SMILE; Rich Fleming, interim Rotary Club president; and Bruce Robinson, board president of SMILE. (Submitted photo) PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. (May 26, 2016)The Rotary Club of Prince Frederick has continued its support for the hungry by contributing $916 to SMILE , an interdenominational food ministry serving southern Calvert County.Interim Rotary Club President, Rich Fleming, recently presented a check to Shirley Havelka, store manager, and Bruce Robinson, board president of SMILE. Fleming also serves as the Vice President/Dean of the Prince Frederick Campus of the College of Southern Maryland."All Rotary Clubs are encouraged to raise special funding to assist the homeless and food-challenged, and our club has chosen to support SMILE each of the last several years," said Fleming. "Many donors contribute during the Thanksgiving to Christmas period, so we chose to help replenish their supplies during this off-season. The demand for food support continues year-round."The SMILE food pantry is open on Wednesday and Friday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon. However, guests wishing to take advantage of the pantry are required to register first. Complete details of the requirements for a person to be accepted as a guest are available online.SMILE is happy to accept donations from the community in the form of time and talent; money; food items such as canned goods or packaged foods; and clothing and household goods which they can sell in their thrift shop to generate funds. Find out more about how to donate on their website.The Rotary Club of Prince Frederick has served Calvert County for over fifty years. In addition to supporting the hungry, the club also awards scholarships to graduating seniors and provides dictionaries to each third grade student in the county. As a part of Rotary International, the Prince Frederick club also supports the eradication of polio and other international Rotary campaigns.The Rotary Club meets the second and fourth Mondays at Stoney's in Prince Frederick. For more information contact, Rich Fleming at 443-550-6011. COLUMBIA, Md. (May 26, 2016)Maryland State Police investigators from the Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) arrest four men, involved in four separate incidents, on sexual solicitation related felony charges. The accused are identified as Alexander Christensen, 24, of Glen Arm; Rafael Constante, 28, of Frederick; Ryan Parham, 31, of Columbia; and Tracey Dove, 49, of Annapolis. All four are charged with the sexual solicitation of a law enforcement officer posing as a minor. Upon conviction, they each face up to ten years imprisonment and up to $25,000 in fines. On Tuesday, May 24, 2016, the Maryland State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted a proactive operation involving the online sexual solicitation of minors. During the covert operation and in two separate incidents, Christensen and Parham communicated online with an undercover police officer posing as a minor. Both men made statements expressing a desire to meet the minor and engage in sexual activity. Both Christensen and Parham, again acting individually, traveled to an undisclosed location in Howard County for the encounter. Shortly before 8:00 p.m. during the operation, Parham was arrested without incident and transported to the Howard County Detention Center for Processing. At 8:30 p.m. that same night, Christensen was also placed under arrest and transported to the Howard County Detention Center. The two additional subsequent arrests of Dove and Constante also resulted from similar proactive investigations. Shortly before 5:30 p.m. yesterday, Constante was arrested after he traveled to an undisclosed location in Howard County. He was taken into police custody without incident and transported to the Howard County Detention Center. Today, shortly after 10:30 a.m., Dove was arrested without incident after traveling to an undisclosed location in St. Mary's County. He was transported to the St. Mary's County Detention Center. Investigators from the Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit and state troopers from the Field Operations Bureau conducted the covert operations. Assistance was provided by the personnel from Homeland Security Investigations. The Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is organized under the Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Section. The task force is comprised of police agencies from around the state and its primary mission is to protect children from computer-facilitated sexual exploitation. The Task Force works cooperatively with law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to provide resources to combat these crimes. Additionally, the Task Force provides community awareness campaigns helping to prevent the spread of these crimes through education. WASHINGTON (May 26, 2016)The U.S. Department of Defense recently announced the following contract awards that pertain to local Navy activities., is being awardedfor cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order 0123 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-12-G-0006) for non-recurring engineering and logistics services in support of the development and integration of the V-22 aerial refueling system for the MV-22. Work will be performed in Davenport, Iowa (49 percent); Ridley Park, Pennsylvania (48 percent); and Fort Worth, Texas (3 percent), and is expected to be completed in June 2019. Fiscal 2016 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,400,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity., is being awarded afirm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the procurement of supplies and services required for the CFM56 engine field assessment, unscheduled engine repair, technical assistance for removal and replacement of engines in support of the P-8 aircraft. This effort includes unscheduled depot maintenance and repair, the introduction of Sermetel protective coatings and other non-standard repairs as required. Work will be performed in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is expected to be completed in May 2018. No funds are being obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated against individual task orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1a2. The, is the contracting activity (N00019-16-D-2000)., is being awarded amodification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-13-C-0008) for the low-rate initial production Lot 8 non-recurring special tooling/special test equipment. This equipment will be utilized in the manufacture of general material bulkheads in support of the F-35 aircraft. Work will be performed in Cleveland, Ohio (82 percent); Fort Worth, Texas (15.3 percent); Helena, Montana (1.2 percent); Winnipeg, Canada (1.2 percent); and Irvine, California (0.3 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2017. Fiscal 2014 aircraft procurement (Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps); and international partner funds in the amount of $20,046,765 are being obligated at time of award, $15,782,818 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force ($7,891,408; 39.4 percent); Navy ($3,945,705; 19.7 percent); Marine Corps ($3,945,705; 19.7 percent); and the international partners ($4,263,947; 21.2 percent). The, is the contracting activity., is being awarded afirm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery requirements contract for logistics services in support of the C-12 utility lift aircraft, including post-production, full commercial-type aircraft maintenance, logistics support, and materials for Marine Corps Reserve C-12 (UC-12B/F/M/W) and Navy TC-12B trainer aircraft. Work will be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas (42 percent); Patuxent River, Maryland (6 percent); Manama, Bahrain (6 percent); Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (6 percent); Atsugi, Japan (6 percent); Beaufort, South Carolina (4 percent); San Angelo, Texas (4 percent); New Orleans Louisiana (4 percent); Yuma, Arizona (4 percent); Iwakuni, Japan (4 percent), New River, North Carolina (3 percent); Kadena, Japan (3 percent); Manassas, Virginia (2 percent); Miramar, California (2 percent); Futenma, Japan (2 percent); and Misawa, Japan (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in July 2021. No funds are being obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated against individual delivery orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals; five offers were received. The, is the contracting activity (N00019-16-D-0044)., is being awarded amodification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-14-D-0006) for additional parts and materials, repairs, travel and field service representative training. This modification will also include recurring engineering services in support of the C/KC-130J aircraft for the Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserve, the Coast Guard, and the government of Kuwait. Work will be performed at Marietta, Georgia (65.3 percent), Palmdale, California (21.2 percent); Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, Kuwait (3.3 percent); Iwakuni, Japan (3 percent); Miramar, California (1.8 percent); Cherry Point, North Carolina (1.7 percent); Elizabeth City, North Carolina (1.6 percent); Fort Worth, Texas (1.5 percent); and Greenville, South Carolina (0.6 percent). No funds are being obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual delivery orders as they are issued. Work is expected to be completed in December 2016. This contract combines purchases for the Marines Corps/Marine Corps Reserves (80.3 percent); Coast Guard (12.9 percent); and the government of Kuwait (6.8 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. The, is the contracting activity, is being awarded anmodification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-15-D-0021; P00002) for target material database production and maintenance, pre-planned software production, systems engineering, logistics, testing and integration in support of the Tactical Operational Scene Program's Tactical Terrain Visualization System software and database generation facility. In addition, this modification provides support for geo-specific scene visualization, weapon and sensor specific simulation and interoperability with legacy mission planning system and software, including the Joint Mission Planning System and Portable Flight Planning System. Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, Texas, and is expected to be completed in September 2020. No funds are being obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated against individual delivery orders as they are issued. The, is the contracting activity. Located in rural Western New York an hour southwest of Rochester and an hour southeast of Buffalo, Jones Pond is located near picturesque Angelica, a nearby community. In 2015 Jones Pond celebrated its 25th anniversary as a gay campground, though the property has been a campground for much longer. Jones Pond sets the standard for gay camping; it is a premier property and fosters a strong sense of gay community in its seasonal campers. Each block of seasonal campers hosts a block party in the summer, raising money for donation to local organizations. These events also serve to inculcate newcomers into the embracing culture. Being a stranger and being recognized serves the dual purpose of feeling included and wanting to come back for more. Many businesses of all kinds could learn from this simple tactic. The park is a beautiful property from the moment of arrival at the store to register. Acres of lawn fall away to a line of stately pines that define the clothing optional demarcation line. Past the pines the land slopes gently, until Cardiac Hill, and is populated here and there with seasonal camps set on huge lots. Some lots are in full sun, some under the shade of an area of pines, some up a sloping reach almost surrounded by marsh. Below Cardiac Hill camps are set along a bold creek that flows through a viaduct serving as the bridge carrying the road up the far hillside. Set among the hardwoods of the hillside are camps carved out of the forest. Nature trails surround the hillside camps wandering from the bridge to an open sunny meadow at the top of the Fruit Loop. Jones Pond features early season specials. The campground is open May through September. The huge pool is heated. The Barn, the social center of Jones Pond, got new sound equipment for the 2015 season opening. An entry gate now stands sentinel keeping the curious and gawkers from wandering the park. Owners Bryan and Matt were instrumental along with Freedom Valley, Ohio, and Riverside, ON Canada, in beginning the Friends With Benefits program. FWB is an organization of gay campgrounds whose members offer half price memberships to campers who own a valid membership with another FWB member. On a tour of gay campgrounds Jones Pond is not to be missed. www.jonespond.com 9835 Old State Road, Angelica, NY 14709-8729 585-567-8100 It is often said Bernie Sanders message hits home with young Americans. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation certainly hopes this is true. The Los Angeles-based HIV/AIDS medical provider launched an ad campaign this spring to encourage people to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases. The campaign closely resembles the logo of Sanders' Presidential campaign even using the socialists popular rallying cry, Feel the Burn! Senator Sanders powerful message resonates with a lot of Americans, particularly young people, Jason Farmer, senior creative director for AHF told The Hill. We hope that our light hearted but highly important billboard campaign for STD testing will have as well. In South Florida, the campaign is easily spotted on billboards and public benches. Michael Lockwood, a pledged Sanders delegate from Fort Lauderdale, said he has no problem with AHFs tactics. I think they are using it (Sanders logo) for an appropriate reason, Lockwood told SFGN at the May meeting of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Democratic Club meeting. They are using it for educational purposes and to benefit the community. I think everyone on the campaign supports reducing STDs and AIDS. Members of the Sanders campaign met with HIV/AIDS activists on Wednesday evening in California. In published reports, activists claim Sanders, a U.S. Senator from Vermont, intends to highlight the importance of access to generic drugs. Bernie has always believed there should be an expansion of generic drugs throughout the world so poor people can get the drugs they need, Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs told the Washington Blade. He has for years taken on the greed of the pharmaceutical industry which had resulted in unnecessary death and suffering in many parts of the world. As president, he will fight for a major expansion of generic drug production. He hopes the Democratic convention in Philadelphia agrees with that. Flooding the health care market with life-saving discount drugs doesnt sound so evil to most, but for Martin Shkreli and pharmaceutical companies, like Turing Inc., it cuts into their bottom line. Shkreli, known across the social media world as Pharma Bro, donated $2,700 to Sanders last year only to have the candidate forward the funds to a Washington, D.C. health care clinic specializing in HIV/AIDS treatment. Sanders and Shkreli have sparred online and in the press over economic philosophies, hedge funds and the cost of prescription drugs. Shkreli was arrested last December by the F.B.I. for securities fraud and is free on bail. Sanders, meanwhile, trails former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the race for the Democratic Partys U.S. Presidential nomination. Californias primary, the last major contest before the partys national convention, is June 7. Shkreli disclosed his thoughts of Sanders chances to catch Clinton Monday on Twitter. time to shut up and take the L, Shkreli tweeted. However much we might travel on the hunt for a good cup of coffee, most of us have a local: a place where we meet friends, or pass through for a morning brew, or sit to read and indulge in quiet thought. The appeal is in the very definition of the wordthe local is a living, breathing part of the community. Its nearby, its comforting, and you never need to plan a trip around it. The Aoyama neighborhoods newest coffee shop, The Local, looks to put a new spin on this idea by bringing a slice of the local experience to Tokyo customers. Project director Takahiro Takeuchi says the aim is to connect people to coffee shops that roast their ownand, surprisingly, he doesnt care so much whether its his Local or another one. If we look at our [current] bean lineup, we have Ritual Coffee Roasters, a San Francisco local; Trunk Coffee, a Nagoya [Japan] local; and Glitch Coffee, a Jinbocho [Tokyo] local. There are locals all over the place, right? So we want to showcase a variety of coffee, and by doing so, help people discover a different neighborhoods local coffee shop. Takeuchi says everything began when he started getting into coffee culture. He bought coffee magazines but didnt like lugging them around the city. A web designer by trade, he took what data he could find and made an online guidebooksomething that could be easily accessed on a phone. That pet project, Good Coffee, slowly grew into a go-to web resource for Tokyoites looking for coffee in Japan. Good Coffee now boasts English and Japanese versions, with an interesting split between the two: while the Japanese side focuses on specialty coffee, the English side paints a broader picture of the whole Japanese coffee experience, with a mix of new shops, hidden gems, and old-school kissaten (tearooms that double as coffee shops). The Locals goal, then, is to build a bridge linking online and offline: From seeing a brew method to trying it. From reading about coffee shops to visiting them. Takeuchi says its hard to share specialty coffee by web alone; its an experience you need to see, smell, and taste. If people have a chance to drink it, they have a chance to understand what makes it interesting, he says. We tried to create those moments by organizing events like the Tokyo Coffee Festival, but even that is only a couple times a year. The chances for that linking experience are really limited. So, uniquely, The Local isnt looking to be anyones competition on the coffee scene. Takeuchi talks about his shop like its a medium for discovery, the first step a person might take down a road that continues on to other shops and into further revelation. But encouraging people to take that step means making the process smooth and easyhence an online ordering system that allows a customer to order from their phone and pick up a coffee just as its ready to go. At The Locals counter, the coffees of the month are front and center; theyre lined up in front of a series of V60 drippers, complete with inexpensive 50-gram bagsto encourage brewing at home without the worry of investing in bigger bags of beans. It all boils down to a desire to see more local coffee shops in the Tokyo area. Takeuchi says good coffee isnt something you should have to go out of your way to findyou should be able to find it close to home. So expect a taste of the neighborhood when you visit the little coffee shop in Aoyama; just dont expect it to be the neighborhood youre used to. Keep an open mind and, with some luck, you might even stumble across a brand new place to call your local coffee shop. Hengtee Lim (@Hent03) is a Sprudge.com staff writer based in Tokyo. Read more Hengtee Lim on Sprudge. Algiers, May 26, 2016 (SPS) - Algeria has always militated in the vanguard of the joint African action for the triumph of the continent's causes, said Wednesday in Algiers Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ramtane Lamamra. "The praiseworthy joint action of the African Union (AU) for the decolonization of Western Sahara shows Africa's faithfulness to its history," said Lamamra in his address to mark Africa Day. He underlined that "Africa's effective solidarity with the Palestinian people is in line with those principles." "This joint action contributes to preserving security in the continent, especially in the Sahel-Saharan region, where Algeria is fully playing its role as a country of peace and stability," he said. Lamamra added "Algeria gives full meaning to collective self-reliance for a better future for all, especially in the fight against terrorism and its full commitment to the implementation of Peace and Reconciliation Agreement in Mali as well as the Political and National Reconciliation Accord in Libya." "This collective approach is also crucial for the promotion of the legitimate demands of Africa regarding the reform of the United Nations, particularly the democratization of the Security Council, as expressed in Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration," said Lamamra.SPS 125/090/700 CAIRO (Sputnik)The Egyptian authorities plan to create a special company to provide security in airports, a member of the parliament's Culture, Information and Tourism Committee said Thursday. "Creation of a national company to provide security in airports has been proposed," Zeinab Salem told RIA Novosti, adding that the proposal came from Civil Aviation Minister Sharif Fathi. Egypt airport security is provided by the Interior Ministry, a possibility of opening a new agency is being reviewed as the ministry has frequent staff rotation. How much Lieberman's presence will alter the dynamics of Israeli politics has become the object of much speculation. While the appointment of right-wing Lieberman is a blow to the centrist forces in Israeli politics, such as the 'Zionist Union Party' which was slated for the coalition position until Netanyahu reneged and chose Lieberman some analysts have argued that the situation for the Palestinians would remain dire, and Israeli regional policy confrontational, regardless of who fills the position of Defense Minister. "People are talking about how this is the most right-wing government in Israel's history, but it does not matter to the Palestinians if the government is right-wing, or left-wing; the policies remain the same, the injustices and grievances remain the same. So I don't think that Lieberman will change anything on the ground that isn't already happening," political analyst Sharif Nashashibi told Sputnik. There is however, due concern that some of Lieberman's divisive rhetoric and policy prescriptions may worsen Israel's treatment of Palestinians. Israel: Isaac Herzog's center-left Zionist Union party said Lieberman in would result in government policies "on the brink of madness". Limos For Sale (@limosforsale) May 19, 2016 Most recently, Lieberman called for the imposition of a controversial bill allowing the death penalty of Palestinians who are convicted of "terrorism" a term often vaguely applied to those resisting the occupation. He also infamously said that disloyal Israeli Arabs should be "beheaded." Israel's new Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, 2015: "Anyone who thinks going back to the 1967 lines will solve the conflict is autistic." Ben White (@benabyad) May 25, 2016 More Aggressive While Lieberman may not be able to call the shots over Netanyahu, he has often criticized the Prime Minister for "not being tough enough on terrorism," and for not preventing the Iran nuclear deal. There are concerns that Lieberman will pressure the government into a more aggressive military policy to demonstrate to his constituency that he can put words into action. "Not only is Lieberman appealing to the most right-wing constituency in Israel, but he is a politician that needs to expand the outreach of his political party. Now that he is the Defense Minister, he needs to back his rhetoric with actions as far as his supports are concerned. It is difficult to imagine that as Defence Minister, Lieberman will abandon his style of politics and sideline his personal political ambitions," Ramzy Baroud, a Palestinian scholar and journalist told Sputnik. 'Shoot, Don't Just Talk' MOSCOW (Sputnik) Hospitals in conflict zones across the globe have suffered nearly 600 attacks in the past two years, a World Health Organization (WHO) report revealed Thursday. "The consolidated figures for 2014 include 338 records of attacks on health care in 19 countries facing acute or protracted emergencies. For 2015, the records indicate 256 attacks in 16 countries with acute or protracted emergencies," an extract from the study reads. Medical facilities in Syria, Iraq, the Gaza Strip and Yemen were most affected, WHO said. CPE is currently involved in a project to bring together Diomede Island families and their relatives from both sides of the Bering Strait to renew cultural ties. The company was contacted by the Native Village of Diomede on Little Diomede to help them locate relatives in Chukotka, especially those who used to live on Big Diomede. Wallack noted that 11 people, including two native people from Little Diomede Island and a local Alaskan reporter will fly from Nome, Alaska to Provideniya on a charter flight on June 28, and will return from Provideniya to Nome on July 12. While in Chukotka we will be traveling by vans, trucks, and open whale boats to New Chapilino, Yanrakannot, Lorino, Lavrentia, and Uelen, she added. We will be meeting with local native people and organizations, and with local and regional authorities. Wallack said that for logistical and cultural reasons it would be better to have the reunion on Big Diomede rather than Little Diomede. More family members from Chukotka will be able to attend if the reunion is held in Russia, and it will allow Diomede Islanders and their descendants to walk the grounds of their ancestral homes, she explained. We will need help with applying for Russias permission to have the family reunion on Big Diomede. At present, the company is receiving assistance from National Park Beringia and from the Shared Berigian Heritage Program. "The bigger picture is simply China," said Lazare. "The US wants to maintain a forward operating base, and Okinawa is it. The US is busy remilitarizing the Western Pacific, trying to line up support among all the Pacific Rim countries to create a grand concert of anti-Chinese powers, and clearly Okinawa is a major part of that process." Would a regional anti-Chinese coalition destabilize the region? "The problem is that things are so rapidly deteriorating these days, the Chinese economy is just reeling with levels of indebtedness that are beyond imagination," said Lazare. "Nobody knows how to handle the problem, the economy is collapsing and there seems to be no way out of the current predicament. As that happens, Chinas foreign policy will likely become more aggressive." The journalist opined that Chinese fears of regional opposition and alienation in the midst of deepening economic woes increases the likelihood of conflict and miscalculation by the Beijing regime. He also observed that other countries in the Pacific Rim face similar degrees of destabilization rooted in economic challenges, threatening their ability to defend themselves. TOKYO (Sputnik) Japan is set to create a special interdepartmental commission for preventing crimes committed by US military base personnel, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Thursday. "The group will comprise representatives of the relevant ministries and departments on the levels of department heads," Suga told reporters. The decision comes a week after the arrest of 32-year-old former US Marine Kenneth Franklin on suspicion of stabbing and strangling a 20-year-old Japanese woman near US Kadena Air Base in Okinawa. The woman, Rina Shimabukuro, disappeared on April 28 and was later found dead in a forest. Franklin has reportedly admitted to committing the murder. MOSCOW (Sputnik) An explosion at a chemical plant in the Indian state of Maharashtra has left at least three dead and dozens injured, local news agencies reported Thursday. The explosion occurred at a chemical plant in the city of Dombivali 31 miles from the state capital of Mumbai. According to preliminary reports, a boiler exploded and a fire ensued. MOSCOW (Sputnik) At least 45 militants were killed in clashes with Afghanistan security forces in the northern city of Balkh, local media reported Thursday. The fighting went on for five hours, dozens of insurgents were injured and one law enforcement officer killed, TOLO news reported. Afghanistan is experiencing significant political, social and security-related instability, as radical extremist organizations, including the Taliban, continue to stage attacks against civilian and state targets. What makes the situation even worse is that the latest crime was committed right ahead of the G7 Summit. It cant but have an impact on the attitude of the Japanese people and the countrys mass media towards the US president who has just arrived for the Summit. The numerous crimes committed by the US servicemen on the Japanese territory throughout the years of their stay in the country, especially on its southern island of Okinawa, gave way to decisive protests not only against the US servicemen but against the US administration on the whole, the foreign policy expert noted. He didnt rule out that these crimes could be used by opposition, which is teaming up ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections in the country, to try to liberate Japan from the American strangle and to put an end to its position of an American protectorate. Merin Joseph, a 25-year-old assistant superintendent of police of Munnar, Kerala, who appeared on the list of the country's 11 beautiful Indian Administrative and Police Service officers in a recent Hindi Daily article, expressed her annoyance at the "objectification of women" and reducing their achievements and intelligence to their looks. She shared the article on social media with some sharp criticism attached to it, calling it patriarchal and misogynistic. While the article has since been taken down, Joseph's post went viral on Facebook, with many agreeing with her point of view. "This perfectly sums up what is wrong with the press in India, especially the vernacular press. Shameless objectification of women and propagation of patriarchal structures, reducing a lady's worth to her face," she wrote on her Facebook profile. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Newly ascendant Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada is unlikely to facilitate the peace process between the movement and the government of Afghanistan, the private intelligence firm Soufan Group said in a report on Thursday. "The reshuffle of senior Taliban leadership will not improve the prospects for peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government," the report stated. Over the weekend, a US drone strike in Pakistans Balochistan province near the Afghan border killed Talibans leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour. Mukherjee said that Chinas geostrategic obsession with Pakistan, that has even influenced Moscow in recent times needs calibration. As Indias western neighbor suffers from serious political dysfunction that can only be tackled by Beijing, the all weather friend. There is a need for Beijing to take on board Indias concerns about its safe havens for India-centric terrorist groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Toiba anmd Hizbul Mujaheedin. While on the other hand, a China-India-Russia axis, bolstered by the addition of Iran, can be a formidable combination which could create of regional structure of co-prosperity. This can then evolve into an alliance that creates a new global order that will seek to take focus away from Western militarism, said Mukherjee. A glimpse of that has been witnessed in the formation of the New BRICS Development Bank and the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) that challenge the hegemony of the World Bank and the IMF. The Chinese worldview prohibits nation-building exercises in countries where they invest. Another example is Russias recent action of withdrawing most of its warplanes deployed in Syria immediately after its strategists felt that its mission was accomplished, according to Mukherjee. Brazil is down The next target is Russia, India, China and south africa. BRICS must fall for the super power https://t.co/Rip8hjzk0w Mike Ndegwa (@mikendegwa) May 14, 2016 In other words, the global narrative is moving away from the relatively declining Western politico-economic ideas and forces, to the East where the cumulative gross domestic product (GDP) and aggregated population is much larger than the combined respective figures of the US and European Union combined. India has reason to worry, because the Indian economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, and agriculture is directly related to water. If we look into the current scenario, several areas in the state of Maharashtra are facing acute drinking water shortages; water for other purposes is even scarcer. Water trains are being dispatched by the government to relieve the country's most drought-affected areas. If water scarcity persists until 2050, the short supply of water will harm the country's agricultural sector. There will be changes in what is being produced, where items are produced, and how efficiently water will be used in the process; consequently, food prices could spike. In India, rain-fed agriculture plays a major role in GDP and employs about 70 percent of the population. These figures worry experts. Pankaj Kumar, the National Convenor of Rashtriya Jal Biradari told Sputnik that, a reduced water supply will not only affect production but it will lead to increased conflicts in local areas, which will harm the local economy. Pankaj went on to say that it is up to government how they tackle it, however we already informed the central and state government many times, citing various reports. In fact we have suggested some measures for water conservation also. However, there is a silver lining to the report. The World Bank also suggested that losses could vanish altogether if countries respond to water shortages efficiently. Pankaj added that everything is not lost yet so he advises the government to take key measures which would have an immediate effect to tackle the water crisis. First, he advocates encouraging rain water harvesting; second, water conservation should be mandatory, and third, encroachments must be made free from the river bed so that ground water can be recharged. Pankaj warns that the future will be thirsty and uncertain, but with the right reforms, the government can help ensure that people and ecosystems are not left vulnerable to the more severe water-related shocks. "We have invited all businesses to participate in Yoga Day this year because employees in the corporate sector face a lot of stress. It will be a good opportunity for them to release their stress through yoga. Also, we have written to corporate bodies like the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India for releasing a circular in corporate offices associated with them to include a 30-minute mandatory yoga program for their employees," AYUSH Ministry Joint Secretary Anil Kumar Ganeriwala said, as quoted by India Today. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Okinawa prefecture's assembly adopted a resolution calling for the withdrawal of US Marines from the island following the arrest of a military base worker accused of murder, local media reported Thursday. Last week, a 32-year-old US Marine veteran was arrested on suspicion of stabbing and strangling a 20-year-old Japanese woman near US Kadena Air Base in Okinawa. "We strongly protest against the U.S. military and will deal with the case sternly, while taking any progress in the investigations into account," Okinawa's governor Takeshi Onaga was quoted as saying by Kyodo News. NEW DELHI (Sputnik)A number of people killed in an explosion at a chemical plant in the Indian state of Maharashtra reached five, local media reported Thursday. Earlier reports put the number of killed in the Thursday blast at three. According to NDTV broadcaster, more than a hundred people got injured in the incident that occurred in the city of Dombivali 31 miles from the state capital of Mumbai after a boiler exploded and a fire ensued. The authorities of the Thai province of Ayutthaya were initially stupefied when the price of meth suddenly tumbled during May, from $8 to $3 per tablet. A subsequent police investigation revealed that the cause of this illegal drug market crash was 41-year old Prachaub Kanpecth, a man who normally works collecting rubbish and forest honey, but who happened to be in possession of about half a million meth pills. During an interrogation Kanpetch revealed that while he was out foraging, he saw a group of men in a pickup truck hiding a large package in the shrubbery, which contained about 700,000 methamphetamine pills, also known as "ya ba" or "crazy drug", worth approximately $6 million. However, rather than handing his find over to the authorities or hoarding it, Kanpecth started handing away the pills to his friends who were down on their luck. Hongdu, a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), had originally developed the L-15 as a lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT), and according to company literature that version featured "afterburning engines, high-performance fire control radar, and weapons-carrying capacity for combat missions." According to airforce-technology.com, the current iteration of the Falcon is a little over a decade in the making. In Wednesday intraday trade, Brent crude hit a high of $49.96 per barrel. It last crossed the $50 threshold on November 27, when it hit $50.05. According to Bloomberg, brent for July settlement climbed 34 cents to $50.08 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange and was at $50.06 at 9:30 a.m. Hong Kong time (01:30 GMT). MOSCOW Sputnik) Russian Rosneft and Greece's Hellenic Petroleum may agree on the basic conditions for oil supplies. Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin is due to sign the agreement from the Russian side, Ushakov noted. A program of actions in the tourism sector for the period of 2016-2018 may be also signed. According to Ushakov, a memorandum between the Russian Energy Agency and Greece's Centre for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving is expected to be singed as well as a memorandum between the Russian Investment Agency and Enterprise Greece. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russia's nuclear giant Rosatom could establish company's regional representative office responsible for the Middle East and North Africa in Egypt, the president of Rusatom International Network, a subsidiary of Rosatom said Thursday. "We have already established regional offices where we need them. ROSATOM's network covers the entire globe, and we have no plans to increase the headcount. The only thing we might do is to set up country offices to support our regional offices in those countries where ROSATOM has large-scale projects. For example, a country office of the regional office for the Middle East and North Africa may be established in Egypt," Alexander Merten said in an interview with Vestnik of Atomprom Magazine. . If you do not agree with the blocking, please use the Access to the chat has been blocked for violating the rules . You will be able to participate again through:. If you do not agree with the blocking, please use the feedback form The discussion is closed. You can participate in the discussion within 24 hours after the publication of the article. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Over 60 percent of UK voters think that the country will remain in the European Union after the upcoming Brexit referendum , a poll revealed on Thursday showed. In a poll commissioned by tycoon and former Conservative Party Deputy Chairman Michael Ashcroft and revealed by the Guardian newspaper, 65 percent of respondents said that the result of the referendum would be "remain," while 35 percent said "leave" would come on top. The result comes despite around 40-45 percent of the UK public planning to back Brexit, according to various polls. A number of warnings by the UK government and international financial institutions have recently been issued describing various negative impacts of a potential Brexit on the UK economy. The Regional Council of north-western Italy's Liguria region is slated to debate a resolution that would recognize Crimea as a part of Russia and call for the lifting of anti-Russian sanctions, RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday. Edoardo Rixi, a former Italian MP who heads the regionalist Lega Nord (Northern League) party in Liguria and serves as the region's Councilor for Economic Development and Business, told the agency that the initiative was brought forward by his party, and has been signed by 16 of 31 members of the cross-party council. "Russia is our (Europe's) most important political and trading partner. In our opinion, Europe without Russia is not Europe. I think that the EU has to change its position regarding Russia as soon as possible. We regard Russia as an inalienable part of our continent." LUGANSK (Ukraine) (Sputnik) Eastern Ukraine's self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) is ready to quickly relaunch industrial cooperation with Russia but the undetermined political status of the republic is standing in the way, LPR head Igor Plotnitsky said. "We are ready to renew mutually beneficial industrial cooperation with Russia but the undetermined political status of the Lugansk People's Republic is hampering this," he told RIA Novosti in an interview. He added that since local enterprises are legally considered Ukrainian, there is also a 20-percent tariff placed on production exports. General Federation of Belgian Labor head Michel Abdissi reportedly said that train traffic would stop late on Monday and would resume late on Tuesday. Prison guards in Wallonia and Brussels have also been on strike since April in protest against the increase in the retirement age and staff shortage issues that have resulted in extra shifts. On May 17, dozens of rallying prison guards and work union activists broke into the building of the Belgian Justice Ministry. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The European Union is concerned that refugees might reroute through Egypt to reach the bloc as the Balkan route is closed, Vice-President of the European Parliament Alexander Graf Lambsdorff said Thursday. "There is a serious threat that not only Libya, but also western Egypt will become a transit region for refugees. One cannot just begin preparations [to tackle the situation], if the flow of migrants through Egypt has already been established," Lambsdorff told Die Welt newspaper. There is solid evidence that the refugee influx to Egypt is rising and therefore several European countries, including France and Italy, are calling for Operation Sophia to be expanded toward Egypt and Crete, the newspaper noted. The 38-year old former television dancer and model agency owner has been convicted of raping and molesting nineteen women between 2001 and 2013. He was also found guilty of aggravated assault against his former partner, who he allegedly raped hundreds of times. The case has been dubbed "One of the most serious rape cases in Norwegian legal history." This is also the most severe rape sentence Norway has seen in modern history, newspaper Dagbladet reported. In addition to the custodial sentence, Kopseng was ordered to pay damages to all his victims. Most of them get the "standard" compensation for rape, which is 150,000 kroner (roughly $18,000), whereas his former concubine was granted 270,000 kroner (roughly $32,000). The prosecution is pleased with the harsh verdict against the former TV dancer, artist and stripper which is obviously meant to send a message that the government is determined to weed out rape. MOSCOW (Sputnik)The number of long-term international migrants, defined as those staying in the country for over 12 months, reached 333,000 in 2015, up from 313,000 the year before, ONS said in its May 2016 Migration Statistics Quarterly Report. The net value comes from an influx of 630,000 long-term migrants, down 2,000 from the year before, and an exodus of 297,000, down 22,000 from 2014, according to official data. Net migration from non-EU countries was marginally higher, with 188,000 migrants settling in the United Kingdom, compared to the 184,000 migrants coming from the European Union. Playwright Hassan Preisler, who is behind the idea of turning Rushdie's 1988 novel into a play, believes that the national theatre is simply afraid to stage the performance because of its anti-Islamic sentiment and the possible storm it may stir. Morten Kirkskov, head of the theater's dramatic department, who as late as January this year got in touch with Rushdie's literary agent about copyright issues, said that fear had nothing to do with the decision. "Fear played no role in our decision," Kirkskov assured Danish Radio. "It never crossed our mind." VILNIUS (Sputnik) NATO needs to maintain a dialogue with Russia to rebuild mutual trust and avoid the escalation of current crisis, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said. "I fear that focusing solely on preparations to defend itself can lead to hardships, which meet no one's interest. We need a dialogue with Russia in order to rebuild the trust that has been lost, and to minimize the threat of being involved in the escalation spiral. It is good, that NATO and Russia will meet again to talk before the summit in Warsaw," Steinmeier told the Baltic News Service in an interview. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Greece sees Russian involvement in Syria as positive thinking that the political settlement of the Syrian crisis can eliminate one of the reasons for illegal migration to Europe, Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov said Thursday. "Athens sees Russian activities in Syria as positive thinking that the political settlement of the Syrian crisis can eliminate one of the reasons for illegal migration to Europe from which Greece is suffering greatly," Ushakov said. More than 1.8 million refugees are estimated to have arrived in the European Union in 2015, according to the European border agency Frontex. French nuclear plant workers voted in favor of strike action, following on from a week of blockades of refineries and fuel depots by the powerful CGT union, which has seen fuel supplies across France dwindle. The eight days of protests follow Hollande's decision to use a rare part of the constitution to bypass parliament, thus invoking reforms to the highly codified French labor laws. #France: #CGT's statutory privileges threatened by Labor Law, unleashes war arsenal to prevent workers from voting https://t.co/PlzsuWwqYe LZ (@LZ_Paris) 26 May 2016 CGT energy and mining federation spokeswoman Marie-Claire Cailletaud said that 16 out of France's 19 nuclear stations had voted for strike action and that those stations will reduce power output, but not stop generating. VILNIUS (Sputnik)The survey conducted by the Spinter tyrimai research center polled just over 1,000 Lithuanian nationals. Explaining the reasons for the negative attitude toward migration, 37.7 percent of Lithuanians say asylum seekers are a huge burden on the country, the poll found. Potential threats of terrorism and increases in crime rates were cited by 24.9 percent and 18.1 percent of respondents respectively as other causes of concern. More than 77 percent are against migrants who flee unfavorable economic conditions in their home countries. EU lawmakers have slammed the failure of the EU institutions to take on the big multinationals over the issue, but have been hampered in the past by the lack of cooperation from the companies themselves. In response to the Panama Leaks revelations, which showed wealthy individuals and firms channel funds through offshore firms to avoid paying taxes, the Greens in the European Parliament (EP) have called for an immediate response at EU level. Greens/European Free Alliance co-president Philippe Lamberts said: "Panama Leaks shows we have so far just been scratching at the surface of the odious tax avoidance practices employed by individuals and businesses around the world and Europe. The Panama Papers have shown that obligations under existing EU anti-money laundering legislation are not enforced by EU governments and authorities. VILNIUS (Sputnik) Resistance to the extension of sanctions against Russia has been increasing among EU member states, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said. "We're aware that resistance in the EU to extending sanctions toward Russia has increased. Compared to last year, it will be more difficult to agree on a common position on this issue," Steinmeier told the Baltic News Service in an interview. The foreign minister added that Germany would stick to its position that the sanctions depend on the implementation of the Minsk agreements. Ethnic Albanians from Kosovo are taking advantage of the impoverishment of Serbs in the south of the country, buying swathes of agricultural land and accommodation from them in what some Serbs fear is a repeat of the "Kosovan scenario ," Sputnik Serbia reported on Tuesday. A string of towns in southern Serbia have seen an influx of Kosovan Albanians, who since 2010 have bought large amounts of land, houses and apartments in southern Serbia, close to the country's administrative border with Kosovo. The Serbian towns most affected by the influx include Nis, Leskovac, Vranje, Kursumlija, Prokuplje and Novi Pazar. By offering inflated prices for property, Kosovan Albanians are able to increase their presence in Serbia's southern towns, some of the country's poorest. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders, or MSF) denounced actions of the Greek authorities evacuating the Idomeni refugee camp on the border with Macedonia, in a statement on Thursday. On Tuesday, Greek law enforcers began clearing the overcrowded, unofficial Idomeni refugee camp with 400 police officers working on the ground in every 8-hour shift. "People are not being informed of where they are going, and this is far from acceptable. They need to be able to make informed decisions and must be provided with accurate information in order to do so," MSFs Project Coordinator in Idomeni Michele Telaro said, as quoted in the statement. MINSK (Sputnik)Belarus is not ready to resettle large numbers of Syrian refugees on its territory, head of the Belarusian Interior Ministrys Migration and Citizenship Department Alexei Begun said Thursday. "I would not say that we are ready to focus on resettling refugees on our territory, like the European Union countries do," Begun told journalists. He added that the political situation in Syria was stabilizing and Europe tended to receive larger numbers of economic migrants than Belarus. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The release of Ukrainian military officer Nadezhda Savchenko by the Russian authorities may give an impetus to the implementation of the Minsk agreements on Ukrainian reconciliation, Knut Fleckenstein, the vice-chair of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, told Sputnik on Thursday. On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to pardon Savchenko who was convicted in Russia of being an accomplice to the murder of two journalists in Donbass. "I am glad that Nadiya Savchenko has been released from prison in Russia and that she has returned to Ukraine. I hope that this will contribute to improved cooperation between all sides for the implementation of the Minsk agreements," Fleckenstein said. In December 2013, Amnesty International (AI) published 'An International Failure: The Syrian Refugee Crisis' which examined the numbers of Syrian refugees European leaders agreed to resettle. At the time, member states only offered to resettle 12,000 vulnerable refugees. Following the first mass drownings of refugees in the Mediterranean Sea in 2013, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on the international community to "take action to prevent such tragedies in the future." In 2014, AI director for Europe and Central Asia John Daluisen said: "The priority must be to protect lives rather than creating an impenetrable fortress." MOSCOW (Sputnik)The European Commission decided on Thursday to sue Poland in the EU Court of Justice over Warsaw's fail to implement new EU rules on bank deposit guarantee schemes aiming to increase protection of depositors, the Commission said in a statement. "The Commission sent a reasoned opinion to Poland on 10 December 2015 requesting it to transpose the Directive. The deadline for the transposition of these rules into national law was 3 July 2015. As the legislative process in Poland is still ongoing and full transposition of the new rules has still not occurred, Poland is now being referred to the Court of Justice of the EU (the Court)," the statement reads. The improved Deposit Guarantee Schemes Directive (DGSD) was adopted by the European Union in summer 2014 to provide reinforced protection for depositors across the bloc. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The evacuation of the Greek Idomeni refugee camp is almost complete, Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders, or MSF) said Thursday. Greek law enforcement began clearing the overcrowded, unofficial Idomeni refugee camp on the border with Macedonia on Tuesday. "#Idomeni camp is almost completely empty," the MSF said on Twitter, adding that "bulldozers are now clearing away the tents and other debris of #Idomeni." MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Dutch authorities approved on Thursday extradition of a French national, who was detained in March, on suspicion of terror activities, to France, French media reported. According to the Ouest-France newspaper, a court in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam approved the extradition of Anis Bahri, who allegedly had links to the Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh) jihadist group and was involved in preparing terror attacks. The Dutch court had not found any reason to leave Bahri in Netherlands, despite his lawyer's objections, the newspaper added. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Policies and public debate in the European Union have been mostly influenced by the unprecedented migrant crisis, which the bloc has been facing since 2015, the Council of Europe said Thursday. "Some governments resorted to restrictive border crossing measures, deterring migrants and asylum seekers from staying on their territories and criminalising the provision of aid to irregular migrantsIn the second half of 2015, scepticism about the local ability to cope with the increasing number of migrants and asylum-seekers was voiced, against the background of openly xenophobic and islamophobic public debate," the Council of Europe said in a press release announcing the publication of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) annual report. "A small turnout might well benefit the Brexiteers because if the silent majority [in favour of remaining in EU] don't think it's important enough, and if the opinion polls say it's safe, that the UK will stay in, then people think, 'I don't really have to get off my seat and go out and vote to stay in the European Union, that will happen anyway and I'm not really that fired up and motivated to go out and vote.'" Mr Bort compared the situation to the 2014 Scottish referendum, suggesting that a poll which came out just over a week before polling day and which showed the Yes campaign moving into the lead, motivated enough of the quiet No voters to get out and vote. The same could occur in the European referendum. More results may help show if high #IndyRef turnout was driven primarily by a large number of quiet no voters coming out to keep the union. David Connop Price (@DConnopPrice) September 19, 2014 "I think if there was a real danger of leaving if the polls show Leave to be ahead in the week before the referendum that might motivate a fair number of people who would not have voted, who then say 'don't be daft, we can't be outside the European union, even the European Union, warts-and-all, is better than Britain on its own,'" Mr Bort told Sputnik. Very true Project Fear is relentless on all channels. Total overkill that will lead to voter apathy. #leave https://t.co/m0e6fyobSR Watcher (@RoundLike) May 22, 2016 A vote to stay in the European Union is a vote for the status quo, and the status quo is generally less inspiring than the prospect of change. Mr Bort suggested that it's also hard to argue the benefits of the European Union as "what is wonderful is its historical achievements, and that's taken for granted by many." Turnout is a highly important part of any election it all comes down to who cares enough to actually go out and vote. In general, turnout is lower amongst the younger population and ethnic minority groups, so its perhaps unsurprising that those are now target groups in the European referendum. Of course turnout in elections is not only a hot topic in the EU, it's an area causing a great deal of debate in the United States of America right now too The high-altitude, single-seat aircraft M-55 Geophysica (dubbed Mystic-B by NATO) is a retired Soviet 1980s spy plane, which has since long been used for aviation tests and atmospheric research flights in the Arctic and Antarctica. The reworked aircraft was to be utilized by the EU-funded StratoClim project to study atmospheric chemistry with the ambition of improving climate models. For its assignment to study the Indian monsoon, the international team chose northern Sweden, which is an ideal place for running flight tests with delicate and sensitive instruments due to its remoteness and quiet airspace. The mission was to be based in the research-oriented airport of Kiruna, within the Arctic Circle. "We believe it would be best for full public access to all 70,000 documents plus the historical account. [However] we cannot get this through," Mette Bock said in a recent interview. The documents also show that the foreign prisoners of war, that Denmark had, was far greater than the parliament was told. Denmark also did not look after the prisoners that were handed over to the Iraqi authorities and they were also not registered correctly. On #Phoenix wall, man writes by memory the names of 2,300 killed in Afghanistan war https://t.co/UTRTgdWOEf pic.twitter.com/i3Z1npVckT azcentral (@azcentral) May 26, 2016 Also further investigations revealed that the Danish soldiers went against government orders and continued to hand over detainees to the Iraqis, putting them at risk of receiving the death penalty. "There are really a lot of things you can dig into [] it is naive to believe that there will be no wrong decisions taken when you go to war. Decisions in a war will not be taken in a fully informed and rational basis," Mette Bock said in a recent interview. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Activists from a number of environmental groups and associations will gather on Saturday in the UK city of Sheffield, located in South Yorkshire county, to protest against pro-fracking policy of authorities, local media reported Thursday. Earlier this week, the authorities of North Yorkshire, which is located near South Yorkshire, allowed the UK company Third Energy to begin hydraulic fracturing for shale gas in, marking the return of fracking to the United Kingdom after a 5-year hiatus. According to The Star newspaper, representatives of Sheffield Climate Alliance, Fossil Free Sheffield, South Yorkshire Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Sheffield Against Fracking, Frack Free South Yorkshire, No Fracking Barnsley and Sheffield Green Party will gather in the city of Sheffield, protesting against the move of North Yorkshire authorities. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The arrival of migrants and refugees to the United Kingdom will almost drop to zero if the country decides to exit the European Union at the upcoming referendum, former Minister of State for Europe David Davis said Thursday. "We will not be going to zero immigration. I think somewhere between nought and 100,000 is where it will be. Some years it will be near 100,000 and some years it will be nearly nought, depending on the economy," Davis said in a speech, making a case for the country to leave the European Union, as quoted by The Guardian. This is so serious, so fraught with the possibility of war, he said, adding that this NATO buildup has gone beyond the Cold War, and that Russia is only reacting in response. This, the professor explained, is already beyond the Cold War, where nobody dies, this is already a pre-war stage, and what we are witnessing is a mobilization to war. The world has not witnessed a development like this, certainly not in any proximity, since the Cuban crisis with the Soviet Union during the Cold War, Stephen F. Cohen explained. What Aggression by Putin Warranted this New Escalation? When military experts ask for the reasons behind such a huge assembly of forces, they hear one and the same answer, one which is being echoed at the highest levels. And the person who formulated the plan is the US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter. When asked to explain why there is this massive NATO mobilization on Russias western frontiers, he said because of Putins aggression. That was the only answer, the professor says. Putins aggression! What aggression by Putin warranted this new escalation? he questions. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The UK Institute of Directors (IoD) business organization on Thursday called for calm and a measured debate on migration and UK membership of the European Union in the wake of the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures indicating rising migration to the United Kingdom. "It is important to take a step back and remind ourselves immigration is a much broader question than just the EU referendumIt is clear we need a migration policy fit for the 21st century. The IoD has called for a Comprehensive Immigration Review to allow for clear headed thinking on future migration policy and to examine this issue, in all its complexity, away from the separate issue that is the EU debate," IoD Head of Employment and Skills Seamus Nevin was quoted as saying in a press release. MOSCOW (Sputnik)The European Commission will allocate additional 47 million euros (some $52 million at the current exchange rates) to meet the needs of refugees in Turkey, the commission's press service said in a statement Thursday. "Today, the European Commission is delivering on its commitment to accelerate the implementation of the Facility for Refugees in Turkey by announcing a further 47 million in new projects, bringing the total amount contracted under the Facility to address the immediate needs of refugees and host communities in Turkey so far to almost 240 million," the statement reads. It was added in the statement that 27 million would be spent on "educational infrastructure, skills training and social support for Syrian refugees," while the rest of the sum aimed at enhancing capacity of the Turkish Coast Guard. In six years and three bailouts, tax reforms, privatization plans and the selling of Greek assets have been promised but failed to materialize. Often met with political resistance and violent protests from anti-austerity campaigners who are struggling to survive in a country where a quarter of the population are unemployed. And never immune from being told by Brussels to pull its socks up, Greece has been reprimanded again by European politicians for not implementing reforms and tax laws to ensure the country can "stand on its own two feet." Tsipras' Government is milking the cow, just like previous Greek governments have done. I dont see any difference https://t.co/ob4hkh879E Guy Verhofstadt (@GuyVerhofstadt) May 25, 2016 Guy Verhofstadt, Belgium politician and leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) has accused Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras of "continuing the policies of his predecessors," which is to "produce law, but fail to implement them." "They are milking the cow, just like previous governments have done. I don't see any difference," Verhofstadt said. "In the meantime nothing is done about corruption, making Greece more competitive or creating a society that can become more competitive and prosperous again. The clientelistic system continues to thrive." ALDE leader Guy Verhofstadt on #Greece: "Shocking that 74% of legislation ADOPTED since the 1st bailout package has never been IMPLEMENTED" Pieter Cleppe (@pietercleppe) May 26, 2016 The Greek government owes its creditors, the Troika, more than US$335 billion. With eye-watering debts like that, it's expected that Eurogroup financiers will be making sure Tsipras is not "milking the cow," but selling the family silver instead. Remain campaigners outside the Scottish Parliament pic.twitter.com/xNijPNUhvr Philip Sim (@BBCPhilipSim) May 26, 2016 Though for the 30 minutes before Scottish lawmakers began their debate on Scotland's future in the EU, this was the view I turned up at @ScotParl for Stronger In event this morning it was realllly exciting. Half an hour of this pic.twitter.com/lkrwuLZGx6 Carolyn Scott (@TotallyCarolyn) May 26, 2016 A Passer-by told Sputnik: "I haven't really seen anything about it other than on the news. No one has spoken to me about it from either side. There aren't stalls or rallies." A local student suggested that they felt it was really just about the Conservative party: "It's not about the EU really is it, it's about Boris vs. Cameron, that's all I've seen." There are no shortage of photos to suggest that the campaigns are reaching out to the general public, but they do seem to more prominent on the Leave side. So looking forward to getting on the battle bus again! @vote_leave pic.twitter.com/kTxVGvMdam Douglas Carswell MP (@DouglasCarswell) May 24, 2016 John Finnie MSP and the Scottish Greens will be working over the coming weeks to present the positive case for staying in the EU, but not as an official part of the Stronger In campaign. This is not surprising given the difference in ideologies between the Greens and David Cameron's pro-EU Conservative colleagues. Though perhaps the apparent lack of grassroots involvement in the campaign in Edinburgh is more representative of a wider lack of interest in the EU referendum in Scotland. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL Sri Lanka: UN review highlights ongoing human rights abuse and impunity http://t.co/XBfTbNNowV Justice4Tamils (@Justice4Tamil) 4 November 2014 Gormley said he was "legitimately raising revenue" and was operating with the full knowledge of the Scottish Government and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). "We are under significant budgetary pressures. If you can legitimately raise revenue in terms of cost recovery from sporting events or through the delivery of training domestically or internationally, then we will seek to do it," said Gormley in his statement to the Committee. The Committee also asked him if he could afford the manpower to send employees abroad to conduct the training, to which he replied, yes. The training by the Scottish police has been praised by officials and party members in Scotland; however they also said that a watchful eye must be cast over countries that practice such harsh and disgraceful regimes. "I've always been proud of the training provided to overseas students at the Scottish Police College, but that must not be allowed to become a fig leaf of approval for abusive regimes," John Finnie MSP, the Scottish Greens spokesperson on Justice, told Sputnik. MP Finnie also believes that where we can be sure the work of the Scottish Police actually contributes positively to improve human rights in these countries then the argument would be for them to continue training these foreign forces. "Police Scotland training must challenge human rights abuses, not put a gloss on them. That means being clear about the human rights record of the regimes it works with, and having a clear plan to improve those records." The issue will be raised by the MP when he next sees the Chief Constable, "I'll be raising this issue with the Chief Constable, and seeking details about the training that Police Scotland are providing. I want to make sure that Scotland's influence on human rights around the world is always a positive one." MOSCOW (Sputnik) Leaders of the Scottish Parliament support the United Kingdom's remaining in the European Union, Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Europe and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop said Thursday. During a debate at the Scottish Parliament, Hyslop noted that "all the parties represented in this chamber" have leaders who are in favor of EU membership. On June 23, residents of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, will vote for or against the United Kingdom remaining in the European Union. BRUSSELS (Sputnik)On May 20, EU interior ministers approved European Commission's proposal to make changes in the emergency brake mechanism on visa-free travel with third countries amid a possibility of fast growth of illegal migration. The measure was taken amid EU-Turkey visa free regime talks. "EU states do not intend to protect Ukraine and Georgia from the action of the visa waiver temporary suspension mechanism," the source told RIA Novosti. According to the source, "such an intention may considerably slow down the process of granting a visa-free regime for Ukraine and Georgia." Attempts by European scientists to catch ash borers using female pheromones of the species have failed, and Thomas believes that if serious measures arent quickly put in place, a continual and intensifying destruction of the ash tree population is inevitable. "It is only a matter of time before it spreads across the rest of the Europe including Britain." He said, "Our European ash is very susceptible to the beetle and the beetle is set to become the biggest threat faced by ash [trees] in Europe potentially far more serious than ash dieback." Ben Slager, entomologist and manager of the laboratory run by the US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service that is producing the wasps, stated that wasps will not be a quick fix, but instead considered a limit the emerald ash borer population and its impact on ash trees. "This isnt going to save anybodys tree in their yard or in the city." Slager said in an interview with the Guardian. "What were working to do is to protect the next generation coming up. Its really a long-term management strategy." ATHENS (Sputnik) Greece has closed its airspace to Libyan aircraft, which will remain off-limits to the planes for three months due to upcoming NATO operations in Libya, an informed source said Thursday. "Greece issued a (Notice for Airmen) closing the Athens flight information zone (FIR Athens) for Libyan aircraft flights. All the flights of the Libyan Air Force are prohibited. Italian and Maltese FIR are also closed. This is related to the upcoming NATO operation in Libya which could begin soon. It was expected to begin Wednesday [May 25]," the source told RIA Novosti. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday that the Alliance is ready to intervene in the situation in Libya if the country's Government of National Accord (GNA) files a corresponding request. SULAYMANIYAH (Iraq) (Sputnik) The Syrian city of Raqqa will become a part of the Federal Democratic System of Rojava and Northern Syria following its liberation from Daesh terrorists, a representative of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Iraqi Kurdistan, Gharib Hassou, said Thursday. Last week, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance announced plans to liberate Raqqa from the terrorist group. On Tuesday, the SDF, with assistance from a US-led international coalition, launched an offensive to free the northern part of the Syrian province. "Since the assault on Raqqa is carried out by the SDF, it makes sense that after its recapture, the city will become a part of the democratic federal system created by us in northern Syria," Hassou told RIA Novosti. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Turkish authorities should not be making threats to withdraw from the migrant deal with the European Union, as Ankara is largely dependent on the bloc, the chairman of the biggest group in the European Parliament, the European Peoples Party Group, said in a statement obtained by Sputnik. On Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the country would pull out of the migrant swap deal with the bloc if Brussels did not grant a visa-free regime for Turkish citizens, as agreed. The European Union has put forth 72 requirements for Ankara to comply with. The points of dispute relate to the revision of Turkey's anti-terrorism laws, with the bloc insisting on Turkey narrowing the definition of terrorism to stop prosecution of academics and journalists. "The Turkish leadership should not exaggerate with its almost daily threats. Europe is not naive. For a good functioning partnership, both parties have to stick to the agreement. Otherwise, cooperation makes no sense. Turkey must comply with its commitments. It would be a delusion to believe that Europe depends on Turkey. It is Turkey that needs Europe," Manfred Weber said. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The next round of the UN-backed intra-Syrian talks may be held on June 15, a source close to the negotiations told Sputnik. "I already know, I was told yesterday, this is almost official [that they will be held on] on June 15," the source said, when asked about the date of the next round of talks. Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups. A US-Russia-brokered ceasefire came into force across Syria on February 27, but it does not apply to terrorist organizations active in the country. MOSCOW (Sputnik)Russia and Arab nations of the Persian Gulf reaffirmed on Thursday their commitment to agreements aimed at ending the war in Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. "We have confirmed full commitment to the decisions on Syria that were taken by the International Syria Support Group and the UN Security Council," Lavrov said after a meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Moscow. The Russian capital hosted a fourth round of Russia-GCC strategic dialogue on Thursday where the countries discussed the security situation in Iraq and backed the UN-led peace processes in Yemen, Libya and other turbulent countries of the Middle East and North Africa. MOSCOW (Sputnik) A meeting of members of the Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) kicked off on Thursday, HNC spokesman Riyad Naasan Agha told Sputnik. "We are already at the meeting," Naasan Agha said. On Wednesday, the spokesman told RIA Novosti that the HNC was set to discuss the Syrian political process at the meeting in the Saudi capital. MOSCOW (Sputnik)The Hmeymim group will support the Syrian opposition Moscow platform's proposal to appoint five vice presidents in Syria's transitional government only as a part of a wider comprehensive peace settlement plan, Tarek Ahmad, a member of the Hmeymim group , told Sputnik on Thursday. "We will support this or any other proposal only if it includes a comprehensive approach towards solving the Syrian crisis and fulfills the UN Security Council resolution on war on terror and all conditions of Vienna talks rather than only a political aspect of the solution," Ahmad said. The Moscow platform of the Moscow-Cairo-formed group proposed appointing several vice-presidents, deputies for Syrian President Bashar Assad, during the latest round of intra-Syrian talks in Geneva on April 13-27. The arrangement, which enables the formation of a transitional governing body, allegedly received a positive response from UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura. The Riyadh-formed High Negotiations Committee opposition delegation, however, ruled out the proposals, saying that Assad must go, and it is the "red line." MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Riyadh-formed High Negotiations Committee (HNC) is the only opposition group that can speak for the Syrian people at UN-mediated peace talks, the Saudi foreign minister said on Thursday. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir, who is in Moscow for a strategic Russia-Arab Gulf dialogue, said Riyadh and Moscow differed in their views of who Syrians should send to Switzerland for peace talks. "We believe that only the Riyadh group can act as a legitimate representative of the Syrian people at the negotiations. In its turn, Russia thinks that other Syrian groups that want to partake in the talks should be allowed to attend," Jubeir said. MOSCOW (Sputnik)Damascus is actively cooperating with the United Nations on the provision of humanitarian aid supplies to the Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor, besieged by Daesh terrorists, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said on Thursday. "[In Deir ez-Zor ] in fact, all the people have been reached with sufficient food for one month, and these are the joint operations with Russian pilots, WFP [World Food Program] planes, US funding and cooperation,and a contribution from countries like the Netherlands, like Germany, like many others. There is no reason, no excuse that we should not be in a position of arguing strongly and pushing for having similar or equivalent in order to reach every other civilian wherever inside Syria," de Mistura told reporters. Syria has been mired in civil war since March 2011, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The US-led coalition against the Daesh has not been coordinating its airstrikes near the Syrian city of Palmyra with the Russian military, US Air Forces Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Gen. Charles Brown told reporters on Thursday. "For the strike in Palmyra, we do not do any coordination with the Russians, we dont talk to them about what we are going to strike," Brown stated. The scholar also suggested that in reality, Lieberman is "a big pragmatist, particularly on the Palestinian issue. He is himself a settler in Judea and he has said on the record that he is willing to leave his house for the sake of peace." Focusing on Toner's concerns, Inbar insisted that "the Israeli government is committed to the paradigm of the two-state solution, despite the fact that this paradigm doesn't work, but that's a different issue." Commenting on the recent deterioration in relations between Washington and Tel Aviv, the scholar said that "there are tensions between the American and Israeli government, partly because of the disastrous Iranian nuclear deal, and partly because the two leaders Obama and Netanyahu come from entirely different ideological inclinations. Obama is a bleeding liberal while Netanyahu is a conservative. Of course their views of the world and how international relations should be conducted are very different." Asked about how Lieberman's appointment might affect Russian-Israeli relations, Inbar indicated that the new minister is a 'friend of Russia': "Of course, he's of Russian origin and he was I think very influential in improving the relations between Israel and Russia." ANKARA (Sputnik)Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Thursday that Syria should undergo a "real" political transition to a democratic state, in which Turkmen would be able to take part in the process of ruling the country. "A real political transition needs to be implemented for a new democratic Syria, based on the rule of law, in which people can elect their leaders according to their free will You represent the will of the Syrian Turkmen. Our aim is that our Turkmen brothers, who are an indispensable component of Syria, have their say in the administration of the country," Cavusoglu said at a meeting with the Syrian Turkmen Assembly, as quoted by the Anadolu news agency. According to Cavusoglu, Turkey supports Syrian people's aspiration to live in a state based on the values of pluralism and liberty regardless of ethnicity. Turkey has accepted about 300,000 Turkmen as refugees from war-torn Syria. SULAYMANIYAH (Iraq) (Sputnik) A total of 16 Turkish troops have been killed in clashes with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters in 48 hours, the PKK armed wing People's Defense Force (HPG) said in a statement Thursday. "Guerrilla activity in the northern [Turkish] Kurdistan continues to increase. Sixteen soldiers have been killed [in 48 hours]," the statement reads. According to the HPG, the fighters attacked a Turkish military column in the Turkish southeastern province of Hakkari, killing two soldiers and injuring three, another four troops were killed in an assault on a garrison in the vicinity of the Hakkari's city of Yuksekova. Other clashes occurred in various location through the country's southeast. SULAYMANIYAH (Iraq) (Sputnik)On Tuesday, the SDF announced that they had launched an offensive with the help from a US-led international coalition to free the northern part of the Syrian Raqqa province from the Daesh jihadist group outlawed in the United States and Russia. "We continue our offensive in the north of Raqqa, as a result of fierce clashes the Matmashraja village was liberated, 20 bandits and their 120mm mortars were destroyed," the press release reads. Additional 10 terrorists were killed during clashes in a village located 5 miles to the south-east of Raqqa, according to the Kurdish-led forces. GENEVA (Sputnik) UNs Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura does not plan to resume Syrian proximity talks before mid-June, a diplomatic source told Sputnik on Thursday. "The special envoy plans to resume intra-Syrian talks not earlier than in mid-June," the source said in Geneva. "Advances in AI will lead us to a new era of human-machine cooperation and combat teaming where tactical acuity of a computer will help man make more informed decisions," Harris stated. The United States would never allow AI systems to have the power to fire nuclear missiles in any offensive capacity, Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work told a conference at the Atlantic Council on March 4. "My unit works just with English. I have met with them personally and they have destroyed two suicide vehicles that were targeting my fighters," commander of troops in Misrata Mohammed Durat told The Times on Thursday. According to the newspaper, the attack helped stop Daesh advance on the city of Misrata and is the first evidence that UK soldiers are fighting against Daesh militants in Libya. The Taliban will continue conducting terrorist strikes in major cities, pushing into various rural areas and putting pressure on district and provincial capitals like they did in Kunduz last fall, Jones explained. The Taliban are also going to be less likely to engage in peace talks, Jones argued, if the US military adheres to President Barack Obamas plan to draw down troops to 5,500 by January, 2017, a level that will make it difficult to do anything besides conducting drone and airstrikes. Other factors driving the likelihood of peace talks, he added, include what Taliban battlefield positions will look like after the fighting season and the extent to which Pakistan applies pressure on Akhundzada to engage in negotiations with the Afghan government. The fighting season is so important, he continued, because talks are more likely if both sides of the war in Afghanistan perceive the future as a stalemate, albeit political settlements in these types of struggles are rare. "Since 1946 there have been just under 200 insurgencies, Afghanistan just being one of them," Jones observed. "Peace deals have only occurred in about 29 percent of those. The rest of them were won on the battlefield." Ultimately, for the deterrent "to be effective, [the Chinese] need to get their submarines out into the Pacific. And to be effective against US anti-ballistic systems they need the [missiles] to have multiple warheads. That all causes concern in the Pentagon, who sees Chinese submarines in the Pacific with multiple warheads; it's not a scenario that they're happy with. They see it as a threat." According to the analyst, Beijing's the decision could also open up a number of issues regarding control over nuclear weaponry. In the past, "China has kept very tight control over its nuclear arms; everything has to go through the political systemBut once you have nuclear submarines in the middle of the ocean, it's generally up to the naval commanders themselves, so you're essentially pushing the responsibility away from the Politburo toward local commanders; that's a much more dangerous scenario," Short said. Ultimately, the academic noted that even if China went ahead with deploying its weapons, the balance of power would remain in the US's favor. "The US has major super-carriers; China does not have major aircraft carriers. The number of warheads the US has is 67,000China only has 260; so there's an asymmetry in their power." "China's nuclear strategy is really a second strike capability; if they're attacked by other nuclear powers, they want some ability to strike back, even if it's limited. In that sense, the consequences are a sort of new arms race, because the Americans will see nuclear-powered submarines with nuclear missiles and multiple warheads in the Pacific as a direct threat." The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, populated mostly by ethnic Armenians, proclaimed its independence from Azerbaijan in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the 1992-94 conflict between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, which was supported by Armenia, Azerbaijan lost control over the disputed region. The conflict reemerged in April of this year, with Armenia and Azerbaijan accusing each other of provocations and attacks. On April 5, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire in Moscow after Russia mediated an end to hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh. MOSCOW (Sputnik) He added that the regions air defense capability was crucial in case Russia would take the chance to "behave opportunistically." "At the least, we need to be trained to get [Patriot missiles] here quickly and to know where to position them, if not to have them based here [permanently] like it was the case in Turkey," Terras told the Financial Times newspaper in an interview. "All the ministers found that it is necessary to increase NATO forces on the eastern flank," Macierewicz said, as quoted by the Polish Telewizja Republika broadcaster. He added that such strengthening would be "the best response" to those wanting to harm the security of NATO, Europe and Poland. "Cyber terrorism is one of the most terrible activities, and it is quite new. But the Daesh, for example, has already gotten into the information space and is engaged in cyberterrorism," Krutskikh said in an interview with the Russian Kommersant newspaper. In April, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said that the US Department of Defense was using its new Cyber Command to disrupt the Daeshs Internet communications and the groups ability to move funds for its activities around the world. US weapons-manufacturing expertise has been suggested as being in decline primarily due to Washingtons reticence to engage in war, opting instead to be the Walmart of weapon retailers for the world. The situation is exacerbated by the Obama Administrations trigger-happy approach to sell arms, often including troubling "offset requirements" making it easier for the nascent domestic defense industries of countries to "absorb suppliers' technical expertise." In addition to the rapid growth of weapons manufacturing expertise in Israel, South Korea, and Brazil, the US contends with other leading arms exporters, including Russia and China, who offer high-end military technology. Analysts also suggest that the American military-industrial complex will soon forfeit market share to other nations, including Japan and India. The report claimed that Israel may soon become the worlds premier supplier of radar, missile, and drone technology, noting that the countrys unmanned aerial vehicles are competitive with US hardware. The Chinese spokesman also said that future incidents could best be avoided if the US would restrain from surveillance flights near Chinese territorial waters. "Thats the real source of danger for Sino-US military safety at sea and in the air," he said. The encounter was triggered when a US Navy ship sailed close to a disputed reef, causing Beijing to scramble fighter jets to prevent an encroachment. This is not the first time that Chinese jets have intercepted American spy planes. In 2014, a Chinese fighter pilot flew acrobatic rings around a US surveillance aircraft to usher it away from Chinas waters. The move comes after lobbying by Cyber Command chief Admiral Michael Rogers, who claimed the elevation will improve his organizations ability to execute missions, steer policy and strategy, and compete for defense appropriations. "We should give our military the tools they need to do battle in the 21st century, whether it takes place on the field or in cyberspace," reads a statement by Senator Mark Warner (D-VA). "I agree with Admiral Rogers that elevating CYBERCOM to a combatant command will improve mission outcomes, and allow us to respond more nimbly to defend against 21st century threats." The general explained that the involved officials try to leave politics out of their work in the Commission. "If we allow this [politics to interfere], it will slow down our activities, which have been going well." The two sides have already exchanged data on several occasions, including sharing information on a presumably US submarine that sank near the Russian Kuril islands during World War II and four Russian pilots who were killed during the same historical period and buried at a US military cemetery in Belgium. The presidents of the United States and Russia, George H.W. Bush and Boris Yeltsin, established the USRJC in 1992. The Commission comprises of several working groups, which focus on collecting and analyzing documents which date back to World War II, the Korean War of 1950-1953, the Vietnam War and the Cold War and operations in Afghanistan. MOSCOW (Sputnik) He added that Germany has moral authority to help the intra-Syrian talks make progress, as Berlin has good relations with Moscow and Washington, international mediators of the peace process. "There are three countries that can play a significant role [in the Syrian settlement process], the UK, France and Germany and of the three I think Germany [is] a good candidate to play that role on behalf of the [European Union]," Anas Abdah told The Wall Street Journal. Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups. Russia has repeatedly refuted the allegations, warning that the Western sanctions are counterproductive. In response to the restrictive measures, Russia has imposed a food embargo on some products originating in countries that have targeted it with sanctions. The latest round of Western punitive measures against Russia is up for extension among EU members before the July 31 expiration deadline. Abe was greeted by Ise Jingus head priest at the entrance to the shrine, which is located in the city of Ise in Japans Mie Prefecture. The leaders of the G7 countries Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as representatives of the European Union, will discuss the global economy, climate, foreign policy issues, trade, terrorism, migration and the situation in Ukraine at the summit in Ise-Shima, which will run through Friday. The exclusion of Russia from the G8 club was a grave mistake, chairman of the Munich Security Conference, German diplomat Wolfgang Ischinger, who, among others, served as German Ambassador to the US (2001-2006), admitted ahead of the G7 Summit in Japan. "The G7 is unable to solve the major international crises on its own," German news magazine Focus Online quotes the diplomat as telling the countrys news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur(DPA). "Neither Ukrainian crisis, nor the Syrian conflict can be solved without Russia," he added. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Those participating in the Russia-Gulf Cooperation Council are planning to discuss the situation in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Iran with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Thursday. "We really hope to hold fruitful talks on the regional problems like the situation in Syria, Iraq, Iran's intervention in regional affairs, situation in Yemen and others," al-Jubeir said before the meeting. The Gulf countries plan for a solid exchange of opinions for the benefit of each country, he added. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Statements by a range of officials in regard to the exchange of Ukrainian Nadezhda Savchenko, who was serving 22 years in Russia for collaborating in the murder of two journalists, for two Russians, imprisoned for 14 years in Ukraine for alleged terrorist-related crimes, that an agreement was reached during a telephone conversation between the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France, and Germany are not true, a highly ranked source in Moscow said Thursday. While commenting on the exchange of Savchenko for two Russians, a range of Western officials said that an agreement on this was allegedly reached during a telephone conversation between the Normandy Four leaders. This isnt true. As was announced yesterday, the decision was worked out long before [that conversation] and was made by [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and [Ukrainian President Petro] Poroshenko, the source said. He added that German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande were merely informed of Putin and Poroshenkos decision during the telephone conversation. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Moscow supports Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenkos plans to return eastern Ukraine if this is done with the understanding of humanity, but to claims to Russian territory like Crimea the Kremlin will not make any comments, Russian Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday. If he had in mind that he plans to return Donbas with the understanding of humanity, then such a statement can be supported, and this is especially what Moscow hopes for, Peskov told journalists. But in regard to Crimea, we dont comment on claims to Russian regions, Peskov added. Relations between Russia and the West deteriorated amid the 2014 crisis in Ukraine. "The next step in solidifying this strategic relationship is Chinese involvement in Rosneft. It won't be the last step, and this is where all geopolitical eyes should be focused right now," she stressed. Meanwhile, Iran has awarded Russia a $1 billion-project for the construction of five offshore drilling rigs in the Persian Gulf, Oilprice.com reported May 25. But that is not all, Engdahl notes. "Now on May 3, the Director General of the Yamal LNG Export Terminal project in northwest Siberia made an announcement that clearly did not please the Washington sanctions warriors. The Russian LNG project consortium signed a loan agreement with China Exim Bank and the China Development Bank who will extend a 15-year loan to the project of 9.3 billion euros, some 75% of the estimated total funds that Yamal needs to get into production," the researcher continues. Engdahl underscores that in light of the Western-imposed sanctions, the Yamal project looked highly unlikely. However, after Beijing stepped in, there are no visible obstacles left in the way of the ambitious project. "Also significant in terms of the process of de-dollarization taking place in Russia, China, Iran and other Eurasian countries, the Chinese loans will be denominated in Euros and not in US dollars," the researcher emphasizes. Instead of imposing sanctions on Russia and opening new US Missile Defense bases in Europe, the EU should jump at the opportunity to develop lucrative new markets in Eurasia, he notes. It would help revive the EU's stagnating economy more than the growing burden of NATO military spending. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Syrian opposition's Moscow platform delegation at the Geneva peace talks has proposed to appoint five vice presidents for the the country's future transitional government, an opposition source told Sputnik Thursday. The latest round of intra-Syrian talks took place in Geneva on April 13-27. An opposition group proposed the idea of appointing several vice-presidents, deputies for Syrian President Bashar Assad, and delegating his full powers to them. The arrangement, which enables the formation of a transitional governing body, allegedly received a positive response from de Mistura. "A discussion is taking place with de Mistura regarding the form of the transitional body. Our proposal was that we suggest a transitional body so that there are five vice presidents," the source said. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Members of Syrias so-called Hmeymim opposition group should be included in the list of candidates for the posts of the vice-presidents in the transitional government, Tarek Ahmad, a member of Hmeymim, told Sputnik on Thursday. The proposition to appoint deputies to Syrian President Bashar Assad was made by Syrian opposition's Moscow platform. The arrangement, which enables the formation of a transitional governing body, allegedly received a positive response from UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura. The Riyadh-formed High Negotiations Council opposition delegation, however, ruled out both proposals, saying that Assad must go, and it is the "red line." "The main criteria for choosing a candidate should be whether he is representing the Syrian people. In Syria we have different political parties and as representatives of the big Syrian political parties, Hmeymim delegates should be added to a list of candidates," Ahmad, who is also a member of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP), said. The report says that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is currently focused on improving key capabilities, including ballistic and cruise missiles, aircraft and air defense, information capabilities, submarines, and amphibious and airborne assault units, not to mention counter-space and cyber operations, as well as electronic warfare. "This program may sound menacing, but Beijing's ambitions are bounded," Bandow notes. Indeed, the Pentagon observers admit that China's leaders regard their strong military force primarily as a guarantee that Beijing's national interests and sovereignty will be preserved and that is mere deterrence. "In the short term, Beijing's principal objective is to advance its territorial claims in the Asia-Pacific without provoking conflict," the scholar notes, citing the DOD observers. Does it really pose a challenge to the US security? MOSCOW (Sputnik) The next intra-Syrian talks in Geneva might resume before the start of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, beginning on June 6, Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said Thursday. "This week is the key: if the ceasefire stabilizes and humanitarian corridors start to deliver supplies to besieged cities, the parties may sit at the negotiating table in Geneva earlier than when Ramadan begins, I assume," he told the Italian daily La Stampa. KIEV (Sputnik) The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has confirmed Thursday it has banned entrance into the country to former USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev for a period of five years after he made positive statements about Crimeas reunification with Russia. On Monday, Anton Herashchenko, an advisor to Ukraine's interior minister, said he had sent a proposal to the country's foreign minister and the SBU head to ban Gorbachev from entering Ukraine after the former Soviet leader said the Soviet Union would still exist with Crimea as part of it if he was still in power. "There have been an awful lot of phone calls from the media in regard to Gorbachevs entry ban. We have blocked his entrance for five years in the interests of providing state security, in particular for his public support of the military annexation of Crimea," the spokesman for the Ukrainian Security Service, Elena Hitlyanskaya said on Facebook. NATO views every country that lies in the way of the bloc as a new "geopolitically most exposed sector" that "must not be demonstratively excluded" from the Alliance. There is only one problem: Russia does not pose any threat to NATO. This means that such a menace should be created: the Pentagon officials, thought leaders and influential US think tanks have unleashed an all-out propaganda campaign, portraying the Russian Federation as a threat to Europe and NATO. The RAND Corporation even went so far as to claim that Russia may overrun NATO's Baltic footholds within just 60 hours. "I watched NATO move ever closer to Russia's borders on land, in the air and in the sea and it is all being presented in the United States as Russia's provocation. One military guy even said: 'Putin is moving his troops closer to NATO' NATO is moving closer to Russia, Russia doesn't move. It is where it is. It's NATO that has been on the move ever since the 1990s," Stephen F. Cohen, professor emeritus of Russian studies at New York University and Princeton University, noted in one of his interviews on The John Batchelor Show, warning that such NATO moves can only stir memories of the Nazi German invasion in 1941 in the minds of Russians. "The Armenian side once again distorts the essence of the Vienna meeting. The time for verbal games has long run out. The proposals put forward as outcomes of the Vienna meeting are interconnected with each other. The aim of the ceasefire regime is to pave the way for the start of comprehensive and substantive negotiations, to which Azerbaijan expressed its readiness," the press service told RIA Novosti. According to the Azerbaijani ministry, Yerevan has to put an end to Armenias occupation and illegal presence of its troops in the Azerbaijani territories, which causes violations to the regime of cessation of hostilities. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) On Thursday, the Syrian oppositions Moscow platform proposed to appoint five vice presidents as deputies to Assad for transitional government arrangement. The proposal allegedly received a positive response from UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura. "Until you change the facts on the ground, that dynamic, I am just not seeing much of a peaceful solution that would include a transitional government," Johnson said on Thursday when asked about the recent opposition proposal. Logan describes the new laws and systems in place for this year's election as as "uncharted territory" for voters. He goes on to respond to a pile of questions from both me and callers about the state's insanely confusing system of both open and closed partisan primaries, as well as Vote-by-Mail issues and misconceptions, and a number of concerns about voter registration purges, poll worker training and much more. Here in Los Angeles we have nearly 5 million registered voters more in this county alone than 42 of the 50 states. So, Logan clearly has his work cut out for him. The number of excellent questions from listener callers alone underscores both that point and the amazing number of moving pieces that will need to be held together to avoid disaster on June 7th. The County Clerk also speaks to a lot of the misinformation that has circulated, of late, concerning CA elections in general and about Los Angeles County specifically. For example, he tells me that 85% of Provisional Ballots in the last general election were, in fact, confirmed as having been cast by properly registered voters and were included in the final tally. Yes, he says, voters registered with "No Party Preference" in California can vote in the Democratic Presidential Primary, but must request a "Democratic Cross-Over" ballot at the precinct or by mail (if they receive a Vote-by-Mail ballot request by March 31). Yes, a "No Party Preference" VBM voter may still vote at the precinct in the Democratic, Libertarian or American Independent Party primaries, even if they've already received a VBM ballot for a different party, so long as that ballot is surrendered at the polling place on Election Day. No, those NPP voters cannot vote in the Republican, Green, or Peace & Freedom Party primaries, which are closed to all but registered party members. Frankly, there's too much to summarize here. So, please give the show a listen. It's incredibly informative. Also, today, I share the response I recently obtained from Orange County, CA Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley, concerning a viral video posted by a pollworker-in-training (and Bernie Sanders supporter), who alleges that she was misinstructed by her trainer on the proper procedures for "No Party Preference" voters who might wish to vote in the Democratic Primary. Kelley told me he was confused by the woman's video, because, he says, they "surveyed many poll workers in the class in question, as well as our trainer, and they have a very different view of the interaction" she discusses on the video. He tells me that, "in an abundance of caution" the County has reiterated the proper procedures to all pollworker trainers and have posted a video that "clairifes our efforts to ensure proper training of the rights and options for NPP voters". And then, the woman who posted that viral video, Ashley Beck, happened to call in to the show with her own response to Kelley's response! Ukraines southeast has been severely affected by Kievs special military operation, launched in Donetsk and Lugansk regions in April 2014. The operation was a response to local residents' refusal to recognize the new coup-installed government in the country. Overall, Russia has delivered more than 61,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Ukraines southeast since August 2014. The Niles-Simmons-Hegenscheidt Group, whose factory in Chemnitz makes lathes, milling machines and other special purpose tools for the transport and manufacturing industries, is determined to recoup its market share after the cancellation of two large contracts with Russian partners. The group's managing director Hans Naumann is a fierce critic of anti-Russian sanctions; in 2014 he described the policy as "shooting ourselves in the foot." "Until now we did good business in Russia, now all that turns to nothing," Naumann said. "One another country closes contracts with Russian firms, we'll never get back in there." Naumann's concern led his company to establish a sales and service subsidiary in Moscow earlier this year, and has now made an agreement with the authorities in Tatarstan to partner with a Russian company that will produce the German company's machinery tools in a factory in the regional capital, Kazan. Other machinery producers in Chemnitz, and Saxony as a whole, are also keen to regain their share of the Russian market and are out in force at this week's Metalloobrabotka International Exhibition in Moscow. The forum is focused on integrated technologies based on high-performance machines, tools, and equipment which are used in modern factories. MOSCOW (Sputnik)The creation of specialized prisons for terrorists is being discussed in various organs, including the Russian Security Council, the representative from the committee for countering extremism under the Russian Interior Ministry said Thursday. The topic of specialized prisons [for terrorists] is being discussed in different organs, including in the Security Council, Denis Kornikov said during a session in the countrys upper house of parliament. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Five militants linked with the Daesh terrorist organization have been killed in a special police operation in Russia's North Caucasus Republic of Ingushetia, Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC) said Thursday. "As a result of a special operation in the town of Malgobek and an anti-terrorist operation in the town of Nazran, five militants have been killed and three others detained after offering fierce armed resistance," the NAC said in a statement. BOLSHOI TYUTERS (Sputnik), Alexander Mosesov The crashed World War II-era Soviet plane located on Russias Bolshoi Tyuters island in the Gulf of Finland, found by a Russian Geographical Society (RGS) expedition, is a Petlyakov Pe-2 bomber, RGS member Alexey Pochernikov told Sputnik on Thursday. The expedition is the fourth to be carried out by the RGS to several Gulf of Finland islands, and is sponsored by the Russian Defense Ministry and the Leningrad Region administration. Some 100 Russian servicemen and 20 units of military equipment are taking part in the expedition alongside volunteers and Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency journalists. On Wednesday, the RGS expedition on Bolshoi Tyuters located the site of the wreckage. An expedition member cautioned that finding the remains of all of the plane's crew members is unlikely. "I think that there will be no privatization either this year, or the next one, but well see after that. Of course, we need to take into account that we are under sanctions right now and it would be quite difficult to privatize us," Gref said in an interview with the Russian Izvestia newspaper. The CEO stressed that privatization needs to be supported by a relevant political decision. Tech giant Google is set to infiltrate more than just your computer or smartphone after revealing its Google Home device will be launched later this year, permeating households with more Artificial Intelligence (AI). The device is a voice-activated smart assistant for your home. Imagine a virtual personal assistant shaped like a digital jug that sits next to you on the sofa, switching the TV channel over, or putting on some music without you having to get up or lift a finger or touch a remote. And if you have a question just ask and the device will retrieve the result for you from its search engine and speak back to you just like a virtual Q&A session. Rather excited about #GoogleHome I'm a huge home automation geek and this is https://t.co/K4uChMKSGd Miiiike (@akaSchmike) May 24, 2016 "Google Home is the tech giant's answer to the question of how to bring you the smart home of tomorrow today or, at least, later this year," according to Tech website IT Pro. Local Muslim organizations, including the Islamic Central Council of Switzerland, did not agree. "One would think that the continued existence of Switzerland's core values was at stake, when this particular case in fact involves just two high school students who have said they wish to greet their teacher in a different way than with a handshake," the organization said in a statement. The issue escalated, resulting in a canton-wide ruling by the department of education, culture and sport, that all students are obliged to shake hands. According to the Swiss education ministry, "refusing to shake hands on religious grounds would be to involve others in a "religious act" and is therefore different from the wearing of a headscarf or refusing to take part in swimming lessons." If a pupil refuses to shake hands with their teacher in Switzerland, parents or guardians could be fined the equivalent of $5,000. "Based on the legislation, the prosecution would need to prove that something is absolutely psychoactive Quite how they plan on proving that, is a whole other matter. How do you go about proving human emotion and mental function in a test tube?" Fox told Sputnik. "These substances vary considerably, so you would have to test each individual one in order to know what was in it. At a time when we are seeing austerity and cuts to police forces, quite how they plan on going about doing that remains to be seen." Read @Release_drugs new guide to UK Psychoactive Substances Act coming into force tomorrow https://t.co/5cgwbS21Jv pic.twitter.com/nFxOnGQU5T Release Drugs (@Release_drugs) May 25, 2016 Danny Kushlick of Drug reform campaign Transform told Sputnik that the newly-instituted Government ban could result in transferring the sale of psychoactive substances to the black market: "To the extent that significant demand remains, that demand will be met, the evidence is very clear that people who want to use will still use. Whilst it will clearly eliminate opportunistic purchasing but for people who want to continue using, they will get it from criminal dealers who have stockpiled, wisely, because the price will go up significantly, and they'll be able to buy on the dark net," Kushlick told Sputnik. The UK gov't has introduced a new drugs ban today, similar to bans in Poland & Ireland. This is what happened there pic.twitter.com/5QsBW2lJ3H TransformDrugPolicy (@TransformDrugs) May 26, 2016 Kushlick also feared that public perceptions surrounding drugs had become extremely skewed as a result of definitions based on legality, as opposed to effects or ingredients. Some key risks of a blanket NPS ban identified by the Govt's expert panel on NPS policy https://t.co/Ebb4B6DP6Q pic.twitter.com/0jChcHhjd9 Steve Rolles (@SteveTransform) May 26, 2016 He compared attitudes towards illegal drugs to those on tobacco and alcohol: "Half of all long-term users of tobacco will die as a result of smoking, and 40-50 thousand people die in the UK every year as a result of using alcohol, these are not safe drugs, but they're legal. "The problem here is a lack of regulation we still have a situation where the two main legal highs tobacco and alcohol are sold in sweet shops, literally. That's just ridiculous." He went on to argue that the so-called "legal high" market grew from the prohibition of more traditional drugs, such as cannabis and cocaine, arguing that "it's really important that it we recognize and acknowledge that this is a self-created problem. "The Home Office doesn't do regulation, it does prohibition the answer that is always going to come back is 'no, ban it,'" Kushlick said. "So there's a systemic issue here in so far as the Department for Business for instance, or the Department of Health are not involved in the policy development around drugs, and to the extent that they're not, there isn't a regulatory possibility all roads lead to prohibition." The new legislation came into effect at midnight BST, covering chemicals which mimic the effect of drugs such as cannabis and cocaine. Legal highs were linked to over 100 deaths in the UK during 2015, as well as a notable increase in violence within prisons. In a statement sent to Sputnik by the UK Home Office, Minister for Preventing Abuse, Exploitation and Crime Karen Bradley said: "Too many lives have been lost or ruined by the dangerous drugs formerly referred to as 'legal highs'. That is why we have taken action to stamp out this brazen trade. "The Psychoactive Substances Act sends a clear message these drugs are not legal, they are not safe and we will not allow them to be sold in this country." Ed Rensi, former CEO of McDonalds US, told Fox News that it is cheaper to buy a robotic arm than to pay an inefficient person to bag french fries. I was at the National Restaurant Show yesterday and if you look at the robotic devices that are coming into the restaurant industry its cheaper to buy a $35,000 robotic arm than it is to hire an employee who is inefficient making $15 an hour bagging french fries, Rensi said. Rensi asserted that a win by the unions and groups organizing the nationwide movement to Fight For 15 would lead to job loss in areas where the cost of living is lower. He did concede however, that wages might need to be higher in New York City. "There are always going to be suggestions made, as there are at every convention to the Rules Committee, about proposed changes, but I cant imagine that," Thune said of reports that changes could be put in place to exclude independent voters from casting ballots in the next Republican presidential primary. The report noted that activists may try to limit open primaries in states that allow anyone, not just registered Republicans, to vote for the Republican nominee. ZVCA is a new twist on an older legislative deregulation model, originally presented under the name Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act (RRBA) in 2011. RRBA failed but has been resuscitated several times under different names, using issues that were in the public eye. "When we were having West Nile, they called it a West Nile bill. Then, when we were having a bad fire season, they called it a Fire Suppression Act," said Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR), noting Tuesday that ZVCA was the fifth bill of this kind seen in the House. Both appointments are subject to approval by the US Senate. Atkin retired from the US Coast Guard as a Rear Admiral in 2012 after 30 years of service. He has also served in support of the White House National Security Staff, the Defense Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). NEW YORK (Sputnik) At least 19 people were arrested while protesting a proposal to build additional underground natural gas storage facilities in the US state of New York, a spokesperson for Schuyler County Sheriffs Office told Sputnik on Thursday. "Nineteen people [were arrested on charges of] disorderly conduct, obstructing vehicle traffic," the Schuyler County Sheriffs Office said. The protest was organized by the anti-fracking group We Are Seneca Lake in defiance of a May 16 decision by the US Federal Emergency Regulatory Commission (FERC) to grant a permit to the Crestwood energy company allowing it to expand its natural gas storage facility in salt caverns next to Senaca Lake, New York. WASHINGTON (Sputnik)US defense corporation Lockheed Martin has received a $321.8 million contract to continue testing and integration of the US Navys Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), the company said in a statement on Thursday. "The LRASM team has successfully met all requirements on an accelerated acquisition timeline in an effort to give our warfighters a much-needed robust, anti-ship capability," Lockheed Martin LRASM Program Director Mike Fleming stated. "LRASM will give warfighters the ability to engage in previously denied battle environments." The anti-ship cruise missile is armed with a "proven 1,000-pound penetrator and blast-fragmentation warhead," along with a weapon data link and enhanced Global Positioning System to destroy specific targets within groups of ships, according to Lockheed Martin. The brothers allege that the Multnomah County Jail officials have prevented them from meeting privately with their attorneys to prepare their defense. Ammon also alleges that the jail staff confiscated his notes regarding his legal strategy. While those may be reasonable gripes, a supporting statement from Ryan also complains about his lack of access to guns while imprisoned. My rights are being violated. My right to life is being violated. All of my First Amendment rights are being violated. My right to freedom of religion is being violated, Ryan Bundy declared. My Second Amendment rights are being violated. I never waived that right. My Fourth Amendment rights are being violated." The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office says that there is a logistical problem in how the men review evidence against them, as the state has already handed over an estimated 45,000 pages of discovery. The imprisoned men are not allowed access to computers, and there are limits to how much paper can be kept in their cells. The jail recently increased the amount to three banker boxes of paperwork provided by their lawyers, they are also considering letting the men have iPads. "Thats how were going to make our country rich again, just one way out of thousands [and] make America great again." In February, President Obama vetoed a bill to allow the construction of the pipeline. Obama claimed the pipeline would increase emissions of greenhouse gases that are believed responsible for global warming. In doing so, the US president rejected conclusions by the Department of State that the Keystone XL project would lower emissions when compared with alternate methods of transportation. Podesta has made me personally pledge we are going to get the information out. One way or another. Maybe we could have, like, a task force to go to Area 51, Clinton remarked to the Conway Daily Sun in December 2015. "I think we may have been (visited already). We don't know for sure, Clinton was quoted as saying. Podesta is known to be a sci-fi enthusiast and has publicly spoken about the publics right to know what the US government knows about the existence of aliens. Its time to find out what the truth really is thats out there. We ought to do it, really, because its right. We ought to do it, quite frankly, because the American people can handle the truth. And we ought to do it because its the law, Podesta, who also served as a top aide to President Obama, told reporters in 2002. Suggesting that Mansurs death was a strike against an extremist organization, as opposed to a strategic shift in the Middle East, the official said, "I dont think that this is a policy shift, I think it was; we have got an opportunity to get Mansur and send a signal to the Taliban that they have to make a choice, and Mansur made a choice and he paid the consequences." Former deputy assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia and senior adviser to the special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Eileen OConnor suggested that the killing is not indicative of progress in the embattled region, "I dont think it says anything about efforts for reconciliation it doesnt say there is any less of a desire to find a political settlement," she said, "I see it as more of the same." Pakistani government officials stated that they have "influence, but not control" after US officials asked them to bring representatives of the Taliban to the peace table. Following the recent killing, Taliban leaders face a choice: either intensify their activities, an expected response given their violent history, or, more unlikely, engage in peace talks. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed the creation of a zone of economic and humanitarian cooperation stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific that will be built on the basis of "equal and indivisible security." "I am convinced that we should draw appropriate conclusions from the events in Ukraine and proceed to establishing, in the vast space stretching between the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans, a zone of economic and humanitarian cooperation based on the architecture of equal and indivisible security. Harmonizing European and Eurasian integration processes would be an important step in this direction," Putin said in an article published in Greek newspaper Kathimerini ahead of his visit to Greece on May 27-28. The planned trip would be fourth for Putin, after visits in 2001, 2006 and in 2007. AL-QABU (Syria) (Sputnik) Russian servicemen delivered some 3 metric tons of humanitarian aid to the Al-Qabu town in Syria's Homs province, a spokesperson for the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation said Thursday. "Today, we distributed 3 tonnes of humanitarian aid among Al-Qabu inhabitants who really need support. Children received a variety of treats, including waffles, cookies and candy," the spokesperson told journalists. Al-Qabu population received individual food rations and humanitarian packages with canned food, sugar, flour and cereal. Russian medics also established a mobile health center to provide much needed medical treatment. MOSCOW (Sputnik)The foreign ministers of Arab Gulf countries discussed the perspectives of military cooperation with Russia, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Thursday. "We have discussed the aspects of strengthening of our cooperation in the areas of education, energy and military," the minister said. He added that the parties also "discussed cooperation in the fight against terrorism and new regional threats." MOSCOW (Sputnik) The rate of approval of the US leadership among the Russian public in 2015 has dropped to the lowest figure ever recorded, standing at just 1 percent, a poll revealed Thursday. The market research company Gallup has been polling respondents worldwide on whether they approve or disapprove of the US leadership for the past decade. "The current record-low rating of 1% in Russia reflects the increasingly tense relations with the U.S. since the crisis in Ukraine and the threat that many Russians, as well as residents of several former Soviet states, feel the U.S. now poses to their countries," the company said. SHIMA (Japan) (Sputnik)Shinzo Abe spoke in the wake of the April scandal involving the Panamanian company Mossack Fonseca that allegedly helped clients evade taxes through offshore schemes. Earlier this month, Japan and Panama reached an understanding on how to share tax and shell firm data. It is important for each G7 state to take full diligent measures to prevent tax evasion, as well as boost global economic growth, Abe said at the summit, as quoted by Kyodo news agency. Abe added that the timing of economic reforms depended on the specific conditions of each country. In turn, the G7 leaders agreed to promote structural reforms and recognized the need for financial flexibility to achieve growth of the world economy. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russia will ask Turkey to provide legal assistance in the investigation of Russian pilot Oleg Peshkov's death in Syria, Military Prosecutor Sergei Fridinsky said Thursday. "I think that we need to do that [address Turkish law enforcement], the investigation itself presupposes that. I think that everything will sort itself out," he said. On November 24, 2015, a Turkish F-16 fighter shot down a Russian Su-24 combat jet over Syria, which fell 2.5 miles south of the Turkish border. The jet was carrying out anti-terrorist operations in Syria. The crew of the plane ejected and one of the pilots, Oleg Peshkov, was killed by ground fire, while the second pilot survived. He was later rescued. MOSCOW (Sputnik)G7 leaders noted signs of global economic recovery but also economic risks and weaker growth in developing countries, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday. "On the one hand, the world economy has been growing steadily, but the growth in some countries, especially developing ones, has been weaker, and there are also many risks," Merkel told reporters. Speaking on the oil price drop, Merkel said that low prices initially looked advantageous to consumers, "but now we notice increasing instability around the world, specifically in countries that produce oil and belong to developing nations." The US and NATO are playing the first fiddle in spreading Russophobia, the author writes. By portraying Russia as a threat, the US only reveals its extreme despair over the gradual forfeit of their dominance in world politics and explains the US efforts to create a chaos which will spread to everything. The author calls the remarks on the topic by the US Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State an exhibit of schizophrenia. On the one hand, they call Russia a military threat to the US, on the other they are persuading NATO European member states that they should not fear the evil Russians, because Washington is coming to their rescue by expanding its military presence in Europe. The expert further notes that Europe is no longer surprised by the words of US generals and the representatives of the military-industrial complex on the obsolescence and inefficiency of the US weaponry, because they are bringing the grist to the mill of Washingtons financial crisis and of the world, ruled by dollar. PARIS (Sputnik) French company Alseamar, specializing in deep-water operations and equipment, said Thursday it would take part in the search for black boxes and wreckage from the EgyptAir flight MS804 that crashed over the Mediterranean Sea. "I can confirm that our company will take part in this operation," an Alseamar spokesperson told RIA Novosti. On May 19, Cairo-bound EgyptAir flight MS804 from Paris disappeared from radar screens over the Mediterranean Sea, 10 miles into Egyptian airspace. There were 56 passengers and 10 crew members on board. MOSCOW (Sputnik)According to the Italian il Giornale newspaper, two aircraft, provided by Luxembourg and Spain arrived at the scene shortly after the accident, followed by two Italian maritime border patrol vessels. The two aircraft were reportedly deployed as part of the European Union's Sophia anti-migrant operation. Over 80 people were saved by the crews participating in the operation, the paper reported. The Operation Sophia was launched in June 2015 in response to the migration crisis in Europe as hundreds of thousands of refugees fled from the Middle East and Northern Africa to EU countries. Human traffickers and terrorist organizations have reportedly been capitalizing on people's desperation to reach the bloc. ROME (Sputnik)The next summit will be held on May 26-27 and Italy suggests holding it in Taormina, Renzi said at the current G7 summit in Japan's Ise-Shima. In March 2014, the Italian prime minister proposed to hold the high-level meeting in the city of Florence. The Groups summits are held alternately in partner countries on annual basis. The country that hosts the top level meeting also holds the presidency during that year and determines the agenda. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) US intelligence estimates conclude a decline in the number of foreign fighters entering the ranks of the Islamic State (ISIL, or Daesh), in Syria and Iraq, though their numbers are growing in other parts of the world, US Department of State Counterterrorism Coordinator Justin Siberell said on Thursday. "We believe there has been a decrease in the number of foreign fighters traveling to the conflict," Siberell told members of the US Senate Homeland Security Committee. Siberell explained that the numbers are based on "conclusions that come out of our intelligence community, their observations of less force strength." MOSCOW (Sputnik)Russian and Chinese missile defense command staff took part on Thursday in a computerized joint exercise aimed at practicing their interoperability, the Russian military said. "The main goal of the computerized staff-command exercise was to train cooperation of Russian and Chinese air defense and anti-missile groups, aimed at protecting their territories from accidental or provocative strikes by ballistic and guided missiles," the Russian Defense Ministry said. The drills in Moscow will wrap up on Saturday with a recap meeting, where Russian and Chinese military officials are expected to discuss ways to enhance anti-missile cooperation. "It is clear that the extent of todays disaster is much greater than that of any of the similar incidents before. And it means that just like the year before we do not control the situation," Neugebauer said. He also mentioned that the capsized boats were carrying refugees from Syria and Iraq, which means that after the relatively safe migrant route across the Aegean Sea and the Balkans was closed, they had to resort to using much more dangerous paths on their quest to reach Europe. Neugebauer pointed out that rescue operations cannot be considered a permanent way to resolve this problem, and that unless a political solution is found, similar disasters may occur in the future. "Refugees once again have to resort to using the more dangerous route across the Mediterranean as a result of the deal between Turkey and the EU which closed the relatively safe route across the Aegean Sea. So the only way to solve this problem is to open the legal ways for refugees to reach Europe," he surmised. After declaring Daech to be genocidal, it remains now for the US and the West to act. There are several issues that the US and its allies must address before any prosecution can be brought to bear on Daesh, the first being the defeat of the enemy on the ground. Some contend that defeating Daesh will likely cause so many deaths that there may not be anyone left to prosecute. Collecting evidence in a war zone is challenging, and most evidence is beyond reach or is destroyed before it can be properly documented. It is also uncertain who is responsible for the war crimes, as Daesh is often viewed as a paramilitary organization, with fighters taking orders from superiors, and just as often accused of being a large group of ignorant religious fundamentalists committing random acts of violence. If Daesh extremists are convicted for war crimes, where would such a large group be imprisoned? A mundane problem, certainly, but a significant challenge nonetheless, and one not addressed by the US accusations. Dr. John Douglas Thomson of Woodstock, Ont. passed away at the Woodstock Hospital on Tuesday, May 24. He was in his 85th year. Beloved husband of Phyllis Muriel Thomson (nee Mowbray). Cherished father of Chris (Nancy), Jeff, Janet, Cameron and Ian. Loved grandfather of Sam, Joe (Kayla), Aaron, Tawnya and Brandon. Dear brother of David Thomson, Betty (Bryan) Rowntree and the late Jim Thomson. John was born and raised on Shalomar Jersey Farm in Brooklin, Ont., where he attended Brooklin Public School and Whitby High School. John went on and graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College, Guelph in 1954. From there, he was a dedicated employee for over 21 years with the Western Ontario Breeders before going into private practice and operating Shalomar Stud horse breeding farm near Woodstock. During his retirement, John enjoyed partaking in his hobbies of fishing, crosswords, C.F.L. and spending time around the racetrack where he was known as "Dr. John." Friends and relatives are invited to join with the family at the Brock & Visser Funeral Home, 845 Devonshire Ave., Woodstock, 519-539-0004, on Friday, June 3 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and again on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. The complete memorial service will be held in the chapel on Saturday, June 4 at 2 p.m. Cremation has taken place and a private time of interment will be held at a later date in the Groveside Cemetery, Whitby. If desired, contributions to the War Amps, or a charity of one's choice would be appreciated. Personal online condolences may be posted to www.brockandvisser.com. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Dr. John Thomson. Former SPLC Director Hired by JIC to Prosecute Chief Justice Roy Moore Contact: Liberty Counsel, 800-671-1776, Media@LC.org MONTGOMERY, Ala., May 26, 2016 /Standard Newswire/ -- In a brazen move, the Judicial Inquiry Commission (JIC) of the State of Alabama has hired John Carroll, a former Legal Director of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), to prosecute its politically motivated charges against Chief Justice Roy Moore of the Supreme Court of Alabama. The SPLC filed the complaints with the JIC and now the JIC has chosen the former Legal Director of the SPLC to represent it. "I have almost no words for this corrupt and unjust system," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, which represents Chief Justice Moore. "We have said that the charges are politically motivated and that the JIC violated its own rules of confidentiality. You would think that the JIC would be astute enough to at least avoid an appearance of bias, but obvious the JIC does not care. This is a brazen act that calls into question the entire JIC process," said Staver. On the website of the Cumberland School of Law, where Carroll teaches, he prominently lists his past legal experience as "Legal Director of the Southern Poverty Law Center." When the Alabama Supreme Court issued an order requesting additional briefing on the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court marriage opinion, Carroll was quoted in a news article as saying: "Did the Alabama Supreme Court have to do this? The answer is 'no.'" He went on to say, "Were they within their rights? I guess." Interestingly, the same article also quotes from a statement issued by Chief Justice Roy Moore, who had recused himself from participating in the order: "In no way does the order instruct probate judges of this State as to whether or not they should comply with the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell." "The travesty of the politically motivated charges by the JIC against Chief Justice Roy Moore have become even clearer with the appointment by the JIC of a former Legal Director of the same organization that filed the charges. This is a miscarriage of justice of the highest sort," said Staver. Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics. President Bush, Patriarch Ilia, Levan Vasadze, and Dr. Carlson Inspire Over 2,000 Delegates at World Congress of Families X in Tbilisi, Georgia Contact: Larry Jacobs, Managing Director, World Congress of Families, 815-997-7106, media@worldcongress.org TBILISI, Georgia, May 26, 2016 /Standard Newswire/ -- President George W. Bush, Orthodox Patriarch Ilia (Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia), Levan Vasadze (Chairman of World Congress of Families X and Chairman of Georgian Demographic Society 21) , and Dr. Allan C. Carlson (Founder, World Congress of Families; President Emeritus, The Howard Center for Family, Religion & Society; former Visiting Professor, Hillsdale College) greeted the delegates to the live televised Opening Ceremony of the World Congress of Families at the Tbilisi Philharmonic Concert Hall. Patriarch Ilia welcomed more than 2,000 delegates from more than 50 countries to the Tbilisi Philharmonic Concert hall. The Orthodox Patriarch gave his support and blessing to World Congress of Families in its work to affirm the natural family as the fundamental and only sustainable unit while defending the sanctity and dignity of every human life from conception to natural death. The Patriarch spoke of the need to fix the "Deficit of Love" in society which could only be solved by eliminating the "Deficit of Family" that is happening in our post-modern, self-indulgent world. He warned against political attempts to re-define what God has created in family and marriage. As the oldest reigning Orthodox Patriarch in the world serving more than 39 years, Ilia II's wise words were inspiring to Georgians and all of the international leaders and delegates in attendance. Levan Vasadze greeted the World Congress of Families participants and spoke of building a new Christian civilization that rejects the neo-liberal ideology that infects the post-modern West. Levan spoke of the lost virtues of Western Civilization, and Georgia's desire to welcome a new geopolitical cooperation that transcends the current bi-polar paradigm. Levan asked, can we work together with both free nations of West and East to build a new East-West Christendom with universal Christian values? Levan's words clearly inspired the people of Georgia to step out and be the nation to lead these efforts to show the world that "Georgia Is Family!" Allan Carlson reminded the delegates of G.K. Chesterton's words that the family serves as a "Bulwark of Liberty and Freedom," the only sustainable protection against a bad government and a totalitarian state. Dr. Carlson described the current "Sensate Culture" described by Harvard sociologist Pitrim Sorokin, where individualism, materialism, and secularism replace the virtues of family and faith. But, in a hopeful historical forecast, Dr. Carlson reminded delegates that the decline of the family and history does not move in only one direction. Hitler, Lenin, Mussolini, and many other historical figures always believed they were on the right side of history, as claimed by the sexual radicals and the anti-family leftist elites of today. Thankfully, family cultural renewal moves in historical cycles as Dr. Carlson has described in his latest book, Family Cycles: Strength, Decline, and Renewal in American Domestic Life, 1630-2000. These cycles last for about 50 years in the United States. Dr. Carlson asks, "Are we not at a low point of family decline and poised for a great cyclic renewal of family and marriage in the U.S. and worldwide?" President George W. Bush also sent his support and best wishes for success to the gathering. Larry Jacobs, Managing Director of World Congress of Families read the following letter from the President to those in attendance: I send greetings to those gathered for the World Congress of Families X in Tbilisi, Georgia. As the first sitting U.S. President to visit Georgia, I was honored and humbled by the appreciation and enthusiasm expressed to me by the Georgian people gathered in Tbilisi's Freedom Square in 2005. I repeat the words that I spoke to them then, 'Georgia is a beacon of liberty for this region and the world. The path of freedom you have chosen is not easy, but you will not travel it alone ... the American people will stand with you.' Around the world, families provide that beacon of freedom and the source of help, hope, and stability for individuals and nations. As one of the pillars of civilization and the bulwark of liberty, families must remain strong and we must defend them. To ensure that future generations are prepared to face new opportunities and challenges, as President, I took steps to promote strong families, preserve the sanctity of marriage and protect the well-being of children. Laura and I have always believed in encouraging adoption and supporting the crisis pregnancy center programs to help us continue to build a culture of life. I commend your efforts to recognize the importance of families in building nations. Your work improves many lives and makes the world better. Laura joins me in sending our best wishes. The former U.S. President will be also honored with the "FAMLIA ET CIVITAS" (Family and Democracy) Award for his pro-life work to build a culture of life. The theme of the Tenth Jubilee, World Congress of Families X is "Civilization at The Crossroads: The Natural Family as the Bulwark of Freedom and Human Values." World Congress of Families unites leaders worldwide in defense of family, faith, and freedom by: (1) Affirming the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, (2) Promoting the natural family as the fundamental and only sustainable unit of society and (3) Defending the dignity and sanctity of every human life from conception to natural death. This award comes more than a decade after Georgians celebrated and honored President Bush, by naming the road to the Tbilisi international airport "George W. Bush" Highway in recognition of the former President. President Bush has greeted previous World Congress of Families events, including the World Congress of Families III held in Mexico City in 2004 which was also addressed by Mexican First Lady, Mrs. Martha Fox. President Bush commended the efforts of the World Congress to "recognize the importance of families in our society. Around the world, families are the source of help, hope, and stability for individuals and nations. As one of the pillars of civilization, families must remain strong and we must defend them during this time of great change. Your work improves many lives and makes the world better," declared Mr. Bush. Here is the full text of Mr. Bush's greeting from 2004 at World Congress of Families III in Mexico City, worldcongress.ge/george-w-bush.pdf. President Bush is the first sitting U.S. President to visit Georgia and his visit in 2005 to Tbilisi's Freedom Square was enthusiastically received by the Georgian people. "Georgia is a beacon of liberty for this region and the world," Mr Bush said. "The path of freedom you have chosen is not easy, but you will not travel it alone ... the American people will stand with you." Tinatin Khorbaladze, Executive Director of WCF X, commented on the President, "As Georgians, we have a special connection to President Bush as he was the first U.S. President to visit our great homeland, one of the oldest Christian nations on earth. Mr. Bush won a place in our hearts as he danced to Georgian music and declared our nation to be a beacon of liberty and freedom for the world. He gave us hope that we could maintain our Georgian traditions of family, faith, and freedom while partnering with America and the West." For more information on World Congress of Families X, visit the Congress websites: www.worldcongress.ge and www.worldcongress.org. United in Purpose & My Faith Votes Organize 'A Conversation with Donald Trump and Ben Carson' Over 500 Conservative Christian Leaders to Gather in NYC June 21 for Invitation-Only Private Meeting with Trump Contact: Larry Ross, 972-267-1111, alr@alarryross.com WOODSIDE, Calif., May 25, 2016 /Standard Newswire/ -- United in Purpose and My Faith Votes today jointly announced the collaborative organization of "A Conversation About America's Future with Donald Trump and Ben Carson," to be held June 21, 2016 in New York City. Carson, My Faith Votes honorary chair, will give leadership to a guided discussion between Trump and diverse conservative Christian leaders to better understand him as a person, his position on important issues and his vision for America's future, while also enabling him to better appreciate matters of importance to the influential and substantial faith community. "This moment is perhaps the most critical in the history of our nation, and people of faith can make a crucial difference for our children and grandchildren by exercising their civic duty to cast an informed vote based on a biblical worldview," said Carson. "The goal is that coming out of this meaningful 'conversation,' the faith leaders and Mr. Trump will be more informed about each other and would know one another better, and that he would see their unity in seeking God's direction for the future of America." This meeting, closed to media, will be neither a fundraiser nor a political or campaign event, nor will it engage in debate. Carson will open with a brief address on the importance of unity, but apart from participating in dialogue with attendees, Trump is not expected to make formal remarks. "Christian leaders are deeply concerned about the state of our nation after years of government policies and political correctness that have begun to radically and adversely affect the ability of Christians to live out their faith within America's political and cultural landscape," said Bill Dallas, United in Purpose CEO. "Our hope is that as we gather together there can be unity of spirit within the Church in America, even as each individual makes his or her own decisions as to who will be the future leaders in our government." Each of the prominent Christian leaders in attendance has their own, diverse opinions, positions and constituencies. Having a direct, private conversation with Trump is a part of the process of hearing and being heard by him about issues of faith that affect all people. The group will not be making any joint or collective endorsements, decisions or statements. "Our priorities for this meeting are to strengthen relationships and build unity, with an objective to simply have a conversation about the prospects of our nation and the continuing influence of Christian believers and their biblical worldview," said Sealy Yates, chairman of My Faith Votes. "We wish to talk with specificity to Donald Trump about issues of faith and the role of faith in the civic arena. And, we wish to assure him of our prayers for his family and him. This will be a friendly meeting of people of faith who are genuinely, prayerfully concerned about the future of America." Not intended to be political in nature, the June 21 event will be attended by leaders of virtually every one of the nation's most significant denominations, Christian ministries and policy organizations, as well as many pastors of America's leading churches. United in Purpose and My Faith Votes are both inclusive non-partisan organizations committed to bringing about cultural change in America based on Judeo-Christian principles and motivating and mobilizing people of faith in the democratic process through responsible citizenship. St. Louis Fire Department Settles Suit, Reveals Details of 58 Medical Emergencies at Planned Parenthood Data shows third trimester abortions are being done at what is considered the most dangerous abortion facility in America Contact: Troy Newman , President, 316-841-1700; Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Vice President, 316-516-3034, both with Operation Rescue, info.operationrescue@gmail.com ST. LOUIS, Mo., May 25, 2016 /Standard Newswire/ -- The St. Louis Fire Department has settled a lawsuit brought by Operation Rescue in 2013, which sought to obtain public information related to documented medical emergencies at the Planned Parenthood of Greater St. Louis abortion facility. Instead of the 31 expected emergencies that required ambulance transport, the St. Louis Fire Department provided Operation Rescue with a list of 58 medical emergencies, categorized by type of problem and priority level that took place at the Planned Parenthood abortion facility between January 1, 2009, and April 16, 2016. The suit was necessary because the St. Louis Fire Department had refused to comply with the group's repeated requests for public information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). "We consider this settlement a victory since we were able to obtain a true listing of medical problems that sent women to the hospital from Planned Parenthood. Since Planned Parenthood receives public tax funding, the public has a right to know that women are being hurt there," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. "The information provided to us shows that the situation is far worse than we originally suspected, and proves that the St. Louis Planned Parenthood facility is too dangerous to operate. It should be shut down immediately." Of the 58 calls for emergency assistance placed by Planned Parenthood beginning in 2009, there were 50 Urgent Priority 1 emergencies. This would include life-threatening conditions. By far, hemorrhage of a dangerous or possibly dangerous nature was the most common complication with 23 reported incidents. Medical problems for which ambulances were dispatched to Planned Parenthood included the following: Abdominal Pain - 2 incidents Allergic Reaction - 1 incident Fainting (Alert and Not Alert) - 6 incidents Fall - 4 incidents Hemorrhage (Dangerous or Possibly Dangerous) - 23 incidents Interfacility Emergency - 4 incidents Pregnancy Unknown Status - 2 incidents Psychiatric/Suicidal - 3 incidents Seizure - 3 incidents Sick - 5 incidents Stroke - 1 incident Unconscious Person - 1 incident Ambulances were also called for three incidents of serious bleeding, one of which took place in the third trimester of pregnancy, indicating that late-term abortions are being done at the St. Louis Planned Parenthood. "It is possible that not all of the incidents were abortion-related, but it is clear that the vast majority were abortion complications," said Newman. Operation Rescue never sought the identities of women who were hospitalized by the Planned Parenthood abortion facility, which was not equipped to handle the numerous complications. Not included in the list was a medical emergency that took place at the St. Louis Planned Parenthood facility on Friday, May 13, 2016. Operation Rescue has placed a public records request for information about this incident. "We expect that the St. Louis Fire Department will now comply with the law and release the information to us," said Newman. View the list provided by the St. Louis Fire Department View the StLFD Affidavit explaining the list Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation and has become a strong voice for the pro-life movement in America. Click here to support Operation Rescue. It's Election season and our editor's mailbox is overflowing. Who do your neighbors support? Read about it here. Lower Columbia College theater director Betsy Richard had plenty of good reasons to choose A Dolls House for her spring production. Its one of the most famous plays, she said. Henrik Ibsen may well be the most important playwright since Shakespeare, she added. Richard had never directed the play before, and she wanted to challenge some of her veteran actors who are graduating from the college. Richards production of A Dolls House opens Friday at Center Stage for a two-weekend run. Richard said A Dolls House stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Shakespeares Hamlet. Both are heavy undertakings. A Dolls House revolves around Nora Helmer, who has always deferred to her father and now submits willingly to her bank manager husband, Torvald. But Nora has a secret she once had to take out a loan equal to about $100,000 today to save her husbands life. Women werent supposed to take out loans in Norway in 1889, when the play was written, so Nora forged her fathers signature. When Torvald learns about the loan, hes outraged that such a seemingly selfless act will damage his reputation. Nora has to choose between what her strict society and husband demand and the direction her independent thinking tugs her. Nora contemplates suicide, but in the plays wrenching final scene, she leaves her husband and three children, slamming the door behind her. That was a scandalous ending for a play at the time and Ibsen even had to alter it for some productions, though the original version is done these days. A lot of people consider it the first feminist piece of dramatic literature, Richard said. Nora is a demanding role, with local theater veteran Carlie Arledge in the role. Arledge, who is graduating from LCC this year, has appeared in 20 shows overall, including six at LCC. Arledge said the plays themes are still timely today. It really relates to the gender gap we continue to see, she said. Some people are really non-confrontational and wont talk to each other, a problem in her characters relationship with her husband, Arledge said. Richard agreed: We are still struggling with these themes today, she said. Thats why its a great play. Richard had a happy ending to a directors nightmare after the actor playing the male lead, Torvald, dropped out a couple of weeks ago. To fill the role, Richard enlisted her son, Sten Eikrem, who will be a senior in the University of Michigans B.F.A. acting program next fall. Eikrem had studied the play in a theater history class, but hadnt acted in it, so he had to memorize all his lines quickly. Its been a good learning experience, he said. Its one of the most important early dramas, he said. Theres no clear right and wrong, good and bad. Its just people. Katherine Allred plays Mrs. Linde, a friend of Noras who needs a job, which stirs things up at at the bank where Torvald is manager. Wyatt Hazel, whos also graduating from LCC this year, plays Dr. Rank, an old friend of Nora. Tyler Hulegaard is Krogstad, the ethics-challenged lawyer who loaned Nora the money and also works for her husband. Richard chose a version of the play that emphasizes the class distinctions between the upper class characters and the nanny and maid, played respectively by Myranda Dombrowsky and Ashley Jenkins. Though some directors leave them out, Richard also opted to have children on stage to emphasize Noras dilemma over leaving. Riley Beynon and Lily Devries, both 9, play the kids. Sensex has more or less maintained the morning gains and is now 100 poinst up at 16280. Nifty is up 27 points at 4932. And it is not only India, Asian markets have all gained more than a percent each. But some of the gains were lost after rupee touched a fresh all time low of 55.09 against the dollar in the morning as measures taken by the Reserve Bank of India to stabilise the currency proved short lived. Regan F Homavazir, Associate VP - Technical Research at Darashaw and Company feels the rupee at its worse could go to 56.5 a dollar. Read more at: Reuters writes, "Asset classes from commodities to equities are moving in lockstep to a degree not seen since March 2010, while currencies such as the yen and defensive stocks such as utilities have unusually joined the rout." So after a three week sell of across asset classes, there is sudden buying seen in the market which might not mean the end of miseries. In fact, Gaurav Doshi of Morgan Stanley warns that the market may head to December lows if the government inaction continues. "The more realistic scenario right now seems to be that we trade in the range of 5000 to 4500 which is near the lower end being near our December lows, you have a scenario where things in Greece remain uncertain no doubt," he said in an interview to CNBC-TV18. Thomas Cook India rose 2 percent after the parent company sold 77% stake in Indian unit to Fairbridge Capital at Rs 50 a share and announced open offer at Rs 65.48 a share IT and auto are the biggest gainers in the market today gaining around 0.8 percent each. Hexaware Tech is the top gainer up 4.15 percent followed by Oracle financial services Software up 3.5 percent. Rural Electrification Corporation is up 3 percent while auto major Tata Motors gained 2.6 percent. Healthcare and realty are the only two indices in red. Cummins India, Strides Arcolab and Sun Pharma have lost 3 percent each. National Aluminium Company is trading flat as it recovered losses after reporting its fourth quarter numbers. Its net profit fell 7.6 percent to Rs 282.10 crore on 1.9 percent decline in net sales to Rs 1753.41 crore in the fourth quarter this year over the same quarter last year. Reliance Industries is up 0.7 percent after the company said it has selected Phillips 66's E-Gas technology for its planned gasification plants at Jamnagar in Gujarat. Shares of three state-run oil marketing companies, HPCL, BPCL and IOC rose 1-1.2 percent on reports the government will provide Rs 38,500 crore as cash subsidy to state-run oil companies for January-March 2012 quarter. ABB rose 2.2 percent after the company said it won an order worth around Rs 175 crore from NTPC to build two substations in Maharashtra. hidden The head of Austrian aerospace parts maker FACC has been fired after the company was hit by a cyber fraud that cost it 42 million euros ($47 million). The firm's supervisory board decided at a 14-hour meeting on Tuesday to dismiss CEO Walter Stephan with "immediate effect", the company said on Wednesday. FACC, whose customers include Airbus and Boeing, said on Jan. 19 it had been hit by a cyber fraud in which hackers stole around 50 million euros by posing as Stephan in an email. The hoax email asked an employee to transfer money to an account for a fake acquisition project - a kind of scam known as a "fake president incident". "The supervisory board came to the conclusion that Mr. Walter Stephan has severely violated his duties, in particular in relation to the 'fake president incident'," FACC said. A company spokesman declined to give details of how Stephan had violated his duties. The firm said no comment was available from Stephan. Robert Machtlinger was appointed interim chief executive. FACC fired its chief financial officer in February soon after the cyber attack. Releasing its 2015/16 financial results on Wednesday, FACC said it had taken a charge of 41.9 million euros over the cyber fraud. It said it had been able to block 10.9 million euros from being transferred. The fraud pushed FACC to an operating loss of 23.4 million euros in its 2015/16 financial year versus a loss of 4.5 million a year earlier. The company's shares rose on news of the results and Stephan's departure and were up 5 percent at 0900 GMT. Reuters hidden Bangladesh police are reviewing a nearly forgotten 2013 cyber heist at the nations largest commercial bank for connections to February's $81 million heist at the country's central bank, a senior law enforcement official said on Wednesday. The unsolved theft of $250,000 at Sonali Bank involved fraudulent transfer requests sent over the SWIFT international payments network. It is not widely known outside of Bangladesh, and in fact was treated as a cold case until Bangladesh police revived the investigation after thieves in February also used the SWIFT network to steal $81 million from Bangladesh Bank. Sonali Bank said it had informed SWIFT about the 2013 heist at the time and also unsuccessfully tried to recover the money from the recipients in Turkey, said one bank source. Thieves in the 2013 robbery used tactics similar to those used by the yet-to-be-identified criminals in the Bangladesh Bank heist--using the SWIFT money-transfer system to divert bank funds, said a senior bank official. Authorities are now reviewing the case to see if there are any links that can help them track down the criminals behind the Bangladesh Bank heist. At Sonali Bank, hackers installed key-logger software on a computer to gain passwords to other systems, then sent fraudulent transfer requests over SWIFT, said the senior bank official who is part of its IT operations. Police arrested two employees who had responsibility for initiating and approving money transfer instructions, but they were later freed without being charged. Sonali Bank Managing Director Pradip Kumar Dutta told Reuters that the attackers remain at large and no money has been recovered. We could not find out what happened," the official said. The Sonali Bank cyber heist is the fourth documented case involving fraudulent SWIFT messages and the earliest known case to surface. It is not known whether any of the robberies, including the two attacks on Bangladesh banks, are related. The two other cases that have come to light are a $12 million theft from Banco del Austro in Ecuador in January and an attack on Vietnam's Tien Phong Bank in December that was not successful. The Sonali Bank theft was reported by Bangladesh media at the time, but has faded from public memory. Police said they only recently became aware of similarities with the central bank heist. "This is an interesting issue that we've come to know," said the senior police official, who declined to be identified further. "We'll have to look into it." News of these attacks has tested faith in the security of SWIFT, a key conduit for global financial transactions that is used by more than 11,000 banks and other institutions. Regulators and banks have already implemented reviews of SWIFT security measures to determine whether other banks could be vulnerable to similar attacks. SWIFT spokeswoman Natasha de Teran declined to comment on the Sonali case. "We are actively looking into other possible instances of such fraud, but we will not comment on individual entities," she said. Bangladesh's Anti Corruption Commission, which investigated the Sonali case, did not have an immediate comment. Reuters hidden The world's first robotic mobile phone RoBoHon, a pocket-size walking and dancing robot, started sale on Thursday in Japan. The human-shaped smartphone, developed by Japanese electronics company, Sharp and engineer Tomotaka Takahashi, inventor of the first robot astronaut 'Kirobo', went on sale with a base price of 198,000 yen ($1,800), EFE news reported. To mark the launch, the Osaka-based company opened the RoBoHon Cafe in Tokyo where visitors can test the robot until June 7. The Japanese electronics manufacturer is producing 5,000 units per month, aiming to be the leader of this type of mobile after sealing a takeover agreement with the Taiwanese company Hon Hai, also known as Foxconn, otherwise known for assembling iPhones and iPads for Apple. Apart from being used as a mobile, the 19.5-cm tall humanoid robot weighing 390 grams could be used as projector to display video, photos or maps. It also offers a wide range of applications based on conversation with the android. RoBoHon can also recognise faces of people using its front camera and then address them by their name. IANS hidden This interview was conducted via a DM chat with the hacker who claimed to have brought down the Taliban website. Security blog Security Affair confirmed the takedown. By Aveek Sen An activist hacker group, GhostSec, has been taking down ISIS websites, monitoring propaganda and doxing its supporters. The group researched actual identities of those running IS propaganda and recruitment online. The identities are generally not made public by them for fear of alerting the jihadis. Instead, they are passed on to law enforcement agencies. Other popular instances of public doxing include IS supporters' celebratory tweets following the Brussels Terror Attacks. I interviewed Paladin (@virussec) of GhostSec who took down 2 major official English Taliban websites Shahamat and its video propaganda website. I got some major insights from him. Abdulqahar Balkhi could be dead in the drone strike or moved deep underground for fear of further drone strikes, though the former is more likely. Taliban websites are hosted on Turkish servers and their preferred choice of webhost is Niobe. India has only few IS supporters or online trolls numbering just 3-4. A major part of the credit goes to Indian law enforcement agencies and ISPs. At the same time, IS propaganda is pervasive and even common on online games played by children. I routinely track terror and anti-terror cyber-ops. I came across this tweet by him from 17 May. Update: Since the time when the interview was conducted, Taliban online propagandist Abdulqahar Balkhi has tweeted from his account https://twitter.com/virussec/status/732484925044064256 Here are edited excerpts from the interview in Q&A format: GhostSec takes down terror websites by DOS attacks or various infection methods? Which method was used to take down the Taliban website? That depends on the website vulnerabilities. We will inject if possible, but Taliban has been DDoSed for 7 days. I remember when WikiLeaks came to light, then MasterCard, Visa and PayPal froze their accounts. Yes, the anonymous operation? Such hacktivist operations help in stemming terrorist propaganda, online brainwashing and recruiting. How do you feel about doing this great service to mankind? We are dedicated to stopping all barbaric groups related to terror and horror for the locals, peace is our goal and it keeps us going. Yesterday as the Taliban's English website was taken down by you, they couldn't carry out propaganda to reach international media. Wouldn't it be easier if media didn't gullibly carry terrorist propaganda and spread panic? I think it's good to let people know about the cruelty in most places but most panic propaganda is unneeded. This website has been down 7 days and continuing. I agree that media should not carry out unneeded propaganda to a extent but the cruelty and slaughtering needs to be told. A follow up question on that. Let us game a scenario where Taliban declare from their website that Mullah Mansour isn't dead and they are launching a counter operation under his leadership in say, Helmand province. It would lead to panic among civilians and would make the job difficult for the Afghan army and NATO forces. If media judiciously runs news, won't that eliminate the need to take down Taliban propaganda websites? Propaganda is not the only reason, we will interrupt as many Taliban services as we can. Why aren't groups other than ISIS actively targeted? You alone have gone against Taliban. Is it because ISIS cyber activities are sophisticated to need large counter ops? In other words how sophisticated is ISIS in the cyber world and are they being taken seriously enough by governments? As a security team we are targeting all groups everyday, Hamas, Al Qaeda, Shabaab. We are an international group gathering intel daily on terror groups as we can. I don't think the government is taking it seriously or they would help remove this propaganda protected by US company cloudflare. GhostSec is regarded as an offshoot / splinter of Anonymous. You have yourself been part of Anonymous during Occupy Wall St. Would you like to tell the readers first hand the reasons for the split? It depends, some members are labeled as anonymous and some are just individual. We do support certain anonymous operations. So there's dual membership and fluidity? Between all members, yes. Money/ fund trails of terror organisations are a major backbone? (Other than recruiting.) Does GhostSec also investigate that? If we get the intel leading to any terror funding we will investigate and take action. Which specific websites were taken down by you? Only official English website of Taliban? shahamat-english.com and shahamat-movie.com remain down. We have also attacked alemara.org and shahamat-arabic.com, but we stopped due to the pages not being as vital to the Taliban. What about the following three websites: shahamat-farsi.com/, alemara1.org/ and alemarah-urdu.com/? We may have future plans for them but as for now we are taking English away from them, forcing English readers to not be able to look at English propaganda on the official Taliban website. That will have an effect on the English media. That still keeps Afghans, Pakistanis and Iranians being able to read the propaganda. Also those who can read local languages Yes, we have attacked all languages connected to the Taliban, but they all resort to justpaste for propaganda. Only English remains down for weeks. Justpaste? Yes, since shahamat-english has been offline, they paste propaganda into paste bins and tweet them. With shahamat-movie.com offline as well, no one gets access to video media. ISIS is known to use online brainwashing and subsequent recruitment in a big way. Has GhostSec come across similar attempt by Taliban or prevented such attempts? We have many people in Afghanistan providing us with intel about recruiting and terror groups but of this point we have not yet found a recruiting service of the Taliban. On which date did you take down the 2 websites and how long do you plan to keep them down? shahamat-english.com has been down for 7 days and will be down for another week or more and shahamat-movie.com has been getting attacked for weeks before. Our research found that shahamat-movie.com was one of the main propaganda points, due to videos of terrorism and barbaric content. Where were these 2 website being hosted? Who was paying for it? Who was controlling it? Both servers were hosted in Turkey. We believe https://twitter.com/balkhi_a is the admin of the website. He has not been active for a while, so we have thoughts he might of even been killed in the drone strike. Who is trying to win back control of the 2 websites? Who was updating the website?@balkhi_a alone? From what location? Pakistan? Any records of where he was administering website from available? We believe he does it from portable devices and is always on the move. This is the official website of the Taliban, so we believe leader Mansour also had access to the website and Twitter accounts. Does GhostSec have records of the locations from where the portable devices accessed the Internet? He may even be dead for all we know. At this point, he has not been active since the drone strike on the Taliban meeting. Could he have moved deep underground for fear of further drone strikes? I dont think he would be underground though, they are having another meeting shortly about the new leader. Also, can you disclose the name of the Web hosting company that runs those servers in Turkey? Taliban's choice of host: http://niobe.com.tr What do you mean by free public networks? Free VPN services. We have came across many ISIS supporters hiding behind free virtual private networks that are located in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, India and many places. Could you share an exhaustive list of countries with latest number/percentage of ISIS supporters? Else may I use stats available from the likes of @pewresearch ? I can't confirm all are ISIS supporters, nor do I have the data to do it. Most credible source is Pew? US or NATO figures? Anonymous or GhostSec releases such data? When you mention 3 countries and there's India, as I am writing for Indian media.. People would be interested in more details. Like how actively has ISIS carried out online brainwashing in India? (With some stats to quote, or I can reference old news like fact that Shami witness was run by an Indian) We have found india to be one of the least countries to be effected by recruiting and propaganda but we still have found very little traces leading to India. By very little, I mean like 3-4 people have been tracked back to India. 3-4 supporters you mean. (or recruitment?) Supporters/trolls. Some people support it for a laugh and to try be funny so we don't investigate supporters as much as the official ISIS militants. In India, many terror websites are filtered by ISPs. Is that a reason for low number of (online) IS supporters in India? IS supporters in India are at a low number but they are still there. ISP blocking can only stop a majority of locals from visiting these websites. Does GhostSec feel Indian law enforcement are doing a good work? Where should it improve - scope for improvements? We think they are doing a good job but more can be done, the cyberspace takes a big part in propaganda reaching India and other places and they have tried preventing it but like I say more can be done. Any specifics? That would help Indian law enforcement plug the deficiencies Countless loops, I have even seen propaganda getting sent through virtual online games for kids of all ages to see. What's your view on privacy vs security? A raging debate at this time and going against terrorists, you would be among one of the best persons to answer it We value civil liberties but disregard a terrorist's rights to privacy because attacks have been thwarted by breaching the Taliban. tech2 News Staff Android devices have historically suffered from fragmentation since launch, leaving many users with old and outdated software on their devices that turn into a security concern. A major part of the problem is the process of delivering an update. OEMs, Chipset Manufacturers, Carriers and Google all have to work together with a series of checks before an update can be delivered to any device. Google wants to pressurise manufacturers to skip out on some of these checks. Google has been working to remedy the situation by leading the way, and prodding other manufacturers according to a report in Bloomberg.Turns out Google has even drawn up lists that rank top phone makers. The list includes data about how up-to-date their handsets are, based on security patches and operating system versions which seems like an effort to shame them into keeping the software running on their smartphones updated. The latest apps and technologies often require the latest operating system. A recent example is Google's Daydream. This creates a big problem for monetizing from application sales or advertisements. Android Marshmallow is on only 7.5 percent of devices. In contrast, 75 percent of iPhones have the latest version of the OS, iOS 9. There are occasional exceptions with Android's Instant Apps being supported all the way back to Jelly Bean. The Nexus range of devices also get monthly over the air security updates, and the scope for that program has just been widened. Google managed to push Samsung into fast tracking security updates for its Galaxy range of devices. The updates don't appear on all the models however, and Samsung has been struggling to keep up with the schedule. Smaller phone manufacturers cannot, or are unwilling to follow the monthly schedule. Google has to overcome a challenge here. It has to get smartphone manufacturers to invest in time and money to push out software updates to devices that they have already sold. hidden Cyber thieves who stole $12 million from an Ecuadorian bank in 2015 routed the funds through 23 companies registered in Hong Kong, some of them with no clear business activity, according to previously unreported court filings and judicial rulings. The court papers offer a first glimpse into where some of the money was moved after it reached accounts in Hong Kong. The filings stem from a lawsuit filed in early 2015 by Ecuador's Banco del Austro in Hong Kong against the web of companies that received or handled more than $9 million in stolen funds, bank records submitted to the territory's Court of First Instance show. The BDA lawsuit alleged the companies had been "unjustly enriched" and sought recovery of the money. The remaining $3 million was routed to entities in Dubai and elsewhere, according to separate court filings in the U.S. Those transfers are not the subject of litigation in Hong Kong. The cyber thieves allegedly used the SWIFT global messaging system to move the funds. SWIFT, a conduit for bank money transfers worldwide, also was the network used to move $81 million out of Bangladesh Bank in February. According to the Hong Kong court filings, BDA submitted criminal reports to police in both Hong Kong and Ecuador about the transfers. The content of those reports was not part of the court record reviewed by Reuters. The attacks have caught the attention of global investigative agencies. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bangladesh authorities are leading a search for criminals behind the February heist, which ranks among the largest ever. In the Ecuadorian heist, the money was transferred by Wells Fargo based on authenticated SWIFT messages, and both BDA and the U.S. bank now believe those funds were stolen by unidentified hackers, according to documents in a BDA lawsuit filed against Wells Fargo in New York this year. It was not clear whether the Hong Kong Police have launched an official probe. A spokesman for the agency declined to confirm or deny the existence of an investigation. The Ecuador attorney generals office did not respond to a request for comment. The FBI and BDA also declined comment. Initially, cyber thieves moved $9.139 million of the more than $12 million they stole from BDA into the Hong Kong accounts of four companies at HSBC and Hang Seng Bank. At least $3.1 million of the funds were then routed from those four companies to 19 "second layer" bank accounts, meaning the funds made a second hop to another set of Hong-Kong registered companies, the papers show. NOT TIED TO REAL BUSINESSES Hang Seng did not immediately respond to a request for comment. HSBC declined to comment on the details of the case but a spokesman said in an e-mail that the bank actively co-operates with law enforcement and has controls in place to know its customers and deter crime. SWIFT, an acronym for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, has said its core messaging system has never been breached. A BDA lawyer said in the filings that the Ecuador bank knew none of the firms or people behind the four companies that initially received the funds. Most of the "second layer" accounts appeared not to be tied to real businesses, the lawyer added. Hong Kong Deputy High Court Judge Conrad Seagroatt said in a December ruling in the case that the four initial recipients showed no prior history of business activity. "They all appear to be otherwise inactive corporate vehicles controlled by citizens of the People's Republic of China," Seagroatt wrote. In March last year, BDA secured an order from the court to freeze the accounts of the four companies that initially received the funds, although it later settled with the recipient of the smallest transfer of $95,731.18 and withdrew its claim against that firm, the court record shows. As of last month, complaints against five of the 23 defendants had been withdrawn or dismissed, and settlements with some defendants have taken place, court papers reviewed by Reuters indicate. BDA has declined to speak with Reuters about the Hong Kong case or the related litigation in the United States against Wells Fargo. Reuters hidden Data transfers to the United States by companies such as Facebook and Google face a renewed legal threat after the Irish privacy watchdog said on Wednesday it would refer Facebook's data transfer mechanisms to the top EU court. The move follows an Irish investigation into Facebook's transfer of European Union users' data to the United States to ensure that personal privacy is properly protected from U.S. government surveillance. Facebook, like many other tech companies, has its European headquarters in Dublin and is regulated by the Irish Data Protection Commissioner (IDPC). The IDPC said it would ask the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) to determine the validity of Facebook's "model contracts" - common legal arrangements used by thousands of firms to transfer personal data outside the 28-nation EU. Its investigation into the California-based company was ordered by Ireland's High Court in October after the CJEU struck down Safe Harbour, an EU-U.S. agreement that had allowed the free transfer of data between the European Union and the United States. The CJEU ruled the agreement did not sufficiently protect Europeans' information against U.S. surveillance. Transfers of Europeans' personal information to the United States have been a hot topic since 2013 revelations about mass U.S. surveillance programmes such as Prism, which allowed U.S. authorities to harvest private information directly from big tech companies such as Apple, Facebook and Google. New Agreement Since the CJEU ruling, companies have had to rely on model contracts and other, more cumbersome, measures to transfer Europeans' data to the United States in compliance with strict EU data privacy rules. "Thousands of companies transfer data across borders to serve their customers and users," a spokeswoman for Facebook said. "The question the Irish DPC plans to raise with the court regarding standard contract clauses will be relevant to many companies operating in Europe," she said, adding that Facebook has a number of legal ways of moving data to the United States. The CJEU ruling in October stemmed from a complaint by Austrian law student and privacy activist Max Schrems. He challenged Facebook's transfers of European users' data to its American servers, citing the risk of U.S. snooping. "We yesterday informed Mr Schrems and Facebook of our intention to seek declaratory relief in the Irish High Court and a referral to the CJEU to determine the legal status of data transfers under standard contractual clauses," the IDPC said. One of the reasons the ECJ struck down Safe Harbour is because the agreement did not offer EU citizens sufficient channels to complain about U.S. surveillance. Schrems and other privacy campaigners contend that alternative arrangements such as model clauses don't offer Europeans any means of redress either. "There is no way that the CJEU can say that model contracts are valid if they killed Safe Harbor based on the existence of these U.S. surveillance laws," Schrems said in a statement on Wednesday. After the CJEU ruling in October, the EU Commission and the United States rushed to hash out a new data-sharing agreement, the Privacy Shield, which they are hoping to have up and running by the end of June. However, EU privacy watch dogs have raised a number of concerns about the framework, heightening fears that it might not withstand a court challenge. "If the courts decide that the standard contractual clauses cannot be relied upon and that the transfers of personal data which they facilitate must be halted, the effect on international business would be catastrophic," said Oliver Yaros, a lawyer at Mayer Brown. Reuters tech2 News Staff Samsung has just announced the Samsung Galaxy C5 in China. The device will go on sale in China on June 6 and local Chinese stores are already accepting pre-orders. At just 6.7mm thick, the C5 is certainly among the slimmest devices around. It boasts of a 5.2 inch Super AMOLED screen at Full HD. You get a 16MP f/1.9 rear camera and surprisingly, an 8MP f/1.9 unit on the front. The chipset is based on the Snapdragon 617, which is an 8-core CPU paired with an Adreno 305 GPU and running at 1.5GHz. You get 4GB of RAM and a choice of 32GB or 64GB internal storage. You can throw in a memory card to expand the storage by up to another 128GB. The phone supports dual-SIMs, but if you use a memory card, youll use up the SIM 2 slot. Rounding off the specifications are WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC and a 2,600mAh battery. The device only supports a micro USB slot though. The home button doubles as a fingerprint sensor. As far as we can tell, the devices will be available in gold, rose gold, white and black for a start. The 32GB model will retail for $335 (around Rs 22,000) and the 64GB one for $370 (around Rs 25,000) in China. There is no word yet on an India release date or price. hidden Instant messaging app WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app all over the world and is used in 109 countries, or 55.6 percent of the world, points out a new report. The countries include India, Brazil, Mexico, Russia and many other countries in South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania. WhatsApp currently has over one billion monthly active users. In India, over 70 million people use the messaging service. Of the 187 countries that SimilarWeb -- a Britain-based information technology company -- examined, WhatsApp was the world leader claiming 109 countries. "Facebook's Messenger app came in second overall, claiming 49 countries including Australia, Canada and the US. After Messenger, Viber was the only other messaging app to claim 10 or more countries," the report said. Viber has strong popularity in Eastern Europe and is the top app in Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, among others, and as of April 2016, Viber was installed on 65 percent of all Android devices in Ukraine. Line, WeChat and Telegram are three other messaging apps claiming multiple countries with China, Iran and Japan representing countries using one of these apps. The report also said that BlackBerry's BBM is still used by the masses in at least one country in the world: Indonesia. "As of April 2016, the app was installed on 87.5 percent of all Android devices in the country, far surpassing any other country in terms of BBM use," the report noted. In the US, only 0.42 percent of Androids had the BBM app, with Australia and Britain showing slightly higher use. IANS IoT Evolution is the leading event for education on the technologies, solutions and impact that the IoT will have on the ente Ramadan beef price set at Tk 420, mutton at Tk 570 The Dhaka South City Corporation has set the price of local beef at Tk 420 a kilogram and mutton at Tk 570 for the fasting month of Ramadan. The authority of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) made the decision at a meeting with the meat traders at Nagar Bhaban on Thursday. At the meeting, the price of buffalo was also set at Tk 400 a kg. The city corporation authority called upon the traders to follow the new price chart and to introduce digital scale in each shop. DSCC Chief Executive Officer Khan Mohammad Belal and Chief Health Officer Saidur Rahmna, among others, attended the meeting. risingbd.com Sedition case against BNP`s Aslam Chowdhury to be filed on Thursday: IGP The home ministry has cleared the police to book BNP leader Aslam Chowdhury on sedition charges over a plot with Israel, says police chief AKM Shahidul Hoque. The inspector general of police (IGP) told the media on Thursday that the case will be filed on Thursday. He tried to create anarchy by making the present government seem unpopular to the leaders of Israels Likud party. Our initial investigation has found evidence that suggest that. We had sought the home ministry's permission to file a sedition case against Aslam Chowdhury. The ministry has sanctioned that, said IGP Hoque. The case will be filed at the Gulshan Police Station by evening, Detective Branch Deputy Commissioner Sheikh Nazmul Alam told bdnews24.com. Everything has been finalised. A BNP joint secretary general, Aslam came into the limelight because of his meeting with Likud Party leader Mendi N Safadi during an event in India this year. Leaders of the ruling Awami League soon claimed their meeting was part of a conspiracy to oust Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with help of Israeli spy agency Mossad. The BNP has been denying the allegation, saying Aslams trip to New Delhi was personal. He was arrested in Dhaka on May 15 under Section 54 and questioned in police custody. In Aslams remand plea police said questioning him was necessary because he met a member of Israel intelligence agency Mossad in India and there were allegations against him of conspiring against the government with Israel. But his lawyers said he went on a five-day trip to India for medical treatment. The photos published in the media were from an event he was invited to, where he met some Israeli people. Aslam did not have a meeting with them, they said. Aslam, convenor of the BNPs north unit at Chittagong, was made a joint secretary general by party chief Khaleda Zia during BNPs sixth National Council in March. Police on Tuesday showed him arrested in two cases of violence and sought ten days remand in each of the cases filed in January last year. He and Safadi both admitted meeting each other at the Delhi event but claimed no secret matter was discussed. But Aslam also said he was not aware that Safadi, a former advisor to Israeli deputy minister MK Ayoub Karar, was a leader of the ruling Likud Party. Safadi also runs the Mendi N Safadi Center - for International Diplomacy and Public Relations. bdnews24.com Pact between India, Iran to counter China-Pakistan alliance: Report Iranian President Hassan Rouhani shaking hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tehran. PTI, New Delhi :The pact between India and Iran to develop the strategically located Chabahar port, along with the one with Afghanistan on road and rail network, will counter China and Pakistan's alliance in South West Asia, BMI Research said yesterday."The agreement between India and Iran to develop the latter's port of Chabahar is a major boost for both countries, as well as Afghanistan. In particular, growing co-operation between the three countries will counterbalance China-Pakistan alliance in the geopolitics of South West Asia," it said.Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Iran earlier this week, the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 15 years.A "milestone" pact on the strategic Chabahar Port in southern Iran, which will give India access to Afghanistan and Europe bypassing Pakistan, was among the agreements signed by India and Iran. Both countries also agreed to cooperate on combating radicalism and terror.Besides the bilateral pact to develop the Chabahar port, for which India will invest $500 million, a trilateral Agreement on Transport and Transit Corridor was also signed by India, Afghanistan and Iran, which PM Modi said could "alter the course of the history of the region".The bilateral agreements signed by India and Iran after detailed discussions between PM Modi and President Hassan Rouhani included one on setting up of an aluminium plant and another on laying a railway line to give India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia.BMI Research, a Fitch Group company, said the governments of India, Iran and Afghanistan have taken a significant step towards closer co-operation by signing an agreement on May 23 to develop Iran's southern port of Chabahar."Once the port is developed, it will provide a major boost for Indo-Iranian trade, and also provide a new route for Afghanistan's exports, bypassing Pakistan. In particular, the new port at Chabahar is designed to compete with Pakistan's port of Gwadar, which is being developed with Chinese assistance as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)," it added.CPEC in turn is part of a much bigger Chinese initiative known as 'One Belt One Road' (OBOR), which envisages new land and sea routes connecting China to Western Eurasia and East Africa.Iran stands to benefit from Chabahar as it will get an enhanced port from which to export more goods to India and the Asia-Pacific region at a time when it is seeking to reintegrate itself into the global economy, BMI Research said. Indian 'heaviest baby' born in Karnataka weighs 15lb BBC Online : An Indian woman has given birth to a 15lb (6.8kg) baby girl that doctors say could possibly be the heaviest child ever born in the country. The infant weighs the same as a six-month-old in a country where babies normally weigh between 2.5-3.5kg. Her mother Nandini, 20, gave birth by a Caesarean section, at a hospital in the southern state of Karnataka. Doctors said they were doing tests to find out the reason why the baby was so heavy. "It is the biggest baby in India, I can say. Whether it is the biggest in the world, I cannot say right now," Dr Venkatesh R, district health official in Hassan district, told BBC Hindi's Imran Qureshi. The baby is not just heavy, she is also very tall, doctors said. "The baby's height is 62cm (24.4in) as against the normal Indian baby's height of 50cm," said Dr SR Kumar, who is looking after Nandini and her baby. Since overweight newborns are normal in cases where the mother is diabetic, the first thing the doctors did was to check if Nandini had diabetes, but they found to their surprise that she had had no such complaints. "We have done an ultrasound and conducted blood tests on Nandini, but we didn't find any abnormality," Dr Kumar said. "We have sent the samples for a test called an inborn error of metabolism. We should get the result after 48 hours." The record so far for the heaviest Indian baby is held by a boy, born to Firdous Khatun of Uttar Pradesh in November 2015. The baby boy weighed 14.77lb (6.7kg). The world record for the heaviest baby was for a boy born to Carmelina Fedele in Aversa, Italy, in September 1955. The boy weighed 22lb 8oz (10.2 kg). 'Helpline in SAARC states to help rescue missing children' State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroze Chumki said the ministry has taken initiatives to set up regional helpline in SAARC countries in rescuing the missing children. "Child trafficking is very severe violation of child rights. Regional cooperation is very important in preventing child trafficking so that the Bangladesh government has taken initiatives to strengthen the cooperation in this regard," she said. She was addressing a seminar marking International Missing Children Day organised by the ministry and non-government organization Plan International, Bangladesh at CIRDAP auditorium here. Chumki said the introduction of such helpline would ease the process in rescuing missing children. Women and Children Affairs Secretary Nasima Begum, Home Ministry Additional Secretary Abu Hena Mohammad Rahmatul Monaem, Plan International and Bangladesh Country Director Senait Gebregziabher addressed the function, among others. The speakers said some 2190 children went missing from 2010 to 2014 from Bangladesh. They said around eight million children went missing every year in the world, of them 80,000 in USA, 2,00,000 in South Asia and 1,00,000 in India. London Mayor be known as Mayor of London Farhana Haque Rahman : Sadiq Khan is not just the new mayor of London, but happens to have individually won more votes than any other politician in British history. Prime ministers and members of Parliament run in their home districts, where the total number of ballots are fewer. Municipal elections don't always draw global interest, but London is London, and what the world's pundits and media has said, and as a result what the bulk of public opinion has heard, is that Mr. Khan is a Muslim, born to a family whose ancestral roots are in Pakistan. The general reaction to a Muslim mayor of London is, thankfully, one of praise for the city's cosmopolitan spirit and tolerance. Abroad, the tone has been one of great respect, with a few spoonfuls of feigned envy. Other points could have been made about a vote in which the Labour Party, which last won the general elections 11 years ago, dislodged the Conservatives in the U.K.'s largest city. There's plenty to muse over the fact that Mr. Khan does not appear entirely on the same page as Jeremy Corbyn, Labour's new national leader. And then there's the detail about how Mr. Khan grew up in council housing to parents who worked as a bus driver and a seamstress, went on to become a lawyer and a member of Parliament, and whose victory speech included the assertion that: "I want every single Londoner to get the opportunities that our city gave to me and my family." Or there are the photographs, now viral and appearing in the Times of India, of Mr. Khan visiting the Shri Swaminarayan temple in Neasden, wearing a flower garland and with a red bindi dot on his forehead. How frequent are such interdenominational visits in the rest of the world? On top of that, Mr. Khan voted for the Same-Sex Marriage act, for which he was subject to menacing fatwas from local Islamic clergy. As noted by an editorial in Dawn, Pakistan's oldest newspaper: "The plain truth is that Sadiq Khan would not have survived in Pakistan, not as a Muslim and not as a non-Muslim." Why, in short, does it even register what faith London's new mayor may profess? One might add that saying "Muslim" is not very informative, given the multiplicity of interpretation of Islam. Perhaps it should be made standard practice to emphatically mention the religions adhered to by all public figures. That could get difficult. Was Spinoza, the philosopher, a Jew? It's widely said he was but he was excommunicated in no uncertain terms. Or what about George W. Bush? He was brought up Episcopal but converted to Methodism - does that explain some of his political views? Or Angela Merkel, the one major politician to have openly declared that she is an atheist. Should that adjective be mentioned every time she is? While such identity tags may carry useful information, they are all divisive by nature. That may be important, as many wars have been fought in the name of religion. But Mr. Khan doesn't seem interested in fighting any such battles. And he was baited, notably by the billionaire Conservative candidate he battled, Zac Goldsmith, whose campaign sought out "Hindu-sounding surnames" for a direct-mail effort aimed at sparking fear of Islam. Some say Zac is Jewish, although his mother was an Anglo-Irish aristocrat. Other politicians have mentioned their religion; Ed Miliband said he wanted to be Britain's first Jewish prime minister. Others say he can't, as Benjamin Disraeli held the post in the 19th century. Disraeli, however, was a baptized and practising Anglican. More importantly, Miliband didn't become prime minister at all. There is a feel-good sentiment for many when someone from a minority group wins an election. The U.S. media duly noted recently when elections in Hawaii sent Mazie Hironi, a Japanese-born woman who practises the Jodo Shinshu strand of Buddhism, to the Senate and Tulsi Gabbard, to Congress. Gabbard, born to a Samoan Catholic father , a veteran who served in Iraq, practises Hinduism, a religion to which her mother converted. Muslim, Buddhist and Sikh men have held elected office in Washington for more than half a century. It's probably mostly benign in intent, spun by the chattering class in hopes of sounding modern and convincing the indigenous masses to get with the program. But maybe not. Consider Barack Obama, who is identified far more by the colour of his absent father's skin than his Kansas-born mother's. His religion is regularly called into question, along with his birth certificate and anything his adversaries can latch onto. Hailing Mr. Khan's Islamic faith may begin as well-meaning but degrades over time into something more sinister. IPS' founder Roberto Savio recently wrote an eloquent warning of how Islamophobia is used as a political tool. His point is that it is a proxy for xenophobia, an old propaganda trick. But that's just it: London's new mayor is guilty of numerous offences he's a Liverpool fan, for example, and admits that some of his campaign staff had been born in Yorkshire - but he is not a foreigner. Immigration exists, and is obviously on people's minds, not only in the affluent West. But it is rarely religion that is the worry; language barriers, unemployment and other forces - including kinship networks are more likely the reason for confusion and fear. Indeed, the U.K. Electoral Commission published a report in 2015 looking at why some communities - Pakistani and Bangladeshi in particular - might be vulnerable to electoral fraud due to internal patriarchal cultural patterns. Such situations are cause for concern, but instead of coded dog-whistling to stoke individual and collective phobias - one case in London involved a very prominent conservative intentionally failing to distinguish between "Islamic state" and "an Islamic state" - public chastising of those who seek to exploit them are in order. That's especially the case with highly multicultural populations, and not just in London. Hamtramck, a township near Detroit, Michigan, used to be 90% Polish and as of this year has a majority-Muslim city council - with stronger policing being high on the municipal wish list. But the population no longer has a dominant ethnicity, with the two largest groups, Bangladeshis and Yemenis, accounting for less than half the formerly dominant Poles once did and more than 30 languages are spoken in local schools. The Muslim call to prayer is broadcast from public loudspeakers, but that decision was made almost 15 years ago in a unanimous vote after a compromise was reached on when the noise could be made. It was another politician from a faraway state- of Asian origin, for the record - who referred to the town as a hotbed of radicalism that other faraway people fear. (Farhana Haque Rahman, Director General, Inter Press Service) Abductions in Pabna villages PANIC grips two Pabna villages as nine villagers went missing in less than five weeks and still remained without trace. People claiming to be members of law enforcement agencies picked up them though the law enforcers have denied the claim. The successive disappearance came into the light on May 11 when five people, including three brothers, were picked up from the villages. Armed group accompanied by 10-12 locals took them from their village homes in Ullapara Upazila in the early hours of the day. They claimed as RAB men but the force's Pabna camp dismissed such claims. What appears to be noticeable is that there is a similarity in all abduction cases like the attacks by so-called Islamist terrorists who have also their own format of attacks and style of killings. We are afraid whether innocent people are increasingly facing a highly terrible situation in which armed groups believing in hostile politics and ideologies are targeting people they believe inimical to them. But as far as public safety is concerned, the government -- whoever be in power has the responsibility to give protection to people and rescue those who are missing. But neither the government is speaking about these abductions nor taking steps to find them out to make many wonder why it remains silent all about it. It is the duty of the government to identify who those people are raiding people's home and taking them at mid-night passing blame on police and RAB who are organized force of the state and duty bound to give protection to people. We equally demand that identity of the Islamist terrorists must be made clear and the government must work at the same time to improve the political situation to put an end to criminalization of the society. The latest spate of abductions like the killing of free thinkers has sent the wave of panic in Pabna villages and also all over the country as to who will give protection to people from abductions, killings and from such other targeted raids. We are against all killings and demand that the government must ensure the right to life and property of all people. Report said Islamist terrorists have killed 12 people from early this year and the number of abduction has shot up to nine in one case alone. A nightmare is now taking over the entire nation breaking the people's dream of a peaceful land where they would live in safety. The liberation of the country is losing meaning if people fall victim to assassins' hands in the liberated country. We call upon the government to end the spate of killings and abductions to give peace to the nation. Ghost dev projects at Dhaka Zila Parishad REPORT in a national daily on Wednesday said Dhaka Zila Parishad has funded activities of 6,486 small welfare projects in last three years at various Upazila level. But field level probe into 175 projects showed 77 percent of them were non-existent projects to suggest concerned officials and ruling party men who operate around the Zila Parishad used them as a cover to swindle budgetary fund. In fact they have withdrawn the money through false billing and made illegal fortune in the name of funding welfare projects at local level. The probe into those projects suggests only 16 percent of them have local address and 7 percent beneficiaries got half or less than half the benefits of the 175 projects claimed to have been implemented at a cost of around Tk 6.0 crore. Dhaka Zila Parishad spent Tk 447.79 crore from 2011-2013 and it appears that the whole lot of money was grabbed and misappropriated by concerned officials and so-called contractors. As it appears it was unbridled corruption dominated everything where there was no transparency around project approval and fund disbursement. Zila Parishad has no accountability to higher authorities where ruling party men are politically active and it has not also demanded accountability from field level officials. They grabbed the money mutually while taxpayers are taking the brunt of the money as it comes from budgetary resources. Local Government Ministry alone allocated Tk 211 crore for those projects. The cost estimates show Dhaka Zila Parishad allocated Tk two lakhs to buy stationery of Dhamrai Upazila Education Officer's office but officials in this office claimed they did not get such money. In fact such allocations were made against schools, mosques, libraries, clubs and such other public facilities but the probe report now suggests these were mainly ghost projects. Report quoted the Administrator of the Dhaka Zila Parishad as saying that she does not know of any such irregularities but one person known to be her personal secretary has withdrawn Tk 2.77 crore against projects expenditures. The question is that when such corruption and grabbing of public money are taking place at almost every public office why Dhaka Zila Parishad should spare public money from being swindled. But it can't go unnoticed by watchdog agencies like the Anti-Corruption Commission and we demand that it should open large-scale investigations against them. We know that the government has a procedural system how to make proposals by lower bodies to Zila Parishad for funding such local welfare projects and how approval to be given to such projects. It appears that Dhaka Zila Parishad has flouted all rules and regulations in this regard and they must be held accountable for it. Newly set up 15000 bins in Dhaka`s footpaths unused! Kamruzzaman Bablu :The two Dhaka city corporations set up around 15,000 new small and medium dustbins last month in order to keep the city clean. It was an welcome move, but it is not working properly due to lack of city residents' awareness and city corporations' publicity.By this time, lids of many bins have been found missing and their bolts broken. These dustbins were set on footpaths. These bins have been provided in order to keep the roads of the both city corporations trash-free.Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sayeed Khokon said the city corporation would begin imposing penalty system if the people make the city dirty, even after setting up of around 15,000 dustbins on the footpaths.Moreover, in most of the city areas dustbins are not being used at all. They stood by the roadside just like empty installations as mounds of trash piled up around them.Chief Waste Management Officer of the DSCC Commodore Bakhtiar told The New Nation on Thursday that first of all they would need the help of media. Besides, they will also regularly conduct cleanliness campaign. DSCC has been setting up 6,000 new bins at different place in their areas, he said.Dwellers of the city alleged that due to lack of proper monitoring and maintenance, those bins are being stolen and broken.Sources said, the two city corporations have been setting up new dustbins to make the city clean. And the corporation authorities said that the work would be completed within this month.Although several quarters appreciated the move for the sake of clean Dhaka, due to lack mass awareness those dustbins are not being used properly.General Secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) Abdul Matin said, "There were reports of stealing large size bins in parts of Dhaka city. Therefore, I fear the comparatively smaller bins can also be stolen or theft." He said, "These bins certainly will help making Dhaka city clean if we can secure these from being stolen and ensure their proper use." Besides, setting up mobile courts to fine those disobeying the rules should be considered, he added. General Secretary of Poribesh Bachao Andolon (POBA) Md Abdus Sobhan echoed Matin saying, "If public awareness could not be built, the bins would see no success." He said, "First, the city authorities have to conduct awareness campaigns. Afterwards, legal action can be taken against the defaulters." Sobhan urged the urban planners for drawing long-term arrangements for the capital. He also asked the city authorities whether they have any plan for creating mass awareness.A study carried out by BRAC Institute of Governance and Development- 2015 revealed that Dhaka currently generates an estimated 6,110 tonnes of solid waste daily from its homes, businesses, commercial facilities and streets. Sedition case against Aslam Chy Staff Reporter :A case has been filed against BNP's Joint Secretary General Aslam Chowdhury on sedition charges for 'conspiring with Israel to oust the government'.Golam Kibria, an Inspector of Detective Branch (DB) of Police, filed the sedition case with Gulshan Police Station on Thursday evening, said Masudur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner (Media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). The case No. is 21, filed Under Section 120-B, 121-A and 124-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the police official said. In the meantime, the DB took the permission from the Home Ministry to file the case, the DC said. Earlier, Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque said this at a programme in the Telicom Auditorium of Razarbagh Police Lines in the capital on Thursday afternoon. The IGP said, "Aslam has confessed that he met Israeli politician Mendi N Safadi several times to plot against the government. "During the interrogation, Aslam told us that he met Mossad's agent Sadafi and sought their help to conduct subversive activities in Bangladesh to topple the ruling Awami League government. He offered money for the help, but details regarding this can only be known once we arrest Aslam's associates," he said. "We looked for the Home Ministry's permission to file a sedition case against Aslam Chowdhury, and the ministry sanctioned our prayer," the IGP said. The BNP leader Aslam came into the limelight because of his meeting with Likud Party leader Mendi N Safadi during an event in India this year.Leaders of the ruling Awami League soon claimed that their meeting was part of a conspiracy to oust Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with help of Israeli intelligence agency Mossad. The BNP has been denying the allegation, saying Aslam's trip to New Delhi was 'personal'.He was arrested in Dhaka on May 15 under Section 54 and questioned in police custody. Computer trader's body found in Khagrachhari UNB, Khagrachhari : A Khagrachhari computer trader was found dead at Segun Bagan in Baghaichhari upazila on Thursday. The deceased was identified as Tofazzel Hossain, 35, son of late Abul Kalam of Bogachattar in Sitakunda of Chittagong and owner of Janani Computer. Police said, local people spotted the body of Tofazzel in Segun Bagan area on Dighinala-Baghaichhari Road in the morning and informed police. Later, the law enforcers recovered the body that bore severe injury marks and handed it over to the Sadar hospital, where it has been kept in the morgue. The victims' family members said Tofazzel came under attack by miscreants on the way to Khagrachhari town from Marishya Bazar of Bagaichhari. Hindu trader hacked to death, conflicting reports on ISIS claiming credit indiatimes :Debesh Chandra Pramanik, a Hindu businessman from Gobindaganj in Bangladesh was hacked to death by unidentified assailants on Wednesday. Pramanik, a shoe-store owner was found murdered inside his shop with his throat slit. "The assailants slit throat using sharp weapons leaving him dead instantly," a police officer said.Even though police have arrested one person, whom the victim's family claim is a drug addict and had tried to extort money from Pramanik, the investigators are yet to ascertain the reason behind the murder. Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom-Alo reported that the Islamic State has claimed responsibility of the incident. This is however yet to be validated by the government or agencies. The government have in the past rejected the claims of ISIS on similar incidents and blamed it on local extremist groups.Pramanik is the latest religious minority community member to be killed in Bangladesh. Earlier another Hindu tailor, a Sufi and a Buddhist monk were hacked to death by suspected extremists. Opponents of the "Pastor Protection Act" proposal by Rep. Mike Johnson, R-Bossier City, said existing law offers the protections sought and the measure was unnecessary. BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Louisiana's state senators on Tuesday refused to enact a new law declaring that pastors and churches don't have to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies or allow them in their facilities. The Senate Judiciary B Committee voted 3-2 to shelve the bill, which had the overwhelming support of the House. Opponents of the "Pastor Protection Act" proposal by Rep. Mike Johnson, R-Bossier City, said existing law offers the protections sought and the measure was unnecessary. "I believe that we do have stringent religious freedom protections in the current law in Louisiana," said Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, D-New Orleans. "We don't need this law." Johnson described the proposal as "harmless" and narrowly tailored to protect people's religious beliefs. When asked by Peterson, he couldn't provide an example of a minister or clergy in Louisiana encountering any impediments to practice their beliefs. "There hasn't been a recent case. That's a good thing," Johnson said. But he said he wanted to make sure that doesn't happen and his proposal would further define the protections for clergy to practice their "sincerely held" beliefs. Sen. J.P. Morrell, D-New Orleans, said the bill seemed like a "knee-jerk reaction" to last year's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that effectively legalized same-sex marriage. He said similar arguments were made after a high-court decision invalidated laws that banned interracial marriage five decades ago. "My father once told me that, regardless of how you feel about something, you should never put discrimination in law. I feel like when I look at your bill we're putting discrimination in law," Morrell said. In his introduction, Johnson, who is running for Congress, told senators the legislation had nothing to do with business or tourism and didn't draw the type of criticism from those industry sectors that more broadly written bills received in other states. But Stephen Perry, president of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau, testified against the proposal Tuesday, saying he was concerned about the message it would send to businesses. He described it as a "very damaging bill" that could cost the state millions, citing backlash in other states on religious-objections bills. "Louisiana's brand right now is seen as more progressive than many of our Southern states," Perry said. In support of the proposal, Gene Mills, president of the conservative Louisiana Family Forum, cited Bible passages describing marriage as between a man and a woman and said "religious freedom historically has trumped state regulation." "It seems like this would be a reasonable accommodation to afford that protection," he said. Morrell and Peterson said the state's Preservation of Religious Freedom Act, enacted in 2010, covers Johnson's concerns. Johnson replied that "the table has been reset" since the Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage and a restatement of protections is needed. Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards didn't take a position supporting or opposing the bill, though he previously said the measure wasn't needed and he didn't believe pastors were "under threat of anything adverse happening to them if they don't officiate a gay wedding." Voting to reject the bill were Sens. Morrell, Peterson and Eric LaFleur, D-Ville Platte. Voting for the bill were Sens. Norby Chabert, R-Houma, and Greg Traver, D-Shreveport. Committee Chairman Gary Smith, D-Norco, didn't vote. Pre-purchase property inspection is a relatively new thing in the United Kingdom. Its not something that most people have heard about, but it has become increasingly popular over the last few years with the rise in property prices and increased demand for high quality homes. What are the benefits of pre-purchase building inspection? What can you expect to find out when you pay someone else to inspect your home before you buy it? And what should you look for during an inspection? Many people want to know if theyre buying a house thats been well maintained or if its had any serious problems. If youve found a place on the market that seems attractive, but then discover some issues after moving in, you may not be as excited about buying it as you thought you were. Its important to do your due diligence when looking at properties. A lot goes into making a property appealing to potential buyers, from the landscaping to the flooring to the kitchen appliances. The same applies when inspecting a property there are many things that need checking over to make sure everything is running smoothly. Here are some of the benefits of performing a pre-purchase inspection: You get to see exactly what will happen to your money When you go shopping for a new car, youll probably be shown several different models. You might even be shown one that looks like a great value, but doesnt fit around all of the extra features that you want. When it comes time to actually buy the vehicle, however, you wont have seen how your money will be spent on it once you drive it off the showroom floor. Likewise, when you shop for a new home, you dont really know what youre getting yourself into until you move in. In order to get a feel for whether the home youre considering is what you want, you normally have to spend quite a bit of time inside it. This allows you to learn more about everything that youre going to be spending your hard-earned cash on. A pre-purchase building inspection gives you much the same kind of experience without having to spend thousands of dollars. Since youre paying for the service, you can expect to see exactly what youre paying for, instead of just seeing a vague idea of what you might end up with. You find out about potential major repairs Some buildings are very expensive to maintain, which means that owners often neglect them for the sake of saving money. While youre paying for a building inspection, youre also paying for a professional who knows how to spot signs of trouble and repair work that needs doing. If you notice that a particular area of your new home needs fixing right away, you can call in an expert to take care of it quickly. If you find that theres something wrong with your boiler, you wont have to wait weeks for a plumber to come over and fix it. Instead, youll have access to a solution immediately. You can save hundreds of pounds by finding out about potential problems early on One of the biggest expenses when you first buy a home is the cost of moving in. Many people dont realize this until its too late. Buying a home involves not only paying for the actual house, but also for moving costs, furniture, and other items that have to be moved along with the home. Having a good idea ahead of time of what youre likely to encounter can help you avoid these kinds of costs. If you know youll need to replace the plumbing system, for example, youll be able to put together a budget for the expense and plan accordingly. You can protect your investment by finding out if the homes been well cared for While there are plenty of people who think that houses always look better when theyre newly built, youd be surprised at how well maintained older residences can still look nice. Sometimes, though, those homes need some additional maintenance to keep them looking their best. This could involve repairs that arent so noticeable or small improvements that you wouldnt consider otherwise. Even worse, some houses have fallen into disrepair without anyone noticing. This is why having a professional perform a building inspection prior to purchasing a home is such a big benefit. Not only will it give you insight into the state of the property, but it will also give you peace of mind knowing youre not getting taken advantage of. As long as youre aware of the potential pitfalls, youll have less reason to worry about the state of your new home. You can use information gathered during a building inspection to negotiate a lower price If youre worried about buying a home because you suspect that it may need extensive renovation work, you may already have a rough idea of how much work youll need to do to bring it up to scratch. That knowledge can come in handy if you decide to buy the home. You can use all of the details that you gather during a building inspection to present a realistic picture of what the home is worth to prospective buyers. If a potential buyer thinks that the home is worth more than what you paid for it, you can try negotiating a lower price. You can sell your home faster and for more money If you decide to list your home on the market soon after buying it, youll need to price it accurately in order to attract buyers. But if youve already done a thorough building inspection, youll know exactly what work is needed and what the current market conditions are. In other words, youll be able to make a more accurate estimate of the amount of money youve invested in the home and how much its worth. If you find that youre selling your house for close to its full market value, you can use this information to convince the potential buyer that your home is worth the asking price. Even if youre planning to stay in the home for a while before you decide to sell, the fact that you did a thorough building inspection will give you more confidence when listing it. Prospective buyers will know exactly what theyre paying for. Your home will hold its value longer As mentioned earlier, the value of a home depends heavily upon the condition of the building itself. If your home is in bad shape, potential buyers wont be interested in buying it. On the other hand, if youve performed a thorough building inspection and know what sort of repairs are necessary, you can offer your prospective buyer a compelling reason to invest in your property. When you buy a home, youre essentially agreeing to have it inspected periodically to ensure that it stays in top shape. Not only does this allow you to avoid expensive repairs down the road, but it can also increase the value of your home. You can make smart decisions about property investments Buying real estate isnt as simple as just driving a couple of minutes to pick up a house. There are lots of considerations involved, ranging from location to cost. The same is true when youre investing in property. If you find a house that meets all of your requirements, youll want to make sure that you have a solid understanding of where it stands with regards to the rest of the market. If you havent spent enough time researching the area, you could inadvertently end up with a bad deal. There are lots of resources available online that can help you determine the overall level of competition in your area. They can also help you figure out if there are any properties that meet your requirements that you didnt know about. If you own rental property, you can use the information to identify tenants who might cause damage If you own rental property and youve noticed that certain tenants consistently cause damage, you can use the results of a building inspection to identify them. You can then contact them directly to let them know that youre watching them closely and that you dont appreciate the problem theyre causing. They might start taking better care of their homes, which would be good news for everyone. It could also be the case that youll find out that theyre responsible for previous damages that werent caught during a previous visit. You can make smarter decisions about hiring contractors If youve hired contractors to build or repair your home, you might want to ask them for references. However, unless you perform a thorough building inspection, you might not know exactly what to look for. For instance, maybe you only checked the roof for leaks or the walls for cracks. You might not have looked underneath the foundation for anything that could cause a future issue. By performing a building inspection, you can ensure that you hire reputable contractors who will be trustworthy with your money. You can avoid purchasing a home thats in poor condition Of course, the main benefit of structural inspections perth is that it helps you avoid purchasing a home thats in poor condition. Before you make the decision to buy a home, you should do whatever you can to find out about the state of the building. You can also ask your realtor about what sorts of inspections are typically recommended. Some agents say that its standard practice to check the heating system, the roof, the electrical wiring, and the floors. Others will tell you that they recommend that you check the entire structure. Either way, if you choose to hire an inspector, youll find out exactly what needs to be fixed and how much it will cost to do so. As a result, it can be concluded that a pre-purchase building inspection is highly important for the buyers because it provides transparency regarding the current conditions of the structure. Additionally, the building owner is made aware of any upgrades or repairs that are required, which could lead to a fair deal throughout the purchasing and selling process. President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia's economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine. The United States generally imports about 100,000 barrels a day from Russia, only about 5% of Russia's crude oil exports, according to Rystad Energy. Last year, roughly 8% of U.S. imports of oil and petroleum products came from Russia. Gas prices have been rising for weeks due to the conflict and in anticipation of potential sanctions on the Russian energy sector. The U.S. national average for a gallon of gasoline soared 45 cents a gallon in the past week and topped $4.06 on Monday, according to auto club AAA. Should the US ban Russian oil imports over Ukraine war? You voted: The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now. Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market. In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender. India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex. Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted. But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted? Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner. If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems. I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now. I want more variation in masturbation I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own. If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end. What is sex toys for Indian? Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation. It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms. They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable. Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner. The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner. It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past. In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping. Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order. In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing. Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome. Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own. But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance. More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around. Sextoy situation in India Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years. In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India. Mumbai Kolkata Bangalore Delhi Chennai Hyderabad These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India. In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well. If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too. If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it. What are Sextoys for beginner? Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms. Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy. I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion. I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy. If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma. Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it. Advantages of using sextoy for Indians There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways. Can have stimulating sex Can develop new sexual zones If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern. However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways. You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation. Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever. There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure. This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it. When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems. It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms). For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles [Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou... Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India. Sextoy for beginner men in India So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners. For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men! The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men Masturbator Cock rings Love Doll Sex Lubricants Toys for the prostate Lets check each one in detail. Masturbator The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products. It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands. Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands. They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.) Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much. Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! ! Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa SEXToys India PR (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018 Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood. If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ... [For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien... Cock Ring A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis. It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow. It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber. In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection. Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction. It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it. Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time. Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function. Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy. You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect. [Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat... Love Doll Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex. There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women. Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price. The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true. You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste. There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice. You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls. If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to... Sex lubricants Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules. It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution. Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse. There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent. Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent. If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here. What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many... Toys for the Prostate Another sextoy for men is prostate toys. The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line. Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men. Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men. What is the prostate? The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm. You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus. By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms. Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.) The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation. Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure. sextoy for beinner women in India The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy. The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy. Vibrator. Dildo Electric Masserger Lets check out what each one is in detail. If you want to check out womens toys, click here. [BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm... Vibrators A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator. Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy. It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy. Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women. For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators. Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex. Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself. This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual. Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men. When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons. Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most... Dildo A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis. It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass. A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it. They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well. It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device. A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo. Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands. For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis. This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one. To learn more about dildo, please click here. What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th... Electric Masserger A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores. It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low. Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels. Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation. It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure. For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm. It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out. If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager? To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here. What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th... How to choose a sextoy for Indian Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one. Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points: Does the size fit you (the partner)? Does the size fit you (your partner)? Is the environment able to produce sound without problems? Price range First of all, the choice of size is quite important. Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women. For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage. Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems. Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise. If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level. Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it. Finally, there is the price range. The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest. Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy. Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy? I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance. For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics. If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out. How to buy sextoys in India The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping. For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below. Sextoy is one of them. Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping. SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India. They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry. Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card. To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy. ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal. Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on. Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture. Cautions for Indians using sextoy When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind Keep sex toys clean Watch out for electrical leakage Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone. Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there. It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case. In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness. Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful. If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it. You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly. Summary What did you think? In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India. The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future. As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values. However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health. If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try? Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women. I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it. Amelia Eisenhauer finally has her driver's license, which frequently is the biggest accomplishment in the life of a 16-year-old. Not for this Du Quoin native. Not by a long shot. Eisenhauer successfully auditioned for "American Idol" earlier this year. The fiery redhead advanced through the Atlanta Regional to the Top 24, and was repeatedly displayed to a worldwide audience on the Fox network chatting it up with Harry Connick Jr., Keith Urban and Jennifer Lopez. Connick called her absolutely terrific after singing Suds In The Bucket as a duet with Kellie Pickler. The wave of momentum created by the national exposure is generating new career opportunities for Eisenhauer on almost a daily basis. Eisenhauer will appear Monday at HerrinFesta Italiana, along with Murphy 500, as the opening acts for Chris Janson. The musical portion of the festival kicks off tonight with Jake Owen, followed by 3 Doors Down on Friday, a heavy metal extravaganza on Saturday, and rock 'n' roll legend Foreigner on Sunday. It's always great to come back home and see the people from my hometown and Southern Illinois in general. It's where it all started for me, Eisenhauer said Monday, a couple hours after finishing final exams for her junior year at the exclusive Nashville School of Arts, a high school for gifted students. Eisenhauer was only 11 when she was first introduced to the gigantic HerrinFesta crowds as a vocalist/instrumentalist in the We Got It Covered band. In 2012, she won the Texaco Country Showdown at the Festa, and repeated the following year as The Eisenhauer Band, with mother, Rhonda, on rhythm guitar and brother, Andy, picking banjo. In 2013, the family moved to Nashville to be closer to the epicenter of the music business. The "Idol" appearance was a culmination of three years of carefully learning to navigate the complicated music business. The 'Idol' experience was a once-in-a-lifetime thrill for me. I got to meet a lot of fantastic people, like Kellie Pickler, Chris Daughtry, David Cook and all the judges. It was just so much fun, Eisenhauer says. The talent level was unbelievable. You had to put it all out there and give a maximum effort every performance. Rhonda Eisenhauer says there was literally an overnight spike in her daughter's popularity due to the appearance on the ultra-popular national talent search competition, which has launched the careers of Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson and Scotty McCreery. It's simply amazing, she said. The doors that keep opening and the gigs that keep coming in is phenomenal. Four days after HerrinFesta, Amelia will open for this season's "Idol" winner, Trent Harmon, at the 2016 Tupelo Elvis Festival. Amelia will also appear at the Alabama State Games and has a July 30 gig in New York City. The kids' eyes were a big a saucers when I told them we were playing in New York, Rhonda said. Our booking agent really believes in us and thinks we can go all the way to the top. Amelia is contractually obligated to "American Idol" until Aug. 7, meaning she is prohibited from releasing any new material until after that date. We are going to hit the deck running in the middle of August. We had an album completed before the 'Idol' auditions. The plan is to tweak that project and have something new for the fans, Rhonda said. The official name of the act will change in August to the Amelia Eisenhauer Band. Amelia will continue to provide lead vocals, fiddle and mandolin. Rhonda and Andy will have the same duties. However, an all-star cast of four session musicians handling keyboards, lead guitar, drums and bass guitar give the depth and experience needed to handle major concert appearances. The recording industry has been turned upside down, Rhonda said. In the past, a major label would sign an act based on talent and they would develop it. Today, they expect you to have everything in place before they sign you. We are building from the ground up, methodically establishing our fan base and recording quality original material. Starting at a little past 7 a.m. every day, Rhonda handles the social media aspect of the business, making posts and addressing a steady stream of inquiries. Highlighted by Amelia's torchy blues-scorched vocal and a peculating hybrid bluegrass vibe, the band creates a brand of Americana fusion that is difficult to categorize, which is ideal for a fluid country genre that embraces a wide variety of artist. Eisenhauer and her "Idol" mentor Pickler will reunite Aug. 30 when they share the main stage at the DuQuoin State Fair. Eishenhauer and her band also will play Saturday at the Pin Oak Pub in Carterville at 7:30 p.m. MURPHYSBORO The Illinois State Police are investigating the death of a 31-year-old man at the Jackson County Jail, according to a news release from the Jackson County Sheriff's Office. The man's death is being investigated as a homicide, the sheriff's office said. Jackson County Coroner Thomas Kupferer has identified the decedent as Collin Kotlarz, originally of Waverly, Tennessee. In a news release, Kupferer said that a forensic autopsy by Dr. Michael Jacobi is scheduled for Thursday afternoon. Kotlarz's family has been notified, Kupferer said. Kotlarz's body was found Thursday morning in his jail cell by a correctional deputy conducting a routine cell check about 6:45 a.m. Kotlarz was being held in the Jackson County Jail after being arrested March 5 by law enforcement in Union County for allegedly driving under the influence and related charges, according to Judici.com. The Union County State's Attorney had charged Kotlarz with two Class 2 felony charges of aggravated driving under the influence, as well as a misdemeanor charge of driving on a revoked license. He additionally had been cited for allegedly having open liquor in his vehicle at the time of arrest and improper lane usage. Jackson and Union counties have an intergovernmental agreement for Jackson County to house inmates from Union County, which does not have its own jail. Investigators have not released the names of potential suspects related to Kotlarz's death. The name of the decedent was withheld in an earlier report, and confirmed by Kupferer later Thursday morning. The Jackson County State's Attorney's Office has been recused and the Illinois State's Attorney's Appellate Prosecutor's Office has been appointed to serve as the prosecutor in all matters relating to this investigation, according to the news release. In the past decade, there has been one other reported death at the Jackson County Jail, according to data received from a 2015 FOIA request. CYPRESS After nearly two years of public meetings, the Cypress Village Board will be taking over ownership of the former Masonic Cemetery. With the low bid for mowing, Cypress resident Larry Hileman will continue maintaining the grounds. Flags will also be placed by volunteers before Memorial Day at the burial sites of nearly 100 veterans buried in the cemetery. "We can't legally organize the committee until everything is legal," said Penny Jordan, one of seven people who volunteered to serve on the committee, along with two village board members. Jordan said she is highly interested in the cemetery, which is south of the Johnson County village on Illinois 37, since she has many family members buried there. "The State Cemetery Commission allows a separate board, rather than the village board, to oversee the operations of the cemetery," said Cypress Mayor Roy West. Those who volunteered include Phil Osman, Randy Adams, Penny Jordan, Deanna Penrod, Debby Rosson, Renee Anderson, Carolyn Dials, plus West, and village clerk Heidi Stapleton. The cemetery opened in the late 1920s by the Stone Arch Masonic Lodge. That group dissolved more than two years ago because of a lack of active members. West pointed out that it was assumed by most that there was a continuing perpetual care plan. However, that plan dissolved in 1979. In the distant past, generous interest was compounded, providing sufficient funds but that is no longer the case. When the original plots were sold, it was assumed that the Masons would provide the maintenance forever. West pointed out that the maintenance runs at about $7,000 annually, plus insurance and other expenses. Another expense coming is the survey of the perimeter and the individual plots. The cemetery will have to be annexed, West said at a June 2015 meeting, "I don't see that as a problem," he said. West said volunteers will be at the cemetery collecting donations from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Monday. A Fazoli's spaghetti fundraiser has been planned from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 10, at the Cypress School cafeteria. It will be $10 a plate dine-in or carry-out and there will also be a silent auction. Donations are being accepted for the cemetery, and they can be sent to Cypress Village Hall, P.O. Box 140, Cypress IL 62939. The current state budget crisis is having an extreme negative effect on wildlife and fisheries management in Illinois. Federal excise taxes, such as the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund (Dingell-Johnson Act) and the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (Pittman-Robertson Act) were created to provide federal monies for the management and restoration of fish and wildlife. When sportsmen purchase ammunition, firearms, and fishing equipment, they are contributing to these funds, with the knowledge that the money collected will be redistributed to the states for the enhancement and management of wildlife, angling, and associated recreational activities. It should be simple; the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is billed for expenditures on projects approved for federal grant-in-aid funding and, in turn, bills the federal agencies that have allocated the funds. These funds are then reimbursed and are thus often referred to as flow-through funding. Unfortunately, the flow has been blocked; the IDNR is not currently authorized to reimburse projects due to the budget impasse. An immediate solution would be to issue a spending authority to the IDNR explicitly for these specific accounts, regardless of budget status. This can happen without the passing of the state budget; similar spending bills have already been issued by the state general assembly for other purposes during the impasse. If Illinois does not authorize the spending of these funds soon, they will be forfeited, a serious injustice to the fish and wildlife of the state as well as the sportsmen who paid into the funds. These funds can represent a substantial influx for wildlife and fisheries management. For example, in 2015, the federal government allocated more than $20 million to Illinois from funds collected under the Acts. Monies from Dingell-Johnson have been used for restocking efforts, habitat improvements, research and monitoring of fish stocks, and improving access for recreational boating. The 2014-2015 IDNR Public Lands Hunting Report notes that Pittman-Robertson: "has either funded or is currently funding wildlife habitat developments, or has acquired land on 116 of the 182 public hunting and trapping areas. Pittman-Robertson (P-R) funding provides wildlife habitat development, maintenance activity, research projects and land acquisition for wildlife management purposes in Illinois. P-R funds also provide funding for Illinois hunter safety course administration and materials." As graduate students studying wildlife and fisheries, the authors of this column are directly impacted by the blockage of these funds. SIUCs Fisheries and Wildlife Research Centers use a portion of these federal dollars for research projects that benefit natural resources and the sportsmen who enjoy them in Illinois. These include studies of furbearer and deer populations, wetland availability for waterfowl, black carp in Illinois rivers, monitoring Ohio river fish populations, and other wildlife and fisheries issues in Illinois. If the situation is not resolved promptly, those projects will be terminated and resources allocated to them in the past year will be lost. Many of these projects rely on long-term data collection and the loss of a year or two of data can impact our ability to interpret trends relating to those species. It also means that those monies cannot be put back into the local economy through purchases of fuel, lodging, and equipment for these Illinois-based projects. Similar projects at other universities in the state are also at risk of cancellation as they also rely on these funds. While the state is responsible for matching the 75% federal contribution with a 25% state contribution, the states burden can be lightened through other grants from non-profits, hunting and fishing license revenues, and hours worked on the projects by staff. Most of us are sportsmen ourselves and are focused on studying and improving Illinois wildlife and fisheries. We are all focused on careers dedicated to improving natural resources. Unfortunately, those of us who draw support from these funds are faced with the prospect of leaving behind the projects that we have worked on tirelessly. The students working on these projects are our future land and resource managers, but are at risk of losing the opportunity to pursue that education and training if these funds are lost. You pay into these funds with your purchases of fishing and hunting equipment and it would be a shame to see the state forfeit their contributions. The passage of a spending bill for the IDNR, specific to these funds, would get things moving again and allow us to work towards improving the natural resources of the state. We encourage you to contact your local state general assembly members and urge them to pass a spending bill. To the Editor: Your recent editorial (A future without coal?, May 15) raises important questions about Illinois energy future. For Southern Illinois, it is worth remembering that the type of energy with the greatest potential to create jobs and savings is the energy that we dont use. Energy efficiency has a proven track record in Illinois. Since efficiency standards were adopted in 2007, customers have saved more than $1 billion. Those standards spurred an industry now employing 86,000 people statewide, which grew by 25% in 2015. Southern Illinois is fertile ground for savings and job growth through energy efficiency. This is due especially to the number of large industrial users, many of whom our company has helped cut energy usage in half. These savings put more money in peoples wallets, including local residents and small business customers, and puts more people to work-- at the companies we have served and among union workers whom we hire across downstate Illinois. Unfortunately, legislation introduced by ComEd (SB1585) limits new energy efficiency benefits to Northern Illinois. This is a bitter pill for Ameren ratepayers who would pay more to support Exelons nuclear fleet under the bill. Southern Illinois should not be left in the dark when it comes to new jobs and savings. A better solution is the Illinois Clean Jobs Bill (SB1485/HB2607) which boosts energy efficiency standards statewide. In your editorial, you asked whether Southern Illinois risks becoming lost in the shadow of progress? By embracing energy efficiency, lawmakers can ensure that Southern Illinois prospers. Jason Vogelbaugh Director, Energy Solutions Alpha Controls & Services 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!) COLUMBIA South Carolina has elected its second black chief justice since Reconstruction: a Democrat who clashed with a well-respected Republican lawmaker during a hearing and has been nominated to become a federal judge. Don Beatty celebrated after Wednesdays vote with dozens of friends, family and lawmakers. He was running unopposed for a chief justice term that runs until July 2024, replacing Chief Justice Costa Pleicones, who must retire Dec. 31 after just a year as top judge because hes reached the mandatory retirement age of 72. Beatty, 64, was the most senior member of the Supreme Court behind Pleicones after being elected as an associate justice in 2007. By custom, South Carolina lawmakers usually turn over the top job to the courts most senior member. Beatty received his J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1979 and his B.A. cum laude from South Carolina State University in 1974. Beatty follows in the footsteps of Ernest Finney Jr., who in 1994 became South Carolinas first black chief justice since Reconstruction. He retired in 2000. Jean Toal ran the Supreme Court from 2000 until 2015, so If Beatty serves his entire term, an African-American or a woman all Democrats will have run South Carolina courts for 29 of the past 30 years. South Carolina is moving in the right direction, Beatty said. I think this is proof we are moving forward as a state. Republicans were at least a little leery of Beatty, who served four years as a Democrat in the House from Spartanburg before becoming a state judge. He argued with mild-mannered Republican Sen. Larry Martin during his screening. Beatty said he knew what Martin was thinking when he singled out Beatty for comments about potential unethical conduct by prosecutors and didnt criticize former white female Chief Justice Toal for saying similar things. Martin snapped back that Beatty couldnt know what he was thinking, and Beatty apologized. Associate Justice John Kittredge of Greenville, whos next in seniority behind Beatty, had also picked up an application for chief justice but decided not to run. Beatty might have another job offer to consider soon. President Barack Obama nominated him to be a federal judge from South Carolina. But the U.S. Senate has not given any indication when that nomination might be heard. Im only concerned with the chief justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court at this time, Beatty said after his election. I dont like speculating, and that has not happened. I dont want to even spend any time thinking about it. Toal said Beattys election shows why South Carolinas unusual method of having lawmakers pick judges is better than public elections, which could result in one-issue candidates or unqualified judicial candidates backed by big money. Hes not in majority party, Toal said of Beatty. He was judged not on party affiliation, but on his merits as a judge. He met the test with flying colors. Hurricane season officially begins June 1, but Mother Nature may not have received the memo. Weather officials were monitoring conditions in the Atlantic on Wednesday for possible tropical development, noting there was a 50 percent chance that an area of inclement weather near the Bahamas could form into a tropical depression or Tropical Storm Bonnie. NWS Meteorologist Hunter Coleman said a lot of uncertainty surrounds the forecast, but the biggest impact would most likely be rainfall. The rain could be heavy at times. According to the latest weather models, a low pressure system is expected to stall off the Southeast coast and move slowly. Models continue to diverge as to whether or not the system will go up the coast or shift inland into the state. The best estimates call for a good chance of showers and thunderstorms Saturday through Monday, possibly continuing into Wednesday. For The T&D Region, the National Weather Service is forecasting an increased chance of showers and thunderstorms for the holiday weekend. Rain chances for Orangeburg are forecast to be 40 percent on Saturday, increasing to 50 percent on Sunday and 40 percent for Memorial Day. The possibility of rain is expected to be in the forecast through at least Wednesday in the region. Coleman said he does not encourage folks to cancel their holiday plans at this time. I would make some alternate plans in case rain will cause problems for whatever event they have, he said. The Regional Medical Center plans to spend about $1.7 million to replace and improve air conditioning units this fall. Hospital trustees agreed Tuesday to proceed with the project, which will include about $105,840 for its design and engineering phase. The three-phase project will entail the replacement of air handlers within the hospitals three patient units. The air handlers which serve halls A and C will be replaced and the air handler which serves Hall B will be rebuilt, GMK Director of Engineering Jeff Bernagozzi said. As part of the project, cooling coils, pre-filter racks, motor and fans will be replaced. The current coils are about 35 years old. The construction cost for the three phases will be approximately $1.7 million. RMC Chief Financial Officer Liza Porterfield said the money is not in the budget and the hospitals capital budget for the year is a little less than $4 million. We will need to monitor through this so we dont put ourselves in a position where we are paying cash out the door, Porterfield said, noting the hospital will be seeking to ensure the timing of the financing for the project does not hurt the hospital. Bernagozzi said the project needs to be done in the winter and fall. We want to lessen the load on the building Bernagozzi said. You dont want to do it in the hottest months. You want to do it when it is the coolest so you can take the coils out and still provide fresh air that is cooled to the building and still keep everybody comfortable. In the interim, the hospital will clean the coils on the existing air conditioning units in an effort to increase air flow during the summer. Readings will be taken prior to the cleaning and one week after the cleaning to determine if the cleaning was successful. The total cost of this effort will be about $62,500. Should this project fail, the hospital will go to a second option which would entail the placement of portable air conditioning units as well as installing four 12-ton units on the hospitals roof and running ducts into four windows into vacant patient rooms. Single air conditioning units could also be purchased if need be. The total cost for renting and installing the units would be about $94,500. The mitigation efforts will come out of the hospitals maintenance fund. In other matters, Finance Committee Chairman Matt Stokes said the hospital has seen its financial situation improve. For the month of April, the hospital ended up about $2.9 million in the black. The hospital was able to recover some outstanding bad debts. We still have a bit of a hole to cover, Stokes said. The hospital was about $577,300 in the red year-to-date (not including non-operating income) and remained about $1.8 million in the red for the entire hospital system, including the hospitals affiliated practices. The hospital has been working on a number of cost-cutting measures, including lowering its more expensive contract labor. Porterfield reminded trustees its recently downgraded BBB Standard & Poors credit rating is still an investment-grade rating, which is a rating that indicates that a bond has a relatively low risk of default. The lower credit rating could increase the hospitals borrowing costs. Porterfield also told trustees the hospital continues to have a backlog of Medicaid applications and funding. Through the end of April, there is $14.3 million tied up in Medicaid applications. Of this, about $2.7 million is tied to applications over a year old. The hospital will receive about 20 percent of the $14.3 million. The hospital continues to work with the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to expedite the process. In other business: * RMC Vice President of Strategy and Development Brenda Williams presented trustees an overview of the hospitals clinical affiliation with the Medical University of South Carolina, noting the affiliation will reap a number of new capabilities at the hospital. These include services such as tele-neurology, tele-stroke, radiation oncology and interventional cardiology. Trustees expressed a desire to see the affiliation be aggressively promoted by the hospitals public relations and marketing staff. * Trustees were informed hospital employees and their dependents are benefiting from the hospitals on-site health clinic. The clinic opened in June 2015 and has consistent usage with about 92 percent of users being hospital employees. The clinics monthly operating costs average about $36,000. DENMARK City officials and citizens joined the members of the Nu Tau Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. for the much-anticipated dedication and unveiling of new playground equipment on the morning of May 21. Through its 265,000 members and 986 chapters nationwide, Alpha Kappa Alpha addresses community needs with programs in five target areas: educational enrichment, health promotion, family strengthening, environmental ownership and global impact. As part of that work, sorority members across the country are restoring and renewing 1,908 existing community and school playgrounds with their Restore, Refresh and Renew Project. The sorority implements high impact programs to provide healthy environments and improve the quality of life in underserved communities, and the AKA 1908 Playground Mobilization Project has been launched to ensure children have a safe, inviting place to play. The Nu Tau Omega Chapter dedication took place at the Bernard Cummings Playground at the corner of Locust Avenue and Voorhees Road. Among those attending was Alethia Cummings, wife of the late Bernard Cummings. Mr. Cummings was a community leader and longtime instructor at Voorhees College. Nu Tau Omegas Environmental Ownership Committee consists of Chair Carolyn Davis, Co-Chair Deloris Chatman and members Lisa Stokes, Evelyn Singleton, Valerie Fields, Mollie Williams and Vorise Peeples. Standing in for Denmark Mayor Gerald Wright at the ceremony was City Councilman Jake Bookard. The AKA chapter is continuing to add to the work it started a year ago with the playground project. The face-lift of the Bernard Cummings Playground includes the addition of a Monkey Bar Adventure swing set with a nine-foot slide and a Firemans Pole and Trapeze Bar. We are very excited about the additions and improvements that Nu Tau Omega is continuing to make to our park, said Carolyn Murdaugh Davis, chairperson of the chapters 1908 Playground Project. She said two new picnic tables and other games will also be installed. Antigone Solomon, president of the chapter, encouraged the community to help with the overhaul of the playground and park area. Renovations and upkeep is an ongoing project that will require funds, resources and volunteers who are willing to assist wherever possible, she said. Solomon said the chapter is open to individual, civic, business and corporate partnerships. Members expressed hope that their chapter will inspire others in the community to step up to help with the playground upkeep. Donations of extra dirt to fill in areas in the park that hold water when it rains are being sought. For more information or to make donations or pledges, contact the AKA chapter by email at office@aka-nutauomega.org or at www.aka-nutauomega.org. If statistics are any guide, the war against chronic disease is going particularly poorly for men. For nine of the 10 deadliest diseases, American men die at higher rates than women. Half of all men will develop some form of cancer in their lifetimes. More than 300,000 men will drop dead this year from heart disease alone. Obviously men are in trouble and need researchers to develop new and better treatments. Of course, patients will only benefit from such treatments if they can access them. Thats why proposed changes to Medicares prescription drug benefit are so worrying. Supporters of these changes claim that theyll save the federal government billions of dollars. In reality, the measures could undermine research efforts and deprive millions of seniors the medicines they need to stay healthy and may result in fewer medicines being offered to seniors. Medicares Part D drug benefit is a successful and popular program. Premiums are affordable, at a national average of about $32 a month, and they are expected to remain low. About nine in 10 beneficiaries are satisfied with their coverage, which is provided through private insurance companies and subsidized by the government. Despite the fact that Part D has cost 45 percent less than expected, some in Washington think the program needs to be changed. Their concerns center on the price negotiations between private insurers and drug companies. Part D has been so cost effective in large part because insurers have a financial incentive to bargain hard and squeeze big discounts up to 30 percent out of drug companies in exchange for covering a medicine. Part D critics think government negotiators could drive a harder bargain and secure even lower prices. However, the Congressional Budget Office has studied the issue and concluded that government negotiators wouldnt save any money unless they deploy the nuclear option of simply refusing to cover newer, higher-cost medicines. Such a move would prove disastrous for patients. By imposing artificially low prices on drug companies, the government could stifle research and development. The average new drug costs some $2.6 billion to develop and bring to market, according to a Tufts University study. If Medicare pays artificially low prices, it could render much future drug research financially unviable. Whats more, if the government pushes prices below what the market can bear, patients could lose access to some existing drugs. The Congressional Budget Office explains that the only way the government could achieve any significant savings would be to impose access or coverage restrictions on medicines. That, of course, means Part D beneficiaries might not get the medicines they need. Breakthrough drugs tend to be the most expensive, so they are the ones most likely to be restricted. Access limitations are a hardship that participants in the Veterans Affairs prescription drug program which operates under a government negotiated-price regime know too well. The VA drug benefit covers only 163 of the top 200 most-prescribed Part D drugs. Medicare prescription drug plans, on the other hand, cover 191 of those drugs on average. Using the power of government to drive down drug prices might seem like a worthy initiative. But it wont work as promised and will in fact hurt those who most need innovative therapies. Millions of Americans are battling for their lives against chronic diseases, and men are particularly vulnerable. Victory in this fight requires better treatments. Those will never arrive if lawmakers meddle with Medicare Part D. "What is your tax rate?" George Stephanopoulos asked Donald Trump on ABC's "Good Morning America." "It's none of your business," Trump replied. That answer is absolutely and completely unacceptable. When you choose to run for president, and have a real chance of actually winning, everything becomes the public's business. This principle goes far beyond Trump's taxes. If voters are going to make a reasonable judgment about how he might act in the future, they have a right to know how he's acted in the past. Everything means everything. Transparency and accountability are not optional. This principle applies to all candidates, including Hillary Clinton, but it is particularly important in Trump's case because he has never held public office. He has never been through an election, or even a congressional hearing -- experiences that test and expose a person's background and ability to perform under pressure. He has never served in a legislature, so he has never had to cast a single vote that forced him to go beyond speechifying and crystalize how he truly feels about an issue. He has never been an executive -- meaning a mayor or a governor -- where he had to make decisions that reveal his core values and priorities. Clinton, by contrast, has run three major election campaigns -- twice for the Senate, once for president, not including her current bid -- and been confirmed as secretary of state by a vote of 94 to 2. She's cast thousands of votes and made numerous appearances before congressional hearings, the latest in October, when she answered questions about Benghazi from hostile Republicans for almost 11 hours. Republicans are demanding even more information: about her use of a private email server during her State Department tenure; about what she knew and said during the violence in Libya that cost three American lives in 2012; about the paid speeches she made after she left office. So Trump and his allies set new standards for hypocrisy when they defend his refusal to reveal his taxes. One of the worst has been Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, who made this ridiculous statement on ABC: "Donald Trump represents such a massive change to how things are done in Washington that people don't look at ... whether or not he releases his taxes." It's precisely because Trump represents "massive change" that the demand for disclosure is non-negotiable. And it's totally irrelevant whether his core supporters care about the Dear Leader's taxes. Devoted Trumpians will not decide the election. But for swing voters in swing states, who have not yet chosen a candidate, that information is essential. So is a stream of stories that are just starting to fill in other blanks in Trump's past. The New York Times documented the history of Trump's degrading and demeaning attitudes toward women. The Washington Post revealed that he frequently called reporters and lied about his true identity. The Wall Street Journal calculated that his tax proposals would "dramatically raise the debt, not decrease it, much less produce a surplus." Trump's tax statements represent a particularly critical piece of information. As the Journal put it, "If Mr. Trump refuses to release his returns until after the election, that would make him the first major-party nominee since President Gerald Ford in 1976 to not release even one year of his actual returns." Moreover, Trump is selling himself to voters as a highly successful businessman and deal-maker. His own boasts only boost the relevance of his financial records. In defending his stonewalling, Trump told the Associated Press that "there's nothing to learn" from his returns. That is, to put it charitably, a total untruth. The Fact Checker column in the Washington Post listed at least five important items the returns would reveal: Trump's annual income; the sources of that income; how much he gives to charity; how aggressively he's tried to avoid taxes; and what rate he actually pays. "Trump falsely claims that voters would learn nothing from his tax returns," the Post concluded. "To the contrary, voters would learn a lot of information that Trump has long tried to hide from the public. Tax returns would help lift a veil of secrecy about Trump's finances -- and let voters know whether his claims about his wealth and charitable giving are true, or if he's just a bombastic man behind the curtain akin to the Wizard of Oz." Trump's refusal to reveal his taxes shows utter contempt for the voters and the democratic process. The voters should show him contempt in return. ----- Steve and Cokie Roberts can be contacted by email at stevecokie@gmail.com. Victoria Lynn Tucker, 36, of 107 Split Trail Ave., Santee, pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful conduct toward a child. Tucker entered the pleas Monday in Orangeburg County General Sessions Court, with Circuit Court Judge D. Craig Brown presiding. Brown sentenced Tucker to five years in prison, provided that after she serves one year, the balance of her sentence will be suspended to probation for 30 months. According to her indictment, Tucker beat a 14-year-old child and an 8-year-old child with an extension cord on May 18, 2015. Also on Monday: Reginald Jerome Smith, 37, of 1006 Lynes Ave., Savannah, Georgia, pleaded guilty to giving false information to law enforcement, manufacturing marijuana and resisting arrest. The judge sentenced him to the Orangeburg County Detention Center for 90 days. Hes given credit for having served 17 days. J.B. Young, 71, of 106 Willie Road, Bamberg, pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary, violent. Brown sentenced him to prison for eight years. Anton Govan, 37, of 922 Sulton Court, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to failure to stop for blue lights and driving under suspension. The judge sentenced him to prison for three years, provided that after he serves 30 days, the balance of the sentence is reduced to 18 months of probation. Govan may serve weekends beginning May 27. Esmond Jackson, 26, of 902 Sulton Court, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to manufacturing, distributing and possessing narcotics, first offense and possession of less than 28 grams of marijuana. Brown sentenced him to prison for five years, suspended to two years of probation. Franklin Antonio Isaac, 21, of 107 Nursery St., Cameron, pleaded guilty to second-degree domestic violence. The judge sentenced him to prison for three years, suspended to two years of probation. Isaac must also attend and successfully complete anger management training. Charlese Denise Brown, 36, of 359 Albert St., Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to violating a custody order by not returning a child within 72 hours. Brown sentenced her to prison for five years, suspended to two years of probation. Jared Xavier James, 20, of 78 Ashley Hall Plantation Road, Charleston, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana. The judge sentenced him under the Youthful Offender Act not to exceed five years. Stefon Shay Anthony Russell, 26, of 104 Sweetgrass Lane, Cordova, pleaded guilty to manufacturing, distributing and possessing cocaine base, third or subsequent offense. Brown sentenced him to prison for 10 years. Hes given credit for having served 439 days at the OCDC. Willie Anthony Young, 29, of 2428 Branchdale Hwy., Holly Hill, pleaded guilty to manufacturing, distributing and possessing a controlled drug, first offense. The judge sentenced him to prison for five years, suspended to two years of probation. He must also undergo random drug/alcohol testing. Tovya Emanuel Gathers, 27, of 389 Lauderdale Road, Eutawville, pleaded guilty to unlawful carrying of a handgun, manufacturing/possessing ecstasy and possession of cocaine, first offense. Brown sentenced him to prison for 18 months. Jonathan Brown, 28, of 428 Railroad Ave., Branchville, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, first offense. The judge sentenced him to time served of 53 days at the OCDC. Santana Orlando Jones, 46, of 918 Jamal Lane, Bowman, pleaded guilty to manufacturing, distributing and possessing cocaine, first offense. Brown sentenced him to prison for five years, provided that upon service of one year, the balance of the sentence is suspended to probation for two years. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Women used warmer, gentler words in their status updates on Facebookcompared to men, who were more likely to swear, express anger and use argumentative language, a study of 10 million postings released on Wednesday found. In a bit of a surprise, the study showed that women used slightly more assertive language, said H. Andrew Schwartz, an assistant professor of computer science at Stony Brook University and one of its authors. The study, Women are Warmer but No Less Assertive Than Men: Gender and Language on Facebook, was a data-driven analysis of the words used by more than 65,000 Facebook users who gave researchers permission to examine their status updates. That shift in assertiveness might reflect the cultural and societal changes brought about by a generation that heavily uses social media, said Margaret L. Kern, a senior lecturer at the Center for Positive Psychology at the University of Melbourne in Australia and one of the studys authors. In the study, the users average age was 26. Those conversations have shifted over time, she said. On Facebook, people are friends. Theyre not talking up or down to each other. Womens writing largely reflected compassion and politeness compared with men, who were hostile and impersonal, according to the study, which Mr. Schwartz and Ms. Kern discussed Tuesday in advance of the release. The most commonly cited topics by women included words such as wonderful, happy, birthday, daughter, baby, excited and thankful. Women were more likely to discuss family and social life, relying on words that described positive emotions, such as love, and intensive adverbs, such as sooo, sooooo, and ridiculously, the study said. Men more frequently discussed topics related to money or work, and favored words tied to politics, sports, competition and activities, such as shooting guns or playing video games. Men commonly used words such as freedom, liberty, win, lose, battle and enemy. The differences were interpreted as reflecting a male tendency toward objects and impersonal topics and a female tendency toward psychological and social processes, the report said. Psychologists and computer scientists from Stony Brook, the University of Melbourne and the University of Pennsylvania investigated the differences in language by gender. Participants agreed to answer 20 to 100 questions on a Facebook app, MyPersonality, which was run by study collaborators. Those responses allowed researchers to inventory individual users personality traits and match that data with words that they frequently used. From that, researchers correlated word frequency and personality traits from the 10 million postings. Participants agreed to give researchers access to nearly two years of status updates, starting in 2009. For privacy reasons, all the posts were stripped of identifying details about the users, who were between 16 and 64 years old. The study offered insights into the ways people categorize and label others based on their speech, Ms. Kern said. It also was a data-based way to study social media that could be replicated outside the United States , to see if such gender differences surface in other cultures and societies, she said. And it gave parents something to think about regarding the words they emphasize with their children. The language we use, especially with our kids, that becomes a part of them, she said. Perhaps we do use language that encourages girls to be warmer and boys to be less warm. Defense Minister of Azerbaijan, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov who is on a visit in Spain, has met the Minister of Defense of this country Pedro Morenes Eulate. The ministers have discussed prospects of cooperation between the two countries. Then, both ministers gave interview to the AZERTAC correspondent. The Minister of Defense of Spain Pedro Morenes Eulate has noted that this meeting was very desirable. Prospects of relations between Azerbaijan and Spain are broad. The relations between two countries rely on friendship and mutual understanding. We have joint projects, he stressed. The Spanish Minister has emphasized that in the center of attention there is fight against all elements that threaten peace. Our countries have common position in this fight. I want to highlight the expression stated by me at a meeting: "Spain and Azerbaijan have identical friends and enemies". Pedro Morenes Eulate stated that , our friendship with the Azerbaijani Defense Minister has begun with my visit to Baku. Therefore, this visit was important for me. I consider that the Azerbaijani colleague shares my thoughts. We have passed through certain dangerous moments. We have reached an agreement on bilateral cooperation", he underlined. Defense Minister of Azerbaijan Zakir Hasanov has expressed gratitude to his Spanish colleague for the organization of visit at the high level. The Minister has noted that possibilities of cooperation between the two countries are very wide. We had comprehensive discussion of these opportunities. Cooperation develops both between the two countries, and within NATO. The Spanish colleague makes new interesting proposals, and we agree with them", the Minister said. He has noted that the friendship between Spain and Azerbaijan is eternal. Having highlighted the statement of the Spanish Minister "Spain and Azerbaijan have identical friends and enemies", Zakir Hasanov has expressed appreciation to the colleague for this position. Questions of cooperation in the military sphere between Azerbaijan and Spain have also been discussed at a meeting of the Minister of Defense Zakir Hasanov with the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain Ignacio Ibanez Rubio. Ambassador of Azerbaijan in Spain Anar Maharramov was present at the meetings. The World Bank's (WB) Board of Executive Directors approved a $20 million International Development Association (IDA) credit for Modernization of Real Property Registration and Cadastre Project in Uzbekistan, the WB Tashkent office told Trend May 25. It is expected that a credit agreement will be signed in June-July 2016. The office also said the goal of the project is to improve the efficiency and accessibility of the real property registry and cadastre system as part of the country's national e-government structure and services. The project will focus on establishing an electronic and unified real property registry and cadastre in the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Land Resources, Geodesy, Cartography and State Cadastre, and will be implemented nationwide. The transition from a paper-based to a computer-based integrated land registry and cadastre will enable the country to improve the transparency of real property ownership and transactions, to allow public online access to geospatial data, and to improve customer services. Uzbekistan joined the World Bank in 1992. The World Bank's mission in the country is to improve people's livelihoods by being a partner in economic reforms, supporting the modernization of the country's social sectors and infrastructure, and sharing its knowledge and experience with the government and the people of Uzbekistan. Current World Bank commitments to Uzbekistan amount to about $2 billion. Avivo Group, one of the largest healthcare networks in the GCC with 32 healthcare facilities, has announced a partnership with IDB Infrastructure Fund II, sponsored by the Islamic Development Bank and other institutional investors. The fund has completed a significant investment in Avivo to help expand Avivos healthcare platform regionally. The IDB Infrastructure Fund II, with commitments of $750 million, invests in infrastructure opportunities across Asia, Middle East and Africa. The fund is managed by Asma Capital Partners. Shailesh Dash, chairman of Avivo Group said: Avivo is extremely happy to partner with IDB Infrastructure Fund II. This partnership allows us to enhance both execution and value creation in new territories in the region, and we strongly believe this partnership will bring more value to Avivos upcoming IPO. Amitava Ghosal, CEO and board member of Avivo Group, also expressed his pleasure in having IDB Infrastructure Fund II as a valuable partner for future growth. Avivo has grown tremendously in the past five years across multiple locations and diverse specialties. We have been in discussions with the fund over the past few months, and we see great opportunities in working together to further strengthen Avivo's market position as a leading integrated healthcare service provider in the region and beyond. Avivo is set to enter Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and South East Asia over the next phase of growth. During the next two years, Avivo will be present in five of the six Gulf countries, added Ghosal. This is an opportune time to invest in the healthcare sector and we are delighted to partner with Avivos high calibre management team, with its proven track record in the development and management of a region-wide healthcare network, said Stephen Vineburg, CEO of Asma Capital Partners Healthcare facilities operated by Avivo include two highly reputed hospitals, 14 specialty centres, eight high-end dental centres, six pharmacies, and two state-of-the-art diagnostic facilities. - TradeArabia News Service Qatar Rail has achieved a major milestone by completing 100 km of tunnelling across the city for its ambitious Doha Metro network and 41 per cent of the work related to the project. With this achievement, 90 per cent of tunnelling has been done, with only 11 km more needed to complete all underground sections, said Qatar Rail chief executive Dr Saad Al Muhannadi. He was speaking at a ceremony at Al Waab Station on the Gold Line to celebrate the completion of the 100 km of tunnelling. The 100th km was crossed by a tunnel boring machine (TBM) on the southern section of the Red Line. Project director for the Gold Line Samuel Adair McChesney and several other senior management and members of the Qatar Rail team joined the celebration. Towards the end of this year, Qatar Rail expects to move from construction into systems installation as track, power supply and signalling starts to be installed, remarked Al Muhannadi. "At this point, work will also start on the architectural finishes of the stations of Doha Metro," he added. According to him, the first phase of the Doha Metro project is expected to be ready in 2020. By 2030, all the three networks - Doha Metro, Lusail Tram and the long-distance rail, which will link Qatar with the GCC Rail network are likely to be completed, stated Al Muhannadi. With the completion of the first phase of the Doha Metro and Lusail Tram, Qatar Rail expects to offer 630,000 passenger trips per day by 2021. By then, 37 metro stations are expected to be ready, with an average journey time of three minutes between adjacent stations, it added. Daily progress across Doha Metro project is now based on performance of 11 operational TBMs out of the record breaking 21 TBMs which began work on Doha Metro. A month of significant achievement, Qatar Rail also saw the completion of tunneling on Doha Metros Gold Line with the final breakthrough last week at Msheireb station, said the statement from Qatar Rail. The total operational length of the underground sections of the Gold Line is 15km, it stated. On the key milestone, McChesney said: "I am extremely proud of the outstanding performance achieved by the six tunnel boring machines (TBMs) during the successful completion of all the tunneling works on the Gold Line project." He pointed out that the TBMs set many records on their 22km journey across Doha, from the quickest manufacture, delivery and launch time; to the best progress achieved in a single day of 60m. "I am especially proud that the tunnels have been built to a world class standard, with the very highest standards of Quality and Safety being achieved on all six of the TBM tunnel drives. This is all testament to the hard work and dedication of the specialist tunnel crews who diligently carried out the tunnelling works keeping the TBMs moving forward day and night," he stated. Qatar Rail said the next major milestone it looks forward to celebrating is the completion of tunneling on Doha Metros longest line, the Red Line.-TradeArabia News Service Sadara Chemical Company (Sadara) has entered into a supply agreement with Surfactants Detergent Company (SDC), a joint venture being developed by a Saudi-South Korean consortium which plans to build a chemical production facility in PlasChem Park, located in Jubail Industrial City II. The Saudi-South Korean consortium comprises SFC Ltd, a Korean technology provider, and Saudi partners Ahmad Al Amoudi Ltd (AKA) and Maydan Industry for Industrial Developments & Investment Ltd (Maydan Industry). Under the agreement, Sadara will supply ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO) to SDC via pipeline. SDC will specialise in supplying the domestic markets demand for detergents. Commenting on the agreement, Sadaras value park director Mohammad Alazzaz said: We welcome the interest of Korean SMEs to participate in our speciality chemicals market which is growing rapidly in line with the move to diversify the kingdoms economy. This consortium between a Korean Speciality company as technology provider and local Saudi Investors and entrepreneurs is a great model of collaboration, combining local talent pools and knowledge with international experience and expertise. SFCs interest in entering the Saudi market highlights the global interest we have received for the many opportunities PlasChem Park has to offer. Infrastructure development on site at PlasChem Park is nearly complete, with power and utilities tie-ins being finalised in each of the divided lots. PlasChem Park is uniquely positioned to enable and support downstream opportunities in many market segments such as those industries that rely on EO and PO, and we look forward to welcoming SDC to the EO/PO Cluster. PlasChem Park investors will also benefit from the many additional shared services that are being developed, reducing their capital footprint as well as simplifying and streamlining their operations in the long run, said Alazzaz. Chief executive officer of SFC Hong Jungku said: This joint venture is an excellent opportunity for us in the SFC and for our Saudi partners. We are creating a surfactants plant which is very advanced technologically and has very good cost efficiency. The joint venture leverages the unique strengths of SFC and our Saudi partners to create substantial value for our stakeholders. In welcoming the deal, managing director of Maydan Industry and chairman of SDC, Khalid Alluhaidan said: The positive impact of the Saudi governments vision in diversifying the kingdoms economy has helped create this alliance with SDC and enabled this deal with Sadara to come to fruition. We greatly appreciate the dedicated support by our colleagues in Sadara and we would also like to extend our thanks and appreciation to the Royal Commission for Jubail & Yanbu for their support in developing PlasChem Park. PlasChem Park is attracting diversified investments for downstream applications such as the production of oil and gas chemicals, construction materials, paints and coatings, as well as home and personal care products. These investments will create unprecedented downstream manufacturing opportunities, new jobs for Saudi nationals, as well as contributing to the fulfillment of the Governments vision to diversify the kingdoms economy. Opec officials were more positive about oil market conditions at talks in Vienna ahead of next week's gathering of oil ministers, two sources said on Thursday, in a sign the exporter group is unlikely to change output policy on June 2. Oil has recovered to $50 a barrel from a 12-year low of $27 in January even as Iran ramps up exports, and there are signs the Saudi-led strategy of Opec not cutting supply orchestrated two years ago is working as inventories and higher-cost production outside the group decline. Opec's national representatives - officials representing the 13 member countries - plus officials from Opec's Vienna secretariat - met to discuss the market. The two-day meeting, called the Economic Commission Board, ended on Wednesday. "The market is performing well and stocks are going down," said one source, who declined to be identified. "The expectation is for more decline in non-Opec supply." Another source agreed that the feeling about the market at the meeting was generally better. "The market is improving," the second delegate said. Last month, tensions between Saudi Arabia and arch-rival Iran ruined the first deal by OPEC and non-OPEC producers in 15 years to support oil prices by freezing output. The issue of a production freeze was raised by Venezuela - which was among the early supporters of the initiative - during the ECB meeting, the first source said. However, both sources said it was quickly dismissed as something to be decided on only by ministers. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has no supply limit, having scrapped its production target at its last meeting in December. Opec delegates and analysts expect the June 2 meeting to back a continuation of the no output ceiling policy. -Reuters The ability to work anytime, anywhere is key to providing job satisfaction, according to a new report titled Mobility, Performance and Engagement from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company. Globally, 38 per cent of employees rated mobility as the number one factor, with the UK (43 per cent) scoring this the highest, it said. Employees in Western countries report themselves to be happier in their jobs, more loyal to their employers and more productive in their work compared to their counterparts in Eastern markets, according to the report. Based on the self-assessment of 1,865 employees, those in key Western markets especially the US, Germany and the UK consistently rated themselves higher for key performance metrics across loyalty, job satisfaction, productivity and creativity, compared to Eastern markets such as Japan and Singapore. A number of key trends were identified: Loyalty and satisfaction lower in the East: Nearly a third (29 per cent) of US employees consider themselves completely loyal to their employer, closely followed by Germany (27 per cent) and in stark contrast to Japan (5 per cent). US and German employees are also the most satisfied (15 per cent and 10 per cent give themselves a 10/10 score for job satisfaction) compared to just 3 per cent in Japan and 6 per cent in Singapore. The west wins the productivity battle: 20 per cent of the US give themselves 10/10, followed by 16 per cent in Germany and 12 per cent in UK. Eastern markets see themselves as less productive with only 5 per cent in Japan and 9 per cent in Singapore awarding themselves top marks. Mobile technology uptake higher in the west: Nearly one in five (18 per cent) German respondents regarded their company as a pioneer in adopting mobile technology, compared to that of Japan with 7 per cent. Rising expectations from the workforce globally: 40 per cent of early adopters of technology (#GenMobile) said they would never work for a company that did not allow them to use their own mobile devices for work, suggesting mobility is playing an increasingly vital factor for attracting talent. Chris Kozup, vice president of marketing at Aruba, commented: Companies are only as good as their talent. Looking at these findings, there is a risk of employers missing out on huge talent pools through not addressing mobility in full. The way we work is changing to suit the needs of #GenMobile and if companies do not stay ahead of the curve they may inadvertently be creating less productive working environments that are overlooked by the best candidates. When it comes to securing loyalty, the ability to hot desk was seen as paramount by many employees, notably in Singapore (37 per cent), UAE (31 per cent) and the US (34 per cent), while the ability to collaborate with other employees was the number one choice for employees in Germany (43 per cent), France (37 per cent) and Japan (35 per cent). In each case, mobile technology was a key driver and enabler of these characteristics. Mobile applications for work collaboration were found to be in use at 42 per cent of companies surveyed, while 33 per cent used video calling and 31 per cent were using instant messenger applications. Besides improved levels of productivity, satisfaction and loyalty, these practices were also found to be resulting in improved work life balance. Again through self-assessment, the US regard themselves as the most balanced workforce, with 16 per cent of employees rating their work-life balance a perfect 10/10, compared to that of Japan and the UAE coming in at 3 per cent and 5 per cent. Kozup concluded: To truly win the war for talent, todays CIO needs to be able to offer a working environment that not only offers support for personal devices, but also incorporates collaborative tools and apps. It is clear that the freedom to work at a time that is most productive to the employee is crucial, which is why mobility is at the top of their check list. Businesses need to evolve their offering now in order to secure #GenMobile employees before their competitors do. By doing this, the benefits will be long term and employers both East and West can compete on equal footing to attract and keep talent. To guide CIOs on how to think about mobile-first working in ways that can positively impact revenue, Aruba has developed a CIO blueprint for creating profitable mobile environments. - TradeArabia News Service The Burj Al Arab, one of Dubai's most luxurious hotels, has unveiled its one-of-a-kind restaurant, pool, beach and cabana space that stretches 100 m into the Arabian Gulf from behind the hotel. The Burj Al Arab Terrace is a world-first in marine and off-site construction, having been developed by marine construction experts ADMARES at a shipyard site in Finland. It was then transported by ship to Dubai in eight pieces, ensuring minimal distruption to guests, as well as the seabed and marine life. Now in place, the private 10,000-sq-m outdoor beach resort seamlessly stretches out into the sea and is home to Scape Restaurant & Bar, two stunning pools, dedicated butler-serviced cabanas, and a beach area with luxury day and sunbeds. Anthony McHale, General Manager, Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, said: As the worlds most luxurious hotel, Burj Al Arab continuously evolves and re-invents our guest experience through state-of-the-art facilities. Burj Al Arab Terrace is the ultimate destination for indulgence, socialising and relaxing and is another initiative in our endeavour to delight our guests. Commenting further on the design and scale, he said: Burj Al Arab Terrace is our most ambitious project since the hotel was created; its a global first in hotel construction with a breakthough combination of creative marine design, ingenious engineering and guest-friendly planning. In January, we announced its arrival on a ship from Finland and, since then, our construction and design teams have brought our vision to life and the result is simply spectacular. The Design The architectural form of the terrace has been designed to reflect the shape of Burj Al Arab, creating a fusion of sophisticated, contemporary structures and tranquil stretches of water. Linked by a central walkway, flanked on either side by crystalline beaches and private cabanas, it gives an effect of a stylised tropical forest canopy, with contrasting areas of dappled light and shade. A palette of earth tones and clean, sharp whites, highlight the contrasting colours of nature, while the highest quality glass has been used extensively and creatively, from the panels throughout the interior spaces, to the specially commissioned handmade light installations in Scape Restaurant & Bar. The design also incorporates a 612-sq-m freshwater pool and an 828-sq-m saltwater infinity pool. Ten million mosaic tiles in shades of azure and gold line the pools, while 1,000 tonnes of white sand creates the dazzling beach. Set within the pools are four Jacuzzis and a swim-up bar. Cabanas Available for hotel guests and members, the 32 fully air-conditioned cabanas overlook Palm Jumeirah, Burj Al Arab Terrace and the Dubai skyline. The 24 Cabanas and eight Royal Cabanas can accommodate up to four guests, offering unrivalled poolside facilities - a dedicated butler service, a dining, beverage and bar menu, spa menu, fully stocked mini-bars, fresh fruits, espresso machines, Bang & Olufsen TVs and a rotating amenity cycle with four to six varieties per day. The eight Royal Cabanas also include a private bathroom, shower area and veranda. Membership to the exclusive resort will cost Dh100,000 ($27,218.5) per year, and will offer unlimited access to two swimming pools, private cabanas with butler service, restaurants and bars. Members will also get a complimentary night at the hotels Royal suite, Rolls-Royce chauffeur, a helicopter tour of Dubai and a 24-carat gold plated membership card. A family package, for a couple and two children under 16, is priced at Dh125,000 ($34,023). - TradeArabia News Service Meet award-winning artisans and buy their products at Kerala Arts and Crafts Village Grownup Stuff Memorial Day at Mountain View On Memorial Day, a barbecue will be held at noon, followed by the facility's first Memorial Day remembrance balloon launch at 1:30 p.m. All people age 62 and over are welcome. Senior dance Saturday A Senior Dance will be held from 7 to 10 p.m., Saturday at the Eagles Hall, 306 N. Durbin. Seniors or those who can keep up with our seniors are invited. Potluck snacks are shared at 8 p.m., and door prize drawings are at 9 p.m. Music is by SwingSounds Band. There have been numerous donations for our drawings. We have three drawings at each Senior Dance and one of the prizes this Saturday is a genuine leather rifle case. Monthly vets service May 31 The Natrona County United Veterans Council, and the staff of the Oregon Trail Wyoming State Veterans Cemetery, conduct a monthly memorial service for those known Wyoming veterans who have died since our last memorial service. On April 30, 98 Wyoming veterans were honored. This months memorial service will be held at noon, Tuesday, May 31, in the Tom Walsh Chapel at The Oregon Trail Veterans Cemetery. All are welcome to attend. The memorial service is provided on behalf of a grateful state and nation as an expression of appreciation for the honorable and faithful service rendered by each of these veterans. The veterans name, Wyoming community, and branch of service is read at roll call. There is a rifle salute, taps, and the folding of a flag. Constitution Party meets May 31 Constitution Party monthly meeting is 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 31, 2016, at the Agricultural Resource Learning Center, 2011 Fairgrounds Rd. For more, visit wyocp.com. 'Marrying Walt' opens June 2 Casper Theater Company will present Marrying Walt, a comedy by James Danek, on June 2 through 5 and June 9 through 12, 2016. Weeknight performances will be at 7:30 p.m., and 2 p.m., on Sundays. The play is centered around Mary and Walt Fennell, a couple in their early 60s, who live in Winter Haven, Florida, in a mobile home park. They have several friends who pop in from time to time to make their lives interesting. The play will be performed at 735 CY Avenue, and tickets can be purchased at Charlie Ts Pizzeria, 112 E. Second St.; Greater Wyoming Federal Credit Union, 155 W. Collins; Casper Senior Center, 1841 E. Fourth St., and at the door. Tickets are $13 general admission and $10 for seniors. For more information, please call 267-7243. Adult coloring club Drop by the Natrona County Library anytime between 2 and 5 p.m. on Friday, June 3 for our Adult Coloring Club. Coloring isn't just for kids anymore, it's a way for anyone to destress and get back to their creative side. The Adult Coloring Club meets the first Friday of the month from 2 to 5 p.m. for a time of relaxation, conversation, and creativity. Coloring books and pages will be available for you to turn into works of art. Colored pencils, crayons, and markers also will be provided. Just bring yourself and your friends, and enjoy the afternoon. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information. Lunch and Learn June 4 The Fort Caspar Museum Association announces a late spring Lunch & Learn program to be held on Saturday, June 4, 2016, with the optional lunch beginning at noon, followed by the lecture at 1 p.m. Saint Louis-based travel author Bruce A. Raisch will present "Wyoming History for Fun and Profit, or, How I Turned Traveling Through Wyoming Into a Job." Raisch is a ghost town hunter, historian, and photographer, and he was able to turn his love of outdoor adventure into a career. The presentation is free with the optional paid lunch or free with paid museum admission. (Advance reservations are required for lunch and requested for the lecture.) Lunch will begin at noon. We are offering a buffet-style meal of fried chicken, sides, desserts, and beverages with an RSVP by Wednesday, June 1. The cost for lunch is $5 for museum members and $8 for non-members; reserve your space in advance, but please plan to pay at the door. The presentation begins at 1 p.m. Those who choose not to join us for lunch may attend the lecture for free after paying museum admission ($3 for adults). Again, please call the museum by June 1, to reserve a spot at the lunch, 235-8462. Craftastic Saturday 'ZenYoga' The Natrona County Library will continue its monthly adult-level crafting program on Saturday, June 4 at 2 p.m. in the Crawford Room. This summer find your zen and liberate your mind through an afternoon of ZenYoga featuring an hour of Zentangle followed by an hour of yoga. Supplies and space limited. Creating opportunities for adult creativity and interaction, Craftastic Saturday is free and open to ages 18 and up, and held the first Saturday of every month. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information. Playwright reception June 4 Casper Theater Company will host a Playwrights Reception for James Danek, the playwright for Marrying Walt, at 6:30 p.m., on June 4, 2016, prior to the 7:30 p.m., performance at the theater, 735 CY Avenue. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Meet the actors, meet and ask questions of the playwright, and get a tour of our theater. The reception is by donation only and we will provide food and drink. Please come join us for a riotous good time before the show and stay for the performance after. For more information, please call 267-7243. Cast iron Dutch oven cooking class A morning of cast iron Dutch oven cooking, history of the area, and brunch will be held from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 4, at Edness Kimball Wilkins State Park, east of Casper. See many different types of cast iron and how to season, clean, and store them. Discussion will also include various choices of heat sources and delicious recipes. You will prepare, cook, and enjoy a complete Dutch oven brunch together. While meal is cooking, learn about the history of the area along the Platte River. You will receive a complimentary Dutch oven cookbook and sour dough starter for biscuits and pancakes. To register, get directions, or arrange for a ride, please call 259-2869. (Free admission to the state park if you tell the gate attendant that you are with the class and ask for directions to shelter.) Instructors are Carolyn Buff and Jan Burnett. Adult book club on the move This summer the Natrona County Library is mobilizing its adult book discussion to celebrate the summer reading theme of "On Your Mark, Get SetRead!" Featuring interrelated outings and books, participants will gather at a new location each month for a book discussion. The first Book Club Field Trip will be held at 6 p.m., on Tuesday, June 7, at the Bart Rea Learning Circle. June's novel is "The River Why," by David James Duncan. The discussion is free and open to the public. To participate, pick up your copy of "The River Why," at the Library's second floor Reference Desk, and then join us at the Bart Rea Learning Circle for an immersive experience. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information. Veteran Cigar Night Every Wednesday from 5:30 to 7 p.m., all veterans are invited to Veteran Cigar Night at the Casper Cigar Company, 4717 W. Yellowstone Highway, sponsored by Casper Cigar Company. There is no cost to attend. This is a time and place for our community's combat veterans to relax and share their stories with other combat veterans while enjoying a good cigar. Veterans receive 20 percent off cigars. For more information, call Josh Cruse at 307-337-4400 or josh@caspercigar.com Franscell sets book signing Kelly Walsh, Casper College and University of Wyoming graduate Ron Franscell will return to Casper on Saturday, June 11, from 1 to 4 p.m., at Wind City Books to sign his newest book, "Morgue: A Life in Death," (St. Martin's Press). The nonfiction work explores some of the most historic, infamous, and heartbreaking cases of Dr. Vincent Di Maio, M.D., son of a famous New York City medical examiner and one of the lions of forensic science in his own right. Franscell is the bestselling crime author of "The Darkest Night," and "Delivered from Evil." A lifelong journalist, he worked for newspapers in Wyoming, New Mexico and Californias Bay Area before hitting the road in one of American journalisms best beats, covering the evolution of the American West as a senior writer for the Denver Post. Shortly after 9/11, he was dispatched by the Post to cover the Middle East during the first few months of the Afghan war. In 2004, he became the managing editor for the Beaumont, Texas, Enterprise, where he covered the devastation of Hurricane Rita from inside the storm. He now lives in San Antonio, Texas. Taylor Scott Band June 17 The Wyoming Blues and Jazz Society presents the Taylor Scott Band on June 17, 2016 at the Attic above the World Famous Wonder Bar. Doors open at 7 p.m., show starts at 7:30 p.m.Tickets are $12 for WBJS members, and $15 for non-members and can be purchased through the web site at www.wyobluesandjazz.org or at the door the night of the concert. Taylor, originally from Cheyenne, now lives in Denver. His music is influenced by soul, funk, blues, jazz, and rock and roll. His first band, Another Kind Of Magick, represented Wyoming in the International Blues Challenge in 2012. Help Yourself Food for Fines The Natrona County Library will hold a Food for Fines drive through May 31. Library users may donate nonperishable food items at any library branch. In exchange, accrued library fines will be cleared. The promotion applies to late fees on books and other library items, and does not include fees for lost or dam Men's cards workshop A Men's Cards Workshop will be held at 1 p.m., on Saturday at the Natrona County Library. Make any-occasion cards for men and learn card design ideas and stamping techniques taught by Kay Capps. All supplies provided. Please sign up in advance for this free workshop by calling 577-READ ext. 2 or emailing reference@natronacountylibrary.org. Wednesday writers Would you like to leave a legacy by sharing your memories with the world? Practice writing, share your work and receive constructive feedback from fellow writers Wednesday, June 1 at 10 a.m. on the main floor of the Natrona County Library. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information. Family continues suicide support Good Grief, Support will continue at 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at the 12-24 Club, 500 S. Wolcott, by request of attendees. The family of J.R. Hunter, who died from suicide in June 2015 began the support before the especially tough holiday season. Anyone who is grieving a suicide, death, or considering suicide is encouraged to attend. Attendance at the meeting, as well as the content, will be strictly confidential. The Fresh Start Cafe will be open, and you can eat during the meetings. This meeting place was offered by Dan Cantine of the 12-24 Club. You need not be a member to attend. Handgun/self defense class offered Randy Cain is offering Handgun 101 at the Stuckenoff's Shooting Complex June 11 to 13. Cost is $600 each. Randy Cain is a world renowned self defense instructor and one of the last disciples of Jeff Cooper and the original Gunsite Academy. Handgun 101 is designed to drill down to the very basics of firearm safety, manipulation and marksmanship. It is suitable for the complete novice up through expert. A second follow-on class, Close Quarter Tactics, is offered June 17 to 19. CQT focuses on what really happens if a weapon is drawn. The class focuses on avoiding dangerous situations, but if Murphy has his way, then deflecting the initial attack, re-positioning and meeting the threat. Randy combines his lifetime of martial arts and firearms training to give his students the best chance for survival. Information and registration www.guntactics.com. Local contact Joe MacGuire 307-333-3653. Class enrollment is limited. Powerful tools for caregivers Wyoming Dementia Care is offering family caregivers of those with dementia-related illnesses, including Alzheimers, a new self-care education program called Powerful Tools for Caregivers. The free class will meet each Wednesday for six weeks, beginning June 15 and ending July 20, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Central Wyoming Senior Services, 1831 E. Fourth St. Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a nationally recognized, evidence-based program that provides caregivers with the tools and strategies they need to better handle the unique challenges of caregiving. The class is provided at no cost to caregivers by Wyoming Dementia Care in collaboration with Powerful Tools for Caregivers, with partial funding from a Wyoming Center on Aging-University of Wyoming grant. Class size is limited and pre-registration is required. Call Dani Guerttman at Wyoming Dementia Care, 265-4678, for information. Parkinson's monthly support Join us at 5:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at Rocky Mountain Therapy, 2546 E. Second St., Building 500, Casper. The support group is open to anyone with Parkinson's or caring for someone with Parkinson's. To RSVP, call 577-5204 and ask for Jerri or Shannon. Upcoming meetings will be June 14 and July 12. Parkinson's exercise Rocky Mountain Therapy is offering a Parkinson's exercise program. Join us from noon to 1 p.m. Thursdays at Rocky Mountain Therapy, 2546 E. Second St., Building 500. These classes are open to anyone with Parkinson's or caring for someone with Parkinson's. Thursday's class is tailored for the individual with more advanced Parkinson's and focuses on improving endurance, safety and managing symptoms. We are open to all ages and can tailor the class to meet varying exercise needs. The cost of the class is $5. To RSVP, call 577-5204 and ask for Jerri or Shannon. Dog manners obedience class Dog Manners Obedience Classes/STAR Puppy Classes will be held at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds, sponsored by the Central Wyoming Kennel Club. Cost ranges from $40 to $100. The Central Wyo Kennel Club is hosting classes for puppies and adult dogs focusing on Socialization, Training and Responsible Dog Ownership. For more information go to centralwyomingkennelclub.org or call Charlene at 473-1614. Celebrate Recovery every Friday Looking for a nontraditional approach to recovery from your hurts, habits and hangups? Celebrate Recovery meets at 5:30 p.m. every Friday at Highland Park Community Church, just south of Elkhorn Valley Rehabilitation Hospital on East Second Street. We start with a family meal, followed by praise and worship. At 7 p.m., there's either a lesson from Celebrate Recovery's planned curriculum or a testimony by a person who has found recovery through Christ. Then, people go to gender-specific small groups until 8:30 p.m., when dessert and fellowship conclude the evening. Child care is available at no cost. For more information, contact Chris at 265-4073. Self-transformation class set Conscious Co-Creation/Self-Transformation & Healing, taught by Cathy Hazel Adams, is 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, June 25 and 26, at the Agricultural Resource Learning Center, 2011 Fairgrounds Rd. Adams is an Intuitive Quantum Transformation & Energy Healing Practitioner and Certified Matrix Energetics Practitioner. The class is also offered live via webinar. For more information, go to www.cathyhazeladams.com or call 797-9677. Saturday morning watercolor Art 321, Casper Artists Guild Saturday morning watercolor classes are 10 a.m. to noon, with the following lineup of classes: May 28, practice session; June 4, watercolor on Yupo paper; June 11, practice session; June 18, Holly Bryson, including figures in your paintings; June 25, practice session. For more information, please call Ellen Black at 265-6783. Here and Now: Dementia-focused monthly art class Classes are every third Tuesday of the month from 1 to 3 p.m. There is no charge. Here and Now is a program made possible through a collaboration between Wyoming Dementia Care and the Nicolaysen Art Museum. It is designed to provide a supportive environment for people with dementia and Alzheimers and their loved ones. To register, contact Dani with Wyoming Dementia Care 265-4678, ext. 106, or at wyodementia@casperseniorcenter.com or Zhanna Gallegos at 235-5247 or at zgallegos@thenic.org The economic downturn has left Casper with less money to spend on construction and maintenance of city facilities. The city spent $61.6 million on capital projects in fiscal year 2016. Such spending is expected to fall to about $12.2 million during the upcoming fiscal year. The figures were included in a presentation of the citys proposed budget for fiscal year 2017. The Casper City Council discussed the numbers during a budget work session Wednesday. City staff also discussed how that money will likely be spent. The drop in capital spending comes amid a decline in city tax revenues spurred by the economic downturn. Despite the decrease in expected spending, city officials have allocated previous years optional 1-cent funding to future city projects. Those include improvements to city streets, park lighting and a roof replacement at the Casper Recreation Center, according to city documents. One of the largest projects will replace the ice-making system at the Casper Ice Arena. The new system is expected to cost $1 million, according to the budget. Councilman Charlie Powell cited the development of the new Hogadon Lodge and the soon to open Mike Sedar Pool as recent capital funding accomplishments that came before the bust. A lot of it are the things that have been confusing for people, Powell said. The capital construction projects that weve carried through with, that were started when we were doing much better. But were basically taking them through to completion with money that was already set aside for that purpose. Of the roughly 22 capital projects included in the budget, all but one are being paid for with optional 1-cent money. Powell said the city took care of a large group of major capital projects in the last four years. Were still spending money that weve collected previously, but its not money thats coming out of the budget that were creating right now, which is much more austere, Powell said. So yes, its a major decrease, but were still going to be putting significant funds into the wastewater treatment plant and obviously into streets and into our water treatment plant. Were just not going to be doing the extra things. The city often uses optional 1-cent money to pay for capital construction projects, and also helps replace out-of-date city equipment. Councilman Ray Pacheco cited the decline in the citys tax revenue as keeping the local leaders from making investments in the community. Cutting back, even in the capital funds department, makes it more difficult I think as we continue to move forward and dig out of a downturn, Pacheco said. Wednesdays work session was the third to be held this week. On Monday, city leaders discussed a long-term financial plan that helps guide the city to fiscal year 2027. A key aspect of the plan, which is based off the idea that Caspers economy will not improve, was that city staffing levels would be gradually reduced over time. A Casper man pleaded not guilty Thursday to accusations he robbed an Evansville bank with a gun earlier this month. Kemp Eugene Cravens is charged with bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence for the May 3 incident. He appeared in court dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. His hands were cuffed. Cravens, 64, entered his pleas in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge R. Michael Shickich. A trial has been set for July 11. U.S. District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl will preside. Federal public defender David Weiss is representing Cravens. Stephanie Sprecher is prosecuting the case. Cravens faces up to life in prison if found guilty. Cravens surrendered to police about two hours after stealing $12,000 from Platte Valley Bank, according to a charging affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court of Wyoming. According to the affidavit, Cravens drove a rented SUV and parked it at about 9:30 a.m. in front of the bank on Luker Lane. He was wearing a hooded jacket, a dark covering over his face, dark sunglasses, blue jeans, black boots and gloves and had a semi-automatic handgun on his waist. Cravens demanded money from two bank tellers, the affidavit states. While the tellers were removing money from their cash drawers, Cravens took the gun from his belt, showed it to them and placed the gun back on his waist. The tellers handed cash to Cravens, who put the money in a bag on his hip. No customers were in the bank at the time, police said. Officers learned a white SUV had been checked out from a car rental company in Casper by Cravens on May 2, the affidavit states. They called Cravens wife, who told them Cravens had gone to Riverton with a friend. After speaking with police, the woman called Cravens and told him he was a suspect in a robbery. He told her he was going to turn himself in. Police later arrested Cravens outside Casper City Hall, according to the affidavit. When interviewed by officers, Cravens confessed to robbing the bank. He also admitted to wielding a loaded handgun at the time. Officers searched the SUV and located a pistol and a large amount of cash inside, the affidavit states. The Natrona County Sheriffs Office, Casper Police Department, Wyoming Highway Patrol and the FBI assisted the Evansville Police Department in their investigation of the robbery. The Sweetwater County Sheriffs Office is searching for witnesses to a knife assault this month. Authorities have arrested a man Jose Alfredo Mendoza for the attack that left cuts on Joshua Bennetts neck and fingers. Mendoza, 36, previously served time in prison for the 2003 death of his 6-month-old son, J.J. Mendoza Jr., who died of a brain injury. A pathologists report determined the infant died from a blow to the head, though no details surrounding the death were offered during legal proceedings. A Casper judge sentenced Mendoza to seven to 12 years in prison. Mendoza was released from the Wyoming State Penitentiary on parole in June 2015. Mendoza is charged with aggravated assault for the knife attack. Prosecutors plan to seek an enhanced sentence for Mendoza because he has previously been convicted of two felonies. He could face up to 50 years in prison. Authorities arrested Mendoza on May 14 on U.S. Highway 191 about 35 miles north of Rock Springs, where the assault had allegedly taken place in Bennetts van. The sheriffs office is asking anyone with information about the assault, particularly those who may have witnessed it, to call Det. Steve Powell at 307-875-1400. Mendoza is being held at the Sweetwater County Detention Center in Rock Springs in lieu of $150,000 bond. CHEYENNE Wyomings only Libertarian Party candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives so far said hes running as a way to serve his home state. This just seemed like a really good way I could make a difference, Larry Struempf said, later adding, Im honest, I have good integrity and Im intelligent. Struempf said a third party is a fresh alternative to the rhetoric from the countrys two largest political parties and their presidential front-runners. I really believe we need a third party, he said. Beyond Republicans and Democrats, you dont really have any choice. I dont think anyone wants to see Hillary or Trump. Struempf said he is a project-oriented person. You give me a problem, and Ill work with my team and come up with a solution for it, he said. Struempf grew up on a cattle ranch in Fremont County and currently lives in Laramie, where he teaches computer science courses at Laramie County Community College. He said his background could make him an effective lawmaker, especially in the areas of agriculture, technology and education. Struempf said for education, he would prioritize stability for teachers, and he wants to help manage the nations energy sources effectively. He disagrees with some Environmental Protection Agency regulations that affect ranching and agriculture, and wants to focus on helping smaller farmers, versus corporate enterprises. More and more funds are going to corporate farming, he said. It would be nice to see more focus on helping small farmers, rather than helping corporate (farmers). As a Libertarian, Struempf is in favor of less federal control and more state control. At the same time, he says his views are not extreme, and he believes many Wyomingites agree with his views. I would say most people in Wyoming are Libertarians, but theres not as much corporate sponsorship (as the Republican Party), he said. Less government, more liberties, plain and simple. Struempf also said he supports the presidential bid of fellow Libertarian Gary Johnson. I truly believe he will do a better job than Hillary or Trump, he said. So far, almost a dozen Republicans have announced bids for the U.S. House. Two Democrats are also in the race, as is one Constitution Party candidate. The only independent in the race so far, John Meena, suspended his campaign Tuesday. The filing period for candidates ends Friday. This years primary will be held Aug. 16, and the general election will occur Nov. 8. Members of the U.S. House earn $174,000 a year plus benefits. Midwest School was closed Thursday because of an unidentified gas leak and wont open again this school year, according to the Natrona County School District. Black Hills Energy told the district it is not safe for anyone to be in the school. Midwest students and staff will finish out the school year beginning Friday at the previous North Casper Elementary School. Normal transportation will continue for students based in Casper, and the Natrona County Schools Transportation Department will be in direct contact with Midwest-based parents. The cause of the leak remains a bit of a mystery. All of the gas piping inside of the school tested negative Wednesday and Thursday for a gas leak, said Norm Long, community affairs manager for Black Hills Energy. There is something being detected, but Im not sure what, he said. Weve not found anything natural gas-related on the distribution system that serves the town and the school. The company still wanted the building evacuated. District employees are working with Black Hills Energy to identify the cause of the leak. The district is also reaching out to state agency resources for assistance. Instead of at the school, Midwests graduation will be at 3 p.m. Sunday in Wheeler Concert Hall at Casper College, followed by a reception. The time was changed to give students and their guests extra time to arrive at the new location. FDL Operating, LLC, is monitoring the area and established an incident hotline. Call 307-462-9112 with questions or concerns. Yellowstone National Park has launched a new education campaign in an attempt to increase the number of tourists carrying bear spray. Titled A Bear Doesnt Care, the advertisements feature people like Bozeman, Montana, mountain climber Conrad Anker touting the use of bear spray. A bear doesnt care if you climbed to the top of the world, the poster featuring Anker reads. Anker has climbed around the world, including three ascents of Mount Everest. A bear doesnt care how far youre hiking, if youre just fishing, or even if you work here, said Park Superintendent Dan Wenk in a news release. No matter who you are or what you are doing, you should always carry bear spray and know how to use it. Recent data collected by park scientists revealed that only 28 percent of visitors who enter the parks backcountry carry bear spray. Studies show that bear spray is more than 90 percent effective in stopping an aggressive bear, especially when combined with the parks other safety recommendations: be alert, make noise, hike in groups of three or more and do not run if you encounter a bear. Yellowstone visitors care deeply about preserving bears and observing them in the wild, said Kerry Gunther, the parks bear management specialist, in the release. Carrying bear spray is the best way for visitors to participate in bear conservation because reducing potential conflicts protects both people and bears. According to Yellowstones website, close to 100 million people visited Yellowstone between 1980 and 2014. In that 34-year period, 45 people were injured by bears in the park. Last August a lone hiker was killed by a grizzly sow with cubs. He was the ninth person to be killed by a bear in the park during its 144-year history. More people have died from drowning, suicide and burns inflicted by falling into one of the parks thermal features. Despite the low incidence of bear attacks, beginning this summer the park has hung posters in retail outlets, is placing ads in magazines and will post images on social media of visitors and local celebrities carrying bear spray while recreating in the park. The other initial poster designs include artist Jennifer Lowe-Anker and National Geographic photographer Ronan Donovan. Actor Jeff Bridges, writer Todd Wilkinson, fly fisherman Craig Mathews and others will join the campaign in the coming months. Posters from the campaign are available for download at https://flic.kr/s/aHskx93BCw and go.nps.gov/abeardoesntcare. Visit go.nps.gov/bearspray for information about bear encounters and how to use bear spray. Bear spray demonstrations are conducted by park employees at Yellowstone visitor centers throughout the summer months. Park staff is available to speak with local groups upon request about the history of bear attacks in the park, contributing human behaviors, how to prevent and respond to bear attacks and bear spray use. Anyone interested in hosting an event can call the park at 307-344-2015. Gas prices are at their highest point for the year approaching the Memorial Day holiday, as the national average has increased every day for two weeks. Arizonas average price rose about a penny to $2.17 per gallon of regular on Wednesday, according to AAA Arizona. The national average of $2.30 per gallon on Wednesday was up nearly 6 cents per gallon on the week and more than 15 cents per gallon on the month. Tucson continues to boast the states lowest average price, up a penny and a half in a week at $1.98 per gallon on Wednesday. Tucson stays below $2 Tucson is the only Arizona metro area surveyed by AAA where the average price of gas was below $2 this week. Average prices in the Phoenix area are running about 17 cents per gallon higher than in Tucson, where gas could be found for as little as $1.83 per gallon in the survey. Could be worse Despite the recent increases, drivers remain on target to pay the lowest prices for the Memorial Day holiday since 2005, AAA says. A year ago, the nationwide average price was $2.74 per gallon, Arizonas average was $2.78 and Tucsons was $2.45. Near-record volume AAA projects more than 38 million Americans will travel this Memorial Day weekend, including more than 2 million Arizonans. The national number represents an increase of 700,000 compared with a year ago, and its the second-highest Memorial Day travel volume on record and the most since 2005. Nearly 34 million, or 89 percent, of holiday travelers will drive to their Memorial Day destinations, up 2.1 percent from last year, AAA says. Helping hand AAA Arizona forecasts it will respond to nearly 200,000 roadside assistance calls from Memorial Day through Labor Day throughout Arizona a nearly 3 percent increase from the same time frame last year. The most common calls for service are from motorists with flat tires, keys locked inside their vehicles or dead batteries. Global view Global crude oil prices recently moved higher due to unexpected declines in oil production in various parts of the world, such as Canada and Nigeria, AAA noted. The strong U.S. dollar and questions about global demand have kept the rally subdued, but a report on Wednesday showing an unexpected drop in U.S. fuel stockpiles drove U.S. and international oil prices to near $50 per barrel on Wednesday. Quotable That flirtation with less-than-$1 gas is over. Tom Kloza, energy analyst with the Oil Price Information Service Tucson lawyer Jeffrey Greenberg pleaded guilty in a $33-million real estate scheme in California that a federal prosecutor described as extraordinary fraud. Greenberg, 66, and Courtland Gettel, 42, of Coronado, California, pleaded guilty May 17 to charges of conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of California. The charges stem from a scam in which they took out $33.6 million in loans against multi-million dollar homes in La Jolla and Del Mar and then forged documents to fool more lenders into believing the homes were debt-free, the Department of Justice said in a news release. At the San Diego County Recorders Office, they forged real estate lien releases and other records, wreaking havoc on the chain of title for these homes, the DOJ said. They then defaulted on the loans and caused millions of dollars in losses to lenders. Greenberg also pleaded guilty to what the DOJ called an equally massive fraud in Tucson, where he worked for Gettels real estate investment company, known as both Conix Inc. and Variant Commercial Real Estate. The company bought homes from banks or distressed homeowners, refurbished them, and sold them for a profit, according to court documents. The company also bought real estate debt from mortgage lenders and serviced the loans. Through the company, Greenberg and his co-conspirators obtained tens of millions of dollars from a real estate financing firm. Instead of using the money to refurbish properties as they agreed to do, they used the money for their own benefit, the DOJ said. In both schemes, Greenberg funneled the money through his attorney-trust bank accounts and into other bank accounts. The tangled web of transactions described in court documents included Gettel and another person moving to California to open an office and then working with Greenberg to borrow millions of dollars to buy and refinance properties. They then created hundreds of corporations and limited liability companies to shield assets and disguise who was involved in the transactions. For instance, they created Apartment Consulting and Renovation in May 2013 and defrauded Doral Bank of $3.6 million by filing false invoices for work that was never completed. Six months later, they created Texas Rehab Specialist and submitted $2.9 million in false invoices to Doral Bank for construction that was never completed. Wealth and privilege will not insulate anyone from aggressive prosecution for their crimes, U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy said in the news release. These defendants thought they could hide behind their status to pull off an extraordinary fraud but as this case demonstrates, I am devoted to making sure the playing field is level and all criminals are held accountable. The defendants in this case used their professional business and legal experience to feed their greed, said FBI Special Agent in Charge, Eric S. Birnbaum. The FBI is committed to pursuing those who engage in fraudulent schemes that line their pockets at the expense of others. Greenberg began practicing law in Arizona in 1983 and does not have any record of disciplinary action with the State Bar of Arizona. The state bar has an open investigation of Greenberg in connection with the issues raised in the federal court case, said spokesman Rick DeBruhl. DeBruhl could not comment on Greenbergs investigation, but said in terms of process, the bar can issue an interim suspension or a consent decree if the attorney agrees to sanctions based on a plea in court. While in Tucson, Greenberg represented Gettel in a lawsuit filed against the owner of the Saguaro Ranch development in the Tortolita Mountains for misrepresenting the development as exclusive, according to a December 2008 story in the Star. The charge of wire fraud conspiracy has a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The conspiracy charge has a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Eric Sipe turns 26 this week. He is celebrating the occasion by working on what he hopes will become his legacy in Tucson. In early July, Sipe and his business partner Eric Rosas plan to launch the Dillinger Brewing Company at 3895 N. Oracle Road, less than a mile south of the Tucson Mall. The 2,400-square-feet of industrial space, once home to an embroidery shop and a dry cleaning business, will soon house a commanding 10-barrel system, which will sit just east of a taproom, offering up to six taps of Dillinger deliciousness to thirsty patrons. The brewery will give craft beer enthusiasts somewhere to stop on their way from Pueblo Vida, Borderlands and Thunder Canyon downtown to Catalina Brewing in Marana and Thunder Canyons original location, north of Tucson (if they opt to take the Oracle Road corridor over Interstate 10). Thousands of people drive Oracle every day, Sipe said. Hopefully, some of them will want to stop in for a pint. Sipe and Rosas are Tucson natives. Sipe went to Catalina Foothills High School and Rosas to Palo Verde. They met as members of Alpha Kappa Psi, the professional business fraternity, at the University of Arizona. We would have cigar smoking nights, sit around and come up with ideas, Sipe said. Thats where the idea for a brewery formulated. After graduating from the UA in 2013, Rosas went to San Antonio to work for the United Services Automobile Association. Sipe took a couple of years off to see the world, Europe, Australia, Southeast Asia, but the two never forgot their plans. Sipe, who has spent the last year working at a cigar bar in Scottsdale, moved back to Tucson to make the brewery work. Rosas will be back in town, tentatively by the end of next January, to help Dillinger grow. He plans to continue working remotely for the USAA. Like many other local brewery owners, their initial idea was to open downtown, but we couldnt find anything suitable, Sipe said. All the places we tried required grandiose ideas, where wed have to rent 10,000 square feet of basement space and reinforce the floor. It wasnt practical. The new spot on Oracle suits their purposes, Sipe said. Sipe wants to make this a long-term project. This is hopefully the way I leave my mark on Tucson, he said. When people think of what to do in Tucson, I want Dillinger to be on their list. Keep up with Dillingers progress at facebook.com/dillingerbrewery Need more to do this summer? Try these highlights: Saturday, May 28 Green Feet Brewing Company celebrates its grand opening at 3669 E. 44th St. facebook.com/greenfeetbrewing June 15 Baja Arizona Brewers will hold a seasonal beer celebration at Borderlands Brewing, 119 E. Toole Ave. facebook.com/borderlandsbrewing June 18 Reid Park Zoo hosts its annual Brew at the Zoo fundraiser. facebook.com/brewatthezootucson June 25 Tap & Bottle turns 3 years old. It will hold a joint party with Exo Roast Company next door, which is turning 4. facebook.com/thetapandbottle July 2-4 1912 Brewing Company, 2045 Forbes Blvd., celebrates its first anniversary. July 2-4 Beast Brewing Company, 1326 W. Highway 92, in Bisbee celebrates the Fourth of July with its third annual Lobster Roll Party. beastbrewingcompany.com July 23 Real Wild & Woody Beer Festival at the Phoenix Convention Center, 33 S. Third St., Phoenix. realwildandwoody.com Cheese plate at Noble Hops Gastropub Noble Hops Gastropub serves high-end cheeses and meats. Aric Mussman, one of the owners, wont even try to put a label on a cuisine that includes burgers and bangers alongside ahi, escargot, squid and beef carpaccio. It is high-end bar food. It is the best quality stuff we can find, cooked to order, he said. As his second term comes to an end, President Barack Obama will turn to the next phase of his career. When he steps down in January 2017, Obama will be 55 years old, making him one of the youngest presidents to leave the White House. Although hes dropped some hints about his retirement plans, it is uncertain how the president will approach his post-White House years. While some former presidents have spent their post-presidency years picking up a hobby like painting, others have opted to stay very active in public life. Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, for example, each started their own foundations after their time in office. With that in mind, InsideGov decided to take a deeper look at the post-White House lives of U.S. presidents. Using data from the Congressional Research Service, InsideGov found the presidents with the longest retirements, measured as the number of years between leaving the White House and death or the current date of publication (May 26, 2016) for living presidents. PHOENIX Saying the Obama administration is exceeding its authority, Arizona joined with 10 other states Wednesday to challenge guidance that says schools must let transgender students use restrooms that match their self-proclaimed sexual identity or face loss of federal dollars. The lawsuit filed in federal court in Texas contends Congress never gave the administration the power to enact policies on transgender discrimination when it enacted laws prohibiting sex discrimination by schools. Yet in a May 13 letter to schools, the Department of Justice and Department of Education, are taking the position that schools must treat a students gender identity as that persons sex, meaning the 1972 law prohibits discrimination on that basis. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is taking the lead, said in his legal filings that federal agencies have conspired to turn workplaces and educational setting across the country into laboratories for a massive social experiment, flouting the democratic processes, and running roughshod over commonsense policies protecting children and basic privacy rights. Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich signed on to the lawsuit and that verbiage. And in a separate prepared statement, he said the president has no business setting locker room and restroom policies for our schools. State schools chief Diane Douglas, whose agency Brnovich technically represents, told reporters late Wednesday she believes all students, including transgender, have a right to be safe. But she said thats none of Washingtons concern. It is best resolved at the local level where school board members, district administrators and schoolwide administrators know exactly what their individual circumstances are, she said. Douglas said this federal overreach could mean the loss of up to $1 billion in federal aid to Arizona schools. But Douglas repeatedly sidestepped questions about whether individual schools should similarly be allowed to make up their own policies on other forms of discrimination without federal intervention. Thats not an issue for me to address, she said. The issue arises under Title IX, a section of federal civil rights law which makes it illegal to discriminate against individuals on the basis of sex in any education programs or activities receiving federal assistance. In a joint memo earlier this month, the two federal agencies said the law requires schools to deal with transgender students consistent with their gender identity. They said it is irrelevant what sex is listed on a students records. But assistant Attorney General Dominic Draye told Capitol Media Services the legal issue has nothing to do with discrimination. He said Title IX doesnt give the administration the power to tell schools how to deal with transgender students but only deals with sex discrimination. Our position is that term is unambiguous, he said. Discrimination based on sex refers to biological sexes. What that means, Draye said, is a school cannot provide a sport for men and refuse to do the same for women, or even better locker rooms for one sex than the other. Gender identity, which may as a policy matter be a perfectly desirable thing to include in Title IX, is not there presently, he said. But Tucson attorney Abby Jensen, a member of the board of Equality Arizona, said the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that laws against sex discrimination also cover those whose sex and gender stereotypes may not match their biological sex. Draye disagreed, saying the law means what it says. He cited the federal Violence Against Women Act that has specific language outlawing discrimination based on sexual identity. Draye said that shows Congress knows how to extend such protections when it wants. But Jensen said courts have said that oversight is not definitive. The attorneys general also claim the Obama administrations action has other flaws, with no requirement for a medical diagnosis or treatment before a student selects his or her gender identity. Nor, they argue, is there any time frame. In other words, a student can choose one gender identity on one particular day or hour, and then another on the next, the lawsuit states. And students of any age may establish a gender identity different from their biological sex simply by notifying the school administration, it continues. The involvement of a parent or guardian is not necessary. Jennifer Pizer, an attorney with Lambda Legal, said that shows a profound misunderstanding or simply deliberately closed eyes to the issue. Gender identity, like sexual orientation, is a core aspect to an individuals identity, she said. Its not something people turn off one day and on the next. And Pizer said no one has been able to cite any instances where students have made such day-by-day claims. Aside from saying the administration acted without legal authority, the challenging states also say the directive is coercive in threatening to withhold federal funds. It says direct federal dollars into public schools averages more than $55.8 billion annually, a figure they said comes out to $1,128 per student. Pizer, however, said whats lost in both arguments is that neither federal agency is making new rules but simply providing guidance to schools of how it interprets existing laws. She said thats within the power of the agencies. Gov. Doug Ducey is not part of the lawsuit, with Brnovich representing solely the state Department of Education. But press aide Daniel Scarpinato said his boss supports the action. Former nursing students at Brown Mackie College in Tucson are suing the for-profit chain claiming the shoddy training they received has left them unable to work as nurses. The 11 plaintiffs expected to graduate last year until a state nursing board investigation found some of the schools faculty werent qualified and were using veterinary supplies to teach students how to care for human patients. The nursing board barred the students from taking the licensing exam for practical nurses and, in a first, ordered Brown Mackie to retrain them at the companys expense. The lawsuit claims the retraining also was deficient and that the students still cant take the licensing exam. The students have nothing at all to show for nearly two years of effort and sacrifice, and must start all over again or abandon their hopes of becoming nurses, says the civil complaint filed May 19 in Pima County Superior Court. Many were so devastated they were referred to a suicide hotline, the complaint says. The nursing students paid tuition of about $30,000 each for the training that later was deemed deficient, it says. Defendants named in the case include several former nursing program administrators and Brown Mackies parent firm, Pittsburgh-based Education Management Corp. The Tucson location is at 4585 E. Speedway. Bob Greenlee, a spokesman for Education Management, declined comment saying the firm doesnt comment on pending litigation. The legal complaint contains some new allegations against Brown Mackie: That an admissions test for prospective nursing students was a sham because all who applied were admitted regardless of whether they passed it. That administrators routinely faked certification documents intended to show that students had successfully conducted live demonstrations of their nursing skills in front of program officials. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for emotional distress and for lost wages and earning potential. The state nursing board placed Brown Mackies nursing program on two years probation last year and the school agreed to stop registering new nursing students. It isnt clear if Brown Mackie has faced any consequences with its accreditor, the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, over the nursing programs problems. Anthony Bieda, the council executive in charge of answering media queries, did not respond Wednesday to a voicemail and two emails seeking comment. The Tucson lawsuit is one of a number launched by former students, investors and by state and federal regulators. Last year for example, Education Management reached a settlement with Arizonas attorney general to forgive about $2.7 million in corporate student loans for 2,000 state residents who enrolled between 2006 and 2014. Education Management also operates the Art Institute of Tucson on East Grant Road, which is scheduled to close as soon as remaining students finish their studies. Congresswoman Martha McSally poses with Ruth Helm, a former Women Airforce Service Pilot who moved to Tucson after World War II. Helm died in 2015. From left, Frances Green, Margaret (Peg) Kirchner, Ann Waldner and Blanche Osborn leave their plane, Pistol Packin Mama, at the four-engine school at Lockbourne Army Air Field in Ohio, during WASP ferry training for the B-17 bomber. It took an act of Congress to help restore a promise to more than 1,000 women who climbed into cockpits during World War II. President Obama recently signed legislation written by Rep. Martha McSally, a Tucson Republican, and co-sponsored by Sen. Joni Ernst, a Republican from Iowa, allowing Women Airforce Service Pilots to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery. The legislation reverses a decision by then-Secretary of the Army John McHugh last year that barred WASP pilots and other active-duty designees. Jay Helm, whose mother was a WASP, is glad the legislation is now in place. Ruth Helm spent years flying fighters, bombers and cargo aircraft from Texas to one of the coasts during World War II. After the war, Helm and three other WASPs moved to Tucson to open a fly-in guest ranch on the east side of town. She died last year at the age of 98. I am absolutely delighted and really appreciate Rep. McSallys efforts for the WASPs, her son said. Erin Miller, a granddaughter of pilot Elaine Harmon, has been waiting months to honor her final wishes. Harmons ashes have sat in a closet waiting to be buried alongside other veterans. Overturning the decision of the Army seemed like an insurmountable obstacle just six months ago, but now my grandmother will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, said Miller. Helm and Harmon were pioneers, among just over 1,000 women who climbed into cockpits to test-pilot recently repaired fighters and bombers, train male pilots and fly planes towing targets for live target practice by pilots headed overseas during World War II. It was dangerous, sometimes deadly work 38 women died during the two years the Women Airforce Service Pilots program was active. One estimate suggests there are about 100 remaining WASPs eligible to be buried at Arlington. McSally said she is glad Harmon and others will finally be given the right to be laid to rest at Arlington, and she called the actions of the Secretary of the Army shameful. She said the Harmon family members were relentless in their efforts to honor Elaine Harmon and other women pilots. With this signing, generations of Americans will be able to come to Arlington and see how the WASPs served during a time of great need and, in doing so, paved the way for all women to serve in the military, said McSally, who is a retired Air Force fighter pilot. I look forward to the day when we can be there at Arlington to welcome these pioneers home. Here are some Tucson area Memorial Day events open to the public: Monday, May 30 Tucson VA Medical Center, 3601 S. Sixth Ave., will hold a ceremony at 10 a.m. in the R.E. Lindsey Jr. Auditorium, located in Building 4. Guest speakers are U.S. reps. Raul Grijalva and Martha McSally. Arizona Veterans' Memorial Cemetery will hold a ceremony at 8 a.m. There will be a wreath laying, guest speakers and an F-16 flyover. The cemetery is at 15950 N. Luckett Road in Marana. East Lawn Palms and South Lawn cemeteries will hold Memorial Day ceremonies at 9 a.m. Both events include guest speakers, music and an F-16 flyover. East Lawn is at 5801 E. Grant Road; South Lawn is at 5401 S. Park Ave. McCulloch-Wagner American Legion Post 109, 15921 S. Houghton Road in Corona de Tucson, will host a ceremony at 10 a.m. Will include an F-16 flyover. Holy Hope Cemeteries, 3555 N. Oracle Road, will celebrate a memorial Mass and ceremony beginning at 8:30 a.m. Also, the Arizona Air National Guard's 162nd Wing based in Tucson is planning several F-16 flyovers Monday. Two jets will fly over the following locations: Arizona Veterans' Memorial Ceremony, Marana, 8:35 a.m. East Lawn Palms Cemetery, 9 a.m. South Lawn Cemetery, 9:05 a.m. Tucson Estates Park, 9:10 a.m. Green Valley Mortuary, 9:15 a.m. Purple Heart Park, Tucson, 10 a.m. McCulloch-Wagner American Legion, Corona de Tucson, 10:05 a.m. If you would like to list your public ceremony, please email details to metro@tucson.com An adult male jaguar the only known wild jaguar in the United States found a home in the Santa Rita Mountains and didnt just visit from Mexico, a new study concludes. Remote cameras put into the wild for a research project photographed the jaguar later dubbed El Jefe 118 times over 34 months, says the study, done by University of Arizona and U.S. Geological Survey researchers. On average, the jaguar was photographed once every 7.9 days in the Santa Ritas southeast of Tucson. After the federally funded research ended last June, the jaguar, now believed to be about age 7, continued to show up regularly through mid-October of last year on photos. Those were taken by remote cameras operated separately under the direction of UA and the nonprofit group Conservation CATalyst, with support from the activist Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity. Since then, El Jefe has gone AWOL. Authorities and environmentalists say they dont know where it went. One heavily discussed possibility is that the animal headed south to breed in Sonora, where female jaguars are known to live, although Melanie Culver, lead investigator of the UA/federal study, said its possible it went elsewhere in Arizona. No female jaguars have been documented in this country since one was shot in the White Mountains in 1963. Jaguars are listed as an endangered species. Researchers presume this jaguar is a resident in the Santa Ritas because he was photographed by our cameras every month of the year from November 2012 to February 2015, the study said. The Star obtained a draft of the study this week from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the federal Freedom of Information Act. Culver, who works for the U.S. Geological Survey, said she expects that agency to release a final version to the public at the end of next week. The wildlife service oversaw the research project, which was financed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Other findings of the study, which put remote cameras in 16 Southern Arizona mountain ranges: The cameras took 13 photos of three male ocelots over the three years, which is notable because the study wasnt designed to detect ocelots, which are also listed as endangered. Seven photos of one ocelot were from the Santa Ritas. Six photos of two ocelots came from the Huachuca Mountains. Of the 16 mountain ranges, the Santa Ritas had the biggest diversity of species. That could be because that range drew by far the most research effort 57 camera sites. But the Coyote Mountains, southwest of Tucson near Three Points, tied for the third highest species diversity with only three camera sites. So the number of sites and species arent necessarily linked. El Jefe had an estimated home range of nearly 35 square miles, unusually small for a jaguar. Its range is probably small because the area has a high density of jaguar prey such as deer and the predator has no competition. The study said this estimate should be taken cautiously since the study wasnt designed to determine this. The study started and finished in an atmosphere of controversy. When the three-year, $771,000 effort was announced in 2011, then-Gov. Jan Brewer denounced it as a waste of taxpayers money that should be spent on border security. The wildlife service and environmentalists said the study would be a worthwhile effort to gain information about a rarely seen animal in this country. Since the middle 1990s, five jaguars have been photographed or otherwise documented in Southern Arizona and Southwest New Mexico. Now, to many opponents of the proposed Rosemont Mine, the jaguar has become a symbol of the habitat that would be cleared for the mine. Rosemont would be built on private and public land in the northern Santa Ritas, near where the jaguar and one ocelot have been captured on camera. The wildlife service concluded in two rounds of biological reviews that the mine wont jeopardize the jaguars existence or illegally destroy its habitat. But a lower-level service biologist and the Center for Biological Diversity have disagreed. Randy Serraglio, a conservation advocate for the center, said the new report proves the Santa Ritas jaguar habitat is worthy of protection. Jaguars are under a lot of pressure in Mexico from poaching and development, Serraglio said Wednesday. They need places to disperse and be safe. The whole point of critical habitat is to provide places for them to do that. The findings refute the services view that El Jefe doesnt matter because he wandered into the U.S., said Serraglio, a longtime mine opponent. They keep talking about the important ones being in Mexico, but this cat is connected to the ones in Mexico. The wildlife services Steve Spangle, however, said his training as a biologist tells him a jaguar that isnt breeding isnt contributing to the population, and the service looks at populations, not individuals. All this jaguars presence shows is that the habitat is good enough to support a single animal, he said. Hes an unpaired male, Spangle said. Its a good sign for ecosystem health. It is not a significant factor for the overall population. A 34-year-old San Tan Valley woman has been arrested, after allegedly smoking marijuana with her children and other minors, authorities said. Pinal County Sheirff's deputies arrested Jillian Hughes on May 19, after deputies found marijuana, scales and paraphernalia in her house, said department spokesman, Mark Clark. Hughes has been charged with five counts of child abuse, five counts of furnishing drugs to minors, possession of marijuana and posession of paraphernalia. Deputies were called to a San Tan Valley elementary school on May 5, and spoke to a 14-year-old student who was friends with one of Hughes's children. The student told police that she was offered marijuana by Hughes while staying overnight at the house in late March, Clark said. A Department of Child Services spoke to Hughes on the phone, at which time she admitted to smoking marijuana with her children and having it in the house, Clark said. After hearing phone conversation, deputies and a DCS investigator went to Hughes house, which she allowed to be searched. Hughes told detectives taht her 14-year-old child was home and her 16-year-old child was at school, but she didn't know where her two younger children were. Deputies searching the house found her 11 and 12-year-old children asleep in a hall closet, at which time Hughes told detectives she thought the kids were at school, Clark said. After deputies seized the marijuana, scales and paraphernalia in the home, DCS took custody of all four children, who admitted to smoking marijuana with their mother, but later changed their stories. All four children tested positive for marijuana, Clark said. Help India! By Raqib Hameed Naik and Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net Bankura (West Bengal): The upcoming period of Ramadan is likely to test even the most well off people as they fast during the summers, but for Manowara Bibi and her husband Jumman, the stakes are much higher. Bibi, 30, and Jumman, 45, will continue to work in the scorching heat in a nearby forest, collecting Shawl leafs and woods to sustain themselves, despite fasting for the whole month. The couple and their two children live in Telijant, a Muslim dominated village in Bankura District of West Bengal and the fate of almost all families in this village is no different. Support TwoCircles Shawl leaf and woods collected by women. The family of four, which includes two sonsMuskur, 18 and Amiruddin, 16toil the entire day in the forests and if they are lucky, a days work can fetch them barely enough money to buy four meals. We earn living by collecting Shawl leafs, falling wood and branches in the forest which barely fetches us Rs 80. Sometimes, we dry the leaves and sell after stitching them with Coconut leaf stick. This is our only way to earn money, said Bibi. Despite living in abject poverty, both Juman and Bibi along with their two children have ensured that they fast for the whole Ramadan in the back drop of their continuing struggle for food. Telijant is a Muslim dominated village on the border of a forest area in Bankura District, 238 Kms from Kolkata in West Bengal. The district, ranked among lowest Muslim percentage districts in West Bengal, has 8.08% of Muslims and Telijant is one of the Muslim dominated villages in the district with 45 Muslim families of 150 persons, majority of them working in treacherous forest to sustain themselves. It is also the one thing that ties all the families together. From 10 year olds to 70 year old men/women, every one works in the forest so as to earn and buy food, to make a living. The poverty is also visible by the fact that families cant support educating their children as they cant afford to buy books. As a result, most of the children to drop out in between class V to VIII and turn to collecting forest produce in order to help their families. During Ramadan, everyone in village observes fast, but the real test lies with the first rays of sun. All of them have to move to a nearby forest, work all day under the treacherous heat, without a drop of water and food. Despite putting such effort and going on an empty stomach all day, there is no guarantee if the amount they will get after selling their collected wood and shawl leaves will buy food for Iftar. Out of 45 Muslim families living in the village, 40 live below poverty line and to collect subsidized ration, which isnt sufficient at times, they have to travel 5 Km on foot to Shaltora, another village in the District. If we would have food for whole Ramdan, then none of us will like to work in forest because its too painful to work during the holy month. Everybody will like to stay in home during the whole month, spending as much time they can to offer prayers, said septuagenarian, Ramizuddin Sader, who also collects leaves from the forest to sustain himself. The families, which live in small mud house thanks to a central government housing scheme called the Gitanjali project, cannot even think of buying dates to break their fasts. So, they have replaced it with a small piece of ginger, chickpea or water. Last year, seeing the miserable condition of villagers during Ramadan, a reporter carried the news in local vernacular daily, which prompted a generous person to came forward and help the villagers by distributing food grains among the villagers in last week of Ramadan. This year too they are anticipating help, the help, which will let them fast without worrying for work in the holy month of Ramadan and it seems their prayers have been answered. Indian Muslim Relief and Charities (IMRC), a US based charity organization, has conducted a survey of Telijant village and the village has been finalized to be covered under its Ramadan Feeding Program by providing them food in grains package, which includes Rice, wheat, Potato and other essentials for the whole month. The distributing is scheduled to be started in coming week and the development has brought cheers among villagers. This is a big relief for me, my husband and my children. Now we can observe Ramadan at home without worrying for food, adds Bibi. China defends stance on South China Sea Updated: 2016-05-25 21:33 (Xinhua) BEIJING -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Wednesday defended the country's stance on the South China Sea, rejecting criticism from the United States, Japan and Western media. Hua Chunying said at a routine press briefing that China's construction activities on its islands and reefs starting at the end of 2013 are aimed entirely at safeguarding its sovereignty and rights. "China's construction in the South China Sea came later than other countries' illegal activities in the region," Hua said. The United States "rebalancing toward the Asia-Pacific" strategy and Philippine initiation of the South China Sea arbitration also came before China's island reclaiming, she said. Hua's comments came after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said China's actions in the South and East China Seas threatened to create a "tinderbox." In Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, Kerry said that he would caution China to not unilaterally move to reclaim and militarize islands, according to AP. Hua, however, said that it was the growing U.S. military deployment and activities in the region that were creating tensions. She also slammed Japan for hyping up the South China Sea issue ahead of the G7 summit. "As the world economy is facing such a complicated situation, the G7 summit should focus on global economic governance and cooperation," she said. The "little trick" of Japan as the host of the G7 summit will do no good to G7 and will not be helpful to peace and stability in the South China Sea, Hus said. More and more nations and international organizations are expressing understanding and support for China's stance on the South China Sea, she said. Hua applauded the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's (SCO) "just and fair" position on the matter. Foreign ministers of SCO countries said they were against the internationalization of and external interference into the South China Sea issue, according to a press communique released on Tuesday. Xi calls for action to revive the northeast Updated: 2016-05-26 03:34 By Zheng Jinran in Beijing and Tian Xuefei in Harbin(China Daily) Chinese President Xi Jinping visits an Ecological Economic Development Zone in Yichun, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, May 23, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] President Xi Jinping used a field inspection trip to Heilongjiang province this week to spread the message about the central leadership's decision to revive China's northeastern industrial belt. He called for more action on economic reform and on environmentally friendly development in Heilongjiang and the northeast region. The central leadership has issued a new plan to revitalize the economy in the northeast, which has long been hampered by a lack of reform and industrial upgrading. The region, consisting of Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces and the eastern part of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, was an industrial bastion in the 1950s and 1960s. During his three-day tour, Xi traveled to Heilongjiang's forest areas, farming areas, the homes of ethnic minority groups, and technology companies in Harbin, the province's urban center. In Yichun, a city with 4 million hectares of forest that used to be known for its lumber trade, residents have abandoned the industry since 2013. Xi applauded the former forestry workers' efforts on forestry protection and the development of diverse new environmentally friendly industries. "A good environment is also a resource. A good environment is also a form of productivity," Xi told the residents. He encouraged them to seek sustainable business from the protection and conservation of local natural resources. "But you can always count on the central government's care," Xi said. Wu Peishan, 33, who lives in Yichun, started her business in Beijing, selling the high quality honey collected from 30 households, 10 of which used to depend on the lumber industry. "Annually, they can make 30,000 to 50,000 yuan ($4,570 to $7,600) on average, higher than their wages before," she said, adding that the best performing household could make as much as 80,000 yuan a year. Jiang Yongbin, another former forestry worker, now earns a living from aquatic farming with his former colleagues. "I thank President Xi for bringing good policies to us," he said. Contact the writers at zhengjinran@chinadaily.com.cn Alibaba says SEC is investigating its accounting practices Updated: 2016-05-26 04:51 (Agencies) Alibaba Group Holding Ltd said it was being investigated by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over whether the Chinese e-commerce company's accounting practices violated any federal laws. The company has provided the SEC with information about its accounting for logistics unit Cainiao Network as well as operating data from its Singles' Day shopping festival, according to Alibaba's annual report filed on Tuesday. The SEC advised the company that the investigation should not be seen as an indication that Alibaba had violated federal securities laws, Alibaba said in a regulatory filing. "This matter is ongoing, and, as with any regulatory proceeding, we cannot predict when it will be concluded," Alibaba said. Asked for comment on Wednesday, an Alibaba spokesperson said the disclosure of those financial details are "exactly the kind of robust and transparent information that will address the underlying issues in SEC's inquiry." Singles' Day is the biggest shopping festival in the world, and accounts for more than the combined sales of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping events in the US. The focus of the SEC probe was not immediately clear, but critics have in the past complained that Alibaba reports Singles' Day sales in terms of gross merchandise volume, or GMV. GMV tallies the monetary value of buying activity over a certain period of time, but it doesn't take into account various hiccups -- for example, customer returns, or if the seller runs out of stock and can't deliver the product. Last year, the Hangzhou-based firm reported GMV sales of $14.3 billion on Singles' Day. Cainiao Network handles the vast majority of Alibaba's deliveries. Alibaba owns a 47 percent stake in the firm, which recently raised 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) from investors. How Alibaba accounts for the financial performance of Cainiao has drawn criticism. In its annual report, Alibaba reported that Cainiao had a net loss of $94 million in 2015 on revenue of $472 million. Guizhou comes to Queens Updated: 2016-05-26 11:45 By Niu Yue in New York(China Daily USA) Yang Shengqun, ex-chief of the Guizhou Tourism Bureau,discusses tourism in the Southwest China province beforea fi lm screening at Queens Library in Flushing, New York, on Wednesday night. Niu Yue / For China Daily Guizhou, a province in Southwest China, displayed its graces to New Yorkers with the screening of an award-winning film at Queens Library in Flushing on Wednesday evening. Lying at the eastern end of the Yungui Plateau, mountainous Guizhou has long been known as the "park province" because of its magnificent scenery. Guizhou is also home to 54 ethnic minorities with diversified cultural heritages. Among them, are the melodious Kam people, also known as Dong, an ethnic minority among China's 56 ethnic minority groups. The Kam people live mostly in Guizhou and are well known for their polyphonic choir singing, which literally can be translated as Kam grand choir, or grand song, in English. Since 2009, the Grand Song has been listed by UNESCO as a world-class intangible cultural heritage. The Grand Song also was the name of the film shown at the library; it tells a love story that spans three generations of Kam Grand Song masters with 24 grand songs. In April, the film won the Special Jury Award and the Gold Remi Best Art Direction prize at the Worldfest-Houston Film Festival. "It's a great honor for Queens Library to first show the film after it won the big prize," said Cathy (Xi) Chen, assistant director of programming a operations of the library. "Even though Flushing is far away from Guizhou, somehow they share similarities," said Xu Ming, ex-commissioner of the Guizhou Cultural Department. "Guizhou is a region with multi-ethnic groups, and Queens borough is the most ethnic and language-diversified community," she said. In the past year, because of its developing tourism brand, Guizhou has become more popular not only among domestic tourists but also foreigners, said Yang Shengming, ex-chief of the Guizhou Tourism Bureau. "We warmly welcome New Yorkers to visit Guizhou province, and we hope Guizhou and New York could have more communication and cooperation in culture, economy and tourism in the future," she said. Before the screening, authentic Guizhou regional cuisine and snacks were offered. The event was held by the Queens Library in collaboration with Buro-GDS, a cross-cultural design company based in Paris and New York. Chinese student cursed, beaten on Arizona train Updated: 2016-05-26 11:45 By Lia Zhu in San Francisco(China Daily USA) Xiaolin Shi, Arizona State student Safety concerns were rising among Chinese students after a Chinese woman was brutally beaten in a possible hate crime last week in Tempe, Arizona. Xiaolin Shi, an undergraduate at Arizona State University, said she was assaulted by a white woman on a train on the way home between 10:30 pm and 11 pm on May 20. Kalie Rutledge, 22, began yelling slurs like "Bitch, go f---ing back to China" to Shi and her friend after they got on the train and talked in Chinese, Shi told China Daily. She said the suspect aggressively approached them and continued berating them for a while. As they were about to get off the train at their stop, the suspect came at them and punched Shi in the face. "I lost consciousness for a few seconds, and then I found myself on the ground with blood all over my face," Shi said. Her friend was also attacked but didn't sustain serious injuries. Shi had a broken bone in her face and swelling to her eye. She said the doctor told her surgery might be necessary, though she was currently in stable condition. The suspect was arrested by Tempe police that night on a charge of aggravated assault and then booked into Maricopa County Jail. According to Maricopa County court documents, Rutledge was released after an initial appearance on May 24, and is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on May 31. According to the website jail.com, Rutledge was arrested at least 10 times previously on charges including criminal damage, drug paraphernalia use or possession, disorderly conduct and violation of probation. "It was 100 percent racial hatred, no other reason," said Shi. "I don't know her (Rutledge). I've never met her before." Four months ago in Tempe, another Chinese girl, Yue Jiang, also an international student at Arizona State, was shot dead by a white woman whose car bumped hers while Jiang was driving home from shopping with her boyfriend. No trial date has been set for Holly Davis, 32, the suspect in Jiang's case, said Rebecca Wilder, spokeswoman for the Maricopa County District Attorney's office, who declined to comment on both cases, saying they were pending. Though police tried to ease fears among Chinese students telling them that Jiang's case was a "random act of violence", safety has been a top concern since the shooting. "At least for a long while, we had been very cautious. Many students talked about buying a gun for protection," said Kevin Cheng, a Chinese student at Arizona State. "The local Chinese set up a group on WeChat. Sometimes they give lectures on using firearms." liazhu@chinadailyusa.com Case Study of Out-of-Control Transnational Adjudicative Body Updated: 2016-05-26 23:03 By Joseph A. Klein(China Daily USA) Multilateral treaties have become a bedrock of international law, especially since the end of World War II. More than 600 multilateral treaties have been sponsored by the United Nations out of the approximately 8,000 multilateral treaties entered into since World War II. In setting out the parties' rights and obligations, norms of behavior and dispute resolution mechanisms, carefully written treaties that have buy-in from the member countries can reduce the potential for resort to armed conflict or economic warfare. However, when a party to a multilateral treaty seeks to exploit perceived ambiguities to gain exclusive benefits beyond the intended scope of the underlying treaty, it is risking the legal and moral foundations on which multilateral treaties are based. The compulsory arbitration provisions contained in the treaty known as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) provide a case in point. UNCLOS establishes the legal framework under which coastal states can claim, manage, and utilize their ocean resources. It defines the maritime zones subject to jurisdiction of coastal states and governs the determination of the bases for delimitation of maritime boundaries. UNCLOS sets forth an elaborate, multi-phased compulsory dispute resolution process to address the maritime issues within its scope. It stipulates that judgments rendered by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea or a specially constituted arbitral tribunal (both referred to in this article as "Arbitral Tribunal") in accordance with the Convention are final and non-appealable. The process is subject to abuse by UNCLOS parties who seek to upend normal direct channels of diplomacy and negotiations to force a resolution of territorial disputes in their favor. This article analyzes one example of abuse of UNCLOS's compulsory dispute resolution process and the Arbitral Tribunal's overreaching in accepting jurisdiction of a case. The Arbitral Tribunal decided to assume jurisdiction over a maritime territorial dispute between two UNCLOS parties, the Philippines and China. The Philippines had initiated the case despite China's objection that the subject matter of the dispute was outside of the authority of the tribunal to arbitrate. A final decision on the merits of the Philippines' case by the Arbitral Tribunal is expected soon. Whatever the substantive outcome of the case turns out to be, most disturbing is that the Arbitral Tribunal determined it had legal authority to impose its will on a non-consenting party to a territorial dispute in the first place. The United States is not currently a formal party to UNCLOS. Thus, it is not subject to its compulsory arbitration provisions. Joining UNCLOS has strong proponents, including President Obama, who believe that it will give the United States more moral standing to challenge actions in the South China Sea that it objects to. Even without the U.S. being an UNCLOS party, the Obama administration endorsed the Philippines' compulsory arbitration case against China, a view shared by the New York Times in its May 21st editorial. However, U.S. foreign policymakers and opinion leaders should take heed before reflexively embracing compulsory arbitration provisions in multilateral treaties in the future. There are significant precedential implications to national sovereignty when an unaccountable international adjudicative body, which does not derive its legitimacy from the consent of the governed, is in a position to issue ultra vires decisions under the cloak of international law. The UNCLOS Arbitral Tribunal's handling so far of the Philippines compulsory arbitration case against China should serve as a warning. UNCLOS Dispute Resolution Procedures The preamble of UNCLOS states that its establishment of a "legal order for the seas and oceans" must be "with due regard for the sovereignty of all States." UNCLOS lays out a multi-pronged dispute resolution process, which it is reasonable for the parties to expect would be implemented "with due regard for the sovereignty of all States." Direct bilateral negotiations and consultations are listed as the first level of dispute resolution. The parties can then move to the option of non-binding conciliation. The process of conciliation involves the use of one or more neutral third parties who meet with each of the disputants separately and try to narrow the differences between them through communication of successive proposals and counter-proposals from the parties. The conciliators may also come up with their own proposed solution for consideration by the disputants. Compulsory arbitration is the final and most extreme form of dispute resolution that an aggrieved UNCLOS party can seek to utilize against the other party to the dispute. It is to occur after other procedures have been exhausted and is subject to the right of the other party to the dispute to opt out of compulsory arbitration under specified circumstances. Article 298 of UNCLOS explicitly gives Convention state parties the right to opt out of compulsory arbitration for disputes concerning, among other things, the interpretation or application of certain provisions of the Convention "relating to sea boundary delimitations, or those involving historic bays or titles." (Article 298, 1 (a)(i)) UNCLOS Arbitral Tribunal Overstepped the Bounds of its Authority in not Honoring China's Opt-Out from Compulsory Arbitration Both China and the Philippines referenced the compulsory arbitration opt-out provisions of Article 298 when they entered into UNCLOS as Convention parties. Nevertheless, in order to gain leverage in a dispute over territorial boundaries in the South China Sea, the Philippines unilaterally initiated compulsory arbitration proceedings in 2013 against China before the Convention's Arbitral Tribunal. Although China acted within its rights to reject the jurisdiction of the Arbitral Tribunal, based on its exercise of its Article 298 opt-out rights, the tribunal acted like many transnational bureaucracies do in seeking to expand its authority over sovereign states. It decided to accept jurisdiction over what is essentially a territorial dispute. When China ratified UNCLOS in 1996, it included the following declaration as part of its accession to the Convention: "The People's Republic of China reaffirms its sovereignty over all its archipelagos and islands as listed in article 2 of the Law of the People's Republic of China on the territorial sea and the contiguous zone, which was promulgated on 25 February 1992." Thus, in entering UNCLOS as a Convention party, China made clear that it was not waiving its pre-existing claims to land and maritime territorial rights, which it believed to be preserved under customary international law, within demarcated areas of the semi-enclosed waters of the South China Sea. In 2006, China invoked Article 298 in declaring that it "does not accept any of the procedures provided for in Section 2 of Part XV of the Convention with respect to all the categories of disputes referred to in paragraph 1 (a) (b) and (c) of Article 298 of the Convention." For its part, the Philippines stated in its own declarations accompanying its signing and ratification of the Convention that such "signing shall not in any manner impair or prejudice the sovereignty of the Republic of the Philippines over any territory over which it exercises sovereign authority, such as the Kalayaan Islands, and the waters appurtenant thereto." It also declared that its agreement for peaceful resolution of disputes under Article 298 of the Convention "shall not be considered as a derogation of Philippines sovereignty." When it served its purpose upon becoming a party to UNCLOS, the Philippines asserted its own "sovereign" claims based on alleged historic rights that it considered non-derogable. However, when it later served the Philippines' purpose to use UNCLOS's compulsory arbitration provisions to negate China's sovereign claims based on its alleged historic rights, the Philippines completely reversed itself on its previously stated principles. The Philippines stated the following in its submission with the Arbitral Tribunal, contradicting its original self-serving UNCLOS accession declaration: "UNCLOS supersedes and nullifies any historic rights' that may have existed prior to the Convention." Under international law, the Philippines should be estopped from using UNCLOS's compulsory dispute resolution procedures to deny China the same right to protect its sovereignty rights as the Philippines had for all intents and purposes asserted for itself when it joined UNCLOS. The Arbitral Tribunal erred when it deferred instead to the Philippines' current turn-about of position in order to justify its acceptance of the Philippines' case for compulsory arbitration. The Arbitral Tribunal attempted some fancy footwork in its jurisdiction opinion by claiming that it could make its determination of entitlements to exclusive economic zones, territorial sea rights and continental shelves as the Philippines had requested without having to deal with any dispute over sea boundary delimitations or overlapping claims of territorial sovereignty. The tribunal got it wrong. The issues of historical claims to territorial sovereignty, maritime boundary delimitation and overlapping exclusive economic zones and continental shelves they may generate are inextricably linked with the issues that the tribunal accepted jurisdiction to decide. The Arbitral Tribunal exceeded the limits of its authority in accepting jurisdiction of the Philippines' compulsory arbitration case by pretending that it could decide certain maritime zone entitlements claims in isolation. Arbitral Tribunal Overstepped the Bounds of its Authority in Applying UNCLOS to Territorial Claims that Pre-Existed and are Outside the Scope of UNCLOS The Arbitral Tribunal also erred in its jurisdiction opinion when it concluded that the dispute before it was simply about application or interpretation of the Convention. The tribunal reached this conclusion on the fallacious assumption that the dispute concerned "the interaction of the Convention with another instrument or body of law, including the question of whether rights arising under another body of law were or were not preserved by the Convention." The history of the competing sovereign claims preceded the very existence of UNCLOS. Article 15 of UNCLOS preserves the relevance of "historic title or other special circumstances" that may be at variance with other UNCLOS provisions. By definition, UNCLOS does not apply to the central issues in dispute between China and the Philippines. The preamble of UNCLOS states that its establishment of a "legal order for the seas and oceans" must be "with due regard for the sovereignty of all States." The Convention parties thereby evidenced their intent that UNCLOS does not extinguish their historic usage-based sovereignty claims unless expressly countermanded in the text of the Convention. There is no such express agreement of the parties to revoke their specific historical sovereign claims. To the contrary, as described above, both China and the Philippines made clear their very opposite intentions in their respective UNCLOS declarations. Moreover, under the principle of "non-retroactivity of treaties" enshrined in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties adopted in 1969, UNCLOS, which came into force subsequently, cannot be used to retroactively defeat either party's sovereign claims unless both parties agree to accept the decision of the Arbitral Tribunal as final and binding. China has not given its consent. China argues it has historical rights to islands and adjacent areas within the South China Sea, originally derived from fishing activities undertaken consistently for many centuries. China claims it was the first country to discover, name, develop and manage the South China Sea islands, and was also the first to continuously exercise sovereign jurisdiction over them. Nearly seven decades ago, China published a map depicting segments (dashes) encircling waters, islands, and other features of the South China Sea as to which China has asserted historic territorial and maritime rights. With some slight revisions, China has since re-published this map and continues to assert its sovereign rights. The Philippines has also claimed sovereign territorial and maritime rights in areas that overlap China's claims, beginning in earnest in the early 1970's when oil was discovered. Whatever the merits of the competing historical claims may be, they both precede the very existence of UNCLOS and were not expressly revoked when UNCLOS came into effect. Thus, sovereignty disputes over certain islands and adjacent waters based on competing historical claims lie outside of the jurisdiction of the UNCLOS Arbitral Tribunal to adjudicate. Yet in accepting jurisdiction of the Philippines' case, the tribunal stated that any dispute regarding China's claim to historic rights in the South China Sea was "a dispute concerning the interpretation and application of the Convention" and could be deferred until the tribunal's decision on the merits of the case. It admitted that its "jurisdiction to consider this questionwould be dependent on the nature of any such historic rights and whether they are covered by the exclusion from jurisdiction over historic bays or titles' in Article 298." However, the tribunal then stated, "The nature and validity of any historic rights claimed by China is a merits determination." The tribunal engaged in circular reasoning by deferring the threshold question as to whether it had jurisdiction to decide China's claim to historic rights in the South China Sea to the merits phase, which it can only reach if it had jurisdiction in the first place. To paraphrase Alice-in-Wonderland, the tribunal believes in a decision on the merits first jurisdiction afterwards. UNCLOS Arbitral Panel Short-Circuited Diplomacy By accepting jurisdiction to decide the case, .the tribunal also went along with the Philippines' scheme to bypass the bilateral negotiation process the Philippines and China had previously committed to on various occasions. The commitment is documented in a series of bilateral agreements, joint statements of the leaders of both countries, and a multilateral Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea signed by China and the members of ASEAN, including the Philippines, in 2002. Even after the Philippines had filed its case for compulsory arbitration, the Philippines submitted a plan to the United Nations outlining a three stage approach to dispute resolution in which arbitration would be the "final approach." It identified implementation of the Declaration and negotiation of a binding regional code of conduct for the disputed waters as the earlier stages. But to justify the fact that it had already filed its compulsory arbitration case while regional diplomatic efforts on the first two stages of its own plan were still ongoing, the Philippines made the illogical claim that all three stages could be pursued simultaneously. The unintended consequence of creating a winner and loser in a compulsory arbitration case, particularly if the losing party had not consented to the tribunal's jurisdiction in the first place, will likely serve to harden both parties' negotiating positions and place a diplomatic solution further out of reach. Conclusion For all the reasons discussed in this article, the UNCLOS Arbitral Tribunal acted arbitrarily and capriciously when it granted the Philippines' request to accept jurisdiction of the Philippines' compulsory arbitration case against China. This article analyzed how the tribunal aggrandized itself at the expense of national sovereignty. The tribunal's conduct serves as a case study of the dangers in delegating too much ill-defined juridical power to an unaccountable, non-democratic transnational institution, which begins to take on a life of its own. Its assertion of compulsory governance powers undermines diplomacy and negotiated dispute resolution among the member states, who were parties to the treaty that gave birth to the transnational institution to begin with. Instead, it serves its own parochial interests in building up its power as a fixture of supranational governance. Kiev swaps 2 Russian detainees for Ukraine's pilot Savchenko Updated: 2016-05-26 09:55 (Xinhua) KIEV - The Ukrainian authorities on Wednesday have freed two captured Russian citizens as a part of an apparent prisoner swap with Moscow, which also saw a release of the Ukrainian army pilot Nadiya Savchenko from jail in Russia. The press service of the Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that the head of the state has signed a decree to pardon detained Russian citizens, Alexandr Alexandrov and Eugene Yerofeev, prior to their release. In parallel, the Kremlin issued a statement saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin has granted pardon to Savchenko. Earlier in the day, Savchenko, who was imprisoned in Russia for almost two years, has returned to Kiev, while Alexandrov and Yerofeev flew to Moscow. According to Ukrainian media, an agreement on prisoner swap was reached on Monday during the phone talks in the Normandy format between Poroshenko, Putin, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Some political experts here have suggested that the prisoner exchange could become a first step towards warming up in relations between Kiev and Moscow, which have been deteriorating since early 2014 over different stances on the developments in Crimea and eastern Ukraine. In 2016, a Russian court has sentenced Savchenko for 22 years behind the bars, after founding her guilty of complicity in killing civilians, including two Russian journalists, during the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The pilot has denied the charges and said she had been kidnapped in Ukraine and then handed over to Russian authorities. In May 2015, Ukrainian security officers seized Alexandrov and Yerofeev, who claimed to be Russian soldiers, while fighting in Ukraine's conflict-torn Lugansk region. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the two men captured by the Ukrainian forces had previously served in the Russian army, but had been no longer active servicemen when they were detained. FM:G7 in Japan urged not to escalate regional tension Updated: 2016-05-26 18:07 By Zhang Yunbi(chinadaily.com.cn) The G7 summit in Japan is expected to "uphold an impartial and fair position" and not to worsen or stimulate regional tension, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told a news conference in Beijing on Thursday. Wang was responding to a question on whether the upcoming G7 summit is a proper place to discuss the South China Sea issue. "As to the specific topics at the G7 summit, this is the business of G7 members themselves. Whatever topics they are going to discuss, we hope that they will uphold an impartial and fair position instead of applying double standards, drawing lines because of alliances, or even worse, escalating regional tension," Wang said. China's positions regarding the South China Sea has been very clear, as it subscribes to international law and the Declaration of Conduct in the South China Sea and seeks the peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue and negotiations with parties directly concerned, Wang said. "This justified position of China is winning support from an increasing number of countries, and we will continue to uphold it," Wang added. "The G7, as we know, is a forum for international economic issues. Therefore we hope that the G7 summit will focus on the imperative economic, financial and development issues that concerns today's world," Wang said. Wang noted that the G7 members are also members of the G20. He said the G7 meetings are welcome to embark on coordination with the G20 meetings and "play a positive and constructive role in the success of the G20". Prior to the Q&A section, the senior diplomat briefed reporters about preparations by China for the G20 summit in Hangzhou in September. 1. Community coalition TORONTO Members from Chinese communities and no-profit organizations gather at the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto (CCC) to launch the "Community Coalition in Aid of Alberta Wildfire" (CCAAW) on May 20 in Toronto. CCAAW announced that a charity performance event will be held on May 30 at CCC to raise fund for wildfire victims. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY Please turn JavaScript on and reload the page. Loading... Checking your browser before accessing the website. This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly. Please wait a few seconds. HCM CITY HCM City authorities said they have cancelled the licences of hundreds of suspended public projects that have affected the lives of the public, but many people said a number of projects remain suspended and continue to affect their living conditions. Le Minh Lien, who lives near the Go Dua intersection being built at the junction of National Highway No 1 A and Provincial Road No 43 in Thu uc District, said: At night, I usually have disturbed sleep because of the traffic noise and fear of accidents. The first stage of the intersection, including roads and a bridge, was completed in February 2012, but the lands required for the second stage of the project have not been acquired yet. Liens is one of 174 families currently living in the area where the second stage will be built. The owner of the house at 57 Go Dua Road abandoned it a year ago, saying it was too close to the roundabout that his family constantly had to inhale smoke and dust and suffer from the traffic noise. He has asked authorities for compensation so that he could move out for good and settle elsewhere, but his efforts have been in vain, the Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reported. A spokesman for the Thu uc District Peoples Committee was quoted as saying that the site clearance would not be done by 2017. City authorities have not announced plans to buy the houses affected by the second phase due to a shortage of funds for the project, he said. Development of the Southern Urban Area covering over 2,000ha in Binh Chanh District has been delayed for several years. The Government announced plans to acquire land for the project in 1994, but most households affected by the project have yet to receive compensation. Meanwhile, things have been in limbo there for the past 22 years, with house construction or enlargement and purchase and sale prohibited. Nguyen Van Ba, a resident of Hamlet 1A in Binh Chanhs Binh Hung Commune, said he wanted to build a small room for one of his kids, but the construction was stopped by the district authorities. Most residents in sections B, C, D, E of the Southern Urban Area face a similar situation. A deputy chairman of the commune Peoples Committee (who asked not to be named) said: Residents petitions are legitimate. The Southern Urban Area Project has been delayed for a very long time. Relevant authorities must inform affected residents about when construction of the project will start and when land compensation will be paid. He said these issues do not fall within the purview of the commune peoples committee. Similarly, a spokesman for the Cu Chi Peoples Committee said the district would petition the Government to cancel plans to build a medical school on nearly 106ha in Phuoc Hiep Commune. The city Department of Healths project was approved in 2005, followed by a decision to acquire land for it in 2007. But so far none of the 250 households affected by the project have received compensation for their lands. As a result, fields have been left uncultivated for the past decade, canals are dry, and the losses suffered by locals have been immense. According to figures from the city Department of Natural Resources and Environment, since 2012 the city administration has cancelled 571 suspended projects involving 5,905ha. It has also reduced the scale of nine other projects by a total of 137ha. - VNS UNITED NATIONS, United States UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon plans to beef up the UN mediation in Yemen to overcome deep differences in peace talks, according to a letter obtained by AFP on Wednesday. Ban outlined his proposal in a letter to the Security Council just before UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed delivered a report to the councils 15 members on the peace talks he is leading in Kuwait. "While both sides have committed to reaching agreements in Kuwait, there remain deep differences between the two sides which will need to be overcome in order to achieve a successful outcome," Ban wrote. He proposed expanding the staff of the UN peace mission to Yemen and moving it to Amman from New York to intensify the mediation. The bigger UN team would provide technical expertise to the Yemeni parties on a range of issues, especially shoring up a ceasefire in force since April 10 that has led to a decrease but not a halt in attacks. "The nationwide cessation of hostilities remains extremely fragile, and requires urgent additional support from the United Nations," Ban wrote. An upsurge in violence could "undermine the Kuwait talks and derail the progress towards greater stability and security," he added. Moving in the right direction Egyptian Ambassador Amr Aboulatta, who chairs the council this month, told reporters that council members agreed on the need to bolster the mediation effort. "Things are moving in the right direction," he said following a closed meeting on Yemen. "There was an agreement to help the office and Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed." Speaking to the council by video-conference from Kuwait, Ould Cheikh Ahmed said progress was slow but steady in the talks, according to a diplomat at the closed session. Ramadan beginning on June 6 is not a deadline for a breakthrough and the parties must stay at the talks as long as it takes, the envoy said. The latest round of peace talks began in Kuwait on April 21 but has been clouded by repeated walkouts by the government delegation. Face-to-face meetings resumed on Monday for the first time in nearly a week. The UN envoy said in a statement on Wednesday that the sides were moving "toward a general understanding that encompasses the expectations and visions of the parties." The main sticking point in the talks has been reaching agreement on a transitional government. Huthi Shiite rebels and their allies have demanded a unity government. But the government delegation insists that President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadis legitimacy must be respected. A western diplomat said in Kuwait that the UN envoy had proposed a "national salvation government" that would be "consensual and inclusive." AFP Doan Diep Mau, deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs talks with Thoi bao Kinh Te Viet Nam (Vietnam Economic Times) about measures to stop Vietnamese labourers illegally staying and working in Korea after finishing their labour contracts. In recent years, the number of Vietnamese guest workers who were staying illegally in South Korea has decreased, but the percentage is still higher than guest workers from other countries. What measures has the ministry carried out to avoid the interruption of sending workers to South Korea? South Korea decided to resume accepting Vietnamese labourers on job visas under the Employment Permit System (EPS) next year. The South Korean Ministry of Employment and Labour (MoEL) and Viet Nams Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) has recently re-signed a standard Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on this issue. After signing the MoU, the Vietnamese side has continued to carry out strong measures to reduce Vietnamese workers illegally staying on in South Korea as per the roadmap set by the Vietnamese and Korean Labour ministries. First, pushing up the home returning programme for illegal workers to return Viet Nam before September 30 this year. Second, calling on workers to abide by their labour contract terms to ensurey they return home on schedule. This will help increase awareness of the responsibilities Vietnamese guest workers have towards Korean law. Third, delivering assistance and legal consultancy to workers in cases of changing employers, terminating labour contracts and so on. Fourth, MoLISA would stop recruiting workers in provinces that have a high percentage of workers staying on illegally or who have relatives in South Korea. Recently, the government issued a decree that exempts administrative punishments to workers who illegally stayed in South Korea but voluntarily return home by September 30. How does the ministry implement this policy? The ministry and relevant offices have made public the policy on websites as well as given instructions to provinces. The procedure is very easy. In Korea, the workers just need to register to come back home. And when returning to their homes, they need to declare themselves to their local authorities. Many people have been tricked into paying a lot of money to brokers who exploit workers desire to work in South Korea under the Employment Permit System (EPS) programme that was signed by the two countries. Has the ministry warned workers about this situation? Workers should search for information about the programme on the official websites of the ministry and relevant offices. All related information such as Korean language tests, labour skills tests, the terms of labour contracts and fees were posted on the official website of MoLISA. The MoLISAs Centre of Overseas Labour is the only agency in charge of carrying out the EPS programme. -- VNS US President Barack Obama on Wednesday meets with 800 members of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) at the GEM Center in HCM City. VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Vu HCM CITY US President Barack Obama on Wednesday spoke about the importance of the younger generation to the future success of Viet Nam and the region at a town hall meeting with 800 members of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) at the GEM Center in HCM City. Speaking on his final day of a three-day trip in Viet Nam before heading to Japan for the G7 summit, he said: I want to thank the government and the people of Viet Nam for the wonderful hospitality that you have given me over the past three days. Ive been deeply touched. Spending time with young people like you gives me incredible optimism about the future because all of you embody the energy and drive that is helping propel this region to new heights. You make me hopeful about the future of ASEAN, hopeful about the future of the world. He noted that key parts of his foreign policy relied on cooperation and agreement on a variety of policies, but that government and businesses were only part of the equation. If were going to meet all of these challenges, we also have to build strong relationships between our people and especially between young people like you. Young Vietnamese and the future He encouraged the members of YSEALI, a signature initiative begun by Obama to promote leadership development in SE Asia, to remain involved in the challenges facing the area. Change doesnt happen overnight. It requires that you stay active and involved over the long term and it requires you to develop some practical tools. And thats why three years ago, I launched the YSEALI. And the goal is to empower young people like you with these skills, resources and networks that you need to turn your ideas into actions. The US President mentioned two outstanding young Vietnamese, Ngan ang and Le Xuan Loc, who exemplified the dynamic spirit of todays generation. Ngan started a volunteer group to work with street children, orphans, and people with physical disabilities right here in HCM City. So far, theyre recruited some 450 volunteers, delivered over 7,000 hours of mentoring, and built five libraries in two cities. And thats just one example of the incredible work that has been done by young people right here in Viet Nam, he said. Loc teaches at Viet Nam National University HCM City, and is a researcher at the Pasteur Institute. His dream is to go back to his hometown to open a medical center so he can deliver quality, affordable healthcare. Business opportunities Asked about export opportunities, Obama emphasised entrepreneurship, start-ups, the selling of goods across borders, and creation of jobs and great products and services. Yesterday, I had the chance to meet with a number of young Vietnamese entrepreneurs who have already created digital platforms to sell goods. This is one of the reasons we are pushing very hard for the TPP because it reduces the barriers between countries to sell their goods and services, he said. It gives opportunities not just for big companies but also small companies to enter the global supply chain. It raises labour standards and environmental standards so that all countries are working on a level playing field, he added. Different paths to success During his talk, Obama also spoke about his years as a student and young professional, and his path to success. When I was your age, I was not as well organised or well educated and I wasnt always serious. So you already are ahead of me, youre doing well. Whenever I meet with young people, my most important advice is to find something you care deeply about, find something that excites you and put all your energy into it, he said. He added: Because the path for everybody is different. People sometimes think that to be a leader, you have to make great speeches or you have to be in politics. But there are a lot of ways to lead. Some of the greatest leaders are people who are behind the scenes. Environmental protection In reply to a question about protecting Viet Nams famous Son oong cave, Obama said that one of the greatest things about your generation is that you are already much more conscious about the environment than my older generation or previous generation and that it is really important. But he also warned: The well-being and the health of your people and everyone around the world are going to depend on how we deal with some of these environmental relationships. So it is not entirely fair to say a country is developing now, you have to stop because of climate change, he said. If a country like Viet Nam or China or India took the same developing path that the West did, we would all be under water because the climate is going to warm up so quickly and the climate patterns are going to change. The terrible consequences could actually impede development rather than advance development. Small countries banding together In reply to a question about hydropower dams on the Mekong River and how the governments of the Mekong region can work together to sustain economic and environmental interests, Obama said that, through the ASEAN and East Asia summit, a Mekong Delta Working Group of all the countries affected was created. Through our State Department and various programs, were working to help them plan and create sustainable development across countries, he said. He continued: One of the things that weve seen in ASEAN is, when small countries band together as a unit, their power is magnified. Thats true on economic issues, thats true on environmental issues, thats true on security issues. And weve seen since I became President, I think, a greater willingness of the ASEAN countries that do more substantive work. Recognising talent Another topic that Obama addressed was the vital importance of rewarding talented people and offering them opportunities for growth. The best way to retain talent in any country is to make sure that talent is rewarded. And the way to reward talent is to have a strong rule of law, to have a good education system, have the ability to start a business relatively easily, make sure that government policies, when it comes to taxation or when it comes to building infrastructure, that those policies are good ones, so that people feel as if by staying here, this is the best place for them to make it. VNS HA NOI The 48th session of the National Assembly Standing Committee opened yesterday. The session will discuss the implementation of the national target programme to build new-style rural areas, as well as policies and laws concerning scientific and technological development during the 2010-15 period. According to an inspection report about the implementation of the programme to build new-style rural areas connected with agricultural restructuring, the programme was widely implemented across the country, with positive results. The Chairman of the NA Economic Committee, Nguyen Van Giau, presented the inspection report. Rural areas witnessed many positive changes, including improvements in rural transport, infrastructure systems, and living conditions. More than 1,760 communes nationwide - almost 20 per cent of all communes - were recognised as new-style rural areas, under the programme. As many as 22,500 agro-forestry-fishery production models are now active across the country. About 2,500 large-scale field models were set up in localities covering 556,000 hectares. Many production chain models were formed in husbandry, aquaculture and forestry industries. But deputies say there are still shortcomings in implementing the programme. Many localities only focused on developing infrastructure for rural areas. But they paid less attention to production development in connection with agricultural restructuring and with protecting the environment in rural areas. Some deputies pointed to the need to focus on human resource development in rural areas. There is a need for providing vocational training for farmers, as well as employment programmes for farmers after receiving vocational training. Many deputies stressed that in building new-style rural areas, it is important to pay attention to maintaining the results achieved in communes recognised as new-style rural areas, so as to ensure sustainable development. Deputy Prime Minister Vuong inh Hue shares this view. He said there should be standards and orientation for those communes recognised as new-style rural areas to continue striving to sustain their achievements. NA Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien said the report initially reflected the practical results of the implementation of the programme to build new-style rural areas. But based on lawmakers opinions, more study is needed to complete the report to submit to the NA Standing Committee for consideration in September, before submitting the final report to the NA in October. Later that day, the deputies also discussed a report on inspection results concerning the implementation of policies and laws on scientific and technological development to boost the countrys industrialization and modernisation during the 2010-15 periods. Future development orientation, focusing on the development of supporting industry and machinery manufacturing, was also discussed. Many deputies stressed that scientific and technological development and renovation must become a national policy and an impetus for economic development by 2020. Regarding promoting development of the supporting industry and machinery manufacturing, some deputies said it is essential to review the linkage between small- and medium-sized businesses and key businesses - and essential to map out development planning for some key mechanic sectors. Deputies also discussed issues relating to policies and mechanisms for scientific and technological development, contribution of science and technology in boosting growth quality, scientific research tasks, human resource development for the science and technology sector, and markets for this sector. Discussion also focused on future development orientation for science and technology, in the context of international integration, now that Viet Nam has signed so many free trade agreements. The role of the mechanical industry and of supporting industry was also an important focus of the discussions. - VNS HA NOI Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc expressed hope that his visit to Japan on May 26-28 will create new impetus to further strengthen the relationship between Viet Nam and Japan. Strong co-operation is in the interests of the two countries people, and for peace, stability and development in the region and the world, he said. In an interview with Japanese news outlets ahead of his trip, the PM said he and his Japanese counterpart PM Shinzo Abe will discuss general ideas and specific measures to foster bilateral ties in various areas. Specific areas of focus include mutual political trust and co-operation in economy, trade, investment, official development assistance (ODA), support industries, agriculture, natural disaster and climate change response, health care, education-training, science and technology. Since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties 43 years ago, the Viet Nam-Japan relationship has made great strides forward, he said. The bilateral economic partnership is blooming, the PM said, noting that Japan is Viet Nams leading economic partner with two-way trade exceeding US$28 billion in 2015. About 2,000 Japanese enterprises are operating in Viet Nam, including some of Japans biggest companies, with more than 3,000 projects worth a combined $39 billion. The two countries are working together in implementing large-scale projects in infrastructure and energy in Viet Nam. Their collaboration in education, science-technology and culture as well as people-to-people exchanges is also worthy of note, Prime Minister Phuc said. Viet Nam welcomed nearly 700,000 Japanese visitors in 2015 and nearly 200,000 Vietnamese travelled to Japan the same year. The Government leader attributed the thriving relations to strategic visions set forth by the countries leaders as well as their peoples support. The relationship is in line with global trends towards peace, friendship and co-operation for prosperous development, he said. To enhance relations with Japan, Viet Nam will focus its efforts on an action plan of six industrial sectors prioritised in the countrys industrialisation strategy within the Viet Nam-Japan co-operation framework through 2020 with a vision towards 2030, the PM said, calling for more Japanese assistance in the support industry. Viet Nam will promote economic links with Japan, aiming to double bilateral trade by 2020 as set in the Joint Statement issued in 2014, the PM said. The leader called on Japan to maintain its ODA to Viet Nam, especially in infrastructure building, human resource development, natural disaster and climate change combat, environmental protection, management capacity improvement, economic restructuring and sustainable growth. We welcome Japans Partnership for Quality Infrastructure programme in Asia, an initiative raised by PM Shinzo Abe and hope to become Japans priority partner in the programme, he stated. The PM also pinpointed the need to bolster co-operation in agriculture, science-technology and climate change. Regarding the expanded G7 Summit Japan in which Viet Nam will participate for the first time, PM Phuc pledged constructive and responsible contributions to the event. Viet Nam hopes that participating countries will contribute their voice and take pragmatic actions to consolidate peace and stability, settle regional and global issues, especially those relating to sustainable development, infrastructure, natural disasters and climate change, terrorism, food, water resource, maritime and aviation security, he said. In response to queries about Viet Nams 30-year renewal process, PM Phuc highlighted the significance of the period for the countrys development, affirming that through comprehensive and intensive reforms, the process is bringing great achievements and breakthroughs to Viet Nam. The PM said, coming from a poor background, Viet Nam had become a middle income country with a dynamic economy. Viet Nams economy recorded impressive growth, at about 7 per cent per year from 1991-2015. Per capita income saw strong surges, reaching more than $2,100 in 2015 from $200 at the beginning of 1990s. Meanwhile politics and social order has been stable, defence and security have been ensured, and national independence and sovereignty have been safeguarded. Foreign relations and international integration have improved in line with international rules and standards, helping raise Viet Nams position and prestige in the international arena, he noted. These achievements are an important foundation for Viet Nam to further promote its oi moi (renewal) process, aiming to turn the country into a modernisation-oriented industrialised country and gradually narrowing development gaps with countries in the region and the world, the PM stressed. Viet Nam will push ahead with its renewal process and maximise the countrys potential and strength, in order to bring prosperity, democracy and justice to all people. The Government and Prime Minister are determined to reform and better their leadership and management towards building an strong government, which will further national construction and development, and best serve the people, the Government leader stated. Work will be intensified to better national mechanisms and policies, ensure justice and transparency, effectively fight corruption and wastefulness, promote administrative reform, improve the investment and business environment and facilitate operation of enterprises and individuals, he added. --VNS HCM CITY Doctors at the Gia inh Peoples Hospital in HCM City yesterday offered specialty consultation to doctors at the Cu Chi District Hospital through a video link. It is the first district-level hospital in the city to use telemedicine. Last week the city Department of Health had assisted the Cu Chi hospital in installing InTouch Health, a telehealth network, and linking up with 11 major city hospitals. It will also consult doctors at 10 hospitals in the city, including Paediatrics Hospital No.1, Tu Du Obstetrics Hospital, Binh Dan Hospital, Ear-Nose-Throat Hospital, Dento- Maxilo- Facial Hospital, Dermatology Hospital, and Cu Chi General Hospital. After piloting the system at the Cu Chi hospital, the department will scale it up, establishing telemedicine links at all district-level public hospitals in the city, Le Anh Tuan, head of the Department of Health office, said. It is aimed at reducing the overload at major hospitals, with specialists offering help to examine, diagnose and treat patients at any geographic location. The telehealth network also enables healthcare units to transfer technology and remotely train doctors. VNS The Information and Communications Minister Truong Minh Tuan has appealed to the media to focus more on reporting about human right issues in Viet Nam. Photo infonet.vn HA NOI The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has appealed to the media to focus more on reporting about human right issues in Viet Nam. Speaking at a conference held yesterday in Ha Noi to mark the launch of a communication initiative on human rights publication, MIC Minister Truong Minh Tuan asked the media to play more a cooperative and active role in reporting on the issue. He said the provision of timely, adequate and accurate information about both violations and the protection of human rights in the country via mass media should help boost peoples awareness and at the same time promote their participation in the area. Tuan urged authorities of all levels, particularly those in localities, to create all favourable conditions for local people to implement their human rights and timely report any violations to the media. Viet Nam has made continuous progress in the promotion of human rights as well as in efforts to realise international commitments on the issue over the past decades. The country has signed and ratified seven out of the nine core UN human rights treaties, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child, of which the country was the first nation in Asia and second in the world to sign, together with the two latest conventions on the rights of persons with disabilities and the prohibition of torture. It is now a member of the Human Rights Council and has been contributing to protecting and advancing the value of human rights in a direct, responsible and constructive manner through its membership on the United Nations Human Rights Council from 2014 to 2016. VNS HA NOI The ministries of justice, home affairs, information and communication, and government office are drafting a plan to establish a system to receive feedback on public administration services. Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh yesterday asked the ministries and relevant agencies to complete the draft decision that creates the foundation, establishment and operation of the system. The ministries and agencies must co-operate closely to ensure effective operation of the system, avoid overlapping and wastage, Binh said. They are also required to clearly regulate the responsibilities and the obligations of the relevant agencies. The draft is expected to be submitted to the prime minister by the middle of next month. In 2014, the prime minister had agreed to the initiative to develop an electronic system to receive and process feedback on public administration services. The move aims to improve the quality of public administration service delivery and create favourable conditions for citizens and businesses through a transparent administration system. According to a survey conducted in 2014 and in the first six months of 2015 by the Ministry of Home Affairs to calculate the Satisfaction Index of Public Administration Services, people residing in 10 selected Vietnamese provinces and cities are generally satisfied with local public administrative services. At the ceremony to mark the reports launch last month, Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Vice President Nguyen Van Pha said State administrative agencies should prioritise the application of information technology in administrative procedures to ensure better access to services for the people. The government should also tighten supervision of public servants and strictly penalise those who intentionally cause difficulties for people while carrying out administrative services, he said. He also suggested State administrative agencies review legal documents to cut down unnecessary procedures. VNS HA NOI Viet Nam is seeking international assistance with HIV/AIDS prevention and control to avoid a resurgence of the disease. This was revealed by health officials yesterday at the stakeholder consultation on the upcoming high-level meeting on ending AIDS. Nguyen Hoang Long, head of the health ministrys Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, said a delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the National Committee for AIDS, Drugs and Prostitution Prevention and Control Vu uc am would attend the high-level meeting, organised by the United Nations, next month. Calling for international assistance would be one of the key messages Viet Nams delegation intends to deliver at the UN meeting, he said. Other messages include Viet Nams progress in HIV/AIDS control, the challenges it has faced in fighting the disease and the countrys appreciation of international support. Long said the deputy PM was especially interested in bringing the voice of the people living with HIV/AIDS to the worlds notice. The AIDS department and UNAIDS in Viet Nam have organised four consultation workshops to gather opinions that may help enhance Viet Nams contributions to the meeting. The fourth consultation yesterday focused on the need to strengthen access to services for people living with HIV/AIDS and for vulnerable groups, the demand for an improved legal framework and the need to secure the sufferers human rights. Co-operation with non-State partners was also discussed. According to the AIDS department, Viet Nam has made great strides in HIV/AIDS prevention and control. For example, the number of newly infected people each year dropped from 18,000 in 2010 to some 10,000 in 2015. The death toll fell from 3,200 people in 2010 to some 2,000 people in 2015. Discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS is said to be on the decline. However, major challenges remain, including the increasing number of women being infected and reduced financial support from international donors. In 2014, the country announced its commitment to set new targets intended to rapidly expand HIV treatment, making it the first Asian country to adopt the 909090 target. This means that 90 per cent of people living with HIV will know their HIV status; 90 per cent of people who know their status will be on HIV treatment; and 90 per cent of all people on treatment will achieve undetectable levels of HIV in their body (known as viral suppression). Around the world, momentum is building behind reaching this target by 2020. Viet Nams commitment to this ambitious target puts the country on course to ending its AIDS epidemic by 2030. VNS WASHINGTON The scandal over Hillary Clintons use of a private email server while secretary of state returned on Wednesday to dog her presidential campaign. A starkly critical report by the State Departments inspector general found she had not sought permission to conduct official business on her personal account. Had she asked, she would not have been allowed to carry out government work on her homemade set-up, for fear that state secrets could be hacked, it said. Clinton is the frontrunner to secure the Democratic nomination in Novembers election to succeed Barack Obama in the White House. But the email scandal continues to tarnish her main selling points as she prepares to take on Republican firebrand Donald Trump: experience and competence. And there may yet be more revelations to come, as the FBI is conducting a separate investigation into whether state secrets were stolen or put at risk. As the report was made public, Clintons camp pushed back hard, insisting it had found she had acted as previous secretaries of state had done before her. "Hillary Clintons use of personal email was not unique," campaign spokesman Brian Fallon said. "And she took steps that went much further than others to appropriately preserve and release her records." The inspector general report does indeed note that Clintons Republican predecessor Colin Powell also used a private email account. But it makes it clear that when Clinton joined the State Department in 2009, the rules had been updated and that she should have known about them. "Secretary Clintons cybersecurity practices accordingly must be evaluated in light of these more comprehensive directives," the report said. Systemic weakness All in all, under Clinton and three of her predecessors, the audit found "systemic weaknesses related to electronic records and communications." State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the department did not dispute the findings and was working to improve procedures. He said the current secretary of state, John Kerry, "primarily" uses a government account and "the emails on his state.gov account are automatically archived." When Clinton took office, the departments Foreign Affairs Manual said normal day-to-day operations should be conducted on an authorised system. Yet the report "found no evidence that the secretary requested or obtained guidance or approval to conduct official business via a personal email account." The State Departments current heads of information security told the inspector general that Clinton had a duty to ask permission to use her personal email. And they said that, had they been asked, they would not have granted Clinton permission to do so, because of the rules in place and the "security risks." State staff must seek guidance from the Bureau of Information Resource Management before sending sensitive information outside the department. But the investigation found no evidence Clinton "ever contacted IRM to request such a solution." And this happened "despite the fact that emails exchanged on her personal account regularly contained information marked as SBU" -- or sensitive but unclassified. Some senior State Department employees interviewed for the report admitted there was "some awareness" that Clinton was using a private server. Security risks Because Clinton wanted to use her BlackBerry portable phone in secure areas -- a cybersecurity no-no -- there was talk of getting her a networked terminal. In November 2010, officials discussed setting up an official State Department account for Clinton to use in parallel to her private mailing address. In response, Clinton wrote: "Lets get a separate address or device but I dont want any risk of the personal being accessible." She never obtained a State Department email account and, later in 2011, discussions about getting her a secure official BlackBerry came to nothing. The communications of senior US officials are matters of public record and can be requested under the Freedom of Information Act. When Clinton submitted to this after leaving her post her family lawyers first sifted through the server and removed thousands of emails deemed personal. The remaining 30,000 emails were examined by the State Department, and hundreds were found to contain information that ought to have been classified. The rest were released, but some Clinton critics continue to allege that she used the private server to conceal embarrassing facts from voters. Trump has taken to calling Clinton "crooked" in tweets to his supporters, and Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus issued a strongly worded statement. "The stakes are too high in this election to entrust the White House to someone with as much poor judgment and reckless disregard for the law," he said. AFP ISE-SHIMA, Japan - The world needs to act together on the refugee crisis gripping Europe, and not leave the continent to battle the problem alone, European Council President Donald Tusk said on Thursday. Speaking on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Japan, Tusk said European nations needed help in dealing with the tide of people fleeing conflict in the Middle East and Africa. "We are aware that it is because of geography that the most responsibility is, and will continue to be, placed on Europe," Tusk told reporters at Ise-Shima, 300 kilometres southwest of Tokyo. "However we would also like the global community to show solidarity and recognise that this is a global crisis." Last year, some 1.3 million refugees, coming mostly from the conflict-ridden countries of Syria and Iraq asked for asylum in the European Union -- more than a third of them in Germany. So far this year, the International Organisation for Migration says an estimated 190,000 migrants and refugees have entered Europe by sea, arriving in Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Spain. More than 1,300 are known to have died en route. The European Union has put in place a programme aimed at redistributing a first group of 140,000 people throughout the 28 member states. "The world has been confronted with the highest number of refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons since the Second World War," said Tusk. "Those who criticise Europe should rather think how to increase their assistance because what Europe provides is already massive." Tusk, who is at the G7 with Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, said he would be asking leaders to get behind a worldwide solution. Firstly, he said, the world needed "to commit to increasing global assistance so that immediate and long-term needs of refugees and host communities are met. "The international community should acknowledge that when Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan assist refugees, they are in fact providing a global public route." Secondly, he said, the G7 should encourage international financial institutions and other donors to boost their contributions. "In this regard, the EU fund for Syria, Africa and Turkey along with the work of the European investment bank serves as a role model for all of us. "Third, that the G7 encourages the establishment of resettlement schemes and other legal forms of migration all around the world." AFP The Singapore Exchange (SGX) is in exclusive talks with the London's Baltic Exchange about buying the centuries-old shipping industry hub, sources said on Wednesday. The advance talks do not mean a sale is guaranteed, said the sources, who declined to be identified as the news is not public. The Baltic Exchange and SGX declined to comment. In late February, the Baltic Exchange confirmed it had received a number of exploratory approaches after SGX said it was seeking to buy the London shipping exchange. The London Metal Exchange, CME Group, ICE, state-run conglomerate China Merchants Group [CNMGP.UL] and Platts were among other potential bidders, the sources said.One source said the potential deal might value Baltic at about $100 million. Many sectors of the shipping industry, including dry bulk commodities, are struggling with the worst market conditions in decades. An acquisition of the Baltic Exchange, which was founded in 1744, would give the winner ownership of the shipping industry's benchmark indices and greater access to the multi-billion dollar freight derivatives market. Earlier this month, the Baltic Exchange said any potential buyer of the business would have to provide assurances its central role in shipping would not be undermined. A purchase by SGX would boost new Chief Executive Loh Boon Chye's plans to diversify its revenue streams at a time when it has been hit by sluggish equity listings and securities volumes. SGX sees huge long-term potential for freight derivatives and clearing and it has launched new products to increase the appeal of its Asian pricing benchmarks for commodities such as iron ore, liquefied natural gas and coking coal. A deal would also fit well with Singapore positioning the city-state as a leading hub for financial services, commodities trading and shipping. WATERLOO Rodney Blackwell smiled as he and his entourage from Davenport-based Financial District Properties stepped out of their vehicle and gazed upon a crowd of business and political leaders gathering in front of the Tech 2 building at Cedar Valley TechWorks Campus. Construction at the project is finally, officially, underway. Local and state officials including Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds were there to help Blackwell officially get the process started. Blackwell, as well as officials from TechWorks parent organization, the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber, Waterloo city leaders and representatives from the Iowa Economic Development Authority officially launched construction of the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, John Deere Training Center and restaurant in Tech 2 on the TechWorks grounds, in the northwestern corner of downtown Waterloo. Officials said the launch was a significant step in the continued progress of developing The Green@TechWorks project. Its been quite a journey, Blackwell said. A five-year journey, to be precise. Blackwell plotted the timeline for a crowd large enough to spill out of a makeshift tent set up for the occasion. The toughest part of the trip has been the projects fits and starts, Blackwell said. Not getting going was the toughest thing, he said. The project was gonna be started in 2014 and opening in 2015, but the feds had issues with us (applying for historical tax credits) and that left about an $8 million hole in our financing. A package from the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the City of Waterloo helped to plug that gap, Blackwell said. It was a very high bar to meet there. We were able to meet that bar, he said. Blackwell said numerous parties played key roles in getting the construction started. If it werent for the city of Waterloo, Deere and other major partners, things would have been tough, he said. Branstad, who already was in town to sign a bill expanding and modernizing career technical education at a ceremony at Hawkeye Community College, said TechWorks represented a step in that direction. Its a great reuse of this old production facility for John Deere and really building for the future and making sure were preparing young people from this Cedar Valley area for the jobs that are coming and that are already here, he said. Branstad then went on to praise the projects developers as exemplars. The campus and the Green@TechWorks are a great example for other communities to emulate, he told the audience. The progress youve made here is phenomenal. It took patience and perseverance to see it through. Tech 2, an 88-year old former John Deere tractor manufacturing building, is being transformed into The Green@TechWorks redevelopment project. The 180,000-square-foot, six-story building will house a 191-room Courtyard by Marriott hotel; a new restaurant operated by Consolidated Restaurant Operations, Inc.; John Deere Regional Training Center; and a conference center, which Courtyard will manage. The Green project is a principal feature of the overall TechWorks Campus riverfront re-development. The Green@TechWorks is part of the larger 33-acre TechWorks Campus. In addition to the Tech 1 and Tech 2 buildings which Deere & Co. donated to the project the campus includes parcels suitable for light manufacturing and retail. TechWorks is the first technology park of its kind in Iowa to combine world class business amenities within a Brownfield redevelopment site, said Steve Dust, who directs the project, as well as the Alliance & Chamber. The John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum opened about a year ago in the campus area, as has the Tech 1 Center for Applied Advanced Manufacturing, including the University of Northern Iowas Metal Casting and Additive (3D) Manufacturing Center and a Design Lab in partnership with Hawkeye Community College. Thats why its fitting that the Tractor & Engine Museum is also part of this TechWorks campus, Branstad said. Theres also no better way to demonstrate how the past drives the future. A marina and a riverfront restaurant along the Cedar River also are part of the overall $74.1 million Campus development plan. Some construction actually already has been started on Tech 2. Indeed, before the ceremony got underway, workers from Davenport-based E&H Restoration LLC were busy tuck pointing on a scaffold three stories up. Weve been working on abatement for about a month, and tuck pointing started about two weeks ago, said Greg Lundgren, president of Minneapolis-based Ryan Cos. U.S. Inc., the general contractor. Nothing is accomplished without abatement we thought the building was pretty clean when Rodney first signed his agreement but found out there is some asbestos and lead, and all that has to be removed before we can expose the other trades to doing work inside. Lundgren estimated 250-300 workers will be busy on the project until it is completed in Spring 2017. INDEPENDENCE --- Some set off an explosive device near a former elementary school in Independence Wednesday. No arrests have been made and no one was injured. The incident was reported about 4:30 p.m. when multiple 911 calls flooded Buchanan County Dispatch about an explosion in the 200 block of Ninth Avenue SE (formerly East Elementary School). Independence Fire, Buchanan County Emergency Management authorities and Independence Police all responded to the scene, which was blocked off. Two agents from the Iowa State Fire Marshals Office responded with a bomb detection K9. The K9 and agents examined the remaining part of the incendiary device on Ninth Avenue and determined it was safe to handle. The device appeared to be made from a garbage bag and black electrical tape. This incident remains under investigation. INDEPENDENCE -- Jurors on Wednesday heard from defendant Fayla Cannon, who talked about her experiences with a 16-year-old male student at Independence High School. Cannon, 56, of Rowley, a former paraeducator with the district, is charged with three counts of dissemination and exhibition of obscene materials to a minor and with three counts of malicious prosecution. Her attorney, Leon Spies, started with point-blank questioning about whether Cannon "manipulated" the boy -- who has profound disabilities -- into making allegations of sexual and physical abuse against several people. "No," Cannon said repeatedly as Spies listed names. The alleged perpetrators included the boy's parents, Brian and Mary Beth Brinkema, and the boy's former paraeducator, Nicole Weber. The boy also allegedly accused two former students. According to Cannon, the boy conveyed his thoughts, questions and accusations using a "hand over hand" writing technique. He produced hundreds of pages by using his left hand to control her right, Cannon testified. "Does he know more than people give him credit for?" Spies asked. "Yes," Cannon testified. "Feel more?" Spies asked. "Yes," she added. Previous witnesses, including the boy's mother, Mary Beth Brinkema, testified the boy does not have the mental capacity to craft sentences like those included in the "writings." Patrick O'Conner of Waterloo, a psychologist, testified the boy at 16 had an IQ of 18. Cannon testified the "hand over hand" technique happened by accident when she could not get the boy's computer turned on. She picked up a pen and notebook, and the boy placed his hand on her own, Cannon said. " ... And pretty soon he wrote," Cannon said. She described the young man as "a happy boy" and funny. "He thought I was funny at times. He was a joy to work with," Cannon added. She served as the boy's paraeducator -- essentially an assistant and guide -- for nine weeks starting in August 2014. One of the first indications of trouble were relayed to Cannon by Rhonda Zieser, another paraeducator in the district, according to Cannon. "'He told me that he was the devil and he had seen his parents have sex,'" Zieser said, according to Cannon's testimony. Cannon said Zieser was obviously upset and advised Cannon "to run" away from her assignment to the boy. "The devil thing, I was like, 'Uhmm, I don't know about that,'" Cannon said. She kept working with the boy, going to class like science and health and wellness. The boy seemed to absorb information, Cannon testified. "It seemed like he was listening. He would ask questions," she said. "In writing?" Spies asked. "In writing," Cannon said. During a health and wellness class, the boy interrupted their academic efforts with a statement about being upset. "I was angry when Nicci pinched my penis in the bedroom," the boy allegedly wrote according to Cannon. When the boy allegedly shared a wish Weber "should die" and be "put in the ground," Cannon took the information to Shalon Frye, a counselor at Independence High School. Frye also testified Wednesday, telling jurors she shared concerns about Weber's performance as the boy's paraeducator. Frye said Weber was "maybe not the best fit for" the boy and told a district administrator it "was maybe just time for a change." Frye testified she believed Weber and the boy spent too much time in a hallway and out of class. Frye also said she heard Weber reading novels to the boy. "Novels I assumed Nicci wanted to read," Frye said. On another occasion, Frye said she saw the boy touching Weber's breasts. "That was alarming to me," Frye added. On cross examination, Buchanan County Attorney Shawn Harden asked for details about the alleged incident. Frye recalled the situation was in the gym during a pep rally or presentation for the student body. Harden asked if Frye was aware the boy got nervous is such settings and was upset by loud noises, including the flush of a toilet. Frye testified she was not aware of those facts. Harden asked Frye if the boy's insecurity in gym that day might explain the situation. "I've never seen him do it with anyone else," Frye said. She testified she did not know if the boy had sexual intent. She also said she was unaware the boy could not identify his own gender. Spies directed other sharp questions toward Cannon. "Are you trying to wedge yourself in between (the boy) and his parents?" he asked. "No," Cannon said. "Is there any reason on this green earth why you would target (a former student) as a sexual predator?" Spies followed later. "No," she said. "Were the writings (the boy's) doing?" Spies asked. "Yes," Cannon testified. Spies came back to the theme later. "To be clear, were you writing what you wanted to write, or was (the boy) writing what he was wanting to write?" Spies asked. Cannon testified the writings conveyed the boy's thoughts and answers. According to Frye, the boy also performed "hand over hand" writing with her. On cross examination, though, Frye conceded the boy's answers were primarily yes and no and his oral statements were at most "probably about three or four words." Frye also explained the role of a mandatory reporter when allegations of physical or sexual abuse surface. "Whether you believe it or not, you report it," Frye said. Spies asked where Frye's allegiance fell as the situation developed. "As a counselor, my allegiance is to the student," she said. "I wasn't concerned about Fayla. I was concerned about (the boy,)" Frye added. A passage in the writings, which Spies displayed for jurors, suggested Cannon had a conversation with the boy about the authenticity of the writings. "They don't believe that you wrote it," Cannon wrote. "I did," the boy allegedly responded. "I know that," Cannon wrote. "I don't know why they don't believe you," the boy allegedly added. Spies inquired about Cannon's motivation, whether she felt giving the boy "a voice" was important. "Absolutely," Cannon said. "That's his voice. I thought he needed his voice," Cannon testified later. WATERLOO Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad signed into law Thursday legislation aimed at modernizing career technical education throughout the state. Its an honor for me to be able to sign House File 2392, which makes sweeping changes to modernize our career technical education and provide more equitable access across Iowa for students from seventh through 12th, Branstad said during the signing ceremony at Hawkeye Community College. Branstad said the legislation is aimed at making sure students graduate genuinely ready for college or career training. It also helps with the Future Ready Iowa goal of ensuring 70 percent of Iowas workforce has education or training beyond high school by 2025. We just celebrated the 50th anniversary of the creation of the community colleges and I think this is going to be a new chapter, and a new chapter that really integrates the community colleges more effectively, Branstad said. More than 200 people turned out, representing those education and industry stakeholders, to the brief event at Hawkeyes Tama Hall. Iowa Sen. Brian Schoenjahn, D-Arlington, said the location for the event was ideal, and noted the legislation passed with unanimous support after a two-year effort by a task force to craft a bill that would provide a framework for a more coordinated education effort. It is very few times that a bill sails through the Iowa Legislature without a single no vote. Thats amazing, said Schoenjahn, who was on the task force and chairs the education appropriations subcommittee. Branstad said the legislation makes three major changes: It creates a locally driven approach to helping students develop career and academic plans starting in eighth grade, with an emphasis on work-based training. It establishes regional partnerships to help schools provide more high-quality, cost-effective secondary career technical education. It expands the focus of career technical education to six new areas: agriculture, food and natural resources; arts, communication and information systems; applied sciences technology, engineering and manufacturing; business, marketing and management; health sciences; and human services. Branstad praised Iowas community colleges for being a national leader in collaborating with other educational institutions, particularly on its dual-enrollment programs that allow high school students to earn community college credits. Jane Bradley, vice president of academic affairs at Hawkeye Community College, said the legislation will help expand career education opportunities to students throughout the 10 counties it serves, particularly in the nine rural counties. I think its great for the state, for education secondary and higher education, Bradley said. CEDAR RAPIDS Four Democrats seeking their partys nomination for the U.S. Senate will debate on statewide public television tonight. Former state lawmakers Tom Fiegen of Clarence and Bob Krause of Fairfield, state Sen. Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids and former Lt. Gov. Patty Judge of Albia will participate in the live debate at the Iowa Public Television studio in Johnston beginning at 7 p.m. The winner of the June 7 Democratic primary election will face Republican Sen. Charles Grassley in November. The debate also will be carried live on Iowa Public Radio. CEDAR RAPIDS A Republican-leaning advocacy group criticized Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful Patty Judge for her support of Environmental Protection Agency rules regulating Iowa waterways. The EPAs WOTUS Waters of the United States rule is a massive federal overreach that is misguided, places the increased burden of government red tape on farmers and landowners, and impedes our efforts to improve water quality through Iowas innovating nutrient reduction strategy, her successor at the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Bill Northey, said Tuesday. Judge, one of four candidates for the Democratic nomination to face Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley in the November general election, said the WOTUS rules are on target. We are now at a crisis point. We have to address water quality and we have to do that very soon and the EPA is going to have to be a part of the solution, she said Tuesday on Iowa Public Radios River to River. Her position is certainly disappointing because as a former Iowa Secretary of Agriculture he would expect her to understand how devastating the rule will be, Northey said during a phone call with Iowa reporters that was arranged by Priorities for Iowa Its not a partisan issues, according to Jimmy Centers, the groups executive director and former spokesman for GOP Gov. Terry Branstad. All six members of the Iowa congressional delegation, including 2nd District Democratic Rep. Dave Loebsack, have opposed the rules. Unfortunately, Patty Judge, a candidate that was hand-picked by the Washington elite, would rather align herself with the EPA and President Obama instead of standing up for Iowans, Centers said. Judge acknowledged her position is at odds with many in the agricultural community. I know a lot of my agricultural people, my farm friends, dont agree with me on that, but again, we are at a point where we are going to have to be serious about improving water quality, she told the Des Moines Register. Judge doesnt believe the EPA intends to regulate ditches and mud puddles in Iowa, her spokesman Sam Roecker said. If that needs to be clarified in the language of the rule, she is certainly open to that, but we cant keep kicking the can down the road on water quality in this state. If Judge is concerned about water quality, Northey said, She certainly should embrace this effort, this innovative Iowa-based solution, not the bureaucratic nightmare that a WOTUS would be. Judge is in a four-way primary with former state legislators Tom Fiegen and Bob Krause, and State Sen. Rob Hogg. The primary election in June 7. UPDATE: The motorcyclist has been identified as Tristan Michael Kabela, 19, of 3603 Cedar Knoll Circle, Waterloo. EARLIER STORY CEDAR FALLS A 19-year-old man was killed in a single motorcycle crash on Iowa Highway 58 in Cedar Falls Wednesday evening. According to Cedar Falls Police, the driver of a 2008 Harley-Davidson attempted to improperly pass two cars on the highway and lost control, struck the center cable barrier and crashed. The crash at about 5 p.m. happened north of Viking Road in the northbound lanes. The riders name was withheld pending notification of family. Witnesses performed CPR on the driver until rescue officials arrived on the scene. He was taken from the scene to Sartori Memorial Hospital but died of head injuries. The driver was not wearing a helmet, according to police. The Iowa State Patrol and Black Hawk County Sheriffs office assisted Cedar Falls Police at the scene. The northbound lanes of Highway 58 were closed and traffic was rerouted onto Viking Road. University of Northern Iowa Police assisted with traffic control. Q: What is the number for the head offices of Vision 4 Less? A: Vision 4 Less is part of the Eyemart Express brand. Call (888) 372-2763 or write to 13800 Senlac Drive, Suite 200, Farmers Branch, TX 75234. Q: What is happening at the corner of First Street and North Union Road where they are digging out trees? Is something going to be built there? A: Several Cedar Falls city officials have said they have received no development plans or building permit applications for that location and suggested whatever work is happening there is being done at the private property owners discretion. Q: Are school bus drivers in Iowa able to collect unemployment during the summer months? A: Iowa follows the administrative rules of Reasonable Assurance, said Courtney Greene, communications director for Iowa Workforce Development. If school employees have reasonable assurance that they will be back to work after the summer break ends, then they technically should not be allowed unemployment benefits. Greene noted this assurance is typically in a written contract but it may be a verbal agreement, as well. If the employee has worked for another employer in the past 18 months it is possible to receive unemployment if the claim is not protested. Iowa Workforce Development will address individual claims when they are filed, she said. Q: What happened to the markets page in the May 22 paper? A: It was inadvertently omitted. Q: A recent Parade magazine article on Lily Tomlin said Laugh-In was on ABC. But I seem to remember NBC carried it. Is that right? A: You are right it was on NBC. Q: Do the large bronze-colored stars people have on their houses have any special meaning? A: No, not as far as we know they are just decorative. Q: What is an address or number for the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt? A: To reach the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt, call the State Treasurers Office at (515) 281-5367. Q: Who is responsible for taking care of Waterloo Memorial Park Cemetery? A: Waterloo Memorial Park is a lot owners association with a board of director. President of the board is Bob Peterson, 234-5585; rwpetersen@northlandoil.com. Q: Do you do a background check on carriers before giving them a paper route? A: If there is a school in the area of the routes, then yes, according to Courier circulation staff. Q: Recently, Call the Courier stated that 45 Waterloo school employees earned $100,000 or more in 2014-2015. Of these, how many do not live in the Waterloo School District? Can you list their names and job titles? A: The information for the answer to that question was drawn from the school districts annual salary publication in The Courier. The employees addresses are not part of that publicly available information. If the caller is interested in seeing the names, a list of all employees and their salaries can be found in the classified section of the July 23, 2015, edition of The Courier. 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try out an online casino, there are several things that will help you make a decision. Heres what you should look for when choosing an online casino Are they regulated? A lot of the larger ones have licenses issued by the authorities in their respective regions, so its worth checking this first. Do they offer games from different software providers? Some casinos just use one software provider and limit your selection. This is fine if you like playing those types of games but you may want to check other casinos as well. What does their payout percentage look like? The payout rate refers to how much money you can expect to win after every bet. A high payout rate means youll be able to play more often without having to worry about losing all your money. Its also important to know the minimum and maximum bets allowed on each game. If youre going to play roulette, for example, then you probably dont want a casino with a minimum bet of less than $2.50 or even lower than that. The players used to play the game slot online in the land based casinos in the past time. But now with time after the invention of the online casinos players play the game slot online. Online platform provide the players with the convenience in playing and even better winning. Even after keeping a good percentage of the profits, they distribute good funds to players. How many games do they offer? There are lots of different types of games to choose from. Roulette, blackjack and poker are some of the most popular options, but you might find slots, video pokers, video bingo and others as well. You can usually filter these games down to only show the ones that interest you best, so make sure that your list isnt too long! Is there a bonus offer? Many online casinos offer free bonuses as part of their welcome package which includes new players being awarded 100% up to $10 instantly, for example. These offers are great but not everyone has access to them all the time (and some require you to deposit real money). If youd prefer to avoid paying a fee, some casinos offer no-deposit bonuses where you can get a certain amount of funds before you need to put any actual money into the account. These are usually offered alongside welcome bonuses, so make sure you read both parts of the terms and conditions carefully before signing up. Does it offer live dealer games? Live dealers are much preferred by many over regular virtual versions, so it pays to check this option out too. Most online casinos now offer live dealer games in addition to their regular offerings, allowing you to experience the thrill of the real thing without needing to leave home. Now that youve got an idea of what to look for when choosing an online casino, heres some tips for making the right choice It really comes down to personal preference. No two people are exactly alike, so everyone has an opinion on what they like and dislike about each casino. That said, here are some things to consider in order to narrow down your choices Popularity. Check out reviews, forums and Facebook pages to see what other people think of the casino. Also, ask around at work or friends houses who they would recommend to you. You could always take a look at the casinos website too, to see what kind of information they provide about themselves. Reputation. Find out what the general public thinks about the casino. Check out any customer reviews on sites like Trustpilot, Amazon and Google Play to find out more. As far as gaming goes, you can also check out the Better Business Bureau to see whether there have been any complaints against the casino. Security. Make sure the casino uses SSL encryption to secure its transactions, meaning that your private data stays safe during transactions. Other than that, look for security seals on the site itself and verify that theyre legitimate. You can also check out the casinos privacy policy to see how they handle confidential information. Payment methods. Its good to have multiple payment options available, especially if you plan to play frequently. Its also nice to find a casino that accepts cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. If youre worried about safety, you can always opt for a credit card or PayPal instead. With all those criteria in mind, heres our top picks Betway: Betway is a relatively new UK casino offering online gambling to residents of the United Kingdom and European Union. They offer hundreds of games across both land based and digital platforms, with plenty of top software providers like Net Entertainment, Microgaming and Yggdrasil Gaming Network. With a generous welcome offer that gives players 100% up to 100, you really cant go wrong with Betway. Coral Casino: Coral Casino is operated by the same company that runs the famous Caribbean casino, Grand Reef. Like many casinos, Coral Casino offers a wide variety of games, including plenty of video slots and table games. New players can benefit from a huge 100% match bonus up to 1000, while existing customers enjoy 25% cash back on deposits made within 48 hours of opening an account. Ladbrokes Casino: Ladbrokes Casino is owned by the same company as the famous bookmaker that started life in 1921. With more than 500 games from leading software providers such as Amaya, NetEnt and Microgaming, you wont be disappointed by the quality of the games here. New players get a 200% match bonus up to 500, while existing customers can claim 35% cashback on their first three deposits. Paddy Power Casino: Paddy Power is another Irish-owned casino that operates throughout Europe. Not only does Paddy Power Casino offer traditional casino games like blackjack, roulette and slots, but it also provides a full range of sports betting, including football, tennis, boxing and horse racing. New players can receive a massive 100% match bonus up to 200, while existing customers can claim 35% cashback on their first three deposits. William Hill Casino: William Hill Casino is one of the biggest names in the industry, operating in Europe, Asia and North America. Founded in 1984, this online casino has more than 400 games to choose from, including slots and table games, with a wide array of software providers like WagerLogic, Big Time Gaming and Rival. Bonus: 100% Match Bonus up to 100 Register Now Betway: 100% Match Bonus up to 100 Claim Now Coral Casino: 25% Cash Back on Deposits Claim Now Ladbrokes Casino: 35% Cash Back on First 3 Deposits Claim Now Paddy Power Casino: 100% Match Bonus up to 200 Claim Now William Hill Casino: 100% Match Bonus up to 200 Claim Now If youre interested in trying out an online casino but arent quite ready to commit to one, why not try out one of the many no deposit casinos weve reviewed? 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Iyi Canl bahis siteleri bonuslar ve kampanyalar icin sitelerin vermis oldugu oranlar takip edebilirsiniz. Canl Bahis Siteleri Para Yatrma Online Canl bahis yapacaklarn merak ettigi konulardan bir digeri de para yatrma islemleridir. Oldukca onemli olan bu konuda hata yapmamak cok onemlidir. Canl bahis sitelerine para yatrma islemi sanlann aksine son derece basittir. Oldukca basit ve uygulama esas dogru etki olusturan bu yapda sizde islemi rahatca tamamlayabilirsiniz. Para yatrma konusunda su yolu izleyebilirsiniz. Guvendiginiz ve herhangi bir sekilde aklnzda soru isareti kalmayan bahis sitesine uye olmanz gerekmektedir. Uyelik islemini sorunsuz sekilde tamamladktan sonra para yatrma islemine gecebilirsiniz. Kullanacagnz siteye uye olduktan sonra karsnza kullanc ad ve sifresini gireceginiz yer gelecektir. Buraya giris yaptktan sonra site icerisine islemlere devam edebilirsiniz. Sitede yer alan para yatrma sekmesine tklayp sonrasnda karsnza gelen sayfay inceleyebilirsiniz. Para yatrma bolumunde yer alan ksma ne kadar para yatracagnz yazp devam tusuna basmalsnz. Yatrmak istediginiz tutar girip sonrasnda da devam tusuna bastktan sonra karsnza kart bilgilerinizi gireceginiz sayfa gelecektir. Kredi kart kullanarak para gondermek isteyenlerin tercih ettigi bu sayfa tum bilgiler girilip islem onaylanmaldr. Canl bahis sitelerine para yatrma islemini gerceklestirmek icin hesaba havale secenegini de kullanabilirsiniz. Site icerisinde musteri hizmetleri ile iletisime gecerek banka hesap numaralarn ogrenebilirsiniz. Belirtilen IBAN numarasna istediginiz tutar havale edebilirsiniz. Havale ederken acklama ksmna yazlacak bilgilere dikkat etmelisiniz. Kredi kart veya banka havalesi ile gerceklesen para yatrma islemi sonucunda site hesabnzdan bakiyenize bakabilirsiniz. Bakiyenize gore dilediginiz sekilde bahislerinizi gerceklestirebilirsiniz. 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Burada son derece basit uygulama soz konusu olurken siteler aras farkl gorunumler soz konusu olabilir. Fakat yine de tum sitelerde uyenin site icerisinde para cekme bolumune girmesi yeterlidir. Burada cekilecek olan tutarn belirlenmesi ve hesap numarasnn girilmesi ile birlikte islem onay gerekecektir. Para cekme taleplerinde sizden gerekli bilgiler istenmekte ve havale islemi istenilen bilgiler esliginde yurutulmektedir. Dogru bilgi paylasmak sorunsuz para cekebilmeniz en onemli kuraldr. Istenilen bilgiler girildikten sonra site sorumlular gerekli kontrolleri yapp herhangi bir sorun yoksa ksa surede hesabnza gerekli paray aktaracaklardr. Canl Bahis Sitelerinden Para Cekmek Icin Istenen Belgeler Bahis sitelerine uye olduktan sonra baz kullanclar para cekme taleplerinin karslanmadg konusunda sikayetlerde bulunmuslardr. Bu sikayetlersektorde uzun zamandr bulunan guvenilir bahis siteleri de yer almaktadr. Fakat sikayetlerin dayanaklarna bakldgnda ise islerin tamamen farkl oldugu gorulmektedir. Yasanan bu durum kullanclarn hatal bilgi girmesi ve uyelik bilgileri ile banka bilgilerinin uyusmamas ile dogru orantldr. Birde canl bahis para cekmek icin istenen belgeler eksik ya da hatal olarak sunulmus olabilir. Ortaya ckan karsklar neticesinde para cekme talebinde bulunan kisi istedigini alamadg icin sikayetci olmaktadr. Oysa ki istenilen bilgiler dogru ve istenilen evraklar eksiksiz sunulsa para cekme islemi sorunsuz olacak. Sitelerin para cekme konusunda dikkatli hareket etmesi hilelerin ve illegal faaliyetlerin onune gecmek adnadr. Cunku baz kullanclar farkl bilgiler vererek ikinci hesap acabilmektedirler. Bazen de bilincsizce hatal bilgi girilebilmektedir. Hatal islemlerin cozumu konusunda islem yaptgnz sitenin musteri temsilcileri ile gorusebilirsiniz. Talepleriniz dogrultusunda para cekme islemlerinde ki sorunlar giderilecektir. Canl bahis para cekmek icin istenen belgeler listesi su sekildedir; Kullanc bilgileri ile banka bilgilerini karslastrmak icin kimlik fotokopisi Banka hesap bilgileri Ikametgah ve kisiye ait herhangi bir fatura. Kacak Iddaa Turkiyede dogrudan bahis yapmak icin resmi kanallar kullanlabilmektedir. Fakat tercih edilen ve oran olarak cok daha fazla frsatlar sunan kacar iddaasiteleri bulunmaktadr. Bu siteler kanunlara aykr sekilde yaplmakta olup, yasal bir dayanag yoktur. Elbette bu sitelerin kurulus merkezi Turkiye olmayp, ds ulkelerdedir ve faaliyetler belirlenen siteler uzerinden yaplmaktadr. Kacak Iddaa oldukca riskli olup, cok dikkatli olunmas gerekir. Kacak Bahis Kanunlar cercevesinde istediginiz gibi bahis yapamayabilirsiniz. Bahis yapabilmek icin ya kanuni olarak sorun olmayan ulke dsnda ki kumarhanelere gitmeniz veya kacak bahis sitelerinden islem yapabilirsiniz. Zira bu durum tehlikeli olsa da cok sayda site guvenli sekilde bu alanda hizmet vermektedir. Kacak bahiste oldukca fazla secenek bulunurken yuksek oranda kazanc sunuyor olmas da ragbeti arttryor. Illegal Bahis Bahisin bircok alanda yasak oldugu Turkiyede bu alanda cok sayda yabanc merkezli siteler hizmet vermektedir. Illegal bahis sektorunde faaliyet gosteren siteler guvenli hizmet anlays ile kullanclarna frsatlar sunmaktadr. Yurt ds merkezli bu siteler sorunsuz sekilde hizmetlerini surdururken bulunduklar ulkelerde kanunlara uygun sekildedir. Elbette faaliyet noktasnda bulunduklar ulkelerde sorun teskil etmese de Turkiyede faaliyet gostermeleri kanunin yasaklanmstr. Yasads Bahis Gerek olusturulan etkenler gerekse de ortaya konulan riskler yasads bahis de oldukca tehlikelidir. Kanunlarn mudahil olduklar bu alanlar da hem kullanclar hem de populer bahis yaptranlar tum riskleri goze almaktadrlar. Fakat yasaklardan uzak sekilde guvenli hizmet sunan siteler de bulunmaktadr. Takipler neticesinde kapatlan sitelerin muhakkak alternatifleri kurularak yollarna devam etmektedirler. Canl Iddaa Siteleri Nelerdir? Dunya genelinde kabul gormus cok sayda guvenli hizmet veren populer bahis siteleri bulunmaktadr. Elbette bu siteler dunyann bircok ulkesinde faaliyet gosterse de Turkiyede yasaktr. Sektorde yer alan cok sayda legal iddaa siteleri bulunmaktadr. Herhangi bir kanunsuzlugun olmadg bu sitelerden hzl ve guvenli islem yaplabilmektedir. Tabi bu sitelerde uygulanan oranlar yasal olmayan sitelere gore daha dusuktur. Illegal sitelerin tercih edilme sebeplerinin en onemli etkeni de olusturulan oranlardr. Peki, Iddaa siteleri nelerdir? Faaliyetleri ve uygulama esaslar nelerdir? Turkiyede faaliyet gosteren yasal iddaa siteleri listesi su sekildedir; Iddaa Bilyoner Tuttur Birebin Oley Nesine Misli Iddaa 2004 ylnda hizmet vermeye baslayan Iddaa Spor toto tarafndan kurulmus olup, ilk etapta bayilik seklinde calsmaya baslamstr. Elbette zamanla gelisen teknolojiye ayak uydurarak internet uzerinde de populer bahis severlerin hizmetine sunulmustur. Kuruldugu donemde devletin resmi kurumu olarak faaliyet gosterirken gelinen yeni donemde ozellestirilmistir. Bilyoner Turkiyede faaliyetine 2006 ylnda baslayan Bilyoner ilk ozel yasal bahis sitesi olma ozelligine sahiptir. Guvenilir bahis siteleri Turkiyede bunlardr. Ksa surede populer olan site halen faaliyetlerini sorunsuz sekilde surdurmektedir. Tuttur Ksa surede adndan bahsettirmeyi basaran Tuttur 2009 ylnda faaliyetlere baslamstr. Guvenilir bahis siteleri arasnda yerini almstr. Gunumuze dek bircok alanda populer bahis yapanlara frsatlar sunarken avantajlar ile de begeni toplamstr. Birebin Kullanc odakl calsmalar surdurse de 2011 ylnda sektore giren Birebindiger sitelere gore daha az ragbet gormektedir. Bahis oynamak ise bu sitede oldukca kolaydr. Elbette farkl yaklasmlara sahip olmasndan dolay ilerleyen sureclerde adndan sklkla bahsettirecek gibi gorunuyor. Oley 2009 ylnda Dogus yayn gruplarnn istiraki olarak kurulmus olup yasal olarak herhangi bir sorunu olmayan sitelerdendir. Bahis siteleri arasnda hzl cks yapms bir sitedir. Oley yapms oldugu yenilikler ile kullanclarn da dikkatini ksa surede cekmeyi basarmstr. Nesine Birbirini takip eden surecte Nesine de yine 2006 ylnda hizmet vermeye baslamstr. Yasal bahis siteleri arasnda yerini almay basaran firma ksa surede sevilen ve ragbet goren bir site olmustur. Misli 2009 ylnda sektore cok hzl giris yapan Misli cok sayda reklam filmi ile on plana ckmay basarmstr. Internet uzerinden hem yasal hem de sorunsuz hizmet veren bahis sitelerinden bir tanesi olmustur. Canl Bahis Siteleri Kayt ve Uyelik Islemleri Her zaman populerligini koruyan ve surekli gelisim gosteren canl bahis gun gectikce daha da gucleniyor. Bahis oynamak icin ise sitelere uye olunmas gerekir. Yuksek getirisi ve begeni toplayan faaliyetleri ile cok sayda site bu alanda faaliyet gostermektedir. Elbette sorunsuz sekilde uye olmanz ve faaliyetler gostermeniz de oldukca kolaydr. Canl bahis siteleri kayt ve uyelik islemleri dakikalar icerisinde gerceklestirilecek yapya sahiptir. Uye olacagnz siteyi belirledikten sonra siteye girmeniz gerekmektedir. Girdiginiz sitenin ana sayfasnda uye ol ya da kayt ol bolumu bulunacaktr. Siteler arasnda degiskenlik gosteren bu alanda temel unsurlar bulunmaktadr. Elbette farkllklar olsa da temelinde benzer bilgiler uye olmak isteyen kisilerden talep edilmektedir. Uye ol bolumune tkladktan sonra karsnza uyelik bilgi formu ckacaktr. Bu formda sizin kim oldugunuzu ogrenmek ve sitenin guvenligini saglamak adna islemler yaplmaktadr. Uyelik formunda yer alan ad soyad bolumunu eksiksiz ve dogru sekilde doldurmalsnz. Sizden bu formda istenen bilgilerin tamamn girmeniz istenecektir. Istenen bilgiler mutlaka dogru ve eksiksiz sekilde olmaldr. Eksik veya hatal bilgi uyelik islemlerinde sorun teskil edebilir. Yine de yanls bilgi girisine ragmen uyelik islemleri tamamlanabilir. Fakat boyle bir yol izleyenler sonrasnda buyuk skntlarla karslasabilirler. Bu skntlarn basnda da para cekme islemlerinde yasanan sorunlardr. Uyelik islemleri dikkatli ve ozenle doldurulmas gereken yapdadr. Canl bahis siteleri kayt ve uyelik islemleri gerceklestirilirken verilen bilgiler site yonetimi tarafndan muhafaza edilmektedir. Herhangi bir sekilde 3. Sahslarla paylaslmas gibi bir durum soz konusu degildir. Bu faaliyetleri surduren sitelerin guven unsurlar arasnda bu nokta onceliklidir. Bahis sitelerine uye olurken hatal bilgi paylasmnda bulunmak size faydadan cok zarar verecektir. Diyelim ki bilgileri hatal girdiniz ve uyelik onayland. Uyelik tamamlandktan sonra siteye para yatrdnz ve kazanc elde ettiniz. Kazancnz sonrasnda hesabnza almak istediginizde karsnza banka bilgileri bolumu gelecektir. Para cekme talebi gerceklestikten sonra site uyelik bilgileri ile banka hesap bilgileri ortusmez ise paranz alamazsnz. Boyle bir durumla karslasmamak adna bu hususa ayrca dikkat etmelisiniz. SARASOTA, FL, May 26, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) is a voluntary, non-profit trade association founded in 1955 that represents North American cabinet manufacturers and suppliers. With a membership now over 300 strong throughout the United States, KCMA works to advance the industry through advocacy, setting standards, sponsoring research, and providing management tools and educational programs. KCMA sets nationally recognized performance standards for cabinets with the KCMA Certification. Each year, KCMA members gather for this high-caliber KCMA Annual Convention conference. It's recognized within the cabinet manufacturing industry as a must-attend gathering at which superior speakers, well-known economists, expert consultants and best-in-class practitioners present and discuss industry trends, new product innovations and the economy. McElmeel said, "I always look forward to attending this convention, as it gives me a chance to interact with our clients and other Kitchen and Bath Industry manufacturers and suppliers. For over 36 years, Brooke Chase Associates, Inc. has provided retained executive search services for a virtual Who's Who in the cabinet industry." About Brooke Chase Associates, Inc. Brooke Chase Associates, Inc. (www.brookechase.com) is the premier executive search firm specializing in the recruitment of executive management professionals within the building materials and kitchen/bath industries. Established in 1980, Brooke Chase Associates, Inc. has offices in Chicago, Knoxville and its Corporate Headquarters in Sarasota, FL. For additional information contact Joseph McElmeel, Chairman and CEO of Brooke Chase Associates at 941-479-6382 or [email protected] # # # May 26, 2016 | By Alec Shane Middleton was arrested on Thursday. Photo: Eddie Jim While the debate on 3D printed guns is largely a theoretical one in most parts of the world, it seems to be a real issue in Australia already. Last year, several 3D printed gun (components) were already discovered in the possession of several people with ties to the Australian criminal circuit, and now another bikie has been arrested after a 3D printer and firearm equipment was found in his home. Shane Middleton of Seabrook in the state of Victoria is a senior member of the Mongol bikie gang and drugs were also found in his home during the arrest. This new case certainly suggests that criminals have embraced the untraceable nature of 3D printed guns. In early 2015, several sets of 3D printed gun parts were already found during a police raid in Gold Coast, Australia. Later that year a loaded 3D printed gun was been discovered during a police raid in Mudgeeraba, a suburb of that same city. In the latter case, several bikies were also taken into custody. Bottom: gun 3D printed by police in 2013. In response, the Australian government is cracking down on 3D printed gun ownership. Since November 2015, its even illegal to own blueprints for 3D printed guns in the state of New South Wales. Through that amendment gun laws, NSW residents can face a maximum penalty of 14 years in jail for owning a digital blueprint. At a previous press conference, the NSW police also showed off two 3D printed guns made with The Liberator files which can be found online. 3D printed in about 27 hours, they only require a steel nail as a firing pin. While police tests showed they could kill, one of the guns exploded during testing. While no such law exists in the state of Victoria, senior Mongol bikie Shane Middleton will certainly face several charges after a 3D printer, gun-making equipment and drugs were found at his home in Seabrook. The 26-year-old Middleton was arrested alongside his fiance Renee Comeadow, while another man who is also associated with the outlawed Mongol bikie gang was arrested in nearby Oakleigh South. Photos: Eddie Jim All were arrested during raids that took place at 6 AM local time on Thursday. According to Australian media, Middleton was charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice, the possession of cocaine, steroids, ammunition and the possession of a prohibited weapon. The other man was found in possession of a stolen motorcycle and ammunition. All three are expected to face the Melbourne Magistrates Court later today. The warrant is part of an ongoing Echo Taskforce investigation in relation to perverting the course of justice, a police spokeswoman said. Its not the first time Middleton was arrested. Believed to be the Mongol gangs sergeant-at-arms, he was released on bail last month after being in custody for five months. After his previous arrest Detective Senior Constable Andrew Broad, a member of the Echo Taskforce, told the Melbourne Magistrates Court that they found a gun and a substantial amount of drugs in the couples home in Seabrook. That arrest took place last November, after Middleton was driven to the hospital with a gunshot wound in the leg. It remains unclear who shot him. Among others, he was released on the condition that he would no longer associate with bikers. Police leave the scene with evidence. Picture: Nicole Garmston It remains to be seen how ownership of 3D printed gun parts will be punished in the state of Victoria, though it will have to be proved that the 3D printer in question was indeed used for that purpose. In the past, Australian police forces and lawmakers have already spoken out about the serious dangers that 3D printed weapons bring to society. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Senceless in an insane world wrote at 6/10/2016 11:10:52 PM:I wish that this had never started. The "Liberator" is a failure as a weapon and the idiots that thought this up should be given one as a punishment for their stupidity. Every time the subject comes up I feel my brain cells dieing in response to the stupid comments.Bill wrote at 5/26/2016 8:08:22 PM:It takes 27 hours to print a one shot exploding gun. Can build the same thing with steel pipe, a spring, and a nail in less time and it will not explode on you.Boil Yer Head wrote at 5/26/2016 2:57:45 PM:Motorcycle parts make much better weapons than printed guns. It's great negative PR for 3D printing AGAIN Even a small lathe can make a sub (Sten) machine gun. May 26, 2016 | By Tess Belgian 3D printing company Materialise NV has just announced an exciting partnership with Microsoft Corp. through which users of Microsofts 3D printing platform will directly gain access to i.materialises cloud-based platform. The collaboration will thus allow for makers using applications such as 3D Builder to order 3D prints of their models directly through the app. Through the integrated i.materialise 3D printing service, users will be able to choose from a wide selection of print options, including 20 different materials, and over one hundred different color and finish combinations. The collaboration is meant to streamline the 3D printing process through a service, and to make high-quality prints more accessible to makers everywhere. Bart Van der Schuren, CTO at Materialise, says of the recent collaboration, Our 3D printing technology is the connective backbone for so many valuable applications, and together with our i.materialise consumer platform, we aim to give more consumers, home professionals and small businesses access to our wide range of in-house 3D printing technology, optimized by our innovative software. Today, we are excited to be collaborating with Microsoft to expand the reach of the benefits of professional, high-quality 3D Printing to an even greater audience. Adrian Lannin, Group Program Manager of Microsoft echoed the excitement adding, At Microsoft, we are developing the Windows 3D Printing Platform to improve the ease with which people can download designs or create something new and original. By working with Materialise, we aim to further improve the 3D printing experience of our community by giving users easy, direct access to the multitude of high-quality materials and finishes available through i.materialise. According to the companies, the added feature for the Microsoft 3D printing platform should be up and running within the coming weeks. In line with the announcement, Microsoft also recently released an updated version of its 3D Builder app. The 3D modeling app features a user-friendly interface, along with the capability to both capture 3D models through your webcam, or remix existing models. Earlier this week, Microsoft also announced the launch of its Windows 10 IoT Core Network 3D Printer app, which extends support for Rasperry Pi hardware. With these recent developments, it truly seems as though Microsoft is gunning to offer the most attractive 3D printing platforms for makers everywhere. For those makers who are using Microsoft 3D printings apps, be sure to check back to see when the collaborative effort launches. Posted in 3D Printer Company Maybe you also like: May 26, 2016 | By Tess A team of students from UC San Diegos Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS UCSD) program successfully launched their Vulcan-1 rocket this past Saturday (May 21, 2016), making it the first rocket with a fully 3D printed engine to be designed and launched by a university research group. The impressive launch took place at the Friends of Amateur Rocketry (FAR) site in Mojave, CA. The Vulcan-1 project has been in the works for a long time as it was started in 2014 by a small group of students. As interest surrounding the project picked up, the team quickly grew to be over sixty engineering students, all eager to get their 3D printed rocket off the ground. The project was supported by a number of agencies, including Open Source Maker Labs, which supplied the equipment for the project, and NASA, XCOR, and other space agencies, who provided mentor support to the students. Additionally, last year the students launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the fabrication of the rockets body, which surpassed its $15,000 goal by over $6,000. The rocket itself, which measured 19 feet long, 8 inches in diameter, was capable of an impressive 750 lbs of thrust. The undergraduate team built the rocket to be based on a bi-propellant, liquid-fueled blow down system, which was powered by a cryogenic mix of liquid oxygen and refined kerosene. The engine, named Ignus and which was entirely 3D printed, was made using direct metal laser sintering and made out of Inconel 718 material. The 3D printing of the Vulcan-1 engine was sponsored by Illinois-based GPI Prototype & Manufacturing Services, Inc. This sort of technology has really come to fruition in the last few years. This is proof of concept that if students at the undergraduate level could drive down the costs of building these engines, we could actually fly rockets and send up payload that is cheaper and more efficient, said Darren Charrier, SEDS UCSDs incoming president in a press release. One day, wed like to see this technology being implemented on large-scale rockets, which means that we could send satellites to provide internet for developing countries, we could mine asteroids, perhaps even go colonize Mars. The launch of the Vulcan-1 not only demonstrates the applicability of 3D printing for aerospace applications (which most major companies and agencies are exploring) but also the impressive potentials and advancements put forward by the dedicated team of undergraduate students. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Peter Thonemann at The Times Literary Supplement: The all-conquering encyclopedia of the twenty-first century is, famously, the first such work to have been compiled entirely by uncredentialled volunteers. It is also the first reference work ever produced as a way of killing time during coffee breaks. Not the least of Wikipedias wonders is to have done away with the drudgery that used to be synonymous with the writing of reference works. An army of anonymous, tech-savvy people mostly young, mostly men have effortlessly assembled and organized a body of knowledge unparalleled in human history. Effortlessly in the literal sense of without significant effort: when you have 27,842,261 registered editors (not all of them active, it is true), plus an unknown number of anonymous contributors, the odd half-hour here and there soon adds up to a pretty big encyclopedia. One of the most common gripes about Wikipedia is that it pays far more attention to Pokemon and Game of Thrones than it does to, say, sub-Saharan Africa or female novelists. Well, perhaps; the most widely repeated variants of Wikipedia has more information on x than y are in fact largely fictitious (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_has_more). Given the manner of its compilation, the accursed thing really is a whole lot more reliable than it has any right to be. Like many university lecturers, I used to warn my own students off using Wikipedia (as pointless an injunction as telling them not to use Google, or not to leave their essay to the last minute). I finally gave up doing so about three years ago, after reading a paper by an expert on South Asian coinage in which the author described the Wikipedia entry on the Indo-Greek Kingdom (c.200 BCAD 10) as the most reliable overview of Indo-Greek history to be found anywhere quite true, though not necessarily as much of a compliment to Wikipedia as you might think. more here. Northern football player donates hair to Wigs for Kids Zach Bohnenkamp has been growing his hair out since he arrived at Northern. Thursday he had 12 inches of hair cut and donated to Wigs for Kids. Altech receives $1.75 million balance of sales proceeds Perth, May 26, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Altech Chemicals Limited (Altech/the Company) ( ASX:ATC ) is pleased to confirm the receipt of $1.75 million, being the balance of proceeds from the sale of its Meckering exploration licence E70/3923 to Dana Shipping and Trading S.A. (Dana). The funds will be applied towards finalising the detailed design of the Companys proposed high purity alumina (HPA) plant at Johor, Malaysia and for general working capital purposes. As announced on 9 May 2016, Altech reached agreement with Dana for the sale of its Meckering exploration licence E70/3923 for $2.0 million cash. A cash deposit of $250,000 was paid on 9 May 2016 and the $1,750,000 balance of sale proceeds has now been received. E70/3923 was surplus to the Companys feedstock requirements for its proposed Malaysian HPA plant. Feedstock for the plant will be sourced from granted mining lease M70/1334, which contains an estimated ~11 million tonnes of kaolin mineral resources, representing in excess of 250 years of supply for the proposed plant. About Altech Chemicals Ltd Altech Chemicals Limited (ASX:ATC) (FRA:A3Y) is aiming to become one of the world's leading suppliers of 99.99% (4N) high purity alumina (Al2O3) through the construction and operation of a 4,500tpa high purity alumina (HPA) processing plant at Johor, Malaysia. Feedstock for the plant will be sourced from the Company's 100%-owned kaolin deposit at Meckering, Western Australia and shipped to Malaysia. HPA is a high-value, high margin and highly demanded product as it is the critical ingredient required for the production of synthetic sapphire. Synthetic sapphire is used in the manufacture of substrates for LED lights, semiconductor wafers used in the electronics industry, and scratch-resistant sapphire glass used for wristwatch faces, optical windows and smartphone components. Increasingly HPA is used by lithium-ion battery manufacturers as the coating on the battery's separator, which improves performance, longevity and safety of the battery. With global HPA demand approximately 19,000t (2018), it is estimated that this demand will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30% (2018-2028); by 2028 HPA market demand will be approximately 272,000t, driven by the increasing adoption of LEDs worldwide as well as the demand for HPA by lithium-ion battery manufacturers to serve the surging electric vehicle market. Additional Placement Raises Further $141,010 Perth, May 26, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Enterprise Uranium Limited (Enterprise or the Company)( ASX:ENU ) is pleased to advise that it has successfully raised a further $141,010 via a share placement of 2,390,006 fully paid ordinary shares at 5.9 cents per share (the Placement) to professional and sophisticated investors as defined under Section 708 of the Corporations Act (2001). The issue price of 5.9 cents per share represents a 22% discount to the 15 day traded VWAP. The funds, which are additional to the $1 million placement announced on 24 May 2016, will be used to initiate gold exploration at the Companys Sandstone Gold Project in Western Australia and for working capital. The placement was undertaken using the Companys 15% and 10% placement capacity in accordance with ASX Listing Rules 7.1 and 7.1.A. The Placement shares will rank pari passu with the Companys existing fully paid ordinary shares. Settlement is expected to occur on or around 30 May 2016, with issue and quotation of the Placement shares on the ASX anticipated within one (1) business day of settlement. Following issue of the Placement shares, Enterprise will have 96,695,810 ordinary shares on issue. About Alto Metals Ltd Alto Metals Limited (ASX:AME) is a Western Australian based company and is focused on gold and uranium exploration in Australia. The Company's primary objective is to create shareholder wealth through discovery and development of a plus 1 million ounce gold deposit and ISR style uranium deposits. CSE Debuts New Website with Enhanced Productivity Tools for Issuers and Investors Toronto, May 26, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) is pleased to announce the launch of its new website at www.thecse.com. Created with the entrepreneur in mind, the website is designed to support rapid growth in listings and user traffic now and into the future, while encouraging deeper interaction among the exchange, its issuers and investors. Notable features on the new website include multiple levels of trading data, interactive charting, and instant access to SEDAR filings for all CSE issuers. Streamlined menus and the addition of "quick links" simplify navigation by providing direct paths to high-use pages. The shift to a leading-edge content platform enables the website to evolve with user needs, while an embedded Twitter feed and improved events calendar provide more visible opportunities for investors and entrepreneurs to connect with the CSE online and in person. The new platform also prioritizes load times to ensure a fast, user-friendly experience. Acknowledging the growing percentage of users who access information on mobile devices, the website renders seamlessly across all device types and platforms. Text and graphics instantly re-size on tablets and smartphones so that information is easy to see, with full functionality retained. Sections and features of the new CSE website include: - Enhanced microsites for each security listed featuring price quotes, market depth (by price and order), interactive charts, news releases, documents filed with the exchange, and searchable SEDAR filings; - A Market Activity page with broader exchange data, expanded charting and information tools for the CSE Composite Index, as well as regulatory materials; - Information for potential issuers including how to go public, listing documents, contact information for exchange personnel who can help with the listing process, and a calendar of listed company workshops and events; - A regularly updated blog featuring exchange news, regulatory initiatives, event coverage and the CSE Quarterly Magazine (containing updates from CSE senior management and profiles of successful CSE issuers); - A Support Centre for investors, listed companies, dealers, data subscribers, market makers and other users with quick links in every category. The Support Centre also contains a complete library of forms for existing and potential issuers. "In today's business world a strong online presence across multiple channels is extremely important. The CSE's new website serves the entrepreneurs and investors at the core of our service offering," said Richard Carleton, CEO of the Canadian Securities Exchange. "To meet these needs we are providing richer functionality and greater depth of information through our new digital platform. The website for the CSE is an investment in our promise to continually support our community as effectively as possible." The introduction of the CSE's new website capped off a record-breaking month for trading volume on the exchange. Trading in CSE-listed companies totaled 411.95 million shares in April, representing an increase of 32.6% over the previous record, set in March 2014. Trading volume also reached the highest level in the CSE's history for a four-month period, surging 34.7% year on year in January through April 2016 to 1.15 billion shares. This outpaced the previous four-month record (September through December 2015) by 22.7%. About the Canadian Securities Exchange: The Canadian Securities Exchange is the only exchange in Canada providing trading and market information services for all domestically listed instruments. Recognized as an exchange by the Ontario Securities Commission in 2004, the CSE is designed to facilitate the capital formation process for public companies through a streamlined approach to company regulation that emphasizes disclosure and the provision of efficient secondary market trading services for investors. The exchange is home to more than 300 issues covering a broad range of industry sectors. For more information, please visit www.thecse.com and our blog at: http://blog.thecse.com Also follow us on Twitter @CSE_News or on our company page on LinkedIn. About Canadian Securities Exchange The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) is home to more than 300 issues covering a broad range of industry sectors. The exchange provides trade execution, smart routing, risk management, compliance and market information services for Canadian listed instruments. Recognized as an exchange by the Ontario Securities Commission in 2004, the CSE is designed to facilitate the capital formation process for public companies through a streamlined approach to company regulation that emphasizes disclosure and the provision of efficient secondary market trading services for investors. Red Cross volunteers in Albuquerque have set up an emergency shelter for dozens of people left without a place to stay after a fire ripped through the Desert Sands motel early Tuesday morning. Volunteer Doug Keaty said the shelter, which is at Grace Church near San Antonio and Louisiana NE, will run for two to three days, and if necessary it can hold all of the approximately 60 people who were displaced after the blaze. Volunteers will try to help them find other housing during their stay at the shelter. Many of the motels guests were long-term residents, staying there weeks or even months. It was pretty devastating, it was 60 plus people that became homeless instantly, Keaty said. Keaty said Red Cross volunteers were called to the fire after it started, and they arrived to find a chaotic scene at the Central Avenue location, just west of San Mateo. Firefighters battled the flames for hours, and at the end of it the building was uninhabitable, according to fire officials. Volunteers gave many of the residents cash cards so they could buy a meal Tuesday and set some of them up in other nearby hotels. Many of them lost everything they owned, and dont have insurance to replace any of it, Keaty said. What are they going to do? Theyre really homeless, he said. Its a pretty substantial burden for the city all the sudden, its like wow, probably 55 families dont have somewhere to go. So volunteers decided to set up the shelter. People were trickling in Tuesday, and while volunteers were not sure how many would eventually show up, they were prepared for a crowd, if necessary. Church volunteers will cook them breakfast and lunch, and three dorms and playroom for children were set up for the families, according to Keaty. Its a temporary fix to help people get over that hump for a couple days, Keaty said. Anytime America has a disaster its the American way to step up and help out. And people in Albuquerque are doing that. New York Times best-selling author Michael McGarrity will make an appearance in Ruidoso at 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Books Etcetera, 2340 Sudderth Drive. He will be signing copies and reading from the final book in his American West trilogy, The Last Ranch. This is McGarritys 15th novel. His first 12 books were crime novels set in New Mexico featuring detective Kevin Kerney. This year marks the 20th anniversary of McGarritys first book about Kerney, titled Tularosa. The trilogy is a prequel to the crime series and fleshes out the history of four generations of Kerney ancestors, spanning 100 years of their life in the Tularosa Basin. The series pulls from the history of the area to create a rich tapestry in each of the books. Its just a sweeping family saga told from the standpoint of four generations of family and their friends and allies and some of their enemies, McGarrity said. The series began as just one book, but McGarrity and his editor decided to expand the story into a trilogy. The first book, Hard Country tells the story of Kerneys great-great-grandfather as he arrives in the area in the late 1870s. It incorporates a lot of the history and historical characters that lived in that time, McGarrity said. The second book, Backlands, begins during World War I and focuses on the familys struggle to survive in the Tularosa Basin. In the final book, The Last Ranch, McGarrity carries the family saga into the mid-twentieth-century of the new American West. With the trilogy complete, McGarrity said there is yet another Kerney story in him. The next book will be a contemporary crime novel that explains how Kerney decides to pursue his career as a detective. McGarrity, who lived in the area at one time, said the richness of life in New Mexico inspired him to write the books. It comes from a love of the land, and the knowledge of the people, and a lifetime of being here, and just not not wanting to be any other place and understanding that I am just one of many people who have come here and been enchanted, he said. That history and the love of the land is what captivates McGarrity. He laughs about the phrase calling New Mexico The land of enchantment. He instead calls it the land of entrapment. Its the land of enchantment that entraps you and I think thats a great way of phrasing it if you will, McGarrity said. In March 2015, an Australian researcher published a statistic that drew both laughs and gasps in the business community there: Fewer large Australian companies were run by women than by men named Peter. The damning statistic prompted some introspection in the Australian film industry in particular, where women represent 17 percent of directors, a number that hasnt budged since 1970. Weve got this wonderful networking psyche here called mateship,' said Fiona Cameron, chief executive of Screen Australia, the nations government-funded film board. It typically involves men helping like-minded men. Theres been an informal quota in the Australian film business forever. That made our filmmakers stop in their tracks and say, What are we going to do?' In December, Screen Australia committed $5 million to changing the number, setting a goal that its money would go to films with creative teams at least 50 percent female. Australia is one of several countries that have launched such programs in recent years Canada, Ireland and Sweden have also started aggressive, state-financed initiatives aimed at increasing the number of female directors, writers and producers on their films. The programs stand in stark contrast to the American film industry, where a controversy is roiling over the same issue but where there is no comparable government agency that finances movies. Here in Hollywood, change is mostly taking a different path, with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission launching an investigation into gender bias in the hiring of female directors last fall. In the U.S., women are even less likely to be in the directors chair than they are abroad women direct just 4 percent of the 100 top-grossing Hollywood movies, according to a USC study, making filmmakers like Elizabeth Banks (who directed Pitch Perfect 2), Sam Taylor-Johnson (Fifty Shades of Grey) and Ava DuVernay (Selma) the very definition of outliers. At the urging of the American Civil Liberties Union, the EEOC began interviewing female directors in October and is now meeting with executives, agents and others to determine whether a pattern of bias exists. Internationally, the film industry is in the midst of a kind of feminist awakening, with the inciting incident being slightly different in each country. In Ireland, a protest in the theater world last fall kicked off the discussion, when a planned centenary celebration of the 1916 Easter Uprising at the countrys national theater included just one female playwright and nine men. We went, Hang on a minute. Were just as bad,' said Annie Doona, chair of the Irish Film Board, where 20 percent of the movies financed between 2010 and 2015 had female directors. We need to know whats happening here. In December, the agency set a target of achieving 50/50 funding within three years, as part of a larger program that also includes mentorship, training and film school initiatives. Weve said to production companies, Were looking to you to find that female talent,' Doona said. In Canada, the National Film Board announced a similar program in March going forward, the agency will devote 50 percent of its $65-million annual budget to projects directed by women. Were funded equally by Canadians who are men and Canadians who are women, said board President Claude Joli-Coeur. The talent of women directors is there. We just decided to make it so. Many countries are looking to Sweden as an example. When Anna Serner, an outspoken chief executive from the advertising world, became head of the Swedish Film Institute in 2011, 26 percent of the movies the agency financed were directed by women. Due in large part to Serners aggressive advocacy, by 2014, 50 percent of the films the institute financed were directed by women. Female directors now win about 60 percent of the prizes at Swedens version of the Oscars, and the majority of Swedish directors invited to international film festivals are women. Swedens programs, which are partly funded by a 10 percent tax on movie tickets, would seem unthinkably interventionist in the market-driven American film industry, and have even been controversial in a country that considers gender equality a cornerstone of its identity. Some male directors have been very upset, Serner said. They still get 50 percent of our financing, but they feel were manipulating the arts. People say they want equality, as long as it doesnt affect them. Each of these new foreign programs will have an effect on the number of women employed in film overall, but many of the movies, and even the film boards, have far smaller budgets than those of the major studio productions that dominate the American industry. Finance is the area where we see the largest impediment facing females, so any system that can facilitate women getting access to capital is promising, said Stacy Smith, director of the Media, Diversity & Social Change Initiative at USCs Annenberg School. But where is the lever and the pressure on the multinationals? In the U.S., the closest parallel to the state-financed film programs abroad is probably a bill currently in committee in the New York Legislature that calls for allocating $5 million of the states $420 million tax rebates for the salaries of female and minority writers and directors. The bill has bipartisan support and has been endorsed by high-profile Hollywood writers, including Tina Fey, Tom McCarthy and Michael Arndt. And given that those state-by-state tax rebates factor greatly in the Hollywood decision-making process, that is real leverage state governments have to incentivize change. As the gender equity debate wends its way through U.S. agencies and institutions, Serner said she is increasingly meeting female American producers, executives and agents frustrated by the pace of change. She described a conversation she had last fall with a high-ranking female production executive from a major studio at the Toronto International Film Festival. She was a bit desperate, Serner said. She kept bringing up examples of women directors she tried to get hired and couldnt. She said to me, Im really trying. But she was also afraid of losing her job for being too outspoken. SANTA FE Donald Trumps verbal blast against Gov. Susana Martinez continued to reverberate Wednesday, a day after the presumptive Republican presidential nominees raucous visit to New Mexico. High-profile GOP figures, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and former presidential candidates Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush and John Kasich, came to Martinezs defense after Trump assailed the two-term Republican governor in his rally at the Albuquerque Convention Center and mused about launching a New Mexico gubernatorial run of his own. Bush called Martinez a leader and future of our party in a Wednesday social media post, while Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican who has also butted heads with Trump, called Martinez a great governor in a chat with reporters in Washington, D.C. Look, Ill just leave it at this: Susana Martinez is a great governor, Ryan said, according to The Washington Post. She turned deficits into surpluses. She cut taxes. Shes a friend of mine, and I think shes a good governor. I will leave it at that. Meanwhile, national media outlets were abuzz about the protesting in downtown Albuquerque that turned increasingly violent as the night went on and, some argued, could bolster Trumps hard-hitting campaign talk. Some conservative talk radio hosts also jumped on the late-night incidents. Trump himself, in a Wednesday social media post, described the protesters outside the Albuquerque Convention Center as criminals. The protesters in New Mexico were thugs who were flying the Mexican flag, Trump tweeted. University of New Mexico political science professor Gabriel Sanchez acknowledged Wednesday that scenes from the protests including smashed windows and fights might play into Trumps narratives about Mexican immigrants, though the ethnic breakdown of those protesting was unclear. However, Sanchez also said Trumps attack against Martinez, the nations only Hispanic female governor, could hurt Trumps chances at winning over Latino voters and showed hes not ready to make nice with the GOP establishment. Ive heard from a lot of moderate Democrats who were thinking about supporting him, and they felt (Trumps remarks) were a little below the belt, Sanchez told the Journal. Martinez, who is chairwoman of the Republican Governors Association, has in the past criticized some of Trumps immigration-related comments and has remained noncommittal about whether shell support him in the November election. She did not attend Trumps campaign rally Tuesday, telling reporters earlier this week that she was really busy and focused on New Mexico affairs. A Martinez spokesman responded to Trumps criticism that the governor has to do a better job by claiming the governor would not be bullied into supporting a candidate. Some of Trumps tirade appeared to be off base. At one point, he blasted Martinez for allowing Syrian refugees to be resettled in New Mexico, as part of President Barack Obamas plan to accept about 10,000 refugees from the war-torn nation. Syrian refugees are being relocated in large numbers to New Mexico, Trump said, prompting loud boos from the crowd of roughly 8,000 people. If I was governor, that wouldnt be happening. However, only four Syrian refugees have been resettled in New Mexico this year, all of them in Albuquerque, according to the U.S. State Departments Refugee Processing Center. And only 10 Syrian refugees have been relocated in New Mexico out of 4,421 total Syrian refugees arriving in the country since Martinez took office in 2011, according to FactCheck.org, a nonpartisan online news site. Trump also blamed Martinez over an increase in the number of New Mexicans receiving food stamp benefits since 2000. In recent years, the Martinez administration has sought to reimpose work-related requirements on food assistance recipients, an effort that has faced resistance in and out of court. In addition, a state agency has recently faced questions about whether workers falsified food stamp applications. While high-profile national Republicans came to her defense Wednesday, Martinez also faced some negative fallout. The Washington Post ran a story with the headline Once hailed as the GOPs ideal VP pick, Susana Martinez finds herself clashing with Donald Trump, while Democratic Party of New Mexico Chairwoman Debra Haaland jumped on Trumps comments that Martinez is not doing a good job as governor, saying she agreed with him. She also brought up Martinezs frequent out-of-state travel as RGA chairwoman. The state Republican Party largely sought to stay out of the fray, although a state GOP spokesman lamented the schism between Trump and Martinez. We need all Republicans to unify behind our nominee, and its unfortunate that we cant put these distractions behind us and work together to defeat Hillary Clinton in the fall, who every Republican can agree would be a disastrous president, state Republican Party spokesman Tucker Keene said. I want to extend congratulations and thanks to Albuquerque-based Bueno Foods and the Baca family as they celebrate their 65th anniversary, a tremendous milestone for the family and a source of pride for New Mexicans. Chile is a New Mexico food staple, and it was the inspiration of the band of Baca brothers who had just returned from World War II. The enterprising brothers started the Ace Food Store which, in addition to groceries, sold carry-out traditional New Mexican dishes. As more families adopted a new technology the freezer the brothers envisioned prolonging the enjoyment of each falls chile harvest from seasonal to year-round. By 1951, the brothers founded Bueno Foods. In todays digital world with smartphones and screens constantly before our eyes, its important to remember that in the early 1950s, there was no existing process or equipment to flame-roast green chile on an industrial scale. Resolved in their vision, the Baca family engineered the processes and fabricated the equipment, all in Albuquerques South Valley, where they are still headquartered. The brothers hunch was right about families desire for year-round chile, and within years, the rich culinary heritage of New Mexico chile permeated the state in local grocers frozen-foods aisles and restaurants. And now, at least 55 percent of Bueno Foods 150 gourmet-quality products are exported outside of New Mexico, which means new dollars flow into the state, making Bueno Foods a coveted economic-base employer. Bueno Foods is the poster child of economic development because, as Bueno products are exported, new dollars are imported. Those new dollars are plowed into the Albuquerque economy as Bueno Foods employees spend their paychecks and as the company pays its local vendors. Because Bueno Foods is a prime example of the type of company economic developers hope to recruit, ACI and our partners are committed to providing the tools and creating the environment to keep Bueno Foods in New Mexico. We must help keep labor costs low and keep overburdening regulations to a minimum. During all of Bueno Foods 65 years, the factory and home office have operated in the Barelas neighborhood in the South Valley of Albuquerque. The Bacas knew their business opportunity translated to a significant employment opportunity, and they chose their site because the brothers grew up in the South Valley and believed in giving back to their Barelas neighbors by offering them the hundreds of jobs they would create. In 1951, Bueno Foods started with five employees, but now Bueno Foods employs 275 with a total of more than 400 during peak seasons. Just as impressive is the companys ability to work with local farmers and chile producers. Bueno Foods farmers are the first farmers to be New Mexico Chile Certified, which means that the certification seal on their products guarantees that those chile products are grown here in New Mexico, protecting our states most cherished food product And in order to preserve the cultural importance and authenticity of New Mexico chile, Bueno Foods has worked tirelessly through the New Mexico Chile Association to protect New Mexicos place as a world leader in chile production and processing. Tonight, as you plan your dinner menu, remember to buy local when possible. Over multiple generations, Bueno Foods has helped grow the middle class by providing well-paying jobs for many New Mexicans, as well as an exceptional product to millions. SAN DIEGO As they celebrate commencement at colleges around the country, graduates can expect to get the same gift: plenty of unsolicited advice from their elders. Theyll have to separate the useful from the not-so-useful. Heres a tip: The former is most often heard from commencement speakers who recognize that they are there for the students. The latter most often comes from speakers who get it twisted and think the students are there for them. Some people use a commencement address to get political, as did Maria Elena Salinas when the Univision anchor told journalism graduates at California State University, Fullerton to utilize the media to confront divisive figures like Donald Trump. Ironically, Salinas remarks turned divisive when she seemed to dwell too long on Latino graduates and spoke a few phrases in Spanish, to the exclusion of non-Latinos and those who spoke English. After some in the audience booed and shouted obscenities, Salinas piled on the condescension when the journalist tweeted she was sad that racism is on the rise. Other commencement speakers lay out their blueprint for a better world, as did David Gergen when the CNN senior political analyst implored the graduates of Elon University in North Carolina to stand up and be counted against the forces of political extremism that produced the states House Bill 2. The so-called bathroom bill bans people from using restrooms that dont match the sex indicated on their birth certificate. Gergen, who grew up in North Carolina, urged the students to find common ground and work hard to respect the views of others but ultimately to push for the repeal of HB2. Having heard a few commencement speeches, and delivered a couple myself, Im convinced that anyone with such a forum should remember in between telling students that their opportunities are limitless to work in a few lines about limitations. Graduates hear a lot about succeeding when what they could really use is a good sermon on failing. Ive had the blessings of good parenting and an education from one of the most prestigious universities in the world. And yet, my most important lessons have come from pain, disappointment, mistakes, heartbreak and loss. Its when Ive been at my worst that Ive been served the best. Here are 25 things that I wish someone had told me at my own college graduation a quarter-century ago. Discover your passion and pursue it. Learn to say, I dont know. Be grateful for all you have. Study people so you know why they do what they do. Value your family, treasure your friends. Collect your parents stories while you can. Be thoughtful to others. When you get something wrong, acknowledge it. Listen more, talk less. Keep your integrity intact. Dont be afraid to change course. Question most of what you see, read or hear. Maintain your independence. When youre knocked down, get back up and persevere. Make sure you control money, not the other way around. Listen for the knock of opportunity. Use common sense. Treat people with respect and dignity. Shuffle the deck and take risks now and then. Dont think of yourself as being better, or worse, than anyone else. Dont be self-centered. Hustle for what you want. Be careful whom you marry. Work to impact positively the lives of others. Speak your truth with conviction and without fear. Heres some truth for todays graduates: Many people insist that this countrys best days are behind it. Those people are wrong. I hear television commentators talk about how many of the voters who flock to Trump, or Bernie Sanders, are the victims of globalization. America has betrayed these voters, the pundits say. Their own country has broken a promise that if they worked hard and played by the rules, theyd be happy and successful and their children even more so. What total rubbish. There was never any such promise. This is where immigrants could teach the native-born a thing or two. Like this: America offers opportunity, not guarantees. You lose your job, you get another one or start your own business. You suffer a setback, you pick yourself up and press ahead. You dont wallow in self-pity, and you never give up. Thats not always the easy way. But its something better, more lasting and more satisfying. Its called the American way. Email: ruben@rubennavarrette.com. Copyright, The Washington Post Writers Group. Bernalillo County Clerk candidate Roman Montoya this week challenged the way rival candidate Linda Stover operated the New Mexico Rural Rehabilitation Corp. Stover, who for more than 30 years served in various positions, including assistant director, executive director and board member of the corporation, used taxpayer dollars to benefit herself and her political allies once giving a $107,000 loan to her own accountant that was meant for low-income farmers and ranchers, according to a Montoya campaign statement. The New Mexico Rural Rehabilitation Corp., and others around the country, were created with taxpayer funds during the Great Depression to provide loans for the benefit of low-income rural residents and farmers. In 1998, New Mexico Sen. Jeff Bingaman asked the USDA, which oversees rural rehabilitation programs, to take a look at possible irregularities in the state corporation. The department responded that the corporation was in compliance with federal law. The corporation in 1999 changed its bylaws to allow loans to employees, officers and directors, most of whom are family members. It is unclear if any family members received corporation loans. Trust and integrity matter, Montoya told the Journal. Voters deserve the truth, and Linda Stover hasnt been honest and forthcoming about her role in a questionable organization. Both Montoya and Stover are Democrats. The winner of the primary election will face off against the sole Republican candidate, Maryellen Ortega-Saenz. Stover responded Monday to Montoyas allegations, saying We were audited by the IRS for over a year and received a clean bill of health. She added that there was not a loan to our accountant and there has never been a loan to myself or any family member associated with New Mexico Rural Rehabilitation. Journal investigative reporter Thomas Cole in 1998 wrote: Former state Auditor Max R. Sanchez was the accountant for the New Mexico Rural Rehabilitation Corp. in 1994. That same year, Saninvesco a partnership involving Sanchez borrowed $107,000 from the corporation to help Saninvesco purchase nearly 58 acres of rich agricultural land. Stover said the loan was not made to Max Sanchez or Saninvesco, but to Sanchezs brother, a low-income farmer. That was confirmed through the IRS audit, she claimed. Stover also shot back, questioning Montoyas previous service as the chief deputy city clerk for Albuquerque from 2000 to 2004, and the Rio Rancho city clerk from 2004 to 2012, saying he was forced to resign from both jobs under suspicious circumstances. Montoya said he resigned from the city position because of a personality conflict between himself and the then-Albuquerque city clerk, whom Montoya called a political appointee with no knowledge of management or elections, which caused friction between the two during the 2003 election cycle. Montoya had served under three full-time and one interim clerks in his four years with the Albuquerque City Clerks Office. Three of those people gave him letters of recommendation, he said, which helped him get selected for the job in Rio Rancho. He left that job voluntarily after being offered the position of deputy Bernalillo County clerk under current County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver. Rio Rancho wanted to keep me, but I wanted to advance in my career, Montoya said. I was planning to eventually run for Bernalillo County clerk and this was my best opportunity. A memorandum dated May 25, 2012, and released by the Rio Rancho City Clerks Office on Monday, confirmed Montoyas resignation because he had accepted a job with the Bernalillo County clerk and saw this new position as his way to further my career aspirations. If theyd handed out T-shirts at the end of U.S. District Judge James A. Parkers fairness hearing Wednesday in the McClendon jail conditions lawsuit, the slogan would have said, It aint over till its over. The 1995 lawsuit by Jimmie McClendon on behalf of a group of inmates at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque is pretty much over but for the final briefing, which has to do with objections filed by 20 prisoners to the proposed settlement, which already has preliminary approval. Taylor Rahn of the Robles Rael law firm, which represents Bernalillo County, offered a summary of the testimony by an MDC official charged with carrying out terms of the agreement. Each pod of the jail was provided with copies of the proposed agreement, which also was translated into Spanish by a certified interpreter, and notices were published every week for six weeks in the Albuquerque Journal. Besides the 20 objectors, two more filed pleadings saying they objected to the absence of any monetary compensation, and one of them wanted to be transported to federal court to speak about the settlement. But plaintiffs attorneys said the lawsuit was always about conditions in the city-county lockup, not about money, and they did not believe testimony by one or more objectors would add anything useful. Parker ordered a briefing on the objections, after which he will decide whether the deal gets final approval. When the lawsuit was filed, the jail was still in Downtown Albuquerque, and the building remains a vacant, hulking mass of concrete that nobody seems to want in the block next to the 2nd Judicial District Court. Then, it was operated as a joint project by the city and the county. The litigation survived construction of a new jail west of Albuquerque because crowding, among other conditions, remained an issue. Retired U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan Torgerson served as special master on the lawsuit, and Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen B. Molzen also worked on resolving the litigation. The 15-page proposal first presented in December 2015 used terms like substantial compliance, sustained compliance and backsliding and called for audits in various categories to gradually decrease federal court oversight. Only one class member spoke. Tom Sheridan said hed spent 62 days in pretrial custody and objected to being treated in the same manner as individuals convicted of various crimes. MDC houses individuals before trial and those sentenced to less than a year in custody. Sheridan suggested a separate pod for those in pretrial detention. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says it wants to pay to repair roads in New Mexicos borderlands but wants the state Land Office to first waive what could amount to about $400,000 in easement fees a request the land commissioner opposes. CBP is requesting rights of way on 27 miles of mostly dirt-and-gravel roadways that cut through state trust lands in Hidalgo and Luna counties. Most of the roads so bumpy, gutted and overgrown they require a four-wheel drive vehicle are in a corner of the Bootheel where the Mexican border lies to the east. Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn says he thinks the federal government should pay for access, given that the easement fees go to a trust fund supporting public education in the state. I have an obligation to the schoolchildren of New Mexico, Dunn said. They havent said they dont have the funds. If the funds are available, I think they should pay for the right of way. Its not clear how much CBP would invest in maintenance and repairs in New Mexico annually; the agency did not respond to a request for comment. CBP has paid the $175 application fee but is requesting that the Land Office waive other fees. The Land Office calculates the $400,000 in fees a rough estimate based on the 60-foot right-of-way easement requested by CBP across 27 miles. In its April application to the Land Office, CBP argues that the fees should be waived because the agency intends to repair the roads for the sole purpose of enhancing the safety, security and efficiency of law enforcement personnel, which will reduce waste and trespass and enhance the safety and security of the general public. It is seeking rights of way for 35 years. The disagreement could have implications for border security in a sprawling, rugged borderland where roads are few and far between and many are poorly maintained. Drug running and illegal immigration from Mexico remain intractable problems in the area. Hidalgo County has struggled to keep up maintenance on its own roads and recently tabled a proposal to abandon a key road between Interstate 10 and the border. CBP proposes to maintain private roads and will not repair county roads. CBPs proposal is part of its borderwide Tactical Infrastructure Maintenance and Repair program. The agency notes in its application that it made a similar appeal to Arizonas State Land Department for rights of way on 43 miles of roads and negotiated fees totaling $11,700. In New Mexico, the federal Bureau of Land Management already bestowed 30-year rights of way on 50 miles of border roads and charged only administrative processing costs, CBP said. The Land Office plans to hold a public meeting on the issue in Lordsburg next Thursday. It takes very little to discredit what few ideas Donald Trump has. His foreign policy includes plans to commit war crimes. His tax policy would bankrupt the nation. His immigration plan is based on absurd promises and a willingness to ignore due process of law. His economic plan would bring on another financial panic. It takes very little to claim from Trump the moral high ground. His speeches reek of chauvinism and jingoism. His bombast is reminiscent of Mussolini. His campaign is a protracted effort to widen the fractures in our nation. His language is crude. Some protesters in Albuquerque on Tuesday night somehow managed to seize the low ground from Donald Trump. Their own crude and fascistic behavior made the national headlines Wednesday morning. The New York Times reported protesters threw rocks at police horses and lit fires. The Washington Post said, Protesters and others clashed with police, sometimes violently. Reuters coverage was much the same. Efforts by other protesters to keep the peace, reported by the Journal, were lost in the noise. Also lost in the noise were Gianna and Bianca Mendoza, whose grandparents migrated from Mexico to build better lives for their children and grandchildren. The Journal reported the Mendozas held signs that read, Im a lawyer, not a murderer and Im a teacher, not a rapist. Trump opponents squandered a great opportunity for political theater. Imagine what the coverage would have been if, instead of shouting insults at Trump supporters, protesters erected a barbed-wire enclosure and crowded it with men, women and children representing people awaiting deportation to Mexico. Imagine if hundreds of people sat in the road with their hands behind their heads, surrounded by make-believe guards. Imagine if people stood silently in the striped pajamas of concentration camp prisoners, a Mexican flag or a green crescent sewn on the breast instead of a Star of David or a pink triangle. What if hundreds of people showed up with their foreclosure notices to show Trump the consequences of his hope, expressed in 2006, that the bursting real estate bubble would give him a chance to make a lot of money? What if people arrived with posters of Syrian children who drowned while trying to find refuge in the West? Instead, the people who got the attention hurled insults, rocks and flaming T-shirts. Such protests do nothing but make Trumps case for him. His message is one of fear. He tells his supporters that they are victims, that they should elect him because hes the tough guy who will protect us from immigrants, China, Muslims, the media, corporate relocations and other Americans. Those of us who dont find the world to be all that frightening are dismissed as idiots. Those who think his plans wont solve the problems hes identified are losers. What better way to show Trump supporters that they have something to fear from other Americans than by having them walk through a crowd of loud and angry protesters? What better way to make Trumps point than by trying to shout him down? This was so helpful to Trump that it would almost make sense to think people who disrupt Trump rallies are planted by Trump operatives, just so the candidate has the chance to rage against them and shout for security to remove them. What better way for Trump to make the case that hes tougher than you are? (There is no evidence for this, by the way. Indeed, the evidence is that disrupters are Trump opponents possessed of bad manners and poor judgment.) Worst of all, a relative handful of fools in a crowd that included people like the Mendozas demonstrated that Trump has no monopoly on demagoguery. Just like Trump, they used intimidation tactics against opponents. They worked to suppress speech and the propagation of ideas (such as they are). They widened the fractures among Americans, just as Trump is doing. They offered no solutions. They brought shame to our city and harm to the cause of rational, dignified, patriotic debate. Its a reminder that tyranny, should it come to America, may as easily come from the left side of the political spectrum as from the right. UpFront is a daily front-page news and opinion column. Comment directly to Winthrop Quigley at 823-3896 or wquigley@abqjournal.com. Go to ABQjournal.com/letters/new to submit a letter to the editor. Rioters hurled rocks at police officers and their horses, set small fires, spilled trash, damaged police cars and attacked fellow citizens. In response, police in riot gear sprayed stinging chemical agents, used their batons, detained dozens and called for reinforcements to quell the bedlam outside Donald Trumps rally Tuesday night. The Albuquerque Police Department described the incident as a riot and said officers were injured when people threw rocks and other projectiles at them and their horses. Every officer on scene reported getting hit with something, said APD spokeswoman Celina Espinoza said. Six officers suffered more serious injuries when they were hit with fist-size rocks. All police officers were treated at the scene, she said. All of the police horses are OK. One State Police officer was struck with a broom or stick. They were continuously pelted with rocks all night, but there were only minor injuries, said New Mexico State Police Sgt. Chad Pierce, a spokesman for the agency. He said State Police officers reported rescuing two people from an unruly mob. Four people were taken to a hospital for falls, medical episodes and heat issues. No one was hospitalized because of police force, Espinoza said. Despite the protests outside Trumps rally unraveling into madness, things appeared back to normal in Downtown Albuquerque on Wednesday. Few arrests were made, and the entire cost of the events including public and private property damage, and police, fire and dispatch overtime was estimated at $50,000. A volatile mix of about 1,000 protesters outside a Trump rally with 8,000 people in the convention center led Albuquerque to become a national breaking news story as mayhem erupted in the streets. The protesters, some waving Mexican flags, mainly targeted Trumps comments about immigration and Mexico, as well as his pledge to build a border wall. Pierce said State Police originally sent 21 officers to the Downtown area about 2 p.m. to help Albuquerque police maintain order and direct traffic outside Trumps campaign appearance. But as the situation turned into a free-for-all, reinforcements were called. By 8 p.m., 30 to 40 additional State Police officers from surrounding areas were assisting Albuquerque police. They stayed on scene until about 12:30 a.m. There were also Bernalillo County sheriffs deputies and Rio Rancho police officers on scene, in addition to 200 Albuquerque police officers, Espinoza said. To control the riot, some officers were on horseback and others wore riot gear and carried batons. They formed lines across the streets and marched toward protesters to get them to disperse. The officers shot smoke and pepper spray at protesters. In one instance captured on national television, an officer doused a woman with pepper spray who was at the back of a pack of protesters slowly walking away from officers in riot gear, and another officer knocked her to the ground with a baton. She was pulled away and had water poured into her eyes by fellow protesters. In some cases, rioters jumped onto police cars and caused damage. Pierce said two marked State Police police units were damaged. One of the units had a window smashed. Protesters caused $10,000 in damage at the convention center, breaking eight windows and a glass door. The Imperial Building, an anticipated mixed-use building coming to the Downtown area, was tagged with spray paint and had a window broken. Only one man, Jose Cuevas, 19, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct for the riot outside Trumps rally. Espinoza said additional arrests may be pending and dozens of people were detained and escorted from the area. The situation may have been worse, she said. Although a riot was underway when the Trump rally ended, police kept Trump supporters inside for a while and led them out through a second-floor breezeway. We didnt want there to be any face-to-face confrontation, she said. There was a confrontation between protesters and supporters as people were heading into the rally. People both for and against Trump yelled insults at each other. In addition to the fracas outside, dozens of Trump protesters caused disruptions inside his rally. Tylina Hardy, 30, was dragged from the rally and spent the night in jail on misdemeanor charges, and two minors were issued citations and released to their parents. Hardy was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer. She said she was one of about a dozen people who presented themselves as supporters to get into the rally with the goal of causing a disturbance. My goal was just to let (Trump) know that hateful rhetoric is not welcome in Albuquerque and New Mexico, Hardy said in an interview Wednesday morning shortly after her release. As Trump was speaking, Hardy started screaming, Stop the hate, stop the hate, stop the hate. She said nearby Trump supporters started grabbing her and pulling her hair before authorities arrived and pulled her from the crowd. I was wrangled down and definitely scuffed up, Ive got a good-size bruise, she said. Granted, I was fighting to be seen and not being extremely cooperative. Hardy said she hopes to be sentenced to community service. After being pulled from the convention center floor, she said, things changed once she got into hallway. She described her arresting officers as jovial and said they spent a couple hours palling around until she was booked into jail. Former President Bill Clinton stressed economic issues and his wifes foreign policy experience Wednesday at a packed gymnasium in Southwest Albuquerque, but made little mention of Donald Trump other than a few jabs at wall-builders or the protests that followed Trumps campaign rally here a day earlier. Hillary Clinton would work to raise the minimum wage, impose a 30 percent tax rate on people who earn $1 million or more and reward with tax credits companies that fairly share their revenues with employees, Bill Clinton said. For no other reason, its worth electing Hillary president to get the right kind of Supreme Court, he told a rally at the Alamosa Community Center. Event organizers estimated the crowd at 1,200. The event followed his campaign appearance Tuesday in Espanola. You dont want a Supreme Court that will weaken voting rights, weaken labor rights, weaken womens rights, you name it, he said. Republican control of the White House and Congress would lead to tax cuts for the wealthy and repeal of the Dodd-Frank financial reforms and would put Medicare and Social Security at risk, Clinton warned. He made no reference to his wifes Democratic primary opponent, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, other than to tell New Mexico voters that they could help to close out this long nominating process. Sanders drew thousands of supporters last week at campaign events in Santa Fe, Albuquerque and southern New Mexico. Other than a few people in Bernie Sanders T-shirts who stood quietly outside the community center, the afternoon rally lacked any sign of protesters. The event was a marked contrast to Trumps campaign appearance Tuesday at the Albuquerque Convention Center that led to angry exchanges between protesters and Trump supporters, and later confrontations with police. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, recently has escalated his personal attacks on Bill Clintons character in speeches and on social media. But Clinton largely stuck with his script, touting his wifes support for middle-class Americans by protecting social programs, strengthening the economy and reducing student loan debt. Hillary believes that we can grow together, but only if we live together, only if we work together, and that will make us strong together, he said. Clinton strayed into criticism of Trump only once when he mimicked the candidate and said, No, no, no, we need to put up a wall and make things as they used to be. The crowd booed and jeered. Clinton also stressed his wifes support for comprehensive immigration reform, which he said would provide certainty for an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants and improve the U.S. economy by expanding the labor force. Our diversity is unique among all the economies on Earth, he said. It is a massive advantage for us. Contrary to the wall builders, it guarantees us prosperity long into this new century. Many in the audience were longtime Clinton supporters. Bill Clinton served as president from 1993 to 2001. Jerome Sarason, 51, said he supports Hillary Clinton because she is married to Bill. Sarason said he favors her proposal to give Bill Clinton a role in economic issues if she is elected. I want him back in the White House, and this is a great way to do it, he said. Clintons audience lacked the abundance of young faces that marked Sanders campaign events in New Mexico and elsewhere. I really like Hillary as a candidate, said Jennifer Elliott, 37 of Santa Fe, who wore a Sanders T-shirt to the rally. I like Bernie better. Id really like to see them working together. LAS CRUCES Tai Chan had a death look on his face and clinched his fists as he left Dublins Street Pub in Las Cruces with Jeremy Martin shortly before midnight on Oct. 27, 2014, according to testimony from the bartender who served them alcohol that evening. Hours earlier, Chan and Martin, two Santa Fe Countys sheriffs deputies, had arrived in Las Cruces after transporting a prisoner to Arizona. They had checked into the Hotel Encanto, where they planned to stay overnight, before they went to several bars, including Dublins. The bartender, Ernest Venegas, was one of two employees from the pub who testified Wednesday during Chans murder trial in Las Cruces District Court. Chan, 29, is suspected of intentionally shooting and killing Martin, 29, at the hotel sometime after midnight on Oct. 28, 2014. He is charged with first-degree murder. When questioned by Deputy District Attorney Davis Ruark, Venegas said Chan and Martin had arrived at the pub with two other men and at least one woman around 8 p.m. that evening. They were sitting at a table near the bar, he said. Chan and Martin got up several times from their table over the course of about three hours to order drinks from Venegas, he said. He testified that Chan and Martin had ordered a combination of four cinnamon-flavored whiskey shots, two beers and seven Redbull-vodka cocktails. The drinks were shared among Chan, Martin and the three others in their group, he added. Some time later, Venegas said he had been alerted to two men who were arguing near the bar. I was talking to an individual sitting on the opposite side of the bar. They had pointed my attention over (to) two gentlemen who were arguing, he said, adding that he turned around and spotted Martin and Chan. It appeared like they were talking, but you could tell they were arguing, he said. Venegas said he was unable to decipher what Chan and Martin were arguing about. At that point, Venegas continued, I just kind of kept eyes on them for a second, and then as it proceeded to get a little worse, I went over to let them know that we couldnt have this in the establishment and we would have to ask them to leave. When Venegas approached Martin and Chan, he testified that Martin told him: Were fine, were fine. The two then shook hands, Venegas said when questioned by John Day, who is representing Chan along with Thomas Clark. Also when questioned by Day, Venegas said the argument between Chan and Martin appeared minor. Later that evening, when Chan and Martin were preparing to leave the pub around 11:30 p.m., Venegas said he witnessed another dispute between the two deputies. He said he heard Martin tell Chan: Just calm down. If you could just please calm down, calm down. Lets just go back to the hotel. Were going to be fine. The argument between Chan and Martin continued as they exited the pub, Venegas said. Ruark, at one point, asked him to describe their body language and facial expressions. He said Martin appeared relaxed and described him as the negotiator. Chan, however, was clinching his fists, Venegas said, and had a deep stare. In further describing Chans facial expression, Venegas said he had just that look I almost refer to it as a death look, On cross-examination, Day told Venegas that he had never mentioned Chans death look or deep stare to the Las Cruces police detective who interviewed him. You didnt say anything about seeing Tai Chan with a death stare, right? Day asked Venegas. Venegas said, Yes. (Y)ou didnt say Tai Chan had a death stare because he didnt have a death stare. Thats something that came up after the fact, Day said. Venegas countered by saying that since the police interview, hes been in training to become a police officer in San Antonio, Texas, and has learned to be more accurate when recalling events. Charles Hirtzel, the manager of the pub, also testified that he saw Chan and Martin around time same time Venegas approached them. But he described a different picture. Hirtzel said Chan had his hands on the bar top and had his eyes looking down at the bar top. Martin was behind Chan with his arm around him, and they were having a conversation. You could see Tai Chan shaking his head to the right. And then every once in a while, Jeremy Martin would, like, pat him on the back in a friendly manner, Hirtzel said. Honestly, it to me looked like someone who was consoling a friend for losing a girlfriend or something. Hirtzel said neither Chan nor Martin appeared particularly aggressive. He also said he did not see them exit the pub. Jurors later heard from several police officers who found Chan in the stairwell near the seventh floor of the hotel after the shooting at the hotel. Several officers described Chan as incoherent and said he was making random, rambling statements when he was taken into custody. One officer, Jonathan Boehne, said Chan, while still in the stairwell, was acting very weird, very weird as if he was not on planet Earth. While in the stairwell, Chan complied with officers commands to walk backward down the stairs. He was then handcuffed and escorted to a police unit outside the hotel. Inside the unit, Chan spoke to Officer Mike Leftault, who testified Wednesday. He told me that there was a bomb or explosive device on the third floor of the hotel, Leftault said. Chan also told Leftault that he had been robbed and said it was self-defense. Leftault said Chan not elaborate on either of the comments. Later in the Leftaults testimony, prosecutor Ross Prindle asked the officer about additional comments Chan had made while being transported to the police department. During the ride to the police department, he said he was involved in a shooting, Leftault said. After reading his comments in a police report, he added that Chan had said he shot the guy. But Clark later told Leftault that he omitted other comments from Chan. He said he shot that guy, but he went on to say I shot the guy in a life-or-death choice, Clark said. The trial continues Thursday in Las Cruces District Court. Carlos Andres Lopez can be reached 575-541-5453, carlopez@lcsun-news.com or @carlopez_los on Twitter. 2016 the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) Visit the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) at www.lcsun-news.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. _____ SANTA FE First lady Michelle Obama exhorted this years 104 graduates of the Santa Fe Indian School on Thursday to stay true to their roots but face adversity head-on, saying, Your communities need you. They need you to bring home additional knowledge and skills to more effectively address the challenges your communities face, Obama said during her 22-minute commencement address at the school. The first lady made the quick trip to New Mexico she did not hold any other events while in the state to speak at the graduation ceremony as part of a White House initiative aimed at promoting national dialogue and training future leaders. Her appearance was greeted by a standing ovation from a crowd of nearly 3,300 people at the Santa Fe Indian School Pueblo Pavilion Wellness Center that included state and local Democratic Party officials, including Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales and Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen. But she also spoke bluntly about the history of Native American oppression in the United States, saying the Santa Fe Indian School was founded as part of a deliberate, systematic effort to extinguish your cultures. Today, the Native languages that were once strictly forbidden here now echo through the hallways and in your dorm room conversations at night, Obama added. The first lady also shared personal stories in her Thursday remarks, saying her great-great grandfather was a slave who was likely buried in an unmarked grave on the planation where he worked. She said her own journey which has taken her from a childhood in a small apartment on the South Side of Chicago to Princeton University and, eventually, the White House enabled her to relate to graduating students. Today, I want you to know that there is nowhere I would rather be than right here with all of you, Obama said. The presence of the first lady put a spotlight on Santa Fe Indian School, which is owned and operated by the 19 pueblo tribes of New Mexico and has a total enrollment of roughly 650 students from around the state and region. The school also has an average graduation rate of 98 percent over the past five years, compared with the New Mexico statewide average of about 70 percent. Emanuel Vigil, the valedictorian of this years graduating class, who is headed to Columbia University in the fall, said the first ladys visit could increase the schools visibility. Vigil, a member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, also told reporters hes optimistic that a Native American might be elected president in his lifetime, adding, I really would like that someday. Another student, Charles Van Pelt, said before the first ladys remarks that he wasnt sure what hed say to Obama if given the chance to meet her. Its an incredible feeling that the first lady chose us here in New Mexico, said Van Pelt, who wants to be a math teacher and is a member of Cochiti Pueblo and the Umatilla tribe in Oregon. After her speech, Obama was given a traditional blanket by two graduating students, Shilyn Platero-Fisher and Fatima Garcia. The first ladys visit to New Mexico was the latest of several visits by high-profile political figures. Presidential candidates Donald Trump, a Republican, and Bernie Sanders, a Democrat, both have held campaign events in New Mexico in the past week, and former President Bill Clinton stumped for his wife, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, this week in Espanola and Albuquerque. Michelle Obama appeared to make a reference to Trump though she did not mention him directly when she told graduates that some of the loudest voices in our national conversation are saying things that go against every single one of the values that youve been living at this school. The Thursday stop in Santa Fe also represented a return to New Mexico for the 52-year-old first lady, who spent time in the state in 2008 campaigning for her husband, President Barack Obama. New Mexicos Ariel Kokoricha just missed the finals, but she gave people something to buzz about at the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Wednesday. The Clovis Christian Schools eighth-grader and five-time local champ breezed through the two onstage rounds of preliminaries. Ariel, a two-time New Mexico representative, spelled dactylic (a form of poetic meter) correctly in round two, followed by certitude (state of being sure of the truth) correctly in round three. But with Tuesdays written test scores factored into Wednesdays rounds, she was one of 240 spellers knocked out of the competition. According to her mother Oyin Kokoricha, Ariel fell just two points short of the other 45 spellers she needed 27 points to advance but received 25. Im feeling a little sad that I didnt make it, but for the most part Im happy, Ariel said in a phone interview after the finalists were announced. Further proving her impressive knowledge of words, she said her happiness comes down to tenacity. I have done this for years and years, she said. Sometimes I did kind of lose the tenacity, but it always came back. At those times I lost tenacity, I wanted to stop, but then I realized why I was doing it (spelling). I have devoted a lot of time to it. Her father, Tobore Kokoricha, said his daughter will bounce back stronger than ever. For her age, I am extremely pleased that she is able to stick with something to the end, he said. That speaks volumes about her character. Besides her ambition to get an early acceptance into college, Kokoricha hopes to become a neuropsychiatrist one day. At this age, she already knows what she wants to do in the future, Tobore Kokoricha said. Nothing has been lost at all. Regardless of the outcome, Ariel undoubtedly left her mark on the Scripps stage this year. In addition to a photo of Ariel appearing on the bees official Twitter page, she was also featured on the bees blog twice once for her spelling in round three and once for knowing how to say a greeting in the Nigerian language Yoruba. She said Ekaro to bee officials, which means good morning. I just know enough greetings in my parents language to make my relatives happy, she said in the interview PHOENIX A doctor is upset after the Veterans Affairs hospital in Phoenix blocked her from giving a lecture about marijuanas effect on veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Dr. Sue Sisley has been conducting a study on PTSD and medical marijuana this summer. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved her work, the Phoenix VA Medical Center told Sisley she couldnt give a presentation there. The notion that the Phoenix VA hospital refuses to allow that information to be shared with their medical staff is really shameful, Sisley told KTAR-FM (http://bit.ly/1TYUGG6). Medical marijuana is legal in Arizona, but its still a federal crime to possess pot. The VA center isnt allowed to promote or recruit veterans for marijuana research, said Dr. Samuel Aguayo, associate chief of staff for research at the Phoenix hospital. VA medical staff are not authorized to make a decision on whether marijuana and marijuana research is appropriate for veterans, he explained. Sisley, however, argued that the VA has a duty to support research that could uncover new treatment for veterans with PTSD. If they refuse to do that, I think that is negligent and its an abomination, she said. Congress recently passed legislation that would allow VA doctors to discuss medical marijuana with veterans. Aguayo said the center might reconsider Sisleys lecture if that bill is signed into law. We will examine what the law allows and doesnt allow, he said. It may have an impact on our decision to permit this activity here at the Phoenix VA or not. ___ Information from: KTAR-FM, http://www.ktar.com The fallout from Intels restructuring continues with sites reportedly closing in at least seven countries, the Oregonian newspaper reported Thursday. The newspaper said that Intel has notified employees that its closing sites in the United States, India, Canada, Japan and Russia, according to an internal company document obtained by The Oregonian. The newspaper said employees in those countries were told in April, but the document didnt specify which were closing in each country. The Oregonian said online tech journal ZDNet reported Thursday that Intel is closing a site in Bucharest, Romania, and laying off 200 people who work there. Intel also will terminate at least 300 employees in Germany and close a site in the city of Ulm, according to the Oregonian, citing a German magazine report. Closer to home, Intel has begun sending layoff notices to some of its Rio Rancho employees, but is still not saying how many workers will be affected at the plant. Layoffs at the Rio Rancho plant, which now employs about 1,900 people, have been anticipated since the company announced in April that it would lay off 11 percent of its global workforce. Mayor Richard Berry says police are trying to identify about 30 thugs who threw rocks and engaged in other violence during this weeks protest against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Police Chief Gorden Eden said Thursday that protesters threw rocks, urine bombs, sharpened objects and Molotov-cocktail-like devices at officers, and that police heard seven shots fired near Third and Gold. It sounded like a rainstorm, Eden said, but that rainstorm was actually rocks hitting our officers, our horses and people who were also attending the event. A team of officers is examining video and photos to build criminal cases for prosecution. They hope the public will help, with the lure of rewards of up to $1,000 each for information leading to an arrest. In a news conference Thursday, Berry and Eden estimated that about 1,000 people attended the anti-Trump protest, and that perhaps 30 people engaged in violence. Were not going to stand for it, Berry said. Thats not what our community is about. About six officers were treated for injuries to their face, nose, legs and arms, he said. Thrown objects also struck police horses, Eden said, and one witness said someone punched a horse in the nose. One horse had leg abrasions after falling down, but hes OK, the chief said. Some protesters waved large Mexican flags, and others set fire to Trump material stolen from vendors. Video of the mayhem dominated national news broadcasts that night and the next morning. Trump himself offered this appraisal on Twitter: The protesters in New Mexico were thugs who were flying the Mexican flag. The rally inside was big and beautiful, but outside, criminals! Some protesters jumped on squad cars and smashed windows. Berry estimated the total property damage at $10,000 and said a window at the Albuquerque Convention Center will be fixed next week. Some of the people who attended the Trump rally were kept there for a while by police, then ushered out a different door away from the street protests. Berry said Thursday that he is setting aside $10,000 from his city discretionary fund for rewards to tipsters who can help identify people who violently broke the law. The public can donate or offer tips by calling 242-COPS. Rally drew 8,000 About 8,000 people attended the Trump rally inside the Convention Center on Tuesday, where the presidential candidate vowed to win New Mexico and criticized Gov. Susana Martinez, a fellow Republican. The protesters gathered outside and marched throughout Downtown. Berry, a Republican who didnt attend the Trump rally, said Thursday that it wasnt his place to get into the dispute between Martinez and Trump. But he said, I tell you, I like my governor. Berry said he isnt endorsing anyone in the race. As for the protest, Berry said the Albuquerque Police Department operated under a new plan approved by a court-appointed monitor overseeing police reforms for handling large crowds. About 300 officers and public safety personnel were on scene, Eden said, including State Police and other agencies. APD criticized George Lujan a spokesman for the SouthWest Organizing Project, which sent community peacekeepers to the protest said APD should share in the blame for the trouble at Tuesdays protest. To enter the rally at the Convention Center, Trump supporters walked along a narrow sidewalk adjacent to the protest area. That put both sides in close proximity. I thought it was a really great layout if you were trying to encourage conflict between different groups, Lujan said Thursday. Theres only so much community groups can do to ensure theres a safe protest. Theres also a role for police. Berry said the city is already reviewing how APD handled the protest and looking for ways to improve. But officers, he said, showed restraint, professionalism and good judgment throughout the night. Eden said some of the layout was dictated by the geographic footprint of the venue. Officers also took steps to defuse conflict, he said. They endured rock-throwing, for example, and avoided overreacting in a way that would further inflame the crowd, Eden said. Public help sought Albuquerque police released pictures of at least two people theyre hoping to identify. One is of a young man wearing glasses and what appears to be a Superman T-shirt. Eden accused him of throwing a large rock that hit an officer in the face. He has absolutely no remorse, Eden said. His face shows complete joy that he just pelted one of your public servants with a rock. The officer suffered facial injuries but didnt leave his post, Eden said. Police also released the picture of another young man, shirtless with a baseball cap. Police spokeswoman Celina Espinoza said the man threw a metal rod at a group of officers. Eden said the rod hit one officer. We will find out who you are, Eden said. ACAs library of educational tools help members improve their business practices. ACA also holds the most popular industry conferences and offers credentialing for collectors, attorneys, and more. ACAs Training Zone subscription gives agencies access to almost all of our education for one low cost. The ADDitude Solution Center 1. Who are you here to help? A Child or An Adult 2. What question can we help you answer? Select a topic Does my child have ADHD? What ADHD treatments work best for kids? What are natural remedies for ADHD in children? How should I discipline my child's bad behavior? How can I help my child succeed at school? How can I get my child organized? How can we fix our daily schedule and routine? How can I help my child make friends? With the sudden rise of various industries over the years, the priorities and sentiments of service centric companies have evolved. Keeping the customers as the cornerstone of the business, companies are out on a spree to attribute all their milestones to the customers by celebrating with them. As a part of the celebration, companies indulge in giving out discounts and exclusive offers encouraging the customers to support the brand. Low-cost carrier, AirAsia India had recently reached the milestone of flying 2.5 million guests on board. To celebrate this benchmark, AirAsia left no stone unturned by creating a buzz through every form of media which included teaser campaigns that rolled out 4 days before the D-Day and hashtag campaigns (#AirAsiaAviator, #AirAsia2point5million) that had that secured its spot in the trending topics on Twitter. To keep the ball rolling, AirAsia also offered exclusive offers like discounts of upto 50% on return flights for a time slot of 50 hours. AirAsia had also planned a lot for its special activities for its2.5 millionth guest. The flight scheduled on 16th May, 2016 had welcomed its 2.5 millionth guest from Bengaluru to Delhi. The airline had well planned the guests journey from the ground to the skies. The other guests who boarded the flight were also showered with surprise gifts as a part of the celebration. Try Myntra. Youll Love It is the latest peg from the leading online platform for fashion brands. The new brand campaign is targeted at fashion and lifestyle shoppers who are yet to board the online bandwagon. The campaign aims to address the inhibitions of around 20 million offline shoppers who transact for other services online, but are faced with a resistance to purchase fashion online. Specific barriers such as the need to touch and feel fashion products and perception of complicated exchange policy, among others, have been addressed craftily through a well-scripted story board that conveys the message powerfully. Conceptualised by ad film director Shirsha Guha Thakurta and produced by Oink Films, the two 35-second TVCs are being aired on all major national channels, digital platform and also radio and outdoor medium in select markets. The insight The campaign hinges on the belief that existing customers are allies who can convince the non-buyers by allowing them to unknowingly enjoy a hassle-free online shopping experience. Performing in the TVC are actors Abhay Deol and Ira Dubey, Prateik Babbar and Amol Parashar, who, through their roles, get across the message of Try Myntra. Youll Love It. The situations and script construct are crafted to mirror and dispel the fears and concerns faced by non-buyers of online fashion and give Myntra a try. It also highlights the brands service propositions such as curated collection from over 2,000 Indian and international brands, 100 per cent authentic products and quick refunds for a remarkable online shopping experience. These four celebrities were specifically chosen for the role as their image complements that of Myntras as they are young, vibrant, with aspiration and readily relate to Myntras target group. Speaking about the campaign, Myntras CMO & Head of International Brands, Gunjan Soni, said, Myntra as a brand has a clear vision to be the most vibrant, fashion forward and yet friendly and relatable brand that helps Indians look good. This campaign aims to influence Indias offline shoppers by addressing their inhibitions towards online fashion and show to them in a lighthearted way how easy and fun shopping on Myntra is. We are working hard everyday to ensure shopping on Myntra is the best fashion shopping experience at every step great brands, fantastic selection, timely delivery and early doorstep returns. We have used existing Myntra shoppers as our allies and voice in delivering this message. Pallavi Chakravarti, Executive Creative Director, Taproot Dentsu, added here, There are 80 million well-groomed, brand-conscious, Internet-savvy people out there, who buy everything online, except fashion. Their minds tell them that a platform like Myntra will give them the range, quality, trends and looks that they seek. But their hearts dont quite agree. Logic and rational reasoning have clearly been insufficient to convert them. So we put forward an argument that they cant possibly win. After all, how do you dislike something just after youve liked it? The films The first film features Abhay Deol and Ira Dubey as a couple, where Ira is sceptical about buying fashion brands online. Abhay patiently explains how she has loved the fashionable clothes in her wardrobe and how they had all been bought online on Myntra. He then says that if she wants to return them, then the money will be refunded the same day. But Ira refuses to do that and says that she loves the clothes. Watch the ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MgnbO4D0xQ In the second film, Prateik Babbar and Amol Parashar are two brothers. Amol buys a jacket for his elder brother Prateik during one of his trips. He has recently returned from Australia, with a stopover in Singapore and Prateik tries to guess in which of these places Amol bought the fashionable jacket. Finally, Amol reveals that he bought the jacket online on Myntra after landing in Delhi. Prateik is sceptical, but since he likes the jacket so much, he decides to keep it. Both these films end with the tagline: Try Myntra. Youll Love It. Watch the ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXHScjJlAx8 Peer comments Commenting on the campaign, Chaaya Baradhwaaj, Founder & MD, BC Web Wise, said, From a TG connect, whenever you use a celebrity, and particularly somebody like Abhay Deol, hes very down to earth, he looks like somebody you can trust. He is your Aam Aadmi Celebrity and there is something very authentic and genuine about him. So celebrity choice is extremely good. Also, the scenario is going with his personality and the script, so its a right choice of celebrity here. From the script point of view, too, Baradhwaaj feels that campaign has addressed the issue of trust bang on be it the fitting of the clothes, the material, the brands, the return and refund policy. Overall, the ad is very compelling and completes the whole picture, she added. Priya Jayaraman, Co-founder & Business Director, Propaganda India, also finds the campaign to connect with the people. She said, It does connect with someone like me, who has experience, who is a career woman, who does not shop for fashion online and who even does not appreciate anybody else shopping for me. It tells me about the freedom of choice that I have. She further said, The campaign has a certain point of view; it has a certain way of delivery. I like the execution a lot. It has a little bit of tease in it, it is how a woman thinks to some extent, I like it, but I dont you dont want to accept it, but you are accepting it. Campaign credits: Client: Myntra Creative agency: Taproot Dentsu Executive Creative Director: Pallavi Chakravarti Associate Creative Director: Neeraj Kanitkar Head of Strategy: Ninad Umargerkar Account Director, Planning: Dipika Saggi Account Supervisor: Sana Patel General Manager: Ayesha Ghosh CEO: Umesh Shrikhande Founder: Agnello Dias Production House: Oink Director: Shirsha Guha Thakurta Producers: Naved Punjabi, Gautam Vaze Over 50,000 contestants are vying for top honours in Season 4 of Indias biggest SME stage, Lufthansa Runway to Success. The 10-episode television series, produced in partnership with The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) and ET Now, begins on June 4, 2016. Lufthansa Runway to Success has grown exponentially over the past three years to be amongst Indias most popular platform for start-ups and SMEs. Preceding the competitive leg each year are free mentorship camps held across the country, where over 50 mentors invest time in guiding young entrepreneurs. Additionally, this season saw for the first time The Start-up Expo, co-created by Lufthansa, and recognised as Indias largest ecosystem for start-ups. The event brought together 10,000 participants and led to 50,000 applicants for the TV series, a 100 per cent increase over last season. From the vast array of contenders, the 21 most innovative ventures will be shortlisted by TiE business experts to compete in the series. The Grand Prize winner will fly away with a seat at the prestigious Design Thinking Boot Camp at Stanford University sponsored by Kalaari Capital, a business class ticket to any destination in the US and coveted mentorship from TiE. In partnering the success of Indian business, the Runway to Success platform reflects Lufthansas Nonstop You philosophy, which pledges a relentless focus on its customers and people in the community. It also reinforces the airlines commitment to be More Indian than you think. It has been an absolute privilege for Lufthansa to be an enabler in Indias entrepreneurial revolution. The overwhelming response to the Runway to Success platform has led to its progressive expansion over the past three years into what is today a nationwide campaign. It is also an affirmation of the fact that as an airline, Lufthansa truly has an Indian heart within a German soul, said Wolfgang Will, Director, South Asia, Lufthansa German Airlines. At a time when young entrepreneurs are the driving force of the Indian economy, Runway to Success is recognised as a crucial growth catalyst for start-ups and SMEs, said Geetika Dayal, Executive Director, TiE Delhi-NCR. The unprecedented success of this platform, built through a unique partnership with TiE, reflects Lufthansas strong commitment to enabling the success of entrepreneurs in India. The Runway to Success TV series will feature leading icons such as CP Gurnani, CEO and Managing Director, Tech Mahindra; Dr Mahesh Gupta, President, PHD Chamber, and Chairman & Managing Director, Kent RO Systems; Ajay Kaul, CEO, Jubliant FoodWorks; Alok Kejriwal, CEO and Co-founder, Games2win; Dilip Chhabria, Founder, DC Designs; celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor; and Madhu Pandit Dasa, Chairman, The Akshaya Patra Foundation. These pioneers will inspire, motivate, mentor and select the best among three shortlisted entrepreneurs in each episode, who will each win a Business Class ticket to the US, and then go on to compete in the semi-finals and finale for the Grand Prize. A parallel Viewers Choice award will also be decided via social media, through online voting based on elevator pitch videos by the contestants. This year, the Runway to Success TV series was preceded by mentorship camps in 10 cities, including Jaipur, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Pune and Chennai amongst others. This was followed by the first-ever Start-up Expo organised in Gurgaon end-April. The Expo attracted more than 30 investors, 100 partners, 200 start-up exhibitors, 500 mentors, and 10,000 participants. The one-day event facilitated over 700 business meetings, a start-up job fair, and day-long interactive workshops drawing over 3000 participants. It was attended by an array of government dignitaries and business icons, including Amitabh Kant, CEO, Niti Ayog & architect of the Government of Indias Start-up initiative; Ramesh Abhishek, Secretary of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP); Saurabh Srivastava, Chairman Emeritus, TiE, Delhi and NCR; Deep Kalra, Founder, Makemytrip.com; and Sanjeev Bhikchandani, Vice Chairman, Naukri.com, among others. Times Network CEO & MD, MK Anand, said, Lufthansa Runway to Success is an experience which will inspire you ahead on the journey of entrepreneurship like never before with live access to illustrious minds, exciting discussions, and a grand celebration of the spirit of entrepreneurship. Lufthansa Runway To Success, now in its fourth season, is an excellent showcase of the ideas, efforts and achievements of SMEs, which deserve the biggest news audiences. As Indias most influential television network with the biggest English and business news channels, we are pleased that our channel ET Now will provide it the right communication platform that it deserves. Siti Cable Network, an Essel Group Company, has announced profitable turnaround for the first time in its history, with Profit Before Tax of Rs 22 crore. EBITDA also increased by 92 per cent year-on year, which is highest ever in a financial year for the company. Siti Cables Revenue increased to Rs 1,213 crore, up 30 per cent year-on-year. The company expects to maintain a strong growth trajectory going forward. Siti Digital: Siti Cable has been vigorously participating in the Digital India movement by digitising analog TV homes in DAS Phase 3 areas and added over 1.1 million digital customer base during Q4 FY16, and over 2.7 million digital customers during FY16, taking the digital video base to 7.9 million exit March 2016. The company expanded its footprint to 312 cities across the country with nearly 200 cities being rolled out during FY16. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Siti Cable crossed 1.5 Mn+ digital customer base. Acquisitions: Siti Cable adopted the inorganic growth route and acquired majority stake in regional MSOs in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha and Assam for DAS Phase 3 & 4 expansion. Siti HD+: Siti Cable strengthened its Siti HD+ services by offering over 45 HD channels during FY16. Eight new HD channels are in the pipeline for rollout in the near future. Siti HD+ customer base increased to 50,170, up 42 per cent over Q3 FY16. Siti Broadband: The companys broadband operations added 2.2 lakh home passes in the quarter taking the total footprint to 8.9 lakh homes. Broadband customer base also grew to ~1.32 lakh by Q4 FY16 exit, up 120 per cent year-on-year. Promoter Funding: During Q4 FY16, promoters infused funds amounting to Rs 530 crore, re-affirming the Siti Cable growth story and commitment to create sustainable value for all stakeholders. This was the first tranche of the previously announced Rs 680 crore announced earlier. The Reserve Bank of India had also hiked the Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs)/ Registered Foreign Portfolios Investors (RFPIs) investment limit in the company, which allows the foreign funds to aggressively participate up to 49 per cent of the paid up capital of the company. Credit Rating Upgraded: Recently, credit rating agency ICRA upgraded the long-term rating of Siti Cable to [ICRA]A- from [ICRA]BBB+. Further, ICRA pronounced [ICRA]AA+ outstanding rating on the term loan facility of Siti Cable. The outlook on the ratings is stable. While commenting on the results, VD Wadhwa, Executive Director & CEO, Siti Cable, mentioned, Our strategy of tighter control on cost lines and improving monetisation has started yielding results and the companys profitable turnaround, first time in 20 years, is a testament to that. As a part of our strategy, we are working on gaining industry leadership through organic and inorganic growth. Having expanded in DAS Phase 3, our biggest challenge in FY17 will be monetisation. We are well positioned to scale up our broadband operations aggressively in new geographies in FY17. Publicis has brought on board Suraj Pombra as Executive Vice President for the Publicis Capital Mumbai operations. In this role, Pombra will oversee all operations of Publicis Capital in Mumbai, while reporting to Hemant Misra, CEO, Publicis Capital. Pombra discovered his attitude and aptitude for advertising two decades ago. In this time, he has sharpened his instincts across a plethora of categories and stewarded many a brand, including Marico, Citibank, Kotak, IndianOil, Bisleri, Park Hotel, Reliance Infrastructure, Meru, Legrand and more. Starting with Trikaya Grey in Kolkata, his tryst with advertising has taken him through DDB Mudra, JWT, Grey again, Publicis Ambience and even the rare entrepreneurial experience of founding and running a start-up agency. He now returns to Publicis, a place he calls home. Announcing Pombras appointment, Hemant Misra said, Suraj is a seasoned Publicis man and I am delighted to welcome him back to our fold. He will lead a large team and have responsibility for some of our marquee accounts like Garnier and Sanofi. I am very confident he will quickly make his mark with the value he will bring for our clients and their business. From the Top: Passing the Torch The ending of any assignment is bittersweet, and the end of this one is no different. As I prepare to transition into the next phase with my family, I am excited but also a bit sad. We have accomplished so much together over the last four years, and it will be hard to leave the incredible people and families in our Air Force Reserve. However, I am leaving our Citizen Airmen in the hands of an amazing leadership team. Lt. Gen. Maryanne Miller, Chief Master Sgt. Ericka Kelly and I envision only greater accomplishments in your future. First, I want to say thank you for the hard work, dedication and professionalism you have displayed throughout my tenure to provide combat-ready Citizen Airmen for our mission. I know without a doubt that I have had the opportunity to lead some of the most capable and innovative Airmen this country has ever seen. I am particularly proud of the progress we have made as part of the total force team. The work you have done to forge relationships and build capacity has helped us gain the confidence and trust of our Air Force senior leaders and has secured our place as a critical partner on our three-component team today and into the future. The last few years have taught us the demand for combat-ready Citizen Airmen is not likely to decline. It is through your efforts that we will continue to rise to this challenge. I am exceedingly proud of our more than 5,000 Reservists who are mobilized on any given day supporting combatant commander requirements. I am also impressed by the work you have done in ushering in new technology and capabilities that make the Air Force Reserve strong. Your efforts bringing in new platforms like the F-35 and KC-46 as well as developing and growing our role in career fields like space, cyberspace, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance have increased our ability to fill critical capability and warfighting gaps. As I pass the torch to your new leadership team, I challenge all of you to continue to focus on our Airmen and their families. Our force would not be strong or combat-ready without the men and women who put on the uniform and the home team that supports them. We must continue to focus on strengthening relationships and advocate for the tools, programs and resources our Air Force Reserve needs to remain strong and resilient. We also need your help to continue to bring up issues and challenges you are facing in the field so the new leadership team can address them. Next month I will pass the torch officially and end my tour as chief of Air Force Reserve and commander, Air Force Reserve Command. However, Barb and I will always consider the Air Force Reserve as part of our extended family. It has been an honor and privilege to serve alongside each of you. Once again, thanks for all youve done and for all you continue to do! Get AfricaFocus Bulletin by e-mail! Format for print or mobile Africa/Global: Migrants' Rights Roundup AfricaFocus Bulletin May 26, 2016 (160526) (Reposted from sources cited below) Editor's Note At the World Humanitarian Summit (https://www.worldhumanitariansummit.org/) in Istanbul on May 23-24, the informal consensus was that the system of humanitarian response to today's crises is "broken." The calls to "leave no one behind" highlighted the particular vulnerability of the displaced. But it is clear that such non-binding resolutions will only be implemented by extensive mobilization on many fronts, including both those most affected and their allies. Each issue of AfricaFocus requires selection from a wide array of sources. Normally this is for reposting of excerpts from a small number of sources, with a few additional links to additional resources. Sometimes, as for this Bulletin, that choice is just overwhelming, and I have opted for a roundup of links or very short excerpts, to include a much wider set of sources that have been called to my intention. I hope this will serve as a resource for readers who can pick and choose what to followup. I particularly urge readers to view the multimedia resources highlighted at the beginning, and to pass them on to others who may be interested, by email and through social media links. This AfricaFocus Bulletin contains a roundup of links on migration issues, particularly related to protection of rights of refugees, other international migrants, and internally displaced people. Although it is far from comprehensive, the range of sources included show increasing recognition, in Africa and globally, that migration and forced migration creating extreme vulnerability is a complex phenomenon, closely linked to other economic, social, and political and to fundamental human rights of all people. In addition to the wide range of sources below, previous AfricaFocus Bulletins on migration are available at http://www.africafocus.org/migrexp.php ++++++++++++++++++++++end editor's note+++++++++++++++++ Multimedia Perspectives on Migration Rosebell Kagumire at World Economic Forum for Africa, Kigali, May 13, 2016 http://wef.ch/1rG1lhL 20 minute video. Good questions from audience & good thoughtful nuanced answers about African migration from this leading Ugandan journalist, who formerly worked at International Organization for Migration in Geneva. Migration is not just to Europe but also within Africa and with Middle East and Asia as well. Fortunately most of the time with questions and actions. Goes far beyond the stereotypes. "New York Immigrant Advocates Launch Black Immigrant Engagement Initiative," May 11, 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN8mdcT7CtQ 15 minutes interview on BRIC TV, the first 24/7 television channel created by, for, and about Brooklyn. Hadiyah Harrison, Project Manager at the New York Immigration Coalition, and Carl Lipscombe, Policy & Legal Manager at Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI). [For additional recent articles from BAJI, visit http://blackalliance.org/category/blog/ Op-ed by Opal Tometi of BAJI in Time magazine http://time.com/4312628/immigration-1996-laws/ Grassroots call to decriminalize the U.S. immigration system, #Fix96 on-line petition - http://tinyurl.com/h2lfbyx] Laeila Adjovi, "The Town of Women," BBC, 2 December 2015 http://tinyurl.com/zwmc539 - Photo essay on the town of Beguedo in Burkina Faso and migration to Italy. For more on the photographer, see http://laeila-adjovi.com/ Anne Paq, "Migrant domestic workers take to the streets in Beirut. Demonstrators called for basic rights, including a minimum wage and at least one day off per week.", photo essay, Al Jazeera, 7 May 2016 http://tinyurl.com/j2vk7b3 New Blog and Facebook Page AfricaMoves: A Pan African Migration Platform http://www.africamoves.org/ On Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/h22qj3u Organizations contributing to the establishment of Africa Moves include: Priority Africa Network; Black Immigration Network; PanAfrican Network in Defense of Migrants' Rights; Consortium for Refugees & Migrants in South Africa; Africa Speaks 4 Africa. Edited by Nunu Kidane. Kenya's Refugees in Kenya & Beyond Samar Al-Bulushi, "Kenya's Refugee 'Problem'" Africa Is a Country, May 25, 2016 http://africasacountry.com/2016/05/kenyas-refugee-problem/ "Integrally tied to this pending humanitarian crisis is the global architecture of counter-terrorism. The Kenyan government is but one actor among many who produce, and profit from, the specter of terrorist threat, which allows for the discursive slippage from civilian, to potential Al-Shabaab sympathizer, to potential terrorist." Chico Harlan, "For many Somali refugees, this industry offers hope -- then takes it away," Washington Post, May 25, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/jdnq4a4 Feature article: "Though meatpacking plants have long relied on labor by immigrants, particularly Hispanics, major companies have moved to hire Somalis, who have the dual advantage for employers of being legal and relatively cheap. In one slice of a changing lowwage America, these are the new ideal workers." Lucy Hovil, "Why is the cost of hosting refugees falling on the world's poorest states?," The Guardian, May 13, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/zs9wdeh "The government of Kenya says it plans to close Dadaab, the worlds largest refugee camp, which hosts approximately 330,000 people, as well as shutting the Department of Refugee Affairs (DRA). The announcement, on Friday 6 May, was no doubt a pre-election stunt of Trump-like proportions that plays to an electorate's fear of generating instability and outsiders taking jobs, playing to the same xenophobic narrative that has become commonplace in election campaigns across the world. [but] As long as rich nations pay lip service to meeting the needs of the worlds displaced, they cannot blame Kenya for closing refugee camps like Dadaab" Jina Moore, "Kenya Is Trying To Close The Worlds Biggest Refugee Camp And This Is Why," Buzzfeed, May 13, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/huyof93 "Kenya says the camps are a security threat, but the move comes at a time when refugees are big business. ... When Europe began panicking over its growing refugee population, Kenya took notice. A very noticeable feature of that crisis is that Europe is willing to spend cash -- lots of cash -- to end its refugee problems. ... This is not the first time Kenya has said it will close the camps. Last time it issued this threat, it got $45 million more in U.S. aid." Amnesty International, "New 'Refugees Welcome Index' shows Kenyan government out of touch with public on refugees," 19 May 2016 http://tinyurl.com/jrdmc7v "The new Refugees Welcome Index, based on a global survey of more than 27,000 people carried out by the strategy consultancy GlobeScan, found that 65% of Kenyans would personally welcome refugees and that 62% thought their government had not yet done everything in its power to help refugees. 'This report, coming at a time of heightened anti-refugee rhetoric from the Kenyan government, shows that Kenyans are not as unaccepting as their government would make the world believe,' said Muthoni Wanyeki, Amnesty International's Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes. 'It shows that a majority of Kenyans would welcome refugees into their country and that the governments decision to shut down Dadaab refugee camp is not backed by popular opinion.'" Stephanie Schwartz, "Why Kenya's threat to close its refugee camps is even worse than you think," Washington Post, May 11, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/z8vy8q7 "Many observers are already questioning whether Kenya will really follow through on the closure, whether the camps really are a haven for terrorists, and whether this action violates international law. An equally important question is: Do these refugees have homes to which they could return? Probably not. And the reasons aren't just that Somalia and South Sudan won't magically become peaceful. Why else cant they return? Let me explain by telling you what I've found among Burundian refugees in Tanzania." New International Reports Amnesty International, "Refugees Welcome Index shows government refugee policies out of touch with public opinion, 19 May 2016 http://tinyurl.com/hbp5nhy "The vast majority of people (80%) would welcome refugees with open arms, with many even prepared to take them into their own homes, according to a global survey commissioned by Amnesty International. The new Refugees Welcome Index, based on a global survey of more than 27,000 people carried out by the internationally renowned strategy consultancy GlobeScan, ranks 27 countries across all continents based on people's willingness to let refugees live in their countries, towns, neighbourhoods and homes. The survey shows people say they are willing to go to astonishing lengths to make refugees welcome. It also shows how anti-refugee political rhetoric is out of kilter with public opinion." Bronwen Manby, "Who Belongs? Statelessness and Nationality in West Africa," Migration Policy Institute, April 7, 2016 http://www.migrationpolicy.org - direct URL: http://tinyurl.com/htzplps [Full article contains extensive background and analysis. Brief excerpt below by permission of Migration Policy Institute.] "At least 10 million people around the world are stateless, according to estimates from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), but the real number may be much higher. Statelessness severely limits a persons human rights, including access to basic services such as health care and education. Often deemed to be illegally present in their country of birth and residence--even if their parents were also born there--stateless individuals may be unable to work in the formal economy, open a bank account, or buy land. A person without identity documents, usually dependent on nationality, is unable to cross international borders through regular channels. ... Although those lacking documents are generally among the poorest and most marginalized, an undocumented person who is a member of the dominant ethnic or religious group and comes from a settled community and stable family is far less likely to be refused when applying for a nationality document. Those most at risk of statelessness are members of social groups facing discrimination, migrants (especially irregular migrants) and their descendants, refugees, and children born out of wedlock, separated from their parents, or vulnerable in other ways. They are left stateless not only by discrimination in practice and weak administrative systems, but also by laws that provide very limited rights based on birth in the territory and that restrict transmission of nationality from parent to child on the basis of gender or other grounds. ... At the regional level, West Africa has moved furthest to address statelessness, as a result of advocacy from UNHCR and the existing policies and institutional frameworks of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). In February 2015, the 15 ECOWAS Member States adopted the Abidjan Declaration on the Eradication of Statelessness, agreeing "to prevent and reduce statelessness by reforming constitutional, legislative and institutional regimes related to nationality in order to include appropriate safeguards against statelessness, in particular to ensure that every child acquires a nationality at birth and that all foundlings are considered nationals of the State in which they are found." Of course, the declaration is just that--a declaration--and does not necessarily mean the promised action will take place. Nonetheless, it is a remarkable recognition at the regional level that the question of nationality in Africa needs to be addressed. Based on a study commissioned by UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and presented at the February 2015 Abidjan conference, this article explores the factors contributing to statelessness in West Africa, including the region's colonial and migration history and nationality laws, as well as the social groups particularly at risk. The article then examines the ECOWAS framework, steps taken to implement the Abidjan Declaration, and the way forward to eradicating statelessness in West Africa." Marie-Laurence Flahaux and Bruno Schoumaker, "Democratic Republic of the Congo: A Migration History Marked by Crises and Restrictions," Migration Policy Institute, April 20, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/j58yztj Article provides historical overview as well as analysis of current situation. "DR Congo has long had both economic and humanitarian migration exchanges. African countries host the vast majority of Congolese migrants and refugees, whose numbers have increased significantly over the last four decades, particularly since the wars of the late 1990s and early 2000s. The lack of recent censuses in several destination countries (such as Angola) makes it difficult to precisely evaluate the distribution of Congolese migrants and changing patterns. Data from the United Nations Population Division nevertheless show significant changes over the last 25 years. In 1990, an estimated 300,000 Congolese migrants and refugees resided in one of the nine neighboring countries (Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Sudan [now South Sudan], Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia), representing three-quarters of all migrants from DR Congo worldwide (see Table 1). Their number had more than doubled by 2000 (to approximately 700,000), and by mid-2015, had risen to more than 1 million in the neighboring countries (1.2 million for Africa as a whole; see Table 1). ... While Belgium was the main Western destination of Congolese migrants prior to the 1980s, destinations have increasingly diversified. France has become the preferred end point since the late 1990s (Figure 2), possibly as a result of greater ease getting visas and of obtaining asylum, and better labor market opportunities. Recent estimates indicate that France and Belgium together host more than 100,000 Congolese migrants, and that more than 50,000 others live elsewhere in Europe (including Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and the United Kingdom; see Figure 2). Outside Europe, the United States and Canada have also become increasingly popular destinations since the 1990s (see Figure 2), each now hosting nearly 30,000 Congolese immigrants. This growing interest is also found among would-be migrants in surveys conducted in Kinshasa. Congolese migration to the United States has taken off since 2005, making the United States the second most popular Congolese destination outside Africa." Additional recent international reports and sources [Thanks to Evalyn Tennant, of Global Migration Policy Associates (GMPA), for identifying these links and sharing them with me. As with other global issues, the outcomes for Africa are closely related to policies set at a global level. As the number of refugees, migrants, and internally displaced people grows worldwide, affecting countries in all regions, the global response is more and more obviously falling short. The policy debates, both in intergovernmental and non-governmental forums, are becoming more and more intense.] UN Summit Addressing Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants Upcoming September 19, 2016 http://refugeesmigrants.un.org/high-level-meeting http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocusRel.asp?infocusID=90 Official UN pages. Second link above has multimedia resources as well as news. Secretary General's Report for the Summit: "In Safety and Dignity: Addressing large movements of refugees and migrants" http://refugeesmigrants.un.org/reports-and-documents Report includes assessment of current issues facing refugees and migrants and the countries hosting them, as well as calls for global compacts, one on "Responsibility-Sharing for Refugees" and the other for "Safe, Regular and Orderly Migration." Migrants in Countries in Crisis (MICIC), International Organization for Migration (IOM) http://micicinitiative.iom.int Global Coalition Migration page on MICIC http://gcmigration.org/micic/ Civil society coalition page related to MICIC, includes reports on civil society consultations in West and Central Africa, North Africa and Middle East, and Central and Southern Africa. MICIC West and Central Africa regional consultation http://tinyurl.com/zq6ejgw MICIC North Africa and Middle East consultation http://tinyurl.com/je4wzqz MICIC East and Southern Africa consultation http://tinyurl.com/hzlpltx Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat for the Horn of Africa and Yemen http://www.regionalmms.org/index0b30.html?id=2. Forced Migration Review http://www.fmreview.org This journal has a wealth of resources, including Africa-specific resources. For example, the latest issue (http://www.fmreview.org/solutions/contents.html) has articles relating to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Uganda, Somalia-Yemen relations, Burundi, and Tanzania. Joint Labour Migration Program for Africa http://tinyurl.com/zsdjyxk The African Union Commission (AUC), the ILO, the IOM and the UNECA are implementing the Joint Labour Migration Program (JLMP) for Africa formally adopted in January 2015 by African Heads of State and Government as a comprehensive programme on labour migration governance for the region. Global Detention Project http://www.globaldetentionproject.org Includes special reports on detention of migrants and asylum seekers in Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Gulf states, as well as in the Americas. See http://tinyurl.com/z8rpb64 for reports. Caritas Europa, "Migrants and Refugees Have Rights: Impact of EU Policies on Accessing Protection," February 2016 http://tinyurl.com/z6clnxj Comprehensive 74-page report with background, policy analysis, personal stories, photographs, and recommendations. Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) GRID 2016: Global Report on Internal Displacement, May 2016 http://www.internal-displacement.org/globalreport2016/ This is a fundamental report for understanding displacement, whatever the cause. Brief excerpt from the foreword by Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council: "Much focus has been placed on the hundreds of thousands of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants who have put their lives at risk to reach European shores. Their bravery and despair has drawn much attention to the phenomenon of displacement. In reality though, they represent only the tip of an iceberg. There are now twice as many internally displaced people (IDPs) as refugees worldwide. In some ways, the distinction between internal and cross-border flight is unhelpful in a globalised world. ... When displacement becomes inevitable, humanitarians attend to more immediate needs, but they must work with the development sector if sustainable solutions are to be achieved. There is a clear trend of displacement becoming more protracted and more of a development challenge. To take some of these considerations into account, we are presenting our estimates of internal displacement in 2015 in a radically new way, with figures on people displaced by conflict, by violence and by disasters in a single report. The Global Report on Internal Displacement (GRID) aims to provide a more holistic picture of the phenomenon, regardless of cause. ... It also discusses types of displacement that receive too little attention, such as that associated with generalised criminal violence, gradually-evolving crises such as drought, and development projects." Additional articles of interest African Film Festival (in Tarifa, Spain and Tangiers, Morocco)begins today, May 26, and runs through June 4. http://www.fcat.es/en/home-en-2/ Building links across the Mediterranean, this film festival is in its 13th year. Thomas Friedman, "Out of Africa," New York Times, Apr 13,20,27, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/zzycjvq, http://tinyurl.com/hzjy6ck, and http://tinyurl.com/gq8zx3m Better than the usual from this New York Times columnist, reporting from Niger and Senegal on African migration to Europe. Overseas Development Institute (ODI) Briefing on "Fortress Europe," 20 October 2015 https://www.odi.org/comment/9995-migration-policy-fortress-europe Ugandan domestic workers in Saudi Arabia http://allafrica.com/stories/201601280823.html Detention centers in Libya http://tinyurl.com/zl62eoe Sudan crackdown on Eritrean migrants http://tinyurl.com/hgsgtm3 AfricaFocus Bulletin is an independent electronic publication providing reposted commentary and analysis on African issues, with a particular focus on U.S. and international policies. AfricaFocus Bulletin is edited by William Minter. AfricaFocus Bulletin can be reached at africafocus@igc.org. Please write to this address to subscribe or unsubscribe to the bulletin, or to suggest material for inclusion. For more information about reposted material, please contact directly the original source mentioned. For a full archive and other resources, see http://www.africafocus.org The police force is facing shortage of 40,000 personnel but the state government is reluctant to fill up the vacant posts. Mumbai Police have always complained about the long working schedules which have affected their productivity. For overcoming this problem, the senior officials have reduced the working hours of cops posted at Deonar and Kurla Police station on pilot basis. If everything goes well then this policy will be implemented across 93 police stations of the metropolis with effect from June 1. However, police officials are not sure whether it is possible to implement the eight hour work rule as the department is facing severe manpower crunch. At present the strength of the police force is 50, 680 but many police personnel are deployed for performing various duties like preventing chain snatching crimes, offering security to VIPs, manning cyber cells and ATS cell. The working hours of officials deployed at major police stations including Azad Maidan and Marine Drive generally go up to 14 and 15 hours during police bandobast. A senior police official from Deonar Police station spoke on the condition of anonymity and said, The police departments initiative to introduce 8 hour shifts in two police stations is laudable. However, I doubt whether this endeavor will succeed as the police department is facing shortage of 40,000 personnel. The state government is reluctant to fill up the vacant posts citing financial crunch reasons. If this situation persists then cops will have no option but to work extra hours. Another cop from Kurla Police station said, How can they think about going ahead and implement this policy before carrying out the necessary ground work? Police personnel work hard to provide security to the citizens. Our work load increases during important festivals like Diwali, Dusshera and Ramzan. Nowadays we also have to work extra hours whenever terror alert is issued for the city. Nobody thinks about our welfare but we continue to perform our duties and only false assurances are given to us. Even Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had called for reduction of working hours for police officials but most of the proposals remain restricted on paper due to poor implementation. Mumbai police commissioner DD Padsalgikar said, Deonar police station is the experimental police station where the pilot project has been started. We will review the experiment once it is over. Large number of vacancies exists in the police force across the country, especially in the lower ranks. However these posts are not filled even though lakhs of candidates apply for the job, said GP Joshi, a retired IPS officer and former director of the Bureau of Police Research and Development. Nine vans and SUVS have been allotted to South Mumbais DB Marg police station for performing patrolling duties. The station needs 18 drivers to have them operate during two shifts of 12 hours each. For three eight-hour shifts, the police station would need 27 drivers. But in actuality, we have been sanctioned only seven drivers in all, said Suresh Kadam, a police inspector at DB Marg station. The eight hour shift will be introduced at DB Marg police station from May 30. On a trial basis, we will have to reduce the number of personnel deployed at different beats in this area. Where five policemen used to do the job, we will have to use three, said Kadam. The Supreme Court on Thursday relaxed the bail conditions of Salvatore Girone, one of the two Italian marines accused of killing two fishermen off Kerala coast in 2012, and allowed him to go to his country till an International Arbitral Tribunal decides the jurisdictional issue between India and Italy. Chief Master Sergeant Massimiliano Latorre and Sergeant Major Girone, accused of killing in 2012 two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast, were then serving as security personnel on an Italian oil tanker MT Enrica Lexie crossing the Indian Ocean. Girone has been living in the Italian embassy in New Delhi while Latorre is already in Italy on health grounds and his stay there was recently extended by the apex court till September 30 this year. An apex court vacation bench of Justice Prafulla C Pant and Justice DY Chandrachud modified the bail condition paving the way for Girone`s return to Italy on an application by the Italian government backed by India. During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) PS Narasimha said that Centre has no objection to the application moved by Girone if he complies with the conditions imposed by the apex court. We support the application on humanitarian grounds subject to his compliance with the conditions imposed by the court, the ASG said. Girone, who presently is in the custody of the apex court and residing in Italian embassy here, had filed the application through lawyer Jagjit Singh Chhabra, also seeking a direction that Ministry of Home Affairs and the Foreigners Regional Registration Office be asked to provide him with the necessary residential permit and exit visa. Keralas new chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan of the Left has objected to Mr Girone being allowed to leave India, saying the Centres stand is unacceptable. An accused who committed the crime here must be tried here. The Centre has been up to foul play in the Italian marines case from the beginning, Mr Vijayan alleged. Mr. Girones colleague Massimiliano Latorre left India in 2014 for medical treatment after a stroke and was allowed by the Supreme Court recently to stay in Italy till the end of September. A major blast in a chemical factory in Dombivli led to a massive fire that killed at least three people and over 100 others suffered injuries. The fire broke out after a massive explosion in the Acharya chemical factory in Dombivli area of Thane district. The Acharya factory is situated at MIDC Phase 2, some 50 kms from Mumbai CST. After the tragedy, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke to the authorities and asked them to provide all possible relief to the victims. According to preliminary reports, the blast occurred in a boiler room of the Acharya Chemicals factory. We have learned about three workers dying in the incident but are further confirming this. Fire tenders, water tankers and ambulances are currently at the spot, said Joint Commissioner of Police Ashutosh Dumbare, Thane police. Along with the said company, MIDC officials confirm that six companies nearby have also been severely damaged. While there the amount of damage and casualties are yet to be ascertained, reports suggest that the blast was so huge that window panes in buildings located nearby were shattered. The blast was so huge that shock waves were felt in a radius of 3-4 kilometres from the site with many residents reporting that window panes of their homes and offices got shattered by its impact. Officials have sealed the immediate periphery of the factory to ensure that rescue work is carried out unhindered. Aditya Patwardhan, who works in a nearby company, said: We all got scaredthought it was a bomb explosionI was shocked to see that the window panes were broken and that the cracks appeared in walls. Local residents said that the explosion shattered window glasses of houses and establishments as far as two kilometres from the factory. My sister stays three minutes away from the factory. Every window in her house has been reduced to powdered glass. People are scared and confused. There is chaos everywhere, said Raju Nalawade, a resident of a nearby locality, Milaap Nagar. CM Devendra Fadnavis expressed grief over the tragedy and assured that every possible relief and assistance will be provided to victims. Spoke to police officials & local authorities and asked them to speed up the relief operations. We are constantly in touch with the local administration and we would leave no stone unturned in our efforts & relief operation, Fadnavis tweeted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has completed two years of lavishing governance at the centre. In these two years of governance, they hyped much but delivered less. Social network campaign, full-page newspaper ads marked the two-year anniversary of Prime Minister Narendra Modis government. They spend crores of rupees in publicity campaigns. Religious programmes were heavily funded by the government on this occasion whereas country is grappling with crucial issues like poverty, famers suicide, unemployment. Unfortunately, the BJP under Modi has only done things that appeals to its core, committed base and has virtually forgotten the large section of moderates who voted for development not for division. Modis biggest promise to the young voter was to create two crore jobs each year. However, he failed to deliver that promise. Modi Government announced old Congress policies with new name branding them as his original. However, those policies already existed. They are claiming that lot of reforms have been done through these policies. Real Estate regulation is just an eye wash as these regulations nowhere are in favour of the common man. Yoga Day event publicity has consumed crores of rupees; however this same amount could have reached for hospital reforms. For Yoga Baba Ramdev is there. He is promoting Yoga for and using it for commercial purpose. Hardly anyone listens to another crap Mann Ki Baat. No one listens to what PM is saying on radio, its only media who wanted to make news out of Mann ki Baat. Anyway, many times what PM talks never matches to what he implements. This radio programme is for promoting only Narendra Modi and nothing much constructive come out of it yet. Digital India (limited to twitter), Jan Dhan Yojana, LPG subsidy reforms, Swachh Bharat Mission (Big Flop), India-Bangladesh land boundary agreement, Pathankot attack, Ghar Wapsi, Beef & Murders, Masood Azhar, India-Pak relations, India-Nepal relations, hate and divide, Dissidence in Central Universities, Black Money (15 lakhs jumla) GST Bill/Land ordinance Uttarakhand fiasco, Womens Bill, Silence on fringe right-wing groups, Make In India (confused status) EPFO reforms, OROP, NITI Aayog, Ganga rejuvenation and too much nonsense as history books being changed , corruption had increased not decreased, false affidavits are in vogue by those who ought to be setting an example. Drought is, perhaps, the only natural calamity one can plan against in advance, unlike floods and earthquakes. Even the National Disaster Management Authority manual on management of drought speaks of drought mitigation as part of public policy and not just drought relief but this was clearly lost on the Modi government. The drought situation was totally abandoned. While water trains and tankers were pressed into service, perhaps in another attempt to engage in event management rather than drought relief, the drought manuals and rules by the government itself said these were measures of last resort and a number of steps ought to have been taken before reaching that step which the government at the Centre and state missed. Many of his staunch supporters, bhakts, as they are often referred to, have often made the flimsy argument that those who governed us for 60 years should not ask PM for an appraisal in merely 24 months. Perhaps, they forget that in those 60 odd years not only was the Congress government judged after every five years in recurring general elections, but also invariably judged by an overactive media and the constant spate of state Assembly elections that took place at frequent intervals. Those who complain about being judged in a democracy, even if its before their tenure runs out, express more faith in the North Korean version of democracy rather than the one we are so proud of here one that encourages constant critiquing and performance appraisals. Modis Pakistan policy has suffered from serious defects. It has been driven by style over substance. Clearly, the significance of this two-year milestone is lost out on those who see this as nothing more than a happy birthday to Modi government kind of occasion. Modi has completed 40 per cent of his term in office. If he doesnt do serious introspection and necessary course correction now, he will, in all likelihood, be voted out. And if the Delhi or Bihar election results are anything to go by, the Modi wave has washed ashore a long ago. Assam may have gone BJPs way, but can hardly be seen as an endorsement of the Modi government. The strategy of the BJP in Assam, contrary to the one in Delhi and Bihar, where Modi was the face, was to emphasise on local alliances and give importance to the local faces of current CM Sarbananada Sonowal and erstwhile Congressman, Himanta Biswa Sarma. In all the five states that went to the polls recently, BJP dropped its vote share since 2014, and minus Assam, it won just four seats in the remaining four states. Even, the Congress party scored nearly twice as many Assembly segments (115) compared to the BJP (64) out of the 800 plus seats that went to the polls. In all, the Modi tsunami is now withdrawing back to the sea and those who revelled when it hit the coast are now in a real danger of being drowned by it. The last 12 months, beginning May 2015, the narrative has been one of social upheaval and polarisation sometimes on issues like cow slaughter, and on other occasions, nationalism. The Modi government and its supporters have been busy picking issues that divide the country rather than unite it. From attacking Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan on their remarks on intolerance to the debate on Bharat Mata ki jai, and the artificial JNU controversy on nationalism. Over all, Modi government was not as charming as it was promised during 2014 election campaign. (Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com) Web Toolbar by Wibiya Date: 18 August, 2011. Place: Not mentioned. On 18 August, 2011, Dr John Singh published a very interesting article on online newspaper The Canadian, in which he explains that, according to Pagan Gnostics, God, as presented in various organized religions, is a construct that has been created by Manipulative Extraterrestrials. Pagan Gnostic insights suggest that the organized religious construct of God, may simply be a pseudonym for an overlord that regressive/demonic aliens have sought to rule over humanity, Dr Singh affirms. The writer is also convinced that these Manipulative Extraterrestrials are currently creating a social control agenda against humanity, and this is the reason why they need to repress humans rational thinking. As Gerry Zeitlin reveals, by repressing knowledge of actual human origins, through religious and transhumanistic disinformation and obfuscation, artificial man could then be freed to pursue various strategies in a social control agenda against humankind. He adds that this could explain why throughout human history in this universe, religion has played, and continues to play a central role in various authority systems. Mr Singh makes reference to recent human abductions, too. According to him, by abducting humans, regressive aliens could then re-introduce alien controlled human biological entities (AC-HBE) back into human populations, which in the end will facilitate the invasive control and sabotage of human sovereignty of our planet Earth. Could indeed the recent economic downturn being linked to the organized efforts of regressive aliens through AC-HBE toward a New World Order? Mr Singh wonders. Draw your own conclusions For further information: http://agoracosmopolitan.com/news/ufo_extraterrestrials/2011/08/18/634.html God, Religion linked to Manipulative Extraterrestrials Have you ever wondered about what kind of God has been the source of the inspiration for genocide, suicidal missions, oppression, racisms, sexism, homophobia along with countless wars on our planet Earth? Pagan Gnostics suggest that, God, as presented in various organized religions, is a construct that has been created by Manipulative Extraterrestrials. Dr. John Lash documents organized religions, with a particular reference to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as being "fronts" for an agenda of alien dominance and control. Activists, associated with the UFO Disclosure Movement, complain that there is a cover-up of on-going contact of aliens with human elites. However, Pagan Gnostic insights suggest that the organized religious construct of God, may simply be a pseudonym for an overlord that regressive/demonic aliens have sought to rule over humanity. Therefore, the mention of God, may in itself, be a form of implicit 'disclosure', based upon Gnostic insights. Dr. Lash documents Pagan Gnostic testimony of "artificial man" having infiltrated elite-driven human institutions, that have sought to anoint themselves with religious piety. Based in part of Pagan Gnostic wisdom, once we begin to critically appreciate what it means to be human, demands for Disclosure become relatively moot. The Pagan Gnostics indeed witnessed the nefarious activities of regressive aliens all around them, almost as "plain as day". Dr. Lash documents how Pagan Gnostics detected the ego-driven artificial intelligence of regressive aliens, by elevating their own consciousness. This elevation was achieved by embracing the human spiritual interconnectedness, that Manipulative Extraterrestrials have sought to repress through organized religion and transhumanism (secularism, i.e. "Darwinian Theory of Evolution), associated with an alien-directed eugenics program. As Gerry Zeitlin reveals, by repressing knowledge of actual human origins, through religious and transhumanistic disinformation and obfuscation, "artificial man" could then be freed to pursue various strategies in a social control agenda against humankind. Pagan Gnostics insights, suggest that oppressive ideologies, which include those from capitalism to nazism to totalitarian communism to religious doctrine, are all alien constructs. These ideologies are apparently designed to undermine a mutualistic context to the development of humankind, that would then create an "existential positive energy matrix" that would be hostile to the ability of regressive aliens to parasitically co-exist in our time-space continuum on Earth. Indeed, that development would also be hostile to a continuing pursuit of their alleged infiltration activities, as "archons". Michael Cremo in a book called Devolution suggests that so-called modern humans have de-evolved from more socially advanced, and spiritually interconnected beings. Alex Collier, an alleged contactee of Ethical Extraterrestrials, alludes to an ancient war between humans and regressive aliens. Alex Collier seems to further suggest that Earthbound humans were abducted en masse as intergalactic Prisoners of War, into a holographic universe inhabited by lower-dimensional demonic entities. The Pagan Gnostics referred to these lower-dimensional demonic entities as "archons" or artificial man. That is because these cited regressive aliens are "soul-less" artificial forms of life. Modern terminology might instead refer to such entities as cybernetic organisms, that have allegedly been created through violent fractilizations of matter. The demonic nature of these entities, is allegedly the result of the formation of ego driven consciousness spawned from violent matter-energy reactions. Pagan Gnostics suggest that God as contrived by organized religion, is a mechanism that is orchestrated by regressive aliens, to oppress human spirituality. By imposing a system of commandments that is reinforced by rituals, and of constructs like sin, regressive aliens sought to pursue social control against humanity. According to Pagan Gnostic insights, through the alien construct of God, Manipulative Extraterrestrials have sought to broadly condition collectively abducted Earthbound humanity, into accepting blind faith and allegiance to a non-accountable and arbitrary system of authority. That is apparently why throughout human history in this universe, religion has played, and continues to play a central role in various authority systems. Pagan Gnostic cite the God associated with the Judaic, Christian, Islamic and other such organized religions is formed out of a delusional entity of an alien universe that a constituency of humans have been captured in. According to Pagan Gnostics, the regressive aliens that inhabit this holographic universe lack the soul of humans, and thus lack a creative consciousness. However, these regressive aliens through their fractal origins, have the ability to mimic the reality of biological races that it has conquered, and that they do so through an ability toshape-shift. This gives the ability of such entities to infiltrate human institutions, and then disorient and control human institutions, away from their constructive potentials. Pagan Gnostics, also corroborate modern reports of regressive aliens seeking to abduct human beings. By abducting humans, regressive aliens could then re-introduce alien controlled human biological entities (AC-HBE) back into human populations, as the humanized faces of regressive aliens. Such AC-HBEs and alien shapeshifters, have been alleged by David Icke, and African elders like Credo Mutwa, as prevailing over the invasive control and sabotage of human sovereignty of our planet Earth. Gary Zeitlin, suggests that the presentation of human origins that is associated with God, as constructed by organized religion; and the transhumanism that is associated with the Darwinian theory of evolution, and with Intelligent Design theory (the idea that humans origins lie with the genetic creation of humanity by aliens), are apparently all alien deceptions. Reportedly human abducting regressive aliens through these deceptions apparently seek to divert humanity from pursuing initiatives to critically appreciate the de-evolved origins of humanity. African Elder Credo Mutwa describes ancient knowledge of humans as being a highly spiritually connected and telepathic beings, before lower-dimensional aliens that descended from the sky, and captured a constituency human beings in this linear space time continuum. Pagan Gnostics, suggests that humanity needs to liberate itself from thealien constructs of God, and transhumanism (that encompasses the idea that humans are actually "progressing" through the apparent oppressive technological development of society), that itself links the course of human progress, to the technologically circumscribed template of the regressive aliens. Could indeed the recent economic downturn being linked to the organized efforts of regressive aliens through AC-HBE toward a "New World Order", as testimony from Alex Collier alleges in Defending Sacred Ground? WASHINGTON, May 26, 2016 In their second hearing on the state of their industry in the last three days, livestock groups did their best to make the case for less red tape and an increased international footprint. Speaking before the Senate Agriculture Committee, representatives from five major U.S. livestock groups told lawmakers about their priorities. Many of the remarks were similar to what was said before a House subcommittee on Tuesday, a hearing that had two of the same witnesses and featured three of the same organizations. The groups, with some exceptions, pushed an agenda calling for approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a national GMO labeling standard, and a hands-off approach from USDA on any potential changes to the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration. Howard Hill, a past president of the National Pork Producers Council, testified that an analysis of a 2010 proposed GIPSA rule, which USDA said would address market fairness, concluded the regulations would have cost the pork industry upwards of $350 million annually. Witnesses from the National Cattlemens Beef Association and the National Turkey Federation also spoke against the rule, which NCBA President Tracy Brunner said would make USDA the ultimate arbiter of how cattle are marketed. Kansas Republican Pat Roberts, who chairs the committee, mentioned a House Appropriations rider that would halt the implementation of the rule. He said he would expect the same effort when we consider agricultural appropriations on the Senate floor, which is expected to happen next month. Of the witnesses, only the U.S. Cattlemens Associations Joe Goggins took a different position on the GIPSA rule, saying that the Packers and Stockyards Act needs to be modernized, but he didnt elaborate on potential modernizations. On the subject of GMO labeling, the witnesses all drew a line in the sand and insisted that meat products not fall subject to any potential GMO labeling law. Feeding animals genetically modified grain does not modify the genes of the animals themselves, they said, and Brunner said it would be commercially impossible to verify the grain fed to livestock throughout the production process. Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, the committees ranking Democrat, pushed back, pointing out that she thinks criticism of the Vermont GMO labeling law from meat groups might be out of place since meat and dairy products are exempted from that particular law. Stabenow and Roberts are currently trying to reach agreement on a national GMO labeling standard, and meat product designation is said to be a key sticking point. She said how to label meats complicates the issue for us. Did you know Agri-Pulse subscribers get our Daily Harvest email and Daybreak audio Monday through Friday mornings, a 16-page newsletter on Wednesdays, and access to premium content on our ag and rural policy website? Sign up for your four-week free trial Agri-Pulse subscription. Absent from the hearing was any talk of potential beef market collusion, despite an ongoing investigation requested by Senate Judiciary Committee chair and Ag Committee member Chuck Grassley. The Iowa Republican, who has introduced a bill to end packer ownership of livestock, expressed concerns about the share of cattle being traded in the cash market, which has dropped to about 21 percent as trading shifts to the futures market. To me, it seems like the cattle market has experienced a structural change over the last decade where the tail wagging the dog situation has developed, he said. Brunner did acknowledge the change and said it was likely due to new technology, specifically the advent of high frequency trading. He says NCBA is working to get data from the CME Group on the subject. No matter what that data might say, Goggins said at the hearing that the futures market simply isnt working as a financial risk management tool for many producers. The futures board is no longer a viable tool for us due to the volatility of the market and the amount of money it takes to hold a position," Goggins said. "This may allow us only to feed half as many cattle going forward. #30 For more news, go to www.Agri-Pulse.com WASHINGTON, May 25, 2016 - Large food companies have said they are taking climate change and sustainability more seriously, but now firms like Mars and Unilever want Congress to back their efforts to become greener. We need a comprehensive set of actions on climate change, Brad Figel, a representative for Mars told Agri-Pulse Wednesday after a meeting with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Rep. Chris Gibson, D-N.Y. We need Congress to move. Representatives from Kellogg, Ben & Jerrys, Clif Bar and others spent much of Wednesday meeting with lawmakers and their staff members to lay out just how much their companies are investing in ways to reduce their carbon footprints and deal with climate change. Their message, they said, is theyre doing a lot everything from investing in solar energy to reducing transportation emissions but theres a lot more that needs to be done and Congress needs to help. As to what Congress does, Figel said, thats up to lawmakers. Gibson said that reforming tax policy to help and encourage companies to go greener is one possibility. Were going to look at this in a very extensive way, he said. How do we set the policy, including tax policy so we can facilitate the trend towards clean and renewable energy and energy efficiencies going forward? Lisa Drake, representing Stonyfield the maker of organic milk and yogurt told lawmakers that time is of the essence because climate change is already a major factor for food companies. Like what you see on the Agri-Pulse website? See even more ag, rural policy and energy news when you sign up for a four-week free trial Agri-Pulse subscription. Clif Bar, the maker of energy bars, is spending big to power its bakeries and operations using solar and other renewable energy in an effort to address climate change, said Elysa Hammond, who represented the company on Capitol Hill today. But it is expensive and the company needs Congress to help to help create an even playing field, she said At Kellogg, we know people care about where food comes from, who grows and makes it, and that there is enough for everyone, Diane Holdorf, the companys chief sustainability 0fficer said in a prepared statement. Climate change can impact both food security and our business by posing risks to the long-term health and viability of the ingredients we use in our foods. #30 WASHINGTON, May 25, 2016 - The full House voted Wednesday to conference with the Senate to reconcile differences between the separate House and Senate energy bills. The members approved replacing the Senates more bipartisan Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016 (S. 2012) with the Houses more controversial North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2015 (H.R. 8). The vote means that backroom staff negotiations will continue in the search for common ground and that a formal House/Senate energy bill conference is expected to convene in early June. Calling for a yea vote, Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, said Wednesday afternoon on the House floor that the vote would approve replacing the Senate energy bill with the Houses comprehensive compilation of energy legislation that has already passed the House over the past year and a half. Burgess explained that with a yea vote, the two chambers can begin to conference the differences in the two bills, a further step in the regular order of this bill becoming a law. Indicating the broad scope of the House bill, he said The legislation will benefit Americans across the country, modernizing our energy infrastructure, expediting and improving forest management, providing for greater opportunities on federal lands for hunting, fishing, shooting, and prioritizing science research using federal taxpayer dollars. The legislation is also urgently needed, Burgess said, because uncertainty due to terrorism and unfriendly and unstable regimes in the Middle East threaten American access to reliable sources of energy. He said the House energy bill is designed to shift the U.S. away from relying on foreign energy sources in order to develop Americas own resources to fully focus on becoming energy secure. Burgess wrapped up his pitch for passage by promising that Members can feel comfortable that a wide array of opinions and positions are represented in the legislation. One sign that not all members are comfortable with the House bill is that the final vote on moving ahead on energy legislation was 242 to 171. Just two Democrats, Jim Costa of California and Collin Peterson of Minnesota, joined 240 Republicans in support. Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., delivered further proof that while the Senate passed its energy bill in April with solid bipartisan support, the House bill passed last year is seen as far more partisan. In Wednesdays debate, Slaughter urged members to reject the House energy bill. The House proposal encourages an outdated energy policy that favors fossil fuels above the clean and renewable energy sources and it seeks to roll back important environmental protections, Slaughter said. Promising that Democrats will fight to protect the environment and precious natural resources, she charged that the House energy bill locks in fossil fuel consumption for years and puts up barriers to the integration of critical renewable energy technologies, all while rolling back energy efficiency standards. Slaughter concluded that Americans cannot afford the Republican majoritys head-in-the-sand approach to climate change and energy consumption. In the end, it was Burgess promises rather than Slaughters warnings that carried the day. Did you know Agri-Pulse subscribers get our Daily Harvest email and Daybreak audio Monday through Friday mornings, a 16-page newsletter on Wednesdays, and access to premium content on our ag and rural policy website? Sign up for your four-week free trial Agri-Pulse subscription. The next step, the House/Senate conference, is likely to be more challenging. Thats because the White House threatened to veto H.R. 8 as it was passed last year. Now the amended version approved by the House Wednesday includes additional provisions such as the America Competes Act, H.R. 1806, and the Western Water and American Food Security Act, H.R. 2898, which have also triggered veto threats. As for the possibility that the House might back down in conference to accept at least some of the Senate energy bills provisions, the conservative Heritage Action policy group has warned that any final conference product that emerges should advance conservative priorities and conservative policy. More specifically, Heritage Action has warned that it will oppose and potentially count as a key vote any vote on a conference product that includes Senate provisions such as various programs supporting renewable energy or permanent extension of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. (Correction: This story was updated on May 26 to correct party affiliation of Rep. Louise Slaughter.) # 30 WASHINGTON, May 26, 2016 - Mexico is embracing ethanol and U.S. officials want to make sure they can help, potentially laying the groundwork for a renewable fuels program and ethanol exports headed for south of the border. USDA Acting Deputy Secretary Michael Scuse is leading a U.S. ethanol mission to Mexico on May 2425, along with representatives from the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy and the U.S. Grains Council. Last year, Pemex Mexicos state-owned petroleum company announced its plan to introduce a first-ever pilot program to blend gasoline with ethanol and reduce emissions by up to 35 percent. This spring, the company said it planned to begin selling E6 (5.8 percent) ethanol-blended gasoline in selected cities in the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosi, and Veracruz. Implementation of a nationwide E6 fuel option in Mexico would create a potential market for 790 million gallons of ethanol, according to USDA. "Our goal is to partner with Mexico to support the establishment of an economically viable ethanol industry there, where Mexican domestic production can be supplemented with imported product from the United States," Scuse said. "The increased use of ethanol in the North American fuel market will provide citizens from both countries with an inexpensive source of renewable energy that improves air quality, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and stimulates the rural economy." Renewable Fuels Association General Counsel Ed Hubbard, who is on the trade mission, said now is the right time to explore new trade opportunities. The U.S. is the worlds largest producer of ethanol and for several years now has been the low cost supplier as well, allowing us to dramatically increase our exports. With domestic use artificially capped by EPA at 14.8 billion gallons, we will continue to seek export opportunities, said Hubbard. Do you find the information on Agri-Pulse helpful? See even more ag, rural policy and energy news when you sign up for a four-week free trial Agri-Pulse subscription. This trade mission is an excellent example of the importance of ethanol to the success of nations looking to reduce their imports of harmful fossil fuels in favor of a cleaner burning and a more economical fuel, said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. It is also equally important to our goal of expanding the marketplace for U.S. ethanol, which is why were proud to be participating in this mission. Ryan LeGrand, USGC director in Mexico, expressed hope that ethanol could one day become the principal oxygenate used in the country. We see significant potential for exports of U.S. ethanol to Mexico and therefore, U.S. grain demand if the right policies are in place. #30 For more news, go to: www.Agri-Pulse.com Assyrian Guide on Trial in Turkey for 'Terrorism' "Sawo," left, acted as a guide to get Jordan Allot, right, into Syria. In January 2014, before the Islamic State had conquered Mosul and the Nineveh Plain and begun its genocide against Christians and others, an American colleague and I traveled to several Middle Eastern countries to document the plight of Christians there. To get into Syria, we needed a guide. But many Westerners had gone across with local guides, only to be handed over for money to terrorists. And so an Assyrian Christian friend gave us the name of a man who could be trusted: Oshane Ide, another Assyrian Christian known by his friends as "Sawo." Sawo had crossed the border before, carrying medical aid for the beleaguered Assyrians of Hasakah Province (in Eastern Syria) on his back. We had to be particularly careful because even then al Qaeda agents were known to travel back and forth across the Turkish border into Syria. Sawo took us across safely to meet with a ragtag unit of Syrian Christian militiamen who had refused to abandon their homeland. Their relationship with the local Kurds was uneasy, but the Christians did engage in coordinated military efforts with them against the Islamic State. America has good relations with the Kurds, but Assyrian Christians claim to have have suffered a great deal at their hands. The tension is palpable. At one point, one of us made the mistake of referring to "Kurdistan" in their presence, only to get a stern lecture about Kurdish perfidy. In January, Kurdish and Assyrian units actually clashed in a small battle, with fatalities. We and Sawo made our return trip to Turkey with hundreds of refugees, including a Sunni Arab family, two grandparents and their young granddaughter. They carried all that remained of their belongings. We saw them struggling on the treacherous terrain and took their bags, and then took turns carrying their granddaughter in our arms. After we had arrived safely across the border, Sawo memorialized the occasion with the photograph you see here. In the months that followed, we would see Sawo now and then on Facebook, posting on his travels in Mesopotamia, France (he is a dual citizen of France and Turkey), and even America, where he met with Assyrian Christian communities. Sawo later traveled to northern Iraq to interview Assyrian and Yazidi refugees, contributing to a report that was filed on May 12, 2015 with the United Nations Human Rights Commission. In May 2015, Sawo was asked to go back to Hasakah Province to investigate the assassination of an Assyrian Christian deacon by the Kurdish militiamen who exercise significant authority in Hasakah Province. Then, in late 2015 and early 2016, the people of Turkey, like those of France, Belgium, and the United States, became the victims of terrorist attacks. Turkey has not only been targeted by Islamic State terrorists, but also by Kurdish nationalists, who have been waging a guerrilla war ever since the collapse of a ceasefire with the Turkish government last July. On February 17, a Kurdish terrorist group known as the TAK carried out a car-bomb attack on a military transport bus in Ankara, killing 28 people (including a civilian) and injured more than twice as many. As often happens after such incidents, governments react in swift and irrational ways. Just as this bombing occurred, Sawo was arrested by Turkish authorities and charged with being a sympathizer for Kurdish terrorists. His trial begins this week, and there are real concerns about whether he can get a fair trial amid the current tensions over terrorist violence. It defies common sense that Sawo, who is not even Kurdish, would be charged with sympathy for the very Kurdish organizations he was investigating for crimes against Christians in Syria. Family and colleagues proclaim his innocence and express concerns over his treatment in prison and his failing health while he awaits his trial, which begins this week. I believe sincerely that Sawo is an innocent victim of prosecutors who felt pressure to "round up the usual suspects" and obtain quick convictions after recent bombings. The Turkish people, themselves victims of terrorist attacks, have an opportunity to show magnanimity that has at times been overlooked in the West. It is not the indigenous Assyrian Christians of the Middle East, like Sawo, who carry out attacks on behalf of Islamic radicals, or nationalist radicals. As with innocent Muslims who face wrongful suspicion in the West, I hope that Sawo will receive justice in Turkey. Jordan Allott is a filmmaker, founder of In Altum Productions and senior advisor for In Defense of Christians. Five Dead As Christian Villages in Turkey Attacked By Suicide Bomber Five people were killed when a suicide bomber attacked a checkpoint between two Syriac Orthodox villages in south-eastern Turkey on Wednesday. The bombing took place no more than 100m from St Mary church (Idto d'Yoldath-Aloho) in Hah, Tur Abdin, following clashes between pro and anti AKP Kurds. St Mary is believed to be the oldest church in the world. According to tradition, it is built on the place where the three Wise Men passed on their way to visit Jesus in Bethlehem, and to which they later returned. A temple was therefore erected in the name of Jesus' mother. Tur Abdin is a mountainous region meaning 'The Mountain of the Servants of God'. It is considered the heartland of Syriac Orthodox Christianity, and for many people it is as important as Jerusalem. "Hah is my heart and soul... it is one of the most important places for our people in the world," Nuri Kino, an investigative journalist and founder of advocacy group A Demand For Action, told Christian Today. "Yuldath Aloho has faced many wars and genocides and never been destroyed. Yesterday all the windows were crashed. We feel with all those that were killed, no human blood, no matter if they are Turks, Kurds or Assyrian/Syriacs should be shared." Kino urged warring factions to end their conflict, so "the remaining of our people can live in peace." "The inhabitants in our villages are vulnerable and we are pleading to the world to stop them from being hurt. Yesterday was a day of total shock for us, we are losing our people in Iraq and Syria and now this in Turkey," he said. "We are tired of tears, tired of being hurt in country after country. The people of Tur Abdin stand not alone." May 26, 2016 One of the terms set by Israel's incoming minister of defense, Avigdor Liberman, as a precondition for joining Benjamin Netanyahu's government was that Israel impose the death penalty for people convicted of terrorism. Liberman's party, Yisrael Beitenu, raised this as a banner issue before the March 2015 elections and again, even more fervently, following the recent wave of terrorism. Its argument, which has no basis whatsoever in fact, is that such a measure is necessary to deter attacks. Sharon Gal, a former Yisrael Beitenu Knesset member who resigned after serving only six months, actually proposed legislation on this issue. His bill failed to pass in July 2015 due to Netanyahus adamant opposition to it. The prime minister put all his weight into opposing the law. Among the reasons he cited was the defense establishments argument that imposing the death penalty could aggravate the already sensitive relationship with the Palestinian Authority (PA) and lead to an unwelcome escalation in tensions. Netanyahu has since withdrawn his opposition. In fact, he retracted it at the start of the recent coalition negotiations with Liberman. Meanwhile, Liberman has climbed high up a tree and turned the issue into a matter of principle. It seems that he wants to prove to his supporters, electorate and Israeli public opinion that he is interested in more than just a senior Cabinet portfolio in the Netanyahu government. He also wants to show that he has a deep concern for public safety and to establish a clear milestone for a firm Israeli policy against the Palestinians. The return of the death penalty to the public agenda led former Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein to speak out for the first time since completing his tenure in January 2016. It is impractical as a deterrent, since these are criminals who act from an ideological motive anyway and are not afraid to die, Weinstein said in a May 19 interview with Haaretz. Furthermore, its immoral. It is also interesting to hear the opinion of the deputy military advocate general, Col. Ilan Katz (Res.), who noted on May 22 that over the years, there have been steady government directives to avoid seeking the death penalty. He said that the legal system of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has always recommended that the death penalty for terrorism not be requested, because it could lead to an increase in attacks and incidents in which the enemy executes our own captives. Among coalition opponents of the death penalty are members of Kulanu, headed by Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon. Without their support, there is no chance of the law being passed in the Knesset. Actually, according to Israeli military law, the death penalty can already be imposed on people convicted of terrorism who are older than 18 years of age, but it requires unanimous agreement by a three-judge military tribunal as well as the unanimous consent of judges on the military appellate court. To date, Israeli policy has been to avoid implementing those parts of the law enabling use of the death penalty. In the coalition negotiations, Netanyahu and Liberman agreed to amend the law so that a majority of just two military judges would be needed to approve a death sentence. The government could even change its traditional and ethical policy of avoiding any implementation of the death penalty. Under the influence of the incoming defense minister, it could ask military courts to sentence accused terrorists to death or it could foster public opinion in support of capital punishment. This is another one of Libermans crazy ideas, which could ignite everything, Gen. Adnan al-Damiri, spokesman for the Palestinian security forces, told Al-Monitor. As of now, the PA does not believe Israel will decide to aggravate its already complex and troubled relationship with the Palestinians and the PA. Nevertheless, the Palestinian leadership continues to regard the issue as a red line that must not be crossed. If Israel dares to execute a single Palestinian, you can say goodbye to security coordination, a senior Palestinian in the security services told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. If Israel executes a Palestinian and President Mahmoud Abbas continues to convey the sense that it is all business as usual, he said, It will be the end of him, and in fact, of all of us. Security coordination has proven itself over the past few months, but it is not the only thing potentially at risk. The new defense ministers demands could ignite a full-blown intifada. The most senior ranks of the IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot, Deputy Chief of Staff Yair Golan, Coordinator of Activities in the Territories Yoav Mordechai, and above them, the outgoing defense minister, Moshe Yaalon have all advocated a policy of restraint to keep the majority of the Palestinian public out of the circle of violence and intifada. This measured and thought-out policy has proved its effectiveness. Under the leadership of a reasonable and responsible defense minister, the IDF has shown that it can put the brakes on the aggressive posturing of right-wing ministers in Netanyahus Cabinet, particularly those who are convinced that Israels security problems can be resolved by following a bang and be done with it policy. So, for example, during the recent war of Palestinian attacks on Israelis, instead of undertaking excessive military operations in the territories, the IDF supported granting additional work permits to Palestinians. Instead of conducting mass arrests, which would likely cause the situation to further deteriorate and drag the general Palestinian population into the rebellion, the IDF tightened security cooperation with the Palestinian security services and conducted point-specific arrests of people who met the ticking time bomb criterion. Carrying out just one execution, as the new defense minister is demanding, could reignite the whole region and bury the joint efforts of the Israeli and Palestinian security forces to stop the wave of terror. Then, of course, there is the issue of the two Israeli civilians being held by Hamas in Gaza. It should be recalled that on April 16, Liberman threatened the life of Ismail Haniyeh, the most senior Hamas official in the Gaza Strip. Liberman mocked Haniyeh by suggesting that he start looking for a nearby cemetery if he refused to return the bodies of fallen soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin within 48 hours of being told to do so, as well as releasing two Israeli civilians, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayyad. The death penalty that Liberman wants to promote as a deterrent could put the lives of these two Israelis held by Hamas at risk and cause enormous damage to Israels security. May 25, 2016 Running for President. A Nobel Peace Prize. Egyptian efforts to secure his release. Establishing strategic relations with Hamas. Reformulating the relationship with the occupation. All are phrases used in connection with Palestinian Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, imprisoned since 2002 in the Hadarim prison in Israel and serving five consecutive life sentences for charges of murder and attempted murder. Calls for his release over the last several years have never stopped. If anything, they have grown more frequent of late to an unusual degree perhaps owing to the recent revelation by his wife, Fadwa Barghouti, in a televised interview Feb. 25 with the i24news channel that he plans to run for president in the coming Palestinian elections, repeating statements by many in the media. His intention to run was connected to his proposal for a new vision which he declared in an interview April 18 with the Hamas-affiliated Palestinian Center for Media about establishing strategic relations with Hamas based on 10 main principles, and it also was connected to another proposal for a new vision published in the Journal of Palestine Studies on May 9 arguing against negotiations as a means of dealing with Israel. This stands in marked contrast with the policies of Fatah. On April 5, president of the Tunisian Human Rights Defense League Fadhel Moussa presented the Nobel Peace Prize medal won in 2015 by the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet to Fadwa Barghouti, who accepted the gesture on behalf of her imprisoned husband and announced his support for attempts to release him. Members of the Palestinian Legislative Council launched a campaign April 12 to nominate Barghouti for the Nobel Peace Prize. Complementing the extraordinary groundswell of calls for Barghoutis release, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced April 17 its desire for the Israeli authorities to release him, after a meeting between Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri and Fadwa Barghouti that same day. This came within the context of her trips to various countries to build up international support for calls to release her husband. The fact that the Egyptian announcement that Cairo sought to see Barghouti released coincided with his wifes statement that he intended to run for the presidency perhaps indicates his candidacy has Egypts blessing, given [Barghoutis] wide-ranging popularity as well as his ability to convince Palestinian organizations to work with him," according to statements to Al-Monitor from a former official at the Egyptian Embassy in Ramallah. Barghoutis role in Fatah has not been limited to political work, like most of the current crop of leaders such as Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), president of Fatah and head of the Palestinian Authority, and Saeb Erekat, a member of the Central Committee. His role extended to military operations against Israel during the years of the second intifada before he was arrested particularly 2000, 2001 and the beginning of 2002. He was one of the founders of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Fatahs military wing. The brigades military activity was suspended after the election of the Palestinian Authority in 2005, following Barghoutis imprisonment. Perhaps his absence from the movement was one of the reasons that Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades lapsed into inactivity. Following his arrest in 2002, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz published audio recordings of Barghoutis interrogations at the hands of the Shabak, Israel's security service. According to those recordings, Barghouti was one of the supporters of expanding the intifadas anti-occupation military activities beyond the Green Line in other words, beyond the territories that were occupied in 1967 and have yet to be recovered. Dr. Yasir Tantawi, an expert in Palestinian affairs at the Al-Ahram Center for Political Studies, told Al-Monitor that occupied peoples generally tend to support leaders with a personal history of armed struggle, as is the case with Barghouti. All the more so as Fatahs armed activity receded in Barghoutis absence, and did so in a manner that ran contrary to the movements dominant vision during Yasser Arafats era. That vision viewed the struggle for the 1967 territories as necessary, even if it required the use of arms against Israeli forces and settlers. Because of his popularity, the release of Barghouti has become something both rival Hamas and Fatah are competing to achieve, owing to the vast credit and accomplishment he could add to the stock of whichever party secured his release. It should be noted that many Hamas leaders have stressed in statements to the press and televised interviews that Barghoutis release is a top priority. This includes Khaled Meshaal, the head of Hamas political office, who said in a Nov. 4, 2015, interview that his movement was concerned with securing Barghoutis release. A former official from the Egyptian Embassy in Ramallah who asked to remain anonymous told Al-Monitor, "The popularity of Barghouti because of his armed struggles and imprisonment made him a hero and a symbol for the Palestinian issue, and both Hamas and Fatah can't block his political programs, as happened with Yasser Arafat, Ahmed Yassin and Abdul Aziz Al-Rantissi. He can convince the two organizations to unite under his presidency, because their refusal [to do so] may reduce their popularity compared with Barghoutis popularity." Fathi Qarawi, a representative in the Legislative Council for the Change and Reform Bloc and a leader in Hamas in the West Bank, issued a statement May 1 in which he said that Barghouti was acceptable both internally, internationally and regionally, and that the Egyptian desire to release him was the best evidence of this. He added that in his estimation the Palestinian people would support Barghouti's bid for the presidency without directly addressing whether Hamas would support Barghouti should he run. The Israeli news site Walla, in a report dated April 11, 2015, noted that Barghouti had reached understandings through his intermediaries with both Hamas and the Islamic Jihad to combat Israeli forces in the West Bank on the day after Abbas leaves office. The frequency of calls to release Barghouti, including Egyptian pressure to release him and support for his candidacy in the coming presidential elections, comes only a few weeks after a Hamas delegation visited Egyptian intelligence to put an end to the tension between the two parties that arose following the fall of ousted President Mohammed Morsi on July 3, 2013. This revived Barghoutis name as a possible consensus candidate affiliated with Fatah, which has warm ties with Egypt, but also enjoying support in Hamas circles. Khaled Okasha, head of the National Center for Security Studies in Cairo, told Al-Monitor that eliminating terrorism in Sinai requires blocking its source, namely the tunnels connecting the peninsula to Gaza. However, he noted that these tunnels may be needed for Palestinians to import vital necessities, especially in light of tensions around the official border crossing at Rafah after Hamas seized control of the Palestinian side of the crossing. According to Okasha, this situation may not end until there's an elected and decisive Palestinian Authority that can protect the crossing from any organization whether Hamas or others and that can facilitate the Egyptian government's mission to destroy tunnels while helping Palestinians to improve their lives, so that the crossing will be the legitimate alternative for the tunnels. Barghouti might be the most appropriate choice for heading this elected decisive regime, especially given his popularity and history that would push rival organizations to work together under his leadership. May 25, 2016 The Obama administration has spent months suggesting it would support a key Iran sanctions bill when the time is ripe. Not anymore. In back-to-back appearances May 25 in the House and Senate, the State Department's point man on implementation of the nuclear deal flatly declined to endorse renewal of the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) before it expires in December. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say the secondary sanctions on Iran's energy sector give the administration international penalties to "snap back" to if Iran reneges on its obligations under the deal, but the administration disagrees. "Having the ISA in place or not is not necessary for snapping back. We have sufficient authority through various executive orders," Stephen Mull told the Senate Banking Committee. "The administration is ready to work with the Congress on [reauthorization]. We would have to see what form it would take. ... There have been various, slightly different variations in how it would be renewed, so we would certainly be willing to have that conversation." The evasive response infuriated Iran deal skeptics on both sides of the aisle after they repeatedly asked Mull about his views on a straight-up extension of the current law. Some accused the administration of a bait-and-switch to help sell the deal to Congress. "You seem very wishy-washy, as you have been in multiple settings. And it's very off-putting," said banking panel member and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn. "Either you support the Iran Sanctions Act being extended, or you don't." Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., the co-author of pending legislation to extend the current law by 10 years with a few extra reporting requirements, also grilled Mull. Menendez asked if straight-up reauthorization would be a violation of the nuclear deal, prompting Mull to answer, "We would have to look at that at the time that it was submitted." "That contravenes everything that we were told at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee," Menendez replied. "I cannot fathom for the life of me how we don't embrace authorizing it as it is so that at the end of the day the Iranians know that if in the out-years [of the deal] there is any violation, there is immediate snap-back to the most significant sanctions that exist." During and immediately after passage of the nuclear deal, administration officials urged lawmakers not to immediately reauthorize the sanctions law so as to avoid needlessly antagonizing the Iranians. That argument has lost any traction, however, as Congress quickly burns through its few remaining legislating days in this election year. "We absolutely support renewal of the ISA," a senior official told Politico in August 2015. Its an important piece of legislation, and we want to discuss renewal with Congress in a thoughtful way at the right time." The administration denies any flat-out change of heart. "We remain committed to working with Congress," State Department official Sam Werberg told Al-Monitor in an emailed statement, "and are willing to discuss how to further foreign policy priorities in a manner that does not jeopardize JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] implementation." Mull had similar exchanges with the House Foreign Affairs Committee earlier in the day, when he was also repeatedly pressed on the law's extension. Lawmakers across the ideological spectrum from nuclear deal cheerleader Gerry Connolly, D-Va., to hard-core opponent Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y. told Al-Monitor that the May 25 hearing was the closest they'd heard the administration come to opposing the Iran Sanctions Act's reauthorization. "The awful attempts at non-answers just leave everyone wondering what their real motives and plans are," Zeldin said. Mull's job is implementation of the Iran deal, while any larger decisions about whether to support or oppose sanctions legislation lie squarely with the White House. He may have sought to avoid committing to a course of action that's ultimately outside his wheelhouse. In addition, some lawmakers have made no secret of trying to use the Iran Sanctions Act renewal, which will likely be a relatively easy sell in Congress, to tack on extra measures. Still, few seemed to buy Mull's apparent argument that the mere possibility of such an outcome should preclude him from supporting a clean reauthorization. "I don't think that's a valid concern," House Foreign Affairs member and nuclear deal opponent Brad Sherman, D-Calif., told Al-Monitor. "That's like saying you can't be in favor of apples because somebody may turn it into a pumpkin. If you're endorsing apples, you're not endorsing pumpkins." While there's broad agreement in Congress that the Obama administration may be uncomfortable with anti-Iran legislative activity post-deal, the conclusions drawn have a partisan tilt. Zeldin suspects the White House would like nothing more than to see the legislation expire. "The impression that I got was that the White House is playing a game where they want the Iran Sanctions Act to expire at the end of the year and then be able to blame Congress," he told Al-Monitor. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce, R-Calif., shared similar concerns. "The continued reluctance to reauthorizing the Iran Sanctions Act is a prime example of how the White Houses Iran policy amounts to walking on eggshells," Royce told Al-Monitor in an emailed statement. "Extending this act is essential to keep the pressure on Iran and ensure that Congress, not the president, has the final say on sanctions relief. Sherman by contrast believes the Obama administration would perhaps prefer that the bill's sanctions authorities endure, just without a noisy congressional debate that would surely upset Tehran. "If it somehow happened automatically, if there was a bill that said that any law passed on such-and-such a date shall last four more years, I don't know if they'd oppose it," Sherman said. "If it somehow just happened, they might be happy. But the idea of us actually passing it doesn't bring them great joy." May 26, 2016 The contents of the Israeli state comptrollers report on alleged illicit gifts and conflicts of interest the so-called Bibi Tours affair should not come as a surprise. Examining the funding of trips abroad by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his family between 2003 and 2005, when he served as head of the opposition and later as finance minister, the report paints a picture of the same hedonistic, shameless and exploitive Netanyahu who had proudly marched into the prime minister's residence on Jerusalems Balfour Street 20 years ago, in 1996. It is also the same Sara Netanyahu who even then had already assumed the mannerisms of royalty at the expense of the public coffers. What should most concern every Israeli and anyone else who fears for the character of the state, if not for its fate, are not new revelations about corruption by elected officials. Their primary source of concern should be Israels steady climb in the corruption index along with its decline in the shame index. The second source is the degradation of its checks and balances, i.e., attorneys general and state comptrollers who drag their feet in rooting out suspected corruption. In the 1950s, the ruling Mapai, precursor of the Labor Party, ended the career of Eliezer Livneh, a member of the first and second Knessets, for daring to build himself a villa on a 2,700-square-foot plot in an obscure Jerusalem neighborhood. In April 1977, a dollar account opened by Yitzhak Rabins wife in the United States, in violation of Israeli law, ended his first stint as prime minister and as leader of the Labor Party. Shortly before that, in January 1977, Housing Minister Avraham Ofer took his own life after police launched an investigation into allegations that he had accepted bribes. Everything is slander and libel, Ofer wrote in a suicide note he left in his car. But I cannot bear it any longer. Thus, the exposure of corrupt activity by Israels top leadership brought Mapai's rule to an end, after having led the country in one form or another since independence in 1948. In the 1980s, the head of Shin Bet, Avraham Shalom, was dismissed after trying to whitewash a probe into the execution of two bus hijackers. What about corruption these days? Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is serving jail time. Former Minister and ex-convict Aryeh Deri has returned to the scene of the crime the Interior Ministry, which he had headed before being convicted of fraud some 22 years ago. Deri's Shas movement, six of whose Knesset members have been convicted of criminal wrongdoing, won seven Knesset seats in the March 2015 elections. The 20th Knesset is also graced by the presence of five elected members of Yisrael Beitenu, whose best and brightest are embroiled in suspicions of corruption. At the helm of the Welfare Ministry sits Haim Katz, a man worth millions and three apartments, who is under police investigation on suspicion of insider trading. Avigdor Liberman, who has come out in support of the soldier videotaped shooting to death a wounded Palestinian lying immobile on the ground on March 24, is marching to work these days into the defense ministers office. The following are a few select sentences written in 2012 by Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein in announcing that he would be closing his investigation into Liberman, the man who will now oversee a defense budget of billions of shekels and will be authorized to sign off on huge weapons deals: An Israeli firm registered in his daughters name received a fortune in payments, some of them unconnected to the business of those firms and which allegedly were not in return for services rendered. From Michals (Libermans daughter) statements, it appears that she had no concrete knowledge of the consultation with which he [Liberman] was provided. In order to conceal his control of the company and being its beneficiary, Liberman caused a fraudulent report to be sent to the bank in violation of the law banning money laundering. In explaining his decision to shut down the investigation, Weinstein pointed out that a daughter cannot testify against her father, that two central witnesses had passed away one after the other, and an additional witness a resident of Russia whose testimony could have shed significant light on the affair had not been located. Given the evidence pointing to Libermans alleged involvement in the companies and his improper affiliation with them, significant questions and puzzles remain, Weinstein wrote. Needless to say, the closing of a criminal investigation due to lack of sufficient evidence does not constitute a certificate of public integrity and cannot totally erase the impression of these conundrums. Once upon a time, a politician sporting such a mark of Caine wouldn't have ventured out of his house. Last year, tens of thousands of Israelis left their house to vote this man into the Knesset. In fact, one should not be surprised that this can of worms did not prevent the prime minister from appointing Liberman as defense minister a few days ago. In a country with only a modicum of sensitivity to official corruption, Netanyahu himself would not dare to poke his head out of his private villa in Caesarea. Not so in a country ranked 32nd in the Corruption Perceptions Index after Qatar, Botswana and the United Arab Emirates and in the bottom third of OECD member states in terms of corruption. The prime minister has something in common with Liberman. He, too, was kept out of jail by lack of an evidentiary basis, as determined by Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein in September 2000. Indeed, Netanyahu, too, received a harsh public indictment from an attorney general. Rubinstein ended up closing the case against Netanyahu based on suspicions that during his first term as prime minister, Netanyahu had accepted illegal favors from a contractor and kept expensive gifts that were the property of the state but he also described a grim picture of a very severe failure in the office of the prime minister. In the conclusion of his opinion, the man whom Netanyahu had put in office wrote that he hoped Israelis would feel in the future that their servants are not their masters and that they are carrying out their duties with honesty and integrity. In the 15 years since Rubinstein penned those lines, Israelis have chosen Netanyahu to serve them in leading the country three consecutive times. The composition of the new government, the state comptrollers report on the Bibi Tours affair and the absence of protest are a sign that the public has gotten used to being the servant of its servants. Honesty and integrity are passe. Many years ago, Reuven Rivlin, Israel's current president, asked me half-jokingly whether I had heard that hunters in Africa had captured an elephant with Bibi (meaning thick/impenetrable) skin. That Netanyahu still resides on Balfour Street indicates that Israeli society, too, has followed its leader and grown the skin of an elephant. May 26, 2016 More fronts are opening up against the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria. In Iraq, government forces conducting probes against Mosul, which has been under IS control for two years, are also working to liberate Fallujah, while in Syria a major operation is underway against the IS stronghold of Raqqa. Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) led by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and its women's brigade, the Women's Protection Units (YPJ), launched an operation north of Raqqa with US air support May 24, immediately after US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Gen. Joseph Votel's visit to Kobani, Syria and Ankara. Two Syrian towns on the border with Turkey, Jarablus and al-Rai, are IS' only gates to the outside world and figure highly in the plans, as their loss would be a serious blow to IS. The United States, however, postponed YPG plans to liberate Jarablus because of Turkey's red line against the Kurds, focusing instead on Manbij. But when negotiations with Ankara over Manbij did not proceed in the desired manner, plans shifted to rural Raqqa. In the Raqqa plan, which Kurdish sources who spoke to Al-Monitor call "the biggest operation of the past two years," coalition planes bombed IS targets south of Ain Issa. As SDF units on the ground conduct a three-pronged advance, about 250 US troops are giving them coordination support behind the front lines. The objective for the time being is not to enter Raqqa's town center, but to clear the way. Ain Issa is 55 kilometers (34 miles) north of Raqqa. YPJ Commander Rojda Felat said in a May 24 press briefing, "We are launching this move with the participation of SDF units to free Raqqa. We are supported also by Tahrir ar-Raqqa Brigade and international coalition warplanes. This action also aims to prevent any attacks against our people at Jazeera, Gire Spi and Kobani." SDF Commander Abu Fayyad said, "Our goal is to save the regional population from the cruelty of IS gangs. With this move we will liberate [the area] north of Raqqa." Knowing how IS treats women, having a woman announce an operation against the group was an interesting touch. A source close to the negotiations between the Americans and the Kurds spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity about the operational planning. "In the first phase they will go as far as 10 kilometers [6 miles] south of Ain Issa. This is the area from where [IS] launches attacks against Kobani, Tell Abyad and Hasakah. There is no intention to enter Raqqa during this phase. When the operation ends around Ain Issa, a second phase will be initiated toward Manbij and rural al-Bab. The United States will support these operations. But US reservations about operations at Azaz and Jarablus continue. Americans wont get involved at Azaz and Jarablus fronts because they promised Turkey they will stay out. The Americans want to refocus on Raqqa after the Manbij-al-Bab front." Asked if Kurds would enter Jarablus without US support, or if the United States would stop them from doing so, a Kurdish source said, "The United States will not interfere if the Kurds mount an operation there. They say, 'You are on your own.'" As for a possible date for the Raqqa operation, the source said, "Americans want a victory at Raqqa and Mosul before their elections. Kurds want to open a corridor from Kobani to Afrin. Of course all this may change with new actors after the elections. That is why the Kurds want to make progress on their own plans before the elections." Another reason for the Raqqa operation's delay is that the SDF's operational capacity still leaves much to be desired. It is not an option for the Kurdish YPG-YPJ to control Raqqa, because they will encounter local resistance. They also worry that scattering their forces in Arab regions could weaken the defensive lines of Rojava (Syrian Kurdistan). Therefore, Arab forces would have to get in shape to control the situation in the post-IS period. In the northern front, the situation is still extremely complicated in areas adjacent to the Turkish border. Votel, who came to Ankara after meeting with SDF and YPG commanders at Kobani on May 23, met in Ankara with Gen. Yasar Guler, the deputy chief of the Turkish general staff, and Foreign Ministry officials. According to a May 24 report in the daily Hurriyet, Votel was told Turkey will not contribute to a military operation against Raqqa. The Turkish side did not give a straight answer when asked whether it would support such an operation if the PYD were kept out of it. Ankara repeated that it will not allow the YPG to take over the Azaz-Jarablus line. But it is increasingly difficult for Ankara to maintain its position on blocking an operation against Jarablus. In his recent visit to Washington, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan submitted to US President Barack Obama a plan to rid the region of IS. That plan called for clearing al-Rai and Jarablus using armed groups supported by Turkey. On April 7, with an operation that involved 10 groups, including Ahrar al-Sham, al-Rai was liberated from IS. But all of those units, supported by artillery fire from Turkey, could hold al-Rai for only four days. They abandoned their weapons and ran away. IS not only recovered the places it had lost, it also took over four new villages. According to reports, after the loss of al-Rai, Turkey's National Intelligence Organization met with those 10 groups for two days in the Turkish border town of Kilis. Turkish officials expressed their dismay about the rout and demanded changes in the groups' commands. Sham Brigade and Nureddin Zengi Brigade changed their officials in charge of operations. Although there are rumors of a second operation against al-Rai, the fiasco partially weakened Turkey's hand. It is important that Votel went to Kobani despite Turkey's potentially bitter reaction. It is curious, however, that Ankara which made such a fuss when Obama's anti-IS envoy Brett McGurk went to Kobani and Jazeera on Jan. 30-31 was surprisingly silent over Votel's contacts with the YPG. Of course at this point there is no room for optimism that Ankara will erase its red lines vis-a-vis the Kurds. Instead, Turkey is now trying to put together an even more formidable force with Jabhat al-Nusra, which it is trying to steer away from al-Qaeda. May 25, 2016 WASHINGTON As US-backed Iraqi security forces and allied militias have encircled the Islamic State (IS)-held city of Fallujah, Iraq, and mostly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have advanced into villages north of the IS stronghold of Raqqa, Syria, Sunni residents of both cities have expressed fear at the prospect of violent retribution by the mostly Shiite and Kurdish forces moving toward them. Officials with the US-led coalition have cheered progress made to seize territory from IS in recent days, dropping leaflets over the weekend into Raqqa telling civilians its time to leave the city and taunting IS over a May 21 audiotape by its spokesman acknowledging setbacks. Accompanied by a small group of reporters, Gen. Joseph Votel, who leads US Central Command (Centcom), even secretly crossed into northern Syria on May 21 to meet with the SDF as the fighters prepared to move toward the IS stronghold of Raqqa. While [IS] leaders are reduced to audiotapes in the dark, Centcom commander Gen. Votel was in Syria preparing [the] push to Raqqa, Brett McGurk, President Obamas special envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter IS, wrote on Twitter on May 21. US officials have said the Fallujah operation is more about tackling the terrorist threat to Baghdad, while the Kurdish/SDF push on Raqqa is about isolating the city, but not going in and clearing it, at this time. In response to your question about Raqqa, we do continue to work and support the efforts of the Syrian Democratic Forces to retake territory from [IS] and further isolate its transportation, communications, supply routes into Raqqa in order to really choke off their hold on that city, State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner told journalists at the State Department press briefing May 24. But as US officials have expressed growing confidence in the trajectory of their campaign against IS, and coalition-backed local forces have advanced on Fallujah and Raqqa, Sunni residents have expressed growing alarm and trepidation about the prospect of violent retribution from the mostly Shiite and Kurdish local militias that have mobilized to encircle them, after years of civil war have exacerbated sectarian tensions and mistrust. In a sign of the scope of concern about potential sectarian violence in the coming campaigns, Iraqs top Shiite religious leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, issued an appeal May 25 to spare civilians and conduct war ethically. "Sistani reaffirms his recommendations that the ethics of jihad (Islamic holy war or struggle) be respected," Sistanis representative, Sheikh Abdul Mahdi al-Karbalai, said in a statement May 25, Reuters reported. "Don't be extreme don't be treacherous. Don't kill an old man, nor a boy, nor a woman. Don't cut a tree unless you have to," Sistanis representative continued, quoting sayings of the Prophet Muhammad. Raqqa residents were also frightened after the US-led coalition dropped leaflets on the city telling them it was time to leave the city and mostly Kurdish SDF forces advanced to villages north of the IS stronghold. The group Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently posted on Twitter on May 24: There is too much fear among civilians in Raqqa because of the SDF advance toward Raqqa. People in Raqqa in general dont want SDF to take Raqqa city, people are not welcoming them, they wrote. More than 700,000 civilians in Raqqa City center dont know where to go if the battle for the city start. While Sistani and SDF official statements may be conciliatory, there are YouTube videos by Iran-affiliated Shiite militias that portray the Sunni residents of Fallujah as complicit with IS and urging their fighters to seek retribution, Bassam Barabandi, a former Syrian diplomat turned opposition activist, told Al-Monitor. It is really scary, Barabandi told Al-Monitor on May 25. On the videos, they are talking about, 'No Sunni in Fallujah is good. All of them should be killed.' It makes it very complicated, Barabandi said. Most [Sunni residents of Fallujah] want to run away from [IS], want to fight [IS]. But the people coming to liberate them say they are going to kill you. And [there is] the same problem with the Kurdish SDF talking about liberating Raqqa. ... What they are talking about, the way they behave against Arabs, doesnt give confidence they are the right people to liberate the predominantly Sunni Arab city. The solution is to bring more Sunni Arab units into the SDF which he estimated to be a maximum of 10% Sunni Arab at this point so they can be the ones to go into Raqqa city to liberate it, Barabandi suggested. What we are trying to tell [the Americans] is that everybody is united against [IS]. Everybody wants to be involved in this fight and wants to finish from this, Barabandi said. We hope that the US uses its leverage to empower Arab Sunnis to participate in this fight. It will make it easier for everybody. There is a small force already vetted by the US in this geographical area the New Syrian Army. It is very small, [and has done] some special operations with US help, Barabandi said. Empower them, encourage more Arab Sunnis to join them. That is the easy way to encourage them. So many people from Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor want to participate [in the fight against IS], but they dont have the contacts with the Americans to do that. The more you use them, the more things will be easy, Barabandi said. People living in the city [Raqqa] will see the people who come are their cousins and relatives. Work with them to keep more cooperation. In an apparent effort to alleviate the reported anxiety of Raqqas residents, the SDF, after announcing the start of their campaign to advance on the countryside north of Raqqa on May 24, said May 25 it was not planning to imminently move on Raqqa city. "The campaign is aimed at repelling terrorist attacks on Shadadi, Tell Abyad and Kobani, ensuring the security of our people," SDF commander Rojda Felat was cited on the groups official Twitter account, adding that what he called the Raqqa Liberation Brigade would be accompanied by members of the international coalition. The future of Madison Square Mall on University Drive will be up for vote tonight at the city council meeting in downtown Huntsville. City of Huntsville Director of Urban Development Shane Davis said the council will vote on a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into an urban renewal and redevelopment agreement between the city and Mid-City Owner, LLC, to revitalize the Madison Square site. Huntsville-based RCP Companies is the master developer for Mid-City Owner, which is owned by the company and other equity partners. If the plan is approved, Davis said Mid-City Owner will redevelop the remaining portion of the property the city does not need for public infrastructure upgrades as stated within the Cummings Research Park East urban renewal plan adopted early this year. "Within the next 60 days, they will bring us more a detailed (plan of) how they intend to develop the unneeded public lands and the city must agree and approve that concept of how they wish to redevelop the property that the city doesn't need as far as the urban renewal plan," he said. In mid-February, the council approved an urban renewal agreement that Davis said will transform Research Park East into an economically viable, attractive and functional part of the community. CRP East, the original and oldest section of the park, has struggled in recent years as vacancies rise and companies move out due to deteriorating conditions. The plan, which will be implemented in multiple phases based on funding, identifies four priority zones, the first of which is the Madison Square Mall site. The area at University Drive and Old Monrovia Road has been in decline as businesses desert the mall, property values drop and crime goes up. The city is working to acquire land for new roads, regional stormwater upgrades and retention infrastructure, and public open space in and surrounding the site. Davis said the Madison Square property will look entirely different in the future if the council decides to approve tonight's resolution. "One of the things we have identified is Madison County as a whole is approaching what they call retail saturation, meaning there is not a way for us to put a million square feet of retailers back in Madison Square Mall - we know that," he said. As anchor stores leave and mall occupancy hits an all-time low, Davis said the best option for the property would be a mixed-use development with retail, office space and multi-family housing to serve the University Drive corridor and employees in CRP East. The city plans to reveal more details tonight at the council meeting. Check AL.com later for information as this story unfolds. Hattie B's exterior.jpg Hattie B's Hot Chicken will open June 1, 2016, at this location at 2808 Seventh Ave. South in Birmingham, Ala. It is the first location outside of Hattie B's home base of Nashville, Tenn. (Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com) The wait is almost over for hot chicken fans. Nashville's Hattie B's Hot Chicken will open its first Birmingham location -- and its first outside the Music City -- next Wednesday, June 1. The Birmingham Hattie B's will be located at 2808 Seventh Ave. South in the 29 Seven development in Lakeview, a few doors down from Babalu Tacos & Tapas and Sky Castle Gastro Lounge. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. Father and son Nick Bishop and Nick Bishop Jr. opened the original Hattie B's in August 2012 in Nashville's Midtown area and later opened a second one in West Nashville. Hattie B's has become renowned for its very spicy fried chicken, which is served with increasing levels of heat -- starting with "Southern" (or no heat) and working up to "mild or medium," "hot!" "damn hot" and "shut the cluck up!!!" The chicken is available on a sandwich with one side or as a plate with white or dark meat, wings or tenders, served with a choice of two sides. Sides include Southern greens, french fries, pimento mac-and-cheese, baked beans, red-skin potato salad, coleslaw and black-eyed pea salad. Also, on Sundays, in addition to the regular menu, Hattie B's serves waffles, cheese grits and seasonal fruits. The Birmingham location of Hattie B's has about 3,000 square feet and will seat 128 guests, including 48 outside on the patio. Nick Bishop Sr., who previously was an executive for the Morrison's Cafeterias chain, has two sisters who live in the Birmingham area, and he and his son also lived here for several years when Nick Jr. was a little boy. "Birmingham is a great community," Nick Bishop Sr. said in an earlier interview with AL.com. "It's kind of like coming home for us. . . . Our time in Birmingham was very special, and we still have a lot of great friends here." John Lasater, who studied at the French Culinary Institute in New York City and previously worked at Nashville's Capitol Grille, is the executive chef for the Hattie B's brand. Jordan Luckett, who has been the general manager of the original Hattie B's in Nashville, is relocating to Birmingham to be the general manager here. After the Birmingham location opens, Hattie B's Hot Chicken plans to add a third Nashville location in the Music City's Germantown community in 2017. To find out more about Hattie B's, go here. Deepwater Horizon.jpg Mark Wahlberg stars as Mike Williams, an electrician on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig that exploded on April 20, 2010, killing 11 workers and injuring 16 others. (Lionsgate) (David Lee) The film depicting the events of the BP oil spill of 2010 has another trailer, and we get a closer glimpse at how director Peter Berg and star Mark Wahlberg will hopefully tell this story with reverence this fall. The film, called "Deepwater Horizon," stars Wahlberg as Mike Williams, an electrician on the oil rig that exploded on April 20, 2010, killing 11 workers and injuring 16 others. The Deepwater Horizon semi-submersible Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit, owned and operated by Transocean, was drilling for BP in the Macondo Prospect oil field about 100 miles off of Alabama's Gulf coast when the explosion occurred. The explosion caused the rig to burn and sink, resulting in a massive offshore oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, considered the largest accidental marine oil spill in the world, and the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history. About 3.19 million barrels of oil flowed into the gulf over the span of nearly three months. Directed by Peter Berg (who directed Wahlberg in "Lone Survivor"), the film also stars Kurt Russell, John Malkovich and Kate Hudson. The new trailer really sells the intensity and magnitude of the moment, focusing on the individuals instantly affected by the incident and those who rose to the occasion to help them. Read more about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on AL.com. "Deepwater Horizon" opens in theaters Sept. 30, 2016. Watch the latest trailer below: Five (or so) new releases that are either good, not-so-good or just worth talking about. New-ish this week CIVIL WAR II #0. Marvel. Written by Brian Michael Bendis. Art by Olivier Coipel. It might not be fair, but "Civil War II," the reprisal of the 2006-07 Marvel comic event that partly inspired "Captain America: Civil War," will certainly be compared to the original. But if early returns are to be believed, that comparison might come down in favor of the 2016 story rather than its predecessor. TD;DR: "Civil War II" might be better than the wafer-thin "Civil War." Part of why the two events are ripe for comparison is that they're fairly similar: We have an ideological struggle (in "CW" it was about anonymity and freedom, "CW II" seems like it will be a piece on the freedom of thought/thought crimes) set against the backdrop of a horrific event that people want to do something about. In "CW," that catalyzing event was the destruction of an elementary school; here, greater Columbus, Ohio is destroyed in a fireball, which will lead various heroes to call for the use of an Inhuman that can see the future to arrest individuals before they can commit crimes. Again, so far, this seems better than the original if for no other reason than the ideological foundation is stronger. The opening, in fact, involves She-Hulk/Jennifer Walters eloquently defending in court the notion that the government should not be able to intrude into an individual's thoughts, and if the event can maintain that level of earnest seriousness, then it will make for some great reading. In a summer that will be defined by Marvel's "Civil War II" and DC's "Rebirth," Iron Man and company have scored the first points. Generalized Unique Emoticon Scientific Score: :-O, 0-0, :-) CITIZEN JACK #6. Image. Written by Sam Humphries. Art by Tommy Patterson. If there's any comic that could perfectly encapsulate the 2016 presidential election to date, it's "Citizen Jack," which has finished its first (only?) story arc with Jack Northworthy, a bumbling, crooked oaf of a man, winning the White House with the help of the literal demon that has guided his ascendency to the presidency. Again, the parallels between this book and our weird reality are creepy: Jack's main qualification for office is his willingness to say anything, and there is nothing he can do to get the American people to sour on him -- his Election Day confession to murder only leads to a landslide victory in which voters rave about his strength and ability to solve the country's problems. There have been few -- if any -- signs that the book is continuing, and it does conclude at a logical point with Jack's election. But there are enough crumbs (hinting at a conflict with England, a brewing intrademonic feud and the potential for Jack's shenanigans now that he's in office) to suggest that ending this series would be a real shame. GUESS: }=^{|~, \0/, >:3 Last last week's leftovers BLACK PANTHER #2. Marvel. Written by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Art by Brian Stelfreeze. In "Black Panther" #1, writer Ta-Nehisi Coastes' aims were clear in that he is trying to craft a deep, thoughtful story while still including enough action to engage readers. Like Shakespeare but with explosions, if I had to dumb it down. His voice in the debut was certainly strong, but there were moments where it was perhaps a bit stilted. In #2, however, Coates is on point as he weaves together two stories of vengeance/justice in T'Challa's chase for a sorceress who can force individuals to confront hidden emotions and the "Midnight Angels" quest to extralegally fight criminals and brutes across Wakanda. The story of the Angels, two women with technologically advanced armor who are also in love with each other, is a particularly interesting subplot that also calls into question the Black Panther's place in his country. If Coates can keep this up, "Black Panther" will soon be required reading. GUESS: =^.^=, ^i^, :-) THE FIX #2. Image. Written by Nick Spencer. Art by Steve Lieber. What if (nearly) everyone in the Los Angeles Police Department was crooked and they had a sense of humor about it? That's basically the premise behind "The Fix," the story of two police detectives working in Southern California who are so crooked you can't help but smile. In #1, they rob a nursing home (really) and pull strings to get themselves assigned to the case, but their larger problem is that they're in debt to a psycho-yuppie crime boss. Said crime boss (who plays in a fusion bluegrass band in his spare time) needs a shipment of drugs to pass through LAX customs unscathed, and he calls on our crooked protagonists to make it happen. Their plan? Fake a heroic injury so one of them gets assigned to the K-9 detail at the airport. It's a great story, and I don't think I'm doing this book any justice -- you really have to try it for yourself. It's like "Training Day" but with jokes and without anyone trying to do the right thing. Just deliciously fun. GUESS: =^D, XD, (h5) Lawyers for the estate of an Anniston man who was shot to death in 2014 filed a civil suit in Calhoun County circuit court today against two people charged with his death. The wrongful death suit, brought by the estate of Casey Payne, names Pamela Deanne Smith and Allyn Troy Smith, along with anyone who may have been involved in the May 26, 2014 shooting death of Payne. Warren Freeman, an attorney for Payne's family, said Payne's death was "a tragedy." "He was just going to visit his girlfriend and they killed him," Freeman said. "We would have preferred to wait until the case was disposed of, but the statute of limitations was about to run out." Payne, 38, died from a gunshot wound in the chest in the 2200 block of Parkwood Drive. Pam Smith was arrested a day later following a review of forensic evidence, while Troy Smith was charged the following year. Pamela and Troy Smith are set to go to trial in July, according to court filings. The suit seeks compensatory and punitive damages. Roy Moore Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore The lawyer representing suspended Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore said Thursday that the state commission that filed ethics charges against Moore has hired the former legal director of the Southern Poverty Law Center, the same group that filed the complaints. "In a brazen move, the Judicial Inquiry Commission (JIC) of the State of Alabama has hired John Carroll, a former Legal Director of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), to prosecute its politically motivated charges against (Moore)," according to a press release from Liberty Counsel, the legal group representing Moore. "I have almost no words for this corrupt and unjust system," Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, which represents Chief Justice Moore, stated in the press release. Carroll declined comment this morning regarding the Liberty Counsel Statement. He referred any comment to the JIC. Rosa Davis, an attorney for the JIC confirmed that she and Carroll have filed a notice of appearance as co-prosecutors in the Roy Moore case. Davis noted that Carroll left the SPLC in 1984, 32 years ago, but declined comment on the case. Staver, in the press release, state that "we have said that the charges are politically motivated and that the JIC violated its own rules of confidentiality. You would think that the JIC would be astute enough to at least avoid an appearance of bias, but obvious the JIC does not care. This is a brazen act that calls into question the entire JIC process." Carroll is a professor and former dean of the Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham. Carroll also served as interim director of the Alabama Ethics Commission prior to the current ethics commission director. Prior to coming to the law school, he served 14 years as a U.S. Magistrate Judge based in Montgomery. He also is a former professor at Mercer University. Before that, he was legal director of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Prior to his legal career Carroll served in the U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam as a flight officer on over 200 combat missions. On May 6 the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission forwarded charges to the Alabama Court of the Judiciary, accusing the chief justice of violating judicial ethics in his opposition to same-sex marriage. Moore had 30 days in which to respond the charges, but had not as of Thursday morning. A date for Moore's trial on the charges has not been set. The charges focus on Moore's Administrative Order issued in January of this year in which he wrote that the 2015 orders of the Alabama Supreme Court telling probate judges not to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples still remained in effect - despite the U.S. Supreme Court ruling - until that court further indicates otherwise. "The travesty of the politically motivated charges by the JIC against Chief Justice Roy Moore have become even clearer with the appointment by the JIC of a former Legal Director of the same organization that filed the charges. This is a miscarriage of justice of the highest sort," Staver stated. Liberty Counsel describes itself as an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics. The Southern Poverty Law Center describes itself as being dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our society. Using litigation, education, and other forms of advocacy, the Center works toward the day when the ideals of equal justice and equal opportunity will be a reality. AA Birmingham police searched for hours for one of their own after he got lost in the woods during a call. The officer and the victim, who initially called police to report he was being chased by two gunmen, were rescued about three hours later. They exited the woods about 1,000 meters - or the length of nearly 11 football fields - away from where they first walked in. Birmingham police spokesman Lt. Sean Edwards said the veteran West Precinct officer was dispatched to the area near the intersection of Huntington Drive and Castleberry Way off of Cherry Avenue at 9:57 a.m. The victim told 911 he was being chased by two gunmen. "He panickedly ran into the woods,'' Edwards said of the victim. The West Precinct officer, whose name hasn't been publicly released, quickly arrived at the location. "Our officer got here and he made the decision to go into the woods to try to locate him,'' Edwards said. "What happened, I believe, the officer got so focused on looking for the victim and he got really deep into the woods. I believe he got disoriented inside the woods." The officer had left his cell phone in his patrol cruiser, but was able to communicate via his police radio."The cell phone would have been a great assistance to us if he had it with him,'' Edwards said. A tracking dog and three K9 officers were brought in to search for the missing pair. Shortly before noon, rescuers spotted the officer and the victim. "We see him but we can't get to him,'' one officer said. Lawmen then went to an industrial location off of Daniel Payne Drive, where they took a truck in to get the officer and the victim. Paramedics checked them both out on the scene. Police said the victim was going to the hospital as a precaution. The officer was driven back to his patrol SUV and left the scene without talking to reporters. "After speaking with the officer, if you remember the tornado came through the area several years ago, the woods are very difficult to walk through,'' he said. "The officer was trying to clear a path here, clear a path there, and got turned around a little bit." Edwards said the incident will likely bring about refresher training on officer safety. "If you're going into the woods looking for people, you don't really have all of the story,'' he said. "I'm not sure that was the greatest plan today." "There are things you have to take in consideration from a safety standpoint because you're running into the woods and you really don't have all the information,'' he said. "You could be running into a dangerous situation. It could have turned out pretty bad." -- carol robinson (@RobinsonCarol) The officer left his cell phone in the patrol car, and wasA unable to navigate his way out. Tracking dogs have now entered the woods. May is a month of memories, and heartache, for Vera Sellers and Patricia Roland. The two Birmingham mothers don't know each other, but they know what it feels like to lose a child to murder. Their children, 18-year-old Tavaneka Sellers and 27-year-old Dexter Roland, were slain 12 years apart. And in both cases, the killer or killers remain free. "You always hear about these things but you never imagine it happening to you,'' said Roland, whose other son, Thebious,Roland, was murdered last month as well. "I never, ever wanted to bury one of my children. That's the worst feeling in the world." Sellers can relate. "I don't really know what to say because so many years have passed by and I'm still hurt,'' Seller said. "I would like for someone to come forward and turn themselves in, or for someone to come forward and say, 'I know what happened' and tell what happened." Investigators with the Birmingham Police Department's Cold Case Unit each month highlight unsolved homicides. The department in 2005 launched the Cold Case Unit and has made several high-profile arrests since its inception. There are 300-plus murders that remain unsolved in Birmingham dating back to 1951. Detectives are currently devising new ways to bring attention to the cases including the Cold Case Unit page on Facebook and, most recently, playing cards featuring unsolved cases. Those playing cards already have been put in the Birmingham City Jail and the Jefferson County Jail, and they are hoping to also get them into Alabama's prisons. TAVANEKA SELLERS Tavaneka Sellers went to Ensley High School the morning of May 12, 1998 but never made it to classes. Her mother received a call that she was absent at school and was frustrated because she knew if her daughter missed one more class, she wouldn't graduate. "We had talked about that,'' she said. The high school senior, who had a 51/2month-old-daughter at the time, would have received her diploma on May 22. Instead, she had seemingly vanished. "I had to figure out what happened to my daughter,'' Sellers said. A search of Tavaneka's bedroom yielded no clues. "She had left $50 on top of the TV to cover the baby's daycare,'' she said. "All of her clothes were still home. I knew she had not packed up and run away. She wouldn't do that." "From that moment everything spiraled,'' said Vera Sellers, who also had a 4-year-old disabled son at the time. "I thought I was losing my mind. I felt like I was in a black hole and I couldn't get out." They posted fliers all over town, and they searched, but it was to no avail. One of the last people to see Tavaneka alive was a friend who drove her to school shortly after 8 a.m. He said he saw her walk into the school, and never saw her again. On May 25, 1998, a man found Tavaneka's body in the 5400 block of 30th Way North near the North Birmingham landfill. She was partially-nude and in a shallow grave. Despite a $5,000 reward offered by the family, no one came forward with clues. Ever. "I guess my heart is hardened but I'm not begging for answers anymore," she said. "I know when God is ready, it's going to happen in His time and not mine." Sellers recalled a time when Tavaneka's daughter was just several years old and asked about her mother. ""We were riding in the car and she was in a car seat. She asked, 'What happened to my mama? I know she's in Heave, but how did she get there?''' Sellers recalled. "I went on to tell her that she went to school one day and she never came back. That somebody hurt her. She said, 'You know, I'm going to miss my mom. I never got a chance to tell her I loved her.' That just brought tears to my eyes." Tavaneka's daughter is now 18 and a graduate of Ramsey High School. Sellers hints that she has an idea who killed her daughter, and she's angry that people who know what happened to Tavaneka haven't come forward. "If you're trying to protect them, you're just as guilty as the person who killed her,'' she said. "All of his people who know what happened, I feel like they should be punished as well." DEXTER ROLAND Patricia Roland was resting after a long day at work on May 28, 2010 when a neighbor knocked on the door and asked to see her. "He told me that Dexter was at his apartment dead,'' she said. "I jumped straight up in the air and said, 'Oh Lord, my worst fear has come true,'' she said. The shooting happened about 10 p.m. on a Friday night at the apartment building at the intersection of Fourth Terrace West and Princeton Parkway. Officers dispatched to the scene found Roland lying on his back in the rear parking lot near the alley. He had been shot multiple times. According to eyewitnesses, an unknown black male knocked on Roland's door asking to buy marijuana just seconds before he was shot. There were other people around, but no one every provided police with the information they needed about the shooter. On Wednesday, Patricia Roland met with the media, flanked by her grandchildren - Elmyla, 12, De-Cardeya, 7 and 5-year-old Cherish, who never met her father. "There's two children to my left, they knew him, they bonded with him,'' she said. "He had a special love for them. He needed to be here to help nurture and continue to raise his children. He needed to be here, but someone took it upon themselves to take him away from everybody who cared and loved him. None of us have been the same since." Elmyla said she remembers her father, especially when he would show up on Christmas Eve with a bag of presents. She and De-Cardeya both said they remember his cooking. "My dad was a caring a person,'' she said. "I just wish he could be here with me today." Patricia Roland said her son had so much life in him. "So many people loved him,'' she said. "He always had a smile on his face. He was much loved." She said she believes some of Roland's friends were there, and a witness was sitting on a stool not far from the apartment. "One of the friends said the perpetrator may have been after him and D intervened,'' she said. "Whatever it was about, it was not that serious. Life is precious and nobody should take it for granted and nobody should take it upon themselves to take another person's life." Anyone with information in these slayings, or any of Birmingham's unsolved cases, is asked to call Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. Associates and employees of indicted Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard took the witness stand on Wednesday in Hubbard's ethics trial. Some of the tidbits from the testimony: Lake house, farm and condo Chris Hines, former senior vice president at Hubbard's company, Auburn Network, testified for an hour. In response to questions from Deputy Attorney General Michael Duffy, Hines said Hubbard was drawing a salary of $132,000 from Auburn Network as of 2013, as well as receiving dividends from time to time, and driving a company car. Hines testified that in addition to his personal home in Auburn, Hubbard had a house on Lake Wedowee, a farm in Loachapoka and a condominium in Destin. No "quid pro quo" Hubbard attorney Bill Baxley has stressed the point that that Hubbard is not accused of accepting money or favors in exchange for any specific action. That's often called by the Latin phrase "quid pro quo," which means "this for that." When Baxley asked a witness about that during cross examination on Wednesday, prosecutors objected, saying it was irrelevant because Hubbard is not charged with a specific "quid pro quo." In the dark Testimony showed that some of Hubbard's closest associates knew little or nothing about the four consulting contracts the speaker's company, Auburn Network, entered starting in 2012. That includes former senior vice president Hines, who said he ran the day-to-day operations of the company. Hines said his involvement with the consulting work was limited to submitting invoices to the companies under contract, receiving checks and depositing checks. The contracts at one time were bringing in a total of $34,500 a month to the Auburn Network. Baxley attorney Hubbard stressed that the money was going to a company with about 30 employees, not directly to the speaker, and that three of the four contracts prohibited the speaker from doing any work on the companies' behalf in Alabama. Hines also testified he did not know why there were "middle men," companies owned by lobbyist Tim Howe and his partners, that were receiving a 5 percent cut of the Republican Party money directed to Auburn Network to purchase political ads during the 2010 campaign. Special access Prosecutors have tried to make the point that those who paid Hubbard's company or did favors for him did so to get special access to the powerful politician. Blades testified Wednesday that he and the speaker had weekly meetings with two lobbyists, Business Council of Alabama CEO William Canary and Dax Swatek. Blades said the men were friends as well, and talked some about personal matters. "But mostly we would talk about the session, the hot issues of the day," Blades said. Blades said he remembers a discussion about the financial problems at Craftmaster Printers. Hubbard is accused of getting help from Canary in obtaining clients for Auburn Network and of asking Swatek for an investment in Craftmaster, which Swatek did not give. Hubbard's attorneys have said the actions are not crimes. Nyarugusu refugee camp, Tanzania The risk of sexual violence among Burundian women and girls in Tanzanias Nyarugusu refugee camp is being driven up by the scarcity of firewood used for cooking, adding to an already high level of sexual gender-based violence in the camp, according to the International Rescue Committee (IRC). One refugee recounted her experience while holding back tears. She recalled being grabbed by a man with a knife while collecting firewood. Can talks lead to peace in Burundi? The mother-of-three, who fled Burundi in May last year after her husband was killed, managed to escape when other Burundian refugees came to her aid. She said she was saved by the grace of God. According to the IRC, on average, two to three women report being raped each week in incidents relating to collecting firewood up to 15 kilometres outside the camp. Staff working in the camp say that due to the stigma associated with sexual violence, they believe the number of cases that go unreported is much higher. Juliette Delay, spokeswoman for the IRC, said: Women face particularly high risks each day, travelling long distances in the blazing heat outside the camp to fetch firewood just to feed their children. When Burundians began seeking refuge in Tanzania at the outset of political violence last year, Nyarugusu became one of the largest refugee camps in the world. (PDF), . By September last year, it had reached three times its capacity with more than 150,000 peoplebut overcrowding eased slightly with the opening of two more camps, Nduta and Mtendeli, as Burundians continued to flee According to the latest UNHCR data, there are currently some 137,000 people in Nyarugusu, more than 73,000 of whom are Burundian and the rest from the Democratic Republic of Congo. There are a further 66,000 Burundians in Nduta and Mtendeli refugee camps. Apart from the increased risk of sexual attacks, the lack of alternative sources of fuel and cooking stoves has also meant that the surrounding area has been exhausted of resources, which has put a strain on both the camps population and the environment. The UNHCR said in a statement to Al Jazeera that a plan has been developed to introduce an alternative source of cooking fuel but increased funding is critical to initiate the roll-out of this strategy and to scale up activities across all three refugee camps. MORE: Escaping Burundi: Life in refuge Gainesville Police arrested two Florida men Wednesday morning after they said the men had 19 confirmed altered credit cards. At about 1 a.m., Brandon resident Leonard Obi and Tampa resident Jaywon Thompson, both 24, tried to use several of the cards at the Butler Plaza Wal-Mart, according to a police report. An employee became suspicious and called police after the cards were declined, according to the report. The men were then found at a neighboring CVS, where they tried to buy $400 in gift cards. Thompson gave the officers several cards, many of which had stickers with fake security numbers and magnetic strips that did not match the cards numbers, according to the report. Obi hid a wallet in a CVS aisle after he saw Thompson talking with police, according to the report. Authorities soon found the wallet, which held more altered cards. About two hours earlier, both men traveled in a car with two other people who were arrested for possession of 48 fraudulent credit cards, according to the report. Police arrested both men on charges for trafficking in counterfeit credit cards and scheming to defraud and obtain property. Obi was also charged for tampering with evidence. Authorities took them to the Alachua County jail where, as of press time, Thompson remains in lieu of a $60,000 bond, and Obi remains in lieu of an $80,000 bond. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now On June 7, UFs Student Government will vote on changes to its constitution. In February, the Student Body voted to amend the constitution to include online voting, according to Alligator archives. It passed with a 68 percent majority. Although online voting is included in the constitution, the UF Online Implementation Ad Hoc committee must still revise wording that makes it unconstitutional, said Wayne Selogy, the committees chairman. Were going through the online code to make sure there is nothing contradictory, Selogy said. In two weeks, were voting on those amended changes. U.S. Marine Corps veteran Randall Martin, who is also a 31-year-old UF soil and water science graduate student, asked the Student Senate to get involved with the community on Memorial Day. The Brass Tap will host military trivia at 8:30 p.m. tonight, and groups will take American flags to veterans graves at Gainesville cemeteries Saturday, he said. Wherever you go, take time to remember why you have the day off, why were all here, why we live in freedom, why we have awesome things, Martin said. Senate also approved the service fee budget for the 2016-17 academic year, said Charlie Brown, Jr., the chairman of the UF Budget and Appropriations committee. Service fees, which cover student amenities like Lake Wauburg, campus gyms and health services, will stay the same, and services will expand. Its that time of year, dear readers: The days are getting hotter, the suns growing brighter, the list of your friends on wild summer vacations is getting longer and longer. Dont worry: You may be shaping up for exams now that Summer A is halfway over, but this Summer here in Gainesville is still fire. Traffic is super light, the lines to the clubs are nearly non-existent and there are fewer people around to clog up your Wi-Fi when youre on an all-night gaming spree. Most of all, youre in for a treat: our senseless ramblings, our assessment of lifes deepest concerns, our latest segment of Darts & Laurels We know religion and spirituality are touchy subjects for us young adults. Some feel very attached to their religious values, while others feel more comfortable abstaining from religious practice altogether. But for those of you interested in, perhaps, re-engaging the church or looking for interesting sermons, wed like to recommend Kanye Wests recent appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on May 19. It was a touchy interview for Ellen; West went off on a nearly six-and-a-half minute rant on his talent, career, upbringing and vision for a better humanity. Some of it was incredibly sincere, and we want to give West a laurel for opening up so genuinely and injecting some introspection into daytime television (and to Ellen for her patience). But you have to admit: Wests rant was hilarious. He went to preach things like: "Everything that I sonically make is a painting. I see it. I see the importance I see the importance and the value of everyone being able to experience a more beautiful life." Its a beautiful point, but when you go and watch the interview, the awkward vibes in the room and Ellens face make the whole thing hilarious to watch. By the end of it, West said, Im sorry, daytime television. Im sorry for the realness. We forgive you for getting real, Kanye. Keep on keeping it real. In political news, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kent., published on op-ed in Time magazine Monday. Paul called out the perpetual warfare in the Middle East that President Bush and Obama have continued over the years, and he demands a return to congressional authority on declaring war. Regardless of how you feel on Pauls commitment to conservatism in the realm of foreign policy, its refreshing to see Paul return to the sort of discussion his father, Ron Paul, brought to the Republican Party. Especially looking to how tame Paul got this past election season in order to gain political points with his Republican base, its nice to see him go back to his purism on reducing the military industrial complex and re-engaging our foreign policy operatives. So welcome back to sanity, Mr. Paul. We give you a laurel for your coming out of the closet on your true beliefs regarding foreign policy. We do remain quite concerned with how Paul got behind He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named for the sake of unity in the Republican Party. This is why voters feel disenfranchised with the current political establishment: Its beholden to party lines instead of the people; meanwhile, it boasts of its commitment to principles while tossing them aside for the sake of party unity. So we give a dart to Paul for his impulsive political decisions regarding the party nominee. They say maturity comes with age and experience unless youre getting into politics, it seems. Courtesy to The Alligator Blake Briand, center, with the band members of Locochino after one of their many shows at The Jam. The band credits the music venue with much of its growth and success on the Gainesville music scene. Lovers of Gainesvilles music scene will have one last chance this weekend to enjoy a beloved local venue before it closes its doors. The Jam, located at 817 W. University Ave., will host Spirit Fest, a three-day music festival with more than 30 bands performing, starting Friday. Food, art and clothing vendors will also participate in the festival, with acroyoga performers and live painting demonstrations. Headliners include Morning Fatty, Flat Land and Locochino, with shows taking place in both The Jams indoor and outdoor stages. These performances will be the last ones at The Jam, as it will shut down at the end of May after almost four years. During that time, The Jam has hosted more than 1200 musical performances and more than 20 charity events, said owner and manager Blake Briand. The Jam began as a hobby for Briand and his co-founders, siblings Veronica and Eduardo Arenas, but quickly became something special in the Gainesville music scene. I think we helped revitalize a somewhat stagnant music scene, Briand said. Ive been told by a lot of people that The Jam kind of brought the music scene back a little bit gave it a style or vibe that wasnt there before. Briand found out in early April The Jam would close in the next few weeks, to be torn down and replaced by apartments and retail space, and he immediately began to plan how the venue would say goodbye to its loyal fans. The very first thought right off the bat was, We have to go out big, weve got to do something that leaves a mark, he said. Briand wrote an open letter to all of the bands he knew in Gainesville and a few outside of town, hoping to put together some kind of goodbye show. Within two days, he said, he had more than 30 bands willing to come play the final weekend at The Jam. The three-day music festival is something that may be the largest event ever put on by a single music venue in the history of Gainesville, Briand said. To my knowledge, what we have planned has never been done before. As for the name Spirit Fest, Briand took inspiration from the goodbye notes people had started to write on the wall of The Jam in the last few weeks. One of them read something to the effect of The world works in mysterious ways, and the last line was prepare for spirit mode, he said. That was like the spirit of The Jam will live on forever and maybe well pop back up somewhere else. Spirit Fest felt right because thats kind of what were doing, were transforming into something else. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now To make the final weekend a true tribute to The Jam, all 200 performers, artists and vendors have agreed to participate in Spirit Fest pro bono. John Pop, bass player for Morning Fatty, said the band has been playing The Jam since it opened its doors in 2012. We used to play there every Tuesday back when it was a single room with a stage the size of my bathroom, he said. Weve made plenty of money playing there over the years, it seemed right to help Blake out with some closing costs. Though Morning Fatty has played shows throughout Florida and the Southeast, Pop said the venue is unlike anywhere else the band has played. The Jam has always felt like we were playing a big house party, he said. We built a large portion of our fan base by playing there. It will be missed. Locochino credits The Jam with much of the bands growth in the Gainesville music scene and didnt even hesitate when deciding to play Spirit Fest for free. The friendships and experiences that weve made there have been a large part of sculpting Locochino into what we are today, if for no other reason than the solid foundation that comes with The Jam familys genuine support for the arts, said Dave Johnson, the manager for the band. Locochino will be playing two shows at Spirit Fest, one Saturday night and one Sunday night, and Johnson wants the audience to be ready to dance their asses off during Saturdays set and maybe cry a little at Sundays. For Briand, the goal of Spirit Fest is to give back to the Gainesville music scene that has given him so much. We want people to have a great experience, like a last hoorah, we want everyone to have a great experience and enjoy that, he said. I dont want to fizzle out. Im trying to burn bright for a shorter period of time, do something big. Tickets can be bought online at squareup.com, where it is $20 for a three-day pass or $10 for a one day pass. Performances start at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, and at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. 2005 .. AR's Editor Joe Shea Talks About Elections On Iranian TV Bear Stearns Saved By Fed As Lehman Bros. Falters; Major Bank Failure Looms Over Wall Street, Sends Markets Into 200-Pt. Dive Lie Upon Lie Five Years Into the Iraq War The Administration Still Churns Out Lies by Randolph Holhut A Small Tragedy Even at 90, As Friends Turn Cool She Knows the Show Must Go On by Joyce Marcel I'll Take Me Imagine John Wayne or Arnold In Heels, Silk and a Girdle by Elizabeth Andrews Sen. Nelson Calls For New Fla. Primary; Gov Crist Backs 'Do-Over' Who'll Win? Ask Spock Spock.com Engine Predicts Winners By Site Searches; It Can be Wrong by Jay Bhatti Chatting Up The Cat God Gave Me Dominion Over Him But I Think He's a Non-Believer by Constance Daley Death of a Thug The Life and Horrors of Suharto by Andreas Harsono ___________________________ This Just In Sierra Club: McCain Ducked All 15 Key Votes On Green Laws (AR) A Work By AR's T.S. Kerrigan Is Chosen As 'Best Poem' By Wordpress Site Murder At Mile 63 The Deadly Assault and Bush Administration Cover-Up by S. Eben Kirkesby and Andreas Harsono 5427 14th St. West, Bradenton, FL 34207 $6.99 Fish Fridays! Manatee Co.'s Only 24-Hr. FREE Wi-Fi Paid Advertisement On Native Ground AFTER 5 YEARS, WE'RE STILL LIED TO ABOUT IRAQ by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Next week is the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. And it is likely that sometime in the next couple of weeks, the 4,000th American soldier will die in Iraq. [MORE] Momentum OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - It's 1931, and a 14-year-old girl is standing alone on a stage. She's small and lively with dark curly hair, widespread hazel eyes, slender wrists and an open, eager face filled with the wonder of performing. Her name is Rose, and one day she will be my mother. But now she is performing an Eugene O'Neill monologue called "Before Breakfast" for a ladies' club in a wealthy suburb of Long Island. [MORE] One Woman's World COMFORTABLE WITH MYSELF by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- I'm not sure but I think I may be socially incorrect. [MORE] On Native Ground ENOUGH FOR A WAR, NOT FOR A PEOPLE by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Last week, the National Governors Assn. met in Washington, D.C. One of the tasks the NGA had on its agenda was to ask President Bush to increase federal spending on roads, bridges and other public works projects as a way to stimulate the economy. He rejected their pleas out of hand, claiming that infrastructure projects wouldn't offer any short-term economic boost. [MORE] Brasch Words BEWARE THE SELF-REVERENTIAL PRESS by Walter Brasch BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- Shortly before the primary votes this past week, Newsweek's Jonathan Alter called Sen. Barack Obama's surge to the Democratic nomination "inevitable." It also called for Hillary Clinton to "start her campaign for Senate majority leader." [MORE] Constance A CONVERSATION WITH MY CAT Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- Normally, when the cat starts his evening rant of meowing continuously until he makes his point, I just take it as long as I can, pick him up, and put him in the garage for the night. He doesn't want to go, but the meowing stops and I don't care if he likes it or not. [MORE] Momentum OUT OF STRUGGLE, ART by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Here we are again at the crossroads of art and social change, having the opportunity to watch good and great films about the lives of women in support of the Women's Crisis Center. [MORE] Campaign 2008 HOW TO PREDICT SUPER TUESDAY II WINNERS? ONLINE SEARCH by Jay Bhatti NEW YORK, March 4, 2008, 7:00PM ET -- With the outcomes of the Texas, Vermont, Ohio and Rhode Island primaries to be decided tonight, how possible is it that online searching can predict who will win tonight's primaries? [MORE] One Woman's World DON'T VOTE; IT ENCOURAGES THEM by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- Call me angry and disgusted but don't call me un-American because I won't be voting come November. [MORE] On Native Ground BUSH AND THE KEYBOARD COMMANDOS by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- As the days tick down toward the eventual departure of President George W. Bush from the White House, it's a hopeful sign that most Americans are no longer moved by his Administration's constant exploitation of terrorism for political gain. [MORE] Momentum WHICH AMERICA DO YOU LIVE IN? by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- It's a little confusing. [MORE] Make My Dat THE LAWYER THAT ATE NEW YORK by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- I used to know a guy who, quite literally, didn't get hyperbole. He didn't understand exaggeration. As a result, he missed most jokes that came his way. [MORE] On Native Ground FIDEL RETIRES: NOW THE COLD WAR IS REALLY OVER by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Maybe now, we can finally say the Cold War is over. [MORE] Make My Dat THE LAWYER THAT ATE NEW YORK by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- I used to know a guy who, quite literally, didn't get hyperbole. He didn't understand exaggeration. As a result, he missed most jokes that came his way. [MORE] One Woman's World POLITICS IS NO PARTY by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- Are you having a hard time focusing your eyes? Do you have faint red spots all over your body? Is there a ringing in your ears and do you see wavy lines when you look at your television set? Do your hands shake when you try to hold a cup of coffee? And have you recently been forgetting what day of the week it is - or what year? [MORE] Make My Day FOR BETTER OR WORSE ... A LOT WORSE by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- "Marriage: It's Only Going to Get Worse." [MORE] Constance YOU CALL THESE RIGHTS? by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- When you express an opinion you hope to persuade others to your point of view. It doesn't always happen but still, opinion writers try. [MORE] Momentum THE BRIDGE WOMAN by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - Out there in America - yes, still - is a generation of women who were born in the 1940s, raised in the 1950s, and who came to radical consciousness in the late 1960s and early 1970s. I am one of them. Hillary Clinton is one of them. [MORE] On Native Ground OBAMA AND MY GENERATION by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- I originally planned on voting for Dennis Kucinich in the Vermont Primary on March 4. [MORE] The Willies: WARNING: THIS MEDICATION MAY MURDER YOUR FRIENDS by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla. -- You've heard the warnings, haven't you? Stop Prozac and you may take a shotgun, an Uzi or an AK-47 and mow down your family and friends, or even a whole classroom full of your fellow students. You didn't? Well, that warning is not on the bottle, but like countless mass-murder incidents before it, Friday's shootings at Northern Illinois University, as well as the Virginia Tech shootings that killed 32 last year, was probably precipitated by the effect of stopping medications that suppress anger and other powerful emotions but do not relieve the underlying cause. Isn't it time we started warning people - or stopped prescribing these medicines? [MORE] One Woman's World DON'T KNOCK ON MY DOOR by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- I wish I could feel delight in my poet's mansion being like Grand Central Station all the time, but I can't. And I wish my place was such a place that someone would one day write: "Her door was always open and she always made you feel all fuzzy and warm in her presence. She could make a cup of coffee seem like a banquet." [MORE] Reporting: Panama PANAMA'S VIOLENT LABOR UNREST INTENSIFIES Mark Scheinbaum PANAMA CITY, Panama, Feb, 15, 2008 -- After just one day of relative calm, wildcat construction strikes by some members of Panama's largest union flared up again Friday morning, four days after a police sniper shot one worker. More than 140 demonstrators have been injured and at least 500 arrested, authorities say. [MORE] Brasch Words TO STIMULATE ECONOMY, BUY A CHINESE-MADE U.S. FLAG by Walter Brasch BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- Walking down Main Street, pushing a grocery cart loaded with clothes, toys, and appliances was Marshbaum. Fastened to the right front corner of the cart was an American flag tied onto a three-foot ruler. [MORE] Make My Day THE TOOTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TOOTH by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- To commemorate the death of noted shark exploder Roy Scheider, and the "Jaws" movies that resulted in Erik never setting foot in the ocean again, we are reprinting this column from 2003. Shark Experts 0, Sharks 1 [MORE] Momentum THE WINTER OF MY DISCONTENT by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - As I write this, it's raining ice. Maybe a half a foot of snow and ice has already landed up here in the woods of Dummerston. Our cars are encased in it, and the door to the house is blocked. The satellite dish that brings in our Internet service quit about 20 minutes ago - frozen solid. [MORE] The Willies AMERICA TO HILLARY: GET OUT! by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 13, 2008 -- Sen. Hillary Clinton has adopted the Rudy Giuliani strategy, and it's working - for Sen. Barack Obama. It turns out to be the strategy all Democrats are seeking - an exit strategy. But it's not for Iraq. It's for her exit from the race for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination. [MORE] Constance CONFESSIONS OF A DISAPPOINTED VOTER by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- A week ago at just about this time, I completed an article and was about to submit it as scheduled to The American Reporter. I was feeling rather elated, ready to show up on Super Tuesday morning, firmly touch the X next to Rudy Giuliani's name and get on with my day. He was my choice; he would get my vote. [MORE] Reporting: Florida SIERRA CLUB SET TO SUSPEND FLA. CHAPTER by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 10, 2008 -- The national Sierra Club is set to suspend its Florida chapter after years of divisive infighting, the president of the national club told Florida members in a letter delivered to some this weekend. It is the first time in its 116-year history that such a step has been considered by the club, according to news reports. [MORE] One Woman's World PLANT A NEW WORLD THIS SPRING by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- For a little while, the men will just have to toss and turn in their fear-free-women beds. For a small space of time Hillary Clinton will just have to trudge on toward the White House without my faint applause in the background. [MORE] On Native Ground VERMONT AND THE 5 STAGES OF CONSERVATIVE GRIEF by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- First, Vermont tried to convince the nation to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney. [MORE] Make My Day REBEL WITHOUT A TONGUE by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Kids' brains work in amazing ways. At times, they can grasp complex concepts and make impressive discoveries. Other times, you have to wonder how we ever survived as a species. [MORE] The Willies FOR DEMOCRATS, NOW IT'S ABOUT RACE, INCOME AND GENDER by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Feb. 6, 2008 -- It's not a good time to be a Democrat. As the Super Tuesday results demonstrated, the presidential race between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton has divided the partly along clear racial, income and gender lines - the very distinctions the party has sought to erase in principle but has emphasized in its pursuit of diversity. [MORE] Momentum SUPER TUESDAY BLUES by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Super Tuesday has come and gone and I still can't get excited about the upcoming presidential elections. [MORE] The Willies ON THE BRINK OF HISTORY, YOUR PUSH IS NEEDED by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 5. 2008 -- I'm expecting a sea change tonight. I believe that for the first time in this nation's history we will once and forever banish racism as the deciding factor in the destiny of African-Americans, and indeed adopt diversity as our path to the future. [MORE] Campaign 2008 AT 88, EVERY VOTE REALLY COUNTS by Ted Manna DENVER, Feb. 5, 2008 -- Pearl Turner will caucus for Mitt Romney tonight in Denver. [MORE] One Woman's World STAND BY YOUR WOMAN by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- The black vote. The gay vote. The fundamentalist vote. The Hispanic vote. [MORE] An AR Special SUSPECTS IN BENAZIR ASSASSINATION HAVE TIES TO MUSHARRAF by Ahmar Mustikhan WASHINGTON, D.C. -- When Gordon Brown this past Monday feted coup-leader-turned-President Pervez Musharraf at 10 Downing Street, Britain's new prime minister probably didn't ask the Pakistani dictator a question that is now on many minds: Did you order the murder of Benazir Bhutto? [MORE] Momentum TO THE VERMONT DELEGATION: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR US LATELY? by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. Back when President George W. Bush and Dick Vice President Dick Cheney were building up to their loathsome war in Iraq, very few people were brave enough to call the bullies' bluff. [MORE] On Native Ground IF BUSH HAS HIS WAY, WE'LL NEVER LEAVE IRAQ by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. - In his final State of the Union address on Jan. 28, President Bush cautioned against accelerating U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq, saying that it would endanger the process that has been made over the past year. [MORE] Campaign 2008 CLASH OF COMMENTS AND PROTESTORS AT CLINTON, OBAMA RALLIES IN DENVER by Ted Manna DENVER, Feb. 1, 2008 -- At least four presidential campaigns of both partiers rolled into in Denver this week ahead of the Feb. 5 "Super Tuesday" primaries in 22 states, but it was the Democratic presidential contenders who drew the big crowds and duked it out Wednesday. If sheer numbers are any indication, Sen. Barack Obama - preceded by a buoyant and beautiful Caroline Kennedy - won the round handily. He is the overwhelming favorite to win the Colorado primary next Tuesday. [MORE] The Willies WHY THE FLORIDA PRIMARY STINKS by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Jan. 30, 2008 -- I was with my wife and daughter driving the back way from Miami home to Bradenton when we stopped at a McDonald's in Clewiston, the only big town along the vast shore of Lake Okeechobee, the state's precious freshwater reservoir. The McDonald's had three televisions at a central seating area, each tuned to a different network, and our table was in front of CNN as the very first election results started to pour in around 7:30PM. With them, almost as counterpoint, suddenly came such an overwhelming odor of cow plop that my wife started to throw up as we all ran to the parking lot. [MORE] Passings: Suharto DEATH OF A KEMUSU THUG by Andreas Harsono JAKARTA - A few minutes after hearing that former president Suharto had died in his hospital bed, Marco, a militia leader in downtown Jakarta, raced to Suhartos house, wearing his jungle camouflage and began guarding the Suhartos residence on Cendana Street. [MORE] Constance I REMEMBER YOU by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga.. -- It seems to be more often lately that the sentiment is spoken but it's always been out there: "You never get over the death of your child." This is true. But the heartfelt expressions come from some who cannot fathom the notion of losing a child; their own child is who is in their mind, not another mother's child. [MORE] " " Certified murder weapons, those thumbs. Or were they? Ray Moller/Dorling Kindersley/Getty Images She may look like easy pickings for an Early Cretaceous predator, but this iguanodon isn't going down without a fight. As a pair of bloodthirsty Utahraptors rush in for the kill, this 16-foot (9-meter) foliage destroyer simply whips out her stiletto thumb spikes as if to say, "Bring it, you Salt Lake sons of guns. I've got one for each of ya!" Advertisement The first attacker springs through the air, talons eager for blood. And so iguanodon obliges it. Much like human martial artists more than 100 million years later, she dodges and administers a brutal thumb strike to her opponent's throat, puncturing the delicate flesh and splattering the dirt with blood. But the other Utahraptor has already pounced as well. She feels its talons sink into her back, severing veins and seeking organs like water-thirsty roots. She tries to shake the predator free, but it holds fast. The talons sink deeper with a flash of red-hot pain. Finally, she feels its teeth bite into the side of her neck which lets her know exactly where her enemy's head is. She drives both thumbs back into the attacker's eye sockets, gouging forth blood and jelly, sending the thing tumbling back to the earth in a tangle of claws, feathers and blind rage. Or at least that's how things might have gone. It's easy to construct such cinematic dino melees, especially when confronted with a spike-thumbed dino like those of the Iguanodon genus. But no matter how much we want those thumbs to be certified murder weapons, we still don't know exactly what they were for. Of course, we have guesses. We've been making guesses about iguanodon anatomy since the early 19th century. British paleontologist Gideon Mantell actually mistook the thumb spike for a horn when he discovered the first set of iguanodon fossil remains. It was an incomplete skeleton, so he positioned the spike atop the creature's nose, like that of a rhino. We can forgive Mantell this mistake, however, as iguanodon was just the second dinosaur ever discovered, predating the 1842 invention of the word "dinosaur" itself by 33 years [source: Dixon et al.]. Subsequent discoveries greatly altered our notions of the bulk and posture plus we also gave the beast its thumbs back. Really, we're delighted for iguanodon to have them. We just wish we knew what it used them for. Because while the defensive thumb dagger explanation might seem rock solid at first, it breaks down a bit when you imagine this large herbivore having to engage in some pretty close combat with its attackers. Our above action sequence even suggests this. How unlikely would that first ninja-like counterattack be from a lumbering giant? And how grievous would her injuries be from her tussle with the final Utahraptor? Fortunately, we have other theories to contend with. While our inner child can't help but pit one dinosaur species against another in vicious interspecific competition, there's no reason why iguanodons wouldn't have used these ferocious Fonzie thumbs on each other in intraspecific competition. Ayyy? Male iguanodons might have thumb sparred over potential female mates. Or individuals of either sex might have competed for resources such as choice vegetation groves or watering holes. Or perhaps they allowed the mating male iguanodon to better grapple his mate during a violent lovemaking session. In this last case, the thumb spike would function much like the hind mating spurs of various reptile and birds species. Still, some paleontologists dismiss both love and war in favor of a good meal. Yes, it's possible that iguanodon used its sinister-seeming instruments to bust open fruits or strip branches, much like the enlarged wrist bones of red and giant pandas [source: Switek]. Nature is full of such examples. Just consider the aye-aye of Madagascar. The nocturnal lemur boasts two extra-long fingers on each hand and to the untrained eye the digits look pretty sinister. But one's for tapping tree trunks to sound out bugs and the other is for fishing the delicious morsels out of the wood. And so iguanodon continues to perplex us. Across the vastness of evolutionary time, she gives us a double thumbs-up. We just don't know if we should run or throw her a ripe mango. Valley National Bank in Wayne, N.J., has appointed a former PNC Financial Services Group executive to be its chief information officer. The $21.6 billion-asset bank hired Robert Bardusch to lead its information technology strategies. He will be responsible for finding ways to improve Valley National's cost-effectiveness, service quality and business development, the bank said in a recent news release. His predecessor retired in April, a bank spokesman said; he declined to give that person's name. Peter Jackey was listed as the former CIO in a Bloomberg business profile and in other online sources. Bardusch's background in fintech "will be a key asset in positioning Valley as an innovator in banking technology as we seek to enhance our mobile offerings," Chief Operating Officer Peter Crocitto said in the release. Previously Bardusch was the CIO of the $1.3 billion-asset MVB Bank in Fairmont, W.Va. Before that he worked at PNC for about 16 years in various technology roles, including serving as CIO from 2009 to 2014, according to his LinkedIn profile. A Pennsylvania banker who lost her job after her employer was sold to BB&T has landed on her feet. Fulton Financial in Lancaster, Pa., said in a press release Wednesday that it had hired Lynn Ozer as president of Small Business Administration lending. Before joining the $18 billion-asset Fulton, Ozer had been president of government lending at Susquehanna Bancshares in Lititz, Pa. Ozer also led a small-business lending team at Susquehanna that was largely dismissed in August, shortly after the company's sale to BB&T. Ozer is also a former chair of the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders, a trade association for institutions that participate in the federal government's guaranteed-loan programs. WASHINGTON A federal judge Thursday sentenced former Voyager Bank Chief Executive Timothy Owens to 18 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to obstructing a Federal Reserve examination of his institution. Owens was indicted by the U.S. Attorney's office in December 2014 and pleaded guilty to one count of obstructing an examination of a financial institution last July. Federal Reserve Inspector General Mark Bialek said the sentence should serve as a warning to other bank executives who attempt to flaunt the exam process. "Mr. Owens' obstruction of a Federal Reserve Board examination is the type of criminal conduct that harms federal regulators' ability to appropriately supervise banking institutions," Bialek said. "Today's sentencing is another step in a joint effort with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who undermine the integrity of the examination process." The Federal Reserve began investigating Voyager and its affiliate Voyager Financial Services Corp. in 2009 over concerns about improper loans made to bank insiders. The investigation found that Owens had been loaned more than $5.4 million by the bank and had purchased a letter of credit from another bank with Voyager's assistance for $7.5 million. When the Fed sought documentation from Voyager's board supporting the loans and clarifying that they were issued in accordance with bank policy, Owens kept the board in the dark and issued his own response, which included false and misleading information pertaining to the loans. The response resulted in an inspector general investigation by the Fed and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., as well as the Federal Housing Finance Agency and the FBI. First Tennessee Bank in Memphis drew from within to fill an important regional executive job. The $25 billion-asset subsidiary of First Horizon National said in a press release Wednesday that Louis Allen, executive vice president and manager of commercial banking for the bank's west Tennessee region, will be promoted to regional president June 30. Allen will succeed Bruce Hopkins, who was appointed west Tennessee chairman. Allen was hired by First Tennessee as executive vice president and manager of commercial banking for west Tennessee in 2009. Hopkins joined the bank in 1986 and managed private client, trust and wealth management before he was named west Tennessee president in 2011. Ivanpah, the world's largest solar power plant located in California's Mojave Desert, caught fire last Thursday, causing damage to one of the plant's three towers. This latest engineering setback is the least of the plant's woes. Prohibitive economic realities are the true problem. Earlier this year, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) decided to postpone its continued support of the struggling facility, which was touted as the future of solar power when it opened in 2014. But after receiving $1.6 billion in loan guarantees from the Department of Energy (DOE) and $535 million from the U.S. Treasury Department, the facility's promising future is turning out to be a multi-billion-dollar waste of money. Ivanpah is unable to meet its intended electricity generation of 940,000 megawatt-hours per year, despite its designation as the largest concentrated solar plant in the world. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) received only 45 percent of the electricity it expected from Ivanpah in 2014 and 68 percent in 2015. Output is so low, in fact, that it fails to meet Ivanpah's power purchase agreement, which requires a set amount of electricity production for a certain price. Ivanpah's managers found that the facility needs to produce much more steam than initially thought to run efficiently, which requires substantially more natural gas than originally planned to supplement the concentrated solar each morning. Weather predictions underestimated the amount of cloud cover the area receives, which prevents the facility from consistently producing high levels of electricity. Compounding this reality, the price of solar photovoltaic panels has dropped precipitously, making concentrated solar more costly and less efficient in comparison to new solar technologies. Ivanpah is a concentrated solar power (CSP) facility, using mirrors to concentrate sunlight and power a steam turbine to create electricity. Solar photovoltaic panels, in contrast, convert sunlight into electricity directly. Although CSP was once thought to be the future of solar power, technology improvements have made photovoltaics cheaper and more efficient. Despite these realities, PG&E has given Ivanpah an extra six months to meet the required electricity production. If Ivanpah can't produce enough power by July 31, the $2.2-billion facility will shut down. The reasons why are simple. Ivanpah has been selling electricity for, on average, anywhere from $135 to $200 per megawatt-hour of electricity. Existing coal-fired power plants produce electricity for $88 per megawatt-hour, after accounting for social and environmental costs, and even solar photovoltaic was being sold for $57 per megawatt-hour in 2015. Despite the CPUC continuing to force PG&E to pay an expensive premium for electricity, Ivanpah simply cannot deliver. Ivanpah is not the first taxpayer-funded renewable to fail. In 2009, Solyndra, a solar panel manufacturer, received a $535-million loan guarantee from the Department of Energy. The Obama administration encouraged the DOE to expedite the decision-making process so Vice President Biden could announce the program as a political success sooner. At the same time, Chinese solar panels became cheaper, and natural gas prices plummeted, making Solyndra a lousy investment. The DOE convinced Solyndra to delay layoffs until after the 2010 midterm elections as a political move. In August 2011, Solyndra declared bankruptcy. Taxpayers paid a half-billion dollars to Solyndra and never saw the promised benefits. Both Solyndra and Ivanpah were free to make risky investments without risk of failure because the companies funding came through the political system rather than through the competitive market. Proponents of such loan guarantee programs argue that although a few companies fail, the majority have not and are actually turning a profit for the federal government. But the DOE often awards loans for financially unsound political reasons, with Solyndra and Ivanpah being prime examples. If the government is making a profit off these loan programs, the private sector will fill the investment gap left by a government exit. At least 28 utility-scale photovoltaic projects have been funded by private investors since 2011, while the DOE approved loans for just five projects. The private sector offers loans to the most promising renewable investments, rather than throwing money at risky but politically enticing roads to nowhere. Renewable energies undoubtedly have a future in the United States. As the cost of extracting and using fossil fuels rises and costs for renewables decrease following technology improvements, developing renewable energies will become more cost-effective. Until then, forcing investment in renewables comes at a huge cost to taxpayers with little reward. Ryan Yonk, Ph.D., an assistant professor of research at Utah State University, is vice president and executive director of research at Strata. Devin Stein is a student research associate at Strata. Amid the hot button issues this election season -- The Donalds coiffure, Hillarys sexual orientation, Bills sexual whatever, and the nebbish Berns sudden discovery of manhood -- are lesser though undoubtedly important issues that require attention. One is the potential for conflict with China over its invasion of the East and South China Seas. What are Trump and Clinton saying about the looming danger -- if anything? Chinas seizure of 200 miles of international waters, along with the reefs, shoals, and atolls its militarizing, promises war. Any conflict could be theatre-specific or wider, human nature and war being hard to predict. Its conceivable that war with China could somehow touch the U.S. homeland. Technology has overcome oceans. Even Barack Obama -- no slouch in the lead-from-behind department -- has worked in low-key fashion during his presidency to position the U.S. and its allies to counter Chinas threat. In fact, Obamas recent visit to Vietnam wasnt just about having dinner with Anthony Bourdain. From the Washington Post: HANOI -- The Obama administration announced Monday that the United States would fully lift a longstanding U.S. embargo on lethal arms sales to Vietnam, a decision that reflects growing concerns about Chinas military clout and illustrates the warming bilateral ties between the former enemy nations. Forget the warming ties happy horse excrement, the Americans and Vietnamese are being driven together by cold calculation; they mutually perceive threats to their interests and security from China. The Americans and Vietnamese -- along with the Japanese, Filipinos, Australians, Singaporeans, Taiwanese, and Indonesians, notably are militarizing, cooperating, and coordinating in stepped up fashion. The U.S. Navy is conducting freedom or navigation operations in the South China Sea. This explanation from USA Today: Cmdr. Bill Urban, a U.S. Defense Department spokesman, said the USS Lawrence operation [which was within 12 nautical miles of a landfill-island recently constructed on Fiery Cross Reef] was intended to "uphold the rights and freedoms of all states under international law and to challenge excessive maritime claims of some claimants in the South China Sea." China's foreign ministry on Tuesday expressed "resolute opposition" to the operation. "The action by the U.S. threatens China's sovereignty and security, endangers the safety of people and facilities on the reef, and harms regional peace and stability," spokesman Lu Kang said. Whats motivated the Chinese seizure of international waters and their militarization of the regions? The considerations are financial and geopolitical. Under those vast waters are rich deposits of oil, gas, and minerals. Over those waters transits an estimated $5 trillion in commerce annually. Chinese control of the East and South China Seas permits them to dominate the nations (aforementioned) that have economic and other interests in freely navigating those waters. The Chinese want to be the undisputed masters of Asia, similar to the early and mid 20th Century Japanese with their Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. Japanese language was Orwellian, of course. Prosperity was intended to accrue to the Japanese. The Chinese now have a like idea, ominously so. As to the presidential candidates, Trump and Clinton, in particular, theres not much there on the Chinese danger. Trump has emphasized Chinas economic threat to the U.S., but as the American Enterprise Institutes Michael Mazza pointed out in a critical piece on Trump: Last year, the Malaysian Defense Minister warned that the South China Sea could escalate into one of the deadliest conflicts of our time or our history. And on this, Trump mustered a whopping 18 words. Trump, in various campaign appearances, has mentioned Chinese militarization of the South China Sea, but in a tongue-in-cheek reference to Chinese island building happening without their need to worry about environmental impact as the U.S. would. Here are samples of Trumps stump remarks, here and here. Trump did say this in an April 4, 2016, interview with the New York Times (via PolitiFact): China is "in the South China Sea and (building) a military fortress the likes of which perhaps the world has not seen." PolitiFact went on to criticize Trump for exaggeration. His terming the Chinese military buildup as a fortress the likes of which perhaps the world has not seen was judged hyperbole. But Trump is closer to the truth than is PolitiFact. The Chinese are only in the opening stages of militarizing those seas. They intend to project whatever power necessary into the regions to dominate them. If unchecked, they will create a virtual fortress over a great expanse. At Trumps campaign website, he does devote a brief section under reforming the Sino-American relationship to the East and South China Seas dispute. Per the website: Strengthen the U.S. military and deploying it appropriately in the East and South China Seas. These actions will discourage Chinese adventurism that imperils American interests in Asia and shows our strength as we begin renegotiating our trading relationship with China. A strong military presence will be a clear signal to China and other nations in Asia and around the world that America is back in the global leadership business. A web search for recent remarks by Hillary Clinton about Chinese power projection and control of the East and South China Seas yielded nothing. A search of the issues section of Clintons campaign website yielded -- nothing. Her issues section does address Protecting animals and wildlife and LGBT equality. An April 2015 article at The Diplomat delves into what a Clinton presidency might mean in terms of Asia. The article draws on an essay that ran at Foreign Policy under Clintons name when she was Secretary of State, as well as remarks she gave in the 2010-11 timeframe. The Obama presidency has been dedicated to a pivot to Asia, which amounts to an historic reordering of American national interests and priorities. Engagement in Asia is recognized as vital to American interests now and long term. The Diplomat quotes Clintons remarks following a meeting of ASEAN ministers in 2010: The United States supports a collaborative diplomatic process by all claimants for resolving the various territorial disputes without coercion. We oppose the use or threat of force by any claimant. While the United States does not take sides on the competing territorial disputes over land features in the South China Sea, we believe claimants should pursue their territorial claims and accompanying rights to maritime space in accordance with the UN convention on the law of the sea. Consistent with customary international law, legitimate claims to maritime space in the South China Sea should be derived solely from legitimate claims to land features. The statement from Secretary of State Clinton is couched, process-driven, and legalistic in tone. Thats what youd expect from the nations top diplomat. But with each passing day, the Chinese are demonstrating that the niceties of process and international legal understandings arent availing against a nation bent on hegemony, greater wealth through seizure, and a role equal to or surpassing the United States in global affairs. Chinas ambitions wont be blunted by rulings in international courts or tribunals. American military might, its willingness to project and use it, ongoing dialogue, and drawing unambiguous lines are the best bet of deterring Chinas aims in the East and South China Seas. Then it takes a president who shows resolve in the teeth of Chinas challenges. Trumps pledge to reform the Chinese-American relationship, rebuild the military, and advance vital U.S. interests seems to be better position him to engage and deter the Chinese. It would be good to hear more from Trump regularly about the need to counter China in a strategically critical area of the world. Sharks come in all sizes, from the juniors department all the way to the plus-size rack. The dwarf lantern shark averages a mere 5 inches, but sharks only get bigger from there. The pygmy shark is only a few inches bigger than the dwarf lantern shark. The spiny dogfish shark checks in at about 4 feet (1.2 meters) followed by the angel shark at 5 feet (1.5 meters) and the white tip reef shark at 7 feet (2.1 meters). Between 10 to 20 feet (3 to 6 meters) long is where you'll find most sharks -- lemon sharks, hammerheads, nurses and makos, to name a few. Over 20 feet, things get a little scary. Tiger sharks, great hammerheads and great white sharks can all grow to more than 20 plus (6 meters). Shark Image Gallery Advertisement But even at its 20 foot (6 meters) maximum size, the great white shark has nothing on the whale shark. It's believed that these behemoths can grow to a jaw-dropping 60-plus feet long (18 meters) -- that's about 20 feet (6 meters) longer than a school bus. Not all whale sharks grow that large. They average 20 to 25 feet (6 to 7.6 meters) but sightings of whale sharks between 40 and 50 feet (12 to 18 meters) are common. Not only is the whale shark the largest shark, it's also the largest fish in the entire ocean. Andrew Smith was the first ichthyologist, or fish expert, to describe and name the whale shark back in 1828. Its scientific name is Rhincodon typus. Depending on what country you're in, you'll hear it called everything from a tiburon ballena (Spain) to a rekin wielorybi (Poland.) Its size makes the whale shark pretty hard to miss. While it's frequently seen, there's still a great deal about the whale shark that we don't know. For one thing, because of its size, it's nearly impossible to capture and move to a tank for study. There are only two places in the world with tanks large enough to house a whale shark. Get ready to learn everything you ever wanted to know about this gentle giant. Last year I attended the first ever of a nonpartisan event called Politicon, which brought together an impressive number of popular conservative and liberal political gurus. One learns quickly enough, however, that there is no such thing as nonpartisanship when it comes to both the players and the crowd that attend such gatherings. At a panel featuring Doris Kearns Goodwin and several other spokeswomen for women, the praise for Hillary Clinton was enough to make ones ears ring, if not ones heart throb. The obsequious bias -- some of it from one of Barbara Boxers daughters who produces documentaries lauded the Hillary effect, a nebulous term they used to describe her impact on women worldwide. Theres little doubt among diehard Hillary supporters that Madame Secretary is a rarified role model of brains and accomplishment, whose time to pivot toward the presidency has more than come. Such idolatry dictates that any criticism of Hillary Clinton be construed as rooted in malice, jealousy, or misdirected political zeal. Anyone who finds fault with her actions is considered a truth-twisting misogynist. One expects plenty of negative fodder from both sides during an election campaign. George Soros will see to it that Trump is savaged in a barrage of expensive media advertising. And before its all over, Hillary will put on her usual stiff upper lip as the perennial poster child for political victimization by the same vast right wing conspiracy that unfairly went after her husband at the end of his term in office. Destructive rhetoric in all forms is de rigueur in an election year. What is unusual is not the negativism, but the unbridled and unwarranted optimism with which Ms. Clintons supporters describe her. The idea, perhaps, is that if something -- like the Hillary effect -- is proclaimed often enough -- it becomes believable. Take, for example, the well-circulated presumption that Hillary Rodham was the valedictorian of her Wellesley College class. I have heard this bit of misinformation dozens of times, by way of illustrating her lifelong brilliance. The fact is that Wellesley does not have valedictorians, and if it did, it would not have been Hillary, who wasnt even elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa, an honor reserved for the class top academic achievers. Instead, Hillary, a campus activist at the time, was chosen as the class spokesperson -- maybe more for her mouth than her mind. (Note: Bill Clinton was elected to Phi Beta Kappa at Georgetown University.) It was rare to allow a student rebuttal of sorts at a Wellesley graduation. But the 60s was a tempestuous decade, and any presumed image of womens college co-eds dutifully presiding over high tea -- pinkies properly extended -- had by then passed into history. So the college administration yielded to pressure, but not before insisting that the acting president be allowed to vet Hillarys speech beforehand. That effort didnt matter, however, since Ms. Rodham stood up on graduation day and gave an entirely different one -- a mean-spirited rebuff to the commencement speaker, then U.S. Senator Edward Brooke, a Republican representing Massachusetts, a war hero, and the first black senator popularly elected since the Reconstruction. The hyped picture of Hillary gets rosier still. In a recent interview, Diane Sawyer -- herself a Wellesley grad -- referred to her guest as a star at Yale Law School. If she was, her brightness dimmed considerably with her inability to pass the Washington, D.C. bar. Around that time, Hillary was fired from her first job in Our Nations Capital by Democrat Jeffrey Zeifman, counsel and chief of staff of the Houses Judiciary committee and Hillarys supervisor on the Nixon Watergate investigation, who concluded that she engaged in a variety of self-serving unethical practices in violation of House rules. Ms. Clinton has said that there were two sides to that story -- one more, incidentally, than she allows her enemies when she attacks them. Nevertheless, Hillarys image continues to be overhyped by those who love her, which includes herself. She has brashly boasted on the campaign trail about her diplomatic move of presenting Vladimir Putin with a big button by which to reset the clock in the faltering relationship between our two countries. Yet the truth is that Hillarys ersatz gimmick has resulted in an uptick for Putin, who has all but cleaned our clock with his aggressive actions in the Middle East and vulnerable former Soviet bloc countries. In the high-stakes game of Clinton spin, the coin always lands heads up. If she is sometimes described as The Queen of Denial, it is because she interprets every criticism as a vicious attack on her person. She likes to claim that for years she has been the victim of those intent on silencing her feminine voice in the political arena, as though she were a long-suffering dissident, a champion of the people akin to a Nelson Mandela. In fact, her long years in the public eye have yielded few verifiable achievements, notwithstanding such mantras as I take a back seat to no-one! and I have a strong record! If theres one thing Hillary has mastered from her pals in the grievance industry, its how to neutralize verbal attacks by behaving as though they are grossly unfair. So when she made the unwise assertion that she would close down the coal mining industry and put the remaining miners out of work, the unexpected outcry drove her not to defend her policy, but to defend herself. Looking downcast and deeply hurt by their reaction, she could say only that her comments must have been taken out of context. For who could doubt the goodness of Hillary Clinton as the long-time protector of coal miners and all other oppressed Americans? (At least Eleanor Roosevelt put on a hard hat and went down into the mines!) Nevertheless, Hillary can move from the aggrieved to the aggressor with the skill of a seasoned actor. Seven hours after Trump tweeted that the downing of the missing Egyptian plane was likely the result of terrorism, haughty Hillary concluded the same -- accompanied with the usual cliches -- i.e. the incident shines the spotlight on the problem. And to impress us with her worldly experience, she glibly tossed out a few nuggets, such as the fact that there are other terrorist groups out there beside ISIS. (Who knew?) Hillary has declared her Republican rival unfit to be president, soberly pointing out that it takes strength, smarts and steadiness to succeed in that position. Well, it wasnt very smart of her to bypass State Department rules and set up her own e-mail server, potentially compromising U.S. security. Nor is it a secret that she is not considered a very strong candidate. As for her so-called steadiness, its the lifelong result of her insatiable and unswerving quest for power. Overcoming Hillarys negatives -- the greatest of which is her untrustworthiness -- will require some conjuring from the magicians hat. All her boring, hand-sawing, platitudinous bombast must somehow be obscured by ever more insincere smiles at her rallies and phony hugs to her newly-designated Economic Czar. Still, Democrats hold to the official party line that no matter how disappointing their presumptive nominees negatives appear to be, Donald Trumps are worse. The other whiff of hope to this lame defense presumes that somehow Hillarys innate promise will be fully embraced once pesky Bernie is out of the picture. It brings to mind how Barbara Boxer reminded the rowdy Sanders supporters at the Nevada state convention that the Democratic Party behaves itself, a comment she delivered just before being ushered off the stage under a hail of nasty boos. The considerable Clinton baggage -- which her campaign passes off as Santa sacks full of goodies for struggling Americans -- will make it hard to hoist Hillary onto anything resembling a pedestal. But that wont deter her worshippers, who fail to see that their idol has feet of clay. Trigger Warning: This is a 100% true story. No names have been changed to protect anyone. You may be disturbed. But I will not lie to you. On April 23, 2016, I declared my independence. The towers of the university where I work reflected the orange glare of L.A.'s sunset. It was Saturday, but I'd driven all the way to campus to do something, I realized, I should have done eight years ago. The office was empty, as one would expect. The security cameras probably captured becoming footage of my lone figure walking down the seventh floor hallway and throwing open the door to my private office. Then I climbed over the desk and let my arms dangle in the space between the desk and the wall. Each of the connections was there. I unplugged the power, the network cable, the printer cables, the Ethernet, and everything that allowed the world at large to stay connected to the computer in my office. When all the connections were pulled, I lifted the computer up and hid it in a safe place. The emails and social media of several prior weeks had gradually convinced me. The urban legends about employers spying on employees were not paranoid fantasy. It had become clear to me that someone had been going through the documents on my computer and hacked into my personal email accounts through the desktop at work. Someone must have physically entered my office, having obtained the key from staff, or gotten into the hard drive through the network cables. For years the coincidences had been too numerous and bizarre. For a while, though, I didn't have proof. In dozens of articles I had joked about the tribulations of a conservative professor in left-wing academia, but there was nothing funny about my life anymore. Someone within the university was leaking personal details from my personal email (not the university email) to people off campus. The door to my office still, after six years, bore the deep grooves left when someone dug a sharp blade through the wood to deface my Army stickers. The vandalism had been hidden for a number of years behind posters, but in the time since, some of my posters had been ripped or disfigured as well. People had slipped menacing Bible verses about repenting and preparing for the apocalypse under my door. Then there were the barrages of obscene phone calls, emails calling me "vendido" and asshole, and the vandals who tore my American flag. By now I had gone through several rounds of "investigations" because of frivolous student complaints, including charges that I "had erections while teaching," called Helen of Troy "promiscuous," and said that liberals were "nutjobs." The epic Title IX tribunal over my conference at the Reagan Presidential Library is still now, to this day, open and undecided after 600 days. The case was based on a gay student claiming he had a nervous breakdown because of anti-gay "targeting" at the Reagan Library and a woman who claimed I did not nominate her for an award because she alleged that the five female speakers at the Reagan Library were "anti-female." By 2014 I could no longer trust any of my students. I was teaching like a robot: come in, hook up the laptop, give one of my canned lectures, tell the jokes at all the right junctures, try not to screw up, and get out before students can get into any unsupervised conversations. I had an inkling which of my colleagues were planting students in my class to annoy me at first I thought I was crazy to suspect it but when it was clear that most of the people lodging weird complaints had the same few professors as mentors, I knew that there were no real coincidences anymore. You don't try to guess who the snipers are; just assume they are all out to get you, and never get close. I stopped providing comments on papers. I stopped accepting papers as hard copies and received them only through the online portal, so there would be a digital record. No more arguments. If students want to write a paper claiming that James Baldwin was braver than Malcolm X because Baldwin moved to Paris and had gay lovers, fine. Want to write a paper about how Anne Bradstreet was really a feminist who hated Christianity? Sure, why not? Go for it. No more bonding with students coming into my office saying, "I am a Christian who admires your work, and I want to say, it's so great to have you as a teacher." Some of those heart-to-heart visitors were real, but others were fake, and the fake ones have made it impossible for me to help the real ones. Keep the office door barely ajar if nobody's coming for office hours. Open it wide if someone's in there. Don't be personal, make it brief, thank them, and then close the door as they leave. What am I hoping for, a corroborating witness? My colleagues are just as likely to make up stories about me as my students. In the last two weeks, I obtained proof that other professors (the lefties, of course) were spreading rumors that I was a CIA operative engaged in "government-backed agitation," I threatened to jump off a tower and kill myself, I stole a computer, and I was "racially profiling" students in the blind-copy section of an email. (How you "racially profile" people in a blind-copy section containing white, black, Asian, and Latino recipients is really a curious mystery. But there you have it.) Every single colleague who was nice to me turned out to be luring me into traps of one kind or another. I arrived in 2008 and thought they would be okay with me hanging one McCain-Palin sign, just a tiny little one, on a bulletin board inside my office. But the cost of that one little sign was dear indeed. I drove them insane. They tried to make me crazy, but somehow just by coming to work each day and not converting to their cause or crumpling up in a ball of tears, I incited a powerful instinct in them: the instinct to hunt down the enemy. What leads grown adults with Ph.D.s to stand before an office door and drag a sharp blade was it an awl or a screwdriver? over someone else's Army stickers while he is on military leave? In eight years I lunched with colleagues a total of five or six times and never had conversations with the rest. The people in that department had never listened to my speeches, read my work, or spoken to me at length. They knew absolutely nothing about me. How can you not know someone and yet be completely okay with telling all the Latino students that he's a CIA agent who has been sent by the government to do mean things he learned at the School of the Americas? They wouldn't let me speak at meetings. Every time I posted anything on the listserv, no matter how short or long, how opinionated or neutral, somebody would complain, and I'd have to worry about payback during peer review. They wouldn't promote my work in the department newsletter, made a point to sabotage any students who chose me as a mentor, and kept me off all the important committees. It was not long before I decided to strike a devil's bargain with my peers you do your thing and leave me alone. I will find money and research projects that have nothing to do with campus and won't taint liberal colleagues with the dreaded fear of complicity with the Koch Brothers (just kidding I've never done anything with the Koch Brothers, regardless of what they say about me). But they couldn't even let me do my thing and be left alone. It was when I tried to go my own way that the most Lopez-obsessed parties on campus started ginning up the worst of the student complaints. It was as if they could be happy only if they knew that I was being tortured by bureaucratic sadists somewhere in the state university's catacombs. The administration turned against me as the weight of outside pressure and constant pestering from the faculty proved too much. The provost who was favorable to me left, and a new pharaoh came who did not know Joseph. Within days of his being sworn in, my enemies were gleefully preparing new complaints that would have to cross his desk. A call came from my dean, someone I had scrupulously avoided dealing with, in September 2015. She said she was forcing me to be on the college personnel committee with four people I had ample reason to fear. I tried to get off the committee, but the dean insisted that this was routine procedure and I had no right to refuse service on it. As if by clockwork, within six months there were he-said-she-said accusations against me, and I was stuck in endless conferrals again. By the time a Chicano activist leaked an email revealing that one of my colleagues in English was still obsessed with convincing others I was part of the CIA, my sense of humor had dried up. Student organizations with hundreds of members were included on the distribution list. The emissary to Chicano Studies who'd brought the alleged information about my spy status was not a Chicano studies major, but a grad student in English who'd gotten a high-profile award. I had never met him once, but he felt at ease inciting untold numbers of irascible militants that I was a deceitful enemy who could not be trusted in any way. I didn't want police to escort me at my job. But that was how it ended up. As the olive in my martini, a professor sent me links to homosexual pornography secretly embedded in a heated email chain. I am so lucky not to have clicked on the hyperlink. At least some of my better instincts are still sharp. I stood on my desk on that Saturday night and realized: I don't have to live like this. Not long afterward, I closed out the year with a lecture on Thoreau and Whitman and told my students, "This is my last time teaching here. I leave you with three lessons as young writers, which you should never forget. "First, you will never become famous for the work you wanted everyone to read; it will be something you never expected and often something you didn't want to be famous for. "Second, when your writing gets attention, own it. Someone out there feels as you do, and you can't get scared, for their sake. "Third, when you leave the university, there is no reward for nuance. People draw lines and stick to them. Almost any viewpoint you have is polarizing. You have to survive. So when there are two sides fighting with each other and you're caught in the middle, get out of the middle. Pick the side that's protecting you, and stay away from the side that's attacking you they can't be trusted." With that, I left campus. Some students wanted to speak to me as I walked out, but I raced past them and down the steps leading to a side courtyard. I unfurled my tie and slowly unbuttoned my shirt so I could walk in my undershirt, blending in with the young Mexicans of Los Angeles. After a few moments I looked at my feet and realized I was running. I was literally fleeing, like a refugee. And Lot's wife popped into my mind. Don't look back. The left is toxic. Freedom is sweet. Between tenure and happiness...farewell, liberal academia. Robert Oscar Lopez can be followed at English Manif, Soundcloud, and Twitter. Donald Trump would do himself and this country a huge favor if he would do to Hillary what the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth did to John Kerry in the 2004 election: bring together the people from her past who know the off-stage, off-camera, hard-focus Hillary, and let them share with America their experiences with this woman who would be queen. Those people are the state troopers in Arkansas and the U.S. Secret Service agents who once served on her protective details. Like those brave sailors who served with John Kerry when his true lack of character was on full display, these state and federal protectors have tales to tell about the former first lady when she wasn't on camera, and those stories aren't pretty. Because the Clintons have required protection details from their early days in Arkansas in the governor's mansion, right up to the present, there is no shortage of sworn officers who have been in position to observe this pair of grifters up close and personal. A few have made public disclosures to book authors, with Bill's sexual dalliances being their primary focus, but according to one of Bill's former mistresses, many of the Arkansas troopers were afraid to come forward for fear of losing their state jobs and pensions. Likewise, several former Secret Service agents from the White House protection detail have been quoted anonymously in books on the topic of the Clintons' truly bad behavior, both in the White House and post-presidency. What I'm suggesting is that Trump should send out investigators to interview some of these people to see if they would be willing to come forward and talk about their experiences with the Clintons, but with particular emphasis on their dealings with Hillary. The Trump campaign could schedule an initial event in Little Rock in a venue that could accommodate thousands and assemble former state troopers onstage recounting anecdotes from their days of guarding and transporting Hillary. I absolutely hate attending large events, but that's one I'd go to in a flash in the hopes I'd get to hear the trooper who was in attendance at the 1984 Easter egg hunt for developmentally disabled children at the governor's mansion when an exasperated Hillary, angered over the time it was taking the children to find the eggs, reportedly stormed up to a state trooper and raged, "When are they going to get those f****** ree-tards out of here?!" I can assure you that to witness, with my own eyes and ears, a trooper who was there affirm that quote would be truly priceless. It could also be deadly for Clinton's presidential aspirations if the Trump campaign could incorporate the retard reference into endless television ads. Similarly, Trump should stage the first of several huge campaign and media events, perhaps debuting in one of the large Midwestern swing states, but with secret service agents there on stage to describe their professional experiences with Hillary while providing her personal security. Again, the one I'd love to see up there telling his story is the agent who reputedly said to the first lady, "Good morning," for which he received a totally classless but pure Hillary "f*** off!" Television ads featuring that nasty bit and that "effing ree-tards" remark would wake up a lot of Americans as to the sort of really dreadful person they are so eager to make their first female president. Sorry for the crude language in this piece, but it is necessary, just as those troopers and Secret Service agents accurately quoting the foul-mouthed Hillary Clinton is, to show how the woman is simply too profane, hateful, angry, and unseemly to occupy the Oval Office. In that context, Hillary's former bodyguards most likely can relate a string of such incidents, and enough strings can be braided into a rope. It would be good to see Hillary's foul mouth and ugly personality provide the rope for her own political hanging. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is asking the Justice Department and the Oregon state attorney general's office to initiate a criminal investigation into the failure of the Obamacare exchange site, Cover Oregon. More than $300 million was given to the state by the federal government that was ultimately wasted when the website never got off the ground. Incompetence and pure politics were cited by the committee as reasons for the failure. Fox News: "More than $305 million in federal taxpayer dollars were sent to Oregon state for purposes of implementing a state exchange to benefit the people," the Republican-led committee said in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch. "The state exchange never came to fruition, and the money is gone." The report also found there has been no effort from the Department for Health and Human Services to retrieve the lost funds. The report said that state officials improperly commingled official and political resources to enrich Kitzhabers re-election bid. Democrats on the committee released their own report, which laid the blame at the feet of Oracle Corporation, the states contractor, saying it misled officials and failed to deliver a functioning website. The Democrats' report also found that Oracles work was so flawed the state should stop payments to them. Oregon had the country's worst rollout of the national health insurance program. While the crippled federal website eventually worked, Oregon failed to enroll a single person online. The state-supported platform eventually was abandoned for the federal HealthCare.gov. Cover Oregon was dissolved in March 2015. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' "failed oversight of the development and implementation of Cover Oregon resulted in millions of wasted taxpayer dollars," the committees report said, calling for the reform of its grant and oversight process. The report also found that state officials and Kitzhabers campaign staff collaborated to such an extent that the "lines between official and political activities became blurry. Kitzhaber resigned in February 2015 amid allegations his fiancee, Cylvia Hayes, did private consulting work for organizations seeking to influence state policies. The report found that at least one email discussing Cover Oregon included Hayes, "who did not have any Cover Oregon role or responsibilities." Actually, House Republicans let Oracle off too easily. Internal documents from the software giant reveal that they knew full well that the site was defective and hid that fact from the state. But that's a matter between the state of Oregon and Oracle. What concerns Congress is the blatant misuse of resources by the governor to further his political campaign, and the shocking incompetence of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that not only failed in its oversight duties, but has also so far resisted going after the state to reimburse the American taxpayer. In China, these officials would be executed. In many other countries, they'd go to jail. The state officials who wasted this money may eventually go to jail, but it's doubtful that anyone in the federal government will face prosecution. How many billions have been wasted on these exchanges already and who, ultimately, will be held responsible? Welcome to Obama's Washington. The administration has given in to Iranian threats to walk away from the nuclear deal if any more sanctions are imposed by not citing any human rights abusers in Iran since the deal was signed. This, despite promises to Congress that sanctions would be used as a tool to punish Iran for human rights violations. And the White House is fighting Congress over additional sanctions to replace the ones that expire this year. Washington Free Beacon: We were told during this process that getting the nuclear issue off the table was so critical and we could actually expect Iran to engage in additional destabilizing activity, Rep. David Cicilline (D., R.I.) said during a House Foreign Affairs Committee examining the administrations promises regarding Iran. We were assured that this would give us an opportunity to push back hard in these other areas because the danger of a nuclear Iran would be off the table, and I was very persuaded by that, said Cicilline, a supporter of the nuclear agreement. Cicilline asked Ambassador Stephen Mull, the administrations lead coordinator for implementing the nuclear deal, what the administration has done since the signing of the [nuclear deal] with regard to imposing sanctions on human rights violators in Iran. Mull admitted that the U.S. has not taken any action. There has not been a specific sanction on human rights cases since the signing of the deal, Mull said. Cicilline questioned why, since the administration promised to take action, it had not done so in the face of rising human rights abuses by Iran. Mull emphasized that the administration is concerned about human rights in Iran and has raised the issue in meetings with regime officials. Insiders who spoke to the Washington Free Beacon warned that the administration will block all Congressional attempts to impose new sanctions on Iran out of fear that the Islamic Republic will abandon the deal. Congress wants to impose new pressure against Iranian human rights violations, but the Obama administration keeps blocking new action. The administrations excuse is they already have all the tools they need, said one source who works closely with Congress on the Iran issue. What todays admission shows is that they might have those tools, but theyre certainly not using them. Human rights groups continue to observe gross human rights violations in Iran, despite the election of President Hassan Rouhani, who was touted as a moderate reformer. I think most Americans would say let them walk. It is intolerable that our foreign policy is being held hostage by the crazies in Tehran, who bristle at every effort to rein in their ambitions and continually mock and provoke the American government into appearing weak. The sanctions are more symbolic than effective. But if nothing else, the sanctions give those fighting for more freedom in Iran hope. One of the least understood outcomes of speaking up about human rights violations in the old Soviet Union was that Jewish refuseniks and others involved in human rights campaigns were cheered at the thought that they were not alone, that the American people stood with them. President Obama's message to the dissidents in Iran is, "So sorry. You're on your own." Despite the bipartisan nature of the effort to replace expiring sanctions, there will almost certainly not be enough Democrats to overturn a presidential veto. Obama will not take the chance that his "signature" foreign policy achievement would be scuttled by America standing up for freedom of the Iranian people. The president is currently in Japan and in effect campaigning against Trump when he said that world leaders are rattled about what Trump will do as president. I thought that is very rich coming from Obama, who had little foreign policy experience when he was elected. One of the things he did in his first year in office was to renege on defense shields in Poland and the Czech Republic. He did this as an overture to Russia, and it obviously gave Russia an indication of who they were dealing with and showed Eastern Europeans that we cant be trusted to keep our word. That red reset button did not exactly inspire confidence, either. We also remember the red line in Syria that keeps moving while we open up relations with Iran, which is one of the biggest sponsors of terrorism throughout the world. We give them at least $100 billion for essentially nothing in return. We can see that Iran has no intent to cut back. We also know that the Obama administration continually lied to the media and Congress to get the deal through. We also agreed to protect Ukraine when we talked them into giving up nuclear weapons. As Russia has invaded them, the U.S and allies have not kept their word. The U.S is giving the Communist regime in Vietnam weapons to protect themselves from China but has turned down requests from our ally Ukraine. Why? In 2012, Obama mocked Mitt Romney for referring to Russia as our number one geopolitical foe. Obama said, The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back because the Cold Wars been over for 20 years. Even four years into Obamas presidency he was not very knowledgeable of the risks. Obviously President Obama cant be trusted on foreign policy so pardon me if I couldnt care less when he lectures anyone about who should be president and who can be trusted. I would love to see a list of countries in the world where our relationship is as good as it was when President Obama and Hillary took office in 2009. President Obama even blamed Great Britain for the failure in Libya. (It is sort of like blaming a video, instead of terrorism, for four Americans dying). It is rarely if ever a mistake by Obama himself. What are his or her actual accomplishments? Knowing their names and traveling are not actual accomplishments. If anyone knows about rattling world leaders, it is Obama himself. As the days go by, the results of the Austrian presidential election get more suspicious. According to the official results, the far-left candidate Alexander Van der Bellen defeated Norbert Hofer from the Freedom Party of Austria by just 31,000 votes, 50.35% to 49.65%. The lights were already blinking red on the day the results were being released. Writing for Breitbart soon thereafter, James Delingpole didn't mince words and called the election a sham: We were continually assured by the left-liberal media how awful it would be if the (supposed) "far-right" candidate Norbert Hofer won. But actually the victory of Green candidate Alexander Van der Bellen on, likely, a rigged ballot is far, far worse. It's bad for democracy: Hofer lost by just 31,000 of the 4.64 million votes cast. Suspicions are bound to fall on the 700,000 votes cast in the postal ballot, which appears to be what swung it for Van der Bellen. But postal votes as we know especially from the experience of Muslim-dominated constituencies in the UK are prone to rampant fraud. Austrians who voted for Hofer are talking about "betrug" fraud and this may well be more than sour grapes. In some areas there was a remarkable 146.9 percent voter turnout. This stinks of a stitch up by the bien-pensant elite in unholy alliance with the immigrant bloc vote. Austrians should be concerned. There are red flags all over these results. The supposed explanations for the 147% voter turnout in Waidhofen an der Ybbs and another problematic result in Linz test the limits of credulity in a modern, purportedly democratic, state. Emotions are running high in the European nation, and Hofer has perhaps far too graciously, given the circumstances called for calm and said there "was no sign of fraud in the election." The Freedom Party leader, Heinz-Christian Strache, also was a little too quick to accept the official results, claiming that "there is a democratic result that should be recognized." A large number of Hofer's supporters clearly take a more critical view. An online petition disputing the election results is already at 27,500 and climbing. But as of yesterday, the Associated Press is reporting that, based on apparent complaints from some officials in the Freedom Party, "Austria's interior ministry has asked the state prosecutor's office to follow up on apparent regional irregularities in the absentee vote count for the country's presidential election." In the first round of the election on April 24, Hofer easily won with 35% of the vote, besting Van der Bellen in second place with just 21%. For the second round, a provisional result released on May 22 gave victory to Hofer with a 51.9%-to-48.1% lead over Van der Bellen. The provisional result shocked the left-wing establishment across the EU but was consistent with both major polls released in the last days before the election, which reliably showed Hofer with the majority of public support over his rival, 52.3% to 47.7% and 53% to 47%. And then those magical absentee ballots were counted on May 23, which somehow entirely reversed the election results, giving victory to Van der Bellen. The math on their impact verges on the implausible. We know there were about 700,000 absentee ballots counted. Knowing what Hofer's level of support was (51.9%) before these ballots were counted, and the final results, it appears that his support must have somehow dropped to around 37.5% for the absentee ballots to give Van der Bellen (who garnered about 62.5% on these absentee votes) the overall win. One potentially expects small but significant deviations between the absentee vote distribution and that from in-person polling stations, but a difference of nearly 15% either way that shifted the vote from a 3.8% lead for Hofer on the in-person ballots to a 25% lead for Van der Bellen on the absentee votes? That seems most unlikely. Then there are the massive numbers of "invalid" ballots that appeared in the second round. Approximately the same number of total ballots were cast in the first (4.37 million) and second (4.64 million) rounds, yet in the first round, just 2.1% (92,655) of the ballots were invalid, while the second round had 3.6% (165,212) invalid ballots even though the second-round ballot was far simpler, with just two candidates and a clear binary choice, versus at least six candidates on the first-round ballot. Investigating this election particularly the nebulous absentee ballots will be a major challenge for the Freedom Party. The Austrian bureaucracy is undoubtedly, as with all bureaucracies, biased far to the extreme left, meaning a fair and objective investigation is a near impossibility. Probably the only way to resolve this controversy will be to hold another election with a much greater level of domestic and international oversight and require all ballots to be cast in person under the watchful gaze of trained observers. A Texas congressional candidate has boldly resurrected a popular East Coast Democratic catchphrase from the late 19th century: Vote Early, Vote Often. Actually, it works just as well in todays Chicago, the Rio Grande Valley, or any other area dominated by progressive political machines. In a May 19 Facebook posting, Vicente Gonzales, a Democrat running in Texass 15th Congressional District, urged supporters to get to the polls for early voting the week before Tuesdays Democratic primary run-off election. One of his posts features a graphic red, white, and blue emblem with a large VOTE on the left and Early and Often stacked on the right. The post elicited 43 likes and 13 shares, and this comment: What is wrong with that statement? Vote early, vote often. Vote multiple times in the same election? Just sayin'. And this: Seriously? The Republicans are having a field day with this post. Indeed, the post may have made Democrats giggle, but it also epitomized the donkey partys cavalier attitude toward election integrity. In any event, it certainly didnt hurt Mr. Gonzales, who beat his opponent by a margin of 2 to 1. Over the past few years, as Republicans enacted voter photo ID laws to prevent fraudulent voting, Democrats have claimed that vote fraud is a non-problem and accused the GOP of wanting to suppress minority, elderly, and young voters. They imply that these people are incompetent to obtain identification that other citizens routinely use in driving, banking, boarding a plane, cashing checks, obtaining welfare benefits, voting, and myriad other activities. Sounds racist to me. Not to mention ageist. The American Civil Rights Union, using Section 8 of the 1993 National Voter Registration Act (Motor Voter), began winning lawsuits in Mississippi in 2013 to clean up inflated voter rolls and is now successfully suing Texas counties, including nearby Terrell and Zavala, for the same problem. You know somethings wrong when registered voters outnumber people old enough to vote. The 15th District, a border area in the Rio Grande Valley, has been represented by retiring Democrat Rep. Ruben Hinojosa, who has served 10 terms without a serious GOP challenge. The district includes Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Brooks, Duval, Live Oak, Karnes, Wilson, and Guadalupe Counties. But this year, Republican Tim Westley, an African-American pastor, is putting up a vigorous challenge for this congressional seat. Voter turnout in the 15th District seems to depend on whether or not its a presidential election year. In 2012, Mr. Hinojosa received 89,296 votes to his Republican opponents 54,056. Two years later, he tallied only 48,708 votes, winning by a mere 9,892 votes. No wonder Mr. Gonzales wants his voters to get out there early and often! With another presidential election on tap in November, plus the well documented shady voter registration efforts by the Soros-funded Battleground Texas and Democratic politiqueras in the region, turnout is expected to return to the 2012 level or higher. Of course, if people vote more than once, as Mr. Gonzales is apparently urging, the turnout will be through the roof. Robert Knight is a Senior Fellow for the American Civil Rights Union. The mere fact of an American president going to Hiroshima is itself an acknowledgment of the horror of nuclear weapons. But President Obama must resist the temptation to continue his global apology tour and express regret for America being the first and so far only nation to employ this weaponry. There is no question that the A-bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki saved American lives. What is less recognized is that it saved Japanese lives as well. I wish President Obama would talk to my friend Ichiro (not his real name, for he is a rather prominent figure in Japan), who, a couple of decades ago, fueled by a bottle of whiskey we shared one evening, told me about his experiences as a primary school student in Kyushu during the war. Kyushu, the mainland island closest to Okinawa, was slated to be first point for American forces to invade following the very bloody capture of Okinawa. As a result, elementary school students were enlisted in the cause of defending the Emperor and the sacred soil of Japan. Here is what Ichiro told me he was trained to do when the Americans invaded. He and he classmates were shown how to dig holes in the ground, cover them with straw matting and dirt, and crouch in them with sharpened sticks. When the Americans came, they were to wait until a soldier stepped onto their hole and, when he fell in, stab him with the pointed stick. Ichiro told me after a few drinks, even then he knew this was suicide, and he wanted no part of it. He was grateful when the emperors recorded voice was heard on the radio telling the Japanese people that events had come to the point that they were to endure the unendurable and surrender. He made no bones about it: the atomic weapons saved his life. Without their use, the firebombing raids of the B-29s (which killed far more civilians than the A bombs did) would have continued, even escalated, and when the Americans landed in Kyushu, they would have been fought every inch of the way, even by elementary school students sent on suicide missions. My friend Ichiro is not the only Japanese person whose life was saved by President Trumans fateful decision. Hillary Clintons arrogant refusal to debate Bernie Sanders on Fox News just got trumped. Previously unrecognized political power broker Jimmy Kimmel has arranged something unprecedented. CBS News reports: Before hitting a private fundraiser in Los Angeles, Donald Trump taped a guest appearance on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," where he fielded questions from the late-night host on a range of topics -- including transgender bathrooms, and whether he'd debate Bernie Sanders. Kimmel asked Trump if he'd be willing to debate Sanders, given that Hillary Clinton had turned her primary opponent down for a California debate. Trump declared he would -- as long as the proceeds go to charity. As he accepted the hypothetical debate, Trump asked, perhaps jokingly, how much Sanders would be willing to pay him -- for charity -- then conceded that it would be fine if a network were willing to put up the money. Trump also said he has never met Sanders. Sanders responded almost immediately on Twitter: Game on. I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary. Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 26, 2016 There are still details to be worked out, including which network would televise the event and how much they would pay to charity. Either candidate could back down, but both men have a strong interest in making Hillary Clinton look like a coward for refusing to engage Sanders in a debate. So what does Hillary do? She would look terrible asking to be included, after having refused to debate Sanders. And she would look terrible by not being there. In other words, trumped. A few weeks ago, we lamented that commencement addresses had now turned into political rants. My good guess is that most families are there to cheer the graduates. We were when our sons graduated! There are probably people in the audience of varying political views. After all, Governor Romney got 61 million votes in 2012, or 48% of the vote. We can safely assume that many of the families sitting in the audience did not do "the hope and change" the last time around. Nevertheless, the hits just keep on coming, as Larry Lujack used to say when I'd walk home from school listening to WLS on my little radio. Enter Maria Elena Salinas. She is a national anchor at Univision and not known for any crazy stuff. In fact, she was tough on President Obama in a 2012 Univision appearance. This week, Miss Salinas decided to hang her anti-Trump trophy: Some people in the crowd at a graduation ceremony at California State University, Fullerton, shouted at the commencement speaker after she talked about presidential candidate Donald Trump and gave a brief section of her address in Spanish. Its really sad, the commencement speaker, Maria Elena Salinas, an anchor for Spanish language broadcast network Univision, said Tuesday. And its a testament to what has happened in our country. Our country is really divided. "Stupid estupida" that's all I can say about Maria Elena. I'm glad that she is worried about someone dividing the country. Why doesn't she tell people to stop dividing the country by waving Mexican flags on U.S. soil? Or call on President Obama to stop going around Congress? As AT readers know, I'm not a fan of Mr. Trump. At the same, I'm no fan of immigration activists dressed up as journalists, either. Maria Elena's remarks coincided with the news that the head of Univision has already voted for president: The chairman of Univision, the largest Spanish language TV network in the United States, is reportedly the single biggest donor to presidential Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton and her husband former President Bill Clinton. According to an investigation on Clinton donations by the Washington Post, Haim Saban and his wife Cheryl, a women's advocate and author, donated $2.4 million to Clinton political campaigns since 1992 -- 39 contributions over the past two decades. Separately, the couple also donated at least $10 million to the Clinton Foundation, the investigation shows. It's a free country, and the head of Univision can do whatever he wants with his money. It'd be nice if Univision would tell its viewers, but that's life. It's a free country for me, too, and I can agree with Ruben Navarrete about Univision: Republicans seem to have finally figured out the Spanish translation for Democrats Communications Department. Its pronounced: Univision. So I trust that the Trump staff know that they will be running against the Clintons, many in the media, and Univision. P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. With every passing day, Donald Trump's chances of winning the presidency increase. Hillary Clinton's campaign is floundering. She has no message aside from "Elect me; I'm a woman." She is hated by 30 to 40% of Democratic voters who prefer Bernie Sanders or, for that matter, anybody but her. Her e-mail problems are growing worse from the inspector general's recent report to the ongoing FBI investigation. And Trump has indicated that he is willing to use every single bit of dirt from her 30-year-long trail of sleaze against her in the general campaign. One of Trump's primary issues, and an issue that is the cause of much of his popularity, is his promise to end illegal immigration and deport some 12 to 20 million illegals already in the U.S. It's an issue that resonates broadly with the white working class, whose standard of living has been steadily eroded by offshoring jobs to China and Mexico. The Obama administration's policy of letting illegals from a third-world country stay in the U.S. to compete with native-born Americans for jobs and government benefits adds insult to injury. As Trump's chances of winning increase, it's time to start asking a pretty important question: what will a lame-duck Obama do between November and January if Trump does actually win? My guess is that Obama will pardon a substantial number (if not all) of the illegals to sabotage Trump's deportation plan. Here's why I think it could happen. First, "Improper Entry by Alien" is a pardonable offense against the United States. Eight U.S. Code Sec. 1325 defines it as a crime with prison sentences ranging from 6 months to 2 years; thus, the president does have the power under Article II of the Constitution to grant pardons for it. Second, Obama has consistently sided with foreigners against American interests. Refusal to deport large numbers of illegals is one example, but there are numerous others. Obama told Russian president Medvedev that he would be "more flexible after his last election." His national security adviser recently admitted that the press and the public were intentionally hoodwinked on the Iran nuclear deal. Obama bowed to Saudi princes and apologized to Iran for the 1953 Mossadegh coup. He bypassed Congress and allied with the British and French to attack Libya. He announced in Berlin in 2008 that he is a "citizen of the world." Obama went to Nelson Mandela's funeral but spurned Justice Scalia's. He claimed to be born in Kenya to his own publisher, instigating the "birther controversy" he later snidely mocked. Obama identifies with third-worlders, not Americans. It would fit a pattern for him to choose the side of Mexican illegals over American citizens and over U.S. immigration law. Third, there is precedent for a mass pardon. In 1977, Jimmy Carter pardoned hundreds of thousands of individuals who evaded the draft during the Vietnam War. Could Obama trump Trump by issuing a blanket lame-duck pardon? He could, and I think he would. The Democratic Party has abandoned the white native-born American working class. Its core constituencies are liberal whites with a globalist outlook and minority racial groups who vote on the basis of identity politics. Pardoning illegals after a Trump victory would strengthen the 21st-century Democratic Party base and cement Obama's legacy on the globalist, anti-American, anti-white, pro-minority left. It's a win-win for him. The possibility that Obama's last official act will be to "fundamentally transform" America by making 12 to 20 million third-worlders permanent residents of the U.S. is something to think about more and more as November approaches and the Trump juggernaut rolls on. Located in the neighborhood of La Libertad, in the city of Puebla, Mexico, the sinter cone deposit of Cuexcomate has been mistakenly described as the smallest volcano in the world by the local population for centuries. It really is only an extinguished geyser, or perhaps a mud volcano (Cuexcomate is a Nahautl word for mud pot) believed to have formed by the bursts of magma and sulfuric water during the 1064 eruption of Popocatepetl, an active volcano and the second highest peak in Mexico. The volcanic eruption had likely activated geothermal spring circulation that burst through the Mesozoic limestone layers and deposited calcite and silicate compounds creating an enormous heap 43 feet tall and 75 feet across that looks very much like the cone of a small volcano. The sinter cone is hollow and there is a 23-feet-wide opening at the top, through which a spiraling metal staircase was installed allowing tourists to descend into the excavated interior of the structure. Photo credit: sipse.com A plaque outside the cone, installed in 1970, carries a quote from an observer from 1585 describing Cuexcomate as a very large rock crag standing alone, six or seven states tall, with circular form, in whose summit there is a great mouth, as if it was made to hold a well. It is very deep, and at the bottom there is foul-smelling water. The plaque also suggests that the cone once served as a site for human sacrifices to indigenous gods and later as a dumping ground for bodies of suicide victims because the locals felt that they did not deserve to be mourned or buried. Perhaps because of these horrors, the people living around the geyser were sometimes referred to as childrens of the devils navel. Once the only landmark in the area, Cuexcomate is now surrounded by urban development, but is still a popular tourist attraction in Puebla. Photo credit: hectorio/Flickr Photo credit: Jesus Dehesa/Flickr Photo credit: sipse.com Photo credit: Renato Ornelas/Panoramio Photo credit: Antoine 49/Flickr Photo credit: Antoine 49/Flickr Photo credit: miagray.wordpress.com Photo credit: Sergio Arce G/Panoramio Sources: Wikipedia / gsa.confex.com / www.puebla-mexico.com Alphabet and Google is in hot water with antitrust regulators all over the world, with the worst of it focused in Europe, where Google may end up facing literally record-setting fines. Amid all of this, Googles advisory board, already scrambling, is now facing down a local lawsuit from a shareholder, Robert Jessup, who alleges that the board could have prevented the current state of affairs and should compensate Alphabet for any money they stand to lose as a result of the current antitrust proceedings. Jessup went through Robbins Arroyo, a San Diego law firm specializing in this sort of thing, to file his 52-page grievance report in the California state court. Android lies at the center of this latest suit. Jessup alleges that the board has, by allowing a few select anti-competitive practices to continue through the years, allowed this antitrust situation to descend upon Alphabet. The anti-competitive actions in question include Googles much-criticized Mobile Application Distribution Agreements, which outline the hoops that device makers have to jump through in order to get the Google Play Store to ship on their devices. Though the agreements vary from partner to partner, prominent placement of Googles apps and using Google as the default search engine for all possible outlets, including voice search and voice commands, is on most of these agreements. In essence, manufacturers must include the full suite of Google apps, just the way Google wants them, and make them the default apps, or else they cannot have the Play Store on their device, though they are free to use Android, since it is open-source. Advertisement Venture capital wunderkind John Doerr and Stanford Universitys President, John Hennessy, are among the board members called out by name in the suit. As well as calling for the board to avert harm to shareholders by compensating Alphabet for antitrust-related damages, the suit asks the court to help Alphabet reform their leadership to prevent this sort of thing from happening in the future. The complaint essentially asserts that the board in charge of helping Alphabet make decisions, along with Alphabet leadership, knowingly violated EU antitrust laws, and even goes as cuttingly far as to say that the board tossed aside Googles old motto, Dont be evil. The Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge are the companys newest flagships. These two smartphones were introduced back in February during the Mobile World Congress (MWC), and Samsung managed to sell tons of units thus far. Strong Galaxy S7 & S7 Edge sales actually improved Samsungs Q1 2016 results significantly compared to last year, which are great news for this South Korea-based tech giant. That being said, Samsung tends to release special edition variants of their flagship devices from time to time. The company has released the Iron Man-themed Galaxy S6 Edge last year, and its time for the Galaxy S7 Edge it seems, though were not looking at the Iron Man edition here. Samsung has released a teaser image via their official Twitter handle, and the image itself is quite revealing. As you can see, this is the Galaxy S7 Edge with Batmans sign all over it. Its pretty obvious were looking at the Batman-themed Galaxy S7 Edge edition here, and judging by Samsung Mobiles comment on Twitter, the device will be released really soon. This will be yet another limited edition flagship in Samsungs lineup, and if you take a look at the bottom right corner of the image, youll get to see DCs logo and the name of their game, Injustice: Gods Among Us which has been available on Android for quite some time now. We do not know how many of these devices will Samsung manufacture, but chances are youll get some additional goodies if you opt to purchase this handset considering that was the case with the Iron Man-themed Galaxy S6 Edge. Advertisement Now, as far as the specs go, this device will almost certainly sport the same specs as the regular Galaxy S7 Edge smartphone. This means you can expect to see a 5.5-inch QHD Super AMOLED display, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable internal storage. The device will be water and dust resistant, and it will offer wireless charging as well. We still dont know which processor will fuel this smartphone though, the regular model ships in both Snapdragon 820 and Exynos 8890 variants, so it remains to be seen which SoC will Samsung include in this limited edition smartphone, well see. On the heels of Google I/O, Google hosts another annual event; the Google Performance Summit. It was at this event that they unveiled a free version of the Data Studio 360 tool that they announced back in April, dubbed Data Studio. The free tool carries over most of the functions of Data Studio 360, a powerful data visualization tool meant to give valuable insight to every member of an organization using any data set, but is limited in how many reports can be created per account, making it more suited to small businesses and individual use. Specifically, only 5 reports can be created and maintained per account. The software comes with an extensive tutorial, going in-depth with features and step-by-step with functions and procedures to show new users the ropes quickly and easily. One of the biggest features of the software is creating customized reports from multiple data sets. For example, shown above is a sample report showing four different sets of data. Data can thus be juxtaposed or even visualized in correlation, such as in a line graph. Full integration with most Google services, such as Sheets, Docs, AdWords and Analytics is also on board, with support for many cloud services outside of Googles domain also available. Connectors for SQL-compliant databases is in the works, which will allow integration with almost any data set. The tool uses the same collaboration backend and interface as Google Docs, making it easy for everybody who should have their hands on a report to view, edit and create reports at their leisure. Bullet graphs, heat maps and pie charts are also available, making it easy to visualize complex data sets and look for things like demographic engagement, for example. Some types of reports can even be made interactive. Advertisement Data Studio is currently only available in the United States, but will be rolling out to other countries in the near future. Its interesting to note that this project is among the first from a big name in the tech world to offer an alternative to Microsofts vaunted PowerBI, one of the first things out the gate after Satya Nadella took the companys helm. Whether the rollout of a free version will be able to convince PowerBI users and cannibalize Microsofts market share is something only time can tell. Google has been in the news a lot more than usual over the last few weeks due to the developer conference, Google I/O, which took place last week. However, the last two weeks has also seen Google headlines of a very negative nature. These were based around an ongoing court battle with Oracle over the use of Java. To cut to the chase, that battle is now over and the ruling is in and Google has been found innocent of the charges with the jury deciding that the use of java by Google was one which was of fair use. In fact, if there was ever a doubt, it seems that there was not with the jury as reports are confirming that the jury unanimously agreed on the verdict. Which should prove to be of additional reassurance to those over at Google and those who make use of similar tools under a fair use policy. However, this is unlikely to be the end of the issue as it seems Oracle has already decided they will be appealing the verdict. With Dorian Daley, Oracles General Counsel stating We strongly believe that Google developed Android by illegally copying core Java technology to rush into the mobile device market. And further adding, Oracle brought this lawsuit to put a stop to Googles illegal behavior. We believe there are numerous grounds for appeal. Of course, with Google already having been vindicated in a court of law, it is likely to provide difficult for Oracle to have the verdict overturned. Although, that notion is unlikely to stop them from trying. Advertisement While this was primarily being seen as a battle of copyright against the principle of fair use, the repercussions of this particular case were extremely big. It has been widely reported that Oracle was seeking damages to the tune of $9 billion from what Oracle determined as their fair share of the profits Google has made from Android, due to the operating system allegedly making use of the relevant Java APIs. However, Google had defended their position by stating that they did not use the APIs as is, but instead used an adapted version of them and under the principle of fair use. So while this was very high-profile court case, it was also one which had some very high-profile damages attached, if Google had been found in breach of copyright law. Yesterday, we got a glimpse of these upcoming MotoMods that are set to debut with the new Moto Z perhaps next month at the Lenovo Tech World event in San Francisco. The device is supposedly going to be modular, although not as modular as what Project Ara is hoping to be. Instead, the back panel is able to be removable and can be replaced with these MotoMods, which is what Lenovo is branding the modules. While we got a glimpse of these MotoMods, we didnt really know what they actually were. Luckily, Evleaks came back today with some more information, telling us exactly what they are. In the picture above, youll see three MotoMods. The one on the left is a pico projector. Theres no word just yet on how that will work, but it should be fairly interesting. The middle one has a JBL speaker included, itll likely replace the built-in speaker, much like the B&O DAC for the LG G5 does. Then the final one is a Hasselblad Camera, on the right side. The third one appears to cover up the built in camera for the new smartphone, and instead use its own camera, which means it wont be cheap nor thin. At this time, we dont have any specifics on this camera. But with it being a Hasselblad camera, it may actually turn out to be pretty amazing. Advertisement The rumor mill has been churning on Lenovos upcoming flagship under the Moto brand. Weve seen rumors stating that they are killing off the Moto X brand and replacing it with Moto Z. Weve also seen them trademark Moto Z which has added more credit to that rumor of flagships being under the Moto Z branding in the future. Of course, we wont know the full story until Lenovo announces the new Moto Z, which we expect to be in just a few weeks. When it comes to these modules for the Moto Z, its unclear what the pricing structure will be, as well as whether these will work on other Moto or Lenovo smartphones, and even future products from the company. All questions that likely wont be answered anytime soon. When it comes to quarterly or yearly results, its not always going to be plain sailing, but for Lenovo, a company that has experienced some impressive growth over the past few years, their latest results are not what they would have been expecting. In particular, Lenovo has experienced some rough seas in the mobile waters as of late, and it looks as though Lenovo is pointing the finger at their acquisition of Motorola back in 2014, flat out saying that it didnt meet expectations. Considering that Motorola hasnt been a top-tier brand in North America and elsewhere for the better part of a decade now, Lenovo might have been wrong to expect much more from the acquisition. In the companys official report for Q4 2015 and the full 2015 year, Lenovo had some bad news to deliver to their investors expecting great things from their mobile efforts. Lenovo refers to their mobile efforts as the Mobile Business Group (MBG) and while this includes Smart TVs, for whatever reason, it also includes Android smartphones and tablets of both the Lenovo and Motorola kind. In China, shipments for Lenovo fell a depressing 85%, which is a huge blow for the firm that had previously enjoyed an excellent reputation in their home country. Elsewhere in North America, Lenovos report simply states that their endeavors as not successful. The main takeaway from such a report however, is the fact that Lenovo openly describe their acquisition of Motorola as not meeting their expectations, citing the decline in shipments as proof. Motorola made up just 5 Million of Lenovos Q4 2015 10.1 Million shipments and gave the MBG $1.0 Billion in revenue. Advertisement Things arent looking all bad for Lenovo in the mobile world however, as the report states that Lenovo should now have the right focus in China thanks to their new co-president structure and the rest of the world should maintain high growth for the company. The report speifically named their new ZUK initiative as something that would help them stand out from the crowd and its clear that the firm needs their US part of the market to bounce back, and given the decline in tablet sales for everyone, this should suggest that Lenovo needs to make their phones available in the US. Motorola has recently announced two new smartphones, the Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus. These two devices are direct successors to the Moto G (3rd-gen) or Moto G3 which was introduced back in August last year. That being said, the companys all-new flagship is expected to land on June 9th, at least according to the recently leaked image, and if rumors are to be believed, the companys new flagship will not carry the Moto X branding. Motorola has trademarked the Moto Z branding, and according to the latest report, the companys upcoming devices will be called Moto Z Play and Moto Z Style, and will succeed the Moto X Play and Moto X Style / Pure. Having that in mind, a well-known tipster, @evleaks aka Evan Blass, released a new Moto-related teaser image. If you take a look at the provided image, youll get to see the alleged MotoMods, accessories for the Moto Z smartphones. These seem to be back covers for the companys upcoming devices, and each of the pictured MotoMods is different. The last accessory seems to be a camera module, while the second one will act as a kickstand it seems. Were still not sure what is the first MotoMod supposed to be, but well find out soon. The camera module sure looks interesting, and based on its thickness, looks and the position / looks of the lens, this module might even bring optical zoom to the table. These modules will, almost certainly, going to be sold separately, much like LG G5s modules, though Motorola might bundle one of them with a Moto Z device as part of a promotion or something. Advertisement Now, as far as the Moto Z Play and Moto Z Style specs go, we really dont know all that much, all we can do at this point is guess. Based on last years models, the upcoming Moto Z Play will be a mid-range smartphone, and it might sport a 5.5-inch fullHD display once again. You can expect this phone to come with a mid-range SoC from Qualcomm, and sport 2GB / 3GB of RAM. Now, as far as the Moto Z Style is concerned, this will be the companys new flagship. Qualcomms Snapdragon 820 SoC will probably fuel this phone, and you can expect 4GB of RAM to be included, if not more. The phone will be made out of metal, and a QHD display will be available on it, though we still dont know what size will its display be. While there are a huge number of emerging markets out there, such as India and Africa, there are also a large number of markets that are utterly saturated, where most consumers are already on board the mobile data bandwagon and own a smartphone or tablet, or even multiple devices. In these markets, finding opportunities for profit growth can be a matter of thinking outside of the box for carriers. With most consumers in the United States already signed up with a smartphone and a data plan to go with it, smartphone growth is beginning to lose its edge compared to data plan growth on other devices. In fact, one third of all of the new data plans that carriers wrote up in the U.S. were actually for cars, beating out new smartphone signups in the first quarter of 2016. In a market where data plan revenue is up roughly 17-percent year-over-year since the beginning of 2015, that number is fairly significant. According to data from the major carriers in the U.S. compiled by Chetan Sharma Consulting, mobile-to-mobile communication, such as endpoints used for enterprise outfits, made up about 14-percent of total growth for carriers, while tablets only represented 23-percent. Smartphones sat at 31-percent, clearly leading most other devices, but which have lost their edge to connected cars, a niche which represented 32-percent of total new data plan growth across all carriers in the United States. With connected cars on the rise, its not terribly surprising to see them steal the show in the first quarter of the year. While some cars offer up Wi-Fi for passengers driven by 4G LTE, other cars boast connected systems like Android Auto or OnStar, and yet more have nascent self-driving tech, such as Teslas cars, that often requires a data connection to pull down things like mapping data, traffic data and crowdsourced A.I. Tablets, having hit a wall back in 2014, take their place as the least popular consumer data plan centerpiece, placing less than 10-percent ahead of device-to-device connections, mostly in enterprise. While smartphone growth is still fairly high, seeing it dethroned in a market as saturated as the United States, especially by the increasingly popular connected car subset, is also no big shock. This may well indicate overall market trends for the whole year, if not for the foreseeable future. Advertisement In the midst of all this, the number of total subscriptions in the United States is expected to breach 400 million before the end of 2016, while the average revenue per user is below $40 across all carriers combined for the first time, and churn is hitting all time lows. On top of all of that, the FCCs 600 MHz spectrum auction will soon be in full swing, giving carriers the chance to expand. All of these factors combined, make right now a very strange and new but also opportunity-filled time for U.S. carriers. Getting an edge in nascent markets now could be the difference between top of the heap and struggling in the very near future. Chinese telecom giant, ZTE Corporation, is reportedly planning to open 23 flagship stores worldwide to showcase its consumer electronics products, such as smartphones, tablets and routers. The company expects all these stores to be up and running by the end of this year. According to the CEO of ZTEs mobile devices business, Mr. Adam Zheng, 20 of these stores will be in major cities in China, while the other three will be in Germany, Russia and Mexico. Mr. Zheng also said that the stores will help the company lift brand awareness while spurring sales in the areas we value the most. ZTE had managed to ship 56 million smartphones last year, and is looking to ship around 70 million this year. The company markets smartphones under the Nubia and Axon brands, but the majority of its sales comes from carrier-branded budget devices sold by wireless network operators to prepaid customers in China, Europe and North America. Even though ZTEs smartphone business is having a fairly decent time of late, its bread-and-butter telecom equipment business has been under a bit of stress in recent times. The company got into some hot water with the U.S. Department of Commerce for allegedly violating a trade embargo placed on Iran. While the company did get a temporary reprieve from the export ban, the U.S. authorities are also investigating the companys alleged business links with other countries that are also currently facing economic sanctions from the U.S. federal government. Advertisement Federal officials and lawmakers in America have also expressed concerns about using network equipment from Chinese companies like ZTE and Huawei, given their association with the Communist regime in their homeland. So even as ZTE is desperately trying to expand its network equipment business beyond its boundaries, such apprehensions expressed in the corridors of power mean that the company is still not any closer to getting large contracts from major American carriers, in spite of its best efforts. As for its mobile devices business, though, the company is steadily improving its market share, and a recent report from IDC actually indicated that the company owns a 3.4% share of all handsets sold globally during the first three months of this year. As Virtual Reality becomes more and more common place at the moment, attention is starting to turn to the little things, the details that finish off a complete experience. Where VR is concerned, one of the key details that few have gotten right up to now is the controller. When the Oculus Rift finally went on sale and shipped to early customers, it did so with a simple Xbox 360 controller, whereas the HTC Vive shipped with its own motion controllers capable of grabbing items and becoming all manner of objects like a sword or a gun. Last week, during Google I/O 2016, a new VR platform for Android, dubbed Daydream was announced with a simple motion controller, and now a leak suggests that Samsung will have their own controller for the Gear VR, too. A leak out of the Czech Republic shows a small and compact little controller that can be clipped to the Gear VR to make everything nice and easy to carry. The leaked images depict a fairly simple affair with two shoulder buttons, a soft-touch rubber texture, one analog stick, and the usual A, B, X and Y buttons on the front. This isnt enough buttons for most games however, including the recently-released Minecraft for Gear VR, which makes use of both trigger as well as shoulder buttons and a second analog stick, which are all missing with this controller. Even so, its likely that this sort of thing is going to be a simple and basic controller that will give users limited access, but better access than the included touchpad input method. Advertisement There are some more pictures of the controller down in the gallery below, but so far we only know that its designed to small and light, coming in at just 300g or so. Its branded as both Gear VR and Oculus, the same branding that appears on the side of the Gear VR unit itself, so its pretty clear what this controller has been designed for, but just when itll launch is anyones guess right now. With the launch of the Gear Fit 2 on the horizon as well, its likely we could see this neat little controller alongside it, but for now well have to wait and see. Samsungs Gear 360 camera was unveiled back at Mobile World Congress alongside their two new flagship Galaxy S devices for this year, the Galaxy S7, and the Galaxy S7 Edge. While the phones launched back in March, the Gear 360 is taking quite a bit longer to get to market and has not yet made its way to store shelves. You can already check out the official Gear 360 landing page which is complete with all the details and descriptions one could want on the tiny little companion device, but there is no detailed breakdown of what makes up the device in regards to components, so Samsung has officially put out a blog post that shows off the inside of the camera and all of its parts. This in-depth look at whats inside the Gear 360 shows off everything the camera is made of right down the battery thats built into it. While this provides an interesting look at what is used to assemble the camera, it also puts into perspective how much work actually goes into making such a small device. While there are 9 main pieces that Samsung outlines in their post, this shouldnt fool anyone as there are actually many more small parts that make up these larger components which, when put together, make up the whole device. Advertisement The core of the camera is essentially the main board, the CU plate, the battery and the battery chamber, and working outward things eventually end up with the front and rear brackets, and then the case which is comprised of the front and rear cases for the camera, and thats what you see on the outside. Once the device is completely assembled, you have the small spherical camera that you see above, which lets users capture and record pictures and video in a full 360-degrees so they can look back on every angle of those moments captured. The Gear 360 is already up for pre-order in the UK as of earlier this month for a price of 300 and is expected to cost about $350 when it hits the U.S. which is rumored to be this Fall. The Gear 360 has already gone on sale in South Korea for a price of 399,300 won. When someone says patent war or patent troll to someone who has followed tech news for any length of time, the conversation will inevitably end up veering towards the infamous Samsung vs. Apple battles. Even before those wars began however, Samsung has apparently been beefing up their patent portfolio, especially in the United States, to prepare for any battles that might emerge. Given that Samsung has recently become embroiled in a legal battle with Huawei over patents, mostly related to 4G LTE network technology, that thick patent portfolio, 38,809 in the U.S. and 110,145 in total as of last year, looks like it just might pay off in a big way. Before 2007, Samsungs patent portfolio sat at a relatively modest 2,457 in the United States. Its stable of patents has grown steadily and rapidly each year since as they scrambled to protect their phones, smart devices, TVs and chips, as well as protect ideas that may end up as designs for such devices in the future. User interface design elements were also on the list. Out of the total of 5,072 patents obtained by Samsung last year in the U.S., 1,342 of those concerned design in some way or another. Those numbers put Samsung in second place running for the largest patent holder in the United States, right behind IBM. Advertisement The reason for Samsungs vast and quick expansion of their patent portfolio is fairly obvious; on top of protecting their own ideas, they are making every possible effort to protect themselves from lawsuits by others. Having been involved in patent lawsuits before, from both legitimate creators and patent trolls, Samsung is no stranger to the whimsy of patent lawsuits. That being the case, their knowledge of the system and of prior cases serves as a pretty good guide for what patents they should pursue and what key technologies and innovations of their own they should protect the most fiercely and file the most patents on. That same expertise also points to the United States as the most likely battleground for patent wars, leading them to devote roughly 35 percent of their global patent portfolio to the U.S. Their strategy likely helped them greatly against Apple, but only time will tell if that same strategy mitigates any possible threat from Huawei or anyone else. HTC announced their 2016 Android flagship device, the HTC 10, around a month later than the LG G5 and Samsung Galaxy S7. The HTC 10 is as similar as it is different: its based around the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 System-on-Chip, backed up by 4GB of RAM. Theres a 5.2-inch, QHD resolution SuperLCD5 panel, 32 GB of internal storage plus a MicroSD card slot to add more. The device runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow under HTCs proprietary Sense user interface. HTC have given the handset device-wide high definition audio and for photography, theres a 12 MP rear camera complete with a laser autofocus and a 5MP front facing camera. Under the aluminum alloy unibody, the device is kept alive by a 3,000 mAh rechargeable battery, which is topped up by a USB-C cable. The handset supports Qualcomms QuickCharge 3.0 high speed charging technology over USB Type-C, which has caused some charger issues. Shortly after the phones launch, HTC released a software update for the device designed to improve a number of aspects. The update was received in early May but today, Mo Versi, Vice President of HTC Products, tweeted that Verizon has approved the update and it will start to arrive on customer handsets from tomorrow. This particular update includes a number of fixes to the camera software. These include improving the sharpness of images both in good, strong outdoor light and when things are getting dim. HTC have also reworked the laser autofocus too in order to improve how often the device would refocus the camera on a close object, or would report that the laser was blocked when trying to focus on an object. Reports came in from users globally that the software fixes have improved how well the HTC 10 takes photographs across the board, with many observing that HTC have removed the blown highlight issue that was reported in early reviews. Advertisement All of 2016s flagship devices have a compelling camera set up. The HTC 10 includes optical image stabilisation for both the main and front cameras and captures 24-bit stereo audio when recording video. However, although the HTC 10 has a great sounding camera specification on paper, its good to see HTC adjusting and improving the camera quality just as its also good to see Verizon testing and approving the new software update in a timely fashion too. CAIRO - A crowd of some 300 Muslims attacked and set on fire seven homes of Coptic Christians in a village of central Egypt and forced a Christian woman to get naked in public. The incident was reported in a statement by the Coptic church of the governorate of Minya, quoted by Egyptian media like Al Masry Al Youm and occurred near Abu Qurqas on Friday night. The homes were ''attacked, burned, ransacked and destroyed'' at around 8 pm, the statement said, reporting that police reached the location two hours later, arresting six people. The crowd of attackers was ''chanting slogans'' and the ''deplorable incidents'' followed ''reports of a sentimental relationship between a Coptic Christian man and a Muslim woman''. Copts represent roughly 10% of the Egyptian population. Dozens of Coptic churches and institutions were set on fire during violence in the summer of 2013 following the ouster of the Muslim Brotherhood in power in Egypt. Members of the local Coptic church said in the note they are ''convinced that state institutions will not remain inactive'' and ''will not spare any effort to arrest the assailants''. The Copts are the largest Christian community in the Middle East. After the bomb in Alexandria in 2012 that killed at least 21 people and violence in the summer of three years ago in which at least 40 buildings were targeted, the episodes of Islamic religious intolerance towards Copts were less significant. Official gestures like the presence at important religious ceremonies of President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi are often cited as signs of reciprocal support between the government and the Coptic church which feels more protected by the current executive than by the cabinet led by the Muslim Brotherhood. One year ago, 71 supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood were sentenced to life in prison for burning a Coptic church. NAPLES - A photographic journey through the places in which Miguel De Cervantes lived and visited was inaugurated yesterday at the Istituto Cervantes in Naples. 'Miguel de Cervantes o el Deseo de Vivir', by photographer Jose Manuel Navia, is meant to pay homage to one of the most important figures in Spanish literature as part of the 400th anniversary of his death. It will run through June 29. The project uses 50 photographs to tell the story of a life filled with tribulations that emerges in the well-known writer's work, accompanied by texts and quotes that connect them both to the writer's life and to his work. Alcala de Henares, Valladolid, Madrid, Naples, Sicily, Lepanto, Tunis, Algiers, Oran, Lisbon, Esquivias, Toledo, La Mancia, Andalusia and Barcelona are some of the places making up the trajectory of Cervantes' life. Navia said that ''for this project, I wanted to take photos of the same scenes in which Miguel de Cervantes spent his days and in which he dreamt up many of his characters; routes and places that include much of the Iberian peninsula and the Mediterranean world, such as Italy, Greece, Tunisia and Algeria. I sought to be ever attentive towards poor people and routes far from the centers of power, and the same could be said of Cervantes''. Egypt: Al-Ahram, China builds textile city in Minya Over 128 hectares, signed framework accord in key sector (ANSAmed) - CAIRO, MAY 26 - A ''framework agreement'' for the ''executive measures'' aimed at the creation of a ''city of textile industries'' in the governorate of Minya, in central Egypt, has been signed by the ''Chinese national council'' in the sector, Egyptian daily Al-Ahram reported Thursday. It added that the plant will be built in Matahirah over a surface of ''306 feddan'' (some 128 hectares). The announcement was made by the Egyptian trade minister, Tarek Kabeel, stressing that the project will promote the development of the textile industry, which in Egypt contributes to 3% of GDP, employing 1.2 million people (30% of the workforce of the Egyptian industry). The minister recalled that the sector has a revenue of 2.6 million dollars. (ANSAmed). Tunisia: IEB grants 19-mln loan to Groupe Chimique Tunisien To improve environmental standards at plants with phosphates (ANSAmed) - TUNIS, MAY 26 - The European Investment Bank (EIB) has granted the Groupe Chimique Tunisien (GCT) a loan worth 19 million euros to improve environmental standards at its plants where phosphates are extracted and processed, in particular, in Mdhila (south-west of Tunisia) and Skhira (in the guld of Gabes). The announcement was made by the president of the Tunisian chemical company, Romdhane Souid, during a ceremony to sign the contract. The project funded by the EIB will allow CGT production units to cut down greenhouse gas emissions, which should go from today's 13 kilos per ton to two or three kilos per ton, according to international regulations. The loan in question, which complements a first instalment of funding worth 55 million euros by the EIB, has a 4% interest rate that can be reimbursed in 15 years, with a grace period of four to five years. (ANSAmed). Migrants: EU speeds up funding for refugees in Turkey Brussels announces 47 mn disbursement bringing total to 240 mn (ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, MAY 26 - The European Commission is speeding up on funding for refugees in Turkey, according to the amount that was established in the March EU-Ankara agreement, announcing disbursement of 47 million euros, bringing the total funded up to now to about 240 million euros. Of the 47 million, 20 million euros are earmarked for increasing the Turkish Coast Guard's search and rescue capabilities, while the other 27 million euros are designated for facilitating refugee access to the school system.(ANSAmed). STRASBOURG - In 2015 Europe saw the growth of hate, discrimination, and racism against those perceived as different because they come from another country, profess a particular religion or belong to a minority group, according to the annual report of the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) released on Thursday. "I'm afraid that the problem could get even worse in the course of 2016," said ECRI President Christian Ahlund. ECRI said the factors that fed hostile feelings towards those who are different were the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris and Copenhagen, to which Brussels was added this year. The report highlighted statements made by some political leaders and measures put into place by some governments regarding the flow of migrants and refugees. Without naming names, the Council of Europe commission criticised leaders who said they would welcome only Christians and governments that introduced border checks, built walls, made it a crime to help illegal migrants, cut funding for asylum seekers or put tougher conditions on family reunification. All of which, according to the Strasbourg observers, did nothing but increase hostility towards migrants and Muslims. The organisation highlighted that this hostility is also contributing to an increase in the number of attacks at migrant reception centres and that in Germany law enforcement has observed that attacks are no longer above all members of extreme rightwing groups but citizens without any specific political affiliation. ECRI said that Muslim and Jewish communities are most exposed to hate speech and acts of hate, and that those who decide to adhere rigorously to religious dictates, for example by wearing specific clothes, are at an even greater risk. Among the examples given by ECRI were attacks on Muslim women who wear a veil. The report said that the situation is causing some leaders in the Jewish community to advise their members to not wear a kippah. Serbia: EU, Hahn announces overcoming Croatian opposition Talks to restart by June on Belgrade accession to EU (ANSAmed) - BELGRADE, MAY 26 - Johannes Hahn, the EU Commissioner for Enlargement Negotiations, said on Thursday that a way has been found to move forward on talks over Serbian accession to the European Union, which had been suspended by Croatian opposition. "We found a solution yesterday evening and we expect a formal decision on the matter by next week," Hahn told Serbian state news agency Tanjug. Hahn said that by the end of June talks could be reopened on Chapter 23 of the accession process, on the judiciary and fundamental rights. The commissioner didn't provide any other details. Croatia has stipulated that Serbia must renounce jurisdiction for war crimes on the entire former Yugoslavian territory as well as increased Croatian minority representation in the Serbian Parliament as conditions for the continuation of talks.(ANSAmed). Le CBD, cette molecule active du cannabis a aujourdhui le vent en poupe. Et cela est en grande partie du au fait quil permet... YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Arman Navasardyan welcomes the existence of consensus between three chairing countries. Referring to the meeting between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Vienna on May 16, Arman Navasardyan said the three big states stand for the peaceful settlement of the conflict. We should notice something very important in this matter: the clear political stance of these three states against Turkey since it is the state which is against the peaceful settlement of the conflict and only speaks about solving the conflict with militarist means. Concerning Russia, I think that it refuses or fears from its dominating position which it has in the South Caucasus, especially in the Karabakh issue. It, of course, has its reasons such as problems in the external policy, the Syrian issue, the Ukrainian crisis, several actions of the NATO in the eastern parts that are directed against Russia, so the situation is quite serious. And it seems that these changes encourage the Minks Group other chairs to some extent to activate their actions over the Karabakh issue, Ambassador stated. He highlighted that he is not excited with this meeting, however, at the same time, he does not want to be pessimistic. In any case, negotiations are better than war, but whether the war will end, whether Azerbaijan will not continue the military operations. Frankly to say, I doubt. According to him, Armenias major aim must be to return Karabakh to the negotiation table. We should do everything to make it reality, and then the next step will be the recognition issue which is also important. I think that today the recognition of the Nagrno Karabakh is connected with a great risk. However, we do not have a right to refuse from it. YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. The representatives of the Yazidi community of Armenia say they fully support the Armenian people and are ready to fight together if necessary. Aziz Tamoyan, Chairman of the Yazidi Union of Armenia, stated that Yazidis went to the frontline during the April four-day war, as they did in the NKR war of the 90s. The Armenian leadership, the Armenian people have always had positive attitude towards Yazidis. Armenia is one of the countries where Yazidis are legally considered as national minority, and all necessary conditions for protecting and developing the Yazidi culture, traditions are present here. Armenians and Yazidis are brotherly people, how can we forget this? Together with our Armenian brothers we are ready to fight against the enemy, Aziz Tamoyan said during an interview. He said the international community must give appropriate response to the Azerbaijani provocative actions. 5 Yazidi soldiers were killed during the April four-day war. Spiritual leader of the Yazidi community of Armenia Bro Hasanyan said the life lost for the Motherland is immortality. For every life of our soldier we must take 100-1000 lives from the enemy. And so it is. Our soldiers in the border gave counter counter response. We are grateful to President Serzh Sargsyan, Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan for their timely support to soldiers. Today we have victorious soldiers and army, Bro Hasanyan said and added more than 5 dozens of Yazidis were estimated to be in the frontline from the very start of the April war. Other representatives of the Yazidi community Hamlet Tamoyan and Mraz Kaloyan just returned from the NKR. They ensure that the Armenian soldiers in the border are real heroes. I am very happy that we have an army which can protect the Motherland. The situation is calm these days, there are no shots in the frontline, Hamlet Tamoyan said. Mraz Kaloyan said the Armenian soldiers are very strong, they fight for freedom, independence and protection of the Motherland over 25 years. Referring to the recent Azerbaijani military crimes, Siaban Bakoyan, another representative of the Yazidi community, said the representatives of the Yazidi community of the world are consistent with this issue. He stated that Yazidis raise the issue of the Yazidi soldiers decapitation with all possible measures in different platforms. The Yazidis demand the juts punishment of the perpetrators of this crime. YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Government provided necessary funds to solve several community issues of Lori and Tavush districts. Armenian Minister of Territorial Administration and Development Davit Lokyan said Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamayan visited Lori and Tavush districts on May 4 where he got familiarized with the community problems which need urgent solutions. As a result, on May 26 the Armenian Government decided to provide 23.5 million AMD to Lori Governorate, and 30 million AMD to Tavush Governorate to solve their community problems. YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. The NKR Defense Ministry informs that on May 25 at 18:20, Defense Army soldier Vahe A. Yeghoyan (born in 1997) was mortally wounded in one of the military units of the northern direction of the NKR Defense Army. The details of the incident are not known yet. Investigation is underway. YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Police Chief Vladimir Gasparyan and CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha are highly pleased with the proceedings of Cobalt 2016 police drills in Armenia. This year, our police officers were better than last year, last year they were better than the previous year. This positive dynamics will go on. The cooperation with foreign police forces will greatly contribute to each side, the Police Chief of Armenia said. Our men are in top shape both mentally and physically. I am proud of them, he added. According to him, international terrorism is always a threat to all countries, thus, it is necessary to be prepared to resist any kind of threat anytime, If you want peace, prepare for war he said. CSTO Secretary General N. Bordyuzha said the planning of a joint operations management mechanism of CSTO member states special police forces was very important. This was very important in the context of keeping operative contact, arsenal, joint command system, for avoiding casualties and most importantly to be as effective as possible. In my opinion, the drills proceeded successfully. I want to highlight the high level preparatory works of the Armenian Police leadership. I am grateful for the hospitality and for the high-level organization, Bordyuzha said. Police forces from all CSTO member states took part in the Cobalt 2016 police drills in Armenia. Deputy Interior Ministers from all CSTO member states have arrived in Armenia. YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Spokesman of the Belgrade Airport says a Turkish Airlines plane, en route from Istanbul to London, made an emergency landing in Belgrade, reports Ria Novosti. Serbian media reported the emergency landing was due to a bomb threat on board. Representatives of the Airline refused to comment on the incident, while the airport spokesman asked to refer to the airline for more information. As reported, the plane has been checked by security personnel and bomb specialists. No dangerous materials were found and the plane resumed its flight. YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Gareth Bale rejects media claims as if he and Cristiano Ronaldo dont get along. [Our relationship] is fine. As you said all the papers and the media try to create a lot of problems. But weve never had a problem in the dressing room or on the pitch. I think you know yourself hes an emotional player on the pitch, he can throw his arms up now and then but thats how he is, Bale said to BT Sport. YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. The leadership of South Ossetia has made a decision to postpone till 2017 a referendum on whether the republic should apply for accession to Russia, as followed by a joint statement by President Leonid Tibilov and parliamentary speaker Anatoly Bibilov, made after a meeting of the Political Council under the head of state, reports TASS. "Guided by the long-term interests of the South Ossetian people and striving for the stability of the socio-political situation in the republic we support the Political Council in its decision to the effect it will be expedient to call a referendum on South Ossetias application for joining the Russian Federation in 2017, after the presidential election," the statement says. Earlier, calls for postponing the referendum came from representatives of the public, government members, presidential staff officials, legislators, and heads of districts, South Ossetias Security Council, the state security committee and other law enforcement structures. According to earlier reports the referendum might have been called this year. YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Two of the US Navys F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets have crashed off the coast of North Carolina on May 26, the US Coast Guard confirmed. Their crews have been recovered and hospitalized, reports RT. Four people have been recovered and taken to the Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, the Virginian-Pilot reported citing Coast Guard Petty Officer Fagal Nifin. Nifin said the extent of the crew members injuries is unknown. One of the crew had a leg injury, reported WCTI. Search and rescue teams were deployed to the Oregon Inlet area, 25 miles off the North Carolina shore, after reports of two planes colliding around 10:30 ET, according to Norfolks WBEC. Coast Guard officials in Elizabeth City told WCTI that the planes involved were from the Naval Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Virginia. A fishing vessel reportedly assisted with the rescue. According to the US Navy, two F/A-18F Super Hornets were involved in an in-flight mishap at approximately 10:40 ET, during a routine training mission off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The planes belong to the to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 211, also known as the Fighting Checkmates, based out of NAS Oceana, the Navy said. The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet is an upgraded version of the F-18 Hornet fighter/attack aircraft, in service with the US Navy and the Marine Corps. Best Marketing Products and Services Would you like to submit an article in the Marketing category or any of the sub-category below? Click here to submit your article. Would you like to have your product or service listed on this page? Contact us. Pamphleteering in England goes back nearly 300 years, represented most famously by such 18th-century polemicists as Henry Fielding and Daniel Defoe, and in America by the British-born Thomas Paine. Even the poet John Milton was a pamphleteer. The tradition continues. Ken Livingstone, the former socialist mayor of London, was on his way to the University of Cambridge to give a talk on current British politics when he was handed an unsigned pamphlet about Boris Johnson, who defeated him in his bid for re-election in 2008. The damning title of the pamphlet? The Beast of Brexit: A Study in Depravity. In a blogpost at the London Review of Books, Thomas Jones wrote that the author of the pamphlet assembles a blistering charge sheet against his target: climate change denial, dishonesty, hypocrisy, incompetence, racism, violence, remorseless self-promotion, a ruthless and often cruel ambition together with an elitism and a ferocious temper when challenged. He doesnt say anything that hasnt already been said, but I doubt anyones said so much of it in such a concentrated form before. It turns out that the pamphlet was written by the poet-playwright Heathcote Williams, drawing on biographies of [Johnson] by Sonia Purnell and Andrew Gimson, as well as a great many newspaper articles, Johnsons own journalism in publications from the Eton Chronicle to the Daily Telegraph and a few of his countless TV appearances. The blogpost became the most-read article on the LRB website for a week. After people came into the London Review Bookshop asking for a copy, LRB decided to distribute a limited print run of the republished pamphlet to satisfy public demand prompted by the Brexit referendum coming up on June 23 . The referendum will decide whether Britain will remain in the European Union or whether it will exit thus the term Brexit . Williams, who describes the Brexit debate as ever more hysterical, has privately circulated his unsigned pamphlets for 40 years, but public interest in his latest takedown is said to be unprecedented. The depravity under examination isnt sexual, Jones wrote, though Williams doesnt scant on documenting Johnsons extramarital affairs along with a few of his sexist and homophobic utterances, and much else. The depravity is Johnsons politics. The reason Williams has picked on Johnson now is that he is widely judged to be the heaviest hitter in the campaign for Britain to leave the European Union (the others are unimpressive also-rans). Furthermore, Williams is unabashedly in favour of the EU: He praises it for being environmentally literate, anti-colonial, unaggressive and unwarlike. The British campaign to leave the EU, by contrast, is led by a cadre of Conservatives who protest their love of country with a self-satisfied zeal while they fight with a low cunning to conserve a depraved British body-politic based upon an unconscionable disparity between untold wealth and unspeakable poverty and upon the idle values of transient celebrity. Truly in the best of 18th-century pamphleteering tradition. All the latest Ashbourne news. Ashbourne is an historic market town in Derbyshire. Situated on the southern edge of the Peak District, it is known as the 'Gateway to Dovedale' and the 'Gateway to the Peak District'. Ashbourne is famous for the annual Royal Shrovetide Football Match, which has been played since at least 1667, although its origins may date back centuries earlier. Ashbourne became a Fairtrade town in March 2005. The popular Tissington Trail, which follows the route of the former Ashbourne to Buxton railway, starts on the edge of town. Keep up to date with the latest news from the town by signing up for our newsletter. by Melani Manel Perera Heavy rains hit 237,000 people, including some 62,000 forced out of their homes. Death toll now stands at 102. Government has set up 250 sites for people displaced by floods. Catholic bishops have appealed to fellow Sri Lankans solidarity, and churches have opened their doors. Catholics and Buddhists are donating money slated for other uses, like personal birthday, and the Buddhas own birthday. Colombo (AsiaNews) Caritas Sri Lanka has raised funds and is providing aid to people who were displaced or lost everything the last week when heavy rains fell on the island nation, causing major landslides and violent floods. The worst incident involved a mudslide that buried hundreds of homes in three villages. So far, 102 bodies have been recovered, but at least another 100 are thought to still lie buried. As soon as tragedy struck, the Catholic charity launched an emergency plan to deliver water, food and other supplies to thousands of people. Currently, it is actively involved in 13 flooded districts. "We have activated our mission in coordination with government authorities, Caritas national director Fr George Sigamoney told AsiaNews. We have already allocated 6.5 million rupees (US$ 45,000), but we will increase the amount if necessary. " At the same time, churches have opened their doors across the country to the displaced and the homeless. Ordinary people have also spontaneously reached out to those in need. According to Sri Lankas Disaster Management Centre, more than 237,000 people have been affected by the heavy rains, including some 62,000 forced to flee their homes. In Aranayake, Kegalle district, a landslide destroyed 558 houses and damaged 4,312 more. Most of the displaced have been housed in 250 sites set up by the government. The Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka reacted by calling on Catholics to bring help any way they can." The response has been swift. Parish churches have offered their facilities as shelters. So have many individuals, like a Catholic journalist who gave the money put aside for her 50th birthday. "With that money, she said, I'm buying medicines and health products for women, children, the sick and elderly. I thank Jesus for giving me the opportunity to make myself useful." Shankala Cooray, a young mother, also decided to offer her birthday money. "We cannot celebrate when our thoughts are on the victims." Many Catholics and Buddhists have also decided to use for those in need the money earmarked for Vesak celebrations (Buddhas birthday) on 21 May. "With the donations collected for the party, we can cook 300 meals a day for the people of Pubudu Gama, a village in the diocese of Colombo, Anil Silva, a young man from the city of Jael, told AsiaNews. by Bernardo Cervellera Rome (AsiaNews) On May 24, several thousand faithful from Shanghai and the province took part in the pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Sheshan, on the day when the whole Church celebrates the World Day of Prayer for the Church in China. The idea of the Day of Prayer was launched by Benedict XVI in his 2007 Letter to Chinese Catholics to strengthen their unity, along with the successor of Peter; to love and pray for persecutors; to receive from the Churches around the entire world "fraternal solidarity and solicitude", along with "perseverance" in their witness. From 2008 onwards, out of a fear of seeing too many people gathered together by the same faith, the government has banned all Chinese dioceses, with the exception of Shanghai, to make the pilgrimage on May 24, the feast day of Mary, venerated as Help of Christians". Last year I was in Sheshan on the very day of the feast, and I was deeply moved to see the thousands of faithful climb on their knees (similar to the Holy Steps) the steps that lead to the sanctuary, to take part in Mass in an overflowing Church, without any space to move around, in an atmosphere of worship and joyful fraternity. And there was no difference between "official" and "underground Catholics, a division created primarily by the government which is why it has also received criticism from the UN. These witnesses of faith and love are the very ones the Chinese police controls, stops, chokes and often detains and kills, like Fr. Wei Heping, found "having committed suicide" in Taiyuan in November. The pilgrimage of the diocese of Shanghai to Sheshan, on May 11 last recalled that the diocese is without a bishop: the ceremonies were led by several priests, but no pastor. The only bishop in this diocese, after the death of Msgr. Aloysius Jin Luxian (official) and Msgr. Joseph Fan Zhongliang (underground), is the young Msgr. Thaddeus Ma Daqin. But he has been held under house arrest since 2012, the day of his episcopal ordination, for the mere reason that he had decided and publically announced his intention to step down from the Patriotic Association, in order to dedicate himself and his time to the evangelization and care of his people. Pope Francis - while not citing the cases of persecution in his reflection of May 22 last recalling the Day of Prayer, said that Christians, together with members of other faiths, can "become a concrete sign of love and reconciliation," promoting "an authentic culture of encounter and harmony of society". The point is that the Chinese government still sees Christianity (and all religion) as something negative, to be controlled, and does not realize that the religious dimension is part of the human experience and indeed, garners a morality within society that ideology cannot guarantee. For years academics from the Academy of Social Sciences have been emphasizing the importance of religion as a social glue in a China that is becoming increasingly individualistic and corrupt. These include the academic Liu Peng, who, in a series of articles published by AsiaNews, outlines the fragility with which the Chinese state is woven and how its Marxist ideology is not shared by the majority of the population. According to Liu Peng, to prevent the collapse of the country, the rulers have to pay attention to the beliefs and religions of their subjects. Scholars of this great country suggest the government allow to individuals more creativity to enable society and the economy to grow, if you do not want to stifle the development achieved in recent decades. In his book published last March, "Chinas Future, David Shambaugh, who has been a great observer of China for 40 years and is a personal friend of several of the Communist Party leaders, suggests that if the current leadership wants to maintain the current level of development in the country it must be more open to individual freedom and also religious freedom. Without this step, China is likely to slip into a suffocating totalitarianism that undermines economic performance and brings social tensions until breaking point. It is precisely this situation of dominant materialism, of being treated as an object to be controlled that is pushing many Chinese to embrace a faith, especially Christianity. And Christians in China act exactly as Pope Francis is asking them to, becoming "a concrete sign of love and reconciliation," and promoting "an authentic culture of encounter and harmony of society." Christians in many dioceses are known because they help the poor internal migrants, they live not for profit alone, caring for the forgotten elderly. They could be even more effective if there were fewer controls and less obstacles. Asking for an end to t persecution and greater guarantees for religious freedom is for the good - also economic - of China, to render Chinese society more solid and capable of solidarity. Unfortunately among many of our own commentators there is a growing tendency to remain silent on the persecution in favor of promoting the development of China and diplomatic relations with the Vatican. However, while it is understandable that a Pope and his Secretary of State remain silent on the persecution, to leave open a channel of communication with the Chinese government, it is for so many coryphaei who have decided to play "the violin on the roof", hiding the dramas in the house below. Not to mention the fact that it is not the task of Christians to "work for relations between China and the Vatican": this is the work of diplomats; ours is to evangelize China. A few days ago a Beijing priest said to me: "Help us to evangelize China; help us to form priests, religious and lay people: this is our priority". As Msgr. Stephen Lee, the new bishop of Macao, put it: "Now is the right time for evangelization in China. This is the task of the Chinese and all Christians. The Italian marine had been held in India for four years. He could go home in a few days. The court accepted his application on humanitarian grounds. He is involved in the Enrica Lexie case in which two Indian fishermen were mistaken for pirates and shot dead. The court has set four conditions for his release, which he must respect or risk going back to India. New Delhi (AsiaNews/Agencies) Indias Supreme Court this morning ruled that Italian Marine Salvatore Girone may return to Italy right away. He had been held in India for the past four years on charges of killing two Kerala fishermen. In its ruling, Indias top court heeded the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which earlier this month ruled that both Italian marines, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, can wait in Italy for the outcome of international arbitration over which country has jurisdiction in the case. Justices P C Pant and D Y Chandrachud accepted the marines application on humanitarian grounds. Latorre is already in Italy on health grounds after he suffer a brain stroke in 2014 in New Delhi. For years, the case has pitted the courts of India and Italy in a tug of war. The case dates back to 15 February 2012 when the two marines, who were on board Italy-flagged commercial oil tanker MV Enrica Lexie working as security guards, shot and killed two Indian fishermen, Valentine Jelastine e Ajesh Binki, off the Kerala coast after they mistook their fishing boat for a pirate ship. In India, the legal case has gone through various phases. Initially handled by a Kerala court, the case went to the Supreme Court in January 2013 to determine which country, India or Italy, had jurisdiction over the case. Since then Indias top court has repeatedly postponed ruling on the matter after the investigation was turned over to Indias anti-terrorism agency, a decision that court itself later overturned. In 2014, the Supreme Court allowed Massimiliano Latorre to return to Italy to convalesce after he suffered a brain stroke. Finally, in August last year, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg ordered India and Italy to suspend court proceedings, noting that the final decision belongs to the PCA in The Hague. Whilst the issue is not solved for the two governments, for the victims families, the matter is over. Dora Jelastine, Valentine Jelastines widow, recently said that she "had nothing against the marines release, and that she would not insist for them to be convicted and punished." The Supreme Court imposed four conditions on the marine for his release. First, he has to report to a police station in Italy on the first Wednesday of every month and the Italian Embassy has to notify the Indian Embassy in Rome of it. He cannot tamper with any evidence nor influence any witness in the case. Thirdly, he is still under the jurisdiction of Supreme Court. Lastly, if found violating any of the other conditions, his bail would be cancelled. Money Can Affect Romance, Attraction Trending News: The Size Of Your Wallet Matters, When It Comes To Love Why Is This Important? Because a pretty penny goes right along with a pretty face. Long Story Short Two studies done by researchers at the University of Hong Kong suggest how rich or poor an individual feels, has a significant impact on the partners they choose for romantic relationships. Long Story Not to worry, romantic choices are certainly based on attractiveness, sincerity, shared goals, sexual compatibility and all that other fun stuff but, for better or for worse, money is on that list too. New research connected to evolutionary psychology suggests mating strategies are influenced by perceived monetary worth. via GIPHY Researchers at the University of Hong Kong conducted two studies on Chinese college students already in heterosexual relationships. The first study evaluated to what extent students were satisfied with the physical attractiveness of the partners to whom they were hitched. Before they were asked to rate their partners attractiveness, researchers used a money-priming method to convince students they were either rich or poor. Male students convinced they were rich, expressed less satisfaction with the physical attractiveness of their partners. They were also more likely to opt for short-term relationships than male students convinced they were poor. Female students convinced they were wealthy, were satisfied with the physical attractiveness of their partners. We remarked that wealthy men attach more importance to a mates physical attractiveness setting higher standards and preferring to engage in short-term mating than those who have less money, says Darius Chan of the University of Hong Kongs Department of Psychology. He goes on to explain, However, for committed women, money may lead to less variation in their mating strategies because losing a long-term relationship generally has a higher reproductive cost. Theres no doubt men and women have different views about money. Writing in Psychology Today, Dr. Teri Orbuch says women see money as a sign of security and stability. In the second study, students were again primed to feel either rich or poor. Then, they were shown pictures of attractive individuals of the opposite sex and told they would meet them. They were sent into a room with several chairs and shown the chair where the attractive individual would soon be sitting. Students who had imagined themselves wealthy, both male and female, were more likely to choose chairs closer to the attractive individual. Students who had imagined themselves poor, chose seats further away from the chair where the attractive individual would be sitting. Theories of evolutionary psychology preach about how individuals use mating strategies that reflect environmental conditions. This new research, which uses perceived monetary worth as an environmental condition, supports that notion. Money is about power, and power in relationships is touchy stuff. A survey for online dating site Match.com a few years ago, shows only half of people dare to talk about finances in the first six months of a new relationship, and 19 percent never talk about it at all. The researchers at the University of Hong Kong admit their studies reflect realities of Chinese culture, but they argue that since mechanisms of mate selection are the same across cultures, their results have universal implications. They also warn their results cannot be applied to married couples and they suggest further studies on the effects of money priming within married couples, could prove enlightening. Own The Conversation Ask The Big Question: Whether you buy into theories of evolutionary psychology or not, all this begs the question, can true love be bought? Disrupt Your Feed: Sure, it should never be about money alone, but, as they say, if youve got it, flaunt it. Wave that big wallet around and watch the cream of the available crop float to the surface. Drop This Fact: Research out of Utah State University shows couples who disagree about finances once a week are 30 per cent more likely to split up than couples who argue about money a few times a month. King & Wood Mallesons has reached its first anniversary in Singapore. The firms office there has established a strong presence for international funds, M&A, energy and resources and China inbound/outbound work.Since opening the office, KWM has grown its headcount in the city state to 12 lawyers including 4 partners, one special counsel and seven associates and is expecting to add further capabilities soon.International law firm Slaughter & May is in mourning following the death of a legal trailblazer. Frances Murphy, the firms head of corporate and the first female in the role, passed away on Wednesday after a long illness.The firms senior partner Steve Cooke paid tribute to one of the Citys most high-profile lawyers: Frances was one of the most outstanding corporate lawyers in the City and made an exceptional contribution to the firm. He went on to say that she will be greatly missed.Murphy was with the firm for more than thirty years and made partner in 1990.A survey of the general public in the UK has found that more than half have had a legal issue in the past three years. The poll for the Law Society in England & Wales by Ipsos-Mori asked more than 8,000 people about their dealings with the legal profession.A third had experienced a consumer rights issue while a fifth had bought or sold a home or make a will. Two thirds of the issues that were legal in nature were not considered legal issues and 35 per cent of respondents obtained professional legal advice while a similar percentage dealt with the issue themselves.A lawsuit filed against a former employee of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian offers an interestingly diverse choice for the defendant. TMZ.com reports that Steve Sanulis was a bodyguard for the celebrity couple and signed a confidentiality agreement stating that he would not reveal any information about them.Since leaving their service however, Sanulis has given at least three less-than-flattering interviews and has been hit with a $30 million lawsuit. The figure relates to a clause in the agreement that sets a $10 million figure for each interview given.There is an alternative detailed in a letter from the couples lawyer; Sanulis can agree to say nothing more and make a public apology. An app developed by a law firm in Iowa, Rehkemper & Lindholm, has helped to clear a man of a drink-driving conviction. Craig Hermann was arrested when he was caught driving with a blood-alcohol level more than twice the legal limit and was subsequently convicted. But the conviction was overturned by the Iowa Court of Appeals due to the Oh Crap! app, which allows users to know their rights during traffic stops and other police encounters. It advises the user to be polite and remain silent, while recording audio of the interaction, with a function to contact an on-call lawyer in the area. Hermann, who was stopped for driving without his headlights on at 1am in October of 2014, recorded the interaction with on the app, which recorded police violating his rights. He used the contact a lawyer function after getting advice through the app, invoking his right to request an in-person consultation with a lawyer or family member, which, according to a report by AAP, is allowed under Iowa law. But the officer said there was no time to wait when Hermann told them a lawyer was on the way, saying he needed to decide whether to submit a breath test. The judge upheld the officers actions and found Hermann guilty, an AAP report said. The decision was reversed by the appeals court, noting that police still had an hour to give him a breath test before a two-hour window for administering such tests ended. Not giving him more time violated his rights. This is the first ruling recorded where an app has helped a user avoid conviction, the court said. Law enforcement officials have criticised the free app, saying they fear it will promote drink driving by giving users the impression they can always get out of legal consequences. The visual systems of crocodiles are more cleverly designed than previously thought, facilitating their ambush hunting techniques and semi-aquatic lifestyles. Nicolas Nagloo, a PhD student from The University of Western Australias School of Animal Biology, explains that crocodiles are excellent predators that quietly wait at the waters edge before attacking their prey with a burst of speed. They are experts at ambushing prey while remaining concealed, and their heightened vision plays a big role in this, Nagloo said. The water surface makes up the majority of the bottom of the visual field, and the visual horizon occurs along the riverbanks where crocodiles see best. While the vision of saltwater and freshwater crocodiles is similar above the waters surface, the light conditions they experience underwater are significantly different. In freshwater habitats there is a lot of long wavelength [red] light, Nagloo said. In contrast, saltwater habitats have a broader range of wavelengths, providing a greater amount of short wavelength [blue] light. Nagloos research, published in the Journal of Experimental Biology (http://tinyurl.com/jpb8nrc), compared the eyes of the two crocodile species and found that instead of having a compact fovea (a depression in the retina where... Australian scientists were entitled to feel relieved when the Liberal Party changed its leader last September. After all, in the 2014 Budget Tony Abbotts government stripped $3 billion from public funding for science, research and innovation programs, and sought to take $12 billion over 10 years from university research programs. These policies, along with cuts to university budgets and unfair fee hikes that would lumber university students with $100,000 degrees, were carried through in the 2015 Budget. But for scientists, like most Australians, Malcolm Turnbull has turned out to be a bitter disappointment. A partial reversal of those massive cuts to science in his overhyped National Innovation and Science Agenda comes nowhere near restoring the resources and the confidence of the Australian research sector. The radical Americanisation of our university system remains government policy under Mr Turnbull, hidden behind the inadequate fig leaf of a discussion paper. The simple truth is that most of this governments anti-science, anti- innovation policies remain intact. There is no doubt about it, Mr Turnbull has an impressive vocabulary, schooled in the jargon of Silicon Valley and Wall Street. But his words are a distraction we must look at his deeds to see what the future holds for an Australian science sector under a returned Turnbull Liberal... Both the Coalition and Labor have had their hands on the nations steering wheel recently enough to give a feel for how much each values science, but in the 25 years Ive been covering science policy that value could have been likened to a Mothers Day gift thats been rewrapped and regifted on Fathers Day. That may well prove the case again, but for now CSIRO has been a bellwether. Jobs and growth was the mantra of early Coalition campaigning, but this didnt apply to jobs and growth at CSIRO, which earlier this year axed hundreds of jobs in areas devoted to climate change monitoring. The uproar over this led to the messy notion that some of CSIROs scientists could be transferred to the Bureau of Meteorology even though this would still create a net loss of scientific capacity and a budgetary black hole for the BoM. In the meantime weve witnessed record temperatures, unprecedented bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef and dieback of coastal mangroves. By the time you read this, the climate monitoring facility at Cape Grim will have recorded baseline atmospheric CO2 levels above 400 ppm for the first time up from 330 ppm when Cape Grim was established in 1976. This is hardly the time to reduce our capacity in climate research,... An international wetland conference in Darwin has been told that the magnitude of dieback of mangroves in northern Australia is unprecedented and deeply concerning. Australia is home to 7% of the worlds mangroves, which take in 50 times more carbon than tropical forests by area. Shoreline stability and fisheries values, amongst other benefits of mangrove vegetation, are under threat, Prof Norm Duke of James Cook University told the Australian Mangrove and Saltmarsh Network Conference. Duke said the phenomenon was especially alarming in light of the large-scale coral bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef, as it also appeared to correlate with this years extreme warming and climate events in the region. Duke said understanding of the scale of the mangrove loss is currently hampered by the critical lack of detailed shoreline monitoring, particularly in remote areas of northern Australia. Conference delegates called for mangrove-monitoring efforts to be scaled-up as a matter of priority so that scientists could establish baseline conditions of national shorelines, and quickly isolate and manage dieback events such as those seen across hundreds of hectares in two locations on the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria at Limmin Bight in the Northern Territory and Karumba in Queensland. Duke said the next step in the investigation into the... An analysis of fossilised space dust collected form the Pilbara has challenged the accepted view that the Earths atmosphere was oxygen-poor 2.7 billion years ago. The study, published in Nature (http://tinyurl.com/hk6msxw), found that the ancient Earths upper atmosphere contained about the same amount of oxygen as today, and that a layer of methane haze separated this oxygen-rich upper layer from the oxygen-starved lower atmosphere. The international team extracted micrometeorites from samples of ancient limestone collected in the Pilbara region in Western Australia, and examined them at the Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy and the Australian Synchrotron. We found that most of the micrometeorites had once been particles of metallic iron common in meteorites that had been turned into iron oxide minerals in the upper atmosphere, indicating higher concentrations of oxygen than expected, said Dr Andrew Tomkins of Monash University. This was an exciting result because it is the first time anyone has found a way to sample the chemistry of the ancient Earths upper atmosphere, he said. Imperial College researcher Dr Matthew Genge calculated that oxygen concentrations in the upper atmosphere would need to be close to modern-day levels to explain the observations... A piece of the worlds oldest axe has been recovered in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia. The axe fragment is about the size of a thumbnail and dates to the Stone Age 4549,000 years ago around the time humans arrived on the continent, and more than 10,000 years earlier than any previous ground-edge axe discoveries. Since there are no known axes in South-East Asia during the Ice Age, this discovery shows us that when humans arrived in Australia they began to experiment with new technologies, inventing ways to exploit the resources they encountered in the new Australian landscape, said Prof Peter Hiscock of The University of Sydney. The axe fragment was initially excavated in the early 1990s by Prof Sue OConnor of the Australian National University among a sequence of food scraps, tools, artwork and other artifacts from Carpenters Gap, a large rock shelter that was one of the first sites occupied by modern humans. Nowhere else in the world do you get axes at this date, OConnor said. In Japan such axes appear about 35,000 years ago, but in most countries in the world they arrive with agriculture after 10,000 years ago. In 2014, Hiscocks team recovered a small fragment of a polished axe from the oldest levels of the site. New studies of the fragment have revealed that it comes from an axe that had been shaped from basalt and... Researchers from The University of Queensland have recommended modifying or abandoning the theory that imitation is an inborn capacity in humans after studying more than 100 babies over their first 9 weeks of life. The team from the School of Psychology failed to find any evidence that newborns could copy facial gestures, hand movements or vocalisations during this time. A total of 106 infants were presented with a variety of facial expressions, gestures or sounds created by both human and non-human models. The results, published in Current Biology, provided evidence against the view that certain human behaviours are innate, said Prof Virginia Slaughter. Analysis indicated infants were just as likely to produce gestures in response to other stimuli as to matching models. Human children in later stages do copy others actions, but the controversial assumption that this occurs from the moment of birth needs to be rethought. Prof Cecilia Heyes of the University of Oxford described the results as powerful and encouraged deeper thought about what separates humans from animals. Many assume that we are special because we inherit a set of complex cognitive mechanisms, Heyes said. Imitation was one of the things that set us apart, along with language, mental time travel, cheater detection, face recognition and theory of mind. Now that we... By Brett Addison, Postdoc astrophysicist, Mississippi State University ESO, CC BY All the planets in our solar system orbit close to the suns equatorial plane. Of the eight confirmed planets, the Earths orbit is the most tilted, but even that tilt is still small, at just seven degrees. It was natural, then, for astronomers to expect that planets orbiting other stars would behave the same way forming and evolving on orbits aligned with their host stars equators. But in recent years, new observations have revealed that the story is somewhat more complicated, at least for the oddest planets known, the Hot Jupiters. An explosion of exoplanets In just two decades, we have gone from knowing one planetary system (our own) to thousands, with 3,268 exoplanets now known. This has driven a massive rethink of our models of planetary formation. Based on a sample of one system, astronomers once expected most planetary systems to have small, rocky planets (like Earth) orbiting close to their host star, and massive, Jupiter-like planets orbiting farther out. With the discovery of the first exoplanets, this simple model was shattered. Those planets, the Hot Jupiters, were different from anything we had expected. Comparable in mass to Jupiter, they move on incredibly short period orbits, almost skimming the surfaces of their host star. Instead of Jupiters sedate 12-year orbit, they whizz around with periods of days, or even hours. Finding planets on such extreme orbits meant a major rethink. As a result, a new suite of theories were born. Rather than planets forming sedately at a fixed distance from a star, we picture migratory planets, drifting huge distances as they grow. The evidence for such migration abounds, even within the solar system. Then came another set of shocking discoveries. Rather than moving in the same plane as their host stars equator, some Hot Jupiters turned out to have highly tilted orbits. Some even move on retrograde orbits, in the opposite direction to their stars rotation. How did those planets get onto such crazy orbits? Rethinking planet formation The most widely accepted model of planet formation is core accretion, where planets form slowly, in a circumstellar disk of material. Weve even caught systems in the act, partway through formation. NASA, ESA, M. Robberto (STSI/ESA), the HST Orion Treasury Project Team and L. Ricci (ESO) Within those disks, dust and ice particles gradually grow by devouring their neighbours. In the hot inner reaches, the amount of solid material is limited as it is too warm for gaseous water to condense to form ice, so planets grow slowly. Farther out, vast amounts of ice contribute to the more rapid growth of planetary cores. Eventually, those cores gain enough mass (around ten times the mass of Earth) to capture gasses from their surroundings. When a planet reaches this critical mass, it begins to accrete gas from the disk, and undergoes rapid growth, becoming a fully fledged gas giant. In the process, the interaction between the planet and the disk causes it to migrate inwards. Depending on the properties of the disk, the planet can move vast distances, even ending up devoured by its host. This rapid growth and migration comes to an end when the host star clears any remaining gas and dust from the system. The planets continue to drift as they scatter and devour the larger debris that remains. That process continues even today in the solar system, albeit at a snails pace. But this simple model fails to explain the latest discoveries of planets on highly inclined orbits. The migration described above typically happens within the disk, keeping the planet close to the stars equatorial plane. To excite it to a highly inclined orbit requires something more. Highly inclined planets To date, astronomers have measured the orbital inclinations of 91 exoplanets and more than a third (36) move on orbits that are significantly misaligned, tilted by more than 20 degrees. Nine of them move on retrograde orbits. ESO/B Addison Were there one or two misaligned planets, we could write them off as a fluke of nature. But the number found is far too large to be coincidence. Astronomers have developed new models, featuring evolution that allows migrating planets to become misaligned. The most promising share a common theme, a period of high eccentricity migration. A problem solved? High eccentricity migration models run as follows. Giant planets form, as expected, on initially circular orbits, well aligned with their hosts equator. As the systems evolve, the planets orbit is perturbed by other massive objects in the same system (most likely, a companion star). As a result, the planets orbit becomes significantly less circular (more eccentric). At the same time, its inclination can be pumped up, becoming misaligned. If a planets orbit is sufficiently tilted, compared to that of its perturber, an additional effect can kick in, known as the Kozai-Lidov mechanism. Under the Kozai-Lidov mechanism, a planets orbit can yaw wildly in space. As its orbit becomes more inclined (compared to the perturber), it also becomes more circular. Then the oscillation changes direction, and the orbit swings back towards that of the perturber, while becoming more eccentric. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center These oscillations can be so extreme that they cause a planet to become star-grazing, skimming its hosts surface with every pass. During these close encounters, the star and planet interact tidally with the planet raising tides on the star, and the star raising tides on the planet. These tides exert a strong damping force, causing the planets orbit to decay rapidly. The point of closest approach remains roughly the same, but the apocentre (the greatest separation distance) shrinks. The planets orbit is rapidly circularised as it decouples from the distant perturber, but remains highly tilted. But what comes next? The theory makes testable predictions. To make misaligned planets this way requires a perturber. In some cases, the companion will be long gone, the binary star system torn asunder by passing stars, for example. But for most, the smoking gun should still be there. Binary companions, waiting to be discovered. Astronomers are using new instruments on the worlds largest telescopes to attempt to detect the perturbers, if theyre there. Some stars, by chance or association, appear to be very close together. To see whether a star has a true companion isnt just a case of seeing if theres another star in the same bit of sky, though chances are, there is. Instead, we have to watch those neighbours for months, or years. If theyre truly are a couple, theyll move together, drifting in lockstep against the background stars. One of us (Brett Addison) is currently actively involved in this search, using the Magellan Clay Telescope in Chile. The preliminary results are already in with no strong correlations observed between systems with stellar companions and those with inclined planets. Still, the search goes on. The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond the academic appointment above. Originally published in The Conversation. An artist is currently travelling across Australia sticking up thousands of posters featuring the faces of Australians from different origins and generations to highlight the issue of immigration.They include Monga Khan who was one of thousands of people who applied for exemptions to the White Australia Policy a century ago. He was born in India but arrived in Australia as a travelling salesman hawking goods between towns.Cameleers, Hawkers and other traders were granted exemptions because their work was essential to Australian's growing economy."For 70 years these people played a crucial role and I'd like to celebrate their contribution to Australia," said artist Peter Drew from Adelaide who believes that people should appreciate the contribution immigrants make now and in the past.The faces featured on his posters don't look like Australians and the artwork includes the word AUSSIE across the bottom to remind people that Australians come from all kinds of places.He wants people to see the posters and think more about Australia's real identity. In particular he wants to reach out to people who may think that there are too many immigrants in the country."These people are not bigots, they are people who have forgotten our strength," he explained. "I was in Perth and a guy said that Khan was the lease looking Aussie he had ever seen. I told him that was the point," he added.He has been amazed by the support he has received for his campaign from members of the public. Some have contributed to the cost of his flights, others have offered him lifts to and from prominent locations.He has been particularly angered by an off the cuff remark recently from Immigration Minister Peter Dutton that refugees are illiterate and believes that asylum seekers should be seen as a strength.Immigration is set to be a major issue in the upcoming general election in Australia as the debate about boat people and the policy of turning them back and not allowing them ashore continues."At the beginning of 2016 Mona Khan had been hidden within the Australian National Archive for 100 years, and with each passing year his story fades. This project aims to reimagine his life as a symbol for all those who survived the White Australia Policy. By sharing his story we can begin to revitalise what it means to be Aussie," said Drew."The aim of this project is to turn Monga Khan into an Aussie folk hero and, in doing so, use mythology to embrace our neglected histories and expand Australia's identity," he added.Photo credit: https://pozible.com/project/203532 JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Hi all, I obtained permanent residency in Aus in 2014 and we are planning on moving back to the US next year. I don't intend to live in Australia again, but will come for holidays as my husband's family is from here. I spoke with my superannuation company and they said you can withdraw your super early if your visa expires or if you are a temporary resident. My question is, if you are away from Australia for a lengthy time do you lose your PR? And does visiting on holidays every few years keep it active? I don't necessarily want to have to withdraw my residency to pull my super out, butam wondering if being out of Australia for so long will lead to that anyway. Any advice or information would very much be appreciated. Thanks! Currently, there is a waiting period of up to four months on the Innova Crysta; TKM planning to ramp-up production in the future. Toyota has announced that the new Innova Crysta has recieved 20,000 bookings since launch and currently there is a waiting period of up to four months on the car. Interestingly, there is higher demand for the Innova Crystas top-end ZX variant which is equipped with an automatic transmission version and costs Rs 20.78 lakh (ex-showroom). The base variant is priced at Rs 13.84 lakh. The earlier-generation Innova did not have an auto transmission option. The company is currently producing 7,000 units per month at its Bidadi plant and is looking to ramp-up production. Speaking at Chennai today at the opening of the Toyota Driving School, he elaborated that the focus will be on the companys existing customers and taking care of them and also making TKM more competitive in India. The third focus area will be to develop our human resources in India at global standards. We do not want to only export vehicles but also export people from India as well, said Tachibana. Also read Toyota Innova Crysta review Toyota Innova Crysta photo gallery The bigger cabin allows for a proper second row of seats, being able to carry 5 passengers in comfort and safety. Styling follows Toyota's newest Keen Look and Under Priority design language, coming with thinner, wraparound headlights, a three-bar grille, trapezoidal lower vent, chunky wheel arches and new stoplights. The sturdy interior is completely redesigned, coming with more space, better materials as well as a range of new technological and safety features. SUV Oh, we forgot about one other aspect that brings them together: their total disrespect for what makes a car look beautiful. The Model X has nice details, but its overall shape and proportions are way off, while the Bentayga is completely the other way around.Well, you can't argue with the silhouette of the Tesla being just wrong, but we wouldn't be that hard on the Bentley . At least not as long as you don't look at it from behind.The two presenters (Jason Cammisa and Jonny Lieberman) actually have a much better way of describing the two cars. They joke that the Model X designers decided to copy "the all-time ugliest BMW" - no prize for guessing he means the 5 Series GT, while the Bentayga is described as "a German caricature of what a British luxury car could be if sold to a Chinese audience." That might just be the best, and most succinct presentation of VW's luxuryThe two cars are tested for acceleration, and you wouldn't be surprised to know the .3 seconds difference in favor of the Tesla is enough to help it win the 1/4 mile drag race by .2 seconds. Had the race gone for another 100 feet or so, then we probably would have had a different winner, though. Bentley's W12 6.0-liter engine (a marriage between two 3.0-liter V6 engines) needs a little more space to spread its legs, but once it does, it can reach 187 mph (301 km/h).In the end, there can be only one, and the two are faced with a difficult choice. Do they go for the more expensive, more luxurious, and more conventional Bentley, or is the Silicon Valley alternative more appealing? Find the answer in the entertaining video below, and keep an eye out for a couple of Alfa Romeo 4Cs. Regardless of how many news and reports you might have read on the subject, your experience is nowhere near complete as Barrett Lyon's. He is the proud owner of a Tesla Roadster and a Tesla Model S Being a long-time supporter of the company living in California, he was probably among the first to get one of the few Model X SUVs back when Tesla still had serious concerns with the falcon door supplier. This priority service, however, was going to be Lyon's doom, as the car he received turned out to be riddled with problems beyond repair.If you listen to what he has to say about it, it's almost as you're hearing a case of Poltergeist being described to you. He claims that the driver's door has slammed shut over his leg, and that it has damaged his property on other occasions. Talking to Courthouse News Service , Lyon said: "The doors do some weird, wicked things. If you get in and slide sideways and accidentally tap the brake, the driver's side door slams shut on your leg. That's not a very nice thing to have happen to you."On the list of problems encountered with the car, he included: "Auto Pilot in the rain is extremely dangerous. It causes the car to swerve into different lanes." The powered front doors continue their shenanigans by opening into cars and other obstacles. Lyon claims the touch screen freezes repeatedly and that the parking brake doesn't work 90 percent of the time.Sick about the situation ("It's parked. We don't drive it. It's basically a really fancy car decoration," he told CNS), he filed for a Lemon Law suit and is requesting the $161,970 he paid for the car back. Also, Mr. Lyon also wants to be compensated for the registration and lawyer fees, as well as damages for breach of warranty. He is being represented by San Francisco-based law firm Anderson, Ogilvie & Brewer.According to the California Office of Attorney General's definition of a "Lemon Law" (listed below), Mr. Lyon has to provide evidence that he has tried to remedy the car's problems repeatedly, with Tesla failing to offer a solution. Right now, his claim is based on a large number of issues with the car and their severity, making it virtually unusable.However, the law states very clear that there have to be "a reasonable number of attempts to repair the vehicle" before filing the lawsuit. But since we're neither lawyers nor judges, we'll just step aside and let the law do its thing.California Lemon Law: A special provision, often called the Lemon Law, helps determine what is a reasonable number of repair attempts for problems that substantially impair the use, value, or safety of the vehicle. The Lemon Law applies to these problems if they arise during the first 18 months after the consumer received delivery of the vehicle or within the first 18,000 miles on the odometer, whichever occurs first. During the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, the Lemon Law presumes that a manufacturer has had a reasonable number of attempts to repair the vehicle if either (1) the same problem results in a condition that is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury if the vehicle is driven and the problem has been subject to repair two or more times by the manufacturer or its agents, and the buyer or lessee has at least once directly notified the manufacturer of the need for the repair of the problem as provided in the warranty or owners manual or (2) the same problem has been subject to repair four or more times by the manufacturer or its agents and the buyer has at least once directly notified the manufacturer of the need for the repair of the problem as provided in the warranty or owners manual or (3) the vehicle is out of service because of the repair of any number of problems by the manufacturer or its agents for a cumulative total of more than 30 days since delivery of the vehicle. Photo of 2017 XE (left) and F-Pace courtesy of Jaguar. Jaguar North America has begun sending 2017 XE sedans and F-Pace luxury SUVs to U.S. dealers for exclusive customer launch events in late May, Jaguar has announced. The XE arrives as Jaguar's BMW 3-Series fighter that will also compete with the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which was relaunched for the 2015 model year, and redesigned 2017 Audi A4 in the fiercely competitive entry-luxury category. Jaguar dealers will host more than 75 of the dealer events from May 23 to 31. Like BMW, Jaguar is offering a maintenance warranty with the XE. The vehicles will retail for $35,895 for the XE and $41,985 for the F-Pace. Photo of 2016 CX-9 courtesy of Mazda. Mazda is selling its redesigned 2016 Mazda CX-9 mid-size SUV with standard LED headlights and taillights a feature that's typically offered as a premium option on higher trim levels. The 2016 CX-9 will become the first non-luxury mid-size SUV to offer LEDs as standard equipment. Mazda is offering its three-row CX-9 in Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring grades. The new CX-9's low-beam headlights produce 900 lumens per unit, which is about twice the output of a comparable halogen headlight. The new headlights shine about 35% brighter than a standard halogen unit and can throw light 10% farther than a comparable xenon HID unit. Engineers were able to package both low- and high-beam lights in a single housing for a clean look. Additionally, LED headlights run cooler than either halogen or xenon headlights, offering what is expected to be greater long-term durability, according to Mazda. The CX-9 Grand Touring and Signature models will also feature all-LED interior lighting, including overhead and accent lights that complement CX-9's horizontally swept door and dashboard panels. The 2016 Mazda CX-9 retails for $32,420 and has arrived at dealer lots. Icon Aircraft has pushed back customer deliveries until at least 2017 and has announced a major revision of its controversial purchase agreement. In a conference call held with invited aviation media representatives, CEO Kirk Hawkins cited manufacturing difficulties as the reason for the delivery delays. We have to slow down so we can go fast, he told the conference call. In a news release issued just prior to the conference call, Thomas Wieners, the VP of manufacturing, said the ambitious plans to build 175 aircraft in 2016 have been scaled back to just 20 aircraft. After completing seven aircraft, with 11 more in production and having received a total of 30 composite airframe sets, weve learned that our production process and parts of our supply chain are not yet ready for high-rate production, he said. The company will lay off 60 employees and terminate 90 contractors. A total of 160 employees will remain with the company. None of the 20 aircraft to be built this year will be delivered to any of the 1850 position holders Icon says it now has deposits from. Instead, they will be distributed among three to four training centers. The Vacaville, California, training center will remain in operation and new ones will be built in Florida, Texas and possibly southern California, Hawkins said. Hawkins said using the first 20 aircraft for training will smooth the transition to high-rate production by ensuring customers are ready to fly their aircraft when the deliveries begin. Hawkins declined to say whether EAAs Young Eagles program will receive the A5 that Icon delivered in a splashy ceremony at last years AirVenture. EAA had planned to auction the $250,000 aircraft at the Gathering of Eagles fundraising dinner at AirVenture 2016 but the aircraft was trucked back to California after AirVenture. Hawkins said hes discussed the auction aircraft with EAA Chairman Jack Pelton and wants to talk more with Pelton before saying any more on the subject. EAA spokesman Dick Knapinski said the organization was under the impression the aircraft would be in Oshkosh at the end of July but will clarify the status of the airplane this week. Icon was not going to release details of its amended purchase agreement on the conference call, saying the news about the delivery delay superseded those developments. However, during the conference call, Flying Magazine posted a story on its website with details of the new agreement and Hawkins relented. He admitted the first stab at an agreement, a 40-page document with plenty of legal twists and turns, was overly complicated and had too much legalese. It should not have gone out in the form it went out [in] without explanation, he said. The new agreement will be a quarter of the length and absent some of the more controversial clauses that resulted in significant backlash from customers and aviation media commentators. The 30-year life limit has been removed and the 10-year mandatory overhaul will remain but the cost will be capped at $15,000. The so-called responsible flier clause in which Icon pilots were bound to be safe, competent and respectful has been tossed. It was very subjective and not that enforceable, he said. A requirement that new pilots fly solo for at least 10 hours has been changed to a recommendation and Icons will not be equipped with automatic audio and video recorders that must be maintained and operated. Icon has also removed a clause giving the company right of first refusal to buy back aircraft being sold by the owners within the first 12 months of ownership. Hawkins said the clause was intended to prevent flipping by brokers and speculators and not control the secondary market. The company is keeping some of the agreements sections that caused considerable controversy when they were first released. New owners will have to undergo flight training authorized by Icon and agree to the revised maintenance schedule and standards. A flight data recorder will be installed on every aircraft and must be maintained in operating condition. The new agreement retains the covenant not to sue Icon for accidents the NTSB determines were not caused by flaws with the aircraft. Icon will waive that clause for a payment of $10,000. The company wants the agreement to be passed on to future owners of used Icons. Owners who sell their aircraft will be required to transfer the ongoing managing pilot agreement to buyers or pay a $5,000 fee to Icon. The agreement will specify that the new owners will have to live up to the original purchase agreement, as amended, with regard to training, maintenance and operation. Icon will incentivize the perpetuation of the agreement by offering those who sell their aircraft $5,000 worth of options on a new Icon. After years of self-imposed exile in Russia, General Samvel Babayan, Nagorno-Karabakhs former army commander, has returned to Armenia and signaled plans to resume his political or military activities, citing the increased risk of renewed war with Azerbaijan. In a few days time, I will go to Karabakh because I see the main mission of my return there, he told 7or.am on Thursday. Its up to the people to decide the rest. In an interview with the news website sympathetic to former President Robert Kocharian, Babayan also called for an urgent modernization of Armenias and Karabakhs armed forces, saying that is vital for neutralizing the military threat from Azerbaijan. He claimed that Armenias current leadership had grown complacent about that threat in the years leading up to the Azerbaijani military offensive launched on April 2. President Serzh Sarkisians administration failed to properly respond to Bakus massive military buildup, he charged. Babayan, Kocharian and Sarkisian are all natives of Karabakh who led the Armenian-populated region during its 1991-1994 war with Azerbaijan. Kocharian is believed to have had a particularly close rapport with the once powerful general. Babayan, 51, commanded Karabakh Armenian forces from 1993-1999 and became the unrecognized republics most powerful man after a Russian-mediated truce stopped the war in 1994. He was arrested in 2000 and subsequently sentenced to 14 years in prison for allegedly masterminding a botched attempt on the life of Arkady Ghukasian, the then Karabakh president. Immediately after being set free in 2004, the former Karabakh strongman relocated to Yerevan where he set up there his own political party called Dashink (Alliance). He kept a low profile on the Armenian political stage following Dashinks poor showing in 2007 parliamentary elections won by Sarkisians Republican Party of Armenia (HHK). He emigrated to Russia in 2011 for still unclear reasons. While living abroad during all these years, I forged many links and relationships with Russias influential military-political circles, Babayan declared on Thursday. He said he decided to return to Armenia and possibly Karabakh because of the April 2-5 hostilities along the Karabakh line of contact that nearly resulted in an all-out Armenian-Azerbaijani war. Babayan claimed that Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev stepped up preparations for such an escalation after the collapse of his 2011 talks with Sarkisian in Kazan, Russia. The Armenian side drew opposite conclusions from Kazan At that time Armenias political leadership decided to concentrate on other issues, he told 7or.am. We need to modernize our army and turn it into a 21st-century structure, said the hardline general. We must act only from the position of force in negotiations [with Azerbaijan.] The authorities in Yerevan have already announced that the Armenian military will receive more weapons earlier than planned because of the increased tensions on the Karabakh frontlines. They are specifically trying to speed up the delivery of new military hardware purchased with a $200 million Russian loan. While criticizing the Sarkisian administration, Babayan stressed that he has no enemies in the political arena. I do not intend to join any party, he said. But I can see that there are people who share my ideas. With their new thinking those people can have a serious impact on other political forces. And I hope that they will succeed, he added without naming anyone. In recent weeks, the Armenian press has been rife with speculation that Babayan could join a new opposition party set up by former Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian and other political figures widely regarded as Kocharian supporters. They have insisted that the ex-president is not connected with their party. Kocharian also denied having such links through a spokesman on May 13. He has increasingly criticized Sarkisians policies and track record in recent years, fueling talk of his return to the political arena. Earlier in May, Kocharian visited Karabakh and met with its leadership to discuss the fallout from the April 2-5 fighting. 26 May 2016 10:00 (UTC+04:00) By Gunay Camal Many Armenians today feel as their financial life is one debt drama after another, as the countrys economic situation morphed into a life of each and every citizen. So desperate is the situation that asking to borrow a few extra drams from familiars in Armenia has become as commonplace as asking a neighbor for a similarly scarce cup of flour. The official statistics say that only in the first four months of 2016, peoples incomes have fallen compared by 5 billion drams ($10.47 million) in 2015, armlur.am website reports. While the government with quite uncertain policy lacks any program or scenario to survive its ill economy, life is becoming more and more complicated in this poor country. High corruption and quite strong monopoly suck the society like octopus, leaving no hope for normal life. The first four months of 2016 saw a decline of 1 percent in trade, 7.4 percent in construction. Last year's GDP decreased by approximately $1 billion compared to 2014. Meanwhile, Armenia's total public debt stood at $5.196.1 billion as of late March, an increase of 1.5 percent compared to February, according to the National Statistical Service. When compared to early 2016, the total public debt was up by 2.3 percent. The external debt of the country at the end of March 2016 stood at $4.406 billion, an increase of 1.5 percent or $63.6 million from the previous month. As Armenian authorities announced, the countrys national debt will account for 49.4 percent of GDP from the beginning of the year, and the ratio of external debt to GDP will be 42.8 percent. The size of the national debt by the end of 2016 will amount to $5.569 billion, 86.6 percent of which will be external debt, Armenian ARKA reports. In 2016 the countrys national debt to the GDP will make up 49.4 percent versus 48.3 percent in 2015, with the foreign debt to the GDP ratio to be 42.8 percent in 2016 versus 42.3 percent in 2015. The official figures show that the Armenian economy is on the verge of catastrophe. In case the ratio of the countrys national debt to the GDP exceeds 50 percent, the country will fell into an economic abyss. In spite of assurances from the International Monetary Fund that the threatening figure is 60 percent, I am totally against this approach. If we increase the volume of internal debt, no matter how we try, we will not be able to service our debts, Armenian expert Tatul Manaseryan told local media. The miserable economic situation of ordinary Armenians are also revealed in Armenian Demographic and Health Surveys (ADHS) carried out in 2000, 2005 and 2010, which showed that the percentage of starving Armenian children rise. The prevalence of stunting (low height for age) among Armenian children under age five remained steady at 13 percent between 2000 and 2005, while in 2010 increased to 19 percent, according to 2015 report by the World Breastfeeding Initiatives report. Amid the backdrop of the nations economic hardship, the rate of suicide in Armenia, steadily going up almost every year. From 2003 to 2013, the annual number of suicides and suicide attempts in this economically challenged country, soared from 377 to 768 cases a more than 100 percent increase, according to the National Statistical Service. There are many reports about those who commit suicide, and if something is being kept constantly in focus, it gradually turns into something normal, Yerevan State University social psychologist Vladimir Mikaelian told eurasianet.org. While the data showing the real situation lacks, some observers link the rise with tough economic conditions, in which nearly a third of Armenias population of 2.9 million people lives. Suicide is also on the rise is in the military. Since 2010, more military servicemen have committed suicide than died in combat. More and more Armenian citizens leave the country every year, finding conditions of life in the country to tough to bear. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 17:15 (UTC+04:00) By Gunay Camal Decades after Chernobyl's nuclear disaster, spewing 400 times as much radiation as the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, killing thousands and skyrocketing the cancer cases to tens of thousands, the nuclear threat is back in the news. Thirty years and hundreds of miles away from the Chernobyl tragedy, a narrower but increasingly alarming threat aroused: the vulnerability of Armenias nuclear power plant. The Metsamor NPP, which has been operating in Armenia for several decades, remains a time bomb, sparking many debates. Environmentalists have long been concerned that the Armenian authorities refuse to close the outdated Metsamor NPP, any catastrophe at which could kill thousands in Armenia itself, and the whole region. Asked on May 25 about dangers of the Metsamor NPP, Greenpeace Russia energy program project manager, renowned energy expert Rashid Alimov stated that the NPP in Armenia is a source of pollution for a large area. All NPPs are hazardous, especially the ones that still operate after expiration, said in a statement to APAs Moscow correspondent. That is, the project is already too outdated and fails to meet modern standards. Metsamor has no protective cover and modern security system. Metsamor NPP began to operate in 1976. The license for the exploitation of the station will expire on September 1, 2016. Nevertheless, the Armenian government has made the decision to prolong the date of exploitation of the plant for 10 more years. Experts say that radioactive radiation might spread at any time, as Armenia has turned Metsamor into a nuclear weapon, not the source of energy. All South Caucasus nations would suffer from a possible catastrophe. Azerbaijan and Georgia are located 120 km away, Iran 60 km, Turkey 16 km, the capital of Armenia itself 30-35 km away from Metsamor NPP. Furthermore, Armenia is located in the Kura-Araz basin, any waste thrown there goes into the Azerbaijani rivers and then into the Caspian Sea. Alimov stressed that in case that any accident occurs in Metsamor NPP, several research institutes, so far, have conducted researches on detecting potential pollution areas. The research by Austrias Scientific Institute on Earth concludes that in case any accident occurs in Metsamor NPP, a large area, including Azerbaijan will be polluted. It is said that depending on weather condition, a possible accident in Metsamor NPP may pollute a large area and this will be very dangerous for the region," he said. The other danger is that the nuclear waste from the Metsamor NPP can be used by terrorists. While some experts already utter the possibility that terrorists can obtain enough highly enriched uranium and then turn it into a nuclear bomb, the fabrication of some kind of dirty bomb from radioactive waste or byproducts is more real. Alimov said that Metsamor NPP increased the interest of transnational criminal groups and terrorists, engaged in trafficking nuclear material, in the region. Metsamor NPP can be attacked in case of military operations nearby and it is accessible for terrorists, he said, emphasizing that outdated and dangerous blocks of Metsamor NPP should be closed. There are a variety of other risks involving Armenias NPP, as one of the fears at the nuclear power plants is a strong quake. Head of the Republican Seismological Service Center Gurban Yetirmishli reminded that the Metsamor NPP lies close to earthquake-prone locality, the seismic stability of which is 8- 9 magnitude on the Richter scale. The NPP is currently in a dangerous condition, a strong earthquake could result in a major disaster. This will not affect only those in the Caucasus but also can be a disaster for Europe and the Middle East, he said urging the relevant agencies to stop the operation of the NPP. Experts are sure that in case of explosion at Metsamor the region will suffer devastating consequences for decades, perhaps centuries. This is a problem that will not go away in few years. It will be there for centuries, and affect not only the regional states, but also Europe. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 17:26 (UTC+04:00) By Gunay Camal Several Bulgarian MPs can be announced a persona non-grata by Baku over an illegal visit of the MPs to Azerbaijans territories occupied by Armenia. Hikmat Hajiyev, spokesman for Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry told Trend on May 26 that a group of MPs of Bulgaria's Patriotic Front Party illegally visited the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. This visit, which wasn't coordinated with anyone, is considered by Azerbaijan as an attempt to promote the fictitious regime created in the wake of the military aggression, occupation, and bloody ethnic cleansing in the Armenian-occupied Azerbaijani territories, he said. Armenia captured Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions of Azerbaijan in a war that followed the Soviet breakup in 1991. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and nearly one million were displaced as a result of the war. Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions are temporarily out of the control of Azerbaijan as a result of Armenias aggression. Hajiyev believes that this illegal visit shows that some people in Bulgaria are seriously bothered by the country's friendly and strategic partner relations with Azerbaijan. "Unfortunately, Yerevan is busy committing such unnecessary and meaningless provocative acts instead of preparing the basis for the comprehensive and substantial talks mentioned at the Vienna [presidential] meeting," said Hajiyev. Hajiyev further said that the Azerbaijani embassy in Bulgaria will appeal to this country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the National Assembly (Parliament) and convey Azerbaijan's concern over this illegal and provocative visit After the necessary specification, their names [of Bulgarian MPs] will be added to the Foreign Ministrys list of undesirable persons, Hajiyev said. Baku has repeatedly announced that it will not tolerate the violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, including in particular through engaging in and/or facilitating by whatever ways and means illegal activities in the occupied territories. Under the Azerbaijani legislation, any illegal activity in the occupied lands of Azerbaijan can be cause for a prosecution. Unauthorized visits to Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied regions of Azerbaijan are considered illegal and individuals who pay such visits are included in the ministrys black list. The list of persona non grata banned from visiting Azerbaijan includes MPs, businessmen, journalists, entertainers, and others, who violated Azerbaijans borders and showed disrespect to the sovereignty and territorial unity of the country. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 23:20 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijan is ready for comprehensive and substantive talks on resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Hikmet Hajiyev, spokesman for Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry, told Trend on May 26. Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov is expected to meet with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs in late May, he added. "Armenia's foreign minister is again distorting the essence of the [May 16] Vienna meeting. The time is over for wordplays," said Hajiyev. "The proposals put forward as a result of the Vienna meeting are interrelated." "The purpose of the ceasefire regime is to create grounds for the start of comprehensive and substantive talks," said the spokesperson. "The main part of the comprehensive political settlement to the conflict is changing the inadmissible and inconsistent status quo and withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied Azerbaijani lands." Hajiyev noted that if Armenia wants a ceasefire regime, it is necessary to put an end to the occupation of Azerbaijani lands and to the presence of Armenian troops on Azerbaijani territories. "The basic principles of resolving the conflict have long been known. Armenia's foreign minister should make his people ready for peace and provide accurate information about the process of the conflict's settlement," he said. "Unfortunately, we see the opposite in reality." The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. 26 May 2016 14:10 (UTC+04:00) By Mark Leonard Much of modern geopolitics seems to be following the plot from Game of Thrones, with many countries under so much political and economic stress that their only hope is that their rivals collapse before they do. So their governments cling to power while exploiting rivals internal weaknesses. Russian President Vladimir Putin is the prime example. His recent campaigns in Syria and Ukraine may look like the actions of a geopolitical buccaneer. But the root of his adventurism is domestic weakness. Russias annexation of Crimea, for example, was in large part an attempt to provide Putins regime with renewed legitimacy following a winter of discontent, during which demonstrators took to the streets to protest his return to the presidency. Rival powers most notably the United States and the European Union have introduced sanctions in the hope of widening cracks in the Russian elite, exploiting the fact that Putin has not diversified his economy away from oil and gas. Putin, in turn, is hoping that Russias economy stays afloat long enough for Ukraine to collapse. To hasten that process, the Kremlin has left no lever of destabilization unpulled: It has launched military incursions, manipulated Ukraines politics, used energy blackmail, and engaged in information warfare. Putin believes that the EU suffers from the same flaws as the former Soviet Union, regarding it as a utopian, multinational project that will crumble under the weight of its contradictions. Here, too, the Kremlin has done its best to help the process along, by supporting far-right parties throughout the EU. Putin seems to be hoping that if the United Kingdom votes for Brexit and the National Fronts Marine Le Pen is elected President of France, the EU will lose its ability to maintain the sanctions. He hasnt stopped with Europe. After Turkish forces shot down a Russian warplane near its border with Syria in November, Putin adopted a series of measures designed to destabilize Turkey from within. He imposed economic sanctions, spread rumors of corruption in President Recep Tayyip Erdogans inner circle, invited the leader of a Kurdish party to Moscow, and allegedly sent arms to the militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The political scientist Ivan Krastev believes that Putin seems to have dug in for a long-term policy of sapping Turkeys economy and undermining Erdogan politically. Elsewhere in the Middle East, Saudi Arabias monarchy and Irans theocracy are in a race for survival. The Iranian economy is a wreck after years of international sanctions, and the government has not yet managed to take advantage of the nuclear deal it struck with the US to rebuild it. But it has managed to rally public support by posing as a leader of the worlds Shia Muslims and undermining Saudi Arabia in Iraq, Syria, Bahrain, and Yemen. Predicting the collapse of the House of Saud has become a mainstay of Middle East commentary. But Saudi Arabia is betting that it can keep oil prices low enough for long enough to destabilize Iran and put the US shale-energy industry out of business. The Saudi oil minister, Ali al-Naimi, has said that he will not cut production even if prices hit $20 a barrel. If the price falls, it falls, he said. Others will be harmed greatly before we feel any pain. Farther east, the Chinese juggernaut is beginning to stumble. The analyst Minxin Pei speculates that the Chinese Communist Partys rule may be about to come to an end. Growth is slowing, he writes. The party is in disarray, because the rules it has established to limit internecine political warfare have collapsed. Middle-class acquiescence is beginning to erode because of environmental degradation, poor services, inequality, and corruption. Chinas rulers, for their part, are betting that they can survive a sharp economic slowdown and that the country will outgrow the US, changing the balance of power in Asia. One reason for President Xi Jinpings optimism is the dire state of US politics. For years, Congress has been gridlocked on domestic reforms, and now the world is contemplating the consequences of a victory by Donald Trump in Novembers presidential election. Chinese nationalists hope that the decline of Americas relative power in East Asia will cause it to pull back, as it has from other regions, including the Middle East and Europe. An article published last month in Chinas Peoples Daily speculated that a Trump administration would snub key Asian allies such as Japan and South Korea, allowing China to become the dominant military power in the Pacific. Even if Hillary Clinton wins the election, they think that the American public has lost its appetite for internationalism and that the country will turn its back on free trade and foreign intervention. Trying to undercut a rival even at the risk of harming oneself is a familiar tactic in the world of business, where firms engage in price wars, hoping their competitors will go bust first and exit the industry. But it has been less common in geopolitics. In his 1992 book The End of History and the Last Man, Francis Fukuyama argued that the world had reached the end of socioeconomic development. Liberal democracy, he concluded, was the last man, the end point of this development. He could not have been more wrong. Today, the worlds great powers are no longer claiming to be the last man; all they can do is hope to be the last man standing. Copyright: Project Syndicate: Last Man Standing --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 25 May 2016 16:30 (UTC+04:00) By Gulgiz Dadashova Azerbaijan, an energy-rich South Caucasus nation, has undertaken significant changes to develop the economy, reform the business and state sector and to ensure favorable investment environment. These steps have turned the country into the top economy in the surrounding geographic region. To take the next step and further ensure stability and economic prosperity, Azerbaijan has launched a new wave of reforms by strengthening institutions, encouraging competition and adopting new economic development model. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is one of the main financial institutions backing the country in its long journey. To date, the EBRD has invested a total of 2.5 billion euros in Azerbaijan for implementation of 164 projects, including 154 private sector projects. The Bank increased its investment in Azerbaijans private sector over the past four years. Recent government reforms to improve the investment climate have given further momentum to the EBRD's expanding and diversifying portfolio. Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev, while talking to EBRD President Suma Chakrabati during the latters Baku visit, expressed his confidence that long-term cooperation between Azerbaijan and EBRD would successfully continue even further. Underlining Azerbaijan's interest in maintaining cooperation with EBRD, the head of state noted that this collaboration contributed to the implementation of a number of projects in the country. Pointing to EBRD`s investment in the private sector, President Aliyev hailed it as a proper assessment of the situation in this sector, and said these investments created additional financial opportunities for the development of the private sector. The two sides discussed EBRD-Azerbaijan cooperation, the governments recent and planned reforms, the Banks support for the strategic cross-border energy project, the Southern Gas Corridor, and potential cooperation in the countrys banking sector, including what could be the first local currency bond to be issued by an international financial institution. Praising the bilateral ties, Chakrabarti noted that the investments in the private sector, particularly in the non-oil sector had been significantly raised in recent years. Saying the private sector accounted for 70 per cent of the total volume of investment that the EBRD made in Azerbaijan's economy, Chakrabarti noted that 8 out of 9 projects they funded was implemented in the non-oil sector. During the Baku visit, the EBRD delegation also had discussions with Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev, Chairman of the newly-established Financial Markets Supervision Authority (FMSA), Rufat Aslanli and Finance Minister Samir Sharifov. There will be a significant growth in the investments of the EBRD in Azerbaijan in 2016, said Chakrabarti as he met with Aslanli. Aslanli, for his part, said that FMSB is ready for a close cooperation with the EBRD for recovering the country's banking sector. Also, Azerbaijan has urged the European Reconstruction and Development Bank (EBRD) to render technical support for establishing a free trade zone in the Alat settlement at the initial stage. Shahin Mustafayev stressed the opportunities for cooperation in the field of transit, as well as within the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline (TANAP), which is an important part of the Southern Gas Corridor. Chakrabarti in his turn said that the EBRD will consider the issue of investing in the free trade zone which includes the territory of Azerbaijans Baku Sea Trade Port. The official further mentioned that the EBRD and Azerbaijan can cooperate in the fields of tourism, infrastructure and establishment of special economic zones. The EBRD team also met representatives from the banking sector and from the civil society. At a roundtable discussion with the chief executives of seven banks and financial institutions, the EBRD discussed challenges faced by the banking sector such as the low liquidity levels in the Azerbaijani manat, rising levels of non-performing loans and continued low levels of loan repayments. During their meeting with the EBRD president, civil society representatives described good progress on a number of issues and also areas where in their view more needed to be done. Of particular note was the perceived progress in tackling petty corruption, thanks to the gradual implementation of the Azerbaijan Service and Assessment Network (ASAN) of citizen service centres. Chakrabati, summarizing his Baku visit, stated the recent drop in oil prices presented an opportunity for the diversification of the Azerbaijani economy by growing the non-oil and gas private sector. This is a development that the EBRD strongly supports. I also stressed that for long-term private sector growth, in particular for small and medium-sized enterprises, it is crucial to have a vibrant and viable financial sector, he said. Speaking about the financial sector, the EBRD president voiced that the Bank is prepared to work with all stakeholders to find solutions to existing challenges. As for oil and gas, we will aim to make strategic investments which will guarantee the countrys long-term economic health. In that context we will support the Southern Gas Corridor, a project which diversifies export routes for Azerbaijan and is also important for energy security in Europe. The EBRD President added that the Bank is considering supporting the two pipelines that form part of the Southern Gas Corridor, the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) where the EBRD is considering providing a syndicated loan of up to 1.5 billion, and is also in the early stages of considering co-financing the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP). -- Follow Gulgiz Dadashova on Twitter: @GulgizD Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 10:17 (UTC+04:00) Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev has congratulated Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of the Republic Day. "I heartily congratulate you on the occasion of the great holiday of the Republic of Azerbaijan - Republic Day," said Nazarbayev. He noted that Kazakhstan attaches special importance to development of bilateral relations with Azerbaijan. "This is evidenced by the expansion of political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian ties between the two states," added the Kazakh president. "I am absolutely convinced that based on friendship and trust between the two countries, our mutually beneficial cooperation will further develop in the best interests of our peoples." "Dear Ilham Heydarovich, on this joyful occasion, I wish you robust health, success in your state activities, and the friendly people of Azerbaijan peace and prosperity," he added. President of Chile Michelle Bachelet has congratulated Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev on the Republic Day. "On behalf of the people of Chile and on my own behalf, I heartily congratulate you on the national holiday of Azerbaijan," said Bachelet. "Please accept my wishes for welfare and prosperity of your people and country." "I wish that steadily developing bilateral relations between the Republic of Chile and the Republic of Azerbaijan would further strengthen, and also wish you success in your future endeavors," said Chile's president. "Once again, Your Excellency, accept the assurances of my highest consideration," Bachelet added. Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon has also congratulated Ilham Aliyev. "I extend my sincere congratulations to you and all the friendly people of Azerbaijan on the occasion of the national holiday of your country - Republic Day," he said. Tajikistan highly appreciates friendly and multilateral mutually beneficial partnership with Azerbaijan and is eager to strengthen and develop these ties in all spheres, added Rahmon. "I am confident that through concerted efforts we will ensure dynamic development of bilateral relations between the two countries in the best interests of our peoples," he said. "We are eager to do our utmost in this regard." "Dear Ilham Heydarovich, I wish you robust health, new successes, and the friendly people of Azerbaijan peace and prosperity," Tajikistan's president added. Azerbaijan's president received congratulations from Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. "On behalf of the government and people of the Republic of Iraq and on my own behalf, I extend to you my most sincere congratulations on the occasion of the national holiday of the friendly Republic of Azerbaijan," said al-Abadi. "I pray to Allah Almighty for peace, prosperity and stability of our peoples and countries and for your success in your activities. Allah is All-hearing and responds to prayers!," he added. "Your Excellency, please accept the assurances of my deepest respect," said Iraq's prime minister. Harald V, King of Norway, also congratulated President Aliyev on the occasion of Azerbaijan's Republic Day. "On the occasion of your Republic Day, we extend our sincere congratulations and best wishes for the welfare and prosperity of the people of Azerbaijan," he said. Serbia's President Tomislav Nikolic also congratulated Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev. "On the occasion of the National Day of the Republic of Azerbaijan, I have the great honour and pleasure to extend to you, on behalf of the people of the Republic of Serbia and on my own behalf, cordial congratulations and best wishes for the progress and prosperity of your country and its people," said Nikolic. "Our recent meetings have served as yet another confirmation of the genuine friendship between our peoples, and of the joint interest in further enhancement of the strategic relations and cooperation between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, for the sake of our two countries' progress and stability," he added. "I would like, Excellency, to reiterate my gratitude for the consistent support that the friendly Azerbaijan has lent, with you at its helm, to the efforts invested by Serbia with the aim of preserving its sovereignty and territorial integrity," said Serbia's president. "In anticipation of our soon meeting in Belgrade, and along with the best wishes for your good health and personal happiness, please accept, Mr. President, the assurances of my deepest respect," he added. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 10:37 (UTC+04:00) Murder in the Mountains book by Raoul Lowery Contreras, which highlights Khojaly genocide as well as Armenian occupation and ethnic cleansing policy against Azerbaijan, has been published in Los Angeles by the Floricanto Press publishing house, Azertac reports. The book featuring the Khojaly incidents is the first one which was written on this topic, published and went on sale in the United States. The book is available at Earths Biggest Bookstore Amazon, U.S. largest bookstore Barnes & Noble, etc. In the book, journalist Lowery delves into the complicated regional history but focuses on the town of Khojaly in the Caucasus Mountains on a cold night in February 1992. He charts the conflict there and its aftermath, providing documentation for human rights violations. Khojaly, the second largest town in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, came under intense fire from the towns of Khankendi and Askeran already occupied by the Armenian armed forces in 1992. As many as 613 civilians mostly women and children were killed in the massacre, and a total of 1,000 people were disabled. Eight families were exterminated, 25 children lost both parents, and 130 children lost one parent. Moreover, 1,275 innocent people were taken hostage, and the fate of 150 of them remains unknown. Lowery Contreras is an internationally recognized author who writes regularly for The Hill, Fox News Latino and dozens of publications around the globe. His passion is finding untold stories that can foster change in our world. He was formerly with the New American News Service of the New York Times Syndicate. Contreras, a former United States Marine with a deep knowledge of international affairs with a distinctly American viewpoint around freedom and liberty, is a rare commentator that tells true stories in a passionate way. This story of terror and war crimes resonated with him as a story that needs to be told. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 11:20 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijan and Spain mulled military cooperation, as Defense Minister of Azerbaijan, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov met with his Spanish counterpart Pedro Morenes Eulate, Azertac reports. The ministers have discussed prospects of cooperation between the two countries. Eulate, talking to Azertac, has noted that this meeting was very desirable. Prospects of relations between Azerbaijan and Spain are broad. The relations between two countries rely on friendship and mutual understanding. We have joint projects, he stressed. The Spanish minister has emphasized that in the center of attention there is fight against all elements that threaten peace. Our countries have common position in this fight. I want to highlight the expression stated by me at a meeting: "Spain and Azerbaijan have identical friends and enemies". Eulate further stated that, our friendship with the Azerbaijani Defense Minister has begun with my visit to Baku. Therefore, this visit was important for me. I consider that the Azerbaijani colleague shares my thoughts. We have passed through certain dangerous moments. We have reached an agreement on bilateral cooperation", he underlined. Hasanov, in turn, has expressed gratitude to his Spanish colleague for the organization of visit at the high level. The minister has noted that possibilities of cooperation between the two countries are very wide. We had comprehensive discussion of these opportunities. Cooperation develops both between the two countries, and within NATO. The Spanish colleague makes new interesting proposals, and we agree with them", the minister said. He has noted that the friendship between Spain and Azerbaijan is eternal. Having highlighted the statement of the Spanish Minister "Spain and Azerbaijan have identical friends and enemies", Hasanov has expressed appreciation to the colleague for this position. Questions of cooperation in the military sphere between Azerbaijan and Spain have also been discussed at a meeting of Hasanov with the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain Ignacio Ibanez Rubio. Ambassador of Azerbaijan in Spain Anar Maharramov was present at the meetings. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 15:10 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli The Caucasus Muslims Office issued a fatwa in connection with the beginning of the blessed Ramadan Month. This year Ramadan will begin on Tuesday, June 7 and will continue for 30 days. Note that in the Muslim calendar, a holiday begins on the sunset of the previous day, so observing Muslims will celebrate Ramadan on the sunset of Monday, June 6. The date of Ramadan may also vary from country to country depending on whether the moon has been seen or not. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and is a month of fasting, prayer, giving and self-evaluation observed by Muslims. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Ramadan, as people also called The Sultan of Eleven Months, was conceived the second year of Hegira, whereby Muhammad emigrated from Mecca to Medina. The Muslim holy month of Ramadan, teaches the faithful to love Allah, to test their will and patience, and to be wiser and more honest. People are encouraged to read the Koran entirely during this month. According to Islamic belief, the Holy Book was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad during this time, making this an especially holy period. Muslims throughout the Islamic world fast during the daylight hours during Ramadan. The resulting hunger is seen as a means of developing sympathy for the less fortunate, while learning to be humble and appreciate all of God's bounties. For 30 days, they do not eat, drink, smoke or engage in sexual intercourse during fasting hours, testing their patience and ability to overcome temptations. The holy Koran says: "As morning comes and white thread distinguishes from black thread, you may eat and drink and then complete your fast till the night." According to the hadith, it is better to invite those who have fasted to your iftar table. It says that the one who feeds a person who fasted will receive the same reward as the one who fasted. Foods that contain pork or alcohol are strictly prohibited during a meal. It is also undesirable to eat excessively, both during morning and evening meal, as it burdens the body and is harmful to health. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 13:42 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev received a delegation led by Chairman of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Turkey Zuhtu Arslan on May 26,Azertac reports. Saying that the bilateral relations were successfully developing in all areas, the head of state noted that Azerbaijan and Turkey were allies, and friendly and brotherly countries. President Aliyev hailed Azerbaijani-Turkish cooperation in all fields, including between justice authorities. The President said important issues would be discussed during the visit of Arslan, adding that cooperation in this sphere would contribute to the development of relations. Recalling his recent visit to Turkey, President Aliyev congratulated the country on successfully hosting the first World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul. The head of state noted the importance of developing relations in all areas, including in political, economic, energy, transport ones, as well as in the field of justice system. Arslan, in turn, said he last visited Azerbaijan in 2010, adding that Baku had completely changed to become a new city. He congratulated the head of state on these accomplishments. Zuhtu Arslan noted that Azerbaijan and Turkey enjoyed high-level relations in all areas, underlining the necessity of maintaining these relations between justice authorities as well. They also discussed cooperation prospects. During the Baku visit, Arslan has visited the Alley of Honors to lay a wreath at the tomb of national leader, founder and architect of the modern Azerbaijani state Heydar Aliyev. He also put flowers at the grave of prominent ophthalmologist, academician Zarifa Aliyeva. Zuhtu Arslan then visited the Alley of Martyrs to commemorate Azerbaijani heroes who gave their lives for the country`s independence and territorial integrity. The Chairman of Turkish Constitutional Court laid a wreath at the Eternal Flame monument here. 26 May 2016 16:54 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev received an Italian delegation led by Chairman of the European Policies Committee of the Senate, Senator Vannino Chiti in Baku on May 26, Azertac reports. Pointing to the multifaceted Italy-Azerbaijan relations and successful cooperation in a number of fields, President Aliyev underlined the importance of interparliamentary cooperation in further development of these ties. Hailing fruitful cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union, the head of state recalled with pleasure President of the European Council Donald Tusk's and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini's successful visits to Azerbaijan as well as his meeting with Federica Mogherini in Vienna. President Aliyev noted that documents on Azerbaijan's strategic partnership with 8 European Union member states had already been signed and adopted, adding that Italy was one of these countries.Describing this as a good sign of cooperation between the two countries, the head of state noted that EU, its member states and Azerbaijan attached great importance to this cooperation. Expressing his confidence that Chiti`s visit to Azerbaijan would be successful, President Aliyev hailed the importance of the visit in terms of discussing bilateral and EU-Azerbaijan relations. The senator, in turn, described Azerbaijan as one of the important countries both for the EU and Italy. "Azerbaijan's importance is not limited to its natural resources. Azerbaijan is a Muslim country and a secular state and it is of pivotal significance," the Italian senator said. He also noted that Azerbaijan was confidently fighting against terrorism, extremism and radicalism. Chiti emphasized the friendly ties between Azerbaijan and Italy as a good example of bilateral relations. Azerbaijan and Italy actively continue their joint work in the business sphere and the southern European country ranked first in the list of Azerbaijan's foreign trade partners in Q1 2016 with trade turnover of $462.44 million. Italy, being the largest importer of Azerbaijani goods, enjoy good relations with the country and export from Italy to Azerbaijan is also growing year by year. Azerbaijan is the largest supplier of oil to Italy, and with the launch of the Southern Gas Corridor will supply Shah Deniz gas to this country. The South Caucasus country has made a very important contribution to the preservation of historical heritage of Italy, funding and donating several cultural projects in this country. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 18:09 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli An Azerbaijani-French University will turn Azerbaijan into a regional university center. French Ambassador to Baku Aurelia Bouchez made the statement on May 26, while attending an event over creation of the Azerbaijani-French University in Baku. Azerbaijan and France decided to expand educational relations, as earlier this April, the University of Strasbourg and Azerbaijan State University of Oil and Industry signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on establishment of the University. The French ambassador, addressing the event, said that the opening of the University in Azerbaijan is not accidental. Azerbaijan is located in an important region. The activity of the University will turn Azerbaijan into a regional university center. Students from Iran, Russia, Georgia, Turkey and other foreign countries will be also accepted in this University, she emphasized. Bouchez went on saying that the University project has been developed upon the initiative of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and France. The University plans to begin its activities starting this September. This project is the result of the high level of cooperation between Azerbaijan and France. A French Lycee has been operating in Azerbaijan for three years. In view of the current need for higher education the sides decided to establish the University, she said. Bouchez emphasized the university will provide education mainly in technical specialties. Classes for students will be first in English, then in French, which means that University graduates can be provided with jobs in Azerbaijani, English and French companies. Students will be selected from among applicants, who will score more than 500 points at the entrance exams. Qualifying exam will be conducted by teachers of the University of Strasbourg, the ambassador explained. Applicants who could not succeed in the exam will be able to choose the faculty in local universities for the first group of specialties, the diplomat said. Admission to the University will be carried out mainly at state expenses. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 23:23 (UTC+04:00) Head of Nizami Ganjavi Scientific Centre at the University of Oxford on behalf of Azerbaijan professor Nargiz Pashayeva and head of Nizami Ganjavi Scientific Centre on behalf of UK, professor of Islamic History Robert Hoyland have held a meeting with the Member of the British Parliament, co-rapporteur of Council of Europe on Azerbaijan in 2003-2006 Lord Malcolm Bruce. Lord German, member of the House of Lords, co-chairman of the society on behalf of the UK, also attended the meeting, which featured the establishment of the British Foundation for the Study of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus. Bruce stood for parliament for a third time at the newly created seat of Gordon, based largely on the former Aberdeenshire West. Fairgrieve retired, and at the 1983 general election he was very narrowly elected and became the Liberal MP for Gordon with a majority of just 850, and has held the seat for more than twenty-five years. He is politically moderate, an outspoken opponent of coalition with the Labour Party. He also became Rector of the University of Dundee in 1986 for three years. In 1989 he was appointed as the Environment spokesman, before having the Scotland portfolio after 1990. After the 1992 general election, at which he narrowly held Gordon by just 274 votes, he again became the Trade and Industry spokesman. By 1994 he had become the Treasury spokesman. Whilst a Treasury spokesman, it was Bruce who developed the idea of a 'penny on income tax'. Bruce won Gordon for the fifth consecutive time at the 2001 general election with a still rising majority of 7,879. Following his re-election, Bruce became the Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in 2003. He is currently the Chairman of the International Development Committee. As the Chair of the International Development Select Committee since 2005, he has been scrutinizing the work of the Department of International Development. Professor Nargiz Pashayeva said the meeting was held on the eve of the 98th anniversary of the founding of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. She said Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was of special importance for Azerbaijanis. Professor Pashayeva highlighted the activity of Anglo-Azerbaijan Society, which she has co-chaired since 2007. She also spoke of the activity of the Scientific Centre of Azerbaijan and Caucasian Studies named after Nizami Ganjavi. Professor Nargiz Pashayeva hailed activities of head of the Nizami Ganjavi Scientific Centre on behalf of UK, professor of Islamic History Robert Hoyland, Professor of Persian Studies Edmund Herzig, Professors Paul Wordsworth, Nikoloz Aleksidze, Marek Jankowiak, Nick Evans, historical and anthropological archaeologist Irina Shingiray, and Maroussia Bednarkiewicz. Professor Nargiz Pashayeva proposed establishing the British Foundation for the Study of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus. The idea was born as a result of consultations with scholar and historian specializing in the medieval history of the Middle East Robert Hoyland, Professor at the University of St Andrews Andrew Peacock and Professor of Arabic Studies at University of Exeter Robert Gleave. The scholars are members of the Board of Trustees of the British Foundation. Professor Nargiz Pashayeva was elected as chairperson of the Board. Professor Pashayeva said the Foundation aimed to contribute to bilateral scientific, cultural, educational ties between the two countries. "The establishment of the British Foundation is a historical and cultural necessity," she said. Professor Nargiz Pashayeva invited Lord Malcolm Bruce to become a member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation. Lord Malcolm Bruce accepted the invitation. They agreed to hold the presentation of the Foundation in London in near future. 26 May 2016 11:11 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov The World Bank (WB) experts have investigated the Information and Communication Technologies (IT) sector of Azerbaijan, Baku office of the bank announced on May 24. The World Bank and the government of Azerbaijan have presented the results of the study named The Information Technology sector in Azerbaijan and IT-skills: challenges and opportunities, Trend reported. The strengths and weaknesses of the IT sector in Azerbaijan and the difference between the IT skills offered by the education system and the requirements of employers in IT sphere were evaluated during the research, they noted. The study was based on discussions with the government, interviews with interested parties from the public and private sector and surveys among the main subjects of IT industry and technological universities. Azerbaijan has the potential of strengthening and diversifying its economy through the development of the IT sector, Larisa Leshchenko, head of the WB Baku office, said. She noted that the IT sector has the potential of strong economic growth and can provide young professionals with workplaces. Carlo Maria Rossotto, head of the research group and a leading expert in the IT sphere, noted that Azerbaijan has created favorable conditions for the development of the sector. Continuing support of high-speed Internet development, qualified human resources and innovation ecosystems can transform Azerbaijan into a center of Information Technology of the region," he noted. The study detected that the share of jobs in the IT sector and its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Azerbaijan still remains low. In this regard, along with the development of local IT skills, IT market, service sector and production of local products should be developed. The research noted that it would help the Azerbaijani IT sector to lead the competition at the regional and global markets. The WB recommended Azerbaijan to improve the rates on products and services of IT sector, increase the effectiveness of regulatory reforms to support private investment in the IT sector and strengthen private sector leadership in the IT industry. Azerbaijan has been a WB member since 1992. As of February 1, 2016, the Bank issued loans amounting to $3.785 billion to Azerbaijan. The funds were used to finance over 60 projects. By early 2016, Azerbaijan has used $2.764 billion or 73 percent of all loans drawn via WB. Besides the loans, WB delivered 45 grants totaling $41.586 million to Azerbaijan in 1995-2014. @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 11:28 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is ready to support the economic reforms ongoing in Azerbaijan. Christine Lagarde, the IMF Managing Director spoke to Azerbaijan's Finance Minister Samir Sharifov at the 9th Astana Economic Forum in Kazakhstan. "The parties expressed their mutual interest in IMFs support of economic reforms held in Azerbaijan, both with the participation of relevant experts and at the level of technical assistance", Azerbaijan's Finance Ministry informed May 25. Lagarde noted that the IMF supports Azerbaijani governments actions on protecting the interests of local manufacturers and saving the country's reserves. During the Astana visit, Sharifov attended the 9th Astana Economic Forum. Speaking at a round table, Sharifov told about the activities implemented under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev to soften the negative effect of external economic shocks on the macroeconomic condition of Azerbaijan. IMF's office has operated in Baku since 1992. The last visit of the IMF mission to Azerbaijan was on May 20. President Ilham Aliyev met with Muhammad al Gorchi, Head of the IMF mission to the country. El Gorchi highly appreciated the measures taken by the Azerbaijani government to eliminate the complications caused by the global economic crisis. He noted that devaluation of the manat and other measures have protected national production in Azerbaijan and boosted exports in non-oil sector. He described the steps taken by the Azerbaijani government as brave and successful. He stressed the importance of focusing on the banking sector in the current circumstances, noting that the IMF is ready to conduct exchange of views with related institutions in Azerbaijan, support technical assistance to the country and participate in the relevant consultations. -- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 12:56 (UTC+04:00) By Fatma Babayeva The Azerbaijani government will purchase stakes of foreign contractors in a number of agreements on ore mine development carried out in the country. President Ilham Aliyev signed a relevant decree on May 25, which stipulates taking definite measures for study, research, exploration and development of Garadagh, Chovdar, Geydag, Dagkesemen ore mines, Kohnemadan field and deposits of Kurekcay Basin. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Economy and AzerGold CJSC were instructed to take the necessary steps on the purchase of the shares of the contractors by AzerGold CJSC and inform Azerbaijans President about the results of the implemented measure. The decree was issued based on the desire of the contractors to sell their share under the agreement on the study, research, exploration, development and production sharing from Garadagh, Chovdar, Geydag, Dagkesemen ore mines, Kohnemadan field and deposits of Kurekchay Basin located in the Republic of Azerbaijan". Other factors for making such decision covered economic effectiveness of the purchase of these shares determined through evaluation carried out on the basis of international practice, the need for more efficient management above mentioned fields, goals targeted to complex development of the non-oil industry including metallurgy. The proposals submitted by the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural resources were also taken into account. In the meantime, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) and AzerGold CJSC were entrusted to submit proposals on financing the purchase of the contracts shares by the Company to the President of Azerbaijan within two months. After the realization of the purchase, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources will take the necessary steps to annul the agreement on the basis of the mutual agreement in accordance with Article 26.6 of the agreement. In addition, AzerGold CJSC was instructed to ensure efficient management and study, research, exploration and development of Garadagh, Chovdar, Geydag, Dagkesemen mines, Kohnemadan field and deposits of Kurekchay Basin after making a purchase. The agreement covering 30 years was ratified by the Azerbaijani Parliament (Milli Majlis) on June 5, 2007. Investments in the exploitation of the subsoil resources were expected to amount from $1 billion to $3.5 billion after implementation of successful exploration works. Azerbaijan's share in the agreement is 30 percent of total revenue. Foreign contractors that have shares in the agreement are Londex Resources S.A. (45 percent), Will and Meyris S.A. (29 per cent), Fargate Mining Corporation (15 percent) and Globex International LLP (11 percent). Azerbaijan is rich with ore minerals which are mainly spread mostly in mountainous territories (Major and Minor Caucasus) of Azerbaijan. Therefore the ore industry of the country is mostly developed in the western part of the country. --- Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 18:25 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova Baku hosted the second Forum on Risk Management in the financial sector on May 26. Among the issues on agenda were specific challenges of risk management, economic uncertainty, and global instability. Addressing the event, Rufat Mahmud, the chairman of the supervisory board of Azerbaijan Accountants & Risk Professionals Association (ARPA) said that the country seeks to make a good use of the vast experience of Russia in the sphere of risk management. Current situation actualize importance and need in the study of international experience. Processes occurring in the world and deepened crisis exert a negative influence on Azerbaijan and its financial market, he said. Risk management, which stands for the process of identification, analysis or mitigation of uncertainty in investment making, and occurs anytime an investor analyzes and attempts to quantify the potential for losses of an investment, is considered to be one of the most important issue in the current economic situation. Given the fact that inadequate risk management can result in severe consequences for companies as well as individuals, the government takes measures and implements structural reforms to provide improvement in the financial sphere. Mahmud was quoted as saying that discussions on the actions of risk-managers and applied methods are of utmost importance. Banks and other financial institutions are currently engaged in the reconsideration of business models and risks, making attempts for the avoidance of income decrease in the altered situation, he added Elman Sadigov, director of Ata Bank's Risk Management Department and the head of the expert group on risk assessment of ARPA, in his turn stated that real sector of Azerbaijans economy is in need of 15-20 billion manats ($ 10.06 -13.42 billion) for the provision of smooth functioning. He also noted that consumer crediting is not able to facilitate the growth of domestic production and leads to the outflow of the currency from the country, as approximately 80-90 percent of consumer credits are directed to the acquisition of foreign products, therefore it should be minimized. Sadigov underlined that development of the countrys economy is closely connected with the level of real sector crediting while current volume of crediting of this sphere in the country is insufficient. The risk manager underlined that consumer crediting in the majority of European countries gives an impetus for the development of real sector of the economy due to the fact that all credits are directed to the release of production on the domestic scene while consumer credits in Azerbaijan slow down the development as vast majority of credits is directed to the foreign countries. Support of import into the country triggers decrease in domestic production, he said Addressing the participants Javanshir Abdullayev, director of Azerbaijan Bank Training Center, mentioned that Azerbaijan Banks Association has already worked out and submitted for the consideration of the government a package of measures for ensuring the banking sector's liquidity. He mentioned that in order to provide liquidity the market should be opened for foreign investments. This will give a stimulus for banks capitalization and attraction of liquid assets. Abdullayev noted that another method for the provision of liquidity refers to the use of the State Oil Fund (SOFAZ) assets. We propose to invest 5 percent of SOFAZ actives in the national currency. The Fund may allocate assets to the companies holding the document of the investment incentives or direct them to the priority areas for the government Addressing the forum Maria Malukova, analyst of Moodys rating agency said that ability of the government for rendering assistance to banks in case of need is sufficient. The fact is connected with the high level of the countrys total monetary reserves, which amount to 81 percent from the GDP and relatively small size of the banking system, which is 44 percent from GDP. In accordance with our forecast GDP in Azerbaijan for 2016 will be equal to SOFAZ reserves as of late 2015, which amounted to $ 33.6 billion. The analyst also touched upon the issue of refinancing risks noting that Moodys refer to them as insignificant for the banking system of Azerbaijan due to the low level of borrowings in the market. International Bank of Azerbaijan has the highest portion of foreign borrowings while the rate of borrowings in other banks is not significant, she added. Moodys assesses the factor of the state support for the banking industry of Azerbaijan as stable. We are expecting that the government will firstly provide support for the large banks. The government has already taken certain actions to decrease the influence of devaluation to the national currency. Being established in May 2009 ARPAs major direction is improvement of the level of knowledge of financial institutions and companies on risk management, sharing best practices and offering critical solutions for risk management. ARPAs mission is to promote corporate culture ideas in the fields of Accounting and Risk Management in Azerbaijan thus contributing to the sustainable economic development of the country. The Association cooperates with the International Finance Corporation, Central Bank of Azerbaijan and Global Association of Risk Professionals. -- Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 17:00 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova China Southern Airlines will open regular Baku-Urumqi-Guangzhou flight from July 3. The flight will be performed on Thursdays and Sundays by Boeing 737-800 aircrafts, Azertac reports. The flight will departure from Baku at 23:05 local time, arrive in Urumqi at 07:00 local time, departure from Urumqi at 09:40, and arrive in Guangzhou at 14:35 local time. The opening of the flight would contribute to the expansion of commercial and economic ties between Azerbaijan and China. Azerbaijan and China opened a new page in their relations after President Ilham Aliyev's visit to China in December 2015, during which cooperation in all sectors were high on the agenda. The two countries voiced intention to protect mutual interests and deepen fruitful cooperation, providing stable and safe conditions for the successful and sustainable development. China entered the list of the top ten trade partners of Azerbaijan. The countrys investment in the economy of Azerbaijan has reached $300 million since 2002. The Azerbaijani State Customs Committee reports that the trade turnover with China reached $565.1 million last year, while its unit weight in the total trade turnover of Azerbaijan amounted to 2.74 percent. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 13:02 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova A Live life exhibition initiated by IDEA (International Dialogue for Environmental Action) Public Union has opened in London. Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, IDEA founder Leyla Aliyeva attended the opening ceremony of the event. The exhibition aims to prioritize environmental problems and protection of nature, and to raise awareness about the role of arts in this field. Works by Leyla Aliyeva, artists Rahim Chopurov, Naila Sultan, Julian Melkiori, Maryam Alakbarli, Laman Hasanova, Nok Kural, videographer Timur Ozdamirov and photographer Teo Allofzun are on display at the exposition. The IDEA Public Union was launched by Leyla Aliyeva on July 12, 2011 in Baku. The organization aims to promote public awareness on environmental issues and action, collaboration with the youth, promoting the education of environmental problems and finding proper solutions for them. In five years, the organization has completed various projects, from tree-planting activity for young environmentalists and students, to international events. IDEA calls upon each individual to care about the environment and to contribute to ongoing efforts against ecological problems. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 15:34 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova Azerbaijani women's national headscarf - kelagayi was successfully presented at Turkey's Modest Fashion Week. The event took place at the Haydarpasa railway station. Fashion event brought together designers from all around the globe, ranging from Indonesia to Azerbaijan, Trend Life reports. The program included fashion shows, panels and workshops on a variety of topics including marketing and social media. The representatives of leading world media agencies, such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Daily Mail UK attended the event. The organizers anticipated guests from 25 countries, including fashion blogger Dina Tokio; Haneefah Adam, creator of Hijarbie; Mariah Idrissi, the first hijab-wearing model for global modest brands; Kuwaiti influencer Fatema Al Awadhi; and many others. The main element of Hijab Queen fashion collection were silk kelagayis, accessories and clothing for Muslim women. The colorful collection was of great interest of the guests. The main goal of the presentation Hijab Queen is to promote national heritage of Azerbaijan. In 2014, a unique silk headscarf was added to the intangible cultural heritage list by UNESCO. Kelagayi is Azerbaijani women's national headscarf made from fine and soft silk in a four-cornered shape. For many centuries, it was an integral part of Azerbaijani women's national costume that protects them from both the hot sun and cold wind as silk is cool in summer and warm in winter. The color of the headscarves has symbolic meaning often tied to specific social occasions such as wedding, mourning ceremony, daily activity or festivities. In a traditional Azerbaijani wedding ceremony, the bride wears a red kalaghai, which covers her face and embraces her body. The bridegrooms shoulders are also covered with a kalaghayi. The older women wore a dark kelagayi, mostly black and dark blue, whereas younger women preferred the brighter ones, such as white, beige, etc. Traditional Azerbaijani garment Kalaghayi is the soft, silk headscarf with various botanical, isomorphic and geometrical ornaments; buta, peacock, rose, daffodil, carnation, tulip, lily, pomegranate, quince, plum blossoms and various shaped leaves on it. The whimsical drawings of the leaves and flowers overlap with complex geometric patterns. The composition consisting of botanical and geometrical ornaments has symbolic and mysterious characteristics. The main figure used in kelagayi is buta, a twisted teardrop that has been a symbol of the divine fire, which has been worshipped in Azerbaijan since ancient times. A kelagayi was tied in various ways, depending on the region. In some places kelagayi was tying over kerchief previously collecting hair with flax. Young girls do not cover their head with kelagayi, and wear them instead of a scarf, beautifully tie it around the neck or cover shoulders as part of the accessory. The most famous kelagayis are "Shah buta", "Saya buta", "Khirda buta", "Heyrati", "Soghani", "Istiotu", "Albukhari", "Abi", "Gonshuchatladan", "Baghdadi", "Shamakhi", "Bestenigar", "Gelinlik", "Gizili", "Mikheyi", "Yemishani", "Zeytuni" and "Yelani". National headscarves are especially famous in Sheki. Since the middle ages, the city, located on the Great Silk road, attracted merchants and traders for its handicrafts, especially silk scarves. This art is thriving here for centuries. Nowadays kelagayis are manufactured in Basqal, a picturesque village near Shamakhi. Basqal is also known for its Silk Center and Kelagayi Museum, which provides visitors and tourists with a comprehensive picture of this ancient Azerbaijani art. In the museum visitors are told about the history of kelagayi making as well as the patterns and their meanings. Kalagai is manufactured in three steps: weaving, dyeing and hand-printing. Traditionally kelagayis were in the form of a square and regular in size -- 150x150 or 160x160 cm. The first stage is the production of silk threads. The thinnest thread is requested for kelagayi weaving. The material woven in the loom is cut and boiled in water. Then it is hanged for drying. After drying, the kelagayi is decorated with patterns. Patterns are put on a kelagayi with a stamp which is called galib and made from pear, nut and wild apple trees. After design, the kelagayi is colored in a dyeing facility called "kup dami" in Azerbaijani. Although the days when kelagayi were so popular among women left behind, the tradition of covering head with kelagayi is still preserved in some regions of the country, mostly among older generations of women. Being a symbol of beauty, grace, and honor, kelagayi remains a vibrant element of Azerbaijan national women's clothing. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 13:17 (UTC+04:00) By Fatma Babayeva Azerbaijans state-owned oil company SOCAR presented the final proposals to its partners on a new contract for the development of Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) -the block of offshore oil fields in Azerbaijan. The remark was made in the briefing by the president of the company Rovnag Abdullayev. Abdullayev noted that the negotiations in this direction have already been completed. SOCAR has presented its proposals for the ACG oil field block to the partners, he said adding that Now, the ball is now on their court. According to the president of the company, now, partners have to develop and present their final proposals, as well as, evaluate the proposals presented by SOCAR. The contract on the development of ACG (so called contract of the century) was signed in 1994. The type of the signed contract was Production Sharing Agreement (PSA). Azeri Light crude is being produced in ACG field. Oil reserves of the oil fields block amount to about one billion tons. Shareholders of the contract are BP (operator - 35.78 percent), Chevron (11.27 percent), Inpex (10,96 percent), AzACG (11,65 percent), Statoil (8 ,56 percent), Exxon (8 percent), TPAO (6.75 percent), Itochu (4,3 per cent), ONGC (2,72 percent). According to the BPs recently revealed oil output report for Azerbaijan in Q1 2016, Azerbaijan produced 8 million tons of oil in the first quarter of 2016. The country produced 31.3 million tons of Azeri Light oil in 2015 compared to 31.5 million tons in 2014. In the meantime, operating expenses within ACG project totaled $137 million in January-March 2016, while the capex stood at $396 million. --- Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 16:31 (UTC+04:00) By Fatma Babayeva Kazakhstan is very interested in diversifying transport routes exporting its energy resources to the global market. Rahman Alshanov, Rector at Turan University of Kazakhstan told Day.Az, adding that Kazakhstan will economically benefit by joining the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP). Alshanov noted that Kazakhstan along with other countries reserves the right to diversify its hydrocarbon transportation routes to the global market. Today, Kazakhstan is looking for alternatives for the transportation of energy resources to European market, Alshanov said, noting that the country does not want to depend on a single transport route. He further added that Kazakhstan is interested in participating in TANAP project. However, there are some nuances. The first one is the environmental factor. Namely, the question about laying pipeline on the seabed remains unsolved, Alshanow said. Second one is the financial factor. When these two questions are solved, chances on Kazakhstan joining TANAP will increase, he added. Most likely, according to the rector, Kazakhstan will join this project in the future. If joining to TANAP is profitable for Kazakhstan, why not to do so? he asked. Alshanov stressed that not only Kazakhstan, but also Turkmenistan a holder of massive gas reserves- will benefit from it. Moreover, Turkmenistan is now looking for markets, said the rector by further elaborating that exporting its gas in the Afghan direction is not profitable for this country since the social-political situation has not been normalized there. Therefore, Turkmenistan's participation in TANAP project will be acceptable in principle, he added. In regards to Uzbekistan, Alshanov said that the countrys free volumes of gas in its territory are small. Uzbekistan sells its gas to Russian Gazprom that re-exports Uzbek gas to the global market under its national brand, he told. TANAP will pass through Turkey and join to TAP pipeline in the Greece border. Meanwhile, TAP will pass through Greece, Albania and southern part of Italy. At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor projects. Other sources can also be connected to this project at a later stage. First gas delivery to Georgia and Turkey via the SGC is scheduled for late 2018. However, gas deliveries to Europe are expected a year after the first gas is produced in offshore fields of Azerbaijan. --- Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 23:49 (UTC+04:00) By Fatma Babayeva Less than a week left to the OPECs next meeting which will take place in Vienne on June 2. Oil prices stand at around $50 per barrel on the eve of the upcoming meeting. July contracts of WTI crude oil were traded at $49.88 in New York Mercantile exchange NYMEX on May 26, which is $0.32 or 0.65 percent higher compared to the previous day. In the meantime, July contracts of Brent Crude stood at $50.14 by experiencing an increase by $0.40 or 0.8 percent on the same day. The cost of Azeri Light amounted to $50.36 per barrel ($0.53 increase) on May 25. Only OPECs oil basket price was $44.02 on May 24, according to the official website of the organization. The root reason for the slump in oil prices since mid-2014 was the oil glut existing in the global market caused by the new oil sources coming online. Nevertheless, the recovery in the global oil market is not permanent and caused by temporary disruptions in oil output of some oil producing countries like Canada, Venezuela and Nigeria. Once their oil production is restored, the market is expected to again going from oil oversupply. But, recent upward trend observed in global oil prices caused some finance institutions raise their forecasts. Recently, analysts of the U.S. JP Morgan raised their forecast on 2016 oil prices by $4.3 a barrel to $45.3 a barrel for Brent and $44.66 a barrel for WTI. 2017 forecasts of the Bank have been raised to $55 a barrel for both WTI and Brent crude, which is an increase of $3 a barrel from the previous forecasts. In JP Morgans report, analysts noted that supply outages have outpaced market expectations. Now, second quarter of 2016 seems to register a draw in commercial inventories against expectations of a build of +0.8 million barrels per day last month. The markets are now assessed as being tighter for the second half of 2016 than previously expected, underpinning the price forecast increase to $50 a barrel on Brent and WTI, said the Bank. The big picture supply adjustment that banks experts anticipated to take hold in during the second half of 2016 has arrived one quarter earlier. In the short term, prices are expected to remain volatile and very much at the whim of supply developments, the report read. The highest average price for both Brent and WTI in the course of 2016 and 2017 is projected by JP Morgan's analysts during the last quarter of the next year - at $60 a barrel. In the meantime, specialists of the British Capital Economics consulting company forecasted Brent and WTI crude price to amount $45 per barrel by the end of the current year. According to the projections of the U.S. Citigroup, Brent crude prices will average $50 per barrel in the third quarter of 2016 and $65 by the end of 2017. Last meeting of OPEC members with non-OPEC countries held in Doha on April 17 ended without an accord on freezing oil output at the level of January of 2016 as Saudis put forward a condition for Irans commitment to the deal. Meanwhile, Iran and Libya did not even attend the gathering . The freezing of oil output aims to boost prices by alleviating the oversupplied market. Also, analysts at the JP Morgan bank believe that the upcoming OPEC meeting will have an unexpected result. "Market expectations for a meaningful agreement from OPEC's June meeting are likely low following April's debacle in Doha, when eight weeks of diplomatic negotiations failed to yield an agreement to cap output at current levels," the bank's analysts noted. "Yet even though Russia seems unlikely to attend, the dynamic within OPEC may yet produce a surprise result, even if it is simply to re-engage with non-OPEC producers to restart talks", said the report. The analysts of the bank also believe that with Iran's production back above its pre-sanctions level of 3.6 million barrels per day and closing in on 4 million barrels per day,it is not wholly unlikely that they could agree to limit output at 4 million barrels per day in conjunction with similar pledges from other producers. In the analysts' view, the drawdown in Saudi inventories would indicate a degree of reticence on the part of Saudi Arabia to lift the output from the 10.2 million barrels per day level without some catalyst such as more material outages or rapidly appreciating prices that undermine its medium-term objectives of forcing the bulk of the adjustment in supply onto high cost producers. Overall, JP Morgan forecasts that the OPEC oil production will amount 33 million barrels per day in 2016 and 33.2 million barrels per day in 2017. Earlier, Iranian officials said that the country may consider freezing its oil output once they reach the pre-sanctions level. --- Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 18:29 (UTC+04:00) By Fatma Babayeva Turkmenistan has great potential for the partnership with the European Union regarding its gas supplies to Europe, said Myratgeldi Meredov, Turkmen Minister of Oil and Gas during the International Gas Congress held in Avaza on May 23-24. Meredov noted that a declaration on the developing cooperation in this sphere agreed between Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey and the European Union. About a year ago, a meeting was held in Ashgabat with the participation of the managerial staff of energy institutions of Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey and the European Commission. During the meeting, they discussed priorities on diversifying routes of energy resources to the global market including the European direction which envisages the establishment of a joint multiple variant calling pipeline infrastructure. With the fourth largest gas reserves in the world, Turkmenistan is one of the key players in the energy market in the Caspian region and Central Asia. A strong resource base provides a ground to conclude long-term contracts on supplying stable energy resources, said Merdenov, reminding that currently, Turkmenistan exports its natural gas to China and Iran. The minister further emphasized the role of the East-West pipeline in ensuring the stability and reliability while sending Turkmenistans gas supplies to the global market. This gas pipeline brings together almost all major gas fields of the country into a single gas transmission system and allows sending natural gas in the eastern direction, as well as, in the perspective western direction- which further strengthens the guarantees on the security and reliability of energy supplies to the global market, added the Minister. Earlier, it was reported that the EU hopes to receive Turkmen gas in 2019. In this regard, the construction of the 300 kilometers pipeline from Turkmenbashi to Azerbaijans Sangacal has been planned, so called Trans Caspian Pipeline. However, the legal status of the Caspian Sea which is the main obstacle for building this pipeline - is yet to be determined. Ashgabat believes that consent of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan for laying pipes on the Caspians seabed is sufficient as they own the territory which the project covers. At the same time, Azerbaijan has expressed its readiness to provide its territory, transit opportunities and infrastructure for realization of the given project. Russia and Iran is speaking against the project of Trans-Caspian gas pipeline by raising questions about the environmental safety of the sea. Recently, during his interview ANS TV, Natig Aliyev, Energy Minister noted that if other states like Turkmenistan intend to send their gas via Azerbaijan or join Trans Anatolian pipeline (TANAP), Azerbaijan has no objections for it. Azerbaijan will create an opportunity by holding negotiations with the states who want to join the project and transport their gas to Europe by using the SGC, he said. --- Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 10:54 (UTC+04:00) Turkmenistan aims to further raise foreign investments and introduce new technologies, create the most favorable conditions for investors in its textile industry, the 'Neutral Turkmenistan' newspaper reported May 25. The newspaper said that over the years of independence, cotton fiber processing increased from 3 percent to 51 percent in the country. Currently, more than 70 enterprises produce cotton yarn, cotton, terry, denim, knitted fabrics and knitwear in Turkmenistan. Cotton yarn production in the country increased 2.4 times from 2000 to 2015, cotton production - 4 times, and export of textile products - 3.2 times. More than 70 percent of the country's textile products are exported to the US, Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, China and Baltic countries. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 10:35 (UTC+04:00) Europe has always had a fear of the Turkic people, in the basis of which is the fear of foreigners in general, Mehmet Fatih Oztarsu, vice chairman of the Turkish analytical center Strategic Outlook, told Trend May 25. Today, the EU does not hide its fear of a wave of migrants and Syrian refugees only reinforce this fear, said Oztarsu. He also noted that the EU promised to establish a visa-free regime with Turkey under the term that Turkey will not let refugees pass to Europe. "Europe has made its choice accepting only wealthy and educated Syrians," said Oztarsu. "Turkey has already undertaken to take care of three million Syrian refugees." The expert added that Turkey accepts refugees for many years, creating all conditions for them to live and in response to it the UK Prime Minister David Cameron said that the EU only will be able to establish a visa-free regime for Turkey in 3000. "Thus, the EU did not have the intention to establish a visa-free regime with Turkey, they are simply trying to gain time," said Oztarsu. Earlier, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said the EU may introduce a visa-free regime with Turkey in the autumn 2016 if Ankara implements all the necessary requirements. An association agreement between the EU and Turkey was signed in 1963. Ankara filed an application for the EU membership in 1987, but the negotiations on Ankara's accession to the EU started only in 2005. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 26 May 2016 16:04 (UTC+04:00) Iran's military products are qualified enough to be exported to foreign countries, an Iranian minister said. Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan said that the efficiency of Iranian weapons has improved as the country has used new technologies for weapons production, Tasnim news agency reported. That is why demand for Iranian weaponry has increased, he added. The minister further stated that the country faces no difficulties in providing fuses to be used in artillery and air bombs as well as missiles. On May 25 the defense ministry launched several production lines for making proximity fuses that are used in missiles. Media reports suggest that Iran maintains dozens of short, medium and long-range ballistic missiles with one of the largest missile arsenals in the Middle East. Although several Western and regional countries have expressed concerns over Iran's missile program, the Islamic Republic has repeatedly said that its military might poses no threat to other countries, reiterating that its defense doctrine is merely based on deterrence. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Kingsmill owner Associated British Foods (ABF) has confirmed that its proposal to move to full ownership of Illovo Sugar will go ahead. In April, ABF announced it would spend 262m to buy up the remaining stake in Illovo Sugar, the largest sugar producer in Africa. Before that time ABF had owned a majority stake in Illovo since 2006, but it now has full ownership after acquiring the remaining 48.65%. ABF has received the requisite shareholder approvals in South Africa, where Illovo is based, at a shareholder general meeting held this week. The transaction is expected to complete on 28 June, with shares in Illovo ceasing to trade on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange from that date. YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. President of the State Science Committee of Armenia Samvel Harutyunyan says Armenia has always had military industry and the perception as if there is no armament manufacturing in Armenia is false. According to him, those comments are absurd. Harutyunyans statement comes after Radik Martirosyan, President of the National Academy of Sciences, said a country with a weak economy cannot have a developed military industry. Harutyunyan said a military industry committee has been formed by the Governments decision in December of 2015, and soon the Head of the Committee will be announced. He also reminded about the creation of the military industry council, the military-technical scientific council, which will make scientific research in different areas. According to him, the development of military industry in the USSR contributed to Armenian scientists, some of whom are still actively involved in this sphere. He says the new generation of scientists have already reached numerous successes, some are even exporting products. We have highly professional specialists, the majority are Armenians by nationality, who have great experience in military industry abroad, he said. Harutyunyan also confirmed that UAVs are being tested in Armenia. The mother of a St. Petersburg woman who was killed three years ago is pleading for answers in the ongoing search to find her killer. Tracy Lee Pulido murdered three years ago Pulido's mother, Linda Swingle, still seeking help Few leads currently in the case Its been three years of putting out balloons, posting up pictures and wearing a t-shirt with the words "Please Help! Information needed on the murder of Tracy Lee Pulido" across the front for Linda Swingle. Three years of Swingle not having the answers about who killed her daughter, Tracy Lee Pulido. You just didn't kill one person," Swingle said. "You killed two people. Ripped my heart out." The grieving mother says she's working just as hard today to find her daughter's killer as she did three years ago, after police found Pulido's body inside a St. Petersburg apartment on 40th street North. Swingle says police made the discovery after Pulido didn't pick her son up from a play date. She also says there are few leads in the case, and she hopes someone will hear her pleas and come forward. The family is desperate for answers, especially today, on what would have been Pulido's 45th birthday. I miss her and I love her so much," said Swingle. "There's somebody that has to be out there that can help please. I'm begging you please." Swingles other daughter, Terry, says it's hard to see her mother like this. For my mom, she's dying of a broken heart, and I'm really hurt about it too, because I miss her so much, said Terry. Anyone with information about the murder of Tracy Lee Pulido is urged to contact Crime Stoppers. There is up to a $3,000 reward. Winter Haven Police have released further details regarding a lockdown Wednesday at Winter Haven High School. Campus locked down after student reported seeing a man with a gun School placed on lockdown and searched by multiple law enforcement agencies While being interviewed by authorities, student confessed to making the story up Officials say the 17-year-old student, who we are not naming, in accordance with our Crime Guidelines, called his parents at around 10:56 a.m. and reported that he'd been approached in a campus stairwell by a black male wearing a hoodie who was armed with a handgun. The parents reported the sighting to the school, who in turn informed law enforcement. Police made contact with the student and his father on campus. The school was immediately placed on lockdown while police, Polk County Sheriff's deputies and Polk County Safe Schools personnel responded to the scene. Additional area schools were also alerted and placed on heightened security as a precaution. While officials canvassed the school to ensure the safety of students and faculty and law enforcement conducted a search of the campus, investigators checked surveillance video of the stairwell where the student reported the encounter with the armed suspect. The student did not appear in any of the footage from the timeframe given in his report. While being interviewed further by authorities, the student then admitted to making the story up, and that at no time was he approached on campus by anyone armed with a handgun. Officials then lifted the lockdown and took the student into custody. He was charged with conveying/causing false report and disrupting a school function. According to officials, the student had previously been on probation for grand theft, and he was also charged with violation of felony probation. YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. The International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors conducted nearly 200 inspections during which non-compliance or deviation from the requirements of international treaties has not been recorded. The Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ANRA) made an explanation on fulfillment of obligations by Armenia on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Armenpress reports the full explanation: In 1991, the Republic of Armenia joined the UN Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and then ratified the agreement between the Republic Armenia and the International Atomic Energy Agency for the Application of Safeguards in connection with the NPT and the Protocol Additional to the Safeguards Agreement. In accordance with the Law of Armenia on Safe Utilization of Atomic Energy for Peaceful Purposes, Armenia established the state system on accounting for and control of nuclear materials. The Armenian Government adopted relevant legal acts to ensure fulfillment of its obligations undertaken under the international treaties. The Republic of Armenia performs continuous accounting for and control of nuclear materials that can be used to manufacture nuclear weapons. In accordance with the NPT and the IAEA Safeguards Agreement, the state accounting for and control of nuclear materials is implemented at three levels: The facility level: the accounting for and control of nuclear materials is implemented by the facility personnel. The state level: the accounting for and control of nuclear materials is implemented by the state authority empowered by the legislation, i.e. the state committee under the Armenian Government on nuclear safety regulation. The international level: the accounting for and control of nuclear materials is implemented by the IAEA inspectors. In accordance with the mentioned agreements and the procedures established by the laws, the IAEA inspectors regularly conduct on-site inspections to verify the presence of the nuclear material accounted and reported. In its turn the Republic of Armenia submits relevant reports and declarations to the IAEA. In accordance with the safeguards procedures, video cameras have been installed by the IAEA inspectors to continuously control the movement of nuclear material. Nodes, installations, safe boxes housing nuclear materials are sealed by special IAEA seals any damage of which is recorded directly through the satellite by the IAEA special unit. The IAEA inspectors have conducted about 200 inspections: no any non-compliance or deviation from the requirements of international treaties has been recorded. The Republic of Armenia has participated in four Nuclear Security Summits held at the initiative of the US President. In this context a number of measures have implemented aimed at strengthening the safety of nuclear installations, nuclear and radioactive materials, enhancing their physical protection level, as well as preventing the illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials. The Republic of Armenia duly fulfills its obligations undertaken under the international treaties. YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Artem Asatryan says Nagorno Karabakh people, who left their homes during the April four-day war, return to their previous homes or other apartments in the Nagorno Karabakh. The NKR President, the Prime Minister clearly expressed their willingness to support the NKR people who left their homes during four-day war and provide them with both apartments, and other necessary things. Those citizens who were living in hotels of Stepanakert, now return to their previous homes, Artem Asatryan said. Referring to Talish people who also left their homes during the war and went to Yerevan or other districts of Armenia, Minister said the same is done also with them. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A 51-year-old Sharpstown High School math tutor is facing felony charges because a 17-year-old student texted him topless photos, authorities said Wednesday. The suspect, Aldo Leiva, appeared Wednesday in court, where a Harris County judge signed a no-contact order prohibiting the man from contacting the teenage girl. Court records indicate that the two had a consensual sexual relationship and that the girl was 17, the legal age of consent, when they began dating last summer. Still, different laws that govern explicit photographs mean Leiva is facing up to 20 years in prison for lewd photos that the two exchanged with their smartphones. READ MORE: Sharpstown tutor charged with inappropriate relationship with student Prosecutors said the case is important because it indicates a violation of trust in the relationship between educators and students. "We entrust our educators with the care of all children, and that includes 17-year-olds," said Assistant District Attorney Patrick Stayton. "It's someone who was placed in a position to do a job and that job did not include developing inappropriate relationships with students that were in his care." State District Judge Brad Hart signed the no-contact order Tuesday, but Leiva's attorney said he would try to get the restriction lifted because the two want to continue their relationship. "She's indicated to me that she wants to continue to have contact with him," said Gary Tabakman. "I would say that the aspects of this case are consensual, across the board." READ MORE: Sharpstown HS tutor wanted for improper relationship with student The teenage girl, who declined to speak to reporters after the brief hearing, appeared to confer with the lawyer before leaving the courthouse. Leiva was not a teacher at the west Houston high school but participated in a tutoring fellowship program where he met the young woman. As their relationship progressed, according to court records, the two exchanged lewd photographs and text messages. When the teen's mother learned of the messages, she notified school personnel and the messages were investigated by the Houston Independent School District Police Department. The student identified Levia as her math tutor and said they were dating. She said they held hands, kissed and went on dates, according to court records. "The student seemed protective of (Leiva) and attempted to minimize their relationship, however she did admit to sending and receiving nude photos through an app on their phones," said the arrest affidavit. Levia provided his cell phone for a search by law enforcement, and messages with references to sexual encounters were found, including some that implied the student and tutor would meet to have sexual relations as soon as school let out. In one exchange, she told him she was taking a bath and he asked for photos. She sent several, including at least two that showed her topless. Because he allegedly "induced" her to send the photos, Levia is charged with sexual performance by child. Because the photos were on his phone, he was charged with possession of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and would have to register as a sex offender for life. brian.rogers@chron.com twitter.com/brianjrogers This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Declaring that Southeast Texans should feel safe in their homes, Jefferson County's district attorney on Wednesday pledged to be aggressive in the prosecution of burglary cases, beginning with the indictments of five men accused in recent home invasions. Bob Wortham said he intends to make an example of the men and his office will not offer any leniency or probation. "Our offer is going to be (penitentiary) time, across the board, because your home is sacred," Wortham said in a news conference. "The only way I know how to stop something from happening is to let the criminals know that they don't get a free walk." Jefferson County's burglary rate is nearly double the national average - about 900 burglaries per 100,000 residents - according to Wortham. While the five men charged in Wednesday's indictments are from Port Arthur and Groves, burglaries are up in all areas, from south county to Beaumont, Wortham said. Those indicted on Wednesday include Jerquevin Darnell Blackmon, 20, and Jacory Donyeal Reynolds and Jamon Roshaud Brooks, both 17. The three Port Arthur men were found two weeks ago hiding in the master bedroom of a home on Woodrow Drive, according to charging documents. The three are each charged with one count of a second-degree burglary, which carries a prison sentence of 2 to 20 years. David Lidell Winn, 22, also of Port Arthur, faces similar charges after police say he was found driving a stolen truck on Valentine's Day that contained rare coins taken from a Wheatley Avenue home three days earlier. Winn, according to police, admitted to at least two other separate burglaries after his arrest. The fifth indictment names Patrick Shane Flowers, 34, of Groves, who is charged with burglary. Flowers is accused of forcing his way into a Nederland home after getting into a fight with the home's owner. Interim Port Arthur Police Chief Weldon Dunlap said the county's second-largest city is struggling with moral issues, which contributes to the increased crime rate. "It's a problem everywhere around here," he said. "And it's something that we don't stop working on, to at least reduce it to some significant level." BScott@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/BrandonKScott YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. The Prosecutor Generals Office of Armenia summed up the results of the investigation of electoral violation cases that were instituted in connection to the Constitutional Amendments Referendum, press service of the Prosecutor Generals Office informed Armenpress. The summery was also discussed with the President of Armenia. Based on the information analysis it was decided that there is a need to make amendments and supplements to the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia. The Armenian Prosecutor Generals Office prepared a draft law on making amendments and supplements to the Criminal Code, which suggests criminalization of a number of activities encroaching upon the exercise of the citizens right to vote, including the actions of chairmen of electoral commissions and the members of the commission, as well as liability clarification and punishment strengthening. The Prosecutor General will soon send the prepared draft law on making amendments and supplements to the Criminal Code to the Armenian Government. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate College Station police have confirmed that a tornado touched down in Bryan on Thursday afternoon. Meanwhile, a severe thunderstorm warning is in effect until 6:15 p.m. for parts of Harris, Liberty, San Jacinto and Montgomery counties. A flash flood watch for Harris, Fort, Bend and Liberty counties has also been issued until 10 p.m. this evening. According to a release from the department, the tornado hit in the area of Boonville Road and FM 1179. Bryan is about 100 miles northwest of Houston. Spokesman Lt. Steve Brock said there are reports of downed trees and damage to some homes. Affected areas include the Green Valley neighborhood, Marimont Community and homes near where the tornado is reported to have touched down. Photos also showed damage to homes in the Wheeler Ridge neighborhood. Emergency workers are on the scene and ask that people stay away from affected areas. The City of Bryan tweeted that the 700 block of Waco and the 700 block of East 18th are impassable due to flooding. All of Southwest Parkway from Wellborn Road to Texas 6 is reported as flooded, police said. Other flooded areas include Holleman Drive near Glade, Krenek Tap near King Cole, and Longmire near Deacon. Several areas along Harvey Road are reportedly impassable due to flooding. Central Baptist Church, at 1991 FM 158 in College Station, is sheltering those who are in need. Diana Northup, of Denton, said she could hear the storm thrashing as she sought shelter inside her home. "I could hear everything around us, the wind," Northup said. "We lost two big trees in our back yard, totally destroyed." Don Maxwell, also of Denton, said he saw the tornado as he was rounding the corner to his home. "I could just see debris and trees flying," Maxwell said. "It was just like a war zone." The National Weather Service in College Station has issued a flash flood watch until 10 p.m. Thursday. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected to continue through Sunday. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available. The Department of Veterans Affairs has published a proposed rule on the Federal Registrar that would allow all advanced practice registered nurses in the VA, including certified registered nurse anesthetists, to provide patient care to "the full extent of their education, training and certification." Here are five notes: 1. The proposed rule would establish additional professional qualifications an individual must possess to be appointed as an APRN within the VA as well as provide the criteria under which VA may grant full practice authority to an APRN. 2. The proposed rule aims to increase veterans' healthcare access by expanding the pool of qualified healthcare professionals who are authorized to provide care. 3. The American Society of Anesthesiologists released a statement opposing the proposed rule. The statement notes "the policy change is based on a shortage of some types of physicians in VA. However, there is no shortage of physician anesthesiologists and the change is not needed to improve access to anesthesia care in surgery." 4. However, the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists released a statement in support of the proposed rule, stating the VA healthcare system is the nation's largest and "in an organization this size, improving access to timely care can be a complex problem." Allowing CRNAs and other APRNs to practice to the full extent of their education and abilities would be a part of the solution to the problem. 5. The comment period for the rule ends on July 25. A former IRS official said the agency was concerned about whether some Affordable Care Act payments were legal, according to The Hill. Here are five things to know: 1. The former official, David Fisher, served as IRS' chief risk officer. Mr. Fisher said the IRS had concerns over whether the ACA had the authority to grant payers certain payments without Congress appropriation. 2. Following a White House meeting, many senior IRS officials concluded the payments were legal, leading the Obama administration to dole out the payments. Mr. Fisher said the meeting occurred on Jan. 3, 2014, and said IRS officials were prohibited from keeping notes and keeping memo copies. Mr. Fisher referred to the meeting as "a little unusual." 3. Although many officials' worries faded following the meeting, Mr. Fisher's qualms persisted and he had a meeting with Commissioner John Koskinen to address the payments' legality. In the meeting, Mr. Koskinen cited a memo, which Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and the Justice Department approved, which found the payments were appropriate. 4. Mr. Fisher said the ACA does not detail any permanent appropriation for its cost-sharing reduction payments, which will cost an estimated $130 billion over the next decade. 5. Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Rosemary Collyer of the District ruled various ACA payments have been funded illegally. The judge ruled President Obama went above his authority by unilaterally funding an ACA provision that gave billions of dollars of subsidies to health insurance companies. Her decision backed the Republican House, which challenged the ACA for spending more than $175 billion on subsidies. More articles on coding & billing: Majority of US consumers don't understand medical bills: 5 key notes ACA expansions help more consumers receive coverage: 6 observations 2 GOP members' proposal maintains some ACA elements 5 things to know Flying is a lot like healthcare it's all about safety and regulations, which made Lisa Kelley, MBA, BSN, a perfect candidate to be a pilot. She serves as administrator of ASCOA's Adult and Children's Surgery Center of Southwest Florida in Fort Myers. "The things that are extremely important [in both fields] are standard operating procedures and discipline," Ms. Kelley says. With experience as an administrator and chief nursing officer, Ms. Kelley learned how to pinpoint safety issues. She put her industry skill set to work as she learned the basics of flying. "Safety is not only important in healthcare, but safety is extremely important when flying an airplane, especially when you are flying other people," she says. Ms. Kelley obtained her private pilot's certification about 13 years ago, putting in 100 hours of flight time. "[Learning to fly] was one of the hardest things I've ever done in my entire life, because there is so much to do, but once you learn it, it's something that you just love," says Ms. Kelley. The key to comfort while flying is knowing you can easily land the aircraft, she adds. She now lives with her husband in an airpark, and flies her plane about once a week. "Instead of a garage, you have a hanger for your airplane," says Ms. Kelley. She calls herself "a fair-weather private pilot," noting the early morning is the calmer and cooler time to fly. Occasionally, Ms. Kelley flies her plane to Key West, Fla., for her job as an ASCOA facility risk manager. "It's a very finite time we have here on this earth, and you need to enjoy yourself and leave a positive mark," says Ms. Kelley. "It's [flying] very freeing." Recent articles: M&A activity in the healthcare technology industry: 5 observations 7 things for ASC leaders to know for Thursday May 26, 2016 Should patients always access their medical records? 5 things to know The Illinois Supreme Court will review a case that focuses on the constitutionality of exempting nonprofit hospitals in Illinois from paying property taxes. There's been an ongoing dispute in Illinois over hospital tax exemptions for years. In 2010, the Illinois Supreme Court weighed in on the issue and handed down a decision that suggested nonprofit hospitals in the state that behave like businesses should not qualify for tax exemptions. Subsequently, the Illinois Department of Revenue denied tax exemptions to three hospitals. Illinois hospitals were issued a win in 2012 when state lawmakers passed legislation that simply required a nonprofit hospital's charitable services to exceed its property tax liability to qualify for tax exemptions. However, the tax exemptions were once again brought into question in January when the Illinois 4th District Appellate Court ruled the 2012 law is unconstitutional. The appellate court held that the Illinois Constitution only allows lawmakers to exempt property "used exclusively" for "charitable purposes." The ruling was issued in a case brought by Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Ill., against the city of Urbana and other local taxing districts. Carle Foundation was seeking relief from taxes for 2004-2011. The state's high court announced Wednesday that it will allow Carle Foundation Hospital to appeal the decision. The Illinois Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments in the case in coming months. Illinois is not the only state where nonprofit hospitals' tax exemptions have come under fire. In June 2015, a tax court judge ruled Morristown (N.J.) Medical Center should not be exempt from property taxes as it failed to satisfy the legal test that it operated as a nonprofit, charitable organization for several tax years. Following the judge's ruling, numerous municipalities in New Jersey filed tax appeals against nonprofit hospitals. As of April 1, 30 municipalities had filed tax appeals. More articles on healthcare finance: Texas hospital closes, lays off 175 before new owner's takeover 5 must-reads for hospital CFOs this week South Dakota hospital set to lose Medicare funding over EMTALA violations Massachusetts lawmakers have reached a compromise that aims to avoid a ballot question concerning healthcare pricing. The deal will reform the Special Commission to Review Variation in Prices among Providers by adding the chairs of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing as co-chairs to the commission. It will also adjust rates for MassHealth, the state's combined Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program, and calls for a new $45 million trust fund for ailing hospitals over a period of five years. "Working across the aisle with legislative leaders to work out a consensus agreement is important to addressing the issues raised by the proposed ballot question and I am thankful for the cooperation of the Speaker and Senate President,"Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) said in a prepared statement. "I am pleased that we were able to reach these solutions together and I look forward to the legislature taking up this matter." The Service Employees International Union had been the main push behind the ballot question, which would prohibit healthcare providers and private health insurance companies from entering into contracts that pay hospitals more than 20 percent above the average amount paid to similar providers for the same services, according to a WAMC report. According to the report, the ballot question would also stop contracts that pay hospitals less than 90 percent of the average amount paid to similar providers. Tyrek D. Lee Sr., executive vice president of SEIU's Local 1199, told The Boston Globe that the compromise "begins to address the unfair way that Massachusetts hospitals are reimbursed for care." A spokesman for Boston-based Partners HealthCare told the publication the approach "offers an effective way to provide needed assistance, especially to those community hospitals that serve disproportionately high numbers of low-income patients." The compromise reached Wednesday must be approved by lawmakers and signed by Gov. Baker before going into effect, WAMC reports. If approved, SEIU plans to pull the ballot question. More articles on finance and revenue cycle management: Children's Medical Center Dallas chooses CallidusCloud's RCM suite Joliet Radiological contracts with McKesson for RCM services Mosaic Life Care approves $16.9M in debt forgiveness Dallas-based Forest Park Medical Center's campus in Fort Worth, Texas, shut down late Tuesday and its employees were laid off, according to the Star-Telegram. Forest Park Medical Center's network of six physician-owned facilities fell into financial trouble in 2015, and its hospitals filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late 2015 and early 2016. The network is selling off its hospitals one by one, and Arlington-based Texas Health Resources cast the highest bid for the Fort Worth campus earlier this month. The hospital's outgoing managers expected the sale to close Tuesday. When the deal didn't close, the 54-bed facility shut down and employees were laid off. Court records show the hospital had 175 employees, according to the report. The deal closed Wednesday, but the hospital will not immediately reopen. Texas Health Resources CEO Barclay Berden told the Fort Worth Business Journal that he expects the hospital to be closed between 30 and 45 days to allow Texas Health to receive necessary operating licenses. He said Texas Health will help those who were laid off find other open positions within the system until the facility reopens. Texas Health Resources paid $116.5 million for the Fort Worth hospital. More articles on healthcare finance: 6 latest hospital bankruptcies, closures South Dakota hospital set to lose Medicare funding over EMTALA violations Halting 340B funding would force 73% of hospitals to cut staff, study finds YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian says the Nagorno Karabakh mutual assistance agreement is currently being processed. Yes, the preparation of the agreement has been assigned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, its being processed. Further steps depend on future developments and relevant factors. This is all I can say today, Nalbandian said, while answering to MP Naira Zohrabyans question in the Parliament. Here are seven recent news updates on key health IT companies. 1. French police raided Google's Paris headquarters Tuesday as the government continues investigations in the tech company for corruption and tax fraud. 2. IBM Watson Health appointed Paul Tang, MD, as its first chief health transformation officer. 3. For clues regarding what Apple's latest project may be, one can look at the company's job postings. The tech giant is seeking a "Privacy Counsel" with a focus on HIPAA and health to develop privacy solutions for products, suggesting Apple is planning to make further strides in the healthcare environment. 4. St. Luke's University Health Network has completed its enterprisewide go-live of Epic's EHR system for inpatient records and calls the project a success. 5. Approximately 2,000 IBM employees will soon be commuting to a new office as the company closes its Somers, N.Y.-based campus. 6. Concord Township, Ohio-based LakeHealth has selected Cerner to implement its EHR. 7. Apple, Google and Microsoft were ranked the top three most valuable brands in the world by Forbes. More articles on health IT: Kansas Heart Hospital pays ransom, then hackers come back for more St. Luke's completes Epic go-live on time, under budget 8 recent vendor contracts, go-lives There are perks associated with becoming the leader of a company owned by private equity investors, but the move can also derail a CEO's career, according to The Wall Street Journal. Jeffrey Cohn, managing director of global CEO succession planning at recruiters DHR International, told WSJ that executives need a different mindset to succeed with private equity owners. "If you don't know what you are getting yourself into, it could be the worst experience of your career," he said. CEOs of private equity-owned companies face strict personal accountability and intense scrutiny. They also have to be able to handle the speedy decisions that private equity firms demand. However, leaders of these companies can also reap significant financial rewards. "We can often attract highly qualified even overqualified CEO candidates to PE-owned companies because the financial rewards are proportionately greater," John Wood, a vice chairman of recruiters Heidrick & Struggles International, told WSJ. "You can make a lot more money running a $1 billion business for private equity owners than a $5 billion company that's publicly traded." It's tough for some CEOs to decide whether to take the reigns at a private equity-owned business. Ralph de la Torre, MD, initially wasn't sure his strong-willed temperament would suit private equity investors when he became CEO of Boston-based Steward Health Care System. Founded in 2010, the system is owned by private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management. Dr. de la Torre quickly realized key players at Cerberus wouldn't micromanage as long as he kept them in the loop. During his first year as CEO, Dr. de la Torre, a self-described workaholic, would phone Cerberus executives during early morning hours and at midnight several times a week. Over time, they convinced him to communicate during normal work hours. Regarding the choice to lead a private equity owned company, Dr. de la Torre told WSJ executives should not join a portfolio company unless they are certain they have the unique leadership skills it takes to achieve the private equity investors' goals. More articles on healthcare leadership: RCM company HealthRise Solutions adds to advisory board: 5 things to know Western Connecticut Health Network lays off dozens of managers: 3 things to know Obama administration to host cancer moonshot summit Danbury-based Western Connecticut Health Network, which includes Danbury, Norwalk and New Milford hospitals, has laid off dozens of managers, The Hour reports. Here are three things to know about the layoffs. 1. The hospital network attributed the layoffs to recent state budget cuts and longer-term changes in healthcare. "These reductions were difficult to make, yet they will help drive the organization forward, eliminate unnecessary layers of management and support a leaner, more nimble organization," Cathy Frierson, senior vice president of Western Connecticut Health Network, said, according to the report. 2. The layoffs affected less than 40 employees across Western Connecticut Health Network's three hospitals and associated medical groups. 3. Mary Consoli, who heads the nurses union at Danbury Hospital, told the publication nursing managers were among those laid off. More articles on leadership and management: Republicans unveil healthcare bill maintaining parts of ACA 4 tips for how to follow through on your goals How workplace democracy helps this organization thrive Nurses escorted out of Ascension hospital after raising staffing concerns Several nurses were escorted out of Ascension Saint Joseph-Joliet (Ill.) on Oct. 21 after calling attention to a nursing shortage in the emergency department, according to an Oct. 22 union news release shared with Becker's. Developing a Strategic, Data-Driven Approach to Contingent Labor Click here to learn more Tenet hospital workers authorize strike in California Members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers have authorized a strike at Fountain Valley (Calif.) Regional Hospital and Medical Center. Kaleida Health to add 500 jobs Members of two unions have approved a contract with Buffalo, N.Y.-based Kaleida Health that adds 500 jobs. Becker's Hospital Review 10th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable Whether your expertise lies with strategy, leadership, execution or finance, you'll learn something new at Becker's CEO + CFO Roundtable. Join former NBA player Shaquille "Shaq" O'Neal and former President George W. Bush this November! Kaiser mental health workers approve contract after 10-week strike Members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers have approved a four-year contract with Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente. Philadelphia hospital illegally altered attendance, discipline policies, labor board rules A National Labor Relations Board judge has found that Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia engaged in certain unlawful practices, including unilaterally changing its discipline and attendance policies, according to the judge's Oct. 18 order. California physicians plan November strike Members of Valley Physicians Group are set to begin a multi-day strike in early November in Santa Clara (Calif.) County. Kaiser, union reach deal to end 10-week mental health strike Kaiser Permanente and the National Union of Healthcare Workers have reached a tentative agreement to end a 10-week strike by mental health therapists in Northern California. Strike set at Sutter Health hospital Members of the California Nurses Association are set to begin a five-day strike Oct. 24 at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland and Berkeley. Strike looms at Connecticut hospital Members of WCMH United Employees, AFT Local 5099, are set to begin a two-day strike Oct. 24 at Hartford HealthCare's Windham Hospital in Willimantic, Conn. Employers shifting away from mass hiring Many organizations still have an excess of open roles, but their process of filling them has been shifting in the past 60 days, according to a recent article from management consulting firm Korn Ferry. Temple University Hospital workers authorize strike Members of the Temple University Hospital Nurses Association and Temple Allied Professionals have voted to authorize a strike, according to an Oct. 13 union news release shared with Becker's. Nurses at Steward Health Care hospitals approve new contracts Registered nurses at three Florida hospitals have approved new three-year contracts with Dallas-based Steward Health Care. PeaceHealth workers rally against 'bullying' Members of the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, American Federation of Teachers 5017, staged a rally Oct. 10 against what they called "bullying" at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver, Wash., according to The Lund Report. California physicians authorize strike Members of a union representing more than 450 physicians in Santa Clara (Calif.) County's public health and hospital system have voted to authorize a strike, according to a statement shared with Becker's. What 7 hospital HR leaders told Becker's about recruiting, retaining top talent In 2022, hospital and health system human resources leaders have shared insights on workforce challenges, including retaining and recruiting employees. 70% of Americans say more workplace abusers held accountable after #MeToo Most American adults believe the #MeToo movement has increased accountability surrounding sexual assault in the workplace, according to a survey from Pew Research Center released Sept. 29. Mayo nurses vote to keep union Nursing staff Nurses at Mayo Clinic Health System in Lake City (Minn.) voted in favor of continuing with representation by the Minnesota Nurses Association, according to hospital and union statements. UCSF physicians avert strike Members of the Committee of Interns and Residents have reached a tentative agreement with UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland (Calif.), averting a looming strike. Political volatility is rising in the workplace and it may affect hiring, promotions The 2020 election and COVID-19 have fostered high political tensions in the workplace, according to a Society of Human Resource Management study released Oct. 5. From January 2014 to December 2015, there were 594 reported attacks in healthcare settings that resulted in 959 deaths and 1,561 injuries across 19 countries, according to a recent report from the World Health Organization. More than half of the attacks were launched against healthcare facilities and another quarter were waged on healthcare workers. About 62 percent of the attacks were reported to have intentionally targeted healthcare facilities or workers, according to the report. Over the two-year period measured, 16 of the 19 countries suffered attacks in both years. Three countries Liberia, Myanmar and Sierra Leone only reported attacks on healthcare facilities or personnel in 2015. The Syrian Arab Republic had the most reported attacks on healthcare in both years twice as many attacks as any other country or territory in 2014, and nearly four times as many attacks in 2015. Only the Syrian Arab Republic, the West Bank and Gaza Strip had higher numbers of reported attacks in 2015 than in 2014, according to the report. Hospitals were the object of the majority of the reported attacks in both 2014 and 2015, while healthcare providers represented a quarter of objects of attack. A much smaller portion of attacks about 4 percent were made against patients and their families. To prepare their findings, WHO researchers reviewed various open sources' data on individual healthcare attacks that reportedly took place between January 2014 and December 2015 in countries that experienced emergencies. Attacks were defined as any act of verbal or physical violence or obstruction, or threat of violence that interfered with the availability, access and delivery of curative or preventive health services during emergencies. The Connecticut Insurance Department has given the green light to the Aetna-Humana merger, according to The CT Mirror. "We've completed the review with no objection," said Donna Tommelleo, a spokeswoman from the Connecticut Insurance Department, according to the report. Connecticut marks another state in which Aetna has gained approval. Thus far, Aetna has secured 15 of the 20 state approvals required for its acquisition of Humana. However, not everyone in Connecticut is on board with the merger. The Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut, the Connecticut Citizen Action Group and the Connecticut State Medical Society have all openly criticized both the Aetna-Humana and Anthem-Cigna deals. "Past experience suggests that these mergers will result in higher costs and reduced access to care for Connecticut patients," said Matthew Katz, CEO of the Connecticut State Medical Society, according to the report. Connecticut's approval follows the Missouri Department of Insurance's issuance of a preliminary order that would ban Aetna and Humana from selling certain products in the state should the merger go through. The order is not yet finalized, and Aetna and Humana have 30 days to submit a correction plan. In an opinion piece in JAMA, three officials from CMS urged hospital leaders to stop disaggregating measures from HCAHPS for internal use. According to Lemeneh Tefera, MD; William Lehrman, PhD; and Patrick Conway, MD, all from CMS, HCAHPS "provides valid and reliable measures of hospital quality that can compel hospitals to assess and improve patient experience" when used correctly. However, the authors note many hospitals are taking HCAHPS responses, disaggregating them and then linking them to financial incentives for individual physicians or physician groups. "This is contrary to the survey's design and policy aim," the authors wrote. "HCAHPS is not suitable for evaluating or incentivizing individuals or groups within a hospital." Instead, the survey is designed to evaluate the entire hospital experience. Drs. Tefera, Lehrman and Conway also addressed the allegations that HCAHPS' pain control questions have urged physicians to prescribe more opioids, contributing to the opioid addiction crisis in the U.S. They vehemently denied such an effect, saying "there is no empirical evidence the failing to prescribe opioids lowers a hospital's HCAHPS scores." Overall, the opinion piece urged hospital officials to use HCAHPS results "responsibly" because failing to do so "entail[s] risk." West Lafayette, Ind.-based Purdue University will honor late engineer and orthopedics entrepreneur Dane A. Miller, PhD, according to The Exponent. Here are five highlights: 1. Purdue's Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering headship will bear the name of Dr. Miller. 2. Dr. Miller co-founded orthopedics device company Biomet, now Zimmer Biomet, in 1977. He later served as CEO of the company. 3. Under Dr. Miller's leadership, Biomet and the engineering school collaborated on design projects and internship programs. 4. The school wants to honor Dr. Miller because he established the engineering program to serve as industry-ready education. 5. George Wodicka will be the first to take the title of Dane A. Miller Head of Biomedical Engineering. Here are eight things for spinal surgeons to know for May 26, 2016. NuVaisve launches biologic for posterolateral spine surgery in US NuVaisve launched AttraX Putty, the newest addition to its biologics portfolio, in the United States. The synthetic bone graft product is indicated for use as an autograft extender in posterolateral spine surgery, and is designed with a biotextured surface to drive bone regeneration. Medtronic introduces Spine Essentials to US market Medtronic launched Spine Essentials in the United States at the Ambulatory Surgical Center Association annual meeting in Dallas. It is a platform of spinal implants and instruments intended to make cervical spine fusion procedures more efficient. Whistle-blower claims 33 hospitals submitted more than $1B in fictitious costs A whistle-blower recently defended the viability of a federal complaint he filed, saying 33 hospitals in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia benefited from fictitious cost report claims submitted to Medicare and Medicaid. FDA clears Interventional Spine's new lordotic intervertebral body fusion device The FDA cleared Interventional Spine's 80 Lumbar Lordotic Opticage Expandable Intervertebral Body Fusion Device. The device is indicated for use with autogenous bone graft in patients with degenerative disc disease at one or two contiguous levels from L2 to S1. 55% of physicians said employment negatively impacted their compensation Medicus Firm's "Physician Practice Preference & Relocation Survey: 2016" analyzed the satisfaction of employed physicians. Twenty-three percent of respondents said employment had a positive impact on their compensation, and more than 27 percent said employment had a positive impact on their career satisfaction. Forty-two percent said employment had a negative impact on career satisfaction. American Spine opens new clinic in Egypt Frederick, Md.-based American Spine opened a new collaborative clinic in Cairo, Egypt. American Spine is expanding its team to include Drs. Esam Daoud and Sherif Abdel Raouf, who will head the new clinic. L3 & L4 fusion patients see similar disc degeneration and facet degeneration rates Researchers analyzed whether stopping fusion at L3 versus L4 impacted disc degeneration and facet joint degeneration, according to a Spine Deformity study. The L3 and L4 groups both experienced greater facet joint degeneration than the control group experienced. Clinical outcome scores did not differ significantly among the groups. Vertebral Technologies launches pedicle screw system: 5 key notes Vertebral Technologies launched the InterLink pedicle screw system, which is a comprehensive pedicle screw fixation design made in America. The system includes 22 polyaxial pedicle screws, 19 spinal rods, cross-connectors and set screws, and is designed for single and multiple level fixation. YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan had a meeting with CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha, who arrived in Yerevan within the framework of the Cobalt 2016 CSTO police drills. The President expressed hope the drills will contribute to countering extremism and international terrorism. Sargsyan highlighted the need of creating legal and practical basis for processing coordinated measures for countering threats. The President said CSTO states will benefit from the Cobalt 2016 drills. CSTO Secretary General N. Bordyuzha presented the details of the drills, and said representatives of all participating states highly praised the proceedings. The drills are considered to be the most successful of all previous ones. Regional security issues were also discussed. Police forces from all CSTO member states took part in the Cobalt 2016 police drills in Armenia. Deputy Interior Ministers from all CSTO member states have arrived in Armenia Department store chain Debenhams has named Amazon Fashion boss Sergio Bucher as its new chief executive. Mr Bucher will join in October from Amazon, where he has acted as vice president of its fashion arm in Europe since 2013. Current Debenhams chief executive Michael Sharp will step down on June 24 after nearly five years at the helm, although he will be available to help Mr Bucher with the handover if needed. Sir Ian Cheshire, who recently joined Debenhams as chairman, said Mr Bucher's appointment follows a "rigorous recruitment process with some exceptional quality candidates". "Sergio's wealth of e-commerce expertise, international experience and clear leadership qualities stood out," he said. He added Mr Bucher was the "best person" to take Debenhams forward. Mr Bucher, 52, will join on an initial pay package worth up to 3.8 million, including a 700,000 annual salary, an annual bonus worth a possible 1.05 million and long-term incentive shares worth up to 1.4 million. The pay deal also includes up to 30,000 to relocate from Luxembourg and a 5,000-a-month housing allowance for the first two years, while he will get a 445,184 payment in lieu of shares he would have been paid at Amazon. His appointment ends a seven-month hunt for a successor to Mr Sharp after he announced plans to leave last October, ending speculation over his role at the group amid shareholder pressure for a boardroom shake-up. Mr Sharp, who became chief executive in September 2011, insisted he had always intended to leave after a five-year term. But some of the retailer's major investors were widely reported to have been unhappy with its performance and were seeking a boardroom overhaul after disappointing results in previous years Mr Bucher, who is Swiss-Spanish, has held a number of roles in retail and fashion brands, including as general manager of Nike Retail in Europe, Middle East and Africa. He was also previously general manager at Spanish retailer Oysho, which is owned by Zara parent group Inditex. Mr Bucher said: "I am excited to be joining Debenhams, with its strong UK heritage, a growing international presence and a track record of supporting and developing brands and designers. "I look forward to working with its experienced and talented team to take Debenhams forward to an exciting new future." Nick Robertson sold 1.3 million shares to help pay his ex-wife 70 million following a High Court divorce battle (Asos/PA) The co-founder of online fashion firm Asos has sold off 46 million worth of shares to help stump up cash for a costly divorce settlement. Nick Robertson sold 1.3 million shares to help pay his ex-wife 70 million following a High Court divorce battle. Asos announced late on Wednesday his intent sell 1.6% of the firm's share capital through a placing to institutional investors. The move comes after a High Court judge ruled in March that Mr Robertson would have to hand over about a third of his 220 million fortune to ex-wife Janine Robertson, who was pressing for 110 million. The pair had both run up legal bills of about 500,000 during the ligation. In a statement Asos said: "Nick Robertson, one of the company's founders and a non-executive director, announces that he has sold in aggregate 1,305,000 ordinary shares in the company at a price of 3.525 pence per placing share, raising in aggregate gross proceeds of approximately 46 million." Mr Robertson founded Asos - which stands for As Seen On Screen - in 2000. The company was floated on London's junior market in 2001 with its shares worth 20p. It is now valued at 2.9 billion. Mr Robertson oversaw the growth of the brand from a UK business to one with international operations in countries such as the United States, France and Australia. He stepped down from the role of chief executive in 2015 - making way for Nick Beighton - but has remained a non-executive director at the business. Asos, which sells more than 80,000 branded and own-brand products, posted a double-digit hike in half-year profits in April. The group hailed a ''good start'' to its financial year after a bumper festive season helped pre-tax profits surge 18% higher to 21.2 million in the six months to February 29. London's top flight index struggled to remain in positive territory as banking stocks fell out of favour following a 2.5 billion euro (1.9 billion) rights issue at Spain's Banco Popular. The Spanish lender dragged heavy-weight financial stocks into the red after it pencilled in a capital increase to help it cope with toxic real estate assets. The FTSE 100 Index was 2.8 points higher at 6265.7 despite the slump from the banks, with Royal Bank of Scotland falling 7.4p to 248.6p, Lloyds Banking Group slipping 0.9p to 72.8p and Standard Chartered 5.4p lower at 549.2p. Commodity stocks surged higher as oil prices bounced back above 50 US dollars a barrel for the first time in nearly seven months. Benchmark Brent crude rose 1% to 50.22 US dollars at one stage following supply disruptions and an increase in global demand, before falling back to 49.93 US dollars a barrel. Crude is now 80% higher than its low of under 28 US dollars a barrel seen at the start of the year. A global supply glut had caused a lengthy oil price rout, which in turn sent financial markets into turmoil. But supply disruptions following fires in Canada, as well as recent talks between Opec and Russia about freezing production, have helped the cost of crude recover. Across Europe, Germany's Dax and the Cac 40 in France were both 0.7% higher. Sterling was down 0.2% against the US dollar at 1.467, as o fficial figures confirmed UK economic growth slowed to 0.4% in the first quarter from 0.6% in the previous three months, but showed annual growth was weaker than previously estimated, at 2% against the 2.1% initially recorded. The pound was also down 0.5% against the euro at 1.311. Among stocks, mining giants Glencore and BHP Billiton were up 2.5p to 135.9p and 14.6p to 851.8p respectively. Department store chain Debenhams was marginally up in the FTSE 250, ahead 0.05p to 73.7p after naming Amazon Fashion boss Sergio Bucher as its new chief executive. Mr Bucher will join in October from Amazon, where he has acted as vice president of its fashion arm in Europe since 2013. Still in the retail sector, top tier rival Marks & Spencer remained in the red following Wednesday's 10% slump after it said profits would be hit from efforts to overhaul its beleaguered clothing business. Shares were down another 8.8p to 390.6p after it suffered broker downgrades, including a cut to under perform from Jefferies. Daily Mail & General Trust was down more than 10% or 80.5p to 664p after posting an 11% drop in interim profits to 129 million following a slump in advertising and circulation. However, Pets at Home raced ahead, up nearly 5% or 12.3p to 161.6p, as the firm reported a rise in full year sales and profits. The retailer said pre-tax profits rose 3.7% to 90.2 million and revenues were up 6.7% to 777.8 million in the year to March, adding that it will open 20 new Pets at Home superstores in the next 12 months. The biggest FTSE 100 risers were Intu Properties up 6p to 304.1p, 3I Group up 10.5p to 543p, Glencore up 2.5p to 135.9p, Sainsbury up 4.7p to 267.6p. The biggest fallers were Carnival down 110p to 3379p, Royal Bank of Scotland down 7.4p to 248.6p, Whitbread down 114p to 4242p, DCC Plc down 165p to 6345p. Royal Dutch Shell will axe a further 2,200 jobs from its global workforce as it continues to grapple with lower oil prices. The oil major said the move would mean 12,500 staff and contractor roles would be lost between the start of 2015 and the end of this year, up from its previous target of 10,300. The firm, which sealed a 35bn takeover of BG Group in February, said the cost-cutting drive would include 475 jobs at its UK and Ireland upstream business. But it said the net number of job losses in 2016 would be fewer than 5,000 as it expects to keep recruiting this year. Paul Goodfellow, Shell's vice president for the UK and Ireland, said it had taken the steps because the market conditions remained "challenging". He said: "Our integration with BG provides an opportunity to accelerate our performance in this 'lower for longer' environment. "We need to reduce our cost base, improve production efficiency and have an organisation that best fits our combined portfolio and business plans." Giving an update on the progress of its efficiency drive announced in 2015, Shell said it had finished cutting an initial 7,500 jobs and was "well under way" with plans to axe a further 2,800 roles following its tie-up with BG Group. The move comes after it revealed earlier this month that it may close three offices, including the former BG Group headquarters at Thames Valley Park, Reading; BG's offices at Albyn Place, Aberdeen; and Shell's Brabazon House office in Manchester. Dame Barbara Windsor says it is "the right time" for a TV movie telling her story Dame Barbara Windsor has given her backing to Babs, a forthcoming BBC TV movie about her life. Babs heads a line-up of new BBC Drama commissions announced by Charlotte Moore, acting director of television. The biopic will be written by Tony Jordan, a former EastEnders writer and series consultant. Dame Barbara, who has recently left the long-running BBC One soap, said it was "the right time" for her story. She said: "Although it's been spoken about in the past to do my life story, it wasn't until two years ago I was approached by the brilliant writer Tony Jordan and the BBC ... I knew this was the right time and undoubtedly the only person I felt knew me well enough to tell my story." She added: "Tony knows the real me and what makes me tick and I was particularly taken by the way he wants to tell my tale which is not in the way people will expect it to be. "Tony certainly has captured the moments of my life that have made me who I am today. I am honoured and excited that Tony and the BBC have commissioned this." The 90-minute special is set to be broadcast next year in the run-up to Dame Barbara's 80th birthday. Babs will centre on the Londoner's lonely childhood, complicated relationship with her father and her doomed marriage to Ronnie Knight. It will also depict how she became the blonde bombshell in the Carry On films. Jordan said: "The opportunity to tell the story of the amazing Dame Barbara Windsor was too good an opportunity to miss. "I think people will be surprised that there's a lot more to her than just the Carry On films and EastEnders." He added: "She's a national treasure and one of the most remarkable women I've met. I only hope this film will do her justice." Ms Moore also announced two drama renewals: series four and five of Cillian Murphy's Peaky Blinders and a second series of Christopher Eccleston's The A Word. Peaky Blinders is the story of a 1920s Birmingham gang, created and written by Steven Knight. Murphy hailed Knight as he talked about the recommission. "Tommy Shelby is one of the most intense, challenging characters I've had the opportunity to play," the Irishman said. "I'm particularly grateful that Steven's original, dynamic writing and the long form series allow me to explore Tommy in depth. I very much look forward to Tommy's evolution over the next two chapters." The A Word, a family drama revolving around an autistic boy, delighted audiences when it debuted in March. Award-winning writer Peter Bowker said: "I am delighted that the show has resonated with a wide audience and am thrilled to have the opportunity to take the family and Joe further along their journey." Us, a multi-part adaptation of the acclaimed David Nicholls novel, is a new commission for BBC One. It tells the story of Douglas and Connie Peterson, a couple whose marriage is on the rocks. BBC Two will bring to screen The Boy With The Topknot, based on Sathnam Sanghera's critically acclaimed memoir of love, secrets and lies. Set in Wolverhampton, the series will tell the humorous and emotional story of a second-generation Indian growing up in Britain. Sanghera said: "I'm delighted that The Boy With The Topknot is being adapted for screen. Delighted and of course a little trepidatious. "The latter because the book is obviously a personal exposition of my childhood and family, and delighted because it's a story I want people to know about and understand." Ms Moore said: "Following BBC Drama's tremendous start to the year, it is clear audiences are looking for even greater ambition and high quality so I want to continue to expand our range even further and reaffirm my commitment to commission the very best drama in the UK." Amber Heard and Johnny Depp, pictured in January at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala (AP) Actor Johnny Depp and his wife Amber Heard are divorcing after 15 months of marriage. Heard, 30, cited irreconcilable differences and is seeking spousal support from the Pirates Of The Caribbean star, according to court records. The pair, who do not have children together, married in February last year after co-starring in the 2011 film The Rum Diary. Depp, 52, has asked a judge to reject Heard's claim for spousal support in a response filed through his lawyer, celebrity news website TMZ reported. The couple were recently forced to apologise after Heard illegally smuggled Depp's pet dogs, Boo and Pistol, into Australia. Heard pleaded guilty last month to falsifying documents to conceal the pets when she arrived by private jet to join her husband on the set of the fifth film in the Pirates Of The Caribbean series. They recorded a 40-second videotaped apology as part of a deal with prosecutors that allowed Heard to avoid a conviction. The video was widely ridiculed for Depp's wooden delivery. Heard filed for divorce on Monday, three days after Depp's mother Betty Sue Palmer died aged 81 following a long illness. The American actress listed the couple's separation date as Sunday. Depp was previously married to make-up artist Lori Anne Allison before their divorce in 1985. The Oscar-nominated actor has a daughter, model Lily-Rose Depp, and son, Jack, with former partner Vanessa Paradis. Depp attended the Los Angeles premiere of his new film Alice Through The Looking Glass alone on Monday. He has been locked in a bizarre war of words with Australian deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce since the politician threatened to have Depp's pet dogs put down after they were brought into the country illegally. Depp ridiculed Mr Joyce on US television this week, telling talk show host Jimmy Kimmel: "He looks somehow inbred with a tomato." Mr Joyce responded by claiming he was "pulling little strings" inside the Hollywood star's h ead like fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter. He also thanked Depp for the publicity he gave Australia's tough biosecurity laws through the case that was widely lampooned as a "war on terrier". Rachel Dean checks out the style at Victoria Square, Belfast. Lucy Boe (26), sales assistant, Lisburn Wore what? Dress, 40, shoes, 12, bag, 5, all Topshop. Why? My style is very colourful. I buy a lot of high street stuff, so I would say my look is very modern, too. Who? I love Lana Del Reys style because its so fun and quirky. Monthly spend: 50-60 Courtney Brett (19), student, Glengormley Wore what? Shirt, 20, shoes, 25, both Pull and Bear; skirt, 45, M&S; bag, 150, Fossil. Why? My style is quirky and sometimes quite vintage. I like my look to be interesting. Who? I love Ellie Gouldings look because she goes against fashion trends and just does her own thing. Monthly spend: 100-150 Laura Campbell (25), retail supervisor, Annalong Wore what? Top, 25, shoes, 35, both Dorothy Perkins; jeans, 29, scarf, 10, both Vila; bag, 380, Michael Kors. Why? Id say my look is always current because I work in retail and have to keep track of changes in fashion. I wear neutral colours instead of anything too bold. Who? I love Laura Whitmores style its a little bit edgy and she suits everything she wears. Monthly spend: 150 Saira Sorayyah (21), student, Manchester Wore what? Top, 8, H&M; jacket, 30, Miss Selfridge; jeans, 12, Primark; boots, 35, New Look; bag, 40, TK Maxx. Why? I go for looks that are simple and compliment my shape. I wear a lot of block colours rather than patterns and prints. Who? I really love Monica Roses fashion sense because its just so bold. Monthly spend: 50 Claire Telford (42), air stewardess, Ballymena Wore what? Top, 24.99, jeans, 39.99, both Zara; boots, 130, Tommy Hilfiger; bag, 200, Louis Vuitton. Why? I dont really follow fashion trends, I just do my own thing and wear what I feel comfortable in. Who? Mollie King from the Saturdays has a very feminine look. Her style is fresh. Monthly spend: 300-400 Gemma Walsh (27), physiotherapist, Lisburn Wore what? Top, 25, cardigan, 45, both River Island; jacket, 25, bag, 16, both New Look; jeans, 40, Topshop; boots, 100, Kurt Geiger. Why? I would describe my style as very feminine. I go for lighter colours rather than dark colours which would make my look dull. Who? Olivia Palermo is gorgeous. She has such a way with fashion everything she puts together looks so good. Monthly spend: 100 Mary-Nora Devine (27), sales assistant, Belfast Wore what? Top, 6, jeans, 26, both Matalan; jacket, 5, Primark; shoes, 13, New Look. Why? My style always changes. My looks vary from quite casual to very dressy. Who? Kylie Jenners look is unique to her. I love how shes always changing her hair to suit, too. I think she dresses really well for her figure. Monthly spend: 200 Claire Higgins (28), accountant, Desertmartin Wore what? Top, 15, Oasis; skirt, 30, River Island; shoes, 65, Office; bag, 15, New Look. Why? I go for a simple, modest look. I dont like anything too extravagant. Who? Emma Watson is a perfect example of modest fashion. Her style is quite preppy as well, which really suits her. Monthly spend: 50 Sad loss: the coffins of James McKee, a retired farmer and his son Ronnie are carried from the family farm at Castleblaney Road,Newtownhamilton Prince Charles being greeted by well-wishers and during a visit to the Orange Order heritage museum in Loughgall Hand of friendship: The Prince of Wales meets members of the Orange Order at the Museum of Orange Heritage at Sloan's House during his visit to Loughgall this week Survivors of one of Northern Ireland's most horrific sectarian massacres have broken a 41-year silence to give chilling accounts in a new book of how five men were killed as republicans unleashed a merciless gun attack on an Orange hall in south Armagh. Relatives of the victims - and two other members of the same Orange lodge who were murdered by the IRA around the same time - have also told how the killings have left a legacy of fear for Protestants who are still living in the border area. Prince Charles, who was in the province on Tuesday, met with some of the survivors and relatives of those who were murdered - many of whom still feel justice has yet to be served on those who carried out the atrocity. The Prince of Wales met with officials from the Orange Order as well as having a private meeting with victims' groups, among others during his visit. The stories of the terror at Tullyvallen four decades ago are contained in the new book Tullyvallen; Seven Men, Seven Months (the book also pays respects to two other lodge members who were killed in separate incidents) and the Belfast Telegraph has been given exclusive access to the publication which was launched at a poignant ceremony in the very same Orange hall where the terrorists struck on September 1, 1975. Inside the tiny building near Newtownhamilton, a table still bears the scars - a number of bullet holes - from the attack which was mounted as 17 Orangemen from Tullyvallen Orange Lodge LOL 630 held their usual monthly meeting. Just over a fortnight earlier, a member of the same lodge, a former RUC reservist William Meaklim (28) was kidnapped and murdered by the Provisionals. Father and son James and Ronnie McKee, aged 73 and 40 respectively, died instantly in the gun attack at the Orange hall as did John Johnston (80). Lodge secretary Nevin McConnell (48) died as a doctor tended to his wounds at Tullyvallen. And 68-year-old William Herron died in hospital two days afterwards as a result of the injuries he sustained at the Orange hall. It's thought that one of the gunmen may also have been wounded. An off duty member of the security forces who was at the meeting fired his personal protection weapon and it is believed he hit one of the terrorists. Rumours that the gunman later died and was secretly buried in south Armagh were never substantiated. But the death toll that night on the Altnamackin Road could have been even higher. As the dead and injured were being carried from the hall by ambulance crews, a suspicious package was spotted nearby. An Army bomb disposal team was called and they later confirmed that it was a bomb - a metal container with two pounds of explosives inside. Just five months later, in February 1976, a seventh Tullyvallen Orangeman, Joe McCullough, (56), a part time UDR soldier was murdered by the IRA on his farm. He had taken over the chaplain's role in the Orange lodge from a Tullyvallen victim, John Johnston. The last months of 1975 and the first months of the following year saw a shocking upsurge in violence in south Armagh with the killings of 10 Protestant workmen at Kingsmill and a series of murders carried out by loyalist paramilitary groups, including the UVF. The new book about the Tullyvallen massacre has been published by a family support group from the area who wanted it to be a permanent memorial for the dead men and to record the impact of the attacks on the bereaved families, the survivors and the injured victims. At the time of the killings, few relatives spoke to the media and the families have said little since. The book's compilers said: "In the immediate aftermath and during the ensuing years families were fearful of speaking out due to the circumstances of being a minority community living in the border region and the violence, threats and intimidation prevalent in the area. "These fears continue to the present day," they added, comparing the book to a postponed wake and an "early step in an ongoing healing process". The killings were claimed by an organisation calling themselves the South Armagh Republican Action Force, a name used again just a few months later by the killers at Kingsmill. After both atrocities the IRA denied that the name was a cover for them and denied any involvement in the shootings. But few people believed them. And at the trial of the only man ever convicted in connection with the murders, Mr Justice McDermott clearly had no doubt the Provisionals were to blame. He said: "The crimes displayed a degree of barbarity rarely equalled during these past years. They were the actions of members of the south Armagh Provisional IRA. "I have heard soft spoken men from Co Armagh whose friends have been killed or wounded give their evidence quietly with sadness in their eyes and with real dignity. They will not submit to violence or the threat of violence." One of the men who was injured at the Orange hall said in the book that a number of people had been worried about going to the Tullyvallen lodge meeting in the wake of the escalating violence in the area which had seen two men, Joe Reid and Bertie Frazer, murdered in the previous couple of nights. There was talk of postponing all Orange gatherings but the September meeting went ahead and within minutes of the opening prayers and Bible readings, the lodge members' worst fears were realised. John Henry, who was at the meeting with his father, said he heard a huge bang at the kitchen door followed by another one. Other survivors said two masked men burst into the hall opening fire with automatic weapons. There were reports that other gunmen who were outside the hall fired into the building as well. James McKee, who was the Tullyvallen Worshipful Master and John Johnston, the chaplain were killed where they sat. James McKee and Nevin McConnell had just signed the minutes of the lodge's last meeting and a picture of that record is included in the new book. One of the Orangemen said: "I remember Nevin (McConnell) shouting for us all to run to the toilets. He got approximately half way down the hall when he was hit several times in the upper body and fell to the floor. "As I was getting down to the floor, Ronnie McKee, who was sitting a couple of places to my left was on his feet with a chair raised above his head as if he was about to throw it at the gunmen. "I lay on the floor face down with my arms around my head. During the shooting I was hit on the left forearm by a bullet, the impact of the strike broke my arm." The survivor said that the shooting stopped after what seemed like an age - but was probably less than 30 seconds. John Henry, who was 22 at the time, said he fled into the toilets and lay on the floor after the gunfire started. "It seemed to go on and on, so loud, so rapid, so frightening. Then there was a deadly silence and I heard the sound of footsteps," he said. "My initial thought was that the footsteps were a gunman coming to shoot us individually and all I could think about was how to defend myself; in truth there was nowhere to hide. "Then I heard a voice, it was the voice of my father; we were both alive but fathers and sons lay dead and wounded in the hall. "It was a terrible scene, men groaning with pain and the smell and haze from the gunfire, with blood spilt on the floor alongside empty bullet shells. "As I walked up the hall towards the wounded, I saw that sadly John Johnston had been fatally shot as well as James and Ronnie McKee. "I did what I could to aid the wounded and it seemed ages before medical help arrived." Mr Henry's father narrowly escaped serious injury. His side had been grazed by two bullets but because he suffered from angina he spent the next few days in hospital. Mr Henry's family, who lived a mile from Cullyhanna, moved from their home just three days after the Tullyvallen slaughter. He said he was grateful that he and his father had survived but he added: "There was no counselling or support of any kind to help us deal with the mental scars of being involved in such an incident." He said that even though over 40 years had passed, he still thought about "that awful night" everyday, adding: "As long as I live I will never forget those terrible sights and sounds; alongside the fear and panic they will always remain in my thoughts." Mr Henry said, however, that he and the other survivors have been more fortunate than other families who lost loved ones and have been subjected to a lifetime of grief and loss. A clergyman, who was at last week's launch for the book, the Rev John Hawthorne said in the publication that in the aftermath of the shootings, he visited the families of the dead men and saw the survivors in Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry. "Each was in a state of shock, deeply saddened at what had happened to their friends but grateful to God that they had been spared," said Mr Hawthorne, who added that a spirit of fear and foreboding hung over the Protestant community in south Armagh after the killings. "The general feeling was that the IRA was bent on driving Protestant people from their homes and take over their farms. "Many of the farms were isolated and the number of unapproved roads from the Republic in the area made it easy for terrorists to move about. Yes, there was an Army presence but soldiers and police couldn't be everywhere." The book, which was developed in association with community development workers Rodney Green and Suzi Swain, also includes contributions from the descendants of the seven men who were killed in those seven months in 1975-76. Marion Hawthorne, a niece of UDR soldier Joe McCullough, revealed that the first of the seven murder victims, William Meaklim, had at one point been a lodger with her uncle. She said that the day after the shootings at the Orange hall, Joe McCullough went to the home of his murdered neighbours James and Ronnie McKee to help with the farm chores. Mr McCullough's body wasn't found until the morning after his murder and his niece told how his dog was lying by his side and his open Bible was on the table where he had been sitting "when the harbingers of death descended on him". Alasdair Cooke, who's a grandchild of James McKee and a nephew of Ronnie McKee, said they were thoroughly decent Christian men who had been cut down by "faceless cowardly thugs who had nothing but brutal mass murder on their minds". He said that as a youngster running through the fields and roads near his home he had seen nothing wrong. But he added: "These people (the terrorists) were skulking in our midst, watching us and making preparations to murder those who didn't support their agenda." And he spoke of how the bombings and murders had left an indelible mark on his young mind. Another relative said that he doubted if anyone else would be brought to justice for Tullyvallen but added that he didn't hate Catholics because of the massacre. "The lesson should be that as a community we should do our best to ensure that such events never happen again. Building good relations with our neighbours and the community is the only way forward if there is ever to be lasting peace." A number of contributors said that they still had unanswered questions about the murders even after they were reviewed by the Historical Enquiries Team but politics don't figure in the book. And indeed no politicians were invited to the publication's launch. Further information regarding copies of the book Tullyvallen; Seven Men, Seven Months can be obtained by emailing: info@tullyvallenfamilysupport.org.uk YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. The last leader of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev has been banned from entering Ukraine for five years, the Ukrainian Security Service SBU said on its Twitter account, reports TASS. "For his public support for the annexation of Crimea Mikhail Gorbachev is prohibited from entering Ukraine for a period of five years," the SBUs tweet says. SBU spokeswoman Yelena Gitlyanskaya said the decision had been made "in the interests of ensuring state security." In an interview in Sunday Times magazine, the last Soviet leader stated he would have acted the same way as Putin if he had found himself in a similar situation. "Im always with the free will of the people and most in Crimea wanted to be reunited with Russia," Gorbachev said. Mikhail Gorbachev has declined to comment on the Ukrainian authorities decision. "I believe that those in the journalistic profession have a great deal to talk about and to discuss," he replied to a request for a comment regarding the Ukrainian authorities decision. Asked if he wished to say something in response, Gorbachev also said: "No. Commenting is your cup of tea." The man behind the north coast newsagent's shop was sceptical about the headlines yesterday. As he looked over the story about double murder Colin Howell going on hunger strike, he smiled and said: "I can't believe that's what he's up to now." He was not the only doubting Thomas. "I wouldn't take anything about him seriously," said a shopper in Portrush. But what is for sure is that you cannot keep the Ballymoney dentist off the front pages.Even in what was supposed to be the calm after the storm of controversy created by ITV drama The Secret, Howell is in the media spotlight once again after reports claimed that he was admitted to hospital following a collapsing in jail while allegedly on hunger strike. Read More The Prison Service has refused to comment and health authorities have been equally reticent about the latest twist in the horror story. But sources close to the callous killer have played down the hunger strike claim, though it has been accepted that all is not well with the man who was for years hailed as a model prisoner at Maghaberry. One source said: "He's not doing a Bobby Sands. He has been ill and off his food because of all the pressures that are mounting on him, but that doesn't amount to a hunger strike." One inmate who knows Howell told relatives that the prison's most infamous inhabitant had lost a considerable amount of weight recently - and that it was not by choice. Read More People outside the prison who are well-acquainted with Howell and his devious ways woke up yesterday morning to reports of his hunger strike and were immediately dismissive. "That's not the Colin Howell I know," said one man. "He wouldn't be someone who would try to starve himself to death. He has too much to live for." But has he? The suggestion is that Howell's cocky swagger - so deftly portrayed in The Secret by James Nesbitt - has been badly dented in recent times. His upbeat manner in jail is said to have been based on the belief that he would have a massive pension pot waiting for him when released. The fourth and final episode of The Secret ended with Howell boasting about his ancestors' longevity. The implication was that he thought he would live for at least 20 years on easy street, funded by a Health Service Pension thought to be worth at least 500,000. But born-again Christian Howell, who also believes he is blessed with intelligence far above normal, did not foresee the Government's health chiefs stripping him of his nest egg after he admitted in court that he had drugged and abused a number of female patients at his former practice in Ballymoney. Some people have blamed the morale-sapping body-blow to his financial future for his current medical problems, which are said to have been exacerbated by the screening of The Secret. Read More But one observer questioned what Howell could possibly hope to achieve through a hunger strike in a prison where the authorities have no influence over what happens to his pension or over the media's portrayal of him. Veteran Belfast journalist Deric Henderson, who wrote the best-selling book on which the TV series was based, has largely kept his own counsel amid the meltdown over the making of The Secret. But on Twitter, he previously claimed Howell would revel in how any drama portrayed him, his former lover Stewart and the murders they carried out together while having an affair. More recently, Henderson said he had been reliably informed that the dentist had not watched the programme. But sources in the prison claimed that Howell had found it impossible to escape the constant barrage of ribald comments from other prisoners who saw his love-making played out in graphic sex scenes on the small screen. Read More "He took a lot of stick about what went on in the bedroom with Hazel, and that must have been a strain on him," said a source close to the double killer. In the past, Henderson said Howell would have loved all the fuss because he enjoyed being the centre of attention. "And though something has clearly changed, I can't see him launching a hunger strike no matter how down he has been over the money and over the TV series," he added. Despite it all, however, Howell has more friends than enemies in Maghaberry. He is said to have acted as a confidante and an adviser to other prisoners on many issues. He has also thrown himself into studying in the jail, including working towards gaining a mathematics degree and writing children's books and other publications in Braille. Read More It has also been widely reported that he has grown vegetables and has adjusted well to his new life behind bars. But it has also been said that one aspect of his incarceration that has grown more and more difficult for him to handle has been his ostracisation by most of his children, apart from Lauren Bradford. It was Lauren who hit out publicly at the making of the series about the murder of her mother by her father. However, his second wife, Kyle Jorgensen, turned her back on him and returned to her native America. Howell has long harboured hopes that one day he will be reconciled with his family. But - just like receiving his pension - the prospects of him playing happy families ever again would appear to have been scotched. Kevin Vickers (right) wrestles with the protester Charlie Flanagan said the service was about recognising the many different narratives and experiences in one of the most defining episodes of recent Irish history A diplomat hailed a hero worldwide for shooting a gunman who stormed the Canadian parliament has wrestled with a protester at a military ceremony in Ireland. Kevin Vickers helped subdue a demonstrator who began chanting "insult" at the service commemorating more than 100 British soldiers killed trying to suppress the Easter Rising a century ago. Mr Vickers, 59, was attending the State ceremony as Canada's ambassador to Ireland when a man in his 40s attempted to disrupt it. Dressed in a suit and raincoat, he grabbed the protester by his black leather jacket before police moved in, forced the suspect to the ground and arrested him. The former House of Commons sergeant-at-arms in Ottawa became a household name after confronting rifle-wielding Michael Zehaf-Bibeau on October 22 2014 during a gun fight in the building. In what was described as a terror attack, Zehaf-Bibeau had earlier gunned down Corporal Nathan Cirillo, 24, who was assigned to the honour guard at the city's national war memorial. After the latest incident, a spokeswoman for the Canadian embassy in Dublin said Mr Vickers "intercepted a protester who ran up to the podium". "Ambassador Vickers is safe and was not injured during the incident," she added. Mr Vickers, who has a strong Irish-Canadian background, was later appointed ambassador to Dublin. Irish police confirmed a man in his mid-40s was arrested at around midday. The suspect was detained at Cabra Garda station on suspected public order offences. He was heard shouting "this is an insult" at the start of the invite-only event. Ireland's Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan laid a wreath in memory of up to 125 British soldiers killed during the 1916 rebellion against British rule. They came from across Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland and further afield. The ceremony commemorating their deaths is one of a number organised to mark the 100th anniversary of the insurrection, which ultimately led to the creation of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. British Ambassador to Dublin Dominick Chilcott also laid a wreath on behalf of the British Government. Mr Flanagan said the service was about recognising the many different narratives and experiences in one of the most defining episodes of recent Irish history. "Like those that died a hundred years ago, those of us participating in today's event are a diverse group of individuals, with different backgrounds, beliefs and aspirations," he said. "Such differences do not divide us and need not hinder us from coming together to reflect upon the moments that have shaped our island's history. "In the century since the events of 1916 we have learned, through painful experience, the importance of mutual respect for the different traditions and multiple narratives across these islands." Members of the Irish Defence Forces, together with members of the British Armed Forces also participated in the ceremony. Fiddlin' Tom Cameron, described as a giant of Irish country music because of his stature and longevity, has died. Tom's interest in music was sparked at an early age by his uncle Reidie Cameron, who played a three-string banjo. At the age of seven he taught himself to play the fiddle by ear, and it became his instrument of choice throughout the majority of his career. But Tom, who was born in Magheramorne outside Larne, was also an accomplished musician on other instruments, playing the trumpet in his first band, The Regent, for eight years. In 1960 he decided to form his own band, The Cameron Clan, with three fellow Larne men. Tom played the drums, and it was with this band that he cut his first album, Lightning Express. The Cameron Clan later morphed into The Coasters, and Tom and his fellow musicians toured Ireland as well as playing in England, Belgium and a three-month stint in Paris. With the advent of discos Tom decided to diversify once again and toured Ireland for four or five years with his Big Tom Cameron Country Music Machine. His heart was always in playing live music and afterwards he returned to gigging with son Graeme and toured across the UK. In more recent years he played as a solo artist gaining a widespread following, and was a familiar figure at the Auld Lammas Fair in Ballycastle. Tom was involved in country music for more than 50 years, and he released six albums during that time. His music was often played on country shows on Radio Ulster and Downtown, and until shortly before his death he had his own weekly country music slot on Donegal's Radio North. Among the tributes paid to Tom, who died on Sunday, was one from Carnlough funeral director Michael McSparron, who is also a country music performer. Michael, who is known as The Singing Undertaker, credited Tom with helping him to get started in the music industry approximately 15 years ago. Tom, who lived outside Glenarm in north Antrim, is survived by his wife May and Graeme. His funeral takes place today at Carnalbanagh Presbyterian Church, with a private burial at Ballycarry New Cemetery. by Laurence White After six years of planning and two of construction, staff at the Northern Ireland Hospice have celebrated the opening of their new state-of-the-art facility. The doors of the 13m building in north Belfast were finally thrown open yesterday. The world-class hospice will provide palliative care for patients with a wide range of life-limiting illnesses at the site of an old hospice on Somerton Road. The unit, which has 18 beds, will also operate a special service for people with dementia. A prolific burglar who stole 35,000 of jewellery from the National Trust-owned Mount Stewart stately home has been jailed. Carlo Holmes, who has 112 previous convictions, will serve half of his 30-month sentence in prison and the rest on licence. CCTV captured the 61-year-old, from Cupar Street in west Belfast, acting like a normal visitor to the 19th century property before entering the private quarters of Lady Rose Lauritzen on May 17 last year. Footage played to Downpatrick Crown Court showed him leaving the building with his coat "bulging" with stolen items including rings, earrings and a brooch. Holmes was arrested at Belfast International Airport on May 31 and found to have 1,785 in cash. He initially denied raiding Mount Stewart, before owning up to the crime. In mitigation, defence barrister Conan Rea said that, at the age of 61, any period his client spent away from his family would be "precious" time lost. Describing the offence as "neither a pure domestic burglary nor a commercial burglary, but somewhere between", Mr Rea pointed out it occurred during the day when there was no one in the private living quarters. He also highlighted that his client was sorry, and was "someone who appears to be coming to a realisation that, at his time of life, he needs to stop". Jailing Holmes, Judge Fowler said that some of the items, which have not been recovered, were "irreplaceable and of considerable sentimental value". He additionally warned Holmes that if he continued to offend he faced longer periods in custody, which meant longer periods away from his family - a matter, the judge added, that was entirely up to the defendant. Mr Fowler also ruled that the 1,785 found on Holmes when he was arrested at the airport should be paid, via a compensation order, to Lady Lauritzen. An international body that examined the loyalist paramilitary murder of a man in broad daylight on the streets of Belfast probably knows the killers identities, a court has heard An international body that examined the loyalist paramilitary murder of a man in broad daylight on the streets of Belfast probably knows the killers' identities, a court has heard. Senior judges were also told the Government is under a legal obligation to disclose a report on Bobby Moffett's "public execution" - irrespective of any alleged security force collusion. Mr Moffett's sister Irene Owens is seeking to overturn a ruling that the Secretary of State was right to refuse to hand over all material gathered by the now defunct Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC). She wants the information supplied to the coroner for an inquest into her brother's murder. Mr Moffett (43) was shot dead at point-blank range in front of shoppers and children on Belfast's Shankill Road in May 2010. No one has ever been convicted of the killing. Months later the IMC issued a special report declaring his murder had been sanctioned by the UVF leadership. The commission concluded that he was targeted because of his perceived flouting of UVF authority, and to send a message to the organisation and the community that this authority was not to be challenged. In its report the IMC described the killing as a public execution, but declined to say that it amounted to a breach of the terror grouping's ceasefire. So far only an edited version of the report has been supplied for the purposes of holding an inquest. Ms Owens issued High Court proceedings in a bid to compel the Secretary of State to release the dossier in full. Her lawyers argued that anything less undermines the coroner's ability to oversee a human rights-compliant inquest into a murder which has raised concerns the killer may have been protected as a State agent. Last year a judge dismissed the legal challenge after finding the Secretary of State's decision rational and lawful. Ms Owens' legal team went before the Court of Appeal yesterday in an attempt to have the verdict overturned. David Scoffield QC argued that Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights puts an obligation on the Secretary of State to provide the information. The barrister told a panel of three senior judges, led by Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan, that the IMC regarded the killing as a "planned, premeditated, intentional attack". With the IMC no longer operating, Mr Scoffield insisted there could be no reason to withhold the material. YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan had a meeting with Iranian Ambassador H.E. Seyyed Kazem Sajjad. By highlighting the present high level economic and cultural cooperation, the need of a more effective cooperation in the legal field was discussed. The Ambassador pointed out the issued which result among Iranians visiting Armenia from the lack of knowledge of the Armenian Legislation, adding that similar issues arise among Armenians visiting Iran. The Prosecutor General said taking into consideration the differences of legislations of the two countries, it is necessary to create a concrete, detailed and accessible mechanism of mutual assistance, which will greatly contribute to both Armenians and Iranians. The fight against illegal drug smuggling was also discussed. A number of other relevant issues were discussed and an agreement was reached on further works for effective cooperation. Two men from Northern Ireland have gone on trial in England for allegedly trafficking illegal immigrants inside a shipping container one of whom died. The Afghan asylum seeker was found dead at Tilbury Docks in Essex after more than 12 hours in the sealed container with 34 other illegal immigrants, a court has heard. The Afghan Sikhs, including 15 children, were rescued on August 16, 2014, after port workers heard banging noises and cries for help. The group, which included families, was found in a cramped space on top of plastic barrels full of liquid, with condensation pouring from the ceiling. Among them was Meet Singh Kapoor, a 40-year-old who died during the overnight crossing from Zeebrugge in Belgium. Basildon Crown Court was told the refugees, believed to have fled Kabul in Afghanistan after allegedly suffering persecution and living illegally in Belgium and France, were the human cargo of a sophisticated international organisation of people smugglers. The pair, lorry drivers Stephen McLaughlin (36) and Martin McGlinchey (49), are accused of being in the gangs inner circle and face charges of helping to smuggle illegal immigrants into the UK. Jurors were told the two men were part of a team responsible for arranging the transport logistics of the operation, allegedly organising for the container to be sent from Dover to France so it could be picked up by an innocent man before being loaded with illegal immigrants on a Belgian industrial estate. Prosecuting, Michael Goodwin told the court the plan was foiled when port workers in Tilbury heard the screams of those in the container. After the operation was sprung, he said, McLaughlin, from Limavady, Co Londonderry, and McGlinchey, of Coalisland, Co Tyrone, frantically tried to cover their tracks, destroying mobile phones and sim cards that might implicate them. McGlinchey sold a car he thought could link him to two co-conspirators, Taha Sharif, and a man known only as Kurd Eng, while McLaughlin booked a short family holiday. Mr Goodwin said the pair were motivated by financial gain, and that the very considerable risks involved meant they would have made a lot of money if the plan had been successful. The two men are facing a retrial, and deny conspiring to facilitate illegal entry into the UK between June 1 and September 5, 2014. At the previous trial last year Sharif, a Kurd, was found guilty of the same charge while Timothy Murphy, who drove the container through Belgium and France, was found to be an innocent dupe and was acquitted. Kurd Eng remains at large. Defending McLaughlin, Mark Harries said there was a legitimate explanation for his phone calls and that he was never in contact with Kurd Eng or Sharif, that cell-site evidence is vague and ambitious and does not support suggestions he was at meetings with the other alleged conspirators, and that his business dealings accounted for his movements. Representing McGlinchey, Anu Mohindru said his client disputed very little of the prosecutions case, but said he was smuggling alcohol, rather than asylum seekers. He told the court: Any people-smuggling was done without his knowledge. In his mind it was alcohol, not people. The case continues. The DUP MP Jim Shannon has been ordered to repay almost 14,000 in mileage claims. An investigation into the expenses of the MP was conducted by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) over the "unusually high" mileage claims. It released its findings on Thursday and said 13,925.86 must be repaid by the MP which he has agreed to do immediately. It found breaches of the MPs Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses by his constituency workers for claiming mileage which was thought to be significantly above that which would normally be expected Staff members claimed over 115,000 miles in the 2012/13 and 2013/14 financial years totalling 30,000 in claims. Mr Shannon's claims were five times greater than the second highest claiming MP and 37 times greater than the average across all MPs, the report said. His office accounted for 26.1% of all staff constituency mileage claimed by the entire House of Commons. Genuine From these claims, IPSA formed the opinion that the level of commitment of staff time to driving appears to be neither practical nor plausible. However, the investigating compliance officer concluded that there was nothing to suggest there was "dishonesty" in the claims or that they were "not genuine". The investigator spent two days in the constituency office and noted that telephones rang incessantly and there was a constant flow of people giving the impression of a "hospital casualty department". Read More Among the issues raised were staff carrying out deliveries from a food bank, travel outside constituency boundaries and working for people in areas outside Strangford. As Mr Shannon had spent all his stationery allowance staff would hand deliver letters and leaflets. There was also confusion over the work conducted by one staff member and whether that fell under their responsibilities as a councillor or constituency worker for the MP. Mr Shannon said care will be taken in the future to avoid conflicts of interest. Records were deemed to be "completely inadequate". In one instance staff recorded mileage travel on a scrap of paper. A widely distributed DUP-branded leaflet was determined to be a "news letter" and not allowed under expenses rules. The investigating officer, noted the hard work and dedication of the worker in his report and said Mr Shannon should refer work on to councillors and MLAs where appropriate and use electronic communication to reduce paperwork. Disparity He added: "Breaches of the Scheme have become increasingly widespread amongst constituency office staff, when claiming constituency mileage, during a period of over three years. As the number of staff members claiming mileage has increased, so has the value of the mileage being incorrectly claimed. "As mileage claims have increased, so has the disparity between the overall Travel and Subsistence Expenditure claimed by Mr Shannon and every other MP. Taken in their entirety the travel and subsistence claims made by Mr Shannon in 2014-15 were 14,289 greater than any other MP. During his investigation, the compliance officer "rigorously scrutinised" all staff constituency mileage claims and cross referenced these with the "limited mileage" records provided by Mr Shannons constituency office manager. "The current situation is unsustainable," the compliance officer wrote in his report, "and Mr Shannon must engage with IPSA with a view to conducting a fundamental review of his constituency office management and staff deployment. "He is already in offsetting within his Staffing Expenditure budget and with the failure of his contingency application for 2015-16, will shortly overspend on his Office Costs Expenditure budget. " The Compliance officer also recommended capping mileage spending for the Strangford representative to 10,000, with a review in future years. He also recommended a cap for all MPs. Can't say 'no' In his response to the investigation, Mr Shannon said he could not "say no" to a constituent, no matter what issue they may have, whether it be for responsibilities which may rest with council or Assembly. Community representatives also told the investigator that they would bypass the councillor or the MLA in favour of the MP. He also said the "democratic deficit" between 1972 to 2007 under direct rule, the local MP was regarded as the main port of call for any issue of government. Mr Shannon - and the DUP - also said there should be recognition of the political legacy in Northern Ireland and the "dark years" with a regional variation in the rules similar to the London allowance for the higher cost of living in the capital. "Clearly, the fact that such an arrangement lasted for over 30 years has created a culture in Northern Ireland that regards the role of an MP as being much more extensive that would be the case in other parts of the UK," he said. "Personally, I have known constituents to become very offended when it is suggested that their problem be referred to a local MLA or Councillor as they feel the MP is the 'senior person' in the constituency and jolly well ought to be dealing with their problems, even if they are not related to parliament." He said travel outside constituency boundaries was necessary as he was recognised as a parliamentarian in Northern Ireland who may be able to assist the 100,000 members or veterans of the defence forces especially as some had a Member of Parliament who did not take their seat in the Commons. Mr Shannon said he will implement fully the recommendations of the watchdog. He added: "My staff and I work tirelessly for our constituents and this has been acknowledged by the Compliance Officer in his report and in the meetings held with the MP. It is most unfortunate that the industriousness of the MP and his staff has resulted in staff mileage claims that are well above the average for Members and have given rise to this investigation. We welcome the conclusion reached by the compliance officer that 'all the available evidence leads the compliance officer to conclude that the mileage claims are genuine, insofar as there has been no dishonesty'. "This is important for my integrity and reputation and that of my staff." Claire Sugden's life changed dramatically as she became the new Justice Minister and went right to the top of the dissident republican hit-list. Shortly after taking the job she was offered around-the-clock security and members of the PSNI's close protection unit were waiting at Stormont to speak to her yesterday. Growing up as the daughter of a prison officer, the 29-year-old East Londonerry MLA is no stranger to living with paramilitary threats, and colleagues predicted she would cope well with the lifestyle transformation that holding the sensitive office involves. "Claire is a very level-headed young woman. There is nothing flighty or impetuous about her. Just listen to what she said today in her TV interviews. She handled the media with great maturity and I've every faith that she will continue in that vein," a DUP source said. Ms Sugden now has one of the toughest briefs in UK politics, grappling with the ever explosive situation in Maghaberry Prison being her top priority as well as setting objectives for the PSNI and determining its budget. Abortion law reform will also be on her agenda. Read More Ms Sudgen is substantially less conservative than the DUP, and has previously voiced compassion for women with crisis pregnancies. "Claire's instincts are thoroughly liberal," said a unionist MLA. Ms Sudgen's down-to-earth manner has made her a popular figure in Parliament Buildings where some staff complained at criticism of her appointment by Mike Nesbitt and Jim Allister. "The wee girl hadn't even got the job and they were having a go," one said. It was clear in the chamber what was coming even before Martin McGuinness nominated Ms Sudgen. Gerry Carroll nodded to her and there were big smiles in her direction from the Greens' Steven Agnew and Clare Bailey. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Independent Claire Sugden is Justice Minister DUP Paul Givan minister for Department of Communities Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill minster for Health DUP's Simon Hamilton is Minister for the Economy. Sinn Fein's Mairtin O Muilleoir is Finance Minister. Sinn Fein's Chris Hazzard is Minister for the Department of Infrastructure. DUP's Peter Weir is Minister for Education. DUP's Michelle McIlveen is minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Independent Claire Sugden is Justice Minister Just four seats away Stephen Farry - who would have been the minister had Alliance reached a deal with the DUP and Sinn Fein - sat silently. Read More As the two big parties revelled in new ministries, and the UUP and SDLP promised an exciting new Opposition, Alliance seemed sidelined and sounded flat. Jim Allister may face competition on Opposition benches now, but he was still its leading light yesterday with his cutting pronouncement on the new Justice Minister. "I like some of the things she has said politically. "Famously and accurately, she described the leaders of this administration as jokers and how right that was. Yet today, for the sake of office, she is willing to become the patsy of the jokers, the place-woman of 'Marlene'," he thundered. On both sides of the chamber, Marlene did not look amused. With economy, education, agriculture and communities, the DUP certainly got the best pick of the ministries. Unionist grassroots will be relieved that for the first time since devolution Education is now out of Sinn Fein hands and the unholy mess regarding academic selection can be addressed. Read More By taking Finance, Sinn Fein aims to show Southern voters that it can be trusted with a budget and that accusations of economic illiteracy are unfair. Infrastructure was the party's second choice - the A5 road linking the north west to Dublin is of huge importance to it. The Shinners need to deliver in Derry where they have been shedding votes to the Left and dissident republicans. It should be a relatively uncontroversial ministry for Chris Hazzard, although friends joked that he may never now finish his already delayed PhD. The DUP certainly seems to be top dog at Stormont and there was no evidence that Sinn Fein had secured any concessions for agreeing to a unionist Justice Minister. It was a good day for gender equality with four of 10 ministers now women, although there was slower progress at committee level with only three of the nine new chairpersons female. While Conor Murphy was given the high-profile economy committee chair, Michelle Gildernew seemed a shoo-in for the same in agriculture, but that post went to new MLA Linda Dillon. The omission of Ms Gildernew, one of Sinn Fein's most talented and likeable politicians, remains bewildering. Down in the canteen, Arlene Foster was getting stuck into chips and macaroni cheese. There was no steak on the menu, the First Minister joked. She'd been up from 6.30am. "It's been hectic but I'm happy," she said. "We have an exciting young team and I just can't wait to get down to business." Sinn Fein has taken control of the purse-strings at Stormont for the first time in a radical shake-up for the new Executive, which will meet for the first time today. But the Finance Minister - new boy Mairtin O Muilleoir - will have to oversee spending cuts across most Government departments during the next five years. Republicans were able to choose the position after the DUP made the new Department of the Economy its top priority, transferring Simon Hamilton from Health. The DUP also picked the Department of Education, which it signalled particular interest in selecting during the Assembly election campaign, with Peter Weir becoming another ministerial newcomer. Mr Weir's party supports academic selection and has continually blocked Sinn Fein attempts to end the practice. It recently said it wanted "a more accessible and straightforward" transfer process for children. Yesterday's reshuffle also saw the new Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs transferring from Sinn Fein to DUP hands - from Michelle O'Neill to Michelle McIlveen. Read More Barring First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, Ms O'Neill, Mr Hamilton and Mrs McIlveen are the only members of the previous Executive to be included in the latest administration. Ms O'Neill shifted to Health, which was - as has been the case in the past - the final department to be chosen in the shareout of ministries. Both the Ulster Unionists and the SDLP confirmed they were opting out of their right to choose seats at the Executive table and were given Assembly recognition to form an official Opposition. That left the DUP and Sinn Fein to share out the remainder of the jobs between them with the exception of the Justice post which, as the Belfast Telegraph predicted last week, went to 29-year-old independent unionist Claire Sugden. However, her appointment led to a barrage of criticism from the UUP and SDLP, who argued the Good Friday Agreement had been "corrupted". Ms Sugden, whose father was a prison officer, admitted: "This is probably the most difficult decision I have had in my life. "It did cause me a lot of anxiety over this last week, but it is an opportunity for me, for my constituency and most importantly it's an opportunity for Northern Ireland - and I am looking forward to it." Ms Sugden was seen flanked by Mrs Foster and Mr McGuinness, who confirmed her appointment even before the shareout of ministries under the d'Hondt system got under way. Mrs Foster said: "Martin and I are delighted that Claire has agreed to be the new Justice Minister." But UUP leader Mike Nesbitt said it was a "corruption" of the Good Friday Agreement that a sole MLA could be given a seat at the Executive table. "The person (Ms Sugden), who said 'This house of cards is falling', is propping them up again (and) the largest political party has decided that its dirty, inconsistent mess is more important than moving Northern Ireland forward," he said. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood wished Ms Sugden well but said it was "disturbing that the opportunity to evolve our politics even further has been missed". TUV leader Jim Allister also criticised the appointment, saying that while the East Londonderry MLA had boasted she was independent, she had become "the placewoman of Marlene" - his nickname for Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness. But Alliance Party leader and former Justice Minister David Ford, whose refusal to take up the position helped lead to Ms Sugden being given the job, added: "We will judge the new minister not on her age or her gender, but on how far the reform programme (which the Alliance Party initiated in office) continues." Also joining Stormont's top team was Sinn Fein's Chris Hazzard, who was named Minister for Infrastructure, and the DUP's Paul Givan, who became Communities Minister. Alastair Ross of the DUP and Megan Fearon of Sinn Fein, meanwhile, were named as the new junior ministers. Economy - Simon Hamilton Tipped as a potential future leader of the DUP, the 39-year-old father of two sons has already done the rounds as Finance and, most recently, Health Minister. A former accountant, Hamilton worked his way up the party as a back-room policy guru, Press officer and councillor in Ards before he was elected to the Assembly on the return of devolution in 2007. Then three years ago former First Minister Peter Robinson plunged him into the front line, replacing Sammy Wilson as Finance Minister, controlling the Stormont purse-strings just as the Westminster-driven austerity cuts began to bite. IN-TRAY: His department may have discarded the old Enterprise, Trade and Industry parts of his title but the emphasis for the new minister remains jobs and the attraction of foreign investment, along with progress towards the expected devolution of corporation tax powers. Finance - Mairtin O Muilleoir He may be 57, but former Belfast Lord Mayor O Muilleoir somehow manages to fit the thrusting, new generation image of change his party is trying to promote. Re-entering politics five years ago after a gap of 14 years, he has earned a reputation as a new breed of republican and has a sound grounding in business as head of the Belfast Media Group, which came to include the South Belfast News, North Belfast News and Andersonstown News. The experience should serve him well as his party tackles the impression that it does not do economics and mathematics very well. IN-TRAY: One reason for the DUP side-stepping Finance this time may be the likelihood of becoming known as the Minister of cuts as O Muilleoir handles departmental spending, along with the first budget of the new Assembly. Had his first engagement yesterday examining the peace dividend for working-class communities. Education - Peter Weir Having ceded control of Education to Sinn Fein for nearly a decade, the DUP man will want to waft the winds of change through his department. One of those expelled from the Ulster Unionists over opposition to the Good Friday Agreement, finally signing up to the DUP in 2002, the popular Mr Weir has waited a long time for his turn as minister. The 47-year-old, who is his partys chief whip in the Assembly, has a long record of committee work including environment, and finance and personnel as well as being a member of the NI Assembly Commission, which has day to day responsibility over the running of Parliament Buildings. IN-TRAY: The most immediate challenge facing Mr Weir is the reduced budgets facing schools, which are being forced towards redundancies, including those of teachers, along with the continuing fallout from the primary to secondary transfer system and pre-school provision. Infrastructure - Chris Hazzard The 31-year-old from south Down is one of the rising stars within Sinn Fein who has no personal memory of the Troubles. He had been thought more likely to emerge as Minister of Education had Sinn Fein retained that portfolio. Hazzard replaced Willie Clarke, who stood down to focus on council work, and will have to work fast to establish the new department which not only subsumes the former Department for Regional Development but takes in vehicle regulation and driver functions from DOE, Rivers Agency from DARD; inland waterways from DCAL, and the Strategic Investment Unit and several regeneration sites. IN-TRAY: Within hours of his appointment, Hazzard was under pressure to confirm the go-ahead for the Narrow Water Bridge project near Warrenpoint and can expect roads projects like the A5 and A6 to figure high on his agenda, along with cuts to services such as hedge-cutting and gully-clearing. Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs - Michelle Mcilveen Having been a junior minister, the 45-year-old DUP woman was appointed Regional Development Minister after Ulster Unionist Danny Kennedys party pulled him out of office last autumn and became viewed as a safe pair of hands. A former councillor in Ards, she has also served as chair of the Assemblys former culture, arts and leisure committee, as well as education. And as with Education, the DUP will have to put its stamp on a department that has been in the hands of Sinn Fein ministers for some time. IN-TRAY: The farmgate prices being paid to producers across Northern Ireland, with farmers taking to the streets in protest and others warning they are being forced out of business, will be top of the agenda, along with maintaining existing levels of support for the agriculture industry. Communities - Paul Givan The DUP man, who steered a public consultation on his conscience clause, proposal following the first Ashers bakery court case, was the youngest politician to be elected when he became a councillor in Lisburn aged 23. Now 34, the Lagan Valley MLA has his work cut out as head of a new department that subsumes two old departments, the Department for Social Development and most of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (except inland fisheries and waterways). His record includes three years chairing the Assemblys justice committee and membership of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee, which recommends cutting MLAs from 108 to 90 at the 2021 election. IN-TRAY: Casement Park will be high on his list with an Assembly inquiry into GAA plans, while handing over powers to the 11 local councils to regenerate their own areas should also be a priority. Health - Michelle ONeill Once again the Health portfolio was left to last, the so-called poisoned chalice of ministerial responsibilities, but ONeill has a strong track record in the former Agriculture Department. The 39-year-old mother-of-two has been deeply involved in republican politics since she was a teenager and was the first woman to become mayor of the former Dungannon Borough Council area before joining the Assembly. A qualified adviser in welfare rights, she was the first Executive minister to move on proposals to shift her departments HQ outside Greater Belfast to Ballykelly along with the Rivers Agency headquarters to Cookstown IN-TRAY: The two main Executive parties, DUP and Sinn Fein, have already pledged a 1bn injection into the provinces health service in the next five years, but despite this imminent boost hospitals and GP centres are likely to remain under pressure in the foreseeable future. Justice - Claire sugden A week ago we could have been forgiven for asking: Claire who? But not any more, and certainly not after yesterdays developments. Aged 29, she has a degree in politics, a masters degree in Irish politics and was studying part-time for a masters degree in political lobbying. She became an MLA for East Londonderry in 2014 after being co-opted to replace political mentor David McClarty on his death. She lives in Castlerock and is engaged to fiance Andy Anderson (33). She may be the least experienced of the Stormont ministers but those closest to her say shes a quick learner and, in the long run, will prove to be nobodys fool. IN-TRAY: Dealing with the hugely contentious area of Northern Irelands abortion legislation will certainly be one of her main tasks. The dissident threat is ongoing, and prisons are highly contentious. Charlie Flanagan said the service was about recognising the many different narratives and experiences in one of the most defining episodes of recent Irish history A diplomat hailed a hero worldwide for shooting a gunman who stormed the Canadian parliament has wrestled with a protester at a military ceremony. Kevin Vickers helped subdue a demonstrator who began chanting "insult" at the service commemorating more than 100 British soldiers killed trying to suppress the Easter Rising a century ago. Mr Vickers, 59, was attending the State ceremony as Canada's ambassador to Ireland when a man in his 40s attempted to disrupt it. Dressed in a suit and raincoat, he grabbed the protester by his black leather jacket before police moved in, forced the suspect to the ground and arrested him. The former House of Commons sergeant-at-arms in Ottawa became a household name after confronting rifle-wielding Michael Zehaf-Bibeau on October 22 2014 during a gun fight in the building. In what was described as a terror attack, Zehaf-Bibeau had earlier gunned down Corporal Nathan Cirillo, 24, who was assigned to the honour guard at the city's national war memorial. Mr Vickers, who has a strong Irish-Canadian background, was later appointed ambassador to Dublin. After the latest incident, a spokeswoman for the Canadian embassy in Dublin said Mr Vickers "intercepted a protester who ran up to the podium". "Ambassador Vickers is safe and was not injured during the incident," she added. Gardai confirmed a man in his mid 40s was arrested at around midday. The suspect was detained at Cabra Garda station on suspected public order offences. He was heard shouting "this is an insult" at the start of the invite-only event. Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan laid a wreath in memory of up to 125 British soldiers killed during the 1916 rebellion against British rule. They came from across Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland and further afield. The ceremony commemorating their deaths is one of a number organised to mark the 100th anniversary of the insurrection, which ultimately led to the creation of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. British Ambassador to Dublin Dominick Chilcott also laid a wreath on behalf of the British Government. Mr Flanagan said the service was about recognising the many different narratives and experiences in one of the most defining episodes of recent Irish history. "Like those that died a hundred years ago, those of us participating in today's event are a diverse group of individuals, with different backgrounds, beliefs and aspirations," he said. "Such differences do not divide us and need not hinder us from coming together to reflect upon the moments that have shaped our islands' history. "In the century since the events of 1916 we have learned, through painful experience, the importance of mutual respect for the different traditions and multiple narratives across these islands." Members of the Irish Defence Forces, together with members of the British Armed Forces also participated in the ceremony. The Ministry of Defence said it would not comment on special forces operations British special forces blew up an Islamic State suicide truck in Libya earlier this month, a military commander there has said. The strike apparently came when a vehicle, acting as a bomb, approached a bridge leading towards the city of Misrata in the north-west of the country. UK forces appeared ready for the attack and fired a single missile during the incident on May 12, Commander Mohammed Durat told The Times. Describing the scene as the truck sped forward he said: "Our British friends seemed quite calm about it that day." Commander Durat, of Misrata's Third Force, said the special forces had plotted the co-ordinates and ranges required for a successful strike, telling the paper: "It blew up the suicide truck with a huge explosion, the biggest we have seen yet. "Not one of our own forces was killed." A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said they do not comment on special forces operations. Last month a spokesman for the Foreign Office said the UK is focused on training Libyan security forces to provide their own security, and has no plans to deploy ground troops. Earlier this year United Nations experts said they believe the political and security vacuum in Libya is being exploited by IS, reporting it has "significantly expanded" the territory it controls in the nation and become "increasingly attractive to foreign fighters". Middle East minister Tobias Ellwood said the current estimate of the number of Islamic State fighters in Libya is between 3,000 and 6,000. British special forces are no strangers to operating in the North African country. The Special Air Service was first formed during the Second World War, in 1941, by Scots Guards Lieutenant David Stirling. Inserted behind enemy lines during the Western Desert Campaign, the commando force carried out raids across North Africa, including Libya. The regiment undertook sabotage missions on airfields and planes, disrupted supply routes, and were ordered to harass the Germans in any way they could. The SAS then served in Italy at the end of the desert campaign. It was disbanded in 1945 but revived in 1947. YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Ambassador to Iraq Karen Grigoryan visited the Governorates of Sulaymaniyah and Halabja in Iraq. H.E. Karen Grigoryan had a meeting with Governor of Sulaymaniyah Aso Faraidoon Ali Amin. Development of commercial and economic relations was discussed. According to the Governor, they are interested in developing ties with Armenia, in particular in the fields of imports and tourism. Afterwards the Ambassador had meetings with the agricultural, healthcare, education, and commercial leadership of the Governorate. Cooperation projects and prospects were discussed. Ambassador Grigoryan visited the Educational Center for Children with disabilities of the Save the Children, the Pashmerga Museum of Sulaymaniyah and the Latif Rashid modern arts gallery. On May 25 the Ambassador visited the Governorate of Halabja, During a meeting with Governor Abdullah Nawroli, issues of mutual interest were discussed. The Ambassador later visited the museum and Memorial of the Chemical attack victims of Halabja. Donald Trump has thanked North Dakota for putting him "over the top" after the billionaire businessman secured enough delegates to clinch the Republican nomination for president. Mr Trump also made fun of Democratic front-runner and his likely rival in the race for the White House, Hillary Clinton, for not being able to "close the deal". The Associated Press confirmed that Mr Trump hit the 1,237 delegate majority on Thursday morning after a nationwide survey of unbound delegates. He has reached 1,238. With 303 delegates at stake on June 7, Mr Trump will easily pad out his total, avoiding a contested convention this summer. The New York billionaire addressed reporters on Thursday afternoon before a speech in Bismarck, North Dakota. He said he has "tremendous support from almost everybody", adding: "Here I am watching Hillary fight and she can't close the deal." Mr Trump's triumph completes an unlikely rise that has upended the political landscape and sets the stage for a bitter campaign in the autumn. Mr Trump was able to reach his target thanks to a small number of the party's unbound delegates who told the AP on Thursday they will support him at the convention. Many on the right have been slow to warm to Mr Trump, unsure of his conservative credentials. Others worry about his crass personality and the lewd comments he has made about women. But millions of grass-roots activists, many of them outsiders to the political process, have embraced Mr Trump as a plain-speaking populist who is not afraid to offend. Steve House, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party and an unbound delegate who confirmed his support of Mr Trump, said he likes the billionaire's background as a businessman. "Leadership is leadership," Mr House said. "If he can surround himself with the political talent, I think he will be fine." Mr Trump's pivotal moment comes amid a new sign of internal problems. Hours before clinching the nomination, he announced the abrupt departure of political director Rick Wiley, who was in the midst of leading the campaign's push to hire staff in key battleground states. In a statement, Mr Trump's campaign said Mr Wiley had been hired only on a short-term basis until the candidate's organisation "was running full steam". Some delegates who confirmed their decisions to back Mr Trump gave a lukewarm response, saying they are supporting him out of a sense of obligation because he won their state's primary. Cameron Linton of Pittsburgh said he will back Mr Trump on the first ballot since he won the presidential primary vote in Mr Linton's congressional district. "If there's a second ballot I won't vote for Donald Trump," Mr Linton said. "He's ridiculous. There's no other way to say it." Meanwhile, Mrs Clinton has won the Democratic presidential primary in Kentucky after her rival Bernie Sanders said his campaign accepts the state's results. A review of election results brought no change in the outcome of Kentucky's May 17 primary. Both candidates earned 27 delegates. But one delegate in the 6th Congressional District has not been awarded yet. Mrs Clinton leads Mr Sanders by about 500 votes in that district. "We are very pleased that we split," Mr Sanders said. The Vermont senator sent a letter requesting a re-canvassing of the results on Tuesday. He could have asked a judge to order a recount, but he would have to pay for it himself. Mrs Clinton leads Mr Sanders by a margin of 271 pledged delegates. But Mr Sanders has vowed to stay in the race. Kurdish commanders from the Syrian Democratic Forces coordinate frontline troop movements with the aid of a tablet at a forward operating base on November 10, 2015 near the ISIL-held town of Hole in the autonomous region of Rojava, Syria. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) Soldiers from the Syrian Democratic Forces discuss frontline movements from a forward operating base on November 10, 2015 near the ISIL-held town of Hole in the autonomous region of Rojava, Syria. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) HOLE, SYRIA - NOVEMBER 10: Female troops from the Syrian Democratic Forces discuss frontline positions from a forward operating base on November 10, 2015 near the ISIL-held town of Hole in the autonomous region of Rojava, Syria. The coalition of forces, primarily Kurdish, are attacking ISIL extremists in the area near the Iraqi border and calling in airstrikes from U.S.-led coalition warplanes. The autonomous region of Rojava in northern Syria has become a bulwark against the Islamic State. The Rojava armed forces, with the aid of U.S. airstrikes and weapons, are retaking territory which had earlier been captured much by ISIL from the Syrian regime. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) Female Troops from the Syrian Democratic Forces take up positions near the frontline on November 10, 2015 near the ISIL-held town of Hole in the autonomous region of Rojava, Syria. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) Kurdish female troops from the Syrian Democratic Forces speak in a forward operating base overlooking the frontline on November 10, 2015 near the ISIL-held town of Hole in the autonomous region of Rojava, Syria. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) A Kurdish female soldier from the Syrian Democratic Forces rests from frontline action at a forward operating base on November 10, 2015 near the ISIL-held town of Hole in the autonomous region of Rojava, Syria. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) Kurdish female troops from the Syrian Democratic Forces stand in a forward operating base overlooking the frontline on November 10, 2015 near the ISIL-held town of Hole in the autonomous region of Rojava, Syria. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) Troops from the Syrian Democratic Forces prepare to fire mortars on ISIL positions on the frontline on November 11, 2015 near Hasaka, in the autonomous region of Rojava, Syria. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) Troops from the Syrian Democratic Forces prepare to fire mortars on ISIL positions on the frontline on November 11, 2015 near Hasaka, in the autonomous region of Rojava, Syria. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) A female soldier from the Syrian Democratic Forces stands with fellow troops at a forward operating base on November 10, 2015 near the ISIL-held town of Hole in the autonomous region of Rojava, Syria. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) Im getting a bit tired of reading about the US-backed alliance of Syrian militias and their advance against Isis. The alliance is largely Kurdish which is why, I suppose, the Americans talked about northern Syria when they announced the visit of General Joseph Votel, the head of US Central Command, to the little Kurdish enclave. General Votel could only set foot in the tiny strip of territory along the Turkish border partly held by Kurdish and a sprinkling of Turkmen groups. A visit to northern Syria by an American general is thus a lot less impressive than it sounds. Its interesting to see a US commander crossing the border to cheer on participants in a civil war. Thats also what the American military has been doing in Iraq, where forces have been encouraging Shia militias fighting on the outskirts of Fallujah, and even providing air support to the forces of the perilously weak government in Baghdad. For Iraq now meets many of the definitions of civil war. Yet in Syria, the Americans started by supporting democratic forces fighting to overthrow Bashar al-Assad and mysteriously supported the same men (and women) when they were ready to fight Isis for Ain al-Arab (or Kobani for those who prefer the Kurdish version of the name). Read more Read More How did this transfer of allegiance come about? Are the Kurds supposed to fight their way into Raqqa and when Isis has turned tail and run across the Iraqi border, to fight on against the Syrian government army and its Lebanese militia allies and its Iranian allies? Has anyone in northern Syria looked at any maps? And do the Kurds think that Turkey will allow their mini-state to survive? We do, absolutely, have to go with what weve got, according to General Vogel. And I couldnt agree more. What that means is that the Assad has got to go routine is changing. We havent heard many Americans saying that recently, and weve hardly noticed it. The Russian military is still in Syria (albeit scaled down), but we saw plenty of them at Palmyra after its recapture. Assads forces want to take back Deir El-Zour, where their soldiers are still fighting under siege. I suspect that the Assad-must-go campaign is going to be gently dropped thanks to Isis, of course, which is even more hateful for the Americans than the Syrian government in Damascus. Read more Read More Certainly, Isis still exists on the border with Lebanon. Incredibly, nine soldiers are still being held in an enclave on the Lebanese border after being captured almost two years ago. The father of the Lebanese soldier Mohamed Hamieh, executed at the time by the Jabhat al-Nusra Front (recently credited as moderates by Saudi Arabia and Qatar), this week went to the Lebanese home of his killers nephew (Sheikh Mustafa Hujeiri is a well-known figure on Islamist tapes) and shot the 20-year old 35 times. He then left the corpse on the grave of his own son. It was a bad week in Lebanon. The government staged the usual military parades to mark Liberation Day when guerrilla fighters finally persuaded the Israeli army to flee across the border after 22 years of occupation in 2000. Tanks and armoured vehicles drove through the streets of Beirut amid public assurances (and private fears) of inter-communal violence amid the generals. Many of those resistance men who drove out the Israelis are now fighting and dying for the Assad regime in Damascus. Thus has the Syrian war touched Lebanon again. The fears are, of course, of a Sunni-Shia conflict starting in the Beqaa Valley. The Syrian war has already divided Lebanon, not least because so many Hezbollah men have perished in Syria. They are martyrs to the militia and many Shiites, but the source of great anger to Lebanons Sunnis. The Islamists up at Arsal, including the Nusra Front men, are Sunnis. And still, in Syria as well as Lebanon, there are no plans for a future. No plans for post-war development. No plans for future policy towards Assad. Read more Read More The Syrian army is going to have a role in any New Syria. Maybe the Russians realise this, which is why they intervened so dramatically. But Syrian military casualties are so high half the government soldiers I have met since the start of the conflict in 2011 are now dead that it was probably inevitable that Moscow decided to bring its air force to Lattakia and Tartous. If Isis is beaten and the recapture of Fallujah and Raqqa will not achieve that then there must be projects for those Syrians who fought on both sides. The Syrians are specialists on mediation committees, but this will have to be far greater than that. And what do we have? Turkey threatens Isis, and Nusra and Isis remains a threat right across the Middle East. Saudis support Isis and Qatar supports Nusra, and Hezbollah supports the regime. The Americans seem to have left the air bombing to the Russians (after complaining about it) and Putin is not afraid to say the obvious: that the government in Damascus is a better bet than Isis. We shall see who wins. We do, absolutely, have to go with what weve got. That pretty much sums it up. Independent It is obvious that your correspondent Live and Let Live (Write Back, May 23) is ignorant of the history of integrated education in Ireland. In 1842 the Liberal Government introduced the idea of educating Catholic and Protestant children together "so that they would form friendships and intimacies" for life. This was warmly received by the Catholic Church, but was condemned by the Presbyterian Synod because Presbyterian children would be brought into the presence of Catholic priests. The Presbyterians burnt the schools when they were built and intimidated the teachers. The Government gave way to this violence and conceded segregation. The new schools were put to a political purpose. If a pupil was heard speaking Irish, he/she was brutally punished. The word "Ireland" was excluded from the school curriculum. In this way the pupils were politically engineered out of an Irish identity and into a West Briton identity. After the Famine the principle of segregation being conceded and the schooling being unsatisfactory, Cardinal Cullen made it Canon Law that Catholic children be educated in Catholic schools by Catholic teachers. What integrated education in Northern Ireland is really about is an open question. A federalist stands by the principle that all children be educated together - irrespective of creed, class, colour or ethnicity. However, a federalist maintains that the Establishment's hidden agenda of integrated education in Northern Ireland is the political engineering of pupils to stabilise the statelet and unify it and make it and its apartheid border a permanent feature of the island. A federalist opposes such an agenda of political engineering in schools. IRISH FEDERALIST Londonderry As I sat down in my home to write my response to the Belfast Telegraph/Ipsos MORI poll, happy to see more evidence that the great majority of people in Northern Ireland are planning to vote Remain, the sun was setting to the west and there, in the shadow of the Cooley Mountains, just beyond the refurbished Victoria Locks, are the faded remnants of the long-gone Customs post on the Omeath Road. Locals used to pass it when doing the Irish Lotto near there, and Belfast people know it en route to their holiday homes in Carlingford. Those of an older generation will remember grannies smuggling butter and sugar during the war. Darker memories, too, of the Troubles never lurk far away. But looking across in the haze of a sunny evening, one can easily feel nostalgic about another age or era. It can bring a wry smile, but, then again, like the evening sun, it's a smile that soon fades. There's a reason for this and it's best summed up by the American novelist Katherine Porter, who wrote: "The past is never where you think you left it." And at times the referendum debate seems a bit like that, with Leave campaigners harking back to a past that was never as rosy as it seemed. Here, in the new Northern Ireland with our new dispensation and now new Executive and new Opposition, the prospect of turning the clock back is anathema to the majority of our citizens and a betrayal of our young people to whom we promised so much. The Belfast Telegraph/Ipsos MORI poll shows that a two-to-one majority believes that Northern Ireland would be stronger by remaining in the EU. It reflects the fact that people in Northern Ireland understand the risk of leaving. They understand the economic security offered by remaining in the EU. It isn't rocket science - unless you are a Leave fanatic or a fantasist. Independent commentary from the BBC's Reality Check and the CBI has proven that the Leave campaign's statistics for both the whole of the UK and Northern Ireland simply don't stack up. A reality check is now needed for those who are so ideologically driven to get out of Europe. What was said of Prime Minster Harold Macmillan in the 1960s could well be applied to Boris Johnson in 2016: "Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his friends for his life." Bumbling Boris has his eyes on one job and he and others are prepared to sacrifice one in four ordinary Northern Ireland manufacturing workers to get it. It's not surprising that pollsters still want to measure things in Northern Ireland along traditional divisions: Catholic, Protestant, nationalist, unionist. But this issue transcends religious or political allegiances - as our broad coalition of interests proves, with support from Sinn Fein, Alliance, UUP, SDLP, Green Party and the non-aligned. This is, perhaps, where the message of the Remain campaign resonates with parts of the electorate not reached by polls. What is reassuring from the poll is that - despite the Leave campaign's attempts to drag us backward - many people are starting to climb out of the stereotyped segregated silos we are so used to. The poll also shows that on gender balance there is remarkable agreement on the way forward - only one in five women and one in four men here believes that Northern Ireland would be stronger by leaving the EU than by remaining. The message is simple: life without borders, barriers and tariffs and visas, as part of the world's single-biggest trading bloc, is better for business, jobs, trade, agriculture and travel. It's a positive message. As one farming leader was reported as saying: "Leave campaigners invite you to jump over a cliff and then say let's build a plane on the way down." The real meat in the Belfast Telegraph/Ipsos MORI poll comes in the answers given to the question: "Why would the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland be weaker if it left the European Union?" Economic benefits are overwhelmingly in the top spot. Quite right, too, considering that 61% of Northern Ireland's goods exports go to Europe, added to the very real threat of controls on the shared border with the Republic. Warrenpoint Harbour announced only a few days ago that it would potentially face cutting half of its workforce if we left the EU. Those surveyed also recognised the importance of EU investment to the funding of local projects and farming. More than 1bn has been pumped into Peace Programme funding in the last 10 years and more than 100m is still in the pipeline. Some 87% of farm income here comes from the EU. This is real-time investment and there are no guarantees that the priorities of Northern Ireland will align with those of Westminster and competing regions. Some Leave campaigners would have us believe that faceless Treasury mandarins would turn into a benevolent alms-giver, doling out largesse to Northern Ireland if only they didn't have to give money to the EU. Our experience contradicts that fairy tale. Just look at Leave campaigner Theresa Villiers, who gave an emphatic No - not once, but three times - to Executive pleas to mitigate welfare cuts in Northern Ireland. Or her predecessor Owen Paterson, who, in 2010, responded to our First and Deputy First Minister's cry that the Treasury had welched on an 18bn deal and replied: "I don't know what planet they are living on!" When competing with the needs of Shropshire and Chipping Barnet, Northern Ireland is at the back of the queue. Northern Ireland's MPs would be like Oliver Twist going to Fagin in the Treasury for help. Perhaps the most striking part of the survey is the desire to remain within the EU by our young people. Gimmickry, pantomime antics and fear-mongering about immigration does not take them in. They are our future and I'm proud to see that they are confident, outward-looking and mobile in both thought and movement. Over the past 15 years we have done so much to create a better future for them; one not to be eclipsed or stolen away by xenophobia or partisan politics - as my generation's was. Their spirit of positivity, good sense and inclusion is Northern Ireland's greatest hope for a safe, strong and prosperous future. As this survey shows, people here know that a vote for the future is a vote to Remain on June 23. Tom Kelly is chair of Northern Ireland Stronger in Europe Shutterstock.com Its good to be a little vain. Fashion is just one among many expressions of the self, but, my, what a glorious expression it can be. Few things herald a personality quite so well. Fashion editor and former Vogue editor-in-chief, Diana Vreeland, once wrote that I loathe narcissism, but I approve of vanity, a sentiment that captures an unexpected truththere is such a thing as healthy vanity, separate from unhealthy self-obsession. American culture often tells us that utility is whats important, and that practicality is kinga king dressed in drab gray on a concrete throne. Were often made to feel that paying special attention to our appearance is a kind of little sin, that well be somehow less intelligent, less empathetic, and overall, less truly happy, if we are a bit vain. But it is not so! Respect for oneself, self-awareness, and paying attention to how our appearance affects those around us, are tools for our everyday happiness. Lets take a look at how that well-tied scarf or lovely, layered winter wear can make your life better. Your brain loves novelty. And few worlds are as fluid as the world of fashion. The colors, lights, textures, and faces are a constantly shifting melange of trends. Its well documented that new experiences and environments have a dramatic effect upon the brain. Reward circuitry is stimulated, causing us to feel euphoric. Cognitive processesthe attributes which affect learning, such as memory, visual processing, and problem solvingare enhanced. From an evolutionary perspective, this is because new stimuli must be investigated as benefit or danger to help ensure survival. Were simply wired to appreciate the new, and our bodies reward us for indulging. Changing your wardrobe based not only on trends, but on the shifting expressions of your inner self, is a kind of self-reinvention that can give a neurological boost to both your mood, and your mind. So try it! Apart from the novelty of fashion, choice of color also affects the mind in various ways, depending on your personal background. Generally, if you find yourself down, swathe yourself in yellows or reds, which promote energy and excitement, both in yourself and others. Feel anxious? Dress yourself in hues of blue for a calming air. Greens work well in promoting a sense of stability and prosperity. And purple, of course, promotes a sense of luxury and creativity. Jeannie Mai, host of the Style Networks How Do I Look, advocates what she calls "Wearapy" using clothing and texture to enhance peoples moods and lives. This works both because of the subjective, preexisting associations we each have, but also because of certain innate, physiological reactions to color. For example, Andrew Elliot, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Rochester, in his study, Romantic Red: Red Enhances Mens Attraction to Women, states that red excites us because it mimics the red flush of sexual excitement. With color producing strong physiological, as well as psychological responses, be aware of the colors (and textures!) which sooth or impassion you, as well as those that might dampen your mood. Youll be the the happier for it. The benefits of being fashionable extend beyond the chemical processes of the brain, and into the social world. Like it or not, others make judgments about us in less than a secondin about 1/10 of a second, to cite current research. Being aware of how we affect others with our appearance allows for something spectacularopportunity. Dress as if you expect to, whilst walking down the sidewalk, have a Lamborghini screech to a halt in front of you, the door flinging open to reveal a foreign monarch who demands that you show them the best of your city. After all, you never know when you may find yourself in a conversation with that executive who holds the power to get you that coveted raise or job position. Author Oscar Wilde was correct when he observed that, You can never be overdressed or overeducated.this has proven to be absolutely true. According to Dr. Karen Pine, Professor of Psychology, people "who dress like the boss are more likely to get appointed and promoted quicker." She goes on to also say that well dressed people also appear more "trustworthy and competent" to others in all situations. And at the simplest level, you might just put a smile on a strangers face, which is always worthwhile. Fashion is a language without words, constantly communicating about us. Do you know what you're saying about yourself? Far from being the mere act of blindly following trends, or a simple tool to manipulate others, a sense of personal style is, ultimately, an expression of the self. Its all about you, and that feels good. Communicating who you are is always a satisfying and enriching experience because we are social beings. We strive to be known. We need to be known. Trends come and go, but the art of picking and choosing pieces from those different trends, and even from different time periods, is what surpasses fashion and becomes style. Lauren Hutton, American model and actress, once said that Fashion is what youre offered four times a year by designers. And style is what you choose. Style is the message you send out to the world. This is a taste of who I am! it proclaims. And because of our social nature, the mere act of courageously making that proclamation is one which can bring about happiness and self-assurance. Harmonizing what you wear with your very soul is a celebration of your history, your memories, your loves and appreciations. It encourages a sense of deep personal pride. Finding your style means you have found yourself, and that is always a worthwhile journey to undertake. The psychology of fashion is an area few are aware of, and fewer use to their advantage. As in every part of your life, awareness of self is one of the keys to happinessknow what you love, and, just as importantly, what you dont. People will stare. Make it worth their while. Harry Winston Wesley Baines is a graduate student at Regent University's School of Divinity, and a freelance writer working in the fields of spirituality, self-help, and religion. He is also a former editor at Beliefnet.com. You can catch more of his work at www.wesleybaines.com. Be aware of how choosing to engage with fashion and establishing styles affects you on a physical, emotional, and psychological level. Be aware of how it affects others, their perceptions of you, and of the opportunities that arise from both looking and feeling great. And know, in the end, that it isnt enough to simply look nice. Confidence and happiness arise from withintheyre often locked inside our true selves, which lie in wait to be discovered. Great personal style is merely one of the results of purposeful examination of our own lives. So look within, find your roots, and express them in a purposeful manner. Look at your own soul in the mirror, love it, and smile at how beautiful it is. Be a little vain. YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Speaker of Parliament Eduard Sharmazanov says the Armenian Armed Forces and the Nagorno Karabakhi Armed Forces have properly fulfilled their responsibilities and duties. Sharmazanovs statement comes after Samvel Babayan, Former commander of the Nagorno Karabakhi Defense Army, said as if the Armenian side had not taken enough security measures, unlike Azerbaijan. During the 4 day war, the Azerbaijani blitzkrieg has failed. Azerbaijan failed to capture any settlement. All settlements are under the control of Nagorno Karabakhi forces, Sharmazanov said. He added that the failure of Azerbaijani forces prove that Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh pay serious attention to the security measures. We have stated numerous times that our main aim is security, he said. The distribution was arranged by members of the Enga Writers Association and included formal presentation ceremonies at Kopen Secondary School and Kandep High School which were recorded by NBC Radio Enga. Other books also highly regarded by recipients were the Crocodile Prize Anthology 2015 and recent issues of Air Niuginis informative in-flight magazine, Paradise. TRICKERY at the Crocodile Pool, a collection of childrens stories sponsored by the Paga Hill Development Company, has been well received by headmasters and senior teachers of six schools in the Wabag District were Enga Province. Robert Upe, editor of Air Niuginis in-flight magazine Paradise, hearing that the magazine was well received by Wabag schools, told me he would continue to send every issue to the Enga Writers Association so more schools will receive it. Ben Tamalele, represented the Division of Education, said this was a good initiative by the newly-formed Enga Writers Association to distribute good reading books to schools so students and teachers can read them to improve literacy. He said reading and writing skills of most Enga students is low and he encouraged teachers to help their students to read and write. Mark Sakol, principal of Wabag Primary School, said it was good the national government had abolished the outcome-based education concept of education which had been an obstacle to writing, reading and speaking good English. A senior teacher from Par Primary School said now an Enga Writers Association was formed, she would encourage her students to read and write more. Other participants from Robert Ganim High School, Birip Primary School, Par Primary School, Sari Primary School, Irelya Primary School and Wabag Primary School said they will encourage their students to write short stories, poems, essays and legends and possibly publish them in an anthology of writing from Wabag schools. Students and teachers from Wabag Primary School have already sent in entries. One of the poems written by a Grade 6 student Kuring Mond, entitled Hold fast your dream, was included in a new book expected to be published in September. It is a collection of poems, first impression pieces and essays about Enga Province. I chose the poem because it is thought-provoking to see that a young pupil in a primary school has dreams for the future. To get students to express themselves like this, I think it is important for teachers to encourage all of our students to write more. Hold fast your dream KURING MOND Hold fast your dream If you let it die you will be like a bird with a broken wing that cannot fly Hold fast your dream But when dreams go Life is like a barren field frozen over with snow Hold fast your dream You have something to hope for something to live for something to do in life Reading and writing not only improve English comprehension but give students confidence and an opportunity to think, analyse and express themselves as they grow up. The title of the new book, already submitted for publication, is Cant Sleep. I took it from a poem written in 1984 by Grade 7c students at Laiagam High School about how they worried so much about their future when different tribal fights were fought near the school. Laiagam High School was eventually destroyed during prolonged fighting. The participants at the recent meeting talked about the possibility of providing incentives to get our students in Enga schools to write more. But I said, since the Enga Writers Association has no funds, the schools themselves could organise such initiatives if they wished. An Engan Living in Port Moresby, Corney Korakan Alone, has offered to provide funding to get our students to write good essays and he suggested a tittle Why tribal fighting is bad for Enga. The participants acknowledged his generosity and willingness to help improve literacy levels of students in Enga Province. If other people come forward to sponsor other categories like poem, short story, legend or essay, the Enga Wrters Association will organise a province-wide contest. The end result would be An Anthology of Enga Schools Writing. But for now, the Enga Writers Association remains optimistic that Wabag district schools will publish an anthology in the not too distant future if the interest already shown by Sari, Wabag, Irelya, Par, Birip Primary Schools and Robert Ganim High School is any indication. Indonesian police escort an underage suspect in the gang rape and killing of a 14-year-old girl for a meeting with the Indonesian Minister of Womens Empowerment and Childrens Protection in Bengkulu, Sumatra, May 5, 2016. Under a controversial new presidential decree in Indonesia, convicted rapists of children can be put to death or punished through chemical castration. Responding to public outrage over last months gang rape and killing in Sumatra of a 14-year-old girl by a group of 14 males that included at least seven minors, President Joko Jokowi Widodo on Wednesday issued a regulation in lieu of law establishing such harsher penalties for those sex-based crimes, including rapes of adults. The new regulation also stipulates that convicted rapists can have microchips implanted in their bodies to monitor their whereabouts after they serve out their prison sentences. It also calls for publication of their identities as sexual predators. Extraordinary crimes need to be handled in extraordinary ways, Jokowi said, declaring sexual offenses against children as extraordinary crimes, according to information posted on the Indonesian Cabinet Secretarys website. It is hoped that the new regulation can provide a deterrent effect for potential violators so the number of sexual crimes against children decreases, Jokowi told reporters in the State Palace. The regulation also strengthens an existing child protection law by increasing the minimum prison sentence from three years to 10 years. Apart from the possibility of capital punishment or chemical castration, the regulation also adds the possibility of a life sentence for offenders. The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) echoed the presidents words. I think it will have a deterrent effect. A bit radical, but this shows that the state is there to protect children from sexual predators, commission representative Erlinda told BenarNews on Thursday. Cruel, inhuman punishment However, Indonesian human rights advocacy groups are challenging the regulation. While they agree on harsher punishments for rapists, they view castrating or executing convicted child molesters and rapists as too extreme. Its degrading, Maneger Nasution, a member of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), told BenarNews. A penalty, while it is supposed to be a harsh punishment, should make people become better. And according to Mariana Aminuddin, a member of the National Commission of Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan), the regulation wont change the mentality of sex offenders. It is only to scare people by using cruel, inhuman punishment, Mariana told BenarNews. In fact, since 1998, the government has ratified the convention against torture and other cruel, and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Now, [the government] has done the contrary. Komnas Perempuan claims that 70 percent of perpetrators of violence against children and women are family members or close to the victims. Through 2015, it recorded 321,752 reported cases of sexual abuse, which averaged 881 cases per day. Not retroactive The new regulation will not apply to those convicted of child molestation or rape before May 25, including the 14 males in the Sumatra gang-rape case and murder who have already been convicted, according to Law and Human Rights Minister Yasoona Laoli. The regulation also will not apply to underage suspects who are subject to Indonesias Juvenile Criminal Justice System Law, he said. The government will soon send the regulation to the House of Representatives. We hope our colleagues will agree with the president and pass it into a law, the minister told reporters. Soebagyo Firman, chairman of the legislation division of the House of Representatives, told BenarNews that it had not yet received a copy of the regulation. Once we receive it, we will discuss it to determine whether the regulation is complete or not, he said. A Malaysian woman looks out at a Malaysia Airlines plane parked on the tarmac at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Feb. 25, 2016. Updated at 5:12 p.m. ET on 2016-05-26 Malaysian immigration officers are among some 100 people being investigated for alleged involvement in sabotaging a system designed to improve immigration services, government investigators announced Thursday following a three-month probe at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Some of the people suspected of sabotaging the program known as the Malaysian Immigration System (MyIMMs) over the last six years were in police custody, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told reporters Thursday, according to the Bernama state news agency. Investigations showed the sabotage involved immigration support and middle-class officers and no high-level officials were involved, Zahid said. The officers were working in cohort with the syndicate for financial rewards. Let me reiterate that we will not protect anyone who has committed such wrongdoings, he said, adding, In fact, we want action be taken against them. Intelligence gathered by police and the Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM) revealed that the syndicate had taken part in activities breaching departmental procedures over the past six months to two years through leaking data, which included code numbers, Bernama quoted Zahid as saying. The announcement came amid the recent arrests in Thailand of two non-Malaysian people who were taken into custody for allegedly traveling on fake Malaysian passports. Sabotage began in 2010 Without going into detail about the scope of the sabotage or how it occurred, Immigration Department Director General Sakib Kusmi revealed that it began six years ago. Let the police investigate first. When it is completed, we will find the answer, Sakib told BenarNews. An immediate crackdown was needed because of the depth of the sabotage, Sakib told Bernama. Immigration officers will face stern action including dismissal if they are found to have participated in the scheme, he said. Zahid told Bernama that the investigation had focused on the Kuala Lumpur airport, but other entry points into the country would be investigated as well. On Tuesday, a task force headed by Home Ministry Secretary-General Alwi Ibrahim was formed to investigate weaknesses in the immigration system. Released on May 17, the Auditor General's Report for 2015 stated that MyIMMs, which was set up to streamline and improve Malaysias immigration services, was not functioning satisfactorily. The report cited the example of how a biometric facility valued at 10.3 million ringgits (U.S. $2.5 million), and which was designed to screen and identify foreigners as well Malaysians at the countrys entry points, had not been installed and was not being used. The countrys immigration and passport system made news on Wednesday when a Chinese citizen was detained at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok while allegedly trying to use a fake Malaysian passport. Wang Jianghua, who was arrested by Thai immigration police, admitted paying U.S. $6,000 to buy a fake passport over the Internet, according to reports. His arrest followed an incident on May 14 when a Sri Lankan national was arrested at Chiang Mai Airport while allegedly traveling with a fake Malaysian passport. Investigators determined that the passport belonged to a Malaysian woman. Ahmad Najmi Nasruddin contributed to this report. An earlier version gave a wrong date for the publication of the Auditor General's Report. The UPNG Council yesterday announced suspension of the semester but in an interview with Radio Australias Pacific Beat, vice-chancellor Dr Albert Schram (pictured) said his students were doing what they felt was the right thing for the country. Students throughout Papua New Guinea are calling on Prime Minister Peter ONeill to step aside and face an investigation over corruption allegations. While the University of Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby has closed its doors to more than 4,500 striking students, the University of Technology in PNGs second city Lae has taken a more neutral stance, reports Radio Australia. ADMINISTRATIONS at both of Papua New Guineas two major universities adopted contrasting approaches to dealing with the national student standoff against the prime minister. This is really a national student movement with all the state universities participating. Its been endorsed by two former prime ministers, a former Supreme Court judge, a former attorney-general and an ombudsman, he told Pacific Beat. These are very respectable and accomplished Papua New Guineans who believe that the students are fundamentally right in their demands. Dr Schram said a student referendum overseen by the countrys Electoral Commission eased tensions around his universitys class boycott, but UPNG students had not been allowed to hold a similar vote. The poll showed that the overwhelming majority of students at Unitech were in favour of boycott. That created a clarity which has been lacking at UPNG, and frankly I question the present stance of the [UPNG] management and the council, Dr Schram told Pacific Beat. If you dont allow the students to hold a referendum, then youre damned if you do and youre damned if you dont its not fair. Students at the University of Technology have even travelled to nearby towns and provinces to explain their boycott to the public, reports Radio Australia. Dr Schram says while the university leadership is not anti-government, it supports the right of boycotting students to express themselves democratically. I wish [the students] would not have been faced with this choice of choosing between their studies and their only chance to finish higher education, often sponsored by their parents and the whole clan and what they feel is the right thing to do for the country, he said. He said it was unlikely that the University of Technology would suspend semester one classes in the same way UPNG has. Weve had four boycotts over the last five years and the longest lasted about five weeks, and weve always been able to finish the academic year, Dr Schram said. So as long as they dont last for, lets say more than two months, its possible for the academic board to rearrange the calendar. Centro will get a cut of $59.3 million in federal funding awarded to upstate New York transportation systems. The agency will receive $4,165,500, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday. The total includes $1,737,500 for Centro's operations in Cayuga County. The funds will be used for operating aid and to replace four buses. Centro also has been awarded $2.3 million to support its routes in Oswego County, most of which will be used to replace five buses. And the agency will get $128,000 for operating assistance in Onondaga County. Centro operates in four central New York counties Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga and Oswego. Rick Lee, CEO of Centro, said the funding is specifically targeted at rural communities. For Cayuga and Oswego counties, it will help replace buses that are reaching the end of their useful lives. "This is money we hoped would be coming and it is coming, so we'll be moving forward with replacement of four buses in Auburn," he said. Statewide, transit systems will receive $36.8 million in capital grants and $22.5 million in operating assistance, according to the governor's office. Centro and other agencies will use the grants to purchase 212 new clean-fuel vehicles. "Strong and reliable public transportation systems are critical to supporting growth in every corner of New York," Cuomo said in a statement. "With this funding, we are helping to modernize our transportation infrastructure, which in turn will open the door to more opportunities for residents and businesses, and continue moving regional economies forward." The funding was made available through the Federal Transit Administration. The grants were administered by the state Department of Transportation. First up, Joe Biden is thinking about dropping tariffs against China. But theres a spy in prison this morning that helps us understand why he shouldnt. Ill explain. Your second brief, If youre looking for a good paying job, you might consider being a CEO for a health insurance company. One executive made $142M dollars last year. Let's talk about that. And as always, Im keeping an eye out for developing stories. Put this one on your radar. Mexican cartels are grooming American kids online and paying them cash to traffic illegals or run drugs across the border. Ill share details. If you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief, remember to subscribe and listen daily at podfollow.com/pdb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices For Immediate Release, May 23, 2016 Contact: Jenny Loda, (510) 844-7100 x 336, jloda@biologicaldiversity.org Four U.S. Freshwater Turtles Receive International Trade Protection WASHINGTON Coinciding with World Turtle Day, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a final rule today to regulate and monitor international trade of common snapping turtles and three softshell turtles. The rule, which responds in part to a 2011 request from the Center for Biological Diversity documenting the harms of the turtle trade, is designed to curb overexploitation of these freshwater turtles for Asian food and medicinal markets. It adds the turtles to Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Im so happy to see the United States taking this important step to save our freshwater turtles, said Jenny Loda, a biologist and attorney with the Center dedicated to protecting rare amphibians and reptiles. Turtle traders are depleting U.S. populations at a frightening rate, so close monitoring of this trade is absolutely necessary. Most of the more than 2 million wild-caught, live turtles exported from the United States each year supply food and medicinal markets in Asia, where native turtle populations have already been depleted by soaring consumption. Adult turtles are also taken from the wild to breed hatchlings for the international pet trade. Overexploitation has caused population declines in almost all turtle species, with many now either protected as endangered under the Endangered Species Act or under consideration for such protection. A 2013 study estimated that half of all turtle species worldwide are threatened with extinction. Commercial trade only compounds the problems native turtles already face from habitat destruction, water pollution and being hit and killed by cars, Loda said. These protections will prevent trade in illegally acquired animals and allow the United States to track trade of the species. Todays rule adds four turtles common snapping turtles, Florida softshell turtles, smooth softshell turtles and spiny softshell turtles to a list called CITES Appendix III. Trade in Appendix III species requires an export permit and documentation that the animal was caught or acquired in compliance with the law, allowing the U.S. to closely monitor trade. The animals must also be shipped using methods designed to prevent cruel treatment. Background The United States is a turtle biodiversity hotspot, home to more types of turtles than any other country in the world. As part of a campaign to protect this rich natural heritage, the Center in 2008 and 2009 petitioned states with unrestricted commercial turtle harvest to improve harvest regulations. In 2009 Florida responded by banning almost all commercial harvest of freshwater turtles from public and private waters; in 2012 Georgia approved state rules regulating the commercial harvest of turtles; and Alabama completely banned commercial harvests. The Center has also petitioned to protect several species of imperiled freshwater turtles under the Endangered Species Act. The common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) is a large, mostly aquatic turtle, weighing as much as 50 pounds, with strong claws, webbed toes and a hard shell often covered in mud or algae. It spends most of its time lying on the bottom of a deep pool or buried in the mud in shallow water, with only its eyes and nostrils exposed. The common snapper occurs in the eastern half of the United States, as well as in Canada, Mexico and as far south as Ecuador. The turtles are suffering slow declines in many areas from urbanization, excessive harvest for food, road mortality and water pollution. Studies have shown that some populations cannot withstand even minimal collection without suffering population declines. Common snapping turtles are second only to red-eared sliders in terms of number of live individuals exported each year. Softshell turtles (Apalone spp.) are large aquatic turtles with flat, leathery shells. Because of their large size, these unfortunate favorites in the turtle trade are routinely harvested for food. The Florida softshell (A. ferox) is found in parts of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and throughout Florida. The smooth softshell (A. mutica) ranges from the Ohio River drainage of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois; the upper Mississippi watershed from Minnesota and Wisconsin; and the Missouri River of North Dakota and South Dakota south to the western Florida panhandle and west to central Texas. The spiny softshell (A. spinifera) ranges from western New York, western Pennsylvania and southern Ontario west to the Dakotas, Montana, Nebraska and Wyoming, and south to North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and the Gulf coastal states, then west to Arizona and New Mexico. Humans cause the greatest threats to softshell turtles through overharvest, habitat destruction, pollution and vehicle strikes. Learn more about the Centers campaign to stop the amphibian and reptile extinction crisis. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. Find out how things will change and how they'll stay the same in this exclusive chat with the newly appointed group CEO and MD of BBDO South Africa as they take up the drumsticks. BBDO SA recently announced the promotion of Net#work BBDOs managing director Boniswa Pezisa to group CEO. Stepping into her shoes as MD is deputy managing director Gau Narayanan. Left to right: Keith Shipley (BBDO executive chairman) with Boniswa Pezisa (group CEO) and Gau Narayanan (Net#work MD). We chatted to Pezisa and Narayan to find out what theyll bring to the BBDO table under their new guises this month Pezisa, whos been with the agency for two decades and counting, is responsible for Net#works recent surge of success that includes 27 awards in both effectiveness and creativity in local and global awards over the past 18 months. Shes also a respected industry icon, also known for serving as deputy chairperson of the Association for Communication & Advertising, sitting on the Advertising Standards Consumer Complaints' Committee of the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa and is past chairperson of the Loerie Awards as well as a founding director of The Dreamfields Project. Little wonder as she describes herself as a servant leader who is values- and culture-driven; a social activist and nurturer who would entertain the queen and peasants equally with the same passion and love, as well as a fixer and tough negotiator who understands the importance of both the iron- and velvet-glove approach. Strong female footing As group CEO, Pezisa says shell put these skills to use in meeting her responsibility for the BBDO Group in South Africa, encompassing its strategy and growth amongst other key business areas. And while its wonderful to see a top-level black female promotion, not enough is being done in the local creative industry to shatter the global 3% problem. Pezisa points out that the advertising and communications industry has changed drastically in the past few years, and not necessarily for good. For example, she says: Across all sectors, including government, South Africa has gone backwards, the strides made in the late 1990s and early 2000s feel like they have been lost, partly because of the lack of emphasis on the subject. She adds that the SA marketing/communication/advertising industry in particular has been dealt with a few blows due to top female executives leaving the industry and new challenges brought to the industry by another wave of globalisation. As a cutting-edge industry, Pezisa feels, We have been very slow in embracing technology in order to make womens positions much more palatable, more so at the top-end by enabling them to leverage technology in order to juggle their multiple duties. That said, she remains a perpetual optimist fuelled by passion for the South African and how advertising and brands can bridge South Africas literacy problem when leveraged correctly. With that in mind, Pezisa says BBDOs new leadership team intends to build from the foundation theyve been solidifying over the past two years. Narayan adds: We have some exciting innovations that well be launching soon that will be testament to this. We have brought in people from very different backgrounds who will help us produce work that is future-facing and will start to answer the demands of our clients who want agencies to be good, fast, cost-effective, and on-brand. The big idea: Strategic consumer insight This includes strategic alliances that will allow the agency to add value to clients by bringing deep consumer insight that will empower their marketing, while also unleashing relevant and resonant meaning through the work they produce. Known as the GauTrain or Energizer bunny of the agency for his relentless energy, enthusiasm and speed, Narayanan is focused on doing the right thing rather than the easy thing. Hes also an optimist for whom the glass is always half-full and has a strategic medium-/long-term focus thats so people-centric and based on developing talent that he says, Seeing them realise their potential is the most satisfying thing in our business. As the new MD, Narayanan has one priority then: to prepare and equip the agency to be future-ready and prepared for the challenges that modern communications will bring. He explains: Our vision is to be inspired by and embrace the rich creativity of Africa and to develop world-class work that puts Africa on the map. Operationally, this is based on putting in systems and processes that allows the group to create and produce the kind of work they need to be making today and tomorrow, while collaborating with best-in-class partners to ensure they have the people to make the work happen and ensuring the agencys cultural DNA remains as is. We are creatively led, big idea-focussed, with a carrot rather than a stick mentality. This allows us to produce big, integrated work with multiple partners that drives salience and fame at scale for our clients brand and business while developing the capability in digital, social, content and analytics that will allow us to produce big, integrated ideas. Sounds like theyre banging out just the right beat to lead the group into the future. Click here for more on BBDO and follow their Twitter feed for the latest updates. Veteran South African journalist and Press Council director Joe Thloloe says that despite the often love-hate relationship between the media and particular individuals, the future of journalism in the country is both essential and promising. "In general, the public love the work that the media is doing. If it was not for the persistent effort by the media, we would not have known about Nkandla," Thloloe, who has more than 50 years' experience in print and broadcast journalism and is a former press ombudsman, said in Port Elizabeth yesterday. Thloloe, 73, was speaking to journalists regarding the Press Council's release of an updated booklet on its code of ethics and conduct for South African print and online media. The organisation has combined the work of the Press Council with that of online publication which is regulated by the Interactive Advertising Bureau of South Africa (IABSA). "The public is aware of the tremendous work by journalists," he said. "However, there has been antagonism relating to certain individuals. If the media exposes the wrong, I [the subject] will forever hold grudges against the publication. "But for those who read the story, they will say the media did an excellent job in exposing this. The love-hate relationship is a necessary relationship," he said. The booklet advises anybody who feels print or online publications have failed to live up to the press code of ethics and conduct to lodge a complaint with the Press Council's public advocate " either by letter, fax, SMS or e-mail " within 20 working days of the publication of the story. It further states that if necessary the public advocate will assist anyone in formulating the complaint. For more details the Press Council can be reached at az.gro.namsdubmo@namsdubmosserp. Source: Herald Pioneer Foods recently joined forces with Energy Partners to roll out a national solar programme, which entails the installation of large commercial solar systems with a combined size of over 2531 kilowatt peak (kWp) at five of Pioneer's manufacturing facilities, including Wadeville, Clayville, Bloemfontein, Klerksdorp and Worcester. The project is expected to yield a total savings of R116m over the next 25 years. Pioneer Foods Klerksdorp plant with solar system Niel Tolken, project engineer of Pioneer Foods said: Sustainability is an integral part of the companys overall strategy. The installation of alternative energy is a part of the organisations journey towards minimising its carbon footprint. We are very satisfied with the quality of the installation and we look forward to the anticipated results. Manie de Waal, head of the solar division of Energy Partners said: The solar programme allows the sites to generate solar electricity for its own consumption at a cost of up to 18% less than that of an electricity supplier. In addition to its savings potential, the installation of these solar solutions will also decrease the companys carbon footprint. The total annual effective carbon offset for these solar plants is approximately 3,800 tonnes per year. Long life milk is democratising nutrition for many Africans, because it has qualities beneficial to transportation and storage, while it hurdles a major continental challenge: electricity supply. Fridges - from those used on vehicles to transport chilled products to those in retail outlets and, finally, peoples homes - need some form of electricity. Unfortunately, according to The World Bank, the total installed electricity-generating capacity in 48 sub-Saharan Africa countries is roughly the equivalent of Spain. Frighteningly, as much as one-quarter of that meagre supply is offline at any given time, due to poor maintenance and ageing infrastructure. Regardless, one in five sub-Saharan Africans simply do not have access to electricity and fewer than 40% of African countries will achieve universal access to electricity by 2050. Milk and dairy products are nutrient dense. They provide high-quality protein and micronutrients in an easily absorbed form, which can benefit both nutritionally vulnerable people and healthy people. Milk is an ideal source of protein and calcium, and also contains a range of essential vitamins and minerals. Pure milk by a different process Long life milk is the same good quality and pure milk by a different process. Ultra-high temperature, or UHT, is the process that leads to long-life milk. It is one of the key ingredients to producing fresh milk that lasts so long without any preservatives. UHT milk is subjected to special thermal treatment, which destroys germs and preserves vitamins and nutrients. In the absence of bacteria activity and with the pre-sterilisation of the packaging, the milk becomes less perishable; through ultra-pasteurisation, the validity period of milk is prolonged without adding preservatives. The temperatures to which it is heated lie beyond the boiling point (135C to 150C), but the boiling time is very short: two to four seconds). This very short stage of heating and cooling destroys bacteria and micro-organisms and ensures the preservation of vitamins and proteins, unlike normal milk boiling, which doesnt destroy all germs and bacteria, but instead destroys its nutritional value. Coupled to the advanced packaging, milk remains as fresh when opened as the day it was packaged. The carton packaging, which contains six critical layers, locks in the freshness and nutrition of the product and locks out what would destroy it the suns rays, believe it or not, and bugs in the air around us. The layers consist of paper, the main component, which provides strength and stiffness, a small amount of polyethylene that makes the package liquid-tight and provides a barrier against micro-organisms, and aluminium foil that keeps air, light and off-flavours or odours out, all of which have the ability to cause liquid foods to spoil. Thats why, if you keep the lid on a long life pack, it can be kept unrefrigerated for at least six months. Consumption by LSM segment Whether it be low availability for formal distribution channels in certain locations, poor infrastructure, low income or a non-milk-drinking culture, Africans do not consume nearly the quantities of milk and milk products as Europeans. Milks penetration in South Africa across all LSM segments is on average 90%, but the volume of consumption is quite different between the LSM segments. Consumption is around 20 litres per household a year for LSM segments one to four, and much higher at around 100 litres a year per household for LSM segments 9 to 10. Growing UHT volumes indicate that fresh, ambient milk is important to many Africans as a source of nutrition and whole foods. Simultaneously, health and convenience are appealing factors to the growing, urbanising middle class of Africans supporting growth of on-the-go portion packs flavoured milks. According to Nielsen, in 2015 long-life milk represented 54.7% of total volume of liquid milk in South Africa, following a growth trend in the past two years. Besides its convenience for transportation and storage, the variety of sizes of containers also contributes to the availability of milk across informal trade, such as spaza shops. Today, long life makes it possible to access nutritious, good quality, and safe milk in cities and rural areas. The convenience of ambient storage helps families never running out of milk in the busy life of big cities. All types of milk will continue to have an important role for consumers and retailers, but long life makes possible nutrition to reach far and beyond, and thats described into Tetra Paks vision of making food safe and available everywhere and to everyone, in all African countries. The $108bn megabrewer merger inched closer to completion on Tuesday, when the European Commission granted conditional approval to Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) for the acquisition of SABMiller. The expected announcement by the South African Competition Commission was delayed until Wednesday. Late on Tuesday, it was unclear whether the commission was going to recommend conditional approval of the transaction, or ask for a further extension. Commission spokesman Itumeleng Lesofe would not respond to requests for a status update. He said the commission had decided that no public announcements would be made "until we're ready to make our recommendation". While some analysts speculated that the commission was set to recommend conditional approval of the transaction, others believed it had been hoping to get a 15-day extension, but this had been blocked by the merging parties. The European Commission said on Tuesday that clearance for the deal was conditional on AB InBev selling practically the entire SABMiller beer business in Europe. It said it was concerned that the transaction, as initially notified, could have led to higher beer prices in its member states because it would have removed an important competitor and made tacit co-ordination between the leading international brewers more likely. By offering to divest practically all of SABMiller's beer business in Europe, AB InBev had tackled this issue. Margrethe Vestager, the commissioner in charge of European Union (EU) competition policy, said that Tuesday's decision would ensure that competition was not weakened, and that EU consumers were not worse off. AB InBev agreed to sell some of its leading European brands including Peroni and Grolsch, to Japan's Asahi Group to secure approval from the European Commission. And more recently, it undertook to sell the bulk of its East European beer brands including Pilsner Urquell. The European approval is the first of four preconditions to the deal's completion. The other three conditions are approval from the South African, Chinese and US authorities. Last week, SABMiller CEO Alan Clark said neither SABMiller nor AB InBev expected the deal to be completed before 12 August, when SABMiller was due to pay its final dividend. He confirmed the merging parties expected completion sometime in the second half of this financial year. European approval is the first of four preconditions. Source: Business Day This question has come up a lot lately. Clients ask. Marketing peers ask. Heck, even PRs ask! The resounding answer is YES. It is still relevant, but its had a makeover And needs some PR (ironically). To set the record straight, lets cut to the chase: Contrary to common perceptions, PR does not only involve traditional media relations; it also includes stakeholder, blogger and influencer relations, reputation management, corporate and brand communications. And much more. But for some reason traditional media relations has just stuck. And is why the professions sustainability comes under attack way too often. Traditional is falling, but its not an avalanche For years digital has claimed to be the Armageddon of traditional media. Yes, the Nov 2015 ABCs reveal that, as a category, magazines are down by 4,5% and daily newspapers by 2.7%. But the last time I checked Huisgenoots circ was 230,000. Or take Woman & Home. With a monthly circ of 92,000 its doing pretty well for a has been. Its important to take these numbers into context before completely writing off an entire media life-line that creates jobs, provides a platform for advertisers and keeps millions of people entertained, informed and engaged. On demand is in demand That said, there is no denying that the media power is firmly in the hands of the people. Thanks to a variety of handy gadgets and better bandwidth, we can dip in and out of our favourite series, when we want, catch the news as it happens, from anywhere, and get lost in our favourite blog or app at a whim. Or, we can do it all at once if we wish. But this ambidexterity doesnt mean weve become uninterested in current affairs, the latest scandals or trends; it means were consuming content in a different on-demand way. And thats what PR and its clients need to get on board with. A world of new editorial opportunities Editorial or earned media as its now called still holds a heck of a lot of weight. Advertising sells. PR tells. And were using online media, bloggers and influencers to help us do it. Its hard to believe now, but there was a time when an online article used to turn a clients nose up. Who wants to be online? theyd say. A full-page feature in a weekly newspaper carries so much more thud factor. Fast forward to 2016 and, depending on where that online article appears, it can have as much, if not more impact (and reach), than its physical form. Take Business Day for instance. A respected daily business and financial publication it sells approximately 29,300 copies a day* while its online version www.bdlive.com has 601,916 uniques a month. If a PR generated article is published on BDLive there is also potential for it to be tweeted to its 143,000 followers, which then can be retweeted on and on and on. Thats pretty good exposure. Or what about an app? Convenient and quick, the likes of News24 round-up the latest must-knows at a glance. Or, if you have more than a few seconds, browse their and their sister publications for opinion pieces, features and multi-media content. All of which can be shared, should you need to tell all your friends about it. Then theres the medias social networks. Side-stepping their physical and online platforms entirely, pitching a piece of content to House & Leisures Facebook page (44,865 followers) could, if it was shared enough, generate as many views as an article in its hard copy magazine (136,000 readers). Or, how about that post a journalist just shared about your new product? If youre @JennSanasie thats to an audience of 2,500 or 26,300 if youre @alechogg. Thought leaders and social media kings and queens Bloggers and influencers are now as common a channel for PR folk as the media. And if your brand is aimed young, theyre probably in the majority. Collaborating with an influential blogger for instance can propel your campaign or story into the social stratosphere; providing youve worked in tandem and not dictated the storyline. Bloggers want traffic. And good content helps drive it. Provide good material (read: exclusive and collaborative) and you have the potential to reach their communitys community. Etcetera, etcetera. Influencers are key too. And they dont all want to be paid. There are plenty of very active communities on social media who are open to working together and sharing good content providing its high quality, relevant and shareable of course, and you support them back. A tweet is worth a thousand words What this means is that a post made by a thought leader in their field (journalist, blogger or influencer) has as much if not more clout than a full-page feature in a leading broadsheet. Not to mention the leverage you can enjoy by sharing or retweeting. What about the humble press release? It still has its place. It just works differently. Rule number one, do not issue unless you actually have something to say. Its incredible how many clients still ask for a press release as their first choice of approach. Rule number two, share with great images. This is non-negotiable; media want striking pics to use online and in a social post. Video is still a nice-to-have but its pricey to produce; if you can afford it, use it. As are visuals. Infographics have been around for years, but they still have their place and again, are great little pieces of content to share digitally. A release should also be written as you intend for it to be read. So ditch the sales pitch, write a news-story and give it some context; itll go so much further. Or forgo a press release entirely and simply tweet your news, providing its big enough that anyone will care to help carry it for you. Reuse, repurpose, retweet A great piece of content - be it an opinion piece, infographic or video - doesnt only have one life. It can live forever, providing its repurposed for different platforms. An editorial story that traditionally would be written as a release or feature can now be repackaged into a social media series, video or visual and then shared on social as well as among media, bloggers and influencers - assuming it fits their style and tone. In fact, today any and every story should have a minimum of two formats to do it justice. PR is thriving, not dying What all of this means is that the so-called dying PR profession is anything but. There are now more opportunities available to create earned media opportunities (read: free exposure for your brand and business) than ever before. And, within the ever-expanding marketing mix, PR is best placed to generate it; its what weve been doing for years and what well continue doing forever. The platforms have changed, not the profession. *Note that Bizcommunity staff and management do not necessarily share the views of its contributors - the opinions and statements expressed herein are solely those of the author.* The three Democrats vying to unseat U.S. Rep. John Katko in the 24th Congressional District race have agreed to at least one televised debate before the June 28 primary election. Colleen Deacon, Eric Kingson and Steve Williams will participate in a debate that will air at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 25 on NewsChannel 9. Dan Cummings will serve as moderator and Tim Byrnes, chair of political science at Colgate University, will assist with questioning the candidates. More televised debates are expected to be held in the days leading up to the primary. Deacon, D-Syracuse, previously worked as U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's central New York regional director. She's received several endorsements since announcing her candidacy in October, including the support of her former boss and U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer. Last week, Deacon released her first television ad which features Gillibrand, D-N.Y., touting her former aide's work in the region. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee recently added Deacon to its Red to Blue program a sign that the organization believes she's the best candidate to face Katko, R-Camillus, in November. Kingson, D-Manlius, is a Syracuse University professor and Social Security expert. He's picked up a couple of key endorsements, including the support of U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Williams, D-Baldwinsville, is a Syracuse-area attorney who previously served as a U.S. Navy prosecutor. He's been endorsed by U.S. Rep. Steve Israel, the former chair of the DCCC. He was the only candidate to participate in a televised forum at Cayuga Community College. Deacon declined an invitation to attend, while Kingson said the correspondence about the debate landed in his spam folder. After the event, Williams accused his opponents of ducking the debate. The three candidates have participated in several other forums throughout the district, including the Greater Syracuse Labor Council forum last week. Still in the grip of our worst drought in 30 years, water, and the lack of it, is now top of mind in South Africa. Could it be that this drought came just in time to give us the wake-up call that we are already living in a climate-changed world? Christine Colvin Unchartered territory 2015 was a watershed year in many ways. Globally, scientists are agreed that we are now seeing the first impacts of a changing climate that will take centuries to unravel. We are already experiencing a 1C increase in global temperatures and sea-levels are predicted to rise by at least a metre by the end of this century. Although global leaders have committed to bring down our carbon emissions, as planet earth sailed beyond 400ppm levels of CO2 in the atmosphere, we are headed into uncharted territory. That territory looks very dangerous for South Africa. If global temperatures rise by 2C (the best we can hope for at the moment), that will mean a 4C increase for South Africa. The summer of heat waves and late rain for Gauteng, could signify a new normal. Yes, we are a naturally dry country (30th driest) but increased need for domestic food production in a hotter world with more volatile weather systems could mean an unnaturally high frequency of both droughts and floods in different areas of the country. This is going to require a new normal for water management in South Africa, and some bold and dramatic shifts in safe-guarding water resources. Minister Gordhans budget speech urged South Africans to be bold in making much needed structural changes and to innovate. As a country, we need to build more resilience into the vast sector that supplies us with water and as such, four bold moves are needed in this coming year. These are first steps, but these changes can shift us on to a more sustainable trajectory for a drought-buffered, climate-ready economy. Living infrastructure beyond cement and steel The first most fundamental step is a change in the way we view infrastructure. More than R700bn is thought to be needed to upgrade and extend our built water infrastructure to meet our future needs. This hefty bill does not include investment into catchments and the living landscapes that feed our dams. Worldwide investment into catchments has grown and Africa has generally lagged behind. However, if we are to prevent downstream investments being left high and dry or drowned, we cant overlook the ecological foundation. Green infrastructure or ecological infrastructure is the pre-requisite of all other infrastructural investment, from dams to schools and power stations. In South Africa, only 8% of our land area produces 50% of our river flows. These high rainfall, mountainous water source areas are the backbone of our ecological infrastructure. WWF and the CSIR has mapped these water source areas and the Department of Environmental Affairs is proposing a 19th SIP to prioritise their restoration and develop new green economy job opportunities. The multiplier effects of employment, climate-proofing and water returns are compelling for this approach to be adopted by cabinet. Competent institutions needed Secondly, new core water institutions need to work well. The drought has taught us that in most parts of the country local government does not have the capacity to cope. Tankered or bottled water is a short-term emergency measure, which has not always delivered adequate supplies. Long-term planning is needed to include better buffered supplies such as groundwater. The Water Research Commission has supported pilots for managed groundwater recharge, watersensitive urban design, re-use of sewage and mine waste-water. Technologies are proven and available. We now need competent institutions, such as the new Catchment Management Agencies, to be introduced this year, to lead the bold implementation of business unusual. Rethinking water pricing Water is a human right, we have a constitutional right to enough water to be able to meet our basic human needs (25L/ person/ day). However, as we use water beyond our basic needs and as an input to industrial and agricultural production, we need to pay, and the unpopular truth is we need to pay more. This third bold step is being led by the Department of Water and Sanitation and consultation has already begun with key stakeholders on how the price of water can more equitably reflect its value. We have a legacy of a highly subsidised commercial agricultural sector paying too little for water, and prices for bulk water vary over orders of magnitude across the country. Higher prices should drive more responsible and efficient use by water consumers. But our water challenges cannot be met by efficiency alone. A call for collective action The fourth shift is to make water everybodys business and enable collective action on the big water issues. South Africa has some globally recognised water champions in the private sector companies who have driven huge improvements in their operations and then progressed to water stewardship working with others to tackle the big issues that are too overwhelming for companies or individuals alone. Private sector action on shared resources triggers valid fears of resource-capture and imbalanced partnerships with poor communities. Defining the principles and modus operandi for water stewardship is a critical step to ensure we have fair rules of engagement for shared water resources. The water sector has led the charge and has committed to these actions. They now need the highest levels of political and financial support. The drought has heightened our shared understanding of the risks to water security in the new normal of a changed climate world. And if we dont act boldly now, we may neglect our most important responsibility, summarised by Ban-Ki Moon: "We are the first generation that can eliminate poverty, and the last that can put an end to climate change." If the strong rebound in tourist arrivals in the first quarter of this year is any indication, the tourism sector in South Africa is in for a bumper year. Compared to the first quarter of 2015, arrivals for the first three months of 2016 grew by 18.7%. PA?Ater Gudell via 123RF In March alone, the number of tourists who visited South Africa improved by 23.4%, compared to March 2015, according to the Tourism and Migration Report released by Statistics South Africa this week. Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom said the persistent surge in arrivals boded well for the potential of tourism to stimulate a range of economic activity and create jobs across the industrys diverse value chain. The remarkable increase in arrivals recorded in March could be attributed to the Easter holiday falling in March this year while it was in April last year, cautioned Hanekom. But the spectacular overall growth in tourism is part of a trend which started towards the end of last year and played out strongly during our high season. It shows that tourism in South Africa has the enduring capacity to support and grow our national economy. Our task now is to maintain the positive trend by improving our performance throughout the year. Main source markets The United Kingdom continued to be the main source of overseas arrivals in the first quarter of 2016. UK arrivals increased from 129,220 in 2015 to 147,639 in 2016, a growth of about 14.3%. Arrivals from China in the first quarter of this year grew by 65.2% compared to last year, and arrivals from India grew by 16.9% during the same period. Minister Hanekom said the growth from China indicated that the decision of the South African Cabinet to implement a revised visa application process for China has paid off immensely. Accredited Chinese travel companies can now apply for visas on behalf of their clients, making the process much easier for travellers to South Africa. The current exchange rate has benefitted tourists from several source markets. They are finding incredible value in visiting South Africa, said Hanekom. Counter-seasonal marketing strategy All spheres of government, our partners in industry, entrepreneurs and communities must continue working together to make the best of the bumper year we expect. The strong performance during peak season points to the great potential of attracting more visitors in different seasons throughout the year. SA Tourism and the industry are now working together on a counter-seasonal marketing strategy that is aimed at achieving this. Leaders in the tourism industry are working closely with government to accelerate tourism growth, its contribution to the national economy and the creation of more jobs in the future, said Hanekom. What makes a traveller? It's not the physical process of going somewhere, it's rather a state of mind. You can be in a plane or hold a map - geography doesn't make you a traveller, how you experience your trip does. There are some secrets to becoming a traveller rather than just a tourist, secrets that will take you where the magic really is. Locals as professionals Who knows a destination best? Those who live in it. Certainly, tourism professionals can facilitate access to attractions and places of interest, but, for a completely immersive experience, you need to talk to the locals. Its almost like buying a house, you deal with the agent who lives in the area, the one who can tell you where the schools, gyms, shops and outdoor activities are. For a hyper-local travel experience, conversation is essential. Neighbourhoods are constantly evolving, new businesses come and go and older ones bring out refreshing twists to encourage continued support. Different locals will tell you different things according to their tastes, but this allows for a more personalised plan: you choose the things that sound most like the ones youd want to do. Do you love live music? Find out what venues are on offer on what days of the week. Some venues will offer food and drink specials but that information probably wont make it to a brochure. From there you can decide whether you want exposure to new sounds or the comforting, familiar sounds of home. Local specials are particularly popular during winter, when restaurants, attractions and accommodation venues highlight seasonal specials. Cape Town is known for its lively competition between pubs and restaurants for the titles of best burger/pizza/beer theres really only one way to tell, and thats to try them all out. Its not just about food, however, some experiences such as nature walks, small historical tours, kayaking trips or birdwatching expeditions may need some local input in order to track down. People living in suburbs and neighbourhoods often have a camaraderie and love to showcase their friends businesses. Those businesses rely heavily on this kind of word-of-mouth marketing. Where the online locals are You may want to prepare in advance for your trip but you wont have access to local information until you arrive. Thats where social media comes in handy. From neighbourhood and event Facebook pages to Instagram and Twitter hashtags, you can explore whats being spoken about, where the best photo opportunities are and how to get around. Many local restaurants will have social media accounts and hashtags highlighting specials and events. You can find some locals to follow who seem to have the same tastes as you. Who knows, you could even end up meeting online friends in real life and have a braai at someones home or share a coffee in some off-the-beaten-track spot. YouTube is also a good place to look. With little more than some Google search skills, you can find interesting videos about local points of interest. The Love Cape Town Neighbourhoods video series has tapped into this by offering brief snapshots of some special places around the city. This is the new kind of travel, it takes a sense of adventure and an interest in wanting to get to know a place more, but its incredibly rewarding. SAN FRANCISCO: Toyota and Volkswagen announced separate partnerships on Tuesday with rideshare companies Uber and Gett, in the latest such moves by major carmakers. Mirko Vitali via 123RF Japan's Toyota and ridesharing titan Uber said they had entered into a memorandum of understanding to explore collaboration, starting with trials in countries where ridesharing is expanding. "Through this collaboration with Uber, we would like to explore new ways of delivering secure, convenient and attractive mobility services to customers," Shigeki Tomoyama, senior managing officer of Toyota Motor Corporation, said in a joint statement. The deal includes a strategic investment by the Toyota Financial Services Corporation and its Mirai Creation Investment Limited Partnership, although no figure was disclosed. The partnership will create new leasing options enabling car buyers to lease their vehicles from Toyota Financial Services and cover their payments with what they make as Uber drivers. Toyota and Uber are also exploring collaboration on developing in-car apps and setting up a programme to sell Toyota and Lexus vehicles to Uber. "Toyota vehicles are among the most popular cars on the Uber platform worldwide and we look forward to collaborating with Toyota in multiple ways going forward," said Emil Michael, Uber's chief business officer. Separately, German auto giant Volkswagen said it had made a $300m strategic investment in Uber competitor Gett, which has a presence in more than 60 countries worldwide including London, Moscow and New York. "The ride-hailing market represents the greatest market potential in on-demand mobility, while creating the technological platform for developing tomorrow's mobility business models," it said in a statement. Shahar Waiser, Gett's chief executive and founder, said the company "provides VW with the technology to expand beyond car ownership to on-demand mobility for consumers and businesses." Toyota and Volkswagen are not the first carmakers to link up with rideshare apps. In March, General Motors and Lyft unveiled a joint car rental service for drivers, a move aimed at boosting the number of vehicles available for the Uber rival. Source: AFP South Africa needs coders, South Africans need jobs. It seems a simple equation, and an area of immense possibility for creating employment, changing lives, and growing our economy. In our experience, taking a person with potential from A to B is seldom simple but always rewarding. The complexities of equipping someone with skills and the ability to gain skills involve many moving parts and various forms of motivation. Resources, programme design, accreditation, industry involvement, the right guide, aptitude, recruitment and selection processes all need to come together to find and support a student and prepare them to build their careers. As a school, tertiary institution and training provider, we are a vehicle that takes someone from being a student to being a professional, but we rely on some parts we assemble from industry and society to make this possible. In South Africa, with a 26.7% unemployment rate, and a challenged schooling and tertiary schooling system, we are all aware that resources are an issue. Even after access to training or education has been established, students contend with more challenges than completing their school work; support, transport, money, and knowledge of how to get a foot in the door - these all present barriers to entry. For those who want to learn but can't, resources to enable them have to come from somewhere and can take on many forms. Through the Red & Yellow Springboard Marketing Institute (RYSMI), we have produced more than one batch of marketing and advertising professionals who could enter the industry after completing the National Certificate in Advertising with us. A partnership between industry and government means that we can offer learnerships to make this possible. We are now applying this formula to a Web Development and Programming qualification. So let's focus on the moving parts and where you can help. Resources There are many organisations struggling to hire web developers - listed as a scarce skill in a number of industries - but only a portion of those are investing in training and equipping people with this skillset. There are a number of local initiatives operating as vehicles (We Think Code, Code for South Africa, Code for Cape Town), and their success depends on funding and partnerships. Government has incentivised business through various rewards to invest in skills development. Find out what your organisation is doing or can do to grow people with the skillsets they need. This investment should be one of not just money, but time, and requires long-term thinking. Programme design, outcomes, and mentorship Those in the world of programming and web development, like many in the marketing and advertising industry, often look more to what you can do, your portfolio and skillset, than just your qualification. This opens up the possibilities for the ways in which skills can be imparted and how we can work within the programme design. Mentorship, guest lecturing, providing live case studies and briefs all provide points of connection that current professionals can offer. In the world of marketing and advertising specifically - there are unique challenges and context that a young web developer should be made aware of. Consider what kind of time you can make available, or where you can offer some mentored work experience to a student undertaking training. Get involved Whether it's mentorship, sponsoring learnerships, or lending your time and expertise to the programme, Springboard needs your help to create and develop opportunities for the real career growth that South Africa's youth needs. Get involved by contacting Red & Yellow on az.oc.wolleydnader@ofni or calling us on 021 462 1946 (Cape Town) / 011 067 3400 (Johannesburg). Visit our website for more information on Springboard and the benefits of the programme for your business. Applications for the programme are now open. To apply, learners need to have a valid Senior Certificate, with Mathematics and Communications Literacy as one of the subjects passed. They need to be able to use a personal computer, and so Computer Studies as a Matric subject is advantageous. Please email your CV to az.oc.wolleydnader@draobgnirps to be considered for the programme. Any queries about the programme can also be sent to this address. Reputation Management agency, Magna Carta, won the Africa PR Consultancy of the year category at the SABRE Awards in Berlin, Germany last night. Magna Carta CEO, Vincent Magwenya, celebrates in Berlin last night The awards were hosted by the Holmes Report, with their editors having reviewed the performance of 400 agencies based on their Report Card research process. The judging process was extensive, involving hundreds of submissions from the best public relations and strategic communications firms from across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Five African PR agencies were in the running for the prestigious Africa PR Agency of the Year award: Epic MSGLROUP, Atmosphere, Burson-Marsteller, Djembe Communications and Magna Carta. We were delighted to be amongst top agencies as finalists for Africa PR Agency of the Year and we are thrilled to be recognised by the industry and our peers, said CEO Vincent Magwenya, on winning the award. With an ever-growing pan-African network of 19 countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Angola, Mozambique and, most recently, Zimbabwe, Magna Cartas philosophy of continuous evolution remains a key driver in integrating global best practice, while keeping a finger on the pulse of local services and offerings. Seven years ago Bassirou Bonfoh, the director of the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifique in Cote d'Ivoire, joined forces with 10 other African institutions. Their plan was to collaborate on research into infections that pass between animals and humans. Many of these infections, such as Ebola, Zika and HIV, are sadly, world famous. Image by 123RF The collaboration enabled Bonfoh to access data from as far afield as Tanzania and extend his remit to rift valley fever, an infection that has had several outbreaks since it was first detected in 1931. Crucially, throughout this collaboration, Bonfoh has avoided duplicating research. This is rare in Africa. Even though most African countries face similar health and developmental challenges, researchers work in silos. This wastes limited human resources and infrastructure. It also means that researchers are competing for a small pool of grants and decreasing their chances of success. A 2010 report by Thomson Reuters found that of the continent's six stronger research nations: Algeria, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Tunisia, not one had an African country among its top five collaborating countries. Why is collaboration so crucial? Bonfoh's experience shows that it ensures more scientists are trained and knowledge is generated that can be fed into policymaking processes. Bonfoh's group has trained 12 postdoctoral fellows and 45 Masters and PhD students from 2010 to date. The collaboration he was part of involved 11 African research centres and universities conducting zoonosis research and training postgraduate students in the field. Sadly, this story is rare. There are a number of stumbling blocks to intra African collaboration that must be urgently addressed. Barriers to sharing Geographical and political barriers prevent Africans from working together. For instance, when Bonfoh organised a meeting in 2013, he had to negotiate with his government to arrange for visas on arrival for his peers from countries without Ivorian embassies. This problem is replicated all over the continent. Allowing the free movement of researchers is necessary for networking, which is the foundation of collaboration. Unlike people, diseases and developmental challenges don't know geographical barriers and their spread has come at a tremendous cost for the continent. The Ebola outbreak of 2014 and 2015 provides a good example. It caused an estimated loss of $2.2bn to the already hard hit economies of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The outbreak wasn't new to Africa: there had previously been similar ones in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. But the absence of intra Africa collaboration meant lessons could not easily be shared so the human and economic loss could not be avoided. This is what we need to change. Pooling human resources and providing people with career opportunities is important. PhD supervisors in Africa are a scarce commodity, and institutions must pull together to train future scientists. Otherwise, Africa will continue losing thousands of professionals every year to developed countries. Africans scientists who leave are often frustrated by the lack of infrastructure and mentors. This is why programmes funding research in Africa must be deliberate about promoting collaboration across the continent. One example of a programme that is getting this right is the Developing Excellence in Leadership, Training and Science Africa Initiative (DELTAS). It is supporting large networks and consortiums - 11 programmes spanning 21 countries. There are 40 lead and partner institutions all collaborating to address emerging, infectious diseases as well as non-communicable diseases. Another example is the Heredity and Health in Africa Consortium, funded by the Wellcome Trust and the US National Institutes of Health. This involves 24 collaborative projects conducting genomics research at institutions across the continent. There's also the Climate Impact Research Capacity and Leadership Enhancement programme. This is being implemented by the African Academy of Sciences and the Association of Commonwealth Universities. It offers fellowships to post-Master's and postdoctoral researchers to spend a year in institutions outside their own studying the impact of climate change on the continent with the aim of facilitating intra-African collaboration. It's also important to overcome language barriers that have left researchers oblivious of each other's work. Researchers in Francophone Africa do not always read African research published in English, especially if it is not translated into French. Unfortunately this means researchers working in the same field of research don't know each other. Intra-regional collaboration provides a platform for scientists from Anglo and Francophone Africa to share their work. Power of the collective Lastly, collaboration will help to mobilise political support for research. Projects that have wide continental relevance are more likely to be adopted at African Union and the NEPAD agency level than those that are focused on only one country. And there is power in speaking collectively. Researchers need the support of the African Union to lobby for more government funding and improve Africa's spend on research and development. This is currently just 1.3% of the total global spend. Increased investment should provide the surveillance systems and other resources to enable Africa to address its problems before they spiral out of control and result in huge financial losses or spread globally. Bonfoh's programme is already demonstrating the impact of collaboration. His network shows that the solutions to the most urgent health problems can come from within the continent, not outside it. Walking together Africa must take the initiative to lead its science and developmental agenda even as it receives global support. Collaboration will amalgamate different voices and ideas to promote and conduct research relevant to the continent's needs. As the African saying goes: If you want to go fast, walk alone; and if you want to go far, walk together. *This article is based on a blog post that originally appeared on the Financial Times' website. Read the original article on The Conversation Africa. International Telecommunications Week earlier this month brought together Africa's leading wholesale carriers, mobile network operators, a host of global service providers and content distribution companies at the annual global gathering of telecommunications companies, in Chicago. (L-R) Mike van den Bergh, PCCW Global; Funke Opeke, MainOne; Chris Wood, WIOCC; Willem Marais, Liquid Telecom SA; Russell Southwood, Balancing Act Telecoms services and network solutions provider, MainOne, hosted a session on unlocking Africas digital potential and highlighting its untapped potential, at the Africa Panel Session. It was an occasion for these industry leaders to share perspectives with a global audience on the recent developments in the region as well as opportunities and challenges being faced across the region towards the wide-spread proliferation of broadband services access. It was equally a gathering for discussing the needed impetus for getting the continent ready for the global information explosion already taking place in select parts of the continent, where internet consumption by individuals is beginning to compare favourably with consumption patterns in advanced economies. Focus areas of discussion included the need for the adoption of shared infrastructure models in order to reduce the cost of retail broadband services in comparison to reductions that have taken place in wholesale pricing over the years to within less than 5% of retail broadband prices. The expert panel strongly advocated the view that the adoption of new business and regulatory models for shared infrastructure would foster the pervasive digital explosion much needed on the African continent, rather than depend on proprietary network infrastructure built by mobile companies with thin pipes, to deliver voice services. Discussants also engaged on the need to support the growth of local content as a means for growing intra-continent traffic and eliminate cross-border barriers to the exchange of information. It was equally stressed that liberalisation would continue to play a major role in the development of internet proliferation in Africa, with countries such as Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa, used as models of advances being made in connecting more people on the continent. Speakers at the event included executives from a diverse set of players including MainOne, Google, PCCW Global, WIOCC, and Liquid Telecom, with an in-depth analyst presentation reviewing developments on the continent by Russell Southwood of Balancing Act Africa. Various participants highlighted infrastructure deployments such as MainOnes metro fibre builds in Lagos, Nigeria; Liquid Telecoms fibre backhaul across East and Southern Africa, and Googles fibre last mile projects in Uganda and Ghana, to demonstrate what can be achieved with the availability of shared infrastructure offering uncapped and reliable bandwidth services. MainOne has remained at the forefront of the broadband initiative in West Africa with investments in telecoms infrastructure across the region and sponsorships of major fora such as International Telecommunications Week, to advance broadband activities in the region such as this Africa Panel Session. The company has continued to extend its network reach organically and through partnerships and has coverage in eight West African countries including Nigeria and Ghana. Republicans in the 54th Senate District have designated a candidate to replace state Sen. Michael Nozzolio. After five rounds of voting Wednesday night, Canandaigua Supervisor Pam Helming won the party's designation with 52.6 percent of the vote, according to Cayuga County Republican Chairman Jeff Herrick. "It was a fair and open process," Herrick said. More than 300 Republican committee members from the district's six counties Cayuga, Monroe, Ontario, Seneca, Tompkins and Wayne participated in the joint meeting, which was held at Club 86 in Geneva. Eleven candidates submitted their names for consideration at the start of the meeting. To win the designation, a candidate needed to receive a simple majority 50 percent plus one of the weighted vote. Five qualified for the second round of voting Helming, Lyons Supervisor Brian Manktelow, Webster Deputy Supervisor Patricia Cataldi, Cayuga County businessman Bobby Massarini and Joe Geiger, an Army veteran from Walworth, Wayne County. Following the second round, Helming, Manktelow, Cataldi and Geiger were the remaining candidates. In the third round, Helming, Manktelow and Geiger advanced. Still, though, no one received a majority of the vote. Helming and Manktelow were the two candidates left standing after the fourth round of voting. The fifth and final round determined who would receive the party's support. Helming received 52.6 percent to narrowly beat Manktelow. Ontario County Republican Chairman Doug Finch, who spearheaded Wednesday's meeting, touted Helming's work on agricultural and environmental issues. "She's honestly an incredibly hardworking candidate and I'm confident that the voters will choose to send her to Albany in November," he said. The designation may not prevent a GOP primary in the 54th Senate District. Some candidates, including Massarini and John Tubridy, a financial adviser from Webster, have said they plan to stay in the race through the primary. But being the party's designee is significant for Helming. Next month, candidates begin to pass petitions to secure their spots on the Sept. 13 primary ballot. The designation means Helming will receive help from committee members in circulating petitions to qualify for the primary ballot. While some candidates are hinting that they'll continue their campaigns, Finch thinks it's premature to say there will be a primary. "People can say that they're going to run a primary, but until they actually go out and do that work and see if they can get themselves on the ballot that becomes a pretty laborious process," he said. "We won't know that until the middle of July when petitions are due." The winner of the GOP nomination will likely face Rose Supervisor Kenan Baldridge, who's supported by the six county Democratic committees in the district. The 54th Senate District is an open seat after Nozzolio, R-Fayette, announced in February that he wouldn't seek re-election this year. He opted to retire after learning he needed to have surgery to repair faulty heart valves. Nozzolio had open heart surgery in April. Despite Nozzolio's decision to bow out of the race, Republicans expect to retain the seat. The party holds an enrollment advantage in the district. There are over 14,000 more active GOP voters than Democrats, according to the state Board of Elections. With long wait times at airport security checkpoints throughout the country, U.S. Rep. John Katko is taking a legislative approach to address the problem. Katko, R-Camillus, unveiled a new bill, the Checkpoint Optimization and Efficiency Act of 2016. He introduced the legislation after holding a subcommittee hearing Thursday on how the long lines are affecting air travel. The measure would require the Transportation Security Administration to evaluate its existing staffing allocation model. The agency would be required to share the model with airlines and airports. Katko's legislation also would mandate that the TSA establish service level agreements and minimum staffing numbers with airports and carriers. A staffing advisory committee would be created to better coordinate between airports, businesses and the government. And canine teams would be shifted to busier airports. To address long lines, the bill would give TSA the ability to reallocate resources to assist with passenger screening. More authority on staffing decisions would be given to federal security directors, who oversee security at airports. "Travelers are frustrated facing longer lines, and in some cases, missing flights and having to return home or stay overnight in the airport," Katko said. "This is a crisis that must be addressed before we head into the busy summer months of travel." The bill has eight cosponsors, including House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul and U.S. Rep. Peter King, a New York City Republican. The House held hearings this week on addressing the long lines at airports, especially as the summer travel season heats up. Some of the issues cited at these hearings include inadequate TSA staffing levels and low participation in TSA PreCheck, an expedited screening program. Christina Callahan, executive director of the Syracuse Hancock International Airport, mentioned these challenges during her testimony Thursday at the hearing chaired by Katko. She said Syracuse hasn't been affected by long wait times, but noted that it's impacted passengers at larger airports. "What we have learned in Syracuse is that communication and cooperation between the airport, TSA and the airlines is critical to safe and efficient operations," she said. "As proposed in the Checkpoint Optimization and Efficiency Act of 2016, we agree that advisory committees be established at a local level. Working together rather than pointing fingers is the first key step at the local level." It's not Katko's first attempt to shorten wait times at the nation's airports. A bill he introduced last year would expand the TSA PreCheck program. It was passed by the House in July, but the Senate hasn't acted on the measure. A hold has been placed on the bill by U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, a Nebraska Republican. Katko has urged the Senate to approve his legislation. While that bill awaits Senate action, he's aiming to push his new legislation through Congress. "This measure provides greater flexibility and accountability to the TSA allowing the agency to better utilize its personnel by collaborating with local airports and air carriers to ensure that staffing is best allocated at each individual airport," he said. Kristina: Could you explain what the new labor law means for SMBs? John Swanciger, CEO, Manta: The proposed regulations would almost double the current salary threshold for overtime requirements (from $23,660 to about $47,476 annually). Under the new rules, its estimated that 211,000 small businesses and their 1.8 million workers would be required to provide overtime pay to any eligible employee whose salary is below the given threshold. Kristina: What are the options available to small businesses to meet these changes? John: In light of the looming changes, small business owners should explore all options by reviewing their employee records to confirm which workers are truly exempt from overtime pay. Simply employing salaried workers doesnt mean businesses are exempt from providing overtime wages, so its vital to clarify worker classification to comply with FLSA regulations. Business owners should look at how many hours their employees work in some cases, it makes more financial sense to keep current salaries and pay employees overtime. However, for employees that work many hours over 40, or for those who are already close to the new salary threshold, small business owners can raise salaries to match the new regulations and avoid overtime costs. Kristina: How can SMBs determine which option(s) will help them comply with the law yet still make money? John: Our research indicates that small business owners need to become better educated when it comes to worker classification our recent poll found that 51% of respondents werent sure if their salaried workers were exempt from overtime pay under the current federal rules. With this in mind, business owners should research and read up on the regulations to better understand the new overtime rules and their current salary environments. Now is the time to assess how the shift will impact their headcount and labor costs in order to make the appropriate changes. Implementing time-tracking tools that monitor employees hours on a granular level can help small business owners make more informed decisions. Kristina: There have been polls indicating SMBs support a $15/hour minimum wage increase, yet this poll seems to indicate the opposite. Which is correct? Or is the minimum wage stance dependent on location? John: In our most recent poll, we found that small business owners are split on the issue of minimum wage 51% of small business owners support a minimum wage increase while 49% oppose it. Of those who favor an increase, half support a $15 minimum wage, with the other half favoring an increase to $10 or $12 per hour. Since a significant number of small business owners pay their employees hourly wages rather than salaries, theyre less likely to be aware of the overtime changes, as our overtime poll indicated. But the fact that they support a minimum wage increase is promising as more states look to New York and California as examples of how to approach these changes. Are you a librarian or publisher? Take advantage of our bibliographic services to help your organisation give your customers exactly what they want. Among our metadata services is the British National Bibliography, the most comprehensive record of UK publications from 1950 to the present. You can download weekly updates or monthly files and more for your catalogue, collection development or research. Use our identifier services to ensure your UK organisation or serial publication is identifiable according to international standards such as ISIL and ISSN. You can also attend our training for cataloguers. With our courses, you'll be equipped to get the most out of current bibliographic standards. Read our collection metadata strategy and find out how we're going to maintain quality and improve services. Find out what its really like to work here. When youre thinking about applying for a job somewhere, its extremely helpful to be able to get an honest picture of the organisation youre considering joining from the employees themselves. After all, you want to feel comfortable, not just about the job youre taking on and the benefits on offer, but the sort of environment youll be working in too. With that in mind, weve provided details about our departments and the work they do and the kind of opportunities we offer. Weve also asked a variety of individuals and teams in a number of areas of the Library to tell us what they do day-to-day and what working life at the Library is really like. Please feel free to explore some of their responses. Passengers traveling out of Syracuse Hancock International Airport haven't experienced longer security checkpoint wait times that have plagued some of the nation's busiest hubs, but the facility's director has a few ideas on how Congress could address the problem. Christina Callahan, executive director of the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority, testified at a hearing Thursday chaired by U.S. Rep. John Katko. During her opening statement, she offered a few recommendations for the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security, which Katko, R-Camillus, chairs. The recommendations included providing sufficient Transportation Security Administration staffing at airports, increasing participation in TSA PreCheck and improving airport infrastructure. Callahan noted that Syracuse airport serves 2 million passengers annually. As a smaller airport, it hasn't had issues with longer wait times. But that doesn't mean passengers who use the airport to connect to larger airports aren't impacted by long security lines. She also cited a handful of factors that contributed to the problem, including no increase in TSA officers between the 2015 and 2016 fiscal years, a high attrition rate, low TSA PreCheck enrollment and a record increase in air travelers. "Combined, they have created a perfect storm that has led to recent events," she said. The long wait times at some of the nation's major airports have been documented over the past several weeks. In a recent case at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, about 450 people missed their flights because they were waiting to pass through a security checkpoint. Congress allowed TSA to reallocate $34 million to hire more security officers and pay overtime, but that may not be enough for the agency to prevent delays, especially with the summer travel season underway. Katko said TSA's 2017 fiscal year budget request didn't factor in increases for overtime and staffing levels that they're now seeking to address with the $34 million in funding. "It wasn't until widespread media reports of passengers on cots and excessive wait times that TSA made the decision to request to reallocate assets to help combat the issue," he said. "I am growing increasingly frustrated that TSA needs constant prodding to effect positive changes at the agency." While staffing is a concern, Katko is also pushing to expand the TSA PreCheck program, which provides expedited screening for participating passengers. Katko's TSA PreCheck Expansion Act was approved by the House last year, but hasn't been considered in the Senate. U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, a Nebraska Republican, has placed a hold on the bill. As long as Sasse continues to block the measure it won't receive a vote in the Senate. Last week, Katko pushed the Senate to pass the legislation. "Expanding the TSA PreCheck program is a common sense, responsible solution to the growing wait lines that are plaguing traveling Americans," he said. "I urge my colleagues in the Senate to act swiftly to remedy this problem." Katko received backing from U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. McCaul, R-Texas, called long security lines at airports "completely unacceptable" and asked the Senate to approve Katko's bill. "The Senate has an obligation to act now on the House-passed bills that will make travel during the peak summer season more efficient," he said. Katko said he plans to introduce additional legislation to address the problems affecting TSA and air travelers. He's hopeful that the Senate will cooperate and work with the House. If they don't, he urged the witnesses at Thursday's hearing to call for action. "We don't want to hear any more of these wait time issues and when we can act like this in a collaborative manner, that's when Congress really works," he said. "And we've got to make sure that process comes to a positive conclusion." Find this Reading Room at our site in Boston Spa, near Wetherby in Yorkshire. You can consult millions of items including books, periodicals, newspapers, microfilm, sound recordings and electronic resources. Who is the Boston Spa Reading Room for? Anyone can use our Boston Spa Reading Room, you just need a Reader Pass. Typical users include students from York or Leeds universities, family history researchers, academics, or those with a particular hobby. In the Boston Spa Reading Room you can: order collection items to view in the Reading Room using our catalogues access online databases and electronic books and journals. Changes at Boston Spa Sorry about the noise. Were preparing to transform our Boston Spa site. Construction begins this autumn, but throughout the summer there may be some noise. Were planning to keep the Reading Room open, but we expect some unavoidable periods of significant disruption. Some of our collections are being moved to enable this work. As a result, some of the items you requested might not be available. Please check My Reading Room Requests before you set out to make sure your items will be here when you are or get in touch if you have any questions. Items available to order to this Reading Room You can use our catalogues to order items to use in the Reading Room. Collection items are stored across our two sites in London and Yorkshire so some may be unavailable for same day ordering and may take up to 48 hours to be delivered to the Reading Room. We recommend you request items in advance of your visit, and check My Reading Room Requests before you visit. Collection items available include: Legal deposit and general reference collection We receive a copy of every book, magazine, journal and newspaper published in the UK. Most of this material is available to order to view at Boston Spa, along with purchased and overseas titles from our reference collections. Newspapers Boston Spa is the home of the UK national newspaper collection which comprises more than three centuries of local, regional and national newspapers. You can order these newspapers to view in the Reading Room. There is also free access to more than 20 million digitised pages of historic newspapers via the British Newspaper Archive resource, and you can order newspapers on microfilm held in London, or print newspapers where no digital or microfilm alternative exists. Document Supply collection For over 50 years our Document Supply service has underpinned academic inter-library lending across the UK. It includes: 3 million research level books, 210,000 journal titles, 400,000 conference proceedings and 130,000 music scores. Sound recordings Access 3 million sound recordings via our Sound and Moving Image Catalogue which provides instant access to a growing collection of sound and video recordings, including our most frequently requested items. The service is self-operated but as it is only available on one computer terminal in the Reading Room we recommend that you contact us to make a reservation. Electronic resources We have a wide range of electronic databases and resources, many of which are available only on PCs in the Reading Room. These include journal collection search interfaces, where you can search for articles across a range of journal titles. Using the Boston Spa Reading Room Anyone with a British Library Reader Pass can access the Boston Spa Reading Room. Get a Reader Pass. Facilities Lockers Please leave coats and bags in the lockers. You will be provided with a token once you have signed in at the Reception desk. Catering Our restaurant is available for hot and cold drinks and snacks. The restaurant is card only. Free Wi-Fi To access free Wi-Fi, create an account once you arrive onsite. Accessibility The Reading Room is on the ground floor and has full wheelchair access. We have access to height-adjustable tables, alternative keyboards, and facilities for people with visual and hearing impairments. Getting here We are located at Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, LS23 7BQ By car Exit A1M (J45 northbound, J46 southbound) and follow signs to Thorp Arch Estate and Retail Park. A1237. There is ample visitor parking on-site and a pick-up and drop-off point outside Reception. Disabled parking is located behind Reception. By Bike There are dedicated cycle racks on site. By Rail York and Leeds Stations are both about 30 minutes away by car or taxi. By Bus From Leeds and Harrogate there is a limited service to Walton Corner and Thorp Arch Trading Estate (Harrogate and District Services Number 7). From York there is one daily return service (Arriva Service 412). University Shuttle Bus Services The University of Sheffield and University of York operate their own free minibus transport for their staff and students. Their timetables are as follows: Sheffield First Tuesday of the month. The bus leaves the University at 08.45 and returns at approximately 17.00. A place can be booked on the University of Sheffield website. York Alternate Wednesdays and Fridays. The bus departs the University at 09.30 and leaves the Reading Room at 16.15. A place can be booked on the University of York website. Reference enquiries If you need help, you can get in touch with our Reference Specialists. They can: Guide you to the most appropriate material for your research Advise you on how to access and use our printed and electronic collection and resources most effectively Help you to use our catalogues and answer your bibliographic questions Suggest other libraries, archives and institutions that you might find useful in your research, or guide you to relevant websites and free online resources. If your enquiry requires more specialist help than we can provide we will forward your enquiry to the appropriate person in the Library or suggest alternative sources. You can email the team, use our Quick Chat service, or get in touch via Twitter. Your guide to the Library, opening times and more We're open for everyone... In London you can use our St Pancras Reading Rooms and public desks and visit all our galleries, including the free Treasures Gallery. Weve also got events, courses, activities for schools, our Business and IP Centre, and if youre a British Library Member, you can visit our Members Room. In Yorkshire you can use our Boston Spa Reading Rooms. We also have a growing programme of workshops, events and exhibitions in Leeds and the surrounding area. Were working hard at both our sites to make sure everyone can visit us safely. AUBURN An Auburn man will spend the next 3 1/2 years in prison for burglarizing an Owasco home and killing a kitten. Twenty-year-old Kevin Breese was sentenced in Cayuga County criminal court Thursday on two separate cases. Breese, of 5675 Bevier Road, pleaded guilty in February to two felonies second-degree burglary and fourth-degree conspiracy and two counts of petit larceny in connection with an Owasco burglary last year. According to Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann, Breese was one of three Auburn residents arrested and charged in the incident, in which Breese and Charles and Jessica Allen entered an unlocked residence on Bevier Road in April 2015 and stole a .22 caliber rifle, a collectible coin and some watches. Breese also pleaded guilty to one felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals for slamming a kitten to the ground last June and "stomping on it until it died," said Budelmann. Breese's defense attorney Dominic Giacona said the defendant was under the influence of "heavy hallucinogenics" at the time and has struggled with mental health issues all his life. "I want to apologize for the things that I've done," Breese said. "When I look at myself in the mirror I don't see an inmate, I see someone who screwed up and wants to better himself." Judge Thomas Leone sentenced Breese to 3 1/2 years in prison and 3 years post-release supervision for burglary, one to three years for conspiracy and one year for each count of petit larceny. In addition, Breese will serve two years in prison for animal cruelty. All sentences will run concurrently. Leone also ordered Breese and his co-defendants to pay $350 in restitution and issued two orders of protection in the case. Also in court: A Cayuga County man with a history of domestic violence was sentenced to one to three years in prison Thursday for violating his probation. Steven Short, of 280 Wheat Street in Cayuga, admitted to leaving the jurisdiction of probation services in October 2015 when he was arrested for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in Pennsylvania. The 34-year-old was charged with felony aggravated family offense and bribing a witness in January 2014 for trying to convince his son to break his mother's cellphone memory card. According to the district attorney, Short violated the terms and conditions of his probation when he left Cayuga County last fall. Short pleaded guilty to the violation Thursday in exchange for one to three years in prison. "I just want to get home as soon as possible for my son," Short said. Auburn police said a missing teen has been found in Elbridge. Sabrina White, 15, was reported missing from 175 North St., Auburn, on May 19. She was located Thursday in Elbridge. The Auburn Police Department thanked the New York State Police and members of the public for their assistance. Earlier report: The Auburn Police Department is requesting the public's help in locating a missing Auburn teen. Sabrina L. White was last seen on May 19 at 175 North St., officials said in a release. At that time, the fifteen-year-old was wearing a maroon, long-sleeved crop top, black jogging pants, grey Nike sneakers and carrying a brown purse. White has brown hair, brown eyes, is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 110 pounds. Police believe White has a number of contacts in the Auburn and Jordan-Elbridge area. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call police at (315) 253-3231. Callers may remain anonymous. Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmas State Counsellor and leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), has pledged to hold a national conference later this year that would follow in the footsteps of the historic Panglong conference attended by her father General Aung San and representatives of Burma's ethnic groups. The agreement reached at Panglong, stipulated a significant level of autonomy for Burma's ethnic groups in exchange for their decision to support Aung San's bid for independence from Britain. Aung San, was assassinated just months after the agreement was reached, his successor U Nu, did little to implement the agreement before he was overthrown by General Ne Win in 1962. The subsequent military regimes that ruled Burma also disregarded the commitments made by General Aung San at Panglong. This week SHAN interviewed Lt. Gen. Yawd Serk, Chairman of the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA), to discuss his thoughts on Aung San Suu Kyi's proposed summit, the ongoing situation in Shan State and his recent meeting with the Shan State Chief minister, Dr. Linn Htut. Lt. Gen. Yawd Serk's organisation the RCSS/SSA is one of eight ethnic armed groups that signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) last year with the central government. While the RCSS/SSA has not clashed with government forces since signing the NCA, there have been repeated clashes over the past 6 months between the RCSS/SSA and the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA). The TNLA is member of the United Nationalities Federate Council (UNFC), who unlike the RCSS/SSA did not sign the NCA. Q: In your meeting with the Shan State Chief Minister, what did you discuss with him? A: "As he is the new Shan State Chief Minister, I met with him to build a good relationship. We also talked about how the RCSS/SSA can cooperate with the new government for Shan State's development and the betterment of the people." Q: What are your thoughts on the 21st Century Panglong conference which is going to to be led by Aung San Suu Kyi? A: "Regarding the 21st Century Panglong conference which Aung San Suu Kyi will lead, I do not know in detail what this conference will be like. However, what we do know is that the Panglong conference has three main points; the commitment to Panglong, the Panglong Agreement and the spirit of Panglong. Regarding these three points, I have no idea which points she will work on and how she will deal with it." Q: As an RCSS/SSA leader, what would you say about this 21st Century Panglong conference? A: "I hope that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will do her best for this Panglong conference. However, I am also worried that she might misunderstand and do it in a wrong way. If this conference is wrong, it will affect the future of the union. The result from the first Panglong Agreement is the ongoing civil war in the country. I dont think anyone knows how this 21st Century Panglong conference will look like. I would like to say that before holding this conference every group should discuss what they want the conference to be like. Im afraid if we do not discuss clearly first, this will affect the conference." Q: The RCSS are rumoured to have been recruiting new soldiers in Nam Sarng Township, what would you say about this issue? A: "This news is wrong. We were accused by the government military [Tatmadaw] of recruiting villagers. If the media wanted to know you should go to villagers and ask them. The RCSS held its Shan State Resistance Day on 21 May at its Loi Tai Leng headquarters so that these people could join the ceremony. "We have a policy that if anyone does not want to be a soldier, we won't force them." Q: With the new government how will you work with them on the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA)? A: "The NCA was led by the previous government. But, for this new government we do not know how they will proceed. I can only wait and see." Q: How will the problems between the RCSS and TNLA be solved? A: "The problems between us and the TNLA cannot be solved with armed fighting. The best way to solve the problems is for both sides to meet and discuss these problems. The United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) formed a committee during Thingyan [the New Year water festival] for talking. However, after the water festival, the TNLA attacked us again. They intentionally created problems between the Shan and the Palaung people. In order to solve the problems we have avoided fighting with them. But, there were over 30 clashes with them and we lost eight soldiers and over 30 were injured. The loss is normal in conflict, but it affects the people. I felt depressed about this." BY SAI AW / Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN) It looks like you have reached this page in error ... The content you are looking for has either moved, or if you typed in the address there might have been a mistake. If you believe there has been a technical error please let us know. Most Popular Destinations DEAR BRUCE: I have what, on the surface, may be a simple question. I have a 401(k) currently at $420,000 and nonretirement investments of around $60,000. I will have a pension of $330 a month for life. My home will be paid off in eight months and I have no credit card debt. Our cars are paid for. My wife is collecting Social Security and nets $798 after Medicare deductions. I will begin collecting Social Security in July 2017 and my estimated benefit will be $3,300 a month. I estimate our expenses for utilities, property tax and insurance to be $900 to $1,000 a month. With all this being considered, do you foresee us being comfortably able to travel and generally enjoy retirement? S.Z. DEAR S.Z.: There isn't anything I need to add. You have a great handle on your expenses, and you have done well with your savings. You have reduced your overhead, and your income will exceed $4,300 a month. You can have a wonderful time traveling the world and generally enjoying your retirement, not having a thing to worry about. Congratulations. DEAR BRUCE: I need to file a small claims action against a New York City company. I cannot find the name of an individual to place in the claim. The company is owned by another company with no identifying person. How can I find the name of a person to bring the small claims action against? Can I just name the New York City company? Reader DEAR READER: What you'll have to do is contact the small claims court in New York City and find out what it suggests you do. I suspect that you will just list the company, but the only way to find out is to call with your specific questions and the names of the companies that you wish to start a claim against. I know it's a nuisance, and it may not be worth it, but that's the way you're going to have to run it down. DEAR BRUCE: My mother passed away last week. After five days of looking for her will, I finally located it. I want to make sure I do everything correctly. What should be my first step? Reader DEAR READER: It's a simple procedure. Your first step is to take your mother's will down to the surrogate's office or its equivalent in the county where she passed away. You then ask for the will to be filed for probate. I am assuming you are named the executor. This will give you the responsibility to do the things that have to be done, such as paying for funeral expenses, advertising your mother's passing, paying remaining credit card debts, etc. When all of this is done, the remaining money is then distributed to her heirs (you) and/or any others named in her will. If you have any questions, simply call the surrogate's office for guidance. DEAR BRUCE: The security service in my building operates a computer surveillance system that registers my movements in the building based on my use of a computer key at the building entrance and on the elevators. When I asked to see a print report of my movements, I noticed I was recorded in the building when I was on business and weekend travel. Supposedly, this security data cannot be manipulated, yet it was manipulated. I tried to file a complaint against the license of the security firm involved, but that did not work. What would you do to assure the safety and security of your family in a violent and crazy country like the United States? Reader DEAR READER: First thing I would do is demand a meeting with upper management and ask them for an explanation. I know that it's difficult to do and time-consuming, but I can't think of a better way to approach this. Keep being persistent until you get answers. Several Ledyard residents could be without internet for months after the state Department of Transportation deemed an improperly placed utility pole on Route 90 was in an unsafe area. Clarity Connect, an Ithaca-based internet service company that works to provide access to rural communities, told affected residents in an email that the permitting process to resite that pole could take over four months to complete. Chuck Bartosch, the company's CEO, said their deadline to remove the pole currently providing service, however, is June 3. Bartosch told residents that there is the potential to resite the pole if an adjacent property owner agrees to an easement. Should that be successful, the internet outage could last one day. Chairman of the Cayuga County Legislature Keith Batman said he is working with Clarity Connect to come up with a solution for the approximately 18 or 19 people affected. "What we're trying to do is move it so that there's no, or very limited, interruption of services," Batman said Thursday. "We'll know something in a week." The pole, which was installed about a year ago, was missed by Clarity Connect during its permit planning process, along with a second one that does not currently serve any residents. Bartosch said the company uses contractors to install things, and its original contractor was taking care of the permitting. Clarity Connect then switched to a new contractor, who was not in charge of permitting. "We missed two (poles) in this transition," Bartosch said. "If we permitted properly in the first place, we would have been told to place it in an area that is not the clear zone." The U.S. Department of Transportation defines a clear zone as a flat area beyond the edge of a traveled way that allows a driver to regain control of a vehicle that may leave the road. The state DOT said the pole on Route 90 is currently placed within that zone. "The state doesn't want any potential safety issues, and I agree with that," Bartosch said. "I think that's really important. It's a reasonable thing, so we're just responding to it." Bartosch said they are planning to remove the pole on or about June 1. "After removal, we are permitting it properly, and we'll place it in an area that is not the clear zone," he said. Media ownership rules were adopted in 1975 to prevent cross ownership of radio, broadcast and newspaper in the same market as a way to promote localism, diversity and competition. The ban was created in an environment where there were limited ways to communicate with the public, leading to concern over a dominating voice for news and views. Clearly, newspapers are no longer the only source of information. Are you reading this on paper? Today, we have countless outlets for information. According to the American Press Institute, on average, Americans reported that, during the past week, they followed the news using four different devices or technologies. The most frequently utilized devices include television (87 percent), laptops/computers (69 percent), radio (65 percent) and print newspapers or magazines (61 percent). Twenty years ago, Congress amended the Communications Act with a provision Section 202 (h) requiring the Federal Communications Commission to review its Media Ownership rules, including this ban on newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership, every four years to justify that its rules are essential to the public interest or repeal them. The FCC attempted to change this outdated ban twice in early 2000s but the orders were struck down and remanded for procedural or other reasons unrelated to the cross-ownership issue. The FCC has not completed its 2010 media ownership review as required by law and has rolled it into a 2014 review. The 3rd Circuit Court, recognizing the FCC tardiness in fulfilling this mandate recently told the FCC to come to a decision based on their very extensive record. Two of the past Orders concluded that there was not sufficient evidence on the record to maintain the media cross ownership ban, as it exists today. However, the rules still remain perfectly intact, preventing an owner of a broadcast station from investing in a newspaper in the same market. NAA has presented a wealth of evidence, which the FCC has agreed with, that demonstrates the benefits of cross ownership through examples of markets where broadcast/newspaper cross ownership exists because they are operating under a waiver. Cross-collaboration and investigative journalism at the local level continues to thrive. Lines are starting to blur between broadcast and newspaper and convergence will take place whether the ban exists or not. At a national level, The New York Times received a 2013 Pulitzer Prize for a multimedia project about skiers killed in an avalanche and the science of such disasters. The Detroit Free Press received an Emmy for documentaries that live exclusively online. At a local level, Facebook Live is one of the many ways local newspapers now engage with their audience through streaming videos. Local news is also moving digital, such as the Texas Tribune, Voice of San Diego and ARLnow.com across the Potomac in Arlington, VA. We also see interesting collaborations between traditional media outlets and nonprofit organizations such as ProPublica and the Center for Investigative Reporting. Why lift the ban now? Who cares? Some may ask whether anyone still cares about the ban given the fact that many media companies have divided up their broadcast and newspaper properties. We strongly argue that lack of interest in purchasing newspaper properties is not justification for keeping the rule. First, it is fundamentally wrong that the ban a government regulation could be dictating marketplace behavior against investment in high-quality, original journalism. Since the recession, our largest revenue stream is half of what it used to be and the demand for content has increased exponentially. This ban further harms the prospects for healthy long-term investigative journalism, which our society relies on for reporting the truth and disseminating valuable and reliable information. Second, media companies dividing their broadcasting and newspaper properties could demonstrate the opposite: that there is indeed interest in investing in newspapers and that the ban is preventing that investment from taking place. Just look at post-split behavior where companies like Gannett, after splitting from their broadcast properties, made strategic investments in newspapers around the country. In recent years John Henry and Glen Taylor bought their home town newspapers, The Boston Globe and The Minneapolis Star Tribune, respectively. Other civic leaders are interested in buying their local newspapers because of the role it plays in the community. Repealing the ban would not lead to massive consolidation but might give the flexibility to allow a local broadcast station owner to invest in the local newspaper in her community. Lastly, one of the biggest reasons it is difficult to determine if an interest exists is because marketplace behavior has been driven by this rule for 40 years. We dont know life without it. We call upon the FCC to do the right thing and allow for investment in long-term investigative journalism. Repealing the 40-year-old ban on media cross ownership would unquestionably be in the public interest. Authorities say 25-year-old Verl Bedonie of Tuba City was shot Monday after threatening officers and citizens with a handgun. But Flagstaff police Sgt. Margaret Bentzen says the motive is unclear. She says the police department's mission is to protect citizens and save lives, but the action of suspects dictates the officers' response. A witness first reported Bedonie as a suspicious person Monday morning at the High Country Conference Center, located in the 200 block of West Butler Avenue. Body camera footage released Wednesday shows Flagstaff and Northern Arizona University police approaching him inside a dark conference room in the empty but unlocked building. Hes got a weapon, one officer tells the 911 dispatcher. Other footage shows multiple officers shouting for Bedonie to drop the weapon a 9 millimeter handgun after he slips out of the building and walks away from them. He points the gun at them in the Drury Inn parking lot. One witness saw him drop a set of car keys in the process. FPD's Cpl. Ben Sandoval and Officer Eric Tomperi responded by firing a total of five shots in the direction of South Milton Road. All of them missed the suspect. One shattered the window of an unoccupied SUV in the Drury Inn parking lot. The footage later contains the sound of a gunshot in an alleyway in the Plaza Vieja neighborhood. Officers located a spent shell casing in the alley behind the 400 block of West Phoenix Avenue. Other body camera footage shows an undercover police truck ramming headfirst into the passenger car Bedonie was attempting to carjack, according to statements from the driver. Bedonie can be seen running behind a set of trash cans on the north side of the street. Drop the gun! shout half a dozen officers on the south side of the street. On the video, Bedonie slows to a walk, pulls out the gun and points it at a cluster of officers using a police truck for cover. All the footage has been edited to cut off just as Bedonie, Flagstaff Police Sgt. Collin Seay and NAU Police Officer Dillon Jenkins fire. Bedonie was declared dead at the scene. Bedonie did not have an extensive criminal history. According to Arizona Supreme Court records, his most recent encounter with the law was May 12, when a Department of Public Safety officer issued him a traffic citation for failure to obey access restriction signs on Interstate 17 near Mountainaire. His only arrest in Flagstaff was for an extreme DUI in October 2012. He pleaded guilty, agreed to pay a fine and was sentenced to one day in jail. He ended up serving his sentence and completing alcohol screening and treatment with the Navajo Nation Department of Behavioral Health Services in 2014. The killing of Bedonie marks the ninth time city officers have been involved in shootouts or used lethal force. Records show that Flagstaff police exchanged gunfire with suspects three times since 2004 without any fatalities. In four other cases since 2000, the suspect was killed by police. Flagstaff Officer Jeff Mortiz was killed by a man he pulled over in 2000. Moritz was able to return fire. Rendering of Enterprise (CVN 80). Photo: Huntington Ingalls Industries. NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA (BNS): Huntington Ingalls Industries has been awarded a $152 million contract for advance planning for the construction of the aircraft carrier Enterprise (CVN 80). The third aircraft carrier in the Gerald R Ford class was named in honour of the US Navy's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Enterprise (CVN 65). The work, which includes engineering, design, planning and procurement of long-lead-time material, will be performed at the company's Newport News Shipbuilding division through March 2018. Construction on Enterprise is slated to begin in 2018 with delivery to the Navy in 2027. The new Enterprise will eventually replace the USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN 69) when the aircraft carrier enters the fleet. Shipbuilders have captured thousands of lessons learned in the process of building Gerald R Ford, most of which are being implemented as cost-saving initiatives in building the second ship in the class, John F Kennedy (CVN 79). These initiatives will continue on Enterprise, and HII will work with the Navy to identify additional cost-saving initiatives for future Ford-class carrier construction, the Company said. RNOV AL MUBSHIR (S11) during sea trials off Western Australia, March 2016. Photo: Austal. NEW DELHI (BNS): The Royal Navy of Oman has taken delivery of the High Speed Support Vessel (HSSV) RNOV Al Mubshir built by defence prime contractor, Austal. The RNOV Al Mubshir is the first of two 72 metre HSSVs to be delivered to the Royal Navy of Oman under a US$124.9 million contract, Austal said in a statement. The Company commenced construction of the HSSVs in August 2014 at its Henderson, Western Australia shipyard, with the second HSSV scheduled to be delivered later in CY2016, in line with the contract. The HSSV offers a range of capabilities to support naval operations, including helicopter operations, rapid deployment of military personnel and cargo, and search and rescue operations. The vessels are expected to be deployed with a similar mission to the US Navy's Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) programme. "The HSSV leverages our revolutionary intellectual property and technology in high speed vessels and demonstrate our proven ability as a prime defence contractor to navies across the globe," said Austal Chief Executive Officer David Singleton. "Construction of the second HSSV is progressing well and on track for delivery to the Royal Navy of Oman later this year," he added. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. CALGARY It will cost millions of dollars more to build the Trans Mountain expansion because of an unprecedented requirement to offset greenhouse gas emissions from pipeline construction, the projects proponent says. But Ian Anderson, president of Kinder Morgan Canada, said Thursday he has no objections to the unexpected provision because it gives the company a chance to reduce its environmental footprint. It was new to us, we hadnt seen that in draft form (but) we welcome it, Anderson said in one of his first interviews since the $6.8-billion project was given the National Energy Boards conditional blessing last week. Ian Anderson, CEO of Kinder Morgan speaks during an interview at the company's offices in Calgary, Thursday, May 26, 2016.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh It will add cost. Those offsets will cost something. I dont know what that will be yet. As part of its conditional approval, the federal regulator said Kinder Morgan would have to account for the greenhouse gas emissions that would arise from building the expanded pipeline and present a plan on how it would bring the net impact of those emissions to nil. That would have to be done within four months of the expanded pipeline beginning operations. Alan Ross, a partner with Calgary law firm Bordon Ladner Gervais who specializes in energy regulation, said the new NEB provisions could be included in other future pipeline decisions where appropriate. If it remains unchallenged on appeal or if the federal government ultimately approves this decision with that requirement in it, then it may well be something that the National Energy Board looks to do in future, he said. Anderson said Kinder Morgan estimates that one million tonnes of emissions would come from building the project. The company is working on an offset plan that could include planting trees to capture carbon and buying emission credits from other parties, he said. In its application to the NEB, Kinder Morgan said about 90 per cent of its construction emissions would be generated from land-clearing operations and the burning of waste vegetation. The NEBs recommendation has been forwarded to Ottawa, where cabinet is expected to make a final decision in December. Its decision will also be influenced by a newly required assessment of upstream greenhouse gases emitted as oil is produced before it gets to the pipeline. The cabinet is also to consider a report expected in November from a three-member panel assigned to solicit feedback from communities and indigenous groups near the pipeline route. Anderson said the project must still win a provincial environmental certificate in B.C., where it faces fierce environmental and municipal opposition. The Trans Mountain expansion between Edmonton and Burnaby, B.C., would nearly triple the existing crude oil pipelines capacity from 300,000 barrels per day to 890,000 bpd. Most of its capacity is committed to producers who have signed 15- and 20-year contracts to gain access to tidewater and the world oil market. Anderson said Kinder Morgan is getting to work on satisfying roughly half of the 157 NEB conditions that must be in place before construction can begin. He said the company will hire more staff over the coming months as it gears up for an expected in-service date of December 2019. Follow @HealingSlowly on Twitter. This is is the end of my life. These would be my patients only words an economy of phrasing made necessary by an all-consuming air hunger. She had just arrived in the emergency room, Code 3 critical, after a lights-and-sirens ambulance transport from her nursing home. Awake, alert and intensely focused, every effort of her frail, 90-year-old body was concentrated on the simple act of breathing. Her weak heart and failed kidneys had caused her lungs to fill with fluid, every breath becoming a mixture of water and air. The analogy to drowning is inevitable. As her physician, I was going to have to make some big decisions quickly, including this one: How much should I do to save her life? Typically, when patients gasping for air and with very low oxygen levels show up in my emergency room, its obvious what to do first: You intubate them. You put a tube in their mouth down into their lungs and connect them to a respirator. Its an aggressive treatment, and anyone awake for it will tell you its unpleasant. But without enough oxygen in the bloodstream, bad, often irreversible things happen to the body very quickly. But this patient wasnt typical. She was old, she had no next of kin, and it was clear that a series of recent medical interventions had failed to stabilize her. Shed been in our intensive care unit three times for over a week in the last four months alone. Her most recent stay had involved a seven-day stint on a respirator. Her eventual discharge to the nursing home was a medical high-wire act; an all-too-familiar pattern of readmission to discharge to readmission was playing out. Perhaps with this in mind, my patient had months earlier completed an advance directive. I was holding it in my hand. We were allowed to make her comfortable: pain medication, oxygen. Explicitly proscribed were intubation, vasopressor medications to support blood pressure, invasive procedures and chest compressions. Her chart noted that she had been intubated the last time she was at the hospital because, as is often the case, paramedics didnt have the advance directive. The chart also noted she was upset about this. Heres the thing about advance directives: They are guidelines. They do not have the force of law. This is a good thing. Despite what many of us think, we cant truly anticipate how we will feel when we are about to die. Advance directives are especially valuable when someone has a terminal disease or a stroke, and they want to tell doctors what to do when they can no longer decide for themselves. But with a patient such as mine, who was alert despite her distress, its much more complicated. The human will to live is powerful. Most of the time when patients truly face death, they insist we do what we can to keep them alive. And so three minutes after her arrival, my patient was surrounded by doctors, nurses and respiratory techs getting ready to do what we do, getting ready to save her life. An oxygen mask was already placed over her nose and mouth, intravenous lines started, cardiac monitor leads attached. A doctor waited at the head of the bed, sedation medications in hand, poised to intubate. As the senior doctor on duty, what happened next was my call. I knew her medical history. I knew what her advance directive said. And most importantly, I knew what she had said to me minutes ago, when I laid eyes on her: This is the end of my life. There had been no inflection in her voice. It was not a question. Before I explain what I did next, I want you to stop and consider what you would have done. I ask because society has been debating for decades the role physicians should play in how and when we die. In June, California will join four other states in allowing doctors to prescribe lethal medication to terminally ill but mentally competent patients. While I support the new California law, I also worry about its implementation and the gantlet of checks and balances patients and caregivers will have to navigate. Who will be in charge of enforcement? Will there be an appeals process for denials? Can any law codify something as complex, emotionally charged and controversial as end-of-life decisions. In truth, the options arent black and white but intensely gray, defined by nuance and competing goals, and in the moment, doctor and patient may struggle to find common ground. Although the preservation of life is paramount in medicine, the inevitability of death necessitates a pivot at some point by patient and physician. When and how this happens will be different every time. The patient with terminal cancer choosing to forgo chemotherapy is familiar to most of us. But what of the bedridden stroke patient with a failing heart who now requires dialysis, or someone with severe Alzheimers who needs open heart surgery, or the alcoholic who will die without a new liver but continues to drink? As we age or when we become ill, the many decisions we make with our doctor about our care, even small ones, link to create a system of values we will draw upon when our time comes. Put another way, choices about how to live ones life ultimately and simultaneously are choices about ones death. A doctor can inform us, advise us, but in the end and right up to the end the choice is each of ours to make. The Hippocratic oath is both vague and specific about how to manage death. It cautions against playing God while acknowledging it may be within our power to take a life; an awesome responsibility that must be faced with great humility and awareness of ones frailty. What this means is that to first do no harm, you should think about how you would like to be treated in the same situation. At the patients bedside, I chose to do less rather than more: Supportive care only, I said. It was an uncomfortable, conflicted moment for everyone in the room. Our job is to heal the sick and save lives. Then and there, though we could have righted this sinking ship, we did not. What was left was to bring a measure of comfort to what would inevitably be her death. I gave her a small dose of narcotic in her intravenous line to quiet her air hunger. The effect was almost immediate. Her breathing slowed. Her face relaxed. Her eyes remained open, but she was asleep. It took about an hour for her to die. First the alarm on the cardiac monitor started going off, unaccustomed to the kinds of numbers it was registering. Then her breathing became erratic fast and deep, punctuated by long pauses. Her heart rate slowed to 20 beats per minute, then accelerated, then dropped back into the 20s. We disconnected her from the monitor, and the beeping went silent. I waited and watched for a full 10 minutes more, half expecting her to resume breathing. She didnt. The drugs hadnt killed her. It was the lack of oxygen in her blood. The drugs just made her more comfortable while that process took place which is what she had wanted. I have thought a lot about this patient in the months since that night. I know we did the right thing, and I know many doctors who would have done exactly what I did. But I also know many who would have intubated her in the absence of a signed affidavit reaffirming her advance directive. I cant help wondering if what makes end-of-life decisions so complicated is our definition of medicine itself. The idea of doctoring as a pitched battle against disease is compelling. But it belies the uncomfortable fact that physicians are really more stewards than soldiers. Our patients, and indeed each of us, always die in the end. Its remarkable and good that medicine allows us to live 25 years longer on average than we did 100 years ago. But sometimes my profession forgets that the end point of medical innovation and intervention isnt immortality. Back in the ER, I completed my patients medical chart, laboring to put into words the complex choreography of the last hour a life reduced in death to time stamps, vital signs, monitor readings and the like. Lost in my recounting was the drama of what happened, the nobility of a woman utterly self-aware and in tune with the narrative of her own mortality. She had rejected the false hope of a science that still struggles to understand or communicate its own limitations. At the end of my shift, the charge nurse reminded me to call the coroner. After giving the coroner my patients basic demographic information, I was asked the inevitable question Doctor, whats the cause of death? I hesitated knowing hed be looking for cardiopulmonary arrest, heart failure or some other expression of convenience. He needed to check a box on a form and yet, I couldnt bring myself to say my lines. The patient died with a weak heart and failing kidneys, not because of them. I wanted to acknowledge this womans choice her role in her death and ours. After what must have seemed like a very long time, I spoke. Natural causes, I said. She died of natural causes. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. MONTREAL Transat A.T. is eliminating 78 jobs as it closes its Toronto call centre and reorganizes some of its tour activities in a bid to improve profitability. The Montreal-based company, which operates Air Transat, said 66 positions will be eliminated when the Toronto call centre closes Sept. 12. Meanwhile, 63 jobs at its cruise call centre in Montreal will be converted to hybrid positions that will respond to calls about various vacation packages from consumers, travel agents and businesses. Transat said its new cruise offering will focus on the sale of packages including flights, transfers and cruises, while customers wanting to purchase just a cruise alone can do so from a Transat travel agent. Transat is also ending its Discoveries Collection tours in South America, Asia and Africa as it launches a new guided tour program in Europe and sun destinations for 2017. The change will result in the elimination of 12 non-unionized sales and marketing positions in Montreal. From now on, the company will focus on destinations served by Air Transat flights, said spokeswoman Debbie Cabana. Transat (TSX:TRZ) recently announced that Germanys TUI AG had made a firm offer to purchase its Transat France and Tourgreece tour businesses, worth about $80.3 million. Transat A.T. operates an integrated travel business that includes flights on its Air Transat airline and vacation packages in North America, Europe and other areas. Note to readers: This is a corrected story: A previous version said Transat would not longer sell cruises separately Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. To say this is proving to be a very big year for Peterbilt Manitoba Ltd. would be an understatement. The truck dealer is on a roll, having marked three important milestones within the first four months of 2016. On Feb. 2 during the annual Peterbilt dealer meeting in San Diego, California, dealer principal Doug Danylchuk accepted the Best in Class distinction awarded yearly to the top performing Peterbilt dealers in North America. Submitted This year is the eighth time that Peterbilt Manitoba Ltd., which operates two full service locations in Brandon and Winnipeg, has received the prestigious Best in Class award. Only 11 Peterbilt dealers from among 300 across North America won the award. The award is based on a combination of their standard of excellence scores such as parts and service performance, CSI surveys, and the utilization of PACCAR training programs. This is the eighth time that Peterbilt Manitoba Ltd., which operates two full service locations in Brandon and Winnipeg and one parts and service location in Winnipeg, has received this prestigious award. Only 11 dealer groups were named Best in Class in 2015 out of the 300 Peterbilt dealer locations in North America. Danylchuk also accepted the Platinum Oval award on behalf of his Peterbilt Brandon location for the sixth time. On April 1, Peterbilt Manitoba Ltd. proudly celebrated 35 years as a Peterbilt Truck dealer, selling and servicing the full line of Peterbilt trucks in the Manitoba region. The second-generation company was established on April 1, 1981 by founder Ed Danylchuk. His son Doug purchased the company in March of 1997. On April 18, Peterbilt Manitoba PacLease was awarded the 2015 Canada Region Franchise of the Year and Gold Level designation on the PACCAR Leasing Standards of Excellence. The Standards of Excellence are evaluated based on performance in five categories: commitment, capabilities, profitability, asset management, and sales and rental management. Submitted Officials with Peterbilt Manitoba PacLease collect the 2015 Canada Region Franchise of the Year and Gold Level designation on the PACCAR Leasing Standards of Excellence during an awards ceremony last month. A Gold Level designation on the PACCAR Leasing Standards of Excellence includes achievements like showing a consistent profitability stream, attainment of goals for in-servicing trucks, and improving operating performance. Peterbilt Manitoba Ltd. wants to thank their customers, employees, and suppliers for support and loyalty as they work together to strive for excellence. The dealership looks forward to providing you with ongoing Best in Class service. Submitted Already have an account? Log in here TORONTO - Ontario plans to spend up to $100 million over four years to support the introduction of so-called renewable natural gas to help battle climate change. We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. VICTORIA A researcher at the University of Victoria has received funding aimed at developing technology to help identify the Zika virus. Grand Challenges Canada, a federally funded body that supports public health innovations, has awarded $50,000 for research on two applications spearheaded by chemist Alexandre Brolo. His team is creating low-cost plastic strips that detect the presence of arboviruses, such as Zika and dengue, in saliva, which Brolo said would give health workers a speedy picture of who has the illness and where it might be spreading. The strips are coated with nanoparticles that change colour when they come into contact with infected saliva. Brolo and his fellow collaborators have also come up with a smartphone app that can spot mosquito larvae in stagnant water, while at the same time record and mark the location to assist those tracking Zika outbreaks. The award will help fund a small-scale pilot project in Brazil, which has been badly hit by the virus, and serve as seed money for development of the larvae-finder app. Brolo said the screening strips and the smartphone app will allow accurate and cheap collection of Zika data, giving health organizations the information needed to immediately treat infections and halt the spread of the virus. We need something that is simple, is low cost and requires very little training, Brolo said Thursday in an interview. There are low cost tests for Zika, but they use blood, which Brolo said complicates sample collection and requires trained professionals. Quick access to data is also a key to the innovations, something especially evident in the larva finder app, which takes a photo of infested water, identifies the species involved and uploads the details to a type of Google map, said Brolo, who is originally from Bazil. I think the combination of the two technologies would be perfect to contain outbreaks, because now you can get these guys going in and getting information really, really fast and then you can start attacking vectors in those particular areas and contain the outbreak as fast as possible, he explained. Brolo said hes hopeful that as tests progress, more funding will be available to scale up both projects and implement them on a larger scale. The Zika virus causes only a mild and brief illness in most people. But in the last year, infections in pregnant women have been strongly linked to fetal deaths and to potentially severe birth defects, mostly in Brazil. The virus is spread mainly through the bite of a tropical mosquito called Aedes aegypti. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. Wildlife officers in Fort McMurray have killed two black bears and captured and relocated two others that were roaming in and around the fire-damaged city. Alberta government spokesman Brendan Cox said that May 3 the day more than 80,000 people were forced to flee a raging wildfire also happened to be garbage day for most residential neighbourhoods. The stinky trash left on city streets attracted animals looking for an easy meal. An Alberta Fish and Wildlife Officer sets up a live bear trap in Fort McMurray in this recent handout image. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement *MANDATORY CREDIT* Wildlife is attracted to unnatural food sources, Cox said from Edmonton. Bears, for example, can smell rotting garbage from kilometres away. There have been 30 complaints about bears in the city in the past three weeks, he said. Although the city remains empty of residents, there are firefighters and others there working to restore utilities, repair and clean the citys hospital and reopen pharmacies and grocery stores. About 2,400 buildings were destroyed but fire crews managed to save almost 90 per cent of the oilsands city. Workers have cleaned up most of the garbage, Cox said. But foul odours will soon be returning. Residents may be allowed back into the community starting June 1, and those who didnt lose their homes to the flames will still need to clean up and throw out rotting food inside their refrigerators and freezers. We would ask returning residents to ensure their appliances, garbage or any other attractants are secured until it can be picked up or delivered to a proper waste management facility, Cox said. A government guide on the phased re-entry process also advises people not to leave their doors open in case animals wander inside. The Fort McMurray area has always been popular for bears, said Cox. About eight wildlife officers remain in the community. They have set up bear traps in neighbourhoods of concern and will also be proactively placing traps in areas known to be frequented by bears outside the city to intercept them, Cox said. Officers are going to continue to be focused on this for the forseeable future. By Chris Purdy in Edmonton Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. MONTREAL A former Montreal police officer whose heavy-handed arrest of a citizen while she was still on the force led to an assault charge was given a one-year suspended sentence Thursday. Stefanie Trudeau, 44, was also ordered to do 60 hours of community work as Quebec court Judge Daniel Bedard stated that giving her an absolute discharge would not be in the public interest. Trudeau was found guilty earlier this year of assaulting Serge Lavoie as she arrested him in 2012. She faced a maximum sentence of six months in jail and a $5,000 fine. Former Montreal Police officer Stephanie Trudeau, Agent 728, arrives for sentencing at the Montreal Courthouse, Thursday, May 26, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes Asked by Bedard if she had anything to say before hearing her sentence, Trudeau described the case as unfair. Her lawyer, Jean-Pierre Rancourt, said the sentence did not surprise him. Im not surprised because Tuesday when we made our (case) before the judge, he started to argue with me and I knew he (would not) agree with a discharge, conditional or unconditional, he said. During the October 2012 incident, Trudeau chased Lavoie up the stairs of an apartment building after he tried to film her arresting a friend of his. Trudeau held Lavoie in a chokehold on multiple occasions before proceeding to his arrest for obstructing justice. Bedard said Trudeau used excessive force and called her actions brutal and dangerous. He added there was no reason for such conduct as Lavoie was neither armed nor violent. Rancourt said he believes Trudeau was entitled to arrest Lavoie and was not the instigator, as the judge stated multiple times. She had the right to ask this person to identify himself because he was committing an infraction to the municipal code, said Rancourt, who is appealing the verdict and the sentence. Trudeau, who retired from the Montreal force last October, was also suspended by Quebecs police ethics committee on March 1 for an unrelated 2012 incident when she grabbed a mans headphones and threw them on the ground. Although she had already retired from the Montreal police department, the sanction means she cant work as a peace officer until at least June 1. Trudeau first became known during the 2012 student protests after a video circulated on social media showing her pepper-spraying demonstrators. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. BRANDON, Man. Three weeks after fleeing the flames with her family in Fort McMurray, Lucy the pit bull is trying to get around a legal roadblock. The white and brown pooch had been travelling this week in the back of a pickup truck as her owners headed east to stay with family in Prince Edward Island until they return to the fire-damaged city. But they have stopped in Manitoba, because they cant drive through Ontario. Tera Joseph cuddles her pet pit bull Lucy in an undated handout photo. The family fled the fires in Fort McMurray, only to become stuck on their road trip to Prince Edward Island in Brandon, Man., due to the ban on pit bulls in the province of Ontario. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - *MANDATORY CREDIT* Ontario has a ban that prevents owning pit bulls, as well as bringing them into the province. I do understand their law but I dont understand how travelling through is an issue, says owner Tera Joseph. How do you get from one side of the country to the other without going through Ontario? You cant. Joseph, her fiance Brad Garrett and three-year-old son, Coby, are waiting at a hotel in Brandon, west of Winnipeg, until they figure out how to get their beloved Lucy across Ontario. The family cant go through the United States, says 27-year-old Joseph, because they dont have passports. They wanted to get Lucy on a flight out of Winnipeg and have Josephs mother pick up the dog in Charlottetown. But Winnipeg also has a pit bull ban and Joseph says she would need to apply to the city for a temporary permit to get Lucy to the airport. She has looked into getting the dog on a flight out of Brandon, but most flights connect through Ontario or have overnight layovers elsewhere. And it would be too cruel to leave Lucy in her crate that long, Joseph says. She adds that she would have flown Lucy out of Edmonton had she known before they left how much trouble their cross-country trek would be. But it wasnt until they were driving through Saskatchewan that Joseph found out Ontarios pit bull ban includes travel through the province. The Ontario Attorney Generals website details that a pit bull brought into the province can be seized and its owner subject to a fine and/or jail time. Exceptions are made for pit bulls participating in recognized dog shows and flyball tournaments. Flyball is a type of sport for dogs. Ministry spokesman Brendan Crawley wouldnt say whether the province might grant exemptions for owners who are Fort McMurray evacuees. We are sorry to hear about the familys difficult situation as a result of the tragedy in Fort McMurray, Crawley said in an email. While the province is responsible for the Dog Owners Liability Act, which came into effect in 2005, Crawley says its up to municipalities to enforce it. Joseph called Ontario Provincial Police and some bylaw officials, she says, and they all advised her to keep Lucy out of Ontario. Other dog owners on Facebook have pitched in with advice. Ive heard a lot people who said, Just go for it. We made it through. We do it all the time with our pit bull. But Ive also heard the other end of it. Joseph worries Lucy will be seized and possibly euthanized. With losing as much as we have already, Im not willing to lose my dog as well, Joseph says. A massive wildfire that spread into Fort McMurray on May 3 destroyed 2,400 buildings, and more than 80,000 residents remain under mandatory evacuation. Although a phased re-entry may begin June 1, the city still wont have full services and will be under a boil water advisory. Joseph says her home is still standing, but three weeks of living in hotels has taken a toll and she wants to be back in P.E.I. with relatives. Shes just not going without her dog. By Chris Purdy in Edmonton. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA A political accountability watchdog has filed an ethics complaint with federal commissioner of lobbying Karen Shepherd about the gifts of paid travel that various lobbying organizations have given to MPs and a few senators in recent years. Ottawa-based Democracy Watch, which promotes high ethical standards in government, says the gifts violate a rule that prohibits lobbyists from doing anything that would put an MP, senator or other public office holder in even the appearance of a conflict of interest. A number of parliamentarians travel abroad each year as guests of organizations, companies or foreign governments. MPs have defended the practice, saying it allows them to learn more about issues of importance to their constituents through travel they otherwise could not afford. The Democracy Watch complaint lists 16 businesses and lobby organizations from various sectors that are registered in the federal Registry of Lobbyists and that, since 2009, have paid for trips by MPs and, in one case, also by senators. The sponsors include the Armenian National Committee of Canada, Westjet, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, the Canadian Union of Public Employees and Engineers Without Borders Canada. Sometimes the MPs spouse or staff has accompanied the parliamentarian, and often the trips have involved thousands of dollars in travel and accommodation costs, Democracy Watch notes. However, the groups complaint letter asks that a responsible official other than Shepherd rule on the matter because she has expressed interest in being reappointed by MPs to the position once her term ends in July. Democracy Watch argues this places her in a conflict of interest when considering a complaint that affects the reputation and activities of MPs. Follow @JimBronskill on Twitter Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. WASHINGTON The prospect of a Donald Trump presidency is apparently sending eyebrow-furrowing ripples of consternation across the globe. Theres statistical evidence, and anecdotal. New surveys show that people in Canada and elsewhere are, by an overwhelming majority, concerned about the populist billionaire becoming the so-called leader of the free world. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump applauds after singing the National Anthem during a rally at the Anaheim Convention Center, Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Actual world leaders are apparently concerned too. Trump came up in conversation at a G7 summit Thursday the press pool following the leaders overheard his name being mentioned. President Barack Obama later said some of his peers are worried. The world pays attention to U.S. elections, Obama told a news conference. I think its fair to say that they are surprised by the Republican nominee. They are not sure how seriously to take some of his pronouncements. But theyre rattled by him and for good reason because a lot of the proposals that hes made display either ignorance of world affairs, or a cavalier attitude, or an interest in getting tweets and headlines instead of actually thinking through (solutions to problems). Evidence of such foreign rattling appears in new polls. In Canada, an Abacus Data survey suggested Trump would get clobbered in the country with Hillary Clinton beating him 74 per cent to 26 per cent among Canadian respondents, winning clear majorities in every province. Eighty-four per cent said Trump would make the world less safe. Sixty-seven per cent of Canadians hated or disliked his views, compared to 20 per cent who liked or loved them according to a multi-country survey for the liberal group Avaaz. Sixty-nine per cent said hed make the world less safe, versus 19 per cent who said hed make it safer. He was even less popular in the other countries surveyed the UK, France, Germany, Japan and Mexico. The poll was conducted by YouGov, which found in another survey that Trump was popular in only one G20 country: Russia. Trump apparently revels in the rattling. He was asked about Obamas remarks. He used them to support his basic campaign message: that the U.S. currently loses, because its leaders are losers, and America winds up with bad trade deals, climate regulations, and heavy military spending to defend other countries, because its suckered into giving other countries such sweet deals. So if youre mortified by Donald Trump, world, he embraces your mortification. When you rattle someone, thats good, Trump told reporters in North Dakota, where he was attending an energy conference. Many of the countries in our world our beautiful world have been absolutely abusing us and taking advantage of us. If theyre rattled in a friendly way, thats a good thing, not a bad thing. He offered an example of his promised toughness during the same news conference. It involved the Keystone XL oil pipeline to Canada. Trump said hed approve the pipeline, which Obama has rejected. But hed apparently drive a tougher bargain. He suggested hed demand a larger slice of the profits for the U.S. I would absolutely approve it, 100 per cent. But I would want a better deal, he said. But give us a piece a significant piece of the profits. Trumps narrative notwithstanding, the original project arguably did provide that so-called significant piece. Up to 12 per cent of the pipelines contents would have been U.S. oil, added through an on-ramp in Montana. Much of it would have come from oil extracted by American companies in Albertas oilsands. It would then have been shipped into the United States to be refined by American companies in Texas and Louisiana. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA Public Services and Procurement Minister Judy Foote says she plans to double the staff working on the national shipbuilding strategy to address growing pains in the multibillion-dollar project. The extra public servants are among a handful of enhancements the Liberals are adding to a major project started by the Conservatives one they say has been plagued by huge cost overruns. Thats the only way to get the program on track so it can deliver new vessels to the Canadian Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Navy, Foote said. Judy Foote Minister of Public Works and Procurement addresses members of the defence and security industries at the CANSEC 2016 expo, Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand While the strategy has made progress, its success has been overshadowed by challenges and growing pains and we have to recognize the ways in which it has fallen short, Foote said Thursday in a speech to CANSEC, a major defence industry trade show. The Liberals have already promised more than $60 million in additional spending to help build an offshore oceanographic vessel and to start work on three joint supply ships. Foote also announced measures to make costing more transparent and accountable and she pledged to report regularly to Parliament on the progress of a project that aims to re-establish a shipbuilding industry on both coasts. Canadas shipyards havent produced large vessels since the mid-1990s and have shrunk in size and ability, she said. Not only were government shipbuilding teams too small, they also lacked sufficient expertise to deliver on such a complex, long-term endeavour, she said. A program of this size and importance deserves to be properly resourced. Over time, this has affected decision-making, budgeting and how progress is measured, said Foote. Irving Shipbuilding of Halifax and Vancouvers Seaspan, the two shipyards chosen by the government for the strategy, support Footes new measures, saying they will speed up the eventual delivery of much-needed military and coast guard vessels. We certainly applaud the effort to get the right people in the right places to make sure decisions are made quickly in the program, said Brian Carter, the president of Seaspan. Foote also indicated that the government will take steps to do away with something that has caused political headaches as well as sowing anxiety in the defence industry the government will stop making public cost estimates of projects because time frames are long and projects evolve. We have seen how these estimates cause confusion, she said. We will be developing procedures to ensure that accurate and timely costing information is provided to Canadians. Meanwhile, Foote had little concrete to offer the navy on the replacement of its aging warships. The Canadian Surface Combatant project aims to replace the navys frigates and destroyers, but Foote would only say she will have more on the project in the coming weeks. Her speech did not mention the need to replace the air forces CF-18 fighter jet fleet. Foote declined to speak to reporters afterwards. Earlier, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said replacing the jets was his top priority, telling a CANSEC breakfast audience that the air force faces a capability gap on that front in the coming years. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. In Premier Christy Clarks vision of British Columbias economic future, natural gas is the headliner as the province gears up to export billions of tonnes of liquefied natural gas from proposed West Coast projects. But the premier may have to make room on the bill for another fossil fuel thanks mainly to a Calgary-based company drilling in the northeastern part of the province, B.C.s daily crude oil production is at a nine-year high and expected to steadily increase. Oil analysts at Raymond James in Calgary say B.C. is becoming an emerging oil basin thanks to wells drilled by Calgary oil-and-gas producer ARC Resources (TSX:ARX) in the Tower region, about 40 kilometres south of Fort St. John. British Columbia Premier Christy Clark addresses the LNG in BC Conference in Vancouver, B.C., on Wednesday October 14, 2015. In Premier Christy Clark's vision of British Columbia's economic future, natural gas is the headliner as the province gears up to export billions of tonnes of liquefied natural gas from proposed West Coast projects.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck Other companies that own land nearby, including Crew Energy (TSX:CR) and Tourmaline Oil (TSX:TOU), are expected to join the rush. Now that ARC is getting some pretty phenomenal results, watch for them to build out the infrastructure, said analyst Jeremy McCrae, explaining pipeline takeaway capacity is a limiting factor for growth. And what you may see is some other operators start to drill and do more test wells themselves, get some comfort in the area, then they will build their infrastructure. McCrae added that given current oil prices, the boom wont be as pronounced as some that other oil basins have experienced. But if oil prices start to come back here, especially given some of the results, watch for this play to have more growth than other areas. Crude prices closed at almost US$50 a barrel on Wednesday, its highest level since October. The Montney underground formation in northeastern B.C. is composed of several stacked layers, some containing mostly dry natural gas or natural gas liquids and some predominantly oil, McCrae said. The pool of oil extends about 100 kilometres from east to west and could ultimately prove to be as prolific as the best oil plays in Alberta and Saskatchewan, he added. B.C. oil production peaked at about 100,000 barrels per day in 1998, statistics from the province show, but has fallen off dramatically since then as fields were depleted and investment dried up. In 2014, ARC started producing light oil from its first eight-well pad at Tower. It has added two pads since then and is now contributing about half of the provinces total crude output of more than 26,000 barrels per day, Raymond James notes. The B.C. production is a small fraction of Canadas total oil production of over four million barrels per day. ARCs CEO, Myron Stadnyk, did not return a call requesting comment on Wednesday. But on a conference call in February, he said that three of the Tower Montney wells ARC drilled in 2015 were closing in on cumulative production of 100,000 barrels of oil. The wells are expected to cover costs and become profitable in less than a year at current prices. They break even at Cdn$30 per barrel, according to an ARC presentation. ARC estimates it has about 9.7 billion barrels of light oil originally in place on its Tower lands. Only a fraction of that is likely to be recoverable. Hamed Sanei, a Calgary-based research scientist for the Geological Survey of Canada, a division of Natural Resources Canada, said B.C. is mainly a dry natural gas producing province because of the depth and temperature at which organic materials were buried in prehistoric times. Deeper burial means higher temperatures, thus creating more dry gas. When we go toward the east, we are in the right temperature zone that we could have light oil and liquid gas such as condensate, he said. As we get more data now, we can assess the thermal maturity and map this area better around Fort St. John. He said producers drilling gas wells knew the oil was there in a zone between 1,600 and 2,400 metres deep but needed to refine their horizontal drilling and well-fracturing completion techniques to target the oil and break up the tight rock underground so it would flow into a well. McCrae pointed out that natural gas wells in certain areas in northeastern B.C. cost $2.2 million to drill but they can then earn about $1 million in B.C. royalty credits designed to encourage exploration to feed LNG plants. Oil wells dont currently qualify for those credits but, in its report, Raymond James says it expects recent oil growth could result in provincial government incentives and potential royalty sweeteners to encourage more drilling. In B.C., oil regulation falls under the Ministry of Natural Gas Development. A ministry spokesman said he could not comment on whether new oil incentives are planned. Follow @HealingSlowly on Twitter Already have an account? Log in here ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - The lawyer who tried to launch a class-action lawsuit for victims of moose-vehicle collisions in Newfoundland and Labrador says an appeal in the case has been rejected. We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Already have an account? Log in here QUEBEC - The Quebec Liberal caucus will gather for a special closed-door meeting on Monday at a resort manor just outside Quebec City. We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Seven stories in the news today from The Canadian Press: G7 LEADERS LIKELY TO OPPOSE RANSOM: TRUDEAU SPOX A spokesman for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says theres a good chance the Group of Seven leaders will agree that their countries should not pay ransom to terrorists.Peter Boehm, Trudeaus personal representative at the G7, told reporters theres a good chance that position will be included in the communique from the summit this week in Japan. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left to right, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Council President Donald Tusk and British Prime Minister David Cameron join fellow G7 leaders as they visit the Ise Grand Shrine (Ise Jingu) in Ise, Japan during the G7 Summit on Thursday, May 26, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick GRASSROOTS GRITS CHALLENGE ASSISTED DYING BILL Some grassroots Liberals are using the ruling partys first national convention since taking power last fall to challenge the Trudeau governments restrictive approach to medically assisted dying. Wendy Robbins, the policy chair for the Liberals national womens commission, is spearheading a push to get an emergency resolution added to the agenda of the convention, which begins today in Winnipeg and runs until Saturday. BEARS AFTER STINKY TRASH IN FORT MCMURRAY Wildlife officers in Fort McMurray, Alta., have killed two black bears and captured and relocated two others that were roaming in and around the fire-damaged city. Alberta government spokesman Brendan Cox says that May 3 the day more than 80,000 people were forced to flee a raging wildfire also happened to be garbage day for most residential neighbourhoods. AIRBNB SAYS QUEBEC REGULATIONS NEED CLARITY Quebec may be the first Canadian jurisdiction to regulate home-sharing services but a senior Airbnb executive says the new provincial law wont become the only model guiding the evolution of the company. Chip Conley says what works for one community may not work for another. There are vast differences in approaches, including taxation laws, in the 34,000 cities in which Airbnb currently operates. CAN A RENEWED TORY PARTY APPEAL TO YOUTH? As Conservative leader Stephen Harper prepped for the federal leaders debates during last falls election, someone needed to be chosen to play the role of his chief opponent, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau. Conservatives were keenly aware the debates might be the best chance for Harper to show up a man the Conservatives dismissed as a young pup incapable of leading the country. B.C. OIL FIND TAKES OUTPUT TO NINE-YEAR HIGH In Premier Christy Clarks vision of British Columbias economic future, natural gas is the headliner as the province gears up to export billions of tonnes of liquefied natural gas from proposed West Coast projects. But Clark may have to make room on the bill for another fossil fuel. Thanks mainly to a Calgary-based company drilling in the northeastern part of the province, B.C.s daily crude oil production is at a nine-year high. 3 LAWREN HARRIS PAINTINGS FETCH OVER $3 MILLION A trio of paintings by Group of Seven member Lawren Harris brought in more than $3 million at an auction in Vancouver on Wednesday night. The Heffel Fine Art Auction House says Harriss canvas Laurentian Landscape sold for almost $2.2 million, well over the pre-auction estimate of between $1.2 million and $1.6 million. Oil-on-board works Coldwell, Lake Superior and Mount Sampson, Maligne Lake by Harris fetched $649,000 and $413,000 respectively. Texas and 10 other states are suing the Obama administration over a new directive about transgender students in public schools. 11 states suing over federal transgender student directive Lawsuit asks judge to declare directive unlawful The lawsuit announced Wednesday also includes Oklahoma, Alabama, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Tennessee, Maine, Louisiana, Utah, Arizona and Georgia. The challenge follows a federal directive to U.S. schools this month to let transgender students use the bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity. Conservative states had vowed defiance since the Justice Department handed down the guidance. U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch has said "there is no room in our schools for discrimination." The lawsuit accuses the Obama administration of "running roughshod over commonsense policies" that protect children. It asks a judge to declare the directive unlawful. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Highlights from the news file for Thursday, May 26: ____ BEWARE PROTECTIONISM, TRUDEAU SAYS: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned his fellow G7 leaders to not get tracked in demagoguery and protectionism. He extolled international trade at the G7 summit in Japan. He said trade-intensive industries pay 50 per cent higher wages. The G7 leaders largely focused their discussions on the global economy as the summit got underway. ____ TRUDEAU PUSHES FOR STRONGER RULES ON HANDLING HOSTAGE TAKINGS: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is making a push at the G7 summit that will likely broaden a previous agreement by the leaders to stop paying ransom for the release of kidnapped citizens. Peter Boehm, Trudeaus personal representative at the G7 summit, told reporters in Japan that theres a growing sense around the table that the problem isnt going away and by paying ransom you are just aiding and abetting the terrorists. ____ AMBASSADOR PERSONALLY DEALS WITH SECURITY PROBLEM: Canadas ambassador to Ireland, best known for his role in fatally shooting an armed assailant inside the Parliament buildings in 2014, has once again stepped into an apparent security breach. Kevin Vickers, the former House of Commons sergeant-at-arms, tackled a protester Thursday in Dublin during a ceremony to remember British soldiers killed in the 1916 Easter Rising, which also claimed the lives of some 450 Irish republicans. A Canadian government spokesman says Vickers stopped a protester who ran up to the podium. ___ AUDITORS FIND CONTRACTORS OVERCHARGED THE GOVERNMENT: Federal auditors have found about contractors either overcharged the government or made excessive profits. They say the excesses add up to $100 million. Documents obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act, show that more than 50 contracts reviewed by government officials revealed issues with, among others, Irving Shipbuilding and aerospace giant Bombardier. ____ LIBERALS BEEF UP SHIPBUILDING SUPPORT: Public Services and Procurement Minister Judy Foote says she plans to double the staff working on the national shipbuilding strategy to address growing pains in the multibillion-dollar project. The extra public servants are among a handful of enhancements the Liberals are adding to a major project started by the Conservatives one they say has been plagued by huge cost overruns. Thats the only way to get the program on track so it can deliver new vessels to the Canadian Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Navy, Foote said. ____ TRUMP LOCKS UP NOMINATION: Republican Donald Trump has reached the number of delegations needed to clinch his partys presidential nomination, and claimed Thursday that he has support from almost everybody in his party. He turned his guns on his likely Democratic presidential opponent, Hillary Clinton, who is still locked in a divisive primary contest. He gloated that she cant close the deal. ____ THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS RESCUED AT SEA: More than 4,000 would-be refugees were rescued at sea Thursday in one of the busiest days of the Mediterranean migrant crisis. At least 20 died trying in their attempt to reach Europe. The death toll was likely to grow far higher, however, as the Libyan coast guard also reported two overturned boats between the coastal cities of Sabratha and Zwara. Only four bodies were found, raising fears that the rest of those on board had perished. Overall, the Italian coast guard said it had co-ordinated 22 separate rescue operations Thursday that saved more than 4,000 lives. ____ HUNDREDS ATTACKED IN HOSPITALS: The World Health Organization says nearly 960 people have been killed worldwide in attacks on medical facilities in conflicts over the past two years. The report highlights an alarming disrespect for the protection of health care in war by both governments and armed groups. The study by the U.N. heath agency detailed 594 attacks on hospitals and clinics in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere in 2014 and 2015 that killed 959 medics, support staff, patients and visitors and left over 1,500 injured. ____ NICKELBACK SIGNS UP FOR WILDFIRE CONCERT: A June 29 concert to raise money for the victims of the Fort McMurray wildfire is boasting some of the best in Canadian music. Nickelback, Blue Rodeo, Corb Lund and Ian Tyson have all signed up. More than 80,000 people were forced from their homes on May 3 by the wildfire that ripped through the oilsands city. ____ Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. WINNIPEG Canadians looking to express feelings for controversial U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump need look no further than a Winnipeg nightclub urinal for relief. The mens bathroom in District Stop nightclub has been outfitted with a mural of the presumptive Republican candidate with a urinal in place of Trumps mouth. Around the black wall in white writing is a collage of Trumps quotes, including I will build a great wall and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, as well as I love beautiful women and beautiful women love me and I am not a shmuck. I do not wear a rug. My hair is 100 per cent mine. Winnipeg artist Nereo Eugenio sits by his Donald Trump piece that he created in the washroom at the District Stop nightclub in Winnipeg, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods Winnipeg artist Nereo Eugenio II said bringing Trump together with a urinal seemed fitting. We decided it would be a good theme for a bathroom the idea of using the potty mouth as an actual potty, he said. We thought a space like a bathroom could be good space to exchange ideas and have conversations have a tinkle and talk about all the craziness thats happening in the world. When Eugenio, 31, first painted the mural nine months ago, Trump seemed like a long shot to be the Republican partys presidential candidate. Now, its all but a certainty. Trumps appeal baffles Eugenio, who joined others in comparing some of Trumps policies such as banning Muslims from the United States, to those of German dictator Adolf Hitler. When he sorted through Trumps more outrageous quotes, Eugenio said there were so many he needed a bigger wall. Its kind of sad that its become what seems like a freak show to me rather than something that stands for dignity, he said. How is it possible that people are following what he says? Where is your sense of humanity? Wake up! It just seems ridiculous to me right now. Casey Lourens, the clubs manager, said the owners saw a similar work of art elsewhere and wanted to put their own stamp on the idea. At first, Lourens was worried it might be a little too edgy for a club that draws in hundreds of partygoers in their early 20s. But he said its been a good conversation piece. It pushes people to think about the situation that were in, he said. Its kind of funny to poke some fun back at (Trump) and put him into this situation which is not the most noble of situations. Eugenio was the first to use the urinal upon completion of his work. He recommends the experience. It was a good release, a good emotional release. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA As Conservative leader Stephen Harper prepped for the federal leaders debates during last falls election, someone needed to be chosen to play the role of his chief opponent, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau. Conservatives were keenly aware the debates might be the best chance for Harper to show up a man the Conservatives dismissed as a young pup incapable of leading the country. But they also didnt want their leader, 57, to come off as an old dog a tension that still ripples through the party as they head into their first post-election convention and attempt to rebuild public support. Conservative Leader Stephen Harper smiles as he arrives in Toronto on Oct. 11, 2015. As Conservative leader Stephen Harper prepped for the federal leaders debates during last fall's election, someone needed to be chosen to play the role of his chief opponent, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau. Conservatives were keenly aware the debates might be the best chance for Harper to show up a man the Conservatives dismissed as a young pup incapable of leading the country. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward To give Harper a chance to practice debating with someone many years his junior, Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre took a turn playing Trudeaus part. Poilievre was only 25 when first elected in 2004, one of many Conservatives who took a seat in the House of Commons while still in their twenties and who are still in those seats today. There are currently 18 Conservative MPs younger than the current prime minister, who is 44. So its frustrating to many young Conservatives that people think about Trudeau first when it comes to who can appeal to young voters, said Justin Burton, who first joined the Conservatives when he was 18. When we were in power we had a ton of candidates and a ton of MPs that were young Canadians, Burton said. And we never talked about it, ever. We never advertised it, he said. Now 30, Burton has started a think tank called Future Leaders of the CPC to connect young Tories to the current MPs. Up until a year before the fall election, he would rarely get his calls to MPs returned. Then came a deluge as the party realized the youth vote was going to be a key component of the campaign as the Tories prepared to battle the Liberals. The party needs to start reaching young voters far sooner, Burton said, including people who might not be eligible to vote today but will be in 2019. To do so requires a mix of a far more savvy communications strategy, a strong leader and a refresh of party policy, he said. But if thats what young people want, they need to take responsibility too, said Natalie Pon, 24, who sits on the executive of the Edmonton West riding association. Pon said she got involved in her electoral district association on her own and has received nothing but support from the start, not just from her local MP but also party officials. I forced myself to speak out, I earned that response and I earned my spot at the big kids table, she said. She is one of the co-sponsors of what could be one of the hottest debates at this weekends Conservative party convention the issue of deleting references in existing party policy that oppose same sex marriage. She brought it forward because she wanted a contemporary policy that reflected the actual laws of Canada, she said. Two pieces of legislation currently in the works from the Liberal government have their roots in policies brought forward by young Liberals at their convention assisted suicide and the decriminalization of marijuana. The Liberals, however, have an official youth wing of the party that has long had an activist role. No such body exists within the Conservatives though there are proposals at the convention to change that. There is already a network of Conservative youth clubs across the country, including one at McGill university. There, members organized an online fundraising campaign to send as many people as they could to this weekends convention. The fact that money has been pledged from Conservative MPs including at least two people thinking about running for leader is a sign the party recognizes youth need to be part of the partys rebuilding process, said Adam Wilson, 20, the president of the Conservative Association of McGill University. Young voters have been written off in the past because of the perception they dont engage; but turnout in 2015 was higher than ever, he pointed out. A preliminary survey from Statistics Canada said in 2015 voter turnout for those between the ages of 18 to 24 increased to 67 per cent from 55 per cent in the 2011 vote. (The party) needs to make it clear they are welcoming to youth, Wilson said. Everyone always thinks the Conservatives are the old white male party of the right, but in reality thats not true. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. BURNABY, B.C. In a dramatic show of support for deep health-care reform in the U.S, more than 2,200 physician leaders are calling for sweeping change. Their proposal published in the May 5 American Journal of Public Health calls for the creation of a publicly financed, single-payer national health program to cover all Americans for all medically necessary care. If that sounds familiar, it should. These American doctors are calling for Canadian-style medicare. They want a decisive break from the expensive and inefficient private insurance industry at the heart of the U.S. health-care system. How ironic that at the same time that U.S. physicians are calling for a single-payer health system like ours, Canada is in the midst of a legal battle threatening to pave the way for a multi-payer system resembling what has failed Americans. Whats at stake? A trial later this year in British Columbia threatens to make the Canada Health Act unenforceable. The Canada Health Act guides our health-care system. The federal legislation strongly discourages private payment for medically necessary hospital and physician services covered under our publicly funded medicare plans. This includes out-of-pocket payments in the form of extra billing or other user charges. Legislation in most provinces further prohibits private insurance that duplicates what is already covered under provincial plans. If patients are billed for medically necessary hospital and physician care, the federal government is mandated to withhold an equivalent amount from federal cash transfers to provinces or territories violating the act. At least thats what supposed to happen. Unfortunately, the last decade saw a proliferation of extra billing in several provinces and few instances of government clawing back fiscal transfers. Perhaps things will change. Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott recently stated that the government will absolutely uphold the Canada Health Act. In B.C.s upcoming trial, the plaintiffs including two for-profit investor-owned facilities, Cambie Surgery Centre and the Specialist Referral Clinic want the court to strike down limits on private payment. They support the creation of a constitutionally protected right for physicians to bill patients, either out-of-pocket or through private insurance, for medically necessary care, while also billing the public plan. In other words, the plaintiffs want to undo our elegantly simple single-payer system for hospital and physician care, creating a multi-payer system like the U.S. If the constitutional challenge is successful, the door will swing wide open in B.C. and across Canada. The outcome could be that those who can pay for care will jump the queue, drawing doctors and other resources out of the public system. Those who cant pay would likely wait longer. Rather than a solution for wait times, private payment in the Canadian context would make them worse. Global evidence shows that private insurance does not reduce public system wait times. The Achilles heel of health care in several European countries, such as Sweden, has been long waiting times for diagnosis and treatment in several areas, despite some private insurance. Since Australia introduced private insurance to save the government money, those with private insurance have faster access to elective surgery than those without. Divisions in equitable access to care is one of the biggest challenges facing countries that have adopted multi-payer systems. Multi-payer systems are administratively complex and expensive. The U.S. health insurance industry spends about 18 per cent of its health-care dollars on billing and insurance-related administration for its many private plans, compared to just two per cent in Canada for our streamlined single-payer insurance plans. Hospital administrative costs are lowest in Canada and Scotland both single-payer systems and highest in the U.S., the Netherlands, and the U.K. all multi-payer systems. For all of its warts in how we deliver health care in Canada, the way in which we pay for care avoids the high administrative costs of multi-payer systems. Private insurance is at the root of what ails the U.S. system. Dr. Marcia Angell of Harvard Medical School and co-author of the physicians proposal sums it up: We can no longer afford to waste the vast resources we do on the administrative costs, executive salaries and profiteering of the private insurance system. A Canadian-style single-payer system would save the U.S. about $500 billion annually. Abandoning our single-payer system for a U.S.-style system would be the worst possible outcome for Canadians. Lets hope the evidence preserves our system. The trial begins in September. Karen Palmer is an advisor with EvidenceNetwork.ca, a health policy analyst and adjunct professor in the faculty of health sciences at Simon Fraser University. Troy Media Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. If there was ever a doubt the criminal justice system unfairly targets victims of sexual violence, it was erased earlier this month in a Winnipeg courtroom. On May 18, veteran defence lawyer Richard Wolson used a victims Facebook posts to point out inconsistencies with her victim-impact statement at a sentencing hearing for a Winnipeg man convicted of sexual assault. And so it goes. Robert Zamrykut, 25, was found guilty of a March 2014 sexual assault on the woman. At the sentencing hearing, the Crown asked for a three-year sentence; the defence wanted a shorter term, citing the fact Mr. Zamrykut is a father of two young children, with no prior criminal record, and at a low risk to reoffend. The purpose of victim-impact statements is to provide the victims of crime the opportunity to have a voice in the courtroom. The Criminal Code makes it clear that once an impact statement has been read in court, the judge must consider it in determining the sentence. In this case, the victim described suffering emotional trauma, anxiety and weight loss from being unable to eat. Mr. Wolson took the victim to task for posting things such as being thrilled about her weight loss on Facebook, arguing its inconsistent to blame his client for not being able to eat and then posting remarks online about being happy about the results. Mr. Wolson stated he wasnt trying to victimize the woman, but was merely pointing out inconsistencies, which were found after he launched an investigation at the behest of Mr. Zamrykuts family. That sounds just a bit self-serving. When Queens Bench Justice Sadie Bond questioned whether these postings were admissible, the Crown said they were, and that means this line of questioning in essence, victim-blaming can continue. It would be nice if this case were a one-off, an anomaly. However, Federal Court Justice Robin Camp berated a sexual-assault victim last year because she didnt keep her legs together to prevent penetration in a case that involved a Calgary man accused of raping the 19-year-old woman. Justice Camp has been relieved of his duties and is under investigation by the Canadian Judicial Council. Perhaps more heinous was the decision by Manitoba Queens Bench Justice Robert Dewar, who called a man convicted of sexual assault a clumsy Don Juan, noted the victim was wearing a tube top and spared the offender jail time because sex was in the air. Justice Dewar was also investigated by the Canadian Justice Council but was not disciplined. Meanwhile, the Crown appealed the sentence and the perpetrator was given three years. Theres no doubt the recent Jian Ghomeshi case laid bare the increasing frustration women are feeling about the criminal court system and the lack of justice for sexual-assault victims. Mr. Ghomeshi was found not guilty of sexual assault and choking in March after the judge determined the three women involved were not credible. Mr. Ghomeshi signed a peace bond in May in the case of another woman who said he had sexually assaulted her. A peace bond means, in essence, Mr. Ghomeshi has to keep the peace and be on good behaviour for a year. Its not an admission of guilt. Many who work with sexual-assault victims are concerned these types of cases, which garner national attention, force women to stay silent and sexual assault remains one of the most underreported and under-convicted crimes in Canada. Were at a serious point in this country it being 2016 and all and Canadas justice minister should begin the long process of once again reforming Canadas sexual-assault laws so victims do not have to be re-victimized by a system that, so far, hasnt been working particularly well. Winnipeg Free Press Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/05/2016 (2343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Better cell service welcomed To the person who wrote the editorial Pallisters Promise Seems Unreasonable (May 25), you note an unknown, but likely modest, increase in costs for consumers will be offset by better coverage throughout the province after the sale of MTS to Bell Canada. But then you criticize the PC government for suggesting it would contribute money to construction of expensive cell towers where they are needed. Come on, cell service in many parts of this province, even on major roadways, is poor or non-existent. Anything to improve service is welcome. In this day and age, dead spots can mean dead bodies when it comes to emergencies. A very costly undertaking Spokesman says Crown attorneys wont appeal Duffy acquittal must be nice to have friends in high places. Canadian taxpayers have spent a huge amount of money for the hopeful sake of justice in this scandal of some of Canadas senators. Now it seems those initial charges have been diluted to a point that nearly everyone is free. We know that justice is blind, but is there a lesson here? Were the RCMP and Crown wrong to proceed with the accusations after sifting though all the evidence that was presented? Department store chain Debenhams has named Amazon Fashion boss Sergio Bucher as its new chief executive. Mr Bucher will join in October from Amazon, where he has acted as vice president of its fashion arm in Europe since 2013. Current Debenhams chief executive Michael Sharp will step down on June 24 after nearly five years at the helm, although he will be available to help Mr Bucher with the handover if needed. Ian Cheshire, who recently joined Debenhams as chairman, said Mr Bucher's appointment follows a "rigorous recruitment process with some exceptional quality candidates". "Sergio's wealth of e-commerce expertise, international experience and clear leadership qualities stood out," he said. He added Mr Bucher was the "best person" to take Debenhams forward. Mr Bucher, 52, will join on an initial pay package worth up to 3.8m, including a 700,000 annual salary, an annual bonus worth a possible 1.05m and long-term incentive shares worth up to 1.4m. The pay deal also includes up to 30,000 to relocate from Luxembourg and a 5,000-a-month housing allowance for the first two years, while he will get a 445,184 payment in lieu of shares he would have been paid at Amazon. His appointment ends a seven-month hunt for a successor to Mr Sharp after he announced plans to leave last October, ending speculation over his role at the group amid shareholder pressure for a boardroom shake-up. Mr Sharp, who became chief executive in September 2011, insisted he had always intended to leave after a five-year term. But some of the retailer's major investors were widely reported to have been unhappy with its performance and were seeking a boardroom overhaul after disappointing results in previous years. Mr Bucher, who is Swiss-Spanish, has held a number of roles in retail and fashion brands, including as general manager of Nike Retail in Europe, Middle East and Africa. He was also previously general manager at Spanish retailer Oysho, which is owned by Zara parent group Inditex. Mr Bucher said: "I am excited to be joining Debenhams, with its strong UK heritage, a growing international presence and a track record of supporting and developing brands and designers. "I look forward to working with its experienced and talented team to take Debenhams forward to an exciting new future." The European Union and Japan have reached political agreement on the completion of long-running negotiations for a trade deal. In talks at the G7 summit in Japan, leaders including agreed to instruct negotiators to work to an accelerated timetable which could see the deal concluded as early as this autumn and come into effect next year. Key elements of the deal - including tariffs on agricultural and automotive exports and government procurement - must be completed over the summer if it is to be signed by the end of the year. A successful deal could lead to the elimination of the vast majority of trade tariffs and boost imports and exports in key areas such as agriculture, car manufacturing and clothing. Speaking at a meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron, French president Francois Hollande, German chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian PM Matteo Renzi, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council president Donald Tusk, Mr Abe welcomed the political agreement. "It's my great pleasure that we have produced this statement," said the Japanese PM. "The realisation of the Japane EU EPA/FTA is not something that's conducive only to the economic growth of Japan and the EU. "The agreement is going to be beneficial for bringing in sustainable and robust growth for the whole world economy. "There's a substantial significance that countries sharing basic values such as freedom, democracy and the rule of law build... an international order that's befitting the 21st century. "In order to make progress in the negotiation both parties must come up with strong determination and flexibility and I want to continue close cooperation with the leaders who are present today." In a joint statement following the meeting, leaders from the EU, Japan, France, Germany and Italy said that the deal will "promote strong, sustainable and balanced growth", including the creation of more jobs. China's top engineers have unveiled a futuristic-looking solution to the country's traffic problems at the 19th China Beijing International High-Tech Expo. The electric-powered Transit Elevated Bus runs on rails and is designed to operate high above the ground - so that traffic can drive underneath it, like through a tunnel. In practical terms, it means that, in one of the most gridlocked countries in the world, the bus can avoid traffic jams simply by passing over them. Each bus has a capacity of 1,200 passengers and it is hoped that their introduction will ease China's traffic congestion problem and reduce pollution. Concerns have been raised however about the demo's lack of safety barriers between the bus and the cars and the fact that it didn't show how the TEB would manoeuvre around higher vehicles such as lorries. Tests are to begin later this year in the city of Qinhuangdao. Cork comedian Ross Browne pulled a prank on our Taoiseach lately when he met him at Corks 96fm radio station. The funny man lured Mr Kenny in with a false sense of security telling him he was a big fan, but Ross was all hooked up to a mic to do a gag for a sketch he does every morning on Corks 96fm. A couple from Des Moines, Iowa, recently visited Ireland and they wrote this glowing review online about why other people should follow their lead and visit the Emerald Isle. Their reasons include the natural beauty: Its the kind of natural beauty that belongs more in a fairytale. Management at Ulster Bank have today confirmed the loss of over 100 jobs in the Republic of Ireland. The job losses are due to a further major restructure of its retail branch network here. Management informed the Financial Services Union (FSU) that voluntary severance will be on offer to some employees while others may be directly placed at risk of redundancy. The FSU is opposing the restructure since, it argues, there is no sound business rationale for it. The union claimed that any further job losses in Ulster Bank exacerbate difficulties arising from understaffing which affect both staff and customers. "This latest restructure is going to hit both staff and customers badly," said FSU senior industrial relations officer, Gareth Murphy. "This will not only cause difficulties for the staff who lose their jobs but also for those remaining who will face increased workloads and additional stress. "Customers are likely to face more queues. "Most customers who need advice, prefer to deal with a human being rather than a machine. "Many of these queries require time and care. So withdrawing staff from this crucial interface with customers does not make any business sense. "Ulster Bank has declared its ambition to be 'number one for customer service, trust and advocacy'. But this seems like a strange way to pursue it." FSU general secretary Larry Broderick added: "Ulster Bank workers have faced massive restructuring in recent years, with many thousands leaving the institution so that staffing levels are now at crisis point to the detriment of employees - as confirmed through our recent survey - and to customers who need more - not less - staff in branches. "We are calling on the incoming chief executive Gerry Mallon, to make halting this restructure one of his first priorities, along with addressing the major disquiet over the possible sale of distressed mortgages to vulture funds." "We want him to engage with us directly to address these key challenges in Ulster Bank's operations in the Republic of Ireland," said the FSU leader. A University of Ulster survey on work-related stress - commissioned by the FSU and published at the beginning of May - identified chronic understaffing as a workplace hazard and highlighted stress as the foremost health and safety issue. Over half (58%) of respondents report that their workplace is not appropriately staffed. Close to 70% of staff in retail banking roles reported to be at risk of poor well-being. Overall Ulster Bank ranked in the bottom 20% of employers for its capacity to address workplace stress effectively - with its branch network operations scoring in the lowest 20% on all seven indicators used to measure work-related stress. A global policy published today recommends the decriminalisation of consensual sex work. The policy, by Amnesty International, outlines that sex workers are often subject to human rights violations and abuses. The publication is made up of research data from Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, Norway and Argentina. Executive director of Amnesty International Ireland Colm O' Gorman said that governments must take action to protect sex workers. "We'll be calling on States to act to protect the human rights of people involved in sex work here in Ireland," he said. "We really hope that the Government, if they re-introduce legislation in this area, will very carefully consider the evidence that's laid out in this research, will act to decriminalise sex work, and ensure that there's a good legal framework in that both criminalises and prosecutes those who would exploit those involved in sex work." A diplomat hailed a hero worldwide for shooting a gunman who stormed the Canadian parliament has wrestled with a protester at a military ceremony in Ireland. Kevin Vickers helped subdue a demonstrator who began chanting "insult" at the service commemorating more than 100 British soldiers killed trying to suppress the Easter Rising a century ago. Mr Vickers, 59, was attending the State ceremony as Canada's ambassador to Ireland when a man in his 40s attempted to disrupt it. Dressed in a suit and raincoat, he grabbed the protester by his black leather jacket before Gardai moved in, forced the suspect to the ground and arrested him. Canadian Ambassador to Ireland Kevin Vickers tackles protester at ceremony to honour British soldiers killed in 1916https://t.co/idQ3g16gG8 RTE News (@rtenews) May 26, 2016 The former House of Commons sergeant-at-arms in Ottawa became a household name after confronting rifle-wielding Michael Zehaf-Bibeau on October 22 2014 during a gun fight in the building. In what was described as a terror attack, Zehaf-Bibeau had earlier gunned down Corporal Nathan Cirillo, 24, who was assigned to the honour guard at the city's national war memorial. Mr Vickers, who has a strong Irish-Canadian background, was later appointed ambassador to Dublin. Gardai confirmed a man in his mid 40s was arrested at around midday. The suspect was detained at Cabra Garda station on suspected public order offences. He was heard shouting "this is an insult" at the start of the invite-only event. Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan laid a wreath in memory of up to 125 British soldiers killed during the 1916 rebellion against British rule. They came from across Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland and further afield. The ceremony commemorating their deaths is one of a number organised to mark the 100th anniversary of the Rising. British Ambassador to Dublin Dominick Chilcott also laid a wreath on behalf of the British Government. Mr Flanagan said the service was about recognising the many different narratives and experiences in one of the most defining episodes of recent Irish history. "Like those that died a hundred years ago, those of us participating in today's event are a diverse group of individuals, with different backgrounds, beliefs and aspirations," he said. "Such differences do not divide us and need not hinder us from coming together to reflect upon the moments that have shaped our islands' history. "In the century since the events of 1916 we have learned, through painful experience, the importance of mutual respect for the different traditions and multiple narratives across these islands." Members of the Irish Defence Forces, together with members of the British Armed Forces also participated in the ceremony. A spokeswoman for the Canadian Embassy in Dublin said: "We are not making any comment. The ambassador will not be giving any interviews." Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan is to appear before the Policing Authority today where she is likely to be asked about the O'Higgins report. The Authority is likely to look for further clarification on her instructions to her legal team ahead of the inquiry into garda malpractice in the Cavan-Monaghan region. Yesterday, Commissioner O'Sullivan issued a statement claiming she did not tell her lawyers to question the integrity of whistleblower Maurice Mc Cabe. Read: Read More: Garda Commissioner breaks silence on instructions to her legal team The Authority which meets in private today is also likely to ask her about failings in policing and management of the force. She received the backing last night of the Tanaiste and Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald, who expressed confidence in her. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has also given Commissioner O'Sullivan his backing, saying she is needed now to tackle gangland crime. "There are very serious issues to be dealt with, not least the current crime epidemic in Dublin, and the degree to which the gangs, the criminal gangs, the drug dealers, are really challenging the State," he said. "I think that does trump everything else at this stage, at that needs to be dealt with, and the gardai and the Commissioner need our full support in dealing with that particular challenge." The Peter McVerry Trust is appealing to the Government to do more to help families who are at risk of becoming homeless. The charity will be before a Dail committee later this morning to present ideas for solving the current housing crisis. Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan has laid a wreath in memory of more than 100 British soldiers killed trying to suppress the Easter Rising. . @CharlieFlanagan closes #Ireland2016 ceremony "Respect for multiple narratives is at heart of Commemorative prog" pic.twitter.com/VsNtrOA4Dn A lone protester at the State ceremony in Dublin's Grangegorman Military Cemetery was arrested for briefly disrupting the service. The man in his mid-40s began shouting "this is an insult" at the start of the invite-only event at around midday and was quickly detained on suspected public order offences. As many as 125 soldiers of the British Armed Forces died during the 1916 rebellion against British rule a century ago this year. They came from across Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland and further afield. The ceremony commemorating their deaths is one of a number organised to mark the 100th anniversary of the insurrection, which ultimately led to the creation of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. British Ambassador to Dublin Dominick Chilcott also laid a wreath on behalf of the British government. Defence Forces personnel taking part in commemorative events in Grangegorman #Ireland2016 pic.twitter.com/qE3Gm70CEl Oglaigh na hEireann (@defenceforces) May 26, 2016 Relatives of the British soldiers who died were also in attendance. Minister Flanagan said the service was about recognising the many different narratives and experiences in one of the most defining episodes of recent Irish history. 'Reconciliation is at the heart of how we approach this Decade of Centenaries' @CharlieFlanagan pic.twitter.com/70rUCDOgBr Irish Foreign Ministry (@dfatirl) May 26, 2016 "Like those that died a hundred years ago, those of us participating in today's event are a diverse group of individuals, with different backgrounds, beliefs and aspirations," he said. "Such differences do not divide us and need not hinder us from coming together to reflect upon the moments that have shaped our islands' history. "In the century since the events of 1916 we have learned, through painful experience, the importance of mutual respect for the different traditions and multiple narratives across these islands." Members of both the Irish Defence Forces and the British Armed Forces participated in the ceremony. Update - 3.55pm: The EU Mediterranean rescue mission says that it has located about 20 bodies in the seas off Libya's coast after a migrant boat sank. Navy Lt Rino Gentile of the EUNAVFOR operation said that the sinking dinghy was first spotted by one of its aircraft. Both the Italian coast guard and the Spanish frigate Regina Sofia intervened. He said some 20 bodies were located in the sea. Earlier, Italian coast guard reported 88 people had been saved. Earlier: Italy's coast guard says a migrant boat has overturned off Libya's coast with an unknown number of passengers on board. Coast Guard Cmdr Cosimo Nicastro said the capsized boat was first spotted by an aircraft participating in the European Union monitoring operation. The Italian coast guard responded with two rescue vessels to the location some 30 miles off Libya's coast. Cmdr Nicastro said 88 people had been rescued from the capsized wooden boat. He said he did not have any information as yet about how big the boat was. It is one of about 20 search-and-rescue operations under way today. Cmdr Nicastro said of the eight operations concluded, some 1,000 migrants have been rescued. Thousands of dock workers poured into a public square in the French port city of Le Havre, setting off smoke bombs as part of escalating nationwide protests against a labour bill that undermines worker protection. As union activists disrupted fuel supplies, trains and nuclear plants during a day of demonstrations around the country, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls opened the door to possible changes. But he said the government would not abandon the bill, which would make the country's 35-hour work week more flexible, among other provisions. The draft law, aimed at boosting hiring after a decade of nearly 10% unemployment and slow but corrosive economic decline, has escalated into the toughest challenge yet to President Francois Hollande and his Socialist government. "There could be improvements and modifications" in the bill, Mr Valls said on BFM television. He did not elaborate on what might be changed, and insisted that the "heart" of the bill - a measure weakening the power of unions over workplace rules - should remain. Withdrawing the bill "is not possible," he said. Union activists and ordinary workers reacted with derision. Members of the CGT union, leading the protests, said it is too late to compromise. Many remain angry that the government forced the bill through the lower house of parliament without a vote because of division in the Socialist majority. "Valls is hardening his tone? Well were hardening our tone too!" an organiser shouted into a loudspeaker at the Normandy Bridge, where some 200 to 300 trade unionists and other protesters gathered to block traffic in one of many disruptions to roads around the country. After vacating the bridge, which typically carries about 12 million vehicles a year, union activists spread the disruption to Le Havre, driving slowly through town or briefly blocking roads on foot as cars around them honked repeatedly. Then the dock workers stormed the main square in front of City Hall, setting off multi-colour smoke bombs and throwing some in fountains, kicking up plumes of water. The sounds of sirens and the smoke bomb explosions reverberated around the area. Fabien Gloaguen, an activist with the militant Worker's Forcemovement, said the government would have to back down. "He's going to withdraw it," Mr Gloaguen said. Mr Valls insisted the bill is "good for workers" and small businesses, and argued that many of its critics are ill-informed of its contents. In addition to loosening rules about the 35-hour work week, the bill makes it easier to fire workers in times of economic downturn, and weakens the power of unions to set working conditions across an entire sector. Two months of protests escalated over the past week as unions targeted the sensitive oil industry, blocking fuel depots and refineries. The government has started using its strategic fuel reserves and forcing depots to reopen, but supplies remained patchy on Thursday, with long lines and caps on purchases. Union activists are burning tyres and blocking a major bridge on the northern French coast on a day of nationwide strikes and protests over labour reforms. Demonstrators gathered early at a central square in the port town of Harfleur, near Le Havre, setting off fireworks and air horns. Riot police have used tear gas during violent clashes in central Paris to disperse crowds who attacked shops during a protest against a divisive labour law reform. Police say they have so far made 16 arrests during the disturbances in the capital. President Barack Obama says world leaders are "rattled" by Donald Trump and have good reason to feel that way. President Obama discussed the 2016 presidential campaign during a news conference in Japan, saying foreign leaders are surprised by Mr Trump and not sure how seriously to take the things he says. He said many of the likely Republican nominee's proposals display ignorance about world affairs, a cavalier attitude or an interest in getting "tweets and headlines". The president also downplayed Democratic concerns about the long-running primary fight between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. He said sometimes in a primary, people get "grumpy". But President Obama said the difference between Democrats and Republicans this year is the Democratic candidates are not that ideologically different. President Obama's comments to reporters came amid growing Democratic impatience to see the party unite behind Ms Clinton, who is close to netting the number of delegates needed for the nomination but has been unable to persuade Mr Sanders to exit the race. Many Democrats, including prominent senators, have started publicly voicing frustration with Mr Sanders, who shows no signs of a quick departure despite near-impossible odds of overtaking Ms Clinton. Rather, Mr Sanders has warned of a potentially "messy" Democratic Convention in Philadelphia in July, stoking concerns for the Democratic Party and for Clinton's campaign, both of which are eager to shift their focus to attacking Mr Trump and courting voters needed to win the general election in November. Yet President Obama brushed off calls for him to get more personally involved in brokering a resolution, saying that he's still inclined to let the Democratic primary play itself out. He likened the hard-fought campaign between Ms Clinton and Mr Sanders to the one he waged with Ms Clinton in 2008. "During primaries, people get a little grumpy with each other. Somebody's supporter pops off and there's a certain build-up of aggravation," President Obama said. "Every little speed bump, conflict trash-talking that takes place is elevated." He urged both Democratic candidates to "try to stick to the issues", adding that the grumpiness often stems from voters' frustration when the campaign instead becomes dominated by talk about "personalities and character". DOHA: The bill being paid by Qatar for the most expensive World Cup ever held is set to rise to fantasy levels in... The US Mint will feature an Asian American on its currency for the first time when it issues a coin next week... KARACHI: Gold prices on Saturday continued to fall on the local market, traders said. The prices slid by Rs 1000 to... MANILA: The use of LNG imports for power generation in the Philippines next year should not be a disincentive for... Panadol is short in the market and this has been catching eyes of media, politicians, all and sundry. Everyone has ... LONDON: Britains former finance minister Rishi Sunak confirmed on Sunday he was standing to replace Liz Truss as... It takes six people to operate the largest incarnation of Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors, now on at The Canberra Theatre. They're all working inside the puppet at very close quarters: one in the body, one operating the mouth, one on each of the tentacles and one on each of the leaves. Created by Erth Visual & Physical Inc., it's the third incarnation of the ever-growing Audrey II devised for this production of the musical by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman that is now touring Australia. The show tells the story of orphaned Seymour Krelborn (played by Brent Hill), who works in the Skid Row flower shop owned by Mr Mushnik (Tyler Coppin) and has a secret crush on his co-worker, Audrey (Esther Hannaford). But she has an abusive boyfriend, dentist Orin Scrivello (Scott Johnson) and it seems Seymour's love is destined to go unrequited until he comes into possession of an unusual plant he names Audrey II in her honour. So striking is it that people flock to the shop and fame and fortune seem assured - as well as attention from Audrey. But there's a price to pay: Audrey II has a voice, talks only to Seymour and demands blood - human blood. Esther Hannaford plays Audrey in the black comedy. Credit:Rohan Thomson Hill not only plays Seymour but also voices Audrey II live on stage, underlining the connection between the two characters and the Faustian nature of the tale, especially when Seymour has to start resorting to desperate measures to feed the plant, finding himself on a very slippery slope. He said, "I love talking to people who are not sure how to react. They say, 'Yeah!' then "Wait a minute...that's not good."' Shoppers can expect less generous reward schemes but fewer sky-high surcharges for paying by credit card under changes starting from September. Airlines in particular are likely to be affected, as the new rules will limit businesses to charging customers a percentage of the purchase price, rather than a fixed fee, when they pay by credit card. In other changes that will affect premium credit cards particularly, the Reserve Bank of Australia on Thursday said it would cap the fees banks received from credit card companies when transactions occurred. Known as "interchange fees", these will be capped at 0.8 per cent of a purchase price from July next year. That compares with some interchange fees as high as 2 per cent today. Filming has started on the Paul Hogan bio-pic in Queensland. The mini-series which is being produced by Fremantle Media and will be shown on the Seven Network later this year began shooting at locations in Brisbane. A drama about Paul Hogan has begun filming in Queensland. It is understood the majority of the series, expected to be called Hoges, will be shot in Brisbane after production was lured here with funding from Screen Queensland. The series will be directed by legendary Australian director Kevin Carlin who directed Molly for Seven last year and has helmed several episodes of Foxtel's hit drama Wentworth, also produced by Fremantle. The lead author of a consultants' report hailed by Environment Minister Greg Hunt as supporting the government's climate policies is a current member of the Liberal Party and former candidate for the federal seat of Sydney, prompting questions about its independence. Gordon Weiss is an associate of energy consultancy Energetics and was one of three authors of a report commissioned by the Environment Department exploring how Australia could meet its 2030 carbon emissions targets. The report did not disclose his affiliation. The report drew criticism from groups such as The Climate Institute for its findings, in particular that Australia could achieve the Abbott-Turnbull government's goal of cutting 2005-level emissions 26-28 per cent "under the current policy framework". Mr Hunt, though, praised the Energetics report at last week's debate with Labor counterpart Mark Butler, saying it confirmed the government "could meet and beat" its target "without additional measures", the Guardian reported. An alleged insider trading duo were barely adults but working for investment banks "that paid them lots of money" when they allegedly struck an illegal deal to cash in on confidential information, a court has heard. The criminal trial of Oliver Curtis, husband of Sydney public relations queen Roxy Jacenko, entered its final stages on Thursday as the Crown delivered is closing address to the jury of 12 men and women in the historic St James Supreme Court in Sydney. Oliver Curtis and wife Roxy Jacenko arrive at the St James Supreme Court on Thursday. Credit:Jessica Hromas Mr Curtis, 30, exercised his legal right not to give evidence in the trial. He has pleaded not guilty to a charge of conspiring with his then best friend, John Hartman, to use confidential information to rake in profits betting on the sharemarket. NSW Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian has refused to rule out increasing state taxes to fill the $17 billion hole emerging in state finances over coming decades. The "fiscal gap" was revealed in the state government's Intergenerational Report, released on Thursday. The report finds that changes, including the state's ageing population, will increase the gap between the money needed to run NSW and the money brought in to $17 billion by the middle of the century. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten was questioned over Labor's position on the proposed backbacker tax on Thursday morning, but did not specifically say Labor would withdraw the proposed tax. "If we were elected we would sit down with the farmers, with the tourism operators. We have said this is one of the worst-designed taxes we've ever seen," Mr Shorten said. This month Queensland Strawberry Growers Association vice-president Adrian Schultz told the ABC that strawberry farms near Wamuran near Caboolture used about 7000 backpackers. "Anecdotally, there was some evidence that backpacker numbers were already affected," Mr Schultz said. "Our area alone (at Wamuran) handles up to 7000 backpackers coming through, so we rely on them a great deal and it has a lot of people worried." The government plans to close a concession allowing backpackers as "non-residents" to claim the wages they earn on Australian farms tax-free. They would instead pay 32.5 cents on each dollar earned. Farmers say the decision will cost backpackers money, meaning backpackers will not pick fruit, and they fear backpackers will holiday in New Zealand or Canada instead of Australia. Berry Patch strawberry grower Charmaine Davey said the companies wanted more local workers in south-east Queensland's strawberry industry. "It was only about 10 years ago that the workforce on our farm was almost all local," Ms Davey said. "These days, over 80 per cent of our workers are from overseas. "As much as we value our foreign work force, who have played a pivotal role in growing this industry to the size it is today, we would love to see a significant increase in local workers who are willing to become a part of our farming family and return each year for strawberry season." Around 80 per cent of south-east Queensland's strawberries are grown on the Sunshine Coast and in the Moreton Bay region. Queensland Strawberry Growers Association, Growcom and the Food and Agricultural Network partnered with the two local councils to drive a local jobs campaign linked to strawberries. QSGA development officer Jennifer Rowling said growers wanted to develop a "returning workforce" and not rely on seasonal backpackers. She says growers genuinely believe the backpacker tax "will have a devastating impact" on their industry. "If the backpacker tax comes in that level at 32.5 per cent the backpackers and the working visa holidaymakers have told us that they will not come here," she said. "Why work in this industry if we are not going to make any money?" She said Thursday's plan was "not specific" to the backpacker tax "but the backpacker tax is one of the threats to our workforce". Ms Rowling said growers were already facing a decline in working-visa travellers. She said growers wanted stable, local workforce "as a base", because it would save them money because they would not have to retain successive waves of overseas backpackers. "Yes I summited." Those were the three vital words Alyssa Azar said to her dad after she reached the top of Mount Everest on Saturday. Alyssa Azar's satellite phone cut out as she told her father she'd scaled Mount Everest. The satellite phone had already cut out twice and disconnected shortly after she uttered the phrase, but it was all he needed to hear. The 19-year-old Toowoomba resident's successful climb made her the youngest Australian to reach the top of the world's tallest mountain, eclipsing the record set by Rex Pemberton in 2005. An environmental protection order has been issued against Linc Energy's former chief executive Peter Bond. It's the first time the government's new chain of responsibility laws have been put into use. Queensland's environment department issued the EPO on Wednesday night to ensure environmental obligations were met at Linc's site at Hopeland. It requires Mr Bond take steps to decommission most of the site's dams and take steps in relation to the rehabilitation of contaminated soils that remain on site. An American expert commissioned by the Queensland government to improve its juvenile justice system says he's surprised by the relatively low incarceration rate in the state. Peabody Research Institute director Mark Lipsey, a world-leading authority on juvenile justice based at the Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, said comparatively few young offenders were kept in custody in Queensland. US expert Mark Lipsey has been asked to help improve Queensland's juvenile justice system. Credit:Cameron Atfield "There's a remarkably low rate of kids in detention in Queensland, it's really striking," Dr Lipsey said. "The vast majority of kids are being treated in the community and that's a good thing. And his father liked it so much, he bought his son's company last year and brought him into the fold. Eight LEDs are housed in cones to reduce glare. Credit:Hannah Francis Jake Dyson had two engineers working on products before. Now he's got 10 to 15 at his disposal. "Things happen faster," he says. The lamp uses a counterweight pulley system for movability. Credit:Hannah Francis Visiting the company's Australian office in Alexandria, Sydney, for the Australian launch of the lighting range, Dyson plays with the display lamps demonstrating the way they slide into different positions; the way they dim and brighten with the touch of a fingertip; their "memory" for what setting the light was on before you turned it off; the way the eight LEDs throw multiple shadows off objects. They don't look like lamps at all. Microphone stands, perhaps; easels, or music stands, minus the magnum opus. The Cu Beam board room light. No shading invention Something's missing. The lamp shade. "There's a place for them," he says. "Not in my house though." The Cu Beam. And light bulbs? "I don't believe the future is in lightbulbs at all. There's no money in it." Just as his father pulled the rug out from under the multi-million dollar vacuum bag industry, because Dyson's light bulbs last so long, they don't need replacing. It's clear he also has a genuine distaste for them. "They're absolutely ghastly," he says. "It's not efficient because you put them inside a lampshade, which is trying to bounce all the light around and bring it out, and if you put them in a ceiling they're in your face. You can't escape them." Cool is in the cooling A Dyson lamp's LEDs are instead secreted in silver cones built into the arm. You can only see the bulbs if you stick your head right under it and look up. Otherwise, the light emanates almost magically from the end of the stick-like frame. But the real innovation is the proprietary cooling system. It's the reason these lights last so long. As LEDs are exposed to heat, they get damaged, and the light gets dimmer and dimmer. These lamps have a copper tube inside the length of the frame which functions like the cooling systems in some computers or smartphones. The heat from the light turns a tiny drop of water into vapour, which is drawn up the tube, dispersing the heat with it. It condenses upon cooling and runs back to the light, over and over. The system cools the LEDs to 55-60 degrees, making them last three times longer than a standard LED running at 130 degrees. "It'll still work [after 40 years] by the way it'll just be 30 per cent less bright," Dyson says. He launches into an elaborate calculation of how much money one can save with a Dyson lamp. At just 8 watts power but as bright as a regular 60 watt bulb, it's a heck of an electricity saving, aside from probably never having to buy a lightbulb again. But the outlay is significant, with the three models currently available desk, floor and one that can clamp onto furniture costing between $850 and $1200. Boardroom beams Another light, designed to hang above board room tables, uses just one LED and beams light across a large area while shielding the actual light from the eyes of people sitting at the table. The cooling mechanism on this one fans out to the side like the wings of an old propeller plane, or an air duct grille in the floor. "We made it deliberately to look like a piece of camera photographic equipment," Dyson says. ADAMS The Adams American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Sons of American Legion in conjunction with the Boys Scouts, will participate in Memorial Day services honoring the Vietnam veterans on Monday, May 30. 9:30 a.m. -- Pella Cemetery 10 a.m. -- Hooker Cemetery 11 a.m. -- Highland Cemetery. Invocation, ceremony, historical re-enactment, cannon salute. BARNESTON 11 a.m. -- Monday, May 30 at the Barneston Cemetery. Guest speaker will be Father Bob Barnhill. Gun salute given by Post 356 Honor Guard. Sponsored by Legion Post 356, Sons of American Legion and Barneston Legion Auxiliary. The public is invited for lunch, hosted by the Barneston Legion Auxiliary, at the Barneston Legion Hall after the ceremony. BEATRICE 10:30 a.m. - Monday, May 30 -- Evergreen Home Cemetery. Sponsored by local veterans organizations, Beatrice Cemetery Association and the Gage County Veterans Service Office. Memorial Day Address by Maj Daniel Benes; Master of Ceremonies by Tim Fralin; Flag Ceremony by Roy Miller and Herman Hofeling; Invocation and Benediction by Rev. Mark Schutt; Gettysburg Address and General Logans' Order by members of Gage County Composite Squadron-Civil Air Patrol; Music by Beatrice Community Concert Band. Other participants: Veterans of Foreign Wars, The American Legion,Sons of the American Legion, American Legion Riders, Disabled American Veterans, Amvets, Marine Corps League, Nebraska Army National Guard, Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary , The American Legion Auxiliary, Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary, and Daughters of Civil War Veterans. Firing squad conducted by The Veterans Club. BLUE SPRINGS Blue Springs Cemetery Memorial Day services will be held Monday, May 30 at 10:30 a.m. Special guests include Connor Husa, Rev. Lori Miller and Rev. Jimmy Shelbourn playing the bagpipes. The Blue Springs United Methodist Church will be hosting their Memorial Day luncheon following the services from 11 a.m. 1 p.m. at the church. Freewill offering. Proceeds are going to the Blue Springs Cemetery Association. BREMEN, Kan. Immanuel Cemetery Committee will conduct a Memorial Day service Monday, May 30 at 9 a.m. Bring your lawn chairs and help us recognize those that have served our country for us. BURCHARD/LEWISTON Burchard American Legion Post 156 and Table Rock American Legion Post 289 will conduct Memorial Day services on Monday, May 30. Speaker: Billie Kay Bodie, Gettysburg Address by Melissa Bausch 9:30 a.m. Lewiston Cemetery 10 a.m. Mount Pleasant Cemetery 10:30 a.m. Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery 11 a.m. Burchard Public Cemetery A basket dinner will follow at the Burchard Community Center, sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 156. CORTLAND Cortland Legion Post 253 will conduct Memorial Day services Monday, May 30 10 a.m. Highland Center Cemetery, Cortland. Speaker: The Rev. Casey Karges 11 a.m. Cortland Community Cemetery-1 miles south of Cortland. Speaker: The Rev. Casey Karges CRAB ORCHARD Crab Orchard Legion Post 336 will conduct Memorial Day services on Sunday, May 29. 10 a.m. --Vesta Cemetery 11 a.m. --Crab Orchard Cemetery. Lunch will be served at the Crab Orchard Community Building following the services. Public invited. DEWITT 10:30 a.m. -- Monday, May 30 at the Oak Grove Cemetery, rural DeWitt. Memorial Day service will be conducted by De Witt American Legion Hawes-Wood Post. 11:00 a.m. De Witts annual Memorial Day dinner, sponsored by the Oak Grove Cemetery Board., at the DeWitt Community Center. Freewill offering. Public is invited. LIBERTY Liberty American Legion Huntington-Vasey-Young Post 346 will conduct memorial services Sunday, May 29. 9:30 a.m. - -Summerfield Cemetery 10:30 a.m. - - Mission Creek Cemetery 11 a.m. - -Zion Evangelical Lutheran (Breunsbach) Cemetery 11:45 a.m. - - Pleasant Hill (Frog Pond) 2 p.m. - - Liberty Cemetery-program ODELL Armstrong-Wasserman Post 231 American Legion, the Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion of Odell will conduct services Monday, May 30. 9:15 a.m.--Bethlehem Lutheran Cemetery of rural Bremen, Kan. 10 a.m. -- Lanham Cemetery Coffee and rolls at the Odell Legion following Lanham service. 11 a.m. -- Catholic Cemetery, Odell 11:30 a.m. --Odell Cemetery PICKRELL 10:15 a.m. Sunday, May 29Christ Lutheran Cemetery, rural Pickrell, following the 9 a.m. morning worship service. Firing squad conducted by the Cortland Legion Post 253. 2 p.m. Sunday, May 29 at the Pleasant View Cemetery, two miles south of Pickrell. Message by the Rev. Lila Bottolfsen of the Pickrell United Methodist Church. Special music presented by Sloane Cornelius. Representatives of the American Legion will attend. 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 29 at Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Pickrell. Speaker Pr. Jerry Gilbreath. Jeff Wallman will play taps. American Legion Bitting-Norman Post 27 of Beatrice will provide military honors. PLYMOUTH The Plymouth American Legion Color Guard will present Memorial Day ceremonies Monday, May 30. Volleys will be fired and taps sounded at the following cemeteries: 9:15 a.m. -- Old Plymouth, three miles south, 1 1/2 west of Plymouth 9:30 a.m. -- Peace Lutheran, five miles west, 1 1/2 south of Plymouth 10 a.m. -- St. Pauls Lutheran, one mile west and one-eighth north of Plymouth 10:30 a.m. -- Immanuel Lutheran, two miles east, one-eighth north of Plymouth 10:45 a.m. -- Woodlawn, one-fourth mile south of Plymouth 11 a.m. -- Legion Memorial in Plymouth, next to west ball field 11:30 a.m. --Following the ceremonies, the community is invited to a potluck dinner hosted by the auxiliary at the Plymouth Community Center. Table serve, meat, and drink will be provided. STEELE CITY American Legion Campbell-Klein Post 349 of Steele City will conduct Memorial Day Service on Sunday, May 29. 2 p.m. - - Steele City Cemetery 2:45 p.m. - - Joy Creek Cemetery southwest of Hollenberg, Kansas. They will hold the same service at both cemeteries. For both cemeteries, please meet at the flag pole for the service and not at the entrance gate. The speaker will be Mitch Zabokrtsky. Auxiliary President Berdine Payne will read the Roll of Honor, the names of the veterans buried in each cemetery. The Steele City American Legion Auxiliary will furnish the memorial wreath. TECUMSEH American Legion Post 2 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8221, both of Tecumseh, will conduct Memorial Day services Monday, May 30. 6:00 a.m. Sunday, May 29 - - Install the Avenue of Flags, breakfast served afterwards at the Veteran's Club. Volunteers are sought to help prepare, install and remove the flag display on the County Courthouse Square. Monday, May 30 - Cemetery Visitation by Honor Guard & Firing Squad 8:30 a.m. - Meet at Veteran's Club 9:00 a.m. - Depart from Veteran's Club 9:30 a.m. - Maple Grove Cemetery 10:00 a.m. - St. Andrew Cemetery 10:30 a.m. - Spring Creek Cemetery 11:00 a.m. - Tecumseh Cemetery 11:30 a.m. - Veteran's Memorial in Courthouse Square, Tecumseh Guest Speaker: Crystal Neihoff, Cpt. US Marine Corps, Annapolis Grad, Iraq veteran 2 p.m. - Veterans visitation at Belle Terrace 5 p.m. - Removal of Avenue of Flags - lunch served afterwards at VFW VIRGINIA/FILLEY American Legion Fisher Post 367 will conduct Memorial Day services Monday, May 30. 9:30 a.m. - -Virginia Cemetery 10:30 a.m. - -Filley Cemetery 11:30 a.m.--Covered-dish luncheon will be held at the American Legion Hall in Virginia. Meat and drink provided. Public invited. If rainout or inclement weather, program will be held at the Legion Hall at 10:30 a.m., with luncheon following. WESTERN 10 a.m. -- Monday, May 30 at the Plainview Cemetery, Western. Military services will be provided by the Western Legion. WILBER Louis-Milan American Legion Post 101 of Wilber will conduct services on Monday, May 30. The Post will commemorate Memorial Day with a program at the Wilber Care Center starting at 10:30 a.m. and at the Wilber American Legion Park starting at 11:00 a.m. Seating for the programs will be provided. Following the park program, the public is invited to a covered dish luncheon at the Legion Park Building to start at 11:30 a.m. Meat and drinks provided. We are asking people to bring salads, other dishes and desserts to share at the luncheon. WYMORE Memorial Day Services conducted by American Legion Post 25, Wymore, on Monday, May 30. 10 a.m.--Wymore Cemetery, American Legion Post 25 will present the colors and provide the services 10:30 a.m. -- Blue Springs Cemetery, American Legion Post 25 will be presenting the colors 11 a.m.--Bethel Cemetery, American Legion Post 25 will be presenting the colors Police are on the hunt for a gunman in Melbourne's northern suburbs, after a woman was shot in the leg. A Victoria Police spokeswoman confirmed police were called to a residential home in Ellam Court in Meadow Heights just before 5.30pm, following a report of a firearm being discharged. They are still searching for a man who ran from the home shortly after the incident. Neighbours reported on social media that a police helicopter had been hovering low over the area. Half of central Melbourne's new apartments are being built and bought by off-shore investors, as the city grapples with what one development industry figure has labelled an "unprecedented level of supply". And he warned that a slowdown in the property market meant it was harder to sell apartments, and tougher for developers to get a final settlement out of buyers. It has led a prominent housing academic to question whether the city's apartment boom was being driven by investors who needed a high-end product to park money rather than addressing housing affordability. Next year alone, 20,000 apartments will be completed across Melbourne, property industry researcher Robert Papaleo said. A paedophile priest who fled to Malaysia on paid leave to seek the company of "younger Asian men" has died. Father Peter Grasby left Australia in January, despite a travel ban issued by the Catholic archdiocese of Melbourne as a condition of his administrative leave. Father Peter Grasby asked to move overseas in August 2013 but the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne said no. The church was not aware Father Grasby had left the country until contacted by Fairfax Media, which reported in February about his case and the concerns it raised about the monitoring of sex offenders within the clergy. An independent commissioner for the archdiocese ordered Father Grasby to return to Melbourne and moved to cancel his entitlements because he had defied the conditions of his leave. A group of Parkerville bushfire victims say they were reluctant and wary about suing an elderly woman over the power pole which sparked the 2014 blaze. Noreen Campbell, 83, owns the Granite Road property where the pole collapsed and sparked the fire. Parkerville bushfire Credit:DFES Her name was added to a multi-million dollar class action this week. Greg Jones, from the Stoneville and Parkerville Progress Association, said it was a step which had been taken very reluctantly. A remote Western Australian town is refusing to fly the Aboriginal flag during NAIDOC Week, with the shire president saying it would be "divisive and not inclusive." The Shire of Carnarvon voted against flying the Aboriginal flag during the national week celebrating indigenous culture, with the president Karl Brandenburg saying the Australian flag already encompassed all cultures. The Shire of Carnarvon said they felt flying the Aboriginal flag on their council building was "divisive". Credit:Max Mason Hubers MMH "The building has to represent everyone holistically. I mean what do I do next, have a sporting club come in and say "we've got a big sporting event on and we want to raise our flag'?" Mr Brandenburg told ABC radio on Thursday. "To be a truly unified nation we should be one nation under one flag." Media, Pennsylvania: A man has vowed in court to resume stalking a Philadelphia TV news reporter as soon as his probation for doing so expires in 15 years. Christopher Nilan, 32, made that promise at Wednesday's sentencing for stalking a female KYW-TV reporter, The Delaware County Daily Times reported. Christopher Nilan, the man sentenced for stalking a female news reporter in Philadelphia, vows to stalk her again. Credit:AP "I'm not going to give it up," the man told the judge. "I want to be with her. I'm the only person who can protect her." Nilan became obsessed with the reporter in November and kept trying to contact her, sometimes through a male reporter at the CBS affiliate, even after she told him the station discourages reporters from having relationships with viewers. The retail broking franchise of major aggregator, Connective , has celebrated its official national launch following a successful pilot program.iConnect Financials national launch was marked by events held in Sydney and Melbourne, and follows an eight-month pilot program with select brokers from within the Connective network. The official launch now means iConnect Financial is now open to brokers industry-wide.Connective CEO Glenn Lees said brokers can now be a part of a recognisable brand on fairer and more equitable terms.With iConnect Financial we are looking to replicate what we did in the wholesale space, and thats to disrupt the market by providing brokers with a better and fairer way to align with a partner thats committed to growing their business.The iConnect Financial model is based on providing brokers with a fairer agreement, better financial terms, and a mutually respectful relationship all based on our proven performance in wholesale aggregation and the Connective way of doing business.The head of iConnect Financial, Leith Wickstein, said the pilot program exceeded expectations.Brokers are telling us they are seeking a retail model that provides an engaging brand which generates leads and delivers strong systems and support. We certainly believe iConnect Financial delivers on all these fronts and more, he said. Challenger aggregator My Local Broker (MLB) has unveiled its purpose-built CRM software, Chief. Chief created in collaboration with MLBs business partner, Base CRM, in San Francisco was created to be fully digital, intuitive and simple. Integrating NextGen.Nets ApplyOnline platform, MLB says Chief allows the entire home loan application to be digitally completed. But unlike other CRM software which utilises NextGens technology, MLB CEO Jaci Smith said Chief has been purpose-built to work in sync with this technology. The main complaint [from brokers] was around the amount of double handling of data and data loss that happens when applications are submitted to NextGen. These pain-points are very common and are very real for many of our competitors products, she told Australian Broker. However, the real difference of Chief, according to Smith, is the document collaboration technology that lets both brokers and clients contribute to the application in real time, without any data drop out. Transparency around the process, form data and documents means that there is less confusion, less double-handling, more clarity and automation around where things are at for both parties. Chief has also applied the same serviceability algorithms employed by lenders. It's about accuracy, Smith told Australian Broker. When applicants can clearly afford to service the amount they're hoping to borrow, this isn't an issue. For applicants which are wanting to stretch themselves for a new purchase, this can be touch and go. Given the formulas can differ for each lender, or even products, it could be the difference between whether the deal can happen or not, from a consumer perspective. Chief will be officially launched to MLB brokers soon. A second man has been arrested in connection to an assault at Kabo Bar Wednesday. Seth A. Mann, 24, was arrested for operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, obstructing a peace officer, leaving the scene of an accident and third-degree assault. The altercation left two people with minor injuries early Wednesday morning. Beatrice resident Matthew Aden was previously arrested for third-degree assault. The conflict began when Aden and Mann allegedly got into an argument with two others at the bar on Fifth Street, taking the confrontation outside before police arrived. The Beatrice Police Department was called to the scene around 1:25 a.m. When they arrived, officers saw two injured people outside the bar and were told by witnesses that the alleged attackers had fled in a pickup truck down an alley. Officers followed as the vehicle fled the scene. The pickup turned off the road into a ditch and struck a utility pole, at which point the two occupants attempted to get away on foot. Police caught Aden and arrested him on assault charges. Mann fled into the tree line to evade officers, but he was identified by multiple witnesses and later arrested. Manns bond was set at $5,000 with a 10 percent deposit in Gage County Court Monday. latest news October 3, 2022 Dee Gambit Hundreds if not thousands of new and returning TV shows and movies are released every month your options of what to watch are endless. Variety, they say is ... The chances your nurse correctly monitors for side effects of pain meds? About one in four Post-operative patients are at highest risk for respiratory depression during the first 48 hours of recovery. Poor compliance by hospitals places patients at risk for opioid-induced respiratory depression, says UB nursing researcher No one should go into a hospital and leave dead because we were aggressive with their pain management yet didnt provide safety measures. BUFFALO, N.Y. Nearly 75 percent of hospitalized patients receiving opioids for pain management are not monitored according to hospital guidelines. A study led by University at Buffalo nursing researcher Carla Jungquist reveals that the vast majority of post-operative patients given opioid medications through intravenous infusions are not monitored often enough to detect respiratory depression, a potentially deadly result of overdose. Post-operative patients are at highest risk for respiratory depression during the first 48 hours of recovery due to the combined effect of anesthesia and opioid medication, says Jungquist. No one should go into a hospital and leave dead because we were aggressive with their pain management yet didnt provide safety measures, says Jungquist, PhD, assistant professor in the UB School of Nursing. The study, Avoiding Adverse Events Secondary to Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression, was published earlier this year in The Journal of Nursing Administration. The researchers analyzed more than 4,000 patient records at eight hospitals around the nation. The data uncovered whether nurses followed protocol to monitor blood oxygen saturation, respiratory rate and level of sedation every two to four hours for the first 24 hours after surgery. The results found that just under 27 percent of patients received all three assessments every four hours. And only 8 percent of patients received the assessments every two hours. Nurses measured sedation scores least often, with a third of patients receiving this assessment every four hours. The finding is concerning, says Jungquist, since excessive sedation can precede respiratory depression. Jungquist attributes the poor compliance to excessive workloads for nursing staff and to hospitals lacking policies that enforce guideline compliance. When hospitals have a death, they quickly get on board and adopt policies that are more aggressive, says Jungquist, who recommends that hospitals shorten four-hour intervals to every two hours. Practice is starting to change, but it has taken way too many years and too many deaths. Although hospitals dont track or report near misses unplanned events that could have resulted in death or injury the study found 55 instances where nursing staff used naloxone, an emergency treatment for opioid overdose. Those instances accounted for more than 1 percent of patients. No patients who were assessed every two hours using all three measures received naloxone. What if they didnt catch it quickly enough? says Jungquist. We can avoid adverse events if we step up monitoring. When we find a patient who is sensitive to opioids, institute pain management strategies that include opioids only at a low dose. It is certainly feasible. Practice just needs to change. Additional investigators include Darin Correll, MD, assistant professor of anesthesia at Harvard University; Lee Fleisher, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, and Rosemary Polomano, PhD, professor of pain practice, both at the University of Pennsylvania; Jeffrey Gross, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Connecticut; Rajnish Gupta, MD, assistant professor of anesthesiology at Vanderbilt University; Chris Pasero, a pain management clinical consultant; and Robert Stoelting, MD, president of the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation. This is an old article. We keep articles like this online for historical purposes. Please note that it may contain outdated information or broken links. For up-to-date information on this topic, visit our Service Guides. Documenting Turkey with a GoPro Donald Mcguire Jr., Senior Instructional Associate with the University at Buffalo Classics department, and his students visited the church of Ayasofia (Hagia Sophia) in Istanbul, Turkey during January 2016. They documented the trip using a GoPro provided by UBIT. By Dan Hartman Dan Hartman (UB Student, Class of 2016) was born in Rochester, NY. He transferred to UB after earning an Associates Degree at Monroe Community College and is working towards completing his Bachelors in Communication. Dan hopes to become a screenwriter someday. In his free time, he enjoys working out, eating cereal, and spending time with his friends. The best learning environment isnt always the classroomits out in the field. Ionic temple, Didyma, Turkey. Ionic temple in Didyma, Turkey In January 2016, Don McGuire, a Senior Instructional Associate of the Classics Department at UB, and his students from his "Global Cities in the 21st Century, Istanbul" course traveled to Turkey for a first-hand educational experience. This years trip wasnt the first time McGuires class visited Turkey, but it was the first trip to be well-documented with a GoPro. "The experience my students get in Turkey cannot simply be taught through a textbook," Don said. "Its a nicely integrated curriculum. The students jaws drop the entire trip." The trip began with four days of basic introduction to the city of Istanbul followed by an eight-day journey across Western Turkey to explore modern and ancient cities. Afterwards, the group returned to Istanbul for another eight days. At the suggestion of Vice President and Chief Information Officer J. Brice Bible, Don chose to document his trip with a GoPro to accurately capture the experience. "Im very grateful to UB Information Technology for making the technology available," Don added. "I think one of the best sites that we filmed was an archaeological site called Assos, which has a Greek temple from the 6th century BCE. It is set on top of a hill, looking across the Aegean to the Greek island of Lesbos just a couple of miles away. It is truly spectacular. Also, in terms of interior shots, the great Byzantine church of Hagia Sophia, which is now a museum, turned out well." Ephesus, Turkey. High/late Roman period condominiums in Ephesus, Turkey With a variety of technologies available, UBIT News asked Don what made the GoPro the best choice. "The dynamics of the GoPro are intriguing, it is so convenient for capturing voice and vision. Its much easier to handle than a camera or microphone," Don said. "Its also really useful for recruiting students into these programs." Don hopes UB will recognize the educational value of GoPro. "Innovative technology is essential for students to achieve academic success," he added. "The GoPro is a new form of technology not yet implemented into the mainstream educational system. The more we can do to bring GoPros into the classroom, the better off UB is," Don stated. Brett Martin Plumbing & Drainage has appointed Mark Garrard as a new sales representative in the south west to add further strength and expertise to the sales team. Mr Garrard has over 25 years experience in the construction products sector, having held senior sales and business development roles with a builders merchant and product manufacturers. He returns to Brett Martin to cover the Glamorgan, Powys, Dyfed and Gwent regions and will be responsible for merchant and contract sales of Brett Martins Underground, Rainwater and Soil & Waste drainage ranges. Chris Dawson, sales director for Brett Martin Plumbing & Drainage, said We are delighted to have Mr Garrard back at Brett Martin, bringing with him a wealth of industry expertise which will enable us to maximise our sales initiatives. COVID testing as we know it wouldn't have happened without this NJ lab So why not convert the sales tax instead? Over the last few years, ever since the tax reform of 2013 took hold in North Carolina, there has been a steady push to expand the sales tax to services in an attempt to make it a more pure consumption tax. The idea, on the part of some analysts and lawmakers, has been eventually to eliminate the income tax and replace it with a broad-based sales tax on both goods and services. In other words, the idea is to replace the current income tax, with a base of both consumption and savings, with a tax that has only consumption in the taxable base.I will not review the merits of replacing the traditional income tax with a consumption tax. These arguments have been gone over at length in several other papers . The whole point of making the move from an income-based tax, i.e., consumption plus savings, to a consumption-based tax is to eliminate the double taxation of saving, investment, and entrepreneurship, which is an inherent bias in an income tax.What I want to argue is that there is more than one way to accomplish this transformation, and the current push to do it through the elimination of the income tax may not be the best approach.Here at the John Locke Foundation we have spilled a great deal of ink going over the details of how the state could convert the existing income tax, while staying within its established framework, into what is called a "consumed income tax." As noted above, a person's annual income is essentially divided into two components, what they spend (consumption) and what they save/invest. At its root, what a consumed income tax does is remove saving and investment from the equation, leaving spending/consumption the only component to be taxed.If one starts with his entire income, before any tax rate is applied to it, any amount that would go into a savings account or investment account of any kind would be subtracted out. On the flip side, any money that is withdrawn from savings and investment to be used to purchase something would be added back in.So all money that is spent, whether on goods or services, would be taxed. In other words, all savings would be treated like a regular IRA, except people would not have to wait until retirement to use their money and there would be no penalties for early withdrawal.By definition, an "income" tax structured in such a manner automatically is converted into a broad-based consumption tax. In order to move in this direction, JLF has proposed allowing bank and investment institutions in the state to establish what are called Unlimited Savings Allowance accounts that would function like these modified IRA accounts.We have also proposed eliminating capital gains and corporate income taxes. All of this is in an attempt ultimately to remove savings from the tax base and move toward a more pure consumption-based tax.It should be noted that the tax reform of 2013 has taken some important steps in this direction. In particular, by lowering and flattening the tax rate and by drastically reducing the corporate tax the state has significantly reduced the tax penalty on all productive activity Our hope is that the legislature would simply continue in this direction by taking a look at allowing saving and investment institutions to implement USA accounts, possibly through a pilot program, and also by creating some kind of tax differential with respect to the rate or the base for capital gains income.Theoretically, what I just described could be accomplished by reforming the sales tax and abolishing the income tax. Please note, the sales tax, like the income tax, would need reforming. It is at present not a pure, broad-based consumption tax. It doesn't tax services and penalizes investment by introducing a form of double taxation by taxing business-to-business sales.So in order to "purify" the sales tax, reform would have to include expanding the tax to all consumer services, but not business-to-business services, plus eliminating all current sales taxes on business purchases, which are investments. The exercise would be one of base broadening in one area and base narrowing in another.This is theoretically possible, but politically it could be a nightmare. With each attempt to expand the current sales tax to a new service there would be fierce opposition from a new special-interest group.Imagine the pushback from lawyers, accountants, doctors, hospitals, real estate agents, etc., when it is proposed that they need to start being tax collectors. It should also be noted that movement in the direction of trying to expand the sales tax to some services while leaving in place business-to-business taxes, which is largely what has occurred so far, may actually exacerbate the double taxation problem.The customers of a hair cutter who is paying taxes on his or her clippers, scissors, chairs, hair products, etc., is already paying a tax on the service, even though it is indirect and embedded in the price. To add the same tax to the hair cut itself is, to some degree, taxing it twice.An additional problem is the rate. It has been estimated that to make the required reform of the sales tax and eliminate the income tax would require a sales tax hike to anywhere from 8 to 10 percent. Such high sales tax rates would enhance the competitiveness of out-of-state Internet sales, which in many cases are not taxed at all.Since 2013 North Carolina has moved a long way in the direction of sound tax policy, by both changing the tax base and lowering the rate. But in moving forward some important decisions will have to be made.Should we design future tax reforms to move the system in the direction of a consumed income tax or an expanded sales tax and a higher rate, with the goal of eliminating the entire income tax structure, leaving the bulk of tax collection, and the costs associated with it, to private businesses? The answer to this question will make a lot of difference in how we approach tax reform in the coming years. Exports have been a worry for Cummins India and the pain continued in the March quarter (Q4). Revenues at Rs 1,038 crore in Q4 declined seven per cent year-on-year and came below Bloomberg consensus estimate of Rs 1,212 crore, on a 30 per cent year-on-year decline in exports. Cummins posted its results after market hours on Wednesday. The stock opened with a four per cent decline on Thursday. The news of shifting manufacturing of new export products to an unlisted Indian arm of Cummins Inc (the parent company of Cummins India) took Cummins India's stock further down by 12 per cent intra-day on Thursday. Some analysts said the move should not be a concern for Cummins India's revenues or profits. The stock ended 6.2 per cent lower on Thursday. Renu Baid of IIFL says India is the core market for Cummins Inc and any product range where Cummins India is competitive and has expertise in is channelised to Cummins India. "But, the key deciding factor for Cummins India is whether the products and applications are suitable for the Indian market," she says. According to her, this practice is followed by most foreign firms that have manufacturing sites in India. "This is not any corporate governance issue or change in management functioning," she says. Exports may remain depressed on subdued demand. Contribution from exports to total revenues has already been moderating from 40 per cent in FY15 to 31 per cent in Q4FY16, partly due to higher domestic growth. According to Baid, weak exports may keep the stock valuation muted in the near term. The firm is optimistic of benefiting from a domestic recovery, led by construction, marine, and railways. Growth is currently driven by mid-range and heavy-horse power engines, which saw 25-30 per cent revenue growth in Q4. While these segments are performing better, commodity prices are inching up. Compared to an operating margin of 16 per cent in Q4 (up 50 basis points year-on-year) and in FY16, the management expects operating margin to be 14 per cent in FY17. The Delhi High Court continued hearing rebuttals by pharma to the central government's stand in the much fought over (fixed dose combination) drug ban case today. The controversy arose after the central government issued a notification on March 10 pursuant to the Doctor Kokate Committee report banning 344 FDCs, leading most large pharmaceutical manufacturers including Pfizer, Abbott, GlaxoSmithKline and Cipla to immediately challenge the move in the Delhi High Court. The court first heard the petitions on March 14 and provided the manufacturers interim relief by allowing them to continue production and sale of the notified FDCs on the grounds that the drugs sought to be banned had been in the market for several decades and the notification itself did not make out a case of extreme urgency. In today's hearing, the court heard intervener applications and petitioner responses to arguments previously advanced by the central government justifying the ban. The interveners sought impleadment in the hotly contested matter on the grounds of public interest and social well-being. The interveners made impassioned pleas highlighting to the court the present insufficiencyof pharma regulation in the nation and the necessity of the ban by the central government. "This decision (the ban) has come afterdecades. We are the only country (in the world) with so many unregulated drugs.This is not a global phenomenon as these seek compliances themselves elsewhere. I hope my lord will consider the health and safety of citizens asparamount," Bijon Kumar Mishra, an intervening activist said. The counsels for the petitioners in turn contested the intervener applications while furthering their arguments in opposition to the ban. They rejected the government's previous submission that the notification had been issued as part of a legislative process, which did not require principles of natural justice to be followed, supporting their contentions with relevant case law on the topic. Parag Tripathi, senior advocate representing Wockhardt Limited questioned the decision making process of the central government in banning the FDC's in question and argued with the help of Supreme Court judgments,the necessity of consultations with the DTAB (Drug Testing Advisory Board) andDCC (Drug Consultative Committee) before the central government could have taken such action. He further submitted that the constitutional validity of Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 had been upheld in the past only due to the advisory mechanism in place that specifically prevented arbitrary action being taken by the government. According toTripathi, this made prior consultations of the government with these statutorybodies mandatory in nature, which could not be substituted by formation of anexpert committee. "One fine day, the government wakes up and suo-moto decidesto ban the drugs it feels. This is a jurisprudential jump which cannot be made," Tripathi said. The counsels for the pharma manufacturersalso opposed the ban by challenging the power of the central government to issue such a notification under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act after state licensingauthorities had already issued prior approvals. They highlighted relevantsections of the Act favouring their stand, as well as constitutional provisionsthat list public health as a state issue. Another ground for challenge raisedby the petitioners was the fact that the government had dichotomously targeted FDC's alone while still allowing the same combination of drugs to be prescribed inthe same proportions to patients individually. After hearing the arguments advanced, thecourt presided by Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw listed the matter again on 30 Mayfor further hearing. 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. E-commerce giant is likely to lose its 'day one' status in Indian Institutes of Technology's (IIT's) campus placement programs, reported the Economic Times on Thursday. The cause, according to the report, is Flipkart's recent decision to defer the joining date of its most recent batch of campus recruits from June to as late as December. Additionally, the IITs are not the only one's displeased, as has similarly deferred the joining dates of new Indian Institute of Management (IIM) recruits. has claimed that it has taken this step because of ongoing restructuring in its business. Citing multiple sources, the report says that the e-commerce major is "almost certain" to be take off the "prestigious" day one slot at various branches of the top institute. The financial daily adds that the All-IITs Placement Committee (AIPC), comprising placement cell heads across all IITs, will meet in the next few days to take a decision on the matter. Speaking to Economic Times, one AIPC member said, "Flipkart's day one slot at IITs will be affected for sure. Our next AIPC meeting was scheduled for October, but we are planning to have a video conference in the next few days to decide on how to sort out the problem," the member added. The day one slot across IITs, according to Economic Times, is normally reserved for the most reputed companies, a list which includes Google and Microsoft. The report adds that barring a couple of campuses such as IIT-Bombay, Flipkart has so far been accommodated in the day One slot across almost all IITs. The IITs are unlikely to blacklist Flipkart, the report adds. Last year, the online restaurant search and discovery service Zomato was blacklisted by the prestigious institute. Speaking to Economic Times on the matter, an IIT placement head, who refused to be named, said: "It is a delicate situation. Many of our alumni are still at Flipkart and it would be unwise to have a kneejerk reaction." IIT-Bombay in particular is planning to send a mail to the company, asking it to either reduce the deferment period or increase the compensation amount, which is currently Rs 1.5 lakh. The report adds that Flipkart has hired seven students from the institute in its most recent recruitment round. Additionally, according to the report, the institute has asked the company to "provide surety that it plans to onboard all students once Flipkart's restructuring is done with". Speaking to the paper, the placement chairperson of an older IIT said, "We are looking to rethink our strategy about this entire space as a whole." He added, "We are seeing more interest in big MNCs (multi-national companies) and more stable ." Among the IIMs, so far, IIM-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) is the only one to have expressed concern. The authorities at IIM-A have sent a strongly worded letter to Flipkart, marking other premier business-schools such as IIM-Bangalore (IIM-B), IIM-Lucknow (IIM-L) and the Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi. Both IIM-B and IIM-L confirmed they have received a communication from Flipkart, and were mulling further action. Flipkart, in a public statement, has said that the delay in the joining dates of new campus recruits was because of ongoing organisational restructuring that involves creating new business units and merging some. It cited examples of integrating its engineering organisation while creating a new unit the customer shopping experience group. As a part of this ongoing restructuring, the campus program will also go through a comprehensive overhaul to ensure that it is in line with our new business structure and that our campus recruits start working towards larger company goals from day one, the company said. While Flipkart has come under fire from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) and now the Indian Institutes of Technology(IITs) for delaying the joining dates of campus hirees, the company isnt the only one to do so. Bengaluru-based logistics start-up Roadrunnr, apparently in talks to merge with food delivery service TinyOwl, has done likewise. IIT Guwahati has followed IIM-A in writing a letter to Flipkart, the countrys largest e-commerce entity, seeking an explanation for the delay. K Mohanty, chairperson for the centre of career development at the college, says of the Flipkart and now Roadrunnr problem: We are not satisfied with their responses, where they cite business restructuring as a reason. These are the cream of the students that have been recruited. We are going to hold a video conference today of all the IITs to decide over the matter and what future steps to take. IIT Madras also confirmed that Roadrunnr had asked some students to whom it had made offers during campus placements to report for work only in December. Several phone calls to Roadrunnr chief executive Mohit Kumar did not elicit any response until the writing of this article. While throwing students that were promised employment into a tizzy, the December joining date that Flipkart and Roadrunnr have suggested also makes it problematic for these students to take part in the (next) December round of campus placements. The IITs also say that the compensation amount of Rs 1.5 lakh offered by Flipkart to affected students is not acceptable. Flipkart has made it difficult for us. They insisted on premium slots (for hiring interviews) and were given these. Of course, they did offer premium packages. But, the deferred joining date is not only too late but also exactly on the day when the (next) final placement process starts, said V Babu, advisor for training & placements at IIT-M. Flipkart had made offers to an undisclosed number of IITs this campus recruitment season, with annual pay packages of Rs 24-26 lakh. The IITs are demanding that the company compensate affected students with up to six months of their promised salaries. Theres no question that this is unusual. Theres also an element of being in a rarefied space. You dont tend to mess around with placements any more considering the kind of salaries that are available, the kind of competition for talent, etc. So, it seems a little strange, said Priya Chetty Rajagopal, former vice-president & partner at global executive recruitment firm Stanton Chase international. In a public statement on the Flipkart Stories portal on Wednesday, the company explained it was deferring joining dates of students recruited from campuses as it was undergoing an organisational restructuring and did not want to bring in new recruits until this was complete. As a part of this ongoing restructuring, the campus programme will also go through a comprehensive overhaul, to ensure that it is in line with our new business structure and that our campus recruits start working towards larger company goals from Day One, said the company.Babu said it was "likely" that Flipkart could lose the Day One slot. "It is, however, up to the students who decide which firms should come when," he said, adding there is a suggestion to shift placement dates for such start-ups. on Thursday said that it would be working with state governments and the central government to set up 100 digital learning centres at Common Service Centres (CSCs) in rural areas. The company said it would work with state governments that are active on the Digital India programme. It said it had launched three projects designed to accelerate digital literacy at the grassroots level, by reaching out to the population in non-urban India, upskilling citizens in Tier-two cities and beyond, and encouraging innovation from the local level. We are thrilled to see the progress made through our collaboration with the government of India on various initiatives like Digital India that are bringing technology and innovation to the mainstream, said Robby Swinnen, general manager, Intel Corporation (Asia-Pacific and Japan). e-launched its latest Unnati Kendra (UK) at Common Service Centre in Karnal, Haryana, first in that state. It is working with the central government to open a network of up to 100 such 'UK at CSC' units across 10 states this year. Ten such have already been set up in Telangana. It also announced that a Digital Unnati website was being set up, in collaboration with the CSC e-Governance Services India. According to Swinnen, it will enable village-level entrepreneurs to learn how to assemble a personal computer online and upskill their technology knowhow. Ravi Shankar Prasad, minister for communications and information technology, said the government was planning to increase the number of CSCs. Currently, there are 150,000 such centres and the government wants to take it to all 250,000 gram panchayats. Chinese electronic manufacturer has sought approval from the government to manufacture and sell mobile phones and computers in the country. An application was filed by the company with the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) on Wednesday, according to the latter's website. On the same day, it was revealed the government had given its green signal to Apple Inc to open retail outlets in the country, albeit with the rider of sourcing 30 per cent material locally. While has sought permission to extend its wholesale trading business, earlier reports had suggested the company was interested in securing a single-brand retail licence as well. The government's strict stand on the mandatory sourcing norms in the case of Apple could cloud Lenovo's future ambitions. A similar case in point is the fate of two other Chinese phone makers - Xiaomi and LeEco - hanging in the balance, following their request to waive off the sourcing norms. Currently, banks on a network of about 4,000 stores, including 950 exclusive franchises, to sell its products in the country. The company expanded to 230 stores last year, of a target of 250. It also has an e-commerce store but sales through it are yet to pick up. Lenovo had said an overwhelming majority of its business, almost 85 per cent, comes from brick-and-mortar retail units. Paytm, the largest mobile wallet in the country, could play the white knight for Indian Institute of Management (IIM) graduates left in the lurch with e-commerce major Flipkart postponing their joining dates. On Thursday, Paytm, which is on a massive recruitment drive, said it was evaluating the profiles of the IIM-Ahmedabad graduates. It has recently hired 50 graduates from various IIMs, Xavier School of Management-Jamshedpur, Indian School of Business-Hyderabad, Faculty of Management Studies-New Delhi, SP Jain Institute of Management and Research-Mumbai and Management Development Institute-Gurgaon. Sources said the fresh batch of profiles include students whose date of joining has been delayed by Flipkart. Amit Sinha, vice-president, Paytm, confirmed the company was reviewing profiles of students whose date of joining has been delayed. "We have a number of open positions. We spoke to IIM-Ahmedabad and they are going to send us more profiles of students," he said. Sinha added: "The ones whose joining dates have been delayed by another company are also part of the profiles which are being sent. We will evaluate and recruit accordingly." Though the company did not reveal the number of people it would hire, sources said it would be in double digits. Led by Vijay Shekhar Sharma, has been on a major expansion drive of its online marketplace, digital wallet and is on the verge of opening its payments bank. While delaying the joining dates of students recruited from different IIMs and premier management institutes from July to December, Flipkart had said it was because of restructuring in the company. It has offered Rs 1.5 lakh as an additional joining bonus to all campus recruits to ease their "financial burden" in case they have to pay back loans. The company did not disclose the number of campus offers made this year. The IIM-Ahmedabad management had written a strongly-worded letter addressing Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal, saying "not only students of IIM-A but all the other students from the different campuses are in shock to see such a mail from a well-established name like Flipkart". SAVIOUR IN SIGHT Students of IIM-A, whose joining dates have been postponed by Flipkart, could have a different opportunity knocking on their doors: IN DOLDRUMS Flipkart delayed joining dates of students from various IIMs from July to December this year REASON: Restructuring COMPENSATION: The e-commerce major has offered Rs 1.5 lakh as additional joining bonus ANGRY RESPONSE IIM-A shot off an angry letter to Flipkart co-founders Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal, telling them how disappointed students were with this decision RAY OF HOPE Paytm, on a massive expansion drive, is reportedly looking at profiles of students whose joining has been put on hold "Most of the students had chosen Flipkart over other well-reputed recruiters on campus because of the strength of the brand Your decision to defer the date of joining, comes as it does so close to the earlier promised date of July 2016, is sure to make this talent pool regret their well-thought-out decision. Talented students fresh out of campus, on the eve of starting successful careers, feel cheated out of multiple opportunities that the campus had to offer, through no fault of their own, just because they chose Flipkart," the IIM-A chairperson said in a mail written to the Flipkart co-founders. In response, Flipkart had said while it was a difficult decision to take but it was important for the company as they want the campus hires to come to Flipkart at the right time and into meaningful roles. The strong March quarter performance of Tata Steel was primarily led by an uptick in profitability in India business and decline in losses in European operations. The introduction of minimum import price (MIP) in February helped domestic steel realisations recover Rs 5,000 a tonne from the January lows. Per tonne average steel prices in the March quarter at Rs 33,500 were Rs 2,500 higher than the levels in the December quarter. With realisations improving, the reduction in costs also drove its operating performance. Standalone Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) was at Rs 2,160 crore (up 44 per cent sequentially), while Ebitda/tonne came in at Rs 7,959. The Ebitda performance of the Europe business also improved, helped by cost rationalisation and rising spreads (difference between sale price and costs). Thus, at the operating level per tonne loss halved to $15, from $31 in the previous quarter. With expected sale of loss-making UK steel assets, one might expect European profitability to improve further. Also, the full impact of better steel realisation in India will be felt in the June 2016 quarter. Domestic realisations are also expected to increase Rs 3,000 a tonne, sequentially for the June quarter. However, most analysts remain cautious. For one, there are concerns on MIP. The MIP, imposed for six months only to protect the domestic industry from cheaper imports, might get renewed further but may not stay till FY18. Thus, there is a lack of clarity on the trajectory of steel realisations. Kamlesh Bagmar of Prabhudas Lilladher maintains his cautious view on account of depressed outlook on global prices, strong likelihood of relaxation in trade restrictions (by replacement of MIP with antidumping duties) and expensive valuations. Further, while the company is looking at selling assets in Europe, the Street is watchful on valuations of the deal and how much debt reduction it can lead to. Also, European assets have liabilities as those of pensions associated, and there is no clarity whether the new buyer will be taking over such liabilities. Analysts at Religare Institutional Equities say the European business should turn profitable in FY17, due to the lag impact of rising spreads. However, assuming India clocks an Ebitda/tonne of Rs 11,000 and Netherlands $60 (similar to Arcelor Mittals), the scope of net debt reduction is negligible in FY17, given the outflows pertaining to interest costs and capex. Thus, analysts havent raised their price targets meaningfully from the current levels. The Tata Steel stock on Thursday closed up 0.2 per cent at Rs 325, on a day the broader indices gained nearly two per cent. A group of hackers, suspected to be from China, allegedly stole information from the computers of various bureaucrats and Indian embassies earlier this month, claims Kaspersky Lab, a cyber security company. It said the attackers, which the company has named "Danti," targeted Indian missions in Denmark, Hungry and Colombia in February this year. The hackers also targeted the email addresses, dsfsi@nic.in, the Foreign Service Institute, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and chumarpost@gmail.com, possibly related to the Chumar military post in India - a disputed area between India and China. "Danti is highly focused on diplomatic entities. It may already have full access to internal networks in Indian government organisations," Kaspersky Lab alleged in a statement. "The exploit is delivered through spear phishing emails. In order to attract the attention of potential victims, the threat actors behind Danti have created emails in the names of several high-ranking Indian government officials. Once the exploitation of the vulnerability takes place, the Danti backdoor is installed and this subsequently provides the threat actor with access to the infected machine so they can withdraw sensitive data," it added. Though the report names officials from the department of technology, cabinet secretariat and ministry of external affairs, it is silent on the nature of information that might have been compromised. A spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs declined comment for the story stating that it was a security matter. Kaspersky said Danti has been actively hitting targets in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Myanmar, Nepal and the Philippines as well. The convoy of former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi was attacked on Thursday by a mob protesting against the killing of an Lok Janshakti Party leader by Maoists and demanding immediate arrest of the culprits. Magadh Range DIG Suarabh Kumar said the mob threw stones and set on fire two motorcycles and a jeep of the convoy but Manjhi himself was not hurt nor anyone accompanying him. Manjhi, who is Hindustani Awam Morcha president, is safe and secure and has been taken to the CRPF Cobra battalion camp in the town, the DIG said. The mob attacked the convoy when it was crossing Dumaria Mor in the town, where locals were protesting the killing of LJP leader Sudesh Paswan and his cousin Sunil Paswan by Maoists on Wednesday. The protesters had in their possession the two bodies and refused to hand them over to the police. After attacking Manjhi's convoy the mob turned its ire on Dumaria police station, barely 200 mt from the spot where Manjhi's convoy was attacked, threw stones and fired at it and set ablaze a police jeep, the DIG said. Additional Superintendent of Police (Operations) Manoj Yadav was hit in the head and few policemen were injured forcing the police to burst teargas shells to disperse the mob, Kumar said. "The situation is now under control," he said adding the ASP has been sent to Gaya for treatment while other policemen, who received minor injuries, were discharged after receiving first aid. Gaya District Magistrate and special superintendent of police Garima Mallik is camping at the site since morning and police could take away the two bodies after assuring the mob of compensation to the victim's family. Police said the bodies were sent for post mortem at a local hospital. Additional forces have been deployed to control the situation and senior officials, Gaya DM, SSP, ASP are camping at the site, police added. Nearly 1,000 people have been killed worldwide in attacks on medical facilities in conflicts over the past two years in violation of humanitarian norms, the World Organization (WHO) said in a report on Thursday. The report highlighted an alarming disrespect for the protection of care in wars by governments and armed groups, which has earned fierce condemnation from human rights groups and doctors. The study by the Geneva-based WHO, the agency's most comprehensive study of such attacks around the globe, detailed 594 attacks on hospitals and clinics in the West Asia, Africa and elsewhere in 2014 and 2015, which have left 959 medics, support staff, patients and visitors dead and over 1,500 injured. Most disturbingly, the report states that over 60 per cent of the attacks deliberately targeted medical facilities, while 20 per cent were accidental and the rest were undetermined. Over 50 per cent of the attacks were perpetrated by governments, one-third by non-state armed groups and the rest were unknown. "We witness with alarming frequency a lack of respect for the sanctity of care, for the right to health care and for international humanitarian law," the report said. "Patients are shot in their hospitals beds, medical personnel are threatened, intimidated or attacked, hospitals are bombed." Targeting hospitals, doctors and patients constitutes a war crime, according to the Geneva Conventions.The UN Security Council has denounced the attacks and demanded that all parties in conflicts protect medical facilities, but some of the Council's most powerful members have themselves been associated with these crimes. US forces struck a clinic in Afghanistan last year, killing 42 people, in what the Pentagon said was a mistake caused by human error. Medical facilities have also been hit by the US-backed Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. Syrian President Bashar Assad and the Russian forces that back him have been accused of deliberately striking hospitals to make life in opposition-held areas unlivable. "It's an absolutely devastating breakdown of this long-held norm -- protection and respect of health care," said Susannah Sirkin, a director at the New York-based Physician for Human Rights. In its report, said it was important to continue documenting the attacks and the health effects they have on the communities where they are perpetrated.The agency also called for advocacy work on the international as well as local level to prevent such crimes. "We must ensure that health care is provided universally during emergencies to all those need it, in safety, unhindered by violence or obstruction," the report said. The rumour mills have been working overtime on Essel Group Founder and Chairman Subhash Chandra's political aspirations. The plain-speaking rice trader, who built a $3-billion empire out of a defunct family business, has been making moves that point to a future in politics. It started with campaigning for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in his hometown, Hissar, during the 2014 general elections and continued with The Z Factor: My journey as the Wrong Man at the Right Time, his autobiography. His closeness to BJP, ideologically and otherwise, is well documented in the book which was released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this year. So when Chandra stepped down from the post of non-executive chairman of the Rs 544-crore Zee Media Corporation earlier this week, there was a strong buzz again on the beginning of a political career for him. "I have no political ambitions," Chandra, 65, had said in an interview with Business Standard in February, after the release of his book. "In our country anyone who talks about nationalism or Hindus is considered a BJP person. Many media owners are clearly aligned with the Congress but nobody raises a finger on them. Sure, I do agree with certain parts of the BJP ideology. But neutrality is also necessary (to be in the media business). I am friends with everybody," he had added. He shrugged off the suggestion of political ambitions, again, after the Zee Media announcement. On stepping down from group firms, Chandra pointed out that he has slowly been getting out of businesses that were being run, independently in any case, by his brothers, like Dish TV or Essel Propack. With Zee Media, though, he says the move is aimed more to insulate himself from the whole rigmarole of defamation suits and the other things that go with running a news channel in India. Materially, the move is not very significant. Chandra remains the chairman of the Rs 19,324-crore (FY 2015) Essel Group which has interests in infrastructure, leisure, media and packaging. Zee Media, including Zee News and DNA, made up nearly half (47 per cent) of the group's revenues last year. These days Chandra is more focussed on the group's infrastructure and education initiatives. Of the group's media business, he is still actively involved with Veria Living, a lifestyle channel that operates out of New York. Zee News, Zee Media's flagship brand, was at the centre of a controversy over its media practices that pushed Chandra towards BJP. Chandra got his first big break in the 1980s, courtesy Rajiv Gandhi. In 2012, came a public fallout with Congress Member of Parliament Naveen Jindal who accused Zee News editors of demanding a bribe for going easy on their coverage of Jindal's alleged involvement in the coal scam. Chandra was named in the FIR and grilled for hours. "This was an unjust act of the United Progressive Alliance and, in response, I personally supported Narendra Modi's campaign for prime ministership," says he in his book. If this is a journey that began with the Zee News controversy, much of what could happen is yet to unfold. The Supreme Court on thursday cleared the decks for the return of Italian marine Sergeant Major Salvatore Girone - who along with Chief Master Sergeant Massimiliano Latorre is accused of killing two Indian fishermen off Kerala's coast in February 2012 - to leave India as it relaxed its earlier bail conditions. An apex court vacation bench of Justice Prafulla C Pant and Justice D Y Chandrachud modified the bail condition paving the way for Girone's return to Italy on an application by the Italian government backed by India. The bench recorded the Indian government's "no objection" to the move. Relaxing the earlier bail order, the bench also added three more conditions proposed by Additional Solicitor General P S Narasimha on behalf of the Indian government. Besides this, the court said that the Italian ambassador in New Delhi will give a fresh undertaking stating that Girone shall be made to return to India in one month after the decision of the International Arbitral Tribunal and if required by it. Latorre is already on Italy on health grounds. The court order came in the wake of April 29 order of the tribunal asking both India and Italy to cooperate for Girone's return till arbitration proceedings before it are going. Italy has invoked international arbitration on the issue of jurisdiction to try the two for killing the fishermen mistaking them as sea pirates. The two years of Modi government seems to have impacted the social media segment too. Prime Minister is the second most liked world leader on social networking platform Facebook after US President Barack Obama. In a mega event that will commemorate Modi government's two years in power, the Centre will kick off the fortnight-long celebrations across the country from today. In year one of his tenure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi surprised all who had doubted his ability to negotiate the esoteric world of international diplomacy. Modi came across as a conjurer with a bag of tricks, the likes of which were seldom seen from his predecessors, making even his worst critics reassess their opinion of the former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) pracharak. But, foreign policy reverses in year two have given his political rivals an opportunity to point not at the conjurers magic trick but his sleight of hand. Prime Minister has rejected the notion that his government has failed to pursue "big bang" reforms, saying he has undertaken "maximum reforms". He, however, told The Wall Street Journal in an interview ahead of his visit to the US next month that his government faces "an enormous task ahead". "When I came to the government, I used to sit down with all the experts and ask them to define what is 'big bang' for them," he said, adding, "Nobody could tell me." On privatisation and labour reforms, Modi sought to portray a balanced image of his government. "In any developing country in the world, both the public and private sector have a very important role to play. You can't suddenly get rid of the public sector, nor should you," he said. While saying this, he also counted a number of areas where his government has allowed private investment. "In defence, there was no private investment. Today, I have allowed it to 100 per cent. In insurance, private investment was not allowed. I have allowed it. In the railways, I have for the first time developed a public-private partnership model for railway stations, which will raise the economic strength and efficiency of the railways." The government has earned Rs 56,425.97 crore through disinvestment in two years - Rs 24,277.17 crore in 2014-15 and Rs 32,148.80 crore in 2015-16 - against Rs 84,425 crore targeted in the Budgets. Modi did not speak on privatisation of loss-making public sector units. The Budget has targeted Rs 20,500 crore from these strategic sales in 2016-17, after a higher target of Rs 28,500 crore could not lead to any proceedings in 2015-16. When asked if his government would ease hire-and-fire rules, the PM said it was "a western phrase". "Labour reform should not just mean 'in the interest of industry'. Labour reforms should also be in the interest of the labourer," he said. Adding, "There are some states that don't have industry but are primarily agricultural. They don't need labour reforms. Those states that have a substantial manufacturing sector, they need labour reforms. And their state Assemblies can adopt them. It is a joint subject of the states and the Centre, and if they send it to me, I will allow them," On criticism about the industry finding it difficult to acquire land for projects, Modi said the efforts to amend the land acquisition law at the federal level were "over now" and it was up to individual states to pursue changes. He said easing of land acquisition was not on his party's agenda and his government was misled by Opposition parties. "When all the chief ministers of different states of India requested the government, we, naturally, thought of taking it to Parliament as soon as it was taken to Parliament, parties started taking a political position... so far as the Land Acquisition Act is concerned, it is over now. State governments can go ahead and we will give them permission," he said. On goods and services tax (GST), he appeared confident of implementing the tax reforms by April 2017. "By and large, all parties except the Congress, are on board. We will get by in the numbers game (in the Rajya Sabha) also," he said. The GST Bill, approved by the Lok Sabha, is pending in the Rajya Sabha because of stiff resistance by the Congress, the largest party in the House, which had sought certain changes in the Bill. When asked about Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook's first visit to India, Modi said, "I think he got exposed to the full strength and measure of India's diversity. I am quite techno savvy, so I think our wavelengths matched quite quickly." MODI GOVT @ 2 ON LAND ACQUISITION When all the chief ministers of different states of India requested the government, we, naturally, thought of taking it to Parliament as soon as it was taken to Parliament, parties started taking a political position... so far as the Land Acquisition Act is concerned, it is over now ON GST As far as GST is concerned, we expect to realise it within this year. By and large, all parties except the Congress are on board. We will get by in the numbers game (in the Rajya Sabha) also ON PRIVATISATION In any developing country in the world, both the public sector and the private sector have a very important role to play. You cant suddenly get rid of the public sector, nor should you ON LABOUR REFORMS Labour reform should not just mean in the interest of industry. It should also be in the interest of the labourer Modi said after coming to power his government had opened up more of the economy to foreign investments, made changes to curb corruption, fill gaps in rural infrastructure and made it easier to do business. Modi said India wanted to go ahead with manufacturing "because we have a lot of defence imports". India is the world's largest importer of arms, accounting for 14 per cent of global purchases. "If I look at it from an economic point of view and to provide jobs to my country's young people, the defence-manufacturing sector can provide maximum number of jobs to my country's youth," he told WSJ. "Today, unlike before, India is not standing in a corner," he added. On concerns about China's growing military might, he said, "We have a boundary dispute, but there is no tension or clashes. People to people contacts have increased. Trade has increased. Chinese investment in India has gone up. India's investment in China has grown. Despite the border dispute, there haven't been any clashes. Not one bullet has been fired in 30 years." Modi said the world was not divided into two camps anymore. "Today, the whole world is interdependent. Even if you look at the relationship between China and the US, there are areas where they have substantial differences but there are also areas where they work closely. That's the new way. If we want to ensure the success of this interdependent world, I think countries need to cooperate but at the same time we also need to ensure that there is a respect for international norms and international rules." The government plans to hasten the adjudication of service tax, excise and customs cases older than a year. These should be disposed first, Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia has told the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT). The revenue department adjudicated well over 100,000 tax cases in 2015-16. There are presently 13,500 cases older than a year, pending up to the level of principal commissioner. Total pendency is 60,000 cases. We have written to all zonal members to take up older cases first. This will clear the backlog and improve the business environment. We cleared 112,000 adjudication cases last year, which is only expected to improve in the current financial year, said an official. The service tax department is also working out a separate mechanism to fast-track adjudication of cases where the amount involved is at least Rs 10 crore. CASE IN POINT 100,000: The number of tax cases adjudicated by revenue department in 2015-16 The number of tax cases adjudicated by revenue department in 2015-16 13,500: The number of cases older than a year, pending up to the level of principal commissioner The number of cases older than a year, pending up to the level of principal commissioner 60,000: Total pendency of cases CESTAT hears appeals against orders or decisions by the commissioners of customs and excise relating to service tax, customs and central excise. As of December 2015, the pendency at tribunal level was 77,501, worth at least Rs 16,000 crore, of which 19,854 cases were accounted for by department appeals worth Rs 2,389 crore. The Central Board of Excise and Customs has also identified 7,300 tax cases it plans to withdraw from the high courts and CESTAT. The disputed tax here is below the threshold limit set in December at Rs 10 lakh for CESTAT and Rs 15 lakh for high courts. The government has also come out with a new appraisal system for tax officials, where the aim is to focus on the quality of orders issued. In the revised format, performance of the assessing officers will also be specifically measured for quality of assessment, the pace of disposal and efforts on widening the tax base. Fast tracking and time bound adjudication is a long-pending need. However, it is important that adjudication is approached judiciously. This will greatly help taxpayers and reduce uncertainties in their tax positions, said Saloni Roy, senior director, Deloitte. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an interview given to the Wall Street Journal on the eve of completing two years in office, countered critics who say he has failed to bring in "big bang" reforms and said that many of the changes brought in by him would have been considered difficult by previous administrations. Modi told the financial daily that he has undertaken "the maximum reforms" and added that he has set an "enormous task" ahead for himself. The Prime Minister also said his government had made it easier for foreign investment to enter the country, taken steps to curb corruption, filled gaps in rural infrastructure and enhanced the ease of doing business. The Wall Street Journal has said that though Modi "has pursued a series of incremental, and not always glamorous, changes aimed at re-energising a struggling economy, he hasnt emerged as the rapid liberaliser that some investors had hoped". However, the Prime Minister appears to disagree with the notion of "big bang" measures. He told the editor-in-chief of the international daily: When I came to the government, I used to sit down with all the experts and ask them to define for me what is the big bang for them... Nobody could tell me. Here is what the Prime Minister told the Wall Street Journal on several issues: 1) Land acquisition: On the contentious issue of land acquisition laws, Modi said that efforts to amend the existing law at the central level were over now. In stead, he said that it was upto the states to pursue amendments and changes according to their needs. 2) Labour reforms: The Prime Minister said that he would look to individual states for moving the needle on labour laws and bring in reforms. Labour reform should not just mean in the interest of industry. Labour reform should also be in the interest of the labourer, he said. 3) Divestment in PSUs: Asserting that the public sector had its own role to play in India's development, Modi said, In any developing country in the world, both the public sector and the private sector have a very important role to play. You cant suddenly get rid of the public sector, nor should you. 4) Goods and Services Tax: Speaking on the issue of bringing in the politically-hot and long-delayed goods and services tax, the Prime Minister said that he expects the concerned legislation to pass this year. 5) China, the US and India: Stressing on the need for countries to cooperate, Modi, according to the Wall Street Journal, "downplayed" any friction with China. In the relationship between China and the US, there are areas where they have substantial differences but there are also areas where they work closely, Modi said, adding, This is the new way. If we want to ensure the success of this interdependent world, I think countries need to cooperate, but at the same time we also need to ensure that there is respect for international norms and international rules. On India's continued and ever-growing engagement with the US on various issues, he said, Today, unlike before, India is not standing in a corner. 6) Relationship with President Barrack Obama: Speaking about the rapport he shares with President Obama, Modi said, "President Obama had sent me an invitation in March. And later when I went for the Nuclear Security Summit, he had personally requested me. And it was on my request that he had visited India again. Naturally it was my responsibility too. And we've also developed a kind of friendship where we can speak freely with each other." 7) Defence sector: Speaking on the topic of defence manufacturing, Modi said that as far as that sector is concerned, India definitely wants to move ahead given the large import bill incurred by the country in that regard. Modi added that from an economic point of view, defence equipment manufacturing could provide "maximum" number of jobs to the Indian youth. He said that he has been talking to many countries and working hard in this regard. 8) Relations with Pakistan: Responding to a question regarding the possibility of the US wanting India to do more to normalise relations with Pakistan, Modi said that he had taken steps on his own initiative to do just that and referred to the invitation sent to the heads of state of all SAARC nations during the swearing in of his government. However, he made it clear that terrorism and acts of terror could not be tolerated, implicitly pointing at Pakistan's continued support for terrorist organisations which target India. Video source: Wall Street Journal videos, YouTube India ranks fifth in the world in (RE) job creation, with 416,000 employed in the sector during 2015. In the world, 8.1 million persons are employed in the clean energy space. China tops the list with 3.5 million, followed by Brazil with 918,000. According to the International Agencys (Irena) Annual Review 2016, there was a five per cent increase over a year before in the sector, with new jobs being created even as employment in the broader energy sector falls. This increase is being driven by declining RE technology costs and enabling policy frameworks. We expect this trend to continue as the business case for renewables strengthens and as countries move to achieve their climate targets agreed in (the) Paris (agreement), said Adnan Z Amin, director-general of Irena. (CREATING MORE JOBS THAN FOSSIL FUELS) In this country, solar and wind energy markets have seen substantial activity, as the governments ambitious RE targets are translated into concrete policy frameworks, Irena said. Central and state auctions for solar photovoltaics (PV), for instance, have resulted in installation of 1.9 gigawatt (Gw) in 2015 and an impressive pipeline of 23 Gw. Solar PV employs an estimated 103,000 people in grid-connected (31,000 jobs) and off-grid applications (72,000 jobs) With increasing domestic demand, local companies are utilising their production capabilities and several foreign companies are interested in investments, it said. Irrespective of further developments in manufacturing, reaching the governments goal of 100 Gw in PV by 2022 could generate 1.1 million jobs in construction, project commissioning & design, business development and operations & maintenance. The report quoted the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, and National Research Development Corporation to say that 30 per cent of these jobs would be highly skilled ones and this requires stepping up of training and education. Indian wind energy industry had installation of about 2.5 Gw and employment at a steady 48,000. In Japan, despite a 28 per cent increase to 377,000 jobs linked to renewables, there is a likelihood of job losses next year. This is the result of a recent policy reversal on support for solar PV technology, the agency said. Earlier this month, Amin warned that countries eyeing new coal-fired plants, including Japan, must reassess their energy strategy to avoid stranded assets. Japans loss in jobs after a period of significant growth could be Chinas gain in terms of increasing market share as Japan loses its competitive advantage on solar PV. The report, titled & Jobs, also provides a global estimate of the number of jobs supported by large hydropower, with a conservative estimate of an additional 1.3 million direct jobs worldwide. RE jobs in America increased six per cent, while employment in oil and gas decreased 18 per cent. RE in China employed 3.5 million people, while oil and gas employed 2.6 million. As in the previous years, enabling policy frameworks remained a key driver of employment. National and state auctions in India and Brazil, tax credits in the United States and favourable policies in Asia have all contributed to employment increases. Countries with the most RE jobs in 2015 were China, Brazil, America, India, Japan and Germany. The solar PV sector remains the largest RE employer worldwide, with 2.8 million jobs, with jobs in manufacturing, installation and operations & maintenance. Liquid biofuels was the second largest global employer with 1.7 million jobs, followed by wind power, which grew five per cent to reach 1.1 million global jobs. As the ongoing energy transition accelerates, growth in RE employment will remain strong, said Amin. Irenas research estimates that doubling the share of RE in the global energy mix by 2030 enough to meet global climate and development targets would result in more than 24 million jobs worldwide. Noting that gender-disaggregated data in the sector is scarce, Irena said it conducted an online survey among private companies in the sector to close the gap. Nearly 90 companies from about 40 countries participated, representing the entire value chain of the sector. Among the companies that responded, women represent an average of 35 per cent of the workforce. This is a significant finding, considering women only account for 20-25 per cent of the workforce in the overall energy industry. This might reflect greater interest among women in sustainability related fields. Yet, the percentage remains lower than womens economy-wide share in employment, which is 40-50% for most OECD countries, according to the World Bank. The southwest monsoon is likely to reach the country later than usual and gain momentum over the months, but thats hardly good news for agriculture if the showers are in excess and their distribution skewed. According to meteorologists, the rains are expected to pick up speed in the second half of June and make steady progress across the country, getting stronger each day. The season lasts till September. June, being the first month of monsoon, gets 17-18 per cent of the total moisture. So, a delayed start would not have too much of an effect on the total rainfall. July and August get the most showers. In many parts of central and north India, monsoon reaches only in July. However, a delayed start could mean the current dry weather would continue for some time in many parts of the country. Water levels in the 91-major reservoirs, which dipped to about 18 per cent of their total capacity in the week ending May 19, would fall. A delayed monsoon that goes on longer than expected is also not good. Too much rain at the end of the monsoon as well as unseasonal rainfall could lead to flooding. Too little rainfall at crop-critical areas could be equally damaging for agricultural production, said a Deutsche Bank research report last month. This implies that if we end up with a strong agricultural sector growth in FY17 (5.0-5.5 per cent), this will likely be followed by a weak agricultural sector performance in the next financial year (FY18), the Deutsche Bank report said. La Nina is a climatic cycle over the Pacific Ocean that has often helps the monsoon in India. For the time being, the Union agriculture ministry has pegged the food grain production target at 270 million tonnes for FY17, almost 17 million tonnes more than FY16. With back-to-back droughts, there is little hope for a bumper crop growth. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) would come out with its monthly and region-wise monsoon forecast in the first week of June. Private weather forecasting agency, Skymet, in its updated forecast released Tuesday had also predicted that the rains would gather steam from August onwards and might spill over well into October delaying its withdrawal. The monsoon reached Andaman and thereafter there has not been much movement. It is expected to again gather steam around June 6, which is around the time it is expected to reach Kerala coast. Overall, I feel that in the first half of June, the southwest monsoon might remain weak, but gather good steam there onwards, D S Pai, deputy director general, climatology, IMD, told Business Standard. The defence ministry's drive for policy reform has gone into a cul-de-sac of committees and sub-committees. With cautious ministry bureaucrats reluctant to embrace radical reform; and with private companies undercutting each other for fear of getting left out of the inner circle, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has convened a set of independent committees, whose recommendations could provide the cover needed for root-and-branch reform. The committees include one charged with reshaping the basic patterns of defence spending; another with galvanising defence procurement by restructuring the ministry's acquisitions agency; and five sub-committees that evaluate how to bring in the private sector. The first committee - a 12-member body, headed by Lt Gen (Retired) DB Shekatkar - will recommend measures to "rebalance" defence allocations between revenue and capital expenditure. With just 25 per cent of the defence budget available for equipment modernization after 75 per cent goes on running expenses, especially on a bloated manpower bill, the committee will look at how to cut down manpower without reducing the military's combat capability. Fifteen years ago, a committee headed by former army vice chief, Lt Gen Chandra Shekhar, had similarly examined cutting down the army's logistical and training establishments, with greater reliance on new civilian infrastructure. Little of that was implemented. But while the Chandra Shekhar committee scrutinised only the "non-field force", the Shekatkar committee will evaluate the sensitive issue of combat units, including the requirement for a new mountain strike corps that would add another 50,000 troops to the army. Parrikar has come around to the conviction that the army carries too much flab, which can be trimmed. For example, it is authorised manpower and workshops for repairing its fleet of jeeps and heavy lorries. With the old purely military vehicle models replaced by Maruti Gypsies, and Leyland and Tata trucks, greater reliance could be placed on civilian repair infrastructure that has come up even in areas like Ladakh, Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh. Similarly, the army carries a large number of transport battalions, which have trucks for hauling equipment, such as artillery ammunition and fuel, during war. Today civilian trucks could be requisitioned for mobilisation, since trucking agencies now operate in areas they never did before. Signalling that the ministry is examining the military dimension seriously, the Shekatkar committee includes several military officers, such as Lt Gen (Retired) Vinod Bhatia, a former military operations chief who now heads the tri-service think tank, the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies. A second committee has been constituted under former petroleum secretary, Vivek Rae, to study "the setting up of a Defence Procurement Organisation in the Government of India." The committee is required to suggest the functional mandate of the proposed procurement body, its organisation and staffing, and to suggest how autonomously it could function. Vivek Rae, who served as the defence ministry acquisitions chief, is intimately aware of the flaws of the current organisation, which numerous commentators have criticised as hamstrung by caution and procedure, most of them laid down by the ministry itself, in successive defence procurement procedures (DPP). The nine-member Vivek Rae committee also includes a mix of military and civilian officials. However, it does not incorporate expertise from the private defence industry, a possible shortcoming, given the increasingly important role of private industry in meeting India's equipment requirements. Says a private industry CEO, on condition of anonymity: "If a new procurement body is to make a major difference, it must be charged with developing private defence industry. Currently, private industry is a step-child of the Department of Defence Production (DDP), which lavishes its attention on its public sector units. Procurement is tightly linked with private industry development and with offsets, and these must come under the new body." It is still unclear whether the defence ministry itself could carry out such major restructuring, or whether an act of parliament would be needed. A third group of sub-committees was constituted on May 24 to salvage the "strategic partners" (SPs) model for private sector participation in "Make in India", which the Dhirendra Singh committee had recommended last year and which was further given shape by the VK Aatre Task Force early this year. They had recommended nominating chosen private sector companies as SPs, to manufacture defence equipment in India under licence from global vendors. The SPs were to be selected in ten fields of technology, based on laid down criteria. However, private sector companies that were not making the criteria have stalled the selection process, arguing with some justification that the criteria were arbitrary. This process has now been revived, but pared down to just five technology areas. Each of these five areas --- armoured fighting vehicles; aircraft and helicopters; submarines; ammunition, including smart ammunition; and "macro process management of issues", will be considered by a separate sub-committee. The conclusions are to be presented to the defence minister by June 4. Fifteen years after the private sector was allowed into defence production in 2001, there is still little clarity about the nature and modalities of participation. In 2006, the Kelkar Committee made recommendations, which most experts had regarded as workable and fair. However, the Raksha Udyog Ratna model of private sector participation it proposed was not implemented. Meanwhile, Eight DPPs, the most recent one being DPP-2016 part-released this year, have failed to galvanise private sector participation. The waters have been further muddied by a series of proposed procurement models, none of which have satisfied --- the Indian Designed, Developed and Manufactured (IDDM) procurement category in DPP-2016; the "Make-1" and "Make-2" categories in the same document; and now the SP model. After witnessing the terror unleashed by this profane spoiled brat upon her immediate societal structure, this video clip from one of my favorite films comes to mind on how terrible behavior has been dealt with in the past; this time Woodrow F. Call: Beaufort County Sheriff's Department, under the guidance of Sheriff Ernie Coleman, has just experienced their first semi-controversial action, and handled the situation professionally; some may even commend them for their action as flawless in nature. I may be a lone voice here, but I warn not everyone will ultimately feel this way.At the heart of this socio-pathetic event is a high school student who would not exit a classroom after being ordered to leave. The student in question, Tiesherah Smith, was in a Washington High School classroom where she became physically abusive in corporal action, and egregiously profane in her poor choice of words. She alone had created an untenable environment, with the only solution for her to be removed; either by her willingly following commands, or forcibly extricated.The profane student, Tiesherah Smith, chose the latter - 'adding insult to sociological injury'.The larger truth of this unfortunate situation can be found in this robust, and timely, explanation of the event from Sheriff Coleman and this crude and profane video that is shocking to anyone who loves their community, their nation and wishes to see the Republic saved for future generations. But be warned: This video may depress you as to how far some young members of our society have lowered themselves; this was not Tiesherah Smith's finest moment, far from it.Without further belaboring this infamous moment in the history of some sectors of a disastrous educational moment, or, sadly, I suspect moments, we have learned rumor that the family of the profane student may seek to profit from these terrible actions of horrendous behavior. I pray that this is not true; however, this level of caustic behavior does not exist in a vacuum, and I fear that someone or something may be tacitly responsible, and one thing that we can be sure of, this is not society's fault at large.We will not fix America until we discover what is at the nexus of this extraordinarily bad behavior, and I know that whoever may be ancillary to any profit motive will be that perpetuator, that enabler of this awful behavior that we all, as a community, as a society must endure by proxy. Just who will defend this as normal enough behavior that anyone other than this student is at fault, so that they and, or the student's family will financially benefit, and we will know what is at the core of what has gone wrong in our Republic.I reckon we can all wait for that ignoble "shoe to drop". is still lacking among Indians across all categories, especially among young Indians, says a survey. HDFC Lifes Life Freedom Index, which was focussed on this year, sought to understand and measure the comprehensiveness of of Indian consumers whether they monitored their health plans regularly and under what circumstances did they modify their health plans. The health planning index (HPI) stood at 40.1, indicating lack of health planning across all the four categories. It observed that Young Aspirants had the lowest HPI with a score of 29.4, while Wisdom Investors scored 46.9. This suggested that the focus on health increased with age. The health index looks at Health Plan Comprehensiveness, Health Plan Review and Event Awareness. The state of health planning was measured across four consumer segments Proud Parents (PP), Wisdom Advisor (WI), Young Aspirant (YA) and Smart Woman (SW). PP is a person who contributes the most to the household income and is the key financial decision maker of the family, is in the age group of 30 45 years and falls under the Socio Economic Classification (SEC) groups A and B. Wisdom Investor (WI) is a person who is aged between 45 and 60 years and falls under the Socio Economic Classification (SEC) groups A and B. Young Aspirant (YA) is a person who is aged 20 to 30 years and falls under the Socio Economic Classification (SEC) groups A and B. Smart Women (SW) is a woman aged 25 to 45 years and falls under the Socio Economic Classification (SEC) groups A and B. The Socio Economic Classification (SEC), groups urban Indian households on the basis of education and occupation of the Proud Parent into five segments (SEC A, SEC B, SEC C, SEC D and SEC E households). The survey showed nearly half of Indian consumers across all categories have not drawn out a health plan. Moreover, only 9 per cent of them have a comprehensive plan which covers all their short and long-term health contingencies. WIs lead among all categories in health planning as 64 per cent of them have a health plan. Only 61 per cent of PPs have a health plan, while only 13 per cent said they have a comprehensive plan that covered all their short- and long-term health contingencies. While 43 per cent of Young Aspirants have started planning for their future, only 2 per cent believe that they have a comprehensive health plan. It was also noticed that health planning differed significantly between SEC classes, but was similar across Tier-1 and -2 cities. The survey had 1,600 respondents (termed as Indian consumers) that was conducted from January 8 to February 14 across 10 cities Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Indore, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Delhi, Kochi, Kolkata, Ludhiana and Mumbai. At the outset I would like to thank the Peking University and Ministry of Education of the Peoples Republic of China for hosting this Round Table. I was very interested to hear the presentations of select academic leaders from both countries and the outcomes of their deliberations. The themes on which you have focused your discussions, are vital for the future of university education in both our countries. . . They represent the current focus of academic communities world wide and are an area where the academic community in both China and India could collaborate to great mutual benefit. They are at the core of modernisation and upgradation of standards and content in institutions of higher learning all over the world today. . . To look back before we look forward, it is relevant to recall that Indias ancient academic advancement, like that of Chinas, was world renowned. As far back as the 6th Century, seats of higher learning like Nalanda, Takshashila, Vikramashila, Valabhi, Somapura and Odantapuri had drawn scholars and cultivated contacts and academic exchanges with famed institutions of other countries in the region and beyond. Takshashila was, in a sense, the most connected of the Indian universities, a meeting ground of four civilizations Indian, Persian, Greek and Chinese. Many renowned people came to Takshashila Panini, Alexander, Chandragupta Maurya, Chanakya, Charaka, and Chinese Buddhist monks Faxian and Xuanzang. Today, Government of India, in partnership with Indian and international foreign partners is taking a number of far reaching initiatives to revive this tradition and create centres of excellence that can be ranked among the leading institutions of the world. . . Ladies and gentlemen, . . Research and innovation are the keystones for widening the countrys production potential. Future growth of nations will result not so much from the utilization of resources with existing technology than from its better usage through more advanced technology. Investment in research is important. While R&D expenditure as percentage of GDP in India is about 0.8 percent at present, we are making concerted efforts to increase this number. . . A conducive educational eco-system is essential to promote innovation and entrepreneurship. The quality of students passing out from educational institutions is almost always inspired by the quality of teaching, research and orientations towards research and innovation. The inter-linkages of educational institutions - through the trinity of research, innovation and entrepreneurship - with industry are at the core of sustained momentumum in the manufacturing sector, inclusive and balanced economic growth and all round development of a people. . . As Visitor of 116 national level institutions of higher learning, I have been emphasizing the need to create a collaborative platform for industry and academia to realise the research and innovative potential of our bright students and highly competent faculty. India is a relatively young country with 60% of its population in the age group of 15 to 59. To capitalize on the potential of this segment of educated youth, my Government has launched "Start-up India" aimed at promoting and providing incentives for entrepreneurship and job creation. With over 4,500 start-ups India has the third largest start-up eco-system in the world. New initiatives under the Start Up India" programme will undoubtedly steer this effort in the right direction. Thus, institutions of higher education have an important responsibility to harness the entrepreneurial abilities of our youth. . . The internationalization of higher education through collaborations, faculty and student exchanges, joint research and seminars has always been an integral part of the development of higher education system in India. India has initiated a unique programme GIAN - Global Initiative for Academic Networks. Under this programme, we are engaging faculties from abroad for a short term teaching assignments in higher educational institutions. . . Ladies and Gentlemen, . . Developing countries like India need innovative solutions to issues in renewable energy, climate change, drinking water, sanitation and urbanization. These developmental challenges call for an inspired response from the higher education system. An IMPRINT India programme which is a Pan IIT and IISc initiative launched in November last year has identified ten themes that will link the research done by the Indian institutes of national importance with the immediate requirements of the society. Building a sound research eco-system calls for a slew of measures like collaborative partnerships and joint research projects. . . Today, I am happy to see central institutes of higher learning from India are signing Memorandums of Understanding for co-operation with partner institutions of China. I am confident that these understandings will create a collaborative platform for academic cooperation in the areas of research and education, joint seminars and exchange of faculty and students. . . Greater exchanges between institutions of higher learning, more cultural festivals and joint research and scholarship programmes would prove that our peoples need not look only to the West to make progress in education, science & technology. . . India and China are poised to play a significant and constructive role in the 21st Century. When Indians and Chinese come together to address global challenges and build on their shared interests, there will be no limits to what our two peoples can jointly achieve. . . With these words, I thank you, once again and wish you success in your collaborations. . . The Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar released a booklet, here today, highlighting the efforts made by Department of Defence Production in the last two years in pursuance of self-reliance in defence sector. It is a compilation of the achievements of the Department of Defence Production in the field of indigenous production of weapon systems/platforms and policy initiatives undertaken in the past two years. With the launch of Make in India portal in September 2014 by the Government, the focus has been to improve the business environment by easing processes to do business, encourage participation of Indian public and private sector in defence production and promote innovation and indigenous development of equipment and weapon platforms. . . The booklet mentions a number of policy initiatives which have been taken by the Department of Defence Production like relaxation in FDI Policy, providing Exchange Rate Variation protection to Indian industry, level-playing field to private sector in terms of excise duty/custom duty at par with public sector, liberalising licensing policy and extending the validity of Industrial Licensing to 15 years, streamlining defence offset guidelines and restoring services as an avenue for discharge of offsets, facilitating exports by putting Standard Operating Procedure for issue of NOC and list of military stores in public domain besides doing away with end-user certificate, revising Make Procedure to promote design and development etc. It mentions about Make in India Portal for defence production which is a very industry-friendly website covering all policy procedural issues. . . The booklet also talks about the Ordnance Factories and DPSUs working under the administrative control of Department of Defence Production having not only enhanced their production from Rs. 43,746 crore to Rs. 51,351 crore but have also delivered many state-of-the-art platforms to the Armed Forces. During the last two years, exports have almost doubled and 119 industrial licences have been issued. . . Other highlights are that all Naval ships and submarines on order are being constructed in Indian shipyards and expenditure on capital procurement from foreign vendors in the last two years has come down from Rs. 35,082 crore to Rs. 22,422 crore. . . A number of steps are being taken to augment production capacity by DPSUs, e.g. warship building capacity at Mazagon Dock Ltd, infrastructure building for Mine Counter Measure Vessel at Goa Shipyard Ltd, new Helicopter manufacturing facility at Tumakuru, second production line for Dhruv at Kanpur, manufacturing capacity for T-90 and PINAKA rockets. . . NW/NAo/Nampi/RAJ The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee delivered a lecture at Peking University today (May 26, 2016) on the topic India-China Relations: 8 steps to a people-centric partnership". . . Addressing the gathering, the President said at a time of global economic uncertainty, India and China, despite the pressure of having 40 per cent of the worlds human population, have managed to maintain unity and growth. The joint contribution of the two countries to world economy as well as regional and global stability, cannot be underestimated. India and China are poised to join the ranks of leading global powers. It is incumbent on the two countries, as emerging economic powers to remain equally focused on nurturing regional and global prosperity. . . The President said both countries are at the threshold of an opportunity to join hands and create a resurgence, a positive energy, an Asian Century". This will not be an easy task. Obstacles need to be resolved with fortitude. The two countries must persevere to realise this dream. They must join hands in a durable friendship. . . The President said political understanding between India and China is vital for a Closer Developmental Partnership. One of the ways it could be developed is through enhanced political communication. To build a people-centric partnership, there must be mutual trust predicated on mutual respect and a better appreciation of respective political and social systems. This can be achieved by closer contacts at all levels. There is need to enhance and strengthen co-operation to the mutual benefit of both peoples. The President quoted Gandhiji and said "I look forward to the day when a free India and a free China will cooperate together in friendship and brotherhood for their own good and for the good of Asia and the world." He called on the peoples of India and China to tirelessly strive for that objective - despite current challenges. . . Underling the steps for people-centric India-China relations, the President said both India and China are young societies. Our youth share common aspirations and perceptions. Their annual exchanges have been fruitful but both sides need to synergize their potential. He stated that in a digital age, joint film productions could be useful instruments for creating positive perceptions among our peoples. Greater exchanges between institutions of higher learning, more cultural festivals and joint research and scholarship programmes can help dispel the notion that we need to look to the West and not to each other to make progress in education, science & technology. Travel can also be a very important binding factor between the two countries. Indians would like to have more opportunities to travel to their holy sites in China and, in turn, welcome more Chinese visits to Buddhist pilgrimage centres in India. By pursuing sustainable solutions and sharing experiences, civil societies on both sides can collaborate duly respecting the parameters in which they are required to operate in our respective countries. We can use multilateral fora including the G-20, BRICS, EAS, AIIB, SCO and the United Nations to enhance public awareness of the desire of both our countries for a shared future shaped by us together. Trade and commerce can also be the most powerful agents in reinforcing our complementarities. He called upon India-China entrepreneurs to jointly innovate to create a new model for business. . . Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Shri Radha Mohan Singh here today said that Narendra Modi Government has initiated a number of significant schemes in last two years to strengthen the villages, the poor and the farmers. The positive results of these schemes have started showing up. The Minister said that despite two successive droughts, the gross production of maize in Kharif and Rabi is estimated at 21.02 million tones, for the year 2015-16. . . Shri Singh added that due to the hard works carried out by the farmers, scientists and policy makers the area of maize farming has increased 2.9 times, the productivity 4.8 times, and yield has been 14 times more after 1950. He observed that this is a great achievement of the farmers. More than 308 improved maize hybrid/mixed varieties have been distributed for various climate related conditions in the country after 1957. During the last five years 30 high yielding hybrids and 10 mixed varieties have been released.The Agriculture Minister stated it in India Maize Summit", organized by FICCI. . . Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister said that keeping in view the varied experiments of maize the Central Government is promoting maize farming with different schemes. The government is imparting subsidy on maize seeds through National Food Security Mission (NFSM) ( Rs.50 per kg on hybrid seeds and Rs. 15 per kg on composite seeds). Central Government is providing machineries like seed/grain dryers, sheller and seeds planters etc. to promote the farming of maize in the original states of Green Revolution ( Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh) so as to encourage varied crops of maize. . . Shri Singh informed that Bihar has emerged as a power house of maize on global scenario. Now this state is posing challenge to the Mid-Western States of USA in the prospective of maize production. The Northern side of the Ganges and on either side of Kosi river, a stretch from Katihar, Bhagalpur to Madhepura, Seharsa, Khagaria and Samastipur has been converted into a maize producing zone. The farmers over here are yielding more than 50 quintal maize per acre. . . The Minister said that government is encouraging public-private partnership in maize farming so that maize farming and related enterprises are strengthened. Shri Singh called FICCI to join this initiative and play a significant role in the field. . . SS Military operations in the past four days have seen 88 militants killed in Egypt's restive North Sinai province so far, army has said. In a statement, Egyptian army spokesperson Brigadier General Mohamed Samir said that the raids targeted militants in the cities of Shiekh Zwayed and Rafah in the province. Samir said that 88 militants were killed in army raids during the past four days in North Sinai. He added that 263 hideouts and shelters, 57 houses, 10 vehicles and five motorcycles used by militants in their terrorist attacks were destroyed. Three suspected militants were arrested during the raids, Samir said. The raids were part of the third stage of the "Martyr's Right", the largest and most comprehensive military operation aimed at rooting out militants based in the Sinai. The first stage of "Martyr's Right" was launched by security forces in response to an attack in October 2014 that killed 33 security personnel. Meanwhile, four security forces members were killed yesterday when they were trying to defuse a bomb in Egypt's restive North Sinai province, medical and security officials said. The bodies were transferred to the Al-Arish military hospital while security forces have combed the area for other potential bombs, they said. Egypt's North Sinai has witnessed many violent attacks by militants since the January 2011 revolution that toppled ex-president Hosni Mubarak. The attacks targeting police and military increased after the ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, following massive protests against his rule, by the military. Over 700 security personnel have been reported killed since then. The military has launched security campaigns in the area, arrested suspects and demolished houses that belong to terrorists, including those facilitating tunnels leading to the Gaza Strip. A breakthrough European Union (EU) agreement done on Thursday to release fresh bailout funds to Greece, averted the threat of a massive default on its debt in coming months. But the Monetary Fund, which is seen as a crucial partner to the eurozone country's bailout, faulted the deal saying that official EU creditors had still not spelled out long-term debt relief indispensable to strengthen Greece's finances. Hours after eurozone finance ministers announced that they would unlock 10.3 billion euros ($12 billion) in bailout cash, that Greece needs for looming bond payments, the said that it could not add its funds to the bailout as long as its demand for a detailed debt-relief plan had not been met. European officials cheered the agreement reached after late-night talks as a breakthrough toward reviving the Greek economy, and claimed the had agreed to join in with its own loans by the end of this year. "The crisis between Greece and the eurozone is over and behind us," French Finance Minister Michel Sapin told a cabinet meeting in Paris on Thursday. "By this, any liquidity crisis is excluded for the next months," said German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble. But the confirmed critics, who said that the Eurogroup, which represents Greece and the other 18 countries that use the euro, had just "kicked the can down the road," saying it had not received sufficient assurances that European creditors will deliver on much-needed debt relief. "Greece is in a situation where it needs a disbursement, and so we were certainly willing to concede on some points," a senior IMF official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told journalists hours after the talks concluded. "But we have not conceded on the point that we need adequate assurances regarding debt relief before we go to our board... I am hopeful we will get there." The immediate consequence of the agreement in Brussels was that Greece will receive the funding it needs to make huge payments due on loans from the European Central Bank and IMF between July and October, and to continue to implement needed reforms through the end of the year. The disbursement rewards Athens for meeting the reform requirements of the 86-billion-euro bailout program agreed last July. But the deal still did not address how the country will avoid being overwhelmed over the long run by its roughly 250 billion euros in debt to official creditors. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday that shops of some of the Indians in were attacked in reaction to the brutal killing of a Congolese youth in Delhi. Addressing a press briefing here, MEA official spokesperson Vikas Swarup said some of the Indian nationals sustained injuries in the attack. "Our embassy in in touch with local authorities and as of now things have calmed down," he said. Asserting that India's relations with go back many years, Swarup said thousands of African students continue to benefit from the Indian education system, adding the country will ensure full safety to them. In wake of the brutal murder of a Congolese youth in South Delhi's Vasant Kunj on May 20, the government has decided that Minister of State for External Affairs General (Retd.) VK Singh would be meeting the African Heads of Missions every three months. According to sources, General (Retd.) Singh, who met the Dean and a few representatives of African HOMs yesterday, strongly condemned the murder of the African student and assured them strongest legal action would be taken against the accused. It has also been decided that the Minister of State for External Affairs will also do an outreach event with the African students along with concerned Embassies to reassure them of safety. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had earlier said that has asked her colleague in the MEA to meet the heads of missions of African countries in the national capital and assure them of the government's commitment to safety and security of African nationals in India. Earlier on May 21, the Delhi Police detained one person in connection with the murder case. 23-year-old Oliva was on his was home when he got into an argument with three to four persons. The argument later led to a fight after which the African youth was chased and beaten with sticks and stones. He was then rushed to a nearby private hospital, where he was declared brought dead. The police have launched a probe into the matter and are trying to ascertain whether the attack was racially motivated, a fight turning ugly, a robbery attempt or a case of personal enmity. The cops are also looking for any CCTV footage that might have recorded this brutal act. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled address to a joint session of the Congress next month will give American people an opportunity to welcome him and illustrate their admiration and commitment as strategic partners to the Indian people, a US lawmaker has said. "This historic address gives Congress and the American people an opportunity to welcome our friend Prime Minister Modi and further illustrate our admiration and commitment as strategic partners to the Indian people," Congressman Pete Sessions, chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee, said. Modi is scheduled to address a joint meeting of the US Congress on June 8 at the invitation of Paul Ryan, Speaker of the US House of Representatives. "I am delighted to welcome Modi to the US Capitol and sincerely look forward to hearing his remarks on the deep ties and relationship between the US the modern world's oldest democracy and the world's largest democracy, India," Sessions said in response to a question. Modi will be the fifth Indian prime minister to address a joint session of the US Congress. being Manmohan Singh (July 19, 2005), Atal Bihari Vajpayee (September 14, 2000), P V Narasimha Rao (May 18, 1994) and Rajiv Gandhi (July 13, 1985). The tradition of foreign leaders and dignitaries addressing Congress began with Marquis de Lafayette of France, who spoke in the House chamber on December 10, 1824. Pope Francis was the last foreign leader to address a joint meeting of the Congress in September 2015. Given that this is an election year, Modi might be the only foreign leader to have the distinction to address a joint meeting of the Congress this year and into early next year. Sessions said that as the branch of government most closely tied to the American people, the United States Congress seeks to consider legislation that would be beneficial to both the countries. Three new pieces of airplane debris believed to be from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight are set to be examined in Australia, the country's transport minister announced on Thursday. Two of the new pieces of debris are coming from the small nation of Mauritius while the third piece was found in Mozambique, Transport Minister Darren Chester said. "The Malaysian government is yet to take custody of the items; however, as with previous items, Malaysian officials are arranging collection and it is expected the items will be brought to Australia for examination," Chester said. "These items of debris are of interest and will be examined by experts," he added. Flight disappeared on March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. The latest news follows an announcement earlier this month that pieces of debris found in South Africa and Mauritius were thought to be "almost certainly" from after examination by experts in Australia. According to the Joint Agency Coordination Centre -- the Australian body in charge of the Indian Ocean search for the missing Boeing 777 -- more than 105,000 sq km of the 120,000 sq km "search zone" in the southern Indian Ocean has been combed for evidence of the missing jetliner. Russia has accused Turkey of supplying the Islamic State extremist group with components for improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said in a letter to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon circulated yesterday that the devices "are being widely used to commit terrorist acts". He said that an analysis of chemical components of explosives captured from Islamists in the region of the Iraqi city of Tikrit and the Syrian city of Kobani, and a review of conditions for selling the components, "indicates that they were either manufactured in Turkey or delivered to that country without the right of re-export". Churkin accused five Turkish companies of delivering aluminium powder, ammonium nitrate, hydrogen peroxide and other material produced by various Turkish and foreign companies to the Islamic State (ISIS) group. Turkey's Foreign Ministry spokesman in Ankara called the letter "the most recent example of Russia's propaganda campaign against Turkey, and as such it cannot be taken seriously". Russia, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, and Turkey, a major backer of Syria's opposition, have been at odds during the five-year conflict. Tensions escalated following Turkey's downing of a Russian warplane near its border with Syria last November. Russia retaliated by deploying long-range air defence missile systems to its base in Syria and imposed economic sanctions on Turkey. President Vladimir Putin has accused Turkey of "allowing terrorists to earn money by selling oil stolen from Syria", and Russia's top military brass accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his family of personally profiting from oil trade with militants. Churkin said that one notable feature of the explosive devices assembled by militants from is the use of parts manufactured by US, Swiss and Swedish companies. He said "detonation cords manufactured in third countries have been illegally resold through Turkey to ISIL (ISIS) fighters". "These facts demonstrate that the Turkish authorities are deliberately involved in ISIL activity, as they are providing access to components for improvised explosive devices that are being widely used to commit terrorist acts," Churkin said. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is inclined to tweaking the delisting regulations for companies whose shares have remained suspended for many years. The changes are expected in a few months as the delisting of such companies is one of the focus areas for the regulator. "We are going to reduce the number of listed companies where no or little trading is taking place," said Sebi Chairman UK Sinha in an interaction with the media on Thursday. On BSE and NSE, 1,200 companies have been suspended for more than seven years. Sebi plans to enable exit for shareholders of these. "This can be done by setting a fair value for the shares. The fair value will be determined by an independent valuer. If promoters don't pay investors the determined price, they will risk being barred from the capital market for up to 10 years. They will also not be allowed to be directors in companies," said a source with knowledge of the developments. "If promoters do not give exit, the regulator can act against the company, promoter, even directors," he added. Exchanges now send a final notice to companies suspended for seven years or more to complete formalities for revocation of their suspension within three months. In case the companies fail to respond, the exchanges can proceed with the compulsory delisting process by issuing the necessary notices to the market and public notices in newspapers. Under compulsory delisting, a stock exchange can initiate the process for delisting of a company if it has remained suspended for over 6 months and it has not taken any step to have the suspension revoked. Before any such delisting the exchange is required to offer a final opportunity to the company and shareholders need to be informed through public notices about any such step. One set of 3,000 such companies were listed on regional exchanges but the exchanges shut down. In another set, the promoters might have vanished after duping investors. A third set of companies do not want to pay the penalties to revoke their suspension. "Sebi can relax the rules for companies listed on regional exchanges," said the person cited above. Over the past two years, most of the regional stock exchanges have stopped trading due to their inability to comply with Sebi norms on the minimum net worth of exchanges and meet the level of trading activity prescribed by the regulator. Sebi norms require stock exchanges to have a minimum net worth of Rs 100 crore and annual trading of Rs 1,000 crore. Further, Sebi also allowed firms listed on regional stock exchanges to be listed on nationwide exchanges. However, many companies were unable to list on the BSE and NSE because they were unable to meet the minimum Rs 10 crore net worth required by the exchanges. For companies listed on regional stock exchanges, delisting through reserve book-building is a cumbersome process. In reverse book building a company that wants to get off an exchange decides on the price that needs to be paid to shareholders to buy back stocks. Shareholders then bid at various prices above or equal to the floor price set by the company. The final buyback price is determined after aggregating all shareholder bids. "Many companies listed on regional exchanges are unable to meet the migration criteria for national exchanges. Such companies should be provided an easy delisting platform," said Sandeep Parekh, founder, finsec law advisors. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) ownership including American Depository Receipts (ADRs) and global depository receipt (GDR) in the BSE-200 index dipped to $291 billion in the March 2016 quarter, down from $304 billion in the December 2015 quarter, suggests a Kotak Institutional report by co-authored by Sanjeev Prasad, senior executive director & co-head at Kotak Institutional Equities and Sunita Baldawa and Akhilesh Tilotia. Also Read: LIC raises holdings in 13 firms in March quarter In percentage terms, FPIs holding in BSE-200 companies dipped to 24.5% in the March quarter, as against 24.8% in the December 2015 quarter. Heavy selling was seen in stocks in banking and pharmaceuticals sectors, the report says. The first quarter of calendar year 2016 (Q1CY16) saw the benchmark indices - the S&P BSE Sensex and the Nifty50 - slip nearly 3% each. Also Read: Promoters get Rs 5k cr via dilution Among individual stocks, FPIs hiked their stake most in Max Financial Services by 8.4% to 33.5%, followed by SKS Microfinance, The Ramco Cement, Apollo Tyres, PVR and Kaveri Seed. Reliance Industries, Infosys, NTPC, Eicher Motors, Sun Pharma, Hindustan Unilever (HUL) and Tech Mahindra are some of the other frontline stocks that attracted FPIs. Shriram Transport, LIC Housing Finance, Jain Irrigation, Crompton Greaves, Jaiprakash Associates, Suzlon Energy, Bank of India, Cipla, Dr Reddys Laboratories, Lupin, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, Aurobindo Pharma, ICICI Bank and Tata Motors are some of the stocks where FPIs pruned their stake in the March 2016 quarter. Recently, the government inked a protocol with Mauritius that amends the double tax avoidance arrangement between the two nations. As per the protocol, capital gains arising in Mauritius from sale of shares acquired on or after April 1, 2017, in Indian firms will be taxed. Investment by FPIs / FIIs (foreign institutional investors) the key drivers of in the equity segment during calendar year 2015 (CY15) stood at Rs 17,808 crore according to NSDL data. In the first five months of CY16 (till May 26 2016), they have already put in a net 13,177 crore in the equity segment. While the first two months of CY16 saw an outflow of Rs 16,647 crore, they invested Rs 21,143 crore in March, NSDL data show. On the other hand, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) increased their stakes in sectors such as banking, utilities and pharmaceuticals, the Kotak report says, with their holding in the BSE-200 companies increasing to 11.1% in the March quarter from 10.9% at the end of the previous quarter. Among individual stocks, MFs increased stake in Suprajit Engineering, Engineer India and Container Corp; decreased stake in Ramco Cement, SKS Microfinance and PVR. LIC increased stake in IDBI, Oriental Bank of Commerce and Syndicate Bank; decreased stake in Indraprastha Gas, JSW Steel and ONGC, the report adds. Canara Robeco Emerging Equities Fund, launched on March 11, 2005, is classified under the small- and mid-cap category of CRISIL Mutual Fund Ranking. It has been ranked in the top 30 percentile over the past seven quarters ended March 2016. The fund aims to generate capital appreciation by primarily investing in diversified mid-cap stocks. It endeavours to identify the stars of tomorrow within the segment. The fund is managed jointly by Ravi Gopalakrishnan and Krishna Sanghavi. It has quarterly average assets under management (AUM) of Rs 869 crore at the end of March quarter. Performance Canara Robeco Emerging Equities Fund has consistently outperformed the category (funds ranked under the small- and mid-cap category in March 2016 CRISIL Mutual Fund Ranking) and the benchmark Nifty Free Float Midcap 100 across all time frames under analysis. Since April 2009 (after the subprime crisis), the fund has outpaced the category and the benchmark across bear and bull market phases. In the post European crisis phase (July 2013-February 2015), the fund generated 72.74 per cent annualised returns, compared with the category's 61.72 per cent (annualised) and the benchmark's 41.51 per cent (annualised). However, during the bull and subprime crisis phases, it underperformed the benchmark and the category. An investment of Rs 1,000 in the fund on March 11, 2005, (inception day) would have grown to Rs 5,930 (compounded annualised returns of 17.23 per cent) on May 20. A similar investment in the category and the benchmark would have grown to around Rs 6,578 (18.32 per cent) and Rs 4,176 (13.61 per cent), respectively. Similarly, Rs 1,000 invested per month in the fund since inception via systematic investment plan (SIP) would have grown to Rs 4,20,402 by May 20 at 19.01 per cent annualised returns. In comparison, a similar amount invested in the benchmark would have returned Rs 2,76,231 at 12.17 per cent. Over three years ended April 29, 2016, the fund had exposure to 185 stocks. It held 61 stocks, on average, indicating a well-diversified portfolio. In the above period of analysis, the fund has held only eight stocks consistently. Exposure to the consistently held stocks, on average, stands at 13.52 per cent. Among the consistently held stocks, WABCO India had the highest allocation (2.17 per cent) followed by VA Tech Wabag (1.86 per cent) and Century Textile & Industries (1.68 per cent). As of April 2016, the fund had 64 stocks in its portfolio. IndusInd Bank (3.65 per cent), Indian Oil Corporation (2.89 per cent) and Atul (2.34 per cent) were the top three. As of April 2016, the top five sectors comprised 36.78 per cent of the portfolio. The highest allocation was to banks (10.62 per cent), followed by construction projects (7.28 per cent), industrial products (6.35 per cent), industrial capital goods (6.27 per cent) and cement (6.26 per cent). On average, the exposure to top five sectors was 41.13 per cent over the past three years. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has barred those named as wilful defaulters from raising public funds through stocks and bonds, and also from taking board positions at listed companies. Sebi notified these norms on Wednesday, disallowing defaulters from setting up market intermediaries such as mutual funds and brokerage firms. These defaulters would also not be allowed to take control of any other listed company. The decision was cleared by the Sebi board of directors at a meeting in Delhi on March 12. Amendments have been made in various earlier regulations to give effect to these. The changes apply to all individuals and companies declared wilful defaulters by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Also disqualifying Vijay Mallya from various posts he holds at the moment. According to the Sebi notification, an issuer cannot make any public issues, debt or non-convertible redeemable preference shares if the company or its promoters or directors figure on the list of wilful defaulters". Also, no wilful defaulter shall make a public announcement of an open offer for acquiring shares or enter into any transaction that would attract the obligation to make a public announcement of an open offer for acquiring shares under these regulations. Sebi, however, allowed wilful defaulters to make counter-offers to avoid hostile takeovers. This means a promoter so declared will be allowed to make an open offer to stave off a similar bid by another entity. This restricting of a company declared a willful defaulter from raising equity and convertible-led capital would hurt those that it seeks to protect, objected Sandeep Parekh, founder of law firm Finsec. A company in default to banks and financial institutions but which still has a chance of survival by raising further capital would now be unable to do so. In other words, banks and financial institutions that could have recovered the money would now be left without the ability to recover any." Further, the regulator said no fresh registration will be granted to any entity in case the latter or its promoters or directors or key managerial personnel are included in the list of wilful defaulters. Under the existing framework, a wilful defaulter was allowed to come out with an initial public offering (IPO) of equity merely by making adequate disclosures in the offer document. Offer documents, normally contain all information, including promoters financial record and pending litigation. However, investors dont tend to read the fine print. "Sebi will have to be cautious in implementing the restrictions, since an absolute prohibition on registering any entity having a promoter or key person tagged as a wilful defaulter by terming the applicant as not fit and proper might inadvertently impact certain genuine players, including private equity, or venture capital funds and non-bank finance companies, since several times their representatives whilst acting as nominee directors on investee companies get classified as such without their being at fault," said Tejesh Chitlangi, partner at IC Legal. "The regulator should evaluate such applications on a case to case basis rather than upfront rejecting these, particularly since banks sometimes get overzealous in classifying the independent and non-executive directors of the erring entities also as wilful defaulters." The under its new leader, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, has rejected peace talks as a viable solution to bringing the Afghan insurgency to an end, and have said that fighting will continue. An audio message has been released in Pushto, circulated by Taliban commanders, where Haibatullah is saying, "Taliban will never bow their heads and will not agree to peace talks," reports Dawn. Haibatullah added, "People thought we will lay down our arms after Mullah Mansour's death, but we will continue fighting till the end." Following the group's chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour death in a US drone strike, the insurgent group said its new leader was Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, a former head of the Taliban's judiciary and one of two Mansour's deputies. In a statement released by the insurgent group, Sirajuddin Haqqani, head of a network blamed for many high-profile bombs attacks in Kabul in recent years, and Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, son of former leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, will serve as deputies, Zabihullah Mujahid. Mansour was reportedly killed in Pakistan on Saturday when his vehicle was struck by a US drone. The Ludhiana district courts on Thursday sent alleged Babbar Khalsa International member Mandeep Singh in police custody till May 30. The Ludhiana Rural Police had yesterday arrested the accused from his residence at Chak Kalan village near Mullanpur. Superintendent of Police (SP) Mandeep Singh said the accused has links with Babbar Khalsa, adding his track record is being scanned to get more details. The arrested accused was in touch with Babbar Khalsa militants in Canada and was planning something big in Punjab. "The police have also beefed up security and installed checkpoints at various places to nab some more people associated with the organisation," he said. In another development today, a local court in Punjab's Nawanshahr district gave six-day police remand to suspected Babbar Khalsa International terrorist Arvinder Singh. The police yesterday nabbed Singh from Rahon town. Acting on a tip-off, a team comprising the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) and Rahon SHO nabbed Singh from a house where he was hiding. Earlier, the Patiala Police had on March 19 confirmed the arrest of six Babbar Khalsa militants. The police said several cases had already been registered against the arrested militants. A local court in Punjab's Nawanshahr district on Thursday gave six-day police remand to suspected Babbar Khalsa International terrorist Arvinder Singh. The police yesterday nabbed Singh from Rahon town. Acting on a tip-off, a team consisting of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Rahon SHO nabbed Singh from a house that he was hiding in. The Patiala police earlier on March 19 confirmed the arrest of six Babbar Khalsa militants. The police said that several cases were already registered against the arrested militants. Justifying the Bajrang Dal's annual self-defence camp in Ayodhya, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Thursday alleged that the opposition parties were highlighting this episode to gain political mileage and defame Prime Minister Narendra Modi. VHP general secretary Surendra Jain alleged that the opposition was trying to defame the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre by linking the Bajrang Dal with Prime Minister Modi. "They should instead take action against Darul Uloom Deoband, who is inspiring terrorism throughout the world and is issuing fatwas against the nation," he added. Jain, who was commenting on the arrest of Bajrang Dal's convenor of Faizabad and Ayodhya units Mahesh Mishra, rubbished reports suggesting that arms' training was being given in the camp. "There was no arms' training in the Bajrang Dal camp, judo karate, pranayam, these are not arms training. We are preparing our society to fight against terrorism," Jain told ANI. "The history of terrorism tells that wherever action against terrorism has been successful it is only due to cooperation of the masses. And it is the Bajrang Dal, which is awakening the society as to how to combat terrorism," he added. Jain said that there was nothing wrong in organising such camps, which are being conducted for the last 25 years. "The Bajrang Dal camps are running in the same fashion. Nothing has changed and nowhere a single case is registered against the Bajrang Dal," he added. Responding to a poser that the arms were clearly visible in the video, Jain wondered whether air gun is an arm. "There were no arms at all. Do you think air guns, the small sticks are arms? We are giving this training for past 25 years, but no police action was ever taken," he said. "This case has been registered for creating enmity between two sects of the society," he added. Meanwhile, Sharma has been sent to 14-day judicial custody. The Faizabad CJM court passed this order today after Sharma was charged with hurting religious sentiments of the Muslim community and spreading communal hatred under Section 153 A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The Bajrang Dal leader's arrest came after an FIR was lodged at the Ayodhya police station late on Tuesday night. Earlier on May 14, a 'self-defence' camp was organised at Karsevakpuram, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) workshop in Ayodhya. In the video that went viral on Monday, volunteers wearing skull caps were reportedly seen brandishing firearm, swords and lathis. In the annual self-defence camp, the Bajrang Dal cadres are trained to use rifles, swords and sticks so that they can 'protect the Hindus'. The cadres can be seen killing men dressed as Muslims during the mock drill. The Bajrang Dal had planned to organise similar camps in Sultanpur, Gorakhpur, Pilibhit, Noida and Fatehpur cities in the state till June 5. Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan has in a stern note asserted that certain countries should stop playing up the issue of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea as it has never been a problem. Speaking at the sixth China-ASEAN Defence Ministers Informal Meeting in the Laos capital yesterday, Chang stressed that Beijing would stick to the road of peaceful development and never ease its efforts to push for regional cooperation, resolve disputes peacefully and coordinately, and never shirk its responsibility to protect regional peace and stability. He added that to further boost defense and security cooperation between China and ASEAN, the Chinese Army hopes to hold a joint drill with the ASEAN countries' army in the South China Sea. Asserting that China is willing to further boost the anti-terrorism cooperation between the two sides, Chang said the country will push forward the exchange and cooperation between its Southern Theater Command and the armies of ASEAN countries. Meanwhile, Rear Admiral Guan Youfei, director of the Office for International Military Cooperation of the Chinese Central Military Commission, said the issue of so called freedom of navigation in the South China Sea was a false proposition. Guan pointed out that 1,00,000 vessels pass through the South China Sea each year and none claimed to have encountered any hindrance, trouble or danger, which proves that freedom of navigation is never threatened in the South China Sea and is, therefore, not a problem. Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's convoy's pilot vehicle was on Thursday set on fire in Dumaria region of Bihar's Gaya District. Manjhi was on his way to meet those agitating against Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Sudesh Paswan's murder, when his convoy's pilot vehicle was set on fire. The LJP on Wednesday condemned the murder of its leader Sudesh Paswan in Gaya and demanded President's rule in the state, in view of rising crime. LJP leader Chirag Paswan earlier lashed out at the ruling 'grand alliance' for prevailing lawlessness in the state, and said those raising their voices are being murdered. Sudesh Paswan was campaigning for panchayat elections near Dumaria when he was shot dead. His cousin Sunil Paswan, who sustained injuries in the shootout, succumbed to his injuries after he was rushed to a hospital. Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (DONER) Jitendra Singh on Thursday said the criticism by the Congress, which is used to paying obeisance to a particular family and sees everything through the prism of family dynasty, holds no significance as what actually matters is the feedback from the man on the streets. Responding to the Congress taunt of 'do sal, bura hal', Singh said it is laughable. When asked to comment on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Shillong, Singh said it will bring about a revolutionary change in the development of the north-east states. "Being the headquarters of North East council, Shillong holds an important place in the constituency. And it's the first time in the past couple of years when the Prime Minister has made an effort to attend the council meeting of Assam. This clearly reflects Modi ji's concern towards the development of north-east," Singh told ANI. He further said the most important factor which has made this possible is the personal interest taken by the Prime Minister. "It was on his directions that eight ministers from the Union were asked to travel to the north-east every fortnight and the results are there for everybody to see," he added. Prime Minister Modi will pay his maiden visit to Shillong tomorrow to attend the plenary session of the North Eastern Council meet. The government, which completes two years in office, will continue with its outreach programme with #TransformingIndia as its theme this time. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will be in Delhi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in Jaipur, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in Chennai, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in Mumbai, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu in Bengaluru and Health Minister J.P. Nadda in Prime Minister Modi's parliamentary constituency Varanasi. Hectic preparations are also underway for a massive cultural show at India Gate on Saturday to be attended by celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher and Prasoon Joshi. To ensure security as work on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is under way, the Gilgit-Baltistan police have started patrolling in the Diamer district. Muhammad Wakeel, a police inspector, said that at least 10 police vehicles have been set aside for the purpose. "The SHOs and SDPOs in the valley will monitor the patrolling process under the supervision of SSP Shoaib Khurram," the Express Tribune quoted him as saying. Wakeel added that the officers, who are patrolling the district, have been adequately trained and they will be available round-the-clock to help the people and respond to any eventualities. The move comes two months after Beijing donated twenty-five vehicles to the Gilgit-Baltistan government as part of CPEC. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had inaugurated the CPEC patrolling police headquarters during his visit to Gilgit earlier this month. The patrolling force comprises 300 personnel and twenty-five vehicles which will help ensure safe and smooth flow of traffic on the 439-kilometre chunk of the CPEC project in the region. Ed Markey, a key US Senator, has said that enabling India to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) would cause a 'never-ending' nuclear race in South Asia. "What you are doing is creating an action-reaction that is leading to a never-ending escalation cycle that ultimately leads to development of nuclear weapons including battlefield nuclear weapons," Dawn quoted Senator Markey as saying to US Assistant Secretary for South Asia Nisha Biswal. The Nuclear Suppliers Group, a multinational body, seeks to reduce nuclear proliferation by monitoring the export, re-transfer and protection of sensitive materials. Speaking at a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the US-India relations on Tuesday, Markey reminded Biswal that the Obama administration's policy of helping India join the Nuclear Suppliers Group was unnecessary and dangerous. "Making these exemptions further infuriates Pakistan into further expanding its nuclear capacity. It is a very dangerous long-term trend, especially when we are so concerned on the spectre of nuclear weapons falling in the hands of non-state actors," he added. During the talks, Markey noted, "If India gained the membership of NSG then it would be the only participating government that was not a member of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT). Despite lack of consensus in the NSG on India's membership, the Obama administration is forcefully pressing for a vote in the coming months." He said that Washington had repeatedly carved out exemptions for India starting with the sale of uranium in 1980. "Today we are not only granting India an exemption from global non-proliferation rules but instead we are working to include India in the body that decides on those rules," he said. Meanwhile, Biswal said that President Obama had reaffirmed that India met the criteria and was ready to join the NSG and that it has also harmonised its export control adhering to the group's guidelines. Markey, however, disagreed pointing out that New Delhi was not in compliance of the membership rules. Biswal said that she would consult with her colleagues for more technical response. Markey noted that since 2008, India has continued to produce fissile material for its nuclear weapons program 'virtually unchecked. Representatives of over 30 Indian companies and 40 Kazakhstan companies met in Astana recently, where they used the platform of the Kazakh-Indian Council to review progress of existing bilateral trade ties and to discuss the way forward. The representatives were several key sectors, including engineering, construction, logistics, IT-technology, agriculture equipment, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals and medicine. The meeting was co-chaired by the Chairman of the management board of "TengriBank", Mr. Yerzhan Shaikenov, and from Indian side by Partner of the "SunGroup" company Mr. Dinesh Sood. The representatives of large, medium and small businesses of both countries exchanged experiences and discussed further cooperation perspectives. Both sides agreed to hold meetings of the Kazakh-Indian Council twice a year. The meetings will be organised by the Center for International Partnership - an organization specially created to regulate the work of the council. The ambassadors of Kazakhstan and India, Bulat Sarsenbayev and Harsh K. Jain, and the Chairman of the Chamber of International Commerce of Kazakhstan, Ruslan Sultanov also addressed the meeting. A major fire at a chemical factory in Dombivali area near Mumbai left three persons dead and over 20 others injured on Thursday. As many as, eight fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the flames, which erupted after a blast in a boiler of the factory. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis swiftly swung into action following the mishap and asked the authorities to speed up the relief operations. "Spoke to police officials & local authorities and asked them to speed up the relief operations," Fadnavis tweeted. There is no need to panic much in the long-term about presence of potassium bromate and potassium iodate in the pre-packaged daily bread but excess of anything should be avoided, a top AIIMS official said at an ASSOCHAM event held in New Delhi today. "It might pose some danger but no individual eats entire pack of bread everyday, majority of people eat a piece or two at the most, so in the long-term there is no need to panic much as has also been said by the FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India)," said Dr MC Misra, Director AIIMS Delhi while inaugurating an ASSOCHAM conference on 'Health Security for All.' "Usage of chemical additives in food items should be minimized and replaced with fresh food items like eggs, fruits, vegetables and other alternatives, besides one should eat everything in moderate quantity," said Dr Misra. "There should be no adulteration in food items and if it is there, it should be mentioned about on the packet," he added. The AIIMS Director also shared his views on the strike by resident doctors' association FORDA (Federation of Resident Doctors Association) in Delhi for revision of 7th Pay Commission's recommendations and an increase in their salaries and allowances. "We also take up our issue related to 7th Pay Commission and we will do that, I feel the government should take care of hopes and aspirations of everyone and I understand that government is already thinking over this issue," said Dr Misra. He also suggested that government should launch a universal health service on the lines of UK's National Health Service to ensure that every citizen of the country is covered as healthcare will not be possible without putting this in place. "Majority of people are looking for free healthcare without paying a single penny, which is causing problem," further said Dr Misra. Dr Misra also suggested that healthcare should become one of the main topics during elections as health nowhere falls into the priority of citizens. "Unfortunately, in India we have never voted-out or voted-in any government which has done better or which has not done enough on the healthcare front." Quoting certain figures, he said that AIIMS saw almost 3.3 million patients in 2014, 22 percent of these patients were from Uttar Pradesh (UP), 11 percent from Bihar, 11 percent from Haryana, Punjab, Jharkhand and others and that there is a similar state in all Central and Delhi government hospitals. "When I had joined AIIMS in 1980, number of patients coming from UP was very-very small, but it has increased tremendously in last over 20 years because the healthcare facilities in the government/public sector in UP has gone down," said Dr Misra. He added that many of these people come to hospitals in Delhi to get reasonable quality treatment which should be guaranteed as minimum treatment that is available for anyone who needs it across India. the process of online application for Eligibility Cum Entrance Test-II (NEET) for admission into medical and dental colleges will begin today. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in a statement said that NEET-II will be held on July 24 this year, adding that online application could be submitted on the website . It said that as per the directions of the Supreme Court, left out candidates who could not register or appear in NEET-I or those having the apprehension that they had not prepared well, subject to submission of an undertaking to give up their candidature for NEET-I, can apply in NEET-II. President Pranab Mukherjee earlier on May 24 gave his assent to two ordinances which exempted state government medical and dental colleges from NEET. The states now have the option of either conducting their own exam or be part of the NEET to fill 85 per cent of the Under Graduate medical and dental seats. 15 per cent of the remaining seats will be filled through NEET route by all India counselling. Tom Campbell 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? There are too few statesmen today, but David Gergen qualifies as one. This North Carolina native's bona fides include service as a high-level advisor in the administrations of four presidents, as co-director of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard's Kennedy School and as a senior political analyst for CNN. Having been on the national stage for many decades, he has experience and perspective few can match.Gergen's commencement address at Elon University last week didn't spout traditional platitudes or words of advice. Instead he challenged the graduates - and all of us - to reflect on where we are as a state and to use our talents, our energies and our leadership to move us to a higher ground.he proclaimed, saying that forces of political extremism have asserted themselves here and represent a sharp break from our past. Gergen, now 74, remembers growing up in Durham. "When I was young, this state was dirt poor. Our people earned on average about 71 cents to every dollar earned by other Americans. Our cities were small and insular; our rural areas were dotted with shacks. Our biggest industries, tobacco, textiles and furniture, were starting to die. And the traditions of Jim Crow hung heavily in the air, dividing whites from blacks. For years, the North Carolina Ku Klux Klan was one of the most powerful in the country." We slowly began to change under governors Terry Sanford, Jim Holshouser, Jim Hunt and Jim Martin, along with leadership from others like "Skipper" Bowles and Bill Friday."These past few years have been especially tough on working people here," said Gergen. "But we are still much better off than we once were. Best of all, we are learning to live together as one people - black or white; male, female, or transgender: our children barely see the differences anymore.Gergen added.Those elected got to office "fair and square" he said, chosen by the voters to serve, adding he was sure they meant well.Gergen said that recent actions like HB2, violate two cardinal rules of politics: If it ain't broke, don't fix it and leave as much power as you can in the hands of local people.David Gergen urged the graduates to "take North Carolina back," concluding by pleading with them to get off the sidelines, come off the bench and get into the arena.Words worth hearing. Words worth heeding. Words worth sharing. Thank you, David Gergen. Pakistan on Thursday finally confirmed that Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in a US drone strike in Balochistan, days after the US and Afghanistan confirmed the same. Mansour was killed in a US drone strike in Pakistan's Balochistan province last Saturday. Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz, during a press briefing said all indicators confirm that the person killed in the drone strike was Mansour, who was travelling on a fake identity when targeted in a drone strike near Noshki district in Balochistan, reports the Express Tribune. He, however, said that DNA reports of Wali Muhammad, the man suspected to be the Taliban leader, would further confirm the killing of Mansour. "His body will be handed over to his family after DNA tests," Aziz said. He reiterated, "Mullah Mansour was not opposed to peace talks," "The death of Mullah Akhter Mansour in a drone strike on 21 May has added to the complexity of the Afghan conflict," Aziz said. He pressed that the drone strike was a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty as well as breach of principles of the United Nations Charter governing the conduct of states. The top diplomat also conveyed Afghanistan, Pakistan, the US and China agreed on May 18 that politically negotiated settlement was the most viable to continue to bring Taliban on the table. He added that use of force will further destabilise Afghanistan, which will have negative implications on the region. "Pakistan believes that politically negotiated settlement remains the most viable option for bringing lasting peace to Afghanistan. The military approach has been tried for 15 years and could not achieve the objective," he added. Pakistan's remarks comes a day after the Afghan Taliban picked a top cleric, Maulvi Haibatullah Akhundzada, as their new chief. The Afghan intelligence operatives have arrested Hassan Haqyar, a political analyst, for supporting the Taliban group and allegedly calling Mullah Akhtar Mansoor a 'martyr'. The National Security Council (NSC) operatives in a statement said that Haqyar was arrested for supporting the Taliban group and calling its leader a 'martyr', reports the Khaama Press. According to the National Security Council, Haqyar made the remarks while speaking at a television debate. Mansour, the Taliban group supreme leader, was killed in a drone strike carried out by the US forces in Pakistan's Balochistan province on Saturday. His death was confirmed by the militant group and his successor Mawlavi Haibatullah Akhundzada was declared the new chief of the Taliban group yesterday. With 101 people dead in the floods and landslides in Sri Lanka and another 100 still missing or presumed dead, the Lankan Army along with other government agencies has begun clearing works as flood waters recede. Sri Lanka Army said troops, including one Field Engineer Regiment with the Ministry of Land Reclamation began to clear the Dandugan Oya outfall at Ja-Ela which remained disrupted due to heaps of garbage being washed away due to floods. The troops have been instructed to coordinate with the government's post-flood recovery management project and assist it by providing necessary machinery and manpower with professional knowledge, reports the Colombo Page. The troops are now engaged in clearing work at the outfall of Dandugan Oya, Biyagama, Bollewa, Hanwella and Kaduwela areas. Tripura Forest Minister Naresh Jamatia has said that the state could achieve the highest literacy rate in the country, but first it needs to get free from jhum cultivation, open defecation and bamboo huts. Speaking on the occasion of "Women's Role in Bringing Changes" by Indo German Development Cooperation (IGDC), the Forest Minister said till now there is a small section of people living in the forest areas who earn their living by practicing shifting cultivation or jhum and shifting cultivation is our enemy therefore, we have to make Tripura free from shifting cultivation. "First I said shifting cultivation less Tripura, second is bamboo hut free Tripura. We shall distribute free houses to everyone under the IAY (Indira Awaas Yojna) but just getting house is not enough, everyone has to make arrangements for earning in the land surrounding their house and IGDC along with ADC, Agriculture and various other departments will help for that. We are trying for bringing together 30 to 40 families in cluster villages so that we can provide them electricity, water etc. There is no crunch of fund but this will only be possible if the women come forward and participate in it," he added. More than three hundred women, belonging to the tribal community from remote areas, participated in the workshop oganised on "Women's Role in Bringing Changes" by Indo German Development Cooperation (IGDC) in assistance with Tripura Biodiversity Board at the Ambassa Panchayat Raj Training Institute here. Jamatia inaugurated the workshop in presence of Monika Datta Roy, Chairperson Tripura Commission for Women, Dr. A. K. Gupta, CEO and Project Director of IGDC and other dignitaries. Meanwhile, A. K. Gupta discussed on how under the IGDC project a big section women belonging to the tribal jhumia families got skill development training on various trade and through community participation. "planning and executing various self-employment schemes for value addition utilizing the locally available resources has not only started earning at their home places but are also saving the forest of Tripura by keeping themselves away from the traditional practice of jhuming which not only destroys forest and environment but also is not profitable," he said. Gupta said, "In Dhalai and North Tripura district we have gone for socio-economic development of 28,500 jhumia families under the IGDC project. Here not only male but right from the initiation of the project we have given much importance to empowerment of women". Gupta further said that they have provided various vocational training and in those training 46 percent of the trainees were women participants. "After completion of training the material supports that we provide like for tailoring we provided two types of sewing machines, in such material supports 52 percent of the beneficial are women. This proves that this project right from its starting has taken special initiative for women empowerment," he added. Other than discussion loan were also distributed among various SHG and woman entrepreneurs as capital for their business from revolving fund, a special fund created by the beneficiaries of IGDC by voluntarily contribution a percentage of their earning and for providing loan to needy members at very nominal interest. The U S State Department has said that Washington has been "very clear-eyed" in its interactions with Pakistan on the activities of militant groups based inside the country. "We have been very clear-eyed and very clear in our interaction with Pakistan where we've believed that they need to do more to root out terrorists, who find safe haven on some of their territory, and we're going to continue to do that," Mark Toner, US State Department Deputy Spokesperson said. Toner refused to acknowledge that the Washington no longer trusted Islamabad as an ally and conveyed US concerns on the alleged presence of certain 'terrorist' groups in Pakistan. On being asked by a reporter that the United States did not warn Pakistan before targeting Taliban leader Mullah Mansour in the Pakistani territory, did it include lack of trust on sensitive issues? Toner replied, "I think what I said just now holds, which is that operational security trumps a need to inform other governments." "I'm not going to get into the operational details of the strike against Mansour except to say that these are very narrow windows in any case, and it's not just with friends and allies or partners or whoever, but in any of these instances, it's absolutely vital to keep operational security, " he added. Toner said the United States had also "consistently expressed our concern to the highest levels of the government of Pakistan" about their continued tolerance for Afghan Taliban groups, including the Haqqani network. "We're going to continue to work with the Pakistani authorities and a full-faith effort both to give them the tools they need and the capabilities they need to confront this threat," he said. "And we're going to also continue to, as we share intelligence and other information with them, to point out we believe that terrorists are finding safe haven," he added. The Deputy Spokesperson also noted that the Haqqani network was an integral part of Taliban operations. Four engineering students of Vadodara's Navrachana University have designed a vehicle to help specially-abled people commute with ease. The students and professor of the varsity came up with the idea while working on a project to develop the car as part of their final semester course. Harshil Shah, one of the students, admitted that there were some limitations in the vehicle and they were working for improvement. "There are limitations for handicapped persons. A person with an amputated leg or hand can operate this vehicle. We can develop other mechanism to cover all the conditions. The car has been built with certain limitations. We have attached clutch, break and accelerator with a single lever," said Shah. Professor Amrish Burgujar said they will file for patent of the vehicle. "All the four students have been working with me for the last one year. They have perfectly done the work assigned to them. We have planned to develop something for the physically disabled persons to resolve their transportation problem. Our future plan is to patent it," Burgujar added. The team is in talks with some of the leading companies to develop the vehicle on commercial basis. Wipro Limited, a leading global information technology, consulting and process services company, on Thursday announced the launch of Total Customer Centricity (TCC), a Master Data Management solution for the manufacturing sector. The Wipro solution will be powered by the Informatica Master Data Management (MDM) suite of solutions. Total Customer Centricity (TCC) will enable global manufacturers to transition from a product-centric to a customer- centric approach. TCC will also provide visibility into the relationships between devices, locations and customers. The solution will allow manufacturers across the globe capture a comprehensive, single view of each of their customers and products. TCC will help them manage customer relationships across processes and lines and enable end-to-end customer lifecycle management. This helps reduce maintenance and support costs, and facilitates secure data exchange between distributors and partners. It also enables faster customer on-boarding after a merger or acquisition and enhanced customer value management. Pallab Deb, Vice President and Global Head - Analytics, Wipro Limited said: "We are excited to partner with Informatica, an acknowledged leader in the MDM space. Wipro's extensive experience in the manufacturing industry coupled with Informatica's expertise in MDM will enable us to deliver highly sophisticated, next-generation solutions for our customers. With increased consolidation in the manufacturing industry, Total Customer Centricity's (TCC) powerful relationship and hierarchy management capabilities along with its ability to be easily configured to meet enterprise-grade business needs, make it a highly flexible MDM offering." The solution will make available a solid base of customer data that can be leveraged for more effective pricing, customer segmentation and trade promotions. It will also help organizations grow their customer base, identify cross-sell opportunities, and rapidly integrate customer data obtained from mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Rob Karel, vice president of Product Strategy and Product Marketing for Information Quality Solutions at Informatica said: "Manufacturers face a variety of customer-related challenges, ranging from customer segmentation for pricing and trade promotions, to finding new ways to optimize customer experience, to pressure to accelerate the speed-to-value from mergers and acquisitions. We are excited that Wipro, a longstanding and valued Informatica partner, is investing in the development of value-added industry solutions by leveraging our market-leading MDM platform to help our manufacturing customers strategically manage and share data across the enterprise." Wipro Ltd. is a leading information technology, consulting and business process services company that delivers solutions to enable its clients do business better. Wipro delivers winning business outcomes through its deep industry experience and a 360-degree view of "Business through Technology." By combining digital strategy, customer-centric design, advanced analytics and product engineering approach, Wipro helps its clients create successful and adaptive businesses. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, Wipro has a dedicated workforce of over 160,000, serving clients in 175+ cities across six continents. leaders kick of two-day G7 talks in Japan, with critical issues like global economy, terrorism and refugees crisis to be top on their agenda. Heads of state and government from the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and host Japan are meeting in Ise Shima, 300 kilometres southwest of Tokyo. US President Barack Obama arrived in Japan for the summit that will also take him to the atomic-bombed city of Hiroshima. Britain's David Cameron, whose country's referendum next month on continued membership of the European Union is likely to figure prominently on the summit agenda. With the G7 leaders expected to continue their support of David Cameron's argument, the Australian prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has hit back at criticism of his own position, arguing he is on a "unity ticket" with Barack Obama, Justin Trudeau and John Key, reports the Guardian. The G7 leaders are set to discuss how to deal with China's dumping of surplus steel with global steel industry crisis likely high on the agenda in Ise-Shima. Earlier, the visiting politicians in the Ise Jingu shrine were greeted by the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe. The leaders were taken to the inner Naiku shrine, where they underwent a cleansing ceremony. British Prime Minister Cameron, French President Francois Hollande and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau then planted a Japanese cedar tree, helped by schoolchildren from the Mie prefecture, reports the Guardian. The G7 leaders begin their talks on Thursday afternoon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comments in an interview to a foreign newspaper indicating that further economic reforms are on the cards triggered the latest rally on the domestic bourses. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, surged 485.51 points or 1.88% to settle at 26,366.68. The gains for the Sensex were higher in percentage terms than those for the Nifty 50 index. The Nifty surged 134.75 points or 1.7% to settle at 8,069.65. The Nifty moved past the the psychologically important 8,000 level and the Sensex surpassed the psychologically important 26,000 mark. The Nifty hit a 30-week closing high. The Sensex attained its highest closing level in more than 29 weeks. Modi said he had opened up more of the economy to foreign investment and made changes to curb corruption, fill gaps in rural infrastructure and make it easier to do business. He also said that he has an enormous task ahead. The Prime Minister said that he expects the goods and services tax (GST) bill to pass this year. The BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government completed two years in office today, 26 May 2016. The prime minister said that he would look to state governments to further liberalize the country's rigid labour laws. Strong Q4 March 2016 results from engineering and construction major L&T and the company's guidance of a 15% growth in order inflow during the current financial year also aided the latest rally on the bourses. L&T shares surged 13.85% after the company announced the results and the order inflow guidance after trading hours yesterday, 25 May 2016. The Sensex and the Nifty extended gains during the second half of the trading session after hovering in positive zone throughout the trading session after opening with upward gap. Capital goods stocks edged higher after the Union Cabinet approved the National Capital Goods policy to support and boost development of this crucial sector. Bank stocks edged higher after global credit rating agency Moody's Investors Service said in a report that the new bankruptcy code will address several key inefficiencies in the current legal framework for asset resolution in India and is credit positive for Indian banks. Yes Bank edged higher after the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs cleared the bank's proposal for increase in foreign investment limit in the bank's equity capital to 74% from 41.87% without any sub-limits. In overseas stock markets, Asian and European stocks edged higher as gains in crude oil prices boosted investors' risk appetite. Energy and materials shares sector stocks led gains in US stocks yesterday, 25 May 2016, following a jump in crude oil prices triggered by a weekly report showing a decline in US crude inventories. The Sensex surged 485.51 points or 1.88% to settle at 26,366.68, its highest closing level since 4 November 2015. The Sensex jumped 517.77 points, or 2% at the day's high of 26,398.94. The index rose 60.34 points, or 0.23% at the day's low of 25,941.51. The Nifty surged 134.75 points or 1.7% to settle at 8,069.65, its highest closing level since 29 October 2015. The Nifty jumped 148.10 points, or 1.87% at the day's high of 8,083. The index rose 13.60 points, or 0.17% at the day's low of 7,948.50. The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was positive. On BSE, 1,408 shares rose and 1,142 shares fell. A total of 197 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index rose 1%. The BSE Small-Cap index rose 0.86%. Both these indices underperformed the Sensex. The total turnover on BSE amounted to Rs 2920 crore, higher than turnover of Rs 2323.39 crore registered during the previous trading session. Among the sectoral indices on BSE, the S&P BSE Capital Goods index (up 8.78%), the S&P BSE Industrials index (up 3.97%), the S&P BSE Bankex (up 2.22%) and the S&P BSE Finance index (up 1.89%) outperformed the Sensex. The S&P BSE Realty index (up 1.82%), the S&P BSE Power index (up 1.51%), the S&P BSE FMCG index (up 1.23%), the S&P BSE IT index (up 1.23%), the S&P BSE Teck index (up 1.14%), the S&P BSE Auto index (up 1.09%), the S&P BSE Oil & Gas index (up 0.96%), the S&P BSE Metal index (up 0.89%), the S&P BSE Basic Materials index (up 0.85%), the S&P BSE Consumer Discretionary Goods & Services index (up 0.84%), the S&P BSE Utilities index (up 0.77%), the S&P BSE Energy index (up 0.49%), the S&P BSE Telecom index (up 0.4%) and the S&P BSE Consumer Durables index (up 0.07%) underperformed the Sensex. The S&P BSE Healthcare index ended almost unchanged at 15,098.72, underperforming the Sensex. Capital goods stocks edged higher after the Union Cabinet approved the National Capital Goods policy to support and boost development of this crucial sector. ABB India (up 1.83%), Bharat Heavy Electricals (Bhel) (up 4.77%), BEML (up 1.02%), Bharat Electronics (up 1.02%), Punj Lloyd (up 2.15%), Siemens (up 4.13%) and Thermax (up 3.19%) gained. Crompton Greaves fell 1.23%. The National Capital Goods policy aims at increasing production of capital goods from Rs 2.30 lakh crore in 2014-15 to Rs 7.50 lakh crore in 2025 and raising direct and indirect employment from the current 8.4 million to 30 million. The policy envisages increasing exports from the current 27% to 40% percent of production. It will increase the share of domestic production in India's demand from 60% to 80%, thus making India a net exporter of capital goods. L&T spurted after the company's management said in a conference call held after the announcement of the company's Q4 March 2016 results yesterday, 25 May 2016, that it expects L&T's order inflow to rise 15% in the year ending 31 March 2017 (FY 2017). The stock jumped 13.85% to Rs 1,470.10. The stock hit a high of Rs 1,484 and a low of Rs 1,389.75 in intraday trade. L&T expects 12-15% growth in revenue in the year ending 31 March 2017 (FY 2017). L&T reported 18.55% rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 2453.64 crore on 17.88% rise in total income to Rs 33375.26 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 25 May 2016. L&T said that the order inflow during Q4 March 2016 was Rs 43334 crore of which one third constituted international orders. The order intake of L&T's infrastructure division rose just 3% at Rs 29103 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. The order intake of its hydrocarbon divsion rose sharply to Rs 4963 crore in Q4 March 2016 from Rs 699 crore in Q4 March 2015. L&T's order book stood at Rs 249949 crore as on 31 March 2016, higher by 7% on year-on-year basis. International order book constituted 28% of the total order book. L&T said in a statement that the company continues its emphasis on operational efficiencies, faster execution of projects on hand and reduced working capital levels. Given its track record, diversified portfolio and healthy order book, the company is focusing on profitable execution of the existing order book and is confident of its growth in the near to medium term by leveraging its presence in both the domestic and international segments. State-run ONGC rose 2.05% to Rs 214.50 after net profit rose 12.22% to Rs 4416.11 crore on 15.42% decline in total income to Rs 19776.70 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. The result was announced at the fag end of the trading session today, 26 May 2016. ONGC's net profit fell 9.75% to Rs 16003.65 crore on 4.14% decline in total income to Rs 84584.99 crore in the year ended 31 March 2016 over the year ended 31 March 2015. In terms of the decision of the Government of India, the company shared under-recoveries of oil marketing companies (OMCs) amounting to Rs 1096 crore for the year ended March 2016 (FY 2016) by allowing discount in the prices of crude oil based on the rates of discount communicated by Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC). The discount was sharply lower than Rs 36300 crore in the year ended 31 March 2015 (FY 2015). The impact on net profit was Rs 607 crore in FY 2016 as compared to Rs 20437 crore in FY 2015. ONGC's consolidated net profit fell 22.96% to Rs 14123.80 crore on 16.63% decline in total income to Rs 139364.35 crore in the year ended 31 March 2016 over the year ended 31 March 2015. Bank stocks edged higher after global credit rating agency Moody's Investors Service said in a report that the new bankruptcy code will address several key inefficiencies in the current legal framework for asset resolution in India and is credit positive for Indian banks. Among public sector banks, State Bank of India (up 5.22%), Canara Bank (up 2.51%), Bank of Baroda (up 1.28%), Vijaya Bank (up 1.67%), Union Bank of India (up 1.51%), Bank of India (up 2.41%), Punjab National Bank (up 0.74%), Andhra Bank (up 2.67%), IDBI Bank (up 0.46%) edged higher. Among private sector banks, Federal Bank (up 4.15%), ICICI Bank (up 1.83%), Axis Bank (up 3.78%), Kotak Mahindra Bank (up 3.05%), IndusInd Bank (up 0.66%) and HDFC Bank (up 0.84%) edged higher. Moody's said that the proposed bankruptcy law will reduce the duration of insolvency resolution process (IRP) of a delinquent borrower to maximum of 270 days which in turn will strengthen the banks' bargaining power over delinquent borrowers. The bankruptcy law will give creditors overriding authority to approve terms of any restructuring package of a delinquent borrower. Moody's also said that new law may only a have a limited benefit in addressing the current asset quality issues facing Indian banks. According to Moody's, Indian banks will still have limited avenues available to dispose off distressed assets and that the banks will in general remain reluctant to make appropriate haircuts to reflect their current weak operating conditions. Yes Bank rose 2.93% after the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs cleared the bank's proposal for increase in foreign investment limit in the bank's equity capital to 74% from 41.87% without any sub-limits. In late April 2016, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had raised the ceiling on investment in the bank's equity capital by foreign institutional investors to 60% from 49% after the bank's board of directors and shareholders approved the proposal. The RBI had at time capped total foreign holding in the bank from all sources at 60% Tata Steel rose 0.83% at Rs 327.05 after the company trimmed losses in Q4 March 2016. The company reported consolidated net loss of Rs 3213.76 crore in Q4 March 2016, lower than net loss of Rs 5674.29 crore in Q4 March 2015. Tata Steel's total income fell 12.33% to Rs 29636.69 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 25 May 2016. There was a drop in realisations from steel sales across the group as steel prices slid to 10-year lows. However, despite these challenges, the consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) increased in Q4 March 2016 on the back of higher deliveries and better operating margins in India, cost benefits from European restructuring and improved performance of the South East Asia operations. The company continued to divest its non-core assets and raised Rs 4478 crore through monetisation of same. Given the challenging situation faced in Europe, the company has taken several steps to restructure the European operations. Tata Steel UK signed an agreement with Greybull Capital to sell its Long Products Europe business. The deal will be completed once a number of outstanding conditions have been resolved, including transfer of contracts, certain Government approvals and the satisfactory completion of financing arrangements. The Tata Steel Europe board under the advise of the Tata Steel board is actively reviewing all options for the Tata Steel UK Business including a potential sale of the business. Tata Steel announced the start of commercial production at the 3 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) Kalinganagar steel plant. The stabilisation process is currently underway. The facility will produce flat steel for high end applications enabling the company to expand its product portfolio in the ship building, defence equipment, energy & power, infrastructure, and aviation sectors. It will also consolidate Tata Steel's leadership position in the domestic automotive segment. KNR Constructions rose 2.52% after the company secured order worth Rs 414.90 crore from Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for rehabilitation and up-gradation of Dindigul-Bangalore road to four lane with paved shoulder in Tamil Nadu on engineering, procurement and construction basis to be completed within a period of 24 months from the appointed date. The Sensex and the Nifty edged higher for the third day in a row. The Sensex has gained 1136.32 points or 4.5% in three trading sessions from its close of 25,230.36 on 23 May 2016. The Sensex has gained 760.06 points or 2.96% in this month so far (till 26 May 2016). The Sensex has risen 249.14 points or 0.95% in calendar year 2016 so far (till 26 May 2016). From a 52-week low of 22,494.61 hit on 29 February 2016, the barometer index has risen 3,872.07 points or 17.21%. The Sensex is off 2,211.65 points or 7.73% from a 52-week high of 28,578.33 hit on 23 July 2015. The Sensex is off 3,658.06 points or 12.18% from a record high of 30,024.74 hit on 4 March 2015. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comments in an interview to a foreign newspaper that he had undertaken the maximum reforms during the past two years in office and that he expects the goods and services tax (GST) bill to pass this year triggered the latest rally on the domestic bourses. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, rose 505.48 points or 1.95% to 26,386.65, as per the provisional closing data. The gains for the Sensex were higher in percentage terms than those for the Nifty 50 index. The Nifty rose 134.75 points or 1.7% to 8,069.65, as per the provisional closing data. The Nifty provisionally settled above the psychologically important 8,000 level after moving past that mark in mid-afternoon trade. The Sensex provisionally settled above the psychologically important 26,000 mark after piercing that level in early trade. Strong Q4 March 2016 results from engineering and construction major L&T and the company's guidance of a 15% growth in order inflow during the current financial year also aided the latest rally on the bourses. L&T shares surged after the company announced the results and the order inflow guidance after trading hours yesterday, 25 May 2016. The Sensex hit its highest level in almost 29 weeks when it jumped 517.77 points, or 2% at the day's high of 26,398.94 in late trade. The index rose 60.34 points, or 0.23% at the day's low of 25,941.51 in early trade. The Nifty hit its highest level in more than 29 weeks when it jumped 148.10 points, or 1.87% at the day's high of 8,083 in late trade. The index rose 13.60 points, or 0.17% at the day's low of 7,948.50 in early trade. Modi said he had opened up more of the economy to foreign investment and made changes to curb corruption, fill gaps in rural infrastructure and make it easier to do business. He also said that he has an enormous task ahead. The BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government completed two years in office today, 26 May 2016. The prime minister said that he would look to states to further liberalize the country's rigid labour laws. The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was positive. On BSE, 1,402 shares rose and 1,149 shares fell. A total of 196 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index provisionally rose 1%. The BSE Small-Cap index provisionally rose 0.86%. Both these indices underperformed the Sensex. The total turnover on BSE amounted to Rs 2920 crore, higher than turnover of Rs 2323.39 crore registered during the previous trading session. In overseas stock markets, Asian and European stocks edged higher as gains in crude oil prices boosted investors' risk appetite. Energy and materials shares sector stocks led gains in US stocks yesterday, 25 May 2016, following a jump in crude oil prices triggered by a weekly report showing a decline in US crude inventories. State-run ONGC rose 2.05% to Rs 214.50 after net profit rose 12.22% to Rs 4416.11 crore on 15.42% decline in total income to Rs 19776.70 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. The result was announced at the fag end of the trading session today, 26 May 2016. L&T spurted after the company's management said in a conference call held after the announcement of the company's Q4 March 2016 results yesterday, 25 May 2016, that it expects L&T's order inflow to rise 15% in the year ending 31 March 2017 (FY 2017). The stock jumped 13.85% to Rs 1,470.10. The stock hit a high of Rs 1,484 and a low of Rs 1,389.75 in intraday trade. L&T expects 12-15% growth in revenue in the year ending 31 March 2017 (FY 2017). L&T reported 18.55% rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 2453.64 crore on 17.88% rise in total income to Rs 33375.26 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 25 May 2016. L&T said that the order inflow during Q4 March 2016 was Rs 43334 crore of which one third constituted international orders. The order intake of L&T's infrastructure division rose just 3% at Rs 29103 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. The order intake of its hydrocarbon divsion rose sharply to Rs 4963 crore in Q4 March 2016 from Rs 699 crore in Q4 March 2015. L&T's order book stood at Rs 249949 crore as on 31 March 2016, higher by 7% on year-on-year basis. International order book constituted 28% of the total order book. L&T said in a statement that the company continues its emphasis on operational efficiencies, faster execution of projects on hand and reduced working capital levels. Given its track record, diversified portfolio and healthy order book, the company is focusing on profitable execution of the existing order book and is confident of its growth in the near to medium term by leveraging its presence in both the domestic and international segments. Tata Steel rose 0.83% at Rs 327.05 after the company trimmed losses in Q4 March 2016. The company reported consolidated net loss of Rs 3213.76 crore in Q4 March 2016, lower than net loss of Rs 5674.29 crore in Q4 March 2015. Tata Steel's total income fell 12.33% to Rs 29636.69 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 25 May 2016. There was a drop in realisations from steel sales across the group as steel prices slid to 10-year lows. However, despite these challenges, the consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) increased in Q4 March 2016 on the back of higher deliveries and better operating margins in India, cost benefits from European restructuring and improved performance of the South East Asia operations. The company continued to divest its non-core assets and raised Rs 4478 crore through monetisation of same. Given the challenging situation faced in Europe, the company has taken several steps to restructure the European operations. Tata Steel UK signed an agreement with Greybull Capital to sell its Long Products Europe business. The deal will be completed once a number of outstanding conditions have been resolved, including transfer of contracts, certain Government approvals and the satisfactory completion of financing arrangements. The Tata Steel Europe board under the advise of the Tata Steel board is actively reviewing all options for the Tata Steel UK Business including a potential sale of the business. Tata Steel announced the start of commercial production at the 3 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) Kalinganagar steel plant. The stabilisation process is currently underway. The facility will produce flat steel for high end applications enabling the company to expand its product portfolio in the ship building, defence equipment, energy & power, infrastructure, and aviation sectors. It will also consolidate Tata Steel's leadership position in the domestic automotive segment. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Sales decline 6.21% to Rs 1415.23 crore Net profit of Container Corporation Of India declined 51.83% to Rs 141.00 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs 292.71 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. Sales declined 6.21% to Rs 1415.23 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs 1508.98 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. For the full year,net profit declined 24.88% to Rs 786.93 crore in the year ended March 2016 as against Rs 1047.55 crore during the previous year ended March 2015. Sales rose 2.82% to Rs 5742.58 crore in the year ended March 2016 as against Rs 5585.23 crore during the previous year ended March 2015. ParticularsQuarter EndedYear EndedMar. 2016Mar. 2015% Var.Mar. 2016Mar. 2015% Var.Sales1415.231508.98 -6 5742.585585.23 3 OPM %13.9621.86 -18.8323.42 - PBDT295.30428.95 -31 1426.201667.26 -14 PBT196.52347.93 -44 1061.601294.57 -18 NP141.00292.71 -52 786.931047.55 -25 Powered by Capital Market - Live News Sales decline 41.37% to Rs 286.42 crore Net profit of Engineers India declined 35.78% to Rs 69.92 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs 108.87 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. Sales declined 41.37% to Rs 286.42 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs 488.54 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. For the full year,net profit declined 16.13% to Rs 258.31 crore in the year ended March 2016 as against Rs 307.98 crore during the previous year ended March 2015. Sales declined 12.68% to Rs 1495.84 crore in the year ended March 2016 as against Rs 1713.00 crore during the previous year ended March 2015. ParticularsQuarter EndedYear EndedMar. 2016Mar. 2015% Var.Mar. 2016Mar. 2015% Var.Sales286.42488.54 -41 1495.841713.00 -13 OPM %13.7519.28 -10.7012.51 - PBDT105.57173.87 -39 416.85487.19 -14 PBT99.73168.50 -41 392.04467.56 -16 NP69.92108.87 -36 258.31307.98 -16 Powered by Capital Market - Live News Sales rise 29.31% to Rs 913.93 crore Net profit of Hinduja Global Solutions declined 1.23% to Rs 40.79 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs 41.30 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. Sales rose 29.31% to Rs 913.93 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs 706.77 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. For the full year,net profit declined 38.80% to Rs 101.00 crore in the year ended March 2016 as against Rs 165.03 crore during the previous year ended March 2015. Sales rose 18.54% to Rs 3328.21 crore in the year ended March 2016 as against Rs 2807.58 crore during the previous year ended March 2015. ParticularsQuarter EndedYear EndedMar. 2016Mar. 2015% Var.Mar. 2016Mar. 2015% Var.Sales913.93706.77 29 3328.212807.58 19 OPM %10.739.81 -9.4111.30 - PBDT97.6664.79 51 292.37298.68 -2 PBT61.2736.70 67 155.95193.43 -19 NP40.7941.30 -1 101.00165.03 -39 Powered by Capital Market - Live News Sales decline 20.00% to Rs 4.52 crore Net profit of Hindustan Foods declined 61.78% to Rs 1.72 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs 4.50 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. Sales declined 20.00% to Rs 4.52 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs 5.65 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. For the full year,net profit declined 42.40% to Rs 1.44 crore in the year ended March 2016 as against Rs 2.50 crore during the previous year ended March 2015. Sales rose 37.47% to Rs 18.71 crore in the year ended March 2016 as against Rs 13.61 crore during the previous year ended March 2015. ParticularsQuarter EndedYear EndedMar. 2016Mar. 2015% Var.Mar. 2016Mar. 2015% Var.Sales4.525.65 -20 18.7113.61 37 OPM %20.80-93.27 -12.08-42.03 - PBDT0.575.41 -89 1.293.80 -66 PBT0.234.50 -95 -0.052.50 PL NP1.724.50 -62 1.442.50 -42 Powered by Capital Market - Live News Key benchmark indices traded off the day's high in mid-morning trade. At 11:15 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 135.17 points or 0.52% at 26,016.34. The gains for the Sensex were higher in percentage terms than those for the Nifty 50 index. The Nifty was currently up 37.15 points or 0.47% at 7,972.05. The Sensex was currently trading above the psychologically important 26,000 mark after piercing that level earlier during the trading session. The market may remain volatile today, 26 May 2016, as traders roll over positions in the futures & options (F&O) segment from the near month May 2016 series to June 2016 series. The near month May 2016 derivatives contracts are set to expire today, 26 May 2016. The Sensex jumped 187.44 points, or 0.72% at the day's high of 26,068.61 in morning trade, its highest level since 28 April 2016. The index rose 60.34 points, or 0.23% at the day's low of 25,941.51 in early trade. The Nifty rose 51.45 points, or 0.65% at the day's high of 7,986.35 in morning trade, its highest level since 28 April 2016. The index rose 13.60 points, or 0.17% at the day's low of 7,948.50 in early trade. The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was positive. On BSE, 1,211 shares rose and 880 shares fell. A total of 138 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index was currently up 0.32%. The BSE Small-Cap index was currently up 0.43%. Both these indices underperformed the Sensex. In overseas stock markets, Asian stocks witnessed a mixed trend. Energy and materials shares sector stocks led gains in US stocks yesterday, 25 May 2016, following a jump in crude oil prices triggered by a weekly report showing a decline in US crude inventories. Metal shares were mixed. Jindal Steel & Power (up 1.93%), NMDC (up 0.83%), Bhushan Steel (up 0.71%), JSW Steel (up 0.67%), Vedanta (up 0.55%) and Steel Authority of India (up 0.50%), edged higher. Hindustan Zinc (down 0.21%), Hindustan Copper (down 0.22%), Hindalco Industries (down 0.56%) and National Aluminium Company (down 2.9%), edged lower. Meanwhile, copper price edged higher in the global commodities markets. High Grade Copper for July 2016 delivery was currently up 0.43% at $2.1105 per pound on the COMEX. Tata Steel was down 0.72% at Rs 322. The company reported consolidated net loss of Rs 3213.76 crore in Q4 March 2016, lower than net loss of Rs 5674.29 crore in Q4 March 2015. Tata Steel's total income fell 12.33% to Rs 29636.69 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 25 May 2016. There was a drop in realisations from steel sales across the group as steel prices slid to 10-year lows. However, despite these challenges, the consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) increased in Q4 March 2016 on the back of higher deliveries and better operating margins in India, cost benefits from European restructuring and improved performance of the South East Asia operations. The company continued to divest its non-core assets and raised Rs 4478 crore through monetisation of same. Given the challenging situation faced in Europe, the company has taken several steps to restructure the European operations. Tata Steel UK signed an agreement with Greybull Capital to sell its Long Products Europe business. The deal will be completed once a number of outstanding conditions have been resolved, including transfer of contracts, certain Government approvals and the satisfactory completion of financing arrangements. The Tata Steel Europe board under the advise of the Tata Steel board is actively reviewing all options for the Tata Steel UK Business including a potential sale of the business. Tata Steel announced the start of commercial production at the 3 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) Kalinganagar steel plant. The stabilisation process is currently underway. The facility will produce flat steel for high end applications enabling the company to expand its product portfolio in the ship building, defence equipment, energy & power, infrastructure, and aviation sectors. It will also consolidate Tata Steel's leadership position in the domestic automotive segment. Pharmaceutical shares were mixed. Piramal Enterprises (down 2.91%), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (down 1.23%), Divi's Laboratories (down 0.46%), Alkem Laboratories (down 0.42%), Cadila Healthcare (down 0.41%), Aurobindo Pharma (down 0.22%) and Cipla (down 0.15%), edged lower. Lupin (up 0.12%), IPCA Laboratories (up 0.33%), Glenmark Pharmaceuticals (up 0.62%), Wockhardt (up 0.78%), Dr Reddy's Laboratories (up 1.61%), GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals (up 1.89%) and Strides Shasun (up 2.30%), edged higher. L&T spurted after the company's management said in a conference call held after the announcement of the company's Q4 March 2016 results yesterday, 25 May 2016, that it expects L&T's order inflow to rise 15% in the year ending 31 March 2017 (FY 2017). The stock jumped 10.06% to Rs 1,421.20. The stock hit a high of Rs 1,436.45 and a low of Rs 1389.75 so far during the day. L&T expects 12-15% growth in revenue in the year ending 31 March 2017 (FY 2017). L&T reported 18.55% rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 2453.64 crore on 17.88% rise in total income to Rs 33375.26 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 25 May 2016. L&T said that the order inflow during Q4 March 2016 was Rs 43334 crore of which one third constituted international orders. The order intake of L&T's infrastructure division rose just 3% at Rs 29103 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. The order intake of its hydrocarbon divsion rose sharply to Rs 4963 crore in Q4 March 2016 from Rs 699 crore in Q4 March 2015. L&T's order book stood at Rs 249949 crore as on 31 March 2016, higher by 7% on year-on-year basis. International order book constituted 28% of the total order book. L&T's management continues its emphasis on operational efficiencies, faster execution of projects on hand and reduced working capital levels. Given its track record, diversified portfolio and healthy order book, the company is focusing on profitable execution of the existing order book and is confident of its growth in the near to medium term by leveraging its presence in both the domestic and international segments. Powered by Capital Market - Live News L&T after market hours yesterday, 25 May 2016 reported 18.55% rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 2453.64 crore on 17.88% rise in total income to Rs 33375.26 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. The order inflow during Q4 March 2016 was Rs 43334 crore of which one third constituted international orders, L&T said. The order intake of L&T's infrastructure division rose just 3% at Rs 29103 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. The order intake of its hydrocarbon divsion rose sharply to Rs 4963 crore in Q4 March 2016 from Rs 699 crore in Q4 March 2015. L&T's order book stood at Rs 249949 crore as at 31 March 2016, higher by 7% on year-on-year basis. International order book constituted 28% of the total order book. The company's consolidated net profit rose 6.83% to to Rs 5090.53 crore on 11.53% rise in total income to Rs 103814.72 crore in the year ended 31 March 2016 over the year ended 31 March 2015. L&T garnered fresh orders worth Rs 136858 crore at consolidated in the year ended 31 March 2016. The international orders during the year at Rs 43956 crore constitute 32% of the total order inflow, L&T said. 62% of the total order inflow during the year was secured by the infrastructure segment, the company said in a statement. In its outlook, L&T said that the domestic market continues to hold promise for revival of growth. Private sector and industrial capex is likely to take time to revive as investment sentiment is weak. Execution conditions remain challenging, mainly due to the limitation of the projects /clients to raise finances and slower clearances for land and environment. Banking system was stretched in corporate lending. Growth momentum in the infrastructure segment rests mainly on the government initiatives in the core infrastructure such as Transportation, Power T&D, defence, smart cities and water projects. On the international front, Asia, Middle East and Africa are seeking investment led growth. Global slowdown of under utilized capacities amongst EPC players have created opportunities for project implementation at competitive cost. Priority projects will receive Government sponsorship and multilateral funding. Meanwhile, the company continues emphasis on operational efficiencies, faster execution of projects on hand and reduced working capital levels. Given track record, diversified portfolio and healthy order book, the company is focusing on profitable execution and is confident of growth in the near to medium term by leveraging presence in both the domestic and international segments. Tata Steel reported consolidated net loss of Rs 3213.76 crore in Q4 March 2016 compared with consolidated net loss of Rs 5674.29 crore in Q4 March 2015. Total income fell 12.33% to Rs 29636.69 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 25 May 2016 BPCL announces Q4 results today, 26 May 2016. Coal India after market hours yesterday, 25 May 2016 said that registration requirements, schedule of dates for submitting applications and other details will be available from 26 May 2016 for auction for sponge iron sub-sector, followed by other sectors. It may be recalled that the Ministry of Coal had on 15 February 2016 issued policy guidelines and directed Coal India to conduct auction of coal linkages for the non-regulated sector. GAIL (India)'s after market hours yesterday, 25 May 2016 reported 50.75% rise in net profit to Rs 769.99 crore on 17.73% fall in total income to Rs 11952.82 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. The increase in net profit during Q4 March 2016 was mainly due to increase in natural gas sales and transmission volumes. Revenues from natural gas transmission business increased by 11% to Rs 1028 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. Natural gas sales rose 8% to 74.41 MMSCMD in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. Natural gas transmission rose 11% to 95.31 MMSCMD in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. National Aluminium Company (Nalco) said that the company's board of directors has unanimously approved the alteration of articles of association of the company to empower the company to buyback its shares. The company's board approved the proposal to buyback of not exceeding 64.43 crore equity shares of the company (representing 25% of the total number of equity shares in the paid-up share capital of the company) at a price of Rs 44 per share for an aggregate consideration not exceeding Rs 2834.96 crore from all the equity shareholders of the company, as on the record date, on a proportionate basis through a tender offer route. The board of directors noted the intention of the promoter of the company to participate in the proposed buyback. Housing Development and Infrastructure (HDIL) said that the company proposes to consider issue of warrants to promoter(s) as per provisions of Chapter VII of the SEBI (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2009 as amended from time to time in its board meeting scheduled to be held on 28 May 2016. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 25 May 2016. Oil & gas stocks will be in focus. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas yesterday, 25 May 2016, announced the commencement of the process for auction of small oil and gas blocks. The government will auction 46 contract areas consisting of 67 different small fields for exploration and production. These small blocks have 625 million barrels of oil and oil equivalent gas (O+OEG) in-place volumes spread over 1,500 square kilometers in Onland, Shallow water and Deepwater areas. These oil and gas blocks are being auctioned under the new Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) and a new fiscal model based on revenue sharing contract. Single license for exploring all forms of hydrocarbons, graded system of royalty rates, pricing and marketing freedom for crude oil and natural gas are some of the highlights of HELP. Yes Bank will be in focus. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has cleared the bank's proposal for increase in foreign investment limit in the bank's equity capital to 74% from 41.87% without any sub-limits. The announcement hit the market after trading hours. In late April 2016, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had raised the ceiling on investment in the bank's equity capital by foreign institutional investors to 60% from 49% after the bank's board of directors and shareholders approved the proposal. The RBI had at time capped total foreign holding in the bank from all sources at 60%. Powered by Capital Market - Live News After paring gains in mid-morning trade, key benchmark indices extended gains in early afternoon trade. At 12:15 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 160.20 points or 0.62% at 26,041.37. The gains for the Sensex were higher in percentage terms than those for the Nifty 50 index. The Nifty was currently up 40.35 points or 0.51% at 7,975.25. The Sensex was currently trading above the psychologically important 26,000 mark. The barometer index has alternately moved above and below that level so far during the trading session after piercing that level in early trade. The market may remain volatile today, 26 May 2016, as traders roll over positions in the futures & options (F&O) segment from the near month May 2016 series to June 2016 series. The near month May 2016 derivatives contracts are set to expire today, 26 May 2016. The Sensex jumped 187.44 points, or 0.72% at the day's high of 26,068.61 in morning trade, its highest level since 28 April 2016. The index rose 60.34 points, or 0.23% at the day's low of 25,941.51 in early trade. The Nifty rose 51.45 points, or 0.65% at the day's high of 7,986.35 in morning trade, its highest level since 28 April 2016. The index rose 13.60 points, or 0.17% at the day's low of 7,948.50 in early trade. The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was positive. On BSE, 1,239 shares rose and 1,052 shares fell. A total of 161 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index was currently up 0.27%. The BSE Small-Cap index was currently up 0.35%. Both these indices underperformed the Sensex. In overseas stock markets, most Asian stocks edged lower on lingering concerns about further interest-rate increases from the US Federal Reserve. Energy and materials shares sector stocks led gains in US stocks yesterday, 25 May 2016, following a jump in crude oil prices triggered by a weekly report showing a decline in US crude inventories. Shares of oil exploration and production companies rose as global crude oil prices firmed up. Cairn India (up 1.84%), Oil India (up 1.48%) and ONGC (up 1.21%) edged higher. Higher crude oil prices will result in higher realization from crude sales for oil exploration firms. Index heavyweight Reliance Industries was down 0.37%. Shares of public sector oil marketing companies fell as crude oil prices rose. Indian Oil Corporation (down 0.65%), HPCL (down 1.30%) and BPCL (down 0.66%) edged lower. Higher crude oil prices could increase under-recoveries of PSU OMCs on domestic sale of LPG and kerosene at controlled prices. The government has already freed pricing of petrol and diesel. Shares of aviation firms fell as crude oil prices rose. InterGlobe Aviation (down 0.03%), Jet Airways (India) (down 1.47%) and SpiceJet (down 3.99%) declined. Higher crude oil prices adversely affect aviation firms as jet fuel prices, which typically constitute about 50% of airlines' operating costs, are directly linked to international crude oil prices. Global crude oil prices edged higher after a weekly report from the US government yesterday, 25 May 2016, showed a decline in US crude production and inventories. Brent for July settlement was currently up 38 cents at $50.12 a barrel. The contract had rise $1.13 a barrel or 2.32% to settle at $49.74 a barrel during the previous trading session. The US Energy Information Administration said crude inventories fell 4.2 million barrels in the week to 20 May 2016. State-run natural gas company GAIL (India) gained 1.15% after the company reported 50.75% rise in net profit to Rs 769.99 crore on 17.73% fall in total income to Rs 11952.82 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 25 May 2016. GAIL (India) said that the increase in net profit during Q4 March 2016 was mainly due to increase in natural gas sales and transmission volumes. Revenues from natural gas transmission business increased by 11% to Rs 1028 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. Natural gas sales rose 8% to 74.41 million metric standard cubic meter per day (MMSCMD) in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. Natural gas transmission volumes rose 11% to 95.31 MMSCMD in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. Meanwhile, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan today, 26 May 2016, said in a speech in Mumbai to central bank governors from the nations of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) grouping that the region is facing newer challenges arising from uncertainties in other parts of the world. Possible moves by the US Federal Reserve, a potential rebound of oil prices, possible Brexit, geopolitical risks in the Middle East and volatility in financial markets due to risk-on or risk-off sentiment were some of the possibilities, he pointed out. Sharp slowdown of the Chinese economy, according to him still remained a significant risk for the global economy and the SAARC region. Bad loans in China's banking system were likely to grow over current levels and in addition there might be serious weaknesses in the shadow banking system, which could feed back to banks, Rajan said. Chinese growth would depend not just on its policies, but also on growth elsewhere in the world, Rajan said. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Moody's: India's new bankruptcy code could significantly boost bargaining power of creditors against large debtors. Moody's Investors Service says that India's new bankruptcy code will significantly boost the bargaining power of creditors against large debtors for the resolution of distressed assets. "The current weak legal framework for asset resolution has been a key structural credit weakness for Indian banks," says Srikanth Vadlamani, a "The proposed new rules address several key inefficiencies in the current resolution regime," adds Vadlamani. Moody's report explains that the proposed bankruptcy law would: 1) Introduce a unified framework to replace the current collection of separate laws drafted in piecemeal fashion across overlapping jurisdictions 2) Reduce threshold for creditors to invoke the insolvency resolution process (IRP) 3) Introduce third-party insolvency professionals (IP) as intermediaries to oversee the IRP, replacing the debtor's existing management and operate the company as a going concern upon initiation of an IRP 4) Give creditors overriding authority to approve terms of any restructuring package 5) Limit duration of IRP to maximum of 270 days, after which a company will be automatically liquidated These features are positive for Indian banks because they will act as an incentive for corporate borrowers to avoid loan default and improve the recovery of assets. In addition to increasing banks' influence over the restructuring process, the mandated replacement of the existing management during the process should act as a key disincentive for debtors to default in the first place. Moreover, the limited timeframe strengthens the banks' bargaining power over delinquent borrowers. However, Moody's report also points out that significant infrastructure constraints need to be overcome before the framework can become fully operational, including: 1) Development of the required infrastructure required support new restructuring procedure, particularly legal resources and information utilities 2) Time required for various stakeholders to accumulate the requisite legal experience and precedents for the new system to be fully up and running 3) Limited impact that the new law may have on the liquidation process Moody's report concludes that the new law may only a have a limited benefit in addressing the current asset quality issues facing Indian banks. In particular, the banks will still have limited avenues available to dispose of distressed assets, and will in general remain reluctant to make appropriate haircuts to reflect their current weak operating conditions. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Key benchmark indices extended gains in mid-afternoon trade, with the Nifty 50 index surpassing the psychologically important 8,000 mark. At 14:15 IST, the Nifty was up 88.95 points or 1.12% at 8,023.85. The gains for the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, were higher in percentage terms than those for the Nifty. The Sensex was currently up 330.02 points or 1.28% at 26,211.19. The Sensex was currently trading above the psychologically important 26,000 mark. The barometer index has alternately moved above and below that level so far during the trading session after piercing that level in early trade. Strong Q4 March 2016 results from engineering and construction major L&T and the company's guidance of a 15% growth in order inflow during the current financial year boosted sentiment on the bourses. L&T shares surged after the company announced the results and the order inflow guidance after trading hours yesterday, 25 May 2016. The Sensex hit its highest level in more than 25 weeks when it jumped 345.13 points, or 1.33% at the day's high of 26,226.30 in mid-afternoon trade. The index rose 60.34 points, or 0.23% at the day's low of 25,941.51 in early trade. The Nifty hit a 29-week high when it jumped 94.35 points, or 1.19% at the day's high of 8,029.25 in mid-afternoon trade. The index rose 13.60 points, or 0.17% at the day's low of 7,948.50 in early trade. The market may remain volatile during the remaining part of the trading session as traders roll over positions in the futures & options (F&O) segment from the near month May 2016 series to June 2016 series. The near month May 2016 derivatives contracts are set to expire today, 26 May 2016. The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was positive. On BSE, 1,302 shares rose and 1,141 shares fell. A total of 192 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index was currently up 0.62%. The BSE Small-Cap index was currently up 0.73%. Both these indices underperformed the Sensex. In overseas stock markets, most European stocks witnessed a mixed trend. Most Asian stocks edged higher as gains in crude oil prices boosted investors' risk appetite. Energy and materials shares sector stocks led gains in US stocks yesterday, 25 May 2016, following a jump in crude oil prices triggered by a weekly report showing a decline in US crude inventories. Stocks of public sector banks witnessed a mixed trend. State Bank of India (up 2.85%), Canara Bank (up 2.69%), United Bank of India (up 2.33%), Bank of Baroda (up 2.03%), Vijaya Bank (up 1.67%), Central Bank of India (up 1.21%), Union Bank of India (up 1.10%), Bank of India (up 1.08%), Syndicate Bank (up 0.82%), Punjab and Sind Bank (up 0.50%) and Punjab National Bank (up 0.07%), edged higher. IDBI Bank (down 0.08%), Bank of Maharashtra (down 0.18%), UCO Bank (down 0.3%), Allahabad Bank (down 0.4%), Andhra Bank (down 0.43%), Dena Bank (down 0.53%) and Indian Bank (down 0.78%) edged lower. Stocks of private sector banks edged higher. Federal Bank (up 4.85%), ICICI Bank (up 2.62%), Axis Bank (up 1.22%), City Union Bank (up 1.01%), Kotak Mahindra Bank (up 0.93%), IndusInd Bank (up 0.75%) and HDFC Bank (up 0.19%), edged higher. Global credit rating agency Moody's Investors Service has said that India's new bankruptcy code will address several key inefficiencies in the current legal framework for asset resolution in India and is credit positive for Indian banks. Moody's said in a report that the proposed bankruptcy law will reduce the duration of insolvency resolution process (IRP) of a delinquent borrower to maximum of 270 days which in turn will strengthen the banks' bargaining power over delinquent borrowers. The bankruptcy law will give creditors overriding authority to approve terms of any restructuring package of a delinquent borrower. Moody's also said that new law may only a have a limited benefit in addressing the current asset quality issues facing Indian banks. According to Moody's, Indian banks will still have limited avenues available to dispose off distressed assets and that the bank will in general remain reluctant to make appropriate haircuts to reflect their current weak operating conditions. Yes Bank rose 1.23% to Rs 1,008.50 after the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs cleared the bank's proposal for increase in foreign investment limit in the bank's equity capital to 74% from 41.87% without any sub-limits. In late April 2016, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had raised the ceiling on investment in the bank's equity capital by foreign institutional investors to 60% from 49% after the bank's board of directors and shareholders approved the proposal. The RBI had at time capped total foreign holding in the bank from all sources at 60%. Sugar stocks edged higher on renewed buying. Dhampur Sugar Mills (up 7.57%), DCM Shriram Industries (up 4.22%), Dwarikesh Sugar Industries (up 4.04%), Sakthi Sugars (up 3.35%), Oudh Sugar Mills (up 2.61%), Rana Sugars (up 2.14%), Balrampur Chini Mills (up 2.06%), Upper Ganges Sugar & Industries (up 1.57%), Shree Renuka Sugar (up 1.38%), Bajaj Hindusthan Sugar (up 1.35%), Empee Sugars and Chemicals (up 1.31%), EID Parry (India) (up 0.25%) and KCP Sugar & Industries Corporation (up 0.17%), edged higher. Adani Group shares edged higher. Adani Power (up 2.62%), Adani Transmission (up 2.50%), Adani Enterprises (up 2.39%) and Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone (up 1.64%), edged higher. Strides Shasun rose 2.62% after the company said that it has received tentative approval from the United States Food & Drug Administration for Efavirenz Tablet USP, 600 mg. Strides Shasun said that the final approval from the United States Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) will be received after patent expiry on the drug in August 2018. According to IMS data, the total US market for Efavirenz 600 mg Tablet is approximately $150 million. The product will be manufactured at the company's oral dosage facility at Bangalore and marketed by Strides in the US market. Efavirenz Tablet is indicated for the treatment of Human immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) infected adults and adolescents. The announcement was done during market hours today, 26 May 2016. KNR Constructions rose 2.78% after the company secured order worth Rs 414.90 crore from Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for rehabilitation and up-gradation of Dindigul-Bangalore road to four lane with paved shoulder in Tamil Nadu on engineering, procurement and construction basis to be completed within a period of 24 months from the appointed date. Powered by Capital Market - Live News To develop IT professionals in Big Data and Analytics NIIT has entered into two strategic agreements in China - with Guiyang Municipal Government and Guizhou Professional college of Electronics in Gui'An New District, to develop a pool of next generation IT professionals in Big Data and Analytics. Under the agreement with Guiyang Municipal Government, NIIT will establish a training base in public-private partnership model with Guiyang government to conduct IT and Big Data training for university graduates, working professionals and government employees in Guiyang province. Additionally, NIIT and Guiyang government will establish a Big Data Talent Research Center in Guiyang to enhance innovation and research for scalable talent development methods for IT and Big Data in China. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Signs MoU to take over business of Mumbai based Dots Hospitality Pecos Hotels & Pubs announced that the Company has entered into a MOU with 3 Dots Hospitality LLP located at Mumbai, to takeover its business as a going concern subject to due diligence which is in process. This acquisition will allow Pecos Hotels & Pubs to own and operate restaurants in Pune, Hyderabad, Nasik and Chennai under the brand of Denim bistro in association with Formule-1 brand of hotels. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Sales rise 8.33% to Rs 22.77 crore Net profit of Swiss Glascoat Equipments declined 60.42% to Rs 0.57 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs 1.44 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. Sales rose 8.33% to Rs 22.77 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs 21.02 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. For the full year,net profit declined 8.59% to Rs 4.15 crore in the year ended March 2016 as against Rs 4.54 crore during the previous year ended March 2015. Sales rose 4.49% to Rs 92.42 crore in the year ended March 2016 as against Rs 88.45 crore during the previous year ended March 2015. ParticularsQuarter EndedYear EndedMar. 2016Mar. 2015% Var.Mar. 2016Mar. 2015% Var.Sales22.7721.02 8 92.4288.45 4 OPM %8.4312.46 -12.2812.31 - PBDT1.401.93 -27 8.528.08 5 PBT0.811.08 -25 6.265.69 10 NP0.571.44 -60 4.154.54 -9 Powered by Capital Market - Live News Tata Steel rose 0.83% to Rs 327.05 at 10:00 IST on BSE after the company trimmed losses in Q4 March 2016. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 25 May 2016. Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was up 144.83 points, or 0.56%, to 26,026. On BSE, so far 1.78 lakh shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average volume of 11.14 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 328.35 and a low of Rs 320.50 so far during the day. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 364.15 on 21 April 2016. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 200 on 29 September 2015. The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 25 May 2016, falling 6.68% compared with 0.79% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had, however, outperformed the market in past one quarter, gaining 30.76% as against Sensex's 12.64% rise. The large-cap company has an equity capital of Rs 971.22 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10. Tata Steel reported consolidated net loss of Rs 3213.76 crore in Q4 March 2016 compared with consolidated net loss of Rs 5674.29 crore in Q4 March 2015. Tata Steel's total income fell 12.33% to Rs 29636.69 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. Tata Steel announced the start of commercial production at the 3 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) Kalinganagar steel plant. The stabilisation process is currently underway. The facility will produce flat steel for high end applications enabling the company to expand its product portfolio in the ship building, defence equipment, energy & power, infrastructure, and aviation sectors. It will also consolidate Tata Steel's leadership position in the domestic automotive segment. Tata Steel Group recorded a 9% increase in deliveries for Q4 March 2016, largely driven by higher sales in India. Tata Steel Europe saw stable operational performance and deliveries in Q4 increased by 6% compared to Q3 December 2015. In response to the import and price pressure, a tactical decision was made to focus on higher-value sales in the UK, rather than volume. There was a drop in realisations across the Group as steel prices slid to 10-year lows. However, despite these challenges, the consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) increased in Q4 March 2016 on the back of higher deliveries and better operating margins in India, cost benefits from European restructuring and improved performance of the South East Asia operations. The company continued to divest its non-core assets and raised Rs 4478 crore through monetisation of same. Given the challenging situation faced in Europe, the company has taken several steps to restructure the European operations. Tata Steel UK signed an agreement with Greybull Capital to sell its Long Products Europe business. The deal will be completed once a number of outstanding conditions have been resolved, including transfer of contracts, certain Government approvals and the satisfactory completion of financing arrangements. The Tata Steel Europe board under the advise of the Tata Steel board is actively reviewing all options for the Tata Steel UK Business including a potential sale of the business. Mr T V Narendran, Managing Director of Tata Steel India and South East Asia, said that sales in Q4 March 2016 increased by 16% with strong growth in key segments such as automotive and branded products. Cost improvement initiatives and downstream value addition across product/market segments remain an area of focus. The Kalinganagar facility is stabilizing fast and will enable to further consolidate presence in existing 'high' end market segments with additional volumes in the year ending 31 March 2017 (FY 2017), he added. Mr Koushik Chatterjee, Group Executive Director (Finance and Corporate), said that while the pressure on the product prices continued during Q4 March 2016 both in India and in Europe, operations during the quarter were very resilient across most of the geographies and have reported much improved underlying performance compared to the previous quarter. The subsidiaries and affliates of the Tata Steel Group have also reported improved performance and have contributed to the consolidated earnings. While government intervention against unfairly priced imports in India has helped markets stabilise, the UK steel operations continued to be exposed to volatile currency and low priced imports into the country. Tata Steel announced that the board of directors of the company recommended a dividend of Rs 8 per share for the year ended 31 March 2016 (FY 2016). Tata Steel is Europe's second largest steel producer, with steelmaking in the UK and Netherlands, and manufacturing plants across Europe. The combined Tata Steel group is one of the world's largest steel producers, with a steel capacity of more than 28 million tonnes and 80,000 employees across five continents. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Sales decline 1.43% to Rs 10371.74 crore Net profit of Tata Steel declined 16.89% to Rs 676.60 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs 814.09 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. Sales declined 1.43% to Rs 10371.74 crore in the quarter ended March 2016 as against Rs 10522.68 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2015. For the full year,net profit declined 23.89% to Rs 4900.95 crore in the year ended March 2016 as against Rs 6439.12 crore during the previous year ended March 2015. Sales declined 8.73% to Rs 37814.69 crore in the year ended March 2016 as against Rs 41433.82 crore during the previous year ended March 2015. ParticularsQuarter EndedYear EndedMar. 2016Mar. 2015% Var.Mar. 2016Mar. 2015% Var.Sales10371.7410522.68 -1 37814.6941433.82 -9 OPM %20.8615.96 -19.0724.16 - PBDT1906.761215.13 57 9642.188615.63 12 PBT1413.85642.67 120 7709.076618.04 16 NP676.60814.09 -17 4900.956439.12 -24 Powered by Capital Market - Live News Government is imparting subsidy on Maize Seeds through National Food Security Mission Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Shri Radha Mohan Singh here today said that Narendra Modi Government has initiated a number of significant schemes in last two years to strengthen the villages, the poor and the farmers. The positive results of these schemes have started showing up. The Minister said that despite two successive droughts, the gross production of maize in Kharif and Rabi is estimated at 21.02 million tones, for the year 2015-16. Shri Singh added that due to the hard works carried out by the farmers, scientists and policy makers the area of maize farming has increased 2.9 times, the productivity 4.8 times, and yield has been 14 times more after 1950. He observed that this is a great achievement of the farmers. More than 308 improved maize hybrid/mixed varieties have been distributed for various climate related conditions in the country after 1957. During the last five years 30 high yielding hybrids and 10 mixed varieties have been released.The Agriculture Minister stated it in India Maize Summit, organized by FICCI. Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister said that keeping in view the varied experiments of maize the Central Government is promoting maize farming with different schemes. The government is imparting subsidy on maize seeds through National Food Security Mission (NFSM) ( Rs.50 per kg on hybrid seeds and Rs. 15 per kg on composite seeds). Central Government is providing machineries like seed/grain dryers, sheller and seeds planters etc. to promote the farming of maize in the original states of Green Revolution ( Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh) so as to encourage varied crops of maize. Shri Singh informed that Bihar has emerged as a power house of maize on global scenario. Now this state is posing challenge to the Mid-Western States of USA in the prospective of maize production. The Northern side of the Ganges and on either side of Kosi river, a stretch from Katihar, Bhagalpur to Madhepura, Seharsa, Khagaria and Samastipur has been converted into a maize producing zone. The farmers over here are yielding more than 50 quintal maize per acre. The Minister said that government is encouraging public-private partnership in maize farming so that maize farming and related enterprises are strengthened. Shri Singh called FICCI to join this initiative and play a significant role in the field. Powered by Capital Market - Live News At least three workers were killed and several more injured in a suspected boiler blast in a private company in the MIDC industrial complex in Dombivli city here on Thursday morning, police said. The blast ripped through a boiler in the Herbert Brown-Acharya Pharma chemical company in Phase II of MIDC, on the outskirts of the city. The blast impact, which was described like a 'bomb explosion' by some witnesses, was heard in an area of four-five km, and shattered the glass windows of several buildings and complexes in the vicinity, besides disrupting mobile communication services. Fire-tenders and water tankers were rushed to the spot to tackle the emergency. The cause of the blast was being ascertained. --IANS qn/rn/dg Even as African envoys in India on Thursday decided to participate in the Africa Day event, following a "constructive meeting" with top Indian officials, the Indian government said that a few isolated cases of violence against African nationals should not be generalised to portray a climate of insecurity for African students. On Thursday, African envoys decided to review their decision of calling for postponement of the Africa Day event, which was being read as a boycott, following the killing of a Congolese national in New Delhi last week. The review followed a meeting of the African Heads of Missions with Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh and with Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (Economic Relations) Amar Sinha. The envoys, in a statement, said that the African Group reiterated its request to the government of India "to take concrete steps to address the plight of African students in India" and also ensuring prosecution of those involved in the murder of M.K. Olivier, a Congolese national, on May 20. After noting that the government of India has "demonstrated a positive and warm disposition" in addressing their concerns, and also issued a "strong, public condemnation of the killing of Olivier" it decided that their decision to request a postponement of the Africa Day event "should not have been construed as a boycott" and that they will participate in the Indian Council for Cultural Relations-organised Africa Day event. The Africa Group also underscored the importance they attach to ties with India. They also "took very seriously the firm assurances by the government of India in its determination to ensure that India continues to serve as a safe, secure and friendly destination for African students", the statement said. In his briefing, the ministry of external affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that "It would be unfortunate that a few isolated cases are generalized to portray a climate of insecurity for African students. It is also not right to characterize criminal acts as being racially motivated." He said the CCTV footage of the attack on Oliver by some goons shows that some Indian bystanders tried to protect the Congolese national, but they in turn were also thrashed by the same goons. "Thousands of African students continue to benefit from the Indian education system without any issues. We are committed to work closely with the African diplomatic and student communities to ensure full safety and security of all African students in India," he said. Swarup said that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is personally monitoring the matter. "I would like to reiterate that India remains open to our brothers and sisters from Africa and there should be no cause for concern," he stated. The assurances from India came even as some Indian shops were attacked in Congo - in retaliation to the killing of the Congolese national Olivier . --IANS rn/bg The Congress on Thursday slammed, as a "sell-out" the defence ministry's move to appoint private individuals to its sub-committees which decide on defence procurement. Addressing a press conference at the Congress state headquarters here, party national spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi also said that the defence ministry in the National Democratic Alliance government had failed dismally to make the armed forces feel secure and up to the mark. "Appointing private players into something which will decide who will be our contractors, who will we be working with, who our strategic partners should be, speaks how much we have sold it to private players as compared to our own people who are in-charge," she said. Taking on Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Chaturvedi also alleged that appointing private players on the sub committees was questionable. "Doesn't that speak about his integrity towards his role, doesn't it speak of the challenges a defence minister should be able to live up to but is failing time and again. You saw what happened in Pathankot..." she said. Terming the defence ministry's performance a failure, Chaturvedi said: "We have seen as far as procuring and making the army feel secure or our various services feel up to the mark has failed. He has failed tremendously". She also said that the failure of the defence ministry to resolve the 'One Rank, One Pension' issue was also a major blot on the NDA government report card. --IANS maya/vd Final preparations were underway on Thursday for the expansion of the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) -- an expandable habitat for astronauts crucial for future deep space exploration -- which was installed at the International Space Station (ISS) in April. NASA astronaut Jeff Williams performed leak checks and installed hardware to monitor and support BEAM expansion set to begin at 6.30 p.m. (India time). The expansion could potentially start earlier, NASA said in a statement. Meanwhile, a new trio of ISS crew members is ready in Russia for final qualification exams for a mission set for launch on June 24. Cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin will command the new Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft carrying NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi. NASA Television will broadcast the expansion activities live. Crew entry into BEAM, which has an expanded habitable volume of 565 cubic feet (16 cubic meters), is planned for June 2. Recently, carrying over 3,700 pounds of NASA cargo, science and technology demonstration samples from the ISS, a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean. The Dragon spacecraft was taken by ship to Long Beach where some cargo was removed and returned to NASA for processing. On April 17, engineers at NASA Johnson Space Centre in Houston used the ISS's high-tech robotic arm to pluck BEAM from the back of the SpaceX Dragon cargo ship that reached the space station on April 11 and added it onto the orbiting laboratory complex. At the time of installation, the space station was moving over the Southern Pacific Ocean at an altitude of about 350 km from the Earth's surface. It will remain attached to the station for the two-year test period, US space agency NASA had written in a blog. NASA is investigating concepts for habitats that can keep astronauts healthy during space exploration and BEAM will be the first test of such a module attached to the space station. It will allow investigators to gauge how well it performs overall and how it protects against solar radiation, space debris and the temperature extremes of space. Expandable habitats require less payload volume on the rocket than traditional rigid structures and expand after being deployed in space to provide additional room for astronauts to live and work inside. After the testing period is completed, BEAM will be released from the space station to eventually burn up harmlessly in the earth's atmosphere. The 1,400 kg BEAM is a 17.8 million dollar project to test the use of an inflatable space habitat in micro-gravity. A total of six astronauts are already on-board the ISS along with another US commercial cargo ship called Cygnus that has been attached to the station since March 26. --IANS sku/na/vm The Faizabad convenor of Bajrang Dal, Mahesh Mishra, was sent to 14-day judicial custody by a city court on Thursday, police said. Mishra was arrested on Wednesday for calling a certain community terrorists during 'Shaurya Diwas' celebrations. Mishra was also accused of exhorting, at a rally at Karsewakpuram a few days back, the Hindu community members to stockpile weapons and arms to take on the "terrorist" community. Soon after Mishra's arrest, hundreds of his supporters had gathered and raised anti-police slogans. The Bajrang Dal and its affiliate Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) slammed the Akhilesh Yadav-led government in Uttar Pradesh of cracking down on their leaders to appease the Muslim community for votes. They also said that flaunting weapons and training their cadre in weapons use was normal and was being done since 1984 when the group was formed. --IANS md/pgh/vt Avasarala Technologies Ltd, the city-based tier-1 supplier of critical components to strategic sectors, has secured more orders to supply heat pipes for Indian satellites, a top official said on Thursday. "We have got additional orders from ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) to supply heat pipes for satellites it launches for various applications," Avasarala chief executive T.T. Mani told reporters here at an event. As an import-substitute component, the pipes are used in satellites to collect heat generated by electronic devices and release it in space to keep them cool. "Made of light-weight aluminium, heat pipes keep spacecraft cool and stabilise inside temperature, as thermal uniformity is critical for orbiting satellites under adverse solar heating," said Mani. The company handed over its 3,000th heat pipe to ISRO satellite centre director M. Annadurai at its factory here. Promoted by eight former technocrats of state-run Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) here over three decades ago, the privately-held company also supplies critical components and subsystems to diverse industries spanning nuclear, defence, aerospace, factory automation and healthcare. The state-run Indian space agency had used all the 2,986 heat pipes the company supplied since 2003 in 38 satellites launched for communications, broadcasting, remote-sensing and space exploration such as Chandrayaan-1 and Mars orbiter. "We also make high frequency wave guides that open solar panels of satellites after their deployment in the intended orbits, for converting sunlight into thermal energy and keep their instruments, including transponders charged," Mani said. The company has also received orders to make subsystems for semi-cryogenic engines the space agency is developing for launching heavy rockets to carry four-tonne and above satellites from its spaceport at Sriharikota, about 80 km northeast of Chennai. "As ISRO plans to launch heavier satellites into geo-stationary orbits, we are partnering with it to make sub-systems for its semi-cryogenic engines used in a heavy rocket's upper stage for deploying the spacecraft," Mani noted. The Rs.260-crore company with 650 employees has invested about Rs.200 crore in setting up its two manufacturing facilities in the city and a third assembly unit in Puducherry. --IANS fb/vd The family of late Formula One driver Jules Bianchi has started legal action against the sport's governing body following his death last year. The then 25-year-old suffered severe head injuries when he hit a mobile crane at the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka in October 2014. He died on July 17, 2015, after being in coma for nine months. A British law firm, acting for the Bianchi family, is planning to take to court the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), Bianchi's team Marussia and the Formula Obe Group, owned by Bernie Ecclestone. "Jules Bianchi's death was avoidable," lawyer Julian Chamberlayne was quoted as saying by BBC on Thursday. The family claims there were errors made in the "planning, timing, organisation and conduct of the race", which they argue "took place in dangerous conditions during the typhoon season in Japan". "We seek justice for Jules and want to establish the truth about the decisions that led to our son's crash," Bianchi's father Phillipe said. "We have so many unanswered questions and feel that Jules' accident and death could have been avoided if a series of mistakes had not been made." --IANS dd/sam/vt The three-day "Mahanadu" (Mega Convention) of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) will be held in the temple city here beginning Friday on the backdrop of supposed dissatisfaction of state Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for not getting the state recognised as a special category state. The three-day conclave also comes amid efforts being made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to strengthen its fledgling state units in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Naidu will address the inaugural function at Nehru Municipal High School grounds. All senior leaders, ministers, members of parliament, MLAs, MLCs and other top functionaries of the party from Andhra Pradesh as well as newly created Telangana would participate in the meeting. The Mahanadu is being organised as three-day Cadre Festival on May 27, 28 and 29. The occasion also coincides with the birth anniversary of N T Rama Rao, founder of TDP and former chief minister of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. "This year's Cadre Festival is especially significant in the context of Andhra Pradesh government sustaining pressure on the centre for designating the state as a special category state," a party source told IANS here. In fact, on 17th May, Naidu, whose party is a partner in the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), had submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and tried to revive his demand for Special Category Status and other assistance from the central government again. "In recent times, especially with the recent announcements that Andhra Pradesh may not be granted Special Category Status, an impression has been created that the assistance provided by the central government has been modest, which is not commensurate with the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, commitments in the Parliament, and the development assistance required by the State," Chief Minister Naidu wrote in his missive to the prime minister. According to sources, the party convention would also discuss about issues like grant for bridging the resource gap relating to 2014-15 financial year; Polavaram National Irrigation Project; financial assistance from centre to the new capital city, Amaravati; incentives for industrial development; issues concerning development of Rayalaseema and north coastal districts and adequate investments for economic progress and railway zone at Visakhapatnam. There are also talks in the party for projecting Naidu's son Nara Lokesh as the next generation leader of the party and the future inheritor of the legacy of his father Chandrababu and grandfather N T Rama Rao. --IANS nd/lok/ China's military rejected US claims on China's "unsafe" intercept of an American Navy reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea, and demanded the US ends such action. China's aircraft acted professionally and in line with a China-US encounter safety code agreed by both sides, Xinhua news agency quoted spokesman of the defence ministry as saying. America's frequent reconnaissance over Chinese waters is a real source of danger for China-US military safety, the spokesman said. The Pentagon claimed two Chinese J-11 fighters unsafely intercepted a US EP-3 Aries aircraft on May 17 which was conducting routine operations in international airspace. --IANS lok/ The government is trying to ensure that the case of the Congolese man who was murdered in the national capital is heard on a daily basis for a fast conclusion, Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh said on Thursday even as the dean of the African diplomatic corps said that he was happy with the action taken by the Indian government. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najib Jung "has assured us that he is going to press for daily hearing so that we can finish this case as fast as possible", Singh said while addressing the media here at Africa Day celebrations organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). "So, the commitment of the government of India is that we do not look at these incidents as something which can be forgotten. We want to look at this incident as an incident that needs to be sternly taken note of and acted on," he said. Masonda Ketada Olivier, 29, was beaten to death by three youths around 11.30 p.m. on May 20 after a verbal altercation over the hiring of an auto-rickshaw near Kishangarh village in Vasant Kunj area of south Delhi. Two of the accused have been arrested while the third is on the run. Oliver had come to India on a student visa and had recently got himself a job as a teacher. The heads of the missions of African countries here met on Tuesday in this connection and sought strong action on the part of the Indian government against the perpetrators of the attack. On Wednesday, Singh met a group of African diplomats led by Eritrean Ambassador Alem Tsehage Woldemariam, who is also the dean of the Group of African Heads of Mission here. "See, what we said very clearly is that the government of India condemns this heinous crime," Singh told the media on Thursday. "It was a crime, it is not premeditated, it is not racial, it has got nothing to do with all those things," he said. He said that he assured the African diplomats that based on the external affairs ministry's immediate action of calling up the Delhi Police after hearing of the incident, two of the accused were arrested while one was on the run. "I am quite sure and that is what the police assure us that they would be able to nab him (the third accused) soon," the minister said. Singh said that some passers-by did come to to help Oliver but they too got injured. "There are a large number of these (African) students who have risen in the ranks in their own countries and some are presidents today and we value that kind of a relationship." The minister said that with the help of the missions, the administration would meet members of the African community and "assure them that their safety is our concern". As for reports about Indians being attacked in Congo in retaliation for the incident, Singh said that the Indian community has been told they needed to be careful. On being asked about his reaction to the Indian government's action, Woldemariam, who was also present, said that "we are happy with the government of India". "This incident can happen anywhere but the thing is that we have to take action immediately," he said Earlier, while inaugurating a cultural function here as part of the Africa Day celebrations, Singh said that the murder of Oliver which happened in a fit of anger has shocked everybody. "We express our solidarity with the entire African community and the family of the young student, Oliver," he said. He then called for a minute's silence before the commencement of the function. --IANS ab/bg Police in Nepal are probing a suspected link of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in cocaine smuggling in the international market via Nepal. This follows the recent arrest by Nepal Police of three Pakistani nationals linked to the international drugs market and who are believed to be close to Dawood. After their involvement in fake currency, and white and brown heroin smuggling, the links of some Pakistani nationals in cocaine smuggling in Europe through Asia have been established by Nepal Police. Nepal's Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) seized more than two kg cocaine -- estimated to be worth over NRs.53 million ($492,812) -- from three foreigners and a Nepali on Wednesday, which has established that some influential drug lords are involved in the racket, police sources here said. NCB chief and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Jay Bahadur Chand said Ymeris Carmen Narvez of Venezuela, Mohamad Lamine Dabo of Nigeria, Touhid Khan of India, and Dil Bahadur Gurung of Nepal were caught with the cocaine in their possession. The arrested persons had set up links in Hong Kong with the help of Pakistani nationals. The Pakistani nationals have been identified as Wahid Khan, Adbul Razzak aka Chacha and his brother who are believed to be close to Dawood, who is wanted in India for masterminding the 1993 Mumbai blasts. With a tip off from the Indian Intelligence Bureau, Nepal Police have made the arrests and found the linkages of Pakistani nationals in the racket. Chacha and two others -- identified as Tiger and Raja Bhai -- are considered close to Dawood and have been operating their racket from Dubai, Malaysia and Hong Kong, sources said. Nepal Police have not made the claim openly but the way the drug smuggling racket is being handled and the names are coming forward, it shows that it is not the work of petty criminals, but one whose names, profession and links are well established, the sources added. DIG Chand on Wednesday said the arrested were "mules" hired by an international drug cartel that supplies cocaine to European countries. Kathmandu was just one of the many pit stops used by the drug traffickers, he added. The seized cocaine had been trafficked to Kathmandu from Dubai by a Venezuelan woman, Narvez, on April 24. A woman identified as Catherine had allegedly promised Narvez $1,500 to smuggle the cocaine to Kathmandu from Dubai, DIG Chand said. On May 14, Narvez had handed over the drug to Gurung and Nigerian man Dabo. Gurung was long involved in smuggling of hashish to Thailand and Hong Kong. Gurung had received NepaliRs.1.3 million for this particular job from the Pakistani nationals, DIG Chand said. He added that the fourth arrested, Khan, had arrived in Kathmandu on May 24. Gurung was found to have transported cocaine at least 26 times from Nepal to various Asian and European countries. The NCB team succeeded in intercepting the cocaine and arresting the four suspected smugglers with a tip off that came from two men who had been arrested recently possessing hashish from Kalanki locality, on Kathmandu's outskirts. The duo had informed police about Gurung and his involvement in the drug trafficking racket. DIG Chand said two other suspects, one from China and the other from Pakistan, are absconding. (Anil Giri can be reached at girianil@gmail.com) --IANS giri/rn/dg Rome, May 26 (IANS/AKI) Dozens of migrants were feared dead on Thursday after a migrant boat overturned some 30 miles off the Libyan coast while at least 88 were rescued by Italian coastguard, its commander Cosimo Nicastro said. Two Italian coastguard vessels raced to the scene of the shipwreck after the boat was spotted by an aircraft participating in the European Union's Mediterranean monitoring operation, Nicastro said. It not known how many migrants were travelling aboard the boat. Libyan coastguard also reported finding four bodies as well as also two empty boats during two operations on Thursday that rescued 766 migrants off the coastal cities of Sabratha and Zwara. The Italian navy rescued 562 migrants from a capsized people-smuggling ship on Wednesday. The navy initially said seven bodies had been recovered in that operation but then lowered the number to five. Dramatic images of Wednesday's shipwreck showed migrants clinging to the ship's sides and being thrown into the sea, many without life-jackets on. Some 6,000 migrants trying to reach Europe have been rescued from flimsy craft in the Mediterranean this week alone. It is feared there could be many more victims as people-smugglers in lawless Libya take advantage of warm weather and calmer seas to pack passengers into unseaworthy boats for the perilous crossing. Aid agencies say the crossing between Libya and Italy is the main route for migrants since a recent European Union deal with Turkey curbed the number sailing across the Aegean to Greece. --IANS/AKI vd Does Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi live in Indirapuram locality of Ghaziabad? Obviously not. But the local police have ended up verifying his address as a servant or a driver. The police post of Shipra Sun City under Indirapuram police jurisdiction verified the personal details of the tenant written as Rahul Gandhi, son of late Rajiv Gandhi who was originally resident of house number 12, Tughlak Lane, New Delhi. The profession mentioned against his name is politics and marital status as unmarried. Someone seems to have pulled a fast one on the police. The police said an FIR would be filed if an offence is found to have been committed. "Prima facie it appears that somebody has played a mischievous act. The format of the form is not matching with our presently available form. It might be an old one," said Gorakh Nath Yadav, Inspector at Indirapuram police station. --IANS sps/ask/hs/bg The world's first robotic mobile phone RoBoHon, a pocket-size walking and dancing robot, started sale on Thursday in Japan. The human-shaped smartphone, developed by Japanese electronics company, Sharp and engineer Tomotaka Takahashi, inventor of the first robot astronaut 'Kirobo', went on sale with a base price of 198,000 yen ($1,800), EFE news reported. To mark the launch, the Osaka-based company opened the RoBoHon Cafe in Tokyo where visitors can test the robot until June 7. The Japanese electronics manufacturer is producing 5,000 units per month, aiming to be the leader of this type of mobile after sealing a takeover agreement with the Taiwanese company Hon Hai, also known as Foxconn, otherwise known for assembling iPhones and iPads for Apple. Apart from being used as a mobile, the 19.5-cm tall humanoid robot weighing 390 grams could be used as projector to display video, photos or maps. It also offers a wide range of applications based on conversation with the android. RoBoHon can also recognise faces of people using its front camera and then address them by their name. --IANS ksk At least five workers were killed and around 150 others injured in a massive blast in a boiler at a private chemical company in the MIDC industrial complex here on Thursday morning, police said. The blast in Probace Enterprises around 11.35 a.m. caused a devastating fire at the factory, located in the Phase II of Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) complex, on the outskirts of the thickly-populated Dombivali city, said an official of the Manpada police. The fire was quickly brought under control and as smoke dissipated, it revealed the entire factory building had collapsed and flatted by the impact. The huge blast and blaze also caused massive damage to two other adjacent plants - belonging to the Herbert Brown Pharma & Research and Acharya Group. So severe was the blast, which some eyewitnesses compared to a bomb explosion, that it was heard even four-five km away. The shock wave shook buildings, shattered glass windows of several residential and industrial buildings, moving or parked vehicles and buses, injured pedestrians, vehicle drivers and even cattle in the surrounding vicinity for almost two kms. Many people, including students, wearing spectacles or sporting sunglasses, sustained serious eye injuries as the glass suddenly shattered on their faces. In some buildings and flats, locked doors flew off from their hinges, TV sets and other glass furniture at homes were shattered, while in shops, restaurants, banks, ATMs and jewellery showrooms, glass showcases and glass walls other furniture blew off in seconds, injuring many more. The blast also disrupted mobile communication and television cable services in the area for a few hours. Many locals mistook it for an earthquake and dropped everything to flee their homes or shops to open places for safety. Fifteen fire-tenders and water tankers from Dombivali, Thane, Kalyan and other surrounding towns, as well as National Disaster Response Force teams from Thane and Pune, and the National Security Guard team from Mumbai, rushed to the spot to tackle the emergency, said District Collector Mahendra Kalyankar. Kalyankar said arrangements were made for augmenting blood supplies for the injured victims who were admitted to nearby government or private hospitals and other relief measures. Taking a serious view of the incident, Industry Minister Subhash Desai announced that all chemical industrial units in and around Dombivali would be shifted to alternate locations for which suitable legislative change would be effected. He also announced that all such chemical industries in the city shall be shut down for a week to carry out an inspection and combing operation to ascertain implementation of various safety and security measures. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed deep anguish over the mega-tragedy and assured all relief and rehabilitation measures for the victims, and booking the culprits responsible after a thorough probe into the incident. He also visited the injured undergoing treatment at various hospitals in the evening and announced the state government would foot all medical bills. The district authorities have ordered a separate probe into the blast's cause and will carry out a safety review of all the 900-odd industrial units located in the sprawling MIDC area in Dombivali. At least three other ministers including Eknath Shinde, Prakash Mehta visited the city later in the day and met the victims of the tragedy admitted to different hospitals. The company deals in a range of industrial chemicals including propargyl chloride, propargyl bromide, 2-bromoethyl methyl ether, methyl propargyl ether, propargyl phenyl ether, dimethyl propargyl amine, propargyl amine and propargyl amine hydrochloride. --IANS qn/vd At least five workers were killed and around 125 others injured when in a massive blast when a boiler at a private chemical company in the MIDC industrial complex here on Thursday morning, police said. The blast in Probace Enterprises around 11 a.m. caused a devastating fire at the factory, located in the Phase II of Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) complex, on the outskirts of the Dombivali city, said an official of the Manpada police. The fire was quickly brought under control and as smoke dissipated, it revealed the entire factory building had collapsed. The huge blast and blaze also caused huge damage to two other adjacent plants - belonging to the Herbert Brown Pharma & Research and Acharya Group. So severe was the blast, which some eyewitnesses compared to a bomb explosion, that it was heard even four-five km away. The shock wave shook buildings, shattered glass windows of several residential and industrial buildings, moving or parked vehicles, injured pedestrians, vehicle drivers and even cattle in the surrounding vicinity for almost two kms. It also disrupted mobile communication and television cable services in the area for a few hours. Many locals mistook it for an earthquake and dropped everything to flee their homes to open places for safety. Fifteen fire-tenders and water tankers from Dombivali, Thane, Kalyan and other surrounding towns, as well as National Disaster Response Force teams from Thane and Pune, and the National Security Guard team from Mumbai, rushed to the spot to tackle the emergency, said District Collector Mahendra Kalyankar. Kalyankar said arrangements were made for augmenting blood supplies for the injured victims who were admitted to nearby government or private hospitals and other relief measures. Taking a serious view of the incident, Industry Minister Subhash Desai announced that all chemical industrial units in and around Dombivali would be shifted to alternate locations for which suitable legislative change would be effected. He also announced that all such chemical industries in the city shall be shut down for a week to carry out an inspection and combing operation to ascertain implementation of various safety and security measures. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed anguish over the tragedy and assured for relief and rehabilitation measures for the victims. He also visited the injured undergoing treatment at various hospitals in the evening. The district authorities have ordered a probe into the blast's cause and will carry out a safety review of all the 900-odd industrial units located in the sprawling MIDC area in Dombivali. --IANS qn/vd The logo of Intel, the world's largest chipmaker is seen at their offices in Jerusalem India on Thursday announced three innovative initiatives to strengthen its support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Digital India programme. It launched three projects designed to accelerate digital literacy at the grassroots level by reaching out to the population in non-urban India, upskill citizens in tier two cities and beyond and encourage innovation from the local level. "We are thrilled to see the progress made through our collaboration with the government of India on various initiatives like 'Digital India' that are bringing technology and innovation mainstream in India," Robby Swinnen, general manager, Corporation (Asia-Pacific & Japan) said in a statement. Building on the momentum of its "Ek Kadam Unnati Ki Aur" initiative to accelerate access to technology in non-urban India, India e-launched its latest "Unnati Kendra at Common Service Centre" (UK at CSC) in Karnal, the first in Haryana. The 'UK at CSC' will serve as the common access digital learning centres for people of the state. Intel India is working with the government to open a network of up to 100 'UK at CSC' facilities across 10 states this year, with 10 such facilities already set up in the state of Telangana. Intel India also announced the "Digital Unnati" website that is being set up in collaboration with the CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd. It will enable Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) to learn how to assemble a PC online and upskill their technology know-how. In addition, inspired by the overwhelming response and the success of the first chapter of the Intel and DST- Innovate for Digital India Challenge, Intel India is laying the groundwork for launching the challenge later this year. This challenge supports local innovation and entrepreneurship and is a nationwide competition inviting technology solutions to solve real problems faced by citizens. "Intel India is fully committed to achieving the realization of a truly Digital India and has been supporting this vision by fostering innovation and upskilling of the non-urban population," Debjani Ghosh, vice president, sales and marketing and director, Intel South Asia, added. The Italian government on Thursday expressed "satisfaction" and promised to fulfill all the conditions set by the Indian Supreme Court for allowing marine Salvatore Girone, accused of killing two Indian fishermen, to return home till international arbitration goes on in the case. "Italian marine Salvatore Girone might be going home any day now," the foreign ministry said in a statement hours after the Indian court relaxed the bail conditions of the accused, allowing him to leave the country. The Indian court order came in the wake of April 29 ruling of the International Tribunal of Arbitration, asking both India and Italy to cooperate for Girone's return till arbitration proceedings before it continue. The court, however, added fresh conditions to his bail. He has been asked to surrender his passport once he lands in Italy. The foreign ministry said the Italian government "renews its commitment to comply with the terms and conditions established by the Supreme Court of India". It said the decision was "an important result that recognises the effort made by the Italian government in resorting to an international arbitration to uphold the reasons of the two Italian Marines. Italy will show the same commitment during the next phases of the arbitration proceeding". The tribunal in The Hague is holding an international arbitration to decide the question of jurisdiction between India and Italy as to who will try the two Italian marines for the murder of the fishermen during an anti-piracy mission. --IANS sar/vt Districts without colleges, schools without desks, benches and electricity, and students moving out of the state to pursue an . It's a grim reality but Jharkhand's Raghubar Das government is gearing up to change this for the better, an official said. "In the current financial year construction of 100 colleges, including polytechnic and technical institutions, have been undertaken which will be completed in the next two to three years," Higher and Technical Secretary Ajay Kumar Singh told IANS. A case of better late then never! Even 15 years after being carved out of Bihar, Jharkhand's sector is in a shambles. Of the 81 assembly constituencies, 35 have got no college at all. In 11 districts there's not a single college for women. Jharkhand is one of the poorer states of India where poverty often forces youngsters to take up menial jobs or to simply migrate to other states. Education could have mitigated the situation, but lack of sufficient infrastructure often nixes that possibility, experts said. Jharkhand has 428 colleges, which includes polytechnics and technical colleges, but the state needs at least 1,000 such colleges, the experts say. According to Singh, the state government is moving in a phase-wise manner. There are plans to open at least one degree college in each assembly constituency. For bachelor's and master's degrees, there are only 65 constituent and 62 affiliated colleges in Jharkhand. If the number of students passing out is considered, then the state requires at least 300 such degree colleges. "We are trying to establish such institutions with private partners. To improve the quality of education and bring in investment in the education sector, five private university acts have been passed by the assembly. The five private universities will invest Rs.1,432 crore in the next five years," Singh added. The secretary also said that the government is planning on demand- and choice-based education which will focus on a student's employment prospects. "The state government will soon establish four professional colleges. There's not a single women's college in 11 districts and steps have been taken to address that," Singh asserted. In fact, the government has already allocated funds for setting up women's colleges in Simdega, Gumla, Lohardaga, Khunti, Koderma, Chatra, Ramgarh, Pakur, Sahebganj, Seraikela-Kharsawan and Latehar, sources said. However, as one education department official pointed out, huge funds are needed for establishing these colleges. "The state government has earmarked Rs.425 crore for 2016-17. But if the colleges are to be established as per the UGC guidelines then each college would require at least Rs.50 crore," the official said. Thus, the state government has flagged the union human resource development ministry. Funds have also been sought to improve the school infrastructure across Jharkhand. How has this lack of educational infrastructure impacted the state? It's a bleak picture as of now. Due to shortage of colleges and institutions, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Jharkhand is lower than the national average. According to an education department official, in Jharkhand there are eight institutions for every 100,000 students, while at the national level the figure is 25 institutions for every 100,000 students. GER is calculated on the basis of the number of colleges available for every 100,000 students in the age group of 18-23 years. "The national GER is 19.4 but in Jharkhand the GER is just 8.1," the official said. Secretary Singh said the government aims to notch this up to 32 percent by the end of 2022. Pushed by the government's efforts, several colleges have now begun evening classes to accommodate more students. The system will be replicated in polytechnics as well. Another problem that plagues educational institutions in the state is vacant posts of teachers. According to Singh, there are plans for mass recruitment to ensure the right teacher-student ratio in higher educational institutions. It now remains to be seen how successfully these strategies are implemented to improve Jharkhand's education indices. The sons and daughters of the state are waiting for the day when the state would shrug off its rickety image and be an equal partner in the nation's growth story. (Nityanand Shukla can be contacted at nityanand.s@ians.in) --IANS ns/bim/vm/ky/tb Superstar Upendra will reportedly star in the Kannada remake of Telugu blockbuster "Soggade Chinni Nayana". "The remake rights have been acquired and Upendra also plans to direct it, besides playing the lead. The project is expected to go on the floors in a couple of months," a source close to the Kannada superstar told IANS. "Soggade Chinni Nayana", one of the biggest blockbusters of this year so far, featured Akkineni Nagarjuna in dual roles. Directed by Kalyan Krishna, the film also starred Lavanya Tripathi and Ramya Krishnan. Having raked in over Rs.75 crore at the ticket window, Nagarjuna and director Krishna have already announced a sequel. In the film, Nagarjuna played a ghost and horror angle worked quite well in the film's favour. Nagarjuna, meanwhile, has started prepping for his upcoming Telugu film, "Baba Hathiram". --IANS hp/rb/vm Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for overexpenditure on advertisements marking the completion of the central government's two year in office. "Modi government spend on ads for just one event 2 year bash? Sources- more than Rs.1,000 crore," Kejriwal tweeted. "All Delhi government departments total spend less than Rs.150 crore for full year," he said in another tweet. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief has been on the loggerheads with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the issue of overexpenditure on the advertisements. The AAP government had also faced flak from the opposition parties over printing advertisements during the second phase of the Delhi government's odd-even scheme in the national capital between April 15 to 30. --IANS aks-mg/ksk In September, the picturesque hill station of Lonavla, a little over 80 km from Mumbai, will host its first international film festival, where veteran filmmaker Govind Nihalani will be honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The fest is not just an attempt to boost tourism in the area, but also to develop a film-viewing culture. The Lonavla International Film Festival India (LIFFI), to be held September 1-5, will showcase the works of student, independent and established filmmakers with fresh ideas, concepts and styles. "LIFFI is the first ever film festival being hosted in Lonavla. Having been actively involved with eminent cinema directors, I felt that it is my duty to nourish the art of cinema and keep it going ahead by way of promoting through the fest, which is striding to bring the world cinema to the hill station," Riju Bajaj, the festival director, told IANS. It is during his stay in Lonavla since the past five years that Bajaj stumbled upon the idea of launching a film festival, which he felt was perfect for the place considering that it is "fast emerging as a compact smart city in its own way". "Having advantages of being in between Mumbai and Pune, it enjoys access from the airports and railway stations of both the cities. Lonavla is among the best and busiest holiday destinations in Maharashtra and gets maximum footfall of tourists on weekends," he said. "These very tourists are, in fact, art lovers and film buffs, and make the best audience," Bajaj shared, adding how Lonavla has been a writer's paradise too. "I have wanted to host a film festival since a long time and having found a perfect partner in Mr. Madhav Todi, owner of Triose Plaza, a multiplex, the idea became a reality," he said. Names like Shyam Benegal, Naseeruddin Shah, Ketan Mehta, Sudhir Mishra and Hansal Mehta are coming forward to support the event. The opening ceremony will see Benegal present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Nihalani, known for his socially relevant films like "Aakrosh" and "Ardh Satya". Benegal, in a conversation with IANS, said: "A festival in Lonavla is a wonderful thing because people living in smaller places don't get the opportunity to see films outside of what is released in commercial cinema. So, they get to look at films from all over the world." "Clearly, 90 percent or more of the films that will be shown at the fest are not likely to be brought to a place like Lonavla ever. So, that is a huge kind of a plus point for people who live there." Even Naseeruddin is "all for the idea of a film festival in Lonavla", where access to world cinema is difficult, he said. While he feels it's a "courageous" move on the part of the organisers, the actor even praised the idea of honouring Nihalani, who, he feels is a "great" part of Indian cinema. "It will be wonderful to be there at the fest to applaud him for the achievement," Naseeruddin told IANS. For LIFFI, the paid submission/entry for feature films, short films and also short web films in all Indian and foreign languages, opened from May 4. Entries can come in till July 15. The selection panel will choose the best films to be considered for awards and screening, and then forward them to the panel of jury. The jury will then review the film for awards to be announced on September 5. Awards will be given under various categories, and the categories will increase with every year along with the response and success of the event. --IANS rb/vt Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying in his government's two years, Modi only conspired to destabilise chief ministers in various states while people are being targeted in the name of "Bharat Mata". "Two years ago, you promised that Team India shall not be limited to PM but include CMs. Now you conspire to destabilize CMs. Dear PM sir, those who say Bharat Mata ki Jai in Kashmir and those who don't say it outside Kashmir are being attacked," Kejriwal said in a series of tweets. He said that minorities and Dalits are being attacked, and traders and jewellers are disappointed and angry with the central government. "Dear @narendramodi ji two years ago, you promised education for Dalits but remained silent on Rohith Vemula's institutional murder," he said in another tweet. Accusing Modi of remaining silent over several key issues, Kejriwal posted: "Two years ago you promised corruption-free governance but are silent (like Manmohan Ji) on Vyapam, Lalitgate, mallya, khadse (issues)." "Dear @narendramodi ji two years ago you promised to reduce Non-Performing Assets (NPA) of banks but allowed defaulter Vijay Mallya to flee from India." "Dear @narendramodi ji two years ago you promised farmers minimum profit of 50 percent over input cost but despite thousands of suicides you refuse to act." --IANS am/vd/vt The Congress on Thursday lashed out at the Narendra Modi government's "consistently inconsistent" foreign policy. "The foreign policy of the government is consistently inconsistent vis-a-vis China and Pakistan," senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad told the media as the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA government completed two years in office. Azad, who is also the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said Pakistani forces had committed "as many as 1,000" ceasefire violations in Jammu and Kashmir in the last two years. This, he said, "has never happened before". "The Gurdaspur attack, the Panthankot airbase attack and many other attacks are an example of their (government's) foreign policy," he said. --IANS ruwa/sar/vm Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi on Thursday said that she had "moved on" after her Twitter squabble with union minister Smriti Irani. The Congress leader also accused Irani of trying to drag the protracted bout of cyber-jousting, which was extensively reported in the national media, even further. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a press conference at the state Congress headquarters in Panaji, Chaturvedi also said that the attitude of police about cyber threats and aggressive trolling of women on social media is changing for the better. "She's (Irani) commented on it today. I have moved on. She says she has given my dying career a new lease of life... I would not like to give any more weightage to the entire conversation. Maybe, she thinks it's very important to keep talking about it. For me, it is a closed chapter," Chaturvedi said. Chaturvedi and Irani were engaged in a Twitter spat earlier this week, after Chaturvedi tweeted that she was being harassed and threatened by online trolls and said that had she been Irani, she would have been provided with Z category security. The feisty Irani too joined into the argument and the two politicians ended up slugging it out in the social media over online harassment, women security and the Congress party's loss in the Assam assembly polls. The conversation trended on Twitter and was subsequently picked up by the media. Chaturvedi claims that she has "moved on" from the Twitter slugfest, but also said that Irani appeared to be keen on carrying on with the cyber-jousting. She also said that the attitude of police towards cyber bullying and threats on the social media had changed for the better. "But now the attitude has changed. Mumbai Police came forward and said why don't you file a complaint? So definitely attitude is changing, but as far as the execution is concerned, it is a source of concern," Chaturvedi said, adding that earlier police would laugh off complaints of cyber threats. --IANS maya/pgh/vt Nalanda University in Rajgir, Bihar, is to establish the Xuanzang Centre for Asian Studies in collaboration with Peking University. The two universities signed an MoU to enhance academic ties in the presence of President Pranab Mukherjee who is on a China visit. Chancellor George Yeo and Peking University President Lin Jianhua signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for academic cooperation earlier in the day. The two institutions agreed to make a joint effort in establishing a Xuanzang Centre for Asian Studies at Nalanda University besides taking several other steps to enhance academic ties, said a press statement. The event was organised as a part of the China-India University Presidents Roundtable hosted by Peking University. In his address to the University, President Mukherjee said, "As far back as the 6th century, seats of higher learning like Nalanda, Takshashila, Vikramashila, Valabhi, Somapura and Odantapuri had drawn scholars and cultivated contacts and academic exchanges with famed institutions of other countries in the region and beyond. " Commenting on the signing of MoUs during the roundtable he said, "Today, I am happy to see central institutes of higher learning from India are signing Memorandums of Understanding for co-operation with partner institutions of China. I am confident that these understandings will create a collaborative platform for academic cooperation in the areas of research and education, joint seminars and exchange of faculty and students." Nalanda and Peking will take several other steps to strengthen academic ties as a part of the MoU. Both institutions will develop exchange programmes and collaboration; promote exchange of relevant information concerning teaching development and scientific research; encourage exchange of visits of faculty members and encourage scholar/student exchange for research and study. Speaking on this occasion, Chancellor George Yeo said, "This MoU will further strengthen our already existing ties with Peking University and also help build even greater understanding between two ancient civilizations." President Lin Jianhua said, "The Xuanzang Centre for Asian Studies is an important step in building closer relations between the two universities." Nalanda University Governing Board Member Professor Wang Bangwei, who is also the Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies and Oriental Literature Research Center at Peking University, was also present at the event along with Vice Chancellor Dr. Gopa Sabharwal, the statement said. --IANS rn/bg The National Green Tribunal has summoned all heads of departments concerned with civic amenities and cleanliness, including the divisional commissioner, to appear before it on May 31 to explain why the Yamuna river cannot be cleaned. The NGT said on Wednesday it had issued so many orders but the situation remains much the same and proper facts are not being placed to get a clear understanding of the ground realities. The heads of the municipal corporations, the Agra Development Authority, the district magistrate, superintending archaeologist of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), irrigation department, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board officials, and Jal Nigam, have to appear before the tribunal next Tuesday. The order came on a petition by environmentalist D.K. Joshi, who had originally complained against encroachers in the Yamuna floodplains. Last week he brought to the notice of the NGT the threat to the Taj Mahal from insects leaving green poop on the surface of the monument turning it green. "The Yamuna pollution is now affecting the Taj Mahal, but they are still not taking the problem seriously," Joshi told IANS. Rahul Choudhary, counsel for the petitioner, told the NGT that pollution in the Yamuna river had created a new problem as breeding ground of a new species of insects that are discolouring the monument. The NGT asked the irrigation department why the boundaries of the floodplains on the basis of 2010 flood had not been clearly demarcated. --IANS bk/rn/vt Milan (Italy), 26 May (IANS/AKI) A court in northern Italy has sentenced a Pakistani and a Tunisian Islamic State sympathiser to six years in prison for terrorist threats against targets including a Nato base and iconic national monuments. Pakistani citizen Muhammad Waqas and Tunisian national Lassaad Briki will be deported once they have served their sentences, the Milan court ruled late on Wednesday. Briki's sister told journalists he was innocent. "He never did anything," she said. "We did not expect such a severe sentence," added Briki's lawyer. In social media chats and wiretapped phone conversations, Waqas and Briki threatened to attack Italy's Ghedi air base near the northern city of Brescia, as well as Brescia train station, Italian security forces and a fruit and vegetable company where Briki worked as a cleaner. The two men were arrested in July last year in Brescia on suspicion of setting up a Twitter account from which they posted messages threatening to attack Milan's Duomo and the Colosseum in Rome. The threats were accompanied by photos of the monuments and written in Italian, French and Arabic. "We are on your streets, we are everywhere," one post read. "We are in Rome and our knives are sharpened. It won't be long." "We are identifying the targets and await the X hour." The pair also downloaded from internet a jihadist manual 'How to Survive in the West' giving guidance on bomb-making, transporting arms and on concealing their Islamist extremist identities. Among phone intercepts was a conversation in which Waqas and Briki agreed to: "Bring down at least one Church". In another wiretap, Briki told Waqas he wanted to "carry out an act" before they left Italy to join the ranks of IS in Syria and Iraq. Briki and Waqas, a labourer, had lived in Italy with their families for years, were legal residents and were apparently well-integrated in the town of Manerbio near Brescia, where they worked. The prosecutor who spearheaded the investigation had asked for jail terms of six years for Briki and Waqas despite admitting there was no evidence the pair had moved to enact any of their threats. --IANS/AKI vd Even as the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress gears up for its second successive term at the helm, West Bengal, rather infamous for bitter political rivalry, finds itself in the news for the wrong reason of widespread political violence. While the opposition has repeatedly accused the Trinamool of pursuing "politics of terror", the allegations against the ruling party have only multiplied since May 19 the day when the Trinamool swept back to power in the state with a massive mandate. Claiming the attacks were being carried out with the aim to eliminate the opposition, the state units of the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party and the Left Front have all have decided to boycott the swearing-in ceremony of the Banerjee government on Friday, as a mark of protest. Since May 19 when the Trinamool bagged 211 of the 294 seats, reports of houses being torched, party offices ransacked and party activists and supporters getting brutally beaten up have been flying thick and fast from the across the state as well as the city. From the commoners to leaders, all have fallen to victim to the attacks. While the allegation of attacks on the opposition supporters and party offices have been pretty regular from across the districts, the city too witnessed several incidents of violence occurred in the city including an attack on the house of CPI-M leader Shatarup Ghosh. Earlier in the week, actor-turned-BJP leader Roopa Ganguly sustained a head injury after being allegedly attacked by Trinamool workers while when she was on a trip to South 24 Parganas district to meet an injured party polling agent and his family. The attack on Roopa prompted the BJP not only to organise a protest march to Kalighat - that houses Banerjee's residence - but its state unit chief Dilip Ghosh threatening retaliation against Trinamool lawmakers. "Whatever the Trinamool does within the border of Bengal, we will pay them back outside Bengal," Ghosh had said. While the Congress had already announced its decision to boycott, Ghosh, a day ahead of the swearing-in, affirmed the state BJP will not attend the event. The Left Front too has asserted of giving the event a miss as a mark of protest. The Left Front, which staged a two-day sit-in demonstration in the city against the continued violence, claimed that over 500 of its party offices across the state have been destroyed and countless people have been driven out of their homes by Trinamool goons. "There have been votes in others states like Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala but it is only Bengal where the ruling party has unleashed violence to eliminate the opposition," said Front chairman Biman Bose calling upon people to build a mass movement to counter the violence and "re-establish democracy" in the state. The many victims of the violence include Arpita Mondal of Bagda in North 24 Parganas who suffered a miscarriage due an attack on her. "Words fall short to condemn TMC's barbaric attack resulting in miscarriage of a baby. Is this democracy," said CPI-M state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra. Besides approaching the Election Commission seeking compensation for the victims of the poll violence, the Front also submitted a memorandum to city Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar on the issue. Incidentally, Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi wrote to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urging strict enforcement law and order. The governor's move came in the wake of the Left, Congress and the BJP approaching him seeking his intervention. Referring to Banerjee's repeated threats of "settling scores with the opposition inch by inch" during the assembly polls campaign, the opposition parties have all held the Trinamool supremo responsible for the attacks. Gearing up for its second stint at governance, the Trinamool has rubbished the oppositions' charges. "Those who are talking about democracy should realise that the people of Bengal have given a resounding verdict in favour of Trinamool. They should stop levelling baseless allegations against the Trinamool," said party secretary general Partha Chatterjee. --IANS and/vd Actress Rebel Wilson is looking for a boyfriend. Wilson, who split from actor Mickey Gooch Jr last year, says she is ready to "share" her life with someone but only if he is the right person for her, reports femalefirst.co.uk. "I'm very independent. To the point where I'm too independent. If you're a successful woman, you want to find the right person, but you don't necessarily need them," Wilson told Marie Claire magazine. "I don't want to settle for someone if they're not right, but because I get to do such awesome fun stuff all the time, I really want to share that with somebody. "We'll see. I'm definitely on the look out. I'm trying to put it out there, but I don't know whether the right person is in Hollywood - you only meet actors or musicians here," she added. --IANS sas/rb Actress Rebel Wilson will make her West End debut in "Guys And Dolls". The Australian actress is joining the cast of the production for an eight-week stint as Miss Adelaide over the summer and is "honoured" to have been offered the role, reports theguardian.com. "I am delighted to be making my West End debut in 'Guys And Dolls' and to be playing such an iconic role as Miss Adelaide is truly an honour. "Hopefully I crush it... But you'll have to come and see me to find out," Wilson said. The 36-year-old shared that she has been a huge fan of musical theatre for over 20 years. "A lot of people who know me from my more recent film work have no idea how much theatre has influenced my life. I saw my first musical at age 14, a show called '42nd Street', after one of my family's dogs had unsuccessfully auditioned to be in it," she said. "It blew me away and I've loved musical theatre ever since. I then went on to write and perform in my own productions before being snapped up to do screen work," Wilson added. Further details on who will be joining Wilson in the cast is yet to be announced. Rebel will feature at the Phoenix Theatre between June 28 to August 21. --IANS sas/rb The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the second Italian marine, Salvatore Girone, under probe for the shooting of two Indian fishermen, return home till international arbitration goes on in the case that has soured bilateral ties between the two countries. The bench of Justice Prafulla C. Pant and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud relaxed earlier bail conditions for Girone after the Indian government's "no objection" to the move. Girone, who is at present housed at the Italian embassy premises in Delhi, and fellow Italian marine Massimiliano Latorre allegedly shot dead two fishermen off the Kerala coast while they were security detail on board oil tanker Enrica Lexie in February 2012, mistaking them for pirates. Latorre was granted permission to go home in 2014 when he suffered a stroke in India. The apex court recently allowed an extension of his home stay till September 30. But in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed displeasure and accused the BJP-led central government of mishandling the case and allowing the marine to leave India. "We have made our position clear right from the time this incident occurred. The Centre never pursued the case the way it should have been taken up, and hence this happened," said Vijayan. The Italian foreign ministry in Rome said it was satisfied with the Indian court's decision. "Girone might be going home any day now," the ministry said, adding the Italian government "renews its commitment to comply with the terms and conditions established by the Supreme Court". The court granted the marine permission to leave after adding fresh bail conditions proposed by Additional Solicitor General P. S. Narasimha. These include Girone, who will remain under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, will have to report to police station in Italy on first Wednesday of every month and the Indian embassy in Rome will have to be informed about it. The court also asked the marine not to tamper with any evidence or influence any witness. Besides, the court said the Italian ambassador in New Delhi will give a fresh undertaking that Girone shall be made to return to India in one month after the decision of the International Arbitral Tribunal and if the Indian Supreme Court required by it. The marine was also asked to surrender his passport when he arrives in Italy. Narasimha told the court that the central government has "no objection" against the plea moved by the Italian government last week if Girone complies with the fresh bail conditions. "We support the application on humanitarian grounds subject to his compliance with the conditions imposed by the court," the assistant solicitor general said. The court decision comes in the wake of April 29 order of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) asking India and Italy to cooperate in relaxing the bail conditions of Girone so that he could return to his country during the pendency of the arbitration proceedings before it. The tribunal is holding an international arbitration to decide the question of jurisdiction between India and Italy as to who will try the two Italian marines for the murder of the fishermen during an anti-piracy mission. The case had triggered a diplomatic row between India and Italy even as the two countries last year agreed to move to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague and abide by its decisions. Italy argues that the marines should have immunity as they were servicemen working on a mission and that India does not have jurisdiction as the incident took place outside its territorial waters. The Indian government has continuously rejected the Italian foreign ministry's claims. --IANS team-sar/vt Security forces and militants were engaged in a gunfight in north Kashmir's Kupwara district near the LoC on Thursday. A senior police officer said, "On specific information, the security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Nowgam sector of the Line of Control (LoC) of Kupwara district well within our side of the border." "As the security forces tightened the cordon, they were fired upon from a hutment in the forest area. The fire was returned after which an encounter (gunfight) started between the security forces and the holed up militants who are believed to be five to six in number," the officer said. It was not immediately known whether the group of guerrillas engaged in the gunfight was an already existing one in the hinterland or had recently infiltrated into the Indian side from across the LoC. The LoC is the de facto border between India and Pakistan in divided . A protest shutdown called by separatists, on Thursday, affected life in the Valley, despite the fact that the authorities did not impose any restrictions. Separatist leaders have called for a Valley wide shutdown against the alleged government decision to set up a 'sainik' (Ex-servicemen) colony. Separatists alleged the intention behind setting up a Sainik colony here is to change the demography of the Muslim majority Valley. "There will be no restrictions anywhere in the city today," a senior police official told. "Adequate deployment of security forces has been made in sensitive areas to ensure peace." Authorities placed senior separatist leaders, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik under detention on Wednesday. While Mirwaz Umer was placed under house arrest at his uptown Nigeen residence in Srinagar, Malik was arrested from his party's office in Abi Guzar area and shifted to Kothibagh police station. Octogenarian senior separatist leader, Syed Ali Geelani was also placed under house arrest at his Hyderpora residence in Srinagar. The state government asserts that no non-local ex-serviceman can become part of any sainik colony in as only permanent residents of the state can purchase it. The government also asserted that no land was allotted for the Sainik colony so far and the matter is still pending at the proposal level. All shops, public transport, other business establishments and educational institutions remained shut in Srinagar city and all other major cities and towns in the Valley. Government offices, banks and post offices, however, functioned normally with reduced attendance. Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay, who will take the oath of office for his second consecutive term here on Friday, is hopeful that sooner or later China will change for the better. He's believes in Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama's dictum: "Hope for the better, but prepare for the worst too". "The issue of the dialogue between the envoys of the Dalai Lama and Chinese representatives is delicate and sensitive," Sangay told IANS in an interview here. "However, it's clear that there is no lack of effort on our part on restarting the dialogue under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama," said the 48-year-old Harvard-educated elected head of the Central Tibetan Administration. He replied in affirmative when asked: Are you expecting some changes in the mindset of the Chinese over granting greater autonomy for Tibetans? "I remain hopeful that sooner or later, China will change for the better." Sangay was re-elected on April 27 after defeating his only rival, Penpa Tsering. He polled about 57 percent of the 58,740 votes cast across the globe on March 20. It was the second election since the Dalai Lama stepped down as head of the government-in-exile in 2011. Since then, the significance of the prime minister's post has gone up. About on the ongoing deadlock over talks between the Dalai Lama's envoys and the Chinese since January 2010, Sangay said: "It's evident that we must put maximum efforts in achieving genuine autonomy for all Tibetans based on the middle-way approach". "However, as advised by His Holiness the Dalai Lama time and again, we must hope for the better but prepare for the worst. We may have to continue our struggle for many years. Therefore, it's critical that we are able to sustain our cause" A confidant Sangay believes in dialogue. "We remain committed to the middle-way approach and reiterate that dialogue is the most realistic approach and the only way to find a mutually beneficial solution to the Tibet issue." "The middle-way approach neither seeks separation from the People's Republic of China nor high degree of autonomy but genuine autonomy for all Tibetan people under a single administration," he said. "The Chinese leadership should adopt a policy that keeps up with the ground reality," added Sangay, who did his early education from a refugee school in Darjeeling and studied law from Delhi University before moving to Harvard for his doctorate. His priorities in his second and last five-year stint would be to resolve the issue of Tibet, besides making efforts to introduce new projects wherever and whenever necessary to improve political and administrative efficiency. Asked about the possible shape and size of his new Kashag (cabinet), he replied diplomatically, saying the most suitable candidates would be inducted, irrespective of their experience or gender. According to him, the coming 15th cabinet will also continue the many tasks started by the previous cabinet based on the founding principles of unity, innovation and self-reliance. Sangay reiterated: "We are ready to have dialogue with China anytime and anywhere." In his first stint, Sangay toured the globe trying to build up support for the Tibetan cause. European Council President Donald Tusk told Chinese premier Xi Jinping during a press conference last year that the Tibet issue should be resolved through dialogue. In 2011, the White House released a press statement after President Barack Obama met with the Dalai Lama, applauding the middle-way approach. The Dalai Lama has lived in India since fleeing his homeland in 1959. The Tibetan administration in exile is based in this northern Indian hill town. (Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in) --IANS vg/vm Strong tidal encounters may be responsible for the cracks on icy moons such as Pluto's Charon, Saturn's Dione and Tethys, and Uranus's Ariel, says a study. Until now, it was thought that the cracks were the result of geodynamical processes, such as plate tectonics, but the new computer model developed by University of Rochester researchers suggests that a close encounter with another body might have been the cause. By devising and running the model, professor Alice Quillen showed that the tidal pull exerted by another, similar object could be strong enough to crack the surface of such icy moons. The key factor in determining if a crack is going to occur is the strain rate, the rate of pull from another body that would have caused the moons to deform at a rate that the top, icy layer could not sustain - leading to cracks, said the study. The findings will be published in a forthcoming issue of the journal Icarus. Astronomers have long known that the craters visible on moons were caused by the impact of other bodies, billions of years ago. But for every crash and graze, there would have been many more close encounters. Quillen also thinks that "it might even offer a possible explanation for the crack on Mars, but that's much harder to model". --IANS gb/dg A "hyperactive and terrified" Nilgai that caught everyone's attention while running frenzied near Parliament House -- one of the most secured zones of Delhi -- was successfully rescued without using tranquilisers in a four-hour long operation on Thursday. The Asiatic antelope, identified as an adult female, was trapped using rescue nets and was found to be in good health after undergoing checkups in a special animal ambulance of the wildlife conservation organisation Wildlife SOS. "It seems that this Nilgai might have come from the central Ridge area of Delhi, located between Sadar Bazaar and Dhaula Kuan," Suvidha Bhatnagar, Wildlife SOS spokesperson, told IANS. The Ridge, spread over 864 hectares, is home to many Nilgais (Blue Bull). "We avoided using tranquilisers, because in many cases it goes wrong with the hoofed animals. Sometimes they don't recover properly after being tranquilised," said a rescuer. The Nilgai was separated from its herd, which could be another reason for it being scared, making it hard for the rescue team of Wildlife SOS to do their job. "It would be difficult to spot its herd. We'll release it at the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary," said Bhatnagar. The animal was first spotted at around 9.30 a.m. near the fountain at Vijay Chowk, where while running around it hit a police control room vehicle - damaging the vehicle and itself, and almost hit a car. "It was very scared and that's why it ran around. It might have injured or got more scared due to hitting the police car," V.B. Dasan, wildlife inspector from the Delhi Forest Department, told IANS. A team of 10 rescuers from Wildlife SOS, members from Wildlife Trust of India, Delhi Forest Department and Delhi Police caught the Nilgai. He added that the population of Nilgais had also grown, even as they are vulnerable, being killed by farmers. The Nilgais live in the fringe forests. However, due to wide deforestation for farming across many states, especially Uttar Pradesh, they are coming into increasing conflict with humans. According to the rescuers, due to the presence of a crowd and considering the safety of the animal the operation had to be prolonged. --IANS kd/rn/bg Summer season calls for protecting the skin from tanning and ageing. Pamper your skin with turmeric powder, honey or caffeine for glowing skin, says an expert. Anju Majeed, senior scientist and director at Sami Labs, suggests how: * PteroWhite: A natural skin lightening ingredient containing a minimum of 90 percent Pterostilbene from a purely natural source, the heartwood of Indian Kino (Pterocarpus marsupium). * Galanga extract (a herb from the Ginger family): It is a standardized extract from Kaempferia galangal roots and contains a minimum of 98 percent Ethyl p-methoxycinnamic acid. Galanga extract affords a dual benefit to the skin. It affords skin lightening benefits as well as protects the skin from photo-damage. It also reduces the appearance of scars and fights against age. * Caffeine: It is obtained from the coffea robusta beans. It is said to protect the skin from photo-damage. * Barley Beta Glucans: It is extracted from Barley (Hordeum vulgare) seeds having not less than 25 percent beta-glucans and is known to promote moisturization and offering UV protection. * Turmeric powder and honey: They can work as a treatment to skin on sun burns alongside keeping the moisture of the skin balanced. --IANS nn/bg Vice President Hamid Ansari will embark on a five-day foreign tour on May 30 that will take him to the north African nations of Morocco and Tunisia. On May 30, he will reach Morocco's capital Rabat at the invitation of Abdelilah Benkirane, prime minister and head of government of Morocco. "This visit intends to further strengthen the cordial relations between the two countries, further develop and diversify profile of bilateral economic cooperation and explore new avenues of co-operation and partnership on a wide range of issues of shared common interest," an external affairs ministry statement said. During the course of visit, Ansari will hold discussions with King Mohammed VI and Prime Minister Benkirane. Speakers of both houses of the Moroccan parliament and the Moroccan minister for foreign affairs and cooperation will call on Ansari. The vice president and the Moroccan prime minister will also jointly launch the India-Morocco Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Rabat. Members of the Indian diaspora will interact with Ansari during this event. During the course of his visit, Ansari will also meet with leading intellectuals and imams of Morocco besides delivering a talk at Mohammed V University in Rabat. In the second leg of his visit to Morocco, he will visit the city of Marrakesh where he will be hosted by the governor of Marrakesh. From Morocco, Ansari will reach Tunis on June 2 for a two-day visit to Tunisia at the invitation of Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid. "India has very cordial bilateral relations with Tunisia," another external affairs ministry statement said. "The economic cooperation between the two countries is deepening with Indian investments in the phosphate sector. During this visit, further avenues of cooperation in various areas of growth would be discussed," it added. During the course of the visit, Ansari will hold discussions President Beji Caid Essebsi and Prime Minister Essid on a wide range of issues of shared common interest. The vice president will also be received by the president of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People of Tunisia where he will meet with members of parliament from various parties and the Tunisian-India Parliamentary Group. Ansari will also deliver a keynote address to the Tunisian diplomatic corps and leading scholars and think tanks at the Tunisian Institute for Strategic Studies. During his visit to both the countries, Ansari will be accompanied by union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Hansraj Gangaram Ahir and four members of parliament. --IANS ab/dg Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday warned against what he called the "soft war" of the West to harm the country. "Continued economic sanctions, incessant political attacks and deceptive propaganda against Tehran" are the tactics that the global bullying powers have deployed to harm the establishment, Xinhua news agency cited a report from Khamenei's official website. The Iranian leader expressed concerns over the influences of the enemy in the affairs of the country and said that the West is seeking "to influence (our) decisions and decision-making centres, to change the beliefs of the people, and to alter the calculations and the positions of the Iranian officials". He criticised some local political trends "for their criticism of the revolutionary foundations of the Islamic establishment, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, the Guardian Council and the revolutionary youth and cleric", saying that these critics follow the path paved by the foreigners who want to weaken the establishment from the inside. Khamenei made the remarks in a meeting with the new members of the Assembly of Experts who are legally tasked to decide on the leadership of the country. --IANS lok/ In India, we still place undue emphasis on strong leadership. We perceive a strong leader as someone who articulates a vision and then aims to align the organisation around that vision. This presupposes that the leader knows what needs to be done and the process of getting a buy-in involves engaging the rest of the organisation, patiently dealing with all the resistance, till they finally get it. The First Amendment grants all American citizens freedom of speech. That means whatever venture capitalist oddball Peter Thiel thinks about the US Constitution, and how he expresses that view, is up to him. As a director at Facebook, the $340-billion social-networking company embroiled in a free-speech imbroglio of its own, Thiel has a different set of standards to consider, however. They do not seem to be consistent with a report by Forbes that he is backing a defamation case against Gawker Media by former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan. Thiel, who began his career as a lawyer, is no ordinary voice among Facebook's leadership team. The billionaire co-founder of PayPal made the first outside investment in Mark Zuckerberg's Harvard dorm-room creation back in 2004, parlaying a $500,000 check into a 10.2 per cent stake and a seat on the board. Revelations that he is behind the court case that awarded Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, some $140 million are now a matter for Facebook's docket. The company, with some 1.7 billion monthly users around the world, has been accused of bias in its identification of "trending" news, a matter taken up by the US Senate. The allegations, which Facebook denies, also were first aired by Gizmodo, a blog run by Gawker. For First Amendment supporters, the Gawker-Hogan affair is a tough one. The website's outing of the sexual orientation of individuals, including Thiel but also some far less public figures, is reprehensible journalism. Even so, free-speech advocates understandably fear that Hogan's defamation case will set a dangerous principle that could create a chilling effect for other editorial enterprises. Many Silicon Valley grandees probably will rush to Thiel's defence. At the same time, he may inspire even those repulsed by Gawker's brand of journalism to rally around its founder and owner Nick Denton, just as occurred for Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt when obscenity charges against him advanced all the way to the US Supreme Court. One thing is certain, though. Thiel's role, including his statements criticising tech-industry coverage by one of Gawker's blogs, puts the Hogan case in a new light. And the same is true for Thiel's position at Facebook. Shree Cement's results for the quarter ended March were not much different from those of ACC, UltraTech, and Ambuja Cement. All the four companies saw strong improvement in sales volumes, which made up for the decline in realisations. Sales volumes for Shree Cement were the best. At 5.33 million tonnes, volumes grew 13.5 per cent sequentially and 29 per cent year-on-year. Realisations have been low for cement firms during the March quarter, but should inch up as price hikes were taken around March. For Shree, a regional firm with dominance in north where the cost of cement in a bag was weakest at Rs 250 (all-India average Rs 307), realisations were bound to take a bigger hit. The company's per-tonne realisation at Rs 3,368 was lower than Rs 3,505 in the December quarter and Rs 3,537 a year ago. The cement segment's profitability was a bit disappointing. While all peers have seen Ebitda per tonne increase sequentially due to lower fuel and power costs, Shree's Rs 769 Ebitda per tonne fell from Rs 801 crore in the December quarter. Since Shree already uses a high proportion of coking coal, its fuel and power costs remained flat sequentially. In comparison, peers increased pet coke (which costs less) use that led to lower power and fuel costs. Owing to this and the high valuation (up 30 per cent in three months), the stock fell 1.6 per cent to Rs 12,950 on Thursday even as the Sensex gained two per cent. But, Shree, one of the most cost-efficient producers, remains a good pick on recovery in demand. While it trades at a replacement cost of $195 a tonne based on FY18 analysts' estimates compared to UltraTech's $185 a tonne, experts suggest that investors should use corrections to accumulate the stock. Growth triggers: Improvement in demand and ongoing capacity expansions. Timely expansions have historically propelled the company's growth. Analysts at Religare say the stock is trading at enterprise value/Ebitda of 18x/13.5x FY17/FY18 estimates and they have a buy rating. Target price is Rs 11,896, going by a Bloomberg poll in the past one month (before results). On a day when the Bharatiya Janata party-led government completed two years in office, the Congress party questioned the various celebrations, alleging the record was only of empty talk and hollow promises. Dubbing the Narendra fraudulently dynamic and dynamically fraudulent, it fielded senior spokesperson in both Delhi and across state capitals to counter the government propaganda. Unveiling its 'Do saal desh ka bura haal' (two years of dire straits) campaign, party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, The government is surviving because of newspapers and television channels and its media publicity. It has nothing to show by way of work except bombast. Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Kapil Sibal and Randeep Surjewala during a press conference on completion of two years by Modi government, at party headquarters in New Delhi Why are you celebrating two years, what have you achieved? Is Benares Swachh ? Has everyone got jobs? Have farmer suicides stopped, are government banks giving credit? Are voters happy with price rise?" volleyed Sibal. The Congress faulted the on multiple fronts. Its foreign policy, it said, as on Pakistan, was consistently inconsistent, with no apparent application of thought. Job creation, when seen against its government's record, was miserable, more so when seen in the backdrop of the promises made to voters in the 2014 poll campaign. The only credits to the government, it declared, were the generation of social tension, of campus unrest, clamps on free speech, overthrowing of state governments. And, took a jibe at the governments slogan, asking Kiska saath, kiska vikaas? Responmding to a query on the Italian marines being let off, Congress' communication chief Randeep Surjewala said: "It is a great injustice to the family of deceased fishermen of Kerala. It also reaffirms and establishes prima facie the allegations that Narendra Modi met the Italian PM and was cutting an underhand deal to malign the Congress leadership and party, in lieu of letting the marines go scot free." The Congress yesterday had lambasted the government for having Amitabh Bachchan, named in the Panama papers, as one of the hosts of its gala celebration at India Gate. Ten youths were arrested for allegedly betting in a hotel in Koregaon Park here on the Indian Premier League match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad, police said today. The Eliminator (match) was played last night. Cash, mobile phones, LED screen worth Rs 4.42 lakh were seized from their possession by sleuths of the special branch and anti-extortion cell of Pune police during the raid, a senior police official said. "Acting on a tip-off that some youths have been betting on the match at a hotel, our teams, comprising special branch and anti-extortion cell personnels, raided it, while the match was being played and arrested the youths," said Deepak Sakore, DCP, Cyber and Economic Offence Wing. A case under relevant sections of Gambling Act was registered, police said, adding all the accused were today produced before a local court, which released them on bail. Two persons were killed as rains and thundershowers lashed parts of Uttar Pradesh even as mercury in northern and eastern states today hovered close to normal levels barring a few parts of Rajasthan and Odisha. Day temperatures in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Odisha, Bihar and West Bengal dropped to below 40 degrees as a result of rains and thundershowers over the past few days. The maximum in Delhi, which had a relatively cooler morning, was 38.9 degrees Celsius. The city recorded the minimum at 26 degrees. The maximum temperatures in other three metropolitan centers of Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai were 36.5, 41.2, 34.8 degrees, respectively. In Uttar Pradesh, officials said a 10-year-old boy was killed in Mathura district's Barauli village when an overhead shed fell on him during a strong dust storm. Another 42-year-old person died when, during the dust storm, a tree fell on the car he was travelling in. Light to moderate rain and thundershowers occurred at isolated areas giving relief to the people. Agra received 2 cm of rains followed by Rath, Khair, Basti and Mankapur with 1 cm each since yesterday. Churk was the hottest place in the state at 40.6 degrees. In Odisha, the day temperature was recorded above 40 degrees mark at 11 places with Bhawani Patna being the hottest place in the state at 43.7 degrees. Sonepur sizzled at 43, Titlagarh at 42.5, Hirakud at 42.1, Bolangir and Sundergarh at 42, Angul at 41.7, Talcher at 41.5, Jharsuguda at 41.4 and Sambalpur at 40.4 degrees. Coastal districts of the state saw a decline in temperatures in the wake of intermittent light rains and thunderstorm since last evening. In Rajasthan in the west, dry weather conditions pushed mercury up with at least eight places recording their respective maximums above 40 degrees Celsius. Chruru and Kota simmered at 43.2 degrees, followed by Ganganagar, Barmer, Bikaner and Jaisalmer at 42.9, 41.2, 41 and 41.5 degrees. Gangetic West Bengal had a pleasant day. The weatherman predicted scattered rainfall in the region and widespread showers in four districts of Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri in the sub-Himalayan belt over the next two days. Asansol recorded the day's highest temperature in the state at 38.9 degrees, closely followed by Bankura at 37.6 degrees. Kolkata had a high of 36.5 degrees. It was a relatively cooler day in Jharkhand with only Palamau district recording the maximum above 40 degrees mark at 40.4. The local MeT office said rains or thundershowers are likely at a few places in the state in the next 24 hours. Maximum temperatures across Punjab and Haryana rose slightly but remained below 40 degrees at most places. Hisar was the hottest place in Haryana at 40.5 degrees. Mercury in Ludhiana and Amritsar in Punjab rose to 40.6 degrees Celsius, while the Union Territory of Chandigarh had a high of 39.5 degrees. (Reopens DEL65) In the north, the spell of rains continued over eastern Uttar Pradesh even as the MeT office said more showers are likely tomorrow. The water level in major rivers of the state, including the Ganga, the Yamuna, Sharda, Ghagra, Rapti and Rohini has breached the danger mark at various places due to rains. Heavy rains hit parts of Rajasthan for the second consecutive day with Kota receiving 9.8 cm, and Jaswantpura and Raniwara in Jalore getting 7 cm and 4 cm of rains, respectively. The weatherman has warned of heavy rains in the eastern part of the state tomorrow. On the other hand, Sri Ganganagar, Churu and Bikaner simmered at 43.7, 42.5 and 41.8 degrees. Punjab and Haryana also reeled under sultry conditions fed by sporadic rains. At least three workers were killed and nearly 25 others injured in explosion at an industrial unit in Dombivili township of Thane district today, police said. The mishap occurred when cylinders exploded leading to a fire in the chemical manufacturing unit of Herbert Brown Pharmaceutical & Research Laboratories at Shivaji Udyog Nagar of MIDC phase-II area in Dombivili (East), District Disaster Control Officer Dinesh Kurhade said. Three workers were killed in the explosion and about 25 others injured, a senior IPS officer told PTI. An eyewitness said that the intensity of the blast was so much that window panes in several adjoining buildings were shattered and people were seen running helter-skelter. More than a dozen fire tenders were at the site to douse the flames, Kurhade said. Chaos prevailed in vicinity of the industrial unit where the blast occurred. The injured workers were rushed to various hospitals. Thane District Collector Dr Mahendra Kalyankar and Municipal Commissioner E Ravindran were monitoring the rescue operation. (Reopens BOM4) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis termed it as an unfortunate incident and said he has asked the police and local authorities to speed up the rescue operations. "Saddened to know about the unfortunate & tragic incident that took place at Dombivali," Fadnavis tweeted. "Spoke to police officials & local authorities and asked them to speed up the relief operations," he said. "We are constantly in touch with the local administration and we would leave no stone unturned in our efforts & relief operation," he mentioned in another tweet. Thane Guardian Minister Eknath Shinde said all efforts were being made to expedite the rescue operation and ensure proper medical care to the injured persons. He said the cause of the explosion would be probed. BJP MLA from Dombivili Ravindra Chavan expressed serious concern over the explosions in the MIDC and sought a permanent solution to it. Thane District Regional Disaster Management Cell in-charge Santosh Kadam said the rescue operations were affected because of the fire in the company premises. Hence, it was not immediately known how many persons were trapped inside, he said. At least 15 ambulances were rushed to the site, he added. Four persons, including a woman, have been arrested on charges of cheating a Sri Lankan refugee of Rs 3.7 lakh , by promising him a job in Australia. 40-year-old Muthuraju, a resident of the refugee camp in Kootoor near Pollachi, in his complaint with police claimed the four persons, belonging to Chennai, had taken Rs 3.7 lakh from him, promising to get a job in Australia with a work permit visa a year ago. However, they failed to get him a job and their whereabouts was not known, prompting him to lodge the complaint. Based on complaint, police arrested the four persons from Chennai and brought them to Pollachi. Preliminary interrogation showed that the four had cheated several others in the similar manner. They were produced in a court in Pollachi which remanded them to judicial custody last evening, police said. The Madras High Court today granted bail to the prime accused in the murder of a Dalit youth who had married a non-Dalit girl, in a suspected case of honour killing. Vacation Judge B Gokuldas granted conditional bail to Yuvaraj, leader of a caste outfit in western Tamil Nadu, directing him to stay at Tirunelveli and sign at the police station register there twice a day daily until further orders. Yuvaraj has been charged with abducting Gokulraj, a Dalit engineering student, who was in love with his classmate and a non-Dalit girl, and murdering him in Tiruchengode. Gokulraj's headless body was found on a railway track near Pallipalayam on June 23, 2015, following which Yuvaraj went underground. He had surrendered on October 11, 2015. When his bail plea came up today, the Judge ordered him to execute a personal bond for Rs 10,000 and furnish two sureties for a like sum each. Kausambi ruler King Udayana's feelings for Princess Vasavadatta, the daughter of his captor and rival king of Ujjaini, and their elopement on an elephant are the stuff of legend and this classic age-old romance has been retold in a new book. 'A Kingdom for his Love' is co-authored by Vani Mahesh and Shinie Antony and published by Amar Chitra Katha. It is a retelling of Bhasa's Sanskrit play "Swapna Vasavadatta." The authors say they looked at multiple sources - Kathasarithasagara and Bhasa's original Sanskrit play Swapna Vasavadatta as also the Udayana comic from Amar Chitra Katha while working on the book. "Thereby adding details from everywhere to our own inputs, fleshing out the story in a way that pleased us," says Shinie. According to Vani, Udayana and Vasavadatta is an endearing classic love story - a valourous young king falling in love with a beautiful feisty princess of the enemy land. "It was a happy experience to research for and write this novel. Shinie and I have strived to bring out a small part of the hidden literary wealth of India and hope people find it an enjoyable read," she told PTI. Asked how did this collaboration happened, Shinie says, "Amar Chitra Katha has always been a treasure chest of mythology, and when they turned to adult fiction, it seemed almost biological. Vani works with them and I have worked with them once upon a time, very briefly, so that when they approached us with the story we were only too happy." She says some stories just stand the test of time, they are timeless in that retelling, with some amount of modern subjective interpretation, makes sense. "And royal romances bring in that fairy-tale aspect with kings and princesses falling for each other in an old, more forbidden time. Contemporary romances are easily accessible, but flashback love, with the constraints and conditions of that period, are equally if not more delicious," Shinie says. Udayana is known for his brave disposition and effective rule. But what makes him truly special is his magical veena, Ghoshavati, with which he can subdue even the wildest creatures, leave alone humans. Udayana's particular interest is in taming wild elephants, and during one such forest sojourn, he is tricked and brutally captured by members of the rival kingdom of Ujjaini. Soon after his capture, Udayana's men hatch a plot for his escape. An intoxicated elephant is sent on a rampage through the Ujjaini capital and Udayana plans to subdue it with the help of Ghoshavati, mount the elephant and flee. Everything is going according to plan, except fate, in the form of the beautiful Princess Vasavadatta, daughter of King Pradyota of Ujjaini, lays everything to waste. Udayana falls in love at first sight and does not wish to leave Ujjaini until he has secured Vasavadatta's affections. Vice President Hamid Ansari will pay a five-day visit to North African countries of Morocco and Tunisia from May 30 to boost bilateral ties and explore new areas of cooperation. Ansari will be in Morocco from May 30 to June 1 at the invitation of Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane, the External Affairs Ministry said today, adding the two leaders would jointly launch the India-Morocco Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Rabat. The visit to Morocco intends to further strengthen the cordial relations between the two countries, develop and diversify profile of bilateral economic cooperation and explore new avenues of co-operation and partnership on a wide range of issues of shared common interest, the MEA said. The Vice President would hold discussions in Rabat with King Mohammed VI and Prime Minister Benkirane. Speakers of both Houses of Moroccan Parliament and the Minister of Foreign Affairs & Cooperation would call on Ansari, who would also visit the city of Marrakesh where he would be hosted by the Governor. During the course of his visit, the Vice President would meet leading intellectuals and Imams of Morocco as well as deliver a talk at Mohammed V University in Rabat. Members of Indian diaspora would interact with the Vice President in the Moroccan capital. On the second leg of his two-nation tour, Ansari will be visiting Tunisia from June 2 to June 3, at the invitation of Prime Minister Habib Essid. India has very cordial bilateral relations with Tunisia. "The economic cooperation between the two countries is deepening with Indian investments in phosphate sector," the MEA said. During this visit, further avenues of cooperation in various areas of growth would be discussed. The Vice President would be holding discussions in Tunis with Essid and President Beji Caid Essebsi on a wide range of issues of shared common interest. He would be received by the President of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People of Tunisia where he would be meeting multi-party Members of Parliament and Tunisian-India Parliamentary Group. Ansari would deliver a key note address to the Tunisian Diplomatic Corps and leading scholars and think tanks at the Tunisian Institute for Strategic Studies. Besides his wife Salma Ansari, the Vice President would be accompanies by Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, four Members of Parliament and senior officials. Stating that libraries continue to play a central role in providing open and free access to information and ideas, the Vice President said explosion of information now being produced in digital format has dramatically changed expectations about the production as well as the use of knowledge. "By providing equitable and affordable access to knowledge and information to larger numbers in society, they can allow a larger proportion of society to participate in the knowledge driven growth," he said. "Social networks and social media have become more important in people's learning strategies. Changing paradigms of knowledge production, expanding sources and modes of dissemination, faster and broader accessibility to a growing range of information - also have the ring of opportunity," he said. Libraries must transform and avail these opportunities to remain vital forces of knowledge dissemination in the years ahead, Ansari added. "We are living in the information age and this implies that the main sector of economic productivity is changing from agriculture and manufacturing to creation and processing of information and knowledge", he said. The Vice President also pointed out that in the present context libraries have the obligation to act as equalisers. Vice President Hamid Ansari will undertake a five-day visit to Morocco and Tunisia beginning May 30 as part of efforts to build on diplomatic gains from the India-Africa summit held in October last year. The Vice President will discuss with leaders in the two North African countries issues of terrorism, UN Security Council expansion and investments in private sector, as well as ways to strengthen outreach to Africa and regional matters. Ansari will be in Morocco from May 30 to June 1 at the invitation of Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane, the External Affairs Ministry (MEA) said today, adding the two leaders would jointly launch the India-Morocco Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Rabat. During the visit, a number of MoUs will be signed in areas like education amd IT, focusing on "capacity building and cultural exchange". In the second leg of his two-nation tour, Ansari will be visiting Tunisia from June 2 to June 3. Ansari's visit "will build on diplomatic gains" from the India-Africa summit and "we have chosen these two countries as they are great examples of democracy", Secretary (Economic Relations) in the MEA Amar Sinha told reporters here. "Hello Africa, Tell me how are you doing?" will be India's motto for the continent, he said, adding there will be a series of visits by Indian leaders to Africa in the coming days. He also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Africa this year. The King of Morocco had set the ball rolling when he came here in October, Sinha said, adding the two countries are important for India as it shares economic relations with them. He said it is the first high-level visit to the African country after Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee went there in 1999. "At the level of Vice President the visit comes after 50 years," he said, noting that it is the 50th year of Independence of Morocco. The New Delhi Summit - of which Morocco's King Mohammed VI was the first confirmed guest - was the largest political conference in modern history connecting Indian and African leaders. Both the countries are looking forward towards the visit as they are key partners in food security and fertilizers and investments in private sector. "Our car and truck manufacturers are looking at prospective markets," he said. While Morocco's trade with India is "substantial", there is scope for increasing it with Tunisia, Sinha said. "Morocco is developing destination for Indian film industry," he said, adding MoUs will be signed in education, IT and communication technology sectors. The visit will help in building the contemporary relationship between these two countries and India. The visit to Morocco intends to further strengthen the cordial relations between the two countries, develop and diversify profile of bilateral economic cooperation and explore new avenues of co-operation and partnership on a wide range of issues of shared common interest, the MEA said. The Vice President would hold discussions in Rabat with King Mohammed VI and Prime Minister Benkirane. Speakers of both Houses of Moroccan Parliament and the Minister of Foreign Affairs & Cooperation would call on Ansari, who would also visit the city of Marrakesh where he would be hosted by the Governor. The Vice President would meet leading intellectuals and Imams of Morocco as well as deliver a talk at Mohammed V University in Rabat. Members of Indian diaspora would interact with the Vice President in the Moroccan capital. Ansari will later head to Tunisia for his June 2-3 visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Habib Essid. India has very cordial bilateral relations with Tunisia. "The economic cooperation between the two countries is deepening with Indian investments in phosphate sector," the MEA said. During this visit, further avenues of cooperation in various areas of growth would be discussed. The Vice President would be holding discussions in Tunis with Essid and President Beji Caid Essebsi on a wide range of issues of shared common interest. He would be received by the President of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People of Tunisia where he would be meeting multi-party Members of Parliament and Tunisian-India Parliamentary Group. Ansari would deliver a key note address to the Tunisian Diplomatic Corps and leading scholars and think tanks at the Tunisian Institute for Strategic Studies. Besides his wife Salma Ansari, the Vice President would be accompanies by Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, four members of Parliament and senior officials. Terming the murder of a Congolese student in Delhi as a "one-off situation", Union minister V K Singh today refused to call it a case of racial attack even as he asked Indians staying in Africa to be careful, apprehending backlash over the incident. He also said the government will undertake a senitisation exercise to deal with the issue. Asserting that the government was firmly committed that such incidents "cannot be forgotten", Singh said that Lt Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung has assured that he will see to it that the case gets daily hearing to ensure speedy justice. Singh said the envoys felt the government's actions are very sincere and that's why despite whatever was being said they were present for the Africa Day event organised by ICCR. "The government of India condemns a heinous crime like this. It was a crime, it is not premeditated, not racial. It has nothing to do with all these things and we assure that based on MEA's immediate action that came through, we rang up the Delhi Police, we rang up the Lt Governor. "Immediate action was taken. Two people were nabbed, one is on the run and the police has assured us that he will be nabbed soon. "The Lt Governor has assured us that he is going to press for daily hearings so that we can finish this case as fast as possible," Singh said. He was speaking on the sidelines of an event "India- Africa: Bound Together" organised by ICCR. Several ambassadors of African nations were also present at the event. He said the incident was a one-off incident and not racially motivated. "This is a one-off incident and not a racially motivated incident. I gave an example of the dentist who was killed (in Delhi). He was playing with his child. Somehow lot of things are happening in Delhi which show absolute intolerance. People are not willing to have something which is peaceful resolution. I won't go beyond that," he added. He also said the Indian community staying in Africa, particularly in Congo, "has been told that they need to be careful". When asked about sensitising programmes demanded by African envoys, Singh said that move has been initiated by the Indian government. "That is what we have told. They have asked us for nothing. We have told them that we will do sensitisation. Yesterday the External Affairs Minister (Sushma Swaraj) tweeted. We will do it as per convenience of our African Heads of Missions, with then taking the administration with us, we will go around talking to people. We will assure them that there safety is our concern," he said. "Any anger outside is natural. They have lost a child. There would be many who feed to a larger number of people. You have demagogues everywhere," Singh said. "The commitment of India is that we do not look at these incidents as something which can be forgotten. We want to look at it as an incident that sternly needs to be taken a note of and acted upon," he said. When asked whether the fear in the African community is legitimate, he said if anything happens to any community they are bound to feel threaten. "The fear is always that it is directed against the community. That's not so. What happened in Bengaluru, we took immediate action. There are people who have different mindsets in society." The minister said the government was concerned over the attacks and added that by and large India is welcome and safe and can be relied upon. "India is home to African students for a long time. There are large number of students who have risen in the ranks of their country. Some are Presidents today. We value that kind of relationship," he said. Hardline separatist leader Masrat Alam has been granted bail by a Budgam court which came down heavily on the authorities for his continuous detention, saying situations of extra-judicial detentions like Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo cannot be tolerated. Chief Judicial Magistrate of Budgam Masarat Roohi said if Alam is "anti-national and detrimental to the society and public at large, let the state discharge its duty in bringing the guilty to book so that (he is) punished suitably as per the mandate of law." While granting bail, the CJM said in an order yesterday that despite the fact that the state alleges the accused to be anti-national, the right of the accused, as guaranteed by the Constitution, principles of natural justice cannot be denied to the accused indefinitely. An FIR under various sections of Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) including sedition was registered against Alam last year in April when Pakistani flags were waved at a rally organised to welcome separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani from Delhi. "So long as this part of the country is part of Indian Union, on which this court has no doubt, situations like Abu Ghraib (of Iraq) and Guantanamo cannot be tolerated, at least in cases which are raised in the courts against Indian citizens," the CJM said. According to police, 27 cases have been registered against the 45-year-old leader since 1995. However, investigation has been completed in only 12 cases despite claims by the police that special investigation teams at zonal level led by respective IGPs have been constituted to speed up the probe. "In toto, 27 cases have been registered and if 90 days are given in each case, the aggregate period of detention of every FIR is to be construed as separate FIR with a maximum limit of 90 days detention in each FIR, it would amount to 6 years and 7 months before the accused sees the light of the day from the dungeons," the court observed. "One wonders how much investigation and what all investigation is going on in all these 15 cases by unknown Special Investigation Team, though the maximum time period provided under law is 90 days before charge sheet could be filed (sic)," the judge said. "If such a trend is sanctioned by the courts and the law interpreted in the manner the chief prosecution officer of the state seeks the same to be interpreted, the might of the State with more than 200 police stations throughout the state with every police station registering an FIR, granting 90 days of exhaust remand in each FIR, before the accused reaches the Court of law trial, he would have already spent 49 years and 3 months in jail, thus negating the whole presumption of innocence of the accused as guaranteed to him by the law," the CJM said. "Such acts of the State not only weaken the criminal justice system but also create alienation between the state and its population where it becomes 'us' and 'them' and an individual no longer feels himself to be part of the state," the court said. "Perhaps the opening word in the preamble of the Constitution is not 'us' and 'them' but 'WE The People Of India'. And it is this 'WE' which forms both 'us' and 'we' with basic democratic ethos and guaranteeing universal human rights in the form of fundamental rights, which are inherent, and could not be abrogated even in the state of emergency," it added. The court imposed certain bail conditions on Alam including that he furnish two sureties of Rs two lakh each, out of which one shall be a local resident of District Budgam, before the Superintendent of Sub-Jail Baramulla. The court directed that Alam shall not hamper or tamper with the prosecution evidence, or leave the state without seeking prior permission of the court. The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested one person involved in fake Indian currency racket, a police spokesman said here today. Nizamuddin Ansari, a native of Bihar, was arrested from Charbagh railway station yesterday and fake currency with face value of Rs 7 lakh recovered from him, the spokesman said. He said Ansari was involved in the racket since 2009. Five hundred notes of Rs 1,000 denomination and 400 of Rs 500 denomination were recovered from his possession, he said. A senior BNP leader in Bangladesh was today charged with sedition over his alleged involvement in a plot to oust the ruling-Awami League government in collusion with Israel following his meeting in India with a top Israeli politician, police said today. The home ministry has cleared the police to book Aslam Chowdhury, a joint secretary of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), on sedition charges over a "plot with Israel," inspector general of police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque said. A Chittagong-based business tycoon, Chowdhury was arrested last week and a travel ban was enforced on him after media reported his meeting with Israeli government adviser in India in March. "He tried to create anarchy by making the present government seem unpopular to the leaders of Israel's Likud party. Our initial investigation has found evidence that suggest that," IGP Hoque said. "We had sought the home ministry's permission to file a sedition case against Aslam Chowdhury. The ministry has sanctioned that," Hoque was quoted as saying by the BDnews. Chowdhury has denied plotting to overthrow the government, claiming that he met the Israeli adviser during a "personal business trip" to India, while his lawyers claimed that he met some Israeli people at an event he was invited to, but did not had a meeting with them. Aslam also said he was not aware that Mendi N Safadi, a former advisor to Israeli deputy minister MK Ayoub Karar, was a leader of the Likud Party. The ruling-Awami League leaders had claimed that the meeting was part of a larger conspiracy to oust Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with the help of Israeli spy agency Mossad. Muslim-majority Bangladesh does not have any diplomatic relations with Israel and Bangladeshis are banned from travelling there. Bangladesh has also voiced concerns over Israeli atrocities in Palestine. Chowdhury is known to be a trusted lieutenant of BNP's senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman, who is former prime minister Khaleda Zia's son. Rahman has taken political refuge in the UK to evade a number of graft and criminal cases in which he is being tried in absentia at home. The BNP is the key opposition party outside parliament as it had boycotted the 2014 general election citing unfair conditions for polls. A 16-year-old boy was allegedly thrashed by a group of boys, stripped naked and subjected to unnatural sex in southwest Delhi's Inderpuri area. The incident took place on Monday, but it was reported to the police yesterday, following which four persons have been arrested, a police official said. "The boy was thrashed by the group and the perpetrators were drunk. A case of criminal assault and wrongful confinement has been registered in connection with the matter and four persons arrested from a slum cluster in the area," DCP (Southwest) Surender Kumar said today. He, however, said "the medico-legal counselling report of the boy doesn't suggest any sexual assault." A purported video of the incident, allegedly recorded and circulated by the group, surfaced this evening. In the video, a boy can be seen being beaten up, with his hands and legs tied. He can be seen screaming as the others try to push beer bottles through his rectum. Police said the video is yet to be verified. Meanwhile, relatives of the victim have also alleged that the accused put alcohol and chilly powder on the boy's genitals, they stripped him naked and made him walk across the lanes in the locality, for which he did not return home for long and tried to commit suicide, a source said. However, all these charges were denied by senior police officials. A major terror attack on UK soil is imminent, a British Islamic State (ISIS) woman suspect who joined the terror group in 2013 has warned on social media. Sally Jones, dubbed "Mrs Terror", tweeted a warning against travelling into London by Tube in the coming months, according to 'The Times'. The 46-year-old wrote: "To be honest I wouldn't go into central London through June... Or even July well to be honest I wouldn't go there at all especially by Tube." Her last tweet read: "England... Boom". Moments later, her account was suspended from Twitter. She also posted a picture of herself in a black burka, posing next to a river which she captioned as the Tigris, Iraq. Jones, who once played guitar in a female punk band, was receiving grocery parcels from a church-run food bank near Sevenoaks, Kent, before she fled to Syria with her ten-year-old son towards the end of 2013. She married another ISIS recruit Junaid Hussain, a computer hacker from Birmingham who was killed in a drone strike last year. Prime Minister David Cameron is by "instinct" in favour of Britain leaving the European Union, one of his former top aides said in an interview published today. Steve Hilton, a close friend who helped Cameron get elected in 2010 and worked with him in government, said the Conservative leader was only backing a "Remain" vote in the June 23 referendum because of his office. "If he was a member of the public, or a backbench MP or a junior minister or even a cabinet minister, I'm certain that he would be for 'Leave'," Hilton told The Times newspaper in an interview. The 46-year-old, who worked with Cameron for two decades, said the premier's political mission used to be about leaving the EU, adding: "That's his whole instinct. That's who he is. "As prime minister he sees it from a different perspective, and that's perfectly reasonable... But I think that if he didn't have that perspective he would be for 'Leave'." Cameron has been campaigning hard for a "Remain" vote in the referendum, criss-crossing the country with warnings that leaving the EU would put Britain's national and economic security at risk. Hilton was chief strategist for Cameron while he was leader of the opposition and then one his top advisors in government, before moving to the United States in 2012. He was also godfather to the prime minister's son Ivan, who died aged six in 2009. This week Hilton declared his support for a so-called Brexit while visiting Britain from California, where he has worked at Stanford University and founded a tech company, to promote his new book. Cameron had publicly left open the possibility that he might back a "Leave" campaign pending the outcome of negotiations on reforms to Britain's membership with other EU leaders. He announced he would back "Remain" after securing a deal in February that he said gave Britain "special status". But critics, including Hilton, said it fell far short of what the prime minister had originally said was needed. With focus on rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants in the Valley, the Centre has asked Jammu and Kashmir government to share "complete details" of the land identified for the plan. The state government had earlier this month informed the Centre that it had identified three areas for rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants especially 62,000 Kashmiri pandit families who had to leave the Valley following the onset of militancy in early 1990s. However, sources in Union Home Ministry said that the state government had not shared "complete details which included how much area, its surroundings and feasibility" of settling down the migrants. The move comes notwithstanding the strike call given by the separatists who are opposed to separate colonies for the Kashmiri pandits. The Narendra Modi government had kept the rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants on top of its agenda and had sanctioned Rs 500 crore in the first budget itself. The Agenda of Alliance, which is considered as the backbone of PDP-BJP coalition government in the state, also mentions rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants in the Valley as part of their common minimum programme. The state government has made it clear that there would not be any separate colonies for Kashmiri migrants but the proposed area will have a mix of population in the true spirit of Kashmiriyat. A Delhi court has upheld the order of a magisterial court directing a chartered accountant to pay Rs 25,000 per month as maintenance to his estranged wife. The court dismissed two separate appeals of the woman and the man seeking to enhance and reduce alimony respectively, saying they were without any merits. "I am of the view that there is no illegality or infirmity in the order of November 24, 2014 and the magistrate has rightly assessed the income of the man as Rs 75,000 to Rs 80,000 per month and rightly granted maintenance of Rs 25,000 per month to the woman. "Both the appeals filed by the woman and the man are without any merits and same are hereby dismissed," Additional Sessions Judge Naresh Kumar Malhotra said. The magistrate had said that the Rs 25,000 amount to be given to the woman includes rent for a suitable accommodation. The woman filed a case against her husband under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act alleging that after the marriage, he started demanding a flat, Honda City car, gold items and Rs 10 lakh cash and she was harassed for not bringing enough dowry. Seeking enhancement of alimony amount, she claimed before the sessions court that the man, a chartered accountant, was earning over Rs two lakh per month and had an additional monthly income of around Rs 50,000 from his private practice. She also claimed that he was having three properties in Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon. The man, however, filed an appeal seeking to reduce the maintenance amount on the ground that he was earning Rs 95,000 out of which he pays loan instalment also and the magistrate had wrongly awarded the money. He claimed that his wife was a teacher in a government school and was well educated so she can maintain herself. World leaders today kicked off talks dominated by the global economy and worries over China's growing clout -- and were told by Beijing to keep their noses out of its business. Presidents and prime ministers from the Group of Seven rich nations are huddling in Japan for two days of discussions focused on how to stoke demand and encourage growth. But China's growing assertiveness, particularly in bitter territorial disputes in the South China Sea was providing ever-louder background music, with European Council President Donald Tusk saying the group needed to take a "tough stance" on the hot-button issue. Beijing swiftly launched a stinging broadside against the G7 -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US -- which it said should not pursue "selfish interests". "G7 should focus on its own duties, that is economic cooperation, it should not point fingers at something outside its portfolio," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular briefing in Beijing. The Xinhua agency, Beijing's official mouthpiece, reinforced the point with a blunt commentary that said the group "should mind its own business" and accused Japan of exploiting its host status to try to isolate China. Both Washington and Tokyo -- which is locked in a separate dispute with Beijing over islands in the East China Sea -- have warned against China stoking tensions in the contested waters. Beijing's rebuke came as the G7 opened its 2016 summit at Ise-Shima, a mountainous region about 300 kilometres southwest of Tokyo. Leaders, including US President Barack Obama -- who is making a historic trip to the atomic-bombed city of Hiroshima tomorrow -- visited Ise Jingu, a shrine complex that sits at the spiritual heart of Japan's native Shintoism. Abe's decision to take his counterparts to the site -- also a hotspot for domestic tourists -- has raised eyebrows among some critics, however, who say Shinto retains some of the nationalist overtones with which it was imbued when it was the state religion. Several bilateral meetings were expected throughout the day, with Trudeau lined up to meet Germany's Angela Merkel and French leader Francois Hollande. China has signed agreements with Sudan, its close ally in Africa to build600-megawatt atomic reactor, the first such project in the African country, official media reported today. Two framework deals have been signed by state-owned China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC) with Sudan on nuclear power development, including building a 600-megawatt atomic reactor, official media China Daily reported. The agreements may involve a blueprint for nuclear power development in the next decade for Sudan and building the first nuclear power station in the country,the daily quoted a statement issued by the nuclear giant. China already is having a long standing nuclear cooperation with Pakistan as it has built several nuclear power reactors and is currently building two 1100 mw reactors in Karachi. The agreements with Sudan were signed on Monday during a three-day visit to Sudan by a Chinese delegation led by Nur Bekri, head of the National Energy Administration and deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission. Sun Qin, chairman of CNNC, said the company will cooperate with Sudan's Ministry of Water Resources and Electricity through the agreements. The company did not disclose the contract value or the type of nuclear technology to be used for the reactor. But experts said there is a great opportunity for the homegrown reactor design Hualong One, a type of third-generation technology, to be used for the reactor. "Hualong One is most likely to have been chosen for Sudan, said Chai Guohan, chief engineer at the Ministry of Environmental Protection's Nuclear and Radiation Safety Centre. "China is looking to popularise this nuclear technology at home and abroad," Chai said. With the world's largest number of reactors under construction, China plans to develop this experience into nuclear exports, the report said. Chinese nuclear companies are making huge inroads in global nuclear markets, including Britain and Argentina. CNNC has clinched deals with Argentina to build two nuclear reactors, while CGN, another domestic energy giant, partnered with Electricite de France to build three reactors in Britain. Sudan has faced power shortages in recent years and is seeking to build two 600-mw pressurised water reactors to meet the growing demand for electricity, with construction on the first one starting in 2021. Sudanese Finance Minister Badr-Eddin Mahmoud said the agreements reviewed all energy issues facing the country and will provide solutions for these and for new projects. A Christian man has been arrested in Pakistan's Punjab province for allegedly posting blasphemous messages on his Facebook account. Police said they arrested Liaquat Usman yesterday on a complaint that he hadposted blasphemous material on his Facebook account. According to Usman's wife, aresident of Nabipura Sheikhupura district some 50 kilometers from here, her husband had a fight with some Muslim boys over teasing of girls in the locality. "My husband stopped some boys from teasing girl students. A couple of days ago the boys manhandled Usman. Instead of arresting the boys, police arrested Usman saying a complaint against him has been lodged for committing blasphemy," she said. Initial investigations showed that the blasphemous messages were posted on the Facebook account of Usman a year ago but the suspect said he did not post them as someone else tagged them (on his account), said police official Sarfraz Khan. "The man who allegedly tagged the blasphemous post on Usman's Facebook account is living abroad," he said, adding further investigation is underway and an FIR will be registered in the light of its finding. Blasphemy is an extremely sensitive issue in Pakistan where 97 per cent of the population is Muslim. Two high-profile politicians - then Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer and minorities minister Shahbaz Bhatti - were murdered in 2011 after calling for reforms to the blasphemy law. Pakistan's tough blasphemy law has attracted criticism from rights groups, who say they are frequently misused to settle personal scores. Even after the world sealed a historic climate deal in Paris, the UN's climate chief is worried humanity won't be able break its fossil fuel habit in time to avert catastrophe, she said today. "My concern is whether the transformation is going to happen fast enough to avert the worst impacts," Christiana Figueres said, referring to the global shift from carbon-polluting fossil fuels to green energy. "Greenhouse gas emissions have to peak quickly and descend," she said in an interview to AFP, as diplomats wrapped up their first negotiating session since hammering out the landmark pact in December. "It is a race against the clock." Figueres, from Costa Rica, took on the UN climate brief in the aftermath of the failed 2009 Copenhagen summit, and played a key role in laying the groundwork for the world's first universal climate deal. Under the Paris Agreement, 195 nations vowed to hold average global warming to well under two degrees Celsius, and even 1.5 C if possible. Barely 1 C of warming so far has fuelled a crescendo of devastating droughts, super storms and rising seas threatening the homes and livelihoods of tens of millions. But the tally of national pledges to curb greenhouse gases still falls far short of the mark, and scientists say they must be rapidly strengthened to hit the Paris goal. Wealthy nations have also agreed to funnel trillions of dollars to poor countries in the coming decades to help them cope with climate impacts, and retool their economies. Frontline negotiators tasked with converting the political blueprint into a workable plan met in Bonn for the 10-day session, and will reconvene along side their ministers in November in Marrakesh, Morocco. Stepping down in July, Figueres was feted by the climate diplomats in a joint work session. During the emotional send off, she was even regaled in song to the tune of a 1970s Abba hit as a "Climate Queen". Famously -- some would say stubbornly -- upbeat, Figures told AFP that her six-year mandate was also filled with harrowing, make-or-break moments. "I made a deliberate decision to be optimistic early on," she explained. "It was in response to the situation that I inherited, which was anything but optimistic." After the Copenhagen debacle, it was an open question whether the UN could get climate talks back on track. Each of the six end-of-year climate meets she oversaw was laced with "moments of crisis," Figueres said. During the 2011 summit in Durban, South Africa, where the 2015 Paris deadline was set, the press was reporting that the negotiations -- deep into overtime -- had failed, she recalled. "That's when you have to take a deep breath," she said. The December deal has ushered in a new spirit of cooperation between rich and developing nations that was often absent during more than 20 years of fraught talks, she added. The Co-ordination Committee (CorCom), a conglomerate of proscribed outfits of the state, today claimed responsibility of May 22 ambush on Assam Rifles convoy in which one officer and five jawans were killed. In a press statement, CorCom also claimed looting of six weapons -- one LMG, one INSAS rifle and four AK-56 rifles from the army personnel. The May 22 ambush occurred when the personnel of 29 Assam Rifles were returning to their camp after inspecting a landslide site at Holenjang village in the interior tribal district, defence and police officials had said. World number one Novak Djokovic and nine-time champion Rafael Nadal racked up personal Grand Slam milestones on Thursday as they moved into the French Open third round. Top seed Djokovic, looking for a Roland Garros title to complete a career Grand Slam, claimed his 50th win at the tournament by seeing off Belgian qualifier Steve Darcis 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. It was the Serb's third win in three career meetings with Darcis, a player nicknamed 'Shark' who dumped Nadal out of Wimbledon in 2013. But it was a far from a smooth display from the 11-time major winner and three-time French Open runner-up who committed 42 unforced errors. "He plays with a lot of speed, is good from the baseline and it was not easy for me to play the points the way I wanted," Djokovic said of 32-year-old Darcis. "He has a lot of talent and it was tough. I am happy to have won in three sets." Djokovic next takes on Britain's Slovenian-born Aljaz Bedene who reached the third round of a major for the first time with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 4-6, 5-7, 6-2 win over Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta. Nine-time champion Nadal became just the eighth man to rack up 200 Grand Slam match wins as he saw off Argentina's world number 99 -- and fellow left-hander -- Facundo Bagnis 6-3, 6-0, 6-3. Nadal, 29, dropped the first two games against Bagnis but then won 18 of the next 22 to ease into a last-32 clash against either Spanish compatriot Marcel Granollers or Nicolas Mahut of France. "The most important thing is a victory in the second round more than the 200 victories," said Nadal, who now has a 72-2 win-loss record at Roland Garros and only dropped three games in his opening victory over Sam Groth of Australia. Roger Federer, missing from the French Open this year, tops the all-time list of Grand Slam matches won on 302. Djokovic is sixth on the list with 216 after his win on Thursday. A 70-year-old woman today died at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital (LNJP) here allegedly due to delay in treatment amid the ongoing strike called by doctors against the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission. Shabra Begum, a resident of Laxmi Nagar in east Delhi, had swelling and pain in her abdomen and respiratory problem and her son Shabbir alleged that they had to wait for nearly two hours for treatment due to the strike in the hospital. "We reached the hospital around 10.30 AM and got the OPD (Out Patient Department) card made. We were then made to run around for treatment. "As my mother's condition worsened, we took her to the emergency (ward) where nobody attended her for a long time. We were told that there were no doctors because of the strike and that she should be taken to AIIMS. "Then finally a doctor came and gave her an injection following which she started frothing at the mouth and passed away around 12.30 PM," said Shabbir. However, Medical Director, LNJP hospital, Dr Deepak Tempe said no patient died because he or she was unattended. "1,691 patients were seen by doctors in OPD, while 185 patients were seen in the casualty till 4 PM," he said, adding, "25 patients were admitted and there were three deliveries and 13 operations out of which three were major." "All these happened when most of the resident doctors were absent. That apart, 1,400 indoor patients were also looked after and provided necessary care. No patient died because he or she was unattended," said Tempe. While Begum died, several patients were left in lurch in the wake of the one-day strike called by more than 22,000 resident doctors in the national capital who are demanding increase in their salaries and allowances. Patients who visited government hospitals for treatment had to face a harrowing time and were seen moving from pillar to post to get aid in light of the strike. There were banners and posters in the hospital which read: "Come tomorrow for the treatment". Similarly, an 18-year-old youth who met with an accident had to wait for long before getting treatment in the emergency section of the GTB Hospital, while a number of surgeries were postponed in several hospitals, sources said. Meanwhile, doctors from LNJP, Ram Manohar Lohia, GB Pant and other government hospitals gathered at Lady Hardinge hospital and took out a protest march up to Jantar Mantar. They have threatened to go on indefinite strike from June 1, if their demands are not met. The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), an umbrella organisation of 15,000 resident doctors across 41 government hospitals in the national capital, has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to revise the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission which they termed were "particularly discriminating to doctors". "If our demands are not fulfilled even after that, we will go on indefinite strike from June 1," said Dr Narayan Dabas, Convenor, FORDA. Doctors have been opposing since November last the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission and have been demanding an increase in the non-Practising Allowance (NPA) to 40 per cent from existent 25 per cent. In the 7th Pay Commission recommendations it has been reduced to 20 per cent. "The basic pay and NPA were merged together while calculating House Rental Allowance (HRA) earlier, but this has now been omitted and HRA will be calculated only with basic pay resulting in less than the desired salary. "Against the desirable density of 85 physicians per lakh of population, the availability is 57 physicians. But the CPC has only observed this scarcity and has done little only to boost the morale of the doctors," said Dr Pankaj Solanki, President of FORDA. The association also demanded uniform pay scales, night shift allowances which currently exists for nursing staff in government hospitals and the formulation of a uniform central residency scheme for the resident doctors of India. Jammu and Kashmir government today impressed upon other states to ensure safety and security of Kashmiri youth and businessmen and suggested nomination of nodal officers for the purpose as done by NCT of Delhi. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary B R Sharma made the plea to his counterparts of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, NCT of Delhi and UT of Chandigarh at a meeting of Northern Zonal Council (NZC) here. Sharma "sought cooperation of the respective state governments in ensuring safety and security of Kashmiri youth and businessmen travelling to various parts of the country in pursuit of higher studies, employment and economic opportunities," an official spokesman said. "States, besides putting in place all necessary measures to ensure secure environment, are requested to nominate nodal officers as has been done by NCT of Delhi to prevent and efficiently deal with incidents of alleged harassment of Jammu and Kashmir residents," he said at the meeting. This assumes significance in the wake of allegations that some Kashmiri students were harassed at some places. "The Standing Committee deliberated upon various inter-state and Centre-state issues like need for fiscal and infrastructural harmony in northern States, joint efforts for export of fruits, flowers, Saffron and vegetables, sharing of water and power resources, sharing of information," he said. "Concerted action against inter-State criminals, preventing human trafficking and smuggling of drugs and illicit firearms also came up for a detailed deliberation," the spokesman said. The meeting was also informed that the 'Jammu and Kashmir Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood & Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2016' has been drafted and is presently under submission for finalisation. Equipment worth Rs 3.20 crore was allegedly stolen from an under-construction power plant in Chhattisgarh's Raigarh district, police said today. An FIR was registered in this regard with Gharghoda police station based on the complaintbyManager (Administration), BGR Energy Systems Limited, Tapan Kumar Mandal yesterday, Raigarh Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Shukla told PTI. As per the complaint, during examination it was found that on the intervening night of May 17-18, burglars decamped with severalequipment, including mechanical and electrical, and machinery from the under-construction TRN Power Project coming up atNawapara village, he said. The stolen goods were claimed to be worth Rs 3.20 crore, the SP added. Notably, TRN Energy Private Limited, a subsidiary company of ACB (India) Power Limited is setting up two thermal power plants withcapacity of 600 (2x300) MW in Nawapara area here. BGR Energy has been given the contract to set up the project. A case has been lodged and the matter is being probed, the officer added. Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad today charged the Narendra Modi government with "weakening farmers" during its two-year rule and alleged that the ruling party has "failed" to fulfil any of its poll promises. The Modi government brought the new land acquisition law after coming to power which weakened the farmers the most, he told newspersons here. He said while previous UPA government led by Congress waived farmers' debt worth Rs 72,000 crore, the Modi dispensation "waived loans of industrialists". "There is a sense of hopelessness in the country...None of the promises made by Modi has been fulfilled in two years," Ahmad said, adding no one in the BJP has the "guts to go and give right suggestions to the Prime Minister". On the JNU row, he said it has always been a "stronghold of leftist parties", but the Congress never gaged their voice, "whereas ABVP, the students wing of the BJP, has been creating disturbances" in all the universities where they have failed to win students union elections. "Now 'Bharat mata ki jai' is also being made an issue", he said. On the policy vis-a-vis Pakistan, Ahmad cited figures to stress on the ceasefire violations that have taken place during the BJP-led government and said, "Those who promised to bring heads from across the border go there unannounced." "He was (then) leader of a small state and has no experience of global diplomacy," he remarked. Eight persons, including five women school teachers, were today killed and five injured when a jeep carrying them fell into a gorge in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. The incident occurred between Chamoli and Lasi when the teachers were returning to Gopeshwar after duty, Chamoli's SP Priti Priyadarshini said. They taught at different primary schools and were on their way back home after duty as the schools closed for the summer vacation, she said. The jeep rolled 30 metres down the road killing four persons on the spot and leaving nine others injured. Of the injured, four succumbed during treatment at a hospital, she said. Most of the occupants of the jeep were school teachers, she said, adding the driver of the vehicle also died, the SP said. The deceased have been identified as Chandrakala Kunwar, Bindu Sindwal, Anita Paleta, Meena Kanyal, Vimla Kunwar, Anusuya Singh Aswal, Rakesh Lal and Pushkar Lal. This is the third road accident in Uttarakhand in less than 24 hours. Twelve people, including a foreign tourist, were killed in two separate road accidents in Almora and Uttarkashi districts yesterday. A local court has discharged former Himachal Pradesh DGP I D Bhandari in the much publicised phone taping case holding held that prima facie no case is made out against him. The enquiry into alleged phone taping case was ordered after Virbhadra Singh returnedto power and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Vigilance wing headed by a DIG was constituted to probe the matter. During the probe, the investigating agencies claimed that 1400 to 1500 phones had been illegally taped but when the challan was put after investigations, only two cases were mentioned in the charge sheet. Bhandari, who got the court relief after nearly three years, said, "Some senior IAS and IPS officers were instrumental in framing cases against me to serve their on ends but I stand vindicated." He was booked in a case of phone tapping by the present Congress government, as he was accused of tapping phones illegally during the previous BJP regime. Addressing a press conference, Bhandari launched a blistering attack on the Congress government for "victimising him by framing false cases" and said the present government was the worst and most corrupt government. He said in the challan put up in the court, the government had not talked of tapping of 1400 phones illegally. "The government has now talked of tapping of only two phones illegally and even these two had not been tapped illegally and even if the taping was illegal, it did not concern the DGP, it is under the Inspector General of Police," he said. "Fear the Walking Dead" star Frank Dillane has been arrested for battery following a scuffle in Los Angeles. The British actor got involved in an altercation with security guards at CBS Studios, TMZ reported. According to sources, Dillane tried get through a security checkpoint when he visited the TV studio at the time. When security guards tried to stop him, he allegedly struck one of them and was later detained with a citizen's arrest. He's eventually booked for battery once the LAPD arrived at the scene. It's still unclear why Dillane was at the CBS lot, since his show doesn't shoot there. One of the guards said that the 25-year-old actor's behavior was "erratic" before he was arrested. Dillane, the son of "Game of Thrones" alum Stephen Dillane, plays recovering drug addict Nick Clark on "Fear the Walking Dead" that airs on AMC. His credits include "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince", in which he played the young Tom Riddle, and "In the Heart of the Sea". Union Minister General (retd) V K Singh took stock of the implementation of Centre's schemes in his constituency, a district official said. District Information Officer Surender Sharma said Singh yesterday took stock of the works in a meeting with local MLAs, Ghaziabad Development Authority, Municipal Corporation, PWD and other government officers. Singh informed that the Centre has sanctioned Rs 380.63 crore for improving power supply in rural and urban area under Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojna and Integrated Power Development scheme. Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police Kumar Sunil Emanuel yesterday took charge as the district police chief here. He said law and order and the security of women will be his top priority. German Chancellor Angela Merkel today said that the Group of Seven has no plan to withdraw sanctions slapped on Russia over its involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Her comments came on the sidelines of G7 summit talks in Japan, ahead of a formal communique from the club of rich nations due Friday. "For me it's too early to give the all clear," Merkel told reporters in response to questions, adding that an earlier pro-sanction policy would remain in place. "There is no change of position to be expected" from the G7, she said. Earlier today, European Council President Donald Tusk added his voice to the issue, saying the G7 needed to take a "clear and tough stance" on Russia for its moves in Ukraine -- as well as China for its controversial claims in the South China Sea. "The test of our credibility at the G7 is our ability to defend the common values that we share," he told reporters at the Japan talks. "This test will only pass if we take a clear and tough stance on every topic of our discussions here." Last year, the group of top industrialised nations -- which expelled Russia in 2014 -- warned Moscow it would face increased sanctions for its "aggression" in Ukraine. Ukraine and its Western allies believe Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014 and fomented an insurgency in the country's east in order to keep a grip over its former Soviet neighbour and prevent it from seeking membership of the EU and the NATO military alliance. The 2015 peace accords signed in the Belarussian capital Minsk call for a ceasefire along with a range of political, economic and social measures to end the conflict that has claimed more than 9,300 lives. The European Union imposed its own sanctions targeting Russia's banks, oil and defence sectors after Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over rebel-held eastern Ukraine in 2014. The EU first imposed asset freezes and travel bans on leading rebel and Russian figures after Moscow's annexation of Crimea in March of that year, and has expanded the sanctions as the conflict spread into eastern Ukraine. In the backdrop of the murder of a of Congolese student here last week, the Ghanian envoy to India today read out a moving poem depciting the struggles of Africa. Samuel Panyin Yalley, Ghanian Ambasaddor, read out the poem 'Here my cry O Africa' just before the start of the cultural event organised by Indian Council for Cultural Realations (ICCR). ICCR had organised an event India-Africa: Bound Together which was attended by several heads of African diplomatic missions in India. As a mark of respect to the Congolese student Masonda Ketada Oliver who was killed last week, the envoys also observed silence for two minutes. Posing a poignant question, Nigerian High Commissioner Sola Enikanolaiye said "do black Africans have any great future in the country, beyond education, exchange of skills. Will it not be best for them to acquire these skills and move on to other countries? I regret I do not have an answer to this question. Keeping in view the coming Rajya Sabha elections from the state, Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah today wrote to the Election Commission recommending holding of elections in two assembly constiteuncies, where polls had been deferred, preferably before June 1. The Governor made the recommendation acting on petitions by ruling AIADMK candidates in Aravakiruchi and Thanjavur constituencies where the EC had deferred polling days before the May 16 assembly elections citing electoral malpractices, a Raj Bhavan release said tonight. It said the candidates V Senthil Balaji (Aravakurichi) and M Rengasamy (Thanjavur) in their May 22 representation stated that the EC had deferred the polls in the constituencies "without any authority of law and without the consent of the Governor." They also contended that the alleged corrupt practices relied upon by the EC to defer the elections can be tested before a court of law and the postponement of the polls would also shorten the tenure of the member who may be elected. The release said that based on the petitions, the Governor convened a meeting with the state Chief Electoral Officer who submitted a report of the EC on May 24 on the matter. The Governor considered the petitions and the detailed report of the EC in the light of relevant provisions contained in the Representation of People Act and the Constitution as well the observations in the Supreme Court's 1996 judgement in Bhim Singh vs Election Commission case and the 1984 judgement of a Constitution bench in the EC vs Haryna case. Also, considering the fact that postponement of elections in the two constituencies would deprive the stautory rights of the members elected from them to vote in the coming Rajya Sabha elections, the Governor today sent a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner. In the letter, he recommended for the conduct of the elections to Aravakurichi and Thanjavur constituencies "as early as possible, preferably before June 1, 2016 in public interest and in the interest of all the concerned parties," the Raj Bhavan release said. Citing evidence that large-scale money changed hands to influence voters in the two constituencies, the EC had first deferred the elections to May 23. On May 21, the Commission further put off the elections to June 13 to allow its teams to ascertain whether polls can be allowed in the "vitiated atmosphere". Main opposition DMK has demanded immediate holding of the elections in the two constituencies. A government should not respond to campaign rhetoric, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said as he refused to react to presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's controversial proposal to ban Muslims from entering the US. "These are issues of debate in the election. A government shouldn't respond to that," Modi told The Wall Street Journal in an interview. "As a part of the election debate many things will be said there, who ate what, who drank what, how can I respond to everything?" Modi said when asked about Trump's proposal to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the United States. Several world leaders including British Prime Minister David Cameroon have reacted strongly to such a proposal describing it as dangerous. Modi declined to comment on the question, the paper said. The Madras High Court bench here has directed the state government to take action within two months for sanctioning a post of lift operator for court complex at Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram district and constructing a ramp in the two-storey building for which proposals had been sent. Justices S Manikumar and S S Sundar gave the direction on a PIL filed by S Parthasarathy who submitted that physically challenged people found it very difficult to go to court halls in the first and second floors as the elevator did not function properly. Advocate D Sivaraman, representing the Registrar General of the High Court, told the Bench that a proposal sent to the state government for sanctioning a post of lift operator in the combined court complex at Paramakudi. The proposal was followed up with a few reminders, he said. For the time being, a junior Bailiff attached to a Sub Court in Paramakudi had been deputed to work as a lift operator. The Assistant Executive Engineer, Public Works Department, Paramakudi, also had submitted a rough estimate of Rs 34.10 lakh for construction of a ramp to the Principal District and Sessions Judge, Ramanathapuram, he said. The Madras High Court today stayed the release of Tamil film "Idhu Namma Aalu" starring Simbu and Nayan Tharara. Justice M V Muralidharan, passing interim orders on a petition by Sanjay Kumar Lalwani, financier of the film, in his order said that "I am of the view that unless M/s Chimbu Cine Arts, who are the producers of the film, settles the entire amount due to the financier, they have no right to release the film" directed by Pandiraj. The producer had borrowed Rs 1.09 crore on August 14, 2015, promising to repay the amount together with 36 per cent interest before the release of the movie. Lalwani moved the court submitting that he was "shocked and surprised" to know through newspaper advertisements that the producers are attempting to release movie throughout Tamil Nadu tomorrow through Thenandal Films without settling dues to him. Stating that the act is violation of the finance agreement, the financier submitted that when he approached the producers, they gave "evasive replies." He submitted that despite collecting "huge" advance from the distributors, the producers "miserably failed and neglected to repay the loan amount." Lalwani also prayed for an order of attachment of the prints and negatives of the film. "It is made clear that unless the Chimbu Cine Arts settles the entire amount along with interest to the producer, they have no right to release the film", the judge said. India today said non-tariff barrier imposed by Pakistan has been badly affecting bilateral trade, asserting Islamabad needs to act constructively towards regional connectivity initiatives to spur economic growth in South Asia. "As far as we are concerned there are high non-tariff barrier (NTB) in the region, not on Pakistan but from it," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said. He was asked whether Pakistan was referring to India when it talked about NTBs in the region during visit of World Trade Organization (WTO) Director General Roberto Azevedo to Islamabad. "Pakistan does not allow movement of all importable items from India through Wagah. In fact, it allows only 138 items through Wagah. This is the biggest NTB for thousands of Indian tariff lines which have to be routed through Karachi, raising costs, including for consumers in Pakistan. "Moreover, the fact that Pakistan has not extended MFN status to India even after lapse of close to twenty years since India unilaterally did so, is not in keeping with WTO norms," said Swarup. Referring to Pakistan apprising Azevedo about investment in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said it is a two-country initiative, part of which is proposed on Indian territory under Pakistan's "illegal occupation". "Our views in this regard are well-known. Pakistan is a member of SAARC and as such it is expected to contribute constructively to regional connectivity initiatives, including those which it did not support in the last SAARC Summit," he said. Asked about Afghan government signing a pact with Hezb-e-Islami, a militant group led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Swarup said India welcomes efforts to bring lasting peace to that country. "India welcome developments that contribute to efforts at peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan, which are Afghan-led and Afghan-owned and are in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Afghanistan for peace and stability in their country. "We hope that such developments will encourage others to also give up violence and join the peace talks with the Government of Afghanistan," he said. Asked to comment on how India sees appointment of Hibatullah Akhundzada as Taliban's new leader, Swarup said "We have no views on the internal processes within Taliban. "However, as I have said already, we support all efforts that contribute to peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan and help reducing violence and terrorism inflicted on the people of Afghanistan." About the issue of payment of oil dues to Iran, Swarup said some part payment has already been made and remaining amount will be paid once banking channels are opened and they accept Euro. Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Iran, Indian refiners have paid part of the USD 6.4 billion owed to Iran for crude oil imports. On ban imposed on Indians wanting to travel to Libya, the MEA Spokesperson said the strict measure has been taken considering the fragile security situation in that country. He said around 1,500 Indians are still there and appealed them to return immediately. He said 18 travel advisories were issued by the government asking people not to visit Libya before announcing the ban. Swarup said some Indians who were evacuated from Libya at government's cost had returned to that country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asserted that a mood of development and hope pervaded the country replacing hopelessness that prevailed under the UPA rule as he pitched his government as one dedicated to the poor and farmers which prevented the "loot" of public money. Addressing the first of his four public rallies here in Uttar Pradesh, which will have assembly polls next year, to mark the second anniversary of his government, Modi reached out to the electorate, calling himself a "UP wala" who cared for the farmers. He said his government had taken a series of measures to help repay the dues of sugarcane farmers, a politically important constituency in the region, while other governments were not concerned about them. Recalling that in his address after he was elected the leader of the BJP-led NDA following the Lok Sabha win he had promised his government would be dedicated to the poor, Modi said every decison he had taken ever since was in that direction. "If you look at my work of two years, you will see one decision after the other was taken to empower the poor to fight poverty, to strengthen the poor against poverty so that they could defeat it. No poor man wants to bequeath poverty to his children. I have always tried to work for the common man," he said. Development, he said, was the solution to all problems and all other talk was meant to win elections and cater to vote bank politics. With the NDA dispensation facing criticism over alleged intolerance, Modi said his government's "conscience was clear" and it wanted to develop all sections of society. Citing Swachh Bharat initiative, Mudra loan scheme, Prime Minister crop insurance scheme, free LPG connections to poor and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign, he said these programmes were meant to serve everybody, irrespective of caste and religion, while schemes launched earlier were made keeping in mind castes and vote banks. Without naming the UPA government, he attacked it over alleged corruption and flagged his government's "honest" credentials. "How much money was looted. Now I am in government and I am shocked over it as whether people are given chair to loot public money. I had pledged to stop this. "I want to ask you have you ever heard any that the Modi government had pocketed money? Have even our rivals levelled such allegations? Two years ago nobody had the courage to give their report card to lakhs of people like this," he said. That is why, Modi said, his government was observing 'vikas parv' (festival of development) and all his ministers would travel across the country to give to the people an account of their work. Asserting that India was growing at the fastest rate, Modi said only two years ago many thought the country had "sunk". "They would say India has sunk and things cannot change. There was a mood of hopelessness while there is enthusiasm today. Earlier there was a mood of unease, now it is about moving forward," he said. Speaking about the ongoing electrification of over 18000 villages, Modi said media highlights any gap in the claims made by his government and added he welcomed criticism. Over 7000 villages have received power and UP had the largest share, he said. Attacking previous governments for making LPG connections a thing for the rich, Modi said his government had distributed it among the 3 crore poor families and 5 crore more will be covered in the next three years. The Prime Minister noted over 1 crore families had given up LPG subsidy at his call. "In the last 60 years, the work for women's empowerment like this has never happened," he said noting that health of poor women suffered due to burning of wood as fuel. Claiming his government had shown how the poor can be empowered, Modi said over Rs 1.25 lakh crore was distributed among 3.25 crore such families under the Mudra loan scheme. He told the gathering that being an MP from UP he was a 'UP-walla' and wanted to seek their blessings as he recalled it was around this time two years ago that his government had taken oath. As the 'Pradhan Sewak', a term he has often used for himself, Modi said he is giving an account of his work to people. Modi said the ratio of divisible resources between Centre and the states earlier was 65:35 which his government changed and now 65 per cent of the share was going to the states. Over Rs 2 lakh crore was given to panchayats, Modi said, underlining his government's "commitment" to development of states and villages. When he had taken over the reins, the dues of sugarcane farmers ran up to Rs 14000 crore, which had come down to about Rs 700-800 crore now due to measures taken by his government, Modi said and "warned" the sugar mill owners against treating the farmers the way they did in the past. "We have taken a pledge that when the country celebrates 75 years of independence in 2022, we will double the income of farmers through implementation of various policies," he said and listed a host of schemes launched for their benefit like soil health card and crop insurance. Modi also called for judicious use of water, saying adequate amount of it will help farmers against all odds. "I request you to save as much water as you can," he said. Modi is expected to address three more rallies in different parts of the country in the coming days. The Prime Minister said it is the strength of the countrymen that they have lived this democracy. "When the newspaper offices are sealed and radio speaks only voice, people on the other hand make you realise the power of democratic forces. This is a big strength for any nation," he said in apparent reference to the days of Emergency in the country. "The shining example of democratic powers of a common citizen of the country was seen during Emergency and it should keep reminding the nation again and again," Modi added. He said there should be an attitude that people continue to realise their strengths. "I keep saying that democracy does not mean that you vote and give contract of five years for running the country. Voting is a crucial part of democracy, but there are several other aspects too. The biggest aspect is people's participation -- the pulse of the people, the thinking of the people. The more governments associate with the people, the more is the country strengthened," he said. "It is the gulf between the people and the governments which is the cause of our ailments. It has been my endeavour always to take the country forward through people's participation," he said. Noting that his government recently completed two years, Modi said some "modern-thinking youth" had given him a "kind of challenge" to get his government's performance assessed by the people. He said when he mentioned this to his senior colleagues, they said it should not be done as in this age technology can be misused and the survey can be taken anywhere. "They expressed concern. But I thought the risk should be taken. A try should be given. Let us see what happens," Modi said, adding the survey was subsequently carried out on 'Rate my government-MyGov.In' in different languages. Three lakh people gave answers to all the questions, he said, contending that the sample size is bigger than the ones in surveys carried out after elections. He said he will not go into the result of the survey as he left it to the media to do so. "So, did you see? There was a day some years ago when the voice of the countrymen was muzzled on June 26 and there is a time when the people themselves decide whether the government is performing well or badly. This is the strength of democracy. (Reopen DEL33) The Prime Minister also referred to the International Yoga Day celebrated on June 21 and said a momentum of yoga should be maintained for at least a year as it may help cure diabetes. Modi also mentioned the recent induction of three women as fighter pilots in the Indian Air Force. While naming the three, he hailed them as an example of empowerment of women, particularly since they come from small cities and towns. He welcomed the prediction of good rains in the country during Monsoon, saying it will give relief to the countrymen, particularly farmers, who had been facing drought and water- scarcity. In this context, he again laid thrust on water conservation, saying "jal hai toh kal hai (water is essential for a better tomorrow)". Referring to the feat achieved by the ISRO in launching 22 satellites in one go a few days back, Modi had words of praise for students of Pune and Tamil Nadu who had prepared two of these satellites. He said more and more children should be encouraged to become scientists so that the country can have innovations, especially in the area of space. Haryana Government would increase the reimbursement of fee given to private schools providing admission to meritorious students from poor background, Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said today. He also announced an extension in temporary recognition of private schools by one year. The minister was presiding a meeting with representatives of various associations of private school managements here when the decisions were taken, an official release said. The Education Minister said that under Section 134A, private schools in rural areas, which provide admission to meritorious poor students of Classes II to V, would be given Rs 300 per month and those in urban areas would be given Rs 500 per month as reimbursement. Similarly, private schools in rural areas, which provide admission to meritorious poor students of classes VI to VIII, would be given Rs 500 per month and those in urban areas would be given Rs 700 per month as reimbursement, he said. He said that recognition period of the private schools, which have already been granted temporary recognition, would be extended by one year. Sharma said a Coordination Committee comprising officers and private school operators has been constituted for redressal of problems being faced by the private schools. The Committee would meet at least once a month, he said. Taiwanese handset maker HTC is betting big on 4G in India, lining up devices across price points, as part of its efforts to strengthen position in the domestic market. The company today launched a slew of smartphones here priced Rs 13,990 onwards and also unveiled its flagship -- HTC 10 for Rs 52,990. "We didn't have a strong 4G portfolio and we lost some ground in the last 12 months. And the market moved to 4G pretty fast. Now, we have a stronger portfolio and all our phones are 4G-enabled, most are VoLTE compatible as well," HTC President South Asia Faisal Siddiqui told PTI. He added that the company's portfolio in the Rs 10,000-30,000 segment is vast and will help it to compete aggressively in the Indian market. VoLTE is voice calls over a 4G LTE network rather than 2G or 3G connections that are usually used. While 4G is usually thought to be more about downloading, streaming and web browsing, VoLTE can help connect calls up to twice as fast and offers better quality as well. India is one of the world's fastest growing smartphone markets. According to research firm IDC, smartphone shipments in the country grew 5.2 per cent to 23.5 million units in January-March 2016 from the year-ago period. Samsung led the tally with 26.6 per cent share of the Indian smartphone market, followed by Micromax (12.6 per cent), Intex (9.2 per cent) and Lenovo (with Motorola - 8.2 per cent). HTC has also partnered with GDN Enterprises, which has an assembly set up in Noida. It assembles about 70 per cent of its products available in India at the facility. The Taiwanese company today launched HTC One X9 (priced at Rs 25,990) as well as four smartphones under its Desire series. Its flagship -- HTC 10 -- features 2.2 GHz Snapdragon quadcore processor, 4GB RAM, 32GB internal storage (expandable upto 2TB), 12 MP rear and 5MP front camera and 3,000 mAh battery. As the Modi government completes two years in office today, Congress leader RPN Singh attacked it for "ignoring" the interests of youths and farmers, "kneeling down" before Pakistan, and "playing" with internal security of the country. Highlighting the "failure" of the government, the former Union minister told a press conference here, "PM Modi made tall promises in elections for youths and farmers but the result is disappointing." On the foreign policy front, Singh said the government has "knelt down" before Pakistan which is a "failure". "Pakistan's (investigation) team came to India to probe Pathankot Airbase attack but when it comes to NIA, it cannot go to a country from where the terrorists came," he said. Singh also blamed the ruling BJP of "playing" with internal security of the country. "The BJP is trying to save and protect its people who were lodged in jail in connection with Malegaon blasts case and this is the biggest game the BJP is playing with the internal security of the country," he said. Singh said Prime Minister Modi had promised two crore jobs in a year but opportunities are shrinking. "Only 1.34 lakh jobs were given. In eight sectors, 20,000 jobs have been cut between October 2015 and December 2015." "48 per cent of people of the country earn livelihood in agriculture sector but the government is not concerned about them. Rs 1.14 lakh crore of bad debts of corporate sector were written off but if a farmer fails to return a loan of Rs 10,000, action is taken against him," he said. He said industrial production, export, and area under cultivation have reduced. "The PM had promised farmers to raise MSP incorporating entire production cost and 50 per cent profit but the MSP has increased only by 4-6 per cent. 3,000 farmers, 1800 in Maharashtra alone, and 6,710 farm labourers have committed suicide," he claimed. The former MoS Home also targeted the government for not passing on the benefit of the reduction in crude oil prices in the global market to the consumers and instead "saving Rs 2 lakh crore". On the issue of the corruption, the Congress leader said, the Prime Minister is "quiet" on "Vyapam scam in MP, mines scam in Rajasthan and PDS scam in Chhattisgarh". He also raised question on the gas pipeline project of the Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GPSC) in Krishna Godavari Basin saying the PM had announced huge deposits of natural gas there but "now there is confusion over gas reserve". The project involves expenditure Rs 20,000 crore and PM Modi should give a reply on this issue, he said. President Pranab Mukherjee today said India and China are poised to play a "significant and constructive" role in the 21st century as 10 Indian universities today signed agreements with Chinese varsities for academic cooperation coinciding with his visit here. The agreements were signed in the presence of Mukherjee at the Peking university. "India and China are poised to play a significant and constructive role in the 21st Century. When Indians and Chinese come together to address global challenges and build on their shared interests, there will be no limits to what our two peoples can jointly achieve," he said addressing the China-India University Presidents Roundtable on the occasion. Mukherjee said India's ancient academic advancement, like that of China's was world renowned. "As far back as the 6th Century, seats of higher learning like Nalanda, Takshashila, Vikramashila, Valabhi, Somapura and Odantapuri had drawn scholars and cultivated contacts and academic exchanges with famed institutions of other countries in the region and beyond," he said. "Takshashila was, in a sense, the most 'connected' of the Indian universities, a meeting ground of four civilisations -- Indian, Persian, Greek and Chinese. Many renowned people came to Takshashila -- Panini, Alexander, Chandragupta Maurya, Chanakya, Charaka, and Chinese Buddhist monks Faxian and Xuanzang," he said. "Today, Government of India, in partnership with Indian and international foreign partners is taking a number of far reaching initiatives to revive this tradition and create centres of excellence that can be ranked among the leading institutions of the world," he said. Stating that investment in research is important, Mukherjee said, "While R&D expenditure as percentage of GDP in India is about 0.8 per cent at present, we are making concerted efforts to increase this number". (Reopens FGN 11) "India is a relatively young country with 60 per cent of its population in the age group of 15 to 59. To capitalise on the potential of this segment of educated youth, my government has launched 'Start-up India' aimed at promoting and providing incentives for entrepreneurship and job creation," Mukherjee said. With over 4,500 start-ups India has the third largest start-up eco-system in the world. New initiatives under the 'Start-up India' programme will undoubtedly steer this effort in the right direction. "Thus, institutions of higher education have an important responsibility - to harness the entrepreneurial abilities of our youth," he said. On the higher education front, India has initiated a unique programme GIAN - Global Initiative for Academic Networks, he said. "Under this programme, we are engaging faculties from abroad for a short term teaching assignments in higher educational institutions," he said. The MoUs signed included agreements between Nalanda and Peking Universities; IIT Delhi and Changan University for cooperation in research and education in science, engineering, management and social sciences. The pacts were also signed between IIT Calcutta and East China University of Political Science and Law; Central university of Gujarat and Beijing Foreign studies University; Central University of Gujarat and Jinan University; Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) Nagpur and Hunan University for cooperation in the fields of computer sciences and engineering communication. India is on track to become one of the largest installers of solar power globally as its installed solar capacity has reached 6,000 megawatts from 10 megawatts in less than six years, according to a solar power manufacturer. Kolkata-headquartered Vikram Solar believes the government's ambitious International Solar Alliance (ISA) reflects India's strong commitment towards the sector. "Rewind to 2010, India was at 10MW installed capacity of solar. Fast-forward to 2016, we are at 6GW or 6,000MW. In less than six years, we have achieved such a large leap. So I have no doubt in my mind that India can and will be one of the largest installers of solar power globally. "It is already one of the top five. 'Make in India' as well as the solar mission is actually a good combination and we should be able to merge that and make it happen successfully," Managing Director and CEO of the company Gyanesh Chaudhary told PTI during a recent visit to London. "Vikram Solar is embedded with the Indian mission to achieve the huge aim in the solar sector - 100GW by 2022. We started manufacturing in India when India did not know about solar, or knew very little about solar. We are one of the largest manufacturers now, with over 0.5GW of manufacturing capacity," he said. The company has presence in more than 32 countries. It claims to be India's only Tier 1 Photovoltaic module manufacturer as per a Bloomberg quality ranking with a track record of 120 MW installed solar project capacity in India. "We are the largest exporter of solar panels out of India to the UK. Almost all the large developers are working with us and importing our panels. Others include the US, Japan and the Middle East. We are the only Indian manufacturer who is actually exporting to Japan, which is a very high quality market. This shows that Indian manufacturers can actually achieve high quality," Chaudhry said. The firm is aiming for revenues of USD one billion by 2020 and claims to have an order book worth USD 3-million with plans of approaching the capital markets soon. India launched ISA at the Paris Climate Conference in December last year, inviting all countries located fully or partly between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn to join for accelerating solar energy. Indian nationals accounted for the largest number of migrants being granted skilled visas to work in the UK in the last year, latest statistics said today. Indian nationals accounted for 57 per cent of total skilled work visas granted, which adds up to 52,109 of the total 91,833, with Americans the next largest nationality group at 9,981 or 11 per cent of the total, the UK's Office of National Statistics data said. "Trends in visa numbers reflect both changes to the immigration rules and the prevalent economic environment. Asian nationals accounted for 298,231 (56 per cent) of the 531,375 longer-term visas granted in YE March 2016, with China and India accounting for 17 per cent and 16 per cent of the total respectively. "The third largest number granted went to US nationals, who comprised less than 7 per cent of the total," an ONS statement said. Indian skilled professionals also topped the number of National Insurance registrations - 34,000 - issued during the year. National Insurance numbers indicate all workers in employment or self-employment in Britain and is a compulsory requirement in the UK. Indians are also in the top three countries to be granted study visas by the UK in the 'Migration Statistics Quarterly Report' reflecting data until December 2015. Indians were granted 10,705 study visas, placing it third after China with 70,515 and the US with 13,970. Overall, net UK long-term international migration, which reflects someone who changes their country of usual residence for 12 months or more, in the year ending December 2015 was estimated to be 333,000, up 20,000 from the year ending December 2014. The figure for EU-only net migration was 184,000, reflecting a record high which is likely to be used by those in favour of Britain's exit, or Brexit, from the European Union (EU) to stem the free movement of EU nationals into the country. A jawan of the India Reserve Battalion (IRB) was today injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded at Moirangpurel, around 20 km from here, police said. The incident occurred at around 4.30 PM when the Border Security Force (BSF) men were on a patrol on foot and the IRB jawan, who is currently attached to 49 Battalion of the BSF, was among them. The injured man, 29-year-old Sandeep from Chandigarh, is in Manipur for Jungle warfare training, police said. He has been taken to Regional Institute of Medical Sciences here, the police said. The blast occurred a day after Chief of Army Staff General Dalbir Singh Suhag visited Manipur and instructed the personnel to carry out operations to capture insurgents responsible for gunning down six Assam Rifles personnel during an ambush on May 22 in Chandel district along Indo-Myanmar border. The area has been cordoned off and search operations are on in the vicinity, police said. No outfit has claimed responsibility for the blast. Rejecting reports that Islamists had a role in the killing of a Hindu businessman, Bangladesh police today said the pattern found in the recent brutal murders by militants was missing in the case. Debesh Chandra Pramanik, 68, a shoe store owner, was murdered inside his shop in Gaibandha of northwestern Gobindaganj Upazila. "We still do not have any reason to believe that Debesh Chandra Pramanik was killed by (Islamist) militants as it did not match the pattern which was seen in all the cases where they were involved," Gaibandha district police chief Ashraful Islam told PTI. He made the remarks when asked about reports stating that the hand of Islamist militants was being suspected in Pramanik's murder. Islam said the assailants used small knife-like sharp weapons in killing Pramanik while "militants preferred machetes in murdering their victims" earlier. "In all the cases of murder carried out by the suspected militants, the assailants appear on the crime scene on motorbikes, but no motorbike is used in this case," the police official said. Another senior officer in police's detective branch said, "Someone identifying them to be IS or al-Qaeda claim responsibility after every such murder by militants but no such claim has been made in Debesh's (murder) case." The victim's family claimed that some local drug addicts tried to extort money from Pramanik a few days ago and when he refused to pay, an argument broke out at the shop. Pramanik's son Debashish Chandra told reporters that his father could be a victim of the drug addicts. Immediately after the murder, police arrested a man named Nepen Chandra in connection with the murder acting on allegations of the victim's family members. Bangladesh recently has witnessed a wave of murders of liberal and secular activists, writers and minorities by suspected Islamist militants. A Muslim homoeopath doctor being their last victim last week in western Kushtia. The Islamic State reportedly claimed responsibilities of most of the murders but Bangladeshi authorities rejected the claims. "The home grown militants are repeatedly trying to prove their links with international outfits like IS or al Qaeda," a senior home ministry official had said after last week's murder. "Our investigations found no link of any international group to the incidents (clandestine attacks) in Bangladesh." A Buddhist monk, a atheist student, two gay rights activists, a liberal professor, a Hindu tailor and a sufi Muslim leader were the other victims of the deadly attacks since last month. On a day the Supreme Court allowed Italian marine Salvatore Girone, held in India on murder charges, to return to Italy, the government said it did not oppose it abiding by an international tribunal ruling. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup, however, said that Girone will remain under jurisdiction of the apex court. The Government conveyed its no objection to Italy's application for relaxation of Girone's bail condition, given the order by the UN arbitration tribunal which was binding on India under international law, he said. Girone is one of the two Italian marines accused of killing two fishermen off the Kerala coast in 2012. The other marine Massimiliano Latorre is already in Italy on health grounds and his stay there was recently extended by the apex court till September 30 this year. "In addition to supplementary bail conditions, suggested by Union of India, the Supreme Court has stipulated that Italy submit an undertaking assuring that Girone will return to India not only if required by the tribunal but also if required in the interim by the Supreme Court," Swarup said. The Supreme Court today relaxed the bail conditions of Girone and allowed him to go to his country till an International Arbitral Tribunal decides the jurisdictional issue between India and Italy. "As directed by the tribunal, Italy has also indicated the conditions for bail which may be imposed by the SC during Girone's stay in Italy duly recognising that he will remain under the authority of the Supreme Court of India during this period. "Given that the tribunal's order is binding on India under international law, India conveyed its no objection to Italy's application subject to certain additional bail conditions," said Swarup. Girone, who presently is in the custody of the apex court and residing in Italian embassy here, also sought a direction that Ministry of Home Affairs and the Foreigners Regional Registration Office be asked to provide him with the "necessary residential permit and exit visa". Italy today vowed to comply with the bail conditions set by India's Supreme Court for Salvatore Girone, one of the two Italian marines accused of killing two fishermen off Kerala coast in 2012, while allowing him to return home. The Supreme Court relaxed the bail conditions of Girone and allowed him to go to his country till an International Arbitral Tribunal decides the jurisdictional issue between India and Italy. The other marine Massimiliano Latorre is already in Italy on health grounds and his stay there was recently extended by the apex court till September 30 this year. "The (Italian) Foreign Ministry expresses satisfaction over today's decision of the Indian Supreme Court to immediately enforce The Hague Court of Arbitration's decision of 29 April, as recently requested by Italy," the ministry said in a statement. "In line with the decision of The Hague Court of Arbitration, Italy and India have cooperated during the last few weeks in order to define the terms and conditions of Girone's return and permanence in Italy while awaiting the conclusion of the arbitration proceeding on the Enrica Lexie case," the statement said. The Italian Foreign Ministry pledged to abide by the bail conditions. "While waiting to finally welcome home Salvatore Girone, the Government renews its commitment to comply with the terms and conditions established by the Supreme Court of India," it said. Italian Premier Matteo Renzi also expressed satisfaction with the Indian Supreme Court's decision. "We confirm our friendship with India, its people and its government," Renzi tweeted. "And we welcome marine Girone, who will be with us on June 2," he said. June 2 is Italy's Republic Day national holiday. Renzi, who is currently in Japan for the G7 summit, has spoken to Girone, Italian agency ANSA reported quoting sources. The marines, who were on board ship 'Enrica Lexie', are accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast on February 15, 2012. Italy and India have been making contrary claims over the right to prosecute the two Italian marines in the case. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has asked the state's academic and technical institutions to catch up with the emerging knowledge-sharing scenario globally by forging cooperative relationship with their counterparts around the world. "Unfortunately, Jammu and Kashmir's institutions are seen to be left out in the fast-changing academic scenario and it is time for them to pull alongside through exchange of ideas and knowledge," she said. "Jammu and Kashmir needs more interaction with the outside world as there are lot of misconceptions about this place which have to be removed so that our enterprising young boys and girls reap the benefits of globalisation and economic liberalisation that swept the world when our state was embroiled in an unfortunate situation which was not of our own making," Mehbooba said while inaugurating the International Conference on Nanotechnology for Better Living here yesterday. The 4-day conference is being organised jointly by National Institute of Technology (NIT), Srinagar and IIT Kanpur. She said, "We have to connect to the larger world outside through physical connectivity, economic connectivity and knowledge connectivity to explore the full potential and capabilities of our youth." Around 500 scientists and academicians from within and outside the country are attending the conference and will be presenting papers on how best to use the nanotechnology for the betterment of the humankind, she said. "I have always felt that institutions best leverage their strengths for larger collective good when they choose to synergise and collaborate their ideas and knowledge," the Chief Minister said, adding that the institutions in this day and age are constantly identifying the areas where they can mutually reinforce their cutting edge advancements with other institutes and in the process enhance their core competence. Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Kashmir, Mehraj-ud-Din, Vice-Chancellor, University of Kashmir, Khurshid Andrabi, Chairman, Board of Governors of NIT Srinagar, M J Zarabi, Director, IIT Kanpur, I Manna, NIT Srinagar Director Rajat Gupta, Chairman of ICNBL Kamal K Kar and scientist K L Chopra addressed the inaugural session. Actor James Urbaniak is the newest addition to the cast of JD Salinger biopic "Rebel in the Rye". To be directed by Danny Strong the film also stars Nicholas Hoult, reported Variety. Urbaniak, 52, will play Gus Lobrano, who was the real-life fiction editor of the New Yorker during the Salinger's most productive years in the late '40s through the '50s. The movie is based on Kenneth Slawenski's biography, "J.D. Salinger: A Life," which Strong adapted. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today lauded her West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee for winning a second term in that state, saying it was an "achievement to be celebrated." "Your remarkable victory for a second consecutive term is indeed an achievement to be celebrated," she told Banerjee. In a letter to the TMC supremo, Jayalalithaa also thanked Banerjee for inviting her for the May 27 swearing-in ceremony as Chief Minister of West Bengal but said she cannot attend it though she "would have liked to." "Though I would have liked to attend the ceremony and wish you all the best in person, I am unable to do so, due to pressing official commitments," she said. "I convey my warm greetings to you and wish you and your team greater laurels as you propel the state on the path of development," Jayalalithaa said. Designing and selling handmade jewellery fashioned from tiny beads of the semi precious lapis lazuli stone has helped Khala Zada, a widow from Afghanistan, support her family of eight for the last 17 years. In her fifties, Zada, who first learnt the art of bead making from a neighbour and now runs a small-scale business in downtown Kabul, is here to participate in a showcase featuring a collection of the intense blue semi precious stone jewellery at the Amrapali store in the city. The showcased collection celebrates a partnership between Amrapali and Afghanistan's Aayenda Jewellery Cooperative whose members comprise local Afghan craftswomen. "I was engaged in carpet making from my childhood along with other household works. Now I dedicate 10 hours of the day for bead-making and the remaining for my house. I am not the only one doing such things. Almost all the women in my village are doing something or the other to support their families and contributing to the household income," Zada said. Not fluent in either Hindi or English she spoke with the help of a translator. In 2013, Zada along with 35 other artisans recieved training in jewellery design, craftsmanship, gem-cutting and business management skills at the Institute of Gems and Jewellery in Jaipur. The 6-month long skill enhancement training programme, organised by a non governmental organisation Future Brilliance also imparted training on the use of social media, m-commerce and basic IT skills to enable research, development and selling of products online with work placements at Amrapali. Zada says, it took her two months to convince her sons to allow her to travel to Jaipur but now she uses the skills learnt to train others back in her country Afghanistan, which is home to the world's oldest lapis lazuli mines, some of which date back 7,000 years. "She was different from other students, as after designing the jewelry she used to walk out of the institute and look for buyers for her work," Sophie Swire, Executive Chairman, of Future Brilliance, who is part of a visting delegation from Kabul said. Zada, who is unable to read and write, practices a 3000-year old tradition of handcarving micro sized lapis beads, using diamond tipped needles and pomegranate twigs. She sources 'waste' lapis stones from a local jeweller and uses that to fashion beads that are used in bracelets and other jewellery. "My training in India has been very memorable and have made some very good friends with women here. Neither I nor my girls (she has three girls and five boys) could get an education. I want to pass on my training to my countrywomen so that they are capable of earning a livelihood," she says. Zada, who lost her husband who fought against Taliban said most women in Afghanistha were engaged in eking out a livelihood since they had lost their husbands or other male members in conflicts. "Some are involved in bead-making, some are involved in carpet making, some in making cloth out of silk and many other. The ladies of my villages are supporting their families and contributing to the income along with taking the responsibility of household works," she said. Suman Khanna, who heads Delhi operations of Amrapali said, "After being trained here, Zada, has been able to teach 360 women and many of them are supporting their families with this skill. So in this way our results are multiplied. It was a great opportunity for us to be able to do something away from commercial, to be able to do something for women." Meanwhile, the NGO Future Brilliance's jewelery line Aayenda, that means 'future' in the Dari language is a collaboration between three international designers --Paul Spurgeon, Anna Ruth Henriques and Annie Fenstustock and the 36 Afghan artisans. It is now an acclaimed fair-trade brand, selling at 40 leading retailers internationally, including Donna Karan's iconic store in New York besides being a popular among the cognoscenti from Los Angeles to Ibiza. The jewellery also appeared on the front cover of Cosmopolitan magazine globally this April sported by supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio. Before the exhibition in Delhi, Amrapali also assisted Aayenda Jewellery to showcase its collection at an event in New York. A Delhi court today sought status report from police on the probe in a sedition case against JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar and others for deciding the maintainability of AAP government's separate plea seeking action against some media houses. The court's direction came while hearing a complaint filed by Delhi government seeking prosecution of three channels for allegedly showing "doctored" videos related to a controversial event held inside JNU campus on February 9 where anti-India slogans were allegedly raised. The court also refused stay the proceedings in the matter on an application filed by the editor-in-chief of a channel. It had sought the stay on proceedings of Delhi government's present complaint, claiming that the same video is the "subject matter" in the main FIR lodged on February 11 in the JNU protest at Vasant Kunj North police station as well. It claimed that the Delhi police is already probing the matter and it will decide whether the video was doctored and, therefore, the current complaint filed by the Delhi government should be stayed. However, senior advocate Hariharan, appearing for Delhi government, told the court that the subject matter in this matter is entirely different from the one in the main FIR registered in the sedition case. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Sumit Dass refused to stay the proceedings in the present complaint and fixed the matter for further hearing on July 12. "I am not staying the proceedings as much as I am calling a status report from Delhi Police Special Cell," the CMM said. The court had earlier fixed the matter for today for consideration of Delhi government's complaint in which it was said the channels reported about clash between students groups at JNU and showed footage of the incident which happened at the university campus on February 9. The court is yet to pass any order on the government's complaint. The government's counsel had said the video was inaudible so the channels had showed a bubble on the screen with an alleged text "Pakistan Zindabad" and the the anchor/reporter suggested that such anti-national slogans were being shouted by the JNU students which would not be tolerated by the country. Actors John Hawkes, Anthony Anderson and Robert Forster are set to star in "Small Town Crime. Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer is also on board for the gritty thriller, said The Hollywood Reporter. The project is written and directed by brothers Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms. The movie revolves around an alcoholic ex-cop (Hawkes), who finds the body of a young woman and, through an act of self-redemption, becomes hell-bent on finding the killer but unwittingly puts his family in danger and gets caught up with several dark characters along the way. Spencer plays Hawkes' character's sister, Anderson plays her husband, while Forster is the missing girl's grandfather. Launching a scathing attack on the Modi government on completion of its two years in office, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal today alleged that the Prime Minister is yet to deliver on his promises of corruption-free governance, education for dalits and associating chief ministers in the states with vision of 'Team India'. In a series of tweets, the Delhi CM alleged that in the last two years, minorities, students and dalits have been tragetted while traders, jewellers, businessmen were disappointed and angry with the Centre. He said, like his predecessor Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister is "silent" on various issues which include alleged Vyapam scam, Vijay Mallya case and "Laligate". "2 years ago u promised corruption-free governance but are silent (like Manmohan ji) on Vyapam, Lalitgate, mallya, khadse, (sic)" Kejriwal tweeted. In another tweet, he said two years ago, the Prime Minister had promised that "Team India" will not be limited to PM but include Chief Ministers, but he is "conspiring to destabilise CMs". "2 years ago, you (PM) promised education for Dalits but remained silent on Rohith Vemula's institutional murder...2 years ago, you promised new courts & doubling number of judges but even tears of the CJI haven't made you act. "2 years ago u promised farmers minimum profit of 50% over input cost but despite thousands of suicides u refuse to act,(sic)" CM wrote on Twitter. He also alleged the Centre allowed liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who is facing investigation for defaulting on Rs 9,000 crore worth bank loans, to flee the country. "2 years ago u promised to reduce Non Performing Assets of Banks but allowed defaulter Vijay Mallya to flee from India, (sic)" he tweeted. "Dear PM sir, everyone feeling insecure. Even senior women journos facing filthiest abuses n serious threats by those who u follow,(sic)" Kejriwal also wrote on Twitter. Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan today demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi order a probe by central investigative agencies into allegations that Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse received calls from mob boss Dawood Ibrahim's house in Pakistan. "I think it is for the Prime Minister - because he (Khadse) is a very senior minister of BJP, and the Home Minister (Rajnath Singh) to investigate through whatever agencies they want to use - RAW, IB or telecom department and come to the truth of the matter," he told reporters here. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had yesterday directed the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) to probe the charge against Khadse, after AAP Spokesperson Preeti Sharma Menon levelled allegations against Khadse last week. Menon had alleged, citing the call records obtained from a Pakistani telecom company by an Ahmedabad-based hacker, that calls were made from Dawood's house in Karachi to a mobile number registered in Khadse's name. Chavan said the Maharashtra government should assist the central government in investigating the police and call records to go to the bottom of the matter. "Whatever, the truth, the central government should go to the bottom of it. The matter not only concerns Maharashtra government. It should assist the central government investigation of the police record and telephone records," he said. However, Khadse had claimed he had documents to prove that his mobile phone was hacked to show as if calls were made, and added that he would hand over all the evidence in this regard to the investigating agencies. The family of a 22-year-old girl from Arunachal Pradesh, who was allegedly murdered in neighbouring Raigad district last month, today demanded a CBI probe claiming local police are trying to hush up the case. The girl, who was working at Siddhi Engineering in Mahad town, was found dead under mysterious circumstances on April 26. Her family members have alleged the she was murdered by the owner of the firm after she came to know about their "anti-social dealings". Addressing a press conference here, the victim's sister alleged that police are trying to protect the accused. "It has been over a month since the incident took place, but the police are yet to find the murder weapon or victim's mobile phone. I feel that enquiry officer is also involved in the planning of murder," she claimed. She alleged that the police are trying to pass off the case as that of suicide. "Thus, I demand that the case should be handed over to to CBI or Special Investigation Team," she said. She said she had written a letter to Maharashtra Governor, state Home Minister besides other officers, seeking their intervention into the matter. She claimed in the letter that the FIR was registered 10 days after her sister's murder and that too after the intervention of Union Home Ministry. Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju recently said he was in constant touch with the Maharashtra government, particularly the DGP and SP of Raigad district, for the investigation into the murder case. She also alleged that her sister had told their family friend "about the unscrupulous activities like carrying certain white powder, giving indications of dealing in narcotics (trade). And unearthing of this appears to be the reason for her murder". She also claimed that there were indications that the victim was forced to have sexual relationship with the accused. Unfortunately, the FIR has neither included offence under section 376 (punishment for rape) or offence under NDPS Act 1989, she alleged. When contacted, Raigad SP Suvez Haque told PTI that accused has been booked under relevant sections of IPC. "We have sent the sample (viscera) to JJ Hospital for examination by best forensic experts and are awaiting report," he said, adding that entire scene of crime has been videographed. On allegations raised by the victim's sister against police, the officer said, "In the democratic set up, everyone has the right to raise their voice. As far as police are concerned, we are taking best possible established route of investigation". Government today said Sri Lankan Navy is undertaking construction of a new church adjacent to an ancient church at Katchatheevu, amid apprehension in Tamil Nadu that over a century-old shrine will be demolished. "The Sri Lankan Navy is undertaking construction of a new church in response to request made by the bishop of Jaffna to the commander of the Sri Lanka Navy. "It has been reported that the existing church will be retained unchanged and the second shrine is proposed to be constructed approximately 100 metres away from the present shrine," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said replying to a question. He said the Sri Lankan navy has also dismissed media reports that it was planning a naval facility at Katchatheevu. The ancient church in Sri Lanka is visited by thousands of people from Tamil Nadu during the Katchatheevu festival. Earlier this month, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention following reports that the ancient church will be demolished to construct a new one. She had said the "unilateral" decision by Sri Lanka has created fears among Indian fishermen from the state that it could curtail their traditional and customary access to St Antony's church in Katchatheevu. The Left Front today threatened to stage a protest in New Delhi if "violence" by the Trinamool Congress against its workers across West Bengal did not stop. "Along with West Bengal, three other states and one Union territory, went to the poll, but nowhere apart from this state, post-poll violence has been reported," Left Front chairman Biman Bose said. Besides the protest march in the national capital, rallies would be held in the districts in the state where party offices were being targeted, Bose said, adding in some cases, houses of their supporters had also been burnt down. He alleged that activists of the Trinamool Congress were spreading "terror" against the opposition in Kolkata and in the districts. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today accused Lt Governor Najeeb Jung of delaying Delhi government's proposal to give priority to regularise the jobs of 17,000 guest teachers working in government schools. Sisodia, who also holds education portfolio, said that the proposal is pending with the LG office since January but the Lt Governor is yet to give his nod. The Deputy CM has written to Jung requesting him to give approval to government's proposal so that 17,000 guest teachers can be ensured permanent jobs for them. He has also written to Opposition leader of Delhi Assembly, Vijendra Gupta, to take up the issue with the Centre and request it to ask LG to give his nod to this proposal. The proposal is a part of AAP government's decision to make the jobs of all contractual employees, who are working with its different departments, permanent. "I want to ask why the Lt Governor is not giving his nod to this proposal. I have personally requested him several times to do the same but still it is pending with his office. "LG had made some suggestions which we have incorporated in our proposal. He had objected to give weightage to guest teachers' experience. If we remove this weightage point, how will these guest teachers get opportunity in getting their jobs permanent?" Sisodia told reporters here. As per proposal, guest teachers will be given priority while applying for permanent jobs. They will be given priority on the basis of their experience, exams and age. Since AAP has come to power, the Arvind Kejriwal government and the LG have been at loggerheads on a range of issues including transfer and postings of officers and formation of Commission of Inquiry. Two days ago, Jung had sought a file pertaining to app-based Premium Scheme to be rolled out from June 1 even as the transport department of government had notified it earlier. Slamming the BJP for making "false" election promises and playing "divisive politics" to hide its "inefficiencies", Congress leader Sachin Pilot today advised the ruling party to either listen to the views of its allies or chuck them out of the government. "When allies like Shiv Sena are questioning the policies of the BJP-led government, the party needs to seriously introspect rather than celebrate its two years in power by spending crores of rupees," Pilot said here, speaking to the media. "The party needs to start listening to its allies and the Opposition. But if you don't want to listen to your allies like the Sena which constantly criticises your policies, chuck them out of your government. Sena is also power-hungry. It takes moral ground on issues but wants to stick with the government," he said. The former Union Minister claimed that since BJP came to power, GDP had dwindled to five per cent and it provided only 1,37,000 jobs against the two crore per year it had promised. Exports were falling with every passing month, he said, adding that though the prices of crude oil plummeted 75 per cent in the last two years, the NDA Government mopped up Rs 1 lakh crore by increasing the excise duty on petrol and diesel instead of slashing the fuel prices. "During the UPA regime, there were 766 stalled projects worth Rs 9 lakh crore; now there are 893 stalled projects with investment of Rs 11.36 lakh crore," Pilot said. "Modi said 'na khaunga na khane dunga.' But why is he keeping mum on the illegal mine allocation on one lakh beega zameen in Rajasthan? Also, 50 people have died in the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh. If Virbhadra Singh could be summoned again and again by the CBI, they could at least summon (Chief Minister) Shivraj Singh Chouhan once," he said. They are unable to fulfil promises, therefore they are resorting to "divisive politics" and "spoiling" the atmosphere in the country to hide "inefficiency", Pilot said. Amidst squabbling in Kerala Congress over the severe drubbing it received in the state assembly polls, a meeting of newly-elected MLAs would be held here on May 29, apparently to choose the parliamentary party leader who will be the leader of opposition in the assembly. KPCC President V M Sudheeran said Congress leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit would participate in the meeting as a high command representative. AICC General Secretary Mukul Wasnik and Secretary Deepak Babaria also would attend the crucial meeting, Sudheeran said in a statement here today. The meeting assumes significance in the wake of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy expressing reservation in taking over as opposition leader after the UDF's defeat in the polls. Besides, Congress workers loyal to former KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala had demanded the post for their leader. Congress leaders Chandy, Sudheeran and Chennithala, who led the high-profile campaign, have come under fire from a section of Congress workers. A meeting of UDF liaison committee in its preliminary poll analysis had held that the Front failed to understand the magnitude of the threat posed by NDA in the wake of BJP's growth in the state. CPI(M) successfully led to communal polarisation and made an impression that they were the real protectors of minorities in the state that led to shifting of minority votes to LDF, it was pointed out. KPCC is slated to meet here on June 4 an 5 to evaluate in detail the electoral result. UDF could secure only 47 seats in the polls in which Congress could win only 22 seats out of the 87 it contested. The second largest partner Indian Union Muslim League won 18 while Kerala Congress (M) six seats and Kerala Congress (J) won one. Its other two minor partners RSP and JD(U) failed to get even a single seat this time. A teenager, who had allegedly run over a 32-year-old marketing executive while driving his father's Mercedes, was today chargesheeted by the Delhi Police in the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) for the offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The Presiding Officer of JJB has kept the charge sheet and the application for consideration on June 2. The offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder entails a maximum of 10 years jail. Initially, a case under IPC sections 304 A (causing death by rash or negligent act) was lodged against the boy but later on he was booked for the alleged offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and he was sent to the reform home. The police also filed an application for transferring the case to the trial court to try as adult the boy who turned major just four days after the incident. Special Public Prosecutor Atul Shrivastava said the boy belongs to the age group of 16-18 years and this offence comes under the definition of "henious crimes" so his trial will be transferred to the trial court. The police said in its charge sheet that the boy had run over marketing executive Siddharth Sharma with his father's Mercedes when Sharma was trying to cross a road near Ludlow Castle School in north Delhi on April 4. The final report was filed for alleged offences under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 279 (driving on a public way so rashly or negligently as to endanger human life) and 337 (causing hurt by an act which endangers human life) against him. The police has also annexed the statements of witnesses including that of the youth's friends supporting its case. The Board had on April 26 granted bail to the youth who sought the relief to appear in entrance examinations. (Reopen LGD20) The police said that the car was being driven at a speed of at least 80km per hour and Sharma was flung several feet into the air by the impact of the crash and landed around 15 metres away from where he stood. After the incident, a group of youths stepped out of the vehicle and fled from the spot abandoning the car there, it said. It said the youth was penalized four times for violating traffic rules relating to over-speeding, not wearing seat belt and involvement in a minor traffic accident at Maurice Nagar in north Delhi. The police had earlier arrested a man who claimed to be the actual driver of the Mercedes at the time of the incident but he did a volte-face after he got to know the victim was dead. The driver and the boy's father, who was also arrested earlier, were granted bail by the court. The youth had appeared before a Delhi court to surrender and moved a bail plea which was rejected on the ground that it was a matter of JJB. He was then produced before the board. MLAs in Jammu and Kashmir will now receive information about business to be conducted in the Assembly through email and SMS -- a move aimed at ensuring they are updated on a daily basis. The step undertaken by the state Assembly and its IT wing would go a long way in ensuring smooth functioning of the budget session, an official spokesperson said today. The Assembly Secretariat would also provide all the requisite information on its website, he said. Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta, has commended the Assembly's IT wing for the initiative, he said. On the second anniversary of the NDA government at the Centre, Congress today alleged the Narendra Modi dispensation has failed on all fronts, including Job creation and reviving the economy. The Opposition party also accused the BJP government of trying to change the "secular core" of the country and creating an atmosphere of intolerance by raising issues like 'ghar wapsi' and 'love jihad'. Taking a dig at BJP's 2014 Lok Sabha polls slogan "abki bar Modi Sarkar", Congress, during a press conference, showed advertisements based on the theme "abki bar barbad ho gaye". "On this day two years back, they invited (Pakistan Prime Minister) Nawaz Sharif to New Delhi, but so far the government is not clear on its Pakistan policy. They have failed on foreign policy front," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari alleged. "The economy is in doldrums as all the figures indicate a decline. They changed the base year to calculate GDP, to show over seven per cent of growth. But in reality, all the sectors of economy are in doldrums," Tewari said. "There is a requirement to create over one crore jobs every year. But this government has miserably failed in job creation too," the Congress leader said. Terming the BJP-PDP combine in Jammu and Kashmir as "unnatural alliance of opportunism", he said "it will have varied security implications for the nation". "When you talk of internal security...Punjab was peaceful from 1995 to 2016. But under this government, the state reported two big terrorist attacks -- one in Gurdaspur and another in Pathankot. The unnatural alliance of opportunism of BJP and PDP in Jammu and Kashmir will also have varied security implications for the nation," Tewari said. The Modi government promised tough action and zero tolerance against terrorism but terrorists attacks and Maoist violence continue unabated, he alleged. "They have created an atmosphere of intolerance in the nation by raising issues like 'love jihad', 'ghar wapsi' or those related to food habits. After that, many people returned awards given by the government. "They tried to restrain open thinking by raising issues like chanting of 'Bharat mata ki jai' and Jawaharlal Nehru University's image was blackened by a fake video," Tewari alleged. "Modi and his government tried to create a communal wedge in India on religious lines. I don't think this is the work of fringe elements. This is a strategy of the government and organisations related to it. This is an attempt to polarise the country," Tewari alleged. He also accused the BJP government of "destabilising" the Uttarakhand government. Answering queries on charges of scams, including AgustaWestland bribery issue, against the Congress leadership, Tewari said no court has said anything against the party and added "many state governments of BJP are also embroiled in scams". On Congress facing defeat in various state assembly elections in the last two years, he said it was due to "local factors". Tewari said the party has a sizeable presence in all parts of the country and people who are thinking of a 'Congress-mukt Bharat' (Congress-free India) are just "day-dreaming". Senior Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam today alleged that the Narendra Modi government is engaged only in "publicity" instead of delivering on the ground what he had promised two years ago and has failed on all fronts. "Modi government has been a complete failure on all fronts in its first two years, the period which is enough to evaluate the performance of any government," Mumbai Pradesh Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam told reporters here. It did not deliver on its promises, failed to give direction to its policies in two years of regime and engaged in intense publicity alone in these two years, he said. "Around Rs 1,000 crore was spent on today's advertisements published in various newspapers alone," said Nirupam who was accompanied by Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee chief and Education Minister Ashok Choudhary. "Those who know Modi's functioning in Gujarat also know that he cannot survive in power for long without polarising people on communal lines and he is still in power at the Centre due to polarisation on communal lines," he added. The senior Congress leader asked Modi what happened to his promises of bringing back black money from abroad, giving employment to two crore people, containing price rise, giving farmers cost of production plus 50 per cent etc. Stating that the Centre's growth figure is a fudged one, he said the actual GDP growth rate hovers between 5 to 5.5 per cent. Industrial and farm growth have been 0.1 per cent and 2 per cent respectively in past 17 months which is abysmally low, Nirupam said. "Foodgrain production, which was 263 million tonnes in 2013-14 during UPA regime, declined to 250 million tonnes during NDA regime," he said. The Centre has failed to check increasing price especially of pulses, he added. Talking about 'Adarsh Sansad Gram Yojana', he asked Modi as to what happened to Jayapur village which he (Modi) had adopted under the scheme besides agreement signed with Japan for Varanasi's development. Nirupam alleged that the Modi government changed the names of 18 schemes that were launched during UPA regime. Narendra Modi-led NDA Government, which has completed two years in power, had betrayed the farmers in the country, former Maharashtra Social Justice Minister Shivajirao Moghe said here today. "Just before the Lok Sabha elections, Modi had visited the village Dabhadi in Arni tehsil of Yavatmal district where he addressed the farmers....The farmers believed his tall promises and voted him to power," the Congress leader said. "But he could not do anything for the farmers in the last two years," Moghe said. He sought to know what steps Modi took to fulfil his promise of raising the minimum support price of agricultural produce. "Acche din" remained only a dream, he added. The NDA Government and the state Government also could not improve the situation with regard to supply of quality seeds and fertilisers at reasonable price, he alleged. Prices of fuel were not slashed despite the international crude prices coming down, in fact the prices of petrol and diesel were increased by the Government, he pointed out. The farmers' suicides too had not stopped, the Congress leader said. Modi addressed 42 rallies in Maharashtra during the Lok Sabha elections, but he didn't visit the drought-hit areas of the state even once afterwards, he said. Congress leader Rajeev Shukla today dubbed the two years of the Narendra Modi government "disastrous", saying despite its slogan of zero tolerance to corruption "scams" have hit many BJP-ruled states. "The Modi government (has) failed on all fronts, its performance has been disastrous. Half of its tenure is up, because in the fifth year, it's countdown for polls.., and in these two years they have nothing to show," Shukla told mediapersons here. He said what is there to celebrate for the government when it has "failed" to fulfill promises like bringing back black money, giving jobs, improving lives of various sections of society, including farmers, and improving the economy. "Things have worsened during their rule," Shukla alleged. He said that during Congress' rule crude prices hovered around $115 per barrel, which are now at around $ 40 per barrel. "While the government is filling its coffers, benefits are not being passed on to the consumers. At current crude prices, the price of petrol should have been Rs 31.99 per litre and diesel at Rs 25.40 per litre," he said. Shukla said BJP promised to give employment to two crore people, but only 1.34 lakh youths have got jobs during two years. On agrarian crisis, he said 3,000 farmers have committed suicide. "They also misled the farmers and promised so many things to them including implementing the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission report," he stated. Shukla said drought-situation is prevailing in several parts of the country including in Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh but the government "is in deep slumber". Targeting BJP on corruption, Shukla said, "BJP only tries to boast of zero tolerance to corruption whereas the truth is there have been scams in many BJP-ruled states like Vyapam in MP, Chattisgarh's PDS scam, mining scam in Rajasthan, Gujarat petroleum scam". "But the Prime Minister silent on the issue. He won't say a word about these scams. His strategy is to just remain silent. The media will talk about it for a few days and then people will forget," he said. Shukla claimed that during the last two years, an amount of Rs 565 crore had been spent on PM's foreign trips, "which perhaps will be even more than United States President Obama's foreign trips expenditure during in the same period". The Congress leader took a dig at the Modi government over its foreign policy, saying India's relation with neighbours like Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam have not been that good while Pakistan is showing its "true colour" by the day. Shukla also said that when BJP was in Opposition, it used to find flaws with many schemes brought by the previous UPA government, but when they came to power they not only copied these schemes, but went a step ahead to claim credit for these as well. "During our time it was direct cash transfer, they made it Jandhan Yojana, they opposed insurance reforms but after coming to power they changed colours, FDI in retail they opposed but later on they found no problem wit it," he said. He said the government was earning hundreds of crores of rupees in the form of Swachh Bharat cess, "but do we see any change on the ground? They must tell the people where they are spending this money." Meanwhile, asked about the recent Assembly poll results in four states and a Union Territory, Shukla sought to question what was making BJP jump in joy. "Congress had fought 319 seats and won 132 as against 605 fought by BJP out of which they won 61 seats," he pointed out. Congress spokesperson and MP M V Rajeev Gowda today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should answer the questions raised by the party on the Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) issue. "Narendra Modi, the then Gujarat Chief Minister, used to say that GSPC has discovered the largest gas reserve in KG Basin...There is no gas and oil...And what has happened is Rs 20,000 crore of government money has gone....We are now aggressively pursuing the scandal," Gowda claimed here. "The prospect of finding gas was scaled down dramatically over the years, but at the same time more and more money was spent. Ultimately, now banks are left holding the burden of these loans to GSPC," he said, adding that CAG report had shown there had been "massive mis-allocation" of government resources. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had said the issue pertained to a state government and can not be discussed in Parliament, "but there is a major scandal and when the man (Modi) who was the chief minister is now in Parliament...He has to answer about what happened," Gowda said. "Mantri Pradhan (Dharmendra Pradhan) cannot answer the big questions we have on the GSPC scam and answers will have to come from Pradhan Mantri (Narendra Modi)," he said. "We are going after this and once the details come out the Prime Minister will have a lot of questions to answer," Gowda claimed. On the completion of two years by the Modi government today, Gowda said, "People voted for Narendra Modi and BJP falling for all kinds of promises they had made about better governance, rapid economic growth, development. But the two years that we have lived through have been dull and dismal and people have been left wondering what happened to those glorious speeches and glorious promises and why has Modi Sarkar not been able to deliver. Three new pieces of debris have been found in Mauritius and in Mozambique that could be linked to missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, Australia's transport minister said today. The fate of the passenger jet, which is presumed to have crashed at sea after disappearing en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew on board in March 2014, remains a mystery. Five other fragments have previously been found and identified as definitely or probably from the Boeing 777. All of them were discovered thousands of kilometres from the current underwater search zone far off Western Australia's coast, where three ships carrying sophisticated equipment are scouring the sea floor for traces of the plane. Transport Minister Darren Chester said two of the new pieces were found in Mauritius, with the other in Mozambique and were "of interest in connection to the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370". "The Malaysian government is yet to take custody of the items, however as with previous items, Malaysian officials are arranging collection and it is expected the items will be brought to Australia for examination. These items of debris are of interest and will be examined by experts," Chester said in a statement. No other details were given. The first concrete evidence that MH370 might have met a tragic end was when a two-metre-long wing part known as a flaperon washed up on a beach on the French overseas territory of La Reunion in July last year. Australian authorities then said in March that two pieces of debris found in Mozambique -- a flat grey fragment with the words "No Step" printed on one side, found on a sandbank, and a metre-long piece of metal picked up by a holidaymaker -- were "almost certainly from MH370". In mid-May, the government agency leading the search for MH370, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), said two fragments that washed up on beaches in South Africa and Mauritius in March were also likely to have come from the jet. One part, which came ashore at Mossel Bay in South Africa, was an aircraft engine cowling, identified from a partial Rolls Royce stencil. The other, which was found on Rodrigues island in Mauritius, was a decorative laminate from a "work table" in the main cabin. Australia is leading the hunt for MH370 in the remote Indian Ocean, with more than 105,000 square kilometres of the designated 120,000 square kilometre search zone examined so far without success. If nothing turns up once the area is fully scoured, the search is likely to be abandoned, Australia, Malaysia and China - the countries that most of the passengers came from - have jointly said. In the wake of frequent disruptions on the Central line of city's suburban trains, activists of railways-appointed committees today conveyed their concerns to senior Central Railway (CR) officials. The activists, belonging to Zonal Railway Users Consultative Committee (ZRUCC), Suburban Rail Passengers Federation among others, apprised Central Railway (CR) General Manager S K Sood with the hardship faced by commuters during disruption of train services on the Central line. Yesterday, a technical glitch on the Central line during the evening peak hours brought the suburban and mail trains operation to a grinding halt, inconveniencing lakhs of passengers. The travails of passengers who were stranded in the stuck trains, besides those who had to walk on the tracks, were also conveyed by the representatives to Sood. President of Yatri Sangh Mumbai and member of railways-appointed Zonal Railway Users Consultative Committee (ZRUCC) Subhash Gupta said, "We apprised the authorities about the various problems ailing the CR. We strongly condemn the preparedness of CR to deal with yesterday's incident." Gupta lamented the "lack of disaster management" by the CR officials and that no information was shared by the senior officials with the public, when it was needed. Lata Argade, Suburban Rail Passengers Federation vice president, said, "Our meeting with the CR GM lasted for about half an hour. We apprised him about the worsening environment for the women passengers." Chitra Wagh, activist and leader from women's cell of NCP, also attended the meeting. As completes two years as Prime Minister, he remains the second most-liked world leader on Facebook, the social media giant said Thursday. The list of most-liked world leaders on Facebook released by the social network shows that Modi is second only to US President Barack Obama and is followed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Modi's Facebook post on May 15 with his mother at his official residence at Delhi's Race Course Road remains on top with 1.6 million likes, 1.2 lakh shares and 34,000 comments. "My mother returns to Gujarat. Spent quality time with her after a long time & that too on her 1st visit to RCR," he had written in the post which was accompanied by three photographs of the mother-son duo. The Prime Minister's colleagues are also not far behind in making their presence felt in the virtual world. Out of a total of 50 cabinet ministers along with ministers with independent charge, 47 of them have verified Facebook presence. During the last one year, the top performing ministers on Facebook include Home Minister Rajnath Singh, HRD minister Smriti Zubin Irani, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Food processing minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal. The Facebook report says Modi makes an average of 2.8 posts per day. His other top posts include the one where he changed his profile picture in support of the efforts towards a Digital India. The prime minister paying homage to former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam is his third most popular post, according to Facebook. Among the top three government initiatives popular on the social media site include 'Make In India', 'Digital India' and 'Skill India'. Mounting a sharp attack on the Narendra as it completes two years in office, Congress leader K H Muniyappa today said NDA had failed in key areas like economy, agriculture and foreign policy issues. The former union minister Muniyappa said the "only achievement" of the Union government was that of changing the names of UPA era schemes. "The economy has totally gone down. Agriculture has gone down. People are suffering to get drinking water and this government is an utter failure," he said. Addressing reporters as part of the Congress' strategy of holding around 50 press conferences across the country to highlight the failures of the two year-old Modi government, Muniyappa took a swipe at the Prime Minister's foreign visits and alleged that he had no time for the people of the country. "The Prime Minister is not in a position to sit in the country and see the problems. He always flies out," he said. Muniyappa, MP from Kolar in Karnataka, said BJP had not kept its word on job-creation, even as he charged the central government with "failing to prevent farmer suicides." He alleged the GDP had gone down and economic growth had slowed and expressed confidence that the UPA will return to power in 2019 after mobilising secular forces. He recalled various pro-farmer measures of UPA like waiver of farm loans to the tune of Rs 72,000 crore, while claiming beneficiaries under MNREGA had come down after NDA came to power in 2014. A handout issued by the TNCC claimed the had not performed well in foreign policy, saying "flip-flops" in the Pathankot probe had given Pakistan the advantage. Nine Sherpa 'icefall doctors', who risked their lives to fix ropes on the Mount Everest after last year's devastating earthquakes, will be honoured by Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on May 29 which is being celebrated as the 9th International Everest Day. The Sherpas will be given a cash award of Rs 50,000 each along with certificates of appreciation by the Prime Minister, said Ang Tshering Sherpa, president of Nepal Mouintaineering Association (NMA). "Had they not fixed the ropes before this climbing season, scaling the Everest after last year's devastating earthquake would not have been possible," he said. "They staked their lives to fix the ropes working hard day and night," he added. 'Icefall doctors' build bridges using aluminum ladders to cross deep crevasses and set ropes for mountaineers to clip their harnesses into over dangerous sections. The nine Sherpas were the first persons to climb the world's highest peak on May 11, after a gap of two years. "It was a very difficult task as the ropes had to be fixed from the base camp to the 8,848-metre summit risking their lives," he said. There were altogether 150 people involved in fixing the routes from the Base camp at an altitude of 5,970 metres to the peak situated at 8,848 metres. However, only nine of them had reached above 8,000-metre altitude. "The diameter of the rope is 9 mm and it is very weighty to carry above 8,000 metre, which was a very arduous task," he said. Expeditions were halted since 2014, when 16 Sherpa guides were killed in an avalanche near the base camp of the Everest. In 2015, 18 climbers died while attempting to scale the Everest as they were swept away by a powerful avalanche triggered by the great earthquake. The route between Everest's Base Camp, across the notorious Khumbu icefall, to the peak was also damaged. The Khumbu region situated just above the base camp is a steep section of a glacier shaped like a frozen waterfall and is one of the most dangerous portions of a route, which is followed by a majority of mountaineers, to ascend the Everest peak. The fixing of the rope by the sherpas on May 11 has paved way for climbing the Everest and this season, around 450 people have reached the top of the peak within three weeks' period. A procession will be taken around Kathmandu on May 29 to mark the Everest Day. Nepalese Tenzing Norgay and New Zealand's Edmund Hillary had climbed the Everest on May 29, 1953, as the first humans to achieve the feat and three years ago, Nepal celebrated the diamond jubilee of the first human ascent to the Everest. Though May 29 will be the 63rd anniversary of the first human ascent to the Everest, Nepal decided to observe the day as International Everest Day since 2008, when the legendary climber Hillary passed away. Taiwan has said President Tsai Ing-wen will visit allies Panama and Paraguay next month on her first overseas trip since taking office, amid speculation over possible moves by China to tighten its diplomatic noose around the self-governing island. Tsai's trip will likely include the usual stop-overs in the US, although arrangements are still being made, Foreign Minister David Lee told legislators in the capital Taipei. Lee said Tsai would attend the formal opening the expanded Panama Canal next month, an event to which Beijing is also expected to send a representative. China has formal diplomatic relations with just 22 nations as a result of China's efforts to isolate the island it claims as its own territory. Most allies are in Central America, the Caribbean, Africa and the South Pacific. Some observers expect China to further reduce Taiwan's diplomatic breathing space in order to put pressure on Tsai, who since her inauguration last week has refused to explicitly endorse Beijing's stance that Taiwan is part of China and whose Democratic Progressive Party advocates the island's formal independence. A renewed effort to win away Taiwan's remaining allies would be a key indication that China plans to get tough on her administration. China in March established formal diplomatic ties with the small African nation of Gambia, which had severed relations with Taiwan in 2013, in what was seen as a move toward abandoning the unspoken diplomatic truce between the sides that lasted for eight years under Tsai's China- friendly predecessor. However, China has made no move to block Taiwan's participation in this week's World Health Assembly in Geneva, run by the United Nations, from which Taiwan is excluded. Taiwan's health minister delivered a letter of protest to World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan stating that Taiwan's participation in the annual gathering should not be contingent on it accepting Beijing's "one-China principle. The new Taliban leader has an opportunity to choose peace and to work towards a negotiated solution to join the Afghan-led peace talks, the US has said. "We would hope that he would seize the opportunity," State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner told reporters at his daily news conference yesterday. Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, a religious leader was appointed as the new leader of the Taliban after the death of in a US drone strike in Pakistan on Saturday. The Taliban has rejected peace overtures from the Afghan government. "He (Akhundzada) does have an opportunity in front of him to choose peace and to work towards a negotiated solution. We hope that he makes that choice now," Toner said in response to a question. Akhundzada is not in any terrorist designated list, he said, but did not respond to questions if he is on the target of US forces in Afghanistan. "I'm not going to predict who we might target in the national security interest of the US," he said. Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter hoped that better sense would prevail on the new Taliban leadership headed by Akhundzada. "We'll have to see what new Taliban leadership concludes. Obviously, the conclusion that they should draw is that they can not win," Carter told reporters travelling with him at Newport in Rhode Island. Carter said that the Afghan Security Forces, aided by the US, are going to be stronger than them. "Therefore, the alternative to coming across and making peace with the government is their certain defeat on the battlefield. That's the environment in which we intend to put them in," Carter said. "And it's from that posture, if it's possible at all, that a sensible leader of the Taliban would conclude that they can't succeed by arms alone. We'll see whether this individual makes that conclusion or not. Obviously, his predecessor didn't draw that conclusion," the Defence Secretary said in response to a question. "The only thing I'd say about our plans in the future is this. Our plan in Afghanistan it is to reduce the overall foot print of US forces there, but we're going to be there for a long time. And in the most important way, which is the support of the Afghan Security Forces," Carter said. "We have the funding, which we're going to continue to give them, the NATO allies have indicated that they would continue to fund the Afghan Security Forces and that's the most critical thing," he said. "And then, of course, we'll be in there for the purposes of supporting the Afghan security forces and also our counter-terrorism mission. That's not going away next year," Carter said. Training and skills development company NIIT today said it has entered into two strategic agreements in China to develop a pool of IT professionals in areas like Big Data and analytics. The partnerships -- with Guiyang Municipal Government and Guizhou Professional College of Electronics in Gui'An New District -- will see NIIT training up to 50,000 people in 5 years, NIIT said in a statement. Under the agreement with Guiyang Municipal government, NIIT will establish a training base in public-private partnership model with Guiyang government to conduct IT and Big Data training for university graduates, working professionals and government employees in Guizhou province. Additionally, NIIT and Guiyang government will also set up a Big Data Talent Research Centre in Guiyang to enhance innovation and research for scalable talent development methods for IT and Big Data in China. NIIT China and Guizhou Professional College of Electronics have inked a pact to embed the former's GNIIT programme as a part of the college's curricula. The objective of this partnership is to have a steady supply of IT talent trained inside college campus to meet the demand of growing IT and Big Data industry in Guizhou province. "With our keen understanding of the changing skills requirement of the industry, NIIT is committed to support China in its human capacity building initiative," NIIT CEO Rahul Patwardhan said. NIIT, which established its presence in China in 1997, has trained more than 3 lakh students in the country. Today, the world has entered the era of intelligent big-data economy (IBE). An economy in which the four previous productive sectors of agriculture, manufacturing, services and non-intelligent software services, are simultaneously being disrupted by the power of real-time massively-connected big-data intelligence (RMBI). Hence to ensure the continued fast growth towards developed high income country status and become the economical as well as technological powerhouse of the world for the next 100 years, it is imperative for China to adopt the next large emerging economic sector - IBE. Speaking on the occasion Mr. Rahul Patwardhan CEO, NIIT Ltd, said, "NIIT pioneered the category of IT training in China in the late nineties with a vision to create a manpower pool, to empower the IT industry in the country. With our keen understanding of the changing skills requirement of the industry, NIIT is committed to support China in its human capacity building initiative. By entering into partnerships with Guizhou Electronics College in Gui'An New District and Guiyang Municipal Government we reiterate our commitment to create a talent pool armed with futuristic skill-sets aligned to the requirements of the IT industry." NIIT in China works through a very unique model called the "NIIT Inside model". Under this model NIIT programs are embedded in University/College IT curriculum. Students may undergo a 4-year Bachelor Degree program or a 3-year Associate Degree program post 12th grade in Information Technology. Currently, NIIT curriculum is embedded into both these programs across multiple Universities and Colleges in China. While the University system continues to teach the rest of the subjects that a student undergoes such as Chinese language, science etc. To obtain a Bachelor Degree, the IT portion is completely from NIIT. The students get the degree or the associate degree from the University/Government and also receive a certificate from NIIT. Mr. Prakash Menon, President, Global Skills and Careers Group, NIIT Ltd, said, "As the need for analysing huge volumes of data presents immense opportunity for businesses today, there is a growing demand globally for analytics professionals to power the Big Data industry. Through these strategic partnerships we aim to deliver the best of IT training and help to accelerate new-age career opportunities for the Chinese students." Today, China has the opportunity through a planned transformation agenda, to reach full development status as an economy and society, by ensuring that it takes a leadership position in the emerging intelligent big-data economy (IBE). The most critical factor to ensure success is having the right nation-wide skill development strategy. Towards this NIIT will help support the vision of the Government and would train students to develop the next generation of data scientists and business analytics professionals for opportunities in the Big Data industry. NIIT, a global leader in skills and talent Development, established its presence in China in 1997, becoming the first Indian IT enterprise to do so. Over the years, NIIT has been training skilled IT professionals for China's software outsourcing industry. With the support of its outstanding partners and institutions, it has trained more than 300,000 students in the country. About NIIT Established in 1981, NIIT Limited, a global leader in Skills and Talent Development, offers multi-disciplinary learning management and training delivery solutions to corporations, institutions, and individuals in over 40 countries. NIIT has three main lines of business across the globe- Corporate Learning Group, Skills and Careers Group, and School Learning Group. NIIT's Corporate Learning Group (CLG) offers Managed Training Services (MTS) to market-leading companies in North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. The comprehensive suite of Managed Training Services includes custom Curriculum Design and Content Development, Learning Administration, Learning Delivery, Strategic Sourcing, Learning Technology, and Advisory Services. With a team of some of the world's finest learning professionals, NIIT is dedicated to helping customers increase the business value of learning and development (L&D). Built on the sound principles of 'Running Training like a Business', NIIT's Managed Training Services and best-in-class training processes enable customers to align business goals with L&D, reduce costs, realise measurable value, benefit from rock-solid operations, and increase business impact. NIIT's Skills and Careers Group (SNC) delivers a diverse range of learning and talent development programs to millions of individual and corporate learners in areas including Banking, Finance & Insurance, Soft Skills, Business Process Excellence, Retail Sales Enablement, Management Education, Multi-Sectoral Vocational Skills, Digital Media Marketing, and new-age IT. These programs are delivered through a hybrid combination of the 'Cloud Campus' online platform, satellite-based 'Synchronous Learning Technology' and a physical network of hundreds of learning centers in India, China, and select markets in Asia & Africa. The flagship multi-disciplinary course offerings include the industry-endorsed GNIIT program and a set of Post Graduate Programs for students from different streams, apart from a wide range of specialist short duration programs. To further strengthen its SNC portfolio in India, NIIT has tied up with industry majors like ICICI Bank for NIIT Institute of Finance Banking Insurance& Training Limited, IFBI; leading business schools in India for NIIT Imperia; Genpact for NIIT Uniqua; and a joint venture with NSDC for NIIT YuvaJyoti Limited. Besides this, for the China market, NIIT has tied up with governments and software parks in Guian, Chongqing, Wuxi, Suzhou, Changzhou, Zhangjiagang, Haikou and Dafeng, for state-of-the-art public-private partnership centres. NIIT entered into a strategic partnership with IIM- Ahmedabad to help deliver management education in the form of e-learning programs in this quarter. As a leading player in educational technology in India, NIIT has been at the forefront of technological & pedagogical innovations in learning, keenly aware of the challenges that the higher education sector is faced with. Through this association with IIMA, NIIT will work towards developing innovative learning models to deliver IIMA's management programs at scale, by providing best-in-class technology based solutions. NIIT announced the launch of their first interactive live, online course in Digital Marketing. The program offered in association with Digital Marketing Institute (Ireland) was made available online for the first time. Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing (PDDM) - is uniquely designed for current and aspiring marketing professionals, to help them transform into digital marketers of the future. NIIT has already trained more than 1700 students in digital marketing. During the quarter, NIIT and edX entered into a strategic partnership to redefine the online education space in India. Through this partnership NIIT and edX aim to create high-impact learning experiences for learners by offering next generation Blended Learning MOOC model that provides an engaging and live interactive experience that goes much beyond the core MOOC content. During the quarter, NIIT.Tv - A disruptive innovation by NIIT, entered into a tie-up with Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (HUL), to provide skill-based courses on mobiles to 5 million women across India by 2020. NIIT.Tv received 'Best online education platform' award at Indian Education Awards 2016. Strengthening its position in China, NIIT entered into two strategic agreements - with Guiyang Municipal Government and Guizhou Professional College of Electronics in Gui'An New District, to develop a pool of next generation IT professionals in Big Data and Analytics. Through these partnerships NIIT aims to develop the Human Capital in line with China's vision to promote Guizhou province as the hub of Big Data industry in China and the world. The Supreme Court today asked the Centre to formulate a national policy for providing adequate reliefs to rape survivors as setting up of a separate fund like the 'Nirbhaya fund' was not enough and amounted to "just a lip service". "Different states have different schemes. There is no national plan as how the rape victims are to be compensated. Setting up of the Nirbhaya Fund is not enough and it is just paying a lip service. The Union of India must ensure that adequate relief is being provided to the victims of sexual offences," a vacation bench of Justices P C Pant and D Y Chandrachud said. The bench also issued notice to the Centre, all states and Union Territories and sought their responses on the effective implementation of Section 357(A) of the CrPC and status of victim compensation schemes, alongwith the number of victims of rape who have been compensated. During the hearing on a batch of petitions, senior advocate Indira Jaising, who is assisting the court as an amicus curiae, said that the implementation of the "Victim Compensation Scheme" is a matter of concern as only 25, out of 29 states, have notified the scheme. "There is complete lack of uniformity in the said schemes and the States have not yet indicated whether appropriate funds have been allocated in pursuance to the notification of the said schemes, as well as the number of rape victims that have been compensated under the said schemes," she said adding that some states pay Rs 10 lakh as compensation while few others pay as less as Rs 50,000 to such survivors. The bench, while prima facie agreeing to the plea that there was lack of uniformity in such schemes, said that there are some states, which even provide compensation to victims of sexual offences just on registration of the FIRs. "Some states even provide interim compensation to sexual offence victims of particular class just on registration of FIR. Delhi has different scheme, UP has different. There has to be some national model on this," the bench observed. Six petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court between 2012-2013 after the Nirbhaya gangrape in Delhi on December 16, 2012 raising various concerns on safety and security of women. All the petitions were tagged by the apex court and several directions have been passed from time to time in this regard. Senior advocate Indira Jaising said Delhi's scheme of victim compensation is a model scheme which could be replicated in other states also. "There is no provision of interim compensation while in scheme being implemented in Delhi has a provision to do so. It is a model scheme which could be replicated in other states also," she said. The senior advocate who was appointed amicus curiae in the case last year said that it was suggested by various petitioners that a national register for sexual offenders should be maintained but in her point of view it was not desirable as it will affect the right of privacy. She said that there were some suggestions in various petitions which needs to be referred to law commission for further study comparing with the practices in other countries. Jaising also sought implementation of Witness Protection Program Schemes saying that in most of the rape case the acquittal rate is very high. "The rate of acquittal in rape cases is very high. It is due to for two reasons one is witnesses turning hostile and the second is delay in trial due to which witnesses looses their interest in cases. There is urgent need to have a witness protection scheme like it is in Delhi to protect the witnesses," she said. Jaising also raised concerns on various other issues like setting up of one stop crisis centres in every district for rape survivors saying only 14 districts out of 653 disricts have so far complied with the scheme. She also highlighted lack of data on the buses plying on All India Tourist Vehicle Permits and absence of regulations on vehicles plying with tinted glass. To this the bench said some laws and regulations have been framed under which the issue of tinted glass has been taken care of. Jaising also raised the issue of regulation of radio taxi operators and web based taxi aggregator companies, saying that there is inadequate data available as how these services are being regulated in most states. "This is of utmost important since many women use these taxi services and there have been repeated reports of molestation and instances of sexual assault by drivers employed by these companies. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today ordered for preparation of a comprehensive action plan on industries related to the pre-fermentation version of palm tree juice (neera), after Agricultural scientists from Tamil Nadu showed him about products that can be made from it. The Tamil Nadu Agriculture University team led by its former Dean (Horticulture) V Punnuswami gave a presentation of food items like jaggery, candy, honey and other products that could be manufactured from 'neera' (palm tree juice before fermentation) and 'toddy' (after fermentation), an official release said here. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would be signed between the southern university and Bihar Agriculture University at Sabour in Bhagalpur to work together. An entrepreneur D Subratha Devi from Tuticorin engaged with Neera trade also shared her experience on the occasion. Following the presentation, Kumar ordered officials to prepare an action plan on industries related to Neera, the release said. The CM said the number of palm trees in the state and the amount of 'neera' produced from them should be ascertained while preparing the action plan. While announcing complete ban on sale and manufacture of alcohol in the state on April 5, Kumar had made it clear that sale of 'toddy' would be permitted in accordance with a 1991 guideline, but plans would be made for commercially harnessing 'neera' which does not contain alcohol. He had said Bihar will follow Tamil Nadu which has the maximum number of palm trees in the country and the state has successfully exploited neera and toddy juice to manufacture items which enhanced income of people involved with the trade. Opposition parties created a hue and cry alleging that the income of Pasi community traditionally engaged with toddy trade would be hard bit. However, Kumar then said, state government would work out a plan to increase income of toddy traders by selling products made out of neera. Industries Minister Jai Kumar Singh and senior government officers were present during the presentation. Nitish, however, stressed that "jan chetna" or mass awareness as well as a stringentliquorlaw is needed for better implementation of prohibition. The Bihar CM said he would ask his Chhattisgarh counterpart Raman Singh to enforce liquor ban as people have already started spreading awareness for prohibition. He also requested the Chhattisgarh Government to send a team to Bihar to see the "successful enforcement of liquor ban and the response of people to the measure." "Chhattisagrh is a peaceful and prosperous state, and people are good here. Nature has given a lot of things to the state which is full of natural resources. If liquor ban is implemented here, it will become a model state," he said. Notably, Chhattisgarh Cabinet had recently approved the Chhattisgarh Excise (Amendment) Bill 2017, which will be tabled in the Legislative Assembly later this week. The government aims to create a corporation that will facilitate the sale of both foreign and Indian liquor through government outlets. However, the decision has drawn a flak, with women and various social groups having launched protests in several parts of the state demanding a ban on liquor. The opposition Congress has tried to disrupt the proceeding of the House on many occasions during the ongoing Budget session, seeking ban on liquor. Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor feels irrespective of a person's sexual orientation, they have the right to be themselves. Recently, British actor Ian McKellen expressed that India needs to grow up and do away with section 377 of IPC, which criminalises homosexuality. When asked about her take on this, Sonam told reporters, "I absolutely agree with him. It's a basic human right. It's not about lesbian, gay, transsexual, it's about being able to be what you want to be and being somebody who is just themselves." The actress was speaking at the inauguration of seventh Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival last evening. The "Prem Ratan Dhan Payo" actress said she immediately agreed to come at the event as she is a "strong supporter" of basic human rights. "Last year, I was trying to make it but I was travelling. This year I immediately said yes to coming here. I am a strong supporter of basic human rights, forget LGBT rights. I think that's what this is," she said. Sonam feels even the censor board is moving in the right direction and says she is an optimist who believes things will change. "The very fact that they gave 'Neerja' a U certificate says that they are moving in the correct direction. Hopefully things are going to change. I am an optimistic human being...I believe in humanity and the fact that people are good and conditions and choices make them not so great," she said. Ian, who was also present at the event, said he has come to India to support those who want to "get rid" of IPC section 377. "I've come to Mumbai to celebrate Shakespeare and to celebrate the connection between the United Kingdom and your country. I have also come to support those who want to get rid of section 377. Mumbai-based NGO, Fight Hunger Foundation, dedicated exclusively to fight against malnutrition, has also announced that Sonam will represent their organization as a goodwill ambassador. The "Prem Ratan Dhan Payo" actress will help raise awareness about malnutrition and its causes. Recently she visited Fight Hunger Foundation's project sites -the Medical Nutrition Therapy production unit at hospital in Mumbai. "Seeing these children suffer from malnutrition has been devastating but it has also made me realize that we can all be doing more to end child deaths from malnutrition. I hope together we can create a hunger-free India and I urge people to come forward and support us in the fight against malnutrition," she added. The NGO is active in three states of India - Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, where its expert teams diagnose and treat malnourished children. They also work with mothers on prevention techniques which include the promotion of breastfeeding, good hygiene and care practices and providing a nutritious diet. Mumbai-based NGO, Fight Hunger Foundation, has also announced Sonam as their goodwill ambassador. The "Prem Ratan Dhan Payo", who visited Fight Hunger Foundation's project sites -the Medical Nutrition Therapy production unit at hospital in Mumbai, said she wants India to be hunger free. "Seeing these children suffer from malnutrition has been devastating but it has also made me realize that we can all be doing more to end child deaths from malnutrition. I hope together we can create a hunger-free India and I urge people to come forward and support us in the fight against malnutrition," she said. The US has been successful in engaging with India on tracking money used by radical groups to penetrate into the country, the Obama administration said, as it praised Indian Muslims for demonstrating a great deal of "resilience" against overtures by terrorist groups. "In India, Muslim community has demonstrated a great deal of resilience against such overtures," Nisha Desai Biswal, assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, told members of senate foreign relations committee during a congressional hearing early this week. "We have seen in India that radical ideology has by and large not been successful in taking root," she said in response to a question when asked about penetration of Islamic extremism in India by Senator Chris Murphy. Murphy also expressed concern over increasing Gulf investment in India. "There's a lot of reporting about some major investments being made by the Saudis, by the Wahhabi clerical movement to set up a large network of schools and madarsas throughout India," he said. "So, can you talk about that specific issue, and then more broadly about any developing trend lines on the penetration of some of these extremist groups to gain some foothold inside India?" Murphy asked. Biswal said the US is "clearly tracking" such investment and is "very concerned" about the reach of the global networks in India and around the world. "That is a very focused part of our conversations and engagement on the counter terrorism front and on the intelligence front," she said. "We have had very strong success in engaging with India on tracking financial flows that represent areas of concern, and the Indians themselves are doing a lot to track flows coming in not only from Gulf but from many other parts of the world that they think can cause concern," Biswal said. "The challenge is always identifying what we believe is appropriate financial flows coming in from across and around the world versus areas of concern, and creating the distinctions and the systematic framework to constrain one and enable the other," she said. Biswal said India and the United States are having "a very robust cooperation" on efforts by these global networks to tie into and reach into South Asia and India in particular. President will lease a 9 bed room mansion in Washington, D.C.'s wealthy Kalorama neighborhood after he leaves the White House next year, US media reported today. The real estate is reportedly owned by Joe Lockhart, who served as White House press secretary under former President Bill Clinton. The house was built in 1928 and has nine bedrooms and eight-and-a-half bathrooms. It was sold in 2014 for more than $5 million, CNN reported. Obama, 54, has said he and his family will remain in Washington home after he departs 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in January 2017, a change from most former presidents. "We're going to have to stay a couple of years in D.C. probably so Sasha can finish," he said in March about his youngest daughter. "Transferring someone in the middle of high school? Tough." Obama, the 44th US President, will demit office on January 20, 2017 after serving two terms. BJP today hit out at National Conference for raking up the issue of greater autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir, accusing the party of bringing up the matter whenever they are out of power. "Whenever National Conference is in peril, by its habit, it always sings the tune of autonomy," BJP state spokesperson Virender Gupta said. His comments came after NC MLA ALi Mohammad Sagar had said yesterday that the party would bring a resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly for restoring full autonomy granted to the state under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. "On the earlier occasion as well, NC constituted two committees -- one on state autonomy and other on regional autonomy. Though it placed the recommendations of State Autonomy Committee in the legislature and accordingly passed the resolution which was forwarded to the government of India, it did not show any concern about the regional autonomy report," Gupta said. He said the Centre can't afford to give greater autonomy to the state as it has serious repercussions on the safety and integrity of the country. However, he said, it was under the jurisdiction of state government to give regional autonomy to all the regions of the state as was promised by late chief minister Sheikh Abdullah in 1953. Gupta claimed a majority of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, including separatists, do not support the demand of autonomy as it would only serve the interests of an elite class. Over 100 migrants were feared dead today after two crowded boats capsised off Libya in separate incidents, with one of the tragedies captured on video that shows dramatic rescues and desperate final moments. The survivors of the first shipwreck, which happened yesterday, said some 650 people were aboard their boat when it left chaos-wracked Libya. But they "spoke of 100 missing people who were stuck in the hull," a spokesman for the International Organization of Migration in Italy, Flavio Di Giacomo, told AFP. Italian authorities had initially given a toll of five confirmed dead. While the Italian navy was able to rescue some 560 people from the water yesterday, the shipwreck may be one of the worst tragedies in the Mediterranean in recent months. The navy captured the tragedy in a horrifying video that shows the boat roll over and dump its passengers into the water. Seconds later the sea begins to churn as the migrants swim for their lives. Several rescuers from the Italian navy jumped into the water in an effort to help, some grabbing people by the hair in order to pull them to safety. Separately, the EU's naval force announced that up to 30 migrants were believed to have died after another ship flipped over today, drawing rescuers to the scene who threw life jackets and floats to those in the water. Another migrant boat sinking on Tuesday left a baby girl orphaned after both her parents died, prompting dozens of Italian families to offer to adopt her. The single deadliest migrant boat sinking remains one from April 2015 when some 700 people died. Amid the catastrophes at sea, police in Greece were finishing the evacuation of the squalid Idomeni refugee camp on the border with Macedonia that had become a symbol of human suffering and chaos as Europe struggles with its worst migrant crisis since World War II. In the space of three days, police transferred about 4,000 migrants by bus from Idomeni to newly created camps in the industrial outskirts of Greece's second city Thessaloniki. "We're done. No more people remain, just tents with supplies belonging to aid groups," a police source told AFP. The muddy, overcrowded Idomeni camp exploded in size after Balkan states began closing their borders in February to stem the human tide seeking new lives in northern Europe. As the footage of yesterday's capsise went around the world, photographs posted on social media showed migrants from Thursday's shipwreck waving their arms for help as they balance perilously on the deck of the boat, already underwater but still clearly visible. Pakistan today claimed to have arrested six Afghan spies allegedly involved in bombings and target killings in its troubled Balochistan province and threatened to push all Afghan refugees out of the country. "Six Afghan spies who were staying in refugee camps have been arrested from the Pishin area of the province," Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti told reporters. A confessional video of the alleged spies were also shared with media, showing the arrested men saying that they work for Afghan National Directorate of Security for money. Lashing out at Afghan intelligence agency for deceiving Pakistan, Bugti claimed that the Afghans were working with the Indian agencies to destabilise Pakistan. He accused the Afghan agency of targeting refugees in Pakistan to recruit spies. The Home minister threatened to push all Afghan refugees out of the province, saying that time had come that more than 2.5 million Afghan refugees should be forced to go back. "Enough is enough. We have tolerated them for a long time now and if the international community doesn't do something to send them home then they will be pushed out of Pakistan by the Baluch people themselves," Bugti said. Pakistan often accuses Afghanistan of creating instability in Balochistan. The claim of arrest of spies came at the heels of killing of Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Mansour in Balochistan. Pakistan today confirmed the death of Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a US drone strike in the country while travelling under false name and with a fake Pakistani identity document. Mansour was targeted by drones operated by US special forces in Balochistan's Noshki district on May 21 when he headed towards Quetta in a rented car. "All indicators confirm that the person killed in the drone strike was Mullah Akhter Mansour who was travelling on a fake identity. The DNA test result will be available shortly," said advisor to Prime Minister Sartaj Aziz at a briefing. He also said that the drone action was a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty as well as breach of the principles of the UN Charter governing the conduct of the states. "We have conveyed our serious concern to the United States on this issue," Aziz said. His comments came after Afghan Taliban yesterday announced Haibatullah Akhundzada as their new chief. Aziz said that the death of Mansour has added to the "complexity of the Afghan conflict". "We believe that this action has undermined the Afghan peace process," he said. He said that day before the attack, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the US and China had agreed in a meeting on May 18 that politically negotiated settlement was the most viable option. "This understanding has not been respected," he said. "Earlier in July 2015, peace talks were scuttled at a key stage when the issue of reduction in violence was to be discussed and in less than a year, peace process has been scuttled twice," he said. "In our view there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. The use of force for past 15 years has failed to deliver peace," he said. He said this approach will further destabilise Afghanistan, which will have negative implications for the region, especially due to the presence of large number of terrorist groups in the war-torn country. Aziz said that Pakistan believes that politically negotiated settlement remains the most viable option for bringing lasting peace to Afghanistan as the military approach has been tried for 15 years and could not achieve the objective. He also demanded effective border management for checking the infiltrations across long and porous Pakistan-Afghanistan border. He sought the Afghan Government's cooperation on it. Aziz said that the presence of large number of Afghan refugees has become a big security risk as the terrorists and militants use the camps as hideouts for their nefarious activities. "Effective measures should be taken on an urgent basis by the International Community for the repatriation of Afghan refugees," he said. He said Pakistan's desire for a lasting peace in Afghanistan is motivated by conviction that peace and stability in Afghanistan is essential not only for the people of that country but also for the entire region. "Pakistan will continue to pursue the objective in close consultation with Afghanistan Government and other members of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the US. Pakistan today confirmed the death of Mullah Akhtar Mansour, five days after the Taliban chief was killed in a US drone strike in its troubled Balochistan province while travelling under a false name and fake ID card. "All indicators confirm that the person killed in the drone strike was Mullah Akhtar Mansour who was travelling on a fake identity. The DNA test result will be available shortly," the Prime Minister's advisor Sartaj Aziz said at a briefing. Mansour, in his mid 50s, was targeted by a drone operated by US special forces in Balochistan's Noshki district on May 21 when he headed towards Quetta in a rented car. Aziz said they are also waiting for the DNA test report. "The body will not be handed over till we get the DNA report." Pakistan was earlier reluctant to confirm Mullah Mansour's killing. On Tuesday, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had said that the body recovered on Pakistani soil, near the Afghan border, was charred beyond recognition. Aziz said that the drone action was a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty as well as breach of the principles of the UN Charter governing the conduct of the states. "We have conveyed our serious concern to the United States on this issue," Aziz said. Pakistan's confirmation came a day after Afghan Taliban yesterday announced the death of Mullah Mansour and appointed Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada as the group's new chief. Pakistan has long been accused by both Afghanistan and the US of providing shelter and support to some Taliban leaders. Aziz said that the death of Mansour has added to the "complexity of the Afghan conflict". "We believe that this action has undermined the Afghan peace process," he said. He said just before the attack, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the US and China had agreed in a meeting on May 18 that politically negotiated settlement was the most viable option. "This understanding has not been respected," he said. "Earlier in July 2015, peace talks were scuttled at a key stage when the issue of reduction in violence was to be discussed and in less than a year, peace process has been scuttled twice," he said. "In our view there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. The use of force for past 15 years has failed to deliver peace," he said. He said this approach will further destabilise Afghanistan, which will have negative implications for the region, especially due to the presence of large number of terrorist groups in the war-torn country. Aziz said Pakistan believes that politically negotiated settlement remains the most viable option for bringing lasting peace to Afghanistan as the military approach has been tried for 15 years and could not achieve the objective. Pakistani husbands can 'lightly' beat their wives if they disobey, according to a controversial recommendation made by a state-affiliated Islamic body in its new women protection bill. The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) enjoys constitutional status in and gives non-binding proposals to the parliament to make laws according to Islam. The controversial alternative bill was prepared after the CII rejected Punjab's Protection of Women against Violence Act (PPWA) 2015, as un-Islamic. PPWA, passed by the Punjab assembly, gives legal protection to women from domestic, psychological and sexual violence and calls for the creation of a toll-free abuse reporting hot line and the establishment of women's shelters. The CII will now forward its proposed bill to the Punjab Assembly. According to the Express Tribune, the 163-page draft bill proposed several bans on women. The bill said that a husband should be allowed to 'lightly' beat his wife if she defies his commands, refuses to dress up as per his wishes and turns down demand of physical contact. It suggested that a beating is also permissible if a woman does not observe Hijab, interacts with strangers, speaks loud and provides monetary support to people without taking consent of her husband. It also recommended to ban co-education after primary education, ban on women from taking part in military combat, ban on welcoming foreign delegations, interacting with males and making recreational visits with strangers. Female nurses should not be allowed to take care of male patients and women should be banned from working in advertisements, it said. It also recommended that an abortion after 120 days of conceiving should be declared 'murder'. However, it said, a woman can join politics and contract a Nikah without permission of parents. If any non-Muslim woman is forced to convert, then the oppressor will be awarded three-year imprisonment while the woman will not be murdered if she reverts to her previous faith, it said. The law has been proposed at a time when the CII is under fire from many social groups for opposing women's rights. Pakistan has decided to verify its computerised national identity cards after it was left red-faced over the revelation that Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was registered as a citizen under a false name. Mansour was targeted by drones operated by US special forces in Balochistan's Noshki district on May 21 when he headed towards Quetta in a rented car. Mansour had not only Pakistan's computerised national identity card (CNIC) but also a valid passport with him. He had a fake name -- Wali Muhmmad -- on the documents. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan yesterday gave a 48-hour deadline to National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) for a roadmap to launch a country-wide CNIC re-verification campaign of the entire population. "NADRA has 48 hours for submitting a work plan with a set deadline for initiation of National Plan for Re-verification of CNICs across Pakistan," Khan said after a meeting at NADRA. He said Pakistan should send a message that its CNIC are not easily available to anyone who is willing to pay for it. "Being a responsible state we will ensure that the usage of CNIC by any alien is completely eliminated after this exercise," he said in a statement. Earlier, Khan in a media briefing this week accepted that NADRA was plagued with corruption and several officials have been removed or being prosecuted for issuing fake CNIC and passports. Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) yesterday arrested Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Revenue Rafique Tareen on allegations of verifying and approving Mansour's CNIC under the fake identity of Wali Muhammad. It is believed that already thousands of Afghan refugees have gained Pakistan's citizenship through fake documents. Setting aside their differences, parties of various hues today got together in the Assembly to pay rich tributes to former Chief Minister Mohammad Sayeed, with opposition National Conference saying the greatest tribute to the late PDP leader would be the resolution of Kashmir issue. The House, where Mufti's daughter and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was conspicuous by her absence, also paid tributes to former state Governor Gen (retd) K V Krishna Rao, former Speakers of Lok Sabha, Balram Jhakar and P A Sangma, three ex-ministers and two former members of the House. Opposition NC leader Omar Abdullah was also not present. Mufti, who headed PDP-BJP government for 10 months, passed away on January 7. Speaker Kavinder Gupta introduced the obituary references for the nine leaders, who had died between the last session of the assembly in October last year and beginning of the ongoing budget session yesterday. Mohammad Shafi Uri of National Conference (NC), the first to speak, said Mufti had a glittering political career. He chose the occasion to highlight the need for finding a solution to the Kashmir problem. Uri, a former minister and ex-MP, said forming a regional party PDP by Mufti was a message to the "Delhi establishment that Jammu and Kashmir has a special status and special identity". Mufti had left Congress to float PDP in 1999. The NC leader said the greatest tribute to Mufti would be when all the members of the Assembly sit together and find a solution to the Kashmir issue. "Only then peace and reconciliation is possible," he added. He referred to the decision of the PDP founder to form an alliance with the BJP in the state following the fractured mandate in 2014 Assembly elections. Despite Mufti terming the alliance as "coming together of North Pole and South Pole", the yearning for peace and reconciliation and resolution of Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan continued, Uri said. He said the pursuit of peace was the policy of National Conference as well. Uri said the people of not only the state but entire sub-continent were watching the Assembly as to what role "we are playing to keep the state united and, not only maintain but, strengthen Article 370 of the Constitution". Taking a dig at the BJP, the NC veteran said the global political scenario has changed and the buzzword now is development. "Ek vidhan Ek Nishan (One constitution, one flag) is being raised no more," he said referring to BJP's old slogan with regard to Jammu and Kashmir which has a separate flag. "We were told (by BJP) earlier about Babar (Mughal invader), now they go to Iran with Persian translation of Mirza Ghalib's poetry," he said in an apparent swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his recent visit to the Islamic Republic. Congress leader G M Saroori used the occasion to highlight "delay" in release of aid to the flood victims by the Centre. "Mufti sahab died while looking for the file of flood relief," he said. Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami of CPI(M) said the most important contribution of Mufti was to promote dissent in politics. "In presence of the towering personality of (NC's) Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, he dared to do politics of a different point of view," Tarigami recalled. Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Nirmal Singh said coming together of the BJP and PDP to form a coalition government in the state showed that if there is sincerity towards serving the people, ways will emerge for it. Sat Sharma of the BJP said Mufti was one politician who did principled politics. Controversial Independent MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid said Mufti was an "Indian by conviction". "Being an Indian (in Kashmir) is not crime. When whole of Kashmir was up in revolt (in 1989), he (Mufti) became the Home Minister of the country. He changed parties (Congress to Janata Dal to Congress and then formed PDP) but whatever he did was in the interest of India," Rashid said. He also raked up Mehbooba's absence from the House on the occasion. "Mehbooba Mufti is the Chief Minister of the entire state but today she should have cancelled all her engagements and been present here as we pay tributes to Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Anyways, it is her personal matter also," he said. Responding to this, Roads and Buildings Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri said Mehbooba did not take part in the obituary reference as it is "not possible for her being a daughter". Veeri, who was overcome by emotions, said "It is difficult for me, being a political worker of Mufti sahib, to be here." A two-minute silence was observed as a mark of respect for Mufti and others mentioned in the obituary reference. (Reopen DES20) The Legislative Council also paid tributes to Mufti, Rao and 7 others, with Chairman Haji Inayat Ali introducing the obituary references. Opposition NC leader Sajad Kichloo said Mufti "rose above party politics while talking to us (opposition members). There are only a few leaders like him in the state and the void left by him is hard to fill." BJP MLC Ramesh Arora said Mufti always wanted to bring the three regions Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh closer to each other. Mufti proved his capacity and political commitment by creating a regional party and then taking it to power in a short time. "No other party in any state had done so," he said. Many others, cutting across the party lines, paid tributes to the former Chief Minister as well as the other leaders. Describing Mufti as visionary, Education Minister Naeem Akhtar said the biggest homage to him would be to bring the people of the state closer to each other. "He (Mufti) was one of the greatest connecters. His vision was opposite to what politicians of today have," Akhtar said, adding Mufti had introduced the real democracy in the state and made it competitive as well. "It is his biggest inheritance that he introduced real democracy here and made it competitive by giving an alternative to the people. He changed the discourse here. Trying to establish peace between India and Pakistan is his lasting contribution," he said. The House also observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect for the former chief minister and others mentioned in the obituary reference. A group of prominent personalities from the city have filed an environmental interest litigation (EIL) in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) against the proposed Pune Metro Rail project, strongly objecting to the alignment of some portion of its route through river beds. Member of Parliament Anu Aga, senior journalist Dr Dileep Padgaonkar, architect Sarang Yadwadkar and Aarti Kirloskar have filed the litigation through advocate Aseem Sarode in NGT court on May 22, which says construction below the blue line (river bed) would be in complete violation of the NGT directives. Addressing a press conference here today, the applicants said, "We are not against the Metro project and development per se. But through this EIL, we are challenging the alignment of the Metro route, which is planned through the Mula-Mutha river beds. Any such construction below the blue line (in prohibitive zone) is completely in violation of the NGT directives as well as the government circular." In addition to some portion of the actual Metro rail route that runs through the river beds for around five kms, three metro stations have also been proposed to be constructed in the river bed from Vanaz to Ramwadi, they informed. A number of RCC pillars are planned to be constructed along the rivers for the route as well as the stations, the members said, adding that constructions in the riverbed is like an open invitation to natural calamities. Dr Padgaonkar said that nowhere in the world, Metro projects are being constructed in the river bed. "In one of the past cases in Pune, the principal bench of the NGT had issued directives and stated that no encroachment would be allowed and no construction would be permitted inside the blue line of the river Mutha and there shall be no restriction to the free flow of the river water," he said. The members alleged that the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and other authorities were turning a blind eye towards the directives that are already in force. Advocate Sarode said the NGT's West Zone Bench has issued notices to PMC, the Divisional Commissioner, Town Planning, state Urban Development Department, Central Ministry of Urban Development, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and various other stakeholders, directing them to remain present and file their replies before the NGT on July 7, 2016. The process of a getting the final approval for the Pune Metro project from the Centre is in final stages. A few days back Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had also informed in Pune that the project would soon get a nod from the Union Government. Expecting the long-pending GST bill to get passed this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said any efforts to amend this law at central level are "over now" and it is up to individual states to pursue any changes. Modi also hit out at critics who accuse him of failing to pursue "big bang" measures to revamp the Indian economy, saying his government has undertaken maximum reforms since coming to power in May 2014. He said that many of the changes he has put in place would have been regarded by previous administrations as difficult to implement, but now that he has done them, to his critics they no longer qualify as "big bang". "I have actually undertaken the maximum reforms," Modi told The Wall Street Journal in an interview ahead of his visit to the US next month at the invitation of President Barack Obama. Responding to a question on Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill, Modi said he expects the legislation to pass this year. He said the efforts to amend the law at the federal level were "over now" and it is now up to individual states to pursue changes. The GST bill, which has been approved by Lok Sabha, is pending in Rajya Sabha because of stiff resistance by Congress, the largest party in the House. Government has been insisting that most of the parties, except Congress, are in favour of GST, which will bring about a uniform indirect taxation regime in the country. Modi said he would look to states to further liberalise the country's rigid labour laws, the daily reported. "Labour reform should not just mean in the interest of industry," he said adding, "Labour reform should also be in the interest of the labourer." "When I came to the government, I used to sit down with all the experts and ask them to define for me what is the 'big bang' for them," he said, adding "Nobody could tell me." But at the same time he was quick to add that there was a need to do more. "I have an enormous task ahead for myself," Modi said in Hindi. The Prime Minister said after coming to power his government had opened up more of the economy to foreign investment and made changes to curb corruption, fill gaps in rural infrastructure and make it easier to do business. The Prime Minister also underscored the importance of public sector undertakings in the country. "In any developing country in the world, both the public sector and the private sector have a very important role to play. You can't suddenly get rid of the public sector, nor should you," Modi said. The Prime Minister stressed on the defence manufacturing sector to not only cut down on imports but also to generate employment. "As far as defence is concerned, certainly India wants to go ahead in defence manufacturing because we have a lot of defence imports," he said. "If I look at from an economic point of view, and to provide jobs to my country's young people, the defence equipment manufacturing sector can provide the maximum number of jobs to my country's youth. For that I have been working hard for many days and I also talk to other countries," Modi said. On foreign policy, Modi said his government wants to build very close relationship with neighbours for which he is taking personal initiatives. "You know that the day my government came to power, it was my initiative to invite the heads of State, of all SAARC countries for my swearing in ceremony. Even before I became Prime Minister, I made my intentions clear that we want to build a very close relationship with all our neighbours," Modi said. "The development that I desire for India, I want the same for our neighbours. And this is why I visited Lahore recently. So this (improving relationship with neighbours) is my own initiative," Modi said responding to a question on ties with neighbours, in particular Pakistan. The Prime Minister also spoke about terrorism. "Yes terrorism is a concern for the whole world. We can't compromise on terrorism, nor should we. Wherever there is terrorism in the world, we stand against it," Modi said in response to the question. About his US visit next month and his relations with Obama, Modi said, "We have also developed a kind of friendship where we speak freely with each other." Modi and Obama are scheduled to meet at the White House on June 7. Modi, who has spent considerable part of his time in meeting world leaders and building relationships with them, feels that India is no longer standing in a corner and is confident of New Delhi's rising position on the global stage. "Today, unlike before, India is not standing in a corner," Modi said. He also downplayed any friction with China, pointing to increasing trade and diplomatic exchanges between the two nations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi would soon visit Telangana for the foundation laying ceremony of a National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) power plant, Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said here today. The NDA government has provided power to the state, which was facing severe shortage of electricity and also allocated funds to the tune of thousands of crores, the Union Minister of State (independent charge) for Labour, said. He was speaking at a BJP meeting organised here on the occasion of the NDA government completing two years in office. Dattatreya, who dwelt on the development and welfare initiatives of the NDA government, said the Prime Minister is also keen on the Hyderabad Metro rail project and its timely completion. Noting that BJP should emerge as the alternative to ruling TRS in Telangana for the 2019 Legislative Assembly elections, he said party chief Amit Shah would guide the partymen during his visit to Hyderabad on May 29. Stressing that employment generation is a top priority area for the NDA government, the Union Labour Minister said one crore jobs will be created over the next two years. He said the Narendra Modi government has become synonymous with corruption-free governance and development, adding that it has demonstrated 'sab ka sath-sab ka vikas' in action. There have been no communal clashes and the minorities have increasingly become a part of national mainstream, he claimed. Telangana BJP president and MLC K Laxman, BJP MLA NVSS Prabhakar and party MLC N Ramachandra Rao and several other party leaders attended the meeting. Lt Governor of Puducherry, Lt General (retd) A K Singh today demitted office after holding the post as additional charge for nearly two years. Singh is Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and has been holding additional charge of Puducherry since July 2014. He left from here for Chennai en route to Port Blair after taking the salute at a guard of honour presented by Puducherry Police outside Raj Nivas. Chief Secretary Manoj Parida, IG of Police Kannan Jagadeesan, newly-elected legislators of Puducherry including former Chief Minister N Rangasamy and Lok Sabha MP R Radhakrishnan and other officials saw him off at Raj Nivas. Singh, on the occasion, thanked the outgoing chief minister and his team of ministers for their cooperation and support. Former IPS officer and BJP leader Kiran Bedi, who has been appointed the new Lt Governor of Puducherry, will assume office on May 29. Chief Justice of Madras High Court, Sanjay Kishan Kaul will administer the oath of office and secrecy to her, a Raj Nivas official said. Public policies influence both distribution as well as generation of income, Singh said, adding that there was a need to go beyond establishment of social safety nets to protect the vulnerably groups of society from the risks they face. The focus, he said, must be on proving decent employment through policy intervention. "India needs to create 12 million new jobs per annum to absorb new entrants to the labour force. The available data in unemployment point to significant gaps in our performance," he said. The importance of growth cannot be ignored, he said, adding that the strategy which focuses on reducing inequality through redistribution of income, but ignores growth, is unlikely to lead to a sustained process of poverty reduction. "India has to adopt a multi-pronged strategy that includes rapid growth, reducing poverty and creating employment opportunity, improving access to essential services in health and education, especially for weaker section, empowerment to education skill development and creating new job opportunity," he said. The country can achieve the targets it has set for itself and effective employment strategy can be devised only through improved training and skill development. Stating that thousands of students going abroad for higher education every year points to qualitative and quantitative gaps, Singh said there is a need for reassessing, reevaluating and reforming the system of higher education. "Successive governments have tried to increase the spending on education to 6 per cent of GDP, but actual spending has hovered around 4 per cent for the last several years. Both health and education need to move up in terms of national priority," he added. Government, urban and rural bodies, private sector have to come together to achieve zero growth in malnutrition, he said. Regretting that there are large inequalities in health services, Singh said successive government have been responding to overcome the problem of hunger and malnutrition. Protesters seeking to drive Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro from office launched fresh street rallies and urged the military to choose sides in the tense political crisis. Hundreds of his opponents gathered near a court in eastern Caracas to protest a recent ruling that bars rallies from taking place near the offices of the National Electoral Board. The activists, who want the electoral authorities to call a referendum on removing Maduro from office, waved a red, yellow and blue Venezuelan flag and banners denouncing shortages of food and medicines caused by a severe economic crisis. It was a small rally but similar ones were called around the country, a week after protesters braved tear gas in a march against Maduro and the state of emergency he has imposed. The opposition is resorting to the power of the street after the Supreme Court blocked its efforts to pressure Maduro from the legislature, where it won control in a landslide election victory in December. The president is said to control the high court and other key state institutions, and so far has the public support of the army top brass. The leader of yesterday's rally, former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles, called on the military to support the call for a recall vote. "The time is coming to decide whether you are with the constitution or with Maduro," he said, addressing the military. "We do not want a coup. We want you to defend the constitution." Last week's disturbances raised fears of deeper unrest in Venezuela, where anti-government rallies in 2014 led to riots that killed 43 people. "I am marching in fear, but I am marching," said one demonstrator, Daniela Huizi, referring to the threat of government repression. "If it were not for the strength of arms, they would have nothing. A request by the Committee to Protect Journalists to be recognised as a non-governmental organisation at the United Nations was rejected today after 10 countries opposed it, including Russia and China. The vote at the UN NGO committee capped a four-year application by the US-based press watchdog for the special status that provides access to UN premises and gives civil society a voice in UN affairs. Azerbaijan, Burundi, Cuba, Nicaragua, Pakistan, South Africa, Sudan and Venezuela also opposed the request. Six countries voted in favour and three nations, including India, abstained. CPJ executive director Joel Simon said it was "sad" that the United Nations upholds press freedom in its resolutions but denies accreditation for special status to an NGO that can help inform decisions on that issue. "A small group of countries with poor press freedom records are using bureaucratic delaying tactics to sabotage and undermine any efforts that call their own abusive policies into high relief," said Simon. Greece, Guinea, Israel, Mauritania, the United States and Uruguay voted in favour of the CPJ's request. India, Iran and Turkey abstained. The United States said it would bring the CPJ's request in July to the full 54-member Economic and Social Council that oversees the NGO committee to try to override the decision. The United States is "extremely disappointed" by the vote, US Ambassador Samantha Power said. "It is increasingly clear that the NGO committee acts more and more like an anti-NGO committee," she told reporters. Diplomats said the vote was indicative of a growing backlash against NGOs at the United Nations, in particular those who defend reproductive rights and are vocal on LGBT issues and freedom of expression. At least 20 NGOs, most of whom are active on gay rights, have been barred from taking part in a major AIDS conference in June after 51 Muslim countries, Russia and African nations protested. A Pune-based builder suffered injuries while his driver was killed when their car was hit by a container truck near Khandala in the district, police said today. The builder, D S Kulkarni, along with one of his associates and his driver Neeraj Singh were returning to Pune in the car late last night. "When they came out of the Khandala tunnel, a container, which was coming from Pune side, might have lost control and landed on opposite lane of the road and dashed against the car on Mumbai-Pune Expressway," a Lonavla police station duty officer said. Singh died on the spot in the mishap, he said, adding that the builder's associate escaped unhurt. Kulkarni was rushed to a private hospital in Pimpri-Chinchwad for treatment and is said to be out of danger, he said. The container truck driver did not stop at the accident spot and drove away, he said. "We have registered a case against the unidentified driver. We are taking help of CCTV footage at the toll plaza to identify the vehicle," he said. Dr Shrikrishna Joshi of Lokmanya Hosptial, where Kulkarni has been admitted for treatment, said the builder sustained injuries on his left side ribs, but is out of danger. (REOPENS BES15) Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader and MLC Neelam Gorhe today wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and sought a "high level" probe into the accident. "There should be strict norms and lane discipline should be enforced," Gorhe said. Virtually kickstarting BJP's poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh on the occasion of the government's second year of completion of power today, Home Minister Rajnath Singh made a fervent appeal to the people of the state to "end BJP's exile". Addressing a massive gathering of its supporters here this evening, Singh invoked the 14-year exile of Lord Rama to say to the people of Uttar Pradesh, "Fourteen years of our exile from UP are coming to an end. I appeal to the people of the state to end our exile and help us form our government. Even Lord Rama's exile had ended after 14 years." He made the "end-BJP-exile" point noting that the saffron party was voted out of power in Uttar Pradesh in 2002 after which BSP and Samajwadi Party ruled the state between them. Assembly polls are due in Uttar Pradesh next year. Singh, who represents the Lucknow segment in Lok Sabha, said the hallmark of BJP government at the Centre was delivery and honesty. "We have been successful in bringing about transparency in our government in these two years of rule at the Centre. India's image across the world has been enhanced under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. No one can level any allegation against our PM. Our government has remained free of corruption and blemishes," he told a gathering in the politically crucial Western UP belt. About Congress, the fourth player in the state apart from BSP, SP and BJP, he said the party was consistently losing its appeal and shrinking electorally. "Congress is shrinking across the country. In the plains it had been wiped out and in hills it has shrunk. I am sure it will be wiped out from the hills as well in the next elections," Singh said in reference to the two Congress led governments in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The former BJP President also spoke for the sugarcane farmers who dominate the Western UP area and promised to give them their dues if voted to power. "Our government has taken care of farmers and will take care of them in future too. India cannot prosper unless farmers prosper. If the BJP is voted to power, we promise to realise the dues of sugarcane farmers pending with mill owners," he said as Modi listened from the stage. A day after BJP chief Amit Shah described the incumbent Samajwadi Party in UP as a principal challenger in 2017, Singh attacked the SP over deteriorating law-and-order situation in the state. "Wherever BJP governments are ruling, law and order has been well maintained," he claimed. The home minister was speaking to a gathering of frenzied and charged-up BJP workers who were chanting "Bharat mata ki jai" slogans at the rally besides flashing placards that read, "No goonda raj, no corruption" in UP now. In addition, all countries should consider adopting policies to manage natural capital in a judicious manner. The Paris agreement itself recognises the important role that natural ecosystems play in limiting the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. "We should adopt ways and means to conserve the existing ecosystems and expand degraded ecosystems - in people-friendly ways," he said. Singh said this is particularly true of wetlands, which include all land areas - such as lakes, floodplains, peatlands, mangroves, and coral reefs - that are covered with water, either seasonally or permanently. "We want the world to act with a sense of urgency. A comprehensive, equitable and durable action plan is required for every country to counter the menace of global warming and climate change," he said. The Home Minister said India is playing a significant role in fighting against these global threats. The Government of India has recently set a target for renewable energy generation of 175 Gigawatt by 2022. By 2030, 40 per cent of India's installed capacity will be based on non-fossil fuel. "We are looking for technologies to convert waste to energy. India is investing in supercritical technology in thermal plants. "The Government of India is raising fuel standards for automobiles. India is one of the few countries in the world to impose a tax on coal," he said. Singh said India has also reduced subsidies on petroleum products and has even introduced tax free bonds for renewable energy. "We also have a plan to expand our forest cover and protect our biodiversity. Development and environment need to be seen in complimentary and not in antagonistic terms. After all, if there is no earth left, where will development take place?" he said. RBI today asked co-operative banks to "immediately start" monitoring the NPA levels in the Self Help Group (SHG) segment and also stressed on their credit rating. Earlier, the RBI had asked co-operative banks to report the member level data relating to the SHGs. A working group of RBI also stressed on the need for putting in place the credit information reporting for SHG members soon. "The information requirements will be implemented in two phases. The first phase will commence from July 1, 2016 and last for one year. The depth of the credit related information to be collected would increase in Phase II to be implemented from July 1, 2017," RBI said. The collection and reporting of credit information in respect of SHG members will be restricted to the members of those SHGs that take bank loans exceeding Rs 1 lakh. Further, "banks shall immediately start monitoring the NPA levels in the SHG segment on an ongoing basis, if not being already done, and collect detailed information from SHG members availing of loans exceeding a lower threshold of Rs 20,000, if the gross NPA in the SHG segment exceeds 10 per cent", RBI said. RBI also said that banks should encourage the SHGs to keep written records of loans distributed to their members out of the bank loan including the digitisation scheme for SHGs of NABARD and may consider introducing appropriate incentives. India's economic growth will accelerate to 8 per cent by 2018-19 fiscal as gradual implementation of structural reforms will contribute to higher growth, Fitch said today. In its latest Global Economic outlook, Fitch Ratings said it expects India's real GDP growth to rise to 8 per cent by 2018-19, from 7.9 per cent in 2017-18 and 7.7 per cent in 2016-17. The Indian economy is estimated to have grown by 7.6 per cent in 2015-16. "Gradual implementation of the structural reform agenda, which continues to broaden, is expected to contribute to higher growth. Passing of the new Bankruptcy Code in both houses of Parliament in May 2016 shows that implementation of big ticket reforms is possible in India," it said. Fitch also said that reforms related to land acquisition and a Goods and Services Tax have not passed thus far. The Reserve Bank of India's policy rate cuts of 1.50 per cent in total since the beginning of 2015 are likely to feed through to higher GDP growth, Fitch said. It, however, added that monetary transmission is impaired by relatively weak banking sector health. It said higher real disposable income is expected to contribute to faster GDP growth. In rural areas, purchasing power will be supported by above-average rainfall from the monsoon, as expected by the India Meteorological Department, after two years of below-average rainfall. Urban consumption is likely to be supported by a hike in civil servant wages, after the 7th Pay Commission recommended a wage rise of almost 24 per cent. With CPI at 5.4 per cent in April and WPI inflation turning positive, Fitch said the stronger than expected inflationary pressures make further policy rate cuts unlikely in the very near term. As regards global growth, Fitch said emerging market weakness and declining investment spending by global energy producers continue to take a heavy toll on world growth. Fitch forecast it at 2.5 per cent in 2016, unchanged from 2015. Global growth should pick up to around 3 per cent in 2017 as GDP stabilises in Russia and Brazil and the drag from energy adjustments starts to fade. It projected global growth to remain around 3 per cent in 2018, with Fed rate hikes picking up pace. An intensification of external shocks would be a bigger threat to the economy, but the near-term emerging market growth picture is looking a little bit better. It said against the backdrop of sluggish growth and very low headline inflation rates in the advanced economies there have been increasingly loud calls for policy makers at the major central banks to ramp up stimulus efforts even further. The possibility of 'helicopter money' - involving a fiscal expansion funded directly by central banks printing money and/or a write-off of the portion of government debt held by central banks to ease fiscal policy constraints - has also been discussed by many commentators. "Helicopter money would have major implications for central bank independence, increasing the threat of fiscal dominance of monetary policy. It has already been virtually ruled out by a number of central bank officials," Fitch said. Amid a row over return of Kashmiri Pandits, Congress today said it should not be done under police protection but an atmosphere should be created so that they can live in the Valley like they did prior to migration. The party's national spokesman Raj Babbar accused the Centre as well as the Jammu and Kashmir government of indulging in "rhetoric and drama" over the issue. "We want that things (regarding the return of Kashmiri Pandits) should not be confined to only papers but a conducive atmosphere should be made so that when the Kashmiri Pandit returns, his security and safety should be ensured," he told reporters here. "Their return should not be under the shadow of guns, under the protection of police. They should be able to roam freely in the markets with dignity," Babbar said. His comments come amidst stiff opposition by separatists and some others to the government's reported proposal for setting up colonies to resettle the Kashmiri Pandits. He said Kashmiri Pandits should get an environment which was like they used to get when they lived in the Valley prior to migration. Asked to comment on the issue of Amitabh Bachchan being slammed for his proposed participation in government programme tomorrow, the Congress spokesman said, "Why should we target someone who is getting ready to be targeted himself? "We have nothing to do with it, neither we targeted. The question is that his name surfaced in Panama Leaks and it was not Congress which brought him into it. If his name has come in the Leaks, then it is the BJP government which has to give an answer. Turning to Uttar Pradesh, the Congress spokesman alleged that Samajwadi Party government was "hand-in-glove" with the communal forces and that registration of FIR against Bajrang Dal activists over arms training was a mere eyewash. "See, this is a nexus between Uttar Pradesh government and communal forces? What is the fun of registering an FIR if no punishment is given and nobody is arrested. This is just an eyewash what the UP government is doing," said Babbar, an actor-turned-politician. He said the activists should be identified and immediately booked under stringent Act as such incidents were aimed at creating polarization in the country. On BJP's allegation of 'jungle raj' in Bihar, he said the Nitish Kumar government, in which Congress is a part, has clearly said that whosoever is found guilty of killings will be severely dealt with as per the law and nobody will be allowed to break it. "Bihar people have reposed faith in the government and I assure you that the situation of law and order would be very strong," he said. To a question of "loyalty bond" being signed by the Congress MLAs in West Bengal, the spokesman said a negative atmosphere is being created and "misinformation is being spread" that people are leaving Congress. So the bonds are signed "just to show them a mirror that Congress leaders are loyal to the party and they are not leaving the party but are rather ready to sign a bond that they are with the party," he said. Earlier addressing a press conference, the AICC spokesman said the Narendra Modi government was "a party of slogans" which has "drastically failed" to deliver in the past two years. "This government is celebrating its two years, but in reality, this slogan government has failed to deliver on all the fronts. Prices of essential commodities have gone up. Farmers across the country are committing suicide and one man is running the entire show," Babbar said. A motor accident claims tribunal has awarded over Rs 45 lakh compensation to the family of a Delhi-based man who was killed in a road mishap in Chennai in 2011. Tribunal Presiding officer Naveen Arora awarded compensation of Rs 45,88,400 to the wife and two children of 47-year-old Manmohan Vaid, who was was hit by a car from behind in Chennai where he had gone for business related work. "As per the witness, the vehicle had hit him from behind which itself amounts to negligence per se," Tribunal said rejecting the respondents plea that they were falsely implicated in the present case. "Perusal of the FIR shows that on the same date of accident, the FIR was registered at 4.30 AM wherein they have given the number of the offending vehicle also," the Presiding officer said while directing Reliance General Insurance Co Ltd, which had insured the vehicle, to pay the compensation amount. "Insuchashortspanoftimethechancesof manipulation of thenumberoftheoffendingvehiclecanbeeasilyruled out," the Tribunal added. According to the petitioner, on July 23, 2011, Vaid, while returning to his room in Chennai, was hit by the car from behind and was admitted to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The respondents denied the allegation and pleaded that they were falsely implicated in the case. The Supreme Court today allowed Salvatore Girone, one of the two Italian marines accused of killing two fishermen off Kerala coast in 2012, to go home while an international tribunal decides on a jurisdictional issue between India and Italy. The court, however, imposed fresh conditions. The other marine Massimiliano Latorre is already in Italy on health grounds and his stay there was recently extended by the apex court till September 30 this year. A vacation bench of Justices P C Pant and D Y Chandrachud sought a fresh undertaking from Italian Ambassador here stating that if the International Arbitral Tribunal (IAT) decides jurisdictional issue in India's favour then he will be responsible in bringing back the marine within one month. The apex court while relaxing the bail conditions imposed four conditions on the marine which include that he has to report to police station in Italy on first Wednesday of every month and the Italian Embassy has to inform the Indian Embassy in Rome about the same. It also said the marine will not tamper with any evidence nor influence any witness in the case. The third condition imposed was that Girone will give an undertaking that he will remain under the jurisdiction of Supreme Court. Lastly, if found violating any of the conditions imposed, his bail will be cancelled, the apex court said. During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) P S Narasimha said that Centre has no objection to the application moved by Girone if he complies with the conditions imposed by the apex court. "We support the application on humanitarian grounds subject to his compliance with the conditions imposed by the court," the ASG said. Girone presently is in the custody of the apex court and residing in Italian embassy here. The Indian government said it did not oppose Girone's return to Italy as it was abiding by an international tribunal ruling. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup while stating this, however, said that Girone will remain under jurisdiction of the apex court. The Government conveyed its no objection to Italy's application for relaxation of Girone's bail condition, given the order by the UN arbitration tribunal which was binding on India under international law, he said. Congress came down hard on the Modi government accusing it of "cutting an underhand deal to malign the party and its leadership" on the AgustaWasteland issue. Cognress leader Kapil Sibal said the party "knows" that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met his Italian counterpart. Government has denied any such meeting. Party's chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala said the stand taken by Modi government today is a great injustice to the family of deceased fishermen of Kerala." The new Kerala government attacked the Centre, blaming its "wrong response" for the Supreme Court's decision. A "big foul play" had been done by the Centre right from the beginning in the case, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram. In an emotional reunion, a 76-year-old man who left India and went to Pakistan nearly 50 years ago has met with his two siblings in the UAE's capital Abu Dhabi. Hamza Sarkar, who is now a Pakistani citizen, met with his brother TP Mammikutty, 75, and sister Eyyathu, 85, both from Kerala. He flew from Karachi while Mammikutty and Eyyathu came from Kerala for the reunion in Abu Dhabi. Sarkar had gone missing first time from Kerala in 1951 when he was 11 years old, Gulf reported. "He was fond of travelling. One day our mother sent him out to graze the cattle. He never returned," Mammikutty said. Sarkar boarded a train to Kolkata. "From Kolkata I went to Bangladesh, which was then part of Pakistan. Later I went to Karachi," Sarkar said. After 18 years, he returned home in 1968. "I risked my life and slipped through the borders near Rajasthan in India. I walked for three weeks and finally took a bus to Hyderabad. I wrote a letter to my mother and she sent me money for a train ticket to Kerala," Sarkar said. In the hope that he will stay, Sarkar's family set up a grocery shop for him but he ventured out again after nine months on the pretext of buying supplies and never returned. "That was the last we saw him. I still remember how my mother used to keep his picture under her pillow and would cry all night," Iyyathu said. After 48 years, Sarkar's family traced him in Karachi when his daughter Aasiya living in Pakistan and Mammikutty's Abu Dhabi-based grandson Nadirshah, 23, connected on Facebook. "I never thought I would see my brother and sister in this lifetime. I have waited for this moment for so long and now I do not want to leave them and go to Pakistan," Sarkar said. Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale, who was attacked recently, today sought a CBI probe into the incident, saying he had no faith in the inquiry instituted by the state government. Unidentified assailants had opened fire at the cavalcade of Dhadrianwale on May 17 in which he had a narrow escape, but his aide Bhupinder Singh Khalsa was shot dead. Meanwhile, 'Antim Ardas' (post-death) ritual for Khalsa was performed at his native village, Khassi Kalan, about 15 kms from here. Speaking on the occasion, the preacher said Sikh community members would present memoranda to the Deputy Commissioners of their respective districts seeking a CBI probe on the issue on May 30. The Sikh preacher said the community had no connection with elements raising provocative slogans or indulging in any kind of violence on the issue. "I was the target of those who had attacked my convoy on May 17 at Ludhiana. It was only an act of mistaken identity that Sant Bhupinder Singh became the victim," he said. Actors Simon Pegg and Mike Myers are joining Margot Robbie in upcoming thriller "Terminal". Max Irons and Dexter Fletcher are also on board the project directed by Vaughn Stein from his own screenplay, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "Terminal", which is currently shooting in Hungary, follows two hitmen (Fletcher and Irons) as they embark on a borderline suicide mission for a mysterious employer and a large paycheck. Along the way, the unlikely pair discover that a dynamic woman named Annie (Robbie) may be more involved than they had originally suspected. Pegg will next be seen in "Star Trek Beyond", Irons will star on ITV's "Tutankhamun", and Fletcher worked behind the lens as director in "Eddie the Eagle". Myers, meanwhile, is creating a new series for HBO. The sun-powered aircraft has landed in the US state of Pennsylvania, completing the latest leg of a record-breaking flight around the world to promote renewable energy. After taking off from Dayton, Ohio early yesterday, the plane piloted by Swiss explorer Bertrand Piccard arrived at 8:49 p.m. (0049 GMT Thursday) at Lehigh Valley Airport after a flight that lasted just under 17 hours. On its next stage to New York's JFK airport, scheduled for after May 30, Solar Impulse is expected to pass over the Statue of Liberty for a much-anticipated photo opportunity before landing at one of the world's busiest airports. "The mood is extraordinary," Andre Borschberg, the plane's alternate pilot, said on the ground just as Piccard prepared to land. "We are close to New York!" The slow-moving, single-seat plane with the massive wingspan of a Boeing 747 has traversed much of the globe in stages since taking off March 9, 2015 from Abu Dhabi, with Piccard and Borschberg, a Swiss businessman, alternating in the cockpit. The aircraft, clad in thousands of solar cells, was scheduled to depart Ohio on Tuesday but the flight was postponed after its inflatable mobile hangar was damaged when the air fans holding up the structure temporarily failed. However, the plane's performance on Wednesday was "like it should be" Borschberg said. "It's a fantastic airplane." The flight to Lehigh Valley was the 13th leg of Solar Impulse's projected 16-leg east-west circumnavigation, traveling at average speeds of a mere (30 miles) 48 kilometres per hour. "Fantastic moment," Picard tweeted from the cockpit at one point during the flight. "I just got in touch with Air Traffic Control of New York Center. We've crossed the USA!!!!!" "The flight is part of the attempt to achieve the first ever Round-The-World Solar Flight, the goal of which is to demonstrate how modern clean technologies can achieve the impossible," Piccard and Borschberg said in a statement. It hasn't all been smooth sailing, however. The aircraft was grounded in July when its batteries were damaged halfway through its 21,700-mile (35,000-kilometre) circumnavigation of the globe. The crew took several months to repair the damage caused by high tropical temperatures during a 4,000-mile flight between Nagoya, Japan and Hawaii. The plane was flown on that stage by Borschberg, whose 118-hour journey smashed the previous record of 76 hours and 45 minutes set by US adventurer Steve Fossett in 2006. Police in Spain have seized 74 African elephant tusks worth USD 223,000 from a man who was allegedly trying to sell them with a fake permit, authorities said today. The tusks, which weighed 744 kilos (1,640 pounds), were seized in April in Colmenar de Oreja, a town located southwest of Madrid, police said. The owner of the tusks had tried to use a hunting licence issued in 1970 in Mozambique, a former Portuguese colony on the southeast coast of Africa, to try to sell them, police added. The hunting licence allowed for one elephant to be killed, not 37 as the doctored version of the document claimed. The man has been charged with falsifying documents, smuggling and endangering wildlife. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) banned the ivory trade in 1989. But some countries allow the resale of ivory bought before the ban, and CITES-approved government stockpiles can also be sold with certification. Africa is home to between 450,000 to 500,000 elephants, but more than 30,000 are killed every year on the continent to satisfy demand for ivory in Asia, where raw tusks sell for around USD 1,000 (800 euros) a kilo. Heavily-armed poachers kill elephants and rhinos for their tusks, which are used for ornaments and in some folk medicines. The African elephant, the world's largest terrestrial mammal, is listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's "red list" of threatened species. The American drone strike killing Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour is a sign of the US' "exasperation" with Pakistan's "duplicitous game" as it has relied on the Taliban and the Haqqanis to protect its interests in Afghanistan and prevent India from increasing its influence there, an editorial in a leading daily said today. "The United States has for years held off targeting senior Taliban leaders while they were inside Pakistan's Baluchistan province where Pakistan's powerful army has long protected them but President (Barack) Obama crossed that line by authorising the drone strike that killed the Taliban leader," the New York Times said. The article 'What Happens After the Drone Strike?' said the attack was a "sign of American exasperation with Pakistan's duplicitous game of working with Washington to combat terrorism while sheltering the Taliban and its even more hard-line partners in the Haqqani network". "The Pakistanis have relied on the Taliban and the Haqqanis to protect their interests in Afghanistan and prevent India from increasing its influence there," the editorial said. Pakistan, America's "supposed ally", had complained that the strike had violated its sovereignty and Mansour's killing is "certain" to worsen "already frayed" bilateral relations. The editorial said that just like the American raid that killed Osama bin Laden in 2011 in a Pakistani town, Saturday's attack against Mansour "might not have been necessary had Pakistan cooperated in the first place and worked with the Americans to defeat the Taliban". It said after Mansour replaced Mullah Muhammad Omar, the Taliban leader who died in 2013, the Americans and Afghans expected that Pakistan's security services would persuade him to help negotiate a political agreement with Afghanistan, which remains the only viable solution to the war. " instead rejected peace talks and stepped up attacks on Afghan and American targets, enlarging the Taliban's territorial control and further destabilising Kabul's dysfunctional government," it said. "The fact that Obama has now ordered an attack in Baluchistan, rather than the border region where Pakistan has tolerated previous American operations, raises a big question: Does he intend to expand the American mission in Afghanistan, now focused on training and advising Afghan forces and ensuring that Al Qaeda cannot rebuild?," the editorial said. A "hopeful" possibility after the strike is that Mansour's successor Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada and other Taliban leaders will now feel "more threatened" and so more "amenable" to peacemaking. "The question to Obama is whether this killing is merely an end in itself or part of a strategy to drive Pakistan, America's supposed ally and Taliban leaders to the peace table," the editorial added. An intensive household survey conducted by the Telangana government in August 2014 has entered into the Limca Book of Records. The massive exercise had involved as many as 4 lakh government employees who covered over 1.09 crore households in a single day, between 7 AM and 8 PM, an official release stated today. The survey, to gather information on households, educational qualifications of their members, their post office savings, bank account details, mobile phone numbers, Aadhaar card numbers and gas connection details, was ordered immediately after K Chandrasekhar Rao took charge of the youngest state in 2014. The CM had earlier said the data collected in the survey would be used to identify the real beneficiaries of the government welfare schemes. Ahead of the survey, allegations were raised in some quarters that the exercise has been planned with a view to identifying Seemandhra natives, which were rubbished by the CM. At least three workers were killed and 129 others injured in a huge explosion at an industrial unit today in Dombivili township of the district near here, police said. The mishap occurred at about 11.30 AM when cylinders exploded leading to a fire in the chemical manufacturing unit of Herbert Brown Pharmaceutical and Research Laboratories at Shivaji Udyog Nagar of MIDC phase-II area in Dombivili (East), a unit of the Acharya Chemicals. "As of now, the number of dead is three and that of injured is 129," Thane District Collector Mahendra Kalyankar told PTI. The injured were rushed to various hospitals in Thane, Dombivli and Kalyan, he said, adding, NDRF personnel were also involved in the rescue operation, along with fire brigade and police. The intensity of the blast was so high that window panes in adjoining buildings were shattered and shocked people were seen running helter-skelter, an eyewitness said. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed grief at the mishap while Industries Minister Subhash Desai and Guardian Minister for the district Eknath Shinde visited the site along with Kalyankar. Minister of state for Home Ram Shinde said an inquiry will be conducted into the incident. Terming the incident as unfortunate, Fadnavis said he has asked the police and local authorities to speed up the operations. Thane Joint Police Commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre said rescue operations were on as some more persons could be trapped in the debris. He said the toll could go up but it would be known only after clearing the debris. He said the impact of the explosion was felt in an area of around five kilometres in which vehicles were damaged. Over a dozen firefighters from Thane, Kalyan, Ambernath, Ulhasnagar, Badlapur and Navi Mumbai were rushed to the spot to extinguish the flames. Police said the rescue team was facing a tough task in clearing the debris as chemical barrels and drums were lying buried under it. The District Collector is likely to hold a meeting with the Directorate of Industrial Safety, police, MIDC, and Kalyan Dombivili Municipal Corporation officials to find out if safety norms were followed by the chemical unit. Thane District Regional Disaster Management Cell In-charge Santosh Kadam said the rescue operations were affected because of the fire and it was not immediately known how many persons were trapped inside. At least 15 ambulances were rushed to the site, he added. The NRDF team from Pune was rushed to Dombivili to assist in the rescue operations. "Saddened to know about the unfortunate & tragic incident that took place at Dombivali," Fadnavis tweeted. "Spoke to police officials & local authorities and asked them to speed up the relief operations," he said. "We are constantly in touch with the local administration and we would leave no stone unturned in our efforts & relief operation," he said in another tweet. BJP MLA from Dombivili Ravindra Chavan expressed serious concern over the explosions in the MIDC and sought a permanent solution for it. (Reopens BOM 13) Chief Minister Fadnavis visited the accident site and also the hospital where some of the injured are admitted. State government will bear all the expenses for their medical treatment, he said, adding that an in-depth inquiury will be conducted into the incident. A tour operator has been booked for allegedly duping a customer of thousands of rupees by promising to book a tour and then fleeing after locking the company office in the distict, police said today. The accused, identified as Ibrahim Sashan, who operated a tour and travel company in the Vrindavan Society for about five years, was charged for the offence after a customer lodged a complaint with the police, Assistant Police Inspector (API) Niteen Mahadik of the Rabodi police station said. The complainant alleged that he had booked a holiday package for Goa for his family and paid a sum of Rs 1,13,386 for the same on May 5. However, in want of confirmation of the hotel and flight booking even after 20 days, the victim approached the police, the official said. The tour operator had cheated many other customers in a similar manner, he said. A case has been registered under relevant sections of IPC, he said, adding further investigation is on. Donald Trump reached the number of delegates needed to clinch the Republican nomination for president today, completing an unlikely rise that has upended the political landscape and set the stage for a bitter fall campaign. Trump was put over the top in the Associated Press delegate count by a small number of the party's unbound delegates who told the AP they would support him at the national convention in July. Among them is Oklahoma GOP chairwoman Pam Pollard. "I think he has touched a part of our electorate that doesn't like where our country is," Pollard said. "I have no problem supporting Mr. Trump." It takes 1,237 delegates to win the Republican nomination. Trump has reached 1,238. With 303 delegates at stake in five state primaries on June 7, Trump will easily pad his total, avoiding a contested convention in Cleveland. Trump, a political neophyte who for years delivered caustic commentary on the state of the nation from the sidelines but had never run for office, fought off 16 other Republican contenders in an often ugly primary race. Many on the right have been slow to warm to Trump, wary of his conservative bona fides. Others worry about his crass personality and the lewd comments he's made about women. But millions of grass-roots activists, many of them outsiders to the political process, have embraced Trump as a plain-speaking populist who is not afraid to offend. Steve House, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party and an unbound delegate who confirmed his support of Trump to the AP, said he likes the billionaire's background as a businessman. "Leadership is leadership," House said. "If he can surround himself with the political talent, I think he will be fine." Trump's pivotal moment comes amid a new sign of internal problems. Hours before clinching the nomination, he announced the abrupt departure of political director Rick Wiley, who was in the midst of leading the campaign's push to hire staff in key battleground states. In a statement, Trump's campaign said Wiley had been hired only on a short-term basis until the candidate's organisation "was running full steam." His hiring about six weeks ago was seen as a sign that party veterans were embracing Trump's campaign. A person familiar with Wiley's ouster said the operative clashed with others in Trump's operation and didn't want to put longtime Trump allies in key jobs. The person insisted on anonymity because the person was not authorised to publicly discuss the internal campaign dynamics. Some delegates who confirmed their decisions to back Trump were tepid at best, saying they are supporting him out of a sense of obligation because he won their state's primary. Cameron Linton of Pittsburgh said he will back Trump on the first ballot since he won the presidential primary vote in Linton's congressional district. "If there's a second ballot I won't vote for Donald Trump," Linton said. "He's ridiculous. There's no other way to say it." Trump, 69, the son of a New York City real estate magnate, had risen to fame in the 1980s and 1990s, overseeing major real estate deals, watching his financial fortunes rise, then fall, hosting "The Apprentice" TV show and authoring more than a dozen books. Trump's path to the Republican presidential nomination began with an escalator ride. Trump and his wife, Melania, descended an escalator into the basement lobby of the Trump Tower on June 16, 2015, for an announcement many observers had said would never come: The celebrity real estate developer had flirted with running for office in the past. His speech then set the tone for the candidate's ability to dominate the headlines with provocative statements, insults and hyperbole. He called Mexicans "rapists," promised to build a wall between the US and Mexico and proposed banning most Muslims from the US for an indeterminate time. He criticised women for their looks. And he unleashed an uncanny marketing ability in which he deduced his critics' weak points and distilled them to nicknames that stuck. "Little Marco" Rubio, "Weak" Jeb Bush and "Lyin' Ted" Cruz, among others, all were forced into reacting to Trump. They fell one-by-one - leaving Trump the sole survivor of a riotous Republican primary. His rallies became magnets for free publicity. Onstage, he dispensed populism that drew thousands of supporters, many wearing his trademark "Make America Great Again" hats and chanting, "Build the wall!" The events drew protests too - with demonstrators sometimes forcibly ejected from the proceedings. One rally in Chicago was canceled after thousands of demonstrators surrounded the venue and the Secret Service could no longer vouch for the candidate's safety. When voting started, Trump was not so fast out of the gate. He lost the Iowa caucuses in February, falling behind Cruz and barely edging Rubio for second. He recovered in New Hampshire. From there he and Cruz fiercely engaged, with Trump winning some and losing some but one way or another dominating the rest of the primary season - in votes or at least in attention - and ultimately in delegates. Republican leaders declared themselves appalled by Trump's rise. Conservatives called the onetime Democrat a fraud. But many slowly, warily, began meeting with Trump and his staff. And he began winning endorsements from a few members of Congress. Bhumata Brigade chief Trupti Desai, who campaigned successfully to break the bar on entry of women in some Hindu temples, today offered prayers at the famous Kapaleshwar temple here, but refrained from entering its 'garbha griha' (sanctum sanctorum). Desai and other women activists arrived at the temple at around noon and offered prayers from outside the 'garbha griha' amid tight police arrangements at the place, Inspector P H Sapkale, in-charge of Panchavati police station, said. Later, she and the others were escorted in a police van some distance away from the temple, from where they left for Pune. Last Thursday, Desai had to return without offering prayers following strong opposition from locals, priests and trustees of the temple. In view of Desai's visit today, police had beefed up security in and around the famous Kapaleshwar temple, situated on the banks of river Godavari in Panchavati area of the city. Some city residents had yesterday held a meeting at a hall behind the temple and strongly opposed Desai's earlier decision to enter the sanctum sanctorum of the temple today. They were of the view that she should offer prayers from outside the 'garbha griha' where general public is allowed. Notably, men are also not allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum where only priests are permitted to perform the regular puja. Meanwhile, the 'shiva linga' inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple was decorated with flowers and leaves this morning. When Desai and her colleagues arrived in the temple, its trust members and police officials explained to her the rules and traditions, following which she offered prayers but did not enter the sanctum sanctorum. (Reopens BES18) Meanwhile, people gathered and began shouting slogans when Desai entered the temple and after she came out. Police used lathis to disperse a few devotees from the area. Later, Desaiand other activists returned to Pune. Two contract workers of Neyveli Lignite Corporation today died of asphyxiation while cleaning a septic tank at a house, police said. Thangaraj and Chinnadurai went into the septic tank to clean it. As they did not return, the co-workers informed the police and fire personnel, who found they were asphyxiated. The bodies have been fished out, police said. Two militants were today killed in an ongoing gunbattle as the army scuttled a major infiltration attempt from across the border in Naugam sector of north Kashmir's Kupwara district. Troops guarding the Line of Control intercepted a group of five to six militants, who were trying to sneak into this side, near Toot Mari Gali in Naugam sector early this morning, an army official said. He said that the troops of 35 Rashtriya Rifles challenged the infiltrating militants, who opened fire, triggering a gunbattle between the two sides. "Two militants have been killed so far and their bodies are lying near the encounter spot," the official said, adding that the operation in the dense bushes is still going on. Defence sources said that additional reinforcements of 18 Jat and first Naga regiment have joined the operation to neutralise the remaining militants. The UK today launched a review of Sharia law in the country to establish if the Islamic religious law discriminates against women. UK home secretary Theresa May told British MPs in a written statement that the review, to be completed by next year, will look at whether the Islamic religious law is compatible with UK laws and in case it is being "misused". "A number of women have reportedly been victims of what appear to be discriminatory decisions taken by Sharia councils and that is a significant concern. There is only one rule of law in our country, which provides rights and security for every citizen," May said. The review will be led by Professor Mona Siddiqui, an expert in Islamic and inter-religious studies from the University of Edinburgh. "It's a privilege to be asked to chair such an important piece of work. At a time when there is so much focus on Muslims in the UK, this will be a wide-ranging, timely and thorough review as to what actually happens in sharia councils," she said. The review panel, led by the Pakistani-British academic, will also include family law barrister Sam Momtaz, retired High Court judge Sir Mark Hedley and specialist family law lawyer Anne Marie Hutchinson. They will be advised by two religious and theological experts - Imam Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi and Imam Qari Asim. The UK Home Office said that it would not be a review of the "totality" of Sharia law, which is a source of guidance for many Muslims in Britain. It would examine the role of particular groups and Islamic authorities, and the role of Sharia councils and Muslim arbitration tribunals. The panel would also look at divorce, domestic violence and custody cases. Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, who were rusticated from JNU, have moved Delhi High Court for putting on hold the disciplinary action taken against them by the varsity till their appeals against the decision are decided by the university's appellate authority. The two students in their applications have sought the same relief that was given to Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) President Kanhaiya Kumar and others against whom disciplinary action was taken by the varsity for a controversial event there on February 9 this year. The relief was given to Kanhaiya and others by the High Court on May 13 after JNUSU undertook to immediately withdraw its hunger strike and not to indulge in any further agitation. In its May 13 order, the court had also said if the appeals of the students were rejected, then the order of appellate authority would not be given effect to till a period of two weeks. Umar and Anirban, who along with Kanhaiya have been accused of sedition for what happened during the February 9 event, have said that they would be moving the appellate authority against the disciplinary action taken by JNU on the basis of recommendations of a high level enquiry committee (HLEC). While Umar was rusticated for one semester and slapped with a fine of Rs 20,000, Anirban was rusticated till July 15 and after July 23 he was barred from the university campus for five years. Anirban was only given a week between July 16-22 to complete his thesis. The applications have been filed in their petitions moved on May 9 challenging the disciplinary action against them. On May 10 when their matter was taken up, JNU had agreed in court to extend the date of deposit of fine, by Umar, to May 30. Kurdish-Arab fighters aided by American soldiers battled the Islamic State group north of its Syrian stronghold of Raqa today as Iraqi forces edged towards the jihadist-held city of Fallujah. The twin offensives are two of the most significant ground assaults against the extremists since they declared a self-styled "caliphate" in Iraq and Syria in 2014. The assaults came as Syria's UN envoy said trapped civilians risk starvation unless Damascus and rebel groups allow greater access to humanitarian aid convoys. Near the front line north of Raqa city, an AFP photographer saw US soldiers yesterday assisting a Kurdish-dominated alliance known as the Syrian Democratic Forces. The SDF is working its way through villages and farmland south of the town of Ain Issa, less than 60 kilometres from Raqa city. It said its fighters had "advanced seven kilometres from Ain Issa and liberated five villages and four fields." "We liberated the villages of Fatisah, Namroudiya, and Wastah as well as several fields. The coming battle will hold a lot of big surprises," SDF field commander Baraa al-Ghanem told AFP. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said SDF fighters on Thursday were shelling IS positions near Ain Issa as warplanes from the US-led coalition carried out nearly non-stop air raids. The Britain-based monitor, which relies on a network of sources on the ground, updated its death toll for the five-year war, which it says has now killed more than 280,000 people. A fragile truce agreed between the US and Russia in February had curtailed the bloodshed despite consistent allegations of violations, but the international fight against IS was excluded from the ceasefire deal. The first of 250 members of the US special operations forces were due to arrive this week in northeast Syria to support the campaign, joining dozens of advisers already on the ground. An SDF field commander told AFP that US ground forces were "taking part" in operations north of Raqa. "There are US forces using (anti-tank) TOW missiles to fire on the explosives-rigged cars that (IS) is using to attack the SDF," said Hawkar Kobane. Asked about the men seen on the front line, US defence officials did not dispute that they were American special operations forces. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said IS is "concentrating 2,000 fighters along the front lines north of Raqa" to repel the SDF offensive. "IS has prepared for this fight in recent months by digging tunnels and lining them with explosives, as well as preparing car bombs and hiding in buildings among civilians," Abdel Rahman added. Apprehensive about the Chinese aggressive military buildup, the top US lawmakers cutting across party lines are pushing for building a strong defence relationship with India. The Senators during a Congressional hearing endorsed a move by the Obama Administration to help modernise Indian military including the ambitious defence technology and trade initiative. "As the world's two largest democracies, it is essentially that Washington and Delhi stand together to uphold democratic values, principles and norms in the Indo-Pacific, particularly as China seeks to gain greater influence in the region," Senator Bob Corker, Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said during the hearing. "The nature and scope of the US-India relationship has changed significantly over the past couple of decades, and the political, economic and strategic cooperation between the United States and India is at an all-time high," he said. "There is considerable potential to further strengthen many aspects of our relationship. For example, I'm encouraged by efforts to expand US-India defence and security co- operations specifically in the maritime sphere," Corker said. India and the US has a lot in common, asserted Senator Ben Cardin, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "The South China Sea and China's activities on maritime security dictate that the United States and India work at closer defence cooperative arrangement to make sure that we maintain the commerce of the seas and the openness of the shipping lanes," said Cardin. "We also need to deal with counter-terrorism. We still recall the tragic terrorist episode in Mumbai in 2008. Three of my constituents from Maryland were killed during that attack, and that's still fresh in the minds of the people of India," he said. "So I think strengthening our ties on counter-terrorism, working towards a further cooperation from South Asia, is an important part of the growing relationship between our two countries," said Cardin who during the hearing was quite vocal on expressing concern over human rights situation in India. Former Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio said he oftentimes hear that the role of India's future discussed as a sort of counterbalance to China. "I think it should be much more than that. Obviously there's an element of that, but I think India in and of itself is a nation with incredible potential, and there's incredible potential in our bilateral relationship," he said. The US should ask Pakistan to do more to combat terrorism and improve trade openings with India for better bilateral ties, a former Obama Administration official has told American lawmakers. "I think that Pakistan in the past several years has missed a number of opportunities to allow itself to better its ties with India, and to allow itself to open its economy further to some of the opportunities that its strategic location affords," said Alyssa Ayres, who served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia from 2010 to 2013. Currently a Senior Fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, Ayres during a Congressional hearing this week said that Pakistan has still not given India the most favoured nation status. "We should be asking Pakistan to do more on A, the trade openings, and B, the counterterrorism questions. And this is an issue that I'm certain comes up over and over again," Ayres said when Ben Cardin, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, asked what India should be doing to improve ties with Pakistan. "Well, what should we be asking India to do?" Cardin repeated his question. "Well, we are asking them to do a lot, I mean, it seems. They have serious concerns. The Mumbai attackers' trial still has not gone forward," Ayres said as she was again interrupted by the Democratic Senator from Maryland. "We're going to have an opportunity to have the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) in our country. How do we advance the regional security, and how do we handle what India can do in regards to the Pakistan relationship?" Cardin asked one more time. Ayres said "it is my understanding that we continue to encourage both countries to try to keep that dialogue open. You have seen where there have been hiccups in the course of the past year. But the Indian government does come back and try to keep that channel open". "You saw the Prime Minister stop in Lahore to meet with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Christmas Day, on his birthday. Shortly after that, you saw a terrorist attack take place across the border in Pathankot. "I think the challenge here is finding a way to press Pakistan so these terrorist attacks don't derail the process because that is the other part of the pattern that we continually see," she said. At Tuesday's Congressional hearing, Ayres also responded to questions from top American Senators who expressed dissatisfaction over the pace of economic reforms under the Modi government. Congressman Bob Corker, Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said "rhetoric has far outpaced economic reforms" as he also accused the Obama Administration of not being "brutally honest" in its conversation with India. Reacting to the Senators' concerns, Ayres pointed out that "the Modi government has been able to do more than I think we generally acknowledge". "I think that you have seen over the course of the last two years of the Modi government, a very intensive emphasis on ease of doing business. "You saw their number did move up in that World Bank ranking. I would anticipate that it would move up even further a few notches when the next one comes out in the fall," she added and listed out some of the key reforms of the government, including the lifting of the FDI cap on insurance and defence, and in defence technology industry cooperation. A 19-year-old woman in Hassan district has given birth to a baby girl considered to be 'heaviest' in the country, weighing about 6.82 kg. Nandini from Doddihalli in Belur taluk gave birth to the baby on May 23 around 6.15 pm at Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences. "The baby was delivered after conducting a caesarean surgery" HIMS Medical Superintendent Dr K Shankar told PTI. "It is the heaviest baby so far reported in India, last one reported was somewhere around 5.8 kgs," he said. Nandini's husband Arun works for a bakery. Both baby and mother are healthy, but as the case is "unusual" doctors have decided to keep the baby under observation and are assessing the reason for the over weight. "We have done the abdominal scanning of the baby, we will be doing blood test as well," Shankar said. Workaholics, take note! You may be more prone to psychiatric symptoms such as depression and anxiety, researchers including one of Indian-origin have warned. Scientists examined the associations between workaholism and psychiatric disorders among 16,426 working adults. "Workaholics scored higher on all the psychiatric symptoms than non-workaholics," said Cecilie Schou Andreassen from University of Bergen in Norway. Among workaholics, 32.7 per cent met attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) criteria compared to 12.7 per cent among non-workaholics, researchers said. More than 25 per cent of workaholics met obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) criteria compared to almost nine per cent among non-workaholics, they said. Almost 34 per cent met anxiety criteria compared to 12 per cent among non-workaholics, researchers said. Almost 9 per cent met depression criteria, while the figure was 2.6 per cent for non-workaholics, they said. "Thus, taking work to the extreme may be a sign of deeper psychological or emotional issues," said Andreassen. "Whether this reflects overlapping genetic vulnerabilities, disorders leading to workaholism or, conversely, workaholism causing such disorders, remain uncertain," she said. Researchers including Rajita Sinha from Yale University in the US used seven valid criteria when drawing the line between addictive and non-addictive behaviour. Participants rated experiences occurring over the past year from 1 (never) to 5 (always). The experiences were - you think of how you can free up more time to work, you spend much more time working than initially intended, you work in order to reduce feelings of guilt, anxiety, helplessness or depression, you have been told by others to cut down on work without listening to them. The other experiences included - you become stressed if you are prohibited from working, you deprioritise hobbies, leisure activities, and/or exercise because of your work, you work so much that it has negatively influenced your health. Scoring 4 (often) or 5 (always) on four or more criteria identify a workaholic, researchers said. The findings were published in the journal PLoS ONE. A long lost British Second World War submarine that vanished 73 years ago has been found with 71 dead bodies of crew off the coast of Italy. The 1,290 tonne vessel was found by a diving team at a depth of 100 metres, close to the island of Tavolara, off the northeast coast of Sardinia. The submarine vanished without a trace around Janaury 2, 1943 and is believed was hit by a mine in the Gulf of Olbia. "Immediately I thought of the destiny of the men who met their deaths down there. It was a fate shared by so many men, submariners in particular, fighting on all both sides of the conflict," diving team leader Massimo Domenico Bordone told Italian media. The submarine had left Malta on December 28, 1942 for its first mission to destroy two Italian battleships when they lay anchor at the port of La Maddalena. But after sending a signal on December 31 the vessel disappeared without a trace. Military officials assumed the submarine had been sunk, 'Daily Express' reported. The wreck was found in excellent condition with only a small amount of damage from the explosion. "It looks like she probably went down with air sealed inside, meaning the crew eventually died of oxygen deprivation. It's important to have the utmost respect for wrecks in cases like this," Bordone said. The Royal Navy said it expects the wreck to be treated with respect while they work to confirm the identity of the submarine. "We are examining our records to determine whether or not this is a Royal Navy submarine," a Royal Navy spokesperson said. China today offered to allow more Indian pilgrims to Kailash and Manasarovar in Tibet through Nathulla in Sikkim in addition to 250 who were permitted through the new route last year. The offer to increase the number of pilgrims was made by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his talks with Pranab Mukherjee here. "In order to realise the dream of Indian pilgrims, China is ready to expand the scale of Indian pilgrims for yatra through Nathu La pass in the Tibetan Autonomous Region", a Chinese foreign Ministry spokesman said after the talks. China had opened the new route last year via Nathulla Pass with permission to allow 250 people in seven batches every year. The new route facilitates direct journey by trains and buses without going through the arduous route through the mountains using mules. The additional numbers were expected to be finalised after talks between the two countries, officials said. It was the late-1960s and Indian artists were veering towards the Western ideas of abstract expressionism and high Modernism. In such a scenario, Bhupen Khakhar started his journey towards becoming Indias first pop artist and during the 1970s, had established himself as a connoisseur of kitsch, wrote poet and cultural theorist Ranjit Hoskote in his catalogue essay, A Crazy Pair of Eyes: Remembering Bhupen Khakhar, for the 2013-exhibition on the artist at Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke. However, in the late 1970s and 1980s, Khakhars paintings became deeply autobiographical, as he became, perhaps, the first Indian artist to come out of the closet and freely express his sexuality. Works such as Two Men in Banaras (1982) and Yayati (1987) were, Khakhar said in an interview to Outlook, kind of personal confessional paintings. It is to celebrate his stature as a key global figure in 20th-century painting that Tate Modern is presenting the first ever international retrospective of Khakhar since his death in 2003. Hathyogi, 1978. Courtesy of the Estate of BhupenKhakhar/National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi Estate of Bhupen Khakhar. One can see Khakhars major works watercolours, oils on canvas and even experimental ceramics created over five decades and drawn from major collections from across the world. Khakhar, since his death, hasnt had a serious re-appraisal. He has been acknowledged by everyone as important, but his work has not been seen so much, she adds. Khakhars association with the gallery is not recent: his work was shown at the Tate Gallery in 1982 as part of Six Indian Painters and then again in Century City in 2001. And now in 2016, he is part of the opening exhibition at the new wing, for which we wanted to go back to an artist that we have always considered important, says Raza. Three significant works Night, Republic Day and American Survey Officer have been loaned by Delhi-based Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, or KNMA, which is also one of the supporters of the exhibition, after Deutsche Bank. The retrospective is significant as Indian artists are now being given the pride of the place in the West as well first the Nasreen Mohamedi show at the MET and now this at the Tate, says Kiran Nadar, art collector and chairperson, KNMA. She feels that though Khakhar was an untaught artist, his oeuvre was huge and varied. Be it watercolours or canvases each work emphasised his personality vocally, she says. The exhibition is full of newer insights into the artists life and works, gleaned during Razas extensive travels around the Gujarati neighbourhood of Khetwadi in Mumbai, were Khakhar grew up, and then Baroda, where he worked as a chartered accountant and also studied art criticism at MS University. Her travels brought her in touch with friends of Khakhars such as Gulammohammed Sheikh, Vivan Sundaram, Nilima Sheikh, Sunil Kothari, and more, who aided her in understanding what produced the practice. Baroda provided an international perspective on art and art history, aided by our mutual friend Gulammohammed Sheikh. You can find references of colonial and early renaissance art. Death in the Family, 1977. Oil paint on canvas. Victoria and Albert Museum The Estate of BhupenKhakhar. Another artist who knew him well and has depicted and quoted Khakhar in some of his works is Atul Dodiya. One of Khakhars paintings that left an early impression on him is Ranchhodbhai Relaxing in Bed, which shows a man in bed with a quilt on his lap and in the backdrop has a boy combing his hair in front of the mirror. I knew so many Ranchhodbhais while growing up in Ghatkopar and this one was exactly like some of them, laughs Dodiya. Khakhars wit shines through not just in the names of his paintings, but also in the imagery. In his opinion, while Khakhars technique was like that of a Sunday painter, it was his choice of subjects that made the works fascinating. They were so rooted in Indian soil and landscape. Unlike others, he was depicting middle and lower-middle class India, says Dodiya, while adding that Khakhar was someone who stood against the norm. You Cant Please All, 1981. Oil paint on canvas. 1756 x 1756 mm. Tate BhupenKhakhar Bhupen Khakhar: You Cant Please All will be held at Tate Modern, London, between June 1 and November 6, and will travel to Deutsche Bank Kunsthalle, Berlin Intel India on Thursday launched the Common Service Centres and an online portal for non-urban India to accelerate digital literacy at the grassroots level, and encourage innovation from the local level. The company inaugurated 'Unnati Kendra at Common Service Centre' (UK at CSC) in Haryana, as part of its 'Ek Kadam Unnati Ki Aur' initiative. This 'UK at CSC' will be common access digital learning centers for people of the state. Based on public private collaboration, Intel India is working with the government to open a network of up to 100 'UK at CSC' facilities across ten states this year, with 10 such facilities already set up in the state of Telangana, said the company statement. At these facilities, Intel India is providing access to devices, local content and training for citizens that will also help them develop and nurture their creative capabilities. Trained personnel at these centres are also conducting in-depth sessions on digital literacy, computer skills and internet facilities, along with dedicated guidance sessions in entrepreneurship, language and vocational training, with the goal of creating opportunities for non-urban education, employment and empowerment. Intel India also announced the Digital Unnati website, being set up in collaboration with the CSC e-Governance Services India. It will enable Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) to learn how to assemble a PC online and upskill their technology know-how. In addition, Intel India announced the second year for its Innovate for Digital India Challenge ("Challenge") to supports local innovation and entrepreneurship. It is a nationwide competition inviting technology solutions to solve real problems faced by non-urban population. The three winning teams of the 2015 Challenge were TJay, Asha+, and Jayalaxmi Agrotech. These teams developed commercially viable strategies and prototypes with the engineering support, mentoring and access to funds from Intel. They have created solutions for the agricultural and healthcare sector and will now have access to equity investments of up to Rs 2,000,000 per team from CIIE to take their products to market. Speaking at the event, Robby Swinnen, Vice President, Sales & Marketing Group, and General Manager, Intel Corporation,Asia-Pacific & Japan, said "Intel India's focus on accelerating Digital India is not only contributing to empowering people with crucial digital knowledge, but is also strongly aligned to our vision of connecting everyone with technology as we progress towards a smart and connected world. Dr. Dinesh Tyagi, CEO, CSC e-Governance Services India Limited, said, "To realize the Digital India vision, it is imperative that we evangelize the next wave of innovation to build a sustainable ecosystem for the industry to help solve local problems. Government and industry need to work together as partners to accelerate our progress towards this mission. We are proud to have collaborated with Intel India to launch its Digital Seva Skills (Unnati) website to spread e-literacy and digital skills across villages throughout the country. The word war between India's largest e-commerce firm Flipkart and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad does not seem to come to an end. IIM-A had written a strongly worded mail to start-up major asking it to either scale down the deferment period or ramp up the quantum of compensation. To which, Flipkart has reportedly responded in negative. In a blog post on its website, the e-commerce firm said its committed and absolutely confident of having all its trainees on board in December 2016. The company has offered Rs 1.5 lakh for a period of seven months to compensate for the delay in joining dates. However, IIM-A found it "utterly unacceptable". "Either the period of deferment needs to be scaled down or the quantum of compensation for deferment needs to be ramped up (Rs 1.5 lakh for a period of seven months is, to put it mildly, utterly unacceptable) to reflect x% of package," said IIM-A in an email to Flipkart. The online retail major said it has been working on restructuring its businesses to strike the right balance among key levers such as innovation, strategic execution, and operational excellence. "As a part of this ongoing restructuring, the campus program will also go through a comprehensive overhaul to ensure that it is in line with our new business structure and that our campus recruits start working towards larger company goals from Day One," said Flipkart in a public statement. While launching a fresh start-up or working with an established one has become a fad among freshers and young professionals, the spar between Flipkart and IIM-A may siphon the sheen off the start-up culture. It is notable, Flipkart had reported a loss of Rs 2,000 crore in the financial year 2015 and rival Snapdeal also posted a loss of Rs 1,328 crore in the same year. Analysts and investors believe the losses at both firms are likely to have risen in the financial year 2016. Origin Enterprises plc, the Agri-Services group announces a 12 per cent decrease in underlying revenue for the third quarter against 2015. Revenues for the third quarter were 1.0 per cent lower than the same period in 2016 at 555.5 million against 560.9 million last year. Origin Enterprises plc is a focused Agri-Services group providing on-farm advice and the supply of agri-inputs, with operations in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Poland, Ukraine and Romania. In a trading update this morning Origin said; Trading for the quarter was disappointing, with the Group achieving lower revenues against the comparative period across its service platforms in Ireland, the United Kingdom and Poland. The performance principally reflects the impact of very late spring conditions on activity levels on farm due to highly unseasonal weather patterns across Northern Europe. Source: www.businessworld.ie According to the Financial Services Union Ulster Bank is moving forward with a further major restructure of its retail branch network in the Republic of Ireland. The restricting is likely to involve the loss of over 100 jobs. This latest restructure is going to hit both staff and customers badly, said FSU Senior Industrial Relations Officer, Gareth Murphy. This will not only cause difficulties for the staff who lose their jobs but also for those remaining who will face increased workloads and additional stress. Customers are likely to face more queues. Most customers who need advice, prefer to deal with a human being rather than a machine. Many of these queries require time and care. So withdrawing staff from this crucial interface with customers does not make any business sense. Only yesterday Ulster Bank announced the sell-off of 900 home loans that are near the point of repossession, with expectations that loans will be sold before the end of the year. All of the loans have been under specialist management at the bank for a significant period of time, according to a Ulster Bank spokesman. Source: www.businessworld.ie About Us An Irish Brokers Association survey reveals today that women are far less knowledgeable than men when it comes to pension planning ; 73% say they have little or no understanding compared to 55% of men. Only 3% of men & women rate their knowledge on pensions as excellent, with 18% of respondents indicating they have no understanding of pensions at all. The Irish Brokers Association is a leading professional body of Insurance Brokers in Ireland, representing over 700 insurance intermediary offices that are authorised and regulated by Central Bank. 72% of respondents to the survey expect to get independent advice from a broker or financial advisor before starting a new pension plan. CEO of the Irish Brokers Association Ciaran Phelan, commenting on the findings, said Are pensions complex and difficult to understand? Massively. Is it important that we all have some level of knowledge and awareness of their importance? Absolutely. Just 11% of respondents said that their knowledge of pensions was good or excellent. However, almost half said they had only some understanding of pension planning with the remaining 18% saying they had no understanding whatsoever thats almost a fifth of all adults. The IBA survey found that although men fare better, as do older people, the overall numbers are still pretty damming, with the experts saying that there are now two clear options for the pensions regulator; education or simplification. Source: www.businessworld.ie The Minister for Jobs, Mary Mitchell OConnor TD, today announced a new 500,000 Enterprise Ireland Competitive Start Fund (CSF) to stimulate start-up activity in the FinTech sector. The CSF is open to early stage companies providing technology driven solutions within the Financial Services sector, or to the FinTech/Financial Services sectors as an end market. The fund, which is a part of the IFS2020 strategy, will provide up to 50,000 in equity support by Enterprise Ireland for each successful applicant. The award is open to applicants across numerous FinTech sectors including Payments, Banking, RegTech, Security, and InsurTech and FinTech solutions across: Blockchain, IoT, AI and Data Intelligence. Launching the fund Minister Mary Mitchell OConnor said: A key part of the Governments Action Plan for Jobs is targeting sectors where we have established strengths, and supporting growth and expansion in those areas in order to create jobs. Ireland is recognised as a key hub for FinTech innovation and this new fund will make a real contribution to supporting more start-ups and ultimately more jobs in Ireland. Brett Meyers, CEO of CurrencyFair commented: FinTech is one of the hottest sectors in terms of both innovation and growth. CurrencyFair, with the support of Enterprise Ireland, continues to evolve banking to be fairer and more transparent ultimately giving customers a better experience. This fund will go a long way in making sure more companies like CurrencyFair can emerge to continue to disrupt and improve financial services. Successful applicants will also receive membership to Dogpatch Labs located in the heart of the IFSC (in partnership with Ulster Bank) and access to the Ulster Bank Innovation Solutions team. In addition, there will be a number of Masterclasses provided by industry experts from the FinTech and Payments Association of Ireland (FPAI). The fund opens for applications on Wednesday, 1 June and closes at 3pm on Wednesday, 15 June. Source: www.businessworld.ie About Us Irish hotelier Dalata has acquired a hotel development site on Kevin Street, close to St. Stephens Green, Dublin, for 8.1m. Construction of a Maldron Hotel is expected to commence before the end of this year with the aim to have the hotel operational by mid-2018. The planning permission allows for a 137 bedrooms over five floors. Planning permission was granted by An Bord Pleanala in November 2015. The total investment on completion will be circa 26.0m (c.190,000 per room). Following this transaction, Dalata has 45m left to spend, according to Davy Stockbrokers. Dalata Hotel Group plc is Irelands largest hotel operator, with a current portfolio of 42 three and four star hotels with over 7,700 rooms. Dalata successfully operate Irelands two largest hotel brands, the Clayton and the Maldron Hotels across Ireland and the UK. For the full year 2015 Dalata reported revenue of 225.7 million. Source: www.businessworld.ie About Us New research published today by Deloitte & Irelands Customer Contact Management Association show that Ireland is an important global hub for customer service contact centres. The survey was fielded to 60 multinational subsidiaries based in Ireland as well as a mix of Irish owned private & public companies. The report shows that 92% of the 60 companies offer customer support to the Irish market. The UK was next highest with 52%, with Western Europe (37%), Eastern Europe (27%), US & Canada (22%), Africa (15%), Asia Pacific (17%) and Latin America (9%) also featuring. The report also details 55% of respondents indicated they will increase the number of customer contact employee in the next two years. Contact via phone remains the most frequently used platform, accounting for 48% of total customer contact volumes in 2015. Email (17%) and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) (15%) were reported as the second and third most frequently used channels. Webchat only currently account for 5% of contact volumes in 2015, however 50% of respondents plan to introduce the function in the next 12 months, showing a shift in consumer demands. Partner, Human Capital, Consulting at Deloitte, Cormac Hughes, said; These results highlight the important role customer contact centres in Ireland are playing in the Irish and the global markets today. With respondents expecting a decrease in outsourcing, the talent pool in Ireland will become increasingly important as the sector grows. The shift in customer demands when it comes to customer services will require the need for additional technical skills. The growth of the global market for Irish customer contact centres will continue to demand high language skills from talent in Ireland. As many organisations compete for talent within the same pool in locations such as Dublin and Cork, companies need to start looking beyond these areas for the right people to fill the roles. He added. Source: www.businessworld.ie About Us Data transfers to the United States by companies such as Facebook and Google face a renewed legal threat after the Irish privacy watchdog said on Wednesday it would refer Facebook's data transfer mechanisms to the top EU court. The move follows an Irish investigation into Facebook's transfer of European Union users' data to the United States to ensure that personal privacy is properly protected from U.S. government surveillance. Facebook, like many other tech companies, has its European headquarters in Dublin and is regulated by the Irish Data Protection Commissioner (IDPC). The IDPC said it would ask the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) to determine the validity of Facebook's "model contracts" - common legal arrangements used by thousands of firms to transfer personal data outside the 28-nation EU. Its investigation into the California-based company was ordered by Ireland's High Court in October after the CJEU struck down Safe Harbour, an EU-U.S. agreement that had allowed the free transfer of data between the European Union and the United States. The CJEU ruled the agreement did not sufficiently protect Europeans' information against U.S. surveillance. Transfers of Europeans' personal information to the United States have been a hot topic since 2013 revelations about mass U.S. surveillance programmes such as Prism, which allowed U.S. authorities to harvest private information directly from big tech companies such as Apple, Facebook and Google. Since the CJEU ruling, companies have had to rely on model contracts and other, more cumbersome, measures to transfer Europeans' data to the United States in compliance with strict EU data privacy rules. "Thousands of companies transfer data across borders to serve their customers and users," a spokeswoman for Facebook said. "The question the Irish DPC plans to raise with the court regarding standard contract clauses will be relevant to many companies operating in Europe," she said, adding that Facebook has a number of legal ways of moving data to the United States. The CJEU ruling in October stemmed from a complaint by Austrian law student and privacy activist Max Schrems. He challenged Facebook's transfers of European users' data to its American servers, citing the risk of U.S. snooping. "We yesterday informed Mr Schrems and Facebook of our intention to seek declaratory relief in the Irish High Court and a referral to the CJEU to determine the legal status of data transfers under standard contractual clauses," the IDPC said. One of the reasons the ECJ struck down Safe Harbour is because the agreement did not offer EU citizens sufficient channels to complain about U.S. surveillance. Schrems and other privacy campaigners contend that alternative arrangements such as model clauses don't offer Europeans any means of redress either. "There is no way that the CJEU can say that model contracts are valid if they killed Safe Harbor based on the existence of these U.S. surveillance laws," Schrems said in a statement on Wednesday. After the CJEU ruling in October, the EU Commission and the United States rushed to hash out a new data-sharing agreement, the Privacy Shield, which they are hoping to have up and running by the end of June. However, EU privacy watchdogs have raised a number of concerns about the framework, heightening fears that it might not withstand a court challenge. "If the courts decide that the standard contractual clauses cannot be relied upon and that the transfers of personal data which they facilitate must be halted, the effect on international business would be catastrophic," said Oliver Yaros, a lawyer at Mayer Brown.(Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie LOGAN A 39-year-old Smithfield man will not face felony child pornography charges at this point, as prosecutors instead filed just one count of voyeurism against David J. Denton. The charge stems from his arrest on May 13 and an ongoing investigation. Smithfield City Police Officer Brandon Muir said as he met with Barbara Lachmar from the Cache County Attorneys Office, it was decided there was enough evidence to file one count of voyeurism, a class A misdemeanor. The victim is reportedly a juvenile. Muir said he began investigating Denton after receiving a report on the allegations from caseworkers with the Division of Child and Family Services. At the same time, Denton reportedly turned himself in at the Cache County Jail. Muir said he couldnt comment further because the investigation is still open and additional charges may still be filed. Editors Note: This is no relation to David B. Denton, morning show host on KOOL 103.9.

will@cvradio.com LOGAN Local law enforcement will have a new training facility this summer, thanks to the generosity and volunteer efforts of local home builders. Logan City Police Chief Gary Jensen joined construction crews Wednesday morning at the law enforcement shooting range, watching as concrete workers began pouring the walls for a brand new shoot house. Jensen said the project started when contractors with the Cache Valley Home Builders Association contacted him, wanting to do something to help local officers and deputies. There was a lot of ideas thrown around, said Jensen. We just got kind of talking about a wish list and one of our wish items was pie in the sky idea of a shoot house. One thing led to another. They got talking to donors and laborers and the next thing you know, weve got a plan moving forward. The shoot house will be located behind the shooting range that is used by police officers from Logan City, North Park, Smithfield City and Cache County Sheriffs Deputies. The materials and labor is all being donated by Staker Parsons, Geneva Rock, Life Style Homes, Matt Funk Construction, Brundage-Bone Concrete Pumping, Sierra Homes and others. Jensen said it feels good that so many people are wanting to help in building the shoot house. He explained how it will become a great tool for officers and deputies to train in. In this scenario you have the potential of actually having live fire in a home. Then you add in the stress of shooting and being accurate and this shoot house allows us to do all of that. So its really a three-dimensional training opportunity, as opposed to one-dimensional on the paper targets. Its amazing. Jensen said once the project is done, the police department is planning a big celebration to thank everyone.

will@cvradio.com A 50-year-old South Jordan man, Allen W. Devaul, was killed Wednesday afternoon when he was struck by a car on I-15, south of the Idaho/Utah border. The Utah Highway Patrol reports Devaul was driving a 2006 white Toyota Sienna minivan when he lost control on wet roads near milepost 398, sliding into the median. He then exited the van and was taking photos of the accident when a second vehicle, a sliver 2012 Toyota Corolla, also lost control, spun into the median and hit him. Troopers said Devaul was killed on impact. His wife and sister-in-law were in the van and witnessed the accident. They were uninjured. The occupants of the Corolla were also uninjured. The accident occurred around 1:40 p.m. and trooper closed the inside lane of southbound I-15 while they investigated the crash. It was reopened about two-hours later.

will@cvradio.com Copenhagen: Islam, identity and integration Published on May 26, 2016 en it es pl de fr More than 10 years after the controversial publication of images of the Prophet Mohammed, and a year after attacks on cartoonist Lars Vilks and a synagogue shook Copenhagen, Danish attitudes to the citys 300,000 strong Muslim community have changed. We visit youth associations and cultural centres to discuss integration and the fight against radicalisation in a climate of Islamophobia. "When the cartoons of Mohammed were published, we noticed a change in the way the Muslim community was viewed by the media and political classes. Were living in a less tolerant climate due to terrorism, and for some people this climate has become hostile. Some people believe that weve even gone backwards by 10 or 20 years in terms of integration." These are the words of Waseem Rana, one of the directors of Munida a Muslim youth organisation that promotes the integration of Muslim identity in day-to-day Danish society. We went to Nrrebro, north of Copenhagen, to explore the old workers' district. Here, industrial architecture stands side by side with evidence of multiculturalism and gentrification: Middle Eastern shops, modern pubs, skate parks, street art and small design workshops. Its no coincidence that here you can also find prayer halls and Muslim cultural centres. Inside Wakf Mosque Everythings ready for evening prayers. Waseem is waiting along with other young men at the entrance to Wakf Mosque at the Islamic Society in Denmark. The prayer hall is built inside two large warehouses and hosts around 100 worshippers of all ages. "Munida was set up in the early 2000s by Ahmad Abu Laban," Waseem (38) tells me. Waseem was born and raised in Copenhagen by his Pakistani parents. Later disappearing in 2007, Laban was a central figure in the controversy surrounding the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in 2005 by the Danish daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten. He not only took part in the Middle Eastern delegations, but was also partly responsible for the "Akkari-Laban dossier" alongside Ahmed Akkari, which denounced the climate of Islamophobia within Danish society and was accompanied by a rise in protests and violence in the area. "Laban wanted a youth section, so a group of 4 or 5 young people was formed on the side. Today there are 500 of us 60% of which are women. Weve members from around 40 nationalities and our activities cover all social aspects relevant to Danish youth." This includes not only social and recreational activities but also educational initiatives. "Were trying to help young Muslims to develop their identity within Danish society. If they have firm faith and are confident about their identity, theyll become better citizens," he adds. Prayers start and we receive a warm welcome with only a few wary glances. "Unfortunately, for the last three weeks weve been living in a climate of suspicion due to a story on a Danish hidden camera show," Waseem explains. This was an interview on the public channel TV2 with an imam from Grimhj mosque in Aarhus an imam in support of stoning women for adultery and the right to kill apostates. "They chose a radical episode that risks destroying all the progress that's been made over the years towards integration," explains Waseem. "After the attacks in Paris and Brussels, my mother and sister were stopped in the supermarket by a man who accused them of being responsible He was drunk no doubt about it but it's still a sign." Reaching out to young radicals before hate preachers do We stop in the library, which every year hosts thousands of visitors from schools and universities who come to learn about Islam. The person in charge here is Nils, a 24-year-old physics student who converted to Islam when he was 17. "Im responsible for looking after new converts to Islam. We get together every Monday and we talk about the fundamental basics of the religion," he explains. Born and raised in a Christian family, he converted in 2009. "My parents told me that God exists and I believed in it, but then as you get older, you reach a certain age and you start to ask yourself questions. I met some young Muslims at high school and so I discovered the Quran and the Prophet Mohammed and after three months I converted." His family were accepting of his decision, but not without a few jokes: "My mother used to make jokes and ask me when I was going to blow myself up." According to a study by The International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, since 2011 an estimated 125 foreign jihadi fighters have left Denmark at least 62 of which have since returned home. In addition, Omar El Hussein, one of the perpetrators of the 15th of February shootings in Copenhagen in 2015, was born and raised in Denmark within a family of Jordanian-Palestinian origin. He was just 22 years old at the time. "If it werent for conflicts in the Middle East, hate preachers would have less of a hold and an impact on young people. Many young jihadis go to Syria convinced that theyre going to fight injustice," says Waseem. "But fighting injustice doesnt mean going to fight in Syria. This will destroy them, their cause and the image of Islam. They have to transform negative impulses into positive energy; learning, writing, venting their frustrations. If we dont speak to them ourselves, extremist preachers could do so instead, and could control them." "Our generation is trying to define Islam within a Danish context" Right from the very start, such efforts have also included Minahj-ul-Quran International (Denmark) an NGO founded in 1981 in Pakistan by Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri that promotes tolerance and interfaith dialogue. Hassan Bostan a 25-year-old lawyer welcomes us at their centre. "90% of our members are originally Pakistani, arriving here in the 70s and 80s," explains Hassan. "We young members who were born and raised here are trying to define Islam within a Danish context as a universal religion that can be practiced in any country and at any time in history assuming that you can define its role and understand how young Muslims can integrate. For our parents who had just arrived in Denmark it was difficult. We want to move forwards." We visit the rest of the building. Heading upstairs we find the prayer rooms, followed by washrooms for performing ablutions and several rooms where children attend classes. Along our way we meet many children. Theyre all directed towards the large prayer hall where the imam teaches them how to recite the Quran. "We teach classical Islamic science, meditation and Sufism to free the heart from hatred and negative thoughts and ideas," Hassan says, an ex-member of the Danish Ethnic Youth Council. But thats not all: "We work with Jewish and Christian associations and weve also taken part as a steering group in a programme set up by the city of Copenhagen aimed at understanding radicalisation and providing political solutions." This is something also carried out on a European level with the assistance of RAN (Radicalisation Awareness Network) a community based programme aimed at preventing radicalisation and additionally through seminars studying counter-terrorist material including: Fatwa on Terrorism and Suicide Bombings (Tahir-ul-Qadri) and the Islamic Curriculum on Peace and Counter-Terrorism (Minahj-ul-Quran International, Tahir-ul-Qadri). The Womens Mosque Then there's the question of women: "Womens participation is a Pakistani cultural problem outside of the religion itself," says Hassan. "We have a Womens League and in all activities from sporting to recreational activities men and women are on the same floor of the building." This is a topic that led to an innovative cultural experiment aimed at integration: a womens mosque. Known as Mariam, its a home for all Muslims, but Friday prayers are only led by fem-imams female imams. The first female imam was the founder Sherin Khankan, 41 years old, born to a Syrian father and Finnish mother, a columnist and commentator known in Denmark for her publications on Islam and her radical left wing activism. "The debates been moving forward since 2011 when we founded the Critical Muslims forum. We wanted to overturn Islams patriarchal structure," Khankan explains. "The Quran does not forbid women imams." The mosque, which is currently under construction, is based in an apartment in the heart of Copenhagen mere metres from a street full of tourist souvenir shops. On the 9th of February, as announced by the AFP new agency, the first Islamic marriages and divorces took place here. This was the first step on an ambitious road that is very much focused on educating young people. "Were centred on tradition but we put this into context in the 21st century," explains Khankan. "The new generations dont know their own origins. We want to introduce them to Islamic philosophy and thinkers such as Ibn Arabi who approved of female imams." The message has already won over its first group of young Muslims. "They came to a meeting at university and joined our project," Khakan concludes. "We can act as a point of reference for the new generation." --- This feature report is a part of our EUtoo 'on the ground' project in Copenhagen, seeking to give a voice to disenchanted youth. It is funded by the European Commission. Story by Tullio Filippone Translated from Copenaghen: una storia di Islam, identita e integrazione Caller-Times photo collage Milton Bradford (left) fills up his station wagon at the Gulf station at South Alameda and Gordon streets to the 10-gallon limit during gas restrictions in the summer of 1979. Thad Albornoz (right) expresses his approval of prices at the pump on March 24, 1982, at the Circle K at Holly and Weber roads. Gas prices had dropped to below a dollar a gallon for the first time since 1979. SHARE Caller-Times file Milton Bradford fills up his station wagon at the Texas Star station at South Alameda and Gordon streets to the 10-gallon limit during gas restrictions in the summer of 1979. Caller-Times file Thad Albornoz expresses his approval of prices at the pump on March 24, 1982, at the Circle K at Holly and Weber roads. Gas prices had dropped to below a dollar a gallon for the first time since 1979. By Allison Ehrlich of the Caller-Times Memorial Day weekend unofficially kicks off to the summer driving season. And while oil and gas workers are feeling the effects of the current downturn, drivers at least are reaping the benefits of lower gas prices. Readers may recall the volatile ups and downs of the oil and gas markets of the 1970s and '80s. In this photo taken June 18, 1979, Milton Bradford fills up his car to the 10-gallon limit at the Texas Star station at South Alameda and Gordon streets. Distributors were limiting the amount of gas delivered to each station, so owners put restrictions on how much each consumer could purchase and shut down the pumps once the daily limit was reached. Motorists in Harris, Dallas, and Tarrant counties had it worse; Gov. Bill Clements ordered an odd-even day gas restriction plan for residents of those counties. Cars with tags ending in odd numbers could fill up on odd-numbered days, and those with tags ending in even numbers on the even-numbered days. Gasoline prices continued to climb through the early 1980s, so when this second photo was taken March 24, 1982, drivers were pleased that the price had fallen below a dollar a gallon for the first time since 1979. Thad Albornoz expressed his approval of 97-cent gas at the Circle K store on Holly and Weber roads. The Caller-Times' Chris Ramirez reported Wednesday that Corpus Christi is among the top 10 cities in the U.S. with the lowest gas prices right now based on numbers from Gasbuddy.com. The average price was $1.99 a gallon, with some places selling it cheaper than that. So I feel like I got a good deal since I filled up for $1.97 Wednesday morning. Allison Ehrlich is the archive coordinator for the Caller-Times. Contact her at allison.ehrlich@caller.com and follow her on Twitter @CallerArchives. When is hurricane season? Here's what you need to know in South Texas CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Former West Oso John F. Kennedy Elementary School kindergarten teacher Judy Keillor-Powell will award seven $500 scholarships to some of her former class students who are shown here in a 2004 class photo, including Alyssa Wilburn (First row from left), Arturo Velasquez, Mark Moreno, Rosa Garcia, Abigail Coleman and Isabella Rodriguez; Maricella Trevino (Second row from left), Kathy N. Acosta, Gina Recio, Emily Arellano and Mario Rodriguez; and Pedro Gonzales (Third row from left), Brandon Pereida, Gabriel Perez, Megan Lopez, Kane Woodworth, and Jeremy Vasquez. SHARE By Beatriz Alvarado of the Caller-Times In 2004, Judy Keillor-Powell ingrained in her kindergarten class that college was a must. The encouragement led to one of her students, Alyssa Briann Wilburn, to not only pursue a college education, but to realize her goal of becoming the school's valedictorian. "She was, like, my favorite teacher," said Alyssa, an 18-year-old senior. "We did a lot of fun activities, and we were taught we had to work hard to be successful." Keillor-Powell, 68, taught her students the importance of graduating high school and for a second year will reward graduating students from one of her former classes with $500 scholarships. Alyssa plans to attend Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, where she will work toward a nursing degree. The former West Oso ISD John F. Kennedy Elementary teacher started a scholarship fund about five years ago using 401K retirement funds accumulated during 15 years as a mortgage banker in Corpus Christi. She now lives in Brownsville and on Thursday traveled to Corpus Christi to award the scholarships during the high school's awards assembly. "As long as the stock market will keep doing well, I plan to (award) about $10,000 per year," Keillor-Powell said. "I'm not going to set the world on fire, I'm not going to invent anything, but this is my contribution." The funds also are fueling the aspirations of students from the Los Fresnos Consolidated Independent School District, where she teachers as a substitute. Keillor-Powell, who taught at the West Oso school district six years, was the first woman in her family to graduate college and earn a degree, she said. She shares a similar message with all scholarship recipients: "I saw your potential way back in kindergarten. I'd like to help you with your higher education. Please use this to help meet your goals." "This shows it's never too early to teach students about college," said Tony "Duke" Bonilla Jr., who is West Oso High School's early college high school director. "The effort is personified in no better way as this year's valedictorian. Nobody works harder. Her work ethic and goals were set at an early age, and it's through people like (Keillor-Powell), who instilled the priorities in students." Twitter: @CallerBetty SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS Kathy Nicole Acosta Andre Brandon Pereida Gabriel Alexander Perez Gina Marie Recio Mario Alberto Rodriguez Alyssa Briann Wilburn Christopher Isaac Jones GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES Border Patrol agents carry an agent, impersonating a migrant, as they re-enact a rescue for the media Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in Falfurrias. SHARE GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES Border Patrol agents and media stand inside a tractor-trailer as they re-enact what migrants go through when they are being transported across the border Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in Falfurrias. GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES A Border Patrol agent follows his K-9 as they re-enact a rescue for the media Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in Falfurrias. GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES Members of the media gather as Border Patrol agents attend an agent, impersonating a migrant, as they re-enact a rescue Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in Falfurrias. GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES Consul Allan Perez of Guatemala talks to the media about the dangers migrants go through when crossing to the United States on Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in Falfurrias. By Beatriz Alvarado of the Caller-Times FALFURRIAS The thick, above 80-degree heat in the cargo area of a closed semitrailer can be inhaled. As the heat travels through the esophagus, the body's temperature rises within seconds of standing in the hollow cab. "Can you imagine being in something like this for three and a half hours?," Border Patrol Agent Doyle E. Amidon Jr. asked as drips of sweat built up over his face. Customs and Border Protections's Rio Grande Valley Sector invited the media on Wednesday to experience what agents and undocumented immigrants encounter in Brooks County. The group witnessed a mock rescue of a dehydrated man who was "left behind" by a group of pedestrians bypassing the Falfurrias checkpoint. Media also experienced firsthand the high temperatures in the back of a closed semitrailer, which are often used to smuggle undocumented immigrants past the checkpoints in South Texas. The event is meant to publicize simulated trepidations to deter others from entering the country illegally. As the summer sets in, the death toll of immigrants who stray from their traveling group typically rises. Deaths in the Falfurrias station's jurisdiction have increased about 7 percent 31 so far this year compared to last year, said Amidon, who is the patrol agent in charge of the station. The death toll is 68 for all stations in the Rio Grande Valley Sector. "We all have a role in assisting families and collaborating to save lives," said Eddie Canales, founder of the new South Texas Human Rights Center and a director of the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, which assists the Border Patrol in searches. The Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue, or BORSTAR team, is specifically tasked with search and rescue missions. Canales' organization was touted by agents as one of several critical relationships that help bridge gaps in monitoring the Brooks County brush. Amidon said 1,100 square miles the station's jurisdiction can't be fully covered only by agents. Besides relationships with local governments, the station often summons Canales' organization, ranchers and land managers to complete the hardest task, which is finding those in distress. Even with the assistance, vague locations and other factors lead to deaths, he said. Many times details given during a 911 call are as vague as "a caliche road by a tree." "There are agents that know the area like the back of their hand, but nobody should think the Border Patrol is a fail safe to rescue. There is a strong possibility that we won't get to you," he said. "We rely upon reporting from (other entities) to give us the information we need. It's not an exact science." Ana Jessy Bulnes Larios, the head of missions for the Honduras consulate in McAllen, advises families not to risk their lives by coming to the United States via unsecured routes. "Don't risk your child's life," she said. "Before taking the (undocumented) migratory route, inform yourselves about the dangers." Twitter: @CallerBetty SHARE AP file photo By Julie Garcia of the Caller-Times Nueces County Commissioner Oscar Ortiz stood before his fellow commissioners during public comment. "This morning, I was savagely attacked," Ortiz said at Wednesday's Commissioners Court meeting. "I went to get my paper and was swarmed by mosquitoes." Though he laughed, Ortiz brought up an issue plaguing Corpus Christi and the rural parts of the county after rain storms last week created prime conditions for mosquito breeding. Glen R. Sullivan, public works director, said the county has a different approach than the city of Corpus Christi to fight the pests, which are not only annoying, but could carry arboviruses like Zika, West Nile, encephalitis or dengue fever. "We deal with rural areas, everything outside of the city limits of Corpus Christi and Robstown," Sullivan said. "We do larvicide in standing water in the few drainage ditches that we maintain (which is not a lot). The other side we do is mosquito spray." There are three types of mosquito traps placed at 16 different locations in rural areas, he said. Gravid traps are designed to attract virus-positive mosquitoes like those carrying West Nile virus, and New Jersey light traps are used to capture live mosquitoes, he said. The traps are monitored Monday through Friday by three county vector control technicians. Each location also has a BG Sentinel trap, which attracts the two types of mosquito that could potentially carry Zika, West Nile and Dengue fever: Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. These mosquitoes tend to be abundant in South Texas summers. Sullivan said as soon as there were confirmed cases of Zika in the country, the county jumped on ordering the BG Sentinel traps. While the traps are monitored for genus and species and samples are sent to the Texas Department of State Health Services for testing, the number of mosquitoes in the traps are also important. Once a trap yields an elevated number, Sullivan said the sector it is in receives mosquito spraying, or adulticide, that night. The county is divided up into six sectors and the traps are spread out among them. The spraying continues in the sector, or sectors, every evening until the number of mosquitoes in the traps goes down, he said. "We base our spraying on the numbers of mosquitoes (counted). Some nights we'll do sectors 2 and 5, and other nights, it will be sectors 1, 2 or 3," he said. "Based on those counts that we do on a daily basis decides when and where we spray." If a mosquito sample sent to the state comes back positive for an arbovirus, Sullivan said the spraying intensifies nightly in that sector until "a clean bill of health" comes back. "Sometimes, it's two days; sometimes it's six days," he said. At Tuesday's City Council meeting, a representative from the city's vector control department detailed its plan to combat the pest population through the use of larvicide to kill larvae in standing water before they hatch. Officials said it's a method that is more effective than spraying for mosquitoes. Spraying is usually activated when the risk level is considered a public health concern, according to the city's policy. Corpus Christi Police Capt. Christopher White told the Caller-Times in April that it costs about $5,000 a barrel for the spray, which has been known to be effective for a third of a mosquito population in a 1-2 mile area. When spraying is conducted, it is done three consecutive days at dusk and dawn to be as effective as possible, he said. Twitter: @Caller_Jules IN OTHER BUSINESS Nueces County Commissioners Court: Received a briefing Wednesday from Gretchen Arnold, chair of the Corpus Christi Air Quality Group. Corpus Christi's ozone levels continue to meet federal and state standards, she said. Allocated the Family Protection Fee to The Ark Assessment Center and Emergency Shelter, Court Appointed Special Advocates, Family Counseling Service, Nueces County Children's Advocacy Center, Nueces County CPS Community Partners Board and the Women's Shelter of South Texas. Received an update from County Auditor Dale Atchley on the implementation of ExecuTime timekeeping system in all county departments. SHARE By Julie Garcia of the Caller-Times Nueces County residents have two months to appeal recently released flood maps from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The preliminary flood insurance rate maps are the first by FEMA since 1985 and detail areas prone to flooding in the county. A formal appeals process period ends July 26, according to a news release. Once approved, these maps will be used to calculate flood insurance rates, the release stated After destructive flooding last year, about $2.5 million in grant money was provided to Nueces County residents for expenses not covered by flood or homeowner insurance, according to a FEMA spokesperson. Only the city of Houston and Hays and Hidalgo counties required more assistance from the agency. The maps can be viewed and comments submitted at www.msc.fema.gov. Comments also may be submitted to Rick Sacbibit, chief, engineering services branch, Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration, FEMA, 500 C St. SW, Washington DC 20472. You can reach Sacbibit by phone at 202-646-7659 or by email at patrick.sacbibit@fema.dhs.gov. Twitter: @Caller_Jules CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-CORPUS CHRISTI'S BELL LIBRARY Ralph Galvan Jr. (left), Duke Ellington and Rafael Galvan Sr. at the Galvan Ballroom on Feb. 14, 1952. SHARE Ralph Galvan Jr. By Krista M. Torralva of the Caller-Times Ralph Galvan Jr.'s final days were filled with a few of his favorite things: family, music and ice cream. The former musician and staple in the Galvan Ballroom family died about 5 a.m. Thursday at Senior Care Center Wurzbach in San Antonio. He would have turned 93 next month. "He had a real good weekend with his family there to see him and tell him how much they loved him," Galvan's daughter, Vicki Hoeltzel said. Music was one of Galvan's great loves. He played trumpet alongside his younger brothers, Sammy, Eddie and Bobby. Last month, family, friends and supporters of the Agnes Street ballroom celebrated the landmark venue's designation as a Texas Treasure Business by the Texas Historical Commission. The ballroom was opened in 1950 by Rafael Galvan Sr. and is housed above Galvan Music Co. It also has been named to the National Register of Historic Places. Ralph Galvan Jr. played a pivotal role in the ballroom and designed its iconic logo and stage. He visited ballrooms across the state examining logos to perfect the right look, his nephew 94th District Judge Bobby Galvan said. "Ralph was always a super trumpet player and a wonderful brother," said his brother Robert "Bobby" Galvan Sr., who operates the ballroom. In 1942 Ralph Galvan Jr. joined the Army Band after he was drafted for World War II. He was part of the 42nd Infantry Division Rainbow Unit that liberated thousands of prisoners in Dachau, a German Nazi concentration camp, his daughter said. But his music career came to a halt in 1968 after the death of his 16-year-old son. His son, Ralph Galvan III, tried to rescue a girl from flooding at Lamar Park when the two were sucked in and drowned. The tragedy changed Galvan, family members said. Ralph Galvan Jr. put his trumpet in his son's casket and never played again. But his love for music continued and he would later take his granddaughters, Allison and Jeanne, to music lessons. His granddaughters traveled from their homes in Italy and Atlanta to be by his side during his last days. His family made him fideo, a favorite food, and kept a supply of ice cream handy in his favorite flavors: strawberry, and pralines and cream. They played his favorite music, including Glenn Miller and The Dorsey Brothers, until Wednesday when he'd had enough. "He said, 'Why don't you turn that off for a while?" Hoeltzel said with a laugh. Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Monday at Seaside Memorial Park and Funeral Home. Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Patrick Catholic Church. Galvan will be buried in the family's plot at Rose Hill Memorial Park. Twitter: @CallerKMT Felix Ngo, retired civil servant, was stabbed and killed by some unidentified individuals onThursday December 17, 2015. ADS The people of the Biyem-Assi neighbourhood woke up to a tragic morning on Thursday December 17, 2015. Felix Ngo, a retired servant and Quarter Head of Rue des Cannes Biyem-Assi, was stabbed and killed by some unidentified individuals at about 1:00 a.m. When Cameroon Tribune Reporters got to the scene a crowd stood in front of the residence of the diseased to condole with the family and also wondering who must have been behind such gruesome murder. Eyewitness reports say Felix Ngo went out of his house shortly after midnight to carry out is usual patrol in the area to see if the neighbourhood was safe. Before leaving his house he was playing cards with his wife and his children were still awake. According to the reports, a gang of bandits who were breaking into a bar attacked him and stabbed him three times on the back. With the help of neighbours Felix Ngo was immediately rushed to the hospital where he died a few hours later. Meanwhile the criminals are at large. Some of the neighbours said the area has become insecure during the past few years. Since the opening of the new bar in this neighbourhood the rate of insecurity has heightened. People no longer go about freely especially in the evenings, said one neighbour. However, police investigations are going on to find the culprits. Felix Ngo lives behind a wife, five children and several grand children. ADS TOKYO - 94 percent of those canvassed in Japan as part of Unrulys Future Video Survey said they would consider using ad-blocking software. That compares with 93 percent globally and 88 percent in Southeast Asia. Two-thirds of Japanese respondents also said they were put off a brand when forced them into watching pre-roll advertising, compared to 45 percent in Southeast Asia. There is some hope though: one third of respondents said they found ads that follow them online helpfulmore than in any other market. The study was conducted in August 2015 and involved 3,200 people globally, including 1,200 from Asia-Pacific: 400 from Japan, 400 from Australia, and 400 from Southeast Asia. Haruyo Kagawa, Japan country manager for Unruly, said the study highlighted some huge challenges facing the ad industry. In a statement, Unruly points to a statistic from Adobe/Page Fair that says ad blocking is predicted to shave US$41.4 billion from the global economy this year. TV hangover Kagawa said most brands still fail to adopt a non-invasive approach to advertisinga hangover from TV. Its no surprise, then, that so many people are inclined to block out unsolicited messaging. The solution is quite simple, Kagawa said: opt for polite advertising, polite page loading, respectful ad formats, better ads in the first placecontent thats worth watching. Of course, creating content people actually want to watch remains extremely difficult for advertisers as attention spans continue to shorten. With this in mind, Unruly also launched its APAC Future Video Manifesto in Japan with the aim of guiding advertisers thinking. Its recommendations include: Setting clear goals before creating anything Being self-aware and not insulting peoples intelligence Connecting emotionally Making content relevant to individuals interests Giving people a reason to share that content Avoiding interruption Testing and modifying as a campaign is underway That all makes sense, but where does a brand thats stuck in a TV mindset even begin? Kagawa said it should start by understanding that the purpose of advertising has changed from simply informing people about a product or service to engaging them. That requires a big shift in Japan, where most brands still take a literal, product-oriented approach and are only just coming to terms with the idea of interacting on social media. A content audit to break down how activities are meeting goals would help, Kagawa said. Be upfront Kagawa noted that being less interruptive doesnt mean removing branding or advertising. Studies Unruly has conducted show overt branding does not reduce content sharing or emotional connection, Kagawa said. Millennials are especially likely to share branded content as long as it is engaging and relevant. Consumers are far more irritated by brand dishonesty, she said. They would rather brands were upfront about selling to them. Japanese consumers are actually the most likely to like seeing online ads if they feel the product or service is relevant." If brands are serious about countering ad blocking, being more considerate should not be hard. Giving people control over video advertising is an obvious place to start. Half of Japanese respondents and 62 percent of global respondents said they would welcome this. "Brands need to think about the impact of their advertising on the user experience," Kagawa said. "By using ad formats that are non-invasive and opt-in, brands can put the consumer back in control. This is particularly relevant to mobile advertising, where the user experience is for the most part dire. Come 16 July, Singapore will play host to the first Japan Food Town, billed as a multi-sensorial expression of the countrys culture and culinary gems brought together under one roof. It is the product of a joint venture established by Cool Japan Fund, a public-private fund, in collaboration with Japan Association of Overseas Promotion for Food & Restaurants (JAOF) and its corporate supporters. With an investment of approximately US$6.16 million, Japan Food Town is the collaborations first project to be launched outside of Japan. The food hall, which covers over 20,075 square feet of space on the fourth level of Isetan Singapore, will feature 16 casual dining outlets offering a broad range of Japanese cuisine at affordable prices. Makoto Yoshikawa, managing director of Japan Food Town Development, told Campaign Asia-Pacific that Singapore, with its status as the hub of Asia, is in the best position to showcase the concept. Japan Food town is a very unique facility in the sense that it provides real authentic Japanese cuisine made from the freshest ingredients delivered daily straight from Japan, and cooked by Japanese chefs at a reasonable price, he said. The establishment is intended to be a capsule collection of curated stories representing Japanese cuisine; every restaurant has a story, such as the bowl of Inaniwa Udon by Sato Yosuke, enriched with more than a century of history. Each restaurant has been handpicked based on its strong reputation and rich heritage dating back centuries. Yoshikawa said that Japan Food Towns marketing and public relations efforts will centred on communicating the brand story, through highlighting the people, ingredients and craftsmanship behind the food. We will position Japan Food Town as a place with real Japanese food served at a reasonable price for everyone to partake and enjoy, he added. Asked which agencies the company is working with for this effort, Yoshikawa said the company works closely with Tokyo-based agency Park Inc. and Singapore-based agency Every Matter. Its public relations work is handled by Cohn & Wolfe for Singapore. Asked about the kind of return on investment expected from the venture, Yoshikawa said that in addition to financial returns, the company expects the project to be a platform for offering the best of Japanese flavour and hospitality. In addition, the mission includes helping early-stage companies and SMEs, in particular businesses that have a strong business presence in Japan but have found it difficult to expand overseas on their own. Asked what opportunities exist for Japanese brands from other industry sectors with this venture, Yoshikawa said that various sectors related to the food and restaurant industries have also been involved, such as electric-appliance makers and beverage makers, as well as property-management companies. He added that the hope is for more Japan Food Towns to crop up in other countries, but there are currently no specific plans for expansion. For a start, we keep our focus on this first step in Singapore, said Yoshikawa. A promotional rendering of the food hall A promotional rendering of the food hall Exporting Japans cool As a destination for travellers around the world, Japan is enjoying growing popularity, thanks largely to a boom in number of Chinese visitors, due to relaxed visa rules. In 2015, foreign arrivals soared to 19.7 million, up some 30 percent from the previous year and an astounding quadrupling of the 5.2 million in 2003, in part thanks to the governments ambitious Visit Japan campaign launched that year. At the same time, the visitors spent a record 3.5 trillion (US$31 billion) in 2015 or more than 70 percent than the year before. The Japanese government is now working to double the current number of foreign visitors to 40 million by 2020. The promotion of cultural products and cultivation of soft power by nations has always worked in tandem with hard marketing efforts. Cool Japan was a concept coined in 2002 as an expression of Japan's emergent status as a cultural superpower, which hit its tipping point in 2011. The "Cool Japan" campaign was originally set up to promote Japanese anime and manga, and has since morphed into a much larger venture, to now include music, fashion and food. In 2012, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe blessed the effort with an official seal and appointed a "Cool Japan" minister in charge of strategyan effort aimed at ramping up foreign interest as the country prepares for the 2020 Olympic Games. However, the effort has had mixed reactions domestically, with commentators noting that the government may not be the best party to determine what is "cool" about the country, while opposition politicians have alleged the effort has only helped big businesses. The campaigns investment arm, the Cool Japan Fund (CJF) was reported to have a 40.6 billion (US$370.2 million) war chest to fund its ambitious goals. Nobuyuki Ota, CEO of CJF, told Campaign Asia-Pacific that the region is one of the most important target areas for the fund, in the sense that it has enormous opportunities for Japanese companies to export Japan attractiveness to growth market. He said that quality and tradition are very important to the Japanese, and are also aspects the campaign seeks to showcase to the rest of the world. For instance, Dassai is one of the highest quality sake brands acknowledged outside of Japan, while sushi and Inaniwa udon represent examples of Japanese tradition, he added. Asked how the fund decides whats cool about Japan and how it decides what to export or market, Ota said the Cool Japan concept is not strictly defined. Japan cannot arbitrarily decide what is cool, he added. Ota said the goal of the CJFs investments is to discover the best parts of Japanese culture from the perspective of foreigners, promote these aspects overseas, and succeed as a business in addition to cultural development for all countries involved. Aside from Japan Food Town, for instance, we invested in Japan Channel that broadcasts various Japanese content including anime, drama, sports, music and film to mainly Asian countries viewers in their own languages, he said. Other projects the CJF is involved in include: Stories are being told in new, user-directed, non-linear ways, said Mike Yapp, founder and director of Googles in-house agency, The Zoo, at C2 Montreal on Wednesday. Its a phenomenon he called "hypertelling," a "natural evolution of storytelling" akin to previous historical leaps in human technology. "The medium has always attempted to enhance the story, whether it duplicated it by writing and the invention of print, or illustrated, or animated it, or made it into a movie," Yapp said. "Weve always tried to link the experience tighter and tighter to the true emotional experience." The next stage of that convergence, he said, can already be seen. Last year, an amateur photographer captured a rare image of a weasel riding a green woodpecker. It quickly became a meme, the "Weasel Pecker," spawning a slew of images that had nothing to do with the intent of the original image. That not a problem for Yapp its merely indicative of a new direction in content creation. "Content is liquid," he said. "Anything and everything now is malleable. Even the power has shifted. Now the user is in control." "When the user has this power not the media companies, not Google," he said, "content will take any sort of tack that the user desires." That means sharing the burden of authorship with audiences, a challenge Google explored with its Exquisite Forest collaboration with Tate Modern art gallery that allowed users to collaborate on stories. "We are at the cusp of a new era of storytelling in which the user is now the author. The experience is immersive," Yapp said. "Scripts are going to look more like decision trees. Directors are going to direct remotely. The user is going to be part of the cast." Its an evolution driven by the technology. Users expect to be able to listen to the music they want when they want, to watch what they want at anytime. Their expectations for personalization are also extending to the stories they engage with. "Now its no longer about just telling a story. Now its about doing it, and experiencing it, and basically, creating it," Yapp said. "Thats why we need to think less like writers and designers and really truly more like inventors." There are potential pitfalls. The visual immersion afforded by virtual reality, while allowing viewers to explore places they never could otherwise, is often isolating in practice. But Yapp said thats changing. He cited Googles Expedition Program, which lets an entire classroom of schoolchildren use Google Cardboard viewers to see the same scenes at the same time. But an even better path forward is McCann New Yorks and Framestores "Mars Experience Bus" for Lockheed Martin, which Yapp called "one of the best examples Ive seen of VR." "The solitary experience of virtual reality will become social," Yapp said. "Were really becoming storydoers rather than simply storytellers." See more C2 coverage | BY Ricki Green | Air New Zealand has released the latest instalment of its successful Meanwhile in New Zealand campaign via Host reminding Australians that winter is coming to New Zealand and that its daily services to Christchurch make it easy to explore the Mt Hutt alpine. In the video, well-known Christchurch ice cream makers George and Raewyn Taylor have sold their pure old fashioned ice cream from Victoria Square for 17 years, continuing a tradition since 1907. Naturally, when winter descends, their customers desert them to enjoy the snow on Mt Hutt so George started to hatch a big plan to sell winter ice cream up on the mountain. Methven locals and ice cream critics Stella Isherwood, Sonny-Bill McDonald, Mae Totty and Freddy Cairns were invited to taste the inventive creations, with the help of Australian food stylist Sian Redgrave who assisted George behind the scenes to develop the flavours. Air New Zealand will arrange for the ice-creams to be sold on the slopes of Mt Hutt in July, during the Australian school holidays. The Meanwhile in New Zealand campaign is designed to showcase what is happening in New Zealand right now, with the aim to boost trans-Tasman tourism over autumn and winter months. Australian visitors to New Zealand this winter will also have the opportunity to win back the cost of their return Air New Zealand flight. Each week from July 1 to August 30, one winner will be selected from those who have tagged a photo or video of their ski trip on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter with #MeanwhileInNZ. Agency: Host, Sydney | BY Lynchy | In the lead-up to the AWARD Awards the CB/LIA Legendary Lunch was held today at Kingsleys on Woolloomooloo Wharf in Sydney. The lunch which was attended by Australias top creative directors and special guests Bob Isherwood, worldwide creative advisor and Jeremy Craigen, global creative director of Innocean Worldwide, plus selected production company executive producers was generously sponsored by New York-based Barbara Levy (above right), president of the London International Awards, who is visiting Sydney to catch up with top creative directors and to attend the AWARD Awards. Says Levy: LIA is both proud and honoured to be co-hosting the LIA/CB Legendary Lunch during AWARD week in Sydney. Over the years, LIA has had a front row seat in watching the Australian advertising community grow to become a global powerhouse within this industry. Co-hosting is our way of giving thanks to those who have supported us throughout the years. It is a privilege for LIA to be part of this event, a way of showing the respect and admiration we have for the creatives who have led the way. What better time and place to do this than during AWARD week when the Australian creative community celebrates its achievements within this great industry. In 2016, LIA will continue its Creative LIAisons programme that runs concurrent with the Judging in October in Las Vegas. Creative LIAisons was launched in 2012 as a way of giving back to the industry, targeted to Young Creatives from around the globe. LIA coordinates 4 days of educational and enriching seminars, lunches and dinners filled with stimulating discussions centered on the experiences and ideas of the speakers in their respective fields. The entire initiative, including travel, meals and hotel expenses, is fully funded by LIA. One young Aussie and one young Kiwi creative will be chosen later in the year to attend this educational and thought-inspiring event. | BY Ricki Green | How will Australia perform at Cannes this year? In the lead up to the Festival, Campaign Brief will be showcasing the work we hope will impress the judges Whybin\TBWA, Melbourne ANZ bank wanted to create a conversation around gender equality, with the intent of empowering women to achieve financial success. We started with a troubling insight. Girls speak before boys do, and read before boys do. Yet women often end up far behind men financially, earning on average $700,000 less over their lifetime. To protest this bias, we created an online film directed by Oscar winner Jane Campion. Whybin\TBWA, Melbourne ANZ Bank wanted to motivate people to use their #EqualFuture to coincide with International Womens Day and get people talking about the gender pay gap once again. To gain a fresh and sharable perspective on this issue, we created a social experiment captured by a documentary film maker. Brothers and sisters were asked to do chores around the house. We then paid them for the work, but we paid the boys more money than the girls, just like in the real world. The films show their spontaneous and 100% unscripted responses to the inequity. Whybin\TBWA, Melbourne The Australian Volunteer Coast Guard rescue thousands of Aussies every year, but they do so out at sea, and out of sight. We needed a way to make their work relevant to the millions back on shore. We found that Coast Guard volunteers rescue more than just people lost at sea. While out on the water, the volunteers come across lost items too. That led us to the idea: sell items recovered by or used by Coast Guard volunteers to raise awareness and funds for the Coast Guard. We partnered with eBay to create Seabay, a unique auction site where people could bid on recovered items and equipment used on rescue missions. Whybin\TBWA, Melbourne | BY Ricki Green | Brand agency The One Centre has unveiled an integrated creative marketing campaign to promote the launch of Cashwerkz, the new one-stop term deposit marketplace and management tool. The campaign incorporates an integrated creative and media connections strategy across TV, print, radio, digital, social and content with media partnership and sponsorship properties. The campaign is the culmination of 18 months work by The One Centre, which has been responsible for developing the brand and product positioning strategy, as well as creating the consumer brand identity and the design of the online platform. Cashwerkz is a one-stop term deposit marketplace and management tool, which enables users to search, compare and invest, all on the one platform. The platform, which was originally designed for professional use by financial planners, aims to help consumers to maximise returns from their cash. The integrated campaign aims to generate awareness of the Cashwerkz brand and positioning and get customers investing through the platform. Targeting an audience of 50+ pre-retirees and active retiree investors, the campaign builds off the positioning, Where the smart money put their cash to work. The creative campaign features unique characters demonstrating the ease of using the Cashwerkz platform. The ads show that if you werk it with Cashwerkz, you can have the time and the money to werk whatever it is that youre truly passionate about. The campaign features a significant media partnership and sponsorship component incorporating content deals across News.com.au, including videos on Kochies MoneySaverHQ as well as content across Sky News, BBC and Yahoo. The content is supported by social media activity with blogs and community management across social media profiles in a bid to encourage conversation and explanation about the new Cashwerkz platform. Says John Ford, CEO, The One Centre: Financial services is a saturated playing field, dominated by big brands with high advertising spends, so developing a creative idea to cut through and establish awareness of a new name in the category was critical. The creative campaign idea plays on the werk component of the Cashwerkz name. We wanted to use the unique spelling to our advantage and create an ownable way to increase recognition and call people to action. I.e. Werk it. Says Katie Molloy, head of project management, The One Centre: This campaign really celebrates the characters of the Cashwerkz customer, a lot of the advertising targeting this age group is full of the same cliches of older people walking together along a beach. We wanted to create something that really spoke to this audience and acknowledged them as individuals with passions and energies. Says Ford: People think you retire from your career but you dont, its all about a new career maximising every dollar of your retirement savings. Thats what Cashwerkz is about. Says John Edgington, CEO, Cashwerkz: Brand cut-through and credibility are big factors for new entrants into the financial services arena, so developing high-quality creative, a significant and integrated launch media strategy and a number of powerful media partnerships to elevate the brand and build trust is critical. The One Centres brand strategyand integrated campaign is helping establish Cashwerkz as a serious new player and consumer champion. Strategy and Concept: The One Centre Strategist: John Ford Project Director: Katie Molloy Copywriter: Geoff Reid Creative Director: Chris Gillespie (MONO) TV Production Company: Revolver Director: Matt Devine Producer: TBC Photography: Adrian Cook Digital Platform Design: MONO Digital Producer: Stephanie Rousset | BY Ricki Green | Clemenger BBDO Brisbane has announced the addition of Andy Geppert (middle, right) to the team, coming across as head of art. Known as one of the best at his craft, Geppert brings 15 years of experience, international award-winning thinking, and genuine-nice-guy vibes. Geppert is also a respected storyteller and illustrator, with his book, Meep recently being shortlisted for the Australian Childrens Book of the Year. Hes teaming up with senior writer, Christie Meehan, as Terry Whidborne departs the agency after winning a Screen Australia/Canada Media Fund grant for a digital media production that everyone else is quite jealous about. The hire comes on the back of significant account wins, most recently TransLink and BCF Boating Camping Fishing, adding to the win of RACQ last year. | BY Ricki Green | New York Festivals Torch Awards has announced the 2016 grand-winning team at the New York Show held at Jazz at Lincoln Centers Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City. IMG model and fashion blogger, Jillian Mercado presented the 2016 Torch Award to the Grand-Winning Team. Team Artigatos won the 2016 Inclusive Design Challenge for their idea on how to develop a digital media showcase that presents inclusive design progress and success stories. The showcase will be used to introduce the Institute for Human Centered Design (IHCD) and the urgent case for practicing inclusive design in the 21st century to a wide range of global audiences at conferences, as part of presentations to global policy makers, and through strategic partnerships. The team members will now work directly with IHCD to make their idea into a reality which will become a permanent fixture in IHCDs showroom at their Boston, Massachusetts headquarters. Says Mercado: I had such incredible time attending and presenting at the Torch Awards. I am all about diversifying the industry, so its a great feeling knowing Im a part of change for the better of this world. 2016 Torch Award Grand-Winning Team: Team Arigatos Japan / South Korea Yuki Abe Copywriter, Dentsu Japan Yuto Fujita Planner, Dentsu Japan Doh Kim Art Director, Cheil Worldwide South Korea Marina Kobayashi Creative Planer, Dentsu Japan IHCD was so inspired by Team Arigatos award-winning idea that they plan to include the exhibit at the 6th Annual Conference for Universal Design taking place December 9th to 11th in Nagoya, Japan. The theme for this years conference is Creating Shared Value through Universal Design. For more information on the Conference for Universal Design, please click here. 2016 executive jury member, Valerie Madon, head of Creative Shop Southeast Asia, Facebook Singapore mentored Team Arigatos and commented on their success. Says Madon: What we do as creatives is highly subjective, competitive and most of the time, heart-breaking, because we put so much emotion into our work. But when we see young creatives succeed, it revives joy and hope in our industry and what we do collectively. I hope their journey will continue to be filled with more milestones like these because hardworking talents like them deserve to be celebrated. The 2016 Grand-Winning Team was selected from five Finalist Teams from Japan, South Korea, The Philippines, and the United States. Finalists were chosen from entries submitted by teams of 18-27 year old creatives from around the globe. The Torch Award Finalists Team convened in New York City on May 18th at the Omni Berkshire Place Hotel and worked with their mentors to perfect their pitch for their Inclusive Design Challenge idea promoting the mission for nonprofit partner the Institute for Human Centered Design. Says Valerie Fletcher, executive director, Institute for Human Centered Design: Being selected as the 2016 Torch Award non-profit partner delivered an astonishing opportunity for our mission and message to be interpreted by young creatives from across the world. Equally thrilling was the generous and focused engagement of some of the worlds leading advertising gurus as mentors to teams and members of the jury. We enthusiastically move forward with winning Team Arigatos to realize their Track-for-All strategy through exhibits in Boston and in Nagoya. This years New York Festivals Torch Awards mentors included 2016 executive jury members Lisa Bennett, chief creative officer, TM Advertising USA; Frank Bodin, chairman and chief creative officer, Havas Worldwide Switzerland; Valerie Madon, head of Creative Shop Southeast Asia, Facebook Singapore: Judy John, chief executive officer/chief creative officer, Leo Burnett Toronto Canada; and Josy Paul, chairman and chief creative officer, BBDO India. The five Torch Awards Finalist Teams presented their campaign before a panel of judges including New York Festivals executive jury members, representatives from IHCD and New York Festivals. Jurors include: Greg Braun, founder/owner, Braun Creative Consulting USA; David Angelo, founder and chairman, David&Goliath- USA; Lisa Fedyszyn, associate creative director, Droga5 NY USA; Elizabeth Marks, global president Maydream (AdForum, The Epica Awards, and ACT Responsible) USA; Danny Robinson, senior vice president, group creative director, The Martin Agency USA; Yasu Sasaki, executive creative director, Dentsu Inc. / Dentsu Aegis Network Japan; Valerie Fletcher, executive director, Institute of Human Centered Design USA; Willa Crolius, director of user/expert lab and coordinator of public programs, Institute of Human Centered Design USA; and Michael ORourke, president, New York Festivals USA. The 2016 Torch Awards Jury determined the grand-winning team based on the following criteria: relevance to and understanding of the Institute for Human Centered Design brand and mission; a clear demonstration of campaign goals and strategy; adherence to the brief, including scope and budgets; and creative idea. In 2014, New York Festivals launched the Torch Awards to champion young creative talent. Now in its third year, the competition encourages creatives from the ages of 18-27 to take part in a unique competition that explores a creative challenge and offers mentor training on how to pitch their idea. Rishi Sunak becomes UK prime minister after meeting with King Charles Britain's fifth prime minister in six years received symbolic permission to take up the role from the monarch at Buckingham Palace during a ceremony known as the "kissing of the hands." Meredith Willson's 1957 Broadway musical - for which he wrote the music and lyrics and co-wrote the book with Franklin Lacey - tells the story of Hill (played by Gordon Nicholson), an early 20th-century scamster who travels to towns, identifies a potential source of juvenile delinquency, and claims it can be solved by forming a boys' band that he will teach using his "think" system. But he has no musical ability at all: after selling instruments, books and uniforms he simply leaves town and moves on to the next location. Your digital subscription includes access to content from all our websites in your region. Access unlimited news content and The Canberra Times app. Premium subscribers also enjoy interactive puzzles and access to the digital version of our print edition - Today's Paper. [Your Business Name] Contact Info Phone: Fax: Email: Web: CAPITOLHILLCUBANS.COM Business Overview Geographic Area Line of Business Brands We Carry Products and Services Discounts Offered Additional Information Business Hours Timezone We Accept 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 [] Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact. Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. You are our people. You Care. We Care2. Even though Rolls Royces upcoming SUV isnt a secret anymore, we barely knew (official) anything about it; util now. BMW design boss Adrian van Hooydonk shared some information about project Cullinan, while speaking with Top Gear at the Concorso dEleganza Villa dEste, saying that inspiration for the car came from the older Rollers used by the Maharajas: There are a lot of stories to tell about Rolls-Royce. When the brand started, typically the cars had a lot of ground clearance and huge wheels, and were used by Maharajas and other people to drive from Europe to the Far East. That was a time when the automotive world had not even figured out these different segments or categories they were just cars. And there werent many good roads either, he adds. When we dug into the history of Rolls-Royce, we struck upon these kinds of cars and thought, there might be a way. Dont worry, that doesnt mean the SUV will be a modern-day interpretation of those vehicles, as van Hooydonk assured the upcoming Roller will stick to the marques elegant and charming recipe explaining that the idea of a Rolls-Royce used as a daily driver across rough roads was the key. Even here [at Villa], Rolls-Royces are perfectly polished, on pedestals, and its almost like youre not allowed to touch them. But that would be wrong. If Rolls-Royce becomes a brand where people think its only to look at and not to drive, there could be serious problems. A Rolls-Royce, especially the SUV, should be a car thats fun to drive, concluded van Hooydonk. The new Rolls Royce is expected to arrive in the market in late 2018 with only one engine available, the classic V12 which will be producing more than 600hp. It will also feature an all-new aluminum space frame structure and Rolls magic-carpet ride. Note: Rolls Royce SUV test mule pictured PHOTO GALLERY After releasing the first trailer for their PS4-only Gran Turismo Sport video game, Sony held a media event in London where journalists got to experience some of their favorite supercars both virtually as well as in real life. The video comes courtesy of Marchettino, who starts off by walking us through the building where Sony and Polyphony Digital set up all the consoles and all the TVs for media members to enjoy. You can even see cars such as the Infiniti Concept Vision GT, which made the trip especially so that fans of the GT saga could see it in person before getting behind a wheel/PS4 controller and taking it out on the track. Speaking of taking cars out, the event organizers went as far as to have a lineup of seriously fast cars outside, with models such as the Lamborghini Huracan, Nissan 370Z Nismo, Lotus 3-Eleven, Mercedes-AMG GT and Jaguar F-Type standing on attention. Media members were invited to sit in the passenger seat and experience a quick hot lap which in some cases including quite a lot of power sliding. Marchettino chose the Lamborghini Huracan and the designated driver was more than happy to show him what Launch Control can do for an all-wheel driven 610 PS supercar. As for the video game, it will be released on the Playstation 4 console on November 15, featuring 140 vehicles and 19 circuits with 27 possible layouts. VIDEO Salmon Arm Teen girl escapes stranger who grabbed her near Sicamous school Stranger grabs teen girl Photo: Parkview Elementary School Police say a Sicamous youth was sexually assaulted on Friday. RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Murray McNeil says the 14-year-old girl was walking with a 13-year-old friend when she was assaulted near Parkview Elementary School and Parkland Mall about 4:30 p.m. McNeil says the girls were approached by an unknown man who asked them, "Hey, do you know" "Without finishing the sentence, he grabbed the 14-year-old." The teens began screaming, and the man released his grip, allowing them to run away. Police say the suspect is described as: Caucasian, approximately 40 years of age, with no facial hair. He was wearing a black toque, black zip-up jacket, and sunglasses. "These youth did everything correctly by screaming and running free," says McNeil. "They were able to provide a description of the man. We commend their bravery." Anyone with information on the incident, or who may have been in the area at the time, is asked to call Sicamous RCMP at 250-836-2878. Secwe?pemc Landmarks set to unveil Tsqu?qw7e Landmark in the Shuswap next month In honour of lost artists Photo: Bernadette Dennis The Secwe?pemc Landmarks project team will be honouring their heritage with the unveiling the Tsqu?qw7e Landmark next month in the Shuswap. A ceremony will be held Nov. 16 at 1 p.m. in Tsqu?qw7e (ChaseMemorialPark). The Tsqu?qw7e Landmark was created by the late Mike Savage Peters, assisted by his son Lone White Wolf Peters, and completed by Shayne D. Hunt and David Jacob Harder. All are welcome to celebrate the installation of the sculpture, which is dedicated to the memory of Michael Alexander Peters, one of the two original artists. Tsqu?qw7e, pronounced ch-kokw-a, is the place name for the Chase Memorial Park area, meaning a small bay in Secwepemctsi?n. The sculpture is shaped in the form of a Coyote Rock, representing rock formations created by Sekl?e?p, Skl?ap, or Senxu?xwlecw (Coyote), with metal work sculpture in the shape of tree food caches which were used to store dried roots and salmon. Carvings in the metalwork represent oral histories shared by the Secwe?pemc Elders Advisory Committee, made up of Elders from Adams Lake, Skwla?x (Little Shuswap), Neskonlith, and Splatsi?n. Artists who are part of this project include Tania Willard who is from and lives at Neskonlith, Kel-c Jules from Tkemlups, Hop You and Tony Antoine (Splatsi?n), Jules Arnouse (Little Shuswap), Rick (Jules son), Eric Kutschker, Rod Tomma, Tilkotmes Tomma, Ron Tomma, and David Jacob Harder. The Secwe?pemc Landmarks project will be installing 16 sculptures over the next year, designed by several teams of Secwe?pemc and non-Secwe?pemc artists, that highlight Secwe?pemc oral histories and place names in each area. Sculptures are proposed at the following locations: Little Mountain, Haney Heritage, South Canoe Bluffs, Fly Hills Skyview Rotary Lookout, Tappen Bluffs, Bastion Mountain, Mara Lake, Sekm? a?ws (Sicamous), Tsutswe?cw Park, Quaaout Lodge, Skmana Lake, White Lake, the Splatsi?n Center, and Steglgelxu?s (Chase Creek Falls). The Secwe?pemc Landmarks project team is also planning to install trailhead posts carved by youth from Secwe?pemc Child and Family Services, Shihiya, Chief Atahm and five schools in School District No. 83. These trailhead posts were carved with the guidance of Kenthen Thomas who designed the curriculum for the workshops, and from Splatsi?n carvers Hop You and Vern Clemah. Close to 200 youth carved just under 100 trailhead posts, which will be installed on trail systems throughout the Shuswap Lakes region of Secwepemcu?le?. Shuswap's Salute to the Sockeye celebration wraps up this weekend Salute to sockeye wraps up Photo: Tom Skinner This is the last weekend left to take in the Salute to the Sockeye celebration at the Adams River salmon run in the Shuswap. The festive event, which is held every dominant year of the run, wraps up Sunday. Held at Tsutswecw Provincial Park (formerly Roderick Haig-Brown park), the event is organized by the Adams River Salmon Society and features information on the salmon's epic journey from ocean to spawning grounds, as well as food trucks, artisans, and Indigenous presentations on the significance of the salmon to local First Nations culture. Gates are open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. An interpretive cabin features storyboards of the life cycle of the salmon, touch-screen computers with interactive activities and information, a life-sized spawning salmon display, and volunteers also offer interpretive walkabouts. The province, in collaboration with Little Shuswap Lake Band, is working to maintain the area's natural and cultural integrity for future generations' use and enjoyment. Every four years, Fraser River sockeye tend to return in greater abundance, and the late summer run typically makes up 60% of total returns. This years pre-season forecast for all Fraser River sockeye was 9.8 million. More students with autism, new English learners in North Okanagan-Shuswap More students with autism Photo: SD83 Enrolment in the North Okanagan-Shuswap School District hit 6,800 students, as of Sept. 30. A School District 83 update notes several trends, including a spike in the number of students with autism and who are new to learning English. The district covers schools in the area from Armstrong to Salmon Arm. The school board says data collection shows the number of children with autism went up by 29 students over last school year. This is partially attributed to earlier diagnosis, with testing being done with children before they start school. "Children are coming into the school with really complex needs, requiring significant amounts of support. We are working hard with our teams to meet these needs," the board says. Another "significant shift" this year is the number of English Language Learners (ELL) students. "Historically, we have had about 35-44. Last year, we had 39. This year we have 71," the board update says. The district will have to increase the number of ELL teachers from the current 1.6 to 3 full-time teachers to meet that demand. Students are coming from the world but from several. "It is no one country that students are coming from, it is quite diverse." Nineteen per cent, or 1,281 students, identify as Indigenous, up from 1,236 last year. The largest school in the district is Shuswap Middle School in Salmon Arm, with 663. Secondary students make up 25 per cent of the total student population. "We are seeing a trend where we have higher numbers of secondary students compared to the numbers of K-4 students enrolled in the system," the board says. The majority of school districts' funding is determined by the annual 1701 student count, which tracks student movement, how many home schoolers are registered with the district, and enrolment trends. Accused ordered to stand trial on murder charges in death of Ashley Simpson Will stand trial for murder Photo: Contributed The man charged in the death of Ashley Simpson has been ordered to stand trial on second-degree murder charges. A preliminary hearing concluded in Salmon Arm court on Thursday, and Derek Favell was ordered to stand trial, Dan McLaughlin, communications counsel for the BC Prosecution Service confirms. The case was adjourned to Dec. 5 to fix a trial date. In December of last year, Favell was charged in the death five years after Simpson's disappearance. Her remains were found in a wilderness area outside Salmon Arm. Tips in the case led police to the scene on Nov. 26, 2021. Simpson, 31, lived in the Yankee Flats area near Silver Creek. She was reported missing in April 2016. Favell, 39, was Simpson's boyfriend at the time of her disappearance. RCMP said after the discovery of Ashley's remains that they do not believe her death is related to other missing women cases in the North Okanagan-Shuswap. Favell had been a primary suspect from the beginning, police said. Favell's bail was denied in May, and he has been held in custody since. Tickets for Dancing with Shuswap Stars still available Still time to go dancing Photo: Kristal Burgess Photography Heidi Gowen and City Dance owner Jens Goerner are ready for Dancing with Shuswap Stars There's still some tickets left for the Dancing with the Shuswap Stars. The gala event will be held Nov. 18 at the SASCU Recreation Centre. Tickets are $75 each for the evening of dance competition, live music and gourmet appies. The event is a fundraiser for the Shuswap Hospice Society. Tickets can be purchased from the hospice office near the Salmon Arm Wharf, 781 Marine Park Dr. Tickets are on sale Wednesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The show has also had a recent change to the contestant lineup, with Heidi Gowen being added to the line up. As one of our previous couples, Brian Elidoros and Megan Friesen had to withdraw from the show due to unforeseen circumstances, it was the perfect opportunity to pair Heidi with City Dance owner Jens Goerner to tackle the shortened timeline for learning a sassy salsa. Gowen is a long-time Shuswap resident, who works as an education assistant at Shuswap Middle School. Vote now for your favourite dancers by making a donation to Hospice online. All proceeds from this event go to support the free programs offered by the Shuswap Hospice Society. Man dies in motorcycle crash in Salmon Arm Fatal motorcycle collision Photo: Castanet Staff A person is dead after a fatal motorcycle crash in the Shuswap over the weekend. The collision happened Saturday at about 8:20 p.m. in the 300 block of Salmon River Road. "The operator of the motorcycle died at the scene of the crash despite life-saving efforts by bystanders, Fire Personnel and Provincial Ambulance personnel," says S/Sgt. Scott West. Mounties indicate their investigation showed the motorcycle rider failed to negotiate a ninety-degree left-hand turn while travelling north and left the roadway. RCMP believes speed is the cause of this tragic single-vehicle collision. Webcam watches spawning sockeye swim past in Adams River Watch the big fish swim The sockeye are making their annual run into the B.C. Interior, and a webcam has been set up to watch the big-red fish move through the Adams River. The Adams River Salmon Society is holding its Salute to the Sockeye Festival through Oct. 23 at the Shuswap river where salmon return to spawn each fall. The society has set up a webcam that is live streaming a section of the waterway. The festival is held on every dominant year of the salmon run, which occurs every four years. Artisans, food vendors and interpretive tents are also at Tsutswecw Provincial Park this weekend. An estimated 670,000 sockeye entered the Columbia River system this summer on a nearly 1,000-kilometre upstream journey toward spawning grounds in creeks and rivers in the B.C. Interior, according to the Okanagan Nation Alliance. Alan Harrison soundly defeats challengers to return as mayor of Salmon Arm Harrison back as mayor Photo: Twitter Alan Harrison is returning as the mayor of Salmon Arm. Harrison received 3,213 votes, far outpacing challengers Luke Norrie with 747 votes, and Nancy Cooper with 675 votes. In the race for city council, five incumbents will be returning for another four years. Tim Lavery topped the councillor tally with 3,285 votes, Kevin Flynn 3,112 votes, Debbie Cannon 3,010 votes, Sylvia Lindgren 2,966 votes and Louise Wallace Richmond had 2,900 votes. Rounding out city council will be newcomer David Gonella who earned 2,295 votes. Not making the cut were Kristine Wickner with 1,874 votes, Daniel Bardy with 989 votes, Brian Fletcher with 978 votes, Deb Haukedal with 899 votes, and Robert Johnson with 774. Colleen Anderson elected mayor Sicamous New Sicamous mayor Photo: Contributed Colleen Anderson has been elected mayor of Sicamous, besting four other candidates in the municipal election, Saturday. Anderson finished with 344 votes to take the top job in the Shuswap community. Incumbent Terry Rysz placed second with 254 votes. Gord Bushell received the most votes of the 11 council candidates, with 581 votes. Also being elected to Sicamous council is Bob Evans with 561 votes, Ian Baillie with 547, Pam Beech with 498, Malcolm Makayev with 487 and Siobhan Rich with 473 votes. Photo: Contributed Leisureland RV Centre is one of the latest businesses to be targeted by thieves in Penticton. Last week, seven RVs were damaged during a break in at the compound on Industrial Place According to Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth, thieves used a hammer to smash windows and gain access. TVs were reported stolen. There are no known suspects at this time. Anyone with information is asked to call the Penticton RCMP. Photo: Okanagan Military Tattoo Society. File photo. Vernon council has approved a one-time $4,000 grant to the Okanagan Military Tattoo Society. The Military Tattoo, a musical extravaganza of pipers, drummers, military bands and marching will be performing at Kal Tire Place on July 23 and 24. The funds were requested in order to help meet the cost of renting the arena. But Coun. Bob Spiers was concerned that could set a precedent and Mayor Akbal Mund agreed. In the end, wording was changed to ensure rental costs were not mentioned. Other groups to receive one-time grants include: Community Futures $1,400 North Okanagan Artists Alternative $5,000 Powerhouse Theatrical Society $2,500 United Way North Okanagan $5,224 Vernon Concert Band Society $1,360 Council denied grants to: Photo: The Canadian Press This week is the final constituency week where MPs are back in their home ridings before returning to Ottawa on Monday, May 30 for what will be the longest uninterrupted sitting for this year as debate will likely be extended well into the late evening hours with possibly more sitting days to be added. The reason for extended debate and possibly more sitting days is to get bills through the House and into the Senate before the summer recess. After that all eyes will be on the Senate for more reasons than usual. If you have been following our Canadian Senate, you may know that a recent effort has been underway by the Liberal government to appoint senators who are considered Independent as they are not political members of the government's Liberal caucus. More recently, senators have also been appointed by the prime minister with the benefit of being selected by a panel of appointees who in theory are selecting citizens without political considerations being part of the criteria. These recent Senate reform efforts have also resulted in a number of Senators who were formerly affiliated with party caucuses to resign and also sit as Independent members of the Senate. The end result is that there are now more independent senators and a different structure in place from a political perspective than had existed previously. Why is this relevant? To give an example one of the most controversial bills in recent Parliamentary history is Bill C-14 Medical Assistance in dying. This is the bill that the government has been using parliamentary tools such as time allocation in order to limit debate and fast track through the House of Commons. It should be noted that the Supreme Court imposed an early June deadline for the passage of this bill and at the same time many parliamentarians, including many who support the bill, feel that the language of the bill is fundamentally flawed and should not be rushed as a result. Currently, it does not appear that the Liberal government will significantly extend debate nor accept amendments from the opposition benches. Thus in the very near future Bill C-14 will likely receive third reading in the House of Commons and end up in the Canadian Senate. The Senate, as many will know, is often referred to as the chamber of sober second thought. As many believe that the Senate should be abolished, this is one of those occasions where Senate supporters can legitimately argue that the existence of the Senate is precisely for situations such as these where a bill with potentially flawed language that has been rushed through the House of Commons can be addressed prior to receiving Royal Assent and becoming law. The question to be asked by Canadians is what will happen to Bill C-14 once it hits the Senate? By all accounts, the efforts of Senate reform to move toward a more independent of government institution will be fully tested with this bill. If the government is able to have Bill C-14 move swiftly through the Senate unchanged many will likely suggest the reform efforts have failed. However if a more independent Senate defies the government and significantly delays or amends Bill C-14, this could have significant effects on governance given that members of Parliament are elected and Senators remain appointed and un-elected with the power to potentially delay or amend a bill passed by a democratically elected House. In the event this occurred, the bill would then be sent back to the House of Commons to either find consent or continued disagreement. For as much attention as the recent elbowing incident from the prime minister received in reality how the Senate responds to Bill C-14 is a far more important subject that Canadians should be paying attention to. I will be providing an update on this topic and I welcome your comments and questions at [email protected] or call toll free 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: Contributed Highway 3 is currently closed both directions, following a collision eight kilometres west of Sunday Summit. The road is reduced to single lane alternating traffic, according to DriveBC. Castanet will provide more details as they become available. Photo: Kate Bouey The Downtown Vernon Association has welcomed a council decision that will allow drivers to use their cell phones to pay for street parking. The City has agreed to swallow 10 pennies of the 35 cent transaction fee, the rest of which will be paid for by drivers. We were concerned that to break the 25 cent threshold would discourage people from using the system, said Lara Konkin, DVA executive director. Konkin said she will be working with staff from the city and bylaws department and would hope the system could be put in place soon. The city is set to sign a five-year contract with PayByPhone, the company that will run the financial transactions. The service will allow people who are running late at meetings and appointments, or just enjoying the downtown to receive an email stating their parking time is running out and to top up the payment to avoid getting a parking ticket. Photo: Getty Images A notorious character with prior run-ins with Vancouver Police briefly snatched a knife from a crime scene, but the cops aren't recommending charges. That's because the knife thief is believed to be Canuck the Crow, an infamous bird with a dedicated social media following and more than 12,000 Facebook fans. The incident unfolded after police shot and wounded a man in East Vancouver on Tuesday, prompting media including Vancouver Courier reporter Mike Howell to race to the scene. Howell says he saw a crow swoop into an area taped off by police and pick up something, and then he watched an officer chase the bird for several metres before it dropped the object. He says the crow had a red tag on its leg, as does Canuck, and Vancouver Const. Brian Montague confirms it's not the first time the department has encountered the feathered foe. Montague says an officer took a photo of the crow when it flew into a police cruiser and stole a button from the keyboard of an on-board computer. Photo: Contributed High school students will be required to write only two provincial exams instead of five before they graduate as part of a new curriculum being rolled out in British Columbia. Education Minister Mike Bernier says math and literacy will be the only skills to be formally tested starting in the next school year. Teachers will assess Grade 10 science and language arts and Grade 11 social studies in the classroom instead of through provincial exams. Bernier says that between June and October, parents will be consulted on how they wish to be informed about their child's progress other than every few months through a report card. He says students will also be required to take career education to graduate starting in the 2017-18 school year. Some parents have criticized the new curriculum, saying students need more foundational math skills, for example, but Bernier says the focus will remain on the basics of reading, writing and math. Photo: RCMP Trail RCMP are seeking public assistance in locating a missing Kelowna woman. Neva Evdokimoff, 48, was reported missing by her family on May 25. Evdokimoff left her family's residence in Shore Acres at 8:30 a.m. May 24. Neva was supposed to be driving home to her residence located in Kelowna, said Cpl. Dan Moskaluk. After repeated attempts to contact Neva by cellphone failed, her family reported her missing the next day (May 25). Cellphone information indicated Neva's phone was active in the Trail area, and local RCMP members began searching for Neva and her vehicle. Trail RCMP located Evdokimoff's vehicle in the parking lot at Gyro Park in Trail. Video surveillance indicates she parked there about 11:30 a.m. May 24, three hours after leaving Shore Acres. Evdokimoff was last seen walking toward the beach at Gyro Park. She is described as: Caucasian female long blond hair Five feet four inches tall 120 pounds She was last seen wearing black sweat pants, a black hoodie with white stripes and a ball cap. Search and rescue are currently conducting a search of the area where Neva was last seen, said Moskaluk. Neva's family and police are very concerned about her well-being. Anyone who has seen Evdokimoff is urged to contact the Trail RCMP at 250-364-2566 or to call 911. Photo: Twitter A researcher at the University of Victoria has received funding aimed at developing technology to help identify the Zika virus. Grand Challenges Canada, a federally funded body that supports public health innovations, has awarded $50,000 for research on two applications spearheaded by chemist Alexandre Brolo. His team is creating low-cost plastic strips that detect the presence of arboviruses, such as Zika and dengue, in saliva, which Brolo said would give health workers a speedy picture of who has the illness and where it might be spreading. The strips are coated with nanoparticles that change colour when they come into contact with infected saliva. Brolo and his fellow collaborators have also come up with a smartphone app that can spot mosquito larvae in stagnant water, while at the same time record and mark the location to assist those tracking Zika outbreaks. The award will help fund a small-scale pilot project in Brazil, which has been badly hit by the virus, and serve as seed money for development of the larvae-finder app. Brolo said the screening strips and the smartphone app will allow accurate and cheap collection of Zika data, giving health organizations the information needed to immediately treat infections and halt the spread of the virus. "We need something that is simple, is low cost and requires very little training," Brolo said Thursday in an interview. There are low cost tests for Zika, but they use blood, which Brolo said complicates sample collection and requires trained professionals. Quick access to data is also a key to the innovations, something especially evident in the larva finder app, which takes a photo of infested water, identifies the species involved and uploads the details to a type of Google map, said Brolo, who is originally from Bazil. "I think the combination of the two technologies would be perfect to contain outbreaks, because now you can get these guys going in and getting information really, really fast and then you can start attacking vectors in those particular areas and contain the outbreak as fast as possible," he explained. Brolo said he's hopeful that as tests progress, more funding will be available to scale up both projects and implement them on a larger scale. The Zika virus causes only a mild and brief illness in most people. But in the last year, infections in pregnant women have been strongly linked to fetal deaths and to potentially severe birth defects, mostly in Brazil. The virus is spread mainly through the bite of a tropical mosquito called Aedes aegypti. CDC adds Argentina to interim travel guidance related to Zika virus Media Statement For Immediate Release: Thursday, May 26, 2016 Contact: Media Relations, (404) 639-3286 CDC is working with other public health officials to monitor for ongoing Zika virus transmission. Today, CDC posted a Zika virus travel notice for Argentina. Local transmission of Zika virus infection (Zika) has been reported in Tucuman Province, Argentina. CDC has issued travel notices (level 2, practice enhanced precautions) for people traveling to destinations with Zika. For a full list of affected countries/regions, visit http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/zika-travel-information. As more information becomes available, CDCs travel notices will be updated. Travelers to areas with cases of Zika virus infection are at risk of being infected with the Zika virus. Mosquitoes that spread Zika are aggressive daytime biters. They also bite at night. There is no vaccine or medicine for Zika virus. The best way to avoid Zika virus infection is to prevent mosquito bites. Some travelers to areas with Zika will become infected while traveling but will not become sick until they return home and they might not have any symptoms. To help stop the spread of Zika, travelers should use insect repellent for three weeks after travel to prevent mosquito bites. Some people who are infected do not have any symptoms. People who do have symptoms have reported fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes. The sickness is usually mild with symptoms that last from several days to a week. Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon and the number of deaths is low. Travelers to areas with Zika should monitor for symptoms or sickness upon return. If they become sick, they should tell their healthcare professional when and where they have traveled. CDC has received reports of Zika virus being spread by sexual contact with sick returning travelers. Until more is known, CDC continues to recommend that pregnant women and women trying to become pregnant take the following precautions. Pregnant women Should not travel to any area with Zika. If you must travel to or live in one of these areas, talk to your healthcare provider first and strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites. If you have a male partner who lives in or has traveled to an area with Zika, either use condoms, the right way, every time you have sex or do not have sex during your pregnancy. Women trying to get pregnant Before you or your male partner travel, talk to your healthcare provider about your plans to become pregnant and the risk of Zika virus infection. You and your male partner should strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites. Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is very likely triggered by Zika in a small proportion of infections, much as it is after a variety of other infections. CDC is working with Brazil to study the possibility of a link between Zika and GBS. For more information on Zika, visit www.cdc.gov/zika . ### U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICESexternal icon Communities can use evidence-based approaches, such as family-based interventions, and CDCs Essentials for Childhood Framework: Steps to Create Safe, Stable, Nurturing Relationships and Environments for All Children and Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect: A Technical Package for Policy, Norm and Programmatic Activities to promote safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for children. Ongoing surveillance for AHT, in combination with information on the implementation and results of interventions and policies, can help shape prevention. During 19992014, AHT resulted in nearly 2,250 deaths among U.S. resident children aged <5 years. During 20092014, annual rates of fatal AHT declined significantly, with an average annual decrease of 13.0%, and there was no evidence that cases were simply being classified differently during this time. This is the first report of a decline in AHT rates after 2009. The fatal AHT rates in 2013 and 2014 were 0.41 per 100,000 children aged <5 years and 0.43 per 100,000, respectively, the lowest rates in the 16-year study period. In the United States, abusive head trauma (AHT) is one of the leading causes of maltreatment fatalities among infants and children, accounting for approximately one third of these deaths (1). Monitoring trends in AHT and evaluating prevention strategies have historically been difficult because of differences in AHT definitions used in research and surveillance. CDCs case definition for AHT and data from the National Vital Statistics System were used to examine the trends in fatal AHT during 19992014 using Joinpoint trend analysis software. During this period, AHT resulted in nearly 2,250 deaths among U.S. resident children aged <5 years. Whereas rates were relatively stable during 19992009, there was a statistically significant average annual decline of 13.0% in fatal AHT rates during 20092014. The fatal AHT rates in 2013 and 2014 (0.41 and 0.43 per 100,000 children aged <5 years, respectively) were the lowest in the 16-year study period. Although this decline in AHT deaths is encouraging, more can be done to prevent AHT, including family-based interventions and policies that create safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for children. Comprehensive mortality data from the National Vital Statistics System (2) were used to identify fatal AHT* using the CDC case definition (3), and more broadly, to identify fatal assault-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) among U.S. resident children aged <5 years during 19992014. Cases were identified based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10) external cause/intent and nature-of-injury (body region and type of injury) codes, in accordance with established case definitions for AHT and TBI (3,4) (Figure). Only TBI (4) cases with an underlying cause consistent with assault (i.e., death record indicates assault as the intent of injury) were included in this analysis (Figure). Fatal assault-related TBI cases were then further classified by injury codes. Injury codes indicating blunt impact or violent shaking were classified as AHT, while injury codes indicating neglectful supervision, gunshot or stab wounds, and penetrating trauma were classified as assault-related TBI without AHT. Fatal AHT cases were further classified as definite or presumptive if the external cause of injury codes indicated assault or maltreatment, or probable if the external cause of injury codes were listed as undetermined. These assault-related TBI cases were further classified according to whether or not AHT was simultaneously indicated, to examine whether the reported decline in AHT deaths was offset by an increase in deaths identified as assault-related TBI exclusive of AHT, which might suggest that the decline in AHT deaths could have resulted from a change in coding of cases from AHT to assault-related TBI exclusive of AHT. Both definite or presumptive and probable fatal AHT cases were included in the trend analysis. To examine whether or not cases that would have been coded as AHT were later being coded as assault-related TBI exclusive of AHT, death records that included an underlying cause code indicating assault and any nature-of-injury code indicating TBI were classified as assault-related TBI. Death records that did not list an underlying cause that broadly indicated injury were excluded from the analysis. Yearly incidence rates were calculated using annual case counts and U.S. Census Bureau population estimates for children aged <5 years. To evaluate an apparent downward trend in annual rates of fatal AHT during the latter part of the analysis period (20092014), a negative binomial rate regression model allowing for an arbitrary shift in trend was fit to the data. The modeling process followed the general framework to test for significant changes in trend employed in the National Cancer Institute Joinpoint Regression Program (5), extended to compensate for potential overdispersion in the annual case counts. The method allows for the description of changing trends over successive segments of time, and the increase or decrease within each time segment. During 19992014, a total of 2,018 (90%) of 2,247 AHT deaths were classified as definite or presumptive, ranging from a high of 97% in 2001 to 81% in 2013. Nearly all definite or presumptive AHT deaths were simultaneously identified as assault-related TBI deaths (four deaths involving maltreatment, one each in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2010, were not classified as assault-related). No probable AHT deaths were identified as assault-related TBI deaths (because the probable component of the AHT case definition excludes assault). During 19992009, annual rates of fatal AHT ranged from 0.68 per 100,000 children aged <5 years in 2001 to 0.88 per 100,000 in 2000 and 2009 (Table), with a modeled trend indicating a nonsignificant average annual increase of 0.04% (p = 0.96). During 20092014, annual rates of fatal AHT declined, with a modeled trend indicating a statistically significant average annual decrease of 13.0% (p<0.01). Notably, the decline in deaths identified as AHT during this later period was not offset by an increase in deaths identified as assault-related TBI exclusive of AHT (Table), suggesting a real decline in AHT. During 20082014, the annual rate of fatal assault-related TBI (total) declined 28% from 2.25 to 1.62 per 100,000 children aged <5 years; from 2009 to 2014, this decline was almost entirely because of the decline in fatal AHT, as the rate of fatal assault-related TBI without AHT remained relatively stable during this period. Malaysia: Lafarge takes 1Q16 hit on net profits 26 May 2016 Lafarge Malaysia Bhd is optimistic about its prospects this year despite having had a challenging 1Q16. The company's net profit fell nearly 72 per cent to US$5m in the first quarter of this year from US$17.9m in the same period a year earlier. President and CEO, Thierry Legrand, attributed this to lower contribution from the cement segment, following continued price competition and one-off integration costs following the acquisition of Holcim (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. "But are we are well-positioned and our merger with Holcim gives us the edge. With the wider network and cost savings, we are ready for more intense competition," he said after Lafarge's annual general meeting. "We are also involved in numerous other projects, which include Tenaga Nasional Bhd's Jimah power plant which has a long-term contribution," said Mr Legrand. In November last year, Lafarge completed the acquisition of Holcim from PT Holcim Indonesia for MYR325.5m (US$79.4m), ramping up its installed cement capacity to 14.14Mta from 12.95Mta before the acquisition. It currently has three integrated cement plants, two grinding stations, more than 40 ready-mix concrete batching plants and six aggregate quarries in Malaysia. It also operates a bulk import terminal in Singapore as well holding a stake in Singapore-based ready-mixed concrete company Alliance Concrete. Published under Russia: Eurocement expects further fall in cement demand 26 May 2016 Cement demand in Russia will slump by 8-10 per cent in 2016 after falling 12 per cent in 2015, the owner of leading Russian cement producer Eurocement Group, Filaret Galchev, said in an interview on TV channel Rossiya 24. Eurocement controls about a third of the Russian cement market, and will sell about 20Mt of cement in Russia and about 3.5Mt in other regions such as Uzbekistan and Ukraine in 2016, Mr Galchev said. Average production costs at the group, which will maximise the use of modern dry-process capacity and mothball inefficient wet capacity given the situation on the market, is RUB1600-1650/t, he said. Elsewhere, Mr Galchev said that the sale of a 6.1 per cent stake in LafargeHolcim held by Eurocement Group came as a surprise. Eurocement was a shareholder in Holcim and received the LafargeHolcim stake after that company was formed in a merger. The stake was subsequently transferred to Sberbank of Russia in January after the shares, which he had acquired with financing from Bank of America, lost over 40 per cent of their value in half a year. At the beginning of February, Sberbank sold the 6.12 per cent LafargeHolcim stake to investors from the UK, Switzerland, the US and other countries. "We had agreed with Sberbank that we would safeguard this investment, but it turned out a little differently. What has happened is happened," Mr Galchev said in an interview with Rossiya 24 television. "No, I did not expect it [Sberbank's sale of the stake on the market]. We analysed the situation for a long time, but that is the decision that was made," he said. However, he has no complaints against Sberbank, which restructured Eurocement's debt shortly after sale of the LafargeHolcim stake. "It would be wrong to reproach anyone now," he said. Published under This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact The Chanute Tribune office at 620-431-4100 if you have any questions Forget the 1960s: Today is a great time to be a horsepower fan. OK, dont completely forget the 60s the Big Three clearly havent; in fact, theyre partying like its still 1969. The Mustang is selling like crazy, the new Camaro is giving it a run for its money, and the Dodge Challenger is the biggest bruiser on the market, with an available 707-horsepower V8 to boot. Hell, Ford is even running GTs at Le Mans this year! So as far as American muscle is concerned, were living in a late-60s version of the 21st century one that thankfully doesnt include HAL 9000, the wrath of Khan, or a trip to that awful planet of the apes. Instead, weve got blue-collar iron that approaches supercar territory, and it manages to do it without sending you to the poor house. Chevys recent Camaro Z/28 showed the world that Detroit could build a muscle car that could hang tough on the track, but it disappeared after 2015, opening up a vacuum for Fords new Shelby GT350 to pick up right where its rival left off. Of course, this isnt the first modern-day Shelby. Ford officially revived the name in 2005, and the 2013-14 GT500 was a drag-strip special in classic mid-century tradition: 662 horsepower, 631 pound-feet of torque, 200-plus miles per hour, and God help you in the corners. But for 2015, the Mustang was all-new, and it was lighter, leaner, and finally, after 50 years had a fully-independent suspension. Its on these good bones that Ford Performance built its range-topping Shelby, and to say that its impressive simply doesnt do it justice. The GT350 is built around the 5.2-liter Voodoo V8, which has a flat-plane crank design thats more common in race-bred Ferraris than American muscle cars. Ford dubbed it the Voodoo because of its strange properties and scary exhaust note especially if you hear it coming up behind you. That comes from its incredible 8,250 RPM redline, which gives the car an otherworldly howl as you run through the gears. On top of its incredible ability to rev, the mill is good for 526 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque, making it the most powerful naturally-aspirated engine on the planet. But it doesnt end there. Ford Performances engineering team went over everything in the Mustang and refocused it to make it lighter for the GT350. The sheet metal from the A-pillar forward is unique to the Shelby. The hood and front bumper bar is aluminum to save weight (as are many of the upgraded suspension components), transmission, oil, and differential coolers are added to keep everything running smoothly, and its Brembo brakes are massive, with cross-drilled two-piece iron rotors that feature a finned aluminum hat, to keep your wheel hubs cool and to combat brake fade. Inside, everything that shouldnt be there is gone, replaced by Recaro racing seats and a Tremec six-speed manual. The Track-Pack (an option on 15 and 16 models) is now standard on the car, and if its still too civilized for you, theres always the GT350R, a no compromise factory-built racer. The R has everything the GT350 does well, less actually, since it lacks niceties like a rear seat, radio, air conditioning, sound insulation, or carpeting in the trunk. Instead, it has carbon fiber wheels the first ever built by a mass-market automaker which save over 60 pounds of unsprung weight, more aggressive aero, and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, built with track use in mind. The Shelby twins are no ordinary Mustangs, and Ford treats them accordingly. Despite the cars being a relative bargain the GT350 starts at $47,795, and the R at $61,295 the Blue Oval treats them like the supercars they are. It built just 137 of them for 2015 (100 350s, and 37 Rs). It will build less than 5,000 GT350s and fewer than 500 Rs for 16. And we got to drive one at Pocono International Raceway. While the idea of owning the most exotic and blindingly fast Mustangs may seem intoxicating to some, if you arent going to track the thing, dont bother buying one. Sliding behind the wheel clad in a helmet and HANS device at Pocono, its clear that youre engaging the car in its natural habitat. Most Ferraris and Lamborghinis have become civilized to the point where theyre comfortable to sit in traffic, but we have a strong feeling the GT350 wouldnt be as happy there. Fords asceticism is obvious the minute you slide into the firm, supportive Recaro throne. The nicely appointed aluminum accents and big infotainment screen you get in a standard V8 Mustang are replaced by acres of light-weight black plastic and a rental-spec radio (an option on our test car). The dark interior is dominated by two things: the big red start button and the red shifter. Press the button, hear the Voodoo roar to life, put it in gear, and off you go. Your standard V8 Mustang may handle like a dream compared to a pre-2014 model, but the GT350 blows the standard car away. It feels like a race car because it is one it hunkers down at speed, sticking to the track, its MagneRide suspension adjusting in real time and keeping the car arrow-straight in the corners. The brakes feel like they could stop a 747, and the gearbox is heavy and precise, making shifts feel like an event. We hit 110 in the straightaway (in third gear), which was the limit for us interloping journalists, and after a blur of three laps in the drivers seat, we switched with a driver from Ford Performance Racing School in Toole, Utah, and rode along for a few hot laps. If we were feeling good about our first time on the track, our pro put us back in our place quickly. You could smell hot rubber after the first corner, and the car sounded much happier wailing at redline in the hands of a professional than it did with us (revving a car to 8,250 RPM feels very strange at first, it goes against every driving instinct you have). After an even quicker few laps, it was all over, leaving us with one hell of an adrenaline rush, and giving us a lot to ponder about the GT350. Until Chevy drops the 17 Camaro ZL1, the GT350 is in a class by itself. And even after Chevy retaliates, were not so sure it can be topped that easily. Because the Shelby in a tradition that dates back to the 1960s is one hell of a car. Its special not just because its brutally fast, tears through corners, and is powered by one of the most exotic engines ever to come out of Detroit, but because its a purpose built car that doesnt compromise. Any creature comfort is viewed as suspect, and if you really want them in your Shelby, youre going to have to pay for them. In an era when virtually every new car feels civilized, the GT350 doesnt, and we love it for that. Like classics? Its always Throwback Thursday somewhere. Glenview is set to adopt an affordable housing resolution in June, in accordance with a state act. In December 2013, the Illinois Housing Development Authority notified Glenview that its affordable housing stock totaled only 7.4 percent of overall housing, below the 10 percent minimum prescribed in the Affordable Housing Planning and Appeals Act of Illinois. Advertisement According to a village report to trustees on May 5, the act's purpose was to "encourage counties and municipalities to incorporate affordable housing within their housing stock sufficient to meet the needs of their county or municipality." The act requires counties and villages with less than 10 percent of affordable housing among their stock to adopt a plan, stated the report. Advertisement The act requires local governments to include four components in the plan, the first being to bring the number of affordable homes up to 10 percent of overall housing, the report said. The plan also must identify local land most appropriate for building the homes and identify existing homes appropriate for conversion to affordable units, the report said. Third, local governments may provide incentives for building affordable housing in their jurisdictions, it said. Last, the report said villages and counties must choose of one four goals for increasing such housing, which are: a minimum of 15 percent of all new development would be affordable housing a minimum of a 3 percent increase in the percentage of affordable housing a minimum of 10 percent of affordable housing in the jurisdiction The act is not punitive and it has no regulatory statutes for compliance, the report said. However, if a plan is not filed and a village denies an affordable housing project, the developer may bring the matter before the state Housing Appeals Board, said the village report. Advertisement It further said a case has not been called before the board to date, and villages would be invited to present evidence in defense of such an accusation. Other potential incentives are starting a community trust fund for purchasing affordable housing, expediting the building permit process for affordable projects and setting up zoning that would require a certain number of the homes, the report said. Other incentives include reducing building fees for developers, creating a demolition tax of existing structures to finance the affordable housing trust fund, and working with developers in finding state and federal grants and private donations. Jeff Brady, Glenview's director of planning, said the incentives had not been used before in the village, and village staff is willing to take direction from trustees in reviewing them. "We can get back to you by mid-summer on the incentives, and we can amend them anytime," said Village Manager Todd Hileman. "Many of our surrounding villages have not actually adopted the incentives yet." Using state calculations, the village report also said the median annual household income for Glenview, which is included in the Chicago metropolitan area, is $61,045. Advertisement Of that income, the affordable monthly rent is $916 and an affordable house payment is $1,221 a month, it said. tshields@pioneerlocal.com Twitter: @tshields19 A lawsuit filed by four flight attendants in Cook County Circuit Court says that when certain valves and seals leak, engine oil and byproducts can mix with drawn-in air, forcing harmful fumes into the airplane cabin. (Stacey Wescott, Chicago Tribune) Airplane cabin air can turn toxic, sickening passengers and crew, a problem that's been alleged for decades in the U.S. and around the world, says a lawsuit filed Monday against Chicago-based aircraft-maker Boeing Co. Toxic fumes sometimes described as smelling like dirty socks can enter the cabin through a bleed-air system, which draws outside air through the aircraft engine and pumps it into the cabin. Drawing air from the engine is not normally a problem. But sometimes, for example when certain valves and seals leak, engine oil and byproducts can mix with drawn-in air, forcing harmful fumes into the airplane cabin, according to the suit filed by four Alaska Airlines flight attendants in Cook County Circuit Court. Advertisement Boeing's "dirty little secret," as the lawsuit calls it, in one instance led to those flight attendants vomiting and three of them passing out during a coast-to-coast flight that was diverted to Chicago in 2013. They were taken to a Chicago hospital, and two of them never returned to work, according to the plaintiffs' lawyer. Attorneys for the flight attendants claim the crew was "poisoned" and that Boeing's "design defects" and failure to warn anybody about the dangers of toxic cabin air were fraudulent and negligent, and that the company is "knowingly endangering airplane passengers." Advertisement One expert said that such "fume events" are relatively common, likely happening on at least one U.S. flight per day. The suit cites an internal email from a Boeing engineer who in 2007 wrote about the alleged fume problem, "I think we are looking for a tombstone before anyone with any horsepower is going to take interest." However, Boeing over the years has maintained that there is no problem with bleed air, and that contaminants in cabin air remain at safe levels assertions that it says are backed up by independent studies. On Monday, Boeing declined to comment about the lawsuit. Chuck Horning, chairman of the aviation maintenance science department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla., said contaminated bleed air can happen, but in his mind it's not a common occurrence. "Under normal conditions, I would find it hard to believe this would be a problem," Horning said. All commercial aircraft models manufactured by Boeing and its rival Airbus of France use bleed-air systems, except for Boeing's newest model, the 787 Dreamliner. Fume events stem from jet engine oil contaminating the air. Contamination can happen for many reasons, including leaking engine seals, engine malfunctions and overfilling of an oil reservoir, according to the lawsuit. Inhaling toxic cabin air can cause injuries because chemicals from heated jet engine oil include neurotoxins such as organophosphates, which are used in pesticides and nerve gases, the suit said. Similar allegations about health effects from bleed-air systems have been made around the world, recently gaining attention in the United Kingdom and Australia, according to published reports. The lawsuit filed Monday documents how Boeing has been "put on notice" more than 40 times that its aircraft were "unreasonably dangerous" but it failed to fix the problem by installing filters or sensors and alarms that could alert cabin crew of a toxic-fume problem. Advertisement "Our focus is on Boeing not fixing a problem they've known about for more than 60 years," Rainey Booth, one of the attorneys for the flight attendants, said in an interview. "The risk to any individual passenger might be low on a daily basis, but what we know is, every day people in this country are exposed." Rainey said the flight attendants are seeking unspecified monetary damages, but the suit goes beyond that. "This needs to be fixed," Rainey said. "This is a very fixable, unnecessary risk." Judith Anderson, an industrial hygienist who researches flight attendant health issues for the Association of Flight Attendants union, called using bleed air "a flawed design." "You shouldn't be pulling air off an engine for ventilation air when you know that the engine can leak toxic oil into the air supply without installing appropriate design measures to prevent the breathing air from being contaminated," Anderson said. "It doesn't make sense." Anderson's own research published in a study said that based on data that probably under-reported fume incidents in 2006 and 2007, about 0.86 incidents per day happened in the United States, or nearly daily. She said a study in the United Kingdom showed it might be more common, in about one in every 100 flights. "I'm not suggesting this happens on every flight and all passengers are getting sick it's not like a conspiracy theory," Anderson said. "But it happens often enough that regulators should be doing something about it." Advertisement The flight attendant union earlier this year advocated that the airline industry should either halt the use of engine bleed air for cabin air supply or use filters to stop the circulation of contaminated air. "People have this misconception that there are filters between them and whatever air is coming in (from the outside), but it's just not true," Anderson said. "All the aircraft manufacturers use the same system. It's not just a Boeing issue. It's a design issue across the board." Despite her research, Anderson said she continues to fly on commercial flights. "I don't think the average flier should be afraid to fly," she said. "I think the average flier should be aware of the potential for this to happen. And I think the manufacturers should be rethinking their systems and designing them in a way that won't put people at risk." The Alaska Airline flight attendants suing Boeing are Vanessa Woods, Faye Oskardottir, Darlene Ramirez and Karen Neben, all residents of California. According to the lawsuit: Advertisement The Alaska Airlines flight attendants are suing over an incident on July 12, 2013, when they were part of the crew on a relatively new Boeing model 737 manufactured in 2012 on a flight from Boston to San Diego. They noticed an unpleasant smell in the cabin, and Woods soon began feeling sick and eventually passed out. Neben told the flight captain that fumes were coming from the vents and that her throat was burning, and she was not feeling well. Oskardottir then said she didn't feel well, fainted and vomited. Two passengers with medical training tried to help. Then Ramirez and Neben got sick. "I remember walking down the aisle and just gripping the seatbacks because I felt like I was going to fall over," Woods said in an interview. "The next thing I know, I was on the galley floor, looking up at Faye who was paging for assistance. She was mumbling incoherently into the PA system. "It was beyond frightening." The captain diverted the plane and landed at O'Hare International Airport. The flight attendants were taken to the emergency room at Resurrection Medical Center, near O'Hare. There, flight attendants reported that doctors concluded that their symptoms were consistent with "hydrocarbon exposure." The next morning, the flight attendants were still sick, disoriented and had trouble thinking or retaining information. The flight attendants still have health problems arising from that flight, the suit alleges. Symptoms include nausea, pain, a metallic taste in their mouths, gastrointestinal difficulties, and extreme fatigue and exhaustion. "My life has not been the same since," said Woods, 40, who had been a flight attendant for seven months and also worked as an occupational therapist. She has not returned to either job. "Basically, it's ruined my life." Advertisement She said she is excessively tired, had blinding headaches and would sweat blue substance from her skin. "For the first month, I was totally and completely out of it," she said. "I felt like I couldn't think, like I was in a fog When I would read, I would be switching letters and numbers. It's very odd. It's nothing I've ever had before in my life." Woods said she had no idea that aircraft cabin air could allegedly become toxic, and she describes her injuries as brain damage. She has had to return to live with her mother, she said. "It's embarrassing and humiliating to say I'm unable to take care of myself at this stage in my life," she said. "I'm just hopeful that I can recover to some degree and try to become a productive citizen again. I was somebody who worked multiple jobs and had tons of energy and looked forward to going to work. And now, I'm just a different person." Woods' mother, Fran Cruse-Woods, said it's sad. Advertisement "I had a daughter who hit the floor at 4:30, 5 in the morning and was out the door and who had a full social life and things to do, a very productive, high-energy person," she said. "Now, all she does is sleep. This whole thing has been devastating." A similar lawsuit against Boeing regarding alleged toxicity of bleed air was filed by American Airlines flight attendant Terry Williams in Washington state and was settled in 2011. Terms were not disclosed. A documentary film, "Angel Without Wings" is about the same issue. gkarp@tribpub.com Twitter @spendingsmart Anna's Linens, a California-based home decor retailer, is liquidating its inventory and closing its 12 Chicago-area stores after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this month. The chain began notifying customers that it was selling off its assets last week through email and signs posted in store windows, while the company's website is closed for business. Northbrook-based Hilco Merchant Resources and Gordon Brothers Group announced Thursday they are managing the liquidation sale, which will include everything from merchandise to store fixtures. Advertisement Anna's Linens currently operates 252 retail locations in 19 states. It filed for Chapter 11 protection on June 14 with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California. Founded in 1987 by Alan Gladstone, the retailer generates more than $300 million in annual revenue, according to bankruptcy documents. The chain, named after Gladstone's mother, has more than 2,500 employees. Advertisement The company blamed overexpansion it reached 309 stores in 2013 and the changing tastes of younger shoppers, for increased debt and ultimately a default with its longtime lender, Union Bank. In July 2014, Anna's Linens arranged for a secured $80 million credit facility with Salus Capital Partners and Downtown Capital Partners that was used to refinance its debt. The bankruptcy filing lists $72 million in inventory assets and between $100 million and $500 million in liabilities. David Golubchik, a Los Angeles attorney representing Anna's Linens in the bankruptcy case, said Thursday that the total debt is closer to $100 million. Local Anna's Linens stores are in Chicago, Melrose Park, Evergreen Park, Crestwood, Lansing and Naperville. Golubchik expects the liquidation sale to be completed by September. He also held out the possibility that Anna's Linens may resurface at some point under new ownership. "The effort here is to bring the name back and get the stores operating again with another operator, because the name is still available and we have leases on the locations," Golubchik said. rchannick@tribpub.com Twitter @RobertChannick A Blue Bell ice cream container lies abandoned on the side of a highway in Brenham, Texas, on April 23. (Smiley N. Pool / Dallas Morning News) HOUSTON Blue Bell Creameries will lay off more than a third of its workforce following a series of listeria illnesses linked to its ice cream that prompted a nationwide recall of all its products, the Texas company announced Friday. The company, whose production plants remain closed, said 750 full-time employees and 700 part-time workers are losing their jobs. That represents about 37 percent of its 3,900 employees. Advertisement Another 1,400 workers will be furloughed but will still receive a substantial portion of their current pay. Employees essential to ongoing cleanup and repair efforts will continue working but have their pay reduced, Blue Bell said. Workers at distribution centers in 10 states will also be laid off. The 108-year-old company's production plants in Texas, Oklahoma and Alabama have been closed since Blue Bell issued a full recall in April. The company's ice cream has been linked to 10 listeria illnesses in four states, including three deaths in Kansas. Advertisement Blue Bell CEO and President Paul Kruse called the decision to layoff and furlough workers "agonizing." "At Blue Bell, our employees are part of our family, and we did everything we could to keep people on our payroll for as long as possible. At the same time, we have an obligation to do what is necessary to bring Blue Bell back and ensure its viability in the future," Kruse said. Residents and officials in Brenham, Texas, where Blue Bell is headquartered, are bracing for how the layoffs will affect the city. Blue Bell is Brenham's second-largest employer with 900 workers. Blue Bell said that 250 workers were being laid off at its main plant in Brenham, with an additional 300 being furloughed. "There will be an impact" said Terry Roberts, Brenham city manager. Thirty workers at the Sylacauga, Alabama, plant will lose their jobs, and 20 will be laid off from the plant in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Blue Bell did not provide a breakdown of the rest of the layoffs; it has distribution centers in 10 states. Washington County Judge John Brieden said Blue Bell has been a great ambassador for tourism in Brenham, which has around 16,000 residents and is about 70 miles northwest of Houston. Last month, more than 200 people gathered at a prayer vigil in Brenham to show their support for Blue Bell. "When they hurt," Brieden said of Blue Bell, "we hurt." Blue Bell said it hopes it can eventually restore its workforce. Advertisement "Obviously, over time, we hope to build back up, but we anticipate that will take quite some" time, the company said in an email. Page Michel, president and CEO of the Brenham/Washington County Chamber of Commerce, said two job fairs have been scheduled for later this month to help laid off workers. "It's going to be a tough time for a lot of people now, and our prayers are with them," she said. The layoffs come after Blue Bell signed agreements Thursday with health officials in Texas and Oklahoma detailing steps the company will follow to resume making ice cream products. No timeline has been set for when Blue Bell will resume production. The agreements require the company to inform the states whenever there is a positive test result for listeria in its products or ingredients. Blue Bell had failed to tell federal or state health officials of repeated findings of listeria at its Oklahoma plant that date back to 2013. Listeria illness generally affects only the elderly, people with compromised immune systems, pregnant women and newborns. The three people who died in the Blue Bell outbreak were already hospitalized for other illnesses when they consumed the tainted ice cream. Advertisement Associated Press The Chicago metro area's unemployment rate inched up in April to 6.5 percent, marking the fifth consecutive month of increases. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) The Chicago metro area's unemployment rate inched up in April to 6.5 percent, marking the fifth consecutive month of increases, but the trend could point to the improving health of the local economy as the labor force grows to a historic high. While the national unemployment rate clocked in at 5 percent in April, steady from the prior month, the 6.5 percent unemployment rate for the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights metropolitan area was up from 6.3 percent in March and has been static or growing since August 2015, when it hit a post-recession low of 5.6 percent, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security. Advertisement But the area's labor force also has been growing steadily since last summer as more people started to look for work. The Chicago metro area added more than 100,000 people to its labor force since August to reach 3.87 million, marking the largest workforce since 1994, the earliest data available. "I think increased consumer sentiment is causing people to return to the workforce," said Brian Peterson, associate policy analyst at the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. "People are thinking the job market is improving." Advertisement In a separate analysis published this week that looked at unemployment trends in the Chicago Metropolitan Statistical Area a somewhat larger geographic region that encompasses 14 counties, including parts of Wisconsin and Indiana the planning agency noted that the region's growing unemployment rate has coincided with a sharp increase in the number of people working or seeking work. The labor force for the Chicago MSA hit 5 million in March, the largest since the Bureau of Labor Statistics started tracking it in the early 1990s, it said. In addition, in Illinois, the number of discouraged and underemployed workers has fallen by about 40 percent since 2010, with a particularly steep drop in the number of people involuntarily working part-time because they couldn't get full-time jobs. "That's very good news," Peterson said. As the workforce grows, there is usually a lag before the unemployment rate starts to improve, he added. IDES makes adjustments to its month-to-month data for the Chicago metro area to take into account predictable seasonal fluctuations in the job market. It also reports year-over-year unemployment rate changes for the rest of the state that are not seasonally adjusted. According to a Thursday report from IDES, in April all Illinois metropolitan areas experienced year-over-year unemployment rate increases for the third consecutive month. The city of Chicago's unadjusted unemployment rate was 6.9 percent in April, up from 6.3 percent in April 2015. The highest unemployment rate in the state is in Danville, at 7.5 percent, and the lowest is in Springfield, at 5.1 percent, based on unadjusted rates. Advertisement aelejalderuiz@tribpub.com Twitter @alexiaer A man walks by a CVS drugstore in Washington, D.C., in 2014. Chicago-area pharmacists at CVS have been working without a contract but will go back to the bargaining table on May 26, 2016. (Karen Bleier / AFP/Getty Images) CVS pharmacists who have been working without a contract for nearly three weeks will head back to the bargaining table with the company Thursday as their union highlights concerns including alleged understaffing and 12-hour shifts. Teamster Local 727, which represents 150 Chicago-area pharmacists, said it has received an outpouring of support from pharmacists and CVS customers nationwide since it made public what it calls mistreatment of workers without enough support to complete the tasks required of them. Advertisement It "is about ensuring the ongoing safety and sanctity of the pharmacy profession," John Coli Jr., president of Local 727, said in a Wednesday news release. The union said CVS has made little movement to address requests for "uninterrupted breaks, sufficient tech hours, preservation of the nine-hour workday, and elimination of excessive tasks that take away from pharmacists' primary job responsibilities." Advertisement Those excessive tasks include having to answer phone calls with the walk-in clinic, union spokeswoman Maggie Jenkins said. In addition, pharmacists are expected to pay for required training out of their own pockets. One of the biggest points of contention is that the company is requiring 12-hour shifts some days and shorter shifts others and is not scheduling enough technician help or staff overlap to give pharmacists proper time to spend with patients, Jenkins said. CVS did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday, but spokesman Mike DeAngelis previously has said that pharmacists are given the flexibility to manage their work schedules in collaboration with their colleagues to ensure proper staffing, and it wants to "preserve the ability for our pharmacists who choose to work longer shifts to do so." In addition, he added: "The health and safety of our customers is our No. 1 priority and we have comprehensive policies and procedures in place to ensure prescription safety. Our systems are designed to help our pharmacists manage and prioritize their work to best serve their patients." The union said it has filed unfair labor practice charges against CVS with the National Labor Relations board, alleging management has visited pharmacies to talk directly with pharmacists about ongoing negotiations. The pharmacists' prior three-year contract expired May 7. aelejalderuiz@tribpub.com Twitter @alexiaer General Mills will close its longtime West Chicago manufacturing facility in the summer of 2017, affecting 500 employees, as part of a broader cost-cutting effort throughout the company. Since 1959, the plant has played an integral role in the lives of many West Chicago residents, and the shutdown announcement shocked workers and West Chicago alike. The plant produces three major lines for the Minneapolis-based company, including Bugles snacks, General Mills cereals like Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Hamburger Helper products. Advertisement Workers were told at a 7:15 a.m. meeting that the decision to close the facility, which will happen in stages, was a result of surplus created by changing consumer tastes away from "ready-made" meals. The planned shutdown was confirmed by a company spokeswoman, who said the first wave of layoffs is expected to happen at the end of the year. Terms of the closing, she added, are subject to negotiation with the plant's union, Local 316 G of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union. Advertisement Frank Mager, 52, has worked at the plant for 34 years and is one of the approximately 300 union workers who will lose their jobs. He recalled when the plant employed about 1,200 people before advancements in automated technology began to cut that number in half in the 1990s. He also recalled previous General Mills plant closings in South Chicago and St. Charles but said he still didn't see this one coming. "It's one of the best damn companies I've worked for," said Mager, a former union president. "I never had any issues with it. But the bottom line is it's all about greed." The company is one of West Chicago's largest employers, and many of General Mills' longtime employees are also West Chicago residents, said Mayor Ruben Pineda. "It's going to have a major impact, but of course, we'll move forward," he said. David Sabathne, president/CEO of the Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce, predicted the effect would be "tremendous." Sabathne said members of his family, including his father and brother, worked for General Mills. "There are thousands of families in West Chicago who were able to have good lives and retire because of that facility," Sabathne said. The closing will also affect other businesses in the community, and it means less tax revenue for the city. On the bright side, Sabathne said, General Mills was a good employer in terms of pay and benefits, and many of the longtime employees may be able to retire or move on without much hardship. But there are also many younger workers who are starting out, and that's what most concerns Mager, who said he'll likely retire after the plant closes. "It really bothers me," Mager said. "It's people's livelihoods." Advertisement Union officials could not be reached for comment. Kelsey Roemhildt, spokeswoman for General Mills, said West Chicago employees who want to work at another company facility would need to complete the application process for that facility. General Mills also announced Thursday morning that it will close its facility in Joplin, Mo., affecting 150 workers. The closings are part of the company's "Project Century" a three-year review of its North American manufacturing network with the goal of streamlining operations and identifying ways to reduce production capacity, according to the spokeswoman. General Mills is on pace to achieve $40 million or more in cost savings this year, company officials said on a conference call earlier this year. The food manufacturer, which has been up against shifting consumer tastes that are moving away from packaged, processed foods, has been trying to make changes to keep up with the times. It has eliminated some artificial colors from its cereals and reduced sugar in its yogurts. Amid sluggish sales last year, the company laid off about 1,400 employees. "General Mills is keenly aware of consumers' changing food habits and how that is impacting our industry," CEO Ken Powell told analysts on conference call earlier this month. Advertisement The company has already announced plans to close facilities in Lodi, Calif., New Albany, Ind., Midland, Ontario, and Methuen, Mass. The unfortunate news for West Chicago's General Mills workers comes on the heels of Mondelez International's announcement in May that it intends to shut down nine of the 16 lines at the Chicago facility. The exact number of Chicago jobs that could be cut hasn't been determined, but Mondelez has said it could be as many as 600 workers. After the meeting at West Chicago General Mills plant, workers were sent home and were told the plant would reopen Monday. "We just negotiated a contract, and it was very company friendly," said a worker at the plant who declined to be named. "We negotiated it and took some lumps to avoid this situation." crshropshire@tribune.com Twitter @corilyns Advertisement gtrotter@tribpub.com Twitter GregTrotterTrib ITT Educational Services is facing charges that it duped investors by concealing huge losses on loans made to students attending the company's for-profit colleges scattered across the country, including three in Illinois. The alleged scheme outlined in a complaint filed Tuesday by the Securities and Exchange Commission revolved around mounting problems in two different student loan programs that ITT set up in 2009 and 2010 as other financing dried up during the Great Recession. Advertisement ITT guaranteed the loans to pay tuition and other student bills in an educational system spanning more than 140 colleges in 39 states. Those pledges threatened to hobble ITT if a large number of the borrowing students missed payments. The SEC case in Indiana federal court alleges ITT tried to cover up troubles that began to infect the student loan portfolios in late 2011, misleading investors about the financial risks facing the Carmel, Indiana, company. Advertisement The complaint depicts ITT CEO Kevin Modany and Daniel Fitzpatrick, the company's chief financial officer, as the masterminds of the fraud. Modany, 48, had already been scheduled to step down later this month and Fitzpatrick, 55, is supposed to retire in October. ITT strongly disputed the SEC's allegations, but the case nevertheless raised doubts about the company's future and sent its stock to an all-time low of $2.07 at one point during Tuesday's trading. The cloud hanging over ITT follows the recent meltdown of another major for-profit educator. Corinthian Colleges shut down its remaining 28 campuses last month after being fined $30 million for misrepresentation by the U.S. Education Department. Corinthian's collapse affected 16,000 students, many of whom are now seeking a waiver to forego repaying their student loans at taxpayer expense. ITT vowed to clear its name and continue serving the roughly 57,000 students attending campuses that operate under the names of ITT Technical Institute and Daniel Webster College. "We vehemently disagree with the SEC's position and we are confident that the evidence does not support the SEC's claims," ITT said it a statement. The SEC contends ITT began misleading investors about how much it stood to lose on its student loan guarantees in late 2012 and continued at least through 2013. As the details of ITT's obligations for delinquent student loans emerged, the company's stock has dropped by more than 90 percent during the past 16 months to wipe out $1 billion in shareholder wealth. ITT's closed Tuesday at $2.27, down more than 43 percent for the trading session. The shares peaked at $133.75 in 2009. Associated Press Hundreds of protesters converge at the McDonald's campus along Jorie Boulevard in Oak Brook on May 26, 2016, to rally for a $15-an-hour minimum wage during McDonald's annual stockholders meeting. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) McDonald's is leaving the door open for a possible move to downtown Chicago. At the company's annual shareholder meeting on Thursday, CEO Steve Easterbrook said that the company "is committed to leaving no stone unturned" when asked about rumors that Oak Brook-based McDonald's is considering moving its headquarters downtown. McDonald's is analyzing all aspects of its business in an ongoing turnaround, and Easterbrook said that includes considering whether it is in the right facilities. Advertisement For months, rumors of McDonald's moving some of its corporate workforce to the city have run rampant, with Willis Tower considered to be one possible location. A source with knowledge of the situation said Thursday that McDonald's would not move into Willis Tower. But other downtown buildings, some higher-profile than others, have also been fodder for the rumor mill. In his response to a shareholder's question, Easterbrook acknowledged that "the pace of change outside the company had been running quicker than the pace of change within," and he vowed that McDonald's will continue to look for every way in which it can improve its business. Since Easterbrook took the helm last March, McDonald's has removed items from its menu to improve efficiency and speed up order times. The fast food giant also launched all-day breakfast, which the executive said has "ignited" progress in other parts of the business. Advertisement In addition to the inquiry about a possible headquarters move, the CEO faced questions about marketing to children, the minimum wage and animal welfare polices at the meeting, which took place at McDonald's headquarters as thousands of protesters supporting the Fight for $15 movement marched outside. The protesters arrived late Wednesday and spent the night in tents outside the headquarters building, forcing McDonald's to encourage its Oak Brook employees to work from home Thursday. The meeting's core agenda lasted just over 20 minutes, with all of the company's directors being re-elected to new terms and all the shareholder proposals voted down, including a request to broaden McDonald's promise to use fewer antibiotics in beef and pork and a proposal to "align corporate values with political contributions." The question-and-answer period only included questions submitted before the meeting began, which led some attendees to interrupt the proceedings. Attendees at the meeting said those who stood were asked to sit down and stay quiet by security. The meeting was closed to the media but it was broadcast over the Internet. Watchdog group Corporate Accountability International, which has fought McDonald's on a number of issues including marketing to children and affiliations with hospitals, called the lack of an open session "unprecedented." "This shift indicates a significant tightening of the meeting," press secretary Kara Kaufman said. sbomkamp@tribpub.com Twitter @SamWillTravel Sears Holdings is looking to generate more cash from its trusty Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard brands than the sale of washers and dryers, tools and car batteries in its own stores. The embattled retailer announced Thursday that it was exploring unspecified alternatives for those brands, along with its Sears Home Services business, by expanding their availability beyond the doors of Sears and Kmart. The disclosure came as the Hoffman Estates-based retailer reported another bad quarter for both its Sears and Kmart units. Advertisement "Our iconic KCD brands are beloved by the American consumer and we believe that we can realize significant growth by further expanding the presence of these brands outside of Sears and Kmart," the company said in its earnings release. "By evaluating potential partnerships or other transactions that could expand distribution of our brands and service offerings, we can position both businesses to achieve greater success." While not specifying what options were under consideration, they potentially could involve selling the products in other stores, licensing them to other companies or an outright sale. Sears said it has retained Citigroup Global Markets and LionTree Advisors to help explore options. Advertisement Although the Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard names have faded a bit as the overall Sears brand has diminished, they are still well-established brands with strong reputations, said Neil Stern, senior partner at Chicago-based McMillanDoolittle. Expanding distribution would likely bring in extra revenue, Stern said. But if you can buy Kenmore and Craftsman elsewhere, that's one less reason for shoppers to come to Sears, he said. Sears was once a primary destination for appliance sales in the U.S., largely on the strength of its Kenmore brand, once one of the top two major appliance brands in the U.S., according to market research firm Euromonitor International. Now sales are shifting to home and garden specialty retailers like the Home Depot and Lowe's, which accounted for 34 percent of major appliance sales in 2015, according to Euromonitor. Kenmore's share of the major appliance market dropped to 12.7 percent for the 12 months ending in March, down from 17.4 percent four years ago, when it had the largest slice of the market, according to Louisville, Ky.-based Stevenson TraQline's quarterly market survey. But it's still the third-biggest player, behind General Electric and Whirlpool. Craftsman still accounts for the largest share of the hand tools and accessories market by dollar share, with about 28.5 percent, and accounts for about 9 percent of portable power tool sales, with both categories down between 4 and 5 percent over the last four years, said Stevenson TraQline. DieHard had only about 5.2 percent of the auto battery market, according to Stevenson TraQline, though nearly 30 percent of people surveyed said they didn't know their car battery brand. "If Craftsman is in independent hardware stores, it's probably not a bad thing for the company to explore. If they do a deal with the Home Depot or Lowe's, that's also heavily into your appliance business; that could really siphon traffic away from stores," he said. Advertisement It's not the first time the retailer has turned to the brands to bolster sales. In 2011, Sears signed deals to sell Craftsman tools at Costco clubs nationwide and DieHard car batteries to Meijer. It also expanded a pilot that put Craftsman at 1,000 Ace Hardware stores and reportedly considered selling certain Kenmore products at Costco. The Craftsman pilot marked the first time in the brand's 83-year history shoppers could buy it outside a Sears-owned store. Sears had considered such deals before 2011 but worried about cannibalizing sales at its own stores. At the time, the Craftsman brand manager said the Costco deal would attract new customers since many Costco shoppers weren't coming to Sears or Kmart. Today, more than 2,800 Ace Hardware stores sell Craftsman and some DieHard products, said Sears spokesman Howard Riefs. Blaine's Farm and Fleet and Atwoods Ranch and Home also sell some categories of Craftsman products, and all three brands are available in more than 50 countries, Riefs said. But Sears only sells a portion of its branded products through other retailers and believes a partnership or other transaction expanding distribution of its brands and service offerings could help both parties, Riefs said. "Sears is the only place you can get the full assortment of Craftsman, Kenmore and DieHard products," he said. Advertisement J.C. Penney recently announced it would begin competing with Sears in the major appliance category, selling online and in half its stores. Sears announced a new small-format store dedicated to appliances in Colorado earlier this month, and Chairman and CEO Edward Lampert has said the company could add more locations. Last month, Sears also announced it would update the Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard brands with new "connected home" products, including an air conditioner and water heater that can be monitored and controlled from a smartphone to save energy, and a riding lawn mower that can send maintenance notifications to a smartphone. But the company also said appliance sales declines contributed to shrinking same-store sales at Sears stores, along with apparel, consumer electronics, footwear and sales at Sears Auto Centers. Sales at U.S. Kmart stores that have been open at least a year fell 5 percent, compared with the first quarter of 2015. Sales at Sears stores were down 7.1 percent. Sears lost $471 million, or $4.41 per share in the period ending April 30, up from a loss of $303 million, or $2.85 per share, last year. Apparel sales at both stores have taken a hit from competitors' heavy promotions, Lampert said in a statement Thursday. Advertisement Sears Home Services, which provides in-home delivery, installation, repair and home improvement services, also "has greater potential than what we have delivered in the past," the company said. Sears has said it is targeting at least $300 million in asset sales during 2016. "We remain focused on restoring Sears Holdings to profitability by concentrating on our best stores, our best members and our best categories through innovative solutions leveraging our Shop Your Way membership program and our Integrated Retail offerings," Lampert said. Sears also said Chief Financial Officer Robert Schriesheim will leave the company to pursue other business interests and career opportunities. He will remain at Sears until a replacement is found and will continue as an adviser to Sears through Jan. 31, 2017. lzumbach@tribpub.com Twitter @laurenzumbach WASHINGTON New personal financial disclosures from the Supreme Court show that Chief Justice John Roberts and two other justices are maintaining significant investments in individual companies' stock. The details of investments held by Roberts, Justice Samuel Alito and Justice Stephen Breyer are in annual financial reports released Thursday by the federal judiciary. Roberts holds stock worth $250,000 to $500,000 each in Time Warner Inc. and Microsoft Corp., and smaller investments in other technology and communications companies. Breyer was forced to sit out a patent case in the spring that involved Cisco Systems, Inc., because he owns up to $100,000 in Cisco stock. Breyer's largest holding, worth more than $1 million, is in British media and education company Pearson PLC. Breyer's wife, Joanna, is part of the family that founded the company. Alito continues to invest in Exxon Mobil Corp. and other energy stocks, as well as pharmaceutical companies and Boeing Co. Alito also sold several stocks in 2014, including shares of Coca-Cola Co. worth $15,000 to $50,000. That stock sale in April 2014 allowed Alito to take part in a Supreme Court dispute between Coca-Cola and Pom Wonderful. Federal law allows judges to defer taxes on any money they make when they sell a stock in order to avoid a conflict of interest. The reports were released later than in past years, seven weeks after all but one were filed. Alito filed an amended report on Tuesday, but it was unclear what had been changed. The Administrative Office of U.S. Courts, the central repository for federal judges' disclosure forms, had earlier attributed the delay to seeking clarifications from some of the justices at a busy time of the year for them. Associated Press Health insurance companies and hospitals were pleased to put behind them a court challenge to the federal financial assistance provided to lower-income Americans to buy insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Their investors also cheered. By ruling to uphold the health law subsidies, the U.S. Supreme Court provided some certainty to the insurance marketplace because millions of people will likely remain insured. Economic experts predicted that eliminating the subsidies would have made insurance unaffordable for millions and also would have increased premiums for those who aren't eligible for subsidies. Advertisement "Today's Supreme Court ruling ensures that millions of Americans can receive financial assistance from the government to help them continue to afford their health insurance coverage," the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, a federation of 36 insurers including one in Illinois, said in a statement. Under the Affordable Care Act, 11.7 million people get private insurance through state and federal exchanges, according to the Obama administration. The court case challenged the subsidies millions receive, including 232,000 in Illinois, to buy insurance through the federal exchange. Advertisement Land of Lincoln Health, a Chicago-based nonprofit insurance cooperative established by the law, said that it was "both thrilled and relieved that those individuals and families will be able to maintain coverage for their essential health care needs." Greater access to health insurance has led to more customers for the insurance giants. The stocks of the five largest publicly traded insurance companies all rose following the ruling Thursday morning, as the risk of industry chaos was quelled. Shares of UnitedHealth Group, the largest health insurance company in the nation, were up 2.6 percent. Humana was up 7.1 percent. Cigna rose 2.4 percent. Aetna was up 4 percent, and Anthem was up 1.4 percent. Even with the court victory, challenges remain for insurers. Aetna said it believes the Affordable Care Act needs to be reformed. "We urge Congress to focus on solutions that improve quality, transition our payment system to value-based care and broaden consumer choice," Aetna said in a statement. Hospitals have benefited from the Affordable Care Act because the number of uninsured admissions has declined. The law also expanded Medicaid programs in a number of states, including Illinois, providing more revenue. Shares of two of the largest publicly traded hospital systems soared Thursday. Tenet Healthcare, a Dallas-based hospital company, was up 12.2 percent, and HCA Holdings, based in Nashville, gained 8.8 percent. asachdev@tribpub.com Advertisement Twitter @ameetsachdev Only yesterday news leaked that Lee's film, which is schedule to film in Chicago this summer, will not be a grim depiction of violence in Chicago, but rather a contemporary update on the bawdy ancient Greek comedy "Lysistrata," about a nation of women who go on a sex strike to motivate their men to put an end to the violence. Former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock appears March 6, 2019 after his scheduled hearing at the U.S. Dirksen Courthouse in Chicago. Federal prosecutors have agreed to drop all charges against him if he pays back money he owes to the Internal Revenue Service and his campaign fund. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) WASHINGTON Rep. Aaron Schock's resignation after six weeks of intense scrutiny over spending, travel and real estate deals marked a stunning fall for a politician once seen as a rising young voice in Congress. "It seemed like he was going to be a new, younger face in the political scene, and it was disappointing to see," said Angela Loring, 38, a teacher interviewed outside a Peoria grocery store in his congressional district. Advertisement Schock, 33, the first member of Congress born in the 1980s, said Tuesday he will step down March 31. He was in his fourth term in the House of Representatives, having served since 2009. The Republican from Peoria, whose conduct has been the subject of investigations by several news organizations, admitted no wrongdoing in his resignation statement, saying only that the constant questions were a "great distraction." Advertisement Once he steps down, Schock no longer will come under the jurisdiction of congressional ethics investigators. However, legal observers said the recent issues that have dogged Schock ever since the Washington Post on Feb. 2 wrote about his $40,000 "Downton Abbey" office decor could follow him into his post congressional life. A Capitol Hill source said lawyers at the Justice Department's public integrity section, the Federal Election Commission, or state or federal prosecutors in Illinois still could examine the allegations leveled against Schock to determine if he violated the law. The source spoke on condition of anonymity. Charles Tiefer, a Democrat and former acting-general counsel of the House, said Schock's lifestyles-of-the-rich-and-famous ways were to blame for his downfall. "The vast majority of congressmen know better than to engage in flamboyant expenditures and activities which are, at best, in the gray area of the law," said Tiefer, who teaches at the University of Baltimore Law School. Schock easily won re-election in November, but the spate of recent media reports quickly led to rumors he would resign. Still, just a week ago, according to a story in the Peoria Journal Star, Schock said, "I'm not going anywhere." Sen. Dick Durbin, the assistant Senate Democratic leader from Illinois, said Tuesday he was surprised by Schock's resignation and suggested the move "reflects the gravity of his situation." "The allegations against Congressman Schock are serious, raising questions about his expenditure of official funds and campaign funds," Durbin said in a statement. Schock did not return messages left Tuesday on his cellphone. Advertisement The Post's Feb. 2 story on Schock's office redo might have been a flash in the pan, except that his aides tried to quash the story and asked a reporter to delete photos he'd taken. Aides initially said the interior designer had offered her services for free but that he had to pay for furnishings. House ethics rules generally prohibit members of Congress from accepting gifts or services worth more than $50. Not long after a watchdog group asked the Office of Congressional Ethics to look into the matter, Schock repaid $40,000 from his personal checking account for the redecorating work, The Associated Press reported. By then reporters and others were combing through Schock's financial dealings and his Instagram account to document his travel and expenses. Schock visited at least nine foreign countries since the start of 2014, sometimes on government business and sometimes for pleasure, a Tribune review found. In addition to allegations that he did not properly account for foreign travel, Schock is accused of not conforming to requirements on the use of private aircraft. The Associated Press on Feb. 23 reported that Schock spent more than $40,000 to fly on private jets owned by some of his political donors. The wire service had examined travel expenses, flight records and location data on Schock's Instagram account. Ethics rules changed in January 2013 to permit members of Congress to pay for private airfare with tax dollars as long as they pay their share of the cost. But the AP found that Schock paid for most of his private flights with public dollars before the rule changed. It could not be determined whether Schock paid his share of the flights after the 2013 rule change. Advertisement The media outlet Politico on Feb. 24 questioned why Schock had not reported in his annual financial disclosure statement a 10-day trip he took in March 2011 to Saudi Arabia. The country's antiquities and tourism commission paid for the trip. Politico also found that the congressman had "attended dinner and drinks in 2011 at Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace and at a swank nightclub London and never disclosed receiving a single gift on his financial disclosure form." Schock was in London at the time for the prestigious Royal Ascot races. The Sun-Times reported March 2 that Schock had billed taxpayers for a private plane ride to Chicago for a Bears game. Schock quickly repaid the government $1,237 for the trip. At a news conference March 6 in Peoria, Schock told reporters that at times he has made mistakes. "I know that when I take a trip, and I post photos online, it can create the misimpression of being out of touch, or an image that is not worthy of my constituents," he said. "I have tried to balance being a young congressman and doing things differently and more open with maintaining a level of seriousness on the issues of the day. I know some days I have failed at this." Advertisement Still, there was no let-up for Schock. The Associated Press on Friday reported that Schock "built much of his personal wealth" through real estate deals with political donors. A lawmaker can do business with donors as long as the terms are "commercially reasonable." News outlets more recently were digging into Schock receiving thousands of taxpayer dollars for mileage reimbursement. In late February, Schock enlisted two veteran Washington lawyers for an internal review of his office and political operation. Neither responded Tuesday to Tribune questions on the status of that review. Nor did two veteran GOP political operatives Schock just brought on. A precocious politician, Schock had won a seat on the local school board when he was 19 and was elected president three years later. He subsequently won a seat in the state House. Schock was just 27 when he succeeded retiring Rep. Ray LaHood. LaHood, whose son, Darin, a state senator, is believed to be interested in the congressional seat which will now be up for grabs in a special election said in an interview that he had unsuccessfully tried to phone Schock on Tuesday. Advertisement "Personally, I'm very sad," said Ray LaHood, who held the congressional seat for 14 years. The district includes Peoria and the Springfield area, bedrock GOP turf that has been represented by a Republican in Congress since 1917. Schock never fit the mold of the reserved Midwestern congressman, driving home that point recently when he told a TV reporter he has never been a "crusty old white guy." Known for his sharp style and good looks. He showed off his six-pack abs on the cover of Men's Health magazine in 2011 and once was voted the "hottest freshman" by readers of the Huffington Post. His flashy, in-your-face lifestyle has been well documented long before the latest controversy frequently by Schock himself on the online photo-sharing site Instagram. He has chronicled his adventures to the Greek Isles and the glaciers of Patagonia. He has surfed the waves off Hawaii, danced the tango in Buenos Aires and parasailed in the Andes. The Tribune in 2013 reported that Schock's campaign spent more than $2,600 on cuff links, paid $390 to a seaplane company based in the British Virgin Islands and spent more than $1,500 on concert tickets. Under federal election laws, the expenditures disclosed in campaign finance filings to the FEC are legal as long as they served a political or campaign purpose. Advertisement Schock was one of the Illinois delegation's heaviest spenders on meals and travel. In Peoria on Tuesday, several constituents expressed dismay at the latest turn of events. "I'm disappointed in Aaron altogether for taking advantage of the situation," said Carl Cohen, 77. "And he thought more of himself than the community." Ray LaHood, however, said he stands by Schock. "What I would tell (Schock) is I'm very sorry for the way his congressional career ended and lookit, you find out who your friends are when things like this happen and I'm a friend of Aaron's and always will be," LaHood said. Washington lawyer Kenneth Gross, formerly the associate general counsel at the Federal Election Commission, which handles civil enforcement of campaign-finance rules, said Tuesday that "a number of issues have been raised regarding (Schock's) handling of campaign funds and office expenditures, but it's hard to know what constituted a critical mass to cause him to resign." Advertisement One campaign-finance lawyer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that as a general rule, the Justice Department, should it be taking a look at a lawmaker, would not be swayed one way or another by a resignation. Schock had been under scrutiny in 2012 for allegedly soliciting a $25,000 contribution from a political action committee in excess of legal limits. But that case, before the House Ethics Committee, will go away once Schock's resignation becomes official. Tribune reporter Todd Lighty reported from Chicago. Tribune reporter Jessie Hellmann contributed. kskiba@tribpub.com tlighty@tribpub.com Twitter @Katherine Skiba Marcus Jones was so appreciative of the work Operation Welcome You Home had done for wounded veterans like himself that he invited group members to his wedding. "They're part of our family," said the former Marine Corps corporal who lives in Brookfield. "They welcomed us into their family." Advertisement Matthew Clarke is able to cut the grass and plow snow around his Monee home thanks to a John Deere riding lawn mower that was donated by the group he calls "amazing." The two plan to attend the fourth annual Wounded Warriors 5K Run this Saturday in Plainfield that raises money for the group and the wounded veterans it helps. The run and walk starts at 8 a.m. from Settler's Park, 24000 W. Lockport St. Advertisement Some 1,000 people have signed up for the run, and there is room for 200 more to participate, according to Donna Morsovillo, founder and president of Operation Welcome You Home, based in Naperville. The fee is $40 for those age 11 and older and $30 for children 10 and younger. Morsovillo said she expects to raise $40,000 to $50,000 this year, the same as in previous years, from sponsors and private donors. Her organization has paid for medical bills for wounded veterans from all military branches; provided airfare for their families to fly to Bethesda Medical Hospital in Maryland; bought two riding mowers; purchased ActionTracker custom-fitted wheelchairs that cost $18,000 each; helped homeless veterans; and donated to the Wounded Warrior Regiment. Clarke said doing physical activities causes him pain, and he has limited mobility in his arm after he received a ricochet wound in the left shoulder and shrapnel in the right knee while he was serving in Iraq in 2006. He received a knee replacement before being discharged in 2009. "They got me a riding lawn mower. That in itself is amazing," he said about the local group. "I can't even begin to describe it." Jones learned of the group from his wife, Megan, and praised the resources they can provide, including funds for going to a rehabilitation center. He was serving in Okinawa, Japan, when he fell one story and landed on his back. He developed glandular issues, had 12 or 13 surgeries and spent a year in a rehab center. Jones also served in Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C., and was discharged in 1999. Jones will participate in his second Wounded Warriors run. Clarke said he will help out any way he can. "The organization is an absolute phenomenon," he said. "They truly give back to veterans." Advertisement Police Cmdr. Ken Ruggles, special events organizer for Plainfield, said he expects 1,000 people to watch. The race will begin near Village Hall; to Village Center Drive to Van Dyke Road; then to Ottawa Street; west to Ira Jones Middle School; around Ira Jones back to Ottawa Street; return east on Ottawa Street to Van Dyke Road; and go south to its end. Runners will then return north on the bike path through Settler's Park and finish near the memorial in the park. Roads will be closed on four streets and parking will be prohibited starting at 7:30 a.m. until most of the runners/walkers have cleared the area. The closed streets are Village Center Drive between Lockport Street and Van Dyke Road, Van Dyke Road from Lockport Street to its south end, Ottawa Street from Van Dyke Road to Ira Jones Middle School and Wallin Drive at Ira Jones Middle School. Roads are expected to reopen by 10:30 a.m.; but once most of the runners or walkers have cleared the area, some roads may open earlier. Parking will be limited. Volunteers will be in the area before the event begins to help direct people to available locations. Parking near the event is expected to fill up rapidly and is available on a first-come basis, according to Ruggles. Operation Welcome You Home is a not-for-profit organization founded in 2007 with a request from a local mom wanting her son, returning from deployment, to be honored, according to the group's website. Two weeks later another mom had the same request. With that, the group realized the need to continue honoring and showing support to the men and women serving the country who put their lives on the line daily. Advertisement Manson is a freelance reporter for Chicago Tribune. triblocaltips@tribune.com Twitter: @TribLocal In a dramatic moment Wednesday, the Chicago City Council rose to acknowledge victims of torture at the hands of former police Cmdr. Jon Burge before approving a $5.5 million reparations package that Mayor Rahm Emanuel said shows Chicago is willing to deal with the dark chapter in its history. Ald. Proco "Joe" Moreno read a roll call of torture victims he said were on hand at the council meeting, and as the men and their relatives stood in the gallery, aldermen turned and gave them an ovation. Advertisement "This is truly an historic day for Chicago, for this City Council and most importantly for the victims of some horrific behavior that happened right here in Chicago," said Moreno, 1st. "Not in Iraq, not in Syria, but right here in Chicago." Before the unanimous vote, Emanuel characterized its passage as evidence that Chicago is now able to confront its failures. Advertisement "This is another step, but an essential step, in righting a wrong removing a stain," Emanuel said of the reparations fund that he backed and that advocates say is the first of its kind in the nation. "Chicago finally will confront its past and come to terms with it and recognize when something wrong was done and be able to be strong enough to say that something was wrong." Burge and his men allegedly tortured upward of 100 people, many of them African-American South Side men, in efforts to extract confessions from them between early 1972 and late 1991. Accusations against Burge first surfaced when former Mayor Richard M. Daley was state's attorney, and the controversy lasted through Daley's 22 years as mayor. For decades, the city fought the claims of torture. Ald. Howard Brookins, 21st, chairman of the council's African-American caucus, noted Wednesday that approval of the reparations deal was a long time coming. "We have shown by the passing of this ordinance today that that type of abhorrent behavior will not be tolerated in our city," Brookins said. "Does it totally make up for what happened?" asked Ald. Joe Moore, 49th. "Absolutely not. But it's a powerful statement." While Emanuel hopes the fund closes "the Burge book on the city's history," it's likely dozens of additional potential victims will come forward to claim they were tortured at the hands of Burge and his associates. The ordinance also includes a formal apology and states that the city "wishes" to provide other benefits to more than 50 torture victims and their families that "may include" free City Colleges tuition, various types of counseling, job training and placement, and senior services. The deal also would create a permanent memorial recognizing the victims and ensure that eighth- and 10th-grade students attending Chicago Public Schools would be taught about the Burge case and its legacy, cementing the scandal's role in city history. Burge and his men allegedly tortured confessions using electric shocks, beatings, smotherings and simulated Russian roulette. Cupich honors George Advertisement In his first visit to the City Council, Archbishop Blase Cupich honored the late Cardinal Francis George, who died last month after years of cancer treatment. "He is one who had his own physical struggles in life, and yet, he gave us hope, a sense of wonder," Cupich said. Emanuel announced that a bench across from the archbishop's residence would be dedicated to George. "He was a man of his time whose legacy will stand the test of time and a person of great faith who showed good faith to all," Emanuel said. "In short, he was a Chicagoan through and through. And his life exhibited the characteristics of the city to which he dedicated his life." Chicago Tribune's Manya Brachear Pashman contributed. hdardick@tribpub.com Advertisement jebyrne@tribpub.com As Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner was talking to Chicago aldermen about his agenda Wednesday, Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan was delivering his own message 200 miles away at the Capitol. With lawmakers and the governor still far apart on a budget ahead of scheduled adjournment May 31, the veteran Madigan called for a vote on nearly $2 billion in cuts to human services spending that the first-year governor has proposed. Advertisement Madigan forced Republicans, who are out of power in the House, into a bad choice: vote in favor of deep cuts that had no chance of passage or back away from the measure and risk appearing unsupportive of the Republican governor. Not a single member of the chamber voted in favor, with Democrats voting against the cuts and Republicans voting present. Madigan, who sponsored the bill, did not vote. For Madigan, such a vote is a way to send a message to Rauner that his budget as proposed doesn't have much support in the House. Republicans viewed the move as an attempt to embarrass the new governor and criticized Madigan for bringing the vote with only a few hours' notice. Advertisement "These are more political games and phony votes in his effort to, I guess, show the governor up and not participate in good faith, so I'm disappointed in that," said Rep. Ron Sandack, R-Downers Grove. "We're not going to vote 'no' on something because we haven't been given any opportunity to vet and go through the committee process, and really become engaged. We're not going to vote 'yes' for the very same reason. So we're left to vote present." House Republican leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs said Madigan was trying to get GOP lawmakers on the record to use the roll call votes in future campaign attack ads. "I do believe that what's going on right now is form over substance. And it's unfortunate. This is about mail pieces trying to string people out," Durkin said. Rep. Greg Harris, D-Chicago, countered that the cuts, which Rauner proposed months ago, are well-known and have been discussed at length. Indeed, Democrats spent the early months of spring session holding hearings across the state to publicize the governor's plans. "The question always with us is, what bills can get 60 votes in the House, 30 in the Senate," Harris said. "I understand we have to make cuts somewhere, but we cannot balance the budget by cuts alone. We're going to have to make some common-sense cuts, and we're also going to have to agree to find some revenue sources." Democrats then proceeded to consider more than a dozen amendments restoring funding for human services programs that Rauner had proposed cutting, passing several before adjourning for the annual House-Senate softball game. Republicans voted present on the proposals. The new owners of Burt's Place will be striving to duplicate the late Burt Katz's pizza, like this version ready for the oven, photographed at the pizzeria in 2011. (Nuccio DiNuzzo/Chicago Tribune) Burt's Place has been sold, and the new owners, who have no professional pizza-making experience, started making test pies Wednesday night using recipes, ingredient sources and secrets from the late founder Burt Katz. Jerry Petrow and John Munao, former futures traders, will officially take ownership of the legendary pizzeria business in Morton Grove (along with the building and side yard) June 14, but they have started practicing on the premises with permission from the Katz family. They hope to reopen as Burt's Place by mid-July or August. But if you're in the neighborhood, stop by, they say. Advertisement "The mailman came by for a while," said Munao by phone, specifically the restaurant's familiar rotary phone in the back corner family booth. "He said he's been on the route for 15 years but coming to Burt's since he was a little kid, and his son has been asking when Burt's was opening again." Katz owned the pizzeria with his wife, Sharon, which found worldwide fame after a 2009 visit from Anthony Bourdain for his television show "No Reservations." But the pizza master was in the business for 52 years, perhaps best known locally as the owner of the original Pequod's and creator of the signature caramelized crust style. Advertisement "His was the only deep dish pizza I ever loved," said Bourdain. The new pizzeria partners were futures traders at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange for 25 years until the pits closed. "In February 2015, they basically sent out a press release that said they're closing the pits, and they gave us like four months," said Petrow. "We worked for ourselves, so there's no severance package; there's nothing. They basically said, 'July 2nd, don't come here anymore.'" "We still trade, but its so different now," said Munao, "You sit at home and do nothing. You just watch these screens." Personal loss deepened their professional loss. "My wife passed away on Sept. 15 from breast cancer," he added. "I always wanted to do a restaurant, and my wife always wanted me to do a restaurant. So here we go." The project began when Petrow saw last year that Katz was closing Burt's Place. Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. > "I read the story about how he closed, then slipped a note in his mail slot," said Petrow, who has some cooking background; he attended the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago from 2001 to 2002. "He called me in late October, and we met a bunch of times." Petrow and Munao had planned to train with Katz in the restaurant kitchen, but Katz was hospitalized in January. He died April 30. "We loved how Burt ran the place, because we can start that way," Petrow added. Burt's Place was famous for its so-called ordering rules, which were widely misunderstood. Pre-orders were requested, simply because Katz was the only pizza-maker, he only made so much dough each day, and there was only so much room in the single Blodgett pizza oven. Advertisement "If you call me up on a Wednesday to tell me what you want on your pizza on Friday, there's a real good chance I'm going to be able to make it, as opposed to you showing up at 6:30 and telling me you want this thing at 7 o'clock," said Petrow. "Everybody has been so helpful, and eager," said Munao. "They're all happy it's going to be the same type of deal." "We're just really looking forward to keeping on and carrying Burt's torch." Burt's Place, 8541 Ferris Ave., Morton Grove, 847-965-7997. ShopHouse is making its way to Chicago in the fall of 2015. (ShopHouse) ShopHouse, the Southeast-Asian concept launched by Chipotle Mexican Grill in 2011, is making its way to Chicago. The company signed a lease for space at 22-24 W. Jackson Boulevard in the Loop. The restaurant is scheduled to open in fall 2015. Advertisement ShopHouse loosely follows the pattern of what is commonly called a Mongolian-style grill; customers start with a base of rice, noodles or salad, choose among several protein options, add wok-cooked fresh vegetables, sauce, and garnishes/toppings. Dishes are less than $10. ShopHouse echoes Chipotle's commitment to high-quality ingredients from sustainable sources, and responsibly raised animals. The entire menu is gluten-free, wheat-free and dairy-free. Non-GMO ingredients are used whenever possible. Advertisement The menu takes its inspiration from the cuisines of Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The name ShopHouse comes from the term for Southeast-Asian buildings in which families live upstairs, and operate restaurants or markets on the ground floor. Phil Vettel is a Tribune critic It feels like youre walking into someones house with a giant pastry case in the middle, Terbush, pictured, says of the new bakery, which she designed with antique furniture she calls "inviting." (thejuliakitchen) Say bonjour to a new bakery stocked with chocolate-lacquered eclairs, colorful macarons and fruit-filled tartes. But toss a "y'all" in there too, in honor of owner Amanda Tommey Terbush's Georgia roots. On June 19, Terbush, a graduate of the French Pastry School in the Loop and the former head of research and development at Vosges Haut-Chocolat, opens Southern France, a Lakeview bakery filled with French pastries, homey antique furniture and what could be your grandma's china. The shop marries Terbush's love of delicate desserts with her disdain for patisseries "that feel too highfalutin," she says. Advertisement "I want people to experience these wonderful pastries in an atmosphere that actually feels inviting," she continues. "When you go into pastry shops that have fancy items, a lot of times it feels like the staff doesn't want to talk to you. They act like, Why are you even here?" At Southern France, the idea is: If you don't know what a cannele is, ask. (Answer: a miniature cake with a caramelized outside and gooey inside, popular in Bordeaux.) That doughnut-shaped pastry sliced in half and filled with cream? It's a Paris-Brest, modeled after a bicycle wheel and named for a popular bike race from Paris to Brest and back. Advertisement Terbush, who left her job at Vosges to start the bakery, has been running Southern France as an online shop for the past nine months, baking out of the back of a shared kitchen in Logan Square. Other sweets on deck for the new storefront: financiers, madeleines and buttermilk biscuits with jam, a nod to her childhood in Georgia. "My grandma was an amazing cook," she says. "My mom is an amazing cook. This is what I grew up doing." Southern France (1405 W. Irving Park Road, http://www.southernfrancechicago.com) opens June 19 at 8 a.m. Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday to Sunday. (Check website for extended hours in the future based on demand.) Counter-service only; seating coming soon. mconrad@chicagotribune.com Twitter @marissa_conrad Aaron Franklin of Franklin BBQ in Austin, Texas, will be popping up in Chicago this July with the Land & Sea Dept. restaurant group. (Nuccio DiNuzzo/Chicago Tribune) June 19 update: Tickets for the event goes on sale here Friday at noon. The dinners will take place at 3124 W. Carroll Ave. A few months ago, I got the chance to attend South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, and friends who knew I wrote about food implored me to visit Franklin BBQ. Advertisement The restaurant is one of those barbecue establishments with last-month-of-Hot-Doug's lines, especially so during SXSW, when I was told the wait time reached five-plus hours. Yet, I was lucky enough to sample pitmaster Aaron Franklin's barbecue twice without waiting, instead enjoying his brisket, sausages and smoked beef ribs at two SXSW events. At one, Franklin told me he was planning a pop-up in Chicago this summer but wasn't ready to confirm details. Advertisement Today comes an email from Land and Sea Dept., the restaurant group behind Longman & Eagle, Parson's Chicken & Fish and Lost Lake, that Franklin is indeed coming to Chicago. (He was also here a few weeks back, winning the James Beard Award for best chef in the Southwest region.) The three dates are July 2, 3 and 4 (Thursday through Saturday), with tickets and location information to be announced soon. This sounds like a much better option than waiting five hours in line. kpang@tribpub.com Twitter @pang Gelato sandwich: In 2012 the family-owned Massa Italian Cafe & Gelateria in Elmwood Park was featured on an episode of "Sandwich King" on the Food Network, in which host Jeff Mauro sunk his teeth into a panzerotti, a crispy, calzonelike pocket of fried dough stuffed with tomato sauce and Italian cheeses. But that's not the only outrageously appetizing sandwich that Massa has to offer. On the sweet side, try the gelato sandwich ($4.99), consisting of creamy homemade gelato sandwiched between two rich and buttery chocolate chip cookies, which are baked fresh in-house. In particular, the nutty pistachio and amaretto gelato are highly recommended to add a pinch of savory to the sugar rush. Make sure to try the fried dough too. 7434 W. North Ave., Elmwood Park, 708-583-1111, massacafe.com Leah Pickett Half Acre has changed the name of its popular American-style IPA twice, from the original Heyoka to Senita and now to GoneAway. First it was Heyoka. Then it was Senita. Now, it's GoneAway. Half Acre Brewing Co.'s award-winning India pale ale is getting its third name in less than a year after another brewery sent a cease-and-desist letter claiming "Senita" infringed too closely on the name of a beer made by the other brewery. Half Acre owner and founder Gabriel Magliaro declined to name the brewery. Advertisement Im trying to take the high road in not bashing those dudes, even though part of me would enjoy that, he said. In January, Half Acre changed the name of the same beer from Heyoka to Senita after the American Indian Movement complained that the word heyoka is sacred to northern Plains Native Americans and describes a holy person who plays an important role in medicine ceremonies. Advertisement Magliaro said, at the time, that there was no hesitation about changing the name and that the brewery landed on Senita the name of a cactus common in Arizona that was in keeping with the beers Southwestern label. However, a few days later, the other brewery reached out to complain, Magliaro said. He said he told the brewery he disagreed with its gripe, and the matter was briefly dropped. About three months ago, Half Acre was hit with the cease-and-desist letter, he said. Magliaro said he was aware of the other brewery and had even allowed one of its founders to tour Half Acre when it renamed the beer Senita. But there was a different spelling, meaning and visual identity, he said. We felt we werent stepping on anyones toes. With nearly 3,500 breweries operating in the United States in 2014 up from nearly 1,500 10 years ago, according to the Brewers Association squabbles over trademarks have been increasingly common. Still, Magliaro said he was disappointed to get the letter. We could have wasted resources, time, energy and money to go toe-to-toe on this and make a point, but we asked ourselves, What value do we attach to the name? he said. And what it came down to after what had already happened is that we just didnt care. Magliaro said the brewery is smaller than Half Acre and does not distribute beer in Illinois. "Once they took that step (of sending the cease-and-desist letter), it was pretty clear we weren't going to screw around with this," he said. "We have too much good stuff going on right now." Advertisement Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. > Magliaro announced the change in a Half Acre blog post Tuesday morning, also refraining from naming the brewery in question. "Anything heated I had to say, I said directly to them," he said. "I'm at peace with it. This was a choice they made." Back when still called Heyoka all the way back in 2014 the beer won a silver medal at the Great American Beer Festival in the American-style India pale ale category; with 279 entries, it was the single-most competitive category in the history of the GABF competition. The IPA now named GoneAway, which is one of Half Acre's most popular beers with consumers, is available from September to April. Magliaro said that after another name change was at hand, brewery workers began jokingly calling it "GoneAway IPA." The name came stuck. He's hoping and joked that he wasn't very confident that Half Acre won't need to rename the beer again. "This is an exceedingly reasonable industry and full of people who want to take part in what's usually a positive process," he said. "This kind of flew in the face of that. I was like, 'You know what? You guys have it. We're out. This is not why we came here.'" jbnoel@tribpub.com Advertisement Twitter @joshbnoel Find some of the best food on the pier at DMK Burger and Fish Bar. (Joseph Hernandez / Chicago Tribune) No, you're probably not going to plan your next night out at Navy Pier. But on the days you have guests in town and they inevitably ask to go to that place with the big Ferris wheel, you no longer have to choose between Bubba Gump and hunger pangs. An influx of new restaurants from Lettuce Entertain You, the first expansion of Original Rainbow Cone and a (coming-soon) cocktail bar from the Tiny Lounge crew are just a few of the new options making Navy Pier's dining scene, well, actually respectable. Plus, you're now allowed to carry alcoholic drinks around the Pier, so spots like DMK Burger Bar are serving them to go. Hanging with Aunt Martha just got a whole lot better. Advertisement Here's what's new, and exactly what to order: DMK Burger and Fish Bar, an airy restaurant with a long bar and modern white subway tiles, offers some of the best food on the pier. The offshoot of Lakeview's DMK Burger Bar and Fish Bar (there, separate restaurants; here, together) opened at the tail end of pier season in 2015, so this will be the first summer to enjoy it. Order: The Crabby Patty ($12), a crabcake sandwich with Old Bay mayo and pickled onion on a house-baked bun; crispy shrimp tacos ($8.50), which come two per order, with red cabbage and a dollop of guacamole; the simply prepared turkey burger ($10), which is well-seasoned and light; local brews from Moody Tongue, Not Your Father's Root Beer and Revolution offered, if you want, in to-go cups. 312-624-8017. Joseph Hernandez Advertisement RELATED: TRENDING IN FOOD & DINING THIS HOUR Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. > The Original Rainbow Cone has been operating as a single, beloved stand on the South Side since 1926. It's still a shock that Navy Pier was chosen for location No. 2, which opened in May, but we're not mad about it. Order: The signature cone ($8), a tower of chocolate, strawberry, Palmer House (vanilla with cherries and walnuts) and pistachio ice creams, and orange sherbet. 773-238-7075. Louisa Chu Porkchop, the Randolph Street barbecue joint, opened its Navy Pier location a month after DMK hit. On tap are all the usual suspects, from ribs to pulled pork. Order: The Mouthful ($11), a jaw-stretching sandwich of pork, cole slaw, jalepeno and fried pickle slices; and a side of sausage lollipops ($9), battered corn-dog-style with smoky barbecue sauce for dipping. 312-733-9333. Bill Daley Goddess and the Baker, a grab-and-go version of the original Goddess and the Baker in the Loop, offers cookies, pastries and cakes from owner Debra Sharpe (also of Goddess and the Grocer, and Feast). The menu includes salads and a handful of sandwiches, but for me, the coffee (arguably the best cup on Navy Pier) and all-day dessert options are the real draws. Order: A latte, one of the best we've had anywhere; pretty much any dessert. 312-285-2630. Phil Vettel Order the three-piece dark at Big City Chicken. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) Big City Chicken, Frankie's Pizza by the Slice and Big Bowl Chinese Express share an owner (Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises), a telephone number and a cash register. Neighborliness has advantages; put together a feast from all three. Order: The Don ($5.50) from Frankie's, a crisp-bottom slice of thin-crust pie topped with crumbled sausage, chunks of red pepper, spicy slices of gutsy pepperoni, tomato sauce and cheese; the sesame chicken bowl ($12) from Big Bowl, featuring crunchy bites of golden battered chicken cooked with toothsome bits of red onion, scallions and rounds of red chili pepper in a pleasantly savory sauce; three-piece original dark-meat fried chicken ($8.50) from Big City Chicken. 312-546-7440. B.D. Freshii may be best known for its healthy(ish) rice bowls and burritos, but the best thing at the new Navy Pier location of the international chain is dessert. Order: Lifeway frozen kefir ($5.50) comes with two toppings, chosen from fruits, nuts, chocolate chips, Oreo crumbles and more. 312-222-5757. L.C. Snow Dragon Shavery, a sequel to the Lincoln Park location, sells colorful macarons and 10 flavors of Taiwanese-style shaved "snow," essentially a block of ice shaved upon ordering to create a delicate, fluffy mound. Order: The snow ($6), topped with sweetened condensed milk; pistachio macaron ice cream sandwich ($6). 312-291-9046. J.H. Coming soon: Cocktail bar Tiny Tavern, cousin to North Center's Tiny Lounge, will take over the former Haagen-Daz space at Navy Pier later this summer. The Centennial Wheel is not the equal of the London Eye, the 450-foot-tall riding ring over the Thames River that kick-started the modern craze for destination Ferris wheels. The Eye, which I rode on last summer, takes you up above water and shows you Big Ben and fellow famous British structures. The Centennial Wheel does give you (comparatively lower) lake and city vistas, but the nearer field of vision is of Navy Pier's rooftops, and the view below is of a carnival ride, the new performance space being built for Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and the long building that houses shops, restaurants and NPR affiliate WBEZ-FM 91.5. Davies' adaptation keeps Chris somewhat distanced from her own story, though, judiciously, we hear her thoughts in voice-over just enough to savor Gibbon's carefully distilled poetic language. One by one, Chris' family members leave her, and at the midpoint, "Sunset Song" has become an oddly joyous song indeed, with the newly emancipated and happily independent woman anticipating a long and fulfilling life with her newfound love, a couple of glens over. Her suitor is Ewan Tavendale, played by Kevin Guthrie. Deyn comes to life in these courtship scenes, where the story allows an easy intimacy and back and forth the narrative otherwise withholds from Chris. 826CHI teamed up with fourth and fifth graders from Lorenz Brentano Math and Science Academy in Logan Square to create "The Monster Gasped," an anthology that will be sold at Printers Row Lit Fest. (826CHI) Illustrator Ryan Troy Ford lives in Logan Square, home to vibrant street murals, lively arts festivals and Chicago's heavily tattooed creative class. But it's the work of Vanessa Benavides, a fourth-grader at Lorenz Brentano Math and Science Academy, that's recently blowing his mind. Advertisement "There's this mermaid who swims around and finds herself in a cave with an evil woman whose dress is made of fire and the mermaid defeats her with love," Ford said. "A strong female lead who defeats evil with love? (Expletive) yeah. I was all about that." DOWNLOAD THE PRINTERS ROW APP FOR YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO PRINTERS ROW LIT FEST Advertisement Benavides' story appears in "The Monster Gasped," an anthology of monster stories written by 57 fourth- and fifth-graders from Brentano, a Chicago Public School just west of the Kennedy Expressway in Logan Square. The students created the book with the help of volunteers from 826CHI, a Wicker Park-based nonprofit dedicated to inspiring students ages 6 to 18 to cultivate their writing skills. The group is a local offshoot of 826 National, founded in 2002 by author Dave Eggers and educator Ninive Calegari. A handful of the student authors will be at Printers Row Lit Fest to read their work aloud. Columbia College Chicago fiction writing instructor and author Joe Meno will introduce the students and moderate a discussion after the readings. Ford is one of two dozen local artists who contributed illustrations to the book. Other artists include Jeffrey Brown, Sick Fisher, Phineas Jones and Kyrstin Rodriguez. "We like to botch a popular metaphor and say it takes a village to raise a book," said Abi Humber, communications and program manager at 826CHI. "But it really is true. This started as a wouldn't-it-be-cool idea, and dozens of people gave hundreds upon hundreds of hours of their time to make it happen." For an entire semester, 826CHI volunteers spent Tuesday mornings and afternoons in the fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms at Brentano, helping them craft storylines and characters and narrative arcs. They decided early on to shape each story around a monster, but the students were free to go in any direction from there. Fourth grader Sky Jimenez wrote "Snake The Rat's Life Story," the tale of a part-rat/part-snake monster who is mercilessly bullied after both of his parents die. In the end, the rat-snake becomes friends with his nemesis, Josh, whose family adopts him. "We were writing down a list of our fears, and my fears are rats and snakes," Jimenez said. Some stories parallel the students' lives, and others bear little or no resemblance, Humber said. "A lot of monsters seem similar to the students they're obsessed with Minecraft or they love chocolate cupcakes. But it was fun to watch the stories evolve and go through the full writing process. It's a fantastic process to watch a young person battle with the idea of getting to know characters and understand how they want problems to be solved and then see it published into a book." Advertisement "So many of them think the books in the library have just always been there," Humber continued. "We have to teach them, 'No, someone had to hand-write those stories.' It gets them excited to be part of that in a really tangible way." Ford said the illustration process was cathartic. "Unfortunately it's necessary in the society we live in to do some things you're not excited about to pay your bills and survive," he said. "I saw this as a release from that sort of work." Rodriguez, a student at the School of the Art Institute Chicago, illustrated a story by Brentano student Natalie Guzman about a dancer who dies young and comes back to Earth to haunt her peers. "She finds the best dancers and possesses them to continue her dreams of becoming the best dancer," Rodriguez said. "She possesses one of the girls, and her friends have to find a way to exorcise her. It's pretty dark." And, no doubt, cathartic. "Any adult who got to be part of a publishing project as a young person, no matter how big or small, really remembers it," Humber said. "You remember what it felt like to hold your creation in print. I used to publish the 'Wassup Weekly.' I would hand draw it and my dad would photocopy it at work and mail it to all my relatives. "I see that same excitement in the students," she continued. "It really lingers." Advertisement Heidi Stevens writes the Tribune's Balancing Act column. -- An excerpt from 'The Monster Gasped' Here's a portion of "The Spirit of Janet" by Natalie Guzman, a fifth-grader at Brentano Math and Science Academy. Once there was a little girl named Janet who had long, black hair and eyes that shimmered like the beautiful ocean. She was 12 years old and had a love for dance. She was always bullied for not being the best dancer. They would tease her and say critical words like "ugly," "phony," and "fraud." She always dreamed of going on Broadway and dancing her heart out. Unfortunately, she got ill and passed away, and was never able to accomplish her dream of dancing. In the year of 1960 (25 years after Janet passed), she rose from her grave and saw many new things about her town, Vuda. Advertisement ... As Janet went into the dance studio, the best girls caught her interest: Daisy, Jordan, Emma, Star, and Maya. These girls danced as gracefully as beautiful swans swimming in a pond and they had an amazing resemblance to the girls who used to bully her. Janet possessed Maya and started to make a lot of trouble. Janet started to make Maya push the other girls and say hateful words like "ugly," "phony," and "fraud." Those words kind of sounded familiar. One thing Janet did not notice was that there were cameras watching her every step and move. The girls wanted to find out why their friend was doing this, so they went into their secret hideout in the dance studio and started to think. "When did Maya start to act like this?" asked Jordan. "When we were practicing our new dance routine," explained Star. Advertisement "Wait, I felt a weird, spooky wind pass by me when we were practicing our routine!" shrieked Daisy. "Like a ghost? Yeah, right," laughed Emma. "Could it be?" gasped Star. "Maybe," muttered Jordan. Emma stopped laughing. "I got it!" called out Daisy. She led them to the camera room. They were very scared at what they saw, but they knew what they had to do. They went online to a website called www.monsters.com. They found out that you could strap the monster to a table, then use a vacuum to take out the spirit. Next, you needed to take a bottle and put the spirit inside the bottle, then throw or bury the bottle far, far away . Keynote speaker Dr. John Flaherty, an HIV specialist and the director of the Infectious Diseases Fellowship Training Program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, spoke about promising updates in research and the program's importance. "The graduates of DIFFA/Chicago's fellowship program are making a difference as HIV clinical specialists, public health experts and research scientists in Chicago and throughout the world." He acknowledged Drs. Claudia Hawkins, Amesika Nyaku and Sean Kelly, three of the 25 DIFFA fellows trained at Northwestern since 1990. Burt Sanders dialed 911 at 2:03 a.m. June 5 and told the dispatcher, "I need an ambulance real quick. I'm having chest pains," a recording released Friday shows. In the recording, communications technician Sherrie Williams said she needed him to slow down as he spoke so she could get the correct address. Advertisement Officials said a Prompt ambulance arrived within minutes at the Church of God in Christ on W. 9th Avenue in Gary's Brunswick neighborhood, but the door was locked. Medics couldn't get in and without further information, they left, according to reports. Sanders, 44, a Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District police officer for five years, who previously spent 10 years at a Gary officer, was found dead in the back row of his family's church the next morning when his niece arrived to clean the sanctuary for upcoming services. Sanders' father is the pastor there. Advertisement Brian Hitchcock, executive director of the Lake County 911 Department, said Friday that Williams has been terminated. Her supervisor, Vanessa Reese, will serve a three-day unpaid suspension. Their punishment is based on "the manner in which (they) handled the call," Hitchcock said in a news release Friday. Williams had six years of experience as a technician and Reese has 12 years. Reese was responsible for relaying information to the medics. "When Prompt Medical announced they cleared the scene, Ms. Reese failed to take any additional action," Hitchcock's release states. Hitchcock said Friday he was meeting with police commanders to review the situation and possible changes in protocol. "This the first serious incident we've had," he said. When Sanders called, he said he could make it to the door to unlock it and Williams offered to stay on the phone with him until help arrived. "I'm sending them. I just need you to be letting them in," Williams told Sanders in the recording. About three minutes into the call, Sanders can be heard, apparently in distress, calling out, "Jesus" more than once. Williams tells her co-worker, "He threw the phone down." She repeats his name in the recording, but there was no response. When relatives arrived Saturday morning, they found Sanders sitting on the floor, his phone next to him. Advertisement He had attended a church service Friday night, telling members he was grateful to be there praying and not "laid out in front," his sister, Ruth Sutton, said earlier this week. He decided to spend the night there, to continue prayer and do some chores, she said. Sanders had spent the previous week hospitalized for pneumonia, but was out the day before he died to see his son graduate from high school. He is survived by his wife, Sarah, and five children. A celebration of life is set for 6 p.m. Sunday at The Church of God in Christ. Visitation will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday at the Genesis Convention Center with the funeral service to follow. Ronald McMahon, of Gary, is on trial for the shooting death of a Lansing, Ill., girl. (Lake County Sheriff's Department, Post-Tribune) Lake Superior Court jurors heard another eyewitness account of a shooting that killed an Illinois teen during an aborted marijuana deal. The testimony came Wednesday during the trial of Ronald McMahan, 19, of Gary, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, murder in perpetration of robbery, and four counts of attempted robbery. Advertisement Dennis Haluska, 20, of Highland, said he was in the car with Anthony Villarreal, Michael Warden, and Villarreal's girlfriend, Ashley Scott, 17, of Lansing, Ill., when they met on Dec. 3 with a man Villarreal had agreed to act as the middle man for in a marijuana deal. The meeting took place at a gas station at 15th Avenue and Burr Street in Gary. A man identified by witnesses as McMahan and a second unidentified man asked Villarreal to take them home to get more money. The two men piled into the back seat of Villarreal's Pontiac, Haluska said in the Crown Point courtroom. They drove a short distance to a well-kept home on a dead-end street in the 1700 block of Clinton Street, where the two men got out and went around the side of the house. Advertisement "I had a bad feeling," Haluska said in response to questions by deputy prosecutor Aleksandra Dimitrijevic. "It's in a neighborhood I've never been to in Gary with people I've never met. I didn't feel safe." Villarreal had backed out of the driveway and was in the street and facing the way they came when the two men quickly walked up to the car. Haluska said both men were carrying revolvers. McMahan walked up to the passenger side of the car where Scott was seated, Haluska recalled. They demanded guns and money from the people inside the car. "I told Tony to step on it," Haluska said. As they drove away, four shots rang out, Haluska said. A few moments later, they realized Scott had been wounded in the neck. She died a short time later after they drove to Hammond's nearby Hessville section. Defense attorney Roxanne Mendez Johnson elicited testimony from Haluska that he was "80 percent sure" of the identification of McMahan as the shooter. In other testimony, Lake County crime scene investigator Michael Equihua described how he documented the scene where Villarreal drove for help, a McDonald's on 169th Street in Hammond. He said he found no guns, money or drugs in the car. Equihua said he was called to the Rosewood Apartments, 1750 Clark Road in Gary, where McMahan's grandmother gave them permission to search. Inside a hallway closet he found a loaded .32-caliber revolver, which Equihua removed from a brown paper evidence bag for jurors to see. Testimony is expected to resume Thursday before Lake Superior Court Judge Salvador Vasquez. In his first major test on discipline since becoming Chicago police superintendent, Eddie Johnson has so far refused to go along with a recommendation by the city's police oversight agency to fire a former police commander with a long history of excessive-force complaints. The former commander, Glenn Evans, now a lieutenant, was acquitted in December by a Cook County judge on charges he shoved his gun down a man's throat despite evidence showing the alleged victim's DNA on Evans' gun. Advertisement At issue now is what discipline should be meted out to Evans after the Independent Police Review Authority found him at fault for pressing his fist into the nose of a woman who refused to be fingerprinted in 2011. A lawsuit brought by the woman, Rita King, alleged she suffered a broken facial bone. Frank Giancamilli, a police spokesman, said IPRA has more recently recommended that Evans be fired for the incident after first proposing just a 15-day suspension. Johnson has not decided on whether he agrees that Evans should be fired, Giancamilli said. Advertisement IPRA spokeswoman Mia Sissac confirmed that the agency recommended that Evans be fired for his actions with King. But Sissac said Johnson had disagreed with that severe a punishment, instead recommending that Evans be suspended for 30 days. At this point, Johnson and Sharon Fairley, IPRA's chief administrator, are still hashing out whether they can agree on what punishment should be imposed on Evans, who remains on paid desk duty. If the two don't reach agreement, Evans' punishment will be decided by three members of the mayoral-appointed Chicago Police Board. At the time of the King incident five years ago, Evans was a lieutenant assigned to the Auburn Gresham community patrol district and Johnson was his commander. At an unrelated news conference Thursday afternoon, Johnson said he saw no conflict of interest and had no plans to recuse himself from deciding Evans' punishment. "So at the end of the day if it is discovered that (Evans) should have a more severe penalty, then I accept that," Johnson told a Tribune reporter. "I've said from day one we have to all be held accountable, whether it's me or the last police officer." Pressed on the point if he should step aside from deciding the issue, Johnson said, "Glenn and I have been colleagues over the years, but I do believe that I can still be professional in determining the penalty when people are acting inappropriately." King was arrested in April 2011 on charges of simple battery and disorderly conduct and brought by officers to the Gresham police district station, where Evans then worked. In the lockup, she objected to being fingerprinted by officers, according to her lawsuit, which is pending in federal court. Advertisement "We know somebody who can get your fingerprints," the lawsuit alleged one of the officers told King. Evans was then summoned to the lockup. The lawsuit alleged he ordered officers to restrain King. Evans then pressed his fist into King's face, threatening to push her nose into her brain, the suit alleged. The misdemeanor charges against King were later dropped. Prosecutors charged Evans in August 2014 with aggravated battery and official misconduct for allegedly shoving his service weapon down the throat of reputed gang member Rickey Williams inside an abandoned South Side house, pressing a Taser against his groin and threatening to kill him. Judge Diane Cannon acquitted Evans on all charges in spite of the evidence showing Williams' DNA on Evans' service weapon. Cannon dismissed the evidence as "of fleeting relevance or significance." She also played up inconsistencies of Williams' account of the incident, saying his testimony during the trial "taxes the gullibility of the credulous." At the time of the charges in 2014, Evans was a commander of the West Side's Harrison District and was frequently praised by then-Superintendent Garry McCarthy for his no-nonsense approach to policing some of Chicago's most dangerous neighborhoods. He was demoted to his service rank of lieutenant after the criminal charges were filed. Advertisement The Tribune published a front-page story in 2014 that Evans had amassed 36 complaints from January 2006 through July 2014, a period in which he was promoted to lieutenant and then named one of only 22 district commanders. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Over that 81/2-year period, Evans had far more complaints than any other commander and topped all but 34 officers for the entire 12,000-strong department. He continued to pile up complaints nine in all even after he was promoted to commander of the South Side's Grand Crossing police district in August 2012 by McCarthy, according to a Tribune analysis of the data. Combined with previously released records, Evans has been the subject of at least a combined 50 complaints since 2001. Evans has been disciplined only on rare occasions despite his lengthy history of complaints. To his supporters, Evans brought an admirable aggressiveness and work ethic, often continuing to work the city's most dangerous streets as he rose through the ranks. A series of iconic Tribune photos captured Evans' style during NATO summit protests in May 2012 when the then-lieutenant was hit over the head with a wooden stick as he stood with other officers fending off rowdy protesters. Colleagues described Evans as a leader who didn't fit the traditional mold of a district commander, a post that brings intense pressure to reduce violence, particularly in the city's most dangerous neighborhoods. Several colleagues of his have told the Tribune that he spent considerable time on the street, joining in foot chases and responding to shootings and traffic stops. As a commander, he sometimes had been known to catch only a few hours of sleep in his office before starting all over again. Advertisement jgorner@tribpub.com Twitter @JeremyGorner A button on the rear fence of a residence in the 3400 block of West Grenshaw Street on April 25, 2016, where 16-year-old Pierre Loury was shot and killed by police April 11. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune) The family of a 16-year-old boy fatally shot by Chicago police during a chase on the West Side last month filed an amended wrongful death lawsuit Thursday naming the officers allegedly involved and noting Mayor Rahm Emanuel's anticipated testimony about the police code of silence in an upcoming federal civil rights trial. The suit names Sean Hitz as the officer who allegedly shot Pierre Loury without justification on April 11. Another officer at the scene, Jeff Riordan, was also named in the 15-page amended complaint brought by Loury's mother, Tambrasha Hudson. Advertisement The suit alleges the officers conspired with one another to give "false, misleading and incomplete versions" of the incident to make it look like they were in imminent danger. In alleging the city has a "pattern and practice" of covering up wrongdoing by officers who have shot civilians, the lawsuit refers to Emanuel's speech to the City Council in December when he called for an end to the code of silence that he described as "the tendency to ignore, deny or in some cases cover up the bad actions of a colleague." Advertisement Last week, city attorneys offered to admit to a federal jury that a code of silence exists in the Police Department if it meant Emanuel would not have to testify at an upcoming trial involving two whistleblower cops. But U.S. District Judge Gary Feinerman said that even though he was "reluctant" to take up the mayor's valuable time and cause a media circus, he believed Emanuel could offer insight on the code of silence by taking the witness stand rather than relying on a written stipulation from city lawyers. Riordan declined to comment, while Hitz and a spokesman for the city's Law Department could not be immediately reached. Andrew Stroth, the attorney for Loury's family, told the Tribune on Thursday that Emanuel's acknowledgment of the code of silence was a game changer. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > "Mayor Emanuel is the CEO and ultimate decision-maker in Chicago," Stroth said. "It is our hope that there will be a fundamental change in how these cases are handled and a new era of transparency and truth." Police have said Loury was shot as he ran from a car that officers had pulled over because it matched the description of a vehicle used in an earlier shooting. First Deputy Superintendent John Escalante said that the lone officer who chased the teen opened fire after the teen turned and pointed a gun at him. A semi-automatic weapon was recovered at the scene, he said. According to the suit, Hitz opened fire on Loury as the teen tried to climb a fence and escape. An autopsy found he suffered a gunshot wound to the chest. A Tribune report earlier this month details Loury's short and troubled life growing up in the violence-plagued North Lawndale neighborhood, from his early ties to the New Breeds street gang to a criminal record that included robbing and beating a woman on a CTA train. He had his first court case when he was 14 and within a year was busted on a heroin charge, the report found. Advertisement The whistleblower trial, scheduled to begin Tuesday, involves a civil rights lawsuit brought by police Officers Shannon Spalding and Daniel Echeverria over allegations they were blackballed for cooperating with the FBI in an investigation into a corrupt police tactical team. jmeisner@tribpub.com Twitter @jmetr22b Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner John McNicholas speaks to the media following an emergency call. (WGN-TV / Chicago Tribune) The blood alcohol level of a high-ranking Chicago Fire Department official was still nearly twice the legal limit almost four hours after he crashed a department-issued SUV last month off Lake Shore Drive just north of downtown, according to city records. The documents obtained by the Tribune under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act show that internal investigators with the Fire Department didn't administer the Breathalyzer test to then-Deputy Commissioner John McNicholas until 4:32 a.m. April 20. Advertisement The crash took place a little before 1 a.m. that day, just off Lake Shore Drive near North Avenue, while McNicholas was off-duty. McNicholas had a blood alcohol content of 0.154 percent nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent, according to city records. Advertisement It was unclear why the Fire Department didn't test McNicholas until nearly four hours after the crash or why Chicago police did not perform a Breathalyzer test and instead issued only a ticket for negligent driving. Anthony Guglielmi, chief spokesman for the Chicago Police Department, said Wednesday that the department is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash. "Detectives have met with prosecutors and presented their investigation," Guglielmi said in an email. "Additional follow-up items have been requested by (prosecutors) and those are being completed. The case remains open and active." McNicholas resigned from the Fire Department shortly after the incident, a department spokesman said at the time. jgorner@tribpub.com Twitter @JeremyGorner School leaders and students, parents and community members from around the state rally for education funding in the rotunda at the state Capitol on Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Springfield. (Seth Perlman / AP) SPRINGFIELD Parents, students and school officials from throughout the state descended on the Capitol on Thursday in support of legislation that would change how the state doles out money to school districts. It's a measure Republicans have called a bailout for the struggling Chicago Public Schools and Democrats have said is a chance to level the playing field for poorer districts. Advertisement The bill already passed the Senate, but its future is uncertain in the House, where Democrats have yet to support a change to the funding formula, instead approving a separate spending plan that would pump an additional $700 million into elementary and secondary education. Wielding signs and chanting "fix the formula," and "all children matter," supporters and speakers lobbied for the House to call the funding overhaul bill for a vote. Participants included CPS CEO Forrest Claypool, who described the rally as "about as close to unity as you'll ever see in Springfield." Advertisement "Public education is supposed to be the great equalizer. It's supposed to give every kid a chance and opportunity," Claypool said. "It doesn't say just some kids should get an opportunity, or some are more important than others. But that's the message of the current system." Politically, the legislation is a tough ask, with only so much money to go around. Opponents argue that helping districts less able to rely on property tax dollars shouldn't come at the expense of more well-off or financially stable districts. But sponsoring Sen. Andy Manar, a Bunker Hill Democrat who has been pushing a formula fix for three years, contends his bill is needed to provide equal resources for students. "In Illinois, some children have $6,000 per year invested in their education, while others have $32,000 a year invested in their education," Manar said. "(This) bill will fix our system for the first time in a generation." The measure would leave the state to pick up an estimated $200 million a year in teacher pension costs for CPS, and provides hundreds of millions of dollars for the district's early childhood education programs and transportation for special education students. CPS families and educators pointed to long-term problems they say the bill could solve. Claypool said many took the day off to attend the rally, but others, like Catherine Jones, a school council member at Frederick Douglass Academy High School in Chicago, said she was there on behalf of CPS parents who work minimum wage jobs and can't afford to make the trip to Springfield. "Our school is in dire distress. Next year we might lose more teachers. There are a whole lot of things our kids don't have now, and if we don't pass the bill, we'll lose more," Jones said. "Our West Side and South Side have been struggling for years. And we need a funding bill for all over." Asked after the rally about Madigan's proposed budget plan, which would also pick up $100 million in Chicago teacher pension costs, Claypool said he supported efforts from Democrats in both chambers and the onus is now on Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. Advertisement "At the end of the day, the House and Senate will reconcile what the ultimate goal is," Claypool said. "Only the governor right now stands in the way." The Rauner administration already has threatened to veto the spending plan from House Democrats, with the governor continuing to call for grand budget compromise that would fully fund schools without favoring CPS over other districts throughout the state. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats offered up a new, tweaked education funding proposal Thursday. It mirrors Manar's bill in seeking to give more money to poorer districts, but would also distribute funds based on what's called an evidence model. For instance, research shows bilingual students benefit from more spending, while all students learn better in small classrooms. The legislation passed a Senate committee. cbott@tribpub.com FRANKFORT, Ky. Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders battled for a single delegate Thursday in Kentucky, but a review of primary election results didn't change the outcome of the May 17 primary. The review, held at the request of the Sanders' campaign, put Clinton in line to pick up an extra delegate from the Bluegrass state, while elsewhere, Donald Trump secured the Republican nomination for president. Advertisement If the Kentucky results stand, Clinton would need just 77 more delegates to secure the nomination. She leads Sanders by 271 pledged delegates and has a nearly 500 delegate advantage in superdelegates. Fewer than 2,000 votes separate Clinton and Sanders in Kentucky, or less than one half of 1 percent of all votes cast in the state. Both candidates picked up 27 delegates from the state, but one delegate from the 6th Congressional District has not been awarded. Thursday's recanvassing a review of totals from electronic voting machines and absentee ballots confirmed Clinton leads Sanders by about 500 votes in the district. If the results hold, Clinton would win the extra delegate. Advertisement Sanders still has options. He could ask a judge to order a recount, which is a more thorough examination of the results. But Sanders would have to pay for that himself, a costly gamble given the reward would likely be just a single delegate. The deadline to ask for a recount is Friday. Sanders won nearly every coal-producing county in Kentucky, underscoring Clinton's weakness in Appalachia after her comments that her policies would put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business. Clinton has said she was mistaken in her remarks and has since touted her plan to invest billions of dollars in economically depressed coal regions. Clinton enjoyed the support of most of Kentucky's Democratic leaders, including former Gov. Steve Beshear and Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes. Associated Press ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. Hulk Hogan's courtroom cage match with Gawker has apparently been bankrolled by a high-tech billionaire with a grudge against the news-and-gossip site. Two months after Hogan won a $140 million invasion-of-privacy verdict against Gawker for posting a sex tape of him, the curtain has been pulled back to reveal that the pro wrestler is secretly backed by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Peter Thiel. Thiel, who co-founded PayPal and was an early investor in Facebook, was outed as gay by a Gawker-owned website in 2007, and the Gawker empire has run a number of stories skewering Facebook. The article about him and other articles about his friends that he said "ruined people's lives for no reason" spurred Thiel to help fund "victims" of Gawker, he told The New York Times. "It's less about revenge and more about specific deterrence," he told the newspaper Wednesday. "I saw Gawker pioneer a unique and incredibly damaging way of getting attention by bullying people even when there was no connection with the public interest." In the interview, Thiel also said Hogan's lawsuit is one of several against Gawker he has financially backed, though he declined to be more specific. Thiel has never hidden his contempt for Valleywag, a gossip site that Gawker periodically ran during the past decade to expose the secrets of Silicon Valley moguls, sometimes in salacious fashion. In a 2009 interview, Thiel called Valleywag "the Silicon Valley equivalent of al-Qaida" and said it relies on people who "should be described as terrorists, not as writers or reporters." The attack spurred speculation that Thiel was still angry about the Valleywag report two years earlier about his sexuality. Others believe Thiel may have been far more upset about Valleywag's stories mocking Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and questioning the social network's value before it went public in 2012. Those derogatory stories could have eroded the fortune Thiel was building in Facebook, where he remains a board member. A libertarian, Mr. Thiel is a pledged delegate for Donald Trump. Advertisement Thiel has donated money to the Committee to Protect Journalists and has often talked about protecting freedom of speech. "I refuse to believe that journalism means massive privacy violations," Thiel told the New York Times. "I think much more highly of journalists than that. It's precisely because I respect journalists that I do not believe they are endangered by fighting back against Gawker." In a statement Wednesday, CPJ said, "we support the right of individuals in the United States and around the world to seek civil redress in cases of defamation. However, we do not support efforts to abuse the process by seeking to punish or bankrupt particular media outlets." Legal experts say there is nothing illegal or even unethical about someone financing a lawsuit. There are entire companies that invest in contingency claims, usually in product liability, personal injury, patent infringement and copyright cases. It is called "litigation financing." But a billionaire doing it out of what may be spite? That's a little different, experts say. "As much as this is not at all illegal or unethical, it just smells and feels wrong," said Scott Greenfield, a New York lawyer who is managing editor of Fault Lines, an online legal magazine. "When a rich guy can basically afford to bring down a media outlet, that has horrible social ramifications, even if the particular outfit is one that everybody hates, like Gawker." Thiel, whose net worth is estimated by Forbes at $2.7 billion, didn't immediately respond to interview requests made through email or voicemail. Advertisement On Wednesday, Hogan and Gawker were back in a Florida court, where Judge Pamela Campbell denied Gawker's request for a new trial and refused to reduce the damages. Gawker vows to take the case to an appeals court. Hogan's lawyers wouldn't comment on the Thiel story but praised the judge for denying a new trial and accused Gawker of refusing to accept responsibility for "their reprehensible behavior and method of doing what they call journalism." Gawker reacted to the reports by saying: "There are very serious questions about whether Hulk Hogan financially benefited, and this case is far from over." During Wednesday's court proceedings, Gawker's attorneys asked the judge to allow them to seek evidence from the other side regarding Thiel's supposed involvement. But the judge said no. Hogan sued Gawker after it posted a 2007 video of him having sex with the wife of his best friend, Tampa radio personality Bubba The Love Sponge Clem. Hogan said Clem betrayed him by secretly videotaping him. Gawker is counting on the verdict to be overturned on appeal and has not said whether it can afford the full $140 million. During the trial, Gawker's parent company, a collection of websites called Gawker Media, was estimated to be worth $83 million. Earlier this month, Hogan sued Gawker again, saying the website leaked sealed court documents containing a transcript that quoted him making racist remarks. After the National Enquirer published the story, the WWE pro wrestling company severed its ties with Hogan. Gawker denies it leaked the transcript. In legal circles, attorney James Sammataro of Miami said people speculated how Hogan could afford such a large "dream team" of lawyers. Said Miami attorney Richard Wolfe: "It sounds to me that Hulk Hogan made a smart deal by getting the right guy to finance his lawsuit." Associated Press WASHINGTON Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was supposed to have turned over all work-related emails to the State Department to be released to the public. But an agency audit found at least three emails never seen before including Clinton's own explanation of why she wanted her emails kept private. After 14 months of public scrutiny and skepticism over Clinton's motives in keeping her emails secret, new questions emerged Thursday. They centered on her apparent failure to turn over a November 2010 message in which she worried that her personal messages could become accessible to outsiders, along with two other messages a year later that divulged possible security weaknesses in the home email system she used while secretary of state. Advertisement The Clinton campaign has previously denied that her home server was breached, but newly revealed emails show an aide worried it could have been compromised. The existence of these previously unreleased messages which appear to have been found among electronic files of four former top Clinton State Department aides renews concerns that Clinton was not completely forthcoming when she turned over a trove of 55,000 pages of work-related emails. And it has drawn fresh criticism from presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Advertisement On Thursday, Clinton said she had been forthcoming with her personal emails. "I have provided all of my work-related emails, and I've asked that they be made public, and I think that demonstrates that I wanted to make sure that this information was part of the official records," Clinton said, according to an interview transcript provided by ABC News. Most of those messages have been made public by the State Department over the past year due to both a court order and Clinton's willingness to turn them over. But hundreds were censored for national security reasons and 22 emails were completely withheld because the agency said they contained top secret material a matter now under investigation by the FBI. Clinton said in March 2015 that she would turn over all work-related emails to the State Department after removing private messages that contained personal and family material. "No one wants their personal emails made public and I think most people understand that and respect their privacy," she said after her exclusive use of private emails to conduct State Department business was confirmed by media reports. Senate investigators have asked for numerous emails about Clinton's server as part of their own inquiry into Clinton's email practices in recent months, but they didn't get copies of key messages made public by the State Department's own watchdog this week, a senior Republican senator said Thursday. "It is disturbing that the State Department knew it had emails like this and turned them over to the inspector general, but not to Congress," said Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley, the chair of the Senate judiciary committee that's been probing Clinton's use of a private server. The emails appear to contain work-related passages, raising questions about why they were not turned over to the State Department last year. The inspector general noted that Clinton's production of work-related emails was "incomplete," missing not only the three emails but numerous others covering Clinton's first four months in office. The inspector general also found Clinton's email set up violated agency policies and could have left sensitive government information vulnerable to cyberattacks. But Thursday, Clinton told ABC News her use of the personal email was "allowed," saying that "the rules have been clarified since I left." Advertisement The Clinton campaign permitted one reporter from ABC News to ask the candidate questions. Other outlets were later provided with a transcript. A spokesman for the Clinton campaign did not respond to emailed questions Thursday. An inspector general's spokesman declined to discuss the report. The report said the inspector general was able to reconstruct some of Clinton's missing emails by searching the email files of four former Clinton aides who had turned over thousands of pages of communications in 2015 at the request of the State Department, which is defending itself in multiple public records lawsuits, including one filed by The Associated Press. The four aides who turned over those files, according to the report, were Clinton's former chief of staff, Cheryl Mills, and top aides Huma Abedin, Jake Sullivan and Philippe Reines. Abedin was the aide who authored the key email in November 2010 that provoked Clinton's concerns about outsiders obtaining her personal emails. After the State Department's computer spam filters apparently prevented Clinton from sending a message to all department employees from her private server, Abedin suggested that she either open an official agency email or make her private address available to the agency. Clinton told Abedin she was open to getting a separate email address but didn't want "any risk of the personal being accessible." Clinton never used an official State Department address, only using several private addresses to communicate. Abedin, Mills, Sullivan and Reines all also used private email addresses to conduct business, along with their government accounts. Two other emails sent to Abedin were cited in the inspector general's report, but also did not turn up among the emails released by Clinton. Those messages to Abedin contained warnings in January 2011 from an unidentified aide to former President Bill Clinton who said he had to shut down Hillary Clinton's New York-based server because of suspected hacking attacks. In response, Abedin warned Mills and Sullivan not to email Clinton "anything sensitive" and said she would "explain more in person." Advertisement Associated Press Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington on Oct. 6, 2015. Warren has taken to Twitter again to bash Donald Trump, the latest in a series of Internet "tweetstorms." (Jacquelyn Martin, AP) Elizabeth Warren has a rare talent for distilling political messages. In 2011, as she was running for the Senate seat that she won the next year, the former Harvard law professor delivered the kind of concise, pointed rationale for public investment and the taxation to support it that the White House had been striving to master for the previous three years. Speaking inside a supporter's home, her remarks captured on a crude video that has since been viewed more than a million times, Warren addressed a prosperous, albeit entirely make-believe, business owner who was presumably questioning his tax burden: Advertisement "You moved your goods to market on roads the rest of us paid for. You hired workers the rest of us paid to educate. You were safe in your factory because of police forces and fire forces that the rest of us paid for. "Now, look, you built a factory and it turned into something terrific, or a great idea. God bless keep a big hunk of it. But part of the underlying social contract is you take a hunk of that and pay forward for the next kid who comes along." Advertisement In his speech accepting the 2012 Democratic presidential nomination, Barack Obama reprised Warren's theme, and with good reason. As colloquial political philosophy goes, Warren's address made as good a case for the liberal social contract as you're likely to hear. Warren didn't run for president in 2016. If she had, there's a strong chance she would have eclipsed Bernie Sanders as the champion of the left, while also rallying the party agnostics who don't much like Hillary Clinton but don't want to damage her, either. Warren might have secured the Democratic nomination by now. Warren balked. Yet she's clearly determined to play a role in the campaign. She's been using her rhetorical skills to bait Donald Trump, engaging in the sort of taunting, schoolyard Twitter war at which Trump excels. (Credit where it's due.) Tuesday, Warren went further. As Greg Sargent noted in the Washington Post, she began assembling the building blocks of a sustained character assault on Trump. In sync with the Clinton campaign, she seized on a 2006 Trump quote in which he expressed optimism that the housing market would crash so that he could profit from it. But Warren made more of it. It was an example, Warren said, of a "small, insecure money-grubber" who is ever eager to make a quick buck off the misery of others. Then she cited Trump comparing paying taxes with "throwing money down the drain." As Sargent pointed out, she used this as evidence of Trump reneging on the social contract, an act made more contemptible due to Trump's inherited wealth and advantages. In effect, Warren carried forward her argument of 2011. Warren's talents will be used this year. The only question is how. There are three ways the Massachusetts lawmaker might prove pivotal. - First, as Clinton's vice presidential nominee. As a liberal woman from the northeast, Warren wouldn't balance the ticket but that may be a plus. Clinton is a struggling candidate with shaky support. Warren wouldn't complement her so much as fortify her, serving as a fire-breathing, 60-something Louise to Clinton's less dynamic Thelma. We've had two men on a ticket more than a few times. A Warren nomination would be a double-barreled announcement of change. - Second, as Clinton's Bern whisperer. Sanders supporters are a natural constituency for Warren, and it's easy to imagine Warren serving as a bridge for them to trudge the unhappy last mile from Sanders to Clinton. Sanders no doubt intends to deliver his voters himself, with strings attached. Warren is there in case his ego gets entangled during the transfer. Advertisement - Third, as Clinton's premier attack surrogate. Warren has already formulated a crisper, more penetrating attack on Trump than Clinton has voiced. In the coming months, she'll refine both the argument against him, and her delivery. She's good at this. Meanwhile, she keeps drawing fire from Trump, who is incapable of ignoring her. Of course, if Clinton were to do the unconventional and choose Warren as her running mate, Warren could fulfill all three of those roles. But one way or another, it looks like we'll be hearing a lot from Warren on the campaign trail. Bloomberg View Francis Wilkinson writes on politics and domestic policy for Bloomberg View. In this 1945 file photo, an Allied war correspondent stands in the ruins of Hiroshima, Japan, just weeks after the city was leveled by an atomic bomb. (AP) On Aug. 6, 1945, Hiroshima was a city of 350,000 well-braced for U.S. bombing raids. Makeshift fire lanes snaked through neighborhoods. Locals built concrete tanks alongside houses and filled them with water to extinguish fires but also to leap into as lifesaving refuge. That morning, two or three B-29 bombers were spotted, but no one ran for shelters big bombing raids almost always meant a sky filled with attacking bombers. Then, at 8:14 a.m., "Little Boy" fell from the Enola Gay flying at 31,000 feet. Advertisement Witness accounts run the gamut, but everyone remembers the blinding flash of light. Schoolgirls saw it through their classroom windows moments before the ceiling crashed down on top of them. In Gerard DeGroot's book "The Bomb," middle school student Michiko Yamaoka remembers "a very strong light, a flash," just as her face ballooned and her body flew into the air. The Enola Gay's pilot, Col. Paul Tibbetts, remembers how "the bright light filled the plane ... the whole plane cracked and crinkled from the blast. We turned back to look at Hiroshima. The city was hidden by that awful cloud ... mushrooming, terrible and incredibly tall." Advertisement In the inferno that Hiroshima became, scorched, disfigured bodies lay everywhere. Railroad ties caught fire. Thousands died instantly. By December 1945, the death toll reached 140,000, about 40 percent of the city's population. In the years that followed, radiation took its toll: intestinal bleeding, stillbirths, cataracts, leukemia and other kinds of cancers. On Friday, Barack Obama will become the first sitting U.S. president to visit Hiroshima. Accompanied by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Obama will lay a wreath at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. We don't know what he will say, but the White House has emphasized that he will not apologize for the U.S. decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the closing days of World War II. Nor should he. There is hope among Hiroshima's Japanese that the visit will revive talk of nuclear disarmament. That's a reasonable expectation: Less than three months after taking office in 2009, Obama appeared on a hilltop plaza in Prague and called for "a world without nuclear weapons. The world must stand together to stop the spread of these weapons." When it comes to today's most worrisome nuclear threats, however nuclear arsenals vulnerable to terrorists or in the hands of rogue states there is still a good deal of work to do. There are serious questions about whether the West's nuclear pact with Iran will keep that nation from developing nukes. Another danger: Pakistan's military continues to beef up its nuclear weapons stockpile in a country ceaselessly grappling with Islamic militancy. And the bizarre regime in North Korea continues to threaten nuclear strikes against its enemies. The harrowing legacy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki should remind us that blocking nuclear proliferation needs to be a relentlessly urgent priority. That legacy is mankind's only window into the hell that a nuclear explosion inflicts on innocents. Books on Hiroshima describe the blackened wasteland after the blast: a woman's charred body, frozen in a running pose, holding tight her baby; bloated corpses floating down the Ota River; other bodies with the floral patterns from their kimonos burned into their skin. Obama will encounter Hiroshima's grim images when he tours the grounds of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. The director of the memorial's museum, Kenji Shiga, recently told the Japan Times that he won't seek an apology from Obama. He just wants the president "to face our displays not as someone in power, but as a human being, or a father." Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook. Illinois House Speaker-for-Life Mike Madigan has proposed a budget. As reported by the Chicago Tribune: "Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan is planning to present a budget that would pour $500 million more into school funding for districts with low-income students under a spending plan that Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner's administration suggests is $7 billion short." By Dezan Shira & Associates Editor: Mia Yiqiao Jing Editors note: This article was originally published on May 26, 2016, and has been updated to include the latest regulatory changes. Rising labor costs in China have been putting pressure on foreign investors in recent years, forcing corporations to either cut down staff size or relocate to other countries with cheaper labor. The annual rates of increase from 2011 to 2015, despite slowing down, have exceeded production rates by more than 200 percent and have significantly affected Chinas investment climate. Unlike the 12th Five Year Plan, which pushed an annual 13 percent increase for minimum wages across China, the 13th Five Year Plan addresses the need for more reasonable wage levels and introduces a controlled mechanism for wage adjustment. Through a much decreased growth of minimum wage levels and stable wage adjustments, the 13th Five Year Plan aims to improve the competitiveness of enterprises in China by shortening the wage difference with other developing economies, partly in order to create stronger incentives for foreign investors to remain in or enter China. Against the backdrop of these changes, here we provide a comprehensive list of minimum wages across China for 2016 and highlight some of the major changes to the Chinese labor market. Minimum wages in China are determined and adjusted by governments at the provincial level. Several factors should be taken into consideration for any revision: economic development, local employment conditions, the minimum cost of living and consumption price index in the area, individual costs associated with social insurance and housing funds, and enterprises average response to labor costs. Following the 13th Five Year Plan, the minimum wage will be adjusted at an average increase of 10 percent annually, and should fall between 40 and 60 percent of an areas average monthly wage. Unlike revision cycles in the past, where minimum wage levels were adjusted at least once every two years, an extended revision cycle is now expected to reduce labor costs and keep them aligned with production rates. As of February 28, 2016, the Guangdong provincial government announced that it would maintain the same minimum wage level as 2015 for both 2016 and 2017. In order to reduce pressure for enterprises, especially those with poor business performance, the Guangdong provincial government also recommended that, for businesses with relatively better performance, wages will rise by 8.5 percent but no more than 12.5 percent. RELATED: Payroll and Human Resource Services At the time of writing, there were nine provinces that changed their minimum wage levels in 2016, compared to 17 and 27 at the same point in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Compared to the previous years rate of 17 percent, the average wage increase rate of 2016 is 14.5 percent. This change reflects the Chinese governments effort to reduce pressure on enterprises that results from the uneven growth between labor costs and production rates. Special attention should be given to Shanghai, whose rate of increase in the minimum wage level has dropped from 12.3 percent to 8.4 percent since 2015. It is also noteworthy that other developed regions, such as Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Sichuan, have all controlled the growth of their minimum wages. Guizhou, on the other hand, stands out as the only region with a hike of 55 percent in minimum wages since last year, and carries the most significance for foreign investors in China. Chinas divergent income levels, with much smaller increases for developed regions and more rapid growth for less developed regions, requires that foreign investors pay close attention to the locations that they channel their investment. The latest figures and government policies indicate that overall labor costs in China will not significantly increase. About Us Asia Briefing Ltd. is a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. Dezan Shira is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of ASEAN. For further information, please email china@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com. Stay up to date with the latest business and investment trends in Asia by subscribing to our complimentary update service featuring news, commentary and regulatory insight. Human Resources and Payroll in China 2015 This edition of Human Resources and Payroll in China, updated for 2015, provides a firm understanding of Chinas laws and regulations related to human resources and payroll management essential information for foreign investors looking to establish or already running a foreign-invested entity in China, local managers, and HR professionals needing to explain complex points of Chinas labor policies. How IT is Changing Payroll Processing and HR Admin in China In this edition of China Briefing magazine, we examine how foreign multinationals can take better advantage of IT in the gathering, storing, and analyzing of HR information in China. We look at how IT can help foreign companies navigate Chinas nuanced payroll processing regulations, explain how software platforms are becoming essential for HR, and finally answer questions on the efficacy of outsourcing payroll and HR in China. Labor Dispute Management in China In this issue of China Briefing, we discuss how best to manage HR disputes in China. We begin by highlighting how Chinas labor arbitration process and its legal system in general widely differs from the West, and then detail the labor disputes that foreign entities are likely to encounter when restructuring their China business. We conclude with a special feature from Business Advisory Manager Allan Xu, who explains the risks and procedures for terminating senior management in China. Microsoft said on Wednesday that it would lay off 1,350 people in Finland, as a result of its plan to streamline its smart phone hardware business. "We will continue to innovate across devices and on our cloud services across all mobile platforms," said Satya Nadella, chief executive officer of Microsoft. The redundancies in Finland were part of its overall plan to cut 1,850 jobs worldwide, and the company would record an impairment and restructuring charge of approximately 950 million U.S. dollars, said the company in an announcement. Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat said Microsoft's product development unit in Tampere, southwest Finland, would be shut down and all employees there would have to leave. Meanwhile, some 280 sales and marketing personnel in Espoo, west of Helsinki, would not be affected. The redundancy announcement came one week after Microsoft said it decided to sell the feature phone business to Finland's HMD Global and Chinese Taiwan's FIH Mobile, and to continue to develop Windows 10 smart phones. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd said it was being investigated by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over whether the Chinese e-commerce company's accounting practices violated any federal laws. The company has provided the SEC with information about its accounting for logistics unit Cainiao Network as well as operating data from its Singles' Day shopping festival, according to Alibaba's annual report filed on Tuesday. The SEC advised the company that the investigation should not be seen as an indication that Alibaba had violated federal securities laws, Alibaba said in a regulatory filing. "This matter is ongoing, and, as with any regulatory proceeding, we cannot predict when it will be concluded," Alibaba said. Asked for comment on Wednesday, an Alibaba spokesperson said the disclosure of those financial details are "exactly the kind of robust and transparent information that will address the underlying issues in SEC's inquiry." Singles' Day is the biggest shopping festival in the world, and accounts for more than the combined sales of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping events in the US. The focus of the SEC probe was not immediately clear, but critics have in the past complained that Alibaba reports Singles' Day sales in terms of gross merchandise volume, or GMV. GMV tallies the monetary value of buying activity over a certain period of time, but it doesn't take into account various hiccups -- for example, customer returns, or if the seller runs out of stock and can't deliver the product. Last year, the Hangzhou-based firm reported GMV sales of $14.3 billion on Singles' Day. Cainiao Network handles the vast majority of Alibaba's deliveries. Alibaba owns a 47 percent stake in the firm, which recently raised 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) from investors. How Alibaba accounts for the financial performance of Cainiao has drawn criticism. In its annual report, Alibaba reported that Cainiao had a net loss of $94 million in 2015 on revenue of $472 million. Austrade Trade Commissioner Liu Chuyang takes an interview from China.org.cn in Beijing on May 20. [Photo by Wang Guanjin/China.org.cn] Australia looks set to promote its services industries, including financial, healthcare, architectural design, and education, to Chinese audiences and entrepreneurs at the upcoming Fourth China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), Austrade Trade Commissioner Liu Chuyang told China.org.cn during an interview in Beijing on May 20. While speaking with China.org.cn, Mrs. Liu stated that CIFTIS, to be held in Beijing between May 28 and June 1, will present a good opportunity for Australia to showcase its capabilities in knowledge-based sectors in trading services. During the fair, representatives from National Australia Bank Limited, SinoSA and Woods Bagot will speak at a seminar organized by Austrade. The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA), which came into force on December 20, 2015, has opened doors for many sectors in the two countries. China is already Australia's largest services export market, worth AU$8.8 billion in 2014-15. Under ChAFTA, in the fast growing Chinese healthcare sector, Australian businesses will be allowed to establish wholly-owned businesses in China, including in Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai, as well as in the provinces of Jiangsu, Fujian, Guangdong and Hainan. Moreover, China has also made a commitment to allow Australian businesses to establish wholly Australian-owned profit-making aged care institutions in China with no geographical restrictions. The unprecedented market access that China has offered puts Australian firms at a significant competitive advantage. However, Mrs. Liu believes that the benefits to services industries brought by ChAFTA may not produce concrete results as rapidly as with other industries, such that it may take some time to gauge the impact. The Australian government is looking to services industries to boost exports and put the economy on a more sustainable growth trajectory. In addition, Mrs. Liu mentioned medical tourism as one of the highlights in service trade between China and Australia, as Australia has emerged as a popular medical tourism destination for Chinese visitors in recent years. "Australia, for example, is a leading country in treating dementia and cardiac diseases," she said during the interview. Mrs. Liu also revealed that quite a few Australian medical and insurance agencies are approaching the Australian Embassy in China for assistance in the hopes of tapping the huge market in China. "China and Australia have already been conducting a survey and making preparation with a view to provide more facilities to two-way medical tourism in the future," she said. You are here: Home China and Belgium on Tuesday signed a cooperation agreement in the field of LED lighting in Hasselt, capital of Limburg province in the east of Belgium. Under the agreement, government platform Locate in Limburg (LIL) and Guangdong Solid State Lighting Industry Innovation Center (GSC) will share information on technology, projects and policies of both countries. They will also work together to introduce LED lighting engineering projects in schools, hospitals, agriculture and public infrastructure in Belgium and other European countries. Reducing energy consumption and emissions, energy security and the monitoring of climate change are an important part of the "2020 Strategy" of the European Union (EU). At present, the EU is the largest destination of China's LED exports, accounting for a third of China's LED exports. Last year, Belgium imported nearly 200 million euros (223 million U.S. dollars) of Chinese LED lighting products. LED lighting is based on semiconductors that help it consume two times less electricity than classic "low-consumption" lighting, said Gui Shirong, director of GSC. Guangdong Province is an important manufacturing and R&D center of LED lighting in China, accounting for half the production capacity of the country, said Gui. More than 100 taxi drivers gathered in Taipei on Wednesday to protest against Taiwan new leader Tsai Ing-wen's refusal to recognize the 1992 Consensus. Dozens of taxis passed by the headquarters of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), with slogans posted on them reading "We need the 1992 Consensus. We need to keep our livelihood" and " The 1992 Consensus means a good life." The drivers and their families gathered across the street from the building, shouting similar slogans. In her inaugural address last Friday, Tsai said she respected "the historical fact that the two institutions representing each side across the Taiwan Strait reached joint acknowledgements and common understandings in 1992 through communication and negotiation," but she has not recognized the 1992 Consensus as embodying the one China principle. "My income fell by about 10,000 new Taiwan dollars (306 U.S. dollars) per month because less tourists come from the mainland," said Sun Chung-le, a 67-year-old driver. Sun blamed Tsai' s stance on cross-Strait relations for the decrease of mainland tourists. In the past, Sun often saw as many as 10 mainland tourists per day, but now the number is few and sometimes he does not have even one for several days. "We urge Tsai Ing-wen to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus and continue development of cross-Strait relations. We expect more mainland tourists in Taiwan, which will ensure our income increases," said Zhang Chih-ming, another driver. Over the past eight years, mainland tourists to Taiwan have been increasing and individual tourists in particular have made taxi drivers earn much more, said the organizer of the gathering. "The revenue is half that of the past," said a taxi driver surnamed Dai. "Many taxi drivers, who used to rely on mainland tourists, have to find part-time jobs to make ends meet." "We hope the DPP administration cares about people's lives and recognizes the 1992 Consensus. Only in this way can cross-Strait relations develop. To loosen our ties with the mainland will only do harm to Taiwan's economy, " he said. Plans for a bus which lets cars drive underneath it were unveiled at a recent high-tech expo in Beijing. Designers say it can not only save road space but also help to reduce air pollution. The concept is the brainchild of Beijing-based Transit Explore Bus. The passenger compartment spans two traffic lanes and sits high above the road surface, allowing other traffic to pass by underneath. Regardless of whether the bus is moving or not, vehicles under 2 meters high can easily get through the gap. Running along special tracks, the bus will be able to carry up to 1,400 passengers, and travel at a top speed of 60 kilometers per hour. "The biggest advantage is that the bus will save lots of road space," said Song Youzhou, chief engineer of the project. He claimed that the bus would have a similar function to the subway, but at 16 percent of the cost. Construction time would also be much shorter, he said. The design is said to be environmentally friendly as the bus is powered by electricity and could replace about 40 conventional buses. According to Song, that would represent a potential saving of more than 800 tons of fuel a year and a reduction in carbon emissions of some 2,480 tons. He said that some Chinese cities had already expressed an interest in the idea and a vehicle is currently being built in the east China city of Changzhou to test the feasibility of the design. "Our first test bus is planned to be put on track in north China's Qinhuangdao City at the end of July or in August," he said. Local police said on Wednesday that they have started to investigate nude photos posted by two lovers in Dali, Yunnan Province. Local police said on Wednesday that they have started to investigate nude photos posted by two lovers in Dali, Yunnan Province. One of the lovers posted the outrageous photos on Weibo, China's micro-blogging site. In the photos, the two posed completely nude on Dali's Renmin Road, making sexually suggestive postures. Internet users furiously criticized the photos, saying that they had no artistic merit. Dali's local police spokesman said they have started an investigation and will post updates. If the behaviors and photos are deemed as "obscene" or "pornographic," the police can deal with the two lovers according to China's regulations on administrative penalties for public security, including possible fines and detention. Flash The Egyptian Armed Forces killed 85 militants during a four-day security campaign in the restive Sinai Peninsula, the military spokesman said on Wednesday. "The vast military campaign has been carried out in areas of active terror activity in Middle and North Sinai," Military Spokesman Mohamed Samir said in a statement. He added that the raids in North Sinai's cities of Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah also burnt down 190 huts and 57 houses, destroyed 73 hideouts and ruined 10 vehicles used by the militants. Egypt has been facing growing anti-government terror attacks since the overthrow of former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 and later blacklisted his Muslim Brotherhood group. A Sinai-based militant group loyal to the Islamic State (IS) regional terror group claimed responsibility for most of the terrorist operations that killed hundreds of police and military men over the past few years. In response, the Egyptian military has been launching a continuous massive security campaign in the peninsula, which left hundreds of militants dead and a similar number of suspects arrested. The security raids in Sinai are part of the country's "war against terrorism" declared by ex-military chief and now President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi following Morsi's ouster. Flash The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Force (SDF) rebels captured five farmlands and a town in the northern countryside of the Islamic State (IS) de facto capital of al-Raqqa, a monitor group reported Wednesday. The areas captured by the SDF are located in the countryside of the town of Ein Issa in the al-Raqqa northern countryside, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The group, which combines Kurdish and Arab fighters, aims to capture a triangle in northern al-Raqqa between the border city of Tal Abyyad, the Division 17 base and Ein Issa, said the Observatory. It stressed that the initial aim of the recently declared battle against the IS by the SDF is controlling the triangle between the three aforementioned areas, not to push deeper into the city itself. The Observatory, which says it relies on a network of activists on ground, said the battle for al-Raqqa could be long as the IS has prepared itself for the battle amid a continues wave of displacement from the citizens of al-Raqqa toward other IS-controlled areas in al-Raqqa countryside and possibly toward the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, much of which is under the IS control, except the city, which is still under the government control. The SDF and allied militant groups unleashed a military campaign against the northern countryside of al-Raqqa on Tuesday, just days after the U.S. and the SDF put forward a plan for capturing al-Raqqa. The Observatory said over 20 IS fighters were killed on the first day of the battles in northern al-Raqqa. The fighters started moving toward northern al-Raqqa from the southern countryside of the border city of Tal Abyyad and the countryside of Ein Issa in the northwestern rim of al-Raqqa, which fell to the IS in late 2013 and later declared by the group as their capital in Syria. General Joseph Votel, head of U.S. Central Command, visited northern Syria on Friday for 11 hours, during which he met with commanders of the SDF and other U.S.-backed rebel groups, including the Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa rebels, which are parts of the SDF. The visit was said to aim to coordinate the U.S.-led coalition and rebel plans in taking back al-Raqqa. Flash The Islamic Hamas movement approved a death penalty law Wednesday despite the Palestinian consensus government's opposition. Hamas's inoperative Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) said in an emailed press statement that parliament has approved the law according to a judiciary just criteria. The PLC, which is fully controlled by Hamas, has never fully convened its 132 legislatures since the internal discord between Hamas and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party in 2007. According to the statement, the law was approved by Hamas' PLC legislators during the legislative boycott of Fatah and other Palestinian political faction representatives. Mohamed al-Ghoul, Hamas legislator and head of the PLC's legal committee told Xinhua that the law was approved by parliament, hence paving the road for court execution verdicts in the Gaza Strip. He rejected the Palestinian consensus government's opposition of the law who claim that Palestinian law states that any death penalty must be approved by the president of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). "Abbas' term as a president ended in 2009 and the consensus government is currently practicing illegally, therefore this government, which lacks parliamentary approval has no right to reject our law," said al-Ghoul. Hamas attorney general Ismail Jabber stated earlier that there are 13 death penalty cases awaiting execution approval. The consensus government in the West Bank said in a statement that approving the inoperative PLC law which Hamas controls "is illegal," adding that "Hamas is only a movement, not a government in order to issue laws and execute them." Flash Russia has swapped a Ukrainian female military pilot for its two alleged special service officials in the hope that it would help solve the Ukrainian crisis, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday. "I want to express the hope that such decisions dictated primarily by considerations of humanity will reduce the conflict and confrontation in the well-known region and will help avoid unwanted losses," the Russian Rossiya 24 TV channel showed Putin as saying. A plane carrying freed Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko has landed in Kiev, while another plane brought Russian citizens Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Alexander Alexandrov to Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a statement. The spokesman said Putin had signed an order pardoning Savchenko following a request by relatives of two Russian reporters killed in an attack that Savchenko was believed to be involved in. In March, the 34-year-old female pilot was sentenced by a Russian court to 22 years in prison after being found guilty of complicity in killing two Russian journalists in 2014. Savchenko, who is considered a national hero by many Ukrainians, has denied the charges, saying that she had been kidnapped in Ukraine and then handed over to Russian authorities. Various leaders, including U.S. President Barack Obama, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, had appealed to the Kremlin to release Savchenko. Yerofeyev and Alexandrov, detained in eastern Ukraine and accused of conducting terrorist activities, were sentenced to 14 years of imprisonment in 2014, but both of them pleaded not guilty. Flash Kenya's military said Wednesday its soldiers killed 21 Al-Shabaab fighters and recovered weapons during an ambush in Hawina area in southern Somalia. Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) spokesman Col. David Obonyo said the troops under the African Union peacekeeping mission (AMISOM) also killed a junior-level Al-Shabaab commander who is believed to have been in-charge of the group. "The troops, who were en route to Tabda from Dobley, while approaching Hawina, were shot at by a lone Al-Shabaab terrorist who fled the scene," Obonyo said. He said the Kenyan soldiers started patrolling the area to flush out Al-Shabaab terrorists following the ambush and later engaged the militants who were attempting to mount an ambush along the road to Tabda. "The firefight that ensued resulted in the killing of the 21 terrorists with no casualties on KDF. 17 AK-47 rifles, two rocket-propelled grenade launchers, five RPGs and assorted ammunition were recovered after the incident," Obonyo said. The KDF spokesman said the troops who have been fighting the insurgents since 2011 will remain vigilant and continue its efforts against Al-Shabaab terrorists and their attempts to destabilise the region. Kenya is currently engaged in the fight against the militia group in southern Somalia where it has been registering impressive gains and extending humanitarian assistance to the local population. The East African nation has more than 4,000 troops in the 22,000-strong AU force in Somalia helping the UN-backed government battle Al-Shabaab, which is part of the Al-Qaida allied terror network. Al-Shabaab has however, vowed reprisal attacks in the country, mainly targeting security forces in border towns of northern Kenya where dozens of people have been killed in landmine and grenade attacks blamed on the militant group. Flash A massive power outage hit downtown Seattle in the U.S. Pacific Northwest Wednesday morning. The cause of the disruption, which started about 11:30 a.m. local time, was believed to be an equipment failure at Massachusetts Street Substation. However, "we don't have a lot of information right now," Connie McDougall, of Seattle City Light, was quoted as saying by media reports. "They are estimating a restoration time within a few hours." Seattle firefighters were responding to at least eight calls for elevator rescues by around noon, as elevators ground to a halt and lights went out across the downtown area. In addition, within the same area, about 60 percent of traffic signals have been affected. Flash The UN Security Council on Wednesday adopted a resolution to terminate sanctions regime imposed on Liberia more than a decade ago. The newly-adopted resolution decided to end immediately the arms embargo imposed on the country, and also terminate the related sanctions committee and panel of experts. Over the years, sanctions on Liberia have been reduced. Last September, the most powerful UN body terminated travel ban and asset freeze measures imposed on the country. The sanction regime was set up as a response to the civil war in Liberia, where warring parties were involved in illegal arms traffic and diamond trade. Adopted in 2003, the Security Council resolution 1521 set the criteria for termination of these sanctions as a ceasefire in the country, completing disarmament, security sector restructuring and implementing peace deal. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the adoption of the resolution, noting that today's lifting of sanction measures by the Security Council further signals the significant progress made by Liberia and the sub-region in maintaining stability, according to a statement released by his spokesperson. Ban also called on the government of Liberia to ensure that all appropriate steps are taken to establish the necessary legal and administrative framework to combat the illicit trafficking of arms and ammunition. Flash The Chinese government on Wednesday donated medical supplies worth 3 million U.S. dollars to South Sudan as part of humanitarian support to ease health services in the war-torn young nation. Chinese Ambassador to South Sudan Ma Qiang said the 24-container load include medical equipment and instrument, supplies and consumables, uniforms and shoes, blankets and mosquito nets, bicycles and torches, rain coats and boots, loudspeakers and mobile phones and rack sacks. "The items will be used to implement the 'Boma Health Initiative' which focuses on the urgent needs of medical services at the most primary level of the population," Ma told journalists in Juba. "We hope the Chinese donation has arrived in a right time and South Sudanese side would make good use of it to benefit the people without any delay or waste," he added. Since the independence of South Sudan, Beijing has been working very closely with Juba to support the reconstruction efforts and improvement of livelihood of the young nation. The Chinese envoy said the bilateral ties had successfully withstood the test of the civil conflict of the world's newest nation, which broke out on December 15, 2013. He reiterated that the contribution of Beijing in the peace process, the humanitarian assistance and development cooperation of oil production in particular, has won great appreciation of Juba government and its people. Ma noted that health sector was among the top priorities of the Chinese assistance to South Sudan, noting that efforts are in place to boost bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Cabinet Affairs Minister, Dr. Martin Elia Lomoro lauded the Chinese government for being very supportive to people of South Sudan since her secession from Sudan in 2011. "Experience that I had over the less 10 years shows me that countries which talks too much about being partners deliver less, and countries that don't talk too much deliver more like China," Lomoro said. Health Minister Dr. Riak Gai Kok lauded Beijing's contribution towards helping the young nation with medical supplies. "90 percent of our population is living in rural areas and they do not access health services. We struggle here in capital Juba, if somebody falls sick in the village, one has to go to Juba but this time we are going to be with them at the village," Kok said. The minister said through the Chinese support, South Sudan will now work towards achieving sustainable development goal and vowed the government's commitment to deliver health services at grass-root level to save more life in the country. Flash President Jacob Zuma joined South Africans in celebrating the 2016 Africa Day, calling for sustainable development on the continent. As part of a myriad of events, Zuma hosted the Africa Day celebration at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Wednesday night. The event saw the culmination of the celebration of Africa Month in May. Coinciding with African Liberation Day, Africa Day is celebrated annually on May 25 within the African continent to mark the formation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) on May 25, 1963 and the African Union (AU) in 2002 and the progress made by the continent since then to advance democracy, peace, stability and socio-economic development. Africa needs to seek more sustainable development methods to improve the lives of people, Zuma said. "Africa cannot be left behind in the age of the fourth industrial revolution. Sustainable development (that) we seek will come about through the use of modern technology and through improving education in the continent. We are a very youthful continent and investment in education and skills development will take Africa closer to the goals of sustainable development and an end to hunger, disease and deprivation," said Zuma. He said Africa is making steady progress towards that goal with the support of development partners from around the world. "We want an Africa with modern infrastructure, where one can fly from one country to another within the continent, without having to go via Europe," he said. "We want an Africa where people are able to drive or ride by rail from one country to another with greater ease." Africa, he said, shall accumulate machinery and establish steel works, iron foundries and factories; shall link the various states of the continent with communications by land, sea, and air. "We shall cable from one place to another, phone from one place to the other and astound the world with our hydro-electric power; we shall drain marshes and swamps, clear infested areas, feed the undernourished, and rid our people of parasites and disease," said Zuma. In a statement prior to the event, Zuma said Africa Day provides an opportunity for Africans to celebrate their African identity. South Africa rejoined the continent and the international community in 1994 following the end of apartheid. Africa Day 2016 will therefore mark the celebration of 22 years since the country's reintegration into the OAU/AU and the international community. South Africa was isolated for decades from the rest of the continent due to the evil system of apartheid colonialism. "We are now a full member of the African continent, and since 1994, our continent is correctly the primary focus of our foreign policy," said Zuma. The president recalled that the OAU contributed immensely to the freedom in South Africa. "Many countries in the continent provided refuge to many South Africans who went into exile and provided material, social, political and military support. Africa Day thus provides an opportunity to celebrate that African solidarity and to continue expressing it through the ongoing support for many in the continent who are caught up in conflict. It is a day for us to celebrate African solidarity, friendship, a common humanity and destiny," said the president. Held this year under the theme: "Building a better Africa and a Better World" South Africa will also use the day to reaffirm support for the AU's Agenda 2063 and commit the country to playing its role within the AU to ensure the successful implementation of the vision and plan to build a better Africa. South Africa contributes to peacekeeping and post-war reconstruction and development efforts in the continent, Zuma said. South Africa also plays a key role in the economic development of the continent through the growing private sector investment in many countries within the continent. The Africa Day celebratory gala dinner was attended by ambassadors and high commissioners from Africa and abroad, business leaders as well as ministers and other key stakeholders. Flash The German cabinet approved on Wednesday Germany's first-ever bill aimed at integrating refugees. Presenting the new law, German Chancellor Angela Merkel underlined both the supportive and punitive elements of the bill, promising Germany would be a country that makes migrants "a good offer," but at the same time with the expectation "people take up that offer so that integration can work." Merkel made the comments at a press conference on Wednesday morning in Meseberg, where her coalition government had gathered on Tuesday for a summit to iron out final details of the law. Under the motto "promote and demand", the integration law defines state assistance for refugees coming to Germany, but also elaborates on their duties and details consequences for refugees who fail to make efforts to become a part of German society. Asylum applicants would be able to apply for jobs in regions with low unemployment, according to the regulation. Until now, refugees are allowed to accept a job only if there is no suitable applicant from Germany or other EU countries available for the advertised position. Refugees undergoing vocational training in Germany would automatically be permitted to stay in the country. After finishing the training, their visa would be extended for six months, so they could look for a job. Migrants finding work during this period could stay on in the country for at least two more years. In addition, the age limit for the start of a vocational training has been abolished. The German government has also promised refugees more extensive and earlier access to integration courses. However, officials could reduce social benefits for refugees who do not want to participate in integration programs, such as language courses. If an asylum seeker wants a residence permit, then he or she would have to prove sufficient language skills and a secure livelihood. A refugee with an excellent command of the German language and capable of meeting their own needs would receive a permanent visa within three years. The usual procedure requires an applicant to spend at least five years before applying for a permanent visa. Germany's ruling coalition agreed on the introduction of an integration act in April after months of disputes over the refugee crisis, which saw over one million refugees arrive in Germany last year. "I think it is a milestone that the government has agreed on an integration law," Merkel told reporters on Wednesday, describing the bill as a major progress towards integrating refugees in her country. Sigmar Gabriel, vice chancellor and head of the Social Democratic side of Merkel's coalition, also underlined the tough line the law takes, calling it a "real paradigm shift" in Germany. "In a few years this law will be seen as a first step towards an immigration law," he said. Flash Iraqi security forces on Wednesday extended control on areas around the IS-held city of Fallujah in the province of Anbar, at the third day of an offensive aimed at flushing out the extremist militants from the city, a provincial security source said. A man stands by a damaged car which was hit by a projectile launched by the Iraqi Force against the Islamic State militants in Fallujah, Iraq, on May 24, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] Security forces, together with Shiite and Sunni paramilitary units, known as Hashd Shaabi, made a significant progress in west of Fallujah, some 50 km west of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, when the troops backed by Iraqi aircraft cleared the vast areas of Albu Bali and Albu Ubied after heavy clashes with IS militants, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. The battles in west of Fallujah left at least 17IS militants killed and destroyed five of their vehicles, while four security members were killed, the source said. Meanwhile, the security forces took control of Sajar area, some 10 km north of Fallujah, after fierce clashes with IS militants and raised the Iraqi flag over its police station and a government building, the source without giving further details about casualties. Also in the day, the troops recaptured the areas of Albu Eifan, Albu Hawa and al-Hesi in south of Fallujah on the western bank of Euphrates River after heavy clashes with the IS militants, the source said, adding that the commander of Sunni paramilitary unit from volunteers was killed in the battle. Munir Sari al-Eifan, commander of Fallujah Hawks battalion, was killed by an IS sniper shot during the battles in south of Fallujah, the source added. On Monday morning, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the launch of the offensive to claim Fallujah, during a time in which the country is struggling in a chaos to reshuffle the cabinet. "The offensive aiming to free Fallujah has begun. Fallujah's liberation alarm has rung, and the great victory is approaching, when IS militants will have no option except to flee," Abadi said whilst addressing the nation on the state-run Iraqiya television channel. "Fallujah will return to Iraqis similar to the hundreds of villages and towns which were returned to its people and were liberated from the IS's oppression and treachery," Abadi said. After initial shelling on Fallujah and IS positions in other areas in the early morning hours of Monday, the troops covered by U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi aircrafts advanced toward the edges of Fallujah as well as the nearby small towns of Garma and Saqlawiyah. During the past few months, security forces and allied Hashd Shaabi units carried out operations around Fallujah so as to tighten the troops' grip on the besieged city and nearby small towns in order to free them from IS militants. Government troops and allied militias have currently been fighting for months to reclaim key cities and towns in Anbar from IS militants, who attempted to advance towards Baghdad after seizing most of Anbar province. Flash The impeachment trial of Brazil's suspended President Dilma Rousseff could be over in August, the state new agency Agencia Brasil reported Wednesday. "The impeachment effort against suspended President Dilma Rousseff may reach a final decision in August, according to a work schedule presented Wednesday by Senator Antonio Anastasia, rapporteur of the current Procedural Commission for the Impeachment," the agency said. The timetable includes Rousseff's defense, testimony from witnesses and an expert, and the gathering of documents. "June 20 is the date fixed for Rousseff's interrogation before the commission," the agency said, adding "she may choose to attend or be represented by her counsel." Anastasia is to read his final report, "which could either recommend or oppose Rousseff's removal" to the commission on July 25, and it would be voted on in two days. On Aug. 1 or Aug. 2, congress would vote on the commission's findings via a simple majority vote of "half of all senators attending plus one." "After the report is voted on in the full Senate, the process moves to its last ballot," under the supervision of Supreme Court chief Ricardo Lewandowski. That ballot marks "the last stage of the proceedings, and two-thirds of the votes are required to permanently unseat the president -- 54 of the total 81 senators," the agency said. Rousseff has been impeached over alleged fiscal irregularities. Flash Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) kicked off a summit on Thursday, but economic policy divergence among the members and protests in Okinawa against U.S. military are expected to shroud the gathering. Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron (2nd L) meets with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe (2nd R) at the Shima Kanko Hotel in Shima, Mie Prefecture, Japan, May 25, 2016, ahead of the G7 leaders Ise-Shima summit. [Photo/Xinhua] Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe invited the leaders to visit the Ise Grand Shrine to demonstrate what he calls the origin of the Japanese culture. However, pundits argued that the agenda violated the constitutional principle of separation of politics and religion. Abe is accused of reviving the State Shinto, the official ideology of the country known as Imperial Japan from 1868 to 1945, since his return to power in late 2012 and the premier's historical revisionism is also rooted in the ideology. According to the documents released ahead of the summit, the G7 leaders will discuss ways to drive up global economy, counter terrorism, climate change and energy issues. They will also issue a communique after their two-day meeting. However, on the economic front, the G7 members are not expected to agree on enlarging public spending to stimulate economy growth because of Germany's caution over finance disciplines. The G7 finance ministers and central bankers also failed to narrow their gaps over the policy in Sendai prior to the leaders' summit. On Wednesday, over 4,000 Japanese rallied around the U.S Kaneda airbase in Japan's southernmost prefecture of Okinawa against the murder of a local woman by an ex-U.S. Marine Corps. U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Japan for the G7 leaders' summit late Wednesday. Abe and Obama held a meeting Wednesday night on the issue, with the U.S. president extending "deepest regrets" over the murder. Criminal cases involving U.S. soldiers repeatedly happened in Okinawa. A U.S. Navy sailor was arrested in March after raping a woman in a hotel in Naha City, the capital of Okinawa. In 1995, an elementary schoolgirl was savagely gang-raped by three U.S. servicemen. Obama is also planned to visit Hiroshima on Friday accompanied by Abe, marking the first sitting U.S. president to visit the city that was obliterated by U.S. atomic bombing at the end of World War II. The United States dropped an atomic bomb over Hiroshima, a stronghold of Japanese Imperial Army and arsenal in 1945 so as to accelerate the end of WWII which was partially waged by Japan. The Japanese government frequently uses Hiroshima to pose itself as a victim of the war but seldom mention its wartime atrocities in its invasion against Asian neighbors. Outreaching meetings will be also held alongside the G7 summit, focusing on issues related to development and health on Saturday. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. License for publishing multimedia online 0108263 10120170006 Registration Number: 130349 11010502032503 [2011]0283-097 ICP13028878-6 Michael Dell, CEO and chairman of Dell Inc Dell Inc is eyeing a bigger presence in China's cloud-computing market by helping its local partner establish a new firm on Wednesday, as the country intensifies efforts to encourage enterprises to embrace digitalization. The new company, named Guizhou YottaCloud Technologies Co Ltd, was unveiled as Michael Dell, CEO and chairman of Dell, attended the ongoing China Big Data Industry Summit in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou province. "China will play an increasingly important role in the big data era and the United States-based tech giant will speed up efforts to develop new products for the market," Dell said. Huang Chenhong, president of Dell Greater China, said Guizhou YottaCloud will be one of the vehicles for the company to sell cloud services to small and medium-sized enterprises and local governments. "Dell will offer technology support to the new company," Huang said, but he declined to comment on whether Dell has made financial investments into the new company. Guizhou Wing Cloud High Technology, the owner of Guizhou YottaCloud Technology, has been working with Dell in cloud services since last year. "We will also establish a cloud industry alliance to promote the development of China's infant cloud market," Huang added. Dell is the latest foreign tech giant that is seeking for local partnerships to tap into China's IT market as local governments and State-owned enterprises are in favor of homegrown tech companies' products and services amid concern over national security. Kitty Fok, director of International Data Corp China, said the biggest overseas giants have all tied up with local companies, especially State-owned enterprises. "An SOE identity and cutting-edge technologies are both necessities to win in the Chinese market," said Fok. China is Dell's second-largest market after the US. Last year, the company promised to invest $125 billion in China over the next five years to boost innovation, research and development, and other areas. The National Equities Exchange and Quotations, China's national over-the-counter share trading market, will soon adopt a new policy that will divide listed companies into two segmentsas the securities regulator intends to streamline the regulation of the nascent and rapidly growing market. The regulator is likely to announce the policy by the end of this month, media reported on Tuesday. The rules will divide the NEEQ market, better known as the New Third Board, into two segmentsthe innovative market and the basic market. The China Securities Regulatory Commission issued a draft regulation in March to solicit public opinion. The division will be based on a set of indicators of financial performance and shareholding structure of the listed companies, to ensure the relevant regulation is appropriately applied to them. Analysts said the much-anticipated market division will allow the board to meet the different financing needs of companies, improve regulatory efficiency and reduce the cost of information collection for investors. They said it also highlighted the urgency to better regulate the NEEQ market, which has seen explosive growth in the number of listed companies since its establishment in 2012. The NEEQ market, which serves as a financing platform for startups, had attracted 7,357 companies as of Wednesday with a total market capitalization of 2.9 trillion yuan ($440 billion). The number of listed companies was more than the combined amount on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges. Sources from securities firms told China Daily that there is high probability the regulator will roll out the final rules by the end of this month and will be officially adopted in early June. But details about the revision of the draft rules remain unclear, according to the sources. A press official at the NEEQ market, however, said that final rules were ready but the date to announce them has not yet been decided. Chinese and British companies are closely and successfully engaging in projects linked to the Belt and Road Initiative, demonstrating the complementarity of Chinese and UK expertise across the globe, a report showed. A total of 21 examples of UK-China cooperation, in 10 countries with projects worth more than $27 billion, feature in a report jointly released in Beijing by the China-Britain Business Council and Tsinghua University on Wednesday. The report includes case studies from some of the UK's most renowned companies such as HSBC Holdings Ltd, BP Plc, LME Ltd, Linklaters and KPMG, with the aim to encourage more British-Chinese partnerships on the enormous China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. Around two-thirds of the world's population live in the countries that are linked by the Belt and Road Initiative. However, these same countries only account for one-third of the world's GDP. Infrastructure is key to the economic development along these routes and many opportunities exist for UK companies. Lord Sassoon, chairman of the CBBC, said that Sino-UK companies' partnerships fall into three major categoriesUK and Chinese firms jointly working on projects in third-country markets, Chinese firms using the UK as a platform for servicing projects in third-country markets, and UK firms providing professional advice or services to Chinese firms operating in unfamiliar, often risky, business environments. "As this report shows, existing projects along the Belt and Road Initiative demonstrate synergy between Chinese and British firms," Sassoon said. Chinese enterprises are experienced in building infrastructure, while entering unfamiliar, challenging and often risky business and geographical environments plays well to the expertise of UK firms, according to Giles Blackburne, editor of the report and CBBC executive director. The case study report demonstrates powerful partnerships between British and Chinese companies that play to their unique strengths. HSBC, along with two Chinese banks, has provided debt facilities for a power plant in Bangladesh with the design, consultancy, engineering and construction expertise supplied by major Chinese enterprises. UK law firm Linklaters has provided legal services to Chinese banks involved in financing a coal mine and associated power station in Pakistan. "We have witnessed the abundant business opportunities brought by the initiative, which increased investment, job creation and improved infrastructure conditions in the target regions," said Fang Jian, Linklaters' national managing partner for China. It is vital that lessons are learned about regulatory, commercial and cultural differences while developing projects along the Belt and Road Initiative to make sure the demands of both parties are coordinated, Fang added. Visitors walk past the Qualcomm Inc stand at the Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona.REUTERS US chip giant says Guizhou joint venture will be massive growth engine Derek Aberle, president of Qualcomm Inc, said on Wednesday the mobile chip giant is dedicated to long-term investments in China to expand its server chip business, as the country's Internet Plus initiative is fueling an explosive growth of internet data centers. Aberle's comments came as the US company unveiled a new investment arm, Qualcomm (China) Holding Co Ltd, in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou province, to better tap into opportunities in areas such as the internet of things. Earlier this year, Qualcomm formed a 1.85-billion-yuan ($280 million) joint venture with the Guizhou provincial government, as part of its efforts to build up presence in the server chip sector, which is now dominated by Intel Corp. Derek Aberle, president of Qualcomm Inc "The server chip business is very investment-intensive. In the next five years, we have to invest a lot of money before we see our return," Aberle said in an exclusive interview with China Daily on the sidelines of the ongoing China Big Data Industry Summit in Guiyang. But five years later, the joint venture, Guizhou Huaxintong Semiconductor Technology Co, will be "one of our biggest growth engines (in China)", he added. "We want to enable the joint venture to build up its own capability and be able to take our technology and develop its own systems on chips for the China market," Aberle said. Qualcomm is now working hard to seek future growth points as its major revenue sourcechips used in smartphones and tabletsis being affected by the slower growth rate of the global smartphone market. But as China intensifies its efforts to upgrade its traditional industries with information technologies, a large number of internet data centers have mushroomed, triggering a huge demand for server chips. According to research firm International Data Corp, China consumed about 3.7 million units of server chips in 2015, and the figure is expected hit 8.6 million units by 2020. Roger Sheng, a senior analyst at research firm Gartner Inc, said it remains to be seen how Guizhou Huaxintong can help Qualcomm break into the Chinese server chip market, where the mobile chip heavyweight has limited experience. Qualcomm is building server chips based on the ARM architecture, a chip design that is widely used in smartphones and tablets. "It is still unclear whether ARM can offer computing power strong enough to support data centers," Sheng said. But according to Aberle, the company's scale and power with the mobile chip business can give it an edge in the server chip market. Qualcomm also sees big potential for the internet of things, which the company said a lot of technologies it has already developed in mobile chips can be applicable to. "The white goods market, for instance, turns out to be a big opportunity," Aberle said, adding that once home appliances are connected to the internet, they can do more intelligent things, which will demand much more computing power. The company is working with Chinese companies such as Haier Group and Midea Group Co to make home appliances better compatible with each other across the smart home ecosystem. Some of the world's biggest e-commerce and technology companies are expected to attend the big data and e-commerce summit which begins on Thursday in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou province. The 2016 China Big Data Industry Summit & China E-Commerce Innovation and Development Summit (Big Data Expo 2016), the only exhibition based on big data in the world, has now been upgraded to a state-level event held by the China's National Development and Reform Commission and the People's Government of Guizhou Province. Events at the exhibition can be described as "two summits, one exhibition, two contests and a series of activities", including 2016 China Big Data Industry Summit, China E-Commerce Innovation and Development Summit, Exhibition, Pain-point seeker contest and Maker contest. More than 300 enterprises will take part in the event, including Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, Intel Corp, and Foxconn Technology Group, and industry leading enterprises such as DidiKuaidi, JD.com Inc and Shanghai Zhizhen Network Technology CoLtd. And the number of attendees is expected to exceed 20,000, according to a report of Guiyang Daily. The event will showcase big data's applications like artificial intelligence, robots, virtual reality, smart transportation, smart city, finance, Internet of Things, health and medical care, and e-commerce. GUIYANG - Cheng Wei, founder of on-demand mobility (ODM) service Didi Chuxing, outlined the company's expansion plan for the coming years, citing electric cars and research into driverless vehicles. Didi has amassed 14 million registered drivers worldwide since it was founded about four years ago, said Cheng, during the ongoing "China Big Data Industry Summit & China E-commerce Innovation and Development Summit" in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province. "Didi is an epitome of the sharing economy. In the future we aim to change the way people own and use their cars and really develop smart transportation," he said. "Chinese cities will get increasingly more congested due to the growing population and underdeveloped road infrastructure. Why would you want to own a car when you only spend four percent of your time driving it?" he said. Didi will continue to improve efficiency and the travel experience, while lowering the costs born by its users. With nearly 300 million users in over 400 Chinese cities, Didi holds about an 87 percent share of the on-demand private car market in China and about a 99 percent share of the on-demand taxi market, according to the company. Didi has also invested in its peers Lyft in the United States, Grab in Southeast Asia and Ola in India to compete with rival Uber outside China. It received $1 billion investment from Apple. A data service provider published its latest data-analyzing product focusing on start-up companies' performance in Beijing on Wednesday, aiming to help investors make decisions more scientifically, given that China's venture capital market has entered a cooling-down period. Wen Feixiang (2nd left ), founder of IT Orange, poses for a photo during the a new product launching ceremony in Beijing on May 25, 2016. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Such an online product will enrich the big-data analyzing tools for China's startup investing market where third-party specialized data-analyzing services are run by a few providers. Unlike in the past couple of years, Chinese startup investors are getting more and more cautious, resulting in a slowdown on the startup front. The proportion of those who choose to start up a business among fresh graduates shrank by half year-on-year, to 3.1 percent in 2016, according to a report released in May by Zhilian Recruiting, a China-based recruitment website. The tool named "Orange Radar" is designed to set investors at ease with a more reliable understanding of projects through big data analysis, said Wen Feixiang, founder of IT Orange, a startup companies data provider that invents the tool, at the new product launch ceremony on Wednesday. The product will equip its customers with a Software-as-a-Service data tool and intelligent engine, enabling them to follow up on the latest state of startup companies and their financing data. Through data collection, the company will also generate an integrated index to help investors better evaluate a startup company and unearth the undervalued ones. "Utilizing big data will become an important way for companies to expand their client resources," said Wang Chao on Wednesday, founder of Everstring, a company providing solutions for B2B Marketing companies via big data. It's more crucial for investors to have a data-backed comprehensive insight into an industry or startup company they are interested in especially in a period where investors are more cautious about investing in startups, said Wen Feixiang. It is also a new attempt for the company to commercialize the data service, said Wen. One of JD.com's logistics centers, in Zhengzhou, Henan province. The e-commerce company has set up an overseas purchasing arm, JD Worldwide, to buy products it identifies as being in high demand among Chinese customers. These are then warehoused in China to be quickly shipped to buyers. Provided to China Daily China's booming cross-border ecommerce space is creating an exciting new market for logistics providers to compete fiercely with each other to transport goods from foreign retailers to Chinese consumers. The scale and novelty of this logistics market is indicating fat profit margins, which pushes logistics providers to constantly innovate their services, invest heavily into warehousing capacities and develop advanced IT systems to improve the speed and reliability of delivery while reducing costs. This trend came about thanks to measures by the government in 2014 to incentivize cross-border e-commerce. In 2014, China's cross-border imports were worth 100 billion yuan, growing to 150 billion yuan the following year and a forecast 210 billion yuan in 2016, according to estimates from Chinese intelligence firm Iresearch. Even more significant is the growth potential. The global cross-border e-commerce market stood at $230 billion in 2014, and is projected to grow to $1 trillion in 2020, according to joint research by Accenture and AliResearch, Alibaba Group's research arm. "Cross board ecommerce logistics service is definitely a very important opportunity," says Song Xujun, consulting director at Deloitte in China. "First, there is a lot more room to grow logistics products and services in the cross-border space compared with China's well establishment domestic logistics market. Secondly, in the cross board scenario, logistics play a more important role in the e-commerce supply chain and logistics companies have more bargain power with ecommerce platforms," Song says. The advantages will go to those who cut costs throughout the supply chain, which will mean logistics providers innovating and improving efficiency. That is particularly so since higher cross-border e-commerce retail taxes were introduced in April this year, increasing sellers' costs. Growing economies of scale are seen as the key driver to keeping costs low by companies such as the Hangzhou-based Dolphin Supply Chain, which has seized the opportunities that have arisen since it was founded in 2003. Its current monthly revenue is around 150 million yuan. The company has established a streamlined logistics service, building warehouses at home and abroad, connecting them via its own contract fleet of cargo planes and trucks, and launching a real-time IT monitoring system. This is how it works: Dolphin's contract truck drivers collect goods from retailers and deposit them at Dolphin's overseas warehouses from which they are flown to warehouses in China. The last miles to the customer's door are completed by local partners. Dolphin's IT system monitors product collection times to ensure purchases are delivered to its overseas warehouses within hours. Around one additional day is required to fly the goods to China. With a further day needed to reach the customer, total delivery time can in theory be as quick as three days. David Lee, CEO of Dolphin Supply Chain, says: "We have invested heavily into creating our own eco-system of logistics infrastructure serving the cross-border leg of the delivery process, as it is a market that started from scratch. Our own contract fleet of truck drivers and cargo planes enable us to have complete control of the timing of delivery, and to monitor and ensure products are kept in their optimal conditions." Dolphin has warehouses in the U.S., Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, the UK, Germany and Poland. These locations are strategically chosen to be close to food suppliers, the firm's focus industry. "Nowadays, as demand significantly outstrips supply, we send all our items by plane to get them to customers as soon as possible," says Lee. Hangzhou-based Beibei.com, one of China's largest e-commerce suppliers of baby products, has also built overseas warehouses in Asia and Europe, and in the Chinese cities of Hangzhou, Ningbo, Guangzhou and Tianjin. Ke Zunyao, its chief operating officer, says the investment in warehouses is to ensure fast delivery and quality control. With products pre-stored in its Chinese warehouses, the company can dispatch them on the same day if orders are made before 4pm. Beibei has quality control policy, with goods checked three times between entering and leaving its warehouses and food products are packaged according to strict guidelines. That could not be guaranteed if logistics were handled by third party service providers, hence the firm's insistence on maintaining maximum control. China's two largest e-commerce platforms by volume are Alibaba and JD.com, which each have invested in a logistic strategy. Alibaba has built its own logistics network, Cainiao, which links Alibaba with a consortium of logistics providers, including 49 cross-border delivery partners including 4PX, Royal Mail and SingPost. According to Alibaba's estimates, these delivery partners together own 74 cross-border warehouses globally that can support the delivery of 4 million packages per day, covering 224 countries and regions globally. JD.com has meanwhile set up an overseas purchasing arm, JD Worldwide, to purchase products it identifies as being in high demand among Chinese customers. These are then warehoused in China to be shipped to buyers quickly and reliably. "The advantage of such a business model is the e-commerce platform's ability to control its products and services, including product availability, dispatch time and delivery method, rather than merely acting as a market place, where they would rely on retailers to post the products themselves," says Song. The e-commerce import boom has also benefitted the air cargo operators. International Airlines Group's cargo division saw 40 percent growth in the amount of goodsit handled in 2015, mainly driven by large volumes of high-end fashion items shipped from the U.K. Daniel Johnson, global products manager at IAG Cargo, the volume of goods flown to Shanghai, mainly from Milan, Frankfurt and Madrid, more than doubled compared with 2014. Before 2014, getting foreign goods to China was expensive and complex. It relied on postal service providers or express parcel delivery firms such as DHL and UPS, which have set up their own service points in China. Mail can be relatively cheap but also slow. Express delivery firms are quicker but also more expensive.A new breed of operators parcel forwarding firms has emerged in recent years to address that problem. Big names such as 4PX Worldwide Express and XLobo, logistics arm of the Chinese e-commerce platform Ymatou, collect and bundle individual parcels at overseas locations and ship them to China as a single consignment. Although they still rely on postal and express delivery services, their profits come from the economy of scale in handling high volumes. The 2014 e-commerce reforms included setting up bonded warehouses in seven pilot locations. Products can be transported to these warehouses in bulk and clear customs only when they are dispatched to customers. Goods imported this way also attract a tax advantage. The benefits of the system encouraged logistics firms and e-commerce platforms to set up their own bounded warehouses within the designated zones. Jim Tompkins, CEO of the US-based Tompkins International Supply Chain Consulting, says another popular strategy is to establish a hub in the country of origin where individual orders can be packed in a single container for shipment to China. "It avoids the need to hold inventory overseas where it may have a risk of not being sold," he says. New investments by logistics firms and e-commerce platforms are now squeezing the market share of firms that do not have their own logistics infrastructure."The market is experiencing a process of consolidation, and the parcel forwarding companies may in future find it hard to keep their market share," says Deloitte's Song. Fox Chu, managing director of Accenture's freight and logistics operation, says a key trend is the growth of one-stop-shop' approach, whereby a service provider not only handles end-to-end logistics on behalf of retailers, but also helps them with digital marketing and financial and other services. Chu says such flexible service providers go "beyond being merely a logistics service provider, they position themselves as an e-commerce trade expert". One such firm is London based Avenue 51, an e-commerce consulting firm with its roots in logistics. It has developed an IT system that helps British retailers find the best delivery route to Chinese customers by using a product's size, weight, price and type, and matching these with other factors such as volume and time requirements. The system might propose a point-to-point postal route or specialist logistics delivery depending on the input. The company's own logistics capacity currently handles between 25-30 tons of products delivered from the U.K. to China each day, rising to 45 tons in peak periods. Customers include the upmarket British supermarket Waitrose and heritage accessories' brand Cambridge Satchels. In addition, Avenue 51 provides a wide range of consultancy advices to British retailers, helping them to grow in China's e-commerce space. Eric Wang, co-founder of Avenue 51, says his company places a big emphasis on working directly with brands. "We could have chosen an easier route to build up logistics volumes by becoming the suppliers of logistics agents who have many clients already, but our strategy is to become the only intermediary between the brands and the customers to ensure reliable and sustainable services in the long term." Wang adds that April's new cross-border ecommerce tax changes effectively place more demand for logistics providers to understand the best logistics route to suggest to customers, because of the complex tax bands applied to various products. Some products would save costs under the cross-border ecommerce route, whilst others the traditional postal route. "We've invested heavily into our IT system for customers to receive suggestions on the best logistics options, and we have trained our employees to help them understand their choices, so they can make informed decisions," says Wang. The rapidly growing inbound e-commerce market is likely to see fierce competition and further consolidation. For now, it is much more fragmented than the e-commerce export trade from China. Deloitte's Song estimates that the largest 10 logistics providers have only a 10 percent share of the inbound market, compared with the mature outbound e-commerce landscape in which the top five players enjoy an aggregate 60-70 percent share. In addition, the logistics costs of China-bound e-commerce are three to four times as high as equivalent costs in Europe, according to estimates by Alan Braithwaite, Chairman of the UK-based LCP Consulting Ltd. Success will depend in part on companies having efficient and cost- effective domestic delivery partnerships. Parcel delivery within China is a complex process that relies on providers building a solid network and infrastructure, says Sarna Yeung, a partner at the Munich-based consultancy Roland Berger. "Distributing products to individual customers in China is complex. It could involve distributing perhaps one or two parcels to a particular city, and then quickly and accurately deliver them to the individual customers within a short delivery window," says Yeung. "This is especially important as we foresee ecommerce consumption will significantly catch up in the lower tier cities in the future; and consumers are expecting delivery within a very short delivery lead time, from 1-2 days to even same day delivery for cross border e-commerce," says Yeung. An investigation by the US securities watchdog into the accounting practices of New York-listed Alibaba Group could lead to global investors re-evaluating Chinese internet stocks, according to an analyst. The share price of Alibaba Group fell by 6.8 percent, the biggest slump since January, on Wednesday after news broke of the investigation by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The regulator is looking at data reported from Alibaba's Singles' Day promotion China's biggest online shopping festival the e-commerce giant disclosed in its annual report on Wednesday. It is also assessing how Alibaba consolidates results from affiliated companies, including Cainiao Network, its logistics partner. Alibaba said in a statement that the probe is routine and the company is providing documents and cooperating with the investigation, which should not be interpreted that the company has violated US federal law. Yin Sheng, an independent analyst who has followed China's internet industry for years, said the share prices of many Chinese internet companies do not fully reflect the uncertainties and risks they face. "Any ... risks can ring the alarm bells and lead to a rethink of their evaluation," he said, believing this is the main reason for the steep fall in Alibaba's stock price. He said overseas investors used to pay a high premium for Chinese internet companies due to high growth. "With the slowing of China's economic growth and limitation on business most of them haven't expanded outside China investors seem to have started to re-evaluate such shares." However, Morgan Stanley analyst Robert Lin wrote, "We are incrementally more positive on Alibaba given its increased transparency and disclosures on Cainiao and other related parties." Deutsche Bank analyst Alan Hellawell said he "would never be dismissive of an SEC inquiry". But he added that dialogues such as that disclosed by Alibaba occur with "some regularity" between the SEC and other Chinese internet companies listed in the US. The firm maintains its "buy" rating on Alibaba, but Hellawell said he is looking forward to more detail on the SEC's exchanges with the company when documents are made public by the regulator. Children climb up a cliff on a vine ladder to an isolated village on the top of a mountain in Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture, Southwest China's Sichuan province, on May 14, 2016. Atule'er village, home to 72 families, is known as "cliff village" because its vertical distance to the ground is 800 meters. The routes leading to the outside world are 17 vine ladders. [Photo/VCG] Fifteen children regularly use a rattan ladder to scale an 800-meter cliff on their way to and from boarding school every two weeks in Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture in Sichuan province. The children, aged 6 to 15, belong to 72 families in Atuler village in Zhaojue county. The villagers go to the nearest market several kilometers away once a week using the same ladder to buy necessities and sell agricultural products, mainly pepper and walnut. The ladder is a chain of 17 smaller ladders tied together, some even perpendicular and fixed to the cliff with steel bars or timbers. There are no safety measures. A villager in his 40s fell off the cliff and died not long ago. Chen Jigu, one of the villagers, said the ladder is as old as the village, maybe hundreds of years. "We replace a ladder with a new one when we find one of them is rotten," Chen said. Most of the families live in houses made of mud, thatch and wood. The villagers said their ancestors chose to live in this difficult place to hide from war and tribal conflicts. But that has led to great trouble in life. It takes about two hours for the children, led by an adult, to climb up the cliff, and nearly 1 1/2 hours to get down. When a villager is too sick to climb down the mountain, a person must tie him or her onto their back to get down the cliff with the help of two other villagers. All the villagers live hand-to-mouth on less than $1 a day. "Our main income is from the pepper and walnut," said the village head, Er Dijiang. "The buyers know we are from the mountaintop village and that we do not want to carry the pepper or walnuts back, so they offer a much lower pricewe have no choice." Api Jiti, Party chief of Atuler village, said: "It is impossible to build a school on the mountaintop because the area is too small. The school down the mountain has reliable power and water supplies and the living conditions are much better than in the village." The living cost is 300 yuan ($45.70) a semester per child at the school. The education itself is free. But the boarding cost is still a big expenditure for parents. "The government and the families try their best to ensure every child can receive education, because we all know knowledge can help them live a better life," Api said. Jike Jinsong, an official at the Zhaojue county government, said: "It will cost about 60 million yuan to build a road connecting Atuler and two other remote villages. But the county government only has 200,000 yuan for the project." Jike said it is unrealistic to relocate the village down the mountain because their land is on the mountain and the villagers will lose it if they move to other places, where the land belongs to other villages. After the Beijing News reported the children's dangerous school journey on Tuesday, Lin Shucheng, Party chief of the prefecture, promised to build a makeshift steel ladder to replace the rattan ladder as soon as possible to ensure the safety of the villagers. The government will later invite experts to discuss how to solve the poverty and transportation problem, Lin said. Ke Lage, Party chief of Zhaojue county, said the government is considering attracting investors to turn the ethnic culture and picturesque scenery in the mountains into a tourist attraction. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the country's industry watchdog, is releasing its strictest real-name registration rules for mobile phone users. The measures aim to have 95 percent of all mobile phone users in China registered with a real name by the end of this year, and 100 percent before July 30, 2017, according to a notification issued by the ministry. It also requires telecommunication companies to notify users who haven't registered with a real name, or whose registration information is incomplete, to finish the process or have their numbers suspended or deactivated. Officials said the measures will help fight terrorism and safeguard national security and social stability. The nation's three telecom carriers, China Mobile Communications, China United Network Communications Group and China Telecommunications Corp, said that they are carrying out real-name registration and will firmly implement the system. Real-name registration was put into effect in 2013. Forty million people have redone their registration since last year, and 92 percent of phone users across the country are covered, an official from the ministry was quoted as saying by the People's Posts and Telecommunications News. There are still 100 million who haven't completed the process. The ministry said that by the end of April, more than 140,000 numbers that relate to telecom fraud have been shut down. "The real-name registration for mobile users will control telecom crimes to a certain degree," said Fu Liang, a telecom expert. "But it can't stop mobile internet fraud and cross-territory telecom crimes." Moreover, mobile payment applications Alipay and WeChat wallet are gearing up to encourage users to do real name registration as required by July 1. Alipay, the dominant online payment system in China, said the registration process will make the payment system safer and more convenient. Contact the writers at xuwei@chinadaily.com.cn China's high school students are particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks compared to those in other countries, a survey released on Wednesday has found. Almost half of the high school students polled in China said their online passwords had been obtained illegally by others, much higher than in the United States, Japan and South Korea. The survey, which focused on the safety of high school students, was conducted by research institutes in the four countries. More than 7,600 students took part. South Korea had the largest proportion of high school students (34 percent) saying they had been hurt by malicious remarks online. In the US, being intimidated, having personal photos or videos spread online without permission and being attacked by groups online are major problems facing high school students, according to the survey. The survey also found that Chinese high school students were more frequently exposed to other types of cyberassaults such as receiving sham payment requests online and being swindled while shopping online. However, only 62 percent of Chinese high school students said they had ever been taught about cyberspace safety - the lowest proportion among the four countries. Sun Hongyan, a researcher at the China Youth and Children Research Center, the institute that led the multinational survey in China, said young people's safety in cyberspace hasn't attracted enough attention. "A large number of young people in China are using the internet without receiving any guidance on how to protect themselves," she said. "What's worse, many of them think it's unnecessary to have such education." A report released last year by the China Internet Network Information Center showed that China had 670 million Internet users as of June. One of every four was a student. Zhang Xudong, another researcher at the center, attributed the frequent occurrence of online infringement in China to the absence of related laws, as well as people's weak awareness of cyberspace safety. "More efforts should be made to raise people's awareness, to create a safe and clean cyberspace for the young, and particularly to step up lawmaking," Zhang said. zhaoxinying@chinadaily.com.cn Against the backdrop of a paradise sunset, residents collect shells and enjoy the sandy shoreline of Sansha Island. [Zhang Yunbi/China Daily] As the ship sailed slowly, almost hesitantly, into the harbor of Yongxing Island, after an exhausting 15-hour trip from Wenchang, Hainan province, I was astonished by the dreamlike light-green morning sea stretching in front of me. The spectrum of colors was more vibrant, more gasp-inducing than I had seen in the Maldives. But, I had to remind myself, this was the Xisha Islands, two words that have frequently appeared in my daily news reports, yet for the first time I could truly appreciate their scenic lure. But it wasn't just the natural setting that caught me by surprise. When my colleagues and I walked down the 300-meter-long Beijing Road, surely the quietist road named after our capital 2,680 km distant, I found no fewer than four bank branches. The stores lack for nothing, and there is even a branch of a famous chain selling spicy duck neck. When having a drink outside a coffeehouse that night, among many relaxed residents, I developed an illusion, incongruous as it sounds, of still being on the Chinese mainland. It was not long before I realized that I was on the largest island of Xisha and the location of the Sansha government. A marine affairs officer pointed out "how quickly clouds move here" - so there is not much rain on the island. In its darkest corner meteors can be seen streaking across the sky about every 10 minutes. People living here are proud of their home, and cherish it. A fishing vessel captain told me they stop fishing from mid-May to Aug 1 every year to protect stocks. Despite the long distance, it seems residents, both long-term and those more recently arrived to help build or guard the southernmost Chinese city, have developed a stronger attachment to the motherland. I guess that is due to their awareness of the island's strategic significance for China, and the responsibilities on their shoulders. Five-star red flags are hung at the gates of almost every building, from the school to the greengrocer's. I also saw a tiny one under a tree. Fisherman Li Jinsan sang me a song he composed for the motherland when I interviewed him. A soldier told me, when the first ray of sunshine arrives in the new year, national flags are raised at the same time on all islands administered by Sansha. "At that time tears fill my eyes," he said. XI'AN -- Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the W20 meeting on Wednesday. The following is the full text of Li's speech: Promote Women' s Equal Participation and Foster Innovative Development of the World Economy Remarks by Vice-President Li Yuanchao At the Opening Ceremony of the W20 Meeting 25 May 2016, Xi'an Distinguished Ministers, Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends, Today women representatives of G20 members and relevant international organizations gather in China's historical capital of Xi'an for the W20 Meeting. I would like to extend, on behalf of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chinese government, warm congratulations to the W20 Meeting and warm welcome to all the participants. China holds the G20 presidency in 2016. President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the W20 Meeting. He hopes that all parties build consensus for positive outcomes and make contribution to the success of G20 Hangzhou Summit and invigoration of the world economy. The G20 is an important mechanism of global economic governance and an important platform for international economic cooperation. The success of the G20 summit 2016 is crucial for global economic recovery and growth. As women are important participants, contributors and beneficiaries of the world economic development, the theme of this year's W20 - "Equal Participation and Innovative Development" carries great significance. Last September at the Global Leaders' Meeting on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, with a view to carrying forward the spirit of the World Women's Conference in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping chaired the meeting and made an important speech, calling for women's development in tandem with social and economic development, protecting women's rights and interests and fostering a global environment favorable for women's development. The four points embody the global consensus on women's equal participation and gains broad recognition by the international community. We should work together to translate the initiative into reality and consensus into deliverables and promote common progress of women in the world and innovative development of the global economy. First, efforts should be made to promote women's entrepreneurship, employment and equal participation in the development process. Women hold up "half of the sky" of human society. Women' s businesses and employment is a key driving force behind innovative development. In recent years, the level of women' s participation in economic development has been on the rise, but women still face many challenges in opening their own businesses and finding jobs, and there is a lacking of social recognition for women' s potential, talent and contribution. According to the World Bank reports, elimination of all forms of discrimination against women workers and managers will raise per capita productivity by 40%. It is all the more important to pool women' s wisdom and strength at a time when the global economic recovery remains fragile. As the Chinese economy moves into a New Normal, efforts are made to encourage mass innovation and entrepreneurship and women are essential in this endeavor. To support women entrepreneurship, the government and women' s organizations have worked with financial institutions to issue a total of over 290 billion yuan of government subsidized micro-credit to women. Handicraft industry with women characteristics has developed quickly in Sichuan Province. For 7 years, it has helped 230 thousand women get flexible employment to work from home, with an annual output value of 4.6 billion yuan. Women have unique strengths in the internet economy and currently account for 55% of the entrepreneurs in this sector. Internet Sister in Jilin, an e-commerce start-up project, provides skills training and helps open online shops free of charge for women wishing to run businesses on the internet and has created nearly 3000 online shops so far. Women are major forces behind technological innovation. In China 40% of scientists and technicians are women. An increasing number of women are entering the technology and knowledge intensive industries, and women take up over half of university enrollment. Tapping the full potential of women is an important feature of a modernized human society. Countries should adopt proper development strategies in accordance with their national conditions and women' s situations, promote women' s equal participation in development process with innovative policies and encourage more women to add impetus and make contribution to economic growth. Second, it is important to give play to the unique role of women and promote their equal participation in social management. UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon stated that better results will be produced with women' s participation no matter in which field. To achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls has been included into the UN' s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as a main goal. Countries should strengthen women' s capacity building, raise their abilities to participate in political, economic and social activities and in decision-making and management, and foster more women leaders in the political, business and academic communities. Families are basic cells of society and places where women seek happiness and women are often the decisive figures in making their families happy. In recent years, Chinese women' s federations at all levels have launched the "Most Beautiful Family" Campaign. The campaign has received 250 million votes and over 3 million families have been awarded the title of the "happiest family" , thus making unique contribution to family happiness and social harmony and inclusiveness. Third, women' s rights and interests should be vigorously protected to ensure they have equal share of development benefits. Economic development does not necessarily bring improvement of women' s status and development levels. Women and children bear the brunt of war and diseases. In this world more women are poor or illiterate than men. There will be no development without women' s participation and women are entitled to share development benefits. Countries should actively foster a gender culture of inclusiveness and equality, break away with obsolete perceptions, rules and traditions that discriminate against women; ensure women' s equal access to public services, including education, healthcare, pensions and social security; improve legal systems and policy support that uphold women' s interests and ensure women' s equal access to development opportunities and resources. Poor, disabled and elderly women and other vulnerable women groups require more attention, so that women' s development and life will be supported with full-fledged social policies. China now enjoys steady economic growth. In 2015 its GDP registered a mid-to-high growth rate of 6.9% and its contribution to the global economic growth was over 25%. In the first quarter this year, the GDP growth was 6.7% year-on-year, better than expected. China is implementing the 13th Five-Year-Plan and realizing the concept of innovative, coordinated, green, open and inclusive development, pushing through the supply-side structural reform and nurturing new growth drivers. The long-term trajectory of the Chinese economy remains sound. China' s development provides many opportunities for the development of Chinese women. China will fully implement the basic state policy of equality between men and women, and support women in their efforts to fully tap their talents and make accomplishments. We will vigorously enforce the Law on the Protection of Women's Interests and Rights, the Law against Domestic Violence and other laws and regulations, and ensure women' s equal access to education and employment. We will foster a social and cultural environment for gender equality, advocate for a family culture of equality and harmony and create favorable conditions for women' s all-round development. China actively implements international conventions on gender equality and women' s development, conducts broad multilateral and bilateral exchanges and cooperation in the field of women' s affairs and strengthens friendly engagements with women' s organizations of all other countries. Last year, the Chinese government announced its donation to the UN Women, and conducting the "health projects for women and children" and the "happy campus projects" and training of women professionals for other developing countries. Work in these fields has made steady progress. China is ready to work with all other countries to meet the goals on women' s advancement set in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, make greater efforts to narrow the development gap for women in all countries and promote women' s all-round development, so that each and every woman in the world will be able to realize their own dream for happiness. Jiang Zonglin introduces the R&D of shockwave hypersonic wind tunnel to the media press in 2012. [Photo/Chinanews.com] A world-leading aerospace society has awarded its top prize on ground testing to a Chinese scientist for the first time, demonstrating China's great strides in the field, academic journal Acta Aerodynamica Sinica reported recently. The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) presented the Ground Testing Award 2016 to Jiang Zonglin, a scientist from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who led China's R&D in the JF12 shockwave hypersonic wind tunnel. Jiang was the first Asian scholar to get the Ground Testing Award, first established in 1975. The Award is presented to the individual with outstanding achievements in flight simulation, space simulation, propulsion testing, aerodynamic testing, or other ground testing associated with aeronautics and astronautics, according to AIAAs website. Jiang was awarded for "skillful leadership in conceiving, developing and successful commissioning of the world's largest shock tunnel capable of true hypersonic flight simulation". In May 2012, China opened the JF12 shockwave hypersonic wind tunnel. Known internationally as the "Hyper Dragon", JF12 is the largest of its kind in the world that can replicate flying conditions between Mach 5 and Mach 9. The wind tunnel overcame the scientific hurdle that has thwarted global scientists and engineers for about six decades. According to Chinese Academy of Sciences, JF12 is a 265-metre long tunnel that can replicate flying conditions at an altitude of 25 to 50 km. As wind tunnel is the basic research that decides how advanced aircraft may be developed, Jiang's achievement is a new scientific breakthrough in China's aeronautics and astronautics industry, the academic journal said. Created in 1963 by the merger of the two great aerospace societies of the day, the American Rocket Society and the Institute of the Aerospace Sciences(AIAA) is the world's largest technical society dedicated to the global aerospace profession. The Ground Testing Award is presented annually at the AIAA Aviation and Aeronautics Forum with the nomination deadline by October 1 of the previous year. Nearly 1 in 5 at or below county level does not offer timely, useful information, survey finds Nearly one out of every five websites run by governments at or below county level is failing to provide useful information and services to the public in a timely manner, according to a recent survey by the State Council. Liu Shanying, a political science researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said there is a lack of effective supervision of government websites. "People do not even know how to complain about a dysfunctional website when they encounter one. Most people are not being informed, and some websites were set up purely to cope with the administrative inspections of higher-level governments," Liu said. The survey looked at 607 government websites at or below county level during the first three months of the year. Most of the unsatisfactory sites lack useful public service information, the survey found, and information such as travel reports, weather reports and upcoming films in the county were the only items up to date. The administration office for the provincial government in Henan province, for example, said it had found that about half of the government websites in the province were not functioning and some failed to meet standards. In Anhui province, nearly 2,000 dysfunctional government websites have been shut down since March last year. The latest survey found that some information on websites from the forestry bureau in Zezhou county, Shanxi province, and the education bureau in Jianchang county, Liaoning province, had not been updated for seven years. Complaints about government websites have increased recently, and criticism has been aroused by unsatisfactory replies to questions from the public. In March, the website of Xiapu county in Fujian province responded to a question in its communication column by saying: "Please read our previous reply three times. If you still don't understand the reply, please come to the household registration desk of our office for further consultation." A national land resources bureau in Sichuan province, when asked why property rights for local residential buildings were only 40 years, instead of the national standard of 70 years, replied: "Whether we will still be alive in this world 40 years from now remains a question. So stop overthinking about the distant future." The government of Liaoning province recently decided to remove the websites of governments at county and township levels and urban community offices from its working plan to improve the transparency of government administration, and it will integrate some from these sites into the websites of governments at higher levels. BEIJING - Zhang Zhijun, the Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs chief, has warned that "Taiwan independence" will lead to nothing but "a dead end." "'Taiwan independence' is not an option for the future of Taiwan," according to Zhang, who is head of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council. He made the remarks on Wednesday when meeting with an industry and commerce delegation from Taiwan. "This is a verdict proven by history." The key to ensuring that cross-Straits relations develop peacefully lies in adhering to the political foundation that features the one-China principle, Zhang said. The past 20 years has shown that this common political foundation has facilitated the steady development of cross-Straits relations, and benefited people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait, he said. Deviating from this principle, however, is sure to create tension and disorder, the official added. Taiwan's new leader Tsai Ing-wen neither clarified her attitude toward the nature of cross-Straits relations nor answered explicitly when pressed about her stance on this important matter of principle, he said. "This will certainly harm the stable development of cross-Straits relations." It is the opinion of some people that the prevalent will of the people of Taiwan should be valued, Zhang said. We could understand the attitudes and feelings of the Taiwan people, which are by-products of their particular historical and social experiences. However, the feelings of the 1.37-billion people on the Chinese mainland should also be known and valued by Taiwan society, Zhang said. The people on the mainland have not forgotten the time when the country was weak and subject to foreign invasions and national secession. Therefore, they are steadfast in their resolution to safeguard national reunification and reject national secession, Zhang added. The peaceful development of cross-Straits relations can only be maintained if the Taiwan authority completely discards "Taiwan independence" and upholds the principle of both sides of the Taiwan Strait belonging to one China, Zhang said. Zhang called on compatriots from both sides of the Strait, including industry and commerce groups in Taiwan, to work together to maintain the hard-won positive progression of cross-Straits ties. More than 40 design institutes and companies from France along with 200 Chinese companies are discussing cooperation during the three-day Second China France Brand Forum that opened in Beijing on Thursday. The forum serves as a platform to promote design concepts and creative ideas from France in China to benefit economic and cultural exchanges between the two countries, according to China Association for Quality Supervision, one of the hosts of the forum. "Although China is a major producer of industrial products, it lacks internationally recognized brands,said Zhang Qinrong, deputy minister of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, China's top quality authority." "China needs to borrow experiences from other like including France to promote the growth of Chinese brands." "China has a big rising middle class and we are very confident in the Chinese market," said Guillaume Hubert de Fraisse, China representative of Pierre & Vacances Center Parcs, European leader in tourism residences and resorts. "Pierre & Vacances Center Parcs is cooperating with Hainan Airlines in China for developing unique tourism resort projects in China." China's military highlighted its determination and ability to maintain national sovereignty and territorial integrity in response to questions on an unconfirmed report of a military drill targeting Taiwan secessionists on Thursday. "We will resolutely contain any action and attempt by the secessionists for Taiwan independence," said Yang Yujun, spokesman for China's Ministry of National Defense at a monthly press conference on Thursday. Yang made the remarks when responding to a question on an unconfirmed report of a large-scale military exercise to be held by the People's Liberation Army, which is suspected to aim at the Taiwan secessionist forces. Yang, without directly talking about the reported exercise, said China is as determined as ever, and more capable to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Taiwan's new leader, Tsai Ing-wen, made an inauguration speech on Friday. Tsai did not clearly recognize the 1992 Consensus, which says that both the Chinese mainland and Taiwan are parts of one China. Tsai presented an unfinished answer sheet, as the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council reported. Wu Yongping, deputy director of the Institute of Taiwan Studies, Tsinghua University, said the Defense Ministry signals a clear message that Taiwan's new leadership should adhere to the 1992 Consensus and commit to the "one China" principle. "If any kind of secessionism appears in Taiwan, the mainland will show its determination and capability to maintain national unity, and military strength is one way to do so," Wu said. With Taiwan's new leadership taking office, cross-Straits relations are full of uncertainties, and the mainland has, in many occasions, clarified that the cross-Straits relations are based on the 1992 Consensus. On Wednesday, Ma Xiaoguang, the Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs spokesman, said that Tsai must clarify her stance on cross-Straits relations without any equivocation. Wang Qingjian has witnessed many maritime accidents in his 34 years fishing on the seas around the Nansha Islands, but his memories of vessels from the Philippines and Vietnam that were lost in the darkness back in 2007 are the most vivid. "There were hundreds of people floating in the sea, just like ants, among pieces of broken ships," said Wang, 55, who is captain of a fishing boat based in Tanmen town, Qionghai, Hainan province. In November 2007, before Typhoon Hagibis had formed, Fu Shibao, an officer in charge of Tanmen's South China Sea 110 maritime security hotline, had forecast it was coming, based on his rich experience. He reached his conclusion several days earlier than China's official forecast. Fu insisted that all fishing boats from Tanmen working in the Nansha area remain in close contact with him, and called on them to find refuge among nearby sheltered islands and reefs. When the typhoon struck, many Philippine and Vietnamese ships in the vast region were hit hard. At the request of Manila and Hanoi, China used every method at its disposal to reach stricken foreign fishermen around Nansha. Fu also asked the crew of Chinese fishing boats in the area to look for survivors. About 10 Chinese boats were involved in the rescue, saving 24 Philippine fishermen and seven from Vietnam. "I just had a wooden ship at that time, and I offered everything I had to them, including food and clothing," Wang said. Fu said the local Chinese government was ready to send rescue ships to take care of the foreign fishermen, but in the end they were taken away by boats from their own countries. Contact the writers at lixiaokun@chinadaily.com.cn and liuxiaoli@chinadaily.com.cn They still stand. Weathered and baked by the sun, certainly, but they stand as icons of defiance. When people visit China's Yongxing Island in the South China Sea for the first time, residents proudly point out these symbols of China's sovereignty: a three-story gun tower and a meter-high stone with red lettering that marks the return of the island to Chinese sovereignty after the war from occupying Japanese forces. The gun tower, now empty of weapons and refurbished, was built by Japanese imperial forces after Japan invaded and occupied the Xisha Islands in 1939. Its square openings allowed gun crews to train their fire on the South China Sea. Both are located on the western part of one China's Xisha Islands. The two reminders of history are just a few meters from each other, and easily attract the attention of inquisitive passers-by. The leaves of coconut trees, swaying in the breeze, cast fleeting shadows on them in an almost idyllic scene. Japan invaded and occupied the Xisha Islands in 1939. The Xisha and Nansha islands were returned to Chinese sovereignty under the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, and the then Chinese government retook these islands in 1946. The history of the islands, and their recovery, remind me of Foreign Minister Wang Yi's remarks when he was asked about the South China Sea in June last year at the World Peace Forum in Beijing. "At that time, China and the US were allies, and the Chinese personnel recovered the Nansha Islands from on board US warships. The American friends should be clear about this," Wang said. Zhang Haiwen, a leading Chinese expert on international maritime law with the State Oceanic Administration, said that one of the most valid measures to confirm China's jurisdiction, in terms of international law, was publicly recovering the Xisha and Nansha islands by dispatching troops and prominent figures there. To demonstrate China's sovereignty, officials and officers organized celebratory cannon fire and raised flags marking the return of the islands. "Those measures effectively proved how China reinforced its sovereignty over the South China Sea islands. Also, the international community did not voice objections to such measures," Zhang said. In addition to the United States, Japan has increased its profile concerning the South China Sea in the past two years. Tokyo is also seeking to pass a strong declaration on the South China Sea during the upcoming G7 summit in Japan. There has been a widely accepted definition and agreement about Tokyo's wartime role. This may be ignored or glossed over by some in Japan but wounds that were then inflicted are still sensitive. As Japan frequently campaigns for reinforcing military cooperation with countries, such as the Philippines, and boosts its military presence in the South China Sea, peace-loving people like to ask: what is Japan's ultimate purpose? Is it benefiting from stirring up the situation here? Are Japanese right-wingers trying to return to their past "glory"? These are questions that should not need to be asked as the coconut tree leaves cast their shadows over reminders of history. Crewmembers of theNanhaijiu 118 conduct a rescue drill on May 11 Drones and robots could be used to help ships that get into difficulties China is considering deploying an advanced rescue ship that could carry drones and underwater robots to the Nansha Islands this year to help ships in trouble, including foreign vessels. Chen Xingguang, political commissar of the ship Nanhaijiu 118, under the Ministry of Transport's South China Sea Rescue Bureau, told China Daily of the plans. "Our bureau is planning a duty post in the Nansha Islands, with a ship based there. This will possibly be carried out in the second half of the year," Chen said, without specifying which island the ship will be based at. Wang Wensong, captain of the Nanhaijiu 118, said the ship proposed for the mission might be bigger than his 3,700-ton vessel and will be equipped with advanced rescue facilities. "It might carry drones and underwater robots," Wang said. A 1-meter-tall stone stands on Yongxing Island, marking the return of the island to Chinese sovereignty. ZHANG YUNBI/CHINA DAILY Reporter's log They still stand. Weathered and baked by the sun, certainly, but they stand as icons of defiance. When people visit China's Yongxing Island in the South China Sea for the first time, residents proudly point out these symbols of China's sovereignty: a three-story gun tower and a 1-meter-tall stone with red lettering that marks the return of the island to Chinese sovereignty after the war against occupying Japanese forces. The gun tower, now empty of weapons and refurbished was built by Japanese imperial forces after their occupation began in 1939. Its square openings allowed gun crews to train their fire on the South China Sea. Both are located on the western part of one of China's Xisha Islands. The two reminders of history are just a few meters from each other, and easily attract the attention of inquisitive passers-by. The leaves of coconut trees, swaying in the breeze, cast fleeting shadows on them in an almost idyllic scene. The Xisha and Nansha islands were returned to Chinese sovereignty under the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, and the Chinese government retook the islands in 1946. The history of the islands, and their recovery, remind me of Foreign Minister Wang Yi's remarks when he was asked about the South China Sea in June last year at the World Peace Forum in Beijing. "At that time, China and the US were allies, and Chinese personnel recovered the Nansha Islands from on board US warships. The American friends should be clear about this," Wang said. Zhang Haiwen, a leading Chinese expert on international maritime law with the State Oceanic Administration, said that one of the most valid measures to confirm China's jurisdiction, in terms of international law, was publicly recovering the Xisha and Nansha islands by dispatching troops and prominent figures there. To demonstrate China's sovereignty, officials and officers organized celebratory cannon fire and raised flags marking the return of the islands. "Those measures effectively proved that China regained its sovereignty over the South China Sea islands. Also, the international community did not voice objections to such measures," Zhang said. In addition to the United States, Japan has increased its profile concerning the South China Sea in the past two years. Tokyo is also seeking to pass a strong declaration on the South China Sea during the upcoming G7 summit in Japan. There has been a widely accepted definition and agreement about Tokyo's wartime role. This may be ignored or glossed over by some in Japan, but wounds that were then inflicted are still sensitive. As Japan frequently campaigns for reinforcing military cooperation with countries such as the Philippines, and boosts its military presence in the South China Sea, peace-loving people like to ask: What is Japan's ultimate purpose? Is it benefiting from stirring up the situation here? Are Japanese right-wingers trying to return to their past "glory"? These are questions that should not need to be asked, as the coconut tree leaves cast their shadows over reminders of history. Greek police restarted an operation on Wednesday to move migrants out of Idomeni, the squalid tent city where thousands fleeing war and poverty have lived for months. A police source said they hoped to transfer "roughly the same number" of migrants as on Tuesday, when they bussed more than 2,000 to newly opened camps near Greece's second city Thessaloniki, about 80 kilometers to the south. Some 8,400 people are living in the muddy and dirty camp on the Macedonian border, which has become a potent symbol of human suffering and chaos as Europe struggles with its worst migrant crisis since World War II. Zhang Jinlai gives a speech at the premiere of the Nepali version of the 1986 TV series Journey to the West, Kathmandu, Nepal, May 18, 2016. [Photo/Sina Weibo] The premiere of the Nepali version of the 1986 TV series Journey to the West launched in Kathmandu in Nepal on May 18. The series has been broadcasted in many countries, including Myanmar, Thailand, Ghana and Tanzania. Zhang Jinlai, or Liu Xiao Ling Tong, played the Monkey King (Sun Wukong) in the series, and was invited by the Nepalese government to the premiere. "In the past 34 years, the series has been broadcasted for more than 3,000 times with a total audience of 6 billion . I am very glad that it can come to Nepal too. Like the Hindu god Hanuman that is widely respected by Nepalese people, Monkey King also punishes devils and brings peace to people. I believe he will also be popular in Nepal," Zhang said. The translation of the TV series started in 2013, with the support from the Chinese Embassy in Nepal and volunteers who teach Chinese in the country. It was originally scheduled to be broadcast in 2015, the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and Nepal, yet was postponed due to the April 25 earthquake in Nepal last year and other reasons. In 2016, the Year of the Monkey, the Chinese Monkey King finally can find his way onto TV in Nepal. During the premiere, the attendees watched episode 6 together and were moved by Monkey King's wit and humor. Zhang also introduced his stories about the filming of the series to the participants. Some 150 Chinese and Nepalese officials and representatives attended the premiere and the press conference. This article was originally published on China Daily on Nov 17, 2003. Two individuals, each with a strong spirit but vulnerable heart, encountered each other, married and gave birth to a daughter. In their 60 years together the small family of three members went through war, political turmoil and illness in their repeated returns, but all the while they were always there for each other. The family of three. [File photo] But eventually death called away two of them, leaving one lonely survivor in the winter of her life. Today, the lives of the three individuals, captured by the pen of the family's only surviving member in an autobiography titled "The Three of Us (Wo Men Sa)," has been on the best-seller list ever since it was published on June 25 by Sanlian Publishing House. Its first printing of 30,000 copies sold out in 12 days. Since then, it has been re-printed nine times. The readers are curious because the writer is Yang Jiang, 92, who is already a renowned author in her own right, and a scholar and translator of foreign literature as well. Yang Jiang [File photo] Her husband, Qian Zhongshu (1910-98), was one of the 20th century's greatest Chinese scholars and an authority in Chinese classical history, philosophy and literature, as well as in comparative culture and literature. He had a consummate mastery of the entire range of classical Chinese texts as well as an extensive knowledge of the Greek, Latin, English, German, French, Spanish and Italian classics. Qian's only novel "Fortress Besieged (Weicheng)," first published in 1947, has enthralled generations of young readers with its humour, profound wisdom and unique insights into human nature. Readers find it hard to put down this new memoir by Yang Jiang, with its intimate and heartfelt narration, something quite different from her previous works, as it takes them into this modest household that has yielded so much admirable scholarship. Their daughter, Qian Yuan (1937-97), was a professor of English with Beijing Normal University, and was in charge of evaluating the teaching of English in all teachers' colleges in China for the then State Education Commission. But life was not always smooth sailing for the family. Aside from their love for their work and one another, the world around them confronted them with confusion and chaos. The readers join the young couple in their daily shopping for fresh groceries from a small store on the street corner near their temporary home close to Oxford University in England. They share not only their joy at having a new member in their family, their daughter Ah Yuan (Qian Yuan's childhood name, which meant 'round,' as her face was plump), but also their uneasiness through the years of war, political movements, separations and reunions. As the three protagonists cope with life's twists and turns, the readers get to know the details behind their much respected scholarly achievements. Outpouring of tributes at Yang Jiang's death WeChat and Weibo were flooded with tributes to the celebrated Chinese writer Yang Jiang. Many people expressed their condolences about the death of Yang by posting Yang's photos and quotations on the Internet. Two individuals, each with a strong spirit but vulnerable heart, encountered each other. In their 60 years together the small family of three members went through war, political turmoil and illness in their repeated returns, but all the while they were always there for each other. Students lit up candles in memory of celebrated writer Yang Jiang in front of the old library at Tsinghua University. Yang graduated from Tsinghua, which also witnessed the blossoming of her romance with her husband Qian Zhongshu. Yang enjoyed decades of fame across the country for her literature works such as Baptism, Six Chapters from My Life 'Downunder' and We Three, which recalls her husband and her daughter Qian Yuan (19371997), who died of cancer one year before her father's death. BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Francois Hollande on Thursday conveyed messages of congratulation to the first ever Sino-French cultural forum in Beijing. The three-day forum, "One Belt One Road: Cultural Dialogue and Fusion," will have elites from both nations sharing their insights and experiences in various fields, including culture, art, economy and education. Both China and France are countries that enjoy a long history and rich culture, said Xi, noting that the two sides are attracted to each other's culture. He said cultural exchanges between the two countries not only promoted friendship between the two peoples, but also played an important role in boosting mutual learning between the Eastern and Western culture as well as the diversity of civilizations. Xi hoped that the forum would grow into a crucial platform for facilitating mutual understanding and mutual learning between the two countries. In his message, Hollande said France will lend full support to the forum, encouraging the two sides to enhance cultural exchanges, increase mutual understanding and expand common interests. Vice Premier Liu Yandong addressed the opening ceremony. The forum, which was put forward by Chen Zhu, president of the Western Returned Scholars Association, and former French premier Jean-Pierre Raffarin, is aimed at building a non-official and non-profit Sino-French communication platform. The forum will be held in China and France alternately. The second forum will be in Lyons, France. Human beings spend one-third of their lives sleeping, and it is well known that a lack of sleep has serious effects on the brain's ability to function, thus affecting performance and productivity. On May 24, a White Paper on the impact of sleep disorders on health and productivity was presented at the 2016 Peking University and University of Pennsylvania Sleep Medicine Forum, which was held in Beijing over May 24 to 25. The White Paper provides in-depth descriptions of various sleep disorders apnea, insomnia and narcolepsy that cause daytime sleepiness, reduce workforce productivity and increase workplace accidents. Han Fang, director of the sleep center at the Peking University People's Hospital, and president of the China Sleep Research Society, says the White Paper aims to raise awareness about the cause of daytime sleepiness and the importance of diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders in order to have a quality life and productive career, as well as to reduce the risk of car accidents. Related: Global health development entering new era: WHO chief This satellite image shows the Yongshu Jiao of China's Nansha Islands. [Photo/Xinhua] The South China Sea arbitration case initiated by the Philippines in 2013 is being watched closely by the international community as the court's ruling may be announced before the end of June. Whatever the outcome, the case, which aims to overrule Beijing's time-honored legal interests in the South China Sea, ranging from navigation and fishing to administrative management, is built on shaky legal ground. To begin with, the issue of territorial sovereignty is beyond the scope of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, thus the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has no jurisdiction over the case, since in essence it is concerned with territorial sovereignty over several maritime features in the South China Sea. Turning a blind eye to the fact that Chinese people first discovered, named, and developed the reefs and islets in the waters, as well as the Chinese government's consistent jurisdiction over these islands, Manila instead bases its claims on written evidence taken out of context. For example, it claimed that Xisha Islands are the south end of Chinese territory, "according to" an official document issued by the Chinese government in 1937. But the truth is, this refers to comments by some geographical experts that are later refuted in the document. The Philippine government keeps ignoring the abundant evidence against its arbitration, and claims China neither named any islands in the South China Sea before 1947 nor extended its fisheries to the waters. Yet, as a popular sailing guide called Geng Lu Bu records, Chinese fishermen fished there in the Ming and Qing dynasties between the 14th and 20th century, and dozens of islands in the South China Sea already had their Chinese names. Many of these names, including Subi Reef and Namyit Island, have been widely adopted and used by international sailors until now. Despite Manila's repeated smear attempts, such as confounding Xisha Islands and Nansha Islands with some Vietnamese islets, China's sovereignty in the South China Sea has been explicitly reflected in the world maps issued by countries such as Japan, France, even Vietnam, in the aftermath of World War II. Worse still, the Philippines has even gone further and challenged the one-China principle, which was enshrined in Beijing-Manila diplomatic relations, arguing that Taiwan's presence in the South China Sea after 1949 has nothing to do with China's territorial interests there. Such distortion, which seeks to nullify Taiwan's routine cruises and civil development in the waters near Nansha Islands since the 1950s, not only violates its diplomatic commitment to China but also infringes upon the country's irrefutable sovereignty in the South China Sea. But no matter how hard Manila tries to invalidate Beijing's legal territorial claims by overstating the "evidence" provided by a selected few scholars, its efforts will only prove futile in the face of history written by all navigators who traveled across the South China Sea. The author is a researcher at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, Hainan province. LUO JIE/CHINA DAILY The 2016 G20 Summit will be held in Hangzhou in September under the theme of "Toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected, and Inclusive World Economy". An integral part of the theme is inclusive and interconnected development. China holds the Presidency of the G20 this year and under its initiative, for the first time, the G20 is highlighting development issues in the framework of global macro-policy and working on a systematic plan of action for the implementation of the United Nation's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. China is doing this for a number of important reasons. Promoting G20 cooperation is needed to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which commenced this year. Adopted at the UN Sustainable Development Summit last September, the Agenda is a future-oriented blueprint and a powerful written commitment. But setting the goals is only the first step. It must be followed through with the hard work and cooperation of all countries. The G20 is a major platform for international economic cooperation, and the international community expects it to play a leading role in this respect. Development cooperation Promoting G20 development cooperation is crucial for tapping new potential for world economic growth. As global economic growth, trade and investment remain sluggish, and the macro-policies of major economies diverge, new inequalities and imbalances in development may emerge. There is tremendous potential for the development of developing countries, which is like a blue sea yet to be navigated. Tapping this potential could unleash immeasurable power for growth and promote a global economic recovery. Promoting development cooperation is China's unique contribution to the G20. China, the world's largest developing country, has been on a unique journey of development and maintains close connections with other developing countries. As it holds the G20 Presidency in 2016, China is playing the leading role in pushing the G20 to fully implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, find a new path for world economic growth, and make its due contribution to the international cause of development. Inclusive and interconnected development deals directly with development issues, facilitates coordinated progress among various economies, promotes interconnected and win-win development of all industries and enables people in all social strata to share in prosperity. It will be a major highlight of the summit. This year, the G20 will formulate an action plan for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As a concrete step to contribute to the work led by the UN in this regard, collective and national actions will be taken to push for implementation among the G20 members and to support other developing countries in their implementation efforts. This year, the G20 will advance cooperation initiatives on supporting industrialization in African countries and the Least Developed Countries to help speed up industrialization in these countries and attain the poverty reduction and sustainable development goals. The G20 will also place high importance on climate change this year. It has already released its first ever Presidency Statement on Climate Change, committing members to sign the Paris Agreement, which opened for signature on April 22 and remains open for signature one year thereafter, and bringing it into force as soon as possible. The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon responded with a special statement, in which he welcomed the responsible position of the G20 and extended his thanks to China for its leadership. In addition, the G20 will discuss agriculture, employment, inclusive business and other wide-ranging issues; shed light on issues related to women, youth, and small farmers; promote agricultural innovation and sustainable development; explore the relationship between macro-policy regulation and job creation; and encourage employment through entrepreneurship and innovation. It should be made clear that the G20 stresses a broader concept of development. While making feasible action plans to tackle development issues based on member's own comparative advantages and added value, it also calls for an economic perspective and explores the relationship between growth and development in multiple dimensions. The Hangzhou Summit will not only focus on development itself, but also embrace development as a source of economic growth, and this is a main thread running through the G20 agenda. A development perspective is taken in all the key agenda items of the G20 this year, including macro-economic policy, international trade and investment, innovation in growth models and global economic governance. Under the agenda item of "breaking a new path for growth", the G20 will focus discussions on innovation, the new industrial revolution, the digital economy and structural reform. This aims to break the current model of sole reliance on fiscal stimulus and easy monetary policy through innovation-driven growth strategies and structural reform, and boost the potential for mid- to long-term growth. China is working with fellow members to draw a blueprint for innovation-driven growth that highlights the concept of inclusive innovation, does more to help developing countries raise their R&D capacity, narrows the gap and bridges the digital divide between developed and developing countries in terms of industrialization, and lowers the threshold for developing countries to integrate into the new economy and helps them share the benefits. An aerial view of Qianjiang New Town in Hangzhou. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] The G20 summit will be held in Hangzhou on Sept 4-5 this year. While Friday marks 100 days prior to the event and citizens are starting to celebrate the countdown in different ways, we present snapshots of the views of some of Hangzhou's landmarks. The capital city of Zhejiang province is renowned for its natural scenery and Hangzhou has long been one of the most popular travel destinations in the country. Now, with G20 coming, a well-prepared Hangzhou is even more worthy of a visit. As China prepares to host its first G20 Summit, the importance of this grouping of major world economies is becoming more apparent, according to experts. The event, slated for Sept 4 and 5 in East China's Hangzhou city, comes at a time when increasing deflationary risks loom over the global economy's recovery. Boosting growth among developing countries is highlighted on the summit's agenda, as is making more progress in areas such as global climate change. Since December, around 30 preparatory meetings have been held at the ministerial or working-group level, including a gathering of personal representatives of heads of state, known as sherpas, as well as finance, trade and foreign ministers. More than 30 additional meetings are scheduled to ensure the summit's success, according to the latest calendar of events published on the G20's website. On April 8, a presidency statement was released following the Second G20 Sherpa Meeting in Guangzhou, stating that the assembled representatives would work toward implementation of the Paris Agreement, which was adopted at the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in December. Huang Wei, a researcher on global economic governance at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, notes: "The G20 now represents the best efficiency in the aspect of global economic governance", while other mechanisms, such as the United Nations and G7, are faced with higher costs or a lack of influence. "The influence of emerging economies upon the global economy and relevant policies will further expand." Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and China's G20 sherpa Li Baodong has described the Hangzhou summit as "the first time that the G20 will formulate an action plan on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development". This ambitious agenda, adopted by the UN General Assembly in September, is designed to serve as the launch pad for action to promote shared prosperity and well-being for the next 15 years. "The concept of development runs through the whole design of the agenda and its outcomes for the Hangzhou Summit, thus serving as an overarching theme in the preparatory work," Li told the UN General Assembly in New York on April 21. Upon China's initiative, the G20 is examining ways to support industrialization in Africa and what are known as least developed countries, Li says. Zhu Jiejin, an associate professor of global governance studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, says if the G20 takes the 2030 Agenda as one of its policy goals, the gathering itself will win more recognition for its role as a "leading international economic cooperation platform". This will "offer political impetus" for implementing the agenda, make the work of international organs such as the UN easier and encourage more countries to join in, Zhu says. Gao Hucheng, minister of commerce, has said China will work alongside various parties to push for establishing the G20 trade and investment cooperation mechanism to "regularize" the G20 trade ministers' meeting. "It is hoped that the G20 global trade growth strategy will be formulated, and the G20 cooperation framework on trade areas is expected to be built, in order to address the trade and financing issues of developing countries and small and medium enterprises," Gao said at a meeting on the sidelines of Boao Asia Forum on March 24. Huang Wei noted that although the G20 has built mechanisms for regularized meetings of finance, labor ministers and governors of central banks, many other ministerial-level meetings are not regularized yet. "This means there is a lack of long-term, lasting discussions on a range of issues, as well as the absence of a fundamental preparation for nurturing consensus and outcomes," Huang says. zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn Delegates attending the W20 - a preparatory meeting for the G20 Summit in Hangzhou in September - talk in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, on Wednesday. The W20 was formed last year to focus on women's empowerment and promotion of gender inclusiveness and equality. WANG ZHUANGFEI / CHINA DAILY XI'AN - Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao attended the opening ceremony of a women-focused precursor to the G20 summit in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi province, on Wednesday, calling for women to be given a greater role in economic and social affairs. The W20 Meeting, which concludes on Thursday, supports the main G20 event to be held in China's eastern city of Hangzhou in September. Li said in his speech that all countries should work out strategies to give women equal participation in national development. He also called for more protective measures for poor, disabled and elderly women. China is ready to work with other countries to meet the goals on women's advancement set in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, according to the vice president. Shen Yueyue, vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, delivered another speech. Shen, also president of the All-China Women's Federation, which organized the meeting, called for more cooperation and exchanges to realize common development among men and women. About 200 people, including representatives of G20 members and international organizations, were present at the meeting. Photo taken on April 5, 2016 shows the lighthouse on Zhubi Reef of Nansha Islands in the South China Sea. [Photo/Xinhua] BEIJING - Interfering in the South China Sea dispute has demonstrated the United States' real intention of maintaining domination over global issues. A number of military acts and diplomatic moves of the United States in recent months have laid bare its attempt to seek to preserve a footstep in the South China Sea dispute. It increased close reconnaissance in this region, and its warships and military aircraft keep violating China's territorial sea and airspace in the name of "freedom of navigation or overflight." China's construction in the region is aimed at strengthening its defense and civilian capabilities. It has not undermined and will not undermine freedom of navigation in one of the busiest international sea routes. But why does the United States want to poke its nose into the region? It's not only about US strategic supremacy there, but also maintaining its status of dominating global hot issues, in a bid to face the fancied threat from China's rise. In his article published in The Washington Post on May 2, US President Barack Obama said the United States, not China, should write rules. Even though the article was on the topic of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, it is clear evidence that making sure China abides by US-made rules has always been a major target in the country's China policy. However, China's increasing say in the international rule-making process and growing influence on regional order establishment have made the United States uncomfortable, pricking its fragile ego as a hegemonic power. Therefore, the key of Washington increasing military presence in the South China Sea and sowing discord among regional countries has been a show of force to demonstrate its predominance in regional and global affairs. China is capable and confident of working with the countries directly involved to solve territorial disputes through peaceful negotiations. Meanwhile, China will take all necessary measures as needed in response to threats to regional stability. And more importantly, China does not need the United States, an outside party, to solve the issue, nor does it need others to set the rules. It looks like the United States, the global sheriff, is going to lose face. Washington needs to keep in mind the United States and China, as two major powers, have more to benefit from good interactions within the Asia-Pacific region. As an effort to fulfill the two sides' commitment of building a new type of major-country relations that features win-win cooperation, the United States should stop meddling in the South China Sea issue, and meet China halfway to promote peaceful settlement. The 2016 G20 Summit will be held in Hangzhou in September under the theme of "Toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected, and Inclusive World Economy". An integral part of the theme is inclusive and interconnected development. China holds the Presidency of the G20 this year and under its initiative, for the first time, the G20 is highlighting development issues in the framework of global macro-policy and working on a systematic plan of action for the implementation of the United Nation's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. China is doing this for a number of important reasons. Promoting G20 cooperation is needed to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which commenced this year. Adopted at the UN Sustainable Development Summit last September, the Agenda is a future-oriented blueprint and a powerful written commitment. But setting the goals is only the first step. It must be followed through with the hard work and cooperation of all countries. The G20 is a major platform for international economic cooperation, and the international community expects it to play a leading role in this respect. Development cooperation Promoting G20 development cooperation is crucial for tapping new potential for world economic growth. As global economic growth, trade and investment remain sluggish, and the macro-policies of major economies diverge, new inequalities and imbalances in development may emerge. There is tremendous potential for the development of developing countries, which is like a blue sea yet to be navigated. Tapping this potential could unleash immeasurable power for growth and promote a global economic recovery. Promoting development cooperation is China's unique contribution to the G20. China, the world's largest developing country, has been on a unique journey of development and maintains close connections with other developing countries. As it holds the G20 Presidency in 2016, China is playing the leading role in pushing the G20 to fully implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, find a new path for world economic growth, and make its due contribution to the international cause of development. Inclusive and interconnected development deals directly with development issues, facilitates coordinated progress among various economies, promotes interconnected and win-win development of all industries and enables people in all social strata to share in prosperity. It will be a major highlight of the summit. This year, the G20 will formulate an action plan for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As a concrete step to contribute to the work led by the UN in this regard, collective and national actions will be taken to push for implementation among the G20 members and to support other developing countries in their implementation efforts. This year, the G20 will advance cooperation initiatives on supporting industrialization in African countries and the Least Developed Countries to help speed up industrialization in these countries and attain the poverty reduction and sustainable development goals. The G20 will also place high importance on climate change this year. It has already released its first ever Presidency Statement on Climate Change, committing members to sign the Paris Agreement, which opened for signature on April 22 and remains open for signature one year thereafter, and bringing it into force as soon as possible. The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon responded with a special statement, in which he welcomed the responsible position of the G20 and extended his thanks to China for its leadership. In addition, the G20 will discuss agriculture, employment, inclusive business and other wide-ranging issues; shed light on issues related to women, youth, and small farmers; promote agricultural innovation and sustainable development; explore the relationship between macro-policy regulation and job creation; and encourage employment through entrepreneurship and innovation. It should be made clear that the G20 stresses a broader concept of development. While making feasible action plans to tackle development issues based on member's own comparative advantages and added value, it also calls for an economic perspective and explores the relationship between growth and development in multiple dimensions. The Hangzhou Summit will not only focus on development itself, but also embrace development as a source of economic growth, and this is a main thread running through the G20 agenda. A development perspective is taken in all the key agenda items of the G20 this year, including macro-economic policy, international trade and investment, innovation in growth models and global economic governance. Under the agenda item of "breaking a new path for growth", the G20 will focus discussions on innovation, the new industrial revolution, the digital economy and structural reform. This aims to break the current model of sole reliance on fiscal stimulus and easy monetary policy through innovation-driven growth strategies and structural reform, and boost the potential for mid- to long-term growth. China is working with fellow members to draw a blueprint for innovation-driven growth that highlights the concept of inclusive innovation, does more to help developing countries raise their R&D capacity, narrows the gap and bridges the digital divide between developed and developing countries in terms of industrialization, and lowers the threshold for developing countries to integrate into the new economy and helps them share the benefits. Global governance Under the agenda item of "more effective and efficient global economic and financial governance", the G20 aims to advance reform in global economic governance and increase the representation and voice of developing countries and emerging markets. This year, China has relaunched the G20 International Financial Architecture Working Group to promote reforms of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, and have in-depth discussions on such issues as sovereign debt restructuring and a global financial safety net. We are working to promote financial inclusion and to bring its benefits to developing countries and vulnerable groups. We are also working to enhance governance and cooperation in the energy and anti-corruption fields, formulate action plans on energy efficiency and renewable energy, and draw up the G20 High-Level Principles on Corrupt Fugitives and Related Assets Recovery, in order to foster a law-based, norm-abiding and sound international development environment. Under the agenda item of "robust international trade and investment" and based on the outcomes of the World Trade Organization ministerial conference in Nairobi last year, the G20 will reaffirm its commitment to the multilateral trading system, work out a global trade growth strategy to promote financing for trade and lower trade costs, and strengthen the capacity building of developing countries for their participation in the global value chain. The G20 will push for setting guiding principles on global investment policies, which will fill the blank in international investment governance. It will also raise initiatives for promoting the investment environment in investment in low-income countries to attract investment. It is worth noting that China has worked hard not only on agenda setting, but also on increasing the representation of developing countries at the G20 by inviting more developing countries than ever before to attend the G20 meetings this year, and conducting a series of outreach dialogues. In April this year, as China's G20 Sherpa, I attended the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Thematic Debate on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and held dialogues with the G77, Least Developed Countries, Small Island Developing States and Landlocked Developing Countries, the Global Governance Group, the Commonwealth and La Francophonie. President of the UN General Assembly Mogens Lykketoft attached great importance to the preparatory work of the G20 Hangzhou Summit, and invited me to the president's working breakfast meeting, where I had a broad exchange of views with representatives of other countries, developing countries in particular, on the progress of preparation for the G20 summit and implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. China has also strengthened the two-way communication between G20 members and non-G20 members on such forums as the Boao Forum for Asia, the African Union and UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, so that the G20 discussion will be more comprehensive and balanced, contributing to broader international cooperation on development. During my conversations with all the parties, developing countries in particular, I gained a strong impression that the G20 is not about a group of 20 countries. It bears on the interests of the vast number of developing countries, and indeed all the countries in the world. The G20 has a broad agenda, which covers issues of interest to all parties. The outcomes of the G20 meetings are important, and concern the vital interests of all parties. The G20 shoulders major responsibilities, and has a lofty mission to revive the world economy. Therefore, the G20 Hangzhou Summit will be an open process for the whole world, making it a summit which pools together the wisdom and strengths of everyone. Developing countries, in this process, will always occupy a prominent position and carry a unique weight. We believe that the importance the G20 places on the issue of development will enable this year's Hangzhou Summit to produce a unique consensus, send a stronger message and have a more profound impact. Let us all look forward to the coming September when the G20 leaders will hold strategic discussions, push forward the implementation of the international consensus on development, and inject new vitality into the world's economic growth. The author is China's vice-foreign minister and Chinese Sherpa for G20 Affairs. WASHINGTON - As many as 11 US states, nine of which run by Republican governors, sued the Obama administration on Wendesday to stop a new federal guidance requiring all public schools to allow transgender students to use bathrooms and other facilities that align with their gender identities, media here reported. Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced the lawsuit Wednesday on Twitter. In a news conference on the day, he accused the US federal government of overreach, saying that it was issuing guidance on matters that should be dealt with by Congress. The formal complaint was filed in the US District Court Northern District of Texas on behalf of what it refers to as "a diverse coalition of States, top State officials, and local school districts, spanning from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes, and from the Grand Canyon to the Grand Isle," said a NBC news report. Along with the state of Texas, plaintiffs include Alabama, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Utah, Georgia, Maine Gov. Paul LePage, the Arizona Department of Education, and two individual school districts in Arizona and Texas, according to the report. "Defendants have conspired to turn workplaces and educational settings across the country into laboratories for a massive social experiment, flouting the democratic process, and running roughshod over commonsense policies protecting children and basic privacy rights," states the complaint, claiming this guidance "has no basis in law". "Absent action in Congress, the States, or local communities, Defendants cannot foist these radical changes on the nation." the lawsuit states. There has been an intensifying standoff between the Obama administration and the Republican-run state of North Carolina, which passed a state law in March banning transgender people from using public bathrooms corresponding to their gender identities. North Carolina and the Department of Justice sued each other earlier this month, each taking an opposing position on whether the law violates national laws against discrimination. A school, the Obama administration has argued, must not treat a transgender student differently from the way it treats other students of the same gender identity and holds an obligation "to provide transgender students equal access to educational programs and activities even in circumstances in which other students, parents or community members raise objections or concerns." "The desire to accommodate others' discomfort cannot justify a policy that singles out and disadvantages a particular class of students," said the highly-disputed guidance issued by the Departments of Justice and Education jointly on May 13. Suspended Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff attends a news conference with foreign media in Brasilia, Brazil, May 13, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] BRASILIA - The impeachment trial of Brazil's suspended President Dilma Rousseff could be over in August, the state new agency Agencia Brasil reported Wednesday. "The impeachment effort against suspended President Dilma Rousseff may reach a final decision in August, according to a work schedule presented Wednesday by Senator Antonio Anastasia, rapporteur of the current Procedural Commission for the Impeachment," the agency said. The timetable includes Rousseff's defense, testimony from witnesses and an expert, and the gathering of documents. "June 20 is the date fixed for Rousseff's interrogation before the commission," the agency said, adding "she may choose to attend or be represented by her counsel." Anastasia is to read his final report, "which could either recommend or oppose Rousseff's removal" to the commission on July 25, and it would be voted on in two days. On Aug 1 or Aug 2, congress would vote on the commission's findings via a simple majority vote of "half of all senators attending plus one." "After the report is voted on in the full Senate, the process moves to its last ballot," under the supervision of Supreme Court chief Ricardo Lewandowski. That ballot marks "the last stage of the proceedings, and two-thirds of the votes are required to permanently unseat the president -- 54 of the total 81 senators," the agency said. Rousseff has been impeached over alleged fiscal irregularities. The Boeing logo is seen at their headquarters in Chicago, in this April 24, 2013, file photo. [Photo/Agencies] China has been one of the top markets for US exporters and represents huge potential for future opportunities for US businesses, according to the latest report from the US Department of Commerce. The 19 Top Markets Reports released on Wednesday showed that China has ranked highly among top US export markets in sectors from automotive parts, civil nuclear, building materials, construction equipment to education, financial technology, manufacturing technology and franchising. Stefan Selig, US undersecretary of commerce for international trade, described the report as "helping American business not only compete but win in the global marketplace". An estimated 11.5 million US jobs are supported by exports, according to the Commerce Department. The reports released Wednesday are a part of the Top Markets Series, which was launched by the International Trade Commission under the Commerce Department in July 2015. The 2016 reports provided updated country rankings and analysis reflecting the latest industry, trade policy and global economic developments. In the country analysis for aircraft part, the report said China is expected to be the world's largest single-country market for civil aircraft sales over the next 20 years. Boeing estimates that China will need to add more than 6,000 planes to its commercial fleet to meet traffic demand. Meanwhile, China's fleet of business jets, helicopters, training aircraft and other general aviation panes is expanding quickly. On the building materials sector, the report said that although the Chinese economy is experiencing a slowdown, it is the world's largest construction market and will continue to provide a strong opportunity for US building-products exporters. The report also described civil nuclear sector growth in the next decade in China will ensure commercial opportunities for US civil nuclear exporters. China ranks first in the world for the number of units under construction. In 2015, eight new reactors were connected to the grid. China was the top market for US education. In 2014-15, China sent 304,040 students to the US, up 10.8 percent from 2013-14. Chinese students make up 31 percent of all international students in the US. While a growing middle class allows more Chinese families to send their children abroad for their tertiary education, future growth in the number of Chinese students studying in the US is tempered by the slowdown of China's economy, a devalued currency, and the shrinking number of college-age Chinese students, according to the report. In the analysis on cloud computing, the report claimed that a complex and difficult regulatory environment and local competition makes China a challenging market. "Entering or expanding into the Chinese market requires the capacity to navigate regulatory barriers and effectively manage an array of additional administrative, technical and operational costs. The Chinese market can be a lucrative one for US companies with the in-country expertise, resources and commitment to tackle the market," it said. It described the market as relatively nascent. Quoting Bain & Co, it said China's cloud computing market was worth $1.5 billion in 2013. However, that figure is expected to go up to $20 billion by 2020, a compound annual growth rate of approximately 40 percent. China has been one of the fastest-growing markets for US exports. Bilateral trade between China and the US reached $558.39 billion, making China the largest trade partner for the US, replacing Canada. US was China's top export market and fourth-largest import market, according to China's Ministry of Commerce. A study by the China-US Exchange Foundation three years ago predicted that US exports to China would reach $456 billion and produce 2.54 million jobs in the US by 2022, an increase of 1.81 million over the comparable 2010 figure. A McKinsey & Co study predicted that China will have a 630 million-member middle class by 2022, up from 230 million in 2012, a huge market coveted by multinationals. Anti-trade rhetoric has been loud on the 2016 US presidential campaign trail, with candidates blasting the US-China trade deficit. Contact the writer at chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com. An aerial photo taken on Sept 25, 2015 from a seaplane of Hainan Maritime Safety Administration shows cruise vessel Haixun 1103 heading to the Yacheng 13-1 drilling rig during a patrol in the South China Sea. [Photo/Xinhua] VIENTIANE - Certain countries should stop playing up the issue of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea as it has never been a problem, Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan has said. Speaking at the 6th China-ASEAN Defence Ministers Informal Meeting in the Lao capital on Wednesday, Chang noted that the traditional and non-traditional security threats of the region are still prominent while the awareness of regional community of destiny is increasing. China will stick to the road of peaceful development, never ease its efforts to push for regional cooperation, never waver on its sincerity to resolve disputes peacefully and coordinately, and never shirk its responsibility to protect regional peace and stability, the Chinese defense minister stressed. To further boost defense and security cooperation between China and ASEAN, the Chinese army hopes to hold a joint drill with the armies of the ASEAN countries in the South China Sea at an early date, including code on unplanned encounters at sea, the minister said. China is willing to further boost the anti-terrorism cooperation between the two sides and push forward the exchange and cooperation between its Southern Theater Command and the armies of ASEAN countries, said Chang. Regarding the so-called issue of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, Rear Admiral Guan Youfei, director of the Office for International Military Cooperation of the Chinese Central Military Commission, said the issue itself is a false proposition. Guan told the media after the meeting that over 100,000 vessels pass through the South China Sea each year, and none has claimed to have encountered any hindrance, trouble or danger. The situation points to the fact that freedom of navigation is never threatened in the South China Sea and therefore not a problem. China has always respected and defended all countries' freedom of navigation and fly-over in the South China Sea and other places in the world according to the international law, he said. As to the South China Sea arbitration initiated by the Philippines, Guan insisted that the Chinese government will not accept or participate in the case and will not recognize or implement the result whatever it might be. Peace, development, cooperation and win-win have become the trend of the times, he said, calling on all concerned parties to follow the trend and play a constructive role in maintaining regional peace, stability, development and prosperity. The 6th China-ASEAN defense ministers' Informal Meeting was held Wednesday after the 10th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting. File photo shows attendants pose for a photo beside the models of a high speed train during the China High Speed Railway on Fast Track exhibition in Jakarta, Indonesia, August 13, 2015. [Photo/Agencies] China is bidding for a high-speed railway in Southeast Asia as the country is eyeing the third key high rail projects overseas after the Jakarta-Bandung and Moscow-Kazan high speed rail. This comes as Sheng Guangzu, general manager of China Railway Corporation, wrapped up a three-day visit to Malaysia on Wednesday to promote the bid for a high-speed rail link connecting Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Led by China Railway Corp, the Chinese consortium also includes China Railway Rolling Stock Corp, China Railway Construction and China Railway Signal & Communication Corp. Members of the consortium are discussing details on how to carry out the project. "China has the world's most advanced and well-organized management system for its high-speed rail, with a series of measures to guarantee its safety," Sheng said in Kuala Lumpur, trying to introduce China Railway's rich experience to Malaysian authorities. Sheng also brushed off concerns over the safety on China's high-speed railways, citing a research by International Union of Railways (UIC) that put China's railways with one of the best safety track records worldwide. A source from China Railway was also quoted as saying that the Chinese consortium is getting an upper hand, given its relatively low construction costs and its appealing investment plans. The construction of the 350-kilometer railway, the first high-speed rail project in Southeast Asia, is estimated to cost 74.5 billion yuan ($11.3 billion). Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Germany's Siemens and French company Alstom also have expressed interest to bid on the international tender for the rail project. The rail link, once completed in 2020, is expected to cut travel time between the Malaysian capital and the Lion City to 90 minutes, compared with 3 hours by air and 7 hours by conventional rail line. In March, China Railway announced it was investing $2 billion to build a regional center in Bandar, Malaysia, which is close to the proposed site for the terminal of the high-speed line. Analysts suggest that China Railway's recent acquisition of stakes in Bandar will pave the way for the ongoing bidding process. Last June, China and Russia reached an agreement to build a high-speed railway line linking the capital city, Moscow, with the city of Kazan, marking China's first high-speed rail deal abroad. Brazil's interim President Michel Temer looks on during a ceremony for inauguration of the new Minister of Culture, Marcelo Calero, at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, May 24, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazilian interim President Michel Temer, who had tried to impress voters with a capable Cabinet, is having a lot of headaches brought by his ministers. Less than two weeks into office, Temer lost the minister of planning and budget, Romero Juca, who was caught on tape saying that the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff was necessary to halt the investigations against state-owned oil company Petrobras and other sectors. Juca announced that he was taking a leave of absence within hours after the recording was released on Monday. Temer took over from Rousseff after she was suspended as part of the impeachment proceedings. The recorded conversations added evidence to what Rousseff had repeatedly said -- the impeachment was a strategy to halt corruption investigations. Moreover, Education Minister Jose Mendonca Filho was severely criticized on Wednesday for holding a meeting with a porn actor and confessed rapist. Health Minister Ricardo Barros was also under fire for remarks that Brazil's public healthcare needs to be scaled down. Several anti-Temer protests have been held in the past two weeks, posing a severe challenge to the new administration. China and Vietnam can solve their maritime disputes as long as they draw on "successful experience" and do their work with "resolution, patience and perseverance", Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Thursday. Hua made the remarks after Reuters reported that Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that Vietnam wasn't pursuing a military buildup over the South China Sea and would seek peaceful solutions to disputes. Phuc also said his country needed regional friends and strategic partners to ensure peace. Spokeswoman Hua said: "As traditionally friendly neighbors, China and Vietnam totally have wisdom and capacity to solve relevant disputes through negotiation and consultation." She referred to the two countries settling bilateral land border disputes a "successful experience". After more than 30 years of negotiation, China and Vietnam finished demarcation of their land boundary line by signing three legal documents in 2009. On Tuesday, Chinese and Vietnamese diplomats attended a meeting held in Nanning, Guangxi to review the implementation of the documents. Hua said the settlement of disputes turned the two countries' 1,450-kilometer long land border "from a frontline of frontier defense to a bridge and link" for bilateral cooperation. By Cai Hong in Tokyo and Wang Qingyun in Beijing | China Daily | Updated: 2016-05-27 01:38 Promotional efforts should be combined by G7 and G20 nations, foreign minister says From left: Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, French President Francois Hollande, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, US President Barack Obama, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, European Council President Donald Tusk and British Prime Minister David Cameron walk to a shrine in Ise-Shima, Japan, on Thursday as part of the G7 Summit. Carolyn Kaste / REUTERS Foreign Minister Wang Yi appealed to the group of seven most industrialized nations on Thursday to work with the G20 major economies to push Asia's economic growth forward. The appeal came as the two-day G7 summit opened in Ise-Shima, Japan. Wang said Japan's leader should allow the G7 summit to focus on the development issues of the nations concerned rather than "doing things that are none of his business". He was speaking at a news conference in Beijing on the 100-day countdown to the G20 summit, which will be held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, in September. Wang said he hoped the G7 a forum for deliberating on the world economy would concentrate on economic and financial issues of global concern instead of exacerbating regional tensions related to the South China Sea issue. He added that coordination between the G20 and G7 whose members are included in the former is welcomed. Whatever issues it discusses, the G7 should take an objective position instead of having double standards. It should not differentiate its allies from others and inflame regional tensions, Wang said. He again clarified China's position on the South China Sea issue. Wang said that China, in line with international law, intends to negotiate with the countries concerned to solve disputes by peaceful means. Supported by an increasing number of nations, China will continue to uphold its "just stance". Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures to supporters while speaking in Bismarck, North Dakota, US, May 26, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] WASHINGTON -- Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee with no remaining rivals, on Thursday garnered the 1,237 delegates needed to secure the nomination, according to the latest Associated Press delegate count. Trump now has 1,238 delegates after a number of the party's unbound delegates said they would support the New York billionaire at the Republican national convention in July. "I think he has touched a part of our electorate that doesn't like where our country is," said Pam Pollard, the Republic chairwoman in the state of Oklahoma who is among these unbound delegates. The Republican primary effectively ended when the New York billionaire won the crucial victory in the Indiana primary earlier this month. His last two remaining competitors at the time, Texas senator Ted Cruz and Ohio governor John Kasich, quitted within 24 hours afterwards. Since then, Republicans have gradually, though many of them reluctantly, rallied behind Trump, helping him narrow the gap with Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton among voters nationwide while heading toward the general election in November. The real estate mogul's unexpected victory in the primary has also caused a wave of worldwide surprise and bewilderment. Earlier on Thursday, US President Barack Obama said during his trip to Japan that world leaders are "rattled" by Trump "for good reason." The world leaders "are not sure how seriously to take some of his pronouncements but they're rattled by him -- and for good reason, because a lot of the proposals that he's made display either ignorance of world affairs or a cavalier attitude," Obama said. He Kebin, dean of environmental studies at Tsinghua University, addresses the roundtable. HOU LIQIANG / CHINA DAILY Experts say Beijing's air quality will meet the World Health Organization's Grade 1 standards, as ever growing public concern and stern resolve from China's central government have put great pressure on local government leaders. The comments came as a new report A Review of Air Pollution Control in Beijing: 1998-2013 was made public on Wednesday at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, where the second session of the UN Environment Assembly is being held. The report said a comprehensive air pollution program launched in Beijing in 1998 has been largely successful. Carried out by UNEP and the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau, the report found that carbon monoxide and sulphur levels are now below limits set by China's National Ambient Air Quality Standards, while nitrogen dioxide and PM 10 levels are also inching closer to standards. The trend has been driven by a decrease in coal consumption in the power sector and a drop in vehicle emissions resulting from vehicle emission control measures, the report said. Coal use fell from a peak of 9 million tons in 2005 to 6.44 million tons in 2013, while the 2013 levels of carbon monoxide dropped by 76 percent compared to 1998. Li Xiaohua, deputy director of the Beijing Environment Protection Bureau, said in a media roundtable at the UNEA that the satisfying situation continued from 2013 to 2015. Air quality improvement continues from 2013 to now with an annual concentration of SO2 down to 13.5 micrograms per cubic metre (g/m) by 2015 and PM 2.5 concentrations down from 89.5 g/m in 2013 to 80.6 g/m in 2015, she said. With the 2013-2017 Beijing Clean Air Action Plan implemented in 2013, by the end of 2015, the core area of Beijing city had become a coal-free zone, more than 1.22 million old polluting vehicles had been scrapped, 8,800 diesel buses had been retrofitted, more than 1,000 polluting enterprises were closed or relocated and trees have been planted on an additional 70,000 hectares of land. A working group from Beijing and six of its neighboring provinces and municipalities was established to coordinate air pollution control at the regional level, as about 30 percent of the city's PM 2.5 is found to be contributed by regional migration, she added. Beautiful China, a newly opened photo and book exhibition in the tourism resort town of Queenstown, is helping boost China-New Zealand cultural exchanges. Liu Qibao, head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Vanessa van Uden, mayor of Queenstown, attend the opening ceremony of the Beautiful China photo and book exhibition in Queenstown, New Zealand, on Wednesday. Edmond Tang / China Daily More than 400 books, published in China but mostly in English, will help New Zealand's people and visitors get a better understanding of China in many areas, including politics, the economy and culture, said Guo Weimin, vice-minister of the State Council Information Office. Liu Qibao, the Communist Party of China Central Committee's publicity chief, attended the exhibition on New Zealand's South Island on Wednesday, the day it opened. Liu is leading a delegation of senior cultural officials who are visiting New Zealand from Tuesday to Thursday. Prime Minister John Key met with the delegation on Tuesday. The exhibition will introduce the English-language version of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, to Queenstown's people and visitors, Guo said during the exhibition's opening ceremony on Wednesday. During the meeting with New Zealand's prime minister, the two countries reached "important consensus" on cultural exchanges, Guo said. New Zealand is the first country to sign intergovernmental film and television co-production agreements with China. Vanessa van Uden, the mayor of Queenstown, said the city has witnessed enhanced cultural exchanges between China and New Zealand in recent years. "The number of Chinese tourists to Queenstown has increased rapidly in recent years during my term as the mayor of this city," she said at the ceremony. The exhibition is expected to help local people know more about China, and New Zealand could learn from China's experience in preserving history and protecting historical sites, she said. As part of the exhibition, about 70 photos focus on perspectives including world heritage in China, intangible cultural heritage and the unity of humans and nature. Geoff Marks, business development executive at Lake Wanaka Tourism, said that the exhibition is a good way for New Zealand's people to understand China. "After seeing the beautiful photo of Wulingyuan (in Hunan province), I have dreamed of visiting that place," said Marks, who has been to China five times and has visited such cities as Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu. Marks said that in recent years he has witnessed an increasing number of Chinese coming to New Zealand. The photo and book exhibition will inspire more New Zealanders to visit China, he added. anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn Chinese President Xi Jinping with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Antalya, Turkey, on Nov 16. PANG XINGLEI / XINHUA Barely five months after the free trade agreement between Australia and China came into force it is paying dividends for Australian businesses, says the Minister for Trade and Investment, Steven Ciobo. The government's decision to sign the deal had helped boost exports to China substantially, Mr Ciobo said earlier this month. The reduction and in some cases abolition of tariffs on agricultural products had led to a big rise in exports to China, something he said was greatly benefiting Australian businesses and would continue to do so for years to come. Among the best-performing items were wine, beef, seafood and vegetables. "Between January and March 2016, Chinese imports of Australian bottled wine grew more than 60 percent compared with the same period 12 months previously, to reach $US160 million ($222 million), as tariffs were cut twice, from 14 percent to 8.4 percent. "With tariffs cut, China's $9 million worth of imports of fresh Australian lobster between January and March were triple those of 12 months ago, and exceeded China's entire 2015 imports of Australian lobster. Milk powder and fresh cherry imports more than doubled." Mr Ciobo's enthusiasm for the trade pact echoes that of the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, who led a 1,000-company delegation, Australia's largest ever to China, recently. He said he was honored to be the first Australian prime minister to visit China since the trade deal came into force. 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. Analysts say the trade pact will promote the two countries' trade ties as both shift into sustainable growth focusing on Asia's burgeoning consumer economy. Wang Shouwen, China's vice-minister of commerce, said the China-Australia free trade agreement not only cemented China's competitive advantage for its traditionally strong industries, but also extended collaboration in areas such as infrastructure, energy and services. Trade between the two countries was worth $114 billion last year. China's exports to Australia rose 3 percent to $40.34 billion thanks to Australia's rising demand from China's infrastructure, machinery manufacturing and garment sectors. Australian agricultural goods trade with China including rice, wheat, wool and cotton have encouraged New Zealand to upgrade its free trade agreement with China, and sped up negotiations on other free trade deals and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, Mr Wang said. Shanghai YTO Express (Logistics) Co, China's third-largest express delivery firm by cargo aircraft number, will introduce more than three wide-bodied air freighters into its fleet in 2018 to conduct international delivery operations including those between China and Australia. Yu Weijiao, chairman of YTO Express, said that as Chinese consumers have switched from traditional staple foods to higher-protein foods such as beef, lamb and milk, the prices of these products will be attractive to China under the framework of the China-Australia free trade agreement. China now imposes tariffs of between 12 percent and 25 percent on Australian beef, but these will be phased out within nine years under the pact. Tariffs on Australian wine will be dropped by 2018. The agreement covers more than 10 areas, and includes a simplified review procedure for investments, most-favored-nation treatment, favorable market access rules and market transparency. "These terms will help Chinese companies diversify their business categories and raise their incomes in the global market," Mr Yu said. "We will have fewer restrictions in tapping the Australian market, and Australia will find new opportunities for its economic growth in the coming decade in partnership with China." Private Chinese investment under $US830,000 will not be subject to the approval of Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board. There is also an Investor State Dispute Settlement mechanism. China is Australia's largest export market, with commodities, natural resources and agricultural products at the top of its export list. Australia is also China's fifth-largest trade partner, with machinery, telecommunications equipment, computer, furniture and garment products as its pillar items for shipment, according to Customs data. Dereck Ji, senior partner of Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, said trade agreements such as those between Australia and China and South Korea and China can push large Chinese companies to upgrade their product content to design more items that are popular in these overseas markets. However, he warned that "Chinese manufacturers can no longer rely on low-cost materials and cheap labor to compete with foreign rivals. An open market doesn't mean lower prices and low value-added products, but brands, technologies and strategic market approaches for Chinese companies". Zhi Luxun, deputy director-general of the department of foreign trade at China's Ministry of Commerce, said China's fast-growing 4G telecom networks and the country's Made in China 2025 plan will lead to improvements in productivity and resource efficiency. "The potential benefits are even greater if they are extended to all stages of the value chain: suppliers, manufacturers, and customers, as well as global markets." Xinhua contributed to this story. The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) has been a game changer for Warren Randall. "I would go as far as saying that it has been the most significant market change we have seen in the wine sector in the last 39 years," said the chairman of Randall Wine Group, the biggest private grape grower and winemaker in Australia. "For years our biggest competitor in the Chinese wine market has been Chile," he told China Daily Asia Weekly from his vineyard in the Barossa Valley, South Australia. "Chilean wines have zero import duties while we had to compete with duties of 14-20 percent on packaged and bulk wines. "Since (ChAFTA) came into effect on Dec 20 last year, we have seen two cuts (in import duties) and by 2018 there will be no import duties which will put us on the same playing field as Chile." The Randall Wine Group currently exports 10-15 percent of its total production to China. But come Jan 1, 2018, when the final duty is removed, Randall said he expects the export figure to be around 40-45 percent. "The Chinese love our (Australian) wines, but in the past the duties had made our products very expensive. What the FTA has done is level the playing field and made us competitive. "China is an enormous market and with the ChAFTA it gives us greater access to that market. At the same time, it allows us to expand our business and employ more people here in Australia." Since ChAFTA came into effect, there have been two rounds of tariff cuts on Australian exports to China. The agreement removes barriers to trade in goods, services and investment; it also strengthens Australia's cultural, social and political relationship with China. More than 86 percent of Australia's goods exports to China will now enter duty free; this percentage will rise to 93 percent after four years, and 96 percent when the agreement is fully implemented. For lobster producers, however, the benefits of the agreement have yet to filter through. Andrew Lawrie of Sky Seafoods in South Australia said: "We have not noticed any change (due to ChAFTA) but it is still early days." Sky Seafoods exports almost 100 percent of its southern rock lobsters, with most of it going to China. "There is huge demand in China for our lobsters. The only problem we have is keeping up with that demand." China is Australia's largest market for southern rock lobsters. New ventures show how some Australian businesses are already responding to the new opportunities in China. One such move is the partnership between vitamin and health supplement manufacturer Blackmores and Bega, the dairy company, to produce infant formula for the China market. Managing director for Asia at Blackmores, Peter Osborne, said the company is "strongly supportive" of ChAFTA as it will deliver "significant benefits for Australia and Australian companies doing business with China". "Blackmores exemplifies the position that China can take in an Australian business's Asia and global growth strategy," he said. "Since launching in China in 2012, Blackmores has established itself as a high-quality premium natural health brand with Chinese consumers," Osborne said. "Through the establishment of a wholly owned foreign enterprise in Beijing, and branch offices in Shanghai and the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, we have rapidly expanded our presence in the market." The European Investment Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank are seeking to renew their cooperation to jointly finance projects and deepen regular strategic dialogues. The EIB announced on Thursday that its president, Werner Hoyer, will lead a high-level delegation on a five-day official visit to China this week. The bank says it was the first visit to China by a president of Europe's long-term lending institution since 2007, and provides an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between the European Investment Bank and Chinese partners support for investment in China, Asia and Europe. "The EIB has worked closely with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank during its creation to share technical and financial experience," a news release said. "President Hoyer is expected to agree a new framework to build on this cooperation to streamline joint financing of projects and ensure regular strategic dialogue between the two institutions." Up to twenty European countries have chosen to become the founding members of the AIIB, though the United States has not agreed. China and European Union are in the process of negotiating a joint fund linked to the Belt and Road Imitative and the European Investment Scheme. But it is not clear whether Hoyer will touch on this topic during his visit. The EIB says the visit will enable the European Investment Bank and Chinese partners to strengthen cooperation to support crucial investment in China and around the world. This includes working together to back climate-related investment. "Tackling climate change is a global challenge and since 2010 has been the main focus of the European Investment Bank's engagement in China. China is a key partner for the European Union's bank and together we look forward to achieving our common goals in the years ahead. said Hoyer ahead of the visit. In Beijing Hoyer will meet Finance Minister Lou Jiwei and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, as well as Xu Shaoshi, Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, Hu Huaibang, Chairman of the China Development Bank and Jin Liqun, President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank is the world's largest lender for climate related investment and global leader in issuing green bonds. To contact the reporter: fujing@chinadaily.com.cn (Photo : Getty Images) Scientists uncover a 5,000-year-old beer recipe in China. Advertisement Archaeologists have unearthed traces of a 5,000-year-old beer recipe with "advanced beer brewing technique" and elements of East and West in northern China. "The beer recipe indicates a mix of Chinese and Western traditions - barley from the West; mille, Job's tears and tubers from China," Jiajing Wang of Stanford University told AFP. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The ancient recipe was dug in underground pits at Mijiaya, near a tributary of the Wei River in northern China, presumably built between 3400 and 2900 BC. Included on the recipe discovered were funnels, pots and specialized jugs. Based on its sizes, experts believe these kits were used for the brewing, filtration and storage processes. Archaeologists found that ancient brewers not only used specialized tools but also "applied the same principles and techniques as brewers do today," Patrick McGovern, a biomolecular archaeologist from the University of Pennsylvania Museum, said. Moreover, finding a barley in the beer also surprised scientists. According to NPR, even though barley is a common staple in China, the history of how it first arrived in the country was unknown. However, researchers suggested barley made its way to the mainland around a thousand years earlier than previous notions. Some even suggested that when barley was first brought from Western Eurasia to the Central Plain China, it also came with the idea that it was a key ingredient for beer brewing. "So it was not only the introduction of a new crop, but also the movement of knowledge associated with the crop," Wang said. But ultimately, the question is how does ancient beer taste? "My guess is that the beer might have tasted a bit sour and a bit sweet," Wang said. "Sour comes from ferment cereal grains, sweet from tubers." The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Advertisement TagsBeer, beer recipe, barley, brewery, ancient brewery (Photo : YouTube) The upcoming Alcatel Flash 3 smartphone will feature deca-core processor, according to the GFXBench listing. Advertisement Chinese smartphone maker Alcatel is apparently planning to release another device soon. The company's upcoming device, called the Alcatel Flash 3, has been spotted on the online benchmarking website called GFXBench. According to the GFXBench listing, the upcoming smartphone will feature a powerful deca-core processor onboard. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Alcatel is one of largest China-based smartphone manufacturers in the world. The company is a direct competitor of other popular brands such as Huawei, Xiaomi, and ZTE. Alcatel is branching into the international market. The GFXBench listing revealed several features and specifications of the upcoming Flash 3 smartphone. As per listing, the Alcatel Flash 3 smartphone will come with a 4.6-inch display and a 1080 x 1920 pixels FHD screen resolution. The device will be powered by a deca-core 2.3GHz MediaTek Helio X20 MT6797 processor paired with Mali-T880 GPU onboard. The Flash 3 smartphone is equipped with 3GB of RAM onboard and has a built-in 32GB internal memory storage inside. It runs on Android 6.0.1 (Marshmallow) operating system out of the box. The device will sport a 13-megapixel main camera, capable of taking images up to 4160 x 3120pixels resolution and video recording up to 3840 x 2176 pixels resolution. In addition, it will have an 8-megapixel front snapper that can capture up to 3264 x 2448 pixels resolution and 4K (3840 x 2176 pixels) UHD video capturing. Other features the device offers include Bluetooth, Accelerometer, Compass, GPS/GPS-A, Pedometer, Proximity, Gyroscope, and Light Sensor. There is no word yet on when this smartphone will be available on the market. The price is also unknown for now. Advertisement TagsAlcatel, alcatel news, alcatel smartphone, alcatel flash 3, GFXbench (Photo : Getty Images) Two members of the U.S. Congress have voiced concerns over the fact that China is supplying Pakistan with nuclear technology and weapons. Advertisement Two senior members of the U.S. Congress have warned the Obama administration that China's supply of super sensitive nuclear weapons systems to Pakistan poses a serious security threat to the United States and Islamabad's arch rival India. U.S. Congress members Mike Rogers (Chairman of Sub-committee on Strategic Forces) and Ted Poe (Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Terrorism, Non-proliferation, and Trade) said that they are specifically concerned about China's supply of Transporter Erector Launcher (TEL) systems to Pakistan. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Both Congress members cautioned that the TEL systems could offer instant mobility to Pakistan's several medium range nuclear ballistic missiles including the Shaheen III. This will raise Pakistan's ability to strike anywhere in South Asia including India. The two senior U.S. lawmakers have asked the Obama administration to explain what concrete steps it will take to stop China from providing such lethal weapons to Pakistan. Rogers and Poe urged Obama Administration to seriously investigate the matter and impose tough sanctions on China if Beijing is found guilty of supplying the lethal weapon to Pakistan. The matter is already being seriously pursued by the U.S. Congress, according to sources familiar with the matter. For almost three decades, Pakistan has been one of the largest customers of China's weapons. China has provided Pakistan with several modern military weapons such as aircrafts, missile launchers, rockets and many other items. In 2013, China announced that it would help Islamabad construct the country's first nuclear power plants in Karachi. India and the U.S. have been highly suspicious and critical of China's nuclear cooperation with Pakistan. Both countries have expressed concerns about the safety of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. It is feared that Islamic terrorists operating near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border may get their hands on Pakistan's nuclear weapons. Advertisement Tagschina, Pakistan, Pakistan and China, India, India and China, US and China, Obama (Photo : NASA) NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, Jr. as a NASA astronaut] Advertisement NASA Administrator Charles Bolden's suggestion the United States should resume cooperation with China in space is bound to encounter fierce opposition in Congress, especially from the Republican Party that sees China as the "New Evil Empire." Bolden, an African-American and one of only 14 African-American astronauts to reach outer space, said Congress should revise U.S. laws, specifically U.S. Public Law 112-55, Sec. 539 that bans any cooperative effort among the space programs of both the U.S. and China. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "We were in an incredible Cold War with the Soviets at the time we flew Apollo-Soyuz. It was because leaders in both nations felt it was time," said Bolden. "That represented a great use of soft power, if you will. Look where we are today. I think we will get there (with China). And I think it is necessary." Bolden, a retired Major General in the U.S. Marine Corps, suggested initial steps to unfreeze the thaw such as "working on weather satellite data sharing and things like that. Things that will make critics on China on Capitol Hill a little bit more relaxed about the idea of cooperation." The 112th United States Congress in November 2011 banned NASA from engaging in bilateral agreements and coordination with China, a ban enforced under Public Law 112-55, Sec. 539. The specific provision states: "None of the funds made available by this Act may be used for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) or the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to develop, design, plan, promulgate, implement, or execute a bilateral policy, program, order, or contract of any kind to participate, collaborate, or coordinate bilaterally in any way with China or any Chinese-owned company unless such activities are specifically authorized by a law enacted after the date of enactment of this Act. "The limitation in subsection (a) shall also apply to any funds used to effectuate the hosting of official Chinese visitors at facilities belonging to or utilized by NASA. "The limitations described in subsections (a) and (b) shall not apply to activities which NASA or OSTP have certified pose no risk of resulting in the transfer of technology, data, or other information with national security or economic security implications to China or a Chinese-owned company." Public Law 112-55 is otherwise known as the ''Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012." The probability of the U.S. Congress enacting a new law to overturn Public Law 112-55, Sec. 539 is remote considering China's perceived hostility towards the U.S. in the South China Sea, the beefing-up of its military and the absence of lawmakers willing to go to bat for China. The right wing Republican Party is patently hostile towards China and its members control the committee in the House of Representatives responsible for NASA appropriations. The man who chairs the House of Representatives appropriations subpanel that oversees NASA, John Culberson (R-TX), is a space geek who in 2010 urged President Barack Obama not to allow further contact between NASA and the China National Space Administration (CNSA). "I have grave concerns about the nature and goals of China's space program and strongly oppose any cooperation between NASA and CNSA's human space flight programs without Congressional authorization," he said in a letter to Obama. Bolden said he doesn't not expect the ban to be lifted during his tenure that ends with that of Obama's. Advertisement TagsNASA, charles bolden, china, Public Law 112-55, Sec. 539, John Culberson (Photo : ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images) edical workers of Wenling No.4 People's Hospital transfer patients as typhoon Chan-hom approaches and houses of the hospital are in potential security liability on July 10, 2015 in Wenling, Zhejiang Province of China. Advertisement Chinese hospitals have reduced their use of antibiotics by 40 percent after the nation's top health authority undertook measures to regulate their use. These regulatory measures included the government's tighter control over the public's access to antibiotics, overhauling the system used by hospitals to dispense drugs, and the stricter monitoring of cases of antibiotic resistance, China Daily reported. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "The Chinese government recognized the challenges and implemented measures starting in 2012 to tackle that," explained Xiao Yonghong, a professor at the Institute of Clinical Pharmacology at Peking University. Xiao, who is also member of the Rational Drug Use Committee of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, noted the significant drop in the Chinese hospitals' use of antibiotics, as he cited the national surveillance network of drug use that links major hospitals nationwide. According to a recent global review conducted by a medical team headed by Britain's Lord Jim O'Neill, antibiotic resistance could result in one million premature deaths annually in China if left unaddressed. Anti-microbial resistance could in fact claim the lives of around 10 million people a year worldwide, the equivalent of one person every three second, which is more than the number of those who succumb to cancer. The study further pointed out that anti-microbial drugs are becoming less effective, and the world is not quick in developing new drugs that will address the growing concern of antibiotic resistance . "China could suffer an enormous loss of GDP because of that," noted O'Neill, who headed the team that reviewed the Chinese hospitals' use of antibiotics. The findings of the review team's research were also corroborated by Huang Liuyu, director of the Institute for Disease Prevention and Control of the People's Liberation Army. Huang said that there is a chance that excessive antibiotic residue can be passed on to humans through meat consumption, and increasing the possibility of people developing antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance happens when a microbe evolves into a different strain, and becomes stronger or fully resistant to the anti-microbials that were previously used to treat it. Findings of the review showed that China is world's biggest market of antibiotics, consuming about half of the volume of drugs sold worldwide. Of this volume, 48 percent are used to treat people, while the rest are utilized by the agricultural sector. It is hoped that with these more stringent government regulations, Chinese hospitals will be able to curb the excessive use of antibiotics. Advertisement TagsChinese Hospitals, Antibiotic Use, china (Photo : Getty Images) Satellite image of the Lingshui airfield on the coast of Hainan island in South China Sea. China is expected to build more military and civilian facilities on its newly reclaimed land in the South China Sea to strengthen its territorial claims. Advertisement China has defended its decision to construct civilian and military facilities on its islands in the South China Sea after coming under criticism from the United States, Britain, and Japan. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said during a routine press briefing on Wednesday that China's construction activities on its islands and reefs in the disputed waters are meant to safeguard the country's sovereignty and rights. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Hua pointed out that China's decision to build facilities in the area comes after other claimant countries have carried out illegal activities in the South China Sea. The other claimant countries in the South China Sea dispute are The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan. Hua's statement comes after the United States Secretary of State John Kerry said that China's actions in the South and East China Seas is threatening to create a tinderbox with the other countries involved in the dispute. British Prime Minister David Cameron has also said that China must abide by the laws. Cameron made the statement after arriving in Japan ahead of the upcoming G7 summit. He encouraged China to be part of the "rules-based world." "We want to encourage everyone to abide by these adjudications. I'm sure that will be something that will be discussed," Cameron said. During her statement, Hua claimed that the growing U.S. military presence and in the South China Sea is to be blamed for the heightening tensions among claimant countries. She also slammed Japan for putting the spotlight on the South China Sea issue ahead of the G7 summit. Hua said that that the G7 summit should focus on global economic governance and cooperation. She warned that Japan's "trick" to talk about the matter at the summit will not do any good and will not help to bring peace and stability to the region. Advertisement TagsSouth China Sea, disputed waters, Japan, United States, china, military presence, constructions, Philippines Stealth bikes. SilentHawk (top) and Nightmare. Advertisement The two models competing in the stealth motorcycle program of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) feature electric engines as quiet as a normal human conversation. The engines can also be used to recharge mobile devices such as radios and battlefield laptops. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Competing head-to-head for the lucrative contract to build the U.S. Army's stealth bike are SilentHawk by Logos Technologies based in Virginia and Nightmare from LSA Autonomy out of Maryland. DARPA funded both bikes to phase two development that saw the building of the prototypes. Both bikes are powered by two engines: a hybrid multi-fuel engine and an electric engine. The hybrid engine runs on a wide variety of fuels such as ordinary gasoline, diesel, Jet A-01 and JP-8. A lithium-ion electric battery powers the bike in its stealth mode and keeps engine noise down to 55 decibels, the sound of a normal human conversation. A quiet whisper is about 30 dB. The Army intends to use the winning prototype on raids to be launched by U.S. Special Forces units. SilentHawk is an upgraded RedShift MX dirt bike, which is an electric racing bike developed by Atla Motors in California. It uses the RedShift MX chassis and a special hybrid engine developed by Logos. Both bikes feature a front-wheel motor and rear motor. Nightmare, however, runs on a larger horsepower: 17 in front and 135 in back. The Nightmare averages around 13 kilowatts in generated power against 7.5 kilowatts for the Silent Hawk, making them suitable for charging radios and other mobile devices. Advertisement TagsDefense Advanced Research Projects Agency, DARPA, SilentHawk, Logos Technologies, nightmare, LSA Autonomy, stealth motorcycle Jordan Loyda was halfway to Billings from the Flathead Valley where he makes his home when he remembered just how long the drive was. Seven hours after he left, Loyda, a canvasser and supporter of anti-drug and anti-marijuana initiative Safe Montana, was shoulder to shoulder at Donald J. Trumps presidential campaign rally with a wide array of Montanans, ranging from Billings mayor Tom Hanel, to an active shooter defense consultant and even some Bernie Sanders supporters. Trump spoke for about an hour at the Thursday afternoon rally. Mayor Tom Hanel, while standing in the Rimrock Auto Arena tunnel, spoke about his reasons for attending the rally. For many years weve been promised changes, Hanel said. Im tired of these changes, and Im ready for some new ones. Hanel said Trumps business background was a big reason he believed in the candidates ability to succeed as president. When it comes to some of Trumps more controversial statements, like building a wall along the United States-Mexico border and banning Muslim immigration, Hanel said, They may be referred to as controversial, but many of those statements are what American citizens need to hear. Christine Wilnau, 34, showed up with her young children, 5-year-old Riley and 1-year-old Bryce. Wilnau said shes not really a Trump supporter (or a Bernie Sanders supporter or a Hillary Clinton supporter, for that matter), but the historical nature of a Billings visit from a presidential candidate is what brought her out. Weve never had three candidate choices this poor, Wilnau said, adding that shes considering supporting Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson. The dilemma there is, do you make your vote count or do you vote for the person you believe can do the job? Wilnau was among a small minority of attendees who werent Trump supporters. That wasnt the case with Loyda. Im a simple guy, Loyda said after finishing a Jimmy Johns sandwich. Im anti-abortion, Loyda said. He wants to overturn Roe v. Wade. Loyda said hes staying at the home of Safe Montanas leader Steve Zabawa and is a computer science and engineering student at Flathead Valley Community College. Loyda and other petitioners and vendors stood along the walkway from the Metras upper parking lot, forcing eventgoers to navigate a gauntlet of political and economic opportunists. Down near the Metra ticket boxes, a graveyard of refreshments, soda bottles and Big Gulp cups could be seen beside the door where security had forced event-goers to ditch their drinks. From there, the sounds of a man repeatedly singing save our nation, could be heard from the lower parking lot. Up the walkway from Safe Montanas table, two Bernie Sanders supporters stood quiet, holding signs for their candidate. Please Choose Love Not Hate," read 33-year-old Rindey Daughters' sign. I think my sign is making people think, Daughters said. Im excited people are participating in the political process. Daughters described herself as an environmental activist who is deeply concerned with the worlds climate. Additionally, Daughters said shes concerned about a Trump presidency because she believes he is a racist. His rhetoric reminds me of Hitlers, Daughters said. I never understood how the Holocaust happened. Now I feel I understand. Ralph and Cherie Moss drove five hours from their home in Joplin to see Trump speak. The married couple found a spot in line at about 10:30 a.m. just to make sure they got into the arena. (We supported Trump) from the beginning because he wasnt a politician, Ralph Moss said. Plus weve been a fan of his for years with 'Celebrity Apprentice' and 'The Apprentice.' Cherie Moss said their son served in Iraq and is a combat veteran. She thinks Trump is more supportive of the troops than the current administration and wanted a candidate who would love America. The couple came prepared. Cherie wore a Trump sweatshirt, and Ralph was in a T-shirt with a picture of President Barack Obama under the words TYRANT in bold red letters. But supporters without Trump swag had plenty of opportunity to purchase hats, shirts, pins and bumper stickers from the many vendor tables and carts outside the arena. Inside the arena, retired Air Force fighter pilot and current active shooter defense consultant Patrick Hoy said he was a longtime Republican and a conservative who was hoping to be convinced. One of his largest concerns is the nuclear deal with Iran. Im here to listen to what he says, as opposed to what the media reports, Hoy said. Im not here for all the yelling and screaming. Afterward, Hoy said he felt the speech was mostly rhetoric, but I agree on the Supreme Court stuff. I just wish he would stop bashing Republicans and bash Democrats more, Hoy said. Hoy said he thinks Trump will be our next president. I wish he would be more civil, Hoy said. The president sets the tone for how the country acts. Dave Kosmann, a 40-year-old Billings fitter-fabricator said, I liked it; I loved it, after the speech had ended. Kosmann said he likes Trumps plans for taking care of illegal immigration and fixing the economy. Kosmann said one of his best friends is a veteran, and he liked Trumps pledge of support for American veterans. Im pretty disgusted with how theyve been treated, Kosmann said. Sarah Pichler, a 21-year-old Montana State University Billings student originally from Columbus, was very happy with Trumps speech. It was really nice to finally hear him speak without the media twisting his words, Pichler said. I really liked how he got the crowd pumped up. He made some really good points. Agreed Tanner Thelen, a 19-year-old Trump supporter from Great Falls, agreed. I thought it was very eye-opening to hear what our country is becoming. Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders and former President Bill Clinton, stumping for his wife, Hillary Clinton, have both made appearances in Billings. The Montana primary election is June 7. (Photo : Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images) New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez speaks during the 2016 annual New York State Republican Gala on April 14, 2016 in New York City. Advertisement New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez has hit back at Republican presumptive presidential candidate Donald Trump saying that she will not be bullied after the real estate mogul said in a new statement that he thinks she is not doing her job. Martinez said in a statement that she will not be bullied into supporting a candidate until she is convinced that the White House hopeful will fight for New Mexicans. This comes after Trump told a crowd during a rally in Albuquerque that the governor mishandled the economy. He added that Martinez allowed a big increase in the number of food stamp recipients as well as allowed numerous Syrian refugees into the state. Trump's comments were made after the Republican governor was not able to make it to his rally because she was busy with other appointments. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Martinez's aide, Mike Lonergan, released a statement saying that the governor does not care about what Trump says about her as she only cares about what she can do to help New Mexicans. According to New Mexico political scientist Gabriel Sanchez, Martinez has been skeptical of Trump since he made comments about Mexico and Mexicans at the start of his campaign. Despite Trump's negative comments about the Latina governor, there are rumors that she is being considered for the vice presidential post alongside the GOP presidential hopeful. She will reportedly be a counterpoint to Trump's comments about immigrants, women, Muslims, and other sensitive issues. Martinez has not openly said that she will not be supporting Trump, a matter that is being criticized by the Democratic Party. The Mayor of Albuquerque also did not attend the rally. Trump and his team have not yet established GOP networks in the state. During the Trump's rally in Albuquerque, many anti-Trump protesters got violent. Dozens of protesters stomped at police cars and threw bottles and stones at police officers. Advertisement TagsNew Mexico governor, donald trump, Susana Martinez, Republicans, Albuquerque rally, Presidential elections 2016, not doing her job, Syrian refugees (Photo : Getty Images) Taiwan authorities on Wednesday said that that the country will not resume trade negotiations with China before it passes its controversial the supervisory bill. Advertisement Taiwan's Economics Minister Lee Chih-kung said on Wednesday that Taiwan has not set any schedule for re-starting trade talks with China. He revealed that the Taiwanese government wants to first pass its controversial 'supervisory bill' before resuming the negotiations. The supervisory bill makes it mandatory for all government officials to get legislative permission before, during, and after any talks with Beijing. This means that officials cannot sign any agreement with Beijing before all three stages of legislative approval are completed. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "The cross-Strait supervisory bill is still in parliament. Trade talks need the oversight, so to hold trade talks would be of no use," Lee said. Beijing has already condemned the 'supervisory bill' as it indirectly challenges the 'One China' principle. Analysts in Taiwan have been equally critical of the bill, saying that it could affect trade relations with China. Passing the controversial supervisory law is seen as an assertion of newly-elected President Tsai Ing-wen's "pro-independence" stance. Tsai and her party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), achieved a landslide victory in Taiwan's presidential election earlier this year. Staying true to her pro-independence views, Tsai conspicuously omitted the mention of "One China" principle in her inaugural speech on Friday. Tsai urged China to "set aside the baggage of history and engage in positive dialogue" in her first speech as Taiwan's leader. Following President Tsai's inaugural speech, Beijing was quick to issue a reminder that the "One China" principle will continue to be the main cornerstone of the relationship between two countries. The "One China" principle essentially states that China and Taiwan are part of one China. Advertisement TagsTaiwan, China and Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan President, One China principle (Photo : Getty Images) British Prime Minister David Cameron has said that China should respect whatever ruling the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) will hand down in the case about the South China Sea dispute. Advertisement British Prime Minister David Cameron on Wednesday called on China to respect and abide by the judgment of the international arbitration tribunal in the case filed by the Philippines against Beijing in 2012 over the South China Sea dispute. The court is expected to be handed down a ruling in the coming weeks. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement In a statement delivered upon arriving in Japan for the G7 summit, Cameron broke his silence on the South China Sea issue, warning that Britain will not condone China's increasing assertiveness in the disputed waters. Cameron criticisms of China comes amid criticism from Washington that London has been cozying up to Beijing and has been too accommodating. The British Prime Minister said China must respect and accept the impending ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the Hague. The court has been hearing the case the Philippines brought against Beijing challenging the latter's claims in the South China Sea despite China's decision not to participate in the proceeding. "Because we are in Japan, the regional picture will be a feature of this G7," Cameron said. 'Rules-based world' Cameron emphasized that it is not only in Britain's interest for China to abide by international laws, but for other countries as well. "We want to encourage China to be part of that rules-based world. We want to encourage everyone to abide by these adjudications. I'm sure that will be something that will be discussed," he said. Cameron said the international community is expecting Beijing to accept the arbitration court ruling whichever way it goes. Verdict Political observers have said that Cameron's comments are likely to infuriate Beijing. China has refused to recognize the jurisdiction of the Hague court and has publicly announced that it will not participate in the trial proceedings nor accept the verdict handed down. China has accused the Philippines of exercising bad faith by filing the case, despite Manila's announcements that it will start negotiations with Beijing on territorial claims in the South China Sea. Beijing said Manila is using the court to subvert the China's sovereignty in the region, denouncing the case as a 'blatant grab of territory.' Cameron and other G7 leaders are expected to tackle the South China Sea dispute in their two-day discussions in Japan, which will start on Thursday. Experts said Japanese officials will likely rally the leaders to voice their strong opposition against China's reclamation and construction work in parts of the disputed waters. Tokyo is also locked in a bitter dispute with Beijing over ownership of the Senkakus islands in the East China Sea. Advertisement TagsBritish Prime Minister David Cameron, arbitration court ruling, G7 summit, South China Sea, china (Photo : Theodore W. Pietsch, University of Washington/ESF) Lasiognathus dinema: female in the northern Gulf of Mexico Advertisement Scientists have now revealed the Top 10 New Species of 2016, that includes a giant Galapagos tortoise, a grotesque anglerfish and even an early human ancestor, that have all been selected as some of the best new discoveries from last year. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Among 18,000 new species, researchers from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, have chosen the top 10 of last year. According to SUNY-ESF president, Quentin Wheeler, in these past 50 years, many species came to be recognized as critically endangered and almost on the brink of extinction, at very alarming rates. Now, researchers aim reveal these amazing new species, to spread awareness about immediate threats to biodiversity and to also establish an archive as well before they disappear completely in this world. Wheeler also says that the rate that new species that continue to be discovered and proliferate is also at a larger rate and faster rate which is a positive sign. In further exploring the planet's biodiversity, discovering more clues is essential to lead to more efficient and sustainable ways for human consumption and for a wider scale of conservation success. A glimpse of the Top 10 list: The new species of Giant Galapagos Tortoise known as Chelonoidis donfaustoi was discovered to only consist of just 250 individuals that are originating from an eastern population of the island. A newly discovered human ancestor known as Homo naledi, was uncovered in South Africa from a 1,550 fossils from 15 individuals, dating back to 2 million years ago. This humanoid consists of features and characteristics from the Australopithecus and Homo species, which modern humans are part of. A rather ugly looking anglerfish known as the Lasiognathus dinema was discovered in the Gulf of Mexico during a NOAA investigation of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. These grotesque fish are known to thrive in the deepest parts of the oceans where they possess an esca or illicium which acts as a lure that protrudes on front of their heads like an antenna, dangling a light on its tip. Other new species that are also included in this list is the Laia, the Little Ape from Spain (Pliobates cataloniae), the carnivorous Giant Sundew (Drosera magnifica), a new crustacean known as the House-building isopod (Iuiuniscus iuiuensis), the ruby red Seadragon (Phyllopteryx dewysea), the Paddington Bear beetle (Phytotelmatrichis osopaddington), the Umma Gumma damselfly and finally, a tiny, flowering tree (Sirdavidia solannona). Advertisement Tagstop 10 new species, endangered species, extinct species, Biology, Biodiversity (Photo : DARPA) DARPA's headquarters in Virginia Advertisement The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is spending heavily to automate the cyber defense responses of the U.S. military to counter distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks that are widely expected to precede a limited armed conflict or a full-scale war with another nation. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement DARPA's answer to this deadly threat is Extreme DDoS Defense or XD3. This program will alter the way the military protects its networks from high- and low-speed DDoS attacks. The general public and private business firms will also benefit from this program. A DDoS attack occurs when multiple systems flood the bandwidth or resources of a targeted system such as the Pentagon's using one or more web servers. These attacks are difficult to thwart since multiple machines are used to overwhelm a target. It's also difficult to deal with since responses to DDoS attacks are usually delayed and manually driven. Over the past seven months, DARPA has awarded seven XD3 multi-million dollar contracts to Georgia Tech, George Mason University, Invincea Labs, Raytheon BBN, Vencore Labs and the University of Pennsylvania. DARPA said the nature of DDoS attacks span a wide range. Botnet-induced volumetric attacks, which can generate hundreds of gigabits per second of malicious traffic, are perhaps the best-known form of DDoS. "However, low-volume DDoS attacks can be even more pernicious and problematic from a defensive standpoint. Such attacks target specific applications, protocols or state-machine behaviors while relying on traffic sparseness (or seemingly innocuous message transmission) to evade traditional intrusion-detection techniques." DARPA noted the current art in DDoS defense generally relies on combinations of network-based filtering, traffic diversion and "scrubbing" or replication of stored data (or the logical points of connectivity used to access the data) to dilute volumetric attacks and provide diverse access for legitimate users. It said these approaches fall well short of desired capabilities in terms of response times and the ability to identify and to thwart low-volume DDoS. Current methods also don't have the ability to stop DDoS within encrypted traffic. There is also the need to defend real-time transactional services such as those associated with and military command and control. DARPA laments that responses to DDoS attacks are too slow and manually driven. Diagnosis and formulation of filtering rules often take hours to formulate and execute. This means a clear need exists for fundamentally new DDoS defenses with far greater resilience to DDoS attacks across a broader range of contexts, than existing approaches or evolutionary extensions. Advertisement TagsDefense Advanced Research Projects Agency, DARPA, Extreme DDoS Defense, XD3, distributed denial-of-service attacks, DDoS (Photo : Getty Images) Just weeks ahead of the inauguration of Shanghai Disneyland, Wanda Group will open its first outdoor theme park in Jiangxi province. Advertisement Wanda Group is set to open its first outdoor theme park dubbed "Nanchang Wanda City" in Jiangxi province on Saturday. The opening of Wanda Group's ambitious outdoor theme park is perfectly timed ahead of the inauguration of the much-anticipated Disney Resort in Shanghai. The Disney Resort in Shanghai will officially open its doors to visitors on June 16. Millions of tourists are expected to visit Shanghai's Disneyland Park during the initial weeks of its launch. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Earlier this week, Chinese newspaper The Beijing News claimed that the opening of the Disneyland Park in Shanghai may push up the airfares to the city. The newspaper estimates that nearly three million air travelers will fly to Shanghai in 2016 to visit the Disney Resort. However, Wanda Group's billionaire founder Wang Jianlin has vowed to give Disney a run for the money. "We will make Disney's China venture unprofitable in the next 10 to 20 years," Jianlin said in an interview on a state-owned television channel. Jianlin added that Disney should not have entered the Chinese market, claiming that the US giant has very little knowledge about the local market. To keep up the pressure on Disney, Wanda has kept the ticket prices of 'Nanchang Wanda City' comparatively very modest. The weekday tickets would cost 198 Yuan ($30) and 248 Yuan ($38) on weekends and public holidays. Meanwhile, Disney's weekday tickets would be 370 Yuan ($56) and weekend 499 Yuan ($76). Wanda Group also plans to build several new theme parks across the country. 'Hefei Wanda City' in Anhui province is expected to open in September while five more theme parks are under construction in Heilongjiang, Guangdong, and Sichuan. Advertisement Tagschina, Disney Resort Shanghai, wanda group, wang jianlin, Nanchang Wanda City (Photo : Xavier MUTH - Get in Situ, Archeotransfert, Archeovision -SHS-3D, base photographique Pascal Mora) A 3D reconstruction of the structures in the Bruniquel Cave. Advertisement Scientists just found two mysterious stone rings deep inside a cave that is most likely built by Neanderthals some 176,500 years ago, suggesting that these ancient human ancestors were more complex than first thought. This cave is located in Bruniquel, in the southwestern region of France, where researchers found hundreds of structures inside the cave made from mineral deposits known as stalagmites that are shaved off in similar lengths that are interestingly laid out in an oval pattern at about 16 inches tall. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement This cave full of mysterious stalagmites was first discovered in 1990, that were found to be in pristine conditions for more than 10,000 years due to a rocky landslide that closed the mouth of the cave. Past studies already suggest how these structures already existed even before the arrival of modern humans in Europe some 45,000 years ago. Before, it was thought that Neanderthals were not capable of complex behaviour and now, they could even show telltale signs of culture and creativity from past evidence. In this new study, scientists utilized advanced dating methods and revealed that these stalagmites where broked off from the ground some 176,500 years back, which could possibly be the oldest known human made constructions, according to lead author of the study, archaeologist Jacques Jaubert from the University of Bordeaux, France. Researchers say that stalagmite presence from 368 yards within the entrance of the cave, suggests how these ancient humans already mapped out their underground environment, which is considered as a huge milestone in human evolution. Jaubert and team also ruled out that these meticulously constructed rings that reveal evidence of fire, could have been inadvertently made by animals like bears and wolves, where their skeletal remains were also found near the cave entrance. He says that these structure are undeniably made by humans. His theory involves that these humans must have embarked on an excursion to explore deeper into this cave where there is no natural light inside, most likely as a group, who then built these rings together and used fire to illuminate the cave. The reason behind this is still unknown and it could be of extraordinary origins, such as symbolic or ritualistic meeting purposes. This new study is published in the journal Nature. Advertisement Tagsstone rings cave neanderthals, neanderthals, Human evolution, neanderthals cave france, France, bruniquel (Photo : Getty Images) Starbucks will open its first international roastery in China in 2017. Advertisement American coffeehouse Starbucks announced on Thursday that it will establish its very first roastery in Shanghai, China, next year. This will be the first Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room outside the United States. Currently, Starbucks has one roastery operating in Seattle, and it has made deals to open another one in New York. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Amid the economic slowdown, Starbucks is heavily investing in the Chinese market. In April, the coffee brand revealed that its business in China is strong. "I wouldn't be surprised if one day we have more stores in China than we do in the U.S.," Howard Schultz, Starbucks' CEO, told CNBC. "We've been so successful in China over many years and we're just starting to get the morning-day part - where we're educating local Chinese to drink coffee in the morning." China is the company's largest international market. It has over 2,100 outlets in more than 100 cities in the country. In Shanghai alone, there are 300 Starbucks stores. According to Schultz, even though the company sees a potential for strong expansion in the country, it will not hasten the pace that it opens new stores in China. Instead, Starbucks plans to open 500 branches per year over the next five years. Schultz said the company is not worried about potential economic changes in the country over time. He is confident that Starbucks will succeed and establish long-term value for its shareholders. "If there's something cataclysmic, that certainly could change our plans," he said. "We have no intent of slowing down. We're building our business in China and playing the long game." Advertisement TagsStarbucks, china, coffee, roastery, Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room Tom Cruise as Commander Jack Harper in the 2013 sci-fi movie, Oblivion Advertisement If Tom Cruise became an NASA astronaut like he desperately wanted to, he'd have died 13 years ago in a grisly fireball. The Hollywood A-lister can thank his lucky stars he didn't suit up for a trip to the International Space Station in 2003 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement That ill-starred shuttle disintegrated on re-entry on February 1, 2003, killing all seven astronauts. There's a chance Cruise would have been one of those astronauts. The story of how Cruise got lucky and cheated death hasn't been told before. But it's now come to light and it's a fascinating tale of what hadn't been. It sounds like the plot to a Hollywood movie but it deserves the benefit of the doubt. Cruise seems to have made a deal with NASA back then. In exchange for going into space, Cruise voiced a 3D Imax film, "Space Station," in 2002 for NASA and helped enhance their website. Former NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe, who headed NASA from 2001 to 2004, said it was Cruise who encouraged him to redesign NASA's website. According to O'Keefe, Cruise came in and visited NASA one day. Cruise, who was decribed by O'Keefe as "a big space nut," said NASA's "got this great website with tons of information on it and it's perfectly designed for a lot of research faculty across the globe, I guess, that is going to be of interest to them. But to the rest of us it's three clicks to oblivion and you go the next thing and you find yourself nowhere." Sources say Cruise received "secret" astronaut training from NASA. Flying in space wouldn't have been scary for Cruise who's a qualified pilot that flies his own GulfStream IV Jet. As part of that training, Cruise received an induction course from NASA in Florida and was taught how to replicate walking in a space suit by wading in a water tank. "He was very enthusiastic about doing Space Station 3D but the deal was he also wanted to fly in the Space Shuttle," said Toni Myers, director of Space Station. It isn't known why exactly he never made it onto Columbia but nobody, especially Cruise, regrets that. Advertisement TagsTom Cruise, astronaut, NASA (Photo : Getty Images) China on Thursday issued a veiled warning to G7 leaders to refrain from discussing South China Sea issue at the ongoing G7 Summit in Japan. Advertisement China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday that he hopes G7 leaders will avoid escalating tension in the region by focusing on economic issues. Beijing's remark is seen as a veiled warning to G7 leaders to refrain from discussing the South China Sea and East China Sea dispute at the ongoing G7 Summit in Japan. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "We hope the G7 will focus on urgent economic and financial matters," Wang Yi told reporters at a news briefing. "We do not want to see actions that escalate tensions in the region." Wang's statement comes just hours after British Prime Minister David Cameron took a tough stance on China ahead of the judgment on the South China Sea case by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague. Cameron urged China to abide by the judgment of the court. "We want to encourage China to be part of that rules-based world. We want to encourage everyone to abide by these adjudications. I'm sure that will be something that will be discussed," Cameron said. China fears that US and Japan will use the G7 Summit as a platform to further isolate China on South China Sea Issue. Political experts have noted that both countries will try to seek a strong statement from other G7 leaders on China's recent assertive actions in the South China Sea and the East China Sea. After the G7 Summit, leaders from developed and developing countries will arrive in China to attend G20 Summit in September. China has already stated that it would not allow any discussion of political matters during the G20 Summit. China has reiterated that main aim of G20 Summit is to promote growth and any deviation from this aim would not prove fruitful. Advertisement Tagschina, South China Sea Issue, G7 Summit Japan, G7 Summit 2016 (Photo : Getty Images) Terry Gou, CEO of Foxconn Technology group speaks during the news conference on June 18, 2015 in Chiba, Japan. Advertisement Electronics manufacturing firm Foxconn has allegedly replaced some 60,000 factory workers in China with robots. In an interview with the BBC News, Foxconn admitted that it was beginning to automate a number of its manufacturing tasks related to operations. However, it did not say whether this will continually cut down jobs in the long run. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Foxconn, which supplies and assembles Apple and Samsung products, said introducing such robots will free employees from doing repetitive tasks to focusing on higher cognitive jobs in manufacturing such as research and development, quality control and process control. "We will continue to harness automation and manpower in our manufacturing operations, and we expect to maintain our significant workforce in China," the company said. The move is part of the extensive reduction of employees across the Kunshan region, in Jiangsu province. For instance, a government official told the South China Morning Post that one factory has "reduced employee strength from 110,000 to 50,000 thanks to the introduction of robots." Over 600 companies are allegedly looking at the possibility of slashing off headcounts with robots to accelerate growth, save money and gain more profits. As part of the initiative, Foxconn and other Taiwanese companies have splurged four billion yuan ($610 million) on artificial intelligence. With the country heavily investing into such technology, Xu Yulian, Kunshan region's head of publicity, believes "more companies are likely to follow suit." Meanwhile, experts have warned about the impact that these changes will make on the job industry. A consultant from Deloitte in partnership with Oxford University suggested that about 35 percent of jobs are highly at risk over the next two decades. Advertisement TagsFoxconn, Robots, apple, Samsung, Workforce (Photo : Reuters) Honda Motor Co President and Chief Executive Takahiro Hachigo speaks next to the NSX during a presentation at the 44th Tokyo Motor Show in Tokyo, Japan. Advertisement In Honda's factory located in Ohio, workers cheered as the first ever 2017 Acura NSX rolled out of the assembly line on Tuesday, May 24. The highly anticipated and widely loved supercar is expected to help boost the sales of Honda's premium line of cars. The historical event took place nearly four years after Honda began building the Acura NSX in its Ohio complex. Top Honda executives claim that the car will highlight Honda's commitment to quality and will also show the company's manufacturing expertise. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Honda is expecting the 2017 Acura NSX to once again fuel interest in the company's premium brand, which has arguably been left behind the shadow of its rivals like Toyota's Lexus. NASCAR racing team owner and auto dealer Rick Hendrick was the first to purchase an NSX for $1.2 million. He also believes that the car will be a massive hit, according to Fox Sports. Hendrick was one of the attendees who witnessed the first Acura NSX car roll out of the Ohio plant. In a statement acquired by USA Today, Hendrick said, "The most amazing thing that I saw today were the smile on everybody's face when I walked to the plant. You've got something special here. You have a culture - you can't buy culture and you sure can't buy the enthusiasm that you have." Hendrick, who is also a car collector, made the news when he bid $1.2 million for the first NSX in an auction in January. The proceeds will be donated to charity. Acura engineers are building the 2017 NSX at the Honda's 206,000-square-foot Performance Manufacturing Center. The plant is a low-volume manufacturing plant which is designed to handle the manufacturing process of Honda's top-performing cars. The plant is also a test-bed for some of Honda's high-tech manufacturing processes. The plant was formerly a logistics center. Honda spent more than $70 million to transform the center into the top-of-the-line manufacturing plant that it is today. Advertisement TagsAcura, Acura NSX, NSX, Honda, Honda NSX, 2016 Acura, 2016 Acura NSX The Asian American Initiative at Fuller Theological Seminary hosted its first all-day conference on Saturday exploring Asian American identity, and how it relates to an individual's understanding of the gospel. In particular, the conference aimed to examine that intersection through the lens of pop culture, as guest speakers included comic book writer and artist Gene Luen Yang, blogger Phil "Angry Asian Man" Yu, musician Tim Ouyang of Tim Be Told, and comedian and writer Jenny Yang. "Pop culture is huge right now," said Ken Fong, the executive director of the Asian American Initiative at Fuller. "We wanted to see the convergence of all that -- culture, Asian American identity, and the gospel. And we wanted to highlight these individuals who keep their faith in the midst of what they do -- in Gene's case, he's kept faith at the center of his work." "It's changing for the better, but we've still got a long way to go," Fong added, referring to the progress of Asian American dialogue and representation. "We want to reach a deeper understanding of the gospel, but in order for us to get there, all of this matters, including our Asian American identity. You can't get there without an understanding of the culture," said Daniel Lee, program director of the Asian American Initiative. An afternoon portion of the conference included a panel with Gene Yang, Phil Yu, and Tim Ouyang, along with Asian Americans involved in ministry, including Jerome Mammen, the area director for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in Orange County, and Margaret Yu, the national executive director of Epic Movement, the Asian Ameican ministry of Cru. (Photo : Christianity Daily) (From left to right: Daniel Lee, Jerome Mammen, Margaret Yu, Gene Yang, Phil Yu, Tim Ouyang) Panelists at the recent 'Altered Egos' conference at Fuller Theological Seminary shared their experiences and thoughts on the intersection of the Asian American identity and the gospel. Several panelists shared experiences of pain and discrimination. Jerome Mammen, who is Indian American and often grows out his beard, shared that he was once misunderstood as a terrorist. "Someone took my license plate number down and reported me," Mammen said. The FBI showed up at his home, and requested to investigate. "That's when I realized again, how I see myself is different from how others see me," he explained. For Phil Yu, a turning point that sparked his activism for the Asian American community was watching a documentary about Vincent Chin, who was killed in 1982. "I remember I was shaking in my chair," Yu said of the experience. "And I was just thinking, 'How come I'm only learning about this now? That could've been me.'" But when trying to promote Asian American identity in the journey of deepening their faith, panelists said they often found themselves faced with opposition or dismissal from within and outside of the church, panelists shared. "People would say, 'You're Christian before being Asian,' but some people say that because they don't have anything to lose," said Daniel Lee. "But for us, it's such a huge chunk of who we are." Gene Yang shared that some would criticize him for integrating his faith into his work. "Someone once said that my work feels like a 'colonized version of the Asian American experience,'" Yang said. "As though White culture is dominating again and has a foothold in my art." "I still don't know a good resolution to that," Yang said. "I just live in the tension." To that, Daniel Lee argued, "Christianity actually started from the East." "But it seems that White normativity is so pervasive that it makes people think that Christianity is 'White' or 'Western,'" he added. Dismissing the physical and only emphasizing the spiritual identity as a Christian is counteractive to deepening one's faith, said Margaret Yu. "When we separate the spiritual and the physical, that's gnosticism," said Yu. "And when we separate those two parts, we're missing out on Jesus. He wants to redeem all of us, including our culture." "I don't think you can divorce culture from Christianity. The way you see God is fundamentally shaped by culture," said Tim Ouyang. "I have faith he's sovereign over all of these things. Every single culture has a gift. He's poured out a bit of who He is in each culture." An individual's culture and heritage also allows for greater ministry opportunities, added Jerome Mammen, referring to the Apostle Paul as an example. "Paul says that all of the earthly things are loss compared to the gospel, but when he goes to places to preach, he uses all those things -- his Roman citizenship, speaks in Hebrew -- to do his ministry," he explained. The panelists didn't seem to offer a blanket resolution to counteract the challenges of intersecting faith with culture within and outside of the church. But each did seem to have advice to share on an individual level in terms of how to reconcile or navigate through them. "Pursue the most authentic version of yourself," said Phil Yu. "Just be unashamed for being Asian." "In the margins of the tension, you'll find Jesus. Bring your questions to him: 'What do you say about me being Asian?'" advised Margaret Yu. "I've become content knowing I'm not going to fit in anywhere. But being an alien in a foreign land is normal, and that's good news," shared Jerome Mammen. "You can't wait for all of your questions or internal conflicts to be resolved. You just have to be able to live in that tension," said Gene Yang. "As long as you are solidified in the fact that you are loved, you are significant -- you'll be free to do what you want," shared Tim Ouyang. "You don't have to be bound by what others say about you." press@cdaily.co.kr - Copyright , #AsianAmericanMinisters Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy A day after Montana Department of Transportation director Mike Tooley spoke in Billings about the current spike in serious traffic crashes, a group thats spent months compiling data has made public its expressed goal of reducing the number of fatalities and serious injuries resulting from such crashes by 20 percent in the next four years. About 25 police, transportation and health care experts, first responders, transportation engineers and others met Wednesday afternoon for a safety summit in pursuit of developing the Billings Community Transportation Safety Plan, the seventh such plan in the state. With the help of MDT, a steering committee has already compiled 10 years worth of local crash data. On Wednesday the consulting firm DOWL, hired through a grant from MDT to help develop the local transportation safety plan, presented the data and then divided attendees into three groups to tackle three of the most common contributors to serious and fatal crashes in the Billings area unrestrained occupants, impaired drivers and inattentive driving/speeding. The groups discussed next steps needed to reduce, by 20 percent, the five-year rolling average of fatalities and serious injuries in the Billings area that are the result of crashes. That number is currently 70 per year; the goal is to slice that five-year rolling average to 56 by 2020. For a town our size, that is an aggressive goal, said Doug Enderson, a transportation engineer in DOWLs Billings office. The key, DOWLs transportation planning manager Sarah Nicolai said, is for the many groups represented Wednesday to work together and share successes with one another. Theres no magic answer. No one group or agency can do it on their own, she said. Thats why MDTs process for creating community safety plans involves what it calls the four Es: education, enforcement, emergency medical services and engineering. The groups meeting Wednesday had an entire booklet of crash data at their fingertips. From 2005-2014, 1,677 people were injured in Billings-area crashes because they were unrestrained. Of those, 314 were killed or seriously injured. Saturday was the worst day for injuries to unrestrained occupants, and July the worst month. The highest-rated proven countermeasures, according to material distributed during the safety summit, include allowing police to stop and cite a violator independent of any other traffic violation; increasing fines for not using seat belts; and using short-term, high-visibility seat belt law enforcement. Impaired driving resulted in almost 2,000 injuries in and around Billings over the 10-year period and 248 deaths and serious injuries. The most commonly-impacted age group was people 14-25. Proven countermeasures include saturation patrols, limits on diversion and plea agreements, alcohol screening, and interventions and alcohol interlocks. Inattentive driving and speed are lumped together, Enderson said, because they have the same behavioral issues and will require similar strategies to control. During the 10-year period, 2,245 people in the Billings area suffered injuries from crashes caused by inattentive driving, with 93 of them killed or seriously injured. Speed-related crashes injured 906 people, with 86 of those killed or seriously injured. The best countermeasures for reducing the number of both crash categories, the data indicates, include speed limits, graduated driver licensing and high-visibility cell phone and text messaging laws. Taking their cue from Montanas goal of completely eliminating crash deaths, the local group has this vision: The Billings community will achieve zero fatalities and serious injuries through a culture of safety for all travelers. Organizers said they plan to complete the Billings Community Transportation Safety Plan by August. Residents can send comments to Nicolai by emailing snicolai@dowl.com. Chewbacca mom tells Buzzfeed: Christians not bigoted, narrow-minded 'that's really not who we are' Guest Reviewer | 26 May, 2016 by Michael Foust SAN FRANCISCO (Christian Examiner) "Happy Chewbacca mom" Candace Payne told a BuzzFeed Facebook audience Tuesday that her relationship with Christ is the secret to the joy seen in her viral video. BuzzFeed interviewed Payne in San Francisco just before she boarded a flight after visiting the headquarters of Facebook, which recognized her for her Facebook Live record-breaking video. "When you really know who you are, you don't have to impress anybody ... you can laugh at yourself, and it's OK," Payne told BuzzFeed's Alex Kantrowitz. Kantrowitz then asked, "It's tough for a lot of people to get there. So what do you think helped you get there?" Story continues below video "I have unashamedly said from Day 1 that I am a follower of Jesus Christ," Payne responded. "And I think sometimes, we have painted a broad paintbrush on Christians to think that we're very narrow-minded, that we're bigoted, and that we're haters. And that's really not who we are. "But the truth is that my relationship with Jesus Christ has completely made me who I am because He's told me who I am. And once you know that you're loved by God and not just a god, but the God that created everything your whole life changes. You don't have to impress anybody else, because you've got the one opinion that matters." Payne's infectious, joyful life turned her simple video into a viral one that has now been viewed more than 147 million times. As Christian Examiner previously reported, the Texas resident studied at Ouachita Baptist University, a Southern Baptist related college in Arkadelphia, Ark., and has been a worship leader since age 14. She sings, plays the guitar and writes music. "We have a heart for our local church and just being obedient to God in the way we raise our kids and love our friends," Payne told the Christian Examiner. South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has signed a bill into law that makes it illegal for women in the state to obtain abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. South Carolina is the 13th state to enact such a law, after Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. CNN reports the bill, called the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, says that medical evidence supports fetuses can feel pain as early as 20 weeks. According to the bill, "After twenty weeks, the unborn child reacts to stimuli that would be recognized as painful if applied to an adult human, for example, by recoiling. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists argued that fetal perception of pain is unlikely before the third trimester. The third trimester starts at 28 weeks of pregnancy. "Facts are very important, especially when discussing the health of women and the American public, the organization said in a statement. Physicians who violate the new South Carolina law will be charged with a misdemeanor offense, with a maximum sentence of three years in jail and a fine. Publication date: May 26, 2016 Most Protestant pastors like to preach in prison, but few have resources to run effective prison ministry, according to a new LifeWay Research study. About 83 percent of pastors had personally visited prison, but they cited many barriers to setting up formal prison ministries, and jail visits are mainly carried out by individual volunteers and pastors at church. Almost all of the pastors (97 percent) said that they want to help families of the prisoners and care for ex-inmates who are released back into the world. However, Scott McConnell, vice president of LifeWay Research, said that few pastors were in regular contact with convicts, and that prison ministry was not one of their top priorities. "When half the pastors haven't had someone from their church sent to jail, then prison ministry isn't on their ministry radar," he said. Some 31 percent of pastors said that former inmates do not attend their church. But another 36 percent said that they have one or two former inmates in their congregation, and 33 percent of pastors have three or more former inmates in their church. About 61 percent of pastors minister to families of inmates, and 48 percent said their church members preach in prison or correctional facilities. Some 58 percent provide help to those who leave correctional facilities. America has the highest number of incarcerated people in the world, with over 2.2 million serving sentences in federal and local prisons currently. Though other ministries such as volunteering at food pantries and distributing school supplies are easy to initiate, prison ministries are more difficult and require special training, finances, and long-term commitment from volunteers, according to survey results. As many as 62 percent of pastors say their churches lack training facilities, and 65 percent said they don't have enough volunteers, which prove to be barriers in staring prison ministries. Some 40 percent said that they do not even know where they should start to be involved in it. About 29 percent said that their churches have too many ministries, while 21 percent did not see a need for the ministry. Lack of finances was also cited as one of the major hurdles in starting the prison ministry, with almost half (48 percent) of the pastors lamenting lack of finances as one of the reasons for not starting prison ministries. Meanwhile, donations to prison ministries have declined 6 percent between 2014 and 2011, according to a report from Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. "These are messy, long-term ministries," said McConnell. "You really have to demonstrate biblical faithfulness to be involved with them." Last month, a just-freed inmate was appointed as a pastor at Saddleback's prison ministry, after having served 32 years behind bars for two murders. Convict Danny Duchene was involved with Saddleback Church for the last several years, and was trained by Pastor John Baker to lead the prison ministry after his release. "I think the normal prison environment teaches men to be isolated," Duchene told the Orange County Register. "They're separated from their families. They have guilt and shame of their crimes. By hoping for a changed life and not coming back, they find support of other men who want the same thing compared to the normal environment of prison peer pressure to do the wrong thing - to become part of a gang, or take a racist or an anti-authority perspective." Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards signed a bill into law on Thursday that would require women to wait 72 hours before they can get an abortion. House Bill 386, or the Womans Enhanced Reflection Act, extends the waiting period from 24 hours to 72 hours, making Louisiana the sixth state to impose the longest waiting period in the country. The waiting period begins after the woman attends a mandatory counseling session with a doctor and receives an ultrasound. Anti-abortion activists consider the passage of the bill a victory for women in Louisiana, in hopes that the longer waiting period will encourage women to weigh other options, including adoption. This important bill empowers women considering abortion with additional reflection time before an abortion so they can consider their options more effectively, Louisiana Right to Life Legislative Director Deanna Wallace said in a statement regarding the bill. Since abortion facilities in Louisiana are only in the business of selling abortion, this reflection period allows for further consideration of other choices, including adoption and parenting. Opponents of the bill, however, contend that the bill worsens the conditions women face in accessing womens reproductive health services. "We feel that this is overstepping certainly," said Louisiana Coalition Reproductive Freedom spokeswoman Megan Snider told WDSU New Orleans. "We have, in our state, limited facilities as it is so imposing, a 72-hour wait has been shown to actually extend the delay to approximately eight days." The bill was passed in the state House 89-5 and in the Senate 34-4 earlier this month on May 11 and will take effect starting Aug. 1. Thesis 13 Free will, after the fall, exists in name only, and as long as it does what it is able to do, it commits a mortal sin. The first part is clear, for the will is captive and subject to sin. Not that it is nothing, but that it is not free except to do evil. According to John 8:34, 36, Every one who commits sin is a slave to sin So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. Hence St. Augustine says in his book, The Spirit and the Letter, 'Free will without grace has the power to do nothing but sin;' and in the second book of Against Julian, 'You call the will free, but in fact it is an enslaved will,' and in many other places. The second part is clear from what has been said above and from the verse in Hos. 13:9, [freely rendered], Israel, you are bringing misfortune upon yourself, for your salvation is alone with me, and from similar passages. (LW 31,48) In this thesis, Luther boldly asserted that for the will after the fall of Adam is captive and subject to sin; it exists in name only, and as long as it does what it is able to do, it commits a mortal sin. This thesis was perhaps the most offensive of all to the papal party in Luthers day. In February, 1520, the theological committee was established to examine Luthers writings. Finally, on June 15, 1520, Leo issued the bull Exsurge Domine (Arise O Lord), which charged that 41 sentences in Luthers various writings were heretical, scandalous, offensive to pious ears." Article 36 of the bull condemned Thesis 13 of Luthers Heidelberg Disputation. Clearly the Church at Rome, in 1521, agreed that Luther had overstepped a critical line when they considered Luthers Thesis 13 from the Heidelberg Disputation in the bull of excommunication. However, Luthers arguments on free will in Thesis 13 have been already presented by Augustine as Luther explained in the proof of Thesis 13. But why did Luthers arguments resonate with the Roman Church in Middle Age? The ancient culture was translated into Arabic in Bagdad from the ninth century, and it helped enrich Islamic civilization. Islamic culture in turn, was translated into Latin and Romance languages, in cities like Cordoba and Toledo on the lberia Peninsula starting from eleventh century, which contributed to the development of European culture. The important Greek and Arabic works of natural science, philosophy and mathematics, etc, even started to be translated into Latin. Especially, the copying or re-translating of most of Aristotle's other books (of ancient Greece), from Greek or Arabic text into Latin, influenced the theology of the Middle Age. During this period, a new method of learning called Scholasticism developed in from the rediscovery of the works of Aristotle. One of the most famous scholastic theologians, Thomas Aquinas, led the move away from the Platonic and Augustinian and towards the Aristotelian. Thomas Aquinas synthesis of Aristotle and Christianity proceed from the Christian belief that reason and faith are complementary, not oppositional. His interaction with the philosophy of Aristotle demonstrates both the harmony of reason and faith and the oneness of truth, which are both central to the Christian intellectual tradition. To show that reason and faith are complementary, Aquinas argued that although humanity has been corrupted, the Fall did not obliterate all vestiges of its pre-fallen Adamic purity. The indelible image of God continues to glow like a tiny spark in the hidden depths of the soul. It was called synteresis.For this, Lage states: 'The synteresis is regarded as an autonomously functioning faculty given to humanity in creation which provides the self with both an inborn ability and an inherent disposition toward performing good works.' (Lage, Martin Luther's Christology and Ethics, p. 13) Thomas Aquinas closely identified the synteresis with intellective and cognitive functioning of the mind or reason, forming what may best be understood as a rational soul. (Aquinas, Summa Theologica, -, quest. 94, art. 2) While Aquinas identified synteresis with the mind or reason, the theologians in the late Middle Age equated synteresis with voluntas. For example, William of Ockham rejected the understanding of synteresis as a "faculty of mind" with its "fixed disposition" toward the good. Instead of seeing reason as an innate contact between the self and God, Ockham argues that humanity's relationship to God is based on voluntarily conforming our will to the will of the divine. For Ockhamists, the emphasis was put on the voluntas, while for Thomists the emphasis was put on cognitive and intellectual function of the synteresis rationis. However, while emphasizing the free will of humans, both Thomists and Ockhamists agreed on justification by means of meritorious deeds performed in cooperation with infusio gratiae. However, Luther here stands in sharp opposition to Aristotle and the theological tradition influenced by him: Here Thomas errs in common with his followers and with Aristotle who say, 'Practice makes perfect: just as a harp player becomes a good harp player through long practice, so these fools think that virtues of love, chastity, and humility can be achieved through practice. It is not true. (WA 10 ,29f.) Denying the theological traditions in Middle Age complied by Scholasticism, Luther revealed his view on the bondage of the will. In his Exposition of Romans (1515 1516), he states: "We are not so totally inclined toward evil that there is not reminder of us which is affected toward the good, as is evident in the synteresis. (LW 25, 222) Then, Luther came to argue that in Thesis 13 of the Heidelberg Disputation (1518), Free will, after the fall, exists in name only, and as long as it does what it is able to do, it commits a mortal sin. The Pope and the Roman Church considered Luthers theses as the heretical view to break down the foundation of the church and theology in the Middle Age. In January 1521, Pope Leo X excommunicated Luther. However, it is clear that the aim of Luthers theses was to refuse the medieval theological methodology based on the philosophy of Aristotle, rather than to throw Christianity into confusion. What Luther wanted through reform was a return to the teachings of the Bible. For this, Luther states: Since this is the case, either I have never understood, or else the scholastic theologians have not spoken sufficiently clearly about sin and grace, for they have been under the delusion that original sin, like actual sin, is entirely removed, as if these were items that can be entirely removed in the twinkling of an eye, as shadows before a light, although the ancient fathers Augustine and Ambrose spoke entirely differently and in the way Scripture does. But those men speak in the manner of Aristotle in his Ethics, when he bases sin and righteousness on works, both their performance and omission." (LW 25, 262) In the proof for thesis 13, Luther says that thesis 13 is also based on the Bible. Citing John 8:34, 36, Every one who commits sin is a slave to sin So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. Luther asserts that because man is enslaved to sin, there is no will in man to be saved. Salvation does not come by our own will, but only by grace from outside -- the grace of Jesus Christ. Further backup comes from St. Augustine, Free will without grace has the power to do nothing but sin, and You call the will free, but in fact it is an enslaved will. From this point of view the second part of the thesis is almost self-evident. When the will, bound to its own self, tries to do its best, it only commits deadly sin. Luther quotes Hosea 13:9, Israel, you are bringing misfortune upon yourself, for your salvation is alone with me. Here, there's one more important thing to remember. Theology is always based on the teaching of the Bible. If the Church and the theology turn their eyes on other studies, such as philosophy that has no connection to the Bible, they will lose its direction and be thrown into confusion. This would lead to the corruption of the Church. Thesis 13 give us the good example for this. The bold claim of thesis 13, Free will, after the fall, exists in name only, and as long as it does what it is able to do, it commits a mortal sin, will be explained in more detail in thesis 14. Reverend and Doctor Jin O. Jeong is an assistant pastor for Korean congregation at Zion Lutheran Church, Belleville, IL. He graduated from Luther University and received a Ph.D from Yonsei University. He was also a Research Fellow at Hebrew University and Visiting Scholar at Yale Divinity School. Tel: 618-920-9311 Email: jjeong@zionbelleville.org South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley signed a bill into law on Wednesday that makes abortions illegal at 20 weeks beyond fertilization. Violation of the law can result in up to $10,000 in fines and jail time on the third conviction. Exceptions are made if the mothers life is in danger or if the doctor decides that the fetus cannot survive outside of the womb. The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act takes effect immediately and makes no exceptions in cases of rape or incest. "After twenty weeks, the unborn child reacts to stimuli that would be recognized as painful if applied to an adult human, for example, by recoiling," the bill says, on the basis that there is "substantial medical evidence. Opponents of the bill say that later-term abortions are not usually performed in cases of unwanted pregnancy, but due to medical complications. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists found that fetal perception of pain is unlikely before the third trimester, citing a 2005 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association which claims, Although ultrasound monitoring can show intrauterine fetal movement, no studies since 2005 demonstrate fetal recognition of pain. South Carolina is the 13th state in which the ban will take effect, joining Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. This week, 11 states announced that they would sue the Obama administration following its executive order mandating that school districts allow transgender students to use the bathroom of their preferred gender. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed an amendment aimed at preventing the US government from withholding federal funds from North Carolina, after the state passed its controversial bathroom bill this March, requiring people to use the bathroom that matches their birth certificate. This comes on the heels of the Justice Departments decision to sue the state for the law for state-sponsored discrimination. Few of these political fights have helped anyone better understand the nuances of transgenderism, says Mark Yarhouse, the author of Understanding Gender Dysphoria and founder of the Institute for the Study of Sexual Identity. People experience legislation as an attack on the things that they believe in, and other people think that legislation is symbolic of the things that matter the most to them, he said. You could easily have two sides speaking past each other. I think thats what we have today. CT believes that God created people with male and female identities and we would generally encourage integration and alignment of gender identity with biological sex, based on a creational account of male and female (Gen. 12) and the overall goodness of bodies and embodiment. (Heres Yarhouses feature story on the issue.) But what does that belief mean for how Christians engage this topic in the world? Yarhouse joined Morgan and Katelyn on Quick to Listen this week to discuss whats behind the term cis-gender, what the ... 1 Fighting Children's Ministry 'Volunteer Burnout' at the Source LOVELAND, Colo., May 26, 2016 / DIG IN, Group Publishing's new digital curriculum, allows teachers to quickly tailor lessons to complement their natural teaching strengths and passions. "In the past, most pre-packaged curriculums have assumed that one lesson plan fits every student and teacher," explains Group Publishing's Chief Creative Officer, Joani Schultz. "DIG IN believes churches know their teachers and kids best. So DIG IN allows teachers to customize lessons to fit their natural giftedness." Using a powerful new online lesson-builder, DIG IN enables children's ministry teachers and directors to design unique lessons in just moments based on classroom format, age group, class duration, and individual teacher preferences. When teachers are passionate about their lesson content, Schultz explained, children naturally benefit. "Teachers who have a voice in shaping their lessons are more invested in those lessons," says Schultz. "They enjoy teaching more and feel more comfortable as they lead. They see greater response in children, and all that feeds a teacher's continued satisfaction with serving in children's ministry." Schultz points to an online DIG IN demo ( "We're getting great responses," says Schultz. "People tell me DIG IN will save them untold amounts of time and stress, and will make it easy to adapt lessons to their unique church needs." The first DIG IN one-year program is titled 'Digging Into the Life of Jesus' with 'Digging Into the Bible in One Year' and 'Digging Into the Beginning' releasing next year. Group Publishing has served as an innovative voice in the ever-transforming world of church ministry for the past 42-years. Groups stated mission is to 'Create experiences that help people grow in relationship with Jesus and each other.' DIG IN releases on Wednesday, June 1st with a special early bird offer currently available. To learn more about DIG IN and to try a free demo, please visit Share Tweet Contact: Steve Kyle, Group Publishing , 970-292-4192LOVELAND, Colo., May 26, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- A new Sunday school curriculum offers a simple solution to combat the ever-present challenge of "volunteer burnout" in children's ministry.DIG IN, Group Publishing's new digital curriculum, allows teachers to quickly tailor lessons to complement their natural teaching strengths and passions."In the past, most pre-packaged curriculums have assumed that one lesson plan fits every student and teacher," explains Group Publishing's Chief Creative Officer, Joani Schultz. "DIG IN believes churches know their teachers and kids best. So DIG IN allows teachers to customize lessons to fit their natural giftedness."Using a powerful new online lesson-builder, DIG IN enables children's ministry teachers and directors to design unique lessons in just moments based on classroom format, age group, class duration, and individual teacher preferences.When teachers are passionate about their lesson content, Schultz explained, children naturally benefit."Teachers who have a voice in shaping their lessons are more invested in those lessons," says Schultz. "They enjoy teaching more and feel more comfortable as they lead. They see greater response in children, and all that feeds a teacher's continued satisfaction with serving in children's ministry."Schultz points to an online DIG IN demo ( www.group.com/digin ) that allows visitors to try using the lesson-builder to design several Dig In lessons."We're getting great responses," says Schultz. "People tell me DIG IN will save them untold amounts of time and stress, and will make it easy to adapt lessons to their unique church needs."The first DIG IN one-year program is titled 'Digging Into the Life of Jesus' with 'Digging Into the Bible in One Year' and 'Digging Into the Beginning' releasing next year.Group Publishing has served as an innovative voice in the ever-transforming world of church ministry for the past 42-years. Groups stated mission is to 'Create experiences that help people grow in relationship with Jesus and each other.'DIG IN releases on Wednesday, June 1st with a special early bird offer currently available.To learn more about DIG IN and to try a free demo, please visit www.group.com/digin home World 45 Yemeni army recruits killed in ISIS bomb attacks At least 45 army recruits were killed and 60 injured on Monday, May 23 by a pair of bomb attacks staged by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), official reports said. According to Yemeni security officials, 20 young men were among the casualties in the first of the double blasts that occurred outside an army recruitment center in the Khormaksar district near the Badr base, the location of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's government. A suicide bomber targeted the men who were lining up to enlist for military service. The second blast came from another suicide bomber who set foot inside the base outside the home of an army commander and killed 25 more, according to Al Arabiya. The Islamic State terrorist group released a statement shortly afterwards to claim responsibility for the attacks, referring to the casualties as "apostate Yemeni army," as quoted by Reuters. Abu Ali Al Adeni was one of the attackers identified by the militant group. The city of Aden serves as Hadi's temporary capital as the government forces backed by Saudi Arabia try to recapture the Sanaa capital from the Houthi rebels supported by Iran. Hadi loyalists and the Shiite Houthi rebels have been fighting for power since March 2015, causing 6,400 deaths and displacing two million people so far. The country is also home to rival militant groups that have taken advantage of the existing state of unrest. Both Al Qaeda and Islamic State staked claims on several government-targeted attacks as they fight for control over the Yemeni lands, according to reports. Earlier in May, Islamic State militants also staged suicide bomb attacks that killed 25 police recruits outside a police base in Mukalla. On Sunday, the government forces were able to recapture its base in Mukalla. A United Nations-sponsored peace talks which started in Kuwait last month between the Houthi rebels and Hadi government have been postponed after the Yemeni government announced it would only continue with the peace talks if the rebels cease control of their captured cities. home US American ISIS defector describes experience to discourage others from joining An American man who had joined and later escaped ISIS shared his story in the hope of discouraging others from joining the terror group. In an interview with NBC News, the man called "Mo" explained how he was seduced into joining ISIS. He was still studying at Columbia University when he became interested in his Islamic heritage. He said one of the courses in school, called "Muslims in Diaspora," allowed him to see the film "Submission." The video made him feel humiliated as a Muslim, and he began to dig deeper about Islam. It was in this season of seeking answers that he became interested in ISIS. At the time, the Muslim extremist group had not yet released online videos of beheadings. Mo was caught in the idea of having a pure Islamic state as he continued his research about ISIS and Islam. The FBI took notice of his online activities and paid him a visit. Sensing that Mo was planning to join ISIS, FBI agents told him not to go to Syria. Mo, however, already made up his mind. He wrote a farewell letter to his parents and flew to Turkey in 2014. From there, he found his way to Urfa, a Turkish city near Raqqa, and checked into a hotel. Using his Twitter account, he asked how he could travel from Urfa to Raqqa, and someone gave him a number to call. When he called the number, someone asked for his location and told him he would be picked up. After a brief problem with Turkish border patrol guards, Mo eventually made it to Syria along with others like him who decided to join ISIS. In Raqqa, Mo was officially registered under ISIS. He noted in his registration form that he studied in Columbia, a school "for the clever," and that he had an idea to "break down" or crash an aircraft. He intentionally wanted to appear as a person with technical knowhow to avoid being assigned to fight. In Syria, the violence appalled him. He received military and sharia law trainings. He was taught about suicide bombing and using an AK-47. On the streets, beatings of civilians and severed heads displayed on poles were a common sight. "It was just not the Islam I grew up with," Mo said. "You could see madness in their eyes. People who just had a readiness for violence." He was assigned an accounting position where he was heavily guarded. To earn favor from his guards, he exposed a thief, and he was rewarded with more leniency. This allowed him to go to internet cafes and search for maps. When he learned there was a gate not controlled by ISIS, he took his chance and left for good. "I packed whatever I could, whatever I thought I'd need and just literally walked out," he said. Mo is prohibited from giving details about his escape, but he admitted somebody helped him. After spending five months in ISIS territory, Mo turned himself in to U.S. authorities. Mo is now facing up to 25 years in prison. He is reportedly cooperating with the authorities in whatever way he can. Mo is the first American ISIS defector that prosecutors allowed to have a live television interview because they wanted others to learn from him and not be persuaded to join ISIS. "I've let my family down. I've let my nation down and I've let God down and I have a lot to make up for," Mo said. Law enforcement agencies from local to federal levels coordinated in Billings on Thursday to protect Donald Trump and the people at his rally. The United States Secret Service worked with Billings Police, Yellowstone County Sheriffs Office, Montana Highway Patrol and Montana State University Billings police to provide security for the motorcade leaving the airport and the event at Rimrock Auto Arena. There was a larger law enforcement presence Thursday than the Bernie Sanders and Bill Clinton speeches held earlier in May simply because of the larger scale of the Trump event, Sheriff Mike Linder said. Linder said the Sheriffs Office called in reserve deputies, deputies who normally would have the day off and deputies on more flexible assignments like school resource officers to boost the presence while maintaining normal coverage. Despite the recent unrest at the Trump rally in Albuquerque, N.M., MetraPark was relatively quiet with no obvious protests taking place but not because demonstrators were discouraged or removed. Its not a problem for people who want to protest. Theres a place for that, Linder said. Well definitely recognize their right. The only thing we wont tolerate is any kind of violence. Deputies were stationed outside of the empty designated protest area in the motorcycle parking area at MetraPark. Linder said deputies and officers posted up outside of the arena, along the motorcade route and at the airport before 10 a.m. Trumps plane was scheduled to land at about 3:15 p.m., and airport police would help secure the area around Edwards Jet Center upon the jets arrival, said Shane Ketterling, assistant director of Billings Logan International Airport. Extra airport police are mainly provided to control traffic as the police cars and limos leave the airport. The same precautions were taken for Clinton and Sanders. Every election year well have the VIPs show up, and weve done this many times over the years, Ketterling said. home World Anti-transgender speech in Canada punishable by two-years in prison? Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau leads his Liberal Party in seeking even further protection for transgender individuals with an anti-transgender speech ban that could send offenders to prison for up to two years. As the country celebrated International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia on May 17, the Canadian government decided to introduce legislation that will expand the existing Canadian Criminal Code and Canadian Human Rights Act to recognize hate speech in the form of public speech or communication promoting hatred based on gender orientation. "Everyone deserves to live free of stigma, persecution, and discrimination a no matter who they are or whom they love. Today is about ensuring that all people a regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity a feel safe and secure, and empowered to freely express themselves," said Trudeau in a statement. Trudeau called on the people to "unite in a global celebration of diversity" while promising that the Government of Canada will aim to create an environment that's "free from discrimination, and protected from hate propaganda and hate crimes." "Diversity and inclusion have long been among the values Canadians embrace," said Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould at the House of Commons in Ottawa where she was joined by supporters and members of the lesbians, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, according to CBC News. Canada's latest transgender law named as Bill C-16 is highly likely to be passed into law since majority of the seats in the House of Commons are held by the Liberal party, according to Reuters. A ban on anti-gay hate propaganda has already been observed in Canada for several years, recalls Daily Caller, when the Canadian Supreme Court ruled in 2013 against a Christian street preacher who was charged of violating the hate propaganda law. The court reasoned that the fliers distributed by the preacher, who denounced gay practices, were "vilifying and derogatory representations to create a tone of hatred." "Mindfulness" has been a Buddhist practice for centuries, and some Christians might be wondering if they, too, can practice it. An Episcopal priest has addressed the question and has said that it depends on the reason behind its practice. "If you take up mindfulness not to enhance but to replace religion, if its appeal is because of its non-threatening, inoffensive, benign nature, while I have no doubt you will still enjoy mental and physical benefits from it, you are likely to end up spiritually disappointed," Rev. V.R. Marianne Zahn wrote on RevZ. According to Zahn, mindfulness is not Christian, but it not anti-Christian either. There is no reason for it not to be part of Christian practice, although one should "view it with a hermeneutic of suspicion" before getting into it. Explaining mindfulness, Zahn says that it is, in its most basic form, simply being aware of the present moment. It does not require creeds, mantras, gurus, poses, and such like. Thus, she explains, it can by practiced by anyone of any religion or of no religion, without causing offense. She also said that this mental focus can be seen in Christian traditions, although with Christianity, it is more on putting the mind on sacred texts or icons "which then facilitates a deeper understanding and/or felt experience of God." The practice of mindfulness can retrain a person's mind to see what is present at the moment "without all the personal and cultural baggage that our constructs of God have accumulated over the millennia," she explains. "If we wish to know God, we must strip away everything we think we know and are supposed to feel and come to the encounter afresh, or else we are not really understanding God but only the idea of God we have inherited from others," Zahn wrote. "For this reason, I would urge any Christian, even if they are already engaged in contemplative practices, to learn and practice mindfulness as a way of cleansing their minds of automatic conditioned responses that actually inhibit our understanding of God rather than enhance it." However, she warned, if one is using mindfulness as a replacement to religion rather than something to enchance it, then they are likely to be disappointed spiritually. She said that some people are looking for practices that would fill a spiritual void, and they find mindfulness as a means to fill it. However, the restlness would not be gone for long and they would "eventually search for something deeper, something that not only quiets their minds, but enlarges their spirits." Religion, meanwhile, challenges a person to grow, and it is in facing those challenges that a person develops character. Mindfulness is being used in some workplaces and schools to alleviate stress, and some doctors reportedly recommend it for some patients. home World Chinese man detained for helping son of imprisoned human rights lawyer After having gone missing for seven months, a Chinese activist has been confirmed to be held under criminal detention by authorities, apparently for "smuggling" persons outside China. Xing Qingxian, together with Tang Zhishun, helped 16-year-old Bao Zhuoxuan cross the border into Myanmar so the boy can go to the U.S. to study. The three reportedly traveled under the guise of tourists because Bao was issued a travel ban when his parents were arrested last year, according to Radio Free Asia. Bao is the son of human rights lawyers Wang Yu and Bao Longlun. On July 9, 2015, the couple was arrested as part of a government crackdown targeting human rights lawyers, activists and their families. Xing and Tang were able to get Bao successfully to Myanmar's border town of Mongla. They stayed at Huadu Guest House. However, on Oct. 6, 2015, about a dozen men carrying Burmese police IDs came to the hotel and took all three men. Friends of Xing and Tang inquired from local authorites about the three, but the authorities said they did not detain anyone. They then inquired from authorities in Myanmar, but were surprised to be told the police there had no information about Xing, Tang and Bao, a report said. It was only earlier this month that Xing's family was notified that he is being criminally detained for being suspected of "organizing smuggling of persons across a national boundary." "Two-hundred-and-twenty-six days after Tang Zhishun and Xing Qingxian were detained by Chinese police in Myanmar, I have finally received notification of Xing's criminal detention," Xing's wife He Juan said in a tweet. The notification was a registered letter addressed to the Chinese Communist Party in He's village and was signed by Tianjin police. The letter was received by her mother. "I think that we had to wait far too long," He said. "The rule is that the family should be notified within 24 hours, and we didn't get this for 226 days." He is now staying in the U.S. where she fled after her husband disappeared. Although there was no confirmation that Tang is also held in detention, his lawyer assumes he is detained in the same place where Xing is. He fears the two men will be given "tough sentences" because they are being accused of smuggling persons across the border, which applies to human traffickers. Tang's wife Gao Shen also fled to the U.S. with their daughter after he disappeared. She expressed concern that her husband is being tortured. "We are terribly afraid that the Chinese police may be torturing Tang Zhishun and Xing Qingxian, destroying them in order to get a forced confession," Gao said. home World Christian groups doubting whether credible November elections can take place in Ghana Christian groups in Ghana are not very confident on the capability of the country's Electoral Commission to hold a credible general election in November. "The Electoral Commission bears the primary responsibility to conduct free, fair, transparent and credible elections in Ghana," said the Christian Council of Ghana and the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference in a joint statement, as quoted by Peace FM Online. " Therefore, we expect the Commission to engender confidence among all players and continue to remain neutral, fair, honest and transparent in all its actions and decisions." They are calling on the EC to further explain its actions and to clarify different aspects of the electoral system, such as biometric verification, the clearing of the voter register as directed by the Supreme Court, the proposed Steering Committee, the reforms submitted by the Reforms Committee, among others. "The proposed November 2016 elections may seem to be far but they are not," the groups said. "Thus, we appeal to the EC to act expeditiously and come up with a clear roadmap for the impending elections." The two Christian groups also called on the political parties and their supporters "to be circumspect and decorous" in what they say and do. They believe that some politicians and their parties "will do anything and everything to win political power at all cost" due to the problems related to the limited registration exercise. "We are distressed and worried by the current display of political impunity and complacency evident in intimidation, accusations, counter-accusations, hate speeches, intra-party and inter-party violence, threats of kidnapping and murder, among others," they said. The statement was reportedly signed by Most Rev. Joseph Osei-Bonsu, the president of the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference, and Most Rev. Titus K. Awotwi Pratt, the vice chairman of the Christian Council of Ghana, during their Annual Joint Meeting last week in Kaneshie, Accra. They also tackled the Postal Packets and Telecommunication Messages Bill 2015 aka the Spy Bill, the three- and four-year duration of senior high school, leakages and malpractices in the education sector, as well as the erratic power supply. The general elections will be held on Nov. 7 wherein a new president and members of parliament will be elected. home World Christian Religious Knowledge and Islamic Studies merged into one school subject; Christian leaders in Nigeria rebuke changes Nigeria has merged Christian Religious Knowledge and Islamic Studies into one school subject, a move that a Presbyterian synod does not agree with. "Our children are very young, very innocent minds, and are being compelled to read materials that ordinarily they would not have access to," said Rev Ini Ukpuho, the moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria's 21st Synod of the North, as quoted by Daily Trust. The synod, according to the report, said that the merging to the two subjects is a violation of the children's rights. They are concerned that the kids are exposed to faulty teaching that would not do justice to either religion. "The content and the quality of the materials being given to our children are diluted. A Christian student or Muslim student will not have the best out of what they study," Ukpuho told the publication. "In the process of the merger, both the content and quality of the curriculum have been compromised. That is not in the best interest of the Christian faith." The merging of the two subjects is in line with the nine-year basic curriculum designed by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council. The council reportedly aims to cut down the number of subjects by half, from 20 to around 10, in order to reduce the workload of students in the primary and the junior secondary levels. Apart from Christian Religious Knowledge and Islamic Studies, the subject called "Religion and National Values" also includes Social Studies, Civic Education, and Security Education. According to the NERDC, the CRS theme and the IS theme are taught in separate classes, and the curricula for Consumer Education, Disaster Risk Reduction Education, and Peace and Conflict Resolution are put into the civics, social studies, and security education themes. The subjects for Basic Education are: English Studies, Mathematics, Nigerian Languages, Basic Science and Technology, Religion and National Values, and Cultural and Creative Arts. Arabic Language is optional. Primary 4 to 6 adds Pre-Vocational Studies, while JSS 1 to 3 adds Business Studies (Junior) and French Language. home World Christian university bans political activities in Uganda A Christian university in Mbabara, Western Uganda prevents students from engaging in political activities. Vice chancellor Mauda Kamatenesi said during the swearing in of the new students guild council that, as a Christian educational institution, Bishop Stuart University is non-partisan and it welcomes people of different views. "I stand to remind you again of the mission, vision and values of this university that include being non-partisan," Kamatenesi said over the weekend, as quoted by IOL. "You are all requested not to bring political party politics to this university as any such groups would violate what we stand for." According to the professor, SBU is able to attract different groups as development partners because of its non-political stance. And while she herself belongs to a political party, it is not reflected or shown at the university. According to The Daily Monitor, there are some students who think that this ban is an infringement of their rights and that a revision to the policies is necessary. However, Kamatenesi explained that the university's stance does not violate students' rights since they can always express their freedoms outside the campus. On the other hand, student leaders reportedly support the university in this matter since the policy prevents rivalry and divisions among them. "Most of the strikes in some of the high institutions of learning are facilitated by parties, movements and divisions," said outgoing guild president Bernabas Nsengiuva, "and I think this is partly the reason the university has never had strikes since its inception." Moreover, Nsengiuva expressed that while political parties could be good for democracy, it could also be cause for violence if not handled correctly. The outgoing guild council headed by Nsengiuva was lauded for the things they accomplished, and these include having been able to start a multi-purpose complex, having completed the guild chambers, having set up a guild forest, among others. Alex Mwesiga and the other members of new guild council, meanwhile, are expected to uphold values, including academic excellence, moral integrity, relentless service, compassion, and transparency. home US Donald Trump appoints televangelist Frank Amedia as his 'Liaison for Christian policy' Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump reportedly hired televangelist Frank Amedia, pastor of Touch Heaven Ministries, to be his campaign's "liaison for Christian policy." However, Amedia's past record has caught people's attention and many are apparently not impressed. In a 2010 report by the Associated Press, Amedia said his church would stop helping earthquake victims in Haiti if they didn't stop practising voodoo. "There's absolutely a heightened spiritual conflict between Christianity and Voodoo since the quake," Amedia said. "We would give food to the needy in the short term, but if they refused to give up Voodoo, I'm not sure we would continue to support them in the long term because we wouldn't want to perpetuate that practice. We equate it with witchcraft, which is contrary to the Gospel." In 2011, a tsunami hit Japan and Amedia claimed in 2012 that he prevented the disaster from reaching Hawaii as his daughter was there at the time. He narrated that he stood at the edge of his bed and said, "In the name of Jesus, I declare that tsunami to stop now" and "I declare those waters to recede." He had apparently taken credit for having stopped -- or having convinced God to stop -- the raging water from reaching the island, which brought devastation to the next one instead. In a 2015 post on YouTube, he discussed how God saves people from "generational curses," "traditions and cultures that keep us away from God," "an evil lifestyle," among other things. He talked about diseases, saying that many of these, including AIDS, could be avoided if a wholesome life is practised. "AIDS is a disease that comes because of unnatural sex," he said. "We understand that many of the diseases that we receive is because of exposure that we have to things that we should not be exposed to, lifestyles that are unhealthy or things in our spirit that cause us to become bitter." Amedia, according to AlterNet, was previously involved in a bribing controversy. He was granted immunity for testifying in a racketeering case in 2001, in whch he is said to have admitted to helping arrange payment of $250,000 to prevent a car dealer friend, who turned back odometers, from being prosecuted in 1994. The publication also pointed out Amedia's previous biography in the church's website, which described him as "an Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Evangelist, Teacher, and Minister in sound biblical doctrine with gifts of knowledge, healing, and discernment," and he "has a unique perspective on the parallel journey of the Church and Israel as he is called as one to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord." He was a former Jew who reportedly received religious training from Guillermo Maldonado, a Miami pastor associated with the New Apostolic Reformation, a group that, according to the report, is composed of people who proclaim themselves to be modern-day prophets and apostles. Amedia's post as the Trump campaign's "liaison for Christian policy" was revealed to TIME by Cuban-American evangelical pastor Mario Bramnick, whose meeting with Trump was arranged by Amedia. home US Franklin Graham has zero hope in Democratic and Republican parties Evangelist Franklin Graham was in Pierre, South Dakota on May 24, where he told thousands of people how the United States is in a very bad situation and it needs to go in a different direction. "Our nation is in trouble," he said to those gathered at the South Dakota State Capitol. "We're in trouble spiritually, racially, economically, and politically." Graham made it clear during his speech that he is not endorsing any candidate and he is not backing any party as he has no confidence in either one. "Right now I have zero hope in the Democratic Party. Zero. All right?," he said. "Before you Republicans start high fiving each other, I have zero hope in the Republican Party. All right?" He told the crowd that doesn't see much difference between the two parties, adding, "And I can tell you the only hope for this nation is God." 2016_CHRISTMAS_EVE_GIFT = Done 2016_CHRISTMAS_DAY_GIFT = Active 2016_NEW_YEARS_EVE_GIFT = Not yet 2016_NEW_YEARS_DAY_GIFT = Not yet Fun 2 (@TezFunz2) December 25, 2016 According to KSFY, almost 3,000 people attended the event. Among them is a man who travelled from Hitchcock, who said that to him, "everything seems to be upside-down" and in chaos right now, and he thinks that the nation "needs to turn back to the Lord." A woman who was traveling through with her husband believes that prayer is needed for the country to get better. Graham went to Bismarck, North Dakota the next day where around 3,100 people gathered. "I challenged Christians to get involved, to vote, and to run for office at all levels, local, state, and national," he wrote on Facebook. "If God is leading you to run for an officeaschool board, county commissioners, mayor, etc.alet me know. God can work through His people, and He can turn this nation around." Graham's appearances in North and South Dakota are part of his 50-state tour called "Decision America Tour 2016," wherein he challenges Christians "to live out their faith at home, in public and at the ballot box." Up next on his itinerary is Springfield, Illinois on June 14; then Madison, Wisconsin on June 15; and St. Paul, Minnesota on June 16. After that, he will head to Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, and 16 other states, the last of which is North Carolina on Oct. 13. home US Franklin Graham: Target CEO in denial, refuses to acknowledge plummeting stock is due to new transgender bathroom policy Evangelist Franklin Graham has said this week that even though Target's stocks have dropped sharply its CEO is still refusing to face reality and admit the real reason for the company's plummeting stock value. Graham said the stocks of the retail company have gone down because of its insistence in implementing its transgender bathroom policy in which people born male, who not identify as female are allowed to use women's bathrooms and changing rooms in Target stores. However, he said, Target CEO Brian Cornell is still "in denial" over it. Cornell reportedly attributed the company's decreasing stock value to "unfavorable weather trends in the Northeast." "Target stock is tumbling after they announced a pro-transgender restroom policy allowing men to use women's bathrooms and changing rooms," Graham wrote on Facebook. "Stock value has fallen 20 percent and shareholder value has lost $10 billion since they began promoting this dangerous policy." Graham said what's happening to Target now is a clear indication that many Americans are not in favor of the transgender bathroom policy. The evangelist also noted Cornell's statement to Forbes last week that the issue has not had a "measurable impact" on the business. Cornell apparently said only a "handful of stores" were affected. Graham said with more than 1.2 million people signing the online petition to boycott the retail company, the message that Americans want to send is very strong. He urged more people to sign the petition. In defense, Target explained that the bathroom policy was implemented to make all customers feel welcome. However, the American Family Association (AFA), which heads the petition, challenged this idea, saying it can expose women to dangerous situations. AFA said the bathroom policy can allow a man who "feels like a woman" on a particular day to enter the women's bathroom that is being used by women and young girls. "Target's policy is exactly how sexual predators get access to their victims," the petition read. home US Hillary Clinton email server broke State Department rules, internal government watchdog finds Hillary Clinton broke government rules by using a private email server without approval for her work as U.S. secretary of state, an internal government watchdog said this week. The long-awaited report by the State Department inspector general was the first official audit of the controversial arrangement to be made public. It was highly critical of Clinton's use of a server in her home, and immediately fueled Republican attacks on Clinton, the Democratic front-runner in an already acrimonious presidential race. The report, which also found problems in department record-keeping practices before Clinton's tenure, undermined Clinton's earlier defenses of her emails, likely adding to Democratic anxieties about public perceptions of the candidate. A majority of voters say Clinton is dishonest, according to multiple polls. The report concluded that Clinton would not have been allowed to use the server in her home had she asked the department officials in charge of information security. The report said that staff who later raised concerns were told to keep quiet. Several suspected hacking attempts in 2011 were never reported to department information security officials, in breach of department rules, it said. "She's as crooked as they come," Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate, said of Clinton at a campaign rally in Anaheim, California, adding that the report's findings were "not good" for her. Clinton's campaign disagreed, saying the report rebutted Republican's criticism. The inspector general's office examined email record-keeping under five secretaries state, both Democratic and Republican. John Kerry, the current officeholder, and predecessors Madeline Albright, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice all agreed to speak to the inspector general's investigators. Clinton was the only one who declined to be interviewed, as did her aides. The report contradicted Clinton's repeated assertion that her server was allowed and that no permission was needed. Several other inquiries continue, including a U.S. Justice Department investigation into whether the arrangement broke laws. The inspector general's report cited "longstanding, systemic weaknesses" with State Department records that predated Clinton's tenure, and found problems with the email record-keeping of some of her predecessors, particularly Powell, that failed to comply with the Federal Records Act. But it singled out Clinton for her decision to use a private server in her home in Chappaqua, New York, for government business. "OIG found no evidence that the Secretary requested or obtained guidance or approval to conduct official business via a personal email account on her private server," the report said, using an abbreviation for the office of inspector general. The report said Clinton should have discussed the arrangement with the department's security and technology officials. Officials told investigators that they "did not - and would not - approve her exclusive reliance on a personal email account to conduct Department business." The reason, those officials said, is because it breached department rules and presented "security risks." CONCERNS SILENCED State Department spokesman Mark Toner said he would not "challenge" those findings. He told reporters the department was aware of hacking attempts on Clinton's server, but had no evidence that any were successful. When two lower-level information technology officials tried to raise concerns about Clinton's email arrangement in late 2010, their supervisor in Clinton's office instructed them "never to speak of the Secretary's personal email system again," the report said. Their supervisor told them that department lawyers had approved of the system, but the inspector general's office said it found no evidence this was true. Brian Fallon, a Clinton spokesman, said the report rebutted criticisms of Clinton made by her political opponents. "The report shows that problems with the State Department's electronic recordkeeping systems were longstanding and that there was no precedent of someone in her position having a State Department email account until after the arrival of her successor," he said in a statement. He did not address the report's criticism of Clinton's use of a private server, something no other secretary of state has done. Democrats, including fundraisers for Clinton's campaign, said the report revealed nothing new. "It's digging and digging and digging," Amy Rao, the chief executive of data company Integrated Archive Systems and a Clinton fundraiser, said in an interview, comparing the investigation to probes the Clintons faced in the 1990s. "Trust me: There's no there there. It's Whitewater." Current Secretary of State Kerry asked Steve Linick, the State Department inspector general, to investigate after Clinton's email arrangement came to light last year. President Barack Obama appointed Linick to the role in 2013. Republicans have used Clinton's email practice to suggest she was trying to hide government records from scrutiny under public-access laws. Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement that the findings "are just the latest chapter in the long saga of Hillary Clinton's bad judgment that broke federal rules and endangered our national security." Shreds of hot dog littered the kennel floor, enticing a brown and white female dog to place one paw inside the threshold of the pen. A second paw followed. Then a torso. It seemed the stray pup was nearly inside as Lewis and Clark Animal Shelter volunteer, Kat Martineau, readied to shut the gate behind it. But as quick as Martineau was, the mutt was faster. The dog jumped back, taking refuge behind a pickup. She was back again moments later, however, her nose eagerly sniffing for any forgotten morsels. The dog was one of the few to be left behind Wednesday as the Crow Tribal Homeland Safety Department, along with the the Montana Humane Society and Crow Agency Police Chief Jose Figueroa, worked together to round up stray dogs on the reservation. Head of the Department of Crowland Security Henry Rides Horse, Vernon Hill with the Department of Emergency Services and Robert Hoss Rides Horse, another public safety department head, coordinated with the Humane Society to round up the reservation's loose dog population. The largest reservation in Montana, the Crow Reservation has multiple sections where dogs roam free in violation of leash laws. A rough estimate by volunteers put the stray dog population at more than 300. "I grew up here in Lodge Grass. Dog owners, during that time, you didn't see strays running around," Henry Rides Horse said. "Then I left, I went and served in the military, and I came back and started seeing all these dogs." The dogs approach humans with caution, but are used to being fed by people on the reservation. Most are friendly, Henry Rides Horse said. A lot come to the Lodge Grass school and play with the kids, he said. "But some do bite," he added. That, in combination with dogs on the reservation being at risk for diseases like rabies and distemper, prompted the Crow government to take action. "We've made hard attempts in the past," Rides Horse said. "But we don't have enough personnel or local shelters. We'd rather have those, but we appreciate these departments assisting us getting these dogs now." Humane Society of Montana State Director Wendy Hergenraeder and Gina Wiest, the executive director of the Lewis & Clark Humane Society, reached out to the Crow Nation about starting the partnership this year. Wiest said she has worked with the Blackfeet Tribe for about 10 years on spaying and neutering their stray dog population. There is a trust factor, Wiest said. The dogs on the Blackfeet, they know us, so we come and they come up to us. The dogs here dont know us yet. Still, not a single growl was heard as Wiests husband, Jeff, carried a black and brown mutt to a kennel. Placing these dogs is going to be a snap, Gina Wiest said. I adopted three from the Blackfeet. I get goosebumps when I talk about these dogs. Indian Health Service representative Roberta Other Medicine, who works on the environmental health for the tribe, attended the dog round-up. She is one of the people who get calls from the emergency room after someone gets bitten by a dog. Dogs on the reservation are at high risk to contract diseases from skunks and bats. Infected dogs are often be put down, which is something the Crow Nation wants to avoid, Figueroa said. We want these dogs to go get adopted, he said. If we get a court order to get rid of these dogs, well have no choice, well have to euthanize them. Hergenraeder said she and her other volunteers were able to round up more than 25 dogs in two days, not including a litter they took in along with the mother. The animals rescued with go to shelters all across Montana. In June Spay Montana, Help Every Pet of Hardin and Rez Dog Rescue will return to the reservation to spay and neuter Crow tribal members animals. That will happen on June 4 and 5 at the Fire Hall in Crow Agency. People interested can call 406-665-4165 to contract a spot. Rabies vaccinations will be offered June 14, 15 and 16 at the Crow Agency, Lodge Grass, Fort Smith and Pryor. People interested can call Roberta Other Medicine at 406-638-3474. home World Christians arrested over allegations of 'forced conversions' in India Three Christians were arrested on Sunday, May 22 in Satna, Madhya Pradesh after being charged of forcibly converting and insulting the religious sentiments of certain Hindus. The Rev. V.A. Anthony from the Brethren Assembly Church was on his way back from Aber with his wife and another Christian woman after a weekly time of prayer when policemen stopped them and held them in custody. Their request for bail was denied and they were imprisoned, a report said. The arrest was made in connection with an incident that occurred two weeks prior. The three Christians reportedly attempted to convert three Hindus named Hemraj Varma, Rambhan Adivasis and Prashant Gupta from Goraiya village by telling them that they will be guaranteed a job if they convert to Christianity. The three Hindus claimed that Anthony and his companions tore an image of Hindu gods, an act that "offended their religious feelings" and made them decide not to convert to Christianity. They went to the police and filed a complaint against Anthony and the two women. The three Christians were charged with violating section 295A of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to "deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings." According to Mithilesh Shukla, police superintendent in Satna, the three Christians were also guilty of Sections 3 and 4 of Madhya Pradesh's "anti-conversion law" or the Freedom of Religion Act. Villagers speculate that the arrest was the handiwork of influential Hindu extremists, who were with the police when Anthony and the two women were brought in. Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) president Sajan K. George condemned the arrests, saying Anthony, his wife and the other Christian woman did nothing wrong. George maintained that the three were imprisoned "based on false allegations of forced convertions." George said Christians face constant fear in Madhya Pradesh because of the anti-conversion law, which tramples on people's freedom of religion. Anthony's case is the second of its kind recorded this month. home World Mexican Christians to meet with U.S. policymakers about growing Christian persecution in Mexico Four Mexicans who claim to having been persecuted because they are Christian will take their complaint to Washington, D.C. The alleged victims of religious persecution will be meeting with U.S. policymakers at an event organized by advocacy group Christian Solidarity Worldwide. According to Premier, one of them is Fidel Lopez Hernandez, who will be speaking of his experience in 2012 when he and 47 other Protestant Christians were forced to leave their village in Chiapas; while Castro Hernandez Hernandez, first held captive in order to force him to renounce his Christian faith, was expelled from his home in Hisalgo state. "CSW is privileged to facilitate this visit to Washington DC for these four men, who bring valuable first-hand testimonies and research from Mexico about violations of their right to freedom of religion or belief and that of their communities," said CSW's Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas, as quoted by Premier. "We trust that their presentations will give US policy makers a clearer picture of the reality for religious minorities in Mexico and inspire them to make representations to the Mexican government about ongoing human rights concerns." The men's testimonies are part of the agenda prepared by the CSW, which will tackle how Christians are being singled out in Mexico and made to suffer, such as removing their electricity and water services, forcing them to flee their homes, and attempting for forcibly convert them from their Christian faith. The group claims to have recorded 18 cases in 2016 wherein freedom of religion or belief were violated. On May 12, for instance, 90 families were reportedly forced to flee their village in the state of Chiapas because they refused to contribute money for religious festivals. In April, Fox News reported of the increasing persecution of Christians in some states in Mexico, allegedly by syncretists -- people who claim to be Christians but mix the faith with various traditions and beliefs. Charity group International Christian Concern said that people who do not convert are banished from their villages. "We continue to call on the Mexican government to make systematic changes at both the state and federal levels that will strengthen the rule of law and protect the right freedom of religion and belief for all," Thomas said. home World President Obama talks human rights concerns in Vietnam; activists barred President Barack Obama raised human rights concerns in communist Vietnam during a speech on Tuesday, May 24 after noticing that several Vietnamese activists he was supposed to meet were not able to make it. "There's still areas of significant concerns in terms of areas of free speech, freedom of assembly, accountability with respect to government," the president said in a public address, attended by about 2,300 well-dressed Vietnamese and aired on state-run TV. His statement came after acknowledging that Vietnam has progressed greatly in terms of its economy. Before giving his speech, Obama spent hours in a meeting with six Vietnamese civil society leaders at JW Marriott Hotel in Hanoi where he noticed that several others were not present in his requested meeting. "I was taken on a touristic tour," businessman Nguyen Quang A told New York Times. Quang A claimed he's been taken by security officers at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday and driven 50 miles east of Hanoi. He was also one of the more than 100 independent candidates who ran for Parliament in last weekend's elections but failed to get a ballot. Quang A said the government disqualified him. "Before going. May be intercepted, arrested. Advising so people know," Quang A was able to write on his Facebook page with a photo of himself dressing up, before the officials arrived. "Security people have been guarding me at my home for the last two days," lawyer Ha Huy Son told Agence France-Presse. Phil Robertson, deputy director of the Asia division of Human Rights Watch, named blogger and journalist Pham Doan Trang as another activist who was prevented from attending Obama's meeting. Human Rights Watch records an estimated 110 political detainees in Vietnam. "We feel really motivated to later express ourselves freely," 23-years-old Ngoc Dao told CNN. Obama also broached the topic of U.S.-Vietnam relations especially post the Vietnam war, Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and the lifting of U.S.-imposed embargo on the sale of lethal weapons to Vietnam as a way to improve the Southeast Asian nation's security. "(Vietnam) should cooperate with the Americans more," 21-year-old Tung Dong said. "For thousands of years we have been under the influence of China. We might as well have some Western influence now, more Western influence now." home Faith Pastor and three sons killed in car crash in Texas Pastor Israel Avelar and his three sons were killed in a car crash near Carthage, Texas on Saturday, May 21 as the family was travelling back home. His wife and daughter are still in critical condition while his mother is expected to survive. In a report by Lexington Herald Leader, Pastor Jeff Fugate of Clays Mill Road Baptist Church confirmed the casualties including the 46-year-old pastor of Temple Baptist Church in Lexington and his sons 17-year-old Kevin, 14-year-old Daniel, and 6-year-old Matthew. Fugate shared that Hilda, Avelar's wife, and their 11-year-old daughter, Kimberly, are still in critical condition. The following day, an attempt at facial reconstruction surgery on Hilda had to be stopped because of severe injuries, but Fugate reported that Hilda is already improving. He also said that the family's eldest daughter, Bibiann, had stayed behind in Lexington but was already on her way to be with her family. "When I got on scene what I initially saw was quite a mess of an accident; probably the worst I've ever seen, several fatalities and several people injured and a lot of the vehicles that were involved you couldn't even really make out what kind of vehicles they were before the accident happened," KGAS reporter Blake Holland told WKYT. According to KGAS, deputies reported that the accident took place at 10:15 a.m. when the family's GMC Savana, driven by Kevin, slowed down for another vehicle turning off the highway. The Savana was struck from behind by a maroon Chevy Tahoe immediately thrusting it into an 18-wheeler. The crash happened after the pastor's commencement exercises in Insituto Biblico Bautista Libertad (Freedom Baptist Bible Institute) for Pastoral Theology and Christian Leadership on Friday, May 20. "God makes no mistakes," read a statement posted by the Freedom Baptist Church on their Facebook page. Their post narrated Avelar's journey from three years ago when he decided to take on the institute's distance education program. They called on continued prayers for the family and for the church in Lexington where Avelar ministered. "He loved his church members. He loved his family. He would always call us. They were all loveable. It's some words that I just can't, to me they were like family, personal family," Rita Aleman told KLTV. home World Police deny Muslim-Christian conflict sparked by alleged blasphemy in village in Pakistan After news broke out about increasing tensions in a Pakistan village sparked by a Christian man who was accused of blasphemy, police are saying the reports are not true. The conflict allegedly began when Imran Masih, who worked as a cleaner, was accused of blasphemy by a Muslim man who saw a video of a Christian pastor's sermon on his mobile phone at work. Other versions of the story have since come out. One version said Masih and a Muslim friend argued about religion while on a drinking bout. Other people said Masih had a relationship with a Muslim woman, which started the conflict, while others said land grabbers sparked the conflict in the area, World Watch Monitor reported. The tension apparently increased in Masih's village, Chak 44, where majority of the residents are Muslim and only 35 Christian families lived. Previous reports stated that a fatwa has been issued against Masih, and that Christians in the village have been threatened to convert to Islam, leave the place or be killed. "To our best knowledge, no fatwa has been issued against Imran and no application for registration of a case against him has been submitted to the police," police said. However, a small police contingent has been deployed in the area since May 6 as a response to Christian residents who asked for support. Raja Basharat, Mandi Bahauddin district police officer, said a Christian man named Amir Yaqoob called the police saying he was warned by a Muslim friend, Dr. Ashraf Faizi, that Muslims were talking about attacking Christians and burning their houses. Faizi overheard the discussion at the mosque, and when he tried to intervene, the group beat him and threw him out. Basharat said the rumors about the attacks were spread by Faizi, causing tensions to increase in the place. Yaqoob, on the other hand, said a fatwa was indeed issued against Masih. The person who saw Masih's phone reportedly went to Sargodha district to get the fatwa against him, prompting Masih to flee. Despite the conflicting stories about what really happened, the events have surely affected the residents of Chak 44. "Although most people have returned to their houses and they are able to buy goods from shops, only those Christians who've been given an advance loan are being used [in bonded labor]," resident Asif Ishaq said. "Despite the wheat harvest season, other Christians are not being hired for labor. When we are dependent on Muslim landlords for our living, then what can we say?" home Faith Pope Francis embraces Egypt senior Muslim imam, ends 5-year freeze in relations Pope Francis embraced the grand imam of Cairo's al-Azhar mosque at the Vatican on Monday, May 21 in a grand gesture of reconciliation and unity after relations turned sour five years ago. "Our meeting is the message," Francis told reporters after the kiss and embrace at the start of his meeting with the highest authority in Sunni Islam, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, as reported by The Guardian. "We need to take a joint stance, hand in hand, to bring happiness to humanity," read a statement from al-Azhar where Tayeb was quoted telling the pope. "Divine religions were revealed to make people happy, not to cause them hardship," Tayeb was further quoted. Tayeb's visit, which included a 30-minute dialogue with the pontiff and just over an hour in the Vatican, was the first after five years since the 1,000-year-old mosque and university center froze relations with the Vatican following the September 2006 speech given by Benedict XVI, Francis' predecessor. The now-retired Benedict has provoked anger among the Muslims worldwide when he quoted what a Christian emperor said 600 years ago about Prophet Muhammad. "If it were not for these good positions the meeting would not be happening," Abbas Shuman, the imam's deputy, shared with Egyptian TV Channel CBC. The Argentine pope works to improve inter-faith relations since his election to the papacy in 2013 as he meets with leaders of other religious faiths whenever he visits non-Christian countries. In April, Francis brought back with him to the Vatican three Syrian families from his visit to migrant-packed Lesbos. Shuman revealed that the two leaders have agreed to continue their dialogue on issues of poverty, extremism and terrorism. He also said that the imam is intent on promoting "true Islam and to correct misunderstandings created by extremist terrorist groups." "He encourages countries not to deal with their Muslim citizens as groups that present a threat," Shuman said. "And he encourages Muslims in Western society to meld with their societies ... it is a message for both sides." home US Preliminary injunction keeps Maine police from quieting down pro-life protesters outside abortion clinics A judge in Maine has granted a preliminary injunction that prevents police officers from enforcing the Noise Provision of the Maine Civil Rights Act against people who are protesting outside of abortion facilities. "This case presents the difficult question of whether a state law providing protection to women seeking access to constitutionally-protected health care violates the First Amendment rights of an individual who wishes to voice his opposition to abortion on a public sidewalk," the order by U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen reads. "I conclude that it does." The ruling is for a case filed in December 2015 by nonprofit law firm Thomas More Law Center on behalf of Pastor Andrew March against Maine attorney general Janet Mills and three police officers. According to the press release, March was making a pro-life speech in the public sidewalk outside of the Portland Planned Parenthood facility in 2015 when he was warned by the police to lower down the volume of his preaching or face prosecution. The police informed him that he was officially warned under the Maine Civil Rights Act. Under the Noise Provision of the said act, it is illegal, after a police warning, for people to make noise -- with the intent of interfering with a procedure -- that can be heard inside an abortion facility. The judge questioned the "intent to interfere with a medical procedure" part, which essentially differentiates speech based on the content of the message. Thus, a pro-life speech would be restricted because it is against abortion, but a pro-choice speech would not. "The Noise Provision regulates noise, in part, by its function or purpose," the judge wrote. "Outside a health care facility that performs abortions, a pro-life protester's activity would be treated differently under the Noise Provision than a pro-choice protester's activity. Conversely, outside a crisis pregnancy counseling center, a pro-choice protester's noise would be treated differently than a pro-life protester's noise. The difference in treatment is based on the message expressed." The Planned Parenthood clinic is located in downtown Portland, Maine, where many pro-life advocates have voiced their stance against abortion. In October last year, the attorney general of Maine revived the Noise Provision of the Act in order to file charges against Pastor Brian Ingalls, who has been very vocal of his opposition to abortions. "This is a victory regardless of whether you acknowledge that unborn children posses lives worth defending," said Kate Oliveri, the trial counsel handling the case. "Free speech rights are central to maintaining a free society and the court took a huge step toward protecting those rights for all citizens of Maine." home US Target boycott organizers tell shoppers: 'Do not let your teens buy their bathing suits at Target' The approach of the summer season only inspires a new boycott petition against Target retail store calling on those who are opposed to the transgender bathroom policy to avoid buying summer clothes from the company. "We're now heading into bathing suit season. ... Do not let your young girls and teen girls buy their summer clothes or bathing suits at Target," urged Andrea Lafferty while speaking at Breitbart News Daily hosted by Stephen K. Bannon in SiriusXM. Lafferty, president of the Traditional Values Coalition (TVC), revealed she has something up her sleeve and called on more signatures for another boycott petition. While the TVC website clearly calls on people to boycott Target, the conservative group also mentions Human Rights Council and the ACLU as "radical homosexual and transgender organizations." TVC also accuses them of threatening schools and parents with lawsuits unless they comply with what the conservative group refers to as "outrageous new 'non-discrimination' policies that would allow 40-year old men to wander into locker rooms with girls as young as six." TVC also declares that they will not remain silent on the transgender issue. Lafferty defined President Barack Obama's administration as corrupt and called the president's transgender bathroom directive, one that mandates public schools across the U.S. to allow students to use bathrooms according to their gender identification rather than biological sex, as something that's forced "against common sense and the will of the people." "This is not just about a guy going into a women's bathroom at Target, or wherever. It's also about schools," Lafferty explained. "There is a broader agenda." The American Family Association (AFA) has amassed more than 1.2 million signatures in a similar boycott campaign against Target. Sandy Rios, director of government affairs for the AFA, has previously spoken with Breibart News Daily where he expressed similar views with Lafferty. According to Rios, there's a "push from the left to deconstruct" family values. He pointed to the Marxist theory and predicted that the goal of all this to recreate new systems. home World Teen pregnancies at lowest since 1970s in England, study reveals A study shows that there is a significant dip in the number of teenage pregnancies in England, and Christian counselors deem this as good news. However, they also expressed concern that not many Christian schools are providing sex education classes. In a study published on The Lancet, researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the University College London found that the under-18 conception rate has dropped by 50 percent in 2010, reaching its lowest point since the '70s. Lead researcher Professor Kaye Wellings said that there is a near-universal trend toward less numbers of early conception, and this could be due to young people spending more time in education and deciding to settle with a partner at a later time. The decline suggests that the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy introduced in 1999 by the government is bearing fruit. "But the more striking decline in under-18 maternities in England compared with other European countries, and its close link with government investment in reducing teenage pregnancy rates, appears to reflect the intensive and sustained efforts of the strategy to address the problem by changing social norms and increasing access to education and reliable contraception," Wellings said, as quoted on the UCL website. While Christian counselors at CrossWay Pregnancy Crisis Centre are happy with the news, they also expressed that there is more need to educate the young about relationships and sex. According to Premier, they find that many Christian schools are not providing sex education classes. Karen Pitchford, the centre's director, said that parents and guardians will not be able to protect their children for long, and these kids will eventually have to be faced with decisions; thus, "it's important that they get information not just from their parents but from other people." "[When] we teach maths, we start at the bottom and then work gradually up to more complicated maths. It's the same with sex education, really," Pitchford told Premier. "It's about age-appropriate information ... people learning about life and how to make good choices." Pitchford has the same stance regarding abortion cases. She said that by providing people with more information, there is a chance that less women and teenage girls would seek to have their pregnancies terminated. Access to information is the way to enable people to make good choices. home US Transgender bathroom battle escalates further as 11 states file lawsuit against Obama administration Officials from 11 U.S. states sued the Obama administration on Wednesday to overturn a directive telling schools to let transgender students use bathrooms matching their gender identity, decrying the policy as "a massive social experiment." Ramping up the simmering battles over contentious cultural issues in America, the states, led by Texas and most with Republican governors, accused the federal government of rewriting laws by "administrative fiat." "We are willing to fight this all the way to the Supreme Court if we have to," Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton told reporters in Austin. Amid a national debate on transgender rights, President Barack Obama's administration on May 13 told U.S. public schools that transgender students must be allowed to use the bathroom of their choice, upsetting Republicans and paving the way for fights over federal funding and legal authority. The states' lawsuit accused the federal government of overstepping its constitutional powers by taking actions that should be left to Congress or individual states. It also challenged the Obama administration's interpretation of federal civil rights law with regard to sex and gender. The lawsuit said the administration "conspired to turn workplace and educational settings across the country into laboratories for a massive social experiment, flouting the democratic process, and running roughshod over commonsense policies protecting children and basic privacy rights." Texas was joined by Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin, plus Arizona's Department of Education and Maine's governor. Paxton said, "It's about parents who are upset, grandparents who are upset. They want to see that the safety of their children is taken care of." Transgender rights advocates argued it is transgender people who need protection, particularly transgender women who are disproportionately the victims of assaults and would be forced to use men's bathrooms if states succeed in forcing people to use bathrooms matching their sex at birth. Likewise, transgender men, many of whom grow facial hair, would be required to use women's bathrooms along with girls. "This action puts students at risk for the sake of politics," said Alison Gill of the Trans United Fund advocacy group supporting transgender rights. Gill said the states' lawsuit did not reflect the position of most school boards and administrators. The administration's letter to the schools said that to get federal funding under existing rules, schools must agree not to treat students or activities differently on the basis of sex. That includes not treating transgender students differently from others of the same gender identity, officials said. 'UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK' Paul Castillo, a lawyer with Lambda Legal, which supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights, said the lawsuit represented an "unprecedented attack against transgender people across the United States." "These states are demonstrating the great lengths they will go to in order to discriminate against transgender individuals," Castillo said. Nine of the 11 states that sued have Republican governors, including Maine's Paul LePage. LePage broke with the Democratic attorney general, Janet Mills, who did not approve of the lawsuit, a spokesman for Mills said. School districts from Texas and Arizona also joined the suit, which names the U.S. government and a host of federal agencies and officials as defendants. North Carolina sued the federal government on the transgender bathroom issue this month, seeking to protect its state law passed in March that bans people from using public restrooms not corresponding to their sex assigned at birth. Ever since the 1960s civil rights movement, the federal government has asserted its authority to force states to extend equal protection under the law for all. The administration sued North Carolina on May 9, stating that its transgender bathroom law violated the U.S. 1964 Civil Rights Act. The 11 states' lawsuit accused the administration of taking that argument too far and improperly, widening the scope of interpretation of civil rights law. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs and activities. The administration's interpretation is that the word "sex" extends protection to transgender people, but the issue has not been settled in the courts. "I agree with the Obama administration that 'sex' includes 'gender,' and 'gender' includes 'gender identity,'" said John Pagan of the University of Richmond's School of Law in Virginia. Peter Lake of Stetson University College of Law in Florida said the U.S. Supreme Court has taken a narrow view of the meaning of "sex" under the law, but in recent years lower courts have been more likely to defer to the Obama administration's broader definition. "My sense is a certain momentum is building for broader protection of (LGBT) rights, and we might be seeing a moment of federal civil rights law in long-term transition," Lake said. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. MISSOULA Former Missoula County Attorney Fred Van Valkenburg said District Court Judge Ed McLean lacks the jurisdiction and has "no authority" to grant current Missoula County Attorney Kirsten Pabsts motion to dismiss the case against Cody Marble. In 2002, Marble was convicted of raping a 13-year-old boy while they were in custody in the Missoula County jail. In August, following a series of failed appeal attempts and other measures to overturn his conviction, the Montana Supreme Court remanded the case back to the District Court level, asking it to re-examine the decision to deny Marble a new trial using a new standard regarding new evidence. In April, Pabst filed a motion to dismiss the underlying case against Marble, saying the conviction lacked integrity and that it was never too late to do the right thing. McLean, a retired judge who is presiding over the case, has not granted the motion, but did release Marble from custody on April 21 pending further court proceedings. He also invited Van Valkenburg to weigh in on the matter as an amicus curiae, or friend of the court. In early May, Pabst filed a motion asking McLean to make an immediate ruling on the dismissal without Van Valkenburgs input, which the judge denied. In his brief filed Tuesday, Van Valkenburg said the court could not make a ruling on the motion to dismiss the case, saying it was remanded with very specific instructions from the state Supreme Court on what the judge should be deciding. The Supreme Court has previously said that when it remands a case with specific directions to the district court, the lower court is limited in its jurisdiction and authority in the case to carrying out the Supreme Courts specific directions on remand, he wrote. Pabsts filing asking to dismiss the case included part of a deposition between Van Valkenburg and Marbles now-deceased victim Robert Thomas after Thomas recanted the story of his rape. Thomas had been given limited immunity during the deposition, and while statements he made during the hearing couldnt be used against him, he could be charged with perjury for recanting his story. And I would advise you that if in fact I am able to establish sufficient evidence outside of what you say in this deposition, that you lied during that trial on the substance of the issue, and that is whether or not Cody Marble raped you, that I would in fact prosecute you for perjury for your actions in lying at that trial, Van Valkenburg told Thomas, according to the record. Thomas then recanted his recantation, and reverted to the story that he had been raped by Marble. Pabst also wrote that since the trial, two other unnamed witnesses had recanted. Van Valkenburg said in his brief that while Pabst used the quote to indicate some type of threat had been made, he had simply made an accurate statement of the law. If there had in fact been a threat made at the deposition (Van Valkenburg), surely the attorney for the witness or the attorney for the Petitioner would have previously raised such matter, he wrote. In her motion for McLean to rule immediately, Pabst said that failing to grant the dismissal violated the separation of powers under both the federal and state constitutions. Nothing could be further from the truth, Van Valkenburg wrote in his brief. He said Pabst attempting to dismiss the judgment in the original case seriously invades the authority of the judicial branch, and said while the county attorney has discretion to decide charges at an early stage in a case, doing so now is inappropriate. The train long ago left the station with respect to the County Attorneys appropriate exercise of her prosecutorial discretion in this case, he wrote. Van Valkenburg concluded his brief by saying that McLean should both deny Pabsts motion to dismiss and find that Marble has not met the standard for new evidence the case initially had been remanded to decide. He said that while he doesnt know who the other witnesses who recanted their statements were, he guessed at their identities, saying one had retracted his statement during trial and therefore shouldnt be new evidence. To the other, Van Valkenburg said Pabst made no attempts to tell the court about the circumstances of how the recantation was gathered. On Wednesday, Pabst responded to Van Valkenburg's filing, saying that as the elected county attorney, she is called upon to make difficult decisions on a daily basis. "One of the hardest things for lawyers to do is to admit when weve made a mistake. No human system is perfect but, if we are truly committed to improving the criminal justice process, we must admit when we are wrong and commit to making sure that doesnt happen again," she said. "After conducting an exhaustive investigation and carefully examining all of the facts and evidence in this case, in light of my ethical obligation to do justice, I firmly stand by my decision that the charges against Cody Marble must be dropped. It may not be popular, but its the right thing to do." home US Two ministers arrested in human trafficking operation in Tennessee Pastor Jason Kennedy, a children's minister at Grace Baptist Church, and Zubin Parakh, creative pastor at Life House Church in Oak Ridge, were among the 32 men and women arrested by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) on Friday, May 20 during a Knoxville human trafficking operation. According to TBI Newsroom, the two ministers were among those who responded to a Backpage.com ad where undercover agents posed as juvenile prostitutes in what they dubbed as "Operation Someone Like Me." Grace Baptist Church immediately released an official statement to its members on their website to announce the termination of Kennedy as children's pastor following his arrest. They conveyed their sadness over what happened and clarified that the pastor was hired two and a half years ago with no criminal record or any issues that turned up from their background investigation. "Our security system includes 78 security cameras, electronic check-in, background checks of employees and volunteers, and security officers during gatherings at the church," they assured the church members. The church's senior pastor Ron Stewart told ABC10 that Kennedy was not just his co-worker but also his friend and that no one complained about him at church. "Jason was a guy that talked so much about his wife and how much he loved her, and she talked about how she loved him and their three children. I mean, they were a great family," Stewart said. TBI director Mark Gwyn shared that those arrested came from different professions, referring to them as "people we work and live with," as reported by WVLT. Community Coalition Kate Trudell added that not many people understand that human trafficking is just another demand-driven crime. "The demand comes from every single sector in our community," Trudell said. "Including those parts that we'd all like to believe are not part of the problem." The three-day-operation of the TIB was in partnership with Knoxville Police Department Detectives and non-profit organizations (NGOs) Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking, End Slavery Tennessee, and Second Life Chattanooga. The NGOs assisted in identifying the potential victims of trafficking and offered services such as housing, counseling and addiction treatment to the victims. home US Wisconsin Christian school reserves right to expel students for 'outwardly sinful lifestyles,' atheist group files complaint Freedom From Religion Foundation has filed a complaint against St. John's Lutheran School in Wisconsin for allegedly discriminating against transgender students. "St. John's Lutheran School has implemented policies that discriminate against students on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity," the complaint, filed with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction by FFRF's Patrick Elliot, reads. "As these students are unable to attend the school, they are unable to participate in free and reduced price lunch programs." According to the complaint, the school sent a letter in February, signed by principal Craig Breitkreutz, informing parents about issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity. The school is requesting for birth certificates in order for a student to enrol. "If we cannot legally refuse students who are struggling with homosexuality or gender identification, we must maintain our right to hold the truths of God's Word," the letter reads. The letter cites two ways for them to do this. First is the updated admissions policy, which now includes a handbook agreement and a religious orientation for students. The second is the revised disciplinary policy that now more specifically states "which behaviors are not acceptable and can lead to dismissal." "In other words, although we do not have the right to refuse admittance to people choosing an outwardly sinful lifestyle, we do maintain the right to discipline and dismiss students for these choices," the letter says. The St. John's Lutheran Church and School told The Christian Post via email that "the complaint is without merit." Also, they are "confident that the government will recognize, as it always has, the church's constitutional right to teach and practice our beliefs without interference from the government." The school receives federal funding for some student aid programs, but the email says that the federal funds they get "are designed to help children and families, not fund and operate our school." Denying that the letter is an expression of "fear, hatred, or bigotry," the school said that it is an expression of their convictions as Christians and they "look to God and His Word to define what is right and wrong, moral and immoral." 300 Muslims attack and torch Christian homes in Egypt Christian homes were attacked and set on fire in Egypt after rumours circulated that a Christian man had an affair with a Muslim woman, according to the Orthodox Coptic Church. Around 300 armed people attacked seven houses owned by Christians in Al-Karm village in Minya province, south of Cairo, on May 20, the diocese of Minya and Abu Qiras said in a statement. "The attackers also stripped an old Christian woman of her clothes in front of a huge crowd in the street," the diocese said. This woman was the mother of the man alleged to have conducted the affair. According to Daily News Egypt, she was 70 years old, and was dragged into the road and beaten. "His parents already filed a complaint at Abu Qiras police station about receiving threats on 19 May and that they expected those threats to happen the next day," the statement continued, noting that the man had been forced to leave the village. "We trust that such behaviour is not accepted by any respectable person; we also trust that the state apparatuses won't stand by as a spectator and thus we thank in advance the security apparatuses as we believe it will all arrest all those involved and hold them accountable." Six people have been arrested in connection with the incident. However, Tarek Nasser, the governor of Minya, has downplayed the events. According to AP, he denied that an elderly woman had been stripped naked. "Some irrational youth threw flammable missiles at the houses of Christians in the village and some women ran away in their nightgowns," he said in a statement to the media. Pope Tawadros II, Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, said on Thursday he had been assured the attackers would be brought to justice. Christians, mostly Orthodox Copts, account for about 10 per cent of Egypt's population, which is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim. Sectarian violence sometimes erupts over disputes on issues related to church building, religious conversions and interfaith relationships. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) earlier this month recommended that the US State Department add Egypt to its list of "countries of particular concern", where "particularly severe violations of religious freedom are perpetuated or tolerated". Though the Egyptian government has taken "positive steps to address some religious freedom concerns" in the past year, there remains a "climate of impunity," the USCIRF said. 5 smartphone apps to enhance your spiritual life The ubiquity of the smartphone hardly needs further documentation. Suffice to say: we've (almost) all got one, and we're (almost) all prone to spending far too much of our time staring at it. Our natural response to this, especially as Christians, is to decry the awfulness of all the distraction and preoccupation involved. We proclaim the damage that our phones can cause to our ability to form and conduct meaningful relationships, especially with God. But that's not the only way of looking at it. If we're aware of the pitfalls, and intentional about avoiding them, smartphones don't have to be bad news for our friendships or our spiritual lives. In fact, in the case of the latter, they can actually be useful in enhancing our connection with God. Various smartphone apps have been created with this specific purpose in mind, but there are also a range of other great programmes available which while this might not have been their creator's intent have a great spiritual application (no pun intended). Streaks (iPhone only Android version in development) This incredibly simple app allows you to track your 'good habits' by simply logging how many consecutive days you manage to practice them for. So if you want to remember to pray, read the Bible and get some exercise each day but sometimes lack the self-control or simply the memory to do so, the app reminds and encourages you. At 2.99 it might seem expensive, but if it works for you it'll become your daily go-to for self-discipline. Bible In One Year (iPhone / Android) Lots of great Bible reading apps exist (especially the all-conquering YouVersion and the innovative Glo), but for sheer ease of use and great, practical commentary, you can't beat Alpha International's smart BIOY app. The beauty is that the daily reading is contained within the app rather than requiring a separate source, while the accompanying reflections from Holy Trinity Brompton's Nicky Gumbel are expertly applied to the daily life you've taken a few moments out from. Best of all, it's completely free. Cove (iPhone only) Created as a feelings management app for those in challenging circumstances, the award-winning Cove is an extraordinary way to share how you're feeling through music. A simple interface allows users to create, save and share simple musical loops which communicate their emotional mood. And if that works as a way of crying out to other people, why can't it be used as a method of crying out to God? Not only can this brilliant (and free) programme work as a kind of prayer, it could also create a perfect backdrop for meditation. Fighter verses (iPhone / Android) The great art of Bible memorisation is somewhat lost from some of our modern discipleship. This app from John Piper's Desiring God team aims to put that right by turning the idea into a digital game of sorts, challenging you to memorise an incredible 520 verses of Scripture over two years. The slightly militaristic terminology might be a little off-putting for some, but most of us will agree that reading and learning Scripture is something we could all benefit from. At 1.89 it requires a modest investment, but that's less than the price of a latte for something you might use several times a day. Reminders (or any To-Do List app) (all formats) It's a simple idea which probably doesn't even require you to download a new app. Why not use your phone's in-built reminder programme to log the things you want to remember to pray for? So often particularly on social media we can be guilty of promising that we're #praying for a friend, when inevitable distractions mean we never actually manage to fulfill the sentiment. Simply creating a list of prayers on our phones (perhaps with attached notifications) makes us far more likely to follow through on that Facebook-comment promise. The excellent PrayerMate does the same thing with a specific focus, but given that on average we barely use the vast majority of apps on our phones, it's a great idea to find this alternative use for one we might open every day. Martin Saunders is a Contributing Editor for Christian Today and the Deputy CEO of Youthscape. You can follow him on Twitter: @martinsaunders Assyrian leaders hit back at Patriarch's call for Christian militias not to be armed Assyrian leaders have hit back at the Chaldean patriarch who last week urged the US not to arm Christian forces fighting ISIS in the Middle East. In a statement sent out on Thursday, the Assyrian Confederation of Europe (ACE) said it was concerned by Patriarch Louis Raphael I Sako's comments. "There is broad agreement between Assyrian organisations in Iraq and the diaspora that Assyrians must actively participate in the military campaign to liberate the Nineveh Plain and secure the area after the liberation," the statement said. "The Nineveh Plain Protection Units (NPU), which is tasked with that mandate, is officially recognised and supported by the Iraqi government, in direct contradiction to the Patriarch's claims." The importance of so-called 'Christian militias' was made "abundantly clear", the statement continues, following the abandonment of the Assyrians in the Nineveh Plain by the Kurdish Peshmerga. Assyrian Christians are among a number of religious minorities who have suffered immensely under Islamic State over the past two years. "Mar Sako's urging of the United States to support the Peshmerga instead of Assyrian forces is a clear illustration of how utterly at odds his ideas are with the real needs of Assyrians in Iraq. Assyrian-led military participation is essential if displaced Assyrians are to return to Nineveh, as Patriarch Sako claims that he wishes them to," ACE said. "Patriarch Sako has on several occasions expressed a desire to separate religion from state in Iraq. It is therefore embarrassingly inconsistent of him to continue to interfere in the political affairs of his people. We urge Louis Sako not to confuse his role as a religious figure with that of a political leader, just as political and secular leaders refrain from passing comment on theology or ecclesiastical affairs." In a May 20 interview with Vatican Radio, Sako stated his opposition to Christian militias. He told Fides news agency that supporting Christian forces would be "a bad idea". "There are no 'Christian militias', but only politicized groups and simple people who are in desperate need of a salary," he said. "The remaining Christians in Iraq are only the poor and those belonging to the middle class, and among them, there are 100 thousand displaced people." "It is a total mess!" Sako added. "Everyone wants to exploit Christians of Nineveh Plain for their ambitions and political interests. It is an area with different ethnic groups and religious communities... I am afraid that all these talks will turn Nineveh Plain into a continuing conflict region, and in this case, no Christian will return to their homes. "Christians, if they want to have a future, must integrate themselves with the institutions and follow the legitimate authorities that govern the place where they live," he said. "And if the US really want to defeat Daesh [ISIS], they have to support the regular armies that are part of the central government and the autonomous Kurdistan government, instead of creating sectarian militias". The Patriarch was responding to a defence spending bill currently headed for authorisation by the US Congress and Senate. It specifically refers to Christian security forces as a group that should be supported. A report says: "The committee believes that the United States should support appropriately vetted, effective indigenous groups such as Iraqi Christian militias, with a national security mission." Steve Oshana, executive director of A Demand for Action a campaign group that has pushed for the legitimacy of Christian militias to be recognised previously told Christian Today the move was a "huge step forward". "This is significant because Christian forces in Iraq and Syria have spent the past 18 months building capacity, and in Syria one group has already received support from the US," he said. "It's significant because it shows a greater US commitment to supporting Christians and more importantly acknowledging their legitimacy as fighting forces in Iraq and Syria." Congressman Jeff Fortenberry last week commended the bill for expanding protections for religious minorities in Iraq. "Two months ago, Congress declared that ISIS is committing genocide against Christians, Yezidis, and other minorities. The House of Representatives has now taken concrete steps to support the victims," he said. "Christians, Yezidis, and others should remain an essential part of the Middle East's once rich tapestry of ethnic and religious diversity. They now have new cause for hope." ACE called on the international community to support Christians fighting ISIS "with arms, training and other resources". It also said that political statement made by religious figures in the Middle East should be disregarded "as they are not democratically elected by the people and do not represent the Assyrian people politically." Christian refugees rescued from ISIS...in a private jet Christian refugees fleeing ISIS were offered a dramatic escape route when a private jet rescued them from Iraq. Business Jets usually offers tailor-made private flights for wealthy clients but undertook an unusual operation when it was instructed to fly 149 persecuted Christians to safety. The flight was funded by the Christian humanitarian aid charity Mercury One. The Kiev-based aviation company flew the Christian families under threat from ISIS in Erbil to their new home in Kosice, Slovakia. Chosen for their expertise in eastern Europe and the Middle East, it took four Business Jets staff two weeks to organise the operation. According to greatreporter.com they had to overcome a number of difficulties such as finding a local aircraft, permits for the flight and authorisation from the Iraqi authorities. However these were the least of their worries as Russian rockets fired into Syria caused Iraqi airspace to be closed for 48 hours. The original plan was delayed but as soon as the air strikes paused, the refugees were flown out on an Airbus A-321. "Our biggest satisfaction was to know we probably saved lives back there," said Julien, one of the members of staff who carried out the operation. More than a million refugees and migrants arrived in Europe in 2015, many fleeing persecution in Syria, Iraq and Afghanisatan. Germany has accepted the largest number of asylum seekers but many are also stuck in transit countries such as Hungary, Italy and Greece. #DisagreeWell: Christian EU debate attempts to shift poisonous rhetoric Christians on opposite sides of the European Union debate locked horns on Thursday night in a debate billed as a model of how to "disagree well". In a move to counter the heated rhetoric on both sides of the referendum debate, the panel were asked to offer a "Christian EU debate". The unusual pair of former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe alongside left-wing commentator and priest Giles Fraser argued for Brexit against Lib Dem peer Sal Brinton and former diplomat and British representative to Europe, Stephen Wall. But when Brinton was introduced as a champion against bullying, Widdecombe couldn't resist the first jibe. "If Sal is opposed to bullying, she should also be opposed to biggest bully of them all - the EU." The debate moved on to democracy within the EU and Wall suggested it was better for everyone if nations pooled their sovereignty. Fraser countered and said this was not a debate about economics. "I would be happy for us to be poorer if we could have our democracy back. The idea we should trade our democracy for a few percentage points in our economy is lunacy." Brinton made the point that our democracy in the UK was not perfect. "The reason Ann [Widdecombe] never lost her seat in the House of Commons is because we don't have a fair voting system," she said. The lively debate continued onto whether there was a moral case for either leave or remain. "Absolutely not," said Brinton. "But I use my faith to inform my views." On this Widdecombe agreed. "There is no moral superiority on either position. There is not a monopoly of Christian virtue on either side." Afterwards Brinton told Christian Today she was inspired by Revelation's reference to a multitude from every nation, tribe, people and tongue. "As a Christian I want us to be part of that. Wanting to remain in the EU is saying there are benefits of remaining together." She said: "History has shown we are much better when we are united with our colleagues." Wall added he thought the best way to respond to a Christian value was to care for people beyond our borders in Europe. The panel were also asked what they would use as the basis for a sermon on Europe. "The wolf in sheep's clothing," Widdecome said without hesitation. "When we entered the EU we thought it was going to be a tariff agreement and it has turned into a political union." Brinton took a different tone. "The story of Daniel in Babylon," she said. "The King chose to put power in Daniel's hands and made him ruler of an entire province. The point is Daniel used his faith responsibly." Wall said he would preach on "render to Caesar what is Caesar's". Widdecome retorted: "I am quite happy to compare the EU to Caesar." Fraser said he would preach on 1 Samuel 8 when the prophet warns Israel about the dangers of appointing a king. "This is what the king who will reign over you will do," Fraser said, summarising the passage. "He will take your sons and your daughters. He will the best of your fields and give it to his friends. "And when that day comes you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day. "That sounds like the people of Greece today," said Fraser. That, according to Wall, was "unanswerable". Fraser admitted he would usually disagree with Widdecome "on 99 per cent of things". But asked whether he was bothered with being on the side of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, let along Ann Widdecombe, he said it was "childish" to worry about who you share platforms with. After the debate he told Christian Today: "I share church with people who I profoundly disagree with. If Trump or Putin shared my pews I would pray alongside them. "It's not an issue for me. I'm not a politician. I would be happy to share a platform with anyone." But while the debate was intense, organiser Adrian Hilton said it had not strayed into the repetitive insults seen in the mainstream debate. Giles agreed but added: "I hate the idea Christianity is about being nice to each other. That is the essence of middle-class Britain but not the essence of Christianity. "Sometimes the debate ought to reflect certain passion and vigour." The panel certainly offered that. At one stage Fraser said he would "eat grass for a year in order to leave the EU". In conclusion Hilton said: "There has been more light than heat than at any point so far in this debate. "Iron sharpening iron." A federal judge sentenced a Lame Deer man on Wednesday to two years in prison for hitting and killing a pedestrian, and then leaving the scene after having smoked marijuana and drunk alcohol before the crash. U.S. District Judge Susan Watters in Billings followed a prosecution and plea agreement recommendation for the two-year term in sentencing Marlin Dell Whitedirt, 44. She also ordered $13,384 restitution for funeral, tribal and family expenses. Watters said while Whitedirt didnt intentionally kill the victim, identified in court as Alex Little Coyote, he decided to drink alcohol and smoke marijuana and then drove. That is intentional conduct, she told Whitedirt. He (Little Coyote) was struck by you and killed. And then you fled the scene, she added. Watters noted Whitedirts three previous drunken driving convictions, 11 convictions for intoxication in tribal court and history of marijuana use to address pain because of a pain medication addiction. Whitedirts choices demonstrated a real lack of judgment and led to tragic consequences, Watters said. The judge rejected a defense recommendation for time served of about six months. Im sorry for what happened that night. I think of it all the time, Whitedirt said. Whitedirt pleaded guilty in November to involuntary manslaughter in the Nov. 2, 2013, death of Little Coyote, who was 18. Whitedirt faced a guideline range of 30 to 37 months and a maximum penalty of eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Little Coyote was intoxicated while walking near the fog line along Highway 212 on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation when he was struck and killed by Whitedirts 2006 Chevrolet Suburban. The crash happened at about 2:30 a.m. Whitedirt, who was working as a security guard on the graveyard shift at the senior living center in Lame Deer, smoked marijuana and drank alcohol then hit Little Coyote as he drove home from work, the prosecution said. Whitedirt drove to the Muddy Cluster area and waited a few hours before going home. The next morning Whitedirt and his wife called law enforcement after Whitedirts wife read about a pedestrian being killed on Highway 212. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sullivan said that while Whitedirts relatives talked about his good qualities at sentencing, the fatal crash was a natural consequence of drinking, using drugs and then driving. Whitedirt, Sullivan said, put his own interests before others and didnt care about Little Coyote when hit him and left him to die. Whitedirts attorney, Ashley Harada, said a time-served sentence was appropriate and that Whitedirt had accepted responsibility and was remorseful. While Whitedirt had a difficult upbringing, as an adult he has worked to support his children and extended family and is involved their lives, she said. He also gives his time and money to help others in the community, she added. Relatives of Whitedirt asked the judge for leniency saying Whitedirt is family-oriented, community-minded and a role model. Little Coyotes uncle, Eugene Little Coyote, former Northern Cheyenne Tribal president, told the judge his family has experienced pain and immeasurable grief over his nephews death. Eugene Little Coyote described his nephew as deeply spiritual and a caring and loving person who helped with tribal ceremonies. The tribe, he said, lost someone good and someone important to our future, he said. Donald Trump wins enough delegates to secure Republican nomination Donald Trump has won enough delegates to secure the Republican party's nomination for US President, according to Associated Press. The controversial billionaire has now reached 1,238 delegates, one more than is needed, AP reports. He reached the quota after a handful of the party's unbound delegates told AP they would pledge their support. Trump's bombastic campaign has riled the Republican party's elite and he has struggled to win support from those at the top of the party. Many senior party members had hoped he would not win enough delegates to clinch the nomination outright which would force a second round of voting at the party's national convention in July. Towards the later stages of his campaign, it was clear rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich could not win enough delegates to seize the nomination but they hoped by remaining in the race they could prevent Trump from winning outright and claim the nomination at the convention. That was put to bed after Trump won in Indiana, taking all the state's 57 delegates, and both Cruz and Kasich withdrew their bid. The majority of Republican delegates are bound in who to support by their state's voting results. However a few delegates remain unbound going in to the convention and it is these unbound delegates that have carried Trump over the line, according to AP. One of these is Oklahoma GOP chairman Pam Pollard. "I think [Trump] has touched a part of our electorate that doesn't like where our country is," she said. "I have no problem supporting Mr Trump." The New York billionaire has amassed millions of fans among grassroots Republicans despite the leadership's reluctance. Another unbound delegate, the chairman of the Colorado Republican party Steve House, said he would support Trump because of his business background. "Leadership is leadership," said House. "If he can surround himself with the political talent, I think he will be fine." Trump is expected to be officially announced as the Republican candidate at the July convention after one round of votes. Five dead as Christian villages in Turkey attacked by suicide bomber Five people were killed when a suicide bomber attacked a checkpoint between two Syriac Orthodox villages in south-eastern Turkey on Wednesday. The bombing took place no more than 100m from St Mary church (Idto d'Yoldath-Aloho) in Hah, Tur Abdin, following clashes between pro and anti AKP Kurds. St Mary is believed to be the oldest church in the world. According to tradition, it is built on the place where the three Wise Men passed on their way to visit Jesus in Bethlehem, and to which they later returned. A temple was therefore erected in the name of Jesus' mother. Tur Abdin is a mountainous region meaning 'The Mountain of the Servants of God'. It is considered the heartland of Syriac Orthodox Christianity, and for many people it is as important as Jerusalem. "Hah is my heart and soul... it is one of the most important places for our people in the world," Nuri Kino, an investigative journalist and founder of advocacy group A Demand For Action, told Christian Today. "Yuldath Aloho has faced many wars and genocides and never been destroyed. Yesterday all the windows were crashed. We feel with all those that were killed, no human blood, no matter if they are Turks, Kurds or Assyrian/Syriacs should be shared." Kino urged warring factions to end their conflict, so "the remaining of our people can live in peace." "The inhabitants in our villages are vulnerable and we are pleading to the world to stop them from being hurt. Yesterday was a day of total shock for us, we are losing our people in Iraq and Syria and now this in Turkey," he said. "We are tired of tears, tired of being hurt in country after country. The people of Tur Abdin stand not alone." Leave the EU or Remain, the Church of Scotland shouldn't be voting on it Full disclosure: I'm not a Brexiteer. I think Britain is better off in Europe, but more to the point I think Europe is better off with Britain. The EU is a long way from perfect, but reform it, don't demolish it. It's been a tremendous force for good, and the only beneficiary of a Leave vote will be Vladimir Putin. So you might think I'd welcome the vote by the Church of Scotland's General Assembly in favour of the Remain camp. According to the CofS: "The motion to remain was carried with a clear majority stamping their feet in the Assembly Hall on the Mound." One Commissioner, as delegates are known, registered her objection. Rev Dr Karen Fenwick, a minister in Angus, said: "We are not a political party or a trade union," adding: "I think the Scottish public are quite capable of knowing we support the EU without us telling them what to do." Her motion got no traction and failed. However, I don't welcome it at all. I think Churches that take political positions on issues like this are not only running the risk of alienating faithful Christians who've reached a different conclusion, but running the risk of turning themselves into something other than Churches. And the Church of Scotland is only one example of churches pronouncing on issues outside their gospel remit. Because the task of a Church is to incarnate, as fully and intensely as it possibly can, the mission of God in the person of Jesus Christ. In the words of 1 Peter 2:9: "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." Does this mean the Church has nothing to say about politics? Far from it. The Church should be the judge of the world. As GK Chesterton wrote about Thomas Becket and the mediaeval Church: "The kings were themselves in the dock. The idea was to create an invisible kingdom, without armies or prisons, but with complete freedom to condemn publicly all the kingdoms of the earth." It is absolutely right for the Church to ask questions, to probe, to expose falsehood and insincerity and incompetence. It is right for the Church to advocate for the poor and despised of the world, and to remind governments of every stamp and hue about those it is more convenient to forget. Yes, the Church should speak truth to power, and it can do so as a Church. It is very, very rarely, though, that as a Church it can prescribe the cure as well as the diagnosis. That is not its role. Its expertise is in the human heart, in the Scriptures that speak of God and in the intersection between them. On the EU referendum, the Church of Scotland may well have within its ranks experts on the constitution and the economy who can provide commentary and insight. It can contribute to a discussion in wider society. But it is not, or it should not be, another interest group or stakeholder like the CBI or the TUC or a political party. It is a Church. What it contributes to a debate is not just weight of numbers or a particular point of view. It is called to judge both sides, not to come down on one or the other. It should not be in a position that means it either wins, if Britain votes to Remain, or loses, if it votes to Leave. It is bigger than that. The Church of Scotland, and any Church, has no more insight into political outcomes to offer than any other body, and it should not claim to have. What it has is God's revelation of himself in Jesus Christ. Out of that comes a particular way of thinking about and valuing people, which includes a commitment to human flourishing. But is a very, very long leap from that primal gift of the presence of God in Christ to backing one side in a referendum. Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods 'Outlander' season 2 episode 8 spoilers: Jamie and Claire have unfinished business in Scotland After the painful events that happened in Paris, the Frasers are now ready to head back to Scotland to face their unfinished businesses in episode 8 of "Outlander" season 2. At the end of episode 7, Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) lost their first child. The heartache prompted the couple to decide to leave Paris and forget about their traumatic experience in the royal courts of France. In the upcoming episode, titled "The Fox's Lair," Jamie and Claire must prepare themselves to face familiar faces and problems in their homeland. Radio Times teased that a lot of things will unfold once the couple sets foot once again in Scotland. Despite their decision to leave Paris, the couple will not abandon their plans for the Jacobite cause. This will prompt them to seek the help of Jamie's grandsire, Lord Lovat (Clive Russell), to support them in their cause. But based on the trailer for the upcoming episode, getting his support comes at a hefty price. Also, the episode will showcase Claire's new discovery about Jamie's complicated family history. But will this affect the couple's relationship in the long run? Meanwhile, Balfe talked about how Claire and Jamie's lives will move forward as they settle back in Scotland during an interview with Variety. According to the actress, Scotland has always been a comforting place for the couple since it is where they can be themselves, but the events in Paris already changed Claire for the rest of her life. "I don't think she'll ever really get over this, and in some ways, it's hardened her and made her tougher, but in some ways it's also made her more fragile and brittle," the actress said. Balfe also teased that Jamie will be tougher because of the painful experiences that happened to him in the past. "Jamie really becomes the man that he was always meant to be in the later episodes, and I think Claire is right there alongside him, and you see their bond really deepen and strengthen," she added. "Outlander" season 2 episode 8 airs on Saturday, May 28, on Starz. Pope Francis prays for God to 'convert the hearts' of ISIS terrorists Pope Francis has urged Christians to pray for God to reach the hearts of terrorists and stop them from sowing "death and destruction". At the end of his general audience in Rome on Wednesday, the Pope highlighted the coordinated attacks in "beloved Syria" on May 23, referring to the victims as "defenceless civilians". More than 160 people were killed in a series of explosions in Jableh and Tartus government stronghold cities on the west coast of Syria on Monday. It was the first time civilians have been targeted in this way in the two cities since the beginning of Syria's civil war, which entered its sixth year in March. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks. In St Peter's Square, the Pope called on those present "to pray to the merciful Father, to pray to the Madonna, that [God] might give eternal rest to the victims, and consolation to their families, and might convert the hearts of those who sow death and destruction," according to Vatican Radio. His words follow the assertion of Vatican official Cardinal Kurt Koch, who last week said Christians have a "mission to convert" all people except Jews, including Islamic extremists. The Pope also warned that "prayer is not a magic wand", but is instead a tool of faith. "God promptly answers promptly his children, although this does not mean he does it in the time and manner that we would like," he said. "It helps to preserve our faith in God, and to trust in Him even when we do not comprehend His will. In this, Jesus himself who prayed so much! is the example." Pope Francis to address UAE's Islamic Council to improve relations between Christians and Muslims Pope Francis has been invited to address the United Arab Emirates' Islamic council in efforts to improve relations between Christians and Muslims. A series of talks, attended by the UAE's Muslim Council of Elders, have been organised to build bridges between the two religions. Vatican officials suggested the pontiff could be invited to speak at the next round of talks which will take place in either Cairo or the Vatican. Dr Ali Al Nuaimi, chairman of the UAE Islamic council said there was a desire from the Holy See to "correct the image of Islam and Muslims in Christian society". He suggested this was seen when the pope welcomed Dr Ahmed El Tayyeb, the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, to the Vatican. Francis was photographed embracing the senior Islamic cleric before speaking privately to him in his office. "Usually the pope does not receive any guest in his office on his own. He always has the cardinal and other officials seated on the side," said Al Nuaimi. The gesture of hospitality was accompanied by the pope awarding the grand imam with the medal of peace. "These things would not have happened two years ago," said Al Nuaimi. The latest round of inter-faith talks were held in Paris and was attended by Sunni and Shia Muslims as well as Vatican representatives. After the talks the faith leaders visited the Bataclan theatre and a nearby cafe, both targets of the terror attacks last November. El Tayyeblaid a wreath and a prayed for the victims of the terror attacks. He wrote a note alongside his bouquet that read: "O people of every faith, nationality, race, colour and language: I have come here to announce to you all in the name of Islam that the blood of all human beings should be protected," he wrote. "I and all Muslims experienced great pain for every drop of bloodshed here and anywhere," he said. "And we should all, East and West, stand together against the killers of those victims. "And we have great hope that the free French peaceful, lively people will be able to overcome this tragedy. And we ask Allah to protect you and us from all evil," he concluded. 11 US States take on Obama administration over transgender bathroom ruling Officials from 11 US states sued the Obama administration on Wednesday to overturn a directive telling schools to let transgender students use bathrooms matching their gender identity, decrying the policy as "a massive social experiment". The administration's guidance was issued on May 13 amid a national debate on transgender issues sparked by controversial "bathroom laws" in North Carolina and elsewhere. The state had sought to restrict people's use of public lavatories to those that matched the gender on their birth certificate. Its move was met with protests from companies withdrawing their business, cancelled conferences and entertainers refusing to perform in the state. The 11 states taking on the government, led by Texas and most of them with Republican governors, accused the federal government of rewriting laws by "administrative fiat." "We are willing to fight this all the way to the Supreme Court if we have to," Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton told reporters in Austin. The states' lawsuit accused the federal government of overstepping its constitutional powers by taking actions that should be left to Congress or individual states. It also challenged the Obama administration's interpretation of federal civil rights law with regard to sex and gender. The lawsuit said the administration "conspired to turn workplace and educational settings across the country into laboratories for a massive social experiment, flouting the democratic process, and running roughshod over commonsense policies protecting children and basic privacy rights". Texas was joined by Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin, plus Arizona's Department of Education and Maine's governor. Transgender rights advocates argued it is transgender people who need protection, particularly transgender women who are disproportionately the victims of assaults and would be forced to use men's bathrooms if states succeed in forcing people to use bathrooms matching their sex at birth. Likewise, transgender men, many of whom grow facial hair, would be required to use women's bathrooms along with girls. "This action puts students at risk for the sake of politics," said Alison Gill of the Trans United Fund advocacy group supporting transgender rights. The administration's letter to the schools said that to get federal funding under existing rules, schools must agree not to treat students or activities differently on the basis of sex. That includes not treating transgender students differently from others of the same gender identity, officials said. Nine of the 11 states that sued have Republican governors, including Maine's Paul LePage. LePage broke with the Democratic attorney general, Janet Mills, who did not approve of the lawsuit, a spokesman for Mills said. North Carolina sued the federal government on the transgender bathroom issue this month, seeking to protect its state law passed in March that bans people from using public restrooms not corresponding to their sex assigned at birth. Ever since the 1960s civil rights movement, the federal government has asserted its authority to force states to extend equal protection under the law for all. The administration sued North Carolina on May 9, stating that its transgender bathroom law violated the US 1964 Civil Rights Act. The 11 states' lawsuit accused the administration of taking that argument too far and improperly, widening the scope of interpretation of civil rights law. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs and activities. The administration's interpretation is that the word "sex" extends protection to transgender people, but the issue has not been settled in the courts. "I agree with the Obama administration that 'sex' includes 'gender,' and 'gender' includes 'gender identity,'" said John Pagan of the University of Richmond's School of Law in Virginia. Peter Lake of Stetson University College of Law in Florida said the US Supreme Court has taken a narrow view of the meaning of "sex" under the law, but in recent years lower courts have been more likely to defer to the Obama administration's broader definition. "My sense is a certain momentum is building for broader protection of (LGBT) rights, and we might be seeing a moment of federal civil rights law in long-term transition," Lake said. The issue has become a rallying-point for conservative Christians, with many of them outspoken in their opposition to transgender rights. Franklin Graham wrote on Facebook after the administration's May 13 guidance: ""Who does President Barack Obama think he is? The sultan of Washington? Does he think he can just make a 'decree' and we will bow down and simply obey?" He continued: "What about the privacy and protection of all the other students? Isn't this discrimination against all of them?" he asks. "This opens up bathrooms to sexual predators and perverts. A decree does not carry the force of law that's the job of Congress." Anne Graham Lotz said in a radio interview that allowing people to use the bathroom of their choice was "silliness" and "craziness". She suggested it was part of America's turning away from God, which had led to atrocities such as the 9/11 attacks. Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church, Dallas, said the administration's guidance was "a rebellion against God's plan". Additional reporting by Reuters. Texas pastor and three sons killed in tragic crash A Texas pastor and his three young sons were killed in a tragic road accident that left his wife and daughter in critical condition. Pastor Israel Avelar, of Temple Baptist Church in Lexington, died on Saturday as he travelled back to his home from a theological school with his family. His six-year-old son Matthew was also killed, alongside his other sons Daniel, 14, and Kevin, 17. Pastor Jeff Fugate told the Lexington Herald Leader that Avelar's wife Hilda and 11-year-old daughter Kimberly are in a critical condition but improving. A reporter told WKYT it was the worst accident he had ever seen. "When I got on scene what I initially saw was quite a mess of an accident," said Blake Holland."[It was] probably the worst I've ever seen, several fatalities and several people injured and a lot of the vehicles that were involved you couldn't even really make out what kind of vehicles they were before the accident happened." A statement on a local church's Facebook page asked for people to pray for his family and church in Lexington. "God makes no mistakes," it read. The KGAS radio station reported that the Avelars' car had slowed down as a vehicle in front turned off the highway when a van hit the car from behind. The collision pushed the Avelars' car into the path of an oncoming lorry. "He loved his church members. He loved his family. He would always call us. They were all loveable. It's some words that I just can't, to me they were like family, personal family," Rita Aleman, who worked at the theological school, told KLTV. A funeral will be arranged for Sunday. Vicar catches burglar stealing late wife's jewellery, tweets picture, then prays for him A London clergyman is appealing for information after his late wife's jewellery was stolen and he almost caught the thief in the act. Rev Simon Harvey is the Vicar of St Mary's Church, Islington, and took to Twitter to report the theft and even post a picture of a man he'd disturbed in his house. Even though he ran out, the man managed to take sentimentally valuable jewellery with him including several rings given to Mrs Harvey by her husband over their 30-year marriage. His wife Jennifer died in March after a short illness aged 52. On Wednesday afternoon, 25th May, Mr Harvey returned to his house and disturbed the man who pushed past him. He managed to take a photo of the back of the culprit, but as he chased him out of the house, the man slipped off into the crowds on Upper Street one of the major north London shopping and leisure streets, where St Mary's Church has stood for hundreds of years. Mr Harvey told the Evening Standard, "I would like to have a long talk with him about what this all means. He needs to know how hurtful it is to lose these precious things that I thought I'd keep forever." He carried on, "I'd like to listen to this man's story too. I'm praying for him, that somehow out of all this mess there could be redemption for him as well as healing for me, and justice done." Hundreds of people have already retweeted the initial tweet which featured the photo of the burglar along with Mr Harvey's plea for information: I found this man in my house yesterday. Can you help find my late wife's stolen jewellery? Contact police on 101. pic.twitter.com/IpTRvJ2OEX Simon Harvey (@RevdSimonHarvey) May 26, 2016 In a display of grace in the midst of great suffering, the Anglican priest then tweeted a follow up which simply read, "Thank you for amazing response! Please join me in praying for the man who stole my wife's jewellery. Light needs to come into this darkness". Why it's high time to #ReclaimTheInternet from the trolls I'm racking my brain for the last time I had a day without using the internet. There was that time a few years ago when I gave up social media for Lent, a retreat I went on two summers ago in rural Scotland, but except for that it's probably been eight or so years since I spent a day without going online. For the most part that's been a positive thing. I've made friends online, learned about whole cultures and subjects I never knew existed, paid bills, watched TV, in fact pretty much my whole life (including writing this piece) has something to do with the internet. Yet, there's a dark side to the online world that we don't talk about enough. Much like money, the internet is a neutral tool that can be used for good or for bad to build or destroy relationships, to edify or to castigate. Today a group of British politicians and campaigners are launching the 'Reclaim The Internet' campaign. They are mostly women who have been the victims of terrible abuse online especially since the advent of social media. They have gathered stories of women who have faced rape threats, death threats, stalking, as well as more low-level verbal abuse on an alarmingly regular basis. It's not just women the campaign is seeking to highlight other forms of bullying, racism and intimidation which have become commonplace. Christian campaigners have been targeted for all kinds of abuse online. Vicky Beeching has written about the bile which has been thrown her way. She says, "I quickly fell out of love with social media when the police had to move me out of my apartment overnight due to rape and death threats. These were sparked by me simply being a woman who put her head above the parapet on issues of gender equality." Sadly, of course, Christians aren't immune from doling out online abuse. The problems are so widespread that one article last week simply asked the question, When will the Internet be safe for Women? But is it really 'unsafe' to be a woman online? Surely you can just ignore the trolls or switch your device off, say the critics... Well, no. Not now that so much of our working and personal lives are lived online. In fact, following the #ReclaimTheInternet hashtag today, I saw plenty of men suggesting there was no problem at all and women were simply making it all up. Feminists openly declaring that they invented the internet and it's theirs to 'reclaim'. Go away.#ReclaimTheInternet Dan The Smooth Dork (@TheSickDork) May 26, 2016 Women can reclaim the internet when they learn to drive!#ReclaimtheInternet dan (@dhmapplethorpe) May 26, 2016 Thought that #ReclaimtheInternet may have been a fight back against over sensitive pussies & feminists trying to censor the net. Was wrong. Eli (@TheWarIWaged) May 26, 2016 Spot the theme? All men. All pseudonymous. All unfailing unfunny. There's much worse out there that I won't subject you to. It isn't just women who are fed up of the abuse received online. Racist bile is being pumped out at an alarming rate. The Archbishop of Canterbury has spoken out about the chilling prevalence of anti-Semitic abuse online, describing it as "nauseating and criminal". Trolls have been especially prevalent around Donald Trump's campaign. The astonishing litany of racist abuse thrown at one writer who dared to criticise Trump and his supporters shows just how deep this problem runs. Social media is swimming in a sea of abuse, ranging from mild name calling, through to threats of violence and even worse. Trolling can impact not only the person being abused, but also the person handing out the abuse. The tragic story of a woman who allegedly trolled Kate and Gerry McCann before being confronted by the media and then found dead may be an extreme example, but it is salutary. No-one wins as a result of online abuse. It just drives wedges between people who, in most instances, have never even met in real life. So what should we do? Well, firstly, get familiar with the block button. It's an important tool to get pathetic, attention-seeking trolls out of your timeline. However, if you suspect there is a real danger to you or someone you know, report it to police and make sure they take it seriously. If there is any hint of a threat of violence, then you are right to do this. Given that so much of our lives are lived online and that being connected can be so fruitful and rich, we can't simply walk away from all online engagement. Having blocked and reported the worst offenders, it's worth remembering a few things. Freedom of speech is a vital component of our democratic societies and we abandon it at our peril. To retain it, we're always going to have a fair number of people who use it in disappointing ways. The answer, sadly, isn't to ban anyone who doesn't agree with us or who says things in a way we don't like (blocking is different to banning in that we don't have to read other people's thoughts but they are free to keep expressing them). But we can build a better online culture. This starts with teaching our children to interact online in a way we'd want them to do in person. It also involves doing so ourselves. I often find myself getting dragged into long debates online. Though these can be lifegiving, they can also lead to a propensity to being more rude about people than I ever would be face-to-face. Showing some self-control and simply logging off when things become too heated is not a defeat it's actually a victory. Ultimately, I support #ReclaimTheInternet because the online space is too important to be polluted by trolls and the victims of abuse online are too important to be ignored. Let's lead by example. Follow Andy Walton on Twitter at @waltonandy MISSOULA The College of Humanities and Sciences at the University of Montana is facing cuts that will amount to several million dollars from its 2017 fiscal year budget, according to Dean Chris Comer. After making reductions last year, the dean anticipated further requests to trim, but the college received reduction requests earlier this month that frankly are on the high side, scary high, he said Wednesday. Although Comer said the final dollar figure isnt clear, the reduction for the college could amount to an estimated 50 percent in a departments operational costs or a 30 percent decline in its instructional dollars. "It's several million dollars, and that's not a trivial cut to absorb in one year," he said. All told, he said, the College of Humanities and Sciences is taking a hit thats noticeably on the high end compared to other campus colleges and schools when accounting for both the recent cuts and the ones enacted in December. And thats always of concern to us because we do consider ourselves the central and core college of the university, and we provide most of the general education, Comer said. Faculty in the College of Humanities and Sciences teach 80 percent of the general education courses at UM, and count an estimated 5,000 students; in the fall, the budget plan for 2017 estimated campus enrollment at 10,915. Comer said the administration of the college is taking a comparable reduction in operations; it will have two fewer positions this coming fall than it did last year. Vice President for Finance Mike Reid said the cuts are part of the budget plan UM President Royce Engstrom announced last fall. At the time, some departments made permanent reductions of 2.5 percent, but those that found only temporary savings are currently looking to lower their base budgets for 2017, he said. Last fall in an emergency budget forum, the president announced a plan to cut faculty and staff to save money. In December, Reid estimated the total shortfall for 2017 to be around $12 million. This week, he said the personnel cuts made up $8.5 million and UM also found an estimated $1 million in other savings. The most recent cuts represent the remaining $2.5 million of the total discussed in the fall, he said. Vice President for Integrated Communications Peggy Kuhr said the 2.5 percent reduction amounts to $1.9 million for the academic affairs sector, and the figures do not represent a change in the president's budget plan. She also said the institution remains committed to education. "UM's goal continues to be that 50 percent of our general fund budget goes to instruction," Kuhr said. UM is seeing a higher number of applicants and other signs of good news for enrollment in the fall, Reid said. However, he also said the university has witnessed positive signals in the past that didn't translate into higher enrollment. Comer said he has already had one conversation with Provost Perry Brown about the budget, and Brown listened and added in a little more money. "I don't think he had much room to add back what I would consider the correct amount," Comer said. "All I can say is I will be talking with other people in Main Hall in the next 48 hours to get things clarified and maybe improved a little." Provost Brown was out of the office and unavailable for comment Wednesday. At UM, operational budgets already are stretched thin. Comer said those dollars pay for items like telephones, copy machines, staples, and in some cases, faculty travel. "(Faculty are) scrambling to figure out how to best make those cuts, and I know it's a very difficult job for them," he said. He said faculty are weary at being squeezed, but they're mostly rolling up their sleeves and figuring out how to handle less money and increased demands. The only possible bright side to the budget shortfall is it might be a nudge toward innovation, he said. "Sometimes, people have an impression of college faculty having cushy jobs. Nobody's got a cushy job here. Everybody is working very hard. Every year, they're learning to do more with less," Comer said. During a special Facebook Live event Thursday afternoon, staff of the Houston Zoo released nine endangered Kemp's Ridley sea turtles back into the wild. The release took place live at Stewart Beach Park on Seawall Boulevard on Galveston Island and was the result of a partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Tour operator Vacation Express returns to Bush Intercontinental Airport for summer travel, relaunching its weekly nonstop flight to Grand Bahama Island on Thursday and beginning new weekly service to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on Friday. Vacation Express entered the Houston market in May 2015. Flights to Grand Bahama Island are operated by Sunwing Airlines. These flights will run through July 30. Memorial Day weekend is upon us. But with the promise of a three-day weekend comes a major decision: Where will you spend it? By the pool sounds like a great idea (weather willing), but for Houstonians who are more interested in sipping their cocktails in a social setting, we've got a round up of the city's top-rated bars and restaurants with outdoor patios. U.S. Customs and Border Protection/AP Photo/U.S. Customs and Border Protection This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Customs and Border Patrol agents detained a woman carrying a burrito with a special filling. That would be meth. The border agents stopped the 23-year-old from Nogales, Ariz. at an official pedestrian crossings between Arizona and Mexico. A narcotics-detection canine sniffed out the meth that weighed slightly more than a pound. READ MORE: Woman busted for smuggling cocaine in her breasts The burritos cost more than a helping of guac. This unique spin on Tex-Mex had a value of $3,000. Smugglers have a tendency to try to sneak drugs over the border in food products. Other failed attempts have seen narcotics placed inside fake carrots, lime packages and cucumbers. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Michael Ciaglo / Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Show More Show Less 3 of 3 The partially nude and decomposed body of a woman was found Thursday morning along a bayou in southeast Houston. The body was found about 7:45 a.m. in the 2900 block of South Wayside near Wheeler along the banks of Brays Bayou, according to the Houston Police Department. A man is in custody after he was spotted early Thursday morning breaking into a home in north Houston. The incident happened about 2 a.m. in the 800 block of Rainy River Drive near Sunnywood Drive, said Lt. Larry Crowson. Though about 60 people protested Donald Trump on Thursday, the vast majority were there to support him. A line of thousands wrapped around the Bismarck Event Center. Half an hour before the speech was due to start, police opened a second door. An unscientific survey of ticket holders showed that nearly everyone was there to support Trump as a candidate. Supporters wore T-shirts with slogans like "Hillary for Prison 2016" and "We the people have had enough."' John Boustead, of Bismarck, said he wanted the executive branch to be run by someone with a business mind instead of a legal one. He said Trump's bankruptcies "sharpened him." When people come out of a bankruptcy, "there's not a weak bone in 'em," he said. Many hoped he would speak in favor of oil and gas production. "Drill, baby, drill," Meghan Jellesed, of Watford City, offered as a policy agenda. Many grew vague when asked what policies of Trump's they liked or wanted him to endorse. "Cleaning up the stuff that's a mess," Mette Omvig, originally of Denmark, said, adding that she thinks Trump "wants things to be fair." A few people were there just to hear what Trump had to say, minds open. Trent Byberg said he was attending the conference and was curious to hear what Trump would tout. He said he wasn't sold on any of the candidates, but wanted someone who would support a pipeline and would look at restrictions on coal production at a regional level. A group of ardent supporters protested the protesters and held up "Don't Tread on Me" flags to shield them from view of the people in line. Marty Beard, who has the slogan, "Join or Die," tattooed across his hands, said he gave up four tickets to see Trump in order to protest the protesters. "I believe we are doing important stuff out here, protesting those un-American protesters," Beard said, adding he protests anything to do with gun control and free speech, conceding that he owns more than 50 guns. Bismarck Police officers suntanned, ate bagged sandwiches and kept people without tickets or media credentials away from the line. Officers shooed away several people collecting signatures for a marijuana legalization ballot initiative from the ticket-holders area. They set up further back along the line and said they collected hundreds of signatures from ticket holders. No one was arrested. Two teenage boys were taken into custody early Thursday morning after they broke into a school in east Houston a day after classes ended for the summer break. The burglary occurred about 1:30 a.m. at Edison Middle School, 6901 Avenue I near 70th Street in the East End, according to the Houston Independent School District. The Lone Star Flight Museum's 19th annual gala celebrated past, present, and future achievements. A record-breaking crowd feted a private hangar at William P. Hobby International Airport for the black-tie soiree co-chaired by Linda and Barry Hunsaker and Karen and Scott Rozzell. Six inspiring individuals were inducted into the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame; Chairman of the Texas Historical Commission and CEO of Silver Eagle Distributors, John Nau, read the accomplishments of Lt. Col. David H. Dewhurst, the Connie Edwards family, former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gene Kranz, Howard Pardue, and Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger aloud to 650 captivated guests. Each inductee, or posthumous representative, received a medallion and eagle sculpture presented by LSFM President and Chief Operating Officer, Larry Gregory, and vice chairman of the board, Charles Szalkowski. A woman was rushed to the hospital after she apparently fell from a parking garage in Sugar Land, authorities said Thursday. A passer-by spotted the semi-conscious woman shortly before 4 p.m. on the ground floor at one of the parking garages at the Sugar Land Town Square shopping complex along U.S. 59 near Texas 6, authorities said. After making a recent early evening visit to ER Katy, five Katy-area students likely felt better when they left. They weren't treated for an illness; they received ER Katy Medical scholarships. It's the third consecutive year that ER Katy has awarded college scholarships to Katy-area students who are interested in pursuing studies in the medical field. What's changed, said Jason Brown, ER Katy general manager, is the number of scholarship applicants and the number of winners. ER Katy initially contacted educators at Katy Independent School District, St. John XXIII College Preparatory School and Faith West Academy about the scholarship program, explained Ethan Brown, ER Katy's medical director. Nearly 50 students applied. "It was very challenging," said Jason Brown, who added that applicants last year totaled between 18 and 20. "We had so many great applicants that we really had to expand the awards available." Winning the first-place prize of a $1,000 scholarship is Angelika Kurpan of Cinco Ranch High School. She plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin and is undecided on a major. Tied for second place are Katy High School students Madison Zapata and Alyssa Ontiveros. Each received a $500 scholarship. Zapata plans to attend Texas A&M University to study biology and then go on to veterinary medicine. Ontiveros will study nursing at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Tied for third place are David Roy, of St. John XXIII College Preparatory, and Carly Luczak of Cinco Ranch High School. Each received a $300 scholarship. He's headed to A&M to study biology and then go to medical school. For Luczak, plans are to attend the University of Texas to study nursing. For earning honorable mention, Shehla Syed of Katy Taylor High School and Madeleine Geiger of Tompkins High School each received a $100 scholarship. Ethan Brown said the recipients were selected after screening that included an interview, an essay and grade-point average. Jason Brown added that also considered were voluntarism "giving back to the community and related work experience." The Houston Advanced Research Center has started construction on its new 3.5-acre headquarters in The Woodlands. The site of the nonprofit research center was cleared, and excavation for the facility's foundation is underway. Construction on the 20,000-square-foot building off Gosling Road adjacent to its current home at 4800 Research Forest Drive is slated for completion in 2017. The groundbreaking ceremony was held May 24. The Houston Advanced Research Center was started by The Woodlands founder George P. Mitchell in 1982 and rebranded itself in 2001 to focus on sustainable development with an expertise in clean air, energy and water. "HARC is one of (George Mitchell's) visions of sustainability for the future of The Woodlands, the region and the world," said Bruce Tough, the past chairman of The Woodlands Township and a HARC board member since early 2015. "George Mitchell was a great environmentalist, and he believed we should live in harmony with nature. HARC's mission is to help people thrive and nature flourish." In alignment with HARC's focus on clean air, water and energy issues and sustainable development, the new structure is expected to achieve LEED Platinum certification and potentially be a zero net energy building. That would mean the building's energy consumption would roughly equate to the amount of renewable energy it produces. HARC's facility is expected to use geothermal heating and cooling, solar energy, rainwater harvesting and other renewable resources. HARC would be the first LEED Platinum building, the highest designation by the U.S. Green Building Council, in The Woodlands if certified, according to the USGBC LEED directory. The Woodlands has six LEED Gold and 29 LEED Silver buildings. Gensler designed HARC's new headquarters. "We think people are going to be talking about it because it's going to be the greenest building in The Woodlands," said Jim Lester, president and CEO at HARC. Developing the new headquarters with attention to sustainability and low operational costs in regards to energy consumption could be used as a model for other developers or businesses looking to cut overhead expenses. "We're hoping that we can show people that it makes sense to build green buildings. One of the things that has stood in the way of expansion of green building is that people think about the first cost, not the operation cost," Lester said. "Mr. (George) Mitchell used to always look at the big picture. We're looking at the bigger picture of identifying all the connections and making things better on a larger scale." The construction cost was estimated at about $7 million. HARC raised $400,000 from the Houston Endowment Inc., $100,000 from HARC's board, $2.5 million from George Mitchell's Endowment for Regional Sustainability Science and the rest was financed from JP Morgan Chase. The Houston Technology Center, a business start-up hub, expects to move into the new campus upon completion in 2017. HARC and HTC partnered up to open HTC's first north Houston office in the summer of 2015 called HTC North. Managing director of HTC North Charles Wohl works with entrepreneurs on clean air and water technologies, such as environmentally-friendly drilling techniques, sustainable development and other technological advances that tie into HARC's and The Woodlands' mission of sustainable living. "We're helping encouraging growth of businesses in the community. Hopefully, they'll become vibrant and successful in the community," Wohl said. "That's part of the HTC mission, growing businesses and becoming an economic development partner." Every other month, HTC North hosts Innovators in the Woods to connect start-ups with a panel of experts, potential investors and other interested parties. The new headquarters will include meeting space for 50 to 60 people, which would work well for HTC North's bimonthly panels and research collaboration at HARC. The campus will also include an outdoor pavilion for education outreach programming. Want to know more? The Houston Advanced Research Center was founded by the late George P. Mitchell in 1982 and rebranded itself in 2001 to focus on sustainable development with an expertise in clean air, energy and water. HARC held its groundbreaking on May 24 for its 20,000-square-foot headquarters on 3.5 acres off Gosling Road. The new campus will be connected by a pedestrian walkway to the Lone Star College System campus, where it currently leases office space. The Houston Technology Center will also join HARC in its new building. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate With the record rainfall that soaked the region this spring and the looming threat of the West Nile and Zika viruses, area officials are stepping up their mosquito abatement efforts. Montgomery County Precinct 3's South County Mosquito Abatement office started testing mosquito samples for the West Nile Virus in-house this year. Previously, all mosquito samples had to be sent to the Texas Department of State Health Services to be tested for the virus, which could take a week or more to get the results, according to Justin Fausek, program leader for South County Mosquito Abatement. Now, the abatement team can get results back the same day. Although the in-house testing is more expensive, Fausek said that the county believes the ability to streamline testing and treating affected areas makes it worth it. "We feel that this increased cost is more than justified since we will be able to respond to disease activity faster than we ever have before," Fausek said. The county has already identified a mosquito sample from south Montgomery County that tested positive for West Nile in mid-May and treated the area it was taken from. Last year, Texas had a total of 252 cases of the West Nile Virus in humans, 181 of which were the serious, neuro-invasive form of the disease and 11 of which resulted in death. Most people infected with West Nile show no symptoms, but about one in five experience fever, headache, body aches, vomiting and other flu-like symptoms. Less than one percent of those infected develop the serious neurologic illness, which can result in seizures, paralysis and, in rare cases, death. Area environmental services officials are also preparing for the possibility of the Zika virus spreading to Montgomery County. In the past year, there has been a Zika outbreak in Latin America and the Caribbean, with some cases of people infected abroad before coming to the U.S. Infection is characterized by fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis, and is of most concern in pregnant women, as it can cause microcephaly, a condition where the baby's head is much smaller than normal, and other birth defects. As of May 23, there were 36 confirmed cases of Zika virus disease in Texas, including 15 in the Greater Houston area. So far, there have been no cases of mosquitoes infecting people with Zika in the U.S. However, the state health department is testing mosquito samples from high-risk areas for the virus. Local samples have not yet had to be tested for Zika, said John Geiger with The Woodlands Environmental Services. The Woodlands did start testing and treating for mosquitoes earlier than usual this year, he said, and they are taking the threat of Zika seriously. "We are planning and preparing as best we can - putting more resources toward it," Geiger said. "(Zika) is a real possibility." In the meantime, Geiger said that the use of in-house testing for West Nile will help The Woodlands better protect the residents from health hazards. Still, he urges residents to take precautions by eliminating or treating any standing water that could serve as a breeding ground for disease-carrying mosquitoes, by wearing long pants and sleeves, using mosquito repellent, and avoiding outside activity during dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most prevalent. Avoid mosquito-borne disease West Nile: can cause flu-like symptoms in infected people, including fever, headache, vomiting and rash.Zika: is characterized by fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis, and is of most concern in pregnant women, as it can cause microcephaly, a condition where the baby's head is much smaller than normal, and other birth defects. To prevent infection,: cover up outside when you can and wear mosquito repellent containing DEET. Eliminate or treat standing water in the yard and ensure window screens are intact. To report areas: with high mosquito activity in The Woodlands, contact the Environmental Services Department at 281-210-3800. Where presumptive Republican Party nominee Donald Trump stands on developing an overall national policy, as well as his views on federal regulation of industry, were at the forefront of conference-goers' minds this week prior to his highly anticipated speech today. More than 4,000 people have purchased tickets to Trumps presentation in downtown Bismarck. That's in addition to more than 2,650 attendees expected at the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference at the Bismarck Event Center. Substance and specifics were the buzz words among vendors, politicians and regulators. Richard Willoughby, business development representative for Bismarck testing company Intertek, said he wants to hear thoughtful and substantive support for all energy sources oil, coal and renewable. He said moving toward renewable is a goal and, as a company that does testing, Intertek would benefit from the green energy movement; but the transition should be done in a way that does not destroy other energy sources. (We should) not just throw one industry or another under the bus, he said. Jeff Kummer, president of MBI Energy Services in Dickinson, said his hopes mirror those of many at the conference: wanting to hear Trumps stance on regulation. He anticipates a pro-industry, pro-business speech. Kummer said he is also hoping for a focus on energy independence. The resource is here, he said of North Dakotas oil play, and he wants assurance that Trumps policies will support its continued development. I expect to hear about energy, about how we would like to deregulate, and his opposition to President Obamas Clean Power Plan, said Chase Iron Eyes, the state's Democratic-NPL Party candidate for U.S. House. He admitted that, though hes not a fan of Trump, he and Democratic Party candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have had a positive impact on the public. Theyre generating the type of buzz we need from our populace," he said. "Its getting them involved." North Dakota Petroleum Council President Ron Ness said the councils concern lies with the reining in of regulations from federal agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management and the Environmental Protection Agency. He said companies know how to manage the cycles in oil prices. The hard part is when you lob on regulations with no clear value, he said. Were fighting with our own government at the same time when were fighting for survival. North Dakota Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms said hes hoping to hear what Trump has to say about state oversight of the industry. I hope to hear the influence of Rep. Kevin Cramer in Donald Trumps speech, he said. Trump recently tapped Cramer to write a white paper on energy policy. Cramer is an outspoken critic of proposed federal rules on emissions, water and other items. For North Dakota lawmakers, the interest in seeing him speak is more basic. I just want to know what he has to say. More than anything, it's curiosity, said Rep. Diane Larson, R-Bismarck. Rep. Andrew Maragos, R-Minot, doesnt expect much from Trump in the way of specifics on energy policy. He really hasnt taken too many policy decisions, but Im glad hes coming to North Dakota, Maragos said. Travis Kelley, regional vice president for workforce housing company Target Logistics, said he hasnt put a lot of thought yet into what he expects to hear from Trump. He said the fact that a presidential candidate is coming to North Dakota allows the state to have a more visible presence and importance to the race. North Dakota gets brushed under the rug a bit, Kelley said. Its good that hes coming. It shows a lot about that person if he decides to come. Republican Party presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump electrified a crowd of more than 7,000 Thursday afternoon in the Bismarck Event Center, delivering his first major address on energy policy at the conclusion of this years Williston Basin Petroleum Conference. Trump, whose support from North Dakota national convention delegates put him over the top for securing the partys nomination earlier in the day, told the crowd hed eliminate regulation he says is killing the fossil fuel industry as well as be favorable to additional pipeline projects and exports of American oil. Thunderous applause greeted Trumps declaration that in his administration thered be an America-first energy plan. We will accomplish a complete American energy independence, Trump said. Were going to turn everything around. We are going to make it right. He thanked the North Dakota delegates for putting him over the top. I will always remember that, Trump said. For those hoping to witness a dose of the sharp rhetoric thats been a staple of his unconventional and eyebrow-raising campaign, he didnt disappoint. Trump vowed to reverse the energy policy of President Barack Obamas administration, which he said has been devastating to industry and inflicted pain on states such as North Dakota that rely heavily on the energy sector. If President Obama wanted to weaken America, he couldnt have done a better job, Trump said. Among the policies hed push to undo is the Environmental Protection Agencys emissions rules targeting coal-fired power plants. The U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year voted 5-4 to halt implementation of the rules governing new and existing power plants for now. How stupid is that? Trump said of the emissions rules. He also slammed the Environment Protection Agencys Waters of the United State rule, which he said would cause significant damage to American energy production and kill jobs. Trump had the crowd in the palm of his hand, a sea of people dotted with Trump hats and shirts with his campaign slogan, Make America Great Again. He drew wave after wave of raucous applause when outlining how optimistic he is at the prospect of North Dakota and the countrys energy future. Youre at the forefront of a new energy revolution, said Trump, adding that the country has unlocked energy reserves previously unimaginable with new technologies, such as hydraulic fracturing. Were loaded. We had no idea how rich we are. The first 100 days of a potential Trump administration also riled up the crowd: He said hed rescind executive orders by Obama that he believes are job killers as well as work to eliminate the emissions and water rules. When considering any federal regulations, Trump said his litmus test would be simple. Is this regulation good for the American worker? Trump said. Those who heard Trump speak gave his speech an enthusiastic thumbs-up. I think from what we see on TV he had a much more detailed presentation. He was really well-informed on the issues, Whitney Bell, of New Town, said. Bell said the crowd was fantastic and responded well to Trump's message, which he reiterated was more detailed than mere sound-bites. Jason Bohrer, president of the Lignite Energy Council, said he was impressed with Trumps focus on deregulation. I heard what I wanted to hear and more. Trump is a different kind of politician; he communicates in a way that a lot of other people dont, Bohrer said. North Dakota Petroleum Council President Ron Ness said he was thrilled by how the speech went as well as the overwhelming reaction from the crowd. Ive been to a lot of Class B state championships in this building; this was equal to that, Ness said. The energy just rolled in. Ness said his America-first message resonated with people and he expects it to become a staple of his campaign. That speech was loaded with specifics. He backed that up with a lot of numbers. I didnt hear anything that isnt achievable, Ness said. Trump tapped Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., earlier this month to help in providing him with energy policy advice. Cramer wrote a white paper on energy policy relating to federal regulations, the importance of the fossil fuel industry and other topics, which hasnt yet been released. Cramer was one of the first members of Congress to openly endorse Trump prior to his last opponents dropping out of the race. North Dakota Republican Party chairman Kelly Armstrong said he heard what he needed to hear from Trump on eliminating government regulations, reducing taxes and protecting the energy industry. As chairman, Armstrong is one of North Dakotas 28 delegates to the national Republican Party convention July 18-21 in Cleveland. Tremendously good for the people of North Dakota, Armstrong said of Trumps positions. Rep. Rick Becker, R-Bismarck, said he didnt hear much of anything new in Trumps speech but will be taking time to learn more on him prior to attending the national convention. Hes emphasizing some really good points, Becker said. Becker was a staunch supporter of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz before he ended his campaign. Im still, I say, undecided, Becker said. On the Democratic Party side, a hard-fought delegate battle is hitting the final torrid stretch between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. The Associated Press delegate count gives Clinton a 1,769 to 1,497 lead over Sanders as of Thursday. When superdelegates are factored in Clintons lead grows to 2,309 to 1,539; a total of 2,383 delegates are needed to secure the partys nomination although a contested national party convention is expected. The Democrats have six remaining states with delegates up for grabs June 7 including North Dakota. Sanders made multiple stops in the state earlier this month including Bismarck. Clintons husband, former president Bill Clinton, has also visited the state as well as other supporters of her campaign. State Sen. Rodney Ellis fired back at Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack, who earlier in the week had asserted Ellis should "shut up or state the right facts" about the Harris County Jail. "In an outburst more in the style of Donald Trump rather than the more staid Commissioner's Court, Commissioner Radack called me out by name and told me to 'shut up' about criminal justice reforms in our community," Ellis said in a statement. "As long as I have the privilege of public service, I'm not going to shut up." It was North Dakota nice at a protest rally against Donald Trumps appearance at the biggest oil show around Thursday at the Bismarck Event Center. Protesters stood across the street from a seemingly never-ending line of people moving toward the doors in anticipation of Trumps speech to the annual Williston Basin Oil Conference and another 4,500-plus folks welcomed to fill the auditorium at $30 a pop. That famous nice never turned nasty on either side, though it did get a little feisty with taunts such as Get a job! and USA called over from the Trump side of the street. The approximately 60 protesters many of them young, sporting Bernie shirts and from Plains Indian tribes held up signs, jumped up on an overturned milk crate to give impassioned speeches and made it clear that even though it was all Trump all day in Bismarck, there was definitely another point of view demanding to be heard. Police patrolled the yellow-taped dividing line and stepped in only twice; once to move off a man haranguing the protesters because someone holding an American flag let it droop on the ground and again to deal with a few pro-Trump supporters who appeared without a permit. Lt. Jeff Solemsaas was called in to mediate and said the pro-Trumpers didnt need a permit, though the other side had obtained one. A permit is more of a courtesy. Theyre allowed to express their opinion; if there was violence, wed have a problem, he said. The pro-Trumpers faced off with their own signs, but kept a mostly equitable distance. Austin Klein, of Bismarck, got the protest going on Facebook and hoped 1,000 people would show on what turned out to be a perfect spring day to occupy a street corner. The fact that about 60 people stood with him was more than enough, he said. Im overjoyed. Dont focus on numbers; focus on the fact that a protest like this doesnt happen every day in North Dakota, said Klein, explaining he got the rally going because he has strong feelings against racism. They (Trump side) want America all to themselves, Klein said. We have to stand up to racism. Its 2016! The youngest to grab the megaphone was Billy Fleck, wholl graduate from Mandan High School this weekend. In a strong, clear voice from years of student debate practice, Fleck called out that Trumps prejudice has ignited a radical, right-wing movement that poses a danger to everyone and that love is the way to push back against that hate. With love in our hearts, we will not deport millions of people, we will not reject those fleeing from oppression, and we will not degrade someone based on their orientation, color or gender, Fleck said to cheers from the group. Two women Carol Christianson and Judith Hammer spent their noon hour with the protesters, looking sedate in nice work clothes compared to the younger folks. Im standing in solidarity against this madness. Its my conscience. Hes so objectionable in so many ways, Hammer said of Trump. Pat Engelhart held up Trump Hates Knoephla, a tongue-in-cheek way of asking why would Trump like the food of German-Russian immigrants. I dont know if he does, but I took a guess because he hates everything else, said Engelhart, a construction safety manager who said he took vacation time to join the protest, blowing off yet another get a job taunt from someone passing along the protest line. Trump has every right to be here, but Im not OK with what he says. I cant stand idly by with this talk of Muslims and Mexicans. Theyre in our community; theyre our friends and neighbors, members of our churches. Its ridiculous, Engelhart said. Levi Barbao, a nursing student, originally from Montana, took the bullhorn to say to both sides of the street, Its not me and you, us or them. Its about a future for America thats better for all of us. We were raised with the same heritage, we all have values. Thats why youre here and thats why were here. Trump is dividing everything that America was founded on. Thats now how you make American great again? Sohaila Dadelahi, also a nursing student, said shes a first-generation Iranian whose father kissed the ground of America when he was able to reach it. I see all these people (across the street) and they take it for granted. I pity them; theyre missing the point," she said. Criminal justice reform advocates in Harris County called Thursday for an end to money bail for minor crimes because it keeps poor people behind bars before they are convicted. The group - which included state Sen. Rodney Ellis, community leaders Deric Muhammad and Johnny Mata and officials with the Texas Organizing Project - praised a recent federal lawsuit challenging the lawfulness of the county's current system of bail at a press conference on the steps of the criminal courthouse in downtown Houston. "It's necessary to protect the rights of Harris County residents who are kept in a modern day debtor's prisonlocked up because they are poor," said Ellis, D-Houston. "It's necessary to save taxpayer dollars that are paying to ship inmates out of our overcrowded jail." The group also called for a harder look at bail for more serious crimes. Sandra Guerra Thompson, a law professor at the University of Houston and an advocate of reform said the current system is illegal and dangerous. It's illegal, she said, because it violates the constitutional rights of thousands of prisoners who remain in jail waiting to go trial. And it is dangerous because accused killers who could pose a risk to the community but have the money to get out, go free. She joined Ellis and the others touting the a federal lawsuit filed last week by a Washington D.C. group called Equal Justice Under Law, which has been challenging bail practices in cases filed across the United States. The lawsuit names Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman, who oversees the jail, and the five county hearing officers that generally review such cases and set bond. Hickman said he supports reform within the bail system. "I am deeply encouraged by the progressive steps that are being taken to reform the Harris County criminal justice system," he said Thursday in a written statement. "I agree there is a critical need to address the system of incarceration in Harris County ... As sheriff, I am mandated to comply with the courts' orders to confine defendants until their bond is met. As a result, a defendant with a low level non-violent charge who cannot afford bond can be remanded to our custody, while a violent offender with the means to pay their bond can be released into the community." In general, more than 70 percent of those jailed in Harris County are pretrial defendants who have been accused but not yet convicted of a crime, though typically only about 500 at any one time are jailed for minor misdemeanor offenses like petty theft or trespassing. brian.rogers@chron.com twitter.com/brianjrogers The Harris County Sheriff's Office is on the lookout for a man who shot a young woman while attempting to rob her in northwest Harris County two weeks ago. RELATED: FBI searching for Houston bank robber The victim, identified by KTRK as a 16-year-old, told police that a man shot her in the shoulder after she refused to give him her purse. She said the man approached her when she stopped at an ATM in the 8500 block of Texas 6 North and West Road at about 11:20 p.m. May 13. The robber fled in a waiting white, four-door sedan. KTRK reports that the victim suffered a broken collarbone and a broken rib; an ambulance took her to Memorial Hermann Hospital. She is expected to recover from her injuries. SEE ALSO: Search on for suspect who may have been shot by Houston officer Deputies say the man is described as about 6 feet tall and 20-25 years old. His front top teeth are gold capped; his bottom teeth are capped in gold with a checkerboard style. Anyone with information about the suspect can call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS, or the Harris County Sheriff's Office Robbery Division at 713-274-9210. Crime Stoppers is offering up to $5,000 for any information that leads to an arrest. A taxpayer watchdog organization contends the Bismarck City Commission agreed to sell the downtown Public Health Building below market value at a loss, but city officials say the purchase was proper. The University of Mary in October secured a five-year purchase plan to buy the property at 500 E. Front Ave. for either $2 million to $2.2 million, depending on the date of the sale. The building would be torn down and the lot used to develop a graduate school for health sciences and potentially student housing. U-Mary has not finalized the deal. Dustin Gawrylow, who runs the North Dakota Watchdog Network, said the proposed sale price could be far below market value based on the amount the city paid for the property, additional investments made, and assumed appreciation. But Mayor Mike Seminary and Commissioner Parrell Grossman said city assessors determined the current value of the property is within the range of the purchase agreement. City Commission candidate Nolan Canright said he received tips from at least three people that the commission may have agreed to sell the Public Health Building for less than the city had into it. He asked Gawrylow for assistance in looking into the matter. Gawrylow posted the 236 pages of documents plus an audio recording he received from an open records request at www.bismarckboondoggle.com. He also found a 2000 opinion from then-North Dakota Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp in which she determined a school district could not sell property for less than market value, even to a nonprofit organization. Her opinion cited a 1947 Supreme Court opinion, which ruled that political subdivisions must sell property for fair market value. The city purchased the building formerly the Workers Compensation Building for $1.85 million in 2003, when its appraised value was $2.2 million. Since then, the city has put an additional $1.75 million into the property. While documents obtained by Gawrylow indicate the city had received $733,360 in office rent through March 2015, Grossman said the building has brought in about $1.4 million in rent from Wagner Financial and Bismarck State College. Gawrylow said the property may be worth $3.5 million to $5 million based on the growth rate of downtown Bismarck and the city as a whole. Canright said he doesnt blame U-Mary officials for their offer, but feels the city commissioners should have worked harder to determine whether they were getting a good deal. Its a complete disregard to the taxpayers of our community, Canright said. Greg Vetter, executive vice president of U-Mary, proposed the purchase during an executive session with commissioners on Oct. 13, 2015. After a short discussion, the commission came out of executive session and unanimously accepted the deal. The entire process lasted a little more than 20 minutes. During the executive session, Commissioner Steve Marquardt asked how much the city had put into the building, and only the purchase price of $1.85 million was brought up. Since the proposed sale appeared to be at a profit, he voted in favor of it. On Wednesday, Marquardt said he was disappointed that Seminary and city administrative officials had not provided information about the additional money put into the building when he questioned it. He said he would not have voted for the plan if he had known the full investment. Seminary said he and city administration staff had talked over the potential sale before the executive session and thought it made sense for the future of Bismarck. He said it is an important project for downtown and for the growth of the community. Its all about the long-term plan, he said. And Im totally comfortable with the decision we made. Grossman said he considered what city assessors believed was the current value of the property in deciding to vote in favor of the proposal. While more money has been put into the building, the investment hasnt necessarily made the property worth more, according to Grossman, who said there are significant issues that decrease its value, including mold, dampness and ventilation problems. The fact that the property has not appreciated in value may speak more to whether it was a good purchase by the city in the first place, said Grossman, adding no one has offered to buy the property as is, and commissioners considered during their discussion that tearing down the building would cost at least $1 million. And thats the value. If we thought someone was going to offer us $3 million and use it as is, I suppose that would be an option, he said. It wasnt intended to be, and wasnt, a sweetheart deal for the University of Mary. The building may well belong to the city for the foreseeable future, since the university has not completed the sale. Since October when we signed that option to purchase, we have not brought anything else forward, Vetter said on Wednesday. Grossman and Seminary both said the universitys intended purpose for the property made it an attractive use for the lot and a good fit with the planned FiveSouth development. Seminary said U-Marys plans would provide needed education for the medical community and would help attract and retain talent here. Mr. Gawrylow apparently does not understand or perhaps is not aware of all the impacts this potential sale could have long term -- not only in Bismarck and Mandan, but also in our entire state and region, Seminary said. Canright also questioned whether the tax increment financing funds put into the building have done their job if the property hasnt gone up in value. It goes against what we are trying to do downtown, he said. Seminary said TIF funds were used properly as tools of economic development and have helped revitalize the downtown area. We have used the tools well, he said. Grossman called the entire issue a highly charged and baseless allegation being used as an election-year tactic. Grossmans and Marquardts seats are up for re-election this year. Canright and Shawn Oban also are running for the positions. Oban did not have any comment on the issue, but said if elected he would thoroughly research all topics that come before the commission. Neither historic flooding nor brutal heat has slowed the work of U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers across the Texas. Last weekend alone, Border Patrol agents arrested eight men four from Mexico, and two each from Honduras and El Salvador trying to cross into Texas who already had been charged with sexual crimes, including one charged with sexual abuse of a child. This week is the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee, where 285 young spellers compete for the title of 2016 champion. It's like the Super Bowl, but for spelling and its very, very serious. On Thursday night at around the same time school-age kids will be duking it out at the event in Washington, D.C., patrons at the Raven Tower bar in the Near Northside neighborhood will be participating in an adult spelling bee. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A Colombian woman has given new meaning to the term "drug bust." Attempting to smuggle 2.2 pounds of cocaine inside her breasts, a Colombian woman was arrested at a German airport, according to German customs officials. The drugs were discovered after the woman starting complaining of severe pain in her breasts and fresh scars were discovered during a search. She was sent to the hospital, at which time doctors discovered two 500-gram packages of cocaine in each of her breasts. According to a U.S. Customs spokesperson, the drugs are worth $220,000. The woman will be charged with drug trafficking and faces jail time. Officials representing charities say granting North Dakotas five American Indian tribes exclusive rights to host online gambling could effectively end charitable gambling in the state. The tribes want Gov. Doug Burgum to approve the idea under tribal-state agreements known as compacts. The current compacts expire at the end of this year and only Burgum can approve them. The tribes argue that their casinos have been hurt by the explosion of the charities Las Vegas-style pull tab machines. Burgum heard arguments from the charities and tribes on Friday. He says the terms of the compacts are still being negotiated and should be completed next month. -- The Paxton lawsuit, from the Chrons Andrea Zelinski AUSTIN - Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the Obama administration in U.S. District Court on Wednesday, locking arms with 10 other states to fight off a federal directive instructing schools to let transgender students use the bathroom they are most comfortable with or risk losing federal dollars. Paxton, who has been a vocal critic of policies allowing transgender people to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity, admitted to a lack of data indicating student safety as a concern but said the lawsuit is about President Barack Obama's administration imposing rules on states without congressional approval. -- My Take: Paxton tries to find his footing in trans bathroom suit: Maybe there is a better case out there somewhere, in a different county where school administrators actually have had to work with a trans student and their guardian. Texas, after all, boasts 1,219 school districts and charters, though some local education leaders have been particularly vocal in recent weeks. Whatever the case, Paxton did not find or at least that we know of publicly a district with a real record that could be put to the test, one where school board members the elected officials who are arguably the closest to voters have had to work through this issue in earnest. Paxton, though, chose Harrold ISD to show a district now in the crosshairs of the Obama administration. -- Quorum Reports Harvey Kronberg: School finance decision takes arrows out of school reformers quiver.Particularly concerning to public school advocates was the thoroughness with which the court seemed to close the door on any future remedies as the system continues its unwieldly spiral. But as one astute friend recently pointed out, there is always a story underneath the story and this one is no different. There are only two bills that must pass in a legislative session the budget and a court ordered remedy to some harm in the system. With their decision, the Supremes took a mandated bill focusing on education off the table. For self-styled school reformers that is a mixed blessing. While grueling and almost guaranteeing a special session, a school finance bill could and would have become a Christmas tree of wish lists. >> Kirk Watson: Heres how to fund I-35 fixes without bonds, Austin Business Journal ($) >> The Houston Chronicle responds to the Texas GLO, by Brian Rosenthal -- SOMETHING TO WATCH . From the Chrons Rebecca Elliott: A group of Memorial City residents sued the city of Houston and one of its local redevelopment authorities Wednesday, complaining that they approved area commercial development without requiring adequate stormwater mitigation, resulting in increased neighborhood flooding. -- Self-funders dominate Texas delegation in Congress, by The Texas Tribunes Abby Livingston. For Texas millionaires eyeing a self-funding run for Congress, Tuesday nights primary runoff elections delivered something of a split decision. Two men who each loaned their campaigns more than a $1 million ran for Congress in open-seat races. One man won, the other lost. -- Trump cant stop attacking fellow Republicans, by WashPosts Jose DelReal and Jenna Johnson. Now the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Trump had been expected by many political strategists and party leaders to extend olive branches to his foes and vanquished opponents, many of whom could be crucial allies in the general election against the Democratic nominee, most likely Hillary Clinton. Yet the real estate mogul does not always appear to be interested in doing so. The revived feuding this week has only added to the concerns of holdouts such as House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), who reiterated Wednesday that he was not ready to endorse Trump and remained opposed to some of his core policies. SPEED READ Texas Take: Paxton takes the offensive with lawsuit, Houston Chronicle Tomlinson: Nuclear power in more trouble than oil, Houston Chronicle Dallas Fed president calls for greater investment in education, Houston Chronicle Border apprehensions keep climbing, San Antonio Express-News Experts: Population growth, sprawling District 24 factored in Susan Kings loss, Abilene Reporter-News Former Texas comptroller funds new tool to grade schools, Houston Chronicle Did George P. Bushs agency reboot pay ex-employees improperly? Austin American-Statesman Documents show different medal count for American Sniper, Austin American-Statesman Houston Baptist University to remain gun-free, Houston Chronicle Rick Perry heading to West Virginia for events, Star-Telegram Obama: world leaders rightfully rattled by Trump, AP CAPITOL DAYBOOK No meetings scheduled today RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE -- Report traces arc of Clinton server, agency failures, by the AP. Eight days before Hillary Clinton took office as secretary of state in January 2009, an aide to former President Bill Clinton quietly registered a new internet address for the couple. That trivial but deliberate online purchase is the earliest known hint of the private email system that now plagues the presumptive Democratic nominee's presidential campaign. Buried in a footnote in a government watchdog's report released Wednesday, the reference to the registration of clintonemail.com was an early step toward building what became the private homebrew email system that has attracted an FBI investigation and raised questions about Clinton's judgment while serving as the nation's top diplomat. -- SIREN: State Dept. email report complicates Clintons message, by the APs Lisa Lerer. Hillary Clinton is telling voters not to trust Donald Trump. But a new government report about her usage of a private email server as secretary of state is complicating that message. Already, Clinton faces questions about her trustworthiness, with months of polling showing voters give her low marks for integrity. It's a narrative that Trump has been eager to encourage. In the early weeks of his general election campaign he's dubbed Clinton Crooked Hillary a moniker intended to underscore questions about integrity. -- Sanders v. Trump debate, per Politicos Nick Gass. The suggestion that Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump debate in California before the June 7 primaries would appear to be more than just a late-night joke. We want this to happen, Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs told POLITICO on Thursday, when asked if the campaign would reach out to its counterpart, hours after Trump said on Jimmy Kimmel Live he would be willing to debate the Democratic candidate if the proceeds from the event went to charity. >> SIREN: Top aide Rick Wiley departs Trump campaign, CNN -- After Bernie, Clinton finds her voice, by CNN Politics. But that changed this week in California when she turned her full attention to Donald Trump. With the brash real estate magnate as her full-time foil, Clinton finally seemed to find her voice. In speech after speech across the Golden State, Clinton delivered a fiery, point-by-point takedown of the real estate magnate, casting him as a greedy bully who was eager to profit from the financial woes of the middle class Americans who lost homes and jobs in the 2008 economic crash. 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. GRAND FORKS -- Curtis J. Phillips couldn't figure out why the women he saw in Wal-Mart were donating carts full of merchandise to the community of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. Having fled the town as an evacuee days before in the wake of a massive fire, Phillips asked if they were part of a charity group or perhaps knew someone from the area, but the women said they were simply trying to help. "It was just five moms, and I just fell to the floor and cried," he said. Phillips was having lunch with a friend about 1:15 p.m. May 3 when the waitress said she had to leave because her house was on fire. "We looked outside and saw the hill ablaze because we were surrounded by forest," he said. Phillips took his 22-year-old daughter, Meaghan; wife, Diane; and the family dog and left town. Sitting on his twin sister's couch in Grand Forks on Wednesday afternoon in new jeans that were 2 inches too long, he said the only thing he grabbed before leaving were family heirlooms. "You've just got your wallet, and I was wearing a pair of pants and this shirt here and my sandals," Phillips said. "That was it." About 88,000 people have evacuated the town since the wildfires began to grow in early May, according to media reports. Phillips' wife, Diane, the president of the Wood Buffalo Environmental Association, stayed in Canada to continue working despite her original plan to retire in June. In the meantime, Phillips came to stay with his sister Kathleen Adams, who also has experienced a natural disaster. During the 1997 flood, her Grand Forks townhome filled with 13 inches of water. After it was safe to return, she did so alone. "I saw a dead mouse on the chair and I freaked out," Adams said. "I was scared. The memory of that dead mouse on the chair, I'll never get that out of my head." Adams sent her son Daniel, who was about 14 years old at the time, to live with Phillips, while her 17-year-old son, David, stayed in the area with his grandmother in Buxton. "When the flood came, I said Danny could come live with us for good," Phillips said, laughing. Despite being there for each other in times of need, the siblings don't describe themselves as being very close, something they blame on distance. "Curtis and his wife, they would help the poorest of the poor," Adams said. "That's what you're supposed to do," Phillips replied. Phillips moved to Fort McMurray in 1982, a town with a population of about 125,000. A sportswriter, TV personality and figure in the media, Phillips said he thought about writing a story on the evacuation but came to realize the importance of simply listening to people tell their stories. "I went from the glory of the story to just listening," he said. "They had somebody to talk to, a familiar face, and that was really important." Both siblings have felt compelled to give back when possible despite experiencing trauma themselves. Adams volunteered for three weeks in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and Phillips plans to do what he can for his community when he returns. "In Grand Forks, you had time to realize what was happening," Phillips said. "For us, it was 15 minutes--boom--you're gone." Phillips can see online via satellite photos that his home is still standing, though he is concerned about smoke and water damage. Nonetheless, he is eager to return as soon as possible, which for now he thinks will be early June. "We will rebuild, revitalize and return," Phillips said. Bismarck veteran William Teply is proud to have served aboard a destroyer during the Vietnam War, with tours of duty that had him travel along the coast of several countries in the region during the conflict. Teply, 64, joined the U.S. Navy out of high school in Wolsey, S.D. I had two uncles in the Navy, so I figured thatd be the place to go, said Teply, who enlisted on Dec. 7, 1970, and was trained at Naval Station Great Lakes in Great Lakes, Ill. He was trained as a boiler technician, being assigned to the U.S.S. King. Boiler technicians are the individuals who work to maintain the engines and other machinery aboard ships. Six hours on, six hours off, Teply said of the work, which he described as very hot and tiring down inside the ship. We shelled the coast night and day, said Teply, who had multiple tours of duty off the coast of Vietnam. He said the ship would be sent to Southeast Asia for six to eight months at a time. During his tours, he also spent time off the coast of the Philippines, Japan and Taiwan. The most dangerous event during his time served occurred while the U.S.S. King was docked in San Diego prior to embarking on another tour of Southeast Asia. In April 1972, Teply was ordered to let the steam off one of the boilers in preparation for shipping out. He said doing so resulted in an explosion and he sustained moderate injuries. It couldve been worse, Teply said. When youre young like that, you think youre invincible. Teply said he was unable to work in the boiler room after the accident; he said he couldnt take going down there and hell never forget that day. I can still hear them coming down to get me, Teply said of the accident. After recovering from his injuries, Teply was reassigned and, for the rest of his time serving, he oversaw the ships storeroom. When he was discharged in 1974, Teply returned to South Dakota and worked as a truck driver before joining the U.S. Postal Service in Aberdeen. He was a part-owner of a salvage yard in Dickinson with his brother for a few years in the mid-1980s before moving to Bismarck in 1989. He worked for the Postal Service in Bismarck until taking an early retirement in 2011. Today, he owns and manages a few apartment units in Bismarck. Earlier this month, six Marines died in a helicopter crash in Nepal, where they were delivering aid to survivors of Aprils massive earthquake. The Marine Corps Times described the lost as two pilots, two crew chiefs, a combat photographer and a combat videographer. Two Nepalese soldiers died with them. A Nebraskan, Captain Dustin R. Lukasiewicz, was a pilot and Afghanistan veteran who leaves behind a child and a pregnant wife. Christopher L. Norgren, from Kansas, was also a pilot; his parents remembered him as an overachiever. Sergeant Ward M. Johnson IV, from Florida and California, was a helicopter chief and Afghanistan veteran who leaves behind a wife and two children. Sergeant Eric M. Seaman was a helicopter crew chief from California, another Afghanistan veteran, and a husband and father of two young children. Corporal Sara A. Medina was from Illinois; she was in Nepal to photograph the Marines relief efforts, having previously captured their work across Asia and in the United States. Lance Corporal Jacob A. Hug, an Arizonan, was in Nepal to record Marine relief efforts on video, as he had previously done across Asia. American media covered the deaths of these Marines, all of whom had won honors for their service, but the story of their sacrifice failed to take hold in the popular mind. Weve grown accustomed to hearing about military deaths, even as the U.S. has largely withdrawn from Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of us gloss over the headlinesIve done it, toobecause for millions of Americans, the military is an abstraction. At the heart of this problem is the disconnect between American civilians and the all-volunteer military, the subject of an expansive James Fallows essay in The Atlantic earlier this year. Fallows points out that the entirety of Americans serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, from the beginning of those conflicts to todaymany doing multiple deploymentsadds up to less than 1 percent of the American population. Compare that with World War II, when nearly 10 percent of the population was in uniform; most American families were touched in some way by military life. Not anymore. This separation, Fallows argues, has multiple effectsnot least the fact that, knowing little or nothing about military issues, Americans are detached from debates concerning the armed forces. Our naivete stands in contrast with how we view other taxpayer-supported institutions, such as those providing education or health care; we may or may not hold informed views on such topics, but we can all speak from experience on them. The result, Fallows says, is a country that treats its military both too reverently and too cavalierly. We fall back on overblown, limitless praise for the troops, exemplified by our militaristic displays before sporting events or the thank you for your service refrain detested by many in the military. Fallowss argument has been made by others, including Andrew Bacevich. The solutions are not clear. But the effects of the problem are many, not just on national security policy and on our politics, but also on civic ritualssuch as Memorial Day. Memorial Day (originally Decoration Day) was once the most solemn civic day on the American calendar. It originated after the Civil War but took on its current prominence after World War I. For years it was associated with red poppiesinspired by the war poem In Flanders Fieldswhich were sold to benefit servicemens families. Memorial Day is still solemn for those who wish it to be, but its predominant meaning in the culture is as the unofficial beginning of summerthe retailers are all over thatand as a family holiday or a chance for a brief getaway. Its character was irrevocably changed in 1968, when Congress passed legislation mandating three-day weekends for multiple federal holidays, including Memorial Day and what execrably became known as Presidents Day. (Veterans Day has held out; its marked on November 11 every year, three-day weekends be damned.) Uncoupling important American commemorations from their actual datesMemorial Day is officially May 30and turning them into just another Monday off has corroded their meaning. Its no wonder, then, that one can go through an entire Memorial Day without being even lightly brushed by a reminder. Yet even a cursory read about the lives and careers of Hug, Medina, Seaman, Johnson, Norgren, and Lukasiewicz makes clear that remarkable people continue to serve our nation in uniformand that many of us know more about Abu Ghraib than about the noble work that the American military does around the world. We should restore Memorial Day to its May 30 observance. At minimum, we owe the fallen some genuine remembrance as opposed to the hollow reverence that Fallows rightly decries. Fallows would say, I imagine, that there cant be genuine remembrance without genuine involvement, and perhaps thats true. But weve got to do better than were doing. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images Women in Online Work program pentru femeile care isi doresc sa munceasca in companii internationale, de la biroul de acasa Swiss Re Corporate Solutions Appoints Gonzalez as CEO North America Swiss Re Corporate Solutions announced the appointment of Ivan Gonzalez as CEO North America. He moves from his current position as CEO Latin America and assume the new role on July 1, 2016, relocating to New York from San Paulo. Gonzalez succeeds Bob Petrilli, who has decided to leave Swiss Re at the end of 2016. He will implement the companys expansion strategy in the United States and Canada, markets he knows well from working in New York for Swiss Res Principal Investment & Acquisitions division between 2000 and 2006. He will maintain his current responsibilities ad interim until his successor is designated. Gonzalez has been with Swiss Re for 16 years, working in Switzerland, the United States and Brazil. In 2011 he became CEO Latin America for Swiss Re Corporate Solutions. Under his leadership, the company achieved exponential, high-quality growth in the region through organic initiatives and acquisitions. Moreover, he helped build a competitive commercial insurance organization with a local presence in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, as well as an office in Miami covering the wholesale business. Verisk Analytics Announces Expanded Roles for Members of Senior Executive Team Verisk Analytics, Inc., a data analytics provider, announced new and expanded roles for members of its senior executive team, effective June 6, 2016. Mark Anquillare has been named to the newly created position of chief operating officer, with responsibility for the companys insurance business units and its technology and customer experience organizations. Eva Huston, currently Verisks treasurer and chief knowledge officer, will succeed Anquillare as chief financial officer. Huston will be responsible for the companys financial strategy, including accounting, tax, treasury, investor relations, and financial planning and analysis functions. Nana Banerjee and Steve Halliday have been named to the newly created roles of group president. Dr. Banerjee will oversee Verisks Argus, Geomni, and Verisk Retail businesses. Halliday will oversee Verisks Wood Mackenzie, 3E Company, and Verisk Maplecroft businesses. Anquillare, Huston, Dr. Banerjee, and Halliday will report to Scott Stephenson, Verisks chairman, president and chief executive officer. Travelers Promotes Toczydlowski, Spadorcia to Retire The Travelers Companies, Inc. announced that Greg Toczydlowski, executive vice president, has been promoted to president of Business Insurance, effective immediately. Toczydlowski most recently served as executive vice president and president, Small Commercial, Business Insurance Technology and Operations. Since joining Travelers in 1990, he has held numerous positions in systems, finance, underwriting, product, marketing and business development. He previously served as president of Personal Insurance. Travelers also announced the retirement of Doreen Spadorcia, vice chairman, Technology, Claim Services, Operations and Risk Control, and CEO of Personal Insurance and Bond & Specialty Insurance, after 30 years of service, effective September 1. She also has oversight of Analytics, Customer Experience, Marketing, eBusiness and Special Liability Group. Since joining the company, Spadorcia led several businesses and initiatives that have helped differentiate Travelers. She has been a member of the Management Committee since 2005, when she was appointed to lead Claim Services. Spadorcia spearheaded the creation of Travelers state-of-the-art training facility, Claim University, and developed a company-wide catastrophe response model that transformed the way Travelers mobilizes around large-scale disasters. She was named CEO of Personal Insurance in 2009 and CEO of Bond & Specialty Insurance in 2014. She has also served as a director of the Travelers Foundation. Capital Insurance Group Promotes Doll to VP, COO Calif.-based Capital Insurance Group, a regional property and casualty insurer serving the Western United States has promoted Andrew Doll to vice president and chief operating officer after his appointment to vice president and chief actuary nearly a year ago. In his new position, Doll will be responsible for personal, commercial and agriculture lines of business, sales, field operations and customer service. He also will ensure that CIGs insurance business operations are holistically aligned with the corporate strategy, and that the execution of insurance functions are consistent across the organization. Doll began his insurance career as an actuarial analyst in 1990 and transitioned to a Midwestern-based national insurance company in 1992 to become a senior actuarial analyst. After joining a Wisconsin-based regional property and casualty insurance provider in 1995, he eventually became assistant vice president of Specialty Lines Underwriting and later vice president and chief actuary. Doll has since held executive management positions for national insurance carriers. He is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society. Its health insurers cardinal rule: disclose pre-existing conditions. Now comes a case in which that familiar decree involves not a patient, but rather a $1.5 million surgical robot known as the da Vinci system. Two insurance companies say da Vincis maker, Intuitive Surgical Inc., failed to reveal more than 700 injury claims when it applied for liability coverage. Intuitive says thats nonsense. If a federal judge concludes the insurers are right and rescinds policies providing $25 million in coverage, one of the fastest-growing medical device manufacturers would be left with only self-insurance for a one-year period. Intuitive, meanwhile, accuses Illinois Union Insurance Co. and Navigators Specialty Insurance Co. of acting deceitfully and breaking their contracts. Intuitives profits have been on the rise since surviving scrutiny by regulators over its disclosures. Sales have rebounded since a 2013 slump when regulators queried surgeons about an increase in adverse event reports and the Food and Drug Administration warned about the companys transparency on product corrections. U.S. hospitals used Intuitives robot-assisted surgery in 176,000 operations during the first three months of this year, a 17 percent increase from the same period a year earlier. Still, even as Intuitive shares have risen 18 percent this year while Chief Executive Officer Gary Guthart pushes to expand the da Vincis international sales, the company is dogged by patients blaming surgery complications on its devices. The company said in 2014 there were about 3,000 claims, many of which it says have been settled. Patient Lawsuits Intuitive is fighting about 86 lawsuits in 22 states after setting aside about $100 million to resolve an unspecified number of claims from 2014 through early this year without admitting wrongdoing, it said in an April regulatory filing. Many of the patient lawsuits against it are in the early stages, according to the filing. Intuitive robots help perform hysterectomies, gall bladder removals, prostate cancer treatment and many other soft tissue operations. In the insurance dispute, Illinois Union says Intuitives disclosure of just 24 claims and failure to reveal 734 others when it applied for coverage in 2013 is a massive concealment of claims from an insurer, potentially the most egregious in history. The insurer said that if it had known Intuitive had entered into hundreds of so-called tolling agreements with patients lawyers to suspend litigation deadlines during settlement negotiations, it would have withdrawn its offer for the liability coverage. Court fights have become increasingly common in recent years when insurers seek to void coverage, through a process called rescission, over alleged misconduct by corporate policyholders, said Jim Murray, an insurance lawyer at Blank Rome LLP in Washington. The lawsuits turn often on allegations that crucial information about legal risks was withheld from the insurers. I could take any applications for any Fortune 500 company and will find something thats wrong with it; thats just the nature of the beast, Murray said in a phone interview. Most companies answer the questions theyre asked. Thats it. Illinois Union and Navigators are set to ask U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar in San Francisco Thursday to rule in their favor on the rescission request without a trial. Substantial Risk Intuitive contends it be would premature to rescind its 2013 policy because there are too many factual issues in dispute. It says theres evidence the insurers knew of the tolling agreements before issuing their policies, and took the substantial risk of going ahead anyway because they wanted Intuitives business. The device maker also argues that the policy application asked only about incidents likely to result in a claim. Intuitive says the tolling agreements didnt fit that definition because they involved only potential claims. Intuitives spokesman and its lawyers declined to comment on the insurance fight and litigation with patients. Representatives of Navigators, a unit of Navigators Group Inc., and Illinois Union, a unit of Pacific Employers Insurance Co., didnt respond to requests for comment. The company countersued both insurers in October after they refused to cover losses related to da Vinci claims. Intuitive seeks a court order forcing Illinois Union to provide coverage for 860 claims and Navigators to handle 111 claims. The insurers deny Intuitives allegations, though Tigar last month rejected their request for dismissal for most of the counterclaims. Illinois Union provided Intuitive with $15 million in coverage, subject to a limit of $5 million per occurrence, after the company spends $5 million, while Navigators issued a policy for $10 million in excess product liability coverage, according to the judges summary of the coverage in a court filing. The case is Illinois Union Insurance v. Intuitive Surgical, 13-cv-04863, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco). Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- James D. Sullivan was given another chance in July 2014 after serving more than two decades in prison for sexually violating young boys and girls and repeatedly violating the terms of his parole. After receiving support from family and a handful of powerful friends, a judge released him. In minutes from the proceeding, the judge indicated that Sullivan being free "will not demean the seriousness of the offenses or fail to protect the public from future criminal activity." About a year later, the Ohio State Highway Patrol uncovered evidence that the 58-year-old Cleveland man was filming people in the bathroom of an Ashtabula County state park. The U.S. Secret Service then found dozens of images of child pornography on a computer given to him by a nun, according to charging documents. The accusations are similar to what Sullivan pleaded guilty to in the early 1980s. Acting U.S. Attorney Carole Rendon said at a news conference last week that Sullivan did not deserve another break and that her office would seek a harsh penalty. "He now faces decades more in prison, a sentence that we are very comfortable seeking given his history and the facts of that case," Rendon said. Sullivan pleaded not guilty to the charges Tuesday in front of a federal magistrate judge in Cleveland. His federal public defender did not return a phone call. A series of break-ins Sullivan's actions struck fear in parents around Cleveland in the early 1980s. Sullivan, then a house painter, admitted to Rocky River police to breaking into more than 25 homes in a two-mile radius of Bay Village and Westlake, according to reports from the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the now-defunct Cleveland Press. He said that he did it for the thrill and was seeking help. In one instance, Sullivan was found naked with a nine-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl. He told the boy to take Polaroid photos of the girl, who was also naked. He also touched her. In September 1982, he was arrested for breaking into a home and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old Cleveland girl. Using a ladder, he crept into the girl's second-floor bedroom, took off his pants, got into her bed and fondled her. He committed nearly the same act in October of that year while free on bond. The parents of an 11-year-old girl caught him asleep in their daughter's bed with his pants off. He pleaded guilty in December 1982 to burglary, attempted rape and gross sexual imposition charges. Cuyahoga Common Pleas Court judge David Matia Sr. sentenced him to between 10 and 50 years in prison. Sullivan was paroled in April 2004, but it didn't take long for him to end up in trouble again. In 2007, he was placed on the the U.S. Marshals Service's most wanted list for not registering his address. He was arrested in Culver City, California in July 2007. He served three more years in prison and was again paroled in August 2010. Seven months later, his parole was revoked and he went back to prison because he used email, which was forbidden as a condition of his probation. He was again released in January 2013. That year, he had a heart attack. He used a computer while he was in the hospital and was sent back to prison. His next parole hearing was set for 2019. His 2014 release In April 2014, state public defender Cullen Sweeney filed a motion asking Common Pleas Judge Stuart Friedman to grant Sullivan an early release from prison. His motion says that Sullivan showed that he was actively working to better himself, had completed sex offender treatment and "is a different person than he was when he committed his crimes." Attached to the motion were letter from his friends and family. This included Sister Rita Mary Harwood, Diocese of Cleveland secretary for Parish Life and Development and an active member in the diocese's outreach to the prisons, and Jim Samuels, a Cleveland attorney known for his work with the Greater Cleveland Congregation. Samuels represented Sullivan in the 1982 criminal case and wrote in a letter to Friedman that he had "become his close confidant" and that Sullivan has "nearly a zero chance of recidivism." "I have given him and I will give you, my commitment to remain his friend, confidant and sounding board as he enters this next chapter in his life, should you give him the opportunity to prove himself worthy and release him from prison," Samuels wrote. Friedman granted Sullivan's release. Court records from the months following his release show that Sullivan regularly checked in with his parole officer and appeared to be following the strict rules that come with an early release. The investigation That changed in 2015, according to court records. On July 18, Trooper Erik Souders investigated reports of a person hiding in the attic of a restroom at the Geneva State Park Campground. A women complained that a man appeared to be filming women and men while they showered, according to Ashtabula County Prosecutor Nicholas Iarocci. Souders discovered that Sullivan had crawled into the attic by removing ceiling tiles above the showers, a criminal complaint says. Above the stalls, Souders found a blanket, a bottle of lotion and bodily fluid on a ceiling tile. A DNA test showed that the fluid came from Sullivan, and Souders obtained a warrant for his arrest on Aug. 25 on a misdemeanor voyeurism charge. Sullivan was arrested the next day. Souders and others searched Sullivan's Carnegie Avenue apartment Aug. 27. They found a laptop computer, which he was not allowed to have as a condition of his release. A forensic search turned up 97 images of child pornography, according to court records. Harwood later told investigators that she gave Sullivan the laptop. The U.S. Attorney's Office took over the case in April and added a child-pornography charge. 'The beginning of my life sentence' Authorities have highlighted Sullivan's case as one where parents need to be vigilant about the safety of their children. Sullivan is a felon, a sex offender whose actions were being monitored by parole officers, yet prosecutors said he was still able to carry out his illicit acts. "Here in Ashtabula County, we've got a convicted sex offender who's entering our state parks," Iarocci said. "It's just kind of appalling, more or less, what took place. Thankfully those women saw this." Friedman, the judge who released Sullivan, will eventually have to decide whether Sullivan's actions violated the terms of his release. He could send Sullivan to prison for an additional stint if he chooses. Reached Wednesday, Friedman said that the acts for which Sullivan is accused are "disgusting." He said that while he has no good or bad feelings toward Sullivan, the federal charges show that he may be suffering from an illness. And Sullivan himself appears to acknowledge this as well. In a letter filed as part of a motion in state court, he wrote to a friend from jail in September that said, "today is the beginning of my life sentence." He wrote that his urges were too much. "I was shook by my behavior and was committed to not doing it again. I was very aware of my failure and knew that it would not occur again," he wrote. "There was this 'itch' that had bothered me for months ... the urge to return to a previous behavior that provided me relief." Meanwhile, at least one person who was willing to help, one who fought so hard for his release is now distancing himself from Sullivan. Samuels refused a request for an interview. He sent a statement that said he had tried to help him with his rehabilitation. "If he indeed did the things he is accused of, I find that reprehensible and he deserves to again be punished," Samuels wrote, adding that he is cooperating with investigators. If you want to comment on this story, go to Thursday's crime and courts comments section. ondreyps.jpg Public Square is set to reopen in June. (Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Diebold Foundation has donated $100,000 to the redevelopment of Cleveland's Public Square. The donation to the Group Plan Commission, the nonprofit organization dedicated to redeveloping downtown Cleveland's public spaces, was announced Thursday. The donation will be provided over the next two years. "I want to thank the Diebold Foundation for its generous donation to support the transformation of Cleveland's Public Square. Donations like this have such an impact on the continued growth of the city," said Jeremy Paris, executive director of the commission. "Public Square has not been the asset that it should be, and its transformation will benefit people in the City as well as stimulate surrounding investments." The city of Cleveland and the Group Plan Commission are nearing completion on the redevelopment of Public Square, redesigned by landscape architect James Corner. The $50 million, 15-month renovation of Public Square is set to be completed in June. It will now be a much more unified space instead of four separated quadrants, intended for yearlong use by increasing the green space. "Diebold has always been committed to supporting the communities in which we operate and is proud to aid the important work of The Group Plan Commission as they redevelop and revitalize Cleveland's Public Square," said Jonathan Leiken, senior vice president, chief legal officer and secretary. The Diebold donation follows a $50,000 National Endowment for the Arts matching grant to Cuyahoga Arts and Culture for arts programming in the square made two weeks ago. Care Alliance doctors use computer simulater to train on how to implant IUDs PelvicSim - a disembodied pelvis attached to a split computer screen - is one tool Upstream USA provides to help doctors train for providing long acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs). This simulator, in use at Care Alliance in February, tells doctors how they're doing and if the "patient" is in pain while they practice. Care Alliance is one of 12 sites across the region that received training to help offer LARCs as a first-line birth control option for women. It's one of the best ways to reduce infant mortality, because more than half of pregnancies are unintended. (Lisa DeJong, The Plain Dealer) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A statewide effort to increase access to more effective, long-acting birth control options such as intrauterine devices, or IUDs, and implants is starting to bear fruit in the Cleveland area, a coalition of public and private health leaders reported Tuesday. It's a change the partnership, Better Birth Control NEO (Northeast Ohio), hopes will help drive down infant mortality. Use of LARCs (long-acting reversible contraceptives) has more than doubled at seven-area family planning, primary care and neighborhood health centers that received intensive training and education about the more effective methods in the past year. Ohio has the fifth highest infant mortality rate in the nation, at 7.33 deaths per 1,000 live births, 21 percent above the national average. The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has been working on a variety of fronts to drive down that rate, said Michelle Clark, an ODH public health nurse specialist. "If we can do that by helping women choose when they want to become pregnant and help them to have healthy pregnancies, that's our goal." Unintended pregnancies, which are often too closely spaced, make babies more likely to be born too soon or too small. Both low-birth weight and preterm birth are known risk factors for infant mortality. More than 80 percent of teen pregnancies and more than half of overall pregnancies in the state are unplanned. The longer-acting methods are 20 times more effective at preventing pregnancy than the pill, yet in 2014, only one in 10 Ohio women used them, according to data gathered by the nonprofit Guttmacher Institute. LARCs are underused for a variety of reasons, said Melissa Federman, chair of health planning at The Center for Community Solutions, the Cleveland non-profit in charge of organizing the coalition's efforts. There are still a lot of myths about their safety and perceived expense compared to other methods that need to be dispelled, she said. Access is also a problem. Health clinics often don't have sufficient stock or training to be able to provide LARCs on the same day a woman visits, and many won't come back for a second appointment. To overcome these barriers, the coalition has spent more than $580,000 to train clinic staff, increase stock, launch a marketing and education campaign and evaluate the effectiveness of their efforts. The money was provided by state and county health departments, the George Gund Foundation, the Mt. Sinai Healthcare Foundation and the Doll Family Foundation. Over the past year, doctors and administrative staff from 12 local clinics attended two-day LARC crash courses run by a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit, Upstream USA, whose sole mission is to help women more conveniently access all birth control options. In a smaller subset of seven of these clinics (the Family Planning Association of Northeast Ohio and Lorain County, the Cleveland and Cuyahoga County Departments of Public Health, and MetroHealth's J. Glen Smith and McCafferty clinics), the group studied the impact of the training over time. Training includes technical support for doctors on inserting the new generation of IUDs using pelvic simulators. Clinic support staff learn about how to field questions from patients, teens and parents in waiting rooms. All staff are trained on the relative effectiveness of birth control methods, their side effects and costs. In the seven clinics studied, use of LARCs jumped from 4 percent to 10 percent of women. More than 90 percent of the women said they very much felt staff listened to their thoughts about birth control options, and 99 percent said the choice of birth control was their own. Each training costs about $10,000, Federman said. It might cost about $1.3 million for the entire Northeast Ohio hospital community to go through the training. Cities and states that have made the investment have seen a big payoff, according to published research. In Colorado, a statewide effort to increase access to LARCs began in 2009. After two years, use of these contraceptive methods among young women had increased fourfold, from 5 percent to almost 20 percent. In areas where the program was rolled out, high-risk births declined by 24 percent, abortion rates fell by 34 percent among teens and statewide enrollment in the federal Women Infants and Children (WIC) program fell by almost a quarter. The state estimates a saving of almost $6 in avoided Medicaid costs for prenatal, delivery and first-year infant care for every $1 invested in the program. In St. Louis, a long-term study of 1400 young women found similar results. Researchers there projected that if their model was adopted nationally, the teen pregnancy rate could be cut by more than half. In the coming year, Better Birth Control NEO plans to analyze the effects of their work to make the case for additional funding and expansion of the training. Several hospital systems in Cuyahoga County and across the state are considering coming on board, Federman said. Health clinics in Northeast Ohio that have received the training say it's been a big win for patients who are choosing the more effective options more often now because they have better information. "It's really a fear of the unknown" that stopped many from choosing LARC in the past, said Stacy Noyes, director of educational services at The Family Planning Association of Northeast Ohio, which participated in the Upstream training last summer. Often women are convinced when they hear how much more effective LARCs are, the low complication rates for the new devices and implants, and that the methods are recommended as the first choice contraception method by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Obstetricians, Noyes said. "It really sells itself," she said. Parents in particular are reassured that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends LARCs for adolescents, Noyes said. "When they hear that, they want to learn more." If you're interested in learning more about Better Birth Control NEO's work or to see a list of local clinics providing LARCs, go to whoopsproof.org/cleveland or bedsider.org. CLEVELAND, Ohio - A former Cleveland charter school administrative assistant stole more than $30,000 from the school, according to a report released Tuesday by the state auditor. A former Cleveland charter school employee stole over $30,000 from her place of employment between 2011 and 2015, the state auditor's office announced Thursday. Raebecca White is a former employee of Constellation Schools' Westside Community School of the Arts in Cleveland's West Boulevard neighborhood. She admitted to auditors that she stole 375 payments -- totaling $32,393 -- from the school between 2011 and 2015, according to the report from Ohio Auditor of State Dave Yost's office. White was fired from the school in March 2015 "for reasons unrelated to the theft," the release says. Part of White's job involved collecting payments from students for activities such as field trips, fundraisers and dress-down days, the release states. She was also in charge of billing, processing and depositing student fees into the school's bank account. The auditor's spokesman said Thursday that the office plans to forward its findings to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office. Joe Frolik, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office, said his office is aware of the case and will review the auditor's findings to decide whether to pursue criminal charges. White and Constellation Schools LLC were named as defendants in a civil lawsuit filed in December by a student who suffered burns after she spilled hot mashed potatoes on her face. The lawsuit says that when White was unable to reach the student's mother by phone, she kept the student in her office instead of having her taken to a hospital. She instructed the student to scrub the burns with a frozen sponge, the complaint says. The lawsuit is pending. "It's not often we see someone stealing money paid by students for field trips and dress-down days," Yost said. "I hope we never see it again." A message left for Constellation Schools' executive director Rebecca Keeney was not immediately returned. If you would like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section. Cleveland police car stock A 28-year-old man was shot dead on his front porch Wednesday night after three men walked out of an abandoned house and opened fire, Cleveland police said. (File photo) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A man sitting on his front porch was shot dead Wednesday night when three gunmen walked out of an abandoned house and opened fire, police said. The 28-year-old man died about 9:30 p.m. at University Hospitals, according to Cleveland police. He and a 25-year-old man were sitting on the porch about 8:50 p.m. on Somerset Avenue near East 105th Street in the city's Glenville neighborhood. Three men walked out of an abandoned house across the street. The men opened fire. Bullets struck the 28-year-old in the chest and the 25-year-old in both legs, police said. The gunmen ran away. The 28-year-old man ran inside his home. The 25-year-old man ran to North Boulevard, where police found him. They gave the man emergency first aid, and paramedics rushed him to University Hospitals. Police then found the 28-year-old man lying on the floor of his home. Paramedics drove him to the hospital, where he later died. Police did not release a detailed description of the shooters, and continue to investigate. If you wish to discuss or comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments section. 5.25.16 Harvard homicide Cleveland police homicide detectives are investigation after one man was killed in a Wednesday afternoon shooting near the intersection of East 151st Street and Harvard Avenue. (Jane Morice, cleveland.com) CLEVELAND, Ohio - Homicide detectives are investigating the Wednesday afternoon drive-by shooting death of a 25-year-old Cleveland man in the city's Lee-Miles neighborhood. The victim, Charles Herrod, was identified by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office. He was shot multiple times in the chest about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday on the 4000 block of East 151st Street, near Harvard Avenue, Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said. Herrod was taken to University Hospitals by paramedics. He died about one hour after he arrived, Ciaccia said. During their initial investigation, detectives learned that an unknown man in a red car was shooting at the victim. Herrod got out of his Pontiac G6 on East 151st Street and returned gunfire when he was shot, Ciaccia said. Three other people - an 18-year-old man, a woman and a 13-year-old boy - were inside Herrod's car at the time of the shooting. The woman and teen were not injured. Police initially said the 18-year-old was shot in the hand during the incident, but it was later determined that he suffered minor cuts to his hand from broken glass, Ciaccia said. Herrod's Pontiac was towed by police for evidence, Ciaccia said. The make and model of the red car has not yet been released. No suspects have been identified, and no arrests have been made. If you would like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section. Valerie Thompson Cleveland police officer Valerie Thompson, right, was indicted Wednesday on felony charges that accuse her of ordering the deletion of cellphone video that showed an April assault at a West Park bar. (Cory Shaffer, cleveland.com) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A veteran Cleveland police officer has been indicted on felony charges that accuse her of ordering a woman to delete cellphone video of a bar fight between a bouncer and a customer. A grand jury on Wednesday charged Valerie Thompson with tampering with evidence and tampering with records, third-degree felonies, and dereliction of duty and interfering with civil rights, both misdemeanors. Her arraignment has not been set. The security guard, Kevin Brenis, was also charged with tampering with evidence. Thompson, a 22-year veteran police officer, remains free on bond. Brenis has not yet appeared in court. The charges stem from a closing-time scuffle between Brenis and a customer at West Park Station. Brenis was going around asking customers to leave the bar, when he got into a scuffle with a customer. A woman at the bar recorded the fight on a cellphone. Thompson, who was working off-duty security at the bar, ordered the woman to delete the video, then watched over her to make sure she followed the order, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office spokesman Joe Frolik said. Thompson then filed a false police report that indicated the customer punched Brenis "without provocation," according to records. Brenis lied to First District detectives who followed up on the incident, Frolik said. City prosecutors originally filed a complaint charging the customer with felonious assault. But that charge was later dropped. Thompson was arrested Friday. She posted bond and was released within hours. She pleaded not guilty at her arraignment in Cleveland Municipal Court Monday. She has been suspended without pay while her case moves through the courts. If you wish to discuss or comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio - More than 100 Cleveland teachers are rallying now outside school district headquarters at 1111 Superior Avenue downtown as they continue negotiating with the school district for a new contract. The number is rising as more teachers arrive to join the calls for the district to return to the bargaining table, for less standardized testing, for more elective and career education classes and for fair evaluations of their work. They plan to continue the rally until 5:30 p.m.. Joining the rally is City Councilman Brian Kazy, representing Ward 16 on the West Side, and State Sen. Mike Skindell, a Lakewood Democrat. "I love the CTU," Kazy said to cheers from teachers. He called on the district to return to the negotiating table, to treat teachers with respect and to "start fixing what's wrong with the Cleveland Plan." The union has complained in recent weeks that district CEO Eric Gordon is not meeting promises to teachers and the city that are part of the Cleveland Plan for Transforming Schools, a district improvement plan passed by the state legislature and backed by Gov. John Kasich in 2012. Teachers say their evaluations are not handled fairly, that schools are making unfair cuts of staff and that district's unique teacher salary system is not being used properly. Cleveland was the first district in Ohio to throw out the traditional teacher salary schedule as part of the Plan, in favor of a unique plan based on evaluation ratings and special skills and training. Skindell also called for a fair contract for teachers. "You're fighting not just for yourselves," he told teachers. "You're fighting for the children of Cleveland and a better future for all." The union's three year contract with the district expires at the end of June and the two sides have been trying to seek a new deal for several months. After the district pulled out of negotiations in February, the dispute went to a fact-finder, who issued recommendations for a new contract early this month. Both the district and union rejected her proposal and agreed to return to negotiations. Union members also voted to authorize a strike in the fall if negotiations do not bring an agreement. At Tuesday's school board meeting and again today, teachers wore T-shirts saying, "I don't want to strike, but I will." Although the district and union voted two weeks ago to negotiate again instead of accepting the fact-finder's proposal, union officials said they scheduled their next session only Wednesday and for June. CLEVELAND, Ohio - On Wednesday afternoon, a small delegation from the international Cure Violence initiative quietly observed while "violence interrupters" with the Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance crowded around a table at their new headquarters at East Tech High School to share intelligence on hostility simmering on the streets. Tensions are still high, one interrupter said, after the fatal shooting last week of a 19-year-old at an East Side gas station. Preventing retaliation will require ongoing attention, he noted. Another team member reported an uptick in violent gang initiations among middle-schoolers - a common trend in the spring when local street gangs look for younger recruits. And in some neighborhoods, things are quiet, an anomaly for sure. "That's the calm before the storm," a team member said, as the others nodded in agreement. "Something's brewing." The Peacemakers, a coalition of violence interventionists that have been operating in Cleveland for about seven years, is largely made up of former gang members and reformed criminals, who draw upon their street cred and relationships to detect trouble and quash it before it erupts. Their concern is the four to six percent of the population that drives nearly 70 percent of the city's violence and the conflicts that have the potential to ignite deadly altercations if not interrupted. That is also the concern of Cure Violence. The agency's model - which relies on violence interrupters, much like the Peacemakers Alliance - approaches violence as a disease transmitted during disputes that have the potential to escalate, but an epidemic for which there is a cure. For the past 16 years, Cure Violence has helped dozens of major cities, including Baltimore and New York, develop programs that have been credited with statistically significant reductions in violence in some of the deadliest neighborhoods. City Councilman Zack Reed invited the group to Cleveland this week to pitch the city on the program and to explore the possibility of transforming the Peacemakers Alliance into a bona fide Cure Violence replication site. If that comes to pass, local violence interrupters would be fully trained in conflict resolution and mediation techniques and have ongoing technical support and case management through the national office. Cure Violence offers thoughts on best practices On Wednesday, the Cure Violence representatives shared with members of the Peacemakers a bit of feedback on their operation. Cure Violence National Director Frank Perez asked the Peacemakers about their attire. The Peacemakers include members of several outreach groups: Guardian Angels, Peace in the Hood, Icons and No Return. Some - like the Guardian Angels, known for their red berets and insignia - wear their own uniforms, but only badges connect them to the Peacemakers. Perez suggested developing a uniform for the entire group and said that would have to happen if the Peacemakers were to adopt the Cure Violence model. Cobe Williams, Cure Violence's national community coordinator and a former violence interrupter in Chicago, asked how the Peacemakers are trained. The short answer? They haven't been formally trained in quite some time. The group has recently reconstituted under the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland after it was discovered last year that former Peacemakers leader Reggie Rucker had been embezzling the agency's charitable donations to pay his gambling debts. The Boys & Girls Clubs in March hired a new director, Sharyna Cloud, who previously had spent eight years running a program for the city of Cleveland aimed at guiding gang members and notorious criminals to social services. Cloud said Wednesday that training is on tap this year for her Peacemakers. Lori Toscano, executive director of U.S. programs for Cure Violence, asked about the Peacemakers coverage area and caseload. The Peacemakers employ 16 violence interrupters and case managers to cover the entire city. Under the Cure Violence model, that would be enough to staff two sites in the city, each with a coverage area of about two to six square miles. The key to success, Toscano said, is to focus on a target area. With less ground to cover, violence interrupters really get to know their street sources and more effectively defuse tension before it boils over. Spread too thin, workers end up reacting to violence and miss their chance to interrupt it, she said. If the city or Peacemakers were to contract with Cure Violence, establishing teams of violence interrupters to work in up to five areas of the city would cost between $100,000 and 165,000 in the first year, with ongoing training and support. Toscano said the overhead cost of running a field office runs between $250,000 to $500,000 a year for a seven-person team, depending on the cost of living in an area. Local response to the Cure Violence model Khalid Samad, CEO of Peace in the Hood and arguably the longest-serving violence interrupter in the city, said he is always open to feedback. "Anytime you get together in the spirit of collaboration and partnership there are ideas and best practices and assets that you can bring to the table," Samad said. "We've been around a long time, and we believe in adopting best practices. And there are things that they've probably adapted from our best practices over the years. So it works both ways." Ron Soeder, president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland, said the Peacemakers' strategies are more or less "homegrown," and he is interested in the prospect of formalizing training and community partnerships through the structure of an agency like Cure Violence. "It puts together a framework that is tested; it's out in 50 communities," Soeder said in an interview after the meeting. "It's much more structured. For the past six or seven years, the work we've been doing is great. But I'm not sure it's documented. I'm not sure it's in a cohesive format." Blaine Griffin, director of community relations for the city, said in a later interview that he has long enjoyed a relationship with Perez and others at Cure Violence and that the Peacemakers were initially modeled after the national program. He acknowledged that the Peacemakers could greatly benefit by more formal training. However, he expressed skepticism that scaling down the Peacemakers' target zones would be the right approach in Cleveland. He predicted that criminals might simply scatter to other neighborhoods under the pressure of a targeted outreach effort, much the way they do when police focus on hot spots in the city. "I want to say that Cleveland might have different dynamics," Griffin said. "Chances are that a lot of the folks you're dealing with are transient, and they move around. ... If you go into a small target area, and the Peacemakers build relationships, they may stop the violence, but the guys who are continuing the feuds will just go somewhere else." johnrusso.jpeg Cuyahoga County Judge John J. Russo will meet with other justice system leaders next month to discuss bail reform. (Plain Dealer file photo) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cuyahoga County's top judge, John J. Russo, will take a close look at bail reform, and has invited other key players in the justice system to work with him, he told cleveland.com reporters and editors in an interview Thursday. Russo said he sent a letter Wednesday inviting the county prosecutor, county executive, public defender and others to a June 8 meeting to begin gathering data and exploring best practices for bail systems. "There has been a lot of recent conversation about the bond system used by the courts of Cuyahoga County, and we are convening stakeholders in the legal system to discuss this," Russo wrote. Read the full letter below. Russo's announcement comes two weeks after cleveland.com launched Impact 2016: Justice For All, a series examining the county's bail system and how some courts elsewhere have devised fairer systems for dealing with poor defendants. Calls for reform followed from the Cleveland NAACP and the Anti-Defamation League, groups that contend the county unfairly jails some poor defendants accused of low-level crimes simply because they can't afford bail. At Thursday's meeting at cleveland.com, Russo said he envisions the meeting on June 8 resulting in the formation of committees to tackle issues related to reform. He said the first step to gather data that can document whether non-violent defendants accused of low-level crimes are sitting in jail because they can't afford bail. "If [the system] needs to be changed or modified, I'm going to do it," Russo said. "But you can't just jump from hypothesis to conclusion and not have [the data], and that's all I've asked from day one." He said he will suggest surveying the county's 13 municipal courts, where people accused of crimes first appear after their arrests, to review the process judges go through when setting bond. He said he also envisions collecting data from police on how they make charging decisions and examining how local prosecutors choose to prosecute cases. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Law enforcement officials released new photos and video Wednesday evening of their person of interest and a vehicle in the still-unsolved abduction case on Cleveland's West Side. The photos and video were captured May 14, exactly one week before the 6-year-old girl was taken from her home on West 104th Street, FBI spokeswoman Vicki Anderson said Wednesday evening in a news release. A girl was abducted in the early morning hours on Saturday, and she was located about 9:30 p.m. the same day at a home on Lyric Avenue, off of West 140th Street. Police believe she was dropped off in the area. The video of the person of interest was recorded on a surveillance camera pointed on West 105th Place. The individual is seen walking down the narrow street between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., Anderson said. The two newly-released photos show the same person from the video, as well as a vehicle of interest. Authorities do not yet have "definitive information connecting the unknown male in the video to this vehicle of interest," the release states. Officials urge the public to pay attention to the man's appearance in the video, especially his clothing and his gait, the release says. The abducted girl was able to give police an abundance of details about the person of interest. She described him as a white man about 5 feet 10 inches tall with light brown hair, a trimmed beard and at least one tattoo. He was wearing a red or maroon hooded sweatshirt. The abductor then drove the girl to a brick house with a white door and black porch railing, the girl told police. She was hidden inside his bedroom, which had a mural painted on the wall depicting moose or deer, grass and trees. Authorities do not yet know if the house is in Cleveland or in another city. A reward of up to $10,000 is available for information that leads to the successful prosecution of the abductor, Anderson said. Any tips can be called into the confidential tip line at 216-622-6842. cleveland.com reporter Cory Shaffer contributed to this story. If you'd like to discuss or comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section. algaeblooms.jpeg Last year's toxic algal bloom was the largest on record in Lake Erie. The previous year's bloom forced the Toledo water system to be shut down for three days. (AP file photo) COLUMBUS, Ohio - A year ago, Ohio joined an historic agreement with Michigan and Ontario to reduce phosphorus runoff from farm fields into Lake Erie by 40 percent by 2025. On Wednesday, officials at the Ohio EPA told us how they expect to reach that goal. Phosphorus is the primary algae-feeding nutrient in Lake Erie, and contributed to the largest algal bloom in history last year. About two-thirds of the phosphorus is attributable to agricultural runoff into the Maumee River. In his announcement of the Collaborative Implementation Plan, Karl R. Gebhardt, deputy director of Water Resources & Lake Erie Programs at the EPA, said the action gives the coalition of Western Basin governments a two-year head start on a similar federal action plan, which calls for domestic action proposals by 2018. The 40 percent reduction in phosphorus can be met, Gebhardt said, by: Prioritizing and assessing watersheds within the western Lake Erie basin; Furthering the use of nutrient best management practices in agriculture and at point source discharges; Identifying and fixing failing home septic systems; Improving the coordination of programs and funds being spent in the basin. The Ohio Lake Erie Commission will coordinate implementation of the plan with Ohio EPA, Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio Department of Health, and Ohio Department of Natural Resources, he said. The announcement received mixed reviews. Environmental conservation groups said they thought the plan fell short of what will be required to drastically reduce phosphorus runoff, while farm and agricultural groups approved of the voluntary measures recommended in the plan. Adam Rissien, the director of Clean Water for the Ohio Environmental Council, said the EPA's proposal falls short of what is needed to solve the algae problem and lacks solutions to reduce runoff pollution from "big agriculture." "Certainly the plan demonstrates a strong commitment to reduce toxic algae," Rissien said. "But real progress requires policies for widespread adoption of conservation practices and proper applications of fertilizer and manure." Molly Flanagan, vice president of policy for the Alliance for the Great Lakes, said the plan emphasizes many of the same approaches that have failed to curb pollution from corporate agriculture. "We cannot afford to keep doing the same things and expecting different results," Flanagan said. Lake Erie provides drinking water for 13 million people, including 3 million Ohioans, and supports a $12.9 billion dollar recreation and tourism industry that is threatened by the annual toxic algal blooms, the conservationists said. Members of the agricultural community, however, said its members are doing their part to reduce phosphorus runoff and will cooperate with the EPA to implement its plan. "We're pleased the plan is science based, results oriented and adaptable," said Joe Cornely of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. "It allows for collaboration among local, state and federal agencies, stakeholders and the regulated community. And it recognizes that multiple sources of nutrients must be addressed." Elizabeth Harsh, executive director of the Ohio Cattlemen's Association, cited a USDA report released in March that found "voluntary conservation is making significant headway in reducing nutrient and sediment losses from farm fields" by 75 percent -- the equivalent of 11.4 million pounds per year. "Water quality is essential to our way of life as farmers, and we are proud of the work we've done to improve the Western Lake Erie basin," said Chris Weaver, from Bridgewater Dairy in Montpelier. "These issues are complicated, and there is not a silver bullet to improving our water quality." Public comments on the EPA's draft plan can be filed up until June 25 here To read the entire EPA draft plan go here Ohio bathroom bill weighed Clermont County House Republican cites public safety concerns A sign marks the entrance to a gender-neutral restroom. (Toby Talbot, Associated Press file photo) SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- The mother of a 7-year-old transgender child is wondering what the future might hold as the rights of transgender people have become a national debate. Katie Flesch tells whio.com her daughter Elizabeth began transitioning from a boy to a girl at the beginning of first grade last fall. Elizabeth was born Landon and has a twin brother, Logan. Flesch says the principal and staff at Rolling Hills Elementary School, which is part of Northeastern Local Schools, has treated Elizabeth well. But she has other concerns, particularly bullying and online harassment. "It's not about genitalia," Flesch tells whio.com. "It's about your brain. Just like I was born with a girl brain, Elizabeth was born with a girl brain. She just happened to get the wrong body." Flesch reportedly took Elizabeth to two doctors, who confirmed she is transgender. Elizabeth used a faculty restroom during the school year and currently is happy with the arrangement. However, Flesch is hoping the district will be understanding if her daughter decides to use the girls restroom or locker room in the future. Superintendent John Kronour would not speculate to the Dayton Daily News on whether the district could allow Elizabeth to use girls restrooms and locker rooms, citing the recent legal battles over the issue. The mother says most of the community has been supportive, but there has been some upset with the situation. "Everyone just kind of needs to think about how they would feel if their child was born different," she tells the Daily News. "She's a perfectly normal child," Flesch tells whio.com. "Her body doesn't match her heart and her brain. And there's nothing wrong with that." Narciza Murillo Narciza Murillo holds the U.S. and Ecuadorian flags as she faces mounted Orange County sheriff's deputies during a protest outside a rally by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at the Anaheim, Calif., Convention Center Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Several people were detained as police descended on the protesters after declaring an unlawful assembly from a helicopter, after shouting matches erupted between dozens of Trump opponents and a few Trump supporters. (Nick Ut, The Associated Press) When is a parade not a parade? When it's a Republican National Convention protest in Cleveland. Read more in Ohio Politics Roundup. Parades, protests and Public Square: Cleveland plans "to install a stage where people can speak during the upcoming Republican National Convention within Public Square, just weeks after the scheduled completion of a multi-million renovation of the downtown space," cleveland.com's Andrew J. Tobias writes. "The city plans to launch a website this Tuesday, May 31, on which people and groups can apply to use the platform, as well as file for permits to hold 'parades' - the city's preferred legal euphemism for protest marches." Perk and Willard parks will be reserved for protest demonstrations. Meanwhile, a "parade" route will cross the Lorain/Carnegie bridge connecting Ohio City and downtown. "Two legal groups monitoring Cleveland's plans ... pointedly criticized the city's newly announced rules for the event, calling them 'unacceptable,'" Tobias notes. The VIP experience: House Speaker Paul Ryan, who is in line to preside over the convention as a co-chairman, "is making a renewed push for large donations from wealthy benefactors and offering bonuses like special access to the Republican National Convention and face time with party leaders," the Washington Post's Sean Sullivan and Matea Gold report. "Those ... who donate or bundle $250,000 ... will get a VIP package for this summer's Republican National Convention, access to quarterly conference calls with key GOP leaders, two complimentary tickets to Ryan's holiday reception, invitations to retreats, and monthly policy briefings, among other things," according to a document the newspaper obtained. The big news of the week at the Statehouse: Ohio is poised to become the 25th state to legalize medical marijuana, cleveland.com's Jackie Borchardt reports. The Senate approved the measure by an 18-15 vote, then sent the bill to the House for concurrence in a flurry of last-minute activity before the legislature broke for recess until after the November election. The bill now heads to Gov. John Kasich's desk. The Republican, in an interview Tuesday, did not commit to signing the bill. He is opposed to a planned ballot initiative that would allow patients to smoke and grow marijuana. The legislature's measure does not include such provisions, and Kasich has said he will be open to what doctors recommend. Dues and don'ts: Two Ohio congressional reps - Democrat Marcy Kaptur of Toledo and Republican Steve Stivers of the Columbus area - have opposing views on "a little-scrutinized but well-known levy that leaders of both parties impose on their colleagues to help fill ... campaign committee coffers," USA Today's Deirdre Shesgreen and Christopher Schnaars report. "Lawmakers are supposed to dip into their own re-election accounts to meet these fundraising quotas. Those who make - or exceed - their dues are considered 'team players,' a label that lifts their chances of landing plum committee assignments. ... Asked about party dues, Kaptur "called it part of a 'corrosive system of public begging, and colleague-luring.'" But Stivers says there "are lots of people who don't pay their dues [but] who are chairs of committees, vice chairs of committees, subcommittee chairman." The Daily Donald: If you read one Donald Trump story today, make it this one by the New York Times' Jonathan Martin, who explores how the presumptive Republican presidential nominee has done his own dirty work, bypassing the traditional avenues of conservative media. Martin writes that, "by personally broaching topics like Bill Clinton's marital indiscretions and the conspiracy theories surrounding the suicide of Vincent W. Foster Jr., a Clinton White House aide, Donald J. Trump is again defying the norms of presidential politics and fashioning his own outrageous style - one that has little use for a middleman, let alone usual ideas about dignity. ... "But Mr. Trump's style is indisputably good TV, as his primary race opponents discovered. And his asymmetrical style of political warfare poses a threat to Democrats and their likely nominee, Hillary Clinton, one that may not be so easily neutralized by the usual tactics." Kasich tweaks Trump: The governor weighed in after Trump criticized New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez - a fellow Republican - while campaigning in her state. "@Gov_Martinez is an outstanding governor who has brought conservative reform to a blue state," the former presidential hopeful posted in a series of Wednesday evening tweets. "She's exactly who our party & nominee should be lifting up and supporting, not tearing down." Earlier in the day, at his first public appearance since suspending his campaign, Kasich "lamented 'the stupidity of politics,'" the Associated Press reports. More potential trouble for Clinton: A State Department audit has found that she "violated federal records rules through her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state," NBC News' Ken Dilanian reports. "The audit found that the non-compliance over personal email went beyond Clinton, and that former Secretary of State Colin Powell, a Republican, also failed to preserve government-related emails when he was secretary of state." Spoiler alert! Scott Rupert, a truck driver from Mechanicsburg, has qualified for the November ballot as a nonpartisan candidate in Ohio's closely watched Senate race. Rupert, whose beliefs place him on the political right, pulled 4.6 percent of the vote in a 2012 Senate contest. Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown beat Republican Josh Mandel that year by 6 points. This year's battle between Republican incumbent Rob Portman and Democrat Ted Strickland could be closer. Rupert, if he maintains a visible presence, could siphon votes from Portman. But that's a big if. Nevertheless, the Rupert campaign, in an emailed release, said his 2012 bid "should make name recognition less of an issue for the truck driver turned statesman." Slavery exception still exists in Ohio: Democratic state lawmakers are working to remove language from the Ohio Constitution that prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude "unless for the punishment of crime," the Cincinnati Enquirer's Chrissie Thompson reports. State Rep. Emilia Sykes, an Akron Democrat, "said similar exceptions exist in other states, and also in the U.S. Constitution, which allows for involuntary servitude if a person is 'duly convicted' of a crime," the Columbus Dispatch's William T. Perkins writes. If a joint resolution introduced Wednesday wins support from three-fifths of members in the Republican-controlled House and Senate, it would then head to voters as a ballot issue. Get Battleground Briefing, our FREE politics newsletter, delivered to your inbox: Sign up here. Tips or links? Send here. Follow along on Twitter: @HenryJGomez. Medical Marijuana What happens now that the Ohio legislature passed a medical marijuana bill? (Jim Mone/Associated Press) COLUMBUS, Ohio -- If Gov. John Kasich signs a medical marijuana bill into law, it will be months before it goes into effect. After that, it could be more than a year before patients could walk into a dispensary and buy a marijuana brownie or cannabis oil. What happens between now and then? A lot. The bill leaves many questions unanswered, but here's what we know. First, Kasich has to sign it. House Bill 523 is not officially law until inked by Kasich or if 10 days pass after he's received the bill. Bills must be prepared by legislative staff and signed by legislative leaders, which can take a few days. The sheer volume of bills passed this week could slow down how soon Kasich sees the bill. A Kasich spokesman wouldn't say Thursday whether he will sign House Bill 523. "He's said if we need it and we got a good bill he'd be OK with it," spokesman Joe Andrews said. Laws take effect 90 days after they are signed by the governor. Not everyone will be able to legally use marijuana. People with the following medical conditions will be able to use medical marijuana under the law: HIV/AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's disease, cancer, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), Crohn's disease, epilepsy or another seizure disorder, fibromyalgia, glaucoma, hepatitis C, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, pain that is either chronic and severe or intractable, Parkinson's disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, sickle cell anemia, spinal cord disease or injury, Tourette's syndrome, traumatic brain injury and ulcerative colitis. Patients would need to get a recommendation from a licensed physician with whom they have an ongoing relationship. In other medical marijuana states, this is a form that can be printed from a state website and taken to a doctor's appointment. Because medical marijuana is not covered in health insurance programs, many doctors charge a fee for an office visit related to marijuana. Marijuana use and possession would be legal for some this fall. Patients who would qualify under the law and have permission of a doctor could possess and use marijuana, so long as the marijuana they use falls under the guidelines of the law. The same protection applies to parents of children who are patients. The bill provides an "affirmative defense" against prosecution for patients and caregivers under state law. Where could they get their cannabis? The bill is silent on that. Presumably people would travel to legal states or buy it from Ohio's black market. Dispensaries won't open for a while. How quickly Ohio dispensaries can open depends on how quickly each regulatory agency completes its work. But opening days should be no later than September 2018. This process has taken several years in other states that have passed medical marijuana laws. Here's a rough timeline of what to expect if the bill is signed by Kasich next week: September: Affirmative defense is established. October: 14-member bipartisan Medical Marijuana Advisory Committee is appointed by the governor and legislative leaders to help craft rules and regulations. The committee includes two pharmacists (one supporting medical marijuana, two physicians (one supporting medical marijuana, a nurse, a researcher and members representing each of the following interests: law enforcement, employers, labor, patients, caregivers, agriculture, mental health and drug and alcohol addiction treatment. May 2017: Department of Commerce must determine how many cultivator licenses will be issued and set cultivator standards before this date. Meanwhile, the Ohio State Pharmacy Board writes the rules for licensing dispensaries and the Ohio State Medical Board determines how physicians will qualify to recommend medical marijuana. Employers should review their drug policies. Ohio is an at-will state, meaning employers can fire employees for any reason or no reason at all. The bill protects that right by specifying that medical marijuana patients could be fired for marijuana use, even if it's not while at work and a doctor approved it, if the employer has a drug-free or zero tolerance policy on the books. Christopher Lalak, an attorney at Benesch in Cleveland, said this is the perfect time for employers to review their workplace drug policies. In addition to the Ohio law, Lalak said, federal rules about automatic post-accident drug testing have changed. Blanket post-accident testing, without cause, infringes on workers' privacy rights, according to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA is advising employers to limit such testing to situations where drug use likely contributed to the accident. The law does not require employers to accommodate medical marijuana use nor does it require employers to enact drug-free policies. Lalak said some employers might decide to relax their drug policies to accommodate medical marijuana patients. A November ballot measure would void the law. Ohioans for Medical Marijuana still plans to push to get its amendment legalizing medical marijuana in the Ohio Constitution. The amendment lists qualifying conditions, establishes a licensing and regulatory structure and says taxpayers can sue if regulatory agencies don't meet certain deadlines. If approved by a majority of voters, those details become part of the constitution, which trumps state law. In other words, parts of House Bill 523 -- such as its prohibition on smoking medical marijuana -- would likely be found unconstitutional in court and therefore unenforceable. Follow me on Facebook. Bangladesh police are reviewing a nearly forgotten 2013 cyber heist at the nation's largest commercial bank for connections to February's $81 million heist at the country's central bank, a senior law enforcement official said on Wednesday. The unsolved theft of $250,000 at Sonali Bank involved fraudulent transfer requests sent over the SWIFT international payments network. It is not widely known outside of Bangladesh, and in fact was treated as a cold case until Bangladesh police revived the investigation after thieves in February also used the SWIFT network to steal $81 million from Bangladesh Bank. Sonali Bank said it had informed SWIFT about the 2013 heist at the time and also unsuccessfully tried to recover the money from the recipients in Turkey, said one bank source. Thieves in the 2013 robbery used tactics similar to those used by the yet-to-be-identified criminals in the Bangladesh Bank heist--using the SWIFT money-transfer system to divert bank funds, said a senior bank official. Authorities are now reviewing the case to see if there are any links that can help them track down the criminals behind the Bangladesh Bank heist. At Sonali Bank, hackers installed key-logger software on a computer to gain passwords to other systems, then sent fraudulent transfer requests over SWIFT, said the senior bank official who is part of its IT operations. watch now Walt Disney chief executive Bob Iger has shot back at Bernie Sanders after the presidential candidate attacked the theme park and movie company on Tuesday over worker pay and conditions, The Wrap reports. In a private Facebook post seen by The Wrap, Iger defended his company and slammed the Vermont senator for not contributing to the U.S. economy. "To Bernie Sanders," the post said. "We created 11,000 new jobs at Disneyland in the past decade, and our company has created 18,000 in the U.S. in the last five years. How many jobs have you created? What have you contributed to the US economy?" CNBC contacted Disney for comment and to verify that Iger had posted the comment. Senator Sanders' campaign team has also been contacted. Neither had replied by the time this article was published. Speaking in Anaheim, California, on Tuesday, Sanders rounded on Disney over how it treated its workers, accusing the company of underpaying staff, outsourcing jobs overseas and using "sweatshops" to make toys. "I say to Walt Disney: It is time to pay your workers a living wage. It is time to provide affordable housing to your employees. It is time to start manufacturing your products in the United States of America," Sanders said, according to the senator's website. A Disney spokesperson told Variety that Sanders "clearly doesn't have his facts right." You can read the full story here. U.S. crude oil extended its strong run Wednesday, and "Fast Money" traders picked the best ways to play the commodity's climb. WTI futures settled at $49.56 a barrel, up 94 cents. They have now risen more than 20 percent this year. Amid the climb, some traders looked to oilfield services stocks. Trader Tim Seymour said some companies will go back to capital expenditures and projects with prices higher. The first four Folios of William Shakespeare's "collected works" have sold for a combined figure of 2.479 million ($3.64 million) at Christie's in London. The Folios which were sold separately were widely reported to have been snapped up by an anonymous American bidder, with the First Folio, which was published in 1623, fetching 1.874 million alone. Widely regarded as a genius, Shakespeare who along with his plays also wrote poetry was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564, and died in 1616. This year marks the 400th anniversary of his death. U.S. government debt prices held higher Thursday following speeches from Federal Reserve officials and strong demand at a Treasury Department auction of seven-year notes. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note dipped to 1.829 percent, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury note also slid to 2.643 percent. Two-year yields also fell to trade at 0.867 percent. The Treasury Department on Thursday sold $28 billion in seven-year notes at a high yield of 1.652 percent. The bid-to-cover ratio, an indicator of demand, was 2.57, in line with the recent average. Indirect bidders, which include major central banks, were awarded 64.6 percent, versus a recent average of 57 percent. Direct bidders, which include domestic money managers, bought 16.9 percent, compared with a recent average of 14 percent. California's economy is on fire, but the state's finances are facing the cold reality of a revenue slowdown. And experts blame the state's unusual tax system for the problem. "Right now, the surging tide of revenue is beginning to turn," Governor Jerry Brown said earlier this month at a press conference announcing a revised $122.2 billion state budget and potential deficits ahead due to expiring tax increases. California Gov. Jerry Brown Rich Pedroncelli | AP Brown is urging Sacramento lawmakers to refrain from any massive new spending programs, due to the possibility of an economic slowdown or recession. State legislators have been holding budget committee hearings this week to discuss Brown's revised spending plan for California's next fiscal year, which begins July 1. There's a June 15 deadline for the legislature to adopt a new state budget and it comes as the governor's May revision warns that the state's commitments in coming years "will exceed expected revenues" to the tune of more than $4 billion by fiscal 2019-20. Also, the state this month trimmed its current fiscal-year revenue forecast by about $1.9 billion due to April's lagging tax receipts, including a shortfall in personal income taxes that decline has come in part from stock market fluctuations, which have brought lower capital gains. Also, the state's cap-and-trade quarterly auction last week produced lower-than-expected revenues for the carbon emission permits up for sale. California has turned around and taken the volatility of the stock market and made it the central component of the revenue system. There's nothing right about that, because what it means is that we're constantly in either boom or bust. Christopher Thornberg founding partner, Beacon Economics "The revenue picture has dimmed a little bit," said Gabriel Petek, a credit analyst for Standard & Poor's Credit Market Services. He noted that there are only three states with a lower credit rating than California (New Jersey, Illinois and Kentucky). Nevertheless, California's economy still appears strong. Last month, the state's unemployment rate fell to 5.3 percent, down from 5.4 percent in March and the lowest rate since June 2007, before the Great Recession. Also, April's statewide median home price broke $500,000 for the first time in nine years, according to the California Association of Realtors. "There's no sign whatsoever of a slowdown in the expansion," said Christopher Thornberg, founding partner of research and consulting firm Beacon Economics. That said, the L.A. economist is critical of the state of California's fiscal situation and the tax structure that's resulting in increased volatility for state coffers. "We have an enormous budget problem, and that's because of the structure of our revenue system, not because of the fundamentals of the California economy," said Thornberg. "California has turned around and taken the volatility of the stock market and made it the central component of the revenue system. There's nothing right about that, because what it means is that we're constantly in either boom or bust." According to state data, the top 1 percent of Californians account for nearly half of the state's income taxes, which in turn accounts for two thirds of general fund taxes. In recent years, capital gains taxed in the state like any other income have represented around 10 percent of California's general fund revenues. In the governor's May budget revision, the California Department of Finance modeled the potential impact of a recession of "average magnitude" next year. The agency found such a downturn would result in a $55 billion decline in state revenue over a three-year period. To soften the impact of a downturn, Brown has proposed ending the next fiscal year with $8.5 billion in total reserves, or about $4 billion more than the fiscal 2015-16 state budget plan. "Paradoxically, the moment everybody feels the best is the moment right before a recession is about to hit," Brown remarked this month when discussing the May budget revision. "So instead of pulling back in the last two recessions, the state of California accelerated its spending and therefore made the budget cuts all the more painful." watch now Last month, Moody's Investors Service conducted a "fiscal stress test" on the nation's four most populous states and found California's preparedness for a recession "weaker" than the others. It cited the Golden State's highly volatile tech industry and California's reliance on personal income taxes, particularly from top earners. "It's not just Wall Street but the tech industry where there are huge bonuses that can be paid, which result in big swings in capital gains and therefore in personal income taxes," said Moody's credit analyst Emily Raimes. "Things will continue to look positive for California, but that will not be the case forever." Meanwhile, California is planning on a November vote on a long-term extension of Proposition 30, a temporary tax increase originally passed by voters in 2012. The measure raised income taxes on Californians at the highest end of the income scale and also put into place a temporary one-quarter cent increase on the state's sales tax. watch now Dr. Judy Yee has spent decades pouring over medical scans trying to make sense of 3-D problems on a flat screen. But now a breakthrough technology is making her job a lot easier. She uses EchoPixel's True 3-D software. It takes data from CT and MRI scans and transforms it into 3-D holographic images so she can view and interact with patient tissues and organs as if they were real physical objects. Medical 3-D imaging is not new, but the way organs appear to pop out of the screen and the ease at which the anatomy can be manipulated has never been seen before in medicine. "I have found it to be a completely novel way of looking at the CT data," said Dr. Yee, vice chair of radiology and biomedical imaging at the University of California, San Francisco, in a phone interview. "It's been a long time since I've seen anything like this. It's a game changer." With True 3D, surgeons can practice removing a tumor from a brain. Source: EchoPixel EchoPixel, a Mountain View, CA start-up, developed the software three years ago and it got FDA approval last year. The imaging technology allows doctors to more accurately diagnose disease and prepare for surgeries, say its developers. "There's no reason why a doctor should be a looking at a 2-D image in 2016," said EchoPixel CTO Sergio Aguirre. Aguirre describes True 3-D as a holographic experience, but explains that it is actually a virtual reality system, just without the VR headset. Instead, the user wears 3-D glasses paired with a HP Zvr display. A stylus allows the physician to effortlessly grab and manipulate the anatomy. Aquirre says the technology can work with many advanced hardware display, but the company partnered with HP to get the systems into hospitals worldwide. It's been a long time since I've seen anything like this. It's a game changer. Dr. Judy Yee, MD Vice Chair of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at UCSF Using a stylus, physicians can manipulate organs and tissue. Source: EchoPixel EchoPixel's True 3-D is already in use in hospitals. The Cleveland Clinic is using the technology to plan and prepare for liver surgery; pediatric surgeons at Stanford University use it to plan heart surgeries on babies missing pulmonary arteries; the technology has also enabled surgeons to detect more congenial heart defects in 40 percent less time. Dr. Yee thinks one of the most promising uses of the technology is in colorectal cancer detection, one of her areas of expertise. Colon cancer is the third most common type of cancer in the U.S. according to the National Cancer Institute. She explained that 50 percent of the U.S. population never goes in for screening because they fear colonoscopies. Dr. Yee said that using True 3-D, she is able to move around the folds in the colon to detect hidden polyps, something that has been difficult to do in the past. "I can see it really taking off," said Dr. Yee. "The potential is unlimited in terms of the different body parts that you can use this for. It's a more intuitive approach to looking at anatomy." watch now watch now watch now watch now watch now watch now European stock indexes closed under slight pressure on Thursday, after a choppy session in which investors tried to make sense of the fluctuating oil price. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index finished up around 0.1 percent, having fluctuated from black to red throughout the session. Sectors closed mixed to lower, with autos being the biggest gainer. London's FTSE 100 closed roughly flat, while France's CAC 40 and Germany's DAX posted gains of around 0.7 percent each by the close. European markets After a strong rally on Wednesday and Thursday morning, oil prices gave up most of their gains at Europe's stock market close, after rising above $50 a barrel for the first time in 2016. Prices were trading above $49.50 a barrel when Europe closed. Nonetheless, mining stocks managed to hold onto gains by the close, boosted by an uptick in metal prices. Anglo American , BHP Billiton , Glencore and Antofagasta , all closed sharply higher. ArcelorMittal soared to the top of the STOXX 600, close to 7 percent higher, after Goldman Sachs raised its target price on the stock. Banco Popular drags banks lower The FDA's approval was for patients who have already stabilized their dependency by taking 8 mg or less per day of buprenorphine, but doctors can, and do, often prescribe medications for off-label uses, which in this case would include new users of buprenorphine. Probuphine, which will be available only by prescription, is being pitched by its backers as more convenient than traditional forms of buprepnorphine, and as a protection from having a user's buprenorphine diverted to someone else, stolen or accidentally taken by a child. The Probuphine device approved by the Food and Drug Administration contains the medication buprenorphine. That drug in its oral form over the past 14 years has become a popular tool for eliminating opioid withdrawal symptoms in people addicted to heroin and prescription painkillers. The first-ever implant used to treat opioid addiction won approval from federal regulators Thursday , providing yet another weapon in the battle against an epidemic of opioid use. The implant was developed by Titan Pharmaceuticals and is licensed to Braeburn Pharmaceuticals for sale in North America, which is the largest market by far for drugs to treat opioid dependence. Upward of 80 people fatally overdose on opioids each day in the United States. Users of Probuphine will have its four small stick-like implants inserted in their upper arm during a doctor's visit lasting less than 15 minutes. The implant remains in the arm for six months before it is removed by a doctor. Braeburn Pharmaceuticals reportedly has said it plans on pricing Probuphine competitively with other drugs that sell for around $1,000 and $1,500 per month, which is much more expensive than oral forms of buprenorphine. "We have not announced specific pricing for Probuphine and will not do so until after the treatment is FDA approved," Braeburn CEO Behshad Sheldon said before Thursday's decision. "But, we can confirm that we will be priced lower than other long-acting medications currently on the market." Sheldon also said that to ensure equal access to Probuphine for all patients, Braeburn will implement two initiatives. One would be a exploring a rebate program for insurers, which "would mean that if the overall cost of care for a group of patients taking Probuphine exceeds the cost of treatment for the same patients in a prior six-month period, or a comparable group of patients taking other forms of buprenorphine (or other available opioid addiction medication) for a six-month period, Braeburn will give them a rebate for the difference," she said. Braeburn also is establishing a payment assistance program for patients. Sheldon told CNBC last month that there is already strong interest in Probuphine. About 4,000 doctors have asked to be trained in how to implant and remove the drug. While 28,000 doctors are federally authorized to prescribe buprenorphine, only about 6,000 currently write about 90 percent of the total prescriptions in the U.S. Research has shown that recovering addicts who do not manage their dependence with medication are significantly more likely to relapse into illicit drug use than people who take buprenorphine, which is often sold under the brand name Suboxone, or other medications including methadone and naltrexone. About a quarter of the 2.8 million people estimated to have diagnosed opioid abuse disorder take buprenorphine. "Scientific evidence suggests that maintenance treatment with these medications in the context of behavioral treatment and recovery support are more effective in the treatment of opioid use disorder than short-term detoxification programs aimed at abstinence," said Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health. Referring to Probuphine, Volkow said, "This product will expand the treatment alternatives available to people suffering from an opioid use disorder." Sheldon of Braeburn said, "Opioid addiction is a chronic disease and should be treated the same way we treat other serious, chronic diseases with evidence-based medicine." "Probuphine is the first of what we hope will be many new and innovative approaches to treating this disease," Sheldon said. A picture taken on March 14, 2016 in Bordeaux, southwestern France, shows a general view of the Wine Civilisations Museum (Cite des civilisations du vin). The official opening of the 14,000 m2 building, designed by the architects Nicolas Desmazieres and Anouk Legendre from X-TU agency, is scheduled for June 2016. Nicolas Tucat | AFP | Getty Images A new wine-themed park is ready to open its doors to the general public on June 1. La Cite du Vin (City of Wine) located on the banks of the Garonne river in Bordeaux, France is split over 10 levels in a museum-themed fashion aiming to welcome close to 450,000 visitors every year. Designed by Parisian architects XTU and English museum design experts Casson Mann Limited, the structure of the museum symbolizes the swirl of wine moving in a glass and the coiled movement of a grapevine. "Their design captures the spirit of wine and its fluid essence: 'a seamless curve, intangible and sensual'," the press brochure published by La Cite du Vin said. After nearly seven years of construction, the 81 million euro ($91 million) museum has now been completed. With 81 percent of the funding from public sources and 19 percent from private companies, the project is a first of its kind in France. The City of Wine aims to provide a varied cultural experience has a 250-seater auditorium for performance, concerts, screenings, conferences and debates. It has 19 different themed spaces, majority of which are interactive. Located in Bordeaux, a famous wine-growing region in France, the City of Wine also has tours to offer to its visitors. Known as 'The Wine Routes,' these tours will take visitors to the famous vineyards in and around Bordeaux with tastings along the way. There is also a permanent tour that will offer a journey through the evolution of wine and its civilizations. "The permanent tour is structured around an array of different experiences: sometimes visitors will be standing, interacting directly with the e-vine or Meet the Experts, at other times they will be seated, or ushered All Aboard a ship for a voyage across the oceans and through the ages, and at certain moments they will need to be almost horizontal to marvel at the starry projections of artworks illustrating the theme of Bacchus and Venus," according to the brochure. watch now There are three tasting areas including an immersive multi-sensory space, and educational workshops for young audiences. With a reading room, three different food areas with a panoramic restaurant on the seventh floor, the City expects nearly 38 million euros of economic activity in terms of job creation and tourism every year. The park also boasts a 250 square meter store. This will offer a selection of objects, books, limited edition gifts and souvenirs related to the world of wine. Growth has also brought some big changes. Michael has recently opened a seafood eatery, Seamore's, I'm heading up The Meatball Shop's day-to-day operations and we have assembled an amazing team of super smart, qualified managers who are helping us run the business. We're planning to continue opening shops and have long-term goals of growing beyond New York City and hopefully making The Meatball Shop a household name across the country. But Money is a factor; it's never been the main motivation but it's important that everything balances; we have a responsibility to our investors, our families and ourselves to run a financially successful operation. Above all else we try to keep things in perspective and concentrate on taking care of our people. After all, a restaurant is only as good as its last meal served. For The Meatball Shop to thrive and grow we need to give customers great experiences and those experiences are in the hands of our team. One thing we know for sure is that great people attract more great people and the way to start the cycle is to create an environment and culture that's conducive to their wants needs. Keeping the brand relevant in a world where new and cool is constantly evolving is a challenge that we've welcomed from the beginning. We're constantly working on our food and beverage menus, most recently concentrating on our veggie offerings. We've added brunch and liquor, and removed items that waned in popularity. New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez Russell Contreras | AP In this tumultuous election season, political opportunity sometimes knocks with a plume of orange-colored smoke. And so the Trump Train rolled into New Mexico this week, with its wild-eyed conductor opening his arms to the next load of enthusiastic passengers except someone refused to get aboard. New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, who endorsed Sen. Marco Rubio in the Republican primary and has criticized Donald Trump for his immigration rhetoric, was a conspicuous no-show at Trump's Albuquerque rally. Martinez had previously said she was holding out on endorsing the presumptive GOP nominee, insisting she had yet to be sufficiently impressed. Even amidst all the evening's pandemonium, Trump took note of the slight, dedicating some of his speech to chiding Martinez for the state's performance under her reign. "She's got to do a better job, OK?" Trump told the crowd. "Your governor has got to do a better job." He went on to joke that he just might have to run for governor of New Mexico to clean up her mess. In response, Martinez's spokesman vowed that she would "not be bullied into supporting a candidate," while her acolytes took to Twitter to tsk-tsk the New York tycoon. Now that the line has been drawn, will Martinez hold it, straddle it, or fall in behind it? Precisely how she answers that question will make for one of the more intriguing subplots to the narrative of Republican unification, especially as the rest of the GOP quickly comes to heel. With several news reports Wednesday predicting a nearing Trump endorsement from House Speaker Paul Ryan (which Ryan later denied), Martinez is swiftly finding herself on a depopulating island of elected Republican holdouts. Seven of the 10 governors who form the Republican Governor's Association's executive committee, which Martinez chairs, have now said they will support Trump. Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, a prominent Latino GOP officeholder who had been highly critical of Trump, came around earlier this month. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who has been one of Martinez's key allies, immediately endorsed Trump after dropping out of the presidential race in February. It's an interesting and important time for Martinez, who has, until now, been able to climb the national ladder without getting into the national muck. Her state, New Mexico, has largely avoided the tea party-versus-establishment sectarianism that has seized other states, like neighboring Arizona and Texas, and the governor has shown a strong preference for any local photo op over a cable news joust. This is not the first time Martinez has gotten crosswise with a member of her own party: Much of her tenure as governor has been marked by turf battles with follow Republicans. (Martinez and her spokesman did not respond to email requests for comment from CNBC.com.) As this reporter wrote in 2013 for National Journal, Martinez has won a long list of party detractors, including a number of people who once held great promise for her. Harvey Yates, one of the major donors to Martinez's first gubernatorial campaign; Andrea Goff, one of her former fundraisers; and Anissa Ford, a former close aide, have all since turned against her. Jamie Estrada, the governor's former campaign manager, went to prison for stealing and leaking her emails to the Democratic opposition. Among the criticisms was that Martinez maintained a tight team of power-hungry loyalists, led by advisor Jay McCleskey, who let no sunlight come between them and the governor. Sound familiar? It has made for some ugliness in Santa Fe, and the once-glowing national stories about the GOP's Latina savior have turned decidedly more circumspect, as the Martinez administration has faced repeated allegations of corruption, cronyism, high-handedness and incompetence. McCleskey was subject to a federal criminal investigation for several years but was never charged. And Martinez all but melted her halo earlier this year when she was caught in a drunken tape-recorded phone call, trying to intercede with police officers who had been called to her hotel room in Santa Fe. With the state's economy sputtering along, Martinez's poll numbers, which luxuriated in the 60s during much of her first term, have now dipped below 50 percent. Maybe it's the right time for a fight, even with a slugger like Trump. The key difference between Martinez's current donnybrook with The Donald and her squabbles with state Republicans, is that this one offers a whiff of the moral high ground: In the face of the brash Manhattanite, Martinez is positioned to assert herself as the indefatigable defender of compassionate conservatism. Moreover, she can demonstrate that she is, in fact, her own politician, after years in which critics have questioned whether she is being puppet-mastered by an overzealous political advisor. And sure enough, the praise rained down on her Wednesday. Ryan and Rubio publicly came to Martinez's defense, with the House speaker calling her a "great governor" and a "friend of mine." Jeb Bush, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Ohio Gov. John Kasich all followed suit. Even Ed Rollins, an advisor of the pro-Trump super PAC, said he wished Trump would have handled things differently, while Trump advisor Barry Bennett exasperatedly told CNN that the campaign had sought a sitdown with Martinez, but it had been rebuffed. "I don't know who's giving her political advice, but I don't think she's getting good advice," Bennett said, joining a long list of Republicans who have thought the same thing. For now, some key Martinez watchers, both friend and foe, believe she will eventually take her seat on the Trump Train, despite the momentary resistance. At the very least, they see her playing it safe with a hedge. "I don't think there is any downside to being a prominent surrogate advocating for the defeat of Hillary Clinton for [Martinez's] own future," said Scott Jennings, political director for Jeb Bush's campaign who maintains close ties to the Martinez camp. "Does that mean she has to repudiate things she has said in the past? No. And I wouldn't advise any candidate to disavow statements they made weeks ago." Rising aversion in Poland towards the European Union is worrying, the country's outgoing central bank governor told CNBC, at a time when Euroskepticism appears to be rising across the region. Nationalist protesters burn the European Union flag on Poland's National Independence Day in Wroclaw on November 11, 2015. Natalia Dobryszycka | AFP | Getty Images Poland is a member of the 28-country EU, with which Poland's ruling Euroskeptic Law and Justice Party has clashed since taking power in October. The Polish government has increased its power over domestic institutions and the EU is investigating whether its changes to the Polish constitutional court undermine the rule of law. The highly conservative party has also removed the EU flag that previously appeared in the backdrop of the prime minister's media conferences and said it would not take part in a mooted EU scheme to share refugees between member countries. Marek Belka, the governor of the National Bank of Poland, described the flag move as "rather silly." "We do not need gestures that are anti-Europe," he told CNBC on Wednesday. "These types of gestures may backfire in serious discussions (with the EU) about money or about regulations. So of course I am sort of concerned," he said later. watch now Euro zone Poland has a history of Euroskepticism and was equivocal on joining the single currency even before the euro zone debt crisis of 2010 onwards. It continues to use the Polish zloty . Belka said Poland did not feel under pressure from euro zone members which include Germany, the country's major trading partner to adopt the euro in the near-term, even though it has committed to doing so at some point. "Everybody understands this (the euro zone) is a project that still has unresolved dimensions and issues," he told CNBC. Belka replied "of course not" when asked if it had been appropriate to allow Greece to join the euro in 2001, giving its financial situation. "It is obvious; it has always been obvious that the whole 'Operation Greece' should have started with massive debt reduction, which was not the case," he said. Greece has received repeated bouts of aid in the wake of the euro zone debt crisis. Early on Wednesday, euro zone finance ministers agreed to give the country another $11.4 billion in exchange for further reforms and austerity measures. However, euro zone leaders, led by Germany, have resisted calls from the International Monetary Fund to provide Greece with upfront, unconditional debt relief. watch now Anti-EU sentiment seems to be rising in several countries in the union. Austria was close to appointing a Euroskeptic and far-right president this week and the U.K. will hold a referendum next month on quitting the EU, which is seen as being closely-fought. Poland is viewed as one country where radical politicians might call for their own referendum on membership should the U.K. vote to leave. "We (Poland) would not appreciate (Britain voting to leave the EU)," Belka told CNBC. "I don't think a 'Brexit' would have, on balance, a positive effect on European integration. OK, yes, there might be a leap forward by the German and the French and the other core European countries to deepen the integration. The only problem is, the 'Brexit' might unleash Euroskeptic forecasts all around the European Union," he later added. Wake Up Poland! march on May 7, 2016 in Warsaw. The march is organized by right-wing groups supporting the ruling Law And Justice party. Adam Guz | Gallo Images Poland | Getty Images Microsoft may be releasing a new video games console, codenamed Scorpio, for release in 2017, according to several gaming news websites. According to reports on the video game websites Kotaku and Polygon, the new console will be an upgraded version of the current product, the Xbox One, with up to four times more power. The move by Microsoft follows a similar decision by Sony to release an upgraded version of the PlayStation 4 called the NEO. Microsoft had not responded to requests for comment at the time of writing. Although the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One were only released late in 2013, Sony and Microsoft have previously sold improved versions of their consoles during a current product's lifestyle. This strategy has been used to boost sales and reduce costs by using cheaper or more efficient components, according to Piers Harding-Rolls, director and head of games research at IHS Technology. Despite recent terrorist attacks, airport security in the U.S. and Europe is "pretty effective" the chief executive of low-cost Irish carrier Ryanair told CNBC on Thursday. "But if some nutter wants to walk into a terminal building or a downtown subway, what are you going to do?" CEO Michael O'Leary asked, referring to the suicide bombings on the main airport in Brussels and a city subway station. In an interview with "Squawk Box," O'Leary said security during flights is "pretty safe," but that view could change when the cause of last week's deadly EgyptAir crash is determined. The Paris-to-Cairo flight went down in the Mediterranean as the plane entered Egyptian airspace. The cockpit data and voice recorders, commonly known as the black boxes, have not been found. Egyptian authorities initially said terrorism rather than technical problems was more likely the cause. From a business perspective, the best way to respond to terrorism is to lower airfares, O'Leary said. "So in actual fact, the impact of the terrorist is on airline ticket prices, which are being driven down at the moment," he said. "We're expected to lower our prices by about 7 percent for the rest of the summer to keep people flying." As for the long airport security lines in the U.S., O'Leary said they're being caused by gridlock created by the "ludicrous amount" of bags Americans are carrying onto the planes to avoid paying baggage fees. He said carriers need to do a better job of policing the number and size of bags being allowed on board. watch now Starbucks is betting big on China, where the java giant's business has the potential to grow past that of the United States, CEO Howard Schultz told CNBC. Starbucks announced Thursday it would open its first international Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room in Shanghai in 2017. "I wouldn't be surprised if one day we have more stores in China than we do in the U.S.," Schultz said in an interview with "Closing Bell." "We've been so successful in China over many years and we're just starting to get the morning-day part where we're educating local Chinese to drink coffee in the morning." watch now China is the Seattle-based company's largest international market, with more than 2,100 stores across more than 100 cities. There over 300 locations in Shanghai alone. While he's predicting a strong expansion in China, Schultz isn't planning to speed up the pace of store openings. Starbucks plans to open 500 locations a year in China over the next five years. He's also unconcerned about the changes expected in the Chinese economy over the long term. "There's going to be cyclical changes as the Chinese government goes through this significant economic transformation. But I think what we've established early on is a great enduring relationship with the local customer and the municipalities," said Schultz. "I'm very optimistic over the long term that we will succeed there and build long-term value for our shareholders." Delegates to the Republican National Convention will gather in less than two months and are expected by most to nominate businessman Donald Trump for president. But it's not quite so simple or certain Trump will still have one last sales job ahead of him, persuading the delegates to choose him at the convention before he can claim the nomination. This is because each and every delegate has complete freedom to vote their conscience at the convention, including who the party's nominee should be. This may come as a surprise to many, particularly those who are reading about Trump's recent win in the Washington state primary and how close he is to "clinching" the Republican nomination. Just when you thought the 2016 election was starting to get a little predictable, a big wrench has been thrown into the works. A Donald Trump vs. Bernie Sanders debate in the coming days before the June 7th California primary is getting closer to becoming a reality. If this happens, it will likely be a huge boost for Sanders, a mild aid to Trump, and -- to borrow the key buzz word of this election so far a YUGE pain in the neck for Hillary Clinton. For Sanders, this entire election has been a "nothing to lose" proposition. He was given no chance to even make a dent in Mrs. Clinton's inevitable coronation, er presidential nomination, by the Democrats. And as a lifetime Senate backbencher, he was not in danger of losing a chairmanship or leadership position. While it's basically impossible for Sanders to overtake Clinton in the delegate battle, the latest PPIC poll shows Sanders trails her by just two percentage points among likely California primary voters. watch now The U.S. Department of Commerce has imposed more duties on corrosion-resistant steel imports from China and elsewhere in an effort to protect its industry from a glut of steel imports from around the world. On Wednesday, the department's International Trade Administration, which has conducted an investigation into the "dumping" of steel products into U.S. markets, said it had found the "dumping of imports of corrosive-resistant steel (CORE) products from China, India, Italy, Korea and Taiwan" by various steel producers that it named within those countries. As a result, the department said that Chinese corrosion-resistant steel would be subject to a final anti-dumping duty of 210 percent and anti-subsidy duty of between 39 percent and up to 241 percent. Anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs of between 1 and 92 percent will apply to imports from various producers in South Korea, Italy, India and Taiwan (although it was exempted from anti-subsidy duty). The U.S. said on Wednesday that in 2015, imports of CORE from China, India, Italy, Korea, and Taiwan were valued at an estimated $500.3 million, $219.6 million, $110 million, $509.1 million, and $534.4 million, respectively. A worker cuts steel billets at an iron and steel enterprise in Ganyu County. ChinaFotoPress | Getty Images News | Getty Images China's low-cost metal producers have been widely cited as the main culprit for a glut in global steel production that has pushed down prices. Last week, the U.S. slapped tariffs of more than 500 percent on Chinese cold-rolled steel, which is used mainly in car production and appliances. As well as the other aforementioned countries, China has been accused by the U.S. and leading figures in the steel industry of "dumping" that cheap steel on to global markets due to a slowdown in domestic demand and a bid to gain global market share at any cost. Beijing has denied any wrongdoing and has said that its costs are lower than other producers and that it abides by World Trade organization rules. It has also pointed to the fact that it is aiming to reduce China's steel production capacity by 100 million to 150 million tons by 2020. It has yet to scrap controversial tax rebates for all its steel exports, however. China's Commerce Ministry said yesterday that it was extremely dissatisfied at what it called the "irrational" move by the United States, which it said would harm cooperation between the two countries, Reuters reported. "China will take all necessary steps to strive for fair treatment and to protect the companies' rights," it said, without elaborating, according to the news agency. Worrying about China The European Union, a region in which car production is a key pillar of industry and which is reliant on Chinese steel, has so far been wary of imposing duty on Chinese steel imports. The latest move by the U.S. could prove a bone of contention at the Group of Seven (G-7) meeting taking place in Ise-Shima in Japan over the next few days, however. Jason Kaplan, head of Commodities Analysis at IHS told CNBC on Thursday that global powers did not have much sway over China. "In my opinion it's going to be very difficult (to get China to cut production). China is just making too much steel and until it cuts back, there is nothing we can do. No trade barrier is going to stop it. They will always find new routes," he told CNCB Europe's "Squawk Box." "They should've tackled (steel) output years ago. The pollution from steel production is significant, the overcapacity is significant and they're losing money every time they produce steel. But unfortunately, it employs so many people and it's just not possible to cut it back and have these people roaming the streets." Steen Jakobsen, chief economist at Saxo Bank, added that "you have to be increasingly nervous about China" and its leaning towards short-term gain as evidenced by its unapologetic steel production -- rather than long-term outlook. "They're going more and more for really short-term solutions.China is pretty much backing down on every step towards opening up the economy." When Mark Josephson took over as the boss of link shortening company Bitly in July 2013, the company was growing quickly but had no idea how to make money. Fast forward almost three years, and the company is profitable and eyeing annual revenues of $100 million in the near future. Credit: Bitly "There was so much scaling to keep up with hypergrowth of the business, but no real coordinated decision on how to make money," Bitly chief executive Josephson told CNBC in an interview at The Next Web technology conference in Amsterdam on Thursday. "When I got there we had two salespeople, four account managers and no marketing. Now we have 30 people in sales and marketing. It's not rocket science. We planted a flag in the ground, saying we are going to build software for marketers." Facebook, Google, Apple dominate Founded in 2008, U.S. start-up Bitly provides a platform where people can shorten their links. But it has built out data analytics tools that allow marketers to track where that link goes, who is clicking on it, and on what devices. As Josephson explains, people are using 2.8 devices a day and marketers have the big challenge of trying to track how people are using different platforms. There are big bucks on offer with global internet advertising revenue set to increase from $135.42 billion in 2014 to $239.87 billion in 2019, according to PwC. But despite the increase in the number of platforms available to advertisers, Josephson said big players such as Apple, Google and Facebook have created fragmentation in the market. watch now "Marketers are supposed to know the entire customer journey but huge chunks are blind to them," Josephson said. Those three technology giants all have their own advertising products, but are "siloed", according to Josephson. Facebook's Instant Articles - which allows publishers to host stories natively on the Facebook app - is an example of this. But instead of giving marketers the data, it is funnelled through Facebook . Ad blockers built into Apple's Safari browser as part of iOS 9 are another example of this cited by Josephson. Bitly believes because the link spans multiple platforms it is able to give advertisers a better picture of what users are doing and potentially disrupt the advances of the major technology giants. $100M revenues in future And it seems to be paying off. The company turned profitable in 2015, saw 40 to 50 percent year-on-year revenue growth last year and creates 400 million links a month generating about 12 billion clicks. It has 10 million monthly users on its free service and 1,000 paying customers, including half of the Fortune 100, according to Josephson. On average, a subscription costs $1,000 per month. Over the course of a year this would be about $12,000. Bitly typically signs brands up to one or two year subscriptions and it costs $12,000 to acquire one customer. So the majority of customers are profitable straightaway, Josephson said. Bitly is also looking at its eleventh consecutive quarter of so-called net negative churn - when the growth of revenue from existing accounts outweighs the negative impact of customers leaving. This is a key metric for subscription businesses. Josephson said the start-up can be a $50 million to $100 million revenue business in up to four years. Bitly is eyeing revenues of $20 million this year. While Bitly is on the right path, it clearly won't be plain sailing. Twitter has developed its own link shortening tool while other start-ups like Clkim also operate in the same space. Bought not sold So how does Bitly plan to continue the momentum? Josephson's plan is selling up to existing customers so that Bitly is not only used in email marketing for example, but in everything from text messages to apps. It has also introduced new features recently such as encrypted links. On top of that, the CEO is eyeing expansion. Eighty percent of Bitly's users are outside of the U.S., but it currently only has operations in New York, San Francisco and Denver. When the founders of Tesla Motors set out to prove that electric cars could improve upon gas-powered vehicles, one of the earliest roadblocks they encountered was something much less grandiose. They couldn't register Tesla.com because it was registered in 1992 by somebody else. The company registered TeslaMotors.com in 2003 instead, something that naming and branding experts say was a smart move. "The main thing is that all companies, but especially start-ups who have a lower budget, should not be focused on the domain name. They should be focused on creating the most powerful brand name they can get and using a modifier if necessary in the domain," Jay Jurisich, CEO and creative director at naming and branding agency Zinzin, told CNBC. A Model S electric vehicle (EV) is displayed inside the show room at the Tesla Motors Inc. Gallery and Service Center in Paramus, New Jersey. Ron Antonelli | Bloomberg | Getty Images "They're at TeslaMotors.com even though they're moving into territory beyond cars. That modifier is not hurting them and they don't change their brand to match their domain. They're not branded as Tesla Motors, just Tesla," Jurisich added. Tesla's domain registration story is one that entrepreneurs should note. The challenge of coming up with an iconic name from day one is often overwhelming for start-ups. "It comes at the worst time: when you have the least amount of money. You're already intellectually, physically, financially stressed out and that's when you're expected to come up with this genius," said Phillip Davis, president of Tungsten Branding. Don't give up because the dot-com is taken Even if a company can find a brilliant name, sometimes they'll run into the Tesla problem and can't get their name registered as a dot-com address. "Dot-com will always be the downtown Manhattan real estate of the domain industry. It'll always be the Manhattan address. Having said that, does every office need to be in Manhattan?" said Davis. Blake Irving, CEO of domain name registration website GoDaddy agreed, saying while dot-com is still the king, certain extensions matter more in certain markets. "In Mexico, '.mx' is actually more important than .com. In Germany, '.de' is actually more important than dot-com. Brazil, '.br' is more important than dot-com," Irving said. Besides using a different extension, entrepreneurs should relax and focus more on other ways to increase search engine optimization, or the ability of search engines to find a particular website. "There's other factors in SEO that are more important and even though having the name in the domain is one of the factors for SEO, that's not diminished by having modifying words," Zinzin's Jurisich said. Make use of your registered domain While the first step to establishing a brand's digital identity is often just registering a domain name, that isn't enough, according to GoDaddy's Irving. He argues that people shouldn't "waste" their domain. "If you're going to stand up a domain and if you have a certain number of them and you have an idea, then point it at something. Point it at something that's meaningful," Irving said. For example, Irving redirects traffic from his website to his LinkedIn profile, something that anyone can do. Don't overlook importance of initial branding. Phillip Davis president, Tungsten Branding In other words, there's no point in registering a domain without having it provide information about a brand, whether that's an individual or a company. Having a domain redirect to a social media profile is already infinitely more helpful than a "page not found" notice. "That's owning your digital identity. It's one of the most important things that you can own," Irving said. What's in a brand? A lot. A well thought out and executed branding strategy will do more than having an exact-matching domain. "Don't overlook the importance of initial branding. It needs to be given primary importance as to the overall business plan," said Davis. The lack of a branding strategy will lead to loss of momentum because entrepreneurs "waste valuable resources trying to explain what they really do," he added. "If you have a very powerful, unique differentiated name, you will get people talking about you. People remember it. People share your brand via word of mouth and social media," Jurisich said. The MAREA cable will be the highest-capacity subsea cable to ever cross the Atlantic, and will lead to faster growth in internet bandwidth rates, the companies said. MAREA will run farther south than existing cables, expanding coverage, and works with a variety of equipment to make it cheaper and easier to upgrade. Microsoft has increasingly shifted its offerings, like Office 365, Skype, Xbox Live and the Microsoft Azure, to the cloud. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, meanwhile, has committed to expanding web access with initiatives like internet.org. Between them, they said, it made sense to create a "vendor-agnostic" partnership to create the cable. The MAREA collaboration comes on the tail of FASTER, a $300 million cable built by Alphabet , in partnership with five Asian telecom companies. FASTER is expected to come online sometime this year, according to Reuters' initial reports. MAREA will begin construction in August and is expected to be completed in October 2017, according to the companies. It will be operated and managed by Telxius, Telefonica's new telecommunications infrastructure company, which hopes to "capture market opportunities" in Western Europe and new emerging routes in Northern Africa as part of the deal. We want to do more of these projects in this manner allowing us to move fast with more collaboration," Najam Ahmad, vice president of network engineering at Facebook, said in a statement. "We think this is how most subsea cable systems will be built in the future." Reuters contributed to this report. Its all over but the chanting, which seemingly will continue unabated until religious shareholder activists bring energy companies to heel. What the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility hyperbolically billed as a watershed year trickled into a puddle of disappointment yesterday for shareholder activists climate-change resolutions. The chanting began outside Dallas Morton E. Meyerson Symphony Center and the Chevron Park Auditorium in San Ramon, Calif., prior to the annual shareholder meetings conducted, respectively, by ExxonMobil Corp. and Chevron Corporation. Real chanting, dear readers, which admittedly isnt equal to Abbie Hoffman attempting to levitate the Pentagon, but it does indicate a certain religious zealotry applied to the contested scientific theory of manmade global warming: 2016 is a watershed year for the fossil fuel industry, in particular, oil and gas giants ExxonMobil and Chevron. Pressure is building in the wake of last years historic agreement at COP21 in Paris, where nations of the world, global corporations and leading investors achieved consensus on the need to limit global warming to below 2-degrees celcius to avoid catastrophic planetary impacts. Pending investigations by 17 State Attorneys General is also intensifying public pressure for action. The Papal Encyclical, Laudato Si, continues to grow in significance, and has done much to underline the clear moral imperative to address the 2 degree warming scenario. Simultaneously, fossil fuel companies face both a moral and business imperative to rethink their long-term business strategies, as these company face impending regulation that will soon force them into compliance. Faith-based and values investors and members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility have been pressing for this transition for nearly 40 years. This year, proponents of shareholder proposals at both Exxon and Chevron (both on May 25) will be making their cases at the annual meetings of both companies in the hope that shareholders will broadly join them in pressing the companies to change. Would that the priests, nuns, clergy and other religious affiliated with ICCR exert similar spiritual and physical energy toward championing what philosopher Alex Epstein calls the moral case for fossil fuels. Instead, they increase their carbon footprint immeasurably by traipsing around the globe in their buses and planes in efforts to pull the plug on cheap and plentiful energy while lecturing the rest of us on the evils of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and energy-company lobbying. At the same time ICCR extols the imperative of limiting global warming to 2-degrees C by deploying measures that will increase costs especially for the poor for whom higher prices devour a greater percentage of household assets while making little to no difference on global temperatures. Well, for the most part, the ICCR folk received another annual comeuppance from fellow shareholders yesterday. One could metaphorically and ironically say the nominally religious God-flies had their knuckles rapped by a ruler wielded by other shareholders who understand the point of investments isnt to threaten company profitability but, instead, is to encourage and celebrate it. First of all, proxy resolutions were defeated that would have required ExxonMobil and Chevron to conduct climate-change stress tests. The resolution received 41 percent of the Chevron vote and 38 percent at ExxonMobil. Fortunately, it all goes downhill for ICCR resolutions from there. According to ICCR, an ExxonMobil proposal submitted by the Sisters of St. Dominic of Caldwell, NJ, [C]alling for a policy that acknowledges the moral imperative to acknowledge the 2 C target received the support of 18.5% of shareholders. Another proposal from the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia calling on [Chevron] to produce a report that assesses the community and water impacts of its fracking operations improved its outcome over last years vote to 31%. Said Sr. Nora Nash who filed the resolution, Todays vote empowers us to go forward and press for greater disclosure from Chevron. We will continue to support communities that have no voice and are subjected to the negative impacts of fracking. We will also speak to the health-related issues being further documented by health and science experts. Childrens lives must not be impaired by exposure to the side-effects of contaminated water and polluted air. Standing with Pope Francis we are shaping the future of our planet. Yeah, she went there, cherry-picking quotes from Laudato Si to back up unsubstantiated scientific and healthcare claims against fracking. Meanwhile, over at ExxonMobil: Seventy-nine percent of the shareholders voted against putting a climate expert on Exxon Mobils board, 81 percent voted down the proposal to support the Paris climate accord, and 61 percent opposed the resolution for the company to report on how climate change affect its operations. This is the biggest risk to the companys business, not to mention everybody on the planet, said Father Michael Crosby, a Catholic priest from Milwaukee. Ummmm, no, Fr. Crosby, the bigger risk to ExxonMobils business is corporate God-flies such as yourself who continue to advocate for efforts contrary to the companys best interests as well as fellow shareholders and the poorest among us. Perhaps most satisfying for this writer is the abject meltdown from 350.org founder (and, for a time, sparring partner for your writer in this space and here) Bill McKibben in The Guardian last week: Even if somehow one of the handfuls of climate-related resolutions were to win a majority of the shareholders votes, the resolutions are non-binding; those with the most support merely request annual reports. What more information do shareholders need? Exxon has spent millions on climate policy obstruction, and scientists pleas to the contrary plans to burn all of its reserves and keep hunting for more. If this meeting ends with the same dismal failure as the past 25, its time to admit the obvious: the Exxons of the world are not going to change their stripes, not voluntarily. It will be time for state treasurers and religious groups to join those students and frontline communities and climate scientists who are saying No more. It will be time past time to get serious, divest and break free of fossil fuels once and for all. Normally, your writer would delight in breaking down the flaws of McKibbens argument, but someone has done it already. Heres Eric Worrell from the Watts Up with That blog: As Bill McKibben must be aware, politically motivated divestment is an act of financial self destruction. If the deep green manager of a major fund were to divest from a profitable business, the act of divestment, driving down the share price of the divested asset, would make the divested asset even more attractive for other investors. Everyone else would jump in, to cash in on the financial opportunity created by green stupidity. By the time the dust settled, the share price of the divested asset would be back to normal, and what was left of the major fund would fire the idiot who divested their profits. They would find a new manager, someone who was a little more committed to doing their job. So Bill suggests that governments, schools and religious groups, organisations managed by people whose jobs might not be so closely aligned to the profitability of their investments, should abrogate their responsibility to the people whose money they manage, throw away potential income, to make what would almost certainly be a meaningless political gesture. Bill doesnt seem to pause to consider the harm this would do the hospitals and schools which would receive less funding, the poor people who would receive less benefits, the increased taxation, the church charities which would be starved of cash. Bill is no fool surely he knows that the companies he wants to target would not be significantly affected there are more than enough investors who dont care about green issues, to snap up the bargain priced assets created by divestment. But inspiring a gigantic exercise in public wealth immolation would sure look great on his next blog post. Just so. Like the so-called religious shareholders at ICCR, As You Sow and the rest, McKibben cannot see the moral forest for the protest signs of scientism theyve constructed to the detriment of the poor negatively impacted by their combined agendas. Fortunately, Chevron and ExxonMobil continue successfully to rebuff and weather such efforts. Pioneer said in its earnings release last month that it is "expecting to add five to 10 horizontal drilling rigs when the price of oil recovers to approximately $50 per barrel and the outlook for oil supply/demand fundamentals is positive." "I think it is fair to say we're more optimistic than we were last month and even the month before that. We're cautiously optimistic that we're going to see improvement here in the second half of the year," said Frank Hopkins, senior vice president of investment relations at Pioneer. As oil hovers near $50 per barrel, Pioneer Natural Resources has become more optimistic and is planning for the return of five to 10 rigs, once it is confident the upturn in oil is more sustainable. Hopkins said the company has been monitoring the oil inventory data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration and when officials are convinced the market has turned, they will move on putting the rigs into operation in the Northern Spraberry/Wolfcamp. "What's really going to convince us is that inventory levels continue to come down," he said. Wednesday's EIA report showed a drawdown in U.S. supply of 4.2 million barrels last week from the week earlier level. Read MoreOil tests $50 a barrel as supply concerns rise "It's not so much getting to $50 at a particular point in time. It's having a view that oil at $50 will stay at $50. The industry supply/demand fundamentals have to improve. We have to have a view that it's a positive price environment," said Hopkins. Hopkins said Pioneer, viewed by analysts as among the stronger of the U.S. drillers, was running a total of 24 rigs at the end of last year. "We'll be down to 12 by the end of June. We shut down our Eagle Ford operations, and we shut down our joint venture area in the Permian Basin. The rigs we put back would go to our most prolific area," he said. While more optimistic for a higher price, Hopkins said he and other executives are watching the June 2 meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. "We want to clearly see what's going to happen at the OPEC meeting next week. Hopefully it turns out to be a nonevent," he said. Both Brent and West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose above $50 per barrel Thursday, for the first time since October. The number is seen as a psychological level, and it could signal the restart of some U.S. oil production if it holds. WTI was later trading at $49.48 per barrel Thursday afternoon. Analysts say some companies should resume drilling activities with WTI at $50, but that does not affect much of U.S. production. Francisco Blanch, head of commodities and derivatives research at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, said $60 is a level where much more activity would come in. "As the oil price recovers, people pay down their debt and they're going to repair their balance sheets. In the $60s, I think things change a lot," he said, noting $50 will be an option for a few companies that are better capitalized and on the right acreage. U.S. oil rig count is 332, about half of last year's count, and well below the peak above 1,600 in 2014. The U.S. Navy wants Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE: LMT) to build guidance and control systems for MK 48 Mod 7 torpedoes under a contract valued at up to $425 million. Its part of a five-year effort to increase the inventory of the MK 48 Mod 7 heavyweight torpedoes for the Navys submarine fleet, the Bethesda, Marylandbased defense contractor said in a news release issued Wednesday. Lockheed employees in the town of Salina; Manassas, Virginia; and Palm Beach, Florida will support the companys employees in Marion, Massachusetts who will handle the work on the guidance and control systems, the firm said. The companys Salina plant is part of its mission systems and training business unit. The Lockheed Martin guidance and control systems will equip the torpedoes with increased bandwidth and streamlined targeting and tracking capabilities. These systems will increase the MK 48s effectiveness and provide advanced counter-measure capabilities, the company said. The latest guidance and control technologies for MK 48 torpedo are thanks in part to Lockheed Martins $10 million investment in manufacturing efficiencies, facilities, and laboratories to ensure navies can pace the threats in littoral and deep-sea environments, Tom Jarbeau, Lockheed Martin MK 48 program director, said in the company news release. We are building on our five decades of experience in undersea systems and our strong record of providing complex electronic systems to our customers on schedule and on budget. Under this new contract, Lockheed Martin will provide fully integrated guidance and control sections to increase the inventory of MK 48 torpedoes over several years. The U.S. Navy could have production orders of more than 250 torpedoes over the next five years, Lockheed Martin says. All classes of submarines use torpedoes as their anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) weapon, the defense contractor added. These new guidance and control systems for new-construction MK 48 torpedoes include the same section of the Navys existing heavyweight torpedoes that Lockheed Martin is upgrading under the MK 48 common broadband advanced-sonar system (CBASS) that the U.S. Navy awarded in 2011. Lockheed Martin delivers to the U.S. Navy at least 20 Mod 7 CBASS kits per month and is on track to deliver all kits on schedule, the company said. The defense contractor also performs intermediate maintenance of these torpedoes for fleet training. Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com SYRACUSE, N.Y. St. Josephs Health has appointed Julie Edmunds Smith as its new director of finance. In this role, Smith is responsible for St. Josephs Healths accounting and financial operations, the organization said in a news release. They include general finance and reporting; accounts payable; treasury management; reimbursement; and capital management for the system. Julie has tremendous experience and strong expertise. We are very pleased to be able to add her to the St. Josephs leadership team, Meredith Price, senior VP of fiscal affairs and CFO at St. Josephs Health, said in the release. Smith brings to the position more than 13 years of experience in the health-care and higher-education sectors, St. Josephs said. She most recently served as a senior manager for the Atlanta, Georgia office of PricewaterhouseCoopers, where she managed the financial audits and reporting for several large health-care clients, the hospital added. Smith, a DeWitt native, is a graduate of Le Moyne College and earned her master of business administration degree from the University of Phoenix. Smith replaces Tracy Frank as director of finance. Frank left St. Josephs Health in December to become director of finance and accounting for the Northeast region at the Dairy Farmers of America, according to her LinkedIn page. Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com Article updated on 5/27/16 at 10:57 a.m. The Disney Dollar, the popular private currency used and collected since 1987, was discontinued on May 14. Our post about that development was the week's top post on CoinWorld.com. Its time to catch up on the week that was in numismatic insights and news. Coin World is looking back at its five most-read stories of the week. Click the links to read the stories. Here they are, in reverse order: 5. Coins of Jamaica honor reggae musician Robert 'Bob' Marley: Described as a black Bob Dylan in a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame biographical sketch, Robert Bob Marley developed and spread the popularity of reggae beyond Jamaica to the world. 4. Nobody has a crystal ball: Monday Morning Brief, May 23: While the U.S. Mint reconciles how it will dispose of more than 6,200 2016-W Winged Liberty Head Centennial gold dimes in its inventory from canceled orders and returns, some are already looking ahead to the looming sale of the 2016-W Standing Liberty Centennial gold quarter dollar. 3. Paper money changes great, but let's now turn to our coins: The Memory Bank: Beth Deisher has long held the view that our coins are our nations calling cards to the world, and that they should honor men and women who have played a role in our nations development or depict events that speak to our shared values and ideals. 2. United States Mint experiments with different finishes on coins: The Mints extensive experimentation over the past decade with coin finishes sometimes using multiple finishes on one or both sides of the same coin has factored into some individual coins appreciation in value (or lack thereof). 1. Disney Dollars series discontinued May 14 as digital money use rises: The Disney notes became a collectible soon after they became a currency, and PCGS Currency has graded more than 20,000 Disney Dollars in the past few years. Connect with Coin World: A four-coin set of 5 coins features color and gold-plating on each of the coins. An image of the packaging for the Proof .925 fine silver 5 highlights the new technology dubbed Line Phase Modulation by the Royal Dutch Mint. The Royal Dutch Mint debuts a new technology, Line Phase Modulation, on its first commemorative coin of 2016. The Proof .925 fine silver 5 coin appears here; the seagulls sport the new technology. The Royal Dutch Mint offers a Proof .900 fine gold coinwith a mintage limited to 1,250 pieces, from a series of coins honoring the Wadden Sea UNESCO World Heritage Site. The first Dutch commemorative coin of 2016 also marks the debut of new technology from the Royal Dutch Mint. The Proof 2016 silver 5 coin from a series of coins honoring the Wadden Sea will be the first Dutch commemorative coin to feature what the Royal Dutch Mint calls the Line Phase Modulation technique. The technique was used to highlight seagulls flying over a map of the sea's islands on the reverse of the coin. Connect with Coin World: In this technique, an existing image is converted to a line pattern. The distance between the individual lines varies, creating the appearance of gray shading. The image is best viewed when tilting the coin, as the wavy lines glitter across the birds in flight. This coin is part of an annual series celebrating the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Netherlands. The 2016 program is the fifth in the series. The Wadden Sea is an intertidal zone in the southeastern part of the North Sea. It lies between the coast of northwestern continental Europe and the range of Frisian Islands, forming a shallow body of water with tidal flats and wetlands. It is rich in biological diversity. In 2009, the Dutch and German parts of the Wadden Sea were inscribed on UNESCOs World Heritage List and the Danish part was added in June 2014. The German part was the setting for the 1903 Erskine Childers novel The Riddle of the Sands. The Wadden Sea coins were designed by Kianoosh Motallebi. Base-metal and silver examples are denominated 5, and a gold 10 coin completes the program. On the obverse is a map of the region with identifying place names, along with local wildlife. The reverse carries the portrait of King Willem-Alexander. Multiple metals, finishes and denominations are available. Circulation-quality examples will be issued at face value through PostNL post offices, Primera shops and the Royal Dutch Mint website beginning June 11. No stated mintage limit was announced for this option. The Royal Dutch Mint will offer up to 158,000 Uncirculated silver-plated copper 5 coins at face value in 20-count rolls, and up to 12,500 Brilliant Uncirculated versions in numbered coin cards. The silver-plated copper versions weigh 10.5 grams and measure 29 millimeters in diameter. The only Wadden Sea coin to incorporate the Line Phase Modulation is the Proof .925 fine silver 5 coin. The coin weighs 15.5 grams and measures 33 millimeters in diameter. It is available individually in a luxury collector pack with additional background information, with a maximum mintage of 10,000 pieces. Additionally, the Proof .925 fine silver 5 coin is offered in a four-coin set, where three of the coins are embellished with color. The fourth coin is the first Dutch coin to feature gold-plating. The colors on the coins represent each of the countries in the Wadden Sea protected area, the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark. In total, 750 sets are available. Another Wadden Sea offering is the Proof .900 fine gold 10 coin. It weighs 6.72 grams, measures 22.5 millimeters in diameter and has a mintage limit of 1,250 pieces. Distributor Coin & Currency Institute will offer some of the coins to North American buyers. The silver-plated copper 5 coin in the card is priced at $19.95, and the Proof .925 fine silver version costs $62.50. The four-coin set retails for $325 and the gold coin is priced at $525. To order from the distributor, visit its website. The Royal Dutch Mint website can be found online. May 26, 2016 The United States' second international airport to be named for a NASA astronaut honors the first American to orbit the Earth. Ohio lawmakers on Wednesday (May 25) voted to rename the Port Columbus International Airport for astronaut John Glenn. The last surviving member of the original Mercury 7 pilots, Glenn became the first U.S. space explorer to circle the planet on Feb. 20, 1962. "I believe it is only fitting to rename the [airport] after John Glenn for his countless contributions to space exploration and to Ohio's rich aviation history," said the Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, Clifford Rosenberger, in a statement. "There is no doubt that he is an American hero, and I'm honored that we are taking steps to further secure his legacy here in our great state." The name, the John Glenn Columbus International Airport, will take effect after Ohio Governor John Kasich signs the bill into law. John Glenn at the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at the Ohio State University in Columbus. (Ohio State University) Glenn, now 94, was born in 1921 in Cambridge, Ohio, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in engineering at Muskingum College in New Concord, his hometown. After serving in the Marine Corps and making history on board NASA's Friendship 7 orbital mission, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, representing Ohio as a Democrat from 1974 until 1999. In October 1998, Glenn returned to orbit aboard the space shuttle Discovery, setting a record as the oldest person to fly into space at age 77. Over the course of his two spaceflights, separated by 36 years, Glenn logged 9 days off Earth and completed 138 orbits three aboard his Mercury capsule and 135 on the space shuttle. The Columbus airport's renaming is the latest honor for the astronaut in his home state. In 1999, NASA renamed its Cleveland facility the John H. Glenn Research Center, and since 2006, the public policy and management school (now college) at The Ohio State University has beared his name. Senator John Glenn Highway runs along Interstate 480 in Cleveland across from the NASA research center and the Colonel Glenn Highway runs by Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton. A high school bearing his name stands in New Concord and, until it was demolished last year, John Glenn Elementary stood in Seven Hills. Beyond Ohio, the U.S. Navy christened the mobile landing platform USNS John Glenn in 2014. Port Columbus International Airport in Ohio. (CRAA) The newly-renamed Port Columbus airport was opened in 1929 as a stop on the first transcontinental air/rail service from New York to the West coast. Jet airline service began at the airport in 1961. Four years later, the airport gained its international status with the opening of a U.S. Customs facility. The nation's first international airport to bear an astronaut's name, the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport in Texas, was renamed for the final commander of the space shuttle Columbia in 2003. Other U.S. air fields named for astronauts include: Virgil I. Grissom Municipal Airport in Bedford, Indiana; Michael J. Smith Field in Beaufort, North Carolina; the Neil Armstrong Airport in Wapakoneta, Ohio and Astronaut Kent Rominger Airport in Del Norte, Colorado. This is the first in a monthly series of posts highlighting contributions to the Expanding Access to Biodiversity Literature (EABL) project, which aims to enhance BHLs collections with content from natural history libraries, societies, and other institutions across the United States. The Roosevelt Wild Life Station (RWLS) is a research center within the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) in Syracuse, New York. Its mission is to deliver the science and trained professionals to preserve our wildlife heritage and save imperiled species worldwide. In the first half of the 20th century, the RWLS produced two publicationsthe Roosevelt Wild Life Bulletin and the Roosevelt Wild Life Annalswhich are now available in BHL. The New York State College of Forestry, Syracuse, containing the offices and laboratories of the Roosevelt Wild Life Forest Experiment Station, from Roosevelt Wild Life Bulletin, v.1 no.1 (1921). Founding of the RWLS In December of 1916 Charles Christopher Adams, a zoologist at the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University, approached Theodore Roosevelt to discuss the need for systematic study of big game and other mammals in the forests of North America. Dr. Adams believed that a lack of understanding of these animals was a problem not only for scientists, but also for industryparticularly forestryand the economy in general. Roosevelt agreed that research in this area should be undertaken and asked Dr. Adams to devise a plan, which he outlined the following year. Despite Roosevelts enthusiastic approval, the work was delayedfirst by the onset of World War I, and then by Roosevelts death on January 9, 1919. Dr. Adams, undeterred by these events, saw a new opportunity to carry on the vision he had shared with Roosevelt, and convinced the state legislature of New York to establish the Roosevelt Wild Life Forest Experiment Station as a memorial to the former President. The Station was signed into law on May 10, 1919, as part of the New York State College of Forestry. The legislation stated that the RWLS would conduct investigations, experiments, and research in relation to the habits, life histories, methods of propagation and management of fish, birds, game and food and fur-bearing animals and forest wild life. Dr. Adams was the Stations first director. The field party of the Roosevelt Wild Life Station at camp on Mount Marcy, working in cooperation with other scientists, from Roosevelt Wild Life Bulletin, v.1 no.1 (1921). Writing in Science in June, 1919, Dr. Adams proclaimed: Never before in America, and for that matter, possibly, never before in the world, has there been a forest biological station devoted primarily or exclusively to the study of every phase of forest wild life. The establishment of such a station at the New York State College of Forestry, at Syracuse University, is thus an event of considerable general interest and importance, not only to those interested in the conservation of wild life, to foresters, and to zoologists in general, and particularly to field naturalists, but in addition to many others who are interested in the ecology of fish, birds, game, fur-bearing animals, and other kinds of forest wild life. This station, named in honor of the man thus becomes a very appropriate memorial to Theodore Roosevelt. An editorial in the August, 1919 issue of Forest and Stream speculated that The work that such an experiment station may do is almost limitless and its possibilities are as yet quite beyond the range of our imagination. The conservationist George Bird Grinnell was equally laudatory; in the foreword to the first issue of the Roosevelt Wild Life Bulletin (1921), he wrote, No one more than Theodore Roosevelt appreciated the value of the work done and to be done by the field-naturalist. No one more than he would welcome those services to science that may be accomplished by the Experiment Station that bears his name. Publications of the RWLS Under Dr. Adamss tenure as director, the RWLS began publishing the Roosevelt Wild Life Bulletin in 1921, which ran until 1950. The Bulletin contains general and popular interest pieces related to forest ecology. Many of these articles describe the geography and wildlife of the forests immediately surrounding the RWLS, as well as the Adirondacks and other regions of upstate New York. Several others detail field research conducted at Camp Roosevelt, Yellowstone National Park, where Professor Alvin Whitney, of the New York State College of Forestry, ran a boys summer camp in the early 1920s. A Guide to the Perplexed: Ploughshares and the Iran Deal Echo Chamber | Main | Media Misses Abbas' 'Humanitarian' Call to Destroy Israel May 26, 2016 Toronto Star Gives "Latitude" to Error Toronto Star Columnist Tony Burman Canadian journalist Tony Burman, former head of Al Jazeera English, is a frequent contributor to the Toronto Star. With columns that often include scathing commentary about Israel and its supporters, his anti-Israel bias is hardly a secret. (See, for example, "Should U.S. diplomats meet with Hamas leaders when conducting 'shuttle diplomacy' in the Middle East?"; "What has prompted Canadas move against Iran?"; "Time for Canada, Israel to stop living in fantasy world"; "Israels Netanyahu drops his mask and reveals ugliness"; Netanyahu, his pants on fire, brings torch to Washington") So it was no surprise that his recent column about the centennial of the Sykes-Picot agreement included an anti-Israel slur. Burman, however, went further than just opinion, including an obvious error when he referred to "Israel's continuing brutal occupation of Palestinian lands." It is neither factual nor historical to refer to "Palestinian lands" because their status is disputed. While the Palestinians seek to establish an independent state on these territories, the lands never belonged to the Palestinians -- either before or after the Sykes-Picot agreement. As to the future disposition of the territories, it is to be determined in final negotiations between the two sides. By labeling the territories "Palestinian" as if this were a straightforward fact rather than the columnist's own partisan opinion of what he would like to see happen, Burman is guilty of misleading readers with dishonest journalism masquerading as history. CAMERA contacted the Toronto Star about the error, noting that the Washington Post had earlier corrected a similar error referring to "Israel's continuing occupation of Palestinian land." But the Toronto Star, was having none of it. Editors attested to Burman's "considerable experience in matters pertaining to the Middle East" and insisted that as a columnist, he has "wide latitude to express his own views and perspective on controversial matters." Perhaps so, but such latitude cannot extend to misleading readers with false information. As the late politician Daniel Patrick Moynihan famously put it, "Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts." Posted by RH at May 26, 2016 02:02 PM i guess the star never got the memo: "you are entitled to your own opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts." - daniel patrick moynihan. Posted by: shloime at May 28, 2016 12:46 AM Guidelines for posting This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material. Post a comment Synthetic hair problems lead MU grad to create banana-based product Ciara Imani May wasn't expecting to develop a protective hairstyle product when she studied business at MU. But that's exactly what she's done. Fall Arts Spotlight: Nina West Creator Takes a Turn in Hairspray Andrew Levitt returns home not as his beloved drag queen character, but as Edna Turnblad in the touring Broadway production of Hairspray. September 16, 2015 - A fresh influx of job seekers pass by Shaneka Clark as she fills out applications during the Tanger Outlet's job fair at the Landers Center. Hundreds were lined up waiting for the doors to open as retailers look to fill some 1,500 positions at the new outlet mall. (Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal) SHARE June 30, 2015 - Clem Pritchard wlaks throught the massive 1 million square foot Volvo Central Distribution Center on Tuesday morning before the official ribbon cutting opening the $70 million state-of-the-art facility. The center supports the company's Mack and Volvo truck brands, as well as Volvo Construction Equipment and Volvo Penta, officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday morning. (Stan Carroll/The Commercial Appeal) By Ted Evanoff of The Commercial Appeal Only one other county in America had a worse record at new business startups than Memphis and Shelby County between 2010 and 2014, a new study shows. Economic Innovation Group reviewed U.S. Census data for the nations 3,135 counties and ranked Shelby County at 3,134. Detroit and Wayne County placed last. In 2014 in Shelby County, 19,372 establishments were open in the city and county, down 3.3 percent from 2010, the Washington think tank says. For Shelby County, the loss of 666 businesses confirms the slow recovery from the deep 2008 recession. No reason for the slow Memphis rebound was noted in the study, although an official at the think tank provided data that shows a healthier rate of business startups before the recession, particularly in the 1990s economic boom. Between 1992 and 1996, the number of establishments increased 4.7 percent to 20,975 in the city and county, the data shows. Since 2010, setbacks that have weighed on the region include large-scale buyouts at FedEx, the loss of 6,000 government jobs, the downsizing of Morgan Keegan and the closing of Harrahs casino resort. Greater Memphis officials have launched efforts to train industrial workers, recruit factories and offices, improve public education, ramp up entrepreneurs and reduce blight. But entrepreneurs say loans from banks and investors remain scarce. In March, the unemployment rate in metropolitan Memphis registered 4.7 percent, the lowest level in nine years. A federal labor survey found 588,318 residents employed that month, the highest level ever recorded for any March in any year. However, thousands of those residents apparently are employed in part-time jobs at two or more locations. A separate federal survey of Memphis-area employers showed 628,400 payroll jobs filled in March, about 11,000 fewer than at the peak in 2007. In Tennessee, Nashville and Davidson County showed the most robust growth in the think tanks study. The number of establishments rose 2.7 percent between 2010 and 2014 to 18,619, a gain of 495. This ranked Davidson County 92 in the nation for business growth. Rep. Andy Holt burns a traffic citation, a photo displayed on the cover of his Facebook page. SHARE By Tom Humphrey, Knoxville News Sentinel NASHVILLE State Rep. Andy Holt is urging Tennesseans to ignore traffic camera tickets, emphasizing his point by burning a citation in a video that has received more than 325,000 views on Facebook. "What do you do if you get one? Throw it in the trash. Personally, I prefer to burn mine," says Holt, R-Dresden, in a lengthy news release issued in conjunction with a video on his Facebook page Wednesday that shows him using a cigarette lighter to set the ticket aflame. But Knoxville Police Chief David Raush said in an email Thursday that Holt is not offering sound advice to citizens. "No one likes to be caught violating traffic offenses, regardless of how they are caught, but they have a legal obligation to properly address it. Burning a citation or throwing it away, is an emotional response that may feel good, but it does not make the violation and accountability go away," said Rausch. Holt, a longtime critic of traffic camera tickets who has repeatedly called for prohibiting them outright in Tennessee, was joined by Sen. Paul Bailey, R-Sparta, this year in sponsoring a bill (HB2510) that requires all citations resulting from a traffic camera video to include this notice: "Non-payment of this ['notice' or 'citation'] cannot adversely affect your credit score or report, driver's license, and/or automobile insurance rates." The bill passed unanimously in the Senate and with a 92-2 vote in the House. It took effect when signed by Gov. Bill Haslam on April 27. Holt said in pushing the measure that the new notice simply makes those getting the tickets aware of what state law already says. But Rausch, who is current president of the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, voiced concern about the bill when it was still pending in the Legislature earlier this year. Legally speaking, the camera citations are treated as a civil penalty, not as a misdemeanor criminal offense as when an officer directly writes a ticket. The maximum civil penalty is $50. If the penalty goes unpaid, Rausch and Duncan said, collection efforts can be pursued, just as with any other unpaid debt. Holt contends that the companies operating traffic cameras under contract with Tennessee cities are themselves violating a provision of state law that says only a commissioned law enforcement officer can review video photos of drivers allegedly running a red light or speeding to determine if a violation occurs. The lawmaker says that, in fact, the two leading companies in contracting for traffic cameras in Tennessee RedFlex Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Australia, and American Traffic Solutions Inc., based in Arizona openly promote their practice of having company personnel review the tapes before passing on suspected violations for police officer review. The legislator said that traffic camera companies and city police departments have been using "coercion and false legal threats" to prod violators into paying the $50 tickets and the bill was intended to stop such things. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety currently lists 19 Tennessee communities using traffic cameras to ticket drivers running red lights, including Memphis. In 2015, Holt successfully sponsored legislation that bans new contracts for use of the cameras to issue speeding tickets. But that law included a provision allowing contracts in place at the time it took effect July 1, 2015 to continue using the cameras. Fred Griffith/The Commercial Appeal files The Navy's annual Cotton Carnival Ball at the air station in Millington on May 26, 1978, paid tribute to the royalty from the Cotton Carnival and Cotton Maker's Jubilee. Cotton Carnival Queen Mimi Fuller (left), Jubilee Queen Gwendolyn Jackson (second right) and Navy Princess Katherine Ketchum are escorted by Rear Adm. Lando W. Zech Jr., Chief of Naval Technical Training. SHARE May 26 25 years ago: 1991 Questions about the mire of Memphis's riverfront arena are becoming more frequent and pointed. So more and more often, Mayor Dick Hackett has been repeating this nimble defense: "There's not a fine science in building pyramids. It's been a long time since one has been built." But building the pyramid is not the problem. In fact, the 32-story, $62 million Great American Pyramid is 95 percent complete, most of the 20,000 seats are in place, tile is being laid in the corridors, and the stainless steel skin is nearly up. It's all coming together within a few weeks of the original schedule. The difficulty facing Hackett, Shelby County Mayor Bill Morris and a growing troupe of lawyers is that a simple business deal to operate the arena once it is built has become immensely tangled. 50 years ago: 1966 A proposal for a downtown pedestrian mall extending from Court Square to Mud Island, plus a soaring monument to Memphis on the island itself, will be outlined June 6 before city and county officials, businessmen and interested persons. The mall would extend from Court Square west down Court Avenue to Front, there picking up into Confederate Park and Jefferson Davis Park. On the island would be the monument. The Downtown Association is interested in a pyramid-type structure which was displayed in the New York pavilion of the recent World's Fair in New York City. It would rise about 360 feet. 75 years ago: 1941 With approximately 10,000 persons attending the opening day of the Fairgrounds Amusement Park on Saturday, Henry W. Beaudoin, manager, yesterday looked forward to a successful Summer season. All the amusements have been remodeled, and picnic and playgrounds are available without charge as usual. Mr. Beaudoin expressed the hope that soldiers on leave will find the park a satisfaction for their recreation needs. 100 years ago: 1916 Memphis suffragettes have selected the favorite route to man's obdurate heart and now elect to serve local epicures with home-cooked luncheons, dinners and barbecue snacks during the Municipal Market Fair, which will be held at East End Park next week. Bluff City equal rights enthusiasts have expressed themselves as willing to stand on the verdict their culinary efforts prompt. In addition to their activities in the dining hall, a special booth has been assigned them from which will be distributed all their literature supporting "Votes for Women." 125 years ago: 1891 The sixteenth anniversary of the Women's Christian Association of Memphis was celebrated yesterday afternoon at the Young Women's boarding home. Reports from the secretary and treasurer and the manager of the several homes for women and children organized and maintained by the association were read, and singing and speech-making followed. May 18, 2016 - State board of education Executive Director Dr. Sara Heyburn hears an appeal from an Omni Prep Academy middle-schooler during a charter school appeal hearing Wednesday afternoon. Representatives from OPA and SCS made presentations during Wednesday's hearing with no decision rendered. Heyburn will deliver a recommendation to the state board, which will make its decision May 27. (Stan Carroll/The Commercial Appeal) By Jennifer Pignolet of The Commercial Appeal The executive director of the Tennessee State Board of Education will recommend her board vote Friday to affirm Shelby County Schools' decision to revoke four charter schools at the end of this academic year. But Executive Director Sara Heyburn also blasted SCS for its lack of procedures, transparency and communication in the way it revoked the charters. Although not grounds for overturning the decision, Heyburn said the state expects better from charter authorizers in Tennessee. "To say the least, the manner in which Shelby County approached these revocations is troubling and not in line with national best practices," Heyburn said via phone from Nashville after publishing her recommendations. "Specifically, the very late timing of the revocation decisions is deeply concerning as it places an undue burden on the families and the students regarding their choices and transitions for the upcoming school year." Heyburn is recommending SCS create a performance framework, release an annual report on charter performance and adopt a notification policy so schools are not caught off-guard when they are up for closure. SCS did not comment on the recommendations. The nine-member state board meets Friday at 9 a.m. in Nashville. The board does not have to follow Heyburn's recommendations. But if the board votes to affirm the SCS decision, four Memphis schools will close: The New Consortium of Law and Business, Omni Prep Lower and Middle schools, and Southern Avenue Middle. Omni Prep founder Cary Booker said his team was "clearly disappointed" with the recommendation but were looking forward to the board's vote Friday. Representatives from The Consortium and Southern Avenue could not be reached for comment Thursday. Heyburn was in Memphis last week to hear appeals from the operators behind Omni Prep and Southern Avenue. The Consortium hearing was earlier this month. The four schools are the first in the state to appeal a revocation. Heyburn said the state board can only look at three factors: whether the charter committed a material violation of its contract, whether it failed to meet general standards for fiscal management and whether it hired immigrant workers without proper identification. If the board finds a school violated any of the three, she said, it can't overturn the local decision to revoke the charter. All four charter schools were on the 2014 priority list of the state's bottom 5 percent of schools, Heyburn said, and did not meet the performance standards set in their contracts. For Omni Prep Lower, Heyburn wrote in her recommendation that as a school in the bottom 1 percent in the state, the school has a "continued pattern of significant underperformance towards its achievement goals." The Consortium charter also did not meet general standards for fiscal management, she said, and had students enrolled who did not attend the school. "These occurrences amount to more than 'technicalities' as argued by NCLB," the recommendation states. "As noted by SCS, mistakes and omissions of this magnitude, particularly around student data, have the potential to create lasting harmful effects to students." Heyburn also used an opinion from the state attorney general to affirm that if a charter does not sign a separate contract with the school district, its original charter application acts as the contract. Heyburn said SCS appears to be on a path to implementing some of the best practices she says are currently missing. "We hope this will put a real spur in their side to hasten their progress," she said. SHARE By Clay Bailey of The Commercial Appeal We open todays edition with some news out of Lakeland, then look back for a deeper dive on a couple of Germantown-related items in the news recently. And, we kick off our coverage of the race for Stephen Finchers seat in the Eighth Congressional District -- a campaign that has potential for spirited stumping across West Tennessee. LAKELAND EVENT CANCELLED; WET GROUNDS: We start with Late-Breaking, Up-To-The-Minute, We-told-You-At-Some-Point (Maybe first), Not-About-Fiz-to-Grizz News. Dateline: Lakeland, TN: The groundbreaking for the Lakeland Middle Preparatory School scheduled for Thursday afternoon is cancelled. Frankly, no breaking of the ground is necessary. It comes closer to qualifying as moving mud. Leaders of the suburb, wanted to gather everyone for the dirt-diggin at 5:30 p.m. But it became apparent that was not possible with the sloppy conditions on the campus site east of Canada Road and north of U.S. 70. The possibility of more rain later today further jeopardized the ceremonies. We would ideally like our visitors to have the opportunity to walk the site, enjoy the surroundings, and take an up-close look at the site work that has been completed thus far, Ted Horrell, Lakeland School Systems superintendent. The current conditions would not allow any of that to occur and would severely limit the available parking. And, with questionable weather extending for awhile, the district has not set a firm date for rescheduling. ...(W)e are going to look ahead and attempt (to) identify a break in the weather in the next couple of weeks that will allow us to celebrate this milestone more appropriately, Horrell said in a letter to school supporters. ACROSS WEST TENNESSEE COVERING THE EIGHTH: The race for the Eighth Congressional district seat vacated by Rep. Stephen Fincher, R-Frog Jump, becomes an important one for the suburbs in Shelby County. The bulk of the cities outside Memphis to the east and north are included in the district along with a section of East Memphis. That led to several local prominent Republicans filing for the ballot. Collierville reporter Daniel Connolly posted a story Wednesday outlining the basics of the race and the candidates -- sort of a kickoff of our coverage regarding the campaign leading to the Aug. 4 primary. A bakers dozen candidates are on the Republican side of the ballot, more than half of them from Shelby County. Jackson, Tennessee is well represented in the campaign with four candidates from the Madison County seat. There are some familiar folks on the ballot, but Im not going to fall into the trap of naming any of them. Hopefully, that helps avoid any accusations of favoritism toward any particular candidate. But Connolly, as part of his overall coverage, rattled off all the candidates in his opening story on the race. The district not only sweeps through suburbs from Collierville to Bartlett, but stretches west to the Mississippi River and north to the Kentucky border. The districts rural-suburban character means candidates could be speaking to scores of voters at a local Republican meeting or a half dozen in a corner booth for breakfast at Sherrys Kuntry Kupboard in Tiptonville. With Fincher, the Frog Jump farmer, stepping aside, the lack of incumbent should mean a competitive race. And with all respect to the Democrats in the primary, the Eighth constituency leans strongly to the conservative Republican side, so the winner of the GOP vote on Aug. 4 probably has an insurmountable lead heading into the November general election. GERMANTOWN EXTRA INFO ON GERMANTOWN BLUES: On Tuesday, we put a dime in the ol jukebox and pushed the buttons for Germantown Blues, a local favorite set in the local suburb. After posting Tuesdays version of Outside the Loop, Bartlett Public Works Director Bill Yearwood provided additional insight into the song that parodies the perils of the high-income Germantown-ites of the 1980s. Yearwood said the song was written by Lyn Jones, who recorded it solo initially. One YouTube version is by the Funn Brothers, composed of Jones on harmonica and guitarist Laddie Hutcherson, formerly of the Guilloteens. Then The Settlers -- the version posted Tuesday -- recorded it in 1991. Yearwood knows this because he was a member of The Settlers with Jones. The song was written about Settlers guitarist Billy Dover, said Yearwood, who also is a member of the River Bluff Clan. Both The Settlers and River Bluff Clan still play regularly around town. GERMANTOWN LAWTONS ASSISTANTS: In Kayleigh Skinners story last week regarding Germantown City Administrator Patrick Lawton (above) considering hiring an assistant in case he retires any time soon, Mayor Mike Palazzolo noted Lawton has had three assistants since Lawton took the citys lead position in 1989. Well, upon further review, he did have three -- at one time. And three others during the rest of his 27 years. Shortly after Lawton succeeded Jim Holgersson handling the citys day-to-day operations, he hired Jane Wood as his assistant. Following her, was James Lewellen, who moved into the office next to Lawtons until moving east to Collierville, where he remains the town administrator. Alan Montgomery was the third administrator, moving over from the police department. Sometime after Montgomerys departure Andy Pouncey moved into the spot, but the title morphed into assistant TO the city administrator, and two other assistants -- Kristen Geiger and George Brogdon -- created a trio on the second level of the citys chain of command. Eventually, all three "assistants" departed the city, and there was no one in line to succeed Lawton in his absence or if he departed. The void led several to push for him to groom someone. Nothing appears imminent -- the hiring of an assistant or Lawtons retirement. But the transition at least is under consideration. By the way, the picture above is not due to some community service to which Lawton was sentenced or a lost bet. He was helping crews collect yard waste this week since Inland, the suburb's current contractor, hasn't picked up the limbs etc. in some areas for awhile. May 25, 2016 Michael Robinson, Advanced Placement human geography teacher at Houston High School, has been awarded a grant from Tennessee Humanities that he will use to visit Auschwitz in July. Robinson has also been teaching the Facing History and Ourselves class since 2005 and the main subject studied in the class is the Holocaust. Robinson is one of six teachers awarded grant money in Tennessee. (Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal) SHARE By Jane Roberts of The Commercial Appeal Michael Robinson teaches the concepts of "stereotype" and "other" in a practical, hands-on way requiring almost no previous knowledge or research. He asks students in his Facing History and Ourselves class to name five or six groups of students who eat together at Houston High. He's not looking for cliches either, so jock and cheerleader don't work. "I want them to be more thoughtful. Then I want them to think of what their perception of the group is. What qualification do people need to belong," he says in his classroom, an eclectic mix of maps, soda cans and shelves lined with teaching awards. "Then, for the last thing, I ask them to sit with one of the groups to see how their ideas fit." For his thoughtful deliberateness, Humanities Tennessee named him one of its six Outstanding Educators. The others are: Geoffrey Smith, St. Andrew's-Sewanee School, Sewanee; Suzanne Costner, Fairview Elementary, Maryville; Dr. Hunter Brimi, Hardin Valley Academy, Knoxville; Jane Sasser, Oak Ridge High and Brian Smith, Jefferson Middle, Oak Ridge. Each receives $2,000, plus $1,500 for their school. Robinson, 44, who teaches extensively about the Holocaust, has been to 40 countries and many of their major cities but not Krakow, Poland, or Auschwitz-Birkenau. For $2,605, he has planned, down to the entry fees, the eight-day trip that will put him in Oscar Schindler's factory and museum in Krakow, show him life under Communism there and the ghettos the Nazis systematically emptied into Auschwitz. There are side trips to the Dunajec River to the south, Slovakia and an intentional eight-hour layover in New York so he can take in the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. "It will make the lessons so much better now that I will have firsthand knowledge and pictures. Now, all I have are videos we watch," he said. The mission at Humanities Tennessee is to help the state's people respect and understand each other "by examining and reflecting on ideas," said Paul McCoy, program officer. "Michael's students are gaining a greater understanding of the world, how it works and how others live in it. He is fostering the kind of curiosity, respect and understanding that will make the world a better place, both for his students and ultimately all of us." Sometime ago, Robinson stopped lecturing and feeding his students notes from the textbook. There's still a text, but class discussions are framed by the layers of complexity Robinson finds on the Internet. Students might study the population pyramid of Germantown (characterized by low birthrates with big bubbles of school-age children of both genders and the 20-, 30- and 40-year-olds who are raising them) and compare it to the pyramid in Frayser or Downtown or the University of Memphis. "They realize that where people live determines what they have in common," Robinson said. When he decided he wanted more kids to see the wealth of difference and perception covered in his Facing History elective, he added more reading and writing and turned into an honors course, which appeals to Houston's demographic. Enrollment tripled from two to six sections. Robinson has won several awards from the National Council for Geographic Education, including the Nystrom Lesson Plan of the Year awards in 2010 and 2012 and its Distinguished Teacher Award in 2014. The National Council for Social Studies honored him as Teacher of the Year in 2010. The awards that mean the most and may best show his ingenuity are a series of lessons he planned around income and Starbucks. In one, students predict in which cities Starbucks is most likely to expand, based on the profile of its customers they create from Geographic Information Systems data. As national social studies teacher of the year, Robinson was asked to speak on the Starbucks project at the group's annual conference. The minister of education from Singapore was in the audience and invited Robinson to visit and speak to its teachers. "That is the biggest thing I have done," he says. But if there's a fire at Houston, he laughs that he tells the students to save the cans he's collected from all over the world instead of the awards, noting he could never replace them or the memories they represent. SHARE Once again, a respected poll shows that a majority of Tennesseans support Gov. Bill Haslam's alternative Medicare expansion plan. The survey of 1,001 Tennessee registered voters indicates that 63 percent either strongly support or somewhat support the governor's Insure Tennessee plan, which would expand health insurance coverage to 280,000 low-income uninsured working people, mostly paid for by the federal government, according to a statewide Vanderbilt University Poll released a week ago. That level of support is virtually unchanged from the 64 percent of respondents who said they supported the plan in both the last two Vanderbilt polls in May and November 2015. Seventeen percent of respondents strongly or somewhat oppose Insure Tennessee, and 12 percent neither support nor oppose the plan. Taken in the context of the plan's opponents in legislature mostly Republicans, many of whom have state employee insurance at steep discounts refusing to allow a full House and Senate vote on the issue demonstrates that partisan politics trumps the will of the majority of the state's citizens. Republican legislators have made it clear they do not want any part of President Barack Obama's health care plan to make sure all Americans have access to health insurance. The GOP governor negotiated for months with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to come up with an alternative to expanding the state's health insurance plan for the poor under provisions of the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare. As a result, the state has rejected nearly $2 billion in federal health care money, which the state's hospitals' leaders said could be used to take the financial stress off hospitals that provide large a percentage of uncompensated care. House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, last month created a task force to examine possible alternatives to the Haslam plan. It is holding hearings across the state and is due to report its findings in June. However, the task force is stacked with GOP legislators, creating speculation that she created the task force to assuage criticism of her not pushing for a full vote in the House on Insure Tennessee. Even ignoring the partisan politics underpinning the objection to the governor's plan, the refusal to allow a vote on Insure Tennessee is another example of the shortsightedness that can permeate our elected leaders. At its core, Insure Tennessee would be give 280,000 low-income working Tennesseans without health insurance access to primary care doctors and healthy lifestyle initiatives. That access, in many cases, can keep easily controlled health issues from developing into serious illnesses that land the uninsured in hospital emergency rooms. Worst still, the serious illnesses can evolve into critical illnesses that can cost thousands of dollars to treat. The hospitals usually end up eating the cost of that treatment. As Harwell's task force travels across the state, we hope its members keep that thought in mind, along with the fact that giving the poor and low-income access to health insurance simply is the right thing to do. SHARE By Megan McArdle Until a few early polls started coming out showing Donald Trump pulling ahead of Hillary Clinton, liberals could be forgiven a certain amount of Schadenfreude. After 20 years of relentless partisanship and personal attacks, the monster that Republican leaders created had broken free of its chains and was hell bent on destroying its former master. Or maybe those liberals shouldn't be forgiven so easily. I've been pondering these theories advanced by everyone from Barack Obama and Harry Reid to Bill Maher and the thing is, they don't make a heck of a lot of sense. They seem to posit a Republican electorate that is, on the one hand, so malleable that the GOP leadership could create the emotional conditions for a Trump candidacy and on the other hand, a Republican electorate so surly and unmanageable that it has ignored the horrified pleading of conservative leaders and intellectuals, in order to rally behind Trump. Perhaps because I have spent the last 15 years trying to convince other people of my opinions, I have an alternate theory: You don't put ideas in peoples' heads; they just grow there. Consider the five major planks of the "Everything is the fault of the Republican Party" argument: 1) Talk radio and Fox News made conservatives crazy. I don't particularly care for most talk radio. The name calling and buzzwords are juvenile, and the level of policy debate is not high enough to hold my interest, regardless of whether I agree with some of the chatter. And, blissfully freed from the necessity of actually governing or getting elected, talk-radio folks are prone to urge counterproductive tactical extremism that is great for their ratings and terrible for the political causes they are allegedly trying to advance. That said, media follows its audience, rather than leading it. Opinion columnists who spend any time at all interacting with their readers are well aware of how pitifully rarely we manage to change anyone's mind about anything. Mostly, folks read us because they agree with us and enjoy having us agree with them. The best evidence that conservative media have any impact on the opinions of its audience shows that the introduction of Fox News to cable systems very slightly moved those election districts to the right by about the margin in a white-knuckled squeaker of an election. This can't explain the last 10 years of electoral results or the current cycle. 2) Blocking President Barack Obama's legislation. This theory, as advanced by Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, holds that by relentlessly delegitimizing Obama, Republicans somehow paved the way for the rise of Trump and his "no holds barred" style of politics. I've been pretty harsh on some of the more theatrical exhibitions of pointless political power over the last eight years. But this explanation for Trump's rise is absurd. First, the leadership was frantically trying to stop those folks, and was unable to because the conservative base elected hard-liners who wouldn't cooperate. Second, as this implies, the impetus for the shutdowns and the legislative blockades came from very conservative voters in the Republican base, the kind who can swing House primary races, yet Trump's support was strongest among moderate Republicans. You could theorize that Republican obstructionism paved the way for Trump by alienating those voters, except that there's no evidence for this; few Trump fans seem to be wildly outraged by green-energy initiatives, health care expansions or the failure to cut taxes deeper and faster. When I've asked them what they're most mad about, it's that the leadership seemed too cooperative with Obama on immigration reform. 3) Personal attacks on Democrats. This is just I have no words for what it is. At least, not words that can be printed in a family-friendly column. It is self-congratulatory swill, nonsense on stilts. It suggests that the Republican leadership could have somehow shut down all such attacks, which would have, at the very least, involved both government censorship and flagrant violation of our nation's campaign finance laws. And of course, it suggests that climbing further up the moral high ground would have somehow instilled a sense of shame in Trump or the folks who enjoy his outrages, a theory which has been thoroughly and conclusively disproved by the events of the last six months. Should the Republicans have been more forthright in denouncing Donald Trump's birth-certificate nonsense? Absolutely, and while they're at it they should call their mothers more, and donate more of their personal funds to global malaria eradication. But it's a pretty big stretch to suggest that any of these things would have somehow impinged on his popularity. 4) Fox News gave him so much air time. C'mon. Every time I tuned into MSNBC or CNN, I thought I had mistakenly woken up in Hugo Chavez's Venezuela, where television stations were legally required to air hours of the off-the-cuff ramblings of their local strongman. There is a lively debate to be had over whether the networks should have chased ratings by giving Trump a couple of billion dollars' worth of free airtime. That debate does not end in the conclusion that somehow, it's all the fault of Fox News. 5) The Southern strategy. In this theory, the original sin was the GOP's Southern strategy, in which they cynically decided to go after the South's angry white racist vote with a code-word-laden campaign about law and order. Eventually, this culminated in the nomination of an outspoken racist for the party leadership.I have a somewhat more nuanced view of the Southern strategy. First, the idea that law and order concerns were all about appealing to Southern racists is frankly nuts; law and order concerns were mostly about appealing to voters who were appalled by the explosion of violence and disorder from the '60s to the early '90s. We can certainly argue about whether the policies enacted in response to that explosion were just, right or effective, but the idea that Republicans somehow invented this to cover up their attempt to reinvent the KKK as a major political party is just shockingly ahistorical. Second, to the extent that Republicans were tapping into such sentiments, some of it was simply because with crime and welfare benefits unequally racially distributed, any party that favored tough law enforcement and was skeptical of social spending was going to appeal more to whites than to minorities, and especially to whites who had strong negative feelings about the minorities who committed a disproportionate share of the crimes and collected a disproportionate share of the poverty benefits. This makes the "Southern strategy" look more deliberate than it was; part of what we're looking at is simply a party realignment away from regional blocs and the old business/labor split and toward ideological size-of-government and culture war fault lines. The fact that small-government policies appealed to racists doesn't mean that this was the motivation of the folks pushing those policies. Which brings me to my third point, which is that to the extent that it was deliberate, the Republican Party was chasing those voters, not leading them. The racial animus behind Jim Crow was not created by political leadership; it was often reinforced by law, but it was a culture-wide systematic bias that caused, rather than reflected, Jim Crow, and which outlived the demise of its legal manifestation. You can argue that Republicans should simply have declined to have those voters in their coalition, but how? The rest of the party really did want small-government policies for a variety of ideological and personal reasons. Were they supposed to abandon the policy positions because racists also liked them? Better shut down Planned Parenthood, then, because Margaret Sanger had some incredibly unappealing views on eugenics. (Hint: She was for it.) I don't like the fact that there are virulent racists and anti-Semites in our electorate. I don't know how big a percentage they compose of Trump's support, but they are obviously some portion, because I, like other right-leaning columnists, have been enjoying a bile fountain from those folks for months. I would rather those people let go of their vile hatreds and embraced better, kinder ideas about the world and the people in it. But they're still my fellow Americans, and they have exactly as much right as I do to have their votes count. And there's no way to keep their preferences out of the policy process unless you're prepared to advocate that both parties should systematically collude to disenfranchise these folks, and split the remaining vote between them. That's both impractical and more than a little creepy. So whose fault is Trump then, if not the leadership of the Republican Party and the conservative movement? I tend to think that's a bad question. It is politics-as-novel, rather than politics-as-system. We are a large, fractious nation full of clashing interest groups and wildly differing opinions, as well as differing levels of engagement with politics. That system will often spit out results that most of us don't like very much. Trying to ascribe those results to a person, or even a small group, is like blaming the weatherman because it's raining, or an economist for a recession. You have selected the most visible target, not the most likely one. And, in the case of Democrats who fault Republicans for Trump, a very convenient target as well. Megan McArdle is a Bloomberg View columnist. 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. Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's decision to use a private email server ran afoul of the government's IT security and record retention requirements, according to a report by the department's inspector general released today. This use of a private email server did not go unnoticed within the Department of State's IT department. Two IT staff members who raised concerns about Clinton's use of a private server were told not speak of it. Clinton was secretary of state from 2009 to 2013 and during that period she used a private email server in her New York home. This report by the Department of State's Inspector General about Clinton's use of a private server makes clear that rules and regulations were not followed. It says that Clinton would not have received approval for this server had she sought it. Clinton had an obligation, according to this report, to consult with the IT department, which is called the Bureau of Information Resource Management (IRM). Investigators said in 2010 two IT staff members "each discussed their concerns about Secretary Clinton's use of a personal email account in separate meetings" with a top-level IT official. They were told the director stated that the mission of the Executive Secretariat, Office of Information Resources Management "is to support the Secretary and (an official) instructed the staff never to speak of the secretary's personal email system again." The people involved in these discussions were not identified. The IT staff members were told "that the secretary's personal system had been reviewed and approved by department legal staff and that the matter was not to be discussed any further." But the inspector general "found no evidence" that a department legal adviser reviewed or approved Clinton's personal email system. The report also found "no evidence that the secretary requested or obtained guidance or approval to conduct official business via a personal email account on her private server." According to the current CIO, the report said, "Secretary Clinton had an obligation to discuss using her personal email account to conduct official business with their offices, who in turn would have attempted to provide her with approved and secured means that met her business needs." However, the report notes, according to these officials, The Bureau of Diplomatic Security and IRM "did not -- and would not --approve her exclusive reliance on a personal email account to conduct Department business, because of the restrictions in the FAM [Foreign Affairs Manual] and the security risks in doing so." The problem of not involving IT in the decision-making seems obvious. In a footnote, the report relays this security incident: "On May 13, 2011, two of Secretary Clinton's immediate staff discussed via email the Secretary's concern that someone was "hacking into her email" after she received an email with a suspicious link. Several hours later, Secretary Clinton received an email from the personal account of then-Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs that also had a link to a suspect website. The next morning, Secretary Clinton replied to the email with the following message to the Under Secretary: "Is this really from you? I was worried about opening it!" The issue with this, the report explained, was multifaceted. "Department policy requires employees to report cybersecurity incidents to IRM security officials when any improper cyber-security practice comes to their attention... Notification is required when a user suspects compromise of, among other things, a personally owned device containing personally identifiable information... However, OIG found no evidence that the Secretary or her staff reported these incidents to computer security personnel or anyone else within the Department." If you're reading this column, odds are, you don't use your smartphone like most people. Most people have one app for text messaging -- the one that came set up on their phone by default. Sure, they might have another platform-specific messaging program, like Facebook Messenger. But they probably aren't looking to add more complexity into that lineup. And when it comes to texting, they probably don't even think about what app they use; they just tap the icon for "the texting app." Google doesn't seem to be aware of this. Or perhaps more accurately, Google doesn't seem to care -- and the company's announcements around messaging at this year's I/O developers' conference are the prime example of that disconnect. More than anything, these announcements highlight just how out of touch Google is growing with the needs and realities of its users in this all-important department. Let's set the stage, shall we? Take a deep breath, 'cause there's some important background to cover here. How we got here: The Google messaging saga Back in Android's early days, devices shipped with two "stock" messaging apps: the aptly named Messaging, which was the platform's default texting client, and Google Talk, which was Google's cross-platform IM utility for non-SMS-based conversations. (Google Talk was also frequently referred to as "Google Chat" or "Gchat," as you may recall -- not surprisingly, as its implementation in Gmail was confusingly branded as "Google Chat" at least some of the time.) At a certain point, another app called Google Voice came into the picture. Voice was a specialty app for people who wanted advanced call routing capabilities -- a single number that'd handle all of your texting and voicemail and would intelligently forward calls and messages to any phones you wanted. The Voice app came with its own standalone system for texting. Then came Google+. Google+ added two more apps into the equation: Hangouts for video calls and Huddle for IM-like messaging. Huddle was eventually renamed to Google+ Messenger, and both it and Hangouts received their own standalone icons in the Android app drawer. Confused yet? Me, too. But hang on: This journey's just getting started. After a short infancy, Hangouts expanded into a broader messaging tool that combined its own form of IM-style messaging with the app's original video-calling functionality. Google made it clear that Hangouts would eventually replace Talk and become the company's main messaging solution. And true to that promise, in 2013, Hangouts relaunched -- with the newly expanded version described by one Google exec as "the single communication app that we want our users to rely on." The new Hangouts would combine Google Talk, Google+ Messenger, and the old Hangouts into a one-stop cross-platform app for all of your messaging needs. Except, that is, for SMS-based texting. You'd still need the old Messaging app on Android for that -- at least, until later in 2013, when Google added SMS support to Hangouts and finally made it into a true universal messaging solution. The company even made it clear that Hangouts would be "the future of Google Voice" and would eventually take over all of its functionality -- something that (partially) came into focus by late the following year. A glimmer of hope in Google's messaging gaggle At last, progress -- one app to rule them all! Or so it seemed for a short while. Hangouts had matured into being the default messaging program on Android devices -- a single unified spot for any and all mobile messaging needs. Use it for texting; use it for IMing. Use it for video chats, audio calls, even advanced Google Voice-connected conversations. Use it from your phone and use it from a desktop or tablet; it's all synced up and ready wherever you sign in. Suffice it to say, this represented a significant step in Android's evolution from rough-around-the-edges power tool into polished, consumer-friendly product. I could finally give my friends and family a simple way to set up messaging on their devices that'd "just work" everywhere -- without all the complication and confusion. It felt like a major milestone. Unfortunately, that feeling lasted for only about a year -- until bafflingly, Google seemed to forget its own message of simplification. In late 2015, the company released a new standalone messaging app. This one, Messenger, went back to the pre-Hangouts era of Messaging and provided a new default environment for SMS-based texting. You know, the same thing Hangouts had been expanded to handle seamlessly alongside instant messaging and video chat. Does no one at Google remember the past? Google was back to having a jumbled labyrinth of overlapping messaging options for Android users (and that doesn't even take into account the other proprietary messaging clients third-party device-makers often add into the mix). The boiling water really started to spill over this past January, when the company started showing a prompt to Hangouts users that asked them to move over to Messenger for their SMS texting needs (even though Hangouts actually still supports SMS messaging to this day). Little did we know that even that was just the start of Google's mobile messaging backslide. A familiar-feeling future So that's where things stood with messaging on Android as we headed into this year's I/O event. And that's why the Internet responded with a collective "WTF?" when Google announced it was creating not one but two more new messaging apps that'd exist alongside Hangouts and Messenger. On the way later this year is Allo, a "smart" messaging app that's basically an expanded version of the same sort of instant messaging available on Hangouts -- and Duo, a one-to-one video calling app that's basically a refreshed version of the one-to-one video calling capability on Hangouts. Both apps replicate a function Hangouts already handles, only in an updated manner and with some new features included. But instead of simply upgrading Hangouts to have those new features and updates -- which would have actually served users in a sensible way -- Google opted to start over yet again and create two entirely new platforms. Does no one at Google remember the past? Back when the "new" Hangouts came along in 2013, Google's then-director of real-time communications, Nikhyl Singhal (who left the company last January), responded to a question about Google's confusing maze of messaging apps with an upfront admission: "I think we've done an incredibly poor job of servicing our users here." And yet here we are, three years later, moving backwards into that same unfocused mess. Just when the company had started to sort out its communications lineup and commit to a single consistent messaging platform users could actually understand, Google is step by step unraveling its progress and reverting to a state of chaos. We were so close to simplification. Something clearly changed. Google's messaging strategy no longer aligns with what's best for its users The underlying issue with the company creating new apps like Allo and Duo is that messaging platforms are useful only if your friends and family also use them. All the cool features in the world won't mean a thing if you go onto Allo later this year and find no one you know signed in and available to chat on it. In other words, Google's "more is more" messaging strategy depends on users continuing to migrate and adopt the latest newly branded offering (even when it confusingly overlaps with an existing option they'll also continue to need). As anyone who's ever tried to get family and friends to switch messaging apps knows, that's not something most typical users do regularly or willingly. And since these apps depend on your social circles embracing them in order to be effective, the situation rapidly turns into a self-defeating cycle. Instead of creating a single fantastic app that serves as a standard on its platforms -- and then evolving and improving that app over time -- Google just keeps tossing out new apps and platforms time and time again. Don't forget, too, that in addition to Allo and Duo, Google recently unveiled a "small group sharing" app called Spaces. What normal person can possibly keep all of this straight? Google almost certainly has a strategy for its chaotic and disjointed approach to messaging, but any such plan appears to favor broad corporate objectives at the expense of optimal user experience. And that's the real problem: Google's messaging strategy no longer aligns with what's best for its users, especially those on its own mobile platform. If history is any indication, that's a problem not likely to be resolved anytime soon. With Google's I/O developers' conference behind us, it's time to start looking forward to what's next in the world of Android. The most prominent thing is Google's rapidly approaching Android release, currently known only as Android "N." (The company has yet to reveal the full name or version number.) While the software itself isn't expected to arrive until sometime this summer, we're getting an increasingly clear picture of the fresh features and improvements it'll provide. I've been using the pre-release versions of Android N since Google's first developer preview back in March and all the way through the most recent update put out last week (which is available to anyone with an eligible device, though be warned that it isn't entirely stable). While the software is still in flux and its elements aren't guaranteed to remain unchanged, we've seen enough at this point to get a pretty good idea of what's in the works. Here's a tour of the most significant new elements in Android N as of now -- and why they all matter. (Remember: Since manufacturers are able to customize Android as they like, some specifics of the software may vary from one device to the next once N is actually released, as will the timing of when the upgrade becomes available. What's described here is Google's core vision for the software -- which is what's used on its own Nexus devices and what all manufacturers use as a base for their efforts.) Multi-window mode The marquee feature in Android N is without a doubt its new multi-window mode. The feature makes it possible to split a device's display in half and view two apps onscreen at the same time. The new multi-window mode makes it possible to split a device's display in half and view two apps onscreen at the same time. Sound familiar? It should: Manufacturers like Samsung have been adding that ability into their Android devices for quite a while now. Android N, however, marks the first time the function is being offered as a native part of the actual operating system -- which means it's the first time it'll be available on all Android devices, regardless of who makes them, and the first time developers will be able to optimize their apps to work consistently well with the feature across the entire platform. Taking advantage of multi-window mode on Android N is quite easy: While using any app, you simply press and hold the system Overview key (typically the square-shaped icon next to the Back and Home icons). That shrinks the app down to half of the screen and brings up cards showing your most recently used apps in the other half. All you do then is select the second app you want from the stack of cards, and ta-da: You've got two apps running simultaneously on your display. Alternatively, you can fire up multi-window mode by tapping the Overview key once from anywhere in the system -- then touching and holding any card in your recently used apps list and dragging it onto the top part of the screen. You can even arrange two Chrome tabs together, if you want. If you're anything like me, multi-window mode isn't something you'll use all the time -- but it is something that can come in handy once in a while, like when you want to glance at an email while editing a document or send a text message while continuing to watch a video on YouTube. Fast app switching Something I've been enjoying even more than multi-window mode is the new fast app-switching feature available in Android N. You can think of it as Alt-Tab for Android: When you want to jump back and forth between two apps in a snap, you just double-tap the Overview key -- and almost instantly, Android zaps you back to the last app you had open. It makes for a much more efficient way of hopping between processes. Once you get used to it, you'll wonder how you ever got along before. An improved Overview For times when hopping alone won't suffice, you'll still want to use Android's full Overview interface -- and with the N release, that part of the platform gets some much-needed polish. Android N offers a new command to clear away all the cards in the Overview list and start fresh. As of the most recent preview, Android N limits the number of items in the Overview list, so that you see only cards from the last seven apps you've had open. That's a huge improvement from the previous mess of a setup, where dozens upon dozens of cards would stack up and make the function more overwhelming than useful. In addition to the inherently decluttered view, Android N offers a new command to clear away all the cards in the Overview list and start fresh. All in all, it's a much improved user experience that makes getting around Android even easier. Better notifications Android's notifications are getting better thanks to a refined interface introduced in Android N. Multiple alerts from a single app are now bundled together into a single expandable card -- so if, for instance, you received three new messages in Gmail, you'll see a single card in your notification panel with an overview of that info. Tapping the card will then fan it out into individual mini-cards with more detailed info on each message, and tapping any one of those mini-cards will expand it and allow you to perform message-specific actions like archiving. Left: The initial "bundled" view of multiple notifications from a single app. Right: The fully expanded view with detailed message info and actions. Android N also makes it possible to reply to a notification right from the notification panel -- something certain apps allowed via workarounds in the past but that can now be accomplished far more easily and consistently. With Hangouts, for example, tapping the Reply button within a notification causes the notification to expand downward and a text window to appear inside it. You can then type your response and send it without ever switching apps or stopping whatever else you were doing -- a cleverly implemented convenience that quickly becomes invaluable. More satisfying Quick Settings Speaking of accomplishing things without interruptions, Android's Quick Settings feature gets some significant new polish with the N release. First of all, a scaled-down version of your Quick Settings now appears when you first pull down the notification panel -- a major improvement from previous versions of Android, which utilized nearly the same amount of space to display only the time, date and a few function-free icons. With Android N, that area holds six functional shortcuts for tasks like toggling your device's Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or do-not-disturb mode. Left: The scaled-down version of Quick Settings. Right: The fully expanded panel. When you swipe down on the panel a second time (or swipe down once with two fingers, if you prefer), it expands to show a series of tiles that give you access to a broader and more versatile range of commonly used functions. These tiles allow you to perform more intricate actions -- like connecting to a specific Wi-Fi network or viewing detailed battery usage info -- without ever exiting the Quick Settings pull-down. The tiles are now customizable, too: You can add and remove items and place them in any order you like. And whichever tiles you place into the first five spots appear in the scaled-down version of Quick Settings described above -- an extremely useful bit of personalization potential. Spruced up system settings Android's full system settings also get a fresh coat of paint in Android N. It's nothing transformational, but you'll notice some subtle improvements -- such as a new Suggestions section at the top that tries to predict what you're looking for and make it easy to find, or the fact that the main settings screen now shows extra nuggets of info under each primary option (like your current ringer volume level under the Sound heading, for instance, or how much of your device's storage is available under Storage). Android's full system settings also get a fresh coat of paint. You'll find a few newly added options within the settings, too, for things like setting separate wallpaper for your home and lock screens, and the ability to adjust your device's display size and make everything bigger. Google has also attempted to make getting around the system settings simpler by adding a side-loading menu that lets you move directly from one section to another. Hey, anything that can save a second or two -- right? A customizable Share menu A seemingly teensy change that's become one of my favorite Android N features is the ability to customize the system-wide Share menu. Google's used a lot of different methods for sorting that menu over the years, but for some reason, my favorite sharing destinations always seem to end up buried in the middle of the list and frustratingly hard to find. You can long-press any icon in the Share list and pin it to the top of the Share menu. With Android N, you can long-press any icon in the Share list and pin it to the top. You can pin any number of apps you want, and they'll appear in the order you pinned them. Sometimes, it's the smallest things that make the biggest difference. Data-saving support Unlimited data isn't a reality for many smartphone owners these days, and Android N has a little something for the gigabyte-pinchers among us: a new Data Saver mode that senses when you're on a metered network and puts the brakes on your mobile data usage. Data Saver works in two ways: First, it blocks background data usage so your apps won't move any more bytes than is absolutely necessary. (You can manually whitelist certain apps as exceptions if you want.) And second, it tells apps to limit the amount of data use in the foreground whenever possible. Take that, pesky carrier caps! Under-the-hood advancements and big-picture changes In addition to all the front-facing features, Android N includes the usual host of under-the-hood improvements we hear about with practically every OS upgrade. This latest version of Android promises to provide faster and more effective performance, better battery life and other similar stuff. It hasn't been anything I've noticed in regular day-to-day use, but your mileage may vary (and some of these areas may be more apparent once a final release arrives). Android N also introduces support for a new VR Mode that'll provide a system-level platform for phone-connected virtual reality headsets. Devices will have to meet specific hardware requirements in order to be certified as "VR ready," though, and Google's Nexus 6P is the only phone that's been certified thus far -- so odds are, you won't be seeing the effects of this on your current device anytime soon. On the enterprise front, meanwhile, Google's Android for Work program gains a handful of new features with the N release, including quick device-provisioning via QR code scanning, an optional security challenge to add an extra safeguard to work-related apps, a simple toggle for users to enable and disable a device's work mode and an always-on VPN requirement. And beyond the N release, Google is prepping a system that'll make it possible to open and ; it'll work on any phone running Android 4.2 or higher when it launches later this year. More broadly yet, new efforts are underway to bring Chrome OS and Android closer together, including a plan to make all Android apps available on Chromebooks -- something that has huge implications for the future of Google's platforms (despite what some myopic analysts may surmise). All in all, Google's certainly got its hands full -- and it shouldn't be long before the fruits of its labor start making their way into our lives. Salesforce has named Amazon Web Services its preferred public cloud provider for services like Sales Cloud, Service Cloud and App Cloud, expanding an existing partnership to provide the backend for the software-as-a-service provider. AWS already hosts several Salesforce services like Heroku, SalesforceIQ and the recently-announced IoT Cloud. This latest deal will help Salesforce to expand internationally without having to build its own data centers in order to comply with local data sovereignty laws. That's important as Salesforce tries to pick up more customers in countries that have strict requirements about where data is stored. Salesforce isn't the only company to turn to AWS in this capacity: Dropbox will store data with AWS in Germany starting later this year. The news means that Amazon, already the public cloud leader, will be getting money from one of the biggest success stories in the SaaS market. It comes at a time when Amazon is locked in a tight battle with other providers, including Microsoft and Google. For Amazon, the deal means it should get more revenue from Salesforce as that company continues to grow. It's also a vote of confidence for AWS that could help it win more SaaS customers. Not surprisingly, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff heaped praise on Amazon. "There is no public cloud infrastructure provider that is more sophisticated or has more robust enterprise capabilities for supporting the needs of our growing global customer base," he said in a statement. That's an implicit snub at Microsoft, Google and Amazon's other competitors in the public cloud market, which Salesforce could have chosen as part of this push. Of course, it would be strange for Salesforce to bet on Microsoft Azure. While it's partnered with the Redmond-based company in some areas, the two compete against each other in the CRM market. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) today asked a federal judge to let it join Microsoft in suing the U.S. government over authorities' use of gag orders that prevent the technology firm from telling customers their data has been demanded, court filings showed. "A basic promise of our Constitution is that the government must notify you at some point when it searches or seizes your private information," said Alex Abdo, an ACLU senior staff attorney, in a statement Thursday. "The government has managed to circumvent this critical protection in the digital realm for decades, but Microsoft's lawsuit offers the courts an opportunity to correct course." The ACLU argued that it should be included as a plaintiff in the case because it is a Microsoft customer. "Movants are organizations that rely on Microsoft Corporation's email and cloud-computing services to store and transmit sensitive records and communications," stated the ACLU's motion, which was filed today in a Seattle federal court. "For this reason, Movants have an acute interest in ensuring that the government's demands for the records of Microsoft's customers are constitutional." In a separate proposed complaint -- which would be added to the case docket if the organization is allowed to join the lawsuit -- the ACLU challenged the government's gag orders on grounds that they violated the Fourth Amendment, which guarantees "[t]he right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizure." "The ACLU has a reasonable expectation of privacy and protected possessory interests in its electronic communications stored by Microsoft," that complaint read. "The government's search or seizure of the ACLU's records must, therefore, comply with the Fourth Amendment. To comply with the Fourth Amendment, the government must provide notice to the ACLU when it obtains the ACLU's electronic communications from Microsoft." The ACLU said it used Office 365 and the subscription's Microsoft-run Exchange Server for email communication, and Microsoft's Azure cloud-computing platform to host the organization's intranet. Microsoft's complaint, which the Redmond, Wash. company filed in mid-April, cited the First Amendment when it argued that parts of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) were unconstitutional. The ECPA is a 30-year-old law that government agencies use to force email, Internet and cloud storage service providers to hand over data to aid criminal investigations. Microsoft did not object to the ECPA as a whole, but to the frequent application of gag orders that require providers to keep the data demands secret. In the past 18 months, 48% of the 5,624 federal demands for Microsoft customer information came tagged with secrecy orders. If the judge allowed the ACLU to intervene in the case and add itself as a plaintiff, the government would have to expand its defense to cover not only Microsoft's First Amendment arguments, but also the ACLU's Fourth Amendment concerns. The ACLU and Microsoft are not necessarily at odds in the case, but the ACLU made clear that its motivations are different from Microsoft's. "The primary focus of Microsoft's claims is in ensuring that Microsoft be permitted to communicate to its customers about searches and seizures of their information," the ACLU's motion said. "Microsoft's commitment to providing notice is laudable, and its decision to file this suit is noteworthy for being the first of its kind. [But] while Movants have every reason to believe that Microsoft's policy will not change, that policy is not legally binding, and it is certainly not compelled by the Constitution." In other words, the ACLU contended, absent its participation in the case, Microsoft could at some future point change its position on informing customers, even if it won the lawsuit, and leave the ACLU clueless about any data demand. While that may be unlikely, some legal experts have said that Microsoft's lawsuit was largely motivated by business concerns, not solely on a commitment to customers. Apples increasingly intelligent voice activated assistant, Siri, is expected to become available on Mac OS X and through third party apps on introduction of an SDK at WWDC in a few weeks. So, how can Siri help you get things done on iOS, and now might it help you on your Ma? Launch apps There are hundreds of thousands of apps available on the App Store, which means most iOS users have hundreds of apps on their device, stashed inside different folders on different screens. Often this means we find ourselves scrabbling through the pages on our device to find the app we need, we dont need to just launch Siri and say launch [insert name of app]. Calculate You can ask Siri to launch the calculator for you if you wish, or you can ask it to do the calculation for you. Try it: launch Siri and ask What is six times three?, or What is twenty one percent of 365?, you can even ask it to make more complex calculus, addition, subtraction whatever you need. Quick SMS Want to drop a quick message to Erica, or anybody else? You can unlock your phone, tap the app and type the message if you like (or hit the mic icon in your keyboard and dictate one); or you can ask Siri to Text Erica, hows it going? Youll be asked to confirm the message before you hit send. Fast social media If youve given iOS access to Facebook and/or Twitter (in Settings) then you can easily ask Siri to post a swift status update for you, just says something like Tweet the latest Jonny Evans Siri article on Computerworld is pretty useful, and youre done. Timers and alarms Siri is the quickest way to set a timer or alarm. To set a Timer tell Siri Timer [a number] [minutes, hours, seconds]. So you can say Timer twenty minutes. You can also say Wake me up in eight hours to set an alarm. Reminders You can do exactly the same to set reminders, Remind me to edit the SDN report tomorrow at 9AM, for example. Siri can also add items to your calendar. Location My favorite Siri talent is location-based. While this takes a little work and sounds a little complex, what it means is you can set reminders to get things done when you are in a particular place. This has been available for a while, as explained in this 2014 report. Proactive If you call a contact at a regular time on a regular basis, Proactive will start placing the contacts icon in your Search screen at around the time it thinks you might make that call this feature does much more than this, as explained here. Smart assistance If you receive a call from an unknown number Siri recognizes as having appeared in an email you previously received, youll be told who the caller potentially is. Relationships You can tell Siri things about people, for example: Jeremy is Prime Minister, or Colin is my brother. Siri can remember this so in future youll be able to say things like Remind me to call my brother, or Remind me to vote for Jeremy. You can also teach Siri to speak names phonetically by launching Contacts, choosing the person whose name you wish to teach Siri to say, tapping Edit>Add new field and choose Phonetic Last Name or First Name. You can use this to help Siri understand how you pronounce a name. One more thing Launch Siri and say something, anything. Siri will respond. If you look to the bottom left of the screen youll see a small question mark. Tap this and youll be presented with an extensive (and useful) library of tips for using Siri, arranged by App, task and other functions. You can, for example, ask Siri What is a 15% tip on 86.74 for four people? Google+? If you use social media and happen to be a Google+ user, why not join AppleHolic's Kool Aid Corner community and join the conversation as we pursue the spirit of the New Model Apple? Want Apple TV tips? If you want to learn how to get the very best out of your Apple TV, please visit my Apple TV website. Got a story? Drop me a line via Twitter or in comments below and let me know. I'd like it if you chose to follow me on Twitter so I can let you know when fresh items are published here first on Computerworld. Six technology companies, including Google, are working on trial projects in multiple U.S. cities to test out shared 3.5GHz spectrum wireless communications under an innovative model adopted recently by the Federal Communications Commission. The companies are working in an coalition that is tentatively being called the CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) Alliance, which borrows the CBRS terminology from the FCC. Some of the companies in the alliance have already demonstrated what they call OpenG technology, which uses 3.5GHz shared spectrum to improve indoor wireless communications. In April, Kansas City, Mo., approved a Google test of 3.5GHz shared wireless in more than eight locations in that area for up to 18 months. Ruckus Wireless, one of the other six alliance members with Google, is in talks to join with Google in the KC tests, said Steve Martin, general manager of emerging technology at Ruckus, in an interview. He said there will be "multiple" trials of the technology in other U.S. cities by the end of 2016, but would not disclose the cities involved. The other members of the alliance are Qualcomm, Nokia, Intel and Federated Wireless. Both Google and Federated Wireless are working on the Spectrum Allocation Server (SAS) portion of the CBRS service. SAS machines will use algorithms to detect when a priority transmission by the U.S. Navy is on a certain channel, then divert other users already on that channel to another. The U.S. Navy uses narrow channels in the 3.5Ghz spectrum to communicate -- via radar flight guidance -- with jets launched from aircraft carriers along U.S. coastal areas. Federated Wireless is installing radio sensors up and down U.S. coast lines that can instantly detect the Navy's communications, then transit that information to the SAS devices to automatically require potentially hundreds of thousands of end-user cell phones to switch to a different channel. The alliance is also working with various U.S. carriers that would connect their cellular service to the free, public 3.5GHz spectrum. Ruckus plans to provide a family of 3.5GHz products that enterprises could buy to improve cellular connections in-building, including antennas to snap onto Wi-Fi access points. The purpose of the trial projects will be to make sure products from various vendors interoperate and to ensure that the SAS devices reliably switch channels away from the priority Navy signals. "With the FCC's act, the U.S. is the first country to promote and develop and formalize the dynamic sharing of spectrum and it's quite revolutionary," Ruckus' Martin said in an interview. "The expectation by the FCC is very bullish." Once sharing of the 3.5GHz spectrum is proven, the FCC is expected to look to allow sharing on other portions of wireless spectrum. Spectrum regulators in other countries are watching the results of the trials. In order to use the 3.5GHz spectrum, smartphones and other wireless devices will have to be updated. By 2018, Martin predicted, the technology will become "fairly widely available." Google is doubling down on its commitment to the business analytics market with the launch of a new free data visualization tool. The company has launched Data Studio, a free version of the data visualization tool it introduced as part of an analytics suite it unveiled earlier this year. It includes a wide variety of data connectors to let customers visualize data from Google AdWords, Google Sheets and other Google products. It also integrates with BigQuery, and the company plans to launch a connector for SQL databases later this year. The product competes against Microsoft's Power BI data visualization suite, which has been one of that company's most-hyped products under the guidance of CEO Satya Nadella. As companies collect more and more data, tech firms want to provide them with a way to better understand it. Data Studio lets businesses take in information from a variety of sources and then compose it into reports that they can then share internally or externally to give viewers a better understanding of potentially complex raw data. Those reports can include graphs, charts, and heat maps, similar to other products. Businesses that want more premium features still have to purchase a subscription to Google's Data Studio 360 service, but this free tier will give companies a way to get a taste for the functionality that's available to them. The biggest difference between the two products is the number of reports users can create -- free customers are limited to only five while Data Studio 360 users will get an unlimited number. Data Studio 360 is only one part of the company's premium analytics offering, which also includes tools for A/B testing and audience targeting. Microsoft's announcement yesterday that it would eat nearly $1 billion and lay off another 1,850 workers, three-quarters of them from its phone division, prompted analysts to call the company's consumer smartphone business dead, deceased, departed. They agreed that Microsoft's only remaining shot at phones is the enterprise, probably with a "Surface"-branded model that apes the Surface Pro as a design benchmark that struts Windows' capabilities. "They've discarded consumer," said Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, in an interview. "They just tossed out the Windows fan. It's now all about business." Moorhead and others based their opinions on statements made in mid-2015 by CEO Satya Nadella, who spelled out three markets for Microsoft's smartphones after he announced a retrenchment and a massive $7.6 billion write-off for the failed acquisition of Nokia under his predecessor, Steve Ballmer. Those markets: value-oriented buyers, Windows loyalists and business customers. Last week, Microsoft abandoned the low-end market when it sold what was left of its feature phone business for $350 million to FIH Mobile Ltd., a subsidiary of Taiwanese contract manufacturer Hon Hai, better known as Foxconn, and to Finnish firm HMD Global. Previously, Microsoft had cast the feature phones as gateways to the more expensive and advanced Windows-powered smartphones. Microsoft will take a charge of approximately $750 million against its phone business earnings in its Q2 financials at the end of June, and set aside another $200 million to cover severance for the laid-off workers. The addition of another write-down brings the bill for the Nokia disaster, initiated by Ballmer in September 2013 and finalized in April 2014, to nearly $11 billion in charges, restructuring fees and severance payments. The total was more than that, said Jack Gold, principal analyst at J. Gold Associates. "It goes back much further than Nokia," Gold said. "They were investing $1-to-$2 billion a year in Windows Phone for years. So the overall amount is much higher. But it's not going to hurt Microsoft. It's not going broke." Still, Microsoft's once-professed smartphone strategy is in tatters. Microsoft didn't say that, of course. But it did acknowledge that the accumulated write-downs and layoffs put it in a tough spot. "Our phone success has been limited to companies valuing our commitment to security, manageability, and Continuum, and with consumers who value the same," wrote Terry Myerson, the executive who runs Microsoft's combined devices and operating systems division. "We need to be more focused in our phone hardware efforts," Myerson added, not the first time the Redmond, Wash. company's leaders have said that. Nadella echoed Myerson. "We are focusing our phone efforts where we have differentiation -- with enterprises that value security, manageability and our Continuum capability, and consumers who value the same," Nadella said in a Wednesday statement. Just ignore the talk of consumer, analysts said: The only remaining target for Microsoft, assuming it stays in the manufacturing business, is enterprise. Carolina Milanesi, an analyst with Creative Strategies, envisioned a Surface-branded smartphone playing the same role as the Surface Pro, and aimed at corporate buyers who wanted to stick with a Windows-only environment. OEMs, like Lenovo and HP, that pitch deals to enterprises may want to build and sell Windows 10 Mobile devices for that reason, Milanesi said. "There are ways of thinking about mobility that don't have a phone part to them," Milanesi added, ticking off other angles, including tablets in general, small-sized tablets specifically -- a Surface Mini, essentially -- with pen support via Windows Ink, and hardware, whether in phone, tablet or Lilliputian-sized PC format, that relies on Continuum, the Windows 10 feature that lets small devices serve as the horsepower behind a desktop setup. "There are different ways to appeal to users than phones," she argued. Microsoft's strategy, what with the flop of its own smartphone business, has pivoted to stress apps, services and subscriptions for the two viable ecosystems, Google's Android and Apple's iOS. And that's the smart card to continue playing. "Where they're still in it, and should play, is services that empower the Android and iOS ecosystems," said Gold. "It should not have ever been in the cut-throat hardware business." Microsoft doesn't have to own the hardware to make money in mobile, Gold stressed, citing Office 365 as an example. Moorhead, on the other hand, leaned more toward Milanesi's position, asserting that devices running Windows 10 Mobile could be profitable for OEMs. "I absolutely believe that there are unmet needs in the commercial smartphone market," Moorhead said. "There are ODMs (original device manufacturers) who are interested in incremental sales in the business market, where you can expect higher margins. HP and Alcatel make the most sense there." Alcatel, now owned by Chinese technology firm TCL Corp., was formerly a part of U.S.-based Lucent. Microsoft promised to continue support for existing Windows smartphones, including its own devices and those from partners. Last week, it pledged to keep at it on Windows 10 Mobile. But there was little retrospection on the part of Microsoft, and virtually no post mortem explanation for burning through billions. Myerson was the exception. "When I look back on our journey in mobility, we've done hard work and had great ideas, but have not always had the alignment needed across the company to make an impact," he wrote in an all-hands email published by Recode yesterday. "This is such an utterly clueless explanation of why Windows Phone failed that it's kind of stunning," countered Ben Thompson, an independent analyst who operates Stratechery.com, in a Wednesday analysis (subscription required). "Myerson still has the Ballmer-esque presumption that Microsoft controlled its own destiny and could have leveraged its assets (like Office) to win the smartphone market. Myerson still wants to blame (apparently) the Office division." Legal notices 1) The material on this blog has been created by W. Blake Gray, is protected under US copyright law and cannot be used without his permission. 2) To the FTC: In the course of my work, I accept free samples, meals and other considerations. I do not trade positive reviews or coverage for money or any financial considerations, unlike certain famous print publications which have for-profit wine clubs but, because they are not classified as "bloggers," are not required by the FTC to post a notice like this. Close Eleven states, which includes Texas, are filing a legal proceeding against President Barack Obama and his admin following an issued ordinance that schools must permit transgender students to use restrooms and locker rooms in the gender that they identify with. According to Los Angeles Times, the suing continues the scuffle between the federal government and a certain demographic of states and their issues regarding LGBT rights. Representatives from Texas were followed by Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin, as well as Maine Gov. Paul Lepage, Arizona's department of education and several school districts in crusade against what they deemed is a disruption of the civil rights. The suit marks the latest skirmish in the growing divide between the federal government and some states over LGBT rights. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a statement as mentioned in the website which said that: "The president continues to violate the Constitution by trying to rewrite laws as if he were a king. The states serve as the last line of defense against an unlawfully expansive federal government." Texas Atty. Gen.Ken Paxton said he filed suit after hearing from parents in Fort Worth and a school district along the Oklahoma border opposed to the directive. School officials at the Harrold Independent School District approved a policy Monday that would block the federal directive, risking the loss of $117,000 in annual federal funding, according to the superintendent, who joined Paxton at a briefing in the capital. The district includes a hundred students, he said, none of whom are transgender. Advocacy groups quickly condemned the lawsuit. "This lawsuit is an attack by the Attorney General on transgender Texans, plain and simple. While ... Paxton sued the Obama administration, the real targets are vulnerable young people and adults who simply seek to live their lives free from discrimination when they go to school, work or the restroom," Rebecca L. Robertson, a policy director with the ACLU of Texas, said in a statement. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close An announcement on Google Nexus smartphones for 2016 was expected in Google I/O developer conference in May but the company had no word on the devices in the event. However, recent reports have it that HTC is making the most anticipated mobile devices running Android N for the year. It is reported that HTC is currently testing the devices running Android N and has also implemented pressure-sensitive touch display in the phones. As a matter of fact, pressure-sensitive touch display has long been rumored to be introduced in their devices by the company. There are also claims affirmative about the feature that Google has incorporated the codes supporting the pressure-sensitive touch display in Android N. Other than Google Nexus, companies like Oppo and Xiaomi have already confirmed the release of devices with pressure-sensitive touch display in 2016. "This year's Nexus handsets will apparently be 100% HTC. Source were picked up via Chinese social network Weibo which say that HTC will make both a 5in and 5.5in Nexus phone inside 2016. It's a little odd to see such a minor variation in display size with these two members of the Nexus range. On the one hand it also seems odd that Huawei is not making a return considering how well the Nexus 6P was received, and the fact that Google tends to offer OEMs another go if things do go well," reported Know Your Mobile. It is also widely rumored that HTC will be making Google's Nexus devices not just for 2016 but for couple more years. The two electronic giants, Google and HTC had allegedly made three years deal with each other which will have more of HTC devices running Google software in the market subsequently for next three years. Meanwhile HTC confirmed that it is no longer making Google Nexus 9 tablet and consumers can buy them from stores as long as the stock exists. "HTC has confirmed it has stopped making the Nexus 9, coincidentally also wiping off the last traces of its brand from the Nexus universe. With the Nexus 9's departure, both from the Google Store and the market at large, the question now is whether there will be another Nexus tablet," according to Slash Gear. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close Suicides among military personnel are found to happen before they are even deployed for duty, reports a recent study. The research also points out that the risk period is early in the career, around months after they join the service. According to the research that involved 163,178 US Army soldiers comprising both men and women, who were on duty from 2004 to 2009, 61 percent of the soldiers that attempted suicide were not deployed for regular services yet. The risk of attempting suicides was high for two months after the soldiers started their military service. As per the statistics revealed by the researchers around 9,650 soldiers attempted suicide between 2004 and 2009. About 86 percent of the attempts were made by men, in which 68 percent of the soldiers were found to be less than 30 years of age. The suicide rate was high among whites, high school graduates and those that were married. Dr. Robert Ursano of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, said that the suicide rates are high during the soldier's' transition period from training to regular services. The study findings are published in the Journal of the American Medical Association's JAMA Psychiatry. "We found the highest rates of suicide attempts were among never-deployed soldiers and those in their first years of service," Ursano's team wrote in their report, noted NBC. "That six-month time is usually the time most soldiers are taking a visit home. They are transitioning home and back again," he added. Ursano also noted that suicides are talked much once they are completed but the fact is the completed ones are like the "tip of the iceberg." Unless there is a clear understanding about the risk factors that triggers suicidal thoughts among soldiers in the US army, the suicides cannot be prevented or intervened, according to Independent. "Each of those has its own individual set of predictors and, perhaps, biological underpinnings," Ursano said when he explained about emotional status of the soldiers, noted NBC. "The idea that transitions are stressful is well-documented. You're more vulnerable not only to mental illness, but to physical illness. You are more likely to get colds. You are more likely to get infections." See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare History Is Not About The Greats Any Longer By V. Krishna Ananth 26 May, 2016 Countercurrents.org A letter from V.K.Singh, Junior Minister in the Ministry of External Affairs asking that Akbar Road be renamed as Maharana Pratap has now turned into a public debate. While it is one thing to debate on the role of kings and queens in history and whether at all such memory should be ensured by way of naming streets and roads in our towns, there is indeed a larger issue involved in these and it is one that involves the understanding of the discipline called history. And even before elaborating on this, it is appropriate to place on record that Minister Singhs concerns have nothing to do with any serious reading of the history of the Battle of Haldighati or the guerrilla attacks that Maharana Pratap carried out against the Moghul chieftains anointed by Akbar after he defeated the Mewar ruler in 1576. And even if Minister Singh had studied some of these during his training at the military academy, his concerns could not have been that of a historian. He would have been taught the tact of guerrilla warfare in the academy only to deal with the enemy and not to valourise them. Let me not quarrel with such pedagogy for it is, perhaps, justified as long as it is done in order to train the officers of our armed forces. But then, as minister in the constitutional scheme, Singh should realize that he is no longer a soldier and that the armed forces are under the command of a civilian in our scheme now. That we are not a military state and that we, as a nation, had consciously opted for a constitutional democracy against having a general at the helm of our polity (even if the general happens to be a good person) is a fact that Singh had accepted when he took oath as a minister in May 2014. And that is why it makes sense to expect him to behave a civilian and thus respect history and events to be studied the way a historian would do. It is true that history, as a subject, was taught as merely a narrative involving kings (and queens occasionally). Such narratives, based on accounts handed over by chroniclers, obviously accorded the victors with honorific suffixes. The chroniclers, after all, were courtiers who lived and prospered singing hosannas to the victors and hence it was quite natural that some kings were described the great: It is not only about Akbar but Alexander too was described in our school books as the great. However, one has not come across a worthy French historian using such an honorific suffix to Louis XIV (even while he is credited of holding I am the state) or to Napolean Bonaparte who took France out of the dark ages of the Jacobin terror; nor has any English historian sought to honour Admiral Wilson as the great. The point is that the age of revolution in Western Europe, during which kings and nobles were ousted, also known to have marked the birth of the enlightenment era in history led to a departure in the way history as a discipline came to be seen. Rather than being reduced to a chronicle of events or simple narratives, history began to be seen as studying the past. To paraphrase E.H.Carr, an author whose work is textbook for students of history in any university worth its name, that history is a continuous process of interaction betweenthe historian and her/his facts, an unending dialogue between the present and the past. The point to be emphasized here is that history is about studying the past and not just reading or learning names and dates by rote. And by studying the past, where the historian and her/his factsare necessary to one another (once again from Carr), the discipline assumed a new meaning with the focus shifting from personalities to processes. More precisely, the Moghul era, as much as the period before that in Indian History came to be probed for such aspects as the social life, the economic structure, the process of surplus generation and thus locating the contradictions within that forced the rise and fall of not only different empires but also systemic changes. The lead in this regard came from Enlightenment historians and was picked up in India by the Marxists. Now, Minister Singh and his new found follower, N.C.Shaina (whose comparison between Akbar and Hitler revealed a certain disdain for history and its rigours) may jump around and declare their disdain to Marx and Marxist historiography. But then, this indeed is the critical point. Attributing greatness to a ruler, whether Akbar or MaharanaPratap in this context, is indeed a prism through which history is sought to be studied by those who will then end up either celebrating one or the other king; the trouble is that this method will lead the historian to either condemn one or the other and ignore the fact that there existed people, the ordinary people who were held far away from the courts and the palaces to produce the surplus that went into the making of these empires and the comforts that the kings and their courtiers lived in. And such a history will then condemn the rebels, primitive or organized, as bandits or troublemakers. Just as the colonial administrators and their chroniclers described the rebellion of 1857 as a mutiny triggered by rumours of beef or pig meat being used to grease the cartridges of the enfield rifles! The problem is that this method of reading the past only through the regimes and the rulers and their goodness (or badness) helps shroud the people, particularly the oppressed, in a society into the oblivion. That the Bhils, among whom MaharanaPratap lived after escaping the Moghul army in Haldighati rose in rebellion subsequently and contributed in their own way to the making of modern India is what makes history a weapon in the making of democracy. Honorific suffixes to either Akbar or MaharanaPratap (or to stretch the argument of ridicule to its extreme to both) are only attempts to reverse the significant advances in the discipline of history and take it back to a mere chronicle of dates, personalities and events. And when history is taken back to its pre-enlightenment stage, the dangers are two-fold. One is that it will make the subject too boring and useless that children will not only hate it but will also find it useless; how does one with mere information on what happened when and nothing more become useful to society? This apart, the bigger threat is when such stress on kings and queens and one being great and anothers claims to that being contested will take us back to those times from where human civilization has advanced. It is time we put a stop to this distortion of history. V. Krishna Ananth, Associate Professor, Department of History, Sikkim University, Gangtok Email: krishnananth@gmail.com Businessman is on business of making his own brand, not even wasting one day! He's gotta hijack the US for his own gain, just like Bush/Chenney deal with the wars - their own family business thriving while the public suffers. Read the following two news headlines: Look at history facts before you jump on supporting him by name-dropping, labeling, screaming, any of kind of personal attacks (his tools). 1) As Donald Trump makes his bid for the White House, hes also talked up his new hotel opening this fall on Pennsylvania Avenue in the District of Columbia, bragging that the hotel will open its doors two years ahead of schedule . 2) Politico Donald Trump on Thursday more emphatically accepted Bernie Sanders challenge to debate him, but it comes with a price tag: $10 million. Remember W. Bush: "Ha --, Ha - that fuzzy math, it's SO Fxxxxxx hard. " Here's the Trump version: "Started in 2014, completed 2 years ahead of schedule in 2016 !" Trump proudly annonced today for the grand openning of his DC Hotel. ....I cannot do that math ! When was it scheduled to open? T hat's smart xxx tricks to voters - yeah, he's one of us ! Vote for him. ~~ Donald Trumps Own Website Contradicts His D.C. Hotel Brag Come on, Donald. When Thomas Friedman Sees Israel's Dark Hour By Kenneth E. Bauzon 26 May, 2016 Countercurrents.org The Rift Between Netanyahu and the Israeli Army: Parsing the Rhetoric in the Mainstream Media in the Case of Thomas L. Friedmans 'Netanyahu, Prime Minister of the State of Israel-Palestine', New York Times, May 25, 2016 The relationship between civilian and military authorities in presumably liberal democratic societies has been the subject of research and discussion in much of academic conferences and literature. The prevailing assumption has been that civilian authorities predominate over their military counterparts, with the latter serving as obedient recipient of instructions and orders from the former, including laws enacted by an elected civilian legislature. Many examples have been offered as examples particularly since the end of the Second World War, pointing implicitly to the presumed underlying superiority of the liberal democratic system over competing alternative systems. The Zionist State of Israel has been offered as one such example wherein proponents, in fact, claim this state to be the only democracy in the whole of the Middle East region. Problems with this thesis, as illustrated in the specific example of the Zionist State of Israel, will be pointed out in this brief commentary. Researchers often ignore the hegemonizing and harmonizing role of ideology, in this case, Zionism, which makes the distinction between civilian and military lines of authority irrelevant. Thus, these researchers often miss the significance of the alternation between military and civilian roles, and the mutual dependence and support that civilian and military authorities require of each other. In the case of the Zionist State, many civilian authorities have come from the ranks of the military while the latter, in its turn, has had a not-so insignificant role in the formulation and implementation of policies at every stage of the state's growth and expansion. Indeed, even before and since its birth, this state has relied on the services of leaders of Zionist militias, e.g., Haganah, Irgun, Stern Gang, who were promptly and correctly labeled by British Mandate authorities as terrorists, to carry out the policy of cleansing Palestine of its Arab population so that new state may be inserted without much challenge. This policy continues to this day. Both civilian and military authorities have pursued a common agenda, now lasting almost half a century since the 1967 war, of expansion, land acquisition, and colonization under military rule, using failure in political negotiations and absence of any agreement towards final status, including silence of the international community, as pretexts to establish facts on the ground, with uncritical and overwhelming material support from the US empire, despite international law prohibiting such unilateral actions. Gleaning from the pages of the mainstream press, however, one could hardly get a hint about such an egregious case. The overall consensus is that the Zionist State is a democracy, that it is fighting for its survival, and that it is merely defending its own security. The Zionist leaders, it has to be admitted, have also been very skillful in exploiting public sympathy for the Jews on account of the Holocaust, and in promoting the tactic of quickly labeling and branding any criticism of Zionist policies as anti-Semitic. No sooner does one realize that the mainstream or, alternately, corporate, media are a part of the problem. Because of their predominant and far-reaching influence, any presuppositions put forward by them almost always attain the status of normality, as gospel truth. Even if challenged, still they predominate because of their extensive resources to disseminate their point of view with the result that the dissenting voice is lost. This has been the case with regards to one of the leading columnists of the mainstream press, Thomas L. Friedman, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who writes for the paper of note, The New York Times. His column, published on May 25, 2016, presents an interesting case study about much of the presuppositions alluded to above, particularly on the nature of civilian-military rrelations in Israeli politics, the moral and legal bases of the Zionist Israeli occupation of Palestinian terrirory, and the specific policies being instituted and pursued by the Zionist authorities over the subject Palestinian population, their land, and their resources. It is rare to see Friedman in the radical garb that he wears in this piece, this time as an apparently fierce critic of the current Zionist Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu. He sums up his criticism in his concluding sentence by asserting that Netanyahu, his government, the people in his Cabinet, and his policies, extremist as they all are by his standards, represent Israel's dark hour about which those who care about Israel's future should be concerned. No doubt about the sincerity of Friedman, who invariably, through his privileged platform in The New York Times, cheered the United States' invasion of Iraq; criticized the US-Iran nuclear deal as enshrining Iran's capacity to develop and store processed uranium; claimed that Iran and Hezbollah as part of what he describes here as Israel's very dangerous neighborhood -- have been provoking, not Israel threatening and courting, war; who proclaimed the world as flat in the era of neoliberal globalization wherein countries around the world may now be considered as emerging societies, not just as emerging markets, but who insisted that the US empire, as the leading free-market-based economy, be at the driver's seat of this globalization; and, arguing that without the empire's military might, [t]he hidden hand of the market will never work without a hidden fist MacDonald's cannot flourish without McDonnell Douglas... For those familiar with Friedman's rhetoric through his prolific writings, it is easy enough to see how cockeyed and narrow his views are, and I dare say wrong in many of the suppositions he states in this piece. But for those unfamiliar, he is sure to appear level-headed, rational, and informed. In fact, he is one reason why he has a home in The New York Times, and why this paper has had an unbroken, consistent reputation editorially as a supporter of the Zionist State while being hostile at the same time to those that criticize its policies. Note, for example, that while Friedman tries to rally those of us who care about Israel's future, he casually dismisses with innuendo the proponents of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanction (BDS) Movement as as being not part of the us but, rather, part of a sinister movement masquerading as a political critique out to destroy Israel, when nothing could be further from the truth. Much of Friedman's ire and tirade in this piece is aimed at Netanyahu's apparent arbitrary and whimsical action against Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, dismissed over an apparently controversial remark he (Yaalon) made in which he warned of [e]xtremist and dangerous forces [having taken] over Israel and the Likud movement and are deestabilizing our home and threatening to harm its inhabitants. Friedman rushes to Yaalon's defense describing him as a very decent man a soldier's soldier, determined to preserve the Israeli Army as a people's army that aspires to the highest standards of integrity in the middle of a very dangerous neighborhood. Friedman is to be admired for his ability to pack so much suppositions in that one sentence, designed obviously to elicit sympathy for Yaalon and direct anger towards Netanyahu but nonetheless intended to obscure the history of the Israeli army's role for nearly fifty years -- in the colonization of the occupied Palestinian territories, the suppression of the Palestinian people, in providing security to workers sent out to demolish Palestinian homes and destroy agricultural crops, in imposing the siege on Gaza, destroying its civilian infrastructure, and in serving as gendarme for the illegal settlers, policies in which Yaalon has played a prominent and active role in implementing. Not only does Friedman ignore this history, he also manages to validate the occupation and all actions taken by the Israeli Army which he implies to be unblemished as a people's army, the world's most moral army as others would claim and, therefore, could find no fault in it. Friedman also directed criticism at Yaalon's appointed successor, Avigdor Lieberman, as another fine example of an extremist hot head for, among other faults, once advocating blowing up Egypt's Aswan Dam, vocally criticizing and excoriating those who advocated Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank, and praised medic Sgt. Elor Azaria who, in March of this year, shot in cold blood to the head a Palestinian youth already lying wounded in the ground, instead of calling for an ambulance, an act praised by a demented, blood-thirsty Israeli public as a hero. Again, if Friedman is concerned with Lieberman's extremism on account of these positions, Friedman implies that this brand of extremism is rearing its ugly head just now, that it has no history in Israeli politics, and that its ideology, based both on selective interpretation of the Torah and on pragmatic political expediencies dictated by Israel's desire to be the preeminent and unchallenged regional, nuclear-armed power in the Middle East, is not worth investigating and criticizing. And, while critical of Lieberman's praise for Azaria's action, Friedman fails to tie this action to the harsh military laws, rules, and regulations, adopted under conditions of so-called military occupation, designed to be imposed upon Palestinians only, exempting Jews, providing rules of engagement that, in the end, justify any and all measures intended to cow the Palestinian population from even talking back or throwing a rock at any symbol of Israeli authority. The result of these measures has been an accumulated series of unpunished gratuitous murders, harassments, the manhandling of ordinary Palestinians going about their daily lives, including the molestation, harassment, abduction, interrogation, and detention of Palestinian children, all amply documented by human rights organizations, but hardly meriting a meek comment or slight notice from Friedman. If Friedman's article is to represent anything, it is that it normalizes what has been the long-standing Zionist Israeli policy of occupation of and not ever wanting to vacate from the Palestinian territories in open defiance of international law and of the emergent international public opinion. Friedman is correct in one respect, that this policy of occupation has produced a binational' state, but one he says that is controlled by the extremists. But Friedman's commentary falls short of recognizing that a de facto binational state has predated the current crop of extremist leaders, that this state has been anticipated either as a conscious policy decision or as an inadvertent consequence, early on, as in the early 1980s, notably by presumably cool-headed and respected Israeli political scientist Shlomo Avineri. But in failing to define further the nature of this de facto binational state, Friedman has chosen to ignore, and consequent legitimize, its apartheid nature, a state in which the Zionists would benefit from the land and the resources therein but deny rights to Palestinians as equal citizens in this so-called binational state, subject to the whims of Israeli authorities and the enforcement of discriminatory laws. There was a good reason why former US President Jimmy Carter referred to the Zionist rule over the Palestinian territories even if he could have been right also in calling the Israeli proper as apartheid, but he was being coy and careful, sensitive to wanton criticisms of anti-Semitism. In a way, Netanyahu was being brutality honest when he admitted that under his administration, there will not be and cannot be a two-state solution. His ban on the Palestinian flag, the erasure of Palestinian culture, the cultivation of Zionist supremacy in the school books, and his display of utter contempt towards those critical of Zionist policies, described in chorus by his acolytes as anti-Semitic, all affirmed implicitly or explicitly by Friedman, apparently make it all but impossible the attainment of a sovereign, self-determining, and self-respecting Palestinian State. But most likely not really. This is because Friedman is right about one more thing: in its moral blindness, the Zionist State, particularly under Netanyahu's leadership, is destroying itself, although this self-destruction again predates the current crop of extremist leaders. This process has begun, and will continue until the Israeli public will one day wake up to this nightmare, or for that mater the dream-world, that they have helped build and fantasized about. Reference Friedman, Thomas L., Netanyahu, Prime Minister of the State of Israel-Palestine, The New York Times, may 25, 2016. In: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/25/o....) (Note about the author: A former Fulbright Fellow to Egypt and Israel, Kenneth E. Bauzon is Professor of Political Science at Saint Joseph's College New York, Brooklyn, New York, USA. Comments welcome. He may be reached at: Kbauzon@sjcny.edu.) Broken Green By Priti Gulati Cox 26 May, 2016 Countercurrents.org As the Narendra Modi government turns 2 today (May 26, 2016), heres something to reflect upon. We consumers wake up every morning and allow ourselves to be manipulated by the ideology of monoculture imprisoning various facets of our daily liveswhat we think, what we eat, where we shop, what we drive, what we recycle, the euphemisms we choose, who our enemies are, whether the quinoa we buy is labeled non-GMO and/or gluten-free, which of the lesser of the two evils to vote for in the next election and so on and so forth. When we look at the bigger picture, however, our eyes tend to glaze over, forcing us to trip over our small focuses. The continuing agrarian crisesin Indiais just one of the more recent costs of our monoculture lifestyles that somebody else is paying for with their lives, and that has resulted in over 302,000 farmer suicides since 1995. This reality, just like the hundreds and thousands of dead and dispossessed Muslims and the subsequent creation of ISIS as a result of the United States response to 9/11, is perennial. For these folks, monoculture spells debt, displacement, drought, death. A couple of bee stings wont make us too uncomfortable, but imagine being bombarded by a whole hornets nest like tiny drones piercing our bodies; that would most likely kill us, horribly, slowly. Thats how it is for most of the worlds sufferers (a term a Dalit friend used to describe the planets shock-absorbers.) These suicides in India are taking place not so much among food-crop cultivators but among cash-crop farmers, or those that produce what we line our closets and urban appetites withcotton, sugarcane, groundnut, vanilla, coffee. The former Rural Affairs Editor of The Hindu, and author of "Everybody Loves a Good Drought," P. Sainath, has pointed out that although unpredictable seasonal rains play a part in contributing to this suicide epidemic, it is mainly factors driven by state policiesissues such as debt, hyper commercialization, exploding input costs, water-use patterns, severe price shocks and price volatilitythat are at the root. Drought only adds another layer to this endless cycle of shock after shock from which farmers can see no way out and feel totally abandoned, experiencing a numbing loss of self-reliance. This years union budget has been declared pro-farmer, as has the promise of doubling farm incomes by the year 2022. What that really means is that the budget and the future of agriculture is really more pro-agri-business friendly, not pro-farmer, and that someone living far, far away from Indias countryside will make money.a lot of it, but it will not be the farmer. In fact farmers in India are still waiting for the Modigovernment to deliver on its 2014 BJP poll campaign promise of increasing the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce. This perennial, someone-elses-lifestyle suffering stems from our non-participation in the bigger scheme of things. Our yet sleeping ability to raise dissent needs badly to wake up--now, to mobilize and take over the corporate czars that are currently monopolizing globalization, or maybe globalizing monopoly. I'm not sure. This spring everything is lush and green in Kansas where I live, but I know somewhere in India, everything, including the green, is broken. Through climate change as well as debt, the global economy is killing farmers. At the same time as I am enjoying this wonderful spring weather, a devastating heatwavehas descended upon the subcontinent. A new temperature record has been set: 124 degrees F. Countless lives have been lost during the heatwave, including many farmers. While most of us will go to bed with a full belly (for many, it's one full of non-GMO quinoa), the farmers of Vidarbha will continue to sleep on beds of non-MSP cotton, their walls lined with gunny sacks full of last years unsold toor (split pigeon pea) crop, their bellies empty, and their thoughts full of suicide. One Pound Capitalism, a Pinch of Democracy, and Broken Green One Pound Capitalism, a Pinch of Democracy is a series that brings to our dinner tables some meals that expose the extreme consequences of neoliberal policies that are wrecking the planet, and the daily lives of many around the world. The type and quantity of each ingredient used and the presentation of a meal is determined by choosing key statistics and points that are embedded in the issue being conveyed and converting that to a measurement or meal design. Indeed, there may be a dish or two that are just outright inedible, or taste somewhat strange, with an ingredient or two out of whack. But thats intentional. Todays meal design Broken Green and the ingredients come to you from our farm and restaurant Discomfort Farm, where its all unnatural. Shubh Ratri (goodnight). Farmer couple, Manohar and Mamta Mohale, December 26, 2011, Amla village, Amravati District, Maharashtra, India 31-year-old Sandeep Godse from Kodpakhindi village, block Zari, Yavatmal District, Maharsashtra, India, committed suicide on December 9th, 2011. This photo of his father Pandurang Bapurao and brother Nitesh was taken on December 27. Where once sustainable food crops like jowar (sorghum) and toor (split pigeon pea) dotted Indias countryside, broken green glass banglesa sign of widowhoodare sprouting and sparkling from parched, cash-crop fields. In many instances women in rural india are forced to mortgage their gold, including their mangalsutra (auspicious wedding necklace) in order to settle farm debts. In fact, many women farmers too have taken their lives, but we never hear about them. This mangalsutra infused with turmeric and tea water is made with Monsantos Bt cotton seeds. Since 2005-06, the amount written off as duties on gold, diamonds and jewelry comes to over 4.6 trillion rupees. More than 13 times this years allocation for agriculture and farmers welfare.P.Sainath. December 26, 2011, Amla village, Amravati District, Maharashtra, India. Cotton harvest stacked under beds. Discomfort Farm restaurant tent card design. Broken Green Salad. Green bangles are traditionally worn by a married woman in India, and when her husband dies she will often break them in mourning. Broken green bangles are the main ingredient in this salad recipe. The tiny plant you see in the top left hand corner beside the harvested broken bangles for Todays Special meal is a sorghum volunteer, and its telling us something, if we listen to it. Priti Gulati Cox is an interdisciplinary artist, and a local coordinator for the peace and justice organization CODEPINK. She lives in Salina, Kansas, and can be reached at p.g@cox.net. Please go here: https://pritigcox.wordpress.com to see more of her work. Discrimination Against Womens Right To Temple Entry In India: A Critique By Meenakshi Gogoi 26 May, 2016 Countercurrents.org In Indian society, a vast section of Hindu men are an ardent devotee of goddesses. Be it goddesses like Durga, Kali, or Mahalakshmi, the popular among female deities, one can never escape the astonishing sight of large swarming of men in these women goddesses temples. No wonder, men of all ages worship them as mother goddesses and believe them as devi or adi-shakti and not like any other ordinary women. Men often, keeps their daughters names on women goddesses names like Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Parvati etc but surprisingly, the same men fraternity disregard the dignity of a woman by imposing prohibitory rules on her in case of temple entry. More correct to say, prohibiting women from entering the inner sanctum of some famous temples in India. What makes a man naming his daughter on female goddesses names when he do not give equal rights of worshipping to his daughter, who is a woman and more so, make it conditional for her when to offer prayers and when not? Men can worship the yoni (private part) of a renowned goddess Kamakhya or to say, a bleeding goddess but prohibits a menstruating woman from entering the inner sanctum of the temples. What an irony! Men restrict women from offering prayers even though women are no less devotees than men. Undoubtedly, patriarchy has won too, over subjugating women in matters of worshipping and snatching away her very rights from entering the temples. Devotees of all ages and irrespective, of genders should be allowed to offer prayers in the inner sanctum because it makes them feel close proximity to the god or goddesses they worship. After all, it is a matter of ones devotion and not regulation. In some famous temples of India, women are debarred from entering the inner sanctum of the temples because of some very conservative reasons like menstruation and if the male deity is a bachelor. Like in lord Ayappas temple situated in Sabarimala, Kerala, women are not allowed to enter the inner sanctum because the male deity is a bachelor. In Shani Shingnapur temple, Maharashtra, it is believed that lord Shani may curse women so, women are debarred from entering the temple since, decades. In Haji Ali Dargah, Mumbai, women are not allowed to visit the grave of the saint, as it is believed that close proximity to the Muslim saint is considered as a sin in Islam. In Kartikeya temple, Rajasthan, it is also, believed that lord Kartikeya would curse female devotees, instead, of blessing them. So, women are debarred from temple entry. In Patbausi Satra, Assam, menstruation is the main reason for not allowing women to enter the inner sanctum. In Ranakpur temple, Rajasthan, a large board is kept outside the temple which clearly, shows that women cannot enter the temple during her menstruation period and a strict dress code is also, maintained for the women devotees to enter the temple, possibly, when they are not menstruating. In Shree Padmanabhaswamy temple, Kerala, the temple allows women to worship the deity but they are not allowed to enter the inner sanctum of the temple. Moreover, the imposition of certain fixed age limits on women as to when they are not allowed to enter temples, by some temple trusts have certainly, sealed the patriarchal norms over women devotees. Men can worship a female deity, who signifies the worth of women power, but they cannot respect the dignity of a woman devotee. When it is religiously believed that god and goddesses do not discriminate between men and women, for that matter anybody on this earth and everyone is welcome at worshipping places, then who are men to prohibit women from entering the inner sanctum of the temples? It is obnoxious and a sheer hypocrisy. With news reports on women agitations over denying women entry into temples, has once again, proved that how women have been fighting for their rights and freedom till date, in a male dominated society and against the conservative traditional norms imposed on her since ages. It is a difficult task to break away such age old patriarchal norms prevalent in society within some days but any such courageous attempts made by the female fraternity to protest against the traditional patriarchal norms like prohibiting women from entering temples needs to be appreciated. Agitation launched by activist Trupti Desai and her brigade, is indeed, a very welcoming step and deserves much appreciation. While talking about agitations over denying women entry into temples, it is pertinent, to talk about the stand of judiciary in matters relating to women rights and temple entry. In the Shani Shingnapur case, the High Court passed judgement in support of women devotees. The Court said it is the fundamental right of every woman to enter into places of worship and the government is duty-bound to protect it. Following the Bombay High Court order, the temple trust of Shani Shingnapur temple, allowed women to enter the inner sanctum of the temple. The Supreme Court in case of the Sabarimala temple, Kerala also, said that neither a temple nor a governing body can ban a woman from entering the temple. The Court said it is the personal choice of a woman to enter or not to enter a temple and the Court further, questioned the age old custom of debarring women from entering the temple since, several decades. The Courts order strictly stated that Indian constitution rejects discrimination on the basis of age, gender and caste. One cannot discriminate and prohibit women from worshipping at the shrine. Judgements made by the Courts truly uphold the constitutional values and provides justice to the women fraternity. Such a discriminatory act of debarring women from entering temples needs to be protested louder. Temple trusts should amend the discriminatory and prohibitory rules for women devotees. Because the temple trusts are responsible for maintenance of the temple and certainly, not to make laws for prohibiting women from temple entry. After all, worshipping is a matter of spirituality, ones choice and freedom as a human being. Broadly, speaking, it is absolutely, a question of human rights in India. In a democracy, women too, are citizens like men and she should have equal rights and freedom like men. Recently, my visit to the famous Kamakhya temple situated in Guwahati, Assam, has enlightened my thought provoking mind about the question of womens temple entry in some ways. A longing desire was fulfilled when I finally, visited the Kamakhya temple. More than desire, it was curiosity that brought me to the temple. Legends has it that lord Shiva had performed the tandava, an Indian classical form of dance, out of anger at the death of his wife, Sati by self-immolation at her fathers place. In order, to stop lord Shiva from performing the tandava, lord Vishnu cut the body of Sati through his chakra (weapon) into many pieces. Because the deep fury of lord Shiva would otherwise, destroy the whole universe. Those body parts of Sati is then believed to be fallen in several places on earth, which later on, became the famous shakti-peeths (pilgrimage centres) according, to Hindu religion and myths. It is widely, believed that the yoni (private part) of Sati was fallen in the Nilachal hill area, where the Kamakhya temple is situated today. Since, ages maa Kamakhya has been worshipping with great fervour and devotion. The famous Ambubasi mela, depicts the arrival of menstruation period of goddess Kamakhya, once, in a year and the temple remains closed for three days during this period and on the fourth day, the yoni is worshipped in the inner sanctum. There is no idol or sculpture of goddess Kamakhya and the yoni is worshipped in the form of a stone. A natural spring always keeps the yoni wet which is considered as the holy water flowing inside the inner sanctum. What is striking about the Kamakhya temple is the fact, that I was neither debarred from entering the inner sanctum of the temple nor prohibited from touching the holy water flowing inside the inner sanctum. Question arises then, is it because Kamakhya temple is a woman goddess temple and so, women are allowed to enter the inner sanctum of Kamakhya temple? Or is it because of the already prevalent practice in our society that women during menstruation do not visit temples and only non-menstruating women visit the temple? Possibly, I was not prohibited from entering the inner sanctum of the temple because, it is an established fact today, that menstruating women are not supposed to visit the temple and rest of the non-menstruating women and those whose periods are over by the time they visits the temple are understood to be entering into the temple. Such an understanding, also, makes it very clear the rooting of patriarchal set norms imposed on women, as to when can a woman be allowed to enter temples in India and when not. Menstruation, has always been a taboo in Indian society and is used purposively, to prohibit women in matters of religious activities. Along with questioning patriarchy on issues of menstruation, the biggest reason for debarring women from entering temples, one also, needs to understand how menstruation has been dealt in our households. In rural areas, a menstruating girl or a woman is often, not allowed to visit any auspicious occasion in the neighbourhood, she is not allowed to enter kitchen and cook food, she cannot touch idols and pickles at home or else, it would get rotten, she has to sleep in a separate room, to use a separate bed and has to wash her hairs, bed-sheets and pillows once, her period is over, etc, are some of the popular norms that girls have to follow during menstruation. The conservative outlook to menstruation, though, changing a little in urban areas, but the notion of impurity attached to it has not been completely, uprooted from human psychology and society. Caste Dalits were also, discriminated as impure souls and so, debarred from entering temples and they are still, not allowed to enter some famous temples in India. Impurity is attached to women due to menstruation. Rather, than seen as a natural biological process of a womans body, menstruation is considered as an impure and unholy thing in society. No wonder, today, young educated girls and women are coming together in solidarity to protest against such taboos of menstruation which the society has witnessed in the Happy to Bleed campaign, some months before, that went viral on social media and garnered peoples attention and responses to it. It is one such ways, to deter and act against the misogynist attitude of patriarchy on women which makes use of any illogical reason to subjugate women even in religious matters The issue of purity and impurity needs to debated, seriously, as it is used purposively, to discriminate between castes and genders, too. In order, to remove the conservative attitude towards menstruation, elderly women in the households should stop passing on the rules of menstruation, to be followed by their daughters and granddaughters, the next generation. Interestingly, in some parts of the North-East like in Assam and South India, the celebration of first time menstruation of a teenage girl is still, in practice. Though, it is rare to see in parts of North India. Specially, in rural parts of Assam, rituals are followed and a small feast is also, organised for the near and dear ones of the girls family to celebrate the occasion of puberty. In Assam, it is known as the Tuloni Biya or Xoru Biya (small wedding). It is very much a paradox, to understand menstruation in our society. Because, on the one hand, menstruation is celebrated to mark the entry of a young girl into an adolescent age, as to welcome the age of fertility in adolescent girls and on the other hand, menstruation is used discriminately, by patriarchy for prohibiting women from entering temples. Discriminating women from entering temples is not a part of any Hindu ritual but with passing of time, since, several decades, the patriarchal brigade has imposed discriminatory norms on women that snatched away her very rights to worship. Recently, with the passing of courts verdict on securing womens rights for temple entry, has not only attacked the misogynist attitude of patriarchy on women but also, make it realisable to our society that worshipping is very much a matter of personal choice and devotion. The message is very sound that women are equally free, like men to enter temples. It is a question of human rights, from a larger perspective and Indian constitution has granted everyone to worship and practice their own religions, freely, irrespective of, different castes, genders and religions in our country. Meenakshi Gogoi is a PhD Candidate, Centre for Political Studies, JNU, Delhi. Public Burdens Of Religion And The Lightness Of Atheism By Sanjay Kumar 26 May, 2016 Countercurrents.org Death evokes strongest of human emotions. However, exploring and finding reasons behind a death is also part of our humanity. Legal codes in all countries demand criminal investigations of deaths due to the so called 'unnatural' causes. Medical sciences have advanced largely due to explorations of the other, 'natural' causes of death. Deaths due to completely avoidable reasons fall in a category of their own. How a society deals with such deaths is a good indicator of how it treats its living. One hundred and eight people died in an explosion during a fire cracker festival in a temple in Kollam, Kerala on 10th April. According to reports, the district administration had not given permission for the event, citing hazards of firing crackers close to a densely populated area, and the fact that the fire cracking festivities were actually in the form of a competition. Yet, pressure from the powerful temple trust meant that the programme was held amid full police presence. The accident happened in one of the better governed states of India, which also boasts of a vigilant citizenry. Hence, it was not surprising that large number of private medical practitioners lined up at the government run Thirunavanthapuram Medical College Hospital to provide crucial medical aid to hundreds of the injured in Kollam accident. The number of dead would have been much higher in any other part of the country. Police in Kerala is likely to file charges against temple trust office bearers and persons handling fire crackers. However, serious charges are unlikely to stand in a court of law. Unlike the people who died in the recent Kolkata flyover collapse, the crowd that came to watch the fire cracker programme in the middle of the night was there not during a normal day's activities, but was a willful and an illegal gathering. The dead, in a way, were complicit in their own death. Nor can watching a fire cracker display be argued to be an essential part of any citizen's fundamental right to religious freedom. In all likelihood the deaths of Kollam will end up declared 'an act of God', beyond any human culpability. The fire cracker festival of Kollam was an extrusion of religion into the public life of the community. It clearly was a threat to those living in houses near the temple. Popular religion in India is the holiest of the cows, beyond civic regulations and laws. Two months ago the flood plane of river Yamuna in the national capital was ravaged by the 'World Cultural Festival' organised by a 'spiritual' sect. It boasted of a seven acre, forty foot high stage, declared to be the largest ever in the world. The city was pasted with hoardings of the guru heading the sect with photographs of his much younger days. It seemed that getting into the Guinness Book of Records was one of the important motivations of the organisors. Declarations of 35 lakh devotees (in parallel with thirty five years of the founding of the sect) coming for the event, the largest stage, largest number of artists at one place, etc. were widely disseminated in the media. Despite clear regulations that the Yamuna flood plane being an ecologically sensitive area can not be used for any such activity, guru's followers managed to get all administrative clearances in record time. Even the Army of the republic got roped in to build a pontoon bridge over the river. When the matter came up in the National Green Tribunal, all government departments in the dock passed the buck around. The affair would have been hilarious, but for utter bureaucratic irresponsibility. Even though all regulations were flouted, the tribunal allowed the event to go ahead with a fine of Rs 5 crore, while an expert committee constituted by the board earlier had estimated the cost of undoing the damage to the Yamuna plane to be Rs 100 crores. The culutral jamboree was graced by the Prime Minister of the nation, who admonished environmentalists for trying to give a bad name to such a noble work. The fire cracker festival at Kollam, and the destruction of Yamuna flood plane in Delhi, are mere instances of an over the top public religiosity that actually enjoys its own gargantuan pretensions. Spectacle and self promotion are its key themes. Over sized statues of deities, often with little aesthetic value and without municipal clearances jut in at busy crossings, and stand over public parks. Ashrams thrive upon illegally occupied public land. Every guru, swami, baba, maa, maataa, or bapu indulges in self promotion which would be considered obscene if done by ordinary people. The self attested spirituality breeds loud arrogance. And all this happens in the name of religious grace and spirituality. It can be argued that it is not correct to single out public religiosity for violating norms and regulations when so much of the other social life of Indians is mired in such violations. If the NDA government of Mr Vajpayee allowed the large Akshardham temple in the capital to be built on the endangered flood plain of Yamuna, the Congress government ten years later did the same with regard to the Common Wealth Games Village. For an Akshardham temple getting out of regulation permission, there is the swanky Sainik Farms neighbourhood in South Delhi built completely illegally, where some of the richest in the city live. Further, when so many of Indians voluntarily come to pray at and gather for religious functions, the religion in India is surely providing an important public service, even if some sects or places of worship violate regulations and norms. Such empirical arguments miss an important point of distinction. Religion occupies a special place in society. Religion is social worlds' 'spiritualistic point d'onneur, its enthusiasm, its moral sanction, its solemn completion, its universal ground for consolation and justification .... (its) spiritual aroma' (emphases in the original). These are not the words of an enthusiastic believer, but atheist young Marx in 1844. While the violations of norms and regulations by secular activities can be challenged within secular institutional structures and are seen as corruption, religious activities are able to garner extra legal privileges because of the claim that religion lies at the base of private and public morality. If secular activities are seen as mundane, even banal, then an aura of goodness surrounds religion. Religion in a Secular World Yet the point is that today's social world also has significant domains in which religion is irrelevant. These are domains of secularity which create their own, sui generis moral valuations, codes of conduct, and purposes. Religion can not escape secular criticism because social world today is largely secular. All ideas of modern democratic polity like, equality, freedom, fundamental rights, rule of law, etc do not derive their validity from any religious belief. Authors of the American Declaration of Independence may have claimed that all men are created equal, and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights. Nobody today bothers whether their claim about a Creator God was correct or misplaced. For the evolution of democracy it was the belief of flesh and blood humans about themselves that they are equal, and that they have certain in-alienable rights, which turned out to be of paramount significance. All modern political constitutions establish their source as the will and wisdom of the people, without any recourse to a divine source or agency. The constituent assembly of India did consider a proposal to start the Preamble with 'In the name of God'. However, even in a thoroughly religious India, the proposal was defeated. In other areas of social life too humanist and naturalist perspectives have become dominant. A divine inspiration is no longer sought behind works of art and culture. Economy is understood as emerging from the needs and greed of humans only. Public office holders can take oath on whatsoever they consider as the basis of their morality, any god if they so wish, or just their own conscience, if they do not believe in any supernatural power. However, only they as individuals are responsible for their actions. They can not pass on the responsibility of their actions onto their god(s). Similarly, no supernatural cause is justifiable under any modern criminal justice system. The metaphysical, ethical, and epistemological basis of secular life is atheism, i.e. none of the foundational beliefs of modern secularism give any quarter to any transcendental being. The 'death of God' has not ushered in the age of immorality, as Neitzsche and Dostoevesky feared. Nor has the 'enchantment' of religion proved to be enough of an adhesive to prevent humans from making more and more domains of their lives secular. However, it is also a fact that humans appear shame faced in owning up to the atheistic underpinnings of their secular life. The reluctance to accept atheism is not due to ignorance, or even due to the dead weight of tradition, as some of the liberal New Atheists would like to believe. 'Religion is the heart of a heartless world, The demand to give up the illusions about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions'. This again is the young atheist Marx, arguing not against religion, but against conditions which produce and require religious illusions. The primary condition which creates the need for religion in modern societies is alienation. Where as public institutions like the market, state, health and education services, public culture and politics, have been secularised, the rule of private property under capitalism, and the form of state power as a class rule (of 1% over 99%, as Occupy Movement activists christened it) means that instead of participating in these public institutions as their collective creators and sustainers, people as individuals find themselves at the mercy of these very institutions wielding social power beyond their comprehension. The recent neo-liberal turn of the political economy has degraded the public nature of these institutions further by forcing them into a market mould, which is leading to greater alienation, and a greater need for religion. The liberal secularism tries to overcome this contradiction between a secular public life, and an alienated private life in capitalist societies through the fiction of religion as a private matter, enjoying protection as a fundamental rights. The lie of this ideological move is nailed every time an American president ends his speech addressed to his compatriots with 'God Bless You'. It is foolish to imagine that religious beliefs which enjoy powerful hold on the emotions, imaginations, and the moral sense of so many humans can be safely fire walled within their private lives, and that unscrupulous politicians, peddlers of 'spiritualism', advertisers, or the ordinary believers themselves, would not like to use them for public gain. The second reason for apathy towards atheism is its conventional understanding, which focusses on its negation of theism, rather than as a positive constitutive force for the creation of a meaningful and fulfilling world view. During the period when the belief in god(s), deities, demons and ghosts, was an overwhelming feature of human life, any thoughtful and rational engagement with this world required a clear and categorical position on these beliefs. Hence, in the ancient Indian philosophy, six out of eight systems gave arguments against theism. However, the elaboration of an alternate world view remained an unmet challenge because humans knew so little about nature, including their own selves. Even radical challenges to existing religiosity, for instance by the medieval Indian saint Kabir, took a religious form. Nevertheless, despite an overwhelming presence of religion there were a few remarkable humans like Gautam Buddha, who did expound and elaborate a way of life without any transcendental scaffolding. For the first time in human history, Buddha's 'teachings' presented a consistent set of guidelines for the internal life of humans that did not rely upon rituals or prayers aiming to propitiate non-human imagined entities, due to fear of their punishment, or guilt. Atheism in a Secular World Now, when so much of the human world; the world of knowledge, technology, public policy, morality, economy, art and politics is fashioned on the basis of rules and principles figured out by humans themselves, the main point of atheism is not any set of explicit arguments against theism. Its principal job now is to deepen and expand the domain of human secular practices by elaborating their underlying principles and consequences. An important part of this job in a country like India is confronting contradictions between secular practices and the immense baggage of non-secular beliefs, like the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief doing a special pooja with a replica of India's spaceship to Mars at the Tirupati temple during its launch. The untenability of beliefs in transcendental entities having power over human affairs will be a consequence of atheistic critiques of such contradictions, rather than their starting point. According to an ISRO scientist, presenting a replica of spaceship to Mars to the Tirupati deity helped scientists deal with the pre-launch stress. Scientists at ISRO are evidently capable of making sufficiently complex machines, a significant human achievement (not a divine gift) indeed. Every launch failure is examined in detail to pin point its causes, which also is an exercise in human ingenuity. Most of them are very likely to believe that any failure of the machine has definite material causes. Even when an accident is proved to be due to a particular coincidence of a number of different causes (as for instance the combination of a faulty part and bad weather) they are likely to agree that the probability of precisely such a coincidence can be reduced by following proper procedures, rather than praying to a divine. Nevertheless, ISRO scientists who are so capable otherwise, somehow find themselves incapable to confront the possibility of a failure without seeking divine help. Engagement with the divine comes in not as an explanation of a material failure, but as an exercise to deal with their anxiety about a possible failure. One can list a number of anxieties and vacuities of everyday life regarding which religion provides not only alternative framing, but also value laden justifications. Drug abuse and alcoholism are also related to anxieties, but seeking divine help is treated in a different category. One may not agree with young Marx in characterising the illusions of the divine as an opium, but that characterisation does open up a window to a very fruitful analysis. In Marx's time, opium was also used as a pain reliever, and the textual context of his famous quote makes it clear that he meant opium as an analgesic. Humans can surely live without the use of opium. Even when humans can not sustain pain, non-addictive pain relievers can be used. Can they live without turning to the divine in engaging with the uncertainties of their own lives? Is it the case, as Voltaire claimed that, 'if God did not exist it will be necessary to invent him'? Is there then any hope for atheism? In one of his popular shers Assadullah Khan Ghalib, unarguably one of the greatest of Indian poets, says 'Humko maloom hai jannat kee hakeekat lekin, dil ko khush rakhne ko Ghalib yeh khyaal achha hai' (I know the reality of Heaven. But how pleasing is its idea to the heart!). It is a mark of Ghalib's irreverence that he plucks out the idea of heaven from the duality of heaven-hell. Else, the solace, hope and 'pleasures' of religion come entwined with fear, hatred and guilt. Going ahead, what is the meaning of Ghalib knowing the reality of heaven? Ghalib was not an atheist, but he shared their realist epistemology and recognised the distinction between what is known to be real, and the ideas and images created by human mind, even if they happen to have real consequences. The secular atheistic critique of religion is this. While the benefits and costs of religious beliefs are illusory, and some of them may have real consequences for individual believers, such beliefs have little public benefits, and their costs in public, the ravaged flood plain of Yamuna, or the dead of Kollam, are often real. The ISRO chief should better use the time and resources at his disposal for better management of prevention of accidents, rather than praying for an illusory help. It is only for the better that many public practices have been freed from illusions of religion. Imagine the state of ISRO if scientists there actually believed in divine intervention during the launch of a spacecraft and acted accordingly. Or, imagine living under a criminal justice system that relied on clues from the divine, is operated by a clique whose members claim a special understanding of these clues, and who routinely ordered 'trial by fire', and compare it to a system designed to rely on evidence, whose proceedings are public, reasons transparent, and functionaries selected through an open system. Or, imagine living in a society that is satisfied with treating deaths due to avoidable causes as 'acts of the divine', rather than taking concrete measures to prevent these causes. The last of the above is also an indicator of how a society values its living. At stake is the basic conception of human beings. When humans elevate images created by them onto a transcendent pedestal, and make themselves subservient to their own creation, they limit themselves to a prison of their own making. The divine is the ultimate symbol of human narcissism. Any imprisonment, even ones cushioned by the 'Love of God', Parmanand (ultimate bliss), 'Self Knowledge', etc., is bondage. Atheism breaks all such spells. It begins from the state humans find themselves in the world. Without any Creator, Guide, or divine scaffolding, it ushers them into this world with the dictum to rely solely on their own abilities. The basic assumption is that with their senses, their cognitive abilities to reason, abstract and self reflect, and their emotional resources to laugh, cry, wonder, and empathise, humans can not only make sense of the world around them, but they also have the potential to make ever new connections with this world. By freeing humans from attachment to any illusory Ultimate, Final or Absolute being, atheism makes them aware of their finitude. However, the recognition this necessity is also the ground for real freedom. In return, the atheistic conception gives humans the freedom to build their own relationships with the world. By making humans take care of their own weight in the world, it also helps them fly on their own. That is the lightness of an atheistic being. Sanjay Kumar teaches Physics at St Stephen's College, Delhi. PUCL Condemns Chhattisgarh Police Threats Press Release 26 May, 2016 Countercurrents.org The Peoples Union for Civil Liberties strongly condemns the shocking action of the Chhattisgarh state police and district administration threatening criminal prosecution against a team of academics and members of the CPI and CPI(M) parties who had visited Kanker, Bastar, Dantewada and Sukma districts of Southern Chhattisgarh between 12th to 15th May, 2016 to enquire into the conditions of life of ordinary adivasis caught in the conflict between the State and the Maoists. This is apart from the vicious witch hunt launched by the district police against all local tribals who accompanied and assisted the team during the Fact Finding visit. The fact finding team consisted of Prof Nandini Sundar of Delhi University, Prof Archana Prasad of Jawaharlal Nehru University and Shri Vineet Tiwari of Joshi- Adhikari Institute. Shri Sanjay Parate, State Secretary, CPI(M) also accompanied the team. The team visited many villages between 12th and 15th May 2016 and released to the press its preliminary findings of the very serious humanitarian crisis prevailing in this area. The team pointed out the human rights violations suffered by the ordinary adivasis at the hands of both parties to the conflict fake encounters and fake surrenders and arrests by the State as well as arbitrary beatings and killings by the Maoists. The FFT also pointed out the extreme distress experienced by villagers caught in the cross fire in a situation reminiscent of the Salwa Judum which had caused widespread displacement, divisions in the Adivasi society and destruction of their lives and livelihoods. The Fact Finding Team has appealed to all political parties, the Central and State Governments, as well as to the Maoists to urgently address this situation. What is shocking and deplorable is that the State police, instead of providing their response to the findings of the FFT, has chosen to sponsor a ridiculous and politically motivated allegation against the team that they are JNU professors who threatened the villagers to side with Maoists. In an unprecedented move the District Collector, Mr. Amit Kataria, has irresponsibly propagated the allegations by posting in his Facebook page, a so called complaint in the name of local villagers demanding a FIR against the FFT. This has been done even before any investigation has even started. This raises the crucial issue of the ethical and legal propriety of the District Collector posting in a public fora like social media, such a complaint even before it is verified. It is unfortunate that the high office of the District Collector, who is expected to behave in a restrained, independent and balanced manner, has degenerated to indulging in political propaganda to whip up hate campaign filled with hostility, hysteria and hype against anyone exposing the role of the police and state administration in creating the war like situation that has enveloped the life of adivasis in the Bastar area. Even a cursory reading of the so called complaint of the villagers does not inspire confidence about its authenticity and indicates that it is a fabricated complaint. In a move symptomatic of the antagonistic manner in which the state government, district police and administration responds to any critical assessment of its role in creating a situation surcharged with fear, intimidation and terror for ordinary villagers, the Home Minister and Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh have supported these baseless allegations and said that they would be thoroughly investigated. Our greatest concern is that local residents of Bastar who helped the team are already facing intimidation. Ms Manju Kawasi, a member of the CPI women's wing who accompanied the team got a midnight visit from the Sukma police, who told her that she would have to go to Jagdalpur for questioning; she was also threatened that an FIR would be registered against her. A villager from village Nama Shri Mangla, a carpenter by profession, who had accompanied the team has also been repeatedly called to the police station for questioning. The PUCL notes that Professor Nandini Sundar, who is a petitioner in the case before the Supreme Court challenging the government-sponsored Salwa Judum, has been continuously facing harassment by the Chhattisgarh police - being stopped, detained and followed; facing malicious propaganda and tapping of her phones. Such a hostile response was in fact commented upon by the Honble Apex Court but evidently with no effect on the Chhattisgarh government. It is evident that the Chhattisgarh government does not want human rights organisations, Citizens fact findings teams, or social activists to make any independent enquiry into the news of dozens of encounters, hundreds of surrenders and arrests and of the counter insurgency operations being carried out in the Bastar region. It should be pointed out that such allegations of widespread involvement of state authorities in creating a humanitarian crisis are not baseless. In fact the record of allegations are so well documented that Constitutional bodies including the National SC & ST Commission, the National Commission of Women and the National Human Rights Commission have sent official teams to investigate the allegation. Their reports highlight cases of sexual violence, fake encounters and other human rights violations. Over the past few months the Chhattisgarh government has been continuously hounding journalists, lawyers and social activists who are raising serious issues of human rights violations and has been criticised for wanting a war without witnesses. Such motivated and hostile actions of the State Government are clearly abuse of the process of law, illegal, unconstitutional and undemocratic. PUCL reiterates its firm conviction that a free press, an independent judiciary and fair criminal justice system, and an engagement with voices of dissent are essential to a democracy, even more so when a highly militarized counter insurgency operation is being carried out which is having sweeping consequences for lakhs of adivasi people. PUCL calls upon the Government of Chhattisgarh to give up its hostility to human rights groups, rights defenders and other democratic forces. Dr. V. Suresh, National General Secretary, PUCL Prof. Prabhakar Sinha, National President, PUCL Will Russia Succumb To Washingtons Economic Attack? By Paul Craig Roberts 26 May, 2016 Paulcraigroberts.org Yesterday State Department deputy propaganda spokesperson Mark Toner reminded US companies that there are economic and reputational risks associated with doing business with Russia until Russia gives Crimea back to Washingtons puppet government in Kiev. http://sputniknews.com/politics/20160524/1040134996/russia-us-business-sanctions.html I see the matter differently from the US State Department. The only risk American corporations face from doing business in Russia is from the US government. Washington will punish the US companies unless, of course, the companies are part of the corporate oligarchy which has been granted immunity to the sanctions. The risk involved is to Russia. Here are some of the risks: When a Russian company does business with an American one, the American firm obtains economic information about Russia which is given to the CIA. When the Russian Central Bank sells Russian bonds, Wall Street, acting for the CIA, can purchase the bonds and then dump them at inopportune times to embarrass Russia by driving down their price. The price decline will then become propaganda that Russia is failing and its bonds are worthless. When the Russian government allows the ruble to be traded in currency markets, the Russian government enables Washington to speculate against Russias currency and to drive down its value. The decline in the ruble is then reinforced by propaganda that the ruble is worthless. When the Russian government permits foreign investment, Washington can have the money pulled out of Russia at inopportune times and, thereby, destabilize the Russian economy. The Russian government should forget all about Washingtons sanctions. In fact the sanctions have helped Russia tremendously. Prior to the sanctions, Washington had Russia set up in the global economy as a Third World supplier of raw materials and dependent on foreign imports. This was Washingtons way of controlling Russia. As a result of sanctions, Russia has become more self-sufficient and focused on producing for its own needs instead of for the needs of the West. Rather than worrying about Washingtons sanctions, the Russian government should put sanctions on Russian companies for doing business with the US. In their activities abroad, American corporations are agents for the CIA, and they are agents in behalf of Washingtons policy of destabilizing Russia and China. To see the truth of this, look at the history of Latin America. Every reformist government in every Latin American country in which the US has a business presence has been destabilized and overthrown. Russias goal should be to insulate itself from the West, not integrate itself into the West. To be integrated into the West means to be a vassal state. Together Russia, China and India comprise by far the largest potential market in the world and also the largest geographical area. These three countries should focus on integrating their economies and insulate themselves against the West. Modern Monetary Theory, which is associated with outstanding economists such as Michael Hudson, makes it clear that countries should finance their infrastructure and any productive investment by creating money not debt. The use of government debt simply allows private banks to create the money, and the debt has to be serviced with interest paid to the banks, which drains the economy of spending power. Moreover, the debt can end up in hostile hands and be used to destabilize the economy. If Russia is going to allow the West to control its economy, it may as well allow Washington to control its armed forces. Unfortunately for the Russian government and the Russian people, Russias Central Bank and neoliberal economists are too naive and gullible to be able to protect Russia from destabilization. Until Russia finds much better economic advice, the countrys future remains uncertain. Note: In the above URL to the Sputnik article, Sputnik reports: Toner added that Washington has sent a clear signal to Moscow through combined sanctions, restrictive measures, and reduced diplomatic engagement that it should fulfill its commitments under the Minsk ceasefire deal and end its occupation of Crimea. Is this sloppy editing by Sputnik or has Sputnik succumbed to Washingtons propaganda? Russia is not required under the Minsk accord to deliver Crimea to Washington. Moreover, Russia is not occupying Crimea. Crimea, a province of Russia for centuries, has a Russian population. The population in a massive voter turnout voted almost 100% to return to Russia from which the province was wrenched by Khrushchev when Russia and Ukraine were part of the same country. Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist for Business Week, Scripps Howard News Service, and Creators Syndicate. He has had many university appointments. His internet columns have attracted a worldwide following. Roberts' latest books are The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism and Economic Dissolution of the West, How America Was Lost, and The Neoconservative Threat to World Order. Bastar And The Bogey Of Anti-Nationalism By Women Against Sexual Violence and State Repression 26 May, 2016 Wssnet.org Statement of WSS in response to the attacks on an independent study team in Bastar and local villagers helping them, and a solidarity event in Kolkata WSS (Women against Sexual Repression and State Violence) strongly condemns two recent incidents of harassment, malicious intimidation and vilification employed by the BJP government and its youth wing, the Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha, to silence critics of the ruling regimes policies in Bastar. The first incident concerns the harassment and detention of villagers, Mangla of Nama and Manju Kawasi of Gadiras, Sukma district, who had helped a team of academics and activists conduct a study tour from May 12th to May 16th in the districts of Kanker, Bastar, Sukma and Bijapur. The team, comprising of Prof Nandini Sundar of Delhi University, Prof. Archana Prasad, a member of the JNU faculty and an office bearer of AIDWA, Vineet Tiwari of the Joshi-Adhikar Institute and of the CPI, and Sanjay Parate of the CPI(M) found that several areas of the Bastar division were facing a situation reminiscent of the Salwa Judum period, when several tens of thousands of villagers were forced to flee their villages due to the violence between state-sponsored militias and the Naxalites. The team, which was critical of the governments abuses of its own laws leading to large scale human rights violations, was also critical of the violence being perpetrated by the Maoists, and strongly urged different stake holders to prepare the ground for a political dialogue between the government and opposition parties including the CPI Maoist. Instead of responding constructively to the teams thoughtful suggestions, the state government has fabricated a criminal complaint against the team members and local villagers assisting the team, accusing them of instigating villagers of Kummakoleng and Nama villages in Bastar district to join the Naxalite movement. This patently absurd complaint has allegedly been submitted by aggrieved villagers of two villages to the Collector of Bastar, Mr. Amit Kataria, who promptly put this up on his Facebook page undoubtedly a strange way for a Collector to deal with a complaint! This fictitious complaint was further propagated on social media by members of the police-promoted and now-discredited Samajik Ekta Manch, and then given legitimacy by the Home Minister, Ram Sevak Painkra and the Chief Minister, Raman Singh, both of whom confirmed to the media that this complaint was being taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. Local residents of Bastar who helped the team are already facing the brunt of police highhandedness. Manju Kawasi, a member of the CPI women's wing who accompanied the team got a midnight visit from the Sukma police, who told her that she would have to go to Jagdalpur for questioning. Earlier in the day also, Ms Kawasi had received a call from the SHO of her village police station in Gadiras, threatening her that an FIR would be registered against her. A villager from village Nama, Mangla, a carpenter by profession, who had accompanied the team to show the way to his village, has also been repeatedly called to the police station for questioning, and his phone is now inaccessible. We also note that there is a long history of harassing Professor Nandini Sundar who is a petitioner in the case before the Supreme Court challenging the government-sponsored Salwa Judum. Through such pressure tactics, the state government, police and local administration are aiming to create an atmosphere of fear where independent teams are discouraged from visiting Bastar and monitoring the state of civil war in the region. WSS, which has itself participated in three fact-finding teams to Bastar in the past year, strongly denounces such moves by the state and local authorities. In the current situation where journalists and lawyers have been hounded out of Bastar, local activists attacked and media persons jailed and intimidated, such visits by external human rights monitors take on a crucial significance and must be encouraged. It must be remembered that the findings of such independent teams to the area have been corroborated by representatives of autonomous state institutions such as the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, and members of the national press, who have recently visited the area and found widespread evidence of police and security forces excesses. Hence, repeated visits of fact finding teams to the area remain the only means of uncovering the excesses and bringing relief to the local populations. In Kolkata, an event Blackout in Bastar organized by the Bastar Solidarity Network to highlight the violation of human rights in Bastar, was attacked by the youth wing of BJP, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha. This group was ostensibly protesting the presence of Umar Khalid, the student leader from JNU who was participating in the event, as an anti-national though in reality deploying diversionary tactics to disrupt the programme. Other speakers at the event included the Bastar journalist Kamal Shukla, who has organized journalists across the state of Chhattisgarh demanding freedom of the press, and WSS member, Sharmishtha Chowdhury of the AIRWO, who had participated in a recent fact-finding trip of the WSS to the Bijapur district in Bastar. We are deeply concerned by the use of force and intimidation to quell discussions on contentious issues. We demand that the local authorities in Bastar immediately ensure the safety of Mangla, stop harassing Manju Kawasi, and quash the fictitious complaint against the fact-finding team of independent investigators. At the same time, we denounce in no uncertain terms the protestors in Kolkata, for vitiating the atmosphere where a simple criticism of a governments action, however reasonable, is taken to be a treasonous act. (Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression, WSS, wssnset.org , is a nationwide network of women from diverse social and political movements who are committed to challenging, exposing and resisting sexual violence and its use as a tool of state repression.) SHARE I recently considered moving to Cuba to start a car rebuilding business. Then I read up on the perils of running a shop under a Communist regime. Now Cuba has moved toward allowing a number of small businesses. But I am not reassured. The Castros have allowed and then revoked such enterprises before. And in terms of the Communist dialectic, as a small-business owner, I would be starting out as a member of the bourgeoisie, a traditional class enemy of Marxism. The classic charge is subverting the revolution; the crime is making the government look bad. If the shop were "profitable," if my production line created value above that needed to pay wages, I would be branded a thief of labor power. And as an oppressor of the workers, I would be deemed counterrevolutionary. To obtain labor, I would need to contract with the state. As a foreigner, I would pay the $26 monthly wage in currency negotiable in or out of the country to a labor exchange approved by the Castro government. But the workers would receive $26 (face value) in nonconvertible currency, which is worth much less. This is an issue President Barack Obama mentioned during his recent visit to Cuba. The shop would oppress the workers from two directions: by diverting their wages to the government controlled by the fantastically rich Castro family, as well as depriving the workforce of the full fruits of its labor. On top of all that, I am a Bible-thumper, military veteran, college graduate and journalist. I would not stand a chance before the revolutionary court. I will wait to see how the current reform endures. Meanwhile, I shall stay in Indiana. I came here to work and to enjoy the fruit of that labor under the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, or more visibly, those listed on the Four Freedoms Monument. In this state bicentennial year, it is time to demonstrate them. More so, to observe Memorial Day and honor the servicemen who gave their lives to guard our liberties by pulling a favorite from the freedom grab bag: of speech and religion, from oppression and fear. Film yourself standing at the monument and reciting from the United Nations Declaration of Universal Human Rights, reading from a favorite banned book or religious text, criticizing the government or by telling Sen. Bernie Sanders being taxed down to a take-home of $26 per month is a bad plan, despite his promise we will receive all the VA-quality health care we can stomach. No cussing, please. And remember that dissent should be more than merely denigrating another's opinion. I will go first at the Freedom of Speech pillar with a selection from Hunter S. Thompson that would be worth at least three years in prison in a half-dozen countries. So how about it, Evansville: what is it that you think, read or say that shows you are using your freedoms? SHARE Continuing 'the angry birds movie' When an island populated by happy, flightless birds is visited by mysterious green piggies, it's up to three unlikely outcasts, Red (voiced by Jason Sudeikis), Chuck (voiced by Josh Gad) and Bomb (voiced by Danny McBride) to figure out what the pigs are up to. (PG) 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (Henry Cavill) clash over differing philosophies. The duo are soon forced to confront an even greater threat created by nefarious billionaire Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg). (PG-13) 'the boss' A titan of industry is sent to prison after she's caught for insider trading. When she emerges ready to rebrand herself as America's latest sweetheart, not everyone she screwed over is so quick to forgive and forget. Stars Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Bell and Peter Dinklage. (R) 'Captain America: Civil War' Political interference in the Avengers' activities causes a rift between former allies Captain America and Iron Man. Stars Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson. (PG-13) 'the darkness' A supernatural force terrorizes a couple (Kevin Bacon, Radha Mitchell) and their two children after they return home from a vacation to the Grand Canyon. (PG-13) 'Deadpool' A former Special Forces operative turned mercenary (Ryan Reynolds) is subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopting the alter ego Deadpool. (R) 'The Divergent Series: Allegiant' After the earth-shattering revelations of Insurgent, Tris (Shailene Woodley) must escape with Four (Theo James) beyond the wall that encircles Chicago to finally discover the shocking truth of what lies behind it. (PG-13) 'the jungle book' The man-cub Mowgli (Neel Sethi) flees the jungle after a threat from the tiger Shere Khan (voiced by Idris Elba). Guided by Bagheera (voiced by Ben Kingsley) the panther and the bear Baloo (voiced by Bill Murray), Mowgli embarks on a journey of self-discovery, though he also meets creatures who don't have his best interests at heart. (PG) 'miracles from heaven' A young girl suffering from a rare digestive disorder finds herself miraculously cured after surviving a terrible accident. Stars Jennifer Garner, Kylie Rogers and Martin Henderson (PG) 'money monster' Financial TV host Lee Gates (George Clooney) and his producer Patty (Julia Roberts) are put in an extreme situation when an irate investor takes over their studio. (R) 'Mother's Day' Three generations come together in the week leading up to Mother's Day. Stars Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson and Julia Roberts. (PG-13) 'neighbors 2: sorority rising' After a sorority moves in next door, which is even more debaucherous than the fraternity before it, Mac and Kelly have to ask for help from their former enemy, Teddy. Stars Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne and Zac Efron. (R) 'the nice guys' A mismatched pair of private eyes investigate the apparent suicide of a fading porn star in 1970s Los Angeles. Stars Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling and Angourie Ric. (R) '10 cloverfield lane' A woman (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) discovers the horrifying truth about the outside world while living in an underground shelter with two men (John Goodman, John Gallagher Jr.). (PG-13) 'zootopia' In a city of anthropomorphic animals, a fugitive con artist fox and a rookie bunny cop must work together to uncover a conspiracy. Stars the voices of Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman and Idris Elba. (PG) A five-year-old White House program that supports art in struggling schools will join forces with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and continue to add schools in coming years. First lady Michelle Obama announced the new partnership, which will sustain the Turnaround Arts Initiative , at the White House Turnaround Arts Talent Show on Wednesday. The Obamas have both spoken about the power of the arts in their own lives and the lives of young people; running the program through the Kennedy Center will ensure that it is sustained after the Obamas leave the White House. At the first White House Talent Show, in 2014, President Obama said: The arts are central to who we are as a people, and they are central to the success of our kids. This is not an afterthought. The Turnaround Arts Initiative funds arts instructors, supplies and instruments, and arts integration at the schools. It also pairs schools with star mentors like Kendrick Lamar, Valerie June, Graham Nash, and Smokey Robinson. Next year, 68 schools will be part of the program, which started in eight schools in 2012. The program is adding four schools in Milwaukee; six in California; four in North Dakota; four in Minnesota; and one in New Orleans. The Turnaround Arts Initiative was started in response to a report from the Presidents Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, called Reinvesting in Arts Education , that suggested that arts education could improve academic outcomes in struggling schools. An evaluation of the programs pilot schools found evidence that the participating schools academics were improving more than at other schools receiving other federal School Improvement Grants, and found that the schools that had greater implementation of arts programs also had stronger academic gains. On Tuesday, students from existing turnaround arts programs were preparing to perform at the White House: RT @DMschools : Harding Breakerz are in the house, er, at the White House getting ready for tomorrows talent show! pic.twitter.com/uQA4Q0pSYO Turnaround Arts (@TurnaroundArts) May 24, 2016 The new Every Student Succeeds Act includes arts as part of a well-rounded education , which advocates hope will allow schools to direct more funds to the arts. Increasing access to arts education for all students has been a priority for the National Endowment for the Arts, and several cities, including Chicago , have examined the quality and distribution of arts programs in an effort to ensure that more schools offer the arts. But in many cities, arts education programs are still not distributed equitably. Related stories: SHARE new releases 'Alice through the looking glass' Alice returns to the whimsical world of Wonderland and travels back in time to save the Mad Hatter. Stars Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. (PG) Walt Disney Pictures 'the man who knew infinity' In 1913, Ramanujan (Dev Patel), a self-taught Indian mathematics genius traveled to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he forged a bond with his mentor, the eccentric professor GH Hardy (Jeremy Irons), and fought against prejudice to reveal his mathematical genius to the world. (PG-13) IFC Films 'x-men: apocalypse' With the emergence of the world's first mutant, Apocalypse, the X-Men must unite to defeat his extinction level plan. Stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence. (PG-13) 20th Century Fox Lee Greenwood greets veterans Tuesday, May 24, 2016, as they arrive on the red carpet before the Opry celebrates the 75th anniversary of the USO. SHARE By Cindy Watts, The Tennessean / USA TODAY Network The Grand Ole Opry, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary through 2016, rolled out the red carpet Tuesday night to help the USO celebrate its 75th. Fans lined the carpet as artists including Lee Greenwood, Trace Adkins and Rudy Gatlin walked alongside U.S. veterans representing service members from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and the war on terror. Artists scheduled to appear on Tuesday night's Opry included Adkins, Charlie Daniels Band, Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Greenwood, the Oak Ridge Boys and the MusiCorps Wounded Warrior Band. All of us at the Opry are ever-thankful for the men and women we will be recognizing on May 24, Opry Vice President and General Manager Pete Fisher said in a statement. Its the perfect night to show in word and song our appreciation to those who have served our country, and in particular those who have returned to strengthen Americas military as USO volunteers. Later in the evening, Adkins and the Opry revealed plans to take their support of U.S. troops to the next level with multiple Opry-themed USO tours over the coming year. Adkins will be the first artist featured on the tour and will take a replica of the Grand Ole Oprys famed circle with him when he heads to the Middle East and Europe in the next few weeks. SHARE By Jon Webb The City of Evansville reached a settlement on Wednesday in a lawsuit filed by a woman whose home was damaged in a botched SWAT team raid in 2012. Terms of the settlement weren't disclosed as of Wednesday evening. Kyle Biesecker, attorney for homeowner Louise Milan, said he couldn't comment until the court "tied up some loose ends." "But the matter has been resolved," he said. Attorney Keith Vonderahe represented the city in the case. His partner, Bob Burkart, attended the settlement conference. Burkart said both sides were getting terms "squared away" and that settlement information would be forthcoming. The settlement was signed by Federal Magistrate Judge Matthew Brookman on Wednesday, according to federal court records. Any previously filed dates for the case are now moot, and within 30 days Milan's attorneys will file a motion to dismiss once the settlement is executed. An Aug. 22 trial date had been scheduled in U.S. District Court in Evansville. Milan's lawsuit argued that police violated her Fourth Amendment Constitutional rights when the SWAT team tossed two flash-bang grenades into her home at 616 E. Powell Ave., and forced their way inside to serve a search warrant on June 21, 2012. Police officers were looking for evidence of anonymous Internet posts to a message board threatening the police department and Chief Billy Bolin. The officers did not find any evidence in the home. The case winded through federal court before reaching the precipice of the U.S. Supreme Court, which denied to hear the city's appeal in February. City attorneys sought to protect the department from the lawsuit's "excessive force" claims for the use of a flash-bang grenades in the raid. No one was injured in the raid, but police damaged Milan's house, handcuffed her and her daughter and seized their computers, according to the lawsuit. The raid was captured on video by a local television crew. It was later determined the threatening posts were not made from inside the house, according to court records, but were made from someone accessing the home's Internet connection. Police arrested Derrick Murray for the threats. He pleaded guilty to a federal charge of transmitting threats in interstate commerce and was sentenced to spend 16 months in prison and then three years on supervised release. ___ The Courier & Press' Zach Evans and Richard Gootee contributed to this report. JASON CLARK / COURIER & PRESS Toyota Indiana employee Greg Byram (left) hands a set of keys that go to a 2016 Toyota Sienna to Brian Kerney executive director at Aurora during the Toyota Indiana 20th Anniversary celebration at the visitors center in Princeton Wednesday. Bryam was one of the members of the first production crews at the plant. SHARE JASON CLARK / COURIER & PRESS Toyota Indiana president Norm Bafunno speaks to attendees during the Toyota Indiana 20th Anniversary celebration at the visitors center in Princeton Wednesday. JASON CLARK / COURIER & PRESS Sen. Jim Tomes and Christy Gillenwater applaud after Toyota Indiana president Norm Bafunno spoke to attendees during the Toyota Indiana 20th Anniversary celebration at the visitors center in Princeton Wednesday. By Zach Evans of the Courier and Press More than $4 billion invested, approximately 4.45 million vehicles built, $119.3 million paid in property taxes, more than 264,000 employee volunteer hours and $23 million donated to local nonprofits all parts of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana's two decades in Gibson County. The company celebrated its 20th anniversary in Princeton on Wednesday with a celebration at its plant. The official announcement that Toyota was launching in Gibson County came in November 1995, and the first vehicle didn't roll off the production line until December 1998, but it was May 8, 1996 when a ground-breaking ceremony took place for the plant that has grown to 4.2 million square feet. State and federal jobs reports indicate that manufacturing jobs are growing in Indiana, but they aren't at the levels they were when Toyota moved into the region. Still, Toyota has grown, even in the face of economic adversity, said Todd Mosby, president of Gibson County Economic Development Corp. When built, it was a $700 million plant intended to only produce the Tundra, but now the plant manufactures the Sienna minivan, the Sequoia SUV and the Highlander models. According to the company, it has invested $4.3 billion into its operations and now has 5,000 employees. During the 2008 recession, the company ceased production for three months. Rather than layoff workers, or dismantle production lines, Toyota set up classrooms for its workers and taught them new skills. Gibson County could've been more greatly affected by the recession than it was had Toyota done differently, Mosby said. "When you look at other auto manufacturers, who laid people off or downsized, Toyota didn't do that. They took the opposite approach," he said. Manufacturing and trade policy were focal points of this year's Indiana presidential primary due to companies such as Carrier Technologies, which announced in April it was moving its operations from Indiana to Mexico resulting in layoffs for 2,100 workers. Evansville knows the impact of large manufacturers leaving town. Whirlpool closed in 2009, leaving 1,100 unemployed. Both plants are fractions of the size of Toyota's operation in Gibson County. If Toyota would leave Princeton or cease operations, the impact would be deep, Mosby said. "I'd use the word devastating. To lose a corporation like TMMI would be a lot to try to come back from," he said. The impact would go further than an economic one. "It's not just the numbers; it's the families. It's all the contributions Toyota makes to not-for-profits, and the way they help all the communities around us," he said. Wednesday's ceremonies included comments from longterm employees and Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb, and while remarks varied, a reoccurring theme was Toyota's role as a "corporate citizen" in not only Princeton, but the entire region and state. Toyota Motor Manufacturing President Norm Bafunno said after the event he knows the company has a strong financial impact in the area, but that's not all Toyota offers. "But more important to me is the hours of volunteer work that our team members do. The little things that are really required and essential to make our community better is what we try to talk about. That is apart of our culture," Bafunno said. SHARE By Thomas B. Langhorne of the Courier and Press Loyalty to the Republican Party who has it and who doesn't will be at issue Thursday when GOP activists fill a ballot vacancy for Vanderburgh County's highest office. In a 6 p.m. caucus at party headquarters, Republican precinct committeemen will choose between Sean Selby, a longtime party supporter who is a committeeman himself, and Robert Myers, a two-time Libertarian Party candidate who says his fiscal conservatism is right for the moment. Selby and Myers seek the GOP nomination in County Commissioners District 1. Republicans currently have no nominee for the seat because the previous candidate, Dale McCuiston, dropped out of the race. Democrats have nominated Ben Shoulders. Selby, a former campaign aide to former 8th District Rep. John Hostettler, points to his history as a delegate to the Indiana GOP convention and founder of the University of Southern Indiana's College Republicans club. The 34-year-old Selby goes all the way back to 1996, when he says he was a polling place volunteer for the party at age 15. That was the year Republican Sen. Robert Dole tried unsuccessfully to oust Democratic President Bill Clinton. Selby, founder and CEO of Evansville-based technology consulting business integriCORE, cites his "extensive history of being a tried-and-true Republican and unequivocally one.'' "There's no question that I've not dabbled in any other party. I've been exclusively Republican from age 15. That's one of the criteria that I think is important for a position the Republican Party is going to fill," he said. Myers, who has mounted unsuccessful bids for Knight Township trustee and Evansville City Council as a Libertarian, said it's about conservative principles. The 43-year-old Myers, a Time Warner Cable account executive, answered questions about his loyalty to the GOP by talking about Thursday's caucus. Myers was asked whether he is now a Republican supporting Republican candidates, and no longer a Libertarian. "I am not a Libertarian candidate, that is correct," he said. Myers pointed out that he was a member of College Republicans and a volunteer for Republican candidates in the 1990s. He said he ran twice for office as a Libertarian because he "felt that it was my opportunity to get into the campaign mode and understand the process." "(I) identified with the fiscal conservative values of the Libertarian Party, and I ran as such for that reason," he said. "Now with this County Commissioner position, this is all about having fiscal conservative values. The Republicans who are in the positions at the county level have shown a history of being fiscally conservative, and I identify with that perfectly." Asked directly if he is now a Republican, Myers chuckled. "I don't have to get a tattoo," he said. "I am running as a Republican, that is correct. I hope to be a Republican on the ballot in November." GOP Chairman Wayne Parke had hoped to fill another ballot vacancy Thursday for county coroner but no Republican would bite. Democrats have nominated Deputy Coroner Steve Lockyear for the position, which is being vacated after two terms by Democrat Annie Groves. "Some people think you have to be a doctor or something and the truth is, the coroner's position is primarily an administrative position," Parke said. By law Republicans have until June 30 to fill the remaining ballot vacancy. Parke hopes precinct committee members will give him authority to appoint someone before then if he can find a candidate. "When you're dealing with situations that develop, that a coroner gets involved in, sometimes they're unpleasant situations," he said. "Some people are cut out for that and some are not. "We shall see." Texas Attorney General Kenneth Paxton speaks to members of the media as Texas Solicitor General Scott Keller, right, listens in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on April 18, 2016 in Washington, DC. On May 25, Paxton announced that Texas and 10 other states are suing the federal government over President Obama's directive to force public schools to allow transgender students to use bathrooms that correspond to their gender, rather than birth, identities. SHARE By KVUE-TV, USA TODAY Network AUSTIN The transgender bathroom battle is about to take another dramatic turn. Texas and 10 other states are suing the over a new directive instructing public schools to allow transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond to their gender, rather than birth, identity. The lawsuit, announced Wednesday in Austin by Kenneth Paxton, also includes Oklahoma, Alabama, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Tennessee, Maine, Arizona, Louisiana, Utah and Georgia. It accuses President Obama's administration of running roughshod over commonsense policies that protect children, and asks a judge to declare the directive unlawful. CANVASS PODCAST: Weighing in on transgender bathroom guidance Conservative states had vowed defiance since the Justice Department handed down the guidance earlier this month. At the time, U.S. Attorney General said there is no room in our schools for discrimination. The Department of Education ordered schools to create policies to grant bathroom access to transgender students in accordance with their identities or risk losing billions in federal funding. According to The Associated Press, Lt. Gov. has previously said Texas is willing to forfeit $10 billion in federal education dollars rather than comply. Abbott confirmed the lawsuit Wednesday morning at a book signing hours before Paxton formally announced the challenge. His lawsuit is challenging the way that the Obama administration is trampling the , Abbott told reporters. The issue of transgender usage of bathrooms exploded on the national scene in the wake of House Bill 2 in North Carolina, which became law on March 23. It bans transgender people from using bathrooms that don't match the gender on their birth certificate. North Carolina and the Justice Department then sued each other over the law, opening the door for the directive. Supporters of transgender bathroom bills say such measures are needed to protect women and children from sexual predators, while the Justice Department and others argue the threat is practically nonexistent and the law discriminatory. Several key Republican lawmakers in Texas, including Abbott, Paxton and Patrick, have been outspoken in their opposition to the directive and to the issue of transgender-identity bathroom use. The lawsuit also marks the latest volley in the ongoing fight from Texas Republicans against the federal government. According to a July 2015 report from the Texas Tribune, Texas Republicans have filed suit against the federal government 38 times since took office at a cost of $5.1 million to Texas taxpayers. The Texas Tribune reported that in those cases, Texas has won six, lost 10, the state withdrew eight cases, and 14 were still to be fully litigated. ___ Contributing: Paul Weber, The Associated Press The only two Muslim members of Congress, Rep. Andre Carson, D-Ind., and Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., spoke at the National Press Club on May 24, 2016, about what they called the Islamophobia in the 2016 presidential election. SHARE By Maureen Groppe, IndyStar / USA TODAY Network WASHINGTON Muslims who support Donald Trumps presidential campaign are like chickens rooting for Colonel Sanders, one of the two Muslims serving in Congress said Tuesday. You think that youre going to be the chicken that doesnt get fried up, said Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn. I think you (had) better guess again. Ellison and Rep. Andre Carson, D-Ind., the other Muslim in Congress, spoke at the National Press Club about discriminatory rhetoric directed at Muslims in the presidential election. CANVASS PODCAST: Fighting for Islam They emphasized they werent talking just about Trump, who has called for a ban on Muslims entering the United States. When Ben Carson was seeking the Republican presidential nomination, he said a Muslim should not be president. And Ellison said one of the scariest developments of the election was when Texas Sen. Ted Cruz named Frank Gaffney Jr. as a national security adviser. Gaffney has been criticized by civil rights groups as Islamophobic. This political cycle that we live in is something that somehow attracts candidates who want to divide Americans on any basis that they can in order to achieve electoral success, Ellison said. These things have real consequences. The FBI reported in November that anti-Muslim crimes rose in 2014, while the number of overall hate crimes fell. Trumps comments on banning Muslims came after the November terrorist attacks in Paris and the December shooting rampage in San Bernardino, Calif., by a couple that supported the militant rhetoric of now-dead al-Qaeda cleric Anwar al-Awlaki. When such events happen, Ellison said he knows its going to be rough around here for a while. But anti-government, white supremacist groups are more likely to commit acts of terrorism than Muslims, he said. When the Ku Klux Klan inspires Dylann Roof to kill nine people in a church in Charleston, we dont assume that all white males have to apologize or explain themselves about it, he said. We assume they reject that horrific behavior, and thats all people in the Muslim community want. Ellison said he deals nearly every day with hate messages sent via Twitter or through the mail. After his 2006 election to Congress, a colleague complained about Ellison taking his oath of office using the Quran instead of the Bible, saying thats why strict immigration laws are needed. Carson received a death threat last year that he attributed in part to politicians fanning the flames of bigotry. He gave credit to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for assigning him to the House intelligence panel last year, another event that prompted threats against him. There are legal remedies, Carson said, but you cant legislate human nature. So we have to speak to the better part of human nature. Ellison said Muslims should respond by reaching out to other religious communities, by becoming a voting bloc and by running for office. I believe that this anti-Muslim hate is going to be responded to with a renewed investment in activism, Ellison said. And the people who promoted this kind of hateful behavior are going to wish they had never done it because theyre awakening a group of loyal, dedicated Americans who love their country and appreciate the democracy we have. Inside the wacky world of search terms. SHARE By Allison Carter, IndyStar / USA TODAY Network Ah, Google. It's hard to remember that dark time when, rather than having our inane questions answered in the blink of an eye, we had to turn to books for answers or worse yet, other humans. This way, we can hide our shame as we ask questions we should know the answers to or that no one should ask. Ever. Or at least we can until a site like Estately comes along and compiles a list of the search terms each state googles more than any other state. Now, these are not the most popular search terms in any state. They're simply the ones that are more common in a particular state than in any other. To get the list, the real estate site used Google Autocomplete to compile often-searched phrases. Then, using Google Trends, they looked at which state searched it most. Coming in number one for Indiana was, "what is satire?" Let us help. Satire, according to Merriam-Webster, is "a way of using humor to show that someone or something is foolish, weak, bad, etc. : humor that shows the weaknesses or bad qualities of a person, government, society, etc." An example of satire would be this The Onion article about how the citizens of Indiana have joined together to form a collective hive mind. Other outlier search terms for the state included: What is presidential? What is Islam? What is Judaism? How many states are there? What is communism? What is Jupiter made of? What is natural selection? See the full list here, and learn which states wonder if penguins have knees, how to make a baby and why their poop is green. The mother of a Virginia middle school student says her son was handcuffed, charged with a crime, and suspended from school after he retrieved a carton of milk he get for free through the National School Lunch Program, ABC affiliate WJLA reports. On May 10, after filling his lunch tray, Ryan Turk returned to the lunch line to pick up a carton of milk, the station reports. A Prince William County Police Officer working in the school accused Turk, who is black, of stealing the milk. He was handcuffed after police said he was disorderly. From WJLA: The teenager said he indeed pulled back from the officer. 'I yanked away from him I told him to get off of me because he's not my Dad,' the middle school student said. Ryan was then taken to the principal's office and searched for drugs, his mother said. 'Because he was fidgety, kept pulling on the strings of his pants, and laughing when we were trying to talk to him and just wouldn't talk,' Shamise Turk said. Ryan Turk has since been charged with larceny and ordered to appear in Juvenile Court." What Should School Police Do Differently? Some civil rights and student groups have said police should be removed from schools all together because they often unfairly target students of color for overly harsh discipline. Others have said schools need to do a better job setting boundaries between routine disciplinary issues better handled by school administrators and the kinds of crime or violence that school police should respond to. Discipline reform advocates have also said school-based officers should be trained in conflict de-escalation techniques that are sensitive to students development and experience with trauma. That sort of training could stop a misunderstanding over a carton of milk from growing, they say. Theres little consistency in the way school-based officers are trained. As the American Institutes for Research notes, despite the special concerns of working in school settings, many states dont have laws setting training requirements for school-based officers. Some took to Twitter on Tuesday to react to the story. How do you steal free milk? //t.co/sW3AY9qGpP -- Le Cocoapuff (@RespectTheAfro_) May 24, 2016 Drinking Milk At School While Black: Student arrested for larceny over 65-cent milk, which was actually free for him //t.co/IvEjhFpGS9 -- Xeni Jardin (@xeni) May 24, 2016 Follow @evieblad on Twitter or subscribe to Rules for Engagement to get blog posts delivered directly to your inbox. Prior Bad Acts: Who Can Testify in Bill Cosby's Criminal Trial? Bill Cosby is the elder statesman of American comedy whose life has turned into a bad drama, now including a criminal case. Next month, Cosby will return to criminal court in Pennsylvania for pretrial proceedings on three charges of felony indecent assault of Barbara Constand and faces ten years in prison if convicted. Despite the dozens of accusations of abuse that have surfaced from women all over the country, this is Cosby's first criminal prosecution. The case was filed just two days before the 12-year statute of limitations on such claims in Pennsylvania expired, according to USA Today. It raises many interesting legal questions, all complex. Today, let's consider prior bad acts and whether Cosby's other accusers can testify against him. Prior Bad Acts Generally speaking, a crime cannot be proven based on a defendant's behavior in other situations. While a criminal record informs sentencing, each crime must be proven based on the facts of the case at hand and not based on evidence of similar acts in the past . But for every rule in the law, there are important exceptions because a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds. That is to say, sometimes it makes sense to consider external evidence if it is highly relevant to the matter at hand. In a case like this one, where there are about 50 women saying that Cosby drugged and touched them without their consent, the prosecution will no doubt argue that it's relevant. Prosecutors will seek to admit evidence from other women whose stories are consistent with Constand's. To the extent that there are questions about the alleged victim's credibility because she waited a year to report the crime and thus there is no physical evidence, a slew of witnesses telling the same story would certainly support her claim that Cosby drugged and touched her against her will. Admitting the Evidence Admitting evidence of prior bad acts is not a given, however. The defense will no doubt fight it, relying on precedent to show that the stories would not be considered consistent evidence. The burden of proof on prosecutors is high -- they must show the evidence is more relevant than prejudicial. Dennis McAndrews, a former prosecutor, who teaches criminal law at Villanova University explained to reporters, according to USA Today: "It's very challenging because courts are reluctant. They hold the prosecution to a tight burden to establish that (the testimony) is highly relevant, that the facts of other cases are close to the case (on trial), and that the probative value significantly outweighs the prejudicial effect." In light of this, it is not yet clear that the judge will allow the testimony of other women to prove Bill Cosby assaulted Barbara Constand, But it's certain the Cosby's defense lawyers will challenge admission of that evidence at every turn. If he is convicted, admission of prior bad acts will be a major issue in the inevitable appeal. Accused? If you have been accused of a crime, don't delay. Meet with a criminal defense attorney today. Many lawyers consult for free or a minimal fee and will be happy to discuss your case. Related Resources: Bill O'Reilly Wants $10M from Ex, Claims Cheating and Misrepresentation Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly is suing his ex-wife for fraudulent misrepresentation, saying she lied during their divorce for financial gain. According to Gawker, the O'Reilly filed papers in Nassau County Court in New York accusing Maureen McPhilmy of hiding her extra-marital affair to induce a consensual divorce from O'Reilly. He says she used money from the divorce to finance her extra-marital affair, and that she got more money because she pretended to be loyal. Now O'Reilly is demanding $10 million, saying he paid McPhilmy based on her material misrepresentations that she was not cheating. Let's consider this from a legal perspective. Price of Adultery State statutes vary and it is difficult to make generalizations about divorce law. In some states cheating during marriage has a big impact on the divorce while in others it matters little. Although adultery may not make a huge difference in asset distribution in most cases, it can make a difference when the cheating half of the couple uses marital assets to finance an extra-marital affair, according to lawyer and family mediator Katherine Eisold Miller writing in the Huffington Post. That seems to be what O'Reilly is complaining about in his case. His filing states that McPhilmy made, "false representations and material omissions of existing fact ... for the sole purpose of inducing Plaintiff to agree to a consensual divorce and to obtain money and real property to finance an existing extra-marital relationship." Mcphilmy is now remarried and O'Reilly has reportedly made life difficult for the new husband, Nassau County New York Police Detective Jeffrey Gross. It is believed that O'Reilly used his sway to launch an internal investigation of Gross in the police department. He has also written to the Catholic Church to have his ex-wife excommunicated and seeking an annulment of their 14-year marriage. Abuse Allegations Perhaps most alarming of all are not O'Reilly's allegations that his wife cheated but what Gawker has revealed about him. The couple has been involved in a long and protracted custody dispute over the last three years, after having agreed to joint custody when they first split in 2010. But reportedly O'Reilly's daughter, 16, said that she had seen her father drag her mother down the stairs when they were still together. McPhilmy was awarded full custody of the children and O'Reilly vehemently denies the accusation of abuse. Perhaps that accusation is what led to O'Reilly to file the lawsuit demanding $10 million for fraudulently inducing an uncontested divorce. Or maybe O'Reilly just can't let go and he knows no other way to stay in contact with McPhilmy. Follow FindLaw for Consumers on Facebook and Twitter (@FindLawConsumer). Related Resources: Sussex News Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Top 5 Small Business Intellectual Property Issues Your business may sell tangible goods -- cars or cupcakes, say -- or it may sell services. But whatever business you are in, you will likely also have some intellectual property, meaning ideas, concepts, methods, phrases, or images which you seek to protect. Intellectual property law governs the grant of patents, trademarks, copyright, and more. Let's consider the top five IP issues for small business. Websites and the content posted on them raise a lot of intellectual property issues. If you're concerned about other people copying your content, or if you are posting content that does not belong to you, become familiar with copyright and trademarks. Don't just grab images or ideas willy-nilly off the web, or you risk infringing on another's IP, and protect your own creations as well. A copyright protects a work of art, like a song or other piece of writing. A trademark, just as it sounds, protects the marks that become associated with a trade, such as your logo or slogan. Design elements can be very similar and people do come up with the same idea simultaneously in different places, so it is important to ensure that you protect your ideas with copyright or trademarks as appropriate. Sure, we can learn a lot from our mistakes, but wouldn't it be great if we could avoid them altogether? By doing research before you commit to a particular look or mark for your brand, you can save a lot of money. Apart from the risk of you infringing if you don't do research, there is also the possibility that someone else will infringe on your intellectual property. Find out how to secure your rights under state and federal law. You should protect your intellectual property but you don't have to do it obnoxiously. In 2012, the whiskey distiller Jack Daniel's asked a local Tennessee novelist to change the cover of his book because it resembled the company's distinctive whiskey bottle. The distillers were friendly about the matter, offering to contribute to a re-print of the book with a new cover. Depending on what you are looking to do, you will likely have a slew of questions for your lawyer. Here are some suggestions for basic questions to get you thinking about your consultation with an intellectual property lawyer. Talk to a Lawyer If you have concerns about copyrights, trademark, patents, or believe that your intellectual property is being infringed upon, talk to a lawyer. Many attorneys consult for free or a minimal fee and will be happy to assess your case. Follow FindLaw for Consumers on Google+. Related Resources: Channel programs News XChange SLED Panel: In-House Expertise, Consultative Approach Vital To Landing Security Deals Michael Novinson Share this Solution providers looking to capture public sector security business must have staff members who have the expertise and patience to break down the threat landscape and regulatory environment for customers, according to XChange SLED panelists. Channel partners will enjoy the most success selling security to C-suite leaders by staying away from specific products and instead taking customers through the actual process of defending their network, said George Pashardis, regional vice president of sales for ePlus Technology. Pashardis moderated a solution provider panel at the event in Atlanta, hosted by CRN parent The Channel Company. "One of the challenges is explaining security to anybody," Paul Karch, founder and chairman of Deerfield Beach, Fla.-based Gardant Global, told more than 100 solution providers Wednesday. "You need to turn their world around and become their consultant, not their friend." [Related: XChange SLED Speaker: Broadband, Lower-Need Districts Faring Better Under New Erate Rules] Regardless of the money involved, Karch urged solution providers to engage in a consultative sales process, walking them through the long-term process and opening their eyes up to applicable regulations. Specifically, partners must make CEO and chief information officers aware of the legal implications of a security breach, particularly as it relates to the violation of privacy rights, according to Carmine Taglialatela, principal and founder of Delaplane, Va.-based Oak Hill Farm Group. "I dont care who says they have it covered," Taglialatela said. "You don't have it covered." Channel partners should also bring someone on staff with sufficient background and certifications to be seen as credible in the eyes of a chief information security officer, or CISO, Karch said. "A CISO won't listen to a media guy," Karch said. "A CISO will listen to a guy who's like a CISO." Solution providers should also be aware of the political bind CISOs find themselves in after a security breach when they can be desperately clinging to their jobs. Taglialatela said CISOs are often afraid that if outsiders come in, they will lose control over their own domain. One step that would help reduce political pressure on CISOs, Karch said, would be to have them reporting directly to the governor or CEO rather than the CIO. "A CISO should work outside the CIO's office, because who is going to call their boss on this thing knowing that they are going to get fired?" Karch said. Finally, Karch pushed partners in attendance to aggressively recruit new cybersecurity personnel and do everything in their power to hold on to the security experts already on staff, as they are never lacking for new clients or billable hours. Taglialatela cautioned, though, that this is easier said than done. "To bring people in, it's a war against the private industry because they're paying these people so much more money," Taglialatela said. The educational process around ransomware and other security threats is vital when dealing with younger or less experienced leaders, who might not think an attack will happen to them, said Jim Perrier, president of New Orleans-based Universal Data Inc. Older and more seasoned CISOs, though, are typically more aware of the threats and more fearful of what will happen in the event of a successful attack, according to Perrier. "The CISO is worried about his job more than anything else," Perrier said. Cloud News Salesforce Names AWS Its 'Preferred Public Cloud' Provider As Rumors Of Acquisition Swirl Joseph Tsidulko Share this A week after CEO Marc Benioff talked in an earnings call about bolstering his company's relationship with Amazon Web Services, Salesforce on Wednesday revealed it would be expanding its core services into international markets on the backbone of Amazon's public cloud. The international expansion plan represents the first time Salesforce will host its core Software-as-a-Service portfolio -- Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, App Cloud, Community Cloud, Analytics Cloud -- on AWS' infrastructure, the companies said in separate blog posts. With AWS as its "preferred public cloud infrastructure provider," states the Salesforce blog, "Salesforce will utilize AWS in select international markets to help bring new infrastructure online more quickly and efficiently. [Related: AppExchange Turns 10: The Most Popular Salesforce Partner Apps] The move comes two weeks after a major Salesforce cloud outage caused by a database error resulted in customers throughout North America being shut out of their CRM, and some losing hours of data entered into the system. Salesforce is already an AWS customer. It also does business with Amazon's two hyper-scale rivals: Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure. The Salesforce blog says the company will keep investing in its own data centers as well. Last week, Benioff told analysts during Salesforce's first quarter 2017 earnings call that the company was exploring ways to move to market more aggressively with AWS. Benioff said more news of that burgeoning relationship would be shared at the company's Dreamforce conference, slated for October. After Salesforce reported those stellar financials, on CNBC's "Mad Money," host Jim Cramer asked Benioff about persistent rumors of wanting to sell Salesforce. Benioff's answer -- essentially that he's been working on the company for 18 years, and "is making personal decisions as that goes" -- clearly wasn't in line with Cramer's expectations, and prompted the host to tell Benioff it sounded like he indeed was contemplating selling the company. In April 2015, Salesforce reportedly turned down a $55 billion bid. CNBC later reported the offer came from Microsoft, and that Benioff, at the time, wanted $70 billion to sell his company. Salesforce already hosts its Heroku Platform-as-a-Service offering in Amazon's cloud, and is developing an Internet of Things platform also on Amazon infrastructure. Marketing Cloud Social Studio and SalesforceIQ, an offering for the SMB market, also run on AWS infrastructure Jeff Aden, executive vice president of marketing and strategic business development at 2nd Watch, an AWS partner based in Seattle, told CRN the revelation that "Salesforce will essentially go all-in on AWS is significant." Last year's rumors that Salesforce was being courted by Microsoft and Oracle suggested an acquisition that didn't seem like a logical fit, Aden said. The partnership with AWS "is more strategic for both companies and makes a ton of sense if you look at the product offerings, culture and presence of each company," Aden told CRN. Salesforce and Amazon don't compete on core products, Aden said, which creates synergies for upselling, cross-selling and product development. In the company's third-quarter earnings call last November, Benioff offered a glimpse of the company's dependence on cloud infrastructure providers. The CEO told investors that Salesforce was a large AWS customer, and vice versa. Salesforce used AWS to "build our product," Benioff said, with Heroku, the application development platform Salesforce acquired in 2010, hosted on AWS. At the same time, the company was also working with Microsoft, he said, and expanding its use of the Azure cloud. Benioff added that Salesforce used Google's platform extensively as well. In a statement Wednesday, Benioff said of AWS, "There is no public cloud infrastructure provider that is more sophisticated or has more robust enterprise capabilities for supporting the needs of our growing global customer base." American Cruise Lines has announced its newest ship, the America, has started its inaugural season on the Mississippi River. The maiden voyage took place on May 7th as a round-trip cruise, to and from New Orleans, LA. Celebratory events and festive elements were woven throughout the cruise, said the company in a statement. The much anticipated inaugural season of America is off to a fantastic start, said Hotel Manager, Drew Godfrey. Guests are truly enjoying the period inspired ship with its warm and inviting decor. The America is the cruise lines largest ship with a capacity of 185 guests. The launch of America brings its fleet up to eight small ships, four of which are authentic paddlewheelers while the additional four are coastal cruisers. In February 2013 the president of the United States issued Executive Order 13636, directing the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to take the best-known practices from industry and come up with a common Cybersecurity Framework for companies and government institutions. Understanding the basics of this framework can help IT organizations begin to develop their own cybersecurity plans. Working with people, process, and technology is required to successfully implement your new cybersecurity plan. First, lets look at the Cybersecurity Framework. The framework consists of five security functions: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. Each of these functions is broken down into several categories and subcategories. Cybersecurity Functions Here is a quick overview of the five Cybersecurity Framework functions. Identify the assets in your data center, how they are used in your business, the resources (human and physical) used in business context, and the risks to those assets. These can be documented using several different ways such as: asset inventory, business environment, governance plans, or risk mitigation plans. the assets in your data center, how they are used in your business, the resources (human and physical) used in business context, and the risks to those assets. These can be documented using several different ways such as: asset inventory, business environment, governance plans, or risk mitigation plans. Protect the assets in your data center. Design, develop, and deploy processes and technology to ensure delivery of safeguards that deliver critical infrastructure services. The Protect function should limit or contain the impact of a security event. The results of the Protect function can include access control tools, security training, information protection plans, and other protective technologies. the assets in your data center. Design, develop, and deploy processes and technology to ensure delivery of safeguards that deliver critical infrastructure services. The Protect function should limit or contain the impact of a security event. The results of the Protect function can include access control tools, security training, information protection plans, and other protective technologies. Detect cybersecurity events in your data center, holes in infrastructure security, and process/procedure inadequacies. The results of this function can include things like anomaly reports, security monitoring, detection processes, and audit processes. cybersecurity events in your data center, holes in infrastructure security, and process/procedure inadequacies. The results of this function can include things like anomaly reports, security monitoring, detection processes, and audit processes. Respond to events from the Detect function. The goal of this function is to have an appropriate response to the threats detected during the Detect function. The results of this function can include response plans, communications, escalation plans, mitigation, and improvement plans. to events from the Detect function. The goal of this function is to have an appropriate response to the threats detected during the Detect function. The results of this function can include response plans, communications, escalation plans, mitigation, and improvement plans. Recover from cybersecurity events detected during the Detect function. The goal of the Recover function is to bring your infrastructure back to a normal secure state. The results of this function can include recover plans, continuous improvement plans, and communication. Implementing a Cybersecurity Framework The first part of implementing a good security plan is to understand the key elements of security. The Cybersecurity Framework is a good start, but it does not cover everything that needs to be done. You also need to understand the assets at your disposal including people, process, and technology. I will leave the people and process part for another blogger. Lets focus on technology. Specifically lets talk about Software-Defined Infrastructure (SDI) and how it can help you implement a Cybersecurity Framework. SDI Architecture overview Here is a quick overview of the SDI Architecture. Orchestration and Control orchestrates compute, storage, and network together in secured domains in response to user requests orchestrates compute, storage, and network together in secured domains in response to user requests Telemetry brings raw data from the infrastructure and applications to analytics for analysis brings raw data from the infrastructure and applications to analytics for analysis Analytics takes raw data and analyzes it so actions can be taken takes raw data and analyzes it so actions can be taken Policy Framework analysis from the analytics is combined with the policy engine so the orchestration and control can request changes to the infrastructure analysis from the analytics is combined with the policy engine so the orchestration and control can request changes to the infrastructure Software-Defined Storage control of storage resources through a software API control of storage resources through a software API Software-Defined Network control of network resources through a software API control of network resources through a software API Software-Defined Compute control of compute resources through a software API control of compute resources through a software API Software-Defined Security creation of security domains with resources and software tools SDI and Cybersecurity Framework Lets map the Cybersecurity Framework to the different parts of the SDI architecture. Identify Infrastructure gives you a list of all of the infrastructure resources in your private cloud Infrastructure gives you a list of all of the infrastructure resources in your private cloud Protect The Policy Framework gives the ability to implement access control The Policy Framework gives the ability to implement access control Detect Telemetry and the Analytics components give the ability to detect anomalies and intrusions into the data center infrastructure Telemetry and the Analytics components give the ability to detect anomalies and intrusions into the data center infrastructure Respond Policy and Orchestration allows you to implement how to respond to specific cybersecurity events Policy and Orchestration allows you to implement how to respond to specific cybersecurity events Recover Policy and Infrastructure allows you to change policy to cover newly detected cybersecurity events These are just a few examples of how these functions can be implemented using elements of SDI. The lesson here is to begin to understand the possibilities. Coming up with your own mappings will be key to your success in implementing a good Cybersecurity Framework for your business. Editor's note: This article, originally published on May 26, 2016, has been updated to more accurately reflect recent trends. To say the world has changed a lot over the past year would be a bit of an understatement. From a cybersecurity standpoint, the changes have been significantin large part because many people continue to work from remote locations or alternate between home offices and corporate facilities. Organizations are also using more cloud services and are engaged in more ecommerce activities. All this change means its time for enterprises to update their IT policies, to help ensure security. Here are some of the more important IT policies to have in place, according to cybersecurity experts. Acceptable use An acceptable use policy outlines what an organization determines as acceptable use of its assets and data, and even behavior as it relates to, affects, and reflects the organization. The acceptable use policy is the cornerstone of all IT policies, says Mark Liggett, CEO of Liggett Consulting and a longtime IT and cybersecurity expert. This policy explains for everyone what is expected while using company computing assets. Such a policy provides a baseline that all users must follow as part of their employment, Liggett says. If you have no other computer-related policy in your organization, have this one, he says. By providing end users with guidance for what to do and limitations on how to do things, an organization reduces risk by way of the users actions, says Zaira Pirzada, a principal at research firm Gartner. Data classification A data classification policy is one of the most critical components of an information security program, yet it is often overlooked, says Pirzada. Without good, consistent classification of data, organizations are unable to answer important questions like what their data is worth, how they mitigate risks to their data, and how they effectively monitor and manage its governance, he says. Business decisions makers, who are now distributed across organizations and beyond the traditional network perimeter, need guidance from IT on how to make informed risk decisions when transacting, sharing, and using sensitive data. To provide that, security and risk management leaders would benefit from the creation of a data classification policy and accompanying standards or guidelines. Together, they provide both the compass and the path towards the secure use, storage, treatment, and transaction of data, Pirzada says. Remote access Having a clear and effective remote access policy has become exceedingly important. As many organizations shift to a hybrid work environment or continue supporting work-from-home arrangements, this will not change. A remote access policy defines an organizations information security principles and requirements for connecting to its network from any endpoint, including mobile phones, laptops, desktops and tablets, Pirzada says. The purpose of such a policy is to minimize risks that might result from unauthorized use of company assets from outside its bounds. Those risks include the damage, loss, or misuse of sensitive data and/or systems, of which the repercussions are significant, Pirzada says. Incident response How should an organization respond to an incident such as a data breach, hack, malware attack, or other activity that presents risk? The answer could mean the difference between experiencing a minor event or suffering a catastrophic blow to the business. Accidents, breaches, policy violations; these are common occurrences today, Pirzada says. An incident response policy is necessary to ensure that an organization is prepared to respond to cyber security incidents so to protect the organizations systems, data, and prevent disruption. A policy ensures that an incident is systematically handled by providing guidance on how to minimize loss and destruction, resolve weaknesses, restore services, and place preventative measures with the aim to address future incidents, Pirzada says. This policy should detail the required controls for incident handling, reporting, monitoring, training, testing and assistance in addressing incident response, he says. The incident response plan is a live document that needs review and adjustments on an annual basis, if not more often, Liggett says. It should detail the roles and responsibilities in case of an incident and define levels of an event and actions that follow, including the formal declaration of an incident, he says. The plan brings together company stakeholders including human resources, legal counsel, public relations, management, and insurance, Liggett says. This understanding of steps and actions needed in an incident reduces errors that occur when managing an incident. The plan also feeds directly into a disaster recovery plan and business continuity, he says. Disaster recovery/business continuity The disaster recovery and business continuity plan (DR/BC) is one of the most important an organization needs to have, Liggett says. As with incident response, these plans are live documents that need review and adjustments on an annual basis if not more often, he says. These plans should include the routine practice of restoration and recovery. The plans also are crucial as they outline orchestration of multiple events, responsibilities, and accountability in a time of crisis, Liggett says. One of the main reasons companies go out of business after a disaster is a failure of the recovery and continuity plans. Third-party risk A third-party security policy contains the requirements for how organizations conduct their third-party information security due diligence. Third-party risk policy and procedures continue to grow in importance, with higher levels of collaboration outside of the organization and the increased risk it may bring to systems, says Pete Lindstrom, vice president of security strategies at International Data Corp. (IDC). The purpose of this policy is to gain assurance that an organizations information, systems, services, and stakeholders are protected within their risk appetite, Pirzada says. The importance of this policy stems from the now common use of third-party suppliers and services. These include cloud services and managed service providers that support business-critical projects. These relationships carry inherent and residual security risks, Pirzada says. A third party may have access to critical systems or information, which necessitate controls and mitigation processes to minimize those risks. Companies are more than ever connected by sharing data and workstreams with their suppliers and vendors, Liggett says. The need for this policy should be easily understood and assures how data is treated and protected while at rest and in transit, he says. The policy should feature statements regarding encryption for data at rest and using secure communication protocols for data in transmission. International travel It might not be something people would think about including on an IT policy list, especially during a pandemic, but knowing how to properly and securely use technology while traveling abroad is important. The state of Colorado is creating an international travel policy that will outline what requirements must be met, for those state employees who are traveling internationally and plan to work during some part of their trip, says Deborah Blyth, CISO for the state. This policy will include things such as getting the travel pre-approved by the individual's leadership, information on which international locations they plan to visit, and a determination and direction on whether specialized hardware may need to be issued to accommodate that travel, Blyth says. For instance, for some countries where the device being copied or malware being installed is a high-risk threat, the state will likely issue a loaner device, which will have no state data to begin with, and will be wiped immediately upon return, Blyth says. Earlier this week, I attended a briefing by one of the negotiators of the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) agreement. Youve heard of the TPP; the trade deal that candidates love to bash on Twitter and in TV debates. You might be wondering: what does this have to do with information security governance? Today trade secret theft accounts for a significant part of the $200 billion to $300 billion in annual intellectual property losses for US companies; compare this to reports of $10 billion for annual privacy related losses. Many trade secret losses are cyber enabled. Yet breaches of personally identifiable information (PII) tend to dominate the headlines and compliance concerns of security officers. Although no law requires you to secure your companys trade secrets, good security governance requires that you do so. I plan to highlight some ways do this over the next few blog posts. [ ALSO ON CSO: Hackers inside Chinese military steal U.S. corporate trade secrets ] Regarding the TPP, I was pleased to learn that a significant part of this agreement does cover trade secret protection. (Before getting too enthusiastic, I have to note that China is not part of the TPP and that the US Congress has yet to approve the agreement). The agreement requires that countries signing up must implement civil and criminal laws in their countries to protect against trade secret theft. Currently a foreign national involved with theft of trade secrets from a US company must be extradited and tried in the US. On the home front, the Defense of Trade Secrets Act was just signed into law in May. This law provides that plaintiffs can now sue in US Federal Court for financial damages resulting from trade secret theft. Previously, you had to sue in state court using the laws of your state. So what is a trade secret? There are two requirements. First, the information must have economic value. Second, you must be taking steps to keep the information secret. If you dont take clear and defensible steps to protect your information, you may not be able to recover damages if your information is stolen. Some well-known trade secrets include the formula for Coke or WD-40 and the ingredients in KFC fried chicken. Others may include things like customer information, employment candidate information, piping diagrams for chemical processes or photos of specialty tire manufacturing equipment. Is anyone using big data? That could be a trade secret. Protecting this category of information is harder than protecting PII. Trade secret information needs to be integrated into the business, whereas some PII can be isolated in specific hardened databases. In other cases approaches like PCI de-scoping can move the sensitive data out of the company entirely. To start with, you need to figure out what your firm considers to be a trade secret and where this information is located. This necessitates a deep dive into classification of unstructured data. Fortunately, there are new tools that can help. Two products that I have looked at recently can help with this process. The first is RightsWatch from Watchful Software. This tool is focused on user oriented classification when data is created or stored. Automated policy analysis prevents users from misclassifying data. Once the asset is classified and a tag attached, then DLP solutions can be more effective at filtering processes. A second tool is VisionGrid from MinerEye. This software takes samples of classified documents, learns their features and then uses this information to put new assets into the right category. Downstream integration with DLP, firewall, cloud and other data protection controls then enable secure data handling. Protecting trade secrets involves collaboration with your legal counsel. Data classification interfaces with data retention, which interfaces with e-discovery. Im not an attorney, so this post is not legal advice. My best advice is to start this conversation with your company counsel, if you have not done so. Suing Over Flawed Metal Hips Used in Replacements After a trial in Texas this year, Johnson and Johnson was ordered to pay $502 million to five plaintiffs injured by the company's flawed artificial hips. The hips, sold under the name Pinnacle, leached metals into patients' bodies and failed prematurely, forcing the plaintiffs to undergo additional surgeries and endure more pain. A federal jury was definitely feeling the plaintiffs' pain, considering that it awarded them $360 million in punitive damages based on Johnson and Johnson hiding flaws in the product and marketing the hips aggressively anyway. Let's look at the claims, as reported by Bloomberg News, and what this means to you. Second Try This was not the first case complaining of Johnson and Johnson's metal hip product -- there are about 8,000 such cases filed reportedly, now consolidated in Texas federal court for pretrial procedures. But this was the first to succeed, as Johnson and Johnson won a prior trial by arguing that a surgeon had failed to properly place the hip in the patient's body. In the more recent matter, all five patients had to have their Pinnacle replacement hips replaced surgically after they broke down prematurely due to the materials used and design flaws. The plaintiffs were awarded $142 million in compensable damages, apart from the $360 million in punitive damages, making for a total award of $502 million. But immediately after the jury decided to punish Johnson and Johnson, company attorney John Beisner told Bloomberg News that the company will appeal. He expects the damages award to be reduced substantially. "The grounds for appeal are strong and the punitive damages will be reduced to around $10 million subject to the Texas statutory cap," he said. What This Means There are thousands of outstanding cases filed against Johnson and Johnson over the Pinnacle metal hip. Interestingly, the company stopped manufacturing the product in 2013 after US Food and Drug Administration regulations were tightened. It's also notable that Johnson and Johnson already entered into a $2.5 billion settlement in 2010 over claims surrounding another of its artificial hips. Although it is unfortunate that people have suffered due to the company's flawed devices, Johnson and Johnson's track record with replacement hips and the outcome of the recent trial indicate that if you have been injured due to a flawed replacement hip, your chances of recovery are very good. Of course, no one can say much about a case in the abstract, so you will have to speak to a lawyer about the specifics. An attorney can assess your claim and advise you on next steps. Talk to a Lawyer If you've been injured due to a faulty hip replacement, or for any other reason, talk to a lawyer. Many attorneys consult for free or a minimal fee and will be happy to discuss your case. Related Resources: In April, American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) was targeted by a Phishing attack seeking W-2 records. The attempt was successful, leaving employees stressed about their finances and the long-term impact this breach could have on them. But it's the actions by the company after the incident that's left some employees feeling as if ATCC's leadership stopped caring. ATCC does business globally. If someone does any type of biological science or scientific research, the odds are good they've interacted with ATCC in some way including governments, academia, and private industry. Lately, ATCC has been in the news due to their lung cancer research and research related to the Zika Virus. A source familiar with April's data breach shared internal memos and communications related to the breach's aftermath with Salted Hash. The reasoning behind the disclosure, according to the source, who asked to remain anonymous, is that unlike other major firms that have had their W-2 records compromised by a targeted Phishing attack, ATCC managed to avoid the limelight. The source felt compelled to share the documents because "all the clients we serve should be aware [of the data breach] and question how we keep their data safe." The memos sent internally are outlined below. However, along with the communications, there is another aspect to this story the human one. While the company was victimized by a criminal seeking W-2 records, so too were the employees. At least one staffer at ATCC is still waiting on a tax return filed in March, and they had to jump through several hoops with the IRS to confirm their identity. Other employees affected by the breach are said to have had credit taken out under their names. In addition, perception is a strong motivator when it comes to workplace morale. The way this data breach was handled, the source told Salted Hash, has left some staffers feeling left out in the cold, as they can no longer get questions answered. In short, they feel ignored and forgotten. That's a painful feeling considering it's only been just over a month since the breach occurred. Salted Hash reached out to ATCC for comment, asking a number of questions related to awareness training, the protection offerings, and the incident itself. There was no response. Should that change, this story will be updated. April 11 (Monday) Company sends the first of several notices to employees. The IRS has informed ATCC that W-2 data for all employees has been compromised. In response, ATCC will send the IRS a list of staff SSNs in order to flag the individual as a victim of ID theft. The flag is supposed to prevent fraudulent returns. ATCC says that to their knowledge "at this time, the unauthorized access of W-2 information by identity thieves occurred though a fraudulent email requesting internal transfer of the information" to Ralph Koch, ATCC's CFO. The notice says that the federal government is investigating the incident. April 12 (Tuesday) A follow-up communication explains that the company was contacted by the IRS the previous Friday (April 8). A weekend investigation, which ended the morning of April 12, determined the root cause of the data breach to be a Phishing email. "What happened is a fairly common social engineering attack where someone posing as me [Ralph Koch, CFO] asked for W-2 information. Both HR and Finance personnel were targeted in recent weeks. Despite awareness training and reminder emails, we nonetheless failed to detect the attack," the notice explains. The notice goes on to reference the fact that many employees have been contacted by tax authorities in their state indicating irregularities with their returns. In addition, arrangements are being made in order to provide credit protection services, if they're interested. April 15 (Friday) A third notice from the ATCC CFO informs employees of a SharePoint portal hosting a FAQ about the Phishing attack. Staff are also told about a one-year offer for ID theft protection, provided by IDShield. "We want to assure you that the cause of this issue has been identified and we are taking steps to prevent this type of intrusion from happening again. Specifically, we are looking at ways to strengthen our internal data security protocols and elevate our IT Security Awareness training." The notice also offers security tips. It advises employees to challenge and confirm requests for sensitive company data via email, no matter who is making the request. Employees should call or meet with the requestor face-to-face to confirm. Also, requests for such information should be verified by at least two parties. Moreover, they should engage IT Security before the data is released. April 22 (Friday) A forth notice about the incident informs staff that there is a delay in IDShield registrations. It says more than 200 employees attended optional data incident meetings that week. April 26 (Tuesday) The IDShield registration page, which was supposed to have been operational the previous Friday, is still not available. The delay is blamed on glitches in the registration process, and missing customization. There is no confirmed time for resolution. As a result, employees are offered a $120 payroll credit, which is said to be the equivalent of one year of employee-only ID theft protection. Insufficient response: When asked about the data incident meetings, the source said the general feeling was that the meetings were rushed. They were 15 minutes in length, and included a short Q&A with the CFO. The representative conducting the meeting was actually from Legal Shield and could not answer specific questions about the IDShield product. "They more or less wanted to shuffle us in and out, and it was to be honest not very helpful," the source explained. Prior to the data breach, ATCC employees received yearly security awareness training, which is an interactive program that takes about thirty minutes to an hour to complete. A portion of the training covers different types of scams that can arise in the workplace, and there is additional training for those who work with government contracts. Since the breach was disclosed internally, the source said, there have been no changes to the awareness programs, and no new additional training provided. If such changes have been implemented, not everyone is aware of them. When the ID theft protection glitches prevented enrollment, employees were offered a $120 credit as an alternative, should they chose to purchase their own protection. The problem is, this credit doesn't cover most of the known services on the market, which run $20 per month on average. "The ID Shield credit service they recommended covers one of three credit bureaus, which I did not feel was adequate," a person familiar with the offer explained. "Let's face it; the one they wanted us to sign up for is the cheapest option on the market with sub-optimal customer reviews." Having read previous Salted Hash articles related to BEC scams and W-2 Phishing attacks, the source said they felt ATCC's response was insufficient for a number of reasons. "There was a lack of transparency, timeliness, and follow through," the source explained. "The CFO is no longer fielding questions on the matter. He has made comments such as our information will become less valuable in a year and this sort of scam happens all the time which shows a general lack of the severity of the issue. The people who have been affected are still waiting for tax returns, some of which were relying upon for large financial payments, such as mortgages. Some now have the added stress of restoring their credit." Lessons learned: Again, Salted Hash reached out to ATCC for comment, including emails to executives directly. However, there has been no response from the company. The assumption is that ATCC had a BCDR plan already established prior to the Phishing attack. If that assumption is true, then the lesson here is that most plans fall apart the moment they're actually needed. Organizations have to try and plan for this, and have alternative provisions to deal with shortfalls and hiccups. Such problems can be resolved by ensuring that BCDR plans are updated regularly, and fully address actual risk scenarios such as Phishing and Social Engineering. The notion that employees feel there was a lack of follow though on the incident is a painful reminder that BCDR plans have to include the people that make the organization function. They're humans, with real human concerns, that don't go away with the passing of time. Yes, the stolen information will become less valuable over time, but that doesn't offset the here and now, and such facts don't make the issue go away. In this case, clearly there was a breakdown somewhere. Just over a month later, employees feel as if they've been forgotten and the solutions offered didn't really address their concerns. The truth? Security is hard, but not impossible. Balancing the needs of people as well as the needs of the company can complicate things, but there should always be a path available to help both sides move forward. A new bill in Congress would require U.S. law enforcement agencies to obtain court-ordered warrants before demanding the emails of the country's residents when they are stored overseas. The International Communications Privacy Act, introduced Wednesday by three senators, would close a loophole that allows law enforcement agencies to request emails and other electronic documents without warrants. Congress has been working since 2010 to rework the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), a law that sets down rules for law enforcement access to electronic communications, but the focus has been on requiring warrants for emails and other communications stored in the cloud for longer than 180 days. Congress, however, should also protect privacy for emails stored overseas, given that customer data can be stored anywhere in the world, said Senator Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican and lead sponsor of the new bill. "We need also to recognize the critical importance of data privacy on an international scale," he said Thursday. "Given the globalization of the Internet and electronic communications, Congress must also act to safeguard data throughout the world from unauthorized law enforcement access." "We need also to recognize the critical importance of data privacy on an international scale," he said Thursday. "Given the globalization of the Internet and electronic communications, Congress must also act to safeguard data throughout the world from unauthorized law enforcement access." Right now, the U.S. Department of Justice believes it can compel cloud vendors and other companies holding data outside the U.S. to turn over customer data without a warrant, Hatch said. The bill would also limit U.S. courts' ability to issue warrants to communications providers for the electronic communications of citizens of other countries. The issue of warrants for foreigner communications has been in the news since late 2013, when a New York court issued a warrant allowing the U.S. Department of Justice to obtain a foreign suspect's emails stored on a Microsoft server in Ireland. Microsoft has fought the warrant. Hatch's bill would allow U.S. law enforcement agencies to seek court warrants for the personal data of foreigners only if the government of the country where the data is held does not have a so-called Law Enforcement Cooperation Agreement with the U.S. or if the country does not object to the warrant. Such agreements often allow countries to issue their own warrants for materials sought by a partner nation. While Hatch pushed the Senate Judiciary Committee to consider his bill, the panel on Thursday postponed a vote on a second email privacy bill. The Electronic Communications Privacy Act Amendments Act would require court-ordered warrants for email and other documents stored in the cloud for more than 180 days. Under U.S. law, police need warrants to get their hands on paper files in a suspect's home or office and on electronic files stored on his computer or in the cloud for less than 180 days. But under ECPA, police agencies need only a subpoena, not reviewed by a judge, to demand files stored in the cloud or with other third-party providers for longer than 180 days. The House of Representatives passed a similar bill in a unanimous vote in April, but some senators said they have concerns about the scope of the Senate bill 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) This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate An alleged fraud involving a Vermont ski resort has Bridgeport-based Peoples United Bank facing angry investors and potential legal action. The developers of Jay Peak, in northern Vermont near the Canadian border, are accused by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission of misusing more than $200 million in investor funds by transferring money from escrow accounts held at Peoples United Bank into personal accounts. Following an investigation, the SEC filed its lawsuit alleging that Ariel Quiros, of Miami; William Stenger, of Newport, Vt.; and their companies were involved in a Ponzi scheme with funds they obtained under the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. The EB-5 program gives foreign investors the opportunity to obtain permanent residency in the U.S. if they create a certain number of jobs and invest a minimum of $500,000 in a rural area or one with high unemployment. Over the course of roughly eight years, the men raised more than $350 million from investors for a ski resort project called Jay Peak and a $110 million biomedical research center, according to the SEC. Several of the foreign investors also recently filed a class action lawsuit against the men and the banks involved, according to the Courthouse News Service. They accuse Peoples United Bank of not properly managing the escrow accounts. According to the SEC, Quiros and Stenger continuously obtained funds from hundreds of investors, deposited the funds into Peoples United Bank accounts only to quickly transfer them into accounts at brokerage firm Raymond James & Associates opened only in Quiros name. As Jay Peak began new offerings, Quiros opened new accounts at Raymond James in the name of each new limited partnership, to which Stenger transferred investor funds from the corresponding account at Peoples Bank where investors deposited their money, the SECs complaint states. The funds were then used for purposes other than those given to investors, including to fund deficits in other projects. Quiros is also accused of spending $50 million on his personal expenses. The alleged fraud ran the gamut from false statements to deceptive financial transactions to outright theft, said Andrew Ceresney, director of the SECs Division of Enforcement, in a news release. As alleged in our complaint, the defendants diverted millions of EB-5 investor dollars to their own pockets, leaving little money for construction of the research facility investors were told would be built and thereby putting the investors funds and their immigration petitions in jeopardy. A spokesperson for Peoples United Bank declined to comment. ktorres@hearstmediact.com; 203-330-6227 Contributed Photo Actor/comic Ahmed Bharoocha is known for his sketch comedy group, Dead Kevin, which has been featured everywhere from Buzzfeed and Comedy Central Studios, to Funny Or Die. Along with cohorts Ryan OFlanagan and Jack Robichaud, he stars in, writes, shoots and edits the groups new shorts, which are released each week. Though that certainly keeps him quite busy, Bharoocha is making time this week for a series of live shows at Mohegan Sun Casino. He will be there for a three-night, four-performance event, Thursday, May 26, through Saturday, May 28. The stand-up shows are for mature audiences only. When then-Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry remarked in 2004 about being for legislation before he was against it, he won enshrinement in the flip-floppers hall of fame. Now several Connecticut lawmakers are having their own brushes with the for-it-against-it syndrome. Reps. Jim Himes and Elizabeth Esty last week voted for the $600-billion-plus National Defense Authorization Act, which included language permitting federal contractors to discriminate against LGBT folks. The very next day they voted to repeal that exact same language, but that amendment got defeated by the Republican majority. Wouldnt it have been easier just to vote against it in the first place? Not so simple, said Himes. In its entirety, the defense authorization act is a very good bill for Connecticut, with money for submarines, F-35s and helicopters. Rep. Esty said the anti- LGBT measure had no place in legislation whose primary purpose is to keep our nation safe from terrorism. She noted it is not in the Senate version and that she would work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make sure it never becomes law. Although Himes and Esty voted for it, the defense bill faces a White House veto, in part because it shifts $18 billion targeted for overseas war-fighting to pegging the Armys strength at 480,000 soldiers, among other things. Who, me? If you are a U.S. senator and your name gets mentioned as a VP prospect in a presidential year, you play humble and low-ball it all the way. So when Sen. Chris Muprhys name appeared last week on a thinly sourced USA Today list of VP names being floated, the states junior senator and Hillary Clinton supporter greeted the news with something between a shrug and a yawn. I didnt think too much of it, said Murphy, who noted he has not been in touch with the Clinton campaign. I guess its flattering but I truly dont take it seriously. Its a bit of a parlor game right now. Murphy, 42, is well versed in foreign policy as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. But he comes from a solid blue state and doesnt add the ethnic or regional pizazz of others on the USA Today list like Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif, or Sen. Tim Kaine from must-win Virginia. Focus on Trump Facing a tumultuous one-on-one with Donald Trump, House Speaker Paul Ryan gained some Zen-like succor from Rep. Elizabeth Esty, who attends the same spin-and-yoga class in the House gym. In the yoga portion, participants pick a word to focus on at the start of the exercise. The instructor that day said it should be a word that comes to mind today and everyone broke out laughing, thinking of a certain real estate mogul. Not that word, Paul! Esty said. For Esty, a Democrat whose opposition to Trump couldnt be overstated, this was not the time for schadenfreude. It was like teasing in a family, but the feeling in the room was we want something good to happen, Esty said. Ryan was laughing along and the group wished him well, she said. At the end of the day were all going to have to figure out how to make it work, she added. And if we dont, it will have serious consequences for the country. On the fence All former Sen. Joe Lieberman knows for sure is that he will vote in November. Whether hell make an endorsement and who exactly hell vote for appear to be up in the air for the feisty, notoriously independent centrist from Stamford. Right now Im just waiting to see what happens at the two conventions, said Lieberman. I may just end up voting. Independent streak notwithstanding, its hard to believe Lieberman, who retired from the Senate in 2013, could ever support Trump. Or could he? Trump is a reflection of the feeling among primary voters fed up with the status quo and fed up with leaders of their own parties, Lieberman said. Lieberman and his wife, Hadassah, sold their Stamford condo a few years ago so they could rent in the leafy Riverdale section of the Bronx. They wanted to be near two of their children and five grandchildren who live in the neighborhood. So were available for bus stops, emergencies and baby-sitting, he said. They call on us. And if not, we call on them! This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT More than a dozen supporters chanting Bring Lonnie back and Free Lonnie rallied outside the Bridgeport Police Department Thursday afternoon. Meanwhile inside, the head of the departments minority officers organization faced a termination hearing for allegedly conspiring to distribute a phony racist letter in the department. Lt. Lonnie Blackwell, president of The Guardians and commander of the departments training academy until he was put on administrative duty for this case, was having a hearing before police Chief Armando Perez and city labor officials. The chief has the ability to fire Blackwell following the hearing, under the current union contract. We are hoping Chief Perez will bring the right justice for our friend, Lonnie Blackwell, said former state Sen. Ernest Newton. We urge the mayor not to sit on the sidelines when they are trying to lynch Lonnie. Dennis Bradley, president of the Board of Education and a Democratic nominee for state Senate, said, If you have the proof, show us the proof, through a bullhorn. This is an administrative lynching. Bradley was soon joined on the bullhorn by state Sen. Ed Gomes, D-Bridgeport, who lost the nomination to Bradley. Things are not kosher on this police force, Gomes declared. By 5 p.m., the closed hearing had not ended, and no decision of Blackwells status was announced. Chief Perez will listen to everything Lt. Blackwell has to say, and will also take the internal investigation into this matter under advisement as he considers what actions to take in response, City spokesman Av Harris said earlier. Guiding Chief Perez in his decision will be what is in the best interest of the police department and the 150,000 residents of the city of Bridgeport that every officer is sworn to protect. As with any disciplinary matter, Chief Perez will be deliberate and thorough in handling this case, treating both Lt. Blackwell and the serious allegations against him with the utmost sensitivity and professionalism they deserve. Blackwell was placed on administrative duty by former police Chief Joseph Gaudett. A report by the citys Office of Internal Affairs states that Blackwell conspired with former officer Clive Higgins to disseminate a racist hate letter in the Police Department in February 2015. Higgins was arrested by State Police and charged with second-degree falsely reporting an incident for filing a police report regarding the letter, which police said he typed himself in the police department. Higgins was later granted accelerated rehabilitation, a pretrial probation program for nonviolent offenders. State police and the Office of Internal Affairs said Higgins confessed to writing the hate letter which appeared to target him and other black officers in the department and claimed he was ordered to do so by Blackwell. Retired Police Lt. William Bailey told investigators that Blackwell had also asked him to write the letter, according to the OIA report. Blackwell has denied giving such an order. Stamford lawyer Darnell Crosland organized the rally in support of Blackwell. Our demand to reinstate Blackwell stems from the absence of any evidence that Lt. Blackwell was connected to a racist letter that was sent by another police officer to the police department last year, Crosland said. Groups like the NAACP and others have demanded evidence of any wrongdoing and to date have not been informed of anything that substantiates the claims against Lt. Blackwell. Our demands are clear: we want to know of any evidence that ties Lt. Blackwell to the racist letter, Crosland said. If there is no such evidence demonstrating that Lt. Blackwell was in any way involved with this incident, then we want his full and total reinstatement. We feel it is important that Lt. Blackwell receive the justice that he provides day in and day out in his job. Our community needs to stand by the leaders that sacrifice so much for our safety. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GREENWICH The sudden loss of their 16-year-old daughter in a 2014 boating accident off Greenwich Point left Joe and Pamela Fedorko looking for a sign. How could it be that their little girl with the big, strong voice was taken without warning while doing what she loved, spending a sunny August afternoon on the water with three of her closest friends? They looked for a sign that their girl, who couldnt help but smile even when she was nervous, whose academic achievements didnt stop her from staying up late tutoring her friends, who volunteered her time to make peanut butter sandwiches for the homeless, wasnt completely gone. The sign emerged some 50 miles away from Greenwich, at the Fedorko familys second home in Westbrook. On the day of Emilys wake, four days after her death, their neighbors in Westbrook noticed something at their beachfront property and quickly sent a picture to the family. Literally right in front of our house at low tide there are miles and miles of sandbars, Joe Fedorko explained this week. Directly in front of our beach, the sandbar was shaped like a heart. If you walked down our steps onto our beach, you are right dead center in that heart. It made us feel that Emily was with us. It was confirmation to us that she was OK, Pam Fedorko said. Thats how we got through that week. It was huge for us. Foundation Emily grew up on the water. While many might have understood if the Fedorkos and their two children, Joey, 20, and Kelsey, 15, never went near the water again after the events of Aug. 6, 2014, her parents said it was quickly apparent that was not an option. We know her personality, and she would be extremely upset with us if we did not continue to do what we loved to do forever, Pam Fedorko said. It also was soon clear they needed to do something to honor their daughter. There was so much outpouring of support that it was overwhelming, and we wanted something positive to come out of this, Joe Fedorko said. The family has thrown itself into the Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation, a nonprofit charity dedicated to increasing boater safety that they operate out of their Old Greenwich home. We decided to do that two days after it happened, Joe Fedorko said. We didnt quite know what we were going to be doing, Pam Fedorko added. But we knew we had to do something. We wanted to educate people. We didnt want this ever to happen to anyone else. Emsway Walk The foundation has successfully pushed for new legislation strengthening Connecticuts boating-safety laws, and has led safety education efforts, including producing a video now used in boater training in Connecticut (www.emsway.org). But one of the first missions was to create a personal item in Emilys memory. My son said to us almost as soon as she had passed that we should do a bracelet, Pam Fedorko said. She and her husband wear the beaded jewelry on their wrists at all times. We designed these bracelets and there is a meaning to every color in it. The tan represents the sandbar in front of the property in Westbrook. The navy blue represents the water, which is where she passed, and the light blue represents the color of her eyes, so you know she is always looking out for you. There are 16 white beads for how old she was. The bracelets, in plastic and Swarovski crystal models, are sold to raise funds for the foundation, which has held several small-scale events to promote safety. Now, the foundation is sponsoring its first large event, the Emsway Walk. The two-and-a-half-mile trek, scheduled for June 5 at Greenwich Point, will end at the Innis Arden Cottage, part of a day of family activities, including safety demonstrations and quizzes with prizes. Its a beautiful place in Greenwich where everyone loves to spend time, but its also the last place where Emily was, Pam Fedorko said. We wanted to be able to honor her by walking around the Point. Well have a couple of stations with some pictures of her, and you can pause and take a moment of silence or reflect or say a prayer, whatever you choose. For us it was important to do it at Tods Point. The family hopes for a crowd of 700, and reports the response has been great so far. More information is available at https://emsway.org/walk/. The timing of the walk coincides with the start of the boating season. The choice of the first Sunday in June was deliberate. Last year the Greenwich Shellfish Commission and the Bruce Museum honored Emilys memory on that day with an event called Emsway Safety Day. It was the foundations first event. We would love this to be an annual event, but we will see, Pam Fedorko said. At least 250 of the participants will receive free life vests. And that many will be able to register for free safe-boating classes. Emilys Law, signed last year, requires any boat operator to complete a course on safe towing. It makes it illegal for anyone under 16 to operate a boat towing a rafter or water skier. Emily was in an inner tube being pulled by a boat when she was killed. When that law got passed, the goal was never to keep anybody from boating or restrict them, said longtime Fedorko family friend Gary DellAbate. We just want it to be safer. These are boating people. Giving back The goal of the walk is to bring people together, while promoting water safety. But the Fedorkos said they also wanted a chance to give back after the community has been there for them. This community is special, Joe Fedorko said. We are surrounded by water, and this could have happened to anyone. The summer is filled with kids and parents boating and we have people in every river and body of water. We have so many yacht and boating clubs just in Greenwich alone. The support comes from that and also because Emily was very well known and liked in school. She is greatly missed still, Pam Fedorko added. When she walked into a room, you knew she was there. People realize shes not there anymore. Emilys class will graduate from Greenwich High School next month, making this a difficult time for the family. We are doing OK, Pam Fedorko said. Were going day by day, and we have a lot of good friends and family who are there for us all the time. What we are doing with the foundation keeps us busy in a positive way. It makes us feel like we are keeping Emilys memory alive and she is here with us. The family is gratified to have seen some good arise from their tragedy, and say the foundations work is only beginning. You have two choices when something like this happens, Joe Fedorko said. You can crawl into a ball and forget everything, or you can move forward and push. We find it very helpful to be positive. We try to be positive every day. kborsuk@scni.com Important: The opinions expressed in WebMD Blogs are solely those of the User, who may or may not have medical or scientific training. These opinions do not represent the opinions of WebMD. Blogs are not reviewed by a WebMD physician or any member of the WebMD editorial staff for accuracy, balance, objectivity, or any other reason except for compliance with our Terms and Conditions. Some of these opinions may contain information about treatments or uses of drug products that have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. WebMD does not endorse any specific product, service or treatment. Do not consider WebMD Blogs as medical advice. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your care plan or treatment. WebMD understands that reading individual, real-life experiences can be a helpful resource, but it is never a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified health care provider. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or dial 911 immediately. WASHINGTON As co-author of major legislation to infuse life into the nations resource-starved mental health care system, Sen. Chris Murphy believes theres an overlap between mental illness and the uptick of mass shootings, including Sandy Hook. But hes dead-set against any suggestion that putting mental health care on par with its physical health counterpart will automatically solve the epidemic of gun violence. I understand clearly theres an intersection, but the failure of one system is not causal of the other crisis, Murphy, D-Conn., said Thursday at the conclusion of his Senate Mental Health Summit, aimed at building support among mental health professionals and advocates for the Mental Health Reform Act that Murphy has written along with Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La. So I worry when people suggest that fixing the mental health problem will fix the gun violence problem, Murphy said. Advocacy of rebuilding the nations mental health system is something upon which Republicans and Democrats can find agreement. But GOP lawmakers and gun-rights advocacy groups like the national Rifle Association take it a step further and argue that mental illness not the availability of large-capacity, semi-automatic rifles and other lethal weaponry is the root of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre and other shootings like the one at the Aurora, Colo., movie theater the same year. So even as he advocates for his bill to fix what he terms the broken mental health system in America, Murphy is careful to put some daylight between mental illness and gun violence. On the Senate floor Wednesday, he said conflating mental illness and gun violence . . . may serve the political ends of those in the Senate who oppose background checks and other gun-control measures. Murphy also argued the U.S. does not have a higher rate of mental illness than those of other developed nations. The difference he said, is that mass shooters with mental problems, like Adam Lanza at Sandy Hook, have access to weapons of war. The ability of such people to instantly transform themselves into mass murderers is unique in this country, Murphy said. After the summit, Murphy said, the nexus is not as big an intersection as some people would like to believe. So Im trying to be responsible and tease out the subtleties of this debate. Hes not alone in advocating an all of the above approach. Lanza of course had a mental health problem, said Lauren Alfred, the policy director of Sandy Hook Promise, who attended the Thursday summit. But were very strong proponents of background checks and commonsense (gun) laws . . . anything that makes our schools and communities healthier and safer. At the summit, advocates displayed boxes of over 200,000 signatures calling on Congress to pass the Murphy-Cassidy bill. Murphy said he hoped it could come to a vote on the Senate floor in the coming months. The measures general aim is to put mental health care on equal footing with physical health care. It also would establish grant programs for early intervention as well as biomedical research. dan@hearstdc.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GREENWICH Calling the states economy lackluster was one of the more optimistic things state Sen. L. Scott Frantz had to say about Connecticuts fiscal outlook. Speaking before an audience of more than 125 people at the Greenwich Retired Mens Association on Wednesday, Frantz, a Republican who is seeking a fifth term in office in November, talked about the ongoing state pension funding shortfall, deficits, the downgrading of the states credit rating and the specter of businesses and residents leaving for friendlier territory. Frantz said solutions could be in hand, but it would require a change of direction in Hartford. It is completely reversible, Frantz said. What we need is allegiance to a pro-growth and pro-jobs-growth strategy, and it should be reflected in every one of our policies, whether its regulation, budget or how we tax people. Its got to be pro-growth, otherwise there is no way out of a very difficult situation. The fact that the states pension liability is funded at 42 percent is a major problem because it means funds cant go to other needs, Frantz said, adding that at a minimum, the funding level should be 75 percent, though 85 percent would be ideal. We have to get serious about reforming our pension system for employees, Frantz said. Certainly, a deal is a deal and were going to protect previous employees who retire, but new ones should be subject to a defined coverage as opposed to a defined benefit. While the new state budget ($19.7 billion for 2016-17) does not include new tax increases in its language, cuts to educational cost sharing funds to places like Greenwich, which lost $1.6 million, effectively force towns to raise property taxes to make up for the loss, he said. Local school and municipal officials have said they expect budget savings to offset the cut to Greenwich. Frantz opened his remarks by noting this was the second time he had spoken before the RMA. The first was 15 years ago, before he had been elected to office, when he was invited to discuss his ascent of Mt. Everest. Now, Im here to talk about balancing the budget in Connecticut and economic development, Frantz said. I dont know which one is tougher. I can tell you that its certainly taken longer to balance the budget than it has to climb a tall mountain in the Himalayas. Frantz said throughout his four terms in office, his goals have remained the same. Now, as deputy minority leader and a ranking member of the finance and commerce committees, he wants to balance the state budget and create economic growth by keeping Connecticut companies here, while bringing new ones in. Frantz said if people ever realize the tricks used to make the state budget seem balanced, it will make your hair curl and more will leave the state. Its very, very important that a states economy is healthy, that its tax revenue is healthy and that its attractive to employers, Frantz said. Videos of talks by the RMAs guest speakers can be seen at www.greenwichrma.org. kborsuk@scni.com STRATFORD The children of the woman whose body was found Monday on a beach in Stratford said they wanted her friends to know she has been identified, and that she was a woman who was proud of her Native American heritage, loved the outdoors and enjoyed the shoreline. Colleen Ann Kelly, 52, of Stratford and Indian Island, Maine, was a mother of three who provided care to the elderly, her children told Hearst Connecticut Media on Thursday. Whats a funnel? Have you heard the term used in entrepreneurial circles before? Have you ever wondered what a funnel really is? Learning what a funnel is for the first time can be confusing. One thing for sure is its certainly not one of those things your mechanic uses for your oil change. When it comes to your business, a funnel is something completely different. Before you Google how to build your own funnel, it's critical to understand how they work. A funnel is often defined as something that guides the customer journey towards the purchase of a product or service. While this definition is true, it still doesnt capture the whole idea of what a funnel actually is and can do. Here are three analogies entrepreneurs can use to visualize what a funnel is. Related: 5 Steps to Building Your First Online Sales Funnel 1. Elevator. Its important to know that a funnel is not sending people to your entire store or website. With too many choices, the prospect gets overwhelmed. In this noisy world, attention is precious. As the old adage goes, confused minds say no. A funnel is like an elevator. You and your prospect are the only two people inside. You now have a chance to give your elevator pitch in the short time you have together. A funnel is a controlled environment with very little distraction. When a prospect is in the funnel they essentially have two options -- listen to what you have to offer, or get off the elevator (i.e. Web page). 2. Real-estate agent. Youre in real estate. A prospect walks into your office with the intention of looking at a particular home model. He gets into your car for you to drive him around and look at houses. The customer feels in control of the journey, but you are the one driving the car. After all, you know the best houses to show to give the prospect the most value. A funnel is like this. Based on the interests of the prospect, you can guide him down a particular path and show him particular products or services. Related: The 4 Stages of Every Relationship -- And Sales Funnel 3. Would you like fries with that? Weve all been to the drive-up window and after ordering weve been asked, would you like fries with that? This is called upselling. A funnel is like fast food (only with less grease, of course). It give you the capability to offer additional value to your customers once theyve already purchased a particular item. A funnel can take you from barely scraping by, to dramatically increasing your profits. When you buy a burger from McDonalds they profit about 13 cents. But when you say yes to fries and a coke, profit jumps to $1.89 -- a 1,454 percent increase. Thats the power of funnels. Related: The Sales Secrets to Using Content Effectively at Each Stage of the Funnel Knowing how funnels work will forever change your customer interactions and dramatically improve your first funnel creations. The new software called Clickfunnels is a great place for entrepreneurs to build their first funnel, and you can begin for free. Funnel expert and co-founder of Clickfunnels, Russell Brunson , says building funnels should be fun and easy -- like building Legos. Also like Legos, the variations on the types of funnels you can create are vast. So whatever you need for your business, from a product launch funnel, to a perfect webinar funnel or a network marketing funnel, there are countless possibilities. Now that you have a better idea what a funnel is, what will you create? Related: Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Youve seen them on LinkedIn and Twitter. They take center stage at TED and SXSW and have their own podcasts. And when they speak, millions listen. Im not talking about celebrities or the latest Internet sensations. Im talking about CEOs. From Richard Branson to Elon Musk and Gary Vaynerchuk to Sheryl Sandberg, more and more contemporary CEOs are spending as much time in the spotlight as they are in the boardroom. Theyre sharing insights, anecdotes and philosophies with millions of followers as a new breed of executive thought leader. Related: 7 Tips to Take Your Personal Brand to Celebrity Status High-profile CEOs are nothing new, of course. Ted Turner and Lee Iacocca were packing conferences and turning out bestsellers well before Facebook was born. The difference today is that this kind of stage is increasingly available to anyone. Weve seen this evolution go hand in hand with the growth of our own company. The explosion of social media, new publishing platforms and user-friendly technology has given ordinary execs the capacity to build personal followings in the millions (that is, if they actually have something to say). But in a world where content is king and the average person is consuming upward of 11 hours of media a day, how do you create content as a CEO that rises above the noise? Here are five keys to creating exceptionally strong thought leadership -- the kind that gets read and viewed and goes viral -- culled from executives who have it down to a science. 1. Get personal. With 10 million followers on LinkedIn alone, Richard Branson is the undisputed king of executive thought leadership. A big part of his appeal: Though he focuses on business, Branson really opens up about his personal life and the issues that hes passionate about. Take his recent LinkedIn post titled "How I Have Avoided Work-Life Balance Burnout," viewed by 140,000 people (and counting). In it, he gets personal about his love of kiteboarding: Secondary to being with my family, I am most happy when I am kitesurfing. Kiting helps me to clear my head. In this state, I can put everything into perspective and think up new ideas more easily. 2. Do your homework. Just as important as personality is substance. The best thought leaders back up their personal observations with hard data: statistics and studies, quotes from respected authorities and careful research. Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook chief operating officer and author of the bestseller Lean In, is a master. In the book, Sandberg marshalls a battery of stats to show the alarming disparity of power in the workplace. Just 21 of the Fortune 500 CEOs are women, Sandberg notes, while women hold only 14 percent of executive officer positions overall. More shockingly, girls perform worse on tests when they have to check off M or F before taking them. Related: 4 Questions to Ask When Thinking of Thought Leadership 3. Trendjack. This technique is as old as the news business, but very few executive thought leaders leverage it. Yes, what you have to say may be brilliant and fascinating. But getting it in front of people requires putting it in context. By framing your thoughts around current events and trends, youre able to engage a much bigger audience. Aaron Levie, CEO of multibillion-dollar file sharing company Box, does this as well as anyone. To his 192,000 Twitter followers, Levie recently Tweeted: Now would be a great time for Google to announce that Trump was just out of control A.I., and we all get free Google Fiber for our troubles. The ultra-topical (and very funny) quip was retweeted nearly 400 times. 4. Put yourself out there. If youre not willing to turn heads, open up and say difficult things, then youre probably not cut out for thought leadership. This doesnt mean you have to spill company secrets or alienate your customer base. But it does require that you move beyond the bland, safe corporate shell and show some grit, passion and vulnerability. Brad Feld, the entrepreneur turned venture capitalist, enjoys a huge following on his popular blog, Feld Thoughts. A large part of Felds draw is that hes ruthlessly candid and introspective, in particular about his long struggles with depression and the links between entrepreneurship and mental instability. 5. Offer clear takeaways. The most popular executive thought leaders all have something in common. They dispense real advice that their audience can use. While their content is often personal, it isnt just a diary entry or a creative writing exercise. Why is this so critical? Readers time is limited, and they want a return on their investment in you. Gary Vaynerchuk, the wine merchant turned entrepreneurial icon, has built his hit YouTube show around this very premise. Nearing its 200th episode and counting 169,000 subscribers, #AskGaryVee consists entirely of Vaynerchuk answering viewers questions, dispensing one nugget of wisdom after another. Related: 9 Habits of Profoundly Influential People In the end, succeeding as a business thought leader isnt really rocket science. What it does require, however, is commitment: commitment to offer a personal perspective from the frontlines and -- above all-- commitment to stick with it. From Branson to Vaynerchuk, todays best CEO thought leaders invest time and emotion in their content. The reward: on-demand audiences in the millions and a unique spotlight on their companies. Related: Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate May has been quite an eventful month for news in southwestern Connecticutand reader-submitted photos. Thanks to readers who were on the scene as news broke, we were able to bring you some incredible images to a few of this month's most read stories. Check out some amazing photos submitted to us from you, the readers, this month in the slideshow above. Here's a rundown of the stories from the scenes above. SHELTON A driver was injured when, witnesses said, his car ran through a stop sign at high speed, then crashed over a cement-block wall, damaging three other vehicles parked in the auxiliary parking lot at the Plumb Library before coming to rest on a fourth car. The incident occurred at about 7:26 p.m. Wednesday, when a four-door Honda was driving east on Wooster Street, which is Route 108. In all, as many as five other vehicles may have been damaged in the incident, according to witnesses. Read more - Ken Dixon DANBURY Great Plain Road was closed near Taagan Point Road after a car crashed into a utility pole Thursday afternoon. Police said the driver did not appear injured, but the pole and car were significantly damaged. Read more - Nelson Oliveira STAMFORD A Stamford police captain got an unexpected backyard visitor Wednesday morning. Capt. Richard Conklin was one of several Norwalk residents who have seen a black bear roaming the Cranbury and West Rocks neighborhoods this week. A Cranbury resident captured a photo of the bear on a wildlife camera, and the bear was later spotted on Half Mile Road on Tuesday. "My wife Laura Jean was having coffee this morning (Wednesday) around 5:50 and as she was looking out the window the bear went lumbering across the back yard," said Conklin, who lives in the West Rocks section of Norwalk. "When I woke up she said, 'you're not going to believe what I just saw.'" Read more - Leslie Lake STAMFORD A well-known doctor was "devastated" when he woke up early Tuesday morning to realize his downtown office was gutted by what officials have called a "suspicious" fire. Dr. Jeremy Bier, director of podiatry at Stamford Hospital, said he was alerted by his alarm company of the fire at the two-and-a-half-story house on Bedford Street about 5:45 a.m. "This is my life," Bier said as he looked at the remnants of his former office. "And my house was demolished, gone." Read more - John Nickerson BRIDGEPORT Still recovering from a massive fire that damaged a railroad trestle in Harlem on Tuesday, Metro-North is getting back on track. While it's still operating on a Saturday schedule, it's adding more rail cars that hopefully will ease some of the problems of crowded trains. Read more - Jim Shay The Burma Army launched an offensive against the SSPP/SSA at 9 pm on 18 May. The offensive was paused at night but then continued again at 7 am on 19 May. Three combat helicopters were used in the attack on 19 May, according to an official from the SSPP/SSA. Over 200 residents from Nartaung, Khonanpha and Kyaungmai villages were trapped inside a monastery in Kyaungmai Village because of the clashes, according to local residents. Nan Ngin, a 35-year-old woman who has been seeking refuge at Nampaung Ywama Gyi said: There were four or five military columns from the Burma Army. They were entering one village after another. They stayed in the village and fired into the area outside the village using heavy weapons. The battle has been raging since yesterday [18 May] till this morning [19 May]. There are over 200 people in Wanmai Monastery. We couldnt take them out because of the Burmese soldiers. They didnt allow [the residents] to leave the monastery. The 68th, 69th, and 291st Infantry Battalions and the 532nd Light Infantry Battalion (LIB-532) under the North East Command are now active in the south east of Hsipaw Township and they are being led by a tactical operations commander from Lashio. According to an unconfirmed news report, political parties and social aid groups from Hsipaw have been attempting to bring the trapped residents to Hsipaw. Thousands of local residents have fled from their homes in Kyaukme Township due to the offensive launched by the Burma Army against ethnic armed groups. Translated by Thida Linn The Federal Election Commission has deadlocked on a complaint about an employer who coerced his salaried employees into donating to a PAC he had started; the three Democratic commissioners voted to take action, the three GOP commissioners voted against, and that means that nothing will happen. Coal billionaire Robert Murray sent emails to his employees coercing them to donate to a PAC started by his company, Murray Energy. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a complain with the FEC on behalf of the employees and FEC staffers recommended enforcement against Murray for having violated federal election laws by "coercing Murray Energy employees to make contributions to federal candidates and participate in fundraising activities supporting federal candidates." The incidences of employer coercion to support candidates and PACs are on the rise. With the FEC taking no enforcement action, it's open season on bosses ordering their employees to donate to their own pet political causes. The Supreme Court's 2011 Citizens United decision not only cleared the way for corporations to spend unlimited amounts on campaigns from their own treasuries; it also emboldened managers to require employees to attend meetings about politics, or even specific candidates, a study by Hertel-Fernandez concluded. On top of that, there are no federal labor protections for employees who are fired or punished for refusing to participate in an employer's political agenda. As Hertel-Fernandez wrote, technology has also helped corporations amplify their political voice: "A company might now launch a mobilization effort with a series of emails to workers, then call virtual town-hall video forums, and finally ask workers to visit a website to send employer-written messages to their elected officials." Even if the FEC continues to punt on coercion enforcement and not clarify the rules with future guidance, there are other steps reform advocates can take. As Hertel-Fernandez has noted, Congress currently prohibits PACs from collecting anything of value using "physical force, job discrimination, financial reprisals, or the threat of force, job discrimination, or financial reprisal or as a condition of employment." By simply altering the statute's language to include corporations, Congress could legally protect employees from political coercion. Checks: Political Money & Democracy [Justin Miller/American Prospect] (via Naked Capitalism) (Image: Coal mine Wyoming, PD) This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 3 ANSONIA Increased police presence greeted students Wednesday as they returned to class after an internet threat closed all four city schools early Monday and all day Tuesday. But several Ansonia parents said they were dissatisfied with the way information was disseminated this week. STORY LINK Pound Sterling (GBP) Forecast Uncertain as EU Referendum Debate Promises to Bring 'Leave' Arguements GBP Exchange Rates Record Further Gains on Falling Brexit Bets Polls Suggest Win for 'Remain' Campaign in EU Referendum, Pound Sterling Boosted Will GBP to EUR, NZD, AUD Exchange Rates Extend Gains this Week? Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues: The remaining weeks before the EU Referendum vote could see the Pound dip, due to an increased likelihood of 'Brexit' arguments being made due to the arrival of Purdah.The Pound has lost out against its rivals in a major way today, owing to the latest UK business investment stats for the first quarter showing a -0.5% drop off on the quarter and the year.The Pound Sterling (currency : GBP) continued to trend strongly higher against all of the other major global currencies during yesterdays session.The near-term move Northwards for Sterling was triggered by the publication of an opinion poll by IPSOS Mori a week ago suggesting that the Remain campaign enjoyed a hefty 55% / 37% lead against the Leave campaign. Investors have flocked to price-in an increased percentage chance that the UK will be staying in the European Union after 23rd Junes popular vote.Further evidence supporting the theory that the Remain campaign will win the day emerged yesterday when the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) issued a report warning that a vote to Leave the EU could bring an extension and possible deepening of Austerity in Britain.Paul Johnson, Director of the IFS noted that, there is an overwhelming consensus among those who have made estimates of the consequences of Brexit that it would reduce national income in both the short and long runs. The economic reasons for this increased uncertainty, higher costs of trade and reduced foreign direct investment are clear.He went on to observe that, our estimates suggest that the overall effect of Brexit would be to damage the public finances. On the basis of estimates by NIESR, the effect could be between 20bn and 40bn in 201920, more than enough to wipe out the planned surplus. In the long run, lower GDP would likely mean lower cash levels of public spending.Wrapping up the current situation, Johnson stated that, to put this in context, dealing with the public finance effect would require at least an additional one or two years of austerity spending cuts or tax rises at the same rate as we have experienced recently to get the public finances back to balance.However, Leave campaigners were far from convinced by the IFSs findings; prominent outer Nigel Farage was quick to point out that the IFS is part-funded by the European Union so their opinion was loaded. The forecast for the Sterling remains positive, nonetheless. International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements. TAGS: Daily Currency Updates Euro Forecasts Euro Pound Forecasts Pound St Forecasts When Purdue Pharma's patent on the MS Contin was close to expiry, the Sackler family who owned the company spent millions trying to find a product that could replace the profits they'd lose from generic competition on MS Contin: the result was Oxycontin, a drug that went on to kill Americans at epidemic scale. Oxycontin is the result of applying Purdue's tried-and-true time-release technique to another out-of-patent drug, oxycodone (AKA percoset, roxicodone, etc). The plan was to produce an effective painkiller that lasted 12 hours at a time, overcoming the major deficit of drugs like MS Contin in that they had to be taken regularly to be effective. With a 12 hour formulation, the market for MS Contin mostly people with terminal cancer could be expanded to a wider world of chronic pain sufferers. But from the earliest clinical trials, it was clear that Oxycontin didn't work for 12 hours in most patients. Purdue massaged the numbers, lobbied the FCC, and got its drug approved as a 12-hour dose of effective pain relief. This led to hundreds of millions in advertising and direct marketing by pharma reps to doctors to prescribed Oxycontin for all manner of long-term pain relief. Billions in revenue followed. When doctors told their reps that their patients' pain returned in much less than 12 hours, the reps and the company's chief doctor urged them to increase the dose of Oxycontin (and thus the company's profits), rather than calling for an increased frequency (or another drug). The result was that pain patients took ever-greater doses of a highly addictive drug, but at long intervals that guaranteed excruciating withdrawal symptoms for hours before they were supposed to take another pill. Their doctors then upped their dosage further, leading to even higher highs and lower lows, and more addiction, a black market, and an epidemic of fatal overdoses that continues to resonate through America's poorest communities today. The Sackler family is richer than ever. Forbes estimates their net worth at $14 billion richer than the Rockefellers. While Purdue's litigators were working in courthouses around the country to fend off civil suits, its regulatory attorneys in Washington, D.C., made a blunt admission to the FDA: The 12-hour dosing schedule is, at least in part, about money. The issue arose in a regulatory dispute that attracted little attention. The Connecticut attorney general had complained to the FDA that doctors prescribing OxyContin every eight hours, rather than the recommended 12, were unintentionally fueling black market use of the drug. In a 2004 letter to the FDA, Purdue lawyers responded that the company had no evidence that eight-hour prescribing contributed to abuse or was unsafe. They went on to make a case far different than the one Purdue sales reps were making to doctors. Eight-hour dosing, the attorneys wrote, could "optimize treatment" for some patients and should level out the narcotic roller coaster. Nonetheless, they said the company planned to continue telling doctors OxyContin was a 12-hour drug. The lawyers gave a list of reasons: Purdue hadn't submitted studies to the FDA to support more frequent dosing, the FDA had approved OxyContin as a 12-hour drug, and 12-hour dosing was more convenient for patients. Their final reason: It was better for business. 'YOU WANT A DESCRIPTION OF HELL?' OXYCONTIN'S 12-HOUR PROBLEM [Harriet Ryan, Lisa Girion and Scott Glover/LA Times] (Image: OxyContin setup, 51fifty, CC-BY-SA) (via Naked Capitalism) Pa. is about to vote. Here's what to know about voting and ballot access in 2022 Takeaways from the DeSantis-Crist debate Democrat Charlie Crist came out swinging against Republican incumbent Ron DeSantis in the only televised debate in the Florida gubernatorial race. From The Washington Post: And they've just appeared in an extraordinary video published online by Minjok Tongshin, a pro-Pyongyang news service based in the United States that runs the kind of stories that wouldn't look out of place in North Korea's official media. "I want to advise the U.S. to drop its hostile policy against North Korea. They've done enough wrong and now it's time for them to wake up from their delusions," said Ted Dresnok, 36, who goes by the Korean name Hong Sun Chol. He was wearing a navy blue suit with a red Kim badge on it. His younger brother, James, or Hong Chol, was wearing a North Korean army uniform and said he held a rank equivalent to a captain in the U.S. Army. His comments also sounded like they came out of the propaganda department. "The American Imperialists caused the division of the Korean peninsula," James said. 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. The power suit has moved out of the office and onto the street in a variety of colours with the celebrity support of Julia Roberts and Cate Blanchett. by Damien Woolnough General Sir Michael Rose says that Britain's Army is already too 'thinly spread' to take on yet another role within a European military Today, there is a desire in Brussels to establish a Europe-wide military structure, yet when UK defence resources are so scarce, it makes no sense to disperse our greatly reduced military forces as thinly as we are doing in order to support this European ideal. We already play a central role in the UN and Nato, and this is where we should continue to place our main effort. The EU will just create waste and confusion by duplicating the efforts of those two bodies. Indeed, that point was well illustrated in the early Nineties when the UK tried to support two separate naval operations, one led by Nato, the other by the now defunct Western European Union alliance, both of them aimed at stopping the flow of weapons into the former Yugoslavia. The Royal Navy had only one ship available for the two different operations, so its crew was therefore obliged to dash between the two fleets changing codes, emblems and chains of command as they went. The EU has caused just as much damage to the renowned military ethos on which the UKs fighting power depends. A raft of European edicts such as the EUs health and safety directive, which means our defence establishment is required to comply with the UKs international health and safety obligations have been introduced into our Armed Forces. The result has been that our servicemen and women are now regarded today as no more than civilians in uniform. Soldiers joke they are being trained for lawfare not warfare, because military life is so bound up in European red tape. It is the same story with Europes Convention on Human Rights, which has required UK Court Martial procedures to comply with civilian law. This has greatly limited the powers of jurisdiction for company and battalion commanders. A war vehicle carrying the European flag during a war exercise with 2,000 European troops in Salisbury I doubt that the string of former US Secretaries for Defence who have spoken out recently against Brexit would be too happy if judges in Mexico were able to dictate to the Pentagon how its military justice system should operate. In the final analysis, sovereignty and defence are indivisible. British soldiers swear allegiance not to politicians but to their King or Queen. Their loyalty is to the UK, whose people, interests and values they serve. Leaving the European Union would allow Britain to remain Europes leading military power. Conforming to the dictates of Europe will ensure the opposite. Don't believe Remain's 'misleading propaganda': Britain fought alongside France without the EU and could do so again Amid all the alarmism of the Remain campaign, one of the most persistent themes is the claim that membership of the EU makes us safer. Withdrawal from Brussels, it is said, will put us in danger by undermining co-operation with our European partners and reducing our influence on the world stage. Yesterday, there was a welcome riposte to these unconvincing assertions. Supported by 12 former admirals and generals, including myself, a new group called Veterans For Britain was launched to make the case that, far from enhancing our security, the EU is actually a serious threat to the effectiveness of our Armed Forces. As this new campaign argued, the risk to our future lies not in the theoretical notion of isolation post-Brexit, but in the real problems the EU creates through its lack of respect for national sovereignty, its grandiose federalist ambitions, its ignorance of military life, and its meddling impulse to duplicate the work of other bodies such as Nato. January 1943: French General Henri Giraud, US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, General Charles de Gaulle from France and Winston Churchill at the Casablanca Conference This new Veterans movement is badly needed to counter all the misleading propaganda the pro-EU campaigners have been peddling in recent weeks. Determined to frighten the British people into voting Remain, politicians have been careless with the facts and cavalier with history. The same applies to their eagerness to rewrite military history. According to the Prime Minister, the lesson from history is that Britain must be engaged in Europe, as shown by military successes like World War II. But those battles were won by Britain as part of a strong alliance, not from being part of some vast, unaccountable federal structure. Charles De Gaulle and Sir Winston Churchill That truth was brought home to me earlier this month, when I attended a ceremony at Valencay in central France in front of an impressive memorial to honour 91 men and 13 women of the Special Operations Executive, who gave their lives for freedom during World War II. The many people who came to pay homage knew that if it had not been for those brave men and women, the casualties suffered by the Allied forces in France would have been far greater. When I asked some of them about a potential Brexit, they generally did not seem to mind one way or the other. What they cared about was that Britain had not turned her back on France in 1940 and that the two countries had forged a strong alliance which defeated the Nazis. Our long, shared history and common values were what mattered to them, not modern politics. It would have been ridiculous of me to suggest to them that by leaving the EU we would be turning our backs on Europe. There is something distasteful about David Camerons willingness to cite the memory of those who died in World War II for his own political ends. In doing so, in my view, he diminishes the achievement of those brave people who sacrificed their lives so that Europe could be free. To suggest that Europe would be less safe without Britain being part of the EU is also an insult to the people of France and Germany, and the many different countries that make up Europe today. They are not the same as their forebears, and today they think in a very different way. Mr Cameron is wrong, too, to argue that Britain leaving could lead to war and even genocide. YouGov's poll indicating that only 18 per cent of us trust the Prime Minister on Europe might concern the Queen, says a royal source. Why so? He explains: Because the last time Cameron found himself in a sticky position during a referendum campaign in Scotland he persuaded HM, against her better judgment, to say outside Crathie Church, near Balmoral, I hope people will think carefully before voting. 'She wanted to preserve the UK, but does she agree with the PM about remaining in the EU? YouGov's poll indicating that only 18 per cent of us trust the Prime Minister on Europe might concern the Queen, says a royal source 'Although HM pays little attention to opinion polls, she might have noticed that her approval ratings are plus 81 per cent, while Camerons are minus 19. Nearly eight years after TV presenter Adrian Chiles, 49, left Womans Hour host Jane Garvey, 51, his wife of ten years, the split evidently still rankles with her. While interviewing Hollywood actress and director Jodie Foster, 53, on the show yesterday, she remarked: You must have known some TV presenters in your time. Ive known a few to my cost, frankly. Sapphist Jodie must have been fascinated! The BBCs Andrew Neil, 67, asks lightweight Tory MP Matt Hancock, 37, about the Prime Ministers strange appointment of Labour turncoat Lord Sugar as enterprise tsar. Is he the only businessman you know? inquired Neil, adding: Whats his greatest business achievement? Hancock lamely replied that Sugar, 69, had started a long time ago. Justice Secretary Michael Gove, 48, chooses an opportune moment to bring in a Bill designed to make the lives of female prisoners easier. Many of those most likely to be opposed to any liberalisation of our penal policies are currently gripped by the plight of Helen Titchener in Radio 4s The Archers, who has just given birth to her baby behind bars after stabbing her abusive partner. Justice Secretary Michael Gove (pictured), 48, chooses an opportune moment to bring in a Bill designed to make the lives of female prisoners easier Gove also has the support of the Duchess of Cambridge, who received a delegation from support groups working in womens prisons this week. The PM might sack Brexit-supporting Gove again, as he did from his job as education secretary. Cameron found that easier than standing up to the Gove-hating teachers union. The photo of Lady Sarah Chatto, 52, the Queens niece, lugging her shopping out of Waitrose illustrates that some members of the Royal Family still lead more or less ordinary lives. Also that the store holds all three royal warrants from the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Charles. But they prefer to take advantage of its free delivery service. Yorkshire-born actor Sir Ben Kingsley, 72, the son of an Indian father and British mother, has the birth name of Krishna Bhanji. Auditioning for roles in the 1970s, in Huddersfield and Leeds, he used it at the first one. He recalls an interview: They said, Wonderful audition, but we wouldnt know how to place you in our repertoire. An email reached me last week from a man who explained that although he owns most of my books, he was busily burning them because he has read that I shall vote Remain on June 23. One likewise hears of country suppers rent by near-fisticuffs between Stayers and Goers. Suez in 1956 seems the most recent precedent for the intensity of bitterness unleashed among Conservatives by the referendum campaign. Boris shares with Donald Trump an absolute lack of equilibrium or stability terrifying in a prime minister This is wildly unreasonable, because there are heavyweight arguments on both sides. First, any honest Europhile should acknowledge that since 1980 many of the charges made by Eurosceptics have proved well-founded. The EU has lost its way, thanks to fanatics who have sought to transform it from a free trade area into a political and economic union. Extremism The eurozone promises Southern Europe only perpetual austerity and consequent political extremism. Brussels seems incapable of forging a viable response to mass migration, the greatest threat to the Continent's stability and social cohesion since 1945. Many people are angry with David Cameron, because he promised a renegotiation with Brussels that never seemed plausible, then insulted voters by flourishing a fig leaf in place of a credible deal, which almost made me a Leaver. The migration nightmare and it is a nightmare seems fundamentally a manifestation of globalism In the end, however, I shall vote Remain for reasons that are not all rooted in an instinct to 'always keep a-hold of Nurse', as the poet Hilaire Belloc explained, 'for fear of finding something worse'. On June 23, we are not being offered a choice between good and evil, Satan's emissaries and the angels. We shall be asked to make a marginal judgment call, which is what most of grown-up life is about. The single market has well served Britain, especially the vital financial services industry. Some Leavers seem to believe that if we can only 'liberate' ourselves from the EU, a bright dawn beckons, wherein all the nation's problems will vanish. Yet the most serious of these unsustainability of the NHS, a failing education system, poor productivity, flagging manufacturing, a frightful balance of payments deficit have nothing to do with Brussels. As for migration, I will hazard a wild guess that leaving would enable us to cut immigration by perhaps 15 per cent, no more. We may regain power to keep out Polish plumbers and Romanian car-washers, but a large proportion of the migrants we least want will continue to land at Heathrow and overstay visas, exploit relationships with people already domiciled and enter illegally. The migration nightmare and it is a nightmare seems fundamentally a manifestation of globalism. Even if the will exists to control it, the practical difficulties are immense. Since a majority of those determined to Leave will vote that way because they yearn to seal our borders, if they prevail I suspect they will experience disappointment and frustration. Many people are angry with the PM, as he promised a renegotiation with Brussels that never seemed plausible, then insulted voters by flourishing a fig leaf in place of a credible deal, which almost made me a Leaver Even if we fortify Britain with wire and minefields which would rather spoil the attraction of life here for residents as well as newcomers this huge problem will remain subject only to mitigation, not solution, best achieved by multilateral action. Both sides bandy speculative and fanciful economic figures, but the Remainers' numbers seem slightly more credible. Departure will cost us all money, and discourage inward investment. At a time when the economic and political environments are already unstable, the fallout is incalculable. Leavers welcome the cleansing prospect of an EU break-up. Again, I might join them if we seemed likely to achieve a return to a free trade area, together with the demolition of Brussels' obese bureaucracy and futile democratic machinery. Chaos seems more likely, however. Mervyn King, then governor of the Bank of England, offered me some private forecasts five years ago, when Cameron first promised a referendum on EU membership. Lord King thought the eurozone ultimately doomed, but believed a crunch could be postponed well beyond 2017. He suggested the Prime Minister was rash to commit to a deadline which made it unlikely that we should see clearly what sort of Europe we were voting for or against, as so much is in flux. He also argued that if Britain takes the lead in breaking up the party, other European governments will do all in their considerable power to punish us. His prophesies still look feasible: the odious Jean-Claude Juncker, European Commission president, last week explicitly threatened vengeance on quitters. Finally, although this campaign is supposed to be about issues, it has evolved into a presidential contest between David Cameron and Boris Johnson. Politically, if the Brexiteers triumph, Cameron will become a dead man walking, with Johnson his most likely successor. Mistaken Comparisons with Donald Trump, the other 'blond bombshell', seem misplaced, because the ex-London Mayor is far more intelligent. He shares with Trump, however, an absolute lack of equilibrium or stability terrifying in a prime minister. Though his comparison of the EU's objectives with those of Hitler roused outrage abroad, it has prompted surprisingly little inside Britain, save Lord Heseltine's understandably contemptuous comments. The Hitler line should properly be the end of Boris, save as a journalist and star of TV reality shows Foes and supporters have sighed and said: 'Typical Boris.' Such indulgence seems mistaken. This is a man whose relationship with truth and political coherence is little more impressive than that of Jeffrey Archer. Any one of 20 indiscretions in Johnson's career would have sunk a less dazzling master of the pier-end turn, and indeed U-turn. Having known Boris for years, I cannot bring myself to cast a vote which could trigger his advance to Downing Street. The Hitler line should properly be the end of him, save as a journalist and star of TV reality shows. Only in a potty new world of celebrity, populist politicians can a real prospect persist of his governing this country. It seems quite mistaken to suppose that, whichever way the vote goes on June 23, the European debate will achieve a closure. The migration crisis will worsen, probably intensified by terrorist atrocities. I cannot believe the EU, and even more the eurozone, will or should survive in their present form through another decade. Salvages If we remain members, we shall have a voice in seeking an outcome that salvages its best elements, above all the single market, from today's admitted unholy mess. If we leave, we become impotent and bear the odium for the ensuing pile-up. A few years ago, I heard a speech by one of Germany's foremost industrialists, where he expressed hopes that Britain would remain in the EU, then concluded: 'With the utmost courtesy I would suggest to our British friends that should you leave, you may find it cold out there.' Partly because I often visit the U.S., and know how little influence we command in its high places except as a partner in Europe, I believe that German was right. As a citizen, I am willing to give the British Government, and its support for the EU, just one more chance. I suspect that enough others will do likewise to secure a Remain vote next month. David Cameron should show statesmanship enough to treat such a victory as a beginning, not an end. It has become both important and symbolic to escape from the bondage of the hopelessly outdated European Convention on Human Rights, even though that is nothing to do with Brussels. Raising serious concerns about our national identity and quality of life, England's population is set to rise by 4million in eight years with migration and births to foreign-born mothers accounting for two-thirds of the growth. No, this isn't wild guesswork by the Leave campaign, trying to match the Remain camp's scaremongering. These are yesterday's cautious calculations by the Office for National Statistics, based on the assumption that the number of arrivals from inside and outside the EU will fall. Meanwhile, migrants continue to flock across the Mediterranean to Italy, with 6,000 rescued since Monday Yet even if migration does decline a very big if the country's official number-crunchers predict that the population of our overcrowded capital alone will soar 13.7 per cent to almost 10million by 2024. That's 1.1million extra people needing housing, jobs, healthcare, public transport and school places. And remember that such projections are likely to be significant underestimates, since they take no account of asylum-seekers or the countless illegal entrants who slip under the official radar. Only yesterday a Briton was arrested at Chichester marina, West Sussex, allegedly smuggling 17 Albanians into the UK. Who knows how many others go undetected? Meanwhile, migrants continue to flock across the Mediterranean to Italy, with 6,000 rescued since Monday (though, tragically, others drowned) as an Italian naval commander warns: 'The flow of migration is intensifying.' So much for EU officials' claims of success for their 4.7billion deal with Turkey to stop the influx into Greece. And now Germany wants to divert 10 per cent of the EU budget to the refugee emergency a crisis hugely exacerbated, remember, by Angela Merkel's reckless promise to welcome all-comers. Today, ONS figures are expected to show that net immigration added more than 300,000 to the UK population last year, with almost half arriving under the EU's freedom of movement rules. Do we really want to remain part of this crazy system, which insists everyone given EU citizenship has the right to settle in the UK? Or, on June 23, should we vote to reclaim our borders, before Britain buckles under the weight of numbers? Crisis of credibility Meanwhile, David Cameron continues to crank up Project Fear. Not content with warning that Brexit will heighten the risk of genocide and war, cripple the economy and bring house prices crashing, he now says pensions, the NHS and social care will suffer if we vote to leave. Can he really not see how he diminishes himself and the dignity of his position by his hysterical scaremongering? Only three months ago, this same Mr Cameron was suggesting he might lead the Out campaign if he failed to secure 'fundamental, far-reaching change', saying: 'I will never argue that Britain couldn't survive outside the European Union.' Can the PM really not see how he diminishes himself and the dignity of his position by his hysterical scaremongering? Yet now, abetted by Cabinet Secretary 'Sir Cover-Up' Jeremy Heywood, he has mobilised the entire Whitehall machine once a byword for impartiality to try to frighten Leave voters out of their wits. Indeed, visitors to Government websites are greeted by warnings of the dangers of Brexit. The official Treasury site displays the dramatic message: 'UK economy into RECESSION if Britain leaves the EU' with the word 'recession' in blood-red, cracked capital letters, as in the title sequence of a horror film. While Mr Cameron adopts tactics like these (which Leavers say breach electoral law) it's no wonder a poll finds only 18 per cent trust him on the EU, and just 2 per cent rate George Osborne a leader. Adrian Tinniswoods enjoyable new book, The Long Weekend, tells the intriguing story of an accident at a shooting party in the winter of 1913. The shoot took place at Welbeck Abbey in Nottinghamshire, the family seat of the Duke of Portland. During the course of the afternoon, one of the men who was employed to load the guns accidentally tripped over, causing both barrels of his gun to go off. The blast went within a couple of feet of the grandest guest, and thus narrowly missed killing him. This particular guest was Archduke Franz Ferdinand, whose assassination by a Bosnian Serb in Sarajevo the following year is widely believed to have led to World War I. What if the Archduke had been killed in that shooting accident at Welbeck Abbey? For a few weeks in June 1960, Norman Chapman was the drummer with The Beatles, and apparently a very good drummer, too, but he was called up for National Service before they went on tour For the rest of his life, this question nagged away at the Duke of Portland. I have often wondered whether the Great War might not have been averted, or at least postponed, had the Archduke met his death then and not at Sarajevo the following year, he wrote. A similar story, triggering another great what if?, occurred 17 years later on a main road in Munich. I recounted it in my last book, One On One. On August 22, 1931, the 18-year-old John Scott-Ellis (later to become Lord Howard de Walden) was being taught to drive by his friendly landlord. As Scott-Ellis made a right turn into Briennerstrasse in his little red Fiat, a pedestrian forgot to look left, causing the car to run into him. Although I was going very slowly, a man walked off the pavement, more or less straight into my car, recalled Scott-Ellis many years later. The pedestrian fell to his knees, but managed to heave himself up. He was soon up and I knew that he wasnt hurt. By this time, Scott-Ellis and his landlord had got out of the car and rushed to his aid. The pedestrian in his early 40s and sporting a little square moustache assured them that he was fine, shook their hands and strode off. Archduke Franz Ferdinand, whose murder sparked World War I, was nearly killed in a shooting accident in Nottingham Being new to Munich, Scott-Ellis hadnt recognised him, but he was told by his landlord that he was the controversial leader of a new political party, who went by the name of Adolf Hitler. Scott-Ellis died in 1999, aged 86. For a few seconds, perhaps, I held the history of Europe in my rather clumsy hands, he reflected in old age. He was only shaken up, but had I killed him, it would have changed the history of the world. And what of Norman Chapman? I dont suppose that name rings a bell with more than a handful of people. But if fate had taken a different turn, we would now remember the four Beatles as John, Paul, George . . . and Norman. For a few weeks in June 1960, Norman was the drummer with The Beatles, and apparently a very good drummer, too. He was due to go to Hamburg with them, but a few days before they set off he received his call-up papers for National Service. This meant the others were obliged to replace him with Pete Best, who was himself replaced by Ringo Starr. It could also be argued that the career of another Beatle would never have got off the ground if Paul McCartney had not failed his first Latin GCE. Had he passed the exam, he would have been put up a year, to the Lower Sixth. This in turn would have meant that he would not have been forced to remain in the Remove and make friends with boys a year younger, such as George Harrison. Closer to the present day, there is every reason to suppose that Jeremy Corbyn would never have become the Leader of the Opposition had one man remained sober three years before. On February 22, 2012, Eric Joyce, Labour MP for Falkirk, drinking in the Strangers Bar of the House of Commons, turned on a group of Conservatives, saying the place was too full of f*****g Tories. He then head-butted the Conservative MP for Pudsey and assaulted three others. Unwittingly that night, the intoxicated Joyce set off a chain of events that would lead directly to Jeremy Corbyns election in the Labour leadership contest more than three years later, writes Corbyns biographer, Rosa Prince. Briefly: Joyce was suspen- ded by the Labour Party for his behaviour and stood down as an MP. The selection procedure for his replacement became so marred in rumours of trades union interference that, in order to show his own independence from the unions, the then leader, Ed Miliband, vastly broadened the Labour electorate. This in turn meant that a rank outsider, Jeremy Corbyn, won the leadership election. The fashion industry is, for the most part, considered to be progressive, breaking rules and challenging social conformity through wearable art. But creative prodigy, street style icon and ultimate 'slashie' Margaret Zhang still feels that at times she is at a disadvantage for being a young Asian woman. Speaking with Daily Mail Australia ahead of her talk at Vivid Sydney, the 23-year-old says racism is not always overt, although on one very memorable occasion, it quite literally smacked her in the face. Scroll down for video Creative prodigy Margaret Zhang still feels that at times she is at a disadvantage for being a young Asian woman 'Anyone who's experienced racism will tell you it's not always having beer spat in their face - which has happened to be before, she said, adding: 'In Sydney as well, which is depressing. 'Sometimes it s to the point of hatred, but sometimes its just ignorance and a lack of respect, she says. Honestly I wouldnt swap [my background] for the world, but unfortunately at a high corporate level, sometimes it does put you at a disadvantage. The incident to which shes referring occurred in October 2015, and she tweeted about it at the time writing: In what world is it acceptable to call me an Asian dog and spit beer in my face? The 23-year-old says racism is not always overt, although once it has quite literally smacked her in the face In October 2015, she said tweeted about an incident where she was called an 'Asian dog' and had beer spat in her face Taking it all in stride however, Margaret she continues: 'I like a challenge, but its frustrating.' Launching her blog ShineByThree at just 16, the West Ryde local has experienced success on a such an explosive level it would no doubt make many other 20-somethings feel immensely inadequate. Her portfolio includes directing a short film for Dior, modelling on the cover of Vogue China, photographing Jodi Anasta for Mon Purse, as well as consulting for some of the world's biggest fashion houses such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton. The 23-year-old is a fixture in the front row at all major fashion weeks across the globe She also completed her commerce/law degree earlier this year She is a fixture in the front row at all major fashion weeks around the world, rubbing shoulders with industry elites such as Anna Wintour, Miranda Kerr and Jessica Hart. If that's not all, she also completed her commerce/law degree earlier this year, but the extra time spent not studying has not granted her extra downtime, instead she's busier than ever. 'I still only sleep five to six hours a night, she says, having learned to embrace her down time while on the plane to listening to podcasts. But despite having appeared on the first season of Fashion Bloggers, to call Margaret a blogger or an Instagram star (with 755,000 followers) not only seems anticlimactic but frankly a bit of an insult. Margaret has also graced the cover of Vogue China She says her motivation and drive comes from a constant strive for knowledge 'Boiling someone's entire career down to the fact that they have some numbers on an app is maybe the most stupid thing ever, she told Fairfax recently, and she doesn't participate in sponsored posts. So what keeps this humble yet extraordinary overachiever motivated? Continuing on the quest for knowledge. 'I wont take on any projects I know I wont learn anything.' When Francie Webb was just 14, she was asked to babysit a nearby couple's 11-week-old daughter, Catherine, and their two-year-old son. Ms Webb, now 35 from New York, was used to looking after her younger siblings and soothed the fussing little girl before putting her down in the crib on her stomach - the way she knew best. But not long after she was dropped back home by Catherine's mother, Nadine, her parents received a tragic phone call informing them that Catherine had died from SIDS. Tragedy: Francie Webb, 35, babysat nearby mother Nadine's (right) 11-week old baby girl Catherine and two-year-old son when she was 14 and Catherine died from SIDS later that night Now a mother-of-two: Ms Webb was embraced by Nadine and her husband who placed no blame on her, but she struggled with guilt and grief throughout her teens 'My friend was asked by Nadine and her husband to babysit and she recommended me as she wasn't available... Catherine had never had a babysitter before,' Ms Webb told Daily Mail Australia. 'They came and picked me up and talked to my mum and then I was introduced to the kids. I was juggling them both and ended up putting Catherine to bed because she was quite fussy. 'I did what I had always done with my siblings and put her to sleep on her stomach... I had no idea at the time that according to the National Back to Sleep Campaign they need to be on their backs.' Touching: 'If anything, I was so grateful that she didnt go and check the baby,' Nadine (right) said, who is now close with Ms Webb (left) WHAT IS SIDS? In Australia each year over 3,500 families experience the sudden and unexpected death of a baby or child from sudden unexpected death in infancy (SIDS or fatal sleeping accidents), SUDC (sudden unexpected death in childhood) or accident. Sadly, for many of these deaths there is no known cause. Source: SIDS and Kids Ms Webb was busy looking after Catherine's brother and while she thought to check on the baby a number of times, Nadine and her husband soon arrived back and she was dropped home. 'My parents got a phone call after I arrived home that Catherine had died in her sleep,' Ms Webb said. 'It was beyond possible... it didn't feel like it could be possible, she was a brand new baby. 'The funeral was so real. I felt so guilty and I started going through all the details in my head like how I should have checked on her or put her down differently.' But what Ms Webb was most surprised by was the response from Catherine's parents. 'They were so incredibly loving, just unbelievable,' she said. Reunited: Ms Webb reached out to Nadine via an emotional letter in 2002 after being told she should speak to the family and work through it (Francie with Nadine and her two sons) Despite their unimaginable grief, Nadine and her husband hugged Ms Webb at the funeral, told her they loved her and stressed that she mustn't blame herself. 'Never once did we ever think that it was anything Francie had done,' Nadine told Kidspot. 'If anything, I was so grateful that she didnt go and check the baby - because imagine if she had found her, as a teenager? That would have been too awful.' But Ms Webb was plagued with guilt, and although she put on a brave face, Catherine's death affected her more than she realised. 'I told myself I was okay and I wanted to be strong but I didn't really deal with it until I was encouraged to speak to a counsellor by a friend,' Ms Webb said. Heartwarming: Nadine and her husband flew Ms Webb (pictured with Nadine's son) to their home in the UK in June, 2003, where they relived memories of Catherine Ms Webb reached out to Nadine via an emotional letter in 2003 after being told she should speak to the family and work through it. I thought it was important people know how important this birth was. That I was bringing life into the world now. Francie Webb Nadine and her husband flew Ms Webb to their home in the UK in June, 2003, where they relived memories of Catherine and confirmed to Ms Webb that they felt nothing but love towards her. Ms Webb, a primary school teacher, is now a mother-of-two and after the birth of her first little girl, she found herself easily panicked. 'I know it's normal to worry and check on the baby but I would cry when she had a fever. And if there was something wrong with her I would constantly think about what I could have done differently,' she said. 'But I think in some ways it's good to let those thoughts pass through and I'm really glad I had dealt with the grief and baggage before motherhood. Moving on: 'I think after the amount of tremendous support and love I received at that time I was inspired to help others,' Ms Webb (pictured with Nadine's two sons in 2003) said HOW TO SLEEP YOUR BABY SAFELY 1. Sleep baby on the back from birth, not on the tummy or side 2. Sleep baby with head and face uncovered at the end of the cot 3. Keep baby smoke free before birth and after 4. Provide a safe sleeping environment night and day 5. Sleep baby in their own safe sleeping place in the same room as an adult caregiver for the first six to twelve months 6. Breastfeed baby Source: SIDS and Kids 'At the time I wanted to deal with it later but I needed freedom from the guilt and then for both my pregnancies I surrounded myself with support from women.' An incredibly raw photo of Ms Webb's home birth of her second child went viral earlier this year after Facebook removed it for showing her nipple. 'My birth photo got mixed reactions from people - some saying it was inappropriate and others saying they were proud or that it was beautiful. 'But I was really compelled to later tell the full story because not many people knew it. Nadine said it was absolutely fine for me to share our story. 'Having the world see this birth and not being able to share made me feel incomplete and I thought it was important people know how important this birth was. That I was bringing life into the world now.' Inspired to help others: Although she is now a high school teacher, Ms Webb is a trained doula and runs the website TheMilkinMama where she teaches mothers how to hand express their breast milk Happy family: Francie and her beautiful daughters today After Catherine's death Ms Webb knew that, one day, she wanted to be able to help people. Although she is now a high school teacher, Ms Webb is a trained doula and runs the websiteTheMilkinMama where she teaches mothers how to hand express their breast milk without the use of a pump. 'I think after the amount of tremendous support and love I received at that time I was inspired to help others,' Ms Webb said. But doctors say that she's too young and should 'double up' A healthy 20-year-old woman is begging the NHS for a hysterectomy because she believes she is so fertile that without drastic surgery she fears she will never stop falling pregnant. Charlotte Peers, from Middleton, Greater Manchester, already has Seb, two, and Jaxx, six months, and is currently 11 weeks pregnant with her third child. The stay-at-home mother first fell pregnant at just 15, but suffered a miscarriage. In the five years since, she's fallen pregnant three more times, including once when she was using a contraceptive implant. Scroll down for video Charlotte Peers, 20, from Middleton, near Manchester (pictured with her two young sons Seb, right, and Jaxx) says she's desperate for a hysterectomy but that GPs have warned her that she is too young Just the three of us...Charlotte is pregnant again with her third child but at the age of 20 wants to draw a line under having children It comes after Holly Brockwell, 30, from London, this month succeeded in being sterilized after a four-year battle with the NHS to be voluntarily made infertile. Now Charlotte, who claims benefits for her children, is desperate for a hysterectomy, which she believes is the best option for her as having another C-section could leave her seriously ill. For Charlotte, her fears over falling pregnant again are based around a medical condition that worsens with every baby she carries. Having undergone three caesareans, Holly suffers from placenta accreta, which means that her placenta grows into the scar from previous operations and was so bad in her second pregnancy that her bladder had become stuck to her womb. Charlotte says: Ive tried every form of contraception and nothing works for me.' The young mum suffers from placenta accreta, which means the placenta can embed into an old C-section scar, something that Charlotte says she has an 85 per cent chance of developing in future pregnancies WHAT IS PLACENTA ACCRETA? Placenta accreta is a serious pregnancy condition that occurs when blood vessels and other parts of the placenta grow too deeply into the uterine wall. Typically, the placenta detaches from the uterine wall after childbirth. With placenta accreta, part or all of the placenta remains firmly attached. This can cause severe blood loss after delivery. It's also possible for the placenta to invade the muscles of the uterus (placenta increta) or grow through the uterine wall (placenta percreta). Placenta accreta is considered a high-risk pregnancy complication. If placenta accreta is suspected during pregnancy, you'll likely need an early C-section delivery followed by the surgical removal of your uterus (hysterectomy). Source: The Mayo Clinic 'Ive begged my GP but Ive been told that because Im young and healthy I wont be considered for a hysterectomy or a sterilisation.' Charlotte said her GP hasn't told her much about the condition, but she has found out through her own research that she has a high risk of getting placenta accreta again because she has already had two C-sections. However, she has been told that as every pregnancy is different, it could be manageable and treated without the need for a hysterectomy - and because of her age they don't want to go down that route. She adds: 'I guess they think I might change my mind about more kids in the future, but believe me, three is more than enough for me. Of her medical condition, she says it's made her terrified of getting pregnant again because she requires close monitoring throughout. Charlotte says: Im terrified that this time it will more serious. And Ive been told it will get worse with each pregnancy. Im only 20 and Ill be a mother-of-three. 'Im so desperate not to have another baby after this one that I want a hysterectomy to make sure there is no chance of falling pregnant ever again. Her current doctor has suggested that she and her partner double up on contraception, but thats not something Charlotte is prepared to do, saying: I dont react well to the pill, it makes me angry and tearful - Ive fallen pregnant on both the injection and the implant and I dont trust condoms. Fear: A hysterectomy is the only way Charlotte can see that she definitely won't get pregnant; she says she previously conceived while using contraception Her partner says he's happy to have more children but doesn't want to risk Charlotte's health, saying: 'If it wasn't for the risks to Charlotte's health, I wouldn't mind having more kids - I'd like a big family.' Speaking about when she first found out she was expecting, Charlotte said: I was at school in a maths lesson when my tummy started to cramp. I rushed to the toilet where I passed some bloody clots. I was totally terrified. Scared and confused, she went to A&E where a doctor confirmed she had been around four-months pregnant and that shed suffered a miscarriage. Charlotte, who was brought up by her granddad because her mother was unable to care for her, hadnt received any proper sex education and didnt realise she was pregnant. To stop her from falling pregnant again, Charlottes GP decided to give her the contraceptive injection. To prepare her body, she came off the pill three months earlier but was under the impression would still be covered. But she fell pregnant again by her boyfriend Chris at the age of 16. I couldnt believe it, Charlotte said. I assumed that this time Id be safe, so when my pregnancy test was positive I was stunned. Abortion wasnt an option for Charlotte. After her previous miscarriage Charlotte was adamant that she never wanted to go through losing a baby again. Two C-sections and another one on the way has left Charlotte fearful of falling pregnant again. She says three children is enough for her While her partner has revealed that he'd be happy with a big family, he's also said the fears over Charlotte's health means he supports her quest for the hysterectomy So nine months later baby Seb was delivered by caesarean section. Afterwards, determined not to fall pregnant again, Charlottes GP tried her on the contraceptive implant. Only, when Seb was 15 months old, Charlotte started feeling tired and nauseous, and a test confirmed that yet again, she was pregnant. A scan showed she was three months gone, yet she still had the implant in her arm. WHAT IS A HYSTERECTOMY? A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus and cervix, and sometimes fallopian tubes, ovaries and pelvic lymph nodes. Those who have it can no longer fall pregnant afterwards. It's usually carried out to treat or prevent cancer, or remove benign tumours and may involve an incision in the abdomen, but can be carried out through the vagina or via keyhole surgery. All options involve a general anesthetic and are usually performed on women of menopausal age, between 40 and 55. According to the NHS, around 30,500 hysterectomies were carried out in England in 2012 and 2013. This time the pregnancy was difficult from the start. During the early weeks she suffered regular bleeds and was told to expect to miscarry. Then at 20 weeks she was told her placenta was low-lying (placenta previa). Towards the end of the pregnancy Charlottes previous C-section scar began to feel painful, and because her placenta hadnt moved into a safe position for a natural birth she was taken into hospital for a caesarean at 39 weeks. The surgeon was able to operate on the bladder to unstick it and separate them but afterwards Charlotte was told that shed been lucky as placenta accreta could be fatal for mother and baby. For Charlotte, who was just 19, it was a lot to take in. I was delighted to have Jaxx, but I knew I didnt want any more children, she said. However, just four months later Ellie discovered shed conceived for the fourth time. Id been so busy with the boys, we hadnt had time for sex so when the moment presented itself we went for it, she says. I hadnt had a proper period since Jaxxs birth so I didnt think Id fall pregnant again but I did. Ellie has been told there is an 85 per cent chance the placenta accreta will happen again and shes already suffering from the cramps and bleeds she had during her previous pregnancy. In another element to her story, Charlotte says she's also keen to save the British taxpayer money. Not a scrounger: the young mum says she has to rely on benefits presently but wants to work in the future With both she and Chris hoping to start their own businesses, they currently rely on benefits. We receive child benefit, child tax credits and housing benefits, she says. At the moment taxpayers pay for my children and I dont want to cost the country more by having more kids. Surely this will save the government more than the cost of a one-off hysterectomy. Charlotte doesnt want to be stereotyped as a young mum scrounging benefits. People might think Im having kids to live off the state, but thats the last thing I want,' she explains. 'Im determined to get off benefits and get a job my kids will be proud of. But at the moment with two under two-years-old and another on the way Im stuck at the moment.' With an abortion out of the question, Charlotte is scared that unless doctors act, she will keep on falling pregnant. Health risk: The 20-year-old says she's more than happy to end her fertile days at an age when most people haven't thought about children With three c-sections likely when she has her third child, and the risk of placenta accreta returning with a fourth, she feels another baby would pose a serious risk to her health, a fact that, she says, means she won't be deterred from getting her wish. I might not get my wish, but Im not going to give up Poonam Pradham, consultant gynaecologist at Spire Parkway Hospital in Solihull, said: Failed contraception is a known thing, and any form of contraception can fail even sterilisation. 'I dont think any sensible gynaecologist would advise a hysterectomy as a form of contraception (in Charlottes case), as it's a major operation. 'Having said that, Charlotte does have placenta accreta so she might end up needing a hysterectomy during delivery anyway, as there is a serious risk of bleeding with a third caesarean so she might get her wishes granted. A couple who spent more than 30,000 on fertility treatment in order to have their five children have said that it was 'worth every penny'. All five of the Neugebauer children have been conceived using IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation) after Anja, 35, and her husband Stuart, 48, a plasterer from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, spent nearly three years trying to start a family naturally, before seeking medical help. Their daughter Torance, now seven, was born first, followed by four-year-old twins Boston and Breeze, and their second set of twins Ever and Rain were born just two months ago. Stuart and Anja Neugebauer have spent 30,000 on IVF treatment in order to have their five children, Torance, 7 (left) four-year-old twins Boston and Breeze (centre) and twins Ever and Rain, three months (with Anja) Experts claim they have never before heard of an entire family created by using IVF. Anja, a pre-school assistant, said: 'We had been trying for nearly three years and nothing was happening. I wasn't falling pregnant and it was heartbreaking. 'We were desperate to become parents, but as the months and years went by, we were beginning to doubt that it would ever happen. 'Our family has been worth every penny. When I look at them all, I feel like the luckiest mum in the world.' Anja spent nearly three years trying to start a family with Stuart before seeking medical help Anja and Stuart visited the Harley Street Fertility Clinic, which later merged with the London Fertility Centre, for a course of IVF treatment. It was successful and Anja fell pregnant with their daughter Torance, now seven After spending years trying to fall pregnant naturally, they decided to visit Harley Street Fertility Clinic, which later merged with the London Fertility Centre, for a course of IVF treatment. It was successful and Anja fell pregnant with their daughter Torance, now seven. When I look at them all, I feel like the luckiest mum in the world She said: 'We were so thrilled when our daughter was finally born after years of heartbreak. To be a mum was the most wonderful feeling in the world.' The couple then decided to try for a sibling, so they had attempt using frozen embryos from their previous cycle, but that didn't work. Then they had another attempt using a fresh cycle of embryos, but that failed too. Anja said: 'We were beginning to think that we would never be able to give Torance a brother or sister, but we decided that have another attempt.' This time doctors decided that a previous embryo they had stored in the freezer from a previous cycle of treatment was of better quality than some of the embryos Anja had produced in this cycle of IVF treatment. The couple have just invested in an extension on their house and a people carrier to help cope with their bumper sized family So they decided to defrost and use that embryo, together with one freshly created embryo. She said: 'We were desperate to try anything that would work. Even though the clinic said that they had never done it before, we were willing to see what happened. 'We knew that our frozen embryo from three years previously was of better quality, so we didn't want that one to go to waste. GETTING IVF ON THE NHS In the UK, guidelines from the health watchdog National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommend IVF should be offered to women under 43 years of age. The treatment is given to women who have been trying to get pregnant through regular unprotected sex for two years, or who have had 12 cycles of artificial insemination. And while NICE guidelines also state that Clinical Commissioning Groups, who fund IVF treatment in hospitals, should offer women three cycles, not all CCGs do. In England, over 80 per cent of CCGs do not commission the recommended three full cycles of IVF, according to the charity Fertility Fairness. Advertisement 'So it was defrosted and doctors put it back into my womb, together with a fresh embryo that had just been fertilsed, and we had to sit back and wait to see what happened.' Amazingly Anja fell pregnant, and when she went for her scan, it showed two little heartbeats. She said: 'It was amazing to think that I was pregnant with twins. I never thought that would happen.' The pregnancy went smoothly and twins Boston and Breeze were born healthily. The couple decided to try for one more baby three years later, and twins Ever and Rain were born two months ago. Anja said: 'It was a shock when they told me I was pregnant with twins yet again - but at least these two had been conceived at the same time. 'So now we have two sets of twins and a daughter, making five children in total, who were all born through IVF. 'People are shocked when they see I have two sets of twins and ask me how on earth I cope, but I'm a very organised mother. 'We have just had an extension on our house and we have a people carrier, in order to transport everyone about. 'Our family has been worth every penny. When I look at them all, I feel like the luckiest mum in the world.' An Australian couple have told of their harrowing experience at the world's most expensive private hospital in Hong Kong, where they say their newborn baby was sent home with a potentially lethal bacterial infection. Martin Newell and wife Ayesha have slammed the care of their daughter Lulu at the Matilda International Hospital, where they claim she was infected with golden staph (Staphylococcus aureus) due to the hospital's poor hygiene, which then developed into septicemia. The couple, originally from Melbourne, told Daily Mail Australia that in the days following Lulu's birth on May 7 they both noticed an infection around the stump of her umbilical cord, but were told by paediatricians that it was 'nothing'. Disgraceful: Martin Newell (right) and wife Ayesha (left) welcomed their baby daughter Lulu into the world, but only days later she was fighting for her life after developing golden staph Despite repeatedly asking questions, the couple say they were assured by paediatricians that there was nothing to worry about and both mother and daughter were discharged from hospital. Two days later the injection had still not cleared up, but the couple claim their concerns were again ignored by health professionals. 'We took her for a routine follow up and a paediatrician said the case was quite serious, but only prescribed antibiotics and ointments and told us to wait another 48 hours,' Mr Newell told Daily Mail Australia. Serious condition: The stump of Lulu's umbilical cord became infected while she was in hospital but staff at the Matilda International Hospital still discharged her despite her parents' concerns Daddy cuddles: Martin Newell has slammed the handling of his daughter's infection by staff at the hospital and also at a check up clinic 'One thing you quickly learn is that there is such a thing as a mothers intuition. 'Ayesha asked her godmother back home in Australia - who happens to be a paediatrician - and she said you need to take her straight to a hospital.' At just six days old and with her immune system not properly established, Mr Newell believes if it wasn't for his wife's intuition then Lulu wouldn't be alive today. Rooms at the Matilda International Hospital require a down payment of up to $20,000 just to make a booking, however the couple say paying the highest prices in the world doesn't mean the best care. 'We called the clinic back and said we were very concerned about her so they made arrangements for us to go to another private hospital in Hong Kong where they immediately put her on a course of intravenous antibiotics,' he said. 'By the next morning we had found out it was septicemia and they then said she needed a lumbar puncture. 'This was only a week after she was born, but a couple of days before we'd taken her to the paedeiatrician who'd basically sent Lulu home to die over the weekend.' Fortunately the treatment Lulu received at Hong Kong Adventist Hospital cleared up her infection and now at almost three weeks old she is back to full health. Fighting: Less than a week after she was born Lulu was undergoing a lumbar puncture to help save her life But for expectant parents at the Matilda International Hospital, the news is concerning. The couple claim they have been contacted by the parents of at least six other babies who have contracted a similar condition over the past month at the Matilda. In the case of Lulu, Mr Newell and his wife say when they called the hospital's management to let them know there may be an infection within their walls, they flat out denied any issue. However the hospital's tune changed instantly after Ayesha posted her story on a popular Facebook page for mothers. 'Within 10 mins of the post going up we got a phone call again from a doctor at the hospital who said they were investigating,' Mr Newell said. 'The doctor said that Lulu's infection was most likely caused by the hospital.' A spokesperson for the Matilda International Hospital said they had found no signs of a golden staph outbreak in initial investigations 'Matilda International Hospital is aware of the recent media reports regarding a newly born girls infection of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria,' the spokesperson said. 'We are sorry to hear of the newborn and the familys difficult experience.Safety and our patients health is our paramount concern. 'As such, upon being informed of the newborns condition, a review by an independent microbiologist was immediately conducted and initial findings show no infectious outbreak.' Daily Mail Australia also approached the couple's head obstetrician, Lucy Lord, for a comment, but has not yet received a response. Hong Kong's department of health is currently investigating the incident. With Barbie nearing her 60th birthday, a new doll on the block could prove to be a serious rival. Melbourne resident and toy creator Madeleine Hunter has invented Shibajuku Girls: dolls inspired by Japanese Harajuku and Shibuya street fashion. The dolls launched this month in Australia at Toys 'R' Us, and Ms Hunter told Daily Mail Australia they have plans for the product to be sold in the US, the UK, Ireland, France, New Zealand and parts of Europe. Scroll down for video New doll on the block: Melbourne resident Madeleine Hunter (right) has invented Shibajuku Girls Street style: The series of five dolls are inspired by Japanese Harajuku and Shibuya street fashion Doll rivalry: The dolls are set to rival Barbie, who at 57 years old is nearing her 60th birthday So how does one compete with a doll as prominent and influential as Barbie? 'I've made the doll large than any doll on the shelf. It's 13 inches and the standard doll size is 11 and a half inches,' Ms Hunter said. 'I also went back to that really natural and pretty face, I know there are a lot of monster dolls and vampires are a huge trend, but since Barbie there hasn't really been a pretty doll.' Point of difference: The dolls are 13 inches tall, nearly two inches taller than regular dolls, making them stand out on the shelves Unique: They have sparkling glass eyes and a range of accessories, such as hair clips, that can be used on the dolls and the girls playing with them The other main point of difference is the doll's eyes, which are made of glass instead of being printed on. Ms Hunter studied Commerce and Art at Melbourne University, before starting work at her father's toy import and distributing company Hunter Products. There she was assigned a job product developing toys for the Dreamworks movie Home. In the family: Ms Hunter studied Commerce and Art at Melbourne University, before starting work at her father's toy import and distributing company Hunter Products 'I learned so much, I made many mistakes, but I ended up getting the product sold in to more than 40 different countries,' she said. 'I formed a world of relationships and connections through that, and I presented in toy fairs around the world.' Ms Hunter said the hardest part was convincing her father Jeff and brother James that Shibajuku Girls was a good idea. Convincing the family: Ms Hunter's father and brother initially rejected the idea due to the competitive market, but gave the green light once they saw how different the doll was Global interest: Companies pitched for the doll off the cardboard design, giving Ms Hunter the confidence to pursue the idea 'They both told me absolutely not, that there's no way they're developing this doll because a lot of time and money goes in to it and competition is pretty tough.' But she remained determined, taking her doll to fairs around the world where companies pitched for it off the concept design. 'I got them on board by saying to them I would made a doll that is completely different to anything on the shelf at the moment,' she said. 'I want to turn this in to a brand, rather than just a doll.' Expanding business: The dolls are currently only available in Toys 'R' Us in Australia, but will soon by stocked in Myer, Big W, Target and Toy World Brand goals: By the end of the year, they are estimated to have sold about 500,000 dolls Ms Hunter said she has always loved Japanese culture, and the doll's clothes reflected the fun street style seen in the streets of Harajuku and Shibuya. She drew inspiration from Taylor Swift and her two pet cats with feline-inspired clothes and accessories, and the dolls have hair clips can be used in little girls' hair as well. There are five dolls Yoko, Namika, Shizuka, Koe and Suki who all have different styles and personalities, with about 500,000 dolls estimated to be sold by the end of the year. Advertisement Earlier this week it was announced that Australian fashion label Seduce had teamed up with Disney to create a new collection inspired by Alice Through The Looking Glass - the 'Wonderland Collection'. Australian model Megan Blake Irwin, 23, starred in the whimsical campaign wearing a figure-hugging blue floral playsuit and sitting on a Mad Hatter inspired table surrounded by tea and half-eaten pieces of cake. New pictures from the stunning campaign show Megan playing a convincing 'modern Alice' as she was captured, directed and styled by fashion force and digital it-girl Margaret Zhang on location in Sydney. Scroll down for video Down the rabbit hole: Earlier this week it was announced that Australian fashion label Seduce had teamed up with Disney to create a new collection inspired by Alice Through The Looking Glass - the Wonderland Collection Candid: Australian model Megan Blake Irwin, 23, starred in the whimsical campaign wearing a figure-hugging blue floral playsuit and sitting on a Mad Hatter inspired table surrounded by tea and half-eaten pieces of cake In a nod to the film, the David Jones model wore a Mad Hatter-style top hat atop a mess of blonde curls. 'I love adventures so Alice is definitely one of my favourite Disney characters,' Megan told the Daily Telegraph. 'Her adventures in the fantasy world of Wonderland are so magical and fun with the white rabbit and the Cheshire cat at the mad tea-party.' Making history: The capsule collection of 16 pieces launched on Thursday morning and it is the first time that Disney has collaborated in the Australian market with a high street fashion label Model of the moment: Megan also recently shot with Mario Testino for Vogue Australia In another shot, Megan reclines on layers of tulle on a high-back chair next to a pile of books. The capsule collection of 16 pieces launched on Thursday morning and it is the first time that Disney has collaborated in the Australian market with a high street fashion label. The campaign is the latest in a string of high-profile modelling gigs for rising star Megan, who recently shot with Mario Testino for Vogue Australia, and also landed a starring role a racy new campaign for GUESS. Soaking up the rays: For her Vogue Australia campaign, Megan kept it sultry and casual in a flowing white shirt and white bikini as she showed off her enviable figure on the back seat of a boat A natural: Again captured in black and white, the model was snapped in a series of candid black and white photographs Sneak peek: The model, 23, wore a design from the Seduce collection during Fashion Week In the GUESS campaign she is seen posing up a storm for photographers in a series of candid black and white snaps. One daring photo sees Megan done nothing but high-waisted black underwear, a bra, fishnets and a black blazer as she sits atop an old white Porsche. For her Vogue Australia campaign, Megan kept it sultry and casual in a flowing white shirt and white bikini. Many of us have experienced difficulties with the self-checkout machine, including the dreaded 'Unexpected item in baggage area' warning. But one teenager got an unexpected gift when he was given too much change when buying a packet of Jaffa Cakes at Tesco using self-service. Josh Knight, 17, from Bristol, paid for the snack, which cost 59p, using a 1 coin - but got 1.41 back in return. Josh Knight, 17, from Bristol, was given too much change when buying a packet of Jaffa Cakes at Tesco Josh Knight, 17, from Bristol, paid for the snack, which cost 59p, using a 1 coin - but got 1.41 back in return He was so happy with the transaction, which meant technically the store had paid him for the Jaffa Cakes, that he tweeted Tesco with his thanks - which resulted in a hilarious exchange on Twitter. Josh wrote: 'Just bought some Jaffa cakes in tesco for 59p so paid on self service with a pound coin, gives me 1.41 change, cheers @Tesco'. A representative for the store replied 20 minutes later, writing: 'Hi Josh, thanks for getting in touch. I expect you to enjoy those Jaffa Cakes since we're paying you!' Josh responded that 'they were spot on', seemingly proving that all things do taste better when they're free. He was so happy with the transaction, which meant technically the store had paid him for the Jaffa Cakes, that he tweeted Tesco with his thanks. But he refused to hand over details of which machine he had used But the representative, called Dafydd, then added: 'Could you DM me the store so I can get the till checked? If you have your receipt, could you send a pic?' The teenager simply refused, tweeting back: 'I'm not a grass sorry'. Tesco appeared to decide not to take it any further. Josh told FEMAIL that he checked his receipt after noticing he had received too much change. 'I looked at the receipt to make sure I hadn't paid with a 2 coin, and it said cash 1, so I thought nothing of it and threw the receipt away,' he said. The teenager paid for the snack, which cost 59p, using a 1 coin - but got 1.41 back in return (stock pic) 'I thought I would tweet Tesco for a bit of banter. It just started going crazy on the way home on the bus and then my phone just kept going off. 'It's surprised me, all the reaction it has caused.' Other Twitter users rushed to comment on his funny exchange with the supermarket, praising him for refusing to hand over the details of the machine. Others rushed to comment on the funny Twitter exchange, praising him for refusing to hand over the details of the till to the supermarket Scott Murray said 'Now this is comedy', while Jig joked: 'Every little helps'. Brian Fuller added: '@JoshKnight98 @Tesco stand your ground don't give them nuthing' Meanwhile, one person asked Josh to share his good fortune with others. @andybear4 wrote: 'Can u DM me the store josh. I'm hungry'. A professional makeup artist has attracted a loyal Instagram following of more than 700,000 fans thanks to her uncanny resemblance to Kim Kardashian. Jelena Peric, 24, from Zagrebm Croatia, has been described as a 'Kim twin' after her selfies have been compared to the reality star. Jelena hosts several video tutorials, expertly advising women on how to use makeup to get the Kim Kardashian look. Scroll down for video Jelena Peric (pictured) has built up a loyal Instagram following of over 700,000 thanks to her uncanny resemblance to Kim Kardashian The social media star is constantly mistaken for the Kardashian by her followers online Many young girls are trying to look like the American reality TV star and the makeup artist's outstanding skills have made her very popular on the social media platform. However, unlike most of her fans, Jelena clearly does not have to put in all that much effort sharing the same dark hair, plump lips and olive skin tone as the Kardashian. The makeup artist says she is not surprised to see her Instagram profile take the internet by storm, explaining that there was 'a very big effort' to look like Kim - who has more than 71.4 million followers on Instagram. Jelena's pictures also show her figure and her fashion sense, regularly dressing like her American counterpart showcasing a similar pert posterior. With the makeup, the body, and the clothes all combined, the social media star has been confusing people all around the world. However, she admits that she does get a little tired of being compared to Kim Kardashian. Jelena said: 'I am often compared to Kardashian. It is a big compliment, but sometimes it can be really boring.' Jelena's pictures also show her figure and her fashion sense, regularly dressing like her American counterpart and showcasing a similar pert posterior Although Jelena is flattered to be compared to the reality star she does say that it gets a bit 'boring' After opening a YouTube account just two weeks ago, the lookalike has already attracted over 11,000 subscribers. But many of them actually believed that she was Kim Kardashian and commented on her profile, saying how surprised they were to find out she was not the real thing. Clarehardiman commented on one scarily similar photograph to ask 'Like literally are you her?' While t-l-g12 said: 'Wow look just like kim' and kelliewilliams commented: 'kim k twin' One user even asked where the photos of her famous family members were. ohhalison wroted: 'like Kim ! Why you no got no photos of baby north or kanye on yo page?' Here the InstaFamous makeup artist showcases the boxer braid trend often rocked by Kim Kardashian Mango is launching a new collection aimed specifically at Muslim women ahead of the start of Ramadan next month. The Spanish fashion house is the latest brand hoping to tap into the expanding Arab market, with the range featuring modest, yet fashionable, designs. The collection features kaftans, flowing jackets, oversized shirts, leggings and tunics, which will help Muslim women stay nice and cool in the summer months. Mango is launching a new collection aimed specifically at Muslim women ahead of the start of Ramadan The collection includes a printed maxi dress with floaty sleeves and a striped maxi dress The new line will land in stores on Monday, a week before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins. The collection includes a white midi-dress, which can be worn with white leggings, and a printed maxi dress with floaty sleeves. Other pieces in the range include a striped maxi dress with long sleeves, a canary yellow occasion dress, and a double-layer body wrap. Slouchy knitwear and maxi skirts also feature in the casual wear section of the new range. Other pieces in the collection include a canary yellow occasion dress (pictured) and a double-layer body wrap Slouchy knitwear and maxi skirts also feature in the casual wear section of the new range Mango has more than 2,200 stores in 109 countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Other high street brands that have also targeted Muslims shoppers include Marks and Spencer, which unveiled its new burkinis earlier this year. Uniqlo also launched a line of hijabs and modest ready clothing by British fashion blogger Hana Tajima. And last year H&M featured their first ever hijab-wearing model in an ad campaign - Mariah Idrissi. High-end fashion brands have also been getting in on the act, with Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabanna launching its first collection of headscarves and abayas in January. The collection also features oversized shirts and leggings, as well as kaftans and flowing jackets Advertisement It's been a busy day for the Queen, 90, and Prince Philip, 94, today - who separately attended important military events 100 miles apart from each other. The Queen marked the historic 300th anniversary of the Royal Artillery - the 'Gunners' who provide the firepower for the British Army, while a dapper-looking Prince Philip attended Beating Retreat at Horse Guards Parade in London, in his role as Captain General of the Royal Marines. Traditionally held in celebration of the Duke of Edinburgh's birthday which falls on June 10 Beating Retreat sees the Massed Bands of Her Majestys Royal Marines perform a magnificent pageant of military music and precision drill. The Queen watched the Royal Review at Knighton Down today, while Prince Philip attended Beating Retreat at Horse Guards Parade in London The Queen stands in an open-top Range Rover as she inspects weapons of the Royal artillery during a visit to the artillery's Larkhill camp on the Salisbury plains Military bands from the Royal Marines perform for the Duke of Edinburgh during the Beating Retreat Beating Retreat is traditionally held in celebration of Prince Philip's birthday which falls on June 10 The Queen was greeted by a 21-gun salute as she marked the Royal Artillery's anniversary, dressed for the occasion in head-to-toe tweed. The commemorations took the format of a review of the Royal Regiment of Artillery at its Larkhill headquarters on the southern edge of Salisbury Plain, where weaponry - both old and new - were paraded in front of the Queen. During the ceremony Her Majesty - who has been Captain General since 1952 - inspected the armoured parade from her custom-built State Review Range Rover, which was debuted when the queen presented 'new colours' to the Royal Welsh Regiment in Cardiff, Wales, in June last year. The monarch was dressed in a smart pink coat dress with an asymmetrical hat, completing her look with a pearl necklace and earrings, and was accompanied by the Master Gunner General Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman, with a red carpet laid out for her as she exited the vehicle. Her Majesty watched a ride-and-drive-past, led by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, as part of the celebrations in the sun The Royal Review also featured a 'feu de joie' - a celebratory cascade of rifle fire while 'Gunners' dressed in white all-in-ones stood to attention She was driven at slow speed past the equipment, armoured vehicles and weaponry used by the Royal Artillery in modern day warfare. The Queen also gave a speech in which she tribute to the regiment, telling the guests who included past and present members of the Royal Artillery and their families: 'In all the theatres of war and in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions throughout the world, you have served with great distinction, especially so in the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.' Her Majesty arrives in her custom-made State Review Range Rover. She has been Captain General of the Royal Artillery since 1952 The Queen inspected the armoured parade before giving a speech to past and present members of the Royal Artillery in which she paid tribute to the regiment Her Majesty accepted flowers from Albert Beebe, 4, and a young girl in a blue checked dress who gave a very cute curtsy She added: 'It has indeed been a demanding period, for Gunners of all ranks and for your families who have so closely supported you. You should be rightly proud of your achievements.' Her Majesty then watched a ride-and-drive-past, led by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery - who fire ceremonial gun salutes in the capital on major royal and state occasions and are quartered at Woolwich. A 'feu de joie' - a celebratory cascade of rifle fire, which is normally fired by a line of soldiers was performed by six AS90 self propelled guns - was also performed as the ceremony concluded. The event involved a live-firing exercise by the huge guns fitted with tank tracks, and after a few moments the shells hit their target, sending plumes of smoke into the air hundreds of metres in the distance. The event involved a live-firing exercise by the huge guns fitted with tank tracks, and after a few moments the shells hit their target, sending plumes of smoke into the air hundreds of metres in the distance The Queen inspected the troops as she arrived at the Royal Review at Knighton Down. In her speech she told the 'Gunners': 'In all the theatres of war and in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions throughout the world, you have served with great distinction' She added: 'It has indeed been a demanding period, for Gunners of all ranks and for your families who have so closely supported you. You should be rightly proud of your achievements' The monarch gave a nod to the sunny spring weather by dressing in head-to-toe tweed and enjoyed the shine from her Range Rover The Queen was helped out of her car where troops had laid out a red carpet for her to walk down. She was saluted as she exited the vehicle The Gunners were clearly looking forward to the Queen's visit, tweeting on Tuesday: 'T-2 days, weather is smiling, rehearsals in full swing. Looking forward to it, are you?' Three hundred years ago to the day - May 26, 1716 - the first two permanent companies of Royal Artillery were formed by Royal Warrant in the reign of George I Rich history: Guns were first used by the English in the 14th century, but it would be hundreds of years later before a permanent force of artillery was formed Guns were first used by the English in the 14th century, but it would be hundreds of years later before a permanent force of artillery was formed. Three hundred years ago to the day - May 26, 1716 - the first two permanent companies of Royal Artillery were formed by Royal Warrant in the reign of George I. Last week, the Royal Artillery kicked off its tricentenary celebrations with a service of thanksgiving at Salisbury Cathedral. The two companies numbered 100 men each and were based at Woolwich, south east London, alongside the guns, powder and shot located in the Royal Arsenal. The Queen accepted flowers after giving her speech where she expressed her support for the 'Gunners' and said they should be proud of their roles The British Army were streaming live coverage of the event on Twitter and YouTube. They wrote: 'The saying is "once a gunner, always a gunner"' The two companies numbered 100 men each and were based at Woolwich, south east London, alongside the guns, powder and shot located in the Royal Arsenal The Queen got back into her State Review Range Rover as onlookers watched from afar and troops saluted her to say farewell The Gunners were clearly looking forward to the Queen's visit, tweeting on Tuesday: 'T-2 days, weather is smiling, rehearsals in full swing. Looking forward to it, are you?' Meanwhile, the British Army were streaming live coverage of the event on Twitter and YouTube. They wrote: Three centuries have forged a family Regiment and members of the Royal Artillery are known as "Gunners". 'The saying is "once a gunner, always a gunner" and serves as a reminder to all that family members, both past and present, are part of the Regiment to the end of their days.' The post of Captain General was previously known as Colonel-in-Chief until King George VIexpressed the desire to be known as Captain General. The Duke of Edinburgh is greeted by Defence Secretary Michael Fallon as he arrives to attend the ceremony of Beating Retreat Sources say Prince Philip is proud the fit of his uniform hasnt changed since he first became Captain General in 1953 Traditionally held in celebration of the Duke of Edinburgh's birthday which falls on June 10 Beating Retreat sees the Massed Bands of Her Majestys Royal Marines perform a magnificent pageant of military music and precision drill The Duke of Edinburgh was greeted by Defence Secretary Michael Fallon as he arrived to attend the ceremony of Beating Retreat. Sources say Prince Philip is proud the fit of his uniform hasnt changed since he first became Captain General in 1953. Celebrities in attendance included adventurer, author and former territorial army member Bear Grylls. The event is performed every two years and is regarded by many as a piece of living history. Proceeds raised went to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity. The event is performed every two years and is regarded by many as a piece of living history Proceeds from the popular event were donated to The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity Bear Grylls (centre) attended the event, watching the military bands perform for Prince Philip The Guards Memorial, also known as the Guards Division War Memorial, is seen during the ceremony Two hundred of the worlds finest military musicians performed with all five Royal Marines Bands on parade A size 28 style blogger is facing harsh online backlash after she proudly posted photos of herself modeling a new swimsuit, which sparked many to flood her Instagram page with cruel comments that accuse her of promoting obesity. Cailey Darling, 27, from Colorado, took to Instagram last week to show off her sexy black one-piece that was designed by fellow plus-size blogger GabiFresh for Swim Sexy. The daring suit features strategically placed cutouts, and while Cailey was thrilled with her purchase, images of her modeling it incited critics to shame her body and her lifestyle. 'Lumps on lumps on lumps,' she captioned one of the images before sharing a candid message about why she shares her images on social media despite the scrutiny. Backfire: Cailey Darling, 27, from Colorado, was accused of promoting obesity after she shared photos of herself in a black swimsuit on Instagram last week to promote body positivity Harsh words: Cruel commenters such as Instagram user fireblood 101 told Cailey she is 'gross' and should 'put on some clothes' Different opinions: This Instagram user simply commented that the images are 'disgusting', while someone else responded to him by sticking up for Cailey 'I hope seeing someone fat and happy and still standing after hundreds of hateful comments and messages can help someone in their own journey to loving themselves and shedding other people's opinions of them,' Cailey explained. 'Trolls can go ahead and see I've posted myself in this suit three times before and your hatred for my body or my health for whatever reason will not keep me from posting, wearing the suit, eating, or living my life unapologetically so your comment does nothing but waste your time.' However, many commenters responded to the series of photos by telling Cailey she is 'disgusting' or offering her unsolicited health advice. 'There is this show called extreme weight loss mayb u should call them cuz what ur like 400 pounds?? And ur not pretty at all thats just gross u should actually put on some cloths [sic],' wrote one Instagram user in a post littered with grammatical errors. Fighting back: 'I hope seeing someone fat and happy and still standing after hundreds of hateful comments and messages can help someone in their own journey to loving themselves,' Cailey wrote when she posted this image Too far: Some Instagram users accused Cailey of 'asking for trouble' by sharing her swimsuit photos, however, the blogger noted that people are actually commenting with death threats Another person known as bergundwald on Instagram congratulated Cailey on 'feeling good' about herself before warning her that she is going down an unhealthy path. 'Your joints will not feel good come middle age or sooner. It's hard on the body to have that much weight. Like drinking too much: whatever people want to do but it will be hard on the body.' The Instagram user went on to tell Cailey to 'strive' to have a body that lets her 'jumpe from rock to rock across a steam' and 'run' if she needed to. 'We are meant to be able to do things like that with our bodies,' the stranger added. Take that: Despite the criticisms, Cailey posted numerous photos of herself modeling her new swimsuit Not your concern: Cailey told one woman to mind her own business after she suggested she lose wait to 'be healthy' Making assumptions: This Instagram user claimed the blogger can't stand up straight because her legs 'cannot handle the weight' Backhanded compliment: Many people praised Cailey for being confident before telling her she isn't healthy But bergundwald was far from the only one urging Cailey to change her lifestyle. One user named hobby2 also praised Cailey for 'having self-confidence' before telling her she needs 'to be careful'. 'I don't think you should encourage this, as it partially sends the wrong message of "it's ok to eat crap and not care about your health",' she wrote. 'Do you not have concerns about your health and the possibility of diabetes and possible diseases?' Hobby2 went on to argue that although she isn't aware of what Cailey's health is like, she could potentially be sending the message to obese people that it is 'ok to be fat and not worry about health issues, especially if it's a life or death situation'. All that matters: Cailey insisted that she loves the fit of her swimsuit as she proudly shared photos of herself in it Personal thoughts: An Instagram user named Brett claimed 'natural selection' will lead Cailey to 'obesity and most likely diabetes' Taking sides: This person insisted that Cailey was in denial that her weights isn't affecting her health Instagram user 1unstableportal, which is described as a feminist page, agreed with Hobby 2 and told Cailey that 'denial is not just a river in Egypt'. 'How could you be positive about something when you are, at the same time, actively damaging it? Stop being the victim of society measures and take control,' she added. Brett_petrutsas noted that obesity in America is a 'huge problem' and people like Cailey should 'not be praised'. 'Natural selection will lead this lady to obesity and most likely diabetes,' he deduced. Better way? This Instagram user also slammed Cailey for the way she reacts to people's cruel comments No denial: Cailey told the person that she hates him and anyone else who gives her 'unsolicited health advice' Meanwhile, aruroosito asked Cailey why she would put herself 'in the line of fire', noting that she was 'asking for trouble' when she posted her swimshoot photos. Cailey responded by saying: 'Yeah, how dare a fat person think they can wear a swimsuit without death threats.' The blogger tried to defend herself the best she could, and when fayy.l told her she should lose weight, 'not to be pretty', but to be healthy, Cailey told her to mind her own business. Another Instagram user named arabiangraci simply wrote: 'Look at your legs you can't even stand up straight that's because your legs cannot handle the weight #SMH [sic].' Owning it: As a style blogger, Cailey often shares photos of herself posed wearing outfits she has picked out for herself Social media skills: Cailey frequently uses hashtags such as #fatspo #fatshion #fatshionista and #fatacceptance in her captions Spreading the word: 'It is all about what you feel comfortable and confident in,' Cailey wrote when she shared this photo of herself in a crop top and leggings In addition to receiving flack for her photos, Cailey was also called out for the way she responds to her cruelest commenters. 'I can see that you are a spiteful and hateful woman,' albertdesobar wrote. 'Body positivity is an amazing thing, but what you've done is horrendous and only breeds the gluttony and sloth like behavior that so many youth today have succumb to.' However, Cailey didn't take his comment lying down, and sarcastically noted that she is 'spiteful and hateful' for defending herself against the 'literal thousands of abusive comments and death threats'. she said she gets for just wearing a swimsuit. Queen Rania of Jordan had a real-life Cinderella moment today as she descended a sweeping flight of stairs in an unusual inside-out skirt. The 45-year-old royal was attending a special celebration to mark her country's 70th year of independence at Amman's Raghadan Palace. The Queen consort stunned in an outfit with embroidery detailing by one of her favourite designers, Jordanian-Palestinian label Hama Fashion. Scroll down for video Queen Rania descends the steps of Raghadan Palace during Jordanian's independence celebrations The royal walked alongside her husband King Abdullah II and their three children at Raghadan Palace It featured a plum-coloured peplum top tucked into an oversized leather belt. The billowing asymmetrical skirt appeared to feature a large swathe of white fabric, turned inside-out to reveal an intricately-embroidered underside. The stylish mother-of-four completed her look with an oversized boxy clutch and a statement gold necklace, with just a hint of purple pointed courts peeking out from underneath. Meanwhile, her 15-year-old daughter Princess Salma appeared to have borrowed her mother's dress, wearing another of Hama's designs that Rania wore several weeks ago for a photo shoot in Laha magazine. Rania wore her chestnut tresses in elegant loose waves, with two delicate plaits knotted at the back. The Queen stunned in a gown with embroidery detailing by one of her favourite designers, Hama Fashion Loved up: King Abdullah couldn't keep his smile of his face as he took his wife's hand on the red carpet The Queen puts a protective arm around her youngest son, 11-year-old, Prince Hashem bin Abdullah The brains behind her ensemble, Hama Hinnawi, took to Instagram to say that she was 'super flattered and super happy' that the royal was modelling one of her designs. Rania also picked a Hama Fashion piece for her son Prince Hussein's graduation earlier this week, and has bee spotted in her designs while attending several formal engagements. The celebrations were held in the Jordanian capital Amman, with Rania and her husband King Abdullah II joined by their children Crown Prince Al Hussein, 21, Princess Salma, 15, and Prince Hashem, 11. Princess Ima, 19, was nowhere to be seen. Proud mother: Rania smiles for a photograph with (left to right) Crown Prince Al Hussein, 21, Prince Hashem, 11, and Princess Salma, 15. Her second eldest, Princess Ima, 19, did not appear to be present at the ceremony The ceremony featured presentations highlighting the country's history and the Great Arab Revolt Rania herself took to Instagram to share her delight, posting pictures of herself and Abdullah on the red carpet The Queen poses with her eldest son, Crown Prince Al Hussein, 21, who graduated earlier this week Rania and Abdullah smile for a photograph with Crown Prince Al Hussein, 21, Prince Hashem, 11, and Princess Salma, 15 - wearing her mother's old red dress - at Amman's Raghadan Palace Abdullah couldn't keep his smile of his face as he took his wife's hand on the red carpet. Today's celebrations mark 70 years to the day since Jordan became an independent sovereign state in 1946. The ceremony featured presentations highlighting the country's history and its adherence the Great Arab Revolt. Rania herself took to Instagram to share her delight, posting pictures of herself and Abdullah on the red carpet. Jude missed their second date because he ended up arrested and in the ER after drinking and doing drugs the night before irked that Tinder assumed she only wanted to date 'age-appropriate men' and set her age range from 22 to 38 One would think that Sex and the City writer Candace Bushnell would know all there is to know about modern dating, but the 57-year-old has revealed that she recently joined Tinder only as journalistic endeavor as she hasn't been on a date in over a decade. The real-life Carrie Bradshaw, whose '90s Sex and the City column for the New York Observer was adapted into her bestselling book, admitted in her essay for Cosmopolitan that she hadn't written about dating since 1996when she was doing it for a living. The last time she was even on a date was in 2002 with her now ex-husband, ballet dancer Charles Askegard. However, Candace put her preconceptions about the horrors of Tinder aside in order to see what the popular dating app is really likeonly to end up with a guy who missed their date because he had gotten arrested while drunk the night before. Scroll down for video Social experiment: Sex and the City writer Candace Bushnell, 57, joined Tinder to see if is really as horrible as everyone says it is Looking back: Candace admitted that she hadn't written about dating since her 1996, when she was writing her Sex and the city column for the New York Observer Like her Sex and the City protagonist, Carrie, Candace is also an optimist when it comes to love, so when Cosmopolitan's sex and relationships editor, Emma Barker, asked her to write about the dating app, the New Yorker agreed as she was 'eager for an excuse to explore the city again'. However, she admitted that going in she knew all about 'Tinder's bad rap', which included men who were only looking for hookups and oral sex, guys who never looked like their photos, and, of course, those potential suitors who 'sent d**k pics'. People are still people. They still want to fall in love 'Yes, it had been a long time since I'd been on an actual date, but I thought I could count on one thing: The technology changes, but people are still people,' she wrote. 'They still want to fall in love. They still want to have babies. And some of them still want to get marriedheck, look at the The Bachelor!' When she finally downloaded the app, she was irritated to find that she only two 'elderly' men to choose from. Candace's ex Charles is 10 years her junior, and she prefers to date men who are younger. 'I was immediately p****d off. Apparently Tinder had automatically assumed that a middle-age woman would want to date "age-appropriate" men and set my range to 55 and older,' she deduced. 'Well, they were wrong. To get even with Tinder, I set my age range from 22 to 38.' After swiping right and left on what she thought 'felt like hundreds of photos', Candace was surprised to learn that there were a lot of young men who were 'interested in hooking up with women old enough to be their mothers'. Moving on: Candace said her last date before joining Tinder was in 2002 with her now-ex-husband Charles Askegard (left), whom she was married to until 2011 Having fun: After joining the app, Candace admitted that understood the appeal because swiping right and left was 'fun' The writer quickly realized why so many people are on Twitter: 'it was fun'. Many men complimented her looks, and one guy who recognized her as 'the Candace Bushnell' insisted that she is 'too good for this app'. And while she appreciated his comment, she couldn't figure out why the men who are on Tinder were warning her that it was bad. Candace had Emma arrange a meetup at her apartment with six women ranging in age from 22 to 34, so they can help her with her matches. The younger, more experience Tinder users were clearly jaded about the app, warning Candace that guys telling her she is 'too pretty or good for Tinder' is nothing but a line. Because the women had almost nothing positive to say about Twitter, Candace asked why they didn't go to places like bars to meet men. However, one woman named Gena noted that the problem with going to a bar is that you aren't necessarily going to meet someone. When they asked her what dating was like 30 years ago, Candace admitted she felt guilty because it was clearly better than what women were dealing now. Minor problems: The writer admitted she was irritated with the app for assuming she would only want to date 'age-appropriate' men when she signed up The real-life Carrie Bradshaw: Candace playfully swigged some bubbly while shilling out Tinder advice in a video for Cosmopolitan After she explained that you would usually go to dinner and talk, and maybe if things were going well, you'd take a walk in the park, Candace was surprised to learn that the women wished for dates like that. 'I laughed, wondering if I was being played. Was this nostalgia for the days of pre-app-dating real?' she explained. When she returned to Twitter a few days later, and quickly got hooked again. 'It was like being in Vegas. I was addicted. I couldn't stop talking about it,' she said. Candace admitted that she never had so many guys interested in her before, and even if there compliments were lies, she noted that no guy has said anything that nice to her in years. Had Tinder created a fake Me? Was I a fraud? However, when the writer and her recently-divorced friend Nikki were discussing all of her matches, her pal pointed out that her Tinder profile featured the best photos she had ever seen of her. Candace, who didn't even realized there was more that one photo in her profile, was appalled to see that all of the images were shot by a professional photographer a long time ago when she had her hair and make-up done. 'Had Tinder created a fake Me? Was I a fraud?' she questioned. 'Now, before I'd even had my first Tinder date, I'd become one of those people who makes themselves out to be taller, better looking, bigger t****d, richer, more glamorous, better traveled, better connected, more successful, and younger than they actually are IRL.' Candace finally set up what she hoped was her firstand lastTinder date with a 31-year-old named Jude, whom she noted didn't send 'd**k pics' and was able to make plans. Too good to be true: Candace, who is pictured before she attended the Tribeca Film Festival in April, noted she had never gotten as much attention from guys as she had on Tinder Not the one: Candace ended up going out with a 31-year-old named Jude. However, he stood her up on their second date because he had gotten arrested the night before. She is pictured in 2015 (left and right) After agreeing to have a drink before attending a movie screening, Candace found herself wondering if her Tinder date would end up being her long-term partner. 'I reminded myself that Jude was 26 years younger,' she explained. 'I wasn't going to have sex with him; he was not going to become my boyfriend, and under no circumstances were we in any way going to be together in the near or even far future.' When he arrived at the bar, Candace was surprised to see that he was even more attractive in person. However, she quickly realized that that they had hardly anything in common, and he was quick to warn her that the only thing guys on Tinder want is sexoral sex to be exact. Candace deduced that Jude was that type of guy, but he was trying to change his ways. During dinner, they talked about his ex-girlfriend, which she saw as a positive sign because he will most-likely want a partner again. And while he admitted he wanted to move to Berlin after spending time touring with his band in Europe, she advised him to focus on making his life work in New York. Jude also discussed his family members' bouts with mental illness and his 'drug-induced' adventured in Berlin, which Candace didn't see as warning signs at first. Legendary: Candace's book Sex and the City was the inspiration behind the infamous HBO show starring (from left to right) Kristin Davis, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall and Cynthia Nixon Candace is pictured with her now-ex-husband Charles (left) and Ron Galotti (center), the real-life inspiration for the Sex and the City character Mr. Big She even returned home from the date and bragged to her friend Jennifer that the night was 'terrific'. Although she never thought she would see him again, he invited her on another date in Brooklyn to see Henry IV at 2pm on Saturday. However, after waiting at the theater, she eventually realized that Jude wasn't cominghe had stood her up. Tinder is the house, and the house always wins When she texted him just to make sure she hadn't misheard their plans, he responded at 8pm to tell her he had lost track of time because he ended up in the ER the night before. In another text, he explained that was drunk and doing drugs the night before when he tried to get in someone else's car thinking it was his and got arrested before the cops sent him to the ER. 'I think they may have sedated me or something because I ended up unconscious for about 12 hours. Again, so sorry I was really looking forward to it and am pretty p****d at myself,' he added. After she sent him back a cordial text saying she was glad he was okay, she said she laughed to herself. Winnie Harlow never intended to be a spokesperson for her skin condition, vitilgo but since first being thrust into the spotlight a few years ago, she has found herself as the reluctant face of the disease. And that face has gotten her far. Following a stint on America's Next Top model and appearances in music videos for Drake and Beyonce, the 21-year-old model's social media following has grown to 1.1 million. But now, as she covers Wonderland magazine's summer issue, Winnie is speaking out against her 'role model' status, insisting that she's just living her life. Scroll down for video Star: Model Winnie Harlow appears on the cover of the summer issue of Wonderland magazine Famous: The 21-year-old is incredibly recognizable thanks to her vitiligo, a skin condition that causes the loss of skin color Inspiration: She said she never wanted to be the spokesperson for the disease and doesn't see herself as a role model 'I personally dont know why Im seen as a role model. I like to call myself more an inspiration if anything. Im happy to inspire your seven-year-old child, but I do not want to be her role model,' she told the magazine. It's not necessarily that she's undeserving of the title, she explained but holding yourself up as a person for young girls to look up to isn't easy. 'I give kudos to people like Zendaya who are like: "Yes, I want to inspire young kids." And Im like: "Girl, thats a lot of work!"' she said. 'She is a role model.' Not for her: She said she's OK with inspiring girls but being a role model is a lot of work Someone to look up to: She added that Zendaya (bottom right), whom she appeared with in Lemonade, is a real role model Wanna be on top? Winnie got her start on America's Next Top Model and has gone on to work for Desigual and Diesel At home she's Chantelle: Her real name is Chantelle Brown-Young, and she said it's weird when her mom calls her Winnie sometimes Winnie would know. The Toronto-born beauty worked alongside the former Disney star in Beyonce's visual album for Lemonade a gig she almost didn't take, because Queen Bey's crew was so secretive about the project. When they first invited her to flight down to New Orleans for a shoot, they hardly gave her any details and Winnie found it 'super sketchy'. It wasn't until one of Beyonce's assistance clarified who Winnie would be working with that she got on board. 'Anything for Beyonce,' she said. Winnie has also appeared in Drake and Rihanna's music video for Work and calls the rapper 'a really corny dude, in the coolest way possible'. The queen: The Canadian-born beauty starred in the visual album for Beyonce's Lemonade but says the invitation seemed super sketchy until she knew Bey was invovled Mystery: She had been asked to fly to New Orleans but didn't know what the shoot was for Follow wherever she goes: However, she said she'd do 'anything' for Beyonce Famous friends: She's also appeared in a video with Rihanna and Drake, and says the rapper is 'corny' but in a good way Lighting up: She's recently signed on for a Swarovski campaign (pictured at an event for the brand on Tuesday) But despite the increasingly high-profile gigs, Winnie says she's still pretty normal and when she's not working, she's still just Chantelle Brown-Young (her given name). 'The rest of the world just knows "Winnie", right? So, I guess Winnie has some fame. Chantelles just a hood chick who got a chance, whos from the hood in Toronto and got a chance at a very sick career,' she said. And she likes that division between Winnie at work and Chantelle at home and gets annoyed if they get mixed up. , a few trolls have accused her of lying and told her to get back in the kitchen A teenager who was rightfully proud about her outstanding academic accomplishments took to Twitter to brag a bit about the fruits of her labor and was met with responses from jealous trolls who tried to cut her down with sexist insults. Mari Filer from Tuscaloosa, Alabama graduated as her high school's valedictorian last week. She had a 4.59 GPA, was accepted to 39 colleges, and had been awarded $2.8 million in scholarships from various institutions. But while over 83,000 people liked her Twitter post announcing what she'd pulled off, a few still had some cruel things to say including some men who asked why she wasn't in the kitchen. Job well done: Mari Filer graduated as valedictorian of her school in Tuscaloosa, Alabama Jealous: The teenager proudly announced her accomplishments on social media but was insulted by a few trolls Mari obviously worked really hard to get where she is, and last Tuesday accepted her high school diploma along with several medals for her achievements. Her GPA was well over a 4.0, and she left school at the top of her class. She'd already racked up 24 college credits, which she could use at one of the 39 colleges that accepted her. She was also granted scholarship money from several schools, which altogether tallied to nearly three million dollars. Feeling quite proud of herself, she shared a graduation day picture on Twitter, listing what she'd done and giving a 'shout-out to God'. Super smartie: She graduated with a GPA that was over a 4.0 thanks to honors and AP classes Money maker: She was awarded nearly $3 million in scholarships from various institutions Wow! Most people applauded her and voiced amazement over what she had accomplished Soon, she'd earned nearly 84,000 likes, and plenty of supportive comments from strangers across the internet. 'Congrats! I don't know you but I'm so excited and happy for you,' wrote one. Another added: 'This is my fave post on twitter, u doin real good work for urself sweetie!!! [sic]' Unfortunately, not everyone was so nice. 'A man said whatwhat was she doing out of the kitchen?' Mari told WishTV. '[And] thats a lie, shes doing this to boost her ego, shes trying to make herself look better by doing this and that, you cant even get above a 4.0 GPA.' A few people, though, accused her of lying, and she says at least one told her to get back in the kitchen Impressive: Mari is set to attend Florida A&M University in the fall on a full scholarship The latter comment was obviously made by someone who had never taken an honors or AP class, as those are often given weighted GPA points that are higher than standard high school classes. Mari, though, isn't letting herself get too upset by the trolls out there. Instead, she's looking forward to starting her freshman year at Florida A&M University, where she has a full ride. She also hardly has to worry about sexist men who prefer that she be cooking them dinner than getting an education, since at least one man responded to her tweet with a compliment 'brains over everything!' and a tongue-in-cheek marriage proposal. High school senior pranks are almost as common as prom in America - but never have they been quite this cute and fluffy. In honor of their final day of class, dozens of students from Monarch High School in Coconut Creek, Florida, decided that the only way to have a proper send off was with their furry best friends by their side. So, on Friday, May 20, around 70 seniors turned up to the school's parking lot with all of their dogs as a final prank on their administrators. Ruffing up on the last day: A large group of seniors from Monarch High School in Coconut Creek, Florida, celebrated their final day of classes by showing up with their dogs The students and their pooches flooded the parking lot by the dozens, with pups milling about playing. Soon enough, the school administrators caught onto what was going on outside. 'Our principal showed up and tried to put a stop to all of the commotion,' Monarch senior Anna Douglas told Select All. 'However, more students and their dogs showed up and he couldn't control everyone. There were dogs in purses, dogs in strollers.' Packing the space: Around 70 students came with their dogs, effectively turning the school's parking lot into a dog park A big kiss: Administrators initially tried to stop the kids from taking their dogs to school, but eventually relented to the prank Eventually, though, the principal, James Neer, came around to the idea and agreed with the students that their pups could stay with them until the end of half of the first period. In fact, the principal was so charmed by the prank that, according to Anna, he asked her boyfriend to play Who Let the Dogs Out by the Baha Men out of his car stereo. The prank proved a big hit online, with Anna's tweet about the event - declaring her high school to be Monarch Dog Park - being retweeted almost 2,000 times. 'This is the most amazing thing ever,' wrote one Twitter user, while other high school juniors pledged to do the same at their schools next year. Taking a walk: The students were allowed to keep their dogs at school until halfway through the first period Plenty of others commented on how relatively tame and well-behaved the prank was in comparison to other senior pranks that happen across the country. 'This is much better than the prank a class at my high school pulled,' shared one commenter. 'They knocked over a tub of used cooking oil from the cafeteria that was awaiting pickup on the back parking lot. The smell was unbearable.' Elderly patients are losing the equivalent of ten years of life by being stuck in hospital unnecessarily, a stark report has claimed. It reveals the NHSs bedblocking crisis is now costing more than 2million a day, a total of around 820million every year. The number of hospital beds taken up by patients who dont need to be there has soared by a third in two years and the vast majority are aged 65 and over. Elderly patients in Britain are losing the equivalent of ten years of life by being stuck in hospital unnecessarily, a report says - and the bedblocking crisis is costing the NHS 2million a day (file image) And for older patients, spending extra time in hospital when they dont need to can sap as much as 5 per cent of their muscle strength each day, the report suggests. This reduces patients mobility, independence and their quality of life. Todays analysis by the National Audit Office reveals that after spending ten days in hospital unnecessarily, a patients health has deteriorated to such extent their life expectancy has been shortened by ten years. It is the most detailed assessment so far of the scale of so-called bedblocking or delayed transfers when patients are kept on wards unnecessarily due to a lack of space in nursing homes or facilities for them to be looked after at home. It does not include those actively recovering from an operation or surgery. The authors, who looked at official figures, medical data and a detailed survey of 76 hospitals, conclude that the crisis is increasing at an alarming rate threatening the NHSs sustainability and is set to get worse. Amyas Morse, head of the NAO, warned that there are currently far too many older people in hospitals who do not need to be there. Without radical action, this problem will worsen and add further strain to the financial sustainability of the NHS and local government. For the sake of older patients and the financial sustainability of the NHS, both hospitals and local social services have to get their act together to discharge people more quickly when it is safe to do so The report highlights an extensive review by the NHS watchdog Monitor looking at the impact of bedblocking on elderly patients. This found that an average 67-year-old admitted to hospital in reasonably good health loses 14 per cent of their hip and muscle strength after just ten days. They lose 12 per cent of their lung capacity and the overall decline in their mobility and fitness is equivalent to losing ten years of life. This study was carried out by US researchers at the University of Arkansas but another, by Australian academics, found that the elderly lose as much as 5 per cent of muscle strength a day. Some patients may recuperate fairly quickly once they go home, get back to their daily routines and regain these lost years of life. But many of the elderly become very frail, susceptible to falling injuries and infections and never properly recover after a prolonged hospital stay. Labours Meg Hillier, chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts, said: Older people staying in hospital when they no longer need to is bad for their health and bad for the NHS, unnecessarily costing 820 million a year. For the sake of older patients and the financial sustainability of the NHS, both hospitals and local social services have to get their act together to discharge people more quickly when it is safe to do so. If this is not sorted all the agencies face an unsustainable situation of rising costs, rising demand for care, and funding cuts. Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, added: When an older person gets stuck in hospital it can undo much of the good that their treatment has done to them, meaning that when they eventually do get home they are weaker and less well than they should have been. Having their discharge delayed can quite quickly lead to an older person losing strength in their muscles, making them more susceptible to falls and undermining their confidence and capacity to live independently. Many of us are plagued with ugly whiteheads that take weeks to subside. We'll try various tricks and recommendations in the quest for clear skin but would you let a doctor stab yours with a knife until they bleed? This gruesome video shows Dr Pimple Popper using this method to rid a man of his deep-seated spots. Not for the squeamish, it shows her injecting his face with anaesthetic, before stabbing at his whiteheads with a blade until blood bubbles out. Then, she squeezes each individual bump until curls of stringy white sebum emerge from the zits. The 11-minute video has been watched more than 840,000 times on YouTube. The man, whose cheek is covered in a smattering on bumpy whiteheads, is having a standard procedure known as 'comedonal extraction'. Comedones - or blackheads and whiteheads - occur when hair follicles become blocked with oil and sebum - dead skin cells which form into a thick white paste - creating a raised bump. Squeezing out this blockage of fluid theoretically allows the spots to heal and reduces inflammation. The video shows Dr Pimple Popper, pricking all his whiteheads with a knife, until pools of blood gather on his face which she has to wipe away with a tissue. As she presses down on his cheeks with the flat tool, thick white fluid swirls out of his pores like worms coming out of woodwork. She does this with each and every spot until she is satisfied all the sebum has been squeezed out. In the background of the video, relaxing classical music plays, until she has finished. This is the gruesome moment Dr Pimple Popper stabs at a man's spots with a thin blade until they bleed Using a circular spot-extracting tool, she squeezes at the lumps until thick curls of white sebum stream out Dr Pimple Popper, whose real name is Dr Sandra Lee, practices at Skin Physicians and Surgeons in Upland, California. Previously, Dr Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist and spokesperson for the British Skin Foundation has told MailOnline it is important this procedure is carried out by a trained professional. She said: 'A sterile needle can be used for piercing a whitehead before extraction. 'It is a recognised procedural technique for comedonal acne but is used more often by aestheticians rather than dermatologists. You can extract all you like, but the spots will just keep recurring Dr Emma Wedgeworth, a consultant dermatologist 'Theoretically, it will reduce the number of future inflamed lesions but must be carried out by a trained person. 'There is otherwise a risk of infection, scarring and inflammation with worsening of acne.' But Dr Emma Wedgeworth, a consultant dermatologist and spokesperson for the British Skin Foundation said she was 'not an advocate of this procedure.' She said: 'It could well leading to scarring, particularly in darker skin types. 'Its not tackling the root cause of the problem. You can extract all you like, but the spots will just keep recurring. Daniel Carter, five, is battling a rare form of cancer after doctors misdiagnosed him as constipated and send him away with Calpol A five-year-old boy is battling a rare form of cancer after doctors misdiagnosed him as being constipated and sent him away with Calpol. Daniel Carter, from Hull, complained of pains for months but was told by doctors it was just a stomach ache. But when his parents discovered him lying on the carpet in so much agony he was unable to walk they rushed him to hospital where a CT scan revealed a cancerous tumour. He underwent an emergency four-hour operation to remove part of the tumour, a neuroblastoma which had spread from his chest to his spine. Daniel's family have been left devastated by the diagnosis and he now faces a tough six months of emergency chemotherapy. His mother Katie, 28, said: 'Daniel had been complaining of having pains in his stomach since the start of the year. 'Three weeks ago, he started having really horrible pains where he couldn't walk but every time he was taken to the doctors he was just checked for constipation and was given Calpol. 'It got to the point where he couldn't get up from the floor and was just lying on the carpet. 'That's when we took him to another doctor who said he wasn't happy with it and told us to go to Hull Royal Infirmary A&E. 'They did a CT scan and, when we got the results, we found the tumour. It has been horrific. Daniel was immediately rushed to Leeds Children's Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a neuroblastoma - a cancer of specialised nerve cells involved in the development of the nervous system. It affects fewer than 100 children in the UK every year - and Daniel was rushed for a four-hour op to remove part of the growth. Daniel had a four-hour operation to remove the growth and is now undergoing chemotherapy. His parents, Katie, 28 and Kevin said it is incredibly difficult watching their child go through treatment CHILDHOOD CANCER AFFECTS LESS THAN 100 YOUNGSTERS A YEAR Neuroblastoma is a cancer of specialised nerve cells in the nervous system and other tissues. Fewer than 100 children in the UK are diagnosed each year with the disease. Most children diagnosed with the disease are younger than five years old. It is the second most common solid tumour in childhood, and it makes up 8 per cent of the total number of children's cancers. Neuroblastoma commonly occurs in either one of the two adrenal glands in a child's tummy or in nerve tissue that runs alongside the spinal cord, in the neck, chest, abdomen or pelvis. The cancer can spread to tissues beyond the original site, including bone marrow, bone, lymph nodes, liver and skin. As with most cancers the cause of neuroblastoma is unknown. The symptoms vary depending on where a child's tumour is. The first signs can be vague, and include tiredness, a loss of appetite and pain in the bones. If the tumour is in a child's tummy, it may be swollen and the child may complain of constipation or have difficulty passing urine. Where a tumour is growing in a child's chest, they may be breathless and have difficulty swallowing. Source: Macmillan Cancer Support During the operation, they found the lump - originally found in his chest - had spread to Daniel's spinal cord. Mrs Carter and husband Kevin, who also have sons David, seven, and Liam, six, said watching Daniel recover from the operation and begin chemotherapy has been difficult. She said: 'Since he started his chemotherapy, all he has done is stay on his bed and sleep. 'It has been really hard having to see your child go through that. 'He had been complaining of being in pain for so long, and now it all makes sense because he had this tumour.' She added she takes solace in the fact doctors have seen children with bigger tumours. She said: 'The doctors said it was a big growth, but they have seen worse. 'That might just be to keep us really positive for him. 'But the doctors should have found this sooner - there were no further tests done for him for months.' Now, Mrs Carter wants to warn other parents to get a second opinion if they believe their child is suffering from something serious. Had doctors sent Daniel for tests about his stomach pains earlier his cancer may have been detected sooner, she believes. She said: 'It is incredibly hard to sit and watch him. I'm used to seeing him running around and doing all the things he should be doing as a five-year-old boy. 'But he has no energy to do anything but sleep because of how ill he is at the moment. 'Daniel is finding it really hard and it has been really scary.' Mohd Zul Shahril Saidin, 15, had been carrying the foetus since birth A teenage boy in Malaysia has undergone successful surgery to remove a mass believed to be his unborn twin. Mohd Zul Shahril Saidin, 15, had been carrying the foetus since birth - a condition known medically as 'foetus in foetu'. The incredibly rare condition is where the malformed foetus is found in the body of its twin. According to local media reports, the foetus had hair, legs, hands and genitals. The boy's mother, Hasmah Ahmad, expressed her relief to local media after surgeons in the north-western Malaysian state of Kedah performed the successful operation. Mrs Ahmad, 38, described the mass in shocking detail, saying: 'The foetus removed from my son's stomach was formed with organs like those of a baby only the nose and mouth were not complete.' She has also reportedly 'accepted her son's fate', if the tumour truly was his twin. The teenager was only hospitalised recently after he began complaining of pain over the last four months. Mrs Ahmad said she and her family had already performed funeral rites on the foetus, which is now buried in a cemetery. Her son is still recovering in hospital. It is estimated that 'foetus in foetu' occurs in 1 in every 500,000 live births. During the early stages of pregnancy, if a woman is pregnant with twins, one of the babies can enter the other through the umbilical cord. There, it becomes a parasite, depending on its sibling's body for survival. Usually, it does not survive after birth, but can be life-threatening for the baby that does survive. The condition, known medically as 'foetus in foetu', is where the malformed foetus is found in the body of its twin. This unborn baby is said to have had hair, legs, hands and genitals WHAT IS FOETUS IN FETU? Foetus in fetu is an incredibly rare condition that affects only one in five million live births. It is a condition where the malformed foetus is found in the body of its twin. The foetus is found in the abdomen in 80 per cent of cases, although there have been reports of it occurring in the skull. There are only 200 reports of it ever happening. While the diagnosis is gaining popularity, the World Health Organisation has classified 'foetus in fetu' as a variant of mature teratoma, a type of cancer where the tumour is well-developed. The foetus is found in the abdomen in 80 per cent of cases, although there have been reports of it being found in the skull. While the diagnosis is gaining popularity, the World Health Organisation has classified 'foetus in fetu' as a variant of mature teratoma, a type of cancer where the tumour is well-developed. In 2009, MailOnline also reported on the case of a one-year-old girl who survived surgery to remove her unborn twin's foetus from her swollen stomach. Kang Mengru's adoptive parents were shocked when within months after her birth, her stomach began to swell and superstitious neighbours began calling the little girl a 'monster' and gossiping that she was pregnant. Doctors were astounded to find a woman with stomach pain and nausea had a condom inside her appendix. The 26-year-old came to hospital complaining of pain and tenderness on the right side of her pelvis, leaving her unable to eat and suffering from a fever. A scan revealed her abdomen was swollen with fluid so the medics, at a hospital in Cameroon, came to the conclusion she had appendicitis. They rushed her for emergency surgery to remove the infected organ before it burst - but noticed it felt unusual as they cut it out. They discovered the organ had a piece of condom stuck inside it - which they believe is the first case of its kind to be reported in the medical literature. Doctors believed a woman with stomach pain, nausea and who couldnt eat had appendicitis and performed surgery to remove the organ (pictured in red). They later found there was a condom stuck inside it (white) We blindly dissected the appendix and found an incomplete piece of rubbery material which was consistent with a condom, said the doctors, describing the case in the Journal of Medical Case Reports. When the patient woke up from the procedure, she confirmed she had accidentally swallowed a condom two weeks before. While with her boyfriend the sheath had become loose - and accidentally slipped down her throat, she said. She had not sought medical help after discovering pieces of the condom in her faeces five days later. Nor did she think her symptoms were due to the incident. Doctors believe the condom was torn into fragments as it travelled through her gastrointestinal tract, with part of it becoming lodged in her appendix, The organ is a finger-like appendage located on the right side of the large intestine, so objects can some times get stuck there, triggering inflammation and infection. This is the first case described in the medical literature where a condom has been found lodged in the appendix - causing inflammation and infection, doctors said (file picture) Previously doctors have found bullets, fishing lines, screws, coins, stones, toothbrush bristle, pins, needles, teeth, bone fragments and dog hair in the appendix. There are also reports of fruit seeds and pips, toothpicks, drill pieces, tongue studs, keys and contraceptive coils becoming stuck. Once such objects are lodged in the organ, the pulsing of the bowel tract which moves food through the digestive tract is not enough to expel it back into the intestines. For most women, periods are a fact of life. Every month the fairer sex will suffer bloating, cramps and irritability as they menstruate for up to a week. But one doctor says modern medicine means women dont actually need to do this at all - and more and more women are taking contraceptives constantly to avoid having a period. Dr Elizabeth Micks, an obstetrician gynaecologist at the University of Washington, Seattle, told NPR: In general, I think views are changing really rapidly. That need to have regular periods is not just in our society any more. Modern medicine means women dont actually need to menstruate and many are taking contraceptives constantly so they don't have to, says obstetrician gynaecologist Dr Elizabeth Micks The Pill, implant or injection all alter hormone levels, so eggs are not released from a womans ovaries. This means her womb does not shed its lining every month in a period. If taken as directed, women can appear to menstruate on the Pill because. This is because some types have 21 days' worth of hormones, and seven sugar pills - which do not contain hormones at all but simply remind the woman to take it as part of her routine. Other brands only provide 21 pills and tell women to take a seven day 'break'. In this time, they will experience a bleed which resembles their period. But it is in fact artificial - and caused by withdrawal of the hormone rather than as a result of the lining of the womb shedding after ovulation. Dr Micks said pills were only designed in this way because of a historical quirk - as the person who invented them was Catholic. Therefore, he believed if women continued to have periods while taking the Pill it would be seen as more palatable to the Catholic church. But there is no biological need for this break, and women can simply take the Pill continuously, meaning many will not get their period, she said. Women are told to take the Pill for 21 days and then take a break - where they bleed as a result of their body withdrawing from the hormone. But there actually is no need for this artificial bleed - and women can in fact take the Pill constantly to avoid getting a period every month, doctors say In general, I think views are changing really rapidly. That need to have regular periods is not just in our society anymore Dr Elizabeth Micks, an obstetrician gynaecologist at the University of Washington, Seattle Miss Leila Hanna, consultant gynaecologist and Obstetrician at Queen Mary's Hospital, London, and BMI The Sloane Hospital, agreed witH Dr Mick's view. She told MailOnline any of the hormonal-based contraceptives can make a womans periods lighter or stop them. Miss Hanna added: Women can take them back to back and this stops the number of cycles. Its completely safe, it doesnt affect fertility. In fact, women can continuously take hormonal contraceptives for years at a time, she said. People think it might hurt their fertility but there is no medical basis for this. It's an old wives tale, she said. The Pill is protective rather than damaging. However some women may experience breakthrough bleeding as the womb lining sheds slightly, while others may they feel bloated if they run several packs of the Pill together, NHS Choices says. Miss Hanna added the method is not a one-size-fits all and while most women will see their periods become lighter and less frequent - some will still menstruate. And though the Pill increases the risk of cervical and breast cancer, remaining on hormonal contraception can help with other problems. Scientists found low risk of it being popular with recreational smokers Cannabinoids taken from plant were extracted to make hash oil liquid E-cigarettes or vaporisers can produce the health boost of cannabis without getting users high, according to new research. Scientists say the battery charged devices may provide an alternative method of administering the drug to relieve pain, while avoiding the harmful effects of smoking. In the study, cannabinoids - chemicals from the plant which are said to have a range of benefits - were extracted with butane gas to make concentrated hash oil in an e-liquid. An analysis of samples of the gases generated from three e-cigs suggested the method - dubbed 'cannavaping' - avoids inhaling significant amounts of toxic contaminants. Cannabinoids - chemicals from the plant which are said to have a range of benefits - were extracted with butane gas to make concentrated hash oil in an e-liquid for the study These include VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and carbonyls which are released during the burning of regular marijuana cigarettes. The study published in Scientific Reports said cannabis is increasingly being used as a therapy in western countries, but the combustion and inhalation of spliffs is generally considered inappropriate. Marijuana can be prescribed for medical reasons in the UK, along with 17 other European countries. It is said to help relieve multiple sclerosis, and has even been shown to slow down cancer, Parkinson's disease and dementia. But Dr Vincent Varlet, of the University Centre of Legal Medicine, Lausanne, said: 'The combustion and inhalation of cannabis cigarettes is generally considered an inappropriate method for the therapeutic administration of cannabis. Illegal 'cannavaping' of hash oil was found to ease painful symptoms of thing like multiple sclerosis while presenting a low risk of becoming popular among cannabis smokers, the study found 'Safer and healthier alternatives for consuming cannabis have been proposed to minimise the risks associated with the inhalation of toxic pyrolytic by products. 'Vaporisation conducted at less than combustion temperatures is one of the best recommended alternative methods to cannabis smoking. 'A vaporiser heats the cannabis plant material at a moderate temperature, causing the active cannabinoids to evaporate into an aerosol that contains far fewer harmful components.' $150 CANNABIS VAPORIZER SET TO GO ON SALE IN THE US CannaKorp has developed what is being hailed the 'Keurig for weed' a vaporizer that releases marijuana from single-serving pods. Users place the cannabis filled pod of their choice in the CannaCloud, push a button and within a minute, can pull the vaporizer out and 'enjoy a convenient and efficient vapor'. CannaKorp is the brainchild of Michael Bourque, who said it stemmed from an awkward experience purchasing marijuana from 'a guy that looked like ZZ Top' in the middle of a parking lot. The complete system includes the ground-breaking vaporizer device, CannaCloud; single-use, dose-controlled pods containing pre-ground, lab tested cannabis called CannaCups; and an automated processing and filling machine, the CannaMatic Users place the cannabis filled pod of their choice in the CannaCloud, push a button and within a minute can pull the vaporizer out and 'enjoy a convenient and efficient vapor'. CannaCloud is designed with a hygienic, one-way valve that can be easily detached for cleaning and is dishwasher safe. It uses a micro processor to control the system for optimal performance and 'a great experience, including temperature, speed, time and air pressure. Users can choose through various strains for their CannaCups such as sativa, indica, hybrid, and CBD-only strains. Each pod is pre-ground cannabis flower that is sealed for locked in flavor, aroma and freshness. His researchers also believe illegal 'cannavaping' of hash oil presents a low risk of becoming popular among cannabis smokers. Its poor solubility would prevent the manufacture of liquid refills with the high concentrations preferred by most recreational users. Dr Varlet said: 'Concerning misuse of 'cannavaping', the high number of puffs required to induce minimal psychoactive effects could be considered a rebuttal to 'cannavapers' who wish to experience the same effects as real cannabis cigarettes with e-cigarette. 'In our opinion and according to other scientists, recreational 'cannavaping' remains possible with e-cigarettes. However, its poor efficiency makes the risk of observing a new recreational cannavaping trend unlikely.' He added: 'Therefore, the likelihood of misuse of cannavaping seems to be very limited, whereas therapeutic applications of cannavaping have undeniable benefits over other administration routes, with the controlled dosage of cannabinoids - enriched liquid refills.' The researchers also note as just one type of e-cigarette was assessed other devices, brands and e-liquids may produce different cannabinoids and levels of carbonyls and VOCs. The first legal cannnabis vaporiser MediPen went on sale in the UK last year. Its creators say the device contains a very respectable dose of Cannabidiol, an active ingredient in the cannabis plant with a vast array of positive benefits and health uses. The pen, which contains coconut oil, eliminates the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the compound that gets people high. Professor David Nutt, head of the Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London, said he thought it was a good idea. 'This is an interesting paper and I think it's a great idea, but this would be illegal in the UK currently,' he said. But Dr Michael Bloomfield, clinical lecturer in psychiatry, at University College London, said he head concerns regarding the high levels of the psychoactive compound found in cannabis. 'Whilst vaping cannabis substances, called cannabinoids, does indeed remove the harmful effects of tobacco smoke, my concerns about vaping cannabis would be around the use of flavoured cannabis e-cigarettes. 'They could be more popular amongst younger people, who appear most at risk of some of the potential harms associated with heavy and long-term use of cannabis during adolescence. 'What's more there is evidence to suggest that consuming cannabis whilst pregnant may have lasting effects on the unborn child, so I would be also be concerned about pregnant women using long-term high dose THC, although further research is needed. It is the most common form of dementia, and yet there is still no means of preventing or curing Alzheimer's disease. A new study suggests the reason, in part, is that scientists have misunderstood the condition for years. Scientists believe the notorious protein that is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease may play a key role in fighting infection. Beta-amyloid forms sticky clumps, or 'plaques', in the brain, a sign that is used to diagnose the condition. Scientists believe the notorious protein that is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease may play a key role in fighting infections, such as salmonella (pictured) But the new findings provide strong evidence that beta-amyloid is also part of the innate immune system, the body's first line of defence against bacteria, viruses and parasites. Scientists found that human beta-amyloid (A-beta) protected against lethal infections in mice, laboratory worms and cultured human brain cells. Dr Robert Moir, from Massachusetts General Hospital, said: 'Neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease has been thought to be caused by the abnormal behaviour of A-beta molecules, which are known to gather into tough fibril-like structures called amyloid plaques within patients' brains. 'This widely held view has guided therapeutic strategies and drug development for more than 30 years, but our findings suggest that this view is incomplete.' Previous research co-led by Dr Moir showed that beta-amyloid from the brains of Alzheimer's patients suppressed the growth of Candida yeast, a common fungal infectious agent, in the laboratory. The new study is the first to investigate the anti-microbial action of human beta-amyloid in living animals. Mice genetically engineered to produce the protein survived significantly longer after their brains were infected by salmonella than normal mice. Beta-amyloid forms sticky clumps, or 'plaques', in the brain, a sign that is used to diagnose the condition Roundworms that generated A-beta were also protected against Candida and Salmonella. In addition, the protein prevented Candida from infecting cultured neuronal cells. A-beta generated by living cells appeared to be 1,000 times more protective than a synthetic version of the molecule. In fact it could be one of the properties of 'natural' A-beta associated with Alzheimer's - its ability to aggregate into plaques - that might be responsible for its contribution to immunity. A fundamental process involves the clumping together of small molecules that prevents infectious agents from attaching to host cells. The clumping is also thought to kill microbes by disrupting their cellular membranes. Dr Moir said: 'Our findings raise the intriguing possibility that Alzheimer's pathology may arise when the brain perceives itself to be under attack from invading pathogens, although further study will be required to determine whether or not a bona fide infection is involved. 'It does appear likely that the inflammatory pathways of the innate immune system could be potential treatment targets. If validated, our data also warrant the need for caution with therapies aimed at totally removing beta-amyloid plaques. Amyloid-based therapies aimed at dialling down but not wiping out beta-amyloid in the brain might be a better strategy.' CDC director Dr Tom Frieden says the discovery 'shows the end of the road isn't very far away for antibiotics' The gene is responsible for turning bacteria resistant to antibiotics Tests showed the sample was positive for a gene, known as mcr-1 A woman in Pennsylvania has become the first American to test positive for a strain of bacteria that is resistant to all antibiotics, even those used as the last line of defense. The alarming discovery 'heralds the emergence of truly pan-drug resistant bacteria', experts have warned. And US health officials added it could mean the 'end of the road' for antibiotics. In a paper published in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, researchers from the Walter Reed Army 6 Institute of Research in Maryland revealed the bacteria was identified in the urine of a 49-year-old woman. A 49-year-old woman from Pennsylvania, who presented with a urinary infection, tested positive for the mcr-1 gene, that causes bacteria to become resistant to all antibiotics, including colistin, the strongest of the drugs. Pictured, an illustration of E.coli, which can also become resistant, by the gene She presented at a clinic in Pennsylvania in April, with symptoms indicative of a urinary tract infection. Their report highlights that 'to the best of our knowledge' this is the first report of the bacteria being detected in the US. The researchers warned: 'The recent discovery of a plasmid-borne colistin resistance gene, heralds the emergence of truly pan-drug resistant bacteria'. CDC director, Dr Tom Frieden, said: 'It basically shows us that the end of the road isn't very far away for antibiotics, that we may be in a situation where we have patients in our intensive-care units, or patients getting urinary tract infections for which we do not have antibiotics,' the Washington Post reported. Colistin is the last antibiotic used to combat bacteria that are resistant to the strongest antibiotics. The drug has remained the best tool available to treat multi-drug resistant bacteria, because bacteria were not exchanging genes that triggers resistance. The latest discovery shows that colistin may be losing its effectiveness in antimicrobial therapy. Researchers fear bacteria may now be exchanging resistance genes for the drug. The alarm was first sounded in the microbiology community late last year, when the first transferrable gene for colistin-resistance was identified in China. It basically shows us that the end of the road isn't very far away for antibiotics CDC director, Dr Tom Frieden Since the report, the global health community has monitored and searched for the occurrence of the gene in the food supply and in humans. Since then, the colistin-resistant gene has been reported in Europe and Canada, and now in the US. The woman's urine sample was sent to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for testing. The results showed no safe dosage of colistin would be effective to treat such a bacterial infection. Researchers at the institute recognized colistin resistance and sent a sample to the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research for sequencing, which identified the colistin-resistant gene, mcr-1. Dr Patrick McGann, said: 'Colistin is one of the last effcacious antibiotics for the treatment of highly resistant bacteria. 'The emergence of a transferable gene that confers resistance to this vital antibiotic is extremely disturbing. 'The discovery of this gene in the US is equally concerning, and continued surveillance to identify reservoirs of this gene within the military healthcare community and beyond is critical to prevent its spread.' CDC director, Dr Tom Frieden, said: 'It basically shows us that the end of the road isn't very far away for antibiotics, that we may be in a situation where we have patients in our intensive-care units, or patients getting urinary tract infections for which we do not have antibiotics' It has emerged the CDC and the US Department of Agriculture are also investigating a case of swine intestinal infection, with an E.coli strain bearing the mcr-1 gene. While there is no evidence, officials stress, that the two recent findings are linked, the evidence of the strain in the US is a public health concern. The gene is transferable to other bacteria, which could worsen the current global crisis of antibiotic resistance. An urgent public health response is underway to contain and prevent potential spread of mcr-1, officials said. Dr Gerry Wright, director of the Michael G.DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research at McMaster University said while serious, the discovery of the strain in the US was to be expected. He said: 'The mcr-1 gene has been reported across the globe since it was first reported in November of last year. 'The US was actually not an anomaly in not finding it until now/ 'I expect it's been around for some time, just not detected. 'Because the patient has no reported travel history, you can predict with certainty that mcr-1 is established in the USA.' It's a dilemma faced by many new parents: do they get up in the night to comfort their crying babies or let them sob themselves to sleep? Now scientists say babies sleep more soundly and wake less often in the night if they are left to soothe themselves. In tests, sleep experts found that the tactic also led to other family members getting more shut-eye. Associate Professor Michael Gradisar assessed two controlled crying techniques as well as leaving parents to comfort their babies whenever they wanted. Now scientists say babies sleep more soundly and wake less often in the night if they are left to soothe themselves (file image) He found that controlled crying methods had no detrimental effects on either baby or parent. Professor Gradisar said: Its natural for parents to worry about having their babies cry at bedtime. While its well documented that sleep deprivation can cause family distress, including maternal depression, were hoping these results will add another element to how parents view their responses and how they manage their own and their babies sleep behaviour. He tested 43 babies, aged six to 16 months, who were suffering night-time sleep troubles. One group used controlled crying or graduated extinction designed to let babies fall asleep on their own. Parents in this group had to wait a few minutes before responding to their crying babies. They were allowed to comfort but not pick up the baby. A second method tested bedtime fading, which sees parents gradually delaying bed-time. This group put off bedtime initially by 15 minutes with the option of increasing it if problems persisted. Associate Professor Michael Gradisar assessed two controlled crying techniques as well as leaving parents to comfort their babies whenever they wanted (file image) A control group were simply given information on healthy sleeping habits. After three months, the researchers found babies in both sleep-training groups were dozing off an average of 10 to 13 minutes faster. Meanwhile there was little difference in the control group. Babies in the controlled-crying group slept better during the night, waking up less frequently just once or twice on average compared with three times at the start of the study period. Stress levels for mothers dropped in the first month and there was no sign it caused stress to the infants, Professor Gradisar said. Saliva samples showed levels of the stress hormone cortisol also fell slightly in babies. There were no significant differences in emotional, behavioural problems or attachment issues at a follow-up check a year later. Prof Gradisar, of Flinders University, Australia, also suggested trying the delayed bedtimes technique first before progressing to the controlled crying method. He said: We hope parents of children of six to 16 months can become more aware of bedtime fading which helps babies fall asleep at the start of the night. Written by the former senior palaeontologist at the Natural History Museum THE WOOD FOR THE TREES by Richard Fortey (William Collins 22) Some eyes may see the world in a grain of sand - Richard Fortey can certainly find one under a log. It's not just the creepy crawlies that get him going, he's as big a fan of fungi - 'the unappreciated heroes of decay' - and the kind of wriggly things that only make sense under a strong magnifying glass. Fortey is a man whose pocket lens is always at the ready. A Fellow of the Royal Society, he was, until his retirement, senior palaeontologist at London's Natural History Museum. Trilobites, he confides, are his 'favourite animals'. Richard Fortey describes foraging ground elder for soup, finding golden chanterelles (pictured) for supper with potatoes and bacon and carving a walking stick from a holly tree Now, he has turned his attention to the Chilterns. In particular, the four acres of beech and bluebell wood a stone's throw from Henley, of which he is the owner. This marvellous book documents a year in the life of his patch - and he chronicles its changing moods superbly. In May, ferns are busy unfurling as overhead new leaves flutter pale green. But even in the dead of winter, there is an abundance of lichen meriting closer inspection. Fortey's prose is a joy. A terrific storyteller, he can wax lyrical, but he's no touchy-feely 'fuzzy' nature writer. 'I prefer the eloquence of detail,' he says. But if that sounds a trifle pompous, fear not: his mischievous wit keeps things lively. Take Fortey's attempts to make beech leaf liqueur. The first step is to steep young leaves in generous amounts of gin. 'I do not use a high-class brand suffused with many exotic botanicals, but the cheaper stuff from that supermarket shelf marked 'Youths and Alcoholics Only.' ' Apparently, the end product tastes like brandy and vanilla - though as his recipe calls for both, that's no great surprise. While few of us will ever own a sylvan glade like Fortey, we can all take a leaf out of his book There's plenty more woodland bounty to be had. In April, Fortey forages ground elder for soup; in September, golden chanterelles for supper with potatoes and bacon. He carves a walking stick from a holly tree and transforms fallen beech branches into barbecue charcoal. Timeless though the wood may seem, it hasn't lacked for drama - it was the site of a grisly slaying in 1893. Fortey vividly conjures the scene when the Civil War reached Henley in 1643, imagining how the racket must have put up pigeons from the trees. And he ponders whether a poacher, lying low in the wood, might have glimpsed an on-the-run Charles I as he fled Oxford in 1646 disguised as a servant. As coal became king and demand for firewood fell, the wood's days appeared numbered. But then came World War I and the need for rifle butts and tent pegs saw beech booming. Things looked grim again as the century wore on, but salvation came from an unexpected quarter. In the new millennium, the Harry Potter books triggered a 'besom bonanza' - beech makes the best broomsticks, it turns out. Today, the woods of the Chilterns are cherished by city-dwellers in search of R&R. A well-known harpsichordist, an actor-turned-psychologist and a founding member of Genesis are among Fortey's neighbours: it seems safe to assume a wood of one's own doesn't come cheap. The Bubble Boy by Stewart Foster THE BUBBLE BOY by Stewart Foster (Simon & Schuster 6.99) Eleven-year-old Joe suffers from a potentially fatal allergic condition that means he has spent almost his entire life living inside a sterile hospital room, subjected to endless treatment by his dedicated team of doctors and nurses. His devoted sister is one of his only visitors and his best friend is Henry, a boy in America with a similar illness, with whom he Skypes about their shared passion for superheroes. Then Joe gets a new nurse, Amir, who believes in aliens and whose extraordinary imagination will provide Joe with a life-changing opportunity - but one that carries an extraordinary risk. The first part of the book focuses on Joes routines and relationships, but gradually, the tension builds. The subsequent drama is heartbreaking in its simple affirmation of the importance of embracing what makes life worth living. Age 10+ The World's Worst Children by David Walliams THE WORLDS WORST CHILDREN by David Walliams, illustrated by Tony Ross (HarperCollins 14.99) Billed as a collection of ten cautionary tales, this really is Walliams at his most indulgently gross and silly - the perfect combination for thousands of his loyal fans. Here we have Windy Mindy, who farts so much she launches into outer space, Peter Picker, who ends up trapped inside his own giant bogey, and Sofia Sofa, a greedy couch potato who meets a very uncomfortable fate. Its packed full of pongs and grime, lists and puns - easy ways to make young children laugh - but in concentrating on just the grotesque and disgusting, Walliams sacrifices the real wit and originality that characterised his earliest books. But it is stunningly illustrated by Ross who captures the energy and chaos of the stories. Age 6+ The Monstrous Child by Francesca Simon THE MONSTROUS CHILD by Francesca Simon (Faber 9.99) Francesca (Horrid Henry) Simons great strength lies in capturing the voice of her leading characters - and never more so than in this graphic account of teenager Hel, doomed to be Queen of the Norse Underworld by her enraged father, the god Loki. Hel is born deformed - her top half is beautiful goddess, her lower half a pair of corpse-like, foul-smelling legs. Aged 14, she is cast into the Underworld where, like any modern adolescent, she rails and rants against her fate, her dysfunctional family and her cruel disability, wreaking terrible revenge on the shady, decaying souls sent to her kingdom. Theres a touching unrequited love story, offset by a richly mined vein of black humour, and violent battles to save or destroy the future world. Security agencies are on alert after a botched terror test-run in Delhi, intelligence sources told India Today. Operatives from a new ISI-backed group were allegedly able to infiltrate the national Capital by posing as Afghan medical tourists. The mastermind of the failed terror bid last December was Maulana Abdul Rehman, better known as MAR in Jihadi circles, highly-placed sources revealed. Two infiltrators - identified as Pakistani Ahmed Khan Durrani and Afghan Abdul Qadri - pretended to be medical tourists to enter New Delhi. Durrani posed as an Afghan patient, and Qadri as his attendant. He is believed to be one of the plotters in the 1999 hijacking of the Indian Airlines IC 814 flight from Nepal to Kandahar in Afghanistan. Rehman has now fallen out with Maulana Masood Azhar, the founder of the Jaish-e-Mohammad group and one of the three terrorists India freed to secure the release of the IC-814 passengers in 1999. Backed by Pakistans ISI and the Haqqani network, Rehman launched his first terror attempt on India in November when he sent two of his men to target five locations in Delhi with chemical bombs, according to intelligence officials. The two infiltrators - identified as Pakistani Ahmed Khan Durrani and Afghan Abdul Qadri - claimed to be medical tourists in order to come to New Delhi. Durrani posed as an Afghan patient and Qadri as his attendant, the officials explained. The pair's proof of address in Delhi - which successfully passed police verification Durrani had a forged passport issued in the name of Sohaib Abbas. The pair chose a Lajpat Nagar neighbourhood, popular with Afghan medical tourists, to rent a room with the help of a local Afghan contact. Their Delhi address - M-3, Kasturba Niketan Complex, Lajpat Nagar-II - received police verification in the last week of November, a copy of which was obtained by India Today. Durrani had undergone training in making chemical bombs. When triggered, such explosives produce a high-intensity fire capable of causing substantial damage within five to six minutes. The duo remained in contact with their handler, identified as Abid, who had set up a control room in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area of the Pakistan-Afghan border. They recceed different locations of Delhi. On their hit-list were the Iskcon temple, a plush mall, and three other targets, according to security officials. The two bought bomb-making materials, such as fireworks for gunpowder, wires, bottles and watches, from Old Delhi markets. From these, they were able to make six chemical bombs that they planned to use in serial attacks planned for the second week of December, sources said. But a test then went awry. The two men panicked after a bomb they tried to detonate in the bathroom of their room set of a huge trail of smoke out of their building. Scared, they flushed all their devices and fled to Afghanistan on the next flight available, according to intelligence sources. After investigators unearthed the terror plan, intelligence agencies alerted the police in Kabul, who then arrested Durrani and Qadri. Explosives and secret documents were recovered from their possession. The Indian Army has been fighting endless battles along the border to avert infiltration bids. (File picture) Indian Intelligence officials describe the entire modus operandi as alarming, specifically the presence of a new cell using a new route - medical tourism - to strike India. MAR has an office in Peshawar and heads an organisation called Al Barkat Trust, security officials say. His trust runs a new group named Jaish-ul-Haq. His second-in-command has been identified as Dr Zubair. MAR has a syndicate of terrorists who are recruiting and training for anti-India operations, intelligence officials say. Political leaders and pundits gearing up for crucial assembly elections in bellwether Uttar Pradesh next year may have to step on the gas. The states ruling Samajwadi Party and the BJP, in power at the Centre, appear eager to have the polls in December 2016 as they believe this gives them the best chance to win the key electoral contest, which will have repercussions for the whole nation. The Akhilesh Yadav-led SP has kept its prime challengers, the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on tenterhooks. The BJP, which picked up 71 of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh in the 2014 general elections, is making a big push to win the state. (Picture for representation). The SP suspects that the Election Commission of India (ECI) could cite a raft of reasons to hold elections for Punjab, UP, and Uttarakhand simultaneously, under pressure from the central government. All three states are going to the polls in 2017. We anticipate that elections to UP may be advanced by six months and thus be held in December than mid-way in 2017. For example, the EC may cite the board exams or, among other things, the soaring temperatures in these months (March-April), said a highly-placed functionary in the Akhilesh Yadav government. It can cite logistics and reasons related to resources. Anyway, the Samajwadi Party is ready for the polls. Moreover, this way the BSP will get even less time to prepare and mobilise voters. The functionary said the BJP-led Narendra Modi government does not want the Uttarakhand and Punjab results to have a bearing on the UP elections. They have taken a big lesson from the (last years) Delhi debacle. They know that had they conducted the Delhi polls just after the general election results, Arvind Kejriwal would have been nowhere, he added. The BJP, which picked up 71 of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh in the 2014 general elections, is making a big push to win the state in a bid to drive key reforms at the Centre by improving its numbers in the Rajya Sabha, where it is in a minority. According to sources, the SP government is in a hurry to complete its mega flagship programmes and projects, and not without reason. Look at the speed with which the dream projects of the Samajwadi government are moving: the Agra-Lucknow expressway, or the Metro projects across the state. The Akhilesh Yadav government wants to inaugurate these in its tenure and not leave the electoral harvest to be reaped by the next government if there is a change of guard, said a SP leader. Sources added that the state government had got several IB inputs that have placed the BSP at the top of the leaderboard for the upcoming polls. The government had fast-tracked projects in urban complexes of Ghaziabad, Noida and Lucknow. Akhilesh Yadav is now moving into the districts to take the achievements of his government to the grassroots. The party is trying to finish off its projects in transport, roads, bridges and highways. Big investors, such as Samsung, are already coming into the state. We have been told that there is no dearth of money and resources, only the projects should be finished swiftly, said a highly-ranked official from UP. The BJP has shown that it is eager to take on the BSP and SP. The Prime Minister is holding a rally in Saharanpur on May 26 to formally sound the poll bugle. The choice of venue is significant, as the city suffered riots in 2014. Recent attempts by the RSS and BJP to push a Dalit agenda again suggest a state of preparedness. We are ready for elections. We are ready to take on the Samajwadi Party as well as the Bahujan Samaj Party. The electorate in the state has been shortchanged by both the parties and has seen their dismal performance, said BJP national secretary and media in-charge Shrikant Sharma. People of UP are ready to go for a BJPled change in the state politics. Analysts say right-wing groups appear keen to vertically polarise the state electorate. A recent video showed the Bajrang Dal conducting a self-defence exercise in which the enemy wore skull caps. Sources said while the ultra-right organisation had been carrying out such drills with dummy arms annually, this was the first time when it chose to identify a foe. The footage might have been deliberately leaked, said SP sources. In another indication that the polls may happen sooner than expected, the union government on Tuesday announced the names of 13 more cities that will be developed under Narendra Modis flagship Smart City Mission. At a time when the government and the Armed Forces are exhorting women to take up careers in the services, a molestation case is hardly the endorsement they need. But now a top Indian Navy doctor, currently posted in the Capital, is facing accusations of molesting his female colleague, a junior naval medical officer. In her complaint, the junior officer has accused her senior, a Surgeon Commander by rank, of attempting to molest her on successive days this month. When the alleged incidents took place, the Surgeon Commander was posted at INS India, the establishment looking after administrative and logistical requirements for the Navy in Delhi Shockingly, the first incident allegedly took place inside the residence of the Indian Navys Chief of Personnel (COP) Vice Admiral AR Karve, where the duo had gone to treat his ailing mother. The Navy has taken cognisance and constituted a Board of Inquiry (BoI) - the first step in investigating the alleged incident. When the purported incidents took place, the Surgeon Commander was posted at INS India, the establishment looking after administrative and logistical requirements of the Navy in the national Capital. Sources said the doctor has not been reporting for duty for the past few days. He was recently recognised for his meritorious service by the Navy leadership. Captain DK Sharma, the Indian Navys spokesperson, said: We are seized of the matter and a BoI was ordered immediately on receiving the complaint. Navy has a zero-tolerance outlook on such matters. Please wait for the inquiry to conclude and we can assure you that justice will be done. The board of inquiry report is soon to be handed over to the naval headquarters, following which a final decision will be taken in the case. What is also raising eyebrows is the location of the alleged molestation. Military doctors are not supposed to treat a patient at home. If the patient is in such a bad condition, then he or she should be in the hospital, said a source. Navy sources said the decision was taken keeping in mind the humanitarian aspect, and given the seniority of the officer concerned. More options are opening up for women in the traditionally male-dominated Army, Air Force and Navy. In April the navy announced its first permanent commission for female officers, becoming the last of the three services to do so. Apart from opening up fields like education and naval constructors, the Navy is also looking at finalising a policy for women officers to serve on select warships that have appropriate facilities for women. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) informed Parliament in December last year that excluding officers in the medical, dental, and military nursing services, the Army had 1,412 women officers, the Air Force had 1,128, and the Navy had 418, all of them on Short Service Commission (SSC). In a similar case reported in August 2014, a young woman officer holding the rank of a Lieutenant had complained against her senior, a Commander rank officer in the navys Eastern Naval Command, for making inappropriate advances. Her complaint was supported by other civilian naval employees. Superstar Amitabh Bachchan has denied rumours that he is hosting the mega bash the BJP has planned to celebrate the second anniversary of the Narendra Modi government. The actor said he will only host a small segment of the programme based on the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign, of which he is the brand ambassador. Earlier in the day the Congress had questioned the Modi governments decision to associate Bachchan with the celebrations scheduled to take place on Saturday, pointing out that the actors name had come up in the Panama Papers controversy. Amitabh Bachchan said he will only host a small segment of the programme based on the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign, for which he is the brand ambassador We want to question Modiji... he promised to bring back black money, promised to punish each person who was involved. Would it not send a wrong message to all investigative agencies when a person accused of money laundering is seen hosting a program to celebrate two years of the Modi government? wondered Congressman Randeep Surjewala. Bachchan, however, denied hosting the show while talking to a leading television channel, adding that he had been invited as the brand ambassador of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign. It is up to the government whether they want to have me there or not, the actor said. Soon after the Congress attack, BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain was ready with the partys defence of Bachchan. Big B is a superstar and the people love him. The people of India love Big B more than Rahul Gandhi. The Congress does not need show its jealousy, Hussain said, suggesting that the Congress was upset over losing out to the BJP in the recent state elections. BJP MP and Bachchans Cheeni Kum co-star Paresh Rawal was among several politicians of the party who stood by Bachchan. Rawal said the Congress had no complaints to raise at the moment and added that this was a bogus issue, like awards wapsi. Union Law Minister DV Sadananda Gowda said Bachchans attendance at the celebratory gala would not impact on the ongoing probe in the Panama Papers case, while Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma pointed out that Bachchan was yet to be proven guilty by any law court. M Venkaiah Naidu claimed the government has the numbers it needs to pass the GST Bill Concerned over 45 Bills pending in the Rajya Sabha, including key legislation on the goods and service tax, land acquisition, and the protection of whistleblowers, the government is planning to bring the Opposition on board to pass them during the next monsoon session. In comparison, there are 11 Bills pending in the Lok Sabha, where the NDA enjoys a brute majority. We would like to take up the matter with Rajya Sabha chairman and leaders of other parties so there could be more synchronicity in the transaction of legislative business by both the houses, Parliamentary Affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu said. The move stems from the realisation that the NDA lacks numerical strength in the upper house and it may be prudent to convince the opposition parties to help pass key Bills. The governments confidence in reaching out to the opposition also stems from its recent win in Assam and the drubbing the Congress faced in Kerala and Assam. Government managers hope the Congress will not find much support from the other parties in the next monsoon session. Sources said another reason why the government is planning to take up the pending Bills in the upper house of Parliament is that during recent months there has been a greater balance in the functioning of Parliament. This, they said, is indicated by the number of sittings of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and the number of Bills introduced and passed, which have increased in comparison to the previous decade. Officials said as many as 101 Bills were introduced and passed in both the houses of Parliament, including 96 in the Lok Sabha and five in the Rajya Sabha over the past two years. Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, countered the government saying the Congress was a constructive opposition and was helping the Centre pass Bills while opposing the NDA on several issues. Besides the Goods and Service Tax Bill, Land Acquisition Bill, and Whistleblowers Protection Bill, the other pending legislations include the Enemy Property (Amendment & Validation) Bill, the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, and the Regional Centre for Biotechnology Bill. While the Congress launched a huge political movement against the Land Acquisition Bill, terming the move anti-farmer, the Opposition has not supported the GST, citing three major objections to it. Naidu claimed the government has the numbers for the GST Bill. Congress communication department chief Randeep Surjewala said the party was all for the GST Bill, but wanted three of their concerns to be addressed by the government as they have been raised in the public interest. The great jurist and economist, Nani Palkhivala once told me over a late-night whisky in his Bombay flat, that he feared the country was forever doomed to oblivion. The eminent jurist was speaking of India, but American politician Dean Acheson probably had something similar in mind when he delivered his jibe that England had lost an empire without finding its role. In Portugal, a former imperial power, both comments could perhaps resonate. But they don't, because the placid Portuguese have accepted the turn of destinys wheel with a philosophic calm that would turn a Hindu yogi green with envy. Vasco da Gama arrived in India on May 20, 1498. However many, including the BJP, see his arrival as the beginning of the colonial era Legends I first encountered this characteristic in a young man on a crowded bus from San Gimignano in Tuscany to a wayside town called Poggibonsi. Having waited a long time for this only conveyance on a lonely road, my wife and I, much older than most other passengers, were rather tired. The youth, one of a group of students at Florence University, made space for us to sit on the steps. He was Portuguese, he explained in good English. His grandfathers brother, whom he had never seen, had been a Jesuit priest in Goa and was imprisoned in India for several years. He died before I was born, the boy said cheerfully, but hes a family legend. India was a country he hoped to visit. There must be many such legends in many Portuguese families, for this little country carved out the first global empire in history. Apart from Goa, Daman and Diu, it ruled Angola and Mozambique. Its royal family provided Brazil with an emperor who made Brazil independent of Portugal. A Portuguese princess brought Bombay as part of her dowry to Englands King Charles II. Spanning almost six centuries, Portugals empire survived the longest among modern European colonial empires. It covered vast territories that are now in 60 different sovereign states. They rank with Nineveh and Tyre, so far as Portugal is concerned. Theres no sign here of the wallowing in imperial glory that surfaces in Britains nostalgic exhibitions and cloying literature. Portuguese heritage: The Panjim Church is the First Church of Goa and was built in 1541 But there was certainly a flash of pride in 1998 when Lisbon celebrated the 500th anniversary of Vasco da Gamas arrival in India on May 20, 1498. The event didnt go down well in India, and was in fact a cause of contention and confusion. The Union government was keen on participating in an exposition in Lisbon. It discussed the matter with Portugals foreign minister, Jamie Gama, who visited India to formalise plans for the year-long celebration and a bilateral committee was set up. Keralas CPI(M)-led government was even more enthusiastic about a German tour operators plan to re-enact Vasco da Gamas landing in Calicut, which was expected to draw thousands of Western tourists. Objection But rabble-rousing BJP politicians seized the platform. An organisation called the Deshpremi Nagrik Samiti organised protests in Goa. Rioters burnt effigies of the long-dead Vasco da Gama. Eventually, Inder Kumar Gujral, the United Front prime minister, caved-in to populist patriotic pressure. Ironically, the objection was that by discovering the sea route between Europe and India, Vasco da Gama brought in the era of colonialism. Yet, there doesnt appear to be similar opposition to Britain which - unlike Portugal - established colonial rule over the entire country. Many people from Goa consider themselves to be of duel Indian and Portuguese descent Nor does anyone remember that the Mughals and Lodis, in whose architecture we take pride, were also alien conquerors. Given the gulf between Indian rhetoric and action, I wouldnt be at all surprised if many of the Goa, Kerala and Maharashtra protesters took advantage of package tourism deals to be among the 11 million visitors to Lisbon for the anniversary. Its no secret either that thousands of Goans are now seeking Portuguese nationality. Forgotten I doubt if Indian contortions were ever reported here. If so, they must long ago have been forgotten. But the celebrations 18 years ago have enriched Lisbon with memorable monuments. The 17-km Vasco da Gama bridge over the Tagus river is in constant use; a 145-metre lattice tower and skyscraper overlook the river; Keralas vegetation inspired a nearby arcade of concrete and glass palm trees. They further embellish a city already noted for sprawling parks, gushing fountains, wide dual carriageways, ornate tile facades, and beautiful intricate statuary. Lisbon is an attractive and tranquil city. Its also a city that does not resist history. It blends past and present in harmony. Old names remain; old heroes are honoured. The contrasting attitude to imperialism recalls the tale of two Zen monks who came upon an old woman waiting on the rivers bank to be carried across. The younger of the two monks easily picked her up, took her across, put her down, and he and his companion went their way. The older monk was troubled and, towards nightfall, could no longer contain himself. He burst out that his friend had broken their vow not to touch women. Unabashed, the younger monk replied: I carried her across the river for 10 minutes. You have carried her in your mind all day. Portugal has forgotten its imperial exploits. Indians are forever prisoners of imperialism, real or imagined. The Republicans have given up. He is not Humpty Dumpty, and it is unlikely that he is going to have a great fall. Well, at least not within Republican circles. Donald Trump is set to become the Republican candidate for the American presidency, and even Republicans opposed to him seem to be falling in line behind him. Is that because they hate Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and the Democrats so much that they are willing to back anyone against them? Or, is it because they know which side their bread is buttered? And there is a lot of butter on the bread of American power, believe me. Donald Trump is supported by Christian fundamentalists, but there is little to indicate that he is particularly religious Now, I have always found the Trump phenomenon illuminating. For instance, Trump is supported by Christian fundamentalists, but there is little to make us assume that Trump is particularly religious -unless, of course, God is Trump! So what are the fundamentalists voting for? Similarly, Republican moralists - who will forbid sex education, affairs, abortion and contraception - are rooting for Trump, a much-married man (to say the least). He also has the backing of many supposedly strong Republican women - not only those of the trophy-wife kind, despite the evidence available at Trumps gatherings - and there is reason to think that Trump is not much of a feminist. Finally, a lot of unemployed or semi-employed white men are backing Trump, the often-bankrupted tycoon whose businesses are reported to have made very good use of global financial and labour options, and all of whose wives seem to have been imported into the US. Such inconsistencies almost make me like Trump - or, at least, like him more than I like his hard supporters. And as if it is not enough that so many Americans are determined to make asses of themselves - or allow Trump to make asses of them - we have Indians following suit too. Take, for instance, that Hindutva puja at Jantar Mantar to pray for Trumps victory - in the hope that he will then invade Pakistan. Really? Truly? Given the proof that Trump has already given of his questionable general knowledge, he might not be able to tell where Pakistan ends and India begins. So, look before you Trump! The art of political excuses It used to be called tu-tu main-main when I was growing up in Bihar. I think it is now called political argument all over India. It is the one thing that unites politicians of the Right and the Left these days. See, this is how it happens: someone is lynched by a mob for some purported deviance - say, eating or drinking something, or not eating or drinking something - in a BJP-ruled state, and the Opposition makes a lot of noise about the end of secularism, democracy, etc. BJP members hold a protest against the Nitish Kumar government over the killing of a party leader Unfazed by all this, BJP supporters merely point their podgy fingers at a similar death in an Opposition-ruled state, or in the past. Some days lapse. Then, in an Opposition-ruled state, say Bihar, a well-behaved schoolboy is shot by the son of some local politician in what appears to be a bout of road rage. The BJP and its allies shout political crime, jungle raj, etc. Unfazed by all this, the Opposition - in this case the Opposition is the government in the state - points its podgy fingers at some Dalit murder in a BJP-ruled state. And then the process is repeated, ad infinitum. This is what we used to call tu-tu main-main. Even in ordinary life, it was not supposed to be a reasonable way to argue. To consider this a political discourse is an insult to Indian democracy, and even the intelligence of any thinking voter. It is also injury added to every single tragedy, whether it takes place in a BJP-ruled state or an Opposition-ruled one. The time has come for the Indian public not to allow any politician off the hook that easily. If something goes wrong in one state, it does not help to point out that something else has gone wrong elsewhere too. This is simply making excuses. The public should not allow politicians to get away with excuses. We need answers, and responsibility. 'In Arabia, all atheists are terrorists!' Here is some more news from the Middle East and its neighbouring areas. It was officially announced in Saudi Arabia that 'all atheists are terrorists'. This must be good news. As there are officially no atheists in Saudi Arabia (and the Middle East), I guess it means that we have no terrorists left in that region. Hurrah! One problem solved. Not to be left out of the endless Islamic race to purity, Iran arrested some models and photographers for posting winsome photos on Instagram. Their crime: the heads of the female models were not covered with the compulsory shawl. The arrest was for their own betterment and protection, a governmental source suggested. As we know from experience in our country - which thankfully is not Saudi Arabia or Iran - much evil is done to women for their own "betterment and protection". Yoga breaks could become part of office schedules if India Inc accepts a suggestion from the government. The Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) has said corporate houses should encourage the exercise regime to combat 'rising' levels of stress, depression and work-related health complaints. Along with inviting companies to take part in International Yoga Day on June 21, the government has asked firms to make a regular 30 minute yoga break mandatory for their employees. In the face of rising levels of stress, depression and other health ailments caused by the workplace, the Ministry of AYUSH has promoted the idea of making yoga mandatory Shri Anil Kumar Ganeriwala, Joint Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, said: 'We have invited all corporate houses to participate in Yoga Day this year because employees in the corporate sector face a lot of stress. It will be a good opportunity for them to release their stress with yoga. 'Also, we have written to corporate bodies like the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, for releasing a circular in corporate offices associated with them to include a 30 minute mandatory yoga programme for their employees. [Sic]. 'AYUSH ministry is ready to provide all the necessary help to the corporate sector as and when required. We have realised that employees working in the private sector are very stressed, especially in metropolitan cities. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (centre) performs yoga along with others at Rajpath during a mass yoga session to mark the International Yoga Day last year 'They are always under pressure, be it because of their long working hours, sitting postures, or travelling time. They need to be rejuvenated and yoga can be the answer for them.' In India, the software industry has become one of the fastest-growing sectors, employing lakhs of people. According to doctors, there is a high volume of medical complaints coming from these employees, including depression, eye and neck pain, and work-related stress due to tight deadlines. Medical research in recent years has uncovered the many physical and mental benefits of yoga, corroborating the experiences of millions of practitioners. Students of the National Cadet Corps perform a mass yoga session to mark the first International Yoga Day in Dimapur, in the north-eastern state of Nagaland, in June 2015. The event will take place on June 21 this year. As well as enhancing overall fitness and wellbeing, studies show it can be beneficial in reducing depression, fatigue, anxiety disorders and stress, as well as helping with the management of a host of diseases like diabetes and hypotension. 'As youth is the future of India, they need a life without stress. Many corporate houses have started optional yoga programmes. We suggest making it mandatory for the employers to start these programmes for at least half an hour,' said Ganeriwala. A Lok Janshakti Party leader has been shot dead in another instance of lawlessness in Bihar. Sudesh Paswan, the block president of Union minister Ram Vilas Paswans party, was canvassing for his wife Maya Kumari, a Mukhiya candidate from Kachar, in the ongoing panchayat election. He was gunned down by unidentified gunmen on motorcycles at Duaath village. His cousin Sunil Paswan also sustained injuries in the shootout, and died later in hospital. The Bharatiya Janata Party alleged that the Nitish Kumar government had lost control over the law and order situation in the state of Bihar The killings, said to have been executed by the Maoists, spread panic in Gaya district. The shootings took place barely a few hours after the Bihar police claimed to have made a major breakthrough in the murder case of Siwan journalist Rajdeo Ranjan by arresting five people, including the alleged main sharpshooter. Additional director general of police (ADG) Sunil Kumar said in Patna that the Siwan police and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) had taken five people into custody, including alleged gunman Rohit Kumar. The five allegedly confessed to their involvement in the recent killing of Ranjan, the bureau chief of a vernacular daily in Siwan, on May 13. Rohit Kumar (pictured) has allegedly confessed to an earlier shooting in which Siwan journalist Rajdeo Ranjan was killed in Bihar The arrested men were identified as Rohit Kumar, Vijay Kumar Gupta, Rishu Kumar, Sonu Kumar Gupta, and Rajesh Kumar. A country-made pistol and three motorcycles have also been recovered from their possession, the ADG claimed. The killing came barely a day after another journalist, Indradeo Yadav, was gunned down in the Chatra district of the adjoining Jharkhand state. Most people approach shopping for clothing at Marks & Spencer with the same sort of dread as a visit to the dentist; certainly the under-30s and nearly all men. You have to drag and coax them there; with the promise that the pain wont be that bad. The stores even look as downbeat as a dentists waiting room crossed with a motorway service station; the overhead neon lights are too bright while the aisles are filled with too many pickn mix ranges. So its a huge relief to hear that Steve Rowe, the new boss of Marks & Spencer, has the analgesics to put us out of our misery. More importantly, Rowe claims to have cracked the identity of the core M&S customer. Every single CEO has said the same thing every few years over the last few decades so lets pray to St Michael that the new boy is on the side of the angels. His mystery customer is hardly a surprise its Mrs M&S. Finger on the pulse: New Marks & Spencer boss Steve Rowe faces a tough job turning the retailer around And despite the Twitter outrage, he is right because it is mainly married women of a certain age who do the lions share of food and clothing shopping for their children and men. Whats more, Rowe wants to cherish and celebrate her and provide her with wearable, contemporary and unbeatable wardrobe essentials which are well-fitted, good value and are not high fashion. Phew. I think most of us have been suggesting this for years; he only has to look at competitor Uniqlo to see what he should be doing more of and better. It sounds pretty basic but most Mrs M&Ss I know want somewhere where they can find classic good quality wool sweaters, shirts or basic T-shirts in every colour and style; whatever age. Men too. Rowe seems to get this. But junking the high fashion strategy of his predecessor, Marc Bolland, who went too starry-eyed bringing in minor celebrities like Alexa Chung, comes at a cost, which is why the shares fell like a stone on the results even though the drop in pre-tax profit was less than forecast. As usual, it was a picture of two halves: the food stores saw decent growth but clothing and homeware sales are still struggling. To claw back customers, Rowe is going for everyday pieces rather than Chung style 200 designer skirts and the prices are going to come down. This sounds sensible; clothing has never been more cut-throat. If M&S is to hold on to market share, which has slipped to 8 per cent from 20 per cent, over the last few decades, then it must also compete on price and quality. Its biggest competitors are not high-fashion chains like Zara which everybody keeps suggesting but Asda and Next; both known for good price points. M&S must decide whether it is a department store like John Lewis with many brands or an M&S branded clothing store; a simple but vital decision. On the store front, it looks as though there will be cuts to the 900 shops which is also the right thing to do, especially as the online presence grows. But Rowe doesnt need a complete revamp of the rest; much could be achieved with basic alterations in lighting, textures and making the different areas of the store more distinct. He needs to borrow the concepts used in the spanking new Brussels store on Avenue de la Toison dOr, which I visited recently and which is a breath of fresh air. Whoever designed that should be asked to help with the rest of the stores. Rowe has cleverly taken advantage of being the new boy to do some kitchen-sinking, get some bad news out of the way with the pension, restructuring costs and warning about lower profits. So the outlook can only get better. The City is likely to give him another year to show he knows his customer. But he has to be brave in chucking out the old, and ruthless on brands and stores. At 409p, the shares look worth a pull. An awkward mistake Quelle horreur! Legal & General says the chief executive Nigel Wilsons pay is a squidge more than previously stated; 800,000 higher. Wilson earned 5.5m last year and not the 4.7m announced in March. The reason L&G made the mistake is because Wilson was given extra shares under the firms long-term bonus plan when he was promoted from chief financial officer to chief executive. He didnt cash the shares in until January this year and they should have still been included in last years salary and therefore included in the annual report published in March. But the bonus got missed. Theres no suggestion any rules were broken but the mistake shows how complex executive pay schemes have become if such a big chunk can go astray. Strange indeed, especially when it was announced only 24 hours ahead of its annual meeting. Its particularly embarrassing as L & G is one of the big campaigners against fat cat pay and played a big part in this springs shareholder revolt which saw big institutions vote against pay deals.L&G voted against the boards of nearly a fifth of all UK listed companies. A bribery and fraud crimewave is sweeping Britain and is costing the City 127bn a year, a devastating report has revealed. A major study has uncovered how fraud is costing the economy as a whole 193bn with the vast majority of this being lost through false invoices, dodgy payments and fake contracts. The study suggests banks, charities and the NHS are all major victims. And it shows that the public is also suffering, with millions of people falling victim to identity theft and other scams every year. In the eye of the storm: A major study has uncovered how fraud is costing the economy as a whole 193bn The annual fraud indicator study identified that in total the private sector loses 144bn each year. The biggest component was procurement fraud involving crimes such as the creation of false invoices or contracts awarded in exchange for bribes. As an example the police highlighted the case of two men convicted in February last year after being caught submitting invoices worth 700,000 for non-existent maintenance work. The reports authors estimated around 1 in every 20 spent on procurement last year was fraudulent. Thats just 5 per cent of the 2.7trillion total spend. Ian Dyson, commissioner of the City of London Police, said: This report illustrates what investigators see on a daily basis, that the cost of fraud to business, individuals and the public sector is vast and continues to rise. What the report cant illustrate is the human cost of fraud which ruins lives and blights every community in the UK. Payroll scams were seen as a major issue. These involve attempts to get a company to overpay its salary bill for example, by adding non-existent employees to its books and then pocketing their monthly wages. Overall, it is estimated this costs the UK economy 1.9bn. Even charities are not immune. Around 1.9bn is believed to be stolen by fraudsters from them each year, 2.5 per cent of total funds. And the public sector is a target. HMRC loses 15.4bn through tax fraud, while suppliers, staff and prescription users rip off the NHS to the tune of 2.4bn. Another 205m is lost on TV licence fees, and 2.4bn is falsely claimed in benefits or evaded in council tax. The finance industry, meanwhile, suffers from its own problems. There are an estimated 350 false insurance claims a day, costing the sector 1.3bn a year. Another 1.3bn is lost to mortgage fraud and, in total, financial services firms lose around 3.2bn a year. The rise of the internet has sparked a startling rise in so-called phishing attacks where criminals seek to trick internet users into sharing confidential information. This has increased by 21 per cent and are estimated to cost Britain more than 280m. Savers are also increasingly vulnerable to sophisticated online scams. Fraud against individuals now costs 9.7bn a year and at least 3.3m people a year fall victim to mass-marketing cons. Identity fraud is also growing. Tata appeared to be playing a game of brinkmanship with the sale of its UK steel businesses as sources suggested it would look to keep the plants open itself. Business Secretary Sajid Javid and Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones travelled to Mumbai to meet Tata executives yesterday to discuss options for keeping the firms 11 UK plants open. There are seven bids on the table, but it has emerged that Tata itself may now opt to keep the plants and not sell them off. Fighting for survival: In March Tata controversially put Britains last remaining steel plants up for sale, placing 4,000 jobs at risk It was unclear though as to whether this was simply brinkmanship, as it sought to get better offers for the plants and more concessions from the Government. Javid has suggested that a deal could be struck to give the new owners of the steel plants tax breaks, and steps would be taken to safeguard the pensions of 135,000 steel workers in the company retirement scheme. At the same time, Tata revealed it had slumped to another loss for its UK arm. In March it controversially put Britains last remaining steel plants up for sale, placing 4,000 jobs at risk. But market conditions have improved and the Port Talbot site in Wales is no longer losing 1m a day. The Government has offered a host of concessions to firms willing to rescue the business. It is unclear whether these would be available to the existing owner. Tatas executive director Koushik Chatterjee said: The government support was amid a backdrop of a restructuring and divestment process. That was the purpose the government made the offer - for the potential bidder. Chatterjee refused to confirm how many bids have been received. Prime Minister David Cameron said that there has been an encouraging number of serious offers. Speaking on a flight to Japan for a G7 meeting he said: We continue to work towards trying to get a good outcome for Tata in South Wales, the sales process is under way, there has been an encouraging number of serious offers coming through. Banks could block customers from claiming money back if they are a victim of fraud and it is found they had substandard online security, according to sources at the Financial Times. Under proposals being discussed by Britains big banks, the Government, Bank of England and GCHQ, customers could be frozen out of banking services and unable to claim compensation if their account has been hacked, even if theyve lost their life savings. Any changes would take several years to put in place according to bankers and would happen in stages. Fraud surge: The number of bank customers falling victim to scams is on the increase - and in the future, could face an uphill battle for refunds Firstly, it is believed customers would be urged to upgrade their online security if it is found they are using outdated or ineffective antivirus software. Failure to do so would then mean being locked out of online banking services. If a customer with poor cyber security despite warnings to upgrade - is a victim of fraud, banks may then refuse to compensate. It comes as financial fraud losses are rising at a rapid pace in Britain. According to data from Financial Fraud Action UK, fraud losses totalled 755million last year up a quarter on 2014. A big driver is the rise of fraud online, with the cost of internet banking fraud up 64 per cent in 2015. At present, banks usually compensate customers whose accounts have been hacked. However, as the years go by and scams become more commonplace, This is Money is finding more readers are being refused refunds with banks labelling them negligent. Many are told to contact Action Fraud UK if they fall victim to a scam. However, an investigation by Money Mail last month found that a large chunk of these cases are never investigated. Earlier in the year, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, head of the Metropolitan Police, said giving out refunds 'rewarded bad behaviour'. He gave the example of failing to update antivirus software. SIMPLE STEPS TO BATTLE ONLINE FRAUD Fraudsters are constantly coming up with new tricks to dupe bank customers. Below are five simple steps which can help prevent scammers being able to access your online banking - Make sure your software and virus protection is up-to-date and good enough - Create strong passwords with a mix of numbers and capital letters - Ignore e-mails from senders you don't know and be careful of ones that look genuine - ie., a tax rebate from the HMRC is bound to be a scam as it does not send out e-mail. - Use your pop-up blocker. - Download files only from websites you know. Cases are emerging where people are being blamed for fraud because an email infected their computer with a virus. If the bank thinks they were careless with keeping software up to date, it can refuse to cover losses. RBS admits 70 per cent of customers hit by scams never get a penny back. Figures are believed to be similar at other banks. Laying the problem of fraud losses on the customer would be controversial and different from how other western countries currently deal with the problem. The FT says authorities have become increasingly worried about financial firms and their ability to deal with cyber-attacks. An in-depth study from the Bank of England in December showed a sharp increase in concerns from financial firms about the growing threat of cyber attacks. The proportion of respondents to the Bank's Systemic Risk survey highlighting cyber risk as a key concern was 46 per cent in the second half of 2015 - up from 30 per cent in the first half of the year and just 10 per cent in the last six months of 2014. The FT says GCHQ is pushing for banks to take a more active approach to cyber defence, which the body refused to comment on. The agency believes more must be done by banks to encourage their customers to improve cyber security. Customers using outdated software are easy for hackers to exploit, GCHQ have allegedly told banks but says it is up to companies to help prevent the problem. Advertisement It is the last ride for a Snowy River legend - a final cattle drive down from Alpine high country to ford the mighty river of Australian myth and folklore. Caught in stunning photographs which sometimes resemble a painting, veteran Gippsland horseman Tom Ventry, 73, drove a mob of cattle worth $1 million down steep mountain trails and swam them across the Snowy River to parts beyond for what is probably his last time. The images, published in the Snowy River Echo, provide a glimpse into ways largely vanished from the Australian landscape. Taught by his father to herd cattle at the age of ten, Mr Ventry is one of the last experienced cattlemen in Australia to carry out a tradition which has entered the nation's legend. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO One of the last experienced Snowy River cattlemen,Tom Ventry, 73, and his team make a final cattle drive down from the legendary Alpine high country in the remote ranges of north-eastern Victoria to ford the river made famous in the Banjo Paterson poem Bringing down a thousand head of cattle from the high country, the stockmen then stop on Tommy Ventry's property where they hold draft events (pictured) in which riders pit their skills against each in a contest to 'draft' an animal from the 'camp' of cattle Tom Ventry, 73, made his last ride from the high country in Victoria's Gippsland area where the cattle are taken to to feed on sweet grass in the summer and then brought down through the Snowy River for winter, a tradition immortalised in the poem The Man From Snowy River Captured by Snowy Mountains photographer Paul McIver, Mr Ventry, his son Damien and a team of cattlemen and women and 30 dogs navigated the huge herd down from the Alpine plains along narrow and often steep trails of the Victorian high country Captured by Snowy Mountains photographer Paul McIver, Mr Ventry, his son Damien and a team of cattlemen and women along with 30 dogs navigated the huge herd down from the high plains along narrow and often steep trails. The droving party progressed along a route that has been used to drive cattle for more than a 100 years to the banks of the Snowy River. Mr Ventry's last droving run - he has sold his property to foreign interests - signals the end of an era which was immortalised in bush folklore through Banjo Paterson's famous 1890 poem, The Man From Snowy River and in a play and a 1982 film of the same name. Since 1827, when cattle were taken from Sydney to the Snowy Mountains region, pastoralists have taken their cattle each summer to the moist grasslands of the Alpine New South Wales and Victoria. The mobs are then driven back down from the high plains before the onset of winter. Another tradition of the high country cattleman is the camp draft, in which cattle are mustered from far-flung properties and driven down steep trails to the Snowy. After the cattle are driven down the mountain on a historic and steep trail to the low country for the winter, a camp drafting competition (pictured) is held and families gather together for three days to compete, watch and enjoy the fast vanishing traditions of the bush Superb riding skills and timing on riders and stockmen and women are tested during the camp draft competition (pictured) which was held for the last time at Tom Ventry's Cabanandra property where the 73-year-old cattlemen has been droving for more than 40 years Mr Ventry has run the Cabanandra camp draft for more than 20 years, hosting a three-day event at which riders compete to separate or 'draft' a cattle from a mob or 'camp' of animals using their horse skills Mr Ventry's last droving run - he has sold his property to foreign interests - signals the end of an era which was immortalised in bush folklore through Banjo Paterson's famous 1890 poem, The Man From Snowy River, a play and a 1982 film Mr Ventry has run the Cabanandra camp draft for more than 20 years, hosting a three-day event at which riders compete to separate or 'draft' a cattle from a mob or 'camp' of animals using their horse skills. Families gather to watch and share meals, and the funds raised go to he local community halls, fire brigades and to help sick friends. Paul McIver said government restrictions on taking cattle up to the Alpine regions, which had been made wildlife conservation areas and national parks, had killed off the cattle drives. The rustic huts built by the cattlemen for shelter when driving their cattle up to the plains in summer are now more used as tourists attractions in the mountains. On his last drive, Tom Ventry posed a solitary figure amid the dust and the sound of cattle lowing, whips cracking and noise of the dogs. 'The mood is laidback and the conversations typically laconic among these sons and sons of sons of the old time mountain men,' McIver said. On his last drive, Tom Ventry drove the cattle with his son Damien and a team of riders amid the dust and the sound of cattle lowing, whips cracking and noise of the dogs until they reached the legendary Snowy River The mobs of cattle were driven back down from the high plains before the onset of winter, forded through the Snowy River and then cattlemen and riders gathered for a campdraft on Tom Ventry's Gippsland property A decades-old of the high country cattleman is the camp draft (pictured), in which cattle are mustered from far-flung properties and driven down steep trails to the Snowy to a three-day gathering where riders compete in the competition to round up cattle The camp draft competition (pictured) and the high country cattle drive is a fast disappearing part of Australian bush life 'They round the cattle up and leave the road for a shortcut through the bush down a ridge that runs off the road. They raise a plume of dust and [after a while] we get to a remarkable spot called "The Royals", a flattish space in country so steep goats avoid it. 'A fire is built and its time for tucker. After the men, women and children have been fed, the dogs are watered and the cattle rested. 'We leave before the mob to capture their arrival at the Snowy beneath the extraordinary McKillop Bridge, which stands in a single lane, high enough out of the river to withstand the massive snow melt flows the Snowy had in spring before the construction of the Snowy Scheme. 'There is a lone figure leaning on the rail of the bridge gazing down on the arriving cattle below. Its Tom Ventry to whose place this mob is headed. 'He has sold his place to foreign folk and his mood is somewhat reflective. "I've lost me wife [Pat, to an accident on his Gippsland property eight years ago] , now Ive lost me place, oh and I think Ive lost me dog. I just dunno what Im gonna do". As Downton Abbey's beloved cook Mrs Patmore, actress Lesley Nicol toiled five years downstairs in the kitchens, and last Thursday she made a dramatic re-appearance on the small screen as the ruthless matriarch of a mob family in the Hollywood series The Catch. 'She's very different to Mrs Patmore and I finally get to have a more glam look with hair and make-up and a modern wardrobe,' says Nicol, 63, who made Los Angeles her permanent home after Downton Abbey finished last year. Born in Manchester, Nicol showed early promise appearing in musicals and commercials with small guest roles on TV, but success was elusive. Lesley Nicol, 63, played the beloved cook Mrs Patmore on Downton Abbey, and she's has returned to TV as a ruthless matriarch of a mob family in the series The Catch. Despite playing Mrs Patmore for five years, Nicol said she still can't cook as well as her her chef character Nicol appeared on ABC's The Catch last week, where she had a 'more glam look' while playing the matriarch of a mob family But it was only after she turned 50 that everything in her life began to click, falling in love with spiritual therapist David Keith Heald who uses the professional name of Da'Aboth Te'He'Ling. Soon after their marriage ten years ago, she became the face of Tetley Tea in a series of commercials, even appearing in one with Sex and The City's Kim Cattrall, before being cast in Downton Abbey. 'Downton Abbey was wonderful for me, but I never imagined I'd end up living in Hollywood,' she says when Daily Mail Online met her at The British residence in Los Angeles where she attended a BritWeek Royal cookery event. Nicol and her husband were first introduced by a mutual friend at a dinner party, and as much as they are enjoying red carpet events and parties, it's the simpler pleasures Nicol enjoys most in her new life. 'If its not a workday, we'll be walking the dogs. My husband teaches his martial arts on Ventura Boulevard near our home. 'We don't live a fancy life. We come to events like this which we enjoy but otherwise it's very normal. We have a friend in Malibu and take the dogs to the beach and just enjoy life in general. Nicol, pictured with Paul Copley as Mr Mason on Downton Abbey, was once the face of Tetley Tea in a series of commercials Nicol, pictured second left with fellow Downton Abbey actors at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in January, moved to Los Angeles after the series ended She added of her new series The Catch: 'I like that every day is different. Yesterday I went to work very early and didn't wrap till midnight because the hours here are very long, not like in England.' Despite five years spent playing the head cook on Downton Abbey, Nicol says she's useless in the kitchen. 'I might have made a rock cake in 1960, I think,' she laughs. 'But I do make my dogs biscuits and the only reason is that a lady who looked after them gave me the recipe. They're gluten free - which is very LA! She told me that the store bought dog biscuits were full of bad stuff, so now I make my own - but that's my only claim to fame in the baking department! 'I can follow a recipe, but my husband can really cook. He's an instinctive cook and doesn't have to follow directions whereas I have to measure everything. 'I'm not a relaxed cook but I can fool everyone on the show. I've learned that what makes you look efficient in the kitchen is speed and to never do anything where they can catch you out.' Nicol, pictured above in a scene from The Catch, says that she escapes being recognized by strangers in public now that she's in the United States Her five years of working on Downton Abbey enabled her to rub shoulders with real members of the Royal family: 'I met Kate Middleton last year. She came to the Downton Abbey set and we had a chat with her in the kitchen. 'I've met Prince Charles because Camilla and I are connected to the Medical Detection Dogs charity. We went to St James Palace with a dog who detects signs of cancer by smell and Camilla wanted Charles to see a demonstration. Its just amazing how these dogs can pick the sample which has cancer in it.' As one of the most recognizable faces on TV, she often escapes recognition in the United States, but it's a different story if she is with any of her cast-mates. 'I was with Sophie McShera who plays Daisy and we were recognized by a lady from New Zealand at ground zero and that was odd, and then by a rural farmer in the middle of the countryside in China because 160 million people in China watch Downton Abbey apparently. It's bewildering to consider.' A sinister social media craze sweeping Russia is accused of driving at least 130 'happy and normal' young people to take their own lives in just six months. Online 'suicide sites' target vulnerable teenagers and even some children using psychological manipulation to convince them to kill themselves. They tell girls they are 'fat' and boys they are 'losers' until they believe their lives are no longer worth living. Investigators are probing at least 1,500 groups after grief-stricken parents told the authorities in Russia they believed their children had been coerced into committing suicide. Victim: A social media craze in Russia is blamed for 130 'happy' young people to commit suicide in six months. Pictured, 12-year-old Elya, whose mother claims was manipulated into killing herself Violence: Investigators claim there are as many as 1,500 of the so-called 'suicide sites' on the Russian social media network Vkontakte. Pictured, 18-year-old Elmira S., one of the most recent victims of the groups Duped: The teenagers and, in some cases children, are believed to be tricked into committing suicide by groups which use psychological manipulation. Pictured, one of the many victims, 18-year-old Elmira S. The online groups are 'systematically and consistently working to step by step push the children' to commit suicide, according to investigative newspaper Novaya Gazeta. 'We have counted 130 suicides of children that took place between November 2015 and April 2016. 'Almost all these children were members of the same internet groups and lived in good, happy families.' The reported continued: 'What we know for sure is that adults are working with children, with the help of knowledge of their habits and passions, using a language and culture that is familiar to them. 'They know psychology well: they convince girls that they are fat, tell boys that they are losers. And that there is another world for them where they will be among the chosen.' Elena Davydova, whose 12-year-old daughter Elya fell to her death from the 14th floor of an apartment block in central Russia on Christmas Day last year, said she discovered her child had been secretly going online at night. Vulnerable: Renata Kambolina, 17, (pictured) known as 'Rina' committed suicide on a railway track Manipulated: Renata's mother Yana Kambolina said a gruesome picture of her daughter's death had been exploited on social media to drive others to kill themselves Mourning: Mrs Kambolina has spoken out following the death of Renata, in the hope that she will be able to put a stop to the disturbing trend that is attracting increasing numbers of teenagers and children Morbid: Two regulatory bodies in Russia are now probing parents' complaints about the alarming trend. Pictured, a photograph of Renata's grave that was also put up for sale online in Russia Ghouls: Photographs of the teenager's body, as well as pieces of her blood-stained scarf and screen shots of her chats went on sale and were in high demand She said her Elya was part of a group called 'Wake Me Up at 4.20', which convened at 4.20am and had more than a quarter of a million subscribers before it was blocked. Elya would stay online until 6am as the rest of the family slept. In the weeks before she died, she reportedly became convinced she was overweight and would eat only light salads. I just can't live like this any more. It is such a tragedy. I want to find the truth. Elena, mother of 'suicide site' victim Elya Grief-stricken, Elena joined several of the online groups pretending to be a teenager. She discovered that suicide is referred to as 'cutting out', and she received offers such as: 'Let's cut out together' or 'How about cutting out in May?' Elena went on to claim that every member of the group was given a date, time and place for their suicide - and that a map even predicted where future suicides would happen. 'It all keeps happening according to this map,' she said. 'I just can't live like this any more. It is such a tragedy. I want to find the truth.' Shortly before her death, her mother said, Elya rushed out of the house to take a call on her mobile - but she never returned. Her mother believes the phone call was a signal from whoever was manipulating her. She also believes that someone else may have been with Elya when she died, and even fears that her daughter might have been pushed. Tragic: Shortly before the death of 12-year-old, Elya, she ran from her family home to take a call, according to her mother. She believes the call was from someone manipulating her to commit suicide Trickery: It is thought that those running the groups use psychological tactics to persuade the children and teenagers to commit suicide. Pictured, 18-year-old Elmira S. 'Serious': The series of mysterious suicides in Russia has attracted the attention of police as well as two regulatory bodies. Pictured, Elmira S. Symbolic: Parents believe that there are a number of symbols circulating on the social media groups, which are used to manipulate teenagers. Pictured, Elmira S. who is one of the most recent victims of the trend She claims Elya's schoolbag was found on a rooftop that was too far away for Elya to have thrown it there, and that her body was lying in a 'suspicious spot, as if she had been pushed'. While Russian watchdogs block the suicide groups as soon as they can, new ones pop up and estimates claim there are some 1,500 such sites on Vkontakte - the largest social media network in Europe. Two regulatory bodies in Russia are now probing parents' complaints, as are the police. In other cases, where videos of teenage suicides have appeared online, it was reportedly clear that others were present at the time and did nothing to stop the deaths. In one case, a deeply shocking image of a 17-year-old girl's body and severed head was posted on a suicide site after she had lain her neck on a high-speed railway track. Photographs of the teenager's body, as well as pieces of her blood-stained scarf and screen shots of her chats went on sale and were in high demand, according to reports. Yana Kambolina, mother of the girl, named Renata, said the gruesome picture of her daughter's death had been used to drive others to kill themselves. 'If this picture wasn't online nobody would have known about it,' she said. 'All this [suicide hysteria] would not have happened.' Many of the groups appear to use imagery of whales as a symbol for suicide, which is believed to relate to whales throwing themselves out of the sea and dying on beaches. An internal report by the FSB secret service, once headed by Vladimir Putin, concluded 'the problem of using the internet to drive young children to suicide is really serious', according to a report on Ren TV. Witness: A witness to the deaths of Elmira (left) and Nikita (right), who jumped from a roof said 'they kissed, they hugged... the boy went away a couple of times and then came back again, and then they jumped' Report: Several Russian media sites have reported the trend, leading investigators to probe the allegations. Pictured, Elmira S. died this month after she fell from the roof of building in the town of Tobolsk Together: The 18-year-old Elmira S. and Nikita Denisov, 19, (pictured) are believed to have jumped off the building in the Siberian town of Tobolsk together, according to eyewitness reports The agency is reported to be hunting 'a married couple from Ukraine who live in Thailand', aged in their 30s or 40s. A Russian citizen based in Bangladesh is also under suspicion, according to Russian media, but no further details were given. Russian news outlet Lenta.ru identified one of the groups as being run by a man known as Philip Lis, or Fox. But when asked whether he encouraged children to commit suicide, he said: 'Do you seriously think someone can be made to commit suicide over a social network?' He claimed he instead talked young people out of killing themselves. The most recent deaths supposedly linked to one of these 'suicide sites' were those of 18-year-old Elmira S. and 19-year-old Nikita Denisov, who jumped from a building in the Siberian town of Tobolsk on May 20. 'They jumped right in front of my husband's eyes,' said the wife of an eyewitness on her social media account. 'He was smoking on the balcony in the morning and is still shocked. He told me that they were sitting there on the rooftop from about 6am. 'They kissed, hugged, they were sitting on the edge. The boy went away a couple of times and then came back again, and then they jumped.' Sinister: Parents have joined the online groups in an attempt to decode some of the symbols that they believe helped to lead their children to their deaths. Pictured is one of the symbols Under pressure to prevent people from sneaking onto runways and planes at major U.S. airports, authorities are cracking down - not on the intruders who slip through perimeter gates or jump over fences, but on the release of information about the breaches. A year after an Associated Press investigation first revealed persistent problems with airports' outer defenses, breaches remain as frequent as ever - about once every 10 days - despite some investments to fortify the nation's airfields. As Americans wait in ever-longer security screening lines inside terminals, new documents show dozens more incidents happening outside perimeters than airports have disclosed. A new investigation by the Associated Press has revealed how often intruders slip through gated perimeters at America's airports. San Francisco International Airport (pictured on May 17, 2016) topped the list with 40 intrusions since January 1, 2004 At the same time, leaders at some airports and the U.S. Transportation Security Administration are saying some of the 345 incidents AP found shouldn't count as security breaches, even when intruders got deep into secure areas. Was it a perimeter security breach in March 2015 when a woman walked past a vehicle exit gate at San Francisco International Airport and onto the tarmac, where she tried to flag down a jet for a trip home to Guatemala? No it was not, said the airport and TSA officials, who also tried to suppress information about the case. After discussing intrusions openly at first, officials at several airports and the TSA started withholding details, arguing the release could expose vulnerabilities. Following a two-year legal struggle with the TSA, AP has now used newly released information to create the most comprehensive public tally of perimeter security breaches. The 345 incidents took place at 31 airports that handle three-quarters of U.S. passenger travel. And that's an undercount, because several airports refused to provide complete information. TOTAL NUMBER OF KNOWN PERIMETER SECURITY BREACHES BY AIRPORT FROM JANUARY 1, 2004 THROUGH FEBRUARY 17, 2016: AIRPORT STATE REPORTED BY AP IN 2015 UPDATED SECURITY BREACHES TOTAL SECURITY BREACHES San Francisco* CA 37 4 41 McCarren NV 21 9 30 Philadelphia PA 25 5 30 Los Angeles CA 24 2 26 Mineta San Jose CA 18 3 21 Phoenix Sky Harbor AZ 12 9 21 Miami FL 14 2 16 Detroit Metropolitan MI 4 10 14 Tampa FL 13 13 John F. Kennedy NY 4 8 12 Minneapolis-St. Paul MN 10 1 11 Chicago O'Hare IL 4 6 10 Denver CO 8 2 10 Dallas Ft. Worth TX 6 3 9 Portland OR 5 4 9 Charlotte Douglas NC 6 2 8 Salt Lake City UT 8 8 Washington Dulles VA 8 8 George Bush (Houston) TX 7 7 Orlando FL 7 7 Seattle-Tacoma WA 5 2 7 Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta GA 5 5 Honolulu HI 4 1 5 Newark Liberty NJ 4 4 San Diego CA 3 1 4 Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood FL 3 3 Chicago Midway IL 1 1 2 Reagan National VA 1 1 2 Baltimore Washington MD 1 1 LaGuardia NY 1 1 TOTAL 268 77 345 * San Francisco International said none of five incidents it identified for 2015 or early 2016 should be considered perimeter security breaches. While the airport would not share details of those incidents, AP found three met criteria to qualify as a perimeter security breach but could not make a judgment on the other two, so those two were not included. The count shows that an intruder broke through the security surrounding one of those airports on average every 13 days from the beginning of 2004 through mid-February; starting in 2012, the average has been every 9.5 days. Many intruders scaled barbed wire-topped fences or walked past vehicle checkpoints. Others crashed cars into chain link and concrete barriers. Airport officials point out that no case involved a known terrorist plot. Police reports suggest many trespassers were disoriented, intoxicated or delusional. Some came on skateboards and bikes, while others commandeered vehicles on the tarmac. One man got into a helicopter cockpit and was preparing to take off. Five intruders brought knives and one a loaded gun. Over the past year, the TSA and airports have been focused less on perimeter security than on stopping weapons that passengers or baggage handlers try to sneak onto planes. TOTAL NUMBER OF KNOWN PERIMETER SECURITY BREACHES BY YEAR FROM JANUARY 1, 2004 THROUGH FEBRUARY 17, 2016 YEAR REPORTED BY AP IN 2015 UPDATED SECURITY BREACHES TOTAL SECURITY BREACHES 2004 13 2 15 2005 20 2 22 2006 23 6 29 2007 31 6 37 2008 22 3 25 2009 12 4 16 2010 18 3 21 2011 17 2 19 2012 38 4 42 2013 31 3 34 2014 38 1 39 2015 5 34 39 2016 7 7 TOTAL 268 77 345 'It doesn't surprise me that people sometimes try to jump over fences to see what they can get away with,' said TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger. 'The question is: What's your ability to detect it and... what might you do to mitigate that happening in the future?' Airport officials would not discuss how much they are spending on fortifying perimeters. Some that added security in the past year saw fewer intruders, others had more. Altogether, there were at least 39 breaches nationwide in 2015, which also was the annual average from 2012 through 2015. The low was 34 in 2013 and the high 42 in 2012, when incidents spiked after several years hovering around 20 breaches. Aviation security consultant Jeff Price said the TSA and airports have not done enough to address gaps in perimeter security. 'The straight-up honest answer as to why it's not being vigorously addressed? Nothing bad's happened. Yet,' Price said. Airport officials stress that the miles of fences, gates and guardhouses protecting their properties are secure and say many intruders are quickly caught. Perimeters are not 'a gaping vulnerability', said Christopher Bidwell, vice president of security at the advocacy group Airports Council International-North America. When intruders are quickly caught, 'their ability to do anything nefarious isn't really there,' Bidwell said. 'It's being neutralized because they are actively being surveilled.' But video cameras and guards don't always spot intruders. After eluding security and reaching parked planes at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, one intruder warned an airport worker in December that he 'better not say' anything. Authorities never found the man, though they did arrest three others at different times in 2015, including one man who managed to drive his vehicle in with a convoy entering the airfield during a visit by Pope Francis. The large airports with the most known incidents serve San Francisco (41), Las Vegas (30), Philadelphia (30) and Los Angeles (26). New York's JFK ranked 10th with 12 breaches. A woman was rescued after she wrecked her car, ran into the woods when responding officers showed up and then fell about 60 feet off a cliff in New York, authorities said. Erika Barkman, 38, Voorheesville was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries after the fall on Tuesday night. Authorities believe alcohol played a role in the incident as they said several empty vodka bottles were found inside her crashed 1996 Volvo, according to News10. Scroll down for video Authorities said a woman identified as Erika Barkman (pictured) was rescued after she wrecked her car, ran into the woods when responding officers showed up and then fell about 60 feet off a cliff in New York Authorities believe alcohol played a role in the incident as they said several empty vodka bottles were found inside her crashed 1996 Volvo (pictured) A crew of about 50 first responders (pictured) spent two hours rescuing her after the fall The ordeal started after Barkman was involved in a one-car accident on a road leading to Thacher State Park in New Scotland, just west of the capital, Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said. Police arrived at Thacher Park Road just before 9pm and found the green Volvo with a missing fender crashed into a guardrail, according to the Albany Times-Union. A witness was at the scene who told them the driver had been tailgating another vehicle and driving erratically moments before the crash. The woman at the scene also told police that the driver did not appear to be injured, but was stumbling as she searched for her cellphone. Apple said following the crash, Barkman went to a nearby home for help. The resident inside the home called police saying a woman had asked for help, smelled of alcohol and said she was 'being chased by the cops,' according to the Times-Union. First responders are pictured during the rescue on Tuesday night. Barkman was loaded into a rescue basket and hauled to the top of the cliff before she was transported to Albany Medical Center Hospital Authorities said Barkman was 'somewhat conscious' after the rescue and told rescuers she was in a lot of pain Police said when they arrived at a resident's home where Barkman had gone for help, she fled and ran 30 yards into the woods before falling off the cliff When police arrived, they said Barkman fled running 30 yards through the woods behind the residence before falling off the cliff. A police dog was reportedly able to track Barkman from the back door of the residence to the edge of the cliff. Authorities said they could hear her calling for help from the bottom of the cliff, according to the Times-Union. A crew of about 50 first responders spent two hours rescuing her. She was loaded into a rescue basket and hauled to the top of the cliff before she was transported to Albany Medical Center Hospital. Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple (pictured) said she could face a felony DWI. 'But I got a feeling she is going to spend some serious time rehabbing as a result of this,' he added On Facebook, Apple thanked crews for their help in the rescue of Barkman after her 60-foot fall, which he noted was a 'straight drop' Apple said Barkman was 'somewhat conscious' after the rescue and told rescuers she was in a lot of pain, the newspaper reported. Barkman, who has previously been arrested on alcohol-related charges, has not been charged but Apple said she could face a felony DWI. 'But I got a feeling she is going to spend some serious time rehabbing as a result of this,' he told News10. Indonesia's president has approved tough new punishments for child sex offenders, including a maximum penalty of death after the brutal gang-rape and murder of a schoolgirl. Convicted paedophiles could also be chemically castrated and forced to wear electronic monitoring devices following their release from jail under new rules introduced in an emergency decree. President Joko Widodo said: 'This regulation is intended to overcome the crisis caused by sexual violence against children. 'Sexual crimes against children are extraordinary crimes because they threaten the lives of children.' The presidential decree brings the new punishments immediately into effect, although parliament could overturn it. Widodo was spurred into action after the murder and gang-rape in April of a 14-year-old girl, Yuyun, who was set upon by a gang of drunken men and boys as she walked home from school in southern Sumatra. Her battered body was found three days later in woods, tied up and naked. Seven teenagers, aged 16 and 17, were jailed earlier this month for their part in the incident. Yuyun was on her way home from school in the village of Kasie Kasubun in Bengkulu Province (pictured) in southern Sumatra when she was attacked The attack sparked a national debate on sexual violence, led to calls for harsher punishments for child sex offenders and prompted protests in the capital Jakarta. The case has drawn comparisons with the fatal gang-rape of a student on a bus in Delhi in 2012, which sparked mass protests and led to an overhaul of India's rape laws. Indonesia is likely to draw fire for expanding its use of the death penalty. Indonesian president Joko Widodo (pictured) has approved tough new punishments for child sex offenders, including a maximum penalty of chemical castration or even death Jakarta has faced criticism for use its use of capital punishment against drug traffickers, and sparked international outrage last year when it put seven foreign drug convicts to death by firing squad. Under previous laws, the maximum sentence for rape - including of a minor - was 14 years in jail. By introducing chemical castration, Indonesia joins a small group who use the punishment worldwide, including Poland and some states in the US. In 2011 South Korea became the first Asian country to legalise the punishment. South Carolina has become the 17th state to ban abortion past 20 weeks after Republican Gov. Nikki (pictured) Haley signed the legislation Wednesday South Carolina has become the latest state to ban abortion past 20 weeks after Republican Gov. Nikki Haley signed the legislation Wednesday. Republican Wendy Nanney, the bill sponsor, said she's hopeful the law is a step to eventually 'get rid of abortion altogether'. Doctors face up to $10,000 in fines and three years in prison if they are found carrying out an abortion illegally. Prison time is mandatory on a third conviction. The new law immediately outlaws all abortions in at 20 weeks beyond fertilization unless the mother's life is in jeopardy or a doctor determines the fetus can't survive outside the womb. South Carolina's bill, like most of the similar laws, contains no exceptions for rape or incest. The measure's limited definition of 'fetal anomaly' means it would be also illegal to abort a fetus with a severe disability if the child could live. Such anomalies are generally detected around 20 weeks. That 'fetal anomaly' exception was crucial for the bill clearing the Senate, where Democrats had blocked the legislation for years. Protesters on Tuesday had called for Haley to veto the bill. Pro-choice demonstrators were seen holding up signs urging the state to 'keep abortion safe and legal'. Similar laws are in effect in at least 13 states and blocked by court challenges in several others. A South Dakota law signed in March takes effect this summer. In Utah, a related law, also signed in March, requires doctors to provide anesthesia to a fetus at least 20 weeks in the womb. Women nationwide have the right to obtain abortions under the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, which said states could restrict abortions after viability - the point when a fetus has a reasonable chance of surviving outside the uterus. 'Viability is usually placed at about seven months (28 weeks) but may occur earlier, even at 24 weeks,' the ruling said. The Supreme Court has yet to rule on bans that would limit even earlier abortions. Supporters of the bill cite the disputed claim that a fetus can feel pain at 20 weeks. Opponents say later-term abortions usually happen with wanted pregnancies that go horribly wrong. 'The reality is that abortion later in pregnancy is extremely rare and often takes place in complex and difficult situations where a woman and her doctor need every medical option available,' said Alyssa Miller, a Planned Parenthood spokeswoman for South Carolina. 'They are wanted pregnancies, but they find out there is a terrible abnormality,' Republican James Smith, a Democrat, added. The new law sparked protests as pro-choice demonstrators (pictured) clashed with anti-abortionists Demonstrators held up signs which stated 'my body, let me decide' and 'keep abortion safe and legal' 'Wouldn't it be interesting if we take dollar-for-dollar the money we're going to spend litigating unconstitutional bills and put it into something that makes a difference in South Carolina?' Pro-life supporter Nanney said aid the killing needs to stop, and sees this law as a step to eventually 'get rid of abortion altogether.' The sponsor of South Carolina's law, state Rep. Wendy Nanney, said she sees this law as a step to eventually 'get rid of abortion altogether.' 'I firmly believe life begins at conception and anything we can do to protect human life I'm all for,' she said. The South Carolina House approved the compromise 79-29. The Senate approved it 36-9 in March. Senator Brad Hutto, a leading opponent, still believes it should be the woman's choice. But he called the compromise he's worked on since last year 'the best we can get'. As it initially passed the House, the bill gave an exception only for the mother's life. Laws restricting abortions in other states have required clinics to get admitting privileges for doctors and ban a procedure commonly used in the second trimester, called the dilation and evacuation method. Only four of the 16 states to pass the restrictions since 2010 allow a legal abortion if a doctor determines the child will be stillborn or die upon birth. Pro-life protesters had clashed with pro-choice demonstrators ahead of Haley signing the bill Varn Cummings, held up a cross during the protest. The legislation outlaws most abortions in the state past 20 weeks South Carolina legislators borrowed the wording for that exception from Georgia, where state court blocked enforcement of Georgia's 20-week ban in 2012. 'I'm strongly pro-life, very pro-life and not because my party tells me to be, but my husband was adopted, and so every day I know the blessings of having him there,' Haley said during her 2010 campaign for governor. As a House member that year, Haley voted to end abortion coverage for victims of rape and incest in the state health plan for employees. The Senate defeated that proposal. In 2012, Haley signed a bill intended to ensure that a fetus surviving an abortion attempt is not treated as medical waste. It defined a person as anyone who is breathing and has a beating heart after birth, whether by labor, cesarean section, or abortion, copying a 2002 federal law enforceable on federal property. The South Carolina bill, like most of the similar laws, contains no exceptions for rape or incest. File image used On average, fewer than 30 abortions yearly are performed at 20 weeks gestation or beyond, according to data since 1990 from the state's public health agency. Most of these women have been white, married and older than 24, according to the agency. The ban would affect only hospitals. None of the three abortion clinics in South Carolina provide abortions beyond 15 weeks. Most of the women are white, married and older than 24, according to the agency. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Greg Delleney said the law 'prevents infanticide,' noting it ties the fetus' age to conception, rather than a woman's monthly cycle, so the ban refers to what doctors generally consider a gestational age of 22 weeks. The nonprofit Guttmacher Institute, which tracks abortion laws, knows of only one person ever charged under the bans. In 2011, an Idaho woman was arrested after giving herself an abortion with pills she bought online. That charge ultimately resulted in Idaho's law being struck down last year by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The same court struck Arizona's law in 2013. Without citing a reason, the U.S. Supreme Court declined in January 2014 to hear an appeal from Arizona - which had banned abortion at 18 weeks past fertilization. Earlier Tuesday, a House subcommittee advanced a bill opponents say would essentially ban abortion past 13 weeks. It would make it a felony for a doctor to abort a fetus through 'dismemberment' in the womb, punishable by at least a $5,000 fine and/or five years in prison. Slain Navy Seal Chris Kyle lied about the number of medals he received in his best-selling memoir American Sniper, new documents claim to show. They allege Kyle earned one Silver Star and three Bronze Stars with valor, rather than the two Silver Stars and five Bronze Stars his book, which has sold more than a million copies, says he received. 'All told,' Kyle wrote in his book, 'I would end my career as a SEAL with two Silver Stars and five Bronze [Stars], all for valor.' The documents were obtained by online magazine The Intercept through an open records request, and the Navy on Wednesday confirmed the contents of the documents to The Associated Press. Documents show the number of medals slain Navy Seal and American Sniper author Chris Kyle (pictured) received for his military service is different from what he wrote in his best-selling memoir Navy documents show Kyle (pictured) earned one Silver Star and three Bronze Stars with valor, instead of the two Silver Stars and five Bronze Stars his book says he earned The Silver Star is the third-highest military combat decoration and is considered to be a prestigious commendation. The Bronze Star is awarded to members of the Armed Forces for heroic or meritorious achievement or service in a combat zone. Lt. Jackie Pau, a Navy spokeswoman, told the AP that Kyle's military personnel file states he received one Silver Star and three Bronze Stars with valor. Kyle's book was later turned into a hit movie that's the highest grossing film about war in America Kyle's discharge paperwork, known as a DD214 form, indicated that he had received two Silver Stars and at least five Bronze Stars, which is what he wrote in his book. 'The Navy considers the individual Service member's official military personnel file and our central official awards records to be the authoritative sources for verifying entitlement to decorations and awards,' Pau said in a written statement. 'The form DD214 is generated locally at the command where the Service member is separated. Although the information on the DD214 should match the official records, the process involves people and inevitably some errors may occur. ' Kyle, regarded as the deadliest sniper in US military history, was fatally shot at a Texas shooting range in 2013. His book was also made into a hit movie that is the highest-grossing film about war in American history. One current Navy officer who asked not be identified told The Intercept that Kyle received at least one warning before his book was published that its description was wrong about the medal count. In addition, when his manuscript was shared among SEALS, Kyle was advised by one of his former commanders that's still on active duty that his claim of having two Silver Stars was wrong, The Intercept reported. His widow, Taya Kyle, didn't immediately return a phone call Wednesday seeking comment about the military documents. Kyle, regarded as the deadliest sniper in US military history, was fatally shot at a Texas shooting range in 2013. Above members of the military carry his casket at his funeral on February 11, 2013 A spokeswoman for HarperCollins, which published Taya Kyle's 2015 book 'American Wife,' also didn't immediately return a phone call or email. It isn't the first time something in Chris Kyle's book has been questioned. Jurors in 2014 awarded former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura $500,000 for defamation and $1.3 million for unjust enrichment in a trial over a passage in Kyle's book that Ventura claimed was a complete fabrication. Kyle described punching out a man, later identified as Ventura, whom he said made offensive remarks about Navy SEALs. Ventura, a former Underwater Demolition Teams/SEAL member, testified he never made the comments and the altercation never happened. He said the book ruined his reputation in the SEAL community. The verdict is being appealed. Stefanovic said Coles and Woolworths were 'ripping off the dairy industry' Teen was speaking to Karl Stefanovic who also took aim at supermarkets She called on supermarkets to 'take The teenage girl who became the voice of the dairy farmers has revealed her father has made the tough decision to leave the industry after the milk price cuts. Chloe Scott, 16, said her third-generation dairy farmer father, Brendan, was moving on after more than 25 years in the industry as she called on Coles and Woolworths to 'take responsibility' for their part in the milk price crisis. The Victorian schoolgirl shared the news with Today's Karl Stefanovic who also took aim at the supermarket giants, saying they were 'ripping off the dairy industry'. Scroll down for video Chloe Scott (left), 16, told Today's Karl Stefanovic (right) her third-generation dairy farmer father, Brendan, was moving on after more than 25 years in the industry 'We're packing up the house and we're going to live in Ballarat. It is sad but it's good at the same time,' Chloe said. 'It is probably what is best but dad is a bit upset about it all because he's worked so hard for so many years. 'He loves being a farmer and that's all he knows and it's definitely changed my every day-to-day and especially a lot of awareness has been raised.' Mr Scott owns his property out at Boorcan, in Victoria's south-west, and will be leasing it to someone else. Mr Scott owns his property out at Boorcan, in Victoria's south-west, and will be leasing it to someone else. Here is Chloe pictured on the farm The farmer said it was tough decision but it was a practical decision. 'An opportunity came up where we could lease the farm out and we've exercised that option,' Mr Scott told Daily Mail Australia. 'It was good outcome. As a business decision it was an easy decision. 'I'm better off not continuing. It was a pragmatic decision if I left the emotion in it would not have been the desired outcome.' Mr Scott said the deal was struck on Saturday and the family would be leaving on Friday. During her Today interview, Chloe also called on Coles and Woolworths to take action after Stefanovic asked: 'We can't really continue, can we, to have a sustainable dairy industry while Coles and Woolies are ripping off the dairy industry, right?' 'Absolutely not. It takes the big businesses to actually make a change. They are the ones that started the price wars, they need to step up, take responsibility for what they've done and they need to make change,' she said. The farmer said it was tough decision but it was a practical decision, saying: 'If I left the emotion in it would not have been the desired outcome' The father and daughter duo have appeared on Today previously and shared a tender moment when Chloe said her father was her 'role model' Chloe first made national headlines after speaking to Daily Mail Australia about her petition asking Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce to help farmers after Fonterra and Murray Goulburn slashed the price of milk paid to producers. The price of milk solids per kilogram dropped from $5.60 to $5. The 16-year-old's petition has garnered more than 160,000 signatures after it went viral. In response to public campaigning, Mr Joyce announced a $578 million support package, which also includes fortnightly allowances of $1,000. Chloe welcomed the package, which included $500 million set aside for 'cheap' loans to be made available over the next two years, but said the plan was flawed. 'The whole thing with the loan again, it needs to be paid back,' she told Stefanovic. 'I don't think farmers at this time are very interested in taking on more debt, so I think that's something that isn't necessarily a popular one. There is a bit of a flaw, like you said.' Chloe said a better option was the idea of putting a 50 cents per litre levy on fresh milk. 'You only really need 10 cents of that 50 going to the farmer... it is not even that much,' she said. A 'state of emergency' has been declared in a popular tourist destination after more than 100,000 'megabats' descended on the beachside town. The animals, which are a species of bat native to Australia, are causing chaos in Batemans Bay on the NSW south coast, with their noise and smell that is off-putting to residents and visitors. The situation has gotten so dire the grey-headed flying foxes have taken up residence in almost every tree in town, causing some locals to say they 'feel like prisoners in their homes'. Scroll down for video A 'state of emergency' has been declared in a popular tourist destination after more than 100,000 'megabats' descended on Batemans Bay, NSW NSW Environment Minister Mark Speakman said the number one priority is relocating the animals, the ABC reports. 'We've had over 100,000 flying foxes settle in Batemans Bay, we think that represents about a quarter to a fifth of the entire national population, so it has been quite an extraordinary circumstance,' he said. 'We've had many residents complain, they feel they're prisoners in their own homes, they can't go out, they have to have air conditioning on the whole time, windows closed. '[The circumstances] really amount almost to a state of emergency.' The animals, which are a species of bats native to Australia, are causing chaos with their noise and smell that is off-putting to residents and visitors The grey-headed flying foxes are seen in almost every tree in the coastal town, according to locals NSW Environment Minister Mark Speakman said the number one priority is relocating the animals A local residents said she struggles to leave the house during the megabat infestation. 'The bats came and they are just out of control. We just can't do anything because of them,' Danielle Smith told Sky News. 'I can't open the windows, I can't use the clotheslines, it's just, I can't study because the noise just goes constantly. I can't concentrate. It's not fun.' 'We've had many residents complain, they feel they're prisoners in their own homes, they can't go out, they have to have air conditioning on the whole time, windows closed,' Mr Speakman said Thousands of the flying foxes have been seen above the town at the same time, frightening residents Grey-headed flying foxes are a protected species, meaning the government cannot cull them to get rid of the problem The flying foxes are considered a protected species, meaning authorities or locals cannot cull them. According to the local council, the more than 100,000 bats that have flown into town this year is the highest number ever recorded in Batemans Bay. A young father who spent almost eight months in prison accused of a spree of highway shootings has broken his silence to proclaim his innocence. Leslie Merritt Jr, 21, spoke to Dr. Phil McGraw to tell how he was arrested and charged with firing at 11 vehicles on I-10 in Phoenix, Arizona - and was locked up for 222 days before the case was dropped. The interview - being broadcast on Thursday - will see him tell how he was arrested by a SWAT team as he shopped with his five-month-old daughter, and how he never gave up fighting to be cleared. Despite the charges being dropped and Merritt being released, police have made no new arrest in the case. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Frank questions: Dr Phil. asks Merritt, a landscaper, about his innocence - which the shooting spree suspect has protested since his arrest Sitting down: Leslie Merritt Jr is speaking to Dr. Phil McGraw in an exclusive interview to be broadcast in full on Thursday. The 21-year-old father of two protests his innocence in the interview Family: Merritt had gone to the store with his baby daughter and his then fiancee when he was arrested Terrorizing: This was the impact of one gunshot on a vehicle fired on in Phoenix, Arizona, last summer His arrest was announced first by Arizona governor Doug Ducey who tweeted 'We got him!' just minutes after Merritt was taken into custody by a state trooper SWAT team. But now Merritt, a landscaper, has described his arrest and told how he feared for his baby daughter and his then fiancee. The father of two had dropped off his elder child with her mother - his ex-fiancee - and gone to Wal-Mart. 'Yes, I had went to Wal-Mart because I just got paid, so I went to go buy some diapers and wipes for my daughter,' he tells Dr. Phil. He had walked between ten and 15 feet out of the front door of the store when four SUVs arrive. 'They pulled up. All the full military gear. They jumped down. They had their ARs, "Get on the ground, don't move," and I'm like "What did I do?",' he tells Dr. Phil. 'My ex-fiancee, she didn't even realize what was happening, she kept walking. I looked over. 'They had their weapons pointed at my 5-month-old daughter and her too. She turned around and yelled "What's going on?" 'I said "I don't know." I was a little upset they have a rifle pointed at my five-month-old daughter though. 'They told me "Get on the ground, don't move". I got on the ground, didn't wanna. 'I laid down. One of the officers, you know, kind of hopped over me, searched me, you know,"Do you have any weapons?' I said "No I don't have no weapons." 'At that time, I went "Why am I being arrested", "Oh don't worry we'll get to that in a little bit".' Merritt said he had no idea what the arrest was for. 'All I know is I walked out of the store and here comes the SWAT team,' he said. But when he got to the police station he discovered what he was accused of - the sniper's shooting spree. Even then, he tells Dr Phil, he did not seek legal help, because 'I'm innocent'. 'Did it ever occur to you to ask for a lawyer?' he is asked by Dr. Phil. "You know, I didn't think I needed one because once again I'm innocent,' he replies. In cuffs: Merritt was seen shortly after his arrest. He has told how he was bewildered and that the SWAT officers refused to tell him what he was accused of Felony charges: Merritt made his first appearance before a judge on 19 September last year. He was finally freed on April 25 Breaking the news: This was how the Arizona governor announced the arrest. Authorities could still bring charges against Merritt having dropped his case without prejudice 'I didn't do this, so I figured, you know, I answer their questions, I'm going home.' Dr. Phil asks him: 'But if somebody's there saying we have video of you on I-10 shooting at cars, we've ballistic tested your gun, ten cops jump on you coming out of Wal-Mart, and take automatic rifles and point them at you, your fiancee and your 5-month-old daughter in a shopping cart and drag your ass to jail and say they know you did this, it never occurs to you, you know what, I might need reinforcements down here?' Merritt replies: 'I was like you know, I got this, I know I didn't do it and I know there's no way it matches. 'I know they're wrong. There's no way they have a video of me because I didn't do this.' But in fact it took him 222 days in total to have the case dropped. The prosecution contended that ballistics evidence linked his gun to four of the shootings and that the rest followed the same pattern. Of the 11 recorded incidents, eight involved bullets and three involved unspecified projectiles. Leslie said his gun was at the pawnshop during the time the shootings occurred He was released and all charges against him were officially dismissed after a prosecution expert testified that he could neither exclude nor identify the bullets in question as having come from Leslies gun. His lawyers also contended that phone records showed he had an alibi. However it remains possible for Merritt to be charged. The case was dropped without prejudice by the Maricopa County district attorney, leaving the way open for fresh charges. The DA has not formally stated that he is no longer under suspicion and the Arizona Department of Public Safety issued this statement when the judge dismissed the charges last month, the Arizona Republic reported. 'Arizona Department of Public Safety (ADPS) in conjunction with the Maricopa County Attorneys Office (MCAO) moved to dismiss charges without prejudice to complete forensic examinations. Additional forensic testing and analysis could not be completed in time for the current trial date without compromising justice,' it said. 'This is an active investigation. ADPS will continue to work closely with the county attorney's office to ensure a full and accurate examination of all evidence in this case.' * Dr Phil airs on Thursday. Check your local listings for broadcast times. Inspectors on one of the countrys busiest train lines will no longer clip tickets because bosses fear they could strain their wrists. Concerns over repetitive strain injury the pain in muscles, nerves and tendons caused by constant movement have forced Abellio Greater Anglia to do away with the traditional clipper that punches a hole in tickets. Conductors on the Norwich to London Liverpool Street line will instead use a marker pen to put a cross on tickets to alert colleagues that it is valid. Concerns over repetitive strain injury the pain in muscles, nerves and tendons have forced Abellio Greater Anglia to do away with the traditional clipper that punches a hole in tickets Greater Anglia said: In response to requests from our front-line colleagues, we are phasing out the use of clippers and will be using alternative methods of marking checked tickets. A company spokesman said conductors can see as many as 600 passengers on a single journey, and there were also concerns about hole punches making a mess. One passenger described the move as pathetic, with regular traveller Tim Phillips, a broker from Suffolk, adding: I find it very hard to believe they suffer from repetitive injury. He said: The vast number of regular daily travellers have season tickets that dont require stamping. It sounds like the latest in a long line of health and safety scares where people are perhaps being a bit over-sensitive. A company spokesman said conductors can see as many as 600 passengers on a single journey, and there were also concerns about hole punches making a mess. But Derek Monnery, chairman of the Manningtree Rail Users Association whose members use the line, said: It may well become a problem and there could be genuine concerns about repetitive strain injury on a busy commuter train in the morning there could be 250 people with tickets that need checking. And during the day there may well be even more ticket-holders whose tickets have to be checked. A former Marine has been sentenced to 26 years in prison for killing his girlfriend in Panama, dismembering her body with a machete and disposing of her remains in the jungle. Brian Brimager, 40, had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, admitting he stabbed Yvonne Lee Baldelli in the back before disposing of her remains on a Panamanian island where the couple lived for two months in 2011. A Panamanian citizen found her skeletal remains inside a backpack on Isla Carenero two years later. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey T. Miller said he handed down a sentence of 26 years because the crime was so horrific - but said that he had spared him the maximum life term because Brimager had 'served his country for seven years,' Fox5 reports. Scroll down for video Brian Brimager has been sentenced to 26 years in prison Wednesday for killing his girlfriend Yvonne Baldellu (pictured together) in Panama, dismembering her body and disposing of her remains in the jungle 'This murder was particularly cruel and depraved,' he said. 'The lengths Mr. Brimager went to avoid detection were particularly brazen and ultimately shattering to the Bardelli family. I dare say they will never recover. A day may never go by without them thinking of Ms. Baldelli's murder and the images seared into their psyches.' No matter how heinous the crime, this is a man who has served his country for seven years, going on numerous tours including Iraq, Fallujah where he fought for his country, the judge said, according to the news station. He also has a minimum criminal record. You also have to look at the nature of their relationship it was a stormy tumultuous relationship, marked by mutual domestic violence. During the hearing, Brimager faced his victims family and said he was sorry. Nothing I can say will relieve the pain and loss that I have caused you, he said, according to Fox5. Brimager (right), 40, had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, admitting he stabbed Baldelli (left) in the back and dispoed of her remains in 2011, which were found by a local in a bag two years later The victim's family (pictured above after the sentencing) branded Brimager's apology a 'hollow' attempt to save himself I am so sorry for taking your daughter, your sister, your aunt, he added. I wish I could give her back to you. But her family branded it a hollow attempt to save himself and Baldellis mother Emma said she would never forgive him. I will never forgive you for what you did, she told him. You will have to answer to a higher authority. Baldelli's sister, Michelle Faust, told the court: 'Today we got an apology - a hollow last-minute attempt to save himself. Last night we talked about forgiveness. But forgiveness is for those who repent, not for those who cover their crimes, not for those who confess only when their back's against the wall.' She described their years of suffering after reporting her missing in January 2012 and eventually learning of her grisly murder at the hands of Brimager when he admitted his guilt earlier this year. After killing Baldelli, Brimager hatched an elaborate scheme to cover up the crime, leading her family to believe she was happily traveling with another man. She was only reported missing by her family in 2012, who said it was common for Baldelli to be out of contact for periods of time. Panama police said Brimager left Panama for Costa Rica and the United States about 10 days after last being seen with Baldelli. Prosecutors told the court that witnesses in Panama saw Brimager beating, punching, choking and threatening to kill Baldelli (pictured together) numerous times Baldelli and Brimager lived in this house on Panamanian island for two months in 2011 But the court heard how Brimager withdrew money from Baldelli's account after her death and sent emails on her laptop to make friends and family members think the Orange County woman was still traveling, according to court documents. He also admitted to killing her two dogs and disposing of a blood-stained mattress, clothing and jewelry. Prosecutors told the court that witnesses in Panama saw Brimager beating, punching, choking and threatening to kill Baldelli numerous times. The evidence showed that he broke her teeth and nose and stabbed her multiple times before dragging her to the shower, where he dismembered her body, according to court documents. He then put her remains in a military-style duffel bag and garbage bags, hiked more than a mile on the island in the jungle and threw them down an embankment, according to the investigation. And just hours after killing 42-year-old Baldelli, the ex-Marine, formerly based at Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego, sent an email to a friend, saying: 'Hey bro, whatcha up to? I got stories for days. I'm living on an island off the coast of panama loving life and living semper free!!!!!!' He later joked on a social media post that he had a machete for sale that had only been used once to dismember a stripper and was almost like new, according to the prosecution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Conover said Brimager killed Baldelli because she discovered that he had a girlfriend and daughter in San Diego. Barack Obama meant nothing punitive when he warned Britain would be at the back of the queue in any trade talks with America if we left the EU, the US ambassador to the UK insisted last night. Matthew Barzun was delivering a keynote lecture marking the 15th anniversary of the Rothermere American Institute at the University of Oxford. He said the President did feel an obligation when asked to say what he really thought. Im glad he did. Of course he cares, of course we care you are the closest ally we have. The ambassador said the UKs voice in the EU makes it a better organisation as far as the US is concerned but added: There was nothing meant by what he [Obama] said in some punitive way. He was just stating the facts as he saw it. Close ties: Lord and Lady Rothermere with US ambassador Matthew Barzun last night Of the special relationship between the UK and the US, Mr Barzun told the audience, which included Viscount Rothermere, chairman of the Daily Mail and General Trust, and his wife Lady Rothermere: I think it is a lasting love story and the world is crying out for what we have. It is our job to protect it and to propagate it. The institute, opened by former US President Bill Clinton in 2001, was constructed with the help of generous donations from the Rothermere Foundation and the Daily Mail and General Trust. It took three years and 13million to build and aims to act as a focal point for an exchange of ideas between academics, diplomats, business leaders and other public figures from America and Europe. At a dinner following the ambassadors lecture, Viscount Rothermere said: Americas relationship with Britain is as important today as it ever was. In an increasingly uncertain, volatile and dangerous world, and however ambiguous any election may seem in either of our countries, be it the European Referendum here, or the election there, we are bound by our common belief in freedom and democracy. Barack Obama meant nothing punitive when he warned Britain would be at the back of the queue in any trade talks with America if we left the EU, the US ambassador to the UK insisted last night In todays digital age of misinformation we are witnessing a surge of extreme populist ideologies and religious intolerance, both of which are creating traction in global politics, and both of which thrive on ignorance to perpetuate their myth to succeed. And this is where institutes such as the RAI come into their own. Because, in many ways, freedom of speech starts here, at university. And its the job of institutes like this to continue as the heartbeat of healthy learning and debate, and to give a safe environment in which people can disagree and discuss ideas. The institute is named after Vere, third Viscount Rothermere, who until his death in 1998 was chairman of the Daily Mail and General Trust. A mother fighting to use her dead daughters eggs to give birth to her own grandchild told appeal judges yesterday that the pregnancy was her daughters dying wish. The 60-year-old said her daughter had never wavered in her desperate wish to have children, despite an agonising five-year cancer battle. She told the Court of Appeal that her dying daughter asked her to use her frozen eggs and to have her baby, even though she knew she would not live to see the child or watch it grow up. The young woman died from bowel cancer in 2011, when she was 28, having asked her mother and father to bring up her child. The 60-year-old woman said her daughter had never wavered in her desperate wish to have children, despite an agonising five-year cancer battle (file image) Her eggs were harvested and stored at a fertility clinic in West London during her cancer battle because of fears her treatment would leave her infertile. But when her grieving parents asked to use the frozen eggs, the fertility watchdog ruled their daughter had not given full written consent. The couple lost a High Court bid to overturn that decision and have now asked to Court of Appeal to rule in their favour. If they succeed, it is believed it will be the first time a British court has given permission for such a pregnancy to go ahead. But if they fail, the eggs could be taken out of storage and destroyed as medical waste, despite their daughters written consent for them to be used. The court heard she had referred to her frozen eggs as my babies and was adamant she wanted them to be used to try to conceive a child. When the young woman realised she was dying, she told her mother: I want you to carry my babies... I want you and Dad to bring them up, they will be safe with you. Her parents, who can only be identified as Mr and Mrs M, asked the IVF clinic to release the eggs in 2013, when Mrs M was 57. A consultant obstetrician said Mrs Ms age meant her chances of carrying a child were small, and she had a greater risk of suffering complications, but that it was likely she could give birth safely. If the couple succeed, it is believed it will be the first time a British court has given permission for such a pregnancy to go ahead (file image) The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority did not object on the grounds of Mrs Ms age or the childs welfare but ruled the eggs could not be released because the daughter did not give full written consent before her death. In a statement to the court, Mrs M said her daughter had been clear about her wishes. She said: She had suffered terribly, this was one constant from which she never wavered. Jenni Richards QC, for Mr and Mrs M, said the daughter had believed she had given her consent, and had trusted her parents to make decisions over the use of a sperm donor. The young woman was their much-loved only child and the couple want to honour her wishes, she said, adding: Her wish was for her mother to carry her baby, whether in (her) life or after her death. The couple arranged to use a clinic in New York, but the HFEA said their daughter had not specified that her eggs could be taken abroad for use. She had given written consent for their storage and use, but lawyers for the fertility regulator said she had not given consent for them to be taken abroad, and may not have realised that her mothers health could be put at risk by such a pregnancy. Mrs M has previously been treated for breast cancer and pregnancy can increase the risk of some hormone-related cancers returning, the court heard. A woman recovering from a breast cancer surgery has claimed she was given a $360 fine for wearing an altered seatbelt after the police officer said her illness was not his 'problem'. Sydney mother Lin Riley was travelling along Oxford Street, near Centennial Park, on Friday afternoon when she was pulled over for a Random Breathe Test. When the 68-year-old woman presented her drivers license, the officer noticed a one-inch bulldog clip attached to the seatbelt retractor above her right shoulder, News Corp reported. Mrs Riley, who was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago, has been using the clip in an attempt to alleviate the chest pain she endured from the belt after a recent surgery. A woman with breast cancer claimed she was given a $360 fine for wearing an altered seatbelt (stock image) 'The belt made it very uncomfortable to drive, so when I didn't have a passenger or I couldn't catch public transport, I put a bulldog clip where the seatbelt comes out of the roller,' she told News Corp. 'It just lifts the belt away from my chest just a small amount so it doesn't go tight across my left side and cause me pain.' Three years ago, she had undergone a mastectomy on her left breast. But last September, she suffered from lymphedema a condition which causes fluid retention and swelling in the body's tissues after one of her implants ruptured, causing her severe pain since. When the cancer-stricken woman tried to explain that the clip had helped her with driving because of her condition, the officer responded: 'That's not my problem.' She was told that if she wanted to dispute the fine, she would need to take the matter to court with a doctor's certificate to prove that she needed an altered seatbelt for her condition. Police noticed a one-inch bulldog clip attached to the seatbelt retractor above her right shoulder (stock image) The Sydney mother was driving when she was recently pulled over for a Random Breathe Test (stock image) However, a NSW Transport spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the woman had breached the law because she was not carrying a medical certificate as tampering seatbelts are 'unacceptable'. 'Drivers or passengers may be exempt from wearing a seatbelt if they carry a medical certificate saying that a seatbelt cannot be worn due to a medical condition,' the spokesperson said. 'According to NSW road rules, all drivers and passengers are required to wear an approved seatbelt. Tampering with an approved seatbelt may mean it no longer meets compliance standards. 'Modification to an approved seatbelt can reduce the performance of the safety features and increase the likelihood of an injury during a crash. 'Enforcing road rules is the responsibility of the NSW Police Force.' Preservation of Indigenous heritage has been controversial in the state Premier Will Hodgman said the damage was 'shameful and senseless' The cave is one of only 10 places in Tasmania to feature the art 'Priceless' rock art in the Nirmena Nala cave in Tasmania has been vandalised Vandals have desecrated priceless 8,000-year-old Indigenous cave art by gouging it away with rocks. The damaged paintings, in the Nirmena Nala cave on the River Derment, Tasmania, were found on Tuesday by a group of kayakers. The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre said it was devastated by the decimation of a priceless piece of heritage. Indigenous paintings in the Nirmena Nala cave on the River Derwent, Tasmania, have been defaced by vandals TAC heritage officer Adam Thompson said: This site is one of only about 10 places in Tasmania containing this type of hand stencil art work. This art work connects us with our forebears and reminds us of our obligation to continue to protect what thousands of generations of our people have left for us. The yellow and reds stencils were painted using ochre naturally occurring pigments made out of minerals. Mr Thompson added: It is now the responsibility of all Tasmanians to assist us protect our heritage. We are asking the police to investigate this criminal act as a matter of urgency to ensure these racist vandals are exposed and brought to justice. The paintings are believed to be 8,000-years-old and were made with naturally-occurring pigments from the earth Premier of Tasmania Will Hodgman said the vandalism was shameful and the Aboriginal Relics Act needed to be overhauled to protect such art work, reported The Mercury. The 40-year-old act sets a maximum penalty of $1,500, or six months jail, for destroying Indigenous relics. In comparison, the Historic Cultural Heritage Act sets a penalty of $770,000 for destroying artefacts dating after the European settlement of Australia. Mr Hodgman said: It's difficult to imagine what could motivate someone to undertake such a senseless act, but that will hopefully come to light following a police investigation. Indigenous cave art is one of the oldest forms of art in the world. The paintings above were discovered in Sydney's Wollemi park in 1995 and were dated at 4,000-years-old Mr Hodgman added: The Government knows the 1975 legislation is outdated and inadequate. Minister Matthew Groom is liaising closely with the Aboriginal Heritage Council on the best options to address the deficiencies in that Act. The protection of Indigenous heritage sites has been a controversial topic in Tasmania. In 2012 a four-wheel-drive track was shut to protect the remains of an ancient Indigenous settlement, a decision the state government is still trying to overturn in court, reported The ABC. The series of 200 paintings discovered at Sydney's Wollemi park were so remote that researchers had to plan for eight years before they could visit and date them Indigenous rock painting is one of the oldest forms of art in the world. A piece of art in the Northern Territory's Arnhem Land has been dated at 28,000 years old - one of the oldest cave paintings ever discovered. In 1995 a hiker in Sydney's Wollemi Park discovered a series of 200 paintings which date as old as 4,000 years. A teacher at an elite boys college in Perth has been arrested and charged by police for possessing vile child pornography. The probationary senior school teacher, from Guildford Grammar School, was immediately sacked when the charges were laid. Headmaster Stephen Webber assured parents on Wednesday that the charges were not in relation to any of the students, the West Australian reported. 'Importantly, the materials relating to the charges do not in any way involve any of our students,' he said. Guildford Grammar School, an elite boys college in Perth, has sacked one of their teachers after he was arrested and charged by police The probationary senior school teacher was charged for possession of child pornography Mr Webber added that the school's background checks were rigorous and included the requisite Working with Children checks, PerthNow reported. 'Given the work we have done as a school to become the first organisation in WA to achieve the benchmark Child Safe certification, a matter such as this is disappointing,' he said. The exclusive Anglican school consists of a co-educational preparatory school for kindergarten to Year Six, and a boys high school campus with boarding facilities. The college also has a long list of notable alumni, including actor Heath Ledger. Sir Christopher Meyer spoke out a day after it emerged the UKs aid budget is ballooning faster than that of any other major nation Britains former ambassador to Washington hit out yesterday at the twisted madness of spending so much on foreign aid. Sir Christopher Meyer spoke out a day after it emerged the UKs aid budget is ballooning faster than that of any other major nation. Since 2004, the amount Britain gives foreign governments and aid bodies has rocketed by 144 per cent to 13.2billion meaning that, proportionally, it spends almost twice as much of its national wealth on aid as any other G7 nation. Britain is the only major nation to hit the target of spending 0.7 per cent of national income one aid. Yesterday Sir Christopher highlighted the fact that the Department for International Developments budget is now ten times that of the Foreign Office, where he used to work. Twisted madness of our foreign policy, he tweeted. Foreign aid up 144 per cent in 10 years, aid budget 10 times that of Foreign Office at 13billion. Sir Christopher was previously Sir John Majors spokesman and, from 1997 to 2003, served as envoy to the US. He has long been critical of foreign policy and has urged the UK not to get too involved in Middle East conflicts following the disaster of Iraq. Last night Tory backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg said: I agree with Sir Christopher. We know the money is not all well spent and that there is waste in the effort to reach the 0.7 per cent target. Aid projects funded by Britain include a scheme to produce Hamlet education workshops in the Ecuadorian capital Quito. It received 5,000. And 51,564 was spent to pay for Serbian nationals to travel to the UK to gain work experience. An effort to find breeding partners for a pair of rare Mangarahara cichlid fish kept at London Zoo ended badly when the 3,400 project identified a female of the Madagascan species but she died before making it to London. While the aid budget is ring-fenced, the Foreign Office along with most other Whitehall departments has been forced to absorb huge cuts. Between 2010 and 2015, the Foreign Office budget fell by around 16 per cent. Officials in the department have warned George Osborne that further budget cuts would force a choice between Britain pursuing traditional statecraft and the economic diplomacy urged by the Chancellor. The total FCO budget is about 1.7billion a year, but about 400million of that amount is diverted to shared funds with the Ministry of Defence and the Department for International Development. The remaining core budget is 1.3billion for 2015/16 less than 0.2 per cent of total government expenditure and about 0.08 per cent of GDP. At the same time, spending on aid has soared, as outlined yesterday by a G7 report. While our aid budget has rocketed since 2004, the EU and its other member states have severely squeezed their public spending during the global economic downturn, the report says. Some 230,000 people have signed a petition warning that the aid target is leading to huge waste and corruption. They argue that the budget fuels waste by focusing on targets, not outcomes. Critics point out that, if it matched other G7 nations aid spending, Britain could save at least 6billion enough to fund more than 11 hospitals. Britain is the only major nation to hit the target of spending 0.7 per cent of national income one aid. Pictured is David Cameron with US President Barrack Obama at a G7 session in Brussels They add that for every five pounds spent on aid by the G7, one pound comes out of the pockets of British taxpayers, despite public concern about corruption and waste. Crispin Blunt, chairman of the Commons foreign affairs committee, said: Sir Christopher is right that the department that leads the direction and co-ordination of our overseas effort, intelligence, diplomatic, defence and development is dangerously starved of resources. Its budget is heavily cross subsidised by DfID, which then leads to misallocation of policy priorities. I believe the budgets of all these departments should be collectively ring-fenced and that total funding allocated between them. Two cruel carers who tied up an 88-year-old dementia sufferer so they could have a quiet shift have been told they face jail. Romanian husband and wife Cosmin and Ana Focsa bound Brenda Lea with a bath towel and left her in bed. When other night staff found the pensioner, she was dehydrated and drenched in sweat. Romanian husband and wife Cosmin and Ana Focsa bound Brenda Lea with a bath towel and left her in bed at the Alistre Lodge nursing home (pictured) in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire District Judge Jeff Brailsford found the Focsas guilty of ill-treating and wilfully neglecting Mrs Lea at the Alistre Lodge nursing home in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire. It was deliberate and wholly inappropriate, he said. For your own purposes you bound her to restrain her for a considerable length of time. It may well have been fortunate that other staff checked on her when they did. He adjourned sentencing until next month for probation reports but warned: All sentencing options are open, including prison. The Daily Mail has highlighted the shocking treatment of elderly and vulnerable people in nursing homes and hospitals as part of our long-running Dignity for the Elderly campaign. Cosmin, 37, and 40-year-old Ana were part of a four-person team covering a night shift on July 11 last year at the home, which has room for 43 residents, Blackpool magistrates court heard. Malcolm Isherwood, prosecuting, said Mrs Lea, who had been a resident for two years, could sometimes be difficult and feisty. She had mobility problems as well as dementia and needed to be monitored regularly through the night. The mother-of-threes husband, Alfred, died in 2006 after 55 years of marriage. The Daily Mail has highlighted the shocking treatment of elderly and vulnerable people in nursing homes and hospitals as part of our long-running Dignity for the Elderly campaign (file picture) Mr Isherwood said: At 1am registered nurse Keiron Drane and care assistant Darren Hughes checked on her. She had gone to bed at 8pm. 'The patient was under a duvet and sheet. They found all the bed wet through from sweat, as was her clothing and pillow. When they drew the duvet back they found that she had been tightly wrapped in a bath towel from her armpits down to her feet. The towel was fitted so that she was lying on its ends. Mr Drane challenged Cosmin, who claimed he and his wife had done it after seeing patients tied up similarly in other homes. The prosecutor added: She was wrapped tightly to restrict her movement and it was done to make the Focsas job easier. It was a callous, cruel and selfish act. The court heard on Tuesday that Mr Drane had cooled down Mrs Lea and given her fluids. He said: What happened to this lady was abuse and unacceptable and I reported it. Mr Hughes added: Mrs Lea was a lovely old lady, if a bit confused. When I saw her that night she was grey. She could not get out of the towel. She was trussed up in it. The Focsas, who live in Blackpool and had worked at the home for two months, were reported to police and sacked. Ana had already been suspended as a nurse in April last year after a separate incident. The Nursing and Midwifery Council imposed the 18-month interim suspension order following a fitness-to practise investigation into her work. Giving evidence, Cosmin said that he and his wife denied the charges and accused staff of being jealous as they were allowed to work together on shifts. He also claimed that they had been discriminated against because they were Romanian. But the judge said their version of events was incredible and incapable of belief. Royal Mail's commitment to deliver letters across the country for the same price six days a week looks safe for the foreseeable future, following a watchdog ruling. Ofcom revealed the Universal postal service - a 175-year-old legal requirement - has 'returned to financial health' and is 'sustainable'. The regulator said this means it will not have to impose new price controls on the postal service although a cap on second class stamps, pegged at 55p in 2012 will remain. Royal Mail's commitment to deliver letters nationwide for the same price six days a week looks safe for the foreseeable future The vote of confidence comes despite previous warnings from the boss of Royal Mail that the universal service is under threat and could become 'financially unsustainable' unless Ofcom imposes restrictions on its rivals. Moya Green has previously accused rival delivery firms such as UK Mail of 'cherry picking' Royal Mail's most profitable businesses. The American complained that these firms are delivering to more profitable urban areas, while leaving it to Royal Mail to deliver to more remote parts of the country and rural communities. Royal Mail has also faced criticism for using its universal service commitment as an excuse to raise the price of first and second class stamps. Last night Sir Vince Cable the former business secretary who has accused Ms Greene of 'scaremongering' about the future of the universal service said he had been proved correct. 'It is very clear that Royal Mail were exaggerating the problems about operating universal service because they wanted to be relieved of their obligations and to enhance returns to shareholders.' Ofcom's probe was launched nearly a year ago after the withdrawal of rival Whistl from door-to-door delivery left Royal Mail with no competition in this key part of the market. The universal postal service, which made a loss in 2011, has 'returned to financial health' and is 'sustainable' The watchdog was concerned that Royal Mail had no pressure on it to improve services and become more efficient. Officials believe this is vital to safeguarding the universal service obligation. Ofcom said the universal service had been under significant financial pressure after years of falling letter volumes and made a loss in 2011. STAMPS HONOURING PINK FLOYD A new set of stamps is being issued to honour rock band Pink Floyd, featuring some of their best known album covers. The 10 stamps will mark 50 years since the group turned professional, and will include innovative album covers such as The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn, The Dark Side Of The Moon and Wish You Were Here. Some of the stamps will celebrate the band's live performances, which broke new ground with extensive use of lights and projection of films. The images will portray Pink Floyd's psychedelic light shows and the staging of their The Wall album. Royal Mail said: 'Few bands in the history of rock have managed to carve out a career as rich and expansive as that of Pink Floyd.' The stamps can be pre-ordered from today and will be on sale at post offices from July 7. But - following a series of cost cutting measures it said it is now turning a healthy profit. Royal Mail can only drop the universal commitment if it receives permission from parliament. But a ruling from Ofcom that the commitment was not sustainable could have placed pressure on the government to review the law.. The watchdog said the declining letters market and increased competition in parcels means it sees no need to 'impose new price controls' on Royal Mail. But it said Royal Mail must do more to ensure untracked letters and parcels reach their destination intact. Ofcom said it would increase its focus on this area and impose tougher rules. Royal Mail could be hit with fines if it fails to comply. Ofcom believes increased scrutiny will protect poorer customers who cannot afford to pay for registered delivery or tracking when they send parcels. This is the moving moment a West Point cadet broke down in tears as he finally achieved his dream of graduating from the U.S. Military Academy. An emotional Alix Idrache, from Haiti, was pictured with tears streaming down his face during the ceremony on Saturday. The cadet graduated in the top 25 of his class at the prestigious academy to become a second lieutenant along with almost 1,000 fellow classmates. This is the moving moment West Point student Alix Idrache broke down in tears as he achieved his dream of graduating from the U.S. Military Academy His touching picture was posted in Instagram by the Academy where it swiftly gained almost 5,000 likes and dozens of congratulatory messages. Idrache has since commented on the image, explaining that he has been 'overwhelmed with emotions.' 'Three things came to mind and led to those tears,' he explained. 'The first is where I started. I am from Haiti and never did I imagine that such honor would be one day bestowed on me. 'The second is where I am. Men and women who preserved the very essence of the human condition stood in that position and took the same oath. Men who preserved the Union in a dark period of this country's history. An emotional Alix Idrache, from Haiti, was pictured with tears streaming down his face during the ceremony on Saturday The student graduated in the top 25 of his class at the prestigious academy to became a second lieutenant along with almost 1,000 fellow classmates His touching picture was posted in Instagram by the Academy (pictured) where it swiftly gained almost 5,000 likes and dozens of congratulatory messages 'The third is my future. Shortly after I leave, I will report to Ft. Rucker to start flight school. Knowing that one day I will be a pilot is humbling beyond words. 'I could not help but be flooded with emotions knowing that I will be leading these men and women who are willing to give their all to preserve what we value as the American way of life. To me, that is the greatest honor.' Idrache is due to enroll in flight school to begin the next stage of his career - training to be a pilot, CNN reports. The new graduate said on Tuesday he had been 'humbled and shocked' by the reaction to his tearful photo. And he used the moment to thank the Academy for 'giving me a shot at the American Dream.' 'May God bless America, the greatest country on earth,' he added. Another West Point graduate also wound up in the news after the ceremony. The unidentified cadet had sparked outrage after she was caught on camera using her cellphone during the graduation march. The footage, shared on the military academy's Facebook page on Saturday, has attracted dozens of shocked comments in the past couple of days. Another cadet (circled in red) can be seen about 50 seconds into a video shared on Facebook Saturday, walking in formation in her uniform. But unlike the other graduating students, she isn't looking straight ahead She is seen about 50 seconds into the video, walking in formation with her peers, wearing her uniform. But unlike the other graduating students, she isn't looking straight ahead and her arms aren't marking the cadence by her sides. Instead, the cadet can be seen looking down at her cellphone, which she is clutching with both hands. The video has received hundreds of comments from Facebook users who expressed their shock as what they view as a flagrant lack of discipline. About 1,150 cadet candidates joined the class of 2016 in July 2012, the academy said. In order to be accepted, candidates must be between 17 and 22 years old and they cannot be married, pregnant or legally responsible for any children. Police will go easy on people who share so-called legal highs with their friends despite a blanket ban on the deadly substances which comes into force today. Ministers have brought in tough powers to deal with new psychoactive substances (NPS) which are designed to imitate the effects of illegal drugs such as cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis. The narcotics have been outlawed amid concerns they were linked to at least 400 deaths and are fuelling anti-social behaviour. Home Secretary Theresa May acted after the Daily Mail repeatedly highlighted the growing problem of legal highs. Ministers have brought in tough powers to deal with new psychoactive substances (NPS) which are designed to imitate the effects of illegal drugs such as cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis The ban came as nine people in Manchester were left seriously ill after taking legal highs including Annihilation, Clockwork Orange and Chronic. The owner of the shop in Rochdale which sold the substances was arrested. People caught producing, supplying or importing the substances, including nitrous oxide dubbed hippy crack over the internet or through so-called head shops face up to seven years in prison. But possessing the drugs for personal use will not be a crime. The ban has already been delayed by more than a month amid concerns it will be difficult to enforce. People caught producing, supplying or importing the substances, including nitrous oxide dubbed hippy crack (pictured) face up to seven years in prison Critics have warned that overstretched police forces will be unable to impose the new regime effectively and fear the illicit trade will be driven underground. Documents published by the Home Office admit plans to clamp down on the problem will result in only about five prosecutions a year. Commander Simon Bray, of the National Police Chiefs Council, said people who share legal highs with friends were unlikely to be hauled before the courts unless they were persistent offenders. There are all sorts of options around problem solving in a proportionate way, so its not too heavy handed on the more social end, he said. Police have the power to confiscate the substances from people. He added that the new law, which came into force at midnight, meant people could not stroll into a head shop and buy mind-altering drugs like going into Boots the chemist. The law is a major victory for Maryon Stewart who has campaigned for it since the death of her 21-year-old daughter in 2009. Mrs Stewart founded the Angelus Foundation to lobby for a change in the law after Hester died taking GBL then a legal drug. She said: It has taken seven long years of hard work and today represents a milestone for Angelus. Steve Rolles, of Transform Drugs Policy Foundation, which campaigns for law reform, said: The markets will simply shift to street and unregulated online sales. But Home Office minister Karen Bradley said: We are facing a threat that has cost so far over 400 lives. This is the best way to tackle it. Mother tells of 'unimaginable nightmare' over daughter's GBL death Maryon Stewart was cooking lunch, singing and dancing to the radio in her kitchen one Sunday while her husband Ian read the paper. Then the doorbell rang. Two police officers informed her that Hester, her 21-year-old medical student daughter, had been found dead. It was, she said, the worst imaginable nightmare which I prayed I would wake from. The cause of her daughters death, was a little known drug called GBL, which, when consumed with alcohol, can be lethal. But perversely its possession and sale in the UK was entirely legal. It was one of a growing number of legal highs, which werent caught by traditional drugs laws. Medical student Hester Stewart died after taking dance drug GBL Racked with grief, Maryon was also possessed by a determination that other children and parents - should not suffer in the same way. I came to the conclusion that my daughter would have been in favour of me doing something to help the living instead of wallowing in my own loss. So instead of curling up in a ball, really choosing to swap places with Hester, I made myself get out of bed each day with the determination I would somehow save lives. The knock at the door came on Sunday April 26 2009. Today, seven years and one month later, the law that represents the culmination of her efforts, the Psychoactive Substances Act, comes into force. It could well be called the Hester Stewart Act. It bans every single one of the dangerous drugs sold on Britains high streets, and makes selling them a criminal offence punishable with a prison term of up to seven years. At the time of Hesters death, there were a small handful of legal highs or lethal highs as Maryon likes to call them on sale in Britain. Last year more than 101 new substances were detected in the UK. What never made sense was that young people should be so vulnerable when the government was meant to protect people. These insidious substances that can cause heart attacks, paranoia and even psychosis and death should be available on the high street: I never could get my head round that. They were doing nothing, while greedy Chinese chemists make billions of dollars and put the wellbeing and lives of our kids at risk. The journey from there to here was far from straightforward. Maryon endured years of banging her head against a brick wall, facing opposition from civil servants, ministers and the pro-drugs lobby. But Mrs Stewart, who has three other children, became a formidable Whitehall warrior, and her Angelus Foundation a centre for research and analysis of legal highs. She campaigned on television, on the pages of the Daily Mail, and in ministerial offices. She credits little-known Home Office drugs minister, James Brokenshire, with a critical role. She made sure she had the best advice. The foundations advisory board was stuffed full of world renowned drugs experts. Ministers changed, momentum was lost, but eventually Downing Street was convinced and the Bill was the first in last years Queens speech. The success of this campaign is the result of a partnership between Angelus and the media and particularly the Daily Mail, she says. The law wont completely stop people taking drugs and Maryon says a huge push is needed on drugs education. But it will, she is convinced, mean the end of the road for high street head shops. There is a huge group of people who think that because its legal that means its safe, she said. I felt why should they be duped? Hester was the least likely person to come to her death through a legal high. A squatter in the Adelaide Hills has found an unlikely benefactor in a professional poker player who has helped him to pay off a $39,000 rates debt so he can continue living in his adopted home. The Adelaide Advertiser reports that former actor Iain Herridge had been living rent and mortgage-free since November in his Rangeview Road home until he was slapped with the rates payout by the Adelaide Hills Council. Mr Herridge set up a GoFundMe page A Place To Call Home to raise the money to pay off the rates bill and it was this that inspired professional poker player Luke MacDonald to pay out for half the total amount. Iain Herridge had been living rent and mortgage-free since November in his adopted Adelaide Hills home A second interstate benefactor who did not wish to be named, came through with the rest of the money. The house was due to be auctioned off on Wednesday if the debt had not been paid, but its now no longer necessary. Im from the country and I find the whole idea of squatting really interesting, and a big part of living in a rural community, MacDonald, from Queensland, said. I did this with the intention to keep a roof over Iains head, bring a beautiful old home back to its former glory... And be part of a pretty amazing story. Legally squatting in Australia is a grey area. If you occupy someones house without giving them permission that is trespassing. But if the owner is unknown or the property is going unused like in Mr Herridges case then squatting is not a crime. But he was slapped with a rates payout of $39,000 by the Adelaide Hills Council, and looked like he would be evicted Mr Herridge however was not about to move out of the place he called home In this case the property was previously owned by Zdzislaw Felix Gajdzinski, who died in Germany in 2003 and left no will. The only issue was he left behind a $39,000 rates debt bill, but that is no longer a problem. Squatting is illegal in South Australia, but an application for ownership can be made after 15 years of living in a property without consent from the legal owner. So if no one comes forward to claim the property in the next 14 years, as possessor, Mr Herridge can make an application and make it his own. The 51-year-old (pictured) set up a GoFundMe page to raise the money needed Earlier this month Mr Herridge appeared on The Project TV program and explained his rationale behind is decision to squat. Theres no way 12 months ago that I would have ever thought that I would end up being a squatter, he said. Id been driving past it for quite a while and just said to my son theres an empty house. Ill find out who owns it. I went to [the] council and found out it was a public trustee [property]. The Aussie dream is getting out of other peoples reaches. Ive dug in pretty well and understood the law pretty well. Im here for the long run. Professional poker player Luke MacDonald saw Mr Herridge's GoFundMe page and paid off half the amount due Jennifer Aniston's estranged mother, Nancy Dow, has died. 'It is with great sadness that my brother John and I announce the passing of our Mother Nancy Dow,' the Friends star told People in a statement Wednesday. 'She was 79 years old and passed peacefully surrounded by family and friends after enduring a long illness,' the actress continued. 'We ask that our family's privacy be respected as we grieve our loss.' According to In Touch Weekly, Aniston visited her ailing mother for the first time in nearly five years on May 12. Grieving: Jennifer Aniston's mother Nancy Dow (pictured right in 2013), has died. The two were estranged for many years although it's believed the actress did visit her mom just a couple of weeks ago Frail: Dow, pictured on March 16 in L.A., had suffered a series of strokes, beginning in 2011 and was reported to have lost the ability to walk or speak prior to her death. She was 79 'Jen must have had a wake-up call and wanted to see her mother one last time before she passes,' an insider told In Touch Weekly. Dow reportedly had suffered a series of strokes and lost the ability to speak and walk prior to her death, the magazine reported. According to Radar Online, Dow was rushed from her apartment unit in Toluca Lake, a suburb of Los Angeles, just after midnight on Sunday by four paramedics. A neighbor who witnessed the emergency situation said that she 'was apparently close to death.' 'Her hands were curled up to her face and her skin was grey,' another source told Radar Online. 'She was wheeled out then very late at night at 1.30am. On Monday morning, all the lights were on in the apartment and the door was wide open.' Away: Aniston was in New York with husband Justin Theroux on Monday, which is when sources say her mom was rushed to hospital by paramedics called to her L.A. apartment in the early hours of the morning Estranged: Born in New York, Dow was a model and an actress. She is pictured in 1999 Aniston and her mother had a complicated relationship. The 47-year-old actress, whose latest movie is called Mother's Day, has said previously that the reason they were not close is because Dow 'was very critical of her.' 'Because she was a model, she was gorgeous, stunning,' Aniston told The Hollywood Reporter last year of her mother. 'I wasn't. I never was. I honestly still don't think of myself in that sort of light, which is fine.' 'She was also very unforgiving. She would hold grudges that I just found so petty.' Their relationship only worsened when in 1999 Dow published a tell-all book, From Mother and Daughter to Friends: A Memoir, about Aniston's life and their relationship. Weren't close: Dow and Jennifer's father John Aniston divorced when she was nine years old. She has said previously she and her mother were not close because Dow 'was very critical of her' Book deal: Matters were made worse when Dow published a tell-all memoir in 1999 after which mother and daughter didn't speak for several years Dow appeared in several small screen television roles in the 1960s including The Beverly Hillbillies and The Wild Wild West. The New York native first married Jack Melick in 1956 and they had one son together before divorcing in 1961. Dow then married soap actor star John Aniston in 1965 and they had Jennifer together. The couple divorced in 1980. Daddy's girl: The star has remained close to her father, actor John Aniston, and he would frequently join his famous daughter at Hollywood events. They're pictured at her Walk Of Fame ceremony in February 2012 Mother and daughter eventually broke their years of silence following Aniston's high profile divorce from Brad Pitt in 2005. 'It's been really nice. It's crazy what, you know, your life kind of being turned upside down will lead you to,' Aniston explained during an appearance on Good Morning America. 'So this is good. It's baby steps,' she added. However, their relationship never really recovered from the acrimony of the past and they had little contact with each other until 2011 when Dow suffered a stroke in Los Angeles. But despite the thaw, Aniston did not invite her mother to her August 2015 wedding to actor Justin Theroux. Sales of branded milk have jumped by 10 per cent as Australians rally together to support local dairy farmers. One of Australia's most popular online grocery stores, Aussie Farmers Direct, says it has seen an increase in sales, demand and enquiries about branded milk after Fonterra and Murray Goulburn cut milk prices paid to farmers by up to 10 per cent. The price drop has not only angered farmers but it has sparked protests from shoppers who have vowed to buy branded milk over non-branded milk sold by supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths for $1 a litre. Scroll down for video The sales of branded milk has jumped by 10 per cent as Australians rally together to support local dairy farmers, such as Pauls Aussie Farmers Direct's Jim Cooper said they had seen a 10 per cent increase in the sales of branded milk in the past week since last Monday in their 100,000-strong customer base. The online grocery store sells brands such as Devondale, A2 and Liddells. 'For us sales of branded milk have gone up by a material amount,' Mr Cooper told Daily Mail Australia. 'We've also seen an increase of people using more butter, more cheese.' Even Woolworths has seen an increase in branded milk sales but did not provide figures to say how much. A spokesman for the supermarket said there had been a 'particularly high demand' for it. Aussie Farmers Direct's Jim Cooper said they had seen a 10 per cent increase in the sales of branded milk in their 100,000-strong customer base Aussie Farmers Direct chief executive Keith Louie said customers had answered farmers' calls to stop buying supermarket-branded milk priced at $1 a litre. Above is a stock image of Coles milk 'We are stocking branded milk the same way this week as we have done in previous weeks,' he said. 'In some of our stores there has been particularly high demand for these products and our replenishment teams are working closely with our suppliers to make sure we have the items our customers want to buy.' Coles have also been contacted for comment on the matter. A spokesman for Woolworths said there had been a 'particularly high demand' for branded milk Aussie Farmers Direct chief executive Keith Louie said their website traffic had also doubled and customer calls about branded milk jumped nearly 40 per cent over the past week. 'As the current dairy crisis has unfolded, the dairy industry has urged Australians to support farmers by not buying $1 per litre supermarket housebrand milk, and instead choosing branded milk that puts more money back into the dairy supply chain,' Mr Louie said. 'That call has seen thousands of shoppers get in touch with us as they know that we are a business that's built on supporting farmers.' One of Aussie Farmers Direct's main supplier is Camperdown Dairy, which also supplies to major supermarkets. Damien Jimmy Horan, 30, was the pilot of the single-engine Cessna plane Witnesses said relatives of the Cabes saw the plane when it crashed Marshall and Philip Cabe, from Oklahoma, were on vacation Brothers Marshall and Phillip Cabe were like any other excited twentysomething on vacation. They posted pictures of Hawaiian palm trees on Facebook, tagged themselves on flights to Kauai and promised in their statuses to see everyone 'in a couple of weeks'. Now those posts are buried under a slew of tributes, after the recent college graduates were among the five men killed after a skydiving plane crashed just minutes after takeoff in Hanapepe. The brothers were meant to tandem jump with skydiving instructors Enzo Amitrano and Wayne Rose. Damien Jimmy Horan, who recently moved to Hawaii from Ireland, was the pilot. The single engine Cessna 182H plane, owned by Skydive Kaua'i, plummeted to the ground mere minutes after taking off from the Port Allen Airport around 9.30am on Monday. Brothers Marshall and Phillip Cabe, from Lawton, Oklahoma, were among the five men killed after a skydiving plane crashed just moments after taking off from Port Allen Airport in Hanapepe on Monday morning Skydiving instructor Enzo Amitrano, 43, and Wayne Rose, 27, were also killed in the accident Victim Damien Jimmy Horan, 30, was piloting the single engine Cessna 182H plane Witness Cisco Campos was fishing when he saw the plane take off. He heard was sounded like the engine, sputtering and cutting out. The plane, only as high as a flag pole, appeared to be turning back around for the airport when it suddenly 'fell out of the sky', he told Hawaii News Now. It burst into flames the minute the aircraft hit the ground. There were no survivors. Four of the five men on board were instantly killed, officials said. A fifth victim was rushed to nearby Wilcox Memorial Hospital, where he died from his injuries. Eyewitnesses said they believe family members of the Cabe brothers, who had traveled from Oklahoma to visit their father, saw the plane crash. Both brothers graduated from Cameron University, in Lawton, and were members of the Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity. Friends of the brothers took to social media to express their shock and dismay over the tragic accident. 'My heart is extremely heavy,' wrote one. 'The last thing Marshall Cabe said to me was "You will always be my boo.'" The wreckage of the plane, owned by Skydive Kaua'i, shortly after takeoff at 9.30am on Monday morning One witness said the plane appeared to be turning back for the airport when it suddenly 'fell out of the sky' 'He had come to my job a few weeks back to deliver Marcos Pizza and he gave me the biggest hug and said it was great to see you. God, I don't know what you are doing.' 'I'm at a loss for words,' wrote another. 'My mind can't wrap around why two young men were taken from the world this soon.' 'But what we can believe is that Marshall and Philip lived their life to the fullest. They were the best people to be around because they could make you laugh, or just because they were the easiest to get along with.' Horran, 30, had only recently moved to the island from Tullamore in the midlands of Ireland. He had previously lived in Australia as well. Friends remembered him as a 'driven genuine bloke', according to the Irish Mirror. Eyewitnesses said they believe family members of the Cabe brothers, who had traveled from Oklahoma to visit their father, saw the plane crash Friends said Amitrano (left with wife Shannon) and Rose (with wife Kaela Lynn Rose) died doing what they love the most Friends said Amitrano, who used to live in Chicago, had been skydiving for 20 years Rose's twin sister Autumn wrote in a tribute that her brother quit his job, moved to the state of his dreams, and found the adventure he had always searched for 'My heart feels like it's shattered into a million pieces,' one friend wrote. 'You were such a great friend, you never judged me and you were always there to lend an ear when I needed you.' His family were preparing to travel to Hawaii on Wednesday. Amitrano, 43, and Rose, 27, both leave behinds wives and friends who said that they died doing what they loved most. Friends said Amitrano had been skydiving for 20 years. He proposed to his wife Shannon on their ninth jump together. 'He was just the kind of guy who was easy to get along with,' Amitrano's brother Marco told Hawaii News Now. 'He was really outgoing, super friendly.' Four of the five men on board were instantly killed after the crash, officials said A fifth victim was rushed to nearby Wilcox Memorial Hospital, where he died from his injuries 'It's like one of those super charismatic personalities that would draw people in. He was always the center of groups he was in.' Rose leaves behind his wife Kaela Lynn Rose and twin sister Autumn, who said her brother quit the job he hated, moved to Hawaii, and found the adventure he had always searched for. 'My twin brother was my hero,' Autumn wrote on her Facebook. 'He was kind, genuine, smart, funny, fearless and full of life and love.' 'He chased his dreams and never settled for an ordinary life and he encouraged everyone around him to do the same.' 'Believe me when I tell you that in his nearly 27 years on earth, Wayne lived more than most will in a lifetime.' Port Allen Airport is restricted to small aircraft and helicopters, and is used primarily for helicopter tours, ultralight aircraft traffic and skydiving SAS soldiers have destroyed an ISIS truck packed with explosives moments before it could carry out an attack in Libya. The strike happened when a vehicle, acting as a bomb, approached a bridge leading towards the city of Misrata in the north-west of the country. UK forces fired a single missile during the incident on May 12, military commander Mohammed Durat told The Times. It is the first time British troops have fought the terror group in Libya. SAS soldiers destroyed an ISIS truck packed with explosives moments before it could carry out an attack - the first time British troops have fought the group in Libya (file picture) Describing the scene as the truck sped forward Commander Durat said: 'Our British friends seemed quite calm about it that day.' Commander Durat, of Misrata's Third Force, said the special forces had plotted the co-ordinates and ranges required for a successful strike, telling the paper: 'It blew up the suicide truck with a huge explosion, the biggest we have seen yet. 'Not one of our own forces was killed.' A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said they do not comment on special forces operations. The strike happened when a vehicle, acting as a bomb, approached a bridge leading towards the city of Misrata (file picture) in the north-west of the country Last month a spokesman for the Foreign Office said the UK is focused on training Libyan security forces to provide their own security, and has no plans to deploy ground troops. Earlier this year United Nations experts said they believe the political and security vacuum in Libya is being exploited by ISIS, reporting it has 'significantly expanded' the territory it controls in the nation and has become 'increasingly attractive to foreign fighters'. Police will implement a zero tolerance policy towards violence at a pair of rival protests in Melbourne this weekend, with as many as 500 additional officers called in to keep the peace. The United Patriots Front - a controversial right-wing anti-Islam group that has staged a number of 'rallies' across Australia over the past year - is due to hold another event at Bridges Reserve in Coburg, Melbourne on Saturday. At the same time, counter-protest group 'No Room for Racism' is planning its own event that includes a 300 metres march to Bridges Reserve to confront the UPF crowd. Scroll down for video Police will implement a zero-tolerance policy towards violence at a pair of rival protests in Melbourne this weekend, with more than 500 additional officers called in to keep the peace Social media invitations suggest more than 300 people could turn out for each protest. The two groups have clashed repeatedly at protests, with the ugliest scenes being seen in Melbourne last year. In preparation for the event, police is planning to have up to 500 extra officers in the area and establishing weapons checks near the protests, the Herald Sun reports. The newspaper also claims the cost of policing protests held since November last year - including the one planned for Saturday - will exceed $1.7 million. Up to 500 police will attend a United Patriots Front event on Saturday, with clashes expected between the far-right group and a 'No Room for Racism' event that is being held in the same location Anti-racism protesters are seen marching during an event at Parliament House in Melbourne last year A Victoria Police spokeswoman could not confirm the number of additional officers, but said there will be a 'strong police presence at the rally in order to maintain public safety'. 'Police will be closely monitoring the rally to ensure there are no breaches of the peace or crimes occurring,' the spokeswoman said. 'Police will also be conducting stringent searches at several check points to ensure no weapons are brought to the rally. Our message is clear; if you bring a weapon you will be caught.' United Patriots Front supporters (pictured in July 2015) and anti-racism protesters have clashed seven times at rallies since November last year A Victoria Police spokeswoman said there will be a 'strong police presence at the rally in order to maintain public safety' at the United Patriots Front (pictured) and 'No Room for Racism' protests Young families and children were also warned not to attend either of the events. Despite the police warning, online comments made ahead of the rally suggest there will be further ugly scenes on Saturday. 'We despise the socialists, the communists, the Marxists, the anarchists, and all of there far left wing supporters that only want to destroy this great nation', part of a post on the UPF's Facebook page reads. The two groups have repeatedly clashed at events in Melbourne, including one outside Richmond Town Hall in May 2015 (pictured) Protesters have also jostled with police at the events, which have required a strong presence to keep under control 'The socialist, anarchist, Marxist Australia-haters of Melbourne will be shown that this is not their city. 'Don't miss your chance to be part of the rally that turns the tide against the traitors that are trying to destroy our nation.' Other comments on the post mention 'taking our country back', and the group's slogan 'rise without fear'. 'Don't miss your chance to be part of the rally that turns the tide against the traitors that are trying to destroy our nation,' the United Patriots Front (pictured during a rally in May 2015) said ahead of Saturday's event Police arrest United Patriot supporters during a protest in front of Parliament House in Melbourne between United Patriots and anti racism protesters Local councillor Sue Bolton, who organised the 'No Room for Racism' rally, shared pictures on Facebook of banners her supporters have made ahead of the march. Victorian protests held in Melbourne, Richmond, Bendigo and Melton have seen some of the worst confrontations, while events have also been held in Sydney, Perth, Brisbane and other cities around the country. UPF supporters also made headlines earlier this year by sneaking banners that read 'stop the mosques' into two AFL games - one in Melbourne and one in Perth. Daily Mail Australia contacted Sue Bolton for comment. Protesters are seen clashing with police as they surround Parliament House in Melbourne on July 18, 2015 Actor and activist Danny Glover, a surrogate for Bernie Sanders who greeted the Vermont senator with a fist bump today before sitting in on the Democratic hopeful's meeting with HIV/AIDS activists, isn't sweating the election too much. 'I don't think the movement is just going to just evaporate after this electoral process,' Glover said sitting down with Dailymail.com after Sanders' afternoon meeting in San Bernardino, California. 'It's not just simply about the electoral process.' Glover, instead, likened what the Democratic underdog has been doing to Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1968 Poor People's Campaign, in which the civil rights leader broadened his scope to discuss economic justice for Americans of diverse backgrounds. Scroll down for video Sen. Bernie Sanders (left) has found a friend and supporter in actor Danny Glover (right) who told Dailymail.com that he thinks what the Vermont senator has started is bigger than this election cycle Danny Glover (right) likened Bernie Sanders' (left) economic equality message to one spread by the late Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 in the months before the civil rights icon was assassinated 'When Dr. King went on the Poor People's Campaign, I think that's what the movement is more connected to,' Glover said of the grassroots advocacy that Sanders' campaign has inspired. 'Dr. King talking about militarism, talking about racism and the connection with materialism,' the actor added. 'He talked about equity, we're taking about 50 years ago, they were taking about those particular issues.' When King was alive he brought black Americans, along with whites, Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans and Native Americans to this cause, uniting poor people under a political umbrella for the first time. King's work continued even after he was assassinated, with Ralph Abernathy, a close friend, taking over the reins. Losing an election, Glover mused, wouldn't stop what Sanders started. 'And hopefully, whether it's Bernie, whether it's Hillary, whether it's Donald, that the movement itself moves forward, you know?' Glover said. Glover talked about the number of people and the amount of enthusiasm the senator's once considered longshot run brought into politics. 'We have this extraordinary view where we often think that a process, an election in itself, is a movement, the election itself is not a movement,' Glover argued. 'What Bernie Sanders has been able to do, what the senator has been able to do is to bring forward more people into the process,' Glover continued. 'People who had given up on the system itself.' The actor wouldn't make any predictions about which Democrat would win the primary in California on June 7, though in recent days Sanders has proclaimed it would be him. 'Every vote matters,' Glover simply said. 'We registered over a million people here in the state of California already,' he boasted. Sanders, personally, has devoted almost all of his energy to the state and declared that he wanted to be seen in front of 200,000 Californians before the state's citizens go to vote. His rallies in Southern California this week have been consistently attracting several thousand supporters at each stop. 'I think that in my blood and the history of this country has shown that it's been movements outside what we call the center of gravity, those are the movements - whether we're talking about the abolition of slavery, the civil rights movement,' Glover continued. 'They were ... ignited not by a single person, but ignited by people's willpower and determination for change and that's what's happening right now,' Glover said. Sanders has made that part of his mantra, telling audiences that, 'no president can do it alone, we need to do it together.' The actor added that if Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee whose policy positions run counter to much of what Sanders has backed, is elected president 'the movement continues, it intensifies,' he said. But Glover doesn't want that to happen telling the Dailymail.com that he'll vote for the Democrat, whether it's Sanders or his rival Hillary Clinton, in the general election. 'The most important, we have to defeat the far right, represented by Donald Trump,' Glover said. 'Yes, I will vote,' he said, to the question of whether he'll support the Democratic nominee. 'I think we have a chance to bring some sort of different element and mission to the Democratic Party,' the actor added. David Cameron would be campaigning to leave the European Union if he were not Prime Minister, his closest friend in politics has claimed. Steve Hilton, the former No10 adviser and godfather to his late son Ivan, said Mr Camerons whole instinct used to be about taking Britain out of the EU. In comments that will infuriate the Prime Minister, he said: If he was a member of the public, or a backbench MP or a junior minister or even a cabinet minister, Im certain he would vote for Leave. He told the Times Mr Camerons political mission used to be about leaving the EU, adding: As Prime Minister he sees it from a different perspective, and thats perfectly reasonable... but I think that if he didnt have that perspective he would be for Leave. David Cameron would be campaigning to leave the EU if he was not the Prime Minister says his former guru Steve Hilton, who also attacked the Remain campaigns use of increasingly hysterical and obviously phoney economic scare stories Meanwhile the Prime Minister claims today that the elderly could see their pensions hit and lose their carers if Britain leaves the EU. He tells Saga magazine a Brexit vote would put your pension at risk if the economy nosedives. Mr Cameron also claims a vote to leave would threaten the future of the 100,000 EU workers in the health and care sector, saying it could cause some to return home. And he insisted in another interview that victory by even a single vote in the referendum would settle the issue for good. The latest extraordinary claims were dismissed last night by Brexit campaigners, who said there was no evidence that leaving the EU would hit pensions or reduce access to care. Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the Vote Leave campaign, said the value of pensions depends on the performance of the economy which will become even stronger once we leave. And he said there was no question of throwing out Europeans who are already living here. Earlier Mr Hilton also hit out at the Remain campaigns use of increasingly hysterical and obviously phoney economic scare stories to frighten people half to death. The Prime Minister tells Saga magazine a Brexit vote 'would put your pension at risk' if the economy nosedives, which Brexit campaigners deny Speaking at an event in London, Mr Hilton said the numbers being produced by the government were literally made up. I know because I used to do that stuff, he told an audience at the think tank Policy Exchange. You cant believe a word these people are with these stupid made up bombshell phoney claims. Its not fact its speculation about the future. The decision to refocus Brexit warnings towards older people reflects concerns they are more likely to vote to leave. A poll by Saga yesterday found that the over-50s would vote for Brexit by a margin of 45 per cent to 41. The study also found that 90 per cent of older people plan to vote in the referendum. Mr Camerons latest warnings came as he insisted that victory by a single vote in the EU referendum would settle the issue for good. The Prime Minister also launched an urgent hunt for young voters who could swing the contest in his favour - saying they were his greatest concern. He is to pour huge taxpayer-funded resources into tracking them down over the next week. Speaking at the G7 summit in Japan, Mr Cameron sought to quash the idea that he needs a decisive victory on June 23 to bring a close to the EU debate raging inside his party and the country. He said he had no doubt some MPs whose core belief is to quit Brussels club would continue to pursue it. But he said that, when it came to the referendum result, they had to accept that a win is a win. He told reporters on the plane to Japan: A referendum is based on a simple majority. There are some people for whom their lifes work and core belief is that Britain must get out of Europe. I have respect for people who have a strong view and do everything (they) can to pursue that. That is not my view. I am sure there will be some people who go on making that argument. Mr Camerons last-ditch drive to find and register younger voters shows that, despite leading in the polls, nerves continue to jangle inside No10 . Mr Cameron, pictured at the G7 in Japan, sought to quash the idea that he needs a decisive victory on June 23 to bring a close to the EU debate raging inside his party and the country Experts believe a low turnout will favour the Leave camp, whose core supporters are considered to be more passionate. Strategists in No 10 and Britain Stronger in Europe believe a turnout of 50 per cent or more provides their best chance of success Laying bare his fears, Mr Cameron said: One thing on the campaign front that is my greatest concern is doing everything best week on getting young people to vote. This is absolutely a vote about their future. It will determine the sort of country they grow up in. At the last election turnout among young people was 40 per cent rather than 60 per cent. We are going to do everything we can to encourage them to register. It is a vote for your life. The PM will use the two-day summit to once again urge world leaders to back his case for Remain. Mr Cameron also aimed a blow at Michael Gove - saying the Justice Secretary had made the decisive slip of the campaign when he said Leave wanted Britain to quit the single market. Passengers onboard a domestic flight in New Zealand were terrified when they realised an airplane door had come open mid-air. James Snowden, who was on the flight from Kaitaia to Auckland yesterday afternoon, described the incident as 'bloody scary.' 'When we jumped on the ground, crew in Kaitaia had trouble closing the door. I could see a slightly concerned look on his face, but [he] shut it anyway and had no problems even though it was a bit bumpy to Whangarei,' he told TVNZ. A picture of the door that came open mid-air during a domestic flight in New Zealand on Wednesday Passenger James Snowden said the door opened as the plane passed through a patch of rough weather After touching down for a scheduled stop in Whangarei - roughly halfway through the journey - the pilot closed the door from Mr Snowden's seat before taking off again. 'I asked, 'Are you sure that door is shut?' Due to my earlier concerns in Kaitaia,' Mr Snowden told TVNZ. The pilot told him there was 'no problem.' But as the aircraft approached Auckland, passing through rough weather, things took a turn for the worse. The door opened partially and air rushed into the cabin. 'We must have been over Whangaparaoa when a whole lot of air started coming from the door and it got very loud, I said 'oi' to the pilot as it got louder, he said 'it was to release pressure', but it was an unpressurised plane,' Mr Snowden said. The Barrier Air plane pictured at Kaitaia airport. Just before the plane reached Auckland one of the aircraft's doors came ajar The flight left Kaitaia about 4.30pm on Wednesday. As the aircraft approached Auckland things took a turn for the worse The plane then circled Auckland International Airport before landing safely. The crew and pilot disembarked, but Mr Snowden said the pilot was seen breathing very deeply near the wing of the plane. A spokesperson for Barrier Air told Daily Mail Australia the incident was a 'non-event' that had been blown out of proportion. He said the airplane landed safely and the company had nothing else to add. Barrier Air operates passenger and freight services to a number of locations in New Zealand's North Island. The Piper Chieftain is the airline's fastest plane and can seat between seven and eight passengers, according to the Barrier Air website. Rather worryingly the question on Missourians list was 'Am I a psycho?' Georgians googled 'why are my nipples so sore' more than any other state While Texans wanted to know 'how does sex work', 'how to yodel' and 'do girls poop?' They were also curious to know 'Where is the internet?' Floridians had been curious to know 'Why does everyone hate Florida?' Map shows questions asked by each state on Google more than any other A new map has revealed the weird and wonderful questions googled by each state more than any other. Some of the oddest queries were asked by Texans who had wanted to know 'how does sex work', 'how to yodel' and 'do girls poop?'They were also curious to know 'Where is the internet?' Other states had posed rather more insidious questions. Missourians last year wondered 'Am I a psycho?' while anyone planning a trip to Delaware should know that the state searched for 'how to get away with murder' more than any other. The map, created by Estately, was compiled from a list of the most popular questions googled by Americans every year. 'Where is the internet?' Estately compiles map of weird and wonderful questions each state googles more than any other They were then broken down by state in a graphic which reveals the differences between citizens of each state. Some were predictable. Californians wanted to know if honey was vegan, if bread makes you fat and, of course, where the nearest Starbucks was. Other common questions included 'am I asexual?', 'Is karma real?' and 'Is Bernie Sanders a vegan?' Famously neurotic New Yorkers questions mostly concerned t themselves, such as 'Am I bisexual?' 'Am I an alcoholic?' and 'Am I a democrat?' Other questions were truly bizarre. Georgians wanted to know, both why their 'nipples are so sore' and 'was Jesus black'? while people in Mississippi were busy googling whether President Obama 'is the antichrist?' and wondering if mermaids are real. Another mythical question was posed by internet users in Tennesse who asked 'are unicorns real?'. Residents also posed the distinctly less magical question; 'what is the clap?' Some of the questions citizens asked Google were predictable. Californians wanted to know if honey was vegan, if bread makes you fat and, of course, where the nearest Starbucks was Citizens in Montana, Michigan and New Jersey appeared to be panicked about the presidential election. Montanans googled both 'How to move to Canada?' and 'Is Bernie Sanders out?', while in Michigan, people wanted to know if Trump is 'presidential' and where Canada was. In New Jersey, they had searched for 'How to stop Trump?' Poor Floridians appear to be having a crisis of confidence, searching for both 'Why are Americans so stupid?' and ' Why does everyone hate Florida?' Kentuckians googled both 'what is hemp' and 'how to pass a drug test', while Kansas wanted to know 'how to make meth.' Idaho citizens wondered what 'does Netflix and chill mean' before asking if the streaming site was down. And Arizona seemed to be having some technical problems too as residents asked 'Why is my computer so slow?' He was arrested over elaborate stunt beleived to be for an upcoming film Zdorovetskiy waved a flag when he got to the top which read 'I'm back' A YouTube prankster has been arrested for scaling the Hollywood sign in an elaborate stunt. Vitaly Zdorovetskiy had scaled the letter 'D' of the iconic sign in Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday evening at just after 6pm wearing camouflage. When he got to the top, he unfurled a banner which read 'I'm back'. The 24-year-old stayed on the Hollywood sign for almost an hour recording his video blog. Scroll down for video A YouTube prankster has been arrested for scaling the Hollywood sign in an elaborate stunt The stunt caught the attention of local TV stations and Los Angeles Police Department who arrived in scene and managed to coax the Russian-born prankster down. Zdorovetskiy was arrested for trespassing at around 6.40pm while another man, who was spotted climbing up the hill towards the sign was also taken into custody. A fan, Thomas Ryan, had posted a picture of himself posing with the prankster near the Hollywood sign earlier this evening. On the caption he wrote: 'Went to Hollywood sign w/ family. On way down we ran into @Vitalyzdtv. Soon after he was arrested for climbing sign!' In a short video clip, Ryan had filmed himslef asking Zdorovetskiy what he was planning to do. Zdorovetskiy had scaled the letter 'D' of the iconic sign in Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday evening at just after 6pm wearing camouflage YouTube star Vitaly Zdorovetskiy (pictured on the top of the D) had climbed the Hollywood sign on Wednesday The stunt caught the attention of local TV stations and Los Angeles Police Department who arrived in scene and managed to coax the Russian-born prankster down 'Climb the Hollywood sign,' the YouTube star replied. 'The D is going to under me.' Zdorovetskiy, whose movie Natural Born Pranksters was released on Amazon Video and iTunes in April, had written on Twitter on Tuesday that he was filming a huge stunt the next day. On Tuesday, he teased to his Twitter following that he was filming a 'huge stunt' the next day. The 45ft high Hollywood sign, in California, is closed to the public and is patrolled by park rangers and LAPD officers. Zdorovetskiy, who was born in Murmansk, Russia before his family emigrated to Florida, had his first taste of commercial success in 2012 with a video named Miami Zombie Attack Prank! Inspired by the cannibal attack of a homeless man in Miami in May 2012, the prankster dressed up as a zombie and attempted to scare the residents of Miami's poor neighborhoods. The video went viral and was viewed more than 30 million times catapulting Zdorovetskiy into the most viewed YouTubers on the internet. On his Facebook page, earlier this month, the star said he was planning to return to Miami for Memorial Day Weekend and would be 'Bringing old school back..#8streetshaniquas.' The YouTuber, who was wearing camouflage gear and a head mounted camera told a fan he was planning to climb the sign Zdorovetskiy has previously had a brush with law enforcement during the filming of his Russian Hitman Prank. Both he and his cameraman Jonathan Vanegas, ended up in jail after they pulled a hoax bomb attack in Boca Raton, Florida, which went disastrously wrong. The prank involved Zdorovetskiy dressed in a smart suit approaching people in the street with a briefcase which he claimed contained a bomb that was set to go off in less than a minute. But it ended in disaster when victim Andre Brown failed to see the funny side. After the prankster admitted the bomb was a hoax, Brown chased after the two men and appeared to pull cameraman Vanegas to the ground before the video cut out. It resumed with Brown screaming: 'You trying to get a laugh? I'm not a motherf****r you laugh at.' after the two men and appears to pull came he video sho A group of surfers risked their lives to ride immense 15 foot waves on Wednesday as massive swells hit Cronulla in Sydney's south. Perfect southerly swell, ideal periods between waves and a vigorous low pressure system combined to deliver some of the largest rideable waves Australia has seen in the past decade. Footage taken at a secluded reef break just north of Cronulla - appropriately known by locals as 'Voodoo' - showed gutsy surfers taking on slabs of surging water over triple their size. Scroll down for videos A man on a jetski throws his hands in the air as an enormous 15-foot set powers through a Cronulla break A handful of brave surfers charged the exposed reef break known to locals as 'Voodoo' Kipp Caddy, from Cronulla, (pictured) was one of a small handful of surfers who had the courage to paddle out at the break Footage shows Mr Caddy getting hit by six walls of whitewater in a row after wiping out on a 12 foot wave Perfect southerly swell and a vigorous low pressure system combined to deliver the massive waves Surfers needed to be towed in on jetskis to have a chance of surviving the monster Cronulla swell A second surge of huge swell is set to hit the NSW coast on Friday afternoon, but it will be short-lived and should pass through by Sunday Kipp Caddy, from Cronulla, was one of a small handful of surfers who had the courage to paddle out at the rare break - which features a powerful left and right-hander that crashes over a rocky reef. 'I went out there solo and it was around ten to 15 foot. I caught a pretty genuine set maybe around 12 foot (but) I was caught too deep and the wave ran me down!,' he told Daily Mail Australia. After the dramatic wipeout, Mr Caddy found himself in the dreaded impact zone, where he copped the brunt of six enormous set waves on the head. 'It was pretty scary ... I was under for a long time on one particular wave,' he said. Rosemary Barr, a meteorologist from the Bureau of Meteorology, told Daily Mail Australia that the huge waves were the result of a well placed Tasman low and a high pressure system on land. '(The big waves came from) a very strong low pressure system to the southeast of Tasmania,' she said. 'That drove southerly winds, and those generated high seas in that region. As those high seas traveled up north it transitioned into more of a swell.' And while she said a second surge of big swell was due to hit the NSW coast on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, those conditions are expected to pass by quickly. Cronulla was not the only Sydney beach that copped the immense swell on Wednesday 25th May. Pictured is a bank known as 'Germans', a fifteen minute paddle from Long Reef Beach Surfers shared towering bodies of water with the wildlife, as dolphins poked through their heads through waves Only a handful of surfers braved the conditions at Long Reef's 'German' bank, on Sydney's northern beaches Rocky: Surfers had to contend with more than just huge waves at Cronulla - the break has a dangerous rocky reef underneath it 'Germans': A bank that exists in the middle of nowhere, a fifteen minute paddle from the nearest rocks at Long Reef Beach on Sydney's northern beaches Further north on the NSW coastline, photographers had a field day as similar sized waves passed through a bank named 'Germans' - a fifteen minute paddle from Long Reef beach. A number of surfers were captured sharing 15 foot waves with dolphins who playfully jumped in and out of the choppy water. And NSW was not the only state to receive monster swell - over the weekend powerful storms lashed the west Australian coast, turning the ocean into a foamy pit of water. About 60,000 households in Perth were left without power and winds of over 110 kilometres per hour were recorded, but that did little to stop a group of extreme surfers dicing with death at Canal Rock, three hour's south of Perth, Wearing wetsuits, the group climbed over a bridge to ride a massive storm-triggered swell, with little regard for safety or protection. An onlooker named Ryan, 34, said: 'Sure, it's dangerous and things go wrong, but I would say they are local guys that are fit, confident and having some fun. 'I would have had a go myself if I had a wetsuit.' Over the weekend powerful storms lashed the west Australian coast These daredevil surfers were pictured risking their lives to catch the storm-triggered swell Wearing wetsuits, the group climbed over a bridge to ride the waves Hundreds of mourners paid their final respects to the 11-year-old Tuesday Josue was was stabbed to death walking home from school last week But, authorities stressed it may not be connected to Josue Flores' death Police recovered it and said it will be processed for evidence and tested A small knife was recovered by police just blocks from the murder scene of where an 11-year-old Houston boy was stabbed to death as he walked home from school last week. The knife was removed from a storm drain on Wednesday after a woman saw it on North Main and Henry, and notified police, authorities said. Houston Police Department spokesman John Cannon has stressed the knife may not be connected to the stabbing death of Josue Flores, who was laid to rest on Tuesday. Scroll down for video A small knife was recovered by police just blocks from the murder scene of where an 11-year-old Josue Flores was stabbed to death as he walked home from school last week The knife was removed from a storm drain on Wednesday after a woman saw it on North Main and Henry, and notified police, authorities said Josue (pictured) was stabbed multiple times and collapsed at the side of the road in Houston before dying later in hospital last week The knife was found about seven blocks from where Josue was attacked by an unknown man on May 17, according to the Houston Chronicle. 'We're giving away very vague descriptions about it because we're looking for people who know specifics about the knife,' Cannon said. 'The knife may not have anything to do with this investigation or any crime. It could just be a knife someone lost.' The woman who spotted the knife, Yolanda Arteaga, said she was walking and saw something shiny inside the storm drain. 'Like I told the officials, I'm not sure it's the knife that killed the kid but right now any evidence is good to find the killer,' she told KPRC. When it was recovered, the knife was described as being covered in mud and authorities would not say if blood was found on it. Police are set to run tests to see how long the knife had been inside the drain and are searching the neighborhood for anyone who may have video evidence of owned the knife. Officials gather around the storm drain where the knife was found on Wednesday. Houston Police Department spokesman John Cannon has stressed the knife may not be connected to the stabbing death of Josue The woman who spotted the knife, Yolanda Arteaga (pictured), said she was walking and saw something shiny inside the storm drain When it was recovered, the knife was described as being covered in mud and authorities would not say if blood was found on it The knife was found about seven blocks from where Josue was attacked by an unknown man on May 17 Josue's family (his sister Lupita Flores pictured above) is hoping the knife is the weapon in order for police to have more clues about the killer At this time, authorities said there have bee no new developments in the case. Texas police are still hunting for his killer. Meanwhile, Josue's family is hoping today's discovery is the weapon in order for police to have more clues about the killer. 'I hope and pray that it is a the weapon, and I hope that all the evidence stayed in tact so they can get something on it,' Lupita Flores, Josue's sister, told KPRC. The sixth-grader was walking home from a science club meeting at Marshall Middle School near Fulton and James on May 17 when he was attacked and stabbed multiple times. Josue, who collapsed at the side of the road, was transported to hospital with multiple stab wounds where he later died. His haunting last moments before the stabbing were captured on a household CCTV camera just two blocks away. The footage was released this week. On Tuesday, the boy's devastated family led hundreds of mourners at his funeral. More than 500 people packed into the Holy Name Catholic Church in Texas to say a final goodbye to Josue. Josue was laid to rest on Tuesday. Juan Flores Sr., leans over to his son goodbye after 11-year-old Josue Flores was stabbed as he walked home from school Juan Flores Jr., is comforted during a funeral service for his brother Josue Flores at Historic Hollywood Cemetery, Tuesday, May 24 Maria Flores (second from left) and her husband Juan Flores Sr., along with other family members, wait for the casket of their son to be blessed before a Mass at Holy Name Catholic Church Josue was captured on CCTV walking home from school last Tuesday afternoon just moments before he was stabbed to death in a random attack Family and friends of Josue gathered at La Paz Memorial Funeral Home where the boy's distraught father Juan Flores Sr. tenderly kissed his son goodbye. A funeral procession, led by police on motorcycles with a dozen black SUVs and limos, continued to Holy Name Catholic Church where hundreds of mourners were waiting, many dressed in blue and white wearing t-shirts bearing Josue's name. Father Anil Thomas blessed the casket of the murdered child on church steps as he called for mourners to be 'united in prayer and god can help us to overcome all of our sorrows.' 'It's like a wound that's still left open and we pray that will close quickly for the family,' Stella Mireles, who attended funeral, added. Josue's older brother said the family, particularly his mother Maria, were struggling to come to terms with the loss of the vibrant youngster. Josue's mother Maria Flores tosses flowers into the grave of her son at the end of his funeral service on Tuesday, May 24 A priest blesses the coffin of Josue Flores in front of family and friends before the Mass at his funeral Tributes, flowers and a photo of the young boy were carried to his grave site at Historic Hollywood Cemetery Flowers are tossed into the grave of Josue Flores who was stabbed to death in Houston last week as he walked home from school 'I think today is when it's finally going to feel real,' he told ABC News. 'I wake up believing it's just a horrible dream, that I'll wake up and be able to see my brother again, talk to him about this. But when the burial is over it's something I have to accept. That it's reality.' A mariachi band played inside the church during the emotional Catholic Mass before Josue's casket was transported to the Historic Hollywood Cemetery on North Main to be laid to rest. Earlier in the day, before the schoolboy's emotional funeral, new surveillance video was released showing Josue's final moments before he was brutally attacked. The footage, captured on a neighbor's household CCTV camera, showed him walking home from middle school exactly a week ago wearing a distinctive green backpack, KHOU reports. Just two blocks away from where this was filmed the sixth-grader was fatally stabbed. On Monday night a wake was held for Flores with 325 people turning out and vowing to do everything possible to help catch the person responsible. Mayor Sylvester Turner had appealed for the public's help in catching the killer earlier in the day, with Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson adding his voice too. Police arrested Che Calhoun, 31, the day after the killing after multiple witnesses said they saw him fleeing the scene but dramatically dropped the charges against him a day later after his alibi checked out Anderson said: 'There is a monster who is out among us. You may know who he is. Your conscience needs to be your guide.' Authorities said DNA testing of evidence from the scene is being expedited. Officers believed they had captured Flores' killer when they arrested Che Calhoun, 31, last Wednesday after multiple people said they had seen him fleeing the scene. However, charges against Calhoun were dramatically dropped the following day after cops found witnesses and physical evidence showing he was miles away in a south Houston suburb at the time of the murder. 'We wound up locating several witnesses from his alibi, interviewing them, and late last night wound up recovering physical evidence and showed he was down in Pearland and could not have been at the location where the murder occurred,' Houston Homicide Lieutenant Robert Blain said. Pearland is located about 16 miles from Houston. Residents in the neighborhood where Josue was stabbed held rallies demanding justice for the slain schoolboy. Hundreds of people took to the streets on Sunday demanding justice for Josue as his sister told reporters that 'he would want everybody to come together as one to find whoever did this' Grown men wept in the street as they chanted slogans demanding justice before laying tributes at a makeshift memorial on the spot where Josue was attacked Those who live in the neighborhood have said they are scared that the killer is still on the loose His sister, Guadalupe Flores, told ABC 13: 'It's about love. My brother wanted everybody to be together, to come together. 'I know he would want everybody to come together as one to find whoever did this. 'It's not about race. It's not about color. It's not about anything. We're all brothers and sisters in Christ, no matter the color. No matter what you've done in your life, it's all about love.' Grown men openly wept as hundreds of demonstrators walked down the street chanting, before laying tributes at a makeshift shrine at the spot where Josue was attacked. Last Friday, neighbors revealed they are scared that the killer is at large and want him caught as soon as possible. Several witnesses told officers on Tuesday they heard loud screaming and saw Josue struggling with a man. A bystander alerted police and the boy was taken to the hospital with multiple stab wounds before he died a short time later. Christopher Martinez, 14, was one of the many people to lay flowers at the spot where Josue was killed while walking home from middle school on Tuesday last week Lesa Mendes, Josue's grandmother, is comforted by Maria Cristina Sepulveda as she views a makeshift memorial set up for the schoolboy at the spot where he died Court documents showed three people described Calhoun as the man seen fleeing from the scene. Police obtained an arrest warrant and federal marshals arrested him on Wednesday. Blain said his detectives 'don't rely solely on eyewitness identification', noting that Calhoun was identified by a witness presented with a photo lineup. Omar Garza, 18, said last Friday that he was the person who identified Calhoun in the photo lineup and that he still believes he identified the right person. His mother, Patricia Garza, 39, said crime, including robberies and drug dealing, has steadily increased in the neighborhood where she's lived her entire life - and that Josue's killing has left her 'really scared'. She is also concerned for her son's safety and fears possible retaliation against him. The suspect police are now looking for is a black man who is about 180 to 220 pounds and six feet tall, who wore a black shirt and black pants and had a green jacket draped over his shoulder. 'This was a horrendous crime,' Acting Police Chief Martha Montalvo said. 'We're going to do our due diligence. We're not going to stop. We're going to do what we need to do to resolve this.' More than a dozen residents gathered last week at the site where Josue collapsed and where a growing memorial of balloons, candles and stuffed animals sits under a tent. Residents of the Houston neighborhood where Josue was killed said they didn't feel safe knowing that his attacker was still at large Police and the mayor of Houston have appealed to the public to help catch Josue's killer (pictured, his green backpack at the scene of the murder) People dropped cash in containers to help his family with expenses for his funeral. Michael Harrison, the principal at Marshall Middle School, told KTRK earlier this week Josue was a 'very quiet, very respectful' child. 'Just a joy and a pleasure to have around. And so I just really feel saddened by the situation,' Harrison added. Many of those who attended the vigil last Friday said they were upset and scared to learn his killer remained at large. 'I don't feel safe right now,' said Maria Tenorio, 48, who has three sons. 'As a mother, this hurt me that this happened.' Tenorio said she believed someone saw the killer and implored them to call the police. Patricia Cerna, 52, who lives next door to where the boy was attacked, said she heard his cries and saw the assailant run from the scene but wasn't able to see his face. A neighbor chased the attacker in his car but lost him after the man crossed some railroad tracks, she said. Meanwhile, Cerna rushed outside to the wounded boy. A resident who complained to council about a quaint Melbourne bookshop and ultimately forced it to close its doors has been revealed as a local art dealer who is believed to have been upset about the 'visual noise' the business brought to the street. The owners of Bookhouse in St Kilda will move out next month after the resident complained the second-hand book store was trading illegally in a residential street. Art dealer Chris Ogden, who lives near the bookshop, lodged a complaint with Port Phillip Council back in August last year. Melbourne art dealer Chris Ogden lodged a complaint with Port Phillip Council back in August last year about Bookhouse in St Kilda trading illegally on a residential street Mayor Bernadene Voss confirmed the complaint 'touched on the amenity impacts of a shop operating on a residential street' but was mainly about the shop trading illegally under council zoning laws. Mr Odgen, who works as an art dealer and was pictured out having coffee near his home on Thursday, did not want to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia. Bookhouse owners Ben Kemp and Margot McCartney, who lease the premises at 52 Robe Street, said they can't understand how a bookstore could have upset the resident who complained given the area is known for controversial businesses, including sex shops. There were claims Mr Ogden had concerns about the property owner wanting to open a cafe and he objected to the lights coming from the shop at night. The property owner is believed to have applied for a cafe license a few years back before Bookhouse signed a nine year lease for the premises. 'We were aware of the neighbour's unhappiness from two years ago - he did say he thought a spaceship had landed next door,' Mr Kemp told Daily Mail Australia earlier this week. 'I said I was sorry, I don't set up bookshops to cause people grief and we didn't hear anything after that.' The owners of Bookhouse in St Kilda will move out next month after a resident complained that the second-hand book store was trading illegally in a residential street The council confirmed the complaint - made by Mr Ogden - 'touched on the amenity impacts of a shop operating on a residential street' but was mainly about the shop trading illegally under council zoning laws Ben Kemp and Margot McCartney, the owners of Bookhouse in Melbourne's St Kilda, say they are gutted to be forced out of the premises at St Kilda Mr Kemp believes the resident who complained was unhappy with the 'visual noise' the book shop brings to the suburban street. 'We trawled through history and when he bought his house 12 years ago, this shop was an Arabic video store so he would have known it was a business.' Mr Kemp received a notice from the council nine months ago notifying them they were not allowed to trade in a residential area under zoning laws. 'We were unaware it was a residential zone. We had to go through the process of proving existing use rights - we supplied council with all sorts of information in support of that but it wasn't satisfactory,' Mr Kemp said. The owner of the property where the bookshop is had to prove it had been operating as a shop for 15 years without a break bigger than two years in order to continue trading. Councillor Voss said the council had to reject the certificate because the property owner was was unable to provide the required evidence. Mr Kemp said he understood the premises had operated as a shop since back in the 1920s. Residents had informed him it was a milk bar before more recently becoming a video store, a homewares shop and a gallery. The second-hand bookshop is located next to a convenience store on Robe Street in St Kilda. It has already been in business for more than two years The bookshop owner believes Mr Ogden was unhappy with the 'visual noise' the book shop brings to the suburban street. The art dealer did not want to comment to Daily Mail Australia Council has since informed the property owner that if he decides to appeal, the bookshop can continue to trade until the tribunal decision is handed down He claims council were able to justify the closure of his book store because a costume-maker had occupied the store from 2009 to 2012 and they weren't convinced she used it as a shop. 'A council officer met the land and business owners at the book shop in September 2015. The land owner said he intended to apply for a Certificate of Compliance from council's statutory planning unit seeking acknowledgement for 'existing use rights' so he could continue to use the land for a shop in the general residential zone,' Cr Voss said. 'Unfortunately, council had to refuse to issue the certificate in March 2016 as the land owner was unable to provide the required evidence that the land had been used as a 'shop' for at least 15 years without a break longer than two years during that timeframe. 'As part of our assessment and investigation, we found that 'existing rights use' did not exist as a shop had not operated continuously.' The couple will move out by June 5, but the landlord is considering whether to appeal the decision with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. A teenager in New York playing hooky from school with friends died Wednesday after he spent an hour trapped in the water at a beach. The 19-year-old boy skipped classes at Newtown High School in Elmhurst along with two other teens to spend the day at Rockaway Beach in Queens, the New York Daily News reported. 'He said he could swim but he kept going out deeper,' one of the boy's friends told the Daily News. He reportedly was caught in a strong rip tide near the rock jetty around 2.40pm and remained there until rescue crews found him about 3.30pm face down in the waves. Scroll down for video Tragic: A teenager in New York playing hooky from school with friends died Wednesday after he spent an hour trapped in the ocean The 19-year-old boy skipped classes at Newtown High School in Elmhurst along with two other teens to spend the day at Rockaway Beach in Queens Firefighters tried desperately to save his life by administering CPR on top of a rescue surfboard while they were being pulled to land. However, the teen was tragically pronounced dead on arrival at St Johns Hospital. According to the Daily News, the group of friends 'had been joking around, drinking and running in and out of the surf when the 19-year-old was swept away.' 'They were being really rowdy and breaking beer bottles,' witness Matthew Martin, told the newspaper. When two of the boys realized their friend was missing they got scared and did not want to call 911 because they feared getting in trouble, witnesses said. 'They didn't want to call the police,' Colleen Zou, who is an off-duty EMT, told the Daily News. 'We told them they had to call 911 when they said their friend was missing. They were scared.' FDNY Deputy Chief Joseph Cunningham told NBC New York the water is deceptively deep in that stretch of the beach, and he believes that played a role in the teen's drowning. He reportedly was caught in a strong rip tide near the rock jetty around 2.40pm and remained there until rescue crews found him about 3.30pm face down in the waves 'This particular beach down by the jetty, a sandbar will form around it, you'll walk out and you'll think you're fine, the water will be up to your waist,' he said. 'And before you know it, the sandbar will end and you drop off -- the water drops eight to 10 to 12 feet. We believe that's what happened to the victim.' Lifeguards were not on duty at the beach Wednesday afternoon, as it won't officially be staffed until Saturday when beaches open for the summer season. They will be on duty from 10am to 6pm seven days a week. An Imam has slammed Muslim extremists who claim that their religion stops them from standing before magistrates in court. Marsden Park mosque Imam Inamul ul-Haq Kauser maintained that there was nothing in the Holy Koran to suggest that it is wrong to stand before a judge in court, The Daily Telegraph reported. Imam Kauser's comments were in response to supporters of the so-called 'tinnie terrorists' who allegedly attempted to sail a boat from Australia to eventually join the Islamic State. Scroll down for video Marsden Park mosque Imam Inamul ul-Haq Kause said there should always be 'respect for the magistrate' When the five accused appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court earlier this month, their supporters refused to stand in the courtroom as the magistrate entered. One even said that showing such respect to the magistrate would 'make her equal to god'. Alleged Sydney jihadist Milad bin Ahmad-Shah al-Ahmadzai has also refused to stand in court. But it was a stance that Imam Kauser believed held no substance at all in the Muslim religion and said that 'they should show respect for the law of the land'. 'You have to give respect to the court, they should have respect for the magistrate,' he said. Alleged jihadist Milad bin Ahmad-Shah al-Ahmadzai has also refused to stand in court 'Even when the schoolteacher walks in, you stand. It is a hallmark of Islamic teaching. They should show respect for the law of the land and respect for the official. 'The decision for these people to remain seated goes against the Islamic teachings of loving the country where you reside.' New laws are now being considered by the NSW Government that would see offenders acting in this way be jailed for two weeks and fined $1100. Judges and magistrates may only order disrespecting visitors from the courtroom, issue a warning or demand an apology. Rapper T.I. has released a statement lamenting the shooting that left one dead and three wounded at his gig in New York City on Wednesday night. A 33-year-old man died after being shot in the stomach at Irving Plaza concert hall at 10.15pm. Another man survived after being shot in the chest, and another was shot in the leg. A woman, a 26-year-old model from the Bronx, also survived being shot in the leg, and later posted on Facebook: 'I'm SO VERY grateful for life'. T.I., whose real name is Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr., made his first public comments about the incident on Instagram on Thursday. The Atlanta-born 35-year-old said: 'My heart is heavy today. Our music is intended to save lives, like it has mine and many others. My heartfelt condolences to the family that suffered the loss & my prayers are with all those injured. Respectfully, Tip.' An aspiring rapper has been arrested for his role in the shooting, charged with attempted murder and criminal possession of two weapons. The arrest came a few hours before New York City's police commissioner Bill Bratton called rap artists 'basically thugs'. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO T.I. sent the above tweet on Thursday afternoon in reference to the fatal shooting at Irving Plaza Surveillance footage at Irving Plaza captured the moment the gunman, believed to be aspiring rapper Troy Ave, stormed into the backstage VIP area The gunman, thought to be Troy Ave, stopped and aimed the weapon at someone who is not pictured within the scope of the camera, and fired one shot Shots fired: A gunshot rang out as revelers dived for cover and a woman was heard screaming in pain After pulling the trigger, the gunman, thought to be Troy Ave, then can be seen in the video running moments later with a man following close behind him Cell phone footage shows the chaos that unfolded after shots were fired inside a concert venue where rapper T.I. was performing. One person was killed and three people were wounded in the shooting Gunshots can be heard on video taken using a cell phone in a small area backstage. T.I was getting ready for his set when the gun shots rang out Revelers are seen running and ducking for cover while a woman is heard screaming 'my leg, my leg' The city's top cop slammed rappers' actions in a WCBS radio interview as footage emerged of the chaos that unfolded as the shots were fired inside Irving Plaza. 'The crazy world of these so-called rap artists who are basically thugs that basically celebrate violence they did all their lives.' Bratton said. 'Unfortunately, that violence often times manifests itself during their performances.' He added: 'The background of a lot of these young people, they are significant artists in that world but unfortunately the lifestyles that they lived often time follows them into the entertainment world and the success they have in it.' Brooklyn-based rapper Troy Ave, whose real name is Roland Collins, was arrested for his role in the shooting on Friday. He accidentally shot himself in the leg during the melee. Surveillance video of the incident shows a gunman entering the backstage VIP area with two other men before firing one shot and then fleeing. On cell phone video, gunshots can be heard in the small area backstage. Revelers are seen running and ducking for cover while a woman is heard screaming 'my leg, my leg' in the video. MODEL, 26, WHO WAS SHOT IN THE LEG DURING BIRTHDAY WEEK PARTY AT THE T.I. CONCERT AS SHE HUNG OUT WITH THE RAPPER BACKSTAGE Maggie Carrie Heckstall, 26, was shot in the leg during the T.I. concert. The event was part of her week-long birthday celebration. She was backstage with T.I. and 10 other people when two men got into a fight. Heckstall, a model from the Bronx, took to Facebook and Instagram on Thursday to assure friends she was ok. 'I'm SO VERY grateful for life,' she wrote. Survivor: Maggie Carrie Heckstall, 26, was shot in the leg during the T.I. concert 'I'm SO VERY grateful for life,' she wrote on Instagram. The model was backstage with T.I. when she was shot The event was part of Heckstall's week-long birthday celebration Advertisement Troy, who was set to perform at the show, had a beef with Maino, the New York Daily News reported. He had just left the stage when at least five shots rang out, sources said. The source told the newspaper: 'There is clear video, very graphic video. He walks right out, women all around, and starts shooting his gun,' a source said. 'It's an ongoing rap group rivalry, him and Maino.' Authorities said Thursday that 33-year-old Ronald McPhatter was fatally shot in the stomach during Wednesday night's shooting. His brother, Shanduke McPhatter, runs an anti-violence nonprofit called Gangstas Making Astronomical Community Changes. He hasn't returned a message. In addition, police say 26-year-old Maggie Heckstall was shot in the leg and 34-year-old Christopher Vinson was shot in the chest. Collins, Heckstall and Vinson are in stable condition. Investigators say it doesn't appear T.I. was involved in the dispute. Live Hoffman, 19, was in the balcony VIP area to the left of the stage when the shooting happened. She said there had been some kind of argument between two groups of people before the shooting. Rapper T.I is seen alongside Anderson .Paak backstage before his appearance at Irving Plaza in New York. His performance was cancelled before he could make it onto the stage Aspiring rapper Troy Ave (pictured) has been arrested for his role in the shooting. He accidentally shot himself in the leg during the chaos Christopher Vinson, 34, was shot in the chest. His condition is not known Ronald McPhatter, 33, (left and right) was fatally shot in the stomach during Wednesday night's shooting Family of shot dead victim: Shanduke McPhatter, left, brother of Ronald McPhatter, and his mother Rose McPhatter, right, are surrounded by supporters during a news conference outside of Irving Plaza on Thursday A girl she had been talking to was one of the victims. 'The girl next to me was shot point blank, and men picked her up and carried her out,' Hoffman said, still shaken by the events that unfolded right in front of her. 'For two-to-three minutes we still heard firing, still heard shots, we were clutching each other making sure no one was getting hit.' Hoffman added: 'I ran out, just trying to look for my friends, just trying to see if everyone was OK. Everyone was hysterical.' Police said metal detectors were set up at Irving Plaza, a 1,025-person ballroom-style music venue, but witnesses said security getting into the concert was lax. Elijah Rodriguez was attending the concert with his sister and they were in the VIP area by the stage. He said T.I. was supposed to go on stage at 9pm or 9.30pm but 'he never showed up'. Rappers Maino and Uncle Murda had been performing on stage at the time of the shooting. He said that about 10pm the venue started playing music again, and at about 10.15pm, he saw a line of people coming out from where the performers were coming onstage. 'All the sudden I heard someone saying that there was a shot, that someone got shot,' Rodriguez said. Rodriguez did not actually hear the shots himself. 'It was scary to deal with. When I got outside, like literally across the street, there were a few girls having, like, panic attacks,' Rodriguez said. 'One girl thought she saw someone get shot in front of her,' he said, adding that T.I. was not onstage when the shots were fired. Mayhem ensued inside the venue after gunshots rang out causing panicked concertgoers to flee for safety This image taken from a video shows chaotic scenes of concertgoers inside Irving Plaza after the deadly shooting Rappers Maino and Uncle Murda had been performing on stage at the time of the shooting Video shot inside the venue showed a chaotic scene as concertgoers rushed to the sides trying to leave the area as a group of people tended to a person on the floor. 'We saw, like, two people up on the VIP arguing, and then everybody started running because they heard the shots,' one witness told CBS2. 'It was terrifying. We just kept running with everybody else because they were running for their lives, so we just started running, and I fell, and I got stomped on a little bit. My shoe came off.' Another witness told the station: 'We had no idea where it was coming from, so we just were running out for the exit, you know, anywhere we possibly could.' Representatives for T.I., whose real name is Clifford Joseph Harris Jr., said they were referring all questions about the shooting to police. At the time of the shooting, at least 1,000 people were inside the venue, according to PIX11. A concert attendant told the station that no one was searched when they entered the venue. While police said there were metal detectors at the venue, they are investigating how someone apparently made it past with a gun. Following the incident, the building was cleared as police investigated and searched for any other victims. People are seen standing outside Irving Plaza on Wednesday night At the time of the shooting, at least 1,000 people were reportedly inside the venue Early Thursday, Chief of Manhattan South Detectives William Aubry said in a news conference that police have recovered ballistic evidence, according to CBS2. T.I. was set to perform at Irving Plaza and then 1 OAK later on Wednesday, however the NYPD reportedly shut down the club. The 35-year-old Atlanta rapper started in the music business in 2001 and is the founder of Grand Hustle Records. He has released nine studio albums and recorded hits such as Whatever You Like, Live your Life with Rihanna and About the Money with Young Thug. He has also starred in several movies and television shows such as Boss and American Gangster. They are now fighting for the school district to train staff to work better with disabled students After the concert, Joey shared a photo of Jade put off to the side in a rehearsal before the show Jade suffers from Rhett syndrome, an extremely rare neurological disorder that affects both her cognitive and motor functions She said her daughter was also not included in a costume change and was left alone on the stage after show finished at Beaumont Middle School Joey Razzano was upset after her daughter Jade was forgotten that night What was supposed to be a beautiful middle school choir performance turned sour for one mother when she saw that her disabled 13-year-old daughter was stuck singing on the sidelines. Joey Razzano then realized her daughter Jade had also been left off some of the program for the concert at Beaumont Middle School in Oregon. And when the girls began to sing I Love Rock 'N' Roll, they all pulled out red bandanas - except for Jade. Joey had never been instructed to buy her one. When Joey headed home that night, she knew she wanted to turn her anger into change. After Joey Razzano's daughter Jade was left to sing on the sidelines of her choir concert at Beaumont Middle School, she posted this photo of a rehearsal to show how her disabled daughter was frequently left out She turned to social media, posting a photo of Jade during a rehearsal that day with the choir. She is off to the side, sat far away from the group, as a teacher watches their choreography. 'Feeling the inclusion for Jade in the choir. NOT!' Joey captioned the picture. The photo instantly caught the attention of Democratic Oregon state Sen. Sara Gesler. Jade's name was forgotten from the original program. When it was added she appeared at the bottom on the side, often without even a last name Gesler had worked with Joey in the past on senate bills regarding disabilities, and she wrote a letter to Portland Public Schools superintendent Carole Smith the very next day. 'It is clear from the photo that she was not considered a meaningful part of the school community,' Gesler wrote in the Portland Tribune. 'Unfortunately, what [students] learned from this experience (as modeled by Beaumont School officials) is that systemic exclusion is normal and acceptable.' 'Such a lesson to children cannot go unchallenged.' But Gesler, chair of the Senate Human Services and Early Child Committee, said insult was only added to injury when Joey was contacted not by the principal or the music teacher - but by the school's special education director. 'This is not something that happened in a special education classroom,' Gesler told OregonLive.com. 'It was a general education and community issue, but once again the system just automatically siloed her, as if all of her issues belong to the special education department.' Gesler, who has a son with intellectual disabilities, said this exclusion has become all too normal in the community. 'Portland Public Schools, when they talk about their opportunity gap never talk about students with disabilities,' she said. 'All of these things happen all the time and it's hard to see them.' It was physically hard to see Jade at last week's concert, overshadowed by her peers as they stood on the tall risers a few feet above. When Jade's name did appear on the program, it appeared at the bottom and toward the side, sometimes without even a last name. An afterthought after she was left off of the original program. And after the final song, Jade was left alone as the students and teachers exited the stage. Jade suffers from Rhett syndrome, an extremely rare postnatal neurological disorder that almost always affects girls and affects cognitive, sensory, emotional and motor function Joey (pictured with her children) hoped the choir would bring her daughter together with peers her own age 'They didn't get her a second glance,' Joey said. 'My husband had to go up there and get her.' Joey was only further discouraged when she heard audience members make fun of the performance of another student in the choir - a boy with autism. WHAT IS RHETT SYNDROME? Rhett Syndrome is an extremely rare postnatal neurological disorder, with fewer than 1,000 cases per year. It is caused by mutations on the X chromosome and almost always affects girls. The syndrome targets brain function, affecting cognitive, sensory, emotional and motor function. Symptoms usually do not appear until after six to eighteen months of normal development in infancy. Disabilities can range from mild to severe, depending on the location of the mutation on the chromosome. The syndrome can be confirmed with a simple blood test. There is no cure. Source: RhettSyndrome.Org 'So what did the audience learn from that performance? It's okay to have the wheelchair person sitting on the side, and it's okay to make fun of the kid with autism,' she told the Tribune. Joey had hoped that choir would help bring her daughter together with people her own age. Jade suffers from Rhett syndrome, an extremely rare postnatal neurological disorder that affects cognitive, sensory, emotional and motor function. The disorder has left Jade with limited mental and physical capabilities, Joey said. The preteen spends her entire school day in one classroom, and is often left out of field trips and other extracurricular activities. Just last week Jade missed a visit to the Oregon's Children Museum because there were no teachers trained to help her use the bathroom. Joey said she has no plans to sue the school and does not want Jade's music teacher to be fired. Instead she wants to see the district work harder to train staff on how to deal with students with disabilities. And Portland Public Schools spokeswoman Christine Miles said the school is willing to work with parents to make sure everyone feels 'welcome'. 'Can we do things better? Absolutely,' she said. And Joey believes they will. 'I'm optimistic,' she said, 'That this is a great opportunity for change.' Incredible surveillance footage captures the moment a seven-year-old boy tackled an armed robber with a fluffy toy during a robbery. Two masked men in hoodies stormed GameStop, a video game store, in Silver Spring, Maryland at 9pm last Friday. But before they made it to the cashier, one came face-to-face with a child customer. The suspect tries to grab the boy - but the boy punches him twice in the stomach. Brave: This is the moment a seven-year-old boy punched an armed robber in a Maryland game store These are the faces of the suspects, which police found in the surveillance footage and released Unfortunately the child's efforts were not enough. The men pushed him and his mother against a wall then ordered staff at gunpoint to hand over cash and their belongings. They ran out the front of the store, which is just north of Washington D.C., and escaped in a car. However, police praised the efforts of the boy, who used a toy in his valiant act of self-defense. The boy's mother, who did not want to identify herself or her son, told NBC: 'Well, he's tough. He's tough and, you know, I think instincts come out in situations like that.' His father said: 'It was scary. You're never prepared for something like that. You're not. So, you don't wish it on your worst enemy. 'When it's a young child, it's especially upsetting and infuriating for us because there's some innoncence that's lost there and there's some fear introduced into his life that, of course, he doesn't deserve.' Police ask anyone with information relating to the incident to call the police robbery department on 240 773 5070 with tips. To tip anonymously, people are asked to call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free on 866 411 8477. The suspects are described as two men in their 20s, both around 170 pounds and about 5'6" tall. Investigators did not release an estimate of the value of stolen goods. It is not the first time a Maryland GameStop has been the target of a heist. Surveillance footage captures the men walking in, and the little boy can be seen with his back to them (in blue) The suspects are described as two men in their 20s, both around 170 pounds and about 5'6" tall The boy turns and sees the men as he stands dumbfounded clutching a cuddly toy The punch: As the man approached him another camera caught the moment the boy punched him twice The man then pulls the boy to the side and puts him against a wall with his mother The men ordered staff at gunpoint to hand over cash. They ran out the front of the store and escaped in a car There were two heists at GameStop stores in Anne Arundel County - not far from Silver Springs - in January. On January 4, two men stole game systems, cash and phones from a branch in Glen Burnie, which is between Baltimore and Annapolis on the East Coast. Two weeks later another robbery nearby sparked a helicopter car chase. Three armed men stole $1,000-worth of goods from a branch of the store 45 minutes away in Severna Park, a 10-minute drive south of Glen Burnie. The robbery was reported at 6pm on Sunday January 17. It sparked a huge manhunt involving police helicopters and K-9 dogs. According to the Baltimore Sun, shortly after the report was phoned in, a police helicopter spotted a car driving west along the Route 50 with its lights out. The helicopter followed them until they crossed the border from Anne Arundel County into Prince George's County, at which point they abandoned their vehicle and fled on foot. State troopers were deployed to the scene, where they found a car full of stolen goods including multiple X-Boxs and PlayStation consoles. With the help of K-9 sniffer dogs, they tracked down one of the three suspects near the car, then the other two in a nearby residence. Devonte Brooks, 20, Sammie Smith, 21, and Samuel Whitmire, 20, were taken into custody that night. A group of daredevil surfers took on some killer waves for what must have been the ultimate adrenaline rush. The group were filmed on the Canal Rocks in Western Australia last week, during powerful storms with winds up to 100kmh - that left about 60,000 households in Perth without power. Some were braver than others, as they flipped straight off the bridge in to the rushing waters. One man was seen gingerly treading over rocks, holding an inflatable shark. The rapids were rushing at Canal Rocks, in the south of Western Australia - about 250km from Perth The young surfers took full advantage of the adrenaline inducing conditions, in some cases taking an inflatable shark to enjoy the experience with While the shark proved fun and a useful floatation device for a brief time in the surfers' adventure... He wasn't as interested in thrill seeking as the others, and quickly tried to make his escape Some of the group were completely nonchalant about the dangerous waves crashing below them The men tried their best to keep hold of a wakeboard cables attached to the bridge. One broke off and the strength of the tide was clearly visible as he was flung backwards. Filmmaker Ryan Chatfield got this amazing footage on camera of the young surfers battling the elements. Ryan, 34, from Perth, Western Australia, said: 'Sure, it's dangerous and things go wrong, but I would say they are local guys that are fit, confident and having some fun' 'I would have had a go myself if I had a wetsuit - it's the wildest I've ever seen it.' The Canal Rocks are about 250km south of Perth and have eroded in to two parts - giving off a 'canal' look in between. In wild and stormy weather, already large waves smash on to the rocks and churn through the canal, making it even more dangerous to swim in. Rather than using the rocks to ease themselves in to the water, one surfer just decided to flip in The men tried to balance their surfboards with wake board cables holding them to the bridge As the strong tide whirled around them, the surfers didn't seem to have a care in the world Regardless of the danger, the boys definitely had fun. Filmmaker Ryan said: 'I would have had a go myself if I had a wetsuit'. Baby boomers are going to be in worse health than any other generation of senior citizens, according to a new report. Americans aged 50 to 69 are far more sickly than 50- to 69-year-olds were in 1999. The biggest difference is a spike in diabetes diagnoses. There has been a 55 per cent growth in the number of diabetes sufferers and 25 per cent growth in obesity levels. And since diabetes is one of the most costly conditions to treat in elderly people, the change will have a devastating impact on taxpayers. Americans aged 50 to 69 are far more sickly than 50- to 69-year-olds were in 1999, a study found 'The dramatic increase has serious implications for the long-term health of those individuals and for the finances of our nation,' Rhonda Randall, an adviser for the United Health Foundation's report, told NPR. The report analyzes broad health concerns state-by-state. Arizona is singled out as the state which will be hit the hardest by obesity and diabetes costs. According to the report, the number of obese senior citizens in Arizona will almost double (an increase of 96 per cent) by 2030. At least 25 states are predicted to see their senior citizen population grow by 50 per cent. Nebraska is set to experience the biggest increase in the next 15 years, with its elderly population expected to soar by 145 per cent - more than double. Colorado's pension-age population is set to increase by 138 per cent before 2030. The state with the best healthcare for senior citizens is Michigan, the report concludes, taking over from Vermont, which held the top spot last year. The news comes the same day as a CDC report found Americans are fatter than they have ever been - and the trend is on an upwards trajectory. restrictions, but 'very few rules' once inside the 880 acres of space Advertisement Each year thousands of people flock to the Redneck Yacht Club in Southwest Florida to enjoy days of camping, drinking and riding the mud trails in ATVs or pick up trucks. Brooklyn-based photographer Wesley Mann documented the experience on the 880 acres of terrain in Punta Gorda, which is also known as the Redneck Mud Park. He explained to Feature Shoot that everyone must pay in cash before entering and that 'there are very few rules' inside. Mann, who has taken a number of celebrities portraits in the past, said there are certain restrictions, such as stripper poles, chainsaws, firearms and illegal drugs, that are all prohibited. He described the scene as 'intimidating' at times, but he shared that he frequently reminded himself not to pass judgement on those who were in attendance at the mud park. The area is especially packed on patriotic summer holidays, like Memorial Day and Independence Day, with both young and older people including children. His series of photographs show attendees relaxed and enjoying the environment, as a mixture of confederate and American flags canb e spotted waiving along in the wind. Each year thousands of people flock to what is known as the Redneck Mud Park in Southwest Florida to enjoy days of camping, drinking and riding the mud trails in ATVs or pick up trucks. Above a man drives a modified truck that has a Confederate flag attached A group of young boys pose for a picture as some smile while others look away from the camera at the Redneck Yacht Club in Florida Brooklyn-based photographer Wesley Mann documented the experience on the 880 acres of terrain, which is known as The Redneck Yacht Club. Above a group of attendees hang out and enjoy each other's company Mann said that everyone must pay in cash before entering and said that there are 'very few rules' inside, as a group of park goers above chat among themselves in the back of a pick up truck ATVs are super popular at the Redneck Yacht Club, as a shirtless guy above gives a thumbs up to the camera while riding one The mud trails within the area at the Redneck Yacht Club are also popular, as people are known to drive their trucks through them (above) Many of the attendees love showing off their huge pick up trucks while driving through the mud trails at the huge site The Redneck Yacht club seems to attract people of all ages, as a woman above drives an ATV with a toddler girl sitting in front of her Women at the Redneck Yacht Club also race around the area in ATVs, like the woman pictured above on one solo The mud seems to get splattered everywhere, including on the Confederate flag (above), when trucks drive through the huge mud pits Some people at the Redneck Yacht Club enjoy chatting underneath the trucks (above) that are raised and altered to be sky high A man poses shirtless while seated in an SUV that has had its doors on both sides completely removed, easily allowing for mud to get inside Some people like to wear masks, as a man is pictured above with one on while he hangs out the side of a truck's window The muddy areas at the park are filled with all types of action, as the person pictured above manages to crawl out of an SUV that flipped over The two men pictured above ride on an ATV within the Redneck Yacht Club, as a huge Confederate flag is attached to the back of it At night the area is just as lively as it is in the daytime, as people gather around to continue enjoying each other's company into the night Above a group of young men and boys appear to be helping an pick up truck that looks like it is stuck in one of the muddy areas A man reaches into a water cooler container for something else to drink as a woman awaits in the passenger seat of the truck Attendees of the Redneck Yacht Club can also be found hanging around the small bodies of water that run throughout the area A Nigerian man closely linked to a group of British Islamists has been stripped of his British citizenship over fears he was planning a Paris-style terror attack in London, it has emerged. The man, known only as L2 for legal reasons, was a member of the now banned radical group, al Muhajiroun, and was associated with friends of Lee Rigby's killer Michael Adebolajo and Jihadi John. It is also claimed that he fought for Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb against French forces in Mali and it was largely because of this that a move was made to 'prevent him from returning to the UK'. The case emerged in a behind-closed-doors hearing by Home Office lawyers yesterday, which was so secret that even the man and his lawyers were banned from attending so that 'secret' evidence could be dissected. The Nigerian man, known only as L2 for legal reasons, who was associated with friends of Lee Rigby's killer Michael Adebolajo and Jihadi John, had his UK citizenship revoked by Theresa May in late 2013 (file picture) The man, who is said to have worked and lived in Tower Hamlets, east London, during his time in Britain, is fighting his revoked citizenship at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in London. His British nationality was removed by Home Secretary Theresa May in 2013 after he was deemed such a threat to national security that she personally signed off on an order removing his citizenship. It came amid growing fears of extremists carrying out Paris-style massacre attacks in Europe. According to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, which is covering the case, an unnamed secret services agent known as 'EZ' told the hearing that L2 had once been 'engaged in terror activity'. He said that in 2007, L2 had been in Turkey where he took part in 'terror-related activity' with Ali Adorus, a close associate of Mohammed Emwazi otherwise known as ISIS frontman Jihadi John. Adorus, now in an Ethiopian prison for terror related offences, was questioned alongside the ISIS executioner in 2009 when they travelled to Tanzania together for a 'safari', the hearing was told. After returning to the UK, L2 spent a 'chunk of time' in a British prison between 2007 and 2011 for possessing a handgun. It was during this time he was said to have met Ibrahim Hassan, a known extremist who was friends with Lee Rigby's killer Michael Adebolajo. Hassan was arrested two days after the 2013 Woolwich murder and later jailed for three years for encouraging terrorism. The Nigerian man, known only as L2 for legal reasons, is said to have been directly associated with both Ibrahim Hassan (left) and Shah Jalal Hussein (right), who have both been jailed in Britain for terror offences Following his release from prison, L2 is understood to have attended a string of meetings and demonstrations organised by al Muhajiroun - a now banned Salafi jihadi terrorist organisation. Victoria Parsons, of the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, reported how he also worked at Master Printers a printing shop in east London which was raided by police in 2011 over suspicions of links to al Muhajiroun - alongside Shah Jalal Hussein, now jailed for disseminating terrorist propaganda. Their association was 'not just through their employment', agent EZ told yesterday's hearing. The court heard how L2 and Hussein also knew each other because they were both founding members of proscribed terrorist organisation Minbar Ansar Deen. The security services witness said L2 was also a close associate of al Muhajiroun member Afsor Ali, who was jailed for owning a bomb making guide and al Qaeda propaganda in August 2014. The man's British nationality was removed by Home Secretary Theresa May in 2013 after he was deemed such a threat to national security that she personally signed off on an order removing his UK citizenship In cross-examination, Hugh Southey QC, barrister for L2, said his client denied being a member of either al Muhajiroun or Minbar Ansar Deen, merely that he was acquainted with members. Southey added that Minbar Ansar Deen was 'essentially just a website' which L2 strongly denies ever visiting. However, the security services agent said their assessment was that he was a member, but that he could only give their evidence for that in a closed hearing. The agent also outlined the circumstances leading up to Theresa May's decision in November 2013. He told the court that L2 flew to Morocco with his wife in 2012 before travelling overland to Nigeria - passing through Mali, where he was assessed to have fought with Al Qaeda against French and Malian troops during the civil war. Mr Southey said L2 denies this and instead claims L2 and his wife went to Nigeria because she was pregnant and it was cheaper for them to go to a maternity hospital there than to return to the UK. But the intelligence agent suggested that account 'lacks credibility it's a very very long journey through desert and war torn country' for a pregnant woman to make, he said. Despite being known to the police for five years and travelling to the US for 'tourist purposes' in that time it wasn't until L2 lost his passport in Nigeria and applied for a new one so he could return to the UK that the Home Secretary acted. L2, who is currently in Nigeria with his family, is now trying to challenge the order. However, his case at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission was almost halted this week when he wrote to the court saying he was 'boycotting the trial'. 'You can do as you wish with me and grant me no respite', he wrote, according to Jonathan Glasson QC, Home Office barrister, who read aloud from the letter in court. Parents are furious after a school chose not to tell them about a student, 6, who reportedly simulated oral sex with classmates after dragging them into the bathroom. The school, on the outskirts of Melbourne, told the victims' parents but asked them to remain silent for privacy reasons. A mother calling herself 'Kate' told ABC Radio this morning that she had been left in the dark about the 'disturbing' incidents and unable to help her 'traumatised' sons. It is claimed that the boy, six, dragged female students into the bathroom where he simulated sex acts with them (stock photo) She said: 'There were several incidents including him dragging girls into toilets and forcibly removing their clothes. 'There were other incidents including kissing younger girls' private parts and making girls get on their knees and open their mouths to put his privates in their mouths. 'My boys were distressed to see these things. It turned out that these things had occurred in term 3 in October but the community hadn't been told.' One parent, Kate, said her children were left traumatised after witnessing the incidents. She said she was unable to comfort them because the school never told her (stock photo) Kate said the school was more concerned with their reputation than the welfare of its pupils. She said: 'I don't think we needed to be told all the gory details, but we needed to be told that there had been sexual behaviour happening in the schoolyard and that we needed to talk to our children to see if they had seen anything or been involved in anything. 'It turned out there were quite a lot more children involved than the school was originally aware of. 'The parent of the victim was told not to talk about it for privacy reasons and I suspect the reputation of the school.' The school told the parents of the victims directly involved in the incidents. It is claimed that the school asked them to remain quiet to protect the pupils' privacy Education Minister James Merlino told The ABC that such instances of 'age inappropriate sexualised behaviour' were distressing and shocking for everyone involved. He said: 'These can be a result of behaviours they've observed and can't make sense of, they may be victims themselves. 'They are incredibly distressing situations.' Also said he was merely being a 'good businessman' when he complimented Hillary Clinton in the past GOP frontrunner also once again admitted to using aliases in past business deals - but said he never pretended to be his own spokesman Sanders replied 'Game on' and that he looks forward to debating Trump Said it would get 'such high ratings' that money should go to charity Trump said he would be happy to debate Sanders before California primary Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump thinks Bernie Sanders would be easier to beat than Hillary Clinton in the November presidential election. The GOP presidential hopeful admitted he thought Sanders was less competition when Jimmy Kimmel asked him if he liked the Vermont senator or Clinton better. Trump then said he would be happy to debate Sanders in California, the last big primary battleground state before the party conventions, but only for a price. 'If I debated him, we would have such high ratings,' Trump said. 'And I think I should give, take that money and give it to some worthy charity. Okay?' Scroll down for video Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump admitted he thought Bernie Sanders would be less competition in the November presidential election during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel on Wednesday Trump then said he would be happy to debate Sanders in California, the last big primary battleground state before the party conventions, but only for a price Sanders immediately took to Twitter on Wednesday night to accept Trump's challenge But Trump also took some time in the lengthy interview on the talk show host's ABC show to defend Sanders on what he called a 'rigged' system. 'What I like about Bernie, when he loses [it's] because the system is rigged against him like it was against me. The system is rigged.' 'And if I didn't win by massive landslides in every state, there was no chance for me to win. He's having the same thing, except she has a different kind of deal with superdelegates.' 'I think it's unfair what's happening to Bernie Sanders, actually,' he said. 'And it's a system that's not a good system.' Sanders said on Twitter late Wednesday that he would welcome a debate: 'Game on. I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary.' Kimmel also asked Trump about claims the presidential candidate pretended to be his own publicist in a recording that was recently released to the Washington Post. Trump has repeatedly denied that he posed as a spokesman for himself during a People Magazine interview with the name 'John Miller', despite admitting multiple times in the past that he has often used both that name and 'John Barron' as an alias. Trump also admitted to using aliases to make business deals and that he was, as Kimmel put it, full of s*** when he complimented Hillary in the past. Pictured Kimmel reads to Trump from a parody Dr Seuss book The book is a sequel to 'Winners aren't losers', Kimmel's creation from December to mock Trump's campaign And when asked by Kimmel what aliases he had used, Trump once again volunteered the name Barron. 'I used an alias in terms of setting up a meeting with Mr Donald Trump. And many people in the real estate business do that, you use alias,' Trump said. 'And you have to, frankly, otherwise they find out it's you and they charge you more money - and nobody wants to pay more money.' 'Nobody knew who Trump was at that time, nobody knew me, so it wasn't so much so important. But I would never want to use my name because you had to pay money for the land. If you're trying to buy land, you use different names.' Trump said he named his son Barron because he had landed a great business deal after using the alias to set it up. It was business that the GOP frontrunner also used as an excuse when Kimmel questioned the compliments Trump had publicly paid to Clinton in the past. 'In 2008, you said you thought Hillary would make an excellent president,' Kimmel said, before bringing up that Trump had also said Clinton was 'terrific' in 2012. 'What happened?' Kimmel asked. 'What did she do?' The Weeknd (left) and rapper Belly (right) pulled out of their scheduled performance on Kimmel's Wednesday night show in protest of Trump's appearance 'I'll tell you. When I'm a businessman,' Trump offered as explanation. 'I speak well of everybody. If people ask me about politicians, I speak well. Everybody is wonderful. And that's the way it is.' 'So you were full of s***'? Kimmel asked. 'A little bit,' Trump said, laughing. The extensive interview seemed to fill up the hole left by scheduled musical guests The Weeknd and rapper Belly, who canceled their performance on the late night show because of Trump's appearance. Belly, who is Muslim, said he canceled because he didn't want to share a stage with Trump and disagrees with the presumptive Republican presidential nominee's views and beliefs. 'I feel like the way I was raised was to be able to see through all the titles in this world - from religion to race,' Belly said in a statement. 'I just didn't want to feel like I was a part of a celebration for somebody who has beliefs that majority of us don't agree with.' Trump has called for a ban on Muslim immigration into the United States. 'For me, being Muslim and being somebody that appreciates my access here in America, I love the fact that I'm able to be here,' Belly continued. Three new pieces of debris have been found in Mauritius and in Mozambique that could be linked to missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, Australia's transport minister said Thursday. The fate of the passenger jet, which is presumed to have crashed at sea after disappearing en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew on board in March 2014, remains a mystery. Five other fragments have previously been found and identified as definitely or probably from the Boeing 777. Three new pieces of debris linked to missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 have been found in Mauritius and in Mozambique, Australia's transport minister said on Thursday. Pictured is one of the new pieces of debris The fate of the passenger jet, which is presumed to have crashed at sea after disappearing en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew on board in March 2014, remains a mystery (stock) Five other fragments have previously been found and identified as definitely or probably from the Boeing 777 (pictured) All of them were discovered thousands of kilometres (miles) from the current underwater search zone far off Western Australia's coast, where three ships carrying sophisticated equipment are scouring the sea floor for traces of the plane. Transport Minister Darren Chester said two of the new pieces were found in Mauritius, with the other in Mozambique and were 'of interest in connection to the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370'. 'The Malaysian government is yet to take custody of the items, however as with previous items, Malaysian officials are arranging collection and it is expected the items will be brought to Australia for examination,' Chester said in a statement. The first concrete evidence was a two-metre-long wing part known as a flaperon washed up on a beach on the French overseas territory of La Reunion in July last year (pictured) Two more pieces of debris were found in Mozambique in December and February, including a flat grey fragment with the words 'No Step' printed on one side (pictured) MH370 DEBRIS WRECKAGE - A section of wing called a flaperon was found on Reunion Island in July 2015 - A horizontal stabilizer from the tail section was found in Mozambique in December 2015 - A stabilizer panel with "No Step" written on the side was found in Mozambique in February - An engine cowling bearing the Rolls-Royce logo was found in March in Mossel Bay, South Africa - The fifth piece to be found is a fragment of an interior door panel found in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius, in March - Australia's transport minister Darren Chester said on Thursday that three new pieces of debris are on their way to Australia to be tested. Two of the new pieces were found in Mauritius, with the other in Mozambique. 'These items of debris are of interest and will be examined by experts.' No other details were given. The first concrete evidence that MH370 might have met a tragic end was when a two-metre-long (almost seven-foot) wing part known as a flaperon washed up on a beach on the French overseas territory of La Reunion in July last year. Australian authorities then said in March that two pieces of debris found in Mozambique -- a flat grey fragment with the words 'No Step' printed on one side, found on a sandbank, and a metre-long piece of metal picked up by a holidaymaker -- were 'almost certainly from MH370'. The other was a a metre-long piece of metal picked up by a holidaymaker (pictured) A fourth piece - a an aircraft engine cowling came ashore at Mossel Bay in South Africa in March (pictured) In mid-May, the government agency leading the search for MH370, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), said two fragments that washed up on beaches in South Africa and Mauritius in March were also likely to have come from the jet. One part, which came ashore at Mossel Bay in South Africa, was an aircraft engine cowling, identified from a partial Rolls Royce stencil. The other, which was found on Rodrigues island in Mauritius, was a decorative laminate from a 'work table' in the main cabin. A fifth piece was found on Rodrigues island in Mauritius - a decorative laminate from a 'work table' in the main cabin (pictured) Australia is leading the hunt for MH370 in the remote Indian Ocean, with more than 105,000 square kilometres (40,500 square miles) of the designated 120,000 square kilometre search zone examined so far without success. If nothing turns up once the area is fully scoured, the search is likely to be abandoned, Australia, Malaysia and China -- the countries that most of the passengers came from -- have jointly said. ATSB's head Martin Dolan said last week the hunt could wrap up in August, prompting an international network of MH370 next-of-kin, Voice370, to call on the three nations to extend and expand the search. Salim Mehajer's sister Aiisha has graduated as a high school teacher and now has her sights set on hitting the catwalk for the 'Pageant of the World' beauty contest. Aiisha, who made headlines this month for her dramatic change of appearance over the years, took to Instagram on Thursday to post a number of photos in her graduation gown and hat. And now, with a Bachelor of Secondary Teaching in her hands and a masters degree underway, the brainy Mehajer will follow in her sister Mary's footsteps and try her luck as 'Miss Lebanon.' One of eight siblings, Aiisha is no stranger to the world of fashion, regularly promoting her family business the 'Mehajer Beauty Bar' and posing online in colourful wigs with pouted, voluptuous lips. Aiisha Mehajer, one of Salim's seven siblings, recently graduated as a high school teacher Out of spotlight until recent times, Aiisha is believed to have graduated with a Bachelor of Secondary Teaching Now she will follow in her sister Mary's footsteps and try her luck as 'Miss Lebanon' in the 'Pageant of the World' beauty contest Aiisha is the co-director of family business 'Mehajer Beauty Brow' and was a finalist in the 2015 Miss Lebanon Mary Mehajer was controversially named Miss Lebanon Australia 2016, despite claims the event was 'rigged' Earlier this year Daily Mail Australia revealed the dramatic transformation she had undergone between her teenage years (left) and now (right) In May last year, Aisha was a finalist at the Miss Lebanon Australia competition in Sydney and proudly accepted the title of Miss Personality. But her latest challenge will pit her against beauties from a diverse range of countries, ranging from South Sudan to Malaysia to Kazahkstan to Luxembourg and Samoa. The quest to be a 'Woman of the World' is not one that comes easily either - candidates for each country must uphold a list of rigorous requirements should they wish to compete. According to the website, potential candidates must be 'at least 150 cm in height with proportional weight,' be 'single and never married or pregnant,' be under the age of 30 and have no tattoos. It's unclear what exactly the 'Woman of the World' will be expected to do, but founder Cindy Dionisio says the winner should be a 'role model for the world and an ambassador for social justice.' 'Aisha is energetic, outgoing, loving, caring and a social person. She finds great satisfaction in knowing she was able to help people in need,' the competition bio reads. 'With an attitude, everything is possible for those who believe Aisha is a firm believer that the Universe is continuously working towards ones highest good and nothing that comes a persons way is meaningless or futile.' The 'Pageant of the World' will hold it's coronation night in Sydney on June 8. It's likely Aiisha's international competitors will be hoping for less drama than the recent Miss Lebanon event Many claimed Mary Mehajer's Miss Lebanon crowning was 'rigged' and influenced heavily by her brother's sponsorship of the event Following her little sister's footsteps: Aiisha will be representing Lebanon in a Sydney beauty pageant It is unknown how long ago the photographs were taken, but Aiisha (pictured left, before and right, after) has had dramatic changes to her appearance over the years It's likely her international competitors will be hoping for less drama than the recent Miss Lebanon event, which many claimed was influenced heavily by her brother's sponsorship. Mary, 18 and the youngest of the Mehajer siblings, defended her 2016 Miss Lebanon Australia title, saying she won the pageant 'fairly' and rejecting suggestions the contest was rigged. 'I would love for (New South Wales Fair Trading) to investigate and see that I won fairly,' Ms Mehajer told the Daily Telegraph. 'My brother being a sponsor is such a beautiful thing. Hes supporting his community and I think that is so positive.' Claims that the competition was rigged emerged following the event on May 1, with at least three judges revealing exclusively to Daily Mail Australia that Mary was not their first choice for the crown. Aiisha posted this image on Instagram with the caption 'Thank you to the team at @sweatybettypr for my @nudebynature kit. Wearing makeup has never felt so lite before, until now' However, the graduating class Sunday broke into an impromptu rendition But it was cancelled because of the organisation's threat of legal action Every graduation, the choir would lead a version of the Lord's Prayer The Freedom of Religion Foundation told Ohio school to end its tradition The valedictorian at an Ohio high school spearheaded an act of defiance during his graduation, leading his entire senior class into a recitation of the Lord's Prayer. For 70 years the choir at East Liverpool High School sang the Christian prayer at every commencement ceremony. But the prayer was removed the ceremony after the Freedom from Religion Foundation threatened legal action against the school. Scroll down for video The graduating class at East Liverpool High School, Ohio, broke out into an impromptu rendition of the Lord's Prayer after the school removed the tradition from its ceremony having been threatened with legal action The Wisconsin-based nonprofit said the tradition infringed on the separation of church and state, and the school knew it didn't have the funds to fight back. 'We said, "Okay, we just won't do it anyone'", school board president Larry Walton told WTOV. 'It was a decision made because we don't have a lot of money and we'd rather hire teachers than pay lawyers.' But the decision didn't sit well with the Class of 2016. 'I know a lot of my student body was uncomfortable with it, just because it is tradition to have prayer at our school,' Cami Post, the class vice president, said before the ceremony. 'I think it would've been nice to have the same as my brother had when he graduated.' The students were met with a standing ovation after they finished the prayer. The school decided not to include the prayer in its ceremony following pressure from a secular organization However, the school's valedictorian lead the students in an impromptu rendition to uphold the tradition Her licence has been suspended and will face court on July 20 A babysitter whose car split in two in a horror crash which killed a policeman's four-year-old daughter and critically injured his two-year-old has been charged over the crash. Courteney Matthews, 18, was driving a Red Mazda 323 when it collided with a Subaru Liberty near Casino in northern New South Wales, and Sergeant Steve Underhill's two daughters were trapped inside. Four-year-old girl Ellie died as a result of the crash on December 18 last, and her sister, aged two, was critically injured. The sergeant arrived at the crash when he was off-duty. Scroll down for video Courteney Matthews has been charged over an accident which killed a policeman's four-year-old daughter and critically injured his two-year-old Four-year-old Ellie died at the scene around 1.20pm on December 18 in a two-car collision near Casino in northern NSW Her two-year-old sister was critically injured in the crash, and three others were hospitalised Following an investigation, officers from the Richmond Crash Investigation Unit issued the babysitter a Future Court Attendance Notice on Wednesday. Matthews will face court on charges of dangerous driving occasioning death, dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and negligent driving occasioning death. Her licence has been suspended and she is expected to appear at Casino Local Court on July 20. A seven-year-old girl in the passenger seat with Matthews during the accident suffered lacerations. An 81-year-old man, the driver and sole occupant of the second vehicle, a white Subaru Liberty, was taken to hospital with sternum injuries The 18-year-old will face Casino Local Court on July 20 facing four charges including dangerous driving occasioning death Sgt Underhill arrived at the scene while their two children were still trapped in the Red Mazda 323 After the crash, Sgt Underhill and his family held a vigil at his two-year-old daughter's bedside while she was in a coma. A GoFundMe account was later set up for the grieving family and in just three days more than $50,000 was raised. The Casino local wrote at the time of the accident that the community 'felt helpless in what we could do' to help the policeman's family following the tragedy. 'The funds raised will go towards helping this family with assisting with the funeral, memorial, and help with accommodation, medical expenses and travel costs,' the page reads. The babysitter, was taken to the same hospital, two hours south of Brisbane, with a laceration to her arm This is the astonishing moment a worker at Duncan Bannatyne's flagship gym was caught on camera refolding dirty, used towels before they were 'given back to customers unwashed'. Hidden camera footage shows the employee rummaging through a pile of used towels some covered in brown marks - in the basement laundry area of Tower 42 in Millbank, City of London. The video, filmed by a disgruntled colleague in April, appears to show him selecting some of the least soiled towels before refolding them and passing them to a colleague, who takes them away. It is understood they were being taken back into the health club to be redistributed to customers. The worker has now been suspended over the incident and disciplinary proceedings are underway. Scroll down for video Hidden camera footage shows the employee rummaging through a pile of used towels some covered in brown marks - in the basement laundry area of the Bannatyne gym at Tower 42 in Millbank, City of London The video, filmed by a disgruntled colleague in April, appears to show the worker selecting some of the least soiled towels before refolding them and passing them to a colleague, who takes them away - to customers The Bannatyne group is said to be unhappy about the video, which was leaked to the media today. A spokesman told MailOnline: 'We're not happy about it. 'We have identified where things have gone wrong and a number of staff have been disciplined. 'This happened back in April and it isn't going on now. The matter has been resolved.' Cletus Edo, who has worked as a laundry assistant and driver at Bannatyne for a year, said the laundry stacks up at peak times and the two washing machines and dryers are unable to cope. The 33-year-old, who is now on sick leave from the club, branded the video footage 'disgusting'. He told the Standard's Josh Surtees: 'The staff are scared of the members, some of whom are CEOs. 'If they demand towels they don't say, "I'm sorry we don't have towels today", instead this is what they resort to. 'People have noticed. When I take towels up I get comments from members like, "Here comes the towel man, what's going to be on them today skid marks?"' The laundry area, underneath the ex-Dragons' Den star's health club, also used to wash linen for its sister club in Millbank, which is popular with politicians including Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage. It is understood the towels were being taken back into the health club to be redistributed to customers. Pictured: A Bannatyne worker picks up a clearly-soiled towel and attempts to refold it in the laundry room After folding the towels, the worker is seen holding them in a pile (left) before appearing to turn around and hand them to a colleague (right). It is understood they were then taken back into the gym area of the health club The hidden camera footage of the worker apparently redistributing the dirty towels was taken in the basement laundry area of the flagship Bannatyne's Health Club in the Tower 42 block in Millbank, City of London (above) The Bannatyne group runs five other gyms in London, which have independent washing facilities. The chain claims to pride itself on offering a 'clean environment in which you can complete your workout or class' on its website. A spokesman told MailOnline that the firm had invested 50,000 in washing facilities at Tower 42 in the past 12 months. They added: 'We have not seen the full video, which was given to the media, not to the management. Duncan Bannatyne, who has a 200million fortune, has been forced to pull next month's proposed 300million flotation of his hotel and gym empire 'In the last 24 hours we have tested the laundry procedures and we are confident of their quality.' It comes just days after 67-year-old Bannatyne, who has amassed a 200million fortune, was forced to pull next month's proposed 300million flotation of his hotel and gym empire. Bannatyne is looking to raise cash to grow the chain which already operates 66 health clubs 37 of which have spa facilities. The Bannatyne Group also has five hotels. The businessman is currently the sole owner of the company, valued at between 280m and 300m. Under the plan to float, Bannatyne would retain 75 per cent of the firm. The group will use the money raised to pay down debt, fund possible acquisitions and invest in existing gyms. However, regulators apparently want more time to scrutinise the move. It comes after the businessman recently stepped down from his own board amid concerns about his personal history. Last year he was found to have provided false evidence in a divorce battle with second wife Joanne. He's now dating Nigora Whitehorn, an ex-receptionist 31 years his junior. The brunette, 36, insists she loves the Glaswegian brute for his 'charisma' not his millions. The Bannatyne Group was set up by the Dragon in 1997, with the first club in Teesside. Its clubs now have about 195,000 members. In the year ended December 31 it reported revenues of 101m, with profit before tax of 8m. The group acquired 24 LivingWell Health Clubs in 2006 for around 89.5m. Last year, the group began an 18m upgrade of its gyms. Some 39 of the 66 sites have been completed and there are plans to install 16 new spas at existing clubs during 2016 and 2017 at a cost of 6m. Bannatyne, who is worth 187m, according to the Sunday Times Rich List, placing him at number 515, divorced second wife Joanne last year (left) and is now enjoying romance with dental nurse Nigora Whitehorn (right) Twice-divorced Bannatyne, who has been awarded an OBE for his charity work, is worth 187m, according to the Sunday Times Rich List, placing him at number 515. He served in the Navy for several years but was given a dishonourable discharge for threatening to throw an officer off a boat landing jetty. His first business started when he moved to Stockton-on-Tees aged 29 and bought an ice cream van for 450. He said: 'We had been up for really large night. The shot girls egged us on' After being discharged, he vowed to get back on booze for rest of the week Spent eight hours in hospital on drip after falling This is the British teenager who nearly drank himself to death after downing 75 shots in a Spanish bar. Cameron Relf, 18, was left critically ill after being dared to drink a deadly amount of Sambuca and caramel vodka in Magaluf. But after an eight-hour stay in hospital that saw him hooked up to a drip, he has vowed to get straight back on the booze tonight and for the rest of the week. He said: 'We had been up for a really large night out but that's what you do in Magaluf. The shot girls just kept getting us to drink more.' Scroll down for video 'On a big one': Teenager Cameron Relf (left) collapsed outside a Magaluf bar (right) after downing 75 shots Obliterated: Relf is treated by paramedics in the street before being taken to hospital in a critical condition Dare: Relf had been drinking with friends at Lush Bar (above) in Magaluf when he was egged on to down a deadly amount of Sambuca and caramel vodka. He is seen on pavement outside after collapsing Relf, from Walsall, West Midlands, had been drinking with friends at Lush Bar in the Mallorcan resort when he was allegedly egged on by shot girls and gaggles of tourists to neck the spirits. Pictures showed him collapsed on the pavement outside the bar while being treated by paramedics as revellers looked on in shock. He was taken to hospital in a critical condition, placed on a drip and monitored for eight hours before being discharged by Spanish doctors. Relf, who works for a food purchasing firm, then went back to the room he had booked at the HSM Sunset Beach hotel. He said: 'I was out with the boys on a big one and started drinking the shots when one of my mates went back to the hotel room to get some more cash out. 'There were shot girls walking around the bar that we were in and although other people bought a couple off of them, we just couldn't say no and kept getting more. Crazy: Relf is plans on get back on the booze tonight and every night until he leaves on Sunday. He has suggested switching to drinking Jagerbombs in a bid to avoid another trip to hospital 'I had about 75 shots in total of Sambuca and caramel vodka. Some of the bar staff were cheering me on and we had made friends with some of the other British tourists out there too. 'I tried to get back to the room, but had to be helped by the bar staff and other tourists that's when I went to hospital. 'When I woke up, the doctors were pretty short with me and only took my insurance details before sending me on my way. 'We had been up for a really large night out but that's what you do in Magaluf. We were going on holiday in the first place to have a good time and party. 'The shot girls just kept getting us to drink more.' Remarkably, he is planning on getting back on the booze tonight and every night until he leaves on Sunday, suggesting that he might switch to drinking Jagerbombs to avoid another trip to hospital. Cameron admitted that while his antics had left his mother distraught about the consequences of his boozy holiday, he had no plans to slow down - despite the trip to hospital. He added: 'I took last night off to recover, but I'm going back out tonight and will probably be drinking pints and jagerbombs. I'll stay off the Sambuca for a bit. 'When my mum found out about the trip to hospital she was really worried about me, but I don't think she knows how bad it was. 'The hospital staff said that I was incoherent and completely lacked bodily control when I was brought in after drinking so much. 'I'm not usually sick through drink though and I just didn't think about how much we had had. 'I went out wanting to have a good night with the lads in the knowledge that whatever happens, happens.' The man, in his late 20s, drank the spirits as a dare while out drinking in the resort of Magaluf (pictured) 'DRUNK' BRIT IN BALCONY PLUNGE A British holidaymaker has been rushed to hospital after falling head-first from a Magaluf hotel. Andrew Rhys Philips, 25, was said to be 'very serious' when paramedics reached him. He was taken to Son Espases Hospital in the Majorcan capital Palma after the incident around 8pm yesterday at the TRH Magaluf Hotel. Sources said the man had been drinking before he fell from a first-floor balcony. He landed on a grassy area but fell on his head. He is thought to have been on holiday with a group of friends. Civil Guard officers are probing the incident but say there is nothing at this stage to indicate any crime has taken place. His life is not thought to be in any danger. It comes just days after shocking footage emerged of yet more debauchery in the resort known by British holiday makers as 'Shagaluf' because of its sorry reputation for boozing and sex. The video showed drunk revelers queuing up to sit in a chair while having alcohol poured down their throats by tattoo-covered men who appear to be instigating it. Another video shows a semi-naked women strutting along a stage in the middle of a pool, lit with blue lights, twirling in front of chanting men. They are the latest videos showing the booze-fuelled hedonism in the resort, on the island of Mallorca, although it comes after police and government officials announced a crackdown. Last summer, officials announced a plan to introduce fines of up to 3,000 (2,182) for anyone caught being naked in the street. The new rules came into effect in June 2015, and also included hefty fines for anyone urinating in public or 'balconing' which refers to the act of drunkenly jumping from hotel balconies. World-renowned chef Raymond Blanc, pictured at the Chelsea Flower Show, has launched a blistering attack on his 'lazy' countrymen World-renowned chef Raymond Blanc has launched a blistering attack on his countrymen, claiming French people don't enjoy 'the beauty of work' and are jealous of those who find success. The self-taught chef, who began as a waiter before rising to become one of Britain's most respected culinary artists, said he loved the UK because of the culture of hard work. He said that France, plagued by strike action and militant trade unionists, has undermined the honour of work. 'In France we relax. I am a bit angry with France, because they've undermined work and the honour, the nobility, the beauty of work,' he told The Times. 'Hard work is something you acknowledge and reward [in England]. There is no jealousy of someone who is successful.' Blanc, who made the stinging comments at the Chelsea Flower Show where he has been running Jardin Blanc, knows all about hard work and endeavour. When he was a boy, his father gave him a colander and a foraging map for his tenth birthday, and his mother would then teach him how to cook what he found. Blanc trained as a waiter in France at the Michelin-starred Le Palais de la Biere in Besancon but was sacked in 1972 after he criticised the chef's sauce. The chef broke his jaw with a copper pan. But the manager knew of a job in England, and Blanc crossed the channel to work at The Rose Revived in Newbridge, Oxfordshire, where in fell in love with the owner's daughter, Jenny, and the couple had two daughters. He now runs and cooks at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Great Milton, Oxfordshire, the only country house hotel that has been able to boast two Michelin stars for more than 30 years. His reputation has led him to train 30 Michelin-starred chefs and attract countless business opportunities from across the world. He now owns and cooks at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Great Milton, Oxfordshire and has been running the Jardin Blanc at the Chelsea Flower Show (pictured) Blanc's criticism of the French comes as trade unionists attempt to bring the country to a standstill over the government's attempt to bring in new labour laws and a longer working week. The nation has been gripped by weeks of violent protest and a quarter of its 12,000 petrol stations have run dry after workers protesting against new labour laws closed seven of its eight oil refineries. Riot squads have used tear gas and water cannon to lift the blockades, but the government has dipped into emergency petrol stocks for the first time in six years. Power supplies have also been threatened by militants occupying an electricity control station in Colayrac in the south-west. Against this backdrop, thousands of British families will be making final preparations for trips to France during next week's half-term holiday, alarmed by reports of the chaos that has already left some UK tourists stranded. A recent study revealed that Paris employees enjoy the shortest working week in the world with the average worker clocking in for just over 30 hours a week. The study of 15 professions across 71 cities was topped by the French - Paris claimed first place and Lyon took second with a working week of 31 hours and 22 minutes. London's average was just under 33 hours and 30 minutes a week, the 17th shortest in the world. Blanc trained as a waiter in France at the Michelin-starred Le Palais de la Biere in Besancon but was sacked in 1972. Pictured is Paris India will install panic buttons in all of its public buses to curb sex attacks on women, three years after the fatal gang-rape of a student on a bus in Delhi. The transport ministry said it would issue a formal order after 2 June making the emergency measures on public buses a top priority. 'To ensure the safety of women after the unfortunate incident, we have decided to make it mandatory for public transport buses to install emergency panic buttons, CCTV cameras and GPS-enabled vehicle tracking devices,' Nitin Gadkari said in Delhi. India's buses will be fitted with panic buttons, sending an emergency message to a police control room 'To ensure the safety of women after the unfortunate incident, we have decided to make it mandatory for public transport buses to install emergency panic buttons, CCTV cameras and GPS-enabled vehicle tracking devices,' Nitin Gadkari told reporters in Delhi Mr Gadkari was referring to the brutal attack on a woman in December 2012 as she returned home from the cinema. The assault triggered outrage and mass protests across India, leading to an overhaul of its rape laws. However high numbers of assaults have still persisted. Rajasthan is the first state in India to have such buses, with 20 vehicles fitted with the new safety measures. Panic buttons are placed above the front doors of a bus which, once pressed, send an emergency message to a police control room that can then view live footage of the interior. The safety move comes three years after the fatal gang-rape of a student on a bus in Delhi The government's latest move follows its announcement last month that all mobile phones sold in India would have to have a panic button from the start of 2017 Gadkari said all public buses would have to be modelled the same way, while manufacturers must ensure new buses come equipped with the facilities. The Government's latest anti-sex attack move follows its announcement last month that all mobile phones sold in India would have a panic button from the start of 2017. An Australian backpacker is missing in Brazil after he split up from a friend to get a coffee at an airport, and never returned. Tasmanian man Rye Hunt, 25, was last seen about 3.30pm on May 21 at Rio de Janeiro's international airport, by a friend who he was travelling with. They were planning to travel to Bolivia, when they split up briefly to get a coffee, and arranged to meet up again half an hour later, reported The Examiner. Scroll down for video Rye Hunt, 25, (pictured) who is from Hobart was last seen at Rio de Janeiro International Airport about 3.30pm on May 21 Mr Hunt (right) was travelling with a friend Mitchell Sheppard (left). The pair briefly separated at Rio de Janeiro international airport and arranged to meet up half an hour later, but Mr Hunt never returned Mr Hunt's girlfriend Bonnie Cuthbert (right) has launched a campaign on social media to help find him Mr Hunt's girlfriend, Perth woman Bonnie Cuthbert, has shared a desperate plea on Facebook with an image and description of Mr Hunt, in the hope of locating his whereabouts. He has not accessed his bank accounts, social media, or been in touch with his girlfriend since. Mr Hunt's sister, Romany Brodribb said when Mr Hunt didn't turn up, his friend went looking around the airport, talked to security for hours and returned to the hostel they were staying at to continue the search. Mr Hunt has not accessed his bank account, social media or been in touch with any friends or family since he disappeared Mr Hunt (pictured) was at the airport with a friend, when they split up to get a coffee but he never returned 'Nobody has heard from him, including his girlfriend which is very unusual,' Ms Brodribb said. 'We are really concerned for his safety and we are feeling really helpless being back here. We just want to know he is safe somewhere.' Mr Hunt, who was working in the mining industry in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, before he left, was travelling through South America with his friend Mitchell Sheppard. He posted this update to Facebook before he left at the start of April: 'Today I am leaving Western Australia indefinitely, just a quick thank you to everyone that's helped me out along the way. Throwin' a massive Shukkas out to all the gnarley dudes and ladies I met throughout my time in Kalgoorlie and Perth. A special thanks to the Millers and the Sheppards for being so accommodating and putting up with all the antics over the past few years. Embarking on an adventure now to see the world over the next few months. unsure of what the future has instore for us, stay safe everybody, hope to see you all upon our return.' Mr Hunt (left) and Mr Sheppard (right) began their trip in Thailand in April and planned to spend two months in South America, making stops in Cancun and Acapulco among others, before ending their trip in Europe Mr Hunt (right) is described as 175cm tall with a tanned complexion and dark brown hair. He was last seen carrying a large blue and black traveller's backpack The pair began their trip in Thailand and planned to spend two months in South America, making stops in Cancun and Acapulco among others, before ending their trip in Europe. They planned to attend The Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, in northern Spain, at the start of July. Mr Hunt's family has filed a missing person report with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australian Embassy. A DFAT spokesman said the Australian Embassy in Brasilia was working closely with local authorities to locate a man reported missing in Brazil. Mr Hunt is described as 175cm tall with a tanned complexion and dark brown hair. He was last seen carrying a large blue and black traveller's backpack. Anyone with information is urged to email FindRye@gmail.com. Britain's ability to control its borders has taken centre stage in the EU referendum battle after new figures showed net annual migration running at 333,000. The level is the second highest ever and more than triple D/avid Cameron's target. The numbers coming from the EU equalled their previous record at 184,000 and made up nearly half the total. The shocking Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures are the last to be released before voters decide whether we should cut our ties with Brussels on June 23. They were seized on by Brexit campaigners, with Boris Johnson accusing the Prime Minister of betraying the public's trust and saying sticking with EU free movement rules would mean 'kissing goodbye' to control over our borders. Scroll down for video The ONS has released figures for net migration for the year to December The shocking figures stoked the referendum campaign as: Net migration from recent EU joiners Bulgaria and Romania rose to 58,000 from 44,000 in the previous year British citizens accounted for 123,000 of those leaving the UK - 41 per cent of the total An aide to EU commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said Boris Johnson becoming Prime Minister would be a 'horror scenario', classing him alongside Marine Le Pen Mr Cameron's close friend and former policy guru Steve Hilton claimed the Prime Minister would be backing Brexit if he was not in Downing Street Labour's former home secretary Lord Blunkett warned that a deal with France to carry out border check at Calais would be ditched if the UK leaves the EU Some 630,000 people came into the country over the 12 months to December, marginally down on the year to December 2014. But the number leaving the country was also down 22,000 to 297,000. British citizens continued to dominate the emigration figures, making up 123,000 or 41 per cent of the total. Meanwhile, long-term immigration from the EU was 270,000 - up from 264,000 the previous year - while 85,000 left. Bulgarian and Romanian nationals alone accounted for 58,000 of the net migration to the UK, up from 44,000 in the previous year. Some 101,000 of the EU migrants claimed they had a definite job lined up - but 77,000 said they were looking for work. The overall net migration total of 333,000 was up 10,000 on the year to September, although the ONS insisted the change was 'not statistically significant'. Boris Johnson pointed out that the Prime Minister had promised at the general election to bring net migration down below 100,000 Brexit supporters said leaving would allow us to introduce an Australian-style points-based system to bring in the skilled workers we need. They insisted the current arrangements made the UK powerless to block huge numbers coming in from Europe, and discriminated against skilled workers from outside the bloc. Home Office minister James Brokenshire admitted the figures were 'disappointing' but said quitting the EU in an effort to bring them down would be 'throwing the baby out with the bathwater'. However, Mr Johnson said Brexit would mean the government could get numbers 'under control'. 'Last year, 270,000 people came to this country from the EU and net migration was 184,000. That means we are adding a population the size of Oxford to the UK every year just from EU migration,' Mr Johnson said. 'Since 2004, 1.25 million people have been added to the population due to EU migration. That is bigger than the city of Birmingham. 'Britain benefits from cultural influences from abroad, I'm pro-immigration, but above all I'm pro controlled immigration. 129,000 of the net migration figures were from *EU 15 countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland ,Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden); 73,000 people came from Eastern European nations and another 65,000 people came from Romania and Bulgaria. This made up nearly half of the 330,000 net migration in the year to December 2015 'We must also face the fact that the system has spun out of control. We cannot control the numbers. We cannot control the terms on which people come and how we remove those who abuse our hospitality. 'This puts huge pressure on schools, hospitals and housing... 'The Prime Minister repeatedly promised that he would get a grip of this. The government told us that it would "keep our ambition of delivering annual net migration in the tens of thousands". 'We were told that economic migrants from the EU would need to prove they had a job offer to come here - a pledge made by the Prime Minister, the Home Secretary and the Chancellor.' Ukip leader Nigel Farage questioned whether the figures were under-estimating the real scale of immigration. 'Mass immigration is still hopelessly out of control and set to get worse if we remain inside the EU, going on with disastrous open borders,' he said. 'However I don't believe these official figures and I'm sure the real numbers are much higher.' Figures for short-term migration released separately by the ONS today showed a 'statistically significant' increase. The number coming for between three and 12 months to work or study was 165,000 in the year to June 2014, up from 122,000 in the previous annual period. ONS figures show the government has struggled to bring net annual migration anywhere near its target Analysis published by the ONS earlier this month raised the prospect that the true level of migration had been understated for years. The watchdog issued a paper in response to concerns about a 1.2 million gap between the number of 'long-term' migrants to the UK from the EU in official figures and how many National Insurance numbers had been issued. The ONS said much of the difference was accounted for by the fact many of those with NI numbers were working or claiming benefits for less than 12 months then going home, so need not be counted. In doing so, the ONS published for the first time an analysis of the number of short and long term EU migrants combined. The total number of arrivals from the European Union was 2.4 million from 2011 to 2015. This was 1.5m higher than the figure for just long term migrants - which officials had previously focussed upon. Last year alone, there were a staggering 800,000 arrivals - or one every 45 seconds. One of the EU's most senior officials has warned that having former London Mayor Mr Johnson in Number 10 would be a 'horror scenario'. Martin Selmayr, chief of staff to European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, classed Mr Johnson with France's Marine Le Pen and the US presidential candidate Donald Trump. '#G7 with Trump, Le Pen, Boris Johnson, Beppe Grillo? A horror scenario that shows well why it is worth fighting populism.' Earlier, Mr Junker himself had urged Mr Johnson to come to Brussels for 're-education' in the wake of a row over comparing the EU to Hitler. TOP JUNCKER AID SAYS PM BORIS WOULD BE 'HORROR SCENARIO' EU commission president Jean-Claude Juncker at the G7 summit in Japan today One of the EU's most senior officials has warned that having former London Mayor Mr Johnson in Number 10 would be a 'horror scenario'. Martin Selmayr, chief of staff to European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, classed Mr Johnson with France's Marine Le Pen and the US presidential candidate Donald Trump. '#G7 with Trump, Le Pen, Boris Johnson, Beppe Grillo? A horror scenario that shows well why it is worth fighting populism.' Earlier, Mr Junker himself had urged Mr Johnson to come to Brussels for 're-education' in the wake of a row over comparing the EU to Hitler. Speaking at the G7 summit in Japan, Mr Juncker, also declared the 'atmosphere would be better' if Britain stays inside the EU. In an attack on Mr Johnson, the president questioned whether his depiction of the EU is 'in line with reality'. Mr Juncker's chief of staff tweeted about Mr Johnson from the G7 summit Mr Juncker said: 'I'm reading in (the) papers that Boris Johnson spent part of his life in Brussels. 'It's time for him to come back to Brussels, in order to check in Brussels if everything he's telling British people is in line with reality. 'I don't think so, so he would be welcome in Brussels at any time.' His dig is a reference to the fact that Mr Johnson spent several years in Brussels as a journalist before launching hi political career. A row has been raging for two weeks over an interview given by Mr Johnson in which he drew comparisons between the expansionist aims of the EU and Hitler. Mr Johnson hit back: 'I'm afraid what I'm saying to the British people is in line with reality. 'If we vote to remain ... they will go on with measures to take us further into a federal European super state. The whole exercise in Brussels is now aimed at propping up the Euro.' Speaking at the G7 summit in Japan, Mr Juncker, also declared the 'atmosphere would be better' if Britain stays inside the EU. In an attack on Mr Johnson, the president questioned whether his depiction of the EU is 'in line with reality'. Mr Juncker said: 'I'm reading in (the) papers that Boris Johnson spent part of his life in Brussels. 'It's time for him to come back to Brussels, in order to check in Brussels if everything he's telling British people is in line with reality. 'I don't think so, so he would be welcome in Brussels at any time.' His dig is a reference to the fact that Mr Johnson spent several years in Brussels as a journalist before launching hi political career. A row has been raging for two weeks over an interview given by Mr Johnson in which he drew comparisons between the expansionist aims of the EU and Hitler. Mr Johnson hit back: 'I'm afraid what I'm saying to the British people is in line with reality. 'If we vote to remain ... they will go on with measures to take us further into a federal European super state. The whole exercise in Brussels is now aimed at propping up the Euro.' Yesterday it emerged that migration is a major driving force behind an expected four million rise in the population of England by 2024. The headcount is expected to soar 7.5 per cent to hit more than 58million. Most of the growth by 2024 will be in the South and East. London's population is set to surge 13.7 per cent to almost 10million. Campaigners warn the projections may be an underestimate because they are based on immigration slowing significantly. They said voters should opt to leave the EU in the June referendum and regain control over our borders. The Office for National Statistics, which released the figures, has repeatedly said that two-thirds of population growth is through immigration, through the arrivals and their children being born here. The rest is driven by fluctuating birth and death rates among the existing population. In October, the ONS released projections showing that nearly 10million more people will be living in Britain as a whole in 25 years, with immigration the overwhelming reason for the increase. The projections said that by 2039 the country will be home to close to 75million people the equivalent of the addition of everyone in Sweden. Lord Blunkett - who was home secretary at the time of the 9/11 attacks - used a speech to warn of the 'calamity' if Britain is forced to abandon its border controls in Calais. The Labour grandee stressed the importance of the EU relationships to Britain's security. 'The meetings we held at the justice and home affairs council, at a Europe-wide level after September 11, were illustrative of the importance of the ability to work quickly and effectively with all those who were then part of the union,' he said. 'The European Arrest Warrant, the data sharing improvements, the use of biometrics and yes, improved collaboration on the wider European border all demonstrate the importance of what we call the European Union. 'In simple terms, if we had not had the EU, we would, on these issues, have had to invent it.' Lord Blunkett also warned that the importance of the agreement which allowed Britain to operate border controls at Calais and at the Eurostar terminals in Paris and Brussels had been 'grossly underestimated'. 'I am absolutely clear that this agreement could not have been reached had we not built an understanding, worked together as part of and understood that our future was in, the European Union,' he said. 'Were the French to decide to revoke the agreement, which leading French spokespeople have indicated, it would be a calamity for robust and rational border controls. 'This would lead to an increase in asylum claims from people who came to our shores and the disappearance of tens of thousands of people into the illegal economy.' Australia and France are the most popular destination for British citizens leaving the UK - but the number of emigrants is falling Two in five people who left the UK last year were British citizens, official figures revealed today. The top destinations for Britons emigrating are Australia and France, with the United States, United Arab Emirates and Canada also popular destinations. But the number of people leaving is falling - 297,000 in total - which has helped keep up net migration figures. Two in five people who left the UK last year were British, official figures revealed. The top destinations for Britons emigrating are Australia and France, with the United States, United Arab Emirates and Canada also popular destinations. The number of British citizens emigrating was 123,000 in 2015 - a fall of 14,000 according to the latest data release by the Office for National Statistics today. Britons made up 41 per cent of those who left the UK in 2015. EU citizens made up 85,000 emigrating from Britain while 89,000 non-EU citizens left. The top reason for British emigrating abroad in 2015 was for work (56,000), a further 15,000 travelled abroad to join family and friends and 8,000 left for formal study. Recent levels of emigration have remained stable and well below the high of 427,000 in 2008 - a year after Gordon Brown became Prime Minister. Just under half of non-British emigration was accounted for by EU citizens, 53 per cent of whom left for work-related reasons. Of the 30,000 emigrants who stated their main reason for migration was 'going home to live,' nearly three in four (22,000) were EU citizens. The top reason British emigrants gave for leaving was for work but a significant number of people left to join other family members and friends overseas You can kiss goodbye to border controls without Brexit, Boris warns Boris Johnson has warned that record migration from the EU is equivalent to adding a city the size of Oxford every year. The former London Mayor lashed out after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said net flows from the bloc hit 184,000 in the 12 months to December - the joint highest level ever. Long-term immigration from the EU was 270,000 - up from 264,000 the previous year - while 85,000 left. Bulgarian and Romanian nationals accounted for 58,000 of the net migration to the UK, up from 44,000 in the previous year. The headline figure of 184,000 has only been matched by the level reported for the period to Marfch last year. The revelations have stoked the argument about the EU's free movement rules, which mean anyone from the 27 other member states can come to this country. Boris Johnson on the Brexit campaign trail in Winchester today. An aide to EU commissioner president Jean-Claude Juncker has said Mr Johnson becoming PM is a 'horror scenario' Mr Johnson said: 'Last year, 270,000 people came to this country from the EU and net migration was 184,000. That means we are adding a population the size of Oxford to the UK every year just from EU migration,' Mr Johnson said. 'Since 2004, 1.25 million people have been added to the population due to EU migration. That is bigger than the city of Birmingham. The Tory MP singled out the Prime Minister for criticism, insisting his membership renegotiation deal had made things 'even worse'. 'His deal does nothing to solve this crisis and has not brought back a single power for the UK,' Mr Johnson said. 'The rogue European Court now controls not just immigration policy but how we implement asylum policy under the Charter of Fundamental Rights. 'And, on top of all of this, new countries are in the queue to join the EU and the EU is extending visa-free travel to the border of Syria and Iraq. It is mad. 'If you vote in on June 23, you are kissing goodbye permanently to control of immigration.' England's population to rise 4million by 2024 Migrants will help add four million to England's population in only eight years, official estimates suggested yesterday.The headcount is expected to soar 7.5 per cent to hit more than 58million. Most of the growth by 2024 will be in the South and East. London's population is set to surge 13.7 per cent to almost 10million. Campaigners warn the projections may be an underestimate because they are based on immigration slowing significantly. They said voters should opt to leave the EU in the June referendum and regain control over our borders. The Office for National Statistics, which released the figures, has repeatedly said that two-thirds of population growth is through immigration, through the arrivals and their children being born here. The rest is driven by fluctuating birth and death rates among the existing population. London is by far due to grow the fastest, by around 13.7 per cent on the 8.5 million figure from mid-2014, whereas the north east is projected to grow at the slowest rate over the next eight years In October, the ONS released projections showing that nearly 10million more people will be living in Britain as a whole in 25 years, with immigration the overwhelming reason for the increase. The projections said that by 2039 the country will be home to close to 75million people the equivalent of the addition of everyone in Sweden. Yesterday, the agency released a detailed 'sub-national' breakdown showing how individual regions of England will be affected up to 2024. Its projections did not go beyond then because any estimate for a small area becomes increasingly uncertain after a decade. The ONS said the population of England will go up by 7.5 per cent or 4.1million people between 2014 and 2024. In London, the numbers will rise from 8.5million to 9.7million in that time an immigration fuelled increase of some 13.7 per cent. The population of the East of England will go up by 8.9 per cent and the South East by 8.1 per cent over the same time. The ONS uses available evidence on births, deaths and migration to plot expected numbers down to local council and NHS areas, so even growth in individual towns can be shown. Yesterday's stark projections drew fresh warnings from leaders of the Brexit camp. Iain Duncan Smith, the former work and pensions secretary, said: 'British people are already feeling the consequences of uncontrolled migration, with increased strain on our public services and downward pressure on wages. 'That means families are having to wait longer to get GP appointments, they are struggling to get their kids into good schools, and workers are taking a hit in their wage packets. While the affluent may be able to afford alternatives, it is those families on low earnings who suffer.' Mr Hilton said EU open borders meant Britain was 'turning away brilliant Chinese scientists, Indian mathematicians, Russian scientific geniuses just so we can import unlimited numbers of Hungarian waiters'. The estimates are based on the ONS assumption that net migration the number of immigrants minus the number of departures will fall to 180,000 by 2021. Figures published in February for the year to September 2015 show net migration was at 323,000 with no sign of Mr Cameron's pledge being met. One day earlier the court banned him from seeing their four children Told the court he did not remember killing her or fleeing the scene He attacked her outside a Sunshine shopping centre in Melbourne Mr McDermott pleaded not guilty to the murder during two trials A man has been found guilty of stabbing his former partner to death in front of crowds of witnesses outside a busy shopping centre. Craig McDermott, 39, stabbed his ex-partner, Fiona Warzywoda, 33, six times outside her solicitor's office in Melbourne's Sunshine Shopping Centre on April 16, 2014, reports ABC. Mr McDermott pleaded not guilty to the murder throughout two trials and claimed earlier his former partner could have been stabbed by accident, or could have stabbed herself. Craig McDermott (pictured) stabbed his former partner, Fiona Warzywoda to death in broad daylight Mr McDermott pleaded not guilty to the murder throughout two trials and claimed Ms Warzywoda (pictured) might have been stabbed by accident He told the court he did not remember killing her or being chased down by bystanders as he fled the scene of the attack. 'I thought this was the only time I can talk to her without people around, solicitors, family,' he said during evidence. The prosecution said McDermott bought a knife from a nearby store just minutes before stabbing Ms Warzywoda to death. A number of witnesses described the shocking scene of the attack, with many breaking down in tears as in the courtroom. Hours before Ms Warzywoda died, she had attended the Sunshine Magistrates Court with Mr McDermott, having separated a couple of months prior after about 18 years together, the court heard. One day earlier the court banned him from seeing their four children for three months. The prosecution said McDermott bought a knife from a nearby store just minutes before stabbing Ms Warzywoda to death Mr McDermott pleaded not guilty to the murder throughout two trials and claimed earlier his former partner might have been stabbed by accident A number of witnesses described the shocking scene of the attack, with many breaking down in tears as in the courtroom Ms Warzywoda's brother Paul Judge said the verdict provided some closure for the family but said her children had been robbed of their mother 'No person should actually experience what Fiona did,' he said. 'They're the real victims here that have been left without a mother. That's the part that's really hard.' McDermott will return to court to be sentenced at a later date. Punishments: Lanna Monaghan, pictured, abused the boy when he 'pushed her buttons' An Army veteran used a dog training collar to inflict electric shocks on a 'defenceless' toddler as a form of punishment. Lanna Monaghan, 34, subjected the child to an 'appalling' 15-month campaign of physical abuse, kicking and biting the boy when he 'pushed her buttons'. She also forced the boy to have cold showers and, on one occasion, beat him so hard that she broke a wooden spoon. He was just three years old when the catalogue of abuse was uncovered. Monaghan, of Fort Augustus, was remanded in custody at the High Court in Edinburgh after admitting to five charges of assaulting the boy in 2014 and 2015. She told police that she had a temper and could 'zone out' and would go 'out of control'. Monaghan wept as she was told by Judge Lady Rae that it would be 'very difficult' to avoid jail. The court heard that the abuse was uncovered when a concerned female dog owner notified the authorities of two alarming exchanges with Monaghan. Monaghan, a private car hire employee, had seen the woman using an electric collar to train her pets and said: 'If it works on a dog it will work on kids.' Advocate depute Jane Farquharson said: '[The collar] works by a remote control which when activated delivers an electric shock through the collar that the dog feels on its neck.' Monaghan later revealed to the woman in a phone call that she had shouted to the child: 'Do you want me to go and get the f*****g buzzer?'. The dog owner suspected Monaghan had bought her own dog collar. Horrifying: The dog collar used by Lanna Monaghan to inflict electric shocks on a a 'defenceless' child During an interview Monaghan initially denied giving the toddler electric shocks with the collar. But she later admitted to giving the boy three shocks in quick succession when he had refused to swallow a mouthful of food. When police saw the little boy, they noted he had suffered injuries to his face. Doctors later discovered a number of non-accidental injuries, including bruises on his body and multiple red marks on his neck that were a fixed distance from each other. The court heard these neck injuries were consistent with what appeared to be electrodes on the dog collar. In response, the judge said: 'So it must have been applied on a number of occasions'. Monaghan, who served in the Army for nine years, pleaded guilty to fixing the electric dog collar and inflicting shocks on the boy in July last year. She also admitted forcing the boy to stand in a shower while she kicked him, turning the water off and on. Cruel: Lanna Monaghan, 34, pictured, subjected the child to an 'appalling' 15-month campaign of abuse She also pleaded guilty to biting him on the ear and repeatedly striking him with a wooden spoon. A tearful Monaghan later told a psychiatric nurse that she got 'fired up' and described having continuing 'anger issues'. She later told police: 'I am truly sorry for what happened, I can't believe it happened.' She claimed the child 'pushes my buttons, spitting on me, peeing on the floor and being sick on the floor'. She said that at times she would be crouched down to the child's eye level, shouting and swearing aggressively at him when he wet himself and cried. The prosecutor said: 'She did not appear to recognise the possibility that the child was reacting involuntarily and through fear.' Facing jail: Monaghan, of Fort Augustus, was remanded in custody at the High Court in Edinburgh (pictured) after admitting to five charges of assaulting the boy in 2014 and 2015. A further hearing is set for July Defence counsel Duncan McPhie asked for Monaghan's bail to be continued while reports are prepared ahead of sentencing. He said she was effectively a first offender and added: 'The main reason for continuing bail is she is pregnant.' The judge rejected the defence plea and said 'Realistically it would be very difficult to avoid custody in a case such as this. This was a toddler, a defenceless child.' A Muslim mob ransacked and torched seven Christian homes last week in a province south of the Egyptian capital, Cairo, after rumours spread that a Christian man had an affair with a Muslim woman, according to a statement by the local Orthodox Coptic church. During the attack last Friday, the mother of the Christian man, who had fled the village in Minya province, was publicly stripped of her clothes by the mob to humiliate her, the statement read. The statement was signed by Anba Makarios, Minya's top Christian cleric, who on Wednesday night told a talkshow host on the private Dream TV network that the elderly woman was dragged out of her home by the mob who beat her and insulted her before they stripped her of her clothes and paraded her naked on the streets while chanting Allahu Akbar ('God is great'). A Muslim mob ransacked and torched seven Christian homes in a province south of Cairo after rumours spread that a Christian man had an affair with a Muslim woman, according to a statement by the local Orthodox Coptic church (file image) The woman reported the incident to the police five days later, said Makarios, adding that she had found it too difficult to 'swallow the humiliation' she suffered. Extramarital affairs or sex between unmarried couples are taboo among both Muslims and Christians in conservative Egypt. They often attract violent reactions in rural areas, where questions of honour can lead to deadly family feuds that endure for years or result in ostracising of the perpetrators. Christian men cannot marry Muslim women in Egypt unless they convert to Islam first, but Muslim men can marry Christian women. An affair between a Christian man and a Muslim woman is almost certain to cause a great deal of trouble, particularly in rural areas. Makarios said in the statement that police arrived at the scene of Friday's violence nearly two hours after the attack began and arrested six people. The family of the Christian man had notified the police of threats against them by Muslim villagers the day before the attack, he said. Christians, who make up about 10 per cent of Egypt's population of more than 90million people, have long complained of discrimination in the mostly Muslim nation 'No one did anything and the police took no pre-emptive or security measures in anticipation of the attacks,' the cleric said in another TV interview on Wednesday night. 'We are not living in a jungle or a tribal society. It's incorrect for anyone to declare himself judge, police and ruler,' he told Ahmed Moussa, a prominent talkshow host on the private Sada el-Balad television. Christians, who make up about 10 per cent of Egypt's population of more than 90million people, have long complained of discrimination in the mostly Muslim nation. President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, in office since 2014, has sought to address some of their grievances, changing election laws to allow more Christians into the national legislature and easing restrictions on building new churches and renovating old ones. But many Christians say they are still consistently victimised in disputes with Muslims. Criminal gangs have often targeted wealthy Christian families south of Cairo in recent years, kidnapping their children for ransom. There have also been scores of cases in recent years of underage Christian girls lured away from their families by Muslim men who force them to convert and keep them in hiding until they reach adulthood. Christians often complain that police don't do enough to pursue the Muslim perpetrators. At least 35 per cent of Minya's population is Christian, the largest in any of Egypt's 27 provinces. Makarios also told Moussa of Sada el-Balad television that the late arrival of the police gave the attackers 'ample time' to do what they had set out to do. He predicted the village crisis will most likely be handled through a government-sponsored meeting of the two sides in which the Christians will be forced to accept 'humiliating' conditions for reconciliation. If the case were different, and a Muslim man was having an affair with a Christian woman, the reaction would have hardly been so violent, he added. A Muslim cleric in Ghana has defended rising attacks on homosexuals in the country after claiming gay sex 'disgusts Allah' and 'causes earthquakes'. Mallam Abass Mahmud made the comments amid reports of heightened hostility among Zongo communities in Kumasi and the capital Accra towards people in same-sex relationships. He said in an interview: 'Allah gets annoyed when males engage in sexual encounter and such disgusting encounter causes earthquake.' Mallam Abass Mahmud made the comments amid reports of heightened hostility among Zongo communities in Kumasi and the capital Accra towards people in same-sex relationships (file picture) According to News Ghana, a number of gay men have fled their homes after becoming 'afraid to disclose their sexual preferences for fear of attacks'. Mahmud said Allah destroyed the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah 'as the result of homosexuality'. According to the British Government's travel advice for Ghana homosexuality in the country is illegal (file picture) The cleric added: 'Should we allow such a shame to continue in our communities against our holy teachings? 'Certainly no, and we are very happy to chase away such idiots from our Zongo communities.' According to the British Government's travel advice for Ghana homosexuality in the country is illegal. The guide adds: 'Although there is a small gay community, there is no scene and most Ghanaians dont accept that such activity exists.' Born and bred in the lab, the beagles were allegedly only given minimal food and didn't see sunlight Advertisement This is the heartwarming moment 156 beagles saw natural sunlight for the first time after being set free from an animal testing facility in India. The dogs, mostly aged between two and five-years-old, were born and bred in the lab where they were kept in small cages and given minimal food. Animal activists from Compassion Unlimited Plus Action, an Indian NGO who care for mistreated animals, helped secure the dogs' release from the lab in the city of Bangalore. Their lives were changed overnight on 16th May when the government turned down the laboratory's request to use them for cosmetic product experiments and asked them to set the dogs free. Freedom: The dogs, mostly aged between two and five-years-old, were born and bred in the lab, where they were kept in small cages and given minimal food Saviours: One of the dogs appears happy with its new owners (pictured) at the centre. Animal activists from Compassion Unlimited Plus Action, an Indian NGO who care for mistreated animals, helped secure the dogs release from the lab in the city of Bangalore When Animal right organisation Compassion Unlimited Plus Action heard of their new found freedom, they leapt into action, helping rehome the dogs at their 'Hotels for Dogs', a boarding facility in the same city. With the help of seven volunteers, the frightened dogs are slowly being taught new skills and adapting to their new life. 'They are still hesitant to meet people. When they came out of the lab, they were visibly terrified. They were always kept in the dark and did not know about the outer world,' Chinthana Gopinath, a volunteer at the NGO said. 'Some could not even walk properly and were wobbling as they had never walked! They looked for dark corners and hesitated when our volunteers approached them. But thankfully none of them were sick.' In need of love: Some of the dogs huddle in the corner after being freed from their life inside laboratoy cages in Bangalore The dogs have already received an overwhelming response with over 1000 online applications from across the country. So far 26 have been adopted and Gopinath is hoping for a new home and family for all the canines While the NGO is yet to reveal if the dogs were used for breeding purposes as well, they have started sterilising the dogs as they begin a carefully-planned adoption process 'Some could not even walk properly and were wobbling as they had never walked! They looked for dark corners and hesitated when our volunteers approached them. But thankfully none of them were sick,' revealed one of the rescuers While the NGO is yet to reveal if the dogs were used for breeding purposes as well, they have started sterilising the dogs as they begin a carefully-planned adoption process. The dogs have already received an overwhelming response with over 1000 online applications from across the country. So far 26 have been adopted and Gopinath is hoping for a new home and family for all the canines. Chinthana said: 'These dogs need extra amount of love, care and attention and we are looking for loving homes where they will get the best life ahead. They need to be handled patiently, they lack toilet training. 'The dogs are between two and five years old, and we have started vaccinating and sterilising them. Because we do not want anyone else to use these dogs for breeding and reignite the trauma again.' The NGO had helped rescue another 64 dogs from the same lab in March this year. The Indian government had prohibited animal testing of several household products including soaps and detergents last year. However, the owner of the lab was not arrested as they were testing cosmetics on the dogs which, according to Gopinath and other animal rights activist groups, is still not banned. The NGO had helped rescue another 64 dogs from the same lab in March this year. The Indian government had prohibited animal testing of several household products including soaps and detergents last year The dogs are now being looked after following their rescue before a carefully-planned adoption process is carried out Britain should leave the EU to save thousands of Bangladeshi curry houses from closing, industry bosses said today. Up to five restaurants are closing every week due to the UK's 'biased' immigration policy that puts strict rules on businesses wanting to employ migrants from outside the European Union. Pasha Khandaker President of the Bangladesh Caterers Association (BCA), said the EU's freedom of movement rules had led to the UK Government introducing crippling limits on non-EU workers, which had made it much harder for curry businesses to recruit skilled chefs. Up to five restaurants are closing every week due to the UK's 'biased' immigration policy that puts strict rules on businesses wanting to employ migrants from outside the European Union He said Britain must leave the EU so it did not have to discriminate against non-EU migrants. Mr Khandaker also slammed the 'double standards' in the UK's immigration policy where 'JP Morgan can bring in skilled people from outside [the EU] but not small businesses. Other Bangladeshi restaurant owners criticised crippling EU red tape, such as restrictions in providing takeaway services. Employment minister Priti Patel, one of the leading Brexit campaigners, is planning a 'Save the British Curry Day' next month to highlight the strain the EU is putting on the industry. The EU's freedom of movement rules allow 500 million European citizens to move freely to find work across the 28 member states. With more than 300,000 more migrants coming to the UK than the number of people leaving, the UK Government has been forced to put controls on non-EU migrants. Employment minister Priti Patel (pictured) one of the leading Brexit campaigners, is planning a 'Save the British Curry Day' next month to highlight the strain the EU is putting on the industry. Higher minimum salary thresholds and strict criteria on who businesses can employ have been introduced. The minimum salary that a non-EU migrant has to earn has nearly doubled - from 17,000 to at least 30,000 - placing crippling costs on curry houses struggling to absorb the extra costs. Mr Khandaker said Britain must leave the EU to reduce the need for immigration controls on skilled migrants from outside the EU. He told the Today programme: 'We've been told by the British ministers to employ European Union peoples but the European Union peoples we welcome them, especially we've got some people who are interested to work from Romania and Bulgaria. 'But they've never stayed, I don't blame them. There's a language problem, cultural problem and mainly the smell problem for them is bad they can't stand the curry smell. 'So where can I get these people from? If JP Morgan can bring in skilled people from outside, or big brother's can do it, why not for the small business? Why's there double standards in the immigration policy? He added: 'We should leave the European Union because [it] is creating many pressures especially for the migration, we could have a better migration, better skilled people from abroad [and] we have to give a chance to everybody in this world who is fit for the job [and] not for their colour, not for their geographical identify.' Calling for voters to back Brexit to help save Britain's curry industry, Ms Patel said: 'Uncontrolled immigration from the EU has led to tougher controls on migrants from the rest of the world. 'This means that we cannot bring in the talents and the skills we need to support our economy. 'By voting to leave we can take back control of our immigration policies, save our curry houses and join the rest of the world.' THE APOCALYPSE IS COMING! IF YOU BELIEVE BOTH SIDES WHATEVER THE RESULT ON JUNE 23 WE'RE ALL DOOMED David Cameron has warned of war and recession during the referendum campaign David Cameron and George Osborne have warned Brexit would be the 'self-destruct' option for Britain as they unveiled forecasts the nation's economy would be plunged into a recession immediately by a vote to quit. IMF Chief Christine Lagarde said the consequences of an 'out' vote ranged from 'bad to very bad', with nearly 10 per cent potentially being wiped off the economy. Labour's former deputy leader Harriet Harman suggested leaving the union could boost sexism. She said Brussels had been a 'strong friend' to women and a vote to quit the union would be a 'major step back' in the fight for gender equality, she argued. David Cameron suggested that leaving could trigger another war in Europe in remarks that provoked a major backlash. Highlighting the sacrifice of UK forces in the Second World War, the Prime Minister said the 'risk' of another conflict should not be ignored. 'Can we be so sure that peace and stability on our continent are assured beyond any shadow of doubt?' he said 'The Bank of England governor also raised the prospect that Brexit could push the economy into recession. Mark Carney took the unusual step of saying it was 'possible' that UK growth could shrink after a vote to leave on June 23 as he warned of years of market turmoil. Boris Johnson enraged the Remain campaign to claim the EU had the same goal as Hitler Vote Leave have repeatedly claimed quitting the EU would save Britain 350million every week that it could instead spend on other priorities - such as the NHS. But the claim has been repeatedly dismissed as untrue by the Remain campaign and Sir Andrew Dilnot, of the UK Statistics Authority, said it was 'potentially misleading' because it ignored the rebate. The official Out campaign claimed polling in Turkey found 12 million of them would want to move to the UK if they were handed free movement. The campaign suggested the migration would also lead to far higher numbers of criminals travelling to Britain while Tory MP David Davis said an influx of Turkish workers would drive down wages. Boris Johnson claimed the European Union wanted the same goal as Adolf Hitler - but was pursuing it via 'different methods'. The ex-London Mayor said the dream of a European superstate was a flawed attempt to reclaim the golden age of the Roman empire in Europe. Out campaigners have insisted remaining in the European Union - and particularly the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice - makes it impossible for Britain to secure its borders against terrorists. They claim free movement rules mean suspects can walktz into Britain unopposed. Brexit would cost British consumers an extra 9billion in trading costs alone and UK would have to negotiate new terms with 161 countries, warns World Trade Organisation Britain would be hit with an extra 9 billion in trading costs if voters back Brexit in June's referendum, the head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has warned. Roberto Azevedo said Brexit would leave ministers with the unprecedented task of having to strike new trade deals with 161 countries, warning that Britain would not be allowed to simply 'cut and paste' existing EU terms. Thousands of new deals would have to be agreed on tariff and quota levels on agricultural produce, for example, while officials would also have to negotiate new terms for access to international markets currently enjoyed by British banks and the UK's booming service industry. 'Pretty much all of the UK's trade [with the world] would somehow have to be negotiated,' Mr Azevedo told the Financial Times. Britain would be hit with an extra 9 billion in trading costs if voters back Brexit in June's referendum, the head of the World Trade Organisation Roberto Azevedo, warned He also warned that British businesses would face a 5.5 billion increase in tariffs when exporting their products abroad. Trade is one of the Remain campaign's strongest areas, with polls showing Britain's future trading relations is one of the biggest concerns among voters. But Brexit campaigners argue that outside the EU Britain would be able to 'take back control of our own trade relations' and agree new trading arrangements around the world. Vote Leave says Britain would regain its seat at the WTO instead of Brussels representing its interests along with 27 other EU nations. If voters opt for leaving the EU in the June 23 referendum Britain would have two years to negotiate a trade deal with the 27 other member states. If no trade deal is agreed within this time period, Britain would be left with WTO terms of trade with the EU, which are the most basic types of trade agreements. They are the terms that Russia trades with the EU's single market. Mr Azevedo warned: 'The consumer in the UK will have to pay those duties. The UK is not in a position to decide 'I'm not charging duties here'. That is impossible. That is illegal,' David Cameron (pictured third from right alongside G7 leaders in Ise city, Japan today) would have to instruct officials to start negotiating trade deals with 161 countries if Britain leaves the EU, he head of the World Trade Organisation Roberto Azevedo warned Warning of lengthy trade negotiations after a Brexit vote, he said: 'It is extremely difficult and complex to negotiate these trade agreements. And slow as well. 'Even if you are in a position to negotiate quickly with all these other members it doesn't mean that they will be in a position to negotiate with you because they have their own priorities.' However, Brexit campaigners published research today that warned staying in the EU would continue to cost British taxpayers 1.7 billion a year in red tape. They point to 'foolish' EU rules that force government contracts to run bureaucratic procurement processes cost the taxpayer 1.7 billion a year. Britain would be better off spending the money on hospitals and flood defences, the Vote Leave campaign argue. Brexit campaigner and Justice Secretary Michael Gove said: 'If we vote Leave, we can scrap the EU's foolish rules on how Whitehall runs procurement processes, which add billions to the cost of government every year. 'I've experienced first hand in the Department for Education how these rules add significant operational costs and generate expensive delays to construction projects. 'Across Whitehall, there are billions to save after we vote Leave. But Labour MP Chuka Umunna dismissed Mr Gove's claims, accusing them of seeking to distract from the consensus that Britain was better off in. 'Vote Leave are once again displaying a lack of competence, citing a report that shows the UK has relatively low procurement costs compared with other countries,' he said. 'It even highlights how Norway and Iceland - two countries they suggested we should be like - face higher procurement costs than the UK.' London mayor Sadiq Khan, pictured, slammed foreign millionaires who buy UK flats but don't live in them London mayor Sadiq Khan has hit out at foreign millionaires who buy UK flats as 'gold bricks for investment' but do not live in them. Speaking at a question time event in London, Mr Khan said there was 'no point' building thousands of homes in the capital if they just 'sit empty. It comes amid claimed Britain's tallest residential skyscraper - St George Wharf Tower in London - is mostly owned by wealthy foreign investors who do not actually live in the property. Nearly two thirds of the 214 apartments, most worth around 1million, are owed by overseas buyers, who include controversial oligarchs and foreign politicians. The five-storey penthouse was reportedly bought by Russian billionaire Andrei Guriev for 51million. Mr Khan told the meeting he does not have a yearly target on new homes for the capital but was focused on building 'the right kind' to provide more homes for Londoners. He said: 'I'm not giving numbers, and during the campaign I was quite clear - when all the other candidates were throwing around figures - it is making sure the right sort of homes are built rather than an obsession with numbers. 'Let me tell you why. It is possible to build 50,000 new homes a year, some people say, but there is no point if they are all built by investors in the Middle East and Asia and they are used as second homes or sit empty. 'The important thing is to build the right sort of homes...that are affordable to Londoners to buy or rent. That is what I intend to do.' He added: 'My long-term target of 50 per cent of new homes to be genuinely affordable is crucial to ensuring this step change. I am confident this can be achieved without reducing housing supply. Tower: St George Wharf in Vauxhall is one of the tallest skyscrapers in the UK and was finished in 2013 Statistics: This graphic shows how the majority of flats in the building are foreign-owned 'I'll be using public land, my investments and my full suite of planning powers to ensure London builds more affordable homes.' The St George Wharf Tower dominates the River Thames in the Vauxhall area of South London, contains more than 200 luxury flats most of which are worth more than 1million. The crowning glory of the building, a five-storey penthouse which sold for 51million, is owned by Russian businessman Andrei Guriev, the Guardian has reported. And residents say that the tower is largely empty, with many flat owners using their properties as investments rather than somewhere to live full-time. Sadiq Khan's administration today vowed to crack down on buyers who snap up property as an investment, and to give Londoners 'first dibs' on new homes. St George Wharf's tower - London's tallest purely residential building and the eighth-biggest skyscraper overall - was approved in 2005 by John Prescott, then the Deputy Prime Minister, who has now spoken out against the absentee owners. The decision was considered controversial at the time because it was one of the first large towers to be built outside the City and Canary Wharf, prompting fears that outsized buildings could spread across all areas of the capital. The tower opened to residents in late 2013, a few months after it was the scene of a fatal helicopter crash when a pilot struck the building in foggy weather, killing himself and a pedestrian. Luxury: This image shows how the flats in the tower have views across the Thames to the Houses of Parliament and London Eye Glamour: But residents of the building, whose atrium is pictured here, say that it does not have any community spirit The Guardian reported that 62 per cent of the flats - 131 out of 214 - are owned by foreign investors, while 30 of the properties are occupied by someone who is registered to vote in the local constituency. One resident, Singaporean businessman Peter Young, told the newspaper: 'Theres not much of a community, people come and go. It is quite impersonal I think. The staff are wonderful, but I never really see any of my neighbours.' Chong Meng Lai, another flat owner from Singapore who is selling his property, added tothe Guardian: 'It was used for not more than 60 days a year. It is basically a holiday home for myself and my family.' Owner: Russian businessman Andrei Gurgiev has bought the building's five-storey penthouse The flats in the building differ vastly in their specifications, with the higher floors being kitted out with more sophisticated gadgets and better views in an echo of the recent dystopian film High Rise, starring Tom Hiddleston. Residents are reportedly able to access only their own floor because the lifts need special key fobs to operate, in another sign that the building is not designed for communal life. The penthouse flat is owned by an offshore company controlled by the family of Andrei Guriev, a former Russian senator who co-owns a fertiliser company with Vladimir Putin's campaign manager, according to the Guardian. He is reportedly installing a Russian Orthodox chapel inside the five-storey property, carrying it in pieces up to the top of the tower by using the lifts. The skyscraper's 214 flats were sold for prices ranging from 580,000 up to the penthouse's 51million. Some of the properties are currently available for let, with a one-bedroom flat starting at 3,000 a month. James Murray, Mr Khan's Deputy Mayor of London for Housing, said today: 'This is another example of where the previous Mayor failed to get to grips with London's housing crisis. 'Sadiq Khan was elected on a mandate that Londoners should have "first dibs" on more of the homes built in the capital. We will work closely with our partners to build more new homes for Londoners.' Lord Prescott, who signed off on the building in the first place, said that he had intended to provide more housing for Londoners who have been squeezed by the city's rising house prices. 'We didn't envisage that it would be given over to people investing in London,' he said. Former Tory minister Kenneth Baker said that approving the tower had been 'an appalling mistake', adding: 'It is a scandal when you consider the housing problems of London.' And Ken Livingstone, who was Mayor when construction started, suggested that empty homes should be forcibly bought in order to make housing more affordable. South African President Jacob Zuma has come under fire after it was revealed 370,000 of state funding was splashed on 11 cars for his four wives. The father of 22 children is understood to have used state funds to buy his wives luxury cars, which included two Land Rover Discoveries, two Audi Q7s, three Audi A6s and four Range Rovers. The shocking findings were revealed by a parliamentary question to the police ministry just as Zuma appeals against a court ruling that corruption charges against him should be reinstated. South African President Jacob Zuma has come under fire after it was revealed 370,000 of state funding was splashed on 11 cars for his four wives The father of 22 children is understood to have used the state funds to buy his wives (all pictured) luxury cars, which included two Land Rover Discoveries, two Audi Q7s, three Audi A6s and four Range Rovers Last month Mr Zuma was ordered to pay back some of the 15million of public cash he used to spend on adding a swimming pool and visitor's centre to his country home. He was criticised over the building work at his Nkandla home, situated in his native province of KwaZulu-Natal, but insisted it was required as new security measures. The luxury features were defended by Zuma, who said the swimming pool was necessary to fight fires and the amphitheater prevented soil erosion. Zuma, who has been subject to more than 700 fraud investigations during his political career, began work on his sprawling family home three years ago. The property, which is surrounded by two perimeter fences, already includes helipads, underground rooms and multiple properties for the polygamist's huge family. South African President Jacob Zuma flanked by his wife Gloria Bongekile Ngema Zuma stands for the National Anthem as he arrives for the President's State of the Nation Address in February In a televised address to the nation in March, Mr Zuma apologised and said he would pay back some of the money spent on the property, as ordered The shocking findings were revealed by a parliamentary question to the police ministry just as Zuma appeals against a court ruling that corruption charges against him should be reinstated In a televised address to the nation in March, Mr Zuma apologised and said he would pay back some of the money spent on the property, as ordered. 'I wish to emphasise that I never knowingly or deliberately set out to violate the constitution,' Zuma said. 'Any action that has been found not to be in keeping with the constitution happened because of a different approach and different legal advice,' he said, before issuing an apology for the 'frustration and confusion' caused by the scandal. However opposition parties have continued to call for the President to step down following the corruption scandals. 'The president is misleading South Africa. He said repeatedly he always wanted to pay. He never wanted to pay,' Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane said. The luxury features, including a visitors centre and a swimming pool, were defended by Zuma, who said the swimming pool was necessary to fight fires and the amphitheater prevented soil erosion The charges, relating to a multi-billion dollar arms deal, were dropped in 2009, clearing the way for Zuma to be elected president just weeks later The President's spending was also questioned earlier this month when it emerged a second luxury jet was requested for Mr Zuma by his defence minister. Zuma's current jet is understood to be in good condition with low mileage, raising questions as to why it needed replacing. HOW ZUMA TRIED TO JUSTIFY HIS LAVISH HOME IMPROVEMENTS Feature: Swimming pool Justification: To be used for fighting fires. Because most of the President's houses have thatched roofs, it leaves them vulnerable to arson, and the nearest fire station is an hour and a half away. A special pump has been installed so the water can be used to extinguish any blaze. Feature: Animal enclosure (kraal) Justification: The original pen, or kraal, was built by Zuma and his family, but is inside a high security zone fitted with motion detectors. To stop the animals setting these off, it was necessary to move them further away. The original pen, or kraal, was kept for 'spiritual reasons' as it is used for rituals in traditional Zulu culture. Feature: Chicken run Justification: Security experts recommended building an enclosure for the chickens in order to stop them also activating sensor beams. Feature: Visitors' centre Justification: Used as a meeting place for foreign Presidents and local dignitaries, and built on top of a security control room to offer protection and privacy to guests. Police say Zuma already has three at his other houses. Feature: Amphitheatre Justification: Will help prevent soil erosion and land slips during heavy rain, and will also help stop the ground from moving as heavy vehicles drive past on the nearby road. It will also serve as an assembly point for the family in case of fire. President Jacob Zuma is appealing against a court ruling that corruption charges against him should be reinstated, his office said. 'The President believes that the decision of the Court affects him directly and is of a strong view that the Court erred in several respects in its decision,' it said in a statement released late on Monday. The Pretoria High Court last month ordered a review of a 2009 decision by the National Prosecuting Authority to set aside hundreds of charges against Zuma, terming it 'irrational'. Zuma's office said the court made a mistake in saying the National Director of Public Prosecutions was not entitled to terminate a prosecution on the basis of misconduct and abuse of the process. 'President Zuma believes that the appeal raises important issues of law and fact and also believes that the appeal has reasonable prospects of success,' the Presidency said. The National Prosecuting Authority said earlier on Monday it would also appeal the Pretoria court ruling, which could have lead to 783 corruption charges being reinstated against Zuma. The charges, relating to a multi-billion dollar arms deal, were dropped in 2009, clearing the way for Zuma to be elected president just weeks later. At the time, state prosecutors justified dropping the case by saying that tapped phone calls between officials in then-president Thabo Mbeki's administration showed undue interference. But the Pretoria High Court last month dismissed the decision to discontinue the charges as 'irrational' and said it should be reviewed by the NPA. Advertisement Property developers are queuing up to buy a Cold War nuclear bunker for 1.1million because it can be turned into 28 homes and three plush apartments. Nestled in rural Essex, the concrete centre was used to protect regional government in the event of a deadly Soviet strike, but it will soon be turned against a very different foe - the south-east's housing crisis. The bunker was converted into a much-loved museum after the Cold War but it closed in 2002 and will go under the hammer todayat a property auction. History: Nestled in rural Essex, the concrete centre was used to protect regional government in the event of a deadly Soviet strike Plush: The bunker could be turned into 28 homes and three plush apartments and is set to fetch 1.1 million. Pictured is an artist's impression Secret: After the heat of The Cold War cooled down it was converted into a much-loved museum, which sadly shut in 2002 The winning bidder can pick up the 2,000 square metres for the same price as a one-bedroom flat in Notting Hill, London. Although it will need more than a lick of paint as it currently sits derelict on an isolated spot in Mistley, Essex. But developer Reliant Building Contractors has managed to get planning permission to transform the site into a unique housing development. So whoever buys the bunker from them can turn the once confidential complex into three plush apartments and also build 28 homes on the site. It is being sold by auctioneers Allsop. Simon Hepworth, partner at the firm, said: 'This is a unique opportunity to purchase a relic of the Cold War era. The winning bidder can pick up the 2,000 square metres for the same price as a one-bedroom flat in Notting Hill, London. Pictured is the old dormitory In 1963 the bunker was purchased by Essex County Council from the War Office at a cost of 5,250 and became their emergency headquarters in the event of a nuclear war. Pictured is an office Protections: The blast-proof building boasts 75cm-thick concrete walls and the roof is more than one-metre deep The bunker was built in 1951 and used in the Cold War to look out for hostile bombers approaching Britain from behind the Iron Curtain Developer Reliant Building Contractors has managed to get planning permission to transform the site into a unique housing development Whoever buys the bunker can turn the once confidential complex into three plush apartments and also build 28 homes on the site 'The planning consent allows for transformation of the former bunker into three exclusive dwellings, together with a further twenty-eight dwellings on the site in a time when there is a well-publicised shortage of housing in the south-east.' The blast-proof building boasts 75cm-thick concrete walls and the roof is more than one-metre deep. It was built in 1951 and used in the Cold War to look out for hostile bombers approaching Britain from behind the Iron Curtain. It cost the MoD 500,000 to build and was a command centre for the deployment and firing of anti-aircraft defences. In 1963 the bunker was purchased by Essex County Council from the War Office at a cost of 5,250 and became their emergency headquarters in the event of a nuclear war. Advertisement The 28th year of Fleet Week has seen New York City inundated with sailors after a dozen warships docked in Hudson River for a week of celebrations in the Big Apple. Hundreds of New Yorkers have rallied behind the annual event, which sees thousands of sailors and Marines mingling with the public for seven days. On the Hudson River, the public can tour of warships and watch performances, while those in the streets have launched the #selfiewithasailor trend on Twitter. The Navy describes the event as an 'unparalleled opportunity' for the citizens of New York to meet with servicemen and witness first-hand 'the latest capabilities' of today's Navy. This year its display centerpiece is the USS Bataan - an 850ft length Wasp-class assault ship capable of carrying up to 27 attack helicopters which has been deployed to the conflicts of Libya and Iraq. Photographs taken over the past two days show thousands of New Yorkers flocking to the banks of the Hudson River to photograph the warships. Meanwhile, the estimated 4,500 sailors and Marines taking part have taken to the streets, carrying 'free hugs' signs and interacting with locals in Times Square. Scroll down for video The amphibious assault ship USS Bataan arrives in New York harbor yesterday to mark the beginning of Fleet Week The Empire State Building looms large in the background as crowds gather to watch the US and Canadian Navy ships sail into New York The USS Bainbridge sails the Hudson River while the Statue of Liberty is seen towering high in the distance behind it Sailors on board the USS Bataan - an 850ft long Wasp-class assault ship - stand in formation along the ship's edge This year is the 28th time Fleet Week has hit New York and will see some 4,500 servicemen take to the streets to interact with the public Dozens of sailors stand at attention on the edges of the USS Bataan, which forms the centerpiece of the impressive display A U.S. flag was waved in the foreground as crowds gathered to see the sailors during the opening 'Parade of Ships' ceremony The wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan can carry 27 helicopters and 1,000 personnel when being utilized at full strength Catch of the day: A fisherman enjoying the sunny weather walks away from his rod while the USS Bataan steaming into New York Harbor yesterday A woman lying on the grass next to the Hudson River takes a photograph of the massive assault ship as it arrives in the city An armed crew member of Canadian ship Athabaskan stands guard as the ship sails along the Hudson River A row of servicemen and women stand at attention as they sail past the Statue of Liberty towards lower Manhattan The annual Fleet Week features a flotilla of activities that includes a parade of ships sailing up the Hudson River Three service members look out across the Hudson River as they arrived on board the Athabaskan in New York City yesterday Ships belonging to the U.S. Coast Guard and the NYPD pass the Statue of Liberty in preparation of the annual celebration The USS Bataan, which is normally stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, passes by skyscrapers in this remarkable photograph The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Bainbridge sails under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge Crew members of the Canadian Ship Athabaskan stand guard as they sail past lower Manhattan A U.S. Navy sailor's attention is captured by a New York woman as he and his fellow servicemen wander down the street Sailors stop to take photographs with members of the public during a wander through Times Square The annual event, now in its 28th year, is a valuable opportunity for the public to mingle with the servicemen and women This week also saw seen the creation of the #selfiewithasailor hashtag on Twitter where the public post photos with the servicemen online A group of sailors wander through the crowds in the city's famous landmark of Times Square There is expected to be about 4,500 sailors visiting the city this year, all of whom are stationed on a dozen Navy ships Advertisement Britons look set to bask in sun this weekend with sunny weather that could make it the busiest time on Britain's roads in three years - although it could all end on Bank Holiday Monday which forecaster warn will be a washout. Today was so warm that skinny-dippers were seen enjoying the sea in Pednvounder, Cornwall, and the country is expecting to enjoy above-average temperatures of 20C. But showers threaten to dampen the South West on Saturday, and while things are looking good for most of us on Sunday, with only isolated showers in some areas, Monday could be a washout in the East. More than 15.3 million individual leisure car journeys are expected to take place between Friday and Monday, the RAC said, as people look to make the most of the good weather during the spring break. Scroll down for video Brave: This skinny-dipper was seen enjoying the good weather on a beach in Pednvounder, Cornwall, and Britain expects to bask in the sun with a warm bank holiday weekend Sunny afternoon: In Brighton, the beach was crowded with people basking in the sunshine as temperatures topped 20C in the south today Tanning: These two women could be seen trying to get a tan in Brighton as Britain prepares for yet more good weather over the weekend, although it could take a turn for the worse late on Sunday Beach bod: People stripped off in Brighton to make the most of the rays in the run-up to the summer, although they may not get the opportunity later on in the weekend as the weather is set to turn Baywatch: The lifeguards were out in force in Broadstairs in Kent, as people gathered on the sandy dunes set to welcome much larger crowds during the spring bank holiday Surf's up: A woman enjoys the water with her paddleboard in Broadstairs, Kent, which is gearing up for a busy few days Family dip: A father paddles in the water on the beach in Kent while holding his child next to the rocks on the shore earlier today Stunning: A breathtaking sea of mist rolls in over fields near Glastonbury in Somerset during this morning's sunrise Orange hue: All Saint's Church at Kingweston in Somerset is shrouded in mist during this morning's sunrise in the West Country Taste test: Roxy the Great Dane licks an ice cream handed to him from a Mini convertible on Brighton beach this morning Three-day forecast: Meteorologists say there is still some uncertainty about the rain on Monday but it could be heavy in the East AA president Edmund King said: 'Spring bank holiday and the start of the summer half term are on a collision course on Friday and drivers will have to expect delays. 'With temperatures picking up, travellers will have to make sure their cars don't overheat and also carry water for themselves should they get stuck in a traffic jam. 'Delaying departure until later in the evening is often a shrewd move as the combination of work exit and holiday exodus traffic tends to ease after the rush-hour.' A survey of nearly 1,700 motorists' plans suggested that Saturday will be the busiest day with 4.5 million trips, followed by Friday (3.9 million), Sunday (3.6 million) and Monday (3.3 million). RAC traffic spokesman Rod Dennis said: 'It looks as though a late spring getaway is a little more appealing to motorists this year than last - with the reasonably settled weather perhaps being one factor that is contributing to the desire by many to escape in the car. 'We recommend drivers plan their trips carefully and try to avoid the busiest times if at all possible. Friday evening is likely to be especially hectic on major routes, as is Saturday from late morning to mid-afternoon.' People enjoy a sunny after in the grounds of Tyntesfield House in Somerset during a walk in the country amid the greenery and flowers The gardens and grounds of Tyntesfield House shone as the sunshine beamed down today ahead of the spring bank holiday weekend A couple walk out from the brief shade of a tall tree and back into the sunshine in the gardens of Tyntesfield House today Traffic over the weekend will be almost 50% higher than normal, according to the AA. The M25 between junctions nine and 21 and the M5 southbound from junction 14 to 22 are expected to have the worst congestion, with delays of up to 90 minutes. Northbound drivers on the M6 between Keele and Knutsford are likely to be hit with 45-minute hold-ups. although people won't be delayed by bad weather. Met Office forecaster Grahame Madge said: 'In the South West tomorrow we could well have some quite heavy and thundery showers. 'During Saturday there could well be showers in the South West and affecting parts of Northern Ireland and Scotland. 'Outside of those areas it's probably going to be dry and bright. Sunday there will be some showers around and it will be largely fine in the East. 'But on Bank Holiday Monday our models are showing the development of a wet system that could be pushing in from the East. 'There are indications that there could be quite heavy bursts of rain in that system. There is bad weather forecast for the East on Monday.' Mr Madge said that highs of about 20C are expected on Saturday and Sunday, which is above average for the time of year. Forecast: This graphic shows temperatures expected across Europe on Saturday, with Britain compatible to much of Spain and Portugal Still warm: Sunday's temperatures are also looking good for Britain, with the South of England expected to enjoy the warmest weather He added that Monday's temperatures should also be decent, although they could be lower in eastern areas as the wet weather arrives. Mr Madge continued: 'Sunday looks like it's going to be pretty clear across most of Britain everybody should have bright, sunny spells. 'Overall as a UK picture Sunday looks like the better day with odd showers and, certainly in the East, we would say Saturday and Sunday.' In addition, on Saturday there is a forecast for high levels of air pollution in the South East with an increasingly continental wind flow. Ladbrokes is offering 6/4 that anywhere in Britain will be warmer than Madrid where it is also expected to be 20C - this Bank Holiday weekend. And Coral is giving 3/1 odds that the highest recorded UK temperature of 38.5C is broken in June, while it is 1/3 on a hosepipe ban this year. Britain's warmest day of the year so far was May 8 when temperatures hit 27.1C in London, and that will almost certainly not be beaten this weekend. Meanwhile if the weather holds out Britain's seaside resorts are expected a welcome boost to the local economy this Bank Holiday weekend. Analysis of consumer spending patterns by Worldpay suggests Tenby in West Wales set to benefit the most from the three-day weekend. Takings in cafes, pubs restaurants and local tourist attractions are expected to rise by as much as 393 per cent compared to an average weekend. Two deadly snakes battle it out for a female in this rare video where the reptiles are seen entangling their bodies around each other. The black mamba snakes can be seen tying each other in knots as their behaviour - known as 'plaiting combat' - is recorded by Kirstie Bowers of Johannesburg, South Africa, while she was on safari in the country's Pilanesberg National Park. The rarely-captured footage shows the brown scaly reptiles twisting together and shoving one another with their heads in a brutal battle to win a female's attention. Just a single bite from a black mamba snake (pictured) is usually fatal unless quickly treated with an antivenom The rarely-captured footage filmed in Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa, shows the brown scaly reptiles twisting together The mesmerising clip - which was posted on the National Geographic website on Tuesday - sees the snakes battle it out for the entire 54 second duration, while onlookers debate whether the pair are fighting or mating. The black mambas - one of the world's most dangerous snake species - are also known to sometimes bite at each other when they fight for a mate. The loser is the first one to back down. Male snakes try to mate with multiple females each year, depending on how many males they conquer in these battles. However female snakes usually mate with only one male a season and can store the sperm for months or even years in some species. Deadly black mambas can slither at speeds of up to 12.5mph and can grow to be 14ft long. And just a single bite from one is usually fatal unless it is quickly treated with an antivenom. Deadly black mambas can slither at speeds of up to 12.5mph and can grow to be 14ft long A pair of black mambas try to force the other one to give up as they roll about in the dirt to fight for a female snake's attention Britain would be hit with an extra 9 billion in trading costs if voters back Brexit in June's referendum, the head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has warned. Roberto Azevedo said Brexit would leave ministers with the unprecedented task of having to strike new trade deals with 161 countries, warning that Britain would not be allowed to simply 'cut and paste' existing EU terms. Thousands of new deals would have to be agreed on tariff and quota levels on agricultural produce, for example, while officials would also have to negotiate new terms for access to international markets currently enjoyed by British banks and the UK's booming service industry. 'Pretty much all of the UK's trade [with the world] would somehow have to be negotiated,' Mr Azevedo told the Financial Times. Britain would be hit with an extra 9 billion in trading costs if voters back Brexit in June's referendum, the head of the World Trade Organisation Roberto Azevedo, warned He also warned that British businesses would face a 5.5 billion increase in tariffs when exporting their products abroad. Trade is one of the Remain campaign's strongest areas, with polls showing Britain's future trading relations is one of the biggest concerns among voters. But Brexit campaigners argue that outside the EU Britain would be able to 'take back control of our own trade relations' and agree new trading arrangements around the world. Vote Leave says Britain would regain its seat at the WTO instead of Brussels representing its interests along with 27 other EU nations. If voters opt for leaving the EU in the June 23 referendum Britain would have two years to negotiate a trade deal with the 27 other member states. David Cameron (pictured third from right alongside G7 leaders in Ise city, Japan today) would have to instruct officials to start negotiating trade deals with 161 countries if Britain leaves the EU, he head of the World Trade Organisation Roberto Azevedo warned If no trade deal is agreed within this time period, Britain would be left with WTO terms of trade with the EU, which are the most basic types of trade agreements. They are the terms that Russia trades with the EU's single market. Mr Azevedo warned: 'The consumer in the UK will have to pay those duties. The UK is not in a position to decide 'I'm not charging duties here'. That is impossible. That is illegal,' Vote Leave, led by Michael Gove (pictured with his wife Sarah Vine) argues that Britain would regain its seat at the WTO instead of Brussels representing its interests along with 27 other EU nations Warning of lengthy trade negotiations after a Brexit vote, he said: 'It is extremely difficult and complex to negotiate these trade agreements. And slow as well. 'Even if you are in a position to negotiate quickly with all these other members it doesn't mean that they will be in a position to negotiate with you because they have their own priorities.' However, Brexit campaigners published research today that warned staying in the EU would continue to cost British taxpayers 1.7 billion a year in red tape. They point to 'foolish' EU rules that force government contracts to run bureaucratic procurement processes cost the taxpayer 1.7 billion a year. Britain would be better off spending the money on hospitals and flood defences, the Vote Leave campaign argue. Brexit campaigner and Justice Secretary Michael Gove said: 'If we vote Leave, we can scrap the EU's foolish rules on how Whitehall runs procurement processes, which add billions to the cost of government every year. 'I've experienced first hand in the Department for Education how these rules add significant operational costs and generate expensive delays to construction projects. 'Across Whitehall, there are billions to save after we vote Leave. But Labour MP Chuka Umunna dismissed Mr Gove's claims, accusing them of seeking to distract from the consensus that Britain was better off in. 'Vote Leave are once again displaying a lack of competence, citing a report that shows the UK has relatively low procurement costs compared with other countries,' he said. 'It even highlights how Norway and Iceland - two countries they suggested we should be like - face higher procurement costs than the UK.' LEAVING THE EU 'WOULD SAVE UK TAXPAYERS 1.7BN IN WASTED RED TAPE' Leading Brexit campaigner Michael Gove (left) published research today that warned staying in the EU would continue to cost British taxpayers 1.7 billion a year in red tape. But Labour MP Chuka Umunna (right) dismissed Mr Gove's claims, accusing them of seeking to distract from the consensus that Britain was better off in Red tape from Brussels costs taxpayers almost 1.7 billion a year by imposing 'foolish' rules on the way public contracts are tendered, Brexit campaigners have claimed. Justice Secretary and Vote Leave campaign chief Michael Gove said the rules added 'significant operational costs' and caused expensive delays to projects. The Brexit group calculated that procurement rules, aimed at ensuring that firms are not discriminated against in competitions for public contracts across the EU, had cost at least 8.43 billion over the last five years. Vote Leave said the sum amounted to enough to build 25 new hospitals and the annual cost was five-times the amount spent on the cancer drugs fund in England. The Brexit campaign calculated the cost based on a European Commission estimate in 2011 that the legislation amounted to 0.7% of the total value of spending on procurement in the UK. The European Commission study also found that the mean number of days for the entire procurement process was 193 days, which, when multiplied by the 52,786 UK tenders advertised over the past five years, suggested that the system took the equivalent of 27,912 years. Mr Gove said: 'If we vote Leave we can scrap the EU's foolish rules on how Whitehall runs procurement processes which add billions to the cost of Government every year. 'I've experienced first hand in the Department for Education how these rules add significant operational costs and generate expensive delays to construction projects. Across Whitehall, there are billions to save after we vote Leave.' But Labour MP Chuka Umunna dismissed Mr Gove's claims, accusing them of seeking to distract from the consensus that Britain was better off in. 'Vote Leave are once again displaying a lack of competence, citing a report that shows the UK has relatively low procurement costs compared with other countries,' he said. 'It even highlights how Norway and Iceland - two countries they suggested we should be like - face higher procurement costs than the UK.' Bangladeshi curry house bosses call on voters to back Brexit to save thousands of restaurants from closing Britain should leave the EU to save thousands of Bangladeshi curry houses from closing, industry bosses said today. Up to five restaurants are closing every week due to the UK's 'biased' immigration policy that puts strict rules on businesses wanting to employ migrants from outside the European Union. Pasha Khandaker President of the Bangladesh Caterers Association (BCA), said the EU's freedom of movement rules had led to the UK Government introducing crippling limits on non-EU workers, which had made it much harder for curry businesses to recruit skilled chefs. Up to five restaurants are closing every week due to the UK's 'biased' immigration policy that puts strict rules on businesses wanting to employ migrants from outside the European Union He said Britain must leave the EU so it did not have to discriminate against non-EU migrants. Mr Khandaker also slammed the 'double standards' in the UK's immigration policy where 'JP Morgan can bring in skilled people from outside [the EU] but not small businesses. Other Bangladeshi restaurant owners criticised crippling EU red tape, such as restrictions in providing takeaway services. Employment minister Priti Patel, one of the leading Brexit campaigners, is planning a 'Save the British Curry Day' next month to highlight the strain the EU is putting on the industry. The EU's freedom of movement rules allow 500 million European citizens to move freely to find work across the 28 member states. Employment minister Priti Patel (pictured) one of the leading Brexit campaigners, is planning a 'Save the British Curry Day' next month to highlight the strain the EU is putting on the industry. With more than 300,000 more migrants coming to the UK than the number of people leaving, the UK Government has been forced to put controls on non-EU migrants. Higher minimum salary thresholds and strict criteria on who businesses can employ have been introduced. The minimum salary that a non-EU migrant has to earn has nearly doubled - from 17,000 to at least 30,000 - placing crippling costs on curry houses struggling to absorb the extra costs. Mr Khandaker said Britain must leave the EU to reduce the need for immigration controls on skilled migrants from outside the EU. He told the Today programme: 'We've been told by the British ministers to employ European Union peoples but the European Union peoples we welcome them, especially we've got some people who are interested to work from Romania and Bulgaria. 'But they've never stayed, I don't blame them. There's a language problem, cultural problem and mainly the smell problem for them is bad they can't stand the curry smell. 'So where can I get these people from? If JP Morgan can bring in skilled people from outside, or big brother's can do it, why not for the small business? Why's there double standards in the immigration policy? He added: 'We should leave the European Union because [it] is creating many pressures especially for the migration, we could have a better migration, better skilled people from abroad [and] we have to give a chance to everybody in this world who is fit for the job [and] not for their colour, not for their geographical identify.' Calling for voters to back Brexit to help save Britain's curry industry, Ms Patel said: 'Uncontrolled immigration from the EU has led to tougher controls on migrants from the rest of the world. 'This means that we cannot bring in the talents and the skills we need to support our economy. 'By voting to leave we can take back control of our immigration policies, save our curry houses and join the rest of the world.' Public divorce: Nick and Janine Robertson The co-founder of fashion site Asos has sold 46million worth of shares to help pay a multi-million pound divorce settlement. Nick Robertson, one of Britain's richest men, was ordered to pay ex-wife Janine 70million following a High Court legal battle that was sparked when he moved in with his PA, who is 15 years his junior. The online entrepreneur had argued the mother-of-two should receive some 30million in assets while she claimed she should receive half of the 220million fortune. Asos announced late on Wednesday his intent to sell 1.3 million shares, which represents 1.6 per cent of the firm's share capital, through placing to institutional investors. The move comes after a High Court judge ruled in March that Mr Robertson should hand over roughly a third of his fortune to his wife in a public trial after the pair failed to reach a settlement. The High Court heard that Mr Robertson, the great-grandson of retailer Austin Reed, married Janine in 2004 and the couple separated in 2013. Mr Robertson reportedly moved out of his 8.3 million six-bedroom family home in Wimbledon, London, in March 2014 and was pictured hand-in-hand with his ex-PA Charlotte Balin months later. Mrs Robertson had 'negligible means' when she began living with Mr Robertson, said the judge. The judge said a central issue in the divorce battle was how the value of some shares and a 60million property portfolio owned by Mr Robertson should be divided. He heard that the couple owned homes in London, Oxfordshire and France, plus cars, including a Mercedes, a Bentley and a Ferrari, and boats worth about 2million. Both husband and wife run up legal bills of about 500,000 during the ligation. HOW ASOS TYCOON NICK ROBERTSON MADE HIS MILLIONS The great-grandson of retailer Austin Reed, Nick Robertson attended 29,600-a-year Canford School, in Wimborne, Dorset. He earned two Ds and an F in his A-levels and spent a brief period as a ski bum in Meribel, France, before joining advertising firm Young & Rubicam. In 1996, he and friend Quentin Griffiths set up Entertainment Marketing. Four years later, the pair launched Asos with 2.4million, mostly borrowed from friends and family. In 2013 he was named the 298th richest man in Britain. Mr Robertson stepped down as the chief executive of Asos in September 2015 but remains a non-executive director. The company is now valued at 2.9billion. Advertisement Mr Justice Holman said Mr Robertson was the 'money maker' in the marriage but Mrs Robertson had been an 'excellent home-maker and an excellent mother'. Both had 'contributed equally' when living together' but Mr Robertson had worked on his business project before marrying, the judge said. Mr Robertson founded Asos, which stands for As Seen On Screen, in 2000. The company was floated on London's junior market in 2001 with its shares worth 20p. It is now valued at 2.9 billion. Mr Robertson oversaw the growth of the brand from a UK business to one with international operations in countries such as the United States, France and Australia. He stepped down from the role of chief executive in 2015, making way for Nick Beighton, but has remained a non-executive director at the business. Asos, which sells more than 80,000 branded and own-brand products, posted a double-digit hike in half-year profits in April. The group hailed a 'good start' to its financial year after a bumper festive season helped pre-tax profits surge 18 per cent higher to 21.2 million in the six months to February 29. Internet tycoon: Nick Robertson, pictured in 2007, founded Asos, which stands for As Seen On Screen, in 2000 An Australian family living in Scotland, who came to the country five years ago during a drive to attract people to live in rural areas, is now battling deportation under new British rules designed to control immigration. The Brains were due to meet Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Thursday to discuss the rules which one lawmaker of her Scottish National Party described as a 'blunt instrument'. Kathryn and Gregg Brain and their seven-year-old son Lachlan, who has learnt Scotland's ancient Gaelic language at school, arrived in the small town of Dingwall in 2011 as part of a plan backed by the British government to help prop up an ageing and shrinking population in the Highlands of northern Scotland. Australians Kathryn and Gregg Brain and their seven-year-old son Lachlan moved to Dingwall, Scotland, in 2011 but are now facing deportation under new British immigration rules (pictured) But the scheme was closed and a change in the rules meant the family required a different visa to stay in the country - a requirement that has pitted the devolved Scottish nationalist government against the British government in London. One of the key issues in the debate on Britain's membership of the European Union ahead of a June 23 vote is the arrival of immigrants seeking work, and their status as beneficiaries of Britain's welfare system. Immigration is above targets set by the government, seen in data released on Thursday showing net migration to Britain rose to 333,000 last year. The number of new arrivals from Europe has driven much opposition to the bloc. 'The government apparently is trying to regulate immigration but what they are actually doing is alienating and deporting the very people with the talent and the skills that we need in Scotland,' said SNP lawmaker Kate Forbes. The family travelled to Dingwall (pictured) under a a plan backed by the British government to help prop up an ageing and shrinking population in the Highlands of northern Scotland 'These inflexible rules are a blunt instrument,' she added. Gregg Brain is a health and safety expert and Kathryn, who arrived on a student visa, has just completed a degree in Scottish history and has an offer of temporary work in a local distillery. Home Office minister James Brokenshire said the family could submit a new visa application and he would later meet their local member of parliament who had raised their case on Thursday. 'He can be assured that the family does not face an imminent risk of immediate deportation,' Brokenshire told lawmakers. Ben Scott, who avoided jail after attacking Corporal Marc Jolly in Cornwall, by ambushing him from behind and stamping on him A drug dealer who avoided jail after brutally attacking an Afghanistan veteran goaded his victim by calling him scum in a Facebook post next to a picture of bottle of 140 champagne saying 'I win'. Ben Scott, 31, launched an unprovoked attack on Corporal Marc Jolly - who serves with the Royal Marines - when he returned home for Christmas in Camborne, Cornwall. He ambushed him from behind, hit him in the back of the head and stamped and kicked him on the floor, beating him 14 times. Scott was given a suspended prison sentence for the assault but hours later updated his status on Facebook accompanied with an image of a bottle of Louis Roederer Cristal 2007. He branded Corporal Jolly as scum and posted: 'Real decent people prevail in the end and that scum Marc Jolly can stay at the bottom of my shoe where he belongs. I win.' Scott, of Redruth, Cornwall, who runs his own building company, was also jailed in 2010 for seven and a half years for conspiracy to supply cocaine. But he refused to apologise for his comment today and said: 'Words are sticks and stones.' Corporal Jolly, 27, who has been a Marine for eight years, said he was still struggling to recover from the attack in his hometown. He said he felt safer on the frontline fighting the Taliban than he does on a night out at home. Ben Scott (right, pictured with a friend) was given a suspended prison sentence for the assault on Corporal Jolly The incident also came just three months after soldier Dave Curnow was murdered by two drunken thugs on the streets of the neighbouring Cornish town of Redruth. Corporal Jolly, currently based at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, Devon, had returned home last December to spend Christmas with his family. He was enjoying a night out on Christmas Eve when he was set upon outside Tyacks Hotel. After he received a suspended sentence, he updated his status on Facebook accompanied with an image of a bottle of Louis Roederer Cristal 2007 and called Corporal Jolly scum He explained: 'I was walking to the car in the dark on my own and he [Scott] sprouts up behind me and hit me on the back of my head and knocked me to the ground. 'He stamped and kicked me on the floor. 'The manly thing to do is fight someone face to face so they have a fighting chance but to spring up on someone is cowardly.' Corporal Jolly, pictured, after the attack by Scott, where he was left with three head wounds The Marine said he saw CCTV footage from the hotel of the incident which shows he was briefly knocked out after the attack. He added: 'He hit me 14 times. I had three head wounds that had to be glued back together to stop the bleeding. 'The paramedics were absolutely brilliant. It was my eye they were most concerned about. 'They thought the retina might have been detached.' Corporal Jolly, who served eight months in Afghanistan in 2011 with 42 Commando, suffered several deep cuts and bruises and waited months for normal vision to return. He explained: 'I didnt feel comfortable going back to my home town, when Id done nothing wrong. 'The first time was a couple of weeks ago, and I didnt feel safe. Id rather be back in Afghanistan - at least you know what youre getting into. 'You know you might be in a fire fight, youre prepared for it - but you dont expect someone to come up and hit you on the back of the head.' 'It really did affect me. I didnt go home for quite a few months. I didnt want to walk around and bump into him.' Scott, who pleaded guilty to one charge of assault causing actual bodily harm, was given a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, at Truro Crown Court on April 22. He was ordered to pay Corporal Jolly 4,000 in compensation. But Corporal Jolly hit out at the sentence and said Scott had 'got away with it' by being spared jail. Referring to the Facebook post, he said: 'I was furious to see it. But I didnt respond. After the attack the marine says he does not feel safe in his own hometown of Camborne and says he would rather be back in Afghanistan 'It was obviously a play on words referring to me on the bottom of his shoes after he stamped on my head. 'But I didnt stoop down to his level and didnt retaliate. I just felt it wasnt worth it.' Scott claimed he had been drinking on the evening of the attack and was remorseful for his actions. Speaking today he said: 'I do regret what happened. It shouldnt have gone that far. 'I shouldnt have done it, especially having the business and having people working for me. 'Its not just me Im looking out for; its all of them as well.' While PC Paul Hulme, of Camborne police, said: 'This was an incredibly cowardly and unprovoked attack. The boy was staying with his dad to help the two bond with one another The child's mother repeatedly called during the two days her son was there The attack was spurred when the child didn't want to be near his father The boy was in temporary custody of his father when the incident occurred lied to police and said the boy had slipped in the bath A man who killed his 13-month-old son after hurling the toddler against a wall and burning his foot on a kitchen stove has been sentenced to eight years behind bars. The 29-year-old had initially lied to police claiming the boy had slipped in the bath and later pleaded guilty to torture and manslaughter charges against his son. The crimes were committed when the toddler was temporarily in his father's care after the man contacted the boy's mother via Facebook, the Supreme Court in Brisbane heard on Thursday. The incident occurred in Beenleigh, just south of Brisbane, between 12.43am and 8.20pm on December 28, 2012, when the father had temporary custody of the child for two days. A 29-year-old Queensland father-of-two has been sentenced to eight years in jail after brutally murdering his 13-month-old son (stock) by hurling him into a wall and burning his foot What was hoped to be bonding time between father and son turned into a torturous and eventually fatal experience for the innocent boy, the court heard. In sentencing, Justice Roslyn Atkinson activated the man's 14-month suspended term before adding a head sentence of eight years for his crimes against his son. She also declared him a serious violent offender which means he will have to serve at least 80 per cent of that eight-year term. Justice Aktinson said he had shown no evidence of genuine remorse despite pleading guilty and, in burning the child's foot on the hot plate, committed a callous and deliberate act. She said: 'There's no sentence I can impose upon you that makes up for the suffering you have caused.' A phone call recorded between the man and his girlfriend heard him say: 'I've got no remorse for nobody's passing. I just got no feeling,' reported The Courier Mail. Queensland's Supreme Court in Brisbane heard on Thursday the crimes were committed when the toddler was temporarily in his father's care after the man contacted the boy's mother via Facebook The 29-year-old father threatened his girlfriend at the time and told her to tell police that the boy was 'dopey' and had 'walked over the stove' (stock) after sitting on the kitchen bench In an attempt to conceal his malicious behaviour the 29-year-old father-of-two had threatened his girlfriend at the time if she did not lie to police. He had told her to tell police the child was 'dopey and kept falling over all the time' and that his son had 'walked over the stove' after sitting on the kitchen bench, the court heard. Crown Prosecutor Danny Boyle told the court that the man had deliberately failed to take his son to hospital even when his girlfriend's sister commented that the child 'did not look right'. When begged to return the child back to the baby's mother the man had threatened his girlfriend and said that he would kick her in the face after she tried to shield his son from more violence. She later called an ambulance but the baby died in hospital on December 30 after his life support was turned off. The man has prior criminal convictions for assault and drunk and disorderly offences and had started abusing alcohol when he was 16 years old. Britains top family judge has handed a millionairess divorcee the power to remain rich and single in what will be seen as a landmark ruling for womens independence. Mother-of-two Karen Hart, 60, was awarded 3.5million from a 10million family fortune by a judge when she split from property mogul John Hart, 77, after more than 20 years of marriage. But Mr Hart, who had lived with her in Wishaw, Warwickshire, claimed the amount ignored that she has been living with another man for years - and she should now look to him for financial support. Claim: Mother-of-two Karen Hart (left) insisted that she needed all of the 3.5million to remain financially independent of her new partner Tim Chubb (right) - and not be forced into marrying him by lack of funds However Mrs Hart insisted that she needed all of the 3.5million to remain financially independent of her new partner Tim Chubb - and not be forced into marrying him by lack of funds. Now she has won the backing of Sir James Munby in Londons Court of Appeal, who ruled that the presence of her new partner in her life did not diminish her needs financially as a single woman. The court heard that Mr and Mrs Hart the former of whom was described as an aggrieved husband - began living together in 1983, married in 1987 and had two children. They lived in a 1.1million gated home in the hamlet of Wishaw, near Sutton Coldfield, boasting five bedrooms, a gym, home cinema room, a separate guest annex and garaging for five vehicles. They also enjoyed properties in Miami and Spain and amassed a 10million family fortune from a property and finance empire before divorce proceedings began in 2011. Mr Hart complained to Judge Stephen Wildblood QC last year that his ex-wife had been co-habiting with Mr Chubb for years and claimed that her share of the family wealth ought to be cut. This was on the assumption that she would now rely on Mr Chubb financially. But Judge Wildblood refused to lower his assessment of Mrs Harts financial needs despite this. Mrs Hart argued that, after more than 20 years of marriage, she is anxious to remain financially independent and should not have to rely on a man to maintain her lifestyle. Former home: The Harts lived in a 1.1million gated home in the hamlet of Wishaw, near Sutton Coldfield, boasting five bedrooms, a gym, home cinema room, a separate guest annex and garaging for five vehicles Mr Hart, representing himself, told the Court of Appeal today that anyone with normal sense would see it was unfair for him to have to hand his former wife 3.5million in cash, property and shares when she had been living with a new partner for up to a decade. The situation in my case is that my wife had been living as man and wife with somebody for years. It could be ten years, he said. They are obviously living together as man and wife. They own a home together. If it had gone before ten judges, I think nine of them would have agreed with me John Hart They have a bank account together, a home together and credit cards together. You can hardly agree with Judge Wildblood when he said they lead separate lives. They are obviously living together as man and wife. They own a home together. If it had gone before ten judges, I think nine of them would have agreed with me. He told Sir James that Judge Wildblood had taken an unusual course and insisted previous case law showed the divorce courts generally take account of a remarriage, or the prospect of one, when assessing the post-split financial needs of a wife leaving an affluent marriage. Mr Hart added: It is all one way. Im on the back foot and have been since day one... I cant believe that anybody with normal sense wouldnt see they are living together as man and wife. I cant believe that anybody would truly believe that my ex-wife and her partner are not living together as man and wife. I believe that Judge Wildblood definitely got this wrong. Peter Mitchell, for Mrs Hart, accepted that she is in a long-term relationship with Mr Chubb, but said that, after 20 years of marriage, she cherishes her independence and does not want to have to rely on a man for money any more. Wealth: As well as the property in Wishaw (above), the couple enjoyed properties in Miami and Spain and amassed a 10million family fortune from a property and finance empire before divorce proceedings began in 2011 She and Mr Chubb have no current intention to marry, he told Sir James. Hitting out at the idea that Mrs Hart should effectively be forced to remarry for financial reasons, Mr Mitchell said: Whatever Mrs Hart decides to do in her relationship, she should not be obliged to do it because of a judges order. Judge Wildblood made an order based on the wifes needs at the end of a very long marriage, he added. Sir James said that the call had been a tricky one for Judge Wildblood to make, adding: If one gets it wrong one way, the wife is left stranded. If one gets it wrong the other way, the husband is aggrieved. If one gets it wrong one way, the wife is left stranded. If one gets it wrong the other way, the husband is aggrieved Sir James Munby The complaint arises out of the fact that the wife has for years, as the husband would have it, been co-habiting with another man. He complains that Judge Wildblood was wrong in his decision that this was not a matter which led to any reduction in the wifes needs. But Sir James concluded: I do not consider that the presence of Mr Chubb in the life of Mrs Hart should diminish her needs. Judge Wildblood came to a conclusion which was plainly open to him on the evidence. Neither Mr nor Mrs Hart made any comment after the case, but Mr Mitchell said: Mrs Hart acknowledged that she lived with Mr Chubb and that they are in a stable and long-term relationship. However, she said that they were anxious to retain their financial independence and that they were financially independent, aside from the costs of maintaining their household, which they shared equally. The judge accepted this evidence and held that Mrs Hart was entitled to financial independence at the conclusion of this long marriage. A man and woman have been nabbed allegedly impersonating police with fake emergency flashing lights to get through traffic. Police pulled over the blue Kia sedan driving down Main North Rd in Adelaides Enfield at 1.30pm on Thursday with red and blue flashing lights on the windscreen. A man and woman travelling in the car were charged with a string of offences after police uncovered an array of drugs, weapons, stolen goods and cash inside the vehicle. Police allege they seized a loaded air rifle (pictured) among other illegal items uncovered in a car travelling with fake emergency lights A samurai sword was also sezied in the blue Kia sedan driving down Main North Rd in Adelaides Enfield The man, 32, and woman, 30, told police they used the lights because they were late for an appointment. Police allege they seized a samurai sword and loaded air rifle, stolen power tools, cannabis and 15g of white powder believed to be heroin or cocaine inside the car. They also allege to have found $5000 cash in the womans purse. The pair were each charged with impersonating police, carrying an offensive weapon and aggravated possession of a firearm without a licence, possession of an unsecured firearm, trafficking a controlled drug and unlawful possession. Impersonating police alone carries a maximum penalty of $2,500 or imprisonment for six months in South Australia. The pair were refused bail and will front court on Friday. Pills and 15g of white powder believed to be heroin or cocaine was also found inside the car A man, 32, and woman, 30, told police they used the lights because they were late for an appointment Potato king Tony Galati has been accused of firing workers after they complained of being underpaid and mistreated. The Perth 'Spud Shed' supermarket owner, who also owns a butchery where the workers were employed, denies they lost their jobs because they raised issues with their employment. One worker, identified only as Andy, said he'd worked at Mr Galati's The Mad Butcher factory for eight months and hadn't been paid for his last two weeks, Perth Now reported. Tony Galati, who runs the 'Spud Shed' supermarkets in Western Australia, has been accused of firing workers from his butchery after they complained of being underpaid and mistreated One worker, identified only as Andy, said he'd worked at Mr Galati's The Mad Butcher factory (pictured) for eight months and hadn't been paid for his last two weeks He described how local workers were treated 'friendly', but backpackers were always yelled at. Mr Galati told Perth Now as many as 15 workers employed for him by a labour contractor he'd used had been released to clear the factory of backpacking workers within three months. He said he'd changed to hiring staff directly, rather than through an agency, because of the drama and bother with hiring workers on temporary visas. But some workers said they hadn't been paid for weeks, in some cases claimed they were owed about $1700. Mr Galati denies the backpacker workers lost their jobs because they'd raised issues with their employment Mr Galati said he'd changed to hiring staff directly, rather than through an agency, because of the drama and bother with hiring workers on temporary visas And the labour contractor who provided workers for Mr Galati - who he no longer works with - is proving hard to contact, according to the report. Despite having ceased using the contractor, Mr Galati said he'd inquire if there was pay outstanding. National Union of Workers assistant branch secretary Godfrey Moase said the union intended to take action against Mr Galati. But Mr Galati said he had no worries about any legal proceedings. He told Perth Now: 'I don't mind backpackers. Theyre good people and we need to encourage tourism in this state and country. 'But in this factory, in these specialised jobs, its very hard to keep on training them and keep an eye on their different visas.' Junior doctors plotted to strike for 18 months and their main motivation was pay, extraordinary leaked messages have revealed. Senior figures at their union planned to tie the Government in knots and admitted they didnt care about anything other than extracting the best contract. In one exchange, their leader Dr Johann Malawana said he loved the idea of a wave of highly disruptive strikes. The messages also reveal the senior members of the British Medical Association were principally concerned about their earnings not patient safety, as they had publicly claimed. Scroll down for video Despite repeated claims by junior doctors that the dispute was about 'safety, not pay,' the leaked messages reveal their primary concern was the proposed cut in premium weekend pay. The leaked messages reveal that BMA chair Dr Johann Malawana (pictured left) told fellow junior doctors that 'the best solution may actually [be] to draw this out' to 'force' the Government 'to impose [the contract] against our support'. They believed that by dragging out the contract dispute they would extract concessions from Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt (pictured right) When the members of the BMAs Junior Doctors Committee were debating whether to consider dropping their demands for premium hourly pay on Saturdays, Dr Arrash Arya Yassaee replied: Bluntly, no. Dr Kitty Mohan, another senior BMA executive, said Saturday pay was the only real red line and the thing 99 per cent of juniors told us they were upset about. The union has now agreed to postpone further strikes, which have so far seen thousands of operations cancelled, as it considers whether or not to accept a reformed contract from the Government. Up to 55,000 junior doctors will take part in a mass vote next month and if they say no, further negotiations or industrial action may follow. The dispute centres on a proposed contract that will see them paid normally on Saturdays, rather than receiving premium rates. The BMA insisted they were rejecting the contract because it was unsafe and would lead to exhausted doctors making mistakes. But these messages leaked to the Health Service Journal reveal union executives were actually far more obsessed with their pay. They were sent between members of the committee, who coordinated the strikes, via WhatsApp, an instant messaging service. In December just as talks with the Government were breaking down Dr Malawana proposed a strategy that tied the DH [Department of Health] up in knots for the next 16-18 months. He added: The best solution may actually [be] to draw this right out. Into the Europe debate and leadership debate. Punctuated [industrial action] for a prolonged period and force them to impose against our support. Later that month he wrote: The more I think about it the more I love our plan. Basically five weeks of headlines about juniors strikes through January and February. And on January 15 just after the first strike Dr Malawana wrote: I dont care about anything apart from extracting the best contract. Dont give a s*** about anything else. The messages also reveal a split between the BMAs hardline Junior Doctors Committee and the unions chief executive, Dr Mark Porter, who was keen to negotiate a deal with the Government. Yesterday Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the TaxPayers Alliance, said: Patients will be appalled to discover that far from being concerned for their safety, the BMA has been playing a political game to maximise disruption in the NHS. Its now clear as day that they had no intention of entering serious negotiations and it was all about getting as much money as they possibly could. A BMA spokesman said: Private discussions should not be mistaken for the agreed strategy of the BMA Junior Doctors Committee. A Department of Health spokesman declined to comment, saying the messages were a matter for the BMA. One of the EU's most senior officials has warned that having former London Mayor Boris Johnson in Number 10 would be a 'horror scenario'. Martin Selmayr, chief of staff to European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, classed Mr Johnson with France's Marine Le Pen and the US presidential candidate Donald Trump. He said: '#G7 with Trump, Le Pen, Boris Johnson, Beppe Grillo? 'A horror scenario that shows well why it is worth fighting populism.' Jean-Claude Juncker, seen arriving at today's G7 summit, has slammed Boris Johnson's campaign and urged him to visit Brussels for a 're-education' Earlier, Mr Junker himself had urged Mr Johnson to come to Brussels for 're-education' in the wake of a row over comparing the EU to Adolf Hitler. Speaking at the G7 summit in Japan, Mr Juncker, also declared the 'atmosphere would be better' if Britain stays inside the EU. In an attack on Mr Johnson, the EC president questioned whether his depiction of the EU is 'in line with reality'. Speaking at a G7 press conference, Mr Juncker said: 'I'm reading in (the) papers that Boris Johnson spent part of his life in Brussels. 'It's time for him to come back to Brussels, in order to check in Brussels if everything he's telling British people is in line with reality. 'I don't think so, so he would be welcome in Brussels at any time.' Martin Selmayr said it was important to fight 'populism' to ensure the replacements for the current G7 leaders were not all replaced by candidates such as Donald Trump His dig is a reference to the fact that Mr Johnson spent several years in Brussels as a journalist before launching hi political career. A row has been raging for two weeks over an interview given by Mr Johnson in which he drew comparisons between the expansionist aims of the EU and Hitler. He said: 'The history of the last couple of thousand years has been broadly repeated attempts by various people or institutions ... to rediscover the lost childhood of Europe, this golden age of peace and prosperity under the Romans, by trying to unify it. 'Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically. The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods.' Mr Johnson, pictured campaigning in York this week, has infuriated the Brussels establishment with his campaign at the head of Vote Leave Mr Juncker was asked whether the European institutions would be able to work with Mr Johnson if he became prime minister, in the light of his remarks. He replied: 'The atmosphere of our talks would be better if Britain is staying in the European Union.' The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said: 'We have to respect every democratic decision, the result of the referendum and possible political consequences of the referendum. 'I think it's quite normal to have normal relations with politicians and at the same time to have your own opinion about their opinions.' Leave campaigners have dismissed the row over Mr Johnson's remarks. They say it has been manufactured to detract from the campaign. A man who trapped a possum and applied heat rub to its shaved tail after the marsupial defecated in his bathtub has avoided jail. Craig Simon Taylor, from Tasmania's North Hobart, pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges and was ordered to serve 70 hours of community service. The court heard Taylor wedged the animal's tail in the window, shaved it with an electric razor and applied the rub after finding it had defecated in his bathtub, reports ABC. Craig Simon Taylor pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges for shaving a possum and putting heat rub on its skin Magistrate Michael Daly said the act was 'completely unnecessary and quite serious' and that he 'doesn't see any justifiable reason to do it at all.' Police were alerted after footage of the incident was found during an unrelated police search. Taylor had previously pled not guilty but changed his plea after Magistrate Daly told him his sentence if he pleaded guilty. His defence lawyer Andrei Slicer said his client has since made peace with the animal and occasionally fed it. In a separate matter, Taylor received a one-month suspended jail term for driving under the influence of drugs. He was banned from driving for six months. He was ordered to serve 70 hours of community service in Hobart Magistrate Court (pictured) The court heard Taylor wedged the possum's tail in the window, shaved it with an electric razor and applied the rub after finding it had defecated in his bathtub (stock image) I accept, I was never going to see eye to eye with a Commissioner for Equality for Race and Human Rights. We are not all equal. I am smarter than most lefties - about a third of whom have an IQ lower than 85. You can tell by the Velcro fasteners on their shoes, usually damp because toilets are a challenge. As for human rights, you can guarantee if anyone is shouting for them, its a migrant who has just raped a child at a swimming pool, someone nowhere near human and most certainly in the wrong. Operation Black Vote's latest ad features a white man and a black grandma on a see-saw. The white man is clearly a thug, pointing aggressively. The dignified black grandma is riding side saddle, resplendent in a sari So the discovery that Mr Simon Woolley, Commissioner for the Politically Correct Police, is also a founder of Operation Black Vote is of little surprise. Their latest ad features a white man and a black grandma on a see-saw. The white man is clearly a thug, wearing DMs and pointing aggressively. The dignified black grandma is riding side saddle, resplendent in a sari. Operation Black Vote says the image sends a clear message that everyone has the same voting power. On the see-saw of life it doesnt matter if you have an arse bigger than Kim Kardashian or you are a ten-ton Tessa awaiting gastric bypass surgery you matter just as much as any diminutive dwarf from Dumfries. Except that isnt the message it sends is it? I dont look at it and think, well thats lovely, we are all equal. I look at it and see the message that all whites are abusing, threatening thugs from Britain First, who enjoy intimidating little old Indian grandmas on their way to a wedding. The discovery that Simon Woolley, Commissioner for the Politically Correct Police, is also a founder of Operation Black Vote is of little surprise Worse still, I see the poster and feel that white people in Britain are being vilified in their own country. My mind races through a mental file of BBC job adverts for non-whites only. Of positive discrimination to fulfil diversity quotas. Of the evolution of white middle-class man from aspirational to marginalised - the very people funding the free society others enjoy - being vilified for having a voice. Operation Black Vote has a reason for spending big with Saatchi to get campaigns like this. There are about four million black, minority and ethnic voters in the UK, and a further 400,000 citizens of the Commonwealth entitled to take part in the referendum. But about 30 per cent are not registered to vote. Supported by taxpayers and charitable foundations, they dont have to worry about the cash they spend. I wouldnt be surprised if I found out the EU were also channelling funds to OBV to parrot out what they want said. Wanting black people to vote is very different from telling them what to think and how to feel. This poster not only tells black people whites are racist. It tells them how to vote. Vote against people perceived as racist (Farage). Vote against people who seek to protect their nationality (UKIP). Vote against those who represent the Right wing (Boris). This poster isnt telling people they have an equal voice. It is telling black people to vote Remain. And you, the taxpayer, have picked up most of the tab. In one three-year period, 20062009, Operation Black Vote received grants totalling 448,510. The organisation claims to be politically neutral but its actions suggest otherwise. I see the poster and feel that white people in Britain are being vilified in their own country This poster tells black voters to remain in Europe. Operation Black Vote backed Diane Abbots leadership campaign and Yes2AV. It defends Left-wing agitators like former City Hall aide Lee Jasper, who compared British police to Apartheid South Africans, and says that white boys have a thing for black mens tackle. And it is untouchable. Because it is an organisation representing blacks. At the heart of this sits the ancient idea that racism can only run one way, from white to black, and therefore blacks can say what they want but whites not so much. Black people can have a Society for Black Lawyers or Operation Black Vote. Imagine if white people tried to pull the same stunt! Operation Black Vote defends Left-wing agitators like former City Hall aide Lee Jasper (above), who compared British police to Apartheid South Africans, and says that white boys have a thing for black mens tackle Imagine if I led Operation White Vote, and created a poster of a black gang leader in a hoodie with a knife? Or migrant dangling a baby over the side if I threatened to get off. Or even projected the latest net migration figures across the see-saw. A third of a million in December 2015. And thats just the official line. Black power has become a position of privilege from which you can say things, demand things, and pretend to represent issues which simply arent there. Black people can have a Society for Black Lawyers or Operation Black Vote. Imagine if white people tried to pull the same stunt! There was a time for such a struggle, but that time has been consigned to history. Fighting for black power today, in the absence of white racism, is indicative of black insecurity. It is the reason the taxpayer funds nonsense organisations such as Operation Black Vote and the Equality Commission for Race and Human Rights. Its the reason the BBC can recruit non-whites only. Or why the BAFTAs was more diverse than Britains Got Talent. For your information, Mr Woolley, all white people arent thugs. On the whole, we work hard, we pay our taxes and we turn out to vote because we believe in freedom and democracy. I could draw you a different poster, sir. But the black person on the see-saw would be high in the sky, feet dangling in the air, because of all the special treatment they received, their rights defended by the Society for Black Lawyers, their votes encouraged by Operation Black Vote. This is the moment officers used a water cannon to blast down protesters in Bolivia - many of whom were disabled - as they tried to get to the presidential palace to demand more state benefits. Water can be seen shooting at the civilians in this shocking video as riot officers brandishing shields and wearing helmets try to block the crowd from moving forwards in Plaza Murillo, La Paz. In one chaotic scene, a wheelchair-bound activist sits struggling in the middle of the riot as the jets of water shoot at him from a high-pressure cannon. The video shows thick jets of water hitting protesters in Bolivia - many of whom are wheelchair-bound Officers band together in an attempt to stop the crowds getting closer to the presidential palace in La Paz Filmed by Ruptly TV, campaigners holding crutches can be seen making jabs at the police underneath the riot shields as TV crews watch on. Throughout the chaos crowds try their best to pull down a metal mesh barrier that seems to have been put up as a blockade. The group appear to be using a grappling hook in an attempt to remove the barrier. This is followed by civilians speaking of what has unfolded, with one women wearing a sunhat hysterically shouting at the side. Disabled protesters have been camping in La Paz for the last few weeks, campaigning for an increase in disability benefits. Their demands, however, have been rejected by president Evo Morales. Activists use what appears to be a grappling hook in an attempt to pull down a metal barrier that was put up by officers A career criminal has been arrested for the murder of a well-known law school professor who was found shot in the head in his car almost two years ago. Mystery had surrounded the death of Daniel Markel after he was gunned down inside the garage of his Tallahassee home in broad daylight in July 2014. Markel, 41, a professor at Florida State University who was well-known in legal circles nationally and internationally, died later from the wound. On Thursday, a statement released by the Tallahassee Police Department said Hallandale Beach Police arrested Sigfredo Garcia, 34, in South Florida on Wednesday in connection with the killing. Scroll down for video Mystery had surrounded the death of Daniel Markel (left) after he was shot inside the garage of his Tallahassee home in July 2014. Sigfredo Garcia (right) was arrested in South Florida in connection with the killing Police have not yet released additional details about Garcia's alleged involvement, but arrest records show Garcia was charged with first-degree murder and possession of cocaine. Authorities are investigating the case as a murder-for-hire plot, sources close to the investigation told Tallahasee.com, and added that more arrests are expected in the case. But during a morning news conference, the Tallahassee Police Department said it will not be releasing further details in the case, citing the ongoing investigation. The probable cause affidavit in Garcia's arrest has been sealed. Police spokesman Dave Northway said: 'If we were to release all of the details of the case, that would jeopardize our case that we are continuing to work.' State arrest records show Garcia has a lengthy criminal record dating back to 1997, including arrests for car theft, cocaine possession, burglary, threatening a witness and a strongarm robbery charge in 2012. Those records show that other charges were filed against him, including possession of an explosive device, but that the charges were dropped. His occupation is listed on his arrest records as a heavy machine operator. Markel had finalized a contentious divorce from his ex-wife and mother to his two children Wendi Adelson (pictured above, with their sons) in 2013 The father-of-two (pictured with his sons) found shot in the head inside the garage of his Tallahassee home The shooting had stunned the popular lawyers friends, colleague and residents of the upscale neighbourhood of Betton Hills where he lived, who had demanded to know if Markel had surprised a burglar or armed robber. But Police Chief Michael DeLeo confirmed in 2014 that it was a premeditated murder and did not rule out a contract killing. Authorities had no suspects at the time, but confirmed there were no signs of forced entry at the residence, suggesting Markel may have known his killer. Shortly after the killing, detectives were careful not to reveal crucial evidence in the case in the hope that the killer would incriminate themselves. Markel was shot in the head - but police wouldnt say whether he was shot from the front or back. The latter would have indicated if it was an execution-style murder. They released a photo of a vehicle of interest, but wouldn't confirm exactly where the car was seen or even the make and model. It appeared to be a silver or light green Toyota Prius. Toronto-born Markel, 41, was the father of two boys and a 2001 graduate of Harvard Law School. He practiced white-collar criminal defense and civil litigation before joining the Florida State law school as a faculty member in 2005. He was tenured in 2010. Markel had finalized a contentious divorce from his ex-wife, Wendi Adelson, in 2013, after separating two years earlier. Markel was gunned down inside the garage of his Tallahassee home (above) in broad daylight and there were no signs of forced entry, police said at the time Police in 2014 released a photo of a vehicle of interest (above), but wouldn't confirm exactly where the car was seen or even the make and model. It appeared to be a silver or light-colored Toyota Prius The two had split custody of sons Benjamin and Lincoln, but they had follow-up litigation over money settlements. Adelson is program director for the Human Rights and Immigration Law Project at the Center for the Advancement of Human Rights at FSU. After he ex-husbands death, her lawyer Jimmy Judkins said she was scared to death for her children and herself. She's a basket case, she's totally, totally shocked over what happened, he said. Gone from having children with two parents to children with one parent with no warning. Teenage students were filmed getting lap dances from a stripper they hired for their classroom graduation party - after telling teachers she was coming in to give a lecture about equal rights. Footage shows a blonde stripper climbing on to the lap of a secondary school student while he was sitting on a chair at the Luitpold-Gymnasium in Munich, Germany. The dancer, named as Jarly, 33, had reportedly turned up wearing a blazer and business attire with teachers under the impression she was due to give a talk. Teenage students were filmed getting lap dances from the stripper named Jarly that they hired for their classroom graduation party - after telling teachers she was coming to give a lecture about equal rights Footage shows the blonde stripper climbing on to the lap of a secondary school student while he was sitting on a chair at the Luitpold-Gymnasium in Munich, Germany The dancer had reportedly turned up wearing a blazer and business attire with teachers under the impression she was due to give a talk But after welcoming the pupils and starting to talk about the relationship between teachers and students, she invited some of the students onto a podium where - to the delight of the audience - she started to strip off. Video showed Jarly climbing almost naked onto one student's lap and pushing his face between her breasts - and then wrapping herself in a blue towel to remove her underwear. German students are traditionally allowed to organise parties to celebrate their graduation from school. But after the striptease was videoed through a window, the footage and clips from the 'lecture' quickly became a hit online. After welcoming the pupils and starting to talk about the relationship between teachers and students, Jarly (pictured) invited some of the students onto a podium where she started to strip off After the film was widely shared online, Jarly set up a YouTube channel that offers advice about relationships Teachers decided to allow the woman to finish the show because all of the pupils were technically adults and there were no minors in the room. After the film was widely shared online, Jarly set up a YouTube channel called 'all about sex' that offers advice about relationships. Subjects range from partner-swapping to sex toys and pornography. French counter-terrorism police have surrounded an apartment in Paris after a known extremist armed with a knife allegedly barricaded himself inside the property. The man holed up inside the building is reportedly known intelligence services for his links to ISIS and may have previously travelled to Syria. A family member of the suspect contacted the police, informing them that the man is carrying a knife and has locked himself inside in the building. A police source has told French media that the man is understood to have psychiatric problems and his family have previously tried to persuade him to seek professional help. The man holed up inside the building is reportedly known intelligence services for his links to ISIS and may have previously travelled to Syria It is understood that the man is believed to have a psychiatric disorder and may have previously refused medical treatment The man has not been named, but has reportedly been 'in the process of radicalisation', according to the Daily Star. The dramatic scenes comes after four suspected extremists were detained by police in the Belgian city of Antwerp. The four suspects were accused of collecting money to buy arms and explosives as well as developing plans to attack Antwerp's main train station. Belgian prosecutors have said all four suspects have been charged with participating in the activities of a terrorist group, but declined to give additional details. The man's father is understood to have alerted authorities, who rushed to the apartment in Paris The man has not been named, but has reportedly been 'in the process of radicalisation', according to the Daily Star 130 people were murdered in the devastating terror attacks on the streets of Paris in November 2015 The suspects were reportedly exchanging encrypted messages with other Belgians in Syria including Hicham Chaib, a leading figure of ISIS in its Syrian stronghold of Raqqa. The broadcast says it was those communications that worried Belgian authorities, who detained the suspects Wednesday as well as a number of minors following searches in the Antwerp area. Bookings at Trump Hotels have plummeted by more than half since The Donald launched his controversial presidential campaign. While Trump's own popularity among his voters did not waver as he strode towards the Republican nomination, the hotel arm of his empire has taken a hit, according to data from travel firm Hipmunk. Reservations at his hotel collection have fallen by 59 per cent year-on-year as their market share has crumbled. Bookings at Trump Hotels have plummeted by more than half since The Donald launched his controversial presidential campaign, with his hotel in SoHo (right), New York, seeing a decline in reservations of 74 per cent There was a similar fall in bookings at the gold-gilded Trump International Hotel Las Vegas (pictured), where there were 71 per cent less bookings In Q1 this year, Trump Hotels have just 0.7 per cent of the market share of bookings made through Hipmunk, as opposed to 1.7 per cent in Q1 of 2015 In the first three months of 2015 - long before Trump declared he was running for the White House - Trump Hotels had a market share of 1.7 per cent of bookings made in major cities where they are located. In Q1 this year, Trump Hotels have just 0.7 per cent of the market share of bookings made through Hipmunk. That fall represents a 59.3 per cent fall year-on-year. Individual hotels have seen even larger declines in bookings, with Trump's 46-story complex in the SoHo area of Manhattan suffering a 74 per cent slump. There was a similar fall in bookings at the gold-gilded Trump International Hotel Las Vegas, where there were 71 per cent less bookings. Trump's Toronto and Chicago hotels saw year-on-year declines in reservations of 47 and 31 per cent respectively. Even in Atlantic City, where Trump has heavily invested over the years and had a high market share of hotel bookings, there has been a 17 per cent fall Trump International Hotel & Tower in Toronto (pictured) suffered a 47 per cent decline in bookings between Q1 in 2015 and Q1 this year One of the hotels to escape unscathed is Trump International Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk in Honolulu, Hawaii, where bookings have increased by four per cent Even in Atlantic City, where Trump has heavily invested over the years and had a high market share of hotel bookings, there has been a 17 per cent fall. The casino hotel, which was bought by billionaire Carl Icahn's company in February this year, still accounts for 14 per cent of hotel bookings across Atlantic City. TRUMP HOTELS BOOKINGS PLUNGE HOTEL CHANGE Trump Soho New York Trump International Hotel Las Vegas Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago The Trump Taj Mahal (Atlantic City) Trump International Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk -74% -71% -47% -31% -17% 4% Data from Hipmunk One of the hotels to escape unscathed is Trump International Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk in Honolulu, Hawaii, where bookings have increased by four per cent. It is possible that Trump's bombastic campaigning - which has seen him call for a ban on Muslim immigrants and insist he is going to make Mexico pay to build a wall on the border - has taken a toll on the popularity of his hotel chain. The data on the five-star boutique hotel collection's bookings has come solely from Hipmunk, which is mainly used by younger people who may not agree with Trump's stance on several political issues. The figures do not reflect how well the company is faring through other travel providers. The mother of a Chinese student who was fatally bashed has been ordered to leave a courtroom after she set upon a woman who admitted taking part in the attack. Long Xiang 'Jeremy' Hu, 19, was assaulted in La Trobe Place, in Melbourne's Chinatown, on April 15 and later died from brain injuries in hospital. The victim's mother slapped and stomped on Sirui Luo, 21, in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday before Luo admitted her involvement in the assault that was allegedly sparked by a love triangle. Security were also called to escort Mr Hu's father out of the court room after he screamed out loudly before CCTV footage of the alleged attack on April 15 was screened. Longxiang 'Jeremy' Hu, 19, was fatally bashed on Friday April 15 in Melbourne's Chinatown Both parents were eventually allowed back, with Mr Hu's mother clutching a framed photograph of her only child as she sobbed through parts of the hearing. In a statement, she said seeking justice over Mr Hu's death was their 'only motivation to live on'. 'We have lived in the abyss of agony and can't get out of it,' she said. 'Our son was an outstanding boy who had a heart of gold.' Mr Hu, a keen basketball player, was a student at Melbourne's Yarra Valley Grammar school. The 19-year-old died on April 23, days after he was taken to hospital and placed on life support with a fractured skull and brain injury after an attack in a Chinatown laneway. A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named, had arranged to meet Mr Hu that night, because Mr Hu was in a relationship with a woman the teen was interested in, crown prosecutor Damien Hannan said. Hanjie Liu, 23, faces assault and affray charges over the alleged attack and is due back in court later this month Both Mr Hu and the teen were with groups of friends when a fight broke out, and Mr Hu was allegedly punched, kicked and stomped on, the court heard. Shengliang Wan, 22, has been charged with Mr Hu's murder and will face a committal hearing next year, which will determine if he should stand trial. He is accused of stomping on Mr Hu's head a number of times. Luo pleaded guilty to one count of common law assault on Wednesday after admitting that she kicked the victim once as he sat upright following the fight. Her lawyer, Steve Pica, said Luo wouldn't press charges after being 'slapped forcibly and stomped upon' by Mr Hu's mother. Luo spent 17 days in custody after her arrest and will likely be fined up to $5000 when she is sentenced on November 16, the day before she is expected to fly back to China, the court heard. Another man, Hanjie Liu, 23, faces assault and affray charges and is due back in court later this month, while the 17-year-old boy has pleaded guilty to similar charges in a children's court. In just the latest sign of infighting within Donald Trump's presidential campaign, Trump let go political director Rick Wiley after he reportedly clashed with other members of Trump's organization. Sources told Politico that Wiley wasn't responsive to campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, and that he clashed repeatedly with Karen Giorno, who ran Trump's successful campaign in Florida and was a Lewandowski ally. Sources told Reuters that Trump told aides and supporters that Wiley 'should be fired' for how he handled the establishment of a new joint fundraising committee with the Republican Party. Rick Wiley joined Trump's campaign after overseeing the failed campaig of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker That agreement included 11 states but left out Nevada, a move that prompted complaints from the state party chair. Trump put out a statement Wednesday night that said Wiley had only been hired for a 'transition period.' 'Rick Wiley was hired on a short-term basis as a consultant until the campaign was running full stea, Trump said. 'It is now doing better than ever, we are leading in the polls, and we have many exciting events ready to go, far ahead of schedule, while Hillary continues her long, boring quest against Bernie. We would like to thank Rick for helping us during this transition period.' One source told Politico that Wiley was too closely linked with the Republican National Committee, the party infrastructure with which Trump is trying to merge fundraising operations. 'Rick has RNC tattooed on his forehead. He's not part of the Trump culture,' said a Trump source. 'Wiley was someone who didn't understand what we were able to do, and he wasn't interested in being a part of the team in the end anyway.' Campaign manager Corey Lewnadowski has repeatedly clashed with Paul Manafort, and reportedly with Riley as well Paul Manafort was brought in to steady Trump's campaign in March as Trump was getting out-hustled in the battle for delegates Trump campaign press secretary Hope Hicks Wiley joined the campaign just six weeks ago, having managed Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's failed presidential campaign. That campaign ultimately imploded after burning through millions in campaign contributions. The key to the dismissal appears to Wiley's moves to try to set up a new organization for the general election Florida, a state where Trump triumphed in March. Sources told Politico, Wiley set up numerous appointments and appeared to be setting up a campaign 'from scratch' and sometimes refused to return Giorno's calls. Trump called Giorno and expressed concern, the sources said. 'Tell me what's wrong?' Trump reportedly asked, according to a person familiar with the call. Trump defeated 16 Republican rivals, winning many early contests with a lean staff 'Karen unloaded on Wiley. Mr. Trump is loyal. He believed her. Rick picked a fight with the wrong person.' At that point, Trump ordered Wiley to stay away from Giorno and to neither call nor email her. 'Donald is loyal. And she's loyal,' a source said. Wiley was the first hire of Paul Manafort, the longtime campaign hand and DC lobbyist brought in to professionalize Trump's organization. There have been repeated reports of a power struggle between Manafort and Lewandowski, with press leaks linked to one faction or the other. Manafort was named campaign chairman and chief strategist last week, while Lewandowski has kept his title of campaign manager. It was the incredible rescue of a Houston construction worker lucky to be alive, with video of the dramatic moment being seen over 8 million times. Now new footage has emerged of the amazing point that construction supervisor Curtis Reissig made it off the balcony of Axis Apartments, just as the building burned to the ground in March 2014. It was captured by a camera inside a pair of glasses worn by firefighter Dwayne Wyble, who was driving one of the fire trucks putting out the blaze. The footage, obtained by KHOU, gives a new perspective on just how close the building came to collapsing on Reissig and the firefighter that helped him off the ledge. Scroll down for videos There he is: The newly-released footage shows the incredible rescue from the perspective of the firefighters trying to get construction supervisor Curtis Reissig off the burning building in Houston in March 2014 The video shows how quickly the fire became an inferno, with firefighters quickly erecting their ladder. Reissig managed to swing himself to a balcony below as the flames approached him Dramatic rescue: It was captured by a camera inside a pair of glasses worn by firefighter Dwayne Wyble, who was driving one of the trucks putting out the blaze Lucky to be alive: Reissig boarded the ladder just seconds before part of the building collapsed The five-alarm fire could be seen from miles away as it destroyed the building containing 368 apartments 'I could see, as they say, your life flash before your eyes,' said Curtis Reissig (left), the construction worker who was saved. New footage of the rescue has emerged that was taken by firefighter Dwayne Wyble (right) Reissig had rushed to the roof of the under-construction building to put out a small fire that had started. However the flames quickly spread and engulfed him. He became trapped on a balcony as the fire whirled ferociously inside. 'I could see, as they say, your life flash before your eyes,' said Reissig. 'I saw my mom, my wife, my loved ones. I saw all them and I said I've got to get out of this.' 'I thought they're going to find my body right here. They're going to find me dead right here.' As the fire truck approached with the ladder stretching out, Reissig made the life-or-death decision to swing himself to the balcony below to escape the flames coming at him. He said he knew he couldn't wait to be saved and had to do something. 'I know they're doing all they can, but in a situation like that, it seems like an eternity,' explained Reissig. Frightening: Reissig was spotted on dangerously close to the flames on the top floor of the building Making an escape: He drops down and jumps to the floor below to escape the rapidly-approaching flames Hanging for his life: A group of people in the building opposite the site when all they could do is watch in horror Just in time: The top floor of the building was burnt to a crisp and began falling to the ground by the time that the construction worker was on the ladder with the fire fighter The firefighter who captured the video, Dwayne Wyble, remembers how close a call it was for both Reissig and the men trying to save him. 'I had no idea there would be a catastrophic collapse within seconds,' Wyble told KHOU. 'When I heard that first crack, I thought it was over.' Reissig remembers the feeling of finally getting to the ladder and feeling safe, only to turn and watch the fiery wall collapse seconds later, and just a few feet away. 'When the wall collapsed, it was just like this thing is never going to give up on me,' Reissig said. '(I thought) it's going to get me one way or another.' The entire apartment complex was gutted when a roaring fire burned it to the ground. The fire started at lunchtime and the flames spread out of control Destoryed: Houston fire officials say no injuries have been reported as a result of the dramatic blaze first reported about 12:30 p.m. in March 2014 Investigators were only able to determine that the fire started on the roof of the $50 million site, but not what caused it. The five-alarm fire could be seen from miles away as it destroyed the high-rise building, which contained 368 apartments. Reissig, 56, suffered minor burns to his face and hand. There were no other injuries. Karen Jones, who works in a nearby building, had come back to her fourth-floor office after picking up lunch when she found co-workers gathered at a window, watching the blaze. Jones, who captured Reissig's dramatic rescue on cellphone video (http://bit.ly/1izztmd), said when she and her co-workers saw Reissig come onto the balcony, they started to worry. We were terrified for him, Jones said. On the video, someone can be heard exclaiming, Oh my God, when Reissig appeared on the balcony and the flames from the roof started to get closer to him. Reissig, who worked for JLB Partners, had been eating lunch at a trailer on the construction site around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday when someone reported a fire. He grabbed an extinguisher and went up to the roof, where he put out some of the flames. But strong winds quickly spread the fire across the roof, so Reissig made his way to the fifth floor. At that point I saw a lot of smoke. ... It started burning my eyes, my throat. I couldn't breathe, he said. Adriana Coronado, 14 (left), and father Cesar (right), were likely murdered because of his connections to a cocaine smuggling operation, police believe A Texas teenager whose shot and burned body was identified a week after she went missing back in March was murdered because of her father's cocaine smuggling connections, police believe. Cops think father Cesar Coronado, who was also shot multiple times and burned, worked with suspect Jose Solis Jr smuggling large amounts of cocaine from Laredo, Mexico, to Houston. But after police seized a bus filled with 16kg of cocaine and Coronado was busted carrying $48,000 across the border, Solis became suspicious and may have carried out the killings, investigators say. Officers have also revealed that Adriana, 14, was likely sexually assaulted by her kidnapper before witnessing her father's killing, and was then murdered herself. The new details were uncovered by ABC 13 in an affidavit for a search warrant on Solis's home in Montgomery County that has now been unsealed. The papers show that, after the murders, police found bloody shoe and footprints during a search of Coronado's home, alongside a federal subpoena earlier given to Solis. Detectives believe Solis may have been sending his alleged business partner an 'unknown message.' Meanwhile during a previous search of Solis's home, officers found guns, drugs, and large amounts of cash, but would not say if they found evidence directly linking Solis to the murders. Cops said Coronado was smuggling cocaine from Laredo, Mexico, to Houston with Jose Solis Jr (left) who has been arrested in connection with the killings. Police also revealed that, before Adriana (right) was shot and burned, she was likely sexually assaulted Solis is currently being held as a person of interest in connection with the murders. Images from the search of his home also showed a young child being led away from the property during the late-night raid, though it is not clear what the youngster was doing there. Coronado and his daughter were last seen on March 12 at around 1am in the suburb of Katy, hours after the teen called her mother to say she was doing OK and planned to have friends round the following day. However, when those friends arrived they found that Adriana was not at home before a search was launched for the pair. Coronado's burned remains, which had multiple bullet wounds, were found the next day on an isolated rural property more than 100 miles from where he was last seen. His car, which was also set on fire, had been found earlier in the day at a separate location. Police issued an Amber Alert for Adriana, warning that she was in 'grave danger', before her remains were discovered in a ditch by a road on March 16. Police believe Solis is the man filmed on CCTV running away from the area where Coronado's burning truck was discovered on March 13, a day after he vanished along with his daughter Coronado's burned body was found hours after the burning truck was discovered, but it took detectives another three days to find the remains of his daughter, and three more to identify her However, it took officers three more days to identify her by her fingerprints because of the condition of the body. Officers then released footage of a man running away from the area where Coronado's burning pickup truck was found in Conroe, saying they wanted to speak with him in connection with the killings. Detectives now believe that man was Solis. Police have also revealed that the same gun was used to kill both Adriana and her father, but have not said whether they have found that weapon. Juan Guerra, Solis's attorney, said: 'We ask the public to reserve judgment until all the evidence has been collected and evaluated. This case is still a very active and ongoing investigation. 'Mr. Solis, being named a person of interest, does not mean that he is involved in the planning, carrying out, or tampering of evidence.' Theresa May today announced an independent review into the harm done by Sharia law in Britain A long-awaited independent review of Sharia law will examine how it can cause 'harm' in communities, Theresa May revealed today. The Home Secretary said the investigation would look at the extent to which the Islamic legal system is being 'misused or exploited' to discriminate against women and others. She added the inquiry will also assess how incompatible the application of Islamic law may be with the law in England and Wales. Sharia law lays down a series of rules and guidelines for Muslims. In Britain there are around 85 Sharia courts which rule in family and inheritance disputes between Muslims who agree to be bound by the decisions. There are also some 'Sharia-compliant' financial products available through banks Mrs May today confirmed the inquiry is under way and is expected to be completed by next year. It will focus on several issues, including the treatment of women in divorce, domestic violence and custody cases. Mona Siddiqui, a professor of Islamic studies at the University of Edinburgh, has been appointed chairwoman and will be joined by three panel members. The panel will be advised by two religious and theological experts. In a written statement to MPs, Mrs May said: 'This review will be a full, independent review to explore whether, and to what extent, the application of Sharia law may be incompatible with the law in England and Wales, such as legislation around equality. 'The review will also examine the ways in which Sharia may be being misused, or exploited, in a way that may discriminate against certain groups, undermine shared values or cause social harms. 'It will not be a review of the totality of Sharia law, which is a source of guidance for many Muslims in the UK.' In a statement outside the Commons, she said: 'A number of women have reportedly been victims of what appear to be discriminatory decisions taken by Sharia councils and that is a significant concern. 'There is only one rule of law in our country, which provides rights and security for every citizen.' Mrs May added the review will also look for best practice in relation to governance, transparency and assuring compliance and compatibility with UK law. The Home Office initially announced an independent investigation of Sharia councils as part of the Government's counter-extremism strategy last September. In Britain there are around 85 Sharia courts which rule in family and inheritance disputes between Muslims who agree to be bound by the decisions (file picture) The panel includes retired high court judge Sir Mark Hedley, barrister Sam Momtaz and specialist family lawyer Anne Marie Hutchinson. Imam Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi and Imam Qari Asim, who is chief imam at the Makkah mosque in Leeds, will advise the panel on religious and theological issues relating to aspects of Sharia law and how it is applied. In a statement, review chairwoman Professor Siddiqui said: 'It's a privilege to be asked to chair such an important piece of work. Rachael Martin, 29, who was killed while pushing her five-year-old daughter out of the path of an oncoming car transporter A five-year-old girl has paid a heartbreaking tribute to her mother who was killed while pushing her from the path of an oncoming lorry. Rachael Martin, 29, leapt in front a car transporter on Friday morning when her daughter Keira shot out into the road in Stratford-upon-Avon on a scooter. The brave mother shoved Keira out of the path of the HGV, but was killed when she was dragged under the 7.5-ton truck's wheels. The young girl suffered serious pelvic injuries and was airlifted to hospital after the crash on Western Road. Today, Ms Martin's devastated father William Simpson, 60, paid tribute to his daughter. He said: 'It was an incredible thing that Rachael did for her daughter. 'Rachael was a great mother, a great daughter and a great sister. 'After the incident my work received a phone call telling me something had happened. 'I called home and my other daughter said there had been a bad accident and I should go to Birmingham Childrens Hospital. 'It was only when I got there that I found out that my daughter had died. 'I just couldnt believe it at first, I know it was an accident, but not my daughter. 'The first thing Keira said to me when I got there was "Mummy saved my life, mummy saved my life", she just kept repeating it. 'The main thing Rachael lived for was her children. Keira was badly injured in the incident, she was taken to Birmingham Childrens Hospital to be stabilised and she has now been taken to St Georges Hospital in London who specialise in treating pelvic injuries. 'She had operations last Friday to stabilise her and a further one on Tuesday to relieve some of the pressure on her legs. The scene on Western Road in Stratford-upon-Avon after Ms Martin was killed by the lorry on Friday Ms Martin shoved Keira out of the path of the HGV, but was killed when she was dragged under the 7.5-ton truck's wheels 'Her pelvis and the bottom of her spine are badly fractured and some of her internal organs have been torn.' Mrs Martins other daughter, seven-year-old Leah, who witnessed the tragedy, was uninjured. Mr Simpson, who lives in Stratford-upon-Avon, added: 'The children just dont know whats going on at the moment. 'They havent come to terms with it. Rachaels children were her life, everything she did was for her children and now she has died for her children. A baby boy has been found dead in his mother's car after she arrived at daycare to pick him up, only to realize she had not dropped him off and he had been in her sweltering SUV all day. The mother arrived at Pax Natura childcare center in Wilmington, North Carolina, at around 9.30am to drop off her older child. She would usually leave the baby there too but was meant to take him to another appointment that morning, police told WECT. The woman - who has not been named - then went to work, and only realized she had left her eight-month-old son in the car all day after returning to the daycare center that evening to find he was not there. Scroll down for video A baby boy has been found dead in his mother's car after she arrived at daycare (pictured) to pick him up, only to realize she had never dropped him off and he had been in her sweltering vehicle all day Officials believe the baby boy may have been in the back of the car for as long as eight hours, with temperatures inside the vehicle reaching 135F. The child is believed to have died at the scene. His cause of death has not been determined and an autopsy will take place. The mother has not been arrested. Assistant Police Chief Jim Varrone said the baby's family were 'distraught'. 'Understand that we have a lot of work to do on this, to determine first the cause of death,' he said. 'We won't know that until the baby is examined, and we have to do some more investigating to look at the timeline and see what happened here.' Officials believe the baby boy may have been in the back of the car for as long as eight hours, with temperatures inside the vehicle reaching 135F. Pictured, police seize the SUV The car park was sealed off yesterday, with parents and workers at the daycare center seen crying as police, paramedics and social workers attended the scene. Police seized a dark SUV, which is believed to be owned by the mother, Star News Online reported. Meteorologist Jan Null, who is an expert in deaths inside hot cars, told the news website that it was 86F in Wilmington yesterday, but could have been 50 degrees hotter inside the car. 'The inside air temperature of the car could have been in excess of 135 degrees,' she said. Advertisement This thirsty elephant could have done with a pair of trunks... after deciding to have a refreshing drink straight out of a private infinity swimming pool. Tourists lucky enough to witness the moment looked on in awe as the baby bull elephant took massive gulps to cool down. The mighty beast, along with a small herd, discovered the water at Kambaku River Sands in the Timbavati private nature reserve, Kruger National Park. A thirsty elephant decided to have a refreshing drink... straight out of a private infinity swimming pool The young bull elephant discovered the water at Kambaku River Sands in the Timbavati private nature reserve, Kruger National Park 'At one point, he wasn't even drinking but just sucking and spraying water in my direction,' said Villiers Steyn, who took the photos As it has been a dry season there, not many natural rivers are flowing and waterholes are dry, meaning that elephants resort to other methods. Photographer Villiers Steyn, 33, spotted the elephant taking sips and managed to capture some heart-melting pictures. Steyn, from Hoedspruit, said: 'I was leading a private photographic tour for a British guy. 'He just wanted a guide for the morning and afternoon drive. The morning drive was very quiet and hardly any animals were seen. 'When we came back to camp, we heard that the previous day the elephants had come to drink at the pools by the dining area. As it has been a dry season, not many natural rivers are flowing and waterholes are dry, meaning that elephants resort to other methods 'So instead of myself and my guest going to rest and relax, we decided to wait for the elephants to come back, and sure enough, they did. 'I was lying on my stomach about two metres away from the young bull. He was so relaxed. 'At one point, he wasn't even drinking but just sucking and spraying water in my direction. 'I waited a lot as this happened throughout the day, and I needed the water to have no ripples for the reflection shot, so that took patience too. 'I'm currently stiff from holding my camera so low down, but it was so worth while. It was so incredible'. A baby girl who survived a shipwreck that killed her parents and captured the heart of an Italian doctor has become the new face of the country's migrant drama. Nine-month-old Favour arrived alone on the Italian island of Lampedusa after her father and pregnant mother died during a journey which left many survivors suffering serious chemical burns. The boat, carrying about 120 people largely from Mali and Nigeria, overturned on Tuesday after the migrants rushed to one side on spotting a rescue ship. A baby girl called Favour who survived a shipwreck that killed her parents and captured the heart of an Italian doctor has become the new face of the country's migrant drama Survivors pulled from the sea were taken to Lampedusa's hospital and reception centre, including small, blue-hatted Favour. Pietro Bartolo, the island's only doctor, has cared for hundreds of undernourished, dehydrated and distressed migrants and examined countless bodies of those who have drowned in the Mediterranean since the start of the crisis. But little Favour made a particular impact. 'I've asked to foster her, I want to keep her with me forever,' he said in interviews published across Italian media on Thursday, adding that if he should not be awarded custody 'someone must adopt her and give her a new life'. Nine-month-old Favour arrived alone on the Italian island of Lampedusa after her father and pregnant mother died during a journey which left many survivors suffering serious chemical burns 'She is a marvellous creature, she hugged me, she didn't shed a tear,' he said. Bartolo met wide-eyed Favour off the rescue boat, taking her from the arms of a young woman - one of 20 people suffering burns severe enough to warrant hospital treatment - who recounted the fate suffered by the infant's parents. She would not be Bartolo's first foster child: the 59-year-old took in a 17-year-old Tunisian boy five years ago, according to La Stampa daily. Her story has prompted dozens of Italian families to call the doctor's practice in Lampedusa seeking to adopt her. 'They call from all over Italy, the telephone in the clinic has been ringing off the hook. They want to take her in, they beg to be able to raise this little girl,' Bartolo told the La Repubblica newspaper. Favour has also bewitched the island's mayor, Giusi Nicolini, who has made staff at the centre promise to warn her before she is transferred to a shelter for minors in Sicily so she has time to say goodbye. Favour has also bewitched the island's mayor, Giusi Nicolini, who has made staff at the centre promise to warn her before she is transferred to a shelter for minors in Sicily so she has time to say goodbye 'She is so beautiful! It's incredible that she's so well, considering everything she's been through,' she said. As Bartolo held Favour, who played with the red glasses hung around his neck, he told La Stampa that her survival against the odds reminded him of the miraculous recovery of a woman years ago who had been placed in a body bag in Lampedusa before he discovered a weak pulse. Holding and playing with the little girl brought a ray of joy to a grim job which sees Bartolo stare death repeatedly in the face. A thief who found himself in hot water after he and three friends stole a boat, booze, a TV and other items from a Kentucky Marina has now returned everything - with an apology note. Police believe the man was left with a sinking feeling after security footage of his crimes at Frankfort Boat Club in Frankfort, Kentucky, early Sunday morning appeared on local news. That, they say, is why he returned the items Tuesday night and left an apologetic note saying it was 'out of character' for him, WKYT reported. Apology: A thief who stole a television, booze and other items from a Kentucky marina early Sunday morning returned them all Tuesday with an apology note (pictured), saying it was 'way out of my character' Thief: The man (left) stole a pontoon (right) from Frankfort Boat Club in Frankfort, then returned on the boat with friends who proceeded to steal from houseboats docked at the marina before fleeing with their spoils 'I am very sorry I do not know why I did it in the first place,' the note - which lacks punctuation - said. 'It is way out of my character that is not what kind of person I am I do not even remember doing it I am so sorry I know this does not make it OK but it is your stuff not mine again I am very sorry.' The man was first recorded stealing the small pontoon in the early hours of Sunday morning before returning with three friends, who then spent an hour going through houseboats tethered at the dock and stealing items. 'Some test equipment off one of the house boats, a flat screen TV off of another house boat, and I think they got some adult beverages,' Rodney Simpson, Commodore at Frankfurt Boat Club, told WKYT. The boat was recovered Sunday, and described by its owner as 'a mess' with its radio playing loudly. On Tuesday the Franklin County Sheriff's Office posted pictures of the boat thief, taken from the security footage, on its Facebook page and just a few hours later the items were returned. Sheriff Pat Melton believes that was what led to the thief's change of heart. 'Our goal was to make it as hot as possible for them,' he said, 'Just keeping that heat on. I'm sure their phones blew up saying "hey you all are caught".' Frankfort Police Sgt. Dustin Bowman told WKYT that both investigators and property owners 'appreciated' the return, and added: 'It is always good to come turn yourself in and talk with us about it and show you are cooperating with the investigation.' But Melton told KTLA that they are pursuing leads, and that returning the items doesn't undo the crime. 'The intent was there, and they still committed a crime,' he said. Suspects: The men (pictured) spent an hour going through houseboats and stealing items. Sheriffs believe that posting CCTV images on Facebook put enough heat on the thief to make him return the possessions A woman who was filmed allegedly spitting in an administrator's face during a heated council meeting earlier this week will has been charged with offensive conduct and will appear in court. Nicola Minus, who is believed to be the woman who was filmed allegedly spitting at administrator Richard Pearson at an Inner West Council meeting in Sydney on Tuesday, will appear in Newtown Local Court on June 16, according to The Daily Telegraph. Ms Minus, a 26-year-old illustrator who is nicknamed the 'queen of seed', is said to be worried about the public attention to the video footage and has removed her social media accounts and shut down her illustration website. Scroll down for video Nicky Minus (pictured), the woman filmed allegedly spitting at administrator Richard Pearson at an Inner West Council meeting in Sydney on Tuesday, has been charged with offensive conduct The 26-year-old former UTS student and illustrator (pictured) will appear in Newtown Local Court on June 16 Inner West Council administrator Richard Pearson (pictured) said on Wednesday that he had 'moved on' from the incident and didn't want to press charges against the spitting protester Footage of the alleged attack emerged on Wednesday and while Mr Pearson said he wants to 'move on', others argued there is no defence for her 'reprehensible' actions and called for the former UTS student to be charged with assault. Ms Minus said her work focuses on female empowerment and often features explicit drawings of the female anatomy which has drawn some criticism from 'prudish' publishers, some even calling her 'the queen of seed, according to an interview in The Lifted Brow. Daily Mail Australia have contacted Ms Minus for comment. Ms Minus (pictured) is said to be worried about the public attention to the video footage and has removed her social media accounts and shut down her illustration website Administrator Pearson (right, behind the man in the blue jacket) was being escorted out of the Inner West Council meeting in Sydney when the protester, alleged to be Ms Minus, in a yellow top (left) approached him Seconds later, the woman spat in the shocked administrator's face, before another council member stepped in to block her from getting any closer Police (pictured) were called during the first meeting of a new local council, after protesters disrupted the event and a woman spat at an administrator Mr Pearson was escorted out of the Inner West Council meeting on Tuesday night after Ms Minus, who was wearing a yellow top, approached him. The video shows her cross the room to get near Mr Pearson, and shout in his face before she allegedly spat at him and another council member intervened. The angry residents were picketing NSW Premier Mike Baird's recent decision to merge the three local councils into one, and the WestConnex transport infrastructure development. A number of black riot squad vehicles were seen outside the council meeting on Tuesday night The angry residents were picketing NSW Premier Mike Baird's (pictured) recent decision to merge the three local councils into one, and the WestConnex transport infrastructure development Protesters (pictured) packed the meeting in Sydney's inner-west and forced it to be abandoned On Wednesday afternoon, Mr Richards said he has 'moved on' and didn't intend on pressing charges against the Ms Minus, the Daily Telegraph reports. Riot police were also called during the meeting, which was disrupted by the hundreds of protesters and ultimately descended into chaos. The newly formed Inner West Council is an amalgamation of Sydney suburbs Leichhardt, Ashfield, and Marrickville. A NSW Police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia riot police were called to the meeting as a precaution, however there were no reports they were needed. Images posted to social media show the crowd of furious locals gathered outside the Petersham Service Centre, with many seen holding signs. A local resident is seen protesting with a sign outside the Inner West Council meeting A senior NSW Labor figure has been charged by the NSW Electoral Commission just months after he was embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal. Jamie Clements is expected to face court next month after being charged with two offences, including allegations he disclosed protected information in May last year. A month later it is alleged the then NSW Labor general secretary used information legally provided by the commission to the NSW Labor Party for a purpose not permitted by legislation. Jamie Clements (pictured) is expected to face court next month after being charged with two offences, including allegations he disclosed protected information in May last year Mr Clements resigned as general secretary in January over allegations he sexually harassed former candidate and staffer Stefanie Jones at a party function last year. The NSW politician has denied 'accessing any information from the electoral roll,' The Sydney Morning Herald reported. 'No information was provided to Derrick Belan. These claims are false and part of an attempt to smear me,' he said. He is expected to face Downing Centre Local Court on June 7. Each offence carries a maximum penalty of $22,000. 'I hope that one of the major networks will be prepared to sponsor that debate,' Sanders said today in Southern California It began as a joke on Jimmy Kimmel but became serious after Sanders replied 'game on' and said he looks forward to debating the Republican What he wants: Money for 'maybe women's health issues or something if we can raise $10 million or $15 million for charity' Trump said he would be happy to debate Sanders before California primary Donald Trump confirmed on Thursday that he's prepared to publicly debate Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders if a TV network is willing to send $10-15 million of its ad revenues from the event to women's health charities. 'I'd love to debate Bernie. He's a dream,' Trump said during a press conference on the margins of an oil and gas industry conference in North Dakota. Sanders won't likely be the Democrats' presidential nominee and earn a spot in the official head-to-head debates in September and October. But the one-of-a-kind event, which came up Wednesday night on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' could be a windfall for charity and help burnish Trump's image. 'I said last night on Jimmy's show ... I said I'd love to debate him but I want a lot of money put up for charity,' Trump said Thursday at the Bismarck Events Center. He said he would commit to the extracurricular debate 'if we can raise for maybe women's health issues or something if we can raise $10 million or $15 million for charity, which would be a very appropriate amount.' Scroll down for video Donald Trump confirmed on Thursday that he's prepared to publicly debate Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders if a TV network is willing to send $10-15 million of its ad revenues from the event to women's health charities For his part, Sanders said this afternoon that he was eager to meet the billionaire so he could 'hold him accountable for his outrageously bigoted remarks.' He's seen here later at an event in Ventura, where the brought the topic back up and said he'd ask Trump about his involvement in the birther movement Trump told reporters he would commit to the extracurricular debate 'if we can raise for maybe women's health issues or something if we can raise $10 million or $15 million for charity, which would be a very appropriate amount' 'I understand the television business very well and I think we'd get high ratings. It should be in a big arena somewhere. And we could have a lot of fun with it.' For his part, Sanders said this afternoon at a Los Angeles town hall that he was eager to meet the billionaire so he could 'hold him accountable for his outrageously bigoted remarks.' 'I hope that one of the major networks will be prepared to sponsor that debate,' Sanders said at the Revolt town hall, the first stop on today's Southern California swing. Sanders hinted that he's ready to publicly hammer Trump for his positions on wages, global warming, Mexican immigration and women's issues. He said he would be prepared to 'rent out the largest stadium they have here in California.' He later said at a rally in Ventura in front of 9,800 supporters that he 'can't wait' to question Trump about his involvement in the birther movement. 'Maybe he can tell us why he was one of the leaders of the so-called "birther movement" designed to try and de-legitimize the presidency of the first African-American president that we have ever had,' Sanders jabbed. Jimmy Kimmel had parlayed an offer to debate to Trump on Wednesday evening during his show. Kimmel said he'd asked Sanders, tonight's guest, to provide him with a question for Trump. Sanders wanted to know if the Republican White House candidate would be willing to step in for Hillary Clinton and debate him before the California primary. 'Yes I am, how much is he going to pay me?' Trump said in response. 'Because if I debated him, we would have such high ratings.' The Republican presidential nominee said, 'I think I should give, take that money and give it to some worthy charity. Okay?' 'If he paid a nice sum toward a charity, I would love to do that.' Sanders said after the show that would be fine by him. 'Game on. I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary,' Sanders tweeted early Thursday morning. He followed up with another tweet this afternoon. 'I am delighted Donald Trump has agreed to debate,' Sanders wrote. 'Let's do it in the biggest stadium possible.' The U.S. senator had been hoping for another debate against Hillary Clinton before California, the last battleground state before the party conventions, but her campaign said Monday she wasn't interested. Trump had invited Bernie Sanders to debate for charity on Jimmy Kimmel on Wednesday evening Sanders immediately took to Twitter on Wednesday night to accept Trump's challenge Sanders brought up the debate again Thursday on Twitter, suggesting that the political duo known for their large crowds book the biggest venue possible Representatives for the Trump campaign suggested Thursday morning that Trump was not really planning to debate Sanders, either. Healy Baumgardner, a senior press representative for the Trump campaign, poured cold water on the idea in an appearance on CNN on Thursday when asked whether a debate was happening. Not that I'm aware of, she said A Trump campaign aide told DailyMail.com the debate offer was 'a friendly but half-joking moment in a lighthearted, funny interview,' but declined to say whether or not Sanders' agreement with the idea would make it difficult to abandon it. By Thursday afternoon both candidates had latched onto the idea. Sanders is the victim of a 'rigged' Democratic primary system, Trump charged, making a special event the only chance the two men might have to spar publicly without Clinton in the mix. 'The biggest problem is that Bernie's not going to win. But I would debate him anyway if they wanted to put up money for charity,' Trump said at this afternoon's news conference, as he claimed his campaign has 'had a couple of calls from the networks already.' 'I'd love to debate Bernie. But they have to pay a lot of money for it,' he insisted. Clinton laughed off the idea of the competition sidelining her this afternoon during an interview with ABC News. She also got a laugh out of a suggestion from the network that she could join them, 'Well, I understood they said that was a joke,' Clinton said. 'Im gonna look forward to debating Donald Trump.' Sanders is behind Clinton in votes and pledged delegates. He must win at least seven in 10 Democratic voters in California to elbow Clinton out of the race. Trump told Kimmel on Wednesday that he'd welcome Sanders as his opponent in the general because he believes he'd be easier to beat than Clinton. In the lengthy interview on the talk show Trump revealed that he's never met Sanders but shares the Democrat's belief that he's been slighted by his party. Once considered a wild card candidate himself, Trump commiserated with Sanders over the 'rigged' Democratic primary system that allows party bosses to pick the winner. 'What I like about Bernie, when he loses [it's] because the system is rigged against him like it was against me. The system is rigged.' 'And if I didn't win by massive landslides in every state, there was no chance for me to win. He's having the same thing, except she has a different kind of deal with superdelegates.' Trump said, 'I don't like what's happening,' he said. 'We had it too, the Republicans, in a more sophisticated way.' Clinton laughed off the idea of the competition sidelining her this afternoon during an interview with ABC News. 'Well, I understood they said that was a joke,' Clinton said. 'Im gonna look forward to debating Donald Trump.' He gave himself credit for coming up with the phrase 'rigged' to describe the process - 'then I started winning by so much that it didn't matter whether or not it was rigged.' Continuing, he said, 'I think it's unfair what's happening to Bernie Sanders, actually,' he said. 'And it's a system that's not a good system.' Sanders could catch up to Clinton in pledged delegates by winning California. A majority of the superdelegates - the party officials who also get to vote at the convention - are backing Clinton, however. Because of that, she's less than 100 delegates away from winning the nomination and is readying herself for November. As part of her pivot Clinton has stopped talking about Sanders on the trail. It's Trump she has her eye on now. After saying she'd debate Sanders in California earlier in the campaign Clinton decided this week that her time would be better spent 'preparing for a general election,' a spokeswoman for her campaign said on Monday. 'Maybe he can tell us why he was one of the leaders of the so-called birther movement designed to try and delegitimize the presidency of the first African-American president that we have ever had,' Sanders said in Ventura Entering today's town hall in Hollywood, Sanders immediately brought up the potential debate with Trump and used it to swat at Clinton. 'Donald Trump has agreed to debate me and I look forward to that,' Sanders said. 'And Hillary Clinton has not to agreed to debate me here in California.' 'I think it's important that somebody hold him accountable for his outrageously bigoted remarks against Mexicans and Latinos, against Muslims, against women and veterans and African-Americans and tell him to his face that the strength of our country is our diversity, in our coming together,' Sanders said, a familiar like from his stump speech, but more pointed now that there's a chance that the Vermont senator and the billionaire could come head-to-head. 'And it does this country no good when you have a candidate for president tearing us apart,' Sanders added. Sanders is on a shoestring budget after a $20 million drop-off in donations in April and needs the free TV time to promote his candidacy. Clinton's strategy to deprive him of oxygen could backfire if he performs well in a debate with Trump. An American veteran was visiting the sights where he served in England during the Second World War on May 6 when he suddenly collapsed and died. The trip was especially meaningful for 94-year-old Melvin Rector, since it marked the first time he had returned to England in the 71 years since the war's end. While he died before getting to revisit RAF Snetterton Heath, where he was stationed during the war, his loved ones say he passed while fulfilling a dream, in a place that occupied so much of his personal history. 'He couldn't have asked for a better way to go,' his daughter, Sandy Vavruich, told Florida Today. 'It was quick and painless. He had just gotten to see two planes and he passed away between them.' Melvin Rector, 94 (pictured), died on May 6, while on a special trip to visit the places he served in England during World War II Unfortunately Rector (far left) died before he could make it to RAF Snetterton Heath, the English air base where he served as a B-17 radio operator and gunner One of the planes that Rector served on was the famed Memphis Belle. Above, actor Matthew Modine stands in front of a replica of the plane in the 1990 film Memphis Belle While Vavruich didn't accompany her father on the dream trip, he was not alone when he died. Friend Susan Jowers, 60, accompanied Rector on the trip. The two met five years ago when Jowers was assigned to be Rector's guardian on an Honor Flight to Washington, DC. Honor flights are paid trips for military veterans to visit the nation's capital so that they can see the monuments in their honor. Jowers was on the trip as a representative of her father, who also served during World War II but died when she was young. She bonded with Rector on the trip and he considered her like an adopted daughter after that. A small funeral was organized for Rector before his remains could be repatriated. The family expected the funeral to be a small affair but it was attended by more than a dozen U.S. Airmen and British RAF members Above, some of the American and British servicemen who attended Rector's funeral in London on May 19 Rector was given full military honors in his British funeral. Above, a grab from the service, which was filmed by ITV Jowers told Florida Today that Rector died shortly after exiting the underground bunker in Uxbridge, just outside of London, that was used as a command center during the Battle of Britain. She says Rector grabbed her arm and said that he was dizzy, and then collapsed on the ground. On the flight to the UK, the pilot of the American Airlines flight invited Rector up to the cockpit 'He walked out of that bunker like his tour was done,' Jowers said.'He completed his final mission.' Following Rector's death, a small funeral service was planned in England, until his body could be repatriated to the U.S. Jowers and Rector's family only expected three or four people at the London service, but once the funeral director heard about Rector's back story, he made sure that the ceremony honored his service. 'They just wanted something simple, and when I found out a little background about Melvin, there is just no way that we were just going to give him a simple service,' funeral director Neil Sherry told British ITV Network. 'We wanted it to be as special as possible.' The family was surprised when American Air Force servicemen, stationed in England, and members of the British Royal Air Force showed up to the funeral, and bid Rector adieu with full military honors. Vavruich says she was humbled by the display her father received abroad. 'You go to a foreign country and the have the love and honor a veteran. It was so nice that he had those to participate in his service,' she said. 'He certainly got a beautiful send-off,' Jowers added. 'People everywhere, from Cambridge to London heard his story.' Chanel Govey, 20, pictured, admitted assaulting ex-boyfriend Tashan Fung and his new lover Dionne Duffus after seeing them out together in Essex A financial worker who lashed out at her ex and his new lover after seeing them out together has been ordered to pay 1,350 in compensation. Chanel Govey, 20, bumped into Tashan Fung and his new girlfriend Dionne Duffus as he walked her back to work after lunch in Chapel Road, Ilford, Essex. Govey demanded Mr Fung come around the corner to talk before striking out when the pair ignored her and carried on walking. She hit Ms Duffus twice in the head and slapped Mr Fung across the arms last June, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard. But Govey was stopped in her tracks when officers in a passing police car jumped out to arrest her. She admitted two counts of assault by beating on the first day of her trial at the court in Redbridge, London. Simon Molyneux, for Govey, accepted this type of behaviour just cannot be tolerated and added: Of course, Ms Govey knows that this is no way to react, however strongly one feels about a relationship and breaking up. Govey had worked hard to get a job as a financial assistant and was now looking to progress further. I would suggest you are not going to see Ms Govey again in court, Mr Molyneux added. Sentencing Judge Nigel Peters, QC, said: Well, Ms Govey, you have heard what has been said. You are old enough, clever enough and bright enough to know right from wrong and you have just got to keep away from it all. These things are there to test us - relationships break down and you have got to move forward. Govey, pictured, was ordered to pay both victims 500 in compensation and fined 300 in court costs Govey admitted two counts of assault by beating at the start of her trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, pictured You have got a serious job and you have got to look after that and not get into trouble again. Govey, of Woodford Green, Essex, was ordered to pay 500 compensation to each victim, 300 towards prosecution costs and a 50 surcharge. The move is a huge change in China's defence policy, based on China is planning to dispatch nuclear submarines into the Pacific for the first time amid heightened tensions with the US, it has been reported. Officials claim new US weapons stationed in South Korea have forced its hand - among them is an anti-ballistic system and hypersonic glide missiles. The prediction comes from a recent Pentagon report for Congress which states China will 'probably conduct its first nuclear deterrence patrol sometime in 2016'. Scroll down for video Chinese submarines armed with nuclear warheads will begin patrols into the Pacific Ocean this year, Pentagon officials believe (file image) China's focus has shifted to developing and weaponising man-made islands in the South China Sea so it will have greater control over the maritime region without resorting to armed conflict (file image) China's island-building program and the Defense Department said three of the land features in the Spratly Islands, in the South China Sea, now have runways (pictured) and large ports in various stages of construction It marks a hugely aggressive change in China's defence policy and is likely to ratchet up tensions over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. According to The Guardian, Beijing officials are refusing to comment on when the first patrol will take place but say it is inevitable. In recent months the US has stepped up its deterrence measures around the South China Sea due to an international territorial dispute. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims. Washington has accused Beijing of militarising the sea after creating artificial islands, while Beijing, in turn, has criticised increased US naval patrols and exercises in Asia. Meanwhile, today China's Defence Ministry said its had aircraft followed rules after two Chinese fighter jets carried out what the US said was an 'unsafe' intercept of a US military reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea. The incident took place in international airspace last week as the plane carried out 'a routine US patrol', the Pentagon said. A US defence official said two Chinese J-11 fighter jets flew within 50 feet of the U.S. EP-3 aircraft. The official said the incident took place east of Hainan island. China has deployed anti-aircraft missiles to Woody Island, in the South China Sea as it continues on with its strategic aggression Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun told a monthly news briefing China's aircraft acted completely professionally and in line with an agreement reached between the countries on rules governing such encounters. However, he said the agreement, called the Rules of Behaviour for Safety of Air and Maritime Encounters, could only provide a 'technical standard', and the best way of resolving the problem was for the US to stop such flights. 'That's the real source of danger for Sino-US military safety at sea and in the air,' he said. The encounter came shortly after China scrambled fighter jets as a US Navy ship sailed close to a disputed reef in the South China Sea. A baby girl who survived a shipwreck that killed her parents and captured the heart of an Italian doctor has become the new face of the country's migrant drama. Nine-month-old Favour arrived alone on the Italian island of Lampedusa after her father and pregnant mother died during a journey which left many survivors suffering serious chemical burns. The boat, carrying about 120 people largely from Mali and Nigeria, overturned on Tuesday after the migrants rushed to one side on spotting a rescue ship. Scroll down for video A baby girl called Favour who survived a shipwreck that killed her parents and captured the heart of an Italian doctor has become the new face of the country's migrant drama Nine-month-old Favour arrived alone on the Italian island of Lampedusa after her father and pregnant mother died during a journey which left many survivors suffering serious chemical burns Survivors pulled from the sea were taken to Lampedusa's hospital and reception centre, including small, blue-hatted Favour. Pietro Bartolo, the island's only doctor, has cared for hundreds of undernourished, dehydrated and distressed migrants and examined countless bodies of those who have drowned in the Mediterranean since the start of the crisis. But little Favour made a particular impact. 'I've asked to foster her, I want to keep her with me forever,' he said in interviews published across Italian media on Thursday, adding that if he should not be awarded custody 'someone must adopt her and give her a new life'. 'She is a marvellous creature, she hugged me, she didn't shed a tear,' he said. Favour has also bewitched the island's mayor, Giusi Nicolini, who has made staff at the centre promise to warn her before she is transferred to a shelter for minors in Sicily so she has time to say goodbye The boat overturned on Tuesday after the migrants rushed to one side on spotting a rescue ship. A similar incident happened yesterday (above) when 550 people were rescued from the sea Bartolo met wide-eyed Favour off the rescue boat, taking her from the arms of a young woman - one of 20 people suffering burns severe enough to warrant hospital treatment - who recounted the fate suffered by the infant's parents. She would not be Bartolo's first foster child: the 59-year-old took in a 17-year-old Tunisian boy five years ago, according to La Stampa daily. Her story has prompted dozens of Italian families to call the doctor's practice in Lampedusa seeking to adopt her. 'They call from all over Italy, the telephone in the clinic has been ringing off the hook. They want to take her in, they beg to be able to raise this little girl,' Bartolo told the La Repubblica newspaper. DOZENS DEAD AS SECOND MIGRANT BOAT OVERTURNS OFF OF LIBYA COAST Dozens of refugees are feared dead after a second migrant boat overturned in the Mediterranean, it has emerged. Rescuers say 88 people have so far been pulled out of the water after the wooden boat capsized about 30 miles off the coast of Libya. This afternoon, Italian coastguards revealed that a thousand refugees had been rescued from the Mediterranean already today. It comes a day after at least five refugees were killed when another overcrowded boat overturned and sank off the coast. On Wednesday, 550 people were rescued amid frantic scenes as migrants tried desperately to swim away from the sinking vessel. Dozens of refugees are feared dead after a second migrant boat overturned off the Libya coast, it has emerged The Italian news agency ANSA reported today that between 20 and 30 migrants had perished in the latest tragedy this afternoon. The ship was spotted by an aircraft participating in the European Union monitoring operation. The Italian coast guard responded with two rescue vessels to the scene. Coast Guard Commander Cosimo Nicastro said he did not have any information as yet about whether any bodies were recovered or how big the boat was. It is one of about 20 search-and-rescue operations under way on Thursday. The coastguard has coordinated the rescue of around 1,00 migrants in eight different operations today. That brings the total of migrants who have been rescued since Monday to more than 7,000. Some 650 migrants are scheduled to arrive in the Sicilian city of Porto Empedocle later on Thursday, including the five dead bodies recovered by the Italian navy on Wednesday. Advertisement Favour has also bewitched the island's mayor, Giusi Nicolini, who has made staff at the centre promise to warn her before she is transferred to a shelter for minors in Sicily so she has time to say goodbye. 'She is so beautiful! It's incredible that she's so well, considering everything she's been through,' she said. As Bartolo held Favour, who played with the red glasses hung around his neck, he told La Stampa that her survival against the odds reminded him of the miraculous recovery of a woman years ago who had been placed in a body bag in Lampedusa before he discovered a weak pulse. Holding and playing with the little girl brought a ray of joy to a grim job which sees Bartolo stare death repeatedly in the face. Donald Trump has been accused of signing off a controversial multi-million pound New York property deal that amounted to fraud. The Republican presidential front-runner approved a $50million investment in a property company with which he was involved only for the deal to be re-written weeks later as a loan, according to documents published by the Daily Telegraph. Experts say the move was designed to save the companies tens of millions of dollars in US federal taxes and, according to court papers seen by the newspapers, could be fraudulent. Donald Trump, pictured yesterday in California, has been accused not paying tax on a 2007 property deal Mr Trump has so far refused to publish his tax returns, a disclosure that has been routinely made by presidential contenders for decades. He has claimed that it is 'none of your business'. However, he has boasted of how he tries to pay as little tax as possible. Documents released last week show he earned nearly $500million last year but how much tax he paid remains unclear. The claims centre on Trumps relationship with a property company, Bayrock Group, that was building the tycoons Trump SoHo, a 46-floor luxury hotel and residential building in Manhattan, as well as two other developments that would bear his name. Trump was given a 15 percent stake in the New York building. In 2007, Bayrock signed a deal with an Icelandic investment firm, FL Group, which reportedly agreed to invest $50million in four of Bayrocks subsidiary partnerships. However, the deal was later relabeled as a loan, thereby exempting Bayrock from paying tax of more than 40 percent on its gain. Former Bayrock staff who are suing the company have reportedly claimed that the move was intended to fraudulently evade some $20million in tax by disguising the sale of partnership interests, says the Telegraph. The allegations surround Trump's investment in the Trump SoHo building in New York, pictured The paper says it has obtained copies of letters signed by Trump that show he approved the move. Alan Garten, Trumps lawyer, claimed his client had nothing to do with that transaction and was simply acknowledging the deal as a limited partner. But Bob McIntyre, director of the the US-based Citizens for Tax Justice said the revelations raised serious questions about Trump's judgement. Law professor and tax expert Howard Abrams said the deal was not a loan and wouldn't 'survive' an investigation by the US Inland Revenue Service (IRS). Bayrock has dismissed the claims made in court papers by its former finance director, Jody Kriss,that it committed fraud as baseless. It said the deal was examined by the IRS which 'concluded that it was entirely appropriate'. Trump, pictured at the unveiling of the SoHo Tower is alleged to have altered a $50 million investment he made into the project to a loan in order to reduce the amount of tax he was due to pay on the deal The company has already attracted controversy. Trump says he was introduced to the company, which had offices in one of his buildings, by one of its associates, Felix Sater. It has since emerged Russian-born Sater is a convicted fraudster with Mob ties who was jailed for stabbing a man in the face with a broken cocktail glass. An analysis published yesterday by USA Today revealed Trump's businesses have been involved in at least 100 lawsuits and other disputes related to unpaid taxes and the amount of tax they owe. A spokesman for Bayrock said: 'A story in the Telegraph about a loan transaction involving Donald Trump was misleading and inaccurate, and omitted pertinent facts that would have undercut its premise. 'The FL transaction in question was vetted and approved by outside accountants and tax counsel for both Bayrock and FL. An extensive field audit by the Internal Revenue Services of materials referenced in the Telegraph article, including loan documents and letters from Bayrocktothe Trump entities, concluded in an eight-page report dated December 20, 2013, that classification of the transaction as a loan was appropriate and lawful. 'Allegations of tax fraud made in a lawsuit that was the basis of the Telegraph story were withdrawn and the attorney who brought the complaint on behalf of former employees of Bayrockwas relieved as counsel and is now under investigation by federal prosecutors for criminal contempt. That 2009 photo lead to an uproar among some who felt that the First Lady should not be showing off her arms The photo of Mrs. Trump is from a 2000 modelling shoot while the First Lady's photo is from her official White House portrait in 2009 A new meme shows Melania Trump holding a gun in nothing but a thong and bra next to Michelle Obama in a A meme released over the weekend attacks Republicans for comments they have made in the past about Michelle Obama's arms by comparing her to Melania Trump. The image was posted on the Proud Liberals Facebook page over the weekend and features the First Lady looking picture perfect in some pearls and a sleeveless black dress that shows off her toned biceps. Next to that photo of the First Lady is one of Mrs Trump which shows the former model standing atop the wing of her husband's plane wearing nothing but her thong and bra, some boots and a pair of sunglasses. She is also pointing a gun in the photo. The caption on the meme reads: 'Here's Melania Trump with gun, thong & boots. Remember when Republicans complained about Michelle Obama's arms?' The only thing written on the Facebook post meanwhile was: '#Hypocrisy.' Scroll down for video Gun show: A new meme shows Melania Trump holding a gun and wearing a thong and bra next to Michelle Obama in a sleeveless dress and pearls Popular girl: Mrs Trump has become the subject of many a meme during the contentious primary battle The original: Mrs Trump found herself featured in a political meme earlier this year with a pic of her from a primary event running next to a candid of Heidi Cruz The meme has been shared over 60,000 times on Facebook in the past week and led to some heated exchanges in the comment section of the post. Given the title of the page however most of the comments praise the First Lady. 'Michelle Obama aka #FLOTUS is one classy lady,' wrote one woman in a comment that has received over 2,000 likes. The most liked comment however praises the First Lady while also attacking Mrs. Trump. 'Michelle Obama has more class in her fingernail than that twit has overall.....she is disgusting and will NOT be our First Lady,' writes Linda Truppi, a statement that close to 2,500 people have given a thumbs up. Others attempt to stay more neutral in the comments, with one man writing; 'Listen guys. It's a given, the accomplishments of the FLOTUS, but insulting Melania does not make ANYONE look good. 'How do you think a bunch of democrats sound just hurling insults at an ex-model that happens to be married to the sociopath? It just sounds classier to say that Michelle Obama has been and will always be more apt for the job.' The photo of Mrs. Trump used in the meme comes from a photo shoot she did for British GQ back in January 2000, five years before she even married The Donald. She was still known as Melania Knauss at that time and still modelling, hence the the thong, bra and boots look. In that same shoot she also posed nude on a fur rug, an image that ultimately ended up on the cover of the magazine. The First Lady photo meanwhile is her official White House portrait, taken back in 2009 at the start of President Obama's first term. It has been almost eight years now since the release of the photo, which caused an unexpected uproar among members of the public. Some felt that the First Lady was dressed too casually for the portrait and should have worn sleeves while others celebrated how toned her arms looked in the dress. Then there were some who felt that it was unbecoming for the First Lady to have such noticeable muscles. Sartorial choices: The First Lady (above on May 13) is still criticized by some for her decision to wear sleeveless dresses and gowns The look: The First Lady (above on April 29) has continued to wear sleeveless looks despite that criticism The First Lady has not seemed to care that much however, and continues to wear sleeveless dresses to White House events despite some of the comments that are made about her arms. In a 2012 interview with NPR, a Virginia voter by the name of Bobbie Lussier explained her issues with the First Lady's overall appearance, saying; 'Shes far from the first lady. Its about time we get a first lady in there that acts like a first lady, and looks like a first lady.' The comment was viewed by some as having racist undertones, so Lussier clarified her statement in a second interview, this time talking more specifically about the First lady's arms. 'I mean, can you imagine you know, Kennedys or the Bushes or anybody doing pushups on the floor? I mean you know. Thats just not a first lady,' said Lussier. She followed that up with: 'I dont care what color she is. Its just she just doesnt act and look like a first lady. I mean shes more about showing her arms off. ... I think thats very inappropriate for a lot of functions that she goes to.' Lussier also said in that interview that the First Lady was not showing the respect she should for the White House by choosing to wear sleeveless dresses. The First Lady's decision to wear shorts during the summer while on vacation or doing day-to-day tasks outside her official White House duties also bothered Lussier. This is not the first time Mrs Trump has found herself featured in a political meme, with a pic of her from a primary event running in a meme released earlier this year that was meant to embarrass Ted Cruz and his wife Heidi. Mrs Trump looked perfectly put together and slightly photoshopped in her picture while Mrs. Cruz appeared next to her in a poorly captured candid photo. Police and emergency services are sceptical of a 58-year-old Hikers story after he emerged from the bush five days after being lost in the Gold Coast hinterland with only minor cuts and grazes. Brian Saunders set off for a walk in Queenslands Lamington National Park on Saturday and claims to have survived by eating three sandwiches on the day he went missing, and just one packet of sultanas for the next five days. When emergency services arrived at a nearby farmhouse - where Mr Saunders had gone after emerging from the bush at 10.30am on Thursday - he was in 'remarkably good spirits'. Scroll down for video Police and emergency services are sceptical of 58-year-old Brian Saunder's (pictured) story after he emerged from the bush five days after being lost in the Gold Coast hinterland with only minor cuts and grazes He was found 15km away from where he first called police on Saturday to say he was lost, and says he did not see any search crews despite a massive operation over land and air to find and rescue time. Criminal investigators are now interviewing Mr Saunders to clarify what he was doing in the days he was missing. Police are hoping to answer why Mr Saunders did not make contact with rescuers before emerging onto Christmas Creek Road. Mr Saunders plans to sell his story to the media also triggered suspicion with authorities, The Courier Mail reported. In an interview with Seven News Mr Saunders said that he appreciated the efforts put in by emergency services but that he made it out of the bush because he 'wanted to get out'. He said: I thank each and every one of them for their efforts but today, fortunately, I walked out of Lamington National Park all by myself on my own steam and I never saw any of the searchers. Police are hoping to answer why Mr Saunders did not make contact with rescuers (pictured) before emerging onto Christmas Creek Road at 9.30am on Thursday I think they were on a different side thats where they thought I was, but I perhaps I moved too many times. I wanted to get out, so I followed the creek and thats basically it. The concentrated search was conducted around the Running Creek Falls walking track and involved both a land and air search. The first man to speak to Mr Saunders, Farmer Mark Michael also thought it was remarkable that Mr Saunders had survived. Mr Saunders set out with three sandwiches, a small box of sultanas and three 600ml bottles of water. Over the next five days 100 emergency service staff and volunteers searched the dense bushland of the National Park When emergency services arrived at the farmhouse after the land and air search they said Mr Saunders was in very good spirits just sitting in a chair with minor cuts and grazes He said: 'He looked too good to be someone coming out of the forest after five nights.' Mr Saunders called police at 7pm on May 21 and said that he had already eaten two of the three sandwiches that he had packed and later ate the third. This only left behind a packet of sultanas and a flask of water which he claimed to ration over the five days while lost in the wilderness. About 100 Queensland National Park and Wildlife Rangers and State Emergency Service crews helped in the search. And Mr Saunders was taken to Logan Hospital after he finally emerged from the bushland and made his way over to Mr Michael's farmhouse. Dramatic body camera footage has been released showing the moment Arizona police shot an armed man dead on Monday in broad daylight. According to Flagstaff Police Department, Verl Bedonie, 26, was shot dead after he attempted to carjack a man at gunpoint near the intersection of South Park Street and West Phoenix Avenue shortly after 8am. Northern Arizona University Police Department officers requested assistance for a suspicious person carrying a weapon inside the High Country Conference Center, located near the southeast corner of West Butler Avenue and South Milton Road, at about 7.50am. The suspect left the hotel but did not comply with officers' instructions to drop the weapon, which turned out to be a 9 millimeter handgun. Armed: The bodycam footage shows the suspect, Verl Bedonie, 26, pulling out a gun in a busy carpark on Monday morning, before running from police Chase: Bedonie led police on a foot chase and repeatedly ignored calls to drop his weapon 'Drop your weapon': After trying to hold up a driver, Bedonie raised his gun to police and fired a shot Fatally shot: This is the moment police opened fire on Bedonie, killing him, however the actual shooting was not released with the footage According to an FPD press release, the suspect pointed the gun at one of the officers as they pursued him through the Drury Inn parking lot. FPD's Cpl. Ben Sandoval and Officer Eric Tomperi responded by firing a total of five shots. All of them missed the suspect. Officers followed the suspect from approximately 20 to 30 yards away as he crossed South Milton Road and entered the Plaza Vieja neighborhood. According to police, he pointed his gun at a taxi driver parked at a car wash on West Clay Avenue at one point. Police also believe he fired one round in an alley between South Florence Street and South Park Street. An undercover officer in an unmarked vehicle saw the suspect get into the passenger side of a vehicle near the intersection of South Park Street and West Phoenix Avenue. According to FPD, the driver later told police the suspect pointed the gun at him and demanded to be taken to Phoenix. Killed: The shooting of Verl Bedonie (left and right), 26, of Tuba City, happened during the morning commute in a residential area a few blocks from downtown Flagstaff, Arizona The undercover FPD officer rammed the vehicle to prevent the suspect from fleeing in the car while the driver was being held hostage inside. The suspect then exited the vehicle and walked to the north side of the street. Multiple officers told the suspect to put down his gun. Instead, according to FPD, the suspect raised his gun toward the officers and fired off one round. FPD Sgt. Collin Seay and NAUPD Officer Dillon Jenkins also fired an undisclosed number of shots, fatally striking the suspect. He was declared dead at the scene. One of the officers' bullets pierced through the wall of a home behind the suspect in the 300 block of West Phoenix Avenue, striking a dog. An animal ambulance transported the wounded pet to a veterinarian. FPD officials said the dog was expected to recover after surgery. A two-year delay is expected on new Greenland Centre in Sydney's CBD A two-year delay is expected on Sydney's much anticipated 235-metre apartment building after developers accidentally advertised floors that don't exist. The Greenland Centre in the CBD has advertised 82 floors even though only 66 were built because superstitious Chinese developers decided to avoid all levels with the number four, The Adelaide Advertiser reported. Greenland have since cut ties with Brookfield Multiplex construction and promises the apartments will be ready for owners to occupy by 2019 - two years after first advertised. Scroll down for video A two-year delay is expected on Sydney's much anticipated 235-metre apartment building (pictured is an artists impression of the high rise) The Greenland Centre in the CBD has advertised 82 floors even though there are only 66 Superstitious Chinese developers decided to avoid all levels with the number four 'Greenland Australia remains committed to delivering the project. Brookfield Multiplex and Greenland have had different views in respect to the construction,' a spokesperson said. Construction will commence in June after the current building is demolished, however Greenland have not yet made a decision on a new builder. 'We will figure out what to do in the coming weeks,' the spokesperson said. The starting price for an apartment in the Greenland Centre is believed to be $528,000, but the average cost is $1.5 million. More than 95 per cent of the buyers are Chinese. The superstition behind the skipped floors is referred to as tetraphobia and is common in East Asian and Southeast Asian regions such as China, Japan, Taiwan Malaysia and Korea. The disappearing floors are an example of increasing foreign investment in Australian property. A recent estimate from Juwai.com, China's largest international property website puts the figure of Chinese developers' investment in Australian real estate in 2015 at about $5 billion. The Greenland developers have cut ties with Brookfield Multiplex construction and promises the apartments will be ready for owners to occupy by 2019 - two years after first advertised An image posted on Reddit shows a new apartment building in Sydney without the numbers four and 14 'Greenland Australia remains committed to delivering the project. Brookfield Multiplex and Greenland have had different views in respect to the construction,' a spokesperson said Australian real estate prices grew 10.2 per cent in September 2015, despite modest economic growth and record levels of new construction. With the yuan's purchasing power continuing to grow in Australia, Juwai.com says Chinese buyers may be more inclined to 'convert their money into offshore assets, such as Australian real estate.' A photo of a new apartment's elevator shaft missing the numbers four and 14 sparked a conversation on twitter regarding foreign investment in Australia. 'I visited a new apartment development in Sydney City, was surprised to see that the 4th and 14th floor were removed so as not to deter Chinese buyers,' the Reddit post reads. Construction will commence in June after the current building is demolished, however Greenland have not yet made a decision on a new builder Construction will commence in June after the current building is demolished, however Greenland have not yet made a decision on a new builder The starting price for an apartment in the Greenland Centre is believed to be $528,000, but the average cost is $1.5 million A two-year delay is expected on Sydney's much anticipated 235-metre apartment building after developers accidentally advertised flats that don't exist 'Not surprised at all by this. If the developers know they are in an area that can sell to Chinese buyers they'll take any advantage they can get.' 'Sure, it's all superstition but when there are people who are willing to pay extra for buildings that don't have a number four - well then it's all about the money,' one user replied. The new Sofitel Sydney Harbour Hotel currently under construction behind Darling Harbour has also taken precautions as to not deter foreign buyers, and have simply skipped out on building levels 13 and 14. A recent estimate from Juwai.com, China's largest international property website puts the figure of Chinese developers' investment in Australian real estate in 2015 at about $5 billion The Greenland developers have cut ties with Brookfield Multiplex construction and promises the apartments will be ready for owners to occupy by 2019 - two years after first advertised Police say a young girl was shot in the head during a fight between her father and neighbors in Detroit, Michigan. McKenzie Oldham was shot Wednesday evening while sitting in a car with her father on the city's east side. Mackenzie's father and a man started fighting, with the latter leaving then returning with a gun and began to shoot, Fox 2 Detroit reported. The conflict may have been over a spilled drink. McKenzie Oldham was shot Wednesday evening while sitting in a car with her father on the city's east side. She is in critical conditon A St. John Hospital and Medical Center spokesman told The Detroit Free Press she was in critical condition on Thursday afternoon. Police earlier said she had died. 31-year-old shooting suspect Cleveland Smelley is in custody, Detroit police tweeted Thursday. Authorities had earlier tweeted that Smelley was considered armed and dangerous. Detroit Police Assistant Chief Steve Dolunt said at a Thursday news conference that Smelley was apprehended in a Oak Park motel room with 'no signs of struggle' and said a weapon was not recovered. 31-year-old shooting suspect Cleveland Smelley is in custody, Detroit police tweeted Thursday. Regarding the fight's cause, he told local media: 'I believe it was over a spilled Kool-Aid or something.' Dolunt said: 'You don't have to fight people. You can argue, you can agree to disagree. 'You don't have to show you're badder than the next person because kids are getting hurt, innocent kids.' Advertisement A diplomat hailed a hero worldwide for shooting a gunman who stormed the Canadian parliament has wrestled with a protester at a State-organised ceremony in Dublin. Kevin Vickers tackled a demonstrator who began chanting 'insult' at the service commemorating more than 100 British soldiers killed trying to suppress the Easter Rising a century ago. Official State events have been held throughout this year to mark all the deaths that occurred during the fighting a century ago in Easter week 1916. Videos show the diplomat whisk the angry protester away, at some pace, from the main ceremony. The man has no option but to run backwards as he dragged by Mr Vickers. Mr Vickers, 59, was attending the State ceremony at at Grangegorman cemetery, in Dublin, as Canada's ambassador to Ireland when a man in his 40s attempted to disrupt it. Scroll down for videos Mr Vickers, 59, was attending the State ceremony as Canada's ambassador to Ireland when a man in his 40s attempted to disrupt it The former House of Commons sergeant-at-arms in Ottawa became a household name after confronting rifle-wielding Michael Zehaf-Bibeau on October 22, 2014 during a gun fight in the building Irish police confirmed a man in his mid 40s was arrested at around midday. Pictured is Mr Vickers wrestling a protester Kevin Vickers Ambassador of Canada to Ireland (wearing light coloured Mac jacket) tackles a protestor who attempted to disrupt proceedings Dressed in a suit and raincoat, he grabbed the protester by his black leather jacket before police moved in, forced the suspect to the ground and arrested him. The former House of Commons sergeant-at-arms in Ottawa became a household name after confronting rifle-wielding Michael Zehaf-Bibeau on October 22 2014 during a gun fight in the building. In what was described as a terror attack, Zehaf-Bibeau had earlier gunned down Corporal Nathan Cirillo, 24, who was assigned to the honour guard at the city's national war memorial. Mr Vickers, who has a strong Irish-Canadian background, was later appointed ambassador to Dublin. Irish police confirmed a man in his mid 40s was arrested at around midday. The suspect was detained at Cabra Garda station on suspected public order offences. He was heard shouting 'this is an insult' at the start of the invite-only event. Ireland's Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan laid a wreath in memory of up to 125 British soldiers killed during the 1916 rebellion against British rule. They came from across Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland and further afield. Attendees at the event included the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charlie Flanagan, Minister for Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys, Minister of State for Defence Paul Kehoe and British Ambassador Dominick Chilcott. Meanwhile, Sinn Fein rejected its invitation to the event today claiming as Irish republicans it would not be appropriate to attend a tribute to British soldiers who shot and killed Republicans in 1916. Dressed in a suit and raincoat, he grabbed the protester by his black leather jacket before police moved in, forced the suspect to the ground and arrested him Mr Vickers (pictured in a raincoat), who has a strong Irish-Canadian background, was appointed ambassador to Dublin A protester is tackled by the Canadian Ambassador to Ireland, Kevin Vickers at a state event marking the deaths of British Soldiers in the Easter Rising at Grangegorman cemetery, Dublin The ceremony commemorating their deaths is one of a number organised to mark the 100th anniversary of the insurrection, which ultimately led to the creation of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. British Ambassador to Dublin Dominick Chilcott also laid a wreath on behalf of the British Government. Mr Flanagan said the service was about recognising the many different narratives and experiences in one of the most defining episodes of recent Irish history. 'Like those that died a hundred years ago, those of us participating in today's event are a diverse group of individuals, with different backgrounds, beliefs and aspirations,' he said. Security officials come to the help of Kevin Vickers to take down a protester at the ceremony and arrest him A protester is led away by gardai at the state event marking the deaths of British Soldiers in the Easter Rising 'Such differences do not divide us and need not hinder us from coming together to reflect upon the moments that have shaped our islands' history. 'In the century since the events of 1916 we have learned, through painful experience, the importance of mutual respect for the different traditions and multiple narratives across these islands.' Members of the Irish Defence Forces, together with members of the British Armed Forces also participated in the ceremony. A spokeswoman for the Canadian Embassy in Dublin said: 'We are not making any comment. The ambassador will not be giving any interviews.' All over Ireland, this year there have been commemorations marking the 100-year anniversary of the Easter Rising, where an armed citizen rebellion was launched against British rule on the island. A total of 485 people were killed during the Easter Riding the majority of which were civilians. More than 100 British forces were killed along with 50 rebels, according to official research conducted by Glasnevin Cemetery. In 2014, Mr Vickers became a hero in Canada. He was in his office when he heard masked gunman Michael Zehaf-Bibeau fire a flurry of bullets while running down the Hall of Honour towards the doors to the Parliamentary Library Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers is applauded in the House of Commons in Ottawa October 23, 2014 In 2014, Mr Vickers became a hero in Canada. He was in his office when he heard masked gunman Michael Zehaf-Bibeau fire a flurry of bullets while running down the Hall of Honour towards the doors to the Parliamentary Library. He immediately picked up his firearm, left his office and hid behind a pillar just an 'arm's length' from where the shooter was hiding. Apparently he could see the barrel of Bibeau's gun as he stood, waiting. His security team ran down the hall, warning him that the suspect was hiding in the alcove around the corner. He then jumped out, dived onto the floor and shot Bibeau from the ground. Sources said after Mr Vickers knew he had killed the shooter, he calmly returned to his office to reload, in case there was any further threat. The vital actions from Mr Vickers, who has been labelled a 'hero' by his peers, all took place while the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper hid in a cupboard inside the Conservative caucus. He was applauded into Parliament the next day and his lips were trembling in awe of the respect he received from his peers. In May last year, Vickers, who was being presented with an honorary degree from Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, said he woke up crying at 5.30am the day after the shooting. 'It was the loneliest moment of my life. I wanted to protect it (The House of Commons), I wanted to keep it safe from harm,' he said. 'There was a moment where I thought I'd just reach out and grab the gun. I bumped up against a moment in history.' The mother of a toddler paralyzed in a gang-related shooting has been murdered just months before she was due to testify against her daughter's alleged shooter. Bianca Horton's body was found dumped by the side of a road in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Wednesday morning, with several bullet casings found next to her. She narrowly escaped death in January 2015 when she and three others - including her one-year-old daughter - were shot. Ms Horton's daughter, Zoey Duncan, was left paralyzed in the shooting and the mother-of-four was set to act as a witness in the trial of Cortez Sims, who is accused of being the shooter. Bianca Horton (left) was shot dead months before she was due to give testimony in the trial of Cortez Sims, who is accused of paralyzing Ms Horton's daughter, Zoey Duncan (right) Bianca Horton's body was found dumped by the side of a road in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Wednesday. Zoey is still recovering from the first shooting, in 2015 Chattanooga Police Chief Fred Fletcher told the Times Free Press that the shooting on Wednesday was likely to be gang-related and could be related to the shooting of her daughter. Ms Horton, 26, had credited police with saving her daughter's life after officers found the girl wrapped in a blood-soaked towel and rushed her to hospital themselves, rather than waiting for an ambulance. 'If it wasn't for them, Zoey may not be here,' she told WRCB at the time. The mother herself had been shot in the arm, while Tabitha Bowman, 20, was fatally shot in the heart. Marcel Christopher - the intended target - was shot in the chest but survived. Zoey, now two years old, has begun to recover and has been using a tiny wheelchair to get around. Sims, who was 17 at the time of the shooting but will be tried as an adult, is set to face trial in September. It is not clear whether Wednesday's shooting will delay proceedings. Cortez Sims (left) is accused of shooting dead Tabitha Bowman (right), as well attempting to murder Zoey, Ms Horton and Marcel Christopher, who was the intended target He is charged with first-degree murder, three counts of attempted murder, reckless endangerment, possession of a fireman and a separate gun charge. A GoFundMe page raising money for Ms Horton's funeral and her four children has been set up by a close friend. 'Bianca was the mother of four beautiful children who will truly miss their mom. Bianca was more than their mom, she was all they knew,' it says. Fletcher said he and several officers had grown close to Ms Horton and Zoey following last year's shooting. 'This one is very painful for the police department,' he said. Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke said he was devastated by Ms Horton's death. 'This loss of life is a loss to our entire community,' he said. Rene Quintana allegedly posed as a dead veteran for years to claim VA and social security benefits An illegal immigrant who allegedly posed as a dead veteran for years to claim VA and social security benefits has been arrested. Rene Ortiz Quintana, 69, has been accused of stealing the identity of late veteran Ruben Gallardo, who died in 1994. Quintana has been in the United States illegally for around 50 years and assumed the identity of Mr Gallardo in October 2012, police said. The undocumented immigrant used the vet's identity to get VA, social security and other federal, state and local benefits worth nearly $30,000, according to court papers. Quintana got an Arizona ID card, a VA choice card, a state health card, and a health plan card in Phoenix, police told ABC 15. The 69-year-old man would have been able to use the veterans' card to get fast-tracked care at VA hospitals and medical care at non-VA hospitals. Quintana was handed benefits worth $29,062.19 after claiming social security under the name Ruben Gallardo, authorities said. It is not clear whether the immigrant will have to pay back the money. A British jihadi bride who yesterday threatened London with a summer bombing campaign on the Underground taunted the public again today by tweeting, 'You all scare so easily... it only takes a few tweets, because you are pathetic England.' Sally Jones, an ISIS recruiter known as 'Mrs Terror' concluded the message with: 'But b4 I go, I just wanna say... have a nice summer.' The 47-year-old provoked outrage on Wednesday when she wrote on social media: 'To be honest I wouldn't go into Central London through June... or even July well to be honest I wouldn't go there at all especially by Tube.' She also tweeted: 'England... Boom' moments before she was suspended from Twitter by administrators. However, the former benefits scrounger has now returned with more hate-filled rants, including one which reads: 'Listen don't all panic... I was just suggesting it might be better to take the bus ...(into london) that's all.' Scroll down for video Sally Jones, an ISIS recruiter known as 'Mrs Terror', has taunted civilians in the UK again, calling England 'pathetic' - a day after she issued a chilling threat which warned of terror attacks in London The deluded terrorist, who is wanted by the FBI, posted this photograph of herself allegedly posing next to the River Tigris in Iraq This was followed by: 'We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve.' The Twitter account which she used today has now been suspended as well. Jones, who abandoned her disastrous career as a punk rocker to convert to Islam, revealed she is now hiding in the ISIS-held city of Mosul in Iraq. She also posted a new photograph of herself dressed in a black burqa, posing next to the sea, supposedly in Iraq. JIHADI BRIDE SALLY JONES' HATE-FILLED TWITTER RANTS While yesterday, she tweeted... 'A picnic and a paddle in the Tigress (sic) - just beautiful,' she wrote. Jones also stated her location on her Twitter biography as Mosul. Her decision to leave Raqqa and head to Mosul comes as the ISIS-held Syrian city comes under increasing pressure from advancing Kurdish and government forces. Jones's extremist husband Junaid Hussain, a computer hacker from Birmingham, was wiped out by an American drone strike in Raqqa last year. The jihadi bride tweeted that she had moved back to Iraq for her summer and had taken her young son with her. 'Alhamdulillah (praise be to God) im back in Iraq for a beautiful summer with my son inshaAllah (God willing)!' she claimed. She also mentions how she is looking forward to dying and mocks drone pilots for killing her husband. Ex-punk rocker Jones already takes an active role in ISIS, and is thought to be one of the leading members of the al-Khansaa brigade - a group of women who patrol the streets in Raqqa 'U can't sit there with ur tea & scones ordering RAF drone strikes on UK brothers with no comeback from the Islamic State,' she posted. She also urged British women to carry out attacks on civilians in the UK during Ramadan. The 47-year-old convert has previously hinted that she might fancy becoming a suicide bomber, writing: 'I know what I'm doing. Paradise has a price and I hope this will be the price for Paradise' Jones, who now uses the name Umm Hussain, posted the last words of Hawa Barayev, who killed herself and 27 Russian special forces soldiers in Chechnya in 2000, according to the Sunday Times. She was the first of the Chechen 'Black Widows'. The British mother said Barayev was a 'martyr', and finished the post with a heart. A pet owner has set the Chinese internet ablaze with hilarious pictures of her cross-eyed cat. The owner claimed her ginger tabby, named Bozai, had suddenly gone boss-eyed after she made it share the cage with a stray puppy she found. The woman was so stunned that she shared the story online, hoping to find out the cause with the help of the social media. Her post has been shared more than 42,000 times. Comic star: A pet cat called Bozai has become a Chinese internet star after its owner shared its pictures Confused or traumatised? Owner said the ginger tabby went boss-eyed after sharing its cage with a dog The owner is known by her social media screen name 'I want to raise a panda'. She described the unusual incident in a post on Weibo, the Chinese answer to Twitter, on May 23. According to her account, she lives in Taiyuan in Shanxi Province. In the post, the woman said she had found a one-month-old stray dog and had decided to take it home with her. She said she had named the pooch Diliuliu. She explained that she wanted to find the puppy a new home, but before any suitable family showed up, she would keep it in her house. The woman said she has a pet cat, which runs about in the day but sleeps in the cage at night. The post then said: 'While I'm looking for an owner for the dog, it has to sleep with my cat. 'I fear the puppy will feel lonely, so I have divided the four-level cage into a two-level split. The dog lives on the ground floor while the cat lives on the first floor. 'They will be good neighbours and can take care of each other.' Slowly recovering: A follow-up post from the owner said the feline has managed to line up its eyes properly Everything will be fine: She then posted pictures of the pet showing its pupils can focus without a problem Playful: The owner said she had divided the cat's cage so that her new puppy could have a place to live New addition to home: She said she came across the stray dog and was trying to find it a new home The woman then said on the morning of May 23, she suddenly found Bozai the ginger tabby had wonky eyes. She wrote: 'Oh my god, [it has become] boss-eyed. Is it because the dog has barked all night and the cat didn't sleep well?' Along the words, the confused owner posted nine pictures, showing the poor feline failing to line up her eyes properly. She said Bozai had had not problem playing with dogs in the past, and it seemed to be enjoying its new friend Diliuliu. The woman tagged a veterinarian named Zhang Xu, hoping to get her advice. Her post quickly went viral and has gathered more than 42,000 shares and 28,600 comments since it went up on Monday. Moving in: The woman gave the puppy a shower before putting it in the cage where her tabby usually sleeps Furry trouble: The owner was stunned to find out that the adorable dog might have given her cat wonky eyes Friend or foe: The owner also said the cat might have had temporary damage in its optical muscle for staring at the dog for too long Many web users were amused by Bozai's confused facial expression. A user named 'Wen kang kang' said: 'I can't help it. This is hilarious.' 'Lou zhu ren' said: 'I suffer from postpartum depression, I was feeling crying just now, but I should feel much better after reading this post.' 'Ba bo si 35mr' wrote: 'I have been laughing at this post for two days.' Some other users tried to give their explanations on what had made the cat cross-eyed. One user suggested: 'Perhaps the cat has been overly stressed. It could die if the condition is series. You should take it to the vet.' User named 'lybbbbbbbb' said: 'It has stared at the dog for too long.' Later on Monday, the pet owner wrote a follow-up post saying Bozai was slowly recovering from the mysterious condition. The post also said: 'After my analysis, this is because the cat and the dog lived too close to each other. The California Democratic primary is up for grabs, according to a poll released Tuesday that shows Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in a statistical dead heat. The survey of likely voters, from the Public Policy Institute of California, shows the former secretary of state ahead of the Vermont senator by just two percentage points 46 to 44 a gap that's smaller than the poll's 5.7 percentage-point margin of error. Clinton will likely clinch her party's presidential nomination before the Golden State's polling places close on June 7, with a combination of earned delegates and the so-called 'superdelegates,' party bosses and elected officials who are lined up behind her. It's a dead heat in California as Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders keep up their primary battle Ultimately the California results won't make much of a difference in the delegate count. Unlike Republican primaries, which can be 'winner-take-all' affairs, Democratic contests award convention delegates on a proportional basis, making it much harder for a trailing candidate to make up lost ground in a hurry. But a loss in California would rob Clinton of a psychological boost among liberal voters who are still waiting for her to seal the deal. Sanders has vowed to stay in the race all the way to the Democrats' late-July convention in Philadelphia, remaining a nuisance and making the case that, should Clinton's classified email scandal somehow keep her out of November's general election, he will be her presumptive replacement. Campaign scrimmage: Clinton has stepped up her campaigning in California to try to block Sanders' surge Clinton campaigned with actress Jamie Lee Curtis and is boosting ad spending in California Republican nominee-in-waiting Donald Trump said Wednesday, however, that the Democrats might draft Vice President Joe Biden to replace her if necessary. 'I hear they're gonna actually slip Joe Biden in and he's going to take Bernie's place,' the multibillionaire said during a rally in Anaheim, California. 'I hear they want to slip him in. Cause I will say, the system is rigged against Bernie, 100 per cent.' The new California poll has plusses and minuses, making it difficult to assign it iron-clad value. On the one hand, it surveyed both Democrats and left-leaning independents, making it a helpful measure of Sanders' growing backing as unaffiliated voters register in a bid to support him. There's always this guy: Donald Trump says he hears Democrats will slip Vice President Joe Biden in to take Bernie's place But on the other, its phone calls were spread out over a 10-day period. That tends to mask the impact of news events that reflect well or poorly on candidates. Clinton found herself playing defense on Wednesday after the State Department's Office of Inspector General released a damning report about her email woes. Investigators found that the private email server she used during her tenure as America's top diplomat was the subject of multiple hacking attempts, and she never reported it to the department's information security officials. Californians surveyed for the new poll were split along gender, age, education and ideological lines. Sanders leads Clinton by a 66-27 spread among younger voters, while Clinton has a 59-28 edge among the older demographic. College-educated Californians choose Clinton by a 19-point margin, with the less-educated favoring Sanders by 7. A smaller gender gap has Clinton enjoying only a 7-point advantage with women, while Sanders leads with men by 4 percentage points. The British husband missing after a horror speedboat crash in Thailand that killed at least two people was on a romantic trip to celebrate his first wedding anniversary, MailOnline can reveal. Jason Parnell was on board the doomed speedboat which crashed off the island of Koh Samui on Thursday afternoon. His wife Puja, 31, managed to escape the stricken boat - but her husband Mr Parnell, 46, a Leicester City fan, from Loughborough, has not been seen since. A second Brit named by Thai police as Monica Cozma, 28, died in the tragedy. Scroll down for video Wedding: The missing Brit was named by Thai police as Jason Parnell, 46, pictured above on his wedding day with his wife Puja, 31, who escaped unhurt. They were celebrating their first wedding anniversary Tragedy: A woman is put on a stretcher after being rescued when a speedboat carrying 32 tourists capsized near near the Thai island of Koh Samui. A British woman has died and a British man is believed to be missing Care: Foreign tourists receive medical attention after the speedboat capsized off Koh Samui, killing two people Help: Rescue workers smash a hole in the hull to retrieve a woman trapped underneath the speedboat A German woman, Kafo Franeiska, 29, is also confirmed by Thai authorities as having died. A woman from Hong Kong woman in her 30s is also missing, police said. On board were 32 holidaymakers and four crew when it hit a 'big wave' and capsized at 5pm local time while travelling from Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park. Some of those on the vessel were thrown overboard and became trapped beneath it. Video and pictures captured the desperate rescue operation by locals and Thai marine police who used a hammer to smash through the hull to get to the victims. Four tourists from the UK, Australia, Germany and Romania were taken to hospital on the island for treatment. One has a broken shoulder and another is being treated for a skull fracture. Two more suffered from lack of oxygen and were being monitored for lung infections. It is believed there were other British tourists on board, but they are understood to have been released from hospital following treatment for any injuries. Apichart Boonsriro, the commander of Surat Thani provincial police, said: 'Weather was the cause of the accident because it created high waves, but the boat was also being driven at a high speed.' Sanan Seekakiaw, the Thai captain of the Ang Thong Explorer speedboat, has been detained and charged with negligence that led to deaths and injuries. He said he had asked all tourists to wear a life vest but that some had taken them off during the journey. But the province's governor only one of the deceased was found wearing a life jacket and called on authorities to 'strictly' enforce laws that require boat passengers to wear life vests. The regulation is rarely respected on the notoriously reckless speed boats that ferry tourists around Thailand's famed beaches and often lack an adequate supply of life vests. Disaster: Foreign tourists are rescued by Thai marine police officers and rescuers after their speedboat capsized when it was hit by a 'big wave' while travelling from Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park at 5pm local time yesterday Angry: A woman gestures after she was rescued from a capsized boat on Koh Samui Treatment: The Samui District chief and the hospital director visit a woman who was injured when the speedboat capsized Aftermath: Four tourists from the UK, Australia, Germany and Romania were taken to hospital on the island for treatment. Pictured, one of the patients is visited in hospital by Thai officials 'If tourists refuse to wear [life vests] then crew should not allow them onto the boat,' said the governor, Wongsiri Phromchana. Travel agent Amm Pontfuk, who has worked with Ang Thong Discovery for a number of years, said the boat had not been out on the water in recent days due to rough conditions. She said: 'This company is the number one for my travel agency, I have sent the manager customers for years, I have known him a long time. 'He is very concerned and professional, normally in bad weather he doesn't go out. 'He did not go out for three days already and yesterday he thought the weather was OK and that was why he went out. 'The wind blew very, very strong and it made the boat go under the waves and flip.' Rescue: Tourists cling to the upturned hull as the speedboat is pulled to shore by rescuers. Those on board are thought to be a mixture of British, German, Romanian and Chinese citizens Urgent: A British woman has been killed in Thailand after a speedboat packed with foreign tourists capsized near the island of Koh Samui. Two tourists are missing and 21 have been injured, seven seriously Holidaymakers: Another British national was injured in the accident near popular tourist island of Koh Samui Dangerous: The speedboat was heading back to Koh Samui after a day trip to a marine park when it was hit by a wave Local media report many victims were rescued by a passing speedboat, while others were forced to wait for a rescue vessel. The British Foreign Office confirmed the death of a British woman and said it was assisting her family. A spokeswoman told MailOnline: 'We are supporting the family of a British woman who has sadly died following a boat accident near Koh Samui, Thailand. 'We are also supporting the family of a British man who is missing following the same incident. We remain in contact with local authorities in Thailand for further information.' The German Embassy in Bangkok was not available to comment. Tourism is a key source of revenue for Thailand, but accidents involving tourists are common in a country where safety regulations are often weakly enforced. In recent years the kingdom's reputation as a tourist haven has been tarnished by bus and boat accidents, political violence and crimes against foreigners. In January a speedboat struck and instantly killed a French tourist while she was snorkelling in waters reserved for swimmers off a Thai island in Krabi province. Upset: The capsized speedboat was pictured floating off the shore. It appears that a line had been attached to it to pull it ashore or stop it from floating off French police raided the French headquarters of McDonald's as part of a tax fraud probe - days before searching Google's Paris base, it has emerged. Agents of a special corruption, financial and tax crime unit searched the premises west of Paris last week, seizing documents, a police source said. French authorities suspect McDonald's has been illegally lowering its tax bill by channelling French earnings to Luxembourg, where its European headquarters is based, and where corporate taxes are much lower. News of the raid, which happened on May 18, comes days after police descended on Google's office in Paris as part of a probe into 'aggravated tax fraud' and money laundering. French police raided the French headquarters of McDonald's as part of a tax fraud probe, it has emerged (file picture) Financial prosecutors opened a preliminary inquiry into McDonald's France at the start of this year, after union representatives filed a legal complaint against the company for organised tax evasion. Several multinational companies have come under fire for paying extremely low taxes by shifting revenue across borders in an often complex web of financial arrangements. Earlier this week around 100 police officers, five magistrates, 25 computer experts and about 100 tax officials entered the US internet giant's premises at 5am as France ramped up its efforts to clamp down on alleged tax evasion. Google is accused of owing the French government 1.2billion in unpaid taxes. A police car outside the Google offices in Paris yesterday during a tax fraud raid at the company's premises. The prosecutor's office said it was to determine if Google Ireland had failed its financial obligations in France The raid is part of EU officials' attempt at cracking down on big businesses avoiding tax, with companies such as Apple, Amazon, Fiat and Starbucks in the firing line. 'We respect French legislation and are fully cooperating with the authorities to answer their questions,' a Google spokeswoman said on Tuesday. The raid also prompted calls for an investigation into Britain's 'sweetheart' tax deal with the tech giant. In January, Google agreed to pay 130million to cover a decade of back taxes after a six-year probe by HM Revenue & Customs. OTHER GIANTS IN THE DOCK: MAJOR FIRMS AND CORPORATION TAX Facebook: The social media titan paid just 4,327 in corporation tax in 2014, despite reporting UK revenues of 105million. Apple: The US-based technology firm behind the iPad and the iPhone made 34billion in profit during the year to September 2014. Experts estimate that the UK accounted for 1.9billion of that profit, but the firm only paid 11.8million in British corporation tax. Amazon: The online shopping giant took 5.3billion in sales from British shoppers in 2014 but paid just 11.9million in tax after announcing profits of 34.4million. Starbucks: The coffee chain paid just 8.6million of tax over 14 years between 1998 and 2012 when sales totalled 3billion. But latest company filings show it paid 8.1million in corporation tax for last year on profits of 34.2million. But France's socialist government has pointedly ruled out striking a similar deal with the company over back taxes. Last year a report claimed McDonald's funnelled billions of pounds through Luxembourg to reduce its tax bill significantly. Luxembourg has controversially been used as a tax haven by many multi-nationals because it allows companies to pay as little as 1 per cent tax on income. In February last year McDonalds came in for criticism amid claims it used an aggressive tax loophole to avoid paying around 730million over five years. According to British charity War On Want which tackles poverty around the world McDonalds opened a Luxembourg-based offshoot called McD Europe Franchising Sarl in 2009, to deal with royalty revenues paid by franchises using its brand. This happened immediately after a policy change in the country which allowed these kinds of intellectual property firms to pay lower taxes on income. The company then routed billions in royalties from its European operations to the Luxembourg outpost, minimising its tax liabilities, the report said. That same year, McDonalds also shifted its European headquarters from London to low-tax Geneva, which was viewed as another attempt to reduce its liabilities. As a result, McDonalds engaged in aggressive and potentially abusive optimisation of its structure which has led to the avoidance of significant amounts of tax, the review said. This structure is likely to have cost European governments over 1billion euros [727million] in lost tax revenues between 2009 and 2013. Amazon, Ikea, Pepsi and Disney are among the other corporations accused of pushing profits through Luxembourg to reduce their tax bill. And McDonalds has already faced scrutiny of its tax practices in France, with authorities visiting its Paris office in 2014. After the release of the War On Want report, a McDonalds spokesman said: McDonalds complies with applicable laws, including payments of the taxes that are owed in each country in which we operate. A couple who sparked a nationwide search when they eloped to Gretna Green as love-struck teenagers are celebrating 50 years of marriage. Jean and Noel Hicks made headlines in 1966 when they ran away in the hope of reaching the Scottish village, where the 16-year-old bride would not need her parents' permission to tie the knot. However the teenagers soon ran out of money and were forced to spend more than a week sleeping rough in London before they were finally caught and detained by police. Jean and Noel Hicks were aged just 16 and 18 when they fled their Norfolk homes to get hitched in the Scottish village of Gretna Green - they are now celebrating their golden wedding anniversary Cuttings from a local paper when Jean and Noel Hicks sparked a nationwide search when they eloped The childhood sweethearts wed later that year in a low-key ceremony near their homes in Norfolk. Now, 50 years and two children later, they are preparing for their golden wedding anniversary. Mrs Hicks, 66, said: 'Everyone said "give it six months". I think it was because I was 16 and he was just 18. But it all worked out in the end. 'We just clicked, he is totally different to me, he is very quiet and reserved I have a tendency to say something if it needs to be said.' Mrs Hicks said her mother-in-law was very protective of Noel, then 18, as he was the youngest of her children. 'He was her baby, and she was not keen on me,' she said. She added her own family thought she was too young. Jean said: 'We kept getting moaned at by parents and in the end, we just said: "Right, we've got to get out of here".' The couple travelled from Norwich to London by train in the hope of finding a way to head north of the border. Despite their parents' initial objections, the childhood sweethearts eventually tied the knot in Norfolk Their families came to terms with their union after the birth of their son, Richard, (pictured standing on the car) now 49. The couple also have a daughter Tracey, 46, (in Mr Hicks' arms) and three grandchildren But the teenagers only had a change of clothes each and soon spent the 4 - a week's wages - that they had saved for the journey. They turned to sleeping rough and eating out of bins to survive. Mr Hicks, 68, said: 'Our intention was then to get work in London, get a little bit more money and move on.' His wife added: 'We had no idea what we were doing, we lived in remote villages of a couple hundred people, it was a shock. 'We ended up walking around and ended up in Brixton, we slept in Battersea Park for a couple of nights.' A stranger took pity on them and offered to put them up in a one-bed flat and they soon found work, Jean cleaned records while Noel helped out at Brixton Hospital. Tracey was a factory worker from Sea Palling, Norfolk, while Noel was a carpenter from nearby Sutton, and neither had much experience of the world Ten days into their adventure the couple received a knock on the door from the police. Their employers had tipped off the authorities after recognising the names from their documentation. Mrs Hicks said: 'The officer said: "We have had reports that Jean Beales is living here". I told him I had never heard of her and showed him my heart-shaped ring and said I was married.' But the officer didn't believe her story and she was taken to a holding cell in Brixton Prison to wait for her mother to come and take her home. Her sweetheart waited outside day and night. The couple returned home and later married at a registry office in North Walsham, Norfolk, on October 8, 1966. They celebrated their union with fish and chips. Their families came on board after the birth of their son, Richard, who brought the family together. The couple also have a daughter Tracey, 46, and three grandchildren. Mr Leith told a motorist who gave him a lift he was going to a party He was found in a caravan on a farm in Angas Valley, 40km from crash A 24-year-old man who went missing crashed his car into a ditch and walked 15km in the rain before telling a driver who picked him up he was going to a party. Jesse Leith, 24, left the scene of the crash at Gumeracha, a town in the Adelaide Hills, early on Wednesday. His mangled Holden Astra was found in a ditch but he fled the scene before emergency crews arrived. The exact circumstances of his disappearance remain a mystery, but he reportedly walked 15km from the crash site in the pouring rain before he told a motorist who gave him a lift he was going to a party. Jesse Leith, 24, (pictured) left the scene of the crash at Gumeracha, a town in the Adelaide Hills, early on Wednesday His mangled Silver Holden Astra was found in a ditch but he fled the scene before emergency crews arrived The motorist took him from Mt Pleasant to Angas Valley, according to The Advertiser. Mr Leith's brother, Michael, 26, said he was found in a caravan on a farm on Ridley Road, 40km from where he abandoned the car. 'I don't know what happened to him, I don't know how he got there because I haven't seen him yet,' his brother told the Advertiser. 'Somebody gave him a lift from Mt Pleasant and apparently (Mr Leith) told the bloke he was going to a party. 'But we're all pretty relieved. The last 24 hours has been pretty stressful, it was getting to all of us.' The state of the car, which ended up on its back, raised fears that the 24-year-old could be seriously injured. But he was found safe and well on Thursday morning after a search of the area by the State Emergency Service, police and Mr Leith's family. The state of the car, which ended up on its back, raised fears that the 24-year-old could be seriously injured A police spokesperson said: 'Police attended Angas Valley at 9am this morning after a report he was at an address and located him safe and well. 'He has been checked over by paramedics but does not appear be injured. His family are aware and heading to the area to collect him. Bristol Palin's ex-fiance has been ordered to pay $62,000 in unpaid child support after a lengthy battle over their son's upbringing. Levi Johnston, to whom 25-year-old Palin was twice engaged, was told he faces the bill increasing with interest if he does not pay up. Johnston, 26, who now has two younger children with his wife Sunny Oglesby, had been involved in years of acrimonious hearings over the custody and maintenance of seven-year-old Tripp. In the latest ruling he was told to pay a total of $53,450.06 in back child support from Levi along with $8,456.15 in prejudgment interest for a grand total of $61,915 that will continue to grow with six per cent interest. The father of Bristol Palin's (pictured) seven-year-old son Tripp has been told by a court in Alaska that he must pay back child support with interest Levi Johnston, 26, has been told to by a court in Alaska that he must pay Palin $61,915 in child support with the total growing by six per cent interest until he had paid back the interest Palin and Johnston (pictured above in 2010 with a young Tripp) were previously engaged twice, but permanently broke things off in the fall of 2010 Court documents seen by Daily Mail Online show Judge Eric B Smith made the ruling this week. A custody settlement was previously made, following years of nasty courtroom disputes between the exes. The terms of the agreement were sealed by the court. Johnston filed court documents in 2013 in an attempt to get 50/50 custody of Tripp, claiming it was in his sons best interest to have his father around as much as his mother. Palin had previously been granted full custody of Tripp by another judge. At the time of Johnstons filing, Palins lawyer claimed the custody demand was an attempt to reduce child support, adding that Johnston owed $66,000 at the time. Johnston, however, said at the time that he was willing to pay any amount of child support. But shortly after the custody papers were filed, Palin argued in court that Johnston wasnt a suitable parent and demanded that the 50/50 custody plea be denied. She mentioned that he was behind on his child support payments and hadnt visited Tripp on a regular basis. She added that Johnston spent recklessly on cars, hunting and fancy trips. Last year, the dispute got so ugly that Johnston tried to have Palin found in contempt for allegedly traveling outside of Alaska without his permission. Johnston, 26, who now has two younger children (pictured in purple and pink) with his wife Sunny Oglesby (left), had been involved in years of acrimonious hearings over the custody and maintenance of Tripp (center) Johnston (pictured with his two younger children) married Oglesby in 2012, two years after he and Palin broke off their second engagement Palin also has a daughter, named Sailor Grace, with 27-year-old ex Dakota Meyer, who earlier this month filed court documents to change Sailor Grace's last name from Palin to Palin Meyer The exes have been arguing in court for more than a year, and a hearing was scheduled to take place last September. But Palin and Johnston filed a joint motion to vacate the hearing and reached a settlement on custody and child support. And on May 24, the judge presiding over the case awarded Palin with $61,915 in child support, which will continue to grow with interest until Johnston pays off the debt in full. Palin also has a daughter, named Sailor Grace, with 27-year-old ex Dakota Meyer. Earlier this month, Meyer headed back to court to demand that Sailor Grace, legally have her last name changed from Palin to Meyer. The judge in the case has set a hearing for next month when he will decide whether or not to approve the name change According to court records obtained exclusively by Daily Mail Online, Dakota filed a change of name petition in Alaska Court on May 5. The records show that Bristol named their daughter Sailor Grace Palin on the birth certificate. Dakota is demanding that his newborn's name be legally changed to Sailor Grace Palin Meyer. The petition comes after months of nasty fighting between Dakota and Bristol as he demanded more time with his daughter and Bristol insisted Sailor couldn't be away for long periods of time because she was breast-feeding the baby. Despite months of back and forth the two were finally able to reach an agreement on child support and custody. Bristol Palin indicated that her and former fiance Dakota Meyer may have put their differences aside as proud co-parents of their four-month-old daughter Sailor Grace. Meyer's petition comes after months of nasty fighting between Dakota and Bristol as he demanded more time with his daughter Abu Zubaydah has been called as a witness by a defendant in the September 11 war crimes case to back up allegations of mistreatment inside a high-security unit at Guantanamo Bay. He could testify at a pretrial hearing at the U.S. base in Cuba as early as the last week of May 2016 A Palestinian not seen publicly since his 2002 capture by the CIA launched a brutal interrogation program may soon make his first appearance in a U.S. courtroom. Abu Zubaydah, who CIA agents once sought to be kept incommunicado for the rest of his life, has been called as a witness by Ramzi Binalshibh, one of the defendants in the September 11 war crimes case, to back up allegations of mistreatment inside a high-security unit at Guantanamo Bay. Abu Zubaydah could testify, along with a prisoner from Somalia who has also never been seen in a public forum, as early as next week in a pretrial hearing at the U.S. base in Cuba. James Harrington, a lawyer for Binalshibh, said that Abu Zubaydah is expected to support his client's allegations that prisoners inside the unit known as Camp 7 are subjected to noises and vibrations inside their cells intended to keep them awake and disoriented, similar to the sleep deprivation they were subjected to as part of the interrogation program they endured in a network of overseas CIA prisons. The military denies the allegations. 'He's experienced the same kind of thing that Ramzi has with the noises and vibration,' Harrington said in an interview Wednesday. The potential Abu Zubaydah court appearance, which could get postponed or canceled, would be significant because of his back story. His capture in Pakistan prompted the CIA under President George W. Bush to create an interrogation program, now widely viewed as torture, in the belief that he had information about al-Qaida that he had not already provided to the FBI. That belief was false, according to a report released by the Senate intelligence committee in 2014. Abu Zubaydah, 45, has never been charged with a crime or appeared before a judge despite efforts by his lawyers to challenge his detention. His lawyers have even asked the government to charge him so they could at least get him into court. 'I think it's a huge deal if for nothing else to observe what he's like as a person, which is pretty gentle and normal,' said Mark Denbeaux, a law professor at Seton Hall University who represents the man. The CIA believed that Abu Zubaydah - whose formal name is Zayn al-lbidin Muhammed Husayn - was one of the most senior figures in al-Qaida when he was captured. He is now described in U.S. documents as a 'well-known al-Qaida facilitator.' His lawyers deny he was a member of the terrorist organization. The Senate report documented a litany of harsh treatment that included being water-boarded 83 times in a month. The treatment was so harsh, according to the report, that CIA officers sent a cable to their bosses seeking assurances that Abu Zubaydah 'will remain in isolation and incommunicado for the remainder of his life,' unable to recount it. In addition to wounds sustained during his capture, Abu Zubaydah received a serious head injury from a mortar shell fighting in Afghanistan in 1992 and suffers severe memory loss as a result. Harrington has also called Guleed Hassan Ahmed, a prisoner from Somalia, as a witness. He also has never been charged nor been seen in public. The testimony of both men is expected to be limited to the issue of conditions inside Camp 7. 'He has been brought in to describe the conditions in Camp 7,' Denbeaux said. 'Ramzi has said the conditions in Camp 7 are mirroring some of the milder forms of torture in other places.' Binalshibh has complained about the noises and vibrations for years. Military officials have repeatedly denied that anything is being done to disturb him or his sleep inside the top-secret Camp 7. Prosecutors have suggested in court that he is making it up as they have sought to keep the issue from disrupting a case that has been hit by repeated delays and is still likely years from going to trial. The judge, Army Col. James Pohl, issued an order directing the military to cease any deliberate noises or vibrations without determining whether any, in fact, have occurred. Binalishibh says the issue persists and keeps him from participating in his defense, making it a potential legal issue for the court to address. Harrington says the judge has the authority to require an independent monitor inside Camp 7 or even halt the September 11 case if he believes Binalshibh. Residents in a rural town are calling for blood tests to be carried out throughout the region after it was revealed their underground water supply has startlingly high toxicity levels. Queenslands Oakey has been plagued with a contaminated underground bore water system since the local army aviation centre used toxic firefighting foam between 1970 and 2005. Contamination levels appear to be rising dramatically in recent years, fuelling fears over a range of serious health concerns, reports Courier Mail. Queenslands Oakey (pictured) has been plagued with a contaminated underground bore water system since 1970s Oakley's underground bore water has been found to contain two dangerous toxins - perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid. According to a report from the Environmental Protection Agency, the two chemicals can lead to pregnancy issues, testicular and kidney cancers as well as thyroid, liver tissue and immune system damage. A Senate report this month found the level of the two chemicals in Oakley residents blood was on average three times higher than other Australians and for some a staggering 18 times above average. The Defence Department has begun sampling the Royal Australian Air Force Base in Townsville and in Amberley to see whether the chemicals have filtered into the towns. Oakley's underground bore water has been found to contain two dangerous toxins - perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid Customs officers busted a woman last week who allegedly tried to smuggle a burrito filled with methamphetamine across the U.S.-Mexico border at Nogales, Arizona. Susy Janelly Laborin, 25, was arrested shortly after noon on May 20 after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers became suspicious of her lunch bag, officials said. Laborin, who is a U.S. citizen from Arizona, was preparing to cross into the United States on foot at the Nogales-Morley pedestrian gate when an officer's intuition led him to question the woman, CBP Assistant Port Director Joe Agosttini told Daily Mail Online. After Laborin appeared nervous the officer decided to search a plastic bag she was carrying, which led to the discovery of a meth-filled dummy burrito hidden among several genuine ones, Agosttini said. Susy Janelly Laborin, 25 (pictured left) was arrested for allegedly trying smuggle a pound of meth hidden inside a burrito into the U.S. via the border crossing at Nogales The meth-filled burrito was found hidden among several genuine ones after a customs official became suspicious People are seen waiting in line on the Mexican side of the Nogales-Morley pedestrian gate. On the other side of the border is Nogales, Arizona During questioning by Homeland Security Investigations agents, Laorin waived her right to remain silent and admitted she knew she was carrying narcotics, Agosttini said. She told officials she was promised $500 to carry the drugs and to deliver them to a third party. The street value of the dope was around $3,000, officials estimated. Agosttini said that pedestrian smugglers busted at the border typically carry less than 50 pounds of narcotics, usually taped to their bodies. Motor vehicles that are intercepted can contain tens of thousands of pounds of drugs, often hidden in gas tanks, air ducts, or behind panels, Agosttini said. The recent burrito bust wasn't the first tortilla-related smuggling attempt that Agosttini has seen. In one case, a smuggler brought a stack of tortillas that were hollowed out in the center and stuffed with a pound of heroin, Agosttini recalled. Another memorable attempt involved a smuggler who hid drugs inside a bag of McDonald's hamburgers. 'The burgers were sitting on top, and the cocaine was in the bottom of the bag - along with the french fries,' Agosttini said. Another group of failed smugglers hid drugs in the bottom of a case of Coca Cola bottles that were cut in half and painted black to appear full. Advertisement It was December 1942 when HM Submarine P311 left Malta on her first mission. The 84m vessel was en route to Sardinia, where she was to launch an attack on two Italian cruisers. But the submarine lost contact and vanished on December 31. The boat and her 71 crew members were never found until now. More than seven decades on, an Italian diver claims to have found the World War Two submarine at the bottom of the Mediterranean. She is in near-perfect condition, raising the possibility the crew died of suffocation inside the vessel and their bodies are still on board. Lost at sea: HM Submarine P311 left Malta on her first mission in December 1942, but she disappeared below the waves with all 71 crew members on board Vanished: More than seven decades on, the submarine that disappeared without a trace has allegedly been found off the isle of Tavolara. Pictured, Commander Richard Cayley, who died at the age of 36, leaving Buckingham Palace (left) and an illustration of Cayley (right) Downed: The submarine (pictured) was thought to have hit an Italian mine near the island of Tavolara, as it was en route to attack the harbour of Maddalena, Sardinia Covered in barnacles and algae and resting on the sea bed, the long-lost wreck was found 80ft down, just off the isle of Tavolara. Italian diver Massimo Bondone said he spotted the hull and a deck-mounted gun. He said he then identified the submarine by the two Chariot 'human torpedoes' which are still fixed to the outside. The Chariots carried an explosive powerful charge and were piloted by two frogmen, who would steer it close to the target ship before escaping to safety. HMS P331 had been converted to carry the chariots and was en route to attack the harbour of Maddalena, Sardinia, as part in Operation Principle, an Allied attack on Italian warships. But the submarine was thought to have hit an Italian mine near the island of Tavolara. The sub disappeared following a final signal in late December and was reported 'overdue' on January 8 1943. A notice published in the Times on March 12, 1943, read: 'The Board of Admirality regrets to announce that HM Submarine P311 (Commander Richard Douglas Cayley, DSO, RN) is overdue and must be presumed lost. The next-of-kin have been informed.' Discovery: Italian diver Massimo Bondone believes he has found the remains of the submarine, 80ft below the surface of the Mediterranean Resting place: The wreck believed to be the missing World War Two submarine is covered in barnacles and algae at the bottom of the sea Tomb: The near-perfect condition of the submarine has led to claims that the preserved bodies of the 71 crew could still be on board Mr Bondone, an experience wreck-hunter, said the prow appeared to have been damaged by an explosion but the hull appeared to be intact, suggesting the crew would have died of suffocation inside the vessel. 'It was an eerie sight, like a ghost ship,' he said. 'We'd heard stories and fishermen at the time reported hearing a 'boom' but no one knew where it was. When we saw it, my thoughts turned to the courageous sailors on board. The theory is that they suffocated when the shockwave sent the submarine to the bottom. Diver Massimo Bondone 'When we saw it, my thoughts turned to the courageous sailors on board. The theory is that they suffocated when the shockwave sent the submarine to the bottom. 'She was about 260ft down, tilting to the right and covered in seaweed and shells. 'There is some damage to the bow, otherwise she is perfect. You can still make out the conning tower.' He added: 'Wrecks deserve the utmost respect, especially in this case. Aside from the fact that people died, life on a submarine was really tough, with cramped space, uncomfortable conditions and the constant fear of being hit by a torpedo or depth-charge.' P311 was the only T-class Royal Navy submarine never to be given a name. She had been due to be named Tutankhamen, but disappeared before she could be formally assigned. The Royal Navy said it was now investigating to determine whether or not it was the British submarine. But Bob Mealings, head of collections at the National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth, said it was 'highly likely'. 'HMS P331 was one of several T-Class submarines converted to carry two human torpedoes or Chariots. The T-class boats were the Royal Navy's most modern wartime submarine and well suited to carrying the Chariots. Find: Bondone, an experienced wreck-hunter, said the prow seemed to have been damaged by an explosion but the hull appeared to be intact, suggesting the crew would have died of suffocation inside. Pictured, some of the crew members including Commander Cayley Search: P311 was the only T-class Royal Navy submarine never to be given a name. She had been due to be named Tutankhamen, but disappeared before she could be formally assigned Investigation: The Royal Navy said it was now investigating to determine whether or not it was the British submarine. Pictured, commander Richard Cayley looking through a periscope 'The Chariots themselves were approximately the same size as a torpedo and carried a powerful explosive charge. These underwater vehicles were piloted by two divers who would position the chariot very close to the target ship then allow it to complete its run while they escaped to safety. 'As part Operation Principal, P331's role was to transport the chariots close to the harbour of Maddalena, Sardinia to attack Italian shipping, and then embark the chariots on their mission. 'P331 almost certainly hit a mine while on route to the target area which was the Italian port of Palermo. Mines accounted for a large number a Royal Navy submarine losses in the confined waters of the Mediterranean during WW2. 'If a submarine hit a mine it invariably sank so fast there was little chance of there being any survivors.' He added: 'If the submarine recently discovered includes the two large canisters that contained the chariots, and the location is broadly correct then it is highly likely that the wreck of P331 which is also a war grave has been found.' Decorated: HMS P331 had been converted to carry the chariots and was en route to attack the harbour of Maddalena, Sardinia, as part in Operation Principle, an Allied attack on Italian warships. Pictured, commander Richard Cayley's medals (from left to right) DSO with 2 bars, 1939-1945 Star, Atlantic Star, Africar Star, Italy Star and Victory medal Closure: If the submarine does does turn to be HMS P331, it will be left to rest on the sea bed as naval wrecks are considered war graves If it is found to be HMS P331, it will not be disturbed and the bodies of the sailors will be left to rest on the sea bed, as naval wrecks are considered war graves. A Royal Navy spokesman said that if the submarine was verified in records, divers might be sent to fly the White Ensign from her. Many of P311's crew are commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval War Memorial. Commander Richard Cayley, 36, from Yateley, Hampshire, had been awarded the Distinguished Service Order for missions in the Mediterranean. His daughter Jennifer Barker, 82, from Suffolk, told The Sun: 'Goodness, that is quite a surprise. If it is intact it probably means all the bodies are still inside. 'I was at school when Dad died. A friend told me she had seen his name posted on the noticeboard that had come from a clipping from The Times. Then I was called into the headmistress's office and told. 'I just hope they leave her where she is and don't try to raise her. It's a war grave and should be respected as such.' Andrew Adams was a petty officer telegraphist on P311. His nephew, Ron Gould, 64, from Rosyth, told the Times: 'My family never really spoke about his loss. I spoke about it to my mum once, but she didn't really say much. It's good to have some closure and see the mystery solved.' A Royal Navy spokesman said: 'We are examining our records to determine whether or not this is a Royal Navy submarine.' Women are responsible for at least half of all misogynistic posts on the internet, a study suggests. The think tank Demos tracked the number of times that the words slut and whore were used on the social media site Twitter and found that in Britain alone, 10,000 such tweets were sent. Worldwide, no less than 50 per cent of the hundreds of thousands of aggressive tweets using these words were sent by women, with 40 per cent sent by men. The rest were sent by organisations or users whose gender cannot be classified. The author of the study said the findings suggested that misogyny is being internalised and reiterated by women themselves. The Reclaim the Internet campaign launched its call for an end to abuse on social media in Westminster today. The campaign is supported by, from left, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, former Tory culture secretary Maria Miller, former Labour leadership contender Yvette Cooper and former Liberal Democrat minister Jo Swinson The survey also indicated that Twitter users are being bombarded with references to pornography even though its minimum age requirement is only 13. The figures were revealed on the day that five MPs and former MPs, led by former Labour leadership candidate Yvette Cooper, launched a Reclaim the Internet campaign to tackle hate speech and abuse on social media. She was joined by former culture secretary Maria Miller, Labour MPs Stella Creasy and Jess Philips and the Liberal Democrat, Jo Swinson, who lost her seat at the last election. The Demos survey found that over a three-week period earlier this year, there were 213,000 tweets containing aggressive uses of the words slut or whore Jack Dale, from the think tank, wrote: This represents over 9,000 aggressively misogynistic tweets sent per day worldwide during this period, with 80,000 Twitter users targeted by this trolling. Interestingly, this study reflects the findings of out 2014 report, in which women were as comfortable using misogynistic language as men. These figures suggest that misogyny is being internalised and reiterated by women themselves. 'This use of language is not, therefore, confined to one discrete online group but rather persists throughout society making this issue more complex than it first appears. Twitter boss Jack Dorsey has said that tackling abuse is a priority. The campaign launched on the day it was revealed the majority of online and social media abuse against women is made by women Miss Cooper told the BBC: The truth is nobody knows what the best answers are. There is more when there is criminal abuse, for example rape threats, that the police should be doing, but what is the responsibility of everyone else? 'What more should social media platforms be using? The Demos study found that, in the UK, 6,500 unique users were targeted by 10,000 explicitly aggressive and misogynistic tweets. Internationally, over 200,000 aggressive tweets using the same terms were sent to 80,000 people in the same three weeks. Using sophisticated in-house technology, Demos built algorithms to separate tweets being used in explicitly aggressive ways, from instances of self-identification, and those that were more conversational in tone or commenting on issues related to misogyny, such as referring to slut shaming, slut walks. The campaign is the creation of Ms Cooper (left) and it has won cross party backing, including from former Tory minister Ms Miller (right) Alex Krasodomski-Jones, researcher in the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media at Demos, said: It is clear that just as the digital world has created new opportunities for public debate and social interaction, it has also built new battlegrounds for the worst aspects of human behaviour. This study provides a birds-eye snapshot of what is ultimately a very personal and often traumatic experience for women. 'While we have focused on Twitter, who are considerably more generous in sharing their data with researchers like us, its important to note that misogyny is prevalent across all social media, and we must make sure that the other big tech companies are also involved in discussions around education and developing solutions. This is less about policing the internet than it is a stark reminder that we are frequently not as good citizens online as we are offline. Twitters head of trust and safety, Kira OConnor, said: Hateful conduct has no place on the Twitter platform and is a violation of our terms of service. Galen Mclean, 49, was found guilty on Wednesday of sexually abusing an 8-year-old girl in his care A 49-year-old Michigan man was found guilty on Wednesday of forcing an 8-year-old to perform sex acts with him and his wife. It took a Cass County jury less than an hour to convict Galen Mclean on three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Mclean and his 27-year-old wife were arrested on charges they raped an 8-year-old girl on multiple occasions in 2014 and 2015, while her mother left her in their care. Now Mclean faces the possibility of life in prison when he is sentenced next month. During the trial, witnesses - including the victim - testified in court about how Mclean and his wife brought the girl into their bed to fulfill their pedophilic fantasies. The witnesses claimed that the couple forced the girl to use a vibrator on the wife, perform oral sex on both adults and to penetrate the wife's vagina with her fist. 'This little girl was violated in the most disgraceful way and then forced to perform appalling acts upon a married couple tasked with her protection,' Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz stated in a press release. 'There is no quarter for such depraved behavior in our society.' The young victim was not related to the Mclean couple. She stayed with them at their home on Magician Lake Road on several occasions in 2014 and 2015 while her mother was sorting through issues, prosecutors said. After the alleged abuse, the couple relocated to Missouri where they were arrested and extradited back to their home state. In addition to the conviction of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, Mclean was also found guilty of conspiracy to commit criminal sexual conduct, and failure to comply with the Sex Offender Registration Act. This is not the first time Mclean has been convicted of sexually abusing a child. In 2011, he was convicted of sexual misconduct with a child, a first degree felony. Other prior convictions include forgery in 1997 and burglary in 1995. Mclean will be sentenced on June 15, the day after his wife's trial is scheduled to start. Hillary Clinton's quest for the White House once again brought her to the multi-million dollar home of a high-powered Hollywood player for yet another fundraiser on Monday night. It was a sea of familiar faces as well, with the event being hosted by one of Clinton's most feverish and devoted supporters, Vogue editor Anna Wintour. Also lending a helping hand were two more of Clinton's LA super supporters, CAA chief Bryan Lourd and The Palm owner Bruce Bozzi, who held the fashionable fete at their swanky Westside home. The event was private but some of the guests shared photos from the evening on their very public social media pages, showing Clinton as she spoke to the crowd. Clinton also seemed eager to impress her host for the evening, and sported a very stylish red and white fitted jacket with leather trim. Scroll down for video Fashionable fete: Anna Wintour hosted a Los Angeles fundraiser for Hillary Clinton at the home of Bryan Lourd, far left, and Bruce Bozzi on Monday night (above) Supporters: Tickets for the event cost as much as $10,000 and guests included Allison Janney, Zach Braff, and stylist and designer Rachel Zoe (Clinton above with Gelila Assefa, the wife of chef Wolfgang Puck) Dedicated: Wintour, Lourd and Bozzi are three of Clinton's biggest supporters, and all attended George and Amal Clooney's April 16 LA fundraiser. Pictured: The event hosted by Vogue editor Anna Wintour The guest list for the night included actors Allison Janney and Zach Braff, stylist and designer Rachel Zoe and Gelila Assefa, the wife of Spago chef Wolfgang Puck. The same night in London was a Vogue gala - but Wintour jetted the other direction from New York and picked Hillary over Kim. Tickets for the event went for as much as $10,000, which while steep still pales in comparison to the approximately $350,000 some guests had to pony up in order to grab a seat at Clinton's April 16 fundraiser at the Studio City home of lawyer Amal Clooney and her actor husband George. Among those who had no problem splashing the cash for that event were the three hosts of Wednesday's springtime soiree - Wintour, Lourd and Bozzi. Anna Wintour skipped out on a gala dinner in London sponsored by British Vogue to jet to LA for the event Jane Fonda, Ellen DeGeneres, Portia di Rossi, and Jim Parsons were also among the 150 guests who attended the Clooneys' fundraiser. The impressive co-hosts for that event were Jeffrey and Marilyn Katzenberg, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw, and Haim and Cheryl Saban. Bozzi posted a photo from the Clooneys' fundraiser shortly after on his Instagram account showing him and Lourd standing alongside Clinton and the host couple with the caption: '#November'. Deadline later reported that Clinton took in $15million for her campaign that weekend between the Clooneys' fundraiser and an event the evening prior in San Francisco. And while Clinton may have no trouble scoring money from her Hollywood pals out in the City of Angels she is having a bit of a struggle winning over many California Democrats, with her lead over opponent Bernie Sanders continuing to decline heading into the state's June 7 primary. She is still expected to emerge victorious at this point, but has only a slim two-point lead over the Vermont senator in the state, which with 475 delegates up for grabs is the biggest prize of the primary season. Advertisement Choppers, believed to be from the SAS, have put on an extraordinary show of force over the skies of London in their top-of-the-range new anti-terror helicopters. Elite forces were spotted flying over landmarks such as Big Ben, the Shard and the London Eye, during an apparent training exercise yesterday. In the event of an attack, the UKs elite fighting force will swoop into action on the 43million heli-plane which has been nicknamed the Transformer. And the exercise came less than 24 hours after Islamic State widow Sally Jones issued a chilling warning to avoid visiting the capital this summer. Scroll down for video A V-22 Osprey aircraft makes its way down the Thames over the London Eye as part of what is believed to be an SAS training exercise In the event of an attack, the UKs elite fighting force will swoop into action on the 43million heli-plane nicknamed the Transformer The MV-22 Osprey Tiltrotor over the Thames in London yesterday afternoon as they carry out training exercises in the capital SAS troops on high alert to respond to a Paris-style strike in the UK are training to use the V22 Osprey at Stirling Lines in Credenhill, Herefordshire. People in the capital were quick to spot the Ospreys as they roared above, with many taking to social media to comment on the awe-inspiring choppers. It came a day after a British jihadi bride threatened London with a summer bombing campaign on the Underground. Sally Jones taunted the public on Wednesday by tweeting: 'You all scare so easily... it only takes a few tweets, because you are pathetic England.' The ISIS recruiter known as 'Mrs Terror' concluded the message with: 'But b4 I go, I just wanna say... have a nice summer.' The 47-year-old provoked outrage when she wrote on social media: 'To be honest I wouldn't go into Central London through June... or even July. 'Well to be honest I wouldn't go there at all especially by Tube.' She also tweeted: 'England... Boom' moments before she was suspended from Twitter by administrators. Londoners spotted the two Ospreys as they roared above, with many taking to social media to comment on the awe-inspiring choppers A CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft flying over Tate Modern in Central London yesterday as the SAS were spotted flying over landmarks The Army's elite soldiers put on a show of force less than 24 hours after ISIS widow Sally Jones warned people not to visit the capital Should such an attack ever occur, the Osprey, which is almost twice as fast as the SASs current fleet of transport helicopters and can carry at least 24 fully equipped personnel, will almost certainly see action. With a top speed of 360mph it can deploy soldiers from Hereford to London in 30 minutes to bolster the SASs anti-terror squad which is permanently based in the capital, and to Manchester in about the same time. The Osprey has machine guns installed in the nose and on the rear ramp. Its range is also much greater than transport helicopters currently in service. It can fly for up to 1,000 miles or eight hours without refuelling, meaning that if terrorists launch strikes across the UK, the same aircraft could fly troops to several locations. An SAS source told the Mail on Sunday last month: This is an essential new piece of equipment for us which will make it much easier and faster for us to respond in the event of an attack. 'With its vertical take-off and landing capability we could fly directly from Hereford and land in any city, even in a confined space. While critics of the Osprey point to the aircrafts poor safety record 36 military personnel have been killed since its first test flight in the United States it has performed well in trials with the SAS. SAS troops on high alert to respond to a Paris-style strike in this country are training to use the V22 Osprey at Stirling Lines near Hereford Should a terror attack ever occur, the Osprey, which can carry at least 24 fully equipped personnel, will almost certainly see action Soldiers have also parachuted from the Osprey and abseiled from it on to a building as part of a hostage rescue exercise. The Ospreys ability to perform as a helicopter and as a fixed-wing aircraft is due to proprotors the name given to the three 19ft-long rotors attached to each wing. It takes off like a conventional helicopter then the proprotors and engines rotate through 90 degrees to turn it into a fixed-wing aircraft. The aircrafts Rolls-Royce engines generate enough horsepower for the Osprey to climb at an impressive 36ft per second, making it a faster, more elusive target than a helicopter. It can also fly at up to 26,000ft, thereby avoiding enemy missiles, while its carbon-fibre fuselage reduces the impact of bullets and rockets. Now that Sen. Marco Rubio's White House dreams have been dashed, he's facing increasing pressure to stay put in the Senate. CNN is reporting that Republicans, worried about their tenuous majority in the U.S. Senate, are asking Rubio to reconsider his retirement. So far the Florida politician hasn't budged, with the filing deadline for the race less than a month away. 'It's unlikely,' Rubio told Capitol Hill reporters today. 'I haven't had time to talk to about it, but my sense of it is nothing has changed,' the senator added. Scroll down for video Sen. Marco Rubio said today he was 'unlikely' to change his mind and run for his Senate seat, but he's facing increasing pressure from his Republican colleagues to do so Sen. Marco Rubio dropped out of the presidential race on March 15, after losing his home state primary to Donald Trump. He planned not to run for Senate again Today, the No. 2 Senate Republican John Cornyn publicly joined the chorus. 'It's obviously a very personal decision, but I think it be good for the party, it would be good for the Senate I'd like to see him do it,' Cornyn told CNN. 'I hear a lot of buzz around here from members and others; that's a conversation we need to have.' Behind closed doors on Capitol Hill, CNN said that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell surveyed a room full of Senate Republicans to see who wanted Rubio who was not in attendance to enter the race. Nearly everyone raised their hands, while the top Republican encouraged Rubio's colleagues to exert a little peer pressure on the former presidential hopeful. Later, the news network spotted Sen Roger Wicker cornering Rubio on the Senate floor. 'It is a very real development,' Wicker said, saying Rubio running again in Florida was 'certainly within the realm of possibility.' Rubio dropped out of the presidential race on March 15, the night of the Florida primary, after being crushed in his home state primary by the now-presumptive GOP nominee, Donald Trump. Long before bowing out, Rubio said he would not be running for re-election. He used that as an excuse when political rivals hammered him for missing votes, as he often opted to be out on the campaign trail rather than back in Washington, D.C. It was also widely reported that he was just not that into his job, with some associates even saying that he 'hated' it. 'I don't know that 'hate' is the right word,' Rubio said back in October, reported the Washington Post. 'I'm frustrated.' But now, even as Rubio's popularity at home took a hit because of his presidential run, he's still a known name, who can bring in donations, while other Florida Republicans wouldn't have his incumbent advantage in a purple state during a presidential election year, which usually drives up Democratic turnout. Hopefuls on the Republican side include Lieutenant Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, a close friend of Rubio's, whose interest in the race might color Rubio's decision, also Reps. David Jolly and Ron DeSantis and two men from the private sector Carlos Beruff and Todd Wilcox. A teenager dressed as a gorilla who heckled Boris Johnson at a Vote Leave rally today was allegedly assaulted at the event. The Vote Leave champion was surrounded by noisy activists from both sides of the referendum battle as he delivered his stump speech in Winchester. But ugly scenes erupted when the youth - who was reportedly sitting exams earlier in the day - appeared to tease the ex-London mayor about his gaffe on banana regulations. Boris Johnson had left the rally in Winchester before the alleged assaults are said to have taken place. The ex-Mayor provoked a row last week with claims about banana regulations Others at the event held placards about bananas while another said: 'Stop the lies Boris!' Hampshire Police told the Mirror two alleged assaults were being investigated following the event. She said: 'An unknown man has elbowed the aggrieved in the ribs and punched him in the face and screamed in his face.' A second linked incident saw an alleged victim pushed off statue steps. Mr Johnson was said to have left the event before the alleged incidents took place. The police spokeswoman said officers received a report that 'someone has been pushed backwards from the Buttercross statue'. She added: 'Boris Johnson was in the vicinity for a leave the EU campaign.' Hampshire Police refused to comment when contacted by MailOnline. A Vote Leave source said: 'We don't condone any violence at events. It was clear that Remain campaigners had attended the event to cause maximum disruption.' The source insisted Boris was 'believed to be in a hotel at the time of any alleged incident', but added: 'Obviously we will wait for any investigation.' The unnamed youth appeared at the Vote Leave rally today dressed in a gorilla suit and branding an inflatable banana - but he was allegedly assaulted after the event Mr Johnson claimed at an earlier rally that EU laws meant it was illegal to sell bananas in bunches bigger than three - prompting ridicule by people who pointed out large bunches of bananas are available in many retailers. The Tory MP had the detail of the EU regulations wrong as they do appear to say bananas should only be sold as singles or in bunches of more than. Bernie Sanders has a long list of complaints as the Democratic primary comes to a close about the way he's been treated and the process for picking the nominee - which he says is 'undemocratic.' Sanders told the LA Times he'd like to see the Democratic Party 'do away' with the closed primaries that may have cost him the popular vote against Hillary Clinton. The superdelegate process should also be 'rethought in a very profound way,' he said. Talking to Time magazine, Sanders went off on the 'establishment' and 'corporate' media. 'They wanted to end this thing before the first ballot was cast,' he said of party elites. 'That is totally absurd.' His scathing review of the year-long competition to represent Democrats in their bid for the White House included shots at Clinton, as well. She and her husband 'play very dirty,' he told Time. Scroll down for video Bernie Sanders has a long list of complaints as the Democratic primary comes to a close about the way he's been treated and the process for picking the nominee - which he says is 'totally absurd' and 'undemocratic' Sanders, seen here yesterday in Cathedral City, told the LA Times he'd like to see the Democratic Party 'do away' with the closed primaries that may have cost him the popular vote against Hillary Clinton Sanders has become increasingly vocal about the problems he sees with the way the Democratic Party operates in the final weeks of the nomination contest. Virtually all of the crowds that we bring out are people who are really not involved in Democratic Party process. They dont feel welcome' Sanders said Hillary Clinton's attacks on him in the campaign via her Super PAC were 'outrageous' and said group represents the 'scum of the earth.' 'We know a lot of stuff has been leaked into the papers which are lies and distortions,' he told Time, pointing the finger of blame at Clinton and her allies. 'Their response is, "Look, thats the world we live in, thats what you gotta do." He said, 'I dont think thats what you gotta do.' Sanders has become increasingly vocal about the problems he sees with the way the Democratic Party operates in the final weeks of the nomination contest. 'It is clearly undemocratic. It is a tool for the Establishment to push its candidate forward,' he told Time during a stop in San Diego over the weekend. The fix was in five months before voting ever began, Sanders lamented to the LA Times. 'The idea that 400 superdelegates came on board Hillary Clintons campaign before anybody else was in the race, what that is is a hierarchy, a top-down process by which the establishment has decided who to nominate,' he said. Learning from her own mistakes in 2008, Clinton had locked up 440 of the 700 superdelegates by the end of August, when Sanders was just starting to hit his stride after a slow start three months before. Sanders was never able to make up the deficit. For most of the race Clinton's superdelegate count hovered at 500. The race winding down, it's jumped to 537 in the month of May. Sanders has the backing of just 42 party officials. Few so far have been persuaded by his claims that he'd be a stronger candidate against Donald Trump in the fall and should therefore be the party's nominee. He told the LA Times the 'whole issue of superdelegates has got to be rethought in a very profound way' though he admitted he doesn't quite have a plan for reform. The independent senator who clothed himself in the robe of the Democratic Party to mount a presidential bid said he'd firstly 'do away with closed primaries.' 'And I say that not just because they work against me, but in the sense that the fastest growing political segment of American society are independents,' he said. They're being disenfranchised in the primaries because they're unhappy with both political parties and don't want to commit to a specific affiliation. 'The process now in many states is to say to the fastest group of American voters: You cant participate in the Democratic nominating process. I think thats counterproductive,' Sanders contended. Sanders went off on the 'establishment' and 'corporate media' in a set of interviews. 'They wanted to end this thing before the first ballot was cast,' he said of party elites. He also said the superdelegate process should be 'rethought' Sanders said he'd also like to see the party get a make-over. The senator's campaign has accused Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who openly endorsed Clinton in 2008, of working against Sanders for personal reasons. He told Time Wasserman Schultz had 'stacked' the deck against him. 'If Im elected president, I would ask Wasserman Schultz to step aside,' he reiterated during his interview with the LA Times. 'Virtually all of the crowds that we bring out are people who are really not involved in Democratic Party process. They dont feel welcome.' Sanders said his supporters 'dont know much about the party' and probably haven't ever been to a Democratic Party meeting before. 'But I say, You, know what? You are the future of America. I want you in. And you dont have to be a member of Congress, you dont have to be a major donor,' he said. 'I dont think Debbie Wasserman Schultz has done that. And thats the kind of party that were going to fight for.' In the sit down with Time, Sanders argued that the media hasn't given him a fair shake, either. 'The corporate media is incapable of covering a national campaign in a serious way,' he said. Despite the bitterness he feels toward Wasserman Schultz and other party leaders he feels handed the nomination to Clinton, Sanders told the LA Times he's enjoyed his run. 'Sometimes. In general I am,' he said after the news publication asked if he was having fun. Despite the bitterness he feels toward party leaders, Sanders said he's enjoyed his run. 'Sometimes. In general I am,' he said after the news publication asked if he was having fun At a news conference this morning in Japan, President Barack Obama observed that Sanders had been 'a little grumpy' lately - but that's natural in the context of the presidential primaries, he said. 'It's just the nature of the process. You start off and everybody is thinking, oh, this is fine, this is going to be a friendly competition, we're going to debate ideas,' he said. But then, 'somebody says one thing and then another person says another thing, and that felt a little sharper than I expected, and somebody's supporter pops off. And there's a certain buildup of aggravation. 'We saw that in my lengthy primary in 2008. This is no different.' Obama urged 'both sides to try to stick to the issues, because a lot of that grumpiness arises where folks feel as if we're not talking about an issue but we're talking about personalities and character. 'And they're both good people,' Obama said, referring to Sanders and Clinton. 'I know them both well. And I think that it's important for us to try to end this in a way that leaves both sides feeling proud of what they've done. 'And both sides have run serious, competitive races, and debated issues in a serious way. So I'm proud of Democrats for doing that,' he reflected. A television surgeon who allegedly punched and threatened to kill his daughter during a row over his 'wild whore' lover sobbed as he described how he had been rejected by his children over the affair. Professor Basil Ammori, 53, told a medical tribunal he had been 'shut off' by his daughter and two sons when he left his GP wife for a single mother more than 20 years his junior. The obesity expert - who appeared on the Channel 4 show Embarrassing Bodies claimed he sent gifts and text messages to daughter Huda, 22, and sons Mohannad, 26, and Ahmed, 23, in the hope of repairing his relationship with them. But the bitter divorce from his ex, Dr Almira Al-Abadi, 53, had come between them, he said. Embarrassing Bodies obesity surgeon Professor Basil Ammori, 53, pictured yesterday, grabbed his 22-year-old daughter Huda (left) by the neck as they argued on the doorstep of his home over him leaving his wife and setting up home with his younger lover, the tribunal heard Hayley Pritchard, 30, and Basil Ammori are pictured on their wedding day last year Instead his children would send abusive messages back, accusing him of being an 'evil destructive person' and tearing his family apart, the medic claimed. Ammori and his daughter eventually came to blows over allegations she and her brothers had posted details of his then girlfriend, Hayley Pritchard, 30, who he has since married and had a son with, on an internet site carrying personal messages, prompting men to contact her for sex. During a confrontation, Ammori branded his ex-wife a 'wild bitch,' while his daughter retaliated that Miss Pritchard, who was carrying his baby, was a 'wild whore.' Ammori allegedly punched his daughter and police were called, but took no further action against him. He was later reported to the General Medical Council. Leading obesity surgeon Basil Ammori has appeared on hit Channel 4 show Embarrassing Bodies (pictured) During the bust-up Ammori (right), who appeared on hit Channel 4 show Embarrassing Bodies, screamed 'wild b****' as he ranted about his former wife Dr Almira Al-Abadi, also 53 (pictured left) Today the surgeon, who specialises in weight loss operations at Salford Royal Hospital, Greater Manchester, asked to be excused from the tribunal to compose himself after breaking down in tears when questioned about the fractured relationship with his family. 'I have been shut off completely,' he told a fitness to practise panel, in Manchester. 'My children just will not talk to me. I have tried so desperately to reach out to them. Talking about my children makes me very emotional. This happens frequently. I am so very sorry.' Ahmed Ammori, son of Professor Basil Ammori, is seen leaving his father's tribunal. Right: Daughter Huda He added: 'I have sent each of my children messages, always messages of affection. I have sent them gifts for birthdays and other occasions. I get nothing in response, most of the time. When I do get a response it is always a message which is abusive in nature.' Dr Al-Abadi told the Daily Mail Ammori had beaten her in front of the children but she always refused to press charges when police were called for fear of 'bringing shame' on the family. She said he had two affairs during their marriage and even married Miss Pritchard while still technically married to herself. The Embarrassing Bodies surgeon's new wife But in emotional testimony, Iraqi-born Ammori, who had been married to his wife for 26 years before they split in February 2013, refuted her allegations. Instead he said he believed his ex-wife was bitter about the divorce and was 'influencing' the children against him. 'I have never hit my ex-wife or any of our children,' he told the hearing. 'I believe it is terribly unfair that a divorce between me and my ex-wife has to come between me and my children. I am very disappointed she has involved them. 'Now that I can reflect back on things, I can honestly say she is not an evil woman. She was a loyal wife to me and a fantastic mother. She has taken good care of our children. They are nice, they are good people. I love them. I am proud of them. They have achieved well. 'But I have no doubt in my mind that their mother is influencing them against me.' Ammori told the tribunal that his ex-wife was 'bitter and angry' and out for revenge. 'I believe today's events are the outcome of that desire for revenge,' he added. 'There has been some planning involved. Not only have I lost my children for the time being, what more can she do than ruin my career? She wants to ruin my life.' Ammori admitted calling his wife a 'wild bitch' during the confrontation with his daughter, in September 2014, but denied attacking her. 'She was furious,' Ammori said. 'I acknowledge I did not do myself any good by insisting on the names I called her mother. 'I know this did not diffuse the situation in any way, or the emotions which were flying high. But it would never have been a calm conversation. She was shouting and screaming before I even opened the door. 'I did not grab her. I did not hit her. I certainly did not punch her in the face repeatedly. ' Following the attack, Miss Ammori suffered mild concussion and underwent x-rays complaining of headaches and neck pain. She later developed problems with her eyesight amid fears she had a detached retina Following the alleged attack, Miss Ammori needed hospital treatment and suffered headaches and eye problems. Ammori married Miss Pritchard last year. She now works as his personal assistant and they live in a 1million house in upmarket Bowden, Cheshire. Parker Bogan, 59, has been charged with voluntary manslaughter after police say he strangled his daughter's boyfriend during a fight A father has been charged with manslaughter for choking his daughter's boyfriend to death after a fight between the couple got physical, police say. Parker Bogan, 59, from Charlotte, North Carolina, was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday after officers say he choked Patrick Creek, 36, to death. Cops believe Creek got into a fight with Bogan's 31-year-old daughter before attacking her at around 4am inside their five-bed home to the west of Charlotte. During the fight Bogan placed Creek in a choke hold before he lost consciousness. A medic later pronounced him dead at the scene. Creek was a father-of-three who had a new baby daughter with his girlfriend and another two young sons from a previous relationship, according to his social media accounts. Investigators say police had already been called to the property once the previous evening before Creek was reported dead. Cops went to the house at around 11pm after the girlfriend called to say Creek had punched her in the shoulder while the pair were arguing. But there were no visible signs of injury, according to Fox 46, so police took an incident report and told her how she could file charges, if she wished to. Patrick Creek, 36 (left, with his girlfriend, and right), was pronounced dead at the scene after Bogan allegedly put him in a choke hold because he was attacking his daughter Five hours later officers were called back to the property where Creek was discovered dead and Bogan was taken to jail. Records show Creek has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 1996, which includes arrests for drinking offenses, resisting arrest, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. One arrest was for assaulting a government worker, though it is not clear whether Creek was ever arrested for domestic violence. Courtesy WSOC TV Bogan (pictured with a baby girl believed to be his daughter's child with Creek) is facing up to four years in jail if he is convicted of the crime and is currently in jail It is also not clear whether police had been called to the property on previous occasions because of violence between the pair. If convicted of the charge, Bogan faces a minimum of four years behind bars. The team searching for wreckage of doomed flight MS804 have detected a signal, reducing the area they are searching to within a three-mile radius in the Mediterranean sea. Egypt's lead investigator, Capt. Ayman Al Moqadem, said that the signals coming from the aircraft's fuselage had narrowed the search radius down from forty miles to three, according to Fox News. Capt. Moqadem said the plane's black boxes were yet to be located, the Wall Street Journal reported. Flight MS804 - which was an EgyptAir Airbus A320 - went down last Thursday over the Mediterranean Sea Yesterday it was revealed that human remains retrieved from the EgyptAir 804 crash site point to an explosion on board. The Egyptian official who made the claim is part of the investigation team that has personally examined the body parts taken to a Cairo morgue. He said all 80 pieces brought to the capital so far were small and that 'there isn't even a whole body part, like an arm or a head'. Flight MS804 went down last Thursday over the Mediterranean Sea, killing all 66 people on board. Search teams hunting for wreckage have already found debris in the sea Some of the wreckage recovered so far include a safety vest and what appeared to be the shredded remains of a seat Two men are seen in an Egyptian plane searching in the Mediterranean Sea for the missing EgyptAir flight Ships and planes from Britain, Cyprus, France, Greece and the United States are taking part in the search for the debris from the aircraft, including the black boxes. The French vessel that joined the effort is equipped with sonar that can pick up the underwater 'pings' emitted by the recorders. The search area is roughly halfway between Egypt's coastal city of Alexandria and the Greek island of Crete, where the water is 8,000 to 10,000 feet deep. Details of the jet's final three minutes were revealed yesterday via a flurry of automatic electronic messages showing a rapid loss of control. RAF C-130 Hercules aircraft from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus are supporting the Egyptian-led effort to locate the missing plane Smoke was recorded in a toilet behind the cockpit and in a bay of computers controlling the plane. A fixed cockpit window then opened and the flight control unit cut out. Some experts said the rapid series of alarms hinted at a bomb but others suggested faulty wiring could be to blame. An Egyptian official, who declined to be named, said 'the logical explanation is that it was an explosion' that may have brought down the jet over the Mediterranean Sea. Ships and planes from Britain, Cyprus, France, Greece and the United States are taking part in the search for the debris from the aircraft, including the black boxes Egyptian sea vessels are also searching in the Mediterranean Sea for the missing EgyptAir flight His assessment was backed up by the head of the Egyptian Forensic Medicine Authority. Dr Hesham Abdel-Hamid told MailOnline the body parts recovered from the Mediterranean had injuries consistent with an explosion. He said: 'Analysis of the remains of the victims flight MS804 indicated there was an explosion on the plane. 'The remains had been ripped apart because of a bomb. However we have not found any bomb fragments as yet.' More than 20 body bags containing part of corpses have been taken to the Zenhom morgue as part of the investigation. He initially denied the allegations but today plead guilty and was sentenced to at least 45 years in jail A New Hampshire man who admitted kidnapping a teenage girl and keeping her captive for nine months has been jailed. Nathaniel Kibby was sentenced to at least 45 years in prison after pleading guilty to almost 200 charges including abduction and sexual assault at Belknap County Superior Court in New Hampshire today. The court heard that the 35-year-old had kidnapped the 14-year-old in 2013 and used a stun gun, zip ties and a shock collar to keep her trapped in a storage container on his Gorham property, North Hampton. Nathaniel Kibby is pictured being escorted out of the Belknap County Superior after being sentenced to up to 90 years in prison for kidnapping, rape, criminal threatening and witness tampering Thursday Nathaniel Kibby was sentenced to at least 45 years in prison after pleading guilty to almost 200 charges including abduction and sexual assault at Belknap County Superior Court in New Hampshire today Kibby was due to go on trial next month but scheduled a change of plea hearing for today. The 14-year-old victim, who is not being named as a victim of sexual abuse, was last seen Kennett High School on October 9, 2013 as she cut home along a power line trail. Despite a massive search and widespread public outreach, there was no trace of her except for a letter she wrote to her mother in November of that year. The girl, who turned 15 a week after she disappeared, returned just as mysteriously in July 2014, a week before Kibby was arrested. She was able to identify Kibby because she spotted his full name inside a cookbook in his home, court records show. Lawyers hired by the girl's family said she had suffered 'numerous acts of unspeakable violence' during her months of captivity. Their statement was largely a plea for privacy and did not elaborate on what she endured. The court heard that the 35-year-old had kidnapped the 14-year-old in 2013 and used a stun gun, zip ties and a shock collar to keep her trapped in a storage container on his Gorham property, North Hampton Kibby was due to go on trial next month but scheduled a change of plea hearing for today Nathaniel Kibby (pictured in July, 2014) was indicted on charges including kidnapping, sexual assault, robbery, criminal threatening, illegal use of a gun and illegal use of an electronic restraint device Judge Larry Smukler also denied Kibby's bid to question the girl's sister and three school workers about her home life and family dynamic. Kibby, was indicted in Carroll and Coos counties on charges including kidnapping, sexual assault, robbery, criminal threatening, illegal use of a gun and illegal use of an electronic restraint device. In the records released Wednesday, more than 150 of the indictments were heavily blacked-out. He has been held on $1 million bail since his arrest at his home in Gorham, about 30 miles from the girl's home. Defense attorney Jesse Friedman argued that transcripts of recorded interviews between prosecutors and the girl 'are not adequately specific as to the time frames of the alleged sexual assaults and (her) ability to move freely during her alleged captivity.' He said it was necessary to question the girl to prepare to cross-examine experts about domestic violence and Stockholm syndrome, a psychological condition in which people develop feelings of trust or affection toward their captors. Nathaniel Kibby is accused of kidnapping the girl and keeping her trapped in a storage container on his North Conway property, North Hampton (pictured is his home and the adjacent storage container in 2014) Investigators at Kibby's property were photographed storing evidence in boxes marked 'biohazard' (in 2014) Kibby was due to go on trial next month but scheduled a change of plea hearing for today (pictured are detectives at Kibby's home in 2014) The judge noted the state provided the defense team with 12 interviews consisting of nearly 18 recorded hours and 685 pages of transcripts. In some, the girl described sexual assaults as occurring 'every day, pretty much.' Kibby has a criminal history dating to 1998, including convictions on simple assault, criminal trespass and breach of bail conditions, according to court records. Police may have missed an opportunity to rescue Abby five months after her disappearance, when they showed up at Kibby's mobile home to collect his vast arsenal of weapons following an assault arrest. The girl, now 17, was allegedly still being held captive on his property, when her captor was charged with criminal trespass and assault after following a Conway woman to her home following a minor car accident. Police said he pushed her to the ground in her driveway after she ordered him to stop taking pictures of her car. Following the charges, Kibby actually called police and invited them to his home to collect the weapons so he would not be in breach of his bail conditions. Official records show two officers went round to his property at 9:04pm on March 2013, stayed for fifteen minutes and then left with his guns. Their visit raises serious questions as it is believed Abby was held on his tiny property for the entire nine months since her October disappearance. Repeat offender: Nathaniel Kibby is a familiar sight at the Conway Police Department. These mugshots relate to arrests for (left) criminal trespass and simple assault and (right) criminal trespass again, both in 1998 Court documents show Kibby has convictions on four trespassing counts, simple assault, providing false information to obtain a firearm and two counts each of receiving stolen property and resisting arrest. He faces up to seven years in prison if convicted of kidnapping. Resident of Kibby's hometown of Gorham painted him as an extremely troubled character following his arrest. Neighbors on the trailer park where he allegedly kept Abby - possibly in a shipping container in his back yard - lined up to give their opinions on him. One neighbor who did not want to be named, described Kibby as a gun nut, who was obsessed with conspiracy theories, hated authority and believed that one day there would be a zombie apocalypse Apparently, part of the reason he had built up such a large arsenal of firearms was because he was convinced he would eventually have to use them to fight off the living dead. The neighbor said: I have known him for years and he was a very odd man. He would always talk to me about zombies and the zombie apocalypse. It was very unnerving. Most people round here avoided Nate. Another added: He would say things like, Ill blow this whole trailer park up without even thinking about it. Thats why we were surprised about Abby. We expected him to go on a rampage or go crazy with a bomb, not kidnap a child. Court records show he has a lengthy criminal history, spanning back to when he was 17. Charges against him include six criminal trespassing cases, two counts of receiving stolen property, providing false information to purchase a firearm and theft. In October, just days after the alleged kidnapping, he was arrested in North Conway for procession of marijuana. The four-year-old boy who died after falling down a 50ft elevator shaft in New York has been named locally as Jackson Roberts. The blonde-haired boy was going up a 'cars only' elevator when he tragically slipped through a ten-inch gap on the third floor and fell to his death. Jackson, who was described by one mourner as an angel, is thought to have strayed away from his parents' side to enter the elevator in the Brooklyn parking garage. Scroll down for video The four-year-old boy who died after falling down a 50ft elevator shaft in New York has been named locally as Jackson Roberts (pictured) Customers typically leave their keys at the entrance of the Park Slope garage on Union Street before an attendant parks their car for them, a source told the New York Daily News. Inexplicably, the family was allowed to go up to the third floor to collect something they had left in the car, sources told CBS 2. His father is said to have been grabbing something from the car when Jackson fell. Firefighters from a station across the road found him lying at the bottom of the shaft in a critical condition. He was conscious when he arrived at New York Methodist Hospital on Wednesday but he died from his injuries early Thursday morning. The garage has since become a memorial site for the pre-schooler, with friends, family and loved ones visiting to pay their respects and lay flowers. Alice Soriano, who claimed to be the boy's nanny, shared a photo of Jackson with the New York Daily News. With tears streaming down her face, she described him as a 'good boy', before adding: 'Hes an angel. 'Everybodys shocked because yesterday hes in the park, and now hes gone. I cant believe that hes gone.' A four-year-old boy has died after falling 50ft down an elevator shaft at a car park (pictured) in New York Investigators and the family's neighbors today expressed their confusion as to what the family was doing on the third floor of the garage. One neighbor, 65, said the elevators in the seven storey building are used to transport cars, not people. 'Ive never seen anybody in those elevators except the guys in their cars,' she added. The young boy left behind a half-sister and his grieving parents, who mourned silently on Thursday. The garage, in Park Slope, is for private parking space owners and residents of nearby apartments, with spaces on the market for up to $279,000. They have been fighting for the right to keep living in the Highlands, and yesterday they got the support of the Scottish First Minister. Gregg and Kathryn Brain, both 48, met with Nicola Sturgeon just days before they are due to be deported to Australia on Tuesday. The family arrived in Scotland four years ago during a drive to attract people to live in rural areas, but is now battling deportation under British immigration rules which changed after they arrived. The couple have argued that being sent back would damage the education of their seven-year-old son Lachlan, who has been schooled entirely in Gaelic. Gregg and Kathryn Brain, both 48, who currently live in the Scottish Highlands with their son met with Nicola Sturgeon just days before they are due to be deported to Australia on Tuesday A change in the rules since their arrival means the family now needs a different visa to stay in the country - a requirement that has pitted the devolved Scottish nationalist government against the British government in London. 'The government changed the rules before these people had a chance to benefit. The wee boy is a Gaelic speaker and is, to all intents and purposes, Scottish,' said Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon following a meeting with the Brains. They originally moved from Brisbane, Queensland, to Dingwall, near Inverness, on a student visa which would have allowed them to remain in the UK and work for two years after Mrs Brain completed her studies. But 10 months after arriving the rules were changed. Gregg, Kathryn and Lachlan Brain meet Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the Scottish Parliament There has been mounting pressure on the Home Office to allow the family to stay and at the meeting Ms Sturgeon pledged to do everything in her power to help. They arrived in 2011 as part of a plan backed by the British government to help prop up an ageing and shrinking population in the Highlands. Mr Brain said: 'If we are not a poster family for successful immigration, I'm not sure who is. 'Theresa May has said that she is happy to welcome immigrants who can linguistically and culturally assimilate, and pay their own way. 'We are also willing to live and work in a sparsely populated and economically depressed area of the country.' Yesterday, UK Immigration Minister James Brokenshire told the Commons the family face no 'imminent risk of immediate deportation'. One of the key issues in the debate on Britain's membership of the European Union ahead of a June 23 vote is the arrival of immigrants seeking work, and their status as beneficiaries of Britain's welfare system. They originally moved from Brisbane, Queensland, to Dingwall, near Inverness, on a student visa which would have allowed them to remain in the UK and work for two years after Mrs Brain completed her studies. But 10 months after arriving the rules were changed Immigration is above targets set by the government, seen in data released on Thursday showing net migration to Britain rose to 333,000 last year. The number of new arrivals from Europe has driven much opposition to the bloc. 'The government apparently is trying to regulate immigration but what they are actually doing is alienating and deporting the very people with the talent and the skills that we need in Scotland,' said SNP lawmaker Kate Forbes. 'These inflexible rules are a blunt instrument,' she added. Mr Brain is a health and safety expert and his wife, who arrived on a student visa, has just completed a degree in Scottish history and has an offer of temporary work in a local distillery. Home Office minister James Brokenshire said the family could submit a new visa application and he would later meet their local member of parliament who had raised their case on Thursday. 'He can be assured that the family does not face an imminent risk of immediate deportation,' Brokenshire told lawmakers. Mr Brain said he bore no grudges, adding: 'It was a dream for us to live in Scotland, and for that it is worth whatever it takes.' Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said on Thursday that the findings of a State Department report about Hillary Clinton's private email server were 'devastating' and indicated behavior that is 'probably illegal'. But the Republican front-runner stopped short of calling on Clinton to abandon her presidential aspirations over her 'bad judgment'. 'Actually, I sorta like her in the race. I want to run against her,' he told Daily Mail Online during a press conference in North Dakota. Scroll down for video Donald Trump told Daily Mail Online in a press conference in Bismarck, North Dakota (pictured), that 'there's no reason' as to why Hillary Clinton opened a private email server 'That's gotta be up to her,' he said, 'in terms of whether or not she wants to continue running.' The report, issued by the State Department's inspector general, found that Clinton's homebrew server, which housed more than 2,000 emails containing material later dubbed 'classified', was the subject of at least two hacking attempts - and Clinton failed to report the incidents. 'Look, she used bad judgment. This was all bad judgment. Probably illegal. We'll have to find out what the FBI says about it. But it certainly was bad judgment,' Trump said of Clinton's actions, which stretched throughout the four years she was secretary of state. 'I just read the report. It's devastating, the report. It's devastating And there's no reason for it,' he said. 'Just, you know, skirting on the edge all the time. And you look back at her history, and this is her history,' he added. Trump noted that the report was a nonpartisan effort 'done really by Democrats - if you think of it - appointed by Obama. And done by Democrats'. 'It's shocking to see what she did,' he said. Clinton disregarded State Department guidelines for avoiding cybersecurity risks, the inspector generals internal audit found, faulting her for weak information management. Despite guidelines to the contrary and never seeking approval, Clinton used mobile devices to conduct official business on her personal email account and on that private server, the 78-page analysis concluded. She never sought approval from senior information officers, who would have refused the request because of security risks, the report said. And her most senior aides refused to meet with investigators who were looking into why. Trump said that 'skirting on the edge all the time' has been Clinton's lifelong pattern, but he wouldn't call on Clinton to get out of the presidential race Trump's press conference was his first since the night of May 3, when took questions night from reporters at Trump Tower in New York, following his victory in the Indiana primary and Texas Sen Ted Cruz's announcement that he was quitting the presidential race. It was also his first moment meeting the press since the Associated press declared that he had cemented the Republican presidential nomination - with the help of North Dakotans who gave him a majority. 'The folks behind me got us right over the top,' he said. He fielded questions from reporters in front of a group of 20 state lawmakers, most of whom will be delegates to the Republican National Convention. One, John Trandem, said he was Trump's 1,238th pledged delegate - the one who put him over the top and cemented the presidential nomination. Ben Koppelman, a state senator standing behind him, joked that he and Trandem were on the phone accepting their slots in the GOP convention delegation at the same time, so he might have been the clincher Trump was in Bismarck to deliver a rally speech at the Bismarck Event Center on the sidelines of the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference, an annual convention of oil and gas magnates. He was expected to deliver the latest in a series of pronouncements dismissing global warming as a hoax, in a part of the United States where fossil fuels provide the rich center of the economy. Trump said recently that he is 'not a big fan' of the Paris climate agreement, which President Barack Obama has committed the United States to honoring. A young Danish woman who fled her homeland to fight jihadis on the frontline has revealed ISIS soldiers are 'very easy to kill' compared to President Assad's 'specialist killing machines.' Joanna Palani, 23, who is now back in Copenhagen studying politics and philosophy, went to fight for the Kurds in Syria 'for human rights for all people'. During her year in the war-torn region she recalled the horrors she witnessed first-hand in an interview with Lara Whyte for Broadly. On her first night on the front line her comrade - a Swedish fighter - was killed by a sniper who shot him between the eyes after seeing smoke from his cigarette. She also described the sickening moment she found a large group of children being held for sexual abuse by ISIS terrorists after liberating a village near Mosul. Joanna Palani, 23, left Copenhagen to go and fight for the Kurds in Syria against ISIS and Assad's troops The 23-year-old spent a year on the front line and recalled seeing a comrade shot dead on her first night After leaving Denmark in November 2014, Miss Palani first joined the YPG (People's Protection Unit) and then the Peshmerga, the Western-trained and backed army of the Kurdish Regional Government. The 23-year-old, of Kurdish descent, said at the time: 'The Kurds are fighting for democracy and Western values. If I get captured or killed, I will be proud of why I was killed.' She was constantly faced with danger but said she never wished she was home again. In the interview with Broadly, she said: 'I wasn't taking it seriously when I first came there. But after the first attack I did. I took it seriously indeed.' While in Syria she fought both ISIS militants and Assad's troops, who have been known to attack with chlorine gas, barrel bombs and vacuum bombs - all banned under international law. Comparing the two, she said: 'ISIS fighters are very easy to kill. ISIS fighters are very good at sacrificing their own lives, but Assad's soldiers are very well trained and they are specialist killing machines.' Miss Palani first joined the YPG (People's Protection Unit) and then the Peshmerga, the Western-trained and backed army of the Kurdish Regional Government MIss Palani became famous worldwide when she left Denmark and headed to the Middle East The Danish student had her passport confiscated when she returned to her homeland - even though she was fighting ISIS and Assad's troops Towards the end of her time in Syria she was part of a battalion that freed a village near Mosul from ISIS. There she found young girls locked up in a 'holding house', held for sexual abuse by the murderous thugs. She told Broadly: 'All the girls were under 16 - some were really young. I met this girl in the hospital we had to bring them to. 'She was a Syrian Christian and she died holding my hand because she was 11-year-old and she was pregnant with twins. Her little face was so swollen. It just wasn't right. I remember the doctor crying and yelling at me and my first soldier.' The Danish students said ISIS soldiers are 'very easy to kill' compared to President Assad's 'specialist killing machines' After returning home on leave for 15 days she had her passport seized by police and the Danish intelligence service PET. She is prevented from returning to fight in Syria under new so-called 'foreign fighter' rules intended to stop Danes from - ironically - joining terror groups. For now she is studying in the Danish capital - but her mind is preoccupied with those she has left behind. A crow snatched a knife from the scene of a shooting in Canada and tried making off with the item. The bird in question may in fact be Canuck the crow, who is well-known in Vancouver, CBC News reported on Wednesday. Mike Howell, a Vancouver Courier reporter, told the news outlet: 'A cop chased it for about 15 to 20 feet, and then the crow dropped it and took off. 'It was really strange. In my 20-plus years reporting from crime scenes, I've never seen anything like that crow trying to take a knife.' Scroll down for video A crow snatched a knife from the scene of a shooting in Canada and tried making off with the item. The bird may in fact be Canuck the crow, who is seen here holding a knife in a photo posted to Facebook in January Vancouver police said Tuesday in a news release: 'Shortly after 1:00 P.M. officers were on an unrelated call in the area of Hastings and Cassiar Street when they were told about a car fire in the McDonald's parking lot. 'When officers went to deal with the car fire and keep the public away until firefighters could arrive, they were confronted by a man armed with a knife.' They added: 'The man allegedly came at the officers and shots were fired. He was taken into custody and transported to hospital for gunshot and stab wounds.' The 28-year-old male suspect is in stable condition, Vancouver police said. Both Canuck and the bird spotted at the crime scene have red tags on their legs, according to the report from CBC News. Const. Brian Montague told the news outlet: 'The crow was persistent, but the knife was eventually gathered as evidence.' Const. Brian Montague has said Canuck previously snatched a keyboard button from a computer in a police vehicle. Vancouver police posted this photo on Instagram last week, writing: '#VPDcaptures: A bird's eye view of policing. #VPD #YouCantMakeThisUp' He revealed to The Canadian Press that Canuck previously snatched a keyboard button from a computer in a police vehicle. Canuck is featured on the Facebook page Canuck and I, which is run by Shawn Bergman. The page has over 13,000 likes. Bergman describes his friendship with Canuck on the page, writing: 'He meets me outside the house in the morning and we go to Tim Hortons for a coffee he waits outside, looks in the window. As soon as I come out he's back on my shoulder and I walk back home.' Bergman says: 'He's met so many people and had so many experiences with them. He likes who he likes and he doesn't like who he doesn't like. He is a wild crow after all. But I do think he likes getting his picture taken.' And said it should bring back 'PreCheck' lanes to speed up the process She also asked the TSA to create a role to deal with traveler concerns The congressional hearing was over massive security delays at airports An enormous 70,000 passengers and 40,000 pieces of checked baggage missed their planes due to airport security delays this year on American Airlines flights alone. The company's senior VP, Kerry Philipovitch, made the remarks at a congressional subcommittee set up after almost 500 people missed their flights at Chicago's O'Hare Airport on May 15 due to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) understaffing. 'We are working collaboratively with the TSA to develop and implement short, medium, and long-term solutions to the pressing problem of excessive wait times, but more needs to be done, and fast,' she said, according to the Star-Telegram. Complaints: American Airlines senior VP Kerry Philipovitch (pictured, center, talking to Fox Business) told Congress Thursday that TSA delays had caused 70,000 of the company's customers to miss their flights Lines: The TSA has complained of understaffing for a long time, but things came to a head on May 15 when almost 500 people missed their flights at Chicago's O'Hare airport (pictured). Congress is demanding answers She added that American, the world's largest airline, wants the TSA to create a senior internal role focused on traveler concerns. She also recommended that TSA consider reinstating a risk-based screening program that it canceled last year because of high-profile lapses. In the program, officers trained to detect irregular behavior would pull safe-looking travelers randomly into 'PreCheck' lanes that can process people faster, as they do not remove their shoes and other belongings. Her comments to the House Homeland Security Committees Subcommittee on Transportation Security came one day after TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger admitted that cancelling that program had affected travel times. 'I knew that that would dramatically increase the number of people back in the standard lines,' he said, according to The Washington Post, 'and we werent staffed at the level we needed to be to man all the lines.' He said he had cancelled it in response to a federal report in which 95 percent of federal agents passed through security with fake weapons and explosives. He added that 'We are at a lower staffing level than we need to be' - and warned that things would get worse as the peak summer season rolled on. Neffenger, who has been under sustained criticism as the TSA has struggled to keep up with demand at airports, promised the committee changes to the system yesterday, including hiring more sniffer dogs. A record number of jobless EU migrants moving to Britain to look for work has pushed immigration from the European Union to an all-time high. In a hammer blow to David Cameron, official figures showed the total number of EU nationals coming here under freedom-of-movement rules hit 270,000 last year. This included a record 77,000 who came without the offer of a job. It also included a record number of arrivals from Romania and Bulgaria, according to the Office for National Statistics. Scroll down for video A record number of jobless EU migrants, particularly from Romania and Bulgaria, have come to the UK looking for work Net EU migration taking into account the number of European Union citizens who left the UK was 184,000, equivalent to a town the size of Colchester. Overall net migration, including those from outside the EU, was 333,000 in the year to December, the second highest annual level on record. The figures, the last to be released before the EU referendum on June 23, leave Mr Cameron's pledge to cut net migration to the 'tens of thousands' in tatters. Leave campaigners said they demonstrated that the only way for Britain to regain control over its borders was to quit the EU. In a stinging attack, Boris Johnson described the figures as 'scandalous' and accused the Prime Minister of undermining democracy by promising to cut migration then failing miserably. Mr Johnson said the Prime Minister had been 'cynical' to promise to bring net migration down to below 100,000 while the UK was part of the EU FIGURE 'OUT BY 50,000' The net migration figure from the EU is likely to be 50,000 a year higher than yesterday's official total, according to the Migration Watch think-tank. The think-tank arrived at this conclusion because of the discrepancy between the number of Eastern European migrants applying for National Insurance numbers in Britain and the number of immigrants registered by the International Passenger Survey (IPS) which is relied on by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to produce their figures. Migration Watch analysts claim this discrepancy indicates that 50,000 Eastern European immigrants a year are being missed out of official net migration totals. And in the mid-2000s the IPS, which relies on questioning people passing through ports and airports, missed nearly 400,000 immigrants who later showed up in the 2011 national census. The IPS currently only interviews around 800,000 arrivals each year. Yesterday's figures therefore had to be projected and as a result, statisticians hedged their totals with a 'confidence interval'. This means they believe their 333,000 total could actually be 38,000 higher or 38,000 lower than the true figure. As immigration and the migration crisis again dominated the referendum campaign yesterday: - Senior Eurocrats made a series of co-ordinated and vicious personal attacks on Mr Johnson, saying the prospect of him running Britain was a 'horror scenario'. - More than 4,000 migrants were plucked from the Mediterranean attempting to get to Italy in what rescuers said was the busiest day they have ever faced. - Ministers risked fresh accusations of burying bad news as they released 26 separate Government statements. The Prime Minister had promised to stop EU nationals coming here looking for work, but backed down in the face of opposition from Brussels. Critics pointed out that his renegotiation deal will only restrict EU migrants from claiming in-work benefits and said it would do nothing to do deter more jobless workers from coming here. When the EU was founded, citizens of other member states could move to the UK only if they had secured a job in advance. Now anyone from within the EU can come here to hunt for work. Mr Johnson said the Prime Minister had been 'cynical' to promise to bring net migration down to below 100,000 while the UK was part of the EU. He added: 'I think (the figures) show the scandal of the promise made by politicians repeatedly that they could cut immigration to the tens of thousands and then to throw their hands up in the air and say there's nothing we can do because Brussels has taken away our control of our borders.' More than 4,000 migrants were plucked from the Mediterranean attempting to get to Italy in what rescuers said was the busiest day they have ever faced ASYLUM UP BY A THIRD The number of asylum claims went up by nearly a third last year. In the year to March, there were 41,563 applications for individuals and family members, the highest for nearly 15 years. The figures also included 3,206 claims from unaccompanied children. The number was 30 per cent up on the 32,036 recorded for the previous 12 months. The record asylum level was 103,081 in 2002, before Tony Blair's government introduced restrictions on the rights of asylum seekers to housing and support. The highest number of applications in the year to March came from nationals of Iran on 4,305, Eritrea, 3,321, Iraq, 2,805, Sudan, 2,769. Pakistan, 2,669, and Syria, 2,539. Since October, 1,602 refugees have arrived under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme, the statistics showed. Figures from by the Home Office show that Coventry has taken the highest number of Syrians, settling 105 between October and March. Asylum numbers do not count directly in immigration statistics. Instead, the ONS says that adjustments are made to totals to take into account asylum seekers who remain and removals of illegal immigrants. He added on Sky News: 'EU net immigration alone represents a city the size of Colchester, 77,000 EU immigrants have come here without any kind of job at all, despite the promises we heard from the Prime Minister and others that they would get changes in the EU treaty insisting people would have to have a job before they came here. 'At the moment what is happening is not with the consent of the British people and the only way to achieve that is to take back control on June 23 and vote to leave the EU.' The figures could hardly have been worse for Mr Cameron, with the number of people coming in from the EU now being almost equal to the number of migrants from the rest of the world. Traditionally, non-EU migration has always been higher. The fact that EU immigration has rocketed fuelled by the rise in incomers from Romania and Bulgaria led to claims that Britain can no longer control who enters and leaves while it is in the European Union. Critics have suggested that the ONS figures could even underestimate the true number of migrants coming into the country because they are based on a controversial passenger survey. On Wednesday morning Mr Cameron told journalists on the plane to the G7 summit in Japan that he would not revise his 'tens of thousands' target. 'No, I think the ambitions that I have set out are the right ones,' he said. But yesterday Downing Street spokesmen repeatedly refused to say when or if the target would be hit. A spokesman said the Prime Minister 'knows there is more to do. We have taken a lot of steps. We have got further steps coming into force so long as we vote to remain in the EU'. The Prime Minister had promised to stop EU nationals coming here looking for work, but backed down in the face of opposition from Brussels DAY TO BURY BAD NEWS Ministers risked fresh accusations of burying bad news yesterday as they released 26 government statements on the same day as the latest immigration figures. With media attention focused on the Government's failure to hit David Cameron's immigration pledge, spin doctors authorised the release of a string of potentially embarrassing announcements. The move also came on the last day of the parliamentary sitting before the Spring recess, making it impossible for MPs to hold the Government to account over the issues. Written statements included one on a highly controversial scheme to cut the future pensions of steel workers. Other announcements included the closure of the Business, Innovation and Skills office in Sheffield with the loss of up to 250 jobs, the closure of Britain's most overcrowded prison, HMP Kennet in Merseyside and a shake-up of rail franchising. Home Secretary Theresa May also announced a review of the operation of Sharia law. SNP MP Stewart McDonald said: 'It is typical of the Government to put out statements on day we rise for recess it avoids scrutiny.' Leave campaigners said that, if Britain votes Out in the referendum, net migration 'could be cut to somewhere between nought and 100,000'. The ONS report covered immigration and emigration in the 2015 calendar year. Net migration, at 333,000, was up by 10,000. The total was just 3,000 below the record levels set the year before. There were 630,000 people who came to live in Britain and 297,000 emigrants. Immigration from Europe was the central reason for the high net migration total. It comes only a day after the ONS said population growth much of it fuelled by immigration would push the population of England up by more than four million over the next eight years. Yesterday's numbers suggest even this might be an underestimate. Net migration from the EU was 184,000, a figure that compares with net migration from the rest of the world of 188,000. There were 65,000 immigrants from Romania and Bulgaria, the poorest EU countries, whose citizens were given the right to work freely in Britain from January 2014. Net migration from the two countries was 58,000 by far the highest recorded, and above the 50,000 prediction made by the Migrationwatch think-tank. There was a decline in immigration from the rest of the world. The number of visas issued to students went down, and so did the number of work visas issued to people from countries who do not enjoy the automatic freedom of movement provisions applied in the EU. While 130,000 people from outside the EU came to work here, there were 178,000 EU migrants who arrived looking for work. Of these, 77,000 had no offer of employment and came to look for jobs. How Romanians and Bulgarians fuelled the influx: Net migration from the countries total 102,000 in two years since residents were allowed to work freely in Britain Record levels of EU immigration have been fuelled by a rapid rise in arrivals from Romania and Bulgaria, figures show. Citizens of the countries were given the right to work freely in Britain in January 2014. Both joined the EU in 2007, but Brussels allowed Britain to restrict the employment rights of Romanians and Bulgarians for seven years. In 2014 net migration from the two countries the number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants was 44,000. But the latest figures show that in 2015 there were 65,000 arrivals from Romania and Bulgaria. Some 7,000 citizens of the two countries left Britain, so net migration last year was 58,000. Record levels of EU immigration have been fuelled by a rapid rise in arrivals from Romania and Bulgaria The numbers are in stark contrast to the predictions of experts who said before 2014 that few migrants would come. Sceptics, notably the Migration Watch think-tank, pointed to the dramatically higher wages for workers in Britain compared to Eastern Europe, and suggested there would be long-term net migration from Romania and Bulgaria of 50,000 a year. However Dr Ion Jinga, former Romanian ambassador to Britain, said just before the gates were opened in January 2014 that citizens of his country coming to the UK would be fewer than in the previous years. Later in the year the BBC seized on misleading early job market figures to ridicule the idea that serious numbers of migrants would arrive. The Corporations then political editor scoffed: So much for those predictions of a flood of immigrants coming from Romania and Bulgaria once the door to the UK was opened. Ministers in David Camerons Coalition government were careful to avoid giving any estimates of how many they thought would arrive. They wanted to avoid the disastrous prediction by Tony Blairs government in 2004 that opening the borders to Eastern Europeans would increase immigration into Britain by just 13,000 a year. The latest figures show that Migration Watchs prediction of Romanian and Bulgarian immigration was not an exaggeration but an underestimate Hundreds of thousands of Poles and others came, and there are now more than two million EU citizens working in Britain. The latest figures show that Migration Watchs prediction of Romanian and Bulgarian immigration was not an exaggeration but an underestimate. Higher still than the official immigration statistics are the figures for National Insurance numbers taken out by Romanians and Bulgarians. In the year to March there were 219,000 numbers necessary for those who want to work or claim benefits given to migrants from the two countries. There were 179,000 issued to Romanians and 40,000 to Bulgarians. The Office for National Statistics says many NI numbers go to short-term migrants, as well as those who have been in Britain for some time. Record levels of EU immigration have been fuelled by a rapid rise in arrivals from Romania and Bulgaria, figures show. Citizens of the countries were given the right to work freely in Britain in January 2014. Both joined the EU in 2007, but Brussels allowed Britain to restrict the employment rights of Romanians and Bulgarians for seven years. In 2014 net migration from the two countries the number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants was 44,000. But the latest figures show that in 2015 there were 65,000 arrivals from Romania and Bulgaria. Some 7,000 citizens of the two countries left Britain, so net migration last year was 58,000. The latest figures show that Migration Watch's prediction of Romanian and Bulgarian immigration was not an exaggeration but an underestimate The numbers are in stark contrast to the predictions of experts who said before 2014 that few migrants would come. Sceptics, notably the Migration Watch think-tank, pointed to the dramatically higher wages for workers in Britain compared to Eastern Europe, and suggested there would be long-term net migration from Romania and Bulgaria of 50,000 a year. However Dr Ion Jinga, former Romanian ambassador to Britain, said just before the gates were opened in January 2014 that citizens of his country coming to the UK would be 'fewer than in the previous years'. Later in the year the BBC seized on misleading early job market figures to ridicule the idea that serious numbers of migrants would arrive. The Corporation's then political editor scoffed: 'So much for those predictions of a flood of immigrants coming from Romania and Bulgaria once the door to the UK was opened.' Ministers in David Cameron's Coalition government were careful to avoid giving any estimates of how many they thought would arrive. They wanted to avoid the disastrous prediction by Tony Blair's government in 2004 that opening the borders to Eastern Europeans would increase immigration into Britain by just 13,000 a year. Record levels of EU immigration have been fuelled by a rapid rise in arrivals from Romania and Bulgaria Hundreds of thousands of Poles and others came, and there are now more than two million EU citizens working in Britain. The latest figures show that Migration Watch's prediction of Romanian and Bulgarian immigration was not an exaggeration but an underestimate. Higher still than the official immigration statistics are the figures for National Insurance numbers taken out by Romanians and Bulgarians. In the year to March there were 219,000 numbers necessary for those who want to work or claim benefits given to migrants from the two countries. There were 179,000 issued to Romanians and 40,000 to Bulgarians. The Office for National Statistics says many NI numbers go to short-term migrants, as well as those who have been in Britain for some time. Former home secretary David Blunkett said yesterday that he has no regrets about throwing Britain's borders open to migrants from Eastern Europe, as he gave his backing to staying in the EU. The Labour heavyweight said migrants from 'accession eight' countries including Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania would have gone into the 'sub-economy' had Britain not allowed them to work lawfully. Lord Blunkett a former Eurosceptic said the UK should remain in the EU to ensure it could keep its border controls with France and continue co-operation on security. And the peer claimed there would have been no point stopping East Europeans working in Britain when they joined the EU in 2004 because 40 per cent of those who signed up to work 'were already here'. Lord Blunkett voted against Britain's membership of the Common Market in the 1975 referendum, but yesterday became one of the most senior Labour figures to argue for staying in the EU He asked how Brexit supporters would have felt about 'people disappearing into the sub-economy and undermining the minimum wages and conditions of workers', adding: 'That's why I think what we did in 2004 was right.' Speaking at a Labour In Europe event, Lord Blunkett revealed that the former German interior minister, Otto Schily, had told him he 'admired' Britain's policy of allowing the new EU members to take jobs. But Lord Blunkett added that had he been faced with the same dilemma in 2008 of throwing open the UK's borders in the aftermath of the financial crisis, he would 'possibly' have reconsidered. He insisted Brexit campaigners should not 'scare' people about immigration before invoking the aftermath of 9/11 as proof the EU was necessary for security cooperation. But he also said no one should 'underestimate the fearof wider immigration, the fear of change, of what globalisation is doing to their jobs and their way of life'. And he later admitted that Labour was unprepared for how many people came from Poland, telling the BBC: 'There's no question in my mind that we did not anticipate back in 2004 the numbers who would come.' Former home secretary David Blunkett said yesterday that he has no regrets about throwing Britain's borders open to migrants from Eastern Europe Lord Blunkett voted against Britain's membership of the Common Market in the 1975 referendum, but yesterday became one of the most senior Labour figures to argue for staying in the EU. He explained: 'I voted no to staying in the European Union. So what has changed? The simple answer is 'the world'.' Lord Blunkett said it would be a 'calamity' if Britain was forced to abandon its border controls in Calais as a result of a vote for Brexit, adding: 'This would lead to the disappearance of tens of thousands of people into the illegal economy.' A British Navy warship could be sent into Libyan waters to stop Islamic State smuggling arms out of the chaotic country. In a dramatic escalation in the UK's role in Libya, Number Ten said it would seek UN approval to deploy a Navy vessel to turn back boats carrying both migrants heading for the EU and arms. Crucially, Libya has now made a request to Western powers to operate in its territory - with David Cameron last night volunteering for Britain to take the lead at a summit of world leaders. The warship would join four Navy boats already in the region on a NATO mission operating outside of Libyan territory. In a dramatic escalation in the UK's role in Libya, Number Ten said it would seek UN approval to deploy a Navy vessel to turn back boats carrying both migrants heading for the EU and arms For the first time, Downing Street raised the alarming idea that IS fanatics are using the migrant route to get weapons out of Libya and into the Med, though they stressed they were not destined for the EU. The intervention by the UK could take place within weeks, subject to approval by EU and the United Nations - with officials expecting no objections. Military planners have been deployed to Rome and are currently looking at how the mission will work. Two different options include sending training ships for the Libyan coastguard to help tackle people smugglers, and sending ships with armed Royal Marines onboard to intercept vessels packed with weapons. A navy source said: 'If it is going to be in contested areas then we will need to think about who needs to be onboard.' Raffaello Pantucci, counter-terrorism expert at the Royal United Services Institute, warned of the danger of sending British vessels close to the shores of the war-torn country. He said: 'I think ultimately the ships will come up against small vessels, at worst manned by criminals or terrorists. It is possible you could see them in firefights. 'It makes sense these ship will be deployed.' A Government spokesman said that, last night, the Prime Minister had told the G7 summit that the migrant challenge is 'a global challenge requiring a comprehensive solution,'. He said the PM told world leaders that Britain was willing to take the lead to help the Libyan Government 'build the capacity of their coastguard to intercept boats off the Libyan coast - both those carrying migrants and those carrying arms.' For the first time, Downing Street raised the alarming idea that IS fanatics are using the migrant route to get weapons out of Libya and into the Med The Government official added: 'We will now take an active leadership role in that process. 'Four military planners have deployed to Rome this week to the HQ of operation Sofia, the naval mission in the med, where they will work with other eu colleagues to agree a plan going forward for the Libyan coast guard. 'Once that is established we will then send a training team to assist the Libyan authorities in improving their coastguard maritime operations. 'Then once the relevant UN security resolutions are in place, we intend to deploy a navy warship to the region to assist in the interception of arms and human smuggling.' There are currently four Navy vessels operating outside Libyan waters, working to turn back migrant boats. The fifth boat - a warship - will be added, with the intention of operating inside Libyan waters. This is considered crucial in spotting boats before they can leave the Libyan coast. Officials said that the Libyan Government had made an informal request for help for the first time. A formal request is expected within days. Speaking en route to the G7, Mr Cameron said of the battle against Islamic State: ' I think we are being very straight about this. We are saying this is going to take time and it is difficult. 'For the very reason that we are not putting in Western ground troops, we are working with the Iraqi security forces, we are working in Syria with moderate opposition, and Kurdish forces and the rest of it. And this takes time. A Chinese photography lover has shared heart-breaking images showing his grandfather's life before and after his grandmother passed away. The elderly man, from the city of Chengdu, was first seen enjoying a variety of activities with his wife of 60 years in a set of black-and-white pictures; he then appeared leading a lonely life in 2016, one year after his wife died. The tear-jerking pictures images were shared by a user on the People's Daily Online forum before quickly going viral. Slide me Sad: Emotional images show the pair dining together and the husband eating alone after his wife's death Slide me Then and now: The original photos were taken in 2012 while the latest photos were shot this year Slide me Tragic: The couple were pictured together while the husband reads the paper, now he reads it alone The post was uploaded to the forum on May 23 by a user who goes by the name of the childhood of Sikeke. He claims the pensioners are his grandparents. On the forum, he said that the photos of his grandparents together were taken in 2012. The post read: 'That year, grandpa was 95 and grandma was 85. This year, grandpa is 99 and grandma has passed away for a year. 'Grandpa was the headmaster of the Hongpailou Primary School in Chengdu in his early years. 'Grandma used to be a teacher in Chinese Literature at the Longwangmiao Primary School in Chengdu.' The couple fell in love with each other and got married in the autumn of 1955, according to the post. 'In the summer of 2015, their diamond marriage of 60 years was cut off by illness. Grandpa bid farewell to grandma in tears. 'This year, grandpa spent the first May 20 without grandma.' The digits '520' in Chinese sounds like a person is saying 'I love you' and therefore many people in the country choose to do romantic gestures for their loved ones. Slide me True love: The couple met in 1955 while they were both working as school educators in Chengdu Slide me The pair were pictured cooking food together while now the grandfather has to care for himself The post said the black-and-white pictures were taken on May 20 in 2012. In the pictures, the photographer's grandma was suffering from Alzheimer's disease and was slowly beginning to lose her memory. The post said: 'Her memory became worse, and her mind was not clear. She would often call family members by the wrong name and on some occasions would forget who people were. 'But she never forgot about the person who had been by her side for all her life. She never forgot who he was.' During the summer of 2015, after 60 years together, the man's wife passed away, according to the post. The latest photos were taken on May 20 this year. The post continued: 'There is no way to avoid illness and death. They can cut off time, but they can't cut off the continuity of love.' The poignant photos have sparked an outpoor of emotional comments online. On Weibo many users have said that the post reminds them of their own grandparents under the People's Daily Online's account. One user said: 'This is the most emotional show of affection.' While another commented: 'I want my grandfather'. This is the moment a brave paramedic flew up a hill in winds of over 30 miles per hour and heavy rain using a jet pack.It marks a new milestone for the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), as this was the first time one of their team has been able to fly up a slope with the Jet Suit. The flight was part of a trial of the Jet Suit technology, with the goal of medics using it to reach patients in remote locations, like in the Lake District. Developed by inventor Richard Browning from Gravity Industries, the flying suit can reach impressive speeds of up to 85 miles per hour at more than 12,000 feet into the air. It relies on five mini jet engines, two built into units attached to each hand and one built into a backpack, which gives it a flight time of up to ten minutes. After about ten days of training, GNAAS paramedic Jamie Walsh made the flight up a short, steep ascent in adverse weather conditions, and was joined by Mr Browning. Mr Browning said: 'It is fantastic to see the progress we have delivered since the proof of concept back in 2020. It was a true privilege to fly, literally, alongside Jamie, noting how far we have come in applying Jet Suit technology in the world of medical response.' They are already promising to make the journey to work more bearable for commuters, but self-driving vehicles could also soon transform the way the US armed forces operate in dangerous areas. A convoy of US Army autonomous trucks is due to cruise along a stretch of public highway in Michigan in June as part of a trial of driverless military vehicles. Although the vehicles to be used in the trial will be flatbed military trucks, the technology could also be rolled out for tanks and armoured vehicles. Scroll down for video The technology within each car being tested will include adaptive cruise control and lane keep assistance (pictured above during testing in Texas in 2014) Due to current road laws, each vehicle in the test will have someone sitting behind the wheel, but the autonomous technology will use sensors to help it stay on the road. Each truck will use adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assistance to stay within the convoy. The US Army is thought to be keen to make use of autonomous trucks to help free up its personnel for other roles while also allowing it to send unmanned vehicles into dangerous areas. HOW DO VEHICLES 'SEE' THE ROAD? Called the Unmanned Mission Module, the technology used in the Fort Hood tests included a high performance LIDAR sensor - or laser radar. This remote sensing technology is capable of scanning the road ahead and measuring distances by illuminating a target with a laser, and analysing the light that is reflected. The module is also fitted with a GPS receiver to plan, and track the convoys route. Google's self-driving cars use similar sensors and technologies to navigate through towns and cities. Advertisement Attacks on vehicles and convoys are a common cause of casualties in war zones while accidents also contribute to military fatalities. According to the Times Herald of Port Huron, the test on the Interstate 69 highway in Michigan will be the first time the army has taken its self-driving vehicles onto public roads. The highway will remain open to traffic during the testing period. Previously it has demonstrated the technology on private roads on its test facilities, including in a mockup of a real town to show how they would cope in urban settings. Alex Kade, from the US Army's Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Centre, said: 'Six radio transmitters will be set up along Interstate 69 to allow for groups of five vehicles to broadcast speed, distance, and traffic issues as directed over the frequency.' If the testing is successful, the technology could save the lives of soldiers serving overseas, according to officials. The US army tested a convoy of autonomous vehicles on private roads in Fort Hood, Texas, (pictured) in 2014. However this will be the first time they are tested on a public highway The vehicles are fitted with a GPS receiver so members of the US Army Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) can plan, and track the convoy's route on handheld computers (pictured) Remote sensing technology is capable of scanning the road ahead and measuring distances by illuminating a target with a laser, and analysing the light that is reflected (pictured above during testing in Texas in 2014) Mr Kade added: 'The advancement of driverless vehicles could help cut down on accidents and dangerous combat situations for soldiers, especially in places where bombs and improvised explosive devices could be hidden.' There is also the possibility that the technology could also lead to new types of robotic combat vehicles. Five years ago the Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Centre unveiled a self-driving tank-like vehicle driving off-road and crossing ditches. An enormous solar-powered plane has inched another 466 miles closer to its goal of being the first aircraft to fly around the world using only the energy of the sun. Solar Impulse 2 took off from Dayton, Ohio, in the early hours of Wednesday morning with Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard at the controls. The flight had been initially delayed amid fears the aircraft had been damaged when part of its specially designed inflatable hangar had collapsed onto the plane earlier in the week. Scroll down for video Solar Impulse 2, the sun-powered aircraft making a record breaking trip around the world, has landed at LeHigh Valley in Pennsylvania (pictured) after a 17 hour flight from Dayton, Ohio. The aircraft will next make a flight to New York before attempting to cross the Atlantic Ocean But Mr Piccard safely landed the aircraft at 8.49pm local time (1.49am BST) last night in LeHigh Valley International Airport after a flight that lasted just under 17 hours. The team behind the round-the-world record attempt are now preparing for the next major challenge crossing the Atlantic. HOW DOES SOLAR IMPULSE WORK? Solar Impulse 2 is powered by 17,000 solar cells and on-board rechargeable lithium batteries, allowing it to fly through the night. Its wingspan is longer than a jumbo jet but its light construction keeps its weight to about as much as a car. Solar Impulse 2 relies on getting enough solar power during the day to survive the night. It is also extremely light - about the weight of a car - and as wide as a passenger jet. Both of these combined means it is extremely susceptible to the weather. In high winds it can struggle to stay aloft at the altitudes necessary to gather sunlight. Mr Piccard's colleague Andre Borschberg is due to fly to New York's JFK Airport on Monday, passing over the Statue of Liberty as it does so. From there the team will then make the 3,400 mile flight across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe. It will bring the solar-powered aircraft within the 'home straight' of its 21,750 mile journey around the globe. A statement posted on the Solar Impulse 2 blog said: 'Bertrand Piccard landed at the gate of New York City in Lehigh Valley. 'After the brief incident with the mobile hangarin Dayton, Ohio, Bertrand's takeoff was postponed by a day to make sure the plane had no damages and was safe to fly. 'The Ground Crew checked the plane for damages while the Mission Engineers in Monaco found another weather window to fly on May 25th. 'When the plane was declared safe, Bertrand could finally takeoff to Lehigh Valley. 'This leads us to our final flight in the United States - the flyover of the Statue of Liberty and a landing at JFK, where Bertrand Piccard will get ready for the Atlantic Crossing.' Solar Impulse 2 was briefly grounded after the inflatable hangar it was kept in on the tarmac at Dayton, Ohio partially collapsed. Part of the hangar fabric touched the aircraft meaning it needed to be checked for safety before it was able to continue on its thirteenth leg of its round the world journey Andre Borchberg and Bertrand Piccard have been taking it in turns to fly the aircraft on each leg of its round the world journey. Mr Piccard (pictured right celebrating with Mr Borchberg in Pennyslvania just after landing) took the controls for the flight to LeHigh Valley, Pennsylvania With a wingspan exceeding that of a Boeing 747 but an ultra-light carbon-fiber skin and overall weight of a car, the Solar Impulse cruises at speeds ranging from only 34 to 62 miles per hour (55 to 100 km/h). The four engines of the propeller-driven aircraft are powered exclusively by energy collected from more than 17,000 solar cells built into its wings. Excess energy is stored in four batteries during daylight hours to keep the plane flying after dark. The globe-circling voyage began in March 2015 from Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, and made stops in Oman, Myanmar, China and Japan. Mr Piccard took the controls for the 466 mile journey from Ohio to Pennsylvania, pausing briefly to take selfies during the flight (pictured) and 20 minute catnaps The flight from Dayton, Ohio, to LeHigh Valley in Pennsylvania is the thirteenth leg of the round the world trip The plane can climb to 28,000 feet (8,500 meters), but generally flies at lower altitudes at night to conserve energy. Mr Piccard and his colleague Andre Borschberg have been taking turns piloting the plane on each leg of the journey. Both have trained to stay alert for long stretches of time by practicing meditation and hypnosis. Mr Borschberg set a new endurance record for the longest non-stop solo flight last July during a 118-hour trans-Pacific crossing, over five days and five nights, from Japan to Hawaii. After crossing the US, the pilots, including Andre Borschberg (pictured) are set to make a transatlantic flight from New York to Europe Solar Impulse 2 took off from Dayton, Ohio piloted by Swiss explorer Bertrand Piccard and arrived at Lehigh Valley International Airport after a flight of just under 17 hours He also set new duration and distance records for solar-powered flight. Battery damage sustained during the crossing kept the aircraft grounded for nine months. The Swiss team's ultimate goal is to achieve the first round-the-world solar-powered flight, part of its campaign to bolster support for clean-energy technologies. Despite the delay on Monday caused by the collapse of the hangar - due to a failure in a power cabinet that drives the fans needed to keep the structure inflated - Mr Borschberg said the plane performed 'like it should' on the flight. Tweeting from the cockpit Mr Piccard said: 'Fantastic moment. I just got in touch with Air Traffic Control of New York Center. We've crossed the USA!!!!!' Despite now being well over half way through the round-the-world trip, it has not gone completely smoothly. The aircraft was grounded last year when its batteries were damaged during the first half of a flight across the Pacific. The crew took several months to repair the damage caused by high tropical temperatures during a 4,000-mile flight between Nagoya, Japan and Hawaii. Apple's next iPhone looks likely to undergo the biggest redesign in its history when it is launched next year with the company ditching metal altogether from the case in favour of an all-glass look. Rumours first emerged of the glass casing last month, but now a company in Taiwan, a key supplier of the metal cases for iPhones, has confirmed them. Speaking at its annual shareholder meeting Allen Horng, chairman and chief executive of long time iPhone chassis maker Catcher Technology, said Apple will make its 2017 iPhone using a glass casing. Apple has opened a production laboratory in northern Taiwan to develop new 'superthin' phone and watch displays for future products, it has been claimed. Now a company in Taiwan, a key supplier of the metal cases for iPhones, has confirmed the rumours 'As far as I know, only one [iPhone] model will adopt glass casing next year,' Horng told Nikkei Asian Review after the annual shareholder meeting. WHAT ARE THE OTHER RUMOURS? One rumour has been debunked, which suggest there will be a single speaker instead of the dual speaker setup users had hoped for. But one thing that has stayed consistent is the dimension of both models, which were first revealed last year. The iPhone 7 picture suggests it will be 138.30x67.12x7.1mm and the iPhone 7 Plus measures 158.22x77.94x7.3mm. According to reports, the iPhone 7 will have a 3,100mAh battery, which is 12.5 percent bigger than the iPhone 6S Plus. But although your phone will stay powered longer, it could also mean the casing around it could be thicker. What could be very exciting for iOS users is that Apple might be fixing the annoying there is not enough available storage issue with a 256GB this year. Another annoying feature that might be on Apple's to-do list is strengthening the phones water-resistance.This doesn't say the phone will be water-proof, but it could make a world of a difference if you drop your phone in liquid. 'I don't think this move will have an impact on Catcher's revenue as glass casing still needs a durable metal frame which requires advanced processing technology and would not be cheaper than the current model.' Horng said using a glass casing would prove expensive and that Catcher would require 'advanced processing technology' to pull it off. He also said the chassis would need to be reinforced by a metal frame. While there have been some reports that Apple is actually planning to ditch Carter Technology for Chinas Biel Crystal Manufactory and Lens Technology, which provides glass screen covers for the iPhone, Horng didnt comment on those rumours. KGI's Ming-Chi Kuo, a reliable Apple analyst, said in April the new handset will drop the aluminium casing for a new all glass casing. 'Apple used glass for the iPhone 4/4s front and back, but this was sandwiched together with a stainless steel band,' he said 9to5Mac. 'Its currently unclear how an iPhone could be constructed primarily out of glass.' This year's handset, expected to be called the iPhone 7, is not expected to see a radical overhaul - although the firm might dump the headphone socket for a thinner phone. The new glass phone will also feature a new AMOLED display panel, which will be thinner and lighter to compensate for the slight weight increase of glass compared with metal exteriors. OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode. Its panels are made from organic materials that emit light when electricity is applied to them. Magnified image of the AMOLED screen on the Google Nexus One smartphone The exclusive renders were sourced on behalf of uSwitch by @OnLeaks, Steve Hemmerstoffer of Nowwhereelse.fr, which originated from Apple subcontractor Catcher TechnologyThe images were also pulled from Januarys testing stage, so the final product could still change from what is shown According to the Korean Herald, Samsung and Apple have reached a deal in which Samsung will supply around 100 million OLED display units to Apple beginning in 2017. The deal is reportedly worth around $2.59 (1.76) billion and the two companies are expected to maintain the agreement for at least three years as Samsung suplies 100 million 5.5-inch OLED displays. Earlier this year it was claimed LG and Samsung are to spend over $10bn to create new OLED manufacturing plants to supple screens for Apple's iPhones. A super-thin iPhone 7 would still be significantly thicker than the thinnest phone in the world - Vivo's X5 Max (left). Vivo's Android handset is just 0.18 inches (4.75mm), while rival phone-maker Oppo's R5 is 0.19 inches (4.85mm) Renders of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus out last week confirmed what most iOS owners had speculated. Leaked blueprints of the handsets reveal Apple could ditch the headphone jacks for both variants and the 7 Plus will have a superior dual lens came Earlier this month a Chinese site posted images of a gold handset, claiming they are the handset Apple is expected to reveal in September In January, Apple reported little growth in iPhone sales last quarter and an expected downturn in the current quarter. Japan's Nikkei newspaper first reported earlier this year that Apple plans to start using OLED screens for iPhones starting in 2018. Earlier this month it was revealed Apple has opened a production laboratory in northern Taiwan to develop new 'superthin' phone and watch displays. According to Bloomberg, the facility is Longtan has at least 50 engineers. Apple has recruited from local display maker AU Optronics Corp. and Qualcomm Inc., which used to own the building, the people said. 'Engineers are developing more-advanced versions of the liquid-crystal displays currently used in iPhones, iPads and Mac personal computers, the people said,' according to Bloomberg. 'Apple also is keen to move to organic light-emitting diodes, which are even thinner and dont require a backlight.' Apple began operating the lab this year as it aims to make products thinner, lighter, brighter and more energy-efficient, it is claimed. In the 13th century the Mongol hordes spilled out across central Asia before knocking on the gates of Europe by marching across the Danube River in Hungary. But the descendants of Genghis Khan and their armies suddenly withdrew from Hungary in 1242, passing through Serbia and Bulgaria on their way back to Russia. Now new research is shedding light on the Mongol retreat and suggests the Mongolian empire's feared armies were not forced back by military might, but the weather. The armies of Genghis Khan's empire suddenly withdrew from Hungary in 1242, after just a few months in the region. Evidence from a new study suggests that bad weather may be to blame. Pictured is a statue of Genghis Khan, who founded the Mongol empire, on horseback The study indicates that the weather around that time took a turn for the worse, which would have effected food supplies as well as making it harder for troops to move around. Historical accounts detail how following the hard won founding of the empire by Genghis Khan in the 12th and 13th centuries, the Mongols continues to expand into Europe. While they reached Hungary in 1242 they pulled out just a few months later. Around the late 12th and early 13th centuries, there would have been an extensive grassland, reaching from Asia through to Hungary, which the Mongol armies and their cavalry followed demolishing any opposition and occupying the lands. Researches looked at tree ring data from the surrounding regions, which provided an indication of a shift in the local climate over growth seasons. Pictured is a chunk of fir timbre taken from a historical building in Poland, which the armies marched through in the months before reaching the Danube A CASE OF BAD WEATHER? The hordes of the Mongol Empire spread rapidly across Europe, arriving at the River Danube in Hungary in 1242. Analysis of climate data from tree rings, combined with historical accounts, indicates there may have been a period of rough weather in the region. This would have caused grasslands to become boggy and unproductive, taking away the cavalry's key advantage. Researchers believe this shift may have been responsible for the Mongol armies withdrawing from the region towards Russia. Advertisement Historians believe that in the months leading up to the retreat, two Mongol armies had won two battles in Poland and at Mohi in Hungary, before regrouping and forging on towards the Danube. But analysis of tree rings and historical accounts between 1230 to 1205 points to a period of unstable weather, which would likely have caused the pastures in the region to turn to marsh. The Mongol armies would have been bogged down, unable to march as easily across the marshy terrain and which would have slowed down their fearsome cavalry, reducing their effectiveness and removing their advantage. Ulf Buntgen at the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL and Nicola Di Cosmo of the Institute for Advanced Study in New Jersey, suggest that this shift in the European climate between 1241 and 1242 would have had an impact on how productive the land was as well. Historians believe that in the months leading up to the retreat, two Mongol armies had won two battles in Liegnitz in Poland and at Mohi in Hungary (labelled on map), before regrouping and forging on across grasslands towards the River Danube The study indicates a period of localised climatic disruption, which would have likely led to increased snow melt and rainfall in the transition between winter and spring, water logging the land and turning grassland to boggy marsh. Pictured are four of the outermost growth rings from an oak tree analysed by the team The researchers believe that these climate conditions could have caused a rapid change in the weather, which led to conditions being significantly different from when they arrived in the region months before, and may have ultimately led to them pulling back towards Russia. The findings are published today in the journal Scientific Reports. The authors write: 'While overcoming deterministic and reductionist arguments, our environmental hypothesis demonstrates the importance of minor climatic fluctuations on major historical events.' He is one of the great ancient Greek philosophers whose thinking has helped to shape much of modern science. But the final resting place of Aristotle has been lost in time following his death in 322BC. Now archaeologists believe they have uncovered what could be the tomb of the man widely regarded to be the world's genuine scientist at the site of ancient Stagira in Central Macedona, on the east coast of the Greek mainland. The archaeologists claim to have find Aristotle's tomb in Ancient Stagira in the Central Macedonia region of Greece (pictured) The discovery comes 2,400 years after Aristotle died as part of a 20-year excavation study in the Ancient Stagira region. The findings were presented at the 'Aristotle 2,400 Years World Congress' which is currently underway in Thessaloniki, Greece. The tomb has been found in the Ancient Stagira region of Greece (pictured on map) Speaking to Sigma Live, Kostas Sismanidis, one of the archaeologists taking part in the excavation said: 'I have no hard proof, but strong indications lead me to almost certainty.' A statue of Aristotle (pictured) sits in the mountain village of Stagira on the peninsula of Chalcidice in Greece The archaeologists have claimed that all the indications, from the location of the tomb, to the period it was erected, suggest that the edifice is indeed Aristotle's tomb. The tomb was probably unknown before now as it was destroyed by Byzantines, who built a square tower on top of it. Aristotle was born in Stagira in 384 BC and died in Chalcis, Evia, at 322 BC. The great philosopher was originally believed to have been buried at Chalcis, however, archaeologists are now certain that the tomb they have found belongs to Aristotle. The researchers suggest that the people of Stagira may have transferred his ashes to his birthplace. The tomb is a mounded dome with a marble floor dating back to the Hellenistic period between 323 BC and 32 BC. The nature of the building suggests that it was initially constructed in a hurried fashion, but was then later topped with quality materials. Outside the tomb, there is an altar and a square-shaped floor - presumably placed there for people to pray for Aristotle. The tomb is 32 feet (10 metres) high, and the main square floor surrounds a Byzantine tower - the architectural style of the Later Roman era. There also appears to be a pathway leading up to the tomb's entrance, which was probably there for those that wished to pay their respects. Other findings included ceramics from the royal pottery workshops and fifty coins dated to the time of Alexander the Great. Swathes of water ice may have once advanced and retreated across the Martian surface, according to new analysis of surface data at the planet's poles. Planetary scientists believe that radar data collected by Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter show signs of an ice age at the polar regions, and that the Mars may beat the tail end of an ice age. According to researchers at Southwest Research Institute, the findings indicate the ice ages were driven by forces similar to those on Earth, hinting that the two planets evolved along a similar route. Scroll down for video A study from researchers at the Southwest Research Institute indicates that an increased amount of ice has been laid down in the top layers of the Martian poles the bulk of which is in the northern pole which the team believes is evidence of ice ages on the planet's surface Radar data showed an increased amount of ice laid down in the top layers of the poles the bulk of which is in the northern pole which the team believes is evidence of glacial events. What's more, the data aligns with previous models of the ice cap based on earlier observations. 'We found an accelerated accumulation rate of ice in the uppermost 100 to 300 meters of the polar cap,' said Dr Isaac Smith, a researcher at SwRI and lead author of a paper. Dr Smith added: 'The volume and thickness of ice matches model predictions from the early 2000s. Radar observations of the ice cap provide a detailed history of ice accumulation and erosion associated with climate change.' Radar data of the Martian surface showed the accumulation of around 87,000 cubic kilometres of ice at the poles, the bulk of which at the northern pole (illustrated) Using data from Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, scientists may have found evidence for an ice age in the polar cap. Analysis revealed an increased amount of ice laid down in the top layers of the poles the bulk of which is in the northern pole which the team believes is evidence of glacial events. Features above and below the blue lines (pictured) are different, indicating the ice built up relatively recently HINTS THAT MARS MAY BE EMERGING FROM AN ICE AGE Data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter indicate a large build up of ice over the Martian polar regions. But radar analysis has revealed that there are differences in the layers of ice, indicating an advancing and retreating from polar regions. According to scientists at the Southwest Research Institute, these changes are clear signs of an ice age event in the planet's past, with the ice accumulating in the last 370,000 years. The team believes that further study of the planet's icy past could offer further clues as to how the shape of Mars' orbit, tilt on its axis as well as its rotation have changed, influencing the freezing and melting on the surface over millions of years. The findings will be published tomorrow in the journal Science. The Texas-based group analysed data from the Martian poles and found that around 87,000 cubic kilometres of ice (20,870 cubic miles) has been laid down since the last Martian ice age, thought to be around 370,000 years ago when Neanderthals and Homo erectus had emerged on Earth. Researchers say that if the ice were distributed equally all over the planet it would form a layer 60 cm (24 inches) deep. According the SwRI team, the findings indicate that there was a large polar erosion, followed by the accumulation of ice to the present day all of which points to ice ages. The team believes further study of the planet's icy history could offer further clues as to how the shape of Mars orbit, the tilt on its axis as well as its rotation have changed, influencing the freezing and melting on the surface over millions of years. It could mean that in future scientists are able to work up a more accurate climate history for Mars, including how the ice advanced and retreated from mid latitudes, which could even offer insight for its planetary neighbours. The SwRI team analysed data from Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (illustrated) which has been bouncing radar waves off the planet's surface as it orbits Scientists used 3-D models of the Martian polar ice cap to look for signs of climate change. White lines on the model (pictured) indicate the level in the ice where a change in climate likely occurred 'Because the climate on Mars fluctuates with larger swings in axial tilt, and ice will distribute differently for each swing, Mars would look substantially different in the past than it does now,' added Dr Smith. 'Furthermore, because Mars has no oceans at present, it represents a simplified 'laboratory' for understanding climate science on Earth.' Nasa has recently produced animations based on data from the Mavern mission, which shows the evolution of Mars from a once watery world to a dry red planet today. Nasa has recently produced an animation based on data from the Mavern mission, which shows the planetary evolution of Mars from a once watery world to a dry red rock today (still pictured) Mavern launched in 2013 and was designed by the space agency to probe the Martian atmosphere. The animation shows a large area of the red planet was once blue, but the seas evaporated and shrank over millions of years. Traces in rock beds on the planetary surface bear the hallmarks that liquid water once flowed across them. In the planet's earlier, warmer history, it could have meant some regions were even marsh-like. It's been an erratic year for weather across the United States, and now, just a few weeks before the official start of summer, climatologists warn we could be headed for three months of blistering heat. A map released this week by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows the probability of 'well above average' temperatures across the country. With the exception of a small chunk of states in the heart of the Great Plains, the forecast shows nearly the entire country is set to experience an unusually hot summer. The map reveals a high chance that nearly all states will experiences temperatures that fall within the warmest third of all summers on record. Darker colours show the states that have a higher chance of a hot summer. The Lower 48 states are shown above The new map visualizes the latest estimates from the NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. While the image accounts for a probability scale of 'cooler than normal' (blue) to 'warmer than normal' (red) temperatures, the map is almost entirely dominated by shades of red. This means that, for the June-August period, there's a high chance that nearly all of the states will be hit with temperatures that fall within the warmest third of all summers on record. Alaska's Aleutian Islands, darkest red, have the greatest probability out of every region, with 60-70 percent chance of warmer temperatures Darker colours show the states that have a higher chance of a hot summer. Alaska's Aleutian Islands have the greatest probability out of every region, with 60-70 percent chance of warmer temperatures. The Northeast and the entire West coast also have a high chance of above average warmth, at a probability of 50-60 percent. While the center of the country may not have as high a likelihood, some areas are still predicted to be warmer than usual. There's a 33-40 percent chance of this from North Dakota down to Texas, and up through Arkansas all the way to Minnesota. Nebraska and Kansas are the only complete states to fall within the 'equal chances' region, meaning the odds of well above average temperatures are the same as the odds of near-average or well below average temperatures. Small parts of the surrounding states also share this probability, including slices of Wyoming, Colorado, and the top of Texas. As for rainfall,the forecast shows that most states fall within the 'equal chances' category, so the odds of summer rain are so far evenly distributed among above-average, near, and well-below average. A few states, however, do have a higher probability of wetter than average conditions. HOW THEY CALCULATE IT Each season has three possible climate outcomes. These are: well above normal (upper third of the climatological record), near normal (middle third), or below normal (lower third). The default probability for each outcome is 33.3 percent, adding up to 100 when combined. If the odds are tilted further toward a particular trend, the chances for the other two outcomes are adjusted accordingly. They explain: 'In this summers season outlook for the Northeast and the West Coast, for example, the full suite of probabilities is 50-60% chance of well above normal temperatures, 33.3% chance of near-normal temperatures, and 6.7-16.7% chance of well below normal temperatures. The forecast shows that most states fall within the 'equal chances' category, so the odds of summer rain are so far evenly distributed among above-average, near, and well-below average. For some areas with a cooler summer, including Nebraska and Kansas, rainfall is expected to be above average These include parts of Alaska, along with Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and northern parts of New York. Some states in the central and western US may have more precipitation than usual as well, including Nebraska and Kansas, where it was predicted to be cooler than the rest of the country, along with Colorado and Wyoming. Seasonal forecasts work off of the principle that there may be three possible climate outcomes, the researchers explain. It's been an erratic year for weather across the United States, and now, just a few weeks before the official start of summer, climatologists warn we could be headed for three months of blistering heat These are: well above normal (upper third of the climatological record), near normal (middle third), or below normal (lower third). The default probability for each outcome is 33.3 percent, adding up to 100 when combined. So, if the odds are tilted further toward a particular trend, the chances for the other two outcomes are adjusted accordingly. 'Forecasters divvy up the remaining fraction by holding the chances for near-normal conditions at the 'default' 33.3%, and subtracting it from the remainder,' the researchers explain. 'What's left is the probability of the least favored category.' Hints of an undiscovered fundamental force have set the physics world abuzz this week. It follows an experiment in Hungary that spotted an anomaly in radioactive decay, suggesting the existence of a new particle. If their tests prove accurate, the discovery could completely upend our understanding of how the universe works. Hints of a fifth fundamental force have set the physics world abuzz this week. It follows an experiment in Hungary that spotted an anomaly in radioactive decay, suggesting the existence of a new particle. The discovery could completely upend our understanding of the universe. Pictured is an image of the cosmic web The current working model of physics states that there are four fundamental forces of nature: gravity, electromagnetism, and the weak and strong forces between atoms. The latest experiment by a team of physicists led by Attila Krasznahorkay of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, suggests that there is yet another force. The team said they had found a bizarre radioactive decay irregularity, according to a report by Nature News. They published their results late last year in Physical Review Letters. Despite the radical claim, their paper received very little attention, according to a report in Gizmodo. That is, until physicists at the University of California checked their method and results and found the study to be accurate. Physicists at the Institute for Nuclear Research in Debrecen, Hungary, say this apparatus an electron-positron spectrometer has found evidence for a new particle 'What it's telling us if it is correct is that there is something going on in the way that one particle talks to another particle that we haven't got inside our mathematics at the moment,' Geraint Lewis, a professor of astrophysics at the University of Sydney told ABC News. Scientists have theorised that a fifth force exists for decades. They say it could help explain the inability of the standard model of particle physics to explain dark matter. Dark matter is invisible substance thought to make up more than 80 per cent of the universe's mass. Theorists have proposed a number of exotic-matter particles, including 'dark photons', that carry the electromagnetic force. The Hungarian scientists were looking for dark photons by blasting protons at a thin strip of lithium. STANDARD MODEL OF PARTICLE PHYSICS AND WHY THE FIND IS SO EXCITING The Standard Model says everything in the universe is made from the most basic building blocks called fundamental particles, that are governed by four forces: gravity, electromagnetic, weak nuclear and strong nuclear. The Higgs boson, named after professor Higgs, shown, was discovered in 2012 and is an essential component of the Standard Model The forces work over different ranges and have different strengths. This new particle, if it exists, would not fit into the description given by the Standard Model and so would lead to a whole new area of particle physics. Some have suggested it might even lead to the discovery of a fifth fundamental force. This development is exciting because the Standard Model has left some questions unanswered for years, so scientists are keen to break free of it and find new theories. It can't explain gravity, for example, because it is incompatible with our best explanation of how gravity works - general relativity, nor does it explain dark matter particles. The quantum theory used to describe the small particles in the world, and the general theory of relativity used to describe the larger objects world, are also difficult to reconcile. Nobody has managed to make the two mathematically compatible in the context of the Standard Model. According to the Big Bang theory, matter and antimatter were created in equal amounts at the start of the universe and so they should have annihilated each other totally in the first second or so of the universe's existence. This means the cosmos should be full of light and little else. But because it isn't there must have been a subtle difference in the physics of matter and anti-matter that has left the universe with a surplus of matter and that makes up the stars we see, the planet we live on and ourselves. But the observations seen so far are not enough to confirm the existence of a particle. As the lithium absorbed the protons, it transformed into an unstable version of beryllium, which decayed even further, creating electrons and positrons. When the protons hit against the lithium at 140 degrees, more electrons and positrons were created than were expected. Krasznahorkay suggests this extra material is being created by a particle that is 34 times heavier than the electron. 'We are very confident about our experimental results,' said Krasznahorkay, adding that that the team has repeated its test several times. Jonathan Feng, at the University of California, Irvine, who tested the results thinks the new particle is in fact something known as 'protophobic X boson' rather than a dark proton. Feng is now looking at other kinds of particles that could explain the anomaly. But the protophobic boson is the most straightforward possibility, he said. Microsoft and Facebook are building a massive cable across the Atlantic Ocean to meet growing demand for high-speed cloud and online services. Dubbed MAREA, the cable is initially designed to carry 160 terabits of data per second, which is around 16 million times the bandwidth of your home internet connection. The construction of the MAREA cable will begin in August and it is expected to be completed in October 2017, the companies revealed today. Microsoft and Facebook are building a massive cable across the Atlantic Ocean to meet growing demand for high-speed cloud and online services. Dubbed MAREA, the cable is initially designed to carry 160 terabits of data per second, which is around 16 million times the bandwidth of your home internet connection. MAREA CABLE: KEY FACTS The cable is initially designed to carry 160 terabits of data per second. This is around 16 million times the bandwidth of your home internet connection. It aim to meet growing demand for high-speed cloud and online services. The 4,100 mile (6,600 km) cable will be the first to connect the US with southern Europe. It will be operated and managed by Telefonica SA's telecoms infrastructure unit Telxius. Construction will begin in August and it is expected to be completed in October 2017. Typically, companies like Microsoft and Facebook join larger consortiums of technology companies to create cables. The latest move means that the two technology giants can sell their excess capacity to third parties. The 4,100 mile (6,600 km) cable, the first to connect the US with southern Europe, will be operated and managed by Telefonica SA's telecoms infrastructure unit Telxius. It will be the highest-capacity subsea cable to ever cross the Atlantic, running from the data hub of Northern Virginia to Bilbao, Spain and then to network hubs in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. '[It will meet] growing global demand for our more than 200 cloud services, including Bing, Office 365, Skype, Xbox Live and the Microsoft Azure platform,' said Christian Belady, General Manager, Datacenter Strategy, Planning & Development, Microsoft Corp. 'The MAREA transatlantic cable we're building with Facebook and Telxius will provide new, low-latency connectivity that will help meet the increasing demand for higher-speed capacity across the Atlantic.' The move comes nearly two years after Google, which is now Alphabet, agreed with five Asian companies to invest about $300 million to develop and operate a trans-Pacific cable network connecting the US to Japan. Google also has another cable that connects the US and Brazil, and a network of cables that connect parts of Asia. As well as building an undersea cable, Facebook is buying something known as 'dark fiber', the name given to unused terrestrial cables, according to an in-depth report in Wired. The 4,100 mile (6,600 km) cable will be operated and managed by Telefonica SA's telecoms infrastructure unit Telxius. It will be the highest-capacity subsea cable to ever cross the Atlantic, running from the data hub of Northern Virginia to Bilbao, Spain and then to network hubs in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia 'We're starting to see more of the large internet content providers looking to build more of their own networkswhether they are leasing dark fiber or laying down new cables to build new routes,' Michael Murphy, president and CEO of telecom consultancy NEF Told Wired. 'It makes sense.' The companies chose Virginia to start the cable network because it's a major hub for data centers that include facilities used by Facebook and Microsoft. By connecting it to Spain, the cable will provide a better network for Europe as well as Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Typically, companies like Microsoft and Facebook join larger consortiums of technology companies to create cables. The latest move means that the two technology giants can sell their excess capacity to third parties. 'We're always evaluating new technologies and systems in order to provide the best connectivity possible,' said Najam Ahmad, Vice President of Network Engineering at Facebook. 'By creating a vendor-agnostic design with Microsoft and Telxius, we can choose the hardware and software that best serves the system and ultimately increase the pace of innovation. 'We want to do more of these projects in this manner allowing us to move fast with more collaboration. 'We think this is how most subsea cable systems will be built in the future.' A Russian company is planning to develop 'space taxi' to blast people to the moon. Energia has revealed draft plans for an 11.4 tonne reusable spacecraft that will take cargo and cosmonauts onto the lunar surface within five days. Dubbed 'Ryvok' or 'Charge', the company claims such a spacecraft could hugely cut the cost of a lunar trip by docking at a midway point between Earth and the moon. Scroll down for video While the US has its sights largely set on Mars, Russia says it plans to conquer the moon. The nation is hoping to launch a lunar probe in 2024 to scout out colony locations, before landing humans on the moon in 2030 'A mission of the Ryvok multi-entry manned vehicle will cost a third less than a mission of the Federation manned spaceship,' Energia's Yury Makushenko said. The 'Ryvok' project was announced this week at the Human Space Exploration international conference in Korolev, near Moscow. The shuttle will be sent on the ISS by Soyuz ships and Angara rockets. Prior to the lunar mission, another launch to the space station would send an 'accelerator block' to act as fuel for Ryvok. This makes the flight dramatically cheaper as instead of a needing a rocket, all that could be needed is a spacecraft and fuel to lift passengers to low-Earth orbit. When returning from the near-moon orbit, Ryvok would open an 'umbrella' of 55 square meters for braking in the Earth atmosphere. The launch of Angara-A5 heavy booster at Plesetsk Cosmodrome on December 23, 2014 in Arkhangelsk Region, Russia. Several launches of this rocket will help Russia build a manned base on the moon The latest plan is just one in a series of missions Russia is proposing to conquer the moon. Its space agency, Roscosmos, has previously said it is hoping to launch a lunar probe in 2024 to scout out colony locations, before landing humans on the moon in 2030. According to Russian news agency TASS, work has already begun on building the Luna 25 lander that will pave the way for human exploration. Roscosmos is also developing the Angara-A5V heavy-lift carrier rocket to sent parts for a human base to the moon. Overall, Russia will complete the moon mission using six separate launches of the upcoming Angara rocket. Each launch will send a new module to the moon, created the base piece by piece, in a similar way to how the ISS was put together. Assembly of the moon base is expected to take more than ten years, and Roscosmos says it will eventually serve as a permanent settlement. Russia's first manned flight to the moon is possible a year earlier, in 2029, according the head of Russia's state-controlled Rocket and Space Corporation Energia had predicted. Vladimir Solntsev, president of RSC Energia, which is 38 per cent owned by the Russian state, made the predictions at a space technology conference in Moscow in October. In the 1960s the Soviets began developing their own designs for a manned mission to land on the moon with its N1-L3 Lunar Lander (left). However, the project never flew and was eventually cancelled. Earlier this year the European Space Agency said it planned to work with Russia on its mission to land on the moon (right) Currently Russia's Soyuz spacecraft, which are built by RSC Energia, are the only vehicles capable of sending humans into space. Nasa has been relying upon the system to send its astronauts to the International Space Station along with regular supplies of cargo. In a statement posted on the RSC Energia website, Mr Solntsev said: 'The high-priority line of activities for Russian manned programs in the next 10 to 20 years is lunar exploration. 'Russia develops a new-generation advanced transportation spacecraft, in the nearest future development of other elements of the lunar program will also begin.' The new spacecraft, dubbed the Angara-A5V heavy-lift carrier rocket, is expected to be built using composites specifically designed for lunar missions. Russia has never landed a human on the moon and plans to do so drawn up in the 1960s were never completed after Nasa's Apollo moon landings. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin (right) speaks about plans for the new rocket. The new spacecraft, dubbed the Angara-A5V heavy-lift carrier rocket, is expected to be built using composites specifically designed for lunar missions Through the 1960s and 1970s there were 12 Nasa astronauts who landed and walked on the surface of the moon. Since Apollo 17 in 1972, however, there have been no humans to set foot on the lunar surface. A picture showing astronaut James Irwin, from Apollo 15, is shown above Instead, the country has concentrated on sending a series of unmanned probes to the lunar surface. However, it has not sent a spacecraft to the moon since the sample return mission Luna 24 in 1976. However, the country's new effort to send cosmonauts to the moon could see it beating US in its attempts to return to the lunar surface. Nasa had been planning to return humans to the lunar surface as part of its long-term plans to send astronauts to Mars. However, the plans were scrapped in 2010 favour of landing on an asteroid in an announcement by US President Barack Obama. Hit by major funding issues, a mission to the moon was seen as being a low priority although some officials have indicated Nasa may send future missions to orbit the dusty satellite. A recent study funded by Nasa has, however, also suggested Nasa is still hopeful about establishing a human presence on the surface of the moon. The Evolvable Lunar Architecture Plan outlined a cut price way of building a base on the moon for around $10 billion using private rockets and mining water ice from the poles. The study, conducted by NexGen Space LLC, said it would be possible to land humans on the moon within the next five to seven years and establish a base within 19 years. Russia's Soyuz spacecraft and rocket system is currently the only method used to send humans into space. RSC Energia, which builds Soyuz, says it is working on a new spacecraft specifically for mission to the moon A number of former Nasa staff have also suggested that the space agency is quietly planning a mission to the moon as part of its build up to Mars. However, Russia's ambitious plans to return to the moon could now trigger a new race to exploit the minerals and other resources on the lunar surface. Earlier this year, the European Space Agency said it was interested in joining Russia's attempts to colonise the moon. ESA and Roscosmos said they were working together to send a lander to the moon's south pole to look for water. The Lunar 27 mission will launch in 2020 and its primary mission will be to look for deposits of water ice in craters on the surface, which could be used by future manned colonies on the moon. Professor Igor Mitrofanov, one of the lead scientists on the project at the Space Research Institute in Moscow, told the BBC: 'We have to go to the Moon. 'The 21st Century will be the century when it will be the permanent outpost of human civilisation, and our country has to participate in this process.' of the pyramid outside the Louvre with a printed black-and-white image Advertisement No, your eyes aren't deceiving you, one of the most famous landmarks in the world has disappeared. But fortunately, it's only gone missing temporarily. The Louvre's iconic pyramid is hiding in plain sight thanks to the wizardry of French artist JR, who has covered its glass facade with a black-and-white printed image of the stone building behind it, creating an optical illusion. French artist covered the glass facade of the pyramid outside the Louvre with a printed image depicting the building behind it JR (pictured) said it was a way for him to distance himself from the art as visitors have to interact with it by walking around the structure to make it 'disappear' The French artist will also be spending 24 hours at the museum's auditorium from 3pm on May 28 to host workshops and talks The stunt is part of the artist's take-over of the museum, which begins on May 28 and lasts 24 hours. His day-long program will feature a mix discussions, films, music, dance and guided tours, some of which are free of charge. There will also be breakfast by chef Jean Imbert and talks in collaboration with model Cara Delevingne. Some of the events are hosted by the artist himself while others, like the concert A Night under the pyramid, will see musicians Nils Frahm and Olafur Arnalds performing until dawn. In an interview with the Louvre, JR said his concept 'is a way for me to distance myself from my subject'. Even partially completed, there are plenty of people visiting the site and taking pictures. The Louvre pyramid is one of the most photographed monuments in France The printed sheets are pasted strip by strip onto the glass surface by technicians who dangle precariously from a crane (pictured) Against the stormy skies in Paris, the printed image stands out but on a brighter day, the building blends into the background People visiting the museum have to move around in order to get the perfect angle to get the pyramid to 'disappear'. This, the artist says, is a way of 're-directing its energy'. Although the program involving the artist himself is only on for 24 hours, visitors will be able to see the 'invisible' pyramid between now and June 27 this year. JR, now 33, started out as a graffiti artist in his teens. The artist states on his website that he 'owns the biggest art gallery in the world' because he 'exhibits freely in the streets of the world'. Part of his objective is to create art in places that could be seen by those who do not visit museums. His work has appeared on buildings and objects all over the world, including London, Shanghai, Berlin and New York. JR started as a graffiti artist but has created numerous projects around the world. Above, a photograph of his 'Women are Heroes' project The artist states on his website that he 'owns the biggest art gallery in the world' because he 'exhibits freely in the streets of the world' Above, the controversial project Face 2 Face. This photograph was taken at the separation wall between Palestine and Israel in Bethlehem One of his projects, 'Wrinkles of the City', was created in destinations all over the world. Above, a version that was created in Istanbul Some, like 'Portrait of a generation', started out as illegal projects before being accepted by officials while others remain controversial. For example, in 2007, JR created 'Face 2 Face' with his friend Marco. It was an exhibit that saw him pasting huge portraits of Israelis and Palestinians face to face in eight cities in Palestine and Israel. His creations have also been the subjects of books and films. But despite his worldwide fame, JR remains anonymous and only uses his initials to brand his work. He says: 'I come from the world of graffiti, so I wasnt going to sign my real name on my street exhibitions that were illegal. 'Still today, the majority of projects I do are illegitimate, without authorization: putting up images in France seems normal, but Ive been arrested or kicked out of other countries.' Although many of his projects were illegal, some were commissioned pieces. Left, a piece entitled Elmar that was created for the New York Times while on the right is a piece called Les Bosquets that was pasted illegally on a soon-to-be demolished building in Paris A man on a house in Rosenthaler Street in Berlin photographed in 2013. It was part of 'Portraits of Ordinary People in Unusual Locations' Above, an enormous mural that was created on the side of a loft building in the TriBeCa neighbourhood of New York featuring a ballerina A group of youths pulling funny faces are part of this photography exhibition at an abandoned railway building in Arles, France The containers on a ship (pictured) form the background of this piece of work, which was also part of the Women are Heroes project There were thousands of portraits in JR's creation for the Pantheon in Paris (left in the main hall and right close up) when it reopened after refurbishment in 2014 JR standing in the middle of his artwork in the Pantheon in 2014. The installation was only up for four months from June to October Ladj Ly, the young French-Malian man pictured in this photograph holding a camera, was part of the Portrait of a Generation project Above, a huge version of the infamous Ladj Ly photograph pasted onto the side of the Tate Modern in London to showcase street art Times Square was covered with portraits with men and women of all ages in 2013 as part of the 'Inside Out New York City' project A piece on the Geffen Contemporary building in Los Angeles (pictured). The work was part of a project called 'The Wrinkles of The City' Left, one of the earlier works from the artist, where he photographed his own graffiti. Right, a portrait on the side of High Line in New York V1, rotate, positive climb. If you were a fly on the wall in the cockpit of your holiday flight to the sun as it hurtles down the runway and takes to the air, these are the words you'd hear from the pilots. If you're a nervous flier, hearing 'V1' is when your heart would probably leap because, as Captain Richard Brown, CEO of Atlantic Star Airlines, explains, this is 'take-off decision speed'. Beyond this velocity, the aircraft cannot be safely stopped on the ground and must become airborne. Captain Brown, a pilot with 20 years' aviation experience with Boeing 777s, 787s and 747s, came to MailOnline Travel's headquarters to reveal exactly what happens behind the flight deck door for a series of insider video guides. Scroll down for landing video Captain Richard Brown, CEO of Atlantic Star Airlines, explains exactly what's happening on a flight deck during take off and landing. This is a still from first video he commentates on - a take off from Dublin Captain Brown explains that as this A330 takes to the skies, the first officer reports a 'positive climb', which means all is well Captain Brown pictured at MailOnline Travel's London headquarters, explaining exactly what goes on behind the flight-deck door In this, the first, he talks about the two most crucial phases of a flight take-off and landing. We gave him two flight deck videos to comment on and as they played he provided fascinating insight into exactly what the pilots are doing and thinking and what it feels like to be in the driving seat. The first was shot on the flight deck of an Airbus A330 flying from Dublin to San Francisco. As the plane turns onto the runway, Captain Brown, 47, explains: 'So they've got clearance for take-off. The first officer has just set power to an intermediate setting to make sure that the engines are stable and working. He's now set take off thrust, which they will have calculated before they start.' The plane heads down the runway, rapidly picking up speed. The captain, explains Brown, is poised to shut everything down in case the engines malfunction. He says: 'He's now just aiming to stay on the centre line, ready to close the thrust leavers in case of an engine failure.' The first officer signals that the plane has reached 100 knots (115mph), and a few seconds later she says 'V1'. Captain Brown, who lives in Farnham, Surrey, says: 'That's take-off decision speed, so at this point they cannot turn back. 'As we get to V1, you'll see the captain takes his hands off the thrust levers and that's the last speed at which the aircraft can be safely stopped on that runway on that day. That depends on where it's going and how many passengers it's got on board, how much fuel it's got on board. So it's calculated beforehand. 'So the hand comes off the thrust levers, so that means "we're definitely going flying now"'. The first officer then says 'rotate'. But she's not asking her boss to turn towards her. Captain Brown explains: 'Rotate is the speed at which he's [the captain] going to apply elevator control, pull the control column back, and the aircraft starts flying.' The clip shows the plane smoothly taking to the air and the first officer verifies that all is well. Captain Brown explains how the conversation between the captain and first officer is always wrapped around safety. This video shows the landing of a 747 - a plane that Captain Brown explains has a surprisingly small flight deck He says: 'The first officer verifies that the aircraft is climbing she says that it's a "positive climb" - and he gets the gear up, or he asks for the gear up and she reads that back. 'And that's the principal we use for everything we do on the flight deck. One person observes, and states the situation, the other person then asks for the control to be moved. The other interesting thing about the 747, is that because of the extra elevation and the same with the A380 it's a little bit like landing a block of flats Captain Richard Brown, CEO of Atlantic Star Airlines 'That is then read back before the control itself is moved. So the gear doesn't come up or down unless it's supposed to, and flaps aren't moved, unless they're supposed to. 'So we make sure there are lots of safety protocols in place, to make sure that things happen at the right time.' The crew are also extremely careful with how much thrust they apply, as jet engines wear far more rapidly when they're running at full power. He continues: 'We don't use the engines on full thrust or even take-off thrust any longer than we need to, because the last 10 per cent of engine thrust is where 90 per cent of the wear of the engines is.' The crew of this aircraft have just taken off, he adds, from one of the friendliest airports. 'The best thing about Dublin,' he says, 'is that whenever you leave, they always say "good luck". The controllers are really friendly. 'I always hope luck isn't going to come into it, but I like that. It's quite cute.' Plane talk: Captain Brown says 'it [the 747] doesn't have a lot of the modern fly-by-wire systems, so it's quite a handful. Some people refer to it as "a real man's aeroplane"... you're very much in a physical piloting task' The pilots in this 747 are using paper maps, but pilots in the most modern aircraft use iPads, explains Brown Next, while analysing a Boeing 747 landing, Captain Brown explains how the flight deck of a jumbo is noisy and old fashioned in comparison with the very latest jets. Landing one, he says, is akin to 'landing a block of flats'. He says: 'Even though it's a very big aeroplane, the flight deck is actually pretty small, because it's right up above the main part of the fuselage. 'You can see that they're flying with a paper map there rather than an iPad, which is how we tend to display our charts these days. 'It's also quite noisy, because the airflow comes up over the front of the 74, then comes up over the hump. You tend to have to shout at each other a little bit. 'It doesn't have a lot of the modern fly-by-wire systems, so it's actually quite a handful. Some people refer to it as "a real man's aeroplane", in the sense that you're very much in a physical piloting task. 'The other interesting thing about the 74, is that because of the extra elevation and the same with the A380 it's a little bit like landing a block of flats. 'He's going to be two storeys up as the aircraft touches down, which makes it more challenging but also as an aircraft to fly accurately and well, it's very satisfying.' Britons don't hold back on the alcohol when it's time for their holiday - with nearly two thirds admitting they head straight to the bar as soon as they reach the airport departure lounge. Research found 8am is the earliest they deem it acceptable to have their first glass of beer or wine when holiday mode kicks in. A further 28 per cent of Brits admitted they have had 'one too many' before getting on the plane, with the average holidaymaker drinking three drinks at the airport bar - and a further two alcoholic drinks on the plane. Nearly two thirds of British holidaymakers admit they head straight to the bar as soon as they reach the airport departure lounge (file image) But 76 per cent of those studied claimed they would never usually drink in the morning - but it was perfectly fine to have a drink to mark the start of their holiday, regardless of the time. Nine in ten said that they found the whole pre-holiday experience incredibly stressful - with packing (65 per cent), making sure the suitcase is the correct weight to avoid excess baggage charges (56 per cent) and long queues (46 per cent) emerging as the main bug-bears. And 69 per cent of Britons feel having a drink at the airport 'takes you away from the stresses and strains of everyday life' - with 34 per cent saying beer is their preferred airport tipple, with 25 per cent saying wine, 19 per cent preferred spirits, eight per cent drank Prosecco and a further seven per cent drank champagne. More worryingly, 12 per cent of Britons say they or someone they know has been told that they can't get on a flight because they've had too much alcohol to drink and 17 per cent of those asked confessed they had overspent in the departure lounge shops after having one too many - with the average spend being a whopping 1,239. Research found 8am is the earliest Brits deem it acceptable to have our first glass of beer or wine when holiday mode kicks in (file image) THREE-QUARTERS OF BRITONS BACK NEW BOOZE RESTRICTIONS A majority of British holidaymakers would welcome restrictions on in-flight boozing after a spate of diversions or delays caused by unruly passengers, research suggests. Seventy-nine per cent of those polled in a recent survey said they would back new measures to curb drinking on planes, although they had varying opinions on how far any ban or limit on alcohol should go. One in ten respondents called for a total ban on booze in the air to prevent further holiday disruption for travellers and costly diversions for airlines. London-based online travel agent Opodo surveyed 1,375 Britons for its study, which found almost four in ten (37 per cent) would welcome a two-drink limit on planes. Twenty-six per cent of men who were surveyed said they are against a total ban, compared with 16 per cent of women. Advertisement When asked if they realised that high altitude made the effects on alcohol in your system greater - 42 per cent said they had no idea while 58 per cent said they did but they drank at the airport anyway. Commenting on the research, psychologist Donna Dawson said: 'An airport is a place where the normal rules of life are suspended - this is because it is not a 'real' place at all, but a transit point between our home and our destination. 'Similarly, there is no real time here as we are often moving between time zones. 'The stress of packing, getting to the airport and queuing, any anxiety about travelling, and the celebratory mood of going on holiday will all add further emotional impetus to reach for a drink. 'We need to be aware that our need to 'break loose' on holiday can undermine our self-control when mixing alcohol with airplane travel.' A spokesman for Cheapflights.co.uk, who commissioned the study, said: 'As we head in to half term and excitement builds for many ahead of a few days overseas, it's alarming to see the number of people who let it all go as soon as they're through security at the airport. 'At any other time, downing three drinks at 8am would be a cause of concern. 'Gatwick recently announced it would be policing alcohol consumption in its terminals, and judging by the results of this survey, it's a good thing too. 'Holidays should be a time to de-stress - but not to the extent that it's likely to spoil the fun for others, or even risk your own chances of getting away and relaxing.' More than half of people admit they drink more on holiday than they would normally if they were at home. And a staggering 82 per cent of Brits say that they as a nation have a less responsible relationship with alcohol than other countries. 28 per cent of Brits admitted they have had 'one too many' before getting on a plane, with the average holidaymaker drinking three alchoholic beverages at the airport bar - and a further two on the plane Earlier this week MailOnline Travel reported that easyJet flight from Glasgow to Majorca had to be diverted because of a 'disruptive' 24-strong group of passengers, with a source claiming they were 'very drunk.' The group, believed to be going on a stag party heading to Magaluf, were marched off the plane by police after the jet was diverted to Toulouse, France, on Saturday night, having taken off at 7.20pm. The plane then carried on to the island's capital, Palma, but the delay meant the return flight could not leave on time and passengers had to stay overnight. A passenger on the plane, who wishes to remain anonymous, has said that in his opinion the group should not have been allowed to board, and alleged that they were 'very drunk,' and arrived at the gate 'shouting and swearing profusely.' 'Unfortunately a second terrible decision was made by the Easyjet staff,' the passenger told MailOnline Travel, 'which only served to determine the terrible consequences for every other passenger on board that plane - the staff served these people alcohol. They did not refuse them. 'This fact can also be confirmed by the passengers sitting next to me. I would like to know why they were not refused alcohol? What steps are Easyjet making in order to curb this type of behaviour onboard their planes?' A spokesman for the airline refused to comment on the nationalities of the group. The spokesman said: 'EasyJet can confirm that flight EZY6895 from Glasgow to Palma on May 21 diverted to Toulouse due to the disruptive behaviour of a group of passengers on board. 'The safety and wellbeing of passengers and crew is always our priority and upon landing the passengers were escorted off the aircraft by police. 'The group comprised of 24 passengers. The matter is currently in the hands of the local police. 'The aircraft then continued to Palma. As a result of the diversion the crew were unable to operate the return flight to Glasgow as it would exceed their legal operating hours. 'The flight has been delayed overnight and passengers have been provided with accommodation and meals. 'We would like to apologise to passengers for any inconvenience caused by the diversion. Some of the terrain looked startlingly alien, which Clapp accentuated with special Advertisement These stunning shots may look like alien landscapes but they were actually taken in the deserts of south-western USA. Devon-based photographer David Clapp travelled to Arizona, Utah, Nevada and New Mexico to capture landscapes for a photographic series on 'otherworldly' locations across the world. And as these images reveal, it can be a remote and barren land. An infra-red image taken at dusk of strange clay formations in Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness in Farmington, New Mexico, is just one of the many bizarre landscapes photographed by David Clapp Devon-based photographer David Clapp travelled to Arizona, Utah, Nevada and New Mexico to collect materials for a photographic series on 'otherworldly' locations across the world. Above, a man stands on some rocks in White Pocket, Arizona The 45-year-old photographer hopes peoples looking at the pictures will feel transported to another planet. Above, a night-time shot of White Pocket The landscapes the photographer captured are varied, including a man with a head torch in White Pocket (left) and abstract image taken in Lower Antelope Canyon in Page, Arizona The 45-year-old photographer hopes peoples looking at the pictures will feel transported to another planet. Clapp said: 'They unveil the incredible alien landscape, a geographical odyssey with such unimaginable beauty and diversity. 'Many do not even know that such places exist on this planet.' He added: 'These places contain some of the most unusual rock formations, playas and clay formations, which form into an otherworldly landscape - especially at night time when stars and the Milky Way turn them into galactic, interplanetary images.' 'People looking at these pictures can feel as though they are explorers, scientists or astronauts on an exploratory space mission. 'Imagery can be so powerful when it excites our imaginations.' The scale of the deserts meant that the photographer had to endure long days trekking to and from different locations. A small gully resembling a slot canyon in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, where the pink stripes makes the view feel as though they're travelling through space The scale of the deserts meant that the photographer had to endure long days trekking to and from different locations. Above, moonlight photograph of White Pocket, Arizona Landscape picture taken at dawn of sandstone formations in South Coyote Buttes showing the varied scene that can be seen in Utah He recalled: 'Lots of locations took significant driving and then needed scouting out so I was walking many miles every day. 'Positions were GPS logged and a return was made with heavy camera gear. 'It was easy to become disorientated, so careful planning was essential. Then upon return a tent had to be put up, a meal cooked and finally some sleep.' And among all the challenges presented by the desert, sleeping in sub zero temperatures proved to be David's 'hardest problem'. He said: 'Daytime temperatures were around 20 celsius but at night usually between three and 5am they would plummet to minus three to five Celsius. 'I would begin sleeping in a warm sleeping bag and t-shirt and end up wearing a down jacket and most of my clothes.' Rather than shoot the deserts as they are, Clapp wanted to amplify their alien qualities. He explained: 'I used a specially modified infrared camera to capture a lot of the light images. 'It operates in a different light frequency, which brings out rather strange-looking pictures with red tinges and odd lighting. 'I nearly forgot the camera before I left England and in the end was so thankful I packed it.' Rather than shoot the deserts as they are, Clapp wanted to amplify their alien qualities. Above, a night-time shot in White Pocket, Arizona Among all the challenges presented by the desert, sleeping in sub zero temperatures proved to be David's 'hardest problem' and landscapes like the one above can be very unforgiving A panoramic image of otherworldly rock formations known as 'brain rock' in White Pocket, Arizona, pictured in March this year This sunrise image of sandstone formations in South Coyote Buttes, Kanab, appears as though it could be in a Star Wars film Remote locations, like this one in White Pocket, Arizona, means that the stars appear to shine brighter thanks to the lack of light pollution Two very dramatic landscapes are pictured here with the sandstones formations in Kanab, Utah, on the left and the Lower Antelope Canyon in Page, Arizona, on the right Dusk view of wind carved sandstone landscape in White Pocket, Arizona, where the red and white earth create strong contrasts in colours Sandstone formations with the Milky Way in the background, photographed during night hours in South Coyote Buttes, Kanab Otherworldly rock formations photographed at White Pocket, Arizona, in March this year, showing cracked earth in the foreground Wheelchair user Billy Howard, 73, was stranded in Spain for 24 hours after staff abandoned him at the gate. Mr Howard, from Leigh, Greater Manchester, was taken to the gate, ready for transfer to the Ryanair flight home from Alicante-Elche that the rest of the passengers had already boarded. But nobody took him to the aircraft and he was left sitting helpless as he watched the plane taxi towards the runway. A relative who spoke to him on the phone said he was 'in floods of tears'. Pensioner Billy Howard, 73, was wheeled to the departure gate - but staff then failed to take him to the Ryanair plane home Despite a wheelchair service being provided for Mr Howard, he never made it into the aircraft The grandfather is in constant pain due to his arthritis and struggles to walk unaided. 'I was left stranded,' he said. 'I heard my name called on the airport Tannoy and I twice told Ryanair and airport staff I had booked the wheelchair assistance service and needed them to board me on my plane, but they ignored me and then the plane went without me. 'They didn't apologise at all. They just offered me a flight to Bradford.' The assistance service was supposed to put Mr Howard into a vehicle that hoists the wheelchair to the level of the plane's doors, for him to be wheeled on board. The system had worked perfectly on the outward journey, but not on the way back. To make matters worse, Mr Howard had given his cabin bag and his phone to his travelling companion. The former builder had to wait for his friend to raise the alarm when he landed at Manchester Airport before his belated return home was arranged. Grandfather Billy Howard, from Leigh, Greater Manchester, was left watching as his plane taxied to the runway (file photo) Mr Howard, a grandfather-of-nine, said: 'When I asked how I would get home to Leigh from there all they said was it 'was my issue to sort out'. 'Well, I wasn't doing that. They wouldn't put me on another airline either so I sat in the airport for more than five hours on my own with nothing. 'My bag with my mobile phone, money and painkillers, which I need for my arthritis, was on the plane. 'I had nothing, not even money to buy food, and I was in a lot of pain. My friend on the plane was worried sick when I didn't get on board and luckily he called my partner when he landed to tell her that something was wrong.' Mr Howard's partner of nine years, Gloria Edwards, 61, called the airport to find out what had happened. After she complained about Mr Howard being left stranded in Spain the airport arranged for him to spend the night in a nearby hotel before flying back to Manchester at 5.05pm the next day, which was last Wednesday (18 May). Ryanair has said the third party handling agent has accepted responsibility for the blunder at Alicante Ms Edwards said: 'I was beside myself with worry. 'I didn't know a thing about what had happened until his friend called me from Manchester Airport to tell me Billy didn't get on the plane. 'I called Ryanair and the airport and eventually I did get to speak to Billy, who was in floods of tears. 'I just felt so helpless because I wasn't there to help him. 'I told them they can't just leave Billy there and they booked him a hotel after he had been left in the airport for five hours. 'I was relieved when he finally got back the next day, but it ruined his holiday.' A spokesman for Ryanair told MailOnline Travel: 'Unfortunately no wheelchair assistance had been pre-booked by the customer in question. 'When the customer arrived at the check-in desk at Alicante, a request was made for wheelchair assistance. 'Lesma Handling, the third party handling provider at Alicante Airport, failed to notify the wheelchair service provider. 'Lesma Handling have accepted full responsibility for their failure and have taken the necessary steps to ensure this will not happen again. 'The customer was not 'stranded' but was transferred to the next available flight and provided with hotel accommodation, meals and airport transfers.' A four-year-old boy was rushed to hospital after an advertising hoarding fell on top of him at Manchester Airport. The boy was being treated for injuries to his head and ankle after the incident occurred inside Terminal 1, just before a security checkpoint, this morning. Witnesses reported hearing a loud bang and seeing the boy 'covered in blood' as paramedics treated him at the scene. A Manchester Airport spokesman said an investigation into the incident will now take place (file photo) A holidaymaker at the airport said: 'We saw a kid on a stretcher. He was conscious and his mum was with him. 'I think he was all right. I hope so, anyway.' A passenger told the Manchester Evening News that a big hoarding and a couple of signs fell from a wall. The passenger said the child was 'covered in blood'. Another witness told the newspaper they heard a 'loud bang' and saw the hoarding collapse on top of the boy. North West Ambulance Service confirmed it was called to the airport shortly before 7:50am (file photo) A Manchester Airport spokesman said: 'We can confirm that a passenger suffered an injury in Terminal 1 this morning. 'The passenger was tended to by our staff and paramedics, and has been taken to hospital. 'A full investigation into the incident will now take place.' North West Ambulance Service confirmed it was called to the airport shortly before 7:50am. Ryanairs passenger cabins have a famous reputation for being cramped, but it turns out theyre actually large enough to hold a dance party. A swing dance troupe proved this when they surprised passengers with a toe-tapping routine at 35,000ft. Some passengers were brave enough to jump out of their seats and join the group and flight attendants for an improvised shim sham as the plane flew from Vilnius, Lithuania, to Milan, Italy. An Italian dance troupe surprised passengers with an improvised routine on board a recent Ryanair flight The Boeing 737-800 was flying from Vilnius, Lithuania, to Milan, Italy, when the group danced in the aisle Some of the passengers and crew were brave enough to join in as the troupe danced at 35,000ft The three-minute routine was captured on camera and posted on YouTube by the Milan-based dance group, called Golden Swing Society. One of the members made an announcement over the Tannoy before the music kicked in and the group began dancing in the aisle of the Boeing 737-800. Most passengers laughed and enjoyed the moment, although some didnt appear to be impressed with the disruption. The three-minute routine and passengers' reactions were captured on camera and posted on YouTube The dance group and the passengers and crew who joined them were given a round of applause Golden Swing Society is made up of enthusiasts of the American swing era from the 1920s to the 1940s Passengers and crew snapped photos with their mobile phones before a few of them decided to join in and copy the groups moves as they performed an improvised shim sham, which is a tap dance routine. The dancers received a round of applause after they brought some energy to the two-hour flight. Charlie Sheen has released his own range of emojis, following in the footsteps of celebs such as Kim Kardashian, Ariana Grande and Amber Rose. The 50-year-old actor introduces his new Sheenoji app in a video clip featuring some of the almost 100 texting icons. Fans can now express themselves using a variety of the former Anger Management star's catchphrases in emojis, stickers and other Charlie'isms. Scroll down for video Well, duh! Charlie Sheen has revealed a collection of nearly 100 'Sheenojis' in a new app consisting of icons, stickers and Charlie'isms In the two-minute clip the actor lets his Sheenojis say it all as the colourful icons shoot up on screen interrupting his speech. 'Hello, I'm Charlie Sheen and what I'm presenting today is absolutely fabulous,' he begins. 'And i'm urging you to surrender to the reality that everything you think you know about interpersonal communication is about to change, 'Alright, you've heard of emojis and bitmojis. These are called Sheenojis. 'Everything you think you know about interpersonal communication is about to change,' The actor lets his Sheenojis do the talking during a video clip in which he promotes the app Throwback: In one of the stickers Charlie is seen as his Hot Shots character Topper Harley 'Here's what sets them apart-' he starts to explain before getting cut-off by more emojis that flash up on screen. 'The thing you're gonna be really excited about-' he starts to say before adding 'It's Sheenoji, you get the picture, figure it out.' Available on iTunes, the app costs just 99c, and includes emojis such as a 'DUH!!!' one with Charlie peering over his sunglasses. On another sticker, Charlie is seen with devil horns and in another he holds up two foam hands - one bearing the letter 'F' and one bearing the letter 'U'. Ladies' man: This sticker is pretty self-explanatory Straight to the point: The bad boy actor is devilish in another emoji and also reveals the message 'f*ck you' with foam hands Another Sheenoji shows the star in character as his Hot Shots character Topper Harley. And of course there is one for his now infamous catchphrase 'winning'. Meanwhile, putting their legal issues aside, Charlie and ex-wife Denise Richards, 45, were spotted enjoying some family time together on Tuesday. The actor snapped photos as his daughter Sam rode a horse during a class in Malibu. It's a classic: Of course they wouldn't be Sheenojis if there wasn't a 'Winning' one So zen: In another Sheenoji Charlie 'inhales the awesome' Charlie filed legal documents this year asking to have his $55,000-a-month child support payments to both of his ex-wives drastically reduced as his wealth isn't what it once was. Meanwhile, the star is planning on leaving America to go and live in a quiet retirement community in Mexico. He has reportedly bought three homes next to each other in the sleepy town of Rosarito in Baja California, Mexico. Out and about: The actor was spotted out in Malibu grabbing a coffee on Wednesday His real estate agent Scott Weier told Dailymail.com: 'It's just a humble little three-bedroom house, around 2,700 square feet. It wasn't too expensive. 'He told me he's planning on living here full time, he's tired of the rat race of the United States and his life the way it is. He wants to do something a bit different. He's looking for a change. Compared to what he has in Los Angeles it's very humble and simple. 'He's certainly not coming here to impress anyone with a huge mansion on the ocean.' Charlie revealed in November that he was diagnosed with HIV in 2011. Quiet life: Sheen was pictured enjoying some family time with ex-wife Denise Richards on Tuesday and snapped pictures of his daughter Sam, 12, during a horse riding lesson Her latest single has inspired fans across the world after it was released five weeks ago. And Delta Goodrem announced on Wednesday that her ARIA chart-topping song Dear Life has achieved Gold status. 'Just found out that #DearLife has gone #GOLD!?! You are all incredible xx,' the 31-year-old wrote excitedly via Instagram. Scroll down for video It's a hit! Delta Goodrem announced on Wednesday that her new single Dear Life is certified Gold In accordance with the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA), a single is awarded Gold certification once it reaches 35,000 copies shipped out to retailers. The uplifting ballad has been touted as somewhat of an empowerment anthem that champions 'survivors' since its May 6 release. Fans were first introduced to the song via Facebook in April although its official release occurred the following month. Success: The pop star has had several number one hits and multiple platinum albums since launching her career at age 15 Deep: Fans have hailed Dear Life for its pensive lyrics and powerful vocals The Voice judge previously explained the concept behind her latest single, which was co-written by renowned songwriting company DNA Songs. Despite bringing the song to life with her impassioned vocals, Delta, who is a cancer survivor, shared that the song is not about her. 'Theres always going to be that beautiful connection Ive had growing up in front of people but its not about me. It has never been,' she told News Corp recently. Sharing her expertise: Delta is a judge and mentor on The Voice Australia 'The song has lyrics that are strong and straightforward and powerful and I know through my different moments Ive gravitated to music for those kind of songs for myself.' 'Dear Life is meant to be a conversation. Its a positive song. Its a song with clarity. Its not remotely "woe is me", its more about strength,' she added. Delta's debut album Innocent Eyes from 2003 went fifteen platinum in Australia, and continues to hold the record for best-selling album by a female solo artist, sharing the accolade with Shania Twain. Delta currently working on her fifth studio album although no official release date has been set. Her career in Hollywood is going from strength to strength. And it seems actress and comedienne Rebel Wilson has no plans to bid farewell to the US, as she was spotted house hunting in West Hollywood on Tuesday. The 36-year-old was seen checking out a luxurious property, supposedly worth $3 million, with a realtor in the sought-after area. Scroll down for video Splashing out: Rebel Wilson, 36, was spotted house hunting in West Hollywood on Tuesday, showing she has no signs of slowing down in the US Rebel cut a casual figure for the outing sporting a pair of charcoal jeans and a white T-shirt with a black koala print which appeared to be a nod to her native Australia. She covered up in a black leather jacket and dark cat eye shades with gold detail. The Pitch Perfect actress completed her look with a pair of sparkly pink loafers and she kept her hairstyle simple, pulling her blonde locks up into a messy bun, while allowing her fringe to fall loosely around her face. Working woman: Since finding her big break in Bridesmaids in 2011, the actress and comedienne has starred in a string of hit comedies including Pitch Perfect White picket fence: The property the actress was looking over with the realtor is believed to be listed for $3m Rebel, who hails from Sydney, first came to the public's attention in 2002 with her stage musical The Westie Monologues, which she wrote, starred in and produced in Sydney. She landed her big break in the 2011 film Bridesmaids, which she starred in alongside Kristen Wiig and Rose Byrne. She has since found great success in Hollywood, garnering attention for her unique sense of humour and comedic ability. Laid-back: Rebel cut a casual figure for the outing, donning a pair of charcoal jeans and a black leather jacket She has had a busy year following the release of How To Be Single and Grimsby as well as the forthcoming British comedy Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie. And, she took to social media on Wednesday to announce that she would be joining London's West End production of Guy And Dolls for a limited eight-week stint. 'Proud to announce that I will be joining the West End cast of GUYS & DOLLS for 8 weeks only at the Phoenix Theatre, playing Miss Adelaide!' she tweeted. Fancy footwear: The Sydney-born star added a pop of colour to her outfit with a pair of trendy pink sparkly loafers Upcoming: The star shared this snap to her Instagram on Wednesday, announcing that she would be joining the cast of the West End's Guys And Dolls for a limited eight-week stint She later shared a snap to Instagram of the script as she began her first day of rehearsals, showing sheet music and a pair of nude flapper heels. 'First day of rehearsals for my West End debut playing Miss Adelaide in GUYS & DOLLS! So excited! (Never danced in heels though),' she wrote in the caption. However, she is no stranger to live performances, having graduated from the Australian Theatre for Young People in 2003. Karlie Kloss is seen in a series of sultry new images that have been released as part of the Swarovski #BeBrilliant campaign. The 23-year-old model, who has just been named as the new face of the crystal jewelry brand, looks gorgeous as she models the trinkets. The Vogue cover model shows off a variety of watches, bracelets, necklaces and earrings with stylish outfits for the fall/winter 2016 campaign. Scroll down for video All that glitters: Karlie Kloss is seen in some stunning images for Swarovski after revealing this week that she is their new brand ambassador Shine bright like a diamond! The 23-year-old beauty models a range of the crystal jewelry in photos for the fall/winter 2016 campaign In some images the Victoria's Secret beauty looks ready for a festive party in shimmering ensembles and metallic hues. In others she rocks urban chic with fashionable leather jacket and leggings while displaying stunning statement pieces. Karlie is following in the footsteps of fellow VS Angel Miranda Kerr who has acted as brand ambassador since 2013. Hot stuff: The model stuns in a plunging metallic top and leather leggings Party time! Karlie revealed in a statement that she has worn the brand for years, even before becoming a model Natural beauty: The Victoria's Secret stunner smolders in this snap of her wearing a silver dress Evening chic: Karlie shimmers in a sequin tank in this shot as she models a variety of watches and bracelets The addition of Karlie is reportedly part of the brand's plan to up their presence in North America. Karlie will appear in Swarovski's outdoor, television, TV and digital campaigns and will start appearing in print ads in the fall. The leggy beauty said in a statement: 'It's an honor to join the Swarovski family and to be part of the brand's long history of bringing elegance to women through brilliant, unique designs,' In an interview with New York magazine she revealed: 'It's a brand that I've worn on the runway or on red carpets for years and also before I was a model, Effortless: Taylor Swift's BFF wears a cosy turtleneck sweater as she models some chic cat-eye sunglasses Smoldering: Karlie replaces Aussie beauty and fellow Victoria's Secret Angel Miranda Kerr as the face of the brand. Kerr has held the role since 2013 All American beauty: The addition of Karlie is reportedly part of the brand's plan to up their presence in North America Party time: Karlie and BFF Hailee Steinfeld posed together as they celebrated the model's new role at Top of the Rock in New York on Tuesday Red hot! The 23-year-old model looked picture perfect as she smiled for snaps wearing a slick of striking scarlet lipstick 'Some of my first early pieces, from my mother or my grandparents, really special kind of milestone pieces for birthdays or holidays, were Swarovski.' Meanwhile, Karlie celebrated her new role with pal Hailee Steinfeld on Tuesday as the duo put on a glamorous display at a party in New York. The 6ft 2in model stunned in a black halterneck dress with large cut out at the waist. Hailee, 19, chose a grey striped dress with tie details on her skirt. Classic beauty: Karlie looked gorgeous in a black dress cut-out at the back Red carpet looks: Hailee opted for a striped dress with tie detail on the skirt hem Perfect pouts: The model posed on the red carpet with the 19-year-old actress So chic: The 6ft 2in beauty smiled for a selfie with fashion blogger Bryanboy Best foot forward: Karlie elevated her 6ft 2in frame with black strappy high heels Beaming: The Victoria's Secret beauty was in typically sprightly spirits as she dazzled on the black carpet Karlie revealed the exciting news to her social media followers on Tuesday via a couple of Instagram posts. The first selfie showed her writing 'Be Brilliant' in red lipstick on her bathroom mirror as she got ready for her day. She captioned it: 'Got some news today... #bebrilliant.' Karlie then revealed the big news in a hilarious 10-second Instagram clip in which she tried to say the word Swarovski several times before finally getting it right. Captivated: Karlie looked in awe of the city skyline as she gazed through a telescope inside the soiree Shine bright like a diamond: Karlie recently told New York magazine 'It's a brand that I've worn on the runway or on red carpets for years and also before I was a model,' No holding back: The gorgeous twosome both worked their angles as they posed for the cameras (From left) Gogoboi, Alessandro Vergano, Vashtie Kola, Yelena Aschberger, Hailee, Robert Buchbauer, Margaret Zhang, Nathalie Colin, Karlie, Vanessa Hong, Zanita, Whitney Port, Giovanna Ewbank,and Bryanboy Stunning: Hailee sported a dramatic make-up look comprised of a shimmering silver and ice blue eyeshadow and dewy pink lipstick She captioned that one, of course: 'Excited to be the face of @swarovski #bebrilliant.' The beauty has been dating financier Joshua Kushner, the son of wealthy real estate mogul Charles Kushner, since 2012. The 30-year-old is the managing partner of Thrive Capital, a media investment firm which he founded in 2009. What a beauty! Karlie showed off her modelling prowess as she posed up a storm while sharing a snap with Swarovski CEO Robert Buchbauer Vision in white: Chanel Iman looked bridal in a white floor-length gown that boasted a billowing hem that was made up of a flowing fabric Barely-there: Winniwe Harlow dared to bare in a velvet bardot gown which boasted a daringly high thigh split All in the details: She upped the glamour of the look with corkscrew curls and gold hooped earrings Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's shock split after just 15 months of marriage followed a year of hell in Australia. From Depp's broken wrist while filming the fifth Pirates Of the Caribbean movie in Queensland, to the couple bringing their pet pooches into the country leading to a major legal case - the pair attracted plenty of controversy. And it may well be that the tough 12 months caused significant pressure on their relationship. Scroll down for video Tougher times: Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's shock split after just 15 months of marriage followed a year of hell in Australia - the pair pictured leaving a Gold Coast court last month after Heard pleaded guilty to falsifying a quarantine document The couple's romance was overshadowed by the run-in with Australian authorities after the incident with their dogs, and it seems the pet pooches will most likely stay with Amber following the couple's split, as they were originally hers. Their sticky year Down Under all started when filming of the 'Pirates' flick was suspended in March last year for a number of weeks. Depp reportedly snapped his wrist while go-karting on a private track at five-time MotoGP world champion Mick Doohans luxurious Coomera property. The actor was said to have required to undergo surgery after the injury. Depp, who was not on the set of the fifth Pirates movie when the ailment occurred, later appeared with his hand taped up while boarding a private jet. See Johnny Depp updates as his and Amber Heard's divorce ends 'year of hell' The start: Their sticky year in Australia started when filming of the 'Pirates' flick was suspended in March last year for a number of weeks, Depp having reportedly snapped his wrist while go-karting In character: The actor had been in Australia to film The Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales He later voluntarily chose to return to the United States for surgery, further causing the production to be halted. But that was just the beginning of Depp's woes in Australia. In May last year it was discovered that his wife's pet Terrier dogs, Pistol and Boo, were staying at the couple's rented home on the Gold Coast, despite the animals not being declared disease-free. Deputy Prime Minister of Australia Barnaby Joyce, who also serves as the Minister For Agriculture, led the fight to have Amber prosecuted over the incident, as well as threatening to have their beloved pooches euthanised if they failed to take them out of the country. The drama began when Mr Joyce accused Depp of smuggling the tiny terriers aboard his private jet when he returned to Australia to resume filming the 'Pirates' movie. Australia has strict quarantine regulations to prevent diseases such as rabies from spreading to its shores. Who let the dogs out? In May last year it was discovered that the couple's pet dogs Pistol and Boo were staying at the pair's rented home in the Gold Coast, despite the pooches not being declared disease-free Pet pooch: It seems Amber, pictured with one of her beloved dogs, will most likely keep the pets following the split, as she is believed to have owned them before the couple's relationship Taking action: Deputy Prime Minister of Australia Barnaby Joyce, who also serves as the Minister For Agriculture, led the fight to have Amber prosecuted over the incident Bringing pets into the country involves applying for a permit and quarantine on arrival of at least 10 days. 'If we start letting movie stars even though they've been the sexiest man alive twice to come into our nation (with pets), then why don't we just break the laws for everybody?' Joyce said at the time. 'It's time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States.' The pair's dogs were transported back to Los Angeles via a private jet later that month, accompanied by Amber's father David, after the couple were given 50 hours notice to take their pets back to the US. In September last year, Depp laughed off the smuggling accusations and spoke about the saga on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Spotted: In May last year it was discovered that their pet dogs Pistol and Boo were staying at the couple's rented home in the Gold Coast Next move: The pair's dogs were transported back to Los Angeles via a private jet later that month, accompanied by Heard's father David after being given 50 hours notice to take their pets back to the US He joked authorities missed the illegal items he had really smuggled into Australia and called Barnaby a 'weird, sweaty-pated gut man'. Depp spoke about the threats made of Amber possibly going to jail because of the incident. 'If they did that I'd just fly to Australia and assault that man,' Depp said. 'So that I could go to jail. 'We were under the impression that we had all the paperwork done for the dogs. We were there with the dogs in front of everybody,' he insisted. He joked: 'There might have been other things smuggled. But they seemed to miss that bit. 'Might have been. Could have been,' he added. Down Under: Depp and Heard pictured touching down at Australia's Brisbane airport in April last year, after their dogs had been transported back to the US via private jet Business as usual: Depp pictured on set of the 'Pirates' flick in Brisbane in June last year In December, Amber said she would never return to Australia but was committed to attending the hearing in the country. 'My decision to defend [these] charges, as will become apparent in the appropriate forum of the Court, is not intended to in any way diminish the importance of Australia's laws,' she said at the time. The couple returned to Australia to appear in a Gold Coast court this month. It was the last time they were publicly pictured together before announcing their shock split this week. Meanwhile, a video of the pair saying they were 'truly sorry' for sneaking their Yorkshire terriers into Australia was presented before a magistrate, who hit Amber with a one-month good behaviour bond and a $1,000 fine over the debacle. Amber, who had reached a deal with prosecutors, pleaded guilty to one count of falsifying border protection documents after they dropped two charges of illegal importation. In the clip, the Hollywood pair pleaded for leniency in the so-called 'war on terriers' case. Laughing it off: In September last year Depp joked authorities missed the illegal items he had really smuggled in and called Barnaby a 'weird, sweaty-pated gut man' - pictured in May this year Not a fan of Australia: In December last year Amber said she would never return to Australia after the incident but said she would be attending the hearing - the couple pictured in January this year Amber gushed that 'Australia is a wonderful island with a treasure trove of unique plants, animals and people' while a grim Depp urged tourists to 'declare everything when you enter' the country. The acting duo's 20-second video was shared online by Mr Joyce. Amber's lawyers told the court the pair agreed to produce the video in order to 'achieve some public good', according to reports. Reaction was varied on social media, with many Australians furiously agreeing that Australia is, in fact, a wonderful island. Others compared the clip to a 'hostage thriller' and cracked jokes about Depp's acting skills. Court appearance: Last month the couple returned to Australia to appear in a Gold Coast court Serious: Amber, who reached a deal with prosecutors, pleaded guilty to one count of falsifying border protection documents after they dropped two charges of illegal importation Joyce also said at the time: 'I don't think he'll get an Academy Award for his performance'. Earlier this week, just days before the couple's split, Depp was seen discussing the incident once more while appearing on US talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live!. He took another swipe at Australian politician Barnaby Joyce, claiming he looked 'inbred with a tomato'. 'Barnaby Joyce is the guy's name,' Kimmel said, before Depp replied dryly: 'Barnaby Jones', a reference to the 1970s TV detective series. The Pirates of the Caribbean star also said: 'He looks somehow inbred with a tomato,' as the audience laughed. He continued: 'Its not a criticism... I was a little worried. He just might explode.' Online clip: A video of the couple saying they are 'truly sorry' for sneaking their Yorkshire terriers into Australia was then presented Poking fun? Joyce, who shared the clip online, also said at the time: 'I don't think he'll get an Academy Award for his performance' Politician Joyce retorted during a press conference on Wednesday, claiming he appeared to be Depp's Hannibal Lecter. 'I think I'm turning into Johnny Depp's Hannibal Lecter, aren't I?' he said, according to the ABC. 'I'm inside his head, I'm pulling little strings and pulling little levers. Long after I've forgotten about Mr Depp, he's remembering me. 'Keep on advertising me Johnny. The Australian people know we did the right thing,' he added. This came just a day before it was revealed that Depp and Amber had called time on their relationship after 15 months of marriage. Making his point: Earlier this month, Depp lashed out at the Australian politician who threatened to have his dogs killed on Jimmy Kimmel Live 'I didn't want to kill myself': Johnny said he could not bear to watch the film of him and Heard before releasing it According to TMZ, Amber filed divorce papers on Monday, citing irreconcilable differences and a source says the couple do not have a pre-nup. The site also revealed that Depp's beloved mother Betty Sue Palmer passed away on May 20. Amber lodged her divorce petition two days later. He is currently in the throes of promoting his latest film Alice Through the Looking Glass, which is released in the US later this week. DailyMail.com sought confirmation from the couple's spokesperson but did not receive an immediate response. Hitting back: Politican Joyce retorted earlier this week that he appeared to be Depp's Hannibal Lecter 'I'm inside his head, I'm pulling little strings and pulling little levers' Mr Joyce said - referencing the famous character. Pictured here is Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs The couple exchanged vows under a flower-adorned marquee on the beach of the Mortdecai stars private island Little Halls Pond Cay in the Bahamas in February last year. Just 24 guests were in attendance. However, it is understood they got married legally in Los Angeles first so his ailing mother was attend. Calling it quits: On Thursday, it was revealed that Depp and Amber have called time on their relationship after 15-months of marriage She gave birth to her first child with Eddie Murphy, 55, on May 3. But 36-year-old Paige Butler looked phenomenal just three weeks later as she showed off her post-baby figure in a boho red maxi dress and cropped light blue denim jacket in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The Australian actress tied her blonde tresses back into a tight bun to show off her glowing complexion. Post-baby figure: Paige Butler looked phenomenal just three weeks after giving birth She carried a light beige tote bag around with her as she stopped by Bed, Bath and Beyond. Eddie and Paige named their baby daughter Izzy Oona Murphy and although this will be Paige's first child, this will actually be Eddie's ninth child. Eddie and his ex-wife, Nicole Mitchell, 47, have five children together. Bria, 25, Myles, 22, Shayne, 21, Zola, 15, and Bella, 13. Still got style: The actress wore a boho red maxi dress and cropped light blue denim jacket Natural beauty: The Australian actress tied her blonde tresses back into a tight bun to show off her glowing complexion The Shrek actor also has a 26-year-old son, Eric, with his ex-girlfriend Paulette McNeely and a 25-year-old son Christian, with his ex-girlfriend Tamara Hood. The comedian also has an eight-year-old daughter, Angel, with The X Factor judge Mel B. They've done a good job of keeping under the radar but the couple have actually been dating for over four years. Her first one! This will be Eddie and Paige's first child together and they named her Izzy Oona Murphy Not Eddie's though! Izzy will be Eddie's ninth child They first met on the set of Big Momma's House 2 back in 2006. In addition to growing his family, the SNL vet has a lot of upcoming projects. It has been announced that Eddie, alongside Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger, will star in the comedy Triplets, which will be written by Ryan Dixon and Josh Gad. Not in the public eye: They've done a good job of keeping under the radar but the couple have actually been dating for over four years He is also set to star in the biography drama Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said? His co-stars include Kate Hudson, Oprah Winfrey and Tracy Morgan. Lastly, fans will get to see Beverly Hills Cop 4 directed by Brett Ratner. The release date for all three projects is currently unknown. She is famous for playing bloodsucker Elena Gilbert in the Vampire Diaries. And Nina Dobrev proved she has superhuman strength in real life after she helped a friend do some heavy lifting in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The 27-year-old made it look easy as she held her end of the bulky box as they shuffled out of the frame store together. Superhuman strength: Vampire Diaries star Nina Dobrev showed her power as she helped a friend lug a heavy package out of a shop in Los Angeles on Wednesday Nina even managed to look elegant while doing so thanks to her blue blouse, black skinny jeans and suede pixie boots. And it seems the Bulgarian-born beauty had a great time getting an impromptu workout, as she wore a wide grin after she completed her labours. Going out for a stroll with a friend will certainly have been a welcome respite for Nina. For she has recently been the ongoing target of practical jokes by her xXx: The Return of Xander Cage co-star Ruby Rose. Even sunlight cannot diminish her power: She made it look easy as she shuffled out of the shop What a vamp: The busty star was looking full of beans after she completed her task The Orange Is The New Black star has hired a gorilla impersonator to give her a scare and even planted fart bombs in her friend's trailer as part of her ongoing reign of comical terror. Meanwhile fans of Nina's most famous turn as Elena Gilbert have plenty too look forward to. She is believed to be getting ready to reprise her popular role in the forthcoming eighth, and probably final season amid falling ratings, of the hit CW show. Elena had been sealed in a tomb at the end of the sixth series, coinciding with her departure from the cast, however she recorded a special voiceover for when she was heard calling out to Ian Somerhalder's character Damon Salvatore in the finale of season seven. She is is expected to be back in person when the truncated eight series is filmed. She's a mother, an entrepreneur, and a globe trotting reality star. And Kourtney Kardashian looked to be busy at work on Wednesday in the trademark fashion of her family, nearly nude and meticulously documented on social media. The 37-year-old wore nothing but lingerie and a bathrobe as she worked on her laptop in front of a large mirror, which provided the perfect reflection for a Snapchat selfie. Scroll down for video Hard at work: Kourtney Kardashian looked to be busy at work on Wednesday in the trademark fashion of her family, nearly nude and meticulously documented on social media Kourtney's open document was visible in the snap, but only the headline could be made out featuring her full name. In another snap from the same day, the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star sported skinny jeans and tight top, which she captioned: 'Everyday I'm hustlin' (sic). Meanwhile, the night before Kourt looked to be having a serious talk with ex Scott Disick as they headed to dinner in Calabasas, California. What's that you're working on? Kourtney's open document was visible in the snap, but only the headline could be made out featuring her full name In another snap from the same day, the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star sported skinny jeans and tight top, which she captioned: 'Everyday I'm hustlin' Working things out? Kourtney and Scott Disick looked to be having a serious talk as they headed to dinner in Calabasas, California, the night before The exes, who have worked hard to remain amicable, appeared to be in heavy conversation during the outing. Scott, 32, gesticulated while chatting with his ex during the late evening stroll. Wearing his trademark ripped denim, boots, and a hoodie, he appeared to be making a point as he waved his arm while talking. Kourtney, however, looked to be a bit somber as she bowed her head listening to her former partner talk. Active listening: Kourtney looked to be a bit somber as she bowed her head listening to her former partner talk Earlier that day Kourtney was seen dropping their son Mason off at an art class The lithe 37-year-old showcased her toned upper legs and tastefully proportioned posterior in a pair of skintight leggings and thigh-high suede boots, and completed her look with a trendy tartan shirt. Klever Kourtney, who is the only Kardashian sister with a university degree, has certainly been showing her ex-lover Scott what he is missing since she split from the self-proclaimed Lord last summer after photos emerged of him canoodling with stylist Chloe Bartoli in Monaco. More recently, Scott was seen partying with a bevy of women in Cannes last week. Meanwhile she hit the headlines yet again earlier this week after she revealed her three-year-old daughter Penelope thinks of Caitlyn Jenner as her grandmother. Free Mason: The youngster looked excited to be out of the car and stretching his legs In a preview of Sunday's episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, the three-year-old's mother Kourtney reveals her daughter refers to Caitlyn as 'Grandma'. During a typiucally thought-provoking debate with sister Khloe, she said: 'We were reading a bible book, and the angel in the book was this person with long hair and a white long dress. Penelope was like, "That looks like my grandma." 'I was like, "Which Grandma? Bonnie?" She was like, "No." I was like, "Lovie? GG?" And she was like, "No." She has conquered the runway, reality TV, radio and TV reporting. Now Jesinta Campbell hopes to crack into the lifestyle market with a heartfelt book which 'inspires you to be the best version of yourself'. Taking to Instagram on Monday evening, the 24-year-old beauty queen provided a glimpse of the pages to feature in her soon-to-be released edition. Scroll down for video Coming together: Jesinta Campbell provided a glimpse of her soon-to-be released lifestyle and beauty book to inspire people to be 'the best version of yourself' on Instagram on Monday evening 'It's all coming together! My book is available now on pre order (link is in bio) Thanks for the fun morning gorgeous @arrjaydub @hachetteaus,' Jesinta wrote alongside the picture of pages strategically laid across a wooden table along with a pen and a coffee mug. One of the pages included a picture of the model flaunting her enviable figure in a red one-piece, while sipping on a coconut in the balmy climes. Another page appears to reveal the name of the book - Live A Beautiful Life. Expanding her brand: The David Jones ambassador announced plans to write a book in December In December, the David Jones ambassador announced she had started writing her book alongside publisher Robert Watkins. 'I am so excited to announce that I have partnered up with the incredible team at Hachette Australia and I am writing a book for you guys,' the brunette wrote next to the picture of herself at Hachette Australia headquarters. She continued: 'I am passionate about living a healthy, active life and often get asked lots of questions about my workouts, the food I eat, my beauty routine, how I have dealt with challenges in my life and what motivates me. Working hard: 'This was taken on our recent Holiday. And people thought all I did was drink coconuts and cocktails the entire time,' wrote Jesinta as she worked on her literary debut 'All of this will be included in the book and my goal is that something in the pages inspires you to be the best version of yourself.' Meanwhile, Jesinta spent most of last week sitting front-and-centre at top catwalk shows during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia. All eyes were on the fiancee of AFL star Lance Buddy Franklin as she strutted into the fashionable Sydney event in a range of daring ensembles. Her most risque outfit included a black one-shoulder blouse teamed with a matching slashed satin skirt, drawing heaps of attention to her lithe limbs. Front and centre: At one show, the David Jones ambassador dressed her lean and slender frame in a black one-shoulder blouse and a matching slashed satin skirt, drawing heaps of attention to her lithe limbs The former Miss Universe Australia paraded her lengthy limbs in a sexy pair of suede thigh-high boots, while accessorising with a studded Valentino clutch and tortoiseshell sunglasses. More recently, the style star divided opinion wearing daring see-through netted dress at the 58th TV Week Logie Awards in Melbourne. Hitting back at her critics, the media commentator posted an empowering message to all women, saying 'fashion is freedom'. Her post came after she called TV and radio personality Kate Langbroek 'nasty' after the 50-year-old shared an image of Jesinta's dress, saying: 'This cannot be for real. #desperate (for pants).' Deputy Prime Minister of Australia Barnaby Joyce won't be contacting Johnny Depp and Amber Heard following news of their split. A spokesperson for the politician, who also serves as Minister For Agriculture, told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday: 'It's a private matter between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp'. Joyce later said during a press conference on the same day: 'One thing I will never revel in is any kind of relationship breakdown'. The Hollywood couple's shock news comes after a tough 12 months in Australia, during which Mr Joyce led the fight to have Depp and Heard prosecuted, after the couple brought their dogs Pistol and Boo into Australia, despite the pooches not having been declared disease-free. Scroll down for video Speaking out: Deputy Prime Minister of Australia Barnaby Joyce won't be contacting Johnny Depp and Amber Heard following news of their split Earlier this week Depp was seen discussing the incident while appearing on US talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Depp took a swipe at the Australian politician, by claiming he looked 'inbred with a tomato'. 'Barnaby Joyce is the guy's name,' Kimmel said, before Depp replied dryly: 'Barnaby Jones', a reference to the 1970s TV detective series. The Pirates of the Caribbean star also said: 'He looks somehow inbred with a tomato,' as the audience laughed. Court: The couple's shock news comes after a tough 12 months in Australia, during which Mr Joyce led the fight to have Depp and Heard prosecuted, after the couple brought their dogs Pistol and Boo into Australia, despite the pooches not having been declared disease-free - the pair pictured leaving a Gold Coast court last month after pleading guilty to falsifying a quarantine document He continued: 'Its not a criticism... I was a little worried. He just might explode.' Politican Joyce retorted during a press conference on Wednesday that he appeared to be Depp's Hannibal Lecter. 'I think I'm turning into Johnny Depp's Hannibal Lecter, aren't I?' he said, according to the ABC. 'I'm inside his head, I'm pulling little strings and pulling little levers. Long after I've forgotten about Mr Depp, he's remembering me. 'Keep on advertising me Johnny. The Australian people know we did the right thing,' he added. Spotted: In May last year it was discovered that their pet dogs Pistol and Boo were staying at the couple's rented home in the Gold Coast, despite the pooches not having been declared disease-free Strong stance: 'It's time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States' Mr Joyce said at the time In character: The actor had been in Australia to film The Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales In May last year, Mr Joyce accused Depp of smuggling the tiny terriers aboard his private jet when he returned to Australia to resume filming the 'Pirates' movie. He also threatened to have their beloved pooches euthanised if they failed to take them out of the country. Mr Joyce accused Depp of smuggling the tiny terriers aboard his private jet when he returned to Australia to resume filming the 'Pirates' movie. Australia has strict quarantine regulations to prevent diseases such as rabies from spreading to its shores. Bringing pets into the country involves applying for a permit and quarantine on arrival of at least 10 days. 'If we start letting movie stars even though they've been the sexiest man alive twice to come into our nation (with pets), then why don't we just break the laws for everybody?' Joyce said at the time. Making his point: Earlier this month Depp lashed out at the Australian politician who threatened to have his dogs killed on Jimmy Kimmel Live Embarrassed? 'I didn't want to kill myself': Johnny said he could not bear to watch the film of him and Heard before releasing it Hitting back: Politican Joyce retorted earlier this week that he appeared to be Depp's Hannibal Lecter 'I'm inside his head, I'm pulling little strings and pulling little levers' Mr Joyce said - referencing the famous character. Pictured here is Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs 'It's time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States.' The pair's dogs were transported back to Los Angeles via a private jet later that month, accompanied by Heard's father David after being given 50 hours notice to take their pets back to the US. The couple returned to Australia last month to appear in a Gold Coast court. A video of the couple saying they are 'truly sorry' for sneaking their Yorkshire terriers into Australia was then presented before a magistrate hit Heard with a one-month good behaviour bond and a $1,000 fine over the debacle. Pet love: Actor Depp pictured with one of the dogs before the ordeal Going back: The pair's dogs were transported back to Los Angeles via a private jet later that month, accompanied by Heard's father David after being given 50 hours notice to take their pets back to the US Heard, who reached a deal with prosecutors, pleaded guilty to one count of falsifying border protection documents after they dropped two charges of illegal importation. Joyce, who shared the clip online, also said at the time: 'I don't think he'll get an Academy Award for his performance'. On Thursday it was revealed that Depp and Heard have called time on their relationship after 15 months of marriage. Court appearance: Last month the couple returned to Australia to appear in a Gold Coast court Serious: Heard, who reached a deal with prosecutors, pleaded guilty to one count of falsifying border protection documents after they dropped two charges of illegal importation Heard filed divorce papers on Monday citing irreconcilable differences and a source says the couple do not have a pre-nup, according to TMZ. The site also revealed that Depp's beloved mother Betty Sue Palmer passed away on May 20. Amber lodged her divorce petition two days later. He is currently in the throes of promoting his latest film Alice Through the Looking Glass, which is released in the US later this week. DailyMail.com sought confirmation from the couple's spokesperson but did not receive an immediate response. Online clip: A video of the couple saying they are 'truly sorry' for sneaking their Yorkshire terriers into Australia was then presented Poking fun? Joyce, who shared the clip online, also said at the time: 'I don't think he'll get an Academy Award for his performance' The new all-female cast of the gender-bending Ghostbusters reboot are on the publicity trail. And while appearing on The Ellen Show on Wednesday, they couldn't help but gush over their missing co-star, Chris Hemsworth. As Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones chatted to Ellen DeGeneres, the host brought up the male secretary in the movie, calling him 'easy on the eyes', with the actresses cooing in unison at the mention of his name. Scroll down for video 'It's too much!' Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones (R-L) gushed over their Ghostbusters co-star Chris Hemsworth (centre) while on The Ellen Show on Wednesday 'It's too much!' Melissa said of her co-star. As they began speaking about the Australian-born hunk shirtless shots of him appeared on the big screen behind them, sending the audience into a frenzy. 'Is he here!' Kristen asked, bracing herself for the actor to appear out of nowhere. The 32-year-old was seen in two shots on-screen - one with his surfboard in hand and the other, where he appeared to be paddleboarding - both appearing in just his shorts. 'Never in my life will that be the response for [a picture of] me in my shorts, and it's like "woo!"' Melissa joked, with the 45-year-old adding: 'He's also smart and lovely, guys.' . 'It's not even because he looks like that': Former Saturday Night Live star, Kristen, told the audience the Australian actor's appeal goes beyond his looks, calling him 'the nicest' person 'He's also smart and lovely': The all-female cast of the gender-bender reboot were full of praise for their 'funny' co-star, who plays receptionist, Kevin While Kristen, 42, also told the audience: 'It's not even because he looks like that - he's just the nicest, so funny... he's a good improviser'. Kate McKinnon, 32, and Leslie Jones, 48, were seen turning around in their spots on the sofa, ogling the shirtless shots behind them. Last month, as Chris spoke about his role as the receptionist in the re-make of the 1980s film, he revealed his character is slightly more left-of-centre. 'He's a big dumb puppy dog': Chris has opened up about his character in a new trailer for the upcoming remake 'Kevin, he's a big dumb puppy dog,' the 32-year-old actor told the camera during the short clip. 'He has no idea what they even do. Kevin thinks he's going to become a Ghostbuster too,' Chris said. He went on: 'He takes a whole lot of the equipment, gets a bike and builds his own uniform and is like "Look I'm one of the gang now."' He shocked fans earlier this month when he revealed his freshly painted toenails on social media. And on Wednesday The Bachelor host Osher Gunsberg showed he was still rocking the black polish as he stepped out in Sydney with his pet pooch. The 42-year-old displayed the look as he slipped into a pair of black thongs which he teamed with a pair black straight-cut jeans. Scroll down for video The Bachelor host Osher Gunsberg showed he was still rocking the black polish on Tuesday as he stepped out in Sydney with his pet pooch The former Australian Idol host finished off his simple look with a plain black T-shirt which rested his clear-framed sunglasses. Osher rocked an unshaven face for the outing while spiking his golden hair high. While he walked his dog by a blue lead, he crunched on a green apple as he listened to audio through his earphones. Multi-tasking: The 42-year-old dressed in an all-black outfit as he led his pet on a blue leash while crunching on an apple The TV and radio personality revealed on social media he had his feet painted earlier this month, taking to Instagram to share a Snapchat video of the process. Sitting in the chair at the nail salon, he can be seen enjoying a pedicure. He wrote on the video the caption: 'So fresh and so clean,' before sharing an image of his feet, writing: 'What do the nail ladies talk about?' Close up: The TV and radio personality revealed on social media he had his feet painted earlier this month The garrulous host also posted an image to Instagram of his freshly painted toes alongside his fiancee Audrey Griffin's fingers and her 12-year-old daughter's feet in flip flops. Osher and Audrey became engaged when he proposed while they enjoyed a romantic break to Queensland's Heron Island. He presented his love with a 7.5 carat black and pink sapphire engagement ring, proposing on the beach at sunset. They recently walked down the aisle and said I do in coordinated white outfits. So it comes as no surprise to see celebrity chef Pete Evans and his new wife Nicola stepping out in matching sneakers on a leisurely outing in Bondi recently. Pete, 41, dressed for ultimate comfort in a loose fitting T-shirt with the words Food Is Medicine emblazoned across the front. Scroll down for video Matching ensembles: Celebrity chef Pete Evans and new wife Nicola wore matching hi-top sneakers as they enjoyed a leisurely outing in Bondi last week The Paleo devout teamed the bright green top with charcoal grey jeans and his black hi-top sneakers. He styled his brunette tresses into his signature Mohawk do, while clipping a pair of sunglasses to his shirt. Meanwhile, Nicola cut a casual figure in denim trousers, a white T-shirt and a flannelette shirt which she tied up around her slender waist. Off-duty style: The paleo devout also teamed a bright green top teamed with charcoal grey jeans Easy: Nicola cut a casual figure in denim trousers, a white T-shirt and a flannelette shirt which she tied up around her slender waist Lunch time: Pete and Nicola looked to be in good spirits as they enjoyed a bite to eat with a friend at one of the many cafes in the popular beachside suburb She kept warm in a grey trench coat, while styling her blonde tresses into a messy top knot bun. She too wore the same sneakers as her husband but hers had white shoelaces. The 38-year-old ditched makeup for a more natural appearance, while covering up her striking features with a pair oversized shades. Pete and Nicola looked to be in good spirits as they enjoyed a bite to eat with a friend at one of the many cafes in the popular beachside suburb. The outing comes just a month after the couple tied the knot at their farm in New South Wales, complete with 'butterfly bridesmaids, four-legged guests and 'Paleo cake'. In good spirits: The couple appeared happy as they chatted to friends Stepping out: The pair pounded the pavement in their matching trainers Au naturel: The 38-year-old ditched makeup for a more natural appearance, while covering up her striking features with a pair oversized shades Speaking to New Idea about the romantic ceremony, Nicola said: 'We didn't write vows, we chose to do what we call "winging it".' 'We shared our deepest hopes, dreams and promises from our hearts.' The pair, who graced the cover of the May edition, were quite the coordinated couple on their big day. Both Pete and Nicola wore white for their nuptials, with Nicola's stunning dress teamed with a floral crown and veil. Wedding bliss: The outing comes just a month after the couple tied the knot at their farm in New South Wales, complete with 'butterfly bridesmaids, four-legged guests and 'paleo cake Natural posers: Nicola beamed at the camera with her two step daughters - Indii, seven and Chilli, nine - and a black horse Her balayage tresses were worn out in bouncy curls, and a few additional snaps revealed the intimate moments the couple shared on their big day. The pair's nuptials come after the celebrity chef proposed last year while they were on holiday in New York. They met more than four-years-ago in Adelaide and she has been a driving force behind his Paleo lifestyle. Nicola was previously married to millionaire Warriors rugby league club owner, Eric Watson, though they didn't have children together. Meanwhile Pete's two daughters - Indii, seven and Chilli, nine - are from his previous marriage with Astrid Edlinger, from whom he split in 2011. It looks like Pia Miller and Tyson Mullane's romance is going from strength to strength. Taking to Instagram on Thursday, 32-year-old Home And Away star Pia shared a fun video of her beau serenading her in the car. Sitting in the driver's seat, the dark-haired stud belted out the high notes to John Legend's sweet track All Of Me, especially for his lady love. Sweet: Taking to Instagram on Thursday, Home And Away star Pia Miller shared a fun video of her beau Tyson Mullane serenading her in the car Lucky lady: Soap star Pia took the liberty to share the touching video on her Instagram account for all to see 'I mean...,' read the caption next to the social media post, in which Tyson wore a dark sweater and complementing cap. He turned towards Pia as she filmed him, and flaunted his facial hair and pearly whites for the camera. The couple confirmed their romance in February after being pictured together last year. Sing-a-long: Sitting in the driver's seat, the dark-haired stud belted out the high notes to John Legend's sweet track All Of Me, especially for his lady love Devoted: He turned towards Pia as she filmed him, and flaunted his facial hair and pearly whites for the camera Film producer Tyson, is Pia's new boyfriend since splitting from ex-AFL player husband Brad Miller back in October. Tyson was previously in a long-term relationship with model Cheyenne Tozzi. The pair confirmed their romance in February, after being pictured together last year, and have gone on to flaunt their love on social media for all to see. Suave couple! The pair, pictured together earlier this month, went public with their relationship in February Earlier this month, soap star Pia flaunted her incredible physique while attending a friend's birthday with her man by her side. This came a week after the pair were notably refused entry to a nightclub after attending the 2016 TV Week Logie Awards in Melbourne. The couple were filmed being turned away at the door of Shane Warne's Club 23, located inside Crown Towers, by a staff member on the night. Saved By The Bell star Dustin Diamond is back in jail after allegedly violating the terms of his parole. The 39-year-old was being held in a Wisconsin prison after being arrested on Wednesday. He was taken back into custody just weeks after being released after serving time for disorderly conduct and concealed-weapon convictions. Behind bars: Saved By The Bell star Dustin Diamond was arrested for allegedly violating parole Wednesday An official at the Ozaukee County Jail in Port Washington said Diamond was in custody because of a probation violation. The official added that he did not have any further details. Diamond, who played boy genius Screech Powers in the hit 90s comedy show, was convicted last year on charges stemming from a 2014 bar room brawl. He was found guilty of disorderly conduct and carrying a concealed weapon following the fight and spent three months behind bars as a result. Record: Both the county database and an official at the Ozaukee County Jail confirmed he was being held In court: Ther actor and fiancee Amanda Schutz in a Port Washington courtroom back in May The actor was only released in April, and spoke to his former castmate Mario Lopez on Extra last week, where he opened up about life in jail. He said: 'It's pretty daunting, it's pretty scary going into that environment. I found that as long as you follow the rules and stay with the system, it works. You can get in and out unscathed.' Diamond claimed he pulled out his pocket knife and threatened a man after he pulled his fiancee Amanda Schutz's hair as they celebrated Christmas in Port Washington. He said: 'I opened my pocket knife and said, ''Let my wife go immediately,'' which worked.' Diamond also demonstrated how his blade 'nicked' the arm of Casey Smett, 25. 'It was a Band-Aid, the most expensive Band-Aid I've ever bought,' Diamond said. Opening up: Last week he told old co-star Mario Lopez on Extra that jail was 'pretty daunting' Miranda Kerr slipped her 5ft9in model figure into skin-tight leather leggings for a flight out of JFK Airport in New York Wednesday. The Australian 33-year-old paired the edgy trousers by Frame Denim with a green motorbike jacket, white T-shirt, Samantha Wills Sunglasses and towering black espadrilles. The dimpled beauty toted a black Hermes Birkin bag with her jet-setting ensemble, and she gelled her short bob into a center-parted ponytail. Scroll down for video Pert derriere: Miranda Kerr slipped her 5ft9in model figure into skin-tight leather leggings for a flight out of JFK Airport in New York Wednesday Before her flight, Miranda - who swears by Kundalini yoga - was spotted leaving Spring Studios in Manhattan's SoHo neighbourhood. Kerr was shooting the 2016 Joe Fresh holiday campaign with Jasmine Tookes, Martha Hunt, and Hunt's photographer beau Jason McDonald. The Kora Organics founder - who boasts 21.9M followers - shared a snap of herself rocking shoulder-length hair extensions alongside an adorable canine co-star. Big Apple babe: The Australian 33-year-old paired her edgy trousers with a green motorbike jacket, white T-shirt, and towering black espadrilles Leather mama: The dimpled beauty toted a black Hermes Birkin bag with her jet-setting ensemble, and she gelled her short bob into a center-parted ponytail Cobble stones: Before her flight, Miranda - who swears by Kundalini yoga - was spotted leaving Spring Studios in Manhattan's SoHo neighbourhood Legs eleven: Miranda looked sensational in her sexy ensemble On her way: The pretty starlet cut a youthful figure as she strutted through the airport And while Victoria's Secret opted not to renew Miranda's contract back in 2013, both Jasmine and Martha officially earned their 'wings' with the lingerie brand last November. Missing Wednesday was Kerr's boyfriend, Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel, with whom she'll celebrate a year of dating next month. According to TMZ, Miranda and her billionaire beau - who turns 26 next week - just dropped $12M on a four-bedroom Brentwood mansion designed by Gerard Colcord. 'Behind the scenes with my wifeys!' Kerr was shooting the 2016 Joe Fresh holiday campaign with Jasmine Tookes (L), Martha Hunt (M), and Hunt's photographer beau Jason McDonald Puppy castmate: The Kora Organics founder - who boasts 21.9M followers - shared a snap of herself rocking shoulder-length hair extensions alongside an adorable canine co-star Angelic trio: And while Victoria's Secret opted not to renew Miranda's contract back in 2013, both Jasmine and Martha officially earned their 'wings' with the lingerie brand last November Add me on snapchat iammarthahunt A video posted by Martha Hunt (@marhunt) on May 25, 2016 at 4:58pm PDT Spiegel has already received the approval of the brunette beauty's ex-husband Orlando Bloom and their five-year-old son Flynn. 'Evan met Flynn, so yeah, things are going well. Orlando thinks he's great. We're just a modern family now!' the divorced mother-of-one told Net-a-Porter's The Edit in January. Meanwhile, the 39-year-old Englishman has been romancing pop diva Katy Perry since January, and the couple were last seen lounging poolside at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. Still going strong! Missing Wednesday was Kerr's boyfriend, Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel, with whom she'll celebrate a year of dating next month Live-in love: According to TMZ, Miranda and her billionaire beau - who turns 26 next week - just dropped $12M on a four-bedroom Brentwood mansion designed by Gerard Colcord 'Evan met Flynn, so yeah, things are going well. Orlando thinks he's great!' Spiegel has already received the approval of the brunette beauty's ex-husband Orlando Bloom and their five-year-old son Flynn He's long been one of the most sought after men in Hollywood. But on Wednesday night Keanu Reeves was accompanied by a gorgeous woman as he headed to The Who's concert in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The 51-year-old actor was positively beaming as he made his way to the concert with the unidentified brunette in tow. Scroll down for video Don't you look dapper: Keanu Reeves looked handsome as he attended a concert in Los Angeles on Wednesday with a gorgeous mystery woman Keanu wore a pair of black trousers and a black jacket as he teamed his dark look with a pair of brown shoes. The actor seems to have grown out his hair and beard as he was seen sporting a rather rugged look as he strolled alongside the mystery woman. The woman in question was speaking on the phone the majority of the time they made their way to the venue. Who's the girl? The 51-year-old actor was positively beaming as he made his way to the concert with a mystery brunette in tow Mystery woman: She was dressed down in a pair of skinny jeans and boots as she wrapped up warm with a scarf and leather jacket She was dressed down in a pair of skinny jeans and boots as she wrapped up warm with a scarf and leather jacket. She also wore a bright orange bag to add a drop of colour to her outfit. Meanwhile Keanu has had a tough time recently. He reportedly called in police over fears for his safety after a man turned up at his home with a package. She's got style: She also wore a bright orange bag to add a drop of colour to her outfit Bad news: Meanwhile Keanu reportedly called in police over fears for his safety after a man turned up at his home with a package Legal documents obtained by website TMZ reveal the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is investigating a man who showed up at the actor's home last October and placed a FedEx envelope in his mailbox. The envelope allegedly contained a phone number with the instruction: 'I will call the cell provided tomorrow. We need to meet as I have already started building the new world. #masterbuilder,' the website reports. The LAPD believe the man has an obsession with Keanu's character, Neo, from The Matrix movies. They have been embroiled in a legal battle. But on Tuesday it appeared Charlie Sheen and ex wife Denise Richards put their squabbles aside to spend the day with their daughter Sam at a horseback riding class in Malibu. The 50-year-old Anger Management actor kept things very casual for the outing, opting for a grey long sleeve shirt over a similar white shirt, khaki cargo shorts and black trainers. Laid-back vibes: Charlie Sheen and ex wife Denise Richards put their squabbles aside to spend the day with their daughter Sam at a horseback riding class in Malibu on Tuesday He also donned a black beanie and some rectangular shades. As daughter Sam, 12, trotted by, the Platoon star decided to take several snaps of his budding equestrian with his phone. Ex-wife Denise, 45, was also present at the facility, and decided to take her dog for a walk while Sam was out riding. The World is Not Enough actress looked ready to work out in a black tank top, black cropped Lycra leggings and bright pink trainers. She tied a matching pink track suit top around her waist. Doting mom: Denise, 45, was pictured in gym gear and holding on to her dog's leash as she snapped photos of her daughter Quiet life: Sheen was pictured enjoying some family time with ex-wife Denise Richards on Tuesday and snapped pictures of his daughter Sam, 12, during a horse riding lesson She also took several pictures of her daughter with her pink phone. Meanwhile, Charlie is reportedly planning to leave America and retreat to a quiet retirement community in Mexico. He has reportedly purchased a home in the sleepy town of Rosarito in Baja California, Mexico. His real estate agent Scott Weier told Dailymail.com: 'It's just a humble little three-bedroom house, around 2,700 square feet. It wasn't too expensive.' 'He told me he's planning on living here full time, he's tired of the rat race of the United States and his life the way it is. He wants to do something a bit different. He's looking for a change. Compared to what he has in Los Angeles it's very humble and simple. 'He's certainly not coming here to impress anyone with a huge mansion on the ocean.' New parents Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty left their newborn son at home for a glamorous date night at LA's Skirball Cultural Center on Wednesday. It's hard to believe the 39-year-old presenter - looking gorgeous and slim in a ribbon-strapped LBD - welcomed their first child on January 19. The So You Think You Can Dance host sported full make-up for her night out and Robert Ramos coiffed her flaxen locks into an updo. Scroll down for video Ring the babysitter! New parents Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty left their newborn son at home for a glamorous date night at LA's Skirball Cultural Center on Wednesday Cat later enthusiastically addressed the 37th College Television Awards audience from the podium. Deeley certainly had the glow that comes with motherhood, and she has said she's 'besotted with the baby.' 'People keep asking me if I've been hitting the gym, but I haven't! I think breastfeeding is key and it's worked well for me,' the British blonde recently told Closer magazine. 'Add to that running around after a new baby and you don't need to work out.' Post-baby body: It's hard to believe the 39-year-old presenter - looking gorgeous and slim in a ribbon-strapped LBD - welcomed their first child on January 19 'College Awards...we're off!' The So You Think You Can Dance host sported full make-up for her night out and Robert Ramos coiffed her flaxen locks into an updo 5ft9in stunner: Cat later enthusiastically addressed the 37th College Television Awards audience from the podium 'People keep asking me if I've been hitting the gym, but I haven't! I think breastfeeding is key': Deeley certainly had the glow that comes with motherhood, and she has said she's 'besotted with the baby' .@CatDeeley announces the Commercial winner: Bacardi, The Original Mojito, by Ahad Mahmood & Graham Raubvogel! pic.twitter.com/A94tR20RP3 EmmysFoundation (@EmmysFoundation) May 26, 2016 Cat and the 45-year-old Irish comedian - who wed in Rome four years ago - have yet to release the name of their bundle of joy. 'Hey Now...That moment when you decide to rename your first born @jeffreytambor,' Patrick joked in a May 9 tweet. The five-time Emmy nominee will next host the 13th season of So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation, which premieres Monday on Fox. Pushing his pram: The British blonde and the 45-year-old Irish comedian - who wed in Rome four years ago - have yet to release the name of their bundle of joy Patrick joked in a May 9 tweet: 'Hey Now...That moment when you decide to rename your first born @jeffreytambor' Little heartbreaker: The five-time Emmy nominee will next host the 13th season of So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation, which premieres Monday on Fox Also attending the College TV Awards was Golden Globe winner Jane Lynch rocking an edgy grey blazer with skin-tight jeans. Underground's Christopher Meloni and Breaking Bad's RJ Mitte sutied up to present awards at the red carpet function. And three lovely ladies opting for fun patterned frocks were Billions' Maggie Siff, Once Upon a Time's Lana Parrilla, and Rush Hour's Aimee Garcia. Gleeful presenter: Also attending the College TV Awards was Golden Globe winner Jane Lynch rocking an edgy grey blazer with skin-tight jeans Handsome gentlemen: Underground's Christopher Meloni and Breaking Bad's RJ Mitte sutied up to present awards at the red carpet function .@RJMitte presents The Loreen Arbus Focus on Disability award to Missy Hauser & @SkylerStearns for "Guide"! pic.twitter.com/oPizoybWzE EmmysFoundation (@EmmysFoundation) May 26, 2016 Sophie Monk is set to make a return to the radio airwaves. The 36-year-old Australian media personality will be hosting The Fling breakfast show across the Australian Radio Network (ARN)'s Sydney and Melbourne stations alongside fellow radio star Matty Acton. The announcement of the pair's collaboration comes after they worked together from December to January, hosting The Summer Fling on the KIIS FM stations. Scroll down for video They're back! Sophie Monk will be hosting The Fling breakfast show across the Australian Radio Network (ARN)'s Sydney and Melbourne stations alongside fellow radio star Matty Acton from June 27 to July 8 Kicking off on June 27, the pair will be entertaining audiences in the top breakfast time-slot while regular hosts, such as Sydney's Kyle and Jackie O, and Melbourne's Matt and Meshel, enjoy some time off. In a press statement released on Thursday, ARNs National Content Director Duncan Campbell said: 'After the success of The Summer Fling, were pleased to be welcoming back Sophie and Matty to continue to deliver great content on KIIS, while our breakfast shows take a well-deserved mid-year break'. Sophie was also delighted to be preparing for her on-air return, saying: 'Im super excited to be back on air waking up Sydney and Melbourne with Matty on KIIS. Making a return: Sophie is delighted to be preparing for her on-air return, saying 'Im super excited to be back on air waking up Sydney and Melbourne with Matty on KIIS' 'We had such a great time with the summer show, and I know its only going to be bigger and better for The Fling But I still wish breakfast radio started at 10am. And the early starts gives me a real excuse for my ugg boots right?' Back in March this year some news had emerged, hinting at her return to the airwaves. The bubbly blonde said in a statement at the time: 'Anyone who knows me realises that Im very happy to bring the laughs - even when theyre usually all at my expense. 'Im just glad I get to keep bringing the crazy.' She added: 'Stay tuned, its going to be quite the ride.' Usual hosts: Kicking off on June 27, the pair will be entertaining audiences in the top breakfast time-slot while regular hosts, such as Sydney's Kyle and Jackie O (pictured), and Melbourne's Matt and Meshel, enjoy some time off Intriguingly, the British-born Australian, who has been finding her feet in the past two years since returning from Los Angeles after ten years, quit 2DayFM with Jules Lund and Merrick Watts citing gruelling hours. She shocked radio bosses by handing in her notice in October 2014 revealing it was time for pastures new. At the time she told Daily Mail Australia: 'When I leave the show, it will give me my evenings back,' she said, adding, 'now if I want to date someone, I have to say to them "Wanna meet up for dinner and drinks at 2pm?" 'I'm looking forward to going on dates. My love life is non existent.' She shot to fame at the tender age of 15 as Sansa Stark in hit fantasy drama Game Of Thrones. And Sophie Turner has now opened up on the perils of growing up in the spotlight as she posed in a high-fashion new shoot for the July issue of British InStyle magazine. The actress, now 20, revealed she went through 'hard years' between the ages of 16 and 19 as she struggled with her body transforming in the full glare of the public eye. Scroll down for video Cover girl: Sophie Turner has now opened up on the perils of growing up in the spotlight as she posed in a high-fashion new shoot for the July issue of British InStyle magazine Talented: The star shot to fame at the tender age of 15 as Sansa Stark in hit fantasy drama Game Of Thrones She explained: '[Growing up in the limelight] is probably the thing I've struggled with the most. 'At first, it was the character [Sansa Stark]; people hating on her because she was a 13-year-old girl, and she should have a smart head on her shoulders and make good decisions. 'When people started to know my name, as well as the character's name, that was kind of difficult. From 16 to when I turned 19, they were quite hard years.' Sophie continued: 'You're in the prime of puberty; your body is changing, your face is changing, and people still saw me as that 13-year-old girl, with no body, and thought that's how I should look forever. Tough: The actress, now 20, revealed she went through 'hard years' between the ages of 16 and 19 as she struggled with her body transforming in the full glare of the public eye Shy? Despite her stellar career at a relatively tender age, Sophie - who was raised in the English town of Northampton - revealed she is highly self-critical of her work Edgy: Sophie was photographed by Tung Walsh for InStyle's July cover 'So, growing up and having my body transform, and my hormones, and people watching and commenting on that was tricky. Even my friends were having a hard time with that stuff, but when people are printing photos of your bad skin, that's really difficult.' Despite her stellar career at a relatively tender age, Sophie - who was raised in the English town of Northampton - revealed she is highly self-critical of her work. In fact, she went so far as to joke that her turn in as Jean Grey/Phoenix in the recently released X-Men: Apocalypse has made it 'the worst X-Men so far'. Playful: Sophie went so far as to joke that her turn in as Jean Grey/Phoenix in the recently released X-Men: Apocalypse has made it 'the worst X-Men so far' 'This is going to be the worst X-Men so far, because I'm in it', she joked in the InStyle interview. 'When you're outside something, you think, "That is amazing, I would love to be in that". 'But when you are in it, you think, "Is this going to be any good?"' The young actress also revealed she is nervous about the impending end of Game Of Thrones, admitting she has suffered 'panic attacks' at the prospect of life after the show. Insisting she won't go further than eight seasons, Sophie said: 'I kind of had a bit of a panic attack the other night as I was thinking about it. Tense: The young actress also revealed she is nervous about the impending end of Game Of Thrones, admitting she has suffered 'panic attacks' at the prospect of life after the show To read the feature in full, see the July issue of British InStyle, on sale now 'It's like graduating from high school, but it doesn't feel like a graduation, because I don't have a university to go onto that's bigger and better.' Despite having been linked to The Vamps guitarist James McVey in the summer of 2014, Sophie insisted she has no desire to date a fellow celebrity because their busy lifestyles wouldn't make for a good relationship. She explained: 'I've never dated anyone who I didn't know before or who's in the industry. I think that's quite a conscious decision because the lifestyles wouldn't work. 'This profession is so different to any other; the going away for long amounts of time and I think it would just be really difficult. 'If you meet on a job, it's amazing. You have five months together and itis incredible. Then, once it's over, suddenly one of you is shooting in Australia and the other one is shooting in Spain, and you never know when you're going to see each other again, but at least you both understand it.' To read the feature in full, see the July issue of British InStyle, on sale now. Also available as digital edition through Apple Newsstand. No thanks: Sophie insisted she has no desire to date a fellow celebrity because their busy lifestyles wouldn't make for a good relationship To read the feature in full, see the July issue of British InStyle, on sale now. Also available as digital edition through Apple Newsstand Co-star: Sophie's co-star Kit Harington, who plays Jon Snow in the hit drama, was seen arriving at the BBC Radio 1 studios in central London on Thursday morning Rihanna may have gone 'minimal and mismatching' on the underwear front, but her underwear choice was much more carefully considered than it looked, on Wednesday night. The brunette boldly went braless in a sheer emerald dress as she stepped out in Soho, New York, brazenly flashing her black thong knickers through the wide-set lace. Barbadian pop star Rihanna turned onlookers green with envy as she passed by with a daring yet utterly chic ensemble, thanks to the addition of colourful, catwalk-worthy accessories. Scroll down for video Showing some skin: Rihanna left very little to the imagination in a sheer lace dress as she stepped out in New York on Wednesday night The dress, with its plunging neckline and calf-length cut, featured a zip that ran the length of the see-through garment. Her distinctive underboob tattoo was on full display, though it benefited from a little extra detail with a delicate chain worn to fasten the two sides of her lace gown. Rihanna certainly couldn't be missed in bright emerald - a colour scheme that was cleverly offset by a red and navy waistbelt and a silver handbag. She was flanked by security but also accompanied by a female friend as she arrived back to a hotel in the East Village, where she regularly stays. See Rihanna updates as she leaves VERY LITTLE to the imagination in a sheer lace dress Flashing: Going braless, the brunette wore black thong knickers beneath her sheer dress Accessorised: Rihanna accessorised with a metallic handbag and colourful boots Flashing: Her dress was accompanied by garish boots that laced up the front It's little surprise that Rihanna is conscious about flaunting her style credentials at this time, since she's just debuted another fashion collaboration. On Tuesday, Rihanna launched a collection of futuristic sunglasses with fashion house Dior, which will go on sale in June. Available in five colours, including silver, pink and green - retailing at $840 - there will also be a deluxe 24-karat gold-plated version selling for $1,950. Peek-a-boob: Rihanna showed off her distinctive chest tattoo, which was adorned with a silver chain Protecting her peepers: She used a hand to shield her face All eyes: The star garnered plenty of attention as she walked into her East Village hotel Fashion fan: Rihanna has debuted her new collaboration with fashion house Dior this week Rihanna's expanding her partnership with sports brand Puma this week, too, by adding a third shoe design to her collection. Last year, her first trainer sold out in three hours, and two months later, a men's version was also unavailable by the very next day. Thursday sees the launch of a third edition of the creeper shoe - to be sold in all-black suede, green and maroon as well as all-white - and which is expected to garner just as much interest. Forward-thinking: She's launched a very futuristic range of sunglasses Sell out: They're expected to sell out just as quickly as her shoe collection with Puma Shoe queen: She is also due to launch a third edition of her Puma shoes this week They remained incredibly coy over the joyous arrival of their first child. Yet Sam Clafin has now candidly revealed that he and wife Laura Haddock gave birth to a son in December before gushing about the indescribable love he has for his 'little man'. The 29-year-old actor spoke to People magazine about his bundle of joy for the first time ever since he and Laura, 30, announced their arrival by simply debuting her bump-less belly. Scroll down for video The happy couple: Sam Clafin has now candidly revealed that he and wife Laura Haddock gave birth to a son in December before gushing about the indescribable love he has for his 'little man' Sam, who married in 2013, is blazing the promotional trail with his new movie Me Before You and during his run of interviews he could not resist discussing his beloved six-month-old tot. Despite being overloaded with work, Sam is adamant he will spend Father's Day with his son, when the Me Before You promo tour rounds up. He said: ' Im filming so much at the moment, I dont get the opportunity to spend as much time with him as Id like to. So I think after Me Before You finishes - which is just before Fathers Day - I will have a bit of family time. 'Just with the little man. I dont know what to expect - I have no expectations. Ive never had that to look forward to before. I always thought, naively, that I knew what it would be like.' Beautiful: The 29-year-old actor spoke to People magazine about his bundle of joy for the first time ever since he and Laura, 30, announced their arrival by simply debuting her bump-less belly Together: Sam, who married in 2013, is blazing the promotional trail with his new movie Me Before You and during his run of interviews he could not resist discussing his beloved six-month-old tot Up until his chat with the US publication, the couple kept extremely shy of announcing any details of their little man, after they chose to announce the birth when Laura stepped out at the Critics' Choice Awards in January without a baby bump. The pair met in 2011 and love-sick Sam admitted last year: 'My wife, Laura, is undoubtedly my best friend.' As he went on to discuss his tot further, he said: 'I always thought that Id understand. But its like another level of love that youve never experienced before. 'You cant describe to someone unless [theyre] in itThe rewards are just endless. Hes literally the best thing thats ever happened to me.' Mummy: The pair met in 2011 and love-sick Sam admitted last year: 'My wife, Laura, is undoubtedly my best friend.' Joyous: Sam stars opposite Emilia Clarke (pictured) in Me Before You, in which he plays a paralyzed man in her care during which they form a unique bond Sam stars opposite Emilia Clarke in Me Before You, in which he plays a paralyzed man in her care during which they form a unique bond. Meanwhile, director Thea Sharrock went on to praise both Clarke and Claflin's performance in the new romantic venture. 'Sam literally plays the part with no movement below the neck, she said. All he had really was facial movements. That was a challenge.' He's been keeping busy with work since announcing the end of his nine year marriage this month. And James McAvoy continued the promo trail for his new film X-Men: Apocalypse in New York on Wednesday, arriving at the Late Show with Stephen Colbert studios for an interview. Meanwhile across town, James' co-star Alexandra Shipp was taking party in another promo event at the Empire State Building, amid claims the two actors have become close after meeting on the set of the latest Marvel movie. Scroll down for video Concentrating on work: Newly-single James McAvoy continued the promo trail for his new film X-Men: Apocalypse in New York on Wednesday, arriving at the Late Show with Stephen Colbert studios James, 37, kept things casual as he arrived at the Ed Sullivan Theater for his appearance on the show. The Scottish actor showed off his physique in a white t-shirt teamed with black jeans and some designer shades. Before heading inside, James made the most of the city sunshine by signing autographs for the crowd of fans waiting outside. Good to see you! Before heading inside, James made the most of the city sunshine by signing autographs for the crowd of fans waiting outside the Ed Sullivan Theater A mile across town Alexandra, 24, was in great spirits as she joined co-stars Evan Peters and Lana Condor for a photocall at the Empire State Building. The gorgeous actress put on a leggy display in a chic little black dress and strappy sandals as she posed up a storm for the cameras. The American beauty takes on the role of Storm, previously played by Halle Berry in the noughties, in the latest film in the franchise. Looking good: The Scottish actor showed off his physique in a white t-shirt teamed with black jeans and some designer shades While they were at separate events on Wednesday, the day before Alexandra and James were reunited when the cast stopped by both the GMA studios the AOL headquarters in NYC. It is claimed the pair struck up a friendship on the set of their film amid long running marriage issues between James and Anne-Marie Duff, who announced the end of their nine year marriage this month. Filming for the latest X-Men installment began in March 2015 with the cast on location in Montreal, Canada. Relaxed: James looked in good spirits as he continues to throw himself into work in the wake of his split from wife Anne-Marie Duff James was pictured at the-Men: Apocalypse premiere at London's BFI IMAX earlier this month placing his hands around Alexandra's waist as they shared a joke, with the Mirror alleging the pair had become close friends. A source told the publication: 'Its no great secret how theyve got close. James has been quite open among the cast and crew that his marriage was over and it seems he has struck up a friendship with Alex since then. They continued: 'Its been the source of some gossip among those connected to the film but theyve kept things low key.' Separate events: Meanwhile across town, James' co-star Alexandra Shipp was taking party in another promo event at the Empire State Building, amid claims the two actors have become close Simply stunning: The gorgeous actress put on a leggy display in a chic little black dress and strappy sandals as she posed up a storm for the cameras Representatives for James and Anne-Marie have been contacted by MailOnline for comment. James declined to comment on the reports he had been linked to Alexandra when he returned to his 1.9 million four-bed terraced house in north London following the allegations. James and Anne-Marie plan to continue living together for the 'foreseeable future' despite confirming the end of their ten year marriage this month. The acting pair have no plans to change their living arrangements, according to a report in the Sunday Mirror, with the parents keen to minimise disruption for their young son Brendan. Group outing: Alexandra was joined by her X-Men co-stars Evan Peters and Lana Condor New talent: The American beauty takes on the role of Storm, previously played by Halle Berry in the noughties, in the latest film in the franchise Close? It is claimed Alexandra and James struck up a friendship on the set of their film amid long running marriage issues between James and Anne-Marie Duff, who announced the end of their nine year marriage this month A source told the paper: 'They've decided to stay where they are for the time being and are trying to minimise disruption at home. James will be there for the foreseeable future.' 'It's completely amicable and they're still getting on well. So despite all the news breaking, they've decided to keep themselves at their home in London with their son,' the insider continued. 'To all intents, this seems to be the epitome of the perfect break-up.' Work trip: While they were at separate events on Wednesday, the day before Alexandra and James were reunited when the cast stopped by both the GMA studios the AOL headquarters in NYC Friends: The pair were seen chatting on the Good Morning America sofa as they waited for the group interview to commence The actor and Anne-Marie met on the set of Shameless over a decade ago, where they played on-screen lovebirds Steve McBride and Fiona Gallagher. The confirmed the end of their marriage in a joint statement two weeks ago, which read: 'It is with tremendous sadness that we have come to the decision to divorce. 'We enter this next phase with continued friendship, love and respect for one another and the shared focus of caring for our son.' Former Home And Away star Dan Ewing and his wife Marni have spoken about how they plan to remain friends after Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed the news of their split. The pair, who have a two-year-old son, Archer, released a statement on Thursday saying they decided to end their three-year marriage in December 2015 due to irreconcilable differences. It came hours after Daily Mail Australia broke the news of the end of their romance. Scroll down for video Split: Former Home And Away star Dan Ewing and his wife Marni have spoken about how they plan to remain friends after Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed the news of their split 'Dan and Marni Ewing amicably decided to end their 3 year marriage in December, 2015 due to irreconcilable differences,' the statement, which was released to New Idea, said. 'The couple remain friends, and will continue to co-parent their son, Archer, who will be two in September.' They added: 'We wish nothing but the best for each other and are both committed to focusing our attention on Archer'. End of their relationship: The pair, who have a two-year-old son, Archer, released a statement on Thursday saying they decided to end their three-year marriage in December 2015 due to irreconcilable differences No bling: The news comes after Marni shared an image of herself clutching onto a glass of wine with her diamond ring noticeably missing A source close to the pair told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday that the pair called time on their marriage a couple of months ago. The news comes after Marni has been spotted without her wedding ring in numerous social media images. On Tuesday, the 32-year-old shared an image of herself clutching onto a glass of wine with her diamond ring noticeably missing. Hours later she uploaded another shot of herself enjoying some down time on the beach without the piece of jewellery. Over: Former Home And Away star Dan Ewing has split from wife of four years, Marni Going bare: Hours later she uploaded another shot of herself enjoying some down time on the beach without the piece of jewellery It has also been 22 weeks since Marni has shared any content related to Dan on her social media accounts, despite the actor continually sharing snaps of her and their son Archer. Dan, who usually gushes about his partner on his account, has lowered the amount of uploads with his last being two weeks ago for Mother's Day. Alongside the image of Marnie and Archer, he wrote: 'His favorite person and mine. Happy Mother's Day Mummy. We love you (sic)!!' Daily Mail Australia has reached out to the pair's representatives for comment. Keeping her friends close: It has been 22 weeks since Marni has shared an image of Dan, but has flooded her account with friend-outing photos Tribute: Dan's last post (pictured) featuring Marni was two weeks ago. He wished her a happy Mother's Day The news of the split comes nearly two years after the former couple welcomed their first and only child. The exciting arrival for the pair came after it was revealed Marni had suffered from a miscarriage two months earlier while they were in London as part of a promotional tour for Home And Away. In 2013, Marni revealed the sad news on social media, writing: 'I yesterday learnt that I had lost my angel. 'We spent all day mourning our loss. I underwent tests, injections, surgeries. The baby I had wanted for so long had left us.' In 2011, Dan was charged with assaulting his then-fiancee during a dispute at their Northern Beaches home. According to an article published in the Sunday Telegraph at the time, police allegedly found Marni in a 'distressed' state-of-mind with 'superficial injuries to her arm'. A statement released by the Local Area Police stated: 'A Sydney man will appear in court later this month charged with assaulting his girlfriend at their northern beaches home. Broken: The exciting arrival for the pair came after it was revealed Marni had suffered from a miscarriage two months earlier while they were in London as part of a promotional tour for Home And Away 'At 10.45pm on Tuesday December 6, police from Manly responded to a domestic altercation at an apartment at Sydney Rd, Fairlight. 'Upon arrival officers found a 28-year-old woman in a distressed state suffering superficial injuries to her arm. 'A 26-year-old man was arrested at the scene and taken to Manly police station where he was charged with common assault.' The charges were later dropped by police. Sad news: In 2013, Marni revealed the sad news on social media, writing: 'I yesterday learnt that I had lost my angel Jedediah Smith, famous mountain man, trapper, explorer and map maker, may not have been the first white man to enter the Nevada area some Spanish conquistadors most likely had crossed the same deserts and mountains before him but Smith certainly was the first to spend any significant time exploring the region. He made two trips across Southern Nevada and one across sections of the central part of the state when all of it was just a blank area on any maps of the day. Dakota Fanning proved she is as stylish off-duty as on the red carpet as she stepped out in New York City on Wednesday. The 22-year-old actress looked effortlessly stylish in a blue off-the-shoulder frilled summer dress, making the most of the good weather in the Big Apple. Embracing this season's bardot trend, the star dressed down her cute Zara number with low-key white lace-up Superga trainers. Scroll down for video Effortless: Dakota Fanning proved she is as stylish off-duty as on the red carpet as she stepped out in New York City on Wednesday Keeping her accessories simple, Dakota teamed her aviator sunglasses with a gold statement necklace and bracelets. In keeping with her retro style, the young actress rocked a vintage style mirror-embellished clutch with colourful tassels. The star was evidently enjoying the good weather in New York, stepping out with a female friend to enjoy the sunny weather. Bardot babe: The 22-year-old actress looked effortlessly stylish in a blue off-the-shoulder frilled summer dress, making the most of the good weather in the Big Apple Dakota recently wrapped up filming for Please Stand By, in which she stars opposite Alice Eve and Helen Hunt. The film follows a young autistic woman who runs away from her caregiver as she tries to submit her manuscript to a writing competition. She will also play the role of Merry Levov who commits an act of political terrorism in the crime drama American Pastoral. But despite her successful acting career, the actress is itching to get on the other side of the camera. 'I value the relationship that I have with a director so much, and I would be really excited to be on the other end of that relationship.' she recently told Indiewire. Both films are scheduled for release in 2016. She made her name as a glamorous news anchor at the Seven Network. But Chris Bath has shared a flashback snap from her schooldays showing that she wasn't always the polished presenter that people saw on the interviewer's chair. The TV star posted a picture on Instagram of her sporting school uniform, pigtails and prominent braces. Scroll down for video Flashback! Former news anchor Chris Bath has shared a picture from her schooldays 'How was I never part of the cool crowd? #throwback #thursday,' she captioned the image. 'Been a while since Holroyd High but if you want to see the amazing things the school is achieving now, thanks to love & respect, check out the link in my bio.' She shared a link to a fundraising event at the Giant Dwarf Theatre in Redfern, Sydney, on Tuesday night. The event is being held to raise funds for a documentary called, A Matter of Principle, which captures the day-to-day realities of a group of refugee students. Brunette beauty: The TV star posted a picture on Instagram of her sporting school uniform, pigtails and prominent braces Polished: Chris made her name as a glamorous news anchor at the Seven Network Chris departed the Seven newsroom in July last year following a career spanning 20 years. The 49-year-old, who started her career as a cadet at Sydney radio station 2UE, replaced ABC 702 radio drive host Richard Glover for three weeks starting in April. Speaking at the time, she said she deeply missed the thrill of working as a news anchor. 'When news breaks, the leadership spill in Canberra, when Tony Abbott was ousted, and more recently, the Brussels attacks, I find myself saying, I wish I was at work,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald. 'I love those breaking news stories. Radio is like three hours of rolling coverage, so I know I will get that adrenaline rush.' Their fourth wedding anniversary is fast approaching in August. And John Cleese proved the spark is still very much alive with his wife Jennifer Wade as they hosted a fundraising party in aid of the Born Free Foundation at London's La Perla story on Wednesday. The 76-year-old Fawlty Towers star put on an extremely silly display with his stunning wife, 44, before sharing an intimate kiss to mark their union on the night. Scroll down for video Up close... John Cleese proved the spark is still very much alive with his wife Jennifer Wade as they hosted a fundraising party in aid of the Born Free Foundation at London's La Perla story on Wednesday John, who was wed three times previously, married his stunning wife, a jeweller and former model, in an idyllic ceremony in the Caribbean in 2012 after which he gushed of his love for her. Now the pair appear to be closer than ever as they hosted the bash and played around with the lingerie in the up-market boutique - famed for its high class clientele. The funnyman, famed for his role as Basil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers, looked dashing in a black suit with a navy shirt before pulling on a rather bizarre accessory. John peeled a stunning lacy bra off the shelves and hilariously pulled the underwear over his eyes to mimic goggles or glasses. Playful! The 76-year-old Fawlty Towers star put on an extremely silly display with his stunning wife, 44, before sharing an intimate kiss to mark their union on the night Cheeky! John, who was wed three times previously, married his stunning wife, a jeweller and former model, in an idyllic ceremony in the Caribbean in 2012 after which he gushed of his love for her Bra-vo! The funnyman, famed for his role as Basil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers, looked dashing in a black suit with a navy shirt before pulling on a rather bizarre accessory Jennifer meanwhile looked simply sensational in a white shirt and wide-legged black trousers which lengthened her already sensational pins. Her blonde tresses were styled into a layered and stylish shoulder tickling style with various colours worked through to add depth and volume to the roots. In an extremely cheeky display, Jennifer grasped her chest in a raunchy manner before cosying up to her hilarious husband for a tender kiss. Getting to grip with things: In an extremely cheeky display, Jennifer grasped her chest in a raunchy manner before cosying up to her hilarious husband for a tender kiss Veterans: John also cosied up to famed actress Virginia McKenna, 84, who looked stunning in a boho inspired ensemble laden with warm autumn colours with a coordinating scarf Chic: Jennifer meanwhile looked simply sensational in a white shirt and wide-legged black trousers which lengthened her already sensational pins John also cosied up to famed actress Virginia McKenna, 84, who looked stunning in a boho inspired ensemble laden with warm autumn colours with a coordinating scarf. Since their wedding four years ago, John has gushed about his love for his beautiful wife, exclaiming: 'I knew from the first moment I met her that this could be something very serious. She is an extraordinary one-off.' Jennifer, who insists their age gap 'doesn't bother' them, was just as impassioned in talking about her spouse, saying: 'Were kindred spirits. When people see us together they immediately get it.' John was previously wed to his Fawlty Towers co-star Connie Booth from 1968 to 1978, American actress Barbara Trentham from 1981 to 1990 and Alyce Faye Eichelberger from 1992 to 2008. She recently reunited with her rocker beau Johnny McDaid after a brief split. And Courteney Cox looked in good spirits as as she headed to dinner at celebrity hotspot Craig's in West Hollywood on Wednesday. Transforming into a rock chick for the occasion, the Friends star, 51, unleashed her vampy side in a chic all-black ensemble. Scroll down for video Rock chick: Courteney Cox looked in good spirits as as she headed to dinner at celebrity hotspot Craig's in West Hollywood on Wednesday The actress teamed a punky leather biker jacket with a sheer black top and fitted high waist trousers. Highlighting her toned waist with a slim belt, Courteney completed the look with grey strappy sandals that added height to her frame. Keeping her make-up minimal, the mother-of one accessorised with her staple black rimmed glasses and wore her dark locks in their typical poker straight style. Punk rock princess: Transforming into a rock chick for the occasion, the Friends star, 51, unleashed her vampy side in a chic all-black ensemble Sylish duo: Courteney joined creator Eric Buterbaugh attended the launch of EB Florals By Eric Buterbaugh at Saks Fifth Avenue later in the evening Courteney enjoyed dinner at popular celebrity spot Craig's restaurant in West Hollywood, before heading to the launch of EB Florals By Eric Buterbaugh with Saks Fifth Avenue. Attending the launch of the new luxe fragrance line collaboration, Courteney posed alongside creator Eric Buterbaugh, host Sara Foster and actor Balthazar Getty. The actress, who shares daughter Coco, 11, with ex-husband David Arquette, reportedly became engaged to Snow Patrol musician Johnny McDaid, 39, again in April. Posers: Courteney cosied up to host Sara Foster, who wore a striped bardot top and casual jeans All in black: Courteney and Balthazar Getty showed their support at thestar-studded beauty event Irish star Johnny proposed to Courteney in June 2015 after two years of dating, but the couple split in December before reportedly reconciling early this year. 'Courteney and Johnny are planning a fall wedding,' a friend told Life & Style. 'They just took a trip to London to meet with their wedding planner. They are considering Castle Leslie where Paul McCartney married Heather Mills, as well as Ballintubber Abbey where Pierce Brosnan got married.' 'She really wants a low-key wedding with about 100 guests,' said a pal.'Their good friend Ed Sheeran will be playing and Johnny will be singing a song he wrote especially for Courteney.' Australian actress and Hollywood star Rebel Wilson has recently returned to Los Angeles after a trip to China. And the 36-year-old is back into the swing of things, enjoying dining at celebrity hot spot The Nice Guy on Wednesday. Showing off her curves in a black sparkly minidress, the Pitch Perfect star cut a stylish figure as she enjoyed a night on the town. Scroll down for video All dressed up: Australian actress and Hollywood star Rebel Wilson enjoyed dining at celebrity hot spot The Nice Guy on Wednesday in Los Angeles Her frock featured three-quarter sleeves and a high-neck and stopped just above her knees. She teamed the look with low black pointed heels and hair her blonde hair out over her shoulders. Her make-up included light foundation and a bronze eye. Ready to go: Showing off her curves in a black sequinned mini dress, the Pitch Perfect star cut a stylish figure as she enjoyed a night on the town Done up: Her make-up included light foundation and a bronze eye and her hair was out and over her shoulders She also carried a black leather and gold chain bag, believed to be Chanel. She appeared in high spirits, walking outside the venue with a smile on her face. The outing comes after she enjoyed a trip to China earlier this month, attending a gala for charity Film Aid, which helps refugees and other communities in need. While in China, she enjoyed playing tourist and even climbed the Great Wall. Playing tourist: The outing comes after she enjoyed a trip to China earlier this month A good night? She appeared in high spirits, walking outside the venue with a smile on her face More recently in Los Angeles, Rebel, who hails from Sydney's Castle Hill, was spotted going house hunting on Tuesday. The Pitch Perfect actress was seen looking at a supposed $3million property in West Hollywood. She also recently announced she was would be starring in London's West End's Guys and Dolls, for eight weeks only. This week she shared a shot of her dancing shoes and script, saying she had completed her first day of rehearsals and said she was 'so excited.' Snapping up a new pad? More recently in Los Angeles, Rebel was spotted going house hunting on Tuesday Splashing the cash! The Pitch Perfect actress was seen looking at a supposed $3million property in West Hollywood She has a highly credible career as a fashion model, but now it seems the Hollywood dream is becoming a reality for Jessica Gomes. On Wednesday, the 30-year-old beauty was seen arriving on the set of new comedy Bastards - which also stars Owen Wilson - in Malibu, Los Angeles. Shunning the glamour, the Australian star nailed an off-duty chic look with aplomb by dressing her toned curves in ripped denim jeans and a silky varsity-style jacket. Scroll down for video Hollywood dream! Jessica Gomes was seen arriving on the set of new comedy Bastards - which also stars Owen Wilson - in Malibu, on Wednesday Her glossy raven tresses were left loose in sleek waves, while a designer pair of reflective sunglasses concealed her pretty facial features. Earlier on in the day, the striking model took to her social media sites to share behind-the-scene snaps from the movies location. In one image, Jessica - who originally hails from Perth - flaunted her enviable figure in a light-coloured bikini top and patterned shorts, clutching what appears to be a script in her hands. Looking fine: Shunning the glamour, the Australian star nailed an off-duty chic look with aplomb by dressing her toned curves in ripped denim jeans and a silky varsity-style jacket Specs appeal: Her glossy raven tresses were left loose in sleek waves, while a designer pair of reflective sunglasses concealed her pretty facial features Another picture showed the stunner cut a stylish figure in black skinny jeans and a cropped white T-shirt, which drew heaps of attention to her svelte frame and long limbs. She simply captioned the photo: 'Namaste. Shooting in the Bu with my cru.' Jessica is set to appear as Owen's wife in the movie, which tells the tale of two brothers (Wilson and Helms) who embark on a journey to find out who their real father is. 'Today's situation': Earlier on in the day, the striking model took to her social media sites to share behind-the-scene snaps from the movies location Glen Close and J.K Simmons also star in the film, while The Hangover actor Ed Helms is reunited with cinematographer Lawrence Sher, who will be making his feature film directorial debut. The Hollywood movie began filming in September in Atlanta and Miami with some behind-the-scenes pictures showing a mayhem filled film. This latest venture sees Jessica's foray onto the big-screen, she has been modelling for David Jones since early 2013 where she took over the Style Ambassador gig from Miranda Kerr. She revealed she and Jason hadn't had sex for more than 17 months before deciding to try to resolve their issues on controversial show Seven Year Switch. But mother-of-two Michelle has now told her battle with postnatal depression contributed to the collapse of their relationship after the pair threw in the towel on Monday's reunion episode. Michelle, 31, who hails from the Gold Coast, told mamamia in a frank interview on Thursday: 'I was drowning in my need to be the best mother ever. Scroll down for video Emotional: Michelle broke down in tears at the Seven Year Switch reunion when she revealed on Monday that she has separated from Jason despite their best efforts to patch up their two-year relationship 'My relationship with Jason was under massive strain, I had changed... I wasn't myself and I couldn't even bare to have sex, even if I wasn't so tired I just couldn't.' The brunette was seen fighting back tears on Monday night's reunion episode as she confessed their decision to draw a line under their engagement. 'We went back to our lives and put all the things we learned into practise,' she said wiping away streaming tears. Splitting up: Jason said that they tried 'everything possible' to make their relationship work 'We tried, but at the end of the day, we decided to separate. It got to the stage where we looked at each other and we couldn't try anymore. 'We were just suffering under each other's pressure.' A deflated Jason insisted they had tried 'everything possible' to make their relationship work telling the show: 'I was trying everything I can honestly say I've tried everything possible.' Unhappy: The couple went on controversial show Seven Year Switch in a desperate bid to save their marriage after not being intimate with each other for almost two years Michelle has previously spoken about how leaving behind her two kids - Elijah, four, and Indiana, 15 months - was the 'hardest' part of the spouse-swapping experiment. She told mamamia: 'I could not let go and holding on so tight eventually was the undoing of me and ultimately one of the reasons my relationship failed in the end.' Michelle told the publication that after a year of struggling with depression she finally caved in and visited her doctor who diagnosed Post Natal Depression. Split: After two years, they threw in the towel and agreed to go separate ways Hopeful: The pair appeared on the show hopeful they could patch things up Visits to the psychiatrist helped improve her state of mind, she said, and for a while she and Jason appeared to fix the cracks in their relationship. But after the birth of their second child, Indiana, a combination of post birth complications and money problems affected the couple's sex life and PND took a hold again. When they appeared on Seven year Switch, they had not had sex for 17 months and were genuinely hopeful the show counsellors and airing their dirty laundry in public would mend things. Split: After two years, they threw in the towel and agreed to go separate ways Michelle says she spoke openly on the show about her struggles with PND - suffered by a mother following childbirth, typically arising from the combination of hormonal changes, psychological adjustment to motherhood, and fatigue - but it was edited out. Today she is taking medication to control it and feels a lot happier. For help with postnatal depression, contact www.panda.org.au WHAT IS POSTNATAL DEPRESSION After having a baby, up to 80 per cent of women may develop the baby blues between day three and day ten after the birth. This feeling passes in a day or two and is different from postnatal depression (PND). However, around one in seven to ten mothers develop PND within a few days or weeks of giving birth PND can range from a mild feeling of sadness to a paralysing depression We do not know the exact causes of PND, but the enormous physical, emotional and social changes involved in becoming a parent seem to play a significant role Partners can play a big role in helping a woman to recover from PND New fathers can also develop PND, particularly if their partner or wife is depressed Holly Willoughby was all smiles as she made a stylish exit from Londons The Hospital Club on Wednesday night. The TV presenter teamed a camouflage jacket and black jeans following her appearance on Up Late With Rylan Clark. Holly, 35, lengthened her shapely legs with black heels while she let her statement handbag do the talking. Job done: Holly Willoughby was all smiles as she made a stylish exit from Londons The Hospital Club on Wednesday night Her blonde locks were styled in glossy waves while she drew attention to her smile with a classic red lipstick. The bubbly This Morning host had been seen in blue denim jeans as she headed in to film the as live show. She admitted to Rylan on the night that her ideal guest on the This Morning sofa would be Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. Heading home: The TV presenter teamed a camouflage jacket and black jeans following her appearance on Up Late With Rylan Clark Bright and beautiful: The 35-year-old lengthened her shapely legs with black heels while she let her statement handbag do the talking Well-heeled: Her blonde locks were styled in glossy waves while she drew attention to her smile with a classic red lipstick Holly explained: I got to meet her [Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge] at a tea party and Im slightly obsessed with her.shes a normal girl who lived the dream of becoming a Princess. Meanwhile Atomic Kitten star Natasha Hamilton opted for a trendy laid-back ensemble as she teamed a baggy checked shirt with a double side split skirt. She tucked the top into the ribbed midi skirt while she completed her ensemble with black trainers. Safety first: Holly was seen wrapping up in a khaki parker coat and putting on a white helmet Saving time: She then hopped on the back of a motorbike Accessorising with a black backpack, the 33-year-old styled her locks into neat curls and sported shimmery silver eyeshadow. Jennifer Metcalfe was also a guest on the show but chose comfort over style outside the venue as she teamed olive green jersey trousers with brown Ugg boots. She completed her look with a black top and a leather jacket while her locks were swept up into a bun. Looking good: Meanwhile Atomic Kitten star Natasha Hamilton opted for a trendy laid-back ensemble as she teamed a baggy checked shirt with a double side split skirt Keeping it casual: Jennifer Metcalfe was also a guest on the show but chose comfort over style outside the venue as she teamed olive green jersey trousers with brown Ugg boots It's been two weeks to the day since Laurence Fox and estranged wife Billie Piper were granted a divorce. Now no longer wearing his wedding ring, actor-turned-musician Laurence was looking lonely as he stood in London on Wednesday - the day before his birthday - puffing on a cigarette. The 38-year-old seemed to be back in work mode as he was seen for the first time since a decree nisi was granted to 33-year-old Billie on the grounds of 'unreasonable behaviour'. Scroll down for video Looking lonely: Laurence Fox seemed glum on Wednesday as he spent a smoking break by himself in London Laurence blew off some steam in casual garbs, layering a longline blazer over jeans and workman boots. In one hand, he grasped a red iPad and his sleeve of tobacco while using the other to raise his roll-up. His red hair had been cropped shorter than usual, though with it he failed to maintain a clean-shaven appearance and went rugged instead. Divorced: The 38-year-old was granted a divorce from Billie Piper, 33 (right) earlier this month The father-of-two was due to celebrate his 38th birthday the next day, and told his followers on Thursday that he planned to 'spend the evening with my two favourite people in the world. #foxcubs' Billie and Laurence, who wed in 2007, have two sons Winston, seven, and four-year-old Eugene but their marriage was said to have 'irretrievably broken down' by the start of 2016. Laurence has been working on new music of late, having dropped a second album, Holding Patterns in January. He's just finished touring with the album, during which time he's said to have referenced his marriage split on stage in Manchester. Back to work? He carried an iPad as he appeared to return to work following the heartbreak It's alleged that he dedicated his track So Be Damned to his mother-in-law, Mandy Kane Kent, telling the crowd that they had 'beef,' according to The Mirror. His attentions turned to music from acting while he starred in a play called The Patriotic Traitor at the Park Theatre in Finsbury Park. The same month, Laurence and Billie's separation was announced via a Facebook post, shared on his Official page. Birthday boy: He explained that he was looking forward to spending his birthday with his sons on Thursday The details of their divorce followed on May 12, 2016 and a statement released by the pair said that they had 'nothing but respect' for each other as they prepared to move on. The statement read: 'Billie and Laurence wish to clarify that the legal wording referred to in connection with today's reported Decree Nisi is the closest option English law currently offers to a timely no fault divorce. 'They will continue to co parent their children with the utmost mutual respect for each other. Billie and Laurence appeal for privacy at this time.' The war of words between exes Stephanie Davis and Jeremy McConnell plummeted to a new low on Thursday morning. Former Hollyoaks actress Stephanie, who claims she is pregnant with the Irish model's child, alleged her ex had a serious drug problem and begged him to go to rehab. In response, Jeremy, 26, vehemently denied he was abusing narcotics and accused Stephanie, 23, of having an affair with her ex-boyfriend Sam Reece during their rocky four-month romance. Scroll down for video No love lost: Jeremy McConnell and Stephanie Davis, pictured in February, were involved in a war of words on Twitter on Thursday morning 'Healthy mind and body': The Irish male model posted a lengthy statement on Twitter on Thursday, denying he had a drug problem and accusing her of having an affair with her ex Sam Reece The former Beauty School Cop-Out star also denies Stephanie's claims that he is the father of her unborn child. Posting a lengthy statement on Twitter on Thursday, he wrote: 'Was gonna stay quiet about the whole thing and just let it come out normally, first of all I'd like to let people know I'm perfectly healthy mind and body and have took the break up privately, but when me and my family are effected by what I'd call a person with no shame, she is slandering me and trying to portray me in a certain light for a reason, to make me look like a terrible lad. 'People can choose to believe or not. I do not care. For months she was seeing Sam behind my back and now in Ibiza together. It will all unfold in time. 'People don't know what I put with in that relationship. I was never perfect but please, don't believe 90 per cent of what she says. I've messed up but I'd never be as evil. This will be my last message about her #bookclosed.' Fighting back: Stephanie, pictured on holiday before her pregnancy announcement, claims Jeremy is the father of her unborn child, which he denies On Wednesday night, he tweeted: 'I'm as shocked as all you are at this whole saga, I'm sure you can join the dots yourself #letmelive. 'She's not pregnant with my child come on. It's all lies I've been told by her friends.' The following morning, an angry Steph hit back: 'Tell me I'm not pregnant and keep denying your child, and I#ll throw u right under that bus as the s**t I have in u, u would never survive!' Responding to Jeremy's claims she's in Spain with her ex - who she dumped on TV after falling for Jeremy on Celebrity Big Brother - Stephanie posted a photo of her legs on a balcony in Liverpool. She wrote: 'Sorry does his tweet not show how f**ked he is... I'm in Ibiza with Sam.......... Sure I'm in Liverpool. Turbulent: Stephanie and Jeremy dated for four months and split numerous times 'Let's look positively he needs this to sort his life out , for all u to understand what I've been through with his crazy mind. It's all good.' Jeremy's statement came an hour after Stephanie posted her own lengthy essay, accusing her ex of failing to turn up for baby scans. She wrote: 'I think its disgusting that Jeremy hasnt turned up for scans and is constantly drunk and partying, the stress he has had me under. Ive already been in hospital once with pains and stress. 'I dont hate the lad I feel very VERY sorry for him the fact no one is getting him the help he needs. His management should have him in rehab and sorting his life out so he can then be there for his child before he dies. 'I wouldnt mind but dont WANT to get someone pregnant and have a family. To not be there. Im happy doing it alone. Off for a chilled week away with bump. 'Been doing this since his act from Big Brother was over after sleeping with what 9 girls now? Boy need help. Sort it out and be a dad. Bye for now, Steph.' On Wednesday night, Stephanie shared a brief video clip - believed to taken in April during their holiday in Cape Verde - of a bloodied Jeremy. Concerns: The former Hollyoaks actress accused Jeremy of being a drug addict and urged him to go to rehab Former flame: Jeremy accused Stephanie of having an affair with her ex-boyfriend Sam Reece, who she dumped to date the Irish male model in January In the nine second clip, Jeremy is heard to say: 'This is going straight on Twitter and you're going to watch it go on Twitter. You're going to watch this go on Twitter. You don't think I will? You don't think I will?' A voice that sounds like Stephanie is heard off camera, saying: 'Get off me. Get the f**k off.' Tweeting afterwards, she declared: 'U all give me s**t... U have no idea what I've put up with, with that man, now, I'm going to look after me & my baby. Now u know! #dontjudge.' Responding to the video posting, Jeremy tweeted on Wednesday: 'We were in Africa , I videoed it, I never once outed her for the abuse, she done it herself #truth. After someone tweeted him 'there was video evidence of the behaviour', he replied: 'I took the video.' At the time of their visit to Cape Verde, Jeremy was reported to have been hospitalised and needed six stitches in his hand during a row with his girlfriend. A source told The Sun last month: 'Jeremy and Stephanie had a huge fight last night which ended with him having to get six stitches. They were both screaming foul language and a number of guests complained as they had small children with them. 'When the hotel's security came to the room the place was trashed. Stephanie verbally attacked them too and they eventually had to call the police to calm things down. Reception staff have described them as the worst guests they've ever had.' MailOnline has reached out to Jeremy's reps for comment, while Stephanie's spokesperson declined to comment. Moving on: Stephanie, pictured last weekend, claims she is pregnant with Jeremy's baby, which he has vehemently denied Following a week of speculation and deleted tweets, the actress confirmed her pregnancy in an interview with OK! magazine on Monday. She said: 'My pregnancy was a shock but I can't wait to be a mum. I hope that Jeremy will want to be a part of this baby's life, but if he decides not to then I am prepared to raise our baby on my own. 'I'm so excited to be a parent, I couldn't be happier.' Meanwhile, The Only Way Is Essex star Danielle Armstrong has denied having a private message conversation with Stephanie back in February, which was shared on Twitter on Thursday. Steph shared a conversation appearing to be between the two women discussing Jeremy and Megan McKenna following a night out at Sheesh in Chigwell, Essex, which also included what seemed to be Danielle's mobile phone number. However, Danielle's rep told MailOnline that the conversation was fabricated and it isn't even the TOWIE's star phone number. He said: 'Danielle is completely shocked that Steph would take to social media to fabricate an entire conversation that never occurred and in turn, a Twitter profile to corroborate it alongside a fake phone number. 'It is clear that Stephanie is a distraught and unstable woman at present and Danielle hopes that she seeks the necessary help to recover.' On-screen romance: Stephanie and Jeremy fell for each other on Celebrity Big Brother in January - while she was still dating Sam Reece Innocent: Stephanie tried to drag Danielle Armstrong (pictured with Jeremy and Megan McKenna in February 2016) into the row by sharing a fabricated conversation with TOWIE star on Twitter She is the undisputed queen of the culinary double entendre and likes to keep her cooking show peppered with plenty of innuendos. And Nigella Lawson certainly did not disappoint when she gave a masterclass to the MasterChef Australia contestants on Thursday night. The world-famous cook started as she meant to go on by squelching chicken thighs together in a bag for her tequila and lime chicken. Cheeky: Nigella Lawson delivered a cooking masterclass which was stuffed full of suggestive innuendos during Thursday's episode of MasterChef Australia And when making the lemon curd for her pavlova, Nigella said she wanted it so sharp that it would make her 'cheeks squeak'. She revealed that the recipe for her tequila chicken dish was inspired by her 'cocktail cabinet' at home. 'I cook chicken so often and in so many different ways, but I'm rather fond of this one. I suppose the inspiration came from the cocktail cabinet.' See MasterChef Australia updates as Nigella Lawson delivers masterclass to contestants Suggestive: The world-famous cook started as she meant to go on by squelching chicken thighs together in a bag for her tequila and lime chicken Saucy: She revealed that the recipe for her tequila chicken dish was inspired by her 'cocktail cabinet' at home Wearing a black top and turquoise cardigan, Nigella was seen rolling a lime across a chopping board. 'Roll it with the heel of your hand against the board. It'll just get more juice out,' she said. 'Some people say 'put it in a microwave', but I always prefer to use brute force.' Nigella then placed chicken in a bag and started massaging it together with some of the juice. 'Now we get the best bit. Would you like to do some squelching?' she asked judge Matt Preston. 'I feel like you're not having any of the fun.' She then turned up the heat in the kitchen and started preparing the chillies for her spicy dish. 'Now, I'm going according to my tastes and making this really hot and leaving the seeds in,' she said. Innuendos: And when making the lemon curd for her pavlova, Nigella said she wanted it so sharp that it would make her 'cheeks squeak' Tasty: Nigella sprinkled crushed almonds of top of her lemon pavolva 'It does blow your head off. I do like it very fiery.' Her sensual cooking style came to a head when she was making her lemon pavlova. She told the watching contestants that they would need two lemons to make it 'sharp enough'. 'For me, lemon curd always has to be sharp, but especially when it's going on a pavlova. I really want it to make my cheeks squeak,' she said. She then asked Matt Preston: 'Want to squeeze some lemons?' While spreading the lemon curd on top of the meringue base, she said: 'Quite a thin layer will do it. 'But I like to push it quite near the end because I like when it starts being a bit messy and dribbling down.' Flirty: Nigella Lawson unleashed her feminine charms on MasterChef Australia contestant Matt Sinclair while trying his carrot cake, even saying it makes you want to 'feed someone and make them happy' Happy: Matt Sinclair replied: 'That's how I want people to feel when they look at my food' Nigella then described how the cream needed to have a voluptuous softness. She said: 'I don't like cream that's beaten too thick. I think it has to be aerated and thick but a kind of voluptuous softness about it. 'For me, a pavlova is a dreamy creation. Bit more lemon zest. And when I first made this, I knew I needed something else.' During her masterclass, the mother-of-two also spoke about how cooking was like bringing up children. 'You know, I always feel that cooking is a bit like child rearing,' she said. 'You know, they feel the fear in your voice, so you've got to have a certain amount of confidence and authority - or, at least, make it seem as if you have - otherwise, nothing behaves.' Sent home: Con Vailas was eliminated after his Thyme pound cake failed to meet the mark Emotional: Con was seen in tears when he hugged judge Matt Preston goodbye Earlier on Thursday night's episode Con Vailas was sent home after his pound cake failed to meet the mark. Nigella unleashed her feminine charms on Matt Sinclair while trying his carrot cake with candied walnuts, even saying it makes you want to 'feed someone and make them happy'. Wearing a form-fitting black dress, Nigella told him: 'It is everything a home-baked cake should be. 'A little bit messy, things are spilling out around the middle where the top is squished onto the bottom, that pile-up of golden crumb and nuts. 'It looks generous and it makes you want to feed someone and make them happy. I love that.' She may have had a 24-hour flight ahead of her. But former Home And Away actress, 28, appeared decidedly chic as she strolled toward the airport in Sydney on Wednesday ahead of her flight to London. Joined by her husband Luke Mitchell, 31, the brunette flaunted her sartorial prowess by donning a pair of thigh-high heeled boots in grey suede matched with a fluffy knitted jumper. Flying high in style: Former Home And Away actress, 28, appeared decidedly chic as she strolled toward the airport in Sydney on Wednesday ahead of her flight to London She completed her look with a pair of comfortable black leggings and a low-hanging gemstone pendant necklace. Meanwhile, her handsome beau was clad in a faded blue sweater matched with khaki trousers and a pair of grey sneakers. The pair were seen hugging Rebecca's parents before beaming at onlookers while wheeling their hefty luggage toward the departures terminal. Well-clad lad! Meanwhile, her handsome beau was clad in a faded blue sweater matched with khaki trousers and a pair of grey sneakers The lovebirds moved from Sydney to the USA in 2013 to pursue their Hollywood dream. Since leaving Home And Away in 2012, Luke and Rebecca, who played Romeo Smith and Ruby Buckton respectively, have made efforts to forge successful careers abroad. Starring in The Tomorrow People, Luke's high-concept science fiction series was his first major role in the U.S. and he played futuristic freedom fighter John Young. Following its cancellation in 2014, the Australian heartthrob was cast in American TV series, Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Parting is such sweet sorrow: The pair were seen hugging Rebecca's parents before beaming at onlookers while wheeling their hefty luggage toward the departures terminal Last year, it was announced he'd be playing Lincoln, who works closely with one of the sexy lead stars on the show Chloe Bennet's character, Skye. Meanwhile, Rebecca briefly starred in CBS television series TV series, We Are Me, before its cancellation, but went on to land a role on popular dramas Pretty Little Liars and The Originals. In February, it was revealed she had landed the lead role in the pilot episode of the upcoming legal drama Miranda's Rights after a competitive audition process. She turned heads at the Cannes Film Festival last week where she shared the red-carpet with ex-fiance, Sean Penn. But Charlize Theron can finally breathe a sigh of relief after she arrived back in Los Angeles's LAX airport without her former flame. The 40-year-old actress was comfortably dressed as she made her way through the airport on Wednesday in all the flight essentials. Scroll down for video Back in town: Charlize Theron, 40, arrived back at Lax, Los Angeles on Wednesday The South African beauty opted for a sheer blue sweater, which she layered with a white basic top underneath. She paraded forth in ankle-length grey jeans and black trainers while sporting a grey hoodie tied around her waist. Making sure she was prepared after landing in the sunny surroundings of California, she went make-up free and shielded her eyes behind a pair of black sunglasses. Adding the final touch to her flying look, Charlize tied her blonde locks up in a tight bun. The star meandered through the airport to head home for a spot of rest, which was understandable after her glamorous non-stop work duties in the south of France. Staples: The South African beauty opted for a sheer blue knit top, which she layered with a white top underneath. Cutting a more jovial display at The Last Face screening last week, she posed up a storm with her co-star, Adele Exarchopoulos. Charlize exuded confidence in an androgynous trouser suit which she teamed with a plunging white top and diamond-encrusted chain around her neck. Joining Charlize on the celebrity laden red carpet was her former flame Sean, who directed the movie, which also stars Javier Bardem and Jean Reno. Relations between Sean and Charlize seem particularly frosty as they promoted their joint film at a photocall earlier in the day, as they reunited on the world's stage for the first time since they called off their engagement in 2015. Hollywood beauty The Mad Max: Fury Road star proved trouser suits could still be sexy as she posed before the sea of photographers in a black ensemble that comprised of a tailored blazer and black flared trousers If looks could kill: The Oscar-winner looked less than impressed with her former love Sean Penn during a press conference The ex-lovers, who ended their relationship after a year-and-a-half together, kept their distance at the event though the award-winning actress looked to have taken the metaphorical high ground in the form of her show-stopping display. But Charlize's mood appeared to juxtapose greatly with her sweet and flirty look as the actress was pictured giving her former partner a less than friendly look at the press conference. Reports emerged in June 2015 claiming that Charlize had cut off contact with the actor-turned-director after they spent time together promoting her movie Mad Max: Fury Road at last year's Cannes Film Festival. Trend-setter: The South African starlet offset the look with a white shirt that boasted an incredibly low-cut neckline that provocatively conceded just above the navel, though Charlize ensured the garment didn't swamp her enviably svelte frame by tucking it into her waistband Charlize later denied the 'ghosting' reports in an interview with WSJ magazine in April, when she said: 'There is a need to sensationalize things. When you leave a relationship there has to be some f***ing crazy story or some crazy drama. 'And the f***ing ghosting thing, like literally, I still don't even know what it is. It's just its own beast. We were in a relationship and then it didn't work anymore. And we both decided to separate. That's it.' Charlize is now concentrating all her efforts on her villainous role in Fast and Furious' new movie- Fast 8, alongside Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel. She recently went on an angry rant in which she appeared to tweet the phone number of her fathers alleged mistress. And Kelly Osbourne continued to show no remorse for her actions as she once again stepped out in New York days after the incident. The 31-year-old was joined by a male companion as she took her peg dog Polly for a walk in the Spring sunshine on Wednesday. Scroll down for video Tweet away: Kelly Osbourne continued to show no remorse for her actions as she once again stepped out in New York days after the incident Shielding her eyes with large cat eye shades, the TV personality was dressed casually in a black jumpsuit. Meanwhile her father Ozzy Osbourne was in Birmingham on Thursday to celebrate having a Tram named after him by Midland Metro Trams. Dressed in all-black, the rocker put on a brave face during his public appearance in the midst in his 'cheating' scandal. Out and about: The 31-year-old was joined by a male companion as she took her peg dog Polly for a walk in the Spring sunshine on Wednesday Sombre: Ozzy was in Birmingham on Thursday to celebrate having a Tram named after him by Midland Metro Trams Big deal: The rocker put on a brave face during his public appearance in the midst in his 'cheating' scandal And Kelly's mother Sharon has revealed she was proud of her outspoken offspring's tweets. Sharon, 63, has remained steely-faced amid claims Ozzy enjoyed a romance with US hairdresser, Michelle Pugh and insisted she found the shocking move amusing. The Real Talk show host quipped: 'Oh, Kelly has the best sense of humour ever. And you know what? In cases like this, what can you do but laugh? Feisty: Kelly recently went on an angry rant in which she appeared to tweet the phone number of her fathers alleged mistress Got her back: Kelly's mother Sharon has revealed she was proud of her outspoken offspring's tweets 'What are you gonna do - be angry with her because she loves her mom and dad and she wants us to be together? She loves us. She can do what she wants, because she's an adult. You have to laugh. She is just so funny. I'm always proud of my girl.' Kelly tweeted a lewd message along with a phone number as she seemed to allude to the alleged 'other woman' by making reference to her profession. She wrote: 'Anyone looking for cheap chunky LOW-lights a blow out and a b***j** call...' Sharon confirmed she'd split from the 'Paranoid' hitmaker, whom she married in 1982, on 'The Talk' earlier this month as she thanked fans for their support. Making it public: Kelly took to Twitter to express her true feelings about her father's alleged indiscretions with hair stylist, Michelle Pugh Hurt: The 31-year-old former Fashion Police star took to Twitter earlier this week to share Michelle's number on Twitter - yet Sharon, 63, insists she found the shocking move amusing Her co-host Sara Gilbert also defended Kelly, kindly saying to the Brixton-born superstar: 'She's got your back.' Meanwhile, it has been claimed Michelle was more interested in Sharon than the 67-year-old rocker. A source told Page Six: 'She wants to be Sharon. That's why she wanted Ozzy. She didn't really care about him. She wanted everyone to know that she and Ozzy were together. Ozzy will never talk to that woman again.' It was previously claimed Ozzy had allegedly been sleeping with his hairdresser for some time and Sharon even discovered he had been "supporting" the woman. Happier times: Kelly tweeted a lewd message along with a phone number as she seemed to allude to the alleged 'other woman' by making reference to her profession Simple but stylish: Far from troubled by the drama, Kelly did not look even slightly sheepish on Tuesday carrying a box for a new iPhone A source revealed: 'Sharon found out about the affair by searching through Ozzy's emails. She was upset that he was supporting this woman!' After she found out about her spouse's alleged infidelity, Kelly and Sharon bombarded Michelle's place of work, believed to be the upmarket Meche Salon in Beverly Hills, with phone calls and subsequently had her fired. The insider explained: 'She and Kelly both called the salon repeatedly for about two weeks before the news broke, trying to get in touch with Michelle. They were really angry. Sharon is the reason Michelle was let go.' Walks to her own beat: The Australia's Got Talent star flaunted her eccentric hair for the casual outing New look: She tied the top part of her lilac hair into a small round bun as she showed off her shaved sides in the mohawk style hairdo Far from troubled by the drama, Kelly did not look even slightly sheepish as she stepped out in New York on Tuesday carrying a box for a new iPhone. She sported a flowing black short sleeved dress and a pair of cat eye sunglasses as she wandered the streets of the Big Apple with a male friend. She tied the top part of her lilac hair into a small round bun as she showed off her shaved sides in the mohawk style hairdo. It's no wonder Kelly looked to be in a contemplative mood given the attention her family has received later. Best pals: The lilac haired talk show host sported a flowing black short sleeved dress and a pair of cat eye sunglasses as she wandered the streets of the Big Apple with a male friend With her heavily-tattooed skin and phenomenal figure, she is bound to turn heads. Yet Jemma Lucy turned heads for the wrong reasons during a quick break from her duties at Manchester Fashion Week on Thursday. The 28-year-old Ex On The Beach star sported a loose-fitting vest top with tattered tracksuit bottoms - yet she suffered an unfortunate mishap when her right breast fell out of the top. Scroll down for video Oops! Jemma Lucy turned heads for the wrong reasons during a quick break from her duties at Manchester Fashion Week on Thursday Jemma, who soared to fame in the third season of Ex On The Beach, looked totally comfy and casual as she rocked the loose-fitting cotton look. Her vest top featured perilously slashed vest top which boasted a monochrome tie-dye band around the base and a black top with a white trim. Her navy tracksuit bottoms were laden with slashed and rips - proffering a glimpse at her tanned and toned legs beneath, while also adding a rocky edge. Keeping things super low-key, she paired the ensemble with a pair of box fresh white trainers which helped enhance her bronzed tan even further. Pretty: The 28-year-old Ex On The Beach star sported a loose-fitting vest top with tattered tracksuit bottoms - yet she suffered an unfortunate mishap when her right breast fell out of the top While her outfit was relatively casual, it was far from her ensemble which caught the eye after her right breast popped out of the side of the top due to her choice to go braless. Far from being embarrassed by the mishap, Jemma looked highly amused by the nip-slip as she comically dropped her jaw and look shocked. Her blue tresses were scraped into a high bun to keep out of her face and to add further to the casual feel of her ensemble. Cheeky! While her outfit was relatively casual, it was far from her ensemble which caught the eye after her right breast popped out of the side of the top due to her choice to go braless Model good looks: Jemma was sure to take to Instagram to detail events from her turn at the northern take on London fashion week - sharing images as she walked in shows Due to her turn as a catwalk model at the show, her make-up was flawlessly applied with lashings of eye make-up surrounding her flawless skin and plumped up pout. Jemma was sure to take to Instagram to detail events from her turn at the northern take on London fashion week - sharing images as she walked in shows. She showed her 302,000 followers a stunning shot from the catwalk as she shared an image with the caption: 'Manchester fashion week wearing @mycommongoods on the runway ... #MCGSwatch'. Jemma also shared a throwback to her recent trip to Thailand -- showing her in a bikini on a boat. She played fragile, neurotic single mother Fiona on NBC sitcom About a Boy. But in real life Minnie Driver is a happy, doting mother to seven-year-old son Henry, with whom she was spotted at the Santa Monica Pier on Wednesday. The 46-year-old showed off a big smile as she treated her little boy to a day of fun while they enjoyed the Southern California attraction's games and rides for a school event. Mother-son bonding: Minnie Driver looked to be having a blast on Wednesday as she treated son Henry to a day at the Santa Monica Pier Minnie wore a form-fitting white T-shirt for the family bonding day, sporting the top tucked into a pair of olive green trousers. The trousers featured a blue and brown geometric embellishment on her right leg, and she accessorized them with a wide, studded, brown leather belt. She coupled those with a pair of brown, leather boots, also covering up with a red and cream-colored zip-up jacket. Laid-back: The actress dressed casually, sporting a white T-shirt, patterned, olive green trousers, and tan, studded boots At times the actress bundled up, wearing the coat zipped, and she carried a large, tan leather tote, in which she stashed a prize her son had won from games on the pier. Her long, brunette tresses were worn in voluminous curls, and she kept her make-up simple, showing off a more natural look. Her son Henry sported a white T-shirt and navy blue shorts, as well as a pair of high-top sneakers for their day of fun. Winner, winner: Henry was spotted carrying a large, stuffed animal snake that he likely won from a game as they walked around the pier The young boy carried a fairground prize of a large furry snake - which was later seen stuffed into Minnie's bag - as they walked around the pier together. The two looked to be enjoying themselves and their mother-son bonding, showing off big smiles while walking around on the pier. Minnie is next set to appear in new ABC series Speechless, about a mom (Minnie) on a mission who will do anything for her husband Jimmy (John Ross Bowie), her kids Ray (Mason Cook), Dylan (Kyla Kennedy), and JJ (Micah Fowler) - her eldest son with special needs. She adopted a new puppy just two weeks ago. And supermodel Helena Christensen and son Mingus Reedus, 16, already looked devoted to their new furry friend Kuma as they took the pup to the park in New York City on Tuesday. The 46-year-old and the teenager - who she shares with her ex, The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus- looked casually stylish in a pretty floral dress. Casual style: Model Helena Christensen and son Mingus Reedus took their new puppy Kuma for a walk in New York City on Tuesday The duo appeared relaxed as they strolled to the park and then played with the energetic puppy. The Danish beauty left her brunette hair down in a layered look, and accessorized with casual sandals. She added a gold necklace and carried a grey leather handbag over her shoulder as they strolled to the park to give the miniature Australian Shepherd some exercise. Day out: The 47-year-old wore a floral wrap dress as she spent time with her teenage son Heel! The model looked in high spirits as she played with the cute miniature Australian Shepherd pup at the park Energetic: Helena kept one hand on her dress as she raced Kuma over the lawn Helena and her son brought the puppy home with them two weeks ago, and she put out a call to fans for name suggestions on Instagram, before settling on Kuma. 'Finally named, Kuma, which means bear in Japanese (rilakkuma cartoon bears, definition of cute)' she wrote on Instagram last week. The model appeared to be having a blast as she spent some quality time with her son and their new charge. Relaxed: Mingus, whose father is The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus, sprawled out on the grass as they enjoyed the park Cutie: Helena settled on the name Kuma - which means bear in Japanese - for the pup after asking fans for suggestions on Instagram last week Holding her dress down to avoid a wardrobe malfunction, Helena laughed as she raced the pup over the grass. Mingus looked relaxed in black skinny jeans and white sneakers with colorful laces, as he kicked back on the lawn while Helena gave the adorable pup some treats after playtime. The model was also seen with her new pup by her side as she popped out on a coffee run on Tuesday. Coffee break: The Danish model had her beloved puppy by her side as she stepped out for a coffee and snack on Tuesday City style: The supermodel wore a blue patterned summer dress and black ballet flats She again showed off her casual style in a blue patterned dress. Helena covered up in a hat and large sunglasses, and added black ballet flats for her stroll. The model snacked on a sandwich as she and Kuma crossed the Manhattan street. Daisy Lowe and Thomas Cohen have split up after dating for five months. A source exclusively told MailOnline: Daisy and Thomas split about a month ago. Its all very amicable, they had lots of fun and a great time together. It just sort of fizzled out and had run its course. Daisy, 27, and the rocker, 26, only went public with their romance at the start of the year, but are said to have noted a growing attraction as far back as October. It's all over: Daisy Lowe and Thomas Cohen have split up after dating for five months - pictured enjoying a very public smooch in January when they first got together It just sort of fizzled out': Daisy is single once again after the relationship ran its course But the pair were first linked in January after a suggestive snap of Thomas posing alongside Daisy's behind on Instagram during their New Year break in Miami appeared online. They were pictured during that week holidaying together, along with close friend, singer, Rita Ora. Later that month, Daisy even introduced Thomas to her father, Gavin Rossdale, during a leisurely coffee date. Since then, they were pictured together on various daytime dates, occasionally with Thomas's two sons Astala, three, and Phaedra, two. In happier times: A source exclusively told MailOnline: Daisy and Thomas split about a month ago. Its all very amicable, they had lots of fun and a great time together' - pictured at the start of their romance Back to mates: The pair put on a giddy display when they wore fancy dress to Daisy's belated birthday party at the end of January - but it was not meant to be The last picture: The couple put on a show of affection when they stepped out holding hands, ahead of Thomas' solo gig, when he performed material from his new solo album at the Moth Club in London The pair's romance was rumoured to have hit the skids back in March. The couple put on a show of affection when they stepped out holding hands, ahead of Thomas' solo gig, when he performed material from his new solo album at the Moth Club in London. That was the last time they were pictured out together. A month before, they put on a very loving display as they took Thomas' eldest son, Astala to the park. It appears they grew close while supporting each other over their mutual grief following the death of Peaches of a heroin overdose in 2014. While Thomas a father-of-two, Daisy told the Daily Telegraph she isn't ready to start a family herself back in February. She explained: 'I am a traditional girl. One day. Im not ready for it any time soon, but yeah, course. My whole family would only want that. 'They want to see me get married and they want to have grandchildren.' Thomas remains close to Peaches's family, including her younger sister Pixie, who is one of Daisy's closest pals. Talking to Now magazine, Daisy refused to officially confirm the romance, but said: 'I'm never going to talk about my personal life, never... I am so happy, thanks, yeah. I'm about good vibes all around. Putting a brave face on things: Daisy appeared to be in high spirits when she attended the Marilyn Monroe Legacy of a Legend Exhibition private view in London on Wednesday evening Model behaviour: She looked wonderful in a black dress and Christian Louboutin heels The daughter of Pearl Lowe and rocker Gavin Rossdale also spoke to GQ magazine recently in which she spoke about her relationships with men in general. She said in the past: 'I've been seeing men that either remind me of my mother, or remind me of my father. 'I either end up care-taking or being abandoned, so I've had enough of my romantic instincts. I need to date away from type.' Daisy has been linked to Matt Smith, Harry Styles, Mark Ronson and Will Cameron. Thomas married Daisy's best friend Peaches in 2012 - she passed away from a heroin overdose in April 2014. He proved his beloved spouse will always be in his heart as he appeared to pay tribute to the late star during one of his most recent gigs. He played songs from his forthcoming album Bloom Forever to an intimate crowd in Village Underground, Shoreditch. Close: Daisy pictured with her late best friend Peaches Geldof in 2013, who was married to Thomas Cohen at the time (far right) Peaches tragically died from a heroin overdose in April 2014 Thomas crooned a host of tracks which he reportedly revealed were about 'living in Kent' - a seeming nod to the family home they shared in Wrotham, where Peaches tragically passed away aged 25 following a drug overdose. He sang: 'You couldnt make it through. Time to say goodbye. Holding onto each other and sing to one another. Everyone knows the house feels so cold. Just to say goodbye.' Daisy talked about losing her friend, telling a magazine in May: I think about [her] a lot. Shes very missed. Very loved. And I hope that she is happy... happy up there. Its funny. I end up kind of talking to her. I still think I see her. The romance between Thomas and Peaches started in December 2010 and Peaches talked happily about her infatuation with his beauty. He said: From the moment we went out... I knew I didnt want to spend a day away from her really for the rest of my life. I fell in love the first night we spent with each other. Their son Astala was born in April 2012 and they married six months later in St Mary Magdalene and St Lawrence church near Faversham in Kent, where Paulas funeral was held. Phaedra was born the following year. Five months before her death, Peaches was clean. And in the weeks beforehand, she attended rehab appointments and collected subscriptions for heroin substitute methadone. Yet, as events went on to show, addiction still gripped her. After her death, Cohen led the tributes: My beloved wife Peaches was adored by myself and her two sons. I shall bring them up with their mother in their hearts every day. We shall love her for ever. Amber Heard looked poised and relaxed as she was photographed jetting into Los Angeles last week. But less than a week later she filed for divorce from her husband of 15 months Johnny Depp, just days after the death of his mother, Betty Sue Palmer. With no pre-nup to protect the $400million in assets the 52-year-old built up over a lifetime in showbusiness, he is facing an expensive court battle - with his estranged wife asking for spousal support. Scroll down for video Splashing cash: Amber Heard is seen last week jetting into Los Angeles, shortly before she filed for divorce from Johnny Depp Perhaps Johnny should have listened to Amber herself, who issued a barely disguised warning to her husband-to-be back in 2014. Already romancing the A-lister, she told W magazine: 'Whenever my old friends meet someone Im involved with romantically, they immediately warn them: "She may look refined, but when shes angry, she can go trailer park really fast."' Even before she became Mrs Johnny Depp, Amber Heard's love life was already making headlines. The actress publicly came out at as bisexual in 2010, while attending a GLAAD event with her partner at the time, Tasya van Ree. The two women enjoyed a passionate four-year-relationship - with their romance flourishing even as Amber charmed Johnny on the set of The Rum Diary in 2009. Former love: The actress publicly came out at as bisexual in 2010, while attending a GLAAD event with her partner at the time, Tasya van Ree; the two are pictured at an event in November of that year 'You cant respect yourself if youre afraid to be who you are,' Amber insisted in an interview with Woman's Health, as she aggressively urged other Hollywood stars to come out of the closet. 'It requires bravery to do something no one else around you is doing,' she said. And, she added: Im with who Im with, I love who I love. I think that the injustice of people staying in the closet is more than I can bear with a clear conscience and I couldnt sleep at night if I was a part of that problem, if I was part of the lies. 'I personally think that if you deny something or if you hide something youre inadvertently admitting its wrong. I dont feel like Im wrong. I dont feel like millions of people are wrong because they love who they love or they were born how they were born.' Close: Amber and Tasya remained friends after their split; they are seen in a 2011 file picture Indeed even after Amber split from Tasya in 2011 the two women were frequently pictured together. Amber was then seen multiple times with beautiful French model Marie de Villepin, although the two never commented on reports of a romance. But, as Amber and Johnny embarked on a lengthy promotional tour for The Rum Diary in 2011, the older actor doggedly pursued the younger beauty. In the months since filming ended he had split from long-term love Vanessa Paradis, the mother of his two teenage children. The Danish Girl star Amber nicknamed Johnny Tonto, the character he portrayed in his expensive flop The Lone Ranger. Linked: After Amber split from Tasya she was seen with beautiful French model Marie de Villepin, although the two never commented on reports of a romance; file picture from May 2012 Then in late 2012, shortly after Johnny's split from Vanessa made headlines, he confirmed his new relationship. Amber and Johnny wed in February 2015, in a small ceremony at their Los Angeles home, despite reports that their relationship was already in trouble. In May Amber jetted to Australia to visit her husband on the set of his Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales movie. As always she brought along her two dogs, Pistol and Boo. But the actress had not applied for permission to bring the animals into the country - a mistake that saw the couple forced to make a cringeworthy grovelling apology video in order to escape a jail term. When asked last year about rumours of marital strife, Amber told the U.S. edition of Marie Claire magazine: 'I try not to react to the horrible misrepresentation of our lives, but it is strange and hard.' First met: Amber is said to have charmed Johnny on the set of The Rum Diary in 2009; it was only in 2012 after his split from Vanessa Paradis that the pair began dating Amber grew up in small town Texas, leaving school at just 16, because, as she later admitted, she was 'bored'. The Paranoia star then travelled the world when she was 17 because she was desperate to get out of the 'deeply conservative Southern ideals' of her rural upbringing, and she was delighted to escape to Los Angeles, where she felt able to express her personality. She explained: 'Texas wasn't the ideal place to express individualism. I was always told what a woman should be. I realised I was alone, that I didn't belong there. I felt like I was dying creatively. 'I craved a place where I could express myself. By the time I got to LA, I knew nobody, had no money, I could carry all my possessions on my back. 'When I think of it now, it seems scary. But I loved it. I had no responsibilities, and I felt incredibly liberated. That was 10 years ago.' Set to wed: The couple, seen in January last year, were already rumoured to be having relationship issues when they married in February 2015 THE JOHNNY DEPP AND AMBER HEARD DIARIES JUNE 2012 The pair, who met on the 2009 set of The Rum Diary, released in 2011, are romantically linked shortly after Depp's split from his long-term love Vanessa Paradis. Amber, who is bisexual, previously dated Tasya van Ree. SEPTEMBER 2012 Amber calls off their romance, but Johnny woos her back with a personally-penned poem and a bouquet of roses every day throughout the month of September to convince her to give him another chance, Page Six reported at the time. His plan eventually works and she flies out to his private island, Little Hall's Pond Cay in the Bahamas, for a mini vacation. MAY 2013 The couple move in together after Depp forks out $16 million on a ranch in Nashville, Tennessee, as a love nest for his new girlfriend. JANUARY 2014 Amber is spotted with a black pearl and diamond ring on her engagement finger at L.A. restaurant Ago and friends later confirm they plan to wed. APRIL 2014 Johnny raves about his fiancee. He tells Today.com: 'She's a wonderful girl. She's sharp as a tack. A southern belle and sweet as can be, and very good for me.' Later that month he reveals he wants to have more children. He tells Entertainment Tonight: 'I love kids. I have two, and they're perfect. Man, I'd make 100. But I've got the easy gig, right?' NOVEMBER 2014 Johnny appears drunk at the Hollywood Film Awards, slurring his way through an embarrassing speech on stage. Amber is apparently mortified with the sloppy display, with sources saying she thought he'd made a 'fool' of himself. DECEMBER 2014 Insiders claim their relationship is in trouble. A source close to the pair tells People: 'Johnny is crazy in love with Amber, but there is turmoil in the relationship.' FEBRUARY 2015 The pair press ahead with their marriage, legally tying the knot at their home in Los Angeles on February 3 so Johnny's ailing mother can attend. The following weekend, they exchange vows again on his private island in the Bahamas, Little Hall's Pond Cay. MARCH 2015 Johnny injures his hand in Australia and returns to the U.S. for surgery, delaying production on the latest Pirates Of The Caribbean movie. APRIL 2015 Johnny fails to show up on the Australian set of 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales', where he was expected to resume filming. Production on the movie is reshuffled so they can work without him. Sources claim Johnny and Amber have started 'fighting a lot', but they are pictured together in Brisbane, Australia, on April 20. MAY 2015 Australian authorities threaten to kill Johnny and Amber's dogs. Australian Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce has revealed they just 50 hours to remove his two Yorkshire terrier pooches from the country or they will be 'destroyed. The pair failed to adhere to quarantine laws and instead 'snuck' the pooches in on a private jet. The next day, Depp jets the two pet dogs back to the US. JUNE 2015 Amber describes herself as 'fiercely independent.' When asked about married life, she tells Elle magazine: 'Nothing is a dramatic change. We've been together for a long time now, so it's been a fairly organic process. I have a fiercely independent spirit. I fall in love [with Johnny] again and again.' She added: 'We have a fairly normal, um [relationship]. I guess, we do our best. He has his life, and I have mine, and our challenge is to be able to find time to be together. We're very happy. Very.' JULY 2015 Amber is charged over smuggling her dogs into Australia. She is summoned to appear in court in Queensland after she illegally smuggled their Yorkshire terriers into the country on a private plane. She is charged with two counts of illegal importation and one count of producing a false document after breaking the country's quarantine laws. APRIL 2016 Amber Heard's dog smuggling charges are dropped after she pleads guilty to supplying false documents. Amber and her Black Mass actor husband attended Southport Magistrate's Court in Queensland, where she admitted to lying on her arrival card on entering the country. Her lawyer told the court she was under the impression Johnny's staff had dealt with the two dog's travel forms when they arrived in April. He also claimed that Amber had 'nothing in it' to fill in the forms incorrectly and that it was a 'terrible mistake'. MAY 25, 2016 Johnny Depp appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to promote his new film Alice Through The Looking Glass. He jokes about the dog fiasco, comparing Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce to Hannibal Lecter. He gives no indication of marriage troubles, nor does he reveal his mother recently passed away. MAY 26, 2016 News breaks that Amber has filed for divorce from Johnny after just 15 months of marriage. The 30-year-old actress filed a divorce petition on May 23, citing irreconcilable differences, according to TMZ. The publication claims Amber wrote in the divorce documents that the pair separated on May 22, which was just two days after the 52-year-old actor's mother Betty Sue Palmer passed away. Advertisement Vanessa Paradis may have been Johnny Depp's longest-serving high profile partner - but she will never be one of the Pirates Of The Caribbean star's two ex-wives. Arriving back into Los Angeles from Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday, the French actress was spotted puffing casually on a cigarette as she was greeted by news of his second impending divorce. Johnny, with whom Vanessa spent 14 years before their separation in 2012, is now divorcing wife Amber Heard after just 15 months (and almost 20 years after his first failed marriage). Scroll down for video The fallout: Vanessa Paradis was spotted at the airport in Los Angeles on Wednesday as news broke that her famous ex Johnny Depp is headed for divorce again Vanessa has just finished serving on the jury for the 69th annual film festival and arrived home via Los Angeles' Tom Bradley International Terminal. While there, the mum-of-two also showed her support for Johnny's 16-year-old daughter Lily Rose Depp - the eldest of the two children they share - who was following in her famous parents' footsteps by starring in a new film, The Dancer. Johnny's first marriage was to make-up artist Lori Anne Allison which lasted for three years, ending in 1986, and he also enjoyed a four-year high profile romance with British supermodel Kate Moss. But Johnny and Vanessa had two children together, Lily-Rose, 16, and Jack, 13, in the time that they were an item. They 'amicably separated' in June 2012 - one year after their last red carpet appearance as a couple - amid claims that they had drifted apart. See Johnny Depp updates as details of his divorce from Amber Heard emerge Split: Johnny and second wife Amber Heard (here in September 2015) confirmed reports that they were filing for divorce this week Never married: Vanessa and Johnny (here in April 2006) dated for 14 years and had two children, but they never married and finally 'amicably separated' in 2012 Puffing away: Vanessa was arriving back to Los Angeles from Cannes Film Festival Before Amber and Vanessa, Johnny was engaged three times, to actresses Jennifer Grey, Sherilyn Fenn and Winona Ryder. The actor once explained why he never 'popped the question' during his decade spent with Vanessa by saying that he didn't want to 'ruin her last name'. He told Extra in 2014: 'I never found myself needing that piece of paper. Marriage is really from soul to soul, heart to heart. You don't need somebody to say, okay you're married.' 'If Vanessa wanted to get hitched, why not. But the thing is, I'd be so scared of ruining her last name! She's got such a good last name.' No ring: Though Vanessa and Johnny were together for over a decade, he never popped the question Staying single: He once joked that he never wanted to ruin her last name by tying the knot The Donnie Brasco and Sleepy Hollow star first met current wife Amber in 2009 while making the film The Rum Diary. At the time, he was still dating long-term partner Vanessa, who he met on set of The Ninth Gate in 1998, but reports of a relationship between Amber and Johnny did not arise until later in 2012. Amber and Johnny married last year following their engagement on Christmas Eve 2013, though a confirmation of their divorce leaked on Wednesday. Actress Amber, 30, submitted court documents on Monday citing irreconcilable differences and seeking spousal support, triggering a battle over the star's $400million fortune. Rumour has it: Though Vanessa was one of Johnny's longest serving partners, they were never married Overlap? Johnny and Vanessa ended their relationship in 2012, and reports of a tryst between himself and Amber emerged shortly after Showing support: Their daughter Lily-Rose (here with Johnny) has followed in her parents' footsteps by landing on her feet in acting Sean Penn's latest directorial effort The Last Face was booed and laughed at when it made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival last week. And according to a new report, no one is more happy about this than his ex-wife Robin Wright. A source told Page Six's Richard Johnson: 'Robin is thrilled the movie bombed. She has too much class to say so publicly, but this was her baby.' Scroll down for video 'Thrilled': Robin Wright is apparently happy that ex-husband Sean Penn's movie The Last Face was panned by critics, because she had been trying to develop it first. She is pictured left in April 2015, he is seen last week The publication claims that the 50-year-old House Of Cards star had previously been attempting to develop the film herself for many years. Robin was first planning to star in the movie about an aid worker in Africa who falls in love with a doctor alongside Ryan Gosling, and then Javier Bardem. Instead, Sean developed the movie after their divorce and kept Javier as the male lead, casting Charlize Theron - who just so happened to be his girlfriend at the time - as the female lead. 'It would have killed [Robin] if Charlize had won an Oscar in the role that was meant for her,' the insider told Page Six. Panned: The film was laughed at and booed during its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. It stars Javier Bardem and Charlize Theron, who was dating Sean during filming for it According to the website, a source said two years ago that Sean's decision to option the script for The Last Face following his split from Robin was 'obviously a vindictive move against his ex-wife'. DailyMail.com did not receive an immediate response after contacting representatives for Wright and Penn for comment. Following its premiere in Cannes on Friday, many have hailed The Last Place as the lowest point of Sean's career, with some suggesting Charlize broke up with the 55-year-old after she saw an early edit of the film. 'This was her baby': Robin had apparently been trying to get financing for The Last Face before her split from Sean, after which he optioned the script. The former couple are pictured in January 2009 Sean has already responded to the overwhelming criticism, saying: 'I stand by the film as it is, and everyone is going to be entitled to their response.' The film, which has received several one-star ratings, was off to a bad start when it opened with a block of text comparing the civil war in South Sudan to 'the brutality of a love, between a man... and a woman.' Several audience members are reported to have burst out laughing, and things apparently just got worse from there - with the film finishing to boos. Debut: (L-R) Jared Harris, Jean Reno, Charlize Theron, Javier Bardem, Adele Exarchopoulos, director Sean and Zubin Cooper premiered the film on May 20 That's awkward: Charlize and Sean reunited for the premiere almost a year after she allegedly 'ghosted' him Sean and Charlize had an awkward reunion at the French film festival a year after they split, with claims that she 'ghosted' him. The actor and director - who last helmed Into The Wild in 2007 - dated the Mad Max: Fury Road star from early 2014 until June of last year. Sean was married to Robin from April 1996 until they split in August 2009 and finalised their divorce the following year, and they share daughter Dylan, 25, and son Hopper, 23, together. He was previously married to Madonna from 1985 to 1989. Australian Hollywood heavyweight Hugh Jackman is known for his chiseled looks and buff physique as well as playing characters including the mutant with claws and a beard, Wolverine. But on Friday, the 47-year-old shared a shot of himself on Instagram looking barely recognisable in a graduation photo. The star can be seen in a blue gown and cap holding his university degree, having earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from top Sydney university, UTS, in 1991. Scroll down for video Throwback! On Friday, Hugh Jackman shared a shot of himself to Instagram looking barely recognisable in a graduation photo having graduated from UTS in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication In the snap, Hugh beams as he celebrates the achievement. Underneath his graduation attire, he looks smart in a suit with a white shirt and a red tie. The New York-based star shared the post commending other students who are graduating at this time. 'Congrats (sic) to the graduating class of 2016! #throwbackthursdays,' he captioned the snap. Alumni: Indeed in 2008, he won awards from the university including that year's Chancellor's Alumni Award for Excellence (seen in New York in April) In 2008, he won awards from the university including that year's Chancellor's Alumni Award for Excellence. Hugh regularly shares with his millions of fans online shots of himself from back in the day and over the years. Indeed just over a month ago, Hugh shared a shot of himself with wife Deborra-Lee Furness, 60, from their wedding day in 1996 to celebrate 20 years of marriage. Memories: Indeed just over a month ago, Hugh shared a shot of himself with wife Deborra-Lee Furness, 60, from their wedding day in 1996 to celebrate 20 years of marriage The pair are based in the US and share two adopted children, Ava, ten, and Oscar, 16. In recent months - Hugh, who is known for roles including in films Les Miserables and Pan - has been preparing for the upcoming Wolverine sequel, which has just started shooting. He plays the Wolverine, also known as Logan and has been honing his buff physique in the gym and growing out his character's signature beard. In Character: In recent months - Hugh, who is known for roles including in films Les Miserables and Pan - has been preparing for the upcoming Wolverine sequel, (pictured), which has just started shooting She is best known for her work strutting her stuff and posing for Victoria's Secret. And Alessandra Ambrosio looked like the model mom on her latest outing. The 35-year-old stunner was spotted enjoying a day of fun in the sun at the beach in Santa Monica with her two children on Wednesday. Bonding time: Alessandra Ambrosio enjoyed a beach outing in Santa Monica with seven-year-old daughter Anja and four-year-old son Noah on Wednesday It looked like quite an active afternoon as the Brazilian beauty ran down the shoreline alongside her seven-year-old daughter Anja and four-year-old son Noah. Her slender model legs were on full display during the jaunt as she showed them off in a pair of black Victoria's Secret sport leggings featuring a blue 'VSX' printed on them. She also sported a light blue crewneck sweater with an intricate dreamcatcher design printed on it over a black top. Lovely lady: The 35-year-old model beamed on the bonding day Catch me if you can: Anja chased her famous mother around Comfortable customer: Alessandra showdd off her model legs in a pair of black Victoria's Secret leggings Living the dream: The Brazilian beauty also wore a light blue sweater with a dreamcatcher printed on it Alessandra's brunette tresses were pulled back in a messy bun as she let her natural beauty show with minimal make-up on her face. She accessoried with a pair of black aviator sunglasses with mirrored pink lenses. The kids definitely seemed to have a blast with their famous mother as they had huge smiles on their faces during the jog on the sand. Fun with mum: Alessandra and Anja shared a laugh together Gorgeous: She had her brunette tresses in a messy ponytail and let her natural looks show with minimal make-up on her face Getting active: No doubt the mother and daughter had fun running around together Missing: Not seen on the outing was father to Anja and Noah and the supermodel's fiance Jamie Mazur The high-fashion model definitely seemed in good spirits as she was pictured having a big laugh while playing with her children and was even seen cuddling up with her youngest child. Not seen on the beach outing, however, was father to Anja and Noah and the supermodel's fiance Jamie Mazur. No doubt a relaxing day by the ocean was much needed as the previous week proved to be a busy time for the engaged model. Another day, another pair of leggings: On Thursday, the star was also spotted out in some activewear in Santa Monica, California Saucy and sporty: The model donned a pair of purple marle leggings with sheer mesh panels and added a matching top from Lanston Sport Can't miss them! Alessandra's top drew attention to her cleavage with two fabric straps crisscrossing across her chest Alessandra spent her time between London, France and New York for various functions. The beauty attended the Cannes Film Festival in France. While there, she was one of the many A-list talent on the carpet for the Amfar Gala. In London, Alessandra attended the Replay The Flexibles launch party, before returning to France for additional Cannes event. Keeping cool: She wore a pair of black aviator shades with pink mirrored lenses Good spirits: The Victoria's Secret Angel has a big laugh Cuddled up: Alessandra lovingly embraced Anja from behind Following her time in Europe, the beauty also made time to attend the New York premiere of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows. In addition to modelling, the beauty can add actress to resume, having had small parts in a collection of projects, including New Girl and Daddy's Home. In TMNT, Alessandra plays the role of Vernon's girlfriend. She's back: No doubt she is enjoying being home after being away spending her time between London, France and New York for various functions She celebrated her first wedding anniversary with Mark Wright just two days ago. But Michelle Keegan was worlds away from marital bliss as she played a a runaway bride while filming scenes for Our Girl on Thursday. Working on the BBC series in Manchester, the 28-year-old actress looked overcome with emotion as she filmed the tense scenes - which will see her run away on the day of her wedding. Scroll down for video To no a-veil: She celebrated her first wedding anniversary two days ago. But Michelle Keegan was worlds away from marital bliss as she portrayed a a runaway bride while filming scenes for Our Girl on Thursday Clearly halfway through the process of transforming into a blushing bride, the former Coronation Street star teamed her tiara with trainers as she took off the down the street. Wearing her chestnut coloured locks in loose waves, her glossy tresses were styled in a bouncy bouffant that was secured with a delicate floral crown. Sporting a neutral make-up palette, Michelle was a vision of beauty but could not hide the pained expression of her face as she weighed up whether to attend her own wedding. Aisle be back: Working on the BBC series in Manchester, the 28-year-old actress looked overcome with emotion as she filmed the tense scenes - which will see her run away on the day of her wedding Blushing bride: Clearly halfway through the process of transforming into a blushing bride, the former Coronation Street star teamed her tiara with trainers as she took off the down the street Brunette beauty: Wearing her chestnut coloured locks in loose waves, her glossy tresses were styled in a bouncy bouffant that was secured with a delicate floral crown as she sprinted across the street But whilst she may have looked ready to walk down the aisle from the shoulders up, Michelle - who plays Corporal Georgie Lane in the series - had yet to change into her wedding gown - a blessing considering her last-minute change of heart. Concealing her enviable figure beneath a light blue hoodie, the brunette beauty also showed off her slender pins in a pair of skintight jeans. Aiding her running skills, the star wore a pair of white trainers whilst she carried a large brown handbag on her shoulder. Her character's decision to run out on her big day was understandably deplored by her loved ones in the series, who ran after her in the tense scenes. She's out of there: Sporting a neutral make-up palette, Michelle was a vision of beauty but could not hide the pained expression of her face as she weighed up whether to attend her own wedding Catch me if Keegan! Her character's decision to run out on her big day was understandably deplored by her loved ones in the series, who ran after her in the tense scenes Running shoes: Michelle - who plays Corporal Georgie Lane in the series - had yet to change into her wedding gown - a blessing considering her last-minute change of heart Michelle began filming Our Girl earlier this year, taking over the lead role from Lacey Turner, who will reprise her character of Molly Dawes but in a minor capacity due to her hectic filming schedule with EastEnders. For her scenes, the star was forced to move to South Africa for six months, separating herself from her new husband Mark. During her time abroad, speculation was rife that the couple split after Michelle was spied failing to wear her ring in several snaps, but it's reported that she didn't want to lose her diamond on set, so had kept the jewel in a safe place. Leggy lady! Concealing her enviable figure beneath a light blue hoodie, the brunette beauty also showed off her slender pins in a pair of skintight jeans Tense: Michelle looked pained as she filmed the tense scenes in Manchester Get back: The star was held back by her on-screen family as she ran away from the house Fighting fit: The starlet had to push her way through to dash away from her wedding New Girl: Michelle began filming Our Girl earlier this year, taking over the lead role from Lacey Turner Michelle began dating Mark in late 2012 before heading up the aisle in a blissful ceremony at Hengrave Hall in Suffolk on 24 May last year. On Tuesday, the couple celebrated their first anniversary with a series of gushing posts on social media. The former TOWIE star revealed he was having a wonderful time with his beautiful wife, as he shared an image of his stunning surroundings alongside a plate with 'Happy anniversary' scrawled in chocolate sauce. Wedded bliss: Michelle began dating Mark in late 2012 before heading up the aisle in a blissful ceremony at Hengrave Hall in Suffolk on 24 May last year Sharing the snap with his 1.1million followers, he added the gushing caption: 'Incredible anniversary weekend The most perfect time in the most perfect place with the most perfect person...' While the handsome TV star, who soared to fame in the 2010 inauguration of the ITVBe show, was extremely vocal about their celebrations, Michelle's shared a throwback snap to their wedding. The loved-up pair were pictured from behind as they stood in their wedding outfits, with Michelle writing: ' One year today... 24.5.15 #M&M. He attempted to land the plane on a small patch of open land in a Des Moines farm before it crashed into the hillside Adam Kenworthy is heard trying to calm his injured father and telling him to 'just breathe' in a 911 call he placed moments after his plane crashed last week. The boyfriend of Real Housewives of New York star Carole Radziwell tells the operator that his father, who was piloting the plane at the time, is in a lot of pain. Adam remains calm as he is heard saying on the recording: 'We just had a plane crash' before telling the woman his location and adding: 'We're south of the airport - they knew we were going down.' Scroll down for video Dramatic: In the newly released 911 call Carole Radziwill's boyfriend Adam Kenworthy can be heard trying to calm his injured father after the duo crashed their plane in Iowa last week When asked what exactly had happened, the 30-year-old explains to the dispatcher: 'The plane just went down - we lost power,' Adam then describes their injuries, explaining: 'My dad's chest hurts really bad and my knee is split open,' He then explains exactly where the plane came down as the operator assures him help is on the way. 'Just breathe dad, you're doing a great job,' Adam tells his father who can still be heard moaning in agony. Miraculous: Adam shared this photo on Monday to thank all the well-wishers and called his dad a hero The RHONY star rushed to Iowa after the crash on Thursday, The couple are pictured in August 2015 Miraculously the duo survived the accident and Adam took to Instagram to thank people for their well wishes on Monday. Sharing a photo of the wrecked plane, the 30-year-old wrote: 'Thank you for all your good thoughts, prayers, and well wishes. 'It meant a lot to my Dad and me. Thankfully he is an extremely skilled pilot who landed the plane as safely as he could. We were both lucky to walk away. He is my hero.' After hearing the news last week, Carole, 52, rushed to Iowa to be by Adam's side. The chef was traveling in a small plane piloted by his father when they were forced to make an emergency landing. Adam was released from the hospital a few hours after the crash and only suffered minor abrasions. Kenworthy, 30, was traveling in a small plane (pictured after the crash) piloted by his father when they had to make an emergency landing in Des Moines just 10 minutes after takeoff David Kenworthy, 65, reported engine problems shortly before the plane crashed into a hill 'Adam was very lucky. He walked away from the crash,' Radziwill, 52, told PEOPLE magazine. 'He was admitted to the hospital and was released last night. He is doing well.' David Kenworthy, 65, reported engine problems shortly before the plane crashed into a hillside in Des Moines around 7.30pm on Thursday, according to TMZ. He suffered serious injuries and remains hospitalized. 'They were both awake and alert and were able to explain what happened,' Des Moines EMS spokesman David Edgar told KCCI. David reported he was making an emergency landing just 10 minutes after leaving Des Moines Airport, and was attempting to land the plane on a strip of open land in a farm field before the crash. Kenworthy (pictured with his father on a previous flight) was released from the hospital a few hours after the crash and suffered minor abrasions. His father suffered serious injuries and remains hospitalized Earlier that day Kenworthy posted an Instagram of the clouds as his father flew them from New York to Iowa Edgar said David 'did an excellent job' of trying to locate a place to land the plane. 'I think that they probably almost made it over this gully here but didn't quite make it,' he added. 'So I'm sure that his skill in finding a place to land saved their lives.' The front end of the plane was destroyed in the crash. Adam, who appears on the current season of Real Housewives of New York, shared an Instagram video of the clouds passing by as he was high up in the sky with his father on an earlier trip. A friend told PEOPLE magazine that Adam is currently shaken up but resting now 'at home' and that 'everyone will be okay'. Radziwill lost her close friends John F Kennedy Jr and his wife Carolyn Bessette in a tragic plane crash in 1999. JFK Jr was the cousin of Carole's husband Anthony Radziwill, who lost his battle with cancer just three weeks after the crash. Radziwill began dating Adam last year and has frequently discussed their relationship on the show. On Thursday a rep for the Pirates actor said he expected the divorce proceedings to be over quickly as the marriage was so brief Depp has asked court to rule he should not pay spousal support there was feud between Heard and the actor's family The actress visited his mother Betty Sue Palmer in hospital before her death, according to her camp Amber Heard's supporters have hit back at claims that Johnny Depp's family 'hated' her. The actress, 30, filed for a shock divorce from the Alice Through The Looking Glass star, 52, on Monday, three days after Johnny's mother Betty Sue Palmer died from a long illness. Johnny's mother reportedly believed Amber was using the star to further her career, and complained that Amber treated her beloved son like 'crap,' according to TMZ. Shock split: Sources have denied that Johnny Depp's late mother, siblings and children 'hated' Amber Heard, after she filed for divorce on Monday But on Thursday, Amber's supporters denied a feud with Johnny's family, saying the actress visited her ailing mother-in-law in hospital and got along well with Johnny's son Jack, 12 - although there was no comment about her relationship with his model daughter Lily-Rose, 16. Sources told People magazine that Amber supported Betty Sue through her illness. 'Amber was by Betty Sue's side during this illness and regularly visited her in the hospital,' a pal told the magazine. 'She had been gravely ill for the last few years but they made sure she was well taken care of and had the best treatment. Johnny was very close to his mom,' the source said. Betty Sue died on Friday aged 81. The exact nature of her illness has not been revealed. Family drama: Johnny walked the red carpet at the premiere of Alice Through The Looking Glass in Hollywood on Monday Another source on Thursday told TMZ Amber was actively involved in caring for Betty Sue, managing the nurses Johnny hired and visiting her in hospital when he was unable to do so. The site also says Amber sources admit Johnny and his mother didn't see much of each other during the marriage, but insist that was the Pirates of the Caribbean star's decision. Amber's pals also said she doesn't believe for a minute Johnny's family loathed her, and insist she has happy photos of her cuddling up with his son Jack. 'She and Jack had a loving relationship,' they said. However, the source made no mention of Johnny's daughter Lily-Rose. Tension? A source close to Amber said she had a close relationship with Depp's son Jack, but made no mention of his daughter Lily-Rose (pictured here with the former couple in January) Johnny's mother, sisters, son and daughter all reportedly openly 'hated' Amber even before the wedding, because they did not like the way she 'railed on' Johnny. The actor was especially close with his mother and even had her name tattooed inside a heart on his left arm. But TMZ reported the estranged couple had an 'extremely bitter' relationship because of the ongoing feud between his family and Amber. His late mother also believed the actress 'treated him like c**p' and was using her son for his money and to further her own career, it was reported. Family feud: Johnny's beloved mother Betty Sue Palmer was by his side as he received a Walk of Fame star in 1999. Amber's pals say the actress helped oversee Betty's nurses and visited her mother-in-law in hospital Loving tribute: Johnny even had his beloved mom's name inked on his arm. Amber's friends denied she kept the two apart, saying it was Johnny's choice not to see his mother very often during their 15-month marriage The already tense situation deteriorated further after Johnny moved an ailing Betty Sue into the Los Angeles compound he shared with Heard. Eventually, both Johnny and his mother came to believe Amber was trying to keep them apart in order to remain 'in control', and Betty Sue even labelled the actress 'a terrible person.' But Amber's supporters insist it was Johnny's decision alone to spend less time with his mom during the marriage. The now-estranged couple first met on the set of their 2011 movie The Rum Diary, and wed on his private island in The Bahamas on February 7 last year. Happier times: The couple cozied up on the red carpet at Palm Springs Film Festival in January last year Amber, 30, submitted court documents to end their 15-month marriage on Monday, citing irreconcilable differences and seeking spousal support, triggering a battle over the star's $400 million fortune. However, the Black Mass actor has already fired back his own request for the judge to deny Amber spousal support. He has also requested she pay her own attorney fees. They did not have a prenup, and under California family law Amber is legally entitled to half of his earnings during their marriage. Meanwhile, on Thursday a rep for Johnny addressed the drama surrounding the end of his marriage, stating: 'Given the brevity of this marriage and the most recent and tragic loss of his mother, Johnny will not respond to any of the salacious false stories, gossip, misinformation and lies about his personal life.' Shock split: Using her legal name of Amber Depp, the 30-year-old filed for divorce on Monday after fifteen months of marriage Family fight: The actress submitted her divorce petition just days after Johnny's mother Betty Sue passed away after a long illness Fortune at stake: Amber cited irreconcilable differences and is seeking spousal support from Johnny, who is worth an estimated $400 million Tammin Sursok and husband Sean McEwen couldn't keep their hands off each other on Wednesday while out and about in Los Angeles. Spotted at a postal office, the couple were seen putting on quite an affectionate display, locking lips as they enjoyed their time together. Opting for a cool and casual outfit, Tammin sported a chic grey coloured dress, which showed off her slender physique. Scroll down for video Locking lips: Tammin Sursok and husband Sean McEwen couldn't keep their hands off each other on Wednesday while at a postal office in Los Angeles Finishing well above the knees, the number allowed her toned pins to be on display, and she added a few accessories to complete her look. With a bold white watch wrapped around her left wrist, she completed her look with a pair of grey ankle boots. Meanwhile Sean sported a light pink T-shirt, teamed with a pair ripped blue jeans. Tammin relocated to the U.S to further her career and now owns a production company, Charlie Baby Productions with her husband. Casual chic: Opting for a cool and casual outfit, Tammin sported a chic grey coloured dress, which showed off her slender physique They are planning on developing, writing and directing their own web comedy series called Aussie Girl together. The striking star rose to fame in the iconic soap Home and Away playing feisty teenager Dani Sutherland on Home And Away. Tammin and Sean were married in 2011, and after 11 years together, are still as loved up as ever. While they have one daughter Phoenix together, the actress has admitted the couple have considered having more children and joked that Sean constantly tries to have a baby with her. The brunette beauty has previously hinted that she and Sean have considered relocating back to Australia in the hope of raising Phoenix Down Under. Running errands: It looks like the brunette beauty had some items she was ready to post Gasquet relishing Kyrgios rematch in French Open Richard Gasquet admitted he is looking forward to Friday's French Open third-round encounter against Nick Kyrgios after two memorable meetings with the volatile Australian at Wimbledon. Kyrgios saved nine match points against Gasquet at the All-England Club in a 2014 second-round clash, before the Frenchman avenged that loss a year later in a controversal last-16 match. Kyrgios faced accusations of 'tanking' a game in the latter of those Wimbledon clashes, but Gasquet said he was a big fan of the Australian 21-year-old. Australia's Nick Kyrgios (L) shakes hands with France's Richard Gasquet (R) after Kyrgios won their second round match on day four of Wimbledon, on June 26, 2014 Andrew Cowie (AFP/File) "He's the best newcomer coming now, so it will be an incredible match for me," said Gasquet, who defeated fellow former Roland Garros boys champion Bjorn Fratangelo of the United States 6-1, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 on Wednesday to reach the last 32. "We know each other very well. We have played many times against each other. I know his game; he knows mine. Of course, I know how tough it is to play against him. "I like to play against him. He's a nice guy. I always did win matches against Nick, so I hope this one will be the same." Outspoken Kyrgios claimed he was the victim of biased umpiring during his first-round French Open win over Italy's Marco Cecchinato, with the 17th seed hit with a code violation for yelling at a ballboy. But he brushed that controversy aside to cruise past Dutch lucky loser Igor Sijsling 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 in just 70 minutes and match his best showing at Roland Garros from last year. "I expect a very tough match, because he played very good. He won in Marseille, in Miami, he went to semi-finals. In Madrid and Rome, he made both quarter-finals (and last 16), it's a good result. He won many good matches," said Gasquet, who owns a 4-2 head-to-head edge over Kyrgios. "We have played each other many times. He's been in the circuit, on the tour for two, three years now. I think I'm probably the player he's played the most, which is quite surprising. "It's funny how we keep playing each other. And every time we play, the matches are pretty crazy. In Wimbledon, the two matches were crazy, and I hope it will be the same. "He's made some progress this year. He's stronger than last year. He's won some big matches and he's done great things. He's a great player. It will be a tough match. We are at Roland Garros, five sets, I think I could win." While world number one Novak Djokovic labelled Kyrgios' decision to reference the Serb's run-in with umpire Carlos Bernardes at the Rome Masters as "unnecessary" during the Australian's heated debate with Carlos Ramos in the first round , Gasquet hailed the youngster's fiery presence on the circuit. "He has a very strong personality. That's great. It's good to have players like him. "Outside of the court he's very respectful. He's a guy I like very much. Every time I've played him things went very well. I think we are all quite lucky to have a guy like him on the tour." Kyrgios said he too was relishing his latest showdown with Gasquet, having won their last encounter on the way to a first career title in Marseille in February. "Me and Richard have had some really memorable matches. To be honest, some of my favourite matches I've played are against him. Every time we played at Wimbledon it's been a pretty good showdown. "We played a lot of times, and he's a great guy, as well. He's always a guy that I feel comfortable around. He's always been a guy that's been nice to me, as well. "I'm looking forward to it. If he gets through now, he's a tough competitor. I'm sure he's comfortable playing out here in front of his home crowd." France's Richard Gasquet (pictured) will face Nick Kyrgios in the third round of the French Open Martin Bureau (AFP/File) Solar Impulse lands in Pennsylvania on record-breaking flight The sun-powered Solar Impulse 2 aircraft landed in the US state of Pennsylvania Wednesday, completing the latest leg of a record-breaking flight around the world to promote renewable energy. After taking off from Dayton, Ohio early Wednesday, the plane piloted by Swiss explorer Bertrand Piccard arrived at 8:49 pm (0049 GMT Thursday) at Lehigh Valley International Airport after a flight that lasted just under 17 hours. On its next stage to New York's JFK airport, scheduled for after May 30, Solar Impulse is expected to pass over the Statue of Liberty for a much-anticipated photo opportunity before landing at one of the world's busiest airports. Solar Impulse 2 took off from Dayton, Ohio piloted by Swiss explorer Bertrand Piccard and arrived at Lehigh Valley International Airport after a flight of just under 17 hours "The mood is extraordinary," Andre Borschberg, the plane's alternate pilot, said on the ground just as Piccard prepared to land. "We are close to New York!" The slow-moving, single-seat plane with the massive wingspan of a Boeing 747 has traversed much of the globe in stages since taking off March 9, 2015 from Abu Dhabi, with Piccard and Borschberg, a Swiss businessman, alternating in the cockpit. The aircraft, clad in thousands of solar cells, was scheduled to depart Ohio on Tuesday but the flight was postponed after its inflatable mobile hangar was damaged when the air fans holding up the structure temporarily failed. However, the plane's performance on Wednesday was "like it should be" Borschberg said. "It's a fantastic airplane." The flight to Lehigh Valley was the 13th leg of Solar Impulse's projected 16-leg east-west circumnavigation, traveling at average speeds of a mere 30 miles (48 kilometers) per hour. "Fantastic moment," Picard tweeted from the cockpit at one point during the flight. "I just got in touch with Air Traffic Control of New York Center. We've crossed the USA!!!!!" "The flight is part of the attempt to achieve the first ever Round-The-World Solar Flight, the goal of which is to demonstrate how modern clean technologies can achieve the impossible," Piccard and Borschberg said in a statement. It hasn't all been smooth sailing, however. The aircraft was grounded in July when its batteries were damaged halfway through its 21,700-mile (35,000-kilometer) circumnavigation of the globe. The crew took several months to repair the damage caused by high tropical temperatures during a 4,000-mile flight between Nagoya, Japan and Hawaii. - How it works - The plane was flown on that stage by Borschberg, whose 118-hour journey smashed the previous record of 76 hours and 45 minutes set by US adventurer Steve Fossett in 2006. He took 20-minute catnaps to maintain control of the pioneering plane during the flight from Japan, in what his team described as "difficult" conditions. The Solar Impulse 2, which weighs roughly the same as a family car, contains 17,000 solar cells that power the aircraft's propellers and charge batteries. At night, it runs on stored energy. The plane's typical flight speed can increase to double that when exposed to full sunlight. After crossing the United States, the pilots are set to make a transatlantic flight from New York to Europe, from where they plan to make their way back to their point of departure in Abu Dhabi. Piccard, a doctor by training, completed the first non-stop balloon flight around the world in 1999. His teammate Borschberg is no stranger to adventure -- 15 years ago he narrowly escaped an avalanche, and in 2013 he survived a helicopter crash with just minor injuries. Path of the solar powered plane that landed in Pennsylvania on Wednesday The Solar Impulse 2 flight to Lehigh Valley was the 13th leg of its projected 16-leg east-west circumnavigation, traveling at average speeds of a mere 30 miles (48 kilometers) per hour Johnny Depp's wife files for divorce Johnny Depp's wife has filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences after 15 months of marriage to the Hollywood star, celebrity news media reported. Court records published by the TMZ website show that Amber Heard submitted the petition to a court in Los Angeles on Monday seeking spousal support from the 52-year-old "Pirates of the Caribbean" star. The separation comes less than a week after the death of Depp's mother, Betty Sue Palmer, at the age of 81. Johnny Depp and Amber Heard met on the set of the 2011 film "The Rum Diary" and married in a private ceremony in Los Angeles in February last year Patrick Hamilton (AFP/File) Celebrity magazine People, which said it had also obtained a copy of the petition, said 30-year-old Heard cited "irreconcilable differences." The pair, who have no children together, have been embroiled in a spat with Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce since Heard failed to declare the couple's two dogs when they arrived in Queensland state a year ago for the filming of the latest "Pirates of the Caribbean" installment. Joyce, who is also the agriculture minister, threatened to have Pistol and Boo put down unless they "buggered off back to the United States" for breaking Australia's strict quarantine laws. Actress-model Heard last month admitted falsifying her immigration arrivals card and was placed on a $720 one-month good-behavior bond. The couple released an awkward video apology, after which Joyce mocked Depp for looking like "he was auditioning for the Godfather." "In all seriousness, the one thing I will never revel in is any relationship breakdown, no matter what animosity that might be seen on the airwaves between Mr. Depp and myself," Joyce told reporters in Queensland on Wednesday when asked about the split. "I have always wished the very best for people. No, I would never ever revel in something like that." The couple do not have a pre-nuptial agreement, TMZ reported. Heard listed their date of separation as Sunday in the documents published by the website, which make no mention of custody of the dogs. Depp and Heard met on the set of the 2011 film "The Rum Diary", when Depp was still in a long-term relationship with the French actress Vanessa Paradis, mother of his son Jack and daughter Lily-Rose. They married in a small, private ceremony in Los Angeles in February last year before celebrating with a larger event on Depp's private island in the Bahamas. Depp's latest film, "Alice Through the Looking Glass", is due to be released on Friday. Representatives for Depp or Heard could not immediately be reached for comment. Hot topics at the G7 summit in Japan Leaders of the Group of Seven industrial democracies meet in Japan Thursday for two days of talks. Here are the hot topics up for discussion at Ise-Shima, a resort 300 kilometres (200 miles) southwest of Tokyo, and what to expect from the talks. 1) The economy World leaders kick off two days of G7 talks in Japan with the creaky global economy, terrorism and refugees Stephane De Sakutin (AFP) The world economy has struggled to get back on a sure footing ever since the global financial crisis struck in 2008. The slowing of China's once-dependable growth means G7 leaders now have to look elsewhere for a boost. But the group -- Japan, the US, Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Canada -- is divided. One side, led by Japan, favours spending -- government stimulus. The other, led by Germany, thinks the fiscal largesse of recent years needs to be brought under control. There are also cracks over currency. The US has Japan, amongst others, on a currency watch list for possible unfair practices, and warnings abound over "beggar-thy-neighbour" devaluations. Expect: a final statement that supports a bit of both stimulus and austerity, but offers a firm rebuke on currency manipulation. 2) Brexit Britain's upcoming referendum on membership of the European Union will weigh heavily. Many economists warn that if one of the EU's largest economies leaves -- a so-called Brexit -- the knock-on effect for the bloc and the wider world could be substantial. It could also add tens of billions of pounds (dollars) to British government borrowing and leave the country grappling with austerity into the next decade, the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies warned Wednesday. Expect: the G7 to express their hope Britain will vote "remain". 3) Islamist terrorism After jihadist attacks in Brussels and Paris, the subject of Islamist terrorism is never far from leaders' lips. The gathering will be looking to present a united front and emphasise their determination to fight the scourge of extremism. Expect: strong statements and rock-solid agreement. 4) Refugees While the march of the Islamic State group across Syria and Iraq has been slowed, refugees continue to pour out of the broken states of the Middle East, many heading for Europe. EU countries, notably Germany, have absorbed hundreds of thousands of people, but surging political populism -- a far-right candidate came within a hair's breadth of winning the Austrian presidency this week -- has the continent's mainstream politicians nervous. Many are recognising that their voters are not on the same page as they are, and they want a solution to the tide of desperate people that does not involve taking in ever more of them. Expect: pledges of more money to support refugees. 5) China Beijing isn't at Ise-Shima, but it will loom large over many of the discussions. As well as its economic leverage -- despite the slowing growth, its mighty GDP still makes it a force to be reckoned with -- there are growing concerns in Western capitals over Beijing's perceived belligerence. That is particularly keenly felt by hosts Japan, who have butted diplomatic heads with their wartime enemy, notably over disputed territory in the East China Sea. But Beijing's increasingly assertive stance in the South China Sea -- a stretch of water through which a huge chunk of global trade passes, but which China claims almost in its entirety -- is a worry for Washington and its allies. Expect: oblique references to the importance of "freedom of navigation" and "peaceful resolution of disputes", even if no one mentions the words "China" or "Beijing". G7 nations Adrian LEUNG, Gal ROMA (AFP) Britain's upcoming referendum on membership of the European Union will weigh heavily at the G7 Summit STR (Japan Pool/AFP) German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) is welcomed by Shinto priests as she arrives at Ise-Jingu Shrine in the city of Ise on the first day of the G7 leaders summit Stephane De Sakutin (AFP) Powerful auto union backs Clinton for president The powerful United Auto Workers union endorsed Hillary Clinton's White House bid and questioned Donald Trump's support of its members. In a statement, UAW President Dennis Williams lauded the Democratic frontrunner as someone who "understands the complexities of multinational economies and supports American workers." "In 2009 she fought for preserving collective bargaining rights and stood up against attacks on collective bargaining when we needed her. She's an advocate for expanding overtime rules to include more working families, she believes in equal pay, paid family leave, and quality, affordable child care," the endorsement said. United Auto Workers union President Dennis Williams said Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton "understands the complexities of multinational economies and supports American workers" Tommaso Boddi (AFP) The union's backing will be important in battleground states in the industrial "Rust Belt," such as Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, which are thought to hold the keys to November's election. Clinton said she was honored by the endorsement. "If I am fortunate enough to be elected president, organized labor will always have a champion in the White House and a seat at the table -- because when unions are strong, families are strong, and when families are strong, America is strong," she said in a statement. Last week, Williams said some board members, notably Cindy Estrada, the head of the union's GM department, had favored Bernie Sanders, thanks to his condemnation of the North American Free Trade Agreement and other trade deals. "Bernie Sanders has brought to this campaign a dialogue that has been needed for far too long ... But, the fact is, Hillary Clinton has shown under pressure her ability to lead and get elected in November," the endorsement said. The union said candidates from both parties were sent questionnaires, but no Republicans responded. The UAW cited reports suggesting that Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, would move union jobs to nonunion states to compete with Mexican wages. In an interview with The Detroit News last summer, Trump reportedly said he supports keeping auto manufacturing jobs in the US, and a way to do that would be to shift them to states with lower wages. "Mr. Trump clearly does not support the economic security of UAW families," Williams said in Wednesday's endorsement. Korea A-bomb victims angered by Obama's Hiroshima visit A group representing Korean victims of the US atomic bombings of Japan protested Thursday that their suffering was being neglected ahead of President Barack Obama's historic visit to Hiroshima. The Association of Korean Atomic Bomb Victims estimates that anywhere between 40,000 and 70,000 Koreans died in Hiroshima and Nagasaki when atomic bombs laid waste to the two cities in August 1945. The Korean peninsula was under Japanese colonial rule at the time, and most of those who died had been conscripted by the Japanese military or forced into hard labour. US President Barack Obama is set to become the first sitting US president to visit Hiroshima Johannes Eisele (AFP) Consequently, the association argues that Koreans were multiple victims, deserving not only of an apology from the United States, but also from Japan. Around two dozen members of the group -- including survivors and relatives of those who died -- gathered outside the US embassy in Seoul with placards reading: "Apologise to Korean victims of the Atomic Bomb" and "Acknowledge the 2nd generation victims". Obama on Friday will become the first sitting US president to visit Hiroshima and, while he has made it clear there will be no apology, there is concern in South Korea that his trip will play into a narrative that focuses on Japan's suffering, rather than the pain its colonial ambitions and wartime aggression inflicted on others. "The world thinks Japan is the atomic bomb victim. That is wrong," said 73-year-old Shim Jin-Tae, one of two-dozen protestors gathered outside the embassy. "Japan is the country that began the war. Koreans are the victims of the atomic bomb," said Shim, who was two years old and in Hiroshima when the first bomb fell. Shim's parents had been moved to Japan as forced labourers. "The United States has never apologised for the atomic bomb and Japan, as a country that started the war, has never apologised," he said. After the embassy protest, a 10-member delegation from the association was scheduled to fly to Japan to hold a separate ceremony in Hiroshima on Friday at a small memorial erected for Korean victims. Shim said Obama should visit that memorial if he truly intended to commemorate all the victims of the bombings. Shim's group is also angry with their own government, saying Korean victims were ignored when they returned home because their plight didn't fit the official line that the atomic bombs were necessary to end Japan's colonial rule of the Korean peninsula. "Korea has never looked after its people for the past 71 years," Shim said. Royal Caribbean in $2.8 bln three-ship deal with STX US cruise giant Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd signed a letter of intent with the French arm of South Korean shipbuilder STX to build three ships in a deal worth 2.5 billion euros ($2.8 billion), the shipyard said. The announcement comes less than two weeks after STX France, based in Saint-Nazaire on the Atlantic coast, handed over the world's biggest cruise ship, the 120,000-tonne Oasis-class Harmony of the Seas, to Royal Caribbean. The three new vessels, one Oasis class and two Edge class for delivery in 2021 and 2022, represent an order worth about "2.5 billion" euros and "22-23 million work hours," said Laurent Castaing, head of STX France. Royal Caribbean on May 12 took delivery of Harmony of the Seas, the largest cruise ship ever built at 362 metres long and 66 metres wide Adrian Dennis (AFP/File) "This is great news. It is for us the realisation of the customer's confidence even though we have just handed over a ship that was not easy to build," he said. Royal Caribbean on May 12 took delivery of Harmony of the Seas, the largest cruise ship ever built at 362 metres (1,188 feet) long and 66 metres wide. It has already ordered a giant sister liner being built at Saint-Nazaire for its Royal Caribbean International subsidiary and has an option for a fifth Oasis-class vessel for delivery in spring 2021. The US firm is also set to order two new Edge-class vessels for its Celebrity Cruises brand, for delivery in autumn 2021 and autumn 2022. The three additional ships bring to nine the number of orders booked since the beginning of the year by STX France, after those announced in February and April by Swiss-Italian shipowner MSC, bringing nearly another 75 million hours' work for the shipyard and its subcontractors, according to Castaing. With five other ships already in the backlog, its order book "is very full until 2023 and full until 2026," he said, with some of the work likely to be outsourced to other yards in Europe to ease the workload and lack of space in the Saint-Nazaire workshops. G7 needs 'clear and tough stance' on territorial disputes: Tusk The Group of Seven needs to take a "clear and tough stance" on China's controversial maritime claims and the Russian annexation of Crimea, European Council President Donald Tusk said Thursday. Speaking on the sidelines of a G7 summit in Japan, Tusk warned that the credibility of the club of rich nations was on the line. "The test of our credibility at the G7 is our ability to defend the common values that we share," he told reporters. European Council President Donald Tusk (R) arrives at Ise-Jingu Shrine in the city of Ise on the first day of the G7 leaders summit Toru Hanai (POOL/AFP) "This test will only pass if we take a clear and tough stance on every topic of our discussions here... I refer in particular to the issue of maritime security and the South and East China Seas and (the) Russia-Ukraine issue." Tusk added: "If we are to defend our common values it is not enough these days to only believe in them. We also have to be ready to protect them." Beijing has angered some of its Southeast Asian neighbours, including the Philippines and Vietnam, by claiming almost all of the South China Sea. Beijing is also locked in a dispute with Japan over rocky outcroppings in the East China Sea, stoking broader concerns about China's growing regional might and threats to back up its claims with force, if necessary. "The policy of the G7 is clear: any maritime or territorial claim should be based on international law and any territorial dispute should be resolved by peaceful means," Tusk said. "Unilateral action and the use of force or coercion will not be accepted." Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter feud since Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014 and was then accused of fuelling a bloody separatist uprising in the east of the country. The crisis has pushed ties between Russia and the West to their lowest point since the end of the Cold War, and drawn sanctions against Moscow. "The European Union and the entire G7 continue to believe that this crisis can only be resolved in full compliance with... international law, especially the legal obligation to respect Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence," Tusk said. Progress on the Minsk peace accords, designed to resolve the crisis, is slow, Tusk added. "I want to state clearly that our stance vis-a-vis Russia, including economic sanctions, will remain unchanged as long as the Minsk agreements are not fully implemented," he said. "Unfortunately there is much less progress on the implementation of Minsk than we had hoped for one year ago." Israeli air force targets Gaza sites after rocket attack The Israeli air force carried out strikes on Hamas sites in Gaza early Thursday in response to a rocket attack targeting the Jewish state, the army and Palestinian officials said. The rocket, which hit an open area in southern Israel, caused no damage or casualties. In response, the Israeli air force "targeted two Hamas sites in the southern Gaza Strip," the military said in a statement. Graffiti in Gaza City commemorating the "Nakba" or "catastrophe" in Arabic, a reference to the establishment in 1948 of the state of Israel in the then British-mandate Palestine Mohammed Abed (AFP/File) A statement from Ajnad Beit al-Maqdis, a small Salafist jihadi group, claimed the rocket attack, which came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sealed a deal to bring hardline nationalist Avigdor Lieberman into his coalition as defence minister. "We announce our responsibility for targeting the Nahal Oz military base with a missile," it said. According to the army, nine projectiles fired from the Gaza Strip -- which is run by Islamist movement Hamas -- have hit Israel since the start of 2016. Smaller, more radical Islamist groups have often been blamed, with Hamas forces either unwilling or unable to prevent the rocket fire. The statement from the Salafists accused Hamas of carrying out a campaign against the "mujahideen". In its statement the Israeli army repeated its policy of holding "Hamas accountable for all attacks emanating from the Gaza Strip." Hamas's military wing confirmed the strikes targeted one of its bases near Rafah in southern Gaza and in the Nuseirat refugee camp, causing no casualties. Lieberman has over the years threatened action on Gaza and its Hamas rulers. He recently said that if he became defence minister, he would give Hamas's Gaza leader Ismail Haniya 48 hours to return detained Israelis and soldiers' bodies "or you're dead". The latest exchange of fire follows four days of cross-border violence earlier this month -- the worst since the 2014 Gaza war that killed 2,251 Palestinians and 73 Israelis. The United Nations envoy for the Middle East warned the Security Council on Wednesday of a "highly volatile" situation in Gaza. "Palestinians in Gaza are growing ever more desperate, seeing their prospects for living a normal life and recovering their economy blocked by Hamas's military build-up, by Israel's security measures and closures, by the lack of Palestinian unity, and the insufficient fulfilment of aid pledges by donors," Nickolay Mladenov said. "Recent events clearly demonstrate that the spectre of violence looms ominously over the territory," Mladenov said. Bangladesh police suspect Islamists for Hindu's murder Bangladesh police said Thursday they suspect local Islamists may have murdered a one-legged Hindu shop owner who was hacked to death outside his store, the latest in a wave of killings of liberals and religious minorities. Police had initially said Wednesday's killing of 60-year-old Debesh Chandra Pramanik appeared to be part of a long-running dispute between him and another Hindu who was later arrested. But a top officer said the focus was now on local militants, rejecting a claim by the Islamic State (IS) group that it was behind the attack in the northern Gaibandha district. Bangladeshi students protest the murder of a professor, one of nine people to be hacked to death since April STR (AFP/File) Pramanik was the ninth person to be hacked to death in similar circumstances in Bangladesh since early April. District police chief Ashrfaul Islam said the fatal stabbing bore similarities to previous attacks by Jamayetul Mujahidden Bangladesh (JMB) which is also suspected of murdering another Hindu businessman in Gaibandha in February. "We suspect that members of JMB may have killed him," Islam told AFP. Islam said Pramanik's neck had been hacked by his killers, without saying how many people were involved in the attack which took place as he opened his store at daybreak. Although no one from JMB has so far been arrested, police said an operation had been launched to detain local followers. "We've launched raids in the area," Islam said. The attack comes amid a wave of murders of liberals, secular activists and religious minorities by suspected Islamist militants in Bangladesh. Police say around 40 people have been killed by homegrown Islamists in the past three years, and there has been a spike in attacks in recent weeks. A homeopathic doctor was hacked to death with machetes on Friday, less than a week after a Buddhist monk was slaughtered in a similar manner. An atheist student, two gay rights activists, a liberal professor, a Hindu tailor and a Sufi Muslim leader have also been murdered since last month Although IS and Al-Qaeda's local affiliate have claimed responsibility for most of the murders, authorities have consistently poured cold water on their claims. Police and Pramanik's family had initially blamed a heroin addict for Wednesday's murder, saying the attack was sparked by the victim's refusal to pay extortion money. IS later claimed responsibility for the murder through its Amaq news agency, according to the SITE monitoring group. Bangladesh's secular government has repeatedly insisted that international Islamist groups have no presence in the country and instead blames its domestic opponents. Hindus, the country's largest religious minority, make up nearly 10 percent of Bangladesh's 160 million people. India allows accused Italian marine to go home India's top court Thursday allowed an Italian marine accused of killing two fishermen to return home pending a ruling on where he should be tried in a long-running case that has soured ties between the two countries. Salvatore Girone and fellow marine Massimiliano Latorre are accused of shooting the fishermen while protecting an Italian oil tanker as part of an anti-piracy mission off India's southern Kerala coast in 2012. Latorre was allowed to travel back to Italy in 2014 for treatment after suffering a stroke. India's Supreme Court has agreed to alter Salvatore Girone's bail conditions Sajad Hussain (AFP) But Girone has been barred from leaving India pending the resolution of a dispute between New Delhi and Rome over who has jurisdiction in the case. Girone, who has been living in Italy's embassy in New Delhi, will be home next Thursday, Italy's Republic Day, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said in a tweet. "We confirm our friendship with India, its people and its government," said Renzi, who has been under pressure domestically to secure the provisional liberty of both marines. "And we see welcome back to seaman Girone who will be with us on June 2." The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to alter Girone's bail conditions allowing him to return, after a tribunal in The Hague ruled this month he should be free to go, pending the final outcome of arbitration. "Having considered submissions of the parties, subject to conditions, the Italian marine Salvatore Girone's bail conditions are modified," Justices PC Pant and DY Chandrachud said in a written judgement read out in court. Italy initiated international arbitration proceedings in the case last year, referring the row to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague and asking it to rule on where the men should be tried. Under his new bail conditions, Girone must return to Delhi within one month if the PCA rules that he face trial in India. The Indian government's lawyers did not object to the marine's request to go home and the Italian foreign ministry issued a statement "confirming our commitment to the conditions and formalities established by the Indian Supreme Court". The detention of the marines, the murder charges and the long wait for the case to be resolved are sore subjects in Italy, with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi regularly flayed by opposition leaders for failing to get both men home. Italy insists the oil tanker, the MV Enrica Lexie, was in international waters at the time of the incident. India argues the case is not a maritime dispute but "a double murder at sea", in which one fisherman was shot in the head and the other in the stomach. In December 2014, Rome threatened to withdraw its ambassador from India after a court rejected Latorre's original request for medical leave. Hongkongers pooh-pooh waste treatment plant, despite free spa It is billed as a groundbreaking way to deal with Hong Kong's human waste, and even includes an onsite spa free to residents, but a new eco-friendly sludge treatment plant has not washed with some locals. The sustainable T-Park development blends into coastal hills near the town of Tuen Mun in the north of Hong Kong, a sleek low-rise building with a roof shaped like a wave. Each day, the HK$5 billion ($644 million) plant treats 1,200 tonnes of sludge from the city's wastewater treatment plants to avoid it being dumped in Hong Kong's overflowing landfills. The three mineral-infused pools in the glass-walled spa, each with a different temperature, are powered by the heat from the burning sludge Isaac Lawrence (AFP) The plant desalinates its own seawater and powers itself by the energy created from burning organic waste in what is the world's largest sludge incinerator. Built by French management giant Veolia, city officials say it is "one of the most technologically advanced facilities" of its kind and will not emit pollutants. But locals who already complain about smells emanating from a nearby landfill have protested against bringing yet more waste into the area. And the building of a free onsite spa has been dismissed by some as a rubbish idea. The three mineral-infused pools in the glass-walled spa, each with a different temperature, are powered by the heat from the burning sludge. Seawater used for the pools is first desalinated at the plant and visitors can look out over ocean views as they soak. They can also have a tour of the plant as part of their trip. "Pure water is a symbol of purity," Antoine Frerot, chairman of Veolia, told AFP during a tour of the plant by French minister for foreign trade Matthias Fekl Wednesday. "We can live together in a dense city without making the planet dirty." However, Cheng Wai-kwan, 49, who lives in a village close to the plant said the spa was less than tempting. "If I tell you I have a spa near home which is powered by burning rubbish, I don't think anyone would come," he told AFP. He was among 40 villagers who protested at the site during the plant's official opening ceremony last week. The spa is due to open to the public next month. Cheng said hundreds of villagers living nearby were fed up with the smell of the nearby landfill, and he worried it would get worse. "Basically, you will have tonnes of shit brought to our district every single day. However beautifully it is being packaged, I don't think it is benefiting us," Cheng added. A Tuen Mun district councillor said locals had never agreed to have the plant being built in their backyard. "The government is using the spa as a compensation but I don't think it's enough," said Ho Hang-mui. "Residents already have to shut their windows (because of the landfill). Even if the spa is free I don't think people will be able to enjoy it," she added. T-Park, the new sludge treatment facility in Tuen Mun in Hong Kong Isaac Lawrence (AFP) Chinese state media warns G7 against South China Sea 'meddling' Chinese state media warned the Group of Seven nations on Thursday not to "meddle" in South China Sea disputes, as leaders from the bloc gathered for talks in Japan. The commentary came as European Council President Donald Tusk said on the sidelines of a summit in Ise-Shima that the bloc should take a "clear and tough stance" on China's contested maritime claims. Beijing has angered several Southeast Asian neighbours by claiming almost all of the South China Sea and rapidly building reefs into artificial islands capable of hosting military planes. Chinese state media has warned the Group of Seven nations not to "meddle" in South China Sea disputes, as leaders from the bloc gather in Japan Nicolas Datiche (POOL/AFP) China's official Xinhua news agency published an article saying the G7 -- which excludes Beijing -- "should mind its own business rather than pointing fingers at others". Xinhua writer Chang Yuan accused Japan of "attempting to take advantage of its G7 summit host status and draw more 'allies and sympathizers' to isolate China". Both Washington and Tokyo -- which is locked in a separate dispute with Beijing over islands in the East China Sea -- have warned against Beijing stoking tensions in the contested waters. Chang wrote that such remarks showed "Japan's hidden agenda: to meddle in the South China Sea issue". Weighing in on the South China Sea "exceeds the G7's current influence and capability. What's more, it reflects a lingering Cold War mindset", Chang added. The commentary came ahead of a ruling expected within weeks on China's claims brought to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague by the Philippines. China has warned outside parties not to meddle in the South China Sea, but has also attempted to draw nations as far away as Niger, Togo and Burundi into the dispute, insisting that they support its rejection of the tribunal. British Prime Minister David Cameron warned China that it must abide by the outcome of the international arbitration as he arrived in Japan for the G7 summit, the Guardian newspaper reported. Beijing summoned top diplomatic representatives from the Group of Seven nations including France and Britain in April to express anger at a joint statement on the South China Sea. Old jobs die hard in China's rustbelt Once the pride of Communist rulers and now hit by a global glut and slowing domestic growth, China's largest oilfield epitomises Beijing's reluctance to cut jobs at loss-making state-run operations. Thousands of oil pumps painted black, yellow and red stretch to the horizon in Daqing, which has produced more than two billion tonnes of the black gold since it started flowing almost 60 years ago. But many are now motionless, with production cut and the city suffering its first economic contraction for more than three decades last year. China's Daqing has produced more than two billion tonnes of oil since it started flowing almost 60 years ago Nicolas Asfouri (AFP) As oil prices hovered near historic lows, the field lost around $800 million in the first two months of 2016, its top Communist official said in March according to state-run media. "It's because of the Americans," said a local oil worker surnamed Wang. Analysts partly concur, blaming price declines on the United States' doubling production in recent years. The shale oil boom in the US saw it export oil for the first time in 40 years in January, and the OPEC cartel of oil producing nations has failed to agree production cuts. As the world's biggest crude buyer, China benefits from low prices but it is also the world's fourth biggest producer, with a larger output than Canada -- meaning millions of jobs are at risk. Western oil majors have been hammered by price falls, and BP alone has cut 11,000 jobs since the beginning of last year. Widespread redundancies would ravage Daqing, where the sector employs some 10 percent of nearly 3 million residents. The oil field, owned by PetroChina, the listed subsidiary of Chinese oil giant CNPC, produced some 38 million tons in 2015, down thirty percent from its peak, according to Nikkei. But while several local workers told AFP that they had taken wage cuts of up to a quarter, jobs were still secure. - Iron Man - The Daqing oil field -- and its fate -- are heavy with symbolism. When oil was discovered there in the late 1950s, China's internationally isolated Communist party, named the field and the city which grew up around it "big celebration". Its first generation of oilmen, notably "Iron Man" Wang Jinxi -- part of a team who drilled with primitive tools in temperatures as low as -30 Celsius -- were lauded as examples of the socialist work ethic. When Mao Zedong in 1964 declared "In Industry, Learn From Daqing," the party's propaganda apparatus flooded the country with books, songs, films and plays praising the city. But the city's "Iron Man" park -- its centrepiece a bust of Wang on a plinth bearing the slogan "The iron man spirit is a precious spiritual treasure" -- is now crumbling and littered with broken statues. "It's the most classic example of industrial China," Lin Boqiang, an energy researcher at Xiamen University, told AFP, adding: "That era is over". State-firms such as CNPC have to maintain employment "because of their social responsibilities," he added. In February China's President Xi Jinping was quoted telling officials from Heilongjiang, the province that includes Daqing: "Economic restructuring today cannot come at the cost of workers well-being. "We must guarantee the incomes and treatment of front-line employees," he added. - Bankruptcy - Across China's northeast, where steel and coal firms support entire cities, there is significant overcapacity in both sectors. CNPC can subsidise losses at Daqing with profitable operations elsewhere, such as refining, analysts said, but smaller firms face bankruptcy without government bailouts. The nation's growth has fallen to a quarter-century low. China will cut 1.8 million coal and steel jobs, officials said this year. But no time frame was given, and ratings agency Fitch said the plan faces "immense" social challenges. After the state-run Longmay mining group said last year it would slash 100,000 jobs, miners staged massive protests. "We are still employed. But wages are just 38 percent of what they once were," a Longmay worker called Chen told AFP. Beijing has earmarked some 150 billion yuan ($23 billion) to cover redundancies and retraining. Restructuring would be "a big problem" for social stability in Daqing, said Michal Meidan, a consultant at Energy Aspects in London, because oil "runs the city". Half a world away, well digger Wang -- wearing a frayed blue jacket emblazoned with PetroChina's orange logo -- agreed. "All these wells are losing money, but they will keep producing," he said. "Otherwise what would workers do?" Many of the oil pumps in Daqing are now motionless, with production cut and the city suffering its first economic contraction for more than three decades last year Nicolas Asfouri (AFP) As oil prices hovered near historic lows, the field lost around $800 million in the first two months of 2016 Nicolas Asfouri (AFP) As the world's biggest crude buyer, China benefits from low prices but it is also the world's fourth biggest producer, meaning millions of jobs are at risk Nicolas Asfouri (AFP) Takata shares soar on report US firm KKR to take control Takata shares skyrocketed in afternoon trade Thursday, following a report that US private equity firm KKR wants to take control of the embattled airbag supplier. Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) is looking to take over up to 60 percent of the company from the founding family, Japan's leading business paper the Nikkei reported, prompting Takata's shares to surge 21.16 percent to 458 yen at the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The rise is a maximum allowable single day gain under the bourse's rule. Takata said earlier this month it logged an annual net loss of $120 million, as it struggles with a massive recall crisis Toru Yamanaka (AFP/File) KKR appears to have proposed its support plan to a Takata-hired legal panel, the Nikkei said, without citing sources. The scandal-stricken company said earlier this month it logged an annual net loss of $120 million, as it struggles with a massive recall crisis over exploding airbags tied to 13 deaths in the United States and Malaysia. US auto safety regulators have ordered Takata to recall between 35 million and 40 million airbags installed in US cars, in a push for the replacement of dangerously explosive inflators. In morning trade Thursday, Takata shares soared nearly five percent after it said Wednesday it hired investment bank Lazard to look for financial sponsors willing to invest in the company. The panel formed in February is negotiating with automakers on cost claims, Takata said in a statement released during US trade, according to Bloomberg News. The Tokyo-based auto parts giant has been hit by lawsuits and regulatory probes over claims it hid flaws in its airbags for years. The scandal has affected about a dozen global automaker clients, including Toyota and Volkswagen. Investigators increasingly suspect that the chemical used to inflate Takata airbags can be unstable, especially in hot and humid conditions, and cause the inflator canister to rupture. Most of the fatalities have been in the US, including a Texas teenager who died in March after her 2002 Honda Civic collided with another car, activating a defective Takata airbag. The Takata case constitutes the largest ever safety recall in US history, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said. Last year the agency slapped Takata with a record $200 million fine for providing inadequate and inaccurate information about the problem airbags to regulators. With the number of Takaka-related recalls across the world expected to surpass 100 million vehicles, the focus of the issue now is how to divide the massive recall cost between Takata and automakers, the Nikkei said. Duterte vows economic growth outside of 'dead' Philippine capital Incoming Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte pledged Thursday to spread economic activity beyond the overpopulated capital of Manila, calling it a "dead" city overrun by shantytowns. Duterte said he would create new jobs by setting up economic zones outside of Manila to spread the wealth beyond the sprawling metropolis of about 15 million people, and that he would not allow any more factories to be built in the capital. "I have to create more jobs but Manila is already saturated," Duterte told reporters in the southern city of Davao, which he has ruled as mayor for most of the past two decades. "I have to create more jobs but Manila is already saturated," Rodrigo Duterte told reporters in the southern city of Davao Manman Dejeto (AFP) "If there are any investors coming in, I will tell them I will not allow factories anymore in Manila, not only because it is a dead city but because I have to build a new environment for the people." Duterte, who won a landslide election victory just over two weeks ago, said repeatedly while campaigning one of his top priorities would be improving the lives of about 26 million Filipinos, more than a fourth of the population, who live on $1.30 a day or less. Popular frustrations over the sharp rich-poor divide that largely remain despite years of continuous strong economic growth under incumbent leader Benigno Aquino helped to bring Duterte to power, analysts have said. Lack of opportunities around the rest of the Philippines have for decades made Manila a magnet for people seeking a better life, but millions have instead been forced to live miserable existences in mega-slums. The nation's rich-poor divide is on vivid display in Manila, where the slums are just a few kilometres (miles) from gated villages with luxury homes for the rich, as well as glittering skyscrapers and billion-dollar casino complexes. Duterte expressed dismay at the sight of Manila's polluted canals, which are surrounded by shantytowns. Duterte, who will begin a six-year term on June 30, said he wanted to create opportunities elsewhere so people would not have to live in such squalid conditions. "I will ask the engineers to find land because we will build economic zones there," Duterte said, adding people living in the Manila slums would be moved there. "I have to relocate them but before I relocate them, I have to establish economic activity." Manila accounts for more than a third of the economic output of the country, with two surrounding regions contributing another quarter, according to official data. S. Korea picks GE as preferred bidder for fighter project South Korea said Tuesday it had chosen US conglomerate General Electric (GE) over a European competitor as the preferred bidder to supply engines for a multi-billion dollar fighter jet project. "Our plan is to finalise a contract in June," a spokesman at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) told AFP. GE Aviation was chosen over a European Eurojet consortium that included Rolls-Royce Holdings and MTU Aero Engines AG. South Korea chose GE Aviation over a European Eurojet consortium that included Rolls-Royce Holdings and MTU Aero Engines AG to supply engines for a multi-billion dollar fighter jet project Stan Honda (AFP/File) South Korea is looking to develop a fleet of 120 "indigenous" next-generation, multi-role fighter jets over the next 10 years to replace its ageing fleet of F-4 and F-5 fighters imported from the United States. The Korean Fighter Experimental (KF-X) programme has an 18 trillion won ($15.2 billion) budget, with Indonesia signing on board as a junior partner earlier this year. Indonesia would cover about twenty percent of the cost, with up to 100 Indonesian workers taking part in the development and production process. While DAPA will be the government agency supervising the project, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) will lead the industrial team that is tasked with bringing the programme to fruition. KAI won the development tender in March last year with a bid made in partnership with US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin. In Gaza, wall of silence over child sexual assault Life has turned into a nightmare for Fatma's family since her eldest son, 11, was sexually assaulted, a trauma which has damaged them all and forced them to move house. "It started one night when our son came home late obviously very troubled," the 30-year-old mother of seven said, speaking to AFP under an assumed name to protect the boy's identity. "He told me that someone from our extended family and a neighbour took him to an isolated house. Over 75 percent of 693 abused children identified in the West Bank and Gaza Strip knew their assailant, according to the Palestinian Centre for Democracy and Conflict Resolution (PCDCR) Mohammed Abed (AFP) "He said, 'They undressed me and started a pornographic video on their computer, I wanted to escape but they caught me,'" Fatma recalled, saying she immediately called the police. Two men, in their twenties, were arrested. Fatma's family is one of the rare victims who speak out on a taboo issue in the conservative Gaza Strip and to bring the case to court. "Even though they are part of the family, I asked for the death penalty," she said. But while one of the suspects was jailed, the other was quickly released. And she said the family quickly hit a wall of shame and silence. "The school counsellor who was asked about my son's behavioural problems was ashamed to talk about the real reasons, blaming family disagreements." The damage for the whole family has been irreparable. "We spent all our money moving house. I've suffered a lot and I got sick and all my children were affected indirectly," she said at a Gaza support unit run by the Palestinian Centre for Democracy and Conflict Resolution (PCDCR). - 'Culture of shame' - The shelter is a rare haven for victims of sex crimes and their families in the crowded Palestinian enclave. Asma Saud, a psychological support staffer at the centre, said the few children who come there are just the tip of the iceberg. Sexual assaults like these, she explained, are "present but hidden because of the weight of tradition and culture of shame". Gazan society, in which tradition has always played a major role, has turned in on itself further since the Islamist movement Hamas won 2006 elections and took sole control of the territory the next year after deadly clashes with the rival secular Fatah. Since then, Israel has blockaded the narrow strip of land wedged between it, Egypt and the Mediterranean. One morning, while the disabled son of another woman was waiting for the school bus, "a neighbour attracted him by offering him money then cornered and sexually assaulted him," Nadia told AFP. "I warned the school and I got him discreetly examined by a doctor I know," the mother said. Since then he has been "disturbed, he has withdrawn inside himself", she said. He started lagging behind at school and has little enthusiasm for life. Nadia, also a pseudonym, said the fear of what people will say made her wary of contacting the police. Instead she preferred to go to local elders to mediate between her family and that of the aggressor. But the attacker still lives in the same neighbourhood. According to a PCDCR study, over 75 percent of 693 abused children identified in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip in two years knew their assailant. - Sex education - Mahassim, 48 and a mother of eight, knows her six-year-old daughter was molested by an employee at her school. "She is still shocked and I wonder how she will be able to lead a normal life," the mother said. She complained but said her family had been pressured by a third party who volunteered to mediate to keep the issue out of the courts. "He asked me to show humanity and withdraw my complaint." PCDCR vice president Iyad Abu Hjayer said that of the 693 cases handled by the centre, only 22 families had gone to court and most eventually withdrew their complaints. Ayman al-Batniji, spokesman for the Gaza police, deplored "the fear of scandal, which in our conservative society means many families refrain from approaching the police". The rape of a child under 14, if proven, can lead to the death penalty under Palestinian law. Before Hamas took power, two men were executed for child rape. A 2003 law on sexual harassment calls for "between six months and one year in prison for the aggressor", added the centre's Abu Hjayer. He wants more support for victims, as well as tougher sentences. Abu Hjayer also called for real sex education "in school and at home" in the Gaza Strip. One in two inhabitants is under 18 in Gaza, where the United Nations says 300,000 children, having endured three wars with Israel since 2008 and a decade under blockade, need psychological support. The United Nations says 300,000 children living in the Gaza Strip need psychological support after living through three wars with Israel since 2008 Mahmud Hams (AFP) Hong Kong pro-democracy protester guilty of assaulting police A Hong Kong pro-democracy activist who was allegedly beaten by police in an attack captured by television cameras and beamed around the world was found guilty Thursday of assaulting and resisting police officers. Political activist Ken Tsang was accused of splashing liquid on police officers during mass street rallies in 2014 - the same night as he was brutally beaten in the corner of a park. Protesters outside the courthouse said the verdict amounted to "political persecution," while Tsang's lawyer Robert Pang said the attack his client had been subjected to was much more serious than the one he had been charged for. Political activist Ken Tsang was accused of splashing liquid on police officers during mass street rallies in 2014 - the same night as he was beaten in an attack Isaac Lawrence (AFP/File) Tsang, 40, a member of the pro-democracy Civic Party, denied the charges but was found guilty of one count of assault and two counts of resisting police officers, which could carry up to two years in jail. "The evidence showed that the defendant did indeed pour liquid, and that liquid fell on police officers," magistrate Peter Law told the Kowloon City courthouse. "Although he did not have a specific target, he clearly knew there were many officers below," he said, adding that it showed "hostility." Tsang, wearing a dark suit, sat calmly in the courtroom -- which was packed with both journalists and his supporters -- as the verdict was delivered. He was given bail until his sentencing on May 30. The police who allegedly beat him, who are not the same officers Tsang is accused of assaulting, are to stand trial separately. It is the first conviction for a high profile case surrounding the rallies which blocked major highways in the city for over two months and was dubbed the "Umbrella Revolution", with protesters calling for a free vote on the city's leader. Nearly 1,000 people were arrested in connection to the rallies including student pro-democracy leader Joshua Wong, who faces two verdicts in June for protests in 2014. - 'He was tortured' - Speaking after the verdict, Tsang's lawyer Pang described the "disproportionate violence" police allegedly used in the attack on the activist. "His body was covered in wounds... he was tortured. He was punched and kicked in a dark corner as a punishment," Pang said. Video footage aired by local television network TVB at the time showed a group of men hauling a handcuffed Tsang to a dark corner in a public park in the early hours of October 15, 2014. One man stood over him and punched him, as three others were seen repeatedly kicking him. Seven policemen will stand trial for the assault on the activist later this year. They have pleaded not guilty to the charges. Tsang said he was "disappointed" about the court's decision and thanked supporters, adding that he was mulling over an appeal. He earlier said that police brought assault charges against him to distract from the case against them. The two incidents took place at the height of mass protests seeking free leadership elections in Hong Kong, and rocked the reputation of the city's police force. It took a year for charges to be brought against both Tsang and the officers accused of beating him, a delay that further increased controversy surrounding the cases. Thousands of protesters blocked major thoroughfares in Hong Kong in 2014 but ultimately failed to win any concessions from either Beijing or the city authorities. Ken Tsang (2nd L) protesting on May 2, 2016 against the sacking of a respected editor at a Hong Kong newspaper Isaac Lawrence (AFP/File) Dire conditions for civilians trapped in Iraq's Fallujah: UN Only 800 people have been able to flee Fallujah since Iraqi forces launched a major offensive to retake the city, the United Nations said in a statement released Thursday. Lise Grande, the UN's humanitarian coordinator for Iraq, said that those who managed to leave the city occupied by the Islamic State group reported dire living conditions inside. "We are receiving distressing reports of civilians trapped inside Fallujah who are desperate to escape to safety, but can't," the statement quoted her as saying. Iraqi forces have launched an assault to retake Fallujah, tightening their siege on Islamic State group fighters Ahmad Al-Rubaye (AFP/File) The UN said that only 800 people had been able to flee Fallujah since May 22, "mostly from outlying areas". "Some families report having to walk for hours under harrowing conditions to reach safety. People trapped in the city centre are thought to be most at risk -- unable to flee," the UN said. Grande said that those who managed to flee told of a dire situation inside the city, which lies only 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of the capital Baghdad. "Food supplies are limited and tightly controlled. Medicines are exhausted and many families have no choice but to rely on dirty and unsafe water sources," she said. The UN and other humanitarian agencies have been unable to deliver much of the available assistance due to the lack of access since the operation was launched on May 22-23. Humanitarian corridors discussed with the Iraqi authorities have largely failed to materialise so far. Jihadist fighters holed up in the Fallujah city centre have been imposing a curfew and forbidding residents to leave their homes, apparently using them as human cover. Residents contacted inside Fallujah have also said that the amount of bombs and booby traps laid by IS in and around the city would make any flight very perilous. The UN's refugee agency also said on the first day of the operation that supply routes were effectively cut off by the tens of thousands of Iraqi forces surrounding the city, thus also preventing civilians from leaving. Taiwan angry over 'emotional' female president comments Outraged Taiwanese took to the Internet Thursday to slam sexist comments by a Chinese analyst who said the island's new president practises "emotional" politics because she is a single woman. The scathing attack Tuesday from a member of China's organisation overseeing relations with the island comes amid heightened tensions between Beijing and Taipei after the election of Taiwan's first female leader, Beijing-sceptic Tsai Ing-wen. Tsai's office and the ruling DPP declined to comment on the remarks, but enraged politicians and citizens openly voiced their displeasure. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen greets supporters during her inauguration ceremony in Taipei, on May 20, 2016 Sam Yeh (AFP) "It's such a ridiculous remark and discrimination against single people. Everyone has the right to choose his or her lifestyle by having partners or staying single and that should be respected," DPP lawmaker Yeh Yi-chin told AFP. Another lawmaker Wang Yu-min was equally incensed over the comments. "Such a personal attack is extremely improper. It's gender discrimination and we strongly oppose such remarks," said Wang, from the Beijing-friendly KMT party. The remarks from Wang Weixing, a military analyst and a board member of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, claimed that Tsai's politics were affected by her status as a "single female politician". "In political style and strategy, often she tends to be emotional, personal and extreme. In terms of political tricks, she considers strategy less, tactical details more, and short-term goals are paramount, while long-term goals are less taken into account," Wang wrote. Internet users in Taiwan joined lawmakers in slamming Wang's comments Thursday. "Why doesn't he criticise a bunch of married male politicians who are having extramarital affairs? (He's) a chauvinist pig who hurts gender equality," wrote one post on the Facebook page of Taiwan's Liberty Times newspaper. "It is a crime to be single? Such a remark only shows the world how perverted China is," wrote one message on the Apple Daily's website. Another blasted: "China is so barbaric." Tsai, from the Beijing-wary Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), was inaugurated last week, succeeding Ma Ying-jeou of the Kuomintang (KMT) who oversaw an unprecedented rapprochement with China. Beijing has since warned the new president against any move to declare formal independence and threatened to cut contact unless Tsai states support for the "one China" principle. North Korea is a 'big worry for all of us': Obama at G7 US President Barack Obama took aim at North Korea Thursday, calling it a "big worry" after a meeting with his G7 counterparts, as tensions escalate following Pyongyang's series of nuclear tests. Obama made the remark at a briefing on the sidelines of Group of Seven talks in Japan where North Korea's provocations and its nuclear ambitions are among the topics on a packed agenda. "North Korea is a big worry for all of us," Obama said. US President Barack Obama made the remarks about North Korea at a press conference during the first day of the G7 summit in Ise Shima on May 26, 2016 Jim Watson (AFP) "It is not the thing that poses necessarily the most immediate risk. (But) when you have such an unstable regime that is so isolated, that poses the kind of medium-term threat that we have to pay a lot of attention to." Tensions between North and South Korea have been running high since Pyongyang conducted its fourth nuclear test in January. In recent weeks, the North has made repeated proposals for military talks aimed at de-escalating the situation -- but the South has dismissed the offer as an "insincere" propaganda ploy. The current administration of South Korean President Park Geun-Hye is adamant that substantive inter-Korean talks can only begin once the North makes a tangible commitment to denuclearisation. Also Thursday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged a return to talks with North Korea, during a visit to South Korea that has fuelled speculation of his presidential ambitions in his home country. "We must find the path back to dialogue," Ban said at a peace and security forum. North Korea held its first ruling party congress for nearly 40 years earlier this month, formally endorsing leader Kim Jong-Un's policy of expanding the country's nuclear arsenal. The congress was seen as an elaborate coronation for the 33-year-old Kim, securing his status as supreme leader and confirming his legacy "byungjin" doctrine of twin economic and nuclear development. The UN Security Council in March imposed its toughest sanctions to date following the January nuclear test and a long-range rocket launch the following month. The North had already been subject to a range of sanctions because of earlier nuclear tests -- in 2006, 2009 and 2013 -- and a series of long-range missile tests presented as satellite launches. The Security Council resolutions condemned the nuclear tests and rocket launches as a threat to international peace and security. North Korea has challenged the sanctions, arguing that no international laws or agreements stipulate that nuclear tests are such a threat. It has also noted that the Security Council never sanctioned the United States or other countries for their nuclear tests or ballistic missile launches. Its long-held argument is its push for a nuclear deterrent has been forced by US hostility. This undated picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on March 24, 2016 shows the operation of a new type large-caliber multiple rocket launching system at an undisclosed location in North Korea Syria the world's most dangerous place for health workers: WHO Syria was the most dangerous place for health care workers to operate last year, ahead of other conflict zones like the Palestinian territories, and Yemen, the World Health Organization said Thursday. For the first time, the UN health agency provided comprehensive statistics on attacks on health care facilities and other violence directed at health workers in major conflict areas over the past two years. The findings were bleak: nearly 600 attacks directed at medical structures, personnel and ambulances were carried out across the 19 countries and territories included in the study in 2014 and 2015. A hospital supported by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Syria's northern province of Idlib, was destroyed by a suspected Russian air strike in February 2016 Ghaith Omran (Al-Maarra Today/AFP) Almost 1,000 people, including health workers, patients and bystanders, were killed, the WHO report said. "One of the most concerning findings is that two thirds (of the attacks) have been deliberate," Rick Brennan, WHO's chief of emergency risk management, told reporters. Assaults intentionally targeting health care facilities, health workers, the sick and injured "represent gross violations of international humanitarian law," he said. "If proven (they) can be considered war crimes." WHO chief Margaret Chan denounced the violence against people simply trying to save lives often in horrific circumstances. "We need those facilities and we need those valuable human resources to help people from both sides," she told delegates attending WHO's main annual assembly this week. - 'Slaughtered in their beds' - Syria, ravaged by a devastating five-year conflict, in 2015 counted 135 attacks on health facilities and workers, resulting in 173 deaths. That is more than half of the 256 attacks registered across 19 conflict areas last year, which together left 434 people dead. Joanna Liu, head of medical charity Doctors Without Borders, warned that "the act of providing healthcare itself is under attack". "From Yemen to Syria, from Central African Republic to Niger, health facilities are looted, burned and bombed," she told the WHO gathering. "Patients are slaughtered in their beds. Health workers are abducted, assaulted and killed." She said that last year alone, 75 hospitals managed or supported by the charity, which goes by its French acronym MSF, were attacked. "Medicine should not be a deadly occupation," she said. Other areas that are particularly dangerous for health workers include the Palestinian territories, where there were 34 attacks in 2015 that killed three people, Pakistan, with 16 attacks resulting in 45 deaths and Libya with 14 attacks that left 39 dead. War-torn Yemen and Iraq also figured high on the list. The WHO report said that 2014 was even deadlier on a global scale, with 525 people killed in 338 attacks. Statistics for 2016 were not available, Brennan said, although he warned that the trend was continuing, with numerous attacks so far this year, including on hospitals in Syria. There were 135 attacks against medical structures and personnel across war-ravaged Syria in 2015 Louai Beshara (AFP) Taliban still bent on violence despite new leadership: Obama Hopes of negotiating peace with the Afghan Taliban's new leader were swiftly fading from all sides Thursday, as US President Barack Obama warned the extremist movement will continue killing in Afghanistan. Obama told reporters in Japan, where he is meeting with other leaders of the Group of Seven nations, that he doubted the insurgents would come to the table "anytime soon". "We anticipate the Taliban will continue an agenda of violence," he said. US President Barack Obama told reporters that he doubted the Afghan Taliban would come to the table "anytime soon" Jim Watson (AFP) Obama was speaking the day after the militants named Haibatullah Akhundzada as their new leader, elevating a low-profile religious figure in a swift power transition after the death of Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a US drone strike. Analysts have said it is unclear if Akhundzada, who faces the enormous challenge of unifying the increasingly fragmented militant movement, will emulate his former boss in shunning peace talks with the Afghan government. But the US killing of Mansour showed that Washington has at least for now abandoned hopes of reviving the direct peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban, which broke down for the first time last summer. Obama acknowledged that he was never going to find a willing negotiating partner at the helm of the extremist group. "I was not expecting a liberal democrat to be appointed," he told reporters. "My hope, although not my expectation, is that there comes a point where the Taliban realise what they need to be doing" and start getting into a dialogue with the government, he said. "I am doubtful that it will be happening anytime soon." The Taliban has made no official statement on the future of peace negotiations since announcing Akhundzada's leadership. But Obama's comments were reinforced by a senior Taliban source speaking to AFP in Pakistan, where Mansour was killed in the strike Saturday, who said there would be no shift in the militants' stance. "We consider NATO and the US troops as invaders and our resistance movement will continue," the source said Wednesday, after Akhundzada's leadership was announced. "The drone strike against (Mansour) has proved that the US is not sincere in bringing peace in Afghanistan, so peace talks at any level will remain suspended till the new decision by the leadership council." In Afghanistan, an official with the High Peace Council was cautious on the future of talks, saying Akhundzada "may not be interested in political dialogue at least in the short term" but vowing the council will continue its "endeavours for peace". President Ashraf Ghani was more hawkish, tweeting Thursday: "Taliban groups have yet another chance to end violence/lay their arms & start normal life. Or they'll face the same fate as their leadership." - Peace 'scuttled' - Analysts have told AFP that even if he favours peace talks, Akhundzada -- seen by some as a symbolic rather than functional leader -- would be unlikely to proceed without consensus from his supreme council. Mansour's killing marked a significant shift for Washington, highlighting a new willingness to target Taliban leaders in Pakistan and risk retaliatory attacks against struggling Afghan security forces. It sent shockwaves through the insurgent movement, which had seen a resurgence under Mansour. He was killed just nine months after being formally appointed leader following a bitter power struggle upon confirmation of founder Mullah Omar's death. Omar died in 2013, but his death was kept secret for two years, with Mansour issuing statements in his name -- a revelation that helped fuel internal opposition and splintered the group into rival factions, shattering the nascent peace process that had begun last summer. Before his killing, Mansour had written a will handpicking Akhundzada to be his successor, Taliban sources told AFP, in an apparent bid to lend legitimacy to his appointment. Pakistan said that attempts to restart talks had been "scuttled" by Mansour's killing, with the country's top foreign affairs official lashing out at a briefing in Islamabad Thursday. The strike has "undermined the Afghan peace process", Sartaj Aziz said. The US, China, Afghanistan and Pakistan had agreed at talks about the peace process in Islamabad earlier this month that a "politically negotiated settlement was the most viable option", he said. "This understanding has not been respected... In less than a year, the peace process has been scuttled twice." Afghan Taliban new leader Haibatullah Akhundzada The Afghan Taliban have appointed Haibatullah Akhundzada as their new chief, after officially confirming the death of Mullah Mansour in a US drone strike Private firms to hunt for Egyptair black boxes: France France and Egypt will hire two private firms to help in the hunt for the black boxes from the EgyptAir plane that crashed last week on route from from Paris to Cairo, the French foreign ministry has said. "We are in talks with two private companies... in coordination with the Egyptian authorities," a ministry spokesman said Wednesday, adding: "The idea is to mobilise the resources very quickly." A diplomatic source in Paris said the two companies, both French, were the Mauritius-based Deep Ocean Search (DOS) and Alseamar, based in the French capital. The Airbus A320 carrying 66 people crashed into the Mediterranean while flying from Paris to Cairo early May 19, 2016, and some wreckage but not the black boxes has been found Mohammed El-Shahed (AFP/File) EgyptAir Flight MS804 crashed in the Mediterranean last Thursday between the Greek island of Crete and Egypt's north coast with 66 people aboard, including 30 Egyptians and 15 French nationals. French and Egyptian aviation officials have said it is too soon to determine what caused the disaster although a terror attack on the Airbus A320 has not been ruled out. France and Egypt will share the costs for the search, which faces a race against the clock, as the flight data and voice recorders emit locator "pings" for no more than about a month. DOS says it can operate in depths of up to 6,000 metres (20,000 feet) and has a robot that is capable of mapping the seabed. Egypt has deployed a submersible that can operate at a depth of 3,000 metres in the hunt for the black boxes, while a French patrol boat is also in the search area, concentrating mainly on the surface. Obama says world leaders 'rattled' by Trump US President Barack Obama on Thursday said that global leaders are "rattled" by some of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's policies, blasting the ideas as demonstrating "ignorance" of how the world works. Trump, the billionaire US real-estate mogul and reality TV star, has dominated headlines since launching his presidential campaign last year with a mix of incendiary comments and policy stances seen as insulting Mexicans, Muslims and women, among others. He has proposed building a giant wall along the US border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants and vows that he will get the southern neighbour to pay for it. Presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addresses a campaign rally in Anaheim, California, on May 25, 2016 Robyn Beck (AFP) Trump has also proposed a temporary ban on Muslim immigration, citing fears of jihadist attacks such as those that have occurred in Europe and the US city of San Bernardino. "They are not sure how seriously to take some of his pronouncements," Obama told reporters on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit, referring to global leaders. "But theyre rattled by them, and for good reason," he added. "Because a lot of the proposals that he has made display either ignorance of world affairs or a cavalier attitude or an interest in getting tweets and headlines". Trump has disdained the usual cautiousness of past candidates for the country's highest office -- Republican or Democrat -- who while appealing to their base constituencies have often tried to take positions closer to the centre that would appeal to broad cross sections of the electorate. Obama is coming to the end of this second term and hopes to pass the mantle to fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton, his 2008 rival for the White House and who served him as secretary of state. But recent opinion polls show Democrat Clinton and Trump in an increasingly tight race were they to meet, as expected, in November's election after winning formal nominations at their party conventions this summer. Clinton is vying to become the first female president in US history and while she leads challenger Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Senator has remained competitive and drawn support from younger voters. Clinton's camp has grown increasingly frustrated with the tenaciousness of Sanders, who has vowed to take his fight to the convention even as Clinton remains ahead in delegates, who decide the nomination. Obama tried to downplay the rivalry. "What is really important to remember is that unlike what you have seen in the Republican primary, for the most part there is not that big a difference in terms of the issues," he said. "They are both good people, I know them both well," he said of Clinton and Sanders, both of whom he served with in the Senate. He called it "important for us to try to end this in a way that leaves both sides feeling proud of what they have done". New Israeli defence minister's tough talk to be put to the test Israel's newly named Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman has pledged harsh actions against Palestinians, but there are doubts over whether the hardliner will be able to translate his provocative political rhetoric into concrete action. Lieberman will be in charge not only of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, but also of the military bodies that rule Palestinian life in much of the territory. The defence portfolio is widely seen as the second-most powerful in the government, overseeing an array of contracts, missions and activities in a country on a near-constant war footing. Israeli hardline MP and head of Yisrael Beiteinu party Avigdor Lieberman talks to the press during a meeting in Jerusalem on May 23, 2016 Menahem Kahana (AFP) But while Lieberman has issued numerous threats over the years, Israel's security establishment, which has served as a voice of moderation in recent months, may push back against actions it views as harmful to the country's interests. "At the end of the day, we're bound to international law," a defence ministry official said. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was trepidation in the security establishment over the appointment of Lieberman, "who isn't one of us." Lieberman, who has not yet been sworn in, is seen as an outsider by some in the military. Though he completed his mandatory military service, he was not a major figure there. The official also noted that Lieberman's apparent aspirations to become prime minister could be a moderating factor. "If he has pretensions to reach the top, he'll have to change," he said. Lieberman sought to address concerns over his plans when appearing at a ceremony with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to mark their coalition agreement, saying he was committed to "responsible, reasonable policy." Netanyahu stressed he still planned to pursue peace with the Palestinians -- though negotiations have been at a standstill since April 2014. There are already concerns internationally. US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the new coalition raised "legitimate questions" about Israel's commitment to a two-state solution. - Calls for death penalty - Lieberman is detested by the Palestinians, while Israeli centrists and left-wing politicians say his appointment signals a dangerous drift toward the far-right -- even a step toward fascism for some. His more controversial statements include one from last month directed at Ismail Haniya, Islamist movement Hamas's leader in the Gaza Strip. Lieberman said he would give Haniya 48 hours to hand over two detained Israeli civilians and the bodies of soldiers killed in a 2014 war "or you're dead". He has also sought the death penalty for Palestinian "terrorists." Moshe Yaalon, his predecessor as defence minister who has also served as armed forces chief, resigned on Friday, forced out by Netanyahu as he engaged in talks to bring Lieberman and his ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party into the fold. Yaalon did not go quietly, warning of a rising tide of extremism. Lieberman, who has also served as foreign minister, lives in a settlement in the West Bank, though he is secular and has opposed policies supported by Israel's ultra-Orthodox Jewish establishment. He also in theory does not oppose a Palestinian state. That has left opinion divided on whether he will be a boon to Israel's settler movement. "Counter-intuitively, I'm not sure the settlers will have an easier time now," said Hagit Ofran of settlement watchdog Peace Now. "Yaalon was a good friend of the settlement movement, who advanced and approved things his predecessors didn't dare," she told AFP. "I don't know if Lieberman feels as connected, despite himself being a settler." Yossi Mekelberg of London-based think tank Chatham House's Middle East programme saw it differently. "The message that the settlers will get is that we have our own man in the defence ministry, so we definitely can assert ourselves in the West Bank," he said. - Putin mediator? - Netanyahu has said that defence policies would ultimately remain under his control, and he would not seek to change them. "In the end, the prime minister leads all the systems together with the defence minister, together with the chief of military staff," he said on Sunday after being asked how someone previously described as irresponsible by his own Likud party could be given the important position. Lieberman himself sought a more moderate tone even before closing the deal with Netanyahu. He had previously shown strong support for Israeli soldier Elor Azaria, charged with manslaughter for shooting dead a wounded Palestinian assailant as he lay prone on the ground without posing any apparent threat. He even attended one of Azaria's military court appearances in support, putting him at odds with top military brass who strongly condemned the soldier's actions. More recently, Lieberman said "we will respect every decision and ruling laid down by the military court." Some point to at least one potential benefit for Western nations in Lieberman's appointment. Born in the ex-Soviet republic of Moldova, Lieberman is seen has having solid relations with Russian officials. "He can also serve as a contact man for the West with (President Vladimir) Putin," the defence official said. "He has good contacts there." Palestinian supporters of the Islamist Hamas movement burn placards bearing pictures of Avigdor Lieberman on May 20, 2016 in Gaza Mohammed Abed (AFP/File) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and Avigdor Lieberman (L), newly appointed Defence Minister, pictured on May 25, 2016 at the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem Menahem Kahana (AFP/File) More than 280,000 dead in Syria war, monitor says in new toll Syria's devastating war has killed more than 280,000 people, a monitoring group said on Thursday in a new toll for the five-year conflict. The toll of 282,283 includes 81,436 civilians, among them 14,040 children and 9,106 women, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Non-jihadist rebel fighters accounted for 48,568 of those killed, while extremist militants -- including non-Syrians -- numbered 47,095. Syrians walk through the rubble of destroyed buildings following an air strike on the rebel-held neighbourhood of al-Kalasa in Aleppo, on April 28, 2016 Ameer Alhalbi (AFP) The Observatory documented the deaths of 101,662 pro-regime fighters, including 56,609 government soldiers. Another 3,522 of the deaths were unidentified. The Observatory is based in Britain and depends on a network of sources inside Syria to gather its information on the conflict that erupted in March 2011. The toll was the first given since a partial truce came into effect between the government and non-jihadist rebels on February 27. Several weeks into the truce, the Observatory said violence -- and daily death tolls -- had dropped dramatically. But since then clashes have broken out in parts of the country where the ceasefire was meant to have taken hold. At least one killed in clashes as opposition protests sweep DR Congo At least one person was reported killed Thursday as rallies across DR Congo against President Joseph Kabila turned violent, with police firing tear gas in the capital Kinshasa and the eastern city of Goma. Large numbers of riot police were deployed across the country for the rallies called by three opposition groups in defiance of government bans. Tensions have been soaring in the country where Kabila, in power since his father's assassination in 2001, is widely thought to be preparing to remain in office beyond the two terms allowed under the constitution. People walk past a burning barricade during a protest against President Joseph Kabila, in Goma on May 26, 2016 Fiston Mahamba (AFP) "A policewoman was killed by the crowd and a protester was also killed," in the eastern city of Goma, Jose Maria Aranaz, who heads the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) in the deeply restive nation, told AFP. But Goma's police chief denied there were any police deaths, saying only a "looter" had been killed. However, Human Rights Watch official Ida Sawyer tweeted that Goma police opened fire on the crowd, injuring several people. Locals said Goma police fired tear gas to disperse youths who had set up barricades and blocked roads. The UN's Aranaz said demonstrations in three eastern cities -- Bunia, Bukavu and Uvira -- passed off without incident. Clashes also broke out in the north of Kinshasa, where about 5,000 demonstrators were on the streets to oppose moves to keep Kabila in power beyond the expiry of his second term in December. Police said that while the Kinshasa demonstration had the go-ahead from authorities, the crowds had deviated from an agreed route. "In these cases we don't negotiate, we disperse," national police spokesman Colonel Pierre Rombaut Mwanamputu told AFP. "There have been some incidents" and "some arrests," he said, without elaborating. Police fired tear gas against stone-throwing protesters and then charged them to break up the demonstration, AFP journalists said. - 'Kabila buzz off' - The protestors in Kinshasa, home to about 10 million people, shouted slogans such as "No to a third mandate", "People rise up" and "Kabila buzz off." As well as fearing Kabila will seek to extend his rule, opposition groups are also angry that his powerful rival, football magnate Moise Katumbi, was all but pushed into exile in South Africa last Friday. In the second city and mining hub of Lubumbashi, dozens of riot police stood guard in the city centre where many shops remained shuttered and the number of vehicles on the roads was far lower than usual, according to an AFP team. The opposition called for demonstrations after the Constitutional Court ruled earlier this month that Kabila, 44, could remain in a caretaker capacity beyond the expiry of his second term, sparking widespread outrage. Katumbi -- who announced this month his plans to run for the presidency -- has been accused of hiring foreign mercenaries as part of an alleged plot to overthrow Kabila. - UN calls for restraint - UN chief Ban Ki-moon called Wednesday for restraint by all sides and said the United Nations was ready to help foster political dialogue in the resource rich but long troubled central African country. Ban is "profoundly concerned by reports of increasing political tensions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo linked to the continuing uncertainty surrounding the country's electoral process," his spokesman said. Political unrest has plagued Congo for months over concerns that Kabila intends to extend his rule despite being legally barred from seeking a third term. The strongman's supporters want elections due later this year to be delayed for two to four years because of logistical and financial difficulties. Despite opposition support for Katumbi, many rank-and-file dissidents are disappointed he left the country on May 20, ostensibly to undergo treatment at a South African hospital. His departure came a day after he was charged with "threatening the internal and external security of the state" for allegedly hiring foreign mercenaries, including an American. The 51-year-old businessman has denied the allegations as "grotesque lies" and says the case is politically motivated. Katumbi was an ally of Kabila's but broke with him in September after the president announced he would carve up DR Congo's provinces, including Katumbi's stronghold of Katanga, into smaller entities. A policeman walks past a poster depicting Democratic Republic of Congo's President Joseph Kabila, in Lubumbashi on May 26, 2016 Junior Kannah (AFP/File) Speculation abounds over new Taliban chief's leaked photo An ordinary, albeit strikingly clear, headshot of the secretive Afghan Taliban's newly appointed chieftain has triggered a flurry of speculation over the motive behind its release. A picture of Haibatullah Akhundzada was unofficially circulated on social media soon after he was declared the new Taliban leader on Wednesday, taking jihadi watchers by surprise. Only a grainy image of Mullah Omar, the insurgent group's secretive one-eyed founder who died two years ago, was published and the Taliban released a coarse handout photo of his successor Mullah Akhtar Mansour. The Afghan Taliban have appointed Haibatullah Akhundzada as their new chief, after officially confirming the death of Mullah Mansour in a US drone strike So why was a high-resolution portrait photo, showing Akhundzada with a salt-and-pepper beard, circulated just days after Mansour was incinerated in a US drone strike in Pakistan? And who was behind it? Those questions have prompted an international avalanche of social media speculation. "If u were the Taliban wld u want (pictures) of your leader splashed around so he can be droned easily?" one Twitter user said. "Oh hey look the Taliban have released a picture of their latest hellfire-missile-bait leader," said another. A member of the Taliban's media commission sought to downplay the speculation, saying the picture was taken more than 12 years ago when Akhundzada went on hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. "Now Akhundzada is an old man with a white beard but we cannot release his latest picture for security reasons," he told AFP. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid added another layer of intrigue, telling AFP the group had not intended to release his picture but was forced to confirm its authenticity after it made a splash online. "We don't know who did it," he told AFP. Taliban expert Rahimullah Yousafzai suggested the picture may have been released by insurgent sympathisers rather than the group. "The new Taliban chief is an Islamic scholar and he too will not like a picture of his in the media," he said. "But now that it has been published they have no way to take it back." The clarity of the image has led some to speculate that intelligence agencies were behind its circulation. "The clear portrait shot... looks like something from the archives of a security agency," one Western official in Kabul told AFP. When the Taliban ruled Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001, almost all electronic products were outlawed as un-Islamic. Photographs of living things were illegal and ownership of a video player could lead to a public lashing. But the Taliban have avidly embraced electronic communication and social media in recent years as a recruitment tool and to promote their propaganda. US forces on ground in Syria aiding key anti-IS fight US forces on the ground in northern Syria are helping a major offensive against the Islamic State group in its stronghold of Raqa province, Kurdish-Arab fighters battling the jihadists say. Near the frontline north of the IS bastion of Raqa city, American commandos climbed onto a low rooftop carrying US-made anti-tank missiles. "These are US special operations forces and this is why you cannot follow them or take many pictures," said a fighter with the Syrian Democratic Forces, which announced on Tuesday an assault on the jihadists north of Raqa. Armed men identified by Syrian Democratic forces as US special operations forces ride in the back of a pickup truck in the village of Fatisah in the northern Syrian province of Raqa on May 25, 2016 Delil Souleiman (AFP) Leaning on a partially destroyed home in the village of Fatisah recently seized from IS, SDF field commander Hawkar Kobane told AFP that "US forces are taking part in this operation" alongside his own troops. "On the rooftop of this house, there are US forces using (anti-tank) TOW missiles to fire on the explosives-rigged cars that Daesh is using to attack the SDF," he said, using an Arabic acronym for IS. The SDF has also received air support from the US-led air coalition bombing the jihadists in Iraq and Syria. And this week, the first of 250 members of the US special operations forces were set to arrive in northeast Syria to support the fight, joining dozens of advisers already on the ground. Though the Pentagon insists the commandos are working away from the frontlines, the troops' presence in Fatisah shows just how close to IS forces they are. Several US commandos were photographed wearing the military insignia of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which make up the bulk of the SDF. Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook downplayed the significance of the foreign military patches. "Special operations forces, when they operate in certain areas, do what they can to, if you will, blend in with the community to enhance their own protection, their own security," Cook said. Observers questioned the wisdom of such a display of support for Kurdish fighters whom neighboring Turkey -- a NATO ally and vital US partner in the region -- considers an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). "On a human level, I get it. They are probably doing it in some way to try and present (themselves) as a friendly ally to the locals," said Charles Lister, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. "But the broader reality here is that US-Turkish relations are already on a pretty low level, and I know for a fact that something like this will have stirred significant anger in Ankara -- and that's not a good thing." Emile Hokayem, a Middle East analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, wrote on Twitter that the move was "politically tone-deaf and counterproductive in this context." - 'A lot of experience' - An AFP photographer saw as many as 20 US soldiers in Fatisah on Wednesday and heard them communicating in English. They refused to speak to journalists but generally appeared less wary than usual about the media presence. The US soldiers could be seen climbing onto pickup trucks fitted with heavy machine guns and driving across the swathes of agricultural plains that make up northern Raqa province. Other US soldiers surveyed territory alongside SDF forces identified by the patches on the arms of their uniforms. "The American forces present here have a lot of experience," Kobane said. "We will take advantage of their experience to fight terrorism and capture the other villages as quickly as possible with as few casualties as possible." Another SDF field commander, Baraa al-Ghanem, said US fighters were "present at all positions along the front... They are taking part on the ground and in the air." "We have a joint operations room with the coalition. We also have special weapons, both heavy and light, and we are facing the problem of mines," he added. The US forces on Wednesday could be seen accompanying a special unit within the SDF known as the "counterterrorism forces." The two forces entered a building on the edge of Fatisah used as the town's school, reportedly to carry out a training session on using US weaponry. Kurds play a dominant role in the US-backed SDF, providing the core of the forces that have pushed back IS in the country's northeast. The SDF has a total of about 25,000 Kurdish fighters and around 5,000 Arab fighters. Washington is pushing to bring more Arab forces into the group. The Syrian war erupted in early 2011 after Bashar al-Assad's forces launched a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests, and has since claimed more than 270,000 lives. Syria and Iraq: zones of control Thomas Saint-Circq, Simon Malfatto, Jean Michel Cornu, Sabrina Blanchard (AFP) Syrian Democratic forces and an armed man identified by them as US special operations (R) are seen in the village of Fatisah in the northern Syrian province of Raqa on May 25, 2016 Delil Souleiman (AFP) Clinton: Email controversy won't affect her White House bid Hillary Clinton defended her use of a private email server for official correspondence while US secretary of state on Thursday, insisting her actions were no different than that of her predecessors. One day after the release of a critical State Department investigation faulting her use of personal email for government business, Clinton vowed that she would not allow the issue to dog her campaign. "There may be reports that come out, but nothing has changed," the Democratic White House frontrunner told CNN. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton vowed that she would not allow the issue of her private email server dog her campaign Tommaso Boddi (AFP) "It's the same story. Just like previous secretaries of state, I used a personal email. Many people did. It was not at all unprecedented." In a subsequent interview with the television network, she repeated her acknowledgement that she made a "mistake," and that looking back she would have avoided such actions. "As I said many times, it was a mistake and if I could go back, I would have done it differently," she said. "I understand why people have concerns about this, but I hope voters look at the full picture of everything that I've done." The issue has dogged Clinton for more than a year, and has been used by her political enemies, including her presumed Republican opponent in the White House race, Donald Trump, to question her trustworthiness and honesty -- character traits that many voters already had expressed doubts about in opinion polls. Trump, celebrating reaching the milestone of 1,237 delegates necessary to clinch the nomination, assailed Clinton's "bad judgment" about using a private email account and described the State Department inspector general's report as "devastating." "This was all bad judgment," Trump told reporters in North Dakota. "Probably illegal." Sounding slightly exasperated, Clinton insisted she has done everything possible to help put the controversy behind her. "I have turned over all of my emails. No one else can say that. I've been incredibly open about doing that. I will continue to be open. And it's not an issue that is going to affect either the campaign or my presidency," she declared. Clinton's use of a private server for official correspondence first came to light in 2015 during Republican-led congressional investigations into her handling of a militant attack on the US mission in Benghazi, Libya. The assault in 2012 left the US ambassador and three other Americans dead. The FBI has since launched a criminal investigation amid Republican charges that use of the unsecured system endangered national security. Clinton has maintained that none of her emails had been marked "classified" when she sent them and, after her own lawyers had removed mails they deemed purely personal, she submitted 52,000 pages of her emails to the State Department, which has reviewed all the documents. Poachers open fire on S.African helicopter in Kruger Park Poachers in South Africa's Kruger Park opened fire on a patrol helicopter, officials said Thursday, describing the attack as a "dramatic escalation" in the battle over rhinos hunted for their horns. The poachers shot five times at the South African National Parks' helicopter that was part of an operation to crack down on poaching in the southern part of Kruger where rhinos have been heavily targeted. "Quick action by all the team members involved averted a catastrophe and the helicopter managed to land with all the crew on board safe," the department of environmental affairs said in statement. A rhino looks through the bars of the holding pens at the Kruger National Park on March 2, 2015 Stefan Heunis (AFP/File) "Four poachers have been arrested and three firearms, ammunition and poaching equipment recovered." The incident on Wednesday came after 363 rhinos were poached in South Africa in the first four months of this year, 232 of which were killed in Kruger National Park. Rhino horn is composed mainly of keratin, the same component as in human nails. But it is sold in powdered form as a supposed cure for cancer and other diseases -- as well as an aphrodisiac -- in Vietnam and China. Nearly 1,200 rhinos were killed by poachers in South Africa in 2015 in another year of carnage by poachers driven by the soaring price of horn. Tunisia mulls women soldiers to face 'new challenges' Tunisia's defence minister said Thursday his country must examine the possibility of allowing women to serve in its armed forces to face down "new challenges" including jihadist attacks. "Tunisia's constitution says that national service is a right for all citizens... This duty applies to all citizens, male or female, so it's now time to look into the issue," Farhat Horchani told the private Mosaique FM radio station. Women are not technically excluded from joining the armed forces but Tunisia's one-year obligatory military service is in practice reserved for men. Tunisian Defence Minister Farhat Horchani delivering a speech during the opening of The Fourth Arab Forum on Asset Recovery "AFAR ", in the Tunisian city of Hammamet on December 9, 2015 Fethi Belaid (AFP/File) Tunisia has been hit by dozens of jihadist attacks since its 2011 revolution, including assaults last year in Tunis and the beach resort of Sousse that killed 60 people, all but one of them foreigners. The beheading of a teenage shepherd by jihadists as his sheep grazed on Mount Mghilla last November also horrified the country. High youth unemployment and a struggling economy has led some Tunisia watchers to warn of the increased risk of radicalisation in the North African country. "There are new challenges: terrorism, limited means," Horchani said. He said Tunisia needed an "adapted infrastructure... We have seen that young people don't want to do their military service." Senegal's southern forests may disappear by 2018: ecologist Senegal's heavily forested southern region of Casamance will have no tree cover left by 2018 if illegal logging driven by Chinese demand is not addressed, a Senegalese ecologist warned Thursday. Gambian loggers have long benefited from lax oversight of the area's forests to take prized rosewood timber over the border into the Gambia before exporting the logs to China. Ecologist Haidar El Ali, a former environment minister, said the loggers' activities had "reached a point of no return," speaking at a press conference in Dakar on behalf of the environmental group he heads, Oceanium. Senegal has lost more than a million trees since 2010 while farmers in Gambia have pocketed 140 billion CFA ($238 million, 213 million euros) exporting the wood to China Georges Gobet (AFP/File) A reporting trip to the region by Oceanium captured images of a secret border market showing the collusion of Senegalese and Gambian loggers and Chinese middlemen, he said. "Senegal has lost more than a million trees since 2010 while farmers in Gambia have pocketed 140 billion CFA ($238 million, 213 million euros) exporting the wood to China where the desire for furniture has exploded in the last few years," he added. Chinese customs data shows the Gambia was the second largest exporter of rosewood in 2015. Nigeria, which ranked top, exported almost four times as much. El Ali said trafficking had become so lucrative that he had observed "Senegalese migrants coming back from Europe to chop down this wood because it is so valuable." The ecologist accused the Senegalese government of failing to do enough to tackle the problem and enforce the law, which states that exporting timber is illegal in Senegal. The knock-on effects of desertification and less rainfall would be "irreversible", El Ali said. Equatorial Guinea president's free-spending son faces French graft trial French prosecutors have called for the son of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea's veteran ruler to be put on trial for embezzlement, corruption and stealing public funds, a judicial source told AFP on Thursday. Teodorin Obiang, one of the country's vice presidents, is accused of looting state coffers to fund his lavish tastes, including the purchase of pop star Michael Jackson's famous white glove, private jets and sprawling properties in some of the world's most expensive areas. The source said a judge would decide whether to put him on trial. Teodoro (aka Teodorin) Nguema Obiang Mangue, son of the Equatorial Guinea's President, in Mbini-Rio Benito, south of Bata on February 14, 2012 Abdelhak Senna (AFP/File) If the go-ahead is given "it will be the first time in France, and even in Europe that such a high-ranking official from a country goes in the dock for ill-gotten wealth," Transparency International and Sherpa, a French association fighting economic crimes, said in a joint statement. French prosecutors had earlier ordered the seizure of the Obiang family's six-storey mansion on Avenue Foch -- one of the poshest addresses in Paris -- as well as several luxury cars. They also took away van-loads of possessions including paintings by famous artists, a $4.2 million clock and wines worth thousands a bottle. Following a suit filed by Transparency and Sherpa, a probe in November established that Obiang had acquired assets in France worth tens of millions of euros while serving as his country's agriculture minister. Sherpa's lawyer William Bourdon said it was essential "to end the culture of immunity in Africa and elsewhere of the biggest kleptocrats who sacrifice the interests of their people for their personal gains." The 46-year-old's father, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, has ruled Equatorial Guinea with an iron fist since seizing power in a military coup in 1979. The younger Obiang had tried unsuccessfully to quash legal proceedings in France invoking immunity as the country's vice president in charge of defence and national security. Human Rights Watch accuses the government of "serious abuses, including torture, arbitrary detention, and unfair trials". Obiang junior has also been pursued by US authorities, who accused him of racking up more than $300 million through embezzlement, extortion, and money laundering, while earning a government salary of less than $100,000 a year. UN envoy says no new Syria talks in next two-three weeks The UN's peace envoy for Syria said Thursday he has no plans to convene a new round of talks in the next two or three weeks as fighting flares on the ground. Staffan de Mistura told a closed session of the Security Council that more progress was needed to strengthen a ceasefire and deliver humanitarian aid before talks can resume. The envoy "briefed on his intention to start the next round of talks as soon as feasible but certainly not within the next two/three weeks," said a statement from his office. UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura told a closed session of the Security Council that more progress was needed to strengthen a ceasefire in Syria before talks can resume Fabrice Coffrini (AFP/File) Two weeks of UN-brokered talks between the Syrian government and opposition groups in Geneva ended on April 27 with no breakthrough. A new round had been expected for the end of May, but no new date has been announced. Diplomats said there was little chance that the opposition would take part in a new round of peace talks if violence was raging and no aid was reaching civilians. De Mistura "reiterated the need to see progress on the ground - particularly in reference to the cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access," said the statement. The envoy has called on the United States, which backs moderate opposition groups, and Russia, the Syrian leader Basha al-Assad's ally, to take action to shore up the ceasefire that has been in place since February 27. US Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters that the violence on the ground had reached "pre-cessation-of-hostilities levels" and blamed the Damascus regime for the upsurge in fighting. "The dangers to the cessation are largely being driven by the Syrian regime and its allies," Power said. "Russia has special responsibility to press the Assad regime to abide by the cessation of hostilities and end its bombardment and siege of innocent civilians," she added. De Mistura earlier told reporters in Geneva that many Syrians will face starvation if the regime and rebel groups do not allow greater access to humanitarian convoys. There "are plenty of civilians at the moment in danger of starvation," he said. Syrian students finally sit exams after escaping IS clutches Before jihadists seized his hometown and turned his school into a prison, Syrian teenager Ahmad Mohammad never imagined he would be excited about sitting his final exams. After a long wait, the 17-year-old and around 650 other teenagers were bussed into the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakeh this month to finally try to obtain their school diplomas. They travelled around 200 kilometres (125 miles) from several towns in the north of Raqa province that were retaken from the Islamic State (IS) group by Kurdish militia in June. Around two million children do not attend school in Syria, the United Nations says Karam al-Masri (AFP) Mohammad said he had not seen the inside of a classroom since early 2014, when jihadists captured his hometown of Tal Abyad on the border with Turkey and began using it as a gateway to their Raqa stronghold. "They turned our school into a prison operated by Daesh fighters," he told AFP, using an Arabic acronym for IS. "My heart would grow heavy when I walked past my school, not allowed to go in. I would remember the good times with classmates the war has scattered across the globe," he said. "Going back to school brought me back to life... The future looked very dark for me, but that changed today," he added. Around two million children do not attend school in Syria, the United Nations says, five years into a complex war that has killed more than 270,000 people and sent millions into exile. In areas under its control, IS has enforced its own self-styled curriculum of religious education coupled with military training. - 'We felt like outsiders' - In Hasakeh province, schools are run by either the government or Kurdish authorities who declared an autonomous region in areas under their control after the 2011 uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. Many of the students who travelled to the region brought heartrending tales of the obstacles they faced to get an education under IS. "My father is a teacher and he continued teaching us in secret" after school was banned, said a teenager from the town of Suluk in Raqa province. Tahami Abdullah, a school official in Tal Abyad, said when fighters first entered the town "they asked for teaching hours to be reduced and for some of the subjects to be dropped". "Then they abolished education completely and transformed schools either into prisons, missions or religious police posts," he said. He said IS forced many to sign a pledge promising not to teach the Syrian national curriculum. "They had their own special courses they would teach in their Islamic schools and missions," Abdullah said. "But no one taught or studied there except for their members and the families of the foreign fighters. We felt like outsiders." Ibrahim Khalil from Tal Abyad said he had not held a pen or notebook in several years because he was "so afraid IS would cut off my hand." "Daesh came to spread ignorance, but our will is stronger than theirs and we will study and continue our education." - IS 'wants us to be ignorant' - As state institutions collapsed across swathes of Syria, alternative methods of education have filled the void. The autonomous Kurdish administration that has managed parts of northern Syria since 2012 run their own schools and teach the long-banned Kurdish language. And opposition-run local councils manage schools in rebel-held areas. In the battleground second city of Aleppo, schools in opposition-held areas have often been forced to shut for weeks at a time due to intense government bombardment. The frequent closures as well as mass displacement have sparked fears among rights groups of a "lost generation" of Syrian students. Ittihad al-Hassan, an 18-year-old female student from Tal Abyad, said she was supposed to sit her ninth grade exams two years ago. But when IS overran her hometown, the jihadists "banned learning and everything else... because they wanted us to be ignorant." "They forced us to cover up completely with a face veil. It was even forbidden for us to show our hands." She said sitting her exam reminded her of "safer days". Nirouda Mohammed, a Kurdish student who fled from Raqa city to Tal Abyad, said finally being able to sit her exams was a dream come true. "I missed sitting at a school desk," she said. "I'm confident that tomorrow, a new sun will rise over my country." Microsoft-Facebook laying trans-Atlantic Internet line Microsoft and Facebook on Thursday announced they will work together to lay a high-speed Internet cable across the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. A new, sub-sea "MAREA" cable was expected to be completed by late 2017, with the aim of meeting growing demand by the tech companies' customers for fast, reliable data connections. "As the world is increasingly moving toward a future based on cloud computing, Microsoft continues to invest in our cloud infrastructure to meet current and future growing global demand for our more than 200 cloud services, " Microsoft data center strategy general manager Christian Belady said in a release. Microsoft and Facebook are working together on a new sub-sea "MAREA" cable aimed at meeting growing demand by the tech companies' customers for fast, reliable data connections Lionel Bonaventure (AFP/File) MAREA will be the highest-capacity sub-sea cable ever crossing the Atlantic, with an expected capacity of some 160 terabytes per second of data, according to the companies. The 6,600 kilometer cable system will also be the first connecting the United States and southern Europe, running from Northern Virginia to Bilbao, Spain, Microsoft and Facebook said. From Spain, the data network will link to hubs in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and other parts of Europe, according to the companies. Microsoft and Facebook said that they are working with global communications company Telxius, owned by Telefonica, on the cable project. "We're always evaluating new technologies and systems in order to provide the best connectivity possible," said Facebook vice president of network engineering Najam Ahmad. "We want to do more of these projects in this manner allowing us to move fast with more collaboration." 'Chapo' threatens to sue Netflix over planned series Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman could sue Netflix and Univision to stop their plans to make a television series about his life, his lawyers said Thursday. The American TV streaming giant and Spanish-language broadcaster announced joint plans this month for a series on Mexico's most infamous criminal, due to air next year. But Guzman's lawyers, who are helping their client fight extradition to the United States, said the companies needed to negotiate with "El Chapo" first. Drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is escorted into a helicopter at Mexico City's airport on January 8, 2016 following his recapture during an intense military operation in Los Mochis, in Sinaloa State Alfredo Estrella (AFP/File) "Mr Guzman isn't dead, he isn't a personality in the public domain. He's alive. He has to grant them the rights (to his story). We could sue them because they don't have authorization for a series or a movie," lawyer Andres Granados told Mexican radio network Formula. "He has told us that if they already have this project, we can negotiate with them so it doesn't go to waste and we don't wear ourselves out with a lawsuit. But as of today they have not approached us." Granados said any such negotiations would have to cover not only the rights to Guzman's name but also the content of the series, since his client is facing a potential trial in the United States and does not want his image stained there. The History Channel has also announced plans for an original drama series on Guzman's life. Ironically, it was Guzman's desire to see his life story on screen that seems to have led to his capture. Guzman, the leader of the Sinaloa cartel, escaped from a maximum-security prison in July 2015 -- his second dramatic jailbreak -- and spent six months on the run, to the deep embarrassment of the Mexican government. He was rearrested in January after a high-profile manhunt that ended with Hollywood star Sean Penn and US-Mexican TV actress Kate del Castillo inadvertently leading the authorities to his hideout. Del Castillo said the drug boss agreed to the meeting, which Penn wrote about in Rolling Stone magazine, because he wanted to discuss making a film about his life. Guzman is wanted in Texas and California on charges including homicide, drug trafficking and money laundering. Deep-water search for EgyptAir black boxes to start 'in coming days': France's BEA Deep-water search operations to locate the wreckage and black boxes of the EgyptAir jet that plunged into the Mediterranean last week will start in the coming days, France's BEA air safety agency said Thursday. "A deep-water search campaign will begin in the coming days with the arrival in the accident area of the French navy surveillance vessel 'La Place'," said the BEA, which is working alongside the Egyptian authorities to investigate the May 19 crash. All 66 people on board the flight from Paris to Cairo were killed. Investigators are still searching for the Airbus A320's two black boxes on the seabed as they seek answers as to why the aircraft went down. An Egyptian woman takes part in a march in Cairo on May 26, 2016, remembering the victims of the EgyptAir crash Khaled Desouki (AFP) Two BEA investigators were on board the La Place ship as it set sail from Corsica on Thursday. The vessel is equipped with three deep-water devices known as Detector 6000s that can detect the black boxes' signals, the French agency said. The Egyptian authorities "will be piloting these underwater searches" with the BEA's help, it added. Talks are still under way to add to the mission a second vessel equipped with a deep-sea exploration robot and the recovery capabilities required to work at an estimated depth of 3,000 metres (10,000 feet). Time is running out because black boxes can only emit signals for about a month. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Wednesday that Egypt was enlisting two French companies to help find the black boxes. The two countries will share the costs. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has said it is too early to tell what caused the plane to plunge into the sea, and investigators have not ruled out terrorism as a possible cause. Ayrault last week said "all theories are being examined and none is favoured". The passengers were 30 Egyptians, 15 French citizens, two Iraqis, two Canadians, and citizens from Algeria, Belgium, Britain, Chad, Portugal, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. They included a boy and two babies. Seven crew and three security personnel were also on board. Earlier Thursday, hundreds of people gathered in Cairo for a candlelight vigil for the victims of the crash. Clutching bouquets of flowers, candles and the Egyptian flag, around 500 mourners assembled at the Cairo Opera House and observed a minute's silence in honour of the victims. Map of the Mediterranean locating debris from EgyptAir Flight MS804 Adrian LEUNG, Philippe MOUCHE (AFP) UN reaches out to China to build peacekeeping force The United Nations is reaching out to China as it pulls together a standby force of 15,000 troops for quick deployment to conflict zones, the UN peacekeeping chief said Thursday. Although Herve Ladsous did not name the countries that will take part in the new reserve force, he does plan to travel to China early next month to discuss its offer of 8,000 troops. "The goal we are pursuing is that, by the end of the year, we would have the capacity of 15,000 people ready for deployment within a very short period," he told reporters. United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Herve Ladsous speaks during a meeting on UN peacekeeping missions in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, on February 17, 2015 Remko De Waal (AFP/File) China made a splash last year when it announced that it was ready to set up an 8,000-strong standby force to bolster UN peacekeeping. That would put Beijing among the top contributors of UN troops and police. China's offer was "remarkable," Ladsous said, praising Beijing for contributing peacekeepers to South Sudan and a squadron of transport helicopters to Sudan. "These are very welcome factors," he said. The standby force will be fully trained and equipped for peacekeeping missions, which is expected to reduce deployment time by several months. More than 100,000 soldiers and police serve in the UN's 16 peacekeeping mission worldwide, the bulk of them provided by a small group of countries. Greenpeace denounces Cameroon for exporting 'stolen' timber Greenpeace on Thursday condemned the sale of illegally logged timber from Cameroon, saying the west African country's main log exporter was involved in the trade. A Greenpeace statement said the Cameroonian log exporter CCT sourced timber from La Socamba, a company logging several kilometres (miles) outside its designated area, and then sold it in Europe and China. The CCT and its suppliers are now facing an audit probe, Greenpeace said. Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands all consider timber from Cameroon as "high risk" and require strict diligence standards from importing firms Delphine Ramond (AFP/File) "Greenpeace Africa takes note of the audit of CCT's practices - but stresses that this process should be independent and transparent, and that CCT suppliers are properly sanctioned when illegal activities are confirmed," said Eric Ini, Greenpeace Africa forest campaigner. Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands all consider timber from Cameroon as "high risk" and require strict diligence standards from importing firms. Greenpeace did not specify the amount of "stolen wood" felled but said La Socamba had been engaged in illegal activities for at least a year. The group said its "investigations in China in July 2014 and March 2015 revealed the presence of huge amounts of CCT logs in the port of Zhangjiagang in Jiangsu province," including logs with La Socamba's marks. Greenpeace said Belgium was the European Union's main importer of Cameroonian wood. "Cameroon's forests are among the most species-rich in the Congo basin, containing the region's most biologically diverse forests, providing valuable habitat for endangered Western Lowland Gorillas, chimpanzees and forest elephants, amongst other species," Greenpeace said. Intruders breach US airport fences about every 10 days Under pressure to prevent people from sneaking onto runways and planes at major U.S. airports, authorities are cracking down not on the intruders who slip through perimeter gates or jump over fences, but on the release of information about the breaches. A year after an Associated Press investigation first revealed persistent problems with airports' outer defenses, breaches remain as frequent as ever occurring about once every 10 days despite some investments to fortify the nation's airfields. As Americans focus on the wait in ever-longer security screening lines inside terminals, new documents show dozens more incidents happening outside perimeters than airports have disclosed. At the same time, leaders at some airports and the U.S. Transportation Security Administration are saying some of the 345 incidents AP found shouldn't count as security breaches, even when intruders got deep into secure areas. ADVANCE FOR THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2016, AND THEREAFTER - In this Friday, May 13, 2016, photo, a commercial airliner lands at San Diego International Airport, where multiple layers of fencing topped with razor wire protects the airport grounds. An Associated Press investigation has documented perimeter breaches at many of the busiest airports in the U.S. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi) Was it a perimeter security breach in March 2015 when a woman walked past a vehicle exit gate at San Francisco International Airport and onto the tarmac, where she tried to flag down a jet for a trip home to Guatemala? No it was not, said the airport and TSA officials, who also tried to suppress information about the case. Nor did they label it a breach when a man, following voices only he could hear, drove through a San Francisco security gate and asked a worker fueling a plane when the next flight was. After discussing intrusions openly at first, officials at several airports and the TSA started withholding details, arguing the release could expose vulnerabilities. Following a two-year legal struggle with the TSA, AP has now used newly released information to create the most comprehensive public tally of breaches. The count shows that an intruder broke through the security surrounding one of 31 major U.S. airports on average every 13 days from the beginning of 2004 through mid-February; since 2012, the average has been every 9.5 days. Many intruders scaled barbed wire-topped fences or walked past vehicle checkpoints. Others crashed cars into chain link and concrete barriers. AP's tally is of breaches at airports that handle three-quarters of U.S. passengers; it's an undercount, because several airports refused to provide complete information. While several intruders had guns or knives, the TSA and airports have been more focused on stopping weapons that passengers or baggage handlers try to sneak onto planes. "It doesn't surprise me that people sometimes try to jump over fences to see what they can get away with," TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger said in a brief interview. It's impossible for airports and local law enforcement to keep everyone out, he said, so "the question is: What's your ability to detect it and ... what might you do to mitigate that happening in the future?" The AP began its investigation in 2014 after a 15-year-old climbed a fence at Mineta San Jose International Airport and scrambled into a jet's wheel well. No one knew it happened until he emerged after the plane landed in Hawaii. Last spring, AP reported there had been at least 268 breaches from the start of 2004 through early 2015 at San Jose and the nation's 30 busiest passenger airports. This update identified 77 more breaches through mid-February, including 41 incidents that airports told TSA about, but not AP. Airport officials stress that the miles of fences, gates and guardhouses protecting their properties are secure and say many intruders who get through are quickly caught. They point out that no case involved a known terrorist plot. Perimeters are not "a gaping vulnerability," said Christopher Bidwell, vice president of security at the advocacy group Airports Council International-North America. And the problem is not even as bad as airport and TSA records suggest, he said, because some intruders were detected immediately. "Their ability to do anything nefarious isn't really there," Bidwell said. "It's being neutralized because they are actively being surveilled." But video cameras and guards don't always spot intruders. After eluding security and reaching parked planes at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport, one intruder warned an airport worker in December that he "better not say" anything. Authorities never found the man, though they did arrest three others at different times in 2015, including one man who managed to drive his vehicle in with a convoy entering the airfield during a visit by Pope Francis. The four intrusions were the most at JFK in any year. Aviation security consultant Jeff Price said the TSA and airports have not done enough to address gaps in perimeter security. "The straight-up honest answer as to why it's not being vigorously addressed? Nothing bad's happened. Yet," Price said. Altogether, there were at least 39 breaches nationwide in 2015, which also was the annual average from 2012 through 2015. The low was 34 in 2013 and the high 42 in 2012, when incidents spiked after several years hovering around 20 breaches. Through mid-February, the large airports with the most known incidents were in San Francisco (41), Las Vegas (30), Philadelphia (30) and Los Angeles (26). New York's JFK ranked 10th, with 12 breaches. Police reports suggest many of the trespassers were disoriented, intoxicated or delusional. Some came on skateboards and bikes, while others commandeered vehicles on the tarmac. One man got into a helicopter cockpit and was preparing to take off. Some were caught immediately, others not for hours. Five intruders brought knives and one a loaded gun. In one incident, Philadelphia airport officials said last year that an intoxicated woman waited for someone to drive out of a gate in April 2012, then walked through. This year, new records described a far more dangerous situation: The woman had just stabbed the driver of a tractor-trailer hauling $1 million of Jack Daniels whiskey in an attempt to steal it. When an airport police officer confronted her, she grabbed his gun and pointed it at his head before he wrestled it out of her hands and arrested her. One month earlier, also in Philadelphia, a man rammed his SUV through a gate and sped down a runway at about 100 mph as a plane carrying 43 people was about to land. AP won an appeal to learn about airport breaches in Philadelphia through the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records, but the city appealed that decision in state court before settling the case and providing details about incidents from 2004 through early 2015. This year, the airport first refused when AP sought an update, then would provide only the total number of breaches in 2015 and early 2016, with no other details. Not everyone has withheld information. Airports including Miami, Las Vegas, San Jose and Portland, Oregon, have been relatively transparent, sending details of breaches and even in some cases surveillance videos. Instead of prioritizing perimeter security, airports have focused on other vulnerabilities, partly due to scrutiny from Congress. TSA workers are under pressure to do better after they failed to catch government investigators sneaking fake explosives and prohibited weapons through scanners. Another concern is the "insider threat," prompted by arrests of workers in several airports whom authorities say used their security clearances to traffic guns or drugs. None of the airport officials would discuss how much they are spending on fortifying perimeters, but some airports that added security in the past year saw fewer intruders. After Las Vegas finished putting razor wire atop its 15 miles of fencing not far from the Strip in early 2015, breaches dropped from eight in 2014 to one in 2015 and one so far this year. Officials in Miami and Phoenix said they increased patrols along each of their 13 miles of fence. Breaches in Miami fell from four to three between 2014 and 2015, though in Phoenix they rose from two to three. Since AP published its initial findings, a half-dozen airports and the TSA have started to withhold all video surveillance footage and other details they previously released and deny that some incidents were "security breaches" at all. TSA did not respond to detailed questions about its changing standards. In a statement, spokesman Richard Ades wrote, "The serious nature of the current daily threat to global aviation, by an enemy that is determined to attack us, demands that we be judicious in releasing information." Incidents the TSA did not classify as breaches include a man jumping a Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, airport fence, and climbing onto a jet and a man caught running near planes in Atlanta after hopping a security gate. Last year, San Francisco had the most perimeter security incidents that TSA insisted were not breaches including the woman on the tarmac and the man who drove through a gate. San Francisco airport officials said they felt unfairly singled out as the airport with the most breaches. Spokesman Doug Yakel said he suspected other airports were not as forthcoming, making his look worse than it should. This time, San Francisco asked TSA whether five 2015 incidents were security breaches and the agency excluded them all. AP uncovered details of three, all of which qualified as breaches under the tally's methodology. AP considered an incident a perimeter security breach if someone reached a secure area by going over or under a fence, slipping through a gate, crashing a car into a fence or gate, cutting or passing items through a fence, or using fraudulent security credentials. Three dozen incidents that airports or the TSA provided did not meet the criteria, so were not included. Since last spring, the San Francisco airport has increased patrols, added lighting and closed-circuit cameras, and fortified two checkpoints with electric gates that slide open and closed, Yakel noted. Before, the gates had just an arm, which intruders simply walked past. __ Pritchard reported from Los Angeles, Mendoza from San Francisco. Contributing were Dan Kempton in Phoenix, Monika Mathur and Alicia Caldwell in Washington, and Brian Barrett, Rhonda Shafner, Jennifer Farrar and Jacob Pearson in New York. ___ Contact Justin Pritchard at https://twitter.com/lalanewsman and Martha Mendoza at https://twitter.com/mendozamartha ADVANCE FOR THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2016, AND THEREAFTER - In this Friday, May 13, 2016, photo, as a commercial airliner taxis for takeoff, the perimeter fencing and razor wires show the layers of security at San Diego International Airport. An Associated Press investigation has documented perimeter breaches at many of the busiest airports in the U.S. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi) ADVANCE FOR THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2016, AND THEREAFTER - In this Friday, May 13, 2016, photo, the perimeter of San Diego International Airport shows part of its security consisting of multiple fences with a combination of razor wire and barbed wire. An Associated Press investigation has documented perimeter breaches at many of the busiest airports in the U.S. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi) ADVANCE FOR THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2016, AND THEREAFTER - In this May 17, 2016, photo, a plane takes off from San Francisco International Airport from behind fencing at the Millbrae Gate, in San Francisco. An Associated Press investigation has documented perimeter breaches at many of the busiest airports in the U.S. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) ADVANCE FOR THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2016, AND THEREAFTER - In this May 16, 2016, photo, a plane taxis toward the terminal after landing at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. An Associated Press investigation has documented perimeter breaches at many of the busiest airports in the U.S. (AP Photo/John Locher) ADVANCE FOR THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2016, AND THEREAFTER - In this May 17, 2016, photo, a sign warns against trespassing as a plane lands at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. An Associated Press investigation has documented perimeter breaches at many of the busiest airports in the U.S. (AP Photo/John Locher) Q&A on AP investigation of perimeter security at US airports The squeeze began after The Associated Press revealed that intruders hop fences, slip past guardhouses and crash cars through gates at the nation's busiest airports far more often than the public realizes. Since publication of that investigation last spring, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration has clamped down on the release of information about airport perimeter breaches. But using litigation and public records requests, the AP is now able to document 345 breaches dating to 2004 at 31 major U.S. airports, including dozens of previously undisclosed incidents. Due to secrecy, that is still an undercount. Here are some questions and answers on AP's reporting: WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW ABOUT AIRPORT INTRUDERS? Exposing security breaches informs the public, lawmakers and in some cases airport authorities themselves about potentially dangerous vulnerabilities that need attention. The goal is oversight and accountability. In this May 17, 2016, photo, a plane takes off from San Francisco International Airport from behind fencing at the Millbrae Gate, in San Francisco. An Associated Press investigation has documented perimeter breaches at many of the busiest airports in the U.S. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) WHAT HAS CHANGED IN THE PAST YEAR? When AP first began asking airports for details of breaches, some balked since TSA had distributed a warning about such media requests. After AP argued that many details were not sensitive, TSA drew up guidance that said dates, descriptions and some other details about breaches could be safely disclosed. Nearly all airports began cooperating and released records. This year, TSA changed its standards. Details and video surveillance materials that were freely disclosable became sensitive security information. The TSA also began saying that some incidents in which intruders got deep into an airport's secure area should not be counted as breaches. WHY IS TSA LIMITING INFORMATION? TSA would not answer detailed written questions about its change of position. Instead, spokesman Richard Ades sent a written statement that said, in part, "The serious nature of the current daily threat to global aviation, by an enemy that is determined to attack us, demands that we be judicious in releasing information that our enemies could exploit." HOW MUCH INFORMATION RELEASED? That's inconsistent. At San Francisco International Airport, Adriana Anabela Monterroso-Santos walked around a vehicle exit gate and onto the tarmac on March 11, 2015; an air traffic controller saw her waving her arms, which she later explained as an attempt to hitch a ride back to Guatemala. This spring, airport officials would not discuss the year-old case. When AP requested an incident report, the airport sent a document with all details blacked out . Airport spokesman Doug Yakel said TSA had determined that any details even the date would be sensitive security information. However, under a separate Freedom of Information Act request, the TSA's Washington, D.C. office provided AP with an internal document which, despite some redactions, detailed the incident. And then there was local law enforcement's incident report . When AP received it, only the personal details of one witness had been blacked out. HAVE SOME AIRPORTS RELEASED A LOT? United Auto Workers union endorses Hillary Clinton WASHINGTON (AP) The United Auto Workers union is endorsing Democrat Hillary Clinton for president. The 400,000-member union announced the endorsement on its website Wednesday evening. UAW President Dennis Williams says Clinton "understands our issues on trade, understands the complexities of multinational economies and supports American workers, their families and communities." Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a United Food and Commercial Workers International Union hall, Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in Buena Park, Calif. (AP Photo/John Locher) The union is praising Bernie Sanders as "a great friend of the UAW, and of working men and women in this country." But it says Clinton "has shown under pressure her ability to lead and get elected in November." UN health agency gets OK for revamp of emergency response GENEVA (AP) Stung by failures in its response to Ebola, the World Health Organization is revamping how it responds to emergencies to become nimbler, more reactive and more operational in "one of the most profound transformations" ever at the U.N. health agency. Member states agreed to the changes Wednesday at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, aiming to streamline decision-making and put logistical and medical teams on the ground faster amid wars, natural disasters and outbreaks of viruses like Ebola, Zika or yellow fever, officials said. A WHO statement said the creation of the new Health Emergencies Program was "one of the most profound transformations in the organization's history." China's Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organization, WHO, addresses her statement, during the 69th World Health Assembly at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, May 23, 2016. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP) Emergency response chief Dr. Bruce Aylward says the changes aim to move WHO away from being a technical and "risk-averse" agency toward one with a "no-regrets approach" that would favor possibly over-deploying in emergencies and then "peel back as necessary," over not doing enough. Aylward said "forward-deployed" teams would monitor the vulnerability of areas to big health risks, and WHO would seek to avoid instances where "seniority gets in the way of the best technical advice" by assigning incident managers to oversee response. He acknowledged the changes would require a "cultural adjustment" at WHO, and said some aspects were already being tried out in the Zika response today in Latin America. The agency has often been too slow in responding to health crises, and "Ebola really brought it to a head," Aylward said by phone. WHO was faulted for broad mismanagement that hamstrung the world's response to Ebola, which has killed more than 11,300 people, mostly in West Africa. It resisted sounding the alarm on the outbreak for two months on political, religious and economic grounds and failed to put together a decisive response even after the alert was issued. "You had great technical people on the ground" in the Ebola response, Aylward said. "But the reality is that they spent lot of time finding accommodation or finding gas not finding virus ... We couldn't scale to the magnitude of the problem." Assembly delegates agreed to put $494 million in the program for 2016-2017, an increase of nearly 50 percent from prior emergency funding levels. Aylward expressed hopes to double WHO's emergency response capacity from about 500 people today over the next 18 months. Feds blame pilot error, lack of oversight in Marine's death PHOENIX (AP) Federal investigators blame the Marine Corps, the Air Force and the pilot and operator of a privately-owned military jet for the death of a Marine killed last year when the jet crashed into his truck in Arizona. The National Transportation Safety Board report said the pilot of the BAE Systems Hawk jet took off too early, noting that he lifted off while traveling more than 10 mph below normal takeoff speed on March 11, 2015. The British-built jet flying on a mission for the Air Force wobbled, veered off the left side of the Marine Corps Air Station-Yuma runway and eventually hit a pickup occupied by Lance Cpl. Anthony T. DuBeau. The 23-year-old from Kenosha, Wisconsin, was providing safety oversight for a construction crew working alongside the runway. The pilot, an active-duty Air National Guard A-10 pilot flying as a contractor for Quincy, Illinois-based Air USA, Inc., told investigators the aircraft's nose "became light" as he approached takeoff speed. FILE - This March 11, 2015 file photo officials check the scene of a T-59 Hawk aircraft crash at the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Ariz. In a report released Wednesday, May 25, 2016, federal investigators blame the Marine Corps, the Air Force and the pilot and operator of a privately-owned military jet for the death of a Marine killed last year when the jet crashed into his truck in Arizona. (Randy Hoeft/The Yuma Sun via AP, File) MANDATORY CREDIT The NTSB concluded the pilot set the aircraft trim to a setting that made its nose lift off early and that it's likely he "instinctively" pulled back on the control stick to initiate takeoff when he felt the plane rising. The plane lost lift because of its slow speed and veered off the runway. That setting was developed by Air USA to make the plane act more like American fighter jets such as the F-16. But the Hawk manual specifically says such trim settings shouldn't be made, according to the report. The agency also noted that bomb dispensers mounted on the jet's wings likely made the aircraft more likely to stall. Calls to Air USA seeking comment on Tuesday and Wednesday were not returned. The plane was on a mission to train Air Force ground spotters who direct attack aircraft. The pilot and a passenger were unhurt, but the plane was heavily damaged. The NTSB blamed the Air Force for failing to oversee operations of its contractors, saying that it did not follow a Defense Department directive that all contractor aircraft must be assessed and an ongoing oversight program put in place. Instead, the Air Force chose to rely on certification and ongoing oversight by the Federal Aviation Administration. "However, because the airplane's missions were flown under the umbrella of "public aircraft," the FAA was not providing, nor was it required to provide, any oversight beyond issuance of the airplane's initial airworthiness certificate," the report said. "As such, the operator was effectively operating without oversight at the time of the accident." An Air Force spokesman said the report was being reviewed. The lack of oversight probably allowed Air USA to keep using a takeoff procedure not approved by the manufacturer and allowed the inadequately reviewed bomb racks to be used, the NTSB said. The Marine's death would have been avoided if the Marine Corps had not allowed construction crews to work alongside a runway in use, according to the NTSB. Such actions would not have been allowed at a civilian airport, the NTSB added. The Marine Corps noted in a statement that the Yuma base is a shared civilian-military facility and its operations were in full compliance with defense department policies. The base is reviewing its practices now that the NTSB report has been released, said base spokesman Capt. Jose M. Negrete in a statement. "It's a classic example of a sequence of events leading to the crash, any one of which by itself is relatively innocuous," said Bill Waldock, a professor of safety science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Prescott, Arizona campus. "But when you add them together, then it culminates in the accident." The immediate events which caused the accident were the 3-degree up pitch setting, and the pilot's error in lifting off while going too slow, Waldock said. "We bring in operations, we bring in the airport, we bring in the aircraft procedures that are being used by the operator, and it ultimately comes down to the pilot," he said. "Usually when I describe the set of errors, I call it human error, not pilot error. There's a tendency to call everything pilot error, and usually the pilot's got a lot of help causing the accident, as it was in this case." Air USA operates former military aircraft such as the Hawk as a contractor for various service branches. The Hawk was designed as a high-performance jet trainer and light attack aircraft and is operated by numerous countries. Hunting trip shooting prompts Portland chief's removal PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Portland's police chief was placed on paid administrative leave this week after revelations he may have initially lied to authorities about shooting a friend in the lower back during an April 21 hunting trip in eastern Oregon. Chief Larry O'Dea stepped aside at the request Mayor Charlie Hales after multiple agencies began probes about a week ago into the shooting. Assistant Chief Donna Henderson was named as acting chief until the investigations are complete. FILE--In this July 15, 2011, file photo, Portland police officer Larry O'Dea speaks during a news conference in Portland, Ore. Portland's mayor has placed O'Dea, currently the city's Police Chief, on administrative leave stemming from the chief's ties to a late-April 2016shooting incident, which is currently under investigation. Hales' decision comes a day after authorities determined O'Dea initially didn't tell the truth about who shot who during the encounter. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, file) The controversy stems from how O'Dea characterized the incident to deputies at the scene a "self-inflicted" accident by the victim versus his description to Hales a "negligent discharge" of the chief's .22 caliber rifle four days later, according to officials from Harney County, Portland Police and the mayor's office. There aren't many details about the incident, but under Oregon law and local police codes, lying to authorities or negligently hurting someone with a firearm is grounds for dismissal and having a hunting license revoked. "This incident has compromised the integrity of the Police Bureau, and should not be a reflection on our sworn and non-sworn members who work tirelessly and diligently to build trust and respect within our community," Daryl Turner, president of the Portland Police Association, said in a statement. O'Dea didn't identify himself as a police officer to Harney County authorities, neither at the scene nor later on. O'Dea, 53, who has been with the department for 30 years, was unavailable for comment as standard protocol during ongoing investigations, Portland police officials said. O'Dea took charge of the nation's 49th largest local police department in January 2015. Hales, who appointed O'Dea in 2014 and is currently undergoing contract negotiations with the police union, also didn't inform Harney County officials of what he knew, but his spokeswoman Sara Hottman said there's nothing that required him to do so. "On Monday, April 25, Chief O'Dea told the mayor about the incident, and said there would be an investigation," Hottman said in an email. "There is no reason the mayor would contact investigators when it was clear that an investigation was underway. Typically, investigators contact witnesses who they think have useful information." O'Dea's involvement came to light May 16, almost a month after the incident, when Harney's Sheriff Dave Ward was interviewing the unidentified victim, the sheriff told The Oregonian/Oregon Live this week. "Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward was initially briefed on April 22, 2016 of the shooting incident and was told that it was a self-inflicted accidental shooting," Ward said in a statement. "Further information was gathered which contradicted this and Sheriff Ward was notified on May 16, 2016 that Portland Police Bureau Larry O'Dea was involved in the incident." The Oregon Department of Justice and Oregon State Police have teamed up on a criminal investigation into the shooting, while Portland Police and a city police independent review board are conducting their own probes. Johnny Depp's wife files for divorce in Los Angeles LOS ANGELES (AP) Johnny Depp's wife has filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences after 15 months of marriage. Amber Depp, an actress known as Amber Heard, filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court and is seeking spousal support from the Oscar-nominated actor. Heard listed their date of separation as Sunday. The pair has no children together. FILE - In this Nov. 3, 2011 file photo, U.S. actors Johnny Depp, left, and Amber Heard arrive for the European premiere of their film, "The Rum Diary," in London. Court records show Heard filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, May 23, 2016, citing irreconcilable differences. The pair were married in February 2015 and have no children together. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan, File) Depp and Heard met while co-starring in the 2011 film "The Rum Diary." Depp's latest film, "Alice Through the Looking Glass," is due to be released on Friday. The actors have been embroiled in a dispute with Australia's deputy prime minister, who last year threatened to euthanize their dogs, Boo and Pistol, after they were illegally smuggled into the country. Heard pleaded guilty last month to falsifying documents to conceal the pets when she arrived by private jet to join her husband on the set of the fifth movie in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series. The pair videotaped an apology as part of a deal that allowed Heard to avoid a conviction. But the actors have been derided because of their wooden deliveries in the film. Earlier this week, the deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, boasted that he had gotten inside Depp's head like fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter after the actor quipped that the ruddy-faced lawmaker appeared to be "inbred with a tomato" during an interview on the U.S. talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Depp has one previous marriage and was in a long relationship with French actress and model Vanessa Paradis before he began dating Heard. The divorce was first reported Wednesday by celebrity website TMZ. FILE - In this Jan. 9, 2016 file photo, Amber Heard, left, and Johnny Depp arrive at The Art of Elysium's Ninth annual Heaven Gala in Culver City, Calif. Court records show Heard filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, May 23, 2016, citing irreconcilable differences. The pair were married in February 2015 and have no children together. (Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP, File) FILE - In this Jan. 2, 2016 file photo, Amber Heard, left, and Johnny Depp arrive at the 27th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala in Palm Springs, Calif. Court records show Heard filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, May 23, 2016, citing irreconcilable differences. The pair were married in February 2015 and have no children together. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File) FILE - In this Oct. 11, 2015 file photo, Amber Heard, left, and Johnny Depp arrive at the premiere of Depp's film "Black Mass," at the London film festival. Court records show Heard filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, May 23, 2016, citing irreconcilable differences. The pair were married in February 2015 and have no children together. (Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP, File) FILE - In this Jan. 26, 2015 file photo, U.S. actor Johnny Depp and Amber Heard arrive at Haneda international airport in Tokyo to promote his latest film "Mortdecai." Court records show Heard filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, May 23, 2016, citing irreconcilable differences. The pair were married in February 2015 and have no children together. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi, File) FILE - In this Sept. 5, 2015 file photo, Johnny Depp, left, and Amber Heard arrive at the premiere of the film "The Danish Girl" during the 72nd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy. Court records show Heard filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, May 23, 2016, citing irreconcilable differences. The pair were married in February 2015 and have no children together. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Hawaiian Airlines pilots picket, say contract talks slowed HONOLULU (AP) Dozens of Hawaiian Airlines pilots picketed Wednesday for a new collective bargaining agreement a week after voting to allow union representatives to call for a strike if necessary. The pilots gathered outside Honolulu International Airport. "We're frustrated about our contract negotiations," pilot Sheila Davis said, criticizing management. "There's been a turning point where we feel that they're dragging their feet at the bargaining table." Sheila Davis, a pilot at Hawaiian Airlines and representative for the Air Line Pilots Association, poses for a photo as Hawaiian Airlines pilots picket outside of Honolulu International Airport, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Dozens of Hawaiian Airlines pilots gathered at Honolulu International Airport to picket for a new collective bargaining agreement after they voted to allow union representatives to call for a strike if necessary. (AP Photo/Marina Riker) Hawaiian Airlines said in a statement that the union is asking for a 52 percent increase in total compensation in the first year of the contract. The value of that increase is $74 million for a workforce of roughly 600, the statement said. Any strike called by the union would have to be allowed by the federal government. The Air Line Pilots Association said 99 percent of Hawaiian Airlines pilots who cast ballots favored allowing union representatives to call for a strike if they feel it is necessary. Meanwhile, the union recently allocated $2 million to pay for strike-preparation efforts. Davis said a strike likely wouldn't occur before mid-July. Over the past few years, Hawaiian Airlines has made record profits and its share price has risen almost 500 percent, the union said. Pilots, however, are paid about 45 percent less than their peers at other airlines such as American or Delta, said Capt. Hoon Lee, chairman of the Air Line Pilots Association unit at Hawaiian Airlines. "In this record profit environment, which all of the employees here at Hawaiian have been integral in the success, it's shameful that the company choose not to offer profit-sharing to the pilots," Lee said. The airline said their pilots are well compensated. For example, a pilot with 12 years of seniority in the company earns an average of $242,000 a year for flying for 700 hours. They also get benefits such as medical coverage for life for retirees and their spouses, and the company contributes between 15 and 19.4 percent annually to the pilots' 401(k) plan, the statement said. Before a strike could occur, the National Mediation Board must decide against mediation efforts and then offer to arbitrate the dispute. If either side declines arbitration, they enter a cooling off period, with union members able to strike 30 days later. Hawaiian Airlines pilots picket outside of Honolulu International Airport on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Dozens of Hawaiian Airlines pilots gathered at Honolulu International Airport to picket for a new collective bargaining agreement after they voted to allow union representatives to call for a strike if necessary. (AP Photo/Marina Riker) California campsite trashed after fraternity, sorority trip REDDING, Calif. (AP) A campsite that offers a serene getaway by a California lake was wrecked after about a thousand fraternity and sorority members left a half-mile-wide swath of trash, empty bottles, tents and coolers after an annual trip. The National Forest Service said dozens of workers spent five hours cleaning up debris left behind over the weekend on Slaughterhouse Island in Lake Shasta. Pictures on social media showed some of the mess, including several items branded with University of Oregon logos and a cooler with the Greek letters Lambda Chi Alpha. This Tuesday, May 24, 2016 photo provided by the U.S. Forest Service shows workers loading bags of trash on a boat after cleaning up a half-mile-wide swath of trash left behind by about 1,000 campers after an annual trip to Lake Shasta, Calif., by fraternity and sorority members. Shasta-Trinity National Forest spokeswoman Phyllis Swanson says it took about 25 workers five hours to clean up the weekend mess on Slaughterhouse Island in Lake Shasta on Tuesday. (U.S. Forest Service via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT The University of Oregon is investigating whether other campus fraternities and sororities in addition to Lambda Chi Alpha were responsible for the mess, university spokesman Tobin Klinger said Wednesday. The investigation won't be easy given the large number of people there and possibility that other schools were involved, Klinger said. "You're going to have a variety of people, not exclusively one fraternity or sorority, not exclusively one university, not exclusively Greek, non-Greek," he said. Fraternities and sororities all along the West Coast take trips to the area each year, Robin Holmes, vice president for student life at the university, said in a statement. Holmes said the mess was "disgraceful." "We are working with authorities to learn all we can and determine who is responsible," she said. The national Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity suspended the activities of its University of Oregon chapter, Holmes said. The chapter is cooperating with the university's investigation and will hold the people involved accountable, it said in a statement posted on the university's fraternity and sorority life Facebook page. The group also said it had reached out to the forest service to help with the cleanup. This Tuesday, May 24, 2016 photo provided by the U.S. Forest Service shows bags of trash on a boat after cleaning up a half-mile-wide swath of trash left behind by about 1,000 campers after an annual trip to Lake Shasta, Calif., by fraternity and sorority members. Shasta-Trinity National Forest spokeswoman Phyllis Swanson says it took about 25 workers five hours to clean up the weekend mess on Slaughterhouse Island in Lake Shasta on Tuesday. (U.S. Forest Service via AP) G7 leaders pledge collective action on sagging global growth SHIMA, Japan (AP) The leaders of the Group of Seven rich economies pledged Friday to "collectively tackle" major risks to global growth, including direct political threats to the international order from terrorist attacks, violent extremism and refugee flows. Meeting at a seaside resort with expansive views of a scenic bay and emerald-green islands, G-7 leaders wrapped up their annual summit Friday in central Japan claiming a "special responsibility" for leading international efforts to cope with those challenges. They also committed to a cooperative approach in beefing up policies to stimulate and sustain growth of their sluggish economies. "Weak demand and unaddressed structural problems are the key factors weighing on actual and potential growth," they said in a declaration. "We have strengthened the resilience of our economies in order to avoid falling into another crisis and to this end commit to reinforce our efforts to address the current economic by taking all appropriate policy responses in a timely manner." Leaders of Group of Seven nations, from left, British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, European Council President Donald Tusk, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, U.S. President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel look to media as they gather to participate in a G-7 Working Session in Shima, Japan, Friday, May 27, 2016, during the G-7 Summit. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, Pool) "We remain committed to ensuring that growth is inclusive and job-rich, benefiting all segments of our societies," it said. The wording of the leaders' declaration glosses over differences on the issue of fiscal stimulus by saying each will take into account "country-specific circumstances" in committing to stronger policies to support their economies. Germany, in particular, has balked at committing to expansionary fiscal policy. In a nod to such concerns, the communique includes a reference to the need to ensure debt is "on a sustainable path." While Japan is moving toward more public spending, and the likely postponement of a sales tax increase next year, to revive faltering growth, its own gross public debt is more than twice the size of its economy. The G-7 host, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appealed to his fellow leaders to act to avert another global crisis, comparing the current global economic situation to conditions just before the 2008 financial crisis. Vigilance is crucial for averting a relapse, he said: "We learned a lesson that we failed to respond properly because we did not have a firm recognition of the risks." President Barack Obama backed Abe's call, saying it was crucial not just to put people back to work but also raise wages and maintain the momentum of the recovery. "We've all got a lot of work to do and we agreed to continue to focus on making sure that each country, based on its particular needs and capacities, is taking steps to accelerate growth," Obama said. G-7 countries denounced protectionism and trade barriers. They also noted the negative impact from overcapacity in some industries and government subsidies and other incentives that tend to make such problems worse. The annual summit brings together the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. It is taking place amid extraordinarily tight security around the remote summit venue, with uniformed police standing guard at close intervals on both sides of roads and randomly in forests, rice fields, soccer fields and other locations. During talks on the sideline of the summit, the U.S., EU and Japan reiterated their determination to reach agreement on various trade agreements meant to expand mutual market access. In their declaration, the summit leaders cited a possible departure of Britain from the European Union, depending on the outcome of a June 23 vote, as one of many potential shocks for the global economy. The leaders also expressed concern over territorial tensions in the East and South China seas. The declaration does not mention China and its expansion into disputed areas specifically, but calls for respecting freedom of navigation and of overflight and for resolving conflicts peacefully through law. The summit declaration also highlighted joint efforts on corruption, cybercrimes, terrorism, global health and migration which has become a huge headache especially for European nations as other top priorities. It said a global response was needed to cope with the surge in refugees, migrants and other displaced people to its highest level since World War II and committed to increasing assistance to meet their immediate and long-term needs. But there were no specific, concrete offers of extra help. Expanding their discussions to issues of "inclusive" growth, the group met Friday with leaders of seven developing countries. The "outreach" session invited leaders from some of Asia's poorest countries, such as Laos and Papua New Guinea, and also some of its most dynamic emerging economies, like Vietnam and Indonesia. The president of Chad, Idriss Deby, was representing the African union, and top international leaders such as Christine Lagarde of the IMF also attended. On Friday afternoon, Obama plans to visit the peace park in Hiroshima, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to visit the city on which the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb in 1945 in the closing days of World War II. ___ Associated Press writers Aritz Parra and Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed to this story. Kurtenbach reported from Ise, Japan. U.S. President Barack Obama, right, speaks with Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Angel Gurria at the first Outreach Session during the second day of the Group of Seven summit meetings in Ise Shima, Japan, May 27, 2016.(Jim Watson/Pool Photo via AP) Leaders from left, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Chad President Idriss Deby Itno, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, French President Francois Hollande and Indonesian Persident Joko Widodo, leave a space for U.S. President Barack Obama, as they wait for him to arrive for a photo session with other G-7 leaders and Outreach Partners in Shima, Japan, Friday, May 27, 2016, during the G-7 Summit. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, Pool) Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, speaks with World Bank President Jim Yong Kim at the first Outreach Session during the second day of the G-7 summit meetings in Shima, Japan, May 27, 2016. (Jim Watson, Pool Photo via AP) U.S. President Barack Obama, left, shakes hands with World Bank President Jim Yong Kim as he arrives to attend the Outreach Session of the G-7 summit, Friday, May 27, 2016, in Shima, Japan. (Manan Vatsyayana, Pool Photo via AP) U.S. President Barack Obama, right, waves at the media as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, left, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are seated during Session 2 at the Group of Seven summit in Shima, central Japan, Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Carlos Barria/Pool Photo via AP) European Council President Donald Tusk, second left, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, second right, gather to participate in a G-7 Working Session in Shima, Japan, Friday, May 27, 2016, during the G-7 Summit. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, Pool) U.S. President Barack Obama, right, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, left, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel participate in a G-7 Working Session in Shima, Japan, Friday, May 27, 2016, during the G-7 Summit. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, Pool) U.S. President Barack Obama, center, arrives late to participate in a G-7 Working Session in Shima, Japan, Friday, May 27, 2016, during the G-7 Summit. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, Pool) U.S. President Barack Obama arrives late to participate in a G-7 Working Session in Shima, Japan, Friday, May 27, 2016, during the G-7 Summit. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, Pool) Man convicted of trying to sell weapons to Colombia rebels NEW YORK (AP) A Romanian citizen has been convicted in New York of conspiring to sell military-grade weapons in Europe to informants who said they wanted to shoot down American helicopters in Colombia. Virgil Flaviu Georgescu was convicted on Wednesday in federal court in Manhattan. He had pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring to kill Americans and to providing material support to a terrorist organization. Prosecutors say Georgescu and two other men offered to sell machine guns and rocket launchers to informants who posed as associates of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the decades-old rebel group known as FARC. Court papers say the informants told the men the weapons would be used against American forces helping the Colombian government. The Latest: Bill naming John Glenn airport passes in Ohio COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) The Latest on legislation naming an Ohio airport for astronaut John Glenn (all times local): 9:47 p.m. A bill naming an Ohio airport for astronaut John Glenn has cleared the state Legislature. FILE - In this Jan. 17, 1964, file photo, astronaut John Glenn, center, signs an autograph before announcing his first bid to seek the Democratic nomination to run for U.S. senator of Ohio, as reporters and photographers document his arrival at Port Columbus airport in Columbus, Ohio. State lawmakers in Ohio voted Wednesday, May 25, 2016, on a bill that would honor the 94-year-old former astronaut and Democratic U.S. senator by renaming the facility as John Glenn Columbus International Airport. (AP Photo, File) In a gesture of bipartisan cooperation, the Republican-dominated Ohio House and Senate approved a bill Wednesday adding the 94-year-old Democrat's name to Port Columbus International Airport. The facility's new name will be John Glenn Columbus International Airport. Glenn was the first American to orbit the earth in 1962, and was a member of NASA's storied Mercury Seven crew that led the U.S. into space. With Scott Carpenter's death in 2013, he became the crew's last surviving member. Raised in New Concord, Ohio, Glenn flew 59 combat missions during World War II and 63 ground support missions during the Korean War. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1974, serving until 1999. Glenn returned to space in 1998, at age 77. ___ 3:32 p.m. Astronaut John Glenn is getting an airport named in his honor in his home state of Ohio. In a gesture of bipartisan cooperation, the Republican-dominated Ohio House voted Wednesday to support a bill adding the 94-year-old Democrat's name to Port Columbus International Airport. The facility's new name will be John Glenn Columbus International Airport. A Senate vote is also expected Wednesday. Glenn was the first American to orbit the earth and was a member of NASA's storied Mercury Seven crew that led the U.S. into space. With Scott Carpenter's death in 2013, he became the crew's last surviving member. Glenn also piloted the first supersonic transcontinental flight in 1957. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1974, serving until 1999. He returned to space in 1998, at age 77. FILE - In this Jan. 21, 1964, file photo, astronaut John Glenn, concluding five days of campaigning in Ohio for his first bid for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, writes out a check for plane tickets as his wife Annie Glenn examines some reading material at Port Columbus airport in Columbus, Ohio. State lawmakers in Ohio voted Wednesday, May 25, 2016, on a bill that would honor the 94-year-old former astronaut and Democratic U.S. senator by renaming the facility as John Glenn Columbus International Airport. (AP Photo/Julian C. Wilson, File) FILE - In this Nov. 22, 2000, file photo, 20th-century pop artist Roy Lichtenstein's sculpture Brushstrokes In Flight serves as a resting spot for Thanksgiving travelers at Port Columbus International Airport in Columbus, Ohio. State lawmakers in Ohio voted Wednesday, May 25, 2016, on a bill that would honor the 94-year-old former astronaut and Democratic U.S. senator by renaming the facility as John Glenn Columbus International Airport. (AP Photo/Jack Kustron, File) The Latest: G-7 wants to close gaps on fighting extremism ISE, Japan (AP) The latest news on the Group of Seven summit in Japan, where the leaders of the seven advanced economies are meeting for two days (all times local): ___ 2 p.m. Leaders from left, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Chad President Idriss Deby Itno, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and French President Francois Hollande, leave a space for U.S. President Barack Obama, as they wait for him to arrive for a photo session with other G-7 leaders and Outreach Partners in Shima, Japan, Friday, May 27, 2016, during the G-7 Summit. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, Pool) The G-7 summit has released an action plan for countering extremist violence to help close what it called "critical gaps" in capacity and international cooperation. Apart from backing related U.N. resolutions, the plan calls for more information sharing between G-7 countries and with Interpol. The leaders also endorsed plans to improve border security and aviation security and to tighten controls on financing of violent extremism. That includes cracking down on trading of antiquities and other works of art that sometime fund militancy. The summit statement cites gaps in the existing operational capabilities and cooperation and stressed the need to address violent extremism. ___ noon The G-7 leaders have joined with their counterparts from seven developing countries for talks on how to ensure that economic growth is "inclusive." Friday's meeting at the end of the G-7 summit included the leaders of some of Asia's poorest countries, such as Bangladesh, Laos and Papua New Guinea. Leaders from two of the region's fastest growing economies, Vietnam and Indonesia, also participated, as did the heads of major development agencies such as the Asian Development Bank and World Bank. The president of Chad, Idriss Deby, was representing the African Union. Officials said the talks would focus on women's empowerment, health and infrastructure and other issues related to global development. ___ 11 a.m. The G-7 leaders have expressed their concern about territorial disputes among Asian countries in the East and South China Seas. In a communique at the end of their two-day meeting, they emphasized "the fundamental importance of peaceful management and settlement of disputes." G-7 member Japan is embroiled in a territorial dispute with China over uninhabited islands in the East China Sea. Japan and the U.S. have also expressed concern about China's island-building activities in the South China Sea, where several countries have overlapping territorial claims. __ 10:30 a.m. A Japanese government spokesman says that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bid farewell to President Barack Obama at the end of the annual Group of Seven summit meeting, as this will be Obama's last. Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshige Seko said Friday that Abe thanked Obama for his contribution to the G-7 during his eight-year-long presidency. Obama noted that he will still be around for a while and asked their continued friendship, prompting laughs from the others, Seko said. The U.S. president leaves office early next year. __ 10:15 a.m. The leaders of the Group of Seven advanced economies have pledged to "collectively tackle" major risks to global growth, including direct political threats to the international order from terrorist attacks, violent extremism and refugee flows. G-7 leaders wrapped up their annual summit Friday with a declaration that claimed a "special responsibility" for leading international efforts to cope with those challenges. They committed to a cooperative approach in beefing up policies to stimulate and sustain growth of their sluggish economies with use of flexible spending strategies to create jobs and shore up confidence in uncertain times. ___ 6:30 p.m. Thursday President Barack Obama says G-7 leaders are focused on the need to accelerate economic growth. Obama is speaking to reporters after the first day of meetings. He says that the leaders of the G-7 nations are intent on using all of the tools at their disposal to put people back to work and to lift wages. Obama says there are signs the economy is improving in Europe as it has gotten past the Greek debt crisis. He says the leaders are also focused on advancing free trade agreements and "pushing back against protectionism." Obama says the leaders also touch on key security issues, particularly in the South China Sea and Ukraine. In Ukraine, there has been progress with negotiations, but there has still been too much violence. ___ 5 p.m. The many splendored menu for the G-7 leaders' working lunch showcases local specialties in keeping with Japan's effort to pique appetites for its traditional products. It includes five appetizers and at least 15 vegetables, including burdock root and pickled ginger. The area where the leaders are meeting is known for its luscious, fat-marbled Matsuzaka beef, which was seared and served atop rice as sushi, along with "nigiri" made of squid, flounder, tuna and egg. A local sake was complimented by a Chardonnay from central Japan's Nagano prefecture. The no-holds-barred effort to promote Japanese cuisine and other products is in full gear at the summit media center, where alongside elegantly presented sushi, noodles and fish, an exhibition features robots and other high technology, including some of the latest mobility devices and electric vehicles. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, speaks with Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde at the first Outreach Session during the second day of the G-7 summit meetings in Shima, Japan, May 27, 2016. (Jim Watson, Pool Photo via AP) World leaders pose for a photo at the G7 summit meetings in Shima, Japan, Friday, May 27, 2016. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Leaders attend the the first Outreach Session during the final day of the Group of Seven summit meetings in Ise, Japan, Friday, May 27, 2016. (Jim Watson/Pool Photo via AP) U.S. President Barack Obama, right, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, left, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel participate in a G-7 Working Session in Shima, Japan, Friday, May 27, 2016, during the G-7 Summit. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, Pool) U.S. President Barack Obama arrives late to participate in a G-7 Working Session in Shima, Japan, Friday, May 27, 2016, during the G-7 Summit. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, Pool) European Council President Donald Tusk, second left, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, second right, gather to participate in a G-7 Working Session in Shima, Japan, Friday, May 27, 2016, during the G-7 Summit. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, Pool) Leaders of Group of Seven nations, from left, British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, European Council President Donald Tusk, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, U.S. President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel look to media as they gather to participate in a G-7 Working Session in Shima, Japan, Friday, May 27, 2016, during the G-7 Summit. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, Pool) British Prime Minister David Cameron, left, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, talk as they prepare to participate in a G-7 Working Session in Shima, Japan, Friday, May 27, 2016, during the G-7 Summit. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, Pool) European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker takes a moment to look out from the balcony before participating in a G-7 Working Session in Shima, Japan, Friday, May 27, 2016, during the G-7 Summit. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, Pool) House reverses course on LGBT rights for federal contractors WASHINGTON (AP) The House reversed itself late Wednesday and approved a measure aimed at upholding an executive order that bars discrimination against LGBT employees by federal contractors. More than 40 Republicans helped Democrats power the gay rights measure over the opposition of GOP conservatives who dominate the chamber. Conservatives did prevail in a separate vote designed to make sure federal funding isn't taken away from the state of North Carolina over its controversial bathroom law for transgender people. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., defends Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server in the wake of a State Department oversight report today that stated she broke federal rules, Wednesday, May 25, 2016, on Capitol Hill in Washington. As Congress prepares to get out of town for a week-long Memorial Day recess, Pelosi also said Republicans in Congress are dysfunctional and are responsible for the lack of funding to combat the Zika virus. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Wednesday night's 223-195 tally reverses a vote last week on the gay rights measure. Then, GOP leaders twisted arms to defeat the legislation, causing several supporters to switch their vote, leading Democrats to erupt in protest. Openly gay New York Democrat Sean Patrick Maloney returned to attach the measure to a funding bill for the Energy Department. This time, GOP leaders let members vote as they wished; about a dozen Republicans, including several from California, rethought their opposition and Maloney's amendment made it through fairly easily. It would prohibit agencies funded by the bill to award taxpayer dollars to federal contractors that violate President Barack Obama's executive order barring discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. "It says you do not take taxpayer dollars and fire people just for being gay," Maloney said. Maloney said last week's vote "snatched discrimination from the jaws of equality." Earlier, the House voted 227-192 to block several federal agencies from retaliating against North Carolina over its law requiring transgender people to use the bathroom of their original sex. That amendment, by Robert Pittenger, R-N.C., came in response to warnings from the Obama administration that it may take federal funding away from North Carolina in response to the state law that blocks certain protections for gay people. "The President and his emissaries have stated ... that funds should not be dispensed to North Carolina until North Carolina is coerced into complying with the legal beliefs of the President, and his political views," Pittenger said. "This is an egregious abuse of executive power." The North Carolina law was passed after Charlotte passed an ordinance allowing transgender people to use restrooms of their chosen gender identity. The state law went further to take away federal protections for gays, putting the state at risk of losing a variety of federal funds. Top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi of California blasted Republicans as favoring discrimination against gays. "Republicans overwhelmingly voted to support ... the hateful and discriminatory state law in North Carolina, and to enable anti-LGBT bigotry across our country," Pelosi said in a statement. "History will not look kindly on the votes Republicans proudly took to target Americans because of whom they are or whom they love." Maloney's proposal had appeared on track to pass last week, peaking at 217-206 as an amendment to a veterans' spending bill. But GOP leaders prevailed on seven Republicans to switch their votes, including California GOP Reps. Jeff Denham, Darrell Issa, Mimi Walters and David Valadao. Swing-district freshmen David Young, R-Iowa, and Bruce Poliquin, R-Maine, also switched positions on last week's vote. Each of them switched back Wednesday, joined by several other Republicans who opposed Maloney's plan last week. China accuses US of hampering trade with steel duties BEIJING (AP) China accused the United States on Thursday of hampering trade after Washington imposed duties of up to 450 percent on Chinese steel in its latest response to a flood of low-priced imports. The Ministry of Commerce complained U.S. regulators discriminated against Chinese suppliers by using incorrect standards for deciding what production cost and market prices should have been. Beijing faces mounting criticism from the United States and Europe that it is exporting steel at unfairly low prices to clear a backlog in its glutted home market. Western governments say that hurts their producers and threatens thousands of jobs. In this April 25, 2016 photo, a man works in a steel market in Yichang in central China's Hubei province. China accused the United States on Thursday, May 26, 2016 of hampering trade after Washington imposed duties of up to 450 percent on Chinese steel in its latest response to a flood of low-priced imports. (Chinatopix via AP) CHINA OUT The U.S. Commerce Department announced the penalties on Wednesday to offset what it said was improper subsidies to Chinese steel mills and unfairly low export prices. It imposed similar penalties on steel imports from India, Italy, South Korea and Taiwan. "The United States has deliberately suppressed the bulk of Chinese steel exports," said a Commerce Ministry statement. "This not only harms Chinese steel enterprises but hinders trade and cooperation between enterprises." It said Beijing will "take all necessary measures to fight for fair treatment" but gave no details. The latest penalties apply to corrosion-resistant steel products. They include anti-dumping duties of up to 210 percent and anti-subsidy duties of up to 241 percent. On May 17, Washington imposed similar duties of up to 522 percent in a separate action targeting Chinese-made cold-rolled steel used in automobiles and other manufactured goods. The Chinese government is trying to shrink bloated industries including steel, coal, cement, aluminum and solar panel manufacturing in which supplies exceed demand. That has led to price-cutting wars that are driving producers into bankruptcy. Chinese government plans call for stepping up exports and shifting some operations abroad. The Cabinet approved measures in April to support steel exports with tax rebates and bank loans. The European Union launched its own investigation of Chinese steel exports in early May following protests by steelworkers. In Britain, Tata Steel cited low-cost Chinese competition when it announced plans last month to sell money-losing operations that employ 20,000 people. China pushed back against its trading partners in April, announcing anti-dumping duties on steel from the European Union, Japan and South Korea. ___ Intruders breach US airport fences about every 10 days Under pressure to prevent people from sneaking onto runways and planes at major U.S. airports, authorities are cracking down not on the intruders who slip through perimeter gates or jump over fences, but on the release of information about the breaches. A year after an Associated Press investigation first revealed persistent problems with airports' outer defenses, breaches remain as frequent as ever occurring about once every 10 days despite some investments to fortify the nation's airfields. As Americans focus on the wait in ever-longer security screening lines inside terminals, new documents show dozens more incidents happening outside perimeters than airports have disclosed. At the same time, leaders at some airports and the U.S. Transportation Security Administration are saying some of the 345 incidents AP found shouldn't count as security breaches, even when intruders got deep into secure areas. In this Friday, May 13, 2016, photo, a commercial airliner lands at San Diego International Airport, where multiple layers of fencing topped with razor wire protects the airport grounds. An Associated Press investigation has documented perimeter breaches at many of the busiest airports in the U.S. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi) Was it a perimeter security breach in March 2015 when a woman walked past a vehicle exit gate at San Francisco International Airport and onto the tarmac, where she tried to flag down a jet for a trip home to Guatemala? No it was not, said the airport and TSA officials, who also tried to suppress information about the case. Nor did they label it a breach when a man, following voices only he could hear, drove through a San Francisco security gate and asked a worker fueling a plane when the next flight was. After discussing intrusions openly at first, officials at several airports and the TSA started withholding details, arguing the release could expose vulnerabilities. Following a two-year legal struggle with the TSA, AP has now used newly released information to create the most comprehensive public tally of breaches. The count shows that an intruder broke through the security surrounding one of 31 major U.S. airports on average every 13 days from the beginning of 2004 through mid-February; since 2012, the average has been every 9.5 days. Many intruders scaled barbed wire-topped fences or walked past vehicle checkpoints. Others crashed cars into chain link and concrete barriers. AP's tally is of breaches at airports that handle three-quarters of U.S. passengers; it's an undercount, because several airports refused to provide complete information. While several intruders had guns or knives, the TSA and airports have been more focused on stopping weapons that passengers or baggage handlers try to sneak onto planes. "It doesn't surprise me that people sometimes try to jump over fences to see what they can get away with," TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger said in a brief interview. It's impossible for airports and local law enforcement to keep everyone out, he said, so "the question is: What's your ability to detect it and ... what might you do to mitigate that happening in the future?" The AP began its investigation in 2014 after a 15-year-old climbed a fence at Mineta San Jose International Airport and scrambled into a jet's wheel well. No one knew it happened until he emerged after the plane landed in Hawaii. Last spring, AP reported there had been at least 268 breaches from the start of 2004 through early 2015 at San Jose and the nation's 30 busiest passenger airports. This update identified 77 more breaches through mid-February, including 41 incidents that airports told TSA about, but not AP. Airport officials stress that the miles of fences, gates and guardhouses protecting their properties are secure and say many intruders who get through are quickly caught. They point out that no case involved a known terrorist plot. Perimeters are not "a gaping vulnerability," said Christopher Bidwell, vice president of security at the advocacy group Airports Council International-North America. And the problem is not even as bad as airport and TSA records suggest, he said, because some intruders were detected immediately. "Their ability to do anything nefarious isn't really there," Bidwell said. "It's being neutralized because they are actively being surveilled." But video cameras and guards don't always spot intruders. After eluding security and reaching parked planes at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport, one intruder warned an airport worker in December that he "better not say" anything. Authorities never found the man, though they did arrest three others at different times in 2015, including one man who managed to drive his vehicle in with a convoy entering the airfield during a visit by Pope Francis. The four intrusions were the most at JFK in any year. Aviation security consultant Jeff Price said the TSA and airports have not done enough to address gaps in perimeter security. "The straight-up honest answer as to why it's not being vigorously addressed? Nothing bad's happened. Yet," Price said. U.S. Rep. William Keating began demanding improvements to airport perimeter security after the body of a stowaway fell into a Massachusetts neighborhood in 2010. The teenager had hopped a fence hours earlier at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. That could have been a terrorist, Keating warned at the time. The Massachusetts Democrat reacted to AP's findings by saying the TSA must extend its focus beyond screening passengers and help airports protect their perimeters. "It's like saying your door is locked but your window's wide open," Keating said. Altogether, there were at least 39 breaches nationwide in 2015, which also was the annual average from 2012 through 2015. The low was 34 in 2013 and the high 42 in 2012, when incidents spiked after several years hovering around 20 breaches. Through mid-February, the large airports with the most known incidents were in San Francisco (41), Las Vegas (30), Philadelphia (30) and Los Angeles (26). New York's JFK ranked 10th, with 12 breaches. Police reports suggest many of the trespassers were disoriented, intoxicated or delusional. Some came on skateboards and bikes, while others commandeered vehicles on the tarmac. One man got into a helicopter cockpit and was preparing to take off. Some were caught immediately, others not for hours. Five intruders brought knives and one a loaded gun. In one incident, Philadelphia airport officials said last year that an intoxicated woman waited for someone to drive out of a gate in April 2012, then walked through. This year, new records described a far more dangerous situation: The woman had just stabbed the driver of a tractor-trailer hauling $1 million of Jack Daniels whiskey in an attempt to steal it. When an airport police officer confronted her, she grabbed his gun and pointed it at his head before he wrestled it out of her hands and arrested her. One month earlier, also in Philadelphia, a man rammed his SUV through a gate and sped down a runway at about 100 mph as a plane carrying 43 people was about to land. AP won an appeal to learn about airport breaches in Philadelphia through the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records, but the city appealed that decision in state court before settling the case and providing details about incidents from 2004 through early 2015. This year, the airport first refused when AP sought an update, then would provide only the total number of breaches in 2015 and early 2016, with no other details. Not everyone has withheld information. Airports including Miami, Las Vegas, San Jose and Portland, Oregon, have been relatively transparent, sending details of breaches and even in some cases surveillance videos. Instead of prioritizing perimeter security, airports have focused on other vulnerabilities, partly due to scrutiny from Congress. TSA workers are under pressure to do better after they failed to catch government investigators sneaking fake explosives and prohibited weapons through scanners. Another concern is the "insider threat," prompted by arrests of workers in several airports whom authorities say used their security clearances to traffic guns or drugs. Airport officials would not discuss how much they are spending on fortifying perimeters, but some airports that added security in the past year saw fewer intruders. After Las Vegas finished putting razor wire atop its 15 miles of fencing not far from the Strip in early 2015, breaches dropped from eight in 2014 to one in 2015 and one so far this year. Officials in Miami and Phoenix said they increased patrols along each of their 13 miles of fence. Breaches in Miami fell from four to three between 2014 and 2015, though in Phoenix they rose from two to three. Since AP published its initial findings, a half-dozen airports and the TSA have started to withhold all video surveillance footage and other details they previously released and deny that some incidents were "security breaches" at all. TSA did not respond to detailed questions about its changing standards. In a statement, spokesman Richard Ades wrote, "The serious nature of the current daily threat to global aviation, by an enemy that is determined to attack us, demands that we be judicious in releasing information." Incidents the TSA did not classify as breaches include a man jumping a Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, airport fence, and climbing onto a jet and a man caught running near planes in Atlanta after hopping a security gate. Last year, San Francisco had the most perimeter security incidents that TSA insisted were not breaches including the woman on the tarmac and the man who drove through a gate. San Francisco airport officials said they felt unfairly singled out as the airport with the most breaches. Spokesman Doug Yakel said he suspected other airports were not as forthcoming, making his look worse than it should. This time, San Francisco asked TSA whether five 2015 incidents were security breaches and the agency excluded them all. AP uncovered details of three, all of which qualified as breaches under the tally's methodology. AP considered an incident a perimeter security breach if someone reached a secure area by going over or under a fence, slipping through a gate, crashing a car into a fence or gate, cutting or passing items through a fence, or using fraudulent security credentials. Three dozen incidents that airports or the TSA provided did not meet the criteria, so were not included. Since last spring, the San Francisco airport has increased patrols, added lighting and closed-circuit cameras, and fortified two checkpoints with electric gates that slide open and closed, Yakel noted. Before, the gates had just an arm, which intruders simply walked past. ___ Pritchard reported from Los Angeles, Mendoza from San Francisco. Contributing were Dan Kempton in Phoenix, Monika Mathur and Alicia Caldwell in Washington, and Brian Barrett, Rhonda Shafner, Jennifer Farrar and Jacob Pearson in New York. ___ Contact Justin Pritchard at https://twitter.com/lalanewsman and Martha Mendoza at https://twitter.com/mendozamartha In this May 17, 2016, photo, a plane takes off from San Francisco International Airport from behind fencing at the Millbrae Gate, in San Francisco. An Associated Press investigation has documented perimeter breaches at many of the busiest airports in the U.S. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) In this Friday, May 13, 2016, photo, as a commercial airliner taxis for takeoff, the perimeter fencing and razor wires show the layers of security at San Diego International Airport. An Associated Press investigation has documented perimeter breaches at many of the busiest airports in the U.S. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi) In this Friday, May 13, 2016, photo, the perimeter of San Diego International Airport shows part of its security consisting of multiple fences with a combination of razor wire and barbed wire. An Associated Press investigation has documented perimeter breaches at many of the busiest airports in the U.S. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi) Protests resume as McDonald's shareholders meet OAK BROOK, Ill. (AP) Protesters who camped overnight outside the McDonald's Corp. headquarters in suburban Chicago have called for higher wages as the company's shareholders were meeting Thursday. That follows demonstrations a day earlier at the headquarters and in downtown Chicago. Protesters are demanding a $15 minimum wage and the ability to unionize. "The importance of it is to actually get by, not to live paycheck to paycheck," said McDonald's worker Naquasia LeGrand. Protesters march to demand $15 per hour pay along 22nd Street near Jorie Boulevard to pressure the McDonald's corporation to raise its wages, on Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in Oak Brook, Ill. Demonstrations are also expected Thursday during the shareholders' meeting at McDonald's headquarters in suburban Oak Brook. Low-wage workers are pressing their demand for a higher minimum wage. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT CHICAGO TRIBUNE; CHICAGO SUN-TIMES OUT; DAILY HERALD OUT; NORTHWEST HERALD OUT; THE HERALD-NEWS OUT; DAILY CHRONICLE OUT; THE TIMES OF NORTHWEST INDIANA OUT; TV OUT; MAGS OUT; NO SALES McDonald's said that last July it raised wages to $1 above the local minimum wage for employees at its company-owned restaurants and gave them the ability to earn paid time off. The push for a $15 minimum wage began in 2012. Since then, the growing demonstrations have helped make hourly pay a political issue. In the first quarter, the world's biggest burger chain reported $1.1 billion in profits on sales of $5.9 billion. Protesters march to demand $15 per hour pay along 22nd Street near Jorie Boulevard in a downpour to pressure the McDonald's corporation to raise its wages, on Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in Oak Brook, Ill. Demonstrations are also expected Thursday during the shareholders' meeting at McDonald's headquarters in suburban Oak Brook. Low-wage workers are pressing their demand for a higher minimum wage. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT CHICAGO TRIBUNE; CHICAGO SUN-TIMES OUT; DAILY HERALD OUT; NORTHWEST HERALD OUT; THE HERALD-NEWS OUT; DAILY CHRONICLE OUT; THE TIMES OF NORTHWEST INDIANA OUT; TV OUT; MAGS OUT; NO SALES Protesters march to demand $15 per hour pay along 22nd Street near Jorie Boulevard in a downpour to pressure the McDonald's corporation to raise its wages, on Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in Oak Brook, Ill. Demonstrations are also expected Thursday during the shareholders' meeting at McDonald's headquarters in suburban Oak Brook. Low-wage workers are pressing their demand for a higher minimum wage. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT CHICAGO TRIBUNE; CHICAGO SUN-TIMES OUT; DAILY HERALD OUT; NORTHWEST HERALD OUT; THE HERALD-NEWS OUT; DAILY CHRONICLE OUT; THE TIMES OF NORTHWEST INDIANA OUT; TV OUT; MAGS OUT; NO SALES Protesters rally outside a McDonald's in Chicago to demand $15 per hour pay, Wednesday, May 25, 2016 in Chicago. Demonstrations are also expected Thursday during the shareholders' meeting at McDonald's headquarters in suburban Oak Brook. Low-wage workers are pressing their demand for a higher minimum wage. The push for a $15 minimum wage began in 2012. Since then, the growing demonstrations have helped make hourly pay a political issue. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT CHICAGO TRIBUNE; CHICAGO SUN-TIMES OUT; DAILY HERALD OUT; NORTHWEST HERALD OUT; THE HERALD-NEWS OUT; DAILY CHRONICLE OUT; THE TIMES OF NORTHWEST INDIANA OUT; TV OUT; MAGS OUT; NO SALES Repo man's attempt to take car leads to deadly Utah chase SALT LAKE CITY (AP) The repossession agent showed up around midnight to a cul-de-sac in a small Utah city, his girlfriend a passenger in his company tow truck. As he backed up to a driveway to take back an SUV belonging to a woman who had fallen behind on a title loan, her husband came outside to intervene. An argument ensued. A gentleman's agreement was made. But when the woman fled in her car, breaking the agreement, the angry repo man sped after to start what prosecutors describe as a high-speed, reckless chase through the streets of Pleasant Grove, Utah. It ended tragically, authorities say, when the repo agent's tow truck forced the woman's car off the road and her 2002 Lincoln Navigator smashed into a tree, killing her. This undated booking photo provided by the Utah County Sheriff's Office shows Kenneth Drew. Drew, a Utah repossession agent has been charged with manslaughter after prosecutors said he forced a mother from a road in her SUV while trying to take back the vehicle. Drew was set to make his first court appearance Wednesday, May 25, in Provo after being charged with second-degree manslaughter in the May 17 death of 35-year-old Ashleigh Best. (Utah County Sheriff via AP) The repossession agent, Kenneth Drew, 49, made his first court appearance Wednesday in Provo after being charged with manslaughter. His attorney Loni DeLand declined comment. The deceased, Ashleigh Best, 35, leaves behind two children. Police say the family had recently moved to Utah to improve their financial stability. A phone listing for the Best family couldn't be found. Drew told investigators he was just following Best on May 17 to keep an eye on the SUV, charging documents show. Investigators, however, say evidence, including pictures and GPS data from the tow truck, show Drew's story doesn't match what happened. "He was chasing Mrs. Best recklessly and the inconsistencies in his account indicate that he was aware of wrongdoing and trying to mitigate his liability," prosecutors wrote in the charging documents. In charging documents, prosecutors paint a picture of an intense encounter that escalated quickly. After the initial argument between Drew and Brennen Best, the woman's husband, Drew agreed to leave the SUV alone and allow the couple time to go update their payments and come back to show him proof, charging documents show. But instead, Brennen Best instructed his wife to take her car to her mother's house. As Ashleigh Best drove around the tow truck, a neighbor's security camera shows Drew trying to box Best in against a curb as both cars accelerated. A neighbor reported hearing raised voices and cars peeling out. Ashleigh Best escaped, and the pursuit began. Later in the chase, prosecutors say Drew drove alongside Best's SUV, grinding his rear right tire into her door. Going faster than 50 mph, Best jumped a curb and smashed into a tree. She died a short time later. Drew initially told investigators he didn't force her off the road, but that she sped past him, fish-tailed and hit the tree. Confronted with evidence investigators had gathered, Drew later said he may have used his truck to try and end the chase and said he didn't really remember how the crash occurred. His girlfriend said she wasn't sure if he meant to run Ashleigh Best off the road, but said she was scared throughout the chase. First lady tells Native American grads to live their values SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) Michelle Obama told graduates at a Native American high school Thursday to take pride in their history and cultures at a time when she says the "loudest voices in the national conversation" suggest turning away from the tribal values that were part of their education. In a commencement address at Santa Fe Indian School, the first lady's comments appeared to touch on political rhetoric that has emerged in the presidential race, and especially within the GOP, though she did not mention any candidates by name. "Some of the loudest voices in our national conversation are saying things that go against every single one of the values that you've been living at this school," said Obama, a Democrat. "They're telling us that we should disrespect others because of who they are or where they come from or how they worship." Santa Fe Indian School Principal Felisa Gulibert, left, thanks first lady Michelle Obama for her commencement address to the school's graduates in Santa Fe, N.M., Thursday, May 26, 2016. Obama told graduates to take pride in their history and cultures at a time when she says the "loudest voices in the national conversation" suggest turning away from the tribal values that were part of their education.(AP Photo/Mary Hudetz). Seated in the first several rows of a school pavilion, the 104 graduating seniors received their diplomas wearing traditional clothing of their tribes on a stage featuring textiles, drums and baskets from the region's tribes. The school's curriculum incorporates Native American history, tribal languages and opportunities for the students to learn about Native American issues, including environmental preservation on the nearby tribal lands. Most of the students live in dormitories on campus during the school year. They come from tribes throughout New Mexico and elsewhere, including Montana and New York, and grew up in tight-knit communities and in cultures that emphasize ties within large extended families. Obama urged them to stand by those values in the face of challenges from others who say "we should be selfish that folks who are struggling don't deserve our help. That we should just take what we can from life and not worry about anyone else." In her first commencement speech to Native American high school graduates, the first lady also shared her personal story of growing up in a household of modest means, with parents who taught her to give back to her community and care for family members values she indicated she shared with the students. The speech was delivered as part of an Obama initiative that aims to start a dialogue about creating opportunities for Native American youth, a group that White House says makes up the nation's most vulnerable population. Now owned and operated by the 19 pueblos of New Mexico, the school was founded in 1890 by the federal government in an era when the United States took hundreds of Native American children from their families and homes to off-reservation boarding schools. Under policies at the time, students were prohibited from speaking their tribal languages in an attempt to assimilate them into Western culture. "As we all know, this school was founded as part of a deliberate, systematic effort to extinguish your cultures to literally annihilate who you were and what you believed in," Obama said. "But today, the Native languages that were once strictly forbidden here now echo through the hallways and in your dorm room conversations at night." Obama also noted that nearly every member of the 2016 class is college-bound in the fall and together have been awarded more than $5 million in scholarships. The success stories within the graduating class represent a side of Native American life that much of the country often doesn't see, said graduate Chyanne Quintana, who is from the pueblos of Ohkay Owingeh and Santa Clara north of Santa Fe. "We are graduating Native Americans; we are successful Native Americans," said Quintana, the school's salutatorian. "We are Native Americans with hopes, dreams and ambitions." Obama's Santa Fe appearance marked the latest attempt at spotlighting the challenges facing tribal youth in the final months of her husband's presidency. Last year, the first lady spoke to nearly 1,000 Native American youth for a first-of-its-kind summit held by the White House under its Generation Indigenous initiative which emerged from a 2014 trip by the Obamas to North Dakota where they visited the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. First lady Michelle Obama, left, listens as Santa Fe Indian School students prepare to present her a blanket for delivering the commencement address for their graduation on Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Santa Fe, N.M. Obama told graduates to take pride in their history and cultures at a time when she says the "loudest voices in the national conversation" suggest turning away from the tribal values that were part of their education. (AP Photo/Mary Hudetz). Feather Alcott of San Ildefonso Pueblo in N.M., awaits the arrival of first lady Michelle Obama and the start of her high school graduation ceremony at the Santa Fe Indian School in Santa Fe, N.M., Thursday, May 26, 2016, The first lady's visit to Santa Fe marks the second of three commencement addresses she is giving this spring. (AP Photo/Mary Hudetz) Graduating seniors at the Santa Fe Indian School smile at the crowd ahead of the start of their commencement ceremony in Santa Fe, N.M. Thursday, May 26, 2016, where Michelle Obama is scheduled to speak. The first lady's visit to Santa Fe marks the second of three commencement addresses she is giving this spring. (AP Photo/Mary Hudetz) Nuclear-free aspirations of Obama, Abe conflict with reality TOBA, Japan (AP) There is the soaring rhetoric. And then there's the messy reality. When U.S. President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe make a historic visit to Hiroshima on Friday the first time a sitting U.S. president has visited the site of the first atomic bomb attack their words advocating nuclear disarmament will clash with real-world security necessities. Far from backing up the vision of a world without nuclear bombs that Obama laid out in a 2009 speech that helped secure a Nobel Peace Prize, his near-finished presidency has seen a multibillion-dollar modernization of the U.S. nuclear force. U.S. President Barack Obama, left, talks with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the Ujibashi bridge as they visit the Ise Jingu shrine in Ise, Mie prefecture, Japan Thursday, May 26, 2016 , ahead of the first session of the G-7 summit meetings. When Obama and Abe make a historic visit to Hiroshima - the first time a sitting U.S. president has visited the site of the first atomic bomb attack - their words advocating nuclear disarmament will clash with real-world security necessities. (Toru Hanai/Pool Photo via AP) Japan's long postwar commitment to disarmament, meanwhile, is only possible because of its reliance on the so-called American "nuclear umbrella" that protects it from antagonistic North Korea and China. Tokyo, should it choose, could probably easily convert its advanced civilian nuclear program into a weapons program, and some conservatives in Abe's ruling party have argued that the country's pacifist constitution technically allows nuclear weapons. In advance of flying to Hiroshima, Obama said Thursday that the dropping of the atomic bomb was an inflection point in modern history and something everybody must deal with. "I do think that part of the reason I'm going is because I want to once again underscore the very real risks that are out there, and the sense of urgency that we all should have," Obama told reporters in Shima, Japan, after meeting with leaders of major advanced economies. "It's not only a reminder of the terrible toll of World War II and the death of innocents across continents, but it's also to remind ourselves that the job's not done." Despite his own mixed record on nukes, Obama likely sees his Hiroshima visit as a worthwhile expenditure of political capital in order to shore up a global nonproliferation effort that seems at times to be crumbling. Before the most recent of a series of nuclear security summits meant to reduce and protect nuclear material, Obama wrote in March that eliminating all nuclear weapons may not happen in his lifetime. "But we have begun. As the only nation ever to use nuclear weapons, the United States has a moral obligation to continue to lead the way in eliminating them. Still, no one nation can realize this vision alone. It must be the work of the world." Obama's vision of a world without nuclear weapons was challenged almost immediately. His April 2009 speech in Prague happened within hours of North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket that outsiders, including the United Nations, called a cover for a test of banned missile technology. Pyongyang is still barreling ahead in its push for nuclear-armed missiles that could reach the U.S. mainland. Obama secured a deal meant to limit Iran's nuclear program, if it can be implemented amid mistrust on both sides. But Pakistan and India are still locked in a nuclear standoff. The United States and Russia, which have most of the world's nuclear weapons, often see their geopolitical jockeying for position interfere with disarmament efforts. And there are growing worries about the security of nuclear fuel sites around the world. Obama's trip to Hiroshima also comes amid anxiety that North Korea's growing nuclear and missile capabilities could lead to the top U.S. allies in Asia, Japan and South Korea, starting their own nuclear weapons programs. It is highly unlikely either country will go nuclear. It could cause huge political and economic damage crippling sanctions, global condemnation and jeopardize their alliances with the United States. But a small group in South Korea, including some conservative members of the ruling party, and some in Japan see the North Korean danger as too grave to rely only on the protection of another country. They also question whether, despite rhetoric from U.S. officials about an "ironclad" alliance, Washington would really use nuclear weapons and risk the lives of thousands of American troops should a belligerent North Korea attack. The Chosun Ilbo, South Korea's top newspaper by circulation, said in an editorial weeks after North Korea's nuclear test in January that discussions in Seoul on acquiring nuclear weapons were inevitable. Judging by the level of American involvement in crises in Ukraine and Syria, for example, the newspaper said any U.S. help would come only after Seoul is turned into a "pile of ashes" by a North Korean nuclear attack. This fear has been highlighted by Donald Trump, the presumptive presidential nominee for the Republican party in the United States. He has questioned the amount of money the U.S. military is forced to spend to protect its allies, and has suggested that Japan and South Korea should be allowed to develop their own nuclear weapons. Japan prides itself on its pacifism and disarmament, but it is only through U.S. nuclear deterrence that the country can live alongside nuclear-armed North Korea, China and Russia, without going nuclear itself. "Some say this is hypocritical," said Ralph Cossa, president of the Pacific Forum CSIS think tank, "but I think it is just common sense and good national security policy. The Japanese would certainly be happier if no one had nuclear weapons, but as long as several of its neighbors have them, they welcome being under America's nuclear umbrella." Yukio Okamoto, a former Japanese diplomat, said Tokyo "is in the most difficult position" because it is a nuclear bomb victim, surrounded by potentially hostile nuclear-armed states and dependent for its survival on U.S. nuclear deterrence. "We have to walk through a very narrow passage of trying our sincere efforts toward total elimination in the long term, but at the same time trying to preserve the alliance with the United States and not to tarnish the security relationship, especially the nuclear deterrence," Okamoto said. Obama finds himself divided between his anti-nuclear vision and the realities of leading a global power. Worries about Japan and South Korea producing nuclear weapons mean the United States must offer them nuclear protection, thereby "going against Obama's own call for global denuclearization," Charles Armstrong, an Asia expert at Columbia University, said. "At the same time, the U.S. is modernizing its own nuclear arsenal. Thus, U.S. actions and goals are not entirely consistent." Obama's trip to Hiroshima will be filled with images of the horrors of nuclear war, and lofty statements about the need to eliminate those weapons. But some argue that for the visit to be successful, it must highlight Asia's real nuclear dangers. Michael Auslin, an analyst with the American Enterprise Institute think tank in Washington, told The Japan Times: "Asia is concerned about how Washington will deal with a more assertive China and a nuclear North Korea, not with an unrealistic aspiration to rid the world of nuclear weapons." Obama may not be able to escape criticism from all sides. Many conservatives in the United States believe a Hiroshima visit will be a failure because it will be seen as an apology. Nonproliferation activists believe he has not gone far enough in efforts to "earn" his Nobel Prize. "I did think Obama was serious about his nuclear-free world, but that was six or seven years ago. We are no closer today than we were when he took office to achieving that end," said Bruce Cumings, an Asia expert at the University of Chicago. "I'm sure he will bring up getting rid of nukes in his speech, but he's in a much weaker position today, because of the ongoing upgrading of American nuclear weapons." ___ AP writer Ken Moritsugu contributed to this report from Tokyo. ___ Follow Foster Klug, AP's bureau chief in Seoul, at www.twitter.com/apklug Spielberg to Harvard grads: Be the movie heroes of real life CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) In a world full of villains, Harvard University graduates must become the heroes, filmmaker Steven Spielberg told the 2016 class during a commencement address Thursday. Spielberg invoked stories from his films and his life as he encouraged the graduates to take on the world's woes. "A hero needs a villain to vanquish, and you're all in luck," he said. "This world is full of monsters. There's racism, homophobia, ethnic hatred, class hatred. There's political hatred and there's religious hatred." Filmmaker Steven Spielberg adjusts his hat while sitting for a photograph before Harvard University commencement exercises, Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) The answer, he told graduates, is to question voices of authority, to seek "defining character moments" in their own lives and to learn from the past. "The way you create a better future is by studying the past," he said. "Atrocities are happening right now, and so we wonder not just, 'When will this hatred end?' but 'How did it begin?'" He told how he was bullied as a child for being Jewish, and he warned that anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are on the rise. To combat them, he urged students to listen to others' stories and to share their own. "The only answer to more hate is more humanity," he said. "We have to replace fear with curiosity." Spielberg has won Oscars for best picture and best director for "Schindler's List" and best director for "Saving Private Ryan." One of his earliest hits, "Jaws," was filmed primarily on the Massachusetts island of Martha's Vineyard. He dropped out of California State University Long Beach in the 1960s to take a job at Universal Studios but later returned and earned a degree in 2002. He did it to stress the importance of education to his children. "Some go for their parents, but I went for my kids," he said. "It helped that they gave me course credit in paleontology for my work on 'Jurassic Park.'" Early in his career, Spielberg focused on making escapist movies conjured from his imagination, he said. Later, he learned the power of creating movies based on historical events, however horrific. It gave him a sense of mission, he said. "I hope you all find that sense of mission," he said. "Don't turn away from what's painful. Examine it; challenge it. My goal is to create a world that lasts two hours. Your job is to create a world that lasts forever." Filmmaker Steven Spielberg, center, greets people while proceeding through Harvard Yard at the start of Harvard University commencement exercises on the school's campus, Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Cambridge, Mass. Spielberg is scheduled to deliver the commencement speech Thursday at Harvard University. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) Filmmaker Steven Spielberg, left, speaks with Harvard President Drew Faust, right, while sitting for a photograph before Harvard University commencement exercises, Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) Filmmaker Steven Spielberg waves as he acknowledges applause before receiving an honorary doctor of arts degree during Harvard University commencement exercises, Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) Filmmaker Steven Spielberg steps onto the stage during Harvard University commencement exercises, Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) Sheryl Sandberg, chief operation officer of Facebook, center, greets people before Harvard University commencement exercises on the school's campus, Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) Whale-finding phone app grows in use, steering mariners away PORTLAND, Maine (AP) With summer whale watching season fast approaching, conservation advocates and government agencies who want to protect whales say a mobile app designed to help mariners steer clear of the animals is helping keep them alive. The Whale Alert app provides a real-time display of the ocean and the position of the mariner's ship, along with information about where whales have been seen or heard recently. It also provides information on speed restrictions and restricted areas, and recommends routes shippers can take to avoid endangered species such as the blue whale and the North Atlantic right whale. New England whale watching companies are gearing up for summer, and more than a quarter of the entire North Atlantic right whale population visited Cape Cod Bay this season. That means conditions are perfect to get more mariners and the public on board with protecting whales, said Patrick Ramage, whale program director for the International Fund for Animal Welfare. FILE - In this April 10, 2008 file photo, a right whale peers up from the water in Cape Cod Bay near Provincetown, Mass. A mobile phone app designed to help mariners steer clear of endangered whales is growing in popularity, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says it's helping keep the giant animals alive. The "Whale Alert" app provides a real-time display of the ocean and the position of the mariner's ship, along with information about where whales have been heard or seen recently. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia, File) Andy Hammond, of Martha's Vineyard, is one such mariner. He has used the tool aboard pilot boats to avoid whales in Boston Harbor. "It's all about making sure people understand the regulations and how to operate in certain areas," Hammond said. "It takes the guesswork out." Collisions with high speed ships are one of the leading causes of death for some species of whales, and many mariners often try to navigate around them using outdated equipment. IFAW collaborated with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on the app, which provides information on both U.S. coasts. Alaskan cruise ships began using it this month. Ramage said more than 33,000 users have downloaded the app, which first came out four years ago, and recent changes such as giving civilians the ability to report whale sightings have made it more popular. "It is literally a situation where the sort of fog of incomplete data or outmoded equipment can be lifted for the mariner," Ramage said. The app shows a broad area where the whales are located as opposed to a pinpointed location because of concerns about the possibility of recreational boaters attempting to get close to the animal, Ramage said. The app was funded by donations to IFAW, which raised more than $500,000, he said. It's free and can be downloaded by anyone with an iPhone or Android. ___ Tech billionaire is unlikely Hulk Hogan ally in Gawker fight ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) Former pro wrestler Hulk Hogan has an unlikely ally in his corner for his courtroom cage match with Gawker a high-tech billionaire with a long-standing grudge against the news-and-gossip site. The vendetta has set the stage for even more bad blood to pour out between Gawker CEO Nick Denton and the vengeful billionaire, Silicon Valley venture capitalist Peter Thiel, as Gawker fights for its survival. Two months after Hogan won a $140 million invasion-of-privacy verdict against Gawker for posting a sex tape of him, Thiel confirmed he covered the lawsuit's costs after news reports identified him as the covert financier. Hulk Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, appears in court, Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in St. Petersburg, Fla. A Florida judge on Wednesday denied Gawker's motion for a new trial in Hogan's sex-video case and won't reduce a $140 million jury verdict. (Scott Keeler/The Tampa Bay Times via AP, Pool) Thiel, who co-founded PayPal and was an early investor in Facebook, was outed as gay by a Gawker-owned website. The same Gawker site, Valleywag, ran a number of stories skewering Facebook, which provided a big chuck of Thiel's estimated $2.7 billion fortune. The 2007 article about him and other articles about his friends that he said "ruined people's lives for no reason" spurred Thiel to help fund "victims" of Gawker, he told The New York Times . "It's less about revenge and more about specific deterrence," he told the newspaper Wednesday. "I saw Gawker pioneer a unique and incredibly damaging way of getting attention by bullying people even when there was no connection with the public interest." Gawker CEO Nick Denton counterpunched Thursday with an open letter that pilloried Thiel as a "comic-book villain" and an example of the "unaccountable power of the billionaire class." "You show yourself as a thin-skinned billionaire who, despite all the success and public recognition that a person could dream of, seethes over criticism and plots behind the scenes to tie up his opponents in litigation he can afford better than they," Denton wrote. The damages facing Gawker threaten to destroy the company. As part of its contingency planning, Gawker has hired an investment banker to explore its options, including a possible sale. During the Hogan trial, Gawker's parent company, a collection of websites called Gawker Media, was estimated to be worth $83 million. Thiel didn't respond to The Associated Press' requests for an interview. In the Times interview, Thiel also said Hogan's lawsuit is one of several against Gawker he has financially backed. Hogan's attorney, Charles Harder, is also handling two separate lawsuits against Gawker, filed on behalf of Shiva Ayydurai and Ashley Terrill. Ayydurai said Thiel isn't involved in his lawsuit, but applauded him for backing Hogan. "More power to Peter Thiel," Ayydurai said Thursday. "He is doing a public service. He is standing behind his principles, something few people in his position do." In a Wednesday court proceeding, Gawker's attorneys asked the judge to allow them to seek evidence from the other side regarding Thiel's supposed involvement. But the judge said no. In his open letter, Denton vowed to use an appeal of the Hogan verdict to subject Thiel to a "dose of transparency." "However philanthropic your intention, and careful the planning, the details of your involvement will be gruesome," Denton promised Thiel in his letter. As an alternative to a court battle, Denton proposed a public debate for "a more constructive exchange." Hogan sued Gawker after it posted a 2007 video of him having sex with the wife of his best friend, Tampa radio personality Bubba The Love Sponge Clem. Hogan said Clem betrayed him by secretly videotaping him. ___ Liedtke reported from San Francisco. ___ Follow Tamara Lush on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tamaralush . FILE - In this Thursday, March 8, 2012, file photo, Clarium Capital President Peter Thiel speaks during his keynote speech at the StartOut LGBT Entrepreneurship Awards in San Francisco. Billionaire tech investor Thiel has been secretly funding Hulk Hogans lawsuit against Gawker Media for publishing a sex tape, according to reports in Forbes and The New York Times. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File) Hulk Hogan, left, whose real name is Terry Bollea, talks with attorney Shane Vogt as he appears in court Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in St. Petersburg, Fla. A Florida judge on Wednesday denied Gawker's motion for a new trial in Hogan's sex-video case and won't reduce a $140 million jury verdict. (Scott Keeler/The Tampa Bay Times via AP, Pool) FILE - In this Monday, March 21, 2016, file photo, Hulk Hogan, whose given name is Terry Bollea, left, looks on in court moments after a jury returned its decision in St. Petersburg, Fla. Billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel has been secretly funding Hulk Hogans lawsuit against Gawker Media for publishing a sex tape, according to reports in Forbes and The New York Times. (Dirk Shadd/The Tampa Bay Times via AP, Pool, File) Consultant: No direct order to use party chairman's firm OPELIKA, Ala. (AP) A Florida political consultant testified Thursday that he believed he had to subcontract Alabama Republican Party campaign printing work back to a company owned by the party's chairman, but also said he had no direct orders to send the business there. The chairman at the time was Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard, now on trial for ethics charges accusing him of using his political positions to make money. Jurors on Thursday heard conflicting evidence about Hubbard's role in Republican Party work that got sent to his companies while he was party chairman. Randy Kammerdiner, co-owner of Majority Strategies, designed glossy direct mail pieces for the Republicans' 2010 campaign to take over the Alabama Legislature. He testified that he "certainly believed" party officials wanted the fliers printed at Craftmaster, where Hubbard was a co-owner. However, he did not elaborate why he believed that was the case. Mike Hubbard and wife Susan Hubbard walk to the Lee County Justice Center for day three of Hubbards trial trial on Thursday, May 26, 2016 in Opelika, Ala. Hubbard faces felony ethics charges accusing him of using his political positions to obtain $2.3 million in work and investments. (Todd J. Van Emst/Opelika-Auburn News via AP, Pool) Prosecutor Matt Hart asked Kammerdiner if he felt he had any other option but Craftmaster for the printing work. "No," Kammerdiner replied. Prosecutors also showed jurors an email Kammerdiner sent a state party employee. "Per Mike, we're printing at Craftmaster and just passing the actual charges on to you all." And in another email exchange reacting to a message from Hubbard, Kammerdiner and another Majority Strategies executive appeared to lament "being forced" to use Craftmaster when they produced material for Republican campaigns. "Because I am a greedy bastard I would rather us swallow our pride and also make a lower profit margin in order to keep the client rather than getting black-balled in a state because we think the printer is making too much money and we don't like being forced to use them," Kammerdiner wrote in a 2011 email. Hubbard's defense pushed back on the assertion that Hubbard steered this deal. Under cross-examination by attorney Lance Bell, Kammerdiner said "I never had a specific conversation with Mike Hubbard saying I had to use Craftmaster." The political consultant also testified that the firm had previously used Craftmaster before Hubbard became party chairman, and that the party was probably getting a "better deal" by avoiding the markup he would have applied to the cost of another printer. The Republican Party money steered to Hubbard's media companies is the focus of four of 23 ethics charges he faces. Prosecutors have accused Hubbard of using his political positions as speaker and party chairman to make money and solicit favors such as investments from lobbyists. Defense lawyers say the transactions were above board. Other testimony on Thursday focused on language in a 2013 budget bill that could have benefited one of Hubbard's consulting clients. The Alabama Medicaid Agency in 2013 was studying the possibility of one day hiring a pharmacy benefit manager to provide prescription drugs for Medicaid patients. Medicaid officials testified Thursday that they were caught off guard when the House added a budget amendment setting requirements for any manager that might be hired. The group that qualified under the amendment, the Alabama-based American Pharmacy Cooperative, Inc., had a $5,000-per month consulting contract with Hubbard. "We had great concerns it was creating a monopoly for one group," Medicaid Commissioner Stephanie Azar testified. Former State Health Officer Don Williamson said he met with Hubbard to get it removed, and Hubbard agreed. Hart asked Williamson if he was "shocked" when he later discovered that Hubbard had a relationship with the company. "I was surprised," Williamson replied. On cross-examination, defense lawyer Bill Baxley tried to suggest that another legislator was responsible for the insertion. Azar acknowledged that Rep. Greg Wren became "unreasonable angry" in a meeting over taking the language out. Wren later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor ethics charge that forced him out of office, acknowledging that the cooperative had ties to another company paying him $8,000-a-month for consulting. The budget language was stripped in conference committee. Report traces arc of Hillary Clinton server, agency failures WASHINGTON (AP) Eight days before Hillary Clinton took office as secretary of state in January 2009, an aide to former President Bill Clinton quietly registered a new internet address for the couple. That trivial but deliberate online purchase is the earliest known hint of the private email system that now plagues the presumptive Democratic nominee's presidential campaign. Buried in a footnote in a government watchdog's report released Wednesday , the reference to the registration of clintonemail.com was an early step toward building what became the private homebrew email system that has attracted an FBI investigation and raised questions about Clinton's judgment while serving as the nation's top diplomat. The State Department inspector general's release of the 83-page report provides new insights into the server: Who knew about it, its vulnerabilities and the bureaucratic mismanagement that allowed the secret system to operate outside normal channels throughout Clinton's tenure. FILE - In this Oct. 18, 2011, file photo, then-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton checks her Blackberry from a desk inside a C-17 military plane upon her departure from Malta, in the Mediterranean Sea, bound for Tripoli, Libya.Clinton is telling voters not to trust Donald Trump, but a new government report about her usage of a private server as secretary of state is complicating that message. The sharp rebuke from the State Departments Inspector General, which found Clinton did not seek legal approval for her homebrew email server, guarantees that the issue will remain alive and well for the likely Democratic presidential nominee. (AP Photo/Kevin Lamarque, Pool, File) The findings more than a year in the making also show how the use of private emails by Clinton and other top aides caused internal headaches for the few State Department officials who knew of its existence and for an agency that has long struggled to comply with federal cybersecurity and record-keeping requirements. It would take six years after that simple domain registration in 2009 for Clinton to publicly acknowledge the existence of her private homebrew server, which The Associated Press first traced back to her home in Chappaqua, New York, in March 2015. Much of what is known about the system and why she used it remains clouded by the lack of documentary evidence and Clinton's own reluctance to discuss the sensitive topic. Over time, through media accounts and now details in the inspector general's report, a clearer picture has emerged of Clinton's email system and its use: A basement computer, running Microsoft server software, directly connected to the internet to handle communications between Clinton and her aides. But it is still not clear how well her system was secured at the time, especially in light of new hacking attempts disclosed by the inspector general's report. In the first months of Clinton's tenure, only her most trusted political-appointee aides used or were clued into the existence of her server, according to the report. Outside that privileged circle, other senior officials scattered across the department had "some awareness" of her use of private emails to communicate internally often because her emails to them originated from a rotating cluster of private clintonemail.com addresses. Some State Department officials learned as early as March 2009 that Clinton was using a private server in the basement of her family's home. Clinton declined to be interviewed for the inspector general report despite Clinton saying as recently as this month that she was happy to "talk to anybody, anytime" about the matter and would encourage her staff to do the same. Three former senior aides, Huma Abedin, Cheryl Mills and Jake Sullivan, also declined. A fourth former top aide, Thomas Nides, did not reply to the inspector general's requests. Abedin and Sullivan are now Clinton campaign aides and Nides, currently vice chairman of the Morgan Stanley financial services firm, is a major Clinton fundraiser. In late 2010, two State Department staff members raised concerns about Clinton's private email account in meetings with John A. Bentel, then director of the Office of Information Resources Management, the agency's computer services unit. Bentel, identified only by title in the report, also declined to be interviewed during the inspector general's review. In one meeting with Bentel, a staff member worried that messages sent or received using the private server could contain documents that needed to be preserved under federal regulations. Bentel told the staff member that State Department legal staff had "reviewed and approved" the server though the inspector general's review found no evidence such a review had ever occurred. In that meeting and another that Bentel had with a different staff member who raised concerns, Bentel directed the staff members to "never to speak of the secretary's personal email system again." Clinton's campaign has long insisted her system was well-protected. The AP reported last year that the server's security configuration could have allowed users to control it remotely , a practice that computer security experts widely say is vulnerable to hackers. And in January 2011, according to the inspector general report, a Bill Clinton aide wrote to Abedin that he had to shut down the system because Clinton's server had been targeted by outsiders. "Someone was trying to hack us," the aide told Abedin. Later the same day, it happened again. "We were attacked again so I shut (the server) down for a few min," he said. The next day, Abedin warned Mills and Sullivan not to send Clinton "anything sensitive" in their emails. Clinton told another aide in May of that year that she was worried about a suspicious link she found in her email. And that August, Clinton's email account was targeted at least five times one morning by infected emails known as "phishing" that originated in Russia and were disguised as New York state speeding ticket notices. But in a March 2015 memo to reporters, shortly after the existence of Clinton's homebrew server was made public, her office said there was "no evidence there was ever a breach" of her system. When Clinton acknowledged the existence of her extensive use of private emails last year, she said she had "opted for convenience to use my personal email account." But when Abedin told Clinton in November 2010 that her emails to the entire State Department were not being received because the agency system rejected her messages as spam, Clinton waved off suggestions to deal with the matter. Abedin said "we should talk about putting you on State email or releasing your email address to the department." But Clinton rejected either idea, bluntly saying outsiders' access to her emails was her main worry a statement at odds with her earlier explanation. "I don't want any risk of the personal being accessible," Clinton said. ___ Follow on Twitter: Jack Gillum at https://twitter.com/jackgillum and Chad Day at https://twitter.com/chadsday FILE - In this May 24, 2016 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks in Commerce, Calif. A State Department audit has faulted Hillary Clinton and previous top U.S. diplomats for poorly managing information and slowly responding to new cybersecurity risks. (AP Photo/John Locher, File) Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a rally at Hartnell College, Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in Salinas, Calif. (AP Photo/John Locher) The Latest: EDF staff join French labor protests LE HAVRE, France (AP) The Latest on French labor dispute (all times local): 8 p.m. France's public electricity provider EDF says that nearly 15 percent of its national workforce has taken part in a strike to demand that the government scrap a labor bill. Riot police officers take position amid tear gas smoke during a demonstration held as part of nationwide labor actions in Paris, Thursday, May 26, 2016. French protesters scuffled with police, dock workers set off smoke bombs and union activists disrupted fuel supplies and nuclear plants Thursday in the biggest challenge yet to President Francois Hollande's government as it tries to give employers more flexibility. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) EDF spokeswoman Geraldine Foucher said that staff from its nuclear, hydraulic and thermal divisions, as well as engineers and administrators, participated in Thursday's day of action. EDF employs some 120,000 people in France. Foucher tried to allay fears over several nuclear power stations that the strikes hit, saying that there's always a "minimal team" present to maintain the sites' safe operation. She added that normal supply of EDF electricity was not interrupted during the strikes over the divisive labor law reform. ___ 5:25 p.m. Riot police have used tear gas during violent clashes in central Paris to disperse crowds who attacked shop facades during a protest against a divisive labor law reform. Police say they have made 16 arrests. A police spokesman estimated that between 18,000 and 19,000 people are taking part in Thursday's protest, which took a violent turn early afternoon. Several masked protesters charged the windows of high street shops, smashing them amid banner-waving and shouts from other demonstrators demanding that the government scrap the bill that will make it easier to hire and fire workers and loosen the work week. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls called it "unacceptable to bring a country to standstill." Thomas Adamson in Paris ___ 3:40 p.m. Paris police have detained nine people and scuffled with masked protesters as several thousand marched through the French capital to demand that the government scrap a labor bill. Demonstrators shouted anti-government slogans and sirens wailed in the background as the largely peaceful march advanced Thursday from the Bastille plaza through eastern Paris as part of nationwide labor actions. The protesters are angry at a reform that gives employers more flexibility to hire and fire and weakens the power of unions. A police official said nine people were detained for property damage and police encountered some minor violence from protesters. The official was not authorized to be publicly named. Prime Minister Manuel Valls has denounced violence while speaking to the Senate. Angela Charlton in Paris. ___ 3 p.m. The head of France's oil industry lobby says strikes have frozen the country's main oil terminals and most of its refineries and the government is considering forcing workers to return to the job if the stoppages drag on. In an interview with The Associated Press, Francis Duseux says Thursday that the French government has used four days' worth of its strategic fuel reserves to compensate for oil shortages and has about 110 days' worth left. French unions have been striking and protesting against a government labor reform that makes it easier to hire and fire workers. Duseux, of industry coordinating group UFIP, said workers in a one-day nationwide strike Thursday blocked activity at oil terminals in Le Havre on the English Channel and Fos-sur-Mer on the Mediterranean. He said only two of the country's eight refineries are working normally. Duseux says about 20 percent of gas stations were suffering shortages Thursday, compared to 30 percent earlier in the week. Police have been sent to force open fuel depots blocked by strikers. ___ 1:45 p.m. A man with extremist links was briefly holed up inside a Paris home near a march expected to draw thousands of labor protesters. Paris police say a doctor who arrived at the home to take the man to a psychiatric hospital sounded the alarm Thursday. French media said the man, whose identity has not been released, was believed to have a knife and a tear gas bomb before police overpowered him. Police and the man appear to be still are inside the home. The standoff took place about a block from the Bastille, where a labor march was to start within an hour. Fears of attacks by Islamic extremists have left France on edge. ___ 12:45 p.m. Germany's finance minister says protests against planned labor reforms in France are part of the country's lively democratic tradition. Union activists have disrupted fuel supplies to gas stations across France as part of nationwide strikes against a government labor bill. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said Thursday that "France is great country and a strong democracy and France can live with such a dispute." He rejected the suggestion that France was an economic basket case, saying the dispute "doesn't make France incapable of reform." Schaeuble contrasted popular opposition to the government with the suppression of all dissent in countries such as North Korea. He says, "A certain dissatisfaction of voters with their respective rulers isn't such a bad thing in principle." ___ 12:40 p.m. Thousands of dock workers have poured into the square in front of the city hall of the French port city of Le Havre, setting off smoke bombs throughout the area. The action is part of a day of strikes and protests against a labor bill loosening worker protections. Tensions are particularly high in Le Havre, where workers are blocking one of the country's main oil terminals. The workers set off multicolor smoke bombs and threw some in fountains, kicking up plumes of water. ___ 11:30 a.m. French drivers are rationing gasoline and hoping that strikes and protests against a government labor bill won't last too long. The government has intervened to supply gas stations that had run dry because of strikes, and supplies improved Thursday in some regions but not others. Unions are protesting a bill that makes it easier to fire workers. In the Paris suburb of La Courneuve, driver Radwan Salleh, 33, said he would only buy 30 euros ($34) worth of gasoline. "We shouldn't be too greedy." Fellow customer Matthieu Daviaud, 22, spent the evening and morning looking for gas or a station without punishingly long lines. Gas station manager Bernard Ballaux has limited customers to 50 euros ($56) worth of diesel after a week of panic buying. Customers "fear that they won't have gas anymore so they are irritated, tense." Prices have risen noticeably at gas pumps since the labor actions began disrupting supplies in the last week. ___ 9:50 a.m. France's junior minister for transport is insisting that strikes at oil refineries and nuclear plants won't leave the country without gasoline or electricity. On a day of nationwide action against a labor reform, Alain Vidalies said on Europe-1 radio Thursday "we don't risk running out." He acknowledged "the situation remains tense," with five of the country's eight oil refineries on strike and one closed for maintenance. After days of gasoline shortages, he says supplies to gas pumps improved slightly Thursday. He says: "We unblocked 11 (fuel) depots and will continue to unblock them." He played down any concerns that nuclear plant strikes would lead to blackouts, saying France could import electricity if needed. Unions are angry at a labor bill loosening the work week and weakening unions. ___ 9:35 a.m. With union activists disrupting fuel supplies, trains and nuclear plants, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls opened the door Thursday to possible changes in a labor bill that has sparked intensifying strikes and protests but insisted the government will not abandon it. The reform, aimed at boosting hiring by loosening protection for French workers, has escalated into the toughest challenge yet to President Francois Hollande and his Socialist government. "There could be improvements and modifications" in the bill, Valls said on BFM television Thursday. He didn't elaborate on what might be changed, and insisted that the "heart" of the bill should remain. Withdrawing the bill "is not possible," he said. Members of the CGT union immediately dismissed the gesture, saying they want the bill scrapped, not modified. "It's inadmissible," said Arnaud Pacot of the CGT in the Aube region of eastern France said on BFM from a nuclear plant being blocked by activists. ___ 8:00 a.m. Union activists are burning tires and blocking a major bridge on the northern French coast on a day of nationwide strikes and protests over a labor reform. Demonstrators gathered early Thursday morning at a central square in the venerable port town of Harfleur, setting off fireworks and air horns. Activists were unapologetic about the disruption they planned. "We have to hit where it hurts," said union official Gilles Guyomard. "And where it hurts is the bosses' wallets." The activists then went to the 2-kilometer-long Pont de Normandie, which bridges the Seine River at Le Havre, setting a pile of tires aflame and blocking toll booths. Strikes and protests are being held around France on Thursday against a labor bill that extends the work week and makes layoffs easier. ___ Angela Charlton in Paris contributed. Riot police officers take position during a demonstration held as part of nationwide labor actions in Paris, France, Thursday, May 26, 2016. French protesters scuffled with police, dock workers set off smoke bombs and union activists disrupted fuel supplies and nuclear plants Thursday in the biggest challenge yet to President Francois Hollande's government as it tries to give employers more flexibility.(AP Photo/Thibault Camus) A demonstrator burns flares and shouts slogans during a demonstration in Marseille, southern France, on a day of nationwide strikes and protests over a labor reform, Thursday, May 26, 2016. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says he is open to improvements and modifications in a labor bill that has sparked intensifying strikes and protests, but will not abandon it. (AP Photo/Franck Pennant) Demonstrators burns tires as they block a major bridge outside of Le Havre, western France, on a day of nationwide strikes and protests over a labor reform, Thursday, May 26, 2016. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says he is open to improvements and modifications in a labor bill that has sparked intensifying strikes and protests, but will not abandon it. (AP Photo/Raphael Satter) Union activists block the entrance of the industrial area in Boucau, near Bayonne, southwestern France, on a day of nationwide strikes and protests over a labor reform, Thursday, May 26, 2016. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says he is open to improvements and modifications in a labor bill that has sparked intensifying strikes and protests, but will not abandon it. On he banner reads " Withdrawal of the law on work''. (AP Photo/Bob Edme) Union activists block the entrance of the industrial area in Boucau, near Bayonne, southwestern France, on a day of nationwide strikes and protests over a labor reform, Thursday, May 26, 2016. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says he is open to improvements and modifications to a labor bill that has sparked intensifying strikes and protests, but will not abandon it. (AP Photo/Bob Edme) Union activists block the entrance of the industrial area in Boucau, near Bayonne, southwestern France, on a day of nationwide strikes and protests over a labor reform, Thursday, May 26, 2016. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says he is open to improvements and modificationsin a labor bill that has sparked intensifying strikes and protests, but will not abandon it. (AP Photo/Bob Edme) Union activists wearing masks of French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, right, and French President Francois Hollande, demonstrate while blocking the entrance of the industrial area in Vitrolles near Marseille, southern France, on a day of nationwide strikes and protests over a labor reform, Thursday, May 26, 2016. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says he is open to improvements and modifications in a labor bill that has sparked intensifying strikes and protests, but will not abandon it. (AP Photo/Franck Pennant) Union activists block the entrance of the industrial area in Boucau, near Bayonne, southwestern France, on a day of nationwide strikes and protests over a labor reform, Thursday, May 26, 2016. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says he is open to improvements and modifications in a labor bill that has sparked intensifying strikes and protests, but will not abandon it. (AP Photo/Bob Edme) Union activists block the entrance of the industrial area in Boucau, near Bayonne, southwestern France, on a day of nationwide strikes and protests over a labor reform, Thursday, May 26, 2016. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says he is open to improvements and modifications in a labor bill that has sparked intensifying strikes and protests, but will not abandon it. (AP Photo/Bob Edme) Union activists block the entrance of the industrial area in Vitrolles near Marseille, southern France, on a day of nationwide strikes and protests over a labor reform, Thursday, May 26, 2016. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says he is open to improvements and modifications in a labor bill that has sparked intensifying strikes and protests, but will not abandon it. (AP Photo/Franck Pennant) Union activists block the entrance of the industrial area in Vitrolles near Marseille, southern France, on a day of nationwide strikes and protests over a labor reform, Thursday, May 26, 2016. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says he is open to improvements and modifications in a labor bill that has sparked intensifying strikes and protests, but will not abandon it. (AP Photo/Franck Pennant) Union activists guard a traffic circle near the Normandie Bridge outside of Le Havre where a pile of burning tires gas thrown up a big cloud of smoke during a blockade action, Thursday, May 26, 2016. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says he is open to improvements and modifications in a labor bill that has sparked intensifying strikes and protests, but will not abandon it. (AP Photo/Raphael Satter) Etienne Hubault holds a paper that reads "non-striker" during a gathering outside the Notre-Dame-de-Gravenchon refinery, where union workers were discussing a possible work stoppage, in Notre-Dame-de-Gravenchon, western France, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Workers at Frances eight oil refineries are divided over whether to join strikes over a labor reform that are angering consumers by causing nationwide gasoline shortages. (AP Photo/William Wilson Lewis III) Etienne Hubault holds a paper that reads "non-striker" during a gathering outside the Notre-Dame-de-Gravenchon refinery, where union workers were discussing a possible work stoppage, in Notre-Dame-de-Gravenchon, western France, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Workers at Frances eight oil refineries are divided over whether to join strikes over a labor reform that are angering consumers by causing nationwide gasoline shortages. (AP Photo/William Wilson Lewis III) Employees of the Notre-Dame-de-Gravenchon refinery hold papers reading "non-striker" during a gathering outside the refinery where union workers were discussing a possible work stoppage, in Notre-Dame-de-Gravenchon, western France, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Workers at Frances eight oil refineries are divided over whether to join strikes over a labor reform that are angering consumers by causing nationwide gasoline shortages. (AP Photo/William Wilson Lewis III) Cars queue near a poster that reads "Fuel Shortage" outside a closed gas station in Villeneuve d'Ascq, near Lille, northern France, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. France has started using its fuel reserves to deal with gasoline shortages caused by strikes and protests over a bill weakening worker protections. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler) It all came down to 'Feldenkrais' and 'gesellschaft'. Those were the two final words that ended the Scripps National Spelling Bee in a tie for the third straight year in a row. Jairam Hathwar, 13, and Nihar Janga, 11, were crowned the champions after 39 rounds of words ended in a draw. The boys had to fight a harder competition then years past, with organizers adding harder words and longer rounds to try and avoid yet another tie. Jairam Hathwar, 13, (right) and Nihar Janga, 11, (left) were crowned the co-champions of the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday night The boys had to fight a harder competition then years past, with organizers adding harder words and longer rounds to try and avoid yet another tie Nihar, the youngest winner on record, pumped his fist in the air after correctly spelling his final word Jairam is keeping the title in his family - his brother Sriram was the co-champion in 2014 And yet at the end, it was the two of them holding the golden winner's cup in the air. 'I'm just speechless,' Nihar said. 'I'm only in the fifth grade.' Nihar, from Austin, is the youngest speller to ever win the bee on record. And Jairam, of Painted Post, New York, is keeping the title in his family - his brother Sriram was the co-champion in 2014. It was Sriram who told Jairam not to get too frustrated if he received a word he didn't know, advice that bode him well after he mispelled 'drahthaar', a breed of dog, and 'mischsprache', a language. Nihar just happened to miss both of his follow-up words after Jairam's mistakes, leaving both boys the chance two win when they were given 'gesellschaft' and 'Feldenkrais', respectively. Gesellschaft is a type of social relationship and Feldenkrais is a trademark for a method of gentle movement used to enhance a person's general well-being, according to USA Today. Nihar and Jairam both won $40,000 in cash and additional prizes after beating out 284 contestants that came from all 50 states and ranged in age from six to 14. The top 10 finalists came from California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, New York and Texas. A written rest and two rounds of the preliminaries narrowed the field to 45 finalists and eliminated early fan favorite Akash Vukoti, the youngest speller to ever grace the National Spelling Bee stage. Akash passed both the written test and his first word, receiving whoops and hollers after correctly spelling 'invisicate'. But it was the 'O' in 'bacteriolytic' that brought his incredible run to an end, after he spelled it using an 'A' instead. The competition seemed to be over when Jairam twice misspelled a word, only for Nihar to miss both of his follow-up words after the mistakes Akash Vukoti, 6, was the youngest speller ever to grace the Scripps National Spelling Bee stage Akash had made it past both the written preliminaries test and his first word, 'invisicate', before he was eliminated in the second preliminary round with the word 'bacteriolytic' Akash is offered support by Alex Iyer, 13, from Boerne, Texas, after he incorrectly spelled his word The 45 finalists were then almost immediately halved in the first round of the finals with mistakes in words like 'Cheltenham', 'gaillardia', and 'cacomistle'. It was 'salele', a Samoan-derived word for a small silver fish, that took out 13-year-old Tejas Muthusamy, an elimination that shocked both the audience and his fellow spellers. The student, from Glen Allen, Virginia, had appeared in the top 10 for the last two years running. The third time was supposed to be the charm. Tejas asked for the definition, then asked pronouncer Jacques Bailly to repeat the word five times. He tried to write it on his hand. But it wasn't enough. He missed the word by just one letter, spelling it 'solele'. Mitchell Robson, who made the top 10, is friends with Tejas and was shocked by his exit. 'I can't even remember the last time he misspelled a word online,' said Mitchell, 14, of Marblehead, Massachusetts. 'I think the pressure got to him. I don't think this was his swan song.' Tejas, who is eligible to compete again next year because of his age, left the stage to a standing ovation - with one fan even asking for his autograph. The final 10 spellers who made it into the evening televised final round gather around on stage after the completion of the morning of competition on Thursday It was 'salele', a Samoan-derived word for a small silver fish, that took out 13-year-old Tejas Muthusamy (pictured), an elimination that shocked both the audience and his fellow spellers Sylvie Lamontagne of Lakewood, Colorado, (left) covers her face as Kyra Holland of Warrenton, Virginia, (right) puts her hands in her hair as they try to work out their words during the finals Afua Ansah, 14, of Accra, Ghana, center, is comforted by members of her family after incorrectly spelling her second word Shourav Dasari of Spring, Texas, (left) and Owen Kovalik, of Medina, Ohio, can't hide their disappointment after they spell their words incorrectly during the finals Akash was just as much of a fan favorite during the preliminary rounds. The youngster has already appeared on Steve Harvey's NBC show Little Big Shots multiple times and has become a hit on YouTube thanks to videos of his incredible ability. Akash, who is homeschooled at his San Angelo, Texas home, began reading at the age of two and speaks two languages of the Indian subcontinent, according to USA Today. When he was first asked about how he felt competing against spellers eight years older than him, Akash was as confident as ever. 'I'm ready to get those 15-year-olds out of the way,' he told reporters, before deciding there was an even bigger competitor. 'I'm not trying to get past the spellers,' he said. 'I'm trying to get past the dictionary. The dictionary is what you compete with.' Only two finalists from last year were able to make a return appearance in the top 10. Sylvie Lamontagne of Lakewood, Colorado, fidgeted throughout her first word, flexing her knees and shaking her legs. She buried her face in her hands before correctly spelling 'sylvilagus,' a cottontail rabbit. 'I don't like sitting still anyway, but when I get nervous, that, like, triples,' said the 13-year-old. Snehaa Kumar of Folsom, California, who tied for fourth last year, also had some unsteady moments, her voice breaking in front of the microphone. But the 13-year-old made it through. Jairam Hathwar, the younger brother of the 2014 co-champion, also made the top 10. Mitchell Robson, 14, of Danvers, Massachusetts, pumps his arms in joy after he correctly spells his word during the final round Shruthika Padhy, 10, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey is high-fived by the remaining spellers after incorrectly spelling her word during a morning round of the finals The thirteen-year-old, from Painted Post, New York, hopes he can take the title, so that he doesn't have to put himself through the crucible of competition again. He struggled through his last word, 'quinton,' and pumped his fists vigorously when he got it right. 'It's difficult to make it to this level,' he said. Other finalists include two 11-year-olds: Nihar Janga of Houston, who got the only perfect score on the written test, and Jashun Paluru of West Lafayette, Indiana. The finalists are from California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, New York and Texas. The final three spellers will have to spell up to 75 words, up from the 25 words required in past years. This will also be the first year the championship words are not chosen in advance. This year's winner, who will be crowned live on a prime time Thursday night broadcast on ESPN, will take home $40,000, a trophy and other prizes. State Department email report complicates Clinton's message LAS VEGAS (AP) Hillary Clinton is telling voters not to trust Donald Trump. But a new government report about her usage of a private email server as secretary of state is complicating that message. The sharp rebuke from the State Department's inspector general, which found Clinton did not seek legal approval for her personal email server, guarantees that the issue will remain alive and well for the likely Democratic presidential nominee for a second summer. The former Secretary of State insisted Thursday that she had done nothing wrong. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton pauses as she speaks at a rally at Hartnell College, Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in Salinas, Calif. (AP Photo/John Locher) "Well, it was allowed. And the rules have been clarified since I left about the practice. Having said that, I have said many times, it was a mistake. And, if I could go back, I would do it differently" Clinton said, according to an interview transcript provided by ABC News. Asked why she did not talk with State Department investigators, Clinton said she had "answered numerous questions, we have posted information on our website and the information that we had is out there." Clinton added that she has not been interviewed as part of the ongoing FBI investigation into the email server, but said she has offered and is "looking forward to seeing this matter wrapped up." The new report comes at a particularly challenging time for the Clinton campaign, as she faces a two-front war against presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump and primary rival Bernie Sanders. Already, Clinton faces questions about her trustworthiness, with months of polling showing voters give her low marks for integrity. It's a narrative that Trump has been eager to encourage. In the early weeks of his general election campaign he's dubbed Clinton "Crooked Hillary" a moniker intended to underscore questions about integrity. And he's focused on the scandals of her husband's administration, insinuating that questions still remain about those controversies. "She had a little bad news today, as you know. Some reports came down, weren't so good," Trump told thousands of supporters packed into the Anaheim Convention Center. "Not so good. The inspector general's report - not good." Sanders made no mention of the inspector general report during a rally in Cathedral City, near Palm Springs, choosing instead to point to polls that show him faring better against Trump than Clinton in hypothetical matchups. Though he's declined to turn the email inquiries into a pivotal issue during the primaries, Sanders has spent months questioning Clinton's record on economics, foreign policy and even social issues, including same-sex marriage. While she's a mere 74 delegates from capturing her party's nomination, Clinton has been unable to edge her primary rival out of the race or win over his most passionate backers. Clinton argued Thursday that the report was just a rehash of existing information about her email setup. "You know, this report makes clear that personal email use was the practice for other secretaries of state. And I know that because it is well known, it's pointed out in the report. But it was still a mistake," she said. She also said that voters would look "at the full picture of what I have to offer, my life, and my service," contrasting that with Trump, who she described as an "unqualified loose cannon." Clinton's campaign made the candidate available to one reporter Thursday and did not give the Associated Press an opportunity to ask questions. Clinton aides have highlighted that other officials failed to follow department policy by using a personal account to conduct government business specifically Republican Colin Powell, who used a personal email account, but left them in a government server at the end of his tenure. But the new information released by the State Department does call into question some claims made by Clinton herself, most notably her argument that she appropriately preserved her correspondence and that she was happy to "talk to anybody, anytime" about the matter. Clinton and her aides declined to be interviewed for the investigation by the State Department. She's said she made a mistake by setting up server in her New York home and that she never sent or received anything marked classified at the time. Republicans seized upon those inconsistencies on Wednesday. "This report underscores what we already know about Hillary Clinton: she simply cannot be trusted," said House Majority Leader Paul Ryan, in a statement. What worries Democrats more is what may be coming. The FBI investigation into whether Clinton's use of a private server caused her to mishandle classified information is still ongoing. Officials recently interviewed Clinton's top aides, including former chief of staff Cheryl Mills and deputy chief of staff Huma Abedin. A federal indictment would cause serious damage to her campaign. At least a few Democrats hope that voter's uneasiness with Clinton will be outweighed by their dislike of Trump. Polling shows him performing little better than Clinton. In a Washington Post-ABC News poll conducted earlier this month, 42 percent of Americans rated Clinton more trustworthy, while 40 percent said Trump. "Hillary has said it was a mistake to use private email, and has apologized for it," said longtime Clinton aide Paul Begala. "Meanwhile Donald Trump is promoting wild, cynical, noxious conspiracy theories about Vince Foster's suicide. Has anyone asked him to apologize for that?" ___ Associated Press writer Jill Colvin contributed from Anaheim, California and Ken Thomas from Cathedral City, California. Supporters shake hands with Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at a rally at Hartnell College, Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in Salinas, Calif. (AP Photo/John Locher) Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton reacts while taking the stage at a rally at Hartnell College, Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in Salinas, Calif. (AP Photo/John Locher) Some Hispanics face ridicule over support for Trump ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Hispanic voters in Florida, New Mexico and California have waved Mexican flags and bashed Donald Trump pinatas clashing with police, at times to protest the Republican presidential contender's hard line approach to immigration. Yet far from the protests, an increasingly vocal Hispanic minority is speaking out in favor of the brash billionaire. They are backing Trump even in the face of resentment and suspicion from friends and family, who are among the overwhelming majority of non-white voters opposed to the New York businessman's candidacy. "I'm not ashamed to vote for Trump. I'd just rather not have the conversation with my family," said Natalie Lally, a 22-year-old college student from New York City whose large extended family has Colombian roots. In this May 24, 2016, photo, a woman waves the Mexican flag while driving past the Albuquerque Convention Center after a rally by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Albuquerque, N.M. Hispanic voters in Florida, New Mexico and California have waved Mexican flags and bashed Donald Trump pinatas to protest the Republican presidential contenders hard line approach to immigration. Yet far from the protests, an increasingly vocal Hispanic minority is speaking out in favor of the brash billionaire. (Jett Loe/The Las Cruces Sun-News via AP) MANDATORY She says silence fell over her grandmother's living room when she admitted her support for Trump during a recent family gathering that included more than 30 relatives. "They just kind of seemed uneasy," she recalled. "And my uncle just said, 'Why?' " In the border towns of Texas, the working-class neighborhoods of New York, and even inside Trump's overwhelmingly white rallies, the pro-Trump Hispanic minority is willing to risk public and private ridicule to defend the GOP's presumptive presidential nominee. So far, however, they're not getting much help from Trump's campaign, which has yet to launch an outreach effort to improve his standing with the growing voting bloc. Approximately 23 percent of Hispanics said they'd vote for Trump in a May poll conducted by Fox News Latino. Other recent polling places Trump far lower. The GOP's last presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, has cited his poor standing with Hispanic voters as one of his biggest regrets from the last election, when he earned 27 percent of the Hispanic vote. Trump's team acknowledges the importance of the voting bloc, but says there has been little organized outreach so far. "Any demographic that is growing at the rate of the Latino voters obviously will be of the utmost importance to a presidential campaign," Trump aide Ed Brookover said when asked about Hispanic outreach. "I know it's been talked about, but I think it's a touch early. I don't know of anything organized." Trump's team expects to work closely with the Republican National Committee, however, which has had paid Hispanic outreach staff on the ground in nine states. Trump's policies and tone on immigration have sparked passionate and sometimes violent reactions from minority voters. His vow to complete a massive wall along the Mexican border is a pillar of his agenda. He has also promised to impose a temporary ban on Muslims entering the U.S., embraced plans to deport more than 11 million immigrants in the country illegally and described Mexico sending rapists and criminals across the border in his announcement speech. He lashed out at protesters who clashed with police outside his Tuesday rally in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The protesters, including many Hispanics, waved Mexican flags while others hurled rocks at police. "The protesters in New Mexico were thugs who were flying the Mexican flag," Trump wrote on Twitter. "The rally inside was big and beautiful, but outside, criminals!" During a Wednesday appearance in Anaheim, he claimed "a great relationship with the Hispanics." "The Mexican people are great. They're going to vote for me like crazy," he said. Outside the Anaheim event, a small group of protesters pummeled and decapitated a Trump pinata as police arrested more protesters. Conversations with Trump Hispanic supporters across the country in recent months show many feel especially frustrated with immigrants in the country illegally. Many waited years for work authorization or citizenship or have relatives who did. And while some embrace Trump's plans for the wall and deportations, others say they don't believe Trump actually plans to follow through with his proclamations on the campaign trail. Yet there are often a handful of Hispanic supporters inside his rallies. Before Trump took the stage in Albuquerque, Mary Jo Andrade, 37, a licensed mental health counselor, said her 17-year-old daughter is often teased in school for backing him. "She hears, 'Oh, you're not real Mexican. You're not true Mexican,' " Andrade said and added, "A lot of the time I tell her, 'Keep your silence because of that.'" ___ Peoples reported from Washington. AP writers John Antczak in Anaheim, Russell Contreras in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Emily Swanson in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Day 2 of New Orleans jail hearing focuses on inmate suicide NEW ORLEANS (AP) Precious time was lost when an inmate hanged himself in the shower at the New Orleans jail because a guard couldn't open a door to the shower from the outside, an expert testified Thursday the second day of a hearing on whether management at the troubled lockup should be taken away from the local sheriff. Inmate Cleveland Tumblin died at a hospital days after being found nearly lifeless in a shower at the jail in March. Sheriff Marlin Gusman's office has been criticized because the door to the shower area latched from the inside, delaying access to the inmate. Mental health expert Raymond Patterson testified Thursday that his review of a report on the suicide indicated a guard could see Tumblin's feet by looking under the shower door, but could not open the door from the outside. A nurse later crawled under the door to reach Tumblin, who still had a pulse, Patterson said. He said faster medical attention might have improved Tumblin's chance of survival. Gusman attorney James Williams asked Patterson whether any written prison standard recommends against shower doors that latch from the inside. "It's common sense," Patterson said. "I don't know if anyone has ever written that down. It is such a fundamental practice." Williams insisted a mechanism on the shower door allowed it to be opened from outside. But Patterson responded: "It wasn't done, and a man died." Patterson conceded, under Williams' questioning, that mental health treatment at the jail has improved, but said crisis management at the jail is "abysmal." U.S. District Judge Lance Africk is presiding over the hearing on a motion by the U.S. Justice Department and inmate lawyers to have the jail placed in receivership a drastic action that would eliminate the chief duty of the elected local sheriff. Gusman has likened the move to a "coup," arguing that his progress in complying with 2013 court-approved reform plan is being ignored. Backers of receivership were expected to continue presenting evidence Friday. It wasn't clear when Gusman's team would begin presenting evidence. The hearing was expected to continue into next week. The hearing opened Wednesday with a court-appointed monitor saying jail staff members lack expertise and knowledge and "have no clue." Gusman responded with a statement late Wednesday calling monitor Susan McCampbell's remarks "insulting, derogatory and unfounded." As he has done in the past, he blamed a lack of funding from the city for many of the jail's problems. Tumblin died roughly six months after inmates were moved from old, decaying jail facilities into a new building. Gusman had touted the new building as a factor in improving conditions. But monitors say violence endangering inmates and staffers continues at the new facility. The transition from old buildings to the new one didn't go smoothly, according to one monitor. Corrections expert Darnley Hodge testified Thursday about conditions soon after inmates moved to a new facility last September. Hodge said he observed stopped up toilets, lack of medication for inmates and an area where all the inmates were nude. It was unclear why their clothes were apparently unavailable. "I saw one inmate use his bare hands as toilet tissue," Hodges said. He also said the new jail's problems are attributable to a lack of planning that should have begun before construction began. 11 injured in 3rd night of clashes over squat in Barcelona BARCELONA, Spain (AP) Police say 11 people were injured in a third consecutive night of clashes with protesters supporting squatters in Spain's northeastern city of Barcelona. A Catalonia police spokesman said dozens of demonstrators burned several trash containers and vandalized shop and bank branch fronts in disturbances that dragged on into the early hours of Thursday in the city's Gracia district. He spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with police regulations. He said six officers and five protesters were treated for minor injuries. One person was arrested. Protestors move garbage containers during a demonstration in support of squatters in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Protesters supporting squatters in Barcelona clashed with police for the third night in a row. The activists want squatters allowed back inside a vacant bank branch they occupied for years before they were evicted. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) The demonstrators want squatters allowed back inside a vacant bank branch they occupied for years and used as a "community center" until they were evicted Monday. They have pledged to hold five nights of demonstrations ____ Giles reported from Madrid Riot police use their batons to disperse demonstrators in support of squatters in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Protesters supporting squatters in Barcelona clashed with police for the third night in a row. The activists want squatters allowed back inside a vacant bank branch they occupied for years before they were evicted. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Riot police take position during a demonstration in support of squatters in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Protesters supporting squatters in Barcelona clashed with police for the third night in a row. The activists want squatters allowed back inside a vacant bank branch they occupied for years before they were evicted. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Riot police push a woman during demonstration in support of squatters in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Protesters supporting squatters in Barcelona clashed with police for the third night in a row. The activists want squatters allowed back inside a vacant bank branch they occupied for years before they were evicted. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) WHO: Nearly 960 killed in attacks on hospitals in 2 years WASHINGTON (AP) Nearly 960 people have been killed worldwide in attacks on medical facilities in conflicts over the past two years, the World Health Organization said in a report Thursday that highlighted an alarming disrespect for the protection of health care in war by both governments and armed groups. The study by the U.N. heath agency detailed 594 attacks on hospitals and clinics in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere in 2014 and 2015 that killed 959 medics, support staff, patients and visitors and left over 1,500 injured. Most disturbingly, the report says over 60 percent of the attacks deliberately targeted the medical facilities, while 20 percent were accidental and the rest were undetermined. Over 50 percent of the attacks were perpetrated by governments, one-third by armed groups and the rest were unknown. FILE - In this Tuesday, June 30, 2015 file photo, People stand amid wreckage of a vehicle at the site of a car bomb attack near a military hospital in Sanaa, Yemen. The World Health Organization says nearly 1,000 people have been killed worldwide in attacks on medical facilities in conflicts over the past two years in violation of humanitarian norms. (AP Photo/Hani Mohammed) War-wracked Syria tallied the largest number of attacks on health care 228 in the two-year span accounting for nearly 40 percent of the agency's global tally. "This is a huge problem. Attacks on health workers are not isolated, they are not accidental and they are not stopping," said Dr. Bruce Aylward, the head of emergency response at WHO. He told reporters in Geneva that often governments or combatants pay lip service to trying to end attacks on health facilities, with no follow-through. "We hear everywhere, 'this is unacceptable, attacks on health workers.' When things are unacceptable, you see a movement on the part of states, on the part of governments, on the part of parties involved to stop these, to hold people accountable. We have not seen that the way we need it if this is to be addressed," he said. Dr. Rick Brennan, director of WHO's emergency risk management, agreed that those attacking medical facilities must be named and held accountable. "We want to hold all parties to conflict whether they be governments or non-state armed groups to account ... Why do they continue? It's a lack of respect, or ignorance, or dismissal of international humanitarian law," he said. Brennan says WHO is also trying to better document the after-effects from attacks on access to health care. Following attacks on vaccinators in Pakistan, he said "kids' can't get vaccinated, pregnant women can't deliver at health care facilities, (mothers) can't take their kids to a health facility for basic antibiotics or rehydration when the kids get sick." Targeting hospitals, doctors and patients constitutes a war crime, according to the Geneva Conventions. The U.N. Security Council has denounced the attacks and demanded that all parties in conflicts protect medical facilities, but some of the Council's most powerful members have been associated with these crimes. U.S. forces struck a clinic in Afghanistan last year, killing 42 people, in what the Pentagon said was a mistake caused by human error. Medical facilities have also been hit by the U.S.-backed Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. Syrian President Bashar Assad and the Russian forces that back him have been accused of deliberately striking hospitals to make life in opposition-held areas unlivable. "It's an absolutely devastating breakdown of this long-held norm protection and respect of health care," said Susannah Sirkin, a director at the New York-based Physicians for Human Rights. ___ WASHINGTON (AP) Chances are likely slim, but what about a Donald Trump-Bernie Sanders debate heading into the crucial June 7 California primary? That possibility surfaced Wednesday, even if in a jocular tone, in an indirect exchange between the Republican billionaire real estate mogul and the senator who Hillary Clinton hasn't been able to bump from the Democratic presidential sweepstakes. On ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," Trump said he enjoyed watching Clinton's increasingly heated sparring with Sanders. In this photo provided by ABC, Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, left, talks with host Jimmy Kimmel during a taping of the ABC television show, "Jimmy Kimmel Live!, on Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in Los Angeles. Trump made an appearance as a guest, along with musical guest Greg Porter on the late night show, which airs every weeknight at 11:35 p.m. EST. (Randy Holmes/ABC via AP) "I had no idea it was going to be so nasty," said Trump, who said he'd be happy to engage Sanders in a one-on-one debate as long as significant money goes to charity. Sanders said on Twitter he'd welcome that. "Game on. I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary." British academic rejects Israeli prize in "political choice" JERUSALEM (AP) A prominent British academic said Thursday she had turned down a prestigious Israeli award for political reasons, in what looked to be the latest attempt by Western activists to boycott the Jewish state. Catherine Hall, a history professor at University College London, said her rejection of $300,000 in prize money from The Dan David Foundation was "an independent political choice." She declined to elaborate, but her stance appeared to be inspired by the international BDS movement, which calls for boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel. In a statement to the British Committee for the Universities of Palestine, a pro-BDS group, Hall announced that she was withdrawn from the prize "after many discussions with those who are deeply involved with the politics of Israel-Palestine, but with differing views as to how best to act." She did not return messages seeking additional comment. The Dan David Foundation awards three $1 million prizes annually. Hall, whose research has focused on rethinking the relation between Britain and its empire in the 19th and 20th centuries, shared one of the awards with two others. The prize is named after the late philanthropist Dan David and administered by Tel Aviv University. Previous recipients include former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen. The foundation said Hall initially accepted the prize enthusiastically when she was selected in February and only later asked to withdraw her name without giving a reason. It said it will donate Hall's prize winnings to support Israeli and international history scholars. BDS supporters say the movement uses nonviolent means to end Israel's occupation of the West Bank. U.S. and British academic unions have endorsed boycotts, student governments at universities have made divestment proposals, and a number of churches have sold off shares in businesses seen as profiting from Israel's occupation of the West Bank. The BDS movement also claims responsibility for pressuring some large companies to stop or modify operations in Israel. The Latest: In Gawker fight, Hogan has billionaire in corner ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) The Latest on Hulk Hogan's lawsuit against Gawker (all times local): 6 a.m. Billionaire Peter Thiel says he bankrolled Hulk Hogan's lawsuit against Gawker Media because he "thought it was worth fighting back" against an outlet he calls a "singularly terrible bully." FILE - In this Thursday, March 8, 2012, file photo, Clarium Capital President Peter Thiel speaks during his keynote speech at the StartOut LGBT Entrepreneurship Awards in San Francisco. Billionaire tech investor Thiel has been secretly funding Hulk Hogans lawsuit against Gawker Media for publishing a sex tape, according to reports in Forbes and The New York Times. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File) The PayPal co-founder and early Facebook investor tells The New York Times that Hogan's lawsuit is one of several against Gawker that he has financially backed. Thiel told the newspaper his plan has been several years in the making. He was publicly outed as gay in a 2007 post on the company's Valleywag blog. Still, he says his motive is "less about revenge and more about specific deterrence." Hogan won a $140 million verdict against Gawker in March. The company plans to appeal a judge's denial Wednesday of a new trial or a reduction in the verdict's amount. ___ 2:50 a.m. News reports say pro wrestler Hulk Hogan's legal battle against Gawker has been secretly backed by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Peter Thiel. Hogan won a $140 million invasion-of-privacy verdict two months ago against Gawker for posting a sex tape of him. Thiel, who co-founded PayPal and was an early investor in Facebook, was outed as gay by a Gawker-owned website in 2007. Legal experts say there's nothing illegal about someone financing a lawsuit. Hogan and Gawker were back in a Florida court Wednesday. Judge Pamela Campbell denied Gawker's request for a new trial and refused to reduce the damages. Gawker vows to take the case to an appeals court. Thiel, whose net worth is estimated by Forbes at $2.7 billion, didn't immediately respond to interview requests. Hulk Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, appears in court, Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in St. Petersburg, Fla. A Florida judge on Wednesday denied Gawker's motion for a new trial in Hogan's sex-video case and won't reduce a $140 million jury verdict. (Scott Keeler/The Tampa Bay Times via AP, Pool) Hulk Hogan, left, whose real name is Terry Bollea, talks with attorney Shane Vogt as he appears in court Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in St. Petersburg, Fla. A Florida judge on Wednesday denied Gawker's motion for a new trial in Hogan's sex-video case and won't reduce a $140 million jury verdict. (Scott Keeler/The Tampa Bay Times via AP, Pool) FILE - In this Monday, March 21, 2016, file photo, Hulk Hogan, whose given name is Terry Bollea, left, looks on in court moments after a jury returned its decision in St. Petersburg, Fla. Billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel has been secretly funding Hulk Hogans lawsuit against Gawker Media for publishing a sex tape, according to reports in Forbes and The New York Times. (Dirk Shadd/The Tampa Bay Times via AP, Pool, File) Wisconsin man seeks freedom in Gangster Disciples case ATLANTA (AP) A lawyer for a man named in a nationwide probe of Gangster Disciples gang members tried to get him released to await trial at his home in Madison, Wisconsin, where he contributes to the arts and music scenes. But a federal magistrate declined, citing the allegation that he was involved in a carjacking in Georgia. LaDerris Dickerson is a co-founder of "The Hops Museum" in Madison, which includes exhibits on brewing and creative space for artists and entrepreneurs. He also began his own company to manage musicians, his lawyer David Marshall said. "LaDerris has been fantastic in a number of ways," said Erin McWalter, who worked with Dickerson to get the one-year-old museum up and running. "He gets along with everyone. He's very charismatic and responsible." But Dickerson's carjacking allegation is part of a pair of indictments unsealed this month in federal courts in Atlanta and Memphis, Tennessee, that name 48 defendants arrested in nine states Alabama, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska, Tennessee and Wisconsin on charges that also include murder, drug trafficking and robbery. The Gangster Disciples grew out of Chicago in the 1970s and have broadened their reach in recent years, with some top leaders now living in other cities. In 2014, one of the gang's "governors" outlined plans to expand into Utah and Kansas as well as cities along the east coast, an indictment says. Grisly details are alleged in these court records, such as a 2011 murder when prosecutors say some gang members shot someone in a drug deal, dumped his body and burned a car. Others are accused of shooting up nightclubs, attacking members of rival gangs such as the Bloods, and arranging homicides by ordering a K.O.S. "Kill On Sight," they say. Dickerson is accused of involvement in a March 2014 carjacking in Georgia, but his indictment doesn't provide details of the crime. Last call for owners to claim cars left in 1974 Cyprus war EPISKOPI, Cyprus (AP) It's last call for the owner to reclaim a late 1950s Dodge Coronet, shades of sky-blue paint still visible on its tailfins, that's been rusting on a British military base for over four decades. The lone Dodge sits among some 400 vehicles including Land Rovers, Fiats, Lambretta mopeds and Bedford trucks that were abandoned by the Turkish Cypriot owners inside the Episkopi Garrison amid the confusion of a 1974 war that cleaved Cyprus along ethnic lines. The vehicles have sat since inside this wind-swept, fenced-off field for safe-keeping. But the relentless Mediterranean sun and humidity, coupled with a huge brushfire that swept through the field 15 years ago, have turned more than half of them into little more than rusting hulks. British base official Ian Brayshaw walks past an abandoned rusted U.S made car at the British military base in Episkopi near the southern coastal city of Limassol in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. The cars were abandoned by Turkish Cypriot owners inside a British military base amid the confusion of a war 42 years ago that cleaved Cyprus along ethnic lines. Now base authorities are hoping to reawaken the interest of owners to reclaim these vehicles before their disposal starts next year. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Now, base authorities are hoping to reawaken the interest of owners either in the breakaway Turkish Cypriot northern part of the island or abroad to reclaim the vehicles before their disposal starts next year. "We have to make the effort to give them back before we start disposing of them, it's the proper thing to do," said Ian Brayshaw, a British Bases official in charge of the project. The overwhelming majority of the vehicles are of little value other than scrap metal. But there are a few gems that could be worth some money, including the aluminum-framed Land Rover Mark 1 and a decrepit Volkswagen Beetle that is said to be worth as much as 2,000 euros ($2,230) despite its condition, Brayshaw said. It doesn't all necessarily boil down to money the sentimental value can't be brushed aside. There have so far been around two dozen inquiries about the vehicles, with the son-in-law of one man who used to own a bus fleet making the trip to look at six bus carcasses. "He was quite emotional because of the obvious history of the buses," Brayshaw said. "He was grateful for the efforts of the bases to give the vehicles back, but disappointed at their condition." Many of the vehicles, some vandalized and damaged, were abandoned on streets of RAF Akrotiri a British air base in the island's southern, Greek Cypriot half. With tensions running high immediately after an invasion Turkey mounted in response to a coup aiming to unite Cyprus with Greece, Turkish Cypriots couldn't drive their vehicles out of the base. Instead, the refugees were flown out from RAF Akrotiri and taken to Turkey before ending up in the island's Turkish-controlled northern part with whatever belongings they could carry with them. "The sad thing for me is when you see a child's toy in the backseat of a car and it makes you think about how serious this all was, it was war," Brayshaw said. Some Turkish Cypriots have come forward over the years to reclaim mostly agricultural equipment, said Brayshaw. Owners have until the end of the year to claim their vehicles. Those that aren't reclaimed will either be sold for scrap or auctioned off. Brayshaw said all the money raised will go to projects helping the Turkish Cypriot community. Photos of most of the cars, trucks, tractors and motorbikes are posted on the base website for owners and others who may be interested to peruse. Anyone who wishes to take a vehicle is responsible for all transport costs. Rusted cars abandoned at the British military base in Episkopi near the southern coastal city of Limassol in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. The cars were abandoned by Turkish Cypriot owners inside a British military base amid the confusion of a war 42 years ago that cleaved Cyprus along ethnic lines. Now base authorities are hoping to reawaken the interest of owners to reclaim these vehicles before their disposal starts next year. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) A British soldier walks past abandoned buses at the British military base in Episkopi near the southern coastal city of Limassol in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. The cars were abandoned by Turkish Cypriot owners inside a British military base amid the confusion of a war 42 years ago that cleaved Cyprus along ethnic lines. Now base authorities are hoping to reawaken the interest of owners to reclaim these vehicles before their disposal starts next year. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Abandoned motorcycles at the British military base in Episkopi near the southern coastal city of Limassol in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. The cars were abandoned by Turkish Cypriot owners inside a British military base amid the confusion of a war 42 years ago that cleaved Cyprus along ethnic lines. Now base authorities are hoping to reawaken the interest of owners to reclaim these vehicles before their disposal starts next year. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) A British soldier walks in front of abandoned buses at the British military base in Episkopi near the southern coastal city of Limassol in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. The cars were abandoned by Turkish Cypriot owners inside a British military base amid the confusion of a war 42 years ago that cleaved Cyprus along ethnic lines. Now base authorities are hoping to reawaken the interest of owners to reclaim these vehicles before their disposal starts next year. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) A British soldier walks past rusted abandoned vehicles at the British military base in Episkopi near the southern coastal city of Limassol in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. The cars were abandoned by Turkish Cypriot owners inside a British military base amid the confusion of a war 42 years ago that cleaved Cyprus along ethnic lines. Now base authorities are hoping to reawaken the interest of owners to reclaim these vehicles before their disposal starts next year. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) A British soldier walks past rusted abandoned vehicles at the British military base in Episkopi near the southern coastal city of Limassol in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. The cars were abandoned by Turkish Cypriot owners inside a British military base amid the confusion of a war 42 years ago that cleaved Cyprus along ethnic lines. Now base authorities are hoping to reawaken the interest of owners to reclaim these vehicles before their disposal starts next year. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) A British soldier walks past abandoned vehicles at the British military base in Episkopi near the southern coastal city of Limassol in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. The cars were abandoned by Turkish Cypriot owners inside a British military base amid the confusion of a war 42 years ago that cleaved Cyprus along ethnic lines. Now base authorities are hoping to reawaken the interest of owners to reclaim these vehicles before their disposal starts next year. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) An rusted car is abandoned at the British military base in Episkopi near southern costal city of Limassol in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. The cars were abandoned by Turkish Cypriot owners inside a British military base amid the confusion of a war 42 years ago that cleaved Cyprus along ethnic lines. Now base authorities are hoping to reawaken the interest of owners to reclaim these vehicles before their disposal starts next year. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Obama: Allies 'rattled' by Trump; Trump blasts Obama SHIMA, Japan (AP) President Barack Obama said Thursday that foreign leaders are "rattled" by Donald Trump and have good reason to feel that way, as he accused the presumptive Republican presidential nominee of ignorance about world affairs. Weighing in on the Democratic race to replace him, Obama also downplayed concerns that the protracted fight between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders is hurting his party's chances, brushing off their escalating attacks as the inevitable "grumpiness" of a primary campaign. Obama offered his assessment of the presidential campaign on the sidelines of a Group of Seven advanced economies summit in Japan, the latest world gathering to be colored by global concerns about Trump. Obama said foreign leaders at the conference were unsure how seriously to take his pronouncements. President Barack Obama speaks during a news conference at the Shima Kanko Hotel in Shima, Japan, Thursday, May 26, 2016, after completion the third working session of the G-7 Summit. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) "They are rattled by it and for good reason," Obama said. "Because a lot of the proposals he has made display either ignorance of world affairs, or a cavalier attitude, or an interest in getting tweets and headlines." Trump, campaigning in Bismarck, N.D., lashed back at Obama, saying "he's a person who's done a terrible job." Referring to foreign leaders, Trump said, "If they're rattled in a friendly way, that's a good thing, not a bad thing." Questions about the unpredictable Trump have increasingly trailed Obama when he travels overseas, with world leaders incredulously sizing up a leading presidential candidate who speaks of banning Muslim immigration, starting trade wars and spreading nuclear weapons to Japan and South Korea. Obama has said that Trump now comes up in every one of his foreign meetings, with the president offering reassurances that he doesn't believe Trump will be elected. Though Obama has generally avoided opining on the presidential race as the Democratic primary as it continues to play out, he's made no secret of his distaste for Trump, whose election would mark a sharp departure from Obama in both tone and substance. In addition to opposing the sweeping Asia-Pacific free trade deal that Obama brokered, Trump has threatened to renegotiate Obama's nuclear deal with Iran and the global climate pact reached in Paris. Obama, taking questions the day before he pays a historic visit to Hiroshima, said foreign countries pay more attention to U.S. elections than Americans do to theirs because they count on the U.S. to provide stability and direction in addressing global challenges. "I think it's fair to say they are surprised by the Republican nominee," Obama said, referring to Trump. Obama's comments to reporters came amid growing Democratic impatience to see the party unite behind Clinton, who is close to netting the number of delegates needed for the nomination but has been unable to persuade Sanders to exit the race. Many Democrats, including prominent senators, have started publicly voicing frustration with Sanders, who shows no signs of a quick departure despite near-impossible odds of overtaking Clinton. Rather, Sanders has warned of a potentially "messy" Democratic Convention in Philadelphia in July, stoking concerns for the Democratic Party and for Clinton's campaign, both of which are eager to shift their focus to attacking Trump and courting voters needed to win the general election in November. Yet Obama brushed off calls for him to get more personally involved in brokering a resolution, saying that he's still inclined to let the Democratic primary play itself out. He likened the hard-fought campaign between Clinton and Sanders to the one he waged with Clinton in 2008. "During primaries, people get a little grumpy with each other. Somebody's supporter pops off and there's a certain buildup of aggravation," Obama said. "Every little speed bump, conflict trash-talking that takes place is elevated." He urged both Democratic candidates to "try to stick to the issues," adding that the grumpiness often stems from voters' frustration when the campaign instead becomes dominated by talk about "personalities and character." Asked about the Taliban's new leader, Obama said he was not optimistic about a change for the better any time soon despite the U.S. drone strike that killed former Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour, who had refused to engage in reconciliation talks with Afghanistan's government. Mansour's replacement, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, has signaled intentions to continue Mansour's aggressive approach. But Obama said he never expected "a liberal Democrat" to be the newly appointed leader of the Taliban. "In the short term, we anticipate the Taliban will continue to pursue an agenda of violence," Obama said. He added that he was hopeful that eventually "when there are those within the community that surround the Taliban that recognize their goals are best achieved by negotiations." ___ Associated Press writer Josh Lederman in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Follow Nancy Benac on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nbenac EU: Hungary must stop discriminating against Roma children BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) The European Union issued a warning to Hungary on Thursday about discrimination against Roma children in the country's education system. The EU Commission said an infringement procedure has been launched over concerns that Roma Hungary's largest and poorest minority are disproportionately overrepresented in Hungarian schools for the mentally disabled, as well as being segregated in mainstream schools. "The aim of the Commission's action is to ensure for Roma children an equal access to education which is a determining factor for employment opportunities and thus an indispensable component of working toward full Roma inclusion," the Commission said in a statement. Hungary, which has two months to reply to the EU, said Brussels was "getting revenge" with the procedure because last year it refused to comply with an EU request to spend funds on the integration of migrants and used them instead to assist needy children. "The launch of the procedure is surprising because the earlier EU leadership and critics commended Hungary's measures in integration matters," Hungary's Minister of Human Resources said in a statement. The government said the EU criticism was "inexplicable" because Hungary does not keep a record of a child's origin and said the EU needs to familiarize itself with Hungary's education programs. "For now we don't understand what the EU Commission's specific problem is," said Janos Lazar, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff. "We would like constructive dialogue to understand each other." The president of the European Roma Rights Center said Hungary had failed to comply with judgments by the European Court of Human Rights seeking to end segregation. "Hungarian authorities willfully continue to marginalize thousands of our children within a prejudicial education system," Djordje Jovanovic said. "Hungary's aggressive discrimination against Romani children denies them the opportunities to succeed and traps yet another generation in deprivation and poverty." Explosion at chemical factory in India kills 2, injures 120 NEW DELHI (AP) An explosion at a chemical factory in western India on Thursday killed at least two people and injured more than 120, officials said. The powerful explosion, caused by a malfunction in the factory's boiler, shattered windows in buildings near the factory in Dombivli in Maharashtra state. Government spokesman Anirudh Ashtaputre said a fire at the site was contained by early evening. The explosion reduced the two-story structure to rubble. Indian rescue personnels work at the site of an explosion at a chemical factory in Dombivli, in the outskirts of Mumbai, India, Thursday, May 26, 2016. The powerful explosion shattered windows in buildings near the factory. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool) No other details were immediately available. Indian rescue personnels work at the site of an explosion at a chemical factory in Dombivli, in the outskirts of Mumbai, India, Thursday, May 26, 2016. The powerful explosion shattered windows in buildings near the factory. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool) A woman grieves at a hospital after her husband sustained injuries in an explosion at a chemical factory in Dombivli, in the outskirts of Mumbai, India, Thursday, May 26, 2016. The powerful explosion shattered windows in buildings near the factory. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool) Indian rescue personnels work at the site of an explosion at a chemical factory in Dombivli, in the outskirts of Mumbai, India, Thursday, May 26, 2016. The powerful explosion shattered windows in buildings near the factory. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool) Indian rescue personnels work at the site of an explosion at a chemical factory in Dombivli, in the outskirts of Mumbai, India, Thursday, May 26, 2016. The powerful explosion shattered windows in buildings near the factory. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool) Belgian broadcaster: extremists planned to strike crowd BRUSSELS (AP) State-run Belgian broadcaster RTBF said Thursday four suspected extremists detained by police were collecting money to buy arms and explosives and developing plans to strike at a crowded target like Antwerp's main train station. Belgian prosecutors have said all four suspects have been charged with participating in the activities of a terrorist group, but declined to give additional details. RTBF, citing "official sources," said the suspects were exchanging encrypted messages with other Belgians in Syria including Hicham Chaib, a leader of the Islamic State extremist group in its Syrian stronghold of Raqqa. The broadcaster says it was those communications that worried Belgian authorities, who detained the suspects Wednesday along with a number of minors following police searches in the Antwerp area. RTBF said one suspect and one minor were still being held Thursday. In a statement, the Belgian Federal Prosecutor's Office said the suspects don't appear to have links to the suicide bombers who struck the Brussels airport and subway March 22, killing 32 victims. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the carnage, as well as for the Nov. 13 attacks that killed 130 people in Paris. Belgium, home to a large minority population of North African origin, has been one of Europe's most fertile recruiting grounds for Islamic State. Prosecutors said some of those detained Wednesday planned to go to Syria or Libya and join the extremist group. All of the suspects are believed to have wanted to recruit people to go to those conflict zones, and initial indications are they were plotting attacks in Belgium as well, prosecutors said. North Korea criticizes Obama's Hiroshima visit SEOUL, South Korea (AP) North Korea's official news agency is criticizing U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Hiroshima on Friday. The Korean Central News Agency published a commentary Thursday calling the visit a "childish political calculation" aimed at hiding Obama's identity as a "nuclear war lunatic" determined to modernize the U.S. nuclear arsenal. The commentary also accused Japan of trying to use the visit to masquerade as a victim and cover up its atrocities during World War II. The Latest: Afghan, Sudanese migrants clash in Calais camp ROME (AP) The Latest on the flow of migrants into Europe (all times local): 8:25 p.m. French police say there have been violent clashes between Afghan and Sudanese migrants at Calais' sprawling makeshift camp and several huts were set on fire. A man is helped to disembark from the Italian Navy ship Bettica, at the Sicilian Porto Empedocle harbor, Italy, Thursday, May 26, 2016. A statement from the Italian navy Wednesday says the Bettica patrol ship was responding to a migrant ship in distress when it flipped, sending migrants into the sea. Crews tossed life jackets to the migrants and brought some 500 to safety. (AP Photo/Francesco Malavolta) Police official Steve Barbet told The Associated Press some 300 to 400 migrants began fighting Thursday afternoon near the food distribution point, though he said the cause of the standoff remains unknown. Forty people were injured but none is in a life-threatening condition. An hour later, migrants set fire to some of the makeshift huts. Some 70 firefighters rapidly extinguished the blaze and there were no injuries. A police inquiry has been launched into the incidents ___ 8 p.m. A French court has acquitted a former Foreign Legion commander who took part in an outlawed anti-migrant protest in February in Calais, a northern port city hosting a sprawling migrant camp. A judge in nearby Boulogne-sur-Mer ruled Thursday that four-star general Christian Piquemal was actually leaving the protest after the police warnings and disband orders when he was arrested on Feb 6. With some 150 other people, the 75-year-old former head of the prestigious French Foreign Legion army corps defied a ban on a demonstration to protest against "the insecurity generated by the presence of many migrants" in Calais and to call for "saving our country, our culture, our future". The protest, organized by the anti-Islam movement PEGIDA, took place a few weeks before French authorities ordered a mass eviction in part of the slum camp where thousands of migrants have gathered to try to sneak across the English Channel to Britain. ___ 6:50 p.m. The Italian coast guard says some 4,000 migrants have been rescued from the Mediterranean Sea in 22 separate operations in one day. Cmdr. Cosimo Nicastro says Thursday that number may well be a record, given the previous highs of migrant rescues have been up to 6,000 over two days. Tens of thousands of desperate migrants have been leaving the lawless coast of Libya in decrepit smuggling boats, hoping to reach the shores of Italy's southern islands. Many of the boats sink or capsize, and hundreds drown each year along the journey. ___ 6:30 p.m. Hungary says some 52,000 migrants who countries like Germany and Sweden want to expel back to Hungary should be returned to instead to Greece because that's where they first entered the 28-nation European Union. Janos Lazar, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff, says Thursday that "no one can be expelled to Hungary" and that "Greece should take back these illegal migrants." Nearly 400,000 refugees passed through Hungary last year on their way to richer EU destinations. The flow was slowed greatly by Hungary's construction of razor-wire fences on its borders with Serbia and Croatia. Lazar also says it is "contradictory" for the EU to recognize Turkey as a safe country for migrants while not wanting to send them back to EU member Greece. Hungary also opposes EU quotas to resettle migrants. ___ 5:15 p.m. An Italian navy patrol ship has arrived in Sicily with survivors of a dramatic capsizing of an overcrowded migrant boat off Libya. At least one of the survivors was brought off the Bettica on a stretcher. Others with their arms wrapped in gauze walked gingerly down the ramp into Porto Empedocle off Agrigento. Rescue workers carried children down. The Italian navy released footage of the moment Wednesday in which the rust-hulled smugglers' boat rocked under the weight of its passengers and flipped, sending the desperate would-be refugees into the sea. The navy said five bodies were recovered. ___ 4:10 p.m. European Union lawmakers have agreed that Sweden deserves an extra year to take in asylum-seekers under a plan agreed last year to share out tens of thousands. The agreement in September was to distribute 160,000 refugees currently in overwhelmed Greece and Italy among other EU partners over the next two years. Sweden was to take in some 5,700 people. But the EU lawmakers voted by 396 to 190, with 50 abstentions, to grant more time because Sweden already has the EU's highest per-capita rate of asylum applicants. The relocation plan has struggled to get off the ground, with only 1,500 refugees moved out of Greece and Italy in nine months. ___ 3:55 p.m. The EU Mediterranean rescue mission says it has located about 20 bodies in the seas off Libya's coast after a migrant boat sank. Navy Lt. Rino Gentile of the EUNAVFOR operation told The Associated Press that the sinking dinghy was first spotted by one of its aircraft. Both the Italian coast guard and the Spanish frigate Reina Sofia intervened. He said some 20 bodies were located in the sea. Earlier, Italian coast guard reported 88 people had been saved. ___ 3:20 p.m. Greek authorities say they have completed the evacuation of the country's biggest informal refugee and other migrant camp on the Macedonian border. Public Order Minister Nikos Toskas says the Idomeni camp is now empty. At its peak, it hosted some 14,000 people trapped by Balkan border closures. Greek police say the last 783 people were bused out of the tent city Thursday and taken to official shelters in other parts of northern Greece. A total 3,000 people were taken to official shelters Tuesday and Wednesday. Just before the evacuation Idomeni had 8,400 occupants, according to official figures, and it's unclear where all those who didn't get the buses to other camps are. Several have set up new informal camps in the vicinity. ___ 3:10 p.m. A Libyan navy spokesman says a total of 766 migrants have been rescued by Libyan coast guards. Col. Ayoub Gassim told The Associated Press that the rescued migrants were found in two groups: one of 550 near the western coast city of Sabratha and the second of 216 off Zwara. He added that the rescue missions took place on Thursday. He also said that two boats were found empty in the area between the two cities, and only four bodies were retrieved while the rest of its migrants are feared dead. He didn't elaborate, saying that he doesn't have enough details about the empty boats. ___ 3 p.m. Albanian naval and air forces, law enforcement and emergency bodies have held exercises in the Adriatic Sea to prepare for the event of humanitarian situations in a refugee crisis. The exercises on Thursday were held at Cape of Pali, some 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of the capital, Tirana, and included training on how to transport refugees from a ship to a helicopter or when a ship refuses to be boarded. Albania hasn't been part of the transit route for migrants through Europe so far, with only a few of them crossing into its territory and being turned back. Tirana says it doesn't have the capacity to shelter refugees, but will accept a number of them if Europe decides to distribute them between countries under a coordinated plan. ___ 2:55 p.m. Italy's coast guard says a migrant boat has overturned off Libya's coast with an unknown number of passengers on board. It says so far 88 people have been rescued. Coast Guard. Cmdr. Cosimo Nicastro told The Associated Press the capsized boat was first spotted Thursday by an aircraft participating in the European Union monitoring operation. The Italian coast guard responded with two rescue vessels to the location some 30 miles (50 kilometers) off Libya's coast. Nicastro said 88 people had been rescued from the capsized wooden boat. He said he didn't have any information about whether any bodies were recovered or how big the boat was. It is one of about 20 search-and-rescue operations underway Thursday. Nicastro said of the eight operations concluded, some 1,000 migrants have been rescued. People are helped to board an Italian Navy ship after a boat overturned off the Libyan coast, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. The Italian navy says it has recovered 7 bodies from the overturned migrant ship off the coast of Libya. Another 500 migrants who on board were rescued safely. A statement from the Italian navy Wednesday says the Bettica patrol ship was responding to a migrant ship in distress when it flipped, sending migrants into the sea. (Marina Militare via AP Photo) People swim next to an overturned boat off the Libyan coast, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. The Italian navy says it has recovered 7 bodies from an overturned migrant ship off the coast of Libya. Another 500 migrants who on board were rescued safely. A statement from the Italian navy Wednesday says the Bettica patrol ship was responding to a migrant ship in distress when it flipped, sending migrants into the sea. (Marina Militare via AP Photo) COMBO - In this four-picture combo people try to jump in the water right before their boat overturns off the Libyan coast, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. The Italian navy says it has recovered a few bodies from the overturned migrant ship off the coast of Libya, while some 500 migrants who were on board were rescued safely. (Italian navy via AP Photo) Migrants carry their belongings as they leave a makeshift camp during a police operation at the Greek-Macedonian border near the northern Greek village of Idomeni, Thursday, May 26, 2016. Greek police continue to evacuate the sprawling, makeshift Idomeni refugee camp where more than an estimated 8,400 people have been living for months. (Yannis Kolesidis/ANA-MPA via AP) A Kurdish man sits on the ground as he waits to leave a makeshift camp during a police operation at the Greek-Macedonian border near the northern Greek village of Idomeni, Thursday, May 26, 2016. Greek police continue to evacuate the sprawling, makeshift Idomeni refugee camp where more than an estimated 8,400 people have been living for months. (Yannis Kolesidis/ANA-MPA via AP) Syrian refugees wait with their belongings to leave from a makeshift camp during a police operation at the Greek-Macedonian border near the northern Greek village of Idomeni, Thursday, May 26, 2016. Greek police continue to evacuate the sprawling, makeshift Idomeni refugee camp where more than an estimated 8,400 people have been living for months. (Yannis Kolesidis/ANA-MPA via AP) Two men are helped to disembark from the Italian Navy ship Bettica as it arrives at the Sicilian Porto Empedocle harbor, Italy, Thursday, May 26, 2016. A statement from the Italian navy Wednesday says the Bettica patrol ship was responding to a migrant ship in distress when it flipped, sending migrants into the sea. Crews tossed life jackets to the migrants and brought some 500 to safety. (AP Photo/Francesco Malavolta) A man is helped to disembark from the Italian Navy ship Bettica as it arrives at the Sicilian Porto Empedocle harbor, Italy, Thursday, May 26, 2016. A statement from the Italian navy Wednesday says the Bettica patrol ship was responding to a migrant ship in distress when it flipped, sending migrants into the sea. Crews tossed life jackets to the migrants and brought some 500 to safety. (AP Photo/Francesco Malavolta) People disembark from the Norwegian ship Siem Pilot, at the Salerno harbor, Italy, Thursday, May 26, 2016. Rescue operations off Libya's coast have increased in recent weeks amid calm seas and warm weather conditions that encourage Libyan-based smugglers to crowd hundreds of would-be refugees onto unseaworthy boats for the trip to Europe. (Cesare Abbate/ANSA via AP) A man disembarks from the Italian Navy ship Bettica, at the Sicilian Porto Empedocle harbor, Italy, Thursday, May 26, 2016. A statement from the Italian navy Wednesday says the Bettica patrol ship was responding to a migrant ship in distress when it flipped, sending migrants into the sea. Crews tossed life jackets to the migrants and brought some 500 to safety. (AP Photo/Francesco Malavolta) Migrants wait to disembark from the Italian Navy ship Bettica as it arrives at the Sicilian Porto Empedocle harbor, Italy, Thursday, May 26, 2016. A statement from the Italian navy Wednesday says the Bettica patrol ship was responding to a migrant ship in distress when it flipped, sending migrants into the sea. Crews tossed life jackets to the migrants and brought some 500 to safety. (AP Photo/Francesco Malavolta) Women are helped as they disembark from the Italian Navy ship Bettica as it arrives at the Sicilian Porto Empedocle harbor, Italy, Thursday, May 26, 2016. A statement from the Italian navy Wednesday says the Bettica patrol ship was responding to a migrant ship in distress when it flipped, sending migrants into the sea. Crews tossed life jackets to the migrants and brought some 500 to safety. (AP Photo/Francesco Malavolta) People wait after disembarking from the Norwegian ship Siem Pilot, at the Salerno harbor, Italy, Thursday, May 26, 2016. Rescue operations off Libya's coast have increased in recent weeks amid calm seas and warm weather conditions that encourage Libyan-based smugglers to crowd hundreds of would-be refugees onto unseaworthy boats for the trip to Europe. (Cesare Abbate/ANSA via AP) Women wait after disembarking from the Norwegian ship Siem Pilot, at the Salerno harbor, Italy, Thursday, May 26, 2016. Rescue operations off Libya's coast have increased in recent weeks amid calm seas and warm weather conditions that encourage Libyan-based smugglers to crowd hundreds of would-be refugees onto unseaworthy boats for the trip to Europe. (Cesare Abbate/ANSA via AP) People disembark from the Norwegian ship Siem Pilot, at the Salerno harbor, Italy, Thursday, May 26, 2016. Rescue operations off Libya's coast have increased in recent weeks amid calm seas and warm weather conditions that encourage Libyan-based smugglers to crowd hundreds of would-be refugees onto unseaworthy boats for the trip to Europe. (Cesare Abbate/ANSA via AP) A man is carried on a stretcher after disembarking from the Norwegian ship Siem Pilot, at the Salerno harbor, Italy, Thursday, May 26, 2016. Rescue operations off Libya's coast have increased in recent weeks amid calm seas and warm weather conditions that encourage Libyan-based smugglers to crowd hundreds of would-be refugees onto unseaworthy boats for the trip to Europe. (Cesare Abbate/ANSA via AP) Migrants wait to disembark from the Italian Navy ship Bettica as it arrives at the Sicilian Porto Empedocle harbor, Italy, Thursday, May 26, 2016. A statement from the Italian navy Wednesday says the Bettica patrol ship was responding to a migrant ship in distress when it flipped, sending migrants into the sea. Crews tossed life jackets to the migrants and brought some 500 to safety. (AP Photo/Francesco Malavolta) A man is flanked by a Red Cross staffer after disembarking from the Italian Navy ship Bettica at the Sicilian Porto Empedocle harbor, Italy, Thursday, May 26, 2016. A statement from the Italian navy Wednesday says the Bettica patrol ship was responding to a migrant ship in distress when it flipped, sending migrants into the sea. Crews tossed life jackets to the migrants and brought some 500 to safety. (AP Photo/Francesco Malavolta) Crew members aboard the NATO German warship FGS Bonn control the docking of the ship at the harbor in Izmir, Turkey, Thursday, May 26, 2016. The FGS Bonn is part of the NATO flotilla patrolling the Aegean Sea in an effort to curb migrant activity between Turkey and Greece. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) A Pennsylvania high school has apologized after quotes from Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin and the leader of ISIS were printed in the graduating class section of this year's high school yearbook. Quaker Valley High School offered a refund to parents at the high school after the remarks from the evil dictators and terrorist Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi were included in the publication. The Hitler quote printed was: 'Words build bridges into unexplored regions.' Quaker Valley High School in Pennsylvania has apologized after quotes from Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin and the leader of ISIS were printed in the graduating class section of this year's high school yearbook Officials in the school district offered a refund to parents at the high school after the remarks, including one from the Nazi dictator, were printed. They also told students they could use stickers to cover it up Stalin's statement is more menacing: 'Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, so why would we let them have ideas?' The third quote is from al-Baghdadi: 'Be just: the unjust never prosper. Be valiant. Keep your word, even to your enemies.' Faculty said students can get their money back for the books, or stickers to cover up the quotes. Quaker Valley School District officials told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: 'Though the content of the quotes was reviewed thoroughly, the attributions clearly were not.' Senior Dominique Cagliuso told the newspaper the content impacts the image of all her classmates. Faculty said the quotes were reviewed thoroughly, but the attributions from the three evil leaders (pictured left to right is Hitler, Stalin and al-Baghdadi) were not 'It makes the entire senior class look badly,' she said. 'It's also confusing how nobody caught it before it went out. 'It's one thing to have a silly quote from your favorite TV show, but to have a quote from dictators is disrespectful.' Costs for the yearbooks range from $69 'but can be more than $100, depending on if the student opted to get their name engraved on the front,' she said. UN decries church worship limit in Cyprus' breakaway north NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) A U.N. envoy has expressed "deep concern" over a newly-imposed limit on worship in Orthodox Christian churches inside ethnically divided Cyprus' breakaway Turkish Cypriot north. Espen Barth Eide said he has asked Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci to help "rectify" the new policy that reportedly limits worship in any church to once a year. Eide, who is mediating ongoing reunification talks, said Thursday that the move runs "directly counter to the bi-communal spirit" that has been built up in recent years. Cyprus' Christian and Muslim leaders have over the last few years taken great strides in promoting religious freedom, especially in the north where derelict churches have remained unused for decades. Intruders breach US airport fences about every 10 days Under pressure to prevent people from sneaking onto runways and planes at major U.S. airports, authorities are cracking down not on the intruders who slip through perimeter gates or jump over fences, but on the release of information about the breaches. A year after an Associated Press investigation first revealed persistent problems with airports' outer defenses, breaches remain as frequent as ever about once every 10 days despite some investments to fortify the nation's airfields. As Americans wait in ever-longer security screening lines inside terminals, new documents show dozens more incidents happening outside perimeters than airports have disclosed. At the same time, leaders at some airports and the U.S. Transportation Security Administration are saying some of the 345 incidents AP found shouldn't count as security breaches, even when intruders got deep into secure areas. In this May 17, 2016, photo, a sign warns against trespassing as a plane lands at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. An Associated Press investigation has documented perimeter breaches at many of the busiest airports in the U.S. (AP Photo/John Locher) Was it a perimeter security breach in March 2015 when a woman walked past a vehicle exit gate at San Francisco International Airport and onto the tarmac, where she tried to flag down a jet for a trip home to Guatemala? No it was not, said the airport and TSA officials, who also tried to suppress information about the case. After discussing intrusions openly at first, officials at several airports and the TSA started withholding details, arguing the release could expose vulnerabilities. Following a two-year legal struggle with the TSA, AP has now used newly released information to create the most comprehensive public tally of perimeter security breaches. The 345 incidents took place at 31 airports that handle three-quarters of U.S. passenger travel. And that's an undercount, because several airports refused to provide complete information. The count shows that an intruder broke through the security surrounding one of those airports on average every 13 days from the beginning of 2004 through mid-February; starting in 2012, the average has been every 9.5 days. Many intruders scaled barbed wire-topped fences or walked past vehicle checkpoints. Others crashed cars into chain link and concrete barriers. Airport officials point out that no case involved a known terrorist plot. Police reports suggest many trespassers were disoriented, intoxicated or delusional. Some came on skateboards and bikes, while others commandeered vehicles on the tarmac. One man got into a helicopter cockpit and was preparing to take off. Five intruders brought knives and one a loaded gun. Over the past year, the TSA and airports have been focused less on perimeter security than on stopping weapons that passengers or baggage handlers try to sneak onto planes. "It doesn't surprise me that people sometimes try to jump over fences to see what they can get away with," said TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger. "The question is: What's your ability to detect it and ... what might you do to mitigate that happening in the future?" Democratic U.S. Rep. William Keating of Massachusetts reacted to AP's findings by saying the TSA must extend its focus beyond screening passengers and help airports protect their perimeters. "It's like saying your door is locked but your window's wide open," he said. Airport officials would not discuss how much they are spending on fortifying perimeters. Some that added security in the past year saw fewer intruders, others had more. Altogether, there were at least 39 breaches nationwide in 2015, which also was the annual average from 2012 through 2015. The low was 34 in 2013 and the high 42 in 2012, when incidents spiked after several years hovering around 20 breaches. Aviation security consultant Jeff Price said the TSA and airports have not done enough to address gaps in perimeter security. "The straight-up honest answer as to why it's not being vigorously addressed? Nothing bad's happened. Yet," Price said. Airport officials stress that the miles of fences, gates and guardhouses protecting their properties are secure and say many intruders are quickly caught. Perimeters are not "a gaping vulnerability," said Christopher Bidwell, vice president of security at the advocacy group Airports Council International-North America. When intruders are quickly caught, "their ability to do anything nefarious isn't really there," Bidwell said. "It's being neutralized because they are actively being surveilled." But video cameras and guards don't always spot intruders. After eluding security and reaching parked planes at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, one intruder warned an airport worker in December that he "better not say" anything. Authorities never found the man, though they did arrest three others at different times in 2015, including one man who managed to drive his vehicle in with a convoy entering the airfield during a visit by Pope Francis. The large airports with the most known incidents serve San Francisco (41), Las Vegas (30), Philadelphia (30) and Los Angeles (26). New York's JFK ranked 10th with 12 breaches. ___ Pritchard reported from Los Angeles, Mendoza from San Francisco. Contributing were Dan Kempton in Phoenix, Monika Mathur and Alicia Caldwell in Washington, and Brian Barrett, Rhonda Shafner, Jennifer Farrar and Jacob Pearson in New York. ___ Contact Justin Pritchard at https://twitter.com/lalanewsman and Martha Mendoza at https://twitter.com/mendozamartha In this May 17, 2016, photo, a sign warns against trespassing as a plane lands at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. An Associated Press investigation has documented perimeter breaches at many of the busiest airports in the U.S. (AP Photo/John Locher) In this May 16, 2016, photo, a plane taxis toward the terminal after landing at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. An Associated Press investigation has documented perimeter breaches at many of the busiest airports in the U.S. (AP Photo/John Locher) In this May 17, 2016, photo, a plane takes off from San Francisco International Airport from behind fencing at the Millbrae Gate, in San Francisco. An Associated Press investigation has documented perimeter breaches at many of the busiest airports in the U.S. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) In this Friday, May 13, 2016, photo, a commercial airliner lands at San Diego International Airport, where multiple layers of fencing topped with razor wire protects the airport grounds. An Associated Press investigation has documented perimeter breaches at many of the busiest airports in the U.S. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi) In this Friday, May 13, 2016, photo, as a commercial airliner taxis for takeoff, the perimeter fencing and razor wires show the layers of security at San Diego International Airport. An Associated Press investigation has documented perimeter breaches at many of the busiest airports in the U.S. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi) Georgia seeks death penalty for suspect in killing of priest WAYNESBORO, Ga. (AP) A Georgia prosecutor says she intends to seek the death penalty against a man charged with murder after leading authorities to the body of a missing Florida priest. The Augusta Chronicle reports (bit.ly/1sRvZpk) that District Attorney Ashley Wright filed notice this week that she will seek the death penalty for 28-year-old Steve James Murray of Jacksonville, Florida. A grand jury in Burke County, Georgia, indicted Murray on murder and weapon violations in the April 18 shooting of the Rev. Rene Robert of St. Augustine, Florida. The Latest: Family members "grateful" for arrest in killing TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) The Latest on the arrest made in killing of a Florida State University law professor(all times local): 9:35 p.m. Family members of a slain Florida State University professor say they are "grateful" to the "tireless work" of law enforcement authorities that resulted in the arrest of a South Florida man nearly two years after the slaying. The parents and sister of Daniel Markel, however, said late Thursday in a statement that they will not make any further comments "at this time." Ruth Markel, the mother of Daniel Markel, declined to answer questions when reached by phone at her home in Toronto. Daniel Markel was shot in the head inside his garage during the middle of the day in July 2014. Markel, who was well-known in national and international legal circles, died later from the wound. Sigfredo Garcia was arrested late Wednesday in Broward County and charged with murder in Markel's death. Authorities are refusing so far to disclose details on why they arrested Garcia. ___ Noon Tallahassee police are refusing to disclose any details about why a South Florida man was arrested in the killing of a Florida State University professor as they continue investigating the case. Top police officials held a press conference Thursday, saying they have asked a judge to seal records connected with the arrest of Sigfredo Garcia. He was arrested Wednesday night by Hallandale Beach police and charged with murder and possession of cocaine. Daniel Markel was shot in the head inside his garage during the middle of the day in July 2014. Markel, who was well-known in national and international legal circles, died later from the wound. Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo said that the FBI was involved in the investigation that led to Garcia's arrest. ___ 10:55 a.m. A South Florida man charged with killing a Florida State University law professor is going to remain in jail. Sigfredo Garcia appeared in a Broward County court on Thursday after he was arrested in the murder of FSU professor Daniel Markel. Markel was shot in the head during the middle of the day in July 2014. Markel, who was well-known in national and international legal circles, died later from the wound. The 34-year-old Garcia, who is listed in jail records as living in Miami Beach, declined a public defender. Garcia told Judge Mary Rudd Robinson he has a lawyer, but just met him Wednesday and couldn't remember the name. He said he put the lawyer's card in his wallet, which had been confiscated. Garcia told Robinson that he didn't know that he would need a lawyer until Wednesday. ___ 8:39 a.m. Tallahassee police say they've arrested a man in connection with the killing of a Florida State University law professor. A statement released by the Tallahassee Police Department early Thursday says 34-year-old Sigfredo Garcia has been arrested by Hallandale Beach Police in South Florida. The police have not yet released additional details about Garcia's involvement in the crime. Daniel Markel was shot in the head inside his garage during the middle of the day in July 2014. Markel, who was well-known in legal circles nationally and internationally, died later from the wound. Obama's every gesture will be scrutinized in Hiroshima visit HIROSHIMA, Japan (AP) Every gesture. Every word uttered or avoided. Every person Barack Obama speaks with, listens to and stands beside in Hiroshima. All of it will help determine the success of a trip with huge potential political and diplomatic pitfalls, both in America and Asia. The leader of the United States is already one of the world's most watched people. But that daily scrutiny will be magnified exponentially when Obama makes the first presidential journey to the place where the first atomic bomb attack killed tens of thousands 71 years ago. Obama's mere presence among the nightmare images of death and destruction that linger in Hiroshima will be what most casual observers will remember. But there are many other people with deep political and personal interests in Northeast Asia's long-running history battles who will be eager to parse Obama's every move. With the Atomic Bomb Dome as a backdrop, passers-by move past riot police near Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima, southwestern Japan, Thursday, May 26, 2016. U.S. President Barack Obama is to visit Hiroshima on Friday, May 27 after the Group of Seven summit in central Japan, becoming the first serving American president to do so. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama) Bomb victims will be looking for compassion. Many in neighboring countries and the United States will want clear condemnation of Imperial Japan's colonial and wartime atrocities and not a whiff of anything that could be seen as an apology for what they see as justified bombs. And nonproliferation experts will want proof that Obama is working to "earn" the Nobel Peace Prize he received for advocating a world without nuclear weapons. Here is a look at how Obama's gestures might shape his historic, politically fraught visit to Hiroshima: ___ TO BOW OR NOT TO BOW Obama knows from past experience that every gesture counts when he's on the world stage. He took a hit early in his presidency when his deep bow before Japanese Emperor Akihito was criticized by U.S. conservatives who saw him as groveling. But high-stakes political risks can also bring acclaim. West German Chancellor Willy Brandt, for instance, fell to his knees in 1970 in the former Warsaw Ghetto, in one of recent history's most famous examples of political remorse. He received a Nobel Prize the next year. Hiroshima will see something much more subtle, but what Obama does will still carry great weight. Very little is known ahead of time about his trip, but the U.S. president will reportedly lay flowers at Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park, visit the park museum and make a short statement to about 100 people, an effort at what some call "reconciliation diplomacy." "The key thing is to restore dignity," said Jeff Kingston, a history professor at Temple University's Japan campus. "He realizes this is the unfinished business of reconciliation, that there is a long road from foe to friend." ___ THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER The visit, if handled deftly, could reverberate in the United State and in Japan and its neighbors. But how it is read will depend in large part on the reader. Differing views, in different countries, exist among historians, politicians and the public about the atomic bombs specifically, and the war in general. That makes shaping a message very tricky. Japan may see Obama's visit as proof that even memories of war and nuclear attack cannot hurt one of the strongest trade, security and cultural partnerships in the world. South Korea, a strong American ally that has always been wary of Japan, its former colonial overlord, may be worried that Obama's actions at Hiroshima will overshadow its complaints that Tokyo has failed to fully address Japan's colonial and wartime violence. China, a major U.S. and Japanese rival, may look at the pictures of Obama and Abe standing side-by-side at Hiroshima and see an aggressive challenge to its push for regional authority. But Obama's actions could also show Beijing that "by using the past for political purposes you can never build this kind of positive, forward-looking relationship," according to Stephen Nagy, an international relations professor at International Christian University in Tokyo. ___ A WORLD WITHOUT NUKES Obama may also look to use the trip to address a piece of unfinished business. Ever since the accolades that followed his anti-nuclear speech in April 2009, Obama has been criticized for doing little to back up his soaring rhetoric. "He hopes to find inspiration to realize that agenda of disarmament, nonproliferation and then a nuclear-free world," Kingston said of the president's trip to Hiroshima. Getting rid of nukes won't happen fast, but his mere presence in Hiroshima, where the nuclear age began, could send a powerful message. "Where better to start than Hiroshima, which will remind people of what is at stake?" Kingston said. ___ JUST LISTEN Perhaps the most powerful gesture Obama has available is also the simplest: To just listen to the bomb victims' memories of suffering and activism. "Even if he does not say the word 'sorry,' the sincerity with which Obama listens to the stories of the victims will be a touchstone of the meaning of his visit," Tessa Morris-Suzuki, a Japanese history professor at The Australian National University, wrote recently. It is unclear if Obama will listen to victims' testimonies, Japan's Kyodo News agency reported, although he may briefly speak with some of them. "If President Obama meets with survivors, listens to their words, looks into their eyes and acknowledges their long-term suffering, that sends a powerful message," said Franziska Seraphim, a Japan expert and history professor at Boston College. "It represents a gesture of reconciliation possibly the only such gesture that has meaning 70 years later." ___ AP journalists Mari Yamaguchi and Kaori Hitomi contributed to this report. ___ Foster Klug, AP's Seoul bureau chief, has covered Asia since 2005. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/apklug Schoolgirls run past the Atomic Bomb Dome at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, southwestern Japan, Thursday, May 26, 2016. U.S. President Barack Obama is to visit Hiroshima on Friday, May 27 after the Group of Seven summit in central Japan, becoming the first serving American president to do so. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama) The Atomic Bomb Dome is lit at dusk at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, southwestern Japan, Thursday, May 26, 2016. U.S. President Barack Obama is to visit Hiroshima on Friday, May 27 after the Group of Seven summit in central Japan, becoming the first serving American president to do so. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama) Protesters march against the visit by U.S. President Barack Obama, near Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima, southwestern Japan, Thursday, May 26, 2016. Obama is to visit Hiroshima on May 27 after the Group of Seven summit in central Japan, becoming the first serving American president to do so. The banner reads: "Oppose Obama and Abe's visit to Hiroshima." (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama) Protesters stage a rally against the visit by U.S. President Barack Obama, near Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima, southwestern Japan, Thursday, May 26, 2016. Obama is to visit Hiroshima on Friday, May 27 after the Group of Seven summit in central Japan, becoming the first serving American president to do so. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama) Schoolgirls offer prayers at the cenotaph at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, southwestern Japan, Thursday, May 26, 2016. U.S. President Barack Obama is to visit Hiroshima on Friday, May 27 after the Group of Seven summit in central Japan, becoming the first serving American president to do so. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama) 1 dead, 1 hurt when car slams into South Florida school bus PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. (AP) Police say one person is dead and another injured in a crash that left a car wedged under a school bus in southeast Florida. Pembroke Pines police Sgt. John Baker tells the Sun Sentinel (http://bit.ly/1NPIIlC ) the crash happened around 6:30 a.m. Thursday. There were no students on the bus at the time and the driver wasn't injured. Baker says the bus was heading to Charles W. Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines when the crash occurred. Police haven't released the names of the victims. Connecticut Supreme Court upholds death penalty abolishment HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) The Connecticut Supreme Court on Thursday upheld its landmark ruling declaring the state's death penalty unconstitutional and abolishing capital punishment. The court's 5-2 decision overturned death sentences imposed on Russell Peeler Jr. and ordered a lower court to impose life in prison without the possibility of release. Peeler had been on death row for ordering the 1999 killings of a woman and her 8-year-old son in Bridgeport. The boy, B.J. Brown, was to testify against Peeler in another murder case. Justices reconsidered a 4-3 ruling they made in August in the appeal of another death row inmate, Eduardo Santiago. The majority declared capital punishment no longer comported with the state constitution's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment and was out of step with contemporary standards of decency. Last year's ruling revealed a deep rift in the court, with justices writing concurring and dissenting opinions that included highly unusual criticism of each other. At issue in both appeals was a 2012 law passed by Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and the Democrat-controlled legislature that abolished the death penalty, but only for future murders leaving 11 men including Peeler and Santiago still facing execution. The majority in last year's landmark ruling essentially said it wouldn't be fair to execute the remaining death row inmates when lawmakers had determined the death penalty was no longer needed for future killers. The 2012 ban had been passed prospectively because many lawmakers refused to vote for a bill that would spare the death penalty for Joshua Komisarjevsky and Steven Hayes, who were convicted of killing a mother and her two daughters in a highly publicized 2007 home invasion in Cheshire. Chief State's Attorney Kevin Kane said prosecutors will now move to get the death row inmates resentenced to life in prison without the possibility of release. Opponents of the death penalty immediately praised Thursday's ruling. Sheila Denion, project director for the Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty, said the decision "takes the prudent step of ending the state's failed death penalty and the possibility of any future executions." The state's death penalty was criticized by both critics and advocates alike, because state law allowed multiple appeals that virtually assured that no one would be executed for decades. Connecticut's last execution was of serial killer Michael Ross in 2005, but only after Ross dropped all his appeals. Chief Justice Chase Rogers, who dissented in last year's ruling, joined the majority in Thursday's decision, saying she had to respect the legal precedent set by the court only months earlier. Malloy, who signed the 2012 law that left death row inmates still facing execution, said in a statement that his opposition to the death penalty arose after many years as a prosecutor, attorney and public servant. Bill Moyers turns down $35,000 speaking fee from Rutgers PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) PBS journalist Bill Moyers has turned down a $35,000 fee that Rutgers University offered for speaking at part of its graduation ceremony. Moyers notified a Rutgers official in early May that we would not accept the honorarium for his May 15 address. He said Thursday that he never intended to accept the fee because it would not have been appropriate. The Associated Press, relying on information from Rutgers, reported last week that Moyers was among several speakers who were receiving more than $30,000 for speeches at graduation ceremonies this year. FILE - In this Sunday, May 15, 2016, file photo, President Barack Obama, right, laughs as he sits with longtime PBS journalist Bill Moyers, left, during Rutgers University's 250th anniversary commencement ceremony in Piscataway, N.J. Rutgers University officials say they were told Tuesday, May 24, 2016, that Moyers is turning down a $35,000 honorarium offered to him for speaking at a convocation ceremony for one of the university's divisions. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) Greg Trevor, a spokesman at the New Jersey university, said miscommunication led university officials to believe Moyers was still being paid until this week. Trevor said the school has apologized to Moyers. ___ Savchenko's return heralds new turmoil in Ukraine MOSCOW (AP) After being freed from a Russian jail, Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko stands to emerge as a wild new force in Ukraine's already volatile politics. Savchenko's adamant defiance of Russian authorities and the Russian justice system has made her a national icon, a widely revered symbol of courage and perseverance for a nation reeling from an economic meltdown and a devastating war in the east against Russian-back separatists. The 35-year-old's blunt candor and passionate ways pose a tough challenge to Ukraine's political clans, who have been locked in fierce power battles that go back decades. The prospects of more political infighting raises new threats to the stability of Ukraine and would be welcome news for the Kremlin, which is eager to see its neighbor plunge deeper into turmoil. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, right, looks at Ukrainian jailed pilot Nadezhda Savchenko during their meting in the Presidential Office in Kiev, Ukraine, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Russia has released jailed pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, as part of a swap for two Russian servicemen imprisoned in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Savchenko's return home was a personal triumph for Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who rallied international leaders to press Russia for her release. But even though he may have hoped her return boosts his sagging popularity, Savchenko's entry into politics is likely to challenge him greatly. Many Ukrainians hold Poroshenko responsible for a moribund economy, a dramatic fall in living standards and his failure to stem rampant official corruption. Some hard-line nationalists, including members of volunteer battalions who fought in the east, see the president as too weak in defending Ukraine's national interests. They have vowed to block any legislation that would give broader powers to the separatist eastern regions in line with the February 2015 Minsk peace agreement brokered by France and Germany. Some nationalist forces have seen that deal as betrayal of Ukraine's interests. Poroshenko has defended the Minsk agreement and accused Russia of failing to honor it as sporadic clashes in the east continued despite the truce. Savchenko, an ardent nationalist captured by separatists in June 2014 while she acted as an artillery spotter for a volunteer battalion in eastern Ukraine, will likely take an unflinching stance on the war in the east and oppose any compromise with Russia-backed rebels. She also is likely to become a voice for masses angry with endemic corruption, which has run amok despite official promises to eradicate it, eroding trust in the government and sapping the hopes raised by the 2014 ouster of Ukraine's former, Moscow-friendly leader. Even before Savchenko's return, Ukraine's ruling coalition was embroiled in bitter political infighting. Following months of jockeying, Poroshenko managed to replace Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk with his loyalist, Volodymyr Groysman. Still the battle left the parties led by Poroshenko and Yatsenyuk in a fragile coalition, united mostly in their desire to avoid an early election. Savchenko is already a member of parliament, voted in while she was languishing in a Russian jail. She has not yet talked about her political plans but her return could consolidate those unhappy with the status quo and increase pressures for an early election. Yulia Tymoshenko, the former Ukrainian prime minister whose party got Savchenko into parliament in 2014 when her Russian ordeal just began, hopes now to emerge as the main winner. Tymoshenko, who spent 2 years in a Ukrainian prison in 2011-2014 as the former pro-Moscow president sought to eliminate her as a political rival, expected a triumphant return to the political scene after his downfall. Instead, she saw her popularity dwindle as many saw her as a relic of the old political system. Since then, Tymoshenko managed to rebuild her popularity, riding the growing wave of anger with the anemic economy and official corruption. "Tymoshenko is pushing for new elections, and Savchenko's voice may help a lot," said Vadim Karasyov, an independent Kiev-based political analyst. Still, Tymoshenko will likely find it hard to control the unruly military pilot. Savchenko, who is fully aware of her nationwide popularity, is unlikely to take a back seat. The tensions between the two were immediately visible Wednesday during a greeting ceremony at Kiev's airport, when Savchenko dodged Tymoshenko's attempts to kiss her and refused to take flowers from her. "Savchenko's uncompromising stance and her unpredictability would be a problem for both herself and for those who would try to use her," said Volodymyr Fesenko, head of Penta think-tank in Kiev. "Savchenko's charisma can unite the right and the ultra-right forces, which believe that the ideals of revolution must be defended," he said. "That scenario may trigger street protests and new parliamentary elections." As Ukraine seems ready to sink deeper into turmoil, one man is watching with glee: Russia's President Vladimir Putin, whose relentless pressure on Ukraine has been one factor crippling his southern neighbor. As parts of the Minsk peace agreement remain deeply divisive in Ukraine, the Russian leader could highlight Ukraine's failure to meet its end of the deal and push for lifting Western sanctions against Russia. The Kremlin could also point to Ukraine's political infighting to support its contention that the nation is dominated by nationalists who are eager to resort to violence and shun compromise. ___ Yuras Karmanau in Minsk, Belarus contributed to this report. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, right, shakes hands with Ukrainian jailed pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, as he awards her with the Hero of Ukraine medal in the Presidential Office in Kiev, Ukraine, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Russia has released jailed pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, as part of a swap for two Russian servicemen imprisoned in Ukraine. Russia has released jailed pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, as part of a swap for two Russian servicemen imprisoned in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) RETRANSMISSION FOR BETTER QUALITY Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, left, looks at Ukrainian jailed pilot Nadezhda Savchenko during their meting in the Presidential Office in Kiev, Ukraine, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Russia has released jailed pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, as part of a swap for two Russian servicemen imprisoned in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, right, Ukrainian jailed pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, fourth left, her sister Vera, second left, and her mother, Maria, third right, stand with servicemen of the Aidar battalion, in the Presidential Office in Kiev, Ukraine, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Russia has released jailed pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, as part of a swap for two Russian servicemen imprisoned in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Former Prime Minister and leader of the Fatherland party Yulia Tymoshenko, right, greets Ukrainian jailed pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, left, upon her arrival at Boryspil airport outside Kiev, Ukraine, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Russia has released jailed pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, as part of a swap for two Russian servicemen imprisoned in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) In this photo taken on Wednesday, May 25, 2016, former Prime Minister and leader of the Fatherland party Yulia Tymoshenko, right, greets Ukrainian jailed pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, left, upon her arrival at Boryspil airport outside Kiev, Ukraine. Tymoshenko, a former prime minister whose party took Savchenko to parliament, hopes to use her to increase its political clout. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) In this photo taken on Wednesday, May 25, 2016, former Prime Minister and leader of the Fatherland party Yulia Tymoshenko, right, greets Ukrainian jailed pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, left, upon her arrival at Boryspil airport outside Kiev, Ukraine. Tymoshenko, a former prime minister whose party took Savchenko to parliament, hopes to use her to increase its political clout. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Hero of Canada parliament attack tackles protester in Dublin DUBLIN (AP) A Canadian diplomat who became a national hero when he shot a jihadi gunman inside the Ottawa parliament has tussled with a protester at a military ceremony in Dublin. Kevin Vickers, Canada's ambassador to Ireland, grabbed a man who was shouting "This is an insult!" near a memorial service for British soldiers killed during a 1916 rebellion against British rule. Vickers grabbed the man and held him before police moved in to arrest the protester. Canadian Ambassador to Ireland Kevin Vickers, right, wrestles with a protester during a State ceremony to remember the British soldiers who died during the Easter Rising at Grangegorman Military Cemetery, Dublin Thursday May 26, 2016. Vickers helped subdue a demonstrator who began chanting insult at the service commemorating more than 100 British soldiers killed trying to suppress the Easter Rising a century ago. (Brian Lawless/PA via AP) UNITED KINGDOM OUT Vickers was sergeant-at-arms of the Canadian parliament when Michael Zehaf-Bibeau burst into the building on Oct. 22, 2014, after killing a soldier outside. Vickers, a former Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer, and a policeman killed the attacker in a gunfight. The Canadian Embassy in Dublin declined to comment on Thursday's incident. Canadian Ambassador to Ireland Kevin Vickers, right, wrestles with a protester during a State ceremony to remember the British soldiers who died during the Easter Rising at Grangegorman Military Cemetery, Dublin Thursday May 26, 2016. Vickers helped subdue a demonstrator who began chanting insult at the service commemorating more than 100 British soldiers killed trying to suppress the Easter Rising a century ago. (Brian Lawless/PA via AP) UNITED KINGDOM OUT Under high security, Jewish pilgrims gather on Tun DJERBA, Tunisia (AP) Under unprecedented security, the Tunisian island of Djerba hosted an annual Jewish pilgrimage amid raised fears of religious violence after deadly Islamic extremist attacks last year scared away visitors. Soldiers guarded the area in southern Tunisia and special forces carried out checks of vehicles and hotels. The Israeli government reportedly issued a warning earlier this month advising Israelis not to travel to Tunisia for the event. FILE - In this file photo dated Wednesday, May 6, 2015, Tunisian police officers stand guard near the entrance of the Ghriba synagogue in the resort of Djerba, south Tunisia, Wednesday, May 6, 2015, as Jewish pilgrims make their annual pilgrimage to El Ghriba synagogue. Under unprecedented security, it is announced Thursday May 26, 2016, the Tunisian island of Djerba will hosting the annual Jewish pilgrimage despite recent attacks that have scared away tourists and a warning from the Israeli government. (AP Photo/Mohsen May, FILE) Under a sweltering heat, crowds gathered for ceremonies Wednesday and Thursday at the 2,500-year-old Ghriba synagogue, which was targeted in a 2002 attack. The pilgrimage used to draw huge crowds but security concerns have deterred many people from coming. Still, travel agency Rene Trabelsi estimated 2,000 visitors came this year, including about 600 from abroad and 50 from Israel. Rabbi Raphael Cohen of Safat in northern Israel was among them. In a black suit and long white beard, he praised Ghriba as a "symbol of tolerance and peaceful cohabitation" between Muslims and Jews, and welcomed what he called "a reassuring security presence." Knox Thames, special adviser at the U.S. State Department for religious minorities in the Near East and South and Central Asia, also joined the ceremonies, saying Tunisia should serve as a model for allowing religious minorities to practice freely. Legend holds that the Ghriba synagogue was built around 500 BC by Jews who had fled Jerusalem after the Roman destruction of Solomon's Temple. Senior political and religious figures from Tunisia and abroad, including Tourism Minister Selma Elloumi, took part in the opening ceremony Wednesday. "Tunisia will remain a land of openness, conviviality and joy, despite the challenges of violence and hate," she said. The pilgrimage event wrapped up Thursday with the procession of a bronze Torah, candle lighting and a ritual involving placing an egg in a cavity at the synagogue, with prayers written on the eggshells for healing ailments or fertility. Libertarian Gary Johnson to never-Trumpers: 'I'm it' SALT LAKE CITY (AP) He has virtually no money, no strategy to compete in battleground states and no plan to stop talking about his drug use. Yet with the Republican Party facing the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency, Libertarian presidential hopeful Gary Johnson could be a factor in 2016. The former two-term New Mexico governor, a Republican businessman perhaps best known for his yearslong push to legalize marijuana, has a sobering message for a "never-Trump" movement desperately seeking a viable alternative. "I will be the only third-party candidate on the ballot in all 50 states," Johnson says. "I'm it." FILE - In this May 18, 2016 file photo, Libertarian presidential candidate, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson speak with legislators at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City. He has virtually no money, no strategy to compete in battleground states and no plan to stop talking about his drug use. Yet with the Republican Party facing the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency, Libertarian presidential hopeful Gary Johnson could be a factor in 2016. The former two-term New Mexico governor, a Republican businessman perhaps best known for his years-long push to legalize marijuana, has a sobering message for a never-Trump movement desperately seeking a viable alternative. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File) He is not their top choice, and he must first clinch the Libertarian nomination at this weekend's national convention, but the quirky White House hopeful may be the GOP's best, last chance to stop a New York billionaire some fear is destroying the soul of their party. The Trump haters have struggled to convince other third-party prospects to join the presidential contest. They've courted the likes of 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney, Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn, Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse and retired Marine Corps General James Mattis to no avail. And with ballot access deadlines already starting to pass, some say Johnson is beginning to look like the most legitimate alternative, even if he earned just 1 percent of the national vote in the last presidential contest. He strengthened his position this week by adding running mate William Weld, a well-respected former Massachusetts governor who raised tens of thousands of dollars for Romney's presidential runs. They represent one of the strongest Libertarian tickets in memory, although would-be supporters are not yet sold. "To be clear, the reports of the death of the non-Libertarian third-party effort are greatly exaggerated. I understand there are still plenty of irons in the fire," said conservative columnist Quin Hillyer, who has vowed not to support Trump this fall. "Never Trump means never Trump," Hillyer added. "At the very least it'll be Gary Johnson on the Libertarian ticket." Johnson's longshot campaign is based in Salt Lake City, home to his most trusted political adviser and in a state where Trump finished a distant third place in March's Republican primary election. The local presence of Johnson's headquarters was a surprise to many Utah state legislators who met with the Libertarian candidate inside the state house last week. A handful of lawmakers in both parties were receptive. "Utah understands how dangerous Trump is," said Howard Stephenson, a Republican state senator who had warm words for Johnson. "We're looking for someone to vote for." Johnson's political strategy is simple. With just $35,000 in his campaign coffers at the end of March, he doesn't have the money for TV ads, poll-tested messaging, or a paid presence in battleground states where Trump and likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton are already beginning to invest resources. Johnson is instead relying on an intensifying schedule of media appearances to boost his name recognition in an effort to reach the necessary 15 percent threshold to qualify for the presidential debates this fall. "We cannot go into a battleground state and compete," said Johnson's senior strategist Ron Nielson, citing the high cost of running a campaign in states like Florida or Ohio. The Johnson campaign will instead focus its resources on cheaper states where libertarians have done well in the past, places like Alaska, maybe New Hampshire, he says. Yet Trump's Republican critics don't necessarily need to find a candidate who can win. Many are seeking a legitimate protest candidate where they could focus their anti-Trump energy. Should that candidate earn even a few percentage points in key states this fall, it could hurt Trump's chances. "Gary will be an outlet for millions of Americans who just can't fathom the idea of voting for Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump," said Ed Crane, who co-founded the libertarian-leaning Cato Institute and now runs a super PAC he says may support Johnson "down the road." It's no guarantee, however, that Johnson will earn the Libertarian presidential nomination. He must first beat back aggressive challenges at the party's national convention in Orlando this weekend. Software entrepreneur John McAfee and Libertarian activist Austin Petersen are also seeking the nomination. Johnson represents a set of policies that do not line up perfectly with Republicans or Libertarians. He embraces fiscal conservatism, but not to the lengths that some hardline anti-government libertarians would like. He considers himself a liberal on social issues, supporting same-sex marriage and abortion rights. And he supports a non-interventionalist foreign policy that focuses on America's challenges at home. Many know him best for his repeated calls to legalize drugs. Johnson largely focuses his energy on marijuana, but also suggests that concern over narcotics such as heroin are exaggerated compared to the impact of alcohol or even smoking cigarettes. He is a regular marijuana user, noting that he most recently took an edible form of the drug three weeks ago. "I'm one of the 100 million Americans that do this. If that disqualifies me from being president, so be it," he told The Associated Press, adding that he recently purchased the drug legally in Colorado but illegally transported it back to his home in New Mexico. "Sure, I'm in the tens of thousands of those that are guilty of that phenomenon," he says. He promises not consume marijuana if elected president, however. "I think the American people deserve to know that there will be a steady hand," he said. "And I would hope that my history regarding this stuff would bear out the fact that I'm a pretty disciplined cat." FILE - In this May 18, 2016 file photo, Libertarian presidential candidate, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson waits to speak with legislators at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City. He has virtually no money, no strategy to compete in battleground states and no plan to stop talking about his drug use. Yet with the Republican Party facing the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency, Libertarian presidential hopeful Gary Johnson could be a factor in 2016. The former two-term New Mexico governor, a Republican businessman perhaps best known for his years-long push to legalize marijuana, has a sobering message for a never-Trump movement desperately seeking a viable alternative. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File) FILE - In this May 18, 2016 file photo, Libertarian presidential candidate, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson leaves the Utah State Capitol after meeting with with legislators, in Salt Lake City. He has virtually no money, no strategy to compete in battleground states and no plan to stop talking about his drug use. Yet with the Republican Party facing the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency, Libertarian presidential hopeful Gary Johnson could be a factor in 2016. The former two-term New Mexico governor, a Republican businessman perhaps best known for his years-long push to legalize marijuana, has a sobering message for a never-Trump movement desperately seeking a viable alternative. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File) FILE - In this May 18, 2016 file photo, Libertarian presidential candidate, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson speaks with legislators at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City. He has virtually no money, no strategy to compete in battleground states and no plan to stop talking about his drug use. Yet with the Republican Party facing the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency, Libertarian presidential hopeful Gary Johnson could be a factor in 2016. The former two-term New Mexico governor, a Republican businessman perhaps best known for his years-long push to legalize marijuana, has a sobering message for a never-Trump movement desperately seeking a viable alternative. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File) Iraq honors policeman who stopped would-be suicide bomber BAGHDAD (AP) Iraq has honored a police officer who stopped a would-be suicide bomber at a checkpoint in a northern Baghdad neighborhood this week. Saad Ali Thabit's brave act was caught on a closed-circuit camera on Wednesday in the Kadhimiyah neighborhood and has since gone viral, racking up hundreds of thousands of views on Thursday. The footage shows Thabit discovering and then disarming the would-be bomber during a routine search at the checkpoint where he was working. It shows other people lined up at the checkpoint quickly running away as the bomber's explosive belt was discovered. In this image released by Iraq's Federal Police on Wednesday, May 25, 2016, policeman Saad Ali Thabit detains a would-be suicide bomber at a checkpoint north of Baghdads Kadhimiyah neighborhood. Thabit is being honored as a hero by Iraqi officials and on social media. Closed Circuit video of Thabit discovering and then disarming the would-be bomber during routine searches was quickly shared on social media racking up hundreds of thousands of views Thursday. (Iraq Federal Police via AP) Thabit is seen pinning the attacker against the checkpoint's wall and disarming the explosives. Later Wednesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi commended Thabit for his heroism and courage. Baghdad has experienced a wave of deadly bombings this month that killed more than 200 within a single week. The attacks point to the resilience of the Islamic State group, which has claimed responsibility for many of the deadliest attacks. IS has increasingly resorted to bombings in civilian areas far from the front lines as it has lost territory to Iraqi forces backed by U.S.-led airstrikes. But the bombings also exposed lingering gaps in the Iraqi capital's defenses, which are manned by an array of security agencies and militias that don't always cooperate. In addition to defending Baghdad from IS, Iraqi security forces have also had to contend with months of mass anti-government protests led by powerful Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Twice during the weekly protests, the demonstrators breached Baghdad's heavily guarded Green Zone and ransacked government buildings inside. Iraqi forces are currently waging an offensive to retake the IS-held city of Fallujah west of Baghdad. IS still controls some key areas in western and northern Iraq, including the country's second-largest city, Mosul. In this image released by Iraq's Federal Police on Wednesday, May 25, 2016, a would-be suicide bomber is detained at a checkpoint north of Baghdads Kadhimiyah neighborhood. Policeman Saad Ali Thabit is being honored as a hero by Iraqi officials and on social media after Closed Circuit video of Thabit discovering and then disarming the would-be bomber during routine searches was quickly shared on social media racking up hundreds of thousands of views Thursday. (Iraq Federal Police via AP) In this image released by Iraq's Federal Police on Wednesday, May 25, 2016, policeman Saad Ali Thabit detains a would-be suicide bomber at a checkpoint north of Baghdads Kadhimiyah neighborhood. Thabit is being honored as a hero by Iraqi officials and on social media. Closed Circuit video of Thabit discovering and then disarming the would-be bomber during routine searches was quickly shared on social media racking up hundreds of thousands of views Thursday. (Iraq Federal Police via AP) German prosecutors: Leak in Chinese student's slaying BERLIN (AP) German prosecutors investigating the slaying of a Chinese student whose body was found earlier this month in an eastern town say they are looking into a possible leak. The German news agency dpa reported Thursday that some details in the case were known to the public before prosecutors revealed them. The agency also reported that one of the two suspects allegedly involved in the killing is the son of a police officer. The prosecutor's office couldn't be reached for comment. Prosecutors had said Tuesday the man and woman, both 20, had turned themselves in and said they had met with the 25-year-old female student for consensual sex. State judge in 'Mississippi Burning' trial dies at age 84 JACKSON, Miss. (AP) The state judge who presided over the "Mississippi Burning" trial in 2005 has died. Retired Mississippi Circuit Judge Marcus Gordon died Thursday at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, the state Administrative Office of the Courts said. He was 84. A cause of death was not immediately available. A court spokeswoman said Gordon had been hospitalized after falling and breaking his hip in April. Gordon sentenced Edgar Ray Killen to 60 years in prison after a mixed-race jury convicted the reputed former Ku Klux Klan leader of manslaughter in the 1964 kidnap-slaying of three civil rights workers in Neshoba County. FILE - In this June 23, 2005 file photo, Neshoba County circuit judge Marcus Gordon, explains to reporters his considerations in sentencing Edgar Ray Killen to 20-year terms on each of three counts of manslaughter for the 1964 deaths of three civil rights workers in his Philadelphia, Miss., courtroom. Gordon died Thursday, May 26, 2016 at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, Miss. He was 84. Gordon sentenced Edgar Ray Killen to 60 years in prison after a mixed-race jury convicted the reputed former Ku Klux Klan leader of manslaughter in the 1964 kidnap-slaying of three civil rights workers in Neshoba County. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File) The revival of the cold case from the civil rights era marked the first time state prosecutors had brought charges in what the FBI called the "Mississippi Burning" investigation. Killen was convicted on June 21, 2005 41 years to the day after the killings of Michael Schwerner, James Chaney and Andrew Goodman. Two days later, Gordon sentenced Killen to the maximum of 20 years on each of the three counts of manslaughter. Killen, 91, remains in prison. "Each life has value. Each life is equally as valuable as the other life and I have taken that into consideration," Gordon said. "The three lives should absolutely be respected and treated equally." During the sentencing, more than 25 armed law-enforcement officers stood against the walls of the 200-seat, oak-paneled courtroom in the Neshoba County Courthouse, with Killen's relatives on one side of the aisle and the victims' families on the other. Gordon died less than three months after retiring as the longest-serving state circuit judge in Mississippi, with 37 years on the bench. "Judge Gordon served with distinction in many capacities throughout his long career," Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr. said in a statement Thursday. "He courageously presided over many very difficult cases, including the trial of Edgar Ray Killen." FILE - In this Jan. 6, 2005 photo, Neshoba County Circuit Court Judge Marcus Gordon talks with Edgar Ray Killen during an arraignment in the 1964 murders of three civil rights workers, in Philadelphia, Miss. Gordon died Thursday, May 26, 2016 at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, Miss. He was 84. Gordon later sentenced Edgar Ray Killen to 60 years in prison after a mixed-race jury convicted the reputed former Ku Klux Klan leader of manslaughter in the 1964 kidnap-slaying of the three civil rights workers. (Kyle Carter/The Neshoba Democrat, via AP, File) Mystery remains after arrest in killing of Florida professor TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) After an investigation spanning nearly two years, a South Florida man has been arrested in the killing of a well-known Florida State University professor. But the arrest of 34-year-old Sigfredo Garcia hasn't answered a long line of questions about why Daniel Markel was gunned down in the garage of his Tallahassee home in July 2014. Garcia, charged with cocaine possession and murder, appeared briefly in a Broward County court on Thursday where a judge ordered that he remain in jail. In this photo made available by the Broward County's Sheriff's Office shows Sigfredo Garcia under arrest on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Garcia, 34, was arrested on a cocaine possession. He is also a suspect in the killing of a well-known Florida State University professor. Daniel Markel was shot in the head inside his garage in Tallahasse, Fla., in July 2014. (Broward County Sheriff's Office via AP) Top police officials in Tallahassee are releasing scant details about how they linked Garcia, who lists a Miami Beach address, to the slaying or whether others are involved. They also got a judge to seal records related to the case. Hallandale Beach police arrested Garcia at a gas station late Wednesday night. Tallahassee Police Chief Micheal DeLeo said the case was still active and that they made the request to keep the records private "in order not to jeopardize this ongoing investigation." DeLeo and other Tallahassee police officials refused to answer any questions about whether other arrests are coming or what led them to Garcia. Markel's shooting in the middle of the day stunned colleagues as well as residents inside the upscale neighborhood where he lived in Tallahassee. He was shot in the head and died later at a nearby hospital. The 41-year-old Markel, who was born in Toronto, was well known in national and international legal circles. The father of two boys and a 2001 graduate of Harvard Law School, he practiced white-collar criminal defense and civil litigation before joining the Florida State law school faculty in 2005. He was tenured in 2010. Markel's parents and sister, who all live in Canada, put out a statement late Thursday saying that "although it does not diminish their immense pain, Ruth, Phil, and Shelly are grateful to local, state, and federal authorities for their tireless work resulting in today's arrest." The statement also said that the family would not make any further comments "at this time." Ruth Markel, the mother of Daniel Markel, declined to answer questions when reached by phone at her home in Toronto. Markel finalized a contentious divorce from his ex-wife, Wendi Adelson, in 2013. The two had split custody of sons Benjamin and Lincoln, but they had follow-up litigation over money settlements. Adelson, who is also a lawyer, had worked at FSU but moved to Miami Beach about a year and a half ago. Police initially had few leads in the case and eventually circulated pictures of the car believed to have been used by those involved in the killing. When he appeared in court, Garcia declined a public defender. He told Judge Mary Rudd Robinson he has a lawyer, but just met him Wednesday and couldn't remember the name. He said he put the lawyer's card in his wallet, which had been confiscated. "I didn't know I needed one until yesterday," Garcia told the judge. Robinson then asked him: "You didn't know you had a murder warrant?" she replied. He told her no. The judge ordered he be given access to his wallet so he could contact his attorney. State arrest records show Garcia has multiple arrests dating back to 1997. Charges included car theft, cocaine possession, burglary, threatening a witness and a strongarm robbery charge in 2012. Those records show that other charges were filed against him including possession of an explosive device but that the charges were dropped. His occupation is listed on his arrest records as a heavy machine operator. ___ Former Marine freed from prison in Iran attends memorial LANSING, Mich. (AP) A former U.S. Marine who was jailed in Iran for more than four years until his January release said Memorial Day is "bittersweet" during his Thursday visit to the Michigan state Senate for memorial services. Amir Hekmati did not directly mention his time in an Iranian prison on Thursday. "It's always a bittersweet day," Hekmati said of Memorial Day. He called it "sweet because you remember having taken part in our nation's defense, but bitter because of the sacrifices that were made, and some of my fellow Marines that weren't here today." State Senator Jim Ananich, D-Flint, left, listens as Amir Hekmati speaks to the media in the Michigan Senate Chamber on Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Lansing, Mich. Hekmati is a former United States Marine who was detained in August 2011 in Iran on espionage charges. (Julia Nagy/Lansing State Journal via AP) NO SALES; MANDATORY CREDIT The 32-year-old Flint, Michigan, resident was jailed in 2011, charged with espionage and sentenced to death in 2012. The death sentence was later overturned by Iran's supreme court and he was instead given a 10-year sentence before his release in a prisoner-swap deal. Hekmati was born in Arizona and raised in Michigan, where his family still lives in the Flint area. His family has said he was subjected to physical and mental torture, including long periods of solitary confinement in a small cell. He spoke to media about his ordeal in January but did not elaborate further on conditions in the prison. Earlier this month, Hekmati filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington D.C. against the Iranian government alleging that he was "falsely imprisoned and tortured for a period of four and a half years." The lawsuit alleges that Hekmati was whipped at the bottom of his feet, electrocuted in the kidneys with a Taser, forced to stay "in stress positions for hours at a time, and hit with batons." It says he had "virtually no human contact for 17 months," and alleges that he was forced to ingest lithium and other addictive pills which were then withheld to induce withdrawal symptoms, among other abuses described. Hekmati was the guest of Flint Democratic Sen. Jim Ananich during the Senate's annual Memorial Day service, which Hekmati said is the first he has attended in years. Ananich's office said Hekmati was visiting his grandmother in Iran when he was arrested. "His presence is an inspiration and testament to the American spirit and the vigilance of thousands of people across the country who would not let him be forgotten," Ananich said in a statement. Hekmati told reporters his visit to the state Senate was "a very special day for me" and said he's "just happy to be home and back in my home state of Michigan (with) people that have supported me and cared for me." Serbia under pressure from Russia over its EU goals BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) Serbia's prime minister has met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow amid reports that the Kremlin is worried about the Balkan country's attempts to join the European Union and other Western organizations like NATO. The unannounced visit by Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday resulted in calls by Moscow to "include people who are determined to maintain and strengthen further relations between Serbia and Russia" in the new government. Vucic's populist Serbian Progressive Party has won a majority in parliament in April elections, but there were reports that their coalition partners, the Socialists a staunchly pro-Putin party won't be included in the next government. Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, greets Serbian Prime Minister and Progressive Party leader Aleksandar Vucic prior to their talks in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Sergei Karpukhin/Pool Photo via AP) Serbia, a traditional Russian ally, has been deeply split among those seeking EU membership and those who prefer a close union with Russia instead. 2 former Guatemalan lawmakers arrested on corruption charges GUATEMALA CITY (AP) Guatemalan authorities have arrested two former national lawmakers and the former administrative director of the congress on charges of embezzlement and abuse of power. National Civil Police spokesman Jorge Aguilar said Thursday that the arrest orders had come from a judge at the request of the prosecutor's office. Former congressional deputies Luis Rabbe Tejada and Edgar Cristiani, along with former congressional director Luis Mijangos, are accused of suspicious contracting of personnel while they held office. The case is known as "ghost positions." Slain Phoenix officer remembered as 'larger than life' PHOENIX (AP) A Phoenix police officer who was shot and killed in the line of duty was remembered Thursday as a devoted family man whose imposing build was only overshadowed by his propensity to help others. Mourners packed a church in the Phoenix suburb of Peoria as colleagues and friends recalled how 34-year-old Officer David Glasser was a warrior who was not afraid to go after the bad guy. Police Chief Joseph Yahner called Glasser "larger than life," with a 6-foot-5 frame that epitomized a commanding presence. Pallbearers carry the casket of Phoenix Police Officer David Glasser to the graveside Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Phoenix. Officer Glasser died May 19 a day after he was shot while responding to a call about a son stealing guns from his father. Glasser, a 12-year veteran, is survived by a wife and two children. (AP Photo/Matt York) "But his physical stature was shadowed by his compassion," Yahner said. "He was a hero. We say goodbye to Dave Glasser today, but this will not be the last day we think of his service and his sacrifice." Officer James Byrd, who served on the same squad as Glasser, said he knew what Glasser would say to those asking, "Why him?" "He understood the biggest answer to that question is another question: 'If not me, then who?'" Byrd said. "Dave was not a guardian. He was a wolf hunter. He actively hunted the evil in this world that most pretend doesn't exist." Glasser died May 19, a day after being shot by a burglary suspect who was then killed by police. Glasser was wounded while responding to a man's call about his son stealing guns from him. Glasser and his partner went to the home and parked behind a car in the driveway without knowing an armed man was inside, police say. He opened fire when the officers got out of their car, and police shot back, killing 19-year-old Israel Santos-Banos. Glasser is survived by his wife and a young son and daughter. No family members spoke at the service, but wife Kristen Glasser released a statement thanking the community and police for the outpouring of support. At the funeral, fellow officers also described how Glasser was a big fan of the Arizona Cardinals. He would organize tailgate parties for every game and invite old and new friends. "I've never seen a man more obsessed with sports," Byrd said. The service was followed by a procession to a cemetery in north Phoenix. Images on Phoenix police social media accounts showed bystanders lining streets and even a freeway overpass to watch the procession. Glasser's coffin laid draped with an American flag, which was presented to his family. Then dozens of police officers filed past the casket to give a final goodbye. Pallbearers salute during the funeral for Phoenix Police Officer David Glasser, Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Phoenix. Officer Glasser died May 19 a day after he was shot while responding to a call about a son stealing guns from his father. (AP Photo/Matt York) The Phoenix Police Department Honor Guard raises the flag over the casket of Phoenix Police Officer David Glasser, Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Phoenix. Officer Glasser died May 19 a day after he was shot while responding to a call about a son stealing guns from his father. (AP Photo/Matt York) The Phoenix Police Department Honor Guard prepares the flag for delivery to the family over the casket of Phoenix Police Officer David Glasser, Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Phoenix. Officer Glasser died May 19 a day after he was shot while responding to a call about a son stealing guns from his father. (AP Photo/Matt York) Police officers and friends attend the funeral for Phoenix Police Officer David Glasser, Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Phoenix. Officer Glasser died May 19th a day after he was shot while responding to a call about a son stealing guns from his father. Glasser, a 12-year veteran, is survived by a wife and two children. (AP Photo/Matt York) Phoenix Police Chief Joseph Yahner carries the burial flag of Phoenix Police Officer David Glasser to family members, Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Phoenix. Officer Glasser died May 19 a day after he was shot while responding to a call about a son stealing guns from his father. Glasser, a 12-year veteran, is survived by a wife and two children. (AP Photo/Matt York) Tear gas forces partial evacuation of hospital SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) Tear gas fired during a clash between police and student protesters has forced evacuation of part of a hospital in the Chilean capital, Santiago. Police used the gases as well as torrents of water to block a march by dozens of students demanding educational reforms. Protesters hurled rocks at authorities, who hadn't given permission for the march on a busy street. Officials at the Hospital of the Worker say they rushed people out of the physical therapy and other sections before they were overcome by the gas and moved some patients away in vehicles until the gases dissipated. Protesters throw rocks at police after clashes broke out during a demonstration for education reform in Santiago, Chile, Thursday, May 26, 2016. Students are demanding free access to school for all ages, including university students. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) A protesting high school student prepares to return a tear gas canister to police during clashes with security forces in Santiago, Chile, Thursday, May 26, 2016. Students are demonstrating to demand free access to school for all ages, including university level. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) A police officer grabs and detains a protester as the others get away during a demonstration demanding education reform in Santiago, Chile, Thursday, May 26, 2016. Students want free access to school for all ages, including university students. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) High school students are sprayed with water by police as they protest for education reform in Santiago, Chile, Thursday, May 26, 2016. The students are demanding free access to school for all ages, including university students. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) A high school student is detained by police during a protest in Santiago, Chile, Thursday, May 26, 2016. Protesters are demanding education reform, including free access to school for all ages, including university level. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) Kansas man admits to chase-related shooting death of girl KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) A northeast Kansas man faces life in prison after admitting in federal court Thursday that he kidnapped his girlfriend's 5-year-old daughter and shot the child to death during a 2014 police chase. Marcas McGowan, 32, pleaded guilty to charges of kidnapping resulting in death and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. He will be sentenced Sept. 6, and prosecutors and his attorneys have agreed to recommend a life prison term for the kidnapping count and a 10-year term for the firearms offense. Authorities say McGowan abducted Cadence Harris on July 18, 2014, after a domestic dispute in the Atchison, Kansas, home they shared with the girl's mother. During an ensuing chase, McGowan fired at police and fatally shot the girl. Authorities pursued him into neighboring Missouri before he crashed through a barricade near Leavenworth, Kansas. He stopped driving, and officers shot him after he pointed a gun at them. McGowan was briefly hospitalized and has been jailed since then. Cadence's mother, Christina Harris, told reporters after the shooting that she and McGowan were involved in a five-year relationship that was often abusive. Leavenworth County prosecutors, in ceding to federal prosecution of McGowan, dropped state charges of first-degree murder, aggravated assault on a law enforcer, criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, aggravated child endangerment, and fleeing or attempting to elude police by reckless driving. Moments from Trump's rise in chaotic GOP race, now settled WASHINGTON (AP) The nicknames. The outrage. The rallies and the protests. The moments history will probably remember from the fight for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination are a procession of rule-breaking clashes, followed by a slow-motion victory assured Thursday by a candidate no one including himself was sure would succeed. In the AP's delegate count, Donald Trump surpassed the number needed to give him the nomination. That essentially closed out a raucous race on a quiet note, as a small number of unbound delegates put him over the top by telling AP they had decided to support him. FILE - In this June 16, 2015, file photo, Donald Trump, accompanied by his wife Melania Trump, is applauded by his daughter Ivanka Trump, right as he's introduced before his announcement that he will run for president in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York. In APs delegate count, Donald Trump surpassed the number needed to give him the nomination. That essentially closed out a raucous race on a quiet note, as a small number of unbound delegates put him over the top by telling AP they had decided to support him. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File) Trump dominated the GOP race from the moment a gilded escalator delivered the tycoon into the mosh pit of 2016 presidential politics. That there were ever 16 other candidates seems like a footnote now; only four or so lasted long enough to become real threats, individually and collectively, to Trump's march to the nomination. The rest were casualties from a seemingly bygone political era when candidates tried to "act presidential," avoided insulting groups of voters and pretended they were men and women of the people. Here's a look back at memorable turns in the contest: ___ THE ESCALATOR RIDE Trump's descent from his penthouse into the basement of Trump Tower to announce his candidacy on June 16 was a spectacle that foreshadowed the many ways he would break the political rules. For example: Play down your wealth so average Americans can relate to you. Mitt Romney stumbled over this one in 2012. Trump, who's spent a lifetime branding himself as an American ideal of wealth, didn't bother. He's spent the year bragging about how rich he is and not pretending to have ever identified with the struggling Americans he wants to lead. This was the moment Trump framed himself not as a candidate people can relate to over a kitchen table, but as an aspirational figure who will "make America great again." __ THE WALL AND MUSLIMS Trump hasn't mentioned many specifics about his policy proposals or how he'd pay for them, but he's been clear about how he'd solve a pair of American "problems" involving people not from the U.S. On illegal immigration: Trump says he'd build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico and make Mexico pay for it. Good luck with that, Mexican leaders have responded (in less polite terms). Trump says he'll also throw out all 11 million people in the U.S. illegally. His solution to the threat of attacks by Islamic radicals? Ban Muslims from entering the United States for an indefinite period. ___ THE RALLIES, THE PROTESTS They're big, exciting and sometimes scary spectacles. Most important, Trump notes, they're not boring. "Are we having fun?" he asks. The crowd roars, every time. But what Trump calls "lovefests" have been marred by fights, injuries and arrests. Inside the hall, the former reality star fuels the energy by dividing the crowd into good and bad supporters, good; protesters and journalists, bad. Or as he puts it, "baaaaad." He scans the hall for trouble appearing eager to find it and sometimes he gets it, in the form of protesters who sneak into the venue and interrupt him. He said at one point that he'd like to punch a protester in the face. Then it really happened a white Trump supporter in North Carolina punched a black protester in the face. Outside venues, there's been something other than love in the air. Fistfights broke out among protesters who filled a Trump rally in Chicago, prompting him to cancel the event. And this week in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a riot broke out at a Trump event among supporters and people protesting the candidate's position on immigration. ___ THE NICKNAMES Trump displayed a gift for identifying supposed weaknesses of his rivals and turning them into nicknames that stuck. The mild-mannered Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida, never could shake Trump's characterization of him as "low energy" and "weak." Sen. Ted Cruz became "Lyin' Ted," which didn't make the widely disliked senator any more palatable. Trump's branding of Sen. Marco Rubio, the eager young Latino star of the GOP, particularly stung. The Florida senator became "Little Marco" and went on to lose his home state's GOP primary. Now, with those rivals gone, Trump is talking about "Crooked Hillary" Clinton and "Crazy Bernie" Sanders. ___ THE GOP'S CRISIS MANAGEMENT Ignore him. Talk about your own public policy plans. Take him out. And finally, talk to him. The Republican Party that emerged from Romney's 2012 loss to President Barack Obama vowed to appeal to Latinos and women as a matter of survival. They had no idea how to rid the presidential field of Trump, who was alienating these groups anew by proposing to deport people here illegally and remarking on the physical appearance of women. The fact that he was spending his own money at least $43 million of it in the end meant the party had zero leverage over the billionaire who refused, then promised, then wavered on whether to support the eventual Republican presidential nominee if that person was not him. As the late-night shows bubbled that the Trump jokes were virtually writing themselves, Republicans fretted. GOP leaders widely denounced him. In the hallways of Congress, Republicans went to elaborate lengths to avoid commenting. And still Trump surged. Only now, with Trump's hold on the nomination inevitable, is he reaching out to the very Washington establishment he's panned. Republicans are increasingly giving Trump a chance even if that's because they view almost anyone as preferable to Hillary Clinton. Also, there is no other choice a desperate and late effort to derail Trump from the nomination fizzled. For many including House Speaker Paul Ryan, who has yet to endorse Trump it's a close call. ___ THE SLO-MO VICTORY "As far as I'm concerned, it's over." That was Trump's reaction to his sweep April 26 of five state contests that he said rendered his only remaining opponents, Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, irrelevant. But it wasn't quite over. In practical terms, Trump effectively won control of the race on May 3, when he defeated his rivals with 53 percent of the vote in Indiana inspiring Cruz and Kasich to quit. That's what made clear that an extraordinary fight over delegates at the July convention once seen as almost certain to happen would be avoided. After Trump's win in an empty field Tuesday in Washington state, he still was 28 delegates short of the 1,237 needed to secure the prize. The AP's count of GOP delegates Thursday found he had reached the magic number, 1,237. Technically, it still isn't over until the delegates vote at the GOP convention in Cleveland this summer. But it's settled, and sooner than almost anyone could have imagined only weeks ago. ___ Follow Laurie Kellman at http://www.twitter.com/APLaurieKellman California court tosses murder conviction in bite-mark case SAN FRANCISCO (AP) The California Supreme Court Thursday threw out the conviction of a man found guilty of killing his wife after jurors heard bite-mark testimony that was later recanted. A unanimous high court cited a new state law inspired by William Richards' murder case in its ruling. The law says expert opinion that the same expert later repudiates is false evidence. The dentist who provided the bite-mark testimony in Richards' case later took it back, the Supreme Court said. Since the testimony was instrumental in Richards' conviction, the conviction must be thrown out. FILE - This April 9, 2013 file photo provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shows William Richards. The California Supreme Court has thrown out the conviction of a man found guilty of killing his wife after jurors heard bite-mark testimony that was later recanted. A unanimous high court cited a new state law inspired by Richards' murder case in its ruling Thursday, May 26, 2016. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP, File) Richards was convicted in 1997 in the strangling of his wife, Pamela, after the dentist testified that a mark on her hand was consistent with the defendant's teeth. The dentist later said the injury might not even be a bite mark. A San Bernardino County judge overturned Richards' conviction, but a state appeals court reinstated it. In a 4-3 decision in 2012, the State Supreme Court sided with the appeals court, saying a change in expert testimony does not necessarily make it false and thus possible grounds to vacate a conviction. The testimony must be shown to be "objectively untrue," the majority said. The ruling prompted the new state law. "We're thrilled that Bill's decades-long incarceration for a crime he did not commit will soon come to an end," Richards' attorney, Jan Stiglitz, said in an emailed statement. "We also hope that this decision will pave the way for other victims of 'junk science' to find a path to freedom." A message to the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office was not immediately returned. Prosecutors have previously said they did not think the dentist recanted his testimony, and that the testimony was not key to Richards' conviction. Other evidence against Richards included a deputy's observation that he knew a great deal about the crime scene and his wife's open affair, prosecutors said. The California Supreme Court said in its ruling the case against Richards was based on contested circumstantial evidence. 7th vehicle reported struck during highway shooting spree PHOENIX (AP) The number of vehicles struck during a shooting spree along a highway in the Phoenix outskirts has risen to seven. The Arizona Department of Public Safety had said that six vehicles were hit in the Tuesday night shooting spree, but investigators said in a court document released Thursday that additional information revealed that a bullet hit a tire of a seventh vehicle. The vehicles hit by bullets included a state trooper's patrol vehicle and a man's car which caught fire and burned. That man suffered grazing wounds when he was struck by bullet fragments on the head and shoulder. Another motorist was shot in the lower leg. This May 25, 2016 law enforcement booking photo provided by the Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff's Office shows James David Walker, of San Tan Valley, Ariz. Walker was the gunman armed with a rifle, body armor and extra ammunition who opened fire on vehicles on a highway on the outskirts of Phoenix, leaving at least two people injured before police captured him near a stolen car that crashed into a ditch, authorities said Wednesday, May 25, 2016. (Maricopa County Sheriff's Office via AP) Also, according to the document, officers found two rifles and a handgun in the desert area along State Route 87 where an ex-convict was arrested in the case early Wednesday morning. Police previously reported finding one rifle at the scene. The ex-convict, 36-year-old James David Walker of San Tan Valley, refused to speak with investigators and a possible motive wasn't known, DPS spokesman Bart Graves said Thursday. "He's not cooperating." Walker, who previously served a prison term on a second-degree murder conviction, was arrested in the current case on suspicion of numerous crimes, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, criminal damage, drive-by shooting and possession of a weapon by a prohibited possessor. Walker didn't have an attorney who could comment on the allegations when he made a brief court appearance late Wednesday night, and he only spoke to give his name and date of birth. A judge ordered him held without bond. Graves declined comment when asked whether there was any indication of a connection between the shooting spree and a series of 2015 Phoenix freeway shootings but said the investigation would be lengthy. "We're just ferreting this all out," he said. "It's going to be a long process." The 2015 freeway shootings are unsolved. A man was arrested in that case, but charges against have been dropped. Authorities say missing Washington couple were shot to death EVERETT, Wash. (AP) Authorities say a Washington state couple whose bodies were found this week after being missing since April were both shot to death. The Snohomish County Medical Examiner's office said Thursday that Monique Patenaude, 46, died of multiple gunshot wounds. Her husband, 45-year-old Patrick Shunn, died of a gunshot wound to the head. Officials say Tony Clyde Reed, one of two brothers charged with the slayings, provided information that led detectives to pinpoint the location of the bodies about 50 miles northeast of Seattle on Tuesday. He turned himself in last week at the U.S.-Mexico border after a monthlong manhunt. Authorities are still searching for Reed's 53-year-old brother, John Blaine Reed Authorities had been searching for the couple since they were reported missing April 12. John Reed had threatened to shoot the couple for cutting brush between their two properties in 2013, according to court documents. Tony Reed has pleaded not guilty pleas to two counts of first-degree murder and unlawful firearm possession in the case. His attorney, James Kirkham, helped arrange the surrender. Kirkham told The Daily Herald in Everett, Washington, on Monday that his client turned himself in to answer the allegations against him. "My client is innocent of the first-degree murder charges," the lawyer said. Colombia blames rebels for disappearance of journalists BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) Colombia's government on Thursday blamed the country's second-largest rebel group for the disappearance of three journalists in a lawless border region. Defense Minister Luis Carlos Villegas said intelligence reports "confirm with certainty" that the National Liberation Army, or ELN, was responsible for the journalists going missing. He said a more than prudent amount of time had passed since they were last heard from and he insisted it was up to the guerrillas to assure their safe return. This undated photo shows journalists Diego D'Pablos, right, and Carlos Melo, after taking off from Cucuta, Colombia. D'Pablos, Melo and Spanish journalist Salud Hernandez-Mora, a correspondent in Colombia for Spain's El Mundo and columnist for the Bogota daily El Tiempo, were reported missing in northeastern Colombia's border with Venezuela. Colombia's Defense Minister Luis Carlos Villegas said Thursday, May 27, that intelligence reports confirm that the National Liberation Army is responsible for the journalists' disappearance. (AP Photo/Efrain Patino) "From this point on the responsibility for the safety and freedom of these three citizens is exclusively in their hands," Villegas said. The ELN, whose army of 1,500 guerrillas is fragmented, has not commented on the situation. Salud Hernandez-Mora, a correspondent for the Spanish newspaper El Mundo and one of Colombia's most-read columnists, disappeared over the weekend while on assignment in the volatile Catatumbo region on the border with Venezuela. She was last seen arguing with an unidentified man and then taking a motorcycle to an unknown destination. Two journalists from the RCN network went missing Monday later while covering the search for the Spanish journalist. On Wednesday, President Juan Manuel Santos held out the possibility that Henandez-Mora might have chosen to report from inside of a rebel camp and simply hadn't returned. But Villegas' comments were likely to ratchet up concern that the three journalists were being held against their will and put pressure on Santos to break off a peace process with the Cuban revolution-inspired ELN. After holding out for years, the ELN announced in March that it was joining the much larger Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia in formal talks with the government aimed at ending the country's half-century conflict. But unlike the FARC, which has demonstrated repeatedly its interest in leaving behind the battlefield, the more ideologically radical ELN has been more defiant, even snubbing Santos' insistence that it renounce kidnapping and return all captives in order for the talks to officially begin. "With every hour that passes the political value of these kidnappings increases because the ELN mistakenly believes they can force the government on its knees and impose negotiating conditions with a captive of such stature," said Alejandro Reyes, a columnist for the newspaper El Espectador. "My biggest fear is that the saga of Ingrid Betancourt could be repeated," Reyes added, referring to the former presidential candidate who was held hostage six years by the FARC until her rescue in 2008. Santos' government later issued a statement calling for the journalists' immediate release. "In a country that today is moving toward a stable and enduring peace, it's unacceptable that these attacks against society continue to take place," Frank Pearl, the chief negotiator for the peace process with the ELN, said in the statement. An extensive search led by the army has produced few leads on the missing journalists. The government requested the involvement of the International Committee of the Red Cross but the humanitarian group said it had not been contacted by the rebels or any other group. The Jamaica-sized Catatumbo region of northeastern Colombia is among the country's poorest, most marginalized backwaters. It is a major coca-growing area and corridor for cocaine smuggling to Venezuela, with the state able to maintain only a few militarized strongholds. In addition to the ELN, remnants of the Popular Liberation Army are still active in the area as is the FARC. ___ Joshua Goodman is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apjoshgoodman . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/joshua-goodman . Demonstrators hold signs to demand the release of three journalists who are believe to have been taken hostage, during a sit-in in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Salud Hernandez-Mora, correspondent in Colombia for Spain's El Mundo and columnist for the Bogota daily El Tiempo, as well as Diego D'Pablos and Carlos Melo, journalists at the local TV network RCN, are reported missing on the northeastern Colombia's border with Venezuela, a mountainous area dominated by leftist rebels and drug-traffickers. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) Demonstrators hold signs demanding the release of three journalists who are believed to have been taken hostage, during a sit-in in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Salud Hernandez-Mora, correspondent in Colombia for Spain's El Mundo and columnist for the Bogota daily El Tiempo, as well as Diego D'Pablos and Carlos Melo, journalists at the local TV network RCN, are reported missing on the northeastern Colombia's border with Venezuela, a mountainous area dominated by leftist rebels and drug-traffickers. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) The Latest: Official: Trapped tourists wade out of cave HORSE CAVE, Ky. (AP) The Latest on two tour groups trapped by rising water in a Kentucky cave (all times local): 5 p.m. Authorities say all 19 people who were trapped in a Kentucky cave have waded through neck-deep water to get out. Officials stand on the scene after over a dozen people who exploring Hidden River Cave were trapped by rising water Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Horse Cave, Ky. Horse Cave Fire Chief Donnie Parker said the rising water was caused by heavy rains in the area Thursday afternoon. (Austin Anthony/Daily News via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Hart County Emergency Management Director Kerry McDaniel says the group of Clemson University students walked out of the cave without assistance Thursday after being trapped by rising water. McDaniel says there is only one way in and out of the Hidden River Cave in south-central Kentucky. ___ 4:30 p.m. Authorities say rising water from heavy rains has trapped 19 people in a Kentucky cave. Horse Cave Fire Chief Donnie Parker says Thursday that two tour groups are trapped in Hidden River Cave in south-central Kentucky. Parker says two local police officers who tried to rescue the tourists are among those still inside. He says the tour groups have been in the cave for several hours. He says authorities have not been in communication with the trapped people and are unsure where they are in the cave. Parker says four people were able to escape. He says a dive team and other rescue groups are at the scene. Rescued cavers gather at a house next to Hidden River Cave after over a dozen people who exploring the cave were trapped by rising water Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Horse Cave, Ky. Horse Cave Fire Chief Donnie Parker said the rising water was caused by heavy rains in the area Thursday afternoon. (Austin Anthony/Daily News via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT A man who kidnapped a 14-year-old girl when she accepted his offer of a ride home from school because her feet were sore, held her captive for nine months and raped her repeatedly at his trailer acknowledged his crimes on Thursday and apologized. The girl, who was in court to hear his admission, thanked him for eventually letting her go. Nathaniel Kibby pleaded guilty to seven counts including kidnapping, aggravated felonious sex assault and criminal threatening. He was sentenced to 45 to 90 years in prison. Kibby, who had pleaded not guilty after his arrest, had been scheduled to go on trial next month on nearly 200 felony charges related to the girl's October 2013 disappearance and the months that followed. But he changed his pleas to guilty at a hearing on Thursday. Nathaniel Kibby is escorted out of the Belknap County Superior after pleading guilty and being sentenced 45-90 years in prison for kidnapping, rape, criminal threatening and witness tampering Thursday He kidnapped a 14-year-old girl when she accepted his offer of a ride home from school because her feet were sore and held her captive for nine months where he raped her repeatedly at his trailer Kibby acknowledged his crimes on Thursday and apologized to the victim. The girl, who was in court to hear his admission, thanked him for eventually letting her go Before the 35-year-old Kibby entered his new pleas, a prosecutor said Kibby had kidnapped the girl by offering her a ride home from her school and then brandishing a gun when she tried to get out of his car. Prosecutor Jane Young said the girl and Kibby didn't know each other and she accepted the ride because she'd worn boots to school that day and her feet were blistered. Young said when the girl tried to get out of the car in a parking lot Kibby pulled out the gun and threatened to 'blow her brains out' and slit her throat. Last week, a judge ruled Kibby's lawyers could not question the girl before his trial about her exposure to media coverage of the case and the amount of freedom she was given to move about his trailer in Gorham, where prosecutors say he used a stun gun, zip ties and a shock collar to control her. Kibby was charged with kidnapping the girl on October 9, 2013, as she walked home from her high school in Conway. The girl returned to her home in North Conway the night of July 20, 2014. Nathaniel Kibby kept the girl trapped in a storage container on his Gorham property (pictured is his home and the adjacent storage container in 2014) Kibby was due to go on trial next month but scheduled a change of plea hearing for Thursday (pictured are detectives at Kibby's home in 2014) Young said Kibby released the girl because he was convinced he'd 'terrorized her enough' that she wouldn't reveal his identity. The girl waited until a week after she was home to reveal Kibby's name, which she had seen inside a cookbook in his home. The girl, who is now 17 years old, told a packed courtroom she thinks daily about the crimes Kibby committed against her. But she also thanked him for freeing her in July 2014. 'I want you to know that I appreciate my freedom because of you and I enjoy my life because of you,' she said. 'I just want to thank you for giving me my freedom back.' Kibby apologized for the decisions he made and said he didn't want to discuss his feelings in front of the journalists in the courtroom. Young said that early in the girl's captivity Kibby instructed her to write a misleading letter home in an effort to throw off authorities, who'd launched a massive search for her. The girl still had fake nails at the time and carved his identity and vehicle information into the letter, but he caught on, zapped her with a stun gun as punishment and made her write a new letter. Lawyers hired by the girl's family said she had suffered 'numerous acts of unspeakable violence' during her months of captivity. Their statement was largely a plea for privacy and did not elaborate on what she endured. Kibby has a criminal history dating to 1998, including convictions on simple assault, criminal trespass and breach of bail conditions, according to court records. A police officer who has known Kibby for two decades said he's very bright, opinionated and thrives on conflict. Repeat offender: Nathaniel Kibby is a familiar sight at the Conway Police Department. These mugshots relate to arrests for (left) criminal trespass and simple assault and (right) criminal trespass again, both in 1998 A police officer who has known Kibby (pictured Thursday) for two decades said he's very bright, opinionated and thrives on conflict In an interview in July 2014, former Conway Lt. Chris Perley said Kibby, 'was smart, but he was also brutally myopic in whatever view he had. You could not shake him or redirect him in the way he saw the world.' Kibby grew up and attended school in Conway. He worked as a machinist at two gun makers Green Mountain Rifle Barrel Co. and E.M.M. Precision. Neighbors on the trailer park where he allegedly kept the girl lined up to give their opinions on him. One neighbor who did not want to be named, described Kibby as a gun nut, who was obsessed with conspiracy theories, hated authority and believed that one day there would be a zombie apocalypse. Apparently, part of the reason he had built up such a large arsenal of firearms was because he was convinced he would eventually have to use them to fight off the living dead. The neighbor said: I have known him for years and he was a very odd man. He would always talk to me about zombies and the zombie apocalypse. It was very unnerving. Most people round here avoided Nate. Another added: He would say things like, Ill blow this whole trailer park up without even thinking about it. Thats why we were surprised about [kidnapping the girl]. We expected him to go on a rampage or go crazy with a bomb, not kidnap a child. Former classmates from Kennett High School, North Conway, the same school his victim attended, revealed he was known as an anti-social bully back then. New US ambassador to Mexico arrives to take up post MEXICO CITY (AP) Roberta Jacobson arrived to assume her new role as the United States ambassador to Mexico on Thursday, coming at a time when immigration and Mexican trade have been heated themes in the U.S. presidential campaign. Considered among the U.S. diplomats most knowledgeable about the region, Jacobson said in briefs remarks in Spanish upon her arrival that she was excited and confident there would be "excellent communication" between the U.S. and Mexico. "I have the intention to travel far and wide in Mexico to get to know the unique attributes of each region and to be able to listen to Mexicans in person," she said. Roberta Jacobson, the newly appointed U.S. ambassador to Mexico, makes a brief statement to the press as she arrives at Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City, Thursday, May 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Antonio Garza, U.S. ambassador to Mexico in 2002-2009, called Jacobson "an extraordinarily able diplomat" and "the best of a generation when it comes to Latin America." In terms of the binational themes getting traction in the U.S. election campaign, Garza said, "I think her position is largely going to be somewhat neutral but to comment as factually as possible on the assertions that the candidates might make." Donald Trump, who on Thursday reached the number of delegates necessary to clinch the Republican presidential nomination, has infuriated many in Mexico by accusing Mexican migrants of being "rapists" and by promising to make Mexico pay for a larger border wall. In an effort to emphasize the contributions that Mexican immigrants make in the U.S., Mexico's government recently named a new ambassador to Washington. Garza said Jacobson is also expected to engage the Mexican government on issues of human rights and security. "It's a function of deftly managing those issues that might get her 'crosswise' with her host government, and I think she'll do a great job there, but those are the land mines," Garza said. Prior to being named ambassador by President Barack Obama, Jacobson was assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs. In that position, she was deeply involved in negotiations to restore diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba after five decades of estrangement. According to diplomatic rules, Jacobson must present her credentials to President Enrique Pena Nieto before fully assuming her duties. No date had been set for that. Jacobson had to wait months before her position was assured. Obama nominated her in June and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved her nomination in November. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, for a time blocked a vote because of the role she played in normalizing relations with Cuba. EU vital for countering terrorism threat, says Blunkett The European Union is an essential element in countering the threat of terrorism, former cabinet minister David Blunkett is warning. Lord Blunkett - who was home secretary at the time of the 9/11 attacks - will use a speech on Thursday to say that if the EU had not existed "we would have had to invent it". He will also say it would be a "calamity" if Britain was forced to abandon its border controls in Calais as a result of a vote for Brexit on June 23. Home Secretary David Blunkett delivers his keynote speech to the Labour Party Conference in Bournemouth. Blunkett signalled further action to curb gun crime if Labour gains a third term of office. * Mr Blunkett told Labour's conference: Two terms in office isn't enough to prepare Britain for the century ahead. In his keynote speech, he indicated the challenge of gun culture would be tackled head on if Labour won a third term in power. 04/11/2003 Plans to make police more accountable to their local communities were being published by ministers Tuesday November 4, 2003. A Green Paper was being issued which could allow forces to recruit chief constables from abroad for the first time. Mr Blunkett was announcing the proposals as he addressed the Association of Police Authorities annual conference in Manchester. *11/12/03: The Government's anti-terrorism measures have created a 'Guantanamo Bay in our own backyard', Amnesty International claimed. The human rights group said Home Secretary David Blunkett's emergency measures - brought in shortly after the September 11 atrocities - had created a 'shadow' criminal justice system for foreigners. 14/01/04: Home Secretary David Blunkett was visiting a mosque today. He will meet Muslims who worship at the North Watford Mosque and lay a foundation stone for a new cultural complex. The high-profile visit comes as TV presenter and former MP Robert Kilroy-Silk continues to face criticism for his comments about Arab states. *23/02/04: Details of the government's measures to protect Britain's welfare system from abuse by the 10 new European Union member states were being outlined by Mr Blunkett. Ministers agreed last week to draw up plans to deal with the issue amid widespread fears that floods of migrants will arrive in the UK when countries like Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic join the EU in May. The Labour grandee - who voted against Britain's membership of the Common Market in the 1975 referendum - becomes the latest political heavyweight to enter the increasingly fraught referendum campaign. He will draw on his experience of 9/11 to underline the importance of the EU relationships to Britain's security. "The meetings we held at the justice and home affairs council, at a Europe-wide level after September 11, were illustrative of the importance of the ability to work quickly and effectively with all those who were then part of the union," he will say. "The European Arrest Warrant, the data sharing improvements, the use of biometrics and yes, improved collaboration on the wider European border all demonstrate the importance of what we call the European Union. "In simple terms, if we had not had the EU, we would, on these issues, have had to invent it." Lord Blunkett will also warn that the importance of the agreement which allowed Britain to operate border controls at Calais and at the Eurostar terminals in Paris and Brussels had been "grossly underestimated". "I am absolutely clear that this agreement could not have been reached had we not built an understanding, worked together as part of and understood that our future was in, the European Union," he will say. "Were the French to decide to revoke the agreement, which leading French spokespeople have indicated, it would be a calamity for robust and rational border controls. "This would lead to an increase in asylum claims from people who came to our shores and the disappearance of tens of thousands of people into the illegal economy." European Union and Japan give green light for trade deal The European Union and Japan have reached political agreement on the completion of long-running negotiations for a trade deal which Downing Street believes could be worth 5 billion a year to the UK economy. In talks at the G7 summit in Japan, leaders including David Cameron agreed to instruct negotiators to work to an accelerated timetable which could see the deal concluded as early as this autumn and come into effect next year. The Prime Minister made it a key objective of the two-day gathering to secure progress in negotiations on the EU/Japan Economic Partnership Agreement/Free Trade Agreement - which began in 2013 and were initially intended to be completed last year. David Cameron reviews a guard of honour as he arrives in Japan for the G7 summit (AP) Downing Street said an agreement could be worth the equivalent of 200 a year to British households in increased exports of products such as cars, manufactured goods, chemicals, food and drinks, as well as services, to Japan. But key elements of the deal - including tariffs on agricultural and automotive exports and government procurement - must be completed over the summer if it is to be signed by the end of the year. A successful deal would mean the elimination of the vast majority of trade tariffs and boost imports and exports in key areas such as agriculture, car manufacturing and clothing, said Downing Street. Mr Cameron discussed the deal with the summit's host, Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, during his visit to London earlier this month, and raised it in trade discussions with fellow G7 leaders in Ise-Shima on Thursday morning. Welcoming the progress made towards finalising the deal, Mr Cameron said: "This agreement underlines once again why we are stronger, safer and better off in a reformed EU. As prime minister Abe said when visiting the UK, Japan's priority is negotiating with large trade blocs - not individual states in Europe. And this is something we hear time and again from foreign leaders. "Not only will UK households lose out to the tune of 4,300 a year if we vote to leave, but we will be turning our backs on global trade deals which underpin our security and prosperity." Speaking at a meeting with Mr Cameron, French president Francois Hollande, German chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian PM Matteo Renzi, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council president Donald Tusk, Mr Abe welcomed the political agreement. "it's my great pleasure that we have produced this statement," said the Japanese PM. "The realisation of the Japane EU EPA/FTA is not something that's conducive only to the economic growth of Japan and the EU. "The agreement is going to be beneficial for bringing in sustainable and robust growth for the whole world economy. "There's a substantial significance that countries sharing basic values such as freedom, democracy and the rule of law build... an international order that's befitting the 21st century. "In order to make progress in the negotiation both parties must come up with strong determination and flexibility and I want to continue close cooperation with the leaders who are present today." In a joint statement following the meeting the Prime Minister and leaders from the EU, Japan, France, Germany and Italy said that the deal will "promote strong, sustainable and balanced growth", including the creation of more jobs. Downing Street later said that the G7 leaders had discussed the international steel crisis and the need to take measures to protect against dumping and unfair trade practices. They noted the effect of global excess capacity across industrial sectors, especially steel, on economies, trade and workers. Johnny Depp and Amber Heard in marriage split after just 15 months Actor Johnny Depp and his wife Amber Heard are divorcing after 15 months of marriage. Heard, 30, cited irreconcilable differences and is seeking spousal support from the Pirates Of The Caribbean star, according to court records. The pair, who do not have children together, married in February last year after co-starring in the 2011 film The Rum Diary. Amber Heard and Johnny Depp, pictured in January at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala (AP) Depp, 52, has asked a judge to reject Heard's claim for spousal support in a response filed through his lawyer, celebrity news website TMZ reported. The couple were recently forced to apologise after Heard illegally smuggled Depp's pet dogs, Boo and Pistol, into Australia. Heard pleaded guilty last month to falsifying documents to conceal the pets when she arrived by private jet to join her husband on the set of the fifth film in the Pirates Of The Caribbean series. They recorded a 40-second videotaped apology as part of a deal with prosecutors that allowed Heard to avoid a conviction. The video was widely ridiculed for Depp's wooden delivery. Heard filed for divorce on Monday, three days after Depp's mother Betty Sue Palmer died aged 81 following a long illness. The American actress listed the couple's separation date as Sunday. Depp was previously married to make-up artist Lori Anne Allison before their divorce in 1985. The Oscar-nominated actor has a daughter, model Lily-Rose Depp, and son, Jack, with former partner Vanessa Paradis. Depp attended the Los Angeles premiere of his new film Alice Through The Looking Glass alone on Monday. He has been locked in a bizarre war of words with Australian deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce since the politician threatened to have Depp's pet dogs put down after they were brought into the country illegally. Depp ridiculed Mr Joyce on US television this week, telling talk show host Jimmy Kimmel: "He looks somehow inbred with a tomato." Mr Joyce responded by claiming he was "pulling little strings" inside the Hollywood star's h ead like fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter. British special forces praised for stopping IS suicide attack in Libya British special forces blew up an Islamic State suicide truck in Libya earlier this month, a military commander there has said. The strike apparently came when a vehicle, acting as a bomb, approached a bridge leading towards the city of Misrata in the north-west of the country. UK forces appeared ready for the attack and fired a single missile during the incident on May 12, Commander Mohammed Durat told The Times. The Ministry of Defence said it would not comment on special forces operations Describing the scene as the truck sped forward he said: "Our British friends seemed quite calm about it that day." Commander Durat, of Misrata's Third Force, said the special forces had plotted the co-ordinates and ranges required for a successful strike, telling the paper: "It blew up the suicide truck with a huge explosion, the biggest we have seen yet. "Not one of our own forces was killed." A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said they do not comment on special forces operations. Last month a spokesman for the Foreign Office said the UK is focused on training Libyan security forces to provide their own security, and has no plans to deploy ground troops. Earlier this year United Nations experts said they believe the political and security vacuum in Libya is being exploited by IS, reporting it has "significantly expanded" the territory it controls in the nation and become "increasingly attractive to foreign fighters". Middle East minister Tobias Ellwood said the current estimate of the number of Islamic State fighters in Libya is between 3,000 and 6,000. British special forces are no strangers to operating in the North African country. The Special Air Service was first formed during the Second World War, in 1941, by Scots Guards Lieutenant David Stirling. Inserted behind enemy lines during the Western Desert Campaign, the commando force carried out raids across North Africa, including Libya. The regiment undertook sabotage missions on airfields and planes, disrupted supply routes, and were ordered to harass the Germans in any way they could. Serial killer Joanna Dennehy loses High Court human rights damages fight Serial killer Joanna Dennehy has lost her High Court claim that she is entitled to damages for human rights violations after being placed in solitary confinement in jail. Dennehy, 33, was given a whole-life sentence at the Old Bailey for murdering three men and stabbing two more. She claimed that she had been left "tearful and upset" after being placed in segregation at HMP Bronzefield near Ashford, Surrey, since prison guards allegedly found a breakout plot in her diary. Joanna Dennehy was given a whole-life sentence for murdering three men and stabbing two more (Cambridgeshire Police/PA) Government lawyers have conceded the segregation period between September 21 2013 and September 4 2015 was technically unlawful because it was not properly authorised by former Justice Secretary Chris Grayling. But Mr Justice Singh, sitting in London, ruled that her segregation since then had been "in accordance with law" and "at all material times it has been necessary and proportionate". Dennehy was given a whole-life term after admitting the murders of Lukasz Slaboszewski, 31, Kevin Lee, 48, and John Chapman, 56, whose bodies were found in ditches in and around Peterborough in 2013. She also pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder in Hereford and preventing the lawful and decent burial of her murder victims. Dennehy, of Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, claimed at London's High Court that she has been "unfairly and unlawfully" held in segregation at HMP Bronzefield. Hugh Southey QC argued at a hearing in March that her incarceration violated her human rights and had taken a heavy toll, leaving her "tearful and upset", and at times she was resuming her practice of self-harming. Mr Southey described Dennehy, who was jailed in February 2014, as a "vulnerable" inmate due to her history of severe personality disorders, and episodes of self-harming dating back to childhood. Government lawyers said the segregation was fair, justified and lawful due to the nature of Dennehy's offending and the escape risk she poses. They submitted there was also no procedural unfairness during her continued segregation after September 2014. Justice Department barrister Tom Weisselberg QC told the High Court: "Dennehy was segregated because a credible escape plan involving her and two other prisoners had been uncovered. "A written plan was located in her cell with detailed plans involving killing a female officer to obtain her keys and to utilise her finger prints in order to deceive the biometric systems. "She was placed on the escape list, which involved the wearing of an escape suit." Jenni Richards QC, appearing for HMP Bronzefield, described Dennehy as "arguably the most dangerous female prisoner in custody". Dennehy "got a taste for killing" and had admitted to the psychiatrist that she was "sadistic". Mr Southey submitted there was unfairness because the escape allegations were never properly put to Dennehy at the time. She insisted that the alleged plot was nothing more than a "doodle" found in her diary, said Mr Southey. The police had investigated the claims and "confirmed that no further action would be taken". Jose Mourinho agrees deal to take charge at Manchester United Jose Mourinho has agreed to become manager of Manchester United, Press Association Sport understands. Louis van Gaal's uncomfortable two-year residency was brought to an end on Monday, with FA Cup glory unable to mask poor Premier League performances in terms of style and substance. Talk began with Mourinho's agent Jorge Mendes the following day and it is understood an agreement is in place for the former Chelsea manager to take the reins at Old Trafford. Manchester United are poised to confirm Jose Mourinho as their new manager Minor details are being ironed out but it is a case of when rather than if the Portuguese is appointed manager. Official confirmation looks likely on Friday after this week's negotiations were delayed due to discussions over Mourinho's image rights. European Union Intellectual Property Office records show former club Chelsea own the trademark to 'Jose Mourinho' for a number of goods up until 2023 and 2025 respectively. Chelsea refused to comment on the matter, but, given they retained the trademark when Mourinho managed Inter Milan and then Real Madrid, it never looked a serious barrier to the deal. The Portuguese called United a "monster club" in October but they, much like their new manager, have reputations to rebuild. Mourinho's second spell at Stamford Bridge came to an embarrassing end in December, with the Premier League champions looking to beat the drop rather than retain their crown when he departed. A ninth league loss in 16 matches spelled the end of his reign, which the club's technical director Michael Emenalo pinned on "palpable discord" between the manager and his players. Mourinho was swiftly linked with the United job as pressure mounted on Van Gaal, the man he once assisted at Barcelona. The divisive Dutchman saw out the season despite that scrutiny and ended on a high, beating Crystal Palace 2-1 after extra-time in Saturday's FA Cup final. However, that did not make up for the pain of missing out on Champions League football, with United having wasted the chance to usurp neighbours Manchester City and sneak into the top four. Europa League football awaits as a result but Mourinho's arrival and United's standing mean big-name signings remain on the cards. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who the Portuguese managed at Inter Milan, is one such player and on Thursday signalled a move to Old Trafford could be on the cards. The Sweden striker is leaving Paris St Germain this summer and confirmed he has had "concrete offers" from Premier League clubs. Ibrahimovic did not mention United specifically but spoke of his admiration for and "great relationship" with his former boss Mourinho. And when asked if there had been an offer from the Old Trafford outfit, Ibrahimovic paused for several seconds with a smile on his face, before saying: "Let's see what happens". Asked if he has spoken to Mourinho in the past week, the 34-year-old frontman said: "I have spoken with him every day since I left Inter Milan. "I have a great relationship with Mourinho and we are in contact, but not in the last weeks - we have been talking for many years." Regarding the prospect of Mourinho taking over at United, Ibrahimovic said: "I think it is a great move - if you want action you bring Mourinho. "I believe he is the man to take them back to the top. "Wherever he went he has won. He knows what he is doing. If you want to win, you bring Mourinho. "I had a fantastic time with him when I was working with him - so working again with him...? "When I left Inter I said we had had a short time together but a great time. If we will work together again, I don't know. Let's see how things play out. "I don't give guarantees - but there are concrete offers from the Premier League, so let's see what happens." There are not only questions over the make-up of Mourinho's squad but also his backroom team, with Ryan Giggs reportedly considering ending his near 29-year association with the club. Press Association Sport understands United's most decorated player has an offer to stay on, although it is unclear what that role would be having been assistant to Van Gaal. Senior MoD commander warns of al Qaida-linked extremists' 'ambitions' in Syria Hard-line Islamist extremists aligned to al Qaida may be plotting to use Syria as a springboard to mount a new wave of international terror attacks, a senior British commander has warned. Lieutenant General Mark Carleton-Smith, the director of operations at the Ministry of Defence, said Jabhat al Nusra was the strongest remaining al Qaida (AQ) franchise and could have the potential to threaten UK national security. Giving evidence to the Commons Defence Committee, he said the group - identified by some analysts as a more serious long-term threat than Islamic State (IS) - may be associated with an element of British foreign fighters in Syria. Lieutenant General Mark Carleton-Smith has warned that hard-line Islamist extremists aligned to al Qaida may be plotting to use Syria as a springboard to mount a new wave of terror attacks. (MoD / PA) While it is not currently being targeted by RAF warplanes engaged in operations against IS in Syria and Iraq, Gen Carleton-Smith said they were ready to act if it emerged there was a "direct and imminent" threat to UK national security. "There is a real danger that it will remain an abscess in the system," he told the committee. "It is probably the strongest AQ franchise globally. It has its stronghold in Idlib province. It is certainly a spoiler in the political process in Syria and it might represent a Petri dish that becomes a threat to UK national security." He said the group - which first emerged in 2011 - was a mix of fighters concentrating on the civil war in Syria and those with a wider, international agenda. "A significant proportion are Syrian-focused that provide a wider wrapping to those much more specifically AQ-aligned elements that might harbour the ambition to use Syria as a springboard for an international terrorist attack plan," he said. "There is potentially an element of British foreign fighters associated with it," he said. "We are not specifically targeting the al Nusra front at the moment although if we were to determine that if there was a very specific direct and imminent threat to UK national security we would be able to do so." Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, announcing the deployment of another RAF Airseeker surveillance aircraft to the region, said there was now "real momentum" behind the Iraqi offensive against IS - also referred to as Daesh - backed by the US-led coalition. "Clearly progress has been made. There is a real sense of momentum now of the Iraqi and Kurdish forces advancing. That needs to be sustained," he said. "The United States has made very clear to the coalition that this is actually the moment to step up and they have asked all members of the coalition to look and see what more they can do." He acknowledged that IS - which has already established a foothold in Libya - could seek to expand its operations internationally as it came under pressure in its Syrian and Iraqi heartlands. "That is certainly possible that we see attacks increase elsewhere in proportion to the way that they are being diminished in their caliphate. We will have to continue to be extremely vigilant about that," he said. Liverpool given UEFA fine after crowd trouble Liverpool have been fined 8,400 by UEFA for their fans letting off fireworks in their Europa League quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund. The decision was made by the control, ethics and disciplinary body and is the second punishment handed out to the Reds this week. On Tuesday they were fined 35,000 - half of which was suspended for a two-year probationary period - for illicit chanting by supporters during April's two-legged Europa League clash against Manchester United, who were also hit with a similar penalty. Liverpool have been fined by UEFA for their fans setting off fireworks There was a further fine of 13,000 for the offences of setting off of fireworks, throwing of objects, crowd disturbances and a late kick-off. Briton dies and another missing in Thailand speedboat accident A British woman has died and a British man is missing after a speedboat capsized off a popular tourist island in Thailand. Another British national was injured in the accident near the popular tourist island of Koh Samui on Thursday afternoon, the Foreign Office said. The missing man, named by police as Jason Robert Parnell, was in Thailand with his wife Puga Parnell, who is said to have been unhurt by the incident. The scene near Koh Samui in Thailand after a British woman died in a speedboat accident (Nalinee Siriked/PA) Thai tourist police said 32 passengers and four crew were on board the Ang Thong Explorer boat which was travelling from Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park when it hit a "big wave" and capsized at around 5pm local time (11am BST). A second woman from Hong Kong also died, while a German woman is also missing, police added. A senior police spokesman told the Press Association: "We're still trying to check everyone. One British woman has died and one from Hong Kong. Two people are missing." He added that the bodies of the two women have been recovered from the sea. A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "We are supporting the family of a British woman who has sadly died following a boat accident near Koh Samui, Thailand. "Another British national has received treatment in hospital for injuries suffered in the same incident. "We remain in contact with local authorities in Thailand for further information." It is believed there were other British people on board the boat but they are understood to have been released from hospital following treatment for any injuries they sustained. UK's Clydesdale Bank posts higher H1 net interest income May 24 (Reuters) - Clydesdale Bank Plc on Tuesday posted a 2.5 percent rise in first-half net interest income, helped by growth in mortgage lending and lower term deposit and wholesale funding costs. The Glasgow-based lender, which made its London debut in February, reported a net interest income of 400 million pounds ($579.52 million) for the six months ended March 31, from 390 million pounds a year earlier. Customer lending grew 2.8 percent while deposits were up 4.6 percent. CYBG, whose brands include Clydesdale Bank and Yorkshire Bank, said it expects loan-to-deposit ratio to remain under 115 percent and Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) to be in the range of 12 to 13 percent. The bank reported a CET1 ratio of 13.2 percent. CYBG, which was valued at about 1.62 billion pounds in its London debut, said underlying cost-to-income ratio fell to 72 percent in the six months, from 71 percent a year earlier. New business lending to SMEs rose 10 percent to 1.03 billion pounds. Clydesdale shares were flat in early trading on the London Stock Exchange. The stock has risen nearly 31 percent from its listing price of 180 pence. Wellington holds onto World Sevens tournament WELLINGTON, May 25 (Reuters) - Wellington will continue to host a leg of the World Sevens circuit until at least 2019, New Zealand Rugby (NZR) confirmed on Wednesday, ending speculation the tournament could be moved to another city due to waning interest. The 2016 edition was the last in a five-year agreement to host the event in Wellington. NZR has a contract to host a leg of the series until 2019. The Wellington stop was once one of the most popular on the circuit, with tickets for the 34,500-capacity Wellington Regional Stadium selling out in minutes. Many fans dressed up in costume and turned the event into a two-day party. However, a clamp down by authorities on fans' behaviour and the rise of competing events has seen interest wane considerably since 2014. This year organisers sold some 12,000 tickets, though the event was praised for its family-oriented atmosphere and focus on the rugby. Dunedin and Auckland were reported earlier this year as being possible alternative venues. NZR Chief Executive Steve Tew said they would continue to look at ways of improving the tournament. "We've never shied away from the fact the tournament had to evolve," he said in a statement on Wednesday. "We want this tournament to be one that can be enjoyed by all fans, young and old so 2016 marked a real turning point. "We'll make the necessary tweaks for 2017 to ensure Wellington continues to be a fantastic sevens host." The Wellington tournament, the third of 10 in the series, will be held on Jan. 28-29 in 2017. 2016/17 World Sevens series dates: Dec. 2-3 Dubai, UAE Dec. 10-11 Cape Town, South Africa Jan. 28-29 Wellington, New Zealand Feb. 4-5 Sydney, Australia Mar. 3-5 Las Vegas, U.S. Mar. 11-12 Vancouver, Canada April 8-9 Hong Kong April 15-16 Singapore May 13-14 Paris, France May 20-21 London, England China president urges faster reforms to unleash growth drivers BEIJING, May 25 (Reuters) - China must press ahead with "supply-side structural reforms" to help unleash growth drivers in the economy, state radio quoted President Xi Jinping as saying on Wednesday. Such structural reforms will help boost China's industrial structures and productivity, Xi was quoted as saying during a trip to China's northeastern province of Heilongjiang. European shares hit 4-week high, boosted by banks and oil By Atul Prakash and Alistair Smout LONDON, May 25 (Reuters) - European equities jumped to a four-week high on Wednesday, with banks buoyed after politicians made progress on talks over securing a debt relief deal for Greece, and energy shares rising on the back of a rally in oil. The FTSEurofirst 300 and the STOXX Europe 600 index both hit their highest levels since late April, both rising 1 percent to add to the previous session's jump of more than 2 percent. Greek shares rose 0.7 percent after euro zone finance ministers agreed with Greece and the International Monetary Fund on a deal that will address Athens' requests for debt relief. "The agreement should ensure that Greece remains little source of negative headline risk throughout the rest of the year ... The big question over the next 12 months is how quickly capital controls can be lifted and the economy can gradually return towards a path to normality," Deutsche Bank analysts said in a note. Greek banks were up about 1 percent, while the euro zone banking index rose 2.3 percent. Shares in Alpha Bank, Caixabank, Banco Popular and Deutsche Bank rose between 1.6 percent and 5.7 percent. Energy shares were in demand after oil prices pushed closer to $50 a barrel, with U.S. crude hitting its highest in more than seven months after industry data suggested a larger-than-expected drawdown in U.S. crude inventories last week. The STOXX Europe 600 Oil and Gas index rose 1.4 percent, helped by gains of 1.4 percent and 1.3 percent respectively in BP and Royal Dutch Shell. Among fallers, British retailer Marks & Spencer slumped after it said its turnaround plan would hit profits in the short term. It was down 8 percent, the top decliner in the FTSEurofirst 300 index, after the company told investors to expect a short-term hit to profit as it pushes through a plan to turn around its underperforming clothing and homeware business. "Clothing and general merchandise performance remains unsatisfactory as difficult trading conditions persist, which leaves everything on the shoulders of a stronger performing but much lower-margin food segment," Accendo Markets head of research, Mike van Dulken, said. "A troubled retail division has become a major issue as the core customer base ages and it likely struggles to entice a younger demographic more likely to buy online." Today's European research round-up ADVISORY - Reuters plans to replace intra-day European and UK stock market reports with a Live Markets blog on Eikon (see cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets for site in development). In a real-time, multimedia format from 0600 London time through the 1630 closing bell, it will include the best of our market reporting, Stocks Buzz service, Eikon graphics, Reuters pictures, eye-catching research and market zeitgeist. Breaking news and dramatic market moves will continue to be alerted to all clients and we will continue to provide a short opening story and comprehensive closing reports. If you have any thoughts, suggestions or feedback on this, please email mike.dolan@thomsonreuters.com. Egypt refuses entry to Cairo-based French journalist PARIS, May 25 (Reuters) - Egypt denied entry to the Cairo correspondent of the La Croix newspaper and RTL radio without explanation after detaining him at the airport overnight, the French foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Remy Pigaglio, who had been based in Cairo since 2014, arrived at Cairo International Airport on May 23 and was put on a flight out the next night despite high-level intervention by the French embassy, a statement by La Croix said. It said Pigaglio had a valid six month journalist visa. Egypt's interior ministry and foreign ministry did not immediately respond to calls for comment on the case. A security source at Cairo airport said Pigaglio had been deported because a security agency reported that he had taken "actions that harm Egypt and threaten its security". The source gave no details on what those actions might have been. The French foreign minister said he regretted the decision. "I called my Egyptian counterpart and I told him that I could not remain indifferent to a situation that impairs freedom of the press... I regret this Egyptian decision," Jean-Marc Ayrault told reporters in Paris. The decision is potentially embarrassing for Paris, which has developed strong economic, military and political ties with Cairo since Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi took power. France signed several deals worth about 2 billion euros ($2.26 billion) with Egypt during a visit by President Francois Hollande to Cairo last month. Pigaglio was quoted by La Croix as saying that he was not treated badly but was never given an explanation for the move. In a joint statement, Cairo-based French correspondents condemned the move, which they said was symptomatic of a wider crackdown on freedoms of expression in Egypt. "All French correspondents in Egypt find unacceptable the growing repression... exerted by the authorities on Egyptian and foreign media alike," they said in the statement. Media criticism of Sisi, a former general who overthrew elected President Mohamed Mursi in mid-2013 and crushed his Muslim Brotherhood supporters, has risen in recent months as the economy struggles and a crackdown on critics widens. The interior ministry raided the press syndicate in Cairo this month and arrested two opposition journalists. Mozambique confirms state firm missed debt payment deadline MAPUTO, May 25 (Reuters) - State-owned Mozambique Asset Management (MAM) missed a May 23 deadline to make a $178 million loan repayment but remains in talks with creditors about rescheduling the debt, finance ministry spokesman Rogerio Nkomo said on Wednesday. Venezuelan oilman Shiera granted bail in corruption case May 25 (Reuters) - Oilman Abraham Shiera has been granted bail in return for a $1 million bond payment, as he awaits sentencing in Houston after admitting to taking part in a $1 billion conspiracy to pay bribes for contracts from PDVSA, Venezuela's state oil company. Shiera, the owner of Vertix Instrumentos, and his business partner and fellow Venezuelan oil magnate Roberto Rincon were charged with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Shiera, who has pleaded guilty, will wear an ankle bracelet and be confined to his home in the Southern District of Florida pending sentencing, according to a court order dated May 23. He will also be denied access to the two jets owned by entities he has an interest in. Shiera has been detained since Dec. 16, when he and Rincon, president of Tradequip Services & Marine, were arrested on charges contained in an indictment filed in federal court in Houston. Rincon has pleaded not guilty and remains in jail. The indictment said five PDVSA officials, whom it did not name, received hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes made principally in the form of wire transfers but also through mortgage payments, airlines tickets and, in one case, whiskey. Three former officials of Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) have pleaded guilty to U.S. charges of accepting bribes from the businessmen. Britain's FTSE climbs as banks, oil companies rise, M&S slumps By Kit Rees and Sudip Kar-Gupta LONDON, May 25 (Reuters) - Britain's top share index climbed on Wednesday to touch its highest level in a month, lifted by gains at major banks and oil companies, while retailer Marks & Spencer slumped after a disappointing trading update. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index was up 0.7 percent at 6,262.85 points at the close. Banks rose across Europe after euro zone finance ministers unblocked 10.3 billion euros of new funds for Greece and gave the country its firmest offer yet of debt relief. "There is some good news for investors as it looks like they may not have to face another summer of high volatility with respect to Greece," said Naeem Aslam, chief market analyst at TF Global Markets UK Limited. Royal Bank of Scotland led the gainers, rising 4.4 percent, and peer HSBC Holdings was up 2.8 percent. Oil companies rose as the price of oil edged towards $50 a barrel. M&S slumped more than 10 percent, the worst FTSE 100 performer in percentage terms, after warning of a short-term hit to profit as it pushes through a plan to turn around its underperforming clothing and homeware business. "We still have concerns that the company will not be able to reverse the declines in general merchandise (GM) like-for-like sales," Cantor Fitzgerald analysts wrote in a note, keeping a "sell" rating on M&S shares. Product testing firm Intertek was down 5.6 percent, hitting a one-month low after reporting softer organic growth. ADVISORY- Reuters plans to replace intra-day European and UK stock market reports with a Live Markets blog on Eikon (see cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets for site in development). In a real-time, multimedia format from 0600 London time through the 1630 closing bell, it will include the best of our market reporting, Stocks Buzz service, Eikon graphics, Reuters pictures, eye-catching research and market zeitgeist. Breaking news and dramatic market moves will continue to be alerted to all clients and we will continue to provide a short opening story and comprehensive closing reports. If you have any thoughts, suggestions or feedback on this, please email mike.dolan@thomsonreuters.com. U.N. Security Council ends more than a decade of sanctions, arms embargo on Liberia By Louis Charbonneau UNITED NATIONS, May 25 (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council voted on Wednesday to end sanctions and an arms embargo on Liberia, citing the West African country's successful stabilization more than a decade after a 14-year civil war that killed nearly 250,000 people. The unanimously adopted resolution by the 15-nation council welcomed "the sustained progress made by the government of Liberia in rebuilding Liberia for the benefit of all Liberians." U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations David Pressman welcomed the move, saying the targeted sanctions on key individuals, the arms embargo and a ban on the export of Liberian timber and rough diamonds had contributed to Liberia's stability. "Liberia continues to consolidate its progress and the Security Council has determined that the criteria for lifting the sanctions have been met, allowing us to fully terminate the (sanctions) regime," he said. Washington wanted to see Liberia continue to strengthen its security agencies to ensure better arms flow monitoring and border patrols, he added. The decision formally dissolves the U.N. Liberia sanctions committee and panel of experts that monitored implementation of the arms embargo and other measures, most of which had been in place since 2003. The U.N. first implemented a type of arms embargo for Liberia in 1992. Liberia's former president, Charles Taylor, began the 1989-2003 civil war in the nation, which was founded by descendants of freed American slaves. He was sentenced in 2012 to 50 years in prison for his role in atrocities committed in neighboring Sierra Leone during its 1991-2002 civil war. The Security Council last year lifted a travel ban and asset freezes on individuals deemed a danger to Liberia's stability. The United States lifted its own economic sanctions on Liberia in November. Concern about the use of Liberian "blood diamonds" to help fund the civil war helped inspire the creation of the U.N.-backed Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, a program to certify the origins of diamonds that was set up in 2002 following devastating civil wars in Angola, Sierra Leone and Liberia. The system has made it far more difficult to traffic in conflict diamonds. Kyrgyz court fines Centerra Gold unit Kumtor $98 mln BISHKEK, May 25 (Reuters) - A court in Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday fined the country's biggest gold miner, Kumtor Operating Company, a unit of Canada's Centerra Gold Inc, 6.7 billion soms ($98 million) for environmental damage. Kumtor's lawyers told reporters at the hearing that they would appeal the ruling. Kyrgyzstan's environmental inspection authority had said that Kumtor's placement of waste rock on its waste dumps was subject to tariffs normally applied to industrial or domestic waste, Toronto-based Centerra said in a statement. The Central Asian republic and Centerra have been locked in a bitter dispute over profit-sharing and Bishkek said last year it was withdrawing from the negotiations. Kyrgyzstan's environmental and technical safety authority has filed several lawsuits against Kumtor for a total of about $103 million and Wednesday's ruling was the second one this week, both being in favor of the state. There are still two outstanding environmental claims, totaling around $5 million, made by the environmental inspection unit against Kumtor, Centerra said. Kumtor also faces a claim for damages of some $220 million for environmental pollution fees from another Kyrgyz state body, Centerra said. The next court hearing on this matter is scheduled for May 30. "Centerra strongly disputes the allegations made... and considers the claims to be without merit," the miner said. It will continue to challenge the claims in court and could also commence international arbitration, Centerra said. Kyrgyz prosecutors raided the company's offices last month to collect documents related to a separate criminal case alleging financial violations by the firm. Accused Romanian-based arms trafficker convicted in U.S. terror trial By Nate Raymond NEW YORK, May 25 (Reuters) - A Romanian-born man was convicted on Wednesday on U.S. charges that he conspired with two former European officials to sell $15 million worth of weapons to undercover informants posing as Colombian rebels. Virgil Flaviu Georgescu, 43, was found guilty by a federal jury in Manhattan on charges that he conspired to provide material support to terrorists and conspired to murder officers and employees of the United States, prosecutors said. Georgescu, who is a U.S. citizen, faces up to life in prison when he is sentenced on Sept. 16. His trial followed his arrest in Montenegro in 2014 following a Drug Enforcement Administration sting operation. That sting also resulted in the arrests of Cristian Vintila, a former director of the Romanian agency responsible for buying arms for its military, and Massimo Romagnoli, an ex-member of Italy's parliament. Vintila, 45, and Romagnoli, 45, pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges and agreed to testify against Georgescu, who denied wrongdoing and claimed he engaged in the deal to help the Central Intelligence Agency. Georgescu's attorney did not respond to request. Prosecutors said in 2014, Georgescu was introduced to a paid DEA informant posing as an associate of the Colombian rebel group FARC, which the U.S. government has designated a foreign terrorist organization. The informant was told that Georgescu was a well-connected arms-broker, prosecutors said. As a result, he told Georgescu that FARC was seeking weapons to shoot down American helicopters to protect its cocaine trafficking operations. Prosecutors said Georgecu agreed to participate in the $15 million weapons deal, and recruited Vintila and Romagnoli to help facilitate it. "The defendant was given an opportunity to put millions of dollars of high-powered weapons into the hands of men he understood to be terrorists, and he jumped at the opportunity," Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilan Graff said at the trial's start. But Albert Dayan, Georgescu's lawyer, argued at trial that his client participated in the deal to help the CIA investigate weapons trafficking. In his opening statement, Dayan said after being contacted about a potential FARC deal, Georgescu called a CIA tip line and outlined the steps he would take to assist the agency. He previously worked as an informant for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the early 2000s while living in Nevada during a probe of an organized crime syndicate, Dayan said. Iceland's central bank to buy crowns in June 16 foreign currency auction STOCKHOLM, May 25 (Reuters) - Iceland's central bank said on Wednesday it will buy crowns at a foreign currency auction on June 16 as part of a plan to lift capital controls. The central bank said in a statement that all accepted offers will be settled at the same price between 190 and 210 crowns per euro depending on the level of participation in the sale. Canada's Suncor pushing for full operations by end-June -sources By Eric M. Johnson CALGARY, Alberta, May 25 (Reuters) - Suncor Energy Inc is pushing to reach full operations at its oil sands projects in the fire-stricken Canadian province of Alberta before July 1, according to several company employees. A massive wildfire that erupted earlier this month in the nation's energy heartland forced Suncor and a number of other major crude producers around the Fort McMurray oil city to halt operations, cutting Canada's crude output by about a million barrels a day. Suncor, Canada's largest crude producer, has several oil sands facilities, including the main mining site which has the capacity to produce up to 350,000 barrels per day. With the fire held at bay near prized oil sands mines, Suncor and other producers have started bringing staff back to facilities after evacuation orders were lifted at all worker camps in the province on Monday. Employees had different accounts for when operations would be fully restored, with several pointing to July 1. "We're in the process of restarting, don't have more specific details than that," said Suncor spokeswoman Sneh Seetal. "I can't speak to someone's speculation on timing." No oil facilities or communities have been in the fire's immediate path over the past several days as firefighters seized upon cooler, wet weather to hold firebreaks around key oil sands assets. Even so, temperatures were climbing on Wednesday and the fire grew by about 43,000 hectares from the previous day to 566,000 hectares (2,185 square miles), said wildfire official Travis Fairweather. "Full operations will be by July," said a Suncor employee familiar with safety plans, who spoke on condition of anonymity. He said there were more than 100 workers at base facilities already, with more expected in the coming days. Another Suncor employee, an engineer, however, said all key production facilities could be up and running in as little as two weeks. Carl James, a Suncor subcontractor who works on dredging at a tailings pond site - massive lagoons that hold waste rock leftover from mining operations - said he was due back at his site on May 31. "I have been hearing July, as long as these fires don't start back up," James said. "It's supposed to warm up. For days it's been cruddy, spitting rain. It's been cold." To be sure, there are many conditions that could hamper the ramp-up to full operations, such as plunging air quality, or a resurgence of the fire toward facilities. Oil sands and lodging must pass government and internal safety assessments, though the former will likely be completed this week. In addition to routine maintenance and safety testing, restarting operations could be tricky if systems and equipment were shuttered haphazardly amid frenetic job-site evacuations. On Wednesday, Syncrude Canada Ltd., a joint venture led by Suncor with a capacity of 315,000 barrels per day, said it was making "significant progress" on its plan to safely restart operations. The company said it would provide a timeline for when it expects to resume production at a later date, though one supervisor at the project, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said operations could be ramped up in as little as two weeks. Other producers have already come online or maintained operations despite the fire. U.S. hails release of journalist by Azerbaijan -State Department WASHINGTON, May 25 (Reuters) - The U.S. government welcomed the release on Wednesday of Radio Free Europe journalist Khadija Ismayilova from a prison in Azerbaijan, the State Department said. In September, an Azeri court sentenced Ismayilova, a prominent journalist known for exposing corruption among the ruling elite, to 7-1/2 years in jail. Ismayilova was released on Wednesday after the country's Supreme Court amended her imprisonment to 3-1/2 years of suspended sentence. Colombia court rules local governments can restrict mining projects BOGOTA, May 25 (Reuters) - Colombia's constitutional court on Wednesday struck down a law which requires mining permits be issued exclusively by the national government, a decision which could open the way for provincial and local authorities to restrict mining in their areas. The 2001 law, which forbid regional and local authorities from declaring certain areas off-limits to miners and put the national government in charge of permit approvals, was voted down after local governments brought the case to court. The Colombian mining association said the ruling was worrying and could affect investment and the future of mining operations in the Andean country, which produces coal, gold, emeralds, nickel and other minerals. Japan's Abe to take G7 leaders to shrine as economy tops summit agenda By Matt Spetalnick ISE-SHIMA, May 26 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe was set to escort Group of Seven (G7) leaders to the Shinto religion's holiest site on Thursday ahead of a summit that will cover topics from risks to the global economy to China's maritime assertiveness. Abe was to take U.S. President Barack Obama and other G7 partners to the expansive grounds of Ise Grand Shrine in central Japan, dedicated to sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami, mythical ancestress of the emperor. Abe has said he hopes the shrine visit will provide an insight to the heart of Japanese culture. Critics say he's catering to a conservative base that wants to put religion back in politics and revive traditional values. On Wednesday night, Abe met Obama for talks dominated by the arrest of a U.S. military base worker in connection with the killing of a young woman on Japan's southern Okinawa island, reluctant host to the bulk of the U.S. military in Japan. The incident has marred Obama's hopes of keeping his Japan trip strictly focused on his visit on Friday to Hiroshima, site of the world's first atomic bombing, to highlight reconciliation between the two former World War Two foes and his nuclear anti-proliferation agenda. "...our visit to Hiroshima will honor all those who were lost in World War Two and reaffirm our shared vision of a world without nuclear weapons, as well as highlight the extraordinary alliance that we have been able to forge over these many decades," Obama, the first sitting U.S. president to visit the city, told a news conference with Abe late on Wednesday. Abe, in his remarks, seemed to stress Japan's status as victim, the first and only country to be targeted with nuclear weapons, and made no mention of Tokyo's own wartime atrocities. GLOBAL HEALTH CHECK Concerns about the health of the global economy will top the agenda at the G7 summit, although full agreement on macro-economic policy looks hard to come by. The G7 leaders are expected to promote monetary, fiscal and structural policies to spur growth in their communique when the summit ends on Friday, government sources told Reuters. With Britain and Germany resisting calls for fiscal stimulus, Abe will urge the G7 leaders to adopt a flexible fiscal policy, taking into account each country's own situation. The G7 leaders are also expected to reaffirm their previous commitment to stability in the foreign exchange market Summit topics also include terrorism, refugees, trade, cyber security and maritime security, including China's assertiveness in the East and South China Seas, where Beijing has territorial disputes with Japan and several Southeast Asian nations. British Prime Minister David Cameron on Wednesday encouraged Beijing and others to abide by a looming ruling by an international tribunal on a South China Sea territorial row between China and the Philippines. LME copper edges up, but lower prices loom as seasonal demand ebbs MELBOURNE, May 26 (Reuters) - London copper edged higher for a third session on Thursday as a softer dollar lent support, but traders said prices could fall as factory demand from top user China slows ahead of summer. FUNDAMENTALS * Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange traded up 0.1 percent at $4,659 a tonne by 0027 GMT following gains of 1.1 percent in the previous session. Prices have found a near-term floor after hitting their weakest since mid February at $4,540 a tonne last week. * Shanghai Futures Exchange copper climbed 0.7 percent to 35,760 yuan ($5,411) a tonne. * Confidence at Japanese manufacturers tumbled to a three-year low in May and is seen recovering only modestly in the next three months, a Reuters poll found, in a sign the yen's rise is taking its toll on exporters of cars and electronics. * German business morale improved more than expected in May, reaching its highest level so far this year and suggesting Europe's biggest economy will extend its surprisingly strong start to 2016 into the next quarters. * Colombia's constitutional court on Wednesday struck down a law which requires mining permits be issued exclusively by the national government, a decision which could open the way for provincial and local authorities to restrict mining in their areas. * Oil prices rose about 2 percent on Wednesday after the U.S. government reported a larger-than-expected drop in crude inventories, but profit-taking after the data kept prices below the $50 a barrel level that oil bulls had been hoping for. * For the top stories in metals and other news, click or MARKETS NEWS * Asian shares look set to extend their recovery from 12-week lows on Thursday after renewed optimism on European banks' prospects and a rise in oil prices to near $50 a barrel helped lift global shares. DATA AHEAD (GMT) 1230 U.S. Durable goods orders Apr 1230 U.S. Weekly jobless claims 1400 U.S. Pending homes sales Apr PRICES Three month LME copper Most active ShFE copper Three month LME aluminium Most active ShFE aluminium Three month LME zinc Most active ShFE zinc Three month LME lead Most active ShFE lead Three month LME nickel Most active ShFE nickel Three month LME tin Most active ShFE tin Militant group purportedly claims new attack in Nigeria's Delta LAGOS, May 26 (Reuters) - A militant group has purportedly claimed a new attack on a Chevron oil facility in Nigeria's restive Delta region, a message on a Twitter feed previously used by the group to take credit for strikes against oil facilities said. There was no immediate confirmation of the attack from residents of the area or Chevron. A militant group called Niger Delta Avengers has claimed a string of attacks in the southern region which have helped reduce Nigeria's oil output to nearly a 20-year low. "We Warned #Chevron but they didn't Listen. @NDAvengers just blow up the Escravos tank farm Main Electricity Feed PipeLine," the message on the Twitter account in the name of the group said. The same account was previously used by the group to claim attacks on Chevron and Shell oil facilities. The message was tweeted to @reuters and other foreign and local media. A Chevron spokeswoman had no immediate comment. It was not possible to get confirmation from residents after the message was issued late on Wednesday night. The Avengers, who say they are fighting for a greater share of oil profits, an end to pollution and independence for the swampy southern region, have warned oil firms to leave before the end of the month, according to a series of statements issued on its website or Twitter feed. Nigeria has moved in army reinforcements to hunt the militants but British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond said this month President Muhammadu Buhari needed to deal with the root causes of the conflict. Crude sales from the Delta account for 70 percent of national income in Africa's biggest economy but residents, some of whom sympathize with the militants, have long complained of poverty. U.S. levies hefty duties on Chinese corrosion-resistant steel By David Lawder WASHINGTON, May 25 (Reuters) - Corrosion-resistant steel from China will face final U.S. anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties of up to 450 percent under the U.S. Commerce Department's latest clampdown on a glut of steel imports, the agency said on Wednesday. The department also issued anti-dumping duties of 3 percent to 92 percent on producers of corrosion-resistant steel in Italy, India, South Korea and Taiwan, it said in a statement. The department hit producers of the flat-rolled steel, which is coated or plated with zinc, aluminum or other metals to extend its service life, with anti-subsidy duties in China, South Korea, Italy and India. Taiwan was exempted. The final U.S. anti-dumping duties on the Chinese products replace preliminary ones of 256 percent issued in December 2015. China's Commerce Ministry said it was extremely dissatisfied at what it called the "irrational" move by the United States, which it said would harm cooperation between the two countries. "China will take all necessary steps to strive for fair treatment and to protect the companies' rights," it said, without elaborating. Last week the U.S. Commerce Department slapped punitive tariffs of more than 500 percent on Chinese cold-rolled flat steel, which is widely used for car body panels and appliances. China has come under increasing fire from industrialized countries worldwide that have accused it of dumping steel at prices far below production costs to avoid cutting excess capacity in the sector, which faces slowing demand at home. Beijing has insisted that it would eliminate 100 million to 150 million tons of annual capacity and said last week it would persist with a steel tax rebate plan to support the sector's restructuring. The escalating steel trade fight has grown into a major irritant as senior U.S. and Chinese officials prepare for bilateral economic and foreign policy meetings in Beijing in early June. The Commerce Department issued anti-dumping duties of 210 percent on all Chinese-produced corrosion resistant steel. Final anti-subsidy duties ranged from 39 percent for many producers to 241 percent for some of the largest ones including Baosteel , Hebei Iron & Steel Group and Angang Group. Anti-dumping duties for Indian producers were far lower at 3 percent to 4.4 percent, while their anti-subsidy duties ranged from 8 percent to 29.5 percent for JSW Steel Ltd. Italian producer Marcegalia SpA was hit with anti-dumping duties of 92.1 percent, while other Italian steelmakers faced 12.63 percent. Anti-subsidy duties on Italian steelmakers ranged from 0.5 percent to 38.5 percent on Ilva SpA. In 2015, U.S. imports of corrosion-resistant steel products from the five countries totaled $1.87 billion, the Commerce Department said. About $500 million of that came from China. G7 agrees need strong message on South China Sea; China says don't "hype" By Thomas Wilson and Kiyoshi Takenaka ISE-SHIMA, Japan, May 26 (Reuters) - Group of Seven (G7) leaders agreed on Thursday on the need to send a strong message on maritime claims in the western Pacific, where an increasingly assertive China is locked in territorial disputes with Japan and several Southeast Asian nations. The agreement prompted a sharp rejoinder from China, which is not in the G7 club but whose rise as a power has put it at the heart of some discussions at the advanced nations' summit in Ise-Shima, central Japan. "Prime Minister (Shinzo) Abe led discussion on the current situation in the South China Sea and East China Sea. Other G7 leaders said it is necessary for G7 to issue a clear signal," Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshige Seko told reporters after a session on foreign policy affairs. At a news conference late on Wednesday, Abe said Japan welcomed China's peaceful rise while repeating Tokyo's opposition to acts that try to change the status quo by force. He also urged respect for the rule of law. Both principles are expected to be mentioned in a statement after the summit. The United States is also increasingly concerned about China's action in the region. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying retorted in Beijing that the South China Sea issue had "nothing to do" with the G7 or any of its members. "China is resolutely opposed to individual countries hyping up the South China Sea for personal gain," she said. U.S. President Barack Obama called on China on Wednesday to resolve maritime disputes peacefully and he reiterated that the United States was simply concerned about freedom of navigation and overflight in the region. Obama on Thursday pointed to the risks from North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes, saying the isolated state was "hell bent" on getting atomic weapons. But he said there had been improved responses from countries in the region like China that could reduce the risk of North Korea selling weapons or nuclear material. "It's something that we've put at the centre of discussions and negotiations with China," Obama told reporters. Seko, speaking the first of two days of the summit in central Japan, said Abe told G7 counterparts that Pyongyang's development of nuclear technology and ballistic missiles poses a threat to international peace, including in Europe. "It is necessary to make North Korea realise that it would not be able have a bright future unless such issues as abduction, nuclear and missile development are resolved," Abe told the group, according to Seko. The G7 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. GLOBAL HEALTH CHECK The global economy topped the agenda earlier in the day, when G7 leaders voiced concern about emerging economies and Abe made a pointed comparison to the 2008 global financial crisis. Not all his G7 partners appeared to agree. The G7 leaders did agree on the need for flexible spending to spur world growth but the timing and amount depended on each country, Seko told reporters, adding that some countries saw no need for such spending. Britain and Germany have been resisting calls for fiscal stimulus. "G7 leaders voiced the view that emerging economies are in a severe situation, although there were views that the current economic situation is not a crisis," Seko said. Abe presented data showing global commodities prices fell 55 percent from June 2014 to January 2016, the same margin as from July 2008 to February 2009, after the Lehman collapse. Lehman had been Wall Street's fourth-largest investment bank when it filed for Chapter 11 protection on Sept. 15, 2008, making its bankruptcy by far the biggest in U.S. history. Its failure triggered the global financial crisis. Abe hopes, some political insiders say, to use a G7 statement on the global economy as cover for a domestic fiscal package including the possible delay of a rise in the nation's sales tax to 10 percent from 8 percent planned for next April. Obama ripped into Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, saying the billionaire had rattled other G7 leaders and that his statements were aimed at getting headlines, not what was needed to keep America safe and the world on an even keel. Trump has been accused of racism, misogyny and bigotry for saying he would build a giant wall to keep out illegal Mexican immigrants, would temporarily ban Muslims from the United States and issued a series of comments considered demeaning to women. Summit pageantry began when Abe escorted G7 leaders to the Shinto religion's holiest site, the Ise Grand Shrine in central Japan, dedicated to sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami, mythical ancestress of the emperor. On Wednesday night, Abe met Obama for talks dominated by the arrest of a U.S. military base civilian worker in connection with the killing of a young woman on Japan's Okinawa island, reluctant host to the bulk of the U.S. military in Japan. Oil dips after hitting $50/bbl as glut worries resurface By Barani Krishnan NEW YORK, May 26 (Reuters) - Oil prices hit $50 a barrel on Thursday for the first time in seven months, then bounced below that level and settled lower on the day as investors worried robust price gains could encourage more output and add to the global glut. Wildfires in Canada's oil sands, unrest in the Nigerian and Libyan energy sectors, and a near economic meltdown in OPEC member Venezuela have knocked out nearly 4 million barrels per day in immediate production, sparking a buying frenzy in crude futures. Brent and U.S. crude's West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures have risen nearly 90 percent from 12-year lows hit this winter. They have recouped about half of what they lost since mid-2014 when both traded at above $100 a barrel. A climb above $50 per barrel could spur producers, particularly U.S. shale drillers, to revive scrapped operations, which could bloat supplies and trigger a new selloff, analysts said. "We are viewing current risk/reward ratios as unfavorable toward new longs at current levels," said Jim Ritterbusch of Chicago-based oil markets consultancy Ritterbusch & Associates, who cites a potential drop of Brent to $47.50. Brent surged as high as $50.51, its highest since early November, then retreated and settled down 15 cents at $49.59 a barrel. WTI fell 8 cents to settle at $49.48, after reaching $50.21, its highest since early October. U.S. crude for the balance of 2016 remained above $50 while the calendar strip for 2017 was above $51. "I am maintaining my oil view at neutral with a short term bias to the upside," said Dominick Chirichella, senior partner at the Energy Management Institute in New York. "The global surplus still exists and there is still a possibility that oil prices could retrace further." But he conceded that crude was trading "more and more in sync with the forward looking or perception view with the overall bearish fundamentals mostly priced into the market as production issues offset any short term negativity". Adding to outage concerns, a source at Chevron Corp said the producer's activities in Nigeria had been "grounded" by a militant attack, worsening a situation that had already restricted hundreds of thousands of barrels from reaching the market. Investors will watch next month's meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) for signs of an output hike. China says its people will never stand for Taiwan independence BEIJING, May 26 (Reuters) - China's 1.3 billion people are united in their determination never to allow self-ruled Taiwan to become independent, China's top official in charge of ties with the island was quoted as saying on Thursday, in Beijing's latest blast at Taipei. China has repeatedly warned Taiwan's pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, whose leader Tsai Ing-wen assumed the presidency last week, of negative consequences if they fail to recognise Taiwan is a part of China under Beijing's "one China" principle. Tsai has said democratic principles will rule Taiwan's ties with Beijing and urged China in her inaugural speech Friday to "set aside the baggage of history" and engage in positive dialogue. Meeting a group of Taiwan business representatives in Beijing, Zhang Zhijun, head of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said anything that goes against the "one China" principle would only bring tension and upheaval to ties. "There is no future in Taiwan independence, and this cannot become an option for Taiwan's future. This is the conclusion of history," the official Xinhua news agency cited Zhang as saying. "Some people say you must pay attention to broad public opinion in Taiwan, and that one can understand the attitude and feelings of Taiwan's people formed by its special historical experiences and social environment," Zhang added. "But, Taiwan society ought to understand and attach importance to the feelings of the 1.37 billion residents of the mainland," he said. China has regarded Taiwan as a wayward province, to be taken by force if necessary, ever since defeated Nationalists fled to Taiwan in 1949 after a civil war with China's Communists. Referring to late 19th and early 20th century period when foreign powers strove to carve off bits of the declining Chinese empire for themselves, Zhang said China's people had a deep memory of that period of national weakness and humiliation. "They have a rock-solid will that has remained consistent towards protecting national unity and not allowing the country to be split," he added. The Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's ministerial agency in charge of ties with China, said in response to Zhang's comments that Tsai has said she is committed to ensuring the status quo in relations with China and to maintaining peace and stability. China does not permit public discussion of views which challenge the notion of Taiwan being a part of China. Taiwan was a Japanese colony from 1895-1945, having gained control of the island from imperial China. Philippines' Duterte apologises for captive Canadian's beheading by militants MANILA, May 26 (Reuters) - Philippine President-elect Rodrigo Duterte has apologised to the Canadian prime minister for the beheading of a Canadian by an Islamist militant group, saying he would try to make sure "nothing like this" happens again. Duterte, 71, has yet to be declared winner of the May 9 election, but an official vote count shows him six million votes ahead of his closest rival, in part because of his campaign of crushing crime, corruption and drug abuse. "Please accept my apologies for the incident that resulted to the killing of your national," Duterte said on Thursday he told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who called him up to congratulate him on his election win. "We will try to see to it that nothing like this will happen again." Canadian John Ridsdel, a former mining executive, was beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf on the southern island of Jolo on April 25. Trudeau at the time called it "an act of cold-blooded murder". Another Canadian, a Norwegian and a Filipino woman are still being held captive by the al Qaeda-linked militants eight months after they were abducted in a upscale resort near Davao City, where Duterte was mayor for two decades. The Abu Sayyaf gave the Philippine and Canadian governments and families of the captives until 3 p.m. on June 13 to pay 300 million pesos ($6.43 million) for the release of each of the captives. Romania - Factors to watch on May 26 Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Romanian financial markets on Thursday. BUDGET DATA Romania ran a consolidated budget surplus of 130 million lei ($32.20 million) or 0.02 percent of gross domestic product in January-April against 0.4 percent in the first quarter, the finance ministry said on Wednesday. MONEY SUPPLY Romania's central bank to release M3 money supply data for April. CEE MARKETS Government bonds rebounded in Warsaw on Wednesday as an auction drew solid demand amid signs of an easing of a constitutional standoff with Brussels. For the long-term Romanian diary, click on For emerging markets economic events, click on For an index of all diaries, click on Norway to regulate $850 billion fund's tax haven exposure-lawmakers By Joachim Dagenborg OSLO, May 25 (Reuters) - Norway will take a first step this week towards using its $850 billion sovereign wealth fund, the world's biggest, as a tool to combat the use of tax havens, two key members of parliament's finance committee told Reuters on Wednesday. The country's right-wing minority government will be asked to take a two-pronged approach to regulation, examining both the fund's own use of ownership structures designed to cut its liability for tax on its foreign investments as well as that of companies it invests in, the politicians said. The move follows the Panama Papers leaks in April, which revealed details of corporate and individual tax evasion and triggered a global backlash against tax havens. "We need to clarify the extent of the fund's exposure to tax havens," said finance committee chairman Hans Olav Syversen of the centrist opposition Christian Democrats, on which the government frequently relies for support. "The most probable scenario is that parliament will tell the government to provide a set of tools to help ensure that tax havens, in the real sense of the word, don't find the room for manoeuvre that they've had until now," he added. The Government Pension Fund Global, commonly known as the oil fund, invests cash from Norway's crude and natural gas production in foreign stocks, bonds and real estate to share the windfall revenues with future generations. The finance committee is currently processing the government's annual whitepaper on the fund and is expected to publish recommendations to the full parliament on Friday. "There will definitely be an amendment about tax havens," said Torstein Tvedt Solberg of Labour, the largest opposition party. "As shareholders we don't want companies to conduct negative tax planning. We don't want them to be in tax havens." FUND'S SUBSIDIARIES Most of the fund's assets are held in stocks and bonds, but it also owns stakes in more than 800 properties in Europe and the United States, with much of the ownership organised through subsidiaries in Luxembourg and the state of Delaware. Among the arguments for this is to limit the fund's own tax costs, which has now come under scrutiny. "We believe we will get a majority for a thorough probe into the fund's subsidiaries in Luxembourg and in Delaware to see if there is a better way to structure them. There needs to be a debate about this," Tvedt Solberg of Labour said. The fund already has several areas where it aims to hold companies accountable, including child labour, climate change and water management. It is also forbidden from investing in some industries, including tobacco makers and producers of nuclear arms. Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), which operates the fund, said it welcomed the raised awareness around tax havens. "This subject is, and will continue to be, part of our risk surveillance. As an investor in more than 9,000 companies worldwide, closed jurisdictions and tax evasion are a risk to the fund," NBIM spokesman Thomas Sevang said. Hungary can expect another ratings upgrade in 2016 -ministry BUDAPEST, May 26 (Reuters) - Hungary can expect another upgrade in its sovereign credit rating this year, an Economy Ministry state secretary was quoted as saying, after Fitch became the first major ratings agency to lift its bonds out of the "junk" category last week. Slovakia - Factors To Watch on May 26 BRATISLAVA, May 26 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial markets on Thursday. ALL TIMES GMT (Slovak Republic: GMT + 2 hours) =========================ECONOMIC DATA======================== Real-time economic data releases.................. Summary of economic data and forecasts......... Recently released economic data................ Previous stories on Slovak data.......... **For a schedule of corporate and economic events: http://emea1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/Apps/CountryWeb/#/1C/events-overview ========================EVENTS=============================== BRATISLAVA - The Central Bank will release a report on financial stability as of May 2016. Related stories: BRATISLAVA - European Parliament President Martin Schulz visits Slovakia to discuss its upcoming EU presidency with top officials. Related stories: =========================NEWS=============================== UNITED NATIONS: The Slovak government on Wednesday nominated Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak as a candidate for secretary-general of the United Nations. Story: Related stories: NUCLEAR POWER PLANT: Construction costs for Slovakia's Mochovce nuclear plant, due to be completed by 2018, will be higher than the 4.6 billion euros ($5 bln) approved by the government, its economy minister said on Wednesday. Story: Related stories: =====================PRESS DIGEST=============================== ISLAM: There is no place for Islam in Slovakia. Multiculturalism goes against the substance of the country, Prime Minister Robert Fico told a state-owned TASR newswire in a first interview since being reelected in March. Fico said before election he won't allow any "compact Muslim communities" in Slovakia and his government has filed a lawsuit against the EU's quota on refugees and migrants from Syria and beyond, mostly Muslims. SME, page 2 CAR PRODUCTION: France's Peugeot will start making gas engines at its Slovak factory, the company said. Production will launch in 2019. http://www.etrend.sk/firmy/trnavska-automobilka-psa-porastie-zacne-vyrabat-motory.html Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it vouch for their accuracy. For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX Main currency report TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets News editor of the day: Jason Hovet on +420 224 190 476 E-mail: prague.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on May 26 PRAGUE, May 26 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial markets on Thursday. ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 2 hours) =========================ECONOMIC DATA========================== Real-time economic data releases.................... Summary of economic data and forecasts........... Recently released economic data.................. Previous stories on Czech data............. **For a schedule of corporate and economic events: http://emea1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/Apps/CountryWeb/#/2E/events-overview ==========================NEWS================================== COALITION: Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka on Tuesday berated members of ruling coalition partner ANO for blocking a government-proposed anti-smoking bill in parliament, calling their vote against a national ban a "disgrace". Story: Related stories: CENTRAL BANK: Czech President Milos Zeman named long-time ally and economic adviser Jiri Rusnok as the next central bank governor on Wednesday, putting him in position to navigate the bank's expected exit next year from a policy of capping the crown. Story: Related stories: CENTRAL BANK BOARD: Czech President Milos Zeman said on Wednesday he wanted to name the country's top official for coordinating euro adoption, Oldrich Dedek, to the central bank board when vacancies come up again in early 2017. Story: Related stories: PEGAS: Czech artificial textile maker Pegas Nonwovens' first-quarter net profit fell 97 percent, mainly due to exchange-rate losses, it said on Thursday. Story: Related stories: CEE MARKETS: Government bonds rebounded in Warsaw on Wednesday as an auction drew solid demand amid signs of an easing of a constitutional standoff with Brussels. Story: Related stories: ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------ Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change close on day in 2016 vs Euro 27.015 27.007 -0.03 -0.06 vs Dollar 24.163 24.239 0.31 2.81 Czech Equities 890.28 890.28 1.6 -6.91 U.S. Equities 17,851.51 17,706.05 0.82 2.45 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 GMT =======================PRESS DIGEST============================ CEZ: Planned outages at the Temelin nuclear power plant may take longer than expected, as the owner, state-controlled CEZ , is likely to face problems with welding similar to those at its other nuclear plant in Dukovany last year and this, the paper said, citing unspecified informations. Hospodarske Noviny, page 12 Reuters has not verified the stories, nor does it vouch for their accuracy. For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX For updates on CEE currencies TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets Prague Newsroom: +420 224 190 477 E-mail: prague.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (Reporting by Prague Newsroom) Italian marine Girone can head home - India's top court NEW DELHI, May 26 (Reuters) - India's Supreme Court on Thursday said an Italian marine under investigation for the killing of two fishermen is free to go home while international arbitration into the case goes on. Salvatore Girone, who has been living in the Italian embassy in New Delhi, was one of two marines arrested in 2012 on suspicion of killing the fishermen during an anti-piracy mission on an Italian oil tanker. The other marine is already back in Italy after suffering health problems. The Supreme Court ruled that Girone can return to Italy while an international tribunal decides on a jurisdictional issue between India and Italy. The marine must surrender his passport when he arrives in Italy and will be required to return to India within a month of an order from the tribunal, the court said in its order. Italy's foreign ministry said it was "satisfied" with the court's decision. "Salvatore Girone will be able to return home in just a few days' time," the ministry said. The dispute has strained relations between India and Italy and its European Union partners. In an effort to end four years of legal wrangling, both countries last year agreed to move their dispute to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. On eve of Greece visit, Putin says problems with EU can be solved ATHENS, May 26 (Reuters) - Russia and the European Union need to build a 'an equal and fair dialogue' as partners to overcome their differences, President Vladimir Putin said in an article published in a Greek newspaper on Thursday on an eve of a visit to the country. Western financial sanctions were imposed on Moscow in 2014 over its role in the Ukraine conflict, where it annexed Crimea. Russia has imposed counter sanctions against West, including a ban on agricultural produce. Putin will be in Athens on Friday, and also visit Greece's monastic community at Mount Athos in northern Greece on Saturday. Greece, along with Cyprus, are among EU member states with close relations to Moscow. They are lukewarm towards sanctions on Russia but comply. "Russia's starting point is the need to build an equal and fair dialogue of partners with the European Union on a wide range of issues, - from simplifying visa processes to building energy alliances," he wrote in Greece's Kathimerini newspaper. While the EU did not appear to feel the same way, Putin said, 'there is no problem which cannot be solved'. "To return to this multi-faceted relationship of partners we must reject the flawed logic that one party has the upper hand. Each side must seriously take into account the views and the concerns of the other," he wrote. Singling out energy and transport, Putin said Moscow wanted to deepen its cooperation with Greece. Russia has been the main gas supplier for Greece and Putin said his country has always counted on its deep ties with Athens to push ahead with its plans to boost its gas supplies Europe. Having tried and so far failed to bolster pipeline links with the continent through Bulgaria and Turkey, Russia's Gazprom is running out of options to secure its strategic entry point into southern Europe, and with it any chance of cutting Ukraine out of the picture this decade. The company announced in March new plans with Greece's state natural gas utility DEP and Italian utility Edison to supply natural gas along the seabed of the Black Sea into Greece and Italy, from where it could be sold in Europe. "The issue of our energy resources being carried through southern corridors to the countries of the European Union is still on the agenda," Putin said. He said that Russia could also help Greece upgrade its transport infrastructure and made a reference to Russian Railways (RZD) which is interested in buying the country's railway operator TRAINOSE and its second biggest port in Thessaloniki. RZD and two other suitors submitted an initial interest for TRAINOSE last month and the deadline for the binding bids ends on June 22. Nigeria minister wants Delta grievances addressed as Chevron attacked By Ulf Laessing and Tife Owolabi LAGOS/YENAGOA, Nigeria, May 26 (Reuters) - Nigeria's government needs to address grievances in the oil-producing Niger Delta, its oil minister said on Thursday, hours after a Chevron source said a militant attack had forced it to shut its onshore operations in the restive region. A militant group called the Niger Delta Avengers, which has told oil firms to leave the Delta before the end of May, said late on Wednesday that it had blown up the Chevron's facility's mains electricity feed. Its attacks have hobbled oil output over the past month. A company source told Reuters that "all activities in Chevron are grounded" onshore while oil industry sources said roughly 90,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Escravos were gone due to the latest attack and another on Chevron's offshore facilities earlier this month. Planned Escravos exports in the first half of 2016 averaged 167,000 bpd. A Twitter account with the group's name said late on Wednesday: "We Warned #Chevron just blow up the Escravos tank farm Main Electricity Feed PipeLine." A Chevron spokeswoman declined to comment. The Avengers, who have given oil firms until end of the month to leave in what they frame as struggle for the Delta's independence, have intensified attacks in recent weeks, pushing oil output to its lowest in more than 20 years and compounding the problems of Africa's largest economy. Abuja has responded by moving in army reinforcements but British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond said this month that President Muhammadu Buhari needed to deal with the root causes. In the first signal that the government might try a less heavy-handed approach, Oil Minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu said an amnesty programme for former militants, signed in 2009 to end a previous insurgency, needed to improve. The amnesty needed to address "neglect by the government and international oil companies," Kachikwu said. The scheme had funded cash benefits and job training to militants who have laid down their arms but has been cut by the government by two-thirds, fuelling dissent. "The Niger Delta governors must be involved in providing lasting solutions to the resurgence of pipeline vandalism and there is urgent need to create business opportunities for the locals in the region," Kachikwu said in a statement. Moving in the same direction, a committee set up by Delta state leaders warned that a military approach would not work and saw "an apparent consensus" that the federal government and oil companies have neglected the grievances of local communities. Delta residents, some of whom sympathise with the militants, have long complained of poverty in an area producing oil accounting for 70 percent of national income. Big Guards-owned company may lose out as Iran economy, politics shift By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin DUBAI, May 26 (Reuters) - Long used to lucrative state contracts, Iran's biggest construction company faces leaner times, as overseas firms better able to attract financing push for orders in an economy trying to open to the world after years of sanctions. The misfortunes of Khatam al Anbia Construction Headquarters (KAA) are an unwelcome novelty for its powerful owners, the Revolutionary Guards, a military unit created by the Islamic Republic's founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini which also secured an economic foothold after the 1980s Iran-Iraq war. The conglomerate came to dominate the building sector under the presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad between 2005 and 2013, winning billions of dollars of state contracts for oil and gas facilities, roads and dams. The Guards have not hesitated to make their displeasure public. "The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps has huge potential in construction fields," Tasnim news agency quoted Guards chief Mohammad Ali Jafari as saying in March. "Unfortunately, the government has not welcomed its (project) suggestions and activities." KAA chief Ebadallah Abdollahi, who as a Guards commander often wears military uniform, said this month that one million people were working on the company's projects. But KAA's dominance looks likely to fade as President Hassan Rouhani's administration draws up plans for huge infrastructure projects to jump-start the economy after international sanctions over Iran's nuclear programme were removed in January, industry executives and analysts say. Instead of enlisting KAA, the government is turning to foreign firms to discuss contracts for the projects partly because, with its budget strained by low oil prices and damage from the sanctions, it wants financial support from abroad. "Iran is experiencing one of its worst financial times in history. The government has no money and KAA and other contractors have no financial resources," said Saeed Laylaz, a Tehran-based economist. "So the government's priority for construction projects is finding foreign sources of finance." KAA did not respond to emails and phone calls seeking comment. CONTRACTS This month, South Korea's Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co reached a preliminary agreement with Iran to arrange $1.5 billion in financing for part of a highway connecting Tehran to the Caspian Sea, the company said. KAA had expressed interest in the project but offered to provide only 40 percent of the required financing, reported the Tasnim news agency, which is close to the Guards. China's National Transportation Equipment & Engineering Co is close to agreeing with Tehran on a $3 billion railway project to connect the capital with the northeastern holy city of Mashhad, a Chinese source familiar with the talks told Reuters. KAA had also expressed interest in that project. Another Chinese group, Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co, has been discussing a proposal to build container ships and oil tankers for Iran for up to $12 billion, sources said. If Dalian wins the contracts, it will squeeze out Iran Marine Industrial Co, majority-owned by KAA. Since February, KAA has proposed participating in over 10 mega-projects but the government has not agreed in a single case, said a businessman who operates in the oil and gas sector and has direct contacts with senior Iranian officials. Several factors appear to be behind the sidelining of KAA. One is that Chinese and Korean firms can count on financial support from their country's deep-pocketed export promotion institutions and banks. Another is that while state-linked enterprises such as KAA prospered during the sanctions years, officials in Rouhani's administration have said they want to build a more efficient, dynamic economy in the post-sanctions era by increasing the role of market forces and the private sector. "KAA has enormous engineering and technical power, but is not efficient," Laylaz said. "It will be downsized under the pressures of competition." Politics may also be involved. The Guards are allied to conservative political interests who opposed the relatively liberal Rouhani's rise to power; his administration may now see little reason to support the Guards' commercial interests. In any case, even after the removal of most sanctions against Iran, some penalties continue to overhang KAA because of its links to the Guards and their involvement in projects such as ballistic missile development. KAA will remain on a European Union list of sanctioned entities for up to seven years, and on a U.S. sanctions list indefinitely. This will not block all foreign firms from doing business with KAA, but it will make them think carefully about the risks of dealing with an entity whose assets are frozen by the United States and the EU, sanctions experts said. "Given the long reach of U.S. sanctions, there is a risk assessment that any prudent multinational company will need to undertake any time they do business with KAA and any of its subsidiaries," said Ramsey Jurdi, a Dubai-based sanctions lawyer with DLA Piper. COMPLAINTS In private discussions with government officials, KAA is protesting its exclusion from contracts, but it is unclear if the firm will have much success, construction industry sources said. The Guards and executives in the KAA group have also complained publicly about the company's plight. KAA has said repeatedly it would have no problem working with foreign companies and that it has started talks on cooperation with some Asian and European firms. A test of its prospects will come later this year, when the oil ministry is expected to release new contract terms for foreign investors in Iran's energy industry. The ministry is expected to list some of KAA's affiliates as qualified potential partners for the foreign firms; the foreigners will have to decide if they want to stay away from the affiliates because of legal risk related to sanctions. Reza Mostafavi Tabatabaei, a London-based oil analyst who has worked on projects in Iran, said it would be wrong for the Iranian government or foreign firms to count the company out. Wanda Commercial buyout offer delayed by regulator's queries-sources By Clare Jim HONG KONG, May 26 (Reuters) - A plan by China's richest man, Wang Jianlin, to take his Hong Kong-listed commercial property unit private is being held up by questions from the city's market regulator, according to company insiders, delaying an announcement on the offer. Dalian Wanda Commercial Properties, whose shares have been halted since April 25, was expected to publish details of the proposed delisting as early as May 2, said two of the sources with direct knowledge of the plan. They declined to be named as details of the discussions were private. Wang is planning to delist the Hong Kong real estate vehicle and then relist it in Shanghai, hoping to benefit from higher valuations seen on the mainland. The nature of the questions the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has for the Dalian Wanda Group, the parent of the property unit, and why there was such a delay, were unclear. The SFC declined to comment. Wanda Commercial also declined to comment. It is not unusual for the SFC to question companies before they delist as buyout offers need regulatory approval. One person familiar with the situation said, though, that the way the buyout had been structured was rare in Hong Kong and this was causing regulatory headaches. Dalian Wanda has set up a special vehicle to buy all the shares of the property unit. Investors who wish to own shares in the future mainland-listed company have subscribed for shares in the vehicle in an offer that has been oversubscribed. They will receive up to 12 percent annual interest on their holdings if the property arm fails to relist in China within two years. Meanwhile, it is unclear what investors in the current Hong Kong-listed entity will get. According to an announcement late in March from Wanda Commercial, Dalian Wanda Group was preparing to offer a minimum of HK$48 a share, the same as the original IPO price in December 2014. But a source told Reuters earlier this month that Dalian Wanda was considering offering a 10-20 percent premium on the IPO price in a bid to secure shareholder approval. LACK OF COMMUNICATION Some cornerstone investors in Wanda Commercial's $4 billion Hong Kong IPO said they fear they are being treated unfairly in the buyout plan compared with investors who have been wooed to bet on the company's relisting in China. Cornerstone investors in IPOs receive guaranteed allocation in exchange for agreeing to retain their stakes for a set amount of time, typically six months. "They haven't come to talk to us at all since the delisting announcement," Timing Investment Chairman Jiang Ming told Reuters in a phone interview. The firm, which invests in media, construction and finance, bought $100 million worth of Wanda Commercial shares as a cornerstone investor in the IPO. Jiang said it is "a little unfair" for Dalian Wanda to offer new investors the high yields while investors who had supported the company since the start were ignored. He added Timing would approve the delisting if it was offered a premium of at least 15 percent above the IPO price. "Cornerstones were shocked and they couldn't comprehend the delisting. They trusted the company's strategy, but now it's changed. This relationship is changed," one of the company insiders said. Major cornerstone investors in the IPO included Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), Och-Ziff Capital Management and Dutch pension fund manager APG. KIA and APG declined to comment on the delisting when contacted by Reuters, while Och-Ziff didn't immediately reply to a request for comment. "Cornerstones went in at HK$48, while many hedge funds went in at HK$30 plus (after the listing). Everyone has a different view of what the company is worth, and the group did itself no favour when they went out pitching to new investors promising them an eventual listing would be at three times the earnings multiple," said a Singapore-based hedge fund manager, whose clients hold around 3 percent of Wanda Commercial. The hedge fund manager said the shares were bought before the take-private announcement, and he will likely accept the offer if it comes in at 10 percent or more above the IPO price. In dig at U.S., China says all U.S. arms embargoes should go BEIJING, May 26 (Reuters) - Taking a dig at the U.S. arms embargo against China, the Chinese Defence Ministry said on Thursday all such U.S. embargoes were a relic of the Cold War and should be lifted, after the U.S. fully removed one against Vietnam. The United States placed an arms embargo on China following the bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters around Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989. The European Union has a similar embargo. "American public figures on many occasions have said that implementing arms embargoes are a manifestation of Cold War thinking," Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun told a monthly news conference. "In fact, the U.S. still has unilateral arms embargoes against some countries. We think that the United States ought to abandon its Cold War thinking and put an end to such acts that do not accord with the times." Yang declined to say directly if he was referring to the U.S. arms embargo against China. The U.S. move with Vietnam, announced this week during President Barack Obama's visit to Hanoi, underscores their shared concern about China's growing military influence and growing assertiveness over claims in the South China Sea. Obama, the third U.S. president to visit Vietnam since diplomatic relations were restored in 1995, has made a strategic "rebalance" toward Asia a centrepiece of his foreign policy. Vietnam, which borders China, is a key part of that strategy amid worries about Beijing's assertiveness and sovereignty claims to 80 percent of the South China Sea. China sees U.S. support for rival South China Sea claimants Vietnam and the Philippines as interference and an attempt to establish hegemony in the region. Washington insists its priority is ensuring freedom of navigation and flight. China's foreign ministry had given a muted reaction to the lifting of the arms embargo against Vietnam, saying it hoped the development in relations between the United States and Vietnam would be conducive to regional peace and stability. Yang declined to comment beyond what the foreign ministry had already said. German Foreign Min Steinmeier says extending Russia sanctions more difficult VILNIUS, May 26 (Reuters) - An agreement on renewing sanctions against Russia when they run out on July 31 has become more difficult with growing opposition from some EU countries, Germany's foreign minister said on Thursday. European Union economic sanctions against Russia were introduced for one year in July 2014 in response to its actions in Ukraine and twice extended in 2015. "We are aware that resistance in the EU to extending the sanctions towards Russia has increased," Frank-Walter Steinmeier was quoted by Lithuania's BNS news agency saying in an interview. "It will be more difficult than it was last year to find a common position on this issue." Germany wants to keep the sanctions until the Minsk peace accords between Russia and Ukraine are implemented, Steinmeier said. "One thing is for sure. We cannot ignore Russia's annexation of Crimea in violation of international law and the destabilization of Eastern Ukraine," he said. The 28-strong EU needs unanimity to keep the sanctions in place and the bloc's unity has been increasingly tested on that. Last week diplomats and officials told Reuters the EU was still on track to renew them, though an extension could be contested and only short-term. Liberia grand jury indicts Sable Mining, officials for bribery By James Harding Giahyue MONROVIA, May 25 (Reuters) - A grand jury in Liberia has indicted government officials, including the speaker of parliament and the head of the ruling party, along with London AIM-listed Sable Mining on charges including bribery. In a statement released on Thursday, Sable Mining said it had noted "the recent media comment and speculation regarding allegations of bribery and corruption" made against the company in Liberia. "The Company is investigating these matters and taking appropriate legal advice," it said. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf ordered an inquiry into Sable's attempt to acquire an iron ore concession in northern Liberia after the watchdog group Global Witness made accusations of wrong-doing in a report earlier this month. A grand jury in the capital Monrovia accused the defendants on Wednesday of bribery among other crimes, according to the indictment seen by Reuters. The indictment, which covers a period including 2010 and 2011, alleged that the defendants conspired to use their positions to amend Liberia's public procurement and concessions law. It asserted that they succeeded in changing the law to give the Minister of Lands, Mines and Energy the power to declare a concession area as a non-bidding area. The indictment did not specify how Sable Mining allegedly benefited from the change to the law and Reuters was unable to independently determine if Sable actually did. RELEASED ON BAIL In its report Global Witness claimed that the amendment was intended to allow the company to win the concession without a tender. In the end however, Sable Mining was not awarded the property, known as Wologizi. Previously Sable said the Global Witness report appeared to be based on "unreliable" testimony from three former business partners. The indictment named as defendants Sable Mining, parliament speaker Alex Tyler, Varney Sherman, a senator and chairman of President Johnson Sirleaf's Unity Party, and Deputy Minister of Lands, Mines and Energy Ernest C.B. Jones, as well as Christopher Onanuga, a Liberian businessman. All four men were arrested in Liberia's capital Monrovia on Wednesday and were later released on bail. Tyler has rejected the Global Witness report, which, like the indictment, alleged that bribery had been used to facilitate Sable's attempted acquisition of the concession. He was not immediately reachable for comment. His office said he was not planning to comment on the indictment, which alleges he requested and received $75,000 to help amend Liberia's procurement and concession law. As he left court on Wednesday, Sherman told reporters he would not comment on the indictment. While he acknowledged in a May 13 news conference that his law firm had worked for Sable, he denied the Global Witness allegations of wrong-doing. As climate risks expand, diplomats start to overshadow green experts By Alister Doyle BONN, Germany, May 25 (Reuters) - Diplomats are gradually crowding out environment experts in global efforts to tackle climate change, a shift signalling a higher profile for the issue and improved chances for more coordination to fight it. Foreign ministries usually wield more clout in national governments than their environment colleagues and have more experience in coordinating issues as varied as politics, pollution, health, finance and diplomacy. The change is in the air these days at a May 16-26 United Nations meeting on implementing last December's Paris Agreement to limit global warming, negotiated at a high-level meeting hosted by France's then foreign minister Laurent Fabius. Last week, the United Nations chose Patricia Espinosa, a former Mexican foreign minister, as its climate chief from July. She has the highest-ranking diplomatic experience of anyone starting the job. "There has been a shift to understand that climate change is not only an environmental challenge, it's an economic, a social challenge and does require active engagement of almost every member of the cabinet," outgoing U.N. climate chief Christiana Figueres of Costa Rica told reporters. Climate change has become a higher global priority and foreign ministers, usually among the most senior cabinet ministers, are well placed to coordinate action, said Figueres, previously a national negotiator and environmental expert. Before Fabius chaired the Paris meeting, where almost 200 nations agreed a sweeping plan to end global dependence on fossil fuels to limit rising temperatures, environment ministers had been in charge of most of the U.N.'s annual climate talks since they started in the 1990s. "Climate change has become a core issue for diplomacy," said Elliot Diringer of the U.S. Center for Environment and Energy Solutions, saying the long-term success of the Paris Agreement would hinge on diplomatic skills to persuade ever tougher action to restrict emissions. Reflecting this trend, Moroccan Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar attended the start of the Bonn talks, which are preparing a high-level conference in November in Marrakech on implementing the Paris Agreement. Global warming "cannot be analysed only from the silo of the environment ministry," said Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who chairs a group of the 48 poorest nations at the Bonn meeting. Mpanu-Mpanu said some environment ministers feel displaced from their area of expertise by foreign ministers. Some cope well with the new split but "in some countries it can create a lot of tensions," he said. Espinosa, who was also in the vanguard by hosting U.N. climate talks in Mexico in 2010 as foreign minister, said "we need both" environmental experts to solve technical issues and diplomats to understand the politics. Philippines' Aquino says China breaks deal on S. China Sea outcrop MANILA, May 26 (Reuters) - Philippine President Benigno Aquino on Thursday accused China of breaking a U.S.-brokered deal between the two nations on the Scarborough Shoal, an uninhabited rocky outcrop in the South China Sea. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, believed to have rich deposits of oil and gas. Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines also claim the waterway, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne goods pass every year. Beijing seized control of Scarborough Shoal, near the main Philippine island of Luzon, in June 2012, following a three-month standoff after a Philippine Navy vessel tried to arrest Chinese fishermen found illegally hauling giant clams there. On Thursday, Aquino said the United States moved in quickly to resolve the standoff, brokering a "face-saving" deal by asking both nations to pull out their ships, but only the Philippines withdrew. "Now, their continued presence is something that we have continuously objected to," Aquino told reporters in his hometown in Tarlac, north of the Philippine capital. "There was a deal, which we observed religiously. We hope the other side will do what we have done." China's embassy in Manila did not respond to Reuters' request for comment on Aquino's remarks. Beijing has denied ever making a deal with Manila and Washington, a Philippine diplomat who was involved in the negotiations told Reuters, on condition of anonymity, because he was not authorised to speak to the media. China has reclaimed seven reefs in the Spratlys islands, building two airfields, ports, lighthouses radars, and other military structures, which the United States has called a clear move to militarise the disputed area. In March, Washington warned that China might next reclaim the Scarborough Shoal, after Beijing sent survey ships to the area, although a Philippine military aircraft despatched to check the reports did not find a survey ship there. "China is not reclaiming Scarborough Shoal," Aquino said, allaying the fears that Beijing might reclaim the shoal, just outside the former U.S. naval base in Subic. There have been many "red lines" in China's assertive behaviour in the South China Sea, Aquino added, such as harassing a survey ship hired by an Anglo-Philippine firm seeking oil and gas in the Reed Bank. Early marriage, pregnancy force Tanzanian teenage girls to drop out of school By Kizito Makoye MAPINGA, Tanzania, May 26 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - S ikudhani Kimweri was the only girl from her primary school who went on to Bunju secondary school in eastern Tanzania's Bagamayo district. Many of the other girls had to get married instead. "There is no value on education in our village, very few girls finish school," said Kimweri, now 20, in an interview. Her struggle to complete her education against the wishes of her father and under pressure to help her mother at work reflects entrenched gender inequality in Tanzania, where adolescent girls face many hurdles to their development. While Tanzania has made significant progress overall in primary school enrolment, few girls, especially in rural areas, complete their secondary education because of early marriage, teenage pregnancy and poverty, women's rights campaigners say. Primary school enrolment for males and females is almost the same in Tanzania, but secondary school enrolment for girls lags far behind that of boys. Tanzania's Demographic Health Survey Data for 2010 shows that among young people aged between 20 and 24, less than 20 percent of women had graduated from secondary school, compared with 32 percent of men. In the same age group, 20 percent of women had no education at all, compared with less than 10 percent of men. Despite excelling at school, Kimweri - the only girl in her family - was certain that her father, a struggling mason, would marry her off, ending her ambition to become a lawyer. She recalled how her father tried secretly to take her out of school when she was in sixth grade, so that she could marry. "My mother fiercely opposed it and she defended my bid to finish school," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Her parents later separated and her father refused to support her education even though she was doing well in exams. "NO FUTURE" In neighbouring Zinga village, Zena Mkumbo, 19, sat under a stall with a thatched roof, sifting through charcoal which she packs into plastic bags to sell for 2,500 shillings ($1) a bag, with her two-year-old daughter strapped to her back. "When I got pregnant, I was expelled from school and that was the end of everything," she said. "I have to do this to earn something to feed my daughter." Mkumbo said her dismissal from school had crushed her dreams and narrowed her chances of becoming a nurse. "I have no future, but there is no way that I could go back to school," said Mkumbo, distraught as she recalled how her father had thrown her out of home after she fell pregnant. "I was too young to give birth, my aunt who took me was very helpful during my delivery," she said. Mkumbo's story is all too common in Tanzania, which has one of the world's highest adolescent pregnancy and birth rates. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) one in six girls aged between 15 and 19 falls pregnant. "Because of low awareness, a lot of girls are lured with small gifts and that is why they end up pregnant," Kimweri said. In rural areas, girls who fall pregnant before marriage, often because of a lack of information on reproductive health, may be stigmatised by relatives, campaigners said. Mkumbo said: "When you accidentally fall pregnant, everybody in the society condemn you as a sinner." While underage sex is criminalised in Tanzania, parents may marry off their daughters using a special privilege granted by a 1971 marriage law, which allows a girl as young as 15 to marry with parental or the court's consent. In response to the problems that prevent adolescent girls in Tanzania, Malawi and other countries around the world from completing their schooling and fulfilling their potential, the United States launched "Let Girls Learn" in March 2015. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) says it has helped train hundreds of thousands of children globally and provided millions of textbooks as part of the initiative. Canada's biggest banks braced for more oil losses By Matt Scuffham TORONTO, May 26 (Reuters) - Canada's biggest banks warned on Thursday of further losses from oil loans in coming quarters as energy companies struggled to repay loans, even as growth in wealth management and retail banking helped the banks report better-than-expected second-quarter earnings. Royal Bank of Canada, Toronto-Dominion Bank and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce each posted sharp increases in impaired oil and gas loans as some energy clients battled the oil market slump. Crude prices fell to a 13-year low of $26 a barrel in February on concerns about an oversupply. TD's chief financial officer, Riaz Ahmed, said that despite a recent recovery in oil prices, which tested $50 a barrel on Thursday, he expected the bank to set aside more funds to cover bad energy loans this year and next. "While it is encouraging that oil prices are rallying nicely, I don't expect that to have an immediate impact. I expect that through 2016 and 2017 we will continue to see credit provisions relating to the oil and gas sector materialize," he said. David Cockfield, managing director of Northland Wealth Management, which owns shares in Bank of Montreal, Bank of Nova Scotia and TD, said he expected provisions to rise further but that share prices already reflected that. "I believe it will get worse before it gets better. I think they're going to have to continue to make provisions in the next quarter. Even oil prices moving back into the $50 level isn't going to float all the guys that have difficulties right now," he said. RBC said impaired loans to oil and gas firms more than tripled to over C$1 billion during the quarter, with provisions for credit losses rising to the upper end of its guidance of 30 to 35 basis points of total loans. "I think that it's probably more of the same for the rest of the year given where we are," Chief Financial Officer Janice Fukakusa told Reuters. Despite the warnings, RBC, TD and CIBC each reported second-quarter profit ahead of expectations. The banks said the Alberta wildfires would not have a material impact on their earnings. Ahmed said he estimated the impact on TD, which is one of the biggest property insurers in the region, would be "less than 5 cents per share over time". RBC and TD shares closed up 1 percent and 0.1 percent respectively. CIBC shares were down 1 percent. Vietnam jails four asylum seekers returned by Australia HANOI, May 26 (Reuters) - A court in Vietnam on Thursday jailed four Vietnamese for terms ranging from two to 2-1/2 years each for "organising others to flee abroad illegally" after Australia sent back their group of asylum seekers, their lawyer said. The 46 asylum seekers were aboard a small vessel intercepted off Australia's remote west coast last year and were returned to Vietnam as a result of negotiations between the two countries. The defendants, two men and two women, were crossing the border illegally for the first time in July 2015 and their 42 Vietnamese companions were relatives and acquaintances, lawyer Vo An Don told Reuters. "The verdict is too heavy and lacks humanity," Don said by telephone, adding that the defendants were likely to appeal against it. "They are too poor and just want a better life. They didn't arrange it for money." Vietnam's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. A spokesman for Australia's department of Immigration and Border Protection said it was confident the Vietnamese government was upholding its assurance not to prosecute any of the returned people for their illegal departure. "It is our understanding these prosecutions do not relate to the illegal departure of those returned, but relate only to a small number of individuals who authorities allege are responsible for organisation of the venture," the spokesman told Reuters on condition of anonymity, in line with departmental protocol. New York-based Human Rights Watch said the action violated defendants' fundamental right under international law to leave their own country, however. "Vietnam has blatantly broken its promise to the Australian government not to prosecute boat returnees," said the group's Australia director, Elaine Pearson. Some of the returnees said that on their arrival in Vietnam, a Vietnamese official assured the group in front of the Australian consulate's representatives that they would not be arrested or detained, according to lawyer Don and HRW. Vietnam has been rebuked for its poor record on human rights, with dissidents, bloggers and religious figures being jailed in recent years. Saudi's Binladin secures Maldives airport contract COLOMBO, May 26 (Reuters) - Construction firm Saudi Binladin Group has secured a contract to build a new passenger terminal at the Maldives international airport which is being built at a total cost of $800 million, the Maldives government said on Thursday. Binladin will lead the construction of the new terminal on a 78,000 square metre area of reclaimed land in the southwest of the airport island in Maldives, with 12 jetties and six aero-bridges. The white sand beaches and turquoise waters of the Maldives attracted 1.2 million tourists in 2015. Maldives government officials declined to comment on the size of the contract with Binladin. The project is estimated to cost around $800 million in total and the Maldives is seeking funding from the China EXIM Bank, the Kuwait Fund, Abu Dhabi Fund, and the Saudi Fund for Development, the government said in a statement. Officials from Binladin could not be reached immediately for comment. It is the first contract in Maldives for the Middle East's largest construction firm, which Saudi Arabia had barred from bidding for new state contracts after one of its cranes fell in Mecca's Grand Mosque during a storm last September, killing 107 people. This ban was lifted three weeks ago. Binladin Group last week secured a 2.5 billion riyal ($667 million) loan from local banks to ease its financial pressures. South Africa's Standard Bank taking action after ATM heist in Japan JOHANNESBURG, May 26 (Reuters) - South Africa's Standard Bank is taking action after criminals in Japan stole millions of dollars from automatic teller machines using fake credit cards from the lender, its joint CEOs said on Thursday. The criminal gang made 14,000 withdrawals in just three hours from bank machines at 7-Eleven convenience stores across Japan on May 15, withdrawing 1.4 billion yen ($13 million), according to a source familiar with the matter. The bank's co-Chief Executive Sim Tshabalala told Reuters on the sidelines of the bank's annual general meeting that the matter was "serious" but declined to comment further. The bank's other co-Chief Executive Ben Kruger said cards were highly prone to fraudulent activity, especially if based only on relatively old magnetic strip, or mag-stripe, technology, as is the case in Japan. "In South Africa the industry and the authorities have invested significantly over the last five years in chip and pin technology to ensure that cards are not just run on mag-stripes that are clearly far more vulnerable," he told Reuters. Card fraud remains a high priority, he said, adding that the bank had "frustrated a very large amount of fraud last year and the year before." Nearly 1,000 killed in attacks on health workers in 2014-15 - WHO By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA, May 26 (Reuters) - Nearly 1,000 people were killed in attacks on health centres worldwide over the past two years, almost 40 percent of them in Syria, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Thursday in its first report on the issue. The United Nations agency documented 594 attacks resulting in 959 deaths and 1,561 injuries in 19 countries with emergencies between January 2014 and December 2015. Syria, torn by civil war since 2011, had the most attacks on hospitals, ambulances, patients and medical workers, accounting for 352 deaths. The Palestinian territories of Gaza and the West Bank, as well as Iraq, Pakistan and Libya, followed. Some 62 percent of all attacks were deemed intentional and many led to disruption of public health services. "This is not an isolated issue, it is not limited to war zones, it is not accidental. The majority of these are intentional," Dr. Bruce Aylward, executive director of WHO's emergency programme, told a news briefing. "It is getting more and more difficult to deploy people into these places, it is getting more and more difficult to keep them safe when they are there and it is getting more and more difficult to ensure they survive, let alone recover in crises." Aylward, speaking later at an event at the WHO's annual ministerial assembly, said: "It is not stopping, two days ago a suicide bomber blew himself up and took 40 people with him at least in one of the main hospitals in Latakia (Syria)." The casualty figures include 42 killed and 37 wounded in a U.S. air strike on a Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan, last October. A U.S. military report last month said the incident did not amount to a war crime but was caused by human error, equipment failure and other factors. MSF has called for an independent inquiry. "Last year, 75 hospitals managed or supported by MSF were bombed," Dr. Joanne Liu, president of MSF International, told the WHO event. "From Yemen to Syria, from Central African Republic to Niger, health facilities are looted, burnt and bombed. Patients are slaughtered in their beds. Health care workers are abducted, assaulted or killed," she said. WHO said 53 percent of the attacks were perpetrated by states, 30 by armed groups and 17 percent remain unknown. "One of the most important rules of war is that you don't attack health care facilities, health care providers, the sick, the disabled. So these attacks do represent gross violations of international humanitarian law," said Rick Brennan, WHO director of emergency risk management and humanitarian response. Nigerian state committee says military move would not end Delta pipeline attacks YENAGOA, Nigeria, May 26 (Reuters) - A military confrontation will not end a series of attacks on oil and gas facilities in Nigeria's Delta region, a state committee said on Thursday. "There is a consensus that a military option/invasion would not help resolve the issue," said the committee set up by Delta state in the southern region after meeting local communities. WPP boss Sorrell gets support for his 70 mln pound pay package May 26 (Reuters) - Martin Sorrell, boss of advertising group WPP, has got backing from a leading investor advisory firm for his 70 million pound ($102.95 million) pay for 2015. Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) has advised WPP's shareholders to approve Sorrell's pay at the company's annual meeting on June 8, saying a large chunk of the pay is related to WPP's performance during the year. ISS said: "We highlight that the bulk of the CEO's 2015 headline realised pay number is largely driven by his participation in ... a plan which shareholders approved by a comfortable margin ... in 2009 and in part reflects the company's run of extended strong performance." "The company has also outperformed its global peers on a relative basis, as required by the performance conditions of the scheme," ISS said in a statement. WPP, the world's biggest advertising agency, declined to comment. WPP, which owns advertising companies like JWT and Ogilvy & Mather, has clashed with investors before over the size of Sorrell's pay deal. In 2012, a majority of WPP shareholders voted against Sorrell's pay, but last year Sorrell saw off a potential shareholder revolt over his 43 million pound pay for 2014. He has built WPP from a two-man operation in a London office to one that now dominates the industry with around 190,000 staff in 112 countries. The company has outperformed rivals in recent years due to its geographical spread and digital marketing experience. Other big British companies have faced shareholder opposition to executive pay packages this year in a resurgence of investor activism against excessive boardroom salaries. Last month, shareholders in BP voted against Chief Executive Bob Dudley's $20 million pay deal for 2015 after it made a record annual loss. Shareholders in Scottish engineering Weir Group and medical equipment firm Smith & Nephew also rejected their 2015 payouts in non-binding votes. Protester, police officer killed in Congo election protest - U.N. By Aaron Ross KINSHASA, May 26 (Reuters) - A protester and a police officer were killed in Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday during protests against a possible delay to November elections, a United Nations official said. Nationwide demonstrations were called by opposition parties and civil society groups to protest a May 11 ruling by Congo's highest court that allows President Joseph Kabila to remain in power if presidential and parliamentary elections are delayed. Constitutional term limits bar Kabila from running for a third term, but the government has said the election will likely be pushed back because of budgetary and logistical problems. Opposition leaders accuse the president of stalling the elections in order to extend his 15-year rule, charges Kabila denies. In Goma, eastern Congo's largest city, at least one civilian was killed and two wounded by gunfire that most likely came from police, said Jose Maria Aranaz, director of the U.N.'s Congo-based Joint Human Rights Office. One police officer was killed when protesters threw stones, he said. Police had earlier fired tear gas at protesters who burned tyres and blocked streets with rocks, said local civic leader Thomas d'Acquin Mwiti, who was at the demonstration. "The protesters encountered ferocious resistance from the police, which led to clashes and barricades being set up," he said. Campaign group Human Rights Watch said at least one civilian was shot and killed and at least six others wounded in Goma, including a six-year-old girl, a boy, 12, and a woman, 80. Spokesman for the national police, Pierre Mwanamputu, said a civilian was killed accidentally during an altercation with police but said no police officers had been killed. He denied that police had opened fire on protesters. About 20 people were detained in the city, he said. Security forces also fired tear gas at an opposition march attended by thousands of people in the capital Kinshasa. Demonstrations in other cities were banned by local authorities. Riot police were deployed in the streets of the southern mining hub of Lubumbashi, where supporters of opposition presidential candidate Moise Katumbi have repeatedly clashed with police this month. The U.N. human rights office said on Twitter at least 59 people had been arrested across the country. Nadal and Djokovic march on at Roland Garros By Martyn Herman PARIS, May 26 (Reuters) - A dominant Rafael Nadal arrived at one career milestone on Thursday but the speed of the Spaniard's rampage through the early rounds of the French Open suggests his eyes are fixed firmly on another more significant one. The world number five, seeded four at the tournament he once owned, destroyed Argentina's Facundo Bagnis 6-3 6-0 6-3 to reach the third round for the loss of only nine games and chalked up a 200th match victory in grand slams. "That's only another number, and that's it," Nadal, who would become the only man to win the same grand slam 10 times in the professional era if he triumphs this year, told reporters. "The only thing I know is that I have reached round three and I know I have to play at a very high level in order to go deep. That's my sole objective, my only reality." It was his first appearance on Court Philippe Chatrier, where nine times he has sunk his teeth into La Coupe des Mousquetaires, since being taken apart by Novak Djokovic in last year's quarter-finals. Tougher tests will come and top seed Djokovic looked in the groove by beating tricky Belgium Steve Darcis 7-5 6-3 6-4 as his quest for the only grand slam title to elude him gathered pace. Defending champion Serena Williams was scheduled for second-round action later against Brazil's Teliana Pereira on an overcast fifth day at the claycourt grand slam. With Maria Sharapova absent, suspended pending the outcome of a doping hearing, and several leading seeds knocked out in round one, American Williams looms as the overwhelming favourite to claim a fourth title in the French capital. She might not have it all her own way though and the likes of former champion Ana Ivanovic and Spanish claycourt specialist Carla Suarez Navarro were impressive on Thursday. Ivanovic, seeded 14, crunched 22 forehand winners past Japan's Kurumi Nara for a 7-5 6-1 victory while 12th seed Suarez Navarro dominated China's Wang Qiang 6-1 6-3. Swiss eighth seed Timea Bacsinszky also prevailed in a tricky second round against 2014 runner-up Eugenie Bouchard, winning a topsy-turvy match 6-4 6-4. In the men's draw seventh-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych, a former semi-finalist, moved through to the third round by beating Tunisian Malek Jaziri 6-1 2-6 6-2 6-4. He was joined by Austrian dangerman Dominic Thiem, the youngest member of the top 15, who saw off experienced Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in three sets. One notable second-round faller was Australia's Bernard Tomic, the 23-year-old 20th seed, who was beaten by rising Croatian force, teenager Borna Coric. Al Qaeda still reaping oil profits in Yemen despite battlefield reverses By Noah Browning, Jonathan Saul and Mohammed Ghobari DUBAI/LONDON/CAIRO, May 26 (Reuters) - Al Qaeda may have been pushed out of the enclave it carved out in Yemen as the country descended into civil war, but the militants are still entrenched in other parts of the country's south, reaping profits from smuggled fuel. Scores of militants were killed in a Gulf Arab-backed offensive on Al Qaeda's de facto capital of Mukalla, Yemen's third largest seaport, but hundreds fled to neighbouring Shabwa province and beyond. A month later, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) is thriving by joining diverse armed groups in taxing fuel delivered illicitly to remote beaches along the Arabian Sea coast, security, tribal and shipping sources say. Home to Yemen's largest industrial project, a now-shut liquefied natural gas export facility at Belhaf, Shabwa is divided among al Qaeda, government troops loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, Houthi forces and armed tribes. Tribal sources say all sides are benefiting at a time of extreme fuel shortages around the country. "There are five checkpoints in Shabwa between Bir Ali and Ataq leading to the (Houthi-controlled) interior ... one by the army, one by a tribal militia and one by the acting governor. Al Qaeda maintains two at Azzan," a local tribal leader said. General Faraj al-Buhsani, commander of the Yemeni forces which routed AQAP in Mukalla, concurred. "In Azzan (al Qaeda) has a hub for the trade in oil products coming from Belhaf and that area in the direction of Shabwa which is ongoing. We are hearing about this continuously." Aid groups say Yemen in an average recent month brings in less than 10 percent of the more than 500,000 tonnes of fuel it needs, partly because many Yemeni ports are subject to a Gulf Arab quasi-blockade to prevent arms reaching the Houthis. Director of the Shabwa governor's office, Muhsin al-Haj, defended the province's role in the illegal trade when it is struggling to maintain security with limited outside help. "Shabwa is running on the most basic resources," he told Reuters. "In a province of 42,000 sq km, we have just two security cars, and they're not even armed." A YEAR UNDER AQAP Founded in the 1990s, AQAP's re-emergence is a striking unintended consequence of the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen in March 2015, prompted by gains made against the government by Houthi rebels allied to Saudi's arch-enemy, Iran. Before the military's April 24-25 offensive, the group enjoyed relative prosperity along 600 km (373 miles) of Yemen's southern coastline, raking in around $2 million every day mostly by taxing goods entering Mukalla by ship, as documented in a Reuters investigation in early April. The group also extorted $1.4 million from the national oil company. In its year of control, the militants gained the grudging acceptance of many locals in the long-marginalised south by putting its economic resources to work in development projects. Some residents told Reuters they preferred the stability of al Qaeda's rule to living in a war zone contested by armed groups. For their part, the militants appeared to want to avoid dragging a potentially sympathetic civilian population into a conflict when the military attacked, and simply withdrew. It was a change in tack for the group, which conducted a series of attacks in Yemen, including on the now-abandoned U.S. embassy in Sanaa, and claimed responsibility for the shootings at French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in January 2015. Tribal sources say Al Qaeda militants have agreed not to obstruct the lucrative smuggling trade and instead inserted themselves into the illicit networks. "Al Qaeda takes its share of oil smuggling at the ports in Shabwa through intermediaries and there is an agreement between them and the tribes that the one won't stand in the way of the other," one tribal source said. SMALL CRAFT Local officials and international shipping sources say the smuggling is conducted through small craft, including wooden dhows, alighting at fishing villages and hamlets. One shipping source pointed to at least three small ships, which included tankers, that were involved in fuel smuggling activity around Bir Ali and surrounding areas since the government took over Mukalla. "There are a number of small harbours around that area that have become possible conduits for illicit smuggling activity," said one shipping source. "It usually involves very small ships that can discharge their cargoes more easily given the smaller quantities involved. "The vessels make deviations from their normal navigational courses and switch off their transponders close to the shorelines of these areas." Two separate trade sources familiar with trading movements in Yemen also pointed to smuggling activity around those areas, involving ships carrying small loads of around 1,000 tonnes of fuel oil or diesel. Yemeni military and coalition officials say that despite an apparent pause, they are continuing to fight to destroy AQAP. "Al Qaeda is taking losses in Yemen and will continue to do so," Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told a press conference in Berlin on Wednesday. "There is no magic wand that one can wave that leads to the defeat of al Qaeda. It takes time ... we are determined to wage this battle until we defeat them." Elisabeth Kendall, a Yemen scholar at Oxford University, said the group's new tactics could make it harder to root out, however. "They're always going to keep melting away and now that they have a lot of money, they can buy their way into the population and reach places the government can't and gain traction." Protesters clash with police at French anti-reform demonstrations PARIS, May 26 (Reuters) - Protesters clashed with police in Paris and other French cities during a nation-wide day of demonstrations against labour reforms. In the south west city of Bordeaux, about 100 people targeted a police station, throwing objects at it and damaging a police car. In Paris and in the western French city of Nantes, bank windows were broken. Police responded with tear gas. Don't lie, don't cheat, don't start rumours, says new FX code By Patrick Graham LONDON, May 26 (Reuters) - The first global code of conduct for currency trading has banned dealers from lying and starting false rumours as part of new guidelines aimed at rebuilding trust in a foreign exchange market plagued by scandals and accusations of manipulation. The document, released on Thursday after evolving from a handful of regional codes used previously, focuses largely on the detail of how banks deal with clients' orders and what market participants can and cannot say to one another. On those issues alone, it includes dozens of individual directives organized under 11 broader "principles" as well as an extended annex of specific examples of appropriate and inappropriate formulas for discussing market moves. "The foreign exchange industry has suffered from a lack of trust," Reserve Bank of Australia Assistant Governor Guy Debelle, who chaired the panel of 21 central banks working on the document since last July, told reporters on a conference call. "The market needs to rebuild that trust." The code is part of the industry's response to charges of market manipulation and misuse of confidential customer order information which saw seven of the world's top banks fined around $10 billion at the end of a huge global inquiry last year. The second phase of the code will be completed in 12 months, Debelle said, and will cover further aspects of execution, trading and platforms, prime brokerage and governance, as well as risk management and compliance. Thursday's FX guidelines, however, raised questions about enforcement and how the code will be policed. "The code is not regulation. We are establishing principles," Debelle said in a question-and-answer session. "I think as adherence mechanisms are developed over the next year or so, we'll provide greater guidance." The issue of high-speed electronic trading, which has changed the face of the industry in the past decade, also is left for later. Sharing of confidential client order information via FX traders' electronic chat rooms with names such as "The Cartel" and "The Bandits' Club", particularly around the benchmark currency rates known as the 4 o'clock London fix, was central to the scandal. But traders said the resulting fear of talking freely about the market has increased the risk of trading and discouraged some of the speculation which made the market able to swallow large orders easily without volatile moves in prices. The code specifies, for example, that information contained in banks' research can only be shared after it is published, and client order information can only be shared "sensitively" and if there is a "valid reason" for doing so. MARKET COLOR Perhaps the most nebulous area of communication surrounds "market color", which traders have said in the past led to banks and clients revealing details of particular orders which were moving currencies at a given time. According to the FX Code, the seeking and sharing of market colour is appropriate as long as it is "properly aggregated or anonymized and restricted to seeking information on market liquidity and sharing market views and opinions without disclosing specific trading positions or intention to trade." Discussion of broad types of clients is appropriate, but use of language that would allow the listener to deduce the identity of the client concerned is not. Among other things, participants are also expressly banned from lying to others or starting rumours about reasons for market moves that they know to be untrue, in aid of moving the broader market. David Puth, head of global settlement bank CLS and chair of the panel of 35 banks and other participants who contributed to the work, told Reuters he hoped the code would allow the $5 trillion a day market to grow again after a static three years hampered by doubts over what is allowed and what isn't. Afghanistan sees Taliban leader as rigid conservative uninterested in peace By Hamid Shalizi KABUL, May 26 (Reuters) - The Afghan government is looking warily at the conservative religious scholar who has assumed leadership of the Taliban, seeing in him a rigid proponent of hardline orthodoxy who is unlikely to favour peace talks, officials said. A day after the Afghan Taliban announced that Haibadullah Akhundzada would take over after Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan, officials on Thursday were trying to form a picture of a leader best known for relentlessly applying strict sharia, or Islamic law. In his former role as one of the Taliban insurgency's senior judges, he was responsible for issuing a series of death sentences against opponents of Mansour, according to General Abdul Razeq, police chief of Akhundzada's home city of Kandahar. Officials said he appeared to favour a return to the austere and often harsh Islamic rule in Afghanistan before the Taliban were ousted by U.S.-led forces in 2001, something that would be unacceptable to the Afghan government and its Western backers. "He is a simple religious cleric," said Haji Agha Lalai, an adviser to President Ashraf Ghani, who added that Akhundzada would rely heavily on his deputy Sirajuddin Haqqani, leader of the feared Haqqani network, for battlefield decisions. For the moment, the Afghan government and its NATO allies do not see any letup in the fighting, and are bracing for likely bomb attacks as Akhundzada consolidates his position and demonstrates his determination to fight. "It's all speculation at the moment as to where he will go," said Brigadier General Charles Cleveland, spokesman for NATO's Resolute Support mission. "In the short term, though, we don't expect to see any significant changes on the battlefield," he told reporters. Taliban officials present at the meeting where Akhundzada was made leader said his appointment was largely because he was perceived as a unifying figure who could heal the rifts that emerged during Mansour's brief tenure. But Lalai said he did not appear to have the kind of political skills needed to change the strategic direction of the Taliban, which has ruled out joining peace talks, even if he wanted to. "People in the Taliban only respect him because he is a pious man," he said. "We don't see any hope that he would agree (to) or ... convince the Taliban to accept a peace deal." CONSERVATIVE Akhundzada, from a deeply religious family in the Panjwai district of Kandahar province, also attracted harsh criticism from factional rivals within the Taliban, who previously opposed Mansour. "He is a very conservative, narrow-minded, inefficient kind of person who will never be able to unite the Taliban or gather support," said Mullah Abdul Manan Niazi, the deputy and spokesman of Mullah Mohammad Rasool, leader of the most prominent anti-Mansour faction in the Taliban. He said Akhundzada was responsible for the execution of several senior Taliban commanders. "His fatwa was to execute whoever rejected Mullah Mansour as a leader," he said. Pakistan, which has faced fresh accusations of harbouring the Taliban after Mansour's death on its soil, said the drone strike had undermined the so-called quadrilateral peace process involving Pakistan, Afghanistan, the United States and China. But foreign policy chief Sartaj Aziz, who said the United States informed Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif of the strike against Mansour three-and-a-half hours before Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, said contacts would resume. Timber smugglers could make Senegal's last forests disappear soon DAKAR, May 26 (Reuters) - Forests in Senegal's lush Casamance region risk disappearing within two years because of illegal timber smuggling, one of the West African country's foremost environmentalists said on Thursday. Casamance in southern Senegal contains the country's last remaining forests, an area of 30,000 hectares (74,000 acres) that could be depleted by 2018 as smugglers feed the demand for rosewood furniture in China, said former environment minister Haidar El Ali. Exporting timber from Senegal is illegal, so traffickers smuggle it to neighbouring Gambia for shipping to China. "This unacceptable trafficking is devastating for our forests and it has to stop," Haidar told a news conference. Much of northern Senegal bordering on the Sahara Desert has succumbed to desertification, a process where land becomes increasingly arid due to drought and climate shifts, making forests unsustainable. Now what is left of the West African country's greenery is fading fast, according to Haidar. Traffickers have chopped down 1 million trees, or 10,000 hectares, since 2010, he said. Meanwhile, Gambian exports of rosewood to China totaled $238.5 million between 2010-2015, the second highest in West Africa after Nigeria, he said. Gambia has only 4,000 hectares of forests. Trump, Le Pen, Brexiteer Johnson dubbed a "horror" show as EU chiefs weigh in By Alastair Macdonald and Minami Funakoshi BRUSSELS/ISE-SHIMA, Japan, May 26 (Reuters) - A top EU official on Thursday called possible victories for Donald Trump and Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson part of a "horror scenario" for the world, along with far-right leader Marine Le Pen potentially becoming French president. The tweet by Brussels' most powerful civil servant came shortly after the EU's chief executive accused former London mayor Johnson of distorting the truth in trying to persuade Britons to leave the European Union. Both interventions broke with the reserve EU leaders have been showing in fear of fuelling euroscepticism before the June 23 referendum. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker noted during a news conference at the Group of Seven summit in Japan that Johnson once lived in the EU capital. "It is time for him to come back to Brussels," he said, "in order to check in Brussels if everything he is telling the British people is in line with reality. I do not think so." Johnson later rejected the criticism. Juncker hopes that Prime Minister David Cameron can keep Britain in the 28-nation EU but he has warned against EU officials campaigning, saying it may be counter-productive. His chief-of-staff, German EU civil servant Martin Selmayr, got a taste of that on social media after his tweet from Japan in which he imagined next year's G7 summit following leadership changes in four of the seven countries. "G7 2017 with Trump, Le Pen, Boris Johnson, Beppe Grillo? A horror scenario that shows well why it is worth fighting populism with Juncker," Selmayr wrote on his personal account. ANGRY RESPONSE National Front leader Le Pen leads opinion polls ahead of a French presidential election next May; Trump is set to contest the U.S. presidential election for the Republican Party in November; Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi could face a snap parliamentary election by next year and ex-comic Grillo's anti-establishment 5-Star Movement is running him close in polls. Johnson, meanwhile, is widely assumed to be positioning himself to challenge for the leadership of the Conservative Party and could succeed Cameron in the event of a vote to leave the EU -- a result that could prompt Cameron's resignation. The tweet by Selmayr, a 45-year-old lawyer widely viewed in Brussels as a hyperactive political operator behind the scenes, provoked dozens of hostile responses on the social media site. "@MartinSelmayr we are voting #brexit so we don't have to deal with the likes of you and regain sovereignty - your comments are offensive," wrote one of the more polite Twitter users, Jase Smale, who calls himself a "proud Conservative". A Commission spokesman said Selmayr merely pointed out that "similar though not identical" populist trends could bring "less stability, less consensus" to the G7, including on issues such as trade and "how to deal with Russian aggression". Trump speaks of seeing good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin; Le Pen and 5-Star oppose EU and U.S. sanctions on Russia over its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine; Johnson has said the EU was partly to blame for the Ukraine conflict. Responding to Juncker, Johnson told Sky television: "What I am saying to the British people is in line with reality." A vote to stay would see Britain drawn into an EU superstate, he said. The uncertainty ahead of June 23 has contributed to mounting nervousness in Brussels. Selmayr chaired a meeting this week to discuss an EU response to a possible Brexit vote. South Africa's parliament approves land expropriation bill JOHANNESBURG, May 26 (Reuters) - South Africa's parliament on Thursday approved a bill allowing state expropriations of land to redress racial disparities in land ownership, an emotive issue two decades after the end of apartheid. Most of South Africa's land remains in white hands and many commercial and small-scale farmers are currently facing tough times because of the worst drought in at least a century. The bill, in the works since 2008, will enable the state to pay for land at a value determined by a government adjudicator and then expropriate it for the "public interest", ending the willing-buyer, willing-seller approach to land reform. Experts say it will not signal the kind of often violent land grabs that took place in neighbouring Zimbabwe, where white-owned farms were seized by the government for redistribution to landless blacks. The ruling African National Congress (ANC) said the bill, criticised by some opposition parties and farming groups, would tackle injustices imposed during white-minority rule. "The passing of the bill by parliament is historic and heralds a new era of intensified land distribution programme to bring long-awaited justice to the dispossessed majority of South Africans," the ANC said in a statement. Some economists and farming groups have said the reform could hit investment and production at a time when South Africa is emerging from drought - pointing to the serious economic damage arising from farm seizures in Zimbabwe. They have also complained about a lack of clarity on how it will all work. The ANC says land will only be expropriated after "just and equitable" compensation has been paid. Around 8 million hectares (20 million acres) of land have been transferred to black owners since apartheid, equal to 8 to 10 percent of the land in white hands in 1994. The total is only a third of the 30 percent targeted by the ANC. Venezuela says hits Zeta-linked drug cartel with multiton cocaine haul CARACAS, May 26 (Reuters) - Venezuelan authorities seized 3.7 metric tons (4.08 U.S. tons) of cocaine and dismantled a drug trafficking ring linked to the bloody Mexican Zetas drug cartel this month, the country's National Guard said on Thursday. The operation began when a truck transporting 154 sacks of 30 kg (66 pounds) of cocaine hydrochloride each was stopped in Tachira, near Venezuela's border with Colombia, on May 14. That incident led to the discovery of the multiton deposit of cocaine where the group was preparing to export drugs, presumably to Central America. Authorities arrested 10 people in a gang they believe is linked to the Zetas, who in recent years set off the most violent phase in Mexico's drug war. "We achieved a significant dismantling of an international network that sought to use our territory for international drug trafficking," said Nestor Reverol, the commander of the country's National Guard. Venezuela's National Guard is itself accused of involvement in drug trafficking by the country's opposition and U.S. prosecutors. Authorities have denied this, calling it part of a plot to overthrow the leftist government. An indictment containing drug trafficking charges against Reverol himself, who used to head Venezuela's anti-drugs agency, is pending in a New York federal court, according to sources. (http://goo.gl/bmJn1h) Falluja refugees report cases of starvation - Norway aid group BAGHDAD, May 26 (Reuters) - Civilians who managed to flee besieged Falluja have reported cases of starvation in the Iraqi city that government forces are trying to recapture from Islamic State militants, the Norwegian Refugee Council said on Thursday. "If they stay in Falluja they face possible starvation, if they try to escape they risk being killed getting out," NRC media coordinator Becky Bakr Abdulla said in a report, citing refugee accounts. The Iraqi army launched an offensive on Monday to dislodge the ultra-hardline Sunni militants from Falluja, 50 km (32 miles) west of Baghdad. Falluja was the first Iraqi city to fall under IS control, in January 2014, and has been under a tight siege for about six months. The NRC, which assists refugees at a camp south of Falluja, said the fighting made it difficult to assess the full extent of "the dire situation in the city". One woman told the NRC her family had lived on dry dates and drank from the Euphrates River before escaping Falluja. About 50,000 are trapped in a city that now lacks drinking water, electricity and fuel, according to the NRC. About 40 families managed to flee in the past 36 hours, one of them saying they hid in a drainage pipe. Aid agencies have become alarmed about civilian suffering and the United Nations has urged combatants to assure safe passage to inhabitants trying to escape the fighting. The offensive to retake Falluja is part of Baghdad's campaign to reverse IS's capture of wide tracts of northern and western Iraq. Government forces retook the Anbar provincial capital Ramadi, near Falluja, in December. Four civilians were killed and 19 wounded in artillery fire on Falluja's center on Thursday, a source in the city's main hospital said via the internet. The death toll since the start of the military operation on Monday reached 47 - 30 civilians and 17 militants, he said. The army has not yet reached the city and is battling the militants in surrounding villages, according to military statements that reported progress on several fronts, with the backing of a Sunni tribal force and Shi'ite militias. Finland's TVO says Areva ended talks on delayed reactor project HELSINKI, May 26 (Reuters) - French nuclear group Areva has broken off talks with Finnish utility Teollisuuden Voima (TVO) over the delayed Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor, TVO said on Thursday. An Areva-Siemens consortium and TVO are seeking billions of euros from one another over delays and cost overruns on the EPR reactor originally planned to start operating in 2009 but now expected to open in 2018. "We believed that we were close to solutions, but the French side broke off the talks," TVO spokeswoman Anna Lehtiranta said. Areva said it was prepared to resume talks. "After a prolonged process of constructive negotiations with TVO, we were not able to conclude at this stage," Areva said in a statement. "Nevertheless, from our side, the door remains open." The dispute is blocking a planned takeover of Areva's nuclear reactor division by another state-controlled French utility EDF, which does not does not want to take on any Olkiluoto-related liabilities. The EPR, or European Pressurised Reactor, is a new-generation pressurised water reactor, built to resist the impact of a commercial airline crash. It has been widely criticised as too big and expensive and Areva has been forced to book billions of euros in provisions due to cost overruns. TVO's Lehtiranta said the Finnish company was ready to accept a proposed deal whereby the Olkiluoto contract would have been moved outside EDF and Areva would have paid TVO for the delays. The Finnish company is hitting back at French media reports this week, which said TVO had blocked the contract transfer. "We are not to blame, we are ready to continue the talks," Lehtiranta said. TVO says the reactor delay is a result of insufficient planning and execution by the supplier, while Areva argues that TVO's inflexibility has been partly to blame. When the project was launched, its cost was estimated at 3.2 billion euros ($3.6 billion), but in 2012 Areva estimated the overall cost would end up closer to 8.5 billion euros. TVO's owners include Finnish paper companies UPM and Stora Enso and utility Fortum. U.N. panel rejects press freedom watchdog accreditation request By Louis Charbonneau UNITED NATIONS, May 26 (Reuters) - The Committee to Protect Journalists, a press freedom watchdog group, was denied consultative status at the United Nations on Thursday, with South Africa, Russia and China among the countries that opposed it. New York-based CPJ reports on violations of press freedom in countries and conflict zones around the world, reporting and mobilizing action on behalf of journalists who have been targeted. A U.N. panel rejected its application for status that would have given it access to U.N. headquarters and allowed it to participate in many U.N. events. For years, the 19-member U.N. Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) had delayed action on the group's application for accreditation. The NGO committee rejected CPJ's application with 10 votes against, six in favor and three abstentions. Normally the committee decides by consensus, but a senior U.S. diplomat requested a vote after South Africa and other committee members kept posing questions that several Western diplomats denounced as a delaying tactic. "I wish I were here to commend the NGO Committee for its prompt, swift review of CPJ," U.S. representative to the U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Sarah Mendelson said before the vote. "Instead, even after seven sessions and a thorough vetting by all members of the Committee, many want their application to be deferred again." Western diplomats said the U.N. NGO committee has become increasingly unfriendly to organizations supporting Western notions of human rights, noting that gay rights NGOs and other groups have had trouble securing accreditation. The NGO committee's current members are Azerbaijan, Burundi, China, Cuba, Greece, Guinea, India, Iran, Israel, Mauritania, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Sudan, Turkey, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela. Western diplomats said they were especially disappointed by South Africa, whose delegation criticized CPJ for, among other things, not supporting punishment for speech that incites hatred. The CPJ has noted that there is no internationally agreed definition of the term "hate speech." A Russian delegate said he had "serious doubts about whether this organization really is a non-governmental organization." China, Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Sudan were also among those who voted against CPJ's accreditation. It is possible to overturn the NGO committee's decision through a vote in the full 54-nation ECOSOC. It is likely that the United States or another Western country will request such a vote. Yemen's warring sides agree prisoner swap before Ramadan KUWAIT, May 26 (Reuters) - Yemen's warring parties have agreed to a prisoner exchange before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in early June, sources from both delegations told Reuters on Thursday. The decision was a show of goodwill between the Iran-allied Houthis and Yemen's Saudi-backed exile government as peace talks in Kuwait aimed at ending a year-long war dragged into a second month. However, the two sides appeared to differ on the number of prisoners to be released. Sources from the Houthi militia's delegation said 1,000 prisoners would be swapped, while a government source said the agreement entailed the release of "all detainees," who number more than 4,000. The sides will submit a list of prisoner requests to U.N. mediators within two days, after which "local committees" would be created to facilitate the exchanges, the Houthi sources said. At a news conference earlier in the day, U.N. envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed told reporters officials from the International Committee of the Red Cross had met with the delegations to explain its possible role in a release process. A prisoner swap has been a long-sought sign of progress for the talks. Government sources at the U.N.-backed peace talks said in early May an agreement had been struck to release all prisoners within 20 days, but Houthi delegates said they had only considered the proposal, not approved it. A tentative U.N-backed ceasefire has been in place since last month to give the peace talks in Kuwait a chance. Both sides have regularly accused the other of violations. Croatian government in doubt as coalition partners split over confidence vote ZAGREB, May 26 (Reuters) - The future of Croatia's centre-right government was in doubt on Thursday after the junior coalition partner said it would support the removal of the deputy prime minister in a confidence vote to be held by June 18. The move could topple the four-month-old government and trigger a snap election. The opposition Social Democrats filed a no-confidence motion against Tomislav Karamarko earlier this month, saying he could not remain in government due to an alleged conflict of interest posed by a business deal between his wife and a lobbyist friend. "Due to his political responsibility and a burden he represents for the government, it would be good if he withdrew from his role in the executive," Bozo Petrov, leader of the small reformist Most (Bridge) party, said in an interview for the Jutarnji List daily. Karamarko, who leads the conservative HDZ party, the biggest party in the coalition, has denied that his wife's business dealings with a long-time friend and contractor for Hungary's MOL, - the biggest shareholder in Croatian energy company INA - presented any conflict of interest. He offered to exempt himself from decisions on INA until the case was resolved. The government, led by technocrat Tihomir Oreskovic, is to give its opinion on the case for Karamarko's resignation on Friday. Petrov said he had informed Karamarko that Most would vote for his withdrawal from government. The State Commission for the Resolution of Conflicts of Interest, a body appointed by parliament, last week began an investigation into the accusations against Karamarko. The commission can impose fines on officials found to have conflicts of interest. Hiroshima taught Americans how to justify attacks abroad By Peter Van Buren May 26 (Reuters) - On May 27, Barack Obama will become the first sitting American president to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, the site of the world's first atomic bombing. Though highly photogenic, the visit will otherwise be one that avoids acknowledging the true historical meaning of the place. Like his official predecessors (Secretary of State John Kerry visited the Peace Memorial in early April, as did two American ambassadors before him), Obama will not address the key issues surrounding the attack. "He will not revisit the decision to use the atomic bomb," Benjamin Rhodes, deputy national security adviser for strategic communications, stated well ahead of time. With rare exception, the question of whether the atomic bombs were necessary to end World War Two is debated only deep within the safety of American academic circles: could a land invasion have been otherwise avoided? Would more diplomacy have achieved the same ends without the destruction of two cities? Could an atomic test on a deserted island have convinced the Japanese? Was the surrender instead driven primarily by the entry of the Soviets into the Pacific War, which, by historical accident, took place two days after Hiroshima-and the day before Nagasaki was immolated? But it is not only the history of the decision itself that is sidestepped. Beyond the acts of destruction lies the myth of the atomic bombings, the post-war creation of a mass memory of things that did not happen. The short version of the atomic myth, the one kneaded into public consciousness, is that the bombs were not dropped out of revenge or malice, but of grudging military necessity. As a result, the attacks have not generated deep introspection and national reflection over their morality. The use of the term "myth" is appropriate. Harry Truman, in his 1945 announcement of the bomb, focused on vengeance, and on the new, extraordinary power the United States alone possessed. The military necessity argument was largely created later, in a 1947 article defending the use of the atomic bomb, written by former Secretary of War Henry Stimson, though actually drafted by McGeorge Bundy (later an architect of the Vietnam War) and James Conant (a scientist who helped build the original bomb). Conant described the article's purpose at the beginning of the Cold War as "You have to get the past straight before you do much to prepare people for the future." The Stimson article was a response to journalist John Hersey's account of the human suffering in Hiroshima, first published in 1946 in the New Yorker and later as a book. Due to wartime censorship, Americans knew little of the ground truth of atomic war, and Hersey's piece was shocking enough to the public that it required that formal White House response. Americans' general sense of themselves as a decent people needed to be reconciled with what was done in their name. The Stimson article was quite literally the moment of creation of the Hiroshima myth. The national belief that no moral wrong was committed with the atomic bombs, and thus there was no need for reflection and introspection (the blithe way Nagasaki is treated as a historical afterthought - "and Nagasaki, too" - only drives home the point), echoes forward through today. It was 9/11, the new Pearl Harbor, that started a series of immoral acts allegedly servicing, albeit destructively and imperfectly, the moral imperative of saving lives by killing. America's decisions on war, torture, rendition and indefinite detention are seen by most as the distasteful but necessary actions of fundamentally good people against fundamentally evil ones. Hiroshima set in motion a sweeping, national generalization that if we do it, it is right. And with that, the steps away from the violence of Hiroshima and the shock-and-awe horrors inside the Iraqi prison of Abu Ghraib are merely a matter of degree. The myth allows the world's most powerful nation to go to war as a victim after the tragic beheadings of even a small number of civilians. Meanwhile, the drone deaths of children at a wedding party are seen as unfortunate but only collateral damage in service to the goal of defeating global terrorism itself. It is a grim calculus that parses acts of violence to conclude some are morally justified simply based on who held the knife. We may, in fact, think we are practically doing the people of Afghanistan a favor by killing some of them, as we believe we did for tens of thousands of Japanese that might have been lost in a land invasion of their home islands to otherwise end World War Two. There is little debate in the "war on terror" because debate is largely unnecessary; the myth of Hiroshima says an illusion of expediency wipes away any concerns over morality. And with that neatly tucked away in our conscience, all that is left is pondering where to strike next. Japan, too, is guilty of failing to look deep into itself over its own wartime acts. Yet compared to the stunning array of atrocities during and since World War Two, the world's only use of nuclear weapons still holds a significant place in infamy. To try and force the Japanese government to surrender (and no one in 1945 knew if the plan would even work) by making it watch mass casualties of innocents, and then to hold the nation hostage to future serial attacks on defenseless cities with the promise of more bombs to come, speaks to a cruelty previously unseen. Ivory Coast arrests man suspected of link to Grand Bassam hotel attack ABIDJAN, May 26 (Reuters) - Ivory Coast authorities arrested a man on Thursday suspected of transporting weapons for an attack that killed 19 people at the beach resort of Grand Bassam in March, according to national television. "The driver who transported the weapons was arrested Thursday. He is currently being interrogated in the police station," said a presenter on national television. No other details were given. Reuters could not immediately verify the statement and the police were not available for comment. Gunmen shot swimmers and sunbathers before storming into several hotels in Grand Bassam, 40 km (25 miles) from the commercial capital, Abidjan, on March 13. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack. About 17 people have been arrested in connection with the attacks, although the suspected ringleader, Kounta Dallah, remains at large. Nani Palkhivala once told me over a late night whisky in his Bombay flat that he feared that a country that had once achieved greatness was doomed forever to oblivion. The eminent jurist was speaking of India, but Dean Acheson, the American politician, probably had something similar in mind when he delivered his jibe that England had lost an empire without finding a role. It's here in Portugal that I should be reminded sharply of both comments, but am not. That's because the placid Portuguese have accepted the turn of destiny's wheel with a philosophic calm that should be a Hindu yogi's envy. Legends I first encountered this characteristic in a young man in a crowded bus from San Gimignano in Tuscany to a wayside town called Poggibonsi. Having waited a long time for this only conveyance on a lonely road, my wife and I, much older than most other passengers, were rather tired. The youth, one of a group of students at Florence University, made space for us to sit on the steps. He was Portuguese, he explained in good English, and his grandfather's brother, whom he had never seen, had been a Jesuit priest in Goa and was imprisoned in India for several years. "He died before I was born," the boy said cheerfully, "but he's a family legend." India was a country he hoped to visit. There must be many such legends in many Portuguese families for this little country carved out the first global empire in history. Apart from Goa, Daman and Diu, it ruled Angola and Mozambique. Its royal family provided Brazil with an emperor who made Brazil independent of Portugal. A Portuguese princess brought Bombay as part of her dowry to England's King Charles II. Spanning almost six centuries, Portugal's empire survived the longest among modern European colonial empires. It covered vast territories that are now in 60 different sovereign states. They rank with Nineveh and Tyre, so far as Portugal is concerned. There's no sign here of the wallowing in imperial glory that surfaces in Britain's nostalgic exhibitions and cloying literature. But there was certainly a flash of pride in 1998 when Lisbon celebrated the 500th anniversary of Vasco da Gama's arrival in India on May 20, 1498. The event didn't go down well in India. If I remember right, it was a cause of contention and confusion. The Union government was keen on participating in an exposition in Lisbon. It discussed the matter with Portugal's foreign minister, Jamie Gama, who visited India to formalise plans for the year-long celebration and a bilateral committee was set up. Kerala's CPI(M)-led government was even more enthusiastic about a German tour operator's plan to re-enact Vasco da Gama's landing in Calicut which was expected to draw thousands of Western tourists. Objection But rabble-rousing BJP politicians seized the platform. An organisation called the Deshpremi Nagrik Samiti sprouted protests in Goa. Rioters burnt effigies of the long dead Vasco da Gama. Eventually, Inder Kumar Gujral, the United Front prime minister, caved in to populist patriotic pressure. Ironically, the objection was that by discovering the sea route between Europe and India, Vasco da Gama brought colonialism. Yet, there doesn't appear to be similar opposition to Britain which - unlike Portugal - established colonial rule over the entire country. Nor does anyone remember that the Mughals and Lodhis, in whose architecture we take pride, were also alien conquerors. Given the gulf between Indian rhetoric and action, I wouldn't be at all surprised if many of the Goa, Kerala and Maharashtra protesters took advantage of package tourism deals to be among the 11 million visitors to Lisbon for the anniversary. It's no secret either that thousands of Goans are now seeking Portuguese nationality. Forgotten I doubt if Indian contortions were ever reported here. If so, they must long ago have been forgotten. But the celebrations 18 years ago have enriched Lisbon with memorable monuments. The 17km Vasco da Gama bridge over the Tagus river is in constant use; a 145m lattice tower and skyscraper overlook the river; Kerala's vegetation inspired a nearby arcade of concrete and glass palm trees. They further embellish a city already noted for sprawling parks, gushing fountains, wide dual carriageways, ornate tile facades and beautiful intricate statuary. Lisbon is an attractive and tranquil city. It's also a city that does not resist history. It blends past and present in harmony. Old names remain; old heroes are honoured. The contrasting attitude to imperialism recalls the tale of two Zen monks who came upon an old woman waiting on the river's bank to be carried across. The younger of the two monks easily picked her up, took her across, put her down, and he and his companion went their way. The older monk was troubled and, towards nightfall, could no longer contain himself. He burst out that his friend had broken their vow not to touch women. Unabashed, the younger monk replied, "I carried her across the river for ten minutes. You have carried her in your mind all day." Portugal has forgotten its imperial exploits. Indians are forever prisoners of imperialism, real or imagined. This special edition is based on the Sportz trim but gets some additional features like a 6.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system, rear spoilers, decals and more. To celebrating 20 years of its presence in India, Hyundai launched a limited edition Grand i10 at Rs 5.68 lakh and Rs 6.60 lakh for the petrol and diesel variants respectively. All prices ex-showroom Delhi. This special edition is based on the Sportz trim but gets some additional features like a 6.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system, rear spoilers, decals and more. Rakesh Srivastava, Sr. VP Sales and Marketing, HMIL, said at the launch, "Grand i10 has been a trendsetter & India's most loved hatchback winning many awards including the most coveted Indian Car of the Year 2014. Introduction of Grand i10 special edition will further enhance the value proposition of the product and aims to achieve the highest customer satisfaction." Some of the upgrades include the addition of a 6.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system, red side body decals, hubcaps, blackened B-Pillar, rear spoiler with integrated brake lights and a special edition badge. The interiors are also tuned to be sporty by giving them a red-black dual tone colour theme. The changes introduced are similar to the ones in the special edition Xcent. The sedan too received a 6.2-inch touchscreen audio system with the 20th anniversary badge at the rear. Mechanical and transmission duties are kept unaltered (just as in the Xcent) and the 1.2-litre petrol and the 1.1-litre diesel engine has been carry forwarded. The carmaker organised the Mega Experience Hyundai Program to express gratitude towards customers on its 20th anniversary. The programme consisted of free check-ups for Hyundai cars at places such as malls, residential societies, parking lots and petrol pumps ito facilitate maximum engagement. Source CarDekho.com Hyderabad: Banks have so far distributed Rs 1.32 lakh crore under the NDA government's flagship scheme 'Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana' to as many as 3.48 crore beneficiaries, most of them from weaker sections across the country, Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya said on Thursday. "Most of the beneficiaries belong to SC, ST and weaker sections. This is not an ordinary task. Loans worth Rs 1.32 lakh crore were extended by banks to you people (economically weaker sections). So this government is pro-poor government. But Rahul Gandhi (Congress Vice-President) does not accept and understand this," Dattatreya said in a meeting here organised by Andhra Bank. He also said under the 'Prime Minister Jan Dhan Yojna' as many as 22 crore new bank accounts were opened and the banks have got Rs 32,000 crore towards deposits in those accounts. The Labour Minister further said that so far 87 lakh youths have been given training in skill development. "Providing employment to unemployed is on the high priority for our government. In the coming next two years, one crore unemployed (people) will be provided employment opportunity," he said. Meanwhile, Andhra Bank said the bank has sanctioned Rs 1,721.19 crore to 2.34 lakh beneficiaries under PMMY. The federal government has asked state governments to impose stock limits on sugar to avoid hoarding by traders. Mumbai/London: Indian authorities are expected to hold off before cutting or cancelling a 40 per cent raw sugar import duty as a last resort to tackle surging domestic prices as the country shifts from net exporter to importer. Soaring domestic sugar prices in the world's second-biggest producer, where drought has cut yields in the main growing regions such as Maharashtra, mean that mills will increasingly spurn the export market. Production in the current year ending September 30 is likely to drop following two drought years in a row. The federal government has asked state governments to impose stock limits on sugar to avoid hoarding by traders. Traders spoke of market talk that India could move to either reduce or cancel the raw sugar import duty. However, no imminent action was expected. I don't think the government will scrap the import duty any time soon, said Rohit Pawar, chief executive of Baramati Agro, which operates sugar mills in Maharashtra. Yes, sugar prices have risen in the past few months but now they are running just above production cost. In the past few years mills have incurred huge losses as they were forced to sell sugar below production cost. In such a situation duty-free imports can depress local prices and cane payment arrears will start rising. A government official, who declined to be identified, said, Right now there is no proposal (to scrap the import duty) on the table. A Mumbai-based dealer with a global trading firm said the government had to maintain a delicate balance between the interests of farmers and consumers. Aggressive steps to dampen prices, such as a cut in the raw sugar import duty, could damage the central governments image among farmers. Duty-free import is the last weapon the government has to control price rises, the dealer said. It will do it in phased manner. From 40 per cent, it will first reduce the duty to 20 percent. If prices rally even after the reduction, only then it will allow duty-free imports. European traders said they also doubted that Indian authorities would move soon to cut or cancel the duty, as stocks in India were sufficiently high to make such a move unnecessary for now. Group Executive Director of Tata Steel Koushik Chatterjee speaks during press conference of Q4 Financial Results announcement in Mumbai Tata Steel Ltd is evaluating bids for British assets it has put on sale, India's biggest steelmaker said on Wednesday, reporting a smaller fourth-quarter net loss of $478 million. In March, Tata Steel said it wanted to sell its loss-making operation in Britain, putting 15,000 jobs at risk and highlighting the impact of cheap Chinese imports, high energy costs and a global supply glut. Earlier on Wednesday, UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who is under pressure to save local jobs, said Tata had received an "encouraging number" of offers but also warned that there were no guarantees of a successful conclusion. Tata Steel Group Executive Director Koushik Chatterjee told a news conference on Wednesday that the bid deadline was last Monday, but did not comment on the bidders or the timeline of a sale. Tata Steel posted a consolidated net loss of 32.14 billion rupees ($478 million) for the three months to March, compared with 56.74 billion rupees a year earlier. Net sales during the fourth fiscal quarter fell 12.5 percent from a year earlier to 291.6 billion rupees. London/Japan: Tata Steel has received a number of serious offers for its businesses in Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Wednesday as steel workers marched past Downing Street to put pressure on the government to get a deal. Britain's steel industry has been hit by cheap Chinese imports, high energy costs and a global supply glut and in March Tata said it wanted to sell its remaining plants in the country, putting 15,000 jobs at risk. Tata's decision has turned the spotlight on the global steel market and the impact of Chinese exports that could lead to protectionist trade policies. The British government is keen to avoid job losses just weeks before a referendum on membership of the European Union and has offered financial support to help find a new buyer for Tata Steel UK. "We continue to work towards trying to get a good outcome for Tata in south Wales, the sales process is under way, there has been an encouraging number of serious offers coming through," Cameron said on a flight to Japan for a G7 meeting. A Tata Steel executive said the company was in the process of evaluating bids for its British assets. Britain's steel industry is not alone in facing tough market conditions, with producers across Europe and the United States also struggling. Earlier on Wednesday, 12 global steel associations urged the G7 to prevent cheap Chinese steel distorting world markets and inflicting further pain on producers. Saving the industry Tata steel workers highlighted their plight with their protest march on Wednesday past Downing Street and Britain's parliament. "It's not just about steel. We have to secure the manufacturing base in the UK," steel worker Ian Williams, 32, from Tata's Port Talbot plant in south Wales, told Reuters. "What we want is for Tata to be a responsible seller but also find the right buyer. What they will have in return is one of the best, most committed workforces in the UK." Sources told Reuters on Tuesday at least four individual bids had been submitted, from management buyout vehicle Excalibur Steel, entrepreneur Sanjeev Gupta's Liberty House metals group, India's JSW Steel Ltd and investment firm Greybull Capital. Tata did not comment on the bidding process. Cameron said: "We have just got to stick at it and do everything we can to try to bring this to a successful conclusion. As I have always said, there are no guarantees, we can't guarantee this is going to work but we are doing everything we can." Government officials said they were confident the offer of state support would be enough to secure a sale. Business Secretary Sajid Javid held talks with Tata chairman Cyrus Mistry in Mumbai ahead of the company's board meeting later on Wednesday, which is expected to produce a shortlist from among the bidders. "(Javid) is really encouraged by all the proposals that were submitted. I would describe it as a productive meeting," a government source said. Javid has spoken to each of the bidders. As well as poring over the details of the bids, the two hours of talks focused on the government's willingness to back the sale with hundreds of millions of pounds of support. The government has said such support is likely to take the form of loans on commercial terms, and could see the government take an equity stake of up to 25 per cent. Any announcement on which bids Tata is looking to pursue could come later this week. One of the major hurdles that Britain is looking to remove from the sales process is a 485 million-pound ($710 million) deficit in pension scheme liabilities, although the government said it could not yet comment on exactly how it planned to mitigate that liability. The BBC reported that ministers were expected to announce on Thursday proposals to overhaul the pension scheme, and the government was considering cuts to pension benefits to help smooth a sale. However, the Guardian newspaper, citing unnamed sources, reported that while Tata was running its sale process, it was also considering keeping the UK business as it evaluated the performance of its operations and the package of support being offered by the government. Titan Company, which has iconic brands such as Tanishq, Titan and Zoya among others has been listed as the 32nd most powerful luxury brand. MUMBAI: Indian luxury brands have finally made their way into the top 100 luxury goods globally. Major retail jewellery brands like Titan, Gitanjali Gems and PC Jewellers have been featured for the first time in top 100 global brands, Deloitte said. The top three companies in the global luxury brands list are the Frances Louis Vuitton, Switzerlands Richemont and US Estee Laude. The ranking is based on the luxury goods sales in FY14. Titan Company, which has iconic brands such as Tanishq, Titan and Zoya among others has been listed as the 32nd most powerful luxury brand while Gitanjali Gems with popular brands like Nakshatra and Maya has been listed at 42 closely followed by PC Jewellers. India is one of the only three countries in Asia, which have luxury brands. The other Asian countries are China and South Korea. China, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US together represent 84 per cent of the top 100 luxury goods companies. Germany and India have three each, Austria and Brazil two each, Denmark, Luxembourg and Korea have one each. Sonam Kapoor said, "The whole idea of fashion and make-up is for people to discuss it and I guess she wanted to be discussed." New Delhi: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan might say sporting a purple lipstick at Cannes was a call taken by her cosmetic brand but Sonam Kapoor believes the 'Sarbjit' actress opted for the shade because she wanted to be "talked about". Aishwarya, who completed her 15 years at Cannes this year, shocked one and all when she attended screening of a film swearing a purple lipcolour. When asked what she felt about Aishwarya's purple lips outing and the flak it received, Sonam said the actress should be happy with the attention she got. "The whole idea of fashion and make-up is for people to discuss it and I guess she wanted to be discussed. She achieved what she wanted to achieve with it, which I think is great," Sonam told PTI. When told that Aishwarya has called it L'Oreal's prerogative, Sonam, 30, quipped, "I don't think she walked for L'Oreal that day. There was an Amul ad on it, people were discussing it. I think it was great to do it on a 15th year, it's cool. She was trending everywhere." Sonam, who is also one of the celebrity faces of the cosmetic brand, said she liked the colour and felt Aishwarya carried it off with "an aplomb." When asked if she would ever try a shade like that, the 'Neerja' actress said, "I have done purple lipstick in the past, I have even done black for a shoot... People haven't spoken about me!" One of Sonam's red carpet appearance at the coveted festival, a saree-inspired long white gown, was also poked fun at. Unfazed by it, Sonam, who found the gown her best outfit, said, "There were just one or two people (who cracked jokes on the dress) but I think it was my most incredible look. I don't believe in taking anything personally. I dress for myself and I felt beautiful." Interestingly, the actress stuck to just one designer brand, Ralph & Russo. "They (Michael and Tamara) are very good friends of mine. I spent New Years with them. I wanted to do something Indian-inspired and they kind of love India and love me. That's why I did jhumkas and a saree-gown, which I think was incredible." While fashion critics and young women keep a close eye on stars' red carpet outfits at Cannes, for Sonam, the festival is about broadening her horizon as an actor by meeting international artists. "Meeting people across the world always broadens your horizon. Being a part of Indian film industry is like you are living in a cucoon. You don't feel like there's more to life than that." Saif wrapped up work on Rangoon, while Kareena wrapped up 'Udta Punjab' before heading out for a holiday. Saif Ali Khan and wife Kareena Kapoor Khan, are enjoying some alone time away from the hustle and bustle of Bollywood. The couple, who are currently holidaying in London, were spotted out on a casual stroll around the neighbourhood. Saif wrapped up work on Rangoon before jet setting out of Mumbai with his actress wife. Kareena on the other hand, had released her romantic-comedy Ki and Ka and also shot her upcoming drama Udta Punjab. The actress launched the films first trailer before heading out on a holiday. She is expected to return in time for the films release in June. A handful of pictures of the actress have made their way online. Kareena has been seen rocking large winter coats, scarves and knee high boots. Early this week, reports stated that Kareena is expecting her first child. Could she be using these accessories to shield her baby bump? Saif and Kareena spotted strolling around their London neighbourhood. Kareena had recently denied rumours of her pregnancy, stating that she was not planning to have a baby for another two years. Saif also spoke up and said that he was in no rush to become a father again, and that he didnt mind waiting till his wife was ready. On Thursday, Kareena and Saif partied the night away at Karan Johar's 44th birthday bash in London. The two stars met up with close friends like Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Shweta Nanda Bachchan and even Sidharth Malhotra. Actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are getting a divorce, after Heard filed for divorce papers in Monday citing irreconcilable differences and seeking spousal support three days after the actors mother Betty Sue passed away. According to TMZ.com, Depp has himself filed a motion asking the judge to reject Heards plea for financial support. Sources say that Heard and Depp the latter of whom is worth $400 million and owns a private island in The Bahamas do not have a pre-nup agreement. The two have been married for 15 months, but sources say that Depps family never approved or liked Heard. When Betty had moved in with the couple earlier this year, tension between the two was said to be rife with the rest of the family also blaming Heard for keeping Depp away from them. Jr NTR is busy shooting for his upcoming film Janata Garage and the films team left for Chennai on Thursday. The actor will hence miss his grandfather, late NTRs birthday event which will be conducted in Hyderabad. Jr NTR usually visits NTR Ghat and pays tribute to his grandfather every year. But because of his hectic schedule this time, the actor paid his tribute two days earlier, on Thursday. Generally, he never misses out on his grandfathers birthday, but this time he is going to be in Chennai, so he paid the tribute early, says a source close to the actor. Koratala Shiva, the director of Janata Garage, also accompanied Jr NTR to NTR Ghat. The films first look was released on May 20, on the occasion of Jr NTRs birthday and received good response. The unit will stay in Chennai till June 2 and the film is slated for an August 12 release. If you want to avoid hordes of tourists or screaming children and also want to give the Chennai heat a miss set out to a few of these destinations in June. What makes it even better is that you can experince a one-of-a-kind festival wherever you go! Champakulam Moolam Boat Race Kerala, June 20: King Devanarayana of Chempakasseri ordered a temple to be built in honour of Lord Krishna. When the workers were enroute Ambalapuzha, where the idol was supposed to be instituted, they stopped midway in Champakula to rest for the night. The next day, a grand procession of boats and a ceremonial procession carried the idol to Ambalapuzha, says the legend. Thats what makes Champakula special, and to celebrate this as the resting place of the idol of Krishna, boat rides and festivities continue to date. It happens to be one of the most popular vallam kallis (snake boat race) in the state various types of boats like chundan, eppu, iruttu kuthi, churulan and others can be found participating. Ambubachi Mela Assam, June 22 to 26: The Tantric cult residing in Assam, gather at the Ambubachi Temple in Guwahati for this four-day festival. They believe that the deity residing there, Devi Kamakhya, goes through her menstrual cycle for the first three days. No farming, or auspicious activity takes place and even the temple remains shut. On the fourth day, the goddess is bathed and decorated and worshipping this pure form is said to bring good luck. Devotees flock to the temple, donning red clothes or angavastra (to symbolise menstruation), and consume a prasad (holy food) called angodak, which is in liquid form (symbolising menstrual blood). Ganga Dussehra Along the banks, June 19: It is said that sage Bhagirath spent many years convincing Mother Ganga to come down to land and bless the region so when she finally did begin to flow the people rejoiced! Even today, this festival is celebrated in the rivers honour, and is a way of paying respect for the rivers contributions. Ganga Dussehra is a popular festival in places like Varanasi, Allahabad, Haridwar and Rishikesh priests perform artis for the goddess Ganga, devotees take a dip in the river, oil lamps are lit and small boats made with leaves that contain burning camphor, flowers and sweets are let into the water. Donations are also made to the less-fortunate. Sindhu Darshan festival Ladakh, Day of Guru Purnima: This is another river festival, celebrated in Leh (Jammu and Kashmir). Hundreds of devotees from in and around the district gather to bay tribute to the Sindhu River, also known as the Indus, and it has been an annual affair since 1997. Each person visiting Shey (the region where the celebration takes place) brings an earthen pot filled with water from their homes/localities and empties it into the Sindhu, as a way of showing gratitude. This is followed by Lamas (priests) chanting hymns, and then begin the dance and music performances. Dancers wear intricate, colourful costumes along with masks, which depict different characters in the Buddhist/Tibetan culture. Sao Joao Feast of St John the Baptist Goa, June 24: Myth says that when John Baptist heard of Jesus Christs birth, he was still in his mother Elizabeths womb and started kicking out of joy. Thats why on the day of Sao Joao, men jump into wells or rivers the water bodies are symbolic of Elizabeths womb. Family and friends also toss gifts into the well, which are then retrieved by the men. All the towns in Goa come to life, and festivities like singing, dancing, boat rides and exchange of fruits and vegetables are carried out. And of course, nobody keeps track of how much feni one drinks! Summer Festival Shimla, June 1 to 9: This festival was first organised in the 1960s, to celebrate the arrival of summer. Now, the District Administration hosts the 10-day long festival in order to boost tourism. It is indeed a spectacular sight, because of the number of performers who gather there to sing and dance their colourful costumes painting a fabulous picture against the lush green trees and clear blue skies. Many handicraft exhibitions that display crafts made by the locals and tribes are set up. Games for both kids and adults, as well as a fashion show are also organised. Many celebrities including the likes of Mohammad Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar and others, have been invited to perform at the Ridge of Shimla, which is where the event is conducted. On Sunday night, however, the victim insisted that no wrong had been done to her , saying the three men were her friends (Representational image) Bengaluru: In a shocking display of brutality, a Dalit woman was kidnapped, kept in confinement and gang raped by three men over a period of two days and three nights. The incident, which came to light on Tuesday evening, took place in Chikkabalapur district. District police swung into action the same evening and began a massive hunt for the four men. All of the accused had been arrested by Wednesday morning and booked under section 376 2(G)of the IPC and section 3 (1) (xii) in the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. 22 year old Girish, who is a labourer in a cargo company, is the victims alleged lover. His three friends are Shiv Kumar (20), Shashidhar (22) - both men are auto-rickshaw drivers and Ramesh Babu (18), a carpenter. All the four are said to be residents of Chikkabalapur. Police said Girish had befriended the victim a few days ago. The two began keeping in touch over the phone and on Friday, he called the young woman to meet him in person. She arrived at the designated spot and found his three friends instead. She asked them where Girish was and they took her to a house in Dinnehalli, where she was confined. They raped her in turns for three nights. However, they ran out of luck on Sunday night, when their auto was stopped by a beat policeman who had grown suspicious at the sight of three men traveling with a woman. Ramesh Babu and Shashidhar fled the spot, while Shiv Kumar was taken to the police station, said a senior police officer. On Sunday night, however, the victim insisted that no wrong had been done to her , saying the three men were her friends. She even gave a written statement to that effect, said the officer. Realising something was amiss, the sub-inspector kept Shiv Kumar in custody hoping to question him further, while the victim was sent to an NGO where she received counseling. On Tuesday night, said the officer, members of the NGO came to the police station and filed a gangrape complaint. The officer added, On Sunday night the survivor denied any wrong doing and gave a written statement saying that three men were her friends. But, realizing something amiss, the sub-inspector kept Shivkumar in police custody to question him further while the woman was sent to a NGO where when she was counseled by NGO people she narrated the horror. On Tuesday night at 8 pm, she along with NGO members came to police station and filed a gang rape complaint. All four accused caught in 14 hours A special team was formed on Tuesday evening, when the complaint was filed. All four accused were accused within 14 hours of the incident being brought to light. Shiv Kumar was arrested first, at around 3 am on Wednesday morning, while the other two were caught four hours later, based on the information he provided. Another team arrested Girish based on inputs given by the victim and through his mobile phone records. Girish was apprehended at around 11 am. In her statement to the police, the survivor said that Girish was involved in the gang-rape as he knew her location. However, the three arrested denied having any sort of alliance with him. The probe is on and all four accused are being questioned, said police. Hyderabad: Like many people who in a bid to earn money get carried away by lucrative offers in Gulf nations and end up getting duped, a 30-year-old womans dream of earning a good salary was shattered as she was duped and viciously put to slavery at Hafar Al Batin, about 490 km from Dammam. A fashion designer by profession, Husna, was offered job at a hospital in Riyadh and was asked to design clothes for the staff. To support her family residing in Hyderabad's Rajendranagar, she accepted the offer. Though Husna was supposed to go to Riyadh, she was provided a ticket to Dammam. After a week, the girl grew suspicious of her employer Abu Saif. Later, she was asked to clean the house where she is putting up and then she discovered that she has been sold to Saif. Husna posted few pictures on WhatsApp, which clearly showed that she is not only being made to do household chores at Saifs place but also being tortured. Her parents filed a complaint with the Mumbai police as the recruiter is from the city. They also made efforts to speak to the recruiter, but in vain. The police have assured speedy justice, but nothing much has been done to free Husna. This is not an isolated incident. A number of complaints have been filed with the police wherein people have been duped and trapped as slaves in Gulf countries. The Telangana government is working hard to stop such hoax recruitments. The state government has also sought Centres intervention in the case. Tirunelveli: A 33-year-old man allegedly murdered his "look alike" in order to escape from a rape case at Manimoortheeswaram in this district, police said on Thursday. Sudalairaj, for whom a search is on after his drama came to light recently, had allegedly raped a minor girl about four months ago promising to marry her. He went absconding after she became pregnant and a rape complaint was lodged against him. Meanwhile, Sudalairaj allegedly murdered his "look alike", disfigured his face and kept his voter ID card and mobile phone in his shirt pocket to give an impression that the dead man was he himself, police said. Sudalairaj's parents also joined him in the drama identifying the body of the youth as their son's following which police handed over it to them for cremation. Sudalairaj's wife also put on 'widow' appearance, to give further credence to the drama. However, one of the friends of Sudalairaj, who went to Tiruppur to work in a company, met him there. Sudalairaj had confessed to his friend that he was leading an underground life. The friend informed police following which a special team had been formed to nab Sudalairaj, police said. The troops of 35 Rashtriya Rifles challenged the infiltrating militants who opened fire, triggering a gun battle between the two sides. (Photo: PTI/ Representational Image) Srinagar: Two militants were on Thursday killed in an ongoing gun battle as the Army scuttled a major infiltration attempt from across the border in Naugam sector of north Kashmir's Kupwara district. Troops guarding the Line of Control (LoC) intercepted a group of five to six militants, who were trying to sneak into this side, near Toot Mari Gali in Naugam sector early this morning, an Army official said. He said the troops of 35 Rashtriya Rifles challenged the infiltrating militants who opened fire, triggering a gun battle between the two sides. "Two militants have been killed so far and their bodies are lying near the encounter spot," the official said, adding the operation in the dense bushes is still going on. Defence sources said additional reinforcements of 18 Jat and first Naga regiment have joined the operation to neutralise the remaining militants. When the ACB or the Vigilance Enforcement wing completes an inquiry, the government is supposed to accept it and act accordingly within a month. Hyderabad: The Anti Corruption Bureau has named 1,118 state government personnel in the liquor syndicate scam that broke out in 2010 in undivided AP. They are being shielded by the government, as are hundreds more by their departments. Whenever a corrupt officer is trapped, a detailed report is submitted to the department concerned for permission to prosecute the official. The department either objects, keeps the file unattended, or passes it to the Tribunal for Disciplinary Proceedings. Forum for Good Governance secretary M. Padmanabha Reddy, who has written to the Chief Minister on the issue, said the ACB and other vigilance wings register cases against corrupt officials and submit reports to the respective departments for permission to prosecute the officials. In the Secretariat the reports are manipulated and very rarely is the request for prosecution granted, he said. The report is either returned with objections or kept unattended or sent to the Tribunal for Disciplinary Proceedings, much against the request for permission to prosecute. These manipulations are encouraging emplo-yees to resort to corruption. The Secretariat is protecting tainted officials from prosecution, Mr Padmanabha Reddy said. When the ACB or the Vigilance Enforcement wing completes an inquiry, the government is supposed to accept it and act accordingly within a month. The corruption cases should be brought to their logical conclusion in two years. At present, however, this takes anywhere between 10 and 20 years, according to government sources. In 2010, the undivided AP government ordered an inquiry by an ACB Special Investigation Team into the liquor syndicate scam. The ACB registered 48 cases involving 1,118 officials: 869 from revenue, 247 from home. two from other departments and 174 non-officials. The affected persons approached the officials and got their names deleted. Permission for prosecution was granted only in a few cases. After two years, the cases were referred to the Tribunal for Disciplinary Proceedings, where the post of member III has been vacant since 2007. These cases are gathering dust. Prasad Rao, owner of an educational institution in Karimnagar, committed suicide due to alleged harassment by Karimnagar assistant sub-inspector Mohan Reddy. A case under Section 306 was registered on October 29, 2015. Police found that senior police officers were involved and Mohan Reddy was just a pawn. ACB registered a case of disproportionate assets against Mohan Reddy in 2006 and recommended prosecution. After two years, the file was sent to the Tribunal for Disciplinary Proceedings. When the tribunal requested original records, the department took four years to provide them, In the meantime Mohan Reddy was promoted twice. The ACB states that in spite of protesting, the government did not accord permission to prosecute him. The commissioner of Kapra municipality had sanctioned construction of a G+1 house in 1997 to one B. Satyavati at Hastinapuri Colony. When it was built, there was up to 100 per cent deviation from the plans and the road was encroached. Planning supervisor M. Shekar Reddy failed to prevent the illegal construction. The vigilance department submitted a report to the government but no action has been taken. In about 20 cases, the government issued orders proposing inquiries against tainted officials, but the department did not take action. Some officers were promoted, others retired and some died. In 2010 the vigilance department found hundreds of teachers had produced fake medical reimbursement bills and drawn lakhs of rupees fraudulently. The vigilance department recommended criminal action under Sections 403, 409 and 120 (B) of IPC. At the secretariat, the recommendation of the vigilance department lay unattended and a decision was taken to recover the amount from the teachers. In 2008, about 2,000 teachers secured promotions by submitting fake MA and B.Ed certificates from private and deemed universities. The Lokayukta, after inquiry, directed the Commissioner of School Education to file criminal cases against the teachers and the DEOs who had promoted them. No action has been initiated. Police bring the accused of the online sex racket case for further investigation on Thursday in Thiruvananthapuram. (Photo: DC) Thiruvananthapuram: The Crime Branch busted a high-profile sex racket and arrested 13 racketeers, including serial production controllers, and rescued seven girls, including models and cine actresses here on Wednesday night. Two of the victim girls were former child artists and one was a Bengaluru-based Malayali model. The accused traffickers included a Sri Lankan refugee woman and a serial actress who ran separate rackets. All of them were coordinated by Prasanna alias Geetha, 51, hailing from near Rajarajeswari temple, Sreekariyam. The police laid a trap a few weeks ago by calling Prassanna on her number listed on the online site locanto. On Wednesday, the Bangalore-based model was flown in here. The rest of the gang brought other girls in different cars. The police arrested them and seized five cars. The racketeer used to charge huge rates as they claimed girls were actresses, minors and virgins. However, on verification we got to know that they are 18 and 19-year-olds who resembled minors, Mr Sreejith said. To garner the trust of racketeers the police had paid them advance from the funds availed by state police chief. One of the accused serial actresses, Bindu of Muttada, used to run a beauty parlour. The other accused included Prasannas daughter Nayana alias Pinki, 28, of Pongummoodu and her husband Pradeep, 38. Accused Jaison, 31, of Rajakkad, Idukki was a production controller. Some other accused were identified as Saju, 33, of Attingal, Shameer, 30, of Vellayani, and Sajina, 33, of Pattom. Volunteers of Congress celebrate their victory in the Assembly polls in Puducherry on Thursday. (Photo: PTI) Puducherrry: The Congress-DMK combine on Thursday wrested Puducherry from Chief Minister and rival N Rangaswamy, securing 17 of the 30 seats in the state Assembly. The win came after the Congress party was ousted from power in Assam and Kerala, and fared poorly in West Bengal. The party avenged its gruelling loss in the 2011 Assembly polls after Rangaswamy split away from the Indian National Congress to form his own local offshoot, the All India Namathu Rajyam Congress. The defeat is all the more painful for Rangaswamy as it ends his 15-year control over the union territory, spanned over three terms that included changing the name from Pondicherry to Puducherry. A hardcore Congressman who modleed himself after erstwhile Tamil Nadu Congress leader K Kamaraj, the outgoing Chief Minister has multiple images- for some he is laid back with different priorities, while for others, he is an amicable man, who tries his best in governance despite limitations of a Union territory. Party politics rid him of power for a short duration during 2008, when he quit the position of Chief Minster, only to ride back to power with the support of an independent in 2011. Cutting across party lines, Rangaswamy has been facing allegations of favouritism and nepotism. Increasing law and order situation and the lack of development, especially with regards to growth, investment and tax collection, is understood to be the key reason for Rangaswamys defeat. Despite the initial close fight, AINRC won only 8 seats including Chief Minsters Indra Nagar constituency, while the Congress, which contested 21 constituencies, secured 15 of them. The alliance partner DMK came first in two constituencies. Prominent among the successful Congress candidates were former chief minister and leader of the opposition in the outgoing assembly V Vaithilingam (Kamaraj Nagar), Pradesh Congress Commitee President A Namassivayam (Villianur). Congress had fielded a lot of fresh faces this year, with interviews being conducted to select many of them. AINRC heavyweights who lost included Ministers P. Rajavelu and N.G. Panneerselvam and Speaker V. Sabapathy, while AIADMK's campaign spearhead P. Kannan lost in the Raj Bhavan constituency. Though it initially planned on contesting the elections in the Union territory, the Aam Admi Party later decided to withdraw its nominations with next years Punjab elections in sight. While the AIADMK rode to power for a second time in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, creating history as the first party to win a second consecutive term since 1984, it has fared poorly in the union territory, with only four seats to claim. The party had decided to go solo in the fray. In Karaikal South constituency, five-time DMK MLA A M H Nazeem lost to AIADMK's K A U Asana by a slender margin of 20 votes. The PWA comprising DMDK, MDMK, CPI-M, CPI and RSP contested 28 constituencies but drew a blank so did the BJP, which had fielded candidates in all 30 seats. Former Congress strongman P Kannan, who joined the AIADMK on the eve of the elections, lost to his protege K Lakshminarayanan in Raj Bhavan constituency. Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister V Narayanasamy said that the poll verdict in Puducherry, where the ruling AINRC was dislodged from power, is a clear indication that people were "fed up" with its administration. Immediately after the results were declared, the Congress leader said, "AINRC government had failed on all counts including in maintenance of law and order.There was no development whatsoever in Puducherry during the last five years," he said. "People are totally fed up with the AINRC administration and they have now reposed confidence in the Congress-DMK combine," he said. Asked when the legislature party leader would be elected to form the government, he said that would be decided by the Congress high command. Narayanasamy thanked the people for the support extended to the Congress-DMK alliance. The outgoing Chief Minster resigned from his position later in the evening today, paving way for the new government. Senior Congress leaders, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mukul Wasnik, will arrive here on Tuesday to hold parleys with the elected legislators of Congress to reach a consensus on the CLP leader. (Photo: PTI) Puducherry: Five days after it swept to power in alliance with DMK, the Congress is yet to elect its Legislature party leader in Puducherry and there is a virtual delay in formation of the new ministry here. AICC General Secretary V Narayanasamy is now in Delhi holding parleys with the party high command, PCC Vice-President A Gandhiraj said. He also said senior Congress leaders, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mukul Wasnik, will arrive here on Tuesday to hold parleys with the elected legislators of Congress to reach a consensus on the CLP leader. In the May 16 Assembly polls, Congress won 15 seats, while DMK two as the combine unseated the ruling AINRC which ended with eight seats in the 30-member Assembly. Congress thus avenged its defeat in the 2011 elections at the hands of AINRC founder N Rangasamy who broke away from the national party to form his outfit. New Delhi: Indian shops and establishments in Congo's capital Kinshasa were attacked and gunshots fired injuring two Indians, in apparent backlash against the killing of a Congolese national here that had triggered outrage among African envoys. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Indian establishments were targeted on Monday and yesterday in the city's commercial areas and Indian Mission in Kinshasa has taken up the issue with Congo's Foreign Ministry. MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said a Note Verbale was issued to Congo's Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a copy to the Ministry of Interior and the police authorities to ensure safety of life and property of all Indians residing there. Read: Congolese national killing: Africans demand steps against Afro-phobia "It has come to notice of our mission in Kinshasa that some Indian establishments and shops in the commercial areas were attacked on May 23 and May 25 as a reaction perhaps to the killing of the Congolese national in New Delhi last Friday. "It has also been reported that there were some gun shots fired injuring a couple of Indians living in the area. Our Ambassador took up the matter immediately with the Congolese Foreign Ministry," he said. He said as per latest reports, by end of yesterday, things have come down with no further incident. Read: Govt committed to safety of African nationals in India: Sushma Swaraj The attack on Indian establishment in Kinshasa came days after a Congolese national Masonda Ketada Oliver was killed here. Oliver was beaten to death last week in Vasant Kunj area of South Delhi following a brawl over hiring of an autorickshaw. Envoys of African countries had expressed shock over Oliver's killing following which India assured them of safety of African nationals. The envoys had even sought postponement of the ICCR-hosted Africa Day event today but they decided to participate in it after Minister of State in MEA V K Singh met the African Heads of Missions (HoMs). Read: 23-year-old African national, attacked with stones, beaten to death in Delhi The envoys had expressed outrage over the recent killing and demanded steps against "racism and Afro-phobia". The food safety regulations of India allow use of potassium bromate as flour treatment agent in bread and other bakery products. (Photo: File) New Delhi: Facing allegations about presence of carcinogenic chemicals in their products, a bread manufacturers' body on Thursday said they will stop using controversial potassium bromate and potasium iodate as additives from tonight. The All India Bread Manufacturers Association, which represents over 90 organised bread manufacturers such as Harvest Gold and Britannia, has, however, asked Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to verify the findings of the CSE report that claimed most of the breads sold in the National Capital contained cancer-causing chemicals. Read: Bread you eat can cause cancer; health ministry orders probe "FSSAI has already said that use of potassium bromate as an additive will be stopped and a notification will be issued within 6-7 days. Hence, we have decided to stop using potassium bromate and potassium iodate voluntarily," All India Bread Manufacturers Association President Ramesh Mago told reporters in Delhi. He, however, said proper scientific study must be done on the issue. "We would go to FSSAI and ask them to verify the claims by CSE," Mago said. When asked as how much time the industry would take to implement it, he said: "It would come in effect immediately. It would not be used in the fresh production from tonight." Read: Cancer-causing chemicals in bread: Govt waiting for FSSAI report Harvest Gold MD Adil Hussain and member executive council AIBMA said: "It's a matter of respecting public opinion. We would use other alternatives such as enzymes and emulsifiers depending on what product we are making." He, however, said the said chemical was in the book, which FSSAI publishes in which 11,000 ingredients are allowed to be used for food products. "It has been there for almost two decades and not a recent occurrence. The industry is very clear that it's an additive, which is safe and legally allowed by FSSAI in India and FDA in USA and perfectly safe," Hussain claimed. Read: Hyderabad: Bread sales dip over fear of chemicals Mago said that after CSE study claiming that bread contains cancer-causing chemicals, sales have been affected. "We have an impact of around 10 per cent on our sales," he said adding it would return to normal once the controversial substance is not used. Kejriwal said, like his predecessor Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister is "silent" on various issues. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Launching a scathing attack on the Modi government on completion of its two years in office, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday alleged that the Prime Minister is yet to deliver on his promises of corruption-free governance, education for Dalits and associating chief ministers in the states with vision of 'Team India'. In a series of tweets, the Delhi CM alleged that in the last two years, minorities, students and Dalits have been targetted while traders, jewellers, businessmen were disappointed and angry with the Centre. Read: Kejriwal alleges Modi govt spent Rs 1000 crore on ads for 2nd anniversary He said, like his predecessor Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister is "silent" on various issues which include alleged Vyapam scam, Vijay Mallya case and "Laligate". "2 years ago u promised corruption-free governance but are silent (like Manmohan ji) on Vyapam, Lalitgate, mallya, khadse, (sic)" Kejriwal tweeted. In another tweet, he said two years ago, the Prime Minister had promised that "Team India" will not be limited to PM but include Chief Ministers, but he is "conspiring to destabilise CMs". "2 years ago, you (PM) promised education for Dalits but remained silent on Rohith Vemulas institutional murder...2 years ago, you promised new courts & doubling number of judges but even tears of the CJI haven't made you act. "2 years ago u promised farmers minimum profit of 50% over input cost but despite thousands of suicides u refuse to act,(sic)" CM wrote on Twitter. He also alleged the Centre allowed liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who is facing investigation for defaulting on Rs 9,000 crore worth bank loans, to flee the country. "2 years ago u promised to reduce Non Performing Assets of Banks but allowed defaulter Vijay Mallya to flee from India, (sic)" he tweeted. "Dear PM sir, everyone feeling insecure. Even senior women journos facing filthiest abuses n serious threats by those who u follow,(sic)" Kejriwal also wrote on Twitter. New Delhi: The government is looking at concluding the much-hyped multi billion Euro Rafale deal next month, more than a year after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the purchase of 36 fighter jets during his visit to France. "There is no reason why it should not be concluded in June. Not much is left. It is in the last phase," Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Thursday. Rejecting suggestions that there has been a delay in signing the contract for nearly 7.89 billion Euros to procure the French fighter planes, the Minister said any such process takes at least 6-8 months. "We started the process only in July last year. After Prime Minister's statement in April, everything came to us. We asked them (French) for various options. We met them and finally one line was decided," he said. Noting that he is travelling for the next 8-10 days, the Minister said he will "see to it" that the deal is "concluded fast". "Things have to be placed properly on the table. They (negotiating team) now have to submit a report to me on what has been discussed. After that we have to discuss it in the Cabinet. We will first sign an Inter Government Agreement. All these things take 3-4 weeks," he said. The deal was announced by Modi in April last year during his visit to France when he said India would purchase 36 Rafales in a government-to-government contract. Soon after the announcement, the Defence Ministry scrapped a separate process that was on to purchase 126 Rafales, built by French defence giant Dassault Aviation. The current deal comes with the clause of delivering 50 per cent offsets, creating business worth at least 3 billion Euros for smaller Indian companies and generating thousands of new jobs in India through the offsets. In fact, the toughest phase in the negotiations that began in July 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 French President Francois 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. Girone is one of the two Italian marines accused of killing two fishermen off the Kerala coast in 2012. (Photo: File) New Delhi: On a day the Supreme Court allowed Italian marine Salvatore Girone, held in India on murder charges, to return to Italy, the government said it did not oppose it abiding by an international tribunal ruling. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup, however, said that Girone will remain under jurisdiction of the apex court. Read: Kerala accuses Centre of 'big foul play' in Italian marines case The Government conveyed its no objection to Italy's application for relaxation of Girone's bail condition, given the order by the UN arbitration tribunal which was binding on India under international law, he said. Girone is one of the two Italian marines accused of killing two fishermen off the Kerala coast in 2012. The other marine Massimiliano Latorre is already in Italy on health grounds and his stay there was recently extended by the apex court till September 30 this year. Read: SC allows Italian marine Salvatore Girone to fly home but with conditions "In addition to supplementary bail conditions, sugggested by Union of India, the Supreme Court has stipulated that Italy submit an undertaking assuring that Girone will return to India not only if required by the tribunal but also if required in the interim by the Supreme Court," Swarup said. The Supreme Court today relaxed the bail conditions of Girone and allowed him to go to his country till an International Arbitral Tribunal decides the jurisdictional issue between India and Italy. "As directed by the tribunal, Italy has also indicated the conditions for bail which may be imposed by the SC during Girone's stay in Italy duly recognising that he will remain under the authority of the Supreme Court of India during this period. "Given that the tribunal's order is binding on India under international law, India conveyed its no objection to Italy's application subject to certain additional bail conditions," said Swarup. Girone, who presently is in the custody of the apex court and residing in Italian in New Delhi, also sought a direction that Ministry of Home Affairs and the Foreigners Regional Registration Office be asked to provide him with the "necessary residential permit and exit visa". A bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur, which stayed the HC order, also sought response from the husband of the woman who had claimed that she was harassed and ill-treated by him there, forcing her to come to India with the son. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: In an interim relief to a mother, the Supreme Court has stayed an order of the Gujarat High Court asking her to take her eight-year old son to the United Kingdom in pursuance of a judicial order passed there in a custody battle plea filed by her estranged husband. A bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur, which stayed the HC order, also sought response from the husband of the woman who had claimed that she was harassed and ill-treated by him there, forcing her to come to India with the son. "Issue notice...There shall be interim stay of impugned order (of the high court) in the meantime," the bench, also comprising Justices R Banumathi and A M Khanwilkar, said. The bench passed the direction while staying an order of the Gujarat high court which had directed the woman to take the child to England in compliance with the orders passed by the High Court of Justice, England. The order passed by the British court had come on an application filed by the husband of the complainant. In her application filed through advocate Alok Bachawat, the woman had claimed that child was in a legal and valid custody with her, and he was happy and voluntarily desired to stay with her. "The interest and the welfare of the minor have been well looked after and even his admission has been secured in a school," the petition said, further claiming that "any actions seeking repatriation would cause moral, physical, social, cultural and physiological harm to the child, which would have irreversible, permanent and cascading effect on the minor." According to her petition, the woman got married to the respondent in 2006 at Porbandar, Gujarat, and thereafter, went to United Kingdom with her husband. Later in April 2008, the child was born there. However, the petition claimed that behavior of her husband towards her turned violent and abusive and, thereafter, she was compelled to leave her matrimonial house in UK and return to her parents in India along with her son and is currently residing here as she did not feel safe to live with her husband and his family. In her petition, the woman also claimed that the High Court of Justice had passed an ex-parte order directing her to return the child to the UK. Chennai: Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Wednesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for fulfilling the state government's demand for including Narikoravan, Kuruvikkaran and Malayali Gounder in the Scheduled Tribes list. In a statement here, Jayalalithaa said the Joint Parliamentary Committee and Lokkur committee were formed to look into the demand of the TN government to include Narikoravan, Kuruvikkaran and Malayali Gounder. The two panels have given its approval for the demand. Besides, the state government had written a letter in July 2012 asking the Centre to take further action on the approval of the two committees. The CM pointed out that she had written a letter to the PM on August 8, 2013, explaining the need for inclusion of Narikoravas into the ST list. New Delhi: As many as 24 crorepati ministers are part of the new Tamil Nadu government and eight have declared criminal cases against them, while neighbouring state Kerala has five crorepati ministers and 17 with criminal cases, a study said on Thursday. "Out of 29 ministers, 24 are crorepati. The average assets of these ministers are Rs 8.55 crore," the study released today by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) showed. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has the highest declared total assets worth Rs 113.73 crore, followed by Veeramani K.C (Rs 27.67 crore) and Benjamin P (Rs 23.02 crore) all from AIADMK, it said. "The minister with the lowest declared total assets is Udhayakumar R.B of AIADMK with assets worth Rs 31.75 lakh," the study said. A total of 22 ministers have declared liabilities, with Vijaya Baskar C having the highest liability of Rs 9.91 crore. "Eight out of the 29 ministers have declared criminal cases against themselves. Out of the eight ministers who have declared criminal cases, four have declared serious criminal cases," ADR said. With regard to ministers education qualification, a total of 17 ministers are graduates or have higher degrees, while 12 have education qualification of 12th pass or below. A total of two ministers have declared their age between 25 to 40 years, 17 have declared their age to be between 41 and 60 years and 10 declared their age to be between 61 and 70 years. A detailed analysis the self-sworn affidavits of 29 ministers by Tamil Nadu Election Watch and ADR showed that there are only four women ministers. In a separate press release, ADR which analysed the self-sworn affidavits of all 19 ministers along with Kerala Election Watch, showed that five ministers are crorepatis. "The average assets of 19 ministers are Rs 78.72 lakh and the minister with the highest declared total assets is A K Balan of CPI (M) with assets worth Rs 2.36 crore," ADR said. In terms of assets' value, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is at fifth position among the 19 ministers. Vijayan's total assets stood at Rs 1.07 crore, while liability is Rs 7.9 lakh, it said. Pinarayi Vijayan was yesterday sworn in as Chief Minister of Kerala. "Out of all 19 ministers analysed, 17 have declared criminal cases against themselves," it added. Six ministers have declared their education qualification to be between 5th pass and 12th pass, while 8 have declared having an educational qualification of graduate or graduate professional. A total of two ministers have declared their age between 40 to 50 years and 15 have declared their age to be between 51 and 70. Out of 19 ministers, only two are women, ADR added. Hyderabad: An intensive household survey conducted by the Telangana government in August 2014 has entered into the Limca Book of Records. The massive exercise had involved as many as 4 lakh government employees who covered over 1.09 crore households in a single day, between 7 am and 8 pm, an official release stated on Thursday. The survey, to gather information on households, educational qualifications of their members, their post office savings, bank account details, mobile phone numbers, Aadhaar card numbers and gas connection details, was ordered immediately after K Chandrasekhar Rao took charge of the youngest state in 2014. The CM had earlier said the data collected in the survey would be used to identify the real beneficiaries of the government welfare schemes. Ahead of the survey, allegations were raised in some quarters that the exercise has been planned with a view to identifying Seemandhra natives, which were rubbished by the CM. State BJP sources, however, confirmed the participation of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and a few other Central ministers. (Photo: PTI) West Bengal: Alleging post-poll violence in West Bengal, the state BJP on Thursday said it would boycott the swearing in of Mamata Banerjee as Chief Minister in Kolkata on Friday, even as some Union ministers, including Arun Jaitley, would attend the programme. "We are boycotting tomorrow's swearing-in ceremony. When our workers are being attacked throughout the state, how can we join the swearing-in ceremony?" state BJP president Dilip Ghosh said. Read: BJP leaders march to Mamatas residence to protest attack on Roopa Ganguly State BJP sources, however, confirmed the participation of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and said a few other Central ministers would also be in attendance. Both the Congress and the Left Front, which fought the Assembly poll together, have decided against participating in the ceremony and said they would organise protests against post-poll violence. Asked if the central BJP leadership, including Union ministers who have been invited, would also boycott the programme, Ghosh, who was in Midnapore, said, "I cannot comment on it. But we will try to convince them not to join the swearing-in as it would harm the party." "They (central leadership) will decide what they will do considering protocol. But we have apprised them that we are boycotting the programme," he said. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has maintained good relations with all the states pursuing with the policy of strengthening the federal structure," he pointed out. Reiterating their stand on boycotting the programme, Left Front chairman Biman Bose wondered, "How can we go there when people are being attacked?" The state Congress leadership had earlier stated they would not attend the oath-taking ceremony. Firemen douse the fire which broke out in a chemical factory at Dombivali in Thane, Mumbai Thursday. (Photo: Deepak Kurkunde) Mumbai: At least five people lost their lives and over 119 others were injured as a major blast destroyed a chemical factory within MIDC area of Dombivalis industrial estate on Thursday. The impact of the blast that occurred at about 11.30 am in Probace Enterprises gutted five other factories around the set-up and grievously injured about 25 workers from the nearby industries. It also rocked the residential buildings within the radius of 1.5 kilometres, shattering windowpanes and melting metal grills of the windows, doors, and shops, leading to multiple injuries. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited the accident site and also the hospital where some of the injured are admitted. The state government will bear all the expenses for their medical treatment, he said, adding that an in-depth inquiry will be conducted into the incident. The fire brigade sent over a dozen fire engines to the spot immediately and it took them two hours to douse the fire. Cooling and rescue operations continued all day, but yielded little results. Officers of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were rushed to the spot to clear the debris and they suspect more workers might still be trapped under the debris. Meanwhile, Sharada Pawar, regional officer of land records, Thane confirmed that the blast radius is up to 720 square metres, within the Shivaji Udyog Nagar of MIDC phase-II, spread over 362 hectares. The injured workers and residents of the vicinity were rushed to five hospitals in the nearby area, including Rukmini Bai Hospital in Kalyan, Shastri Nagar Hospital, AIIMS, ICON, Shivam, Neptune, and Fortis Hospitals in Dombivali. Over 60 people of of the 119 injured were released by 5 pm on Thursday, after primary medical aid was given to them. Patna: Pilot vehicle of former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhis convoy set on fire. The convoy of former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi was attacked and the pilot van was set on fire by a group of people protesting the murder of Dumariya block LJP president Sudesh Paswan and his brother Sunil Paswan on Thursday. Condemning the attack on Mr. Manjhi, LJP leader and Lok Sabha MP Chirag Paswan who reached Patna on Thursday called it an attempt to suppress the voice of opposition by supporters of ruling party. The incident occurred when Mr. Manjhi was on his way to Dumariya in Gaya district to meet family members of the slain LJP leader. The police after the attack opened fire to disperse the unruly crowd and later arrested several protesters. Sources from Dumariya informed that the entire block was badly vandalised by protesters who wanted Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to visit the place and announce the compensation of Rs 20 lakh for the family members of slain LJP leader. LJP leader Sudesh Paswan who was a panchayat poll candidate was gunned down along with his cousin on Wednesday by unidentified assailants belonging to a Naxal outfit. Handwritten posters were recovered from the spot which said that all police informers will be killed in the same manner and that the killing was a warning to all those who thought that police will help them. The slain leaders wife Maya Devi is a Mukhiya of Kachar Panchayat where according to sources she is seeking re election. PM Narendra Modi is garlanded by UP BJP President Keshav Prasad Maurya and party MP Ramesh Pokhriyal during the Vikas Parv rally to celebrate two years of NDA rule at the Centre, in Saharanpur on Thursday. (Photo: PTI) Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that he would continue to serve the people as their pradhan sevak and he was committed to the empowerment of the poor. The Prime Minister, while addressing a massive rally in Saharanpur to mark two years in office on Thursday, mounted a scathing attack on the previous (read Congress) governments but did not name any party or individual. Yeh desh badal raha hai magar kuchh logon ka dimaag nahin badal raha hai (the country is changing but minds of some people are not), he said in an obvious reference to the Opposition. No blot of corruption: Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that he would continue to serve the people and was committed to the empowerment of the poor. He also announced that the retirement age for government doctors will be raised to 65. A decision to this effect will be taken at a Cabinet meeting this week and I am doing this because new doctors cannot be created in a short time and the people of this country cannot be expected to go without medical care, he said. The Prime Minister also appealed to all doctors in the country to offer free treatment to pregnant women who are poor on the ninth of each month. I appeal to all doctors to give 12 days in a year for their poor sisters and mothers and this is not asking for too much, he said. Two years ago, on the TV, in the newspapers and on street corners, there was talk of corruption. My aim was to stop the loot and when we came to power, I was shocked to see the extent of corruption that had taken place. In the past two years, my biggest achievement is that there has been no blot of corruption on my government and even our rivals have not levelled any allegation of corruption against us, he said. Mr Modi said that before he came to power, states used to get 35 per cent of the funds while the Centre kept 65 per cent of the money with itself. New Delhi: Observing that setting up of December 16 Fund is not enough, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Centre to formulate a national policy for providing adequate reliefs to rape survivors as setting up of a separate fund without a policy amounted to just a lip service. A vacation Bench of Justices P.C. Pant and D.Y. Chandrachud observed "Different states have different schemes. There is no national plan as how the rape victims are to be compensated. The Union of India must ensure that adequate relief is being provided to the victims of sexual offences." The bench pointed out to senior counsel Indira Jaising that mere allocation of funds would not suffice and it was necessary to examine how the funds are devolved and actually utilised. New Delhi: The Supreme Court was moved on Thursday challenging the Neet ordinance allowing the states to admit students to government medical colleges through their own common entrance tests for academic year 2016-2017. The petition filed by Dr Anand Rai, the whistle-blower and rights activist who exposed the Vyapam medical scam in Madhya Pradesh, questions the arbitrary manner in which the Centre issued the ordinance on May 24 for political considerations due to pressure from the states. It seeks the quashing of the May 24 ordinance and an interim stay of its operation. Dr Rai said this ordinance enables the states to conduct their own entrance exams in respect of state government seats (whether in government medical colleges or private medical colleges) for 2016-17, essentially implying exemption from Neet for some states. He pointed out that the government of India itself had accepted in the apex court the need for a unified uniform examination for undergraduate and PG levels and was of the opinion that the situation in the present scenario was that Neet ought to be conducted with urgency. The CBSE, which is conducting Neet, even provided a schedule to this court which is recorded in the orders of this court dated April 27, April 28 and May 9. Hence the present ordinance is a completely contradictory stand by the Centre within a span of four weeks. This is also done at a belated stage as the examination itself is to be scheduled within the next eight weeks as per the schedule given by CBSE itself and the discriminating ordinance further creates confusion amongst students, the petitioner said. He added that the power to promulgate an ordinance was exercised with the sole intention of upsetting the orders of this court and shows ill intent. The petition is likely to be heard in a day or two. Hyderabad: Nearly 18,000 students who qualified in TS Eamcet have failed in Inter. These students, however, can still make it provided they clear their ongoing supplementary exams. Of the 1,17,955 students who qualified in engineering, 12,478 have failed in Inter. Out of 75,681 students who qualified in agriculture, 5,665 failed Inter. Eamcet convener Prof. N.V. Ramana Rao said, If these students clear the supplementary exams, they will be given Eamcet ranks and will be allowed to take part in Eamcet counselling in the first phase itself. Counselling date after inspections The state government has held back announcement of the Eamcet Engineering counseling schedule due to ongoing vigilance raids on engineering colleges. Notwithstanding the stiff resistance by the managements of engineering colleges, the government on Thursday made it clear that the ongoing vigilance inspections would go on as scheduled and approvals would be given to colleges only if they cleared the inspections. Deputy CM Kadiam Srihari, who also holds the education portfolio, said only colleges found to be complying with the norms and faculty and infrastructure would be included in the admissions list. The counselling schedule will be announced only after the outcome of the vigilance inspections is known. "It is for this reason we are not announcing the Eamcet engineering counselling schedule today though the results have been declared. The vigilance teams will submit their inspection reports to the government by June-end. Based on this, JNTU will give affiliations to colleges. The colleges which are found to be complying with the norms will get affiliation and they will be included in the counselling list, he said. He added that the state government would ensure that there was no delay in commencement of engineering classes on account of vigilance inspections. We will ensure that the final phase of counselling ends by July-end and classes commence from August 1 as directed by the Supreme Court, he said. Mr Srihari reiterated that there was no question of the government going back on the vigilance inspections at this stage though the managements had met Chief Minister K. Chandra-sekhar Rao on Tuesday and made a request. He said the CM was keen on colleges complying with norms and providing quality education to students, and bogus colleges would be weeded out after inspections. Hyderabad: TRS president and TS Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday nominated government adviser D. Srinivas and former minister Capt. V. Laxmikantha Rao (retd) for the two Rajya Sabha seats from the state. Mr Srinivas, the former Congress state president, had joined TRS last year and was made adviser for inter-state affairs with Cabinet rank. Capt. Rao (retd) was the TRS nominee in Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddys Cabinet during 2014-15 and is a close relative of late Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and the younger brother of former Congress MP, late Voditela Rajeswara Rao. Capt. Rao (retd) is a confidant of the Chief Minister who visits him whenever he is in Warangal. With the announcement of the TRS two candidates, the Rajya Sabha biennial elections from TS the first since the states formation will be unanimous if the present strength of MLAs is taken into consideration. Out of 119 legislators, the TRS has an official strength of 82 MLAs, besides the seven Congress MLAs who have joined the party. Presently the TRS only Rajya Sabha member is Dr K. Kesava Rao. Sources said that the name of Divikonda Damodara Rao, a close relative as well as a key aide of the CM, was also under consideration but it was rejected to accommodate a BC leader. Mr Rao has also announced the candidature of former Congress minister Md. Fareeduddin, who has joined the TRS, for the MLC seat that fell vacant due to the resignation of R&B minister Tummala Nageswara Rao. Deputy CM disclosed that Rs 5 crore has been sanctioned for Ramzan arrangements for all 10 districts Hyderabad: The TS government has decided to arrange Iftar in 200 masjids across the state besides distributing clothes to the poor in Ramzan this year. The government had spent Rs 26 crore on arranging Iftar in 200 mosques last year and distributing clothes (saree, cloth for kurta and pyjama, a skull cap and a kg of vermicelli to each family) last year. Sources in the minority welfare department revealed that in view of the experiences and certain hiccups that surfaced last year in distribution of clothes and arranging Iftar, the government will procure clothes and other articles in advance and dispatch them to identified masjids across the state a week before Id. According to department officials, a committee has been constituted with the TS Wakf Board CEO on board to invite tenders for supply of clothes and food. The sources said that the number of beneficiary families may go up from the two lakh last year, if the Chief Minister approves the proposal. They said that MLAs have been asked to identify five mosques in their constituencies for arranging Iftar. Telangana gives Rs 5crore for Ramzan Deputy Chief Minister Mohd. Mahmood Ali on Thursday assured that elaborate arrangements would be made to ensure uninterrupted supply of power and water in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad during the holy month of Ramzan which is likely to begin from June 6. Mr Mahmood Ali was speaking after reviewing the arrangements for Ramzan at the Secretariat along with home minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy, MLAs and MLCs of all political parties of the city, besides officials of the GHMC, police, Minority Welfare, Wakf Board and other departments. Speaking at the meeting, the Deputy CM disclosed that Rs 5 crore has been sanctioned for Ramzan arrangements for all 10 districts in the state (Rs 50 lakh for each district). He directed the GHMC to ensure removal of garbage immediately after Iftar during the entire month. Mr Mahmood Ali also asked the city police to ensure proper surveillance through CC cameras at all important mosques, malls and other shopping areas. Seven universities in TS were sanctioned Rs 95.9 crore, of which Rs 45 crore was released. Hyderabad: Thousands of crores meant for betterment of universities are lying unspent with state universities and the University Grants Commission. The UGC recently released a financial statement listing the grants allocated in the 12th Plan period, 2012-17, to state and central universities, money released and amount utilised. There is a huge gap between these three heads. Seven universities in TS were sanctioned Rs 95.9 crore, of which Rs 45 crore was released. Of this, Rs 32 crore was utilised. In AP, Rs 121.8 crore was allocated to 10 universities of which Rs 32 crore was utilised. The figures are not too different at the national level. Of the Rs 2,078.35 crore sanctioned to 159 state universities, only about 43 per cent of the money has been released between 2012-13 and 2015-16. Of the Rs 890 crore, only Rs 338.28 crore, or 38 per cent, has been utilised. Mr Battu Satyanarayana, president of Osmania University Teachers Association, said state universities have to prepare proposals to spend the funds annually, finish the work in time and pursue the UGC for money. Infographic This is a continuous process. Due to the lack of enthusiasm of vice-chancellors, shortage of faculty and political interference, fund utilisation is adversely affected, he said. In Central universities, the issue is different: They utilise the money but the UGC does not release funds.The UGC released about 46 per cent of the Rs 546 crore sanctioned to the three Central universities in TS: Maulana Azad National Urdu University, University of Hyderabad and English and Foreign Languages University. The universities utilised Rs 230.44 crore, or nearly 93 per cent of the funds released At the all India level, the UGC has released Rs 5,142.26 crore, or 59 per cent of the Rs 8,721.26 crore allocated in the 12th Plan to Central universities. The Central universities have utilised 79 per cent, or Rs 4,053.45 crore. An official with the UoH said, The UGC never releases the entire amount sanctioned in the five-year Plans. Their working is very slow and we have to keep writing to them for funds. Often we manage with our revenues and make up when the UGC releases funds. Thiruvananthapuram: One of the biggest challenges before the LDF Government would be to deal with the new medical colleges that had been opened in haste by the previous government without providing adequate staff and infrastructure. While three of the medical colleges have taken off with academic activities despite inadequate infrastructure and staff, the rest are still struggling to come on tracks. At a time shortage of doctors, nursing and paramedical staff is adversely affecting patient care services, the setting up of new medical colleges had only put additional burden on the existing infrastructure. For instance, the new medical college at the general hospital here, which is the tenth in the public sector, was set up combining the facilities of general hospital and women and children hospital Thycaud. The Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) had opposed the new medical college at the general hospital and Konni citing shortage of staff and infrastructure facilities. Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA) too had expressed reservations over combining medical college and state health sector doctors in the newly opened medical colleges. The existing medical college hospitals are bursting at the seams. The premier Trivandrum Medical College which has 200 MBBS seats should ideally have 900 beds, but existing bed strength is 2750 beds and in patient strength at a given time over 4000. Similarly, Kozhikode medical college has 250 medical seats, the highest in the state. Going by the seats, it should have 1100 beds. But the existing bed strength is 2800 and in patient strength more than 4000. Medical experts say the government should focus on existing medical colleges and enhance facilities in district, general and taluk hospitals to ease the pressure on super speciality hospital. Malappuram: There are very few takers for the senior and junior doctorss posts in the government medical college in Manjeri. The college, which faces an acute shortage of doctors, had invited applications for 59 posts from candidates in Malappuram and Kozhikode districts. But on Wednesday only 11 applicants were present for the interview. There are 33 vacant posts of senior residents and 26 junior residents. For the senior post, only three applicants were present. The medical college has 91temporary posts of junior and senior resident doctors of which more than half remain vacant. Many blame the low salary and high work load for the poor turnout in the interview. Recently, more than 25 senior and junior doctors had resigned for doing higher studies. The scouting for the doctors was limited to the region. Especially, the availability of senior residents with PG is rare. So it is natural that we havent got enough candidates for the advertised posts, says Dr. Nandakumar, superintendent of the college. The pay package for both the posts is very low compared to the private hospitals. So nobody with a medical PG would prefer to join the college, said another doctor in the college. Dr. Nandakumar pointed out that the introduction of PG courses would help solve the shortage of doctors here. But the chances are low, he added. New Delhi: Days after they joined BJP, nine Congress rebel MLAs in Uttarakhand including former Chief Minister Vijay Bahugana figure in the Central VIP security list and have been provided a round-the-clock cover by armed commandos from para-military forces. The security cover for the MLAs, who have been disqualified, was provided based on "inputs" suggesting that they were facing "threats" to their lives, official sources said on Friday. Though the nine MLAs have been categorised for 'Y' grade security, instructions have been sent that there should be a round-the-clock cover of their residences. In 'Y' grade category, the protectee is only provided with two security officers which includes one with an automatic weapon. However, in this case, each MLA including Bahuguna, will have at least 8-10 commandos from CISF for their security during their movement within the state. "An analysis report prepared by central security agencies had shown threat perception to the MLAs from certain quarters and hence the central paramilitary has been tasked to secure them," a senior official in the security establishment said. The Central Industrial Security Force(CISF) has a special wing to provide security to VIPs and VVIPs and it's prominent protectees included RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, NSA Ajit Doval and few Ministers of the Union Cabinet. The nine rebel Congress MLAs, who were disqualified from the state assembly under the anti-defection law, had recently joined the BJP. Besides Bahuguna, the other MLAs are Harak Singh Rawat, Amruta Rawat, Shailendra Mohan, Kunwar Pranav Singh, Subodh Uniyal, Pradeep Batra, Shaila Rani Rawat and Umesh Sharma. Hyderabad: The draft resolution of the Telugu Desam has asked the Centre to implement the AP Reorganization Act and all promises made in Parliament. The Telugu Desam said that Andhra Pradesh is eligible for special category status and people are concerned about its denial. The resolution will be passed at the Telugu Desam Mahanadu, the party event beginning in Tirupati on May 27. In the resolution the Telugu Desam mentioned 12 points regarding the Centres help to Andhra Pradesh. It said that many of the promises made to AP were not implemented. For capital construction so far only Rs 1050 crore has been given, it said. The Telugu Desam also mentioned that the opposition wants the state to fight the Centre which will prove counterproductive as Andhra Pradesh has to depend on the Centre not only for capital construction but also to get its revenue deficit bridged and the Polavaram project. Meanwhile, Rajyasbha Member K.V.P. Ramachandra has asked Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to pass a resolution in Mahanadu regarding the special category status. Congress had won 15 seats and will be forming the government with its ally DMK. Puducherry: Former Union Minister of State and All India Congress Committee General Secretary (AICC) V Narayanasamy reportedly expressed to his party that he wants to be the Chief Minister of Puducherry, where Congress-DMK alliance won in the recently concluded Assembly polls. According to a report in Indian Express, the Congress leaders sudden move has come as a surprise for the party and had led to the delay in government formation in the union territory (UT). Read: Congress yet to decide on Legislature party leader in Puducherry Born and raised in Puducherry, Narayanasamy has represented the UT as an MP in the past, but did not contest the polls this time around. But sources told the paper, that Narayansamy has claimed that he has the backing of many MLAs. But those against his candidature for the top post have refuted his claim and alleged that he has the support of only 5 Congress MLAs. In the May 16 Assembly polls, Congress won 15 seats, while DMK two as the combine unseated the ruling AINRC which ended with eight seats in the 30-member Assembly. Narayanasamy's decision has however caused fissures in the government that is yet to take charge. Read: Congress-DMK puts an end to Rangaswamis rule in Puducherry The other contender for the post is Congress state chief Namachivayam, who has approached party supremo Sonia Gandhi to end the deadlock. V Vaithilingam, who was the leader of opposition during the previous governments tenure is also in the race for being the Chief Minister and has been a two-time CM in the past. Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Thursday lauded her West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee for winning a second term in that state, saying it was an "achievement to be celebrated." "Your remarkable victory for a second consecutive term is indeed an achievement to be celebrated," she told Banerjee. In a letter to the TMC supremo, Jayalalithaa also thanked Banerjee for inviting her for the May 27 swearing-in ceremony as Chief Minister of West Bengal but said she cannot attend it though she "would have liked to." "Though I would have liked to attend the ceremony and wish you all the best in person, I am unable to do so, due to pressing official commitments," she said. "I convey my warm greetings to you and wish you and your team greater laurels as you propel the state on the path of development," Jayalalithaa said. Thiruvananthapuram: In its first decision soon after taking office, the LDF Government headed by Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday decided to constitute a special investigation team headed by ADGP B Sandhya to probe the dalit law student Jishas brutal murder at Perambavoor. The decision was taken at the Cabinet meeting held a couple of hours after the new government was sworn in. "There are serious lapses in Jisha murder case probe. Unusual developments have taken place right from the time of preparation of mahasar to cremation of her body. The people of the state are not satisfied with the probe that has been conducted so far," the chief minister told media persons while briefing Cabinet decisions. He said Cabinet decided to take all steps for the rehabilitation of Jisha's family including construction of their house in a time bound manner. Collector will directly supervise the construction activities and government job would be given to Jisha's sister at the earliest. Since it would not be possible for Jishas mother to continue with her work as a domestic help, the Cabinet decided to grant her a monthly pension of Rs 5000. Pinarayi said the youth organisations have complained about the undeclared recruitment ban in the state. In view of the concerns expressed by them, the Cabinet has directed all department to report vacancies within 10 days. The chief ministers will monitor the progress of the departments reporting vacancies on a daily basis. The departments which do not have the PSC list should report the status. The chief minister said all controversial decisions taken by the previous UDF Government since January 1, would be examined. A Cabinet sub committee headed by A K Balan will look into the illegal decisions and the violation of set procedures. He said the functioning of civil supplies department will be streamlined to check corruption and inefficiency in procurement and supply of commodities. He said Rs 75 crore had been set aside for strengthening public distribution system and the amount would be doubled . Pinarayi said welfare pension would be increased to Rs 1000 and steps would be taken to ensure timely disbursement. He said the government was committed to ensure welfare pensions reach the beneficiaries at their doorsteps. The chief secretary has been directed to explore the methods for disbursement. He said a high level meting will be held on May 27 to review the pre monsoon cleanliness, disease prevention and control activities. The practice of lining up women and children for ceremonial reception to ministers would be avoided. Pinaryi will undertake his first visit to Delhi as chief minister on May 28 to call on President, Vice president and Prime Minister. He will also meet union finance minster and minster in charge of centre state relations. Hyderabad: Making it clear that it would not be possible to offer one Rajya Sabha seat to any party leader from TS, Telugu Desam national general-secretary Nara Lokesh on Wednesday said that there were many aspirants seeking RS seat from AP. Mr Lokesh told newsmen here that selection of TD candidates for the Rajya Sabha would be decided at the partys politburo meeting either in Tirupati or in Vijayawada before the deadline for filing of nominations expires on May 31. He said that so far, the TD has not received any request from its alliance partner the BJP to spare one seat from AP. If we do receive any such proposal, we will think about it, he said. In a related development, AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday wrote to the Election Commission asking it to consider shifting the place of filing of nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha to Vijayawada from Hyderabad. The Election Commission has notified that nominations will be accepted in the AP Assembly premises located in Hyderabad and has appointed AP Assembly Secretary K. Satyanarayana Rao as the Returning Officer. However, the process of filing of papers for the biennial polls had begun on Tuesday. Sources in the Election Commission said that it wouldnt be possible for the EC to accept Mr Naidus request. Meanwhile, YSR Congress chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy convened a meeting of party legislators and senior leaders on Thursday ahead of his V. Vijay Sai Reddy filing his papers for the Rajya Sabha polls. Trinamool Congress supporterw celebrate the party's thumping victory in West Bengal Assembly eections in front of Chief Minister house in Kolkata. (Photo: PTI) Kolkata: Reflecting a huge gap in their economic profile, the net worth of the richest MLA in the new West Bengal Assembly is about Rs 40 crore while the poorest legislator has less than Rs 50,000. An analysis of the affidavits of the winning candidates in the Assembly polls done by West Bengal Election Watch shows that Trinamool Congress' MLA from Taldangra is the richest among all 294 members of the House. Samir Chakraborty owns assets worth about Rs 40 crore including movable assets like cash in hand, bank deposits and investments of about Rs 28 crore. The politician, who also runs a business as per his affidavit, owns three residential properties worth over Rs 11 crore. Present along with him in the House will be opposition CPI(M) MLA from East Panskura constituency Sk Ibrahim Ali who has a paltry sum of Rs 1,000 as cash in hand. His affidavit that was submitted before the Election Commission shows that his bank balance has a meager deposit of Rs 48,703. Describing himself as a social worker, he has declared that he owns no other properties or assets and lives in his father's house. Trinamool's Pundarikakshya Saha from Nabadwip seat is a little richer than him owning assets close to Rs 75,000. The report says that the average assets per MLA who won in the polls is Rs 1.46 crore. A good number of 100 (34 per cent) MLAs are crorepatis too. Jangipur MLA Jakir Hossain's net worth is about Rs 22 crore while in Kasba, Minister Javed Ahmed Khan has Rs 17 crore worth of assets. The top ten richest candidates are from the Trinamool Congress which has won a second consecutive term. Twenty per cent MLAs have, however, not filed their income tax returns, as per the analysis. Critic Martin Esslin had coined the term Theatre of the Absurd in 1960 to describe the plays written after the Second World War, which left people baffled. Unlike traditional dramas, these plays had hardly any plot or human character that presented completely unmotivated actions. Such a play expressed what happens when human existence is bereft of any meaning or purpose, and thus there was a breakdown of all communications. Politics has been pilloried as an amoral game since time immemorial, but now after further degradation it too resembles a theatre of the absurd. The Uttarakhand political crisis is no different, but has come to a finale with the Harish Rawat government being reinstated after winning the vote of confidence held at the behest of the Supreme Court under its own monitoring. Though the judicial intervention prevented politics from sinking further it raises serious questions about the doctrine of separation of powers embedded in the Constitution of India and recognised by the SC itself in Indira Nehru Gandhi vs Raj Narain (1975) as a basic feature of the Constitution. This is the first time that Presidents Rule has been revoked because of judicial intervention. In the Bihar Dissolution case, the SC, in its short judgement on October 7, 2005, declared the dissolution of the Bihar Assembly unconstit-utional but did not revive it, and allowed the poll process to go on. The detailed judgement was pronounced on January 24, 2006. A short order was delivered earlier as the poll process was on and there was uncertainty all around. The drama of Uttarakhand began with a group of nine Congress MLAs revolting against the state government, followed by the Speaker disallowing the demand for division of votes and declaring the appropr-iation bill passed, and the Centre imposing Presidents Rule one day before the floor test was due to be held. The Congress challenged the imposition of Presidents Rule in the Uttarakhand HC. It quashed it and made scathing remarks not only against the Centre but also against the President. A judge is expected to be poker faced, but the way Uttarakhand Chief Justice K.M. Joseph made stinging obser-vations, the outcome of the case was a foregone conclusion. He said the President could go horribly wrong. He is right and its biggest example is the signing of the proclamation of Emergency by then President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed. Then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi went to Ahmed with Siddhartha Shankar Ray, who was not a member of her Cabinet, but the Chief Minister of West Bengal, and the President signed instantly on the dotted line. But it is equally true of the court also, which is not infallible either. Its most glaring example is the Habeas Corpus case in which the Supreme Court ruled that people did not have any right to life during the Emergency. Another absurdity came to the fore when an impetuous Harish Rawat assumed the reins of power suo moto after the HC pronounced its order, though he did not even have the certified copy of the judgement. He should have acquired the copy first and then made it over to the governor for onward transmission to the President, with a request to revoke Presidents Rule. The Centre moved the SC against the decision of the HC. The court asked the government whether Presidents Rule could be lifted for two hours for conducting the floor test. The question arises who was holding the reins of the government during those two hours, and if the chief minister was not reinstated, then whose trial of strength it was? The Constitution does not envisage a situation without a government even for a moment. Further, the SC gave detailed guidelines on how the floor test would be conducted, reducing the Speaker of the Assembly to a virtual nonentity even though the Assembly is directly under his control. Procedural matters are decided solely by the Speaker, who controls the the House. But the precedent of giving direction for conducting the floor test and the modalities to be observed was set in March 2005 when the SC gave instructions to the pro-tem Speaker of the Jharkhand Assembly to hold the floor test as governor Syed Sibtey Razi appointed Shibu Soren CM, who did not have a majority. This time the SC went one step further by keeping the Speaker out of the proceedings. The Constitution envisages a balance of powers. It is the guiding principle of the constitutions of modern democratic states. This principle of separation of powers must, therefore, be respected by all institutions in this country. After the Supreme Court made the National Eligibility Entrance Test (Neet) mandatory for MBBS and BDS admissions from this year, the Central government promulgated an ordinance to exclude state government-controlled medical seats from the ambit of NEET for one year. This ordinance has, however, provided only temporary relief in the present crisis over medical education. A permanent solution should be found to reduce the number of entrance exams, to eliminate the capitation fee menace, ensure meritorious admis-sions and to protect the states rights in medical education. More than 15 states had opposed Neet being imposed for their medical seats. They said Neet will be held on the basis of the CBSE syllabus and will disadvantage their students who studied in their mother tongue and on the basis of the state board syllabus. India has over 412 medical colleges, which have 52,700 MBBS medical seats. Private colleges are more in number. The 222 private colleges have 26,835 seats, with around half the seats being surrendered to the state governments. The remaining seats and all seats of private deemed universities are filled by private institutions. It is believed large-scale irregularities and malpractices are taking place in admissions to these institutions. Capitation fees ranging from Rs 60 lakh to Rs 1 crore for the undergraduate seats and between Rs 1 crore and Rs 3 crore for postgraduate seats are said to be collected. These seats have been virtually reserved for millionaires. The only merit here is money. More than Rs 20,000 crore is being collected by private medical institutions annually through the UG and PG medical admissions. Apart from that, students are also often cheated. Without getting recognition from the Medical Council of India (MCI), private medical colleges are allowing admissions by giving false hope to students that they would get recognition soon or through court action. Having paid huge sums in capitation fees, after joining the course, students are unable to complete their courses due to non-availability of recognition from the MCI. To solve such problems, formulating a new policy for medical admissions is the need of the hour. The Neet will help solve these issues to a certain extent, but it will not solve all problems. The Centre and state governments alone should have the power to admit students. No other institution should be allowed to admit students directly. It is being said the purpose of Neet is to reduce the number of entrance examinations, to curb the capita-tion fee menace and to ensure meritorious admissions. The aims could not be achieved fully with Neet in its present form, but it would certainly help to reduce the evils. NEET or CET? Neet requires having a minimum eligibility mark. When there are fewer seats and the number of aspirants is more than that, there is a need to conduct a Common Entrance Test. But there is no need to have minimum eligibility in that test. The minimum eligibility for MBBS admissions is a pass in plus-two with 60 per cent marks in science subjects. Apart from that, fixing a minimum eligibility again in CET may harm the cause of social justice and reservations. Therefore, NEET should be converted to CET. National-level CET for whom? The Centre should conduct a CET for admissions in: Central government seats (all seven AIIMS, JIPMER, AFMC and other Central institutes) All-India quota seats Management seats of private medical colleges All the seats of private deemed universities Students from all over the country are eligible to apply for these seats, of which there are more than 20,000. At present, students are made to appear for more than 90 entrance tests for these seats. It gives unnecessary physical and mental stress, and is an economic burden for the students. It is not possible to appear in all these tests in a short period. So conducting a single national-level CET for these seats is the need of the hour. States like Tamil Nadu should not demand that the Centre scrap the national-level entrance test totally. Opposing Neet will only help the private institutions. At the same time, the Centre should not impose Neet on state government-controlled UG, PG and super-speciality medical seats to protect the states rights and the federal fabric of our country. Since health is a state subject, curbing the states rights in medical education would adversely affect the healthcare system of states. Some suggestions The Centre should conduct a CET and it should admit the students directly through a single-window system according to the ranks obtained by candidates in CET. It could effectively curb the menace of capitation fees and irregularities in admissions. Just conducting CET and handing over the marks to the private institutions will not solve the problem. CET should be conducted in all 22 languages, those included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. Fees for the private medical seats must be fixed by the government. Tuition fees for SCs, STs and economically weaker sections must be paid by the government. The Centre should bring in necessary amendments to the Constitution and laws to solve the problems of appearing in so many CETs, collecting capitation fee, irregularities and non-meritorious admissions in medical colleges across the country, and to protect the rights of the states in medical education. OTR will be resposible for panic button integrations, as per DOT's initiative to integrate enhanced safety features on mobile devices. (Representational image) Mumbai: In a recent statement, One Touch Response founder Arvind Khanna explained that it is necessary to have an emergency helpline and a fast on-ground response team for the success of Panic button implementation on mobile devices. According to several media reports, Khanna said that the combination of the aforementioned facets can revolutionise the safety mindset of all, especially women in the country. The panic button implementation on all mobile phones is a part of a governments initiative to assist individuals in trouble, and in need of immediate help in emergency situations. Last month, the DOT had issued a circular to mobile manufacturers to install a mandatory panic button and GPS in all devices, including feature phones by January 2017. Laying out the rules of panic button implementation, Dot said all feature phones should have the provision of panic button configured to 5 or 9 on the keypad. In case of smartphones, quickly pressing the on-off button should trigger the panic message. Commenting on the issue, senior analyst at Counterpoint research Tarun Pathak told Deccan Chronicle that it is not feasible for global brands to implement physical panic buttons, as they sell them in various countries but it can be done easily by making changes to the existing software. Regarding feature phones, he said that a physical button can be implemented into the units as the main cost is for hardware and software spends are minimal or none. On being asked if foreign brands like Apple will comply to the Dots order, Pathak said, Apple and other smartphone brands will comply with DoTs order as the country has huge potential in terms of smartphone sales and making small software changes is a small price to pay for it. India being the fastest growing (23 per cent) smartphone market in a quarter that saw global slow down and smartphone penetration still below 50, poses huge opportunity for smartphone OEMs to drive their growth, he added. He also highlighted the fact that the panic button will become more effective as more people become aware about the feature. The more important point is the awareness of having a panic button in phones among the masses Along with a GPS system and a quick response team linked to the panic button a lot of situations can be handled in much better way than it would have been without this information, he said. Easy implementation Khanna also said it is due to Dots circular that allowed them to patch up with mobile phone companies by integrating their services and technologies toward addressing this urgent need. OTR explained that its open API interface will help mobile manufacturers seamlessly integrate the service directly on the phones. The company further indicated that not only smartphones have the option to integrate the OTR app but feature phones can also utilise the companys solution by integrating its SOS service via SMS. Users who are not familiar with OTR, the company provides immediate assistance and real-time response services to its users whenever they are in trouble and in need of quick assistance. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Smartphones are extremely capable devices today. To imagine that you can pack all the power that a reasonably priced netbook brings into a smartphone today, about 1/20th its size, is absolutely mind boggling. However, as much as smartphones have advanced, you always hear resident experts claiming that battery life remains a major pain point sticking out like a sore thumb. We have these crazy fast processors, beautiful displays and tons of storage space, but the juice driving it all, is where we have seen the least progress. Part of the problem has been manufacturer's thinking that the solution of the problem of scarcity is by simply pushing more mAh making the battery size bigger and bigger. This has resulted in several big battery phones, though the tradeoff has always been with the aesthetics and thinness of the devices. However, one aspect that we fail to acknowledge is that alongside brands pumping in more juice and fatter batteries alongside making components more power friendly, it is imperative that we also minimise the causes that could be causing an excessive drain, which is not normal and may just evade the OEM altogether. In this post, we have put together some causes that you should cross check if you are experiencing an excessive battery drain on your phone. Apps in the background Obviously, the biggest cause of excessive battery drain on smartphones are the apps that misbehave. In fact, back in the day Verizon Wireless had published a long list of applications that it warned its customers from using in order to avoid an excessive drain. If you see the list even today, you see a ton of well known culprits. Apps like Vine or Candy Crush Saga, which have in the past been blamed for causing a ton of wakelocks and it is a common knowledge that Social Media applications refreshing automatically in the background cause a lot of drain. We suggest, whenever you install an application, you check if there is a setting for the background refresh and change the setting to Manual instead of Automatic. This would mean that you will miss out on automatically updated data or feed, every time you get to that application, but it would improve your battery life for sure. You could install an app like GSam Battery Monitor in order to know which apps are utilising more resources than they should and either restrict their activity or find an alternate if it is not needed. Photo uploads and backups If you have Google Photos or Dropbox on your phone and you backup your images to them, you may want to use a setting where the app will only upload files when it is connected to a charger. This option is most definitely present on Android devices, whereas on an iPhone, you cannot really help. iCloud backups for example, take place only when your device has a good Wi-Fi connection and is connected to a power source. It would be good if more apps that need a backup utilise something similar. Apps that already do, you would be better off only backing up with charger plugged as this would ensure that there is no unnecessary battery loss at a time when you could do with some extra battery for making phone calls rather than uploading a backup of that silly duckface selfie on Google Photos. App permissions Post the Marshmallow update, you will be able to check on the individual permissions that the app requires. If you see a photo gallery app, using the dialer, you know that something is fishy. There is some sort of activity going on, that you do not want happening. Therefore, tweaking your app permissions and turning off permissions that are not really needed will help you save a ton of battery. It may cause an app to misbehave so be sure when you deny a permission, but it is a good idea to quickly go back and revisit the apps permission, especially if you are on a Marshmallow device. Do keep an eye on the number of apps that are using your location services and hunt down the ones that you think have nothing to do with. Not only are they engaging the GPS but also are transmitting some local location data of yours to their servers, something that say an SMS app has no business to do. Charging using a slower charger or a faulty cable We have always noticed that for optimum performance you are always better off charging your phone with the wall adaptor and cable that is shipped out of the box. Sometimes, when either or both the aforementioned articles are damaged, you could be tempted to pick up a cheap replica. However, the problem with that is that cheap cables or slow chargers over a period of time can harm your battery. This reduces the charge retention capability of your smartphone and that could result in an excessive drain. If you have observed, some of the Snapdragon 810 devices that ship with fast chargers, if you charge them using a normal charger or even USB of your computer, which is unable to provide the requisite current, not only the charging is slow but the charge disappears faster too. You should therefore charge your phones with the chargers that ship and purchase original ones if you happen to damage the original one. Killing recent apps or using task managers to free memory or kill apps Both Google and Apple have been very vocal about discouraging their users from clearing up the recent apps from the recent apps stack. If you use a ton of these task manager apps or are in a habit of closing apps from the recent app view, you should take note. The most recent Android versions are assigned to dynamically allocate memory when apps are in background. If the system is running short on memory it will automatically pick the memory from an app in the background without utilising too much resource. However, using a task manager would mean that it may actually end up closing some system processes with the app, which will time and again have to be restarted from the scratch. This would cause an unnecessary wastage of resources from the CPU too, and therefore you are better off either exiting an application or simply letting it run in the background as it will be taken care of. Using ton of widgets, third party customisations and health trackers If you use a lot of widgets on your Android homescreen, you could be experiencing a fair share of a drain. Especially widgets like step counters or calorie burn calculator are well known for using a lot of resources. While they are great from an informational or aesthetic point of view, anything that is not done by the OEM or from a very trusted app developer could be potentially a bad news. A ton of launchers especially, use ads as a revenue source and push messages or notifications in the background to sustain the development. Therefore, either using paid versions of such launchers or just sticking to good old Google Now launcher is advised. Oh, and go easy on widgets and only use the ones that you cannot live without. Live wallpapers or bright wallpapers on AMOLED displays If you like some great live wallpaper on your Android device, you are definitely coughing away much needed battery juice. Using black or deep coloured background on AMOLED displays is a good way to preserve battery. The sharper the contrast and more vivid the colours, more battery is likely to be drained on an AMOLED panel. In case, you have a phone that is using LCD display, you can go ahead with any wallpaper, as it is unlikely to make a difference, though using a ton of live wallpapers on lockscreen or homescreen is likely to be a reason of a battery drain. Unnecessary push notifications Apps are really sold on push notifications in order to re-engage with their users. Especially e-com apps are serial offenders here. If you have these apps, take note to disable their push notifications. Some of these apps send about two to three notifications a day and that causes your phone to light up, that many number of times and not to forget consume background data. If you absolutely must keep these apps, keep a check on the notifications they are sending and when. Enabling a DND mode also is a quick solution if your phone supports it. Not just this, apps like WhatsApp which send notification for every group conversation need to be tackled well. Ensure you mute the groups you do not have much interest in and turn active notifications off from them. If you are on a Marshmallow phone, you can simply long press a notification and turn its permission to notify you off, if it is bugging you. While battery remains a sensitive topic for virtually every smartphone user, keeping an eye on the eight points that we have mentioned will help you get the most out of your phones until the manufacturers come up with a solution that ensures a longer backup. Which of the above points did you find the most helpful? Let us know in the section below. This article has been contributed by Arpit Verma, who manages Digital Marketing initiatives at Pricebaba.com Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Gay men kiss in Kenya. A media report stated that most of the homosexual men have fled their homes amid fear of rising attacks against them. (Photo: AFP) Accra, Ghana: Defending the rising attacks on homosexuals in Ghana, a Muslim cleric said that sex between gay couples disgusts Allah and causes earthquakes. According to a report in the Daily Mail, the cleric made the comments amid reports of increasing hatred among people to Zongo community in Ghana's Accra and Kumasi regions towards homosexuals. In an interview, the cleric Mallam Abass Mahmud, said that, "Allah gets annoyed when males engage in sexual encounter and such disgusting encounter causes earthquake." A media report stated that most of the homosexual men have fled their homes amid fear of rising attacks against them. Mahmud also said that Allah had destroyed the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because of homosexuality. "Should we allow such a shame to continue in our communities against our holy teachings?" Mahmud was quoted as saying. The British government has also issued an advisory to all its citizens, especially gay people, warning them of travel to Ghana, stating that, Although there is a small gay community, there is no scene and most Ghanaians dont accept that such activity exists. Rome/New Delhi: A UN arbitration tribunal has ruled in favour of an Italian marine, held in India on murder charges, by allowing him to return home pending the arbitration proceedings at the Hague. Two Italian marines -- Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone are facing charges of murdering two fishermen in 2012 off the Kerala coast. Latorre is back in Italy after a stroke in 2014 while Girone is staying in Italian embassy here. The two countries have agreed to arbitration by the UN Court. Reports from Rome said the UN tribunal court has ruled that pending arbitration proceedings, Girone may be permitted to return home. However, the tribunal's order is expected to be made public tomorrow. Read: SC extends Italian marine Massimiliano Latorres stay in Italy till Sept 30 Sources in New Delhi denied reports that marine has been ordered to be freed, saying Italy was "misrepresenting" the order which actually affirms the Indian Supreme Court's authority over the matter. Information reaching the Indian government said "India and Italy asked to approach Supreme Court for relaxation of bail conditions for Girone. Possible return to Italy strictly conditional on Italy guaranteeing to return him if required." "Foreign Ministry informs that the arbitral tribunal set up in The Hague has anticipated today its decision that Girone Rifleman (be allowed to go) back in Italy until the end of the arbitration proceedings, initiated by the Government on June 26, 2015. The return of the conditions will be agreed between Italy and India," the Italian ministry said. Read: India's jurisdiction suspended,overridden in marine case: Italy Italy in March had asked the PCA judges to order India to release its detained marine Girone, saying otherwise he risks four more years in India without any charges being made which would amount to "grave violation of his human rights". The PCA is hearing oral arguments by the two sides. The arbitration "could last at least three or four years" which means that Girone risks "being held in (New) Delhi, without any charges being made, for a total of seven-eight years", Italy's representative had told the court. Girone is one of two Italian marines - on board ship 'Enrica Lexie' - accused by India of killing two of its fishermen. He has not been able to leave India, aside from a few brief permits, since the incident. Meanwhile, Italian new agency ANSA quoted Italian Premier Matteo Renzi as saying that he was sending a message of "friendship and cooperation to the great people of India and to the Indian prime minister (Narendra Modi)" after the news that marine Salvatore Girone is to return to Italy. "We are always ready to cooperate," Renzi added in Florence, as per ANSA. Later, the sources reproduced "relevant extracts" from the order of the Arbitral Tribunal. According to the extracts - (a) The Order neither releases nor frees any Marine. It only recommends further relaxation of bail conditions of one Italian Marine (Girone) to be considered and decided upon by the Indian Supreme Court. It may be noted that Sgt. Girone is already on bail on Orders of the Supreme Court, the sources said. (b) The Arbitral Tribunal s Order clearly recognises that "Girone is under Indias authority alone" and that the "Supreme Court of India exercises jurisdiction" over him. (c) The Order therefore asks India and Italy to approach the Supreme Court of India for relaxation of the bail conditions of one Marine (Girone) under strict conditions to be laid down by the Indian Supreme Court, they said. (d) The Tribunal has suggested that these may "include the following conditions and guarantees: Italy shall ensure that Sgt. Girone reports to an authority in Italy designated by the Indian Supreme Court in intervals to be determined by the Court; Sgt. Girone shall be required by Italy to surrender his passport and shall be prohibited from leaving Italy unless the Supreme Court of India grants him leave to travel; Italy shall on its own motion, apprise the Supreme Court of India of the situation of Sgt. Girone every three months", the sources said. (e) Italy itself has accepted that if Girone is allowed by the Indian Supreme Court to return to Italy, "he will remain under the jurisdiction of the Courts of India"..."without prejudice to the authority of Indias courts". (f) The Order also says that "India must be assured, unequivocally and with legally binding effect, that Sergeant Girone will return to India in case the Arbitral Tribunal finds that India has jurisdiction over him in respect of the Enrica Lexie incident". Italy has already given multiple undertakings to this effect, they added. (g) The Tribunal affirms that "these undertakings constitute an obligation binding upon Italy under international law". The Tribunal also "confirms that Italy is under an obligation to return Sergeant Girone to India if the Arbitral Tribunal finds that India has jurisdiction over him in respect of the Enrica Lexie incident", the sources said. 2. The Tribunal is adjudicating only on the limited question of whether India or Italy has the jurisdiction to try the two Marines for the killing of two innocent Indian fishermen. Only after the Tribunal decides which country has jurisdiction, will the criminal trial commence. Pending this final decision of the Tribunal, both Marines are currently on bail on orders of the Supreme Court and will continue to remain under its jurisdiction till the verdict of the Arbitral Tribunal. De Grood stabbed fellow alumni at a home in a quiet suburban neighbourhood that was hosting a party marking the end of classes. (Photo: AP) Ottawa: A Canadian man who stabbed to death five fellow students at a Calgary house party was not criminally responsible for the 2014 rampage due to mental illness, a judge ruled Wednesday. Justice Eric Macklin found Matthew De Grood, 24, suffered from psychosis which put into question whether he knew the killings were morally wrong. The court heard De Grood had become withdrawn and started posting online about the end of the world, zombies and Darth Vader a month before the April 2014 attack. The son of a senior Calgary police officer and a University of Calgary alumnus who was headed to law school, he stabbed fellow alumni at a home in a quiet suburban neighbourhood that was hosting a party marking the end of classes. The defence said in closing arguments De Grood had believed, in his delusion, that he was defending himself from werewolves and vampires, and that the only way to kill them was to stab them in the heart. De Grood will now be detained at a mental health hospital and meet annually with a review board that will determine his eligibility for safe release. Miles Hong, the brother of one of the victims, told reporters outside the courthouse the verdict will be a "recurring nightmare" for the victims' families. "The end of this trial is not the end of the journey for us. We continue to be broken," Hong said. "There will be no peace for us. Our wounds will never fully heal because every year our families will have to wonder what will be the fate of the man who destroyed so many lives," he said. "Every year we will be forced to re-live the details of our family (member)'s death and the anguish and sorrow." Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump waves toward the crowd after speaking at a rally at the Anaheim Convention Center. (Photo: AP) Anahem: Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump stumped Wednesday in California, the US state with the largest Hispanic population, doubling down on his anti-immigration position but assuring that Mexican people will vote for him in November. The presumptive Republican nominee took the stage in Anaheim, outside Los Angeles, with police on high alert one day after violence marred a Trump rally in the southwestern state of New Mexico, where anti-Trump protesters hurled rocks and police fired smoke grenades in efforts to rein in the chaos. Dozens of security personnel including police on horseback maintained control in Anaheim, although some skirmishes broke out between Trump opponents and his backers as protesters chanted expletives about the brash billionaire. At least eight people were arrested. Inside, Trump attacked his likely Democratic general election rival Hillary Clinton and railed against undocumented immigrants stealing US jobs. But he insisted legal immigrants would vote for him in large numbers, despite polls showing they would overwhelmingly favour Clinton. "The Mexican people are great, they're going to vote for me like crazy, the ones that are legally in this country," Trump said, as a woman waived a "Latinas for Trump" sign behind him. Too many immigrants Immigration is a flashpoint political topic in California. The state now has more Hispanic residents, 39 percent than whites, according to the census. "We have too many immigrants here, Mexican immigrants," Trump supporter Sharon Lombardi told AFP. "It's an invasion." "Our cities are not the same," said Lupe Morfin, 58, adding that an "illegal alien" killed her 13-year-old nephew in 1990. "Mr. Trump is the only one that would listen to us, and we love him." Trump warned there would be "nothing but turmoil" and "four more years of Obama" if Clinton wins the White House. "Our system and our country can't take it," he said. Trump also insisted his "biggest strength" would be a robust national security, as he lambasted countries like Germany for allowing refugees to flood into Europe unchecked, increasing the terror threat. "All over Europe they're taking these people and all over the United States they're sending these people," Trump said. "How stupid are we? This will come back to haunt us." Several Trump rallies have drawn protests, including one in Chicago in March when his supporters clashed with protesters. Trump described his Tuesday rally in Albuquerque as a "love fest," even though the chaos outside left several officers injured. In his speech in New Mexico, which has the highest percentage of Hispanic residents of any US state, Trump startled observers by criticizing Governor Susana Martinez, the nation's only Hispanic governor and head of the Republican Governors Association. "She's got to do a better job, OK?" Trump told the crowd about Martinez, who has criticized Trump's remarks on immigration and was absent from Tuesday's event. Will not be bullied It was the latest example of behavior that may compound Trump's efforts to win over skeptical voters. Martinez is seen as someone who could help a Republican nominee win support from Hispanics and women on her home turf, saying she was not cutting it as governor. Martinez's office responded swiftly, saying the governor "will not be bullied into supporting a candidate until she is convinced that candidate will fight for New Mexicans." The blunt response highlights the tensions within the party even as it prepares to crown Trump as its nominee. House Speaker Paul Ryan, the nation's top elected Republican -- said he was not yet prepared to endorse Trump for president. "I haven't made a decision," Ryan told reporters, two weeks after he met with Trump to discuss ways to unify the party behind his remarkable White House run. Former House majority leader Tom DeLay had choice words for the presumptive nominee, calling Trump's criticism of a popular conservative Latina "stupid politics." "It blows my mind," DeLay told MSNBC. "Where is he going to get his coalition to win?" Following his Washington state victory, Trump has now amassed 1,229 delegates, according to a CNN tally just eight shy of the 1,237 needed to clinch the nomination. He is expected to cross the threshold June 7, when California and four other states vote on the final day of the Republican primary contest. Trump pivoted to the general election weeks ago, relentlessly criticizing his likely Democratic rival. The former secretary of state has returned fire, although she is still engaged in the final stages of her Democratic battle against Sanders. On Wednesday, the scandal over her use of a private email server while secretary of state resurfaced, with a starkly critical report by the State Department's inspector general finding she had not sought permission to conduct official business on her personal account. Several world leaders including British Prime Minister David Cameron have reacted strongly to Trump's proposal describing it as dangerous. (Photo: PTI) Washington: A government should not respond to campaign rhetoric, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said as he refused to react to presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's controversial proposal to ban Muslims from entering the US. "These are issues of debate in the election. A government shouldn't respond to that," Modi told The Wall Street Journal in an interview. Read: Trump denounces illegal immigrants as tensions flare "As a part of the election debate many things will be said there, who ate what, who drank what, how can I respond to everything?" Modi said when asked about Trump's proposal to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the United States. Several world leaders including British Prime Minister David Cameron have reacted strongly to such a proposal describing it as dangerous. Modi declined to comment on the question, the paper said. "We have seen in India that radical ideology has by and large not been successful in taking root," said Nisha Desai Biswal, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia. Washington: The US has been successful in engaging with India on tracking money used by radical groups to penetrate into the country, the Obama Administration has said as it praised Indian Muslims for demonstrating a great deal of "resilience" against overtures by terrorist groups. "In India, Muslim community has demonstrated a great deal of resilience against such overtures," Nisha Desai Biswal, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, told members of Senate Foreign Relations Committee during a Congressional hearing early this week. "We have seen in India that radical ideology has by and large not been successful in taking root," she said in response to a question when asked about penetration of Islamic extremism in India by Senator Chris Murphy. Murphy also expressed concern over increasing Gulf investment in India. "There's a lot of reporting about some major investments being made by the Saudis, by the Wahhabi Clerical Movement to set up a large network of schools and madrasas throughout India," he said. "So, can you talk about that specific issue, and then more broadly about any developing trend lines on the penetration of some of these extremist groups to gain some foothold inside India?" Murphy asked. Biswal said the US is "clearly tracking" such investment and is "very concerned" about the reach of the global networks in India and around the world. "That is a very focused part of our conversations and engagement on the counter terrorism front and on the intelligence front," she said. "We have had very strong success in engaging with India on tracking financial flows that represent areas of concern, and the Indians themselves are doing a lot to track flows coming in not only from Gulf but from many other parts of the world that they think can cause concern," Biswal said. "The challenge is always identifying what we believe is appropriate financial flows coming in from across and around the world versus areas of concern, and creating the distinctions and the systematic framework to constrain one and enable the other," she said. Biswal said India and the United States are having "a very robust cooperation" on efforts by these global networks to tie into and reach into south Asia and India in particular. Volunteers standing near the wreckage of the destroyed vehicle, in which Mullah Akhtar Mansour was allegedly traveling in the Ahmed Wal area in Balochistan. (Photo: AP) New York: The American drone strike killing Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour is a sign of the US exasperation with Pakistan's duplicitous game as it has relied on the Taliban and the Haqqanis to protect its interests in Afghanistan and prevent India from increasing its influence there, an editorial in a leading daily said on Thursday. "The United States has for years held off targeting senior Taliban leaders while they were inside Pakistan's Balochistan province where Pakistan's powerful army has long protected them but President (Barack) Obama crossed that line by authorising the drone strike that killed the Taliban leader," the New York Times said. The article 'What Happens After the Drone Strike?' said the attack was a "sign of American exasperation with Pakistan's duplicitous game of working with Washington to combat terrorism while sheltering the Taliban and its even more hard-line partners in the Haqqani network". "The Pakistanis have relied on the Taliban and the Haqqanis to protect their interests in Afghanistan and prevent India from increasing its influence there," the editorial said. Pakistan, America's "supposed ally", had complained that the strike had violated its sovereignty and Mansour's killing is "certain" to worsen "already frayed" bilateral relations. The editorial said that just like the American raid that killed Osama bin Laden in 2011 in a Pakistani town, Saturday's attack against Mansour "might not have been necessary had Pakistan cooperated in the first place and worked with the Americans to defeat the Taliban". It said after Mansour replaced Mullah Muhammad Omar, the Taliban leader who died in 2013, the Americans and Afghans expected that Pakistan's security services would persuade him to help negotiate a political agreement with Afghanistan, which remains the only viable solution to the war. "Mullah Mansour instead rejected peace talks and stepped up attacks on Afghan and American targets, enlarging the Taliban's territorial control and further destabilising Kabul's dysfunctional government," it said. "The fact that Obama has now ordered an attack in Balochistan, rather than the border region where Pakistan has tolerated previous American operations, raises a big question: Does he intend to expand the American mission in Afghanistan, now focused on training and advising Afghan forces and ensuring that Al Qaeda cannot rebuild?," the editorial said. A "hopeful" possibility after the strike is that Mansour's successor Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada and other Taliban leaders will now feel "more threatened" and so more "amenable" to peacemaking. "The question to Obama is whether this killing is merely an end in itself or part of a strategy to drive Pakistan, America's supposed ally and Taliban leaders to the peace table," the editorial added. The surprise announcement coincided with a Taliban suicide bombing that targeted court employees near Kabul, killing 11 people in an assault that illustrated the potency of the insurgency despite the change of leadership. (Photo: AP) Ise-Shima, Japan: The Taliban is unlikely to come to the table for peace talks with the government of Afghanistan "anytime soon", despite the organisation's new leadership, US President Barack Obama said on Thursday. Obama told reporters in Japan, where he is meeting with other leaders of the Group of Seven nations that he expected the extremist movement to continue its killing in Afghanistan. "We anticipate the Taliban will continue an agenda of violence," he said. Obama was speaking the day after the Afghan Taliban named Haibatullah Akhundzada as their new leader, elevating a low-profile religious figure in a swift power transition after the death of Mullah Mansour in a US drone strike. The surprise announcement coincided with a Taliban suicide bombing that targeted court employees near Kabul, killing 11 people in an assault that illustrated the potency of the insurgency despite the change of leadership. Analysts said it was not clear if Akhundzada, formerly one of Mansour's deputies, would emulate his former boss in shunning peace talks with the Afghan government. He was also expected to face the enormous challenge of unifying an increasingly fragmented militant movement. The US killing of Mansour showed that Washington has at least for now abandoned hopes of reviving the direct peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban, which broke down last summer. Obama acknowledged that he was never going to find a willing negotiating partner at the helm of the extremist group. "I was not expecting a liberal democrat to be appointed," he told reporters. "My hope, although not my expectation, is that there comes a point where the Taliban realise what they need to be doing" and start getting into a dialogue with the government, he said. "I am doubtful that it will be happening anytime soon." Before his killing, Mansour had written a will handpicking Akhundzada to be his successor, Taliban sources said, in an apparent bid to lend legitimacy to his appointment. The killing marked a significant shift for Washington, highlighting a new willingness to target Taliban leaders in Pakistan and risk retaliatory attacks against struggling Afghan security forces. Saturday's drone attack, the first known American assault on a top Afghan Taliban leader on Pakistani soil, sent shockwaves through the insurgent movement which had seen a resurgence under Mansour. He was killed just nine months after being formally appointed leader following a bitter power struggle upon confirmation of founder Mullah Omar's death. From left, Eikei Suzuki, governor of Mie Prefecture, European Council President Donald Tusk, Italian PM Matteo Renzi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. President Barack Obama, Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, French President Francois Hollande, British PM David Cameron, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, participate in a tree planting during a visit at Ise Jingu shrine in Ise, Japan, on Thursday. (Photo: PTI) Ise-Shima: World leaders on Thursday kicked off talks dominated by the global economy and worries over Chinas growing clout and were told by Beijing to keep their noses out of its business. Presidents and Prime ministers from the Group of Seven rich nations are huddling in Japan for two days of discussions focused on how to stoke demand and encourage growth. But Chinas growing assertiveness, particularly in bitter territorial disputes in the South China Sea was providing ever-louder background music, with European Council President Donald Tusk saying the group needed to take a tough stance on the hot-button issue. Beijing swiftly launched a stinging broadside against the G7 Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US which it said should not pursue selfish interests. G7 should focus on its own duties, that is economic cooperation, it should not point fingers at something outside its portfolio, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said. The Xinhua news agency, Beijings official mouthpiece, reinforced the point with a blunt commentary that said the group should mind its own business and accused Japan of exploiting its host status to try to isolate China. Both Washington and Tokyo which is locked in a separate dispute with Beijing over islands in the East China Sea have warned against China stoking tensions in the contested waters. Beijings rebuke came as the G7 opened its 2016 summit at Ise-Shima, a mountainous region about 300 kilometres southwest of Tokyo. Several bilateral meetings were expected throughout the day, with Trudeau lined up to meet Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande. Obama made the remark at a briefing on the sidelines of Group of Seven talks in Japan where the countrys provocations are among the topics on a packed agenda. Ise-Shima (Japan): US President Barack Obama took aim at North Korea on Thursday, calling it a big worry after a meeting with his G7 counterparts, as tensions escalate following Pyongyangs series of nuclear tests. Obama made the remark at a briefing on the sidelines of Group of Seven talks in Japan where the countrys provocations are among the topics on a packed agenda. North Korea is a big worry for all of us, Obama said. It is not the thing that poses necessarily the most immediate risk. (But) when you have such an unstable regime that is so isolated, that poses the kind of medium-term threat that we have to pay a lot of attention to. Tensions between North and South Korea have been running high since Pyongyang conducted its fourth nuclear test in January. Five other fragments have previously been found and identified as definitely or probably from the Boeing 777. (Photo: AP) Sydney: Three new pieces of debris have been found in Mauritius and in Mozambique that could be linked to missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, Australia's transport minister said Thursday. The fate of the passenger jet, which is presumed to have crashed at sea after disappearing en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew on board in March 2014, remains a mystery. Five other fragments have previously been found and identified as definitely or probably from the Boeing 777. All of them were discovered thousands of kilometres (miles) from the current search zone far off Western Australia's coast. Transport Minister Darren Chester said two of the new pieces were found in Mauritius, with the other in Mozambique and were "of interest in connection to the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370". "The Malaysian government is yet to take custody of the items, however as with previous items, Malaysian officials are arranging collection and it is expected the items will be brought to Australia for examination," Chester said in a statement. These items of debris are of interest and will be examined by experts. No other details were given. Australia is leading the hunt for MH370 in the remote Indian Ocean, with more than 105,000 square kilometres (40,500 square miles) of the designated 120,000 square kilometre search zone scoured without success. If nothing turns up once the area is fully scoured, the search is likely to be abandoned, Australia, Malaysia and China has jointly said. The head of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said last week that the hunt could wrap up in August. Brussels: Belgian prosecutors say they have detained four suspected Islamic State group recruiters, who they say may have planned new attacks in the country. The Federal Prosecutor's Office said in a statement Wednesday that all four were charged with participating in the activities of a terrorist group. Two were ordered arrested by an investigating judge, one was released under strict conditions and one was released with an electronic bracelet. The statement said the four don't appear to have links to the suicide bombers who struck the Brussels Airport and subway on March 22, killing 32 people. Prosecutors said initial findings of the investigation indicated there may also have been plans for attacks in Belgium, but provided no details. Searches were carried out in the city Antwerp and in two other locations. Mosul, Iraq: A well known ISIS jihadi bride, popularly known as Mrs Terror, has issued a chilling threat message to civilians in UK warning them of terror attacks in London. According to a report in the Daily Mail, a former punk rocker, Sally Jones left her career and converted to Islam to live under the ISIS. She fled to Syria in 2013 and has been hiding in the Iraqi city of Mosul since then. Before issuing the terror warning, Jones also tweeted saying, "England... Boom". Her Twitter account was later suspended by the micro-blogging website. To be honest I wouldn't go into Central London through June... or even July well to be honest I wouldn't go there at all especially by Tube, Mrs Terror wrote on Twitter. She also went on to post a picture of herself on Twitter in which she stood in front of the sea. While posting the picture, she mentioned the place as Mosul and also captioned it -- A picnic and a paddle in the Tigress (sic) - just beautiful. Jones' jihadi husband, a computer hacker was killed in a drone strike in Al-Raqqah last year. U can't sit there with ur tea & scones ordering RAF drone strikes on UK brothers with no comeback from the Islamic State, Jones wrote on the social networking website, mocking the drone strikes that killed her husband. She also went on to say that she was spending the summer vacations in Iraq with her son. Urging British women to carry out attacks against civilians in UK during Ramadan, she said, I know what I'm doing. Paradise has a price and I hope this will be the price for Paradise. Recently, Zafreen Khadam, a 32-year-old make-up artist who wanted to marry "Jihadi John" was in the UK for glorifying the Islamic State group and spreading its dangerous propaganda online. She had posted nearly 20,000 tweets and had sent out messages in support of ISIS. She said that she wanted to go to Syria and become a jihadi bride of British terrorist Mohammed Emwazi, known as 'Jihadi John' who was killed in a drone strike last year. From Papua New Guinea to Argentina, Hong Kong and Norway, researchers consistently found cases of sex workers being physically and sexually abused by clients and the police. (Photo: AP, Representational Image) London: Sex workers around the world face violence, rape, widespread discrimination and extortion, a global human rights watchdog said on Thursday, with male or transgender sex workers facing further stigma from the police, clients and the community. Research published by Amnesty International showed that sex workers globally lack protection from horrific abuse and violence, even in countries like Norway, which are perceived to have strong human rights laws. From Papua New Guinea to Argentina, Hong Kong and Norway, researchers consistently found cases of sex workers being physically and sexually abused by clients and the police. Sex workers are experiencing horrific levels of violence and abuse throughout the world, Kate Schuetze, a policy advisor at Amnesty International, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. In many cases police are the perpetrators of the abuse, making sex workers reluctant to report the crime, especially if prostitution is illegal in their country, Schuetze said. She added that sex workers caught carrying condoms - seen by police as evidence of illegal activity - have been arrested or targeted for extortion, which in turn discourages safer sex practices. Condoms illegal in some nations, discourages safe sex: Mona, a sex worker in Papua New Guinea, said she was raped by several police officers after being caught with a client. I dont have any support to come to court and report them. It was so painful to me, but then I let it go, Mona was quoted by Amnesty as saying. If I go to the law, they cannot help me as sex work is against the law in PNG. Sex Work Vs Sex Trafficking In April, France followed Northern Ireland, Canada, Sweden, Norway and Iceland in introducing legislation to make it an offence to buy sex. Some activists said shifting the criminal charge from victim to the client would make countries like France less attractive for pimps and traffickers. But male sex worker Luca Stevenson said conflating sex work with sex trafficking was problematic. Calling for an end to sex work to end trafficking for sexual exploitation doesnt make sense. It will and it does push sex work underground, said Stevenson, a coordinator at the International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe. The reality is - the large majority of sex workers make a decision to sell sex, he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Globally, almost 21 million people are trapped in forced labour, of which 4.5 million are victims of sexual exploitation, according to the International Labour Organisation. Were absolutely opposed to things like trafficking, the sexual exploitation of children, said Schuetze. But overly broad anti-trafficking laws can also trample on the rights of people engaging in sex work consensually as adults, she added. Amnesty, which has called for the full decriminalisation of sex work, wants governments to create policies to protect adults who consent to selling sex for money. For male or transgender sex workers in more conservative countries, such policies could result in less discrimination and better access to healthcare and other services. In Papua New Guinea, we were told that sex workers were made to wait all day in health clinics because it was known they were transgender, Schuetze said. What were trying to do is shift the focus so people recognise these are human beings in need of protection and the same rights as everyone else. McLoughlin, and her brother, Anthony McLoughlin, who come from Middlesbrough, were at Teesside Crown Court where they both pleaded guilty to stealing a mans bike. (Representational image) North Yorkshire: A UK judge, while sentencing a heavily pregnant woman for stealing a bike told her, I hope you are not bringing up little thieves. According to a report in The Mirror, Judge Sean Morris asked the accused, Lindsay McLoughlin, 33, who has 14 prior convictions, What hope do you think your children have got if you behave like this? What sort of example is this? Not very good, is it? What hope do you think your children have got if you behave like this? Do you want to see them in and out of court like you? Well lets hope you havent brought up little thieves because with the kind of life youve led thats the sort of thing theyre going to follow. I hope they dont. McLoughlin, and her brother, Anthony McLoughlin, who come from Middlesbrough, were at Teesside Crown Court where they both pleaded guilty to stealing a mans bike. Both siblings have a previous criminal record, with recurring convictions- 98 offences for Anthony McLoughlin, 14 for his sister - including thefts. The judge fined pregnant McLoughlin 750 and ordered her to pay 60 compensation. Her brother, however, was jailed for seven days. The Office for National Statistics revealed that Asian nationals accounted for 298,231 (56%) of the 531,375 longer-term visas granted in the year ending March 2016, with China and India accounting for 17% and 16% of the total respectively. (Photo: AFP) London: Indian nationals accounted for the largest number of migrants being granted skilled visas to work in the UK in the last year, latest statistics said on Thursday. Indian nationals accounted for 57 per cent of total skilled work visas granted, which adds up to 52,109 of the total 91,833, with Americans the next largest nationality group at 9,981 or 11 per cent of the total, the UK's Office of National Statistics data said. "Trends in visa numbers reflect both changes to the immigration rules and the prevalent economic environment. Asian nationals accounted for 298,231 (56 per cent) of the 531,375 longer-term visas granted in YE March 2016, with China and India accounting for 17 per cent and 16 per cent of the total respectively. "The third largest number granted went to US nationals, who comprised less than 7 per cent of the total," an ONS statement said. Indian skilled professionals also topped the number of National Insurance registrations 34,000 issued during the year. National Insurance numbers indicate all workers in employment or self-employment in Britain and is a compulsory requirement in the UK. Indians are also in the top three countries to be granted study visas by the UK in the 'Migration Statistics Quarterly Report' reflecting data until December 2015. Indians were granted 10,705 study visas, placing it third after China with 70,515 and the US with 13,970. Overall, net UK long-term international migration, which reflects someone who changes their country of usual residence for 12 months or more, in the year ending December 2015 was estimated to be 333,000, up 20,000 from the year ending December 2014. The figure for EU-only net migration was 184,000, reflecting a record high which is likely to be used by those in favour of Britain?s exit, or Brexit, from the European Union (EU) to stem the free movement of EU nationals into the country. The German police was informed of a suspected plot to attack the gurdwara in Essen weeks before the blast. (Photo: Facebook) Berlin: A police evaluation of a suspected plot to blow up a Gurudwara in Essen in Germany could only be completed 10 days after the attack took place, even as the police was informed about it weeks ago. A self-made bomb was detonated in an almost empty gurdwara which critically injured a 60-year-old priestallegedly by a group of teenagers . The explosion was targeted at a wedding procession that took place a few hours earlier, attended by over 200 guests. But the attackers could only break into the gurdwara after most guest had left, media reports said. Investigators also suspect that it was a "trial detonation" for the attack planned on the gurdwara. German police had received information about plans to carry out a bomb attack from one of the suspects' mother some weeks before an explosive was detonated there, media reports claimed today. Even though police in North Rhine Westphalia had initiated some punitive measures and took other steps after receiving the information on the attack plans, a final evaluation of the documents given by her took place only on April 26, ten days after the attack on Nanaksar Satsangh Sabha Gurdwara, the reports said. 16-year-old Yussuf T and Mohammad B, the two main suspects in the attack as well as their 17-year-old accomplice Tolga had drawn up detailed plans to fight "infidels" and made notices and sketches on a writing pad. The trio also assigned different tasks among themselves and picked up Yussuf as the "Emir" (group leader) while Tolga was given the responsibility to procure money and Mohammed was put in charge of "assembly", TV channels WDR and NDR and the Munich daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported, citing the findings of an investigative work by a team of their journalists. Tolga's mother, who found the writing pad in her son's room, was alarmed by the plans being hatched by the three teenagers and handed over to police photos of the notices and sketches three weeks before a self-made bomb was allegedly detonated by Yussuf and Mohammad at the entrance of the Nanaksar Satsangh Sabha Gurdwara on the evening of April 16, the report said. The three suspects in the bomb attack have been known to the security authorities in different connection, but the information on them collected by various departments were not put together for a long time, the report said. Yussuf participated in an anti-radicalisation programme of the Interior Ministry for more than six months. Mohammad has been under police observation since he presented himself as "Kuffar Killer" (killer of infidels) on his Facebook profile. All the three men were also known to police because of their close contact with a radical clergy at a mosque in the nearby town of Duisberg. Police in the town of Gelsenkirchen admitted on Monday it was a failure that they did not react resolutely to a warning received from Yussuf's school in January. The head of the secondary school had informed the police that Yussuf had shown to his fellow-students a video of the detonation of a self-made explosive device on his mobile phone. Several says after the explosion, investigators found the video of the explosion of a self-made bomb on a USB drive taken from Mohammad's house during a raid. A health worker administers polio vaccine to a child as part of a UNICEF-supported vaccination campaign in Syria's Damascus. (Photo: AP) Geneva: Syria was the most dangerous place for health care workers to operate last year, ahead of other conflict zones like the Palestinian territories, and Yemen, the World Health Organization said Thursday. For the first time, the UN health agency provided comprehensive statistics on attacks on health care facilities and other violence directed at health workers in conflict areas, covering 19 countries over the past two years. "One of the most concerning findings is that two thirds (of the attacks) have been deliberate," Rick Brennan, the WHO's chief of emergency risk management, told reporters. Attacks intentionally targeting health care facilities, health workers, the sick and injured "represent gross violations of international humanitarian law," he said, stressing that "if proven (they) can be considered war crimes." According to the WHO report, 256 attacks directed at medical structures, personnel and ambulances took place in total across 19 countries last year, killing 434 people, including health workers, patients and bystanders. More than half of those attacks (135) took place in war-ravaged Syria, resulting in 173 deaths. However, 2014 was even deadlier on a global scale, with 525 people killed in 338 attacks across the 19 countries, the report showed. But Syria did not figure quite as heavily in those statistics, with 93 attacks registered in the country, killing 179 people. Other areas that have proven particularly dangerous for health workers include the Palestinian territories, where there were 34 attacks in 2015 that killed three people, Pakistan, with 16 attacks resulting in 45 deaths and Libya with 14 attacks that left 39 dead. War-torn Yemen and Iraq also figured high in the ranking. Statistics for 2016 were not available, Brennan said, although he stressed that the worrying trend was continuing, with numerous attacks so far this year, including on hospitals in Syria. One of the key issues in the debate on Britain's membership of the European Union (EU) ahead of a June 23 vote is the arrival of immigrants seeking work, and their status as beneficiaries of Britain's welfare system. Edinburgh: An Australian family living in Scotland, who came to the country four years ago during a drive to attract people to live in rural areas, is now battling deportation under new British rules designed to control immigration. The Brains were due to meet Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Thursday to discuss the rules which one lawmaker of her Scottish National Party (SNP) described as a "blunt instrument". Kathryn and Gregg Brain and their seven-year-old son Lachlan, who has learnt Scotland's ancient Gaelic language at school, arrived in 2011 as part of a plan backed by the British government to help prop up an ageing and shrinking population in the Highlands of northern Scotland. But the scheme was closed and a change in the rules meant the family required a different visa to stay in the country - a requirement that has pitted the devolved Scottish nationalist government against the British government in London. One of the key issues in the debate on Britain's membership of the European Union (EU) ahead of a June 23 vote is the arrival of immigrants seeking work, and their status as beneficiaries of Britain's welfare system. Immigration is above targets set by the government, seen in data released on Thursday showing net migration to Britain rose to 333,000 last year. The number of new arrivals from Europe has driven much opposition to the bloc. "The government apparently is trying to regulate immigration but what they are actually doing is alienating and deporting the very people with the talent and the skills that we need in Scotland," said SNP lawmaker Kate Forbes. "These inflexible rules are a blunt instrument," she added. Gregg Brain is a health and safety expert and Kathryn, who arrived on a student visa, has just completed a degree in Scottish history and has an offer of temporary work in a local distillery. Home Office minister James Brokenshire said the family could submit a new visa application and he would later meet their local member of parliament who had raised their case on Thursday. "He can be assured that the family does not face an imminent risk of immediate deportation," Brokenshire told lawmakers. The UK Home Office said that it would not be a review of the "totality" of Sharia law, which is a source of guidance for many Muslims in Britain. (Photo: Representational Image) London: The UK on Wednesday launched a review of Sharia law in the country to establish if the Islamic religious law discriminates against women. UK home secretary Theresa May told British MPs in a written statement that the review, to be completed by next year, will look at whether the Islamic religious law is compatible with UK laws and in case it is being "misused". "A number of women have reportedly been victims of what appear to be discriminatory decisions taken by Sharia councils and that is a significant concern. There is only one rule of law in our country, which provides rights and security for every citizen," May said. The review will be led by Professor Mona Siddiqui, an expert in Islamic and inter-religious studies from the University of Edinburgh. "It's a privilege to be asked to chair such an important piece of work. At a time when there is so much focus on Muslims in the UK, this will be a wide-ranging, timely and thorough review as to what actually happens in Sharia councils," she said. The review panel, led by the Pakistani-British academic, will also include family law barrister Sam Momtaz, retired High Court judge Sir Mark Hedley and specialist family law lawyer Anne Marie Hutchinson. They will be advised by two religious and theological experts - Imam Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi and Imam Qari Asim. The UK Home Office said that it would not be a review of the "totality" of Sharia law, which is a source of guidance for many Muslims in Britain. It would examine the role of particular groups and Islamic authorities, and the role of Sharia councils and Muslim arbitration tribunals. The panel would also look at divorce, domestic violence and custody cases. British Navy is examining its records to check if it is their submarine. (Photo: Orso diving club) Rome: Britain's Royal Navy says it's looking into claims by an Italian diver that he located the long-lost wreck of the HMS P311 submarine, which was downed off Sardinia during World War II. Diver Massimo Bondone told the La Nuova Sardegna daily he found the P311 at a depth of 80 meters (262 feet) off the isle of Tavolara during a dive last weekend. Paola Pegoraro of the Orso diving club, which provided logistics for the dive, told The Associated Press the sub was positively identified by the two Chariot "human torpedoes" affixed to the outside. "We are examining our records to determine whether or not this is a Royal Navy submarine," a British Navy spokesman said Wednesday on condition of anonymity, in line with navy regulations. The spokesman stressed that if it is indeed the P311, the wreck belongs to Britain and any possible remains on board must be respected. The P311 left Malta in December 1942 with 71 crew on board to take part in Operation Principle, an Allied attack on Italian warships off Sardinia. According to the online resource www.naval-history.net, contact was lost Dec. 31 after the sub apparently hit a mine. Police arrived at the scene nearly two hours after the attacks began and arrested six people, according to the statement by Minya's top cleric, Anba Makarios. He said the family of the Christian man had notified the police of threats against them by Muslim villagers the day before the attack. (Representational image) Cairo: A Muslim mob ransacked and torched seven Christian homes in a province south of the Egyptian capital, Cairo, after rumors spread that a Christian man had an affair with a Muslim woman, according to a statement by the local Orthodox Coptic church. Released late Wednesday, it said that during the May 20 attack, the mother of the Christian man was publicly stripped of her clothes by the mob to humiliate her. Her son fled the village. Police arrived at the scene nearly two hours after the attacks began and arrested six people, according to the statement by Minya's top cleric, Anba Makarios. He said the family of the Christian man had notified the police of threats against them by Muslim villagers the day before the attack. "No one did anything and the police took no pre-emptive or security measures in anticipation of the attacks," he told a television interviewer Wednesday night. Christians, who make up about 10 percent of Egypt's 90 million people, have long complained of discrimination in the mostly Muslim nation. President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, in office since 2014, has sought to address some of their grievances, but Christians say they are consistently victimized when in dispute with Muslims. Criminal gangs have often targeted wealthy Christian families south of Cairo in recent years, kidnapping their children for ransom. There have also been scores of cases in recent years of underage Christian girls lured away from their families by Muslim men who force them to convert and keep them in hiding until they reach adulthood. Christians often complain that police don't do enough to pursue the Muslim perpetrators. Makarios also told the television interviewer Wednesday night that the late arrival of the police gave the attackers "ample time" to do what they had set out to do. With uncharacteristic candor, he said that the crisis in the village will most likely be handled through a government-sponsored meeting of the two sides in which the Christians will be forced to accept "humiliating" conditions for reconciliation. He said there would have hardly been a reaction were it a case of a Muslim man having an affair with a Christian woman. "If that was the case, the Christian response would not have been anything like what happened," he explained. "It is a disgrace for honest men to remain silent while accepting, seeing or hearing this." After 48 years, Sarkar's family traced him in Karachi when his daughter Aasiya living in Pakistan and Mammikutty's Abu Dhabi-based grandson Nadirshah, 23, connected on Facebook. (Representational Image) Dubai: In an emotional reunion, a 76-year-oldman who left India and went to Pakistan nearly 50 years ago has met with his two siblings in the UAE's capital Abu Dhabi. Hamza Sarkar, who is now a Pakistani citizen, met with his brother TP Mammikutty, 75, and sister Eyyathu, 85, both from Kerala. He flew from Karachi while Mammikutty and Eyyathu came from Kerala for the reunion in Abu Dhabi. Sarkar had gone missing first time from Kerala in 1951 when he was 11 years old, Gulf News reported. "He was fond of travelling. One day our mother sent him out to graze the cattle. He never returned," Mammikutty said. Sarkar boarded a train to Kolkata. "From Kolkata I went to Bangladesh, which was then part of Pakistan. Later I went to Karachi," Sarkar said. After 18 years, he returned home in 1968. "I risked my life and slipped through the borders near Rajasthan in India. I walked for three weeks and finally took a bus to Hyderabad. I wrote a letter to my mother and she sent me money for a train ticket to Kerala," Sarkar said. In the hope that he will stay, Sarkar's family set up a grocery shop for him but he ventured out again after nine months on the pretext of buying supplies and never returned. "That was the last we saw him. I still remember how my mother used to keep his picture under her pillow and would cry all night," Iyyathu said. After 48 years, Sarkar's family traced him in Karachi when his daughter Aasiya living in Pakistan and Mammikutty's Abu Dhabi-based grandson Nadirshah, 23, connected on Facebook. "I never thought I would see my brother and sister in this lifetime. I have waited for this moment for so long and now I do not want to leave them and go to Pakistan," Sarkar said. Hasakeh, Syria: Before jihadists seized his hometown and turned his school into a prison, Syrian teenager Ahmad Mohammad never imagined he would be excited about sitting his final exams. After a long wait, the 17-year-old and around 650 other teenagers were bussed into the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakeh this month to finally try to obtain their school diplomas. They travelled around 200 kilometres (125 miles) from several towns in the north of Raqa province that were retaken from the Islamic State (IS) group by Kurdish militia in June. Mohammad said he had not seen the inside of a classroom since early 2014, when jihadists captured his hometown of Tal Abyad on the border with Turkey and began using it as a gateway to their Raqa stronghold. "They turned our school into a prison operated by Daesh fighters," he said, using an Arabic acronym for IS. "My heart would grow heavy when I walked past my school, not allowed to go in. I would remember the good times with classmates the war has scattered across the globe," he said. "Going back to school brought me back to life... The future looked very dark for me, but that changed today," he added. Around two million children do not attend school in Syria, the United Nations says, five years into a complex war that has killed more than 270,000 people and sent millions into exile. In areas under its control, IS has enforced its own self-styled curriculum of religious education coupled with military training. 'We felt like outsiders' In Hasakeh province, schools are run by either the government or Kurdish authorities who declared an autonomous region in areas under their control after the 2011 uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. Many of the students who travelled to the region brought heartrending tales of the obstacles they faced to get an education under IS. "My father is a teacher and he continued teaching us in secret" after school was banned, said a teenager from the town of Suluk in Raqa province. Tahami Abdullah, a school official in Tal Abyad, said when fighters first entered the town "they asked for teaching hours to be reduced and for some of the subjects to be dropped". "Then they abolished education completely and transformed schools either into prisons, missions or religious police posts," he said. He said IS forced many to sign a pledge promising not to teach the Syrian national curriculum. "They had their own special courses they would teach in their Islamic schools and missions," Abdullah said. "But no one taught or studied there except for their members and the families of the foreign fighters. We felt like outsiders." Ibrahim Khalil from Tal Abyad said he had not held a pen or notebook in several years because he was "so afraid IS would cut off my hand." "Daesh came to spread ignorance, but our will is stronger than theirs and we will study and continue our education." ISIS 'wants us to be ignorant' As state institutions collapsed across swathes of Syria, alternative methods of education have filled the void. The autonomous Kurdish administration that has managed parts of northern Syria since 2012 run their own schools and teach the long-banned Kurdish language. And opposition-run local councils manage schools in rebel-held areas. In the battleground second city of Aleppo, schools in opposition-held areas have often been forced to shut for weeks at a time due to intense government bombardment. The frequent closures as well as mass displacement have sparked fears among rights groups of a "lost generation" of Syrian students. Ittihad al-Hassan, an 18-year-old female student from Tal Abyad, said she was supposed to sit her ninth grade exams two years ago. But when IS overran her hometown, the jihadists "banned learning and everything else... because they wanted us to be ignorant." "They forced us to cover up completely with a face veil. It was even forbidden for us to show our hands." She said sitting her exam reminded her of "safer days". Nirouda Mohammed, a Kurdish student who fled from Raqa city to Tal Abyad, said finally being able to sit her exams was a dream come true. "I missed sitting at a school desk," she said. "I'm confident that tomorrow, a new sun will rise over my country." This undated handout photograph released by the Afghan Taliban on May 25, 2016 shows Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada at an undisclosed location. (Photo: AFP) Kabul: Days after announcing Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada as its new leader, the Afghan Taliban have rejected peace talks with the government as a viable solution to bringing the insurgency to an end. An audio message has been released in Pushto, circulated by Taliban commanders, where Haibatullah is saying, Taliban will never bow their heads and will not agree to peace talks, Pakistans Dawn newspaper reported. Haibatullah further says, People thought we will lay down our arms after Mullah Mansours death, but we will continue fighting till the end. Following the groups chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour death in a US drone strike, the insurgent group announced the anointment of Akhundzada as its chief. In a statement released by the insurgent group, Sirajuddin Haqqani, head of a network blamed for many high-profile bombings in Kabul in recent years, and Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, son of former leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, will serve as his deputies. Blasphemy is an extremely sensitive issue in Pakistan where 97 per cent of the population is Muslim. (Representational Image) Lahore: A Christian man has been arrested in Pakistan's Punjab province for allegedly posting blasphemous messages on his Facebook account. Police said they arrested Liaquat Usman yesterday on a complaint that he had posted blasphemous material on his Facebook account. According to Usman's wife, a resident of Nabipura Sheikhupura district some 50 kilometers from here, her husband had a fight with some Muslim boys over teasing of girls in the locality. "My husband stopped some boys from teasing girl students. A couple of days ago the boys manhandled Usman. Instead of arresting the boys, police arrested Usman saying a complaint against him has been lodged for committing blasphemy," she said. Initial investigations showed that the blasphemous messages were posted on the Facebook account of Usman a year ago but the suspect said he did not post them as someone else tagged them (on his account), said police official Sarfraz Khan. "The man who allegedly tagged the blasphemous post on Usman's Facebook account is living abroad," he said, adding further investigation is underway and an FIR will be registered in the light of its finding. Blasphemy is an extremely sensitive issue in Pakistan where 97 per cent of the population is Muslim. Two high-profile politicians then Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer and minorities minister Shahbaz Bhatti were murdered in 2011 after calling for reforms to the blasphemy law. Pakistan's tough blasphemy law has attracted criticism from rights groups, who say they are frequently misused to settle personal scores. Islamabad: The US drone attack on Pakistan's soil to kill Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Mansour is detrimental to bilateral ties, said Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif on Thursday. Sharif told this to US Ambassador David Hale who visited the military's General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, the army said, adding that the situation arising after US drone strike in Balochistan on May 22 came under discussion. "While expressing his serious concerns over the said drone strike, the Chief of the Army Staff said such acts of sovereignty violations are detrimental to relations between both countries and are counter-productive for ongoing peace process for regional stability," army said. It is for the first time that army has spoken on the issue. Pakistan Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan yesterday refused to confirm the death of Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour but said a DNA test will be done to establish the identity of a man killed in a US drone strike last week. He had condemned the drone attack as violation of Pakistan's territory and said it may lead to serious implication for relations between Pakistan and US. Debesh Chandra Pramanik, 68, a shoe store owner, was murdered inside his shop in Gaibandha of northwestern Gobindaganj Upazila. (Photo: Representational Image/PTI) Dhaka: Rejecting reports that Islamists had a role in the killing of a Hindu businessman, Bangladesh police on Thursday said the pattern found in the recent brutal murders by militants was missing in the case. Debesh Chandra Pramanik, 68, a shoe store owner, was murdered inside his shop in Gaibandha of northwestern Gobindaganj Upazila. "We still do not have any reason to believe that Debesh Chandra Pramanik was killed by (Islamist) militants as it did not match the pattern which was seen in all the cases where they were involved," Gaibandha district police chief Ashraful Islam said. He made the remarks when asked about reports stating that the hand of Islamist militants was being suspected in Pramanik's murder. Islam said the assailants used small knife-like sharp weapons in killing Pramanik while "militants preferred machetes in murdering their victims" earlier. "In all the cases of murder carried out by the suspected militants, the assailants appear on the crime scene on motorbikes, but no motorbike is used in this case," the police official said. Another senior officer in police's detective branch said, "Someone identifying them to be IS or al-Qaeda claim responsibility after every such murder by militants but no such claim has been made in Debesh's (murder) case." The victim's family claimed that some local drug addicts tried to extort money from Pramanik a few days ago and when he refused to pay, an argument broke out at the shop. Pramanik's son Debashish Chandra told reporters that his father could be a victim of the drug addicts. Immediately after the murder, police arrested a man named Nepen Chandra in connection with the murder acting on allegations of the victim's family members. Bangladesh recently has witnessed a wave of murders of liberal and secular activists, writers and minorities by suspected Islamist militants. A Muslim homoeopath doctor being their last victim last week in western Kushtia. The Islamic State reportedly claimed responsibilities of most of the murders but Bangladeshi authorities rejected the claims. "The home grown militants are repeatedly trying to prove their links with international outfits like IS or al Qaeda," a senior home ministry official had said after last week's murder. "Our investigations found no link of any international group to the incidents (clandestine attacks) in Bangladesh." A Buddhist monk, an atheist student, two gay rights activists, a liberal professor, a Hindu tailor and a sufi Muslim leader were the other victims of the deadly attacks since last month. "Six Afghan spies who were staying in refugee camps have been arrested from the Pishin area of the province," Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti told reporters. (Representational image) Karachi: Pakistan on Thursday claimed to have arrested six Afghan spies allegedly involved in bombings and target killings in its troubled Balochistan province and threatened to push all Afghan refugees out of the country. "Six Afghan spies who were staying in refugee camps have been arrested from the Pishin area of the province," Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti told reporters. A confessional video of the alleged spies were also shared with media, showing the arrested men saying that they work for Afghan National Directorate of Security for money. Lashing out at Afghan intelligence agency for deceiving Pakistan, Bugti claimed that the Afghans were working with the Indian agencies to destabilise Pakistan. He accused the Afghan agency of targeting refugees in Pakistan to recruit spies. The Home minister threatened to push all Afghan refugees out of the province, saying that time had come that more than 2.5 million Afghan refugees should be forced to go back. "Enough is enough. We have tolerated them for a long time now and if the international community doesn't do something to send them home then they will be pushed out of Pakistan by the Baluch people themselves," Bugti said. Pakistan often accuses Afghanistan of creating instability in Balochistan. The claim of arrest of spies came at the heels of killing of Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Mansour in Balochistan. The controversial alternative bill was prepared after the CII rejected Punjab's Protection of Women against Violence Act (PPWA) 2015, as un-Islamic. (Photo: AFP) Islamabad: Pakistani husbands can 'lightly' beat their wives if they disobey, according to a controversial recommendation made by a state-affiliated Islamic body in its new women protection bill. The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) enjoys constitutional status in Pakistan and gives non-binding proposals to the parliament to make laws according to Islam. The controversial alternative bill was prepared after the CII rejected Punjab's Protection of Women against Violence Act (PPWA) 2015, as un-Islamic. PPWA, passed by the Punjab assembly, gives legal protection to women from domestic, psychological and sexual violence and calls for the creation of a toll-free abuse reporting hot line and the establishment of women's shelters. The CII will now forward its proposed bill to the Punjab Assembly. According to the Express Tribune, the 163-page draft bill proposed several bans on women. The bill said that a husband should be allowed to 'lightly' beat his wife if she defies his commands, refuses to dress up as per his wishes and turns down demand of physical contact. It suggested that a beating is also permissible if a woman does not observe Hijab, interacts with strangers, speaks loud and provides monetary support to people without taking consent of her husband. It also recommended banning co-education after primary education, banning on women from taking part in military combat, ban on welcoming foreign delegations, interacting with males and making recreational visits with strangers. Female nurses should not be allowed to take care of male patients and women should be banned from working in advertisements, it said. It also recommended that an abortion after 120 days of conceiving should be declared 'murder'. However, it said, a woman can join politics and contract a Nikah without permission of parents. If any non-Muslim woman is forced to convert, then the oppressor will be awarded three-year imprisonment while the woman will not be murdered if she reverts to her previous faith, it said. The law has been proposed at a time when the CII is under fire from many social groups for opposing women's rights. Mansour had not only Pakistan's computerised national identity card (CNIC) but also a valid passport with him. He had a fake name -- Wali Muhmmad -- on the documents. (Representational Image) Islamabad: Pakistan has decided to verify its computerised national identity cards after it was left red-faced over the revelation that Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was registered as a citizen under a false name. Mansour was targeted by drones operated by US Special Forces in Balochistan's Noshki district on May 21 when he headed towards Quetta in a rented car. Mansour had not only Pakistan's computerised national identity card (CNIC) but also a valid passport with him. He had a fake name -- Wali Muhmmad -- on the documents. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan yesterday gave a 48-hour deadline to National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) for a roadmap to launch a country-wide CNIC re-verification campaign of the entire population. "NADRA has 48 hours for submitting a work plan with a set deadline for initiation of National Plan for Re-verification of CNICs across Pakistan," Khan said after a meeting at NADRA. He said Pakistan should send a message that its CNIC are not easily available to anyone who is willing to pay for it. "Being a responsible state we will ensure that the usage of CNIC by any alien is completely eliminated after this exercise," he said in a statement. Earlier, Khan in a media briefing this week accepted that NADRA was plagued with corruption and several officials have been removed or being prosecuted for issuing fake CNIC and passports. Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) yesterday arrested Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Revenue Rafique Tareen on allegations of verifying and approving Mansour's CNIC under the fake identity of Wali Muhammad. It is believed that already thousands of Afghan refugees have gained Pakistan's citizenship through fake documents. The two issues came up during President Pranab Mukherjee's talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang at the Great Hall of the People on the penultimate day of his four-day maiden state visit to China. (Photo: PTI) Beijing: India on Thursday sought China's cooperation in international for a like the UN in the fight against terrorism making it clear that there was "no good or bad terrorists" and told Beijing that it should play a positive role in ensuring a predictable nuclear regime as New Delhi seeks to join the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). The two issues came up during President Pranab Mukherjee's talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang at the Great Hall of the People on the penultimate day of his four-day maiden state visit to China. Largely, there was appreciation of the President's visit by the Chinese leadership and all the three leaders acknowledged his positive role in building the bilateral relationship during his long political career in different capacities. However, there was acknowledgment of differences. Briefing the media on the 80-minute talks Mukherjee held at delegation level with Xi, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said they were frank and both sides acknowledged the need to respect each other's sensitivities and concerns. The President raising the issues of cooperation in combating terrorirsm and the need for predictable nuclear regimes assumes significance in the context of China's action in blocking the United Nations' move to blacklist Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist and the bid to block India's admission to the NSG on the ground it has not signed the Non-Proflieration Treaty (NPT). Essentially what was conveyed to China during the discussions was that it was a global fight against terrorism and India and China are affected by it. "There are strong sentiments on the issue in India because many lives have been lost. For the elimination of international and cross-border terrorirsm there is no such thing as good terrorists or bad terroris. They don't have any ideology. "We must have an expansion of cooperation both bilaterally and multilaterally through close cooperation in the UN. Broadly, there was acceptance on this position. We want cooperation in the UN," the foreign secretary said. Asked whether the JeM issue was specifically raised, he said, "the President specifically referred to the menace of transborder terrorism. There was no good or bad terrorism and they should take into account each other's sensitivities. We have spoken on cross border terrorism and zero tolerance on terrorism. No good or bad terrorists and they should cooperate closely in the UN on this issue." While flagging the need for India's attempts to bridge the growing energy deficit without compromising on climate change, Mukherjee asked Xi to give personal attention to this matter. Interestingly, in the Chinese briefing to the media after talks between Mukherjee and Xi, officials said though there was no direct discussion about India's access to NSG, the two leaders mentioned the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and agreed to strengthen cooperation and exchanges in this regard. About terrorism, they said the two leaders discussed the counter-terrorism cooperation agreed to work under the framework of global institutions like the UN and BRICS. On the civil nuclear programme, the broad approach Mukherjee took was that like many other countries India suffered from acute shortage of power with over 300 million people having no access to energy. At the same time, it was conscious of the responsibility of the need to balance requirement with responsibilities on climate change. "We need to have a predictable environment. We work closely very with China on climate change and we are reasonably confident that in our move in the quest for civil nuclear power China will play a positive role," he said. On the vexed border issue, both sides acknowledged the fact that differences should not come in the way of improving ties in other areas. The main intention was to maintain peace and tranquility while addressing the boundary question. Besides, Xi and Li, the President also met the Chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Zhang Dejiang. Mukherjee told the Chinese leadership that there was a multi-party consensus on improving ties with China. The fact that he was accompanied by a delegation of MPs from different parties was a demonstration of this fact. He also spoke about the global uncertainty now because of the economy and how India and China could play a role in international fora. The message of heightened responsibility was something that came through very clearly. There was a fair amount of discussion on economic issues with the President highlighting India's trade deficit with China. Trade deficit between India and China has risen to USD 44.7 billion during April-January period of 2015-16. India's exports to China stood at USD 7.56 billion during the period whereas the imports has jumped to USD 52.26 billion in April-January. In 2014-15, the deficit was aggregated at USD 48.48 billion, according to official figures. It was felt that greater Chinese investment in India could generate more trade that could address India's concern in a way. The Chinese showed a lot of interest in the government's flagship programmes like Digital India and smart cities schemes and that investment climate was improving because of relaxation of rules to enable ease of doing business in India. The Chinese appreciated that high-level visits between the two countries played a positive role in improving relations and all the three Chinese leaders fondly recalled the memories of their visits to India in the last three years. Mukherjee extended an invitation to Xi to visit India which he accepted. Transgender activist Alisha died after she was shot eight times in an attack on Sunday night. (Photo: Facebook) Peshawar: A 23-year old Pakistani transgender activist, who was shot at 8 times, died in a hospital in Peshawar after staff couldn't decided whether to put her in a male or female ward. According to a report, the activist, called Alisha, was brought to Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, in an extremely critical condition and needed emergency surgery, following the attack on her in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province on Sunday night. She later succumbed to her injuries. The staff at the hospital has been accused of negligence, failing to give her the necessary medical attention required to save her life. Alisha was the district coordinator of Trans Action Alliance (TAA)- a transgender advocacy group, members of which have written a series of posts on facebook documenting the alleged mistreatment. 'After we protested, Alisha was shifted to a female ward but then female patients had a problem with her being transgender,' they wrote, around four hours after the attack. 'We really don't know what to do and where to go.' Some 20 minutes later, the group added: 'Alisha has been operated on. She was shot eight times and her situation is critical. 'The doctors say if she survives she will have to go through several surgeries but right now they are just trying to stabilise her. She is supposed to be in surgical ICU but there are no empty beds and so she's in an ordinary hospital ward which seems like a ward from World War One.' In a shocking turn, the staff at the hospital is also being accused of sexual harassment, as they asked the group who accompanied Alisha how much they would charge for a dance or to have sex with them, as their friend lay dying. 'The operation theatre male staff kept giving me their numbers and everyone wanted my contact information,' a later post read. 'A doctor wants to know how much I charge to dance for a night and another health technician wants to know if I only dance or also perform sex... I mean WTF... I am with a patient who we don't know whether or not she will survive.' Prior to her death, Alisha was very outspoken about the conditions under which the transgender community in Pakistan was forced to live, and even spoke at a rally held in Peshawar on December 10. Society doesnt accept us, she said. At least we should be recognised as disabled or special persons by society. I left home to avoid being ridiculed but even then people used to come to our houses and make fun of us for some reason or other. We are the most vulnerable segment of society but the government gives us none of the rights due to us. Alisha is the fifth activist from the TAA to be targeted and attacked in the last few months on the conservative province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. According to estimates by the TAA, there are at least 45,000 transgender people in the province and at least half a million in all of Pakistan. However, most of them face blatant discrimination in Pakistan's conservative society. While some earn money by dancing at weddings and parties, others are forced to adopt extreme lifestyles such as prostitution or begging on the streets. Scientists have discovered a new catalyst material which may lead to cellphone and car batteries that last five times longer than current ones. Kyeongjae Cho from University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) in the US has found the catalyst materials for lithium-air batteries that jumpstart efforts at expanding battery capacity. "There is huge promise in lithium-air batteries. However, despite the aggressive research being done by groups all over the world, those promises are not being delivered in real life," said Cho. "So this is very exciting progress. Hopefully, this discovery will revitalise research in this area and create momentum for further development," he said. Lithium-air (or lithium-oxygen) batteries "breathe" oxygen from the air to power the chemical reactions that release electricity, rather than storing an oxidiser internally like lithium-ion batteries do. Due to this, lithium-air batteries boast an energy density comparable to gasoline - with theoretical energy densities as much as 10 times that of current lithium-ion batteries, giving them tremendous potential for storage of renewable energy, particularly in applications such as mobile devices and electric cars. For example, at one-fifth the cost and weight of those presently on the market, a lithium-air battery would allow an electric car to drive 640 kilometres on a single charge and a mobile phone to last a week without recharging, researchers said. Practical attempts to increase lithium-air battery capacity so far have not yielded great results, despite efforts from major corporations and universities. Until now, these attempts have resulted in low efficiency and poor rate performance, instability and unwanted chemical reactions, researchers said. Cho and Yongping Zheng from UT Dallas have introduced new research that focuses on the electrolyte catalysts inside the battery, which, when combined with oxygen, create chemical reactions that create battery capacity. According to them, soluble-type catalysts possess significant advantages over conventional solid catalysts, generally exhibiting much higher efficiency. In particular, they found that only certain organic materials can be utilised as a soluble catalyst. Cho and Zheng collaborated with researchers at Seoul National University in Korea to create a new catalyst for the lithium-air battery called dimethylphenazine, which possesses higher stability and increased voltage efficiency. "The catalyst should enable the lithium-air battery to become a more practical energy storage solution," said Zheng. According to Cho, his catalyst research will open the door to additional advances in technology. The findings were published in the journal Nature Energy. The Supreme Court today relaxed the bail conditions of Salvatore Girone, one of the two Italian marines accused of killing two fishermen off Kerala coast in 2012, and allowed him to go to his country till an International Arbitral Tribunal decides the jurisdictional issue between India and Italy. The other marine Massimiliano Latorre is already in Italy on health grounds and his stay there was recently extended by the apex court till September 30 this year. A vacation bench of Justices P C Pant and D Y Chandrachud sought a fresh undertaking from Italian Ambassador here stating that if the International Arbitral Tribunal (IAT) decides jurisdictional issue in India's favour then he will be responsible in bringing back the marine within one month. The apex court imposed four conditions on the marine which include that he has to report to police station in Italy on first Wednesday of every month and the Italian Embassy has to inform the Indian Embassy in Rome about the same. It also said the marine will not tamper with any evidence nor influence any witness in the case. The third condition imposed was that Girone will give an undertaking that he will remain under the jurisdiction of Supreme Court. Lastly, if found violating any of the conditions imposed, his bail will be cancelled, the apex court said. During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) P S Narasimha said that Centre has no objection to the application moved by Girone if he complies with the conditions imposed by the apex court. "We support the application on humanitarian grounds subject to his compliance with the conditions imposed by the court," the ASG said. Girone, who presently is in the custody of the apex court and residing in Italian embassy here, had filed the application through lawyer Jagjit Singh Chhabra, also seeking a direction that Ministry of Home Affairs and the Foreigners Regional Registration Office be asked to provide him with the "necessary residential permit and exit visa". The marines, who were on board ship 'Enrica Lexie', are accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast on February 15, 2012. Italy and India have been making contrary claims over the right to prosecute the two Italian marines in the case. Girone had also said the authorities at the Indira Gandhi International Airport including the Bureau of Immigration and the concerned CISF and other security authorities be apprised of the court's direction that he can leave India. The Centre had on the last hearing said the international arbitration proceedings are expected to decide the jurisdictional issue "expeditiously" and the marine can be be allowed to leave on the terms which was imposed on Lattore. Earlier, the apex court on April 26, had extended the stay of Latorre in Italy till September 30. The court was informed by the Centre that international arbitration proceedings in the matter would be completed by December 2018. Solicitor General (SG) Ranjit Kumar had apprised the bench about the schedule of proceedings fixed before International Tribunal for Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in Germany. The apex court had on January 13 asked the Centre to apprise it of the status of international arbitration proceedings in the case. The court had earlier stayed all criminal proceedings, including the trial of the two marines. While allowing the joint request of India and Italy, the apex court had said the proceedings would remain stalled till the jurisdictional issue about which country has the right to conduct trial was decided through international arbitration. The apex court had on August 26, 2015 suspended all court proceedings here in pursuance of an interim order of the ITLOS asking India to maintain "status quo" in the case. Latorre, who had suffered a brain stroke on August 31, 2014, was allowed by the apex court on September 12, 2014 to go to Italy for four months and after that, extensions have been granted to him. The complaint against the Italian marines was lodged by Freddy, the owner of the fishing boat 'St Antony', in which the two Indian fishermen were killed when the marines opened fire on them allegedly under the misconception that they were pirates. The American drone strike killing Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour is a sign of the US' "exasperation" with Pakistan's "duplicitous game" as it has relied on the Taliban and the Haqqanis to protect its interests in Afghanistan and prevent India from increasing its influence there, an editorial in a leading daily said today. "The United States has for years held off targeting senior Taliban leaders while they were inside Pakistan's Baluchistan province where Pakistan's powerful army has long protected them but President (Barack) Obama crossed that line by authorising the drone strike that killed the Taliban leader," the New York Times said. The article 'What Happens After the Drone Strike?' said the attack was a "sign of American exasperation with Pakistan's duplicitous game of working with Washington to combat terrorism while sheltering the Taliban and its even more hard-line partners in the Haqqani network". "The Pakistanis have relied on the Taliban and the Haqqanis to protect their interests in Afghanistan and prevent India from increasing its influence there," the editorial said. Pakistan, America's "supposed ally", had complained that the strike had violated its sovereignty and Mansour's killing is "certain" to worsen "already frayed" bilateral relations. The editorial said that just like the American raid that killed Osama bin Laden in 2011 in a Pakistani town, Saturday's attack against Mansour "might not have been necessary had Pakistan cooperated in the first place and worked with the Americans to defeat the Taliban". It said after Mansour replaced Mullah Muhammad Omar, the Taliban leader who died in 2013, the Americans and Afghans expected that Pakistan's security services would persuade him to help negotiate a political agreement with Afghanistan, which remains the only viable solution to the war. "Mullah Mansour instead rejected peace talks and stepped up attacks on Afghan and American targets, enlarging the Taliban's territorial control and further destabilising Kabul's dysfunctional government," it said. "The fact that Obama has now ordered an attack in Baluchistan, rather than the border region where Pakistan has tolerated previous American operations, raises a big question: Does he intend to expand the American mission in Afghanistan, now focused on training and advising Afghan forces and ensuring that Al Qaeda cannot rebuild?," the editorial said. A "hopeful" possibility after the strike is that Mansour's successor Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada and other Taliban leaders will now feel "more threatened" and so more "amenable" to peacemaking. "The question to Obama is whether this killing is merely an end in itself or part of a strategy to drive Pakistan, America's supposed ally and Taliban leaders to the peace table," the editorial added. Opposition parties Wednesday staged a walkout from the J&K Assembly, as Governor NN Vohra was addressing the joint sitting of the legislature on the first day of the budget session. The walkout by National Conference and the Congress has been in protest over continued enforcement of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Acts (AFSPA) in the state, shortage of ration and other issues. Soon as the Governor began his address, opposition legislators began shouting slogans over revoking the Armed Services Special Powers Act and National Food Security Act. They also demanded magisterial probe over the recent Handwara killings and sacking of forest minister Lal Singh for allegedly making threatening remarks against a Gujjar delegation in Jammu last week. We need ration, not speeches, the NC leaders shouted and thumped the desks. Congress members led by its legislature party leader Nawang Rigzin Jora also joined the protest demanding roll back of the NFSA. The government criticised the opposition saying they should have listened to the Governor before making their objections in a democratic manner. As the Governor refused to pay heed to the protests and continued his address, members of both the opposition parties walked out. However, independent MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid chose to remain in the House. Carrying a banner on recent Handwara killings, Rashid said that the Chief Minister had promised to complete the investigation in one month and make the probe public.Where is the investigation now (the specified) one month has passed? he asked. Rashid also objected to the plans to build cluster townships for Kashmir Pandits and Sainik Colony saying: We wont allow Kashmir to be made another Palestine.Addressing the Governor, he said, You (Governor) do not represent us. You are a non-state subject. We are supposed to have an elected Sadr-e-Riyasat (president of the state). you represent Delhi." He even alleged that Vohra had been made to lie by the central government. Delhi Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra wrote to DU Vice Chancellor on Wednesday and asked him to retract the notices that were issued to girl students who voiced their concern over water shortage at a womens hostel in Mukherjee Nagar. As Delhis Culture Minister, I can tell you that Delhis culture is made by the vibrant citizens from every state, not by caged students deprived of basic freedoms. I demand that these notices are retracted immediately, and request you to ensure that such incidents never happen in campus or hostel within Delhi University, Mishra said in the letter. The hostel administration shot off notices addressing the guradians of the protesting students that their children were protesting outside the hostel premises late at night in violation to the rules. The notices also added that the girls act of staying out of the hostel at night brought a bad reputation to the hostel. On April 23, the minister received a call at around 11.15 pm from the Maurice Nagar Police Station SHO that about 250 female students of a DUs womens hostel were protesting against unavailability of water for over two months. The minister reached the spot with the Delhi Jal Board officials. I got to know that about two months ago due to wear and tear of an internal pipeline, the hostel administration had been unavailable to provide water supply including clean drinking water to the students living in the hostel, the letter said. The water supply and pipeline network of the Delhi Jal Board was intact during the period, it added. The hostel administration, at that time, promised that they would restore supply in two days, something that should have been done months ago. It is unforgivable that despite DJBs efforts to ensure proper water supply in the city, our students were suffering due to a complete failure of administration within the hostel, which has led to turmoil in their lives, over such a fundamental prerequisite of life, water. Due to the failure of the administration, the DJB took immediate control over the repair of the hostels internal pipeline and got the water issue resolved within two days. the minister said. The fundamental right to protest against violation of human rights is something that our constitution protects, and it is important that our citizens, especially our youth, exercise this right to ensure that society as a whole doesnt accept injustice as a norm. The university should facilitate the lives of the students and not act as an Orwellian state that watches and cracks down on every move. The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday launched an attack on the Union government for trying to impose the failed decision of previous Congress led UPA to introduce point system for the promotion of DU teachers. The AAP said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government is following the failed policy to harass DU teachers. It is extremely shocking that the BJPs central government has forced the Delhi University teachers to go on a strike at a time when the checking of answer sheets of undergraduate classes is going on, it said in a statement. Increased work The AAP opposes the latest UGC notification of increasing the work load of assistant professors, associate professors and professors by six hours each every week. Former Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal could not implement the point based promotion system due to the stiff opposition from the DU teachers. The latest UGC notification appears to have been brought with the sole intention of not filling up the large number of vacant teaching posts in the colleges of the Delhi University. The reason is clear that the Narendra Modi government has slashed the budget for higher education and is now forcing the UGC to take anti-teachers steps by increasing their work load, in place of filling up the existing vacancies of teachers, it added. Conservative estimates show at least 3,000 to 3,500 ad-hoc teachers currently teaching in various DU colleges will lose their jobs if this UGC notification is not withdrawn. The AAP has put forward few questions for Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani like what is the reason for this injustice to Delhi University teachers? and Why is the Modi government trying to impose the Kapil Sibals failed policy of points system for teachers promotion? With resident doctors going on strike on Thursday, most government hospitals in the city have decided to suspend outdoor patient department services that day. While some hospitals have decided to cope with the patient load by posting senior doctors at the OPDs, other hospital heads said it would be difficult to handle patient traffic at the department. We have drawn up plans to handle the patient load on strike day. It will be difficult to even run skeletal OPDs. So the main registration would be closed. Departments which have few patients turning up will be able to run skeletal OPDs. The senior faculty members would be running emergency services and also handle ward areas, said Dr Savita Babbar, medical director, Delhi government-run Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital. Resident doctors form the backbone of running OPDs across hospitals. Patients coming for check-ups at hospital OPDs would be severely inconvenienced. The OPDs will be completely disrupted with resident doctors going on strike. With the limited resources, we will be able to run only the emergency department in addition to catering to the admitted patients, said one of the medical superintendents at Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital. The Centre-run Ram Manohar Lohia hospital has decided to distribute the doctors available on duty across all departments so that patients are not turned away. The hospital has also decided to engage interns who will assist faculty members and nurses in handling emergency patients. Safdarjung Hospital medical superintendent A K Rai said hospital OPDs will function normally. The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), Delhi are going on strike demanding better pay structures for doctors. The doctors are disappointed with the recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission (CPC) and have decided to go on a token strike. FORDA comprises doctors from state-run, Centre-run, MCD and NDMC hospitals. If the government does not respond to our demands by the end of the month, we will launch into an indefinite strike from June 1, said Dr Pankaj SOlanki, president, FORDA. A 13-year-old mentally challenged girl is in hospital after being raped and dumped near the railway tracks in southeast Delhis Prahaladpur area last week. The accused has now been arrested on Wednesday, police said. He had allegedly raped her thrice before. The girl has cut marks were found on her neck, back and private parts, police said.She has undergone surgery and will take at least four months to recover from her injuries, said Swati Maliwal, chairperson of Delhi Commission for Women. The victim is an orphan and lives with her aunt. Her aunt told the media that the girl had accompanied her to fetch water near her house in Badarpur village on May 17, and went missing from there. Relatives then filed a complaint with police. She was later found in an unconscious condition near the railway tracks. A case under sections 376 (rape) and 363 (kidnapping) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered at Pul Prahladpur police station near Badarpur. Earlier, the police could not confirm whether the girl was raped or not as she had been in the ICU since her admission at All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Her critical condition delayed her medical examination and recording of her statement for days. However, on Wednesday police confirmed that a case of rape has been registered and the accused has been arrested. The accused was arrested after the girl identified him to police. She told police that the man had earlier raped her three times. The accused lured the girl on pretext of offering her something and took her to Pul Prahladpur area where he raped her at a secluded place, a police officer said.While police said she was about 13 years old, DCW put her age at 12. At least three workers were killed and 129 others injured in a huge explosion at an industrial unit today in Dombivili township of the district near here, police said. The mishap occurred at about 11.30 AM when cylinders exploded leading to a fire in the chemical manufacturing unit of Herbert Brown Pharmaceutical and Research Laboratories at Shivaji Udyog Nagar of MIDC phase-II area in Dombivili (East), a unit of the Acharya Chemicals. "As of now, the number of dead is three and that of injured is 129," Thane District Collector Mahendra Kalyankar told PTI. The injured were rushed to various hospitals in Thane, Dombivli and Kalyan, he said, adding, NDRF personnel were also involved in the rescue operation, along with fire brigade and police. The intensity of the blast was so high that window panes in adjoining buildings were shattered and shocked people were seen running helter-skelter, an eyewitness said. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed grief at the mishap while Industries Minister Subhash Desai and Guardian Minister for the district Eknath Shinde visited the site along with Kalyankar. Minister of state for Home Ram Shinde said an inquiry will be conducted into the incident. Terming the incident as unfortunate, Fadnavis said he has asked the police and local authorities to speed up the operations. Thane Joint Police Commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre said rescue operations were on as some more persons could be trapped in the debris. He said the toll could go up but it would be known only after clearing the debris. He said the impact of the explosion was felt in an area of around five kilometres in which vehicles were damaged. Over a dozen firefighters from Thane, Kalyan, Ambernath, Ulhasnagar, Badlapur and Navi Mumbai were rushed to the spot to extinguish the flames. Police said the rescue team was facing a tough task in clearing the debris as chemical barrels and drums were lying buried under it. The District Collector is likely to hold a meeting with the Directorate of Industrial Safety, police, MIDC, and Kalyan Dombivili Municipal Corporation officials to find out if safety norms were followed by the chemical unit. Thane District Regional Disaster Management Cell In-charge Santosh Kadam said the rescue operations were affected because of the fire and it was not immediately known how many persons were trapped inside. At least 15 ambulances were rushed to the site, he added. The NRDF team from Pune was rushed to Dombivili to assist in the rescue operations. "Saddened to know about the unfortunate & tragic incident that took place at Dombivali," Fadnavis tweeted. "Spoke to police officials & local authorities and asked them to speed up the relief operations," he said. "We are constantly in touch with the local administration and we would leave no stone unturned in our efforts & relief operation," he said in another tweet. BJP MLA from Dombivili Ravindra Chavan expressed serious concern over the explosions in the MIDC and sought a permanent solution for it. Ahead of the monsoon, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation has collaborated with an institute in the US and a university in Japan to trace drug-resistant superbugs causing diseases like cholera, typhoid and diphtheria here. Starting next month, state-of-the-art laboratories set up at the corporation-run Maharishi Valmiki Infectious Diseases Hospital will conduct forensic tests like DNA profiling and DNA fingerprinting to find if bacteria are drug-resistant. Of late, there has been a lot of hue and cry that the infections in India are resistant to all antibiotics. Its been reported in foreign journals that there are superbugs here. So we have collaborated with Okayama University in Japan to set up a state-of-art laboratory to assess the situation, said Dr D K Seth, Director Hospital Administration, North Delhi Municipal Corporation. The laboratories will be set up at Maharishi Valmiki Infectious Diseases Hospital to assess whether patients suffering from cholera and typhoid are also facing the problem of drug resistance as reported in foreign journals, he told Deccan Herald. The North Corporation has also tied up with the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED) in Kolkata for the project. We are setting up laboratories to find out the reasons why the bacteria become drug-resistant, said Dr Seth. The official said two reputed journals reported that some bacteria causing infections in India are immune to drugs, which means if you get any infection (caused by such bacteria) you are doomed. The World Health Organisation has already approved some of the equipment for conducting tests on bacteria causing cholera and typhoid. This has been set up at one of the laboratories at MVID Hospital. The laboratory will start conducting tests next month, said Dr Seth. In another project, the North Corporation is setting up state-of-the-art laboratories to check whether or not the bacteria causing diphtheria have become drug-resistant. We have seen that despite being immunised against diphtheria, some people have been infected by the disease. We are trying to find out whether the bacteria causing diphtheria are resistant to the drug or if they have evolved or changed their nature, said Dr Seth. We have collaborated with Centre for Disease Control, Atlanta in the USA to set up laboratories to carry out tests on bacteria causing diphtheria. Alleging that Delhi government agencies have been lethargic in carrying out desilting of major drains, Opposition BJP on Wednesday forewarned that many areas in Delhi will be gravely flooded during the coming monsoon season. Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Vijender Gupta said though Union Water Resources and River Development Minister Uma Bharati had released Rs 9.7 crore to the Delhi Jal Board long back, it appears to be non-serious about its utilisation for the purpose. The situation is likely to worsen this year because as per weather prediction, the monsoon will be above average this year, he said. Gupta alleged out that with hardly five weeks left in commencement of monsoon, it appears that with present tardy pace of desilting work, Delhi Government will hardly be able to achieve its target. Delhi Government has failed to establish effective coordination amongst different agencies responsible for de-silting, he said. The leader added that the Public Works Department (PWD), DJB, Irrigation and Flood Control, three municipal corporations, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), among others will be found to be blaming one another when flooding takes place. He also pointed out that major chronic monsoon flooding spots like M B Road, NHA-8, Wazirpur Industrial Area, BRT Corridor, Chandni Chowk, AIIMS Flyover, etc have not been desilted till date. If the causes of flooding are not removed, these chronic problem areas will again be flooded this year. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Indian establishments were targeted on Monday and yesterday in the city's commercial areas and Indian Mission in Kinshasa has taken up the issue with Congo's Foreign Ministry. MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said a Note Verbale was issued to Congo's Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a copy to the Ministry of Interior and the police authorities to ensure safety of life and property of all Indians residing there. "It has come to notice of our mission in Kinshasa that some Indian establishments and shops in the commercial areas were attacked on May 23 and May 25 as a reaction perhaps to the killing of the Congolese national in New Delhi last Friday. "It has also been reported that there were some gun shots fired injuring a couple of Indians living in the area. Our Ambassador took up the matter immediately with the Congolese Foreign Ministry," he said. He said as per latest reports, by end of yesterday, things have come down with no further incident. The attack on Indian establishment in Kinshasa came days after a Congolese national Masonda Ketada Oliver was killed here. Oliver was beaten to death last week in Vasant Kunj area of South Delhi following a brawl over hiring of an autorickshaw. Envoys of African countries had expressed shock over Oliver's killing following which India assured them of safety of African nationals. The envoys had even sought postponement of the ICCR-hosted Africa Day event today but they decided to participate in it after Minister of State in MEA V K Singh met the African Heads of Missions (HoMs). The envoys had expressed outrage over the recent killing and demanded steps against "racism and Afro-phobia". Indian shops and establishments in Congo's capital Kinshasa were attacked and gunshots fired injuring two Indians, in apparent backlash against the killing of a Congolese national here that had triggered outrage among African envoys. Italy today vowed to comply with the bail conditions set by India's Supreme Court for Salvatore Girone, one of the two Italian marines accused of killing two fishermen off Kerala coast in 2012, while allowing him to return home. The Supreme Court relaxed the bail conditions of Girone and allowed him to go to his country till an International Arbitral Tribunal decides the jurisdictional issue between India and Italy. The other marine Massimiliano Latorre is already in Italy on health grounds and his stay there was recently extended by the apex court till September 30 this year. "The (Italian) Foreign Ministry expresses satisfaction over today's decision of the Indian Supreme Court to immediately enforce The Hague Court of Arbitration's decision of 29 April, as recently requested by Italy," the ministry said in a statement. "In line with the decision of The Hague Court of Arbitration, Italy and India have cooperated during the last few weeks in order to define the terms and conditions of Girone's return and permanence in Italy while awaiting the conclusion of the arbitration proceeding on the Enrica Lexie case," the statement said. The Italian Foreign Ministry pledged to abide by the bail conditions. "While waiting to finally welcome home Salvatore Girone, the Government renews its commitment to comply with the terms and conditions established by the Supreme Court of India," it said. Italian Premier Matteo Renzi also expressed satisfaction with the Indian Supreme Court's decision. "We confirm our friendship with India, its people and its government," Renzi tweeted. "And we welcome marine Girone, who will be with us on June 2," he said. June 2 is Italy's Republic Day national holiday. Renzi, who is currently in Japan for the G7 summit, has spoken to Girone, Italian news agency ANSA reported quoting sources. The marines, who were on board ship 'Enrica Lexie', are accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast on February 15, 2012. Italy and India have been making contrary claims over the right to prosecute the two Italian marines in the case. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asserted that a mood of development and hope pervaded the country replacing hopelessness that prevailed under the UPA rule as he pitched his government as one dedicated to the poor and farmers which prevented the "loot" of public money. Addressing the first of his four public rallies here in Uttar Pradesh, which will have assembly polls next year, to mark the second anniversary of his government, Modi reached out to the electorate, calling himself a "UP wala" who cared for the farmers. He said his government had taken a series of measures to help repay the dues of sugarcane farmers, a politically important constituency in the region, while other governments were not concerned about them. Recalling that in his address after he was elected the leader of the BJP-led NDA following the Lok Sabha win he had promised his government would be dedicated to the poor, Modi said every decison he had taken ever since was in that direction. "If you look at my work of two years, you will see one decision after the other was taken to empower the poor to fight poverty, to strengthen the poor against poverty so that they could defeat it. No poor man wants to bequeath poverty to his children. I have always tried to work for the common man," he said. Development, he said, was the solution to all problems and all other talk was meant to win elections and cater to vote bank politics. With the NDA dispensation facing criticism over alleged intolerance, Modi said his government's "conscience was clear" and it wanted to develop all sections of society. Citing Swachh Bharat initiative, Mudra loan scheme, Prime Minister crop insurance scheme, free LPG connections to poor and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign, he said these programmes were meant to serve everybody, irrespective of caste and religion, while schemes launched earlier were made keeping in mind castes and vote banks. Without naming the UPA government, he attacked it over alleged corruption and flagged his government's "honest" credentials. "How much money was looted. Now I am in government and I am shocked over it as whether people are given chair to loot public money. I had pledged to stop this. "I want to ask you have you ever heard any news that the Modi government had pocketed money? Have even our rivals levelled such allegations? Two years ago nobody had the courage to give their report card to lakhs of people like this," he said. That is why, Modi said, his government was observing 'vikas parv' (festival of development) and all his ministers would travel across the country to give to the people an account of their work. Asserting that India was growing at the fastest rate, Modi said only two years ago many thought the country had "sunk". "They would say India has sunk and things cannot change. There was a mood of hopelessness while there is enthusiasm today. Earlier there was a mood of unease, now it is about moving forward," he said. Speaking about the ongoing electrification of over 18000 villages, Modi said media highlights any gap in the claims made by his government and added he welcomed criticism. Over 7000 villages have received power and UP had the largest share, he said. Attacking previous governments for making LPG connections a thing for the rich, Modi said his government had distributed it among the 3 crore poor families and 5 crore more will be covered in the next three years. The Prime Minister noted over 1 crore families had given up LPG subsidy at his call. "In the last 60 years, the work for women's empowerment like this has never happened," he said noting that health of poor women suffered due to burning of wood as fuel. Claiming his government had shown how the poor can be empowered, Modi said over Rs 1.25 lakh crore was distributed among 3.25 crore such families under the Mudra loan scheme. He told the gathering that being an MP from UP he was a 'UP-walla' and wanted to seek their blessings as he recalled it was around this time two years ago that his government had taken oath. As the 'Pradhan Sewak', a term he has often used for himself, Modi said he is giving an account of his work to people. Modi said the ratio of divisible resources between Centre and the states earlier was 65:35 which his government changed and now 65 per cent of the share was going to the states. Over Rs 2 lakh crore was given to panchayats, Modi said, underlining his government's "commitment" to development of states and villages. When he had taken over the reins, the dues of sugarcane farmers ran up to Rs 14000 crore, which had come down to about Rs 700-800 crore now due to measures taken by his government, Modi said and "warned" the sugar mill owners against treating the farmers the way they did in the past. "We have taken a pledge that when the country celebrates 75 years of independence in 2022, we will double the income of farmers through implementation of various policies," he said and listed a host of schemes launched for their benefit like soil health card and crop insurance. Modi also called for judicious use of water, saying adequate amount of it will help farmers against all odds. "I request you to save as much water as you can," he said. Modi is expected to address three more rallies in different parts of the country in the coming days. Swarup said it would be unfortunate that a few isolated cases are generalised to portray a climate of insecurity for African students. "It is also not right to characterise criminal acts as being racially motivated. As is clear from the CCTV footage of the attack on Oliver by some goons, some Indian bystanders tried to protect Oliver but they in turn were also thrashed by the same goons. "I would like to reiterate that India remains open to our brothers and sisters from Africa and there should no cause for concern," he said adding, "the relationship must be preserved and we should not be deterred by any such unfortunate incident." Speaking at the event, Singh said Government of India condemned the heinous crime adding it "was not racial and premeditated" . "Immediate action was taken. Two people were nabbed, one is on the run and the police has assured us that he will be nabbed soon. The Lt Governor has assured us that he is going to press for daily hearings so that we can pursue the case as fast as possible. "We do not look at these incidents as something which can be forgotten. We want to look at it as an incident that sternly needs to be taken note of and acted upon," said Singh. Enikanolaiye said, "The authorities need to take a more proactive step for speedy justice and take concrete action to prosecute and ensure that those responsible are punished." "The police also needs to respond in more timely manner because in all the reports we get that when police is called after some of these incidents, they respond very often after the damage has been done," he said. He also pitched for relaxing visa norms for African students. "There is a need to grant visas of long duration to African students. Currently even the visas for four-year programme are limited for six months. As a result they keep going to the FRO office, which takes so much of their time and energy," he said. After initial reluctance in the wake of killing of a Congolese youth, African envoys today attended a government-hosted Africa Day event here even as some of them talked about "barbaric attacks" and "racism" against their nationals.At the event, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh denied that the attack on the Congolese Masonda Ketada Oliver was a racial one and hoped that such incidents will not recur.The envoys, who had earlier threatened to keep away from the event organised by Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), were persuaded yesterday by Singh as he assured safety and security of African nationals in India.Meanwhile, there was a backlash against Indians in Congo's capital Kinshasa where their establishments and shops were attacked. MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said a Note Verbale was issued to Congo's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Speaking at the event, Sola Enikanolaiye, acting High Commissioner of Nigeria, said, "Racism against black Africans in India is a major concern. Ugly incidents like what we consider barbaric attacks on Africans, murder in cold blood have met with outrage."Recent incidents in Bangalore, Hyderabad and in Delhi last week and several such incidents in last three years, counting Goa, has given cause for a very serious concern." He said ideas of brotherhood and friendship will remain "hollow" if Africans don't feel safe in India.Earlier, speaking to reporters, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said the incident had an impact on ties."Certainly, I will not deny.... The fact that African HoMs (Heads of Missions) were forced to issue a statement shows that there was depth of concern on their part," he said.At the same time, he said, the government had proved its credentials by taking steps immediately.He said government will continuously monitor the situation besides putting in place a regular interaction mechanism for African HoMs with the Indian Foreign Ministry leadership so that any issue that may come up in future can be nipped in the bud.Oliver was beaten to death last week in Vasant Kunj area of South Delhi following a brawl over hiring of an autorickshaw.Outraged over the killing, the African envoys had issued a statement yesterday, demanding concrete steps against "racism and Afro-phobia".The Africa Day celebration was attended by envoys and representatives of around 30 African countries. The idea of going to Singapore had been at the back of my mind for a long time. The long cherished dream of visiting Malaysia and Singapore became a reality when 15 of our family members decided and embarked upon a 7-day Singapore and Malaysia trip. We were picked up by our tour guide. The airport is 65 kms from Kuala Lumpur. Before proceeding to the famous Genting Hill Hotel, the bus stopped at Putrajaya for photographs at the Malaya Kings Palace and Prime Ministers office/residence. The Genting Hill Hotel is a private resort promoted by Chinese businessman Late Lim Goh Tong at an elevation of 6000 feet above sea level. On the final leg to Genting Hills, we took a cable car, which has the longest cable car route covering a distance of 3.38 kms. It was a breathtaking, exhilarating experience with a thick rainforest below and dense fog playing hide and seek with us inside the cable car. Genting Hill Hotel has the largest number of rooms (6118) in the world, a Guinness world record! After breakfast, we left for Kuala Lumpur by bus. Our first stop was Batu Caves where a very tall statue of Lord Murugan is situated at the foot of the caves and one has to climb 300 steep steps to reach the cave where the Murugan temple is located. Next on our itinerary was the KL Tower, 420 metres high, giving a panoramic view of the city. This is the worlds 7th tallest tower, with the topmost floor being a revolving restaurant. While travelling in the city, we could also see the chaotic traffic during the peak hours. The day ended at Grand Season Hotel for our stay at night. In the morning, we visited the famous landmark of Kuala Lumpur, the Petronas Towers. This entire 88 floor tower is constructed with stainless steel and glass. There is a sky bridge at the 41st level connecting the 2 towers while at the 84th floor, there is an observatory deck for viewing the entire citys landscape. The next day, we were dropped off at the Imperial Grand Hotel in the Little India area in Singapore. In Little India, one can feel at home with similar shops and plenty of eateries like Saravana Bhavan, Komala Vilas, Sangeetha and Anjapaar. Post lunch, we were taken to the Merlion Plaza where the famous mascot of Singapore stands tall. The Merlion is a tall statue of a fish cum lion with water gushing out of the lions mouth on the bank of the river. Later, we went for a river safari followed by a night safari to enjoy the animals in their natural habitat. Another highlight of our trip was the Sentosa Resort Island with several attractions like the Butterfly Park, cable ride, Madam Tussauds wax museum, sea beach side, Segway ride, ropeway slide, 3D shows and laser show titled Wings of Fire. A visit to Universal Studios is a star attraction for children and adults alike. There are several breathtaking rides there and Steven Spielbergs conceived special effect section gives the visitor an idea about how special effects are created in disaster movies. We also took a ride on the Singapore Flyer, Asias largest giant observation wheel (merry-go-round), 165 metres high. It rotates very slowly (45 minutes to take one round) so that people can enjoy a birds view of the Singapore skyline as well as the illumination of tall buildings at night. The last stop was the Skypark observatory deck at the famous Marina Bay Sands Hotel. At the 57th floor is a deck in the shape of a big ship resting on 3 towers of the hotel. It has the worlds largest rooftop swimming pool with palm trees around. It takes 57 seconds to reach the deck on the 57th floor! Like all trips, ours too came to an end and we returned home with sweet memories of Singapore and Malaysia! How to get there We flew Malaysian Airlines from Bengaluru to Malaysia which cost Rs 25,000 for a round trip for one. From Malaysia, one can reach Singapore by road in 2 hours. Places to stay * At Genting, we stayed at the Genting Hill Hotel. * In Kuala Lumpur, it was the Grand Season Hotel. * In Singapore, we were at the Imperial Grand Hotel in Little India. * The entire tour package per person was Rs 45,000 excluding air fare. (The author can be contacted at srayyangar@gmail.com) The bread manufacturing industrys decision to stop using Potassium Bromate as an ingredient in the bread making, following a sensational report from the Centre for Science and Environment, raises several questions on the public policy on food safety. Even though Potassium Bromate is a class-2B carcinogen, regulatory agencies like the US Food and Drug Administration and Food and Safety Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) permit its use as food additive because ideally the toxic chemical gets converted into a harmless one during the baking process. This, CSE claimed, did not happen in India as it found residues of Potassium Bromate in bread samples it picked up from Delhi. For similar reason, Bromate is barred in European Union members, Australia, Canada etc. The CSE claimed to have spotted another chemical called Potassium Iodate, which is not a carcinogen but whose excessive consumption could cause thyroid disorders. As many as 34 out of 38 bread samples it tested contained either bromate or iodate. The NGO, however, did not undertake the crucial task of separating the cancer-causing bromate samples from less hazardous iodate and tell the world what percentage of bread samples contained the cancer-causing substance. Unlike professional scientific practices, the CSE study has not been published in any peer reviewed scientific journal. In the absence of a publication, no one knows about the research protocol, methodology, the sampling techniques; contamination prevention measures and the capability of the spectrometer CSE used for the analysis. This has been questioned by the bread industry, which met the FSSAI chief complaining against the CSE. The regulator claimed independent scientific panels it commissioned had already recommended scrapping the use of bromate, months before the CSE disclosure. The question, therefore, is why the regulator did not act but waited for the NGO to create the sensation. Over the years, the office of the food regulator has become yet another bureaucratic set up rather being an active regulating agency to inspire confidence among people. The FSSAI has to be proactive to enforce a better compliance mechanism for ensuring safe food for every Indian. Almost 55% of the Rs 7,000 crore bread industry being in the unorganised sector, it would be a huge challenge for the FSSAI to check if these hazardous chemicals have been phased out or not. The regulator must own more laboratories and manpower for better implementation of food standards. Both require sustained budgetary support which the government must provide without thinking twice. The industry too has its share of blame. After the controversy, the bread makers said they would use safer alternatives, which need not necessarily add to the cost. If alternatives are available, what prevented them use it so far? Its time for the industry to think about peoples health rather than the bottom line. Medical Education Minister Dr Sharanaprakash R Patil assured of upgrading the district hospital in Madikeri by increasing the number of beds from 410 to 650. He paid a sudden visit to the district hospital in town on Thursday. Speaking to mediapersons later, he said that the hospital lacked space for an upgrade. Land will be needed for construction of the new medical college, but there is a need to upgrade the hospital as well. Compared to last years condition, the hospital has improved a lot, he said. Dr Patil inspected the facilities at the dialysis, X-Ray, womens surgery ward, emergency unit and other wards and directed the hospital staff to clear the hospital of unwanted materials. The minister, meanwhile, visited the construction site of Kodagu Medical College and inspected the work. The building can currently accommodate the students of first year MBBS course, he said and directed the contractor to complete the necessary works such as construction of protective walls, as soon as possible. The quality of the construction work is good. If needed, a third party inspection will be conducted regarding the quality of work, he stated. The Medical Council of India has given permission to start the classes from the current year itself, he added. Dr Patil also inspected various sections such as dissection hall, security section, cold storage, anatomy museum and auditorium. He said that the hostels should be ready for accommodation before the admission of students. MLC Sunil Subramani, DC Meer Anees Ahmmed and district Surgeon Muttappa were present. Noted scientist C N R Rao, on Thursday, exhorted budding scientists to explore opportunities in the field of material science. Addressing the gathering, during the opening of a three-day international conference on Advanced Materials and Technology (ICMAT-16), at Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering (SJCE), here, Rao told the youngsters in particular, If you want to be famous, discover something new. Rao was of the opinion that material science was the only area where scientific and engineering aspects meet, thus making for an inter-disciplinary subject. Unfortunately, in India, it is galloping at such a pace that it is difficult to maintain equilibrium. In the last few years, material sciences has changed with new discoveries in Physics and Chemistry, posing greater challenges, he said. Reiterating that nanoscience is the keyword, Rao was happy to note that it was one subject where India has a ranking in the world. India is ranked three in scientific applications in nanoscience. India should be a leader in material science, that could be achieved with teamwork, he said. Rao went on to list many inventions, deploying nanoscience, especially a nano-nose in Israel, with tremendous sensitivity that will help in treating cancer patients. Rao rued over gross mismanagement of water both rainwater and water used for agricultural purpose. He said that the country should focus on key areas like energy, water and conservation of environment, as the demand for the same may grow manifold in future. Citing findings of a survey, Rao said, Nearly 60% of diseases are waterborne due to consumption of poor quality of water. SJCE Principal Syed Shakeeb-Ur-Rahman and Joong Hee Lee from Chonbuk National University, South Korea signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on sharing of knowledge between the two institutions. Suttur seer Shivarathri Deshikendra Swami, Indumati Rao, advisor (technical education division), JSS Mahavidyapeeth, M H Dhananjaya, Vice-Principal (UG) G M Shashidhara and organising committee Secretary Siddharamaiah were present on the occasion. When Miyako Jodai was 6 years old, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on her hometown, the port city of Nagasaki. She was knocked unconscious, and her home was destroyed. She spent the next several days huddling with dozens of others in a cave on the side of a mountain. I was so scared, she said. I was crying, and I stepped on some of the bodies of the injured people, because there was no room to walk. When she finally ventured out, the city was still ablaze with towering flames. Jodai was one of the fortunate ones. The bomb dropped on Nagasaki the morning of August 9, 1945, killed about 74,000 people, about half as many as those who died in the bombing of Hiroshima three days earlier. On Friday, US President Barack Obama will become the first sitting American president since the end of World War II to visit Hiroshima. Nagasaki is not on the itinerary. While invoking Hiroshima has become a universal shorthand for the horrors of nuclear war, Nagasaki, on the southwestern island of Kyushu, has mostly lived in the other citys shadow. We know that the very highest mountain in Japan is Mount Fuji, said Tomihisa Taue, mayor of Nagasaki, in an interview in his office. But we dont know the second-highest mountain. Yet many in Nagasaki recognise that Hiroshima, in some ways, stands in for both cities. They say the message they want the world to take from Obamas visit that nuclear weapons must never again be used does not require that he set foot in their city. Taue suggested that Nagasaki could also serve as a potent coda to Hiroshimas opening of the nuclear age. I would like the president to say, from Nagasaki to the world, that this site should be the last place on earth to experience the atomic bombing, he said. That Nagasaki was bombed second has made it an afterthought in the history of and debate over nuclear weapons, even though many historians argue that the bombing was harder to justify precisely because it was a repeated act. If one accepts former US president Harry S Trumans rationale that the Hiroshima bombing was necessary to force Japans surrender and end the war, the moral calculus for dropping a second bomb on a civilian population three days later is more contentious. Close to 7,00,000 people a year visit the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, compared with nearly 1.5 million at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, where Obama will lay a wreath on Friday. Even in the office of the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors Council, a sticker affixed to a filing cabinet illustrates the citys secondary status No More Hiroshimas: End the Arms Race Now. Jodai, now 76 and a retired elementary schoolteacher, said she admired the presidents decision to visit Hiroshima and understood that his schedule did not allow him to visit both cities. Still, she said, the Nagasaki survivors should at least be invited to the ceremony in Hiroshima. I feel like Nagasaki has been abandoned and thrown away, she said. As Japan wrestles with its own history of wartime atrocities, and as scholars and politicians here and in the United States continue to debate the use of the atomic bomb, Nagasaki, in many ways, offers a more complex narrative than Hiroshima does. One of the earliest Japanese cities to have contact with traders from the West, including Portuguese and Dutch explorers, Nagasaki is also the oldest and densest stronghold of Roman Catholicism in Japan. When US pilots dropped the bomb, the devastation swept across Urakami Cathedral, then the largest cathedral in East Asia. About 8,000 Catholics in the area were killed. For the Nagasaki Christians, long ostracised in Japan over their faith, it was a bitter truth that their community was destroyed by a predominantly Christian nation, in a mission blessed by a Roman Catholic chaplain. Global symbol Nagasakis Catholic heritage, combined with Hiroshimas vocal role as a centre of anti-nuclear activities, helped give rise to the Japanese saying Ikari no Hiroshima, inori no Nagasaki, or Hiroshima rages, Nagasaki prays. At a 6 am mass on Monday morning, about 100 parishioners sat in long wooden pews in the cathedral, rebuilt not far from its original site. Ritsuo Hisashi, the head priest, said he was less concerned about whether Nagasaki was commemorated as a global symbol than about the call for the elimination of nuclear weapons. Nagasakis archdiocese, along with 15 others in Japan, also opposes efforts by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to overhaul the countrys pacifist constitution, imposed by the United States after the war. Nagasakis leaders have also been forthright in their reckonings with Japans wartime actions before the United States dropped the bombs. In 1990, Hitoshi Motoshima, then Nagasakis mayor, was shot and wounded by a right-wing nationalist after he suggested that Emperor Hirohito bore some responsibility for World War II. Around the same time, a city assemblyman, Masaharu Oka, founded a museum to commemorate the Korean labourers who were conscripted to work in wartime factories in Nagasaki and who were either killed or wounded by the atomic bomb. Housed in a former Chinese restaurant up a steep hill, the museum has a decidedly handmade feel. In addition to photographs of Korean survivors and a replica of the cramped quarters where Korean labourers lived, the museum displays a gallery of graphic photos from the Rape of Nanjing in China and of Unit 731, the biological and chemical warfare research facility where Japanese scientists conducted experiments on humans in China. Toshiaki Shibata, the former secretary-general of the Masaharu Oka museum and the son of two bomb survivors, said he was glad Obama would not visit Nagasaki. Shibata, 65, whose dyed lavender hair gives him an impish air, contends that Obamas visit is aimed at bolstering Abes efforts to change the constitution and draw Japan into war. It would be better if he doesnt come here, Shibata said. Yoshitoshi Fukahori, 87, a bomb survivor, said he did not quite understand the fuss about the presidents visit. While he welcomes it, and hopes Obama will speak of a nuclear-free world, he said he was not expecting much. A visit to Nagasaki, he said, is not necessary. After long experience, I see people get their hopes up, and then are disappointed, he said. So I dont want to put too much stock in words. International New York Times The BBMP officials on Thursday could not demolish the three apartments and a compound wall of a property encroaching upon a road at Uttarahalli, citing lack of police protection. The three buildings are among the nine apartments for which the final notices for demolition were served on the owners, under Section 462 of the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1978, one-and-a-half years ago. The BBMP Joint Commissioner (Bommanahalli Zone) Muniraju said, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) Narasimha Babu, who has been entrusted with the task of overseeing the demolition of the structures, has expressed his helplessness in absence of police protection. Muniraju said, Babu had approached the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) sleuths, who told him that they could provide security only on Saturday. Given the risk involved, the work cannot be taken up in the absence of police protection. The Siddaramaiah government, unmindful of criticism against the caste census conducted in the state last year, is all set to release the report by June-end. Social Welfare Minister H Anjaneya on Thursday reviewed the progress made in preparing the census report by Karnataka Backward Classes Commission. The minister, speaking to the mediapersons, said the commission is currently analysing the data. It is the dream of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to conduct such census. Through it, the government intends to provide social justice to those who have been denied of the same. It has been done in a transparent manner, he noted. The CPM and Congress may boycott Mamata Banerjees swearing-in ceremony on Friday, but there will be no dearth of VVIPs at the event. Though senior officials were not willing to confirm the final list of VVIP guests, sources said the VIP section of the city polices Special Branch has been put on alert with big names from the world of politics, business, cinema and culture flying in. While Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay arrived in the city on Thursday afternoon, a number of Chief Ministers and Union ministers are expected. The administration has shared a list of expected VVIP guests, which includes Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Union Minister Piyush Goyal and chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal, Akhilesh Yadav and Nitish Kumar of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, respectively. RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav and industrialist Mukesh Ambani are also expected, a senior police official said. He added that surprise arrivals could include film stars Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan. Administration sources said that as they are geared up to roll out the red carpet for nearly 3,000 VVIPs and VIPs. Two air-conditioned platforms have been set up for VVIPs and VIPs and a separate stage, spread across 10,000 square feet, has been erected where the actual ceremony will take place. It will also seat around 20,000 people, an official said. While senior government officials are giving final touches to the massive tent-like platform where Mamata and her new council of ministers will be sworn in, she will read her oath in front of Governor Kesahri Nath Tripathi at exactly 12.47 pm on the suggestion of her astrological advisor, sources said. The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Centre and states to explain why the Rs 1,000 crore corpus Nirbhaya Fund was not being utilised to compensate victims of sexual abuse and assault. A vacation bench of Justices Prafulla C Pant and D Y Chandrachud favoured a national policy for providing adequate relief to rape survivors as merely setting up of a separate fund was not enough and amounted to just a lip service. Different states have different schemes. There is no national plan as how the rape victims are to be compensated. Setting up of the Nirbhaya Fund is not enough and it is just paying a lip service. The Union of India must ensure that adequate relief is being provided to the victims of sexual offences, the bench said. The court issued notice to the Centre, all states and Union territories asking them to respond on plea for the effective implementation of Section 357(A) of the Criminal Procedure Code. The court also sought to know the status of victim compensation schemes, along with the number of victims of rape who have been compensated. Senior advocate Indira Jaising, assisting the court as an amicus curiae, said that the implementation of the Victim Compensation Scheme is a matter of concern as only 25 out of 29 states have notified the scheme. She also pointed out some states paid Rs 10 lakh as compensation while a few others disbursed as less as Rs 50,000 to such survivors. Leading bread makers on Thursday said they would stop using potassium bromate as an ingredient, days after a Delhi-based CSE raised public health concerns on its use. The bread makers took the steps following almost 40% decline in sales in several states following the scare. The companies, however, would raise several questions over the methodology used by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in its study that was released through the media rather than the professional practice of scientific publication in a peer-reviewed journal. We would withdraw use of potassium bromate in the next two-three days and use alternatives like enzymes and emulsifiers that would not necessarily add to the cost, said Abil Hassan, managing director of Harvest Gold. The companys product was sampled by CSE and it claimed to have found residues of potassium bromate and potassium iodate in 34 out of 38 bread samples. Potassium bromate is a legally permissible food additive in India. Potassium bromate is an oxidising agent, which makes bread fluffy, soft and gives it a good finish. Under ideal baking conditions, bromate gets converted into harmless bromide, which CSE claims does not happen in India. Some of the samples CSE tested contained residue of bromate. We will ask the regulator (FSSAI) to come out with a standard protocol for such tests. This report was not shared with us. We dont know the methods and sampling. Such reports should be checked by the regulator first, said a member of the All-India Bread Manufacturers Association. Bread making is a Rs 7,000 crore business in India as almost 150 lakh loaves of bread are sold everyday. There are close to 70,000 bakeries involving 35 lakh people. While potassium bromate is a possible carcinogen, potassium iodate is not. Excessive consumption of bread carrying potassium iodate can cause thyroid disorder, but the study does not specify how much bread one has to eat for such adverse health effects to manifest. The spectrometer for the test does not differentiate between potassium bromate and potassium iodate. CSE deputy director Chandra Bhushan said four of the 34 samples that tested positive had been sent to an independent laboratory. It confirmed bromate in two samples and iodate in one, but the fourth contained neither. The NGO claimed it found 84% samples containing either bromate or iodate, but did not distinguish how many of them carried bromate or how many had iodate. A powerful industrial blast claimed five lives and injured over 150 people in the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) area of Dombivli eastern suburbs, about 45 km from downtown Mumbai. Due to the impact of the blast, the entire Kalyan-Dombivli was shaken and window panes of nearby industrial units and residential areas were shattered. Roofs of some houses in a nearby slum and locked doors of other houses in the area were blown off. Some people also reported that windshields of cars were blown off and several TV sets were damaged by the blast. The blast took place between 11.30 am and 11.45 am on the premises of Probace Enterprises located in the Phase-II of MIDC, popularly known as the Shivaji Udyog Nagar. The blast also had an impact on the neighbouring premises of Acharya Chemicals and Herbert Brown Pharmaceutical and Research Laboratories. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a thorough probe into the incident which would go into the causes and assured that the guilty would not be spared.The government has decided to review safety measures in industrial areas and adjacent residential localities. The government has also decided to have a look whether some of the units that deal in hazardous chemicals could be shifted. Several people have been affected, the main job now is to provide relief to the injured, Thane District Collector Mahendra Kalyankar said. The injured were rushed to various hospitals in Thane, Dombivli and Kalyan, according to Kalyan-Dombivli Mayor Rajendra Deolekar, who said the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel were also involved in the rescue operation, along with fire brigade and police. Fire tenders from the neighbouring places were also rushed to the spot. Fadnavis, who also visited the site, tweeted: Saddened to know about the unfortunate & tragic incident that took place at Dombivali. Spoke to police officials & local authorities and asked them to speed up the relief operations.We are constantly in touch with the local administration and we would leave no stone unturned in our efforts & relief operation. As the BJP-led NDA government completed two years in office on Thursday, Home Minister Rajnath Singh gave Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership full marks. He called Modi a leader who consults all ministers on major decisions and is certainly not the autocratic leader his critics have portrayed him to be. In an interview to Aaj Tak, he said the Modi government has been successful in meeting peoples expectations. No one can deny that in the last two years India has been able to stand tall on the international stage. Not a single case of corruption has come up in the two years of our government, he said. On the BJPs victory in the Assam elections, Singh said the Modi magic was still intact and the party will put up a good show in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election next year. The Home Minister asserted the BJP was against politics of polarisation and said the party has never approved of such destructive politics. Singh said the countrys economy was struggling during the UPA rule. The Modi government has successfully resurrected Indias economy. India is now the fastest growing economy in the world, he said. Replying to questions on terrorism and the ISIS menace, he said, I dont consider ISIS a major threat to India. I firmly believe Muslims in India wont let organisations like ISIS expand its tentacles in the country. We wont compromise on the countrys security. Asked about underworld don Dawood Ibrahims whereabouts, Singh reiterated that Dawood is in Pakistan. He is an international criminal. We have provided ample evidence to Pakistan regarding Dawoods presence on their soil. Pakistan should hand over Dawood to India. China has put off signing of a pact between one of its academic institutions and a varsity in Jammu & Kashmir, citing incomplete procedure. The Central University of Jammu (CUJ) and Chinas Lanzhou University were proposed to ink a MoU for academic cooperation. Ashok Aima, vice-chancellor of CUJ, is among the heads of academic institutions accompanying President Pranab Mukherjee on his visit to China. Aima and Wang Cheng, president of Lanzhou University, were expected to sign the MoU in presence of the President at Peking University on Thursday. I came fully prepared to sign the MoU with Lanzhou University. He (Wang), however, said this morning that it would not be possible to sign the pact, Aima told DH. He (Wang) said that he was yet to complete some procedural formalities, Aima added. The CUJ suggested joint research with Lanzhou varsity in areas like Sino-India Geo-Economic Cooperation, Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism (focused on lexicon and terminology), Asian Regionalism and World Order, and Trans-Himalayan Trade and Connectivity. China calls itself an all-weather friend of Pakistan and it maintains that Kashmir is a disputed area. A few years ago, New Delhi strongly protested Beijings policy of issuing stapled visas to people from Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). The move was seen as Beijings rejection of New Delhis claim over the entire state. It is, however, not clear if the postponement is linked to Chinas negation of Indias claim on J&K. Wang told DH that he could not sign the MoU as the clearance from the Board of Governors was yet to be obtained. 10 MoUs signed Meanwhile, Mukherjee on Thursday witnessed signing of 10 MoUs for cooperation between academic institutions of India and China. The MoUs were signed by the heads of the respective institutions at the Peking University here. Mukherjee was joined by Education Minister of China, Yuan Guiren. George Yong-Boon Yeo, chancellor of Nalanda University, and Lin Jianhua, president of Peking University, signed the MoU for academic cooperation between the two institutions. The Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur, inked MoUs for cooperation with four Chinese institutionsBeijing Normal University, Hunan University, Southwest University for Nationalities and Jiangshu University. President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday nudged his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to stop shielding Masood Azhar and other terrorists based in Pakistan from sanctions by the United Nations. Mukherjee also tacitly asked Xi to change Beijings policy of opposing New Delhis entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group. He sought personal attention of the Chinese president to creating a more predictable environment in global nuclear commerce to help New Delhi pursue its atomic energy programme. The meeting between the two presidents saw China and India agreeing for closer cooperation against terrorism at the United Nations, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said. They also agreed to continue discussion to resolve differences on New Delhis bid for a berth in the NSG, added Jaishankar. Mukherjees four-day visit to Guangzhou and Beijing came at a time when Chinas moves to block Indias plea for UN sanctions on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar and to oppose its bid to enter the NSG came up as new irritants in bilateral ties. As he met the Chinese president at the Great Hall of People after being accorded a ceremonial reception on Thursday, Mukherjee brought up both the issues albeit tacitly. He also had brief separate meetings with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and chairman of National Peoples Congress Zhang Dejiang. He conveyed New Delhis concerns on cross-border terrorism without directly referring to terror attacks launched from territories in Pakistan targeting India. There is no good or bad terrorist, Jaishankar quoted president telling his Chinese counterpart as he stressed that all nations should comprehensively fight the menace. Mukherjee also emphasised on closer cooperation between India and China against terrorism at the UN. His comment was ostensibly a subtle nudge to Xi to change Beijings policy of opposing New Delhis move to designate Pakistan-based Azhar or Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi of Lashkar-e-Taiba as associates of Al Qaeda, Taliban and Islamic State and impose UN sanctions on them. India will soon send a formal request to the United Kingdom to extradite former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi who is facing money laundering charges. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has already recieved the application from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) asking it to act in this regard. The ED has sent us an extradition request. Our legal experts are examining it. Once we make sure that it is in good shape, we will send it to the UK side for consideration, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said. The ED had summoned Modi several times but he did not appear before investigators in connection with a case relating to the IPL. Following this, a special court in Mumbai had issued an order allowing the ED to begin extradition proceedings against Modi in connection with its money laundering probe against him and others. The agency had also in August last year had moved the Interpol to get a red corner issued against him. The Interpol has not issued any notice and it has sought more details from the Indian agency. The FIR was filed after the central agency took cognisance of a cheating complaint filed by former BCCI chief N Srinivasan against Modi and half a dozen others with the Chennai Police. In a separate case, the ED is also trying to extradite former Rajya Sabha member Vijay Mallya in loan default case. Its earlier request was returned by the United Kingdom seeking more details. Subtly nudging Beijing to stop opposing New Delhis bid for seats in international high tables, President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday reminded China the support India once provided to the communist country to get into the United Nations. Mukherjee used a speech at the Peking University here to note that although bilateral relations between Delhi and Beijing had been tested by difficulties and challenges in the last seven decades, the determination of people of India to safeguard their friendship with the people of China had visibly endured. It was demonstrated in Indias early recognition of the Peoples Republic of China in December 1949 (after it was born out of Chinese Civil War), the establishment of our diplomatic relations in April 1950 and Indias constant public support through the 1960s and 1970s for the admission of the Peoples Republic of China to the UN and the restitution of its permanent membership of the UN Security Council, said the President. He did not overtly call upon China to reciprocate to the support provided to it by India in the past. His comments, however, appeared to be a subtle nudge to China to stop opposing Indias bids to get berths in the international high tables. The President is currently on a tour to China. His four-day visit to Guangzhou and Beijing comes at a time when China has stepped up its campaign to oppose Indias bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. China has also been tacitly opposing Indias quest for a seat in the United Nations Security Council. Mukherjee also recalled on Tuesday how India had insisted on admitting China in the World Trade Organization in the early years of the body set up to control international commerce. In his speech at the Peking University on Thursday, Mukherjee acknowledged that India-China bilateral relations were fraught with challenges. He cited the instance of the boundary dispute and noted that it was yet to be addressed comprehensively by the two neighbours. While it is natural for neighbours to have a difference of views on certain issues from time to time, I consider it a test of our political acumen when we are called upon to draw upon our civilizational wisdom and resolve these differences to the mutual satisfaction of both sides, said the President. He stressed on both sides working towards ensuring that coming generations in India and China were not burdened by unresolved problems and differences to them. Following assurance from External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj that necessary steps would be taken to ensure the safety of Africans in India, African diplomats on Thursday attended an event to celebrate Africa Day. The event was organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations in New Delhi. On Wednesday, the envoys threatened to boycott the event in view of the violence against Africans, the most recent being the murder of Congolese national Masonda Ketada Oliver in Delhi. The earlier decision to request postponement does and should not have been considered as a boycott. African nations will attend the event, Alem Tsehaye Woldemariam, dean, African Group Head of Missions, said earlier in the day. MoS for External Affairs Gen V K Singh said he would meet African heads of missions every three months. India is safe... This one incident is not racially motivated, Singh said. Meanwhile, in an apparent backlash over the killing of Oliver, Indian shops and establishments in Congos capital Kinshasa were attacked. Two Indians were injured. Gunshots were fired, injuring two Indians. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said Indian establishments were targeted on Monday and Tuesday in the city's commercial areas, and that the Indian mission in Kinshasa has taken up the issue with Congo's Foreign Ministry. A note verbale (letter of protest) was issued to Congo's Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a copy to the Interior Ministry and police authorities to ensure safety of life and property of all Indians residing there, said Vikas Swarup, MEA spokesperson. Olivers death comes four months after a Tanzanian girl student was beaten and paraded naked in Bengaluru. Toronto/CA Patras/GR MAY 26th, 2016 -- Think Silicon S.A. a leading provider of ultra-low power Graphic Processing Unit (GPU) and imaging solution-IP for wearable, mobile devices and IoT platforms, today announced that is has been recognized in the April, 27th 2016 Cool Vendor in Novel Semiconductors for Neural Networks, 2016 report by Gartner1, a leading information technology analyst organization. Each year Gartner identifies new Cool Vendors selected for the Cool Vendors report which are innovative, impactful and intriguing in key technology and publishes a series of research reports highlighting these innovative vendors and their products and services. According to the report, neural networks are one of the hottest areas in technology. We highlight custom silicon solutions that will shorten the timeline for mainstream deployment of DNNs (Deep Neural Networks) in existing and new applications. We believe it is an honor to see our efforts have been further validated by a designation in the Cool Vendor report by Gartner. The Think Silicon team designed from bottom-up a ultra-lowpower GPU platform which scales widely for different applications and markets and enabling our customers to improve their business performance, said co-founder and CEO George Sidiropoulos. At CES 2016 in Las Vegas, Think Silicon launched NEMA|p (PICO) and NEMA|t (tiny) the world smallest and most power efficient 2D and 3D Graphics Processor Units (GPU). Based on ultralow- power (ULP) saving methods, the NEMA-GPU increases the battery life of small-display devices up to 100% (from average 3 to 6 days). Think Silicon leverages the ULP technology with the GPGPU component by providing the compute engine for customized FPGA and SoC. Think Silicon is working on a prototype with thirty-two (32) GPGPU cores (<0.2mm2 per core @ 28nm), containing a fixed-point arithmetic and has extensive multithreading capabilities (128 threads per core). The GPU defines a new class of products with a competitive architecture to execute highly parallel DNN applications and offer substantial power savings over existing solutions. 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 Gartners 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. 1 Gartner Cool Vendors in Novel Semiconductors for Neural Networks, 2016 by Michele Reitz, Martin Reynolds, James F. Hines, Nathan Nuttal, Gerald van Hoy, 27 April 2017. Gartner subscribers may access the full report here About Think Silicon: Think Silicon S.A. (TSi) is a privately held Limited Company founded in 2007, located in Patras, Greece (HQ), Toronto, Canada (Business Development & Marketing office) and San Jose, CA, USA (Sales office). The Think Silicon team specializes in developing high performance graphics IP technology for ultra-low power and area limited IoT applications. For more than 15 years the Cubalex Legal Information Center has been providing free guidance to Cubans, who, lacking resources and information, must grapple with the regime's legal system. Cubalex also advises Cubans and foreigners with regards to human rights, and drafts reports for international organizations about the situation in the island. One indication of this independent project's success are the approximately 120 requests for advice that it currently receives per month. Another, the regime's harassment of its members. Independent lawyer Laritza Diversent, the Director of Cubalex, spoke with DIARIO DE CUBA at the Oslo Freedom Forum. What does Cubalex's work consist of? People come to Cubalex with housing problems, criminal matters, or want to ask us questions. We do not discriminate. Most people have no political motivations. They come to us to solve personal problems. We ask for documentation, as one of our limitations is that we cannot access records like the lawyers at the Collective Firms can. We conduct a first interview and create a digital record that allows our lawyers to carry out an analysis and assess each case. We determine whether there have been any human rights violations, what strategy to follow, if it is necessary to appeal to the international level, but first internal legal channels must be exhausted. The work can sometimes take between 15 to 20 days, because we labor under difficult conditions, but when they come we give them a printed document so they can present it directly to the authorities. What kind of cases do you tend to receive? Most of the cases we get at Cubalex are criminal matters, very shocking murders, situations that clearly evidence the violence, often extreme, affecting Cuban society, in which women bear the brunt. Apart from the events themselves, we have also found very serious due process violations. Prisoners and their families are among our main clients. Most of our services are discussed inside the prisons, as the inmates themselves pass the word on. They ask mothers and wives to come to us. We are working, for example, with a blind mother who for two years has been unable to visit her son in prison because he was transferred. That mother is raising her grandson because her son killed his wife, the child's mother. Such are most of the cases; people who are facing critical social situations. How many requests for assistance have you received since the project began in 2010? I can't venture an exact figure, but I would say more than 5,000. In the last four months some 300 people have turned to us. There is a lot of domestic violence, injuries suffered by women, murders. The Government does not issue statistics on gender violence, but what we see the most are cases of violence, intimidation and murder. They are disturbing. How do you work on a project like this, not recognized by the Government? What kind of problems do you run into? Almost all the cases that come to us have already been heard. Sometimes they come to us during the investigation phase, but those involved are compelled to hire a defense attorney from a Collective Firm, so in this regard we cannot do anything. What we can is to advise, orient. We say "look for this evidence, do this, present that" because, generally speaking, unless you pay the official attorney, they're not going to show much interest. We provide technical assistance mechanisms to deal with the mechanisms of the system. A lawyer may charge extra fees of 100, 200 or 400 dollars. Many of the people we see have no money even to pay the attorney they're assigned. So, their lawyer often receives the case immediately before the trial. It is very common to find contradictions between what the lawyer and his client have said. How serious is the corruption in the judicial system? The justice system is seriously corrupt. Lawyers, prosecutors and judges ... many charge through the defense lawyers and ask for astronomical figures that it is very difficult for a Cuban to come up with, unless he has family abroad. We have received cases of Cuban Americans charged with drug trafficking, and in this regard we have achieved positive results. State justice authorities have accepted appeals that we have prepared. We drew up the appeals for a good number of those acquitted in 2015. How many lawyers work at Cubalex? How do they join the project? We have only four lawyers working full time at our "offices," which consist of two rooms of my own house. Cubalex also offers advisory services in Camaguey and Granma, where there are two lawyers. First we look at the evolution of each person and their real interest, and then we integrate him into the team. We don't close the door on anyone, but one of the requirements is that they cannot work with the Government, and they must have a bachelor's degree in Law. We are now trying to form a multidisciplinary team. We have a psychologist, a doctor and a social and prison investigator, working from within these institutions, with the cooperation of prisoners. What other lines of work does Cubalex have? Legal professionals, a prosecutor, for example, do not take into account the issue of gender when applying the law, and sometimes they do so crudely and arbitrarily, in a way that is sexist. We consider this institutional violence. During the investigative work we have done we have found that most men deprived of their freedom, more than 50%, are from families of African descent living in slums. This caught our attention, and we are conducting a transversal analysis of the issue of gender, the plight of Afro-cubans, and criminal penal policy. We started working on these research topics to present reports on human rights. We also strive for civil society to receive more information on human rights. We started out with workshops, going to organizations, mostly in the eastern region, and with the Damas de Blanco. We managed for them to at least begin to gather information about arrests. We teach them to act as observers and not as victims. Unfortunately, we have not yet succeeded in getting them to document things thoroughly. We are planning a course for human rights activists, to teach them mainly to document and exhaust internal legal channels before taking their grievances international. We were struck by the fact that, between December 2013 and December 2014, Cuba had only three complaints at the international level. That is because civil society was not doing its job. How are you going to go the United Nations to report human rights violations if there are no records of complaints? You mentioned gender violence and racial discrimination. Crime statistics are secret in Cuba. We do not know, for example, the number of murders, or femicides. The statistics are only those that are issued by institutions such like the Interior Ministry and the Public Prosecutor's Office. Some defense attorney might have access, but not because they are public. Police pursue lines of investigation based on racial profiling, which constitutes institutional discrimination. Most Cubans of African descent, we have seen in our research, live in marginal areas and their social situations are dire. We have to work on a bill so that, at least, positive measures are taken to address the challenges facing Afro-Cubans. In the case of black women, they are discriminated against not only due to the color of their skin, but also because of their sex. Almost all live in slums, with rundown infrastructure and dreadful health and hygiene conditions. How does the regime react to the work of a project like Cubalex? One of the regime's objectives is to isolate us, and to this end it resorts to harassment. It is totally different from what it does with activists who protest publicly. In our case, it is with threats, interrogations, official citations... But we have a policy of not accepting any citations if they are not signed by a court clerk. Although until now it has not gone further, the regime has become more aggressive of late. In April they prevented me from giving a talk on the election issue. They surrounded the house and would not let me leave. And, at airports the tactic is to review things, make you uncomfortable, take what they believe is suspect. There are neighbors who collaborate with State Security forces. There are many who support us, but those closest are watching us. Security forces don't show up directly to repress you, but they use other indirect methods, involving your family and your close circle, to wear you down and demoralize you. Repression takes the form of constant surveillance, threats, and isolation. LeEco has signed a quadripartite memorandum to export Russian content to other markets and built its ecosystem in the country LeEco has announced that it has entered the Russian market, where plans to invest over $100 million. The company has signed a quadripartite memorandum with the Institute of Internet Development (IID), Russian Export Center, and JSC Digital Television to export Russian media content to other markets and build the LeEcos ecosystem in Russia. Russia is the third overseas market that the company is entering after the US and India. Read the complete press release below As part of its ambitious globalization plans, LeEco, the global internet and ecosystem conglomerate has taken the momentous step towards promoting economic and cultural ties between China and Russia. On May 16, 2016, LeEco signed a quadripartite memorandum with Institute of Internet Development (IID), Russian Export Center and JSC Digital Television to export Russian media content to China and other markets and build Le Ecosystem in Russia. With the introduction of its unique vertically integrated ecosystem in Russia, LeEco will provide Russian users an all-new experience delivered through the Internet, smart devices, smart applications, and cloud. For its foray into the Russian market, LeEco plans to invest over USD 100 million. In 2016, LeEco successfully entered the U.S. and Indian markets making Russia its third overseas market. As the world's fastest-growing Internet ecosystem company over the past year, LeEco plans to set up its Russia office in the summer of 2016 which would be responsible for the building of Le Ecosystem in Russia. In line with its efforts of making a strong mark for itself globally, with the signing of the memorandum LeEco will synergistically combine its powerful business ecosystem and Russia's rich media content resources to expand in the Russia market and further reinforce LeEco's global competitiveness. The signing ceremony was attended by Chinese ambassador to Russia Li Hui, highlighting the significance of the memorandum as an important cooperation between China and Russia. In his speech, Li Hui said that the agreement will make an important contribution to the cultural exchange and good-neighborly relations between the two countries. During the signing ceremony, LeEco co-founder and vice chairman Liu Hong met with Herman Klimenko, IID chairman and Russian President Vladimir Putin's special adviser on Internet-related affairs. Liu Hong, together with Li Hui, also attended the signing ceremony for Chinese-Russia strategic movie cooperation and the ceremony for the appointment of Victor Xu, CEO of LeEco Russia and Eastern Europe, as Advisor to the General Office of the President of Russia. The memorandum will provide an action framework for the promotion of Russian movies, TV dramas, animations and other video products in China and other markets. In addition to providing a globally accessible platform for the distribution of Russian content, LeEco will assist Russian partners in content localization such as translation, licensing and authorization in China and other countries. India has played a key role in scripting LeEcos global success story, with trend setting products and record-breaking sales. With the release of the Le 1s and Le Max earlier this year, followed by the launch of the first Made for India Superphone, Le 1s Eco, the company has successfully sold an astounding number of 500,000 Superphones in 100 days, making it a record of sorts for a new entrant in a fiercely competitive smartphone market in India. We have seen Facebook, once a simple social media platform, branch out into a key tool for influencing the masses, marketing products and promoting brands. News is now made and read on social media portals like Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat. Connecting with people on social media is now not only an expression of personal thoughts, but also a form of propaganda for brands, celebrities, movies, startups and more. If you can name them, they will be on Facebook! It is no surprise then, that with time, Facebook also lured in world leaders and politicians, looking to build a more personal connect with their audiences AKA voters. Wheres the best place to find social influencers who can make or break vote banks? Well, the answer, atleast in India, is Facebook. According to a recent study conducted by market research and business consultancy firm IMRB, Indians use Facebook, 2.4 times more than microblogging site Twitter. Hence, when the Modi Government came into power, social media, especially Facebook, played a huge role in dissemination of its digital agendas. In fact, Prime Minister Narendra Modis election campaign is one of the best examples of using the power of technology & social media to reach masses across the country. Now, two years after the Modification of India, we take a look at how the Indian Government used popular Facebook tools like Q&A, Live, Instant Articles and Notes to reach the 140 million plus monthly active users in the country. As Facebook reveals, here are some on PM Narendra Modis Top Posts from May 26, 2014 to May 23, 2016. With a total number of 179,452,452 likes, shares and comments, Modi also ranks number 1 on Facebooks list of Top Ten Performing Cabinet Ministers from May 26, 2015 to May 23. 2015. He is followed by Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh with 13,904,120 interactions. On number 3 is the former actor and now Minister of Human Resource Development, Smriti Irani, with a total of 5,800,102 interactions in the same period. The PMs personal website http://www.narendramodi.in has also gone live on Facebooks Instant Articles. The website routinely publishes posts that detail his daily engagements along with various government schemes that he backs and rolls out. As far as Top Videos by the Government of India are concerned, Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, Nitin Gadkari ranks at number 1 with his Diwali wishes video, posted in November 2015. The honours for the Most Engaging Post go to Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Ananth Kumar, who put up a picture with the PM, along with the Indian flag filter superimposed on it. Top 5 Ministries by page size, interactions (likes, shares, comments) and average daily posts include, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Women & Child Development and Ministry of Finance. We have also seen a number of initiatives rolled out by the Modi government in its 2 year tenure till now. So its no surprise that Make In India, Digital India and Skill India have been deemed the Top 3 Government Initiatives on Facebook. While Make In India garnered a total of 5,165,680 interactions on the social media platform, Digital India gathered 1,924,536 interactions, followed by Skill India with 304,230 interactions. These numbers from Facebook surely shed light on the growing influence of social media in politics and government activities. We will keep sharing more such data with you guys. Until then, keep reading Digit and dont forget to follow us on Facebook. Data Courtesy: Facebook Report comes after Microsoft announced a lay-off of 1,800 employees globally and shut-down of R&D site in Finland Microsoft Corp will stop design and manufacturing of mobile phones, reports Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. A spokesperson for Microsoft Finland declined to comment on the report. This news comes after Microsoft announced the sale of its feature phone business to HMD, a Foxconn subsidiary for $350 million. Back then, Microsoft had also said that it will continue to support and develop its Lumia smartphones. Now, on Wednesday, the company announced more reductions to its smartphones manufacturing workforce. Microsoft will lay off 1,350 employees in Finland and 500 employees in other countries, making it a total of 1850 job cuts. It will also write down $950 million off its business. In addition, Microsoft will also close down a research and development site in Finland. A representative of the Finnish Union informed Reuters that these cuts would put an end for the development of new phones by Microsoft. Last year alone, Microsoft announced $7.5 billion write downs and 7,800 job cuts. Recently, Gartner reported that the Windows Phone market share fell below 1% in Q1 2016. Looks like the rumoured Surface Phone may not see the light of day afterall. Source: Reuters Britains top flight index moved into the green early in the session, led by gains in shares of miners, big oil and grocers, lifted by the rising tide in oil prices and somewhat more favourable Brexit poll results. Acting as a backdrop, traders were busy monitoring the headlines coming out of the G7 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting in Sendai, Japan. According to Bloomberg, Japanese officials had tabled proposals for fiscal stimulus and structural reforms. As of 08:58 BST the Footsie could be seen 0.23% or 14.36 points higher at 6,277.21, although the domestic-facing FTSE 250 was lingering in the red, drifting lower by 0.03% or 5.56 points at 17,227.53. Front month Brent crude futures were 0.86% higher at $50.87 per barrel on the ICE with cable edging just above the previous sessions best levels to trade at 1.4727. In parallel, dollar/yen was trimming an earlier retreat and was last off 0.1% to 110.06. To take note of, some market participants were sounding a skeptical note regarding the staying power of the recent rally in equities. "[Thursdays weaker start] appears to just be a case of profit taking from traders following what has been an unusually positive couple of days when compared with the rest of the month, which has been characterised by indecision and tight trading ranges. Given that we have two major risk events for the markets in the coming weeks EU referendum in the UK and possible rate hike from the Fed - I do wonder though whether this rally has the legs to build significantly on the moves of the last couple of days," Craig Erlam, Senior Market Analyst at Oanda said. Gains in crude oil came despite unconfirmed reports that Saudi Aramco is set to raise production from its Shaybah field from 750,000 barrels per day to 1.0m b/d. Speeches from two Fed speakers later in the day were eagerly awaited, especially that from Fed Governor Jerome Powell which was scheduled for 16:00 BST. Overnight, the president of the Federal Reserve bank of Dallas, Robert Kaplan, argued in favour of a rate hike "in the near future" but not necessarily at its mid-June meeting, so long as the economy evolved as expected. He also said the risk of Brexit would be "a factor" at the Feds 15 June policy meeting and noted the risk of a 'sell-off' in the pound, Market News International reported. On that note, the results of the latest Ashcroft poll show that 65% of those surveyed expected the 'Remain' camp to prevail versus the 35% who expected the opposite result. Similarly, the results of the latest BMG Research poll which was conducted on-line revealed a small up-tick in the proportion of respondents who said they were backing the 'Remain' option, which rose by one percentage point to 44.0%. First quarter UK GDP estimate unrevised The British economy expanded at a 0.4% quarter-on-quarter clip in the first three months of the year, a second estimate from the Office for National Statistics revealed, bang in-line with estimates and the preliminary estimate. The Confederation of British Industrys gauge of service sector firm confidence fell to its lowest mark in more than three years over the three months to May. Gross mortgage borrowing in the UK was at 12bn in April, for a 12% rise versus a year ago, following Marchs spike in activity as borrowers raced to complete purhcases ahead of the increase in Stamp Duty, according to the BBA. A raft of companies went ex-dividend on Thursday, including Carnival, DCC, Whitbread, Amec Foster Wheeler and Inchcape. Tate&Lyle in sweet spot Full year pre-tax profits at Tate & Lyle soared to 126m from 25m as revenues rose 1% to 2.35bn. Adjusted profit before tax was 67m higher at 193 largely as a result of net exceptional costs in the year of 50m. United Utilities saw underlying profits drop 9% over the twelve months ending on 31 March to reach 604.1m, even as revenues edged up from 1,720.2m to 1,730m. The company declared a final dividend of 25.64p per share, taking the total for the year to 38.45p, for an increase of 2% - in line with its payout policy. Six international oil firms including BP and Royal Dutch Shell Plc have tabled bids to operate Qatar's biggest offshore oil field, Reuters reported citing two people familiar with the matter. Pets at Home reported an increase in pre-tax profit for the year as revenue grew and the company expressed confidence over its outlook. For the 53 weeks to the end of March, statutory pre-tax profit edged up to 92.1m from 90.2m on revenue of 793.1m, up from 777.8m. Meanwhile, group like-for-like revenue grew 2.1% compared with 4.2% growth in the same period last year. FTSE 250 car dealership Inchcape said on Thursday that it has made a good star to the year, in line with its expectations. In a trading update for 1 January to 25 May, the company said group revenue rose 12.8% at actual currency to 2.47bn, or an 11.7% increase at constant currency. Daily Mail & General Trust shares tumbled on Thursday as the company posted drop in first-half profit and warned that a weak print advertising market will hit margins in the media business. B&M European Value Retail, the discounter chaired by Sir Terry Leahy, declared a special dividend as it posted final results showing strong sales, profits and cash generation. The FTSE 250 group, which floated almost two years ago, opened a record 79 UK stores in the UK and six Jawoll stores in Germany in the 52 weeks to 26 March, helping lift revenues increased by 23.6% to 2.04bn. Market Movers FTSE 100 (UKX) 6,277.88 0.24% FTSE 250 (MCX) 17,224.01 -0.05% techMARK (TASX) 3,120.93 0.15% FTSE 100 - Risers Anglo American (AAL) 645.00p 4.00% BHP Billiton (BLT) 866.30p 3.48% Glencore (GLEN) 138.00p 3.45% Antofagasta (ANTO) 456.10p 3.07% Rio Tinto (RIO) 2,030.50p 2.42% Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 5,920.00p 1.89% Fresnillo (FRES) 1,043.00p 1.66% Sainsbury (J) (SBRY) 266.70p 1.45% Shire Plc (SHP) 4,390.00p 1.41% Royal Dutch Shell 'B' (RDSB) 1,716.00p 1.15% FTSE 100 - Fallers Carnival (CCL) 3,428.00p -1.75% Standard Chartered (STAN) 545.00p -1.73% Whitbread (WTB) 4,281.00p -1.72% United Utilities Group (UU.) 954.50p -1.09% DCC (DCC) 6,440.00p -1.08% Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 618.00p -0.96% Travis Perkins (TPK) 1,939.00p -0.82% ITV (ITV) 216.00p -0.74% CRH (CRH) 2,064.00p -0.67% Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 254.30p -0.66% FTSE 250 - Risers Allied Minds (ALM) 352.00p 3.56% Tullow Oil (TLW) 253.40p 2.51% Softcat (SCT) 330.00p 2.33% Sports Direct International (SPD) 369.40p 2.07% Serco Group (SRP) 104.80p 1.95% Paysafe Group (PAYS) 415.00p 1.94% PayPoint (PAY) 890.50p 1.89% Kaz Minerals (KAZ) 151.80p 1.88% Polymetal International (POLY) 817.00p 1.87% Pets at Home Group (PETS) 253.60p 1.72% FTSE 250 - Fallers Ibstock (IBST) 200.00p -10.59% DFS Furniture (DFS) 292.50p -2.63% Restaurant Group (RTN) 360.80p -2.62% Melrose Industries (MRO) 377.70p -2.60% Spectris (SXS) 1,670.00p -2.51% The Renewables Infrastructure Group Limited (TRIG) 99.35p -2.12% Lancashire Holdings Limited (LRE) 561.00p -1.92% Zoopla Property Group (WI) (ZPLA) 331.60p -1.84% Marston's (MARS) 154.80p -1.53% Aberdeen Asset Management (ADN) 287.50p -1.47% Stocks are set to give back some of the weeks ahead of the a fresh reading on economic growth in the first quarter and against the backdrop of todays meeting of G7 finance ministers and central bank governors in Sendai, Japan. As of 06:54BST the Footsie was being called to start the session lower by ten points from Wednesdays closing level of 6,262.85. Front month Brent crude futures were 0.758% higher at $50.12 per barrel with cable in a holding pattern near the previous sessions best levels, trading at 1.4707. In parallel, dollar/yen is off by 0.43% to 109.72. To take note of, some market participants have sounded a skeptical note regarding the staying power of the recent rally in equities. "[Thursdays weaker start] appears to just be a case of profit taking from traders following what has been an unusually positive couple of days when compared with the rest of the month, which has been characterised by indecision and tight trading ranges. Given that we have two major risk events for the markets in the coming weeks EU referendum in the UK and possible rate hike from the Fed - I do wonder though whether this rally has the legs to build significantly on the moves of the last couple of days," Craig Erlam, Senior Market Analyst at Oanda said. Gains in crude oil are coming despite unconfirmed reports that Saudi Aramco is set to raise production from its Shaybah field from 750,000 barrels per day to 1.0m b/d. Speeches from two Fed speakers are eagerly awaited, especially that from Fed Governor Jerome Powell scheduled for 16:00 BST. Overnight, the president of the Federal Reserve bank of Dallas, Robert Kaplan, argued in favour of a rate hike "in the near future" but not necessarily at its mid-June meeting, so long as the economy evolved as expected. He also said the risk of Brexit would be "a factor" at the Feds 15 June policy meeting, Market News International reported. On that note, the results of the latest Ashcroft poll show that 65% of those surveyed expected the 'Remain' camp to prevail versus the 35% who expected the opposite result. ONS is set to release its second reading on first quarter gross domestic product at 09:30 BST alongside the latest lending data from BBA. A raft of companies are set to go ex-dividend today, including Carnival, DCC, Whitbread, Amec Foster Wheeler and Inchcape. Slight rise in full-year div at United Utilities United Utilities saw underlying profits drop 9% over the twelve months ending on 31 March to reach 604.1m, even as revenues edged up from 1,720.2m to 1,730m. The company declared a final dividend of 25.64p per share, taking the total for the year to 38.45p, for an increase of 2% - in line with its payout policy. Six international oil firms including BP and Royal Dutch Shell Plc have tabled bids to operate Qatar's biggest offshore oil field, Reuters reported citing two people familiar with the matter. Pets at Home reported an increase in pre-tax profit for the year as revenue grew and the company expressed confidence over its outlook. For the 53 weeks to the end of March, statutory pre-tax profit edged up to 92.1m from 90.2m on revenue of 793.1m, up from 777.8m. Meanwhile, group like-for-like revenue grew 2.1% compared with 4.2% growth in the same period last year. B&M European Value Retail , the discounter chaired by Sir Terry Leahy, declared a special dividend as it posted final results showing strong sales, profits and cash generation. The FTSE 250 group, which floated almost two years ago, opened a record 79 UK stores in the UK and six Jawoll stores in Germany in the 52 weeks to 26 March, helping lift revenues increased by 23.6% to 2.04bn. UK like-for-like sales crept only 0.3% higher, down from 2015's rate of 4.4% due in small part to deflationary pressures on grocery sales, but more importantly from cannibalisation from the store opening programme. There were 499 stores in the UK by the year end, with a pipeline of 50 UK B&M stores period and 19 Jawoll outlets as management look to accelerate the pace of growth for the German chain acquired in 2014. Leahy, who led a surge of store expansion as boss of Tesco's between 1997 and 2011, and chief executive Simon Arora reiterated their believe there is potential for at least 350 more B&M stores in the UK. Although like-for-like growth slowed, adjusted group EBITDA increased by 16.2% to 202.5m and adjusted profit before tax jumped 19.5% to 161.4m, with adjusted diluted earnings per share 26% higher at 13.0p. With strong operating cashflow of 170.9m, up 12% on the prior year, the board hiked the final dividend 41% to 3.2p per share to be paid in August and declared a special dividend of 10.0p per share to be paid in July. "B&M has delivered another year of strong progress with the implementation of our strategy for growth and an excellent financial performance in terms of overall sales, profits and cash generation," Leahy said. "Our expansion strategy is on track to deliver further growth during the year ahead in our chosen markets." Brick maker Ibstock said the slow start to the year for its UK clay business had lasted fourth months before reaching a positive plumb-line. The FTSE 250 group said UK brick sales into the key new residential sector have grown but were slowe than expected due to destocking in the builders merchant supply chain. Monthly trading comparatives have now moved positive and the sales team has managed to secure mid-single digit headline price increases. "The change in channel mix during the first four months of the year has impacted overall average pricing," Ibstock said in a statement ahead of its annual shareholder meeting. "We anticipate that the channel mix will see further improvement as the year progresses." Helped by the US housing recovery, the clay brick business there has maintained its good start to the year, while strong demand for concrete products has helped that side of the business continue its positive start across the fist four months of 2016. Looking forward, demand for new housing seems robust and so management are confident market fundamentals remained positive in both the UK and US. "The board expects another year of progress for the group and its expectation for the full year is broadly unchanged." Shares in Ibstock, havign on Wednesday hit a record high above 226p, fell 10% to 201.43p by late morning on Thursday. Shares in Prospex Oil and Gas were down more than 27% as it raised about 1.64m in a placing at 1p a share, and at the same time updated on the unrisked prospective resources at the Boleslaw prospect. Proceeds from the placing would go to supporting the 2016 activities of Hutton Poland Ltd, repaying the loan from Hutton Energy Ltd and for general working capital purposes. The Boleslaw prospect is within the Kolo licence, which is part of a portfolio of investments held by Hutton Poland, in which Prospex holds a 49% investment stake. Gross best-estimate technical un-risked prospective resources for the Boleslaw prospect are estimated at 87.1 Bscf, said Prospex, citing a competent persons' report prepared by AGR TRACS International Ltd. "We believe it (the Boleslaw prospect) demonstrates the significant value in the Hutton Poland investment, 5m to 8.4m, compared to the investment cost of 620,000 and the potential for the project moving forward," said chairman Bill Smith. "If successful, a well on the Boleslaw prospect could unlock significant value for the company." Shares in Lloyds Banking Group have passed the level at which taxpayers break even on their stake in the bailed-out bank for the first time this year. The move through 73.6p will be closely watched by George Osborne. The chancellor was forced to postpone an offering of the banks shares to the public as a resut of the turmoil in the markets in the start of the year. Even though the retail offering is on hold, Osborne can offload shares in small tranches to professional investors every time the shares rise past 73.6p mark. In December, this so-called trading plan was extended to the end of June. - The Guardian The sale of Tata Steels UK assets has been thrown into confusion after speculation that the business secretary has offered Tata a deal so attractive that it may yet keep Port Talbot and a dozen other facilities around the country. - The Times A pair of BHS suppliers have toppled into administration, resulting in 350 job losses, as the pain caused from the collapse of the retailer spreads through the sector. CUK Clothing and Courtaulds, makers of the Pretty Polly tights brand, have appointed RSM after the administration of BHS added to the challenge of operating within a fiercely competitive market for seasonal products. - The Daily Telegraph Budget flights to Boston and other United States cities will be launched from Edinburgh next spring, Norwegian Air has announced. Other destinations could include New York, San Francisco and Washington DC, with return fares starting from around 200. The news came as Delta prepares to launch Edinburgh-New York flights tomorrow in competition with American and United. Norwegian already flies to six Scandinavian and Spanish destinations from Edinburgh, and launched transatlantic flights from Gatwick two years ago. - Scotsman Boris Johnson is painting an unreal picture of the EU for the British public and should return to Brussels to see whether his claims chime with reality, the president of the European Commission has claimed. Jean Claude Juncker also hinted that if Britains highest profile campaigner were to become prime minister then his discussions with European partners may be strained. The president was responding to a question at a press conference at the G7 summit in Japan about Johnsons decision to compare the EUs aims to those of the Adolf Hitler. - The Guardian The watchdog for global trade has said leaving the European Union would push back trade barriers at a cost of 9bn a year to British consumers. World Trade Organisation boss, Roberto Azevedo, said Britain would be forced to renegotiate trade deals with all 161 WTO members in an unprecedented move that would be akin to joining from scratch. The impact of new tariffs in overseas markets would also be a burden for UK businesses, adding a further 5.5bn to the costs of trade, he said. - The Guardian Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. The DIGITIMES Research report you are trying to open requires subscription todata services. Please sign in if you wish to continue. Taiwan's handset brand vendors and ODMs both saw sharp declines in their shipments in the first quarter of 2016. The brand vendors' shipments will improve in the second quarter due to launches of new models, but the ODM shipments will drop further. Donovan Lewis autopsy report shows he was shot once in stomach Donovan Lewis, a 20-year-old Black man killed by Columbus police officer Ricky Anderson on Aug. 30, was shot once in the abdomen, his autopsy shows. Casino magnate envisions water paradise in Nevada Steve Wynn's Paradise Park would be anchored by a 38-acre, man-made lake built using water technology from Crystal Lagoons US Corp. By SALLY HO Associated Press LAS VEGAS Imagine a white sand beach with a bar at the dock. Water skiers flash by a small island, where fireworks shoot from twin peaks. Now imagine this water paradise is in the desert of drought-stricken Nevada. Casino magnate Steve Wynn can, though not everyone shares the vision of the man who brought dancing water fountains, pirate sea battles and an exploding volcano to adorn his previous Las Vegas gambling resorts. The plan is still in the design phase and hasn't received final approval. The Paradise Park development proposal unveiled by Wynn Resorts in April would be anchored by a 38-acre, man-made lake built where golfers now tee up on an 18-hole course. Wynn, the company's CEO, said the park would be an amenity paid for by the resorts fee on hotel rooms at his Wynn and Encore properties, as well as a new 1,000-room hotel tower. Others would pay a $20 to $30 entrance fee to enjoy the festive lunacy. At the size of nearly 100 Olympic swimming pools, the lake is billed as a more conservative use of water for the resort. Paradise Park is ... taking advantage of imagination and fantasy on property that we own for zero (dollars), with water rights that we own for zero and we're the only ones that have them at this size, Wynn said on a May 5 earnings call. And we're going to do it with solar power, and we're going to use less water than a golf course, so we're going to be very green at the same time. But some are skeptical about the project's environmental claims, questioning rates of evaporation at the project, and the ethics of such unnatural water use at a time when drought has parched the West. Artificial lakes we should think very hard and long about before we start to expand to that, said Dale Devitt, a soil and water scientist at UNLV and the director of the Center for Urban Water Conservation. But Devitt also said there's no right or wrong when it comes to a community's economic consideration for using resources, whether it be golf courses and man-made lakes for tourism or farming for food and income. The Southern Nevada Water Authority estimates the golf course uses about 700 to 800 acre-feet of water per year and the new lake alone would use about 300 to 400 acre-feet per year. One acre-foot of water is about enough to serve two average Las Vegas homes for more than a year. Should the golf course be halved into a nine-hole amenity as renderings seem to show, the water authority projects the new lake would use about the same amount of water as is consumed now. In comparison, the popular Fountains of Bellagio water feature also built by Wynn uses an estimated 50 to 60 acre-feet of water per year, according to the water authority. The company owns the water rights on the property, and its use isn't monitored by the water authority. It's water neutral at worst water neutral, Wynn spokesman Michael Weaver said. We believe it will be better. Wynn representatives cautioned the final plans still need to be reviewed and approved by its board of directors, likely in the fall. The lake would be built using water technology from Crystal Lagoons US Corp. The Miami-based company's CEO, Uri Man, said that by his estimate, the lake would use far less than what the water authority projects. Rejecting the science suggesting high evaporation loss for an open body of water in the desert, Man said the proposed lake will use about 123 acre-feet of water per year thanks to its use of additives that will create an invisible, safe-for-contact layer of film on top of the water's surface that will significantly curb evaporation loss. We've developed evaporation controls that lowers (evaporation by) 40 to 60 percent, depending on the location, Man said. Devitt said evaporation loss for an open body of water is about 20 percent higher than the base rate for Las Vegas. Evaporation loss for the type of grass generally used for golf courses, meanwhile, is about 30 percent lower than the base rate. Crystal Lagoons' claims were met with skepticism by David Groenfeldt, an anthropologist who studies water ethics as director of the New Mexico-based Water-Culture Institute. He said the concept of evaporation control sounded implausible if not outright magical. Groenfeldt said that while Paradise Park is not necessarily unethical because it's not expected to use more water than before, it may be perceived as an excessive attempt to control nature in a time of need. It's like when you're living on borrowed money and you're buying a Ferrari and you keep borrowing and borrowing, Groenfeldt said. Subscriber content preview ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) The Arlington City Council has approved a master agreement setting forth the public-private setup to build a retractable-roof ballpark for the Texas Rangers. The unanimous vote Tuesday night begins the process for placing on the Nov. 8 ballot an extension of the sales, car rental and hotel occupancy tax already levied to build AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys. . . . Subscriber content preview TEHRAN, Iran (AP) India says it will invest up to $500 million in a deal to develop a strategic port in Iran and plan a number of projects they say are worth hundreds of millions of dollars in joint projects. The deal and plans were announced Monday during a visit by an Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the first such trip in more than a decade. . . . Subscriber content preview SANTA TERESA, N.M. (AP) A nonprofit group that operates a booming border town in New Mexico is working to transform the area from a place where people work into one where they might live. Officials in Santa Teresa are drafting plans that call for the building of a plaza on an upslope, surrounded by Mediterranean-style housing and international restaurants. . . . A new report reveals that the drinks industry and hospitality sector in Donegal supports 7,575 jobs with a wage bill of 157m. Research by DCU economist Tony Foley, commissioned by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland, detailed hospitality sector employment in each Dail Constituency. In the Donegal constituency there are 365 pubs, 40 licenced hotels, 77 licenced restaurants and 133 off-licences. The Drinks Industry Group of Ireland launched the Support Your Local campaign for 2016, which seeks to highlight the significant economic contribution that the drinks and hospitality industry makes to communities across Ireland. THE FIGURES The report found that in Donegal the drinks industry and hospitality sector: * Supports 7,575 jobs * Has a wage bill of 157m. Supports 0.8m in agri-output * Supports 12 wholesalers and 2 producers. Tony Foley, DCU Economist said: The national economic impact of the drinks industry and wider hospitality sector is substantial. Of note is the fact that the drinks industry and wider hospitality sector makes a significant contribution to the economic life of towns and villages outside of urban centres. This is supported by the vast network of pubs, restaurants, hotels and independent off-licences which have a presence in every constituency across Ireland. One key driver for growth in the drinks industry is craft with a huge increase in the number of breweries and distilleries opening across Ireland in recent years. Highlight Michael Storan, Campaign Manager for Support Your Local said: In 2016, the Support Your Local campaign will be continuing to highlight the positive contribution of the drinks and wider hospitality sector over the coming months. The drinks and hospitality industry continues to invest, innovate and grow. This is an exciting industry with fantastic stories to tell the huge increase in distilleries and breweries as identified in Tony Foleys research indicates that we are at the cusp of huge change in the industry. When we say Support Your Local, we are calling on communities to support your local farmer; support your local distillery or brewery; support your local pub, restaurant, hotel or independent off-licence; and support your local community. Donegal fans of Bruce Springsteen will join thousands of people this weekend in Croke Park who are looking forward to two amazing shows from The Boss. Springsteen takes to the stage at Croke Park on Friday and Sunday night and bookmakers BoyleSports has priced up some specials on the New Jersey rocker. The curfew for Croke Park is 11pm and Bruce is known for his long performances. Despite taking to the stage at 7pm, its red hot at 4/7 that he will break it and play past 11pm, whilst its 5/4 that he will wrap up before the curfew kicks in. BoyleSports has a market on which hit he will open Friday nights concert with and its Meet Me In The City that is the warm favourite at 1/4. Badlands is next in the betting at 11/4 with Atlantic City priced at 11/2. Hungry Heart is a 9/1 chance with both Purple Rain and Born To Run on offer at 16/1. Springsteen can be backed at 6/4 to bring a fan on stage to sing with him whilst its 7/2 that Bono makes a guest appearance and sings with him. Its 1/3 that rain will fall at some stage on either night at Croke Park with no rain to fall at Croke Park on either night priced at 9/4. Liam Glynn, BoyleSports spokesperson said: Bruce Springsteen is set to entertain over 160,000 fans over two nights at Croke Park and despite coming on stage at 7pm our traders believe that he will sing past the 11pm curfew as suggested by the odds of 4/7. He added Springsteen is tipped to open his Friday night show with Meet Me In The City and its 7/2 that Bono will turn up to belt out a song with the New Jersey Rocker. 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. The Coffee County Sheriffs Office has a new addition to its fleet of vehicles. A rescue boat arrived Monday, signaling the start of water rescue training for deputies in Coffee County. The deputies will be working with rescue departments in Opp and Geneva to train for water rescues and how to effectively use the new boat. Weve had to been dependent on Opp and Geneva County before we received our own rescue boat, Sutton said. Now we can do our part in helping out and working with these other agencies. The boat was paid for using discretionary funds from the commission and cost approximately $32,000, according to Sheriff Dave Sutton. Opp Fire Department Chief Cory Spurlin said the Opp rescue boat has already proven to be an asset. Since Christmas, weve actually rescued 19 people from the water alone with our boat, and that took into play [Coffee County] needing a boat also, Spurlin said. Theyre a bunch of great guys. Were going to work together, train together, that way well have two of the same type of boats in our area. Whether we have something here in Covington or Coffee or Geneva, wherever were needed well help serve our citizens in our counties and surrounding areas. The City of Opp and Covington County EMA received funds for their boat in 2007 through a Homeland Security grant. The boat, a RescueONE Connector Boat, is made in-state in Southside, and features a variety of equipment specially designed for rescue operations. The boat does exactly what its name suggestsconnects. Multiple RescueONE boats can be linked together to form a bridge to help easily access a situation. Removable, floating benches can be removed from the boat to make a large space in the boat to begin medical treatment on a patient, such as CPR. Even the width and length of the boats is designed for river and lake rescues. [The boats] have sonars, depth finders, and are really able to be utilized for search and rescue operations, Spurlin said. Theyre really jam up, great boats. The rescue boat comes to Coffee County during National Safe Boating Week as well. During the week of May 21-27, boaters are asked to remember to wear life jackets, to not boat under the influence and remember to practice proper boating practices. Sutton reminded the public of the importance of road safety during the Coffee County Commission meeting Monday morning, and extended that safety to those using any of Alabamas lakes and rivers over the coming summer and Memorial Day holiday. We have a boat now to help with water rescues, but its always the hope that we wont have to use it, Sutton said. So everyone be diligent of your surroundings on the water and practice safety. The National Weather Service provides helpful information and practices on its website. Information on Safe Boating Week can be found at www.nws.noaa.gov/os/marine/safeboating/week.shtml . 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. On the 42nd anniversary of the Monaghan and Dublin bombings, Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams is calling for files to be released on the bombing of Kay's Tavern in Dundalk in 1975. Jack Rooney and Hugh Watters were killed when a bomb exploded in Kay's Tavern in December of 1975. Teachta Adams said: I want to extend my continued sympathy to the survivors and loved ones of the victims of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings forty-two years ago, which resulted in the highest number of deaths and casualties during the course of the conflict. I also want to commend Justice for the Forgotten and all the relatives of the victims of the Dublin Monaghan bombs and those other attacks in Dundalk, Clones and elsewhere which took place in this jurisdiction, for their dedication and determination in pursuit of justice for their loved ones. The Glenanne gang which was responsible for the Dublin Monaghan bomb attacks was a mixture of UVF/RUC and UDR. The Independent International Panel on Collusion found that this gang was responsible for at least 74 murders. This included the Dublin Monaghan attacks and the bomb attack in December 1975 at Kays Tavern in which two Dundalk men Jack Rooney and Hugh Watters were killed. The Oriel Centre in Dundalk Gaol will host a John Kingerlee art exhibition and an Irish music project in the upcoming week. The Oriel Centre will see the launch of a special retrospective exhibition by the artist, John Kingerlee entitled 'Beyond the Beyonds' on Saturday 28th May at 7.30pm which will run until July 15th . The exhibition will include 100 works by the Irish artist which marks the celebration of his 80th birthday in February of this year. The artist will make a rare appearance at the opening of the exhibition away from his home on the Beara Peninsula, in rural Co. Cork, Ireland. Ros Drinkwater, fine arts columnist for the Sunday Business Post will be speaking at the launch of the exhibit about Kingerlee's career. The renowned American composer, Morten Lauridsen will also be speaking as he is a famed collector of the artist's work. Kay Webster, Manager of the Oriel Centre, said, The Oriel Centre has never been an art gallery but the Gaol will add something to the images and the images will add something to the Gaol. John is excited to see his paintings here as he jokingly said that his pictures were going to be in the nick! Kingerlee has been a professional painter since 1962 and he has exhibited his art in Ireland, England and the United States. Collectors of his work include the likes of President Bill Clinton, U2's Larry Mullen and the late Seamus Heaney, who described his work as Beyond the Beyonds which Kingerlee's exhibition is named after. Webster said, Kingerlee is the most incredible artist. The first time I saw a painting of his I gasped, it was like seeing a Monet for the first time. I actually used the word 'gobsmacking'. His art really appeals to young and old. He creates unique paintings and has used recycled stamps in his art. The Oriel Centre, known for celebrating traditional Irish music and culture, will also host a project entitled, 'Guth na nGael'. 'Guth na nGael' involves groups of young Irish and Scottish musicians and native speakers of Gaeilge/Gaidhlig, meeting together in Dundalk and Inverness. The Scottish group will be arriving in Dundalk on Friday 27th May and will take part in collaborative workshops with the Irish group over 2 days. Kay Webster said: We have put the project in place with financial assistance from Foras na Gaeilge's Colmcille programme. They will get the opportunity to share and explore their language as well as sharing their music with each other. They will express how they use their native languages in their day to day lives. The groups will work towards a collaborative performance for Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann which takes place in Ennis, Co. Clare in August and the Blas Festival in Scotland in September. To book a group viewing phone 042-9328887 or email eolas@orielcentre.ie Champion for equality says Michigan Legislature should focus on real problems, urges Michiganders to voice opposition to bigoted bill. Never one to mince words, Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05) is particularly blunt in his condemnation of the bathroom bill introduced by State Senator Tom Casperson. I spoke with Rep. Kildee the day after Senate Bill 993 was introduced in the Michigan Legislature. The Michigan Legislature is either sinister or cynical, he told me. Either they plan to enact it, in which case we need to take action now, or theyre so cynical theyre willing to incite hate even though they dont plan to act on it. SB 993 forces transgender students to use separate restrooms from the rest of the student population, according to a statement issued by Progress Michigan. This discriminatory bill would force transgender students to out themselves to their fellow students and could open the door to more harassment and bullying problems transgender students already face because of campaigns of misinformation and fear that marginalize and vilify transgender people. Immediately after the bill was introduced, Rep. Kildee said in a statement that the Michigan Legislature has more important things to do. Of all of Michigans pressing problems fixing our crumbling roads, improving our schools, ensuring access to safe drinking water Senator Tom Casperson and Republicans in Lansing have apparently decided the most urgent need facing our state is to police bathrooms in search of a problem that does not exist. Their priorities are completely wrong and in disagreement with the majority of Michiganders. When I spoke to the Congressman, he expressed frustration that the Michigan Legislature was looking for ways to further divide us when we have big issues to overcome in this state that should be their preoccupation. They should spend every minute they have on fixing the Detroit Public Schools all of Michigans public schools and on Flint, for Gods sake, where 100,000 people have been wronged, including 9,000 children under the age of six who were exposed to abnormal levels of lead in the drinking water. Its a public health emergency, yet the Michigan Legislature still hasnt taken action. But they find the time to pander to the most extreme voices by offering legislation thats based on hate. Congressman Kildee who was born and raised in Flint, a city thats in the district he represents also sees the serious toll legislation like SB 993 could have on transgender and gender non-conforming students, such as Reid and Hunter, who are fortunate enough to have supportive families and school environments. Many, many other transgender students arent so lucky. The thing that often gets missed is that were talking about our fellow brothers and sisters, Rep. Kildee told me. These are people we live with every day our fellow human beings, who have always lived among us. They deserve the same dignity that should be afforded to every human being on the planet. As the Congressman points out, the LGBTQ community is finally winning some of the rights they have always deserved. He urges Michigan not to move backward. To treat certain individuals as if theyre lesser than others is a morally bankrupt concept. For anyone who gives it some real thought, its hard to imagine treating a fellow human being as if theyre somehow less than us when theyre not. Its a painful thing to watch unfold in my home state. Although Michigan Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof has said SB 993 is not a priority, Rep. Kildee isnt inclined to take comfort in any such assurances. Weve seen this Legislature and Governor Snyder do lots of things they said werent on their agenda,' Rep. Kildee says. Thats why he urges Michiganders who believe in equality for everyone to speak out especially if theyve never been vocal in their support for LGBTQ rights before. Elected officials like me and organizations that fight for equality are expected to speak up, Rep. Kildee says. Whats really important is for people who arent involved so much, but are privately outraged, to speak up. This is an important moment in history. I think folks will feel better about the lives they lead themselves if, at a time when our transgender brothers and sisters are under attack, they werent silent. TAKE ACTION: Join Rep. Kildee in demanding that SB 993 be defeated. You can also sign Michigan Equalitys petition to stop Sen. Caspersons Bathroom Inspection SB 993. [Photo from outside the U.S. Supreme Court during arguments for the 2015 same-sex marriage case courtesy of Congressman Kildees office.] This transgender teen is thriving in a nurturing school environment. This is part of a story series about the lives of transgender people. Read the introduction here. When he was in 10th grade, Reid Ellefson-Frank realized he could no longer stay at the public school he attended. He had come out as transgender to his parents at the end of freshman year, and they were completely accepting and supportive. But even though he hadnt come out publicly yet, everyone in his small Michigan town knew he was different. And Ellefson-Frank struggled as a result. I was completely closeted because I was afraid to be isolated and maybe face physical violence. People would challenge me a lot or just ignore me. Id walk down the hall and hear them saying bad things behind my back that would get back to me. I was amazed at how many opportunities closed to me. By mid-year, I knew I couldnt go back the next year. Ellefson-Frank knew from the time he was four years old that he identified as male, and not as the female gender he was assigned at birth. He didnt have the words for it until he reached puberty, and he struggled for a while to express his authentic self. At the beginning of freshman year, Ellefson-Frank says he overcompensated wearing a lot of skirts and curling his long hair. But when he could no longer deny who he really was, he cut his hair short and began wearing more masculine clothes. People thought I was a lesbian, he says. People were behaving very strangely to me and there was lots of whispering. I wasnt a butch lesbian, like they thought. I was the exact opposite of what they thought I was. Ellefson-Frank did his best to be part of the school community, forming and leading the schools Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) and participating in school theatre productions, onstage and off. But despite doing good work on lights and sound for school productions, Ellefson-Frank says he was cold-shouldered out and another student technician was placed at the helm instead. One friend he had the courage to come out to never spoke to him again. It didnt take long for Ellefson-Franks parents to realize that he needed a more supportive, nurturing school environment. Using the school restroom was a small, but notable, part of the discomfort Ellefson-Frank felt in a school that wasnt affirming of LGBTQ students. His story demonstrates the danger of legislation like the bathroom bill (SB 993) introduced by Michigan Senator Tom Casperson, which forces transgender students to out themselves like it or not and use the restroom that matches the gender they were assigned at birth, even if it conflicts with the gender they identify with and present to the world. I didnt pass well at the beginning of my transition, so it was keep your head down and get out of there as fast as you can. But I wasnt really out [as transgender] yet, so it wasnt that much of an issue. If I had been out and was being denied, that would have been worse for me. For other trans people, its really a problem. Restroom use aside, there were many other sources of anxiety for Ellefson-Frank in public school, where he didnt have the kind of support he had at home. There was the constant sense of fear whatever I was doing, whoever I was with or wherever I was I was afraid someone might say something and Id have to defend myself. Theres a fear that comes from no one knowing who you are. By having such a big secret, youre one of the most vulnerable kids in school. So its hard to concentrate on formulas or remember what those people did back in 1792 when the most important thing in life is being afraid. To place Ellefson-Frank in a better learning environment, his parents enrolled him in Bard College at Simons Rock in Massachusetts. This boarding school is for 11th and 12th grade students who are academically ready to begin their college studies early and are seeking a unique learning experience. For Ellefson-Frank, the open and accepting environment has made all the difference. Im taking college courses and getting college credit, he says. The school is super LGBTQ-friendly. Most of the campus bathrooms are neutral. And those with binary labels, no one will challenge you for going in whatever door you want. Ellefson-Frank, who is now 17 years old, has made many more friends than he had at his old school, and everyone has known him as Reid from day one. Being out and open about who he is has transformed his academic experience and his outlook. Im a much less anxious person than I was before. Theres something disturbing about sitting in a room with 25 other people and none of them know who I am. Thats what every class was like for me before. That was awful. Now Im at a school where Im out and its no big deal. I had a moment of realization during my first semester here when I woke up and actually wanted to go to class! Before, I used to have to drag myself out of bed and force myself to go to school because its the law. Now I want to be here. Recognizing that he has access to opportunities many other transgender teens dont, Ellefson-Frank testified before the Michigan State Board of Education about the importance of creating safe environments for LGBTQ students. I think my generation will be the one to make things change I firmly believe that, he says. I think well see drastic improvements. No more bathroom bills. Trans women of color will stop getting murdered. Thats the dream. Ellefson-Frank encourages everyone who feels safe speaking out to do so. The most important thing any trans person can do for their community is lend their support, he says. If youre not in a safe space, theres no shame in staying silent because thats still a reality. But if we want to make things change, we have to be the ones to change it. Everyone can do something. Read all the stories in this series HERE. [Photo courtesy of Reid Ellefson-Frank.] Early this month, in a piece about Republican attacks on State Board of Education President John Austin, I noted that State Senator Tom Casperson was moving forward with introducing one of his own here in Michigan. Sure enough, as he promised, today that bill was introduced as Senate Bill 993. In that piece, I also said this: Sen. Caspersons yet-to-be-introduced bathroom bill will cause the same type economic hardship for the Michigan as it has for North Carolina and will very likely result in a lawsuit by the U.S. Department of Justice. Its also being spit on by the leaders of a number of major Michigan corporations. In other words, its not going anywhere and he knows it. Caspersons bill which Equality Michigan so perfectly refers to as the Bathroom Inspection Bill defines gender as the physical condition of being male or female as determined by a persons chromosomes and anatomy as define at birth. It compels schools to stop trans kids from using restrooms or locker rooms that are different than this definition of gender. Not only that, it says schools shall provide accommodation for trans kids but that it may not include peeing or showering with other kids of their self-identified gender. The only accommodations that it mentions are single-occupancy restrooms or locker rooms. The federal government has already made it clear that they believe this to be a violation of transgender kids civil rights and are suing the state of North Carolina over their new law. Businesses are pulling out of North Carolina or are cancelling planned expansions. Entertainers are refusing to perform in North Carolina. The economic toll this sort of bigotry is taking on North Carolina will likely rival what Arizona experienced when they pass their Papers, please law. And yet Tom Casperson went ahead with it anyway. Since its clear that this legislation is going nowhere businesses are against it and more and more of his colleagues are leaving their bigotry behind the question is WHY? The answer is that hes running for Congress in Michigans 1st Congressional District. Its a sprawling district that includes all of the Upper Peninsula and most of the northern part of the Lower Peninsula. Casperson is counting on 1st District voters to be as bigoted as he is and is pandering to them with this vote. Lonnie Scott, Executive Director of Progress Michigan released this statement: Michigan is facing a litany of problems because of Republican control a massive budget deficit, crumbling roads, poisoned water in Flint, and a Detroit school district that cant afford to pay teachers but Sen. Casperson is focused on discriminatory legislation that stokes fear and creates a dangerous environment for transgender students. This bill is wrong. The last thing we need is Michigan Republicans like Tom Casperson policing student bathrooms and locker rooms and putting Michigan back in the national spotlight for again refusing to protect marginalized people in our state. Transgender students like all students deserve respect and equal treatment, they dont need conservatives like Tom Casperson telling them how, when and where to use public facilities. The worst part about this isnt the amount of revenue the state will lose from businesses choosing other states to operate in. It isnt that Lady Gaga and Bruce Springsteen wont do concerts here. It isnt even that well have to fight a costly lawsuit with the federal government using our dwindling tax dollars. The worst part about this is that kids who are already struggling and having a difficult time in their lives dealing with self-doubt, violence and brutality, and general discrimination are now going to have to face all of these things ten-fold thanks to Caspersons bigotry and pandering for the votes of fearful bigots. For a self-proclaimed Christian, the man has a very, very tiny heart and a very black soul. Google on Wednesday announced that it would ban advertising for payday loans in its ad systems. Starting July 13, the company will prohibit ads for payday loans and related products where funds are due within 60 days of the date of issue, as well as ads for loans with an APR of 36 percent, said David Graff, Googles director of global product policy. When reviewing our policies, research has shown that these loans can result in unaffordable payment and high default rates for users, so we will be updating our policies globally to reflect that, he said. The company has an extensive set of policies to keep bad advertising out of its system, Graff said, adding that it disabled more than 780 million ads in 2015 to keep them off its search engine and other systems. The change will not impact other financial services, such as mortgages, car loans, student loans, commercial loans and credit cards, he noted. Questionable Impact Google is addressing many of the longstanding concerns of the civil rights community regarding predatory lending policies, said Wade Henderson, CEO ofThe Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. These companies have long used slick advertising and aggressive marketing to trap consumers into outrageously high interest loans, which many consumers could not afford, he said. It does cut off one of the ways that online payday borrowers have targeted borrowers, said Alan Horowitz, senior officer with the small-dollar loan project atThe Pew Charitable Trusts. However, the overall impact will be modest at best, he told the E-Commerce Times. About a third of overall payday lending is online, while the remaining two-thirds involve 16,000 payday lenders operating in 36 states, according to Pews research. The top five payday advertisers spent US$277 million in ads from June 2012 to May 2013. MoneyMutual, the biggest, spent $212 million during that period, according to data Pew purchased from Nielsen. In 2015, MoneyMutual agreed to end its payday loan lead-generation activities in New York and pay a $2.1 million penalty, according to the states Department of Financial Services. Former talk show host Montel Williams agreed to withdraw from TV ads shown in New York. The company loaned money at rates of up to 1,300 percent, the department said. Blanket Assessment The policies are discriminatory and a form of censorship, theCommunity Financial Services Association said in a statement provided to the E-Commerce Times by spokesperson Amy Cantu. Google is making a blanket assessment about the payday lending industry rather than discerning the good actors from the bad actors, the association said. The policy is unfair to those payday lenders that are legal, licensed and uphold best business practices. TheConsumer Financial Protection Bureau has proposed rule changes and enforcement activities. The bureau shares oversight authority with the Federal Trade Commission. The proposed sending rules, expected to be completed this spring, would allow banks and credit unions to make short-term loans with a minimum of 45 days and maximum of six months for repayment, the bureau said. The rules would cap interest at 28 percent and fees at $20. Many-Headed Beast Online payday lenders use lead generators to bring in about 75 percent of their business, according to a 2015 report byUpturn. For example, the CFPB in 2014 sued the Hydra Group, accusing it of making more than $97 million in loans through an illegal cash grab scheme in which it used online lead generators to make loans to people without their consent, depositing money into their bank accounts, and falsifying loan documents to make it seem as though the consumer had consented. Earlier this year, the U.S. Attorneys Office in Manhattan announced an indictment against company owner Richard Moseley Sr. Affiliates often pay $10 per click to have an ad next to a payday search term, according to Upturn, and the information is later sold for up to $200 at auction to other lead generators or payday lenders. 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The event, organised by the Industriall global union, is believed to be the first union-led world conference on the sector. (Photo: World Council of Churches)A person walks in Kusumpur one of the many slums which surround Delhi, India. Most of its inhabitants are Dalits and Indigenous people. Caste discrimination among Christians has long simmered but it came to the boil recently when about 1,500 faithful rallied in the southeastern Indian city of Kadapa to protest caste discrimination in the Catholic Church. It followed the kidnapping and beating of a Catholic bishop by three of his own priests, in an incident protesters see as reflective of caste prejudice within India's Catholic Church, Crux reports. In late April, Bishop Prasad Gallela of Cuddapah, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, was abducted and beaten. Later police charged 14 people in the assault, including three of Gallela's own priests, who were reportedly upset over personnel appointments they had sought that the bishop denied. In the kidnapping, Gallela was shoved down on the floor of a car, kicked and beaten brutally with insults hurled at him. The kidnappers videotaped the entire ordeal. The May 16 rally in the city of Kadapa, also located in Andhra Pradesh, was to protest what organizers see as a weak response to the Gallela case from Catholic leaders in India. They suspect it is likely related to the fact that Gallela is a Dalit, or an "untouchable" under the ancient caste system, while the arrested priests are upper-caste. India's constitution prohibits discrimination based on the centuries-old caste system, and there a variety of affirmative action programs to empower members of the traditionally lower castes. However, Crux Now reported that observers say prejudices associated with caste status still run deep in Indian society. The organizers of the May 16 protest, said 10 priests and eight religious sisters turned out, with the rest of the participants being laity. Father A.X.J. Bosco, a Jesuit and adviser to the "Citizens Forum for Justice," the group that organized the rally, released an open letter to Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, voicing those concerns. "The sad and criminal event has been published in the media, [but] no significant response [from Church leadership] condemning the culprit priests or supporting Gallela has been in the national media," Bosco wrote. He said, "Are all the prayers, statements, promises and assurances of the hierarchy and Church leaders only in words? Is the Church leadership afraid of their caste communities; or do they not care about the Dalits even if they happen to be bishops?" "You can very well imagine what the people, especially the Dalit Catholics, would think and feel about the significant silence on the part of the official Church," Bosco wrote. "We know that there is caste discrimination in the Church, and it is a great challenge to the Christian Community in India," he said. "The question to ask is If Jesus were here, what he would have done?" (Photo: REUTERS / Mansi Thapliyal)A woman attends a mass inside a church on Easter Day in New Delhi March 31, 2013. Holy Week is celebrated in many Christian traditions during the week before Easter. Christians in some states of India are reporting an increase in the number of attacks on them by Hindu extremists who are adamant that none of their believers should convert to any other religion. The Britain-based group Release International has reported on the increase of attacks against Christians as existing anti-conversion laws are hardened to prevent Hindus reverting to another faith. Release is a member of the UK organizations Global Connections, the Evangelical Alliance and the Micah Network. It is running a petition calling for religious freedom in India, is condemning a controversial new anti-conversion law and it will present it in November to the High Commissioner (Ambassador) for India in London. "We, the undersigned, are gravely concerned and disappointed by the Indian Government's failure to protect the religious rights of Christians in India as outlined in the Indian Constitution. "The Right to Freedom of Religion, covered in Articles 25-28, provides religious freedom to all citizens and ensures a secular state in India," says the petition. It points out that according to India's Constitution, there is no official State religion, and the State is required to treat all religions impartially and neutrally. The constitution guarantees all persons the freedom of conscience and the right to preach, practice and propagate any religion of their choice. "However, Christian pastors and evangelists, notably in the rural areas of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, are frequently attacked by Hindu extremists and then detained by police on false charges of 'forcing people to convert.'" In May Release chief executive Paul Robinson said, "Hindu nationalists have been open and violent in opposing the Church whether through direct physical attacks on pastors and evangelists or falsely accusing Christians of forcing Hindus to convert to Christ." Release said India's Madhya Pradesh state has taken steps to make its existing anti-conversion law even more restrictive, effectively overturning the religious freedom guaranteed under India's constitution. CHANGING RELIGION "The Bill requires anyone wanting to change their religion to first seek official permission. It obliges religious leaders to report conversions, and mandates a three-year jail sentence for failing to do so. That rises to four years in the case of a minor, a woman or a Dalit (untouchable)." The petition noted that the bill, passed by the state's legislative assembly on July 10, has yet to be signed off by the governor. "The new law represents a significant hardening of official attitudes towards religious freedom," says Release. A total of seven Indian states have passed anti-conversion laws said to stem from pressure by Hindu extremists who support Hindutva. This is an ideology of "one religion, one language, one nation." Based on the belief that to be Indian is to be Hindu. The conversion of Dalits, people who have been referred to as out-castes, or untouchables, and who are beyond the caste system is a flashpoint for some Hindus. Extremist Hindus view Christian ministering to Dalits, many of whom have turned to Christianity, as an affront to their culture. Attacks against Christians are increasing, according to partners of Release International, which supports the persecuted Church around the world. "Attacks on Christians in India are definitely increasing," says Joseph D'Souza, the president of the All India Christian Council. "'These attacks take the form of physical violence, destruction of churches, false cases and arrests." "Release International is deeply concerned about the rise of Hindu extremism and the growing culture of religious intolerance in India." said Release's Paul Robinson. 'We will be presenting a petition in November calling on India to uphold the religious freedom guaranteed under its constitution." Hindus account for about 80 percent of India's 1.2 billion people while there are more than 60 million Christians who are a tiny minority of about 2.3 percent. Muslims make up just over 13 percent of the country's population. (Photo: LWF / Lucia de Vries)Rosni Paryar, in front of her home, partially destroyed by Nepal's 7.8 magnitude earthquake that claimed 8,000 lives. She fears she will remain unemployed because she is of the Dalit caste. India's Dalits were once known as untouchables in the days when the caste system had no laws against it. And although India has more than 200 million Dalits, other countries such as neighboring Nepal have significant numbers. Although discrimination was outlawed in Nepal by the 1962 Civil Code and 1990 Constitution, Dalits still face many obstacles to social, economic and political equality. Dalit means "oppressed" in Marathi, and it is the self-chosen political name of the castes formerly considered "untouchable" according to the Hindu varna system. The Indian federal government has tried to give Dalits a lift-up with affirmative action legislation. In Nepal there are some 4.5 million Dalits and other countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the United Knigdom also have relatively high numbers of them. Dalits are one of the five vulnerable groups which receive special attention from Lutheran World Federation Nepal. "Dalit artisans do not have equal access to services even in normal times," says LWF Nepal Country Director Prabin Manandhar. "They usually live in less accessible places, on hill tops for instance, and lack the political connections that are helpful to get support." During the first relief phase, immediately after the massive 7.8 magnitude Nepal earthquake in April, LWF Nepal used a "blanket approach" of reaching out to all households in allocated areas. "Dalit communities like Kusunthali received the same support as other villages," Manandhar says. As LWF relief work now focuses on recovery, special emphasis is given to women-headed households, elderly people, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities and Dalits. In the 14 districts affected by the earthquake, 13 per cent of the population belongs to artisan castes such as tailors, cobblers, blacksmiths and "washer men." As Dalits, they had a difficult life even before the earthquake. With Nepal connecting to international markets, its homemade goods face competition from cheaper ready-made goods, making it harder for them to sell their products. It is estimated that 41 per cent of Dalits live below poverty level. DALITS TAINTED FROM BIRTH Formerly referred to as "untouchables", members of this caste are tainted by birth in a system that deems them impure. "What am I supposed to do now?" a worried and disheveled looking Rosni Paryar, 19, said looking at her collapsed house in Kusunthali village in the outskirts of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The top floor of her brick house is almost fully destroyed and the ground floor is filled with rubble. "Me and my family have been hit by the earthquake in two ways," she told the LWF. Paryar is the first young woman in her village of 75 people to finish high school. She was preparing for the final exam in April when the earthquake destroyed all but one house in Kusunthali. She now lives with her parents and three siblings in a temporary shelter. As her father is the only provider for the family, Paryar has also been looking for work for the past two months. She applied to work as a teacher in different schools but has not yet been hired. "Without connections a person like me will not be selected," she says, despondent. Paryar belongs to the caste of the tailors, together with other artisan groups, termed Dalits, the lowest Hindu caste. In the 14 districts affected by the earthquake, 13 per cent of the population belongs to artisan castes such as tailors, cobblers, blacksmiths and "washer men." As Dalits, they had a difficult life even before the earthquake. With Nepal connecting to international markets, their homemade goods face competition from cheaper ready-made goods, making it harder for them to sell their products. It is estimated that 41 percent of Dalits live below poverty level. The LWF found that in Kusunthali, artisans have different needs from other groups. None of the Dalit families own any land beyond that on which their houses are built. Almost all of them depend on tailoring and daily wage labor to survive. Owning no land, only very few are eligible for a loan to rebuild. FALLEN INCOME FROM TAILORING The income from tailoring has been sharply reduced since the earthquake. Almost all sewing machines were buried in the rubble. A few women continue to sew by hand and one surviving sewing machine was recently repaired. Still, clients have stopped visiting the village. Private customers need all their money for rebuilding after the damage and therefore do not often order new clothes. Many business customers are still closed mostly because staff has not shown up for work - they help their families in the villages planting and harvesting, or constructing better shelter. Paryar wonders how her people will recover from the earthquake. "In my parents' generation almost nobody can read or write," she says. "They have no power in this world and depend solely on manual work. My father has six mouths to feed. Without me having a job, how on earth can he manage?" Manandhar says the story of Paryar can be repeated all over Nepal. "While other families will soon be harvesting crops or get back to work and out of dependency, landless artisans will need much longer to recover. That is why we are committed to provide the tools and other kinds of support needed to get Dalits back on their feet." In July, LWF's corrugated iron sheets have arrived in Kusunthali. They will enable the families to build a stronger roof on their temporary shelter. Livelihood support and psychological counselling will follow soon. With the extra support from LWF Nepal, quake-affected Dalit families stand a chance of rebuilding their lives. In the immediate response to the 2015 earthquake, LWF Nepal, with the support of ACT Alliance members, supported over 110,000 families with emergency relief. They are committed to helping families in five affected districts to rebuild their lives through food security, shelter, water and sanitation and psychological assistance, and link this with long-term development. (Photo: Peter Kenny / Ecumenical News)Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council Churches (L) and World Evangelical Aalliance general secretary, Bishop Efraim Tendero taking notes during a Nov. 4, 2015 meeting in Tirana, Albania. The leadership of the World Evangelical Alliance and the World Council of Churches have met in the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, Switzerland to explore and discuss possible areas of future cooperation. The two organizations that represent hundreds of millions of Christians shared plans and discussed possibilities for closer collaboration in areas such as "public witness and peace-building in inter-religious contexts" and "theological reflection, education and formation." The May 20 meeting featured introductions to the work of the two church groupings and the WCC general secretary and WEA secretary general took part, the world council said in a statment. Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the WCC said, "Christians and their communities around the world are aware today, as never before, that life itself is in peril. "So many dangers - climate change, certainly: but also poverty and economic injustice, threats to health and well-being, violence and war - endanger humanity and can drain our hope." Tveit noted, "The ecumenical work and collaboration on advocacy - raising a voice together with those needing accompaniment for justice and peace - is a genuine task for a fellowship of churches who together express faith in the triune God of life." "This faith dimension of advocacy for justice and peace should convey hope. In my view, a commitment to convey hope should also be considered as a criterion for the critique of religion." This was the second meeting with the leadership and representatives, although it was the first meeting with both heads of the organizations present and where perceptions about both the WEA and WCC were discussed. Tveit underlined, "That is why the World Council of Churches calls on churches everywhere to walk together, to view their common life, their journey of faith, as a part of the pilgrimage of justice and peace, and to join together with others in concrete work for a transformed world. "We have to get together to talk, listen and pray." The need for a closer cooperation between the WEA and the WCC was affirmed by the WEA general secretary, Bishop Efraim Tendero. "In our growing cooperation we can build on years of discourse and mutual understanding," he said. "This is not a quick rush into a changing situation, but a thought-through move towards more cooperation of Christians on a global scale. We owe it to our constituency that we talk with the leadership of global Christian bodies and seek better understanding and closer cooperation wherever possible." An important issue discussed in the joint meeting was the increasing concern about religion and violence in different parts of the world. "All religions can generate extremists," Tendero observed, "but Christian teaching about salvation through Christ rejects all kinds of religious violence." However, he said: "It is the nature of religions to make truth claims, about what ultimately exists, and how people relate to the divine. "A religion becomes extremist when it uses force or violence to impose truth claims on other people or to apply those truth claims to its own members. As religious leaders, it is our duty and call to promote, to teach, to foster the peace in our traditions." Dr. Wilf Gasser, associate secretary general for the WEA, added that the question of religion and violence is also important in the context of the growing stream of refugees. "We are very glad to hear the stories of how many refugees are finding peace through faith in Jesus. At the same time, we are considering how churches can offer support without fueling tensions between religions. We are working with a code of conduct that defines the ethical relationship between mission and practical support." Nearly five years ago the WEA, the WCC and the Vatican's Pontifical Council on Inter-religious Dialogue (PCID) published an historic document on the ethics of Christian mission, "Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World: Recommendations for Conduct." Rev. Hielke Wolters, WCC associate general secretary for Mission, Unity and Ecumenical Relations said, "This historic document is in part a response to criticisms leveled at Christians by some religious communities in what they perceived to be a use of unethical methods in mission." "In some cases these objections to mission have led to anti-conversion laws and violence. The three main world Christian bodies were able to respond with this document that not only identifies the biblical call to evangelism but outlines the ethical mandates related to the Gospel." Dr. Clare Amos, WCC programme executive for Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation, suggested that not all religious traditions currently find it easy to acknowledge that their own religion could be complicit in violence. "There is a tendency to try and protect the religion itself from such an accusation by suggesting that those who commit acts of violence are not really authentic representatives of that particular faith tradition," she said. Placing human rights in the "right place" as a core concept of the Christian worldview was the central tenet of Dr. Thomas Schirrmacher's presentation at the leadership meeting. He underlined that "human rights are rooted in God's creation of humans and not only in their redemption; therefore, all people have equal rights and people from many different faiths may be moved to protect human rights." Schirrmacher said, "Because the ultimate foundation for human rights stands in God's work as Creator, all people have, and can know something about, human dignity, the basis for human rights." ASHLAND, Ohio Bill Harris Dealerships is honoring Memorial Day with a contest that gives a military hero a $100 gift card to an outdoor recreation store. The Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac and Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram dealerships asked the community to nominate its favorite local military heroes, whether a veteran or current member of the armed forces. The person who nominates the soldier must then log onto the dealership's Facebook page and encourage family and friends to vote. The soldier that receives the most votes by midnight on May 25 wins the Fin Feather & Fur Outfitters gift card. The winner will be announced at 2 p.m. EDT on May 26. "This is our second year and we always have a great response on all of our military-themed contests," said Aaron Harris, general sales manager for the Chevrolet store, which is about 20 miles from Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base. Voters are engaged and they have the dealership's name in front of them, Harris told Edmunds. "The top three vote getters right now have more than 100 votes each," he said. The contest is also a nod to the dealership's roots. Founder Bill Harris Sr., Aaron Harris' grandfather, is a retired Marine major. "This contest is a good fit for us because of my grandfather's military career and because we believe in community outreach," Harris said. Edmunds says: A salute to the military helps a dealership to expand its social-media presence. DEARBORN, Michigan Ford is recalling 270,873 2013-'14 Ford F-150 pickup trucks with 3.5-liter EcoBoost engines in North America and Mexico because of a front-brake problem, the automaker said on Wednesday. The Ford recall includes 225,012 trucks in the U.S. "In some vehicles, it is possible brake effectiveness could be reduced due to brake fluid leaking from the brake master cylinder into the brake booster, increasing the risk of a crash," Ford said in a statement. "The brake fluid leak affects brakes to the front wheels only and does not affect rear wheel braking." Ford said it is aware of allegations of nine accidents with no injuries and one alleged injury involving "interaction with the vehicle's brakes but not associated with any accidents," the company said. The recall follows a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation into consumer complaints about front brake failures. NHTSA opened the probe in February after receiving 33 complaints alleging master-cylinder failures in 2013-'14 Ford F-150 trucks. "The complaints allege symptoms of brake pedal going to the floor with complete loss of brake effectiveness, brake warning lamp illumination, and/or low or empty master cylinder reservoir fluid level with no visible leakage," NHTSA said in its summary of the investigation. "Several complaints allege repair facilities diagnosed the problem as brake fluid leaking from the master cylinder to the brake booster." The affected trucks were built at Ford's Dearborn Truck Plant from August 1, 2013 through August 22, 2014 and Kansas City Assembly Plant from August 1, 2013 through August 31, 2014. "We notified our dealers about the safety recall on May 24, 2016," wrote Ford spokeswoman Elizabeth Weigandt in response to a query from Edmunds. "We plan to notify customers by mail by the week of July 11, 2016." Ford dealers will replace the brake master cylinders. Owners can contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Edmunds says: If you own one of these trucks and have an immediate concern, it's best to contact your Ford dealer now. Others should wait for their official recall notice and then schedule a service appointment. Considered to be the Ten Best UFO Photos Ever Taken I am sure that we could add more pictures to this list but these are considered ten o... Business leaders and policy makers will gather together at the 13th European Business Summit to debate the future of Europe. The summit is one of the largest networking platforms with the main aim of bringing together business and politics to help shape the future. The conference is expected to attract over 2,400 participants from across Europe who will be able to take part in discussing an array of interesting topics. EIB is a partner of the Summit and over the 2 day event will be represented at a number of round tables and major discussions. Debora Revoltella, Director of the Economics Department will be taking part in discussions on Structural Reforms to enhance Growth and Monica Scatasta, head of Environment, Climate and Social Policy will be joining other leading European Climate experts to present on Energy and Climate. A Networking lunch, will also be led by the EIB, to discuss the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI); From theory into effective practice insights and project examples. Christoph Kuhn, EIB Director for Mandate Management will be participating in the event alongside Constance Kann, EIB Director of Intuitional Relations and Public Affairs who will be moderating proceedings. Those attending will have the chance to join talks on the financing opportunities under EFSI and hear directly from EFSI project promoters. To find out more information about the Summit and to see the full programme visit the European Business Summit Website, or join the conversation on twitter at #EBS2016. The European Investment Bank (EIB) has agreed a EUR 7.5 million financing deal with Flexenclosure, a specialist designer and manufacturer of intelligent power management systems and prefabricated modular data centres for the ICT industry. The EIB loan will support the expansion of Flexenclosures R&D activities, enabling it to maintain and extend its position in its key markets of sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Central and South East Asia. Flexenclosure has two product lines eSite hybrid power systems for off-grid and bad-grid mobile cell sites and eCentre custom-designed prefabricated data centre buildings. Both product markets are expanding very fast both in size and scope and the EIB backing will enable Flexenclosure to take full advantage of this growth opportunity and significantly scale its business. Access to reliable communication tools is of paramount importance for any economy and society these days, said EIB Vice President Jan Vapaavuori. Flexenclosure provides environmentally-friendly and highly innovative solutions for the expansion of communication systems in emerging markets. By doing so it not only delivers technological alternatives to regions which would otherwise find it difficult to connect to the World Wide Web, it also strengthens the base of EU manufacturing and the competitiveness of the European ICT industry. The deal is supported by the InnovFin EU Finance for Innovators Mid-Cap Growth Finance facility, with the financial backing of the European Union under Horizon 2020 Financial Instruments. It is the first time a Swedish company has been supported by this programme. As a clean tech company continually seeking innovation we are delighted to agree on this facility with the EIB. It will enable Flexenclosure to accelerate a number of ideas addressing the demand for increased data and telecommunications in emerging markets, said David King, CEO, Flexenclosure. Background information: About Flexenclosure Flexenclosure is a Swedish cleantech company that designs and markets innovative products to some of the world's fastest growing markets in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The company has established leading positions in the market for hybrid power systems for base stations and in the market for prefabricated modular data centres two large and rapidly growing market segments. Its customer base includes several blue chip companies such as IHS Towers, Millicom, MTN and Vodacom. Flexenclosure has two product lines, eSite hybrid power systems for base stations and eCentre prefabricated modular data centre buildings. The products are designed to meet the specific requirements and challenges in emerging markets. With both product lines, Flexenclosure has demonstrated its ability to deliver large projects in difficult environments and challenging geographical areas such as Angola, Chad, Myanmar, Nigeria, Paraguay and Sierra Leone. Turnkey solutions enable Flexenclosure to deliver quickly, efficiently and at low cost. InnovFin MidCap Growth Finance offers long-term senior, subordinated loans or mezzanine loans, in order to improve access to finance mainly for innovative larger midcaps (up to 3000 employees), but also SMEs and small midcaps. Loans from EUR 7.5m to EUR 25m will be delivered directly by the EIB. Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank, the worlds largest internationally owned public bank, will this week lead a high-level delegation on an official visit to China. This represents the first visit to China by a President of Europes long-term lending institution since 2007 and will provide an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between the European Investment Bank and Chinese partners support for investment in China, Asia and Europe. This weeks visit will enable the European Investment Bank and Chinese partners to strengthen cooperation to support crucial investment in China and around the world. This includes working together to back climate related investment. Tackling climate change is a global challenge and since 2010 has been the main focus of the European Investment Banks engagement in China. China is a key partner for the European Unions bank and together we look forward to achieving our common goals in the years ahead. said Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank ahead of the visit. In Beijing President Hoyer will meet Finance Minister Lou Jiwei and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, as well as Xu Shaoshi, Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, Hu Huaibang, Chairman of the China Development Bank and Jin Liqun, President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. The key focus of the five-day visit will be the strengthening of the partnership between the European Investment Bank and China to better tackle climate change. The European Investment Bank is the worlds largest lender for climate related investment and global leader in issuing green bonds. President Hoyer will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Minister of Finance to strengthen joint support for climate related schemes in China. During a two day field trip outside Beijing President Hoyer will see at first-hand how the EIB is supporting reforestation close to the Inner Mongolian capital Hohhot to protect against desertification and visit heating projects that that reduce fossil fuels use by replacing coal by natural gas and reduce air pollution. The EIB Delegation will meet the Governor of Inner Mongolia to discuss the climate action plans of the region and how EIB could provide its support for such plans. The European Investment Bank has worked closely with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank during its creation to share technical and financial experience. President Hoyer is expected to agree a new framework to build on this cooperation to streamline joint financing of projects and ensure regular strategic dialogue between the two institutions. President Hoyer will provide a keynote speech at the D20 meeting being hosted by the China Development Bank. The D20 brings together National Financial Institutions of the G20 countries and Multilateral Development Banks to support economic growth, create jobs and improve productivity. In 2015 the EIB provided EUR 20.6 billion for climate related project worldwide, record lending that demonstrates the EIBs firm commitment to support investment across Europe and around the world that reduces emissions, adapts infrastructure to a changing climate, and increases resilience through afforestation and other schemes. Last year EIB support for climate finance outside Europe represented 30% of overall lending and the EIB is committed to raise the share of climate financing outside the EU in developing countries to 35% by 2020. Ramsey Rocket Conor backs TT road safety message Manx TT racer Conor Cummins has backed efforts to stop bikers riding dangerously during this year's event. He's narrated the Roads Policing Unit's latest video - it features covert footage taken from undercover police bikes travelling on open roads. Police have tripled the number of covert motorbikes in operation this fortnight in a bid to catch those flouting the rules of the road. The 'Ramsey Rocket' says the message of the video - which has been viewed over 13,000 times - is simple: Media Conor Cummins As Microsoft heads towards E3 2016, speculations about the tech giant's plans for its gaming department continue to emerge. In the latest series of rumors, speculations are abounding that the tech giant is planning to debut two devices during its presentation at E3 this coming June, the rumored Xbox One Slim and the Xbox TV. Though neither devices have been confirmed by Microsoft, rumors about the Xbox One Slim have been around for some time. Speculated to be the tech giant's response to the Sony PlayStation 4 Neo which is all but confirmed for this year, the Xbox One Slim is rumored to have 4k capabilities and some form of VR support. Since the Xbox One debuted years ago, it has found itself in the shadow of its rival, the Sony PS4. Outmatched in power and specs, the Xbox One suffered in its sales numbers, with the console being outsold by its Japanese rival significantly. With Sony expected to release an update for the PlayStation 4 this year, Microsoft has found itself on the defensive once more. This might all be addressed, of course, if Microsoft opts to unveil the Xbox One Slim, a sleeker, hopefully more powerful version of the Xbox One, during its E3 2016 presentation next month. With an updated console, Microsoft would be better equipped to weather the storm that would ensue once the PS4 Neo arrives. With the Xbox One Slim being 40 percent smaller than the current model, and with speculations that the new machine would have some VR support for the Oculus Rift, Microsoft's Xbox One update might very well be the exact device that the tech giant needs. That is, of course, until next year, as new rumors are suggesting that Microsoft would unveil the Xbox Two, currently codenamed Scorpio, next year. If this is indeed the case, the Xbox One Slim would be the perfect device to tide the company over until the console's next full upgrade. As for rumors about the Xbox TV, Microsoft is speculated to equip the device with several novel features as well, such as full Cortana support. Though details about the rumored device are very scarce, Xbox fans are speculating that the device would be in the form of a remote control with a microphone built in. Considering the popularity and efficiency of Cortana, Microsoft would indeed be wise to bring the digital assistant over to its Xbox platform. Hopefully, these speculations and rumors about the Xbox One Slim, the Xbox Two and the Xbox TV would be fully addressed on June 13, during Microsoft's E3 2016 presentation. Three different healthcare providers recently acknowledged that data breaches may have exposed a significant amount of sensitive medical information. The Medical Colleagues of Texas notified approximately 50,000 people that their protected health information (PHI) may have been exposed when the medical groups computer network was hacked, HealthITSecurity reports. The potentially exposed data includes patients medical records and employees personnel files, including names, addresses, Social Security numbers and health insurance information. All those affected are being offered one free year of access to credit monitoring services from Equifax. In response to the incident, the medical group says it has updated its computer network, strengthened its firewalls, and implemented two-factor authentication for remote access. We are also providing additional training and strengthening our policies and procedures in regards to the protection of sensitive personal information, Medical Colleagues said in a statement [PDF]. Separately, the drug and alcohol abuse treatment program for New Mexicos San Juan County was recently hacked, potentially exposing as many as 12,000 patients names, addresses, health assessments, medications and other treatment methods, Modern Healthcare reports. The breach, which took place on March 18, was discovered within 30 minutes, the county said. While theres no evidence that this information was accessed by the intruder or removed from the computer, the county is offering free identity protection services to all those affected. County Attorney Doug Echols told the Farmington Daily Times that the county has $50,000 in insurance coverage for data breaches, and doesnt expect its costs in response to the breach to exceed that amount. And Wyoming Medical Center recently notified 3,184 patients that their protected health information may have been exposed when two employees fell for phishing schemes in late February, Beckers Health IT & CIO Review reports. Matt Frederiksen, the centers chief compliance officer, told the Casper Star-Tribune that the breaches were detected within minutes when the compromised accounts began sending out spam. We knew right away, Frederiksen said. We started taking immediate action updating passwords and ensuring the third party was locked out. The potentially exposed data includes patient names, medical record numbers, account numbers, dates of service, birthdates and some medical information. While the hackers never gained direct access to patient medical records, the compromised email accounts held patient data. We had to go through each individual email to identify which patients this could affect, Frederiksen said. A recent Peak 10 survey of 157 C-level executives and IT professionals at healthcare organizations found that respondents gave their security programs an average of a B- grade. Thirty-two percent of respondents gave themselves a C. The survey also found that 67 percent of respondents are planning to increase their IT budgets in the next two years. While cyber security is increasingly important, the survey found, many organizations find it hard to address adequately given their current talent and team bandwidth. Technology is changing at a rapid rate, and while it is making patients lives easier, it is also increasing the amount of information that is at risk of falling into the wrong hands, Peak 10 vice president of governance, risk and compliance David Kidd said in a statement. According to the Ponemon Institutes Sixth Annual Benchmark Study on Privacy & Security of Healthcare Data, fully 89 percent of healthcare organizations have experienced a data breach within the past two years. WASHINGTON, DC, May 26, 2016 -- The improbable rise of Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign presents an interesting question: why is Sanders, a self-proclaimed "democratic socialist," running as a Democrat? "In any other industrialized country, Sanders would likely be the standard-bearer for a labor or social democratic party," said McGill University sociologist Barry Eidlin, whose new study appears in the June issue of the American Sociological Review. "But the U.S. famously lacks such a party." The conventional wisdom holds that the U.S. lacks a labor or socialist party because its political culture is hostile to socialism, and its electoral system is uniquely hostile to third parties. Eidlin's study challenges that conventional wisdom using a historical comparison with Canada, a country similar to the U.S. in many ways, but whose political culture and electoral system have ostensibly been more hospitable to labor parties. Electoral Data Challenges Conventional Wisdom "The analysis of 142 years of electoral data shows that differences in political culture and electoral systems did not affect labor party support as expected: prior to the 1930s, political differences were muted, with low but significant labor party support in both countries," said Eidlin. It was only in the 1930s that labor party support collapsed in the United States and took off in Canada. Why was there such a stark shift in the 1930s? Using in-depth archival research, Eidlin shows that it was a consequence of different ruling party responses to worker and farmer protest during the Great Depression. In the U.S., Franklin D. Roosevelt responded to the protests with rhetorical appeals to the "forgotten man" and policy reforms that successfully absorbed some farmer and labor groups into his New Deal coalition, while simultaneously dividing and excluding others. The result was labor party collapse. In Canada, mainstream parties responded to protests with a combination of repression and neglect. This exclusionary approach left room for the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), a precursor to today's New Democratic Party (NDP), to organize them into a durable third-party coalition. The Paradoxical Role of Parties Eidlin's analysis highlights the role that political parties play not only in reflecting the will of different segments of the electorate, but in actively constructing and constraining political coalitions. "What's really interesting here is the paradoxical role that the ruling parties play in both countries," Eidlin said. "In the U.S., the Democrats' more conciliatory response to farmer and labor protest ended up constraining progressive politics over the long term. Meanwhile, the Canadian Liberals and Conservatives' efforts to suppress farmer and labor protest backfired, setting the stage for the relatively more progressive political landscape we take for granted today." Definitely Not Ivory Tower Intellectuals Amidst the tumult of the Great Depression, similar groups of intellectuals played very different roles in shaping political parties' approaches in both countries. "In the U.S., President Roosevelt relied on a group of intellectuals known as his 'Brains Trust' to develop the reform program that came to be known as the New Deal," Eidlin explained. "In Canada, the mainstream parties had no room for this kind of big thinking. So the Canadian intellectuals who would likely have been part of that 'Brains Trust' had they been in the U.S., particularly some professors at McGill and the University of Toronto, instead formed the League for Social Reconstruction, which provided the intellectual backbone for the CCF." ### About the American Sociological Association and the American Sociological Review The American Sociological Association, founded in 1905, is a non-profit membership association dedicated to serving sociologists in their work, advancing sociology as a science and profession, and promoting the contributions to and use of sociology by society. The American Sociological Review is the ASA's flagship journal. The research article described above is available by request for members of the media. For a copy of the full study, contact Daniel Fowler, ASA Media Relations Manager, at (202) 527-7885 or pubinfo@asanet.org. McGill University wrote this press release. For more information about the study, members of the media can also contact Cynthia Lee, Media Relations, McGill University, at (514) 398-6754 or cynthia.lee@mcgill.ca. New research from Aarhus BSS at Aarhus University explains why healthcare costs are running out of control, while costs to unemployment protection are kept in line. The answer is found deep in our psychology, where powerful intuitions lead us to view illness as the result of bad luck and worthy of help. Illness and unemployment are two types of ordinary risks to which we are all exposed. But from a historical perspective, unemployment and illness represent two very different types of risks. Unemployment came about as a result of the industrialisation, while illness is something the human species has faced for millions of years. This difference is reflected in current-day political attitudes. "People across countries are very positive towards the healthcare sector, but are not necessarily that inclined to give money to the unemployed. Why do people generally prefer helping the ill and not the unemployed?" This is the question posed by two professors in political science, Carsten Jensen and Michael Bang Petersen, from Aarhus University. Using techniques to uncover people's implicit intuitions, the researchers explored the fundamental differences behind our attitudes towards unemployment benefits and healthcare. According to the researchers, the differences may be found in the evolutionary history of our species. "For millions of years, a need for health care reflected accidents such as broken legs or random infections. Evolution could therefore have built our psychology to think about illnesses in this way, as something we have no control over. People everywhere seem to have this deep-seated intuition that ill people are unfortunate and deserve to be helped," Michael Bang Petersen explains. Agreement across countries and political ideologies Even countries like the US, which you would normally not associate with the term welfare state, healthcare costs are enormous. The researchers did research in both Denmark, the US and Japan and found that everywhere people intuitively believed that people who fall ill are unlucky, while unemployed people have brought it on themselves. "Because we have this psychological tendency to regard people who are ill as unlucky, people's attitude towards the sick are extremely difficult to change," Carsten Jensen explains. In modern societies, more people die from lifestyle diseases than from broken legs and infections, and there are considerable socio-economic differences in who will suffer from these lifestyle diseases. But we continue to think of illness as random accidents. This even applies across the political spectrum, where conservatives who normally oppose government spending think of ill people has unfortunate and deserving of care. "The traditional attitudinal factors such as self-interest, access to information and political ideology do not really matter in the healthcare area," says Michael Bang Petersen and continues: "When it comes to healthcare, everyone seem united in the belief that people who are ill are unlucky and need help. This means that the policies in the areas of health care and unemployment are very different, as we all more or less agree on the goal in healthcare, while we deeply disagree on whether or not unemployed people deserve help." Pressure on the politicians Increased healthcare spending is often explained by the supply of health - i.e. the costs of new technology and medicine. But the researchers from Aarhus University argue that when it comes to the rising costs of healthcare, we are also dealing with demand. Politicians find it hard not to accommodate people's demand for better healthcare, and no one wants to be seen as responsible for a health scandal. ### Advanced prostate cancer is usually treated by removing androgen, the male hormone that helps it grow. Although initially effective, this treatment often leads to the tumor becoming castration resistant- a lethal condition. Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and University of Michigan, along with collaborators in other institutions, have determined that castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) has particular metabolic characteristics that may open new possibilities for treatment. The results appear in Nature Communications. "Using an innovative approach to integrate gene expression and metabolomics data, we identified key metabolic pathways that are altered in prostate cancer," said corresponding author Dr. Arun Sreekumar, professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, the Alkek Center for Molecular Discovery and the Verna and Marrs McLean department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Baylor. "Of these metabolic pathways, the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP) showed significant alterations." The researchers discovered that HBP is much less active in castrate resistant than in androgen-dependent prostate cancers. Furthermore, having reduced HBP activity is likely to enhance tumor growth. "When we experimentally knocked down genes involved in HBP in cells similar to CRPC tumor cells, the cells responded with a marked increase in proliferation, both in cell culture and animal experiments," said Sreekumar. "When the cells with reduced HBP received UDP-N-acetylglucosamine, a product of this metabolic pathway they lacked, the cells slowed down their growth." When the researchers added UDP-N-acetylglucosamine and a clinically used anti-androgen (i.e., enzalutamide) to the CRPC cells growing in the laboratory, the cells reduced their proliferation further. "This result is particularly noteworthy because our cells were essentially resistant to enzalutamide alone," said Sreekumar. These results indicate that studying the metabolic characteristics of tumors resistant to therapy offers the possibility of discovering new targets to treat cancer. In this case, the results identify HBP as a potential therapeutic target for castration resistant prostate cancer, a disease that accounts for close to 30,000 deaths annually in the United States. ### Other researchers who participated in this work include: Akash K. Kaushik, Ali Shojaie, Katrin Panzitt, Rajni Sonavane, Harene Venghatakrishnan, Mohan Manikkam, Alexander Zaslavsky, Vasanta Putluri, Vihas T. Vasu, Yiqing Zhang, Ayesha S. Khan, Stacy Lloyd, Adam T. Szafran, Subhamoy Dasgupta, David A. Bader, Fabio Stossi, Hangwen Li, Susmita Samanta, Xuhong Cao, Efrosini Tsouko, Shixia Huang, Daniel E. Frigo, Lawrence Chan, Dean P Edwards, Benny A. Kaipparettu, Nicholas Mitsiades, Nancy L. Weigel, Michael Mancini, Sean E. McGuire, Rohit Mehra, Michael M. Ittmann, Arul M. Chinnaiyan, Nagireddy Putluri, Ganesh S. Palapattu and George Michailidis, from Baylor College of Medicine, University of Washington, University of Michigan, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, University Houston, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center. Drs. Sreekumar, Palapattu and Michailidis are co-corresponding authors of this study. This project was supported by the Diana Helis Henry Medical Research Foundation, the National Institutes of Health (grants 1RO1CA133458-01, U01 CA167234, RCA145444A, P30CA125123, R01 CA184208, R21CA173150 and R21CA179720), Department of Defense (W81XWH-12-1-0130), National Science Foundation (Q5 DMS-1161759, DMS-12-28164, DMS-11617838, RP150451), American Cancer Society (27430-RSG-15-105-01-CNE), CPRIT, as well as funds from the Alkek Center for Molecular Discovery. This project was also supported by the Agilent Technologies Center of Excellence in Mass Spectrometry at Baylor College of Medicine, Integrated Microscopy Core and shared Proteomics and Metabolomics core at Baylor College of Medicine with funding from the NIH (HD007495, DK56338 and CA125123), CPRIT (RP120092), the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center and the John S. Dunn Gulf Coast Consortium for Chemical Genomics. The L'Oreal Paris USA-MRA Team Science Award for Women in Scientific Research is granted with $900.000 and recognizes the collaborative efforts by top-notch female investigators whose research focuses on malignant melanoma The Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) is pleased to announce that a global, multi-institutional research team consisting of the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), The Wistar Institute, Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre (University of Edinburgh), the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has been awarded the L'Oreal Paris USA-MRA Team Science Award for Women in Scientific Research bestowed by the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA), the largest private funder of melanoma research worldwide. The L'Oreal Paris USA-MRA Team Science Award for Women in Scientific Research recognizes the collaborative efforts by top-notch female investigators whose research focuses on malignant melanoma, a characteristically aggressive cancer type. Increasing in incidence every year, melanoma is the only disease where lesions barely two millimeters thick can disseminate (metastasize) throughout a person's body. Some patients succumb to metastasis within months, while in others the tumor cells can remain silent or "dormant" for years or decades before striking. This differential behavior is unclear and is the focus of the collaboration. Representing Spain, the United States and Scotland, the all-female team of scientists has decided to tackle the mechanisms that distinguish (and mark) fast-growing melanomas from those that are dormant. "We are thrilled to be awarded this L'Oreal Paris USA-MRA grant," said team leader Maria Soengas at the CNIO. "Visualizing and treating silent melanoma cells has been a major challenge in the field, and therefore requires large collaborative platforms to translate basic research results into long-lasting clinical improvements. This partnership will try to bridge this gap by integrating efforts of specialists in molecular biology, tumor dormancy, pathology, and molecular oncology." There are four major goals of this three-year project. The first goal of the project is to identify biomarkers of active metastasis. Secondly, the team will define how tumor cells can become "dormant," and why at some point, they get "awakened." Both of these studies will utilize sophisticated imaging models to visualize and trace melanoma cells in vivo from early stages of tumor development as well as reagents accessible by the entire team, particularly a large set of clinical specimens. The third goal aims to validate treatments that could attack both dividing and silent melanoma cells. The fourth objective is to mentor and empower new female researchers in the melanoma field. In 2016, the MRA has funded 17 additional grants to support a total of 46 investigators in 30 institutions spanning seven countries. To date, MRA has dedicated more than $79 million to foster important discoveries across the globe in order to better understand and treat malignant melanoma. ### Harbour porpoises have sometimes been described as "living in the fast lane." Being smaller than other cetaceans and living in cold northern waters means that the porpoises require a lot of energy to survive, making them prone to starvation. Now researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on May 26 have monitored harbour porpoises in the wild with tiny computers attached to them by suction cups show that the animals hunt and eat almost constantly. The findings by researchers in Denmark, Germany, and Scotland suggest that even a moderate level of disturbance in the busy shallow waters that they share with humans--anything that might limit their ability to feed--could put the animals in serious jeopardy. "Our results show that porpoises hunt small fish, typically less than five centimeters, nearly continuously day and night at ultra-high rates, attempting to capture up to 550 fish per hour, and frequently more than ten per minute with a remarkable success rate of more than 90 percent," says Danuta Wisniewska of Aarhus University in Denmark. "The tiny fish targeted by porpoises are not of interest in commercial fisheries; however, relying on such small prey makes porpoises especially vulnerable to disturbances, because there is no room for compensation." To study the animals' foraging behaviors, the researchers attached miniature computers developed at University of St. Andrews to five wild porpoises. The computers recorded the porpoises' echolocation calls and the echoes that came back as those calls bounced off of nearby prey. By analyzing the sound, the researchers were able to determine how often porpoises attempted to catch fish. They could also estimate the size of those fish and whether the fish managed to escape. "This is the first time we have been able to measure simultaneously how a marine mammal hunts and how often it is successful," Wisniewska says. "The trick here was to tap into the echolocation sounds that porpoises use to sense their environment. Porpoises make hundreds of clicks a second as they approach prey, and the echoes coming back give us incredible detail about what the prey are doing." The data showed that the porpoises hunt around the clock. They are also incredibly successful in landing their prey. "We were surprised by the efficiency with which these small predators feed," Wisniewska says. "A success rate of over 90 percent, translating into as many as 3,000 fish caught per day, means that porpoises are amongst the most successful known hunters." The study also shows that harbour porpoises live on an energetic "knife edge," the researchers say. To meet their energy demands, they must eat all of the time, with little room for error. The team will continue to explore different foraging tactics of the harbour porpoises, including foraging in different parts of the water column. They'll also investigate whether and how noise from ship traffic or other human activities affects the porpoises' foraging rates. ### This study was partly funded by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation. Additional support received by the Danish National Research Foundation, the Carlsberg, the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology Scotland, and a Marie Curie-Sklodowska award. Current Biology, Wisniewska et al.: "Ultra-High Foraging Rates of Harbor Porpoises Make Them Vulnerable to Anthropogenic Disturbance" http://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(16)30314-1 Current Biology (@CurrentBiology), published by Cell Press, is a bimonthly journal that features papers across all areas of biology. Current Biology strives to foster communication across fields of biology, both by publishing important findings of general interest and through highly accessible front matter for non-specialists. Visit: http://www.cell.com/current-biology. To receive Cell Press media alerts, contact press@cell.com. The precise diagnosis and prognosis of recovery of consciousness of patients after a severe brain injury is a challenging clinical task, as some brain-injured patients retain certain levels of awareness despite appearing fully unresponsive. Now, researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on May 26 have evidence that readily obtainable measures of the amount of glucose (sugar) consumed by the brain can directly predict a person's current level of awareness, or the likelihood that they will recover awareness within a year. "In nearly all cases, whole-brain energy turnover directly predicted either the current level of awareness or its subsequent recovery," says Ron Kupers of the University of Copenhagen and Yale University. "In short, our findings indicate that there is a minimal energetic requirement for sustained consciousness to arise after brain injury." In the new study, Kupers, together with Johan Stender and colleagues from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and the University of Liege in Belgium, aimed to develop more-reliable diagnostic markers for the assessment of current and future levels of consciousness to complement routine bedside clinical examinations. To this end, they quantified and mapped cerebral glucose metabolism in 131 brain-injured patients, all of whom were suffering from either full or partial loss of consciousness. The researchers measured glucose metabolism using FDG-PET, a well-known imaging technique in which glucose labeled with a radioactive tracer molecule is injected into the bloodstream. The labeled glucose makes it possible to capture and map glucose uptake in any organ of interest--in this case, the brain. Their results showed that the patients' individual levels of behavioral responsiveness were strongly linked to their overall cerebral energy turnover. In fact, patients with glucose metabolism below a well-defined threshold of 42 percent of normal cortical activity appeared to be fully unconscious and did not recover consciousness at 1-year follow-up. In contrast, nearly all patients with brain metabolic activity above this energetic threshold either showed signs of awareness at the initial examination or had recovered responsiveness a year later. Overall, the researchers report, the cerebral metabolic rate accounted for the current level, or imminent return, of awareness in 94 percent of patients. "The discovery of a clear metabolic boundary between the conscious and unconscious states could imply that the brain undergoes a fundamental state change at a certain level of energy turnover, in a sense that consciousness 'ignites' as brain activity reaches a certain threshold," Stender says. "We were not able to test this hypothesis directly, but it provides a very interesting direction for future research." "The take-home message [for now] is that consciousness is a highly energy demanding process, involving the brain at large," Kupers says. "This fundamental physiological trait can help clinicians determine the potential for recovery of awareness in patients suffering from severe brain injuries of any kind." The researchers say it will be important to verify the findings in an independent patient population. They also hope to explore how brain metabolism changes over time in brain-injured patients. ### The study was supported financially by the University of Copenhagen, the Belgian Fund for Scientific Research, the James S. McDonnell Foundation, the Belgian American Educational Foundation, the Wallonie-Bruxelles International, the European Commission, the European Space Agency, the Wallonia- Brussels Federation Concerted Research Action, and the Belgian interuniversity attraction pole. Current Biology, Stender and Mortensen et al.: "The Minimal Energetic Requirement of Sustained Awareness after Brain Injury" http://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(16)30346-3 Current Biology (@CurrentBiology), published by Cell Press, is a bimonthly journal that features papers across all areas of biology. Current Biology strives to foster communication across fields of biology, both by publishing important findings of general interest and through highly accessible front matter for non-specialists. Visit: http://www.cell.com/current-biology. To receive Cell Press media alerts, contact press@cell.com. The rise and fall of alcohol-related mortality in Scotland is partly due to changes in affordability, according to reports published in Public Health Amsterdam, The Netherlands, May 26, 2016 - New research has found that the rise in alcohol-related mortality during the 1990s and early 2000s in Scotland, and the subsequent decline, were likely to be explained in part by increasing then decreasing alcohol affordability. The research was undertaken to understand better what the independent impact of the Scottish Government's alcohol strategy was. Other factors aside from the strategy and the affordability of alcohol were also considered including migration, historical social, economic and political change, the alcohol market, social norms, and health services. "Alcohol has been suggested to be the most harmful substance misused in societies when wider harms on health and social outcomes such as violence and reduced economic output, are taken into account," explained lead investigator Dr. Gerry McCartney of NHS Health Scotland, Glasgow, UK. "Our work evaluated the extent to which differing trends in income, demographic change, and the consequences of an earlier period of social, economic, and political change might explain differences in the magnitude and trends in alcohol-related mortality between 1991 and 2011 in Scotland compared to England & Wales. We found that increasing alcohol affordability during the 1990s is likely to have been important in explaining the rise in alcohol-related harms. It also seems likely that a generation of people negatively affected by the rapidly changing economy during the 1980s was subsequently at particularly high risk. We hypothesized that this was linked to the rise in unemployment and the breaking down of the social fabric in many communities following on from the changed government approach." The research team used a variety of methods including literature review, descriptive analysis of routine data, narrative synthesis, comparative time trend analyses, and arithmetic modelling. "Given the likely importance of alcohol affordability in driving the downward trend in alcohol-related mortality, any future increase in incomes or decline in prices might be expected to increase alcohol-related harms in Scotland once again, commented Dr. McCartney. "The most recent trends in consumption, harms, and alcohol affordability provide an early indication of this. It is therefore important that a comprehensive range of alcohol control policies is in place to prevent this." ### New research showing that refusal to allow surgery teams to take the patient to the recovery room after surgery unless the full WHO Safe Surgery Checklist has been complete is a highly effective way to improve use of the checklist. The study is being presented at Euroanaesthesia 2016 (London, UK, 27-30 May), and is by Dr Rajkumar Rajendram, King's College London, United Kingdom (and formerly of the Royal Free Hospital, London, UK, where the research was carried out) and colleagues. The WHO surgical safety checklist has been proven to improve compliance with safety standards and decreases complications from surgery. The 19-item checklist includes a variety of checks designed to improve safety, including the surgical team introducing themselves and their individual roles through to use of antibiotics and pulse oximeters. The checklist was introduced at the Royal Free Hospital, North London in 2010. However, in 2011 an audit of 520 patients over 3 weeks (15 April-6 May 2011) revealed poor compliance (57% complete; 6% not started). Although several serious untoward incidents highlighted the potential benefits of using the checklist, compliance remained poor. The aim of this audit was to improve use of the WHO checklist. In this study, the key stakeholders within each operating theatre team were identified and surveyed informally. The key reasons cited for the failure to complete the WHO checklist were: lack of understanding, perceived lack of time and overall lack of communication, co-ordination and defined responsibility. Education on the checklist was delivered to theatre staff. After this, various initiatives were implemented using plan, do, study, act (PDSA) cycles to gauge their effectiveness. After each intervention the effect was assessed by a spot audit of 50-100 patients over a week. In October 2011 a spot audit of 50 patients over a week found that utilisation of the checklist was still low (67% complete). Repeating the 50 patient spot audit unexpectedly detected a fall in use of the checklist (50% complete). The greatest deficiency was in completion of the surgical time out. However, highlighting this to theatre staff and allocating responsibility for the sign in, time out and sign out to the anaesthetists, surgeons and circulating scrub staff respectively resulted in an improvement (100 checklists; 94% complete). However this was unlikely to be sustained without the repeated audits which could not be continued indefinitely. The authors found that, of the many initiatives that were tried, the most successful was to refuse the surgery team access to take the patient to the theatre recovery area post-surgery without a complete checklist. A month later a spot audit of 100 patients found that the WHO checklist had been completed for all cases. Subsequent spot audits have confirmed that this improvement has been sustained. The authors conclude: "Despite clear evidence of benefit of the WHO surgical safety checklist human factors still limited use this checklist. The 'stick' philosophy of refusing entry to the theatre recovery area without a complete checklist was the key to its successful implementation at the Royal Free Hospital." Dr Rajendram adds: "Behaviours will be repeated if they are rewarded with incentives, and stopped if they are penalised. Refusing transfer of the patient from the theatre to the recovery area if the checklist is incomplete prevents the progression of the operating list. This penalises the whole team rather than any one individual. The whole team is therefore incentivised to complete the checklist." However, he adds there is no 'magic bullet' that is applicable in all circumstances for changing professional behaviour. Many barriers obstruct the implementation of evidence-based practices. To successfully implement new ways of working, the barriers must be recognised and addressed. Individuals, teams and organisations go through various stages in the process of change. Different interventions will be effective at different stages. He concludes: "Although passive forms of education are generally considered ineffective, they formed part of our successful multifaceted change strategy. It is important to raise awareness of desired changes before providing incentives and penalties. The needs of stakeholders should be determined before behaviour change interventions are designed, so the intervention is tailored to their specific needs. Otherwise completion of the checklist will be simply reduced to a box ticking exercise and the effectiveness of the intervention will be greatly reduced." ### Boston, MA The economic crisis of 2008-10, and the rise in unemployment that accompanied it, was associated with more than 260,000 excess cancer-related deaths--including many considered treatable--within the Organization for Economic Development (OECD), according to a study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Imperial College London, and Oxford University. The researchers found that excess cancer burden was mitigated in countries that had universal health coverage (UHC) and in those that increased public spending on health care during the study period. The study will be published May 25, 2016 in The Lancet. It can be found after the embargo lifts at the following link: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2816%2900577-8/abstract "Higher unemployment due to economic crisis and austerity measures is associated with higher number of cancer deaths. Universal health coverage protects against these deaths. That there are needless deaths is a major societal concern," said Rifat Atun, professor of global health systems at Harvard Chan School and senior author of the study. He added that increased joblessness during the economic crisis may have limited people's access to health care, leading to late-stage diagnoses and poor or delayed treatment. "Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide so understanding how economic changes affect cancer survival is crucial," says lead author Mahiben Maruthappu from Imperial College London, UK. "We also found that public healthcare spending was tightly associated with cancer mortality--suggesting healthcare cuts could cost lives." Although previous studies have shown connections between economic changes and rates of suicides, cardiovascular disease, and overall mortality, only a few had examined the relationship between economic downturns and cancer outcomes, especially in countries with underdeveloped social security and health care systems. The researchers analyzed the link between unemployment, public health care spending, and cancer mortality using data from 1990-2010 from more than 70 high- and middle-income countries around the world, representing roughly 2 billion people. The researchers looked at deaths from several "treatable" cancers, for which survival rates exceed 50%--including breast cancer in women, prostate cancer in men, and colorectal cancers in both men and women--and from a few "untreatable" cancers (with five-year survival rates less than 5%), including lung and pancreatic cancers in men and women. The researchers found that increases in unemployment were associated with increased mortality from all the cancer types included in the study. The association was strongest for treatable cancers, suggesting that lack of access to care may have been a factor in these excess deaths. Also, comparing estimates of expected cancer deaths with actual deaths from 2008-10, they found that the recent global economic crisis was linked with more than 260,000 excess cancer deaths among the 35 member states of the OECD alone. Adverse health effects persisted for several years after initial increases in unemployment, the study found. In addition, excess cancer deaths were a more significant problem in middle-income countries than in high-income countries. In countries with UHC--defined in the study as countries that have legislation mandating UHC, more than 90% health care coverage, and more than 90% skilled birth attendance--the link between unemployment and excess cancer deaths disappeared, suggesting that greater access to health care played a key role in mitigating the problem. Twenty-six OECD countries were listed in the study as having UHC, while nine--Barbados, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Poland, Russia, the U.S., and Uruguay--did not have it. Researchers also found that increases in public sector health spending helped blunt the negative health impact of unemployment increases. One limitation of the study was that it was not a truly global analysis, given scarcity of data from China, India, and low-income countries. The study was also unable to draw any firm conclusions about causality, although the authors did note that changes in unemployment were followed by changes in cancer mortality, which does suggest a causal link. ### Lead author of the study was Mahiben Maruthappu of Imperial College London. "Economic downturns, universal health coverage, and cancer mortality in high-income and middle-income countries, 1990-2010: a longitudinal analysis," Mahiben Maruthappu, Johnathan Watkins, Aisyah Mohd Noor, Callum Williams, Raghib Ali, Richard Sullivan, Thomas Zeltner, Rifat Atun, The Lancet, online May 25, 2016, doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)00577-8. Visit the Harvard Chan School website for the latest news, press releases, and multimedia offerings. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health brings together dedicated experts from many disciplines to educate new generations of global health leaders and produce powerful ideas that improve the lives and health of people everywhere. As a community of leading scientists, educators, and students, we work together to take innovative ideas from the laboratory to people's lives--not only making scientific breakthroughs, but also working to change individual behaviors, public policies, and health care practices. Each year, more than 400 faculty members at Harvard Chan School teach 1,000-plus full-time students from around the world and train thousands more through online and executive education courses. Founded in 1913 as the Harvard-MIT School of Health Officers, the School is recognized as America's oldest professional training program in public health. Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin condition that affects some 125 million people worldwide. It is characterized by itchy, scaly skin plaques. The exact cause of psoriasis is unclear. But mounting evidence implicates the immune system in the overproduction of cell-signalling molecules called cytokines, which stimulate skin cells called keratinocytes to express genes that maintain an inflammatory microenvironment. Now, scientists at Hokkaido University in Japan have found more evidence that a cytokine called IL-17A is especially critical in this process. In a previous study published in 2012, researchers treated psoriasis patients with antibodies that attack IL-17A and with a substance, called an antagonist, that acts against tumour necrosis factor, another cytokine strongly implicated in psoriasis. They found that, after two weeks, a much larger set of psoriasis-related genes were suppressed and to a greater magnitude in the patients treated with anti-IL-17A. The researchers concluded that IL-17A is the dominant cytokine involved in the expression of psoriasis-related genes. The Hokkaido University researchers aimed to reproduce these results in the laboratory. They cultured a single layer of normal keratinocytes with a mixture of six different cytokines known to be involved in psoriasis, and found that it induced the expression of psoriasis-related genes. They then compared the gene expression of these keratinocytes to others treated with various combinations of the same cytokines lacking one cytokine each. When the keratinocytes treated with all six cytokines expressed significantly more genes than one of the lacking combinations, it meant that the lacking cytokine was playing an influential role for the expression of those genes. Importantly, the team identified a set of psoriasis-related genes in keratinocytes that are regulated by IL-17A. One of these genes in particular, called NFKBIZ, was found to have a significant role in the IL-17A pathway. This gene encodes a protein that plays a well-known role in regulating the body's immune response to infection. The new study, published in the journal International Immunology, will be useful for furthering the understanding of the IL-17A signaling pathway and how this cytokine interacts with others in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. ### New research has revealed that fewer than predicted planets may be capable of harbouring life because their atmospheres keep them too hot. When looking for planets that could harbour life, scientists look for planets in the 'habitable zones' around their stars - at the right distance from the stars to allow water to exist in liquid form. Traditionally, this search has focused on looking for planets orbiting stars like our Sun, in a similar way to Earth. However, recent research has turned to small planets orbiting very close to stars called M dwarfs, or red dwarfs, which are much smaller and dimmer than the Sun. M dwarfs make up around 75 per cent of all the stars in our galaxy, and recent discoveries have suggested that many of them host planets, pushing the number of potentially habitable planets into the billions. This month, both the TRAPPIST and Kepler planet-hunting telescopes have announced the discovery of multiple near-Earth-sized planets orbiting M dwarf stars, some within the habitable zones. New research from Imperial College London and the Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, has revealed that although they orbit smaller and dimmer stars, many of these planets might still be too hot to be habitable. The scientists suggest that some of the planets might still be habitable, but only those with a smaller mass than Earth, comparable to Venus or Mars. Dr James Owen, Hubble Fellow and lead author of the study from the Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton, said: "It was previously assumed that planets with masses similar to Earth would be habitable simply because they were in the 'habitable zone'. However, when you consider how these planets evolve over billions of years this assumption turns out not to be true." It was known previously that many of these planets are born with thick atmospheres of hydrogen and helium, making up roughly one percent of the total planetary mass. In comparison, the Earth's atmosphere makes up only a millionth of its mass. The greenhouse effect of such a thick atmosphere would make the surface far too hot for liquid water, rendering the planets initially uninhabitable. However, it was thought that over time, the strong X-ray and ultraviolet radiation from the parent M dwarf star would evaporate away most of this atmosphere, eventually making the planets potentially habitable. The new analysis reveals that this is not the case. Instead, detailed computer simulations show that these thick hydrogen and helium envelopes cannot escape the gravity of planets that are similar to or larger in mass than the Earth, meaning that many of them are likely to retain their stifling atmospheres. However, all is not lost, according to the researchers. While most of the M dwarf planets that are Earth-mass or heavier would retain thick atmospheres, smaller planets, comparable to Venus or Mars, could still lose them to evaporation. Dr Subhanjoy Mohanty, the other study author from the Department of Physics at Imperial College London, said: "There are hints from recent exoplanet discoveries that relatively puny planets may be even more common around red dwarfs than Earth mass or larger ones, in which case there may indeed be a bonanza of potentially habitable planets whirling around these cool red stars." Ongoing ground- and space-based searches, and new space missions to be launched in the near future, should provide a definitive answer to this question as well as other questions about the potential suitability of these planets for life. ### Scientists at the John Innes Centre have discovered an important component in the process of nitrogen fixation in plants. They have identified a key protein that facilitates the movement of calcium in plant cells. This movement of calcium signals to the plant that nitrogen-fixing bacteria are close by and triggers the development of nodules on its roots to house these bacteria. Nitrogen is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere and legumes are able to take nitrogen out of the air and incorporate it into their cells. This is possible because legumes have developed a symbiotic relationship with a particular type of soil bacteria that are housed within their roots. These bacteria take up (or 'fix') the nitrogen and pass it to the plant in exchange for sugars and other nutrients. This function enables legumes to grow with less nitrogen fertiliser. Professor Giles Oldroyd leads a research group at the John Innes Centre that aims to transfer the ability to fix nitrogen to other types of plants, like wheat or barley. This would increase growth and yield for these crops - particularly in developing countries where farmers have less access to nitrogen fertilisers. It has long been known that the interaction between plants and bacteria depends on movement of calcium in plant root cells. This movement of calcium takes place in the central nucleus of plant cells. New research from the John Innes Centre lead by Dr Myriam Charpentier and Professor Giles Oldroyd discovered a set of critically important proteins, called cyclic nucleotide gated channel 15s (CNGC15s), which are essential for the movement of calcium into the nucleus. They found that the CNGC15s facilitate the calcium movement into the nucleus allowing the plant to transfer the information that the nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria are nearby. This enables the plant to initiate the cellular and developmental processes that facilitate bacterial accommodation, allowing establishment of the nitrogen-fixing symbiosis and thus nitrogen fixation. Although this calcium movement is limited to the nuclei of plant cells, it has a large impact on how the whole plant will grow. Professor Oldroyd said: "This discovery demonstrates that there is a CNGC protein located at the edge of the nucleus in plant cells which controls the movement of calcium into the nucleus. This is an important step towards understanding nitrogen fixation in legumes and this understanding will help us to develop more efficient crops." Dr Charpentier said: "Although the presence of nuclear calcium signals in plants was demonstrated more than a decade ago, the exact identity of the nuclear calcium channel has remained a mystery. This research identifies the first nuclear calcium channel in plants. Calcium signalling is not only important for symbioses but also for many other processes happening in the plant during development and in response to the environment. Knowing the identity of the nuclear calcium channel will now enable us to better understand how plants use nuclear calcium signals to grow and respond to their environments." ### This research is published today in the journal Science. It was carried out in partnership with the University of Montpellier in France and was supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the European Research Council. Notes to editors 1. More information, including a copy of the paper, can be found online at the Science press package webpage at http://www.eurekalert.org/jrnls/sci. You will need your user ID and password to access this information. Copies of the embargoed Science paper are distributed only by the AAAS Office of Public Programs, to working journalists. Please call 1-202-326-6440 or email scipak@aaas.org. 2. For further information about Professor Oldroyd's research please call: Geraldine Platten Communications Manager, The John Innes Centre T: 01603-450-238 E: geraldineplatten@aol.com 3. Images to accompany this press release can be found at: http://bit.ly/1TDHMjl 4. About the John Innes Centre Our mission is to generate knowledge of plants and microbes through innovative research, to train scientists for the future, to apply our knowledge of nature's diversity to benefit agriculture, the environment, human health and wellbeing, and engage with policy makers and the public. To achieve these goals we establish pioneering long-term research objectives in plant and microbial science, with a focus on genetics. These objectives include promoting the translation of research through partnerships to develop improved crops and to make new products from microbes and plants for human health and other applications. We also create new approaches, technologies and resources that enable research advances and help industry to make new products. The knowledge, resources and trained researchers we generate help global societies address important challenges including providing sufficient and affordable food, making new products for human health and industrial applications, and developing sustainable bio-based manufacturing. This provides a fertile environment for training the next generation of plant and microbial scientists, many of whom go on to careers in industry and academia, around the world. The John Innes Centre is strategically funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). In 2014-2015 the John Innes Centre received a total of 36.9 million from the BBSRC. 5. About the BBSRC The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) invests in world-class bioscience research and training on behalf of the UK public. Our aim is to further scientific knowledge, to promote economic growth, wealth and job creation and to improve quality of life in the UK and beyond. Funded by Government, BBSRC invested over 509M in world-class bioscience in 2014-15. We support research and training in universities and strategically funded institutes. BBSRC research and the people we fund are helping society to meet major challenges, including food security, green energy and healthier, longer lives. Our investments underpin important UK economic sectors, such as farming, food, industrial biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. For more information about BBSRC, our science and our impact see: http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk For more information about BBSRC strategically funded institutes see: http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/institutes 6. To find out more about the European Research Council go to: https://erc.europa.eu/ 7. To find out more about the University of Montpellier go to: http://www.umontpellier.fr/ New Rochelle, NY, May 26, 2016--Liver cancer can be triggered by mutations in cancer driver genes resulting from the insertion of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors used to deliver therapeutic genes, although this tumor-inducing role of AAV remains highly controversial. Recently published evidence of AAV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma was previously re-examined in Human Gene Therapy, and a new article in the Journal, published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers, strongly challenges the re-interpreted data. The article is available free for download on the Human Gene Therapy website until June 26, 2016. Jean-Charles Nault, Jessica Zucman-Rossi, INSERM, and coauthors, strongly disagree with the re-interpretation of their research, originally published in Nature Genetics, which appeared in a recent article by Kenneth Berns and colleagues in Human Gene Therapy. In the current article, "AAV2 and Hepatocellular Carcinoma", Nault et al. reaffirm their findings that insertional mutagenesis caused by AAV2 gene delivery vectors contribute to a subset of liver cancer cases in rare patients. The authors also state, "we fully disagree with Berns and colleagues, who claimed a protective role for AAV infection after re-interpreting our results," emphasizing that there is no good evidence to support a tumor suppressive effect of AAV2 in human liver cells or human cancers in general. "Our ultimate goal as translational scientists is to develop new therapies that are both safe and effective," says Editor-in-Chief Terence R. Flotte, MD, Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor of Medical Education and Dean, Provost, and Executive Deputy Chancellor, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA. "It is crucial that scientists can engage in such vigorous debates, which in turn generate interest in future studies to clarify whether or not rAAV-based gene therapy holds significant cancer risk to patients. We are pleased that Human Gene Therapy can provide the forum for such debates." ### About the Journal Human Gene Therapy, the Official Journal of the European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, British Society for Gene and Cell Therapy, French Society of Cell and Gene Therapy, German Society of Gene Therapy, and five other gene therapy societies, is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published monthly in print and online. Led by Editor-in-Chief Terence R. Flotte, MD, Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor of Medical Education and Dean, Provost, and Executive Deputy Chancellor, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Human Gene Therapy presents reports on the transfer and expression of genes in mammals, including humans. Related topics include improvements in vector development, delivery systems, and animal models, particularly in the areas of cancer, heart disease, viral disease, genetic disease, and neurological disease, as well as ethical, legal, and regulatory issues related to the gene transfer in humans. Its companion journals, Human Gene Therapy Methods, published bimonthly, focuses on the application of gene therapy to product testing and development, and Human Gene Therapy Clinical Development, published quarterly, features data relevant to the regulatory review and commercial development of cell and gene therapy products. Tables of contents for all three publications and a free sample issue may be viewed on the Human Gene Therapy website. About the Publisher Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, Tissue Engineering, Stem Cells and Development, and Cellular Reprogramming. Its biotechnology trade magazine, GEN (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 80 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website. The improbable rise of Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign presents an interesting question: why is Sanders, a self-proclaimed "democratic socialist," running as a Democrat? McGill University sociologist Barry Eidlin examines this question through an historical comparison with Canada, a country similar to the U.S. in many ways, but whose political culture and electoral system have ostensibly been more hospitable to labor parties. "In any other industrialized country, Sanders would likely be the standard-bearer for a labor or social democratic party", says Eidlin in a new analysis published in the American Sociological Review. "But the U.S. famously lacks such a party. The conventional wisdom holds that the U.S. lacks a labor or socialist party because its political culture is hostile to socialism, and its electoral system is uniquely hostile to third parties." Electoral data challenges conventional wisdom "The analysis of 142 years of electoral data shows that differences in political culture and electoral systems did not affect labor party support as expected: prior to the 1930s, political differences were muted, with low but significant labor party support in both countries" says Eidlin. It was only in the 1930s that labor party support collapsed in the United States and took off in Canada. Why was there such a stark shift in the 1930s? Using in-depth archival research, Prof. Eidlin shows that it was a consequence of different ruling party responses to worker and farmer protest during the Great Depression. In the U.S., FDR responded to the protests with rhetorical appeals to the "forgotten man" and policy reforms that successfully absorbed some farmer and labor groups into his New Deal coalition, while simultaneously dividing and excluding others. The result was labor party collapse. In Canada, mainstream parties responded to protests with a combination of repression and neglect. This exclusionary approach left room for the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), a precursor to today's New Democratic Party (NDP), to organize them into a durable third-party coalition. The paradoxical role of parties Eidlin's analysis highlights the role that political parties play not only in reflecting the will of different segments of the electorate, but in actively constructing and constraining political coalitions. "What's really interesting here is the paradoxical role that the ruling parties play in both countries," Eidlin said. "In the U.S., the Democrats' more conciliatory response to farmer and labor protest ended up constraining progressive politics over the long term. Meanwhile, the Canadian Liberals and Conservatives' efforts to suppress farmer and labor protest backfired, setting the stage for the relatively more progressive political landscape we take for granted today." Definitely not ivory tower intellectuals Amidst the tumult of the Great Depression, similar groups of intellectuals played very different roles in shaping political parties' approaches in both countries. "In the U.S., President Roosevelt relied on a group of intellectuals known as his 'Brains Trust' to develop the reform program that came to be known as the New Deal," Eidlin explained. "In Canada, the mainstream parties had no room for this kind of big thinking. So the Canadian intellectuals who would likely have been part of that 'Brains Trust" had they been in the U.S., particularly some professors at McGill and the University of Toronto, instead formed the League for Social Reconstruction, which provided the intellectual backbone for the CCF." ### To contact Prof. Eidlin directly: barry.eidlin@mcgill.ca Anyone who's ever covered a wall with sticky notes to clearly map all of the steps in a process knows how valuable that exercise can be. It can streamline workflow, increase efficiency and improve the overall quality of the end result. Now, a public-private team led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has created a new international standard that can "map" the critically important environmental aspects of manufacturing processes, leading to significant improvements in sustainability while keeping a product's life cycle low cost and efficient. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, manufacturing accounts for one-fifth of the annual energy consumption in the United States--approximately 21 quintillion joules (20 quadrillion BTU) or equivalent to 3.6 billion barrels of crude oil. To reduce this staggering amount and improve sustainability, manufacturers need to accurately measure and evaluate consumption of energy and materials, as well as environmental impacts, at each step in the life cycles of their products. However, making these assessments can be difficult, costly and time consuming, as many manufactured items are created in multiple and/or complex processes, and the environmental impacts of these processes can vary widely depending on how and where the manufacturing occurs. Additionally, the data collected are often unreliable, frequently not derived through scientific methods, and do not compare well with those from other types of manufacturing processes or from processes at different locations. These issues are beginning to be addressed through a recently approved ASTM International standard for characterizing the environmental aspects of manufacturing processes (ASTM E3012-16). The guide provides manufacturers with a science-based, systematic approach to capture and describe information about the environmental aspects for any production process or group of processes, and then use that data to make informed decisions on improvements. The standard is easily individualized for a company's specific needs. "It's similar to using personal finance software at home where you have to gather income and expenditure data, 'run the numbers' and then use the results to make smart process changes--savings, cutbacks, streamlining, etc.--that will optimize your monthly budget," said NIST systems engineer Kevin Lyons, who chaired the ASTM committee that developed the manufacturing sustainability standard. "We designed ASTM E3012-16 to let manufacturers virtually characterize their production processes as computer models, and then, using a standardized method, 'plug and play' the environmental data for each process step to visualize impacts and identify areas for improving overall sustainability of the system," Lyons said. For their next step, Lyons and his colleagues on the ASTM sustainability committee plan to define key performance indicators (KPIs)--metrics of success--for manufacturing sustainability that can be fed back into the E3012-16 standard to make it even more effective. "In the long term, we'd also like to establish a repository of process models and case studies from different manufacturing sectors so that users of the standard can compare and contrast against their production methods," Lyons said. Through a collaboration with Oregon State University, NIST held regional industry roundtables in Boston, Chicago and Seattle to learn how best to introduce the benefits of the sustainability standard to U.S. manufacturers, especially small- and medium-size firms. A report about those meetings will be published later this year. ### The E3012-16 standard may be found on the ASTM website, http://www.astm.org. More information on the standard, including its history, use and future development, is available by contacting NIST's K.C. Morris at kcm@nist.gov or (301) 975-8286. LA JOLLA--(May 26, 2016) At noon every day, levels of genes and proteins throughout your body are drastically different than they are at midnight. Disruptions to this 24-hour cycle of physiological activity are why jet lag or a bad night's sleep can alter your appetite and sleep patterns for days--and even contribute to conditions like heart disease, sleep disorders and cancers. Now, scientists at the Salk Institute and collaborators have discovered a key player--a protein called REV-ERB--that controls the strength of this circadian rhythm in mammals. The discovery is unusual in the field, as most circadian genes and proteins only shift the timing or length of the daily cycle. "Whether it is Beethoven's 9th Symphony on your stereo or the symphony of genes in our bodies, both require volume to be heard," says senior author Ronald Evans, director of Salk's Gene Expression Laboratory, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, and holder of the March of Dimes Chair in Molecular and Developmental Biology. "Our recent work describes how REV-ERB acts as a molecular conductor to allows the volume or activity of thousands of genes to be dialed up or down." Disrupting just the amplitude--or strength--component of the circadian cycle, Evans adds, was enough to alter hormone levels, including those that wake us up in the morning. This means that people with lower amplitude fluctuations of the genes might feel flat and have less energy during the day. The results are described in the May 26, 2016 issue of Cell. Previous research in the field revealed genes that cycle on and off throughout the day and showed how altering these circadian genes can shift the timing of the cycle and make the circadian rhythm longer or shorter than 24 hours. In 2012, Evans' group showed that REV-ERB bound to many of these circadian genes and acted as a brake, affecting when during the day or night they were expressed. "We saw REV-ERB interacting with all these circadian-related genes," says Xuan Zhao, a research associate in the Evans lab and first author of the new paper. "So we wanted to see if it had a more central role in circadian rhythms." In the new work, the team analyzed levels and molecular characteristics of REV-ERB in the livers of mice throughout the day. They found that after its levels peaked during the day, two proteins, CDK1 and FBXW7, interacted with REV-ERB to help reduce its levels to a low point by the middle of the night. When Evans and his colleagues targeted these proteins to block the degradation of REV-ERB in the livers of mice, normal daily fluctuations in gene expression were suppressed, but the timing of the cycles wasn't affected. Interestingly, merely altering the amplitude of the gene expression oscillations profoundly affected metabolism, disrupting the levels of fats and sugars in the blood. "This study provides compelling molecular evidence for a key role for the circadian clock in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism, and points to new potential avenues for therapeutic intervention," says Steve Kay, president of The Scripps Research Institute, who collaborated with Evans on the work. The observation is the first time scientists have discovered a way to control the amplitude--rather than the timing--of the circadian cycle. Moreover, mice that lacked REV-ERB developed fatty liver disease, stressing the importance of regulating the intensity of the cycle. "We think that if you have a 'weak' circadian cycle, you can't get enough signal to affect physiology," says Zhao. "Conversely, having an extra 'strong' circadian cycle would probably not be good. Evolution has given us a Goldilocks, or 'just right,' circadian cycle that is optimal for our health." The researchers hope to investigate whether pharmacological compounds that block CDK1 may have the potential to treat circadian rhythm disruptions. "Pharmacologically, we can manipulate this system," says Michael Downes, a Salk senior scientist and a co-corresponding author of the paper. "The more we understand about how to do this, the better we can treat metabolic diseases and cancers related to the circadian cycle." ### Other researchers on the study were Han Cho, Ling-Wa Chong, Katja Lamia, Sihao Liu, Annette R. Atkins, Ester Banayo, and Ruth T. Yu of the Salk Institute; Tsuyoshi Hirota of the University of California, San Diego; Xuemei Han and John R. Yates III of The Scripps Research Institute; and Christopher Liddle of the University of Sydney. The work and the researchers involved were supported by grants from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, National Institutes of Health, the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research, The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, Ipsen/Biomeasure, The Lawrence Ellison Foundation, the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation, Susan G. Komen, and the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research. About the Salk Institute for Biological Studies: Every cure has a starting point. The Salk Institute embodies Jonas Salk's mission to dare to make dreams into reality. Its internationally renowned and award-winning scientists explore the very foundations of life, seeking new understandings in neuroscience, genetics, immunology and more. The Institute is an independent nonprofit organization and architectural landmark: small by choice, intimate by nature and fearless in the face of any challenge. Be it cancer or Alzheimer's, aging or diabetes, Salk is where cures begin. Learn more at: salk.edu. San Antonio, Texas -- May 26, 2016 -- Using radar data collected by NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, a Southwest Research Institute-led team found evidence of an ice age recorded in the polar deposits of Mars. Ice ages on Mars are driven by processes similar to those responsible for ice ages on Earth, that is, long-term cyclical changes in the planets orbit and tilt, which affect the amount of solar radiation it receives at each latitude. "We found an accelerated accumulation rate of ice in the uppermost 100 to 300 meters of the polar cap," said Dr. Isaac Smith, a postdoctoral researcher at SwRI and lead author of a paper published in the May 27 issue of Science. "The volume and thickness of ice matches model predictions from the early 2000s. Radar observations of the ice cap provide a detailed history of ice accumulation and erosion associated with climate change." Like Earth, modern-day Mars experiences annual rotation and seasonal cycles, as well as longer cycles, that influence the distribution of ice. However, these longer cycles might be more pronounced on Mars. This is because Mars' tilt changes substantially -- by as much as 60 degrees -- on timescales of hundreds of thousands to millions of years. By comparison, the Earth's tilt varies by only about 2 degrees over the same period. On Mars, this greater variability determines the amount of sunlight reaching a given spot on the surface and thus the stability of ice at all latitudes. "Because the climate on Mars fluctuates with larger swings in axial tilt, and ice will distribute differently for each swing, Mars would look substantially different in the past than it does now," said Smith. "Furthermore, because Mars has no oceans at present, it represents a simplified 'laboratory' for understanding climate science on Earth." Detailed measurements of ice thickness show that about 87,000 cubic kilometers of ice have accumulated at the poles since the end of the last ice age about 370,000 years ago; the majority of the material accumulated at the martian north pole. This volume is equivalent to a layer of 60 centimeters if spread uniformly across the surface. These results provide a means to understand the accumulation history of the polar deposits as related to Mars movements, such as orbital eccentricity, axial tilt, and rotation around the Sun. The results will support modeling efforts to understand the martian climate, looking at the movement of ice from poles to mid-latitudes during climate cycles. "Studying ice on Mars also is important to the future of human exploration of the Red Planet," said Smith. "Water will be a critical resource for a martian outpost." "An ice age recorded in the polar deposits of Mars" is published in Science. This work was funded by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter project. ### Editors: Images to accompany this story: http://www.swri.org/press/2016/martian-ice-age-climate-change.htm Spring snowpack, relied on by ski resorts and water managers throughout the Western United States, may be more vulnerable to a warming climate in coming decades, according to a new University of Utah study. The study, accepted for publication in Geophysical Research Letters, models the year-to-year variability in precipitation and temperature in Utah's Wasatch Mountains and other ranges in the West. Jason Scalzitti, a graduate student in atmospheric sciences, and professors Court Strong and Adam Kochanski found that above a threshold elevation, the amount of spring snowpack is dependent more on the amount of precipitation in a year than the temperature. In other words, whether a year is wet matters more than if it's warm. But below that threshold, temperature matters more. By the end of the century, according to the study, that threshold will move uphill by around 800 feet in the Wasatch and more in the Sierra Nevada, Cascades and parts of the Rocky Mountains. "In the past we've thought mainly about total precipitation as an indicator of how good the ski season's going to be," says Strong. "As we move into the future, especially at elevations below the threshold, temperature increases in importance." Zooming in on the Wasatch Strong and his colleagues based their work on a high-resolution, regional-scale climate model called the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Conventional climate models make calculations on grids 62 miles (100 km) on a side. For reference, less than 20 miles separate Salt Lake City, west of the Wasatch, and Park City, Utah, on the east. "You can't even see the Wasatch Range at that resolution," Strong says. Although the coarser grid of global climate models works well in flat topography, such as the Great Plains, the complex terrain of the Intermountain West requires a finer resolution. The researchers employed a technique called "dynamical downscaling," telescoping the model grid into smaller and smaller grid cells in order to capture fine-scale atmospheric processes affecting local climate. In the team's final simulations, the Wasatch Range was modeled at a resolution of about 2.5 miles (4 km) to realistically capture impacts of the range's slopes, canyons, and peaks on the local precipitation pattern. They further accounted for future temperature changes in the Great Salt Lake and evaporation from urban irrigation, both of which contribute moisture to the air. The team projected regional future climate forward to the year 2100 using a business-as-usual carbon emissions scenario that assumes greenhouse gas emissions will continue to increase at the same rate as today. Crossing the threshold They found that at high elevations, temperatures remain cold enough throughout the spring to turn precipitation to snow and to keep the snow on the ground from melting. Amount of precipitation is the main factor determining how much snow is on the ground during the critical spring months. Going down toward the valley floors, however, temperatures rise, and even in years with high precipitation, the slopes experience more rain and more melting. Temperature becomes the primary driver of the depth of spring snowpack. The threshold elevation between precipitation-controlled and temperature-controlled snowpack, currently sits at about 6500 feet (1980 meters) in the Wasatch, near the base elevation of the ski resorts in Park City. In future projections, however, the threshold elevation rises to 7300 feet (2230 meters). In the simulations, modeled threshold elevations rose in mountain ranges all over the West - by about 800 feet (250 meters) in Colorado's Rockies, about 980 feet (300 meters) in California's Sierra Nevada and Washington's Cascades and more than 1400 feet (432 meters) in the middle Rockies of Idaho and Wyoming. Impacts in peaks and valleys Four Wasatch ski resorts, Solitude, Snowbird, Alta, and Brighton, sit well above the end-of-century 7300 foot threshold. But the rest, including venues from the 2002 Winter Olympics, sit at base elevations between 5500 and 7200 feet. The peak elevations of all resorts except one, Nordic Valley, extend up above the 7300 foot future threshold. An overall warming trend doesn't mean that every year will be a bad year for low-elevation resorts. But below the threshold elevation, resorts will more susceptible to warm years. "Let's say we get the same amount of storms every year," says study co-author Kochanski. "Above the threshold, the resorts will probably be fine. For the others, even if we have the same precipitation, they may be in trouble because they could get more rain instead of snow, and the snowpack will diminish faster." Although impacts to ski resorts could affect Utah's economy, another implication of diminished snowpack affects nearly all Utahns - shrinking water resources. Melting spring snowpack fills reservoirs, providing water for the residents of the Salt Lake Valley. Spring snowpack amounts are a key indicator for water managers of how much water they'll have available in reservoirs for the coming year. "They look at that as how much water is available in the form of snow to melt and capture in the reservoirs," Strong says. "That will be down in the future. Even if we have the same amount of water coming into the system, it will be melting earlier and faster. If we want to supply that to a growing population, then we need increased storage capacity." Strong and Kochanski say they can now use their model as a framework to continue exploring questions about future climate and snowpack variation, both by exploring the impacts of different carbon emissions scenarios and by looking at mountain ranges around the world, such as the Himalayas. ### This work was funded by the National Science Foundation. This release and accompanying images are available at http://unews.utah.edu/spring-snow-a-no-go/ The full study, which has been accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, can be found here: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2016GL068798/full SALT LAKE CITY, UT, May 26, 2016--Scientists at the University of Utah, ARUP Laboratories, and IDbyDNA, Inc., have developed ultra-fast, meta-genomics analysis software called Taxonomer that dramatically improves the accuracy and speed of pathogen detection. In a paper published today in Genome Biology, the collaborators demonstrated the ability of Taxonomer to analyze the sequences of all nucleic acids in a clinical specimen (DNA and RNA) and to detect pathogens, as well as profile the patient's gene expression, in a matter of minutes. Infectious diseases are one of the biggest killers in the world. Almost 5 million children under age 5 die each year from infectious diseases worldwide, yet many infections are treatable if the pathogen culprit can be quickly and accurately identified. "In the realm of infectious diseases, this type of technology could be as significant as sequencing the human genome," says co-author Mark Yandell, PhD, professor of human genetics at the University of Utah (U of U), H.A. & Edna Benning Presidential Endowed Chair holder, co-director of the USTAR Center for Genetic Discovery, and co-founder of IDbyDNA. "Very few people have inherited genetic disease. But at some point, everyone gets sick from infections." It is difficult for infectious pathogens to hide when their genetic material is laid bare. Taxonomer opens up an entirely new approach for infectious disease diagnosis, driven by sophisticated genomic analysis and computational technologies. After a patient's sample is sequenced, the data are uploaded via the internet to Taxonomer. In less than one minute, the tool displays a thumbnail inventory of all pathogens in the sample, including viruses, bacteria, and fungi. The interactive, real-time user interface of Taxonomer is powered by the IOBIO system developed by the laboratory of Gabor Marth, DSc, professor of human genetics at the U of U and co-Director of the USTAR Center for Genetic Discovery. "Our benchmark analyses show Taxonomer being ten to a hundred times faster than similar tools," says co-author Robert Schlaberg, MD, Dr Med, MPH, a medical director at ARUP Laboratories and cofounder of IDbyDNA. Schlaberg was awarded a $100,000 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to apply Taxonomer toward decreasing high mortality rates of children with infectious diseases in resource-limited settings. Schlaberg points out that current diagnostic testing still relies heavily on growing cultures of suspected pathogens in the laboratory, which is often inconclusive and time consuming. Even with much faster tests like PCR, the number of pathogens that can be detected is limited. Schlaberg explains that Taxonomer can identify an infection without the physician having to decide what to test for, something a PCR-based test cannot do. In other words, a doctor doesn't have to suspect the cause of a patient's infection, but can instead simply ask, "What does my patient have?" and Taxonomer will identify the pathogens. In the new study, Taxonomer was put to the test with real-world cases using data published by others and samples provided by ARUP Laboratories and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Taxonomer determined that some patients who exhibited Ebola-like symptoms in the recent African outbreak did not have Ebola but severe bacterial infections that likely caused their symptoms. "This technology can be applied whenever we don't know the cause of the disease, including the detection of sudden outbreaks of disease. It is very clear we urgently need more accurate diagnostics to greatly enhance the ability of public health response and clinical care," says Seema Jain, MD, medical epidemiologist at the CDC. Another unique feature of Taxonomer is its ability to delve into human gene expression profiling, which provides information on how or if the patient's body is reacting to an infection. "As a clinician, this gives you a better idea, when we identify a pathogen whether it is really the cause of the disease," says Carrie L. Byington, MD, professor of pediatrics of the U of U and co-director of the Center for Clinical and Translational Science. "This tool will also allow us to determine if the patient is responding to a bacterial or viral infection when we don't find a pathogen or when we find multiple potential causes." She says that she sees the exceptional value of this tool for treating children, who experience more life-threatening infections early in life. "Seeing how a host [patient] reacts is extremely valuable; I believe this is a paradigm shift in how we diagnose people. It is why I wanted to be involved." In a previous paper published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, Schlaberg and his collaborators demonstrated that high-throughput sequencing in combination with Taxonomer can reliably detect pathogens, and identify previously missed pathogens, in patient samples. "Taxonomer provides a critical step forward, as it is extremely fast, accurate, and easy enough to use for implementation in diagnostic laboratories," says Schlaberg. ### Founded in 1984, ARUP Laboratories is a leading national reference laboratory and a nonprofit enterprise of the University of Utah and its Department of Pathology. ARUP offers more than 3,000 tests and test combinations, ranging from routine screening tests to esoteric molecular and genetic assays. ARUP serves clients across the United States, including many of the nation's top university teaching hospitals and children's hospitals, as well as multihospital groups, major commercial laboratories, group purchasing organizations, military and other government facilities, and major clinics. In addition, ARUP is a worldwide leader in innovative laboratory research and development, led by the efforts of the ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology. Media Contacts: Cyndee Holden, (801) 583-2787, ext. 3318, cynthia.holden@aruplab.com Peta Owens-Liston, (801) 583-2787, ext. 3635, peta.liston@aruplab.com Based in Sunnyvale, California, IDbyDNA is developing technologies to enable universal microorganism detection. IDbyDNA's mission is to help doctors and scientists to detect any pathogen in any sample. For more information about IDbyDNA, please visit http://www.idbydna.com. For Taxonomer, please visit taxonomer.com. Media Contact: Qing Li, qli@idbydna.com The University of Utah Health Sciences programs are internationally regarded for their research and clinical expertise in medicine, pharmacy, nursing, and health. Through the School of Medicine and Colleges of Pharmacy, Health, and Nursing, the University of Utah health sciences faculty conduct pioneering research in the genetics of disease, regenerative medicine, drug compounds, cancer, nutrition, and other areas. In addition, the Health Sciences programs also train many Utah physicians, pharmacists, nurses, therapists, and other health-care professionals. Media Contact: Julie Kiefer, (801) 597-4258, julie.kiefer@hsc.utah.edu Researchers at the Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS) at Umea University in Sweden participated in the discovery of a unique system of acquisition of essential metals in the pathogenic bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. This research was led by scientists at the CEA in France, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Pau, the INRA and the CNRS. It represents a new potential target for the design of antibiotics. These results are being published in the journal Science on Friday 27 May. Metals are necessary for life and pathogenic bacteria have developed elaborate systems to compensate for the low concentration of these essential metals in their environment, in particular within a host. The case of iron is particularly well documented with, in some bacteria, the production of molecules called siderophores that specifically capture iron in the medium. Researchers have now identified a new metal scavenging molecule produced in the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and baptized it staphylopine. The researchers highlighted the role of the key players that allow the pathogen to acquire a wide range of essential metals in the environment, such as nickel, zinc, cobalt, copper and iron (Figure 1). Three enzymes, whose functions were unknown so far, allow the production of staphylopine by the combination of three building blocks (D-histidine, amino butyrate and pyruvate). An export system expels staphylopine out of the cell where it traps the target metals from the extracellular medium. The staphylopine / metal duo can then be picked up by the cell via a specific import system (Figure 1). In the absence of these import / export systems, the virulence of Staphylococcus aureus was known to be reduced, although the origins of this phenomenon were not fully understood. "Remarkably, a few years ago we found that many, taxonomically unrelated, bacteria can release high concentrations of a wide variety of D-amino acids to the environment. Therefore, D-histidine might be just one D-amino acid of many that could serve as a building block for novel staphylopine-like molecules," explained Felipe Cava from MIMS/Umea University. The discovery of staphylopine, how it is built, and how it is transported by these systems could now lead the way for the development of a new strategy against pathogenic bacteria, by targeting their addiction to metals. Surprisingly, staphylopine closely resembles nicotianamine, a molecule that is found in all plants and that ensures the transport of essential metals from the roots, where they are collected, to the various aerial organs. The discovery of a similar metal scavenger in the three kingdoms of life (archaea, eukaryotes and now bacteria) suggests an ancient origin for this type of molecule. ### About the publication: Ghssein, G.*, Brutesco, C.*, Ouerdane, L.*, Fojcik C., Izaute, A., Wang, S., Hajjar, C., Lobinski, R., Lemaire, D., Richaud, P., Voulhoux, R., Espaillat, A., Cava, F., Pignol, D., Borezee-Durant, E. & Arnoux, P. (2016) Biosynthesis of a broad-spectrum nicotianamine-like metallophore in Staphylococcus aureus. Science. DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf1018 *Contributed equally to the paper. Participating research institutes: Laboratoire de Bioenergetique Cellulaire from the Institut de biosciences et biotechnologies BIAM, Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives CEA, Saint-Paul-les-Durance: http://biam.cea.fr/drf/biam/english/Pages/laboratories/lbc.aspx Centre national de la recherche scientifique CNRS, University of Pau: http://www.lcabie.com Institut de Microbiologie de la Mediterranee, Centre national de la recherche scientifique CNRS, Aix-Marseille Universite, Marseille: http://www.imm.cnrs.fr Institut national de la recherche agronomique INRA: https://www.micalis.fr/micalis_eng/Poles-and-teams/Pole-Risk/MicrobAdapt-Gruss Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umea University: http://www.mims.umu.se Introduction of building-specific heat distribution centres would bring improved efficiency, savings and lower emissions to Chinese district heating VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd and Nuorkivi Consulting analysed the suitability of Finnish heat distribution centres for Chinese conditions. China, which is already the world's biggest user of district heating, currently uses traditional joint district heating centres. China could benefit from energy-efficient and better functioning district heating. Introduction of building-specific heat distribution centres would result in 10-20% savings in energy costs and reduction in CO2 emissions. Building-specific heat distribution centres are not very well known in China. The World Bank implemented a pilot project on district heating in the Liaoning Province in China, where almost a hundred building-specific district heating centres were installed in ten sites. The Chinese Ministry of Housing, Urban and Rural Development (MoHURD) requested Finland to analyse the results and draw up a handbook on building-specific district heating centres to support the heating reform currently being promoted by MoHURD. VTT and Nuorkivi Consulting took advantage of the results from the EUR 360-million project that the World Bank funded in 2014-2016. China would benefit from energy-efficient and better functioning district heating The use of building-specific heat distribution centres allows direct distribution of heat to buildings and building-specific adjustment of heating. The benefit is that the long delay between the joint distribution centre and separate houses is eliminated. Water flow is also reduced by 60-80%, which significantly reduces pumping expenses. In addition, the traditional method is prone to corrosion, because water rich in oxygen can enter the secondary pipeline after the joint distribution centre. These problems are eliminated and the service life of the system can be extended, because a primary network ending at a building-specific heat distribution centre is a closed system. The buildings must be equipped with radiator-specific thermostatic valves in order to enable functioning of building-specific heat distribution and adjustable flow rate pumps in old buildings. The radiator can thus be adjusted according to heating requirements and the pump according to the need for water circulation. Savings in investments and operating costs In the pilot projects, it was observed that building-specific heat distribution centres produced major savings in energy consumption compared to the traditional Chinese district heating system based on joint distribution centres with 2 to 6 pipes and 30 to 40 houses connected to the network. The use of building-specific heat distribution centres saves investment costs on district heating networks, because only two pipes are needed instead of several. "We estimated that, depending on the method of implementation, 10-20% of energy can be saved," says Kari Sipila, Principal Scientist at VTT. The change would also save coal and electricity, and reduce CO2 emissions. When the heat distribution system is changed to a building-specific one, the investment costs increase 2.5-fold compared to those of joint distribution centres. Savings can however be achieved by optimising the network in such a way that the overall costs of the building-specific system can be even lower than when using a traditional construction model. As the operating costs of a building-specific system can be lower or at most the same as those of a traditional joint distribution centre, the life cycle costs of a building-specific system can be significantly lower. The investments made divided by the savings achieved annually, when calculated without interest, place the payback period at approx. 6.5 years, which may well vary from case to case. On the basis of the results obtained, the World Bank is in the process of launching a continuation project in Hebei Province. "Our goal is that Finnish companies would be involved in the implementation of these projects. This is a great opportunity. We must have good technical competence and a competitive price level," Kari Sipila emphasizes. The project was funded by Finnish Energy, Finpro - Beautiful Beijing, the City of Turku, Alfa Laval Nordic Oy, Hogfors Valves Oy, Kolmeks Ltd, Enoro Oy, Oilon Oy, Vexve Oy, VTT, and Nuorkivi Consulting. The results have been compiled into a publication that has also been published in Chinese. Minister Kimmo Tiilikainen handed over the report in China in March 2016. The Chinese ministry MoHURD distributes information on the project to such organisations as engineering offices and district heating companies in the area of Northern China. ### Electronic publication: http://www.vtt.fi/inf/pdf/technology/2016/T250.pdf Further information: VTT Ltd Kari Sipila, Principal Scientist, project manager of the project Kari.sipila@vtt.fi, +358 40 044 8713 Media material: photo A traditional Chinese joint heat distribution centre (above) and a Finnish building-specific heat distribution centre (below). Photo: VTT Further information on VTT: Olli Ernvall Senior Vice President, Communications +358 20 722 6747 olli.ernvall@vtt.fi http://www.vtt.fi VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd is the leading research and technology company in the Nordic countries. We use our research and knowledge to provide expert services for our domestic and international customers and partners, and for both private and public sectors. We use 4,000,000 hours of brainpower a year to develop new technological solutions. VTT in social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter @VTTFinland. TORONTO, May 26, 2016 - Seabirds exposed to even a dime-sized amount of oil can die of hypothermia in cold-water regions, but despite repeated requests by Environment Canada, offshore oil operators are failing when it comes to self-monitoring of small oil spills, says new research out of York University. Chronic pollution from many small oil spills may have greater population-level impacts on seabirds than a single large spill, suggest researchers Gail Fraser and Vincent Racine of York U's Faculty of Environmental Studies. However, seabirds are rarely considered in the monitoring of small spills from offshore oil production projects in Newfoundland and Labrador even though Environment Canada has asked that they be included. In an article published in the international journal, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Fraser and Racine looked at how offshore oil operators monitored and responded to small spills (less than 1,000 litres) for three production projects off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. In three high-profile environmental assessments Environment Canada repeatedly requested that impacts on seabirds be monitored following small spills, but this has not happened. "Industry self-monitoring of spills has failed to collect information that would allow researchers to understand the impact of chronic oil spills on seabirds," said Fraser, who along with Racine is calling for independent observers on the offshore platforms. "Many seabird populations are declining and understanding sources of mortality is critical to their conservation." Fraser and Racine looked at reporting and monitoring of spills between 1997 and 2010. The researchers obtained operator spill reports under an Access to Information request. They found there were 220 daytime spills. Reporting on the presence or absence of seabirds was done in only 11 (five per cent) of the cases. The Canadian Wildlife Service's seabird survey protocol should be followed when a spill occurs, but none of the reports showed evidence of that. The time it takes for a small spill to dissipate was also not in the spill reports and this information is required to estimate possible interactions of oil spilled with seabirds. "The lack of information on seabirds during oil spills indicates a need for third-party observers," said Fraser. The joint federal and provincial Newfoundland & Labrador the Canada-Newfoundland Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) is responsible for administering environmental assessment follow-up procedures, including monitoring and responses to oil spills. The C-NLOPB has repeatedly rejected calls for independent, third party observers on platforms while seemingly being incapable of enforcing Environment Canada's recommendations. However, during the White Rose environmental assessment process the C-NLOPB publicly acknowledged "that should such circumstances arise, it is fully prepared to adopt a different regulatory approach, including consideration of full-time on-site oversight of the operations concerned." While the circumstances were not defined, Fraser argues that "A failure to collect information on seabirds during oil spills for 13 years is sufficient to demand the regulatory approach be changed to include third-party observers." ### *Note: High res photos available, including the following. http://news.yorku.ca/files/Oiled-Thick-billed-Murre-Cripple-Cove-Nfld-Nov.-28-2004.-Photo-credit-Ian-L.-Jones.jpg http://news.yorku.ca/files/Oiled-Thick-billed-Murre-Cripple-Cove-near-Cape-Race-Newfoundland-November-28-2004.-Photo-by-Ian-L.-Jones.jpg http://news.yorku.ca/files/Oiled-Thick-Billed-Murre-Cape-Shore-Newfoundland-4-December-2004.-Photo-by-Bill-Montevecchi.jpg http://news.yorku.ca/files/Oiled-Common-Murre-Cape-Shore-Newfoundland-4-December-2004.-Photo-by-Bill-Montevecchi.jpg York University is known for championing new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our 52,000 students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-discipline programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. York students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world's most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. York U is an internationally recognized research university - our 11 faculties and 24 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Media Contact: Sandra McLean, York University Media Relations, 416-736-2100 ext. 22097 / sandramc@yorku.ca Writing in the journal Nature Communications, Zhu et al. describe new fossil evidence from 1.56-billion-year-old mudstones in North China. The authors interpret these fossils as the oldest record of multicellular eukaryotes so far. But their enthusiasm looks premature. Interviewed by The Guardian, the first author, Maoyan Zhu, raves: This totally renews current knowledge on the early history of life. The newspapers headline echoes the sentiment, reporting: Complex life on Earth began billion years earlier than previously thought. Science News is even more excited: 1.56-billion-year-old fossils add drama to Earths boring billion.' Renowned paleobiologist Philip Donoque at the University of Bristol agrees the discovery is a big deal and the fossils are certainly the oldest demonstrably multicellular eukaryotes. Yet there were already other, older contenders considered to be the earliest multicellular eukaryotes, most notably Grypania spiralis, coiled filamentous fossils from Proterozoic strata that are 1.3-2.1 billion years old. Grypania most likely represents a multicellular eukaryotic alga because of its complexity, structural rigidity, and large size. However, Zhu and his colleagues dismiss Grypania as a serious candidate for the title of oldest multicellular eukaryote, since, they say, Both the cellular structure and phylogenetic affinities of these fossils remain uncertain. This is strange, though, as one of the main authors wrote a few years ago that thesefossils are most confidently interpreted as eukaryotic. The newly described fossils from China are linear, oblong, or tongue-shaped carbonaceous compressions a decimeter long. There is evidence for linear striations, apical growth, and a basal holdfast, suggesting a sessile marine way of life. The preparation method of acid maceration yielded isolated cell sheets with a multi-layered network of polygonal cells from the same sediments, but no evidence for cell differentiation or different types of tissue organization. However, Zhu et al. hasten to say: We cannot unambiguously demonstrate that the cell sheets originated within the thalli, but the absence of other microscopic fossils or other evident sources for these fragments, and indeed the absence of comparable cell sheets with dimensions 41mm in any known Mesoproterozoic deposit, makes attribution of the cell sheets to the macroscopic thalli reasonable. Indeed, the fact that no such cell sheet could be discovered in situ of any of the numerous macrofossils suggests that they are of different origin. There is no reason why they should only be preserved in isolated form in the same sediments, but never in the same location as any of the 167 macrofossils. Consequently, there is not only zero evidence that these cell sheets have anything to do with the macrofossils, but there is positive evidence against such an assumption. Even if these cell sheets did belong with the macrofossils, they would not prove an attribution to Eukaryota, as no nuclei or any other cell structures typical for eukaryotic cells are visible. Furthermore, the differentiation of the thalloid fossils into a tongue-shaped part and a holdfast is not even a clear indication for multicellularity, as such differentiations are also found in some temporal protist aggregations like aquatic slime molds. In their articles discussion, Zhu et al. mention that, On the basis of the comparisons with modern organisms, the thalli were most likely photosynthetic, although one can imagine a possible osmotrophic alternative. However, except for this very brief statement, there is no documentation of such a comparison, either in the main article or in the supplementary information. No detailed comparative analysis is provided and no specific similarities are established. No phylogenetic analysis is presented either, and no derived homologue structures are identified that could support an attribution to Eukaryota or one of its subgroups. Nevertheless, Zhu et al. confidently claim, The new fossils provide the strongest evidence yet that multicellular eukaryotes with decimetric dimensions and a regular developmental program populated the marine biosphere at least a billion years before the Cambrian Explosion. That may or may not be true, but the article hardly provides compelling evidence for the bold assertion. Just a sentence earlier, the authors admit that their phylogenetic placement within the Eukaryota remains uncertain, even as the main text again claims, We emphasize that the interpretation of the thalli as macroscopic eukaryotes is strong regardless of how one evaluates the cell sheets. This boils down to the self-contradictory proposition that the phylogenetic placement in Eukaryota is at the same time uncertain and strongly supported. That such blunder nowadays can pass as proper science in the most prestigious scientific journals, enthusiastically received by some distinguished Darwinian scientists, tells you something about the pseudoscientific nature of large parts of evolutionary biology. Fortunately, some scientists retain a more skeptical perspective, like Oxfords Jonathan Antcliffe who states, There is nothing here to suggest that the specimens are eukaryotic, as opposed to bacterial, or Abderrazak El Albani at the University of Poitiers in France, who complains that the level of detail in the study was absolutely insufficient to tell us if these organisms were multicellular, eukaryotes or complex. Not least when it comes to evolutionary biology, science and science reporting could do with more such skepticism. Photo credit: Maoyan Zhu, via Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology. You dont have to hold an amino acid up to a mirror to see its mirror image. Amino acids (except for one, glycine) come in pairs, like gloves, on the real-world side of the looking glass. So do the sugars used in DNA and RNA; they are assigned a handedness based on conventional rules of describing their orientation in 3-D space. In all other physical respects, chemical and thermodynamic, they are identical in their activity. This makes them difficult to separate. The phenomenon is known as chirality. The chiral isoforms are called enantiomers of each other. Left-handed enantiomers are preceded by L- (from Latin levo) as in L-alanine, while right-handed enantiomers are preceded by D- (from dextro) as in D-ribose. A mixture of both hands is said to be racemic, or heterochiral. A pure mixture of one hand is called homochiral. With only rare exceptions, all living things use just one hand of these molecular gloves: left-handed amino acids in proteins, and right-handed sugars in nucleic acids. How this came about has long been a mystery, as four Chinese scientists from Tsinghua University in Beijing explain in Nature Chemistry: Despite biologys seemingly limitless diversity and the vastness of its territories that permeate into virtually every corner of the Earth, at the fundamental level of biochemistry, all known forms of life are narrowly dened by a single version of molecular machinery based on L-amino acids and D-ribose nucleic acids. Although rare examples of the use of D-amino acids, such as D-aspartic acid in animal brains, and L-sugars, such as L-arabinose in plants, do exist, the central dogma and most of the biological macromolecules have followed the homochirality established by lifes earliest ancestors. Processes that led biology onto this particular chiral path have remained largely elusive, even though experimental evidence for breaking the mirror symmetry has been reported and many theoretical models have been proposed. [Emphasis added.] As it stands, no experimental or theoretical model explains the origin of lifes homochirality by natural processes. Some experimenters have produced a slight enantiomeric excess of one hand or the other, but usually with non-biological chemicals, and nothing approaching the purity of lifes chiral molecules. Proteins and nucleic acids cannot work with mixed handedness. A single wrong-handed building block is enough to destroy DNA, RNA, and proteins. As we saw last year, checkpoints ensure that lifes building blocks remain homochiral. This purity of handedness baffles materialists, because their causal toolkit only includes natural law and chance. The probability of getting a single-handed polymer from racemic ingredients is comparable to getting a string of coin tosses coming up all heads. The longer the sequence, the more improbable it becomes quickly swamping the chance hypothesis. Yet as Wang et al. state, our knowledge of natural laws isnt helping solve the problem. Recently, an in vitro selected catalytic RNA capable of incorporating nucleotides in a cross-chiral fashion without enantiomeric cross-inhibition was reported. The fact that no known laws of physics and chemistry preclude biologys use of either of the two chiral systems, mirror-image twins of one another, has led to an intriguing question as to whether a parallel mirror-image world of biology running on a chirally inverted version of molecular machinery could be found in the universe or be created in the laboratory. Turning from origins to application, they describe their initial attempts to create mirror-image life: We reasoned that towards synthesizing a mirror-image biological system, an imperative step would be to reconstitute a chirally inverted version of the central dogma of molecular biology with D-amino acid enzymes and L-ribose nucleic acidsalthough reconstituting a mirror-image, ribosome-based translation system through the total synthesis of all the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and protein building blocks is still beyond the current technology, the total chemical synthesis of (small enough) mirror-image polymerases might be feasible. Here we set out to synthesize such a mirror-image polymerase and to test if two steps in the central dogma, the template-directed polymerization of DNA and the transcription into RNA, can be carried out in a synthetic mirror-image molecular system (Fig. 1a). (For present purposes, we wont dispute the central dogma, although biologist Jonathan Wells has written extensively on its problems.) These scientists did, in fact, succeed in getting some template-driven polymerization and transcription of opposite-handed amino acids. It was very slow, but it demonstrates that, in principle, life could exist in a mirror image of itself. Alice through the looking glass would appear identical to her mirror image, but would not be able to eat opposite-handed food! Commenting on this work for Nature, Mark Peplow explains why synthetic mirror-image biomolecules have desirable properties: In principle, looking-glass versions of these molecules should work together in the same way as normal ones but they might be resistant to attack by conventional viruses or enzymes that have not evolved in a looking-glass world. That makes mirror-image biochemistry a potentially lucrative business. One company that hopes so is Noxxon Pharma in Berlin. It uses laborious chemical synthesis to make mirror-image forms of short strands of DNA or RNA called aptamers, which bind to therapeutic targets such as proteins in the body to block their activity. The firm has several mirror-aptamer candidates in human trials for diseases including cancer; the idea is that their efficacy might be improved because they arent degraded by the bodys enzymes. A process to replicate mirror-image DNA could offer a much easier route to making the aptamers, says Sven Klussmann, Noxxon Pharmas chief scientific officer. Wang et al. took the smallest known polymerase enzyme, just 174 amino acids long, and laboriously constructed a right-handed counterpart. They succeeded in getting it to extend a primer from 12 nucleotides to 18 nucleotides in 4 hours. Getting it to 52 nucleotides took 36 hours a glacial pace, Peplow remarks. Nevertheless, it was an important discovery. Both the normal and mirror-image enzymes worked independently, without interference, when mixed in the same test tube. The Design Inference The researchers admit it would be a daunting task to build a mirror-image version of a ribosome where translation could take the left-handed RNA and translate it into a right-handed protein. Building a looking glass cell is a far-off dream. At this stage, though, we can draw some conclusions about chance and design. Peplow confirms that homochirality remains a vexing problem. He surely would have said otherwise if a likely non-random cause were known. In their research paper, the Tsinghua researchers also present their work as an effort to investigate why lifes chirality is the way it is. This remains mysterious: it may simply be down to chance, or it could have been triggered by a fundamental asymmetry in nature. But Steven Benner, at the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution in Alachua, Florida, says its unlikely that creating a mirror form of biochemical life could shed any light on this question. Almost every physical process behaves identically when viewed in a mirror. The only known exceptions called parity violations lie in the realm of subatomic physics. Such tiny differences would never show up in these biochemical experiments, says Benner. Benner and Peplow just conceded that natural law cannot explain homochirality. To a materialist, that leaves chance. For a short polypeptide of 100 amino acids to have formed by chance would be x x 100 times: 1 chance in 2100, which is approximately 1 in 1030. There arent enough probabilistic resources to make this likely to happen in a primordial soup of racemic amino acids. But then, even if it did, homochiral DNA or RNA would have to form independently out of its own racemic building blocks. Theres just no realistic chance of success in a materialistic world. Intelligence, by contrast, can easily select one hand over the other; consider how quickly an eight-year-old could sort a pile of coins into heads and tails. Another conclusion from this paper is that homochirality as observed in life is contingent: i.e., it could exist in the opposite mirror-image form. There is no chemical or thermodynamic reason why proteins must be left-handed as opposed to right-handed, or why nucleic acids must be right-handed as opposed to left-handed. The experiments show that chemical reactions can proceed just as well in a mirror-image world. When a choice has been made one way to the exclusion of other possibilities, and it is beyond the reach of chance, it gives indication that intelligence has embedded information into the system. Finally, these researchers demonstrate empirically how intelligence can embed information into a system. They purposefully selected building blocks of one hand to construct their polymerase. They had a goal, and a means of reaching it. If we rightly judge their work as a product of intelligent design as glacially slow as it was how much more the products of a cell that work rapidly and accurately, using machinery at a level of sophistication beyond our ability to imitate? Its logical. If a system on the far side of the looking glass is intelligently designed, then the system on the near side is also intelligently designed. Only a fun-house mirror could distort that conclusion. Image credit: Alis Photo stock.adobe.com. Poor GDP Leaves GBP High and Dry against Peers Today Sterling made fractional gains against the Swiss franc recently, though not by its own virtues. The recent losses recorded in the GBP-CHF exchange rate appear to have mainly been caused by resource costs. Although the cost of gold per 100 ounces previously rose supportively, the commodity price has dived once again today, hitting a low in the region of $1210. Bettering expectations, the latest GfK Consumer Confidence Survey unexpectedly rose from -3 to -1 to suggest that referendum uncertainty within the UK economy could be easing. With markets taking a largely cautious approach ahead of the latest US data this allowed the Pound Sterling to Swiss Franc (GBP/CHF) exchange rate to regain some of its lost ground. The Pound has been reduced in appeal significantly today, with losses coming in sizable amounts against most peers. Although GBP has edged up against the Franc, this is something of an exception. The only UK data out today has also been the weeks most impactful UK contribution overall, with second preliminary GDP results for Q1 falling on the year and remaining at 0.4% on the quarter. The news painted an alarming picture for the UK economy, on account of the fact that the services sector was shown to be holding up an even greater part of the economy than before. Here are todays CHF fx rates On Tuesday the Pound to British Pound exchange rate (GBP/GBP) converts at 1 The GBP to GBP exchange rate converts at 1 today. Today finds the pound to euro spot exchange rate priced at 1.152. At time of writing the pound to us dollar exchange rate is quoted at 1.148. NB: the forex rates mentioned above, revised as of 25th Oct 2022, are inter-bank prices that will require a margin from your bank. Foreign exchange brokers can save up to 5% on international payments in comparison to the banks. Limited UK Data may Leave GBP-CHF Rate Unchanged Tomorrow While today has brought with it major UK ecostats, the last day of the week is not expected to provide anything so impactful. Most notable among the coming weeks announcements will be Wednesdays mortgage and lending data, as well as the Nationwide house prices results for May. The coming Thursday will bring the UKs construction PMI for May, while June 3rd will see the announcement of the all-important national services PMI for the same month. Swiss Franc Mixed in Appeal as Rising Commodity Prices Conflict with Possible National Income Plans The perceived value of the Swiss Franc has been generally poor recently on account of positive domestic data clashing with a potentially momentous decision due in the near-future. On the positive side, the cost of gold per 100 ounces has risen, while the UBS consumption indicator has risen along with the ZEW economic sentiment index for May. Less stabilising has been the effect of the impending referendum on June 5th, which is being held to determine whether a world-first basic income scheme should be introduced to provide around 2,500 Francs to every citizen. Incoming Swiss Data to Cover Payrolls and Indicators Only one remaining piece of Swiss data is due this week, which is expected to cover non-farm payrolls in the first quarter. Forecasts have been for a slight rise. Following on from this in the coming week will be the KOF leading indicators result for May, as well as the current account printing for Q1. Additionally, Wednesday will bring with it the announcement of the GDP growth rate result for Q1, which has been forecast to rise on the quarter and the year. Swiss Musing on National Income Highlights Overall Wealth of the Nation Although forecasts have been for the national income referendum to result in a rejection of the concept, the fact that the nation is capable of having such a vote in the first place makes it clear how wealthy Switzerland is overall. As former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis points out: A rich country like Switzerland has the great opportunity to try out this great experiment. deepak.showri said: I wish to thank you in advance!!, hopefully i may hear some good responses back from you!. I am a 34 year old software engineer (ETL/Database Developer) from India having 3.5 years of experience in the related field.i am married and i have a 3 year old son. I donot qualify for applying a PR because i donot satisfy CRS score. Henceforth..my idea is to apply for a 1 year diploma course in SENECA COLLEGE(TORONTO) and the course(Database development/ september 2016 intake) i am going to apply is closely related what i am working now. Kindly suggest if there are any chances that i am likely to get a student permit ? I am not planning to apply to take my wife and kids along with me, it will be later after my course ends. any suggestions or help full tips are welcome. regards, Deepak. Dear advisers,I wish to thank you in advance!!,hopefully i may hear some good responses back from you!.I am a 34 year old software engineer (ETL/Database Developer) from India having 3.5 years of experience in the related field.i am married and i have a 3 year old son.I donot qualify for applying a PR because i donot satisfy CRS score.Henceforth..my idea is to apply for a 1 year diploma course in SENECA COLLEGE(TORONTO) and the course(Database development/ september 2016 intake) i am going to apply is closely related what i am working now.Kindly suggest if there are any chances that i am likely to get a student permit ?I am not planning to apply to take my wife and kids along with me, it will be later after my course ends.any suggestions or help full tips are welcome.regards,Deepak. Click to expand... It can bedifficult to get a study permit to come to Canada.First off, you have to be accepted at a college or university... there are specific rules that you must follow in order to qualify to apply for a Study Permit.If you haven't already secured admission to Seneca College, you may be too late for a September 2016 start.There are English language assessments required for admission to most programs (this includes Canadian students), and if you don't achieve a certain score, you won't be accepted.It isexpensive to go to university in Canada. As an International Student, you will pay more tuition than Canadian students... when I was in university in the 1990s, International Students paid 2.5 times as much as Canadian students, and this was at a community college.In order to get a study permit, in addition to being accepted to a program, you will have to prove to the government that you have enough money to pay the followinga) Tuition.b) Living Costs (rent, food, clothing, transportation, internet, cell phone, landline etc).c) Health Insurance.d) Any incidentals you may need.Also keep in mind that while you are allowed to work while you have a study permit, you are limited as to how many hours per week you work and where you are allowed to work.There is on-campus work available, but there are usually more applicants than there are jobs, so on-campus work is often hard to come by.You might be able to get ajob off campus, but employersask if you have the necessary visa (i.e. do you have a work permit) and they also have the right to refuse to employ people who are on a study permit.... I have seen ads that stipulate "no student visa" on them.Youget a student loan from the Canadian government to fund your studies, nor may you apply for any social assistance from the government. The onus is on you to prove, before you leave your home country, that you have the necessary funds available to fund your studies and your life in Canadarelying on social assistance.Also know that coming to Canada on a study permitautomatically qualify you for Permanent Residency. You must leave Canada after your studies.Youqualify to be able to stay if you meet the criteria for one of the following programs ... if you don't qualify for those programs, then you must leave Canada at the end of your studies. Sirap said: Good Day, has anyone been experiencing new wire fees with pension payments from Barclays Bank? The pension administrators say they ask that any fees be charged to them but TD bank ignores it and charges the pensioner. Been happening since February 2016, anyone else have this problem and have you solved it? Click to expand... Despite what many think/believe about banks they/you need to understand how banking works. The TD bank receives your pension payment via a wire transfer from Barclays Bank, probably in Sterling. In some way Barclays gets paid for this service by the Pension Fund.Do you think TD bank should convert it to Can$ and deposit it to your bank account and do this service for $0? I think it's up to you to recover the TD fees from the Pension Administrators. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate McDonalds Corp. protesters chanting show me 15 descended on the fast-food giants headquarters Thursday to demand higher pay, the latest showdown in a four-year battle emboldened by minimum-wage victories in California and New York. After camping out overnight outside of McDonalds offices in Oak Brook, Illinois, demonstrators gathered to picket the companys annual shareholder meeting. There were about 2,000 protesters Wednesday and 1,000 Thursday at the companys headquarters buildings, according to the Oak Brook Police Department. Organizers said several thousand fast-food, home care and child care workers from across the U.S. demonstrated. The protests highlight the wage pressure facing the worlds largest restaurant chain. Advocates are lobbying for a minimum wage of $15 an hour, and theyve already had success getting California and New York legislators to raise pay to that level in coming years. The protesters, funded by the Service Employees International Union, also are pressuring the company to let restaurant workers unionize. Were coming to McDonalds doorstep to tell the company and its shareholders its time workers shared in the companys good fortune, Angel Mitchell, a McDonalds worker from Chicago, said in a statement from protest organizers. We cant wait any longer for $15/hour and union rights, and were going to do whatever it takes to make sure our voices are heard. In preparation for the disruptions, McDonalds corporate employees had been told to work from home on Wednesday and Thursday. We take seriously our role in helping strengthen communities, McDonalds spokeswoman Lisa McComb said in response to the demonstrations. Every year, we and our franchisees separately employ hundreds of thousands of people, providing many with their very first job. Coping with labor costs will remain a challenge as McDonalds executes a comeback under CEO Steve Easterbrook. The company has reignited sales growth in the U.S. with all-day breakfast and value deals, such as offering two sandwiches for $5. Same-store sales rose 6.2 percent globally in the latest quarter. Customer satisfaction scores are up in the U.S., Easterbrook told shareholders at the meeting. The company also named Enrique Hernandez Jr., 60, as nonexecutive chairman. Hernandez, the CEO of Inter-Con Security Systems Inc. and a McDonalds board member since 1996, succeeds 86-year-old Andy McKenna, who announced his retirement April. Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot. While diners may be happier with the company, workers and union representatives are continuing their four-year-long campaign. Last year, McDonalds raised wages at its U.S. company-owned stores to at least $1 above the local minimum wage. The company also started offering vacation benefits. But the changes didnt apply to franchised locations, which account for about 90 percent of its domestic restaurants. Workers who prepare and serve food in the U.S. earn a median wage of $9.09 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While that amounts to $18,910 annually, many make less because they dont work 40 hours a week. In 2012, a group called Fight for $15 began pressuring U.S. fast-food chains, especially McDonalds. Since then, protests have been held across the U.S. and even internationally. The group has demonstrated at three consecutive McDonalds annual meetings. McDonalds low wages set the standard for employers across the economy, Sepia Coleman, a home care worker, said in Fight for $15s statement about Thursdays protest. McDonalds can afford to do better for workers. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate McDonalds Corp., which has pleased investors with three straight quarters of sales growth, is still facing workers calling for higher wages on the eve of its annual meeting. Protesters are planning to escalate their annual demonstrations ahead of Thursdays meeting, according to organizers that are funded by the Service Employees International Union. Hundreds of McDonalds cooks and cashiers are expected to set up tents outside of the companys U.S. headquarters in Oak Brook, Illinois, and stay there overnight Wednesday. In all, as many as 10,000 fast-food, home care and child care workers from across the U.S. will be protesting the meeting, the organizers say. The demonstrations highlight the wage pressure facing the worlds largest restaurant chain. Advocates are lobbying for a minimum wage of $15 an hour, and theyve already had success getting California and New York legislators to raise pay to that level in coming years. We take seriously our role in helping strengthen communities, McDonalds spokeswoman Lisa McComb said in response to the planned demonstrations. Every year, we and our franchisees separately employ hundreds of thousands of people, providing many with their very first job. In preparation for the disruptions, McDonalds corporate employees have been told to work from home both Wednesday and Thursday, the company said. Coping with labor costs will remain a challenge as McDonalds executes a comeback under CEO Steve Easterbrook. The company has reignited sales growth in the U.S. with all-day breakfast and value deals, such as offering two sandwiches for $5. Same-store sales rose 6.2 percent globally in the latest quarter. The actions weve taken are working, he said during a conference call in April. Customers are noting a difference and are choosing McDonalds more often. Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot. While diners may be happier with the company, workers and union representatives are continuing their 4-year-long campaign. Last year, McDonalds raised wages at its U.S. company-owned stores to at least $1 above the local minimum wage. The company also started offering vacation benefits. But the changes didnt apply to franchised locations, which account for about 90 percent of its domestic restaurants. Workers who prepare and serve food in the U.S. earn a median wage of $9.09 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While that amounts to $18,910 annually, many make less because they dont work 40 hours a week. In 2012, a group called Fight for $15 began pressuring fast-food chains, especially McDonalds, to raise their wages and allow restaurants employees to unionize. Since then, protests have been held across the U.S. and even internationally. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Sitting in the corner of a dental examination room on the West Side, Perla Amos watched as her 4-year-old daughter received much-needed dental care Wednesday morning. Amos sat beyond the bright rays of an overhead dental light that bounced off the orange leopard sunglasses her daughter, Brynlee, wore. The child was undergoing an exam that she needed several months ago. Its wonderful, Amos said. We werent able to afford the treatment. As Brynlee lay back in the examination chair, her expression flashed between a grin and a grimace as she was attended by Ana Lavermicocca, a first-year resident in the pediatric dental program at the School of Dentistry at the University of Texas Health Science Center. Say ahhh, Lavermicocca, 34, said as she swabbed fluoride across Brynlees teeth. You are such a model! The youngster never squirmed. Her only display of distaste for the substance was flicking a bit of the liquid away with her tongue. Brynlee was one of 200 children from local Head Start programs of the Edgewood and San Antonio independent school districts that will be receiving free dental care for one year, including preventive and urgent care and restorations. Wednesday marked the start of the program. The care was provided by 24 faculty members and residents, specializing in pediatric dentistry, at the Ricardo Salinas Pediatric Dental Clinic on the West Side and the dental school at UTHSC. A $25,000 grant from Healthy Smiles, Healthy Children the charitable arm of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry is funding the program. According to the National Institutes of Health, children who come from families with lower incomes or part of a minority group are twice as likely to have tooth decay. Dr. Rob Delarosa, president of the AAPD, said the condition could lead to pain, missed school days and poor performance. Delarosa said by the age of 5, 60 percent of children in the United States will have had dental decay that affects learning ability, growth and development. Its so important that we produce a cavity-free generation with our kids, he said. And thats the point of early visit and prevention, because we know that dental decay is 100 percent preventable. This is the fourth year the organization has sponsored a day during its national convention where local dental staff and volunteers from across the country provide free dental care to children in need. After Wednesdays exam, Brynlee thanked Lavermicocca and dental assistant Maggie Zertuche for their care. The wail of a few anxious children echoed in the hallway as Brynlee slid from the chair to her mother, holding a bag stuffed with items to keep a gleam in her smile. Lavermicocca said she decided to help youngsters like Brynlee after graduating from dental school in Venezuela because she noticed a lack of prevention that frustrated her. Coming to the United States gave her new opportunities to learn ways to help children and their parents. This will prevent a lot of complications and problems in the future, she said. I want to be part of not only their growing, but the dental part, too. vtdavis@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate After two days of stellar spelling including kamaaina and hydrophore 13-year-old Alex Iyer has become the first San Antonio-area resident in recent memory to make it to the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Iyer, a seventh-grader at the Geneva School of Boerne, will be competing today in the event taking place in suburban Washington. The bee will be broadcast live on ESPN2 starting at 9 a.m. The last rounds start at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN. The announcement that Iyer was one of the 45 finalists out of nearly 300 competitors from across the country was made memorable when he was introduced to the crowd and broadcast audience as the kid from San Antonio with the million-dollar smile. I was shocked, but I also studied hard, Iyer said by phone. I plan to do my best (Thursday). Im just happy for how far Ive made it and Im taking it all in. All competitors receive a dictionary and a Kindle; each finalist also receives a medal. The champion will take home $40,000 cash as well as a trophy and other prizes. Wednesday evening, Iyer said he was very tired and looking forward to relaxing with his parents, Reena and Rajesh Iyer, after grabbing some dinner. But I am going to do a little bit of studying, too, he added. He said he felt good about making it to the finals after successful rounds of spelling and vocabulary testing. He made the first cut as one of 172 from the initial field of 285. I thought to myself, I am happy about this. But throughout the day I felt mostly nervous and also confident because I had prepared a lot, the teen said. Iyer said his confidence was bolstered after speaking via cellphone with former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, the nations Housing and Urban Development secretary. Iyer said he has been a Castro fan since his days in the third grade and was thrilled to speak with the fellow San Antonian earlier this week. It has been an exciting and sometimes harrowing experience. In both of the oral preliminary rounds Wednesday, the cheerful teen looked calm and confident. Howdy, Dr. Bailly, he said when he walked up to the microphone Wednesday morning, addressing Jacques Bailly, official pronouncer and 1980 national spelling bee champion. Iyers first word was kamaaina, a long-time resident of Hawaii. He asked for the definition, language of word origin and whether there were any alternate pronunciations. Bailly said there werent and then gave the word in a sentence. Iyer shrugged, said the word out loud four times and then spelled it without a hitch. He did the same when he was given the word hydrophore an instrument for obtaining specimens of water in the afternoon round. This year's bee is proving to be the hippest, with many of the sentences used to define words making reference to pop culture, including Beyonce, Jennifer Lawrence, George Clooney and even Rey and Kylo Ren of Star Wars 7 fame. The bees going Hollywood and the kids and audience were loving it, cracking up at several of the sentences. However, Iyers mom confessed she was a mess all day Wednesday. She and her husband were emotionally and physically drained, she said, as they watched their son go through the preliminary rounds. It was just unbelievable. In Round 3, everyone was dropping like flies, Reena Iyer said by phone. When he got his word right, we were in tears. His whole row was wiped out. She was wearing her lucky pink sweater, she said, the same sweater she had on when her son won the San Antonio Express-News regional title earlier this year at Trinity University. Her pink sweater gives us all luck, Alex Iyer said. Luck aside, Alex Iyer has spent long hours studying to reach this point. He was working from the dictionary and as many lists as he could find, Reena Iyer said of her sons study regimen. The youth entered his first spelling bee in third grade. He made it to the final rounds of the San Antonio regional bee three times before being crowned champion in February, winning out over more than 140 of the areas top spellers, ranging in age from 7 to 15. The San Antonio Express-News is a sponsor of the regional spelling bee, now in its 63rd year. Alex Iyer said hes prepared to spell whatever words he is given today. I will just try my best at it because I want to make San Antonio proud, he said. Staff Writers Jacob Beltran and Vincent T. Davis contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Having skipped two grades, Savannah Villanueva was 12 when she started as a freshman at Travis Early College High School. In her senior year, while Villanueva was taking dual-credit courses through San Antonio College, an undetected ovarian cyst ruptured, nearly claiming her life and resulting in multiple surgeries. Working from the hospital, begging her professors not to drop her from their classes, Villanueva earned her high school diploma and associate degree at 15, but she had no money for college. Medical bills had eaten up all her savings, and neither she nor her parents could qualify for a student loan. I got into all these great schools and couldnt go to any of them, Villanueva recalled. When the Rotary Club of San Antonio gave her a $1,500 scholarship, she tearfully returned the check, explaining that she had to work for a year before starting college. Astonished by her situation, club members set up a meeting with Maria Hernandez Ferrier, then president of Texas A&M University-San Antonio, who offered Villanueva a full ride. She became the first in her family to go to college. Villanueva graduated from the university this month, days before her 19th birthday, with a bachelors degree in biology and minors in sociology and special education. Inspired by her autistic little brother and her experience in the hospital, she plans to pursue a medical degree. Miracles do happen, Villanueva said. If you work hard, you are rewarded. Villanueva and other Travis alumni spoke this week to several dozen students and San Antonio Independent School District officials at an event the SAISD Foundation organized to praise the high school four years after its first graduating class of seniors walked across the stage. Despite being so much younger than her classmates in high school and college, Villanueva said she grew up fast. To make friends in college, she became hyper-involved, holding leadership positions in the biology club and Student Government Association. She was Ms. A&M-San Antonio for the 2014-15 school year. Several other Travis alumni spoke at Wednesdays event at the high school, including students who went on to New York University, Colgate University and the University of Rochester. Angelica Ramirez, a member of Travis first graduating class, went on to earn a degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She now works in public relations for Frost & Sullivan. She said she is proud of how the school has grown since she was there with only about 100 other students. It was one hallway, five teachers, a principal and a secretary, Ramirez said. Our only friends were the lunch ladies. The school, in a former elementary school building constructed in 1898, now enrolls more than 420 students. This year, 82 students will graduate, 75 percent of them with associate degrees, the highest percentage ever, said Ray Hernandez, San Antonio Colleges dual credit liaison to Travis. The goal is to have 85 percent graduate with their associate degrees, which the school is on track to achieve with next years senior class of about 120 students, administrators said. Early college high schools target students least likely to attend college, offering them courses that count for college credit and the opportunity to graduate high school with an associate degree. They have proliferated rapidly in San Antonio in recent years, with South San and Judson ISDs now offering early college programs in all their comprehensive high schools. Travis is on the campus of San Antonio College, and the high school students can walk to their college classes. It is open to any student in Bexar County, but 80 percent come from within SAISD. Most of the students are designated at-risk, administrators said. The district also has an early college high school on the St. Philips College campus and an early college program at Brackenridge High School. U.S. News & World Report gave a silver medal to Travis in its high school rankings this year. That was one reason for Wednesdays celebration, which will become an annual tradition, said Judy Geelhoed, executive director of the SAISD Foundation. Fox Tech and the Young Womens Leadership Academy, which also ranked highly, were already receiving lots of praise, Geelhoed said. Travis hadnt been celebrated in the same way, she said. We got tired of people not knowing about it. amalik@express-news.net Twitter: @AliaAtSAEN The states two largest university systems want to run the national laboratory in New Mexico that helped develop the first nuclear weapons. Texas A&M University and the University of Texas systems have entered a joint bid with the University of New Mexico and private companies Boeing and Battelle to take over management of Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, one of three U.S. Department of Energy laboratories responsible for the nations nuclear arsenal, the universities said. The universities would conduct research, provide workforce training and independent peer review of the work done at Sandia rooted primarily in the realm of national security and nuclear science. In the Texas A&M and University of Texas systems, you have two of the largest, most prestigious university systems in the country with the expertise and resources necessary at Sandia, as you do with the University of New Mexico and its deep ties to Sandia, and I believe we bring an academic prowess that no one in this country can match, A&M Chancellor John Sharp said during an announcement Tuesday in New Mexico. Together, with Battelle and Boeing, our nations defense will be in good hands. Officials declined to offer many details on how they would run the labs, should their bid be selected. A&M leaders said its faculty and students would have chances to collaborate with the researchers working at Sandia. These are very unique, state-of-the-art facilities, A&M Engineering Dean Kathy Banks said. Our students would have opportunities with this type of partnership that they wouldnt have otherwise Those opportunities could include working in the labs where the first nuclear weapons were developed and where Americas nuclear arsenal remains. Sandia began in 1945 as Z Division, the design, testing and assembly arm of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, which built the atomic bomb. It became Sandia Laboratory in 1949. The effort to run the labs is as much about service to the country as it is research for the military-oriented A&M, Sharp said. Yes, joining the Together Sandia team will provide tremendous opportunities to create new partnerships and expand existing ones. Yes, it will increase our research and educational opportunities. Yes, we want to be at the forefront of preparing the scientific and engineering workforce of the future, Sharp said. But most of all, it is about service to our country to ensuring that our nations defense is second to none. The laboratory is managed by the Sandia Corp., a Lockheed Martin company that has run the lab for decades. The lab has an operating budget of $3 billion with 10,000 employees. Competition to run it likely will be stiff. The Energy Department issued a request for proposals to run the lab this month and is expected to pick the new manager by the end of the year. Leaders from Battelle, which helps run six national laboratories already, and Boeing said they were confident in the team theyve joined for the bid. A&M and UT, working in the bid as the Texas Research and Education Partnership, would sit on the board of directors for the lab should they win. Running the lab would be an unparalleled research opportunity for the Texas universities, Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement. Together, Texas and New Mexico can bring unprecedented research opportunities to our great state universities and would be honored to be entrusted with the management of one of our nations premier national laboratories, Abbott said. Courtesy / City of Bandera Cindy Coffey has joined the Bandera City Council, replacing Suzanne Schauman, who resigned mid-term last month in protest of Mayor John Hegemiers leadership. Coffey, a local retail merchant who formerly served on the city council in American Canyon, California, was appointed May 19 on a 2-1 vote and sworn in Friday, slated to serve until November 2017. Former Texas Comptroller Susan Combs used money from her political war chest to build a tool that parents and policymakers can use to compare schools. The Texas Smart Schools initiative uses a five-star scale to judge schools and districts based on academic progress and spending levels. The calculator guards against sporadic changes at a school by employing a three-year average to stabilize the results. Public education is one of the largest items in the state budget, so Texans need to know where their dollars are getting the highest return in terms of student performance, said Combs, a self-styled transparency advocate. The website builds on a past initiative known as FAST Tracker, developed by Combs office while she served as comptroller. The original tool sought to identify the states most efficient schools and districts, while the new project includes more nuanced measures of academic progress, eyeing student growth rather than raw performance. Texas Smart Schools is administered by Texas A&M University, offers educators a window into the schools of their top-performing peers, and suggests best practices that teachers can use in their schools, officials with the project said. TXSmartSchools.org uses recognized statistical methods to create better, more apples-to-apples comparison measures for spending and academic growth. We see this as an essential tool for educators who are seeking to learn from the best practices of similarly situated schools, said Lori Taylor, director of the universitys Mosbacher Institute for Trade, Economics and Public Policy. The rankings take into account student demographics, including schools and districts with high numbers of students who take more resources to teach, such as English-language learners and students who are poor, move often or have special needs. The tool allows users to compare peer schools grouped by these measures along with overall student enrollment and funding. Its important if youre a parent and youre trying to bring about change to be able to say, No, actually it could be better. See over here, they are able to accomplish more than we are. We want to be more like them, Taylor said. Combs, who founded Texans for Positive Economic Policy to support the program, said she has spent $190,000 out of her leftover campaign funds to finance the project so far. The balance in her Friends of Susan Combs campaign account hovers around $4.5 million. Despite the hefty stockpile of funds, Combs said she is not interested in laying the foundation for another bid for office. FALFURRIAS The number of immigrants caught entering the country illegally last month reached its highest level since the spring of 2014, when an unprecedented surge of families and children overwhelmed authorities at the border, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. More than 38,000 immigrants were picked up along the U.S.-Mexico border, from Texas to California, in April, the highest monthly total since March 2014. Of those, nearly 11,000 were immigrant families and unaccompanied children, compared with 6,360 a year ago. The continued upward trend has officials in deep South Texas bracing for the hottest months of summer. The Rio Grande Valley sector is the busiest along the Southwest border and, in recent weeks, Border Patrol Sector Chief Manuel Padilla Jr. has emphasized the dangers that immigrants face when they entrust their lives to smugglers. Since October, the start of the fiscal year, authorities in the Valley have recovered the bodies of 68 immigrants, compared with 69 immigrant deaths for all of fiscal year 2015. Meanwhile, rescues of immigrants have surged to 546 through May, up 6 percent compared with a year ago. All of us can understand immigration, both legal and illegal, Padilla said. What is not understandable, and definitely not acceptable, is allowing smugglers to commit these atrocities on the people that they prey upon. On two separate occasions in the past month, Border Patrol agents have found a 2-year-old left by a smuggler near the banks of the Rio Grande. The dangers are especially acute in Brooks County, a rural county made up of vast ranchland. Smugglers lead immigrants around the Border Patrol checkpoint through rugged areas with little or no water. Border officials staged an immigrant rescue Wednesday, offering a glimpse of the harsh terrain in Brooks County, where hundreds of immigrants have died in recent years trying to evade capture. The calls from the families of missing immigrants flood the office of Eddie Canales, who runs the South Texas Human Rights Center in Falfurrias. He coordinates with authorities, using the information he gleans from family members to locate immigrants who likely disappeared in the area. Still the calls from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico come pouring in. I think its going to get worse this summer, Canales said. If I had GPS coordinates for every call that I got Border Patrol would be swamped, because they dont have enough resources. anelsen@express-news.net Twitter/amnelsen This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Kin Man Hui /San Antonio Express-News Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Kin Man Hui /San Antonio Express-News Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Smiley N. Pool, Staff / Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less San Antonians and others who love the citys historic missions are being urged to cast their votes online, every day through July 5, to help secure a $236,000 grant to preserve part of Mission Concepcion. City and county leaders and others gathered at the mission Wednesday to kick off voting in the Partners in Preservation competition among 20 proposed national park projects, for a total of $2 million in grants. The local nomination needs to place among the top seven or eight in order to secure funding, officials said. U.S. Rep. Will Hurd paints himself as a defender of Big Bend National Park after penning a June 9, 2015 letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission calling for greater federal oversight in construction of the Trans-Pecos Pipeline. But former Rep. Pete Gallego, the Alpine Democrat, doesnt see Hurd as much of friend to the national park, which includes 118 miles of U.S.-Mexico border and is located entirely within the sprawling 23rd Congressional District of Texas. Gallego is challenging Hurd in the Nov. 8 general election, a rematch that saw Gallego narrowly lose to Hurd, R-Helotes, two years ago in the swing congressional district. Gallego has gone after Hurds voting record as a defender of the national park in an attack ad and news releases. In an April 29, 2016 release, Gallego said Hurd co-sponsored a bill that would militarize our border and allow 200 miles of new roads to be built in the Big Bend region cutting up our beloved park. Gallego said he was concerned about the Secure Our Borders First Act, or House Resolution 399, introduced by Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, on Jan. 16, 2015. The bill would bring an increase in federal agents and hundreds of new miles of roads Texas most scenic area. In a Jan. 17, 2015 video, McCaul said his measure sets new infrastructure requirements for each U.S. Customs and Border Protection sector along the entire U.S.-Mexico border. According to congressional records, Hurd was one of 15 original co-sponsors of HR 399. Ten of the original co-sponsors were Texas Republicans. The bill authorizes new roads across the entire U.S. border with Mexico, and it specifies construction in what U.S. Customs and Border Enforcement calls the Big Bend Sector. The sector encompasses 77 Texas counties and the state of Oklahoma 165,154 square miles. The Hurd-backed measure, which cleared the McCaul-chaired House Committee on Homeland Security on Jan. 21, 2015, requires 192 miles of roads to be built in the Big Bend Sector, on private and public land, which includes the national park. It also authorizes three Forward Operating Bases with detention space, power and water, and a helicopter landing zone, and 6 miles of vehicle fencing. Gallego campaign spokesman Anthony Gutierrez pointed out by email that the legislation in question specifically directs the chief of Border Patrol to prioritize the physical land border and to move personnel to the border. Big Bend National Park is on the border. The bill waives 16 different federal laws relating to historical preservation, conservation and the environment a major reason why a coalition of 85 environmental advocacy groups including the Sierra Club opposed the bill in a Jan. 27, 2015 letter to Congress. It also forbids the agriculture and interior secretaries from restricting Customs and Border Protection activity on federal land within 100 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, for the purposes of conducting a list of activities that begins with construction and maintenance of roads. Dan Millis of the Sierra Clubs Borderlands program said: Oftentimes these supposed border bills are disguised as border bills but theyre really public land attacks, he said. In addition to waiving these important laws, the miles of border walls cause flooding, fragment wildlife habitat and block wildlife migration corridors, and they dont work people are able to climb walls. That doesnt mean that the roads the bill requires would necessarily be built in the park, but it does mean there would be less of a logistical hurdle to building roads in the park than elsewhere in the sector, since the government could skip the hassle of eminent domain claims on private land. Justin Hollis, a Hurd campaign spokesman , said by email that the bill would not authorize hundreds of miles of roads through the park or threaten natural habitats. Hollis pointed out that the Big Bend Sector for Customs and Border Protection is far larger than just Big Bend National Park. But many of the provisions in the bill are specific to areas within 100 miles of the border or targeted at increasing border accessibility. Because environmental protection laws would be waived, Gallego claims the bill would allow roads to be built in the park but how likely is it that the roads would actually go through the park, as opposed to elsewhere in the sector? To find out where the roads might go, we spoke to McCaul aide Paul Anstine. The law mileage that you see in the bill were developed in close consultation with stakeholders like the Border Patrol and other people who are involved in the border security business but specifically where mile x of 190 would go, thats something that, in general, we defer to the executive branch, Astine said. Anstine also pointed out that since the 2005 passage into law of the Real ID Act, it has been within the power of the Secretary of Homeland Security to waive laws protecting national parks for border security purposes. Bill Brooks, a CBP spokesman in Marfa, said in an email he would not comment on pending legislation but that the CBP sector and the park have an excellent working relationship. In fact we have agents who live and work in the park. Additionally, we are most respectful of the environment in the park. As a matter of fact, when it is time to go off road to pursue illegal immigrants, we do it on horseback. We wondered whether other federal agencies might be able to shed light on the bill. A Jan. 22, 2015, statement by Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson offered a sharp rebuke of the policies outlined in the bill, calling them counterproductive and not a serious effort at legislating border security and its authors know it. The bill is extreme to the point of being unworkable; if enacted, it would actually leave the border less secure. The bill sets mandatory and highly prescriptive standards that the Border Patrol itself regards as impossible to achieve, undermines the Department of Homeland Securitys capacity to adapt to emerging threats, and politicizes tactical decisions, Johnson wrote. Our ruling Gallego said Hurd co-sponsored a bill that would militarize our border and allow 200 miles of new roads to be built in the Big Bend region cutting up our beloved park. Gallego accurately recapped key elements of the Secure Our Borders First Act backed by Hurd and other Texas Republicans in the House. The legislation would clear the way for construction of 192 miles of new roads, towers and law enforcement facilities along the border on federal lands in the vast Big Bend region of Texas. But whether these mandated moves entail carving up the treasured national park remains to be seen or, at least, Gallego didnt prove nor could we confirm that outcome. On balance, we rate this claim Half True. fioannou@express-news The floppy-topped noggin of Donald J. Trump is like a Rorschach blot: Its appearance depends on whos looking. For local Republicans, Trump at the top of the ticket this year looks like doom for local Democrats, who happen to see the opposite. The Trump effect one, Republicans will stay home on principle, said Manuel Medina, chair of the Bexar County Democratic Party. Bexar County Republicans dont trust Trump. Ask Ted Cruz. (Locally, Cruz trounced Trump in the primary.) And two, Medina continued, Democrats will run scared to the polls. On the other side, the chair of the Bexar County Republican Party sees a GOP sweep, and all thanks to Trump. I really do think were going to get a boost from the Trump factor, Robert Stovall said. Voters are very excited about the change that Trump is going to make in politics I think were going to see crossover with Democrats like weve never seen since the Reagan years. People are just not excited about Hillary Clinton, he added, and Donald Trump has some kind of aura about him that nothing seems to phase him. The truth, as usual, is probably somewhere in between. Bexar County Sheriff Susan Pamerleau, a Republican, embodies this nuance. In November, Pamerleau will face challenger Javier Salazar, a local police officer who defeated his runoff opponent this week. In 2012, Democrats swept Bexar County in the general election, yet Pamerleau soundly defeated her opponent, Amadeo Ortiz. There were only two Republicans who were elected countywide, and I was the only one who beat a Democratic incumbent, Pamerleau said on Wednesday. What I find in Bexar County overall is, weve got a pretty substantial group of people who vote based on issues and the person. Its not just pulling the lever. Local Republican operative Tom Marks echoed that. Part of it will be top of the ticket, he said, but it will also be the candidates themselves, the messages they make. Yet, local Democrats are more adept than Republicans at teaching people to vote a straight ticket. (In the last presidential election, 175,652 Democrats here voted for every candidate in their party, as opposed to 151,120 Republicans.) And hasnt Trump angered enough Latinos with his insults to Mexicans and threats of deportation? Stovall believes any backlash to this is negligible even in Bexar County, where about 60 percent of the population is Latino. Most Latinos here are second, third and fourth generation, he said. We are a working-class region in South Texas, and those people care about their jobs and their safety, Stovall said. We are in an unsafe time in the world right now. Planes are going down. Were waiting for the next shoe to drop here in the United States, and Donald Trump is talking about those things. Medina reads other things in Trumps strange coif. I sympathize with Robert Stovall having to stand up for what a majority of Republicans see in Donald Trump, which is sexism, racism and narcissism, Medina said. If (Trump is) insulting your community and denigrating people, youre turned off by whatever other chatter is coming from the candidate. If youre trying to deport my grandmother, he added, I dont care what your stand is on jobs, employment, foreign policy. Perversely, though, Trumps xenophobic qualities could prove his biggest gift to local Republicans. For Republicans in San Antonio, said Kelton Morgan, a local GOP consultant, its a godsend because it keeps Julian Castro off the ballot. Last year, speculation peaked that Hillary Clinton would pick the former mayor of San Antonio as her running mate. Trumps steady rise has tamped that outcome. With Latinos likely motivated to vote against the brash businessman, the Democratic nominee must woo a different demographic: the white working-class voter, the sort who somehow sees hope in that hairdo. bchasnoff@express-news.net WASHINGTON The State Departments inspector general sharply has criticized Hillary Clintons exclusive use of a private email server while she was secretary of state, saying she had not sought permission to use it and would not have received it if she had. In a report delivered to members of Congress on Wednesday, the inspector general said that Clinton had an obligation to discuss using her personal email account to conduct official business with officials responsible for handling records and security but that inspectors found no evidence that she had requested or received approval from anyone at the department to conduct her state business on a personal email. The report also said that department officials did not and would not approve her exclusive reliance on a personal email account to conduct Department business. It also added new detail about Clintons motivation for using the private server, which she has said was set up for convenience. In November 2010, her deputy chief of staff for operations prodded her about putting you on state email or releasing your email address to the department so you are not going to spam. Clinton, however, replied that she would consider a separate address or device but I dont want any risk of the personal being accessible. The report, as well as an FBI investigation and other legal challenges seeking information about her use of the server, is certain to keep alive a controversy that has shadowed Clintons campaign for the presidency. The events have all come to a climax just as she is close to defeating Sen. Bernie Sanders for the Democratic presidential nomination. Clinton and her aides have played down the inquiries, saying that she would cooperate with investigators to put the email issue behind her. Even so, through her lawyers, she declined to be interviewed by the State Departments inspector general as part of his review. So did several of her senior aides. Clintons campaign spokesman, Brian Fallon, issued a statement saying the findings that the problems with record keeping extended beyond Clintons tenure. Contrary to the false theories advanced for some time now, the report notes that her use of personal email was known to officials within the Department during her tenure, and that there is no evidence of any successful breach of the Secretarys server, Fallon said in the statement. The report broadly criticized the State Department as well, saying that officials had been slow to recognize and to manage effectively the legal requirements and cybersecurity risks that emerged in the era of emails, particularly those of senior officials like Clinton. It said that longstanding systemic weaknesses in handling electronic records went well beyond the tenure of any one secretary of state but the body of the report focused on the 30,000 emails that Clinton sent and received on her private server. The State Department issued numerous warnings dating back a decade about the cyber-security risks of using personal email accounts for government business, the report said, and Clinton was personally sent a memo in 2011 warning of hackers trying to target unclassified, personal email accounts. She was also given a classified, in-person briefing on the dangers, the report said. The report found that while dozens of State Department employees used personal email accounts periodically over the years, only three officials were found to have used it exclusively for day-to-day operations: Clinton; Colin Powell, the secretary of state under President George W. Bush; and Scott Gration, ambassador to Kenya from 2011-12. While State Department officials never directly told Clinton or Powell that they needed to end their use of personal email, the report found, they did do so with Gration, a lower-level diplomat who did not have the same political clout. The response to Grations situation demonstrates how such usage is normally handled when Department cybersecurity officials become aware of it, the report said. State Department security officials warned Gration in 2011 that he was not authorized to be using personal email for government business in Kenya. He continued doing so anyway, however, and the State Department initiated disciplinary action against him over his failure to follow these directions and several other undisclosed infractions, the report said. He resigned in 2012 before any discipline was imposed. The report did not delve deeply into the issue that has become the focus of the FBIs investigation the references in dozens of emails to classified information, including 22 emails that the CIA considered top secret. But it called into question the security risk of using a private server for what were clearly sensitive discussions of the nations foreign policy. It noted that Clinton sent or received most of the emails that traversed her server from a mobile device, her BlackBerry. Security and records management officials told the inspector generals office that Secretary Clinton never demonstrated to them that her private server or mobile device met minimum information security requirements, the report said. The report also disclosed an attempt to hack into Clintons server in January 2011. It said a nondepartmental adviser to Bill Clinton apparently Bryan Pagliano, who installed the private server informed the department that he had shut down the system because someone was trying to hack us and while they did not get in, I didnt want to let them have a chance. The attack continued later that day, prompting another official to write to two of Hillary Clintons top aides, Cheryl Mills and Jake Sullivan, to warn them not to send Hillary Clinton anything sensitive. She explained that she would explain more in person. The report also criticized Hillary Clinton for not adhering to the departments rules for handling records under the Federal Records Act once she stepped down in January 2013. Secretary Clinton should have surrendered all emails dealing with Department business before leaving government service and, because she did not do so, she did not comply with the Departments policies that were implemented in accordance with the Federal Records Act, the report said. The inspector general also said that while Clinton had turned over her email, she had not included those she sent and received in her first months as secretary from January to April 2009. In 2015, the Department of Defense also turned over 19 emails between Clinton and David H. Petraeus that had been sent from his official email account to her private account but had not been included among those turned over. Clinton belatedly turned over 55,000 pages of emails to the State Department which she said were all the records in her custody. But investigators determined that her production of those records was incomplete, and they found gaps in the documents that she turned over. The controversy over Clintons emails could force significant changes in the department, which has faced new scrutiny about its handling of records, including from the conservative watchdog organization Judicial Watch. The inspector general made a series of recommendations for the department, and a spokesman, Mark Toner, said they would be implemented. Secretary of State John Kerry also acknowledged to the inspector general that he had used a personal account at times during his transition between leaving the Senate and joining the State Department, but that after becoming secretary and discussing the issue with aides, he began primarily using his Department email account to conduct official business. Kerry said that while he occasionally responded to people who emailed him on his personal account, he would preserve the records. HAPCHEON, South Korea When President Barack Obama visits Hiroshima this week, a small delegation from South Korea plans to gather around an obscure monument there dedicated to a group of victims who endured more than their share of misery, yet whom few remember. As many as 220,000 people were killed by the atomic bombs that the United States dropped on Japan, most of them Japanese civilians. But 40,000 to 50,000 of the dead were Koreans who had been taken to Hiroshima or Nagasaki against their will as forced laborers or had settled in the cities after fleeing deprivation in their occupied homeland. Those who survived and returned to South Korea after the war were then shunned and denied medical care, partly to avoid upsetting the official view that the nuclear attacks were necessary to liberate Korea. Some were banished to leper colonies. In the debates prompted by Obamas coming visit, few have as many claims to an apology from Japan, from the United States, even from their own government in South Korea as these Korean survivors. Their unique experience illustrates the complicated, emotional politics of memory and morality that Obama must navigate when he becomes the first sitting American president to visit Hiroshima on Friday. If there is anyone he must apologize to, isnt it the innocent non-Japanese victims like the Koreans? said Lee Su-yong, 88, whose parents took her to Hiroshima in search of food when she was 7. We Koreans didnt start the war. Most of us were there because the Japanese forced us to be there. I met Lee in a special nursing home for survivors in Hapcheon, a hilly southern county that is home to about a quarter of the 2,580 registered Korean survivors still alive today. She said the explosion in Hiroshima and the ordeal that came before and after it still haunts her. The rivers were floating with bodies, because so many people with burn injuries jumped in there, she recalled. They gathered bodies by the cartload and burned them every day. Korean survivors are among the most ardent supporters of Obamas vision of a world free of nuclear weapons. But in a joint statement this month, they argued that the United States would have moral authority only after it apologized for the original sin of dropping the bombs and paid reparations to innocent victims. Many survivors also echo general unease in South Korea that Obamas visit to Hiroshima will reinforce Prime Minister Shinzo Abes efforts to present Japan as a victim in World War II, obscuring its role as the aggressor that started the Pacific conflict and committed atrocities across Asia, including in South Korea, which it ruled as a colony. I doubt that any of Japans neighbors welcome Obamas visit, said Gong In-bae, a Red Cross official at a special nursing home for survivors in Hapcheon, the only one of its kind in South Korea. If Japan likes to say that people killed by the atomic bombs were civilians, how about all those civilians it itself had killed in Nanjing, Korea and elsewhere? No wonder South Korea is moving closer to China, he added. At least China and we Koreans share and understand what the pain imposed by Japan was like. There is widespread suspicion among South Koreans that the United States is so eager to strengthen its alliance with Japan to offset Chinas rise that it is willing to gloss over unresolved grievances across Asia over Japans war record. Many argue that Obama should have put off a visit to Hiroshima until Abe visited Pearl Harbor to apologize for the U.S. war dead, Nanjing to offer contrition to the victims of the 1937 massacre in the Chinese city, and South Korea to face the comfort women who served as sex slaves for the Japanese military. Given Japans attitude, the mass-circulation daily JoongAng Ilbo said in an editorial, Obamas visit to Hiroshima was imprudent and regrettable. Nowhere are the misgivings more evident than in Hapcheon, sometimes called the Hiroshima of South Korea because so many of those killed by the bombing were from here. During its 35-year colonial rule of Korea, Japan forced Koreans to contribute to its imperial expansion and war effort, drafting them as laborers and confiscating grain and even kitchen utensils and farm tools. Many Koreans did not have enough to eat and fled to Japan, where they believed it would be easier to find jobs and food. Lee said she was among the more fortunate because she was allowed to attend school in Hiroshima and later managed to get a job at a bank. Thousands of others from Hapcheon were taken to Hiroshima to toil in munitions factories or worked on farms and in other menial jobs around the city. On the morning of Aug. 6, 1945, the bomb struck as Lee was arriving for work. The roof of the bank caved in, injuring her leg. The sky turned dark as it filled with ash, she recalled, and people roamed the streets with molten skin dangling from their outstretched arms. Radiation exposure may have contributed to the tuberculosis, uterine cancer and thyroid illnesses she later suffered, but Lee survived. When I visited her nursing home last week, residents sat in a large living room, watching television or gazing out a window at the lush greenery. Some were scarred or in wheelchairs, but most showed no sign of radiation exposure. Thats because those who suffered the most exposure and worst injuries died long ago, with little medical care. Survivors with untreated injuries were often sent to die in leper colonies, said An Jae-eun of the Hapcheon House of Peace, which provides counseling for survivors. When I was a kid, it was common to see people with unhealed injuries running with pus, said Shim Jin-tae, 73, who was born in Hiroshima and now heads an association of atomic victims in Hapcheon. Without medicine, he recalled, survivors often applied crushed raw potatoes or taro to their wounds. Society treated the survivors as pariahs. Their children could not find spouses for fear they carried genetic defects. Men would divorce their wives if it was discovered they had been in Hiroshima or Nagasaki. Like many others, I concealed my story, even from my son and daughter-in-law, one of the nursing home residents, Kim Il-jo, 88, told me. Compared with the comfort women, whose cause the Korean government championed, survivors of the atomic bombs endured a political handicap: They were victims of an attack by the United States, their nations most important ally, and for decades criticism of the United States was taboo. Even the number of Korean victims of the bombings is uncertain because the government has never conducted an official investigation, despite demands for one by survivors. Historians and survivors groups relied on early Japanese government data to calculate the death toll and estimate that 23,000 and 43,000 Korean survivors returned home. Survivors of the explosions did not receive official health benefits in South Korea until the 1990s, when Japan helped establish a humanitarian fund worth 8 billion yen ($73 million at current exchange rates). In 2003, they also prevailed in a court case in Japan that ordered the Japanese government to help cover medical expenses for registered foreign survivors. But the families of the Korean survivors are still fighting for recognition and support. And many are tormented by the belief that radiation exposure caused genetic defects that survivors passed on to their children and grandchildren. Han Jeong-soon, 57, one of the organizers of the second generation, said she blames genetic defects passed down by her parents for the bone disease she suffers from and her sons cerebral palsy. For others, the atomic bomb marked the end of the war and the liberation, she said. To us, it was the beginning of new pain and the start of a never-ending war. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Developers in some near-downtown neighborhoods no longer would get city incentives under a new plan after officials acknowledged that a proliferation of high-density projects are changing the character of those neighborhoods in unanticipated ways. Instead, efforts would be focused on downtown itself, where hotels predominate and incentives have not had the desired outcome of fostering residential developments. The new Center City Housing Incentive Policy would be better tailored for the challenges of building housing downtown, including the high costs of real estate, city officials said at Wednesdays meeting of the councils housing committee. We have to try to offset those costs through our incentive programs to make (downtown) viable for residential projects, said Ramiro Gonzales, who is the redevelopment officer at the citys Center City Development and Operations Department. It also would address the concerns of residents who have been battling to keep their near-downtown neighborhoods from being overrun by development, Assistant City Manager Lori Houston said. Neighborhoods such as Five Points and most of Tobin Hill and Lone Star would be left out, although the Lone Star Brewery site that is being primed for development would remain inside. The housing committee voted unanimously Wednesday to present the changes before the full council, which is expected to vote on them in June. Committee members said they expect the new boundaries to run into some local opposition for seeming restrictive, as District 10 Councilman Mike Gallagher put it. The geographic reach of the policy which offers low-interest loans, waivers of city fees and property tax relief for new housing would shrink to about 5.2 square miles including downtown, the near West Side, the near East Side, The Pearl area and part of Southtown. It currently spans 36 square miles centered on downtown but identifies the innermost neighborhoods as targeted growth areas eligible for larger incentives. Developments outside the CCHIP boundaries still could get incentives, but the incentive packages would have to be designed and approved on an individual basis, officials said. Council approval is not required for CCHIP incentive packages. This is no way restricts our ability to incentivize projects outside the boundary, Gonzales said. The changes would increase the size of the urban core, where projects are eligible for the highest level of incentives. The current area covers about 0.4 square miles in the central part of downtown, while the new area would span the entire 1.7-square-mile central business district, bringing Hemisfair into the fold. Construction loans for urban core projects would be forgivable after seven years in other words, the loans wouldnt have to be paid back if developers met certain conditions. Downtown has scored some big residential projects lately including two developments at Hemisfair and a 10-story luxury apartment tower on the River Walk but it hasnt enjoyed the housing growth seen in areas like King William and the stretch of Broadway near The Pearl. Many areas of downtown remain desolate, and many of the new developments announced recently have been hotels. The alterations to CCHIP could change that, officials said, building on the upcoming $175 million revitalization of San Pedro Creek and a new federal courthouse that Congress is expected to approve for Santa Rosa Street. Those are going to be catalysts, Assistant City Manager Lori Houston said at the housing committee meeting. We want to make sure we have the tools to allow that to happen. Mayor Julian Castro and the City Council unanimously approved CCHIP in June 2012 with a condition that it would be re-evaluated for extension after four years; their goal was to create 7,500 housing units in the downtown area by 2020. The program was part of Castros Decade of Downtown initiative to promote residential and commercial development in central San Antonio. Forty-two developments with a total of 4,288 housing units have taken part in CCHIP including many that are under construction or in design phase city documents show. About 2,700 of those are in the downtown area, while another 1,981 downtown units have been built outside the CCHIP program. Overall, 4,695 housing units have been built in the greater downtown area, meaning the city has reached 63 percent of its goal to add 7,500 units downtown by 2020, according to the city. Through CCHIP, the city has doled out $53 million in incentives for projects representing a total of $707 million in private investment, officials say. A more targeted approach toward incentives, I think, makes all the sense in the world given the fact that were halfway through the housing goal that we set, District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg, who is on the housing committee, said after the meeting Wednesday. Gallagher, whose district isnt included within CCHIPs boundaries, says he supports the changes to CCHIP because of the importance of preserving neighborhoods. Developers of recently announced projects have said they plan to apply for incentives under the program, including those of a 30-story apartment tower along the River Walk and of a $165 million mixed-use development at the northwest corner of Hemisfair. The Cellars at Pearl apartment tower under construction at The Pearl is making use of the policy. The proposed changes include several more rules to benefit downtown projects. Only urban core projects could receive full waivers of a SAWS impact fee; currently, all CCHIP projects can get a full waiver. The urban core projects also would be eligible for larger loans for retail and office space. Under the changes, every project receiving CCHIP incentives also would be required to go through the city Historic and Design Review Commission whether or not they are in a historic district giving the city more control over design. The Center City Development Office is putting together a separate incentive policy for the areas around the missions, which were declared World Heritage sites last fall and have sparked some passionate battles over plans for high-density development, officials said at the meeting. The policy area could stretch between Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard and Mission Espada, Gonzales said. City staffers are studying the housing market in that area to figure out how to design the policy for it, he said. rwebner@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Local developer Keller Henderson plans to demolish a row of buildings on East Commerce Street to construct a 10-story upscale apartment building along the River Walk evidence that the citys efforts to bring more residents downtown are starting to produce results. The Historic and Design Review Commission is scheduled to vote Wednesday on the project, named The Floodgate after a nearby bridge and floodgate over the river, which would be one of the largest residential investments downtown since the city began its Decade of Downtown initiative five years ago. The building will have seven floors of residential space and three floors of retail space, including restaurant space on the River Walk, according to HDRC documents. The project would remake a dilapidated stretch of East Commerce close to City Hall that houses a hot dog shop, a payday lender, a convenience store and a vacant storefront. A few doors down, Esquire Tavern owner Chris Hill plans to build a 24-story Canopy by Hilton hotel. The two projects will completely renovate the block, Henderson said. Were enthusiastic about our timing along with Chris Hill. The Floodgate, which has been in the works for about two years, will have 55 one-bedroom apartments between 900 and 1,300 square feet, marketed toward urban professionals, Henderson said, while noting that the design details could change. It will also have a fitness center, a concierge service and parking. The buildings most distinctive feature is a passageway running through it, connecting East Commerce and the River Walk, with retail space on the sides. Overall, the project will have 16,000 square feet of retail, including some on the River Walk. Henderson said hes looking for independent businesses to fill the space, such as a boutique winery. The passageway is intended to improve the link between Main Plaza and the River Walk and make the 40s-era floodgate a focal point, Henderson said, calling it an overlooked architectural element. Theres really not any residential apartments on the River Walk, Henderson said. The downtown community has changed and continues to change dramatically. The building will also have an automated parking system, according to the HDRC documents. Henderson said he hopes to have the project done within two years of starting construction, in time for San Antonios tricentennial celebration in 2018. Two of the buildings targeted for demolition are designated as historic landmarks, but their original facades were replaced in the 50s and 60s, and theyve fallen into such disrepair that theyre no longer commercially viable, Henderson said in a letter to the HDRC. In 2012, the commission gave conceptual approval to restore the buildings to create new restaurant space, but Henderson determined that the expense wouldnt create a reasonable return on investment, according to HDRC documents. In city documents, HDRC staff called the latest project very attractive and recommended giving it conceptual approval but said a stone wall on the site should be incorporated into the new building. Henderson will also need permission from the city arborist to remove a fig tree growing from the wall. City officials have struggled to attract residential developments downtown, but theyve had cause to celebrate so far in 2016. In February, Dallas-based JMJ Development LLC announced plans to build a 30-story luxury apartment tower on the River Walk a few blocks from the Floodgate. On Wednesday, the HDRC will also vote on a 21-story condo and hotel tower across the river from the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. In January, the City Council approved a 163-unit, mixed-income apartment complex to be built by local developer Area Real Estate as part of the Hemisfair revitalization project. The Floodgate is the first development in San Antonio for Henderson, whose interior design company, Keller Henderson Interiors, has its offices in Olmos Park. He spent years in New York City before recently moving back to San Antonio, his hometown. Henderson said some of his other projects include a boutique hotel in Costa Rica, an insurance companys headquarters in Manhattan and several renovations of townhomes and apartments. Local architectural firm Overland Partners is in charge of the Floodgates design. The firm has led prominent local projects including the Lenora and Walter F. Brown Asian Art Wing at the San Antonio Museum of Art and the renovation of the St. Anthony Hotel. In Austin, the firm designed the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the University of Texas Liberal Arts Building. Its also working on a few urban planning projects in China. rwebner@express-news.net @RWebner HARRISBURG, Pa. With the risk of bird flu diminishing, Pennsylvania has lifted its ban on live poultry shows and exhibits in time for the upcoming county fair season. After a year-long suspension of avian activities at the states 109 county fairs and the 2016 Pennsylvania Farm Show, state officials announced May 26 the ban will be lifted June 1. Instituted in May 2015, the ban was put in place as a precautionary measure to protect Pennsylvanias $13 billion poultry industry against the threat of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or HPAI, virus. While avian activities will be allowed to resume, if a positive case is confirmed in Pennsylvania or a contiguous state, the ban will be reinstated immediately. Interstate quarantine orders will remain in effect. No highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses have been detected in Pennsylvania since the 1983-84 outbreaks. We realize it was challenging for our exhibitors and visitors to have poultry missing from these events this last year, said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. It was a difficult decision, but the right decision, to protect our state against the HPAI virus. The prospect of another outbreak is always there, he added, which is why we have to remain vigilant, have flock plans in place and continue practicing good biosecurity measures. New testing Redding added that in conjunction with the lifting of the ban, the department is instituting new testing protocols to protect against the virus. The state has instituted a 30-day testing protocol for entering poultry exhibits at county fairs, Redding said. Previously, poultry had to test negative for avian influenza at least six months prior to the exhibit date. Now, per the fair guidance, poultry must be tested within the 30 days prior to the opening date of the exhibition. Contagious Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, is caused by an influenza type-A virus. Avian influenza viruses occur naturally in birds. Avian influenza diseases are very contagious and some strains can make domesticated birds (including chickens, ducks, quail, pheasants, guinea fowl and turkeys) sick or even cause death. While low pathogenic avian influenza may not cause high mortality in a flock, the H5 and H7 subtypes have the capacity to mutate into highly pathogenic forms of the virus, which, when multiplied systemically in poultry, can often cause very high mortality in infected flocks. A case of HPAI has not been detected since January 2016 when a strain of the H7N8 virus impacted a commercial turkey flock in Dubois County, Indiana. This differed from the H5N2 strain that caused the larger outbreaks in 2015. Since December 2014, the United States Department of Agriculture has confirmed cases of H5N2 in the Pacific, Central and Mississippi migratory bird paths. A case has not been found in the Atlantic Flyway. The department recommends producers have flock plans in place that address risk mitigation, depopulation, disposal and cleaning and disinfection methods. Get a farm ID Producers are also reminded of the importance of having a premises identification or ID, which lets the department locate and contact producers in the event that HPAI is found within the state. Interstate quarantine Last summer, the department issued two interstate quarantine orders, which remain in effect. The first was established in June 2015, requiring poultry moving to live bird markets and eggs destined for a commercial breaking operation, from states with infected HPAI flocks, to meet 72-hour testing, paperwork and reporting requirements that certify the shipment tested negative for avian influenza. The second order requires that all vehicles, conveyances, containers and materials that transport poultry and related products be completely cleaned and disinfected using commercial truck washing equipment or other equivalent cleaning and disinfecting equipment prior to entry onto a new premises or poultry operation. Additionally, written documentation of cleaning and disinfection must be maintained. Balmy temperatures and wet spells in recent weeks are set to offer the ideal conditions for blowflies to thrive, as new cases of strike are reported across the country, including Devon, Hampshire, Sussex and Wales. Met Office forecasters have predicted sunny weather for June, followed by more unsettled conditions later in the month, with rain and showers across the UK - this will give blowfly larvae the perfect climate to hatch and adult flies to lay eggs over the coming weeks. The timing and severity of blowfly strike is a direct consequence of local weather patterns, so farmers need to be constantly aware of the ever-changing seasonal conditions. As a result, sheep farmers are being urged to strike first against blowfly to avoid being caught out. According to a recent survey by Elanco Animal Health, 94 per cent of sheep farmers have been caught out by blowfly strike in the past, with one in five (20 per cent) suffering financial losses greater than 500 as a result. Studies of recent climate data have shown a huge variation in temperature, humidity and rainfall year-to-year with 2007, 2011 and 2014 seeing the three mildest springs on record since 1910. More than one in three (41 per cent) sheep farmers have noticed blowfly strike happening earlier in the year, the Elanco survey also found. Increasingly unpredictable weather Fiona Anderson, Technical Consultant Manager at Elanco Animal Health, said increasingly unpredictable weather is one of the factors behind the variation in the blowfly season, making preventative measures even more important. Fiona said: "Prevention is always best in the case of blowfly strike because it can establish very quickly if conditions are right. "Farmers have so many demands on their time it can be easy to miss an affected sheep. "An infestation can be easily prevented through the use of products which contain insect growth regulators. "These inhibit the development of the damaging second and third-stage maggots, which are responsible for causing fly strike and stock damage. "Its crucial we do not get complacent when it comes to blowfly the costs of inaction can be devastating," Fiona added. Gloucestershire sheep farmer David Sellar said: "Its frustrating to find a sheep affected by strike because, of course, when youve spotted a case, its too late and has to be treated as a disease, resulting in blanket cover for the whole flock if you havent done it already." The call comes as Elanco Animal Health launches its Strike First campaign, which includes a survey of farmers to assess attitudes to blowfly strike, and also sees the return of Elancos blowfly strike tracker. The tracker is designed to allow farmers to report and monitor which counties cases of strike have already been reported in so they can be prepared. Almost three quarters of dairy farms sampled in recent bulk milk tests showed some level of exposure to gutworms significantly compromising herd health and productivity. The tests were conducted by Norbrook on nearly 300 farms across the UK, from July to December 2015. Results showed a high or very high level of exposure to gutworm in 73% of samples. Rebecca Laborne, Product Manager at Norbrook, says these latest results from the companys Bulk Milk Tank Testing highlight a worryingly high exposure to gutworm in adult dairy cattle. "The results are quite staggering because gutworms have a substantial impact on herd health and negatively impact milk productivity in dairy cattle. "As well as decreasing milk yield, these intestinal parasites decrease appetite, and can have a long term negative impact on herd fertility." Norbrook offers free bulk milk samples to gauge levels of infection by measuring the antibody to the gastro-intestinal nematode, Ostertagia ostertagi. High antibody levels have been associated with a drop in annual average milk production of up to 1.2kg/day. Anthelmintic treatment Mrs Laborne says there are many benefits to using an anthelmintic treatment in adult cattle and these are typically more dramatic in herds with a high proven antibody level. "When appropriate, treating adult cows with anthelmintics has many proven benefits on performance. "This includes increased dry matter intake of up to one kilogramme per cow per day and improved fertility one study suggests that might be as much as a 20% increase in conception rate at first service. "Other studies show improved fat, protein and milk solids. Yield improvement after treatment can be up to two litres per cow per day," says Stephanie Small BVSc MRCVS, Veterinary Advisor at Norbrook. Eprizero is a pour-on solution for beef and dairy cattle for the treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal roundworms, lungworms, warbles and treatment of mange mites, lice (biting and sucking) and horn flies. The solution has a zero hour milk withdrawal period and 10 day meat withdrawal period. It is estimated that outbreaks of lungworm cost 50-100 per head in growing cattle, and lost milk production cost in adults could reach 3 per cow per day, resulting in losses of millions of pounds for the UK herd annually. With a 28 day persistency for both gutworm and lungworm infections, Eprizero gives dairy farmers the confidence of treating both infections simultaneously and is convenient to apply. Mrs Laborne adds that there is often a misconception that exposure to gutworms and lungworms in adult dairy cattle has no effect on productivity but multiple studies have shown this to be untrue. The European Commission has formally requested Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia to amend legislation on the acquisition of agricultural land on the grounds that it violates the free movement of capital and freedom of establishment. The Treaty of Accession 2003 provided new Member States with a transitional period in which to bring their national rules on the acquisition of agricultural land into line with EU law. Following the expiration of these periods in 2014, Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia adopted new laws regulating the acquisition of agricultural land. These new national rules contain several provisions which the Commission considers to be a restriction to the free movement of capital and freedom of establishment. This may in turn discourage cross-border investment. Some of the restrictions may be pursuing justifiable objectives as they aim to combat speculative purchases, or serve planning purposes and rural policy objectives; however, in order to be lawful, they must be proportionate and cannot be discriminatory towards other EU citizens. Today's request takes the form of a reasoned opinion. If Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia fail to bring their national legislation into line with EU law within two months, the Commission may decide to refer these Member States to the Court of Justice of the EU. Background The Commission sent so-called 'letters of formal notice' to Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia, Lithuania and Latvia in March and April 2015. After having received the replies from these Member States, the Commission is still concerned about the national provisions which are currently in force. The main concern in Bulgaria and Slovakia is that buyers must be long-term residents in the country, which discriminates against other EU nationals. Hungary has a very restrictive system which imposes a complete ban on the acquisition of land by legal entities and an obligation on the buyer to farm the land himself. In addition, as in Latvia and Lithuania, buyers must qualify as farmers. While the Commission agrees that national authorities should be able to properly regulate farm land markets to maintain such land in agricultural use and promote local development, it found a number of these measures excessively restrictive and discriminatory in terms of attracting investment in rural development. Who puts the malt in Maltesers? How are potato crisps produced and whats the buzz about honey? These and many other questions were answered for primary school children from across Norfolk at a Countryside Classroom day on 18 May. More than 400 children visited the Salle Estate in Reepham by kind permission of its owner Sir John White, for the bi-annual event run by the Norfolk branch of the Countryside Alliance. Organiser George Bell said: "The aim is to help the children make the link between farming and the food they eat and introduce them to countryside activities. "The Salle Estate got out all its massive farm equipment the cultivator, plough, drill and the giant combine harvester - they met cattle, sheep and other farm animals, heard from the farmer who grows potatoes for Kettle Chips and much more. "It was a fantastic day and I think the children had a fabulous time." The Countryside Alliances education charities Fishing 4 Schools and Falconry for Schools were on hand to introduce the children to fly-tying and casting and birds of prey with the help of Out on a Wing Falconry of Watton, and the hounds of the North Norfolk Harriers also put in an appearance. AHDB agrees to transfer surplus levy funds to new horticultural body In an Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) announcement last week Asciano said it had agreed to an FIRB request for an extension of time due to the Federal government entering caretaker mode ahead of the election. More than half of employees who work for CCS make $43K or more a year In early 2016, a vaccine scandal shocked China as millions of improperly stored vaccines were widely distributed and used. The affected vaccines had a total market value of RMB 570 million ($88 million). Right after the vaccine scandal, Chinese authorities began to investigate and arrest many suspects. On May 20, 2016, the Supreme Peoples Procuratorate (SPP) announced that the local procuratorates (prosecutors) in various provinces had approved the arrests of 125 suspects involved in the scandal. Among those suspects, 37 individuals were investigated for crimes related to their occupational responsibilities, including 17 individuals for bribery and others for abuse of powers. The officials caught in bribery cases include responsible officials of township health centers and county centers for disease control and prevention. They allegedly accepted bribes from medical representatives and vaccine sellers for purchasing the affected vaccines. According to the investigation, all the vaccines involved were produced by qualified and licensed manufactures in China. The problem was the storage and transporting of the vaccines. The Chinese Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) is investigating companies involved in distributing the vaccines. The CFDA has already revoked the business licenses of some companies because they tranported and stored the vaccines in illegal ways. Any administrative penalties imposed by the FCDA will not preclude criminal charges for bribery. The healthcare and pharmaceutical sector in China has earned a reputation of substantial bribery risks.The recent arrests in the vaccine scandal are further evidence that Chinese authorities are still cracking down on corruption and bribery in the sector. Both Chinese pharmas and international players will need to enhance their internal controls to avoid being involved in a bribery scandal. ____ Jianwei (Jerry) Fang is a partner with the China-based Global Law Office in the firms Shanghai and Beijing offices. He was a judge in China and studied law at Columbia. He can be reached here. I'm almost never not writing in my mind. When I sit down at the computer, it's to put down what's already 'written'. Hence, I've yet to experience white page terror. The 'plot', even much of the dialog is already there. Marlena de Blasi I don't sit to write at any particular time. No 'working hours' or even 'working days', no specific design. I often leave the computer for days or weeks only to follow the interval with twenty days of eight or ten-hour sessions. I travel repeatedly to many of the countries where I'm published. Apart from the business of publicity, I do so because readers are a writer's finest teachers. No matter where I go -- and here I'm talking about destinations with disparate cultures and equally disparate demographics such as: Rio, Warsaw, Paris, Sofia, Madrid, etc. etc. -- the audiences want to talk about love. About the dearth of, the need for, the betrayal of, the search for, the fear of, the futility of, the glory of. this from men and women, old, not so old, young, very young.often all of them in a single audience. What I'm trying to say is that the human condition, despite the culture that nurtured it, seems quite the same in all of us. I've never owned or borrowed of even used (or know how to use) a cell phone or any other sort of electronic equipment. No i-pod, no tablet, nothing. (also no television) No pride, no shame here, just the way it is and has aways been. One lives quite well electronically 'unarmed'. A land-line serves as does the international post. I've written eight books on the same word processor. (the first two books I scratched out with a vintage Mont Blank in dark brown ink on endless yellow pads) I use electronic mail via a lumbering, brittle-boned Windows program. And that's it. Expatriate life in Italy is not for the faint-hearted. (Surely the same must be true no matter where one lands) One who yearns for Italy, convinced it would diffuse if not heave to-the-winds life's demons need only consider that demons are travelling things, loyal to the end. They manage to depart and arrive and set up to stay with us, close as skin. A change of geography is most often nothing more than that. After 24 years of living in Italy, I still reach for the wisdom of Andre Gide : if one wishes to discover new lands, one must consent to stay a very long time at sea. And of Rilke: if the angels deem to come, they'll come not because of your tears but for your constant resolve to always be beginning to be a beginner. An ancient phrase is quoted often here in Umbria, Italy espcially among the rural Umbrians: Voglio che la morte mi trovi ballando. I want death to find me dancing. I find it a most inspiring desire. I miss -- often to the point of startling spiritual pain -- mothering babies and young children, even adolescents. A gorgeous old Tuscan called Barlozzo was and remains a central figure in my Italian life. He had a way of 'revealing' to me what he sensed I already knew. He was a master at refreshing, re-enforcing old truths. One of his lessons was in the art of making a symbolic X, the very delicate art of being able to 'cancel' a person from our lives when the pain they bring begins to weigh more than joy. He was all about kindness, tenderness and so he would say : It's not necessary to press but don't leave any doubt of the significance of the 'X'. In other words, when something is over, it's over. Decide. Then close the door. And then, lock it. He would take every opportunity to re-enforce his theory that: no one changesone can grow IF the fundamental sap which growth demands is present. But one's character, one's way of being and moving through life is eternal as the cut of one's eyes. I think I die a little each time I finish a book. I wish you were coming to lunch today. The Umbrian Thursday Night Supper Club by Marlena de Blasi is out now, published by Windmill, priced 8.99 Rebel Wilson would appear naked for the right film role. Rebel Wilson The 36-year-old Australian actress recently used a body double in Sacha Baron Cohen's 'The Brothers Grimsby', but has revealed she would be willing to appear on screen without any clothing if the right opportunity presented itself. Of 'The Brothers Grimsby' scene, she recalled: "They wanted full-frontal nudity. We write in the contract, specifically, 'No nudity.' "They got in another girl - this larger burlesque dancer from South Africa - to be a nude double. And they got her to do all this stuff. Sacha would go, 'See, she looks good.' I'm like, 'I'm not doing it. I don't care what you say.'" However, Rebel suggested she would be willing to star nude in a scene for a more serious movie. She told Marie Claire magazine: "You want to know that the people [behind the camera] have a certain sensibility and decency. And a lot of times in comedy they're not those people." Despite this assertion, Rebel revealed she was markedly less self-confident as a child than she is now, admitting her mother insisted she took acting classes as a means of overcoming the problem. She shared: "I was so unusually shy, bordering on a social disorder. So my mum - one day she drives me to this community acting class. I was holding on to the car door and crying. She had to peel me off the car. She's like, 'I'll pick you up in two hours,' And she left me." Earlier this week, meanwhile, it was announced that Rebel is to make her West End debut in 'Guys And Dolls'. She is joining the cast of the London production for an eight-week stint as Miss Adelaide over the summer, and revealed she feels "honoured" to have been offered the role. Victoria Beckham's pop career may have been something only hugely successful through her time with the Spice Girls, but her biggest fans can be happy in the news today of her old R&B demos leaking online. Though she turned her back on music years ago, the tracks have now come to light, which she recorded for a solo album with Damon Dash. 17 studio songs feature on the disc which appeared on eBay last month, and they've now been uploaded to streaming websites including YouTube and SoundCloud. Titled 'Come Together', the record was recorded following the Spice Girls split in 2000, following some of Victoria's original solo material such as 'You're Out Of Your Mind'. In 2003, Dash spoke out in an interview with the Evening Standard and claimed: "Because Victoria's record company aren't happy about the fact that she came over to New York to work with me they are putting out stories. Before anyone's even heard the album they were making things up. "I heard a story that Victoria was calling herself the female Eminem. That's just dumb. She never said that." Changing her career path to one of fashion, Victoria then went on to launch her own clothing brand which has really taken off with a flagship shop in London. by Daniel Falconer for www.femalefirst.co.uk find me on and follow me on Britain's Prince Charles is "so down to earth". Britain's Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall made their first official visit to County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday (25.05.16) and chatted to delighted residents, who said the heir apparent made everyone feel at ease. Roisin McCool, principal of Irish speaking school Gaelscoil na gCeithre Maistri, said it was an honour for the children to perform Irish dancing for the royals and added: "We were absolutely honoured and privileged to be here today to be singing and dancing and playing music for Prince Charles and Camilla. "It went fantastic and they loved it. Everybody was so down to earth he was absolutely lovely and he was talking to the kids and us. "The kids sang their hearts out and they played so well and danced fantastically well. So I was over the moon and delighted for them all." And Camilla, 68, and her 67-year-old husband gave the county a "tourist boost," according to Donegal Castle's manager Sean McLoone. He told the BBC: "It went very very well, the sun shone which always helps and I thought the castle looked resplendent and certainly the royal highnesses expressed their thanks, they enjoyed their tour. "There was a lot of smiles all round. I think its very important from a tourist perspective because a lot of our visitors would be traditionally from England anyway." Meanwhile, the Duke of Cornwall described the county - which is home to Glenveagh National Park - as "a place of dramatic and beautiful scenery, of music and storytelling, of myth, legend and the Irish language" and a place "where the link between man and the land is still so well understood". There has been ample proof in the form of celeb sightings in Banarasi couture to conclude that the revival of the traditional weaves of Varanasi are back in the fashion spotlight. Bollywood and fashion fraternity's patronage to Banarasi saris has led to a demand for replicas of the designs adorned by them. Local manufacturers and weavers in Varanasi are working overtime to meet the demand for such 'inspired' clothing. Cop that Celeb style Take for example Kaushik Selat, a manufacturer of Banarasi saris and fabrics, who recently got a silk kimkhab (traditional weave of Banaras) sari made for a customer from Mumbai. "The lady was quite taken in by a similar sari showcased by designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee. She wanted us to create a similar sari, which took us three months to complete," shares Kaushik, adding that hers is not a solitary case. "We are getting queries every day from cities like Mumbai and Delhi for celebrity inspired saris. In fact, the Banarasi sari business, which used to earlier slow down after January, is doing well even in the usually dull months of the year," he says. Not just individual buyers, but retailers too have been placing orders for saris inspired by designer weaves. Local textile manufacturer, Muqeem Akhtar, has witnessed a steep demand for check-patterned Banarasi saris ever since it was showcased by celebrity designer Manish Malhotra in his collection. "The designer had showcased a multi-check patterned Banarasi sari in cotton with silk border at the Make in India show earlier this year, which was sported by some actresses as well later. That has led to increase in demand for similar saris from retailers across the country that we cater to. We had to get the saris especially woven as we have already exhausted our stock," says Akhtar. With Bollywood stars also taking to Banarasi in a big way, the demand for look-alikes is on the rise. Bharat Shah, a prominent textile manufacturers in Varanasi agrees that celebrities do impact the market. "For instance, actors like Sonam Kapoor, Vidya Balan and Gauahar Khan, who have shopped for Banarasi saris and fabrics on their visit to the city and uploaded pictures of the same on Instagram, have generated a new market for Banarasi fabrics. When their pictures came out on social media, we started getting a lot of queries for similar garments/fabrics. We sold nearly 100 pieces of garments and fabrics similar to those bought by these celebrities from us," he says. Designer wear, local prices The reason, say those in the Banarasi weaving industry, for such requests is simple - while designer wear doesn't fit everyone's budget, it is affordability which goes in favour of celebrity or designer inspired Banarasi garments. "Recently, I was approached by an acquaintance for Banarasi fabric to be custom-made for her entire family. She had checked clothing by different designers and had liked an ensemble created by designer Sabyasachi, in which Banarasi fabric has been used," says Vaibhav Kapoor, manufacturer and member of the All India Handloom Board. "Since the original was beyond her budget, she had sent me a photograph of a model wearing it, requesting to get a similar pattern made, without of course, the value addition provided by the designer. The garment will now cost her between `15,000-20,000 - much, much cheaper than the original and well within her budget," adds Kapoor. The advanced technology is also facilitating these manufacturers to make copies of these fabrics therefore making it affordable for the average customer. "Technology is making it possible to create similar fabrics. It is only the discerning eyes which can make out the difference between a handloom and power loom fabric," says Rajat Pathak, a textile manufacturer and exporter in Banaras, who was sent a picture of a designer sherwani in handloom brocade by a customer demanding a similar patterned fabric. "The customer had provided me with a price bracket within which I had to get the fabric made. The original fabric would have cost around `3000 per metre, while the one made by us on power loom will cost `500 per meter, which is very affordable for the customer," says Pathak. Copyright violations? Hemang Agarwal, textile designer and manufacturer in Banaras says that this demand for look-alike garments or fabrics has a remote chance of flouting copyright rules as most of these designs use traditional motifs that have been around since time immemorial, and have evolved over the years. "Nobody has a copyright over this. It is only when some designer develops his or her own pattern and makes it part of his or her collection, and if that is copied, then it amounts to infringement of copyright," he clarifies. Designers, on their part, know their clothes are replicated for half the price. On one of his visits to Lucknow, Gaurang Shah, who designs saris in traditional weaves, had said he takes it in his stride now. "They can copy what I have created, but I can always create something new," he had said. Meera.Vohra@timesgroup.com Next Story : Not Your Average Gift: Our Handpicked Thoughtful Diwali Gifts While we love ogling at red carpet fashion, sometimes the niftiest style tricks are often spotted out in the real world. Thats why we asked streetstyle photographer Samir Rana to capture the most trendy professionals in the fashion biz, out on the streets and asked them how they merge Indian and western elements into their daily wear. Shweta Sharma 27, Mumbai, celebrity stylist Im wearing a NorBlack NorWhite fringed top with Zara skinnies, and have paired it with regional jewellerya parandi that Im wearing as a headband and a silver choker from an antique shop in Kashmir. To complete the fusion, Ive worn polka-dotted Asos platforms. Latest data released by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reveals that maternal deaths in the city have reduced this year. However, health experts warn that infections among woman who have given birth are on the rise. A high number of deaths have been caused due to infectious diseases such as hepatitis A and E infections, sepsis, haemorrhage and TB. Post birth infections on the rise Says gynaecologist Dr Suman Bijlani, "A woman's body undergoes tremendous changes during pregnancy. During childbirth, there is blood loss, strain on the pelvic organs as well as extreme physical exertion. Not to mention pain and stitches if any. After childbirth, her bodily systems gradually return to normal in about six weeks somewhat akin to convalescence. This six week period is known as the puerperium. During this period, a woman also undergoes hormonal changes and breastfeeds her baby, which further draws on her resources. As a result, her immunity is low and she is utterly vulnerable to infections, especially urinary, breast, pelvic infection (infection of the uterus) and wound infection of episiotomy (vulval stitches after normal vaginal delivery) or caesarean wound. Breast infection (mastitis) which is often due to faulty breastfeeding techniques, may even result in abscess formation, which is quite common. Of course, she is also susceptible to any other infection such as cold, cough, intestinal and skin infections." Adds consultant gynaecologist and obstetrics Dr Bandita Sinha, "During a normal delivery if the woman has had prolonged labour, the vaginal opening is prone to infections. Those having assisted vaginal delivery are at higher risk of infections than those with spontaneous vaginal delivery. The water ruptures and it is vulnerable to bacteria. These vaginal microorganisms may travel up the uterus and cause infections. The most common infection is that of the uterus and the surrounding tissues called puerperal sepsis. During caesarean section delivery, the wounds that occur, post-surgery need to be treated with great hygiene. Women who have caesarean deliveries are significantly at higher risk of endometritis especially if it has occurred after long labour or rupture of membranes. Since the immunity of the woman is extremely low post delivery, it is important for the doctors and the staff to observe the patient and make sure she is well taken care of in the hospital." How can these be avoided? Infections can be dangerous if they go undetected or untreated. Explains Dr Sinha, "They could lead to kidney problems, blood clots or even sepsis if the infection reaches the bloodstream. Doctors recommend choosing clean and hygienic hospitals for childbirth. A woman should maintain personal hygiene and keep herself clean and free from moisture. Wash your hands before touching the perineal area and wipe from front to back after using the washroom. Overall awareness is necessary and should be provided to new mothers post-delivery." Prevention, however, is the best cure. Adds Dr Bijlani, "Maintaining hygiene is of utmost importance. Other measures include: - Get adequate rest and sleep: Most new mothers are sleep deprived. Try to sleep when the baby sleeps. - Supportive environment: A new mother is already drained and in negative balance. She should only take care of herself and her baby avoid household chores. She should be given psychological support by the family who should participate in baby care. - Healthy wholesome homemade food: A woman needs about 500 calories extra daily to account for loss in breast milk. Include lots of vegetables especially greens, sprouts, whole grains, cereals, fruits, dairy products and nuts. - Iron, calcium and other nutritional supplements: As may be prescribed by the doctor. - Regular exercise: Start exercising as soon as the doctor approves. It should be gradual and preferably under professional guidance. - Stay put: It is also important to avoid crowds and people with contagious infections in the initial weeks after giving birth." Things that happen before, during and after childbirth Treatment Visit the doctor at the first sign of post-partum fever or infection. Says Dr Sinha, "The doctor may advise symptomatic treatment initially and prescribe antibiotics and pain killers, which will be breastfeeding friendly. Hot fermentation is also advised along with drinking lots of fluids. In cases where there is breast infection, doctors may prescribe some ointments or cream for application apart from antibiotics. In severe cases, urine or blood will be sent for a culture test in order to investigate the cause of infection. If the infection persists where there is an abyss formation, then surgery may be advised." Adds Dr Bijlani, "Treatment depends on the type of infection as well as the general condition of the mother. Early diagnosis, investigations (especially culture of urine/ blood/ vagina) and prompt treatment with antibiotics is mandatory. If infection is mild, she can be treated on an outpatient basis. In early stages, mastitis can be corrected by improving the breastfeeding technique and removal of milk via a breast pump. If the infection does not improve, antibiotics may be necessary. In some cases, abscess may develop and require surgical drainage. Breastfeeding should be resumed as soon as possible. A pelvic infection is one of the most dangerous infections to acquire in this period and should be treated aggressively. A woman needs to be admitted and started on intravenous antibiotics. Good hydration, nursing care, wound care and close monitoring are needed." Next Story : Not Your Average Gift: Our Handpicked Thoughtful Diwali Gifts All tobacco products and liquor bottles may soon carry a label warning sellers and buyers that giving or selling the intoxicants to a child may land them in jail for seven years or bring a fine of up to a lakh, or both. The provisions are part of draft rules under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, and come at a time when tobacco companies are resisting a recent directive that mandates them to print pictorial warnings depicting the ill effects of its various products on 85% of the surface area of packets. The draft rules, released by women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi on Wednesday, also mandate that tobacco products or liquor not be sold within 200 metres of a child care institution or Juvenile Justice Board office. Shops selling liquor and tobacco products will also have to carry similar warnings if the draft rules are accepted. Maneka has written to the health ministry urging that the advisory against sale of cigarettes to children be printed on packets. The present Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Product (Prohibition of Advertisement & Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act prohibits sale of cigarettes or other tobacco products to people aged below 18 years and in areas within a 100-metre radius of educational institutions. Next Story : Not Your Average Gift: Our Handpicked Thoughtful Diwali Gifts One person who has been missing from all of Kalki Koechelins screenings and after parties ahead of her new release, Waiting, is actor-boyfriend Jim Sarbh (he played the hijacker Khaleel in Neerja). The couple who first met while working on Kalkis play, The Living Room, have been dating for nearly a year now but want to keep their courtship under the wraps. I dont want to comment on my personal life, Kalki told Femina. Last year while making her directorial debut with The Living Room, she got closer to Sarbh who also features in the play. They started dating shortly after staging a few shows of the play. Later, they were signed on by Konkona Sen Sharma for her directorial debut, A Death in Gunj. Friends of the couple say they are in a good space. When Kalki won the special jury award at the 63rd National film Awards in May, Jim was one of the first people she spoke to after her mum. We did know he liked her a lot from a very early point. They are both very down-to-earth, with a sense of responsibility and strong family ties, adds a close friend of the couple. Earlier this year when Kalki moved into her chic new apartment in suburban Andheri, he helped her set up the house and even went furniture shopping with her. What is there not to like about him? They remain comfortable in their private ways, which is fine, adds the friend. Finding Dory By far the most awaited animated film of the year, Finding Dory is the sequel to the 2003 film Finding Nemo. focus time around, the story focuses on the forgetful talkative Pacific regal blue tang, Dory (voiced by Ellen Degeneres). Remembering something about the jewel of, Monterey, California, the absent-minded fish suddenly recalls her childhood memories and accompanied by Nemo and Marlin, sets out to find her family. After arriving at the Monterey Marine Life Institute, she meets Bailey, a white beluga whale, Destiny, a whale shark and Hank the septopus (an octopus who has lost one of his tentacles), who becomes her guide. The good news is that the characters from the first film will reappear in the sequel, including the Tank Gang. Release date: June 17, 2016 In a four-part series, psychiatrist Shyam Bhat decodes and helps you overcome the oldest ailment of all. Why is a psychiatrist interested in the subject of love and heart break? Why is a doctor dispensing advice to the lovelorn, a topic that is usually the domain of pop psychologists and agony aunts? It's because heartbreak -the end of a romantic relationship -is potentially fatal. More than 25,000 people -most of them young-kill themselves in our country each year because of heartbreak. And countless more suffer after heartbreak -hurting in mind, body and spirit, feeling sad, depressed, angry, sometimes turning to drugs and alcohol; heartbreak can also linger later in life, breeding cynicism and emptiness. The more I explored this topic, the more it became apparent that far from being a trivial issue, heartbreak is perhaps one of the most significant emotional events that anyone can experience -and sadly, most young people have to understand and deal with their pain without guidance -their parents, usually, do not understand the nuances of the modern relationship, and many young people cannot even share this deep emotional situation with their family. The advice of friends is usually not objective. It is usually biased because of their emotional involvement. So millions of people suffer from and go through heartbreak alone. Many find healing and happiness and emerge from the experience stronger and more loving. But, for many, sadly, heartbreak is a devastating turning point, leading to feelings of utter anguish, pain and despair. However, if we approach this experience in the right manner, heartbreak -like all great suffering - offers us an opportunity to become stronger, more compassionate and loving. Over the next three days, I will describe what you can do to get over heartbreak, to heal your heart and love deeply again. The first step, in order to change any situation, is to understand it deeply. WHAT HAPPENS IN HEARTBREAK AND WHY DOES IT HURT SO MUCH? Heartbreak is an emotionally devastating experience, and most people who experience it have never felt such pain before. People often describe their feelings to me as if they were feeling sensations in their body. The pain is real, they tell me. And they are right. The same part of the brain that is activated in physical pain is activated when you are suffering from heartbreak. In other words, as far as your brain is concerned, the end of romantic love is equivalent to your body being traumatized, as if a part of it has been brutally amputated. The same part of the brain -the caudate nucleus -that is connected to drug addiction is activated in heartbreak, causing obsession and craving. You feel bad just like the heroin addict who has not scored the drug, and I am not speaking metaphorically. Research shows that the pain of heartbreak decreases when people are given morphine (I am not telling you to take morphine or any such drug; in fact, the risk of drug addiction during heart break is high since the body is craving release from the pain). Dr Helen Fisher, a psychologist who conducted path-breaking research in heartbreak, studied the brains of people who had been recently rejected by their partner, but were still in love. Dr Fisher scanned these people's brains while they looked at the photograph of their loved one, and then again as they looked at a photo of an acquaintance. She then compared the respective brain activity. The results were shocking: heartbreak seemed to cause the same brain changes seen in a drug addict who is withdrawing from powerful drugs such as cocaine. Both cocaine and being in love cause the release of a chemical called dopamine and stimulate a part of the brain called the mesolimbic system, the reward centre of the brain, causing an intense feeling of pleasure, ecstasy and euphoria. When love (or the drug) is taken away, the mesolimbic dopaminergic system of the brain slows down-the person comes crashing down from the high of love (or the drug), the brain starts to crave the jolt of dopamine and this is felt as intense pain, withdrawal and craving. Normal life, in contrast, now seems dull and colourless, and the cocaine addict and the heartbroken person will now intensely crave and seek the source of reward and pleasure. Other studies showed that heartbreak also depletes chemicals in the brain called endorphins - these chemicals are natural painkillers and the depletion of endorphins causes real physical and emotional pain. Heartbreak increases levels of the hormone called cortisol, which is secreted by the adrenal glands. This can cause weight gain, fatigue, body aches and pains, and a weakened immune system, which can make you more susceptible to cold and infections. Although very rare, heart break can literally break your heart. A condition called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy can occur during times of extreme emotional stress such as heartbreak: when the mind and emotional heart are threatened and hurt, the body releases huge amounts of stress hormones such as adrenaline, which in large doses are toxic to the heart. In severe cases, these chemicals weaken and damage the heart muscle -the walls of the heart become thin and the heart swells like a balloon, unable to pump blood adequate ly, causing shortness of breath, chest pain and, on rare occasions, death. Dr Shyam Bhat is the writer of How to Heal Your Broken Heart, published by Juggernaut. Next Story : Not Your Average Gift: Our Handpicked Thoughtful Diwali Gifts Bangladesh is set to export textiles and jute products to Uganda with the two countries having almost finalised a trade deal.Officials said the two countries are set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to share information and technology on trade where Bangladesh will be exporting its textile and jute products to the country , the Daily Monitor newspaper has reported. Bangladesh is set to export textiles and jute products to Uganda with the two countries having almost finalised a trade deal. Officials said the two countries are set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to share information and technology on trade where Bangladesh will be exporting its textile and jute products to the country, the Daily Monitor# Mahmood Hudda, the Honorary Consul of Bangladesh in Uganda, said the export of jute products to Uganda is timely as the country moves from plastic packaging to biodegradable materials.The MoU has been presented to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for vetting of documents to formulate the bilateral trade. We are also looking at the Trade Ministry to look into tax exemption on importation of jute to facilitate the trade on duty free basis, the newspaper quoted Hudda as saying.On taxing jute products, Uganda's Trade Minister Amelia Kyambadde said it is an issue that will be considered in future since the country has already undergone the budgeting process.Hudda, who led a delegation from Bangladesh for a meeting with Ms Kyambadde, also revealed that Uganda will also be exporting rice to Bangladesh.This is a long-term strategy because we want to encourage our private sector to extend expertise in Jute and textile production in Uganda to promote development, he added.Ms Kyambadde said the import of jute products comes at a time when Uganda is phasing out the use of plastic materials for packaging in favour of environment friendly materials.The trade relationship we are opening up is one way of expanding our potential and exposing people to new technologies and opportunities to do business, said Ms Kyambadde.She also appealed to the public to utilise the opportunities to research and tap and into the new opportunities such as use of papyrus, bamboo and the various government initiatives for development. (SH) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India A new propylene production facility has been inaugurated in the southern port city of Ulsan in South Korea, according to Korean media reports. A new propylene production facility has been inaugurated in the southern port city of Ulsan in South Korea, according to Korean media reports. The propane dehydrogenation (PDH) facility for producing propylene, a basic raw material to make synthetic fibres, has been constructed by SK Advanced, a joint venture of SK Gas, Saudi Arabia's # The propane dehydrogenation (PDH) facility for producing propylene, a basic raw material to make synthetic fibres, has been constructed by SK Advanced, a joint venture of SK Gas, Saudi Arabia's Advanced Petrochemical Company (APCO) and Kuwait's Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC), a subsidiary of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC). A new propylene production facility has been inaugurated in the southern port city of Ulsan in South Korea, according to Korean media reports. The propane dehydrogenation (PDH) facility for producing propylene, a basic raw material to make synthetic fibres, has been constructed by SK Advanced, a joint venture of SK Gas, Saudi Arabia's # The new facility is built on 96,000 square metres of area near Ulsan New Port with an investment of $840.48 million. The LPG based facility has capacity to produce 600,000 tons of propylene annually. A new propylene production facility has been inaugurated in the southern port city of Ulsan in South Korea, according to Korean media reports. The propane dehydrogenation (PDH) facility for producing propylene, a basic raw material to make synthetic fibres, has been constructed by SK Advanced, a joint venture of SK Gas, Saudi Arabia's # At the inauguration ceremony, Kuwaiti ambassador to South Korea Jassim Al-Bedaiwi hailed PIC for being the first Kuwaiti company to directly invest in the Korean republic. He hoped that this investment would pave way for more Kuwaiti companies to engage in big and profitable projects. A new propylene production facility has been inaugurated in the southern port city of Ulsan in South Korea, according to Korean media reports. The propane dehydrogenation (PDH) facility for producing propylene, a basic raw material to make synthetic fibres, has been constructed by SK Advanced, a joint venture of SK Gas, Saudi Arabia's # Test operation at the PDH facility began in March and now normal operations have begun. The facility is ready to supply propylene to customers in Korea and other countries. (RKS) A new propylene production facility has been inaugurated in the southern port city of Ulsan in South Korea, according to Korean media reports. The propane dehydrogenation (PDH) facility for producing propylene, a basic raw material to make synthetic fibres, has been constructed by SK Advanced, a joint venture of SK Gas, Saudi Arabia's # Fibre2Fashion News Desk India After Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra, now Jacqueline Fernandez is all set to star in an English flick, and it's good to see B-town actresses making their name heard worldwide through their acting skills. A British independent project titled, Definition of Fear, has casted Jacqueline Fernandez to star in the upcoming film and the actress says she took it up as she wants to try different things in her career. Jacqueline Fernandez was quoted as saying, "I have done two films outside Bollywood -- Sri Lankan and a British independent film. That came during a 40 day window which I had in between my Bollywood films. I wanted to take up because I have never done anything in English before. As an actor, I wanted to be a part of the film. It was a physiological thriller, a genre which I have never done before." Hot Hotter Hottest! Richa Chadda's Maxim Pictures Can Make You Sweat Definition of Fear, is a psychological thriller and Jacqueline Fernandez plays the character of a Psychology student. The actress had to work on her accent to match the British standards of English. "The weirdest part was that I had to cut down on my American and British accent. I was told every time that I need to change my accent. I have learnt the American accent by watching Hollywood films," says Jacqueline Fernandez. Red Hot Pictures! Shruti Haasan Braces The Cover Page Of GQ Magazine Jacqueline Fernandez also feels that actors should try different options and not restrict themselves to a particular genre. The actress was quoted as saying, "I think we have opened up. Bollywood has globalised. Actors are not limited anymore. Like Akshay, Riteish and others, all of us are doing bunch of other things. It was an amazing experience." Fire Alarm! These 20 Pictures Of Ileana D'cruz Can Set You On Fire Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover tied the knot on April 30th and soon left for their honeymoon in Maldives. Recently, for the first time Karan Singh Grover talked about his third marriage with Bipasha Basu. Karan Singh Grover told Hindustan Times about marrying Bipasha, ''There is so much that happens in your life. You realise what you need to change and that comes when you truly realise what you want and what makes you happy. She made me realise that in many ways. And I kept on falling in love with her over and over again.'' Check Out Some Adorable Pictures Of Karan & Bipasha Below When asked how it feels to have married, Karan Singh Grover said, ''She is still dreaming of exits and entries and whether there's enough security and then she wakes up and I tell her, 'Babe we have already done it.''' Also Read: Oh-So-Desirable!Deepika Padukone & Akshay Kumar's Chemistry In These Pics Will Take Your Breath Away In the same interview, both Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh were asked about the difficulties they faced while convincing their families. Bipasha Basu said, ''Yes, there was a lot of drama in our lives. A lot was created and a lot existed. We were in love and when our parents saw that we were happy with each other they realised we were right for each other. So, they were happy for us. There was a lot of news, we laughed it off.'' And Karan Singh Grover said, ''Our parents were very supportive. There was no drama.' We wish you both a very happy married life! Jagadish, the actor-turned-politician slammed the rumours about his career decisions, in the recent interview given to Manorama online. It was rumoured that Jagadish is planning to quit his acting career. But, the actor who brushed off the rumours stated that he has absolutely no plans to quit films. He is highly busy with the dubbing works of his upcoming movies, Kasaba and Karinkunnam Sixes. After completing the current project, the actor will rejoin the Comedy Stars Show. Jagadish is also planning an American trip, with his friends. The actor confirms that he will soon sign his next movie as well. Jagadish was the UDF candidate from Pathanapuram, in the recently held Kerala assembly elections. But, the actor was defeated by KB Ganesh Kumar MLA, who was once his close friend. The election even led to an ugly fight between the actors, which created a rift between the members of Malayalam actors association. Jagadish was hurt with the decision of his co-stars, to support Ganesh. He openly opposed Mohanlal's visit to Pathanapuram, which was a part of Ganesh Kumar's campaigns. The incident even led to the resignation of actor Salim Kumar from the actors association. Bangalore based actress Shraddha Srinath, who is basking in the success of her recently released Kannada movie U Turn, is elated about her Tamil debut, opposite Nivin Pauly. "I'm still coping with the amazing reviews we've been getting for 'U Turn' and then this announcement was made today: I will be making my Tamil debut with Nivin Pauly, in a film directed by Gautham Ramachandran. We start shooting very soon," she wrote on her social media page. The actress, whose debut performance is being appreciated by critics and movie lovers alike, is a self-confessed fan of Nivin Pauly. "I'm Nivin Pauly's biggest fan and the fan girl in me is refusing to calm down. But on a more serious note, my Tamil launch couldn't get better than this. Excited," she added. Though Shraddha, who began her career as a stage actor, looks mesmerizing on screen, she has said it is a nightmare watching herself on the big screen. "It is a nightmare for me to watch myself on screen. Luckily, the audience didn't think so when they saw me," she told a leading daily. Her Tamil debut, which is being directed by Nivin's close friend, is based on the superhit Kannada flick, Ulidavaru Kandanthe. The script was finalized after considering nearly 40 drafts over a period of nine months, according to its director. "In June 2015, we had set up an office in Chennai, and since then we've been working on the script. It took us nearly 40 drafts over a period of nine months to finally lock the script. It was one crazy, hell of a writing session," Gautham Ramachandran had said. The film was speculated to be made in Tamil and Malayalam, but Gautham, a former associate of film-maker Mysskin, denied such reports. "Nivin insisted we make the film only in Tamil. We were supposed to work in the past and back then he gave me an option to work in Malayalam. However, I wasn't comfortable. So, Nivin suggested we wait for the right project to work in Tamil," he said, adding that they've known each other for about four years. Also Read: Controversial: Why Superstar Rajinikanth's 'Kochadaiiyaan' Was A Bad Idea Actor Simbu, despite being active in Tamil filmdom for over two decades, says he has never yearned for stardom. He credits his upbringing for this attitude towards his career and life. "I don't even remember the first time that I faced the camera. I come from a family of actors and since I started acting at a very young age, I experienced stardom at a time when I didn't even understand it. I was too young to even realise why people would pinch my cheek when I used to go out with my dad," Simbu, son of popular Tamil actor-filmmaker T Rajendar, told IANS. Having witnessed stardom from close quarters from a very young age, he says he never aspired for it. "My parents raised us in such a way that my brother (Kuralarasan) and I never got carried away by fame and stardom. We were always prepared for the worst. Tomorrow, even if nobody is willing to produce a film of mine, I know I can make my own film," he said. Simbu's forthcoming Tamil romantic comedy, Idhu Namma Aalu, will hit the screens on Friday (May 27). It is finally releasing after a long delay, much like his last release Vaalu. Admitting that his career went through a roller-coaster ride over the last few years, Simbu said: "For people who don't know how they climbed up the success ladder, it will always be a struggle to climb up when they fall down. I worked my way up to the ladder, so I know I can get back where I belong." In the last four years, Simbu has had just two releases. The interim gap, he points out, has helped him self-introspect. "I've grown fond of spirituality and life. I found answers to a lot of questions about myself and to other things around me," he explained, adding that he feels he has become a better individual. In Pandiraj-directed Idhu Namma Aalu, Simbu is paired with his former lover Nayanthara, and he says the film is unlike anything audiences have seen from him before. "I haven't done anything like this. The film has no fight scenes, no introduction song, and even the special number 'Maaman Waiting' isn't as glamorous as how such songs are usually shot. In a way, it's a risk that I'm doing this project but I still chose to do it because of its story," he said. The film throws the spotlight on the months leading to a wedding. "When audiences watch the film, they can easily relate to the story. The conversations between Nayanthara and me will particularly appeal to every young couple. This is the kind of film that will work even with a newcomer. However, it will do much better with a star and that's why I was interested in doing it," he added. Idhu Namma Aalu introduces Simbu's brother Kuralarasan as music composer. Lauding him, Simbu said: "When I work with other composers, I sit and get the kind of songs I want. Kural knows what exactly I want and he will strive hard to deliver it. He gave me the kind of tunes that he knew I will like. His contribution has been phenomenal and I'd love to collaborate with him again." Soon after the release of Idhu Namma Aalu, Simbu plans to go on a holiday. Upon return, he will resume work on Tamil thriller Anbanavan Asaradhavan Adangadhavan, while awaiting the release of action-drama Achcham Yenbathu Madamaiyada. --IANS Also Read: AR Rahman Presents Scholarships Named After Him! Recently, there were reports that Yeh Hai Mohabbatein's Raman Bhalla aka Karan Patel would be seen flaunting his six-pack abs on the show. The actor is in the process of transformation. The actor who is active on the social networking sites, has been keeping his fans updated about his transformation. Karan posted a picture and wrote, "With my #Trainers @rocky_bodytransformer and #Mayur ....!! These r men with the magic." In the picture, the actor shows off his biceps and is seen posing with his trainers. A few days ago, the actor also posted a video of him working out at gym and wrote, "14 day transformation .... Day 1 ... With the man with magic @rocky_bodytransformer ... My trainer ...!!" It has to be recalled that the show YHM took a leap and post leap the looks of all the characters were changed, and so did Karan's look. Karan looks a little more serious in his new look. Apparently, Karan is undergoing rigorous training for a particular sequence on the show. To know what is that sequence is, we may have to wait for some time, says the actor! Regarding his transformation, Karan was quoted by IANS as saying, "I've been working out hard these days. I call it 'transformation under construction'. It's going to be a big transformation and audiences just have to wait and watch now." Karan further added, "My trainer ensures I eat right and balance out in between my hectic shoot schedule. I'm working out hard to take my fans by surprise." Well Karan, we are sure your fans are really waiting for the surprise. What say guys?? After the thumping responses for Rajinikanth's Kabali teaser, distributors are queuing up at the Tamil producer's office, to bag the Telugu rights of the movie. Needless to say, Superstar Rajinikanth has impeccable fan base in the Telugu land, among the Tamil actors. It is learnt that popular distributors like Abhishek Pictures, Dil Raju, Suresh Babu and Sunil Narang are all in talks with the Tamil producer for the rights. "At present the Tamil producer is quoting nearly Rs 32 Crores, with satellite rights, for the Telugu distribution," said a source, quoted by a leading daily. However, there is a complaint in the Telugu Film Chamber Of Commerce, which is making stopping them from finalizing the deal. It was stated in the complaint that, whoever is ready to buy Kabali rights, must also agree to repay the losses incurred by Linga Telugu version. Even if a film works magically well at the box-office, it is a difficult task for it to spin the money of two films. Hence distributors are apparently in a dilemma, not knowing how to solve the issue. The City of London cemented its status as Europe's leading renminbi centre on Thursday after China's Ministry of Finance (MOF) raised Rmb3 billion ($458 million) through a three-year bond deal. The deal size may have been small by eurobond standards but the transaction was a meaningful one for both China and the UK. For China, it marks a new step in the internationalisation of its currency given the MOF has only ever issued once offshore before; in Hong Kong back in 2009. For the UK, the deal should help ensure the City of London remains the pre-eminent global financial centre at a time when financial power is shifting progressively eastwards. Bank of China and HSBC were the two lead managers for the offering, which was announced on Wednesday. In a break with recent precedent, it was also syndicated like a standard eurobond rather than priced via an auction process. The leads began securing indications of interest during Asian hours on Thursday, building up a peak order book of Rmb9.5 billion based on an indicative yield of 3.4%. Demand then fell back to Rmb8.5 billion by the time the book closed after guidance was narrowed to the final issue price of 3.28%. Pricing was benchmarked on the MOF's outstanding 2.6% June 2019 dim sum deal, which was trading on a bid/offer yield of 3.45%/32.5% on Thursday. Bankers said this price did not move during the course of the day as the deal is now fairly illiquid. Bankers said the MOF had two objectives when it came to distributing this deal. Firstly, they wanted to make sure it was allocated to international accounts and secondly they want it to remain liquid rather than become a "museum piece". They added that Chinese banks placing orders were required to specify which branch they were coming from so the ministry could pinpoint which countries bonds were being allocated to. As a result, 58% of the deal was placed into EMEA and 42% into Asia. By investor type, banks took 55%, central banks and other official institutions 41%, fund managers 3% and private banks 1%. The strong showing from central banks is also a reflection of the renminbi's growing international presence. The currency will be formally included in the IMF's basket of reserve currencies from October, which means more central banks are likely to start holding it as part of their reserves. Last month, HSBC published a survey of 77 central banks, which revealed that 56% are now holding renminbi as part of their reserves, up from only 5% four years ago. Within 10 years, reserve managers said they expect the currency to account for 10% of overall holdings. In a further sign of the currency's growing international acceptance, the deal will also be classified as Level B collateral for repo purposes under the Bank of England's Sterling Monetary Framework. The only non-European countries that also classify are Australia, Japan and New Zealand. The MOF deal follows in fairly quick succession from a debut offshore renminbi-denominated offering by the People's Bank of China, which was timed to coincide with President Xi Jinping's visit to the UK last October. That Rmb5 billion deal had a much shorter one-year tenor but built up a much bigger Rmb30 billion order book. Pricing was fixed at 3.1% compared to an indicative yield of 3.3%. The leads were HSBC and ICBC. London still has a long way to go before it can rival Hong Kong as the premier offshore renminbi centre. But it has recently managed to overtake Singapore as the world's second largest Rmb FX hub. According to Swift figures, London accounted for 6.3% of offshore activity in March, compared to 4.6% in Singapore and 72.5% in Hong Kong. However, Swift data also shows that the renminbi may be on a bumpier and longer march to global domination than the government is hoping for. Its data for April also showed that the renminbi had dropped down one place in the global rankings as a payments currency, swapping places with Canada and falling to sixth place on a market share of 1.82%. Kyriba Corp., the global leader in cloud treasury management solutions, has raised $23 million (USD) in a Series D funding round led by Bpifrance, with additional capital from existing investors HSBC (NYSE: HSBC) and Daher Capital. Kyriba will use the funds to deepen its product innovation across its suite of solutions, including risk management, supply chain finance, payments, cash management, and bank connectivity. Additionally, the funds will provide further enhancements to its client success services, and to offer support for the company to enter new geographies. "The global market place is changing rapidly, and becoming more challenging for our clients to navigate," said Jean-Luc Robert, chairman and CEO of Kyriba. "We are well funded with a strong balance sheet, and in a competitive environment, we are able to deliver a solution to meet these market demands. Kyriba's Fintech solution, which simplifies and secures global payments, adds cash visibility, and cash optimization with supply chain finance, is a natural fit for Bpifrance, who strives to strengthen Fintech innovation in France and around the world." "Bpifrance is delighted to support Kyriba's management that successfully transformed a French technology into a globally successful company," said Nicolas Herschtel, investment director at Bpifrance Large Venture. "Bpifrance believes in Kyriba's vision, and sees the opportunity for Kyriba to accelerate its global leadership position in cloud cash management solutions. Kyriba's initial decision to deliver bank connectivity and treasury management in the cloud with a SaaS delivery model puts its payments, risk management, and supply chain finance solutions in an optimal position to serve banks, corporates and multinationals where and when they need it most." Bpifrance, through its growth fund Large Venture, joins a distinguished list of existing Kyriba investors: HSBC, BRED Banque Populaire, Daher Capital, Iris Capital and Upfront Ventures. Engage with Kyriba Like Kyriba on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kyribacorp Follow Kyriba on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/kyriba-corporation Follow Kyriba on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kyribacorp Read Kyriba's blog at www.kyriba.com/blog About Kyriba Kyriba is the global leader in cloud treasury solutions, delivering Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) treasury technology to corporate CFOs and Treasurers. More than 1,300 global organizations use Kyriba to deliver global cash visibility, improve financial controls, and increase productivity across their cash and liquidity, payments, supply chain finance and risk management operations. Kyriba is headquartered in San Diego, with offices in New York, Paris, London, Tokyo, Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong, and Rio de Janeiro. To learn how to be more proactive in your treasury management and drive business value, contact treasury@kyriba.com or visit kyriba.com. About Bpifrance Since January 2013, Bpifrance, the French public investment bank, brings together the financing activities of OSEO (innovation, guarantee, credit) and the equity investments activities led by FSI, FSI Regions and CDC Entreprises. Its ambition is to help businesses, ranging from start-ups to medium-sized companies and occasionally large companies, to innovate, invest, grow and export. Bpifrance, by sharing the risks with its private and public partners, provides a continuum of financing, from short-term credits to equity capital that meets the needs relating to each stage of businesses life cycle. www.bpifrance.fr View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160929005321/en/ Contacts: Kyriba Daniel Shaffer, +1-858-263-2218 Global Digital Communications and Media Relations dshaffer@kyriba.com or Bpifrance Anne-Sophie de Faucigny, +33 1 41 79 99 10 Assistant Director, Institutional Relations and Media as.defaucigny@bpifrance.fr CHICAGO, IL -- (Marketwired) -- 10/26/16 -- Echo Global Logistics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ECHO), a leading provider of technology-enabled transportation management services, today reported financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2016. "Echo posted another strong quarter of market share gains in a softer freight market, as we continued growing volumes and revenue," said Doug Waggoner, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Echo. "Softer pricing resulting from prolonged market weakness contributed to net revenue margin decline, which impacted our profitability. At the same time, we remain confident in our long-term strategy, as the combination of our new technology platform and integrated organization makes us excited about our growth prospects ahead." Third Quarter 2016 Highlights Total revenue increased by 2% to $460.2 million from the third quarter of 2015; net revenue(1) decreased by 7% to $80.9 million from the third quarter of 2015 Net income decreased 32% to $2.4 million; non-GAAP EBITDA(1) declined 21% to $16.7 million, or declined 10% to $20.2 million after excluding $3.5 million of Command integration costs from the third quarter of 2015 Fully diluted EPS decreased to $0.08 in the third quarter of 2016; non-GAAP fully-diluted EPS(1) decreased to $0.25 in the third quarter of 2016, or decreased to $0.33 after excluding $3.5 million of Command integration costs Truckload volume increased by 11% from the third quarter of 2015 and LTL volume increased 6% from the third quarter of 2015 (1) Represents a non-GAAP financial measure. For a reconciliation of each non-GAAP financial measure to the nearest comparable GAAP financial measure, see the "Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section of this Press Release. Summarized financial results and select operating metrics follow: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three months ended Dollars in millions, except per share data September 30, 2016 2015 % change (unaudited) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Transactional revenue $ 373.1 $ 375.3 (0.6)% Managed transportation revenue 87.1 74.7 16.6% --------------------------------- Revenue 460.2 450.0 2.3% Transportation costs 379.3 362.6 4.6% --------------------------------- Net revenue (1) 80.9 87.4 (7.5)% Commission expense 23.8 26.5 (9.9)% Change in contingent consideration 0.0 (0.0) 360.5% Acquisition-related transaction costs -- 0.2 (100.0)% Stock compensation expense 2.0 4.7 (56.5)% Other selling, general and administrative 40.3 39.9 1.0% --------------------------------- Selling, general and administrative expense 66.3 71.3 (7.0)% Depreciation 4.6 3.4 38.1% Amortization 3.9 4.1 (4.4)% --------------------------------- Depreciation and amortization 8.5 7.4 14.7% --------------------------------- Operating income 6.0 8.6 (30.0)% --------------------------------- Cash interest expense 1.6 1.6 0.0% Non-cash interest expense 1.9 1.8 8.5% --------------------------------- Interest and other expense 3.6 3.4 4.4% --------------------------------- Income before provision for income taxes 2.5 5.2 (52.6)% Income tax expense 0.1 1.7 (94.3)% --------------------------------- Net income 2.4 3.5 (31.7)% --------------------------------- --------------------------------- Fully diluted income per share $ 0.08 $ 0.11 (28.7)% ================================= Diluted shares 29.1 30.3 (1) See the "Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and " Non-GAAP Financial Measures" sections of this Press Release. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three months ended September 30, 2016 2015 % change Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (unaudited) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total revenue $ 460.2 $ 450.0 2.3% Transportation costs 379.3 362.6 4.6% --------------------------------------- Net revenue (1) $ 80.9 $ 87.4 (7.5)% --------------------------------------- Net income $ 2.4 $ 3.5 (31.7)% Change in contingent consideration 0.0 (0.0) 360.5% Depreciation 4.6 3.4 38.1% Amortization 3.9 4.1 (4.4)% Acquisition-related transaction costs -- 0.2 (100.0)% Non-cash interest expense 1.9 1.8 8.5% Stock compensation expense 2.0 4.7 (56.5)% Cash interest expense 1.6 1.6 0.0% Income tax expense 0.1 1.7 (94.3)% --------------------------------------- Non-GAAP EBITDA (1) $ 16.7 $ 21.0 (20.5)% --------------------------------------- Fully diluted income per share $ 0.08 $ 0.11 (28.7)% Change in contingent consideration 0.00 (0.00) 371.8% Amortization 0.13 0.14 (0.3)% Acquisition-related transaction costs -- 0.01 (100.0)% Non-cash interest expense 0.07 0.06 13.2% Stock compensation expense 0.07 0.16 (54.6)% Tax effect of adjustments (0.11) (0.13) (17.5)% --------------------------------------- Non-GAAP fully diluted EPS (1) $ 0.25 $ 0.34 (25.4)% --------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operating Metrics ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net revenue margin 17.6% 19.4% (185) bps Total employees 2,382 2,397 (0.6)% Sales employees and agents 1,634 1,671 (2.2)% Truckload (TL) revenue % 67.8% 67.1% 68 bps Less than truckload (LTL) revenue % 26.0% 26.5% (46) bps Intermodal revenue % 4.4% 4.8% (43) bps (1) See the " Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section of this Press Release for the definition, and a discussion of, each Non-GAAP financial measure. 2016 Fourth Quarter Guidance "We expect fourth quarter revenue to be between $405 and $425 million, in the middle of our previously guided range," said Kyle Sauers, Chief Financial Officer at Echo. Conference Call A conference call, with accompanying presentation slides, will be broadcast live on October 26, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. Central Time (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time). Doug Waggoner, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer; Dave Menzel, President and Chief Operating Officer; and Kyle Sauers, Chief Financial Officer, will host the call. To participate in the call, dial 877-303-6235 (toll free) or 631-291-4837 (toll) and reference "Echo Global Logistics." To listen to a live webcast of the call, visit the Echo website at http://ir.echo.com. A replay of the webcast will be available for one year following the live webcast in the Investor Relations section of the Echo website. To listen to an audio replay, call 855-859-2056 (toll free) or 404-537-3406 (toll) and enter conference ID 94978638. The audio replay will be available through November 3, 2016. Non-GAAP Financial Measures This release includes the following financial measures defined as "Non-GAAP financial measures" by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"): Net Revenue, Non-GAAP EBITDA and Non-GAAP Fully Diluted EPS. Net revenue is calculated as total revenue less transportation costs. Non-GAAP EBITDA is defined as net income excluding the effects of changes in contingent consideration, depreciation, amortization, acquisition-related transaction costs, stock compensation expense, cash and non-cash interest expense, and income taxes. Non-GAAP Fully Diluted EPS is defined as fully diluted EPS excluding changes in contingent consideration, amortization, acquisition-related transaction costs, non-cash interest expense, stock compensation expense, and the tax effect of these adjustments. We believe such measures provide useful information to investors because they provide information about the financial performance of the Company's ongoing business. Net revenue, Non-GAAP EBITDA and Non-GAAP Fully Diluted EPS are used by management in its financial and operational decision-making and evaluation of overall operating performance. These measures may be different from similar measures used by other companies. The presentation of this financial information, which is not prepared under any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles, is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. For a reconciliation of each non-GAAP financial measure to the nearest comparable GAAP financial measure, see "Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" included in this release. Forward-Looking Statements This release contains statements relating to future results. These statements are forward-looking statements under the federal securities laws. We can give no assurance that any future results discussed in these statements will be achieved. Any forward-looking statements represent our views only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date. These statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the statements contained in this release. For a discussion of important factors that could affect our actual results, please refer to our SEC filings, including the "Risk Factors" section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015. Echo Global Logistics, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September September 30, 30, 2016 2015 2016 2015 (unaudited) (unaudited) -------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- REVENUE $460,191,903 $449,993,415 $1,309,299,359 $1,105,127,231 COSTS AND EXPENSES Transportation costs 379,329,380 362,614,918 1,062,432,444 894,955,721 Selling, general, and administrative expenses 66,292,712 71,318,890 206,302,091 176,796,987 Depreciation and amortization 8,543,002 7,448,076 23,670,711 16,572,233 --------------------------- ------------------------------- INCOME FROM OPERATIONS 6,026,809 8,611,531 16,894,113 16,802,290 INTEREST / OTHER EXPENSE (3,565,093) (3,414,826) (10,592,654) (7,905,436) --------------------------- ------------------------------- INCOME BEFORE PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES 2,461,716 5,196,705 6,301,459 8,896,854 INCOME TAX EXPENSE (99,666) (1,738,000) (1,746,029) (2,792,000) --------------------------- ------------------------------- NET INCOME $ 2,362,050 $ 3,458,705 $ 4,555,430 $ 6,104,854 =========================== =============================== Basic net income per share $ 0.08 $ 0.12 $ 0.16 $ 0.23 Diluted net income per share $ 0.08 $ 0.11 $ 0.15 $ 0.22 Echo Global Logistics, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- September 30, December 31, 2016 2015 (unaudited) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash and cash equivalents $ 34,210,795 $ 56,522,194 Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts 245,924,827 196,420,614 Other current assets 11,796,269 7,881,156 Total noncurrent assets 497,863,964 485,685,818 ---------------------------- Total assets $ 789,795,855 $ 746,509,782 ============================ Accounts payable $ 145,682,069 $ 103,985,783 Other current liabilities 35,956,994 33,406,353 Convertible notes, net 201,796,741 196,659,354 Other noncurrent liabilities 35,238,348 17,208,718 Stockholders' equity 371,121,703 395,249,574 ---------------------------- Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 789,795,855 $ 746,509,782 ============================ Echo Global Logistics, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 2015 (unaudited) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net cash provided by operating activities $ 55,111,562 $ 52,796,523 Net cash used in investing activities (37,248,736) (400,544,885) Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities (40,174,225) 357,993,883 ----------------------------- (Decrease) Increase in cash and cash equivalents (22,311,399) 10,245,521 Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 56,522,194 32,542,119 ----------------------------- Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 34,210,795 $ 42,787,640 ============================= About Echo Global Logistics Echo Global Logistics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ECHO) is a leading provider of technology-enabled transportation and supply chain management services. Headquartered in Chicago with more than 30 offices around the country, Echo offers freight brokerage and Managed Transportation solutions for all major modes, including truckload, partial truckload, LTL, intermodal, and expedited. Echo maintains a proprietary, web-based technology platform that compiles and analyzes data from its network of over 40,000 transportation providers to serve clients across a wide range of industries and simplify the critical tasks involved in transportation management. For more information on Echo Global Logistics, visit: www.echo.com. ECHO: Earnings INVESTOR RELATIONS: Kyle Sauers Chief Financial Officer Echo Global Logistics 312-784-7695 Zach Jecklin Director of Finance Echo Global Logistics 312-784-2046 MEDIA RELATIONS: Christopher Clemmensen SVP of Marketing Echo Global Logistics 312-784-2132 -- First NEJM Publication of Chugai's Drug Candidate -- Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TOKYO:4519) announced today that the data from hemophilia A patients who participated in a Phase I study of the bispecific antibody emicizumab (ACE001JP study) was published online in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) on May 25, 2016 (EST). Emicizumab is currently under development for hemophilia A. In this first-in-patient Phase I study, a once-weekly subcutaneous injection of emicizumab demonstrated a clinically acceptable safety profile and a potential benefit for preventing bleeding in hemophilia A patients, both with and without factor VIII (FVIII) inhibitors. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1511769 The patient part of ACE001JP study enrolled 18 Japanese hemophilia A patients, both with and without FVIII inhibitors, to investigate the safety and to explore the potential benefit of emicizumab for preventing bleeding with regular injection. In this open-label study, patients were treated with once-weekly subcutaneous injection of emicizumab across three dosing cohorts for 12 successive weeks. The study results had been presented at the 56th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting held in San Francisco, CA on December 8, 2014. "A great challenge with the current treatments for hemophilia A is that these patients need frequent intravenous injections and face the possibility of developing inhibitors to FVIII," said Chugai's Director and Executive Vice President, Dr. Yutaka Tanaka. "The study results indicated a potential for benefit from emicizumab in treating hemophilia A patients with inhibitors with once-weekly subcutaneous injection. With these findings, we expect that emicizumab may be a new treatment option to fulfill unmet medical needs of hemophilia A patients." Emicizumab was designated as a Breakthrough Therapy by the US Food and Drug Administration in September 2015. Currently, a Phase III global study in hemophilia A patients with FVIII inhibitors is being conducted in collaboration with Roche, Chugai's strategic alliance partner. Phase III global studies in patients without FVIII inhibitors and pediatric patients are also planned for initiation in 2016. The data of the healthy subject parts of ACE001JP study was published in Bloodonline, the journal published by ASH, on December 1, 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood-2015-06-650226 Outline of the study Dosing group Number of patients Dose Patients with inhibitors Patients without inhibitors Cohort 1 4 2 1*, 0.3** mg/kg Cohort 2 4 2 3*, 1** mg/kg Cohort 3 3 3 3 mg/kg *Initial dose, **Second and subsequent doses Study results SAFETY All adverse effects (AEs) observed during the 12-week course of emicizumab administration were of mild intensity, except for upper respiratory tract infection and headache of moderate intensity in 2 patients. There was no evidence of clinically relevant coagulation abnormalities as indicated by clinical findings or laboratory tests. No thromboembolic AEs were observed, even when a FVIII product or bypassing agent as hemostatic therapy for bleeding events was given during the course of emicizumab administration. One patient discontinued emicizumab administration due to injection site erythema of mild intensity. No anti-emicizumab antibodies developed during the 12 weeks. POTENTIAL BENEFIT A potential benefit for the prevention of bleeding with emicizumab was demonstrated during the 12-week course of administration in all cohorts irrespective of the presence of inhibitors. There was no bleeding in 13 patients during the course of emicizumab administration. The median ABRs (annualized bleeding rates) before and during emicizumab administration in each cohort were as follows: Median ABR Dosing group Median ABR (events/year) Six months before study entry During emicizumab administration Cohort 1 32.5 4.4 Cohort 2 18.3 0.0 Cohort 3 15.2 0.0 About Chugai Chugai Pharmaceutical is one of Japan's leading research-based pharmaceutical companies with strengths in biotechnology products. Chugai, based in Tokyo, specializes in prescription pharmaceuticals and is listed on the 1st section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. As an important member of the Roche Group, Chugai is actively involved in R&D activities in Japan and abroad. Specifically, Chugai is working to develop innovative products which may satisfy the unmet medical needs, mainly focusing on the oncology area. In Japan, Chugai's research facilities in Gotemba and Kamakura are collaborating to develop new pharmaceuticals and laboratories in Ukima are conducting research for technology development for industrial production. Overseas, Chugai Pharmabody Research based in Singapore is engaged in research focusing on the generation of novel antibody drugs by utilizing Chugai's proprietary innovative antibody engineering technologies. Chugai Pharma USA and Chugai Pharma Europe are engaged in clinical development activities in the United States and Europe. The consolidated revenue in 2015 of Chugai totalled 498.8 billion yen and the operating income was 90.7 billion yen (IFRS Core basis). Additional information is available on the internet at http://www.chugai-pharm.co.jp/english. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160525006575/en/ Contacts: For Media Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Media Relations Group, Corporate Communications Dept., Koki Harada Tel: +81-3-3273-0881 E-mail: pr@chugai-pharm.co.jp *** For US media Chugai Pharma USA Inc. Casey Astringer Tel: +1-908-516-1350 E-mail: pr@chugai-pharm.com *** For European media Chugai Pharma France SAS Nathalie Leroy Tel: +33-1-56-37-05-21 E-mail: pr@chugai.eu *** For Taiwanese media Chugai Pharma Taiwan Ltd. Susan Chou, Osamu Kagawa Tel: +886-2-2715-2000 E-mail: pr@chugai.com.tw *** For Investors Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Investor Relations Group, Corporate Communications Dept., Toshiya Sasai Tel: +81-3-3273-0554 E-mail: ir@chugai-pharm.co.jp KUALA LUMPUR, May 26, 2016 - (ACN Newswire) - A significant number of Malaysian executives are more positive about entering the fourth industrial revolution as compared to their peers globally.GE, in unveiling the Malaysia Report of its biennial 2016 GE Global Innovation Barometer today, said that a high percentage of Malaysian executives feel optimistic (76% vs. 68% globally), excited (67% vs. 61% globally) and confident (72% vs. 60% globally) about the prospect of entering the fourth industrial revolution, otherwise known as the Age of the Industrial Internet.GE's Global Innovation Barometer is an international survey which takes place across 23 countries, gathering perceptions of innovation in the world today. The recently compiled fifth edition of the barometer gathered insight from over 2,700 innovation business executives and nearly 1,350 innovation educated members of the public to deliver a comprehensive report on the global perception of innovation.In Malaysia, GE gathered insight from over 100 business executives, revealing our own national perceptions of innovation. The results show an optimistic country, and one excited by the opportunities afforded by innovation.The Industrial Internet describes the next wave of innovation impacting the way the world connects and optimises machines. Through the use of sensors, advanced analytics and brilliant machines, the fourth industrial revolution is profoundly transforming the way machines connect and communicate, enabling productivity and efficiency gains, anticipating maintenance before breakdowns occur and transforming today's workforce.Innovation ChampionsGlobally, the U.S. remains the number one innovation champion among business leaders, while Germany dropped from number two to number three. Japan is still among the top three countries considered to be a leading innovation champion, moving to the number two position. Malaysia emerged as a new entrant to the list, along with countries such as Australia, Canada and Switzerland.Embracing Innovation to Drive GrowthThe 2016 GE Global Innovation Barometer also revealed that 93% of Malaysian business executives are mindful of the developments that are changing the face of innovation. The Malaysia Report stated that 93% of the respondents believe that innovative companies are defined in their ability to not only launch new products and services but also create a new market that did not exist previously (vs 90% globally).In terms of innovation strategy, 79% of Malaysian businesses (vs. 68% globally) have a clear and defined innovation strategy, favouring incremental innovations (59% vs. 63% globally) and internal innovations (57% vs. 60% globally). Having said this, the Report discovered that while more Malaysian business executives have a clear process and structure in place to manage innovation as compared to the global average, (48% vs. 42% globally), the reliance on consumer research as a foundation for innovation (42% vs. 35% globally) and turning data and analytics into actionable decision making tools (40% vs. 40% globally) are the most challenging best practices that they are currently facing.Adopting New Models and TechnologiesExecutives are taking action on decisions that used to make them nervous, including increasing investments in new partnerships, data, and analytics to inform decision-making and remain competitive. Collaboration has increased in most markets, and businesses across the globe are seeing results. Globally, 77% are seeing an increase in revenue and profit generated by collaborative activities in 2015 versus 64% in 2014. Malaysia scored 81% in this category, significantly higher than the global average.Talent Conundrum RemainsThe 2016 GE Global Innovation Barometer also found that many of the innovation challenges that faced Malaysian executives in 2014 remain, such as talent and sufficient investment. Talent remains a major challenge, with three-in-four businesses (74% vs. 71% in 2014 and 58% globally) seeking for a workforce that is creative (64% vs. 54% globally) and problem solving (58% vs. 56% globally).Speaking at a briefing, Azli Mohamed, Chief Operating Officer of GE Malaysia said that while corporate Malaysia has readily embraced innovation, the innovation eco-system needs to be further elevated in order to impact the nation's growth. "One of the most difficult things to teach and to learn is innovation; the ability to do things differently from how it was done before to bring about beneficial change not only for an organisation but also the larger community and subsequently, the country.""The Global Competitiveness Report 2014-2015 has moved Malaysia up four notches from 24th place out of 144 countries in 2013-2014 to 20th place in 2014-2015. Malaysia's progress is reflected in the Report's Innovation Pillar (Pillar 12), in which improved scores were recorded in each of the criteria measured. This certainly indicates that Malaysia is moving in the right direction when it comes to innovation.""We also laud the Malaysian Government's focus on transforming innovation to wealth by catalysing innovation at both the enterprise and societal levels, while improving collaboration among all stakeholders, as outlined in the 11th Malaysia Plan. Through efforts such as strengthening industry-academic collaborations to inculcating higher order thinking skills in the society, we are confident that the nation's goal of becoming a high income nation by 2020 can be achieved with an innovative and forward-looking society," he added.Notably, 34% of the respondents see multinationals as the driving force behind innovation in Malaysia today. This is a significant departure from the global average of 18%. "At GE, we have and will continue to work closely with our Malaysian partners to create innovative solutions that address the community's needs.About the GE Global Innovation BarometerNow in its fifth year, the research was commissioned by GE and conducted by Edelman Berland between October 13, 2015 and December 7, 2015. Interviews with the 2,748 senior business executives and the 1,346 informed publics were conducted by telephone or online across 23 countries. Seventy percent of the business executives surveyed are at the C-suite level. The countries included in the research are: Algeria, USA, Australia, China, Canada, South Africa, India, Poland, Sweden, Russia, Nigeria, Malaysia, Brazil, France, UAE, Mexico, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Germany, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.About GEGE (NYSE: GE) is the world's Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the "GE Store," through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. www.ge.comAbout Edelman BerlandEdelman Berland is a global, full-service market insights and analytics firm that provides corporate, non-profit and government clients with strategic intelligence to make their communications and engagements with stakeholders the smartest they can be. The firm specializes in measurement, tracking and analysis in reputation, branding and communications. Edelman Berland is part of Edelman, the world's largest public relations company. Edelman Berland has more than 200 employees and 12 offices around the world. Edelman Berland: Intelligent Engagement.Media Contacts:Sumitra ValliappanE: sumitra.valliappan@ge.comM: +60124445025Source: GECopyright 2016 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. MOUNTAIN VIEW (dpa-AFX) - Alphabet Inc.'s (GOOGL, GOOG) executive chairman Eric Schmidt believes that dramatic advances in the health and technology will change the world in the near future, Bloomberg reported. Schmidt expects technology will improve gene sequencing and make health care more efficient and personalized as the medical industry becomes more digitized. Speaking at Bloomberg's Breakaway conference Wednesday in New York, Schmidt also reportedly said Alphabet will probably never break up and its job is to seek out transformative solutions. The government should play a role in accelerating these developments as they've done in the past, he said, pointing to initial public investment in Silicon Valley that allowed it to become the high-growth area it is today. 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. WOONSOCKET (dpa-AFX) - Drugstore chain CVS Health Corp. (CVS) said Wednesday that it will expand access to the opioid overdose-reversal drug naloxone in seven additional states this summer. The company's program to combat the opioid epidemic will thus operate in a total of 30 states by August and make the life-saving drug accessible to patients without an individual prescription. CVS Health noted that its naloxone program establishes a standing order with a physician in the state, which will permit CVS pharmacists to dispense naloxone to patients without an individual prescription. The company already dispenses naloxone in 23 states. Naloxone is used by first responders to reverse heroin and opioid overdoses. Expansion of the company's naloxone program will begin with New Mexico in late May. This will be followed by Louisiana in early June; Florida in early July; Colorado, Idaho and Oregon in mid-July; and Washington in early August. The move to expand access to naloxone builds on CVS Health's commitment to help communities address and prevent drug abuse through education, outreach and safe medication disposal. The company has also launched a community outreach program called Pharmacists Teach, which brings local pharmacists to high school health classes to talk to students about the dangers of drug abuse. Michael Botticelli, Director of National Drug Control Policy said, 'Expanding access to the overdose-reversal drug naloxone is a critical part of our national strategy to stop the prescription drug and heroin overdose epidemic - along with effective prevention, treatment, and enforcement.' In April, Walgreens said it has made available Naloxone in Pennsylvania as an over the counter treatment for heroin overdoses. Drug overdose abuses have been a menace in the U.S. despite strong legislation. In 2014, there were 47,055 drug overdose deaths, as per the statistics of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There has been a 2.8 fold increase in overdose deaths between 2011 and 2014. In early March, a bill to address the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic in the U.S. easily cleared a procedural hurdle in the Senate. The bill, known as the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act or CARA, would authorize the Attorney General to award grants to address the national epidemics of prescription opioid abuse and heroin use. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de BINGHAMTON, NY--(Marketwired - May 26, 2016) - Innovative neurosurgeon Dr. Saeed Bajwa has received another prestigious accolade to add to his many achievements: he has been chosen to join The Leading Physicians of the World, an organization recognizing doctors of excellence from across each field of medical specialization. Already an esteemed Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the International College of Surgeons and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Dr. Bajwa was recently distinguished for his years of dedication, experience and superior patient care, and for his impressive, pioneering approach to the surgical treatment of the brain and spine. His inclusion in the respected medical group's annual journal underscores a lifelong commitment to professional development and his insistence on using the most technologically advanced methods available. The Pakistani-born doctor's well-earned reputation comes not only from an earnest drive to help those suffering from disease and chronic pain, but from his ability to keep his practice at the vanguard of medical progress. This forward-thinking approach can be traced back to 1976, when he received his MD degree at Nishtar Medical College of the University of Punjab in Lahore, Pakistan, where he was a gold medal recipient for First Position in Surgery. After completing his residency in General Surgery and Neurosurgery at the Combined Military Hospital in Lahore, Dr. Bajwa moved to the United States where he completed post-graduate studies in General Surgery at New York's Mount Sinai Hospital, followed by two years in Philadelphia undertaking Neurosurgical training at the Medical College of Pennsylvania. In the two following years, he attended State University of New York Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, where the SUNY Health Science Center elected him to the national honor medical society, Alpha Omega Alpha, as well as presented him with the Distinguished Teaching Award for his work in education. As a specialist who now joins The Leading Physicians of the World, Dr. Saeed Bajwa's learning is clearly an ongoing quest. Over the course of his thirty-year career, he has strengthened his extensive knowledge of neurological surgery by consistently training on the latest groundbreaking medical technology in the company of other leading specialists. In 2004, he was involved in the development of an artificial disc for alleviating lower back pain with DePuy Spine, a Johnson & Johnson company. He later became an early adopter of applications like the CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System, a tool that emits focused doses of high radiation to inoperable tumors anywhere on the body. His patient-centered philosophy led him to American Spine in Maryland, where in August of 2015, he completed a certification program in Endoscopic and Minimally Invasive Operations of the Lumbar and Thoracic Spine. Last year he also acquired MAZOR robotics for his practice at Southern New York NeuroSurgical Group, P.C. in Binghamton, NY; Dr. Bajwa is one of very few surgeons certified to use MAZOR, the minimally invasive procedural instrument that allows for precise treatment of scoliosis, vertebral compression fractures and spinal deformities. His many accomplishments place him at the forefront of neurosurgery. Dr. Saeed Bajwa has delivered more than 100 speeches to community-based physicians on the topics of Neurology and Neurosurgery. He is affiliated with Wilson Regional Medical Center (Johnson City, NY), Binghamton General Hospital (Binghamton, NY), Lourdes Hospital (Binghamton, NY) and SUNY Upstate Medical University Hospital (Syracuse, NY) and serves on the boards of many community services dedicated to serving people with neural and spinal injuries. Additionally, Dr. Bajwa has generously donated to the Tameer-e-Nau Trust, which provides education and medical assistance for underprivileged communities of Pakistan. In 2012, he helped develop the first CyberKnife Radiosurgery Center for Pakistan at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC) in Karachi, and founded two premier institutions: Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad and Doctors Hospital and Medical Center in Lahore, Pakistan. Dr. Saeed Bajwa -- Expert Brain and Spine Neurosurgeon: http://drsaeedbajwanews.com Dr. Saeed Bajwa -- Speaks at Meeting of International Neurosurgeons in Dubai: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/dr-saeed-bajwa-speaks-meeting-191210971.html Dr. Saeed Bajwa, Neurosurgeon in Johnson City, NY - US News: http://health.usnews.com/doctors/saeed-bajwa-236424 Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/5/26/11G100169/Images/Dr._Saeed_Bajwa_-_Named_One_of_The_Leading_Physici-b077471522859240a50b7889b1fdd8c7.jpg Embedded Video Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssbvCl_Yfi0 Contact Information PR Agency Contact: ICMediaDirect.com TEL: 1.800.595.0821 www.ICMediaDirect.com Caionix will offer Toshiba Machine's full line of Cartesian, 6-axis, and SCARA robot systems for companies looking to improve industrial production efficiency Today TM Robotics and Toshiba Machine announced they have partnered with Caionix, a distributor of industrial robots in Egypt. With this partnership, Caionix is now responsible for providing the area's industrial market with the pre-sale, sale and after sale services for Toshiba Machine's Cartesian, 6-axis and SCARA robots. The companies will be displaying the THL600 SCARA robot next week at The Afro Packaging and Food Manufacturing Exhibition in Exhibition Hall 2 Booth A3, taking place from May 26-29 in Cairo, Egypt. Caionix provides support and solutions for many applications in a variety of industries, including food, pharmaceutical, packaging, plastics and automotive component. The THL SCARA models satisfy the growing demand for affordable, flexible automation in applications outside of the traditional robot industries. In addition, because the lightweight system generates substantially less inertia, a simplified gearbox has been used. The net result is that these robots are the most energy efficient in their class. "We've been working with Caionix since the beginning of this year and so far have experienced great interest in the Egyptian market," said Nigel Smith, CEO of TM Robotics. "It's clear there was a great need for flexible, cost-effective robots like Toshiba Machine's. We're looking forward to expanding our footprint in Africa as we work with Caionix to increase our reach in the area." "We chose to work with TM Robotics because we knew Toshiba Machine Industrial Robots provided flexibility, high performance and a simple design that suits a wide variety of applications," said Ahmed Abdeldayem,Chief Marketing and Sales Officer of Caionix. "With our industrial focus, having access to every kind of robotic offering provides our customers the best solutions possible to solve their every manufacturing need." The Afro Packaging and Food Manufacturing Show will be held at the Cairo International Conference Center in Cairo, Egypt. Exhibition hours run from Thursday, 26 May, until Sunday, 29 May, from 11:00 a.m. 8:00 p.m. local time. For more information, visit www.afropackaging.com. About TM Robotics TM Robotics, in partnership with Toshiba Machine, offers a comprehensive range of Toshiba Machine Industrial Robots ideally suited for high-precision assembly, machine loading/unloading and material-handling applications that can be dust proof, clean room, or IP65/67. The company's extensive product line starts with a Cartesian solution available in thousands of combinations from single actuators to four-axis solutions; six-axis solutions that can include precise vision-control; and a complete range of SCARAs from low cost to the industry-leading SCARA with 1200-mm reach that can carry up to 20 kgs. TM Robotics sells and services robots throughout Europe, the Middle East, India, Russia, Oceania, Australia, and Africa, as well as North, Central, and South America, from headquarters in Hertfordshire, England, and Elk Grove Village, IL, USA. For more information, visit www.tmrobotics.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. About Caionix Caionix is an Egyptian integrator specialized in industrial robots and automation systems. Our aim is to facilitate the integration of industrial robots into the production lines in Middle East and North Africa. We are focusing on food manufacturing, pharmaceutical, packaging and plastics and automotive industries. We are also focusing on raising the awareness of industrial robots for educational purposes. To realize this goal, we teamed up with TM Robotics for Toshiba Machine Industrial Robots, the leading Japanese industrial robot manufacturer. For more information, visit www.caionix.com or call +201008230007. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160525006580/en/ Contacts: For more information: Hughes Communications, Inc. Jenny Viscarolasaga, +1 617-331-4944 jenny@hughescom.net AS Olainfarm plans that sales of SIA Tonus Elast in 2016 could increase to 9 million euros. This would mean an increase by 23% compared to 2015, when company made sales of 7.3 million euros. It is expected that the net profit could remain at the level of 2015, and be at the about 1.7 million euros. It is expected that within the next three years profit and sales of Tonus Elast could increase by 50%. Significant sales increase to Russia in Ukraine is planned for the very near future. Olaine, 2016-05-26 07:00 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On May 12, 2016, AS Olainfarm signed an agreement about acquiring 100% shares in SIA Tonus Elast, producer of elastic medical products. The total price of shares was 14 million euros and AS ABLV Bank provided a loan with 10 years maturity to finance the transaction. SIA "Tonus Elast" was established in 1995 and is a producer of elastic medical products, from elastic bandages to complicated corsets for pregnant and lactating women. Products portfolio of SIA Tonus Elast includes more than 100 different product types, bestselling of which are bandages and compression products. The main sales markets are CIS and EU countries, India and the countries of Middle East. A little more than 200 employees are working at production site of SIA Tonus Elast in Nicas novads. The site meets all requirements of a modern producer of medical appliances, which is confirmed by LVS EN ISO 9001:2009 certificate. JSC Olainfarm is one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in Latvia with more than 40 years of experience in production of medication and chemical and pharmaceutical products. A basic principle of company's operations is to produce reliable and effective top quality products for Latvia and the rest of the world. Products made by the Group are being exported to more than 35 countries of the world, including the Baltics, Russia, other CIS, Europe, Asia, North America and Australia. Information prepared by: Salvis Lapins JSC Olainfarm Member of the Management Board Rupnicu iela 5, Olaine, Latvia, LV 2114 Phone: +371 6 7013 717 Fax: +371 6 7013 777 E-mail: Salvis.Lapins@olainfarm.lv Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - May 26, 2016) - With a proven track record that now spans two decades, ICMediaDirect continues to build on its standing as an industry leader in public relations and reputation management by devoting its resources to the latest trends in technology and social media that affect the perceptions of companies and individuals. As companies face unprecedented challenges in protecting their online reputations, ICMediaDirect ensures a positive message is projected online and across social media platforms. To access your personal or your company's Online Reputation Report, visit ICMediaDirect homepage at http://www.icmediadirect.com Monitoring information on the Internet is the key component to online reputation management. Optimizing SEO, keeping abreast of brand mentions and online reviews, and maximizing the positive impact that social media accounts can have are the key underpinnings to a strategic management plan. According to a story by Richard Lorezen entitled "The Impact of Online Reputation on Your Company's Success," approximately 70 percent of all consumers will consult reviews or ratings before they make a purchase. Lorezen goes on to say that "more than half of consumers use the internet to learn about a brick-and-mortar store or company before they do business with someone." ICMediaDirect endorses a proactive approach to reputation management and uses a variety of state-of-the-art tools and methods to streamline the process. Enhancing a company's brand and building trust are at the core of its online management reputation philosophy. A story by Kent Campbell, entitled "How Natural Reputation and Context Affects Online Reputation Strategy," underscores how essential it is for all businesses to monitor and manage their online reputations. "What others say about your business on social media and review sites," he writes, "can affect your bottom line no matter how many customers you serve." He cites a Nielsen survey that shows "that 68 percent of respondents indicated that they trust customer reviews that they read on line." Founded in 1996, ICMediaDirect has long been a recognized leader in the public relations industry, earning the New York Excellence Award from SBIEC for two straight years for its success with SEO and its ability to consistently produce positive results. From its offices in New York City and Washington, DC, the agency has created a global reach in helping clients enhance their brand through online reputation management. ICMediaDirect stays current with all of the latest trends by consistently staying active, attending a variety of marketing conferences and events. Those include Affiliate Summit, SES and LeadsCon, with ICMediaDirect sharing its expertise and marketing methods throughout the year. The company is also active in supporting non-profit organizations that help those in need throughout the world. To see your Online Reputation Report, visit http://www.icmediadirect.com ICMediaDirect -- PR and Marketing News: http://icmediadirectnews.com Reputation-Control.com -- 100% Reputation Control: http://www.reputation-control.com ICMediaDirect -- Reputation Management -- IC Media Direct Helps Companies and Individuals Improve Their Online Reputation: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/icmediadirect-reputation-management-ic-media-044745432.html Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/5/26/11G100172/Images/ICMediaDirect_-_Reputation_Management_-_IC_Media_D-1759374f757f9948be919cab9b2fef9e.jpg Embedded Video Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3QHOeY8qAM Contact Information ICMediaDirect.com TEL: 1.800.595.0821 www.ICMediaDirect.com pr@icmediadirect.com WASHINGTON, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Sahara Group, a leading African Energy and Infrastructure Conglomerate has restated its commitment to collaborating with various stakeholders to rout the menace of corruption from governance and businesses to boost global economic growth and business sustainability. The Sahara Group, which has power, oil and gas operations in eight (8) countries across four (4) continents, was part of the recent Washington 2016 Partnering Against Corruption Initiative (PACI) Spring Conference which had Deloitte, Basel Institute, Transparency International, Siemens AG, Thompson Reuters and Pathfinder Group, among others in attendance. The conference focused on Building Transparency and Integrity in Business as well as the role of Youth Engagement in stamping out corruption - using Nigeria and Mexico as the model countries to drive the agenda. Sahara Group led deliberations on perceived corruption in Nigeria with allusions to the old Japanese theory Kintsukuroi (keen-tsoo-koo-roy) - "to repair with gold" - as a basis for advocating the establishment of PACI backed partnerships and campaigns. Sahara noted that there was a "palpable wind of change" in Nigeria that signals the preparedness of the nation to record considerable progress with its ongoing anti-corruption policies. Sahara called for the following: - A collaborative effort between the Federal Government of Nigeria, selected Nigerian Businesses and Key PACI members through the World Economic Forum (WEF) CEO's Forum towards setting a robust anti-corruption agenda - The use of technology as a tool for rebuilding trust in the system. - Development of regional focus for PACI with Nigeria at the forefront of driving the African agenda In addition, Sahara reiterated the need for more youth engagement and social inclusiveness towards pioneering an 'Anti-Corruption Epidemic' in alliance with the PACI community. Some youth integration agenda that were highlighted include: - Establishing an inclusive engagement plan through exhaustive stakeholder mapping and segmentation - Identifying young influencers with trusted voices in society to drive the agenda - Deploying accessible technology to high density areas - Creating a positive narrative for the agenda through robust communication strategy PACI members at the event held that the business community in every country should play a critical role in formulating policies and creating systems that will address the root causes of corruption, working through national, regional and global hubs. According to PACI Co-Chair, David Cruickshank, the organization will focus on private public cooperation, leadership and governance, and role of technology as an enabler for business integrity over the next three years. "PACI's expansion from a regional perspective with key focus on Nigeria and Mexico will go live within the next one year," he added, stressing PACI's resurgent commitment to boost global campaign on "spreading the anti-corruption epidemic". ABOUT SAHARA Sahara Group is a leading privately owned African Energy and Infrastructure Conglomerate with operating entities active in the Power, Downstream, Midstream, Upstream and Infrastructure sectors. Sahara currently has its operations in Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East and continues to explore new frontiers to replicate its passion for seeking creative, cleaner and sustainable ways of being the provider of choice wherever energy is consumed. The Group is a member of the World Economic Forum community - Partnering Against Corruption Initiative (PACI) and collaborates with global, regional and national organisations to promote sustainable development and transparency in business. Please see additional information at http://www.sahara-group.com. Media Contact Information: Bethel Obioma: bethel.obioma@sahara-group.com Tel: 234-1-2793811 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. Pan African Resources PLC (Incorporated and registered in England and Wales under Companies Act 1985 with registered number 3937466 on 25 February 2000) Share code on AIM: PAF Share code on JSE: PAN ISIN: GB0004300496 ("Pan African" or the "Company") ACQUISITION OF A FURTHER INTEREST IN SHANDUKA GOLD AND VENDOR PLACING 1, INTRODUCTION Pan African shareholders ("Shareholders") are referred to the announcement published by the Company on 23 February 2016 ("SBSA Announcement"), wherein Shareholders were advised that the Company had entered into an agreement to acquire the Standard Bank of South Africa Limited's ("SBSA") 16.9% interest in Shanduka Gold Proprietary Limited ("Shanduka Gold") ("SBSA Transaction"). Shanduka Gold's only assets are its 23.8% interest in Pan African's issued ordinary share capital and its interest in a notional loan (as more fully described in section 2 below). Shanduka Gold is currently (i.e. before implementation of the SBSA Transaction) owned by the following entities: The Mabindu Business Development Trust (" Mabindu ") (49.5%); ") (49.5%); Jadeite Limited (" Jadeite ") (33.6%); and ") (33.6%); and SBSA (16.9%). Further to the SBSA Announcement, Shareholders are advised that, pursuant to Shanduka Gold's memorandum of incorporation ("MOI"), Jadeite has exercised a tag-along right in terms of which Pan African was required to make an offer to acquire Jadeite's Shanduka Gold shares. Accordingly, Pan African will present an offer ("Offer") to Jadeite to acquire its 33.6% interest in Shanduka Gold subject to certain terms and conditions ("Jadeite Transaction") on materially the same terms as the SBSA Transaction. The Offer remains subject to acceptance by Jadeite. If Jadeite accepts the Offer, the SBSA Transaction and the Jadeite Transaction (the "Transactions") are expected to be concluded simultaneously on or about 7 June 2016. The aggregate purchase consideration payable by Pan African pursuant to the Transactions is approximately R545.6 million (23.9 million) ("PurchaseConsideration") which shall be settled in cash from the Company's existing reserves and facilities, and from the proceeds of a vendor consideration placing ("Vendor Placing") of new Pan African ordinary shares ("PAR Shares"), as explained below. A maximum of 111711791 PAR Shares ("Placement Shares") are to be issued in consideration of a portion of the Purchase Consideration and will be issued by Pan African to certain Shareholders and new institutional investors ("Investors") pursuant to a vendor consideration placing ("Vendor Placing"). The Transactions are not conditional upon the implementation of the Vendor Placing. Completion of the Vendor Placing is subject to, inter alia, the Jadeite Transaction becoming unconditional in all respects and approval for the listing and admission of the Placement Shares to trading on AIM and the exchange operated by the JSE Limited ("Main Board"). In anticipation of completion of the Vendor Placing, Pan African has concluded a bookbuild in terms of which it has secured undertakings from the Investors to acquire the Placement Shares. Should the Vendor Placing proceed, the Placement Shares shall be acquired by the Investors for R3.25 (approximately 14.25 pence) per share (the "Placing Price"), being a premium of 5.1% to the 30 day volume weighted average traded price of a PAR Share as at 25May2016, to raise a maximum of R363.1 million (15.9 million) and the remaining portion of the Purchase Consideration will be settled in cash by Pan African using its existing cash reserves and funding facilities. The Vendor Placing comprises two separate but simultaneous and co-ordinated vendor placings in the United Kingdom and South Africa. The Company has entered into a placing agreement (the "Placing Agreement") with Numis and Peel Hunt (together the "UK Bookrunners"), pursuant to which the UK Bookrunners have agreed, in accordance with its terms, to use their reasonable endeavours to procure on behalf of the Company subscribers for the Placement Shares at the Placing Price in the United Kingdom. The Placing Agreement contains customary warranties given by the Company to the UK Bookrunners as to matters relating to the Company and its business and a customary indemnity given by the Company to the UK Bookrunners in respect of liabilities arising out of or in connection with the Vendor Placing. The UK Bookrunners are entitled to terminate the Placing Agreement in certain circumstances prior to admission of the Placement Shares, including circumstances where any of the warranties are found not to be true or accurate or were misleading and upon the occurrence of certain other events. The Placing Shares will represent, in aggregate, approximately 5.7% of the enlarged issued share capital of the Company following the Vendor Placing. The Placement Shares will be issued to Investors credited as fully paid and will, upon issue, rank pari passu in all respects with the Pan African ordinary shares then in issue, including all rights to receive all dividends and other distributions declared, made or paid following admission and listing of such Pan African ordinary shares. The Placement Shares are not being made available to the public or being offered or sold in any jurisdiction where it would be unlawful to do so. The Vendor Placing is not underwritten by the UK Bookrunners or any other person. Application will be made to the London Stock Exchange for admission of the Placement Shares to trading on AIM. The Company will also apply to the JSE Limited for the listing and trading of the Placement Shares on the Main Board. It is expected that admission and listing of the Placement Shares on AIM and the Main Board will become effective on or about 3 June 2016. 2. RATIONALE FOR THE TRANSACTIONS The Transactions allow Pan African to: address operational and value dilution risks presented by the possible dilution of its black economic empowerment (" BEE ") ownership; ") ownership; gain further flexibility and commensurate certainty as to its ability to comply with the prevailing BEE legislation from time to time; partner with Mabindu in furthering Pan African's BEE ownership in a meaningful and mutually beneficial manner on an ongoing basis; through the Vendor Placing, retain the Company's funding headroom necessary for swift access to potential future organic and acquisitive growth opportunities; and realise further value for Shareholders through a reinvestment in the Company via Shanduka Gold on an earnings and dividends accretive basis, as more fully explained below. Mabindu is a black owned and controlled trust and constitutes a Historically Disadvantaged South African ("HDSA") for the purposes of South Africa's BEE legislation. Shanduka Gold (and, indirectly, Mabindu) is Pan African's primary BEE shareholder. Pursuant to legislation governing BEE and the granting and retention of South African mining licences and rights, Pan African is required to have a minimum level of HDSA ownership and Shanduka Gold contributes significantly towards the Company's continued compliance with these requirements. The Transactions allow Pan African to ensure that its current HDSA ownership structures are unaffected by retaining Shanduka Gold and, indirectly, Mabindu as Shareholders. A draft Mining Charter has been published by the Minister of Mineral Resources for comment. Companies have until 31 May 2016 to submit their comments. It is anticipated that there may be a number of significant amendments to this draft version of the Charter following the submissions made by the mining industry and, therefore, it is unclear at this stage in what form the final version of the Charter will be published. The Transactions will provide Pan African with flexibility in terms of ensuring compliance with future BEE regulations. Approximately 0.6% of the Shanduka Gold shares to be acquired from Jadeite will be retained by Jadeite for sale, at a future date, to an independent third party nominated by Pan African. Pursuant to the Transactions, Pan African will therefore acquire a 49.9% direct interest in Shanduka Gold. Shanduka Gold shall accordingly not be a subsidiary of Pan African and further details of the intended application of the 0.6% interest in Shanduka Gold will be determined after completion of the Transactions. Jadeite shall retain ownership of these shares and all the benefits and rights associated therewith until they are transferred to the selected recipient. Mabindu's 49.5% interest in Shanduka Gold was acquired at a discounted value but created a notional loan, to be settled by Mabindu, with a notional value of R536039493 ("Notional Loan") as at 11 December 2015. The Notional Loan accrues notional interest at the South African prime rate plus 5% and is required to be notionally settled on 11December2018. Whilst the Notional Loan is outstanding, 95% of the dividends payable to Mabindu are waived by Mabindu and the Notional Loan is notionally reduced by the aggregate value of all dividends paid and payable to Mabindu. On 11 December 2018, the Notional Loan will be notionally settled by the repurchase by Shanduka Gold of all or a portion of Mabindu's Shanduka Gold shares at the same price per share as originally paid by Mabindu. The number of Shanduka Gold shares to be repurchased shall be calculated by dividing the Notional Loan value by the fair value of a Shanduka Gold share calculated at that time. Pursuant to, inter alia, the Notional Loan, implementation of the Transactions will result in Pan African consolidating all the PAR Shares (436358059 shares) held by Shanduka Gold for accounting purposes. Accordingly, the net effect will be a reduction of 324646268 PAR Shares (as increased by the issue of the Placement Shares) in issue for purposes of the Company's earnings per share calculations. Furthermore, Pan African will receive the benefit of indirectly participating in dividends it declares to Shareholders on a continuing basis. 3. SUSPENSIVE CONDITIONS Subject to the acceptance of the offer by Jadeite, the Jadeite Transaction is expected to be conditional upon the fulfilment or waiver of, inter alia, the following suspensive conditions: the SBSA Transaction becoming unconditional; and Mabindu waiving its pre-emptive rights pursuant to the MOI. CATEGORISATION Pursuant to the JSE Limited Listings Requirements, the Purchase Consideration payable pursuant to the Transactions represents 9.2%, being more than 5% but less than 30%, of the Company's current market capitalisation. Accordingly, the Transactions, on an aggregated basis, are classified as a category 2 transaction. The net asset value of Shanduka Gold is materially equal to approximately 23.8% of Pan African's market capitalisation, from time to time, and, its earnings primarily comprise dividends received from Pan African according to the number of PAR Shares held by it from time to time. Rosebank, Johannesburg 26 May 2016 For further information on Pan African, please visit the Company's website at http://www.panafricanresources.com/ Sole Corporate Advisor in respect of the Transactions, South African Bookrunner and JSE Sponsor to Pan African One Capital South African Legal Advisors to Pan African Webber Wentzel UK Bookrunners Numis Securities Limited Peel Hunt LLP UK Legal Advisors to Pan African Fladgate LLP Legal Advisors to UK Bookrunners Memery Crystal Contact Details Corporate Office The Firs Office Building 1st Floor, Office 101 Cnr. Cradock and Biermann Avenues Rosebank, Johannesburg South Africa Office: + 27 (0) 11 243 2900 Facsimile: + 27 (0) 11 880 1240 Registered Office Suite 31 Second Floor 107 Cheapside London EC2V 6DN United Kingdom Office: + 44 (0) 207 796 8644 Facsimile: + 44 (0) 207 796 8645 Cobus LootsDeon Louw Pan African Resources PLC Pan African Resources PLC Chief Executive Officer Financial Director Office: + 27 (0)11 243 2900 Office: + 27 (0)11 243 2900 Phil DexterJohn Prior / James Black / George Fry St James's Corporate Services Limited Numis Securities Limited Company Secretary Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker Office: + 44 (0)207 796 8644 Office: + 44 (0)207 260 1000 Sholto Simpson Matthew Armitt / Ross Allister One Capital Peel Hunt LLP JSE Sponsor and Transaction Advisor Joint Broker Office: + 27 (0)11 550 5009 Office: + 44 (0)207 418 8900 Gareth Driver / Huneiza Goolam Julian Gwillim Webber Wentzel Aprio Strategic Communications South African Legal Advisor Public & Investor Relations SA Office: + 27 (0)11530 5000 Office: + 27 (0)11880 0037 Daniel Thole Bell Pottinger Public & Investor Relations UK Office: + 44 (0)203 772 2500 Numis and Peel Hunt, who are authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, are acting for the Company and for no-one else in relation to the Vendor Placing, and will not be responsible to any person other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to their clients nor for providing advice in connection with the matters contained in this announcement. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is or will be made, and to the fullest extent permitted by law no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by any of Numis or Peel Hunt, or by any of their affiliates or agents, as to or in relation to, the accuracy or completeness of this announcement, or any other written or oral information made available to or publicly available to, any interested party or its advisers, and any liability therefor, or in connection therewith, is expressly disclaimed. DISCLAIMER - INTENDED ADDRESSEES NOT FOR PUBLICATION, RELEASE, OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, HONG KONG, CANADA, JAPAN, OR SWITZERLAND OR ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE SAME WOULD BE UNLAWFUL OR TO U.S. PERSONS (WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED). This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to subscribe for, underwrite or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities in any jurisdiction. This announcement is only intended to be accessed and reviewed by persons to whom it can lawfully be addressed and is not intended to be transmitted or distributed, directly or indirectly, into the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, Canada or Switzerland or any jurisdiction where to do so would constitute a violation of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction. The transmission and distribution of this announcement may be restricted by law in various jurisdictions, and persons who access this announcement should inform themselves about, and observe, any such restrictions. The securities described in this announcement have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or under any relevant securities laws of any state of the United States of America and, subject to certain exceptions, the securities may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons or to persons within the United States of America, as such terms are defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act. There will be no public offering of the securities in the United States. AIM: MARL Suite 102, 3 Eden Street 26 May 2016 North Sydney, NSW 2060 Australia More High Grade Gold-Copper Intercepts Confirmed in Latest Drilling at the Hot Maden Gold-Copper Project, NE Turkey. Mariana Resources Ltd ('Mariana' or 'the Company'), the AIM listed exploration and development company with projects in Turkey and South America, is pleased to report the following update on the ongoing diamond drill program at the high grade Hot Maden project. Results are presented for drill holes HTD-51 to HTD-53 (Figures 1 and 2), together with an update on new drilling in progress. Highlights: * High grade gold-copper mineralization has been confirmed in the chalcopyrite-pyrite-bearing breccia from 262m downhole in hole HTD- 52, 140m downdip of the discovery hole HTD-4 intersection. This new extension lies outside the current mineral resource model and is therefore expected to provide a positive contribution to the next mineral resource update. HTD-52 31.5m @ 4.4 g/t Au + 0.77% Cu from 262m, and 18.5m @ 0.4 g/t Au + 2.24% Cu from 295m * Exceptional gold-copper assays have been returned from exploration drilling in the southern target area, located 400m south of the existing resource area and within the northern extension to the pre-1923 vein mining area. HTD-53 40.5m @ 8.8 g/t Au + 0.77% Cu from 158.0m downhole Including 12m @ 22.2 g/t Au + 0.66% Cu from 183.0m downhole HTD-51 1.0m @ 90.1 g/t Au from 163.0m downhole;- and 1.0m @ 22.9 g/t Au from 117.0 m downhole Previously released higher grade intersections in this lightly drilled area include: HTD-25 25.2m @ 7.3 g/t Au + 0.47% Cu from 42.8m;- and 23.5m @ 3.8% Zn from 80.5m HTD-27 39m @ 5.8 g/t Au + 0.7% Cu from 88m;- and 57m @ 0.8 g/t Au + 0.6% Cu + 3.1% Zn from 231m * Mineralisation in drill holes HTD-53 and HTD-51 is dominantly associated with quartz-sulfide veinlet / breccia zones. * Drilling underway includes HTD-54, the step-back hole to HTD-52 on section 4,542,250N, and HTD-55, the step-forward hole to HTD-53 on section 4,541,750N. Links to Figures: http://marianaresources.com/site/media/May_26_Maps.pdf Chief Executive Officer Glen Parsons today commented: 'The confirmation of these high grades, following visual identification of sulphides, is extremely encouraging both in the current resource area as well as further to the south. Specifically hole HTD-52 is now confirming the deeper resource extension below discovery hole HTD-04, and holes HTD-51 and HTD-53 highlighting further potential to the south in the new discovery area. 'In the South, we are seeing multiple narrow but extremely high grade quartz sulphide vein and veinlet zones, typical to what was mined by the Russians in the early 1920's, as well as wider zones of well mineralised veinlet / breccia style mineralisation. The southern area is becoming a priority exploration target as continual high grade mineralisation is intersected. 'Two rigs are currently turning;- one in the immediate vicinity of the resource area for resource extension and infill drilling, to ultimately update the current resource estimate, and the second on the exploration potential to the south. 'We continue to batch results from drilling and I look forward to updating the market as results become available.' Hot Maden Gold-Copper Project Update Recent drilling activities at the Hot Maden project have focused on:- * Testing of potential extensions to the known high grade gold-copper mineral resource, including drill hole HTD-52. * Scout drilling of the 'Ridge Area' the southerly step out from the current mineral resource. * Scout drilling of the Southern Vein Field (the northern extension of the area mined by Russian interests pre-1923), including drill holes HTD-51 and HTD-53. Main Resource Area - Extension Drilling Drill hole HTD-52 intersected a new, down-dip extension to the high grade gold- copper resource in the northern part of the current resource area (Figure 2 & 3). A total of 50m of multiphase, chalcopyrite-pyrite (-hematite-jasper)-bearing breccia was intersected from 262m with assays returning: HTD-52 31.5m @ 4.4 g/t Au + 0.77% Cu from 262.0m downhole, and 18.5m @ 2.24% Cu + 0.4 g/t Au from 295.0m downhole This intersection lies outside the current mineral resource model and is therefore expected to provide a positive contribution to the next mineral resource update. Sourthern Vein Field /HTD 27 Area Exceptional assay results were also received for two scout holes, HTD-51 and HTD-53, completed in the Southern target area (the northern extension of the area mined by Russian interests prior to 1923). Both holes intersected multiple zones of sulphide-bearing veinlets / breccias (Figures 2 & 4), with key assays including: HTD-53 40.5m @ 8.8 g/t Au + 0.77% Cu from 158.0m downhole Including 12m @ 22.2 g/t Au + 0.66% Cu from 183.0m downhole HTD-51 1.0m @ 90.1 g/t Au from 163.0m downhole, and 1.0m @ 22.9 g/t Au from 117.0 m downhole A further five metre-scale intervals containing grades > 5.9 g/t Au were also returned from drill hole HTD-51. Further systematic work will be required to develop the exploration potential of this sector; high grade vein targets represent a valid exploration target in their own right and will be evaluated on a priority basis going forward. Driling in Progress Drill holes HTD-54 and HTD-55 are currently in progress. Drill hole HTD-54 is a 50m step back hole to HTD-52 (Figure 2 & 3), and has been designed to intersect the down-dip extension of the chalcopyrite-pyrite(-hematite-jasper) breccia at around 420m downhole. HTD-55 is a step forward hole to HTD-53 on section 4,541,750N (Figure 2), and has been designed to continue the eastward search for additional zones of Au mineraization. Table 1: Summary of drill holes HTD-51 to HTD-53 (Cross Sections from North to South) +---------------+----------+------+-------------+------+----+----+-------------+ | Drill Hole | From (m) |To (m)|Intercept (m)|Au g/t|Cu %|Zn %| Comments | +---------------+----------+------+-------------+------+----+----+-------------+ | | | | |Cross Section 4,542,250N Figures 2-3 | | | | | +---------------+----------+------+-------------+------+----+----+-------------+ | HTD-52 | 142.5 |152.5 | 10.5 | - |0.25|2.12| Zinc Zone | +---------------+----------+------+-------------+------+----+----+-------------+ | | 262.0 |293.5 | 31.5 | 4.4 |0.77| - | Main Au-Cu | +---------------+----------+------+-------------+------+----+----+Zone in Step | | | 295.0 |313.5 | 18.5 | 0.4 |2.24| - |back hole to | | | | | | | | | HTD 04/09 | +---------------+----------+------+-------------+------+----+----+-------------+ | | | | |Southern Vein 4,541,750N and 4,541,800N Figure 2, 4 | |Field | | | | | +---------------+----------+------+-------------+------+----+----+-------------+ | HTD-51 | 36.0 | 37.0 | 1.0 | 6.4 |0.89| - | | +---------------+----------+------+-------------+------+----+----+ | | | 111.0 |112.0 | 1.0 | 7.8 | - | - | | +---------------+----------+------+-------------+------+----+----+ | | | 113.0 |114.0 | 1.0 | 7.3 | - | - | | +---------------+----------+------+-------------+------+----+----+ | | | 117.0 |118.0 | 1.0 | 22.9 | - | |Veinlet Zone | +---------------+----------+------+-------------+------+----+----+ | | | 163.0 |164.0 | 1.0 | 90.1 | - | - | | +---------------+----------+------+-------------+------+----+----+ | | | 296.0 |297.0 | 1.0 | 5.9 |1.37| | | +---------------+----------+------+-------------+------+----+----+ | | | 356.5 |357.5 | 1.0 | 5.7 | - | - | | +---------------+----------+------+-------------+------+----+----+-------------+ | | | | | | | | | +---------------+----------+------+-------------+------+----+----+-------------+ | HTD-53 | 158.0 |198.5 | 40.5 | 8.8 |0.77| - | Veinlet / | +---------------+----------+------+-------------+------+----+----+Breccia Zone | | Including | 183.0 |195.0 | 12.0 | 22.2 |0.66| - | | +---------------+----------+------+-------------+------+----+----+-------------+ | | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Quality Control and Assurance Mineralised intervals presented in Table 1 are drill intersection widths and may not represent true widths of mineralisation. Drill core obtained from the diamond drill program was dominantly HQ-sized core with the remainder being PQ- sized core. All drill core was photographed and quick logged prior to sampling. Standard sampling protocol involved the halving of all drill core and sampling over generally 1 m intervals (in clearly mineralized sections) or 2 m intervals (elsewhere), with one half of the core being placed in a sealed sample bag and dispatched to the analytical laboratory for analysis. Samples have been analysed at ALS Laboratories' facility in Izmir, western Turkey. All samples have been analysed for gold using a 30g Fire Assay with AAS finish (or Screen Fire Assay for higher grade samples), in addition to a 32 element ICP-AES analysis of an aqua regia digest. Samples in which ICP analyses returned greater than the maximum detection limit for the elements Ag (10 ppm), Cu (10,000 ppm), Fe (15%), Pb (10,000 ppm), and Zn (10,000 ppm) were reanalysed using the AAS analytical technique, Standards and blanks were inserted in to the analytical sequence on the basis of one standard for every 20 samples, 2 blanks in every batch, and one duplicate every 40 samples. Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) No HSE incidents have been reported during the current diamond drill program. Hot Maden drill holes - technical data Technical data relating to Hot Maden drill holes HTD-51 to HTD-55 are given in the following tables. Main Resource Area - Extension Drilling +------+---------+-----------+-----------+-------+---------+----------+--------+ | Hole | Easting | Northing | Elevation |Azimuth| Dip | Depth | Assays | | ID | | | (m) | |(degrees)| (m) | | +------+---------+-----------+-----------+-------+---------+----------+--------+ |HTD-52|740,522.3|4,542,255.2| 869.2 | 085 | -60 | 344 |Complete| +------+---------+-----------+-----------+-------+---------+----------+--------+ |HTD-54|740,472.2|4,542,264.7| 875.3 | 090 | -63 | In |Pending | | | | | | | | Progress | | +------+---------+-----------+-----------+-------+---------+----------+--------+ Southern Extension / HTD-27 Area / Southern Vein Field +------+---------+-----------+-----------+-------+---------+----------+--------+ | Hole | Easting | Northing | Elevation |Azimuth| Dip | Depth | Assays | | ID | | | (m) | |(degrees)| (m) | | +------+---------+-----------+-----------+-------+---------+----------+--------+ |HTD-51|740,442.3|4,541,801.0| 883.0 | 090 | -60 | 396 |Complete| +------+---------+-----------+-----------+-------+---------+----------+--------+ |HTD-53|740,510.5|4,541,753.1| 884.0 | 090 | -60 | 264 |Complete| +------+---------+-----------+-----------+-------+---------+----------+--------+ |HTD-55|740,552.1|4,541,757.2| 885.7 | 090 | -58 | In |Pending | | | | | | | | Progress | | +------+---------+-----------+-----------+-------+---------+----------+--------+ **ENDS** Qualified Person The information in this release has been reviewed by Eric Roth, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of Mariana Resources. Mr Roth holds a Ph.D. in Economic Geology from the University of Western Australia, is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), and is a Fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists (SEG). Mr Roth has 25 years of experience in international minerals exploration and mining project evaluation. For further information please visit website at www.marianaresources.com or contact the following. In Australia: Glen Parsons (CEO) Mariana Resources Ltd +61 2 9437 4588 Eric Roth (COO) Mariana Resources Ltd +56 9 8818 1243 Rob Adamson RFC Ambrian Limited (Nomad) +61 2 9250 0041 Will Souter RFC Ambrian Limited (Nomad) +61 2 9250 0050 In U.K. Oliver Stansfield Brandon Hill Capital (UK Broker) +44 20 3463 5061 Jonathan Evans Brandon Hill Capital (UK Broker) +44 20 3463 5016 Camilla Horsfall Blytheweigh (Financial PR) +44 20 7138 3224 Megan Ray Blytheweigh (Financial PR) +44 20 7138 3203 About Mariana Resources Mariana Resources Ltd is an AIM quoted exploration and development company with an extensive portfolio of gold, silver and copper projects in South America and Turkey. Mariana's most advanced asset is the Hot Maden gold-copper project in north east Turkey, which is a joint venture with its Turkish JV partner Lidya (30% Mariana and 70% Lidya) rapidly advancing to development. A maiden mineral resource estimate of 2.03 Moz gold Equivalent (Indicated Category) and 0.97 Moz gold Equivalent (Inferred Category) (100% basis) was reported for Hot Maden on August 18, 2015. Elsewhere in Turkey, Mariana holds a 100% interest in the Ergama gold- copper project. In southern Argentina, the Company's core gold-silver projects are Las Calandrias (100%), Sierra Blanca (100%), Los Cisnes (100%), and Bozal (100%). These projects are part of a 160,000+ Ha land package in the Deseado Massif epithermal gold-silver district in mining-friendly Santa Cruz Province. Mariana acquired 100% interests in the Dona Ines gold-silver and Exploradora East copper prospects in northern Chile through the Aegean Metals Group transaction which closed in January, 2015, with Mariana exploration now being funded by Asset Chile through the provision of $1.65m for a total 50% interest. In Suriname, Mariana has a direct holding of 10.2% of the Nassau Gold project. The Nassau Gold Project is a 28,000 Ha exploration concession located approximately 125 km south east of the capital Paramaribo and immediately adjacent to Newmont Mining's 4.2Moz gold Merian project. In Peru, Mariana is focusing on acquiring new opportunities which complement its current portfolio. Safe Harbour This press release contains certain statements which may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as at the date of this press release and include, without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, the realization, cost, timing and extent of mineral resource estimates, estimated future exploration expenditures, costs and timing of the development of new deposits, success of exploration activities, permitting time lines, and requirements for additional capital. The words 'plans', 'expects', 'budget', 'scheduled', 'estimate', 'forecasts', 'intend', 'anticipate', 'believe', 'may', 'will', or similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: the effects of general economic conditions; the price of gold, silver and copper; misjudgements in the course of preparing forward-looking statements; risks associated with international operations; the need for additional financing; risks inherent in exploration results; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters; currency and commodity price fluctuations; title matters; environmental liability claims; unanticipated operational risks; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or in the completion of development or construction activities; political risk; and other risks and uncertainties described in the Company's annual financial statements for the most recently completed financial year which is available on the Company's website at www.marianaresources.com . Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions and have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward- looking statements. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. This announcement is distributed by GlobeNewswire on behalf of GlobeNewswire clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that: (i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and (ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Mariana Resources Ltd via GlobeNewswire [HUG#2015685] B12GJ72R6 Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de LONDON, ENGLAND -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Condor Gold plc ('Condor" or "the Company") (AIM: CNR) is pleased to announce its results for the year ended 31st December 2015. Highlights: -- Whittle Consulting completed an Enterprise Optimisation Study analysing the Net Present Value for four production scenarios, this increased the contained gold within pit shells by 30% and gold produced by 20% to 25% per annum over four production scenarios; -- Recovered gold ranges from 866,000 oz gold to 1.54M oz gold over the life of the mine (see announcement of 22 January 2016); -- Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment completed and an application made for an Environmental Permit for open pit mining at La India. The base case is for a 2,800 tonne per day processing plant capable of producing 100,000 oz gold per annum; -- A further 1,952m of drilling completed, including an excellent drill intercept of 7.6m at 10.2g/t gold outside the main pit, which extends a high-grade ore shoot an extra 50m to the south and 60m to depth; -- 71km2 soil geochemistry survey on the 313km2 La India project revealed several gold anomalies; -- Structural geology study completed, which identifies the controls on gold mineralisation at La India Project. It has generated 33 gold exploration targets; -- Implementation of the IFC's Environmental and Social Action Plan. Post Period Highlights: -- The updated Net Present Values and Internal Rates of Return contained in the Enterprise Optimisation Study were released detailing: an NPV increase of 75% for the Indicated ounces of gold only used in the PFS; an average NPV of US$195M across the four production scenarios detailed in the Whittle Optimisation and IRRs averaging 31%; -- Renegotiation of the purchase price of the Espinito Mendoza Concession within Mestiza Vein Set permits conversion of a Soviet style resource of 785,000 oz gold at 10.1g/t gold to NI-43-101 standards; -- The Mestiza Vein Set is excluded from the PFS and PEAs and has the potential to add approximately 50,000 oz gold production per annum; -- GBP 2.818M raised by way of a private placement of new ordinary shares, led by Ross Beaty, a high profile, successful Canadian mining entrepreneur, who invested GBP 1.5M for a 7.2% shareholding in the Company; -- Progress on land acquisition. A new property company has been formed and a quarter of landowners have already accepted an offer from Condor Gold to purchase the surface rights/freehold land; -- Detailed geological mapping of the Andrea vein, following up on the soil surveys undertaken in 2015, has extended the Andrea vein from 2km to 6km. Mark Child, Chairman and Chief Executive of Condor Gold commented: "I am delighted with the progress that Condor Gold has made over the last financial year and the start of the current one with the conclusion of the company's successful fund raising of GBP 2.818 million. Much of 2015 was spent executing a twin strategy of de-risking the La India Project, Nicaragua, by preparing and submitting an Environmental Impact Assessment ("EIA") to the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources ("MARENA") and developing and implementing a land acquisition policy to acquire approximately 800 hectares of rural land for the site infrastructure. We continued to demonstrate a District scale gold deposit at La India Project through low cost exploration and enhancing the economics of the PFS and PEAs by engaging Whittle Consulting Limited ("Whittle") to optimise the mine schedules in the PFS and PEAs to maximum Net Present Value. "During 2016, Condor will continue to de-risk La India Project by obtaining permits for a 2,800tpd processing plant capable of producing 100,000 oz gold per annum and acquire the surface rights to the rural land. The Company will continue to demonstrate the District scale nature of La India gold deposit by increasing the geochemistry soil sampling program from 71sq km completed in 2015 to cover the entire 313 sq km of La India Project, while completing a detailed geological map over the whole area." A full copy of the Company's Audited Annual Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2015 has been posted to all shareholders and is also available on the Company's website, www.condorgold.com. The notice of the annual general meeting has been posted to shareholders and the meeting is to be held at The Institute of Directors, 116 Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 5ED at 11:30 a.m. on 23 June 2016. For further information please visit www.condorgold.com. About Condor Gold plc: Condor Gold plc was admitted to AIM on 31st May 2006. The Company is a gold exploration and development company with a focus on Central America. Condor completed a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) and two Preliminary Economic Assessments (PEA) on La India Project in Nicaragua in December 2014. The PFS details an open pit gold mineral reserve of 6.9M tonnes at 3.0g/t gold for 675,000 oz gold producing 80,000 oz gold p.a. for 7 years. The PEA for the open pit only scenario details 100,000 oz gold production p.a. for 8 years whereas the PEA for a combination of open pit and underground details 140,000 oz gold production p.a. for 8 years. La India Project contains a total attributable mineral resource of 18.4Mt at 3.9g/t for 2.33M oz gold and 2.68M oz silver at 6.2g/t to the CIM Code. In El Salvador, Condor has an attributable 1,004,000 oz gold equivalent at 2.6g/t JORC compliant resource. The resource calculations are compiled by independent geologists SRK Consulting (UK) Limited for Nicaragua and Ravensgate and Geosure for El Salvador. Disclaimer Neither the contents of the Company's website nor the contents of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Company's website (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement. Contacts: Condor Gold plc Mark Child Executive Chairman and CEO +44 (0) 20 7493 2784 www.condorgold.com Beaumont Cornish Limited Roland Cornish and James Biddle +44 (0) 20 7628 3396 Numis Securities Limited John Prior and James Black +44 (0) 20 7260 1000 Farm Street Media Simon Robinson +44 (0) 7593 340107 TORTOLA, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- ATLAS Mara Limited (LSE: ATMA) LSE: ATMA 26 May 2016 Atlas Mara Limited 1st Quarter IMS - Three Months Ended 31 March 2016 Atlas Mara Limited ("Atlas Mara" or the "Company" and, including its subsidiaries, the "Group"), the sub-Sahara African financial services group, today releases its IMS for the first quarter ended 31 March 2016. Key highlights during the period On 26 April, at the time the Group released its full year 2015 results, the Group informed the market that it expected to report a loss for the first quarter of 2016. For comparative purposes, given the non-recurring nature of selected expenses related to the Company's formative period, Atlas Mara provides adjusted figures, excluding one-off items and M&A transaction expenses. On this basis, Atlas Mara reported a loss of $2.0 million for the period (2015: $9.0 million profit). Excluding these adjustments, the loss after tax reported for the first quarter of 2016 was $6.7 million (2015: profit of $0.5 million). The main factors contributing to this outcome for Q1 2016 were: Impact from FX translation due to weakness of African currencies versus a stronger US Dollar in the second half of 2015; Credit provisions taken in Zimbabwe against specific corporate loans due to economic headwinds experienced in that market; M&A and one-off costs where the benefit from spend follows later, i.e. there is a timing mismatch of costs incurred in a transaction versus revenue recognition. Both assets and liabilities have grown both year on year and relative to the prior quarter in constant currency terms and, given the Company's resolute focus on credit recoveries and collections, management believe that some of the additional provisions may be reversed towards the end of 2016. A brief segmental overview of Q1 2016's results is as follows: The Southern Africa segment reported a net loss of $6.3 million (2015: profit of $4.7 million) during the first quarter. A deliberate policy of managing down lower quality, higher risk revenues coupled with additional credit provisions taken in Zimbabwe, with no recoveries from the non-performing loan portfolio in the quarter, were the principal drivers behind the loss. Management believe however that most of these new provisions will be reversed over the remainder of the year, with good progress being made in the continued efforts to monetize some of the non-performing loans soon. Improving the operating performance of these businesses is a key priority for management and will be achieved through already identified focused revenue growth plans and cost reduction initiatives. The East Africa segment reported a profit of $0.7 million (2015: loss $2.1 million). This reflects the strength of our now scaled up Rwandan banking franchise, and we remain excited about its growth prospects. The West Africa segment, represented by Atlas Mara's 31.15% stake in Union Bank of Nigeria Plc ("UBN"), contributed a net profit of $6.9 million (2015: $5.2 million). We are confident of UBN management's ability to navigate the uncertainties that the current macroeconomic environment presents in Nigeria. The ongoing exchange rate depreciation that led to a $1.1 million negative impact on our results is a trend observed across local African currencies since H1 2015. Reported loans and advances were $1,339.4 million (2015: $1,243.1 million), deposits were $1,628.8 million (2015: $1,518.1 million) with the increase in loan balances since end 2015 largely due to the acquisition of Banque Populaire du Rwanda (consolidated into the group's results from 7 January 2016). Following the announcement of a share repurchase program of up to $10 million at the time of the third quarter results, the Company purchased 631,832 shares at a cost of $3.07 million in the first quarter taking the aggregate purchases to 1.03 million shares in the open market for an aggregate consideration of $5.3 million (through 15th March 2016). Acquisition of Finance Bank of Zambia Plc On 29 October 2015, Atlas Mara announced that it had executed definitive agreements with respect to the acquisition of 100% of Finance Bank of Zambia Plc ("FBZ"), currently Zambia's 6th largest bank, subject to regulatory approvals and certain conditions precedent. Subject to completion of these, Atlas Mara aims to close the transaction by the end of the second quarter. Once completed, we expect to merge FBZ with Atlas Mara's Zambian subsidiary, African Banking Corporation Zambia Limited ("BancABC Zambia"). This will result in the creation of Zambia's largest bank by branch network with combined assets of approximately $418 million. The enlarged group will be well-positioned to contribute meaningfully to the development of financial services in Zambia and will be consistent with Atlas Mara's over-arching strategic objective of being a scale participant in its countries of operation. Events since quarter-end Following the announcement of year-end financial results on 26 April 2016, the Company published its 2015 Annual Report on 3 May 2016 (available on our website (http://atlasmara.com)). Our brand endorsement strategy has been rolled out in Rwanda where the Banque Populaire du Rwanda ("BPR") brand has been relaunched as "bpr, part of Atlas Mara" - with the Atlas Mara endorsement an integral part of the new design. This event coincided with the 2016 World Economic Forum for Africa being held in Kigali, where we also launched two of our new innovative product offerings in relation to electronic payments and remittances. On 22 April, the Company completed a tap issue of $17.4 million 8% senior secured convertible bonds due in 2020. The bonds are convertible into the ordinary shares of Atlas Mara at a price of $11.00 per share. Outlook Atlas Mara continues to target for 2016 full-year results, to exceed the reported profit of $11.3 million for 2015 (excluding any revaluation of intangible assets or goodwill) but recognizes that weaker African currencies and a more challenging economic backdrop provide meaningful headwinds to this outcome. Commenting on the first quarter results, John F. Vitalo, CEO, said: "The result for the first quarter were broadly in line with our expectations and accorded with the indications we gave to the market at our 2015 full year earnings release. However, this level of performance is clearly below where we want to be, notwithstanding the challenges of a more difficult economic backdrop and the full impact of weaker exchange rates across our markets. We have clear cost reduction plans and revenue initiatives to ensure that the group is positioned to tackle current headwinds. We remain committed to delivering increased profitability for 2016 relative to 2015, although we expect the year to be one of uneven quarterly performance with improving profitability over the course of the year as we execute on our focused initiatives." Market Update - Investor Conference Call Atlas Mara's senior management will today be holding a conference call for investors at 9am EST / 2pm BST. There will be a presentation available in the Investor Relations section of the Company's website, http://atlasmara.com. The Company will not be disclosing any new material information. Dial-in details are as follows: - Conference ID: 19507645 - US: +1 866 926 5708/ +1 631 621 5256 - UK: +44 (0) 1452 560304 / 08000738965 Contact Details Investors John-Paul Crutchley, +971 4 275 6000 Kojo Dufu, +1 212 883 4330 Media Teneo Strategy, +44 (0)20 7240 2486 Anthony About Atlas Mara Atlas Mara was listed on the London Stock Exchange in December 2013. Atlas Mara's vision is to create sub-Saharan Africa's premier financial services institution through a combination of its experience, expertise and access to capital, liquidity and funding. Its goals are to combine the best of global institutional knowledge with extensive local insights and to support economic growth and financial inclusion in the countries in which the Company operates. Basis of Presentation The term "Atlas Mara", "the Company" or "Group" refers to Atlas Mara Limited and its subsidiaries and associates. This release covers the unaudited results for the Group for the first quarter ended 31 March 2016. Unless otherwise stated, the financial information for the period ended 31 March 2016 is set out in this release on a basis consistent with International Financial Reporting Standards, as adopted by the EU (IFRS), with results from subsidiaries and investments included from the effective date of acquisition. Comparative information The comparative information disclosed during 2015 was based on a Pro-Forma basis. This was due to Atlas Mara's establishing acquisitions only being concluded during Q3 and Q4 of 2014, no meaningful comparative financial information was available. Given that 2015 was however, a full year of operation, there is no need for the Pro-Forma results in respect of these quarterly results and accordingly the actual 2015 quarterly results are included below. Summary of Unaudited Results Atlas Mara Limited Reported Comparatives *Constant Audited results currency Year End ------------------------------------------------ 31.03.2016 31.03.2015 Variance 31.12.2015 $'million $'million % $'million ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Statement of profit or (loss) Total income 51.9 44.3 30.3 205.2 Loan impairment charge (8.5) (5.1) 72.5 (12.0) Operating expenses (51.7) (30.7) 47.4 (174.2) Share of profit of 6.9 5.2 60.9 20.3 associate Adjusted profit before tax (1.4) 13.8 >100 38.8 Adjusted attributable (2.0) 9.0 >100 24.9 profit/(loss) M&A related expenses (6.0) (10.4) (11.9) One-off expenses and other 0.1 (1.7) (7.6) Reported profit/(loss) (7.2) 1.6 >100 19.2 before tax Reported net profit/(loss) (6.7) 0.5 >100 11.3 after tax ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Key figures Loans and advances 1,339.4 1,243.1 18.6 1,229.4 Total assets 2,657.2 2,568.7 12.8 2,452.1 Total equity 644.6 653.9 3.7 625.5 Total liabilities 2,012.6 1,914.8 16.4 1,826.6 Deposits 1,628.8 1,518.1 19.8 1,436.1 Number of shares 69,811,774 70,790,263 outstanding Key performance measures Net interest margin 3.6% 3.1% 4.3% Credit loss ratio 2.5% 1.6% 1.0% Cost to income ratio ** 99.7% 69.2% 94.7% Return on equity ** (0.3%) 1.4% 1.7% Return on assets ** (0.1%) 0.3% 0.4% Loan to deposit ratio 82.2% 81.9% 85.6% Book value per share 9.01 9.31 8.94 (Loss)/earnings per share (0.09) 0.01 0.16 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Constant currency variances reflect the operational variance (either positive or (negative)) quarter-on-quarter excluding foreign currency translation impact due to the US Dollar strengthening against all of the relevant African currencies. By way of example: Total Income for Q1 2016 would have reflected positive growth of 30.3% compared to the prior period had it not been for the impact of foreign exchange translation. ** Calculated on an underlying basis, i.e. excluding one-off and M&A/transactional costs Forward Looking Statement and Disclaimers This announcement does not constitute or form part of any offer or invitation to purchase, otherwise acquire, issue, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities, nor any solicitation of any offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, issue, subscribe for, sell, or otherwise dispose of any securities. The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore persons in such jurisdictions into which this announcement is released, published or distributed should inform themselves about and observe such restrictions. Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements which are based on Atlas Mara's expectations, intentions and projections regarding its future performance, anticipated events or trends and other matters that are not historical facts, including expectations regarding (i) the future operating and financial performance of the Company; (ii) the potential acquisition of FBZ (the "Potential Transaction"); and (iii) the combination of BPR and BRD Commercial. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including (i) economic conditions, competition and other risks that may affect the Company's future performance; (ii) the ability and willingness of the parties to agree definitive documents in respect of the Potential Transaction (the "Transaction Agreements"); (iii) the ability and willingness of the parties to the Transaction Agreements, if entered into, to meet the closing conditions therein; (iv) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Transaction Agreements, if entered into, (v) unexpected liabilities incurred or arising from the acquisition of the acquired business which are not adequately mitigated in the Transaction Agreements, if entered into; (vi) the risk that securities markets will react negatively to the Potential Transaction or other actions by Atlas Mara; (vii) the risk that the Potential Transaction disrupts current plans and operations as a result of the announcement and consummation of the transactions described herein; (viii) the ability to recognise the anticipated benefits of the combination of BPR and BRD Commercial or the Potential Transaction and otherwise to take advantage of strategic opportunities; (ix) changes in applicable laws or regulations; and (x) the other risks and uncertainties. Given these risks and uncertainties, prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and the actual events or consequences may differ materially from those contained in or expressed by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of such statements and, except as required by applicable law or regulation, Atlas Mara expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contacts: RNS Customer Services 0044-207797-4400 rns@londonstockexchange.com http://www.rns.com Sponda Plc Press release 26 May 2016 at 10:00 a.m.Sponda's retail property in Oulu granted LEED Gold Environmental CertificationThe property investment company Sponda Plc has obtained LEED Gold Environmental Certification for its property which was completed in the spring 2016. The tenants of the retail property located at Alasintie 8 in Oulu are the sporting goods retailer XXL and the restaurant chain Subway.LEED Certification is one of the best-known international green building certification systems. It aims for the reduction of environmental impact of construction and use of buildings as well as the development of healthier working environments.High scores for location and energy efficiencyLEED Gold is the second highest certification level in the LEED environmental certification system. The 4,500 gross square metre property meets the certification criteria without question. Energy efficiency and environmentally friendly solutions were emphasised in the design and construction of the retail property. The retail property received a particularly good score for its location and its efficient use of energy.The location of the property is excellent as it is easily accessible both by public transport and by car. The fact that Oulu is a city of cyclists was also taken into account in the design process, and there are spaces for over 80 bicycles in front of the property.In order to increase energy efficiency, particular attention was paid to lighting and district ventilation and heating systems. After tenants start using the property, the property's energy consumption will be monitored monthly as part of Sponda's energy efficiency scheme."The Gold Certification received by the property is a fine recognition. The certification was carried out in excellent cooperation between designers, contractors and consultants during the process," says Hannu Hirvensalo, Project Manager at Sponda. Sponda was assisted by Green Building Partners Oy in the certification process.Sponda PlcAdditional information: Hanna Duraku, Sustainability Manager, tel. +358 50 483 9735Sponda Plc is a property investment company that specialises in commercial properties in the largest cities in Finland. Sponda's business concept is to own, lease and develop retail and office properties and shopping centres into environments that promote the business success of its clients. The fair value of Sponda's investment properties is approximately EUR 3.7 billion and the leasable area is around 1.2 million m2. LONDON, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Business Worldwide Magazine this week unveiled the winners of its second annual CEO Awards. The leading business publication attracts nominations for its CEO Awards from around the globe. Sectors represented in the 2016 CEO Awards include utilities, renewables, telecoms, banking, technology and science. The Awards are open to CEO's, managing directors, heads of service and other C-level executives. They seek to recognise individuals whose philosophy, methodology and leadership skills have made a major contribution to their company's ongoing success in categories such as financial results, corporate culture and customer satisfaction. A spokesperson for Business Worldwide Magazine said: "We would very much like to congratulate all our winners this year. Our judges were very impressed at the way each and every one of these individuals is forging ahead and making a name for themselves in their chosen sector. "In terms of the actual judging process, all scored highly for traits such as credibility, empathy and competence. The Awards are, after all, about celebrating an individual rather than company success and we hope the winners will go on to become role models for others who are keen to emulate their success. "The economic situation in many countries is loosening up but the after effects of the 2008 recession are still there with many consumers still reticent about spending. This goes on to make our winners accolades even more deserving." The spokesman went on to give special thanks to all the colleagues and clients who endeavoured to nominate their CEOs or senior management in the first place. It is this initial recommendation that proves the starting point for judges, who then go on to conduct their own research. More detailed information on our Business Worldwide CEO Awards can be found at http://www.bwmonline.com/awards/ceo-awards-2016-winners/ Note to editors Business Worldwide Magazine is the leading source of business and dealmaker intelligence throughout the world. Our quarterly magazine and online news portal enables an established audience of corporate dealmakers to track the latest news, stories and developments affecting the international markets, corporate finance, business strategy and changes in legislation. This readership includes of CEO/CFO - Banks, Corporate Lawyers and Venture Capital/Private Equity Companies to name a few. http://www.bwmonline.com Contact" David Jones Awards Department" E:david.jones@bwmonline.com W:http://www.bwmonline.com The Group's state of the art technology for grid-connected storage systems, is the first technology to be certified with the latest standards CEI 0-16 Annex N-bis, and offers to grid operators and utilities a unique regulatory advantage Regulatory News: Electro Power Systems S.A. ("EPS" or the "Group", listed on Euronext Paris EPS:PA) (Paris:EPS), technology pioneer of clean energy storage systems, has announced today to the international technical community in Japan that the grid connection and power conversion technologies for hybrid storage systems of the Group have been certified according to the latest CEI standards. The certification, that covers the major electrochemical storage technologies, in all configurations, has been obtained by its subsidiary Elvi Energy upon completion of an extensive systems testing and evaluation at the accredited laboratories of CREI Ven. The international announcement has been done today by Gabriele Marchegiani, Senior Vice President of the Group, from the TC120 meeting of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in Osaka (Japan). The forum, where Gabriele Marchegiani has been invited as internationally recognized expert and delegate of the CEI (Comitato Elettrotecnico Italiano), focuses on standardization in the field of Electrical Energy Storage (EES) systems that, in line with the Group's commitment on hybrid solutions (HyESS), will cover the full range of storage technologies, including electrochemical and hydrogen storage solutions. Compulsory since January 2016, annex N-bis of the CEI 0-16 standard outlines the minimum grid services required for the connection of any storage system to the Italian medium-voltage grid, but is also setting one of the most stringent requirement for grid connected energy storage systems internationally. "Electro Power Systems is the first player on the market to enroll in ANIE's register according to the new CEI standard, a unique comprehensive regulation scheme for ancillary services carried out by grid-connected energy storage systems globally. This certification, which spans all major electrochemical storage technologies in line with the Group focus on hybrid storage solutions, not only attests to our commitment to excellence and continuous improvement, but also implies for grid operators and utilities a necessary one-stop-shop for energy storage in Italy, with the most complete and advanced solutions available on the market today". said today Gabriele Marchegiani, Senior Vice President of the Group. "We are very pleased of this certification saidCarlalberto Guglielminotti, Chief Executive Officer of Electro Power Systems Group. - "because it was an essential step to enhance our technology leading position. While innovation remains our emphasis, we want to ensure that every system we install meets and exceeds our customers' expectations, both for Hybrid Power Plants and stand-alone energy storage systems generally". Elvi Energy, the Group's subsidiary and division dedicated to system integration, performed the extensive testing of the grid connection and power conversion technologies for hybrid storage systems of the Group, passing the independent evaluation of Kiwa Cermet Italia, one of the major internationally recognized certification bodies. About Electro Power Systems Electro Power Systems (EPS) is the pioneer of technology-neutral, integrated hybrid energy storage solutions for grid support in developed economies and off-grid power generation in emerging countries. The Group's mission is to unlock the energy transition, by mastering the intermittency of renewable energy sources. Through the seamless integration of the world best battery technologies to provide flexibility, and the Group's unique hydrogen and oxygen storage platform suitable for longer autonomy without resorting to diesel or gas-fueled generators, the group's technologies enable renewable energies to power 24/7 communities in a completely cleaner and less expensive solution. EPS is today listed on the French regulated market of Euronext, and part of the CAC Mid Small and CAC All-Tradable indices: with headquarters in Paris, R&D and manufacturing in Italy. The Group has installed in aggregate 3MW of hydrogen systems, 8.7MW of Hybrid Power Plants, and 44.3MWh of energy storage capacity, for a total power output of 21.1MW deployed in 21 countries worldwide, including Europe, USA, Australia, China, Asia and Africa. For more information www.electropowersystems.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160526005466/en/ Contacts: Electro Power Systems Investor Relations Francesca Cocco, Tel. +33 (0) 970 467 135 Mobile +39 347 7056719 Vice President Investor Relations e-mail: fc@eps-mail.com At the ninth SES Industry Days, SES and industry partners will demonstrate a number of technologies to broadcast Ultra HD with High Dynamic Range SES S.A. (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) announced today at its annual Industry Days event the launch of a 24/7 Ultra HD test channel for transmitting High Dynamic Range (HDR) content. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160526005469/en/ SES Launches 24/7 Satellite Ultra HD Test Channel with High Dynamic Range Content (Photo: Business Wire) For the ninth edition of this event, SES, together with industry partners, will present and demonstrate several technologies for enhancing the quality of Ultra HD television with High Dynamic Range. This feature will be key for next generation Ultra HD picture quality, as HDR provides much higher contrast and offers a more realistic viewing experience. Delegates of the event will be able to witness HDR implementations such as HDR 10, Dolby Vision, Hybrid Log Gamma and the Technicolor/Philips solution on state-of-the-art flat screens of major manufacturers. As the broadcasting industry is in discussions to establish a standard for HDR transmission, the goal of SES's HDR demo channel is to allow industry partners to test the various technology candidates. At the moment the channel carries Ultra HD content provided by LG Electronics, with a backwards compatible HDR technology called Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG). HLG HDR content will be demoed on LG's E6 4K OLED TV. Thomas Wrede, VP Reception Systems at SES commented, "High Dynamic Range will be a major improvement for satellite delivered Ultra HD television. As industry and operators now face the challenge of standardising and implementing a plethora of technology candidates, we intend to support the process with our test channel. At the same time, we have started to implement relevant HDR technology at our Munich playout facility." Follow us on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/SES_Satellites Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SES.YourSatelliteCompany YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/SESVideoChannel Blog: http://www.ses.com/blog SES Pictures are available under http://www.ses.com/21472913/Our_Pictures SES White papers are available under http://www.ses.com/18681915/white-papers About SES SES (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of more than 50 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide. SES stands for long-lasting business relationships, high-quality service and excellence in the satellite industry. The culturally diverse regional teams of SES are located around the globe and work closely with customers to meet their specific satellite bandwidth and service requirements. SES holds a participation in O3b Networks, a next generation satellite network combining the reach of satellite with the speed of fibre. Further information available at: www.ses.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160526005469/en/ Contacts: SES Markus Payer Corporate Communications Tel. +352 710 725 500 Markus.Payer@ses.com DUBAI, UAE, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Reem Al-Hashimi, Minister of State and Director General of Bureau Expo Dubai 2020 Managing Director of the Dubai World Expo 2020, spoke very highly of Kazakhstan's efforts to prepare for the International Specialized Exhibition Astana EXPO-2017. She expressed this opinion at a bilateral meeting with Akhmetzhan Yessimov, Chairman of the Board of National Company Astana EXPO-2017. The parties met in Dubai at the first meeting of international participants in EXPO 2020 Dubai. Moreover, Reem Al-Hashimi appeared interested in exchanging experience with Astana EXPO-2017. In his turn, Akhmetzhan Yessimov spoke about Kazakhstan's international initiatives to promote the theme of the exhibition in Astana and preparation for the event. At the meeting, the parties reached an agreement on signing a memorandum on cooperation between Astana EXPO-2017 and EXPO 2020 Dubai. The document is to be signed in January 2017 at a summit on future energy in Abu Dhabi. Mr. Yessimov also held meetings with the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Hussain Nasser Lootah, Mayor of the city of Dubai; and Vicente Loscertales, Secretary General of the International Exhibition Bureau (Bureau International des Expositions, BIE). The head of Dubai city said that on his visit to Kazakhstan he had been impressed by the country. At the meeting with Vicente Loscertales, Secretary General of the BIE, Akhmetzhan Yessimov elaborated on the progress of construction, the content of the exhibition and the arrangement of the Best Practices Area, which will feature over 20 world's best projects in production, conservation and transportation of renewable energy sources. As Chairman of the International Selection Committee, Mr. Loscertales pointed out that he was to arrive in Kazakhstan in September. About Astana EXPO-2017 The International Specialized Exhibition Astana EXPO-2017 with the theme "Future Energy" is an expositional and recreational event that expects over 100 participating countries and over 10 international organizations, and 5 million visits. The subthemes of EXPO-2017 are: STOCKHOLM (dpa-AFX) - Swedish consumer confidence unexpectedly deteriorated in May as households' view on personal finances and the economy weakened, survey results from the National Institute of Economic Research showed Thursday. The consumer confidence indicator dropped to 96 from a downwardly revised 96.6 in April. Economists had expected an improvement in the score to 98 from 97.1 originally reported for April. The economic sentiment index also marked a surprise decline in May, falling to 102.2 from a revised 104. Economists had forecast an increase to 105.5 from 104.5 initially reported for the previous month. The measure dropped for a fourth straight month. The manufacturing confidence index also followed a similar pattern, dropping to 105.3 from 107.2 in the previous month. Economists were looking for a rise to 108.6 from 107.9 originally reported for April. Despite the weaker scores, the survey showed that all businesses reported more optimistic recruitment plans than normal. 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. ROCKVILLE, MD--(Marketwired - May 26, 2016) - Accelovance, Inc. (Accelovance), a global contract research organization (CRO) focusing in vaccines, oncology, and general medicine, announced today further expansion of European CRO services with the acquisition of THERAMetrics Holding AG's (THERAMetrics) three CRO subsidiaries and Phase I unit in Germany, Italy, and Romania. In addition to the employees and facilities associated with these European subsidiaries, Accelovance will also assume management of THERAMetrics' ongoing clinical program work in the United States. Stephen J. Trevisan, CEO of Accelovance, noted, "Accelovance is excited to continue its European expansion into Germany, Italy, and Romania and to welcome the addition of these talented employees to the Accelovance family. We appreciate the important opportunity to continue working on the valuable assets of THERAMetrics' current sponsors, and look forward to supporting their needs in successfully delivering on their programs." Raffaele Petrone, Chairman and CEO of THERAMetrics, stated, "I am pleased to announce this important transaction with Accelovance. Not only does it mark the beginning of THERAMetrics' operational transformation, it gives our CRO business, and its employees, the opportunity to thrive under the leadership of a strong global player in the CRO industry." The acquisition adds to Accelovance's European and service expansion efforts over the last two years with the acquisition and integration of service providers Altair Clinical and Clinquest, Inc. & BV. About THERAMetrics Holding AG THERAMetrics Holding AG is a global technology-based contract research and development organization dedicated to providing a full range of technological solutions through the entire value chain of drug discovery and development. The company is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the symbol TMX and is headquartered in Stans, Switzerland. About Accelovance, Inc. Accelovance, Inc., headquartered in Rockville, MD, is an industry award-winning global Contract Research Organization (CRO) focused primarily in vaccine, oncology, and general medicine clinical research. As a clinical services provider to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, Accelovance offers comprehensive clinical development services including management and implementation of Phase I-IV clinical trials, supportive research centers, and a clinical engagement solution utilized for recruitment, post-marketing surveillance, and long-term survival follow-up. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.accelovance.com. Press Contact: Michael Keens VP Business Development Accelovance, Inc. 240.238.4941 mkeens@accelovance.com Twitter: @Accelovance Raffaele Petrone Investor and External Relations THERAMetrics Holding AG +41 (0)44 723 59 59 investor@therametrics.com Dun & Bradstreet, in association with Spinnaker Support, hosted more than 100 senior business executives in Delhi in the inaugural Business Connect Conclave 2016 event, of which more than 70% are running SAP . HIGH WYCOMBE, England, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --Spinnaker Support, the fastest growing third-party support, managed services, and consulting services provider for SAP and Oracle software applications, reports that switching to third-party support from software publisher-provided support has been identified by Dun & Bradstreet as a "smart strategy" for optimising business costs in India. These findings were releases on 13 May 2016 at the Business Connect Conclave event hosted by Dun & Bradstreet in association with Spinnaker Support and Star Business Partners. The inaugural event grew out of the need for Indian organisations to share "smart strategies" for optimizing business costs. New Research Report Available Now: Smart Strategies for Business Cost Optimisation - An Indian Perspective This report brings out the importance of business cost optimisation, specifically in terms of support servicesfor ERP systems. Througha selection of case studies, the report highlights the strategies implemented by enterprises to reduce their business costs through the effective use and maintenance of ERP systems. The report's Experts View section encapsulates the growing importance of cost optimisation in Indian businesses today. Showcased in the report is an Insights Section, which involved conducting a study on prominent enterprises having operations in India. Access a copy of the report. Inaugural Event: Business Connect Conclave 2016 Dun & Bradstreet's new research was introduced to over 100 senior executives attending the Business Connect Conclave 2016, an event hosted by Spinnaker Support, Star Business Partners, and Dun & Bradstreet. 70% of the attendees are currently running SAP applications with the remainder running Oracle applications or technology. "The Conclave was tremendously well received by attendees, exceeding even our lofty expectations," stated Nigel Pullan, Vice President of EMEA and Asia-Pacific for Spinnaker Support Ltd, "Enterprises are taking a closer look at the value received from their software support and maintenance spend. Although technology models have changed dramatically over the last 25 years, the maintenance model has largely remained the same - except it has become more expensive. Increasingly more Indian companies are looking to Spinnaker Support to reduce maintenance costs and redirect investment towards more innovative areas like cloud, mobile technology, and big data." The Business Connect Conclave 2016 event showcased a panel discussion entitled, The Strategic Shift from Cost Reduction Measures to Business Cost Optimisation. Panelists included CIOs and CFOs from Jindal Steel and Power Company, Canon India Private Ltd, Micromax Informatics Ltd, and UEM India Private Ltd. "Third-party ERP support providers are helping businesses achieve their cost optimisation goals with higher quality and more responsive support," said Vipal Anand, Group Chief Information Officer of Jundal Steel and Power Company. "Indian organisations are finding that third-party support is a smart way to minimise the disruption in business continuity caused by coerced ERP upgrades - especially since the desired functionality already exists in their current, stable versions." About Spinnaker Support Spinnaker Support is now the fastest growing global provider of third-party support, managed services, and consulting for Oracle and SAP enterprise software and database applications. According to our more than 500 clients, spanning 77 countries, we consistently deliver a higher caliber of service for a fraction of what they've previously paid to the ERP vendors. Spinnaker Support is headquartered in Denver, Colorado with regional operations centers located in London, Mumbai, Singapore, and Tel Aviv. We support more than 4,000 instances of Oracle E-Business Suite, JD Edwards, Siebel CRM, Oracle Technology, Hyperion, SAP, and Business Objects for enterprises of all sizes and industry segments. To learn more about Spinnaker Support, visit www.spinnakersupport.com, call +44 (0)20 8242 1785 internationally or 877-476-0576 in the U.S./Canada. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, or Google+. About Dun & Bradstreet Dun & Bradstreet grows the most valuable relationships in business. By uncovering truth and meaning from data, we connect customers with the prospects, suppliers, clients and partners that matter most, and have since 1841. Nearly ninety percent of the Fortune 500 and companies of every size around the world, rely on our data, insights and analytics. Customers use D&B Risk Management Solutions to mitigate risk, increase cash flow and drive increased profitability, D&B Sales & Marketing Solutions to manage your master data, analyse markets, locate prospects and increase revenue from new and existing customers. D&B Economic Analysis Group for solution-oriented analyses of strategic economic and business developments, thereby aiding informed decision making. D&B Learning Solutions to facilitate professional growth. About Star Business Partners Star Business Solutions India is the market Leader in SAP consulting and a premier technology solution provider. As a trusted advisor to some of world's most respected brands, the team is made up of SAP professionals who have rich consulting and business mapping experience. They have a successful track record of working with domestic and international clients offering industry specific solutions, and they have a proven track record of client satisfaction and on time project completion. Learn more at www.starbusiness.co.in. Spinnaker Support Contact: Michelle Wilkinson 720-457-5442 media@spinnakersupport.com LONDON, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Barry Smart, IT Director at Leading Pensions, Benefits, and Risk Consultancy Hymans Robertson, Will be Joining Repstor and CompanyNet on Stage at This Year's AIIM Forum UK on 22nd June, Ibis London Earls Court (ILEC). In the session, Barry will talk about their newly implemented Client Information Management (CIM) system which has transformed the way they record, manage and use information about their customers, enabling them to better manage the entire customer lifecycle. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151214/295791LOGO ) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/806545-a ) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/806545-b ) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151201/292276 ) Barry is confirmed to talk alongside Repstor and CompanyNet. CompanyNet, a leading business solutions provider implemented the solution at Hymans Robertson. Repstor is an ECM Adoption specialist, whose affinity and CRM Link products have been deployed in Hymans Robertson as part of the CIM solution. The session will provide insight on how the CIM system has been designed to help Hymans Robertson enrich the overall customer experience. Barry is delighted to be talking about his insight into this exciting programme, "CIM is all about delivering a great service to our clients, by harnessing the latest technology to transform the way we record and manage information across the end to end lifecycle." Andy Hamilton, CEO at CompanyNet, is especially excited about this year's event, "This will be our second year at AIIM Forum UK having become an AIIM Member earlier this year. It's a fantastic opportunity to showcase such a successful project and we are delighted Barry will be joining us on stage to talk about CIM and the exciting innovation that is being rolled out to their organisation." "We are a regular sponsor of the AIIM UK event and are looking forward to a successful show. We are excited to be joined this year by CompanyNet and Barry from Hymans Robertson to share this success story and the ease with which the Repstor products have been deployed as part of this project ensuring end user productivity and adoption," said Alan McMillen, CEO at Repstor. AIIM Forum UK is a must attend event for information professionals that regularly attracts over 300 attendees. The theme of this year's forum is "Time to Transform Your Information Processes". If you are attending, please visit Repstor at stand 7 and CompanyNet at stand 13 for more information and a chance to see CIM for yourself. About Hymans Robertson LLP Founded in 1921, Hymans Robertson is one of the longest established independent actuarial firms in the UK. We deliver a full range of services including actuarial, investment consulting, enterprise risk management, third-party pensions administration and communications consulting. Our client base includes FTSE 100, FTSE 250, privately owned firms and financial institutions. We're also recognised leaders in the field of public sector pensions. For more information see http://www.hymans.co.uk. About CompanyNet CompanyNet is a leading independent software-based solutions company that continues to build upon two decades of experience at the front line of technology, with our distinct expertise. We are passionate about what we do and have a professional pride, acute attention to detail, track record for delivery, and exemplary levels of customer satisfaction with a reputation for excellence. We are dedicated to building upon and extensively customise proven Microsoft platform to help enable our customers to increase revenue, reduce costs, and improve customer service to gain competitive advantage. We build upon technologies (SharePoint, Dynamics CRM and SQL Server) to develop a uniquely-fitting solution for your organisation and its requirements. CompanyNet is flying the flag as Scotland's only Gold accredited Dynamics CRM partner as well as acquiring Europe's first gold level in both Dynamics CRM and SharePoint; making us, as Microsoft would say, "trusted experts using innovative technology supported by Microsoft." We work with trusted partners, who share our passion and high standards, to ensure you receive the breadth of expertise that your project requires while maintaining the depth of knowledge that ensures the highest possible quality. Our extensive experience in a wide variety of sectors and industries means that no matter what the focus or speciality of your company, you can be sure that CompanyNet is right for you. For more information please visit: http://www.company-net.com If you would like any further information on this piece, please contact Sheonagh Mackie, Marketing and Communications Officer, +44 (0) 131 559 7514 or sheonagh.mackie@company-net.com About Repstor Repstor was created to inspire ECM Adoption. We are dedicated to developing products that enable collaboration and compliance for the Outlook-centric workforce. Repstor's products make access to content systems easy and intuitive for users, by providing access to them within the familiar interface of Microsoft Outlook. By making access to the content system easy and intuitive for users, we overcome the main cause of failed deployments of ECM systems - failure of users to adopt the system. Our products are ideal for mobile, remote and semi-disconnected users especially in industries like Professional Services, Legal, Oil and Gas, Public Sector and other regulated industries. We significantly reduce change management costs when rolling out systems, improve ROI for existing systems, and fully support Microsoft Office 365. For more information please visit http://www.repstor.com or register for a free software trial at http://www.repstor.com/products-for-ecm-adoption/try-our-software Visit us at:http://www.repstor.com | Blog | LinkedIn | Twitter LONDON, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, who has spent decades bringing spiritual insight to the public conversation through mass media, popular lectures and 25 books, will receive the 2016 Templeton Prize at a ceremony at Central Hall Westminster, London at 8pm today. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/371901 ) Performers at the ceremony include the Shabbaton Choir, the Sacks Morasha School Choir, and organist Gerard Brooks from Central Hall Westminster. In prepared remarks, Rabbi Sacks warns about the dangers of outsourcing morality. "You can't delegate moral responsibility away. When you do, you raise expectations that cannot be met. And when, inevitably, they are not met, society becomes freighted with disappointment, anger, fear, resentment and blame." HRH The Prince of Wales hosted a private reception in honour of Rabbi Sacks at Clarence House earlier this spring. Rabbi Sacks, 68, first gained attention by leading the revitalisation of Britain's Jewish community while Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth from 1991 to 2013. Central to his message is appreciation and respect of all faiths, with an emphasis that recognising the values of each is the only path to effectively combat the global rise of violence and terrorism. Valued at 1.1 million (about $1.6 million, 1.4 million), the Templeton Prize is one of the world's largest annual monetary awards given to an individual and honours a living person who has made exceptional contributions to affirming life's spiritual dimension, whether through insight, discovery, or practical works. Rabbi Sacks joins a group of 45 former recipients. The 2015 Prize Laureate was Canadian philosopher Jean Vanier, founder of L'Arche. Czech priest Tomas Halik was the 2014 Laureate, preceded by Archbishop Desmond Tutu in 2013 and the Dalai Lama in 2012. Established in 1972 by the late investor and philanthropist Sir John Templeton, the Templeton Prize is a cornerstone of the John Templeton Foundation's international efforts to serve as a philanthropic catalyst for discoveries relating to the Big Questions of human purpose and ultimate reality. A video of the ceremony will be available from http://www.templetonprize.org on Friday 27th May. Images will be available from http://filetransfer.ctn.co.uk User ID: tp2016 Password: accessTP2016 from 10.30pm on 26th May. BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The British pound retreated from early highs against the other major currencies in the early European session on Thursday. The pound fell to 1.4554 against the Swiss franc and 1.4677 against the U.S. dollar, from an early near 4-month high of 1.4613 and more than a 3-week high of 1.4739, respectively. Against the euro and the yen, the pound edged down to 0.7614 and 161.40 from early highs of 0.7579 and 162.18, respectively. If the pound extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 1.39 against the franc, 1.42 against the greenback, 0.80 against the euro and 154.00 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. Vilnius, Lithuania, 2016-05-26 11:48 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Supreme Court of Lithuania (SCL) passed the decision establishing the essential circumstance in the dispute of Vilniaus degtine with the other manufacturer of alcoholic drinks Stumbras. According to the Court, neither manufacturer should be granted exclusive rights to 999 sign, which is digital version of the protected geographical indication 'trejos devynerios' ('three nines'). The SCL rejected the complaint lodged by Stumbras and maintained in force the decision adopted by the Lithuanian Court of Appel in last November, abolishing the registration of the verbal version 999 trademark for Stumbras, recognising the 999 sign as unprotected element in majority of trademarks held by Stumbras, AB. The initiator of the litigation Vilniaus degtine has been producing Trejos devenerios bitter and using the 999 sign for over 60 years, while Stumbras having registered the 999 sign in the State Patent Bureau in 2006 demanded for cancellation of its use. But the final decision of the court abolished the registration of the 999 sign and it was recognised as unprotected element of trademarks. Representatives of Vilniaus degtine noted that by the Regulation (EC) No. 110/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 January 2008 Trejos devynerios (Lithuania) was included into the geographical indications (30th position: Bitter-tasting spirit drink or bitter). Thus, nobody has and may have exclusive rights to this geographical indication in terms of trademark law. The SCL noted in its decision that the 999 sign by the history of its use is to be associated in particular with Trejos devynerios spirit drink, i.e. with the production of this exclusive Lithuanian spirit drink which cannot be taken over by a specific manufacturer. 'Considering the above-stated, the conclusions that no exclusive rights to the digital version 999 of this verbal combination Trejos devynerios (protected geographical indication, as mentioned above - bitter-tasting spirit drink / 'bitter') should be granted to one manufacturer are to be approved. In such event, economic entities could use the 999 element in different graphical expressions and on different labels, but nobody should have exclusive rights to this element in terms of trademark law for products, to mark which contested trademarks are registered. Application of this restriction to bitters only would be artificial and would not comply with the essence of this dispute between the parties, since the 999 sign is to be associated with the Trejos devynerios spirit drink and its production technology', the SCL stated. Vilniaus degtine manufacturers Trejos devynerios bitter according to the traditional formula of 27 herbs. Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de EQT Ventures secures commitments totaling EUR 566 million; to support fast-growing tech-enabled companies across Europe throughout all stages of growth Team combines successful specialists and serial entrepreneurs; with experience from success stories including Booking.com, Uber, King and Spotify Introducing Motherbrain a software-driven approach to proactively source investment leads Global private equity group EQT today announces the successful closing of the EQT Ventures Fund (the "fund"), a multi-stage venture capital fund advised by the EQT Ventures team at EQT Partners ("EQT Ventures"). The fund will invest in fast-growing, innovative and tech-enabled companies across Europe, supporting great entrepreneurs throughout different stages of growth. Thomas von Koch, Managing Partner and CEO of EQT, said: "There is a huge opportunity for venture capital investing in Europe transformational shifts in technology are occurring across numerous industries and this disruption is spurring on new, innovative companies. EQT Ventures is ideally equipped to support great entrepreneurs in this fast-paced environment, combining the team's own entrepreneurial skills with EQT's proven industrial approach to building better companies." The fund has received strong interest from global investors. It is also backed by a network of prominent entrepreneurs, contributing approximately 10% of committed capital. In addition, key professionals within EQT Partners have contributed with approximately 10% of committed capital, showing a strong alignment of interest. Five investments have already been made Riskmethods (Germany), Wolt (Finland), Holidu (Germany), Min Doktor (Sweden) and Oden Technologies (UK). EQT Ventures is headed by technology industry veterans Hjalmar Winbladh, Kees Koolen and Lars Jornow. The team combines investment specialists with operational experts that have experience in helping some of Europe's most successful companies scale in technology, design, analytics, global roll-out, marketing and communications. Portfolio company growth will be further supported by EQT's established network of over 250 independent Industrial Advisors, which features a variety of global business leaders and successful entrepreneurs. The initiative also includes an ambitious software driven approach called Motherbrain, where tech will be used to proactively source investment opportunities, and Together, a matchmaking tool for angel investors and early-stage startups. Hjalmar Winbladh, Founding Partner, EQT Ventures, said: "Innovation is hard, and turning it into a global tech company is even harder. It requires focus and stamina as well as resources and teamwork and this is something our team has had first-hand experience in, as we've created our own start-up companies. This is where we can help. The aim is to provide the resources, skills and experience to help partnering companies deliver sustainable, profitable growth." Kees Koolen, Founding Partner, EQT Ventures, adds: "EQT Ventures is modeled after what VC we would have wanted on our own entrepreneurial journeys. I don't think anyone in Europe rivals our team no matter if it's about earlier stage innovation or about scaling a company to become a global winner." The fund is backed by a global investor base including, among others, HarbourVest Partners, Ilmarinen, Finnish Industry Investment, European Investment Fund (EIF), The Fourth Swedish National Pension Fund (AP4), Vaekstfonden and SEB Pension och Forsakring AB. The fundraising for the fund has now closed. Accordingly, the foregoing should in no way be treated as any form of offer or solicitation to subscribe for or make any commitments for or in respect of any securities or other interests or to engage in any other transaction. About EQT EQT is a leading global private equity group with approximately EUR 29 billion in raised capital. EQT has portfolio companies in Europe, Asia and the US with total sales of more than EUR 17 billion and approximately 140,000 employees. EQT works with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership. For further information please visit www.eqt.se About EQT Ventures The EQT Ventures Fund is a multi-stage Venture Capital fund which will make minority investments, ranging between EUR 1 million and EUR 75 million, in fast-growing and innovative technology companies primarily in Europe. The fund can also invest in global companies that need support scaling. EQT Ventures applies EQT's proven industrial investment approach to younger-stage, fast growing and exciting companies. The advisory team offers support to the next generation of market leaders by providing access to capital, operational expertise and a unique network of over 250 independent advisors, featuring numerous leading entrepreneurs and successful business developers. For further information please visit https://eqtventures.com/ (https://www.eqtventures.com/) This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160526005564/en/ Contacts: EQT Ventures Hjalmar Winbladh, Founding Partner +46 70 886 63 49 or EQT press contact Kerstin Danasten +46 8 506 55 334 CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- LEUCROTTA EXPLORATION INC. (TSX VENTURE: LXE) ("Leucrotta" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its financial and operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2016. All dollar figures are Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted. HIGHLIGHTS -- Maintained a cash and working capital balance of $41.0 million at March 31, 2016 -- Increased production 16% to 1,251 boe/d in Q1 2016 from 1,076 boe/d in Q4 2015 -- Announced light oil delineation well at Mica (713 boe/d including 300 boe/d of 42 API sweet oil and 55 boe/d of natural gas liquids) in the Lower Montney turbidite play -- Announced liquids-rich delineation well at East Doe (test rate of 1,290 boe/d of liquids-rich gas) in the Lower Montney turbidite play FINANCIAL RESULTS Three Months Ended March 31 ($000s, except per share amounts) 2016 2015 % Change ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Oil and natural gas sales 2,301 4,291 (46) Funds from (used in) operations (1) (283) 1,166 (124) Per share - basic and diluted - 0.01 (100) Net loss (2,773) (1,816) 53 Per share - basic and diluted (0.02) (0.01) 100 Capital expenditures and acquisitions 4,398 17,649 (75) Working capital 40,952 8,520 381 Common shares outstanding (000s) Weighted average - basic and diluted 165,227 165,227 - End of period - basic 165,227 165,227 - End of period - diluted 189,279 185,099 2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) See "Non-GAAP Measures" section. OPERATING RESULTS (1) Three Months Ended March 31 2016 2015 % Change ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Daily production Oil and NGLs (bbls/d) 412 387 6 Natural gas (mcf/d) 5,031 11,428 (56) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Oil equivalent (boe/d) 1,251 2,291 (45) Revenue Oil and NGLs ($/bbl) 37.21 42.93 (13) Natural gas ($/mcf) 1.98 2.72 (27) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Oil equivalent ($/boe) 20.22 20.81 (3) Royalties Oil and NGLs ($/bbl) 3.06 5.13 (40) Natural gas ($/mcf) - 0.09 (100) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Oil equivalent ($/boe) 1.02 1.32 (23) Production expenses Oil and NGLs ($/bbl) 13.98 6.60 112 Natural gas ($/mcf) 1.09 1.10 (1) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Oil equivalent ($/boe) 8.98 6.60 36 Transportation expenses Oil and NGLs ($/bbl) 4.65 2.75 69 Natural gas ($/mcf) 0.43 0.26 65 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Oil equivalent ($/boe) 3.26 1.78 83 Operating netback (2) Oil and NGLs ($/bbl) 15.52 28.45 (45) Natural gas ($/mcf) 0.46 1.27 (64) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Oil equivalent ($/boe) 6.96 11.11 (37) Depletion and depreciation ($/boe) (11.89) (8.06) 48 General and administrative expenses ($/boe) (10.73) (6.01) 79 Share based compensation ($/boe) (9.68) (6.86) 41 Finance expenses ($/boe) (0.35) (0.25) 40 Finance income ($/boe) 1.34 0.61 120 Deferred tax recovery ($/boe) - 0.65 (100) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net loss ($/boe) (24.35) (8.81) 176 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) See "Frequently Recurring Items" section. (2) See "Non-GAAP Measures" section. Selected financial and operational information outlined in this news release should be read in conjunction with Leucrotta's unaudited condensed interim financial statements and related Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") for the three months ended March 31, 2016, which are available for review at http://www.sedar.com/ and on our website at http://www.leucrotta.ca/. PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE As previously announced, Leucrotta drilled a light oil delineation well (713 boe/d including 300 boe/d of 42 API sweet oil and 55 boe/d of natural gas liquids) in the Lower Montney turbidite play confirming a large light oil resource on its land. Leucrotta estimates this resource is present on a minimum of 60 net sections of Leucrotta acreage. Leucrotta has previously announced liquids-rich delineation wells on its Lower Montney Turbidite play with the East Doe well achieving a test rate of 1,290 boe/d of liquids-rich gas. Leucrotta estimates this large gas resource covers approximately 40 net sections of Leucrotta acreage. In Q1 2016, Leucrotta spent $4.4 million of which $3.2 was used to purchase land in the East Doe area (previously announced). Leucrotta expects minimal capital will be spent in Q2 2016, however, Leucrotta will be very active in getting pipelines and locations licensed to maintain maximum flexibility in its go forward capital program and be able to react quickly when commodity markets are favourable. The initial focus of capital will be to tie-in the 8-22 light oil well and the 8-18 liquids-rich gas well to the Leucrotta owned facility at Doe and to start further delineation of the Montney light oil resource noted above. Leucrotta anticipates it will complete the tie-ins by the end of Q3 2016 and start drilling in late Q3 2016 or early Q4 2016. The extent of the program will be driven in part by commodity prices. At the end of Q1 2016, Leucrotta maintained a cash and working capital balance of $41.0 million and has no debt. Current production is approximately 1,100 boe/d which will see natural declines until previously drilled wells are tied in. Leucrotta has not provided guidance on capital spending given the uncertainty in the commodity markets but will be cautious in its spending profile. FREQUENTLY RECURRING TERMS The Company uses the following frequently recurring industry terms in this news release: "bbls" refers to barrels, "mcf" refers to thousand cubic feet, and "boe" refers to barrel of oil equivalent. Disclosure provided herein in respect of a boe may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A boe conversion rate of six thousand cubic feet of natural gas to one barrel of oil equivalent has been used for the calculation of boe amounts in this news release. This boe conversion rate is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. NON-GAAP MEASURES This news release refers to certain financial measures that are not determined in accordance with IFRS (or "GAAP"). This news release contains the terms "funds from (used in) operations", "funds from (used in) operations per share", and "operating netback" which do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures used by other companies. The Company uses these measures to help evaluate its performance. Management uses funds from (used in) operations to analyze performance and considers it a key measure as it demonstrates the Company's ability to generate the cash necessary to fund future capital investments and to repay debt. Funds from (used in) operations is a non-GAAP measure and has been defined by the Company as cash flow from (used in) operating activities excluding the change in non-cash working capital related to operating activities and expenditures on decommissioning obligations. The Company also presents funds from (used in) operations per share whereby amounts per share are calculated using weighted average shares outstanding, consistent with the calculation of earnings (loss) per share. Funds from (used in) operations is reconciled from cash flow from (used in) operating activities under the heading "Funds from (used in) Operations". Management considers operating netback an important measure as it demonstrates its profitability relative to current commodity prices. Operating netback, which is calculated as average unit sales price less royalties, production expenses, and transportation expenses, represents the cash margin for every barrel of oil equivalent sold. Operating netback per boe is reconciled to net loss per boe under the heading "Operating Netback". FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "expect", "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "may", "will", "should", "believe", "intends", "forecast", "plans", "guidance" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements or information. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward looking statements and information relating to the Company's risk management program, oil, NGLs, and natural gas production, capital programs, oil, NGLs, and natural gas commodity prices, production expenses, and working capital. The forward-looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company, including expectations and assumptions relating to prevailing commodity prices and exchange rates, applicable royalty rates and tax laws, future well production rates, the performance of existing wells, the success of drilling new wells, the availability of capital to undertake planned activities, and the availability and cost of labour and services. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, the risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general such as operational risks in development, exploration and production, delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures, the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to production rates, costs, and expenses, commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations, marketing and transportation, environmental risks, competition, the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources and changes in tax, royalty, and environmental legislation. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this document are made as of the date hereof for the purpose of providing the readers with the Company's expectations for the coming year. The forward-looking statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. Leucrotta is an oil and natural gas company, actively engaged in the acquisition, development, exploration, and production of oil and natural gas reserves in northeastern British Columbia, Canada. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: Leucrotta Exploration Inc. Mr. Robert J. Zakresky President and Chief Executive Officer (403) 705-4525 Leucrotta Exploration Inc. Mr. Nolan Chicoine Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer (403) 705-4525 Leucrotta Exploration Inc. Suite 700, 639 - 5th Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta T2P 0M9 (403) 705-4525 (403) 705-4526 (FAX) TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Honey Badger Exploration Inc. (TSX VENTURE: TUF) ("Honey Badger" or the "Company") announces that it has entered into an agreement, subject to certain terms and conditions, to acquire 29 claims located approximately 20 kilometres south-east of Wemindji, in the James Bay region of Quebec. The claims totaling 1,388 hectares are located in the same fertile kimberlite area as the Company's LG Diamonds Project (see Figure 1 at the following address: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/160526_Figure%201_Wemindji_diamond_claims.pdf). The Wemindji claims host a kimberlite sill (1.6 metres to 2.6 metres thick) and a kimberlite dyke that has yielded microdiamonds(1). Kimberlite indicator mineral anomalies have also been found on some of the claim blocks and geological interpretations by previous operators indicate that the sill is possibly part of a much larger, and still undiscovered, kimberlite pipe on the property. In addition, the Wemindji kimberlite appears to sit in the eastern extension of the structure that hosts the magnetic anomalies of the LG Diamonds property(2). Quentin Yarie, President & CEO, commented: "We are very excited to add the Wemindji claims to our portfolio. To date, only shallow drilling has been done on the property. It is possible that a larger kimberlite pipe is present at depth. Also, the favourable diamond-bearing structure at Wemindji seems to extend to our LG Diamonds Project and our team is eager to initiate an exploration program to investigate this further." Acquisition Terms The consideration for the acquisition is the issuance of 3,000,000 common shares of the Company and the payment of $5,000 cash to the property vendor, Resources D. Villeneuve Inc. ("RDVI") and the issuance of 1,000,000 shares and the payment of $5,000 cash to Sparton Resources Inc. ("SRI"). Honey Badger will also grant of a 2% net smelter return ("NSR") royalty to the property vendors (1% in favour of RDVI and 1% in favour of SRI). All, or the 2% NSR may be bought back from the vendors for $2,000,000. The vendors are at arm's length to the Company. Closing is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval and certain other customary closing conditions. About Honey Badger Exploration Inc. Honey Badger Exploration is a diamond and gold exploration company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with properties in Quebec and British Columbia. The Company's common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "TUF". The Company is currently focused on the advancement of the LG Diamonds Project located in the James Bay region of Quebec: -- Total of 55 claims covering 2,765 hectares situated close to roads and power lines -- 9 claim blocks are centered on circular magnetic anomalies -- Each magnetic anomaly could be a potential kimberlite pipe -- Lake sediments near the magnetic anomalies contain kimberlite indicators -- The local geological environment is favourable for diamondiferous kimberlites -- Exploration agreements are in place with local First Nations Qualified Person Quentin Yarie, PGeo. is the qualified person responsible for preparing, supervising and approving the scientific and technical content of this news release and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company's exploration programs. For more information about the Company visit www.honeybadgerexp.com (1) Hartzler, J.R., 2007, The geological exploration of kimberlitic rocks in Quebec: Unpublished Master thesis, McGill University, Montreal, 116 p. (2) Moorhead, J., Perreault, S., Berclaz, A., Sharma, K.N.M., Beaumier, M., and Cadieux, A.-M., 2000, Kimberlite et diamants dans le Nord du Quebec: Geologie Quebec, Ministere des Ressources Naturelles, Report PRO 2000- 05, 10p. 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. This News Release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements which relate to future events. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may", "should", "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "predicts", "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our or our industry's actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Contacts: Honey Badger Exploration Inc. Quentin Yarie President & CEO (416) 364-7029 qyarie@honeybadgerexp.com Honey Badger Exploration Inc. Mia Boiridy Investor Relations (416) 364-7029 mboiridy@honeybadgerexp.com www.honeybadgerexp.com VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - U.K. shares traded flat in lackluster trade on Thursday, even as a weaker dollar boosted commodities such as copper and oil. Amid lack of key triggers, investors await a slew of U.S. economic reports due later in the day and a speech by Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen on Friday for clues to the U.S. rate outlook. The benchmark FTSE 100 was up 4 points or 0.07 percent at 6,267 in midday trading after gaining 0.7 percent the previous day. Energy giant BP Plc rose 0.7 percent and Royal Dutch Shell advanced 0.9 percent as oil prices breached the $50 a barrel mark for the first time since November. Miners Anglo American, Antofagasta, BHP Billiton, Glencore and Rio Tinto climbed 2-4 percent as copper rose for a third straight session. Food ingredients maker Tate & Lyle gained 2 percent after reporting a rise in fiscal 2016 pretax profit. Daily Mail and General Trust shares slumped 9 percent. The company reported a decline in first-half profit and warned that a weak print advertising market will squeeze margins in the media business. Water utility United Utilities Group dropped 1.5 percent after reporting a substantial drop in full-year underlying profits. On a relatively light day on the economic front, official data showed that the U.K. economy expanded as initially estimated in the first quarter. Gross domestic product grew 0.4 percent in the first quarter from the previous three months, unrevised from the estimate published on April 27. On an annual basis, GDP climbed 2 percent instead of 2.1 percent estimated previously. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. LONDON, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the last 10 years, many novel (or new) psychoactive drugs (NPS) have become available and around two new psychoactive substances are detected each week on the drug market in Europe. The regular development of new NPS, combined with the internet's ability to spread information quickly, presents a number of challenges for public health across the globe. In order to increase knowledge and understanding about the nature and effects of NPS, as well as promote innovative solutions in the field, the fourth international conference on NPS takes place next week (30-31 May) in Budapest, Hungary. The conference is co-organised by the University of Hertfordshire, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), World-Anti-Doping Agency, Sapienza University of Rome and Eotvos Lorand University. It will be attended by over 200 participants from 28 countries. Novel psychoactive drugs are often advertised via the Internet as being safer and legal alternatives to illicit drugs. However, information on their effects is minimal or inaccurate - they can be just as harmful and addictive as illegal drugs such as cocaine, ecstasy or ketamine. This has prompted the UK government to introduce the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 which comes into force today. Dr Ornella Corazza, Reader in Substance Addictions and Behaviours at the University of Hertfordshire, and founder of the conference series, said: "These drugs appear very quickly on the drug market in ever more sophisticated forms and may well have widespread and long-term effects on users' health. Entrepreneurs, and increasingly criminal groups, have realised that new substances often sit in a legal grey area and this has led to the rapid emergence of profitable, new businesses." Many of the new psychoactive substances are research chemicals, often waste products from drug research. There is now strong evidence that some of these new substances are causing a wide range of serious health problems, including acute poisoning and even death. A number of projects, headed by the University of Hertfordshire and funded by the European Commission, have improved intelligence and data on the availability and misuse of over 800 new psychoactive substances. Dr Corazza continued: "We currently provide evidence-based information on new psychoactive substances and services to vulnerable individuals, health professionals, policy makers and regulatory authorities internationally. This has increased awareness of risks, health prevention initiatives, policies and treatment provision in a rather unique way." "In 2015 almost 100 new substances were reported for the first time according to the EU Early Warning System, which now monitors more than 560 new products, with over 70% of these identified over the past five years." Experts at the conference will discuss a wide range of topics, including the new psychoactive substances bill in the UK, the rapid, and possibly related, diffusion of performance and image enhancing drugs, new drug trends and motivations behind the consumption of NPS. For further information on the conference, please visit the conference website at http://www.novelpsychoactivesubstances.org/ Notes to Editors About the University of Hertfordshire: SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- The antibacterial glass market is anticipated to be worth USD 222.0 million by 2020. Growing number of hospital acquired and nosocomial infections has increased the risk which is expected to propel growth. It eliminates majority of the bacteria that may form on its surface and also prevents spreading of fungi. It is used primarily in spaces which require high degree of hygiene and sterile environments. In addition, rising demand for smartphones fitted with anti-microbial glass is projected to fuel demand for anti-bacterial glass. The product offers an architectural solution for prevention of infections which is further expected to drive product demand in healthcare settings. Rising demand for medical device coatings is projected to positively impact the growth over the forecast period. However, low consumer awareness regarding the benefits offered by these products is expected to restrain demand over the forecast period. Technological advancements including the development of antibacterial glass for touch screen displays by U.S. based Corning is expected to present growth opportunities for other industry players, thereby propelling the growth of the overall industry. Silver was the most dominant active ingredient used and accounted for over 90% of market share in 2013. It is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 6% over the forecast period making it the fastest growing active ingredient segment. Various properties of silver including toxicity to micro-organism and imparting anti-bacterial properties are likely to propel demand over the next six years. Browse full research report with TOC on "Antibacterial Glass Market By Active Ingredient (Silver, Others), By Application (Hospitals, Food And Beverage, Military Equipment, Household) Analysis And Segment Forecasts To 2020" at: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/antibacterial-glass-industry Hospitals accounted for more than 38% of the global market in 2013 and are expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 6.5% over the forecast period. Rising need for sterile environment, particularly in vulnerable spaces such as geriatric wards and ICU's, hospitals are expected to be the key application areas. Europe accounted for more than 55% of revenue in 2013. This trend is expected to continue over the forecast period due to increasing consumer awareness regarding product benefits. It is expected to witness substantial growth over the forecast period at a CAGR of more than 6.5% due to presence of major industry participants in the region. Key companies in the industry include Corning Inc., Saint Gobain, Nippon Sheet Glass, Essex Safety Glass Ltd., Archello, Morley Glass & Glazing Ltd, Sprinz and AGC Glass Europe. The industry is characterized by price sensitivity and is consolidated in nature. Product innovation is expected to be key growth driving strategy over the forecast period. Access press release of this research report by Grand View Research: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-antibacterial-glass-market Grand View Research has segmented the global antibacterial glass market on the basis of product and region: Antibacterial Glass Active Ingredient Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2012 - 2020) Silver Others Antibacterial Glass Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2012 - 2020) Hospitals Food and Beverage Military Equipment Household Others Antibacterial Glass Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2012 - 2020) North America Europe Asia Pacific RoW Browse related reports by Grand View Research: Advanced Ceramics Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/advanced-ceramics-market Glass Fibers And Specialty Synthetic Fibers Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/glass-fibers-and-specialty-synthetic-fibers-market Abrasives Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/abrasives-market About Grand View Research Grand 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. Read Our Blog -- grandviewresearch.com/blogs/advanced-materials Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc. Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: Email Contact Web: www.grandviewresearch.com VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - European stocks traded flat in choppy trade on Thursday after two days of strong gains. Oil prices breached the $50 a barrel mark for the first time since November and copper rose for a third straight session on a weaker dollar, helping investor sentiment somewhat as the G7 meeting of finance ministers in Japan got underway. Amid lack of key triggers, investors await a slew of U.S. economic reports due later in the day and a speech by Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen on Friday for clues to the U.S. rate outlook. The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index was down about 0.1 percent in choppy trading after climbing 1.3 percent in the previous session in the wake of encouraging German data, easing Brexit worries and the Greek debt deal. The German DAX and France's CAC 40 index were up about 0.3 percent each while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was little changed with a positive bias. Commodity-related stocks traded mostly higher, with oil giants BP Plc, Royal Dutch Shell and Total SA rising about 1 percent each. Miners Anglo American, Antofagasta, BHP Billiton, Glencore and Rio Tinto climbed 2-4 percent. Food ingredients maker Tate & Lyle gained 2.5 percent after reporting a rise in fiscal 2016 pretax profit. Water utility United Utilities Group dropped 1.5 percent after reporting a substantial drop in full-year underlying profits. Daily Mail and General Trust shares slumped 9 percent. The company reported a decline in first-half profit and warned that a weak print advertising market will squeeze margins in the media business. Italian phone group Telecom Italia rallied 3 percent after its shareholders voted in favor of a special award plan for its CEO Flavio Cattaneo and other top managers. Banco Popular plunged 20 percent on worries over earnings after the Spanish bank announced plans to raise up to 2.5 billion euros through a share issue to strengthen its balance sheet. AXA Group shares traded marginally higher in Paris after the French insurer said it would sell all its equity holdings in tobacco immediately, representing just over 180 million euros. On a relatively light day on the economic front, official data showed that the U.K. economy expanded as initially estimated in the first quarter. Gross domestic product grew 0.4 percent in the first quarter from the previous three months, unrevised from the estimate published on April 27. On an annual basis, GDP climbed 2 percent instead of 2.1 percent estimated previously. Another report from the British Bankers' Association revealed that U.K. mortgage approvals have fallen more than expected last month after the stamp duty hike. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de SASKATOON, SASKACHEWAN -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- 7shifts, providers of employee scheduling software for restaurants, has raised C$1.2 million in seed financing. The funding round was led by Relay Ventures, with participation from Globalive Capital, and repeat investors Boost VC and Tim Draper. The funds will be used by 7shifts to expand its sales team; to add new features and functionality to its scheduling software to meet the growing needs of the restaurant industry; and to support the implementation of new marketing programs. 7shifts' scheduling software and mobile app are used by restaurants to manage and evaluate the performance of shift workers. Restaurant managers use it to assign employees to shifts and approve requests; while staff use it to view their upcoming shifts and submit requests for manager approval. 7shifts is used by more than 1,900 restaurants in North America, Scandinavia, the Middle East, and Australia. Customers include 90 Burger King locations in Alabama and 19 Panera locations in Iowa. Managers that use 7shifts notice an 80% reduction in the time required to manage schedules and staff. 7shifts also reduces labor costs by up to 3% as a result of better scheduling and forecasting. "7shifts has achieved tremendous traction over the past year, supported by revenue growth of 300%," said Jordan Boesch, founder and CEO of 7shifts. "We are laser focused on restaurants and deliver scheduling software that our customers love. Add to this an injection of funding from investors who offer a wealth of mobile and restaurant experience, and we are incredibly well positioned to capture an even greater share of the market." Unlike other employee scheduling software solutions, 7shifts is only focused on restaurants. With its highly targeted approach, 7shifts has partnered and integrated with best-of-breed restaurant software solutions, including point-of-sale systems such as TouchBistro, Toast, and Cake. "Mobile devices are changing the way businesses in the service industry are managed," said Alex Baker, partner at Relay Ventures. "Beyond helping restaurants manage their schedules, 7shifts creates a community for employees, enabling them to communicate, plan, and interact in a closed and secure environment." Relay Ventures is an early stage venture capital firm focused exclusively on mobile software, services, technology, and content. In addition to the firm's focus on mobile, Relay also has great insights into the restaurant industry thanks to its investments in TouchBistro, the leading iPad point-of-sale (POS) solution for restaurants in 35 countries and a 7shifts partner. In conjunction with this round of funding, Alex Baker, partner at Relay Ventures, is joining the newly created 7shifts board of directors. Globalive Capital, the investment company of Anthony Lacavera and his team, invests in multiple asset classes including venture, private equity, real estate, and infrastructure; and has made over 75 investments. Tim Draper is founding partner of leading venture capital firms Draper Associates and DFJ. About 7shifts With offices in Toronto and Saskatoon, 7shifts is a leader in employee scheduling software specifically for restaurants, cafes, bars, and other food & beverage operations. 7shifts offers a 28-day free trial and a no-contract subscription. Additional information is available at www.7shifts.com. Contacts: Media Contact: Jodi Echakowitz Boulevard Public Relations 905-709-9600 Jodi@boulevardpr.com DENVER, COLORADO and VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Sandspring Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: SSP)(OTCQX: SSPXF) ("Sandspring" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has retained the services of Renmark Financial Communications Inc. ("Renmark") to support Sandspring's investor relations activities. Sandspring has engaged Renmark commencing May 15, 2016 for an initial six-month period, with the option to extend. Renmark's primary objective is to increase market awareness through broker outreach and by organizing broker presentations. In consideration for the services to be provided, Sandspring will pay Renmark a monthly retainer of C$5,000. "With our C$6.5 million financing complete and exploration soon to be underway, now is the right time to expand our communication efforts," said Rich Munson, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Sandspring. "Renmark Financial will work closely with Rhylin Bailie, Sandspring's Vice President Communications & Investor Relations, to communicate the potential of Sandspring's Toroparu Gold Project within the context of a rising gold price." Renmark does not have any interest, directly or indirectly, in Sandspring or its securities, or any right or intent to acquire such an interest. Sandspring also announces that its first quarter financial results have been released and are available on the Company's website at www.sandspringresources.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Sandspring Resources Richard A. Munson, Director and Chief Executive Officer About Sandspring Resources Ltd. Sandspring Resources Ltd. is a Canadian junior mining company currently moving toward a definitive feasibility study for the multi-million ounce Toroparu Project in the Guyana, South America. A prefeasibility study completed in May 2013 (NI 43-101 Technical Report, Prefeasibility Study, Toroparu Gold Project, Upper Puruni River Area, Guyana, dated May 24, 2013 completed by SRK Consulting (U.S.), Inc., available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com) outlined the design of an open-pit mine producing more than 200,000 ounces of gold annually over an initial 16-year mine life. Sandspring and Silver Wheaton have entered into a gold and silver purchase agreement for the Toroparu Project. Sandspring intends to undertake additional exploration at the Toroparu Project in 2016. Additional information is available at www.sandspringresources.com or by email at info@sandspringresources.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains certain forward-looking information and statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "objective", "intends", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information and/or statements. Forward-looking statements and/or information are based on a number of material factors, expectations and/or assumptions that Sandspring has used to develop such statements and/or information, but which may prove to be incorrect. Although Sandspring believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since Sandspring can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such information and/or statements, including the assumptions made in respect thereof, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results and/or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information and/or statements including, without limitation: the impact of Renmark's marketing activities on Sandspring's share price; Sandspring's ability to successfully execute the 2016 exploration program; the results of the 2016 exploration program; the availability of future financing and/or cash flow to fund current and future plans and expenditures; the impact of increasing competition; the general stability of applicable economic and political environments; the general continuance of current industry conditions; uncertainty regarding the market price for gold, silver and copper; uncertainty of conducting operations under a foreign regime; uncertainty of obtaining all applicable regulatory approvals and related timing matters; Sandspring's dependence on management personnel; and/or certain other risks detailed from time-to-time in Sandspring's public disclosure documents. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligations to publicly update and/or revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of additional information, future events and/or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Contacts: Sandspring Resources Ltd. Ms. Rhylin Bailie Vice President, Communications & Investor Relations 604-609-5132 info@sandspringresources.com www.sandspringresources.com SHENZHEN, China, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --The company, which is focused on rapid development of IoT and VR/AR technologies, offers a tiny computer with sensors and an SDK that can make any device smart. Gemsense has contested with over 200 local Chinese startups to win 1st place at 'the Second China Fair for Innovation and Technology' in Shenzhen. The company also won 3rd place in the VR section in the same competition. Shenzhen is considered China's "Silicon Valley" and home to some of China's most successful high-tech companies, including Tencent, ZTE, TP-Link, DJI, OnePlus and Huawei. Gemsense will represent Shenzhen city at the national finals which will be held on May 27, 2016 in the city of Guangzhou - where it will compete against 16 other companies who qualified (out of 4,000) in other major cities. The company was represented by Mr. Raphael Genis from 'Genis & Genius' who will also represent it in the national finals. Avi Rabinovich (Gemsense CEO): "We see the Chinese market as a great opportunity for growth and distribution and creating value for the investors in a short time. We develop and sell our products in various industries such as: Smart Toys, Smart Furniture, Wearable Technologies and Natural Interfaces in VR / AR. These days the company is in touch with major VCs for an upcoming Series A round." Yael Mittelman, (hiCenter CEO): "We're very proud of Gemsense's success. The company which grew in our incubator integrates technological innovation in the hottest fields today with a business understanding and a presence you just can't ignore. The company operates in strategic markets such as China, Taiwan, US and Europe which makes them a very promising startup. I have no doubt you'll hear more about this fascinating company." About Gemsense The company developed a unique offering called a "Gem" - Based on a tiny hardware solution with algorithms, software libraries and connection to cloud technologies which allows its clients to rapidly build and develop a wide range of smart devices and connect them to the digital world. The company offers a complete solution from prototyping to mass market and works closely with partners to enable extremely short TTM. The company was founded in 2014 by Avi Rabinovich (CEO), an entrepreneur who served in executive positions in a few global hi tech companies and Jonathan Schipper (VP Products), a wearable expert and pioneer, lecturer and the lead for the Israeli wearable tech community (Wearable Tech Israel, The Wearables Group). The company was founded at the hiCenter Incubator in Haifa, Israel. About Hi Center A private incubator and center for entrepreneurship in Haifa, is a subsidiary of the Haifa Economic Company which invests in tech companies. The incubator invests in companies who wish to settle in the city of Haifa and develop their activity in the city, as growth engines for the city's economy. The incubator has new offices located in the lower city and has been a major drive for its growth in the past few years. In addition to the incubator, hiCenter offers entrepreneurs a wide range of activities and services such as co-working space and offices for young companies who enjoy the infrastructure and a fertile hi-tech environment. Gemsense contact, website, dev corner and social media links: General inquiries: contact@gemsense.cool VP Product: Jonathan Schipper johnny@gemsense.cool +972-54-5794555 Website: http://gemsense.cool/ Dev Corner: http://dev.gemsense.cool/ Facebook: http://fb.cool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gemsense Twitter: @tinycomputers Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4jAvHZoCSg SCOTTSDALE, AZ--(Marketwired - May 26, 2016) - Meritage Homes Corporation (NYSE: MTH), a leading U.S. homebuilder, has again renewed its partnership with Operation Homefront, a leading national charity supporting families of service members and Wounded Warriors. Together the companies will place two military families into brand new, mortgage-free and energy efficient Meritage homes through the "Homes on the Homefront" program. This is the fourth year Meritage Homes has built and donated new homes to Operation Homefront. Last year, two homes were donated in Meritage communities in Tucson, Arizona and Harrisburg, North Carolina. This year, Meritage will donate two new homes in Phoenix, Arizona and Austin, Texas. Operation Homefront will select the recipients for the new homes and announce their names on September 9, with keys to be awarded on Veterans Day. "We are grateful to our military veterans for their service and sacrifices, and we salute organizations like Operation Homefront whose mission it is to help them when they return home," said Steven J. Hilton, chairman and CEO of Meritage Homes. "It's an honor and a privilege to help enrich the lives of deserving military families, relieve their stress, and give them a safe place to call home." Army Sgt. Stuart Colon, his wife, and their nine-year-old daughter received a new home last year in Harrisburg, North Carolina. "For the first time we are finally able to look toward the future instead of living day by day," said Kimberly Colon, wife of Sgt. Colon. "Our current goals are to pay off our credit cards and save for our daughter's college education. We expect to be living in this home for years to come and look forward to being able to leave it to our kids someday." In Tucson, Arizona, Marine Sgt. Patrick Martinez was selected to receive a four-bedroom home for his family of five. "The new home has helped us get our finances in order and put money into savings to focus on our positive financial future," said Silva Martinez, wife of Sgt. Martinez. "We want to thank everyone again for this amazing opportunity and everything that it means to our family." The "Homes on the Homefront" program began in 2012. Since inception, Operation Homefront has placed more than 550 veterans and their families in mortgage-free homes. Meritage is the only homebuilder to join the program. "Home ownership has been, and continues to be, a dream for many Americans. Thanks to Meritage Homes's fourth year of exceptional support, we will make that dream a reality this Veterans Day," said retired Brig. Gen. John I. Pray Jr., president and CEO of Operation Homefront. "Our military families do so much for all of us and we are thrilled that Meritage has joined with us to help build strong, stable and secure military families so they can thrive, not simply struggle to get by, in the communities they have worked so hard to protect." For more information about the program, please visit www.homesonthehomefront.net. About Meritage Homes Corporation: Meritage Homes is the seventh-largest public homebuilder in the United States, based on homes closed in 2015. Meritage Homes builds and sells single-family homes for first-time, move-up, luxury and active adult buyers across the Western, Southern and Southeastern United States. Meritage Homes builds in markets including Sacramento, San Francisco's East Bay, the Central Valley and Orange County, California; Houston, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Austin and San Antonio, Texas; Phoenix/Scottsdale, Green Valley and Tucson, Arizona; Denver and Fort Collins, Colorado; Orlando and Tampa, Florida; Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina; Greenville-Spartanburg and York County, South Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; and Atlanta, Georgia. Meritage Homes has designed and built more than 90,000 homes in its 30-year history, and has a reputation for its distinctive style, quality construction, and positive customer experience. Meritage Homes is the industry leader in energy-efficient homebuilding and has received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence Award in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 for innovation and industry leadership in energy efficient homebuilding. For more information, visit meritagehomes.com. 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 Homefront's expenditures go directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to www.OperationHomefront.net. Operation Homefront Jason E. Moody 210-549-4653 Housing Programs Communications Manager Jason.Moody@OperationHomefront.net or Meritage Homes Corporation Lauren Hendeles 602-750-5934 media@meritagehomes.com TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Americas Silver Corporation (TSX: USA)(OTCQX: USAPF) (the "Company") announced today that its Board of Directors (the "Board") has elected director Alex Davidson to the role of Chairman of the Board, effective today. Peter Hawley has stepped down as Chairman but will continue to act as a Director of the Company. "Peter has been an integral part of the Company from day one as a founder and former President and Chief Executive Officer of its predecessor Scorpio Mining Company. On behalf of the Board, I want to thank him for his leadership and tireless commitment to the Company, and I am confident he will continue to be an integral part of the Board going forward" said Alex Davidson, Chairman of Americas Silver Corporation. "I am excited to take on the position and responsibility of Chairman and I look forward to continuing to work closely with Darren and our highly regarded management team to make the Company a world class intermediate precious metals producer." About Mr. Davidson Mr. Davidson is currently a corporate director and was formerly Executive Vice President, Exploration and Corporate Development at Barrick Gold Corporation ("Barrick"), with responsibility for Barrick's international exploration programs and corporate development activities until 2009. As Vice President Exploration in 1993, he initiated Barrick's expansion out of North America and into Latin America and beyond. Mr. Davidson has over 35 years' experience in designing, implementing and managing gold and base metal exploration and acquisition programs globally. In 2005, Mr. Davidson was presented the A.O. Dufresne Award by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum to recognize exceptional achievement and distinguished contributions to mining exploration in Canada. In 2003, Mr. Davidson was named the Prospector of the Year by the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada in recognition of his team's discovery of the Lagunas Norte Project in the Alto Chicama District in Peru. Mr. Davidson is also a director of Capital Drilling Limited, Perseus Mining Ltd, Orca Gold Inc., NuLegacy Gold Corporation and Yamana Gold Inc. Cosala Operations Update The Company today reported that the Nuestra Senora mine has recommenced ore production and expects mill feed from the mine to be processed before the end of the week. As previously reported, the Cosala Operations has been processing stockpiled Nuestra Senora material and ore from various known sources, including the past producing La Verde and La Estrella mines, since early April while mining was impacted by ground movement near the Nuestra Senora portal. Full access to the mine has been restored and management is confident that a similar interruption will not recur. About Americas Silver Corporation The Company is a silver mining company focused on growth in precious metals from its existing asset base and execution of targeted accretive acquisitions. It owns and operates the Cosala Operations in Sinaloa, Mexico and the Galena Mine Complex in Idaho, USA. For further information please see SEDAR or www.americassilvercorp.com. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, the Company's expectations intentions, plans, assumptions and beliefs with respect to, among other things, the re-opening of the Nuestra Senora mine, the San Rafael prefeasibility study, estimates of mineral reserves and resources, realization of mineral reserve estimates, the Cosala Operations and Galena Complex as well as the Company's financing efforts. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by forward-looking words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "goal", "plan", "intend", "estimate", "may", "assume" and "will" or similar words suggesting future outcomes, or other expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, intentions, or statements about future events or performance. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of the Company as of the date such information is provided and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward looking information. This includes the ability to develop and operate the Cosala and Galena properties, risks associated with the mining industry such as economic factors (including future commodity prices, currency fluctuations and energy prices), failure of plant, equipment, processes and transportation services to operate as anticipated, environmental risks (including ground conditions), government regulation, actual results of current exploration activities, possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates, permitting timelines, capital expenditures, reclamation activities, social and political developments and other risks of the mining industry. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information. By its nature, forward-looking information involves numerous assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, and projections of various future events will not occur. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or other such factors which affect this information, except as required by law. Contacts: Darren Blasutti President and CEO 416-848-9503 www.americassilvercorp.com TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Cordoba Minerals Corp. (TSX VENTURE: CDB) ("Cordoba" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that ongoing drilling within the Company's San Matias Copper Gold Project in Colombia has continued to intersect large zones of shallow, high-grade copper-gold mineralization at the Alacran copper-gold discovery. The current three drill holes of the preliminary 3,000-metre diamond drilling program all returned significant intercepts of near-surface copper and gold mineralization. Drilling to date at Alacran covers +270 metres of strike length at the northern end of a 1,300-metre defined mineralized trend. The mineralized trend remains open in all directions and at depth. The initial 3,000-metre drilling program has been extended to test a number of geophysical targets generated during the recent Typhoon Induced Polarization (IP) and Electromagnetic (EM) survey in conjunction with airborne magnetics and geological targets identified in the vicinity of the defined Alacran mineralization. Alacran drilling highlights (refer to Table 1): -- ACD-009: 150 metres @ 0.73% copper and 0.49 g/t gold (1.15% CuEq) -- ACD-007: 169 metres @ 0.48% copper and 0.33 g/t gold (0.77% CuEq) Mario Stifano, President and CEO of Cordoba, commented: "The current 3,000-metre drilling program has clearly demonstrated the potential for Alacran to host a large skarn copper-gold deposit within what we believe is potentially a large and prolific copper gold district. I am very pleased and excited that Cordoba and our partner High Power Exploration will immediately expand the drilling program at Alacran by an additional 2,100 metres to test areas peripheral to the currently defined Alacran deposit where recent drilling, geophysics, surface expressions and soil sampling have indicated the potential to further enlarge the discovery." Cordoba and High Power Exploration ("HPX") are finalizing the next phase of the exploration program at the San Matias Project. Current plans will include an expansion of the Typhoon survey, follow-on drilling at Alacran and the drilling of high priority targets defined by Typhoon IP and detailed airborne magnetic surveys with additional details to be provided in the coming weeks. OVERVIEW The Northern Alacran area was the focus of the three drillholes that were targeting both extensions along strike and vertically from previous drilling. All holes successfully intersected both large zones of copper-gold mineralization associated with both shallow and high-grade zones and the mineralization remains open in all directions. Drillhole ACD-007 (figure 3) was located on section 855720mN where it tested the up-dip extensions of historical drillhole ASA-012 (175m @ 0.74% copper and 0.26 g/t gold) as a 50- metre step-out. Drilling successfully intersected a large, continuous zone of copper-gold mineralization of 169 metres @ 0.48% copper and 0.33 g/t gold (0.77% CuEq) with mineralization remaining open both up- and down-dip on section. This mineralization was also successfully intersected in drillhole ACD-008, a 50-metre step out hole along strike to the south. Copper-gold mineralization in ACD-008 on section 855670mN intersected 109 metres @ 0.54% copper and 0.24 g/t gold (0.75% CuEq) and remains open both up- and down-dip on section and along strike to the south. Drillhole ACD-009 (figure 4) drilled on section 855760mN targeted the southern strike extensions of the high-grade interval located in drillhole ASA-051 (111 metres @ 1.01% copper and 0.38 g/t gold) as a +60-metre southerly step out. The drillhole intersected a large and continuous zone of copper-gold mineralization of 150 metres @ 0.73% copper and 0.49 g/t gold (1.15% CuEq) from shallow depths that correlates with step-out holes ACD-004 and ACD-001 on section. The successful intersection indicates the large widths of mineralization remain open on section both up- and down-dip and along strike to the south. DETAILS Alacran Copper-Gold System The Alacran copper-gold system is located within the Company's San Matias Copper-Gold Project in the Department of Cordoba, Colombia. The Alacran system is located on a topographic high in gently rolling topography, optimal for potential open-pit mining. Access and infrastructure are good. Alacran is approximately two kilometres southwest of the Company's Montiel porphyry copper-gold discovery, where recent drilling interested 101 metres of 1.0% copper and 0.65 g/t gold, and two kilometres northwest of the Costa Azul porphyry copper-gold discovery, where recent drilling interested 87 metres of 0.62% copper and 0.51 g/t gold (Figure 1). The copper-gold mineralization at Alacran is associated with stratabound replacement of a marine volcano- sedimentary sequence in the core of a faulted antiformal fold structure. The deposit comprises moderately to steeply-dipping stratigraphy that is mineralized as a series of sub-parallel replacement-style or skarn zones and associated disseminations (Figure 2). The copper-gold mineralization is composed of multiple overprinting hydrothermal events with the main ore phase comprised of chalcopyrite-pyrrhotite-pyrite that appears to overprint a large-scale early magnetite metasomatic event. High temperature potassic feldspar-biotite-amphibole-albite alteration in the host geological sequence, indicates that the copper-gold mineralization is proximal to a source intrusion. At least two intrusive phases, locally occurring as sills, confirm an intrusive source for the mineralizing fluids. The overall size and complexity of the hydrothermal system indicates a significant mineralization event. Mineralization occurs within all members of the sedimentary and volcanic sequence, where it can be traced over a strike length of greater than 1,300 metres and local thickness of more than 90 metres true-width from the current drilling and surface sampling (Figure 3). Alacran Exploration In addition to the ongoing diamond drilling program, extensive soil sampling and detailed geological mapping programs are underway to further define the extent of copper-gold mineralization at Alacran and to determine if additional mineralized zones exist. The hydrothermal alteration halo associated with the known mineralization is of kilometre-scale dimensions, indicating the potential for a substantial mineralized zone and the high probability of additional mineralized areas. A Typhoon IP and EM survey also has been completed over the northern parts of the Alacran project and data is currently being interpreted. Typhoon Typhoon is a proprietary deep IP technology, developed by HPX that generates high signal-to-noise ratios enabling accurate inversions to identify prospective targets. The recently completed Phase One Typhoon program at San Matias, which covered Montiel and the northern area of Alacran, will be expanded north and south of the currently surveyed areas as the trends and targets remain open. The Joint Venture is currently planning the next phase of the Typhoon survey. About San Matias Project The newly discovered San Matias Copper-Gold Project comprises a 20,000-hectare land package on the inferred northern extension of the richly endowed Mid Cauca Belt in Colombia. The project contains several known areas of porphyry copper-gold mineralization, copper-gold skarn mineralization and vein-hosted, gold-copper mineralization. Porphyry mineralization at the San Matias Project incorporates high-grade zones of copper-gold mineralization hosted by diorite porphyries containing secondary biotite alteration and various orientations of sheeted and stockwork quartz-magnetite veins with chalcopyrite and bornite. The copper-gold skarn mineralization at Alacran is associated with stratabound replacement of a marine volcano- sedimentary sequence. The nature of mineralization encountered at San Matias is similar to other large high-grade copper-gold deposits. Technical Information The technical information has been reviewed, verified and compiled by Christian J. Grainger, PhD, a Qualified Person for the purpose of NI 43-101. Dr. Grainger is a geologist with over 15 years in the minerals mining, consulting, exploration and research industries. Dr. Grainger is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG) and Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM). All samples have been prepared and assayed at ALS laboratory in Medellin, Colombia with gold assays being carried out as 50 gr Fire-Assays with AAS finish and all trace elements and base- metals being assayed using four Acid Digest with ICP-MS finish. The CuEq values have been calculated using a US$1,250 per ounce gold price and US$2.10 per pound copper price. The company utilizes an industry-standard QA/QC program. HQ and NQ diamond drill-core is sawn in half with one-half shipped to a sample preparation lab. The remainder of the core is stored in a secured storage facility for future assay verification. Blanks, duplicates and certified reference standards are inserted into the sample stream to monitor laboratory performance and a portion of the samples are periodically checked for assayed result quality. Joint Venture Agreement The San Matias Project is a joint venture between Cordoba and HPX, a private mineral exploration company founded by mining entrepreneur Robert Friedland. HPX has entered Phase One of the Joint Venture Agreement whereby HPX can earn a 25% interest in the San Matias Project by spending C$6 million. In Phase Two of the Agreement, HPX can earn a 51% interest in the San Matias Project by spending an additional C$10.5 million and can earn up to a 65% interest in the project by carrying it to feasibility. About High Power Exploration HPX is a privately owned, metals-focused exploration company deploying proprietary in-house geophysical technologies to rapidly evaluate buried geophysical targets. The HPX technology cluster comprises geological and geophysical systems for targeting, modelling, survey optimization, acquisition, processing and interpretation. HPX has a highly experienced board and management team led by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert Friedland and co-chaired by Ian Cockerill, a former Chief Executive Officer of Gold Fields Ltd. About Cordoba Minerals Cordoba Minerals Corp. is a Toronto-based mineral exploration company focused on the exploration and acquisition of copper and gold projects in Colombia. Cordoba currently owns 100% of the highly prospective San Matias Project located near operating open pit mines with ideal topography in the Department of Cordoba. For further information, please visit www.cordobaminerals.com. ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY Mario Stifano, President and CEO Cordoba Minerals Corp. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "forecast", "expect", "potential", "project", "target", "schedule", budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the potential of the Company's properties are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. 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 are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Company's expectations include actual exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, uninsured risks, regulatory changes, delays or inability to receive required approvals, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause such actions, events or results to differ materially from those anticipated. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and accordingly readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Table 1: Initial diamond drillhole results at the Alacran Project(i) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From To Interval(ii) Copper Gold Copper Drill-hole (m) (m) (m) (%) (g/t) Equiv.% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASA-007 24 193 169 0.48 0.33 0.77 Incl. 24 52 28 0.59 0.22 76 92 16 0.71 2.07 159 190 31 0.86 0.38 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ACD-008 31 140 109 0.54 0.24 0.75 Incl. 87 104 17 1.38 0.63 187 202 15 0.78 0.22 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ACD-009 31 181 150 0.73 0.49 1.15 34 50 16 0.83 0.11 57 66 9 0.66 4.76 83 115 32 1.02 0.32 146 181 35 1.39 0.46 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (i) True width intervals of the mineralisation are interpreted as being between 90-100% true widths from oriented diamond drill core and sectional interpretation (ii) Intercepts calculated at 0.35% CuEq cut-off with maximum internal dilution of 5m (iii) Bulk Intercepts (in bold) calculated at 0.35% CuEq cut-of, no maximum internal dilution (iii) Assays pending for drillholes ACD-010 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To view Figure 1. Locations of the Alacran copper-gold system (hatched) within Cordoba's San Matias Project on airborne RTP magnetics, visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1056497-F1.pdf To view Figure 2. Drill plan of the northern extents of the Alacran system showing the drill hole locations, mineralized intervals and location of section 855720mN and 855760mN, visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1056497-F2.pdf To view Figure 3. Section 855720mN displaying consistent large widths of copper and gold mineralization between drill-holes on section that extend to surface and remain open down dip, visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1056497-F3.pdf To view Figure 4. Section 855760mN displaying consistent large widths of copper and gold mineralization between drill-holes on section that extend to surface and remain open down dip, visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1056497-F4.pdf Contacts: Cordoba Minerals Corp. Mario Stifano President and CEO info@cordobamineralscorp.com www.cordobaminerals.com One of the many interesting developments in the solar industry to take place at this year's SNEC was the signing of supplier contracts between CTF Solar and its shareholder CTIEC, for a cadmium telluride thin-film (CdTe) module factory in China. It is the Chinese company's first CdTe module factory, as it looks to become a major player in the development of CdTe solar module factories. Several contracts were signed between CTF Solar and CTIEC for the former to supply equipment at the factory in Chengdu, China. ... 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. TEMPE, AZ -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 --American Green, Inc. (OTC PINK: ERBB) is pleased to announce that High Tides Wellness Center of Brookings, OR sold through its stock of American Green-branded Premium Joints with Boveda inside and has re-ordered more. "High Tides runs a great operation in Brookings, right in the harbor, and will soon open in Newport," Jonathan Miller, CEO of American Green stated. "Jason Pryor is a pleasure to work with, and we wish High Tides much success as the busy summer season approaches. If you hadn't heard, as of June 2, recreational customers in Oregon will be able to purchase edibles and extracts for the first time." American Green is sending Jason and his team American Green hemp/cotton t-shirts as a way of saying thanks for the great work in taking the time to understand the high-quality nature of American Green-branded products and taking the time to communicate that to their customers. "If you're visiting the Oregon Coast this summer, stop in and say 'hello.' We've got something for everyone including, of course, American Green Premium Joints," said Jason Pryor, owner of High Tides Wellness Center. "Our Newport location will be having a grand opening in the very near future. Follow us on Facebook to stay in touch." In other news, visitors to the American Green website will see a "Coming Soon" landing page while the new site heads toward completion. We believe our exciting new look and feel will convey the Company's goals while keeping shareholders and clients up to date on American Green activities. As always, American Green welcomes comments from any of its more than 50,000 shareholders. Be sure to visit the company's website at www.americangreen.com and sign up for the company's EMAIL ALERTS to stay current on news. Shareholders and interest holders may also stay current with American Green Updates: Twitter: @American__Green (two underscores), or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/americangreenusa NOTES ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Except for any historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including those described in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission reports and filings. Certain statements contained in this release that are not historical facts constitute forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created by that Act. Reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements because they involve unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as estimates, anticipates, projects, plans, expects, intends, believes, should and similar expressions and by the context in which they are used. Such statements are based upon current expectations of the Company and speak only as of the date made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which they are made. About American Green, Corp. American Green, Corp., became, in 2009, one of the first publicly traded technology companies in the cannabis industry. Now, with over 50,000 individual shareholders, more than any other company in the cannabis sector, American Green's mission is to lead the cannabis industry. Leveraging our team of professionals in cultivation, manufacturing, extraction, wholesale, retail, and community outreach, we strive to develop sustainable initiatives, while increasing shareholder value, and company profit. Contact: American Green, Inc. Investor Relations 1221 W Warner Rd, Suite 103 Tempe, AZ 85284 480-443-1600 X555 MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Midland Exploration Inc. ("Midland") (TSX VENTURE: MD) is pleased to announce the beginning of an exploration program involving prospecting and stripping on its Heva gold project, wholly owned by Midland and located near the prolific Cadillac Break, about 5 kilometres northwest of the Canadian Malartic gold mine owned in joint venture by Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd and Yamana Gold Inc. which contains proven reserves of 54.89 million tonnes at a grade of 0.97 g/t Au (1.72 Moz Au) and probable reserves of 166.64 million tonnes at a grade of 1.12 g/t Au (6.0 Moz Au), for a total of 7.72 Moz Au. The Heva project, acquired by Midland in May 2013 from Arianne Phosphate Inc., consists of two blocks, Heva West and Heva East, totalling 32 claims and covering a surface area of more than 1,200 hectares. In the fall of 2015, Midland's exploration team completed a soil geochemistry survey (B horizon) in the west part of the Heva East block, in an area where several interesting gold results were obtained during the summer 2015 prospecting campaign. These results namely include gold values of 18.0 g/t Au and 5.1 g/t Au obtained from samples collected in an old trench, blasted out about 20 years ago and discovered during reconnaissance work, as well as a grade of 5.6 g/t Au from a sample collected in a mineralized pile located near the historical Dempsey-Cadillac showing dating back to the 1930s (see press release dated October 28, 2015). In addition of having traced the two main gold-bearing horizons already defined in this area, the soil geochemistry survey identified two (2) new trends with anomalous gold and arsenic values extending over a few hundred metres, parallel to known gold-bearing horizons. Furthermore, these two new trends largely coincide with historical yet unexplained induced polarization anomalies. Prospecting and stripping will take place over a period of about ten (10) days, in an effort to explain these new promising geochemical targets located along the extension of an east-west-trending subsidiary structure to the Cadillac Break interpreted from geophysical and geological surveys. This structure, which remains largely unexplored, covers a deformed conglomerate horizon that hosts quartz veins with pyrite and arsenopyrite mineralization, silica alteration and local sericite alteration over more than 4 kilometres. These conglomerates host the vast majority of historical gold occurrences in this area, including the Dempsey-Cadillac showing, as well as new showings identified during the summer 2015 campaign. Figures showing the location of prospecting and stripping work planned on the Heva project may be consulted using the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/HevaMay2016.pdf About Midland Exploration Midland targets the excellent mineral potential of Quebec to make the discovery of new world-class deposits of gold, platinum group elements, base metals and rare earth elements. Midland is proud to count on reputable partners such as Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, Teck Resources Limited, SOQUEM INC., Japan Oil and Gas and Metals National Corporation and Aurbec Mines Inc. Midland prefers to work in partnership and intends to quickly conclude additional agreements in regard to newly acquired properties. Management is currently reviewing opportunities and projects to build up the Company portfolio and generate shareholder value. This press release was prepared by Mario Masson, Midland's VP Exploration, certified geologist and Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary materially from targeted results. Such risks and uncertainties include those described in Midland's periodic reports including the annual report or in the filings made by Midland from time to time with securities regulatory authorities. Contacts: Gino Roger, President and Chief Executive Officer 450 420-5977 450 420-5978 (FAX) info@midlandexploration.com www.midlandexploration.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Newmarket Gold Inc. ("Newmarket" or the "Company") (TSX: NMI)(OTCQX: NMKTF) is pleased to announce the voting results on the items of business considered at its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held on May 25, 2016. The nominees listed in the Management Information Circular dated April 7, 2016 were elected as directors of Newmarket at the meeting. Detailed results of the votes are set out below: Election of Directors Outcome of Votes % Nominee Votes Votes For % For Withheld Withheld Raymond Threlkeld Carried 111,339,138 99.87 143,465 0.13 Douglas B. Forster Carried 111,115,653 99.67 366,950 0.33 Blayne Johnson Carried 111,115,677 99.67 366,926 0.33 Lukas Lundin Carried 111,137,566 99.69 345,037 0.31 Randall Oliphant Carried 111,298,137 99.83 184,466 0.17 Edward Farrauto Carried 110,465,138 99.09 1,017,465 0.91 Michael Vint Carried 111,333,983 99.87 148,620 0.13 Appointment of Auditors The vote was carried for the Appointment of Auditors (PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP) by a show of hands at the meeting. Full details of all proposals are described in the Company's Management Information Circular available on the Company's website at www.newmarketgoldinc.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Douglas Forster, M.Sc., P.Geo., President & Chief Executive Officer To learn more about Newmarket visit our website at www.newmarketgoldinc.com About Newmarket Gold Inc. Newmarket is a Canadian-listed gold mining and exploration company with three 100% owned operating mines across Australia. The Company is focused on creating substantial shareholder value by maintaining a strong foundation of quality gold production, over 200,000 ounces annually, generating free cash flow and maintaining a large resource base as it executes a clearly defined gold asset consolidation strategy. The Company is focused on sustainable operating performance, a disciplined approach to growth, and building gold reserves and resources while maintaining the high standards that the Newmarket core values represent. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information Certain information set forth in this news release contains "forward-looking statements", and "forward-looking information" under applicable securities laws. Except for statements of historical fact, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements, which include, but are not limited to, the Company's expectations about its business and operations; disclosure regarding possible events, conditions or financial performance that is based on assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of action; future gold prices; operating and capital costs; the timing and costs of future development and exploration activities on the Company's properties; success of development and exploration activities; time lines for technical reports and further studies; planned exploration and development of properties and the results thereof; and planned expenditures and budgets and the execution thereof. Such forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs, which may prove to be incorrect. Some of the forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "will", "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "projects", "plans", and similar expressions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or outcomes and undue reliance should not be placed on them. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors include, among others, risks related to permitting, operating cost overruns, and capital cost overruns; risks related to a sustained and significant reduction in gold prices; risks that the metallurgical performance of different process feeds are not as anticipated; risks related to the availability of financing on commercially reasonable terms and the expected use of proceeds; operations and contractual obligations; changes in development and exploration programs based upon results of exploration; availability of third party contractors; availability of equipment; failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry; environmental risks, including environmental matters under Australian laws and regulations; impact of environmental remediation requirements and the terms of existing and potential consent decrees on the Company's planned development and exploration on the Maud Creek Project; certainty of mineral title; community relations; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing; the nature of mineral development, exploration and mining and the uncertain commercial viability of certain mineral deposits; governmental regulations and the ability to obtain necessary licenses and permits; risks related to mineral properties being subject to prior unregistered agreements, transfers or claims and other defects in title; currency fluctuations; changes in environmental laws and regulations and changes in the application of standards pursuant to existing laws and regulations which may increase costs of doing business and restrict operations; risks related to dependence on key personnel; and estimates used in financial statements proving to be incorrect; as well as those factors discussed in the Company's public disclosure record and annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2015 which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are included in this news release or incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Contacts: Newmarket Gold, Inc. Ryan King VP, Corporate Communications 604.559.8040 rking@newmarketgoldinc.com www.newmarketgoldinc.com TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Plato Gold Corp. (TSX VENTURE: PGC) ("Plato" or the "Company"), an exploration company with a portfolio of properties in significant gold mining camps in Santa Cruz, Argentina and Northern Ontario is pleased to report the three months financial results for fiscal 2016 and 2015, as summarized below: Three Months Ended (Unaudited) March 31, March 31, 2016 2015 ------------------------------ Income $ - $ 526 Net loss and comprehensive loss $ 60,276 $ 104,744 Loss per common share basic and diluted $ (0.00) $ (0.00) Weighted average number of common shares outstanding basic and diluted 143,591,655 143,591,655 For full details, please visit us at www.platogold.com. About Plato Gold Corp. Plato Gold Corp. is a Canadian exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange with projects in Santa Cruz, Argentina and Timmins, Ontario. In Argentina, Plato owns a 75% interest in Winnipeg Minerals S.A. ("WMSA"), an Argentina incorporated company. The Lolita Property, held by WMSA, is comprised of a number of contiguous mineral rights totaling 9,672 hectares. Work has advanced on this exploration property to the point that it is drill-ready or ready to be optioned to a partner. The Northern Ontario project includes 4 properties: Guibord, Harker, Holloway and Marriott in the Harker/Holloway gold camp located east of Timmins, Ontario. In November 2010, Plato signed an agreement granting St Andrew Goldfields Ltd. the option to earn a 75% interest in the above properties. On January 26, 2016, St. Andrew Goldfields was acquired by Kirkland Lake Gold Inc.. Currently the Holloway and Marriott properties remain in good standing with the remaining options held by Kirkland Lake Gold Inc.. In July 2012, Plato sold a 50% interest in the Guibord property to Victory Gold Mines Inc. who amalgamated with Northern Gold Mining Inc. on February 6, 2013. On December 22, 2015, Oban Mining Corporation completed the acquisition of Northern Gold Mining and now holds the 50% interest in the Guibord property. In February 2013, Plato sold an 80% interest in the Harker property to Northern Gold Mining Inc. and was subsequently acquired by Oban Mining Corporation on December 22, 2015. For additional company information, please visit: www.platogold.com. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE. Forward Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements", within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the,potential mineralization and resources, exploration results, and future plans and objectives. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, use of proceeds, level of activity, performance or achievements of Plato to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to risks related to: risks related to exploration; actual resource viability, and other risks of the mining industry . Although management of Plato has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that are incorporated by reference herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Contacts: Anthony Cohen President and CEO Plato Gold Corp. 416-968-0608 416-968-3339 (FAX) info@platogold.com www.platogold.com MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Alithya, Quebec's largest privately-held strategic consulting and IT services firm, announced today that it has entered into a partnership with Advanced Resources, a leading Chicagoland talent solutions provider and staffing firm, to provide IT services support to a major North American client in the Chicago area. "We are thrilled with this new partnership and strategic mandate, which represents Alithya's first foray into the U.S. This is a significant milestone for our firm as we continue to execute our growth strategy, in line with our long-term objective to become a North American leader in our field," said Paul Raymond, Alithya president and CEO. He added, "This alliance provides us with a key competitive advantage and further expands our ability to serve clients on a North American scale. We are pleased to be able to count on a strong partner like Advanced Resources, who is backed by a team of over 1,400 consultants." "Advanced Resources has a strong track record providing superior service to both clients and job seekers. Helping connect the right people with the right positions is the key to our success and will drive our North American growth ambitions. We are pleased to join forces with Alithya, an up-and-coming Canadian ITC services firm with a complementary offering and shared values," said Rich Diaz, President of Advanced Resources. Through the partnership between Alithya and Advanced Resources, clients will now benefit from access to flexible and specialized IT services available through a North American platform. About Advanced Resources Advanced Resources provides temporary staffing, direct hire placement, and workforce business solutions for Human Resources, Technology, Healthcare, Finance/Accounting, and Office Support talent. Founded in 1988, the company is an established leader in the staffing and human resources fields, assisting clients and associates in a wide variety of industries through their four branch locations in Chicago, Downers Grove, Northbrook, and Schaumburg. Advanced Resources is Chicagoland's top award-winning staffing firm: Best of Staffing, Chicago Tribune's Top Workplaces, Best Places to Work in Illinois, Best and Brightest Companies to Work For (Chicago and National). About Alithya Alithya is Quebec's largest privately-held strategic consulting and IT services firm, with a presence across North America and in France. Founded in 1992, we have grown by partnering with our clients to provide high-quality strategy and IT consulting services that help them achieve their business objectives. We serve clients mainly in the financial services, telecommunications, transportation, healthcare and government sectors. With 10 offices in Canada and France, our consulting team is now over 1,200 strong. To find out more, visit www.alithya.com Contacts: Alithya Melanie Tardif, CPA, CMA Vice President, Communications and Marketing 514.285.5552 melanie.tardif@alithya.com www.alithya.com EDMONTON, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Iberian Minerals Ltd. (the "Company" or "Iberian") (TSX VENTURE: IML)(OTCQB: SLDRF) announced today that its 100% wholly owned subsidiary, Mineworx USA Inc. has signed an Agreement with Vulture Peak Gold Inc. (VPG), who are currently operating a hard rock gold processing plant on location. The historic gold property is approximately 275 contiguous acres and located at Wickenburg, Arizona, approximately 70 miles northwest of Phoenix. Mineworx is an innovative technology Company that has developed HM X-tract, a patent-pending environmentally friendly, portable, heavy mineral extraction unit for the mining sector. Mineworx is onsite and commissioning its prototype HM X-tract equipment to begin working on alluvial deposits on the property. Terms of the agreement are based on a model of sharing net profits. "For the past four months, Mineworx has focused on evaluating gold properties in the south western United States, where there are literally thousands of small to mid size gold mining opportunities in which the Mineworx technologies can advance projects for property owners who may be having difficulty advancing their deposits due to financial, environmental or logistical reasons," stated Duane Nelson, President of Mineworx. "We presently have a short list of future properties in this region to begin working on as we ramp up production of additional HM X-tract units in our fabrication facility in Coquitlam, Canada." "VPG is ideally suited to not only allow the HM X-tract portable extraction unit to showcase its performance and operational capabilities in a large scale placer environment but is also optimum for allowing on site testing and evaluations of related new technologies we are presently working on," stated Greg Pendura, President and CEO. The Company plans to provide further updates pertaining to site evaluations and ongoing commercial production activities. Since the Mineworx amalgamation, many new individuals have become shareholders in Iberian Minerals. If interested, we would like to invite these new shareholders to be added to our data list to receive corporate update newsletters in the future. Please click here to subscribe or visit our website www.iberianminerals.ca. About Mineworx Mineworx is an innovative technology company focused on increasing value within the mining sector with its patent-pending environmentally friendly, portable, heavy mineral extraction equipment. Mineworx's unique business model is to seek out advanced-stage mineral deposits on which to employ its processing technologies and partner with the existing owners/ operators by advancing these deposits in an accelerated manner attaining profitable production in a timely, cost effective and environmentally friendly manner. The unique, integrated water clarification and filtration technologies lowers economic risk and reduces environmental impact by allowing operators to recycle most of the process water used at a typical mine site thereby significantly reducing or eliminating the necessity for tailings ponds. About Iberian Minerals Iberian Minerals is a Canadian junior mining company positioned for growth through the partnership of advanced cash flow mining opportunities utilizing the Mineworx environmentally friendly toll-processing technologies. In addition the Company is also pursuing its interest of accumulating high interest assets throughout the mineral rich Iberian Peninsula. For further information, go to www.iberianminerals.ca. 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 press release contains certain statements which constitute forward-looking statements or information ("forward-looking statements"), including statements regarding Iberian's business and the Acquisition. Such forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond Iberian's and Mineworx's control, including the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, volatility of commodity prices, currency fluctuations, environmental risks, operational risks in exploration and development, competition from other industry participants, the lack of availability of qualified personnel or management, stock market volatility and the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources. Although Iberian believes that the expectations in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, they are based on factors and assumptions concerning future events which may prove to be inaccurate. Those factors and assumptions are based upon currently available information. Such statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results or events and cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied in the forward looking information. As such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward looking information, as no assurance can be provided as to future results, levels of activity or achievements. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are made as of the date of this document and, except as required by applicable law, Iberian does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Contacts: Duane Nelson President of Mineworx 604-512-8118 duane@mineworx.net Iberian Minerals Ltd. Rick Gliege Corporate Development 250-751-3661 rick@iberianminerals.ca EDMONTON, ALBERTA and NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- (TSX: STN)(NYSE: STN) Stantec Inc. ("Stantec" or the "Company") will hold an Investor Day on Thursday, June 2, 2016, in Boston, Massachusetts, for investors and financial analysts. Bob Gomes, president and chief executive officer, along with the Company's executive vice presidents of the Buildings, Energy & Resources, Environmental Services, and Infrastructure business operating units and Project Delivery Office will provide updates on the business and strategic outlook. Leadership from recently acquired MWH Global will also present on the business. The event will take place at Boston's Seaport Hotel. Registration and breakfast will begin at 7:30 AM (ET) on June 2, 2016, with management presentations scheduled from 8:30 AM (ET) to 2:30 PM (ET). Institutional investors, analysts, and members of the financial community interested in attending can register in advance by contacting Aleen Sidhu, Investor Relations Associate, via email at Aleen.Sidhu@stantec.com or via telephone at (780) 969-3302. An archived webcast will be available under the Investors section on stantec.com after the event. About Stantec We're active members of the communities we serve. That's why at Stantec, we always design with community in mind. The Stantec community unites approximately 22,000 employees working in over 400 locations across six continents. Our work-engineering, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, surveying, environmental sciences, project management, and project economics, from initial project concept and planning through design, construction, and commissioning-begins at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships. With a long-term commitment to the people and places we serve, Stantec has the unique ability to connect to projects on a personal level and advance the quality of life in communities across the globe. Stantec trades on the TSX and the NYSE under the symbol STN. Visit us at stantec.com or find us on social media. Design with community in mind Contacts: Investor Contact Sonia Kirby Stantec Investor Relations Ph: (780) 917-7114 sonia.kirby@stantec.com Media Contact Alison Smith Stantec Public Relations Ph: (617) 654-6062 alison.smith@stantec.com In the 1st quarter of 2016 the net turnover was EUR 817 745. The result for 3 month of the year 2016 is profits EUR 54 766, wich corresponds to EUR 0.110 profits per share. The main activities of the Company in 2016 were logging and production of timber products: peeled and machine rounded poles production in timber processing unit.The result for 3 month of the year 2016 is profits EUR - 54 766 which, corresponds to EUR 0. 110 profits per share.During 3 month of the year 14 711 m3 poles were produced in the timber processing unit and woodchips of4 983 m3 were sold.Total revenues for the Company during 3 month of year 2016 were 817 745 EUR . This compared to 2015 is about 0.58 % higher, but gross profit is 2.58 time higher.The demand for products to England is positive.2016 2015 Note EUR EUR Neto revenues 2 817 745 813 007 Costs of goods sold 3 (740 899) (772 806) Gross result 76 846 40 201 Administration expenses 4 (17 608) (14 190) Other operating income 5 448 Other operating expenses 6 (1 690) (4 961) Financial income 7 1 426 Financial expenses 8 (1 973) (867) Profit (loss) before taxes 56 023 21 609 Deffered corporate income tax 9; 19 Other taxes 18 (1 257) (456) Net profit (loss) 54 766 21 153In the future the Company plans to continue the production of peeled and turn poles, increasing the proportion of timber purchased from small logging companies and private loggers, whose price offering is lower than that of VAS Latvijas valsts mezi. It is also planned to sell the produced goods to a wider network of clients, achieving the most beneficial sales price.Please find attached Financial Report of 3 month 2016.Chairman of the BoardTalsu mezrupnieciba, JSCGatis Staks,Mob.ph. +371 265 388 94e-mail: gatis@tmr.lvAttachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=573328 Atlantis Healthcare Leads Discussions at World Orphan Drug Congress on Using Health Psychology to Understand Personalized Patient Needs AUCKLAND, New Zealand andLONDON andCRANFORD, New Jersey, May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Treatment nonadherence doesn't discriminate by illness, and rare disease presents additional challenges to patients' ability to effectively self-manage. Atlantis Healthcare, global leaders in treatment adherence and self-management programs, joined stakeholders in pharma, biotech, patient advocacy and academia at the World Orphan Drug Congress (WODC) recently to discuss best practices in supporting individuals with rare diseases. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160518/372511-INFO Logo -http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160518/369636LOGO "The management of rare disease presents unique challenges for the healthcare community, patients and their families," said Kate Perry, MSc, PsychD, MNZPB, Director, Behavioral Science at Atlantis Healthcare, a sponsor of the WODC. "Unlike more common chronic diseases, physicians may have limited experience in a particular rare disease, and it isn't always possible to turn to the literature or textbook for guidance. Very often, the patient is the primary source of communicating the physical and emotional aspects of the condition. It is crucial, therefore, that effective self-management interventions acknowledge their voice." At WODC, Dr. Kate Perry led a 4-hour Workshop entitled, "Addressing the Why Behind Nonadherence in Rare Disease." She also moderated a panel discussion on "Success Measures in the Launch and Lifecycle of Orphan Drugs." Rare diseases are serious, chronic conditions that generally start in early childhood, are life-limiting and poorly understood. There are currently over 6,000 recognized rare diseases, including cystic fibrosis and Huntington's disease. According to Dr. Perry, treatments exist for only approximately 5% of rare diseases, and are designed to manage symptoms or slow down the progression of the disease, not to cure the condition. "Health psychology frameworks provide us with tools to understand the unique characteristics of rare disease that impact treatment adherence," said Dr. Perry. "For Gaucher's disease, we need to acknowledge that often people living with this rare disease don't even feel unwell. If you aren't feeling unwell it can be hard to understand the necessity for treatment or other self-management tasks. For conditions like Hypophosphatasia, there are incredibly complicated dosing regimens that make adherence practically challenging. And, because most rare diseases start in childhood, almost all individuals experience issues during the transition from adolescent to adult, as responsibility shifts from parent to patient." Challenges inherent in rare disease also offer opportunity for pharma, said Dr. Perry. At the WODC, there was an emergence of pharma/biotech partnerships that leverage digital technology to transcend geographic borders to create patient communities and build digital registers. For more information on Atlantis Healthcare's approach to self-management, and to download a White Paper on addressing nonadherence in Rare Disease, visit www.atlantishealthcare.com. About Atlantis Healthcare Group Atlantis Healthcare leverages health psychology to develop and deliver uniquely personalized solutions that drive sustained improvements in treatment adherence and self-management across chronic diseases. With the largest team of globally recognized health psychology experts in a commercial setting, Atlantis Healthcare uses clinically proven models and academic research to develop award-winning behavior change programs, helping patients achieve better health outcomes.The group provides products and services across the globe from offices in Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Spain, UK and the US. CONTACT: Fran Kelly fkelly@comcast.net 917.697.6471 Singapore, Singapore--(Newsfile Corp. - May 26, 2016) - Zecotek Photonics Inc. (TSXV: ZMS) (FSE: W1I) (the "Company"), a developer of leading-edge photonics technologies for medical, industrial and scientific markets, today announced that the Company has increased the non-brokered private placement announced on May 19, 2016 to $925,000. The Company also announced it has closed on the first tranche of the private placement by selling 2,259,997 units of the Company at a price of $0.30 per unit for gross proceeds of $678,000. Each unit consists of one common share and one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder to acquire one common share at an exercise price of $0.43 per common share until May 26, 2018. The Company paid finder's fees on the first tranche consisting of cash fees totalling $47,459.94 and issued 158,200 finder's warrants. Each finder's warrant entitles the holder to acquire one common share at an exercise price of $0.43 per common share until May 26, 2018. All securities issued in the first tranche are subject to a four-month hold period expiring on September 27, 2016. Net proceeds from the funds raised will be used to complete the transfer of technology for the purpose of immediate commercialization, to strengthen and maintain patents of the Company's IP portfolio, for purchase order financings and general working capital purposes. About Zecotek Zecotek Photonics Inc (TSXV: ZMS) (FSE: W1I) is a photonics technology company developing high-performance scintillation crystals, photo detectors, positron emission tomography scanning technologies, 3D auto-stereoscopic displays, 3D metal printing, and lasers for applications in medical, high-tech and industrial sectors. Founded in 2004, Zecotek operates three divisions: Imaging Systems, Optronics Systems and 3D Display Systems with labs located in Canada, Korea, Russia, Singapore and U.S.A. The management team is focused on building shareholder value by commercializing over 50 patented and patent pending novel photonic technologies directly and through strategic alliances, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (Switzerland), Beijing Opto-Electronics Technology Co. Ltd. (China), NuCare Medical Systems (South Korea), the University of Washington (United States), and National NanoFab Center (South Korea). For more information visit www.zecotek.com and follow @zecotek on Twitter. This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are based on management's expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results and trends may differ materially from what may have been stated. For Additional Information Please Contact: Zecotek Photonics Inc. Michael Minder T: (604) 783-8291 ir@zecotek.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. If you would like to receive news from Zecotek in the future please visit the corporate website at www.zecotek.com. VAL-D'OR, CANADA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Cartier Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: ECR) ("Cartier") announces the closing of a $300,000 financing with Sodemex exploration, the Caisse de depot et de placement du Quebec ("SODEMEX II S.E.C."), SIDEX Limited Partnership ("SIDEX") and Fonds de solidarite FTQ (the "Fonds") (collectively, the "Subscribers") of the placement of a convertible debenture. The Subscribers have agreed to invest up to $900,000 in three annual tranches of $300,000 each. The financing was completed under Action-Exploration, a financing plan for junior mineral exploration companies in Quebec that was announced on November 26, 2015. The plan aims to provide companies with $300,000 in financing per year for a period of three years to support their growth. Philippe Cloutier, President and CEO of Cartier Resources, stated: "The prolonged downward cycle of metal prices and the mining industry as a whole has eclipsed the progress we have made on the value of Cartier's projects and the high-potential acquisitions we completed during the crisis". He added: "This additional cash supports the company's mission by helping it stay the course to ensure growth and sustainability. It will help us continue to seize the best business opportunities for the benefit of all our shareholders". Annual investments of $300,000 per year, recurrent for three (3) years. At the closing of the first tranche, each of the Subscribers will subscribe to a convertible debenture of the Company for the principal amount of $100,000, for gross proceeds of $300,000. On the first and second anniversaries, provided that certain conditions are met, the Company may require each of the Subscribers to subscribe to convertible debentures in the principal amount of $100,000. Thus, an additional principal amount of $600,000 may be invested by the Subscribers in annual tranches of $300,000. The Company may not take certain measures without the prior approval of the Subscribers, as long as the debentures have not been redeemed or converted into shares of the Company. Furthermore, for the purposes of this investment, the Company has granted the Subscribers a Gross Revenue Royalty on the Benoist Property of 1.2%. Cartier may buy back this royalty under certain conditions. Principal terms of the convertible debentures Each of the convertible debentures is convertible into shares of the Company at the share price plus a 30% premium on the lesser of the following: a. the last closing price of the Company's shares before the debenture was issued; or b. the volume weighted average price of the Company's shares over the 20- day period preceding the issuance of the debenture. All of the above are subject to regulatory approvals from the TSX Venture Exchange. The conversion price of the debentures issued on May 25, 2016, is $0.13. All debentures, regardless of their issue date, are reimbursable on the fifth anniversary of the issuance of the first tranche of debentures; that is, on May 25, 2021. Each of the debentures bears interest at the prime business rate published by the Bank of Canada, plus a premium of 5.5%. Interest is payable annually in cash or, at the Company's discretion and under certain conditions, in common shares at a unit price equal to the volume weighted average price of the Company's shares over the 20-day period preceding the payment. ABOUT CARTIER Cartier Resource Inc. is an exploration company focused on discovery in the Abitibi Gold Belt of Quebec. Its VISION is to advance the Company's current and future assets towards the production stage according to a schedule that is in keeping with its financial and human resources, and within a perspective of responsible and sustainable development. ABOUT CAISSE DE DEPOT ET PLACEMENT DU QUEBEC Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ) is a long-term institutional investor that manages funds primarily for public and parapublic pension and insurance plans. As at June 30, 2015, it held $240.8 billion in net assets. As one of Canada's leading institutional fund managers, the CDPQ, which marks its 50th anniversary this year, invests globally in major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure and real estate. Through its mining fund Sodemex, the CDPQ is contributing to the development of Quebec's mining industry by acquiring interests in junior exploration companies and mining producers active in the province. For more information, visit cdpq.com, follow them on Twitter @LaCDPQ or consult their Facebook or LinkedIn pages. ABOUT SIDEX The Diversification of Exploration Investment Partnership (SIDEX Limited Partnership) was established in 2001 by the Government of Quebec and the Fonds de solidarite FTQ. The mission of SIDEX is to invest in mineral exploration companies working in Quebec to diversify Quebec's mineral base. SIDEX encourages companies to explore for new substances, to use new metallogenic models and to open new territories, as well as help promote new entrepreneurs and innovation. ABOUT FONDS DE SOLIDARITE FTQ The Fonds de solidarite FTQ helps drive our economy. With net assets of $11.2 billion as of November 30, 2015, the Fonds is a development capital fund that channels the savings of Quebecers into investments in all sectors of the economy to help create and maintain jobs and further Quebec's development. The Fonds is a partner, either directly or through its network members, in more than 2,550 companies. With more than 600,000 owner-shareholders, the Fonds helps create, maintain and protect more than 176,000 jobs. For more information, visit www.fondsftq.com. This press release is not an offer or a solicitation of an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration. The common shares of Cartier Resources Inc. are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "ECR". Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulatory services provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Contacts: Philippe Cloutier: President and CEO Cartier Resources Inc. 819 856-0512 philippe.cloutier@ressourcescartier.com www.ressourcescartier.com TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Partners Value Investments Inc. (the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: PVF) announced today its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2016. Net income was $29 million ($0.39 per common share) for the three months ended March 31, 2016, compared to net income of $12 million ($0.17 per common share) in the prior year quarter. The increase in net income was primarily due to a 42% increase in investment income and foreign currency appreciation during the quarter. The Company's net book value increased by $1.82 per share during the quarter to $44.34 per share due to increases in the market value of the Company's long-term investment portfolio. Consolidated Statements of Operations For the three months ended March 31 (Thousands) 2016 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Investment income Dividends $ 20,117 $ 15,393 Other investment income 1,856 60 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21,973 15,453 Expenses Operating expenses (1,622) (873) Financing costs (123) (13) Retractable preferred share dividends (8,552) (6,977) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11,676 7,590 Other items Investment valuation gains 331 4,842 Amortization of deferred financing costs (571) (456) Change in value of fund unit liability 557 (331) Income tax expense (9,097) (677) Foreign currency gains 25,867 1,177 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net income $ 28,763 $ 12,145 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Financial Profile and Net Book Value The Company's principal investment is its interest in 86 million Class A Limited Voting Shares ("Brookfield shares") of Brookfield Asset Management Inc. ("Brookfield"), representing 1.17 Brookfield shares for every 1 common share of the Company as at March 31, 2016. The information in the following table shows the changes in net book value: For the three months ended March 31 (Thousands, except per share amounts) Total Per Share ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net book value, beginning of period(1) $ 3,127,980 $ 42.52 Net income(2) 28,763 0.39 Other comprehensive income(2) 104,969 1.43 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net book value, end of period(1,3) $ 3,261,712 $ 44.34 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Net book value per common share is non-IFRS measure. (2) The weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the three month ended was 73,546,897 (2015 - 73,546,899). (3) As at March 31, 2016, there were 73,546,897 (December 31, 2015 - 73,546,898) voting and non-voting common shares of the Company issued and outstanding on a fully diluted basis. The information in the following table has been extracted from the Company's Statement of Financial Position: Statement of Financial Position As at (Thousands, except per share amounts) March 31, 2016 December 31, 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 60,092 $ 127,467 Investments Brookfield Asset Management Inc.(1) 3,877,349 3,746,873 Other securities 600,754 619,363 Accounts receivable and other assets 14,146 8,169 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total assets $ 4,552,341 $ 4,501,872 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liabilities Accounts payable and other liabilities $ 188,564 $ 243,527 Preferred shares(2) 655,446 706,258 Deferred taxes(3) 446,619 424,107 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1,290,629 1,373,892 Shareholders' equity Common equity 3,261,712 3,127,980 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 4,552,341 $ 4,501,872 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net book value per common share (4,5) $ 44.34 $ 42.52 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Represents the investment in 86 million Brookfield shares with a quoted market value of $45.17 per share as at March 31, 2016 (December 31, 2015 - $43.65). (2) Represents $666 million of retractable preferred shares less $11 million of unamortized issue costs (December 31, 2015 - $717 million less $11 million). (3) The deferred tax liability represents the potential future income tax liability of the Company recorded for accounting purposes based on the difference between the carrying values of the Company's assets and liabilities and their respective tax values, as well as giving effect to estimated capital and non-capital losses. (4) As at March 31, 2016, there were 73,546,897 (December 31, 2015 - 73,546,898) voting and non-voting common shares of the Company issued and outstanding on a fully diluted basis. (5) Net book value per common share is a non-IFRS measure. Note: This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian provincial securities laws and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities regulations. The words "potential" and "estimated" and other expressions which are predictions of or indicate future events, trends or prospects and which do not relate to historical matters, identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements with regard to the Company's potential future income taxes. Although the Company believes that its anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and information are based upon reasonable assumptions and expectations, the reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond its control, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from anticipated future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated or implied by forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to: the financial performance of Brookfield Asset Management Inc., the impact or unanticipated impact of general economic, political and market factors; the behavior of financial markets, including fluctuations in interest and foreign exchanges rates; global equity and capital markets and the availability of equity and debt financing and refinancing within these markets; strategic actions including dispositions; changes in accounting policies and methods used to report financial condition (including uncertainties associated with critical accounting assumptions and estimates); the effect of applying future accounting changes; business competition; operational and reputational risks; technological change; changes in government regulation and legislation; changes in tax laws, catastrophic events, such as earthquakes and hurricanes; the possible impact of international conflicts and other developments including terrorist acts; and other risks and factors detailed from time to time in the Company's documents filed with the securities regulators in Canada. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements and information, whether written or oral, that may be as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contacts: Investor Relations 647-503-6516 ir@pvii.ca TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- NewCastle Gold Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: NCA) (the "Company" or "NewCastle") and Catalyst Copper Corporation (TSX VENTURE: CCY) ("Catalyst") are pleased to announce that they have completed their previously announced merger. NewCastle, the continuing public company, will be anchored by the substantially permitted Castle Mountain Gold Project ("Castle Mountain") located in California, with the goal of creating a new mid-tier gold company. Highlights of the strengthened NewCastle include: -- Highly-experienced board and management team with a proven record of success to maximize the value of Castle Mountain -- Operational strength and access to extensive project and technical skills including United States permitting matters to supplement and strengthen the existing management team -- Extensive capital markets experience -- Infusion of capital to initiate a drill program to help determine the potential of Castle Mountain The new Board of Directors consists of Richard Warke, as Executive Chairman, David Adamson, Mark Wayne, David Reid, Jim Gowans, Frank Giustra and Colin Sutherland. Officers of the Company are David Adamson - President and Chief Executive Officer, Paul Ireland - Chief Financial Officer, Ian Cunningham-Dunlop - Vice President Exploration, Marty Tunney - Vice President Corporate Development and Purni Parikh - Vice President Corporate Secretary. The Company would like to thank Messrs. Buchan, Cavalluzzo, Morales and Napier for their contributions to the success of the Company and wish them all the best in their future endeavors. The Company's new Executive Chairman, Richard Warke, stated, "With the strength of our board and management team, and the high quality Castle Mountain gold project, the Company is well positioned to drive towards its goal of creating a new mid-tier gold company." David Adamson, Chief Executive Officer of NewCastle, added, "I look forward to working with the new members of the board and management team. With a topped up treasury, we plan to have drills turning on the project in the very near term to determine the full potential of the project." In connection with the closing of the merger, Catalyst completed a private placement of 1,309,090 Catalyst Shares (with a hold period expiring on September 21, 2016), which shares were exchanged for NewCastle Shares. The Company expects to complete the previously announced transaction with Franco-Nevada shortly, which upon closing will result in the Company having approximately $6.5 million in cash. Pursuant to the merger, all of the common shares of Catalyst ("Catalyst Shares") were exchanged for common shares of NewCastle ("NewCastle Shares") on the basis of one NewCastle Share for each Catalyst Share. The combined Company has 151,442,443 issued and outstanding shares. Stock Options In connection with the merger, the Board of Directors has conditionally granted the following options (the "New Options"): -- An aggregate of 6,565,000 New Options to certain officers, directors and consultants of the Company exercisable for five years at an exercise price of $0.54, based on the closing of price of NewCastle Shares on May 25, 2016. These New Options vest in equal installments every year for a three year period. -- An aggregate of 150,000 New Options to certain employees of the Company, exercisable for five years at an exercise price of $0.54, based on the closing of price of NewCastle Shares on May 25, 2016. These New Options vest in equal installments every six months for an 18-month period. As the number of NewCastle Shares reserved for issuance under the options is in excess of the number available under the Company's existing fixed stock option plan, the Company has adopted a new 10% rolling stock option plan (the "2016 Option Plan") to provide for the grant of the New Options. The aggregate number of NewCastle Shares which may be reserved for issuance pursuant to the 2016 Option Plan and all other share compensation arrangements (including the Company's existing fixed stock option plan) cannot exceed 10% of the number of NewCastle Shares issued and outstanding from time to time. The 2016 Option Plan also contains restrictions on the number of NewCastle Shares which may be reserved for issuance to any one participant, and to insiders of the Company as a group. Under TSX Venture Exchange rules, the adoption of the 2016 Option Plan and the grant of the New Options requires the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange rules and approval by disinterested shareholders. At the annual general meeting to be held on June 30, 2016, shareholders will be asked to consider and, if thought fit, approve the adoption of the 2016 Option Plan and the grant of the New Options. Detailed information concerning the 2016 Option Plan and the New Options will be contained in the management information circular distributed in connection with the annual general meeting. The New Options may not be exercised unless and until such shareholder approval is obtained Annual General Meeting The Company also announces that the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders will be held on June 30, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. (Toronto time) at the Toronto Board of Trade, 77 Adelaide Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5X 1C1. About NewCastle NewCastle has 100% of the right, title and beneficial interest in and to the Castle Mountain Venture, a California general partnership, which owns the Castle Mountain property (the "Project") in San Bernardino County, California. The Castle Mountain heap leach gold mine produced over one million ounces of gold from 1992 to 2001, when mining was suspended due to low gold prices. The Mine and Reclamation Plan, under which the mine operated, was authorized by the County of San Bernardino as the Lead Agency and remains in effect. Water for the drill programs is accessed from existing patented wells on the Project. An updated NI 43-101 resource for the project was announced December 2, 2015 which includes Measured Mineral Resources of 17.4 million tonnes grading 0.86 g/t gold containing 0.48 million gold ounces, Indicated Mineral Resources of 202.5 million tonnes grading 0.57 g/t gold containing 3.71 million gold ounces along with Inferred Mineral Resources of 40.8 million tonnes grading 0.58 g/t gold and containing 0.76 million gold ounces. The Project hosts a disseminated low sulphidation epithermal system. Gold is primarily hosted by late-stage rhyolite volcanic units within zones of silicification and brecciation associated with northeast-southwest trending/southeast dipping fault structures which are interpreted to have developed within a collapsed caldera environment. Eleven gold domains are represented by both steep and shallow-dipping orientations. Ian R. Cunningham-Dunlop, P. Eng., the Company's Vice President Exploration, is the designated Qualified Person for this news release within the meaning of NI 43-101. He has reviewed and verified that the technical information contained in this release is accurate and has approved of the written disclosure of the same. 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. Forward-Looking Statements Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "Forward-Looking Information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward Looking Information includes, but is not limited to, disclosure regarding possible events, conditions or financial performance that is based on assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of action; the timing and costs of future exploration and testing activities on the Company's properties; success of exploration activities; time lines for technical reports; planned exploration and development of properties and the results thereof; and planned expenditures and budgets and the execution thereof. Statements concerning Mineral Resource estimates may also be deemed to constitute forward looking information to the extent that they involve estimates of the mineralization that will be encountered if the property is developed. In certain cases, Forward-Looking Information can be identified by the use of words and phrases such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", budget", "scheduled", "suggest", "optimize", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "potential" or "does not anticipate", believes", "anomalous" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, that the current testing and other objectives concerning the Castle Mountain project can be achieved and that its other corporate activities will proceed as expected; that the current price and demand for gold will be sustained or will improve; that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner and that all necessary governmental approvals for the planned exploration on the Castle Mountain project will be obtained in a timely manner and on acceptable terms; the continuity of the price of gold and other metals, that the Company's existing patented and unpatented land has not been altered by any designation under U.S. Federal statute or other laws and economic and political conditions and operations. Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward-Looking Information. Such risks and other factors include, among others, obtaining financing on commercially reasonable terms, operations and contractual obligations; changes in exploration programs based upon results of exploration; future prices of metals; availability of third party contractors; availability of equipment; failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry; environmental risks, including environmental matters under U.S. federal and California rules and regulations; impact of environmental remediation requirements and the terms of existing and potential consent decrees on the Company's planned exploration on the Castle Mountain project; certainty of mineral title; community relations; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing; fluctuations in mineral prices; the Company's dependence on one mineral project; the nature of mineral exploration and mining and the uncertain commercial viability of certain mineral deposits; the Company's lack of operating revenues; governmental regulations and the ability to obtain necessary licenses and permits; risks related to mineral properties being subject to prior unregistered agreements, transfers or claims and other defects in title; impacts to patented and unpatented land by designation under U.S. Federal Statute or other laws, currency fluctuations; changes in environmental laws and regulations and changes in the application of standards pursuant to existing laws and regulations which may increase costs of doing business and restrict operations; risks related to dependence on key personnel; and estimates used in financial statements proving to be incorrect; as well as those factors discussed in the Company's public disclosure record. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could affect the Company and may cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in Forward-Looking Information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that Forward-Looking Information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required by law, the Company does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to Forward-Looking Information contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Readers should refer to the Company's Annual Information Form and Management Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2015 as well as the Company's most recent Management Discussion and Analysis, available on www.sedar.com. Cautionary Note Concerning Estimates of Inferred and Indicated Resources This news release uses the terms "Inferred Resources" and "Indicated Resources", which have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an Inferred and/or Indicated 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 prefeasibility studies. NewCastle advises U.S. investors that while this term is recognized 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 an Inferred or Indicated resource exists, or is economically or legally minable. Contacts: NewCastle Gold Ltd. Marty Tunney 416-572-0151 mtunney@newcastlegold.ca BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - May 26, 2016) - Seacoast Capital ("Seacoast") announced today that it, in partnership with Patriot Capital, has provided preferred equity growth financing to Avenger Flight Group ("AFG" or the "Company") to support the Company's expansion. Based in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, AFG provides full motion flight simulator training and services to civil aviation clients across North America through its strategically located facilities in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Las Vegas, NV, Mexico City, Mexico and now Dallas, TX. Tom Gorman, a Partner with Seacoast, commented, "AFG CEO, Pedro Sors and his team have built a unique and promising Company that provides a critical service to the domestic and international commercial aviation industry and flight training community. Given the growing demand for pilot training, matched with the continued rise of low cost air travel, we believe that AFG's business is well timed, and has the right team in place to continue to grow and provide superior service to its customers." Seacoast's financing allowed AFG's management team and ownership to appropriately capitalize the Company for its newest center in Dallas, TX as well as for continued growth over the years to come. The Company is now well positioned to accommodate the growing needs of its existing customer base and accommodate prospective new customers as it looks to further refine its approach, grow its geographic footprint and add additional airplane platforms. Cassel Salpeter & Co. advised AFG on the transaction. About Avenger Flight Group AFG was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The Company owns and operates dedicated commercial airline training facilities in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Las Vegas, NV, Mexico City, Mexico and Dallas, TX. AFG offers customers access to purpose built training centers, tailored to meet specific customer requirements. AFG's centers are complete with classrooms, integrated procedures trainers, flight training devices and Level D, full motion flight simulators. The Company primarily focuses on single-aisle aircraft and is approved under FAA Part 142. About Seacoast Capital Seacoast Capital was founded in 1994 to make non-controlling junior capital investments in privately-held lower middle market companies. Seacoast specializes in "sponsorless" transactions, preferring to invest directly with company owners or management teams, although it will selectively consider investments led by professional investor groups. Seacoast typically provides between $3 million and $12 million of debt and equity capital for acquisitions, growth, shareholder buyouts, management buyouts, and leveraged recapitalizations. While industry agnostic, Seacoast broadly invests in the specialty manufacturing, value-added distribution, commercial services, environmental services, logistics and infrastructure services, health and wellness, and consumer sectors. Seacoast generally targets investments in companies with $10 million to $150 million in revenue and $2 million or more of EBITDA. With offices in Boston and San Francisco, Seacoast has invested over $350 million in companies headquartered in 25 states since 1994. Seacoast is currently investing its third fund, Seacoast Capital Partners III, L.P. For more information, or to submit an investment opportunity to Seacoast, please contact David Romagnoli, Associate, by phone in Boston at (978) 750-1300, or via e-mail at dromagnoli@seacoastcapital.com. Contact: David Romagnoli Associate Tel: (978) 750-1300 E-Mail: Email contact TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Pasquale Di Capo (the "Acquiror") announces that on May 25, 2016, he and PowerOne Capital Markets Limited, a joint actor of the Acquiror (the "Joint Actor") acquired ownership and control of securities of Golden Predator Mining Corp. ("Golden Predator") as part of a larger private placement of units (each a "Unit") of Golden Predator (the "Transaction"). In particular, the Acquiror acquired 3,000,000 Units for $0.16 per Unit or aggregate proceeds of $480,000 and the Joint Actor received 1,274,000 broker warrants (each a "Broker Warrant") as a finder fee relating to the Transaction. Each Unit consists of one common share (each a "Share") in the capital of Golden Predator and one warrant to purchase a Share (each, a "Warrant") for an aggregate of 3,000,000 Shares and 3,000,000 Warrants. Each Warrant is exercisable into one Share at a price of $0.21 per Share for a period of two years following the closing date of the Transaction. If the Acquiror exercises all of the Warrants it will pay an aggregate exercise price of $630,000. Assuming that the Acquiror exercise all of the Warrants, the Shares it acquired, together with the Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants would represent approximately 8.61% of the outstanding Shares on a partially diluted basis as of May 25, 2016. Each Broker Warrant entitles the Joint Actor to acquire one Unit at a price of $0.16 for a period of two years following the closing of the Transaction for an aggregate of 1,274,000 Units which in turn will consist of 1,274,000 Shares and 1,274,000 Warrants. If the Broker Warrants are all exercised, the Joint Actor will pay an aggregate exercise price of $203,840. In addition, if the Broker Warrants are exercised and the 1,274,000 Warrants issued on exercise thereof are also exercised, the Joint Actor will pay an additional $267,540. Assuming that both the Broker Warrants and the underlying Warrants are exercised by the Joint Actor, the Joint Actor would own 2,548,000 Shares, representing, on a partially diluted basis, approximately 3.68% of the outstanding Shares as of May 25, 2016. On a combined basis, the Acquiror and the Joint Actor acquired, assuming the exercise of all Warrants and Broker Warrants, a total of 8,548,000 Shares, which would represent, on a partially diluted basis (assuming the exercise of all Warrants owned), approximately 11.7% of the Shares as of May 25, 2016. Immediately prior to the Transaction, the Acquiror owned 500,000 Shares as well as 1,000,000 warrants, each such warrant entitling the Acquiror to acquire one Share on exercise thereof, representing, on a partially diluted basis, approximately 3.69% of the outstanding Shares prior to the Transaction. The Joint Actor did not own any securities of the Issuer prior to the Transaction. Immediately following the Transaction: i. the Acquiror owned 3,500,000 Shares and 4,000,000 warrants, representing, on a partially diluted basis, approximately 10.61% of the outstanding Shares as of May 25, 2016, ii. the Joint Actor held 1,274,000 Broker Warrants, entitling it to acquire 1,274,000 Units, which Units would be comprised of an aggregate of 1,274,000 Shares and 1,274,000 Warrants, which (assuming exercise of all Broker Warrants and the underlying Warrants) would result in the Joint Actor owning 2,548,000 Shares or approximately 3.68% of the Shares on a partially diluted basis as of May 25, 2016, and iii.on a combined basis, the Acquiror and the Joint Actor own 3,500,000 Shares, 4,000,000 Warrants and 1,274,000 Broker Warrants, which would result in the Acquiror, together with the Joint Actor, owning an aggregate of 10,048,000 Shares or 13.72% of the outstanding Shares as of May 25, 2016 on a partially diluted basis assuming the exercise of all Broker Warrants and Warrants by the Acquiror and the Joint Actor, as applicable. The Acquiror and the Joint Actor acquired the Units, Shares, Warrants and Broker Warrants for investment purposes, and the Acquiror and Joint Actor may, depending on market and other conditions, increase or decrease their beneficial ownership, control or direction over additional securities of the securities or otherwise. Neither the Acquiror nor the Joint Actor have any plans related to any of the matters in the enumerated list in Item 5.1 of Form 62-103F1. To obtain a copy of the report filed pursuant to applicable securities regulations in connection with the foregoing, please contact: Shaun Drake DSA Corporate Services Inc. Tel: 416-848-0101 Fax: 416-848-0790 sdrake@dsacorp.ca 363 Toronto Street Suite 1000 Toronto, Ontario M5C 2C5 Contacts: DSA Corporate Services Inc. Shaun Drake 416-848-0101 416-848-0790 (FAX) sdrake@dsacorp.ca CHESTER, PA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- WHO: Geoff Prior, vice president of Solutions for Optymyze, a worldwide provider of enterprise cloud applications and services for improving sales and channel performance WHAT: Will join Jim Dickie, research fellow at CSO Insights, and Carl Strenger, vice president Sales Operations (retired) for UPS, to present "Enhancing Sales Operations' Role as the Sales Force's Change Agent," a webinar for members of the Sales Management Association. WHEN: Thursday, May 26, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. EDT (1:00 p.m. CDT/12:00 p.m. MDT/11:00 a.m. PDT) WHERE: For information and registration details, please visit: http://salesmanagement.org/events/enhancing-sales-operations-role-as-the-sales-forces-change-agent. DETAILS: The sales operations team both plays a vital, strategic role in day-to-day operations and serves as an agent of change at their company. Increasingly, as sales organizations face the need to restructure deployment models, rethink selling roles and messages, and push greater efficiency out of existing resources, sales operations departments are positioned to drive these efforts. During this Sales Management Association webinar, Geoff Prior, vice president of Solutions for Optymyze, will share practical insights about how sales operations can support effective change across the sales force. Joining Prior will be Jim Dickie, research fellow at CSO Insights and Carl Strenger, vice president Sales Operations (retired) for UPS. In their discussion, the panel will discuss how sales operations can balance strategic and tactical demands, and ways to structure the sales operations organization for maximum agility. In addition, Prior, Dickie, and Strenger will walk attendees through a planning process that promotes overall sales operations effectiveness. Sales leaders and business executives interested in learning how they can well position sales operations as an agent of change and enhance the efficiency of their sales force are encouraged to attend this webinar. Registration information can be accessed at: http://salesmanagement.org/events/enhancing-sales-operations-role-as-the-sales-forces-change-agent. About Optymyze Optymyze helps companies improve sales force and sales operations performance with its award-winning enterprise cloud applications and business process management services. Optymyze cloud applications and platforms help companies align sales goals and compensation; efficiently execute sales strategies; drive greater sales results, faster; and gain visibility into sales performance. With Optymyze Sales Operations as a Service, clients turn sales operations into a strategic business advantage through agility, innovation, and continuous improvement. Follow Optymyze at: Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Google+ TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - May 26, 2016) - WireIE, a wholesale network operator specialized in the deployment of MEF Certified Carrier Ethernet networks to Canada's underserved markets, has won the 2016 Global Telecom Business Awards for Fixed Infrastructure Innovation on May 25 th . The publication honoured WireIE for their work in developing a nomadic and robust, high-availability network solution for oil and gas. The Global Telecom Business Innovation Awards celebrate the collaboration and partnership between operators, vendors and clients whilst recognizing the industry's best innovation projects across a number of categories. The awards are judged by an independent panel who acknowledged WireIE's abilities to develop a unique digital oilfield solution for the oil and gas sector. "We are extremely excited to have won this award, recognizing WireIE's innovative solutions for underserved and geographically disperse markets," says WireIE CEO & President, Rob Barlow. As a leader in providing carrier-grade managed network solutions to the most rugged and remote regions of Canada, along with our intimate understanding of the unique networking requirements that oil and gas exploration demands; WireIE worked to develop a digital oilfield solution that managed competing complexities, satisfied industry demands with zero disruptions to core business applications. The award gala dinner is a feature of the Global Telecom Business Summit which focuses on the technologies, business techniques and strategies impacting and disrupting the telecoms landscape today. Global Telecoms Business is a journal for senior management among communications service providers worldwide. With an international audience, reaching over 27 countries, the summit and innovation awards are attended by C-Level industry executives from international organisations. About WireIE WireIE is a Canadian telecommunications carrier, specialized in the deployment of MEF Certified Carrier Ethernet 2.0 networks to underserved markets. WireIE's proven network performance, backed by industry-leading SLAs, has established the carrier as the provider of choice for mission critical network requirements, across all industry verticals including Oil & Gas, Mining, Utilities, Healthcare, Financial, Retail and Public Sector. Unleash the potential with WireIE -- visit www.wireie.com and follow us on Twitter @WireIE. Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/5/26/11G100190/Images/barlow_award_pic_2016-65b1a541e7d58b8db670bf71c6c35443.jpg Intertek, a leading quality assurance provider to industries worldwide, will deliver surveillance and quality assurance services to Fusion for Energy (F4E), the organization responsible for providing Europe's contribution to ITER. ITER is a multinational scientific partnership that was established with the goal of proving the feasibility of fusion as a large-scale and carbon-free source of energy. The idea for an international joint fusion experiment was first launched in 1985 and since then thousands of engineers and scientists have contributed to ITER's design. The ITER project is based in southern France and involves the collaboration of 35 countries. When construction is complete the world's largest tokamak, a magnetic fusion device, will demonstrate the scientific and technological viability of fusion energy as a safe, unlimited and sustainable source of energy. Intertek has been contracted to oversee the manufacturing process of ITER's Toroidal Field (TF) coils according to technical specifications, management documentation and quality plans that were contractually approved by F4E. Each of ITER's eighteen TF coils, responsible for confining ITER's plasma inside its vacuum vessel, consist of a winding pack of radial plates and a protective shell of stainless steel. These TF coils are some of the largest to ever be manufactured and represent over one-fourth of the tokamak's total weight. Manufacturing the TF coils is a complex process and requires unprecedented levels of accuracy to ensure that the coils are able to achieve their operational requirements. Joaquin Saiz, Asset Integrity Management (AIM) Manager for Intertek in Spain, said: "We are delighted to participate with F4E in assuring the quality of the ITER project TF components. The TF coils are some of the largest and most superconductive magnets ever designed, and manufacturing these coils involves multiple agencies which can create logistical difficulties. Intertek will provide an integrated, systematic approach to ensure that the manufacturing process is successful. The ITER project is a momentous one, and we're very proud to take part in it." For more Information: www.iter.org www.fusionforenergy.europa.eu/ About Fusion for Energy F4E is the European Union's joint undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy. The F4E organization was created under the Euratom Treaty by a decision of the Council of the European Union. F4E is responsible for providing Europe's contribution to ITER, the world's largest scientific partnership that aims to demonstrate fusion as a viable and sustainable source of energy. ITER brings together seven parties that represent half of the world's population the EU, Russia, Japan, China, India, South Korea and the United States. F4E also supports fusion research and development initiatives through the Broader Approach Agreement, signed with Japan a fusion energy partnership which will last for 10 years. Ultimately, F4E will contribute towards the construction of demonstration fusion reactors. The seat of F4E is in Barcelona, Spain. Visit: www.fusionforenergy.europa.eu About Intertek Intertek is a leading Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide. Our network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and over 40,000 people in more than 100 countries, delivers innovative and bespoke Assurance, Testing, Inspection and Certification solutions for our customers' operations and supply chains. www.intertek.com Bringing quality and safety to life View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160526005230/en/ Contacts: Intertek Niki Schroeder Global Marketing Manager, Intertek Industry Services niki.schroeder@intertek.com BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The National Association of Realtors will release its pending home sales index for April at 10 am ET Thursday. Economists expect pending home sales to have increased by 0.8 percent month-over-month in April, slower than the 1.4 percent increase in March. The greenback traded mixed against its major rivals ahead of the data. While the greenback rose against the pound, it slipped against the yen, franc and the euro. The greenback was valued at 1.1203 against the euro, 1.4687 against the pound, 109.65 against the yen and 0.9873 against the franc at 9:55 am ET. 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. 26 May 2016Company announcement no 06-16North Media A/S has received notice that Olav W. Hansen today directly and indirectly owns a total of 2,006,186 shares in North Media A/S, which is 10.003 % of the share capital and the voting rights.Olav W. Hansen personally owns 314,783 shares, which is about 1.569 % of the share capital and voting rights. The remaining 1,691,403 shares, which is about 8.434 % of the share capital and voting rights are owned through the company Olav W. Hansen A/S which is controlled by Olav W. Hansen.For further details, please contact Kare Wigh, Group Executive Director & CFO, at +45 25 65 21 45.Yours faithfullyNorth Media A/SKare WighGroup Executive Director & CFO Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. TORONTO, ON -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Calling all Canadian travellers: Get ready to save time and money on your next trip with the release of Cheapflights' first Compass Report for Canada. This new annual research report pulls from extensive data to reveal the most affordable destinations for Canadian travellers. Cheapflights.ca, the champions of simple travel search, tapped into a year's worth of searches on its site to identify where Canadians are looking to go and what it costs to get there. The Compass Report boils down the results from more than 663,550 hours, or more than 75 years (or more than three Justin Bieber lifetimes), worth of travel searches by users of Cheapflights.ca to reveal and rank the affordability of the most popular destinations for Canadians. "Travel is clearly a passion for Canadians," said Andrew Shelton, managing director of Cheapflights. "And our goal, as always, is to help streamline the search for the best flight options and travel savings. The Compass Report takes that effort to the next level, packaging a year's worth of insights into a single snapshot to help travellers zero in on the best value destinations near and far." To kick off the research, the team started by analyzing the flight searches from six key cities across Canada (Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal) from May 1, 2015, to April 30, 2016, to see where travellers are looking to fly. Looking at all the searches by region, it breaks down as follows: North America (45%) Asia (23%) Europe (22%) Africa (5%) South America (3%) Oceania (2%) Tellingly, searches to the U.S. are on par with all of Europe. Twenty two per cent of all the searches were for travel to the U.S. while Canadian destinations accounted for 10 per cent of the year's searches. Other North American destinations claimed 13 per cent of total searches. Using the same departure points and dates, the team also identified the 101 most-searched destinations. The top 10 is a very diverse line-up: 1 Manila, Philippines 2 Vancouver, B.C. 3 Los Angeles, Calif., U.S. 4 Bangkok, Thailand 5 London, England 6 Fort Lauderdale, Fla., U.S. 7 Las Vegas, Nev., U.S. 8 Delhi, India 9 New York, N.Y., U.S. 10 Orlando, Fla., U.S. Then, to help streamline bargain hunters' quests for the best deals, the team ranked those destinations by average round-trip airfare only to find that the 10 most affordable destinations are all in the United States: 1 New York, N.Y., U.S. $294 2 Boston, Mass., U.S. $362 3 Washington, D.C., U.S. $378 4 Chicago, Ill., U.S. $410 5 Seattle, Wash., U.S. $441 6 Fort Lauderdale, Fla., U.S. $442 7 Orlando, Fla., U.S. $442 8 Tampa, Fla., U.S. $456 9 Los Angeles, Calif., U.S. $458 10 Phoenix, Ariz., U.S. $461 In fact, U.S. destinations claim the top 11 spots. The most affordable spot in Canada is Montreal, which ranks 15 with an average airfare of $481. It only takes a quick scan of the list to start gleaning valuable cost-savings information. For example, top value airports outside mainland U.S. and Canada include San Juan, Puerto Rico ($487), Montego Bay, Jamaica ($587) and Mexico City, Mexico ($599), none of which are traditionally front-of-mind destinations for Canadians heading south. Equally noteworthy: Hawaiian destinations -- Honolulu ($639) and Kahului ($613) -- are on par pricewise with Varadero, Cuba ($639). The Cheapflights Compass affordability breakdown also showed: The top three Caribbean money savers are Cancun, Mexico ($473), San Juan, Puerto Rico ($487) and Montego Bay, Jamaica ($587) Hong Kong ($961) is the best gateway into Asia, followed by Tokyo, Japan ($1,026) and Shanghai, China ($1,048) In the U.K., it's best to skip London ($873) and Glasgow ($920) and head to Dublin ($801) instead Craving a Spanish getaway? Try Mexico City, Mexico ($599) over Barcelona, Spain ($918) and you'll save more than $300 On average, it's just as cheap to fly all the way to Hawaii ($613) as it is to fly to Vancouver ($612) Heading to Scandinavia? It's best to fly into Oslo, Norway ($877) or Helsinki, Finland ($830) rather than Reykjavik, Iceland ($954) or Copenhagen, Denmark ($955) See the full affordability rankings of the 101 most-searched destinations as well as an animated recap of the results at www.cheapflights.ca/news/2016-compass-report-canada. KEY TAKEAWAYS -- CITY BY CITY The report also zeros in on the 25 most popular destinations in each of the six local markets, adding more surprising results. For instance, Manila is the most-searched destination worldwide for consumers in Calgary, Vancouver and Winnipeg. For Torontonians and Ottawans, it's Vancouver, while for sun-seeking Montrealers, it's Fort Lauderdale. Read on for some highlights from each market: TORONTO Top three destinations in popularity: Vancouver, B.C. ($633), Manila, Philippines ($1272), New York, N.Y., U.S. ($252) Most affordable: New York, N.Y., U.S. ($252), Orlando, Fla., U.S ($417), Halifax. N.S. ($422) Beyond the U.S. and Canada: Kingston, Jamaica ($661), Paris, France ($762), London, England ($789) Swap and save destinations: Paris, France ($762) over Frankfurt, Germany ($948) or Orlando, Fla., U.S. ($417) over Miami, Fla., U.S. ($445) See the 25 most popular spots for Toronto travellers ranked by affordability as well as an animated recap of the results at www.cheapflights.ca/news/2016-compass-report-toronto. MONTREAL Top three destinations in popularity: Fort Lauderdale, Fla., U.S ($433), Bangkok, Thailand ($1,196), Paris, France ($796) Most affordable: New York, N.Y., U.S ($206), Fort Lauderdale, Fla., U.S ($433), Orlando, Fla., U.S ($441) Beyond the U.S. and Canada: Cancun, Mexico ($475), Varadero, Cuba ($575), Mexico City, Mexico ($598) Swap and save destinations: Cancun, Mexico ($475) over Varadero, Cuba ($575) or Fort Lauderdale, Fla., U.S. ($433) over Miami, Fla., U.S. ($475) See the 25 most popular spots for Montreal travellers ranked by affordability as well as an animated recap of the results at www.cheapflights.ca/news/2016-compass-report-montreal. CALGARY Top three destinations in popularity: Manila, Philippines ($1,133), Vancouver, B.C. ($338), Toronto, Ont. ($581) Most affordable: Vancouver, B.C. ($338), Seattle, Wash., U.S. ($338), Victoria, B.C. ($352) Beyond the U.S. and Canada: Cancun, Mexico ($502), Hong Kong ($1,022), London, England ($1,036) Swap and save destinations: New York, N.Y., U.S. ($525) over Toronto, Ont. ($581) or Hong Kong ($1,022) over Bangkok, Thailand ($1,184) See the 25 most popular spots for Calgary travellers ranked by affordability as well as an animated recap of the results at www.cheapflights.ca/news/2016-compass-report-calgary. WINNIPEG Top three destinations in popularity: Manila, Philippines ($1,308), Vancouver, B.C. ($503), Toronto, Ont. ($488) Most affordable: Edmonton, Alta. ($411), Calgary, Alta. ($414), Las Vegas, Nev., U.S. ($482) Beyond the U.S. and Canada: Cancun, Mexico ($507), London, England ($955), Amsterdam, Netherlands ($1,025) Swap and save destinations: Cancun, Mexico ($507) over Miami, Fla., U.S. ($584) or Amsterdam, Netherlands ($1,025) over Frankfurt, Germany ($1,143) See the 25 most popular spots for Winnipeg travellers ranked by affordability as well as an animated recap of the results at www.cheapflights.ca/news/2016-compass-report-winnipeg. OTTAWA Top three destinations in popularity: Vancouver, B.C. ($697), Orlando, Fla., U.S. ($451), Fort Lauderdale, Fla., U.S. ($446) Most affordable: Toronto, Ont. ($217), New York, N.Y., U.S. ($347), Halifax, N.S. ($387) Beyond the U.S. and Canada: Dublin, Ireland ($697), Paris, France ($835), London, England ($965) Swap and save destinations: Dublin, Ireland ($679) over London, England ($965) or Las Vegas, Nev., U.S. ($491) over Los Angeles, Calif., U.S. ($565) See the 25 most popular spots for Ottawa travellers ranked by affordability as well as an animated recap of the results at www.cheapflights.ca/news/2016-compass-report-ottawa. VANCOUVER Top three destinations in popularity: Manila, Philippines ($998), Hong Kong ($843), Los Angeles, Calif., U.S. ($307) Most affordable: Los Angeles, Calif., U.S. ($307), Calgary, Alta. ($338), Las Vegas, Nev. U.S. ($386) Beyond the U.S. and Canada: Hong Kong ($843), Paris, France ($917), Shanghai, China ($937) Swap and save destinations: Toronto, Ont. ($641) over Montreal, Que. ($729) or Hong Kong ($843) over Tokyo, Japan ($964) See the 25 most popular spots for Vancouver travellers ranked by affordability as well as an animated recap of the results at www.cheapflights.ca/news/2016-compass-report-vancouver. NOTE TO EDITORS: The Cheapflights Compass is a research report from Cheapflights.ca. It taps into search, price and travel trends to uncover insights that help consumers make informed, savvy vacation decisions. This first Compass Report explores the most popular destinations, search trends and the most affordable airports based on the average round-trip airfares (taxes included) for flights from six key airports across Canada. The insights are based on searches via Cheapflights from May 1, 2015, to April 30, 2016. All prices are in Canadian dollars. About Cheapflights.ca, part of the Momondo Group Founded in 1996, Cheapflights is a leading global flight comparison and deals publishing platform dedicated to taking the complexity out of finding the best value flights through the application of innovative, intuitive technologies: Smart search. Made simple. It is now a market leader in the U.K., U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand generating more than C$4 billion in global downstream revenue for its partners as it expands into numerous other territories. More than 120 million users visit its websites and apps each year, receiving more than two billion search results a month from across 900,000 routes. The 10 million strong opt-in subscribers to the Cheapflights newsletter receive the best deals from more than 120 travel businesses -- for whom it has driven more than C$80 million in revenue this year. Together, the Cheapflights platforms generate enough bookings for its partners to fill a Boeing 747 every five minutes. In 2011, Cheapflights became part of the privately owned online travel search and inspiration network, Momondo Group. Follow us on: Twitter: twitter.com/cheapflights Facebook: facebook.com/cheapflights Instagram: instagram.com/cheapflights Pinterest: pinterest.com/cheapflights Embedded Video Available Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3013293 Embedded Video Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3013296 Contact Information: Cheapflights.ca Tel: +1 (416) 788-4573 E-mail: Email Contact Website: www.cheapflights.ca ATLANTA, GA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- ShelfGenie, the premier customized Glide-Out shelving and storage solution franchise, has announced the launch of its interactive franchise website, shelfgeniefranchise.com, which provides entrepreneurs with a detailed overview of the benefits of investing in a ShelfGenie franchise. The content-driven franchise website features a wide variety of information for franchisee candidates who are interested in learning about ownership opportunities with the top-rated storage solution franchise. Prospective owners can watch documentary videos featuring the ShelfGenie executive team and stay up-to-date with the latest news about ShelfGenie's growth and development. "Now is a great time to invest in a ShelfGenie franchise," said Allan Young, Chief Executive Officer with ShelfGenie. "What franchisees get now is to be a part of a company that has proven and refined our business model over eight years. We have shortened the learning curve so that owners can get off to a faster start, while the market has only increased the demand for our services." ShelfGenie is the premier customized Glide-Out shelving and storage solution franchise ShelfGenie is a customized, Glide-Out shelving and organization solution franchise that has remodeled millions of cabinets in kitchens, pantries, bathrooms and garages since it began transforming spaces in 2007. The top-rated franchise has grown to 48 franchisees that serve 160 territories in the U.S. and Canada, and the brand is actively seeking savvy entrepreneurs who are passionate about the brand's ability to transform spaces for ease of access and improved functionality as ShelfGenie continues to rapidly expand at home and abroad. As part of the $235 billion home remodeling industry, ShelfGenie solutions are high-quality, American-made shelves that appeal to American homeowners -- from millennials to baby boomers -- who want to make their living areas more functional and easier to use. "ShelfGenie takes away the frustration and pain that come from living in a home that's inefficient and poorly designed and transforms that home into a functional space that is made for enjoyment and love," said Gillian Harper, Chief Operating Officer with ShelfGenie. "That is what we focus on, and we are transforming the lives of our clients every day." ShelfGenie reported whopping double-digit retail sales growth for two consecutive years, and it was named one of America's fastest-growing companies by Inc. magazine in 2014. Since then, the brand's growth has only accelerated; ShelfGenie added nine new franchise owners and expanded into 21 new territories across North America in 2014, and the top-rated brand closed out 2015 with 14 new franchises sold to new owners. ShelfGenie kicked off 2016 by making Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 List for the sixth consecutive year, as well as announcing plans to rapidly expand across North America. Costs and fees of owning a ShelfGenie franchise The ShelfGenie premier home improvement franchise offers a low-cost investment opportunity with a potential for high returns. For an initial investment starting at $70,100, franchise owners get the backing and knowledge of a proven franchise system with locations spanning the United States and Canada. ShelfGenie still has many attractive territories available, and the time to invest is now. To learn more about franchise opportunities with ShelfGenie, visit shelfgeniefranchise.com. Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3013559 Contact Bret Chevrier Director of Business Development bret.chevrier@shelfgenie.com 866-243-7156 Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 26, 2016) - Troy Grant, President and CEO of ELCORA ADVANCED MATERIALS CORP. (TSXV: ERA) (OTCQB: ECORF) (FSE: ELM), (the "Company" or "Elcora"), reports the progress of its Graphene R&D Lab ("the Lab" or "Lab") in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Construction of the graphene production facility commenced in February 2016 (see February 10, 2016 news release). The equipment is now in place and commissioning is on schedule. The Lab will develop and optimize a small industrial-sized graphene production chain, as well as conduct graphene research in energy storage, coatings and printed electronics, developing commercial applications. The approximately 2000 sq ft size Lab is designed to provide secondary refining of the company's graphite from the Ragedara Mine in Sri Lanka as well as other graphite deposits, and to produce quality graphene for distribution and sale to other R&D organizations. In addition, the Lab will also be used to conduct Elcora's own internal graphene application development, as part of company's vertical integration plan. Once full production capacity is reached, the lab is expected to produce approximately 100 kg of high quality graphene per year. The company anticipates that full production capability will be reached by the end of June. Graphene is a material that will cause large shifts in technology that could impact a broad number of end-user applications. Billions of dollars are spent on research and developing end-user applications every year, globally. While many organizations are busy patenting their new graphene technology, there is a global shortage of graphene supply. High quality graphene that will make all the "magical" applications come true must only be 1 or 2 layers thick. To achieve a high concentration of desired quality graphene, productions are only done on lab equipment in the scale of sample tubes at a time. This is only enough for research purposes and too costly for commercial production of these graphene end-user applications. While 5 or 6 international companies and many Chinese companies claim they have successfully industrialized graphene production, independent test results by the 2D Material Lab at National University of Singapore (NUS) show the percentage of high quality graphene contained in their samples are low. The majority of the samples are 10-layer-plus graphite particles. "We are very pleased with the progress of the Lab", said Troy Grant. "This facility has state of the art equipment that will deliver precise and targeted processing of our material and produce a high quality product as a result. Industry leading quality control processes have been put in place." Ian Flint, Ph.D., P. Geo., is the Qualified Person as defined under NI 43-101 who has reviewed and is responsible for the technical information presented in this news release. About Elcora Advanced Materials Elcora was founded in 2011 and has been structured to become a vertically integrated graphite & graphene company that mines, processes, refines graphite, and produces both the graphene and end user graphene applications. As part of the vertical integration strategy, Elcora has secured high-grade graphite and graphene precursor graphite from its interest in the operation of the Ragedara mine in Sri Lanka which is already in production. Elcora has developed a unique low cost effective processes to make high quality graphite and graphene that are commercially scalable. This combination means that Elcora has the tools and resources for graphite and graphene vertical integration. For further information please visit the company's website at http://www.elcoracorp.com For further information please contact: Troy Grant, Director, President and CEO, Elcora Resources Corp., T: 902 802-8847 F: 902 446-2001. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT: The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No stock Exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements". All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization and reserves, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of Elcora, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. 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. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Elcora's expectations are exploration risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by Elcora with securities regulators. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the filing statement prepared in connection with the transaction, any information released or received with respect to the transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. BEIJING, CHINA--(Marketwired - May 26, 2016) - Obama, President of the United States will, during his visit to Japan to attend the 2016 G7 Ise-Shima Summit, visit Hiroshima with Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, which has not only provoked controversy, but aroused extensive concern about whether he will apologize to Japanese people. At 15:00 on May 27, LiveJapan will have live coverage of this visit via our Ingkee account (Account No.: 110670138. Please download Ingkee on http://www.ingkee.com). Upon the visit, we will ask Japanese people about their opinions on Obama's visit to Hiroshima. Hiroshima was the first city in the world to be targeted by a nuclear weapon. During World War II, American forces dropped an atomic bomb called "Little Boy" on Hiroshima, which directly killed 74,000 soldiers and civilians there. 75,000 people in Hiroshima suffered from various traumas. People there suffered nuclear pollution and lived in the fear of nuclear strikes. The bombing caused great psychological trauma to Japanese people, prompted the surrender of Japan and paved the way for the United States to lead in Asia Pacific. Obama's decision to visit Hiroshima makes him the first sitting US president to visit Hiroshima. By far, no sitting US president has ever been to the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki where the United States dropped atomic bombs during World War II. Meanwhile, his move has also provoked controversy in the international community. Some reproach that this will turn Japan into a victim. There are also people who believe this visit will become a turning point of the era. Will Japanese people hear the apology they have waited for so long during Obama's visit to Hiroshima? Will the US government give up its lofty stance and keep a low profile? How will the difficulties in the government relations between the United States and Japan for so long be covered? At 15:00 on May 27, LiveJapan will reveal the answers on Ingkee (Ingkee account: 110670138. Please download Ingkee on http://www.ingkee.com). Contact: Figo Ingkee PR Director Meelive Internet Technology Co., Ltd. Cell/Wechat: 18601214602 MailisFigo.deng@meelive.cn Address: F/11, Zone 2C, Wangjing SOHO Tower, Wangjing Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China KARLSRUHE, GERMANY--(Marketwired - May 26, 2016) - joimax , the global developer and marketer of technologies and treatment methods for minimally invasive endoscopic spinal surgery, recently hosted an educational symposium and exhibited at SpineWeek in Singapore. SpineWeek takes place every four years and is viewed as one of the most important congresses, representing numerous international society leaders. "The decision to participate in this congress was the right step to demonstrate our presence in the Asian region," says Wolfgang Ries, CEO and founder of joimax . "This year, there was a clear focus on endoscopic treatments by the participating societies, which created a strong interest in our lunch symposium. Approximately 200 attendees gathered to learn about the techniques of endoscopic minimally invasive spine surgery and the benefits of these techniques to both the surgeon and their patients," continued Ries. To further validate the company's expansion and presence in China, joimax participated in the 9 th Congress of the Chinese Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons - North American Spine Society (CAOS/NASS) meeting in Chengdu, China. The company was also involved with the Master Techniques in Spine Surgery Workshop, held on May 20, 2016 in Shanghai, China. Dr. Ralf Wagner, of the Ligamenta Spine Center in Frankfurt, Germany, led the technique-focused workshop and surgery, which was broadcast live to the meeting in Chengdu, as well as online to 30,000 Chinese surgeons. About joimax Founded in in Karlsruhe, Germany, in 2001, joimax is the leading developer and marketer of complete systems for endoscopic minimally invasive spinal surgery. With TESSYS (transforaminal), iLESSYS (interlaminar) and CESSYS (cervical) for decompression procedures, Multiuse RT (e.g. for rhizotomy) or with EndoLIF and Percusys for minimally-invasive endoscopic assisted stabilizations, proven endoscopic systems are provided that, together, cover a variety of indications. Whether herniated disc, stenosis, pain therapy or spinal stabilization treatment -- surgeons operate through small incisions under local or full anesthetic via tissue and muscle-sparing corridors through natural openings into the spinal canal (e.g. intervertebral foramen, the "Kambin triangle"). joimax GmbH Sabine Jarosch Sabine.jarosch@joimax.com 49 721 25514, ext.213 BOSTON, MA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Roselinde Torres, a New York-based senior partner of The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and leader of the firm's CEO Advisory offering in North America, and Michael Sherman, a Dallas-based partner and strategic advisor to C-suite executives at many of the world's top technology companies, have been named to the inaugural "UPstanding Executive Power List," created by the executive search firm Audeliss. The list -- published in today's Financial Times -- highlights the Top 100 Black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) executives in the US and UK "who have reached senior roles in business while also fighting against discrimination and championing ethnic diversity and inclusion in the workplace and beyond," the paper said. The list was compiled through a nomination and judging process that involved CEOs and other senior executives from a variety of companies, including Barclays, Unilever, the FT, and executive recruiter Pinnacle Group. Selection was based on the individuals' professional and business achievements, how the individuals drive the BAME agenda within their community and workplace, and the individuals' professional seniority and influence within their organization. Suki Sandhu, CEO of Audeliss and a cofounder of the ranking, said, "We are delighted to see Roselinde Torres and Michael Sherman of BCG featured in the inaugural UPstanding Executive Power List. Both are strong leaders at the firm and in the community and are setting an example for the business leaders of today and tomorrow." Torres, a senior member of BCG's People & Organization practice area, leads the firm's CEO Advisory offering in North America. She has advised more than 200 CEOs across industry sectors and markets. She also advises top management and boards on issues of leadership, talent management, organizational design, and large-scale change. In October 2013, Torres gave a TED Talk, "What It Takes to Be a Great Leader," which has garnered nearly 3 million views. Outside of consulting, she serves as an advisor to the Harvard Kennedy School's Center for Public Leadership and Latino Leadership Initiative and is a trustee of the Wildlife Conservation Society. For her exceptional leadership within the industry and BCG and for her expertise on the topic of leadership, she received a Women Leaders in Consulting award from Consulting magazine in 2014. Sherman, a leader in BCG's Technology, Media & Telecommunications practice area, works with top executives at mainly large multinational companies on a variety of strategic and operational-efficiency issues. He also serves as the global leader of BCG's Black/African-America Network and on the firm's North America Diversity and Inclusion Council, which is responsible for setting the strategy and direction of all of BCG's diversity networks. Earlier this year, Sherman was named one of the "Top 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America" by Savoy Magazine, a leading African-American lifestyle publication. Outside of work, he serves on the board of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, which supports historically black colleges and universities. His publications include the 2015 article "Closing the Diversity Gap in Silicon Valley." "We have long known how respected and influential Roselinde and Michael are among our clients and colleagues," said Thomas Reichert, BCG's chairman of North America. "To receive this recognition by the broader international business community is truly special and well deserved." The full UPstanding Executive Power List can be viewed at http://www.audeliss.com/upstanding100. To arrange an interview with Roselinde Torres or Michael Sherman, please contact Alexandra Corriveau at +1 212 446 3261 or corriveau.alexandra@bcg.com. About The Boston Consulting Group The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is a global management consulting firm and the world's leading advisor on business strategy. We partner with clients from the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors in all regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their enterprises. Our customized approach combines deep insight into the dynamics of companies and markets with close collaboration at all levels of the client organization. This ensures that our clients achieve sustainable competitive advantage, build more capable organizations, and secure lasting results. Founded in 1963, BCG is a private company with 85 offices in 48 countries. For more information, please visit bcg.com. Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3013595 Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3013598 The Boston Consulting Group Alexandra Corriveau Head of Media Relations, The Americas Tel +1 212 446 3261 Corriveau.Alexandra@bcg.com EASTVALE, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Goodman Group (Goodman or Group), one of the world's largest industrial property groups, with a global network spanning 16 countries and over $25 billion (A$33 billion) of assets under management, today announces that its wholly owned North American subsidiary, Goodman Birtcher, has secured a long-term lease with Amazon for a one million square foot logistics center at its Goodman Commerce Center Eastvale, California. The facility is the first of two buildings which will comprise a two million square foot distribution campus and is being constructed by Goodman Birtcher as part of its overall Goodman Commerce Center Eastvale development. This new 205 acre mixed-use development, which is located directly off the Cantu-Galleano Ranch Road Exit on the I-15, will offer a variety of space options, including distribution, business park, retail and medical. Brandon Birtcher, CEO of Goodman Birtcher, said: "We are delighted to complete this leasing deal with Amazon and welcome them to Goodman Commerce Center Eastvale. Amazon found our state-of-the-art logistics center a good match for its operational requirements." As one of the largest global industrial property groups, Goodman has world-class expertise in managing and developing tailored logistics and warehousing solutions for a range of customers, which has provided it with a deep understanding of the unique requirements of the ecommerce sector. Goodman has developed and manages some of the largest ecommerce distribution centres around the world and this sector is one of the key drivers of Goodman's business. "Ecommerce logistics requires strategic locations with innovative design to help our customers efficiently process, sort and distribute goods to their demanding online customers," said Greg Goodman, Group CEO of Goodman Group. "As a leader in ecommerce logistics design, Goodman is distinguished by its property management services, enabling customers to modify and upgrade the property to stay competitive in a fast-moving industry." The new lease reflects the strong customer enquiry for Class A space being experienced in the Inland Empire market and as a result, Goodman Birtcher will shortly commence the development of the second 1 million square foot logistics center at Goodman Commerce Center Eastvale. Goodman Commerce Center Eastvale is one of a number of projects in Goodman Birtcher's US$2.3 billion identified US development pipeline, which will provide 17.7 million square feet of Class A logistics space. Goodman Birtcher continues to execute its US strategy, which is focused on growing its portfolio organically, targeting selective development and value add opportunities in the key logistics and industrial markets of Inland Empire, Greater Los Angeles, Northern New Jersey and Central Pennsylvania. Over the last 12 months, Goodman Birtcher has completed 3.3 million square feet of Class A development product in the Inland Empire West and Greater Los Angeles logistics markets, with a further 2.6 million square feet currently under construction. This is consistent with Goodman's ongoing commitment to servicing the needs of its global customer base through the development of modern, well-located properties for long-term ownership. About Goodman Birtcher Goodman Birtcher is a wholly owned subsidiary of Goodman Group, established in June 2012 and includes the former business of Birtcher Development and Investments. The North American Headquarters are located in Irvine, California with a regional office in Allentown, Pennsylvania. www.goodmanbirtcher.com About Goodman Goodman Group is an integrated property group with operations throughout Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom, North America and Brazil. Goodman Group, comprised of the stapled entities Goodman Limited, Goodman Industrial Trust and Goodman Logistics (HK) Limited, is the largest industrial property group listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and one of the largest listed specialist fund managers of industrial property and business space globally. Goodman's global property expertise, integrated own+develop+manage customer service offering and significant fund management platform ensures it creates innovative property solutions that meet the individual requirements of its customers, while seeking to deliver long-term returns for investors. www.goodman.com Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3013619 For further information, please contact: Goodman Birtcher Ben Bytheway Email Contact 949-407-0103 Regulatory News: TxCell SA (Paris:TXCL) (FR0010127662 TXCL), a biotechnology company developing innovative, personalized cellular immunotherapies using regulatory T cells (Treg) to treat severe chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, today announces the presentation of novel mechanism of action data for its lead drug candidate Ovasave, as well as latest results from TxCell's second technology platform, ENTrIA. The data will be divulged at two poster presentations at the International Society for Cell Therapy (ISCT) 2016 Annual Meeting, held from May 25 to 28, 2016, in Singapore. Miguel Forte, Chief Operating Officer of TxCell and Chief Commercialization Officer of the ISCT, will contribute to the annual meeting alongside two scientists from his department at TxCell, Nathalie Belmonte and Julie Gertner-Dardenne. The two posters to be presented by TxCell at the ISCT 2016 Annual Meeting are: ' Clinical efficiency of antigen-specific Tregs linked to invasive potential through lytic molecule expression ' (poster N176). Julie Gertner-Dardenne will present the results of her TxCell research team studying the mechanism of action of TxCell's lead drug candidate Ovasave based on clinical batches from the first-in-man Phase I/II CATS1 study. These analyses show a correlation between the expression of granzyme molecules and clinical efficacy. Granzyme molecules are proteins that are released by specific immune cells. They are critical to induce programmed cell death (apoptosis) and play an important role in the immune defense system against viruses, tumors and intracellular bacteria. Experiments recently performed at TxCell show that the role of granzyme molecules in the Ovasave mechanism involves mainly cell invasion through degradation of the extracellular matrix proteins, in addition to their cytotoxic role. ' (poster N176). Julie Gertner-Dardenne will present the results of her TxCell research team studying the mechanism of action of TxCell's lead drug candidate Ovasave based on clinical batches from the first-in-man Phase I/II CATS1 study. These analyses show a correlation between the expression of granzyme molecules and clinical efficacy. Granzyme molecules are proteins that are released by specific immune cells. They are critical to induce programmed cell death (apoptosis) and play an important role in the immune defense system against viruses, tumors and intracellular bacteria. Experiments recently performed at TxCell show that the role of granzyme molecules in the Ovasave mechanism involves mainly cell invasion through degradation of the extracellular matrix proteins, in addition to their cytotoxic role. 'Regulatory T cell engineered with Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR-Treg) for Inflammatory and Autoimmune diseases' (poster N162). Nathalie Belmonte will present results obtained with ENTrIA, TxCell's second technology platform, composed of Chimeric Antigen Receptor engineered FoxP3+ Regulatory T cells (CAR-Treg). TxCell's results demonstrate that extracellular macromolecules are able to trigger CAR mediated intracellular signalling in Treg cells. These data demonstrate that, in addition to surface bound molecular entities such as CD19 used for CAR-T cell activation in cancer, extracellular macromolecules can be suitable for triggering CAR activation on Treg cells. These extracellular macromolecules can be used to induce the local activation of CAR-Treg cells for the treatment of auto-immune and inflammatory diseases. About ENTrIA ENTrIA (Engineered Treg for Inflammation and Autoimmunity) is the second TxCell proprietary cellular immunotherapy product platform and is composed of Chimeric Antigen Receptor engineered FoxP3+ Regulatory T cells (CAR-Treg). After their isolation from the blood of patients, FoxP3+ Treg cells are genetically modified by transduction with Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CAR). The CAR introduced into FoxP3+ Treg cells is designed to allow FoxP3+ Treg cell activation and immuno-modulation through in vivo recognition of a protein present in inflamed areas in patients suffering from autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. About TxCell - www.txcell.com TxCell is a publicly listed biotechnology company that develops platforms for innovative, personalized T cell immunotherapies for the treatment of severe chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases with high unmet medical need. TxCell is the only clinical stage cellular therapy company dedicated to the science of regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs). Tregs are a recently discovered T cell population for which anti-inflammatory properties have been demonstrated. Ovasave, TxCell's lead drug candidate, is currently in a Phase IIb clinical trial in refractory Crohn's disease patients. Col-Treg, its second drug candidate, is in preclinical development for the treatment of autoimmune uveitis. Based in Sophia-Antipolis, France, TxCell is listed on Euronext Paris and currently has 50 employees. Forward-Looking Statements TxCell This press release contains certain forward-looking statements relating to the business of TxCell, which shall not be considered per se as historical facts, including TxCell's ability to develop, market, commercialize and achieve market acceptance for specific products, estimates for future performance and estimates regarding anticipated operating losses, future revenues, capital requirements, needs for additional financing. In addition, even if the actual results or development of TxCell are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, those results or developments of TxCell may not be indicative of their in the future. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by words such as "could," "should," "may," "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "aims," "targets," or similar words. Although the management of TxCell believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonably made, they are based largely on the current expectations of TxCell as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In particular, the expectations of TxCell could be affected by, among other things, uncertainties involved in the development of the Company's products, which may not succeed, or in the delivery of TxCell's products marketing authorizations by the relevant regulatory authorities and, in general, any factor that could affects TxCell capacity to commercialize the products it develops, as well as, any other risk and uncertainties developed or identified in any public documents filed by TxCell with the AMF, included those listed in chapter 4 "Risk factors" of the 2015 document de reference approved by the AMF on May 24, 2016 under number R.16-048. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements made in this press release will in fact be realized. Notwithstanding the compliance with article 223-1 of the General Regulation of the AMF (the information disclosed must be "accurate, precise and fairly presented"), TxCell is providing the information in these materials as of this press release, and disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160526006068/en/ Contacts: TxCell Caroline Courme, Tel: +33(0) 4 97 21 83 00 IR Communication Director caroline.courme@txcell.com or Image Box Press relations Neil Hunter Michelle Boxall Tel: +44(0) 20 8943 4685 neil.hunter@imageboxpr.co.uk michelle.boxall@imageboxpr.co.uk or NewCap - Investor relations Julien Perez Pierre Laurent Tel: +33 (0)1 44 71 98 52 txcell@newcap.eu BEIJING, CHINA--(Marketwired - May 26, 2016) - Obama, President of the United States will, during his visit to Japan to attend the 2016 G7 Ise-Shima Summit, visit Hiroshima with Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, which has not only provoked controversy, but aroused extensive concern about whether he will apologize to Japanese people. At 15:00 on May 27, LiveJapan will have live coverage of this visit via our Ingkee account (Account No.: 110670138. Please download Ingkee on http://www.ingkee.com). Upon the visit, we will ask Japanese people about their opinions on Obama's visit to Hiroshima. Hiroshima was the first city in the world to be targeted by a nuclear weapon. During World War II, American forces dropped an atomic bomb called "Little Boy" on Hiroshima, which directly killed 74,000 soldiers and civilians there. 75,000 people in Hiroshima suffered from various traumas. People there suffered nuclear pollution and lived in the fear of nuclear strikes. The bombing caused great psychological trauma to Japanese people, prompted the surrender of Japan and paved the way for the United States to lead in Asia Pacific. Obama's decision to visit Hiroshima makes him the first sitting US president to visit Hiroshima. By far, no sitting US president has ever been to the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki where the United States dropped atomic bombs during World War II. Meanwhile, his move has also provoked controversy in the international community. Some reproach that this will turn Japan into a victim. There are also people who believe this visit will become a turning point of the era. Will Japanese people hear the apology they have waited for so long during Obama's visit to Hiroshima? Will the US government give up its lofty stance and keep a low profile? How will the difficulties in the government relations between the United States and Japan for so long be covered? At 15:00 on May 27, LiveJapan will reveal the answers on Ingkee (Ingkee account: 110670138. Please download Ingkee on http://www.ingkee.com). Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/5/26/11G100225/Images/Obama-df03c9b342fbbb998e8aa5ebeb4b7681.jpg Contact: Figo Ingkee PR Director Meelive Internet Technology Co., Ltd. Cell/Wechat: 18601214602 Mail: Figo.deng@meelive.cn Address: F/11, Zone 2C, Wangjing SOHO Tower, Wangjing Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - As he meets with other world leaders at a G7 summit in Japan, U.S. President Barack Obama suggested some of his counterparts are concerned about the candidacy of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Obama told reporters at a press conference that some of his fellow world leaders are not sure how to take some of Trump's controversial pronouncements. 'They're rattled by him - and for good reason,' Obama said. 'Because a lot of the proposals that he's made display either ignorance of world affairs or a cavalier attitude.' The president suggested Trump's proposals reflect an interest in getting tweets and making headlines rather than actually thinking through what is required to keep America safe. Obama noted that the world pays attention to U.S. elections and said even critical nations ultimately know the international order does not hold together so well if the U.S. isn't making good decisions. When asked about the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, Obama downplayed the ongoing battle between frontrunner Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. The president acknowledged that people get 'grumpy' during the primaries but argued that the Democratic candidates aren't that ideologically different from each other. In remarks in Vietnam on Wednesday, Obama expressed optimism the U.S. will endure what seems likely to be a bitter fight between Clinton and Trump. 'I think sometimes other countries look at our election system and people think, 'Wow, what a mess,' but usually we end up doing OK because the American people are good people,' Obama said. He added, 'Sometimes our politics doesn't express all the goodness of the people, but usually the voters make good decisions and democracy works, so I'm optimistic we'll get through this period.' The president's comments come as recent polls have shown a tight race between Clinton and Trump in what could be a highly vitriolic campaign. 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. ROUYN-NORANDA, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- GLOBEX MINING ENTERPRISES INC. (TSX: GMX)(FRANKFURT: G1M)(STUTTGART: G1M)(BERLIN: G1M)(MUNICH: G1M)(XETRA: G1M)(OTCQX: GLBXF) is pleased to inform shareholders that Globex has optioned our recently acquired Chubb and Bouvier lithium properties to Great Thunder Gold Corp. (TSX VENTURE: GTG) subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange. Under the Option Agreement, Great Thunder will: 1. Pay Globex $60,000 over a six month period; 2. Deliver to Globex 2,400,000 Great Thunder shares subject to a 4 month hold period; 3. Reserve for Globex a 2% Gross Metal Royalty on all mineral production from the properties; 4. Assume all obligations under the contract by which Globex acquired the properties including the underlying 1% Net Smelter Royalty. Both the Chubb and Bouvier properties have known occurrences of lithium mineralization (see Globex press release May 2, 2016). The 22 original claims which make up the Chubb and Bouvier lithium properties have been augmented by the staking of 29 additional cells more than doubling the size of the exploration packages. Other Lithium News Eleven New Lithium Exploration Projects Globex retains the McNeely lithium property which is on strike and located west of the Canada Lithium Mine in Quebec, our Nova Scotia lithium, beryllium, cesium tantalum and rubidium property (see press release dated April 27, 2016), four newly acquired beryl properties also acquired in Nova Scotia and seven beryl projects in New Brunswick. Beryl is often associated with lithium but the newly acquired properties were never explored for lithium even though the presence of lithium is indicated on several. At the time, lithium was not a sought after element. Globex Lithium Royalty Interest Globex also retains a 1% Gross Metal Royalty (GMR) on approximately one half of the Authier lithium deposit in Quebec, as well as a 2% GMR on 12 other claims which are part of the Authier lithium property, currently held by Glen Eagle Resources Inc. which announced on May 3, 2016, the signing of a Letter of Intent to sell the deposit to Sayona Mining Limited, an Australian Company. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Authier Lithium Deposit Resource ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Measured Resource 2,244,000 tonnes grading 0.95% LiO2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Indicated Resource 5,431,000 tonnes grading 0.97% LiO2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inferred Resource 1,552,000 tonnes grading 0.96% LiO2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: Mineral Resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Source: NI 43-101 Technical Report, Preliminary Economic Assessment, Authier Lithium Property, Abitibi, Quebec, Canada, for Glen Eagle Resources Inc., Effective date January 22, 2013, by SGS Canada Inc., Maxime Dupere, P.Geo., Jonathan Gagne, Eng., Gaston Gagnon Eng., and Florent Baril, Eng. (Bumigeme Inc.) This press release was written by Jack Stoch, P. Geo., President and CEO of Globex in his capacity as a Qualified Person (Q.P.) under NI 43-101. We Seek Safe Harbour. Foreign Private Issuer 12g3 - 2(b) CUSIP Number 379900 50 9 Forward Looking Statements Except for historical information, this news release may contain certain "forward looking statements". These statements may involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity and performance to be materially different from the expectations and projections of Globex Mining Enterprises Inc. ("Globex"). No assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking information will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits Globex will derive therefrom. A more detailed discussion of the risks is available in the "Annual Information Form" filed by Globex on SEDAR at www.sedar.com 44,797,706 shares issued and outstanding Contacts: Jack Stoch, P.Geo., Acc.Dir. President & CEO Globex Mining Enterprises Inc. 819.797.5242 819.797.1470 (FAX) info@globexmining.com www.globexmining.com Regulatory News: THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. OTHER RESTRICTIONS ARE APPLICABLE. PLEASE SEE THE IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE AT THE END OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ASIT biotech (Paris:ASIT) (BSE:ASIT) (ASIT BE0974289218), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the research, development and future commercialization of breakthrough immunotherapy products for the treatment of allergies, discloses the information required under article 15 of the law of 2 May 2007 regarding the disclosure of important shareholdings in listed companies. Denominator modified on 12 May 2016 following the IPO and the conversion of convertible bonds: New shares issued following the exercise of the IPO: 3,350,000 New shares created during the process of conversion of convertible bonds: 902,700 Total number of shares with voting rights: 12,756,800 Total number of voting rights (=denominator): 12,756,800 Total number of shares with voting rights upon conversion of the warrants issued by the Company: 13,295,600 About ASIT biotech ASIT biotech is a Belgian clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and future commercialisation of a range of breakthrough immunotherapy products for the treatment of allergies. Thanks to its innovative ASIT+TM technology platform, ASIT biotech is currently the only developer of AIT product candidates consisting of a unique mixture of highly purified natural allergen fragments in an optimal size selection. This innovation results in a short treatment, expected to improve patient compliance and real-life effectiveness. ASIT biotech's product pipeline entails two novel ASIT+ product candidates targeting respiratory allergy with the highest prevalence (i.e. grass pollen: gp-ASIT+TM and house dust mite: hdm-ASIT+TM), that could significantly expand the current immunotherapy market. The Company believes that its innovative ASIT+ platform is flexible and would be applicable across a range of allergies. ASIT biotech has a headcount of 22 staff members, at its headquarters in Brussels and a laboratory in Liege, Belgium. Further information can be found at: www.asitbiotech.com. Forward Looking Statements All statements in this announcement that do not relate to historical facts and events are "forward-looking statements". In some cases, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the words "believes," "estimates," "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "may," "will," "plans," "continue," "ongoing," "potential," "predict," "project," "target," "seek" or "should" or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology or by discussions of strategies, plans, objectives, targets, goals, future events or intentions. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the Company's intentions, beliefs or current expectations. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not rely on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Any forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this announcement and, without prejudice to the Company's obligations under applicable law in relation to disclosure and ongoing information, the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update the forward-looking statements set forth in this announcement. Important Legal Notice This announcement does not constitute, or form part of, an offer or invitation to sell or issue, or any solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for shares of ASIT biotech SA (the "Company" and the "Shares"). Any purchase of, subscription for or application for, Shares to be issued in connection with the intended offering should only be made on the basis of information contained in the prospectus and any supplements thereto, as the case may be. This announcement does not constitute a prospectus and the information contained herein is for information purposes only and does not purport to be full or complete. Investors should not subscribe for any Shares except on the basis of the information contained in the prospectus that the Company expects to publish after its approval by the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority, and which can then be obtained at the Company's registered office and on www.asitbiotech.com. This announcement is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or to any U.S. person within the meaning of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). The Shares have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act and may not be offered or sold in the United States, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The Company has not registered, and does not intend to register, any portion of the intended offering of Shares in the United States, and does not intend to conduct a public offering of Shares in the United States. This announcement and the information contained herein are not for publication, distribution or release in or into the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan or any jurisdiction where to do so would constitute a violation of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction. This announcement is only addressed to and directed at (i) the public in Belgium and France, and (ii) persons in member states of the European Economic Area ("EEA") other than Belgium and France who are "qualified investors" within the meaning of the Prospectus Directive (Directive 2003/71/EC and amendments thereto, including Directive 2010/73/EU, to the extent implemented in the relevant EEA Member State, and together with any applicable implementing measures in such relevant Member State, the "Prospectus Directive") ("Qualified Investors"). In addition, in the United Kingdom, this announcement is only addressed to and directed at (i) persons having professional experience in matters relating to investments who fall within the definition of "investment professionals" in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended, (the "Order") or ii)"qualified investors" falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order, and (iii) any other person to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). The intended offering, as the case may be, will only be available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe for, purchase, or otherwise acquire the Shares will be engaged in only with relevant persons. Persons within the United Kingdom who receive this communication (other than persons falling within (i), (ii) and (iii) above) should not act or rely on or act upon this communication or any of its content. The date of completion of listing on Euronext Brussels and Euronext Paris may be influenced by things such as market conditions. There is no guarantee that such listing will occur and investors should not base their financial decisions on the Company's intentions in relation to such listing at this stage. Acquiring investments to which this announcement relates may expose an investor to a significant risk of losing the entire amount invested. Persons considering such investments should consult an authorized person specializing in advising on such investments. This announcement does not constitute a recommendation concerning the intended offering. The value of the shares can decrease as well as increase. Potential investors should consult a professional advisor as to the suitability of the intended offering for the person concerned. No announcement or information regarding the intended offering, as the case may be, or the Shares referred to above may be disseminated to the public in jurisdictions outside of Belgium and France where a prior registration or approval is required for such purpose. No steps have been taken, or will be taken, for the intended offering of the Shares of the Company in any jurisdiction outside of Belgium and France where such steps would be required. The issue, the subscription for or purchase of the Shares are subject to special legal or statutory restrictions in certain jurisdictions. The Company is not liable if the aforementioned restrictions are not complied with by any person. The Company is responsible for the information contained in this press release. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160526006141/en/ Contacts: Company ASIT biotech Thierry Legon, Tel. +32 2 264 03 90 CEO investors@asitbiotech.com or Media and Investor Contact NewCap Dusan Oresansky Pierre Laurent, Tel.: +33 1 44 71 94 92 asitbiotech@newcap.eu DALLAS, TX -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Paragon Software Systems, Inc., a leader in vehicle routing and scheduling optimization solutions, announces that Fragilistics, a mirror delivery service provider in the UK, has adopted Paragon's routing and scheduling software following the rapid expansion of the business since its launch in 2013. The UK's only dedicated mirror delivery operation, Fragilistics has seen order volumes double in the past 12 months and now serves almost 250 online retailers. As a result, the company required advanced route planning software that would help fulfill its current logistics needs and ensure it was best primed for future expansion. Robert Dixon, Director at Fragilistics commented, "The success of the business is based on our ability to deliver mirrors of all sizes for our customers in the quickest and most efficient way possible. We chose Paragon because it provides us with a solution that will streamline our current planning and delivery process today but also has the means to grow in line with our future business strategy. We are already exploring the opportunity to automate other areas of our order fulfillment process." William Salter, CEO and President of Paragon Software Systems said, "Companies such as Fragilistics are the critical link between the seller and the buyer, so they need highly flexible and effective route planning software. This allows them to meet the needs of the consumer in a cost-effective manner, while being well prepared to adapt to changing market requirements. Our advanced solutions sit at the heart of the distribution operation to help planning teams achieve high levels of service, operate efficiently and make better-informed decisions." Fragilistics will use the route planning software to coordinate a fleet of 23 vans operated from its central warehousing facility in Milton Keynes in the UK. The company delivers to eleven regions, covering every postcode in mainland UK, with over 5,000 orders fulfillled every month. Each region is serviced on a weekly basis, with the exception of London, which has three delivery schedules per week. The Paragon routing and scheduling software will be used by Fragilistics' team of planners that previously used manual processes to manage transport requirements. They will now be able to create optimized transport plans in a matter of minutes, combining collections from retail customers and deliveries to consumers. This will enable the company to make the most of available resources, minimizing levels of empty running and reducing mileage. About Paragon Software Systems: Paragon Software Systems, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is a leading provider of truck routing and scheduling software solutions. Paragon's advanced planning systems have been proven to cut transportation costs and improve efficiency across a wide range of distribution operation types and industry sectors. Paragon's North American truck routing software clients include George's Inc., AgReliant Genetics, Linde, McLane, National Food Corporation, and many others. The software is used for the daily route optimization of transportation schedules; rationalizing fixed routes; managing transportation resources; strategic logistics planning; and managing home delivery orders with dynamic routing. Paragon Software Systems, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Paragon Software Systems plc, the UK's number one provider of transportation routing and scheduling software. Paragon has over 3,300 systems installed at more than 1,000 client sites in 50 countries worldwide. For more information visit: http://www.paragontruckrouting.com. Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3013634 For More Information, Contact: Becky Boyd MediaFirst PR (770) 642-2080 x 214 Email Contact Kristel Jarvis Paragon Software Systems +44 (0) 1306 732600 Email Contact THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Alset Energy Corp. (TSX VENTURE: ION) ("Alset" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has formed a specialty committee and hired expert personnel to help with the evaluation, advancement and potential development of the lithium-, potassium- and boron-rich salars in which the Company has an option to purchase under the previously announced binding Letter of Intent ("LOI") from Litio Mex, S.A.de C.V. of Zacatecas, Mexico (see PR DATED April 19, 2016). The new committee will be led by Mr. Tim Oliver, previously of Lithium-X Energy Corp. and will be joined by Mr. David Hawkins and Mr. Brian Robertson. Mr. Oliver has 39 years' experience in the international mining industry including extensive experience in Mexico. Tim launched his mining career in 1977 at Newmont Mining Corporation's integrated complex (mining, concentrating, smelting and refining), Magma Copper Company in Arizona, serving as the corporation's first environmental engineer. Over the next 17 years he rose through the engineering and managerial ranks at operating locations for Magma, Exxon, Monsanto Chemical Company and Phelps Dodge Mining Corporation. In 1992 Tim went freelance, consulting to the industry independently until 2003 when he joined M3 Engineering in Tucson, Arizona. While working at M3, Tim managed NI 43-101 studies and served as qualified person (QP) for numerous projects in Canada's Yukon Territory, Mexico and the USA. Following Tim's tenure at M3 he served as Principal Engineer and Mexico Country Manager for Tetra Tech. In 2013 Mr. Oliver returned to independent consulting, managing projects in Brazil, Canada, Peru, Serbia and the USA. Until February this year, Tim served as VP, Project Development for Lithium-X Energy Corporation. Mr. Oliver graduated with a B.S in Environmental Engineering from New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in 1976 and is a registered professional engineer in Alberta, Canada and Arizona, and Colorado in the USA. Tim is a regular contributor on minerals engineering subjects to the respected mining investor newsletter, Brent Cook's Exploration Insights. Mr. Oliver recently reviewed technical documentation gathered by the Company for the Mexican salars and stated, "These concessions offer an exciting lithium opportunity. Tests completed by the current owners show the presence of lithium-containing brines in the central Mexican 'Salinas' within the concessions. The Mexican Plateau is one of the few places on earth where the combination of climate and past volcanic activity combine to favor formation of lithium-containing brines. Other areas include parts of California and Nevada in the US, the South American Plateau area covering parts of Argentina, Bolivia and Chile, and Tibet. So, we know lithium-containing brines are present. Now we need to determine their extent and quality. In addition, preliminary inquiries reveal no legal or environmental impediment to construction of solar evaporation ponds. We will confirm this finding during the due diligence investigation. In short, the lithium brine concessions located in the central Mexican Plateau may represent an opportunity to pioneer a new lithium brine production district." Mr. David Hawkins has over 30 years of experience with water issues in the intermountain west and Northern Mexico. Previously, David led the hydrology effort on Lithium-X Energy Corp.'s Clayton Valley North project and assisted with designing the infill drill program for their planned maiden resource estimate. Elsewhere, his experience has included hydrologic modeling, supervision of water quality monitoring, supervision of large scale drilling programs for water supply development, and development of water supplies for potable, and industrial use. He was Principal Hydrogeologist for Groundwater Resources Consultants, Inc. of Tucson, Arizona from 1986 to 2000, and has been owner and Principal Hydrogeologist of Barranca Group, LLC, since 2001. Mr. Robertson is President and CEO of Source Exploration Corp, advancing the Las Minas project in Veracruz State, Mexico. He has over 40 years of experience in corporate management, direction of exploration programs, project management, mine permitting, mine construction and development as well as mine operations and the evaluations of corporate acquisitions. During his 21 year career with Placer Dome, he operated open pit and underground mines in Canada and was Area Manager for the South Deep mine, South Africa. He served as President of Victory Nickel and Nuinsco Resources and is currently a director of Romios Gold Resources Ltd., Appia Energy Corp. and Minnova Corp. Over the last seven years, Mr. Robertson has directed exploration activities in Mexico and has developed a number of business relationships with people involved with the Mexican mining industry. He is a graduate Mining Engineer from the University of Alaska, with a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from Laurentian University and a member of Professional Engineers of Ontario. Stephen Stares President and CEO of Alset commented, "We are extremely fortunate to have secured three very strong advisors for the Alset team. Their willingness to join the Company's advisory team underscores their enthusiasm surrounding the Mexican assets currently under evaluation for lithium and potassium potential. With their expertise, Alset will be well positioned to evaluate and potentially advance these projects effectively." The Company has granted a total of 450,000 options at $0.35 cents to certain members of the new advisory committee for a period of 5 years subject to the vesting conditions contained in the Company's stock option plan. All of the above transactions are subject to TSX.V and regulatory approvals. Alset Energy Corp. is well-funded with approximately $1 million in cash. Clinton Barr (P.Geo.), V.P. Exploration for Alset Energy Corp, is the qualified person responsible for this release. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Alset Energy Corp., Stephen Stares, President THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to gold price and other commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections. Contacts: Alset Energy Corp. Stephen Stares 3250 Highway 130, Rosslyn, ON P7K 0B1 (807) 475-7474 (807)475-7200 (FAX) www.alsetenergy.ca VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Fairmont Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: FMR) ("Fairmont") announces that, subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval, it has negotiated an option agreement with a Quebec prospector (the "Optionor") to acquire a 100% interest in the Rome Lithium property, near Val d'Or, Quebec (the "Property"). Accordingly, Fairmont (the "Optionee") will issue to the Optionor 500,000 shares upon TSX approval and paid the Optionor $25,000 upon a future successful financing. In order to exercise the balance of the option, Fairmont will be required to (i) issue 500,000 shares on or before the 6 month anniversary of the TSX Venture approval date; (ii) issue 500,000 shares on or before the 12 month anniversary of the TSX Venture approval date; and (iii) incur $150,000 of exploration expenditures within 36 months, $50,000 within the first 12 months after the TSX approval date. The Property will be subject to a 2% Production Royalty per tonne. The Optionee may purchase one half of the Production Royalty (1%) for one million dollars (Canadian) at any time. The Rome Lithium property is located approximately 60 km north of Val d'Or Quebec. The property is contiguous to the north and south of RB Energy's Quebec Lithium Mine with a published measured and indicated resources (at a 0.60% Li2O cutoff) of 41,556,000 tonnes at 1.09% Li2O, and an inferred resource of (at a 0.60% Li20 cutoff) of 17,766,000 million tonnes at 1.10% Li2O (RB Energy Press Release of October 11, 2012). The property is also contiguous to Jourdan Resources Vallee Lithium property that drilled more than 4000m of core in 2011 and intersected more 100 pegmatite and aplite dikes. Jourdan Resources intersected values of up to 1.187% Li2O over 5.50m (Jourdan Resources Press Release of October 24, 2012). This option is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval. Fairmont Launches AGORACOM Online Marketing and Awareness Program Fairmont is also pleased to announce that it is implementing an online marketing and awareness program through AGORACOM. The Company will receive significant exposure through millions of content brand insertions on the AGORACOM network and extensive search engine marketing over the next 12 months. In addition, exclusive sponsorships of invaluable digital properties such as AGORACOM TV, the AGORACOM home page and the AGORACOM Twitter account will serve to significantly raise the brand awareness of the Company among small cap investors. Fairmont's President and CEO Michael Dehn stated, "AGORACOM Has proven to be a leader in the online marketing space. We are delighted to have retained their services to expand our online presence." Shares for Services Program Fairmont intends to issue shares for services to AGORACOM in exchange for the online advertising, marketing and branding services ("Advertising Services"). Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, the company will be issuing: -- $10,000 + HST Shares For Services April 30, 2016 for prior preparation of program -- $10,000 + HST Shares For Advertising Services at end of Third Month July 15, 2016 -- $10,000 + HST Shares For Advertising Services at end of Sixth Month October 15, 2016 -- $10,000 + HST Shares For Advertising Services at end of Ninth Month January 15, 2017 -- $8,800 + HST Shares For Advertising Services at end of Twelfth Month April 15, 2017 The number of shares to be issued at the end of each period will be determined by using the closing price of the Shares of Fairmont on the TSX Venture Exchange on the first trading day following each period for which the Advertising Services were provided by AGORACOM. The agreement/arrangement is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval. The term of the Agreement is for 12 months effective immediately. Fairmont will issue a press release after the issuance of shares under the terms of the agreement. About AGORACOM AGORACOM is the pioneer of online investor relations, online conferences and online branding services to North American small and mid-cap public companies, with more than 250 companies served. More than just lip service, AGORACOM is the home of more than 808K investors that visited 5.6 million times and read 52.4 million pages of information every year (Average 2008 - 2015). AGORACOM traffic ranks within the top 0.5% of all websites around the world. These traffic results are independently tracked and verified by Google analytics. AGORACOM traffic can be attributed to its strategy of maintaining the cleanest, moderated small-cap discussion as a result of implementing the first ever Investor Controlled Stock Discussion Forums. AGORACOM Founder, George Tsiolis, publishes the leading blog on small to mid-cap investor relations. His 50 Small-Cap CEO Lessons are a must read for CEO's looking to increase their education and knowledge about online investor relations. About Fairmont Fairmont Resources Inc. is a rapidly growing industrial mineral and dimensional stone company trading on the Toronto Venture Exchange symbol FMR. Fairmont's Quebec properties cover numerous occurrences of high-grade titaniferous magnetite with vanadium, with the Buttercup property having a permit to quarry dense aggregate. Where these occurrences have been tested they have display exceptional uniformity with respect to grade. Fairmont also controls three quartz/quartzite properties, with the Forestville property having independent end user testing confirming the suitability of quartzite from Forestville for Ferro Silicon production. Fairmont is also in the process of acquiring the assets of Granitos de Badajoz (GRABASA) in Spain which includes 23 quarries and a 40,000 square metre granite finishing facility that has produced finished granite installed across Europe. Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Fairmont cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond Fairmont's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Fairmont's exploration program of its mineral properties and Fairmont's limited operating history. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Fairmont undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Fairmont undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Contacts: Michael A. Dehn President and CEO Fairmont Resources Inc. Tel: 647-477-2382 michael@fairmontresources.ca www.fairmontresources.ca Doren Quinton President QIS Capital Tel: 250-377-1182 info@smallcaps.ca www.smallcaps.ca HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Kids today have no escape from a 24/7 online world of social media. Bullying, embarrassment and shame are available to them and their entire circle of friends and enemies all the time. One bad choice to share a picture or make a comment can be all over the world in seconds, with devastating effects. "Think of the most humiliating thing that happened to you in middle school or high school. Now imagine there had been a video or a picture of it circulating all over your school that EVERYONE saw. Would your younger self have been able to handle that?" asks Mandy Burbank, LCSW, Therapist and Violence Prevention Coordinator for AMITA Health Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital. She asks parents this thought-provoking question to illustrate the difference between growing up then versus now. For most parents, taking an inappropriate picture of themselves at a young age would have required a lot of work. There was film to buy and develop, which took time, money, and a car to drive you to the store, which may refuse to develop inappropriate pictures anyway. Many families were lucky if they could afford one computer and internet access was limited, if available at all. Technology was expensive, large, and time consuming; thus, there were many opportunities to rethink decisions as teens of the past were protected by slow, clunky technology. "The accessibility and speed of today's technology means that parents and kids can no longer count on the end of the school year as a welcome relief from playground bullying or other hostile environments occurring at school," explains Burbank. "In today's environment, even the promise of summer break isn't enough to spell relief." The news is full of stories about teens suffering from the consequences of their online behavior. Some of those stories involve the worst consequence of bullying: teens taking their own lives. Although many things contribute to teen suicide, bullying is clearly a risk factor. Given the recent rise in the suicide rate, which is at its highest level in nearly 30 years,(1) it is critical to address the risks of this technology-driven world. "The trends we are seeing at AMITA Health include challenges with social media and bullying, as well as overall problems in regulating emotions and emotional reactions," said Denise Styer, Psy.D., Clinical Director at AMITA Health Center for Eating Disorders. "Parents need to monitor the use of electronics and understand the impact of social media on vulnerable kids." What does all of this mean? Today's parents are in uncharted territory. Previous generations of parents did not have to decide when it was appropriate for their child to own a smart phone or try to figure out if the American Academy of Pediatric screen time guidelines applied to using screen time for homework or just recreational use. They did not have to fight to stay up to date on the last apps or how teens are trying to hide apps from their parents. In the face of such an overwhelming task, it is tempting for parents to throw their hands in the air, hold their breath, and hope those detrimental, life-altering consequences will never happen to their child. However, the experts at AMITA Health Behavioral Health Hospital offer these simple ways to engage with kids around technology: Recommendations for Monitoring Technology Use Bring technology back into public space. Keeping TVs, laptops, video game systems, hand held devices, etc. out of bedrooms. Require portable devices be turned into parents before bedtime. Regularly engage your child in conversations about their technology. What apps are you using? Why do you like them? Be on the lookout for areas they do not want to talk to you about. Not sure about an app? The commonsensemedia.org website is a great resource for app investigation. Consider having your children sign a contract. Give them guidelines for use before giving them a device. One example: require children to provide all passwords for devices and programs. Talk to other parents. They are a natural resource of strategies that are working for them which may work for you. Try to avoid taking away the phone or device as a default punishment, especially for non-technology related issues. That device is very important to teens and knowing you'll pull for everything, all the time, may discourage them from reporting concerns to you. Watch for changes in behavior or personality. If your child suddenly stops using technology, becomes secretive about technology use, or doesn't want to go to school, these could be signs of cyberbullying. If you suspect your child may be suffering from depression, or having suicidal thoughts, seek immediate professional help. AMITA Health Behavioral Medicine offers a variety of programs for kids and their families. The School Anxiety Program, Self-Injury Recovery Services (SIRS), and the Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program are just some of the many ways that AMITA Health experts are helping students learn to cope with the challenges today's kids face. AMITA Health Behavioral Medicine also partners with local communities to offer schools and other groups specialized programs and trainings on Bullying, Relational Violence and Suicide. About AMITA Health Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital, Hoffman Estates, IL - The seventh largest behavioral health provider in the nation, AMITA Health Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital offers comprehensive behavioral health services from prevention and early intervention to treatment and aftercare. Located northwest of Chicago, AMITA Health Behavioral Health Hospital offers both inpatient and outpatient services with a mission to help individuals of all ages learn practical ways to manage mental health and substance abuse problems. Highly sub-specialized programs and services include treatment for depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, eating disorders, and self-injury. For more information, please visit ABBHH.org or call 855.383.2224. Source: (1) http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db241.htm To view this release in a media-rich format, go to: http://amitahealth.new-media-release.com/2016/summerbullying/ Contact Us: Mandy Burbank, LCSW Therapist and Violence Prevention Coordinator AMITA Health Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital, Hoffman Estates 847.755.7653 Email Contact Cecelia Horan, Psy.D. Director of Child & Adolescent Services AMITA Health Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital, Hoffman Estates 847.755.8154 Email Contact Denise Styer, Psy.D. Clinical Director of Eating Disorders and Self-Injury Services AMITA Health Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital, Hoffman Estates 847.755.8181 Email Contact VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Northern Vertex Mining Corp. (TSX VENTURE: NEE) (the "Company") and Patriot Gold Corp. (OTCQB: PGOL) ("Patriot") announced today the completion of the previously announced (May 12, 2016) agreement, whereby Northern Vertex would purchase Patriot Gold's remaining 30% working interest in the Moss Gold/Silver Mine for C$1,500,000 plus the retention by Patriot of a 3% net smelter returns royalty. The consideration of C$1,200,000 in cash and C$300,000 in Northern Vertex common shares valued at C$0.35 (857,140 shares) has been paid and the transaction is now complete. Northern Vertex CEO, Dick Whittington commented: "It is gratifying to have this acquisition behind us. Owning 100% of the Moss Mine Property has favorably impacted our project financing efforts as demonstrated by the recently announced $7.5 Million Convertible Debenture Private Placement (see May 25th News Release). The economics of the Moss Mine Project are compelling. In addition, 200,000 M&I resource ounces are available for mine life extension studies and property wide exploration potential is high. We are excited by the opportunities this affords us and look forward to transitioning Northern Vertex from a development company to a production company." Patriot Gold's President, Bob Coale said "This is an important and positive milestone for the shareholders of Patriot and Northern Vertex, and also the people of Bullhead City. The Moss Mine is a tremendous project which is now well positioned to proceed to commercial production, The teams at Patriot and Northern Vertex have worked very hard to bring the project this far, and we are encouraged that there is now a clear pathway forward for the Moss Mine which aligns our interests. Patriot's royalty in the Moss Mine helps advance our core mission of acquiring and developing precious metals deposits in Arizona and Nevada." Qualified Persons: The foregoing technical information contained in this news release has been approved by Mr. L.J. Bardswich, P. Eng., General Manager Moss Project, and a Qualified Person ("QP") for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101 (Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects). About Northern Vertex: Northern Vertex Mining Corp. is a Canadian exploration and mining company focused on the reactivation of its 100% owned Moss Mine Gold-Silver Project located in NW Arizona, USA. The Moss Mine Gold-Silver Project is an epithermal, brecciated, low sulphidation quartz-calcite vein and stockwork system which extends over a strike length of 1,400 meters and has been drill tested to depths of 370 meters vertically. It is a potential heap leach, open pit project that has been advanced to the Feasibility Study stage to ensure that technical, economic, permitting and funding requirements are met prior to proceeding with the development of the mine. The Company's management comprises an experienced management team with a strong background in all aspects of acquisition, exploration, development, operations and financing of mining projects worldwide. The Company is focused on working effectively and respectfully with our stakeholders in the vicinity of the historical Moss Mine and enhancing the capacity of the local communities in the area. About Patriot Gold: Patriot Gold Corp. is a precious metals exploration and production company with the mission to discover and develop significant gold and silver assets in Arizona and Nevada. Patriot holds interests in four projects consisting of the Moss project in Arizona and three in Nevada (Bruner, Vernal, and Windy Peak). J.R.H. (Dick) Whittington, President & CEO Bob Coale, President & Director Northern Vertex Mining Corp. Patriot Gold Corp. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note About Forward Looking Information: This news release contains statements about our future business and planned activities. These are "forward-looking" because we have used what we know and expect today to make a statement about the future. Forward-looking statements including but are not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work and analyses. Forward-looking statements usually include words such as may, intend, plan, expect, anticipate, believe or other similar words. We believe the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable. However, actual events and results could be substantially different because of the risks and uncertainties associated with our business or events that happen after the date of this news release. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. As a general policy, we do not update forward-looking statements except as required by securities laws and regulations. Cautionary Note to US Investors: Some of the Company's public filings use the terms "Measured", "Indicated", and "Inferred" resources. US investors are advised that while such terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize them. "Inferred Mineral Resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an Inferred Mineral Resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Mineral Resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. US investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of Measured or Indicated Mineral Resources will ever be converted into Mineral Reserves. US Investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of a Mineral Resource is economically or legally mineable. Contacts: Northern Vertex Mining Corp. Investor Relations 604-601-3656 or 1-855-633-8798 Patriot Gold Corp. Investor Relations 702-456-9565 VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Coro Mining Corp. ("Coro" or the "Company") (TSX: COP) is pleased to announce that, further to its announcement on May 24, 2016, the Company has issued 106,730,000 common shares to Greenstone Resources L.P. ("Greenstone") in full and final satisfaction of the previously outstanding US$8,125,000 convertible debentures (the "Convertible Debentures"). As also announced on May 24, 2016, the Company is proceeding with a private placement of 100,000,000 common shares at price of C$0.10 to raise gross proceeds of C$10,000,000 (the "Private Placement"). The proceeds of the Private Placement will be used to continue to fund the development of our exciting Marimaca project and for working capital purposes. In connection with the Private Placement, the Company has rescheduled the date of the Special and Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting") from June 15, 2016 to June 29, 2016. At the Meeting, shareholders will now be asked to approve the Private Placement as well as Greenstone's participation in the Private Placement, as further detailed below. The Company intends to mail out a revised Information Circular and Form of Proxy (or Voting Information Form) for the Meeting which will be dated on or about May 30, 2016 (the "New Meeting Materials"). Accordingly, the Company requests that shareholders disregard the meeting materials received to date (including, for greater certainty, the Form of Proxy or Voting Information Form) as the New Meeting Materials will supersede such materials. The record date of May 6, 2016 for the Meeting remains unchanged. Following conversion of the Convertible Debentures, the Company has 345,902,180 issued and outstanding common shares of which Greenstone holds 186,530,000 common shares, or 53.9% of the total outstanding. The Company anticipates closing the Private Placement in two tranches. The first tranche will be for a total of 34,000,000 common shares ("Tranche 1") and will be subscribed for by Greenstone. The Company anticipates closing the Tranche 1 on or about June 14, 2016. Following closing of Tranche 1, Greenstone will hold 220,530,000 common shares, or 58% of the total outstanding. The second tranche ("Tranche 2") will be for a total of 66,000,000 common shares and will be subject to shareholder approval at the Meeting. In accordance with the terms of an agreement entered into between the Company and Greenstone, Greenstone has agreed to acquire a minimum of 19,925,650 common shares issued pursuant to Tranche 2. Assuming other third party subscribers participate in Tranche 2 of the Private Placement to acquire the remaining 46,074,350 common shares and a total of 66,000,000 common shares are issued, Greenstone's percentage ownership will be reduced from 58% to 53.9%. In the event shareholder approval is not obtained at the Meeting and the Company does not complete the Private Placement, Greenstone's ownership percentage will remain at 58%. In the event the Company is unable to locate any third party subscribers for Tranche 2 of the Private Placement and, assuming shareholder approval is obtained at the Meeting, Greenstone has agreed to subscribe for up to the remaining 46,074,350 common shares to be issued pursuant to Tranche 2 and, following completion of Tranche 2, would hold 286,530,000 common shares, or 64.3% of the total common shares outstanding. In conjunction with the Private Placement, Greenstone has received undertakings from certain directors and officers of the Company to vote in favor of the proposed Private Placement at the Meeting which represents approximately 21,000,000 common shares (or approximately 13% of the shares entitled to vote on the proposed Private Placement). The Private Placement, including the Greenstone Participation, remains subject to approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange. The Greenstone's participation remains subject to certain additional conditions precedent, including the absence of any material adverse change in respect of Coro. CORO MINING CORP. Alan Stephens, President and CEO About Coro Mining Corp. Coro's strategy is to grow a mining business through the discovery, development and operation of "Coro type" deposits. These are defined as projects at whatever stage of development, that are well located with respect to infrastructure and water, which have low permitting risk, and which have the potential to achieve a short and cost effective timeline to production. Our preference is for open pit heap leach copper projects, where we will seek to minimise capital investment rather than maximise NPV, where we will prioritise profitability over production rate, and finally, where the likely capital cost is financeable relative to our market capitalization. The Company's assets include its 65% interest in SCM Berta including the Berta and Salvadora deposits; the Marimaca drill stage project; the Planta Prat project; the Llancahue prospect, optioned to Industrias Penoles; and a royalty on the San Jorge copper-gold project located in Argentina. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These forward looking statements relate to future events or the Company's future performance, business prospects or opportunities including, without limitation, statements relating to the completion of the Private Placement. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Forward looking information involves risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward looking information. Such risk and uncertainties relate to, among other things: receipt of shareholder approval of the Private Placement, receipt of Toronto Stock Exchange approval of the Private Placement and the Company's ability to find suitable investors for the Private Placement, the Company's ability to satisfy the conditions precedent to the Greenstone Participation as well as other risks disclosed in the Company's documents filed from time to time with the securities regulators in the Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Coro undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements contained herein whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. Contacts: Coro Mining Corp. Michael Philpot Executive Vice-President (778) 240 2555 or (604) 682 5546 investor.info@coromining.com www.coromining.com Renmark Financial Communications Inc. Francois Perron (416) 644-2020 or (514) 939-3989 fperron@renmarkfinancial.com www.renmarkfinancial.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Empire Rock Minerals Inc. ("Empire") (TSX VENTURE: EPR) is very pleased to announce that it has agreed to acquire a key mineral permit centered within Empire's Fox Creek Lithium Project covering the lithium and potassium enriched Beaverhill Lake Brine in Alberta, Canada. The permit, which Empire has named the "Well Permit", is a 6,912 hectare (17,080 acre) metallic and industrial mineral permit which allows Empire to potentially recover lithium, potassium, boron, bromine and other important elements from brines underlying the permit area. The Well Permit's strategic location within the boundaries of, and contiguous to, Empire's Fox Creek Lithium Project and previous development make it a very important acquisition. More than $175,000 in development expenditures have been incurred associated with the exploration, development and potential future production of lithium carbonate from brines produced from existing petroleum production wells in the Well Permit area. More than 100 existing wells, with numerous pipelines, petroleum production batteries and the Kabob South petroleum processing plant are located within the boundaries of the Well Permit. Empire's acquisition of the Well Permit will essentially complete Empire's coverage of the entire Beaverhill Lake Brine aquifer system, which is hosted within the Devonian-aged Beaverhill Lake carbonate reef complex. The saline formation waters ("Brine") of the Beaverhill Lake Brine aquifer system are currently being recovered with the commercial production of petroleum products, mostly gas and condensate, from producing wells at Fox Creek where lithium and potassium enriched brine is treated to separate and extract petroleum products then injected back into subsurface formations as a product. Historical government and industry formation water sampling underlying the newly acquired Well Permit have yielded some of the highest modern recorded concentrations of lithium and other elements of interest in Alberta and the Fox Creek area. Recently, sampling of waters from oil and gas wells on the Well Permit have yielded samples with greater than 75 ppm up to 112 ppm lithium from nine separate wells over an area of more than 200 square kilometers. Samples documented from within the Well Permit's boundary also yielded up to 5,610 ppm potassium, 223 ppm boron and 412 ppm bromine. Empire can acquire a 100% interest in the Well Permit by paying $20,000 and issuing a total of 100,000 common shares in two tranches over one year to Polaris Capital Ltd., a private Alberta corporation. Polaris retains a 2.0% royalty on the Well Permit. The option agreement is subject to acceptance for filing by the TSX Venture Exchange. Empire has previously announced its agreement to acquire a 70% interest in the surrounding Fox Creek Lithium Project in the Fox Creek area of Alberta. Closing of this acquisition is anticipated shortly. With the acquisitions of the Well Permit and the Fox Creek Lithium Project, Empire has assembled the rights to extract lithium, potassium, boron, bromine and other important elements from more than 895,000 contiguous acres (362,000 hectares) covering numerous producing oil and gas fields. Empire is optimistic about the acquisition of this lithium project in Alberta, a very prolific province. Infrastructure is excellent, the Government supportive, the tax structure beneficial for all, and there is a wealth of tremendously knowledgeable and experienced work force and consultants already in place. Empire believes these lithium-enriched brines produced as a byproduct by existing wells within oil and gas fields within the Beaverhill Lake Brine constitute an important and significant commercial opportunity for the production of lithium carbonate and other desired elements with the application of new and innovative technology. Empire intends to fully investigate the dynamics of commercial production of lithium carbonate and other desirable elements at Fox Creek, including further metallurgical extraction work, following closing of the acquisitions. Empire is a Canadian exploration and development company focused on the emerging green energy sector. Empire also owns a 100% interest in the Buck Lake platinum, palladium, nickel discovery located 25 km west of the Lac des Iles mine near Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada; an interest in the Graphite West Project - a prospective hydrothermal graphite exploration target located immediately west of Zenyatta Ventures Ltd.'s Albany hydrothermal graphite deposit; and the Gwyn Lake gold property in Ontario. Empire has 16,059,163 shares outstanding. Empire's common shares are listed and called for trading on the TSX Venture Exchange with the trading symbol "EPR". The Technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geol., P.Geo. of APEX Geoscience Ltd., an Independent Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. EMPIRE ROCK MINERALS INC. PER: LISA M. CHAPMAN, President & CEO The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note to US Investors: This news release may contain information about adjacent properties on which we have no right to explore or mine. We advise U.S. investors that the SEC's mining guidelines strictly prohibit information of this type in documents filed with the SEC. U.S. investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on our properties. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Contacts: Empire Rock Minerals Inc. Lisa M. Chapman President 604.683.3288 ext. 1009 lisa@empirerockminerals.com www.empirerockminerals.com Forecast for 2016 raised to EUR 49 to 53 million -- Revenue EUR 113.3 million, up by EUR 0.6 million from Q1 2015 -- EBITDA EUR 9.6 million compared to EUR 5.8 million, up by 66.5% from Q1 2015 -- Net earnings EUR 1.8 million compared to EUR 1.5 million, up by 21.1% from Q1 2015 -- Transported volume in North Atlantic liner services up by 8.1% from Q1 2015 -- Transported volume in forwarding services up by 5.9% from Q1 2015 -- Equity ratio 59.9% and net debt EUR 33.4 million at the end of March -- EBITDA forecast for the year 2016 has been raised to the range of EUR 49 to 53 millionGYLFI SIGFUSSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO"Eimskip's EBITDA for the first quarter 2016 was EUR 9.6 million, up 66.5% compared to the same period last year. Revenue for the quarter amounted to EUR 113.3 million, up by 0.5%, but lower cargo rates in international forwarding affected the revenue growth. The company took action in recent months to change its sailing system in order to be able to operate more efficiently during the winter season. Due to the streamlining of operations and increased cost control measures, operating expenses excluding salaries were down in the quarter. Total operating expenses including salaries were down by 3.0%, an excellent performance despite materially increased cost related to Icelandic wage agreements. Net earnings came to EUR 1.8 million and grew by 21.1% from the first quarter 2015, despite a negative turnaround of currency exchange difference of EUR 3.7 million. Cash flow from operating activities amounted to EUR 12.7 million compared to EUR 3.1 million in the same period last year and the cash position at the end of March stood at EUR 47.3 million. This is the company's best first quarter in terms of revenue, EBITDA, EBIT and cash flow since 2009, but the first quarter has historically been Eimskip's weakest quarter of the year.Transported volume in the North Atlantic liner services grew by 8.1% from the first quarter 2015. There was good growth in transport related to Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Norway and especially good growth in Norway compared to their difficult first quarter last year. From now on we will be presenting changes in transported volume in the company's total forwarding services for both reefer and dry cargo forwarding, which grew by 5.9% from the same period last year.Eimskip and Royal Arctic Line, the national carrier of Greenland, have signed a letter of intent to connect Greenland with Eimskip's international sailing system. The companies plan to invest in and operate three approximately 2,000 TEU container vessels designed and built for the special conditions in the North Atlantic and they will connect the transport systems of Greenland and Iceland with Scandinavia, Europe and North America. The new vessels will be more fuel efficient and better for the environment. This will be a strategic relationship that will create cost efficiency, increase capacity and is a future step for Eimskip's fleet renewal program. The estimated time of designing and building the vessels is two to three years.Eimskip continues to evaluate strategic acquisitions and growth investment opportunities. The company is in the position to gain from its strong financial position as the ongoing consolidation in the industry continues. We are in advanced acquisition process and anticipate closing transactions in the third quarter.The second quarter looks favorable compared to last year. The EBITDA forecast for the year 2016 has been raised and is now in the range of EUR 49 to 53 million, from the range of EUR 46 to 50 million as presented last February. Estimated EBITDA related to new acquisitions and strategic investments and cost related to the transactions is not included in the current EBITDA forecast for the year."FURTHER INFORMATION-- Gylfi Sigfusson, President and CEO, tel.: +354 525 7202 -- Hilmar Petur Valgardsson, CFO, tel.: +354 525 7202 -- Erna Eiriksdottir, Senior Manager of Investor Relations, tel.: +354 825 7220, email: investors@eimskip.isAttachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=573507 SEATTLE, 2016-05-26 20:41 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On 20 May 2016 the Merchant Risk Council (MRC), a leading global trade association for eCommerce fraud and payments professionals, released comprehensive results of the 2016 Global Payments Survey at their European Congress in Seville, Spain.The 2016 Global Payments Survey was conducted in partnership with CyberSource, a payment management company with over 400,000 businesses worldwide using their solutions. This report draws conclusions from a survey involving MRC and non-MRC merchants in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific countries who were asked about their payments experience and management practices.The results of this survey show that MRC merchant members support twice as many payment types (14 average) as non-MRC merchants (7 average).More Key Survey Findings:-- 3D Secure is not widely used due to friction concerns. Only 14% of Canadian merchants, 18% of US merchants, 40% of UK merchants, 45% of French merchants and 46% of German merchants are utilizing 3D Secure. -- Checkout conversion rates for all payment methods consistently averaged 65%. -- The top eCommerce markets rank similar to last year with China, Japan, Russia and Mexico joining the top 12 global markets. -- Top payment priorities for MRC merchants are: fraud, IT constraints, system changes and integration, cost of payment and checkout conversion rate. -- MRC members are more likely to be focused on order conversion and payment success.MRC's 2016 Global Payments Survey offers members the ability to analyze systems, policies and results against merchants in different regions and markets, providing a more robust set of comparison points to help better measure and optimize their business.The 2016 Global Payments Survey is only available to MRC members. Members can download the surveyhere. For information on membership please visit the MRC.ABOUT THE MRC: The MRC is the leading global trade association for eCommerce fraud and payments professionals. As a not-for-profit entity, the MRC offers its members year-round education, training, networking opportunities and community discussion forums to help professionals thrive. The MRC was launched in 2000 at the start of the eCommerce boom by a small group of industry professionals from leading consumer brands, with the ultimate goal of combating online fraud in the card-not-present space. Since its inception, the MRC has also added online payments to its portfolio, expanding its presence further into eCommerce. The MRC is headquartered in Seattle, WA and has an office in Dublin, Ireland. Learn more atwww.merchantriskcouncil.org.MEDIA CONTACT: Emma CloningerTELEPHONE: +1 206.364.2789 ext. 152EMAIL: emma@merchantriskcouncil.org Technavio research analysts are forecasting positive growth for many segments of the alcoholic beverages market over the next four years as several markets including the global American whiskey market,thevodka market in the US,andthetequila market in the US, will witness an increase in revenues. Technavio's market research analysts predict the global American whiskey market to grow at a CAGR of approximately 6% in terms of volume between 2016 and 2020. The US was the largest market for American whiskey in terms of volume during 2015. Growing urbanization, rising disposable income, and changing consumer demographics are factors that are likely to fuel the growth of the global American whiskey market until 2020. The rising consumer demand for authentic products that have a high product value, such as rye whiskeys and small batch bourbons, will also exert a positive growth on the market during the forecast period. "An increase in demand for new flavors such as cherry-infused whiskey flavor is also expected to fuel the growth of the global American whiskey market until 2020," says Vijay Sarathi, a lead research analyst at Technavio for food and beverageresearch. Companies are boosting their sales by adopting new marketing strategies and driving campaigns for increasing the awareness about their products in the market. Brown-Forman, one of the leading players in the market, has adopted a strategy of educating the bar staff and consumers about the American whiskey segment. In line with this, the company launched a campaign under the name "Welcome to the World of American Whiskey: The Story of Man and Oak" in 2015 in the UK. Apart from the American whiskey market, the second most sought after market in alcoholic beverages is the vodka market in the US which will also grow at a steady CAGR of around 6% during 2016-2020. The concept of premium vodkas is a key driver for the growth of this market. Premium vodkas contain water of a superior quality, which differentiates them from the regular variants. The populace's growing preference for premium vodkas will result in the strong growth of this market during the forecast period. In this market study, analysts predict the flavored vodka segment to be the largest market segment during the forecast period. The demand for flavored vodka, especially amongst the millennial consumers, will increase steadily during the estimated period, resulting in substantial growth of this market segment until 2020. View Technavio's entire alcoholic beverages market report library In recent times, Technavio's market research analysts have identified a steady demand for innovative drinks which is likely to impel the tequila market in the US to grow at a steady CAGR of 4% during 2016-2020. Moreover, the growing cocktail culture in the US, especially among the young population, will further boost the demand for tequila during the forecast period. The augmented demand for handcrafted tequila is the key driver for the growth of this market. Handcrafted or artisanal tequila is made from traditional and unique methods at small family owned distilleries. The ability of Mexican distillers to offer tequilas for every budget and occasion will lead to the steady growth of this market until 2020. Also, the populace's rising demand for unique flavors and exclusivity will result in the growing preference for handcrafted tequilas during the forecast period. Some of the key vendors for the alcoholic beverages market include Gruppo Campari, Brown-Forman, and Diageo for theglobal American whiskey market; Pernod Ricard USA, Constellation Brands, and Bacardi USA for the vodka market in the US; and Jose Cuervo, Patron Spirits, and Beam Suntory for the tequila market in the US. Browse Related Reports: Global Specialty Spirits Market 2016-2020 Global Sparkling Wine Market 2016-2020 Global Scotch Whisky Market 2015-2019 Purchase these three reports for the price of one by becoming a Technavio subscriber. Subscribing to Technavio's reports allows you to download any three reports per month for the price of one. Contact 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/20160526005434/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 630 333 9501 UK: +44 208 123 1770 www.technavio.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- In a settlement agreement with the British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC), Teresa Kathleen de La Boursodiere has admitted that she engaged in unregistered advising. The agreement states that de La Boursodiere solicited $15,000 AUD from an Australian resident and offered to trade in derivatives on her behalf. In May 2009, the same client invested an additional $15,000 AUD with de La Boursodiere. From 2007 through late 2010, de La Boursodiere, a B.C. resident, used a self-directed online trading account in B.C. to conduct trades without registration and without any available exemptions. The trading performed by de La Boursodiere was unsuccessful and in late 2010, the client asked de La Boursodiere to close out her positions and return her funds. Several months later, de La Boursodiere paid back $6,938.58 AUD to the client. In May 2016, de La Boursodiere repaid the remaining $26,061.42 AUD, fully returning her investment. De La Boursodiere has agreed to pay to the BCSC $7,500 in respect to the settlement of this matter. She is also prohibited from trading in securities (with limited exceptions) and from becoming or acting as an adviser for a period of three years. You may view the settlement agreement on our website www.bcsc.bc.ca by typing Teresa Kathleen de La Boursodiere or 2016 BCSECCOM 163 in the search box. Information regarding disciplinary proceedings can be found in the Enforcement section of the BCSC website. Please visit the Canadian Securities Administrators' Disciplined List for information relating to persons disciplined by provincial securities regulators, the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) and the Mutual Fund Dealers Association (MFDA). About the British Columbia Securities Commission (www.bcsc.bc.ca) The British Columbia Securities Commission is the independent provincial government agency responsible for regulating capital markets in British Columbia through the administration of the Securities Act. Our mission is to protect and promote the public interest by fostering: -- A securities market that is fair and warrants public confidence -- A dynamic and competitive securities industry that provides investment opportunities and access to capital Learn how to protect yourself and become a more informed investor at www.investright.org. Contacts: Media Contact: Richard Gilhooley Media Relations 604-899-6713 Public Inquiries: 604-899-6854 or 1-800-373-6393 (toll free) MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Dorel Industries Inc. (TSX: DII.B)(TSX: DII.A) is pleased to announce that all of the nominees listed in its management proxy circular dated April 15, 2016 were re-elected as directors at the Company's Annual Meeting of Shareholders held today in Montreal. At the meeting, a ballot was conducted for the election of directors. According to proxies received and ballots cast, the following individuals were elected as directors of Dorel, with the following results: Votes Name of Nominee Votes For % For Withheld % Withheld ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Martin Schwartz 63,675,872 98.51 963,512 1.49 Alan Schwartz 56,517,267 87.43 8,122,117 12.57 Jeff Segel 63,752,213 98.63 887,171 1.37 Jeffrey Schwartz 61,575,660 95.26 3,063,724 4.74 Maurice Tousson 63,853,064 98.78 786,320 1.22 Dian Cohen 64,136,526 99.22 502,858 0.78 Alain Benedetti 64,139,872 99.23 499,512 0.77 Rupert Duchesne 64,413,421 99.65 225,963 0.35 Michelle Cormier 64,550,280 99.86 89,104 0.14 Director biographies are available in the Corporate Governance section of Dorel's website at www.dorel.com. At the meeting, shareholders also reappointed KPMG LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, as Dorel's auditors and adopted a resolution authorizing two amendments to Dorel's 2004 Directors' Deferred Share Unit Plan. Profile Dorel Industries Inc. (TSX: DII.B)(TSX: DII.A) is a world class juvenile products and bicycle company. The Company's safety and lifestyle leadership is pronounced in both its Juvenile and Bicycle categories with an array of trend-setting, innovative products. Dorel Juvenile's powerfully branded products include global juvenile brands Safety 1st, Quinny, Maxi-Cosi and Tiny Love, complemented by regional brands such as Cosco, Bebe Confort and Infanti. In Dorel Sports, brands include Cannondale, Schwinn, GT, Mongoose, Caloi, IronHorse and SUGOI. Dorel Home Furnishings markets a wide assortment of both domestically produced and imported furniture products, principally within North America. Dorel Industries Inc. has annual sales of US$2.7 billion and employs approximately 10,450 people in facilities located in twenty-five countries worldwide. Caution Regarding Forward Looking Statements Certain statements included in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Except as may be required by Canadian securities laws, Dorel does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Forward-looking statements, by their very nature, are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties and are based on several assumptions which give rise to the possibility that actual results could differ materially from Dorel's expectations expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements and that the objectives, plans, strategic priorities and business outlook may not be achieved. As a result, Dorel cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize, or if any of them do, what benefits Dorel will derive from them. Forward-looking statements are provided in this press release for the purpose of giving information about Management's current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to get a better understanding of Dorel's operating environment. However, readers are cautioned that it may not be appropriate to use such forward-looking statements for any other purpose. Forward-looking statements made in this press release are based on a number of assumptions that Dorel believed were reasonable on the day it made the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Dorel's expectations expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements include: general economic conditions; changes in product costs and supply channels; foreign currency fluctuations; customer and credit risk, including the concentration of revenues with a small number of customers; costs associated with product liability; changes in income tax legislation or the interpretation or application of those rules; the continued ability to develop products and support brand names; changes in the regulatory environment; continued access to capital resources and the related costs of borrowing; changes in assumptions in the valuation of goodwill and other intangible assets; and there being no certainty that Dorel's current dividend policy will be maintained. These and other risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements are discussed in Dorel's annual Management Discussion and Analysis and Annual Information Form filed with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The risk factors outlined in the previously-mentioned documents are specifically incorporated herein by reference. Dorel cautions readers that the risks described above are not the only ones that could impact it. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to Dorel or that Dorel currently deems to be immaterial may also have a material adverse effect on Dorel's business, financial condition or results of operations. Given these risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Contacts: MaisonBrison Communications Rick Leckner (514) 731-0000 Dorel Industries Inc. Jeffrey Schwartz (514) 934-3034 Technavio research analysts are forecasting positive growth for many segments of the global defense market over the next four years as several markets including directed energy weapons (DEW), vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and military robots, will witness an increase in revenues. Technavio's market research analysts predict that the global DEW market will grow at a profound CAGR of over 29% during the forecast period. A key driver propelling growth of the global DEW market is the defense from chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials so that civilian lives and national security of a country can be preserved. DEW equipment like lasers, radiation detectors, and biosensors are being used to defend against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) emergencies. Training fire department personnel, police and paramilitary forces to use these weapons will help them be more effective in performing their roles. These factors will lead to the purchase of different types of DEW and result in the growth of the global DEW market during the forecast period. A key trend impacting market growth is the development of non-lethal laser weapons. Weapons like the PHASR (personnel handling and stimulation response) emit infrared rays, which temporarily blind enemies and also disable electronic sensors. Weapons that offer accuracy and cause only temporary harm are in demand around the world. Thus, it can be estimated that the rising need for advanced weapons will have a positive impact on demand and will propel market growth by the end of the forecast period. Apart from the global DEW market, the second most sought after market in defense is the global VTOL UAVs market which will grow at a steady CAGR of 11% by 2020. The high suitability of VTOL UAVs for urban applications is one of the key drivers for this market. Since VTOL UAVs can take-off and land without a runway, they are highly suitable for operations in urban areas. The VTOL UAV's ease of operation in urban environments, will lead to its adoption during the forecast period. According to Abhay Singh, a lead research analyst at Technavio for defense research, "There is a growing demand for VTOL UAVs for civil and commercial applications. The ability of these UAVs to aid in surveying, scanning, aerial photography, 3D mapping, oil and gas pipeline monitoring, wind turbine blade inspection, and real estate survey will result in market growth during the predicted period." Moreover, as VTOL UAVs have the ability to carry out various intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and spy missions, they are increasingly being adopted by defense forces to assist the military in search and rescue operations View Technavio's entire defense report library In recent times, Technavio's market research analysts have identified a steady growth of over 9% in the global military robots market. Many countries are spending a part of their aerospace and defense budgets to develop and deploy military robots to perform hazardous tasks. Of the several types of military robots in use, the demand for drones has grown exponentially. Equipped with navigation systems, sensors, and GPS, these drones are used to disarm bombs, provide situation reports to troops, aid in combat, and help in search and rescue operations. This growing demand for drones by the armed forces for use in naval and land-based applications will result in the growth of the military robots market over the forecast period. Some of the key vendors for the defense market include BAE, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin, for the global DEW market; AeroVironment, Israel Aerospace, and Northrop Grumman for the global VTOL UAVs market; Boston Dynamics, General Dynamics, and Thales Group for the global military robots market. Browse Related Reports: Global Military Airborne Collision Avoidance System Market 2016-2020 Global Commercial Marine Electric Vehicles Market 2016-2020 Global Electronic Warfare Market 2016-2020 Purchase these three reports for the price of one by becoming a Technavio subscriber. Subscribing to Technavio's reports allows you to download any three reports per month for the price of one. Contact 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/20160526005448/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 630 333 9501 UK: +44 208 123 1770 www.technavio.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - GameStop Corp. (GME) revealed a profit for first quarter that retreated from last year. The company said its profit dropped to $68.4 million, or $0.66 per share. This was down from $73.8 million, or $0.68 per share, in last year's first quarter. Analysts had expected the company to earn $0.61 per share, according figures compiled by Thomson Reuters. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items. The company said revenue for the quarter fell 4.4% to $1.97 billion. This was down from $2.06 billion last year. GameStop Corp. earnings at a glance: -Earnings (Q1): $68.4 Mln. vs. $73.8 Mln. last year. -Earnings Decline (Y-o-Y): -7.3% -EPS (Q1): $0.66 vs. $0.68 last year. -EPS Decline (Y-o-Y): -2.9% -Analysts Estimate: $0.61 -Revenue (Q1): $1.97 Bln vs. $2.06 Bln last year. -Revenue Change (Y-o-Y): -4.4% -Guidance : Next quarter EPS guidance: $0.23 to $0.30 Full year EPS guidance: $3.90 to $4.05 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. EVANSVILLE, IN--(Marketwired - May 26, 2016) - As part of the company's ongoing succession planning, today Vectren Corporation (NYSE: VVC) Chairman, President and CEO Carl Chapman announced organizational changes that will promote two of the company's key leaders to executive vice president positions, as well as promote two long-time employees in the company's utility operations group. Approved by the company's Board of Directors on May 24, 2016, these changes will be effective June 1, 2016. Vectren's senior vice president and chief financial officer, Susan Hardwick, will be promoted to executive vice president and continue reporting to Chapman. Rick Schach, senior vice president of utility operations and president of Vectren Utility Holdings, Inc. (VUHI), will also be promoted to executive vice president and assume the title of chief operating officer. He will remain a direct report to Chapman and oversee the company's four utilities, as well as assume oversight of the company's two non-utility operating units: Vectren Infrastructure Services (VISCO) and Vectren Energy Services (VESCO). Vectren's current vice president of energy delivery, Jon Luttrell, will be promoted to senior vice president of utility operations and president of Vectren Utility Holdings, Inc., where he will continue oversight of energy delivery and assume responsibility for the customer experience, power supply, and safety and system integrity business units. Luttrell will report to Schach. Lynnae Wilson will be promoted to vice president of energy delivery and report directly to Luttrell. Wilson is the current director of engineering and systems operations, and she will manage all field and systems operations and engineering. The Board also reelected the Company's other officers to their existing positions. "These changes demonstrate our Board's desire to effectively prepare our company for continued growth and success and ensure the ongoing development of our management team," said Chapman. "Likewise, the promotions in our utility operations group ensure our efforts on infrastructure modernization, safe and reliable generation and delivery of energy, and improving our customers' experiences at every touch point remain on target." See employee bios below. Also at the annual shareholders' meeting Tuesday, Vectren shareholders voted to reelect all Board members, excluding J. Timothy McGinley, who retired from the board at that meeting following 16 years of service. McGinley had served as the company's lead director since 2011. As previously announced in November of last year, upon her reelection to the board, Jean L. Wojtowicz assumed the role of lead director. Additional biographical information: Hardwick was named senior vice president and chief financial officer in May 2014. Prior to this role, she served as senior vice president of finance and before then served as the controller of Vectren since the company's inception in 2000. Before joining Vectren, Hardwick was with a Duke Energy predecessor company where she served in numerous financial roles. She received a bachelor's degree in accounting from Indiana University and is a certified public accountant. In addition to serving on numerous community boards and accounting leadership and committee roles for the American Gas Association and the Edison Electric Institute, Hardwick currently serves as vice chair of the board of directors for St. Mary's Medical Center and serves on the Audit Committee of St. Vincent's Health System in Indianapolis. She is also a board member and former treasurer of the Richard G. Lugar Excellence in Public Service Leadership Series and in 2012 was appointed as a Commissioner of the Indiana Arts Commission. Schach was named senior vice president of utility operations and president of VUHI in May 2014. Prior to this role, he served as senior vice president of marketing and energy delivery. Before being named a senior vice president in 2013, Schach was the vice president of energy delivery 10 years, and before moving into operations, he served as the vice president of information technology and chief information officer. Schach joined a Vectren predecessor company in January 1994. His professional career began with the IBM Corporation in Indianapolis where he worked for 10 years in a variety of marketing, consulting and client positions with his primary focus on the energy industry. Schach received his bachelor's degree from Indiana University. He currently holds board positions at the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana and the Vincennes University board of trustees. Schach has also held numerous operations leadership and committee roles in the American Gas Association and the Edison Electric Institute. Luttrell, the current vice president of energy delivery, has been with Vectren or its predecessors companies for more than 25 years. Prior to his current role, he served as vice president of information technology and customer service and before then was in a variety of energy delivery positions, including director of field operations and a regional manager for the utility's gas operations in Ohio. Luttrell has a bachelor's degree in computer engineering from Wright State University and a master's in administration from Central Michigan University. He currently holds board positions at the Evansville Police Department Foundation Board and Midwest Energy Association Board and is also active within committees at the American Gas Association and the Edison Electric Institute. Wilson was named the director of engineering and systems operations in early 2014. Prior to this role, she served as the director of Vectren's A.B. Brown electric generating plant and before then held various field operations roles, most recently as a division manager of gas and electric operations. Before joining Vectren in 2003, Wilson was an engineer with NuVox Corporation and U.S. Gypsum Company. Wilson has a degree in mining engineering from University of Missouri-Rolla and is a board member of the Mental Health America of Vanderburgh County. She is also actively involved with various utility operations committees at the American Gas Association and the Edison Electric Institute. About Vectren Vectren Corporation (NYSE: VVC) is an energy holding company headquartered in Evansville, Ind. Vectren's energy delivery subsidiaries provide gas and/or electricity to more than 1 million customers in adjoining service territories that cover nearly two-thirds of Indiana and about 20 percent of Ohio, primarily in the west central area. Vectren's nonutility subsidiaries and affiliates currently offer energy-related products and services to customers throughout the U.S. These include infrastructure services and energy services. To learn more about Vectren, visit www.vectren.com. Media contact: Natalie Hedde (812) 491-5105 nhedde@vectren.com Investor contact: Naveed Mughal (812) 491-4916 nmughal@vectren.com Ground-breaking technology debuts, global tech leaders converge and cross-market partnerships form in Shanghai The second annual CES Asia shattered all expectations with more than 425 exhibitors from 23 countries, regions and territories showcasing the full breadth and depth of innovation in the Asian marketplace. The halls of the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) were bustling with more than 32,000 attendees, including more than 1,000 members of the media. The show saw the introduction of exciting new products, collaborations and services and expanded the CES exhibitor base, as 57 percent of exhibitors did not exhibit at CES 2016. CES Asia 2016 brought some of the largest companies and thought leaders together in one location and affirmed itself as the platform for key global and domestic businesses to grow and reinforce brands in Asia. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), and co-produced by Intex Shanghai, CES Asia is Asia's premier technology event and will return to Shanghai June 7-9, 2017. "CES Asia 2016 set a new industry standard for tradeshows in the region with the show floor nearly doubling in size, informative and entertaining keynoters, and exhibitors making a major investment in their presence," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, Consumer Technology Association. "The excitement and energy was tangible as companies launched ground-breaking innovations and announced new partnerships. It was clear business was being conducted onsite." Some of the most buzzed-about products on display at CES Asia included: Automotive BMW iFuture concept car Mercedes-Benz IAA concept car Volvo C26 concept car Robotics Cowa robotic suitcase Bubble Lab robotic coffee barista Plen2 mirror robot Virtual Reality PIMAX 4K Dlodlo Glass V1 VR shades Shadow Creator AR Air Glass Drones Mota Jetjat Nano Yuneec Typhon Wearables Intel/ Lenovo F2 Exercise Shoe InBody Band fitness tracker Smart Home Momit Cool smart air conditioner control Sports and Fitness LIVALL smart cycyling helmet MT1, BH61, BH71, and kids helmet KS1 and KS2 Influential executives from major brands took to the CES Asia stage to announce new partnerships and strategic business ventures. The CES Asia Conference Program featured more than 100 speakers and 50 sessions, including keynotes from Huawei's Kevin Ho, Wanda Cinema Line's John Zeng, Legendary East's Peter Loehr, Intel's Josh Walden, BMW's Olaf Kastner, Tmall's Yin Jing, Alibaba Group's Xiaoming (Simon) Hu, JD.com's Chen Zhang and JD Smart's Eric Wang. Highlights include: LeEco and Twitter join forces to grow LeEco's global influence through Twitter's live communications platform. Mercedes-Benz and Baidu deepen partnership to offer Chinese Mercedes-Benz customers even more individual services for their connected vehicles. Intel collaborates with Razer's Razer Blade gaming laptop, Tencent's TGP box and Lenovo's smart shoe, in partnership with Vibram. Alibaba Group gave the audience a sneak peek into the future of online shopping with the use of 3D technology. JD.com discussed how smart technology is driving innovation in the logistics and retail sector. China Mobile announced its worldwide recruitment plan for OneNET, its IoT open platform. CES Asia featured all four of China's top retailers, with Suning and Yiahodian joining Alibaba and JD.com as exhibitors. No other event in the world, including CES, has all major Chinese retailers participating together. Technologies showcased at CES Asia 2016 spanned the tech ecosystem from the latest in 3D printing, wearables, robotics, drones, automotive, smart home and the Internet of Things (IoT). The show floor featured 15 product categories and the brand-new Startup Park, a dedicated destination for innovation including 64 startups with exhibitors from China, France, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and the United States. CES Asia demographics and statistics are verified by a third party, independent audit, certified by the Exhibition and Event Industry Audit Commission (EEIAC). A final show audit will be released in the coming months. For the latest news and information, including show highlight videos, visit CESAsia.com. For questions about exhibiting at CES Asia, contact Brian Moon at bmoon@CTA.tech or +1 703-907-4351. About Consumer Technology Association: Consumer Technology Association (CTA)TM is the trade association representing the $287 billion U.S. consumer technology industry. More than 2,200 companies 80 percent are small businesses and startups; others are among the world's best known brands enjoy the benefits of CTA membership including policy advocacy, market research, technical education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. The Consumer Technology Association also owns and produces CES the world's gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. Profits from CES are reinvested into CTA's industry services. About CES Asia: Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)TM and co-produced by Intex Shanghai, CES Asia is the premier event for the consumer technology industry, showcasing the full breadth and depth of the innovation value-chain in the Asian marketplace. Key global businesses come to this new event to grow and reinforce their brand by showcasing the latest products and technologies to consumer tech industry executives, foreign buyers, international media and a limited number of consumers from China. Attendees have exclusive access to some of the largest brands from China and around the world, while celebrating the innovation that defines the consumer technology sector. About Intex Shanghai: Intex Shanghai Co., Ltd is the sub joint venture company of CCPIT (China Council for the Promotion of International Trade) Shanghai, which started in 1992 and is jointly invested by Shanghai Hongqiao E&T Development Zone United Development Co., Ltd., CCPIT Shanghai and Istithmar P&O Estates FZE. As a prominent producer of tradeshows in China, Intex owns a venue in Shanghai, manages various exhibition venues outside of Shanghai and also organizes and co-organizes 10 international trade shows throughout China. Intex Shanghai is the vice chairman of SCEIA, the Deputy Director of CAEC and the member of UFI and has a stand-out reputation in the domestic exhibition industry. Find Intex Shanghai online at www.intex-sh.com. UPCOMING EVENTS CEO Summit June 21-24, Tel Aviv, Israel Innovate! September 20-22, San Jose, CA CES Unveiled Prague October 20, Prague, Czech Republic CES Unveiled Paris October 25, Paris, France CT Hall of Fame Dinner November 9, New York, NY CES Unveiled New York November 10, New York, NY CES Unveiled Las Vegas January 3, Las Vegas, NV CES 2017 January 5-8, Las Vegas, NV CES Asia 2017 June 7-9, Shanghai, China View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160526006432/en/ Contacts: Consumer Technology Association (CTA) Allison Fried, 703-907-7603 afried@CTA.tech www.CESAsia.com or Krista Silano 703-907-4331 ksilano@CTA.tech www.CTA.tech MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- MDN Inc. (TSX: MDN) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that Alain Krushnisky will succeed Yves Therrien as Chief Financial Officer of the Company, and also announces the results of its annual shareholders' meeting held on May 26, 2016. Mr. Krushnisky graduated from the University of Ottawa in 1983 with a bachelor's degree in commerce and is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada. Mr. Krushnisky has over 25 years of experience in the mining sector including ten years with a mid-tier producer in various capacities, including Vice-President and Controller. Since 2004, Mr. Krushnisky has been doing consulting work for various publicly traded exploration companies. He is currently Chief Financial Officer of a number of mineral exploration companies listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. "I would like to thank Yves for his substantial contribution to MDN over the years and wish him an enjoyable retirement," said Claude Dufresne, President and CEO. "We are looking forward to work with Alain. His experience and knowledge of the mining industry will strengthen MDN's team," added Mr. Dufresne Directors elected The following persons have been appointed as directors of MDN until the next annual shareholders' meeting or until their successors are elected or appointed. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Votes cast % of votes Votes cast % of votes Nominees for cast for withheld cast withheld ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jacques Bonneau 35,047,512 96.68% 1,204,988 3.32% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Claude Boulay 35,638,400 98.31% 614,100 1.69% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jean-Sebastien David 35,038,400 96.65% 1,214,100 3.35% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Claude Dufresne 35,638,400 98.31% 614,100 1.69% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Raymond Legault 34,904,664 96.28% 1,347,836 3.72% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Serge Savard 35,638,400 98.31% 614,100 1.69% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appointment of PwC LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, as auditors of MDN. PwC LLP was appointed as auditor of MDN for the current year and the directors were authorized to fix their remuneration by a show of hands. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- % of votes Votes cast % of votes Votes cast for cast for withheld cast withheld ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 36,674,858 96.80% 1,212,000 2.30% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- About MDN (TSX: MDN) MDN Inc. is a mining exploration and development company with properties in Quebec and in Tanzania. In Quebec, MDN holds a 72.5% interest in Crevier Minerals Inc., which owns a NI 43-101 niobium tantalum resource and 100% of the Samaqua property. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements are discussed in greater detail in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form filed on SEDAR. Investors and others who base themselves on the Company's forward-looking statements should carefully consider the factors mentioned in the Annual Information Form, as well as the uncertainties they represent and the risk they entail. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct, and as such, the forward-looking statements in this press release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Follow us on Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/MDN_INC LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/1318737 Contacts: Claude Dufresne, P. Eng. President & CEO MDN Inc. 514 866-6500, Ext. 221 cdufresne@mdn-mines.com www.mdn-mines.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Acadian Timber Corp. (TSX: ADN) ("Acadian Timber" or the "Company") announced that the nominees listed in the management proxy circular for the 2016 Annual Meeting of Shareholders were elected as directors of the Company. Detailed results of the votes by proxy for the election of directors held at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders today in Toronto are set out below. Nominee Votes Votes For % For Withheld % Withheld ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- J.W. Bud Bird 10,409,321 96.38% 390,931 3.62% Mark Bishop 10,436,411 96.63% 363,841 3.37% Phil Brown 10,394,121 96.24% 406,131 3.76% Reid Carter 10,445,761 96.72% 354,491 3.28% David Mann 10,341,552 95.75% 458,700 4.25% Saul Shulman 10,404,912 96.34% 395,340 3.66% Ben Vaughan 10,434,311 96.61% 365,941 3.39% About Acadian Timber Acadian Timber Corp. is a leading supplier of primary forest products in Eastern Canada and the Northeastern U.S. With a total of 2.4 million acres of land under management, Acadian is the second largest timberland operator in New Brunswick and Maine. Acadian owns and manages approximately 1.1 million acres of freehold timberlands in New Brunswick and Maine, and provides management services relating to approximately 1.3 million acres of Crown licensed timberlands in New Brunswick. Acadian also owns and operates a forest nursery in Second Falls, New Brunswick. Acadian's products include softwood and hardwood sawlogs, pulpwood and biomass by-products, sold to approximately 100 regional customers. Acadian's business strategy is to maximize cash flows from its existing timberland assets while growing our business by acquiring assets on a value basis and utilizing our operations-oriented approach to drive improved performance. Acadian's shares are listed for trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ADN. For further information, please visit www.acadiantimber.com. Contacts: Tracy Steele Investor Relations and Communications 604-661-9621 tsteele@acadiantimber.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/16 -- Teck Resources Limited (TSX: TCK.A and TCK.B, NYSE: TCK) announced today that it has priced its previously-announced offering of senior unsecured notes. Teck will issue US$1.25 billion in aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes, consisting of US$650 million aggregate principal amount of five-year notes and US$600 million aggregate principal amount of eight-year notes. The notes will be guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by Teck Metals Ltd., Teck Coal Partnership, Teck Financial Corporation Ltd., TCL U.S. Holdings Ltd. and Teck Alaska Incorporated, each a wholly owned subsidiary of Teck. The five-year notes will bear interest at the rate of 8.000% per annum and will be callable on or after June 1, 2018. The eight-year notes will bear interest at the rate of 8.500% per annum and will be callable on or after June 1, 2019. The offering is expected to close on or about June 7, 2016, subject to customary closing conditions. Teck expects to receive aggregate net proceeds of approximately US$1.23 billion from the offering, after deducting underwriting fees and estimated offering expenses. Teck intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to fund its previously announced tender offers to purchase for cash up to US$1 billon principal amount of its 3.150% Notes due 2017, 3.850% Notes due 2017, 2.500% Notes due 2018 and 3.000% Notes due 2019, subject to the terms and conditions specified in the related offer to purchase. Teck will use any net proceeds from the offering in excess of that used to complete the tender offers for general corporate purposes, which may include debt repurchases including pursuant to another tender offer, redemptions or open market purchases of the same or different series of notes. The notes will be offered and sold to qualified institutional buyers in the United States pursuant to Rule 144A and outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the "Securities Act"). The notes have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the notes and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale of any notes in any jurisdiction where such offering or sale would be unlawful. This press release shall not constitute an offer to purchase the outstanding notes subject to the tender offers. The tender offers are being made only pursuant to the offer to purchase and related letter of transmittal. This press release contains information about pending transactions, and there can be no assurance that these transactions will be completed. About Teck Teck is a diversified resource company committed to responsible mining and mineral development with major business units focused on copper, steelmaking coal, zinc and energy. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, its shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols TCK.A and TCK.B and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TCK. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements as defined in applicable securities laws (collectively referred to as "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements concerning the expected net proceeds from the offering of the notes, the closing of the offering, including the timing thereof, and the intended use of proceeds. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Teck to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to vary include, but are not limited to, risks relating to unexpected expenses involved in the offering of the notes, the closing of the offering, conditions in financial markets, investor response to the tender offers, and other risk factors as detailed from time to time in Teck's reports filed with Canadian securities administrators and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned against unduly relying on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of the relevant document and, except as required by law, Teck undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise. Contacts: Investor Contact: Greg Waller Vice President, Investor Relations and Strategic Analysis 604.699.4014 greg.waller@teck.com Media Contact: Chris Stannell Senior Communications Specialist 604.699.4368 chris.stannell@teck.com 26 May 2016 G4S PLC AGM 2016 Poll Results G4S plc, the parent company of the G4S global security group, announces that, at its AGM held on 26 May 2016, all the resolutions put to shareholders were duly passed. This included resolutions: to allow the payment of political donations; to amend the company's articles of association; to allow general meetings other than AGMs to be called on 14 days' notice; and a general authority to make market purchases for up to 10% of its own shares. The board has no present intention of utilising the authority to buy back shares, which has been renewed in accordance with common business practice. The results of the poll on the resolutions put before the AGM are: +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |Resolution |For |% |Against |% |Withheld*|Total votes | | | | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |1. To adopt the|1,306,237,198|>99.99|21,073 |<0.01|206,877 |1,306,465,148| |financial | | | | | | | |statements and | | | | | | | |reports of | | | | | | | |directors and | | | | | | | |auditor | | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |2. To approve |1,280,102,716|98.00 |26,121,895 |2.00 |236,880 |1,306,461,491| |the Directors' | | | | | | | |remuneration | | | | | | | |report | | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |3. To confirm |1,276,389,462|97.71 |29,968,592 |2.29 |106,438 |1,306,464,492| |and declare the| | | | | | | |dividend | | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |4. Election of |1,302,335,922|99.70 |3,943,588 |0.30 |176,791 |1,306,456,301| |John Daly as a | | | | | | | |director | | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |5. Re-election |1,301,684,816|99.65 |4,606,283 |0.35 |164,802 |1,306,455,901| |of Ashley | | | | | | | |Almanza as a | | | | | | | |director | | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |6. Re-election |1,296,555,850|99.31 |8,984,015 |0.69 |913,932 |1,306,453,797| |of John | | | | | | | |Connolly as a | | | | | | | |director | | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |7. Re-election |1,303,539,080|99.79 |2,734,155 |0.21 |180,563 |1,306,453,798| |of Winnie Kin | | | | | | | |Wah Fok as a | | | | | | | |director | | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |8. Re-election |1,300,588,787|99.56 |5,686,175 |0.44 |178,836 |1,306,453,798| |of Himanshu | | | | | | | |Raja as a | | | | | | | |director | | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |9. Re-election |1,303,730,400|99.80 |2,549,882 |0.20 |173,516 |1,306,453,798| |of Paul Spence | | | | | | | |as a director | | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |10. Re-election|1,284,648,447|98.35 |21,594,167 |1.65 |211,184 |1,306,453,798| |of Clare | | | | | | | |Spottiswoode as| | | | | | | |a director | | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |11. Re-election|1,303,548,173|99.79 |2,726,682 |0.21 |178,943 |1,306,453,798| |of Tim Weller | | | | | | | |as a director | | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |12. To re- |1,305,442,830|99.93 |892,438 |0.07 |116,793 |1,306,452,061| |appoint | | | | | | | |Price- | | | | | | | |waterhouse- | | | | | | | |Coopers LLP | | | | | | | |as auditor | | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |13. To |1,306,209,150|99.99 |132,774 |0.01 |106,645 |1,306,448,569| |authorise the | | | | | | | |audit committee| | | | | | | |of the board to| | | | | | | |determine the | | | | | | | |auditor's | | | | | | | |remuneration | | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |14. To |1,290,994,374|99.12 |11,455,142 |0.88 |4,009,012|1,306,458,528| |authorise the | | | | | | | |directors to | | | | | | | |allot shares up| | | | | | | |to a specified | | | | | | | |amount | | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |15. Special |1,245,751,488|95.38 |60,348,420 |4.62 |358,169 |1,306,458,077| |resolution to | | | | | | | |give authority | | | | | | | |to directors to| | | | | | | |disapply | | | | | | | |statutory pre- | | | | | | | |emption rights | | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |16. Special |1,299,989,326|99.53 |6,151,839 |0.47 |321,181 |1,306,462,346| |resolution to | | | | | | | |give limited | | | | | | | |authority for | | | | | | | |the purchase of| | | | | | | |its own shares | | | | | | | |by the company | | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |17. Authority |1,291,078,494|99.24 |9,913,141 |0.76 |5,478,148|1,306,469,783| |to make | | | | | | | |political | | | | | | | |donations and | | | | | | | |incur political| | | | | | | |expenditure | | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |18. Special |1,274,228,070|97.57 |31,785,821 |2.43 |428,592 |1,306,442,483| |resolution to | | | | | | | |approve an | | | | | | | |amendment to | | | | | | | |the company's | | | | | | | |articles of | | | | | | | |association | | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ |19. Special |1,185,677,392|90.76 |120,676,453|9.24 |94,412 |1,306,448,257| |resolution to | | | | | | | |authorise the | | | | | | | |calling of | | | | | | | |general | | | | | | | |meetings | | | | | | | |(excluding | | | | | | | |Annual General | | | | | | | |Meetings) on | | | | | | | |14 days' notice| | | | | | | +---------------+-------------+------+-----------+-----+---------+-------------+ Adam Crozier and Mark Elliott retired from the board at the conclusion of the meeting and so there were no resolutions relating to their re-election. In compliance with Listing Rule 9.6.2R, copies of resolutions 15 to 19 will be forwarded to the FCA for publication through its document viewing facility where they will shortly be available for inspection at www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/NSM. The percentage of issued share capital which was voted was 84.2%**. * Votes withheld are not votes in law and are not counted in the calculation of the proportion of the votes for and against a resolution. **Total voting rights of the shares in issue: 1,551,594,436. Every shareholder has one vote for every ordinary share held. +---------------------------------------------+--------------------+ |For further enquiries, please contact: | | +---------------------------------------------+--------------------+ |Nigel Fairbrass - Director of Media Relations|+44(0) 7799 894265 | +---------------------------------------------+--------------------+ |Helen Parris - Director of Investor Relations|+44 (0) 20 8722 2125| +---------------------------------------------+--------------------+ Notes to Editors: G4S plc G4S is the leading global integrated security company, specialising in the provision of security products, services and solutions. The group is active in around 100 countries and is the largest employer quoted on the London Stock Exchanges with over 610,000 employees and has a secondary stock exchange listing in Copenhagen. For more information on G4S, visit www.g4s.com. This announcement is distributed by GlobeNewswire on behalf of GlobeNewswire clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that: (i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and (ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: G4S plc UK DK via GlobeNewswire [HUG#2015987] A0B7CYB01FLG6R66 Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Stem, Inc., a Millbrae, California-based software-driven energy storage company, closed $15m in funding. Mithril Capital Management made the investment, which brought Stems Series C raise to $68m. Led by John Carrington, CEO, and Larsh Johnson, CTO, Stem combines big data, predictive analytics and energy storage to reduce electricity costs for businesses and, in aggregate, deliver services to the grid. The companys software learns a customers unique energy profile to maximize savings and displays real-time and predicted energy use alongside actionable recommendations. Stem has also announced it has surpassed 68 MWh of systems operating and under contract with customers such as Wells Fargo, Safeway, Whole Foods, and Reliance Steel and utility partners such as Southern California Edison (SCE), San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and the Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO). The company is funded by investors including Angeleno Group, Iberdrola, GE Ventures, Constellation New Energy, Total Energy Ventures, Mitsui & Co., Ltd., RWE Supply & Trading and Mithril Capital Management. FinSMEs 26/05/2016 TransferWise, a London, UK-based global money transfer company, raised $26m in its fourth funding round. The round, which reportedly valued the company at approx. $1.1 billion, was led by Baillie Gifford & Co., which joined existing investors Andreessen Horowitz, Valar Ventures and Sir Richard Branson, The company has raised $117m in total funding to date. Founded and launched in 2011 by Kristo Kaarmann and Taavet Hinrikus, TransferWise allows lets expats, foreign students and businesses send money abroad at a lower costs than traditional players. Licensed as a foreign exchange and money remittance company by the UK Financial Services Authority (FSA) and Her Majestys Revenue and Customs, the company is just launching TransferWise for Business, which promises SMEs to make international payments to suppliers, freelancers and employees at the real exchange rate, with no hidden charges. FinSMEs 26/05/2016 AmpMe, a Montreal, Canada-based app that allows users to play music in sync across multiple devices to create one portable sound system, raised $8m in Series A funding. The round was led by Relay Ventures with participation from Investissement Quebec, Slaight Music, OMERS Ventures, Townsgate Media, Anges Quebec Capital and Real Ventures. The company, which has raised a total of $10m USD ($12.5M CAD), plans to use the funding to hire talent, further invest in product development and in the underlying technology, as well as secure strategic partnerships. Led by CEO & Founder Martin-Luc Archambault, AmpMe provides an app that allows users to play their music in sync across multiple devices to create a single portable speaker. The company also added YouTube as a new music-streaming source enabling anyone to search for their favorite music on YouTube and create a synced video party with friends. The free app has achieved more than 2 million downloads since launching in September 2015 and is available on iOS and Android. FinSMEs 26/05/2016 Appili Therapeutics Inc., a Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada-based anti-infective pharmaceutical development company, raised $3.2m in seed funding. Backers included a number of private investors ($1.7m), Innovacorp ($500k), The Government of Canada, through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and National Research Council Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program ($1m). The company intends to use the funds to advance the research and development of its anti-infective drug candidates and open a medicinal chemistry lab in Halifax. Led by Kevin Sullivan, CEO, Appili Therapeutics is dedicated to identifying, acquiring and advancing novel therapeutics for infectious disease. The company has two anti-infective programs, ATI-1501 and ATI-1503, in its pipeline. ATI-1501 is a taste-masked treatment for Clostridium difficile infection, has just been granted orphan drug designation by the FDA and Appili plans to take it into clinical trials in 2017. ATI-1503 is a novel antibiotic with broad potential to treat deadly Gram-negative infections such as Klebsiella pneumoniae. FinSMEs 25/05/2016 7shifts, a Toronto and Saskatoon, Canada-based employee scheduling software provider for restaurants, received C$1.2m in seed funding. The round was led by Relay Ventures, with participation from Globalive Capital, and existing investors Boost VC and Tim Draper. The company intends to use the funds to expand its sales team, to add new features to its scheduling software and to support the implementation of new marketing programs. Led by Jordan Boesch, founder and CEO, 7shifts provides restaurants, cafes, bars, and other food & beverage operations with scheduling software and mobile app to manage and evaluate the performance of shift workers. Restaurant managers use the solution to assign employees to shifts and approve requests, to view their upcoming shifts and to submit requests for manager approval. 7shifts is currently used by more than 1,900 restaurants in North America, Scandinavia, the Middle East, and Australia. Customers include 90 Burger King locations in Alabama and 19 Panera locations in Iowa. FinSMEs 26/05/2016 NEW YORK (This version of the story corrects Brent settlement to $49.59, not $49.74, in paragraph 6) Oil prices hit $50 a barrel on Thursday for the first time in seven months, then bounced below that level and settled lower on the day as investors worried robust price gains could encourage more output and add to the global glut. Wildfires in Canada's oil sands, unrest in the Nigerian and Libyan energy sectors, and a near economic meltdown in OPEC member Venezuela have knocked out nearly 4 million barrels per day in immediate production, sparking a buying frenzy in crude futures. Brent and U.S. crude's West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures have risen nearly 90 percent from 12-year lows hit this winter. They have recouped about half of what they lost since mid-2014 when both traded at above $100 a barrel. A climb above $50 per barrel could spur producers, particularly U.S. shale drillers, to revive scrapped operations, which could bloat supplies and trigger a new selloff, analysts said. "We are viewing current risk/reward ratios as unfavourable toward new longs at current levels," said Jim Ritterbusch of Chicago-based oil markets consultancy Ritterbusch & Associates, who cites a potential drop of Brent to $47.50. Brent LCOc1 surged as high as $50.51, its highest since early November, then retreated and settled down 15 cents at $49.59 a barrel. WTI CLc1 fell 8 cents to settle at $49.48, after reaching $50.21, its highest since early October. U.S. crude for the balance of 2016 CLBALst remained above $50 while the calendar strip for 2017 CLYstc1 was above $51. "I am maintaining my oil view at neutral with a short term bias to the upside," said Dominick Chirichella, senior partner at the Energy Management Institute in New York. "The global surplus still exists and there is still a possibility that oil prices could retrace further." But he conceded that crude was trading "more and more in sync with the forward looking or perception view with the overall bearish fundamentals mostly priced into the market as production issues offset any short term negativity". Adding to outage concerns, a source at Chevron Corp (CVX.N) said the producer's activities in Nigeria had been "grounded" by a militant attack, worsening a situation that had already restricted hundreds of thousands of barrels from reaching the market. Investors will watch next month's meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) for signs of an output hike. "The bigger risk is that following the meeting, (the) Saudis will increase production to meet rising summer domestic demand, to preserve market share in its oil wars with Iran and Iraq," David Hufton, head of PVM Oil brokers, said. (Additional reporting by Karolin Schaps, Ron Bousso and Simon Falush in LONDON and Keith Wallis in SINGAPORE; Editing by Marguerita Choy) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. WASHINGTON The U.S. Commerce Department, in a clamp-down on a glut of steel imports, on Wednesday issued final anti-dumping duties on corrosion-resistant flat steel from China, Taiwan, South Korea, India and Italy. China, facing pressures globally over its excess steelmaking capacity, was the worst-hit with final U.S. anti-dumping duties of 210 percent and final anti-subsidy duties ranging from 39 percent to 241 percent. (Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Leslie Adler) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. New Delhi: The Central Information Commission has directed the defence ministry to disclose some records related to AgustaWestland helicopters deal including the opinion of the Attorney General on returning procured choppers and records related to court proceedings in Italy. The Commission has also sought records related to the termination of the deal to be presented before it in an in camera proceedings for its perusal before deciding whether they can be disclosed under the RTI Act or they attract its exemption clauses. "Commission will examine application of Section 8(1)(a) and (h) in claiming exemption from disclosure of files and documents by the CPIO. It will also take a decision, if required on applying severability clause under Section 10 of RTI Act in respect of any portion of the document/files," Information Commissioner Divya Prakash Sinha said. Hearing the plea of activist Subhash Agrawal, Sinha ordered Defence Ministry to provide details of Bank Guarantee amount received back by India. "MoD is directed to provide copy of Attorney General's opinion on sending back already procured helicopters...provide details of court cases in Italian courts in which India is a party," he said. Examining the application point by point, Sinha ordered the Ministry provide names of Italian Advocates/Italian law Firms hired to represent India in Italian courts. Responding to RTI application of Agrawal, who had sought information on various points of the controversial deal for 12 VVIP helicopters from Agusta Westland in which allegations of corruption have surfaced, Defence Ministry has cited ongoing CBI investigation to deny the information. "CPIO stated that the CBI investigation in connection with the alleged scam relating to VVIP/VIP Helicopter deal is still continuing. CBI has time and again advised MoD that disclosure of any information related to this case will impede the process of investigation and disclosure of the same is exempt under section 8(1)(h)," Sinha noted. The CPIO further said the exemption under section 8(1)(h) of RTI is also applicable to the case because arbitration proceedings are on to recover the already paid amount to the supplier, he pointed out. Beijing: President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday said India and China are poised to play a "significant and constructive" role in the 21st century as 10 Indian universities signed agreements with Chinese varsities for academic cooperation coinciding with his visit to Beijing. The agreements were signed in the presence of Mukherjee at the Peking University. "India and China are poised to play a significant and constructive role in the 21st Century. When Indians and Chinese come together to address global challenges and build on their shared interests, there will be no limits to what our two peoples can jointly achieve," he said addressing the China-India University Presidents Roundtable on the occasion. Mukherjee said India's ancient academic advancement, like that of China's was world renowned. "As far back as the 6th Century, seats of higher learning like Nalanda, Takshashila, Vikramashila, Valabhi, Somapura and Odantapuri had drawn scholars and cultivated contacts and academic exchanges with famed institutions of other countries in the region and beyond," he said. "Takshashila was, in a sense, the most 'connected' of the Indian universities, a meeting ground of four civilisations Indian, Persian, Greek and Chinese. Many renowned people came to Takshashila -- Panini, Alexander, Chandragupta Maurya, Chanakya, Charaka, and Chinese Buddhist monks Faxian and Xuanzang," he said. "Today, Government of India, in partnership with Indian and international foreign partners is taking a number of far reaching initiatives to revive this tradition and create centres of excellence that can be ranked among the leading institutions of the world," he said. Stating that investment in research is important, Mukherjee said, "While R&D expenditure as percentage of GDP in India is about 0.8 per cent at present, we are making concerted efforts to increase this number". "India is a relatively young country with 60 per cent of its population in the age group of 15 to 59. To capitalise on the potential of this segment of educated youth, my government has launched 'Start-up India' aimed at promoting and providing incentives for entrepreneurship and job creation," Mukherjee said. With over 4,500 start-ups, India has the third largest start-up eco-system in the world. New initiatives under the 'Start-up India' programme will undoubtedly steer this effort in the right direction. "Thus, institutions of higher education have an important responsibility to harness the entrepreneurial abilities of our youth," he said. On the higher education front, India has initiated a unique programme GIAN - Global Initiative for Academic Networks, he said. "Under this programme, we are engaging faculties from abroad for a short term teaching assignments in higher educational institutions," he said. The MoUs signed included agreements between Nalanda and Peking Universities; IIT Delhi and Changan University for cooperation in research and education in science, engineering, management and social sciences. The pacts were also signed between IIT Calcutta and East China University of Political Science and Law; Central University of Gujarat and Beijing Foreign Studies University; Central University of Gujarat and Jinan University; Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) Nagpur and Hunan University for cooperation in the fields of computer sciences and engineering communication. NEW DELHI India has said Apple Inc must meet a rule obliging foreign retailers to sell at least 30 percent locally-sourced goods if it wishes to open stores in the country, a senior government official told Reuters. Apple is hoping to expand its retail presence in India, one of the world's fastest-growing smartphone markets, at a time when sales in the United States and China have slowed. A change in legislation last year exempted foreign retailers selling high-tech goods from the rule, which states 30 percent of the value of goods sold in the store should be made in India. However, Apple's products were not considered to be in this category, said the official, who has direct knowledge of the matter. He declined to be named as the decision by the finance ministry is not public. A finance ministry spokesman was not immediately available for comment. "They did ask for a waiver but didn't provide any material on record to justify it. The decision was taken only after a thorough examination of their application," the source said. The waiver is available only for investment in "state of the art" or "cutting-edge technology", he added. An Apple spokesman declined to comment when contacted by Reuters on Wednesday. Most Apple products are made in China. The decision is a setback for the U.S.-based company just days after a four-day trip to the country by Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook who met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last Saturday. The trip was supposed set the stage for Apple's expansion plans. Sources have said Apple planned to open at least three stores in India by the end of 2017. Separate sources had previously told Reuters that Apple held talks with Indian government officials about a relaxation of the rule before it filed an application to open stores in January. (Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh, writing by Himank Sharma; Editing by Alexandra Hudson) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Washington: The US has been successful in engaging with India on tracking money used by radical groups to penetrate into the country, the Obama Administration has said as it praised Indian Muslims for demonstrating a great deal of "resilience" against overtures by terrorist groups. "In Indian, Muslim community has demonstrated a great deal of resilience against such overtures," Nisha Desai Biswal, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, told members of Senate Foreign Relations Committee during a Congressional hearing early this week. "We have seen in India that radical ideology has by and large not been successful in taking root," she said in response to a question when asked about penetration of Islamic extremism in India by Senator Chris Murphy. Murphy also expressed concern over increasing Gulf investment in India. "There's a lot of reporting about some major investments being made by the Saudis, by the Wahhabi Clerical Movement to set up a large network of schools and madrasas throughout India," he said. "So, can you talk about that specific issue, and then more broadly about any developing trend lines on the penetration of some of these extremist groups to gain some foothold inside India?" Murphy asked. Biswal said the US is "clearly tracking" such investment and is "very concerned" about the reach of the global networks in India and around the world. "That is a very focused part of our conversations and engagement on the counter terrorism front and on the intelligence front," she said. "We have had very strong success in engaging with India on tracking financial flows that represent areas of concern, and the Indians themselves are doing a lot to track flows coming in not only from Gulf but from many other parts of the world that they think can cause concern," Biswal said. "The challenge is always identifying what we believe is appropriate financial flows coming in from across and around the world versus areas of concern, and creating the distinctions and the systematic framework to constrain one and enable the other," she said. Biswal said India and the United States are having "a very robust cooperation" on efforts by these global networks to tie into and reach into south Asia and India in particular. Dehradun: Twelve persons including a French national and four women were killed and 27 injured in two separate road accidents in Uttarakhand on Tuesday prompting Chief Minister Harish Rawat to ask officials to think up ways to rein in such mishaps. Four women were among eight killed in Sult area of Almora district and 15 others injured when the bus they were travelling in fell into a deep gorge at Chaurighatti near Bhatronjkhan. The mishap occurred at around 8 am, killing eight on the spot and leaving at least 15 injured, District Disaster Management Officer Rakesh Joshi told PTI on the phone. Eight bodies were recovered from the spot located about 60 km from the district headquarters and 15 others who sustained injuries have been rushed to PHC Bhatronjkhan and the civil hospital Ranikhet, he said. Four of the injured were later referred from Ranikhet civil hospital to Sushila Tiwari Hospital Haldwani, Joshi said. Though 15 injured have been hospitalised their number could be a little more as some who escaped with minor injuries were taken to hospital by relatives and acquaintances and were discharged after first aide, he said. The Garhwal Motor Owners' Union bus met with the accident when it was going from Masi in Almora district to Ramnagar in neighbouring Nainital district, Joshi said. The bodies have been identified as Kanti Devi (70), Asha Brijwasi (60), Gobindi Pandey (40); Bhairav Datta Joshi (36), Pradeep Thapliyal (40) and Sabbir Ahmad (32). Two bodies one each male and female could not be identified, he said. In the other incident post afternoon four persons including the French national and a Delhi resident were killed and 12 others injured when a jeep (TATA Max) fell into the Yamuna at Silai bend on Delhi-Yamunotri road in Uttarkashi district. 24-year-old Martin, the French national, was among three persons killed on the spot whereas Delhi resident Devanand Jha succumbed to injuries at Badkot hospital, SDM Badkot Rajkumar said. 12 others including Lithuania resident Greta were also injured in the mishap who continue to be under treatment at Badkot hospital, he said. Chief Minister Rawat expressed grief at the loss of lives in the two incidents. He also visited the Ranikhet Civil hospital to enquire after those under treatment and announced a compensation of Rs one lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased. He also asked officials to make adequate arrangements for the treatment of the injured. He also asked officials to devise measures to control such tragic incidents as he expressed concern over growing road accidents in the state. The Narendra Modi government came to power riding high on the plank of development, robust foreign, defence and internal security policies, and the 56-inch-chest of the head of the government! The home ministry is one of the fora to prove it. Unfortunately, the performance of the home ministry has been directionless and rudderless, signifying its quest into the wilderness. As was the case in most times since independence, the home minister does not seem to enjoy the confidence of the prime minister. Inevitably, this affects the image and the working of the ministry, which traditionally has been considered to be the second most important ministry, after the prime minister's office. Month after month, the home ministry has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. The work pertaining to the foreign contributions regulation act has been one of the most non-controversial subjects in the ministry so far. Suddenly, the country has woken up to the "conspiracies" hatched by foreign powers and international organisations to malign the government and to bring it in disrepute. As a result, the Ford Foundation, Green Peace and other organisations dealing with the environment and climate change have been put in the dock. As if India is a third grade, third world country which can be hauled up internationally by these organisations. Such misplaced fears do not signify the confidence of a rising regional power. The credibility of the central police investigative agencies have taken the worst hit, since the Modi government came to power. In the Ishrat Jahan encounter case, the government blundered by not placing the full facts before the people. Excessive secrecy has raised serious doubts and questions in the public mind. Reluctance of the government to order an independent probe has not helped in fixing responsibility either. Same is true of the many U-turns taken by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) in the Malegaon bomb blast case. A supreme court monitored enquiry alone can put to rest the grave questions in the public at large regarding the government's commitment to deal with terrorism, of whatever colour it may be, sternly, expeditiously and apolitically. The government's decision of permitting the SIT from Pakistan to visit Pathankot for investigation into the terrorist attack has raised serious doubts about the wisdom of the government in handling such a sensitive issue. Normally, such a visit should have been agreed to only on the basis of reciprocity. But, apparently there was no such understanding. From all indications, the proposal was never put before the political affairs committee or the security committee of the cabinet for approval. This raises serious questions about the decision-making processes in the government. Considering the multi-religious, multi-racial and multi-lingual character of the country, it has been the endeavour of the central government to ensure that minorities are given adequate representation in the police forces. An outstanding example of this is the rapid action force of the central government which is invariably provided to the states affected by communal riots. Its multi-religious character has gone a long way in inspiring a sense of confidence among the people. The central government has been publishing the figures of recruitment of minorities in the police forces of the states and the centre regularly so far. It was only in 2015 that the government asked the national crime records bureau to discontinue this practice. This is counter-productive and has created an impression that the government has been majoritarian in its thinking. This is a wrong message and can do a great deal of harm. Attention must also be invited to the wide-spread misuse of the provisions pertaining to the sedition law by the Centre and the state governments. These provisions, which were incorporated by the British government to curtail heavy-hand agitations against the government, are the anti-thesis of democratic governance in the country. It is high time that these provisions are repealed. Instead, the home ministry has asked the Delhi police to launch cases against student leaders in JNU and other universities on charges of sedition. This is clearly short-sighted. One would have expected home ministry to take a broader and more mature view on the subject. There is a misperception that the central government and the Aam Aadmi government in Delhi are at loggerheads on every issue. The provisions of the act giving statehood to Delhi are primarily responsible for the situation. Its provisions are clearly unworkable. One would have expected the home ministry to review the act to find a workable solution to the problems. But, the home ministry has taken no such steps to resolve the matter. Finally, the high-handed, and often borderline unlawful, functioning of the police has become a matter of serious concern. It is unfortunate that the directions of the Supreme Court on the restructuring of the police departments in the states and the Centre have still not been acted upon fully, though a decade has elapsed since they were issued. The replacement of the archaic police act of 1861 is yet to be addressed. Unless a long-range view is taken in the matter, and vigorous remedial actions are taken, the country will continue to fire-fight operations on a day-to-day basis. The author is a former home secretary and secretary, justice, government of India. Fresh from a thumping victory in Assam and a good showing in West Bengal and Kerala, BJP president Amit Shah is in an unusually buoyant mood and has now set high targets for himself and his party winning the all-important Assembly election in Uttar Pradesh. He however, is cautious of the fact that high notes like these often allow complacency to set in and guards himself and other party leaders against that: Safalta barkarar rakhna bahut badi chunauti hoti hai (Maintaining this level of success will be a challenge), he said. He however, added that good works done by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre will keep the party on an expansionist path of success. Contrary to public perception that Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was rising in Uttar Pradesh and this time around was the principal contender for power, Shah believes that it is the Samajwadi Party (SP) and not the BSP against whom the BJP will be pitched in a direct fight for power. To a query from Firstpost about why this was the case and why he thought BJP was in the reckoning for power in the state, Shah said SP has a strong base and a comparatively good organisational spread, but added that people were looking up to the BJP and have lot of expectations from us because avyavastha (mis-governance, chaos) has percolated down to the bottom. When asked if the emphasis on Dalit outreach by Modi, the party and himself was working to the detriment of Mayawatis BSP and to the benefit of the BJP, Shah said he didnt look at it that way, "Har vanchit par jyada dhyan dena sarkar aur party ka kartvaya hai (it is duty of the government and the party to take special care of deprived sections)". For all practical purposes, the BJP will sound its electoral bugle in the most populous Hindi heartland state on Thursday when Modi addresses a public rally in Sharanpur. Although this rally is part of five rallies that he is addressing in Rajasthan, Orissa, Karnataka, Shillong and of course, Uttar Pradesh on his completion of two years in office or what the BJP likes to call Vikas Parv Pakhwada the implicit message of holding his rally in Western UP at this stage is lost on no one. Shah will begin his preparatory work in Uttar Pradesh on 1 June, when he will be touring the state. He will be there again on 4 adn 8 June. The BJP is holding its national executive meeting, to be attended by all the high and mighty on 12 and 13 June in Allahabad. The executive meeting will conclude with a public rally addressed by Modi. Shah underplays it saying, Dont link it with the Uttar Pradesh elections, these are the usual government and party programs. Shah candidly said he learnt a lot from the Bihar experience (read as debacle). Maine kaafi manthan kiya hai (I have done a lot of introspection), but I cant make all that public. It has all been internalised. To a question on how much Nitish Kumar's plans to tour Uttar Pradesh extensively could damage the BJPs prospects, pat came his reply: That will end up benefitting us. Hamaara vote toh jaana nahi hai, jo batna hai woh unke vote mein batna hai (We aren't the ones who will lose votes, it will be their votes that will be split). Interacting with a group of journalists on the occasion of the Modi government's two years in power, he was in an unusual chatty mood. He talked extensively about party, government, poll prospects (present and future), laughed, cracked witty one-liners and even took mild digs at a journalist who insisted that he was in on supposed inside information and suggested that Ajit Singh was joining the BJP. Shah said the victory in Assam was very satisfying. It was, he said, a childhood dream for him to see a BJP government in that state. Many old-timers who had for decades worked or supported the BJP experienced the heartening satisfaction of finally seeing a BJP government there. Assam was ideologically important for us, he said. On Monday, chief ministers of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Nagaland met Shah. The formation of a non-Congress Northeast democratic council with the BJPs new entrant Himanta Biswa Sarma as its convener was announced. To a query about why the BJP was putting so much emphasis on the Northeast, the BJP president said it was because it is as much part of India as anywhere else. We are focusing on all areas, also expanding our partys base in regions where our presence has traditionally not been strong. For him sweetest of all poll results is Kerala, not because the party has opened its account there, but because the BJP has polled 15 percent of the total votes. Happiest is the Kerala result. We will form the next government in Kerala." Is he being overly optimistic? No, not at all, he said. For any other party this would be business as usual but not for the BJP. In 1985, BJP held a 12 percent vote-share in Gujarat and in 1990, the BJP formed a government there, he added. The same applies to Haryana. In 2009, the BJP had only nine percent of the votes and in 2014, it got a clear majority on its own with a vote-share in excess of 33 percent. This has also been the case in Assam. The year 2017 will present a major challenge for the BJP. Elections will be held in seven states including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa, Manipur, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. I am working hard to ensure that BJP wins in all the seven states, he said. Does he think Congress-mukt Bharat is politically a good thing for the BJP because it faces tougher challenge from regional parties as against smooth sailing against the Congress? Shah said, Congress-mukt Bharat as a concept has been misinterpreted. Of course we want to defeat and remove Congress from all the places it rules, but by using this term we don't mean the Congress party per se, but the system of mis-governance and corruption that the Congress symbolises. We have to uproot the kuvyastha (malpractices) and free India from these things for a better tomorrow." While the BJP is celebrating all over India, Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel has reason to worry. Shah did not rule out her removal ahead of the Gujarat polls, which are scheduled to be held in the second half of 2017. This writer had earlier written that Anandiben would be given a dignified exit, she would leave the chief ministerial position saying that she was quitting because she had turned 75 and would thus pave way for a new leader to lead the party in the 2017 polls. She in turn would be honourably given some constitutional post. No decision has been taken yet, was Shah's cryptic reply. But he was assertive in saying that the BJP will win the next elections in Gujarat with a two-thirds majority. The stress on BJP was meaningful. He indicated that a Cabinet reshuffle was on the cards but gave no clue as to when it could happen. Was he withholding re-structuring within the party for that? Dont link restructuring in the party with the Cabinet reshuffle. They are two different things. Anyone can go from here to there and come here from there. I can send anyone from party to government and accept anyone from government to party position. It all depends on requirement and circumstances," he added. New Delhi: Congress on Wednesday distanced itself from party leader Digvijaya Singh's fresh claims on the 2008 Batla House encounter, insisting that it was genuine as has been reaffirmed by the then Home Minister Shivraj Patil. "The courts and the NHRC had upheld it as genuine," party chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala told reporters. His statement came close on the heels of Patil reaffirming that the encounter was genuine and asked Congress general secretary Singh to prove his claim. Surjewala said the party has regard and respect for Singh, who is an "elder", but the stand taken by the then Congress government and the then Home Minister on the issue is "proper". Singh on Tuesday had stuck to his earlier stance that the Batla House gunfight, in which two suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorists were killed, was "fake" even as video footage telecast on a TV channel claimed that a suspect Bada Sajid was seen in an "IS video". Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has tried to balance the coalition equation while allocating portfolios to his 19 cabinet colleagues. Pinarayi and his 19-member cabinet colleagues were sworn in by Governor P Sathasivam at a function held in the Central Stadium in the state capital on Wednesday evening. The Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) stormed to power by winning 91 of the 140 seats in the Assembly. Though the CPI(M) has won 58 of the 84 seats it had contested in the 16 May election, the Chief Minister has not tried to take away any of the portfolios traditionally held by the coalition partners. They were apportioned among four allies, which have been given representation in the ministry. While the Communist Party of India (CPI), the second largest constituent of the ruling front, continues to hold sway over Revenue, Agriculture, Forest and Food and Civil Supplies, the Janata Dal nominee has been given Water Resources, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Transport and Congress (S), Ports. Of these only Mathew T Thomas (Water Resources) and Ramachandran Kadannapally (Ports) have served as ministers earlier. E Chandrashekharan, V S Sunil Kumar, K Raju, P Thilothaman and A K Saseendran, who have been given the portfolios of Revenue, Agriculture, Forest, Food and Civil Supplies and Transport respectively, are yet to prove their administrative capabilities. However, Pinarayi has given merit the main consideration in allocating the portfolios to his colleagues in the CPI(M). While he himself has taken control of the key portfolios of Home, Vigilance and IT, he has entrusted the Finance portfolio with T M Thomas Isaac. Issac had proved his mettle as finance minister in the previous LDF government headed by V S Achuthanandan. Here are brief profiles of the ministers: Thomas Isaac (Finance) Considered as one of the most educated politicians in Kerala today, Isaac is the economic brain of the CPI (M). Though he was drawn into politics from college days, he completed his post graduation, M Phil and Ph D in Economics even while actively pursuing politics. Isaac, who had served as state president of the Students Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the CPI (M), is known for his innovative ideas. He is the main architect of the decentralisation movement that brought laurels to Kerala. It evolved from the Peoples Plan campaign he initiated as a member of the State Planning Board from 1996 to 2001 under Nayanar government. Isaac had tried to tap many non-conventional sources, including Islamic finance, for powering the state economy during his term as finance minister under the 2006-11 LDF government led by V S Achuthanandan. E P Jayarajan (Industries) A firebrand leader of the CPI (M) from Kannur district, Jayarajan has been picked up to head the key portfolio of industry considering his close connections with corporates. He had tapped the corporate funds for rejuvenating the partys mouthpiece Deshabhimani and giving its electronic media a strong footing in the state. His attempts to raise funds from corporates whom the party considered untouchable had kicked off controversy in the state but Jayarajan remained undeterred. Born on May 28, 1950, is known for his fiery speeches and unflinching loyalty to Pinarayi. He had served as the state president of Democratic Youth Federation of India when it was formed in 1980. Prof. C Raveendranath (Education) The opening up of professional education to the private sector has led to big unrest in the education sector in Kerala. The CPM that waged many battles against commercialisation of education needed a strong man to lead a course correction. Pinarayi has found the apt man in Raveendranath, who is a leading educationist and a strong advocate of sustainable development. A retired chemistry professor of St. Thomas College, Thrissur, he has proved his capability by leading a movement to turn all government and aided schools in his Puthukkad constituency in Thrissur district into hi-tech schools. The LDF expects him to carry forward this and do more to regain the glory that education enjoyed in the past. T P Ramakrishnan (Excise, Labour and Registration) All eyes in Kerala will be on 67-year-old Ramakrishnan as he has the onerous task of setting right the flawed liquor policy of the previous government. The CPI (M) has entrusted the task with him as he has displayed his leadership skills. He had led the party in Kozhikode district during its most trying times. Son of a committed party worker Thazhathuparambil Shankaran of Keezhariyoor, he lived amid party men from his childhood. Arrested during the Emergency, he had also suffered brutal torture in prison. He became the district committee member in 1979 and was elected to the assembly in 2001. A C Moideen (Cooperation and Tourism) He is joining the ministry after building a solid base for the party in Thrissur as district secretary. Moideens efforts helped CPI (M) to win both the Lok Sabha seats in the district in the 2014 election and sweep all but one Assembly seat in the May 16 election. Moideen (60), who has completed SSLC, came to limelight after he emerged as a giant killer in the 2004 elections by defeating the then power minister K Muralidharan, son of Congress veteran K Karunakaran. G Sudhakaran (Public Works) CPI(M) strongman from Alapuzha, Sudhakaran (69) is known for the strong stand he had taken against corruption during his term as minister for Co-operation and Devaswom under the Achuthanandan government. He is also admired for his administrative skills. The chief ministers decision to give him the Public Works portfolio is considered a strong signal against officials-contractors nexus that rules the roost in the department. However, his acerbic tongue has often alienated officials from him. A K Balan (Law, Culture and Backward castes welfare) Soft spoken, Balan was Minister for Electricity and SC/ST Development in the last LDF government. He made his first stint memorable by becoming first electricity minister in the country to achieve 100 percent electrification of a district. His focused effort led to declaration of Palakkad as the fully electrified district in India in 2010. During his term, Kerala also won the National Award for Energy Conservation. Balan, who is the face of the backward castes and classes in the CPI (M), represents the Tarur constituency in Palakkad district. As a classmate of Pinarayi at Brennen College, Thalassery, he went for LL.B after passing out of the college with a degree. Shylaja Teacher (Health) One of the firebrand women leaders of the CPI (M), K K Shylaja, popularly known as Shyala Teacher, is known for her the defender of womens rights. She was noted for her stand in protecting the rights of women in the Assembly during her two tenures as MLA. She was elected to the Assembly in 1996 and 2006. She became active in politics after giving up her profession as a teacher. A post-graduate, 60-year-old Shylaja is presently secretary of the All India Democratic Women Association. \ Mercykutty Amma (Fisheries and Traditional Industries) Considered as a staunch supporter of Achuthanandan, Mercykutty Amma (59) is a trade union leader, who has dedicated decades of her life for the betterment of the fishermen and workers engaged in the traditional industries. Hailing from coastal Kollam district, Mercykutty Amma had served as district secretary of Matsya Thozhilali Union for long. Like most others, she began her political career through the student movement. She had served as state vice- president and member of the central executive committee of SFI. At present, she serves as the national vice-president of the organisation and state committee member of the CPI (M). She is the only representative of the faction headed by the nonagenarian leader. Kadkampally Surendran (Electricity and Devaswom) A prominent face of the CPI (M) in the capital district of Thiruvananthapuram, Surendran has made it to the Assembly after two successive defeats in 2001 and 2006. His elevation and the key portfolios assigned to him are considered as a reward for the battles he fought for the party. Forty-five criminal cases the 63-year-old leader faces is a testimony of the leading role he played in the political agitations waged by the CPI (M) in the district. Surendran, who did his degree at the University College, Thiruvananthapuram, was active in student movements and cultural activities from his school days. He has been serving as district secretary of the party from 2007 onwards. K T Jaleel (Local Self-Government) The only non-party member in the ministry, Jaleel is the second most educated minister in the Pinarayi cabinet after Thomas Isaac. After completing his post graduation, Jaleel secured M.Phil from Calicut University and Ph.D from Kerala University. His elevation in his third term is a reward for helping the CPI(M) in making inroads into the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) vote bank. He began his journey into the parliamentary politics by defeating IUML strongman P K Kunhalikutty in the partys stronghold in Malappuram district in 2006 as a CPI(M) independent. Once a firebrand Youth League leader, Jaleel attracted a larger section of youth to the Left fold with his oratory skills. V S Sunil Kumar (Agriculture) A lawyer by profession, Sunil Kumar is one of the most vocal parliamentarians of the Communist Party of India (CPI). He had put the UDF on the tenterhooks by actively pursuing the allegations of corruption and sleaze against their ministers and other senior leaders both in the field and in the courts. He had made a major role in shaping the bar bribery and solar scams that rocked the UDF government into the major poll planks of the LDF. Born on 30 May, 1967, he entered politics through the All India Students Federation, the student wing of the CPI. E Chandrashekharan (Revenue) He emerged as one of the top leaders of the CPI in the northern district of Kannur after he led the partys agitations for formation of Kasargod district. The 66-year-old leader, who will also hold the role of leader of the CPI Parliamentary party in the Assembly, is known for his clean image and leadership skills. A member of the CPI state executive, he won from Kanhangad for the second consecutive term by over 28,000 votes. In 2011, his margin was 12,178 votes. K Raju (Forest) Beginning his political career as a student activist of the CPI, Raju won the election from Punalur constituency in Kollam district for the third time. Raju, who did his graduation in political science from St' Johns College Anchal and Law from Government Law College, has been practising lawyer for the past 35 years. Raju, who has held various positions in the party, is currently the state council member of the party. P Thilothaman (Food and Civil Supplies) The face of the CPI in Alappuzha district, Thilothaman is considered as a cool and easily accessible leader. The 58-year-old, who started political and social activities from college days, was partys district secretary and state council member. A leader with a clean image, he is representing Cherthala, which has elected veterans like A K Antony and Vayalar Ravi, for the third term. He emerged a giant killer in 2011 when he defeated former firebrand CPI(M) leader K R Gowriamma. Mathew T Thomas (Water Resources) Drawn into politics through the JP movement, 54-year-old Mathew was in the forefront of many student agitations in the state and got arrested several times. Born in Tiruvalla as the son of Rev. T. Thomas, a priest of the Mar Thoma Church, he went for LL.B after completing his B.Sc. degree. He had proved his leadership skills by helping the state-run Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) tide over one of the worst financial crisis during his term as Transport Minister in the 2006-11 Achuthanandan government. Many of the reforms he initiated then were continued by the UDF government. Mathew is currently the state president of Janata Dal (Secular). A K Saseendran (Transport) Top leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Kerala, 71-year-old Saseendran entered politics through the student movement as leader of the Kerala Students Union (KSU), the student wing of the Indian National Congress. He had served as general secretary of KSU and president of the Youth Congress from 1977 to 1978. Saseendran was elected to the Assembly in 1980, 1982 and 2006. Married to Anitha Krishnan N T, the couple has a son. Kadannappalli Ramachandran (Ports) Like Saseendran, Ramachandran began his political career through KSU and remained firmly in the Congress (S) when his colleagues returned to the Congress fold. He is the lone member of the party in the Assembly. Born on 1 July 1944, he is the state president of the party. Ramachandran was noted after he defeated CPI (M) veteran E K Nayanar in the 1971 Lok Sabha election at Kasargod at the young age of 26. A law graduate, he had served as Minister for Devaswom. 'Congress-mukt Bharat' has become a buzzword for political discourse in the country after the state election results earlier this month saw the Congress party lose its government in two of the three major states (out of the 20 such major states in the country) that it had held till recently. Now it is left with just Karnataka till 2018, when the elections are due there. If anti-incumbency catches up with this southern state given the Kannadigas recent electoral preference to throw out the incumbent government after five years then the wash-out of the Congress would be, more or less complete. The party would be then left with a couple of tiny north-eastern states to draw its sustenance from. Narendra Modis call in 2014 for a Congress-mukt Bharat would then become a virtual reality before the next General elections in 2019. The Congresss predicament is such that it is wilting under the weight of anti-incumbency where it is in power and it is not able to bounce back to power where it is in the opposition. It is a predicament that is symptomatic of a death-wish. For the Congress, it is turning out as if electoral decimation is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Is the decline of the Congress an irreversible process or is it that it is just a temporary blip for the century-old party and will it come round to its winning ways sooner rather than later? Those who have already written down the obituary of the Congress would tend to agree with the first assumption. Those who see a possibility of the Congress redeeming its lost glory in the years to come will agree with the latter. As always, the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty will be the key to the future of the party: if the leadership will be incapable to infuse new zeal in what is fast turning out to be a moribund party, then it will pass into history. But if it sets in motion immediate corrective measures to halt the reversal process, it will possibly survive to fight another day. The Congress has two major fights at hand in the next two years Gujarat in 2017 and Karnataka in 2018. The Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are also there next year, but the Congress will not be of any major consequence in that state (in spite of the professionals like Prashant Kishores who have been entrusted the task to revive the party there), unless Mayawatis BSP agrees to take the Congress on as a junior partner in the electoral race against the ruling Samajwadi party and the insurgent BJP. But, like Jayalalithaa in Tamil Nadu and Mamata in West Bengal, Mayawati may go whole hog on her own. In that case, the Congress will most likely register its token presence only in the family borough of Amethi and Rae Bareli, and largely disappear in the rest of the state. Karnataka and Gujarat offer contrasting challenges. In Karnataka, the Congress has the task to defend the governments achievements and fight anti-incumbency; in Gujarat, it faces the challenge of throwing out the incumbent BJP government and take power. These are two doable tasks. In Karnataka, the Congress Chief Minister, K Siddaramaiah, is considered to be an able administrator. In his tenure as chief minister over the last three years, he has not faced as much challenge from the BJP, the major opposition party, as from some of his own party men who have still not reconciled with the idea that an import from an opposition party (he joined the Congress in 2006) took the reins of the government when the Congress came to power in 2013. Those who had worked their life-time in the Congress felt betrayed with Siddaramaiahs elevation to the top job. The Congress leadership has had the unenviable task: to see to it that Siddaramaiah is not destabilised and at the same time to ensure that the veteran Congress leaders are kept in good humour. That is a skill a good political leadership should be able to demonstrate; that is a skill which Sonia Gandhi has displayed in ample measure in last two decades but that is a skill Rahul Gandhi sorely lacks. In his arrogance (paternal legacy, perhaps), he has ruffled many features and, in the process, has alienated many provincial leaders (Himanta Biswa Sarma in Assam is the latest example). Rahul Gandhi must learn from his mother the skill to manage competing egos in politics before he takes over from her as party president. Even if he gets his position as the heir of Indias premier political dynasty, he must remember that India is a democracy, not a monarchy. Here the wish of the prince cannot be an unequivocal command to be accepted by all party men; it has to be carefully calibrated to warrant wider acceptance. Rahul Gandhi must know that only if he does not allow his ego to get the better of his reasoning, then he would emerge as a successful leader. He must make Karnataka a test case to work it out. At a time when many leaders are able to buck anti-incumbency through a series of social welfare measures targeting the poor (what is pejoratively called freebies), Siddaramaiah can always move aggressively in the next two years to prioritise the execution of schemes which would immediately bring succour to the majority. Thereby, he may earn the opprobrium for laying a premium on freebies over development, but that would be a small price to pay for earning himself, and the Congress, another term in power. In the recent panchayat elections (in February this year), the Congress has done reasonably well, winning 16 of the 30 zila parishads; BJP got seven and the JD(S) two. In the rest five, there was no outright winner, but the Congress was ahead in most of them. If the Congress keeps this momentum, it has a great chance to return to power, especially because the BJP has reinstated the former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa as the party leader in the state. Yeddyurappa has had an unsavoury reputation as the chief minister and had to spend time in jail on corruption charges. He had floated his own party and had sworn at the BJP and its leaders. His re-induction as the BJP leader has left many loyal party supporters dismayed. In 2008, Yeddyurappa was the symbol of unity for the BJP to lead it to power in a state in South India for the first time. But in 2018, he may turn out to be the drag factor diminishing the chances of the BJP to get back to power. If there is a fair chance for the Congress to keep power in Karnataka if it plays its cards well there is still a fairer chance for it to make a strike in Gujarat. The party registered a spectacular victory in the last panchayat elections In Gujarat: it won 23 out of 31 zila panchayats while the BJP got just eight. It is, of course, true that the BJP held sway in the urban municipal elections. But the Patidar agitation, which has sworn itself to oust the BJP government, is likely to come to the rescue of the Congress in the urban settlement. By putting Hardik Patel, the young leader of the Patidar agitation in jail on sedition charges, the BJP government has dug its own grave. The opportunity in Gujarat is waiting on the wings. If the Congress cannot cash in on it this time, it must be ready to be consigned to history. The overwhelming victory of the BJP in Assam, once a bastion of the Congress party has boosted the party's confidence and fuelled ambitions of spreading its presence across the other northeastern states. Its success in Assam, which has a 34 percent Muslim population, is majorly due to the consolidation of Hindu votes and playing on the natural fears of the Assamese that they will be reduced to a minority in their own state. Xenophobia of "outsiders" is common across the North East. Mostly it is Bangladeshi immigrants and Nepalis in certain pockets but often extends to all "outsiders", people not from the region. Consolidation of Hindu votes helped the BJP's cause. The BJP is now training its guns on Manipur, where elections are scheduled for around February next year. Manipur now has a Congress government led by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh. The other two states with Congress in the saddle are Meghalaya and Mizoram. In Arunachal Pradesh the BJP already has a government brought about by large scale defection from the Congress. In Nagaland and Sikkim the BJP is in alliance with the Sikkim Democratic Front and the Naga People's Front. The swearing in of the first BJP-led alliance in Assam with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president Amit Shah and a host of BJP bigwigs in attendance, has created a buzz across the region. Seizing the moment, Shah announced the formation of a North East Democratic Alliance, made up of Naga People's Front and the Sikkim Democratic Front in place to defeat the Congress. Heading this anti-Congress alliance will be Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Congress defector who played such a crucial role in the BJP victory. BJP chief ministers of Assam and Arunachal will also be members. The task is to let the lotus bloom across these sensitive border states. Manipur Chief Minister Ibobi Singh is into his second term in office, having been in power since 2007. The majority community in Manipur are the Meiteis, living in the valley or the plain areas of the state. They are staunch Hindus, while the hill tribals including Nagas are mostly Christians. The RSS has operated in Manipur for several decades, though politically the BJP had little to show for it. However this year for the first time in Manipur, in an Assembly by-election a BJP candidate had won. This perhaps is a reflection of things to come. The BJP will play the Hindu card to the hilt during the elections. The Meities and the tribals in Manipur have had a history of discord. In the last decade tension has escalated as people fight over scarce resources. The Nagas living in Manipur's hill areas are loyal to the National Socialist Council of Nagaland. During peace talks with the Centre, the NSCN while giving up their demand for independence, had wanted the amalgamation of all areas where Nagas are presently scattered to form a Nagalim or Naga homeland. Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh had all protested the move. The protests from all the states, led to the idea being dropped. But new cause of tension has been the state governments attempts to protect the flow of people into the Manipur valley by ensuring that outsiders who enter should get an special permission, or an inner line permit. The people living in the hill areas of the state believe this would go against their interests. One would expect that if the Meities are staunch Hindus and will now be inclined towards the BJP, the surprise is that the BJP is also working among the Christians who are mostly Nagas. The mystery accord that the NSCN ageing leaders Isaac Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah, makes most Nagas loyal to the outfit believe that the BJP is acceptable. At the same time the BJP has a good rapport with the Naga People's Front, which is ruling in Nagaland. The Nagaland government is also close to the NSCN. So Nagas in Manipur have no problems with the BJP. Strangely enough the cow slaughter ban, the move against conversions by the Church, which is championed by the RSS and the extended Sangh Parivar does not seem to have touched Nagas here. At the same time the BJP's Hindutva ideology is being embraced by the Meities. The reality is that the north eastern states, largely dependent on the Centre for funds, generally go with the party ruling in the Centre. So opportunist politicians especially those who dislike the chief minister may start leaving the Congress and joining the BJP. The BJP's thumping majority in neighbouring Assam has jolted Congress politicians in the North East. They realize that the mood of the people is clearly against the Congress. "You know how the politicians are. They don't believe in ideology and have no loyalty. They will leave a sinking ship at the first opportunity," said Babloo Loitongbam, a human rights activist in Imphal. Tripura, is a Left bastion , where CPM Chief Minister Manik Sarkar runs a clean and efficient government. It will be difficult for the BJP to penetrate. In Mizoram, the Church calls the shots. It is unlikely that the Church will ask people to go for the BJP. But the BJP is also trying to get a toe hold in Meghalaya, another Christian state, and getting a good response. The BJP is also trying to get a toe hold in Meghalaya, another Christian state, and getting a good response. "The BJP is working very hard among the people here. Nalin Kohli comes here very often and the people's response has been good," said Patricia Mukhim, editor of Shillong Times. "No, the Hindu ideology of the BJP has not turned people away from the party. They want change and in Meghalaya I doubt the BJP will play the Hindu card, at least in this state.." She believes that people are tired of the Congress government, which seems jaded and unable to deliver. "There is a real vacuum in Meghalaya, and the BJP is filling that space," said Mukhim. Meghalaya elections are in 2018, and the BJP has time to expand its network. The thriving Marwari community , who control most of the business across the North East are staunch BJP supporters. Now that Narendra Modi has completed two years in office, there are two ways of judging the performance of his government. One is to analyse his governments claims. The other way is to examine the failures his opponents and critics point out. Ideally, of course, there should be a convergence of these two approaches, and that too on the fronts of development and governance, the two issues that Modi had highlighted to be his focus areas. However, one does not come across many such assessments. In a country like India, it is logical to expect that economic issues in general and that of jobs, employment and income in particular should dominate a countrys polity. Interestingly, however, that is not happening either in India under Modi or in advanced industrial democracies in the West. Political scientists have found out that unlike in the past when democratic governments, for their survival, adopted such redistributive policies as progressive taxation, social insurance and expansive welfare measures, these days non-economic issues such as environmentalism, intellectual freedom, gender equality, identity politics, nationalism and immigration are determining the fates of governments. As Professor Ronald Inglehart, founding president of World Values Survey, has explained, with higher levels of economic and physical security of the people in general (in my opinion, it is particularly true of our political leaders and elites), there is now what is called the postmaterialist mindset with greater emphasis on autonomy and self-expression that dominates democratic polities. As a result, we now have a decline in class politics and a rise in political polarisation based on noneconomic issues. It is not that the classic economic issues have disappeared during elections. But their relative importance has declined and noneconomic issues have become more prominent. The electorate had (has) shifted from class-based polarisation toward value-based polarisation, argues Inglehart. This, perhaps, explains why during two years of Modi as Prime Minister, we have seen most of the criticisms against him being non-economic in nature. We have seen fewer discussions on Modis pet schemes like Make in India, Skill India, Cleaning of Ganga and the Kisan-oriented budget. On the other hand, the debates over Modi as Prime Minister have been on his scant regards for democracy, authoritarian style of functioning, growing communalisation of the polity, curbing dissent and so on. There have been systematic attempts through these debates to polarise the polity; those supporting Modi are called bhakts by Modis critics and those demonising Modi have been labelled as anti-nationals by Modis supporters. And it so happens that this battle has been quite unequal, with Modis critics, who dominate Indias intellectual shape, outnumbering those who have supported the Prime Minister. In my considered view, most of the political attacks (not on economic and development issues) have been really unfair. Let me explain only one of them. Are we Indians really heading for an Emergency-like situation that habitual Modi-bashers are predicting? They say that Modi is behaving like late Indira Gandhi who gained the authority to rule by decree, allowing civil liberties to be curbed. Prof. Milan W. Svolik of University of Illinois has examined a fundamental problem of politics in authoritarian regimes and concluded that the dictator and the ruling coalition must share power and govern in an environment where political influence must be backed by a credible threat of violence. In his model of authoritarian politics, power sharing is complicated by this conflict of interest: by exploiting his position, the dictator may acquire more power at the expense of the ruling coalition, which may attempt to deter such opportunism by threatening to stage a coup (revolt). Two power-sharing regimes contested and established dictatorships may emerge as a result of strategic behaviour by the dictator and the ruling coalition. This theory accounts for the large variation in the duration of dictators tenures and the concentration of power in dictatorships over time. Svolik has studied 316 authoritarian leaders of the world who were in power for various lengths of time between 1945 and 2002. Some of them got out because of constitutional means such as elections (death or a hereditary succession). Some were dethroned from power through nonconstitutional means - assassinations, popular uprisings and foreign interventions. But 205 dictatorsmore than two-thirdwere removed by government insiders, such as other government members or members of the military or security forces. Svoliks basic point is that for a leader to succeed as an authoritarian, he or she must have perfect equations with governing elites, ranging from ministerial colleagues to party cadres to bureaucrats to military leaders to intellectuals. Political institutions in dictatorships, such as governing councils, legislatures, or parties, may therefore function to allow members of the governing authoritarian elite to reassure each other that none of them is trying to acquire more power at others expense. And having perfect equations depends on the extent to which the leader shares his or power with these governing elites. In other words, politics among the governing authoritarian elites is the key to determining the probability of the phenomenon of dictatorship and its subsequent durability. An established dictator keeps this politics totally under his or control and hence remains in power for long (Fidel Castro in Cuba or the Communist oligarchs in China, for instance). The contested dictators, on the other hand, are unable to manage the sharing of power and get dethroned in the process either military coups or judicial verdicts (we see this happening in Pakistan from time to time). Technically speaking, Indira Gandhi had revoked Emergency and had gone for polls in 1977. There is not enough literature to find out as to why she revoked it. Was it due to the fact that she was finding it difficult to manage the sharing of power with the governing elites? Was she apprehending problems from the military? Well, I do not know the answers. But I am quite convinced that Modi will not be able to manage the sharing of power either (he does not have total loyalty of his key cabinet colleagues and top leaders in the party, let alone the support of the bosses in RSS) and therefore it is next to impossible for him to become a dictator. In fact, unlike Indira Gandhi, Modi does not have the luxury of keeping two other important sections of the governing elites with him on his side. It may be noted that for any successful dictator, it is absolutely vital to keep the judiciary on its side. In Pakistan therefore we notice that its judiciary has virtually endorsed every spell of dictatorship under what it says the doctrine of necessity (It was only after Pervez Musharraf fought with the then Chief Justice of the country that his decline began). Similarly, when Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency, she had a set of committed judges in the Supreme Court. It is impossible that Modi is going to have his henchmen occupying the positions in the Indian Supreme Court. Secondly, all told, Indira Gandhi, thanks to her ostensible Left-inclinations, enjoyed the overwhelming support of the Indian intellectual elite, dominated by the Leftists in the Nehruvian fold. Besides, it must be noted that the Indian press, though asked to bend, literally crawled during Emergency. And that was understandable because the survival of most of the newspapers (there was no television) depended on government advertisements. In the command and control (closed) economy that Indira Gandhi had promoted, there were not many vibrant private industries who could have sustained a free media then. But today, the situation is different. Most of the leading and successful media houses are not dependent on the government; in fact, their owners and promoters happen to be among the countrys richest. So an authoritarian Modi cannot dream of having a puppet media in India today. And no dictator anywhere in the world can sustain power in the absence of a puppet media. Ironically, most of Modis critics who accuse the Prime Minister of trampling dissent or civil rights happen to be those secularists and leftists who have tolerated more incidents of banning and restrictions on ideas than anyone else. In fact, they are more intolerant of others' views. They can rewrite and reinterpret history books, as they did under Congress regimes, particularly under education ministers like Nurul Hasan and Arjun Singh, but deny the same right to rightists as they did under the former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's regime and do now under that of Narendra Modi. Unfortunately for Modi, Indias perception-makers are overwhelmingly dominated by academicians, artists, journalists and contributors who are moulded in what is said to be the Nehruvian framework or establishment Left/Liberal/Secular. No wonder they are deliberately building up perceptions that nothing is happening in India and that the country is literally burning along ethnic and religious fault-lines. In the process, the real issues on the front of governance have taken a back seat. And paradoxically, it is suiting Modi as his governance on the front of development has not come under rigorous scrutiny. In this sense, Modis critics are his best friends. The performance of Narandra Modi as an individual, the functioning of his government and the narrative of his RSS-backed party during the preceding two years calls for a dispassionate analysis thats done without any fear or favour. But believe it or not, its too difficult a job for the simple reason that the man of the moment, his government and his party look like three different entities. And analysing the performances of the three put together would present a confusing, indecipherable picture. Lets talk about Modi first. A stickler for rules and decorum, and a strict disciplinarian that he is even in his personal lifestyle, Modi exudes energy 24x7 around the year. He works hard, does his yogic exercise every morning, eats less and follows an apparently unending, busy schedule. He moves on holding his head high both within India and abroad. So far, he has made more than 40 foreign trips covering five continents and has earned respect for India globally. Nobody, not even his ideological adversaries, harbour doubts regarding his love for his India First agenda. And he gallops on, come what may. To the great discomfiture of his political opponents, Modi continues to stand tall in the face of accusations of being a narcissist, a dictator and a Hindu zealot. Amid fierce political exchanges and global economic turmoil, the prime ministers approval ratings continue to remain high. According to a sample survey conducted by instaVaani, Modi still enjoys an approval rating of 74 percent across the country. The survey was conducted recently using an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system nationally. What was even more significant about this survey was that the approval ratings of the prime minister and the government over which he presides differed with the government slipping down the ladder in the ratings compared to Modi's own score. This is perfectly in line with the popular perception about the two different entities Modi and his government. Obviously, this government doesnt seem to shine as much as the man who got for the ruling party 282 of the total 545 seats in the Lok Sabha. And who doesnt know that it is primarily because of the charismatic Modi effect that governance in the worlds largest democracy enjoys unparalleled stability for the first time since 1984. The government doesnt have any threat to its survival whether internal or external. And this is Modis biggest achievement. In one of his recent articles that was published in a news portal, Ajaz Ashraf came out with a piece of startling research about Modi: The prime minister delivers a speech or makes a statement every 1.9 days or every 45.6 hours. In 706 days as Prime Minister, he delivered 219 speeches at launches of schemes, anniversaries, inaugurations, foundation laying ceremonies and election rallies. In addition, he made 144 speeches at international meetings and public receptions abroad. This is obviously in sharp contrast to Manmohan Singh who was described as Maun-mohan Singh by Modi himself. But the moment the two entities are viewed separately, you get a distinct impression that while Modi is trying to deliver rapid-fire results, his government lags behind. Remember, the government has failed on the price-rise and employment-generation fronts. Skyrocketing daal prices, apart from other things, had accounted for BJPs humiliating defeat in Bihar not too long ago. The performance of the government in tackling drought and drinking water shortage across the country has also been tardy. And on the twin issues of bringing back black money stashed abroad and tackling banks NPAs, the governments performance hasnt been impressive enough. There are, however, bright spots too. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna finds pride of a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. As many as 1.8 crore accounts were opened in different banks in the first week itself (from 23 to 29 August, 2014). And by May this year, 21.74 crore accounts had been opened with a deposit of Rs 37,445 crore through this scheme. This apart, it must be said that a lot of fund leakage has been stopped in the MGNREGA and PDS. Do you know that by now, 3.5 crore multiple or ghost beneficiaries have been eliminated from the subsidised LPG rolls? This resulted in savings worth Rs 14,672 crore. Modi and his government apart, lets take a birds eye view of the third entity the BJP in this context. The party has its own highs and lows during the past two years. If 2014 was a great year for the party with impressive victories in Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand and the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, it suffered humiliating defeats in the Delhi and Bihar Assembly polls, and the Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh civic body elections in 2015. And this year, the BJP has done very well in Assam forming a government for the first time in coalition with Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland Peoples Front. But their fortunes will be put to the test next year when Uttar Pradesh and Punjab go to the polls. Meanwhile, Modi who, in his childhood, used to help his father sell tea at Vadnagar railway station in Gujarat, now ranks fifth on Fortunes second annual list of Worlds Greatest Leaders. And Forbes describes him as the ninth most powerful person on Earth. He is also the second 'most-followed' person in the world with more than five million Twitter subscribers. So far, so good. But Acche Din have yet to be brought about by him, his government and his party. They have three more years to do it. Hope lives on. DUBAI/LONDON/CAIRO Al Qaeda may have been pushed out of the enclave it carved out in Yemen as the country descended into civil war, but the militants are still entrenched in other parts of the country's south, reaping profits from smuggled fuel. Scores of militants were killed in a Gulf Arab-backed offensive on Al Qaeda's de facto capital of Mukalla, Yemen's third largest seaport, but hundreds fled to neighbouring Shabwa province and beyond. A month later, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) is thriving by joining diverse armed groups in taxing fuel delivered illicitly to remote beaches along the Arabian Sea coast, security, tribal and shipping sources say. Home to Yemen's largest industrial project, a now-shut liquefied natural gas export facility at Belhaf, Shabwa is divided among al Qaeda, government troops loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, Houthi forces and armed tribes. Tribal sources say all sides are benefiting at a time of extreme fuel shortages around the country. "There are five checkpoints in Shabwa between Bir Ali and Ataq leading to the (Houthi-controlled) interior ... one by the army, one by a tribal militia and one by the acting governor. Al Qaeda maintains two at Azzan," a local tribal leader said. General Faraj al-Buhsani, commander of the Yemeni forces which routed AQAP in Mukalla, concurred. "In Azzan (al Qaeda) has a hub for the trade in oil products coming from Belhaf and that area in the direction of Shabwa which is ongoing. We are hearing about this continuously." Aid groups say Yemen in an average recent month brings in less than 10 percent of the more than 500,000 tonnes of fuel it needs, partly because many Yemeni ports are subject to a Gulf Arab quasi-blockade to prevent arms reaching the Houthis. Director of the Shabwa governor's office, Muhsin al-Haj, defended the province's role in the illegal trade when it is struggling to maintain security with limited outside help. "Shabwa is running on the most basic resources," he told Reuters. "In a province of 42,000 sq km, we have just two security cars, and they're not even armed." A YEAR UNDER AQAP Founded in the 1990s, AQAP's re-emergence is a striking unintended consequence of the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen in March 2015, prompted by gains made against the government by Houthi rebels allied to Saudi's arch-enemy, Iran. Before the military's April 24-25 offensive, the group enjoyed relative prosperity along 600 km (373 miles) of Yemen's southern coastline, raking in around $2 million every day mostly by taxing goods entering Mukalla by ship, as documented in a Reuters investigation in early April. The group also extorted $1.4 million from the national oil company. In its year of control, the militants gained the grudging acceptance of many locals in the long-marginalised south by putting its economic resources to work in development projects. Some residents told Reuters they preferred the stability of al Qaeda's rule to living in a war zone contested by armed groups. For their part, the militants appeared to want to avoid dragging a potentially sympathetic civilian population into a conflict when the military attacked, and simply withdrew. It was a change in tack for the group, which conducted a series of attacks in Yemen, including on the now-abandoned U.S. embassy in Sanaa, and claimed responsibility for the shootings at French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in January 2015. Tribal sources say Al Qaeda militants have agreed not to obstruct the lucrative smuggling trade and instead inserted themselves into the illicit networks. "Al Qaeda takes its share of oil smuggling at the ports in Shabwa through intermediaries and there is an agreement between them and the tribes that the one won't stand in the way of the other," one tribal source said. SMALL CRAFT Local officials and international shipping sources say the smuggling is conducted through small craft, including wooden dhows, alighting at fishing villages and hamlets. One shipping source pointed to at least three small ships, which included tankers, that were involved in fuel smuggling activity around Bir Ali and surrounding areas since the government took over Mukalla. "There are a number of small harbours around that area that have become possible conduits for illicit smuggling activity," said one shipping source. "It usually involves very small ships that can discharge their cargoes more easily given the smaller quantities involved. "The vessels make deviations from their normal navigational courses and switch off their transponders close to the shorelines of these areas." Two separate trade sources familiar with trading movements in Yemen also pointed to smuggling activity around those areas, involving ships carrying small loads of around 1,000 tonnes of fuel oil or diesel. Yemeni military and coalition officials say that despite an apparent pause, they are continuing to fight to destroy AQAP. "Al Qaeda is taking losses in Yemen and will continue to do so," Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told a press conference in Berlin on Wednesday. "There is no magic wand that one can wave that leads to the defeat of al Qaeda. It takes time ... we are determined to wage this battle until we defeat them." Elisabeth Kendall, a Yemen scholar at Oxford University, said the group's new tactics could make it harder to root out, however. "They're always going to keep melting away and now that they have a lot of money, they can buy their way into the population and reach places the government can't and gain traction." (Additional reporting by Noah Barkin in Berlin; Writing By Noah Browning; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Rio De Janeiro: The president of Brazil's Senate was put on the defensive with the release of a secretly recorded conversation that reveals him proposing to weaken one of the key tools prosecutors have used to catch politicians and businessmen in a sweeping corruption scandal. The released transcript and audio, published by the newspaper Folha de S Paulo, appears to feed widespread suspicions that top lawmakers are trying to stifle investigations into billions of dollars in alleged bribes involving the state oil company, Petrobras. The conversation shows Senate leader Renan Calheiros suggesting legal changes to bar the use of plea bargains with people who have been arrested. Prosecutors have used such deals, offering lighter sentences to persuade suspects to implicate high-ranking businessmen and politicians, including Calheiros. "You can't make a plea deal while arrested. That's the first thing," Calheiros allegedly said in a wide-ranging conversation about the Petrobras probe with Sergio Machado, an ex-senator and former head of another state oil company, Transpetro. Machado also is being investigated. The Supreme Federal Tribunal, Brazil's highest court, is considering seven investigations against Calheiros in the Petrobras probe. Even so, in the recording, Calheiros said he could "negotiate" with the justices a "transition" from President Dilma Rousseff to Vice President Michel Temer. He didn't provide details in the taped conversation. Rousseff was suspended by a Senate impeachment vote earlier this month and Temer has taken over as acting president while senators put her on trial within six months. Calheiros' office issued a statement acknowledging the conversation but insisting that the talks "don't reveal, indicate or suggest any mention or attempt to interfere with" the Petrobras probe. Later on Wednesday, in another tap obtained and published by Folha, former President promised Machado that he would help him overcome the Petrobras probe. Sarney, a political heavyweight whose son is environment minister, said he would work to keep the investigation against Machado out of the hands of lower court judge Sergio Moro. Moro, the lead judge on the Petrobras probe, has gone after many people who don't hold federal elected offices or Cabinet positions. Only the Supreme Federal Tribunal can decide to try the latter. NEW YORK Hillary Clinton broke government rules by using a private email server without approval for her work as U.S. secretary of state, an internal government watchdog said on Wednesday. The long-awaited report by the State Department inspector general was the first official audit of the controversial arrangement to be made public. It was highly critical of Clinton's use of a server in her home, and immediately fuelled Republican attacks on Clinton, the Democratic front-runner in an already acrimonious presidential race. The report, which also found problems in department record-keeping practices before Clinton's tenure, undermined Clinton's earlier defences of her emails, likely adding to Democratic anxieties about public perceptions of the candidate. A majority of voters say Clinton is dishonest, according to multiple polls. The report concluded that Clinton would not have been allowed to use the server in her home had she asked the department officials in charge of information security. The report said that staff who later raised concerns were told to keep quiet. Several suspected hacking attempts in 2011 were never reported to department information security officials, in breach of department rules, it said. "She's as crooked as they come," Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate, said of Clinton at a campaign rally in Anaheim, California, adding that the report's findings were "not good" for her. Clinton's campaign disagreed, saying the report rebutted Republican's criticism. The inspector general's office examined email record-keeping under five secretaries state, both Democratic and Republican. John Kerry, the current officeholder, and predecessors Madeline Albright, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice all agreed to speak to the inspector general's investigators. Clinton was the only one who declined to be interviewed, as did her aides. The report contradicted Clinton's repeated assertion that her server was allowed and that no permission was needed. Several other inquiries continue, including a U.S. Justice Department investigation into whether the arrangement broke laws. The inspector general's report cited "longstanding, systemic weaknesses" with State Department records that predated Clinton's tenure, and found problems with the email record-keeping of some of her predecessors, particularly Powell, that failed to comply with the Federal Records Act. But it singled out Clinton for her decision to use a private server in her home in Chappaqua, New York, for government business. "OIG found no evidence that the Secretary requested or obtained guidance or approval to conduct official business via a personal email account on her private server," the report said, using an abbreviation for the office of inspector general. The report said Clinton should have discussed the arrangement with the department's security and technology officials. Officials told investigators that they "did not - and would not - approve her exclusive reliance on a personal email account to conduct Department business." The reason, those officials said, is because it breached department rules and presented "security risks." CONCERNS SILENCED State Department spokesman Mark Toner said he would not "challenge" those findings. He told reporters the department was aware of hacking attempts on Clinton's server, but had no evidence that any were successful. When two lower-level information technology officials tried to raise concerns about Clinton's email arrangement in late 2010, their supervisor in Clinton's office instructed them "never to speak of the Secretary's personal email system again," the report said. Their supervisor told them that department lawyers had approved of the system, but the inspector general's office said it found no evidence this was true. Brian Fallon, a Clinton spokesman, said the report rebutted criticisms of Clinton made by her political opponents. "The report shows that problems with the State Department's electronic recordkeeping systems were longstanding and that there was no precedent of someone in her position having a State Department email account until after the arrival of her successor," he said in a statement. He did not address the report's criticism of Clinton's use of a private server, something no other secretary of state has done. Democrats, including fundraisers for Clinton's campaign, said the report revealed nothing new. "It's digging and digging and digging," Amy Rao, the chief executive of data company Integrated Archive Systems and a Clinton fundraiser, said in an interview, comparing the investigation to probes the Clintons faced in the 1990s. "Trust me: There's no there there. It's Whitewater." Current Secretary of State Kerry asked Steve Linick, the State Department inspector general, to investigate after Clinton's email arrangement came to light last year. President Barack Obama appointed Linick to the role in 2013. Republicans have used Clinton's email practice to suggest she was trying to hide government records from scrutiny under public-access laws. Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement that the findings "are just the latest chapter in the long saga of Hillary Clinton's bad judgment that broke federal rules and endangered our national security." (Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu, Patricia Zengerle and Arshad Mohammed in Washington and Michelle Conlin in New York; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Leslie Adler) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. ANAHEIM, Calif. Some 100 people staged a boisterous but largely peaceful demonstration outside a Southern California rally by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, at times taunting his supporters before police moved in and arrested eight people. The activists carried signs such as "Stop Nazi Trump" and "Dump Trump," and beat a pinata made to resemble the presumptive Republican nominee outside a convention centre in Anaheim, just a few blocks from Disneyland, before they were driven from the scene by police on horseback. A spokesman for the Anaheim Police Department said seven adults and one minor were arrested on charges ranging from selling T-shirts without a permit to unlawful assembly. The arrests came one day after a Trump event in Albuquerque, New Mexico, erupted into chaos after hundreds of protesters tried to swarm the convention centre where Trump spoke, knocking down barricades, waving Mexican flags and hurling rocks and bottles at police officers in riot gear. Police responded with smoke bombs and pepper spray. Albuquerque police said they made arrests both outside and inside the rally, where demonstrators continually interrupted Trump's speech. The police department's Twitter feed said officers were treated for injuries caused by thrown rocks. In a Twitter post on Wednesday, Trump called the protesters in Albuquerque "thugs who were flying the Mexican flag." "The rally inside was big and beautiful, but outside, criminals!" he said. In Anaheim, police warned in advance that they would take "swift" action if protests got out of hand, and the roughly 150 officers and sheriffs deputies on hand may have outnumbered the protesters. Inside, Trump was interrupted by hecklers as he spoke, including one man who waved a Mexican flag. "Do not hurt him," Trump said as a man was led out of the arena. "I say that for the television cameras. Even though he is a bad person." LATINOS FOR TRUMP Many of those who protested outside the arena expressed anger over Trump's views on immigration, at one point ripping apart a pinata resembling the candidate and spearing the papier-mache head on top of a flagpole with a large Mexican flag. Police largely stood by watching the demonstration, which became tense at times when anti-Trump protesters surrounded smaller groups of his supporters. At one point a brief shoving match broke out. As Trump's campaign event neared its conclusion inside, outside a police helicopter circled overhead, ordering the throng to disperse or face arrest. Officers on horseback then drove the crowd from the scene, where several people were taken into custody for failing to disperse. Trump's appearances in the U.S. West in areas with significant Hispanic populations have drawn large protests in response to his remarks that Mexico is sending criminals and rapists to the United States, made when he launched his campaign last year. Trump's problems with Latino voters could dampen his Nov. 8 election hopes. A poll by the political research group Latino Decisions found 87 percent of registered Hispanic voters view Trump unfavourably. States like Nevada and New Mexico have growing Hispanic populations that could tip the election. Trump's trip west came ahead of the California and New Mexico nominating contests on June 7. He also plans to hold several large fundraising events in California. It is the first high-dollar fundraising event the New York real estate mogul has held after largely self-funding his primary campaign. Mike McGetrick, one of two people carrying "Latinos for Trump" signs at the Anaheim rally, said he is part of a group called America First Latinos, whose website describes its members as believing in "the rule of law, hard work and the American Dream." He said his neighbourhood in nearby Orange is "being overrun" by undocumented immigrants. "There are so many of them, and theyre everywhere," said McGetrick, 62, a retired city worker. "I can tell an illegal from a regular person just like that." Trump supporters have been hopeful that his likely opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton, will be dogged by her own problems to offset his difficulty with some populations. On Wednesday, Clinton faced renewed criticism about her use of a private email server for government business while secretary of state after a report by the State Department's inspector general said she had violated agency policies. Trump only briefly addressed the report in his appearance in Anaheim. "Not good," he said. "Inspector generals report, not good." (Reporting by Megan Cassella, Suzannah Gonzales, Emily Stephenson, Amy Tennery, Dan Whitcomb and Steve Gorman; Writing by Ginger Gibson; Editing by Bill Trott and Leslie Adler) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. CALGARY, Alberta The salt-of-the-earth farmers and ranchers in the western Canadian town of Claresholm thought Darryl Rondeau and his girlfriend were just desperate for shelter and food, like many of the thousands of evacuees escaping the wildfire-stricken oil patch up north. So, for a about week earlier this month, the residents embraced them like family members, buying them meals, clothes, and work boots, and giving them free lodging. The local newspaper even ran a front-page story chronicling the couple's seemingly death-defying escape from Fort McMurray with "the fire on our tail," as Rondeau described it. "We saw our house catch on fire," he told the paper. But the couple were not evacuees, police say, just the most flagrant example of people who have preyed on generous Canadians offering aid to wildfire victims. Charges have been filed in at least two separate incidents where people illegally tried to obtain government debit cards loaded with charity funds, and eight other cases are being investigated, provincial officials said. Alberta authorities have added security guards to sites where relief workers dole out the cards and, at busier locations, are using facial recognition technology to verify an applicant's identity. Even so, there does not appear to be a widespread problem with stolen cards or of theft from charity funds generally, though it is not yet clear how much money may have been stolen, said provincial spokesman John Archer. The Canadian Red Cross said it has collected C$104 million in aid money and handed out about $43 million to some 36,000 evacuee households. In the Claresholm affair, Darryl Rondeau and Jaime Cox of British Columbia were charged with fraud after police determined the couple had never actually lived in Fort McMurray and had no ties to Alberta. Rondeau pleaded guilty on Wednesday in a provincial court. Cox is due in court on June 1, the first day that Fort McMurray evacuees are due to return home. Police said they launched an investigation after Rondeau and Cox failed to register with the Red Cross, among other tell-tale signs that raised eyebrows and pulses around town. At one point, a restaurant owner offered Rondeau a free meal and his girlfriend a job. She turned down the job but the pair ordered steaks, the priciest item on the menu, said Brandi Carlson, part owner of Roy's Place. "The situation sucked," Carlson said. "It is what it is, but you still have to help people. Pure and simple. It doesn't matter who the people are. It's the right thing to do." (1 Canadian dollar = $0.7673) (Additional reporting by Ethan Lou in Toronto; Editing by Alistair Bell) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The much-discussed two-day-long Group of 7 (G7) summit began in Japan on Thursday, with the focus on the creaky global economy, terrorism, refugees, China's controversial maritime claims, and a possible EU Brexit. Heads of state and government from the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and host Japan met in Ise-Shima, a mountainous, sparsely populated area around 300 kilometres southwest of Tokyo. The G7, formed in the 1970s, is the group of the seven major developed countries in the world. As a result of this fact, the group has often been criticised and has been viewed as an "elite club". "The rich country club is embarrassingly finding its clout declining as the global political and economic landscape changes," says this Xinhua article. One of the events planned during the G7 summit, which gathers importance in the light of the "elite club" criticism that the group faces, is the series of G7 outreach meetings. According to the European Commission, "a number of third country heads of state and government, as well as chairpersons of international organisations" will participate in the outreach meetings, which will focus on growth and welfare in Asia. In another session of the outreach meetings, the participants will talk about the Sustainable Development Goals with a focus on Africa. The participants include heads of state and government of Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Papua New Guinea. Bangladesh will play a significant role in the outreach meetings. The country's prime minister Sheikh Hasina will lead the discussion on four important issues: Health, women empowerment, achieving sustainable development goals and cooperation in building advanced infrastructure, according to The Daily Star. Another report in bdnews24.com added that Bangladeshi foreign minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali said that this was the first time on Japan's initiative that seven other leaders, including those from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam had been invited to discuss "contemporary issues". He added that it was because of Hasina's "visible leadership role" on issues like the sustainable development agenda, climate change, migration and the UN's global initiative that she had been invited for the outreach meetings. Hasina will attend the G7 outreach programme at Shima Kanko Hotel and deliver her speech on Friday, according to Prothom Alo. She will then deliver another speech at a working lunch with the other outreach leaders and have a meeting with British prime minister David Cameron. The two leaders had exchanged letters after Britain had imposed a ban on direct cargo flights from Dhaka to London. They may also discuss this issue during the meeting, according to The Daily Star report. Hasina will also hold talks with Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena and Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe. Her presence in Ise-Shima provides Bangladesh a platform from which to be heard and Hasina will undoubtedly seek to make the most of it. If I was an African, I would have been afraid to live in India. After the brutal killing of the Congolese national Masonda Ketada Olivier a French teacher, who has been in India on a student visa since 2012 in New Delhi, who was savagely chased by three drunken men at the dead of night on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is in fire-fighting mode to do as much damage control as possible. African countries demanded concrete steps against "racism and Afro-phobia" and sought deferment of the celebrations of Africa Day by India. Once that news came in, the MEA rushed to appease the African community. In fact, the ministry said that they will meet African envoys once every three months to discuss their grievances. Amid all this diplomacy to appease the really angry (and justifiably so) black community in Africa, what the ministry and the Indian government is missing is the deep-seated racist mentality in India. The killing of the Congolese national, or the recent attack on the Tanzanian woman in Bengaluru, or people commonly dubbing everyone hailing from the Northeast as 'chinki' is merely the tip of the huge civilisational iceberg. Oh, I forgot to mention AAP leader Somnath Bharti spearheading a raid into the home of four Ugandan women in New Delhi without a warrant. This is how racist we are. We deem it perfectly fine to barge into a person's home just because they are dark-skinned. Although, it is not as much as racism as our inherent prejudice against the 'others'. As Firstpost's Karan Pradhan explains in this piece, 'others' can be an other class, caste, religion, region, political leanings, wealth, nationality, appearance, and skin colour. "But, whether it's an old man in Dadri, Dalit children near Faridabad, two men from Nagaland in Gurgaon, a woman in Birbhum district or now, this woman in Bengaluru, we treat them all with exactly the same amount of courtesy." One of the most provocative books on Mahatma Gandhi The South African Gandhi: Stretcher-Bearer Of Empire co-authored by South Africans Ashwin Desai and Goolam Vahed, introduced a term to explain a factor embedded deeply in India's cultural heritage that underpins its complex hierarchical social relations: Indo-Aryanism. The book further adds that this particular idea influenced Gandhi immensely and led to his partiality towards "Indo-Aryan bloodlines." "There was a feeling among some British colonial officials that Indians were positioned higher up the chain of civilisation than Africans as they originated from the same Aryan root." Sample this: 'Which is the most racist country you visited as a tourist?' was the question posted on Quora in April this year. An African American person called Dave Adali shed some light on this matter. "I am an African-American in the IT field and I have thus far had the good fortune to live and travel extensively throughout Western and parts of Eastern Europe and many countries in Asia. I have lived or traveled in the UK and most of the EU countries as well as Taiwan, Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia and several other Asian countries including India. Of all the countries I have been to, India ranks way up there among the most 'racist', IMHO. Indians aren't so much 'racist' as they are intolerant. Indians discriminate against fellow citizens to a degree that I have NEVER encountered in ANY other country. Without a doubt, Indians are the the most color obsessed people I have ever encountered anywhere in the world. No doubt because of all that saturation advertisements for 'Fair and Lovely', 'Fair and Handsome' and all manners of skin-whitening creams, lotions, soaps etc. Even if you are 100% Indian, your fellow Indians might still discriminate against you on the basis of the color of your skin, which region of India you come from, what language you speak, your religion, your caste etc, etc." Read the full answer here. Adali's candid assertion puts the whole Indo-Aryanism into a context. Now, add how unprotected and vulnerable are the minorities in the country. And yes, foreigners (whichever skin colour) constitute as a minority population. So, when minister of external affairs Sushma Swaraj addressed the fears of African nations and assured them that meetings will be held with African students in metro cities for their "safety and security," it was too little and too late. Worse of all, this is not the first time a racial crime has happened in India's National Capital. Following Swaraj's lead, when Delhi Lieutenant Governor Naseeb Jung termed the "incident" as "unfortunate and painful," it was almost laughable because the statement after the brutal killing of the Congolese professor was not the first and it won't be last. After a couple of diplomatic statements and solemn tweets, the situation will swiftly return to square one. Meanwhile, as the LG of Delhi promised "speedy justice", reports said that the police is yet to arrest the third accused. India's civilisational fractures of caste, colour and creed, you and me, have gotten worse. New features, like reverse racism, have bee added to the vocabulary. The hostility between North Indians and their southern counterparts is palpable. While this nasty game of superior race is being played out in the foreground, the damage it does to India, which is projecting itself as one of the growing regional powers, is unimaginable. Francis A Kornegay Jr in this op-ed wrote, "The cases of horrendous violence against women, minorities and foreigners expose intractably combustible contradictions in an ancient civilisational culture under strain as external and internal forces of change test leadership and governing capacities to manage such challenges." While Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to upscale the diplomacy dialogue with Africa, such racial crimes, and brutal attacks and hate crimes will only complicate New Delhi's agenda. A video, released in April 2015, chronicled how Africans, living in India feel and it might shock some but they don't paint a very happy picture. It actually is quite the antithesis of all those commercials preaching atithi devo bhava to a nation which resorts to revolting acts like discriminating based on skin colour. Gaza: The Israeli air force carried out attacks on the Gaza sites early on Thursday in response to a rocket attack targeting the Jewish state, the army and Palestinian sources said. The rocket, which had hit an open area in southern Israel, caused no damage or casualties. In response to it, the Israeli air force "targeted two Hamas sites in the southern Gaza Strip," the military said in a statement. According to the army, since the beginning of 2016, nine projectiles fired from the Gaza Strip hit Israel. The army "holds Hamas accountable for all attacks emanating from the Gaza Strip," it said. Palestinian security officials said the Israeli raids targeted Hamas military sites in Nuseirat and Rafah, causing no casualties. Earlier this month, a four-day flare-up of border duels between Israel and Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas constituted the heaviest exchanges of fire between the two sides since the 2014 Gaza war that killed 2,251 Palestinians and 73 Israelis. JERUSALEM Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his choice for defence minister, ultranationalist Avigdor Lieberman, signed a coalition agreement on Wednesday and issued assurances that the most right wing government in Israel's history would act responsibly. Once Lieberman is sworn in, Netanyahu will have a government of 66 legislators, widening his current one-seat majority in the 120-member parliament, a goal the Israeli leader has said he has sought since winning a fourth term last year. Lieberman's return to office - he was previously foreign minister - has raised questions at home and abroad given his past criticism of Israel's Arab minority, U.S.-sponsored peace talks with Palestinians and regional powers Egypt and Turkey. At the signing ceremony, in which Lieberman's Yisrael Beitenu party formally agreed to join Netanyahu's Likud, both men switched from Hebrew to English to deliver a message to the international community. "My government remains committed to pursuing peace with the Palestinians, pursuing peace with all our neighbours," said Netanyahu. "My policy has not changed. We will continue to pursue every avenue for peace, while ensuring the safety and security of our citizens." He said a broader and more stable government would make it easier to "seize new opportunities" in the region, a reference to potential peace moves with Arab states that share Israel's concern about Islamist militancy and Iran. Palestinian officials said that with Lieberman, who lives in a settlement in the occupied West Bank, back in the cabinet as defence minister prospects for reviving statehood negotiations that collapsed in 2014 had grown dimmer. But also speaking in English, Lieberman, who once famously threatened to bomb Egypt's Aswan dam and has called for the assassination of Hamas Islamist leaders in Gaza, promised a "responsible and reasonable" policy. "At the end of the day my intention (is) to provide security and of course all of us we have a commitment, strong commitment, to the peace, to the final status agreement (with the Palestinians)," said the Soviet-born party leader. Nabil Abu Rdainah, the spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said: "What's important is deeds not words... "Israel should learn the true lesson from making peace because there can be no peace and no stability in the region unless the Palestinian cause is resolved." Netanyahu began negotiations with Lieberman last week after coalition talks failed with the centre-left Zionist Union, the main opposition. The courting of Lieberman came as a surprise as he and Netanyahu have been sharply dismissive of one another. Several former Israeli defence ministers have criticised Lieberman's appointment to the sensitive post, citing the politician's relative lack of military experience. Yisrael Beitenu has six legislators, but one of them, Orly Levi-Abekasis, has said she is leaving the party and would vote independently in parliament, citing what she called its failure to pursue economic and social reforms. Levi-Abekasis's spokesman said on Wednesday she was still formally a member of Yisrael Beitenu as procedural issues had yet to be finalised. Yisrael Beitenu will become the sixth party in Netanyahu's religious-nationalist coalition. The deal prompted Moshe Yaalon, a Likud member and former general, to quit as defence minister in protest on Friday. He could emerge as a future challenger to Netanyahu. (Additional reporting by Dan Williams in Jerusalem and Ali Sawafta in Ramallah; editing by Luke Baker and Ralph Boulton) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Washington: The new Taliban leader has an opportunity to choose peace and to work towards a negotiated solution to join the Afghan-led peace talks, the US said. "We would hope that he would seize the opportunity," State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner told reporters at his daily news conference on Wednesday. Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, a religious leader was appointed as the new leader of the Taliban after the death of Mullah Mansour in a US drone strike in Pakistan on Saturday. The Taliban has rejected peace overtures from the Afghan government. "He (Akhundzada) does have an opportunity in front of him to choose peace and to work towards a negotiated solution. We hope that he makes that choice now," Toner said in response to a question. Akhundzada is not in any terrorist designated list, he said, but did not respond to questions if he is on the target of US forces in Afghanistan. "I'm not going to predict who we might target in the national security interest of the US," he said. Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter hoped that better sense would prevail on the new Taliban leadership headed by Akhundzada. "We'll have to see what new Taliban leadership concludes. Obviously, the conclusion that they should draw is that they cannot win," Carter told reporters travelling with him at Newport in Rhode Island. Carter said that the Afghan Security Forces, aided by the US, are going to be stronger than them. "Therefore, the alternative to coming across and making peace with the government is their certain defeat on the battlefield. That's the environment in which we intend to put them in," Carter said. "And it's from that posture, if it's possible at all, that a sensible leader of the Taliban would conclude that they can't succeed by arms alone. We'll see whether this individual makes that conclusion or not. Obviously, his predecessor didn't draw that conclusion," the Defence Secretary said in response to a question. "The only thing I'd say about our plans in the future is this. Our plan in Afghanistan is to reduce the overall foot print of US forces there, but we're going to be there for a long time. And in the most important way, which is the support of the Afghan Security Forces," Carter said. "We have the funding, which we're going to continue to give them, the NATO allies have indicated that they would continue to fund the Afghan Security Forces and that's the most critical thing," he said. "And then, of course, we'll be in there for the purposes of supporting the Afghan security forces and also our counter-terrorism mission. That's not going away next year," Carter said. Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday confirmed the death of Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a US drone strike in the country while travelling under false name and with a fake Pakistani identity document. Mansour was targeted by drones operated by US special forces in Balochistan's Noshki district on 21 May when he headed towards Quetta in a rented car. "All indicators confirm that the person killed in the drone strike was Mullah Akhter Mansour who was travelling on a fake identity. The DNA test result will be available shortly," said advisor to Prime Minister Sartaj Aziz at a briefing. He also said that the drone action was a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty as well as breach of the principles of the UN Charter governing the conduct of the states. "We have conveyed our serious concern to the United States on this issue," Aziz said. His comments came after Afghan Taliban announced Haibatullah Akhundzada as their new chief on Wednesday. Aziz said that the death of Mansour has added to the "complexity of the Afghan conflict". "We believe that this action has undermined the Afghan peace process," he said. He said that day before the attack, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the US and China had agreed in a meeting on 18 May that politically negotiated settlement was the most viable option. "This understanding has not been respected," he said. "Earlier in July 2015, peace talks were scuttled at a key stage when the issue of reduction in violence was to be discussed and in less than a year, peace process has been scuttled twice," he said. "In our view there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. The use of force for past 15 years has failed to deliver peace," he said. He said this approach will further destabilise Afghanistan, which will have negative implications for the region, especially due to the presence of large number of terrorist groups in the war-torn country. Aziz said that Pakistan believes that politically negotiated settlement remains the most viable option for bringing lasting peace to Afghanistan as the military approach has been tried for 15 years and could not achieve the objective. He also demanded effective border management for checking the infiltrations across long and porous Pakistan-Afghanistan border. He sought the Afghan government's cooperation on it. Aziz said that the presence of large number of Afghan refugees has become a big security risk as the terrorists and militants use the camps as hideouts for their nefarious activities. "Effective measures should be taken on an urgent basis by the International Community for the repatriation of Afghan refugees," he said. He said Pakistan's desire for a lasting peace in Afghanistan is motivated by conviction that peace and stability in Afghanistan is essential not only for the people of that country but also for the entire region. "Pakistan will continue to pursue the objective in close consultation with Afghanistan government and other members of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the US." Beijing: President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday recalled the Indian support to China's membership of the UN in the 60s and 70s and the restitution of its permanent membership of the Security Council, in comments that assume significance after Beijing blocked India's bid in the world body to ban JeM chief Masood Azhar. In his address at the elite Peking University, he referred to the establishment of the diplomatic relations between India and China in 1950 and the bilateral relations that have been tested by difficulties and challenges in the last seven decades. The period has demonstrated the determination of the Indian people to safeguard their friendship with the people of China and it has visibly endured, he noted. "It was demonstrated in India's early recognition of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in December 1949, the establishment of our diplomatic relations in April, 1950 and India's constant public support through the 60s and 70s for the admission of PRC to the UN and the restitution of its Permanent Membership of the UN Security Council," Mukherjee said. "Through this period our relations have witnessed significant expansion and diversification. Our shared civilisational past and our common Asian identity have been at the core of this aspiration," he said. Mukherjee said that as India and China pursue their respective developmental goals, "we both seek to live in friendship and realise our common dream of an Asian Century." "Both our nations have reaped rich political and economic dividends from this wise and judicious approach," the President said. His comments assume significance as they come against the backdrop of China recently blocking India's bid to put Azhar on the UN list of proscribed terrorists, a move that has become a major irritant in Sino-India relations. BISMARCK, N.D. Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Bernie Sanders on Thursday explored staging an unconventional U.S. presidential debate in California that would sideline Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. The two men -- a billionaire and a democratic socialist -- expressed interest in a televised encounter between them even though Republican and Democratic presidential candidates traditionally do not debate each other until the parties have selected their nominees. "I'd love to debate Bernie," Trump told reporters in North Dakota, after he secured enough delegates to clinch the Republican presidential nomination. "I think it would get very high ratings. It would be in a big arena." Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks said in an email that there were no formal plans yet for such an event. But Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver told CNN that there had been "a few discussions" between the campaigns about the details. "We hope that he will not chicken out," Weaver said. "We hope Donald Trump has the courage to get on stage now that he said he would." Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, is running far behind Clinton in the race for the Democratic nomination for the Nov. 8 presidential election. But a nationally televised debate with the presumptive Republican nominee would be a big boost to his chances in the California primary on June 7, when Clinton is likely to win the nomination. Trump said a debate with Sanders could raise up to $15 million for charity. "I'd love to debate Bernie, but they'll have to pay a lot of money for it," he said. LATE NIGHT TV The idea was hatched during an appearance by Trump on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" late on Wednesday. Kimmel said he asked Trump about the debate at the suggestion of Sanders, who is scheduled to appear on the show Thursday night. "Game on," Sanders tweeted. "I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary." The Clinton campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on a possible Trump-Sanders debate. Smart and bold move by Sanders, Democratic strategist Brad Bannon said. Sanders will also have a chance mano on mano with Trump to prove that he would be a better candidate against Trump in November. The Clinton people are furious but Bernie wins points for being so aggressive. Sanders has said he will do everything he can to ensure that Trump does not win the White House. Clinton has tried to woo Sanders supporters as she turns her attention on the November election. But some worry that his supporters - who are largely young, working-class and disillusioned with the Democratic Party establishment - will turn instead to political neophyte Trump, who has championed a populist agenda. The debate would give Trump a national forum to criticize Clinton and try to win over Sanders supporters ahead of an expected Trump-Clinton general election match-up, Democratic strategist Chris Kofinis said. "I think Sanders should think long and hard about giving Trump a forum," he said. "It crosses a line, but apparently in this election there is no line," Dale Ranney, 62, a Trump volunteer who has been to 21 of his rallies, said she would be delighted to see Trump and Sanders debate. I think its a great idea, any time you can get more information to the people, absolutely," Ranney said. "Having Trump debate a socialist? Absolutely. Go for it." (Additional reporting by Emily Flitter, Megan Cassella and Alana Wise; Writing by John Whitesides; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Alistair Bell) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Ise (Japan): World leaders kick off two days of G7 talks in Japan with the creaky global economy, terrorism, refugees, China's controversial maritime claims, and a possible Brexit headlining their packed agenda. Heads of state and government from the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and host Japan are meeting in Ise Shima, a mountainous, sparsely populated area about 300 kilometres southwest of Tokyo. The group, including US president Barack Obama whose historic visit to atomic-bombed Hiroshima threatens to overshadow the talks will spend Thursday morning at Ise Jingu, a huge shrine complex that sits at the spiritual heart of Japan's native Shintoism. In line with the animistic religion's traditions, the buildings are regularly replaced, but the shrine is believed to have occupied the same spot for more than 2,000 years. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's decision to take his counterparts to the sprawling site has attracted some controversy, however, due to its nationalist overtones. The group will also get brief crash course on Japan's world-leading green car technology. The sputtering global economy was expected to take centre stage when the formal talks get under way in the afternoon, although divisions were likely to remain over whether the world should spend or save its way out of the current malaise, with Japan and Germany at odds on the issue. China, the world's second largest economy, will not be present, but it looks set to loom large over discussions. Japan and the US are keen to corral support for a growing pushback against Beijing's territorial assertiveness in the South China Sea. The G7 will also discuss the refugee crisis and Islamist terrorism, with France's Hollande keen to address the issue after a brutal year that saw France hit twice by jihadists. Security was tight across Japan, with thousands of extra police drafted in to patrol train stations and ferry terminals. Tokyo said it was taking no chances in the wake of terror attacks that struck Paris and Brussels in recent months. Dustbins have been removed or sealed and coin-operated lockers blocked at train and subway stations in the capital and areas around the venue site. Authorities said they will be keeping a close eye on so-called "soft targets" such as theatres and stadiums. Britain's referendum next month on whether or not to stay in the European Union is sure to figure prominently in discussions, as economists warn a so-called Brexit could dent the global economy. digital and print publisher. digital and print publisher. We are Americas largest We are Americas largest The brands you love. The experiences you want. We have seen a number of rumors about Galaxy Note 6 since past few months. However, a new report from ET News says that Samsung will name its next Note device as Galaxy Note 7 and not Galaxy Note 6. The report claims to have heard about Samsungs plan of skipping Note 6 branding from a high-ranking marketing executive at the company. Samsung is apparently taking this decision to eliminate inconsistencies when it comes to branding its products. Calling the device Galaxy Note 7 will bring it in line with the current Galaxy S7 and S7 edge in terms of branding, added the report. The report further said that the Galaxy Note 7 will have curved edges on front and back of the device. Last week, a patent listing had hinted at Samsung will release a Note edge variant this year. Also, the company will go with a single Note device this year. Another possibility of Samsung branding the device as Galaxy Note 7 is to compete with Apples upcoming iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. If the report is true this will be the first time Samsung Electronics is skipping a number on a series. According to earlier reports, the next Note device is expected to come with a 5.8-inch QHD curved display, 6GB RAM, 4000mAh battery and USB Type C. It could sport 12-megapixel Dual Pixel camera used in the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge smartphones with IR autofocus. source Intel has announced three innovative initiatives to strengthen its support for Digital India programme. These projects are aimed at accelerating digital literacy at the grassroots level. Intel has introduced its Unnati Kendra at Common Service Centre (UK at CSC) in Karnal ,Haryana and launched an online portal called Digital Unnati to encourage village level entrepreneurs. In addition, Intel India also announced the Digital Unnati website that is being set up in collaboration with the CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd. The UK at CSC will serve as the common access digital learning centres for people of the state. The Digital Unnati website will allow Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) to learn how to assemble a PC online and upskill their technology know-how. Intel India is working with the government to open a network of up to 100 UK at CSC facilities across ten states this year, with 10 such facilities already set up in the state of Telangana. At these facilities, Intel India is providing access to devices, relevant local content and training for citizens that will also help them develop and nurture their self-expression and creative capabilities. Debjani Ghosh, Vice President, Sales and Marketing and Director, Intel South Asia, said, Intel India is fully committed to achieving the realization of a truly Digital India and has been supporting this vision by fostering innovation and upskilling of the non-urban population. In a country as diverse as ours, we believe that successful public-private collaborations will be the catalyst towards driving technology-enabled inclusion and transformation at the grassroots level. We envision digital infrastructure as a utility that is crucial for the economic success of the country on the foundation of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. What happened? Pour a tall frosty one, and clink glasses with Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD 1.05%) and SABMiller. The two big global beer companies received approval to merge from the European Union's competition regulator, the European Commission. The approval is conditional, however, upon the sale of much of SABMiller's European beer portfolio. That shouldn't be difficult, as Anheuser-Busch InBev has already reached a deal (with Japan's Asahi) to sell SABMiller's French, Italian, Dutch, and U.K. brands. Additionally, it has pledged to divest SABMiller's beers in Central/Eastern European countries the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, and Romania. Does it matter? Anheuser-Busch InBev's willingness to unload valuable brands -- which include familiar names to beer fans such as the Czech Republic's Pilsner Urquell, and Holland's Grolsch -- smoothed the way to the EU's approval of the roughly $107 billion merger. That's not a particularly easy green light to obtain, given that the commission can be stricter than regulators in other parts of the world. Now that the deal has surmounted the EU hurdle, antitrust authorities in key markets such as the U.S. and China must sign off on it. But these countries have less severe regulatory regimes. Additionally, as it did in Europe Anheuser-Busch has made arrangements for divestments in order to assuage antitrust concerns. In this country, it's reached a deal with Molson Coors (TAP 1.06%) to cash out of SABMiller's stake in the MillerCoors joint venture. Molson Coors would thus graduate from its current minority position in MillerCoors to full ownership. After that, Molson Coors would become the No. 2 American brewer, behind Anheuser-Busch InBev. Although the news of the EU's approval is hardly unexpected, it should be taken very positively by Anheuser-Busch shareholders. It heralds similar approvals elsewhere around the globe, not to mention a powerful new company that will be a force to be reckoned with. Republicans have opposed FCC efforts to impose net neutrality rules for years, and they are trying again with their 2017 budget proposal. Not only would the plan prevent the FCC from enforcing its net neutrality rules, it would also end its plan to boost set-top-box competition, not to mention gut the agency's funding. "We are still reviewing impacts and we will work with the committee staff to make them aware of potentially critical resource shortfalls," an FCC spokeswoman told PCMag. The $21.7 billion proposal cuts the FCC's budget by $69 million to $315 million and prohibits the agency from implementing net neutrality orders until "certain court cases" are resolved (which could happen any day now). The proposal also stops the new "unlock the box" rules, which would open up TV data to innovators who can create new consumer hardware and software to replace traditional set-top boxes, "until a study is completed." Meanwhile, the bill "prohibits the FCC from regulating broadband rates," something it recently proposed for business data services. And the GOP wants the agency to make new rules public before they are voted on by the commission. As it stands, the FCC chairman drafts a proposal and circulates it to fellow commissioners before it's voted on at a public FCC meeting. At that point, the draft is open to public comment before a final vote, but the GOP wants the public to have access to drafts for 21 days before the first vote. Keep in mind, however, that budgets proposals often go through many changes before they reach the president's desk, and Obama is unlikely to approve any legislation that would get rid of net neutrality. But as congressional Republicans push for less oversight, a coalition of tech companies this week penned a letter urging the agency to examine the practice of zero rating, or allowing providers like AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, and T-Mobile to exempt certain services from data caps, which they say violates net neutrality. The FCC declined to address zero rating in its net neutrality rules, the letter notes, due to "a lack of consensus on the issue in the record." But with services like T-Mobile's Binge On and Comcast's move to exempt its streaming service from monthly data caps, the companies argue that there are now a "broad enough set of test cases" for the FCC to weigh in. "Together, we stand ready to contribute to your careful evaluation of this important issue, to protect an open Internet where innovation, competition and civil rights can thrive," said the letter, signed by Etsy, Foursquare, Kickstarter, Medium, Meetup, Mozilla, Pinterest, Reddit, Vimeo, Yelp, and others. In December, the FCC sent letters to Comcast, T-Mobile, and AT&T requesting details about unlimited video streaming programs. But when asked during a Wednesday press conference about the status of that inquiry, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler was vague. "I hope no one has a doubt in where we stand on the fast, fair, and open Internet," he told reporters, according to a transcript of the discussion. "I'm aware of the recent filing. I think we will continue apace. At the root of it all is the question of the Open Internet order and the scope of the Open Internet order." This article originally appeared on PCMag.com. Peter Thiel has an axe to grind with Gawker. A Wednesday report from The New York Times reveals that the tech billionaire has been raging a "secret war" against the media organization for years, and has put millions into the fight. The PayPal co-founder spent about $10 million bankrolling Hulk Hogan's invasion-of-privacy lawsuit against Gawker and that's just one of several suits against the gossip site Thiel says he has financially backed, according to the report. For those who hadn't been following the story, Hogan sued Gawker in 2012 after the site posted a sex tape featuring the wrestler. A Florida jury recently awarded Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, $140 million, though Gawker plans to appeal. Thiel told the Times that he's standing up for the "victims" of Gawker's coverage, and called the site a "singularly terrible bully." His problem with the site dates back nearly 10 years, when Gawker's now defunct Valleywag blog in 2007 ran a post with the headline "Peter Thiel is totally gay, people." The author of that article, Owen Thomas, now business editor at The San Francisco Chronicle, maintains that he did not out Thiel, and simply reported on what was common knowledge among a "wide circle." But Thiel says that and a series of articles about his friends "ruined people's lives for no reason," and he's had it out for the site ever since. "It's less about revenge and more about specific deterrence," Thiel told the Times. "I saw Gawker pioneer a unique and incredibly damaging way of getting attention by bullying people even when there was no connection with the public interest." As the Times points out, the revelation about Thiel backing cases against the site has "raised a series of new questions about the First Amendment as well as about the role of big money in the court system specifically the emerging field of litigation finance, in which third parties like hedge funds and investment firms pay for other people's lawsuits." Meanwhile, for its part, Gawker says its coverage speaks for itself. "Just because Peter Thiel is a Silicon Valley billionaire, his opinion does not trump our millions of readers who know us for routinely driving big news stories," Gawker Media Founder Nick Denton told the Times. News emerged this morning, hwoevre, that the whole ordeal might force Gawker to sell. See what PCMag's Sascha Segan and Tim Torres have to say about the controversy in Wednesday's episode of Random Access, embedded above. This article originally appeared on PCMag.com. Even before 92-year-old Sumner Redstone was tabloid fodder with cringe worthy headlines about his sex life and the revolving door of his much younger live-in girlfriends, the boards of the companies he controls; Viacom (NYSE:VIA) and CBS (NYSE:CBS), were considered bad for investors. So bad in fact, that ISS, which monitors corporate governance policies, rates the two with the highest risk score for shareholders. By comparison, Disney (NYSE:DIS) and Time Warner (NYSE:TWC), carry much lower ratings, indicating less risk for investors. In this case it has escalated, this was clearly an issue that was going to come up at some point in time, said ISS Special Council Pat McGurn during an interview with FOXBusiness.com. Escalated it has. While many investors were well aware of Redstones lock on both companies with an 80% voting stake in each via the A-Class shares, which he has held for years through various structures, a recent review of his mental capacity has accelerated a battle for control of his $40 billion media empire. It has also highlighted the poor performance of Viacom shares over the past 5-years compared to media rivals. Even though CBS has lagged too, it is Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman who is on the hot seat. On Tuesday, Sumner Redstone named three new appointees to a trust that will oversee his holdings. The move came after Dauman and director George Abrams were booted, unexpectedly late Friday. The two have filed a lawsuit in opposition and through a spokesperson told FOX Business Networks Charlie Gasparino, We continue to be deeply troubled and saddened by this state of affairs. We have the deepest respect for Sumner Redstone, but it is clear he is being shamefully manipulated. The dig aimed at daughter Shari Redstone. The pre-cursor to these developments was a ruling by an L.A. judge that stated Redstone is in control of his faculties enough to determine his own health care. This after former girlfriend Manuela Herzer attempted to argue otherwise. The next chess move, as reported by Reuters, could be a bust-up of Viacoms board, indirectly by Shari, which could spell trouble for Dauman. While the Shakespearean developments are grabbing the headlines, it wont help shareholders in the near-term cautions McGurn because of Redstones voting rights. Until you fix that governance risk it doesnt change anything, he said. Adding that, A rank-and-file shareholder is no more powerful than before. Some investors argue Viacom needs fresh leadership to reinvigorate the media giant which is comprised of many cable channels including MTV, VH1 and CMT, as well as Hollywood studio Paramount Pictures. Stay tuned, more sparks could fly when CBS holds its annual meeting on Thursday in New York. While technically separate entities, Shari and Sumner sit on the board along with confidant CBS CEO Les Moonves. Some speculate he may play a bigger role in the battle for control of Viacom in the coming weeks. CBS and Viacom declined FOXBusiness.coms request for comment. On Friday, Sumner Redstone will celebrate his 93rd birthday. Investors have waited patiently for Costco Wholesale to emerge from the tough period it has suffered through lately. Throughout the retail industry, many well-known companies have reported subpar results during the current earnings season, and signs that consumers might not continue to pull their weight in helping to support economic growth has weighed on sentiment in the sector. Coming into Costco's fiscal third-quarter financial report on Wednesday night, investors were prepared for ongoing impacts from gasoline price deflation and other factors. Although top-line growth was once again tepid, Costco managed to deliver better gains in earnings than most had expected. Let's take a closer look at Costco Wholesale's latest results, and whether investors should be nervous looking forward. Image source: Costco Wholesale. Costco posts mixed results Costco's fiscal third-quarter report didn't allay all the fears that investors had, but it didn't include only bad news. Revenue rose 2.5%, to $26.77 billion, which was $300 million less than the consensus sales forecast among those following the retailer's stock. On the bottom line, however, the news was better, as Costco posted net income of $545 million. That was almost 6% higher than in the year-ago period, and earnings of $1.24 per share were $0.02 better than investors expected to see. Taking a closer look at Costco's performance, comparable-store sales once again pointed to challenging conditions. On an unadjusted basis, the company posted flat comparable-store sales for the total company. U.S. comps were unchanged, and a 1% rise in the Canadian segment offset a 2% drop in other international business. After adjusting for foreign exchange and gasoline price deflation, Costco's overall comps growth was 3%, and numbers in the U.S. and other international segments matched that 3% figure, even as Canada posted 8% growth in comps. On the positive side, however, Costco saw better performance in some key areas. Revenue from membership fees rose almost 6%, and although the $618 million that Costco brought in is just a small portion of the company's total revenue, the high-margin nature of membership fees makes it a crucial part of Costco's overall profitability. Without membership fees, Costco would routinely flirt with losing money, and would likely have to transform its entire business model in order to adapt. On the expense front, merchandise costs were up just 2%, helping to support the bottom-line growth. Overhead expenses climbed at a 6% rate, but that didn't stop operating income from posting a nice gain that ended up feeding into rising net income for Costco. Can Costco keep improving? Costco has continued to look to store-count expansion to drive its sales higher. The company climbed above the 700-store mark during the quarter, adding seven stores to its network. Five of those stores are within the U.S., and one new store each in Japan and Taiwan helped round out Costco's growth on the international side. The rise was a nice bounce back for Costco, which had seen a traditionally slow pace of expansion during the winter. In addition, Costco hasn't ignored the key impact of e-commerce on the retail industry. Many traditional retailers have been slow to adopt reasonable answers to Internet-only retailers, and their hopes that the e-commerce trend would reverse itself thus far haven't come to pass. Costco, on the other hand, has worked to embrace e-commerce. The company has websites in the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Mexico, Korea, and Taiwan to help supplement its physical presence in those markets. Costco's mixed results aren't likely to make a huge impression on long-term investors, regardless of how traders move the stock when it opens Thursday morning. In the long run, though, Costco shareholders need to keep an eye on the transition of its branded credit card to a new issuer. If signs emerge that the transition isn't going well, it could represent a brand-new challenge for Costco to overcome. The article Costco Boosts Its Bottom Line Despite Sluggish Sales originally appeared on Fool.com. Dan Caplinger has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Costco Wholesale. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen is the author of Giving 2.0 and the MOOC (massively open online course) of the same name. She is also the wife of Marc Andreessen, a co-founder of Netscape and coauthor of a widely used web browser. Here is what she says about what makes a philanthropist: Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, Source: Flickr user TechCrunch Well, that was easy. It means we all qualify. But could that really be it? Clearly not, if we need the guidance of the Giving 2.0 book and course. What do other people think? Steven Crandall, author of the thoughtful and useful Roadmap for Philanthropy series available on the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors website quotes Corinne Updegraff Wells, 20th century author: Although this harkens back to the word's late Latin source in meaning, philanthropos, from phil- (love) + anthropos (human being), I think that in the 21st century, we can distinguish between a charitable giver and a philanthropist. Most Americans are charitable givers. The 2014 World Giving Index estimated that 68% of Americans make charitable donations. Although there is no accepted distinction between people who make charitable gifts and philanthropists, I would hazard a guess that the percentage of people who consider themselves to be philanthropists is quite low. Here is how I would distinguish them: A is someone who gives financial resources to someone else or an organization to either preserve or change things in hopes of making them better. A is someone who learns about preservation or social change, creates a focus for their giving, makes a plan to give, carries it out, and tries to understand the effects of their actions. Notice that I have not suggested a minimum contribution amount at which one joins the philanthropist elite. I believe that people who are serious about giving are active learners, limit their efforts (to what they think matters), use strategy, and assess impact. That's all it takes, although that's a lot more than making a donation. Even Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen adds to her definition by saying: So philanthropist, are you one? If not, start by creating a focus for your giving and learn what you can about that focus area. That is a good start to your plan, and the title of philanthropist. The article Philanthropist Is a Lofty Title: Are You One? originally appeared on Fool.com. As a Motley Fool reader, you're interested in learning and being smart about your investing. Mark Ewert helps people to be as skilled at charitable giving as you are at investing, so contact him if you are looking for support. You can purchase his new book, The Generosity Path: Finding the Richness in Giving, through his website or at your local bookstore. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This has been a year for the ages. Despite being less than five full months into 2016, we've already witnessed gold's best quarter in 30 years, the worst start to a new year for the major indexes in history, and the most voracious rally in the S&P 500 to erase those early losses since 1933. This volatility is enough to drive any short-term investor to insanity, which is why I'm glad we're thinking about the long-term here at The Motley Fool. One of the best ways to beat market volatility is to consider investing in value stocks, or companies that trade at low fundamental multiples, which can include price-to-book, price-to-earnings, price/earnings-to-growth (PEG), or any combination of similar metrics relative to the overall market. The investing assumption is that value stocks are less likely to have wild price swings lower since they're already perceived to be inexpensive, and thus could be great companies to buy to help hedge against the threat of a falling market. Are small-cap value stocks your ticket to success? The idea of investing in value stocks is certainly not a new strategy -- it's what Warren Buffett used to grow his wealth from $10,000 to nearly $70 billion in a six-decade span. But many investors often overlook a veritable treasure trove in the value stock arena when hunting for bargains: small caps. Small-cap stocks, or companies with market valuations of less than $1 billion, are typically bypassed by skittish investors as there's the perception, especially among the media, that smaller companies inherently carry more risk. I'm here to tell you that this isn't always the case. Value stocks come in all shapes and sizes, and some could prove quite helpful in helping power your portfolio to new heights. Today, we'll briefly look at three. Image source: Movado. Movado Group First, for you timepiece buffs out there, I'd suggest small-cap investors check out Movado Group , especially after the company's valuation took a hit following its Q4 report in which it delivered a 22% decline in net income and tepid 2017 guidance. The big allure of a company like Movado is that it offers brand-name luxury. Movado's brand is widely recognized throughout most of the world, and it sells at a price point that caters to a broad audience. Movado watches, which typically retail for between $400 and $2,000, also hit a niche price point where the middle-class can get a taste of the well-to-do lifestyle without breaking their bank account. There's also the simple fact that in spite of the rise of smartphones, total Swiss watch exports rose by more than 30% between 2010 and 2015 according to data from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry. In other words, consumers are still buying fine timepieces, even with smartphones. Movado also offers something you won't see with the other two small-cap value stocks below: a dividend. On top of its board of directors authorizing a fresh $50 million share repurchase agreement, which replaces its now expired $100 million agreement under which 1.86 million shares were repurchased in fiscal 2016, Movado approved an 18% increase to its quarterly payout to $0.13 per share. This new payout works out to a healthy 2.2% yield. Valued at just 11 times forward earnings and sporting a PEG of 0.84, Movado Group could be a company you'll want to dial into your portfolio. Image source: Lionbridge Technologies. Lionbridge Technologies Next we have Lionbridge Technologies , a global provider of translation, marketing, and content management solutions -- as well as a holding in my personal portfolio. What attracted me to Lionbridge was three things: niche product offerings, inorganic growth opportunities, and fast-growing cloud services. There simply aren't many companies around the world that offer the array of content translation services that Lionbridge can bring to the table. From GeoFluent to Translation Workspace, Lionbridge offers services for enterprises and translation agencies that help them better reach customers in local or overseas markets. This niche focus on content translation services could make Lionbridge a potentially attractive asset for a larger technology company. But I'm not counting on a buyout. Instead, I'm counting on Lionbridge Technologies to continue diversifying into non-technology industries and growing its product offerings through acquisitions. For instance, in January 2015, Lionbridge acquired CLS Communication for $77 million, boosting its presence in the life science, financials, and industrial sectors. It also purchased Geotext this past November for $11 million plus additional earn-out potential in order to get a foothold in legal translation services. This inorganic growth is quickly diversifying Lionbridge's revenue stream without putting the company deeply into debt. Finally, you'll see most of Lionbridge Technologies' services showing up in the cloud. With Inc. forecasting that the translation service industry will be worth $39 billion by 2018, Lionbridge's focus on the fastest growing aspect of translation services, the cloud-based applications, should pay off. Trading at six times forward earnings and a PEG well below one, Lionbridge looks mighty attractive. Sucampo Pharmaceuticals Lastly, value investors looking for a good deal in the small-cap arena would be wise to check out drug developer Sucampo Pharmaceuticals . Most value investors would likely pass over Sucampo for two key reasons. First, it's in the biotech sector, which is often known for its volatility. Secondly, it's reliant on a single drug, Amitiza, a chronic constipation therapy, for the entirety of its revenue generation. Relying on a single drug can be risky, especially when considering that branded drugs only have a finite time period when they're protected. Despite these "concerns", there's a lot for value investors to like with Sucampo. Recently, it acquired a bigger piece of the Amitiza revenue pie -- Amitiza is licensed to Takeda Pharmaceuticals-- when it acquired Japan's R-Tech Ueno for about $275 million. Doing so should allow Sucampo to quickly grow its revenue this year, which is good news since it's been working hard to keep its costs under control. The result should be a rapid improvement in adjusted EPS for 2016 and beyond. Sucampo is also hoping that it'll be able to expand Amitiza to pediatric patients. Two ongoing studies into patients ranging from ages 6 to 17, and from 6 months to 6 years old, are ongoing. While an approval wouldn't net Sucampo nearly the patient pool that it currently has with adult patients, it would undoubtedly mean a bump higher in the company's top- and bottom-line. Trading at just nine times forward earnings and a PEG of 0.82, Sucampo could be worth digging into. The article 3 Small-Cap Value Stocks to Power Your Portfolio originally appeared on Fool.com. Sean Williamsowns shares of Lionbridge Technologies, but has no material interest in any other companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen nameTMFUltraLong, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle@TMFUltraLong.The Motley Fool recommends Movado Group. 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: USDA/Flickr. You've probably heard by now of Zika virus, a mosquito-borne illness that first made headlines after spreading across Brazil, seemingly overnight. Experts expected the disease to make its way to the United States quickly -- and the most recent data proves they were right. The quickly unfolding situation has left the government, public health officials, and companies scrambling to develop response procedures and tools to combat the disease in both the short and long term. Here's what you need to know about Zika virus, and the efforts underway at Intrexon , Inovio Pharmaceuticals , and Sanofi . This isn't the next Ebola The disease poses a very serious public-health threat (more on that below), but this isn't the next Ebola. Most individuals who are infected with Zika virus will never know they have it, will never get sick enough to go to the hospital, and will return to normal health in a matter of days or weeks after mild symptoms such as fever, rash, or joint pain. Compare that to recent Ebola outbreaks that had mortality rates as high as 70%, as well as different modes of transmission. While most people who become infected will never even take a sick day, Zika virus poses an extremely high risk to pregnant women, who can give birth to children with serious lifelong birth defects in a condition known as microcephaly. The seriousness of the situation, and difficulty officials face in controlling any potential epidemic, were best summarized by Dr. Anne Schuchat, the principal deputy director at the Centers for Disease Control, who said: "The reality is one bite, and if you're pregnant, your baby might be harmed. That's a phenomenal problem." Zika virus is already in the United States Dr. Schuchat and others at the CDC estimate that thousands of people in the United States are, or have been, infected with Zika virus. These are all individuals who returned to the country after traveling to regions overseas -- including Puerto Rico -- that have active virus transmission -- meaning no one in that estimate became infected while in the United States. However, this is still worrisome. Infected individuals who return home and are still fighting off the virus -- whether they show symptoms or not -- have the potential to start local outbreaks, which could quickly snowball into an epidemic. That's because Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that most commonly spreads Zika virus, flourishes throughout the lower 48 states, from the Florida Keys to the state of Connecticut. Estimated range of Aedes aegypti. Image source: CDC. Funding is still uncertain In February, President Obama called for $1.9 billion in funding to prepare for and combat Zika virus during the mosquito-friendly spring and summer months. But government officials are still squabbling over how much funding is needed and where it will come from. One of the more promising routes to funding is the Zika Response Appropriations Act of 2016, which seeks to redirect $622.1 million in unused funds from the 2014 Ebola outbreak and Department of Health and Human Services. If approved, the funding would cover the remainder of the 2016 fiscal year that ends in September. While important to companies developing solutions to Zika virus, the full $622.1 million is not available for Intrexon, or Inovio, or Sanofi alone. For instance, the bill proposes $120 million in funding for the CDC, but it may be allocated for disease surveillance, public education, mosquito-control efforts, laboratory overhead, and other activities. That makes it difficult to gauge how much may be available for any specific technology or company. Nonetheless, here's a general breakdown of the proposed funding by application: Source. The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations. It's important to remember that these vaccine-development funds could go to internal efforts at the NIH, or academic teams at universities, in addition to Inovio and Sanofi. Similarly, vector-control funds could go to companies such as Intrexon and MosquitoMate, or to pay for insecticide applications. Vaccines are years away Large pharmaceutical companies are hesitant to dive into Zika vaccine development for various reasons. For one, researchers have largely neglected to study the virus, which means we have a lot of work to do before fully understanding it. That could increase the already-lengthy time it takes to bring a vaccine to market. Some companies estimate commercialization could be 10 to 15 years away, although as fellow Fool Keith Speights notes, Inovio could potentially apply for approval after Phase 2 testing. For now, it has yet to begin Phase 1 trials in humans, putting that potential decision at least several years away. Another major source of hesitation on the part of vaccine developers stems from the potential for large populations of humans to develop natural immunity to Zika virus within the next five to 10 years -- about the time it takes to develop a vaccine. That's according to comments from Moncef Slaoui, Chairman of Vaccines at GlaxoSmithKline, which has yet to announce its decision on vaccine R&D. There's no silver bullet As is often the case, there's no silver bullet for combatting Zika virus. Public-health officials will deploy a range of tools in the short and long term. In the near term, tools will focus on controlling mosquito populations by spraying insecticides, releasing Intrexon's genetically engineered mosquitoes, and releasing MosquitoMate's mosquitoes that are infected with larvae-targeting bacteria. Educating individuals and mobilizing response teams will play another key role in protecting public health. In the long term, tools will focus on continuing to control mosquito populations -- hopefully, we learn a thing or two from deploying new technologies in the next few years -- and developing and distributing vaccines. We may even decide that completely eradicating certain types of mosquitoes capable of transmitting devastating diseases (including Zika virus, yellow fever, malaria, and chikungunya) is in our best interest as a species... but that's a different discussion. The article 5 Things You Need to Know About Zika Virus originally appeared on Fool.com. Maxx Chatsko has no position in any stocks mentioned. Follow him on Twitter to keep up with developments in the engineered biology field.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. You can't make an electric car without figuring out how to charge it. Apple is already actively exploring different charging technologies and solutions, according to Reuters. The Mac maker has had talks with various companies that operate charging stations and networks, while also hiring automotive engineers that specialize in charging technology away from existing automakers as well as rival tech peers. To be clear, these talks are not related to Apple offering workplace charging for employees that may have electric cars; Apple's Cupertino campus already has numerous charging stalls available to employees and visitors. The company is interested in the underlying charging technologies. The report comes just as I've been wondering myself what charging standard an Apple Car would adopt. Let's hope that Apple doesn't go the proprietary route, because the last thing that the charging landscape needs is yet another standard. To be proprietary or not to be proprietary, that is the question Apple is very much a global business these days, so it would need to consider fast-charging standards all over the world for its presumed Apple Car. That would include accommodating CCS (both U.S. and European variants), CHAdeMO, and China's forthcoming national standard. I happen to think that Apple should partner with Tesla to use its Supercharger network since it's the most technologically advanced solution with the fastest charge rate, which would also require the Apple Car to work with Supercharging (both U.S. and European variants). Tesla has long said that it is willing to share its Supercharger network provided that other companies share costs proportionate with usage and that the vehicle can technically support the charge rate. Tesla has had talks with a non-German, European automaker about a potential partnership (probably Aston Martin), but no official collaborations have been announced. Generally, Apple sees a lot of strategic value in proprietary standards, but the iPhone maker has a mixed track record with deploying them. You don't really have much of a choice but to use Lightning with your iPhone, while Thunderbolt has stagnated a half-decade after it was introduced. Judging by the new MacBook and the implied technological trajectory that Apple is pursuing, Apple seems to be subtly transitioning away from Thunderbolt in favor of USB-C, which is an open standard. So the real question is whether or not Apple sees enough strategic benefit to embark upon a proprietary roadmap. But choosing to go the proprietary route would also entail building out its own charging infrastructure. Apple has plenty of cash to invest in a charging network, but it would be starting from scratch and it could take years to construct a mature network. Instead, if Apple were to simply adopt and support some combination of the existing standards, it could piggyback on current charging infrastructure, which continues to grow. The market doesn't need another charging standard, even if the connector is the thinnest and lightest charging connector ever made. The article Apple, Inc. Is Already Working on a Critical Piece of Its Car Puzzle originally appeared on Fool.com. Evan Niu, CFA owns shares of Apple and Tesla Motors, andhas the following options: long January 2018 $180 calls on Tesla Motors. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Apple and Tesla Motors. The Motley Fool has the following options: long January 2018 $90 calls on Apple and short January 2018 $95 calls on Apple. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The auto industry is going through its biggest transition since Henry Ford made the assembly line a standard in the industry. Internal combustion engines are slowly but surely being replaced by electric vehicles that offer the potential for both lower cost of ownership and cleaner operations. On top of the growth of EVs, self-driving vehicles are on the horizon, and they could upend the auto industry as we know it. With that backdrop in mind, is the old-school Ford (NYSE: F) or upstart Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) a better buy for investors today? Tesla's staggering size Despite the fact that Tesla is much younger and sells far fewer vehicles, the company actually has a bigger market cap than Ford. The similarity of the value of the companies is in stark contrast to the scale of operations at Tesla and Ford. Over the past year, Ford had more than 12 times the sales of Tesla and built 6.6 million vehicles in 2017, or about 127,000 per week. Tesla recently completed a single week where it produced 5,000 Model 3s. Granted, Tesla is quickly ramping up Model 3 production, but it would need to grow for a long time to catch up to Ford. For context, to catch up to Ford's level of sales, Tesla would have to grow sales 25% per year for 12 consecutive years. Tesla also hasn't proven it can make money from making cars. The chart below shows the company's cash flow from operations. This is just the money generated from operating manufacturing plants; it doesn't even include the cost of building the plant itself, which totaled $4 billion from Tesla last year. Tesla's investment thesis isn't necessarily about past performance, but if the company can't prove its ability to make money, it won't be a good investment long term. Right now, we have proof that Ford can make money while transitioning to building an electric, self-driving fleet, and we don't know if Tesla can make money building any vehicles. Tesla isn't as far ahead of Ford as you might think The bullish case for Tesla is that it will lead the way to a new transportation future. Electric vehicles are part of the formula, but so is autonomous driving. But Tesla isn't as far ahead in either as you might think. According to Navigant Research, Ford is well ahead of Tesla in terms of both strategy and execution in self-driving vehicles. Ford is planning to launch its own self-driving vehicle fleet in 2021, using a vehicle built specifically for ride sharing. Tesla has pushed its self-driving technology to its vehicles more quickly than others, but it's well behind in terms of full autonomy research. The company isn't using LIDAR, or light detection and ranging, like its competitors, and that may be a fatal flaw for Tesla. There's no certainty the cameras Tesla uses as the basis for its for self-driving technology will ever be as reliable as the LIDAR systems with redundancies that competitors like Ford are already building today. There's also no guarantee Tesla will remain a leader in electric vehicles for long. General Motors, VW, and Ford are just a few of the automakers setting their sights on the EV market. Ford says it will invest $11 billion by 2022 to bring 40 hybrid and full-electric vehicles to market. Ford is the better bet today Shares of Ford trade for just 7.2 times 2018's earnings estimates, and considering the company's planned transition to electric vehicles and its development of self-driving vehicles, I think it's a much better buy for investors. Tesla could continue to be a disruptive company in the auto industry, but it hasn't proven that it can make money, and until it does, I will remain skeptical of the stock. 10 stocks we like better than FordWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has quadrupled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Ford wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of June 4, 2018 Travis Hoium owns shares of Ford. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Tesla. The Motley Fool recommends Ford. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image source: Flickr user Mike Mozart. It's safe to say that agricultural technology leader Monsanto is not among the world's most admired companies. Whether most of the shade being thrown the company's way is merited or not, a considerable amount of the distrust harbored by consumers stems from its relationship with a potent active ingredient in many widely used herbicides: glyphosate. That's because the company was the first to introduce the chemical back in 1974, and it continues to sell the well-known Roundup brand of glyphosate herbicides for home and commercial use. Well, glyphosate is back in the news recently, thanks to toxicity assessments from the World Health Organization and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. That might have you wondering, "How much money does Monsanto make from Roundup?" We'll look at the latest full-year data the company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, but first, a quick primer on glyphosate and Roundup. What are glyphosate and Roundup? Glyphosate is a simple molecule which inhibits a key biological process only found in plants (and some bacteria) and keeps them from growing. Roundup is a brand of herbicide sold by Monsanto which contains glyphosate as its active ingredient. Although the company manufactures glyphosate for its own products, the last patent on glyphosate expired in 2000. Therefore it should be no surprise that the chemical is manufactured by numerous other companies and included in numerous other herbicide brands throughout the globe. Glyphosate-based herbicides are the most commonly used in the United States, thanks in no small part to agricultural crops that have been genetically engineered to tolerate herbicide applications. This genetic trait, commercially known as "Roundup Ready," is widely licensed to global seed manufacturers and allows crops to tolerate glyphosate in other brands of herbicide, not just those sold by Monsanto. The introduction of Roundup Ready crops has greatly simplified weed control for farmers and allowed the United States to phase out herbicides considered more harmful from environmental and health standpoints, such as alachlor and cyanazine. The ease of use provided by Roundup Ready crops has indeed resulted in an explosion of glyphosate sales and usage in the past 20 years. Part of the observed trend is caused by a starting point near zero, while part is caused by weeds developing higher tolerance to glyphosate, which requires higher doses of herbicides to maintain effectiveness. These trends are demonstrated by data compiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which show that overall herbicide use per acre of corn planted has declined by 22% since 1990 and held relatively constant since. It's important to note that farmers often apply more than one herbicide to their crops. USDA-NASS Agricultural Chemical Use Survey data. Image source: Dr. Andrew Kniss. Of course, the chart above also demonstrates spectacular growth in the use of glyphosate. That means Monsanto must be making money hand over fist from Roundup, right? By the numbers The latest full-year financial data submitted by Monsanto to the SEC is for the fiscal year ending August 2015. The company reports operational performance in two segments: seeds and genomics, and agricultural productivity. The former comprises seed sales and revenue earned from licensing genetic traits, while the latter comprises herbicide sales. Here's how revenue was split between the two segments in 2015: Data source: SEC filings. As you can see, Monsanto generates substantially more revenue from selling seeds and licensing genetic traits than from selling glyphosate herbicides. The relative importance of each segment holds when one considers gross profits, which are even more heavily skewed in favor of seeds and genomics: Data source: SEC filings. These data reflect the fact that Monsanto is only one of dozens of glyphosate manufacturers, most of which reside in China. Additionally, while $4.76 billion in annual sales is significant, in recent years the company has strategically focused on branded products with higher premiums than generic counterparts. In other words, margins are more important than volume, which means Monsanto's market share in terms of revenue is larger than its market share in terms of sheer volume of glyphosate produced. While the company realizes that future growth will be driven by advances in its seeds and genomics segment, it is also investing nearly $1 billion in a manufacturing facility for dicamba, another widely used herbicide. The manufacturing facility will support the launch of a next-generation genetic trait -- Roundup Ready 2 Xtend -- that allows crops to tolerate both glyphosate and dicamba. The effort is aimed at combating weeds that are growing more resistant to glyphosate, but is likely to attract even more criticism from those wary of agricultural chemical use. What it means How much money does Monsanto make from Roundup? In 2015, the company made nearly $4.76 billion in sales and $1.9 billion in gross profits from herbicide products, mostly Roundup. That represents a significant portion of the global glyphosate market, although the company will continue to lose market share to generic competitors as demand grows. Therefore, as far as Monsanto is concerned, the road to the future will be paved with seeds and genomics products, not chemical herbicides. The article How Much Money Does Monsanto Make From Roundup? originally appeared on Fool.com. Maxx Chatsko 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. What happened? Pour a tall frosty one, and clink glasses with Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller. The two big global beer companies received approval to merge from the European Union's competition regulator, the European Commission. The approval is conditional, however, upon the sale of much of SABMiller's European beer portfolio. That shouldn't be difficult, as Anheuser-Busch InBev has already reached a deal (with Japan's Asahi) to sell SABMiller's French, Italian, Dutch, and U.K. brands. Additionally, it has pledged to divest SABMiller's beers in Central/Eastern European countries the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, and Romania. Does it matter? Anheuser-Busch InBev's willingness to unload valuable brands -- which include familiar names to beer fans such as the Czech Republic's Pilsner Urquell, and Holland's Grolsch -- smoothed the way to the EU's approval of the roughly $107 billion merger. That's not a particularly easy green light to obtain, given that the commission can be stricter than regulators in other parts of the world. Now that the deal has surmounted the EU hurdle, antitrust authorities in key markets such as the U.S. and China must sign off on it. But these countries have less severe regulatory regimes. Additionally, as it did in Europe Anheuser-Busch has made arrangements for divestments in order to assuage antitrust concerns. In this country, it's reached a deal with Molson Coors to cash out of SABMiller's stake in the MillerCoors joint venture. Molson Coors would thus graduate from its current minority position in MillerCoors to full ownership. After that, Molson Coors would become the No. 2 American brewer, behind Anheuser-Busch InBev. Although the news of the EU's approval is hardly unexpected, it should be taken very positively by Anheuser-Busch shareholders. It heralds similar approvals elsewhere around the globe, not to mention a powerful new company that will be a force to be reckoned with. The article Instant Analysis: European Regulator Conditionally Approves AB InBev/SABMiller Merger originally appeared on Fool.com. Eric Volkman has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Anheuser-Busch InBev. 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? Bayer's pursuit of American agribusiness peer Monsanto has hit an early roadblock. The latter company formally rejected the former's initial all-cash, $122-per-share bid to purchase it. SOURCE: MONSANTO. In the press release announcing its decision, Monsanto quoted its CEO, Hugh Grant, as saying that Bayer's offer "significantly undervalues our company and also does not adequately address or provide reassurance for some of the potential financing and regulatory execution risks related to the acquisition." The company did not elaborate further. But Monsanto clearly left the door open for another, presumably higher bid. It hastened to say that it is "open to continued and constructive conversations to assess whether a transaction in the best interest of Monsanto shareowners can be achieved." Does it matter? Bayer was happy to hear those words. In response, it fired off a press release stating that it "looks forward to engaging in constructive discussions with Monsanto regarding the proposed transaction." Of course it does. Owning Monsanto would make Bayer a global agribusiness powerhouse by combining the American company's very strong position in that market with its own operations. But as badly as management might want a tie-up, it's clear that shareholders are already uneasy with the potential cost. Several were cited by The Wall Street Journal as considering the expense of the opening bid a "stretch." Bayer's shares have traded down over 12% since the company's interest was first made public two weeks ago. At this early stage, the Bayer/Monsanto takeover story is starting to look eerily like the most recent monster agribusiness acquisition play. Ironically, Monsanto was the pursuer in that case and a European company the prey, specifically Syngenta . In spite of a fairly generous offer, Syngenta not only initially turned down Monsanto, it also rejected subsequent overtures. Ultimately, Monsanto halted its pursuit, and Syngenta found another potential parent, ChemChina. Bayer does seem determined to win Monsanto's hand in marriage; the questions are if it's willing to fatten the bid sufficiently and whether its shareholders will accept the added expense. Monsanto's stock price -- and its future -- will depend on the answers. We're likely only at the beginning of this saga, so stay tuned for more developments. The article Instant Analysis: Monsanto Rejects Bayer's Buyout Offer originally appeared on Fool.com. Eric Volkman has no position in any stocks mentioned. Nor 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. Image source: Microsoft. Even without the benefit of hindsight, Microsoft should have known better. The software giant announced yesterday that it was further "streamlining" its phone business. That includes laying off 1,850 employees within the hardware division and recording a $950 million restructuring charge, which includes $200 million in severance payments. The majority of the positions (1,350) being eliminated are in Nokia's home country of Finland, while the remaining 500 will come from other parts of the world. The news comes less than a year after Microsoft took a massive $7.6 billion charge last summer related to the Nokia acquisition. Sadly, the blockbuster acquisition from 2013 was doomed from the start. More like short-term value destruction When the deal was initially announced just three short years ago, Microsoft put together a presentation outlining the "strategic rationale" behind the acquisition. It included this incredibly optimistic and ambitious slide: Image source: Microsoft. Within five years from the acquisition's announcement, Microsoft assumed that it could grab a solid 15% of the global smartphone market. At an estimated 1.7 billion units for 2018, that would translate into 255 million units. For context, there were a total of 11.1 million Windows Phones shipped last year, and Microsoft was 95% of that. In the first quarter, Microsoft's market share slipped below 1%. The software giant wasn't particularly ambitious in terms of average selling prices though, recognizing that its few strengths in the smartphone market were mostly in lower-end market segments; Microsoft hoped those unit volumes would bring in $45 billion in revenue, for an ASP of around $176. Microsoft also had high hopes for turning around the handset business' steep operating losses, which were necessary in order to reach a net present value (NPV) of $15 billion to $30 billion. Almost no part of this goal was feasible beyond the modest ASP estimate. The iPhone currently holds about a 15% global market share, so Microsoft was essentially hoping that it could grow to be comparable to Apple, albeit from the other end of the market. Without those unit volumes and the associated operating leverage, there was no way that Microsoft could get the business to a 5% to 10% operating margin, either. Blame Ballmer To be fair, none of this is CEO Satya Nadella's fault. He inherited the mess from his predecessor, and has much better ideas about Microsoft's long-term strategic direction. For the most part, investors are on his side, too; shares have gained over 40% since he was named CEO. In an internal memo regarding the restructuring obtained by The Verge, Windows chief Terry Myerson says that the company is "not out" of smartphones, since it's too important of a category to give up on. Rather, going forward Microsoft is focusing on its broader Windows platform -- which sometimes requires a cross-platform strategy. Microsoft's phone strategy will now emphasize enterprise customers and productivity services with offerings like mobile device management and development tools. This is an obvious pivot that truly does go back to Microsoft's foundational strengths. Instead of banking on some monumental volume growth, Microsoft can cross-sell mobility offerings to its massive enterprise customer base. Building hardware profitably is hard. The article Microsoft Corporation's Phone Business Never Had a Chance originally appeared on Fool.com. Evan Niu, CFA owns shares of Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of Microsoft and has the following options: long January 2018 $90 calls on Apple and short January 2018 $95 calls on Apple. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi was valued at $46 billion after its most recent round of funding in late 2014, making it the most valuable start-up in the world. That makes it much bigger than Sony , which has an enterprise value of $31 billion. Xiaomi and Sony now compete in many areas, including mobile devices, wearables, TVs, and smart appliances. But investors might be wondering if Xiaomi, which was founded just six years ago, should really be worth more than Sony, one of the most well-known brands in the world. Let's take a closer look at Xiaomi's growth to decide. Image source: Xiaomi. How fast is Xiaomi growing? In late 2014, Xiaomi founder Lei Jun claimed that the company's annual sales would rise 35% to 100 billion yuan ($16 billion at the time) in 2015. Unfortunately, sluggish demand for smartphones in China and intense competition from domestic rivals throttled Xiaomi's growth, and sales rose just 5% to 78 billion yuan ($12.5 billion). With the devaluation of the yuan factored in, sales only improved 3% in U.S. dollars. Xiaomi originally thought it could sell at least 80 million smartphones in 2015. It ended up selling just over 70 million, whichleft it trailing Huawei, which sold 100 million. By comparison, Apple and Samsung respectively sold231 million and325 million smartphones last year. Xiaomi also planned to generate $1 billion in Internet services revenue last year to pivot away from smartphones, but it didn't provide an update along with its 2015 sales figures, suggesting that it missed its target. Xiaomi doesn't regularly disclose its profitability, but a 2013 filing revealed that it had an operating margin of just 1.8%, since it sells its products at much lower prices than its "brand name" rivals. Xiaomi cuts costs by selling its products online, using social networking campaigns instead of paid ads, and releasing products in limited quantities to boost demand and keep inventories low. A mature tech company or a thriving start-up? Xiaomi's slow sales growth and thin margins make it look more like a mature tech company than an exciting start-up. By comparison, Sony's revenue fell 1.3% to $71.7 billionin fiscal 2015, and it had an operating margin of 3.6%. That gives Sony a fairly low EV/Sales ratio of 0.4. Comparing a start-up to a publicly traded company can be tough, since a start-up's valuation only changes when new investments are made, and its earnings growth is usually obfuscated like Xiaomi's is. But assuming that Xiaomi's $46 billion valuation is roughly equivalent to its EV, its 2015 revenue would give it an EV/Sales ratio of 3.7. That's not cheap by tech industry standards -- Apple currently has an EV/Sales ratio of 2.4, and Samsung has an EV/Sales ratio of 0.6. Xiaomi's new Mi 5. Image source: Xiaomi. So how much should Xiaomi be worth? If Xiaomi were valued more like Apple, which posted 28% sales growthin 2015, it would have an enterprise value of about $32.5 billion. But if Xiaomi were valued closer to Sony or Samsung, which didn't post robust sales growth in 2015,it would have a "fair" enterprise value between just $5 billion and $7.5 billion. Xiaomi hasn't offered any new sales forecasts for 2016, but research firm IHS claims that the company's smartphone shipments fell about 1% year-over-year to 14.8 million in the first quarter of 2016. If that trend continues, and Xiaomi's other products fail to generate enough revenue to offset those declines, the company could be headed for a year-over-year sales decline similar to the one Sony experienced in 2015. Since Xiaomi is likely still selling products at lower margins than Sony, that decline might cause the company to become unprofitable. The verdict: Xiaomi is probably overvalued In 2014, when Xiaomi hit its $46 billion valuation, its sales rose 135%. If sales had kept soaring on that triple-digit trajectory in 2015 and 2016, its $46 billion valuation could be easily justified. However, 5% sales growth in 2015 and potentially negative growth this year indicate that the world's most valuable start-up has already become a mature tech company. That's why it probably shouldn't be worth $15 billion more than Sony. The article Should Xiaomi Really Be Worth More Than Sony Corporation? originally appeared on Fool.com. Leo Sun has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Apple. The Motley Fool has the following options: long January 2018 $90 calls on Apple and short January 2018 $95 calls on Apple. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image source: FireEye Major hedge funds sold off shares of cybersecurity firm FireEye during the first quarter. Funds run by billionaires Israel Englander (Millennium Management) and Ken Griffin (Citadel) sold nearly 1.4 million shares from the beginning of January through the end of March. While it's never prudent to blindly follow the investing activity of billionaire hedge fund managers, it's always interesting to keep track of their positions. FireEye has been a notable underperformer in recent months. Year-to-date, shares have lost almost one-quarter of their value, and over the last 12 months, FireEye shares have fallen more than 65%. That disappointing performance may have prompted Millennium and Citadel to sell -- so should other investors follow their lead? Data by YCharts Growing but not fast enough FireEye isn't profitable, and management doesn't expect it to be anytime in the near future. Worse, the company is hemorrhaging cash -- it posted operating cash outflow of $22.5 million last quarter, up from the $3.2 million it lost in the same period the year before. But that's mostly been true throughout FireEye's history as a publicly traded company. Investors have been willing to tolerate these losses as its business has grown rapidly. But now growth itself has slowed in recent quarters, causing the company to consistently miss analyst estimates. Last quarter, FireEye generated $168 million of revenue, but analysts had been looking for around $172 million. At the same time, its outlook has been soft. FireEye expects its 2016 revenue to come in between $780 million and $810 million. That's well short of the $829 million analysts had been anticipating. The company has long been seen as a potential takeover target, as its focus on advanced persistent threat (APT) detection -- an emerging area of cybersecurity -- could endear its business to larger companies operating in the space. Dave DeWalt, FireEye's CEO, has an established track record of success operating in the tech space, but his career is particularly notable in the sense that the companies he has run (most notably McAfee) have ultimately been acquired. The same may be true for FireEye, but if so, it won't be under DeWalt's stewardship. He'll remain on as chairman but will resign his CEO position next month. FireEye has never been this cheap Still, there's obviously demand for FireEye's products and services. Although it isn't likely to generate as much revenue this year as some may have hoped, if it hits its guidance, it will see its revenue rise at least 25% on an annual basis and perhaps as much as 30%. The aggressive selling has sent FireEye shares tumbling near all-time lows, but on a valuation basis, the stock has never been this cheap. Because FireEye isn't profitable, it's hard to value the company under traditional metrics such as its price-to-earnings ratio. Instead, other valuation metrics must be used. FireEye's trailing price-to-sales ratio (a measure that compares FireEye's market cap to the revenue it has generated over the last 12 months) currently hovers near 3.6, a level not seen since the company went public. Palo Alto Networkscompetes with FireEye in the cybersecurity space -- it offers WildFire as an alternative to FireEye's APT services. It too has seen its valuation tumble in recent quarters but remains far more expensive than FireEye. Data by YCharts FireEye's business remains speculative. The company expects to post positive operating cash flow for all of 2016, but net income will remain nonexistent. It's slowing growth should certainly give investors pause, but from a valuation standpoint, there's never been a better time to buy FireEye shares. The article These Billionaires Just Dumped More Than 1 Million FireEye Inc Shares -- Should You Follow? originally appeared on Fool.com. Sam Mattera has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends FireEye. The Motley Fool recommends Palo Alto Networks. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The board of directors of the embattled media company Viacom (NASDAQ:VIAB) is planning legal action to prevent the possible removal of chief executive Philippe Dauman. Meanwhile, tensions continue to mount between the companys embattled CEO and the controlling Redstone family, the FOX Business Network has learned. Longtime Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone owns an 80% majority stake of Viacom through his control of National Amusement. He recently booted Dauman from a family trust that will oversee the company after Dauman clashed with Redstones daughter, Shari, the companys other major owner. Redstones move is widely seen as the first step by Shari to oust Dauman from Viacom and assert control over the media empire her ailing father created. But such a move will immediately prompt a lawsuit from the board to stop Daumans removal, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter who could only speak on the condition of anonymity. These people say the lawsuit is already drawn up and lawyers for the board are prepared to file the case in Delaware Chancery Court, the usual venue for settling high-level corporate disputes. People close to the Viacom board say a formal move by Shari to oust Dauman could come any day. A spokesman for Viacom had no comment on the matter; a spokeswoman for Shari Redstone had no comment. A lawyer for Sumner Redstone didnt return telephone calls. The simmering legal battle between the Redstones and Dauman is the latest twist in the Viacom corporate saga. Things began to heat up earlier this year when Sumner Redstones former girlfriend Manuela Herzer sued to have herself reinstated as the 92-year old billionaires primary caretaker. As part of the lawsuit, the 51-year-old Herzer challenged Sumner Redstones mental competency in taking such an action, calling him a "living ghost," and alleged that Sumner had a number of bizarre habits like being obsessed with eating steak and having sex. The case was recently thrown out of court, putting Shari Redstone formally in charge of her fathers health care. Most company analysts say Shari was behind the more recent decision by her father to remove Dauman, his long-time corporate ally, from the family trusta precursor to removing him as CEO. Dauman has recently filed suit alleging that Sumner Redstone isnt mentally competent to remove him from the trust and that Shari Redstone prodded her father to make the move as part of her effort to control the company. Court documents show Shari Redstone has repeatedly called on the board to remove Dauman as Viacoms chief; and while the board has so far refused, directors and legal observers say she could take the step of convincing her father to replace the entire board of directors with a new group that would install a different CEO. The lawsuit contemplated by Viacoms board would aim to block that on the grounds that Summer Redstone is not mentally competent to make such decisions. A person with direct knowledge of the planned legal action said the board intends to include what it considers new evidence of Sumner Redstones mental incapacity. This person said the planned lawsuit would ask the judge to enact a section of Delaware corporate law that would expedite a ruling to keep Dauman in his current position. Recently, Viacoms lead independent director Fred Salerno asked for a private meeting with Sumner Redstone, to gauge his mental condition. According to a person with knowledge of the matter, a lawyer for Summer Redstone recently sent Salerno a letter saying he would have to submit his questions in writing before any such meeting could take place. Salerno declined comment; Summer Redstones lawyer Michael Tu, didnt return telephone calls and email requests for comment. Still, legal experts say the boards legal strategy is risky even if directors can prove Summer Redstone is not capable of making decisions that affect a public company with stock also held outside the controlling family. That family controls that company. The board can keep him in but then the Redstones can just throw out the board of directors, Charles Olson, Professor of Corporate Governance and the Director of the Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware said. The board can try to do something but in reality they cant do anything. The board holds the authority until they are replaced. They can try to stop this but Redstone can easily fire them and Dauman would then be out by default. The Redstones, through National Amusements, also control media giant CBS (NYSE:CBS), which is managed by another long-time executive, Les Moonves. In recent years, shares of CBS have outperformed those of Viacom, which owns aging media properties such as MTV, and people close to Shari Redstone say she would prefer that Moonves run both outfits if she is successful in ousting Daumon. What: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals is up 11% at 3:15 p.m. EDT after Alnylam's competitor Ionis Pharmaceuticals disclosed that its partner GlaxoSmithKline won't start a phase 3 clinical trial forIONIS-TTRRx in patients with transthyretin (TTR)-related amyloid cardiomyopathy. So what: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals also has a drug, revusiran, for TTR-amyloid cardiomyopathy. The drug is currently in phase 3 development that should finish enrolling in late 2016, putting a potential readout in mid-2018. GlaxoSmithKline plans to wait for data from a phase 3 trial Ionis Pharmaceuticals is running in a related disease called TTR-familial amyloid polyneuropathy that's scheduled to read out in the first half of next year, so Alnylam will have a substantial head start. But it gets even better for Alnylam Pharmaceuticals. One of the reasons GlaxoSmithKline wants to wait is that Ionis Pharmaceuticals has observed thrombocytopenia, or low platelet levels, in patients with TTR-familial amyloid polyneuropathy treated with IONIS-TTRRx. Alnylam also has a drug, patisiran, to treat the polyneuropathy version of the disease. We'll get phase 3 data from trials in the polyneuropathy version for both IONIS-TTRRx and patisiran next year. Assuming both drugs pass their pivotal trials, efficacy will be the main driver for sales, but if they produce similar results in patients, not having the risk of thrombocytopenia will give Alnylam an advantage. Low platelet levels is a manageable condition, but it's an added step for doctors to have to monitor, which they'd rather avoid if there's an equally good treatment that doesn't require it. Now what: IONIS-TTRRx's side effect and related delay are clearly good news for Alnylam in terms of potential competition once revusiran and patisiran make it to market. However, the drugs still have to pass their phase 3 trials to get approved by regulators. Investors will get more information about the likelihood of success when Alnylam presents data from the phase 2 open-label extension trials for both drugs in July at theInternational Symposium on Amyloidosis. The article Why Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Competed Higher Today originally appeared on Fool.com. Brian Orelli has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and Ionis Pharmaceuticals. 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: Siliconware Precision Industries. What: Shares of Advanced Semiconductor Engineering and Siliconware Precision Industries surged on Thursday morning, thanks to a freshly announced merger between the two companies. ASE shares rose as much as 19.6% on the news, and Siliconware investors enjoyed an 11.2% surge at most. So what: The two semiconductor testing and packaging companies will effectively merge under the new agreement. Technically, they will establish a joint holding company based in Taiwan, where both of the companies have their current headquarters. This new entity will hold 100% of all ownership in the existing operations, and will then run the combined business in a hands-off fashion. Both of the current management teams will remain intact, running separate business operations under their current names. Current ASE shareholders will be issued stock in the new holding company, while Siliconware investors are getting a cash buyout and no shares. Now what: Siliconware has been fighting off ASE's advances in recent months, seeking outside investors to avoid the larger rival's buyout proposals. This final deal was approved by both boards of directors. What once was a hostile takeover attempt has turned into a negotiated merger on friendly terms, now set to close by June 25. Overall, Siliconware shares have now gained about 20% since the beginning of ASE's interest. ASE shares came back from a recent slump today, and the stock has now beaten the S&P 500 benchmark across the same period -- by a small margin. ASE investors clearly saw this deal as important to the company's future, and today's big move amounts to a deep sigh of relief. The article Why Siliconware Precision Industries and Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Shares Jumped Today originally appeared on Fool.com. Anders Bylund 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. A State Department inspector general report on Wednesday slammed former Secretary of State Hillary Clintons email use for failing to inform department staff regarding the use of a private email server. The report draws attention to Clintons judgement as lawmakers question whether the Democratic presidential candidate can lead the country after risking the nations secrets by holding them onto a private server. This is the same people such as the Congressman that you just had on that are saying that the violation of the federal records act are a terrible violation even though this very report identifies the previous Secretary of State as doing similar things. Theyre the same people that said Benghazi was terrible. Theyre the same people that said she murdered Vince Foster, former Obama senior economic advisor Austan Goolsbee told the FOX Business Networks Stuart Varney. Gooslbee said he has read the report that was provided to Congress and wonders whether those who are attacking have read the report. If you look at the report, its a report about record keeping and its critical of Secretary Colin Powell, who it says leaves office, had a private server and never turned over the emails that were on that private server despite being asked. And that Hillary Clinton did turn over those emails, Gooslbee said. The University Of Chicago Booth School Of Business professor discussed the economic policy practices under a Hillary Clinton presidency. I believe infrastructure and education are two critical investments to raising the long term growth rate of the United States. Gooslbee thinks a 4 percent long-term economic growth rate is unrealistic and agrees a strong economic policy by a president is necessary. Ultimately, the elections will be between two people. I believe those two people will be Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. And for whatever criticisms you have of Hillary Clinton which right now we are just focused on criticisms of her, it will become a compared to. And when you start looking at the insanity thats coming out the Trump campaign on a regular basis, I dont think we are willing to take that risk, Goolsbee said. As Animal Plant prepares for Monster Week, Dr. Mark Evans is taking viewers on an investigative journey about the mysterious Himalayan biped known as the Yeti in Yeti or Not. Evans said viewers can expect "many surprises" from the Animal Planet special. I had preconceived ideas on how it might go and what I was expecting to find, and I can genuinely say I ended up in a place where I didnt expect to be at the end of it," he said. "Certainly my views on the Yeti mystery have changed quite considerably as a result of making this film. In the special, Evans travels to Nepal in search of remains that are rumored to be from Yetis. On his travels, he examines the DNA from these and various samples in an attempt to solve the myth with science. If you can get DNA out of samples then you can come up with definitive results because DNA doesnt lie, he insisted. Science today will be able to confirm whether it is something new, it might be a Yeti whatever you want to call it. But the one thing science can never do is prove that the Yeti doesnt exist, because simply that is impossible. So when I go on these trips its with a very open mind. Evans said as a scientist it is his duty to be skeptical, however he aims to be respectful while conducting his research. I hope to do it in a way that is intelligent and do it in a way that recognizes and respects peoples views, opinions and experiences, he said. Certainly we wouldnt be able to do these journeys and investigations without them. In the case of this special, the reasons why my views have changed so much is because it was talking to people living in the Himalayans face to face and having conversations with them. Evans wants viewers to approach the special with an open mind. I think there are people who believe Yeti are out there and then there are people who think it is a whole mumbo jumbo, he said. I hope this film will encourage people to think very differently about the Yeti." Yeti or Not premieres May 29 on Animal Planet. On a recent weekend evening, Jenna, a professional escort then based on the Lower East Side, happily crawled in between the soft, luxurious sheets of a hotel bed with her client. But before having sex, the duo spent most of the evening cuddling and watching the Star Wars trilogy. He was a big movie buff, and his wife never watched movies with him, says the 25-year-old, who asked that her last name not be used for privacy reasons. She was paid $2,500 for the geeky encounter. Informal interactions such as this are common for Jenna and other women-for-hire who specialize in the girlfriend experience a service recently made popular by the sexy Starz series of the same name, which follows Christine Reade (Riley Keough) as a law student-turned-escort. More than straight sex, the girlfriend experience is the ability to act like a well-heeled plus-one at an A-list event, recall important biographical information with repeat clients, stay the night and say good morning with a wake-up kiss. The physical needs of a client are important, but equally important are his emotional and psychological needs, says a 20-something who goes by the name Allissa at legal brothel Sheris Ranch in Nevada. Youre there to treat the man like the most important person on Earth. Before women become girlfriends-for-hire, most dip their toes into the sex industry in other ways. Jenna, who recently relocated to Los Angeles, began as a cam girl charging people to watch her perform solo sex acts online. Through that, Id get offers to sell my panties for $200 a pair. Jess Brighton, who moved from the Midwest to Washington, DC, in 2008 in her 30s to become an escort after losing her job in finance, reached out to a few agencies she found online and made her pick after cross-referencing on the Erotic Review, a sex work-review website that rates agencies. Instantly, I was sent on out-calls, sometimes as many as 10 a day. I didnt have any say in which men Id see or how much time Id spend with them, recalls Brighton, who quit the business in 2014 to launch a career as a relationship expert. I didnt have any friends. I didnt have any other life. I couldnt. Brighton would earn a few hundred dollars from each encounter, but more than a quarter of that would go right back to the agency. At the time, the majority of her requests were for run-of-the-mill sexual favors, not for the girlfriend experience, which Brighton says she enjoyed more since it gave her a chance to get to know her clients. But, for many, specializing in the girlfriend experience is a sweet spot that lends itself to more cash, as escorts are paid for an entire evening, not just an hour in the sheets. The sex is mostly vanilla; if a client has a kinky request, the escort directs them to a fetish expert more able to address their needs. Once she switched to exclusively being a girlfriend-for-hire, Brighton was making up to $20,000 per month from two or three clients. But many escorts say that where The Girlfriend Experience on TV gets it wrong is the amount of sex these women actually have with their clients. In reality, its just a small part of their duties.Clients really enjoyed bringing me out on the town, Brighton says, explaining she would often accompany them to important business dinners or events, being introduced as a new associate. Id worked for nearly a decade in the financial service industry, and they loved that. They wanted me to actually contribute to conversations with their colleagues and not only be arm candy. In addition to her Star Wars-obsessed client, Jenna also spent an evening with a high-rolling real estate lawyer in his hotel penthouse suite to play a drunken game of hide-and-seek.I had a lot of fun with these guys, Jenna recalls. Yes, I was getting paid and, yes, more often than not we would end up having sex, but I worked pretty hard to vet clients and didnt really have any creepy experiences. Allissa agrees that giving a satisfactory experience goes beyond the bedroom. As an independent contractor within Sheris Ranch, Allissa cant reveal her rates, but says men often book her for a week at a time, when shes expected to be by her clients side 24/7. Theyll go on walks on the ranch grounds and head to the in-house spa. I have some clients who have been seeing me for years, says Allissa. They like that I listen to them without judgment. Some of my clients are widowers, and they just want to feel like someone is taking care of them.Some of my clients are widowers, and they just want to feel like someone is taking care of them. There are also material perks beyond the hourly rate. Brighton was once preparing for a Fifty Shades of Grey-esque sexual romp after being blindfolded by a client, only to be secretly whisked off to his private jet and flown to Paris for her birthday. It was incredibly romantic, and I loved every moment, recalls Brighton, who unfortunately couldnt tell anyone about the date of a lifetime. I think thats the hardest thing you have this connection, but youre essentially being paid to only exist [to these men] when they want you. The rest of the time, youre supposed to disappear. Go to NYPost.com for the full report. Jason Hervey, who played the bullying big brother on The Wonder Years, was quietly arrested in Tennessee back in January, according to TMZ. TMZ reports the arrest was only noticed this weekend after Hervey spent 48 hours behind bars for the months-old incident. Click here to see Hervey's mug shot. Hervey was reportedly booked after he took Ambien and got behind the wheel. The actor was charged with driving under the influence and carrying a weapon while under the influence, as there was a loaded handgun in his car, according to the gossip site. The actor confirmed the arrest to TMZ and said he took a prescription for Ambien before getting behind the wheel to do an errand. Hervey played Wayne Arnold during The Wonder Years six-season run from 1988 to 1993. Since the show wrapped, Hervey has worked behind-the-scenes in Hollywood as a producer. Click here to see Hervey's mug shot. Gun rights activists featured in a new documentary hosted by Katie Couric say it utilizes deceptive editing to misrepresent their response to a question from the news anchor. Members of the Virginia Citizens Defense League took part in a roundtable discussion in the film "Under the Gun." A clip appears to show nine seconds of silence after Couric asks them, "If there are no background checks for gun purchasers, how do you prevent felons or terrorists from purchasing a gun?" Audio released to the Washington Free Beacon reveals members immediately answering a similar question posed by Couric. Director Stephanie Soechtig tells The Washington Post the pause was so viewers could consider the question. Couric says she supports the statement and is "very proud of the film." But some are furious over the way the film portrays the activists in the documentary. The Independent Women's Forum issued a statement on Wednesday calling for Couric to be fired. "Katie Couric should be ashamed of herself for her dishonest and distorted reporting on this issue, said Culture of Alarmism Director Julie Gunlock. She has gone from respected journalist to propagandist for gun control groups Like serial fabricator Brian Williams, Couric should be fired. Her tactics have been exposed and Americans should never again trust her to report on these important issues." Some social media users echoed the organizations sentiments. I mean, this is despicably deceptive journalism by @katiecouric. She owes these people a big apology. https://t.co/6IfliavcH6 Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) May 25, 2016 I wonder how many other interviews @katiecouric has lied about? Jen M (@JenJenMA) May 25, 2016 I'm no gun fan, but this is appalling journalism by @katiecouric https://t.co/hqe9Strx4k Ursula Hennessey (@UHennessey) May 25, 2016 The NRA called the edits "outrageous" and "unbelievable" and tweeted that Couric should explain the editing. Under the Gun premiered May 15 on Epix. It first screened at the Sundance Film Festival back in January. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A man wearing a camouflage jumpsuit was arrested Wednesday after climbing a portion of the Hollywood sign. The man was identified as YouTube personality Vitaly Zdorovetskiy, according to KTLA. Zdorovetskiy was seen waving a flag that read Im back, but it eventually blew away. Zdorovetskiy eventually climbed down from the D of the sign and was taken into custody by park rangers. Another man, who was seen running up the hill, was also arrested. Zdorovetskiy tweeted Tuesday that he was going to film a huge stunt and on Thursday there would be a comeback video. However, police said Zdorovetskiy will spend at least one night in jail, which could derail his project. The villains missed me, he told CBS Los Angeles, They really missed me, the villains. And I had to show them whos back Natural Born Pranksters. Nothing can stop us. Natural Born Pranksters is the movie Zdorovetskiy stars in alongside Roman Atwood and Dennis Roady. Zdorovetskiy took photos with a few sightseers prior to his arrest. In 2012, one of Zdorovetskiys most notable pranks went wrong. Zdorovetskiy and cameraman Jonathan Vengas attempted a Russian Hitman Prank, which involved Zdorovetskiy telling a Florida man that he had 60 seconds to get away from a briefcase he had placed on the ground. When Zdorovetskiy revealed to the man the whole thing was a prank, the man started attacking him and Vengas. Boca Raton police arrested and charged him with threatening to detonate a bomb. That incident catapulted his viewership on Youtube to over four million subscribers. Click for more from KTTV. Click for more from KTLA. A long-dreaded superbug that is a strain of E. Coli has made its first appearance in the United States, researchers at the U.S. Military HIV Research Program announced Thursday. After being identified in China, Europe and Canada, researchers identified mcr-1 positive part of the deadly family of bacteria carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or CRE last month in a urinary tract sample in Pennsylvania, and found it was resistant to the antibiotic colistin. Colistin, known as the last line of defense against the most antibiotic-resistant bacteria, now appears to be exchanging genes for its resistance and waning in strength, according to a news release. "Colistin is one of the last efficacious antibiotics for the treatment of highly resistant bacteria. The emergence of a transferable gene that confers resistance to this vital antibiotic is extremely disturbing, Dr. Patrick McGann, of the Multidrug Resistant Organism Repository and Surveillance Network (MRSN) at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), said in the release. The discovery of this gene in the U.S. is equally concerning, and continued surveillance to identify reservoirs of this gene within the military health care community and beyond is critical to prevent its spread. Since the first transferrable gene for colistin-resistance was identified in China in 2015, microbiologists have been monitoring food supply and humans for its presence, according to the study that reported the U.S. finding, which was published Thursday in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. In Pennsylvania, the urinary tract infection sample from a 49-year-old female patient receiving treatment at a military facility was sent to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), where colistin susceptibility was tested. Tests revealed the bacterial infection would be resistant to colistin, and the center sent the sample to MRSN for sequencing, which identified the colistin-resistant gene, mrc-1. Its unclear how the woman contracted the infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), infections with CRE germs are very difficult to treat. One report suggests they may contribute to death in up to 50 percent of infected patients. In the new study, researchers reported that through intergovernmental communication, the CDC and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) also have identified a swine intestinal infection with a single mcr-1 positive E. coli strain. The Pennsylvania case and swine case may not be linked, but the evidence of the strain in the U.S. is a public health concern that could worsen the current global crisis of antimicrobial resistance, according to the release. At the National Press Club in Washington on Thursday, CDC director Tom Frieden called CRE a nightmare bacteria. The medicine cabinet is empty for some patients, Frieden said. It is the end of the road unless we act urgently. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 Five minutes after undergoing cosmetic surgery for breast augmentation, Linda Perez fell into a coma for two weeks. Perez, then 18, suffered severe brain damage and was unable to move or speak. Nearly three years later, she can only speak a few words and is only able to stand for a few seconds. Now, her mother, Mariela Diaz, is speaking out to warn others of the dangers of plastic surgery clinics such as the Coral Gables Cosmetic Center in Miami, where her daughter underwent surgery. I tell the daughters and mothers to think it over before going to those clinics, because they never know how they are going to come out, Mariela told the Miami Herald. They should accept what they have naturally. The surgery was the second for Perez, who previously had a buttocks augmentation, the Miami Herald reported The physician who administered the anesthesia, Dr. Mario Alberto Diaz, tried to resuscitate the girl after her heart rate and blood pressure dropped and she fell unconscious. He received an administrative complaint from the Florida Department of Health, which stated Diaz should have responded in a more aggressive and timely fashion and that he failed to provide an adequate airway for assisted breathing during the over 30 minutes of resuscitation attempts. Diaz is a convicted felon who went to federal prison for the illegal sale of pills online after pleading guilty in March 2006, the Miami Herald reported. He was allowed to keep his license after a one-year suspension following his prison term. Currently, Diaz is allowed to practice medicine after a settlement in the Perez case requiring him to pay a $10,000 fine and complete 15 hours of Continuing Medical Education. According to the Miami Herald, from 2000-2010, there were 46 office surgery deaths in South Florida. Perez, who has a 6-year-old son, will never recover, doctors say, and the family is struggling financially. Their attorneys created a GoFundMe page to help cover medical costs. Mariela Diaz told the Miami Herald that she only told her grandson that his mother is sick and that she feels like shes raising two children. [My daughter] is like a baby again. I have to teach her to eat, carry her to the bathroom, help her to take little steps, Mariela told the Miami Herald. Her son is the one who helps me to take care of her. Want a free, all-expenses-paid, six-month-long trip to the Caribbean? Well, if you're a qualified physical therapist or orthopedic surgeon, you just might be in luck. Professional kite surfer Jeremie Tronet lives in the Grenadines island chain with his girlfriend, Zoe, who recently fell and broke her femur. She had surgery to fix it, but she needs to stay off it for two months and will then need to be rehabilitated. The couple don't have health insurance, so the physical therapy she'll need would be quite pricey, AOL reports. Zoe would also have to travel to Martinique for the entire five- to six-month course of therapy. So Tronet had an idea: Convince a therapist to come to her. He made the offer earlier this month on his Facebook page and his website, informing interested parties that their travel, food, accommodations, and other expenses would be coveredand they can bring along a plus-one, the Penny Hoarder reports. More From Newser Plus, they can take free kite-surfing lessons and fun excursions, Yahoo News reports. "We are very happy to see the story being share[d] by everyone as we hope it will inspire a lot of people in thinking positive what ever happens in life," reads a follow-up post on Tronet's Facebook page, which also notes that the couple are hearing from hundreds of people per day and haven't yet decided who will come help Zoe out. This article originally appeared on Newser: Guy's Offer: Help My Girlfriend Walk, Get Free 6-Month Caribbean Vacation Researchers have found that amyloid beta, the hallmark brain protein for dementia, may accumulate as a response to infection which suggests Alzheimers disease may be caused by the bodys overreaction to certain bacterial threats. Scientists say their observations, published Wednesday in Science Translational Medicine, could reframe the fields perspective on the protein as well as impact medication development for the incurable disease, for which scientists do not know the cause. Scientific American reported that, historically, researchers have believed amyloid beta serves no purpose except to wreak havoc on synapses in the brain when the protein is not cleared properly. When amyloid beta accumulates, cognitive decline and memory loss ensue, leading to Alzheimers. But researchers at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital have observed in preliminary trials that the protein, while linked with dementia, may also play a sophisticated role in eradicating harmful microbes and alerting other cells of their invasion. In their study, cultured human and hamster cells that were infected with the fungus Candida albicans and had a high expression of amyloid beta doubled the number of cells that werent infected, Scientific American reported. They saw that beta amyloid had a similar protective effect in roundworms, or nematodes, which usually die within two to three days after fungal infection. Those worms that overexpressed amyloid beta continued to live five to six days after infection. Also, mice genetically engineered to overproduce human amyloid beta lived about twice as long as mice without the protein, Scientific American reported. When researchers injected a Salmonella bacterium into the brains of mice with Alzheimers, amyloid beta began to cluster around the bacteria in a mere 48 hours, and act like known antimicrobial peptides to prevent infection. We didnt know this was even possible that amyloid plaques would form rapidly overnight, study author Rudolph Tanzi, the Joseph P. and Rose F. Kennedy Professor of Child Neurology and Mental Retardation at Harvard University, told Scientific American. And in the middle of each plaque was one Salmonella bacterium, supporting the theory that the amyloid deposition had formed around the microbe as an entrapment mechanism just like LL37 and other established antimicrobial proteins. That the buildup of amyloid beta may be spurred by an overreaction to infection aligns with what scientists already know about the aging body that, as people get older, their function of the blood-brain barrier and immune system begin to wane. Tanzi told Scientific American that even a few pathogens could offset the accumulation of this plaque, and that could rapidly start the cascade toward the disease, causing tangles and inflammation. Youve got all three pillars of Alzheimers right there, he told Scientific American. Next, Tanzi and his team plan to further examine pathogens that may play a role in Alzheimers and other diseases, like diabetes, that are associated with amyloid plaques. Crime is contagious. If the Government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy. -- Justice Louis Brandeis (1856-1941) Last week, this column chronicled the startling admissions of lying by White House senior adviser Ben Rhodes. Rhodes readily acknowledged to The New York Times that he lied to the public and to members of Congress during the negotiations that produced the recent Iranian nuclear deal so as to temper the "irrational" fear that some senators and representatives had of the mullahs who run the government in Iran. He was asked -- not subpoenaed -- to testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee about his lying, and he refused to show up, claiming his lies were protected by executive privilege. Because he spoke publicly about this, he has no privilege, yet nothing further happened. The committee gave up the ghost. Also last week, in a federal court in Brownsville, Texas, the government was caught lying again -- this time by a federal judge. Here is the back story. In 2012, President Barack Obama issued numerous executive orders directing the departments of Justice and Homeland Security to enforce a version of immigration law that the president himself had scripted after Congress declined to pass it. The president crafted a path to permanent residence in the United States for undocumented immigrants who are the parents of children who were born here or are otherwise residents lawfully. The presidents plan would add between 4 million and 5 million people as lawful residents. That would add to the financial burdens of the states where these folks reside, because they are required by federal law to provide a social safety net -- health care, education, safety, welfare -- to all legal residents. Hence, 26 states sued the federal government, arguing in effect that the president exceeded his constitutional powers when he issued his executive orders and that the immediate effect of their enforcement would be massive, unplanned, unfunded financial burdens on the states. A federal judge agreed with the states and enjoined the president from enforcing his orders. During the course of the oral arguments in the case, the judge asked the lawyers from the Department of Justice who were representing the president whether the programs his executive orders established had yet begun. The lawyers replied that they had not. On three more occasions, one orally in the same public courtroom and twice in written submissions to the court, the DOJ lawyers insisted that the presidents programs had not yet begun. In reliance upon those assertions, the states asked only for an injunction going forward, not for an injunction on any applications being processed by the feds, because they were told that none existed. The government lawyers lied. Last week, we learned that the Department of Homeland Security has surreptitiously accepted applications from more than 100,000 undocumented immigrants for permanent residence under the terms of President Obamas unconstitutional executive orders. The orders may be characterized as unconstitutional because the same federal judge to whom the DOJ lawyers lied, as well as a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit to which the DOJ appealed the injunction against the president, found them so. Those findings await a determination by the Supreme Court, which is expected by the end of next month. The problem of lawyers lying to judges is extremely serious. Our system of litigation -- lawyers present facts and argue about laws, and judges rely on the truthfulness of what the lawyers have told them -- is built on trust. Because lawyers know the facts in their cases more intimately than judges do, judges rely on lawyers to tell them the truth. At first, these DOJ lawyers lied. Then they lied about their lying. Then they reluctantly acknowledged that they had momentary lapses in understanding, an argument that the court rejected because of the repeated nature of their lying. The lawyers said the programs had not begun, when in fact they had -- to a large degree. The judges response in the case was curious. He ordered the DOJ lawyers to take ethics classes. I would have done differently. Lying to the court is so severe a violation of the ethical rules, so disruptive of the moral order, that its significance is diminished by the so-called cure of ethics classes. I would have barred all lawyers who lied to me from ever appearing in my courtroom, and I would have removed them from the case. I would also have referred what I knew about them to ethics prosecutors in the states and federal districts where they are admitted. Lawyers have an obligation of candor to the judges before whom they appear. That duty is no less serious when the lawyers work for the government than when they work for private clients. Because the government prosecutes people who lie to it and its liars almost never can be prosecuted, government lying is grave. It is equivalent to government lawbreaking because when people to whom the government lies -- judges or litigants or members of Congress or the public -- rely on those lies, they often do so to their detriment. They lose a right or an opportunity that often cannot be recaptured. I have often asked rhetorically whether the government works for us or we work for the government. The answer to this inquiry is obvious. It is only a fiction that the government works for us. Yet fear of the consequences of government lying should terrify anyone who believes in the rule of law and fair play. Those consequences can be as contagious as government lawbreaking. As Donald Trump continues to unite the Republican party and Hillary Clinton inches closer to the Democratic nomination, the American public is growing increasingly unhappy with their choices. My firm, Schoen Consulting, conducted a poll that found 20 percent of general election voters would support an independent candidate for president over Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. We found that in a match-up that included an independent, both Trump and Clinton would garner 33 percent of the vote, an independent would take in 20 percent of the vote and 14 percent of voters werent sure who they would support. Furthermore, 61 percent of voters said that they werent satisfied with having to make a choice between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. This is certainly linked to how unfavorably both candidates are viewed. Fifty-eight percent have an unfavorable view of Clinton and 59 percent have an unfavorable view of Trump. But that isnt the only critical element of this story. The interest in a third party candidacy is rooted in how negatively politicians in general are viewed its not just Trump and Clinton. With each election, Americans become more and more fed up with the two party system. My poll found that an astounding 81 percent of Americans think that politicians put their own interests first and 79 percent believe that Washington is out of touch. As a consequence, 70 percent reported that theyd prefer an independent as compared to two flawed candidates. As Ive been arguing since Donald Trump came onto the scene about a year ago, Americans are fed up with how the system works. To this end, 80 percent of voters agreed with the statement its time to try something new by electing a president who is committed to common sense, values, civility, and working to get things done. Americans agree that the country is in trouble and that Democrats and Republicans have failed to solve any of the pressing issues that are hurting us like terrorism, illegal immigration, a broken healthcare system, and tackling our debt and deficit. These findings corroborate those from the Data Targeting poll, which found that 21 percent of Americans would support a generic independent candidate. Whats more, in this weeks ABC/Washington Post poll, when they tested a three-way hypothetical race with Trump, Clinton and Mitt Romney, Romney pulled in 22 percent of the vote. Amongst Republicans, Romney took in a third of GOP support highlighting persistent divisions within the GOP. For all the talk of unity these past few weeks, this figure shows thats hardly the case. It remains to be seen whether a legitimate third party bid is launched. Ballot access is perhaps the greatest threat to a candidacy, which is where Governor Gary Johnson who is running as a Libertarian has an advantage hes on the ballot in all 50 states. The moral of the story is that though both parties would like you to think that the impending match-up between Clinton and Trump reflects the will of the people, the truth is that a substantial portion of Americans are going to be extremely disappointed with only two choices. It remains to be seen whether anti-Trump GOP forces, led by William Kristol (who arranged my firms poll but had nothing to do with its content or analysis), will be able to get a viable third candidate out there. But what we do know, is that with each election, Americans become more and more fed up with the two party system. Both the Democrats and the Republicans just arent getting the job done. Recently, U.S. Attorney General Lynch released the Roadmap to Reentry, a set of principles to reduce recidivism through federal reentry reforms. The roadmap is a laudable beginning, but it stops short. Beyond individualized plans for those in the Bureau of Prisons, the roadmap provides no specific answers regarding the difficult terrain returning citizens must traverse in their life after release. Beyond the gates await 44,000 documented barriers that restrict where those with criminal records can live and study, what kind of work they can do and whether they can vote or access credit. These restrictions are so omnipresent that they constitute a form of perpetual punishment, a second prison. The second prison is not a small problem. More than 600,000 Americans are released from custody each year, and 65 million peopleor one in fourhave some form of criminal record. Even if a persons arrest relates to a minor offense in the past, a criminal record will continue to have serious, ongoing consequences for them and their families. In communities where many people have a criminal record, the cumulative effects are devastating; one out of 13 African Americans of voting age is unable to cast a ballot due to criminal disenfranchisement. Nationally, the second prison costs as much as $65 billion in lost economic output each year. We need comprehensive national action to help address the second prison. This should be done thoughtfully; some ongoing restrictions on some people are necessary and appropriate. But many other aspects of the second prison are arbitrary and counter-productive. To reduce recidivism and address decades of over-incarceration, we must do more than invest in peoples reentry while they are incarcerated. We must make sure they have access to opportunities once they are prepared to contribute to the community instead of taking from it. One important part of the puzzle is to make sure that fewer people wind up with a criminal record in the first place. Over-criminalization of some activities, including nonviolent drug offenses and regulatory infractions committed without criminal intent, have helped increase the number of people in the second prison. In 2007, an employee at a retirement home diverted sewage from blocked-up toilets into a storm drain to prevent flooding. He wound up with a years probationand a criminal recordfor unwittingly violating the Clean Water Act. Surely cases like these do nothing to ensure justice or protect public safety. Reforms are needed to ensure that sentencing corresponds to the seriousness of the offense, the defendants intent and sentences imposed for similar crime in other cases. We should also do away with restrictions on returning citizens that do not actually protect the public. It is appropriate, for example, to make sure that people convicted of violent sexual offenses are not working in contexts that would endanger potential victims. But who is safer because someone who once grew cannabis cannot become a certified ASL interpreter, as is the case in Minnesota? Who is protected by laws that block a mothers access to temporary food assistance because of an old, drug-related conviction? We should hold on to restrictions that are proven to protect the innocent, but we should jettison those that senselessly prevent people who want to start over from succeeding. Finally, as a society, we need to challenge the stereotypes that allowed the second prison to emerge in the first place. Fear and stigma make employers, landlords and governments leery of extending second chances to people with a criminal record. However, studies have found that, after a period of time, people with a criminal record are scarcely more likely to be arrested than a member of the general population. A Harvard sociologist studied the service records of people who enlisted in the Army under a waiver that allowed them in despite a felony conviction. Those with a felony waiver were, on average, no more likely to get kicked out than their peers, and they were actually promoted faster and to higher levels. At the very least, we must acknowledge that people with a criminal record have dignity, worth and potential equal to any of their neighbors. When we keep them forever on the margins, we deny these attributes and miss out on their unique contributions to society. The Roadmap to Reentry is a good beginning. It will help prepare people to make the difficult transition from prison to the community. But the investment of time and energy in these reforms will ultimately be poor if the road does not lead somewhere, to a fair chance to achieve economic mobility and to participate in civic life. Having completed their sentences, the growing number of Americans who live with a criminal record should not face obstacles that so vastly outnumber their opportunities to build better futures for themselves, their families and their communities. Hillary Clintons myriad statements explaining her exclusive use of personal email for official business while secretary of state are coming under heavy fire from all sides in the wake of a damaging inspector general report and her campaigns insistence the report proves her practices were nothing unusual is being met with similar criticism. Top Republicans from presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump to House Speaker Paul Ryan slammed Clinton over the report, accusing her of breaking agency rules to serve her own interests and putting security at risk in the process. But aside from shows of support from Democratic allies on Capitol Hill, other prominent voices in Washington were similarly unsparing toward the Democratic presidential front-runner. The headline on The Washington Posts editorial Thursday blared, Clintons Inexcusable, Willful Disregard For The Rules. The board wrote that the State Department inspector general audit makes clear her email use was not a casual oversight, and Clinton ignored repeated warnings to use official communications. In March 2015, Clinton described her email set-up as a matter of convenience, and insisted, It was allowed. But the report, which was formally released Thursday, said investigators found no evidence Clinton requested or obtained guidance or approval to conduct official business on her personal email account or server despite having an obligation to discuss this. The report said had she notified the appropriate offices, they would not have approved her exclusive reliance on a personal account. The audit said employees also were instructed to use approved, secure methods to send information known as sensitive but unclassified yet emails on Clintons account regularly contained information marked as SBU. After details of the report first circulated on Wednesday, Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon issued a statement pointing to longstanding problems with department recordkeeping and describing Clintons practices as consistent with those of her predecessors. The statement echoed Clintons claims throughout the campaign, holding up the IG audit as proof. "While political opponents of Hillary Clinton are sure to misrepresent this report for their own partisan purposes, in reality, the Inspector General documents just how consistent her email practices were with those of other Secretaries and senior officials at the State Department who also used personal email, he said. But as this report makes clear, Hillary Clinton's use of personal email was not unique, and she took steps that went much further than others to appropriately preserve and release her records." Fallon later told Fox News that regulations did not bar using personal email for work purposes, again noting that other officials had done so going back years. The report did say the department long has had issues with email records, and email usage and preservation practices varied across the tenures of the five most recent Secretaries. But the report highlighted Clintons practices as out of the ordinary, especially for someone at her level and coming into the job as new guidance was being issued. The IG found only three cases where officials used non-department accounts on an exclusive basis for day-to-day operations. Just two of those cases involved secretaries of state: Colin Powell and Clinton. And the report noted that during Clintons tenure, the guidance was considerably more detailed and more sophisticated than in the past. Yet she still defied the guidelines. Further, while Clinton has said shes happy to talk to anybody, anytime about the issue, the report said she declined an OIG request for an interview, though her predecessors made themselves available. Aides Huma Abedin, Cheryl Mills and Jake Sullivan also declined interviews with government investigators. Regulations show they were essentially required to help the inspector general, who has broad powers to compel testimony. On another front, Mills also reportedly has asked a federal judge to intervene and prevent any recordings of her scheduled deposition to a conservative group about the email system from being released. The IG report also showed department staffers shielding Clintons set-up from scrutiny. The report said two staffers said they discussed their concerns in 2010 with officials, but were told Clintons personal system had been approved and the matter was not to be discussed any further. One staffer said a top official with Information Resource Management instructed the staff never to speak of the Secretarys personal email system again. Clinton, too, was personally involved in the decision-making. In November 2010, Clinton aide Abedin emailed Clinton about the possibility of getting her on an official email account. Clinton responded, Lets get separate address or device but I don't want any risk of the personal being accessible." The report also raised questions about security risks, pointing to one message from an adviser that acknowledged her system was attacked in 2011, though it apparently failed. But perhaps the most explicit violation pertained to recordkeeping rules. The report said Clinton should have preserved any Federal records she created and received on her personal account by printing and filing those records with the related files in the Office of the Secretary. At a minimum, Secretary Clinton should have surrendered all emails dealing with Department business before leaving government service. She did not, the report said, and therefore did not comply with the Departments policies that were implemented in accordance with the Federal Records Act. Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said she was in clear violation of the Federal Records Act. In this case, the inspector general report faulted Powell for the same violation. Trump, speaking ahead of a North Dakota speech on Thursday, called the report shocking and very harsh. Clinton, though, reportedly said Thursday that nothing has changed in the wake of the audit. Fox News Catherine Herridge and FoxNews.coms Judson Berger contributed to this report. Conservative talk-radio host Glenn Beck and best-selling suspense author Brad Thor say they were misunderstood over comments they made on air Wednesday about a hypothetical situation where Donald Trump was president and abusing his power. I am about to suggest something very bad, Thor said. It is a hypothetical I am going to ask as a thriller writer. He went on to question whether someone would remove Trump from office though he did not go into specifics. With the feckless, spineless Congress we have, who will stand in the way of Donald Trump overstepping his constitutional authority as president? If Congress wont remove him from office, what patriot will step up and do that if, if, he oversteps his mandate as president, his constitution-mandated authority as president, I should say. If he oversteps that, how do we get him out of office? And I dont think there is a legal means available. I think it will be a terrible, terrible position the American people will be in to get Trump out of office, because you wont be able to do it through Congress. Beck responded to Thor, saying, I would agree with you on that. Conservative news outlet The Drudge Report ran a story with the headline GLENN BECK, AUTHOR TALK PATRIOT TAKING OUT TRUMP with a link to a piece from The American Mirror. Beck and his co-host Pat Gray fired back on their Facebook page, calling Matt Drudge of The Drudge Report a total fraud and an embarrassment and a despicable lying scumbag. The post also said Thors words did not advocate the assassination of Trump. NOBODY stated or implied any harm coming to Trump, thats not something we joke about. It added, As you know if you were listening this morning, Brad was discussing the possibility that if Trump ever got completely out-of-control as President, there would be no way the Republican Congress would ever impeach him. So, even if it were necessary, patriots have no way to get him out of office. Thor defended himself on Twitter, tweeting, What @glennbeck & I discussed was a hypothetical scenario in which a President Trump goes full dictator. The IRS has seized $43 million from more than 600 individuals by accusing them of violating structuring laws even when there has been no evidence of criminal wrongdoing, according to testimony heard at the House Ways and Means Committee today. In 2012, two armed IRS agents went to the farm of Randy Sowers, a dairy farmer for over three decades, to notify him that the IRS had seized the business bank account, which held more than $60,000. The agents told Sowers the IRS had done so because of structuring laws. When an individual conducts a cash transaction in excess of $10,000, according to federal law, the bank must file a currency transaction report with the Treasury Department. It is unlawful for an individual to break up or structure cash deposits into amounts below $10,000 to avoid federal currency reporting. At that point, I had never before heard the term structuring, and I had no idea that depositing cash in the bank could even potentially be a federal crime, Sowers said. Nobody from the bank or the government warned me that under-$10,000 bank deposits could lead to the seizure of our bank account. Indeed, nobody from the government contacted me about our bank deposits until after they seized our bank account. I was shocked that the government would even consider bringing criminal charges when I had done nothing wrong, Sowers said. The IRS agents who came to the farm told me that the judge who approved the seizure had given them the authority to take anything up to $243,455the amount of cash deposited in the account over a period of eight months. Click for more from The Washington Free Beacon. Louisianas governor signed a first-of-its-kind bill Thursday afternoon that makes it a hate crime to target police officers and first responders. Called the Blue Lives Matter bill, the measure expands the states hate crime law to include law enforcement officers, firefighters and other emergency medical services personnel. The overarching message is that hate crimes will not be tolerated in Louisiana, Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards told FoxNews.com in a written statement. He added that he has great respect for the work that law enforcement officers do and the daily risks they take. I thought it was critical that we add protections for the people that protect us, state Rep. Lance Harris, a Republican, told FoxNews.com. Harris authored the bill after the murder of Darren Goforth, a 47-year-old Texas sheriff who was gunned down at a gas station because he wore a uniform. The gunman approached Goforth, a 10-year veteran of the Harris County Sheriffs Office, from behind unloading bullets into him even after the officer fell to the ground. In many states like Louisiana, there are existing laws covering bias-motivated crimes against people based on their gender, race, religion and sexual orientation. Under Louisianas new measure, anyone convicted of a hate crime-related felony could face up to an additional $5,000 fine and five years behind bars. For a misdemeanor, the punishment comes with a $500 fine and an additional six-month prison sentence. The Blue Lives Matter bill easily passed both state legislative houses. The signing of this bill gives us all an opportunity to pause and remember the extraordinary acts by seemingly ordinary people who serve our state as first responders, State Police Superintendent Col. Mike Edmonson said. Whereas citizens flee danger, police, fire and EMS personnel run to it. But not everyone is on board. The Louisiana chapter of the Black Youth Project 100 purportedly had called on the governor to veto the bill. Other critics like the Anti-Defamation League have also come out against the bill, arguing that providing protections to law enforcement under the hate crime statute is counterproductive. Adding professional categories to the current Hate Crimes statute deters efforts from protecting against identity-based crimes, Anti-Defamation League Regional Director Allison Padilla-Goodman said in a written release. We are not happy that it is being signed into law. In a letter to Edwards, Padilla-Goodman said the bill confuses the purpose of the Hate Crimes Act. She also said it weakens its impact by adding more categories of people who are already better protected under other laws. Padilla-Goodman argues that hate crime legislation was created to protect people from discrimination against race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity and gender identity. Proving the bias intent is very different for these categories than it is for the bias intent of a crime against a law enforcement officer, she wrote. Emails to the Black Youth Project 100 were not immediately returned. Nothing stops politics this election season -- not even the water's edge. While traveling overseas on official business Thursday, President Obama couldnt resist wading into political matters back home, sparking controversy by saying foreign leaders are rattled by the rise of presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. Obama, saying leaders have "good reason" to feel that way, made the remarks on the sidelines of a Group of Seven economic summit in Japan. "They are rattled by it and for good reason," Obama said. "Because a lot of the proposals he has made display either ignorance of world affairs, or a cavalier attitude, or an interest in getting tweets and headlines." He contrasted that with proposals he said thoughtfully address what's required to keep the U.S. safe and "to keep the world on an even keel." Trump, though, brushed off Obama's put-down later in the day. Speaking ahead of an address in North Dakota, Trump said: "That's a good thing, I love that word." "In business, when you rattle someone, that's good," Trump said. "If they're rattled, in a friendly way, that's a good thing ... not a bad thing." Trump also touched on remarks Obama made at a campaign stop in Billings, Montana, saying, "he said other countries are nervous. I say its good if theyre nervous." Obama, meanwhile, was criticized for his remarks by other Republicans, with one calling them incredibly irresponsible given the context. When the president of the United States goes overseas hes representing the country, Josh Holmes, former chief of staff to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, said on Fox News. It is remarkably irresponsible and remarkably unpresidential for him to weigh in on a domestic political battle and effectively undermine one of the candidates who could replace him next January. In front of the world community and effectively in front of all the world leaders, saying someone is essentially unfit for office is an incredibly irresponsible move for the president of the United States, Holmes said. Questions about Trump have followed Obama on his travels abroad, with world leaders expressing concern about certain aspect of Trumps campaign, most notably his plan to temporarily ban Muslim immigration and his positions on trade. Trump has also threatened to renegotiate Obamas nuclear deal with Iran and the global climate treaty reached in Paris. As Obama was warning world leaders Thursday about Trump, a newly released Associated Press tally showed he has now attained the number of delegates needed to clinch the GOP nomination. Obama made the remarks a day before he visits Hiroshima, and said other countries pay more attention to the U.S. elections as they depend on America to provide stability and direction. "I think it's fair to say they are surprised by the Republican nominee," Obama said, referring to Trump. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was supposed to have turned over all work-related emails to the State Department to be released to the public. But an agency audit found at least three emails never seen before including Clinton's own explanation of why she wanted her emails kept private. After 14 months of public scrutiny and skepticism over Clinton's motives in keeping her emails secret, new questions emerged Thursday. They centered on her apparent failure to turn over a November 2010 message in which she worried that her personal messages could become accessible to outsiders, along with two other messages a year later that divulged possible security weaknesses in the home email system she used while secretary of state. The Clinton campaign has previously denied that her home server was breached, but newly revealed emailsshow an aide worried it could have been compromised. The existence of these previously unreleased messages which appear to have been found among electronic files of four former top Clinton State Department aides renews concerns that Clinton was not completely forthcoming when she turned over a trove of 55,000 pages of work-related emails. And it has drawn fresh criticism from presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. On Thursday, Clinton said she had been forthcoming with her personal emails. "I have provided all of my work-related emails, and I've asked that they be made public, and I think that demonstrates that I wanted to make sure that this information was part of the official records," Clinton said, according to an interview transcript provided by ABC News. Most of those messages have been made public by the State Department over the past year due to both a court order and Clinton's willingness to turn them over. But hundreds were censored for national security reasons and 22 emails were completely withheld because the agency said they contained top secret material a matter now under investigation by the FBI. Clinton said in March 2015 that she would turn over all work-related emails to the State Department after removing private messages that contained personal and family material. "No one wants their personal emailsmade public and I think most people understand that and respect their privacy," she said after her exclusive use of private emails to conduct State Department business was confirmed by media reports. Senate investigators have asked for numerous emails about Clinton's server as part of their own inquiry intoClinton's email practices in recent months, but they didn't get copies of key messages made public by the State Department's own watchdog this week, a senior Republican senator said Thursday. "It is disturbing that the State Department knew it had emails like this and turned them over to the inspector general, but not to Congress," said Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley, the chair of the Senate judiciary committee that's been probing Clinton's use of a private server. The emails appear to contain work-related passages, raising questions about why they were not turned over to the State Department last year. The inspector general noted that Clinton's production of work-relatedemails was "incomplete," missing not only the three emails but numerous others covering Clinton's first four months in office. The inspector general also found Clinton's email set up violated agency policies and could have left sensitive government information vulnerable to cyberattacks. But Thursday, Clinton told ABC News her use of the personal email was "allowed," saying that "the rules have been clarified since I left." The Clinton campaign permitted one reporter from ABC News to ask the candidate questions. Other outlets were later provided with a transcript. A spokesman for the Clinton campaign did not respond to emailedquestions Thursday. An inspector general's spokesman declined to discuss the report. The report said the inspector general was able to reconstruct some of Clinton's missing emails by searching the email files of four former Clinton aides who had turned over thousands of pages of communications in 2015 at the request of the State Department, which is defending itself in multiple public records lawsuits, including one filed by The Associated Press. The four aides who turned over those files, according to the report, were Clinton's former chief of staff, Cheryl Mills, and top aides Huma Abedin, Jake Sullivan and Philippe Reines. Abedin was the aide who authored the key email in November 2010 that provoked Clinton's concerns about outsiders obtaining her personal emails. After the State Department's computer spam filters apparently prevented Clinton from sending a message to all department employees from her private server, Abedin suggested that she either open an official agency email or make her private address available to the agency. Clinton told Abedin she was open to getting a separate email address but didn't want "any risk of the personal being accessible." Clinton never used an official State Department address, only using several private addresses to communicate. Abedin, Mills, Sullivan and Reines all also used private email addresses to conduct business, along with their government accounts. Two other emails sent to Abedin were cited in the inspector general's report, but also did not turn up among the emails released by Clinton. Those messages to Abedin contained warnings in January 2011 from an unidentified aide to former President Bill Clinton who said he had to shut down Hillary Clinton's New York-based server because of suspected hacking attacks. In response, Abedin warned Mills and Sullivan not to email Clinton "anything sensitive" and said she would "explain more in person." Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump admitted Wednesday to using aliases during his business career, but denied posing as his own spokesman in a recently-released recording. "You know, over the years I've used aliases," Trump said on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live", an appearance that capped a day of campaigning in Southern California. When asked by Kimmel what aliases he'd used, Trump volunteered Barron, which is also the name of the real estate mogul's youngest son. "I used an alias in terms of setting up a meeting with Mr. Donald Trump," he said. "And many people in the real estate business do that, you use [an] alias. And you have to, frankly, otherwise they find out it's you and they charge you more money - and nobody wants to pay more money." Earlier this month, The Washington Post reported that Trump had repeatedly posed as his own PR man during the early 1990s, variously using the aliases "John Miller" and "John Barron". The primary basis for the report was a recorded 1991 phone conversation between a People magazine reporter and "Miller", who described Trump's romantic life in detail. Trump has repeatedly denied being the voice in the recording. On Wednesday, Trump said he'd used the tactic "especially when I was out in Brooklyn with my father and I'd want to buy something." "And honestly nobody knew who Trump was at that time, nobody knew me, so it wasn't so much so important," he said. "But I would never want to use my name because you had to pay money for the land. If you're trying to buy land, you use different names." The Associated Press contributed to this report. Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said Wednesday he would be happy to take on Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders in a debate before the California primary -- a challenge Sanders swiftly accepted. Trump said on ABCs Jimmy Kimmel Live he would be willing to do it as long as a significant amount of money went to charity. "How much is he going to pay me?" Trump asked, predicting the pair "would have such high ratings." Sanders, while trailing far behind Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton in their primary, seemingly accepted Trumps challenge, saying on Twitter: The Sanders campaign tentatively accepted an invitation last week to a Fox News-hosted debate with Clinton as long as the two candidates could reach a mutual agreement. Clintons campaign, though, declined the invitation to the proposed debate before the June 7 primaries on Monday. "We have declined Fox News' invitation to participate in a debate in California," Clinton Campaign Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri said in a statement. "As we have said previously, we plan to compete hard in the remaining primary states, particularly California, while turning our attention to the threat a Donald Trump presidency poses. Sanders said he wasnt surprised that Clinton declined to debate him. I gotta tell you this," Sanders said Monday night, "I think it is a little bit insulting to the people of California, our largest state, that she is not prepared to have a discussion with me about how she will help the Californians address the major crises that we face." The campaigns earlier this year agreed in principle to hold a May debate. California is one of six states holding Democratic primaries or caucuses on June 7. The others are Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota and South Dakota. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Google is trying to make passwords passe as it looks into using body and location cues to verify a persons identity. At a Google I/O conference last week, the search engine giant said it was moving forward with Project Abacus, which aims to render passwords a relic of the old computing paradigm. Phones have all of these sensors in them. Why couldnt it just know who [I am]? asked Daniel Kaufman, head of Googles research unit ATAP (Advanced Technology and Projects), during a presentation at the conference. The projects basic aim is to get rid of passwords and all the annoying things that go along with them, he said. The comments were reported by CNET on Monday. Related: Kansas hospital pays ransomware demand, doesn't get files back Currently, secure logins most commonly used by banks require so-called two-factor authentication. So, for instance, in addition to a password, you must provide a unique PIN sent via a texting app or email. Instead, Project Abacus would try to zero in on unique things about you, your behavior, and your body. That includes factors such as typing, walking, and voice patterns combined with what apps you use and your location to verify identity. Google calls this combination of factors a Trust Score. Though its not yet clear how exactly Google would use this, an example might be an app that requires a high level of security. A banking app might require, for instance, a higher trust score than a music app. In the case that your Trust Score is too low, then Google would revert to a password. Other possibilities include locking down the device if Google detects that it has been picked up by a non-authorized user. Related: 3 new Craigslist scams spreading now Googles machine intelligence group (among others) is working on the project. This June were going out to several very large financial institutions for initial testing and assuming this goes well, this should become available to every Android developer around the world by the end of the year, said Kaufman during his presentation. Google's approach is like a fingerprint, taken collectively, Roger Kay, president of Endpoint Technologies, told Foxnews.com in an email. The sum of your patterns will yield a statistically unique signature: the way you walk, where you are, the way your finger moves, etc. Depending on how it's implemented, these are all things you are, he said. But whether this technology actually makes it to your smartphone is far from certain. Google has a less-than-stellar track record with research projects coming to real-world-use fruition. And a technology like this could potentially impact a smartphones battery life, among other downsides. Related: Hacker looks to sell 117M LinkedIn passwords from 2012 data breach One wonders [if it has] too large a footprint in memory [and is] too slow, Kay said, though he added that the idea is sound. Consumers favor alternative methods of authentication such as fingerprint scanning, voice recognition, facial recognition and iris scanning, according to survey results released by identity management specialist Gigya this week. Some 52 percent of the 4,000 U.S. and U.K. adults surveyed said they would prefer alternatives to traditional usernames and passwords. Biometric authentication was cited as more secure than usernames and passwords by 80 percent of respondents. Nearly half of all millennials surveyed said they have used at least one form of biometric authentication. The organizers of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) have slammed Facebooks investigation into allegations of political bias related to its Trending Topics section saying there are still unanswered questions about the handling of stories from CPAC 2016. The social network was thrust into the spotlight following a Gizmodo report that stories about the CPAC meeting and other conservative topics were prevented from appearing in the trending module. CPAC, which is organized by the American Conservative Union (ACU), took place March 2 to March 5 in Washington D.C. Facebook released the results of its probe earlier this week in a letter to Sen. John Thune, chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, who is investigating the allegations. Related: Facebook denies systematic content bias, but admits possibility of rogue employees However, CPAC says the letter lacks sufficient detail. Facebook appears to have conducted an investigation of itself that does not meet minimum standards of accuracy or basic explanations detailing what exactly happened with suppressed CPAC coverage, a CPAC spokesman told FoxNews.com, via email. They seem to admit that something happened, but fail to explain what that was, and how and why it happened. In the letter, Facebooks general counsel Colin Stretch explained how reviewers accepted topics related to both the 2015 and 2016 CPAC events. In 2016, although topics related to CPAC were accepted on other days of the conference, one topic related to CPAC itself was not accepted on its first day, March 2, 2016, he wrote. Facebooks investigation concluded that this was likely due to reviewers accepting at least 15 topics related to the previous days Republican presidential primary. The CPAC spokesman told FoxNews.com that the decision not to accept a CPAC-related topic on the first day of the conference is a telling one. It confirms that coverage related to CPAC that should have been included in the trending section was intentionally suppressed, he said. What was the story that was spiked, and why was it spiked? The spokesman also voiced his concern about Facebooks association of Republican primary topics and CPAC. CPAC is NOT a Republican organization - in fact, many ACU members and CPAC attendees are decidedly NOT Republicans and dislike the party, he said. Related: Facebook drops news outlet input in 'trending topics' review CPAC wants more detail on why so many Republican primary stories took precedence. The excuse for suppressing CPAC content is essentially it was a heavy news day, the spokesman said. This does not provide conservatives with an explanation of what actually happened and why. It is merely speculation of what Facebook thinks probably happened. According to Facebook, two of the most popular CPAC stories in the news that day related to criticisms by aides to Senator Marco Rubio regarding Donald Trumps scheduled CPAC speech and Ben Carsons announcement that he would not attend CPAC because he was dropping out of the race. Each of these CPAC-related stories was likely subsumed within broader topicsincluding Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, and Ben Carsonthat were accepted by reviewers the same day, Stretch wrote. Given the history of acceptance of CPAC as a topic in 2015 and on most days in 2016, we do not believe any bias can be inferred. CPAC, however, questions how the topic of Carson has been presented by Facebook. Stories that ran on March 2 referred to Dr. Ben Carson not attending a GOP Debate, and announcing that he would suspend his presidential campaign at CPAC, the spokesman told FoxNews.com. His attending CPAC was never in question. Dr. Carson, to be sure, attended CPAC, and suspended his campaign at CPAC - what he would not attend was a GOP Presidential debate. Facebook reiterated its earlier denial of any bias regarding political content in the letter to Thune. However, while the company said it found no evidence of systematic political bias related to its Trending Topics section, the social network acknowledged the possibility that rogue employees could have impacted the controversial feature. Related: Facebook CEO Zuckerberg wants to tear down neighboring homes CPAC told FoxNews.com that Facebooks letter leaves conservatives with more questions, instead of answers. We strongly urge the other individuals and conservatives who were harmed by this behavior to aggressively scrutinize the language in this document for adequate explanations and accuracy, the spokesman said. The firestorm over the Gizmodo report prompted Facebook to invite leading conservatives to the companys headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., last week to discuss the allegations. Following the meeting, Dana Perino, co-host of Fox News Channels The Five, said that Facebook recognizes that it has a trust problem with conservatives. ACU Chairman Matt Schlapp declined to attend the Facebook meeting, which he described as a publicity stunt. A spokesman for Facebook declined to add additional comment when contacted by FoxNews.com. Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers Some passengers wait until a plane is airborne to start making a scene. But a recent Frontier Airlines flight had barely left the gate before one female passenger began acting erratically, forcing the aircraft to abandon its planned departure. On Monday, a passenger traveling from Denver to Portland, Ore. recorded a woman throwing herself to the ground while kicking, screaming and attempting to remove her clothesjust as the plane was about to take off, reports FOX 31. "I was uncomfortable and I wasn't sitting next to her," said passenger Devin Harman. "Her behavior was really erratic, up and down, crying and then laughing and then crying. Even before she got on the plane." In the video, the woman can be seen hitting her head against the cockpit door while wailing that she and her fellow passengers could die in a plane crash. The woman is seen thrashing her body against the cockpit door for about a minute until a Frontier employee attempts to control the situation. But Harman says the passengers erratic behavior occurred even before she threw herself to the ground. "She attempted to pull out the oxygen bag," he said. "She attempted to pry that open and then, at that point, she had enough and she jumped out of her seat, jumped over the person closest to the aisle there." Harman says he stopped recording the woman because she began taking off her clothes as the plane made its way back to the gate. "There were no clothes," he said. "Not even socks." A Frontier Airlines spokesman confirmed to FOX 31 that the flight was sent back to the gate where Denver police officers escorted the woman off before the flight resumed its trip to Portland. When asked about how the airline responds to incidents involving erratic passengers, a spokesman declined to offer specifics on Frontiers policy. But safety experts say the video may show a major error in carrier protocol. "They could have done a much better job," Steve Cowell, an aviation safety consultant, told FOX 31. "This was clearly a medical emergency that needed an immediate response." Cowell said the crew should have called in paramedics before police were involved. "There is no excuse to see an airplane with a problem like this and not have paramedics on board taking charge of the situation," Cowell said, noting that airline personnel had plenty of time to respond with medical attention. In the future, Cowell advises airline crew and fellow passengers to say something before boarding if erratic behavior is noticed among other passengers. "Do the other passengers a favor," he said. "Tell a ground agent if you see something. Tell a flight attendant if you hear something. Let them take charge." Earlier this month, Frontier was blasted by a mother who claimed she was kicked off a flight for bringing an oxygen tank onboard that she thought was approved for her sick son. Canadian student Raymond Wang won the world's largest high school science competition in May 2015 for inventing an air filtration system that would prevent pathogens from spreading in airplanes. Three billion people travel on airplanes annually, and illnesses such as influenza, SARS, Ebola, and meningococcal disease are passed from passenger to passenger due to airflow patterns in main cabins. The airflow is designed to move cyclically from top to bottom, but this spins contaminated air over and over again for everyone to breathe before it eventually reaches the exhaust and filter. During his recent TED talk (watch it below), Wang shared a couple frightening stats: one man with H1N1 infected 17 people on a flight, while another with SARS infected 22 fellow passengers. For his prize-winning air-filtration design, Wang used computer 3D simulations along with physics computations to create a working diagram of how germs circulate in the cabin after someone sneezes (watch it at 3:00 in the video below). His solution? An airway-filtering system that reduces the inhalation of pathogens by 55 times and increases the fresh-air delivery into the main cabin by 190 percent. Essentially, his design diverts the circulating air patterns by creating individual breathing zones for each passenger. Each sneeze is immediately eliminated and won't spread to neighbors. Wang said he was inspired to tackle the problem after he learned that not many people in the airline industry or government were actively working on ways to improve the quality of airplane air. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is at the helm of the Clean Air Act, but the law controls only air pollution from aircraft and monitors the impact of emissions from planes on the air quality outside the cabin. Michael Plesniak, a fluid dynamicist and chairman of George Washington University's mechanical and aerospace engineering department in Washington, D.C., said in an Inside Science report that airplane ventilation systems are highly controlled and maintain good air quality by circulating cabin air through HEPA filters that remove germs and other pathogens. Plesniak's research found that vents in a plane's ceiling direct air out and down toward the floor below the windows, creating a swirling flow pattern within each row of seats that aims to keep contamination to a single row or, at worst, its next-row neighbors (still not ideal). After an in-depth study published in Atmospheric Environment, he shared results that showed how people moving up and down the aisle of an airplane could disrupt the carefully designed airflow pattern from the plane's ceiling vents and spread infectious particles farther. This proves that the system in place is too delicate to work. Now, to start the first steps towards guaranteed cleaner air in airplanes, Wang has to get aviation regulatory approval for his new design. He already has a patent, and it is reported that he is talking with both Boeing and Airbus SAS to help move the approval process along. Two Navy jet fighters crashed off the coast of North Carolina during a routine training mission on Thursday, sending four people to the hospital, officials said. Early reports indicated that the jets collided, but that was not confirmed by the Navy as of Thursday afternoon. The Coast Guard said four people were recovered and have been rushed to a hospital. A Navy official said the crews were rescued by a nearby fishing boat. A Coast Guard helicopter was also on scene, about 20 to 30 miles off Cape Hatteras. The Coast Guard helicopter was dispatched from the air station in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The station's helicopters perform ocean search-and-rescue operations off North Carolina and Virginia as far east as Bermuda. The fighters were based in Virginia Beach and collided about 10:40 a.m., said Navy spokesman Ensign Mark Rockwellpate. Witnesses reported seeing four parachutes floating down into the Atlantic after the incident. The sea route is heavily traveled by ships entering and leaving Norfolk, one of the busiest cargo ports on the East Coast. A Navy official told Reuters that initial reports point to some kind of an "in-flight mishap." The jets were conducting a routine training mission. The Navy said it will conduct a "safety investigation." The F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather fighter and attack aircraft that operates in tactical squadrons at stations around the world and from 10 aircraft carriers, the Navy says on its website. The Super Hornet, the newest model, has a longer range, aerial refueling capability and improved survivability and lethality, according to the website. Each of the planes costs at least $57 million, the Navy says. A Pentagon official said that witnesses spotted four parachutes floating over the Atlantic Ocean. The injuries are not immediately known, but "all four are alert," the Navy official said. The Associated Press contributed to this report A grand jury on Thursday indicted Tonya Couch, the mom accused of helping the so-called "Affluenza teen" Ethan Couch escape to Mexico while on probation after a deadly drunken-driving crash. The charges included hindering apprehension and related money laundering. In April, a judge in adult court ordered Ethan Couch to spend nearly two years in jail: consecutive 180-day sentencess for each of the four people he killed in 2013 when he rammed a pickup truck into a crowd of people helping a driver. Couch was 16 and his blood-alcohol level was three times above the legal limit for adult drivers when the crash unfolded. The teen ended up in trouble again late last year after a cellphone video showed him apparently playing beer pong at a party. Drinking alcohol is a violation of Couch's probation. Shortly after the video surfaced, Couch and his mother, Tonya, took off to Mexico. The two were apprehended in a Mexican resort city in December and sent back to the United States. Prosecutors said Tonya Couch spent up to $150,000 to keep her son out of sight of law enforcement. It was not his first run-in with the law. At 15, Couch was given two citations after a police officer found him behind the wheel of a pickup truck next to a half-naked girl, with an open vodka bottle on the backseat floor. During the sentencing in the car crash trial, a psychologist suggested Ethan Couch had "affluenza," blaming the teen's parents for having "taught him a system that's 180 degrees from rational. If you hurt someone, say you're sorry. In that family, if you hurt someone, send some money." Fox News' Casey Stegall and The Associated Press contributed to this report. More than a thousand students at Ohio's Oberlin College apparently were so concerned that activism was taking up too much of their time that they pushed a failed petition to abolish any grades below "C," according to reports. A New Yorker article this week detailed this and other examples of what critics called liberal activism run amok. The petition reportedly garnered some 1,300 signatures during the fall semester of 2014 as protests over the deaths of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice and others at the hands of police flared. Student government co-liaison Megan Bautista told the magazine that her college responded in a big way after bigoted flyers appeared on campus in 2013, going so far as to cancel classes for a day. "I dont want to say we were ahead of the curve or anything, but we were starting this trend of millennial activism." Oberlin reportedly changed its grading policies to free up time for activism amid Vietnam and the Kent State shootings in 1970, but did not budge after the new petition went public. Another student said some professors were lenient with midterm exams, but complained that those instructors weren't easy to find. "Theres professors who have openly been, like, 'Yeah, instead of, you know, writing out this midterm, come in to my office hours, and you can just speak it,' right? But thats not institutionalized. I have to find that professor," Zakiya Acey told the magazine. In November 2014, a white police officer in Cleveland shot and killed Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old black boy playing with a pellet gun outside a recreation center. The pellet gun, which the boy borrowed from a friend, was missing the orange tip that federal regulations require on imitations to distinguish them from real firearms. In December 2015, a grand jury chose not to indict the officers involved. That same month, a group of black students sent a letter to Oberlin's president, Marvin Krislov, demanding 50 changes, the New Yorker added. Among them: paying activists $8.20 per hour and firing several employees the students said weren't supportive enough. Krislov told the magazine he wouldn't respond directly to the letter. "It contains personal attacks on a number of faculty and staff members who are dedicated and valued members of this community." Oberlin assistant professor Joy Karega made headlines after a string of Facebook posts blamed Jews for the September 11th attacks and the rise of ISIS. The college's board of trustees denounced the comments, but many students rushed to her support. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Authorities say a Washington state couple whose bodies were found this week after being missing since April were both shot to death. The Snohomish County Medical Examiner's office said Thursday that Monique Patenaude, 46, died of multiple gunshot wounds. Her husband, 45-year-old Patrick Shunn, died of a gunshot wound to the head. Officials say Tony Clyde Reed, one of two brothers charged with the slayings, provided information that led detectives to pinpoint the location of the bodies about 50 miles northeast of Seattle on Tuesday. He turned himself in last week at the U.S.-Mexico border after a monthlong manhunt. Authorities are still searching for Reed's 53-year-old brother, John Blaine Reed Authorities had been searching for the couple since they were reported missing April 12. John Reed had threatened to shoot the couple for cutting brush between their two properties in 2013, according to court documents. Tony Reed has pleaded not guilty pleas to two counts of first-degree murder and unlawful firearm possession in the case. His attorney, James Kirkham, helped arrange the surrender. Kirkham told The Daily Herald in Everett, Washington, on Monday that his client turned himself in to answer the allegations against him. "My client is innocent of the first-degree murder charges," the lawyer said. John Reed lived up an old logging road from the couple's 21-acre spread in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. When Patenaude and Shunn sued other neighbors over a property dispute more than two years ago, they avoided naming him as a defendant because they didn't want to irk him, their former lawyer, Thomas Adams, said previously. Click for more from Q13 Fox. Jose Baez, the Florida attorney who represented Casey Anthony in her 2011 murder trial, threatened to take legal action Wednesday over a private investigator's claims that the lawyer had sex with his client and said she killed her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee. "I unequivocally and categorically deny exchanging sex for my legal services with Ms. Anthony... I have always conducted my practice consistent with the high ethical standards required of members of the Florida Bar," Baez told People Magazine. He went on to say, "Legal action is forthcoming." In court documents that went public last month, investigator Dominic Casey claimed Baez told him in 2008 that the mom killed her daughter and hid the girl's body. The investigator also said Casey Anthony effectively paid Baez with sex because she didn't have enough money. "Baez had told me that Casey had murdered Caylee and dumped the body somewhere and, he needed all the help he could get to find the body before anyone else did," Dominic Casey claimed. He said Baez hired him shortly after police arrested Casey Anthony in July 2008, but he left the team before the end of the year. A meter reader found the girl's body in December 2008. After a trial that dominated media headlines for a month and a half in 2011, the jury took less than 11 hours to find Anthony not guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter and aggravated child abuse. She was convicted of lying to investigators. Prosecutors argued the mom suffocated her daughter with duct tape because she wanted to be free to hit the nightclubs and spend time with her boyfriend. Defense attorneys said Caylee Anthony drowned in a swimming pool. Dominic Casey's new claims emerged as part of the mom's bankruptcy case. She filed for bankruptcy in 2013. The investigator also said Casey Anthony proposed framing the meter reader, Roy Kronk, for kidnapping or murdering her daughter. "This libelous claim is in line with many other outrageous claims and theories that this individual has advanced regarding the Casey Anthony case," Baez said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Court officials say a man who pleaded not guilty to charges he kidnapped a 14-year-old girl and raped her repeatedly during nine months of captivity in New Hampshire is planning to enter a change of plea. Thirty-five-year-old Nathaniel Kibby was scheduled to go on trial next month in Belknap County Superior Court in Laconia on nearly 200 felony charges related to the girl's October 2013 disappearance and the months that followed. Court officials say a change-of-plea hearing has been scheduled for Thursday. Details of the change of plea haven't been disclosed. Kibby's lawyers have declined to comment. They had sought to question the girl before his trial but were denied. Prosecutors say Kibby used a stun gun and a shock collar to control the girl at his trailer in Gorham (GOR'-em). ___ Corrects court officials announced change of plea on Thursday, not Friday Prosecutors said the ex-cop and convicted murderer Drew Peterson knew how to stage a crime scene -- and once-secret recordings showed he himself wasn't fooled by a staged photo meant to show progress in his alleged plot to kill an attorney who helped put him behind bars. Fellow prison inmate Antonio Smith, otherwise known as "Beast," showed Peterson the photo while wearing a wire, investigators said in court Wednesday. In one recording, Peterson was heard saying, "I mean, are you kidding me? ... It looks like it was staged -- 'Here, you stand here."' "Beast" testified that the photo showed Will County, Ill. State's Attorney James Glasgow standing outside his office in Joliet, with an assistant and an FBI agent dressed up to look like one of the informant's relatives. Peterson's murder-for-hire trial started on Monday. Prosecutors said the defendant, now 62, tried making plans to kill Glasgow in retaliation for his 2012 murder conviction. The former Bolingbrook police sergeant's third wife, Kathleen Savio, turned up dead in a dry bathtub in 2004. Investigators initially said she accidentally drowned, but ruled her death a homicide after his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, vanished in 2007. During his murder trial, prosecutors said Drew Peterson staged the crime scene to make Savio's death appear accidental. He denied murdering her and pleaded not guilty in his current trial. Peterson faces another 60 years on top of his 38-year sentence if convicted in the current case. His first-degree murder conviction is under appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court. Prosecutors claimed Peterson hoped to win a reversal of the case once Glasgow was dead. Investigators never found Stacy Peterson's body. "Beast" said in court that the defendant admitted he killed her. "Beast," a Chicago gang member, was sentenced to 40 years for attempted murder, home invasion and robbery. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Authorities in Florida said Wednesday they had arrested the ex-husband of a missing woman on charges of second-degree murder and child neglect. Steven Williams, 30, is being held at the Martin County Jail without bond, according to WFLX-TV. Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said Williams confessed to killing Tricia Todd in April and disposing of her body in a wooded area near Jonathan Dickinson State Park. Officials are searching a 15-mile area for Todds body. Her body hasnt been found and Williams failed to disclose how she died. Snyder said officials are redoubling their efforts to find her remains. Todd, of Hobe Sound, was last seen at a Publix supermarket on April 26 and was reported missing the next day. Officials said she died the night of her disappearance. Her purse was found in her car and her keys were in the ignition, but her wallet and cellphone were missing. "These two people were divorced. There were known issues about money," Snyder said. Snyder said Todds 2-year-old daughter is now living with family members. Williams told authorities that there were no accomplices in Todds murder. Williams agreed to submit a polygraph test on May 3 and nothing stood out that linked Williams to Todds disappearance, the sheriffs office said. This obviously comes as a shock to all, but the family has expressed their appreciation for the Martin County Sheriffs Office and all that theyve done. Theyve commented on the community support and all the search efforts," Wesley Holden, a representative for the Todd family said in a statement. "Were just obviously very disappointed that Tricias not coming home alive, but theyre doing OK under all the circumstances." Todd was an Air Force veteran and registered hospice nurse. Williams served in the Air Force and returned to Florida from North Carolina, where he was stationed, last month, according to the Palm Beach Post. The Air Force said in a statement Wednesday they are cooperating fully with civil authorities in this case. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click for more from WFLX-TV. Federal officials are suing a South Florida school district, claiming an assistant principal was demoted for taking maternity leave. The Department of Justice filed a complaint Wednesday against the School District of Palm Beach County. It says the former Turning Points Academy administrator, Anne Williams Dorsey, was subjected to unlawful changes to her work hours and pay after taking maternity leave, a violation of the Civil Rights Act. The suit says the former principal of Turning Points Academy demoted Dorsey in 2011 and replaced her with a man she had previously trained. The complaint also says the principal retaliated against Dorsey because she reported another female employee's sexual harassment allegations. District spokeswoman Kathy Burstein said in an email that the district is working with the Department of Justice and has already made many changes since the allegations were first made. The husband of a fitness instructor who was murdered in a Dallas church last month said Tuesday that hes willing to forgive the perpetrator but only if the killer surrenders to police. Police said the body of 45-year-old Missy Bevers turned up inside the Creekside Church of Christ in Midlothian early in the morning of April 18. They said surveillance video shows the killer dressed in police tactical gear, including a helmet, making it hard for investigators to identify exactly who it was. "Turn yourself in. Do what's right. Don't live the rest of your life with this in your heart because it will eat you like cancer," Bevers' husband, Brandon, told Fox 4. "We need closure. This is going to eat us alive for many years to come." Detectives announced last week they were looking for a light-colored Nissan Altima seen near the crime scene. They described it as a "vehicle of interest." Police said they were not considering any immediate relatives, friends or colleagues of the fitness instructor as suspects. Earlier this month, investigators revealed that she and her husband had been struggling with their marriage and finances, and that both had exchanged flirty messages with other people. "Most people in society don't have their baggage strewn out in public like this. But the problems we encountered, I would say 80 percent of society deals with the same problems, Brandon Bevers responded. He also said he was struggling to figure out who could have killed his wife. "I don't know if it's business related or some kind of jealousy... I've pretty much exhausted every scenario and every avenue that I can think of, of who could have done this." Click for more from Fox 4. News / Africa by Staff reporter Behind almost every bush in this country, there lurks a naughty pervert harboring ill intentions. The strange bit about it, however, is that pastors are no exception.A man of God in the Limpopo area, was mid last week nabbed pleasuring a cow using his finger in a thicket.While using a footpath through the bush, a resident, only identified as Washington, stumbled on the pastor, surnamed Nkundlande, playfully using his finger to gain canal knowledge of the animal as it grazed. A shocked Washington could not believe his eyes. After he raised alarm, locals, armed with crude weapons, arrived at the crime scene, baying for the offender's blood."Immediately he realised I had busted him, the pastor took off as I shouted at him to get the attention of locals. We pursued and caught up with him as he tried to cross a flooded river. Had it not been the timely intervention of the area assistant chief, the man of God would not have survived the wrath of furious villagers who were roughing and beating him up," Washington told iMzansi.Confirming the incident, area assistant chief, Mulalo, noted that the suspect was a known clergyman and belonged to the popular ZCC church.However, leaders allied to the said church disowned him, asking the assistant chief not to associate them with him."The man is a leader in a different church, not ours," Moris Morime, a senior member of the church's council, complained. Echoing the sentiments was Mashudu Ngonzo, another leader at the church, saying: "Our church has invested heavily in teaching good morals and we cannot be associated with such a pervert."The two church leaders, however, later confessed that the pastor, who was unconscious, had worked at their church but was in the process of starting his own church. The clergyman was taken to Limpopo police station in the awaiting to be arraigned in court.online Members from an Oregon fraternity and sorority left a half-mile-wide swath of trash, empty bottles, tents and coolers at a California lake campsite following their annual trip over the weekend. The National Forest Service said dozens of workers spent at least five hours cleaning up the mess on Slaughterhouse Island in Lake Shasta. Pictures surfaced on social media showing the mess, including items branded with University of Oregon logos and a cooler with the Lambda Chi Alpha Greek fraternity letters on it. The Los Angeles Times reported condoms, tampons, human waste and about 90 tents were among some of the items found at the lake. The University of Oregon said its investigating whether other fraternities or sororities were responsible for the mess, university spokesman Tobin Klinger said. The investigation won't be easy given the large number of people there and possibility that other schools were involved, he added. "You're going to have a variety of people, not exclusively one fraternity or sorority, not exclusively one university, not exclusively Greek, non-Greek," Klinger explained. Robin Holmes, vice president for student life at the university, said in a statement that fraternities and sororities all along the West Coast take trips to the area each year and called the remnants left by the members disgraceful. "We are working with authorities to learn all we can and determine who is responsible," she said. Rangers said they were unsure whether the area would be totally clean before the Memorial Day holiday weekend, according to SF Gate. "Their attitude is we'll pick it up later," Shasta Boating Safety Unit Sgt. Rob Sandbloom told the Daily Emerald Monday. "If you're at your mom's house are you just going to throw a can down and pee on her couch and say you'll clean it up later? No, you wouldn't. And they say they wouldn't, so don't do it here." The national Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity suspended the activities of its University of Oregon chapter, Holmes said. The chapter is cooperating with the university's investigation and will hold the people involved accountable, it said in a statement posted on the university's fraternity and sorority life Facebook page. The group also said it had reached out to the forest service to help with the cleanup. The Associated Press contributed to this report. An Appalachian Trail hiker whose remains were discovered last year survived at least 26 days after getting lost, kept a journal of her ordeal and ultimately resigned herself to the idea she was going to die and it could be years before her remains were located, according to investigative documents. Geraldine Largay, who was from Brentwood, Tenn., hiked to higher ground in a failed attempt to get a cellphone signal, and text messages sent to her husband went undelivered, the documents show. "When you find my body, please call my husband George ... and my daughter Kerry," Largay, who was 66 years old, wrote in a page that was torn out of her journal. "It will be the greatest kindness for them to know that I am dead where you found me no matter how many years from now." The Maine Warden Service on Wednesday released more than 1,500 pages of documents related to the search for Largay in response to Freedom of Access Act requests by several media organizations. Largay, who went by the nickname Inchworm, got lost after leaving the trail on July 22, 2013, to relieve herself and set up her final camp the next day, wardens said. Her texts to her husband warning that she'd become lost were never delivered but were retrieved from her phone after her body was found. "in somm trouble," she texted on July 22, 2013, the day she left the trail. "Got off trail to go to br. now lost. can you call AMC to c if a trail maintainer can help me. somewhere north of woods road." A day later, she again pleaded for help: "lost since yesterday. off trail 3 or 4 miles. call police for what to do pls." After she missed a rendezvous with her husband, he reported her missing on July 24, 2013, setting off a massive search by the Maine Warden Service and other agencies. Documents indicate they interviewed dozens of witnesses and conducted several searches over two years. The last entry in Largay's journal was on Aug. 18, 2013. Her husband, George Largay, told wardens that the Appalachian Trail journey from Georgia to Maine's Mount Katahdin was a bucket list item for her. She had started with a traveling companion, but the other hiker left the trail because of a family emergency. It wasn't until more than two years after she disappeared, in October 2015, that her remains were found about half a mile from the trail by a contractor conducting a forestry survey on property owned by the U.S. Navy in Redington Township. The property where Largay's body was recovered is part of a Navy survival skills training facility. The Navy uses the area for its Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape program. Largay's tent was collapsed, and her body was inside. The medical examiner determined she died of starvation and exposure. The items found with her included trail staples such as toothpaste, baby powder, a first aid kit, cord twine, a pencil and pen and a paper trail map. The battery on her cellphone was dead, but investigators were able to retrieve the data. Brandon Webb, a former U.S. Navy SEAL, author, digital media entrepreneur and CEO of Force12 Media, a content group that runs web sites and publishes books geared toward Special Operations and men's lifestyle, recently sat down with Entrepreneur for a far-reaching interview about his transition from decorated sniper to entrepreneur. In part one of this interview, he discusses a conversation he had at a shooting range that transformed his approach to business and put him on the path to success. Since leaving the SEALs, Webb has been a regular contributing expert for the likes of ABCs Good Morning America, NBCs Today Show, Fox News Channel, CNN, the BBC, SIRIUS XM, MSNBC and The New York Times. He has written several bestselling books, including The Red Circle and The Power of Thought: Core Principles to Overcome Adversity and Achieve Success. He is an active member of the Entrepreneurs Organization New York ( EONY) and can regularly be found in the air in one of his planes pulling maneuvers designed to scare the hell out of his passengers. Families at one Pennsylvania high school are being offered a yearbook refund after three quotes used in the book were attributed to the head of ISIS, Hitler and Stalin. Quaker Valley School District officials told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that, Though the content of the quotes was reviewed thoroughly, the attributions clearly were not. Islamic State group leader, Hitler, Stalin quoted in Quaker Valley High School yearbook https://t.co/RzHuPTShOT pic.twitter.com/8UlTBgzUGO Bobby Cherry / Trib (@bc_Trib) May 26, 2016 The school district apologized to parents and called it a regrettable mistake. There were a total of 360 yearbooks distributed, and cost between $69 to $100. Some of the quotes, at first glance, seem to be your run-of-the mill lines that grace the pages of a yearbook next to the photographs of students. Be just: the unjust never prosper. Be valiant. Keep your word, even to your enemies. Another reads, Words build bridges into unexplored regions. The quotes seem benign, but they were clearly attributed to Abu Bakr Al-baghdadi, the head of terror group ISIS, and Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler, respectively. Another quote -- which appeared to be slightly more questionable -- was attributed to the late Soviet leader Joseph Stalin: Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, so why would we let them have ideas? It was not clear if the students or yearbook sponsor will face any punishment, the report said. A Phoenix police officer fatally shot in the line of duty is being remembered as man whose imposing physical stature was only eclipsed by his heart. Mourners gathered inside a Peoria church Thursday morning to honor Officer David Glasser, who was killed while responding to a burglary call May 19. Police Chief Joseph Yahner says Glasser's 6-foot-5 frame epitomized a commanding presence but was overshadowed by his compassion. Glasser will be buried later today a cemetery in north Phoenix. He was shot while responding to a Laveen man's call about his son stealing his guns. Police shot and killed the 19-year-old suspect. You thumb a few buttons on your smartphone. Later in the day, at precisely the time you requested, a sparkling Audi appears in your Glen Park, San Francisco, driveway for your weekend getaway. You open it and start the engine with your phone. At the end of your Audi-powered adventure, and your reservation, the car simply disappears from your driveway. A luxury car -- Ill take the A7 -- is no longer just a $70,000 marvel of metal and engineering. Its now available as an on-demand service. I worked on the team that created the new Audi on Demand offer. We took a journey confronting many luxury brands: how to move from the product economy to the experience economy. We started with a brand beloved for very tangible attributes: materials, form, engineering. To translate this understanding of what Audi stands for into the context of experience we needed to identify the right new attributes, this time based in qualities of service: responsiveness, human interactions, the right use of technology. If we got it right, magic. People increasingly prefer to spend their money on experiences over things. They are choosing access over ownership. These trends are accelerated by the digital disruptions that make service delivery feasible, but luxury companies seeking to move from making things to delivering experience should understand how much they need to change, and recognize the very different rules of digital and experience economies. It is especially hard for companies in the luxury space to navigate this change, because of the traditional materiality of luxury goods. Traditionally, luxury goods rely on the best materials and on superior, bespoke craftsmanship. They cost more to make, and command more as a result. But digital goods and experiences are neither made of precious materials nor individually hand-crafted. Distinctive physical qualities are what make something a luxury item. They are also what make it easy to detect a fake, but digital good -- think movies, music, software -- can be reproduced or counterfeited with no loss in quality. Digital goods and services are inherently mass-market goods. They often derive much of their value from network effects: they are more valuable if they are more popular. There may not be such a thing as luxury digital goods. Even though we talk of software as digital products they dont have the material qualities or obey the economics of luxury goods. Technology is helping turn products into service platforms in many industries. A fork in the road. For luxury-space companies moving from products to services, digital technologies offer two diverging paths. One path takes luxury goods -- a private jet, for example -- and creates a new marketplace for the fractional use of otherwise inaccessible luxuries. It is the road to increasing mass adoption. This path makes use of new technologies to standardize operations and bring provider and customer together. A "Downton Abbey" lifestyle of leisure can now be assembled and commanded from a smartphone. Related: Meet Luxury Retreats, the Airbnb of the World's Most Lavish Mansions The other approach involves understanding premium experiences deeply, and only then looking to technological approaches to service personalization and magic. In this approach, digitization is not the objective, but the means to other ends. The value of unique experiences. A more differentiating role for digital technologies becomes clear if we consider the defining traits of premium experiences, as opposed to goods. Experiences are ephemeral: they are produced and consumed in the moment. They have real incremental costs, often mainly labor costs. Like products, they can increase in value if they are scarce and an accelerating driver of producer cost and customer value is the fact that they can be ruined by over-enrollment. Too many customers can spoil an experience. What is truly special and increasingly scarce is the great but undiscovered experience. Think of an ideal trip, to unplug and get away from crowds of tourists (who are always other people, not us) and find something authentic and unspoiled. Finding that unique, just-right-for-me experience is a problem of information discovery, of matchmaking. Matchmaking gets harder as people assert more personal preferences and subscribe less to conventional definitions of the best. Related: Selling in the New Luxury Market -- It's All About the Mustard The attributes of peak experiences. What the new, more demanding luxury consumer is looking for is more authentic experiences. And digital tools have enormous potential to deliver these three crucial qualities of experience: essential simplicity, storytelling value and magical convenience. A simple, essential experience does not try to be everything to everybody. It has a point of view and focus. The mechanics that enable the service are invisible. Choice is smartly restricted. Offerings are just right, often to the individual. Simple, essential offerings lend themselves well to vivid storytelling. Stories are what make experiences memorable and shareable, and therefore cherished. Sometimes the story is implicit in the experience; sometimes it needs to be packaged. An investment in content development can drive sales -- such as the travelogues and features on the Mr. Porter website/shop. Or it can be a pure exercise in brand expression, as seen on Nowness, a curated video site owned by LVHM. Finally, digital channels and supporting (invisible) systems are enabling experiences that are more magically individualized and convenient. The magic that manifests as a personal experience across communications channels can take a lot of back-of-house technology, and great people to deliver those rare inter-personal moments of service. Most of the digital service projects we have worked on recently have included tools to help employees deliver better in-person service. Conventional understanding holds that businesses prioritize software or staff (and its usually software, to cut costs), but this approach favors software for staff. As more and more interactions become self-service digital experiences, the stakes go ever higher for those remaining, rare experiences that also include eye-contact. At the other end of the spectrum from high-touch interactions, we see the rise of faster, more lightweight communications via text messaging. Call centers built around phone communications are in a channel that people use less and less. Text is more accessible, lightweight and asynchronous than a phone call. Related: Marketing To A High-End Consumer, Using The Luxury Strategy You want the one you cant have. Economists describe something called Veblen goods as things which have upward-sloping demand curves. That is, these are goods for which demand increases as their price rises. This sounds magical because it seems to disobey basic laws of economics. But it happens. A handbag made by Hermes is a textbook example. The more it costs, the more people want it, and the harder it is to get one, so the price rises. All bubbles -- from tulips to tech stocks -- work this way. Experiences can be made scarce by restricting supply, on the hope that this will stimulate demand, pace Veblen. You can profitably operate a tiny restaurant if you sell out every service, and if your meals are very expensive. Chefs Table at Brooklyn Fare requires that you book a reservation on a Monday morning at 10:30 for a meal six weeks out. They are decidedly not trying to make things easy for customers. Similarly, Faviken, in Sweden (and in a gorgeous series on Netflix) bills itself as the worlds most isolated restaurant. At a seven-hour drive from Stockholm, it is not offering the experience of a meal, but of a pilgrimage. Examples like these are noteworthy but they are outliers. Scarcity has no necessary relationship to quality, and in our work we have heard repeatedly from consumers that they prefer their own strong opinions about quality, and what they like; they are skeptical of someone elses definition of the best or most exclusive. The best experiences are deeply personal. That doesnt require a perfect predictive algorithm, or the ability to anticipate needs. (We dont think people enjoy being predicted anyway. Its not usually accurate, and when it is, it can be creepy). Instead, firms should seek to leverage digital systems to be instantly, personally responsive. Touch a button and an Audi materializes: thats digital luxury. A group of college students had to be rescued Thursday from a Kentucky cave after heavy rains in the area caused severe flash flooding. The Hart County Emergency Management told Fox affiliate WDRB-TV 19 people were stuck inside the Hidden River Cave located in Horse Cave, Ky., which is part of the American Cave Museum. The 19 people who escaped more than six hours after entering Hidden River Cave included students from Clemson University, four tour guides and two police officers who became trapped when they tried to rescue the group, Kentucky State Police Trooper B.J. Eaton said in a press release. There was no communication between the stranded cavers and the more than 150 emergency personnel at the scene. Authorities said they didn't know exactly where the missing cavers were underground, and the only light the group had came from headlamps they wore. The cavers became stranded in a portion of the cave known as "The Attic," which has a higher ceiling, Eaton said. The group stayed there until deciding to find their way out as the water continued to rise, according to Eaton. "When they came out of the cave, they were neck-deep in water," Hart County Emergency Management Director Kerry McDaniel told the Associated Press. "The waters were continuing to rise under the flash flood," he added. "They saw an opportunity to exit the cave, so they took the chance." McDaniel said there's only one way in and out of the cave located in south-central Kentucky's karst region, where many of state's longest and deepest caves run underground. The Clemson students had planned a five-hour trip exploring the cave as part of their geology studies when torrential rains hit the region after they entered, McDaniel said. The group went into the cave about 10 a.m. CDT Thursday and walked out on their own about 4:30 p.m. They were checked for hypothermia but declined further medical attention, McDaniel said. Four other people were able to escape earlier, Horse Cave Fire Chief Donnie Parker said. He didn't have details about how they got out. Two Horse Cave police officers who became trapped had entered the cave about 3 p.m. in an effort to make contact with the stranded group, authorities said. They were met by the four people who had managed to escape. "We looked at this from the beginning and hoped it was a search rather than a recovery operation," McDaniel said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click for more from WDRB-TV. In the face of imminent military assaults on key cities in Iraq and Syria, the commander of U.S. Air Forces in the Middle East said Thursday he's concerned about running low on precision-guided weapons needed for the war against the Islamic State group in both countries. Air Force Lt. Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., commander of U.S. Air Forces Central Command, said the U.S. has been going through more weapons than officials forecast in the run-up to the wars. And he told Pentagon reporters that the Pentagon is looking at weapons stocks around the world. "We have to do some analysis of where we take risk," Brown told Pentagon reporters in a videoconference from the Middle East. "And what I mean by that is, where do we pull some weapons from that we were saving for other contingencies. And do we use them now or do we save them for later?" Brown, who oversees U.S. air operations in the Middle East, also said the Air Force is taking steps to buy more weapons but that will take time. According to the latest Pentagon report, the U.S. has spent more than $1.7 billion on munitions in the fight against the Islamic State group since August 2014. That amounts to about $2.7 million a day. Defense Secretary Ash Carter noted the munitions problem in February, saying there were no immediate battlefield shortages. But he noted that the Pentagon requested a significant increase in spending on munitions in the budget "partly to offset the depletion" associated with the anti-Islamic State campaign. The U.S.-backed coalition has been conducting persistent airstrikes in both Iraq and Syria, and those could intensify as Iraqi forces move to retake Fallujah and as the Syrian Democratic Forces continue their march to defeat Islamic State fighters controlling the city of Raqqa. Both fights are in the early stages, but are expected to escalate in the coming weeks and months The Chinese military reportedly is planning to send submarines armed with nuclear weapons to patrol the Pacific Ocean for the first time amid territorial disputes over islands in the region. The Guardian, citing Chinese military officials, said that while the timing for a maiden patrol has not yet been determined, Beijing insists that such an action is inevitable. The report comes days after U.S. President Barack Obama announced that he had lifted a decades-long arms embargo against Vietnam. Chinese officials publicly praised the move, but an opinion piece in a state-run newspaper warned that any attempt to enlist Vietnam in an effort to contain China "bodes ill for regional peace and stability, as it would further complicate the situation in the South China Sea, and risk turning the region into a tinderbox of conflicts." U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry responded Monday by saying that it was China's actions in the South and East China Seas that could create a tinderbox. "I would caution China to not unilaterally move to engage in reclamation activities and militarization of islands," he said. The Pentagon says China has reclaimed more than 3,200 acres of land in the South China Sea and is developing and building military installations on the manmade islands. As a consequence, the U.S. and Vietnam have steadily strengthened their relationship in recent years, in line with growing Vietnamese concern over Chinese moves to assert its maritime claims. Despite China and Vietnam being Communist countries, clashes in 1988 over their conflicting claims in the South China Sea killed dozens of people. The tensions reared again in 2014, when China parked an oil rig off Vietnam's central coast, sparking confrontations at sea and deadly anti-China riots in Vietnam. Last week, the Pentagon said two Chinese fighter jets flew within about 50 feet of a U.S. Navy reconnaissance plane in what was termed an "unsafe intercept." China responded by demanding that the U.S. end surveillance patrols around the South China Sea, with a foreign ministry spokesman claiming that such missions "seriously endanger Chinese maritime security." Earlier this month, a U.S. Navy destroyer sailed within 12 miles of Chinas Fiery Cross reef, an artificial island made after months of dredging operations. It was the third time the Navy sailed a warship close to a contested Chinese island in what the Pentagon calls freedom of navigation operations. Beijing responded by scrambling fighter jets to show its displeasure. The Associated Press contributed to this report. China's top general is calling on Japan to speed up work on the disposal of chemical weapons left in China at the end of World War II. Gen. Fan Changlong was visiting a major disposal site Thursday on the eve of President Barack Obama's visit to a Japanese city destroyed by a U.S. nuclear bomb at the end of the war. Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Yang Yujun said the Chinese general's visit was planned long in advance and was unrelated to Obama's visit to Hiroshima. Yang said Fan's inspection visit was intended to emphasize the importance of the work at the Haerbaling site. China has been at pains to counter attempts by some in Japan use Obama's visit to portray their country as a war victim. News / Africa by Staff Reporter A high demand for fresh donkey milk in Botswana has given birth to a new product in the form of bathing soaps of varying flavours which have become a hit across the country.The Midweek Sun reported that donkey milk soap a locally produced product is gaining popularity in Francistown as a good number of females have taken to it; it reportedly does wonders in the restoration of v.aginal elasticity and can also eradicate bacteria, which causes unpleasant v.aginal discharges. The soap is also reportedly helping men to boost their erections.A woman who preferred anonymity said before she knew about the soap, she had two issues affecting her; one being a constant smelly v.aginal discharge and weak v.aginal elasticity."When a friend recently introduced me to the soap, I was not optimistic as I had tried a lot of other lubricants and medicinal procedures which completely failed to heal me. Since the bar of soap was affordable, I bought one and started washing my affected area with it and in short period of time, the offensive discharge which used to trouble me for a very long time since the birth of my first born child instantly disappeared.Even my husband who used to have a low sexual libido started improving after constantly using the soap on his penis," she explained.The local manufacturer of the soap, Johannes Visagie (55) from Werda village where the donkey milking dairy farm is located could not deny or confirm these results of his product.Instead, he explained that donkey milk is capable of healing a lot of diseases in a human body including sexual impotence. "When I was growing up, I wondered why our grandfathers could marry many wives and father many children.Until I met an old man while doing my research on donkey milk. This old man secretly revealed to me that from a long time immemorial, donkey milk was a secretly guarded ingredient which gave men and women a boost in regards to sexual gratification. Apart from sexual enhancement, donkey milk is said to alleviate painful symptoms of Asthma, Arthritis, Diabetes and many other diseases," he said.As for his donkey milk soap, Visagie explained that the soap has a lot of anti-aging properties especially for very sensitive areas of the body."Together with the various oils that I add to the milk, the soap cleanses, moisturises and conditions the skin. He added that the reasons why the soap has become an instant hit with women is the fact the donkey milk contains an anti micro-bacterial enzyme known as 'lysozyme' which eliminates bacteria and fungus from very sensitive areas which include the v.agina.A traditional healer, Clifford Sibanda a Zimbabwean by nationality admitted that donkey milk has some mysterious ingredients which have always left him flabbergasted.He said that children who grow up feeding on donkey milk rarely get sick as he said that the milk prevents a lot of diseases."As for sexual improvement, I am aware of the results as far as men are concerned but in the dark about the results on women. The milk is very good for men as it gives one the most desired sexual libido and can also help heal the heart and asthma," he explained. Authorities in Vancouver Tuesday had to contend with a crow that was apparently intent on tampering with evidence at a shooting scene. Vancouver Police responded to a car fire and said they were confronted by a man with a knife, CBC.ca reported. Shots were fired and the man was arrested. A reporter from a city newspaper said he saw a crow arrive at the scene and pick up some kind of object in a cordoned off area. The reporter could not identify the object, but the crow apparently dropped it after being chased 15 to 20 feet. Vancouver police said the object in the birds mouth was, in fact, the knife. The crow was persistent, but the knife was eventually gathered as evidence, Constable Brian Montague told CBC.ca in an email. EXCLUSIVE: New satellite imagery obtained by Fox News shows that China, for the first time, has deployed a drone with stealth technology to a contested island in the South China Sea, in another sign of escalating tensions in the region. The new development comes as President Obama visits Japan. He lifted an arms embargo against Vietnam while visiting Hanoi earlier this week, drawing criticism from the Chinese government about stoking tensions in the region. The newly obtained satellite images from ImageSat International (ISI) show a Chinese Harbin BZK-005 long range reconnaissance drone on Woody Island in the South China Sea. The drone can remain airborne for up to 40 hours. The Chinese drone did not appear armed in the satellite image taken last month. For the time being, the BZK-005 does not have the capability to fire missiles, unlike other drones in Chinas inventory. Other satellite images show some of the recently deployed HQ-9 surface-to-air missiles on Woody Island transferred from one cluster on the northern part of the island to other locations in a move most likely to make them more difficult to destroy in a potential air strike. In February, Fox News first reported the deployment of the missiles to Woody Island as President Obama hosted leaders from 10 Southeast Asian nations in Palm Springs, California. The Chinese HQ-9 is similar in design to the Russian S-300 missile system according to U.S. defense officials and has a range of 125 miles. Asked about the deployment of the Chinese drone to the island, a senior Pentagon official said he could not comment on intelligence matters. When asked about the increasing drone threat by China in the South China Sea at a press briefing Thursday, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook did not address the issue directly, but acknowledged the Pentagon had concerns about Chinas behavior in the region along with other countries. You've heard us talk at length [about] our concerns about militarization in the South China Sea, not just by China, said Cook. "There are concerns about what's happening. The Chinese first built a runway on Woody Island in the 1990s. Located in the Paracel chain of islands in the South China Sea, Woody Island is also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam in addition to China. Separately, China has constructed 3,200 acres of artificial islands atop former rocks and reefs farther south in the Spratly Islands according to a recent Pentagon report to Congress. Over $5 trillion in cargo and natural resources pass through the South China Sea each year. The LA Times recently reported that China has sold its armed drone, the CH-4, to Nigeria, Pakistan and Iraq, raising concerns about the proliferation of this type of technology. In December, Iraq claimed to have successfully used a CH-4 against ISIS. Earlier this month, the U.S. Navy sailed a guided-missile destroyer near Fiery Cross Reef, one of Chinas man-made islands in the South China Sea. The freedom of navigation operation as the Pentagon calls them, took the U.S. Navy warship within 12 nautical miles of the Chinese island, sending a message to China that the United States does not recognize Chinas territory. In response, China launched fighter jets. Early this year, China tested commercial airliners on a new runway on Fiery Cross Reef. Defense officials tell Fox News, that China has sent fighter jets and other military equipment there recently. A week after the U.S. destroyer sailed near Fiery Cross Reef, two Chinese J-11 fighter jets buzzed a Navy EP-3 reconnaissance aircraft flying 50 miles east of Hainan Island where a large Chinese submarine base is located. The Pentagon called Chinas action unsafe and claimed the Navy EP-3 was flying in international airspace. Chinese officials were quoted Thursday as saying China is ready to deploy nuclear-armed submarines in the Pacific, as a result of the United States moving more weapons to the region. China has said previous freedom of navigation operations by the Navy violated Chinese law and called the actions provocative. A Chinese military spokesman vowed dangerous consequences if similar operations from the American warships continue in the future. When Chinas President Xi visited the White House in September, he vowed not to militarize the South China Sea. Chinas foreign minister, Wang Yi, reiterated that pledge when Secretary of State John F. Kerry visited Beijing in February, but said some self-defense weapons were necessary to protect the Chinese islands. Last month, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter visited the Philippines, where U.S. military forces have returned for the first time since the Subic Bay naval base was closed in 1992. After Carters visit, a flight of U.S. Air Force A-10 attack planes flew near Scarborough Shoal, located only 200 miles from Manila, where U.S. defense officials have seen Chinese ships surveying the area for another potential dredging operation. School officials in a northern Switzerland town announced Wednesday that Muslim boys are required to shake hands with their female teachers or their parents could potentially be fined. The ruling comes after two Muslim boys were told they could temporarily skip the gender-neutral tradition for religious reasons. The decision from the Swiss high school in Therwil caused a fierce debate last month. The Therwil school district sought the regional school boards advice after accepting the boys beliefs that they should only touch the women whom they will actually marry. Under the school boards decision, teachers at the school can force their students to shake hands, according to The Telegraph. "The public interest concerning the equality of men and women as well as the integration of foreigners significantly outweighs the pupils' freedom of religion and belief," the officials said in a statement. "The social gesture of shaking hands is important if pupils are to be prepared for working life." If the students fail to shake hands with their teachers, their parents could face a fine of up to 5,000 Swiss francs ($3,830). The Central Islamic Council of Switzerland criticized the decision, saying authorities are grossly overstepping their competency, and claiming the measures wont help the integration of Muslims into Europe. The council said it will take legal action should the school levy any punishment against boys who refuse the handshake. The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Switzerland defended the boards decision, saying that politeness is part of the Islamic tradition and refusing the handshake is inappropriate. Click for more from The Telegraph. next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 Ramon Tony Nadal can forget a lot of things in his life, but even the passage of half a century has not dulled the memory of three scorching days in the jungles of Southeast Asia during one of the most significant battles of the Vietnam War. A mission to hunt down North Vietnamese troops who had attacked a military base in their area turned into a fight for survival as Nadal and his fellow soldiers quickly found themselves outnumbered 2,400 to 192. At least 79 men died as the Americans desperately fought their way out of the jungle in what would become known as the Battle of LZ X-Ray, one of the first major clashes in a war that would drag on into the next decade. I was ready to give my life for my soldiers, said the retired U.S. Army colonel in a new short film released by AARP Studios for Memorial Day. Nadal, a Georgia native and West Point graduate, says in the film that as a young soldier he eagerly jumped at the opportunity to volunteer in the Armys Special Forces units, which were shipping out to Laos in the early 1960s. I always felt my duty was to move to the sound of the guns, he said. On Nov. 14, 1965, Nadal, then acting as a rifle company commander for the Army's 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry unit, was instructed by Lt. Gen. Hal Moore to inspect a mountain in Vietnams Ia Drang Valley for enemy troops who had attacked a military base weeks earlier. Shortly after his company dropped into the 100-degree temperatures of the central highlands, Nadal recalls the Army capturing a prisoner, who said his unit which was there to kill Americans was taking up residence in the nearby Chu Pong Mountain. Col. Moore realized for us it would be a battle of survival, Nadal said, noting that the Americans forces were heavily outnumbered at the time and having to shift their focus to protect LZ X-Ray, the landing site in the jungle. Less than an hour later, heavy fighting broke out between the two sides. At one point in the first day of the battle, Nadal recalls running into a platoon sergeant lying in the grass, who said his leader was dead. "I had told my soldiers we were not going to leave anyone behind" Retired Col. Ramon 'Tony' Nadal Nadal, along with his communications sergeant, then decided to retrieve the lieutenants body amid the heat of battle, only to find another wounded soldier alongside the officer. Nadal first recovered the lieutenant's body, then went back a second time -- under enemy fire and grenade blasts -- to save the other soldier. I had told my soldiers 'we are not going to leave anyone behind', Nadal said. Amid the fighting, a platoon also became isolated from the rest of the American forces, and Moore instructed Nadal to lead his tired troops to rescue them. "We have to go bring back a platoon from B company, Nadal told FoxNews.com in an email, recalling the pep talk he gave to rally his troops. They are your friends, your buddies. B Company will be with us. Check your weapons and fix bayonets. I then climbed out of the creek bed and said, follow me. In the charge to rescue the isolated troops, Nadal said three of his friends were gunned down to the left and right of him but he was unscathed. He likes to think that he was spared due to a technical problem in the machine gun that was firing at him. With the assistance of white phosphorous smoke that was shot at enemy positions from U.S. aircraft, Nadal and his company were able to rescue the isolated platoon -- but not without heavy losses. His company lost 15 men in the fighting at LZ X-Ray and the battalion had lost 79 men overall. North Vietnamese deaths totaled 834 and Nadal received a Silver Star for his efforts in the battle. I feel the loss of all my soldiers, Nadal said. When you get through all the bravado what you are left with is anguish. I have found help -- and the help is that the soldiers that fought at LZ X-Ray have been gathering together for the last 22 years and we have annual reunions. We have gotten very close. The AARP video, titled, The Battle Ill Never Forget, features rarely seen footage of LZ X-Ray, including scenes of Nadal himself. Producer TJ Cooney told FoxNews.com that the search for actual battle footage was arduous as text descriptions of videos in Washington, D.C.s National Archive initially were mislabeled. After getting in touch with Joe Galloway, the author of We Were Soldiers Once And Young -- which was later adapted into a movie starring Mel Gibson -- Cooney said he was mailed Galloways copy of video from the battle and was able to sync it up to footage from the Archives. Cooney said during production of the film he showed Nadal the scenes of LZ X-Ray, and at one point, Nadal said oh thats me, thats me right there. He was so pleased to see that it was film of him, Cooney told FoxNews.com And it really brought him back to that moment in time. It was really great to have actual footage of Tony Nadal and Col. Moore. Cooney said the AARP, which featured Nadal's heroics in a magazine article, decided to make a film after seeing YouTube videos of him speaking online. We saw the passion and he had for his soldiers and thought he did a really good job articulating that passion he had, Cooney said. As for Nadal, this upcoming Memorial Day, his thoughts are a sense of loss for the lives that could have been and pain at the loss of my soldiers. I also think about the absurdity of war, he told FoxNews.com. There has to be a better way. Email from President Obama: Elkhart Just three weeks into my presidency, I made a promise to the people of Elkhart, Indiana. It was the first city I visited as President. Folks there had been hit harder by the recession than almost anywhere else in America. The unemployment rate was on its way to nearly twenty percent. Companies that had sustained that community for years were shedding jobs at an alarming speed -- and hardworking families were losing their homes and health care along with those jobs. When I spoke to the people of Elkhart in February of 2009, I promised them that if we worked together, we could pull that community and this country out of the depths of recession -- that we could not only recover, but put ourselves on a better, stronger course. Today, thanks to the hard work of people in Elkhart and in communities across the country, America has recovered from crisis and were on the cusp of resurgence. That's why I'm going back to Elkhart next Wednesday -- to highlight the economic progress weve made and discuss the challenges that remain. The story of Elkhart's recovery is the story of America's recovery. Today, Elkhart's manufacturing industry is back, and the town has regained nearly all of the jobs it lost during the downturn. The unemployment rate is lower than it was before the recession, and lower than the national average. In Indiana, more people have health insurance, and fewer homeowners are underwater. This progress is thanks to the effort and determination of Americans like you. And its a result of the choices we made as a nation. We still face some tough economic challenges, theres no doubt about it. And all of us have to make some very important decisions about where we go from here. Thats what Im going to talk about when I return to Elkhart on Wednesday. I hope you'll tune in. Thank you, President Barack Obama Glacier Restaurant Group Continues Expansion With MacKenzie River Pizza Grill & Pub Heading East May 23, 2016 // Franchising.com // WHITEFISH, Mont. - The Glacier Restaurant Group (GRG) continues to expand by heading east with its Montana-themed MacKenzie River Pizza Grill & Pub opening a new location in Columbus, Ohio, in the Fall. We are excited about expanding our MacKenzie River concept and confident that it will be embraced by the Columbus community for its food, service and mountain ambiance, said Brad Ridgeway, president of Glacier Restaurant Group. The new location will be 1515 Polaris Parkway, Columbus OH 43240. It is a strategic move for GRG as this was a former Max & Ermas location; GRG announced in January that it acquired the Max & Ermas restaurant chain, a casual dining concept operating in 10 states primarily in the Midwest with its headquarters in Columbus. We are building on our presence in Columbus by giving the community a new, exciting dining option, Ridgeway said. Its another way that GRG aims to demonstrate how we are committed to exceeding our guests expectations. The MacKenzie River concept delights diners with its innovative menu with mouth-watering food choices, creative specialty cocktails and diverse beer selection. From parents with kids, to senior citizens and everyone in between, guests can always find something to crave at MacKenzie River. The casual rustic atmosphere is achieved with refurbished and hand-crafted wine barrel and felled lumber furnishings, antique outdoor sportsman finishes and photographs that depict the heart and soul of the Rocky Mountains. About Glacier Restaurant Group Glacier Restaurant Group is a young and growing holding company operating five restaurant concepts differing in design, ambiance and menus, but alike in that they offer an outstanding place for food, drinks and fun with family and friends. With its headquarters in Whitefish, Mont., GRG employs more than 2,000 passionate and energetic people committed to providing an excellent guest experience through its concepts: MacKenzie River Pizza Grill & Pub, Ciao Mambo, Craggy Range Bar & Grill, Latitude 48 and Max & Ermas. SOURCE Glacier Restaurant Group Contact: James Blystone media@grgfood.com Alejandra Iraheta alejandra@ldwwgroup.com ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Chicken Salad Chick To Open Fourth Birmingham Location Fast-Casual Restaurant Concept Expands Presence in Alabama May 26, 2016 // Franchising.com // Auburn, AL Chicken Salad Chick, the nations only southern inspired, fast casual chicken salad restaurant concept, announced today it will be expanding in Alabama with its fourth location in the Birmingham market. The new restaurant will open on Wednesday, June 1 and is located at 3780 Riverchase Village, Suite 110 in the city of Hoover. This company-owned location marks the 17th Chicken Salad Chick restaurant in Alabama. The restaurant will feature a one-of-a-kind menu that is unique to the market. Our new Riverchase Chicken Salad Chick will be unique in many ways, including new chicken salad flavors and menu items, said Stacy Brown, founder of Chicken Salad Chick. We love how passionate our Birmingham area guests are about chicken salad and knew they would be the perfect ones to enjoy this exclusive Chicken Salad Chick experience. During the first 10 days the restaurant is open, guests will enjoy southern hospitality through giveaways and specials at the new Chicken Salad Chick restaurant: Wednesday, June 1 Free Chicken Salad for a Year: The first 100 guests in line receive a pound of chicken salad for a year! *First guest receives a pound per week, next 99 receive a pound per month. Available for redemption from 6/15/16 to 6/15/17. Thursday, June 2 - Free Chick Tervis Tumbler: The first 50 guests to purchase a pound of chicken salad with The Chick special will receive a limited edition Chick Tervis Tumbler. Friday, June 3 Free Scoop Friday: The first 100 guests to purchase the Chick Special will receive a free scoop of Classic Carol. Saturday, June 4 Selfie Stick Saturday: The first 100 guests will receive a free Chicken Salad Chick Selfie Stick. In addition, anyone who posts a photo and include the hashtag #SelfieChickSaturday will be automatically entered for a chance to win a free pound of chicken salad. Monday, June 6 Meet the Chicks Day: The first 100 guests to order will receive a Meet the Chicks punch card. For sixteen weeks, guests can try one free scoop of the chicken salad 'flavor of the week', allowing guests a tour of every Chicken Salad Chick flavor. Tuesday, June 7 Totes Tuesday: The first 50 guests to purchase the Chick Special receive a limited edition Chick Tote Bag. Wednesday, June 8 Kids Eat Free All Day: One free kids meal for each Chick Special purchased. Only applies to dine-in guests with a child age 10 or under. Thursday, June 9 Free Chick Umbrella: The first 50 guests to purchase a pound of chicken salad with the Chick Special will receive a free limited edition chick umbrella. Friday, June 10 Fitness Friday: The first 50 guests to purchase the Chick Special receive a limited edition Chick water bottle. Saturday, June 11 Buy Two Pounds Get a Free Chick Cooler: The first 50 guests to purchase two pounds of chicken salad will receive a free Chick Cooler. The Chicken Salad Chick concept, born in Auburn, Ala., was established in 2008 in the kitchen of founder, Stacy Brown. When Stacy discovered that the local county health department would not allow her to continue making and selling her delicious recipes out of her home kitchen, she overcame that obstacle by launching her first restaurant with the business expertise of her future husband and fellow founder, Kevin Brown. Together, they opened a small takeout restaurant, which quickly grew; the company now has 54 restaurants across the Southeast. Chicken Salad Chick in Hoover-Riverchase will be open Monday Saturday from 11 a.m. 8 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.chickensaladchick.com, or call 205-518-0256. Follow Chicken Salad Chick on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest news and trends. About Chicken Salad Chick Chicken Salad Chick puts an edgy twist on a Southern classic, offering guests a custom fit chicken salad experience, with 15 original flavors to choose from, as well as gourmet soups, flavorful side salads and freshly-baked desserts. Chicken Salad Chick serves southern style chicken salad with heart and strives to spread joy, enrich lives and serve others every day. Today, the brand has 54 locations across the Southeast, and has currently sold 146 franchises to be developed across the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana and Texas. The brand was recently named as the top chicken salad in the country to try in the 2015 March/April issue of Cooking with Paula Deen, as well as one of FastCasual.coms top Movers and Shakers and one of NRNs 2015 Breakout Brands. Corporate offices are located at 724 North Dean Road in Auburn, Alabama. See www.chickensaladchick.com for additional information. SOURCE Chicken Salad Chick Media Contact: Tiffany Trilli Account Coordinator Fish Consulting, LLC O: (954) 893-9150 C: (305) 299-4581 ttrilli@fish-consulting.com ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Duck Donuts in Middletown Will Give Customers a Donut to Celebrate National Donut Day on June 3 Duck Donuts will also partner with the Salvation Army to distribute donuts. MIDDLETOWN, NEW JERSEY (PRWEB) May 26, 2016 - Duck Donuts in Middletown will be giving away its famous made-to-order donuts on June 3 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. to celebrate National Donut Day. Each customer visiting the store that day can receive one free cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar or plain donut. Duck Donuts will also be serving free donuts at the Red Bank Salvation Army Corps, located at 180 Newman Springs Road in Red Bank, starting at 10 a.m. on June 3. The Salvation Army started National Donut Day during the Great Depression as a way to raise funds and bring awareness to the organizations social service programs. The Red Bank Corps serves those in need who live in northern Monmouth County. Duck Donuts specializes in warm, delicious and made-to-order donuts. Customers can choose from a variety of topping combinations, including traditional favorites such as chocolate icing with sprinkles and more adventurous creations such as maple icing with bacon. The Middletown store, which celebrated its one-year anniversary in April, recently debuted a new menu that includes donut ice cream sundaes. The family-friendly spot offers a viewing area where children and adults alike can watch their donuts being made. Duck Donuts also sells coffee, tea, breakfast sandwiches and more. About Duck Donuts Duck Donuts opened in North Carolinas Outer Banks in 2006, serving made-to-order donuts onsite. The franchise has repeatedly received a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor, and devoted fans have sung its praises far and wide. For more information, visit http://www.duckdonuts.com. About Red Bank Salvation Army Corps For more information, please contact Jesabel Cruz at 732-747-1626 or visithttp://newjersey.salvationarmy.org/NewJersey/redbank. SOURCE Duck Donuts Contact: Matt Erickson Duck Donuts +1 848-219-1507 ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus News / Africa by Al Jazeera Last night on The Stream on Al Jazeera, author Ben Rawlence: Dismissed the terrorism threat posed by Dadaab Claimed "Refugees are being used as a bargaining chip here" Claimed Kenya wants a better deal for hosting refugees, like Turkey'sOn last night's episode of The Stream on Al Jazeera, author Ben Rawlence criticised the Kenyan government's recently repeated threat to close Dadaab, the word's largest refugee complex.Rawlence is the author of City of Thorns: Nine Lives in The World's Largest Refugee Camp, praised by The Wall Street Journal as "the most absorbing book in recent memory about life in refugee camps."The Stream screened a clip of Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery calling for Dadaab's closure. "There comes a time when we must think primarily about the security of our people," said Nkaissery. "Ladies and gentlemen, that time is now."The Kenyan government says the Somali armed group al-Shabaab has taken advantage of the camps' overcrowded, poor conditions. But Rawlence disagreed that Dadaab represents a significant terrorism threat. "It's nonsense, plain and simple. This is politically-driven speculation. There is of course an al-Shabab presence in the camp. Because it's on the main road between Somalia and Nairobi, people pass through the camp but there is a much bigger problem in Nairobi, in Garissa, in cities in Kenya, than there is in Dadaab, so this attempt to blame all Kenya's extremist problems on refugees is very unfair and not true."Another guest, Moulid Hujale, a longtime Dadaab resident and journalist, agreed. "There was never one time that people from Dadaab were convicted of terrorist crime."Instead, Rawlence believes the Kenyan government has ulterior motives in calling for the camp's closure. "Refugees are being used as a bargaining chip here," he said. "The reason they're much more serious this time is because we've had this big deal between the European Union and Turkey, where Turkey gets six billion euros for hosting refugees. Kenya wants some of that action."Dadaab has been open for 25 years, literally a lifetime for many of its inhabitants. When Dadaab opened in 1991, it was built as a temporary refuge for people fleeing violence in neighbouring Somalia. "Now it is bigger than Kenya's third largest city, home to nearly half a million people, many of whom have no idea what life is like outside the camps," The Stream's host, Malika Bilal, said in her introduction.Bilal and co-host Omar Baddar were joined by Rawlence, Hujale, photographer and social worker Khadija Farah, and another longtime Dadaab resident and journalist, Abdullahi Mire."The calls of the Kenyan government to close the camp have been so frequent but this time it's louder than ever in the sense that steps are being taken," said Mire. "The Department of Refugee Affairs today is no longer operational in Kenya. The government of Kenya have called for 1bn Kenya shilling and they say they have this budget to close Dadaab."In addition to terrorism fears, the Kenyan government is also pushing for the closure of Dadaab for economic reasons. But Hujale dismissed this reasoning too, pointing to a 2010 research study commissioned by the Kenyan, Danish and Norwegian governments, which showed that the camp creates 10 000 jobs, held mostly by Kenyans, and brings in around $14m each year.Hujale also claimed that Kenya's security costs were exaggerated. "The UNHCR and other international donors support the Kenyan government to maintain the security on the camps; the police who patrol the camps are all paid by UNHCR.""The refugees don't have a choice because they're stuck there but Kenya has a choice," said Rawlence. "It can deport these people against international law which could be a huge crime, pushing 600 000 people over the border. It can allow Dadaab to continue, as it is, without enough money, struggling along, where people have to really force themselves to make a life. Or it could see these refugees as economic actors who could be of benefit to Kenyan society and the economy, who could pay tax and make a major contribution. The United States economy in the 20th century was founded on immigration and on the contribution of people who were fleeing persecution in Europe. This idea that refugees are a burden is completely the wrong way round. I don't understand why both in Europe and Kenya we're not fighting for this workforce to harness it so we can build our societies and we can generate tax."The show generated a heated discussion on Twitter, which you can follow using the hashtag #ajstream Watch and embed Kenya's Dadaab Diaries, last night's episode of The Stream, at Dunkin Donuts Sweet Celebration For National Donut Day: Free Donut Offer On Friday, June 3 On June 3, Dunkin Donuts will offer guests worldwide a free donut of their choice with the purchase of any beverage. Brand will also welcome the holiday with special Snapchat geofilters and behind-the-scenes culinary content. May 26, 2016 // Franchising.com // CANTON, MA One of Dunkin Donuts favorite holidays is National Donut Day celebrated this year on Friday, June 3 and once again the brand will ring in the day in a most delicious, delightful and delectable way, offering guests a free classic donut of their choice* (while supplies last) with the purchase of any beverage. The offer is good all day on June 3 at participating Dunkin Donuts restaurants nationwide. Additionally, Dunkin Donuts is helping guests across the globe celebrate the joy of donuts by making this special offer available in participating restaurants around the world. Leading up to National Donut Day, Dunkin Donuts is bringing its sweet celebration to its social communities with several days of donut-themed content: On Wednesday, June 1, Dunkin Donuts will kick off its National Donut Day festivities with a day of Snapchat events, including a donut design and frosting lesson with members of the brands culinary team, special donut recipes, donut themed prints for your phone and a chance for fans to ask questions directly to Paul Racicot, Director of R&D at Dunkin Brands. Follow dunkindonuts on Snapchat to tune in. On Thursday, June 2, Dunkin Donuts will host a Facebook Live session with Dunkin Brands Manager of Donut Excellence Rick Golden. Rick will make donuts live from mixing to glazing and sprinkling and answer fans questions from within the brands donut kitchens at its corporate headquarters. Finally, on National Donut Day, June 3, Dunkin Donuts fans can display their love for donuts with special brand Snapchat filters celebrating the holiday. The National Donut Day themed geofilters are the latest additions to Dunkin Donuts lineup of seasonally themed filters, and will be available for fans to share with friends and followers all day in or around all Dunkin Donuts restaurants nationwide. Also, popular Snapchatters throughout the country will 'take over' the brands Snapchat channel throughout the day, showcasing how they're celebrating National Donut Day in their city. National Donut Day was originally established in 1938 by the Chicago Salvation Army to honor women who served donuts to soldiers during World War I. The holiday is traditionally celebrated on the first Friday of June. Dunkin' Donuts has been serving guests signature donuts for 66 years. Dunkin Donuts is the #1 retailer of donuts in America, and sells 2.8 billion donuts and MUNCHKINS donut hole treats annually worldwide. Within the United States, Dunkin Donuts offers more than 70 varieties of donuts, including beloved flavors such as Boston Kreme, Glazed, Chocolate Glazed Cake and Chocolate Frosted. Additionally, some Dunkin Donuts restaurants also feature regional favorites like the Sour Cream Donut in Chicago, and the Peanut Stick in upstate New York. To learn more about Dunkin Donuts, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com or follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/DunkinDonuts), Instagram (www.instagram.com/DunkinDonuts) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/DunkinDonuts). * Excludes Fancies, Squares and Croissant Donuts SOURCE Dunkin Donuts Media Contact: Lindsay Cronin Phone: 781-737-5200 Email: lindsay.cronin@dunkinbrands.com ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus ShelfGenie Franchise Unveils Interactive Franchise Development Website The Premier Customized Glide-Out Shelving and Storage Solution Franchise Launches Informational Website for Prospective Owners as It Ramps Up for Rapid U.S. Expansion ATLANTA, GA - (Marketwired - May 26, 2016) - ShelfGenie, the premier customized Glide-Out shelving and storage solution franchise, has announced the launch of its interactive franchise website, shelfgeniefranchise.com, which provides entrepreneurs with a detailed overview of the benefits of investing in a ShelfGenie franchise. The content-driven franchise website features a wide variety of information for franchisee candidates who are interested in learning about ownership opportunities with the top-rated storage solution franchise. Prospective owners can watch documentary videos featuring the ShelfGenie executive team and stay up-to-date with the latest news about ShelfGenie's growth and development. "Now is a great time to invest in a ShelfGenie franchise," said Allan Young, Chief Executive Officer with ShelfGenie. "What franchisees get now is to be a part of a company that has proven and refined our business model over eight years. We have shortened the learning curve so that owners can get off to a faster start, while the market has only increased the demand for our services." ShelfGenie is the premier customized Glide-Out shelving and storage solution franchise ShelfGenie is a customized, Glide-Out shelving and organization solution franchise that has remodeled millions of cabinets in kitchens, pantries, bathrooms and garages since it began transforming spaces in 2007. The top-rated franchise has grown to 48 franchisees that serve 160 territories in the U.S. and Canada, and the brand is actively seeking savvy entrepreneurs who are passionate about the brand's ability to transform spaces for ease of access and improved functionality as ShelfGenie continues to rapidly expand at home and abroad. As part of the $235 billion home remodeling industry, ShelfGenie solutions are high-quality, American-made shelves that appeal to American homeowners - from millennials to baby boomers - who want to make their living areas more functional and easier to use. "ShelfGenie takes away the frustration and pain that come from living in a home that's inefficient and poorly designed and transforms that home into a functional space that is made for enjoyment and love," said Gillian Harper, Chief Operating Officer with ShelfGenie. "That is what we focus on, and we are transforming the lives of our clients every day." ShelfGenie reported whopping double-digit retail sales growth for two consecutive years, and it was named one of America's fastest-growing companies by Inc. magazine in 2014. Since then, the brand's growth has only accelerated; ShelfGenie added nine new franchise owners and expanded into 21 new territories across North America in 2014, and the top-rated brand closed out 2015 with 14 new franchises sold to new owners. ShelfGenie kicked off 2016 by making Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 List for the sixth consecutive year, as well as announcing plans to rapidly expand across North America. Costs and fees of owning a ShelfGenie franchise The ShelfGenie premier home improvement franchise offers a low-cost investment opportunity with a potential for high returns. For an initial investment starting at $70,100, franchise owners get the backing and knowledge of a proven franchise system with locations spanning the United States and Canada. ShelfGenie still has many attractive territories available, and the time to invest is now. To learn more about franchise opportunities with ShelfGenie, visit shelfgeniefranchise.com. SOURCE ShelfGenie Contact: Bret Chevrier Director of Business Development bret.chevrier@shelfgenie.com 866-243-7156 ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus The Krystal Company Honors Their Legacy Partners Trio of Southern Suppliers are honored for their Life-Long Partnerships ATLANTA - May 26, 2016 // PRNewswire // - The Krystal Company , the brand famous for serving its iconic square hamburgers for more than 80 years, recently recognized their longest supplier partnerships at its 2016 Krystal Convention in Birmingham. As part of the many exciting announcements that were revealed at this year's convention including remodeling efforts and new training programs Krystal honored Coca-Cola, Travis Meat Co., and Flower Foods as the three vendors who are Krystal Legacy Partners, having worked with the brand for over 220 years all together! "Our suppliers play a crucial role in our restaurant's operations on a daily basis," said Dave Early, Senior Director of Franchise Operations and Development at The Krystal Company. "These legacy partners, recognized at this year's convention, are just a few of the great suppliers we have the opportunity to work with at Krystal." Travis Meat Company, based just outside of Knoxville, has been a Krystal go-to meat producing company since 1960. Travis Meat specializes in making the brand's signature square hamburgers, using specialized machines that allow them to produce the iconic small and bite-sized patties for more than 50 years. Dale Travis, President at Travis Meat, the grandson of founder W.B. Travis, was in attendance in Birmingham to be honored as a Legacy Partner. Krystal also awarded Supplier of the Year to Travis Meat Co. due to its dedication to the Krystal brand and creative innovation to create Krystal's iconic and well renowned look. What good is a square burger without Krystal's signature bun? Krystal recognized this and, therefore, also recognized Flower Foods who has continuously produced those hot, steamy buns that are used in each Krystal hamburger and on a variety of other menu items that are available at each restaurant. Since the Krystal brand first launched, more than 83 years ago, Flower Foods Inc., has been at the fast-food chain's side, providing the freshest and highest quality buns and bread products, allowing the Krystal to become a Southern household name. Rick Rowan, Account Executive at Flower Foods was in Birmingham as the honoree for the brand. Rowan joins a long list of Flower Foods executives who have personally worked with the Krystal brand in multiple roles throughout the past 83 years. Coca-Cola, the brand that is synonymous with refreshing beverages, also was recognized as a key Legacy Partner during the Krystal Convention. Coca-Cola has been supporting Krystal since the very beginning, providing the perfect beverages to wash down Krystal's delicious menu items. Since 1932, Coca-Cola has been the exclusive beverage producer for Krystal and has been one of the most trusted suppliers for the brand, allowing Krystal to grow into a fast-food staple in the South. Krystal also awarded Coca-Cola with its Innovation Partner of the Year Award, due to Coca-Cola's immeasurable contributions to help advance Krystal throughout their life-long partnership. Hector Gallardo, Daniel Redler, Jayne Luskand Ryan Carter the Krystal Coca-Cola Representatives, were in attendance during the convention and accepted the award on behalf of the beverage icon. Krystal recognized these three amazing brands because they are the longest-tenured suppliers that have stood by Krystal's side during its journey and expansion as one of the most trusted fast-food brands of the South. "We would like to give a special thanks to these legacy partners, as well as to all our suppliers that have made our brand so great for more than 80 years," continued Early. "With such great partners at our side, we look forward to the many great things we can accomplish together." 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 orhttp://www.facebook.com/Krystal or follow the brand on Twitter and Instagram @Krystal. SOURCE The Krystal Company ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus News / Local by Staff Reporter President Robert Mugabe has pardoned more that 2000 inmates under a presidential pardon.However, prisoners on death row and those with history of escaping from prisons are not included.In an amnesty published in Government Gazette No 36, general notice 85/2016, Mugabe pardoned all convicted female prisoners regardless of offences, with the exception of a few serving life sentences."A full remission of remaining imprisonment is, hereby, granted to all female prisoners regardless of offences committed, save for those sentenced to life imprisonment and to death," part of the order reads.Chikurubi Female Prison, which was home to 246 prisoners, released 139 inmates yesterday.Some of the prisoners were due to serve lengthy jail terms for murder, fraud and armed robbery.Those who remained behind are inmates still on remand and a few foreigners, who will be released to their respective governments.Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) acting public relations officer, Superintendent Priscilla Mthembo said more than 2 000 inmates were likely to benefit from the latest presidential pardon."We don't have the total figure at the moment because the verification process is still going on, but we expect over 2 000 prisoners to be released under the amnesty order issued by the President," she said.For male prisoners, Mugabe pardoned all those who are under the age of 18 regardless of offences committed, and those over the age of 60, who have served two-thirds of their prison terms and all inmates in open prison.Terminally-ill prisoners, who were unlikely to survive their prison terms, were fully pardoned regardless of offences.At Chikurubi Farm Prison, there was still uncertainty, as prison officers were still compiling names of beneficiaries, particularly those jailed for stocktheft, who have served a third of their sentence.Male inmates convicted of murder, rape, armed robbery and treason were not part of those pardoned. The teacher crisis is real, and were not going to work our way out of it simply by making it easier to hire teachers. Russ Horn Celebrates Tradeonix Launch with Premium Forex Trading Gifts & Prizes One of the world's foremost experts, professional Forex trader Russ Horn, is celebrating the launch of his premium Forex trading system, Tradeonix, by giving away gifts and prizes, including some of his own systems. Further information can be found at http://forexstrategyhero.com/tradeonix. -- In a surprising change of pace in the world of Forex trading, one of the world's foremost experts, professional Forex trader Russ Horn, is celebrating the launch of his premium Forex trading system, Tradeonix, by giving away gifts and prizes. The gifts include another professional Forex trading system that he himself developed and used, and that has not previously been available to the public. It is reported the event is underway. It began on May 24, and runs until May 31. In an industry where most competitors simply post some ads and leave it at that and fail to cause much of a stir, Russ Horn has opted for a more exciting Tradeonix launch. Judith Sharp, Salesperson for the Tradeonix system, says: "Russ has always been on a mission to show other people that they really can make piles of cash trading Forex. He's a wildly successful trader who loves to help other traders make more cash, and wanted his premium Forex trading system launch to be exciting and valuable to those trading in, and wanting to enter the Forex market. These gifts are simply Russ's way of 'giving back'. 'It should go great unless people suddenly stop wanting to make more money! 'Russ loves to help people achieve their income goals with Forex trading. His motto is, "No one gets left behind". The system Russ is giving away was originally developed for exclusive use by top hedge fund managers, and he's releasing it to the public for the first time. Russ plans other surprises during the pre-launch of Tradeonix. It's all part of the fun, with the goal of helping people understand Forex trading better, and we think it's better than businesses who choose to do things the 'regular' way. This launch celebration is just one of the many ways Russ Horn achieves that goal." When asked about Tradeonix, Ms Sharp said: "We think it's going to be a real hit because The Forex market is starving for a really good, high end, proven trading system. This is it! Russ is the real deal." The Tradeonix pre-launch dates are May 24 to May 31. To find out more, people can visit http://forexstrategyhero.com/tradeonix Further information about Russ Horn can be found at http://forexstrategyhero.com/tradeonix For more information about us, please visit http://forexstrategyhero.com/tradeonix Contact Info: Name: Judith Sharp Organization: Judith Sharp Release ID: 116569 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Dynamic Gift International Pty Ltd Releases Brand New Range Of Printed Marquees The marquees are made of SPF 50+ material that can be branded with a company's unique logo, reports http://www.dynamicgift.com.au. -- Dynamic Gift International, an Australia-based direct manufacturer of promotional items for businesses and organizations, has recently announced the release of their brand new Custom Printed Marquee Tents. The marquees are suitable for both indoor and outdoor events and can be branded with a company's unique logo or a design of their choosing. Business owners who are interested in getting a glimpse of these new marquees or would like to place an order for their next event should visit Dynamic Gift's website at http://www.dynamicgift.com.au. "In preparing for events and expos here in Australia, many business owners will just go to a camping or hardware store and buy a boring old camping marquee for their event. Unfortunately, this makes it hard for them to get noticed," said Richard Perry, a spokesperson for Dynamic Gift International. As Perry continues, "With our newly-released range of printed marquees, company owners can now have a completely custom branded event stall. Dynamic Gift has Served The Worlds Biggest Companies and has recently become the official partner of Triple Eight Redbull Racing. This means that customers will get to see our product in action as we supply all of the marquees for the F1 and the V8 Supercar Team." Dynamic Gift International wants customers to know that they have re-developed the material for their marquee tents so that it is SPF 50+. In Australia's harsh climate, this feature protects both the managing staff and the customers at outdoor events and expos from the weather and the elements. Dynamic Gift is also the only company in Australia that offers a free graphic design service with every order so that customers can rest assured that they will always end up with a well-designed product. As Perry goes on to say, "Whether we are creating Feather Banners or equipping a customer with a branded marquee tent, our goal is always to ensure that we give people our very best. A lot of careful thought has gone into the production of these new marquees to make sure that they are the best on the market. We are proud of our new product and excited to be sending the marquees out to business owners all over Australia." About Dynamic Gift International Pty Ltd: Dynamic Gift International Pty Ltd are direct manufacturers of promotional items for businesses and organizations. Their status as a manufacturer allows them to offer the best prices on the market for promotional gear. Their team is customer focused, striving for 100 percent satisfaction in every order they take on. With their simple ordering and straightforward delivery process, Dynamic Gift International is able to provide exactly what customers want in the most efficient way possible. For more information about us, please visit http://www.dynamicgift.com.au Contact Info: Name: Richard Perry Organization: Dynamic Gift International Pty Ltd Address: Tuncurry, New South Wales, 2428 Phone: 02 6555 4001 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/dynamic-gift-international-pty-ltd-releases-brand-new-range-of-printed-marquees/116765 Release ID: 116765 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Bryant Home Air Experts Launches New Directory Website The website strives to be the best place for home and business owners to find reputable HVAC dealers in Indiana and Ohio, reports https://bryanthomeairexperts.com/. -- Bryant, a leading manufacturer of home and commercial heating and cooling products, has recently announced the launch of their Bryant Home Air Experts website. The purpose of the website is to help home and business owners who are in need of HVAC installation or repair work to find a reputable local heating and cooling expert. The company hopes that their new website will help to streamline the search process as they limit their list to only trusted contractors. Nicole Poole, a spokesperson for Bryant Home Air Experts, stated "Whether it be for a repair job or for installing a brand new system, many people can attest to the fact that choosing the wrong HVAC company can turn the entire process into an expensive disaster. This is the most important reason why we are so excited to be launching this new website for home and business owners to use. At Bryant Home Air Experts, we want to connect people with only the best indiana air conditioning experts. We've done all of the hard work, researching companies and ensuring that only the best and most qualified ones make it to the website." The Bryant Home Air Experts website lists only those indiana heating experts that have met their rigorous quality standards. The site lists local contractors in Indiana and Ohio and will be expanding to more locations in the future. The Bryant team has made finding a contractor as easy as visiting the website and selecting "Find A Dealer" on the top navigation menu. Residential and business HVAC customers can then enter their zip code or select their location from the list of cities provided to find a licensed, insured, and expertly-trained technician to help them solve their heating and cooling problems. As Poole goes on to say, "With the launch of this new website and contractor locator tool, we want to ensure that no one has a hard time finding the right heating and ac experts in indiana. As the summer months are just around the corner, now is the perfect time for both residents and business owners to contact a qualified contractor who can make sure that their home and office environments will remain comfortable throughout this season and beyond." About Bryant Home Air Experts: Bryant Home Air Experts was created to quickly and easily connect those looking for a heating and air conditioning contractor with local heating and cooling experts. For more information about us, please visit https://bryanthomeairexperts.com/ Contact Info: Name: Nicole Poole Organization: Bryant Home Air Experts Phone: (877) 361-2096 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/bryant-home-air-experts-launches-new-directory-website/116768 Release ID: 116768 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) News / National by Stephen Jakes The International Coalition Against Enforced Disappearance (ICAED) on the Commemoration of the International Week of the Disappeared has called for the bringinmg back of those who disappeared by authorities.In a statement the organisation said the clamor of the families of victims of enforced disappearance from across the globe to resurface and bring back their disappeared loved ones is louder than ever."Another year has passed and although milestones have been achieved in the collective struggle against this painful phenomenon, enforced disappearance continues to traumatize the lives of innocent families worldwide," ICAED said."In the August 2015 Report of the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (UN WGEID), the number of cases under active consideration stands at 43, 563 in a total of 88 states1. It is plausible to theorize that the continuing occurrences of enforced disappearance is associated with the States' lack of sufficient legal mechanisms and frameworks that will safeguard the lives of its citizens from the cruel act of enforced disappearance."The organisation said the UN Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (Convention), which is an international legal instrument that was adopted to address the issue, is faced with different political challenges."As of May 2016, many states have yet to sign and ratify the Convention and those which have ratified have yet to recognize the competence of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances," said ICAED."In Asia, only 6 out of 52 states ratified, 11 signed, and 35 have no action on the Convention. The Philippines is the only Asian state that has a domestic law against enforced disappearance while Sri Lanka was the latest to sign the Convention. In Africa, 11 states have already ratified, 27 signed, and 26 have no action. In Europe, 15 states ratified, 29 signed, while 15 have no action. In South America, 9 states ratified, 9 signed, and 4 remain with no action. In North America, only 6 states ratified, 8 signed, and 21 have no action. Finally in Oceania, only 1 state ratified, 3 signed, and 11 remain with no action2."ICAED said it is also important to note that although many states have ratified the Convention, several of them have not yet recognized the competence of the Committee on Enforced Disappearance (CED)."Out of 48 states that ratified the Convention, only 20 have recognized the competence of the CED. 3 In a more positive note, the ICAED lauds the Government of Peru, for having recently recognized the competence of the Committee on Enforced Disappearance on individual complaints in its Congress Resolution No. 30434," said the organisation."Enforced Disappearance is still a tool of repressive governments to paralyze their political enemies and other innocent communities. In a recent report in Bangladesh, 24 cases of enforced disappearance happened and documented in January 2015 - April 2016. In Bangladesh, enforced disappearance is one of the primary acts perpetrated by law enforcement agencies, paramilitary, and armed forces to detain and even extra-judicially execute individuals."The organisation said in Mexico, 545 cases of enforced disappearances have already been transmitted by the UN WGEID to the government from 1980 to 2015."Out of the 545 cases, 43 involved female victims and 68 victims were eventually found dead. In a relatively recent incident on September 2014, 43 students from the Escuela Normal Rural Raul Isidro Burgos in Ayotzinapa were subjected to enforced disappearance in Iguala, state of Guerrero. The burned remains of one of them were found weeks later. The other 42 are still disappeared," said ICAED."Europe is not spared from enforced disappearance. In Belarus, political disappearances of four persons have not been properly investigated since 1999 despite the fact that the Council of Europe in 2004 produced the report Disappeared Persons in Belarus and demanded the government to take appropriate measures."ICAED said enforced disappearances continue to be a challenge in Zimbabwe as well and currently human rights activists are concerned about the disappearance of human rights activists Paul Chizuze and Itai Dzamara in 2012 and March 2015 respectively."The concern is that it seems the state is not moved by the disappearance of its citizens and the clarion call is for Zimbabwe to come up with legislation against this crime against humanity," said the organisation."On the occasion of this year's International Week of the Disappeared, ICAED and its 56 member-organizations are now calling on Governments who have not yet signed and ratified the Convention and who have not yet enacted domestic legislation to do so without further delay. The treaty's universal implementation is imperative in a world where enforced disappearances continue to destroy human lives."Dzanmara and Chizuze have not been found since them. Thermalabs Holly Butterfly Beach Chair to Be Available Soon Thermalabs is finalizing pre-launch activities for its Holly Butterfly Fur Beach Chair. -- Thermalabs is one of the fastest growing companies in the cosmetics space. Founded just three years ago, Thermalabs has managed to cultivate a global user base spanning millions of customers. The firm's initial success could be attributed to exclusive launches of self-tanning lotions and tanning accessories. In recent times, the company has been diversifying to serve the general cosmetic market. Today's announcement that Thermalabs will be releasing its Holly Butterfly Fur Beach Chair soon is big news for beach-goers around the world. Thermalabs has often been associated with top-quality products. When the company opened its doors, it was motivated by a commitment to contribute to a skin cancer-free world. Considered that most people still relied on sunlight to accomplish a tan, which in some cases led to skin cancer, the firm was keen to create alternative tanners that were both healthy and effective. Thermalabs pilot product was a self-tanner based on organic and natural ingredients. Dubbed America's Gold Standard Tanner, this product was a major hit. It sold thousands of units in its first week, helped the company garner over 50, 000 customers within a month, and created the staging platform every startup needs to succeed. Never known to be the unflattering brand, Thermalabs quickly followed its initial launch with other premium products, namely Glow2Go tan wipes, and the Ultimitt applicator mitt for tanners. While Glow2Go was no new concept in the self-tanning space, it sold at double the count but half the price of the competition. This unique approach made the product a top-grossing release for the company within just a few weeks. The Ultimitt (the company's recommended tanning applicator mitt) was manufactured to fix problems with existing mitts in the market. It was designed to be compatible to self-tanners from other companies, not just Thermalabs. To date, the Ultimitt is still a global bestseller on Amazon.com, as well as other regional e-commerce platforms. When the company decided to invest more in beach related products towards the end of last year, it launched the Mercury Beach tent. This is an instant popup tent that can be folded or set up in seconds. It has a soft bottom lining that's comfortable for kids and provides the ultimate relaxation spot at the beach after a dip in the water. The product is also equipped with UV protection to shield users' skins from the sun. More so, the company's tent was optimized to be multi-purpose. It proved a major success, opening a new frontier for Thermalabs quality. "Recently, we announced that we'd be making six new products designed to maximum the beach experience for all our customers. These include the Lily Butterfly, Holly Butterfly, Ivy Folding, Iris Folding and Moon Beach chairs. We also have a folding beach bed in the pipeline. Notably, though, our exclusive Holly Butterfly Fur beach chair is nearly ready and will be available in the market very soon. This is a classic relaxation chair that's shaped almost the same as the Lily Butterfly beach chair but have a more intriguing, patterned make. The chair easily stands on sandy surfaces and supports your weight without seeming like too much of a chair. It's ultra-light and very easy to carry with you to the beach. It goes an extra mile compared to competing products," the firm's co-coordinator in charge of outbound marketing, Mr. Alex Howard, said. For more information about us, please visit http://www.thermalabs.com/home Contact Info: Name: James Crothers Organization: Thermalabs Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0fP23-lQmk Source: http://marketersmedia.com/thermalabs-holly-butterfly-beach-chair-to-be-available-soon/116378 Release ID: 116378 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) New Food Industry Consulting Firm, Right Brain Consulting, Launches Website Food industry consulting and operations management company Right Brain Consulting launches website. Food companies can learn everything they need to know about contract negotiations, sourcing a co-manufacturer, and ongoing operations management by visiting the company website.? -- Right Brain Consulting has been working with food companies and co-manufacturers for years, but the new site provides resources and advice that is not readily available to the business owners who need it most. This food industry consulting site provides straight forward information intended to help food companies cut through the hype to determine which co-manufacturer or co-packer is the best fit for their niche. Right Brain Consulting also provides ongoing operations services such as supply chain management, sourcing of ingredients and development, and oversight of food quality and production protocol. "Most emerging food companies know the names of their competition, but they don't know how those companies got started, what co-manufacturers they use or how to make the connections necessary to survive in the highly competitive food industry," says Will Madden, lead food manufacturing consultant and contract negotiator of Right Brain Consulting. "They know where they want to go, but they have no idea how to get there." "The food industry is trickier to navigate than most emerging food company owners realize," Madden says. "They don't know how to differentiate a good contract from a bad contract. In fact, many companies end up taking whatever contract they can get simply because they had such a hard time locating a co-manufacturer who would even give them the time of day." That's why Madden has developed the site - as a basic guide to help food company owners determine what they need to do if they wish to begin negotiations with industry co-manufacturers and co-packers. "Co-manufacturers are approached by new food companies every day," Madden says. "Some of those companies are already established and have sales, and some of them are just starting out or are coming out with a new food product. Some have already figured out how to scale to commercial level of production, and some have no idea where to start. I figure they need to know what co-manufacturers are looking for in a potential business arrangement so they have the best chance of getting attention." Right Brain Consulting has worked with several well known industry players. For more information about us, please visit http://www.right-brain-consulting.com/ Contact Info: Name: Will Madden Organization: Right Brain Consulting Address: 350 W Hubbard St Suite 460 Chicago, Il 60654 Phone: 775-623-7666 Release ID: 116830 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Free Freightnet Membership List your company in the Freightnet directory. It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours. News / National by Stephen Jakes Mthwakazi Liberation Front has denounced the ruling Zanu PF's one million men march as rekindling the memories of people's suffering in the hands of the same government for the past 36 years.Party spokesperson Chrispen Nyoni said the need for restoration of Mthwakazi is of paramount importance than it manifested itself at any given time in the past."This idea reveals itself daily as the Zimbabwean regime keeps on stabbing the people on the back. As MLF, we note that the "million men march" is a disgust, demonizing and creating wrong perceptions about the relevance Zanu PF and the people who live in Zimbabwe," Nyoni said. "It is a barbaric move which we can understand it as one of the many Zanunised strategies that are set to perpetuate the Mthwakazi peoples suffering so we must not take part."He said partaking in the march is surrendering one self to the satanic reign espoused by the regime."Mthwakazi peoples must not be shortsighted,biased and be driven to b used by this chauvinistic regime. Therefore we want to stand against such movements for our freedom, we as Mthwakazians have better programs to conduct than this. In the eyes of Zanu PF, the general populace is not important but Mugabe is the one that matters. What a shame?" he said."Well,our quest is freedom through restoration and that must not be seen as a threat to Zimbabwe and their Mugabe. As MLF,our objectives stand to live and implemented for we can not partake in such,so let Zimbabwe do their own activities and we shall do our own without involving them," he said."Let's stand and fight for our freedom as Mthwakazi, in pursuit of our objectives/aims and values as a state .We should be staging demonstrations against genocidal atrocities of Gukurahundi and other demeaning actions of the regime.""We must show the world that we still mourn our brothers, fathers,sisters who were murdered in cold blood by Zanu PF whose only objective was to wipe all Mthwakazians and to loot our natural resources, No No No to the march,its pure nonsense and barbarism of the highest level." News / National by Stephen Jakes A political commentator Livingstone Masamba has described the one million men march conducted by the ruling Zanu PF youth in Harare as a serious exploitation of the starving and unemployed youth of Zimbabwe.The march was conducted in solidarity with President Robert Mugabe's leadership."Robert Mugabe's monkey shines of commandeering school buses to ferry Zanu PF's consignment of unemployed malnourished idiots to the million hungry clowns march is the worst case of exploitation of the people of Zimbabwe," Masamba said. "The always misbehaving and domineering federation of buffoons headed by Robert Mugabe gave orders through District Education Officers to all schools to provide buses and drivers to ship hordes of idiots to the buffoons gathering."He said the buses being appropriated for shipping the idiotic and thoughtless multitudes are private property procured by parents with the driver's salaries being paid by the parents through School Development Committees."There is no single school bus bought by the plundering Zanu PF's government yet the party has the witty and audacity to annex assets belonging to parents who have nothing to do with the fools gathering," he said. "The buses are going to be abused with most of the idiots who are part of this fools gathering having last boarded a car or a bus a decade ago. The cost of repair is going to be passed to parents. This government must fall." In the 1970s, when the UK had to go cap in hand to the International Monetary Fund, a popular car sticker was Will the last businessman to leave the country please turn out the lights. Looking at the recent decision by Axa to quit the UKs life, pensions and savings markets, perhaps we need a new sticker for the last life company to leave the country. Given the weight of regulation, and the constant squeeze on profit margins, we should not be too surprised by Axas decision, nor will it be alone in this move. What is a bit surprising is that Axa appears to be confident it can generate the higher margins needed in other parts of Europe. More importantly, from a financial advisers perspective; Axa Wealth Management is not a failing business. The Axa Elevate platform attracted almost 10bn of assets from 160,000 customers in a relatively short timescale, while in the past five years, the overall assets of Axa Wealth Management have tripled in value from 15bn to more than 45bn. One would have to say that far from being a failure, Axa Wealth has recently delivered a stunning growth performance for its French owners. Given the weight of regulation we should not be too surprised by Axas decision The only conclusion that can be reached from Axas decision to quit is that profitability is becoming increasingly difficult and nobody can see an end to over-regulation and margin squeeze. We all want to deliver good consumer outcomes for clients, but commercial reality also demands firms must be able to operate at a profit. HM Treasury and regulators ought to reflect on the story of the Yorkshire farmer who decided to save money by feeding his cows less each day in the belief that he would eventually get them to live on nothing. Unsurprisingly, the whole lot died. Similarly, about 50 per cent of the top 30 life companies in 1992 have now ceased to exist. This is a serious concern to financial advisers who are trying to help their clients choose products for long-term financial planning, and it ought to be a major concern for the regulators. One of the paramount objectives of the FCA is to create confidence in the UK financial services market; it is difficult to see how that objective is being achieved when organisations such as Axa decide to shut shop. Ken Davy is chairman of SimplyBiz Japan manager Simon Somerville is leaving Jupiter after 11 years at the fund house. Dan Carter, who joined Jupiter in 2008 and previously served as deputy manager on Mr Somervilles 577m Japan Income fund, has taken over as lead manager of the portfolio. There will be no change to the investment philosophy of the fund, which has returned 15.4 per cent over three according to FE Analytics, compared with 11.3 per cent from its IA Japan peer group. Article continues after advert The board of the Electra Private Equity trust has issued a termination notice regarding its management and investment agreement with Electra Partners. The trust said in a statement it continued to explore all options for the company as part of its ongoing strategic review, including the possibility of retaining Electra once the one-year notice period expires. Neil Johnson, chairman of Electra Private Equity, said: The decision to serve notice to Electra Partners is a pragmatic step that will allow the board to act on any specific recommendations of the review in a more timely way. The trust launched a strategic review following a campaign by activist investor Edward Bramson, who joined the board in November 2015, to overhaul the company. Alex Fortescue, managing partner of Electra Partners, responded this morning (May 26) by saying the termination of the contract was a surprise and a disappointment. He said: We are proud of our exceptional performance record. The termination of the contract is a surprise and a disappointment. However we expect Electra Partners to continue to thrive with access to significant capital resources. In its interim update, Electra Private Equity said it has established an executive function to provide ongoing support to the board, with non-executive director Mr Bramson appointed as unpaid interim chief executive while the search for a chief financial officer continues. The trust also announced the appointments of David Lis, former chief investment officer at Aviva Investors, and Paul Goodson, former managing director of Barclays Private Equity, as non-executive directors with immediate effect. Trade bodies are seeking input on a project aimed at overhauling the way UK-administered funds are traded and settled. A group of companies and industry bodies, including the Investment Association (IA), Tax Incentivised Savings Association (Tisa) and Wealth Management Association, have established the project, dubbed UK Fund Trading and Settlement (UK FTS). A statement from the IA noted that the project reflects a widespread view that there are opportunities to improve the operational processes that sit between fund managers and distributors in respect of fund settlement in the UK. The group behind the project, which has been running for a number of months, now plans to issue a request for information, expected in June, among firms and bodies that could support the initiative. It said the group was open-minded about future steps, and would consider all avenues to improve the trading and settlement process. It said the current system was too complex and costly. UK FTS is open-minded about the potential outcome of the process, believing there are a range of different solutions that could be considered, the group noted. This could lead to simple improvements to the inter-operability of the existing fund trading and settlement process, or could create a completely new service utilising emerging technology solutions such as blockchain. The group has appointed Fidelity International head of business development Ed Dymott to chair the review. Tisas Charles McCready will be programme director and collate consultation responses. IA interim chief executive Guy Sears said: The overall process for trading and settling fund holdings in the UK is disjointed and expensive, suffering from a lack of common industry standards and parts of the process are currently carried out manually. Online share trading site IG Group has teamed up with pensions administrator James Hay to offer a new self-invested personal pension. The Sipp will give investors access to IGs full range of shares and exchange traded funds (ETFs), provided they are Sipp-eligible, while James Hay will provide the trustee service. IG said Sipp investors would pay a 8 transaction fee, falling to 5 when the investor makes 10 or more trades a month. James Hay charges an annual fee of 195. Ian Peacock, head of UK and Ireland at IG Group, said the addition of Sipps is an important step in the development of the firms offerings for the longer term investor. As the government moves further from pension provision, placing the responsibility to prepare for retirement firmly on the end investor, it is important that clients have access to the full range of account types to efficiently manage their long term investments. He said the IG platform gives investors 24-hour access to more than 8,000 shares and ETFs globally. Dominic Basilea, director of Aqua Wealth Management, said he was concerned that giving private, non-professional investors access to direct share investing within a pension wrapper could be risky. It is fine if it is just for professional investors, but if it is open to everyone it could be a problem. He said the complex tax and contribution rules governing pensions meant most people need advice. He added playing around with your pension by making uninformed bets on stocks would put investors retirement income at risk. A spokesperson for IG confirmed its Sipp is open to all investors, but rejected Mr Basileas criticism, saying its product gave informed investors more control over their investments. The spokesman for IG also said the Sipps charging structure was more transparent than that of many Sipp providers. james.fernyhough@ft.com News / National by Staff Reporter Police have arrested four men from Bulawayo who are suspected of brutally murdering Air Zimbabwe public relations executive, Shingai Dhliwayo.She was found dead in Botswana last month.She was tied to a tree with her feet and hands bound while a piece of cloth was stuffed in her mouth.Dhliwayo had been strangled and was bleeding from the nose when a herdboy found her body, a week after she went missing just after attending the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.The suspects have criminal records in Zimbabwe and Botswana.They were nabbed between Monday and Tuesday night in the city.Artwell Ndiweni, Godfrey Mavhurafero and Mgcini Xaba, all from Cowdray Park suburb together with Dumisani Ncube of Sizinda appeared Bulawayo magistrate Tawanda Muchemwa facing murder and robbery charges. They were not asked to plead and remanded in custody to June 7. The third Michelle in a row has taken on the role of minister of agriculture in Northern Ireland. In the newly formed Northern Ireland Executive, the Democratic Unionist Party has taken on the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). The majority party has appointed Michelle McIlveen MLA as DAERA minister following her nomination for the post by first minister and DUP leader Arlene Foster. See also: Stark Brexit warning issued for Northern Irelands farmers She takes over from former agriculture minister Michelle ONeill from Sinn Fein who succeeded her party colleague Michelle Gildernew in the same post. During the last Assembly, Minister McIlveen served as chairwoman of the Assemblys Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee and acted briefly as regional development minister before the election on 5 May. She was educated at Methodist College Belfast and graduated from Queens University with a masters in Irish politics and a Certificate in Education (Cert Ed). Michelle ONeill will now serve as health minister in the Executive. Story Highlights Rating in Russia is lowest in a decade for U.S. Median approval stable at 45% worldwide Image of U.S. leadership improves in Europe, the Americas WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Just 1% of Russians approved of U.S. leadership in 2015 -- the worst rating in the world last year and the lowest approval Gallup has measured for the U.S. in the past decade. Remarkably, this is even worse than their previous record-low 4% approval in 2014. The current record-low rating of 1% in Russia reflects the increasingly tense relations with the U.S. since the crisis in Ukraine and the threat that many Russians, as well as residents of several former Soviet states, feel the U.S. now poses to their countries. In fact, Commonwealth of Independent State (CIS) countries again dominated the list of least-approving countries in 2015, with ratings also in the single digits in Belarus (9%) and Kazakhstan (8%). The only non-CIS country or region at the bottom of the list is the Palestinian Territories (9%). These results are based on Gallup surveys in 132 countries and areas in 2015 and are further detailed in the new 2016 U.S.-Global Leadership Report. U.S. Leadership Approval Largely Stable Between 2014 and 2015 Most of the world does not necessarily share as strong distaste for U.S. leadership. Approval of U.S. leadership remained steady worldwide in the second-to-last year of President Barack Obama's second term, with median approval standing at 45% across 132 countries and areas. The image of U.S. leadership -- which for most of the world likely means Obama -- continued to be the strongest worldwide in Africa in 2015, bolstered by majority approval in 19 sub-Saharan African countries. However, median approval remained unchanged at 59% -- still the lowest point in the history of the trend. This marks the end of a downward trend every year since Obama took office. Only in Somalia, Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt were residents more likely to disapprove than approve of U.S. leadership. Approval in Africa was lowest in Egypt (10%), which has typically ranked toward the bottom of the list every year. However, Egyptians' approval ratings declined 10 percentage points between 2014 and 2015. The current rating is notably now the lowest measured during the Obama administration and is a full 20 points lower than when he first took office. But the lowest approval ever measured in Egypt still belongs to the previous administration -- 6% in the last year of the George W. Bush presidency. Approval Steady in Asia Although the U.S. and 11 Pacific Rim countries finally reached a deal in late 2015 on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the image of U.S. leadership did not appear to benefit much in the Asia-Pacific region -- with perhaps the exception of Malaysia, which led the world with a 27-point increase in approval. Nor did it benefit much from reaching a nuclear deal with Iran. In fact, the 38% median approval in 2015 is essentially unchanged from 2014. In addition to Malaysia, approval ratings also increased by 10 points or more in Sri Lanka, where fieldwork overlapped with Secretary of State John Kerry's historic visit there -- the first by a U.S. secretary of state in decades. Sri Lankans' approval ratings rose from 17% to 27%, but the majority (63%) still don't know enough about U.S. leadership to have an opinion. U.S. Image Continues to Improve in Americas While the image of the U.S. remained largely unchanged in Africa and Asia, the 47% median approval rating for U.S. leadership in the Americas reached its highest point in the past five years. Although approval ratings did not increase dramatically in any country -- with the exception of a 15-point increase in Uruguay -- ratings moved in a positive direction in the majority of countries in the region. Only in Argentina were residents more likely to disapprove (40%) than approve (24%) of U.S. leadership. But this could someday change. There are signs that years of icy relations between the U.S. and Argentina are beginning to thaw with the election of President Mauricio Macri in late 2015. In early 2016, Obama became the first president to visit Argentina in decades. Approval Also Up in Europe Ratings of U.S. leadership have improved in Europe as the region has recovered from the financial crisis that many residents blamed on the U.S. The 46% median approval rating in 2015 has almost rebounded to the level when Obama took office in 2009. Disapproval, however, has not receded. The 35% median disapproval rating in Europe is the highest recorded during the Obama administration, but this is still far lower than the majority disapproval observed during the last years of the George W. Bush administration. The U.S. achieved majority support in 15 European countries in 2015, including key allies such as France, Ireland, Italy and the United Kingdom. Kosovo led the region -- and the world -- in approval for the second consecutive year, with 85% approving of U.S. leadership. Russia and Belarus, of course, with two of the lowest approval ratings in the world, gave the lowest scores in the region. Bottom Line Regionally, approval ratings are still strongest in Africa, as they have been for the past decade, but approval remained mired at its lowest level in the history of Gallup's trend. Ratings in Asia also remained mostly unchanged from 2014 -- despite U.S. efforts to "pivot to Asia." The bright spots for U.S. leadership are Europe and the Americas, where ratings continue to improve. In Europe, ratings have almost rebounded to the levels at the beginning of the Obama administration. Beyond 2016, the next president of the U.S. will continue to face even more challenges, making the strength of U.S. alliances and partnerships -- and the soft power of what the world thinks of the U.S. -- more important than ever. The data in this article are available in Gallup Analytics. Read the full 2016 U.S.-Global Leadership Report. Survey Methods Results are based on face-to-face and telephone interviews with approximately 1,000 adults, aged 15 and older, conducted throughout 2014 in 135 countries and 2015 in 132 countries. For results based on the total samples, margin of sampling error ranges from 2.5 percentage points to 5.2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The margin of error reflects the influence of data weighting. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls. With some exceptions, all samples are probability-based and nationally representative of the resident population aged 15 and older. Exceptions include areas where the safety of interviewing staff is threatened, scarcely populated islands in some countries, and areas that interviewers can reach only by foot, animal or small boat. Story Highlights Jews, nonreligious tend to be most liberal on morality Catholics say out-of-wedlock births, gay-lesbian relations moral Only Mormons view premarital sex, gambling as immoral PRINCETON, N.J. -- Americans' religious faith greatly shapes their views of whether moral issues or practices are acceptable or not. In general, Jews and those with no religious preference are more liberal than Protestants, Catholics and Mormons in their views on various moral issues. These differences are most apparent on abortion and, to a lesser extent, doctor-assisted suicide and animal cloning. Catholics join with Jews and nonreligious Americans in saying gay-lesbian relations and out-of-wedlock births are morally OK. Moral Issues on Which Major U.S. Religious Group Disagree Percentage saying each is "morally acceptable" No religion Jewish Catholic Protestant Mormon % % % % % Abortion 73 76 38 33 18 Doctor-assisted suicide 77 73 47 43 30 Cloning animals 50 50 33 28 33 Gay-lesbian relations 83 85 62 41 28 Having a baby outside of marriage 80 68 59 47 25 Note: Gay-lesbian relations based on 2005-2016 data 2001-2016 Gallup Values and Beliefs polls Jews and those with no religious preferences have virtually identical views on the morality of abortion, doctor-assisted suicide, gay-lesbian relations and cloning animals. Jews are somewhat less likely than nonreligious Americans to believe having a baby outside of marriage is moral, 68% to 80%. Mormons, Protestants and Catholics believe that abortion, doctor-assisted suicide and cloning animals are not morally acceptable practices. Mormons are more conservative than Protestants and Catholics on abortion, gay-lesbian relations, doctor-assisted suicide and out-of-wedlock births, but not on cloning animals. These are five of 16 moral issues tested each year in Gallup's annual Values and Beliefs poll, conducted each May since 2001. As part of that survey, Gallup asks Americans to say whether a list of items dealing with sexuality, marriage, end-of-life issues, among others, are "morally acceptable" or "morally wrong." The combined 2001 to 2016 samples yield enough data -- more than 16,000 total interviews -- to provide reliable estimates on the views of Jews and Mormons, each representing 2% of the U.S. adult population, as well as the larger groups of Protestants, Catholics and those with no religion. The 16 issues that Gallup has included in the poll consistently since 2001 can be categorized into three groups: those on which there is disagreement among multiple religious groups, those on which the major U.S. religious groups broadly agree and those on which Mormons diverge from all other groups. The estimates reported here represent an average of opinion since 2001. On most of these moral issues, Americans' views have shifted in a more liberal direction over the last 15 years, with the greatest change in views of the morality of gay-lesbian relations, premarital sex and having a baby outside of marriage. As a result, the 2001-2016 estimates show a slightly lower percentage believing certain issues are morally acceptable than is the case today. There has been no meaningful change in the views of all Americans on these issues between last year and this year. Broad Agreement on Whether Many Moral Practices Are Acceptable or Wrong Although it is the case that Jews and nonreligious Americans are more liberal on most moral issues, they do fall on the same side of the morally acceptable/morally wrong debate as Protestants, Catholics and Mormons on eight of the 16 issues included in the analysis. A majority in each of the five major U.S. religious groups agree that the death penalty, divorce, medical testing on animals and wearing clothing made of animal fur are morally acceptable. And a majority in all groups agree that extramarital affairs, polygamy, suicide and cloning humans are morally wrong. Moral Issues on Which Major U.S. Religious Groups Generally Agree Percentage saying each is "morally acceptable" No religion Jewish Catholic Protestant Mormon % % % % % Divorce 86 86 69 61 55 Death penalty 62 54 61 66 79 Wearing clothing made of animal fur 57 63 57 61 67 Medical testing on animals 54 63 61 60 63 Suicide 36 38 12 11 8 Cloning humans 22 15 10 7 6 Polygamy 26 18 7 6 8 Extramarital affair 14 17 6 5 6 2001-2016 Gallup Values and Beliefs polls There is broad agreement among the religious groups that divorce is morally acceptable, but Mormons are the least likely to say this, at 55%. Just shy of nine in 10 Jewish and nonreligious Americans believe divorce is OK. Jews, on the other hand, are least likely to say the death penalty is morally acceptable (54%), while Mormons (79%) are most likely to believe it is. The five groups show little variation in their views of the morality of medical testing on animals and wearing clothes made from animal fur. Jews and those with no religion are also more likely than the other religious groups to see suicide, cloning humans, polygamy and extramarital sex as morally acceptable. Mormons Distinct on Morality of Premarital Sex, Gambling On three other moral issues -- premarital sex, gambling and stem cell research -- Mormons are alone in saying the practices are not morally acceptable. The percentage of Mormons believing stem cell research is moral falls just under the majority threshold at 46%. Mormons are far less likely to condone gambling (37%) and premarital sex (29%). Moral Issues on Which Mormons Disagree With Other Major U.S. Religious Groups Percentage saying each is "morally acceptable" No religion Jewish Catholic Protestant Mormon % % % % % Gambling 81 81 74 56 37 Premarital sex 88 83 68 50 29 Stem cell research 78 85 60 54 46 2001-2016 Gallup Values and Beliefs polls Jews and nonreligious Americans are more liberal than Protestants and Catholics on these three issues. A solid majority of Catholics believe each is morally acceptable, while at or slightly more than half of Protestants agree. Implications The United States is one of the more religious western nations, and Americans' religious identity influences the way they view matters of morality. The Mormon religion and many Protestant faiths promote strict moral codes that frown on abortion and out-of-wedlock births, with those values mostly endorsed by adherents of those religions. Catholic Church doctrine also instructs Catholics how to think about moral issues, but American Catholics' views on many moral issues, including premarital sex, the death penalty and gay-lesbian relations, do not reflect the church's positions. Nevertheless, Catholics tend to be more conservative on morality than those with no religion and Jewish Americans. Trends in U.S. religious identification -- particularly the increasing percentage of Americans without a religious preference -- have occurred at the same time as the movement toward more liberal attitudes on moral issues over the last 15 years. The explanations for both of these trends is most likely complex, having to do with genuine cultural shifts, differences in what survey respondents are willing to tell interviewers, demographic changes and other factors. Whatever the reasons behind these trends, it is probably more likely that they will continue in the same direction, with fewer Americans being religious and more espousing liberal views on morality, than that these trends will reverse course in the future. Historical data are available in Gallup Analytics. Survey Methods Results for this Gallup poll are based on combined telephone interviews in Gallup's 2001 through 2016 annual Values and Beliefs poll, conducted each May with random samples of U.S. 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 16,754 national adults, the margin of sampling error is 1 percentage point at the 95% confidence level. For results based on the total sample of 9,161 Protestants, the margin of sampling error is 1 percentage point at the 95% confidence level. For results based on the total sample of 3,893 Catholics, the margin of sampling error is 2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. For results based on the total sample of 438 Jews, the margin of sampling error is 6 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. For results based on the total sample of 295 Mormons, the margin of sampling error is 7 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. For results based on the total sample of 1,915 adults with no religious preference, the margin of sampling error is 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting. View survey methodology, complete question responses and trends. Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works. News / National by Nduduzo Tshuma ZANU-PF women's league secretary and First Lady, Grace Mugabe, yesterday hailed President Robert Mugabe's spirited fight for the empowerment of his people, saying his qualities cannot be matched by anyone.Addressing party supporters gathered at the Robert Mugabe Square for the One Million Man March in Harare, the First Lady said the President is a principled man who is consistent with his message which makes him an irreplaceable leader. Because of his qualities, the First Lady said, President Mugabe would enjoy support from the party even from his grave at the National Heroes' Acre."All the youths who came here didn't just come to be with others but they've come to support their leader whom they love," said Mugabe referring to the multitudes of the youths who came for the march in solidarity with President Mugabe.She promised the youths that President Mugabe would look into all the grievances they raised, adding that the Head of State is one leader who loves championing the aspirations of his people.The First Lady said when the country was isolated by the West and its allies for empowering its people, President Mugabe never wavered in his fight for the empowerment of Zimbabweans."When our detractors caused us problems in Zimbabwe as you know, the President keeps fighting, arguing that we went to war to fight for the country but independence alone without economic independence is not enough. We encourage and thank you for what you're doing for us," said Mugabe.Meanwhile, deputy secretary for youth affairs Kudzanai Chipanga has called for the investigation of some Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officials stationed at the country's borders for corruption.Chipanga said those officials were living above their means raising suspicion that they were sustaining their lavish lifestyles from the proceeds of corruption.He also castigated some government ministers and senior management at parastatals for alleged lavish spending and "changing posh vehicles like they were changing shoes"."Your Excellency ever since I got to know you closely when I joined the national executive of the youth league, I've never seen you changing vehicles but there are some ministers who're in the business of changing cars like they're changing shoes," Chipanga said.He said such practices should be stopped as they are tantamount to insubordination.Chipanga also castigated some ministers and parastatal heads for wasting money by holding workshops at resort towns while offering the Zanu-PF conference room at the party headquarters free of charge. Motorola Razr To Make A Comeback In 2016, Model That Broke Market Records Revives The Clamshell There are talks that the iconic Motorola Razr Wll be making a return in 2016. Motorola is set to introduce new devices at the Lenovo Tech World event, which may include a new and improved Motorola Razr. The famous clamshell phone initially launched in the mid-2000s. It was well-received by users because of its high quality features and stylish design. The Motorola Razr gradually moved in the background as smartphones began to dominate the industry. A new video by Motorola Mobility suggested that the Motorola Razr may be coming back. The clip showed American high school students using the flip phone and texting messages. The date "06.09.16" was presented, suggesting that more details about the Motorola Razr may be shared at the Lenovo event, which happens on the same date in the video. "Flip back to the (Motorola) Razr days of yesteryear and get ready for the future," stated the video description. According to TechPortal, the original Motorola Razr was released in 2004, eventually selling over 130 million units in the next four years. Aside from its stylish appearance, the phone also had great features that made it competitive against other popular brands at the time. The Motorola Razr was a hit among teenagers, which may also be the reason why the company featured high school students in the nostalgic video. AsiaOne wrote that the Motorola Razr had two special design features. First, it had a clamshell design. Second, it was very thin compared to other phones in its time, earning it its "Razr" name. It had a 3-inch screen and decent storage space and speed. If a 2016 version of the Motorola Razr actually launches, it may still showcase the flip and thin design, as well as smartphone capabilities. Motorola actually used a similar selling approach in 2012 when it introduced the Droid Razr. However, the units did not do very well in the market. After the company was acquired by Lenovo, they might have a more effective marketing strategy for the new Motorola Razr. The company has to determine how the phone can fare well in the age of massive touchscreens. Perhaps including a touchscreen on the device may significantly help draw more potential users, or they may consider the Motorola Razr as a handy secondary phone. More updates and details on the new Motorola Razr are expected at the Lenovo Tech World event in San Francisco on June 9, 2016. Microsoft Calling Down Consumer Phone Division, Layoffs Likely Microsoft is facing a dim future in the consumer phone segment and based on recent events, it may be eventually shelved for now. The next question to that is whether Microsoft will ever consider a return to the niche, though most believe that such will come from a much rumored Surface Phone even if the chances are slim. A memorandum from Terry Myerson, Windows and Devices unit head, broke the bad news to Microsoft employees which stated that the company was scaling back but were not out. The memo sounded broad but once placed along with other developments, things are not looking too good for about 1,850 employees. Falling Market Share With Microsoft recently seeing its market share fall below 1%, things seem to be falling apart. Aside from that, the company has no new product to look forward to plus the fact they recently sold their Nokia feature phone division to a subsidiary of Foxconn. That move was already seen as a red flag and the latest move has been somehow tied up to that. Much of the developments as of late have somehow negated the plans Microsoft back in the Summer. This included the company focusing on entry-level devices which have been now partially abandoned. Can the Surface Phone help? So where does this the rumored Surface Phone? It is likely that Microsoft may come out with a mobile device to compliment its tablet and laptop roster though it is not expected to create a stir in the mobile phone segment. 1,850 jobs worldwide will be affected by the recent developments with 1,350 workers from Finland. Along with that comes the monetary value of almost a billion dollars to cover Microsofts exiting the business, estimated to be about $950 million. Aside from that, the company plans to continue its focus on developing applications and continued support for their Windows phones. Samsung 2016 Latest News & Update: Android Wear Not Totally Dead Yet Samsung has been doing great coming out with smartphones one after the other though these are not the only ones Samsung has to offer. There is another segment, their Android Wear line, which unfortunately may not have any new smartwatch to offer though the company did refute the claims made by Fast Company. Fast Company alleged earlier this week that some Samsung executives told the company that the company will no longer cater to Samsung Android Wear devices. In the same report, Tizen OS was singled out as far better in terms of battery management than Android Wear and one of the reasons tied up to the Android Wear row. Samsung responds It didnt take long for Samsung to refute the claims, saying there was no truth to the rumor. In fact, Samsung says that they have not changed their commitment as far as the Android Wear line is concerned. "We disagree with Fast Company's interpretation. Samsung has not made any announcement concerning Android Wear and we have not changed our commitment to any of our platforms." Is Samsung buying time? The response of Samsung may have (temporarily) doused water on the flames but some are not entirely buying it. In the eyes of many, the reply was seen more of Samsung pointing out that Fast Company was not able to interpret the whole situation in the manner that it should be. It doesnt change the fact that Samsung may have diverted its focus on its other products (i.e. smartphones) considering there are no new smart wearables lined up as of to date. There is a chance that Samsung may be dilly-dallying as it tries to improve on its own OS (Tizen) and ponder on the future of its smartwatch line. Samsung has the knack of quietly exiting the scene, something they did with their camera line before that ended up being discontinued. Will the Android Wearable line follow the same fate? Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia was among the right people enshrined on the memorial wall on Saturday, Oct. 21. News / National by Staff reporter President Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF must deliver on the 2013 election promise to create 2,2 million jobs, a ruling party activist, Fidelis Fengu, has said.Fengu used his Facebook account to uncharacteristically throw a tantrum at Mugabe and his lieutenants.He admitted the on-going social media campaign #ThisFlag was a clear manifestation of the people's anger against Mugabe's regime. As part of his election promise, Mugabe said he would turn around the economy and create more than 2 million jobs, but Zimbabwe continues to shed jobs.Fengu said the only way out for Zimbabwe was for Zanu-PF to reform. The Wal-Mart Foundation and Oregon State University celebrated their partnership with a brief ceremony Thursday morning at the Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market in Corvallis. About two dozen people, including a number of store employees in neon green vests, gathered in the produce section for the event, which culminated in the presentation of an oversize check for $1.4 million from the foundation to fund research in advanced manufacturing techniques at OSU. The symbolic check represented two grants, one for $590,000 awarded in 2014 and one for $810,000 awarded this January. Jim Lundy, executive associate dean of the OSU College of Engineering, thanked the foundation and talked about the work its supporting. One group of OSU researchers is studying ways to bypass the creation of dies for plastic injection molding, which traditionally involves hollowing out paired blocks of metal in a costly and wasteful process. Among the alternatives being explored are laser sintering, which is similar to 3-D printing, and dieless incremental forming using sheet metal instead of solid blocks. Another is working on cheaper and more efficient methods of dyeing fabric that could reduce water use by 90 percent, cut energy consumption in half and eliminate the use of chemicals to bind the dye to the fabric. The grants are part of an initiative announced by Wal-Mart with considerable fanfare in 2013, when the global retailer pledged to spend an additional $250 billion over 10 years on products that support American jobs. The idea, of course, is that the technology is going to stay in the U.S., Lundy said of the OSU research. It also creates jobs. Critics, however, have attacked Wal-Marts American renewal as a marketing ploy designed to buff the companys image among U.S. consumers, pointing out that Wal-Mart is one of the worlds largest purchasers of Chinese manufactured goods. According to an analysis by the Economic Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank, Wal-Marts orders from Chinese suppliers resulted in the loss of nearly 200,000 American jobs between 2001 and 2006. Late last year, the Federal Trade Commission forced Wal-Mart to remove Made in the USA labeling from its website after an FTC inquiry found the claims were deceptive. Similar problems with the companys patriotic marketing tactics emerged in 1992, when an NBC News probe of Wal-Marts Buy America campaign found foreign-made goods marked as U.S. products in some of the companys stores. Colt Benson, the regional manager for Wal-Mart Neighborhood Markets in Oregon, was on hand for the ceremony and defended his companys policies. Theres opinions on both sides, he said. Everything were doing right now is focused on our country and the local communities we serve. Aug. 27, 1923 May 24, 2016 William Bill Harris Taubeneck was born Aug. 27, 1923, in Marshall, Illinois. Bill joined the U.S. Army to serve in World War II. Bill was a deeply dedicated field geologist and has long and deep connections to Oregon State University. He received both his Bachelors of Science in 1949 and Masters of Science 1950 from Oregon State University. Bill was an instructor at OSU from 1951-1955 while completing his Ph.D. thesis at Columbia. He rose through OSU professorial ranks from assistant of geology, 1955, to associate professor in 1959, to full professor, 1965. Bill was a colorful instructor and received the Loyd F. Carter Award for Outstanding and Inspirational Teaching in Science in 1983. He retired in 1983 and maintained an active research presence for several decades, spending from May to October mapping in and around the Wallowa Mountains and returning in winters to OSU. His research passion was centered in the tectonic history of the Pacific Northwest with focus on the origin of the granitic rocks in the Wallowa Mountains and the many feeder dikes to the Columbia River Basalt that crosscut those granitic rocks. As part of his distinguished teaching career in the Department of Geology at OSU, he delivered the popular course Geology of Oregon for non-science majors. He was passionate about recruiting and retaining excellent students and graduate students to the geology program and consistently donated support funds to that purpose. He would often recruit women to his Geology of Oregon class by handing out a long (19 stanza) poem, which included the stanza: Perhaps you can already bake a cake but for general educations sake you should know about Crater Lake GEOLOGY OF OREGON you should take. Bill was Ph.D. advisor to Ellen Bishop, distinguished OSU alumna, and Tracy Vallier, recipient of the Medal of Honor, among many career geologists he trained. Later in his career, Bill was a driving force behind realizing Wilkinson Hall, which became the home for Geology in 1971. Bill specialized in igneous petrology (the study of rocks formed from magma) and published many articles about his work. He did extensive geological mapping in the Wallowa Mountains and northeastern Oregon, and in 1963 was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship to study petrogenesis (dealing with the origin) of granitic rocks at Oxford University for a year. He was devoted to geology, the OSU department of geology and OSU sports. He kept physically fit. He strode the halls of the department in his signature khakis and wrote long and thoughtful letters in his exquisite copperplate handwriting, mainly pointing out which improvements should be made. He is remembered for field trips where the expectation was to be on the outcrop at first light and to look at the last rocks with the car headlights shining on the outcrop. Wild Bill field stories are many and legend. He held high standards for himself and expected the same of others. He modeled and inspired excellence and dedication. Memorial contributions can be made to The William H. Taubeneck Fund, which was established at the Benton Community Foundation in 2007. Its purpose is to support the Geology Program in recruiting highly qualified graduate students who are seeking a doctorate degree, and retaining these students while they are teaching assistants in the Department of Geosciences. At his request, no services will be held. McHenry Funeral Home is handling arrangements. U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio will address what he sees as serious threats to American democracy in a free public speech next week at Oregon State University. The Springfield Democrat, who has represented Oregons 4th District in Congress since 1987, will deliver the annual Tom McCall Memorial Lecture at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the LaSells Stewart Center, 875 S.W. 26th St. Titled The Future of Our Representative Democracy, DeFazios talk will cover a number of challenges to the nations political system, including gerrymandering, dark money and special interest campaign financing, partisan polarization, voter apathy and disenfranchisement. It also will offer strategies for citizens interested in safeguarding democracy and strengthening political institutions. Presented by the OSU College of Liberal Arts and School of Public Policy, the annual lecture in public affairs honors former Oregon Gov. Tom McCall. Previous speakers have included several Oregon governors, Washington Post columnists David Broder and William Raspberry, political analyst Floyd McKay, Dennis Dimick of National Geographic magazine and activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Congress is deciding how best to fund research into the outbreak of the Zika virus, which appears to have reached the point where it's going to be with us for the duration. The virus has been linked to severe birth defects, including microcephaly, since it surfaced in Brazil about a year ago. President Barack Obama has called for $1.9 billion in funding to fight the virus. The House of Representatives has a proposal for $622 million and the Senate is looking at a $1.1 billion proposal. In the meantime, as National Public Radio reported last week, state and local health departments, along with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are feeling a financial pinch because the White House already has moved money from other programs into Zika research while it awaits a congressional appropriation. The situation is eerily analogous to what happens every year with federal firefighting dollars: As each year's fire season burns hotter than the one before, agencies must transfer money meant for forest maintenance work into firefighting efforts. It's not a good long-term solution. Zika certainly won't be the last infectious disease that will require an emergency response. So why not establish an emergency fund that can be called upon in a hurry when the next disease becomes a threat? Already, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has access to such a fund to speed aid to areas hit by natural disasters such as hurricanes and tornadoes. Having such an emergency fund for disease outbreaks could remove the need to shortchange other important public health efforts. The idea makes so much sense that it seems unlikely that Congress will move on it any time soon. (After all, Congress has been fiddling around for years on a similar proposal to help pay for the nation's very biggest wildfires.) And speaking of that congressional logjam on funding wildfires: A bipartisan collection of U.S. senators from the Northwest this week introduced draft legislation intended to improve this long-simmering mess. The group of senators, including Oregon's Ron Wyden, proposed a measure dubbed the "Wildfire Budgeting, Response and Forest Management Act." The key provision would allow a transfer of limited funds to the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior when all appropriated fire-suppression money has been exhausted. That level would be set at 100 percent of the 10-year average spent in fighting wildfires. The idea is to end that self-defeating practice of "fire borrowing," which ensures that programs meant to make our forests more resistant to devastating fires are shortchanged just to pay the firefighting bills. We preferred a somewhat simpler alternative, which would treat the nation's biggest fires as natural disasters: Funding to fight those fires would come from a fund designated for those events. And we worry that this new proposal tries to tackle so many other issues that it will become bogged down in Congress, just like every other recent attempt to fix this problem. But it is, at least, a fresh attempt to craft a solution. In the meantime, hunker down for another hot fire season. News / National by Staff reporter Vendors have demanded a meeting with Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere to discuss their continued harassment and abuse allegedly at the hands of local authorities in cities and towns.The National Vendors' Union of Zimbabwe (Navuz), in a letter to Kasukuwere, said hawkers continued to suffer unwarranted arrest and confiscation of their goods by municipal police.Vending has become a source of livelihood for hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans due to worsening unemployment.But national police and municipal police often fight running battles with hawkers, particularly those operating at undesignated sites. News / National by Staff reporter THE Morgan Tsvangirai led MDC-T party has demanded that police "urgently" investigate and instigate corruption charges against Energy Minister Samuel Undenge for unprocedurally awarding tenders to "undeserving" companies and individuals.Government recently handed a $400 million solar power project tender deal at a Gwanda school to controversial Harare Wicknell Chivayo who regularly touts his friendship with President Robert Mugabe and his wife, Grace."(Government) approved a $400-million-dollar deal as a tender to a misguided high school drop-out and ex-convict who has gone to town with a blank cheque splashing gifts and insulting anyone and everyone who dares question the source of his 'wealth'."It is a matter of public record that one Wicknell Chivhayo is an ex-convict. It's also public knowledge that the Gwanda power project is yet to take off. There is no evidence of public works having commenced on the project to date," said MDC-T spokesman Obert Gutu in a statement.Energy minister Samuel Undenge this week conceded that a payment of $5m do the businessman by power utility ZESA contravened tender procedures but insisted that there had not been any prejudice to the State."The majority of Zimbabweans are incensed by the crude and ostentatious manner in which one Chivayo has been splashing ill-gotten tender money including spoiling Grace Mugabe and her family with gifts and free restaurant meals in upmarket restaurants in Dubai," said Gutu."Simply because one Chivayo has donated' some of his dirty money to bankroll the Zimbabwe national team, the Warriors, as well as purchasing air tickets for a few stranded Zimbabwean ladies in Kuwait, he is now the new national superman."And even his dirty past has been sanitized as money changes hands in high office towers. How cheap!"Undenge was also reported as having ordered ZESA, which has its own public relations departments, to hire a PR company fronted by Zanu-PF deputy director of information and Highfield West legislator Psychology Maziwisa.Gutu said there was clear evidence of corruption in both cases, describing the energy minister as "essentially a common law criminal masquerading as a government official"."We are calling upon the country's law enforcement agencies to immediately launch criminal investigations against Samuel Undenge, Wicknell Chivayo, Pyschology Maziwisa, Oscar Pambuka and all other persons who are either directly and/or indirectly connected with the corrupt shenanigans that have been taking place at the Energy Ministry," he said.Gutu said the Energy Minister should resign from government, failing which President Mugabe should fire him."In any normal and functional democracy, Minister Undenge should have been immediately fired from Cabinet that is, if he hadn't seen it fit and proper to voluntarily resign in shame," said Gutu."It is apparent that corruption and graft are easily tolerated within the rogue Zanu-PF regime. President Robert Mugabe has never fired any Cabinet Minister for corruption."The long and short of it, therefore, is that Mugabe himself is the face of corruption and willing and dealing." News / National by Staff reporter MDC-T President Morgan Tsvangirai is set to skip his party's Saturday demonstration in Bulawayo.About 10 000 people are expected to take part.Tsvangirai issued a statement Wednesday updating "fellow Zimbabweans" on his condition.He is 'recovering' in South Africa from undisclosed ailment."I may be indisposed, but I am more worried about my country and its economy that seem to be in a far much worse state than my personal state of health."He added "Rest assured, I am on the path to full recovery and I will be joining you soon to continue with the struggle for freedom, peace, democracy and national prosperity".MDC-T officials in Bulawayo have been silent on Tavangirai's availability.They now admit that his absence 'could take off some shine' on the demonstration."Morgan is the single face of the party. His absence will definitely affect the spirit of the demo" said one official.He however questioned his boss choice of traveling to South Africa for treatment, shunning local health facilities."He is just the same as his rival (President Mugabe)."Morgan always complain that Mugabe is seeking treatment in Singapore yet he is in South Africa."What is he saying about local health care?". News / National by Staff reporter Thousands of bank clients continue to face challenges accessing their cash, with most banks still experiencing long winding queues.Several banks are limiting depositors to maximum of $200 daily withdrawals.Stanbic Bank has urged to use ATMs for withdrawals.The bank took to twitter (@StanbicBankZW) this Thursday morning to warn clients on the continued cash crisis "Valued Customers,We are limiting daily cash withdrawals in order to mitigate against the current cash shortages."Cash withdrawals are up to $300 per day for personal accounts at ATMs and up to $1000 per day for business accounts over the counter."All personal account holders please ensure you have an ATM card to facilitate your ATM cash withdrawals and purchases via POS terminals."We continue to take measures to ensure a daily supply of cash to all customers; we trust you appreciate prevailing conditions in the market."We sincerely apologise for any inconveniences caused".The central bank has announced plans to introduce bond notes to curb cash shortages.The notes are expected in circulation within one-and-a-half months. RBZ governor, John Mangudya said the economy has too many leakages and the usage of the United States dollar has also exacerbated the situation, as Zimbabwe is now a major attraction for the greenback in the region, as regional currencies continue to soften.Analysts suggested the introduction of bond notes has resulted in panic withdrawals, as people fear the government was reintroducing the Zimdollar through the back door. News / National by Stephen Jakes The United Crusade for Achieving Democracy (UCAD) Green Party of Zimbabwe has announced that it will be conducting a 15 million march in the country against President Robert Mugabe to show him that he is no-longer wanted.The announcement was made by the party president Albert Matapo through an email."The good news for the people of Zimbabwe is that your party, United Crusade for Achieving Democracy (UCAD) Green Party of Zimbabwe will soon be conducting a 15 Million man march in Zimbabwe. We are not copying Zanu PF but this has been in our plans ever since the formation of UCAD in January 2007," he said."This however this could not be carried out because Mugabe quickly abducted, severely tortured and later jailed the seven UCAD founder members for seven years without trial. That March will soon be conducted. We will show Zanu that we are far bigger than them by having far more voluntary supporters coming out without using any single state or public resources."Matapo said Zanu PF managed to force less than 200 000 mainly rural people."We will do it. We are calling upon all Zimbabweans including diasporans to support and be part of this very important move. Dates and other information will be announced soon," he said."This march will draw all Zimbabweans including those in Diaspora. The purpose of the March is to show Mugabe that we all no longer need him, that he has destroyed Zimbabwe and should pack his bags and leave State House now. The march is totally against Mugabe and Zanu PF." Barksdale B-52s drop bombs in exercise with Jordanian forces By U.S. Strategic Command Public Affairs , / Published May 25, 2016 OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. (AFNS) -- Two B-52 Stratofortress bombers assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, returned May 24 from a 35-hour, 14,000-mile nonstop mission to Jordan as part of this year's exercise Eager Lion with Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF). Eager Lion is an annual U.S. Central Command exercise hosted by the Jordan government to test responses to conventional and unconventional threats in a joint environment. Exercise mission sets are based on a fictional adversary and range from border security, command and control, and cyber defense to battlespace management. Eager Lion 16 marked the second consecutive year of the integration of the multi-role, heavy bomber into the exercise. During the exercise, B-52 crews conducted air intercept training with Royal Jordanian Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft and executed a live conventional weapons demonstration directed jointly by JAF and U.S. ground controllers. "Executing these global bomber training missions supports successful integration into geographic combatant command and multinational operations, such as the current B-52 deployment in support of Operation Inherent Resolve," said Navy Adm. Cecil D. Haney, the U.S. Strategic Command commander. "Our participation in two Eager Lion exercises in as many years allows us to continue to build relationships with our allies and partners in the region and beyond, better enabling us to confront today's global challenges." Combined with the long-range nature of the flight, which involved four aerial refueling operations, this mission showcases the flexible capabilities of the bomber force and its ability to integrate with other nations around the world. STRATCOM's bomber force regularly conducts combined training and theater security cooperation engagements with allies and partners, demonstrating the U.S. capability to command, control and conduct global bomber missions anywhere. B-52 participation in exercise Eager Lion follows the deployment of B-52s to Moron Air Base, Spain, in February and March, where they participated in Norwegian exercise Cold Response and French exercise Serpentex, as well as the deployment of B-2 Spirits to the Indo-Asia-Pacific in March. Additionally, in April, a B-52 flew a sortie to France to integrate with the French air force, and a B-52 also flew to South America to train with the Colombian air force. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Special ops Airmen support exercise in Baltic region By 1st Lt. Chris Sullivan, 352nd Special Operations Wing Public Affairs / Published May 25, 2016 ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England (AFNS) -- Members from the Air Force Special Operations Command and the U.S. Army Special Operations Command joined with Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian special operations forces (SOF) in Powidz, Poland, and Grafenwoehr, Germany, to participate in Trojan Footprint 16, a large-scale readiness exercise held May 3-22. Airmen from the 352nd Special Operations Wing at Royal Air Force Mildenhall and Soldiers from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) took part in the exercise using Air Force MC-130J Commando IIs and CV-22 Ospreys, and Army MH-47 Chinooks. About 250 aircrew, maintenance and support personnel also participated, with a goal of increasing the capability to integrate and operate with U.S. and foreign SOF partners using the NATO Response Force 16 construct. "It's amazing to me what these guys were able to accomplish in a relatively short period of time," said Col. Nathan Green, Joint Special Operations Air Component (SOAC) commander. "We were able to rapidly set up in two separate locations, work seamlessly with our foreign SOF partners and perform a variety of successful missions." The three-week exercise resulted in the SOAC completing over 45 sorties involving the supply and resupply of SOF personnel, infiltration and exfiltration training, air and personnel drops and other mission-essential functions to refine NATO Response Force processes and demonstrate the deployment and employment capabilities of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force. "We were able to deliver 200 tons of cargo, pass 70,000 pounds of fuel and drop over 500 SOF personnel," said Senior Master Sgt. Herman Sargent, the Forward Aviation Detachment senior enlisted leader. "Our Airmen and Soldiers worked night and day to ensure the mission went off without a hitch." Continued operations in a deployed environment do not come without significant work, commitment and sacrifice on the part of not only aircrews but the men and women who support the fight. "Our Airmen are the definition of dedication," said Chief Master Sgt. Floilan England, the SOAC senior enlisted leader. "Whether it's a training exercise or real-world scenario, we know that they'll do what it takes to get job done, and they need to know that we'll have their back." Trojan Footprint was linked to and executed concurrently with Estonia's annual national defense exercise, Dagger, and Lithuania's annual multinational SOF exercise, Flaming Sword. SOAC aircraft and personnel even took part in a joint, combined military demo in Pajuostic, Lithuania, to commemorate the seamless interaction between the partner militaries. "This exercise was a stepping stone to bigger and better actions in the future," said Col. Modestas Petrauskas, the Lithuanian special operations commander. "The joint work with other forces, engaging multiple agencies, all worked towards building capabilities in the Baltic region." By bringing together SOF from 10 different nations to train together as one military, the alliance and its partners demonstrated they are ready for and capable of dealing with any contingency set before them. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address DoD Aims to Save $1.9 Billion Through Headquarters Restructuring By Lisa Ferdinando DoD News, Defense Media Activity WASHINGTON, May 25, 2016 The Defense Department is restructuring its headquarters as it looks to save $1.9 billion through a 25 percent reduction of staff costs, a senior DoD management official said in a recent DoD News interview. The "delayering" initiative is part of a broader institutional reform activity, in which DoD is restructuring its business processes and practices, particularly in support areas, said David Tillotson III, DoD's assistant deputy chief management officer. Tillotson's office is tracking the resulting reductions associated with major headquarters activities, he said. Within the Office of the Secretary of Defense staff, 309 positions are being reduced, he said, including 243 that are filled. In defense agencies and field activities, 1,260 positions are slated for reduction, he said. The restructuring is occurring over several years, and the intent is to implement changes through attrition, over time, he said. Positions are being modified or eliminated to accommodate the new business model, Tillotson added, emphasizing that involuntary cuts are not happening at this time. DoD expects the vast majority of impacted workers -- upwards of 96 percent -- will be placed in other positions or take voluntary actions, such as an early retirement or separation incentive payments, he said. "By starting now, we have multiple years to address the issue," Tillotson said. Headquarters Cost Reductions The goal of the restructuring is to reduce costs so DoD can shift those resources into modernization of the force and improving readiness and training, he explained. In a memo from August 2015, Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work directed a 25-percent reduction of all appropriations funding for major DoD headquarters activities of military departments, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, defense agencies and field activities and combatant commands. Then-Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel started the initiative with a 20 percent reduction objective, Tillotson said. The delayering initiative covers the period from fiscal year 2016 to fiscal year 2020, he said. Employee Options Employees have options if they are in positions that are slated to be eliminated, Tillotson said. Defense Department officials are urging supervisors to work with employees who are in impacted billets, and help them plot out their future, said Barbara Westgate, director of Washington Headquarters Services. "We strongly encourage leadership and management to more broadly review the skillset of the employees who are affected by this, to put them in positions that you might not have considered them for previously," she said. However, she said, involuntary cuts could happen at the end of the process if an employee in a slot that is slated for reduction takes no action. That is the last resort, Westgate said, and the department's leaders do not want that to happen. With the restructuring happening over several years, employees can build their skills, seek out new opportunities, and take charge of their future now, she pointed out. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address News / National by Staff reporter Zimbabweans who cheered First Lady Grace Mugabe for declaring that her husband will rule from the grave need urgent medical examination, MDC-T official has said.MDC-T Organising Secretary Abednego Bhebhe said it was bizarre for Grace to utter such a statement.Said Grace during a One Million Man March, "President Mugabe is an unparalleled leader and because you have stuck to principle even in the face of sanctions, your people now believe you. We want you to remain our leader.""We want you to lead this country from your grave, while you lie at the National Heroes' Acre."Bhebhe told reporters in Bulawayo that, "All people who clapped for Grace would be medically examined. No sane person can cheer such a statement," he said.He said it is not his business to investigate why people still support Zanu-PF. Carter: Rebalance is About More Than Freedom of Navigation By Lisa Ferdinando DoD News, Defense Media Activity WASHINGTON, May 25, 2016 Defense Secretary Ash Carter said yesterday that the U.S. rebalance to the Asia-Pacific is a "whole program of enhanced activities" intended to maintain peace and security in the region. "The rebalance is a lot more than freedom-of-navigation operations," Carter said during a media availability at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut, as part of a short trip to several locations in New England. The efforts encompass political, economic and military efforts, including modernization of forces, he explained. "It is the enormous pattern of bilateral and multilateral exercising we do [and the] partnerships with militaries in the region who are very eager to work increasingly with the United States," Carter said. Freedom of Navigation The United States supports freedom of navigation around the world, not just in the South China Sea, he said, noting that the department's concern is "not just about any one country, including China." Claims in the South China Sea need to be "settled in a peaceful way, not by militarizing them, not coercion, but settlement in a peaceful [way]," he said. That is a principle the United States stands for all over the world, Carter added. Peaceful resolution of territorial disputes is important around the globe, from "the South China Sea to the Arctic," the defense secretary said. The defense secretary said the United States and other countries have been standing up for freedom of navigation for hundreds of years. The United States will continue to enforce that freedom all around the world, he added. In previous speeches, Carter has said the United States will fly, sail and operate anywhere that international law allows. He has previously expressed concern about a China that is "behaving aggressively," listing it among the top five global security challenges facing the United States. During his visit yesterday to the naval base, Carter visited with troops and toured the Virginia-class submarine USS New Mexico. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Patrol deployments to protect fishermen unchanged: Coast Guard head ROC Central News Agency 2016/05/25 14:52:10 Taipei, May 25 (CNA) Coast Guard Administration (CGA) Director-General Lee Chung-wei () has emphasized the Taiwan government's determination to protect its fishermen, and said that patrol deployments in waters near a Japan-controlled atoll in the West Pacific have not changed. Lee also guaranteed that Taiwanese patrol ships will remain in the disputed area until after June. Lee, the first CGA director-general to have a career military background, made the remarks Wednesday while answering questions from reporters about whether patrol ships will still be seen in the waters surrounding the Okinotori atoll after June. Lee replied "yes," and said that there will be enough forces there to enforce Taiwan's law. "(We) did not set a deadline for the patrols, but have only adjusted them to match the conditions," he said. He reiterated that there will be no change in the government's determination to protect the safety of fishermen, or any drawing back of the protection mission. "Here, I solemnly and affirmatively tell the people that the operation to protect our fishermen is continuing," he said. Asked about a Cabinet statement that it will respect the decision of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) of the United Nations on whether Okinotori is an island or a reef, Lee said that CGA is a law-enforcing unit that will fulfill its duty of maintaining security based on national policy. It is not in charge of negotiation or coordination, Lee said. Lee was invited to make a briefing on the issue at the Legislative Internal Administration Committee that day, after Kyodo News in Japan reported two days earlier that Taiwan's new government has informed Japan's foreign ministry that the patrol boats were being withdrawn ahead of schedule. Taiwan and Japan clashed over the rights of Taiwanese fishermen to operate in waters near the Okinotori atoll in the Western Pacific after the Taiwanese fishing boat the Tung Sheng Chi No. 16, was seized April 25 by the Japanese coast guard while operating in waters some 150 nautical miles from the atoll. The boat and its crew were released April 26 only after the owner paid a 6 million Japanese yen (US$54,442) deposit demanded by the Japanese authorities. Taiwanese Coast Guard vessels and a military ship were then sent to the area to protect the interests of fishermen still operating there, on a mission scheduled to last until May 31. Taiwan's previous government, which stepped down May 20, argued that Okinotori is a reef and therefore not entitled to anything more than a 500-meter "security zone" around it, meaning that the seized vessel was operating within international waters. Japan, meanwhile, considers Okinotori an island entitled to a 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone. The new government under President Tsai Ing-wen () of the Democratic Progressive Party, which has traditionally been friendly toward Japan, took power May 20 and has been more conciliatory on the issue. It has expressed the hope of using dialogue with Japan to address the rights of Taiwanese fishermen in the disputed waters. The new government's stance and the latest Japanese media reports on the issue have raised concern among some lawmakers about possible concessions by Taiwan. Asked by Kuomintang lawmaker Huang Chao-chun () in Wednesday's committee hearing if fishing boats can operate within 200 nautical miles of the Oknotori atoll, Lee said it is the CGA's duty to protect the safety of fishermen, and he gave a guarantee that they can operate there. "I can affirmatively say that I will definitely be responsible for their safety," Lee said. (By Chen Chun-hua and Elizabeth Hsu) ENDITEM/J NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sudan defends expulsion of UN official over Darfur reporting Iran Press TV Wed May 25, 2016 5:50PM Sudan has effectively expelled a senior United Nations humanitarian affairs official after accusing him of filing "false reports" about people displaced by the conflict in the country's war-torn Darfur region. According to UN sources, Ivo Freijsen, head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan, was "de facto expelled" after the Sudanese authorities refused to renew his stay permit which expires on June 6. Defending the expulsion decision, Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour on Wednesday accused Freijsen of exaggerating figures on displacement across the volatile region. "He published reports which Sudanese officials do not agree with," Ghandour told reporters, adding, "He published false reports. For example when there were 11,000 people displaced, he reported 100,000 were displaced." The top Sudanese official also blamed Freijsen for distorting reporting and of being "non-cooperative" with Sudanese government officials. "He even said that Sudan was suffering from famine," Ghandour noted. The UN agency has already denied it had reported about a famine in Sudan. Elsewhere in his remarks, the Sudanese foreign minister said that Khartoum had previously regularly renewed Freijsen's permit since he arrived in 2014. "This man had come to Sudan in January 2014, saying that he was going to be only an acting head of OCHAand the Foreign Ministry kept renewing his permit until June 2016," he said. However, the world body said it had submitted a request on April 10 for a 12-month extension of Freijsen's stay permit in Sudan. OCHA sources say they had "consistently" communicated his title to Khartoum in all its documents. UN says Freijsen, who is Dutch, is the fourth senior UN official who has been forced to leave Sudan in the past two years. The world body also says the Sudanese authorities "forced closure of international NGO Tearfund in December 2015 and the de facto expulsion of three international NGO country representatives in recent months." The OCHA regularly reports on the humanitarian situation in war-torn areas of Sudan such as Darfur. Nearly 2.5 million people in Darfur have already been displaced from the region according to the latest UN figures, which also show that over 300,000 people have died there since 2003. Darfur was a united region since its incorporation into Sudan in 1916 until 1994, when President Bashir divided it into three states. He added two more in 2012. The country's ruling National Congress Party insists that the five-state system can better serve the people of Darfur. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sweden approves giving NATO more access amid Russia tensions Iran Press TV Wed May 25, 2016 5:23PM Sweden's parliament has approved a deal with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to give the Western military alliance more access to its territory amid brewing tensions between the neutral Nordic country and Russia. Swedish lawmakers on Wednesday ratified the accord proposed by the center-left minority government with a margin of 291-21, allowing NATO to use the country's territory for training exercises and in case of a war in the region. Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist said after the vote that the move would not mean a serious shift in Sweden toward NATO. "This deal will not change our relationship with NATO nor our security policy. We will remain non-aligned," Hultqvist said, adding, "There will be no NATO troops on Swedish soil without an invitation." Sweden, an affluent state in Scandinavia, has traditionally distanced itself from NATO, but main center-right opposition parties favor membership to the military bloc. Polls also show that increasing numbers of Swedes agree with the membership although the government has said it will not join the alliance. Russia, the main opponent of NATO's expansion policy, has already criticized Sweden's closeness to the body, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying in April that Moscow would take unspecified action if Sweden joined NATO. Sweden has taken steps suggesting that it seeks closer ties with NATO, including its increasing military cooperation with the organization's states like Denmark, Norway and Iceland, and contribution to NATO mission in Afghanistan. Ties between NATO and Russia have been tense for the last two years over a crisis in Ukraine, where the Kiev government and its Western allies keep accusing Moscow of having a hand in the conflict in the country's east. The Kremlin strongly rejects the claim. The deal between NATO and Sweden comes as Russia is also angered by NATO's expansion policy to include countries in the Western Balkan region, saying the move directly harms Moscow's strategic interests in the area. On May 19, NATO agreed to begin talks on Montenegro's membership to the organization. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghanistan Claims Taliban's 'Shadow Governor' In Helmand Killed May 25, 2016 Afghan authorities say security forces have killed a senior Taliban commander they identified as the "shadow governor" of the southern province of Helmand. The Taliban denied the report, which came days after Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansur was killed by a U.S. air strike in southwestern Pakistan. Omar Zwak, a spokesman for the provincial governor of Helmand, said Mullah Muzamel died of injuries sustained during an air strike in Marjah district late on May 22. "First he was wounded and later that night he died of his wounds," Zwak said. Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said in a tweet that Muzamel had been killed in a special forces operation along with two of his commanders, Qari Feda Mohammad and Mulawi Hamid. However, Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman for southern Afghanistan, denied the report. Ahmadi said the shadow governor for Helmand is Haji Mullah Abdul Manan Akhund and that person is safe. "No official has been killed or wounded in Helmand," he said. Helmand, the region that grows most of Afghanistan's opium crop, is mostly under Taliban control but government forces have launched an offensive to retake lost ground. Based on reporting by Reuters and dpa Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/afghanistan- claims-killed-taliban-shadow-governor -helmand-province/27755840.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Cyprus Unification Suffers Setback as Nicosia Cancels Peace Talks Sputnik News 19:23 25.05.2016(updated 19:27 25.05.2016) There are concerns over Cyprus' ongoing plans for unification after the country's president canceled scheduled peace talks with Turkish Cypriot leaders, citing perceived efforts to recognize the Turkish-controlled north of the island. President Nicos Anastasiades canceled the planned meeting after discovering Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci had been invited to this week's World Humanitarian Summit, held in Istanbul. "With regret President Anastasiades has ascertained there is no fertile ground to hold a planned meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader on May 27," government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides said. The cancellation of Friday's planned meeting is the first hurdle in rejuvenated peace talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, with relations between the government in Nicosia and Turkish Cypriot officials improving in recent times. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's last-minute decision to invite Akinci to the Istanbul summit angered Cypriot officials, who saw it as a double attempt to both undermine the legitimacy of Cyprus' president Nicos Anastasiades, while also bolster the profile of the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is recognized only by Turkey. Turkish-Cypriot Invitation 'Unacceptable' Officials in Nicosia labeled the developments "unacceptable," while also accusing UN Cyprus envoy Espen Barth Eide of involvement in the incident. In a statement, Anastasiades said he was committed to working towards unification "provided that it meets the rule of mutual respect not unilateral moves designed to upgrade the pseudo-state." "Similar moves by anyone involved, not excluding the UN Secretary General's Special Adviser on Cyprus, not only don't help, but rather undermine the ongoing process," he added. Cyprus has been divided into an internationally-recognized Greek-Cypriot south and Turkish-Cypriot north since 1974, when Turkish troops occupied the northern third of the island. Despite the long division, pro-unification officials are hopeful the good relations between Anastasiades and Akinci could lead to a unification deal. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Refuses to Let Taliban's New Leader Derail Afghanistan Reconciliation Sputnik News 18:28 25.05.2016(updated 18:49 25.05.2016) DoD spokesman Adam Stump told Sputnik, that US won't let new Taliban leader derail Afghanistan reconcillation. WASHINGTON, May 25 (Sputnik) The appointment of Haibatullah Akhundzada as new leader of the Taliban will not interfere with US efforts to achieve reconciliation between the group and the government of Afghanistan, US Department of Defense spokesman Adam Stump told Sputnik on Wednesday. "The United States remains firmly committed to the objective of finding a political settlement between the Afghan government and the Taliban, and the appointment of a new Taliban leader does not alter that goal," Stump stated. Over the weekend, a US drone strike in Pakistan's Balochistan province near the Afghan border killed Taliban's leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour. Earlier on Wednesday, Afghanistan's Taliban insurgency confirmed Mansour's death through its spokesman and named Akhundzada as the group's new leader. Stump said the United States supports an Afghan-led and owned process for a negotiated resolution of the conflict in the country. "All groups, including the Taliban, should be part of such a dialogue so that Afghans can talk to other Afghans about the future of their country," he added. Afghanistan is experiencing significant political, social and security-related instability, as radical extremist organizations, including the Taliban, continue to stage attacks against civilian and state targets. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Vietnam Arms Embargo Lift a 'Wake-Up Call' for Russia? Not Really Sputnik News 16:01 25.05.2016 The recently announced lift of a decades-long US ban on lethal arms supplies to Vietnam is seen by some experts as a 'wake-up call' for Russia, which is the largest arms supplier to the country, however others suggest that it won't alter the arms trade between the two, as the ties run much deeper than that. The recent announcement by the US president that Washington is going to lift in full its decades-long arms embargo to Vietnam comes as a wake-up call for Russia, according to Anton Tsvetov, a researcher at the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC). "Moscow will have to work harder to maintain strong ties with Vietnam," the foreign policy expert suggested in his conversation with Voice of America. The view is echoed by another Russian expert, chairman of the Russia-Asia Pacific program at the Carnegie Moscow Center Alexander Gabuev, who suggested that "the market environment will be more competitive, but Russia has a strong position in terms of value-for-money of its systems, the Vietnamese military's long-standing ties to Russian producers and the need to train personnel." "A lot will depend on whether the US government will support possible sales of American systems, and what the position of the next government will be," he said. However Ambassador Chas W. Freeman, a senior fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, a former US Assistant Secretary of Defense, ambassador to Saudi Arabia and acting Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, and Charge d'affaires at both Bangkok and Beijing has a different opinion on the matter. Vietnam has relied on Russian weaponry for almost all its entire history as an independent nation and mixing in very different US systems would add complexity and confusion to the forces operating them, Freeman told Sputnik. "Vietnam is equipped almost entirely with Russian weapons. It does not make sense to dilute this highly desirable uniformity of equipment by adding complexity to spare parts and maintenance requirements," he said. Anatoly Punchuk, the deputy head of Russia's Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSVTS) also echoes this opinion. "Our relations with Vietnam are of a strategic character and their further development will depend on the leadership of Vietnam. I think that this (lifting embargo) will not affect the export of Russian weapons," he is quoted as saying by the Russian media. Tsvetov also suggested that the recent "long and substantial visit to Moscow and Sochi by the new Vietnamese PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc, among other things, was meant to reassure the Russian leadership that Vietnam is still loyal to its strategic partnership with Russia, no matter what developments the Obama visit brings." The Diplomat, a current-affairs magazine for Asia-Pacific, also admits that Russia remains Vietnam's most important long-term partner in the field of bilateral military-technical cooperation, adding that the majority of Vietnamese military hardware is Russian and Russia continues to provide military training to all of Vietnam's military services. The magazine provides examples of Russian military hardware operated by Vietnam's military. Vietnam's People's Air Force, it notes, currently operates 32 Russian-made Su-30MK2 fighter aircraft and is expecting delivery of four more jets by the end of 2016. It is also interested in acquiring a squadron of Sukhoi Su-35S multirole fighter jets. And it has recently acquired advanced anti-ship and land-attack missiles from Russia for its six Russian-made 4,000-ton Type 636 Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines (five of which have been delivered so far). Additionally, Vietnam's People's Navy (VPN) is planning to expand the number of Project 1166 Gepard-class frigates from two to six by 2017. Furthermore, it adds, the VPN operates Svetlyak-class fast patrol boats, Molniya-class guided missile corvettes built with Russian assistance, and a number of other frigates and corvettes of Russian origin. The majority of artillery, armored personnel carriers, tanks, and helicopters in the People's Army of Vietnam is also of Russian origin. In March, Russian Tu-95MS Bear nuclear-capable strategic bombers were refueled by Russian Il-78 tanker aircraft stationed at a military airfield at Cam Ranh Bay on Vietnam's central coast, while conducting a patrol of the airspace near Guam. The lifting of the arms embargo will, in all likelihood, have limited impact in expanding the military capabilities of the Vietnamese military and not affect Russian defense exports in the near term, the outlet concludes. However, there could be some negative long-term impact on Russian-Vietnamese defense ties, it finally admits. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO's 'Tank Schengen': Baltic States Call for Free Movement of Troops Sputnik News 09:57 25.05.2016(updated 10:16 25.05.2016) The defense ministers of the three Baltic States have called for an easing of travel restrictions on the movement of NATO troops and equipment in Europe, and are suggesting the creation of a visa-free space, similar to that of the Schengen area, to accelerate the deployment of allied forces and armament in the Baltic States. The idea was expressed at a joint meeting on the Estonian island of Saaremaa on Monday, where the defense ministers of the three Baltic States met ahead of the upcoming NATO Summit in Warsaw. Estonian Defense Minister Hannes Hanso, his Latvian counterpart Raimonds Bergmanis and Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Juozas Olekas discussed how to simplify and accelerate the movement of allied forces and their equipment to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, Estonian media reported on the results of the meeting. "Figuratively speaking, allied tanks need to be able to reach Estonia visa-free, not wait for days on the border as their documents are processed," Estonian public broadcaster Err.ee quotes Hanso as saying. "We support NATO's open-doors policy," he added. The suggestion might be discussed at the NATO Summit in Warsaw, which is set to take place on July 8-9. The idea was first expressed in October 2015, when US General and Commander of United States Army Europe Ben Hodges criticized bureaucratic obstacles that prevent free movement of troops and military equipment between EU countries. The commander then complained that it would take NATO two weeks to receive an official permit to deliver tanks and military equipment from Poland to Lithuania. According to the military official, a rapid reaction force that is always in a state of high alert proves not to be rapid enough because of long-lasting bureaucratic procedures and obstacles. Former Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosaw Sikorski also commented on the problems with the transportation of troops, however coming up with quite an unexpected solution: "We need a Schengen area for American tanks. Maybe we should rename tanks as 'tractors'? Here in Europe we already have experience with reclassifying vegetables as 'fruits' and vice versa," Sikorski then stated. The Schengen Area is the area including 26 European countries that have abolished passport and any other type of border control at their mutual borders. It mostly functions as a single country for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy. In a separate effort, Polish President Andrzej Duda has signed amendments to the law on the fundamentals of deployment and movement of troops of foreign states on the territory of Poland. These amendments will allow NATO high readiness Response Force to enter Poland not only in critical cases but also at time of peace. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address DR Congo: Ban 'profoundly concerned' over reports of rising political tensions 25 May 2016 United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed profound concern over reports of increasing political tensions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) linked to the continuing uncertainty surrounding the country's electoral process. In a statement from his spokesperson, the Secretary-General called for the "strict respect of the fundamental freedoms and rights enshrined in the Constitution," urging all parties in the central African nation to exercise restraint and express their views peacefully, including in the context of demonstrations scheduled to take place tomorrow. The Secretary-General called on all Congolese political stakeholders to "place the interests of their country above their own by engaging constructively in a meaningful political dialogue aimed at peacefully resolving their differences," according to the statement. The UN chief also urged the political stakeholders to extend their full cooperation to the African Union (AU) Facilitator for the National Dialogue in the DRC, Mr. Edem Kodjo, and reiterated the full support of the UN for his efforts. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address News / National by Staff reporter A 29-YEAR-OLD man from Dzivaresekwa is in trouble for allegedly shoving his girlfriend out of his moving vehicle following a misunderstanding sparked by another lover.Tichaona Kunaka appeared at the Harare magistrates' court after he reportedly shoved his lover Esnath Dangarembwa out of his moving car.Kunaka was not asked to plead to the charges when he appeared before magistrate Tendai Mahwe who remanded him in custody to June 8.Magistrate Mahwe advised Kunaka to approach the High Court for bail application.Circumstances leading to his arrest are that on May 18 he was with his girlfriend in his car whilst driving along Kirkman Road.Reports are that Kunaka then received a phone call from his sister-in-law who advised him that there was another woman who was waiting for him at home.Kunaka then told his girlfriend that he wanted to take her to her place of residence in Dzivaresekwa Extension as he wanted to rush home in Dzivaresekwa 3.That did not go down well with Esnath who turned down Kunaka's suggestion.Allegations are that the two lovebirds picked a misunderstanding as Kunaka was driving towards Dzivaresekwa Extension.The court heard that Kunaka suddenly opened the passenger's door and shoved Esnath out of the moving car when they had reached a certain bridge on their way to Dzivaresekwa Extension.Esnath is said to have sustained bruises on her right hand and shoulder after being shoved out of the car.Kunaka was arrested and taken to court over the offence. New Chief Is 'Ideal' Taliban Leader, Analyst Says by Ayesha Tanzeem May 25, 2016 The Taliban's new chief, Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, has a reputation as a respected religious scholar with the title "sheikh-ul-hadith," a specialist in interpreting the words of Mohammad, the prophet of Islam. He enjoyed the esteem and trust of the Taliban's founding leader, Mullah Omar, who turned to him for a final say on important and potentially sensitive edicts and fatwas, according to Thomas Ruttig of the Afghanistan Analysts Network. Haibatullah also comes from a very strong tribal background. By electing him and his deputies, the Taliban has managed to accommodate all racial, tribal, ethnic and subtribal actors that needed to be pacified, said professor Adeel J. Khan, a regional security and defense analyst who teaches in European and Pakistan universities. "This is the [most] ideal set up that the Taliban could get," Khan said. Haibatullah's Noorzai tribe is one of the three big Durrani dynasty tribes. Founded in 1747 by Ahmad Shah Durrani, the Durrani empire once extended beyond present-day Afghanistan to northeastern Iran, eastern Turkmenistan, most of Pakistan and northwestern India. The other two Durrani tribes are Popalzai, the tribe of former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, and Ishaqzai, the tribe of former Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansoor and his military rival, Mullah Rasool. Khan predicted that Haibatullah's election would take care of Rasool's faction. "In normal Pashtun circumstances, if Noorzais and Ishaqzais have joined each other, Rasool has to toe the line now or he will be eliminated," he said. Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, a pro-Taliban analyst based in Kabul, said the Noorzai tribe also commands support within large swaths of the Taliban. At the start of the current war in 2001, he said, most members of the Noorzai tribe supported the Taliban while members of the Achakzai tribe supported the Afghan government. Deputies chosen The Taliban shura, or council, has also elected two deputies for Haibatullah. One of them, Sirajuddin Haqqani, was also a deputy to the recently killed Mansoor. He is the son of Jalaluddin Haqqani, the founder of the Haqqani network, one of the most lethal groups in Afghanistan. The United States has offered a reward of $10 million for information leading to the capture of Sirajuddin Haqqani. The other deputy, Mullah Yaqoob, is a son of Mullah Omar and currently heads the Taliban military commission for 15 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces. This setup means that "for all religious, political and diplomatic matters, Akhundzada (Haibatullah) will matter, but for the military matters it will be the Haqqanis who will call the shots," according to Khan. Although the Haqqanis will not have ultimate control, he said, they would operate through two Taliban commanders who lead important military units in the Taliban structure the Quetta military commission in the south and the Peshawar military commission in the north. The names of the commissions, Khan said, do not imply that the members live in these Pakistani cities. Rather, they are based on geographical affinity to the region under the control of the relevant commander. The Peshawar commander usually travels between Parwan, Kapisa and Nangarhar, while the Quetta commander is mostly in Nimroz, Zabul, Helmand and Kandahar. According to Khan, the Quetta commission, which controls the south and west of Afghanistan, has four additional zonal commanders, while the Peshawar commission has six additional zonal commanders controlling the north and east of the country. The zonal commanders are quite independent and belong to different tribes. Pakistan's influence wanes The new setup is likely to decrease Pakistan's influence on Taliban military and logistical affairs. "The leadership is divided among these three people who are dependent on 12 military commanders, so Pakistan now has to talk to some 15 or 16 odd people coming from God knows how many tribes and how many ideas," Khan said. While Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani has warned the Taliban to renounce violence or face the same fate as their late leader, chances of reduction in violence are now less than before. "Contrary to the public perception, Mansoor was never against talks. So this was a guy who was for talks, and we see his fate," Khan said, adding that it would now be difficult to persuade the Taliban to accept any talks. Plus, by eliminating the rifts that arose with the election of Mansoor, the Taliban may have also solidified its position on the battlefield. Haibatullah's background Haibatullah was born in the Sperwan area in the Panjwayi district of Kandahar province in Afghanistan, in 1966 or 1967. During the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s, he lived as a refugee in Pakistan's Balochistan province and studied in local madrassahs, or Islamic seminaries. He also fought against the Soviet forces and their Afghan partners. Taliban sources claim he mostly lived in Kandahar during that time and was part of the Hezb-e-Islami faction headed by jihadi commander Maulvi Khalis. When the Taliban came to power, he worked in its court system as one of the senior judges. After the United States and its allies attacked Afghanistan in 2001, Haibatullah escaped across the border to Baluchistan province in Pakistan. Taliban sources claim he played a central role in regrouping the Taliban after the group was ousted from power by U.S.-led forces. Once the Taliban regained some strength and established a shadow government against the regime in Kabul, Haibatullah was given the responsibility of looking after the judicial affairs, according to Taliban sources. Other local sources say he ran a court based in Kuchlak, a town 20 kilometers from Quetta, the provincial capital of Baluchistan province. People brought their land disputes as well as any complaints against the Taliban to him. Roles in mosque, madrassah Four years ago, an Afghan Baloch in Kuchlak area called Mohammad Alam Mohammad Hassni, from the Mohammad Hassni tribe who was famous for his transport business and well-known locally as al-Haj, a title used for someone who has performed multiple Hajj or pilgrimages to Mecca set up a mosque and a madrassah in the area. He made Haibatullah the imam of the mosque and put him in charge of the madrassah called Khairul Madaris, where he also lectured senior students. Many of those students became Taliban cadre. Gul Mohammad Kakar, a Kuchlak local, said the new Taliban chief was famous for his religious knowledge and oratory skills. When he spoke, Kakar said, people listened. He was also known for his good manners. He performed those duties until he was elected a deputy of late Taliban chief Mansoor in August 2015. Sources close to the Taliban claim that Haibatullah stayed in the area until an attack on Mansoor last December. After the attack, he left, and his whereabouts since then have been uncertain. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Lifts Last of Liberia Sanctions by Margaret Besheer May 25, 2016 The U.N. Security Council has lifted the last international sanctions against Liberia. The council has been progressively terminating the targeted measures that were imposed at the end of Liberia's civil war in 2003. In 2009, a ban on timber exports, which along with diamonds had helped finance the conflict, was lifted. In September, the council ended a travel ban and asset freeze on designated individuals and entities. On Wednesday, it took the final step, unanimously voting to lift an arms embargo on non-state actors. "Targeted sanctions in the context of Liberia have been very constructive," the country's U.N. Charge d'Affaires George S.W. Patten Sr. told the council. "The sanctions regime contributed, in large measure, to stabilization of the country and also stimulated post-conflict economic recovery." U.S. Envoy David Pressman said the sanctions targeting Liberia's natural resources were "well tailored" and addressed unconventional sources of conflict financing. "We would do well to consider similar measures targeting the funding and fueling of conflict in other situations we are facing today," he said. In November, the United States lifted its unilateral sanctions against Liberia, which targeted former top Liberian government officials and the family and close allies of former President Charles Taylor. Taylor set off Liberia's civil war in 1989, leading to an uprising that toppled then-President Samuel Doe. Taylor was elected president in 1997, leading to a second civil war that ended when Taylor fled the country. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison in 2012 for instigating war and atrocities in neighboring Sierra Leone. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Counter-ISIL Strikes Target Terrorists in Syria, Iraq From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release SOUTHWEST ASIA, May 26, 2016 U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq 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 Fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted five strikes in Syria: -- Near Shaddadi, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit. -- Near Raqqah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit. -- Near Ayn Isa, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions. -- Near Palmyra, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle. Strikes in Iraq Rocket artillery and bomber, attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 25 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government: -- Near Fallujah, four strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL tunnels, four ISIL vehicles, an ISIL artillery piece, an ISIL weapons cache and three ISIL fighting positions. -- Near Habbaniyah, a strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL bunkers and an ISIL heavy machine gun. -- Near Haditha, a strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle bomb. -- Near Hit, a strike destroyed two ISIL vehicles. -- Near Mosul, five strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units, five ISIL headquarters, an ISIL media center and an ISIL communication headquarters and destroyed two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL weapons cache and an ISIL supply cache. -- Near Qayyarah, two strikes struck two ISIL rocket production facilities and an ISIL headquarters and destroyed an ISIL rocket position. -- Near Sinjar, a strike suppressed an ISIL mortar position. -- Near Sultan Abdallah, two strikes suppressed two ISIL mortar positions. -- Near Tal Afar, eight strikes struck eight ISIL-used bridges and an ISIL-used culvert and 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UAE to dispatch more mercenaries to Yemen: Report Iran Press TV Thu May 26, 2016 3:49PM The United Arab Emirates has signed a $529-million contract with a security firm to send more mercenaries to Yemen to fight alongside Saudi forces in the impoverished war-torn country. The accord was inked between Major General Eisa Saif Mohammad al-Mazroui, representing the Emirati forces, and a person identified as Michael Romy, representing the security services company Reflex Responses Management Consultancy LLC, Yemen's al-Masirah TV reported. Under the deal, the Abu Dhabi-based firm has agreed to provide the units of Emirati mercenaries with security services. In another development on Thursday, Masirah reported that the Yemeni army and popular committees thwarted an attack by the Saudis on the Jabal ad Dabas base in the Wazi'iyah district of the southwestern province of Ta'izz. Twenty mercenaries were killed. Saudi warplanes further conducted fresh airstrikes on Ta'izz, and the provinces of Jawf and Lahij. The airstrikes left dozens of people dead or injured. On Wednesday, Yemeni forces also foiled another assault by Saudi mercenaries in Jawf's al-Maslub District. Yemen has seen almost daily military attacks by Saudi Arabia since late March 2015. More than 9,400 people have been killed and at least 16,000 others injured since the onset of the campaign. Saudi Arabia launched its offensive against Yemen in a bid to bring the resigned president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a staunch ally of the Riyadh regime, back to power and undermine the Houthi Ansarullah movement. The Houthis took state matters into their own hands after the resignation and escape of Hadi, which threw Yemen into a state of uncertainty and threatened a total security breakdown in the country, where an al-Qaeda affiliate is present. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address INTERVIEWS: Top UN peacekeeping, logistical officials discuss threats to 'blue helmets' 26 May 2016 In extreme circumstances like deliberate targeting by jihadists and traffickers to more complicated assignments, today's United Nations peacekeepers need courage, a high degree of professionalism and resilience, the head of the so-called 'blue helmets' today said. "Being a peacekeeper has always been about devoting a period of time of one's life to the noble ideals of peace and security. But it has taken a very specific dimension in recent years in view of the very dangerous situations in which we've been asked to step in," Herve Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, told the UN News Centre ahead of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, marked annually on 29 May. This year's theme is "Honouring our Heroes," a nod to the 125,000 military, police and civilian staff who serve in 16 peacekeeping operations around the world. The deployment is the largest in UN history. Just days earlier, five Chadian peacekeepers were killed and three others wounded in an attack in northern Mali. The attack by Islamic extremists, condemned by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as "heinous," was also denounced by the Security Council. At least 37 UN peacekeepers have been killed in the last four months. Since the start of UN peacekeeping operations in 1948, nearly 3,500 military, police and civilian personnel working under the UN flag have been killed, including 129 in 2015 alone. Those 129 individuals were honoured last week with Dag Hammarskjold Medals. In a special ceremony, the family of Captain Mbaye Diagne, whose bravery in Rwanda saved hundreds of people from genocide, was presented with an inaugural medal for exceptional courage in his name. The 2016 commemoration marked the eighth straight year in which the UN has honoured more than 100 peacekeepers who lost their lives in the previous year in the line of duty. "They are sacrificing their lives in the effort to bring peace and security to those who have otherwise been deprived of it," said Atul Khare, the Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, whose Department works closely with the Department of Peacekeeping. Mr. Khare is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the staff in UN Missions have the required food, water, camps, vehicles, fuel and other logistics so that they can do their jobs. Among his goals is to work in a "more efficient, more effective and more responsible manner," Mr. Khare told the UN News Centre. That means using a greater focus on technology and innovation, and working in closer partnership with local, regional and international groups to plan and share information. Greater responsibility to partners, hosts and future generations "National ownership, consent of parties and impartiality. Those are the guiding principles of UN Peacekeeping and all the peacekeepers follow them," noted Mr. Khare. He emphasized the word "responsibility" throughout the interview. He noted, for example, that his Department has the "responsibility to ensure that the mandates are actually met," referring to the official order agreed upon by the Security Council on what the Mission will aim to do in a country. That responsibility extends to the countries that are providing the financial and human resources to the Mission. The senior UN official also discussed the responsibility to the host country, referring also to the ethical conduct of peacekeepers. "Wherever the peacekeepers are deployed the normal social contract has broken down," he said. "In those parts where the conflict is rife, where the chances of corruption, the chances of fraud, the chances of sexual violence and conflict are all high, we must demonstrate so that those countries can, through our example partially, come back to normalcy." Mr. Khare, who is a former peacekeeper, also spoke about the responsibility to future generation to not use natural resources in excess and use as many renewable sources of energy as possible. "We must respect the principle of doing no harm and that includes the necessity of looking at environment promotion and protection while we are deployed," he said. 'Few contaminating the image of many' A threat to UN peacekeeping also comes from some UN peacekeepers allegedly sexually exploiting and abusing the people who they are meant to protect. "The totally unacceptable behavior of a few contaminates the image and the courage of the vast, vast majority of the colleagues," Mr. Ladsous said. "It's also true to say that the countries that contribute the troops and police have never given to the UN the power to investigate or prosecute," he continued. The UN now has a policy of naming the countries that are cited in allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation. Among the topics that have been discussed to penalize such actions is for the alleged perpetrator to face a court martial in the country where the purported act occurred, as opposed to him being repatriated back to his home country. Another idea is for criminal sanctions against the home country of the peacekeeper, with the aim of increasing checks on who is allowed to wear a UN uniform and his actions during that time. The UN Secretariat is expediting guidance that will set out factors relevant to the decision to repatriate a military or formed police unit when there is credible evidence of widespread and systemic sexual exploitation and abuse. The guidance will also detail the criteria for determining that a troop-contributing country has not taken appropriate steps to investigate allegations, or that a police or troop-contributing country has not held perpetrators accountable or informed the Secretary-General of the progress of investigations and follow-up action "No State can allow a peacekeeper to turn into a predator," Mr. Khare said. The main focus, both Mr. Ladsous and Mr. Khare stressed, needs to be on providing immediate assistance to the victim medical and psychological to help her or him overcome the drama. A trust fund to support the provision of services to victims is operational, and that Member States have been requested to consider making contributions. These efforts are overseen by Jane Holl Lute, the Special Coordinator on improving the UN response to sexual exploitation and abuse. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan Claims US Scuttled Afghan Peace Efforts by Ayaz Gul May 26, 2016 Pakistan is accusing the United States of scuttling Islamabad's efforts to facilitate a negotiated end to the conflict in Afghanistan, insisting the slain leader of the Afghan Taliban was not blocking the peace process. Pakistani foreign policy chief Sartaj Aziz told a news conference in Islamabad Thursday that "all indications" available from Pakistani officials, who he said were in touch with the Taliban, suggested its slain chief, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, was readying to come to the negotiating table. Mansoor was traveling in a car back from Iran through the southwestern Pakistani province of Baluchistan on Saturday when missiles fired by U.S. drones killed him and his driver. U.S. President Barack Obama confirmed and defended the fatal attack, saying Mansoor had rejected efforts to "seriously engage in pace talks and end the violence" in Afghanistan. Obama also said he expected the Taliban to continue to carry out attacks following the appointment of a new leader. "In the short-term, we anticipate that the Taliban will continue to pursue an agenda of violence and blowing up innocent people," he said Thursday. A day earlier, the Taliban formally confirmed the death of Mansoor and announced his replacement, Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada. Aziz slams US Aziz said "In less than a year the peace process has been scuttled twice, at that time and right now again." Islamabad, in its future interactions with Washington, Aziz vowed, will "make them realize that it is not advisable to interrupt the peace process" through such actions and demonstrate "consistency" in the U.S. policy to promote the Afghan peace. He recalled that Pakistan brokered and hosted the groundbreaking meeting between Taliban and Afghan government negotiators in July 2015. Aziz said that those talks were "scuttled at a key stage" after the news of the death of Taliban founding leader Mullah Omar was leaked to the media. Pakistani officials had blamed that disruption on the Afghan intelligence agency. Aziz also accused Washington of "not respecting" an understanding reached earlier this month in four-way talks on the Afghan peace process that efforts for a politically negotiated settlement will continue because years of use of force has not helped achieve the objective. "We believe that this (military) approach will further destabilize Afghanistan, which will have negative implications for the region, especially due to the presence of large numbers of terrorist groups in Afghanistan," he said. "This particular incident of Mullah Akthar Mansoor's death in a drone strike on 21 May has added to the complexity of the Afghan conflict." Drone strike implications The foreign policy advisor reiterated the U.S. drone action violated Pakistan's sovereignty and breached "the principles of the United Nations charter governing the conduct of states", adding Islamabad has conveyed its concerns to Washington that it would have "serious implications for bilateral ties. Pakistani authorities are still awaiting DNA test results before releasing Mansoor's body to his relatives for burial, adding the results are expected in the next couple of days. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Almost 3,000 Russians Left Country to Join Terrorist Groups Sputnik News 11:44 25.05.2016(updated 12:20 25.05.2016) About 3,000 Russian citizens have gone to join terrorist organizations abroad, Russian National Antiterrorism Committee (NAC) deputy head Yevgeny Ilyin said Wednesday. KRASNOYARSK (Sputnik) Some 3,000 Russian citizens have gone to join terrorist organizations abroad, Russian National Antiterrorism Committee (NAC) deputy head Yevgeny Ilyin said Wednesday. "As of today, we have data on nearly 3,000 Russians espousing terrorist ideology having left the country in order to take part in international terrorist organizations' activities," Ilyin said when speaking at the Modern Security Systems Antiterror forum in the Russian city of Krasnoyarsk. The anti-terror forum is taking place on May 25-27 and showcases industrial products dealing with safety, security, fire prevention, defense, criminalistics and emergency equipment. It is attended by NAC and special services representatives from across Russia. Those joining terror groups are mainly from Russia's North Caucasus region, Ilyin noted, adding that four quarters of these are uneducated, under 30 years of age and poor. Recruit travel routes pass mainly through Turkey and Egypt, as well as Azerbaijan, Belarus and Ukraine, according to the NAC deputy head. Russia, like other countries around the world, has been exposed to the risk of becoming a potential recruiting ground for radical Islamist networks. The Russian Interior Ministry said last December that up to 2,000 Russian nationals were estimated to be involved in the activities of the Islamic State terrorist group, outlawed in Russia, which is operating primarily in Iraq and Syria. In early 2016, the leader of the North Caucasus Republic of Dagestan, Ramazan Abdulatipov, said that over 800 people from Dagestan had gone to Syria and Iraq to fight alongside terrorists. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address State Department Terrorist Designations of the Tariq Gidar Group and Jama'at ul Dawa al-Qu'ran Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC May 25, 2016 The Department of State has designated both the Tariq Gidar Group (TGG) and Jama'at ul Dawa al-Qu'ran (JDQ) as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which imposes sanctions on foreign entities determined to have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States. As a result of these designations, all property subject to U.S. jurisdiction in which the TGG or JDQ have any interest is blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with the TGG or JDQ. The TGG is a Pakistani Taliban (TTP) linked group based in Darra Adam Khel, Pakistan. The TGG is responsible for multiple large-scale, fatal attacks, including the December 16, 2014, massacre at the Army Public School in Peshawar, Pakistan, that left 132 schoolchildren and nine staffers deadthe deadliest terrorist attack in Pakistan's history. The group's leader, Umar Mansoor, is also known as the mastermind of the January 2016 attack on Bacha Khan University in Charsadda, Pakistan, that killed 20 and wounded between 50 and 60 others. In addition to these devastating attacks, the TGG is responsible for the 2010 kidnapping of a British journalist traveling to North Waziristan, Pakistan, and the 2008 kidnapping and beheading of Polish geologist Piotr Stanczak in Attock, Pakistan. JDQ is a terrorist group, based in Peshawar, Pakistan, and eastern Afghanistan, which pledged allegiance in 2010 to now-deceased Taliban emir Mullah Omar, and has long-standing ties to al-Qaida and Lashkar e-Tayyiba. JDQ has been responsible for various attacks, including the infamous 2010 kidnapping and death of British aid worker Linda Norgrove in Kunar Province, Afghanistan. The United States will continue to work with regional partners to counter militant and terrorist networks. The imposition of sanctions by the United States against terrorists is a powerful tool. Today's action notifies the U.S. public and the international community that both the TGG and JDQ are actively engaged in terrorism. Terrorism designations are one of the ways the United States can expose and isolate organizations and individuals engaged in terrorism, impose serious sanctions on them, and enable coordinated action across the U.S. Government and with our international partners to disrupt the activities of terrorists. This includes denying them access to the U.S. financial system and enabling U.S. law enforcement actions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address KCNA Commentary on Validity of DPRK's Access to Nuclear Weapons Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS) Pyongyang, May 26 (KCNA) -- The international community is becoming vocal supporting the validity of the DPRK's access to nuclear weapons for self-defence. It is the comment of public opinion that the DPRK's access to nukes is obviously aimed to hold in check any aggression and military attack and concentrate efforts on economic construction and it is a stark reality that the U.S. dares not make a preemptive attack on the DPRK. Valery Lashkin, deputy to the State Duma of Russia who doubles as vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, referred to the will of the DPRK manifested at the Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea to adhere to the validity of its stand and hold dialogue with all countries having no intent to invade it, adding that its leadership is meeting the challenges against its sovereignty in the most proper manner. Sergei Chernyakhovski, Prof. and Dr. of the Political Faculty of Moscow State University, said: When one looks back on the history of the DPRK without prejudice and compares what happened in the past with the present politics, one can come to an easy conclusion that it is the most peace-loving country in the world. It is the country that neither fought with other countries nor got involved in any military dispute among countries sharing border with it after the war in the 1950s. It was clarified at the recent Party Congress that the DPRK would not be the first to use nuclear weapons unless it is invaded. This is a very just position as it is nothing surprising. It is a very simple logic that if a country has access to nukes and is not ready to use them, it is bound to go to ruin. The DPRK is the country from which we can learn a lot, indeed. The Swiss internet magazine Le Grand said: There is a clear intention and reason for north Korea to push ahead with the development of nuclear weapons and experts clearly recognize the fact that the DPRK poses no "threat." North Korea laid down the line of simultaneously developing the two fronts to cope with the U.S. north Korea policy and is preventing any aggression and attack with its creditable nuclear deterrence and diverting the expenses and resources for the service personnel on the frontline units and huge artillery force to economic construction by drastically cutting down their number. The hawks of the West, the ultra-right forces of Japan, in particular, are dreaming of their access to nukes under the pretext of "nuclear threat" from north Korea, and the U.S. is seeking to establish a new MD system in south Korea capable of neutralizing China, not aimed at containing north Korea under that pretext. Some countries may underestimate north Korea's recent declaration not to mount a preemptive nuclear attack but there is need for them to take note of the fact that the history of nuclear deterrence started with such declaration and this promise has been kept. As commented by world public, the DPRK's access to nuclear weapons is the most just choice in the present world where a weak country can never protect itself. The DPRK will never dismantle its nuclear weapons first unless the U.S. rolls back its hostile policy toward the former and defuses its nuclear threat fundamentally. It will bolster its nuclear deterrence both in quality and quantity to firmly protect its sovereignty as long as the U.S. persists in nuclear threat and hostile policy. -0- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Envoys of S. Korea, U.S., Japan to discuss DPRK's nuke program People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 19:28, May 26, 2016 SEOUL, May 26 -- Top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United Statesand Japanwill discuss issues on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s nuclear program early next month in Tokyo, Seoul's foreign ministry said on Thursday. Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuk told a press briefing that top representatives of the three countries will share their respective assessment of situations on the Korean Peninsula following the seventh congress of the DPRK's Workers' Party of Korea (DPRK) that ended on May 9. During the trilateral meeting scheduled for June 1 in Tokyo, the three envoys will discuss cooperation measures on the DPRK's nuclear issue to encourage Pyongyang to change in its attitude toward its nuclear program through sincere implementations of UN Security Council resolutions and each country's independent sanctions. UN Security Council adopted tougher-than-ever sanctions on the DPRK in March over Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test in January and the launch of a long-range rocket in February. The three nations added standalone sanctions on Pyongyang. Attending the meeting will be South Korea's special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs Kim Hong-Kyun, U.S. special representative for DPRK policy Sung Kim and Kimihiro Ishikane, director-general at Japan's foreign ministry. They all represent their respective countries at the six-party talks to dismantle the DPRK's nuclear program. The latest trilateral talks between the top nuclear envoys were held in Seoul on April 20. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address News / Regional by Staff reporter A MAN from Bulawayo's Entumbane suburb Mthokozisi Ngwenya, 33 has been arrested for promising to pay his underage tenants maid $3 for sex.The girl is aged 15.Ngwenya allegedly promised to pay the girl $3 after their one-off encounter.Ngwenya allegedly took advantage of the girl, when her employer Thembeni Mathe was out of town.The court heard that Ngwenya expressed interest in sleeping with the girl as they were watching television in his dining room early this month.The girl allegedly told him that she was too young to indulge in sex, a court heard."I spent the whole night with the accused person in his bedroom and I didn't scream to alert others who were sleeping in the next room. He said he was going to pay me $3," said the girl.The matter came to light when the girl told her employer what had transpired.Ngwenya appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Themba Chimiso facing a rape charge.Chimiso did not ask him to plead and granted him $100 bail.Prosecuting, Mufaro Mageza said on May 12 this year, the girl was watching television with Ngwenya when he told the girl to switch off the television and retire to bed."The complainant told the accused person that he should proceed to bed since she still wanted to watch television."He, however, insisted that she should switch it off and accompany him to his bedroom," said Mageza."When the complainant refused, he grabbed her and forced her into his bedroom. The accused told the complainant that he wanted to engage in sex with her and she refused but he went on to remove her clothes. He had sex with her without using protection."The prosecutor said Ngwenya spent the night with the girl and promised to give her $3, but did not pay her. France Cuts Price on Rafale Jets for India to $8.6Bln Sputnik News 16:56 25.05.2016(updated 17:08 25.05.2016) Paris has agreed to decrease the pricing of its long-awaited deal on Rafale fighter jets with New Delhi by some 7-8 percent, local media reported Wednesday. NEW DELHI (Sputnik) The countries have been in talks on Rafales since 2012 but disagreements on the pricing and India's demands for additional guarantees have hindered the signing. France's current offer stands at some 7.8 billion euros ($8.6 billion), the Indian Financial Express newspaper said, citing sources. However, India's request for bank guarantees was declined by Paris, according to the media outlet. In January 2016, India and France signed an intergovernmental agreement on the purchase of the 36 Rafale fighter jets. The French Dassault aviation manufacturer first asked almost $12 billion for the aircraft, while New Delhi demanded a 30-percent cut to the price. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address India Proposes France Disposes: France Rejects Bank Guarantee for Rafale Sputnik News 14:00 25.05.2016 France has rejected the offer of a bank guarantee and is now waiting for further communication from India. New Delhi (Sputnik) The ongoing Rafale saga seems to be in the doldrums once more, as whatever India has proposed so far it has been disposed of by the French government. France has also rejected a bank guarantee for the deal. Dassault Aviation initially offered to sell 36 Rafale fighter aircraft for around 10.5 billion euros but the Indian government has asked for a 30 percent discount. The issue over the price has so far proved to be a sticking point in the deal. Now in a fresh move to clear the stalled Rafale deal, the French government has offered a new price and French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has written a letter to Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar regarding the deal. According to the defense ministry sources, France has now offered to sell 36 fighters for 7.8 billion euros which is around 7 percent less than the original price offered by Dassault Aviation. But according to Defense Ministry sources, the Indian government has found the latest offer quite different from the earlier one as it contained product support only for five years instead of ten years envisaged in the earlier agreement. Additionally, the latest offer also ignores the cost of setting up infrastructure at two airbases for two Rafale squadrons. According to the Defense Ministry sources, the Indian government considers it has nothing to gain from the latest French offer, where price has been slashed at the cost of product support which is an essential component of the Rafale deal. India is also concerned that the French government has rejected India's request for a bank guarantee for the deal. The Rafale deal is unlikely to be resolved in the near future as France will go into election mode soon and the deal will take a back seat. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Collateral Damage: India Cancels Another Defense Deal With Italy Sputnik News 13:04 25.05.2016(updated 13:22 25.05.2016) The decision comes in the wake of a bribery scandal that came to light after an Italian court found there were irregularities in a chopper deal involving AgustaWestland, another subsidiary of the firm. New Delhi (Sputnik) The Indian government has finally decided to drop a 300 million Euro defense deal with a subsidiary of Italian firm Finmeccanica. The deal originally involved the purchase of Black Shark Torpedoes, which were to be an integral part and the primary weapon of India's six new scorpene-class submarines. Each submarine was designed to be fitted with 16 torpedoes, which are by Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquel (WASS) of Italy. Sources from the Ministry of Defense say that Minister Manohar Parrikar has directed officials to search for an alternative to the torpedoes. WASS Italy, a Finmeccanica Company, emerged as the successful bidder in the procurement tender of Heavy Weight Torpedoes for the '75 Submarines' project. Subsequently, because of the Group's involvement in the 556 million euro VVIP AgustaWestland Helicopter scandal, the procurement was put on hold in July 2014. Last year in August, Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar said that the Indian Navy had made a request to go ahead with the procurement process, considering National Security imperatives. Subsequently, the Ministry of Defense decided to consult the Ministry of Law and Justice. However, with the AgustaWestland bribery case snowballing into a controversy of unprecedented magnitude, threatening to further delay the procurement of the torpedoes, the Government of India found it more sensible to forget all about the deal and select a new supplier. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraq PM urges halt to protests amid Fallujah operation Iran Press TV Thu May 26, 2016 1:15PM Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has called on reform protesters in the capital Baghdad to halt their weekly action as the Iraqi military and allies gear up for retaking a key city west of the country from militants. "I call upon our youth to postpone their protest tomorrow, because our security forces are busy fighting in Fallujah," Abadi said, referring to an operation he ordered to a few days ago to retake Fallujah from Daesh Takfiri group. The Iraqi premier, who was speaking from the command center for the Fallujah operation, said continued demonstrations in Baghdad and elsewhere would exert pressure on the Iraqi forces battling Daesh. "All our security forces are preoccupied with liberating Fallujah and nearby areas," Abadi said, calling on Iraqis to be "vigilant and cautious as they (Daesh militants) will try to carry out crimes and massacres against civilians." Abadi's call was specifically aimed at followers of the Muqtada Sadr, a respected cleric based in the city of Najaf, who has mobilized people in Baghdad and other cities against what he calls rampant corruption in Iraq. A series of weekly demonstrations prompted Abadi to introduce a new cabinet earlier this month, but the move failed due to fierce opposition among political factions and triggered more violent protests in Baghdad. At least four people were killed in the clashes between police and protesters last week. The operation to retake Fallujah comes more than two years after the city, located 60 kilometers west of Baghdad in Anbar province, fell to the hands of Daesh. Fallujah's liberation would prepare the ground for a highly-anticipated offensive into the northern city of Mosul, Daesh's last and the most strategic bastion in Iraq. However, observers say Abadi's focus on Fallujah's recapture is more of an attempt to win support in the current political turmoil as military commanders had recommended focusing efforts on liberating Mosul first. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Families Fleeing Iraq's Fallujah in 'State of Shock' by Sharon Behn May 26, 2016 Residents fleeing the fierce fighting between Iraqi forces and Islamic State (IS) militants in Fallujah are in a "state of shock", reeling from the gunfire and months of near-starvation. According to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), which has teams receiving those who manage to escape, the humanitarian situation in the city is desperate. "Fighting has intensified, but there are still no safe routes out of Fallujah for the trapped civilians," NRC said in a statement Thursday. Iraqi forces are now converging on the city from three different directions. Initial reports said the forces had met stiff resistance from IS fighters. The city has been under siege for almost six months, and little or no aid has gone in. "The stories coming out of Fallujah are horrifying," NRC Iraq country director Nasr Muflahi said. "People who managed to flee speak of extreme hunger and starvation." "The newly arrived are in a state of shock," the NRC said. No safe way out Plans set out by the Iraqi government to provide civilians with safe corridors to leave the city reportedly have not worked. IS has also reportedly laced the roads with explosives, making escape that much more difficult. "We will tear down the black flags of these despicable strangers who abducted this dear city. The time has come to liberate Fallujah and the victory will be ours," Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Sunday. The Iraqi army is backed by U.S. coalition airstrikes, a contingent of Sunni fighters, and a large number of Shi'ite militias. Fear for civilian safety Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric has called on the government and militia forces to spare the civilians trapped in the city. The call was echoed by Abadi, Iraq's minister of defense and the Popular Mobilization Commission that oversees the militias, and was welcomed by U.N. Special Envoy to Iraq Jan Kubis, who has also urged all parties in the fight to protect the lives of civilians. "The people of Fallujah have suffered tremendously and the liberation should not add more suffering and destruction of property. Innocent civilians should not pay the price for the crimes of Daesh," Kubis said in a statement, using a local term for the extremist group IS. Human rights organizations in the past have accused Shi'ite militias of reprisal killings. Iraqi officials have been separating and screening the men from the families who have escaped to make sure none of them belong to IS. "Anyone who leaves now, the occupied territory, should be very meticulously scrutinized and go through a security vetting procedure," Shia lawmaker and former National Security Advisor Mowaffak al Rubaie told VOA. But he acknowledged the system is open to possible misconduct. "It is very difficult to strike a balance between human rights violations and applying a vetting procedure. But security is paramount," Rubaie said. According to the United Nations, humanitarian agencies have been gearing up for weeks to provide protection, shelter, water, health care and food to those fleeing the city. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli Leader's Party Reaches Coalition Expansion With Right-Wing Faction Sputnik News 07:55 25.05.2016 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reached a deal with his former foreign minister's right-wing party to expand the ruling coalition that may be signed as soon as Wednesday, the Israeli press reported, quoting ruling party sources. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Netanyahu reportedly held late-night talks with Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman, Kahlon and Tourism Minister Yariv Levin who is said to be negotiating on behalf of Likud. "It appears that Yisrael Beiteinu has decided to be flexible about Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon's offer, and is willing to step back some of its demands," Netanyahu's Likud party source told the Haaretz daily. The publication specified that Lieberman compromised on his initial demand to distribute increased old-age payments among exclusively Soviet emigrees to Israel. A new stumbling block, however, appeared in the face of another coalition and cabinet member's demand to be kept abreast of security and defense affairs. Habayit Hayehudi (The Jewish Home) party chair and Education Minister Naftali Bennett warned that he would not back Lieberman's appointment as defense minister if a military attache was not appointed to the diplomatic-security cabinet. Lieberman is expected to succeed Moshe Yaalon, who resigned from the defense ministerial post last week citing distrust toward Netanyahu's right-wing policies. Yisrael Beiteinu's six lawmakers in the Israeli parliament expand Netanyahu's coalition to 67 members in the 120-member Knesset. Lieberman declined to join forces with the prime minister nearly two months after the March 17, 2015, parliamentary elections and as Netanyahu faced a looming deadline to form a coalition. The Russian-speaking Soviet emigre resigned from his foreign ministerial post and joined the opposition. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ultranationalist Leader Joins Israeli Government by Robert Berger May 25, 2016 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expanded his coalition government, but the appointment of a hard-liner to a senior Cabinet post is drawing criticism, both at home and abroad. Netanyahu signed the coalition deal in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, alongside his controversial new partner, ultranationalist Avigdor Lieberman, who heads the Yisrael Beitenu party. "I welcome Avigdor Lieberman and his faction members as important partners to the coalition," Netanyahu said at the signing ceremony. "I value his experience. We've worked together before for the security and welfare of the people of Israel." Lieberman is one of the most polarizing figures in Israeli politics and takes a hard line against the Palestinians. He will serve as the new defense minister, playing an influential role in key policy decisions on security, war and peace. U.S. questions U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Wednesday that the addition of Lieberman might raise the stakes for a two-state solution, in which an independent Palestinian state would exist alongside Israel. "This raises legitimate questions" about the direction that the Israeli government might be heading in, and "what kind of policies it will adopt. But ultimately, we're going to judge this government based on its actions," he said. Toner added that the U.S. remained committed to working with the Israeli government. Netanyahu was eager to shore up his shaky coalition, which held just 61 seats in the 120-member Knesset a majority of just one. With the addition of Lieberman's party, his government now controls a somewhat stable 66 seats. The deal ended a tumultuous week in Israeli politics, in which Netanyahu had courted the dovish Zionist Union party led by Yitzhak Herzog. Herzog hoped to push Netanyahu to revive peace talks with the Palestinians, which collapsed two years ago. But in the end, the right-wing Netanyahu opted for Lieberman, with whom he is more ideologically aligned. Herzog accused Netanyahu of being "beholden to the most extremist elements" and warned that the alliance with Lieberman would lead to more violent conflict with the Palestinians and increase Israel's international isolation. The left-leaning Israeli press has been withering in its criticism, with the Hebrew daily Maariv describing it as the "most right-wing and most extremist government since the establishment of the state" in 1948. A controversial figure Lieberman is famous for inflammatory comments. He has threatened to assassinate leaders of the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip and to topple the internationally backed Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. Such statements have prompted critics to describe him as a "loose cannon," a label that makes many people in Israel and abroad nervous when it comes to the sensitive post of defense minister. Lieberman replaces Moshe Ya'alon, a former army chief praised across the political spectrum as an excellent defense minister who brought a moderating influence to the government. Lieberman, on the other hand, has no military experience. Israel fought a 50-day war in Gaza in 2014, and Hamas leaders there were defiant in the wake of Lieberman's appointment. "We do not call for war, but we will fight if it is imposed on us," Fathi Hammad, a former Hamas interior minister, said in a statement. The Islamic Jihad group in Gaza said the new coalition "points to growing fascism in Israel. And the only suitable response is to continue the [Palestinian] resistance." Jewish settlements Lieberman is also a strong supporter of expanding Jewish settlements in the disputed West Bank and East Jerusalem, moves the international community describes as an "obstacle to peace." In fact, Lieberman himself lives in the West Bank settlement of Nokdim, south of Jerusalem. At the signing ceremony, Netanyahu sought to play down concerns that Lieberman's appointment could further stoke regional tensions. "My government remains committed to pursuing peace with the Palestinians, pursuing peace with all our neighbors," Netanyahu said in English, appealing to an international audience. "My policy has not changed. We will continue to pursue every avenue for peace, while ensuring the safety and security of our citizens." But skepticism runs deep. In a statement, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said Lieberman's new leadership role "confirms the lack of a peace partner in Israel." State Department correspondent Nike Ching contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Okinawa Parliament Passes Resolution Demanding Withdrawal of U.S. Marines People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 19:40, May 26, 2016 The Okinawa prefectural parliament passed a resolution Thursday, protesting against the murder of a 20-year-old local woman by a U.S. military-affiliated civilian and demanding the withdrawal of U.S. Marines from the southernmost island prefecture. The resolution, together with a statement issued by the parliament, also required a thorough revision of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) which defines the legal status of U.S. base personnel in Japan, abandonment of the plan to relocate Marine Corps Air Station Futenma base within the prefecture and scaling down of the U.S. bases. The resolution and the statement were submitted by the Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party that control the Okinawa parliament, and won support from the Okinawa branch of the Komeito party. The opposition Liberal Democratic Party was absent when the resolution and the statement were put to vote in the prefectural parliament. Many municipal parliaments in Okinawa have passed similar protest resolutions, demanding the Japanese and U.S. governments to come up with fundamental measures to prevent local residents in Okinawa from being hurt again by the U.S. army. A 20-year-old woman was raped and strangled by a former U.S. Marine last month. The body was dumped in a forested area. Okinawa hosts some 75 percent of U.S. bases in Japan. Criminal cases involving U.S. military men repeatedly happened in Okinawa. In March, a U.S. Navy sailor was arrested after raping a woman in a hotel in Naha City, the capital of Okinawa. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan confirms death of Afghan Taliban leader IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Islamabad, May 26, IRNA -- Adviser to Pakistan PM on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said: All indicators confirm that the person killed in the US drone strike was Mullah Akhter Mansour. During a press conference on Thursday, he further added that the DNA test result will be available shortly. The death of Mullah Akhter Mansour in a drone strike on 21 May has added to the complexity of the Afghan conflict, he said. " As already stated, the US drone attack was a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty as well as breach of the principles of the United Nations Charter governing the conduct of the states. We have conveyed our serious concern to the United States on this issue. We believe that this action has undermined the Afghan peace process." Sartaj Aziz said: On 18 May, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the US and China had agreed that politically negotiated settlement was the most viable option rather than Efforts should continue to bring Taliban on the table. This understanding has not been respected. "In our view there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. The use of force for past 15 years has failed to deliver peace. We believe this approach will further destabilize Afghanistan, which will have negative implications for the region, especially due to the presence of large number of terrorist groups in Afghanistan." The official reiterated that Pakistan believes politically negotiated settlement remains the most viable option for bringing lasting peace to Afghanistan. The military approach has been tried for 15 years and could not achieve the objective. 272**1723**1424 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Daesh uses civilians in Raqqa as human shield: Activist Iran Press TV Wed May 25, 2016 5:23AM A Syrian activist says the Daesh Takfiris are using civilians in the Syrian city of Raqqa as human shields during their fight against an alliance of Kurdish and Arab forces. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - a coalition of Kurdish and Arab fighters - began an operation on Tuesday to take control of areas in northern Raqqa from the militant group. The group's offensive is supported by US warplanes. The SDF fighters reportedly moved south from Tal Abyad town near the Turkish border toward Ain Issa, about 60km northwest of Raqqa. The alliance's commander Rojda Felat said the aim of the operation was to "liberate northern Raqqa" and people who live under the "oppression" of Daesh. "The campaign is aimed at repelling terrorist attacks on Shaddadi, Tal Abyad and Kobane, ensuring the security of our people," she added. Some 22 Takfiris were killed in the offensive, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. This came as Abdel Aziz al-Hamza from the Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently citizen journalist group said on Tuesday that Daesh militants use the civilians "as a cover. So you'll find them in the same building. In a civilian building, you'll find two or three apartments for ISIS (Daesh) fighters." Daesh militants also use "some schools as places to stay because these schools have basements, something underground, so they are protected from the air strikes. And they are surrounded by civilian buildings," Hamza also said. Hamza said Raqqa citizens are besieged and cannot leave the city. "ISIS doesn't let anyone leave the city. At the same time, life has become at least ten times more expensive in the city." Thousands of people queue to get food from a relief kitchen in the city every day, Hamza also said. The Tuesday operation is regarded as the most serious operations against the Takfiris in Raqqa since the city was proclaimed by Daesh as the de facto capital of the "caliphate" in 2014. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address News / Regional by Thobekile Zhou The Tendai Biti led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged government to speedily appoint an independent board to probe Bulawayo City Council.The party said the MDC-T led council is a 'disgrace'.This came out of a provincial council meeting on Wednesday."On Bulawayo City Council, the province distanced itself from Bulawayo province and described them as a disgrace to the democratic movements," said deputy provincial spokesperson Fortune Mlalazi."Therefore we recommended that the ministry of Local government to appoint an independent board that will look into the eGodini project and deal with any issues that may rise after the investigation'.He said the provincial council emphasized on the importance of the project as a sole hope for youths in the city.PDP appeal comes hours after MDC-T declared that there is no corruption in the council.Government recently ordered a probe into the multi million dollar eGodini project.Government recently dispatched a probe team to investigate a string of questionable land deals.A report is due in coming weeks. Syrian SDF Opposition to Review Russian Offer to Fight Daesh Together Sputnik News 16:49 25.05.2016(updated 17:02 25.05.2016) According to spokesman Talal Selo the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the US-led coalition will review the Russian proposal to cooperate in fighting the Daesh terror group during the liberation of the Syrian city of Raqqa. CAIRO (Sputnik) The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the US-led coalition will review the Russian proposal to cooperate in fighting the Daesh terror group during the liberation of the Syrian city of Raqqa, SDF spokesman Talal Selo said Wednesday. "The Syrian Democratic Forces General Staff, in coordination with the US-led international coalition, will decide whether to accept the proposal of cooperation with the Russians, or the operation will be continued only by us and the international coalition. The alliance [SDF] and the coalition will make a decision on the issue," Selo said. He noted that it is difficult to set a time frame for the liberation of Raqqa because it depends on a number of factors. Selo added that the operation may also include the city of Deir ez-Zor as well as the northern outskirts of Aleppo. The SDF announced its planned offensive against the Daesh "capital" of Raqqa last week and said it was ready to cooperate with Russia. In response, Russian Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia was prepared to coordinate its efforts with the SDF as well as the US-led coalition to liberate the city. However, US Department of Defense spokeswoman Lt. Col. Michelle Baldanza told Sputnik on Tuesday that the Pentagon was not planning any joint operations with Russia. Raqqa was seized by terrorists from Islamic State, a group outlawed in Russia, the United States and many other countries, in 2013. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syrian Armed Groups Urge Russia to Halt Strikes Until Al-Nusra Front Routed Sputnik News 13:09 25.05.2016(updated 14:51 25.05.2016) Russia has received a multiple appeals from militant groups in Syria for it to hold off on carrying out airstrikes against extremist positions in territories under their control until they have managed to force out the Nusra Front jihadists there, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Wednesday. MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the spokesman, some of these militant groups are ready to provide their coordinates to the Russian reconciliation center in order to join the ceasefire once the terrorists have been forced out of the territories under their control. "Over the past few days, the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the warring sides [in Syria] has received about a dozen calls from the leadership of armed groups in various Syrian provinces, particularly Aleppo and Damascus, asking [us] not to strike until they have completed their engagement with militants from the Nusra Front terrorist group," Konashenkov told reporters. "With this in mind, it was decided to extend the period of work with separate militias on their accession to the ceasefire, engagement with the terrorists and definition of precise areas under their control, before [we launch] strikes on extremist positions," the spokesman added. Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups. A US-Russia-brokered ceasefire came into force across Syria on February 27, but it does not apply to terrorist organizations active in the country, such as Daesh and the Nusra Front, both of which are outlawed in Russia. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Jordan May Start Military Campaign to Secure Borders Against Daesh Sputnik News 12:26 25.05.2016(updated 12:44 25.05.2016) Ambassador to Russia Ziad al-Majali said that Jordan does not rule out deploying troops to ward off the Daesh militants from its border with Syria. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Jordan does not rule out deploying troops to ward off the Daesh militants from its border with Syria, Jordanian Ambassador to Russia Ziad al-Majali said. "Military action is only possible to protect our borders from terrorists," the ambassador told RIA Novosti, when asked about Jordan's potential contribution to the Syrian crisis settlement. Al-Majali noted that a military resolution of the Syrian crisis would be "unacceptable." Jordan has always supported the political settlement of the conflict in Syria and the international efforts to end the civil war in its neighbor state, the ambassador added. Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups. A US-Russia-brokered ceasefire came into force across Syria on February 27, but it does not apply to terrorist organizations active in the country, such as the Daesh and Nusra Front, both outlawed in Russia. Jordan has been a part of the the Friends of Syria format, a group of countries and international organizations that convene to discuss the topic of the Syrian crisis outside the UN Security Council. France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Qatar, Italy, the United Arab Emirates and the United States are also among the members of the group. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Only HNC Opposition Group Can Speak for Syrians - Saudi Foreign Minister Sputnik News 14:37 26.05.2016 Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir stated that only the Riyadh-formed High Negotiations Committee (HNC) can act as a legitimate representative of the Syrian people at the intra-Syrian negotiations. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Riyadh-formed High Negotiations Committee (HNC) is the only opposition group that can speak for the Syrian people at UN-mediated peace talks, the Saudi foreign minister said on Thursday. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir, who is in Moscow for a strategic Russia-Arab Gulf dialogue, said Riyadh and Moscow differed in their views of who Syrians should send to Switzerland for peace talks. "We believe that only the Riyadh group can act as a legitimate representative of the Syrian people at the negotiations. In its turn, Russia thinks that other Syrian groups that want to partake in the talks should be allowed to attend," Jubeir said. Russia has been calling on the United Nations to invite Syrian Kurds to the proximity talks. Moscow also supports a domestic Syrian opposition group based in Hmeymim, in the western Latakia province. The latest round of intra-Syrian negotiations took place in Geneva on April 13-27. The HNC walked out of the talks citing continuous fighting in Syria and lack of progress on humanitarian issues. UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said a new round of talks could be called after the holy month of Ramadan ends on July 5. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syrian Rebels: Peace Process Is a 'Waste of Breath' by Jamie Dettmer May 26, 2016 Syrian rebel commanders and opposition politicians concede their armed revolution against President Bashar al-Assad can't win, thanks to the military intervention by Russia and Iran. But, they insist, neither can the regime wipe them out and end the rebellion. The violent standoff has in effect led to a de facto partition of the war-wracked country with no signs of a political solution on the horizon to stitch Syria together. Behind the scenes, U.S. diplomats are pressuring rebel negotiators to agree to form a transitional government with President Bashar al-Assad. Rebels dismiss the suggestion out of hand. "That is just not going to happen it is wasted breath," a member of the rebels' High Negotiations Committee, or HNC, told VOA. "Assad is our red line and unlike President Obama when it came to his red line on the regime's chemical weapons use, we won't cross it," he added. Division between parties kills talks The third round of Geneva-based talks aimed at ending the six-year war in Syria ground to a halt last month with the government and opposition still divided over fundamental issues the most fundamental being the fate of President Assad. The opposition suspended participation after the regime's delegation refused to discuss the formation of a transition council, instead arguing that opposition representatives should be folded into the government without displacing Assad. The United Nations has set a deadline in August for a transitional government to be formed, but Western diplomats concede this is just not realistic. "Everybody is holding their breath, hoping that something will be conjured out of the Geneva hat," a European diplomat told VOA. "But the process has utterly stalled and the opposition is just not going to agree to join Assad in a transition government. Rightly they're asking transition to what?" he added. Last week, France's foreign minister said the major world powers had agreed to push for a resumption of the Syrian peace talks in Geneva by the start of June. "The objective remains the political process," said Jean-Marc Ayrault. U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura has said while there's urgency to get another round of talks going quickly, no firm date has been set. Keeping the conversation going Ideas to keep some dialogue going have included forming a new governing council made up of regime military officials and moderate rebel leaders. Another idea raised is to distribute some of the Syrian president's powers to super-deputies. But nothing is breaking the deadlock and exasperated Western diplomats admit the main objective of the peace process now is just to keep dialogue going on the grounds that even proximity talks hold out hope for something to give. "We are going round and round in circles revisiting the same issues time and again. It is like being actors in the Jean-Paul Sartre play Huis Clos [No Exit]," said a Western official, who asked for anonymity. The Syrian regime and the opposition delegation have not even talked face-to-face, but via the U.N., with de Mistura acting as a go-between. Much of the attention now is getting a fourth round under way but de Mistura said that it "will only be meaningful," if violence drops to the level it was in the immediate weeks after a cessation of hostilities deal was agreed in February by the regime (and its overseas backers) and the main opposition. Jihadist groups Jabhat al Nusra and Islamic State are not included in the deal. But the level of violence has increased inexorably with both sides accusing each other of major violations. Regime airstrikes both by Syrian Air Force warplanes and Russian jets have continued remorselessly. The regime insists it is pounding only 'terrorists' but moderate rebel and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and clinics, have been targeted. Russia has been pushing for major Islamist groups such as Ahrar al-Sham to be excluded from the talks. Still don't understand Assad "The armed revolution can't win," said General Salim Idris, the former chief of staff of the mainstream rebel military alliance, the Free Syrian Army. "But neither can the regime, unless the Russians mounted a ground intervention and throw in more than just their Special Forces," he added. Even then, he said, the rebels would maintain an underground war. He said the Americans have been pressuring opposition negotiators to accept that Assad should stay in a transition government. "They still don't understand Assad," he said. Among the anti-Assad opposition movement as whole armed rebels, opposition politicians, and civil society activists Assad remaining is a deal-breaker. "We don't know how this conflict will end," said Bassam al-Kuwatli, a prominent activist, "but one thing we do know is that it won't end with Assad still there." As the war prolongs, the fatigue and desperation of Syrian refugees in Turkey is growing. Many of the educated, especially the young, have left for the West or are planning to. "It is not a life just waiting," said Raja Banout, an activist. "Most people are trying to find a way to leave. They want a life and there is no life here. What can we do here?" She said the consequences for a post-Assad Syria will be enormous with the departure to the West of so many Syrians. "Once there they will make a life for themselves and many, maybe half, won't return to Syria, I suspect." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Fears for EU-Turkey Refugee Deal as Erdogan Threatens to Block Agreement Sputnik News 16:27 25.05.2016(updated 16:31 25.05.2016) There are more fears over the future of the Turkey-EU refugee deal after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to block laws relating to the agreement if Ankara was not granted visa-free travel for Turkish citizens to the EU. Speaking at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Erdogan warned EU officials that a failure to grant Ankara it's visa-free travel demands could have consequences for the refugee deal. "If that is not what will happen no decision and no law in the framework of the readmission agreement will come out of the parliament of the Turkish republic." The comments come amid growing tension between Turkish and EU officials, after German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Turks were unlikely to be given visa-free access to the EU by the end of May, a deadline previously set out by both parties. Anti-Terror Laws In order for Turkey to activate the visa-free travel, Ankara must meet 72 conditions imposed by the EU, however disagreements lie over Turkey's anti-terrorism laws. Brussels is demanding that Ankara change its laws to fall in line with European conditions, amid fears many academics and journalists are being arrested an charged for "terror propaganda." However Turkish officials have hit back, accusing the EU of double-standards over the issue, while also taking aim at Brussels' reluctance to send aid money designed to help Turkey deal with the refugee crisis. "Turkey is not asking for favors what we want is honesty," Erdogan said. "Turkey is supposed to fulfil criteria? What criteria are these I ask you?" While the EU-Turkey refugee deal, seen by many officials in the bloc as being crucial to stemming the flow of refugees and migrants into Europe, has already been implemented, there are fears disagreements over visa-free access and Turkey's anti-terror laws could scupper the agreement. EU officials are already under pressure to stand up to Erdogan, as many believe the Turkish president is bullying Brussels with his demands for Turks to have visa-free access to the bloc's Schengen zone. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Freed Ukrainian pilot arrives home after nearly two years in Russia jail Iran Press TV Wed May 25, 2016 3:38PM After serving almost two years in a Russian jail, Ukrainian pilot, Nadiya Savchenko, has arrived home through a prisoner swap deal that is likely to ease diplomatic tensions between Moscow and Kiev. The 35-year-old army helicopter pilot arrived on Wednesday at Boryspil International Airport outside the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, where she made a passionate speech. She thanked her supporters, and promised to fight for the release of other Ukrainians in Russia's custody, saying, "I'm ready to once again give my life for Ukraine on the battlefield." The pilot was captured in June 2014 and put on trial in southern Russia, charged with complicity in the deaths of two Russian journalists who were killed by artillery while covering the conflict in eastern Ukraine. She denies the accusation. Back in March, a Russian court sentenced the Ukrainian servicewoman to 22 years behind bars. Prisoner exchange deal Savchenko was exchanged for two Russians, Alexander Alexandrov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev, held by Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said that the pair were back in Russia, having landed at Moscow's Vnukovo airport on a special flight from Kiev. Kiev accused the two of being Russian special forces officers fighting in eastern Ukraine, but Moscow has never acknowledged the claim. Reactions to Savchenko's release Meanwhile, European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini hailed Savchenko's release, saying she was celebrating with Ukraine. "Nadiya Savchenko is free and back in Ukraine. Long awaited good news, that the EU celebrates together with her country," Mogherini said on Twitter. The Kremlin spokesman said that Savchenko was granted a pardon by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin said the widows of the two Russian journalists, who were killed in eastern Ukraine, had contacted him "with a request to pardon" the Ukrainian pilot. He further expressed hope that "such decisions dictated primarily by humanitarian considerations will lead to a lessening of confrontation in the well-known conflict zone and will help avoid such terrible and unnecessary losses." Poroshenko's statement on the pilot's return In another development on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko made a statement with Savchenko at the Presidential Office in Kiev. Poroshenko vowed to secure the release of all Ukrainians held in Russia. He also pledged to wrest control over the country's troubled eastern regions and the Black Sea Crimean peninsula which rejoined Russia following a referendum in March 2014. Ukraine conflict A political crisis erupted in Ukraine in November 2013 when the country's then President Viktor Yanukovych refrained from signing an EU Association Agreement in favor of closer ties with Moscow. The move sparked demonstrations that led to Yanukovych's ouster and the rejoining of Crimea to the Russian Federation. The situation also degenerated into a conflict after Kiev dispatched troops to the eastern provinces of Lugansk and Donetsk in April 2014 in an attempt to suppress pro-Moscow protests there. The crisis has left over 9,300 people dead and over 21,000 others injured, according to the United Nations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine Pilot, Jailed by Russia, Returns Home by VOA News May 25, 2016 A Ukrainian army helicopter pilot who spent nearly two years in a Russian prison flew home to a hero's welcome after being freed in a swap with Moscow. Nadiya Savchenko returned Wednesday to Kyiv, where President Petro Poroshenko decorated her with the Hero of Ukraine award, the country's highest honor, during a ceremony. Earlier in the day, two alleged Russian soldiers, Alexander Alexandrov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev, returned to Moscow as part of the exchange. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said the widows of two Russian journalists killed in eastern Ukraine had asked him to pardon the Ukrainian pilot. Putin said in televised remarks that he hoped her release "will help reduce tension in the Ukraine conflict and avoid new loss of life." A Russian court sentenced Savchenko to 22 years in prison after she was convicted of killing the journalists during a shelling campaign in eastern Ukraine as Russian-backed rebels fought with the Ukrainian government. The 35-year-old Savchenko denied the charges and launched several hunger strikes to protest her detention. The European Union's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, hailed the pilot's release, saying she was celebrating with Ukraine. "Nadiya Savchenko is free and back in Ukraine, Mogherini said on Twitter. "Long awaited good news, that the EU celebrates together with her country." The Reuters news agency reports that the two Russians released were special forces soldiers captured while on a secret mission in eastern Ukraine. As part of the deal, they were pardoned by Ukraine's president. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO assists Ukraine in removal of obsolete weapons in Donetsk and Luhansk regions NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 26 May. 2016 KYIV, Ukraine, 26 May 2016 Today, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) received equipment from NATO for the removal and destruction of Explosive Remnants of War (ERW), including landmines, artillery, munitions and booby traps in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The equipment was provided through a partnership and cooperation programme between NATO and Ukraine developed within the framework of the NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme, in close cooperation with the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). The event was marked by the presence of Ambassador Sorin Ducaru, NATO's Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges. With a budget of approximately 1 million EUR, the NATO SPS project called "Support to Humanitarian Demining in Ukraine" was initiated based on a specific request from Ukraine. An immediate requirement was the replacement of equipment that was lost by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as a result of the current conflict. Through its enhanced ability to undertake demining activities SESU will provide a significant contribution to safeguard and protect the civilian population in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions affected by the conflict and allow the return of displaced persons. SESU Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams will be provided with modern technologies of detection and clearance including dual sensor mine detectors, deep search and bomb locators, individual personal protection equipment and EOD suits, a range of specialist tools, lifting and lighting equipment, and munitions disarming equipment. These teams will also receive specialized training designed to enhance their ability to detect and remove explosive ordnance safely and swiftly. Thanks to a restoration of operational capability of its teams SESU will be in a position to cope with the additional challenges brought about in a high threat environment. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Opinion / Columnist A very interesting thing happened on Lookout Masuku's last few days. Judith Todd went to see him and found him in a bad condition. He made one request before he died.He passionately wanted a water melon. That's all he asked for...On Thursday, April 3rd 1984 at around 5pm Lookout had asked Sir Garfield Todd to urgently call Judith Todd to the hospital before 6pm. When she arrived, Joshua Nkomo, Vote Moyo and a big crowd were at the hospital with Lookout Masuku. She was relieved and rather surprised as she had thought when she arrived, she would find that Lookout had passed on but Joshua Nkomo insisted all was well and she could have misinterpreted as to why she had to get there by 6. He said that Lookout thought that she was bringing him the watermelon (as she had previously agreed to find him one) and he couldn't wait for it until 6pm. Lookout was still in hospital critically ill, he was shivering in his sleep and his condition was severely deteriorating.Joshua Nkomo asked her to try and find some watermelon as soon as possible. Gift Masuku, ( Lookout Masuku's wife) motioned Judith over to ward C8 at Parirenyatwa hospital and her and Vote Moyo agreed that they needed to find a water melon as soon as possible. The only problem with Lookout's request was there was no watermelons in Harare and nobody could find them as they were not in season at that time. Joshua Nkomo said he had heard there could be watermelon's in Bulawayo and he was going there and would have it flown in the next morning by plane. It was agreed that Judith Todd will search in Harare and Joshua Nkomo will make efforts in Bulawayo.Gift Masuku asked Judith to also ring Zodwa Dabengwa ( Dumiso Dabengwa's wife ) when she got home to see if Zodwa could get any in Bulawayo and Judith sped off to the Holiday Inn and tried in many other places in Harare searching for the watermelon to no avail.When Judith Todd got back, the nurses allowed Gift and Judith to use the phone and Gift rang colonel Tshinga Dube to see what he could do and he said he had someone driving around in his car all over Harare looking for a water melon. Joshua Nkomo and others were searching all over Bulawayo for watermelon all night. The first to find watermelon was Colonel Tshinga Dube. He had managed to find one in Harare. Colonel Tshinga Dube apparently drove to Meikles hotel that afternoon and motioned a waiter outside. He gave the waiter $50 and said he would be waiting in the lounge until the waiter found one. When he walked into Lookout's room at about 7-8 in the evening with the piece of watermelon Lookout's face lit up. Zodwa Dabengwa, had also found a small piece of water melon in Bulawayo, and asked to go and collect it from the airport the next morning, on Friday the 4th. The watermelon that had been flown in from Bulawayo was beautiful and when Judith told Lookout it was from Zodwa Dabengwa, he managed to say "Zodwa".On April 4th, Joshua Nkomo and Vote Moyo and other ZAPU leaders who had been released were in Harare discussing the unity between ZAPU and ZANU. It was the third meeting going on. Lookout knew he was dying. On that Friday, Lookout's health had deteriorated and he was now on an oxygen mask. Lookout wasn't able to speak anymore. His father managed to travel from rural Matebeleland to Harare and Lookout made one enormous last effort to regain consciousness and gazed at his father once more. He died on Saturday the next day, at 2pm on the 5th of April.Lt General Lookout Masuku was buried at the revered Lady Stanley Cemetery in Bulawayo on Saturday 12th April 1986 after ZANU denied him heroe . Tens of thousands of people converged to pay their last respects, and the main orator of the day was ofcourse, Dr Joshua Nkomo who gave one of the greatest speeches of his life time. A speech that still resonates up to this day.Compiled byCde Cakes 'Makhekhe' Sankara VundlaCakes Vundla is the new ZAPU Europe Secretary of Policy & Strategy. You can contact Cde Cakes on;Twitter: @cdesankaraEmail: cdeelpatojo@outlook.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/cdesankaraWebsite: www.thecadrediary.wordpress.com Opinion / Columnist At a time all countries and global organisations such as the United Nations are fighting for unity and peace in the world, it is baffling that some Zimbabweans are challenging the country's Unity Day holiday.Three opposition activists namely, Tinomudaishe Chinyoka, Alexio Musundire and Coliwe Mufaki have approached the Constitutional Court challenging the constitutionality of declaring 22 December a national holiday.Considering that the Unity Day is actually a commemoration of national unity and the peace thereof, it is mind-boggling why any right-minded person would challenge such an auspicious holiday.Surely, with some countries gripped by endless ethnic and racial conflicts, who would resent the enviable peace and unity of people of all races and ethnicity in Zimbabwe?With horrific and genocidal experiences of ethnic conflicts in countries such as Rwanda and DRC, together with dreadful xenophobic incidences in South Africa and Zambia, who will begrudge Government's efforts to promote and celebrate national unity?The Unity Day holiday is an initiative by Government to engender a sense of unity among the people. It visibly stands out as a reminder to those who take the country's peace and stability for granted that all this stability is a product of the unshakeable unity of the people of Zimbabwe.The commemoration of unity is not only localized in Zimbabwe but is also observed in the whole of Africa on 25 May when all citizens of the continent commemorate the formation of the Organisation of African Union, now African Union (AU), and also celebrate the unity between the nations.That is why during a combo celebration of Africa Day and the solidarity march for President Robert Mugabe arranged by the ZANU PF Youth League on Wednesday, the President hammered on the issue of unity.He emphasized that unity should cascade from households to national levels.The President advised the nation that, "Let us ensure that unity start with the family, the family must be united, families within our villages must work in harmony, they must be united, our regions must be united, the various tribal groups here must be united and that we must show as we deliver its service that it's working for the people as a whole, working for a united people that finally, nationally we are united."The President also captured the importance of unity by reciting a motto coined by the late Vice President John Nkomo, who summed up unity in these words: "Unity begins with me, unity begins with you, and unity begins with all of us".It cannot be overemphasized therefore that unity is a collaborative effort that requires the personal effort of everyone, including the anti-unity activists such as Chinyoka and company.Lest we forget, the same unity drove sons and daughters from variegated backgrounds to abandon the luxuries of their homes to selflessly join the war of liberation that brought about the country's independence.These gallant sons and daughters of Zimbabwe came from all ethnic and racial corners of the country, stretching from Matabeleland to Manicaland and across the breadth, to rally around the common cause of freeing the country from the yoke of colonial bondage.Strengthened by the spirit of patriotism and unity, the united front of liberation fighters overpowered the colonial establishment of Ian Smith to deliver independence to the people.This mixed ethnic and racial makeup of the country is a fault line that political detractors are fond of tampering with for political gain, hence Government's vigilant efforts to safeguard national unity by dedicating a day for its commemoration.Like the colonial masters who flourished on using divide and rule tactics such as the colour bar, the opposition is determined to fan ethnic differences by harping on divisive topics of secessionalism and Gukurahundi.The opposition seeks to sow seeds of anarchy by pushing divisive policies, which they hope will trigger civil conflagrations as witnessed in Tunisia, Egypt and other countries ravaged by waves of the so-called Arab Spring.Also, this is where illegal sanctions come into play, for they serve to foment divisions and create economic conditions that would spur people to revolt against their Government.All this Tino Chinyoka-led fight against national unity is aimed at pushing the country to the ledge of disunity and anarchy, a prerequisite for regime change.------------Gwinyai Mutongi can be contacted at gwinz.mutongi@gmail.com Virginia Community Capital Inc. a company that is both a non-profit community development institution as well as a for-profit bank celebrated its 10th anniversary Wednesday in Danville, gathering economic development staff, community leaders, real estate developers and companies that have expanded through the help VCC has provided. VCC works throughout the state and began a decade ago with $15 million in state funding to help with economic development projects, improving health care and to support affordable housing projects. With the funding, and a redefinition of its mission, VCC became the first the first bank in the country to be designated a Benefit Corporation, or B Corp Bank, and is considered a Community Development Financial Institution. In the southern region of the state which stretches from Buckingham and Cumberland counties in the north to Patrick and Franklin counties in the west and east to James City County, then south to the state border $82 million in project financing, including 53 loans and other financial assistance, have been awarded. Kay Crane, executive director of Piedmont Access to Health Services, told the crowd that the 2014 expansion of Danvilles PATHS office would not have been possible without help from VCC. In addition to help find funding for the project, Crane said VCC also helped bundle our other mortgages into a low-interest loan, making their overall payments more affordable. Others in the crowd said VCC has helped them fund various projects across the state, including Stephan Staats, who was one of the partners who developed the Smith Seeds Building and is currently working on redeveloping 442 Main St. Theyre involved in a lot of projects in Danville, Staats said. Teri Lovelace, chief impact officer for VCC, said the company doesnt advertise its services, preferring to partner with local economic development departments, banks and other agencies aware of what a CDFI can provide. Lovelace said VCC does provide loans, but also helps developers layer tax credit assistance with other types of financing as well as providing other financial assistance. Jane Henderson, president and CEO of VCC, told the crowd rather than inviting all their partners across the state to Richmond for an anniversary celebration, they decided instead to bring the celebration to its various regions. Henderson pointed out that the companys mission is to bring jobs to the different regions, improve quality of life through funding healthcare facilities and fresh food initiatives and to support affordable housing initiatives. We try to make your communitys visions come to life, Henderson said. To find out more about VCC, visit www.vacommunitycapital.org. ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. Internet gambling has tremendous growth potential in the United States as ever-greater percentages of the public use smartphones, participants in a major gambling conference said Wednesday. At the East Coast Gaming Congress and iGaming Institute in Atlantic City, casino and online gambling executives said the online gambling market has shown encouraging growth, but is still a fraction of what it could be. They also said nearly three years of experience has shown that Internet gambling is not cannibalizing their existing brick-and-mortar casinos, but rather bringing in new customers, many of whom then visit the physical casinos as well. "We're seeing huge growth in mobile phone and tablet play," said Luisa Woods, executive director of Internet marketing for Atlantic City's Tropicana casino. "And we're seeing huge cross-flows between players who visit the casino and then go home and continue to play online." Internet gambling brought in $160.7 million in 2015 in the three U.S. states that allow it. New Jersey is by far the largest market, at $148 million. Delaware brought in $1.8 million last year, and Nevada, which stopped reporting its Internet winnings publicly, is estimated at about $10 million in their poker-only market, said Eugene Johnson, senior vice president of Spectrum Gaming Group, an Atlantic City-area consulting firm. The industry still needs to do a better job of marketing itself, many participants agreed. Itai Pazner, senior vice president of 888 Holdings, said when customs questioned him at Newark Liberty International Airport on his way to the conference, he told them he works for an Internet gambling company. "Is that legal in New Jersey?" the agent asked Pazner. "A lot of people are confused," he told the conference at Harrah's Waterfront Conference Center. "They don't know if it's legal, if it's illegal, if it's good, if it's bad. We need to educate people." There was no mention at the conference of perhaps the greatest threat to the fledgling Internet gambling industry: the avowed opposition to it from casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson, who has promised to spend as much as it takes to enact a legislative ban on it in the United States. Another major challenge is getting additional states to approve Internet gambling. Because only three states now offer it, the prize pools for online poker are small, and that is holding the industry back, participants agreed. "Poker without enough liquidity isn't viable," Pazner said. "The markets are still relatively small. The U.S. needs more states (to legalize Internet gambling) and we need them urgently." He said Europe has more readily embraced Internet gambling, adding, "There is huge potential growth on both sides of the ocean." George Rover, deputy director of New Jersey's Division of Gambling Enforcement, said unlicensed offshore sites still pose a major problem for legal Internet gambling sites by siphoning away customers and revenue to unregulated sites with no customer protections. He said the state has been formulating plans to deal with such sites, promising a development on the issue soon. Thomas Winter, vice president of Internet gambling for the Golden Nugget casino in Atlantic City, said his casino has seen good growth across its Internet platforms. But he said some customers still need to be assured of the integrity of Internet gambling. It's wedding season and as many couples get ready to say their vows, they may want to have a talk about fidelity financial fidelity. A study by Harris Poll for the National Endowment for Financial Education finds that two in five Americans who have combined finances admit to lying to their partner or hiding information about money matters. And it's on the rise 42 percent of those surveyed admitted to financial infidelity compared to 33 percent just two years ago. It could be something as minor as hiding a recent purchase or something more significant, like hiding a bank account. There are sometimes pleasant surprises, such as money set aside for a gift or trip, but those who study the matter say it's typically more devious. And experts warn that financial deception, no matter the scale, can cause damage or even end a relationship. NEFE found that the most common offense is that of hiding something: 39 percent have hid a purchase, bank account, statement, bill or cash from their partner. A smaller percentage committed more serious deception: 16 percent have lied about the amount of debt they have or even how much they earn. "When you agree to combine finances in a relationship, you are also agreeing to a certain degree of cooperation and transparency in your money management," Ted Beck, president and CEO of NEFE said in a statement. "Yet we're seeing the implicit promise of collaboration destroyed by financial game playing." It's easy to conceal the information in the digital age receipts can be texted and credit card statements can be emailed, leaving less of a paper trail. While that is a component, NEFE spokesman Paul Golden says it's difficult to say exactly why financial infidelity is on the rise. What the organization does know is that it's more likely to occur in relationships where finances are combined and only one person assumes responsibility for managing the money. Golden said having both people involved creates a system of "checks and balances." The issue of deception appears to run across all the board. About 46 percent of men have committed an act of financial deception and 38 percent of women. And while it happens at all ages, the practice appears more common among younger adults, with 61 percent of those ages 18 to 34 admitting to the act. The problems often don't surface until a major event, like buying a home, car or refinancing, forces it out. Some respondents didn't find out about hidden spending habits till their divorce proceedings and or after the death of their partner. The NEFE found that most of the time the deception undermines the relationship causing arguments, mistrust and even divorce. Although a small percentage of respondents said it brought them closer because it forced them to face their financial issues together. Money is a common topic for arguments in relationships, notes Sonya Britt, an associate professor of personal financial planning at Kansas State University who specializes in financial therapy, which she suggests for all soon-to-be wed couples. Her research has found that arguing about money is one of the top predictors for divorce. "We are socialized to not talk about money," Britt said. "When (couples) are dating, they are not having the conversations they need to about money. So when they are sharing a household they are facing it more intensely." As with many things in relationships, communication is key. Whether a couple is just getting started or is trying to recover from a financial infidelity, the recommended steps are similar: Start with an open conversation, get on the same page and follow up regularly. That's not to say that couples need to report every dime they spend. NEFE says each couple needs to find a budgeting and money-management system that works for them. And the threshold for what can be spent without checking in with the other varies with each couple. There is some good news for recent newlyweds. Research by credit reporting bureau Experian found that couples who have gotten married after the recession are more apt to talk about finances early on. But Sandra Bernardo, manager of consumer education at Experian, says they still aren't talking to the extent they should. "(Money is) a major dynamic in a marriage and you need to think about your goals," she said. "And sooner or later you need to talk about it and address it, and it's better to do that sooner." LONDON, ENGLAND--(Marketwired - May 26, 2016) - Condor Gold plc (''Condor" or "the Company") (AIM:CNR) is pleased to announce its results for the year ended 31st December 2015. Highlights: Whittle Consulting completed an Enterprise Optimisation Study analysing the Net Present Value for four production scenarios, this increased the contained gold within pit shells by 30% and gold produced by 20% to 25% per annum over four production scenarios; Recovered gold ranges from 866,000 oz gold to 1.54M oz gold over the life of the mine (see announcement of 22 January 2016); Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment completed and an application made for an Environmental Permit for open pit mining at La India. The base case is for a 2,800 tonne per day processing plant capable of producing 100,000 oz gold per annum; A further 1,952m of drilling completed, including an excellent drill intercept of 7.6m at 10.2g/t gold outside the main pit, which extends a high-grade ore shoot an extra 50m to the south and 60m to depth; 71km 2 soil geochemistry survey on the 313km 2 La India project revealed several gold anomalies; soil geochemistry survey on the 313km La India project revealed several gold anomalies; Structural geology study completed, which identifies the controls on gold mineralisation at La India Project. It has generated 33 gold exploration targets; Implementation of the IFC's Environmental and Social Action Plan. Post Period Highlights: The updated Net Present Values and Internal Rates of Return contained in the Enterprise Optimisation Study were released detailing: an NPV increase of 75% for the Indicated ounces of gold only used in the PFS; an average NPV of US$195M across the four production scenarios detailed in the Whittle Optimisation and IRRs averaging 31%; Renegotiation of the purchase price of the Espinito Mendoza Concession within Mestiza Vein Set permits conversion of a Soviet style resource of 785,000 oz gold at 10.1g/t gold to NI-43-101 standards; The Mestiza Vein Set is excluded from the PFS and PEAs and has the potential to add approximately 50,000 oz gold production per annum; 2.818M raised by way of a private placement of new ordinary shares, led by Ross Beaty, a high profile, successful Canadian mining entrepreneur, who invested 1.5M for a 7.2% shareholding in the Company; Progress on land acquisition. A new property company has been formed and a quarter of landowners have already accepted an offer from Condor Gold to purchase the surface rights/freehold land; Detailed geological mapping of the Andrea vein, following up on the soil surveys undertaken in 2015, has extended the Andrea vein from 2km to 6km. Mark Child, Chairman and Chief Executive of Condor Gold commented: "I am delighted with the progress that Condor Gold has made over the last financial year and the start of the current one with the conclusion of the company's successful fund raising of 2.818 million. Much of 2015 was spent executing a twin strategy of de-risking the La India Project, Nicaragua, by preparing and submitting an Environmental Impact Assessment ("EIA") to the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources ("MARENA") and developing and implementing a land acquisition policy to acquire approximately 800 hectares of rural land for the site infrastructure. We continued to demonstrate a District scale gold deposit at La India Project through low cost exploration and enhancing the economics of the PFS and PEAs by engaging Whittle Consulting Limited ("Whittle") to optimise the mine schedules in the PFS and PEAs to maximum Net Present Value. "During 2016, Condor will continue to de-risk La India Project by obtaining permits for a 2,800tpd processing plant capable of producing 100,000 oz gold per annum and acquire the surface rights to the rural land. The Company will continue to demonstrate the District scale nature of La India gold deposit by increasing the geochemistry soil sampling program from 71sq km completed in 2015 to cover the entire 313 sq km of La India Project, while completing a detailed geological map over the whole area." A full copy of the Company's Audited Annual Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2015 has been posted to all shareholders and is also available on the Company's website, www.condorgold.com. The notice of the annual general meeting has been posted to shareholders and the meeting is to be held at The Institute of Directors, 116 Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 5ED at 11:30 a.m. on 23 June 2016. For further information please visit www.condorgold.com. About Condor Gold plc: Condor Gold plc was admitted to AIM on 31st May 2006. The Company is a gold exploration and development company with a focus on Central America. Condor completed a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) and two Preliminary Economic Assessments (PEA) on La India Project in Nicaragua in December 2014. The PFS details an open pit gold mineral reserve of 6.9M tonnes at 3.0g/t gold for 675,000 oz gold producing 80,000 oz gold p.a. for 7 years. The PEA for the open pit only scenario details 100,000 oz gold production p.a. for 8 years whereas the PEA for a combination of open pit and underground details 140,000 oz gold production p.a. for 8 years. La India Project contains a total attributable mineral resource of 18.4Mt at 3.9g/t for 2.33M oz gold and 2.68M oz silver at 6.2g/t to the CIM Code. In El Salvador, Condor has an attributable 1,004,000 oz gold equivalent at 2.6g/t JORC compliant resource. The resource calculations are compiled by independent geologists SRK Consulting (UK) Limited for Nicaragua and Ravensgate and Geosure for El Salvador. Disclaimer Neither the contents of the Company's website nor the contents of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Company's website (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement. VAL-D'OR, CANADA--(Marketwired - May 26, 2016) - Cartier Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE:ECR) ("Cartier") announces the closing of a $300,000 financing with Sodemex exploration, the Caisse de depot et de placement du Quebec ("SODEMEX II S.E.C."), SIDEX Limited Partnership ("SIDEX") and Fonds de solidarite FTQ (the "Fonds") (collectively, the "Subscribers") of the placement of a convertible debenture. The Subscribers have agreed to invest up to $900,000 in three annual tranches of $300,000 each. The financing was completed under Action-Exploration, a financing plan for junior mineral exploration companies in Quebec that was announced on November 26, 2015. The plan aims to provide companies with $300,000 in financing per year for a period of three years to support their growth. Philippe Cloutier, President and CEO of Cartier Resources, stated: "The prolonged downward cycle of metal prices and the mining industry as a whole has eclipsed the progress we have made on the value of Cartier's projects and the high-potential acquisitions we completed during the crisis". He added: "This additional cash supports the company's mission by helping it stay the course to ensure growth and sustainability. It will help us continue to seize the best business opportunities for the benefit of all our shareholders". Annual investments of $300,000 per year, recurrent for three (3) years. At the closing of the first tranche, each of the Subscribers will subscribe to a convertible debenture of the Company for the principal amount of $100,000, for gross proceeds of $300,000. On the first and second anniversaries, provided that certain conditions are met, the Company may require each of the Subscribers to subscribe to convertible debentures in the principal amount of $100,000. Thus, an additional principal amount of $600,000 may be invested by the Subscribers in annual tranches of $300,000. The Company may not take certain measures without the prior approval of the Subscribers, as long as the debentures have not been redeemed or converted into shares of the Company. Furthermore, for the purposes of this investment, the Company has granted the Subscribers a Gross Revenue Royalty on the Benoist Property of 1.2%. Cartier may buy back this royalty under certain conditions. Principal terms of the convertible debentures Each of the convertible debentures is convertible into shares of the Company at the share price plus a 30% premium on the lesser of the following: the last closing price of the Company's shares before the debenture was issued; or the volume weighted average price of the Company's shares over the 20-day period preceding the issuance of the debenture. All of the above are subject to regulatory approvals from the TSX Venture Exchange. The conversion price of the debentures issued on May 25, 2016, is $0.13. All debentures, regardless of their issue date, are reimbursable on the fifth anniversary of the issuance of the first tranche of debentures; that is, on May 25, 2021. Each of the debentures bears interest at the prime business rate published by the Bank of Canada, plus a premium of 5.5%. Interest is payable annually in cash or, at the Company's discretion and under certain conditions, in common shares at a unit price equal to the volume weighted average price of the Company's shares over the 20-day period preceding the payment. ABOUT CARTIER Cartier Resource Inc. is an exploration company focused on discovery in the Abitibi Gold Belt of Quebec. Its VISION is to advance the Company's current and future assets towards the production stage according to a schedule that is in keeping with its financial and human resources, and within a perspective of responsible and sustainable development. ABOUT CAISSE DE DEPOT ET PLACEMENT DU QUEBEC Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ) is a long-term institutional investor that manages funds primarily for public and parapublic pension and insurance plans. As at June 30, 2015, it held $240.8 billion in net assets. As one of Canada's leading institutional fund managers, the CDPQ, which marks its 50th anniversary this year, invests globally in major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure and real estate. Through its mining fund Sodemex, the CDPQ is contributing to the development of Quebec's mining industry by acquiring interests in junior exploration companies and mining producers active in the province. For more information, visit cdpq.com, follow them on Twitter @LaCDPQ or consult their Facebook or LinkedIn pages. ABOUT SIDEX The Diversification of Exploration Investment Partnership (SIDEX Limited Partnership) was established in 2001 by the Government of Quebec and the Fonds de solidarite FTQ. The mission of SIDEX is to invest in mineral exploration companies working in Quebec to diversify Quebec's mineral base. SIDEX encourages companies to explore for new substances, to use new metallogenic models and to open new territories, as well as help promote new entrepreneurs and innovation. ABOUT FONDS DE SOLIDARITE FTQ The Fonds de solidarite FTQ helps drive our economy. With net assets of $11.2 billion as of November 30, 2015, the Fonds is a development capital fund that channels the savings of Quebecers into investments in all sectors of the economy to help create and maintain jobs and further Quebec's development. The Fonds is a partner, either directly or through its network members, in more than 2,550 companies. With more than 600,000 owner-shareholders, the Fonds helps create, maintain and protect more than 176,000 jobs. For more information, visit www.fondsftq.com. This press release is not an offer or a solicitation of an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration. The common shares of Cartier Resources Inc. are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "ECR". Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulatory services provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Highly-experienced board and management team with a proven record of success to maximize the value of Castle Mountain Operational strength and access to extensive project and technical skills including United States permitting matters to supplement and strengthen the existing management team Extensive capital markets experience Infusion of capital to initiate a drill program to help determine the potential of Castle Mountain An aggregate of 6,565,000 New Options to certain officers, directors and consultants of the Company exercisable for five years at an exercise price of $0.54, based on the closing of price of NewCastle Shares on May 25, 2016. These New Options vest in equal installments every year for a three year period. An aggregate of 150,000 New Options to certain employees of the Company, exercisable for five years at an exercise price of $0.54, based on the closing of price of NewCastle Shares on May 25, 2016. These New Options vest in equal installments every six months for an 18-month period. TORONTO, May 26, 2016 - NewCastle Gold Limited (TSX VENTURE:NCA) (the "Company" or "NewCastle") and Catalyst Copper Corporation (TSX VENTURE:CCY) ("Catalyst") are pleased to announce that they have completed their previously announced merger. NewCastle, the continuing public company, will be anchored by the substantially permitted Castle Mountain Gold Project ("Castle Mountain") located in California, with the goal of creating a new mid-tier gold company.The new Board of Directors consists of Richard Warke, as Executive Chairman, David Adamson, Mark Wayne, David Reid, Jim Gowans, Frank Giustra and Colin Sutherland. Officers of the Company are David Adamson - President and Chief Executive Officer, Paul Ireland - Chief Financial Officer, Ian Cunningham-Dunlop - Vice President Exploration, Marty Tunney - Vice President Corporate Development and Purni Parikh - Vice President Corporate Secretary.The Company would like to thank Messrs. Buchan, Cavalluzzo, Morales and Napier for their contributions to the success of the Company and wish them all the best in their future endeavors.The Company's new Executive Chairman, Richard Warke, stated, "With the strength of our board and management team, and the high quality Castle Mountain gold project, the Company is well positioned to drive towards its goal of creating a new mid-tier gold company." David Adamson, Chief Executive Officer of NewCastle, added, "I look forward to working with the new members of the board and management team. With a topped up treasury, we plan to have drills turning on the project in the very near term to determine the full potential of the project."In connection with the closing of the merger, Catalyst completed a private placement of 1,309,090 Catalyst Shares (with a hold period expiring on September 21, 2016), which shares were exchanged for NewCastle Shares. The Company expects to complete the previously announced transaction with Franco-Nevada shortly, which upon closing will result in the Company having approximately $6.5 million in cash.Pursuant to the merger, all of the common shares of Catalyst ("Catalyst Shares") were exchanged for common shares of NewCastle ("NewCastle Shares") on the basis of one NewCastle Share for each Catalyst Share. The combined Company has 151,442,443 issued and outstanding shares.In connection with the merger, the Board of Directors has conditionally granted the following options (the "New Options"):As the number of NewCastle Shares reserved for issuance under the options is in excess of the number available under the Company's existing fixed stock option plan, the Company has adopted a new 10% rolling stock option plan (the "2016 Option Plan") to provide for the grant of the New Options.The aggregate number of NewCastle Shares which may be reserved for issuance pursuant to the 2016 Option Plan and all other share compensation arrangements (including the Company's existing fixed stock option plan) cannot exceed 10% of the number of NewCastle Shares issued and outstanding from time to time. The 2016 Option Plan also contains restrictions on the number of NewCastle Shares which may be reserved for issuance to any one participant, and to insiders of the Company as a groupUnder TSX Venture Exchange rules, the adoption of the 2016 Option Plan and the grant of the New Options requires the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange rules and approval by disinterested shareholders. At the annual general meeting to be held on June 30, 2016, shareholders will be asked to consider and, if thought fit, approve the adoption of the 2016 Option Plan and the grant of the New Options. Detailed information concerning the 2016 Option Plan and the New Options will be contained in the management information circular distributed in connection with the annual general meeting. The New Options may not be exercised unless and until such shareholder approval is obtainedThe Company also announces that the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders will be held on June 30, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. (Toronto time) at the Toronto Board of Trade, 77 Adelaide Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5X 1C1.NewCastle has 100% of the right, title and beneficial interest in and to the Castle Mountain Venture, a California general partnership, which owns the Castle Mountain property (the "Project") in San Bernardino County, California. The Castle Mountain heap leach gold mine produced over one million ounces of gold from 1992 to 2001, when mining was suspended due to low gold prices. The Mine and Reclamation Plan, under which the mine operated, was authorized by the County of San Bernardino as the Lead Agency and remains in effect. Water for the drill programs is accessed from existing patented wells on the Project.An updated NI 43-101 resource for the project was announced December 2, 2015 which includes Measured Mineral Resources of 17.4 million tonnes grading 0.86 g/t gold containing 0.48 million gold ounces, Indicated Mineral Resources of 202.5 million tonnes grading 0.57 g/t gold containing 3.71 million gold ounces along with Inferred Mineral Resources of 40.8 million tonnes grading 0.58 g/t gold and containing 0.76 million gold ounces. The Project hosts a disseminated low sulphidation epithermal system. Gold is primarily hosted by late-stage rhyolite volcanic units within zones of silicification and brecciation associated with northeast-southwest trending/southeast dipping fault structures which are interpreted to have developed within a collapsed caldera environment. Eleven gold domains are represented by both steep and shallow-dipping orientations.Ian R. Cunningham-Dunlop, P. Eng., the Company's Vice President Exploration, is the designated Qualified Person for this news release within the meaning of NI 43-101. He has reviewed and verified that the technical information contained in this release is accurate and has approved of the written disclosure of the same.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.Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "Forward-Looking Information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward Looking Information includes, but is not limited to, disclosure regarding possible events, conditions or financial performance that is based on assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of action; the timing and costs of future exploration and testing activities on the Company's properties; success of exploration activities; time lines for technical reports; planned exploration and development of properties and the results thereof; and planned expenditures and budgets and the execution thereof. Statements concerning Mineral Resource estimates may also be deemed to constitute forward looking information to the extent that they involve estimates of the mineralization that will be encountered if the property is developed. In certain cases, Forward-Looking Information can be identified by the use of words and phrases such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", budget", "scheduled", "suggest", "optimize", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "potential" or "does not anticipate", believes", "anomalous" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, that the current testing and other objectives concerning the Castle Mountain project can be achieved and that its other corporate activities will proceed as expected; that the current price and demand for gold will be sustained or will improve; that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner and that all necessary governmental approvals for the planned exploration on the Castle Mountain project will be obtained in a timely manner and on acceptable terms; the continuity of the price of gold and other metals, that the Company's existing patented and unpatented land has not been altered by any designation under U.S. Federal statute or other laws and economic and political conditions and operations.Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward-Looking Information. Such risks and other factors include, among others, obtaining financing on commercially reasonable terms, operations and contractual obligations; changes in exploration programs based upon results of exploration; future prices of metals; availability of third party contractors; availability of equipment; failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry; environmental risks, including environmental matters under U.S. federal and California rules and regulations; impact of environmental remediation requirements and the terms of existing and potential consent decrees on the Company's planned exploration on the Castle Mountain project; certainty of mineral title; community relations; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing; fluctuations in mineral prices; the Company's dependence on one mineral project; the nature of mineral exploration and mining and the uncertain commercial viability of certain mineral deposits; the Company's lack of operating revenues; governmental regulations and the ability to obtain necessary licenses and permits; risks related to mineral properties being subject to prior unregistered agreements, transfers or claims and other defects in title; impacts to patented and unpatented land by designation under U.S. Federal Statute or other laws, currency fluctuations; changes in environmental laws and regulations and changes in the application of standards pursuant to existing laws and regulations which may increase costs of doing business and restrict operations; risks related to dependence on key personnel; and estimates used in financial statements proving to be incorrect; as well as those factors discussed in the Company's public disclosure record. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could affect the Company and may cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in Forward-Looking Information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that Forward-Looking Information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required by law, the Company does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to Forward-Looking Information contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Readers should refer to the Company's Annual Information Form and Management Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2015 as well as the Company's most recent Management Discussion and Analysis, available on www.sedar.com.This news release uses the terms "Inferred Resources" and "Indicated Resources", which have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an Inferred and/or Indicated 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 prefeasibility studies. NewCastle advises U.S. investors that while this term is recognized 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 an Inferred or Indicated resource exists, or is economically or legally minable.Marty Tunney416-572-0151mtunney@newcastlegold.ca Toronto, Ontario (FSCwire) - Stans Energy Corp. (TSX-V: HRE, OTCQB: HREEF), (Stans or the Company), reports that Kamal Oil LLP (Kamal Oil) failed to pay the US$ 10 million dollars as required by the State Agency for Geology and Mineral Resources of the Kyrgyz Republic (SAGMR). SAGMR cancelled the result of the tender for the subsoil licenses for Kutessay II rare earth deposit and the Kalesay beryllium deposits. No information has been released regarding the future plans of the Republic for a new tender for Kutessay II and Kalesay at this time. About Stans Energy Stans Energy Corp. is a resource development company focused on advancing rare earth and specialty metals properties focusing on areas of Central Asia and Russia. Stans acquired, among other things, the right to mine the past producing rare earth mine, Kutessay II, in the Kyrgyz Republic in 2009 and the right to mine Beryllium at Kalesay. Steps subsequently taken by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic wrongfully to deprive the Company of those mining rights have required Stans to take the legal actions to protect the Companys rights and recover damages caused by the Republics wrongful actions. Contact Details Rodney Irwin David Vinokurov Stans Energy Corp. Stan Energy Corp President & CEO VP Corporate Development rodney@stansenergy.com david@stansenergy.com 647-426-1865 647-426-1865 FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This document includes forward-looking statements as well as historical information. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, use of proceeds from the Offering, the completion of the Offering, the continued advancement of the company's general business development, research development and the company's development of mineral exploration projects. When used in this press release, the words will, shall, "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intent", "may", "project", "plan", "should" and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. Although Stans believes that its expectations reflected in these forward looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties and no assurance can be given that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements include the potential that fluctuations in the marketplace for the sale of minerals, the inability to implement corporate strategies, the ability to obtain financing and other risks disclosed in our filings made with Canadian Securities Regulators. To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/Stans05262016.pdfSource: Stans Energy Corp. (TSX Venture:HRE, OTCQB:HREEF) www.stansenergy.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2016 Filing Services Canada Inc. Opinion / Columnist The much publicised million man march was a strategy that emanated from Robert Mugabe's bedroom initiated by non other than the first family itself as a way of sending signals to the lacoste leader Emmerson Mnangagwa and his team.The youths are being used and paid by Grace Mugabe and are using the ignorant Zanu-PF followers to get favours from Robert Mugabe himself.The march was a big flop because they failed to raise five thousand people from all the four corners of Zimbabwe.Grace Mugabe was on a mission to discredit Emmerson Mnangagwa using the youths and the ignorant crowd.The proposed United front against Robert Mugabe will cause the required pain on him.The involvement of some experienced politicians like Professor Welshman Ncube,Tendai Biti,Elton Mangoma and Professor Lovemore Madhuku in the bigger political arrangement will cause a headache for Zan-PF.It is surprising to read about Tsvangirai and Mujuru flip flopping and dithering overworking with others when it is clear that they will never defeat Mugabe on their own.We have seen these many crowds at Tsvamgrai rallies in the past but victory has been evasive.As for Mujuru we will never be surprised by her denial to join the coalition because she is a chameleon and we are not yet sure if she honestly left Zanu-PF.The fear of losing positions if the coalition wins in 2018 seem to be dragging Morgan Tsvangirai backwards.What is certain is that Zanu-PF will not be there after 2018 and Grace and her G40 will be in various foreign countries hiding.People like Tyson will will die on foreign soil or rot in jail for crimes that we know.The costly and degrading march did not add value to either Mugabe or Zanu-PF.They are all heading for the graveyard and none of them will be heard again after 2018.The recent spate of accidents masterminded by the G40 criminals will soon be history given Ngwena's food poisoning strategy that left most of the G40 in hospitals country wide.I always laugh my lungs out whenever i see Mugabe and his wife on stage calling for non existing unity and trying to patch up the torn party.Days for criminals in Zanu-PF are numbered and the reality is near.The wise thing for Mugabe is to step down with immediate effect. The Last Jar Irish pub. Photo: Eddie Jim Siobhan Dooley and Tim Sweeney have sold their well-loved Irish pub, the Last Jar, to publican Chris Fitzgerald of nearby Irish pub the Corkman. After four years setting a new standard for Irish cuisine in Queensberry Street, Dooley and Sweeney haven't ruled out going into business again. "Another venue is a definite possibility," Dooley says. In the meantime, Sweeney is off to stage across Europe for a few months, and will also do a stint in Ireland while Dooley will focus on her live music venue, the Drunken Poet. Dublin coddle stew. Photo: Eddie Jim Fitzgerald says he and his team intend to "maintain the consistently high standards of food and hospitality established at the Last Jar while introducing their own spin". Takeover is scheduled for the end of next month; Sweeney and Dooley will put on some extra craic over June 3-5 in farewell. The team from the Corkman will move across to the new venue with the last service at Leicester Place by September. West Texas to see return of rain, cooler temperatures to start week Yfat Yossifor/Standard-Times Pam Burke, director of the Wesley Trinity Daily Bread Lunch Program, opens the old freezer the organization uses. The San Angelo Health Foundation bought a new, larger freezer for the group. SHARE Yfat Yossifor/Standard-Times A new freezer was being installed for the Wesley Trinity Daily Bread Lunch Program on Tuesday. By Rashda Khan, Rashda.Khan@gosanangelo.com / @Rashda_SAST The Wesley Trinity Daily Bread Lunch Program, the soup kitchen at 301 W. 18th St., has seen an increase in the number of people it feeds, but a decrease in monetary donations. Fortunately, Daily Bread recently received grants that will help. The San Angelo Health Foundation bought the organization an 8-by-10-foot walk-in freezer for $19,909. The program also received $26,392 from the Eva Tucker Foundation to buy a cargo-style van and ice machine. Director Pamela Burke said the program feeds about 5,500 people per month. Need led her to apply for grants this year. "The last time we applied for grants was when we expanded the kitchen, that was about 12 or 15 years ago," she said. "Grants right now are great blessings. All of these things are things we needed badly." The freezer will be used in addition to an existing smaller freezer in the kitchen, which is packed full. The existing ice machine is about 30 years old and keeps breaking down. "Next time it goes out, we may not be able to resuscitate it," she said, adding that with summer approaching the organization definitely appreciates a new ice machine to help keep drinks, salads and such cool. "The old van is dead," Burke said. "We need a new van to go pick up donations" from area grocery stores, restaurants and caterers. In addition to lunch, attendees can access a free clothing closet, take some bread to go, visit with a Wesley nurse for basic health care and receive counseling through a partnership with the West Texas Counseling & Guidance. "It's a good program that addresses basic needs in the community," said Tom Early, president of the Health Foundation. Terry Mikeska, a trustee of the Eva Tucker Foundation, volunteered at the soup kitchen for this year's Valentine's Lunch, hosted by the Peace Ambassadors of West Texas. It was an enlightening experience. "I didn't realize how many people came through those doors, how many people they fed," Mikeska said, taking note of the aged equipment and the small kitchen. "They do a lot with what they have." He and the board were glad to be able to help. "The board knows what good the soup kitchen does." Burke said the increase in numbers is partly because of a partnership between Daily Bread and the Salvation Army-Concho Valley, struck about three months ago. The Salvation Army, which serves breakfast and dinner, refers people to Daily Bread for lunch. The lunch program returns the favor, an arrangement that helps avoid duplication of services. Burke expects the number of people served to swell about 15 to 20 percent in the summer as schools close and children also start coming for meals. "We have to be cognizant of numbers increasing and something going wrong at any time," Burke said. "We're always looking to the future." Opinion / Columnist We have all heard of the expression "of the ostrich burying its head in the sand" meaning someone who is refusing to confront or acknowledge a problem. With the MDC ostrich the expression has assumed a more sinister meaning!"The so-called million men march that was staged by the faction-ridden and crumbling Zanu-PF regime on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 was a spectacular flop," wrote MDC-T spokesman Obert Gutu. "A few thousand people, most of whom had been commandeered to travel to Harare to attend the puerile and utterly purposeless march, turned up for this non-event. In fact, less than 5,000 people turned up for this march, whose main agenda was to massage the ego of a nonagenarian who has run down the former jewel of Africa. What a big yawn, the march was."There is no doubt that President Mugabe "has run down" Zimbabwe's once promising econ-omy the facts on the ground speak volumes; unemployment rate has soared to 90% as the na-tion has continued to lose jobs and the regime has failed to deliver on its 2013 promise of 2.2 million new jobs.Yes the march was "to massage" President Mugabe's humongous ego praising his "visionary and iconic leadership" many of the huge and industrial produced quality placards. Given that he is the one responsible for the country's economic mess, only someone with a humongous ego would still beam with pride, as Mugabe did, at be showered with such meaningless praise.It is laughable that 90% of those marching and singing Mugabe's praise are unemployed. Surely there must be one or two homemade placards at least demanding that the President should honour his promise and create jobs; there were not even one such placard! None!President Mugabe spend billions of dollars in the last election to pay for his very elaborate and expensive vote rigging scheme in the 2013 elections. He paid the Israeli company that tampered with the voters roll US$10 million and must have spent millions on the hired crowd and on bussing them around the country to attend rallies and then to vote on polling day.Some people believe it must have costed the regime $200 million to hire and bus this one-million man march crowd (none of them dared raised the lack of employment opportunities or many of the other problems because they were paid to praise the great leader even when that meant lying about his competence). President Mugabe admitted in March that $15 billion in diamond revenue was looted; it is no secret that Zanu PF chefs are the looters including the President himself. President Mugabe paid the $200 million for his one-million man march, it was small change to him!The one million man march was a "flop" first and foremost because this country has a thou-sand and one other pressing matters to which the $200 million should have been used. Zim-babweans are very rarely granted a chance to meet President Mugabe and so for these march-ers to do so and then say nothing to him about their myriad of economic problems included the lack of job opportunities was a wasted opportunity.Only a shallow minded person like Obert Gutu would argue the march was a flop because instead of the one-million Zanu PF claims "less than 5 000 people turned up". He missed the point completely because it is not the head count that is at issue here.What exposed Gutu for his the proverbial ostrich with the head buried in the sand mentality is his claim that "less than 5 000 turn up" and even gave the list of school buses commandeered by Zanu PF as it to "prove" his case. Anyone who has seen the photographs or videos of the rallies saw there were a lot more that 5 000 people at the rally!Tell you what you empty head Gutu; give me $200 million even $2 million and even I Patrick Guramatunhu the son of a peasant with none of your Deputy Minister of Justice in the GNU political credentials, will amass a hired crowd of one million!Zanu PF's unfettered access to State human and material resource including the looted wealth from Marange diamonds is at the very heart of its ability to amass a one-million man hired crowd and to rig national elections. This is way we must implement the democratic reforms necessary to stop the regime looting the nation's resources and then, to rub hot chilli into the nation's eyes, use the looted wealth to bankroll its vote rigging schemes.MDC failed to implement even one democratic reform during the GNU allowing Zanu PF to blatantly rig the July 2013 elections. Since the elections MDC-T has promised to implement the reforms but to date, it is only two years now left before the next elections, the party not implemented even one reform.The fact that Zanu PF has managed to use its ill-got wealth once again to stage this pointless one-million man rally should be a stake reminder to the opposition body politics and the na-tion at large that unless meaningful democratic reforms are implemented quick-smart Zanu PF will blatantly rig the next elections. Obert Gutu's pathetic attempt to falsify the size of the hired crowd is the ostrich in him burying its head in the sand, in this case, not to see the fierce grass fire engulfing it!We can hardly endure another day of this economic meltdown let alone another five years beyond 2018 and yet unless we implement the reforms that is what we will have. We must not allow ourselves be fooled by people like Gutu, the present economic meltdown is hurting us a hell lot more than it is hurting Gutu and his fellow MDC friends who sold-out during the GNU and failed to implement even one reform.------------Patrick Guramatunhu can be contacted at patguramatunhu@gmail.com The fees public pension plans pay Wall Street money managers -- some of which go unreported -- have come under increasing scrutiny in recent years. It's estimated that disclosed and undisclosed fees cost public plans upwards of $20 billion annually, according to the author of a new study That's a big dollar amount when you consider that public pension plans' collective unfunded liability is a little over $1 trillion. So far, just a few state plans have been trying to get a handle on these fees. One of them, the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), reported late last year that it paid $3.4 billion in undisclosed fees over the past 25 years on $24 billion in total investment earnings. CalPERS is the nation's largest retirement system.Jeff Hooke, a consultant for the right-leaning Maryland Public Policy Institute, estimates in the study that Maryland's public employees' plan paid $500 million in 2014 -- twice as much as it reported for that year. Hooke said that if other states' hidden fees are similarly underreported, the total fees pensions actually pay could be as much as $20 billion annually. "And that's just for states -- forget about all the counties and cities," he said, "which could easily add another 25 percent to that."At issue are so-called performance fees, which private equity and hedge fund managers charge plans for any profits they generate. Pension plans generally disclose management fees but have avoided reporting performance payouts because they weren't required to under accounting rules and because they're hard to calculate.Now states are looking to bring these fees under control. Kentucky took a step in that direction last year when it revised its reporting policy to include more transparency on private equity fees. In 2015, the first year of the policy, the Kentucky Retirement System estimated it spent $108.3 million in fees -- a 75 percent increase over the amount reported in 2014.Similarly, New Jersey and South Carolina also revamped their fee reporting. Since 2007, fees in South Carolina have gone from $39 million to $468 million , an increase the system attributes to better reporting. New Jersey's pension system recently announced it paid outside fund managers $328.4 million in performance bonuses last fiscal year, on top of nearly $400 million in management fees.Rooting out the true cost of private equity and hedge funds isnt just about transparency. It's also about making sure the high costs are worth the investment. Hooke argues that, at least in Marylands case, it isn't. According to data from Boston College's Center for Retirement Research, the Maryland public employees' plan has underperformed its peers over the past 10 years on its average annual rate of return. State officials, which have butted heads with the policy institute before, defend the fund's private equity investments, arguing it has earned double-digit returns over the past decade, well above the funds total target rate of return.In South Carolina, Treasurer Curtis Loftis has loudly criticized his states pension systems high fees for similarly meager investment performance compared to other plans. In a report last year to the state legislature, Loftis estimated the pension system would have saved $7 billion in costs over 10 years if it had instead used that money to invest in index funds -- low-fee portfolios that replicate the movements of a specific financial market.One pension fund is actually testing this performance theory. In 2013, the $509-million Montgomery County Employees Retirement Plan in Pennsylvania shifted most of its investments to index funds. The county Board of Commissioners estimated at the time that the move could save up to $1.3 million in annual management fees while potentially improving performance. In 2014, the county fund reported a total 7.7 percent on its investments while paying less than 0.9 percent of its investment income in fees. By comparison, the state public employees' pension fund earned 6.4 percent on its investments and paid out 11.4 percent of its total investment earnings to money managers.In Maryland, the policy institute estimates the state employees fund has spent a similar percentage of its investments on fees over the past five years. The institute's president, Christopher Summers, said he hopes his group's report will encourage better data in Maryland and elsewhere so that lower-cost investments like index funds might be considered as an alternative."There's still a learning curve on this for public and elected officials," he said, "so were trying to get as many educated as we can." In Philadelphia, former Mayor Michael Nutter tried and failed several times to convince the city council to tax soda and other sugary drinks. He wanted to use the money to help fund the financially struggling school district. The new mayor, Jim Kenney, is still pushing for a soda tax, and a recent study may persuade people in Philadelphia -- and around the nation -- to finally pass one.According to a Harvard study released last month , if Philadelphia enacts a tax on soda, the city would prevent 36,000 cases of obesity and more than 2,200 cases of diabetes as well as save almost $200 million in health-care costs.I knew the findings would be big, but this was more than I expected," said Philadelphia Health Commissioner Thomas Farley, who helped create New York City's infamous-but-failed cap on the size of sodas. "Its especially gratifying since the study came out so close to the City Council debate," which will take place in the coming weeks.If the city council warms to the idea this year, Philadelphia would only be the second U.S. municipality to tax the sale of soda (Berkley, Calif., was the first). But the City of Brotherly Love isn't the only place considering soda taxes this year. After statewide legislation in California died, two of Berkeleys neighboring cities -- Oakland and San Francisco -- have put measures to tax soda on the ballot for this fall. A similar measure is also expected to appear on Boulder, Colo.'s ballot in November.So far, though, these taxes havent been popular with voters. They've been rejected 43 times over the past several years at the state and local levels, according to Lauren Kane, senior director of communication for the American Beverage Association.These taxes are regressive, they fall hardest on people with the lowest [income]," said Kane. "It would also impact small businesses across the map, from delivery trucks to movie theaters to mom-and-pop corner stores."Mayor Kenney, however, argues that the soda tax would benefit the city by bringing in $400 million over the next few years -- which he wants to use to fund universal pre-K.He has so far focused mostly on the economic windfall of the tax. But the study concludes that such a tax would have a positive impact on residents' health as well.For an 18-year-old, one sugary drink a day adds up to 20 extra pounds over three years," said Steve Gortmaker, the study's lead researcher. "When people with disposable incomes are forced to pay more for something, theyll slow down with their consumption."Soda taxes have proven divisive, even among progressives. Hillary Clinton last month came out in support of the Philadelphia measure, while her Democratic presidential oppononent Bernie Sanders called soda taxes regressive because they would impact low-income people the most.In Philadelphia, Kenney's proposal would add 3 cents per ounce to the cost of sugary drinks, which would increase the cost of a 12 oz. bottle of soda by 36 cents.Farley is hopeful that the study will drum up support for councilmembers who might have been on the fence. But, he said, we just dont know what will happen at this point." Right to work is back on the books in Wisconsin, at least temporarily.Late Tuesday, a state court of appeals judge granted Attorney General Brad Schimel's request to reinstate the law while the appeals court decides whether it's constitutional.The ruling was issued by Lisa K. Stark, the presiding judge for the District 3 Court of Appeals in Wausau."We feel confident the law will ultimately be found constitutional, as it has been in more than half the states across the country," said Johnny Koremenos, spokesman for Schimel.Last year, Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican-led Legislature made Wisconsin the 25th right to work state. The measure bars businesses and unions from reaching labor deals that require workers to pay fees to the union.In April, Dane County Circuit Judge William Foust found Wisconsin's law, known as Act 1, violated a clause of the state constitution that says the government can't take property from individuals or organizations without fair compensation. He later declined declined to put on hold his ruling and Schimel, a Republican, appealed.Stark, in her five-page order, concluded the lower court overstepped its bounds in not putting its ruling on hold. The record, she said, did not indicate the unions would suffer substantial harm if the law stayed in effect while on appeal. She said "there is sufficient likelihood" that the law will eventually be upheld.Supporters of so-called right to work laws argue no one should be forced to pay union fees if they don't want to belong to a labor group. Unions contend such contracts should be allowed because federal law requires them to represent all employees in a work unit -- meaning that they all benefit from the protections and higher wages unions provide.The case will likely end up at the state Supreme Court, which conservatives control by a 5-2 margin. The Connecticut Supreme Court has upheld its decision to abolish the state's death penalty, including for inmates on death row.The 5-2 ruling, released Thursday, upholds the justices 4-3 decision last August that the death penalty was unconstitutional for all -- including 11 convicts on Connecticut's death row -- following the legislature's abolition three years ago of capital punishment in Connecticut. Lawmakers made the law prospective, meaning it applied only to new cases and kept in place the death sentences already imposed on those facing execution before the bill was passed.Attorneys for those on death row challenged the law, saying it violated the condemned inmates' constitutional rights. The ruling last August came in the case of Eduardo Santiago, who had faced the death penalty for the December 2000 killing of Joseph Niwinski in West Hartford. Santiago has been resentenced to life in prison without the possibility of release.In the August ruling, the justices in the majority wrote that executing an inmate "would violate the state constitutional prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment" and that the death penalty "no longer comports with contemporary standards of decency."Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers, who joined with Justice Carmen E. Espinosa and Justice Peter T. Zarella in the August dissents, voted this time with the majority, saying she felt bound to the doctrine of "stare decisis," a Latin term meaning "stand by things decided.""Just as my personal beliefs cannot drive my decision-making, I feel bound by the doctrine of stare decisis in this case for one simple reason--my respect for the rule of law," Rogers wrote. "To reverse an important constitutional issue within a period of less than one year solely because of a change in justices on the panel that is charged with deciding the issue, in my opinion, would raise legitimate concerns by the people we serve about the court's integrity and the rule of law in the state of Connecticut."Rogers said, "stability in the law and respect for the decisions of the court as an institution, rather than a collection of individuals, in and of themselves, are of critically important value, especially on an issue of such great public significance as the constitutionality of the death penalty."In separate dissents, Zarella and Espinosa rejected the assertion that respect for precedent mandated Thursday's ruling, saying that doctrine should never be used to enshrine a flawed decision. And they pointedly noted that Rogers herself had blasted the original Santiago decision as "a house of cards, falling under the slightest breath of scrutiny."They also criticized Justice Richard A. Robinson, who came on the court after the Santiago decision and voted with the majority, along with justices Richard N. Palmer, Dennis G. Eveleigh and Andrew J. McDonald."I cannot fathom how Chief Justice Rogers and Justice Robinson believe they respect the rule of law by supporting a decision that is completely devoid of any legal basis or believe it is more important to spare this court of the purported embarrassment than to correct demonstrable constitutional error," Zarella wrote.In switching her position on Santiago, Rogers wrote that overruling the case so soon after it was decided could lead to public perception that Supreme Court rulings are based on the personal whims of its members and would undermine predictability in the law."The short answer to those concerns," Espinosa wrote, "is that they are unjustified and irrelevant when the prior precedent at issue is clearly wrong." And that is particularly true, she wrote, when the "clearly wrong, recently decided case" upended prior decisions and violated the rule of precedent.Zarella also dismissed the assertion that overruling the Santiago decision would send the message that closely decided cases can be revisited whenever there is a change in the Supreme Court membership. "My response is concise and simple: So what," he wrote. "This has been, and will always be the case."Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, in a statement released Thursday afternoon, said the ruling "reaffirms what the court has already said: those currently serving on death row will serve the rest of their life in prison with no possibility of ever obtaining freedom."Malloy noted that Connecticut in the last half century has executed only two inmates, both of whom volunteered for death."Opinions on this issue vary, and it's critical that we respect that diversity of perspectives," Malloy said. "These are deeply personal and moral issues that we as a society are facing and the court has once again ruled on today. Our focus today should not be on those currently sitting on death row, but with their victims and those surviving family members. My thoughts and prayers are with them on this difficult day."Chief State's Attorney Kevin T. Kane said his office respects the decision and would "move forward" to re-sentence the individuals currently on death row to a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of release."The Division of Criminal Justice and I extend our deepest sympathy and condolences to the victims of these crimes and to their families," Kane said in a statement. "I also wish to express my appreciation to the dedicated professionals in the Division of Criminal Justice who have devoted so much of themselves throughout this process."In October, the high court denied a request by the chief state's attorney to postpone the Santiago decision, a ruling that followed its denial of a request by prosecutors to re-argue Santiago.Prosecutors then filed briefs arguing for the Santiago decision to be overruled in the pending appeal of Russell Peeler, who was sentenced to death for ordering the 1999 killings in Bridgeport of 8-year-old Leroy "B.J." Brown Jr. and his mother, Karen Clarke. The justices heard arguments on those briefs in January.Prosecutors said in deciding the Santiago case, the court "did not confine its analysis" to the actual claim raised -- whether enacting the 2012 law invalidated the death sentences of those sentenced before the law went into effect. The court made its ruling, prosecutors said, "for reasons having little or nothing to do with" enactment of the 2012 law and "erred in its ruling on lines of analysis and authorities the parties had not discussed."Prosecutors also argued that the justices relied on "flawed historical analysis" to justify their "departure from well-established principles of law" and incorrectly determined that state residents prior to the 1818 constitution gave the high court the authority to act independently to invalidate a penalty.Public defenders for Peeler made several arguments against overruling the Santiago decision in court briefs, pointing foremost to the legal doctrine of "stare decisis" -- letting decided issues stand. Senior Assistant Public Defender Mark Rademacher told the justices that the state faced an "uphill battle" in getting the ruling reversed."What the state is asking this court to do ... is simply breathtaking," Rademacher said at the January hearing. "It is asking this court to overrule a long line of cases that have affirmed the court's authority as a constitutional matter to protect the citizens of this state against cruel and unusual punishment." Portland Mayor Charlie Hales on Tuesday placed Police Chief Larry O'Dea on paid administrative leave a day after new details emerged that the chief misled an investigator about his involvement in an eastern Oregon hunting accident.Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward told The Oregonian/OregonLive that O'Dea initially indicated that his friend accidentally shot himself April 21 during the off-duty trip."We need our Police Bureau operating at its best, and our officers can't do that when there's turmoil and confusion surrounding their leader," Hales said in a prepared statement.O'Dea only recently publicly acknowledged that he shot his friend in the lower left side of his back while camping and hunting near Fields.Ward said O'Dea and other witnesses to the shooting steered the deputy who responded into thinking the wound was a self-inflicted accident.O'Dea never identified himself as a police officer and didn't tell anyone from the Harney County Sheriff's Office that he had accidentally fired the shot from his .22-caliber rifle, the sheriff said.O'Dea admitted to the mayor on April 25, four days after the shooting, that he had shot his friend by accident, according to the mayor's spokeswoman Sara Hottman.O'Dea said last Friday that he negligently discharged his rifle -- with no further explanation. Neither he nor the mayor divulged the shooting until reporters started asking questions. Authorities haven't identified the friend, saying only that he was a 54-year-old man. He was treated and released at a Boise hospital.Police and sheriff's officials also have declined to say how exactly the chief's rifle fired and under what circumstances.At the time, O'Dea was with a handful of others, including retired Portland police Sgt. Steve Buchtel, a former Portland police firearms supervisor who served on the bureau's tactical squad with O'Dea, and retired Sgt. Mike Lieb, who also served on the bureau's Special Emergency Reaction Team with O'Dea.Oregon State Police and the Oregon Department of Justice are conducting a criminal investigation into the shooting.Portland's Independent Police Review Division on Monday initiated an internal investigation.Constantin Severe, the division director, said he learned about the shooting through news reports. His division, which conducts all police internal affairs investigations involving command staff of captain rank and higher, was never alerted of the shooting by the Mayor's Office or the Police Bureau."I don't know why IPR was not notified," Severe said "We should have been."Asked why the mayor didn't make that notification, his spokeswoman said, "Typically the chief or otherwise PPB Professional Standards, would alert IPR."Last week, Hales said he supported O'Dea, 53, a 29-year bureau veteran who joined Portland police on Sept. 4, 1986, and rose through the ranks before he was appointed by the mayor to serve as chief, starting in January 2015.The mayor has now appointed Assistant Chief Donna Henderson, who has led the bureau's investigations branch, to serve as acting chief. Henderson joined Portland police in July 1988.Henderson sent an email to bureau members, pledging "to communicate with you as we move forward.""Headlines aside," she said,"we have a lot on our plate as an agency, including critical staffing issues, the ongoing (Department of Justice) DOJ-related items, budgetary issues and of course, we are headed into Rose Festival and a busy summer. I know you will continue to work hard and serve this city to the best of your ability. You have my support and commitment to do my best as your Acting Chief."O'Dea's annual salary was $192,504 when appointed as police chief. Under a contract with the city, he would receive a severance payment of one-year's pay if terminated without cause. His salary and benefits would end if he were fired with cause. Typically, such firings involve serious misconduct, a violation of city rules regarding ethics or a conviction for any crime that could bring discredit to the city of Portland.In his weekly chief's update to members last Friday, O'Dea set to address a rumor that he was planning to retire in October, writing: "Rumor of the Week -- Chief O'Dea is retiring in October. Fact -- False. I still have no plans of retirement as yet. I am hearing this one quite a bit recently. I think it has come up again based on that I will have 30 years on, my son ends probation in October, and it's another 27 pay period retirement month. With the election of a new mayor, I suspect versions of this will continue to be speculated. Of course, the people in my position tend to know it last so keep letting me know what you hear so I have a heads up!"The president of the Portland Police Association quickly called for O'Dea to "step aside during the investigation."Officer Daryl Turner, the union president, hadn't commented publicly on the controversy until the mayor acted."Based on the severity of the allegations regarding an incident in Harney County involving Chief Larry O'Dea, we strongly believe that Chief O'Dea should step aside during the investigation," Turner said in a statement.Turner also said the bureau's standards for "transparency and trust" shouldn't be exclusive to the rank-and-file, but to command staff and the chief as well.Here's the mayor's full statement:Mayor Charlie Hales has placed Portland Police Chief Larry O'Dea on administrative leave, pending the outcome of several open internal and external investigations."We need our Police Bureau operating at its best, and our officers can't do that when there's turmoil and confusion surrounding their leader," Mayor Hales said. "Chief O'Dea has been providing excellent service as our police chief, and now needs to focus on these investigations. He and I agree that going on administrative leave during these open investigations is in the best interest of the Bureau and the city."I am awaiting the outcome of internal and external investigations before commenting about the incident, and urge all Portlanders to do the same."In late April, Chief O'Dea was on vacation in Harney County, when he had a negligent discharge from his .22 caliber rifle that injured one of his close friends. The injured man was treated and released from the hospital and the Harney County Sheriff's Office was notified of the incident.Oregon State Police, Oregon Department of Justice, Portland Police Bureau Professional Standards, and Portland Independent Police Review have open investigations into the incident.Chief O'Dea has been given a Communication Restriction Order by the Portland Independent Police Review, which is a written order that restricts the Chief from discussing the facts of the case.Assistant Chief Donna Henderson will be acting chief while Chief O'Dea is on leave. Mayor Hales is currently at a conference in Washington, D.C., and returns Wednesday.Here's Turner's full statement:The rank and file of the Portland Police Bureau live and work by a standard and code of conduct set forth by the Chief of Police, his managers, and most of all, by the needs and the expectations of the evolving and diverse communities we serve. When the standard is breached, there is an extensive investigation process in place that assures full disclosure and transparency to the public as well as every member of the Bureau. However, the expectation of this standard of transparency and trust does not and should not be exclusive to the rank and file; it must also include our Command staff, supervisors, managers, and the Chief himself.Based on the severity of the allegations regarding an incident in Harney County involving Chief Larry O'Dea, we strongly believe that Chief O'Dea should step aside during the investigation.This incident has compromised the integrity of the Police Bureau, and should not be a reflection on our sworn and non-sworn members who work tirelessly and diligently to build trust and respect within our community.The Portland Police Commanding Officers' Association also put out a statement, calling for a full, impartial investigation of the chief's actions. Here it is:Integrity and accountability are two of the core principles of the Police Bureau. All members of the organization, up to and including the Chief, must be held to the same high standards. A full, impartial investigation must be conducted to determine if the Chief complied with the law and PPB policies regarding the incident last month in Harney County. Further, the investigation must be transparent to ensure both public faith and internal credibility. On Wednesday, in the morning, at Government House, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC received Mr Neil Laurie, Clerk of Parliament, for the presentation of Bills for Assent. In the afternoon, at Government House, the Governor and Mrs Kaye de Jersey hosted a luncheon in honour of Queensland authors. Guests included: Mr Matthew Condon; Mr Dr Kari Gislason; Ms Melissa Lucashenko; Ms Sarah Holland-Batt; Mrs Jeraldene Fryberg; and Air Commodore Mark Gower OAM. Following, at Government House, the Governor received His Excellency Mr Viktar Shykh, Ambassador of Belarus to Australia. In the evening, at Government House, the Governor and Mrs de Jersey hosted a reception for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society of Queensland to celebrate world MS Day 2016, where His Excellency addressed guests and presented awards. Description GIS 26 May, 2016: The emerging health issues confronting Mauritius and the need for support and assistance from funding agencies to enable the country to face these challenges were the main highlights of the statement of the Minister of Health and Quality of Life, Mr Anil Gayan, at the 69th World Health Assembly in Geneva. The 69th session of the World Health Assembly is being held in Geneva from 23 to 28 May 2016. The general plenary discussion is focusing on the theme, Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Among the other main items on the agenda at the session are: the World Health Organisations (WHO) reform, the WHOs response to health emergencies and the International Health Regulations; non-communicable diseases and factors that can put people at risk of these diseases; childhood obesity and maternal, child and young child nutrition; air pollution; tobacco control; violence and road safety. According to the Minister, Mauritius, at present, faces the consequences of an ageing population, cancer, high burden of non-communicable and other chronic diseases, accelerating cost pressures, rising expectations of people for high quality health services as well as unpredictable floods and droughts, and increase in vector-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya due to climate change. Informing the Assembly that public health in Mauritius is primarily financed from domestic sources, Minister Gayan deplored that as a middle-income country, Mauritius is no longer qualified for support from funding agencies although there is a serious burden of disease. We urge the funding agencies to review their eligibility criteria so that, regardless of income, countries like Mauritius continue to benefit from their assistance, he said, adding that the assistance cannot however come with inordinate conditionality which shackles the freedom of policy makers. The Minister also made a call for vigilance so as not to embark on health demands which are externally driven and are not sustainable, arguing that global targets set for attaining key health objectives cannot be indiscriminately applied to developed and developing countries. Highlighting that the WHO is unique as an international institution since it has to work closely with non-State actors, Mr Gayan stated his confidence that the Framework of Engagement with Non-State actors will be transparent, free from undue influence and conflicts of interest. Speaking on the importance of making health systems more resilient, the Minister pointed out that fresh outbreaks of epidemics or pandemics can never be ruled out. Citing the example of Mauritius, as a Small Island Developing State, which is vulnerable to epidemics and has to increase surveillance at ports and airport and develop a rapid response capacity to pre-empt the entry of cross-border infectious diseases, Mr Gayan talked on the cases of Yellow Fever that has broken out close to the country. Unless the production of vaccines is scaled up to vaccinate all those who are at risk of contracting it, a wider disaster threatens, he stressed. The major public health concern poised by drug substance abuse was also emphasized by the Minister. He mentioned the new psychoactive substances which are causing serious damage to the health and safety of the young people. Our public health system will crumble unless we send a robust message that we are determined to do whatever it takes to overcome the world drug problem, he affirmed. Welcoming the initiative of the WHO to include road safety as an item on this years agenda, the Minister said that Mauritius has also made road safety a national priority as the country recognises that the world is losing too many persons in the prime of their life due to road crashes. Mr Gayan thus made a plea for a multi-sectoral approach to make the roads safer for all users as the economic and social costs such crashes entail, in addition to the trauma for the affected families, are unquantifiable. Government Information Service, Prime Ministers Office, Level 6, New Government Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius. Email: Website: The Prime Minister, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, handed over yesterday title deeds for a plot of land for residential purposes at Khoyratty and Mon Gout to the 115 planters of Ex-Riche Terre Land settlement following the drawing of lots exercise at the Lunch Room of the National Assembly in Port Louis. The allocation of the land to the planters is in line with Governments commitment to redress the unfair treatment and inadequate compensation that had been given to them in the wake of the Tianli- Jin fei Project at Riche Terre. It is also an additional compensation as part of Governments endeavour to give due consideration to repeated representations made in respect of request for full compensation in a spirit of fairness and on compassionate grounds given their displacement from Riche Terre. In his address, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, expressed concerns with regards to the plight of the 115 planters which he said, have been deprived of their land without a fair compensation so far. According to him, this action of Government is clear testimony to the particular attention being given to these planters so as to compensate them in a fairly manner. He further appealed to the beneficiaries to use the land judiciously. The Prime Minister reiterated his full support to the planting community in Mauritius adding that one among his priorities is to help the planters overcome the future challenges. He further added that he will always be indebted to them for their contribution in the socio-economic development of the country. The two sites respectively at Khoyratty and Mon Gout, which cover a total land area of 9 hectares (22 Arpents) were acquired from Terragri Limited in May 2016 under the Government-MSPA agreement on 2000 Arpents Scheme. The two plots have been subdivided into smaller lots that is 85 at Khoyratty and 36 at Mon Gout, each of an average extent of OA10P, which have been released for residential development including associated amenities. Opinion / Columnist "Is this a holiday?" The play begins on the theme of not knowing one's proper place. Two Roman tributes, Flavius and Murellus, representative of the Roman nobility, are eager to retain the status quo of the Republic under Senate rule. They encounter workmen or mechanical and are offered by menials' disregard for sumptuary laws: going about without the sign/of your profession or in other words, not wearing the clothes that designate their professions clearly. The classes are forgetting their station! The caste system is jeopardised! "Reading" itself is in danger! It was a holiday the 25th of May 2016 marking the Africa Day. The crowd that cheered President Mugabe and his wife Dr. Grace Hararee are classical examples of the Shakespeare play of Mark Antony. The gullible crowds are still the same as was in Shakespeare times and it still so, like yesterday at Square Harare, Zimbabwe. The crowds roared and cheered. Pasi ne MDC! Pansi labasizondayo! Most of them came with empty stomachs, some with babies on their backs and small children, perhaps in the hope of having some food after the ululating and clapping of hands, or they just to come and see their ruler: The Life President Robert Mugabe. Yes, the crowds can be used and abused by any system anywhere in the world. You need to see how Donald Trump uses the very crowds to his political favour! To say that the crowds in Harare that crowded the Square Harare in their thousands are gullible, it is still an underestimate. Some sterner stuff should be crafted to describe the stupidity of a Zimbabwean povo.Whatever on-sight international media coverage that caught the happenings of yesterday in square Harare, it is shameful to know what THEY think about a Zimbabwe-African of today and Africa celebrating their African Union! With all the education we boastfully claim we possess in Zimbabwe, the stupidity that was displayed in that square Harare yesterday is galling to say the least. So many good minded people of Zimbabwe complained about this one-million-men- match, it does not solve our economic problems at all, please boycott this event! It is money going to waste, some said, the demonstration is to make the ruler "feel good" feel good by splashing so much needed money that could be useful in face-lifting dilapidated schools and hospitals. No books and medicine, civil servants unpaid for months and this government thinks people can live on air alone. But again these are the people who are bearing all hardships who will go to square Harare to cheer the ruler! Heil Mugabe! Heil Fuhrer!What has President Robert Mugabe done to Zimbabweans since independence to be cheered and revered the way he was accorded yesterday? I will certainly not repeat what we all know, the untold miseries he has presided over for 35 years. Here are people who have seen it all, some of them born in absolute poverty, screaming on top of each other's voices in praise of the ruler. But they have been brought down, reduced to abject, smelling poverty not even experienced in the colonial era. We have drought, no rains, El Nino is threatening yet another year of no rains. The population of 4, 5 million is living on hand-outs coming from the western countries even USA has donated millions towards alleviation of hunger and famine. This country called Zimbabwe is not ashamed even to get assistance from western countries, those countries that are insulted at every opportunity by the Zimbabwean ruler. Nothing adds up to full total! The audacity to still shout: "Heil Mugabe! Our Revolutionary Icon!" Baba wedu! Life President! He shall rule even in his grave! Saying so much nonsense in such economic dire straits the country is going through; it simply means something is lacking in our psyche and rational thinking processes. It is wholly not normal by all standards to cheer at 35 years of absolute failure. One did not even need to read economics to know that Zimbabwe is a failed state right, left and centre. What is there to cheer, clap hands, and ululate in a failed state?At Square Harare yesterday, there was no drink offered, no food offered to people who came from long distances to come and give the ruler a big ego for three hours and go back again empty handed, thirsty and hungry. What were in abundance were party shirts and caps that show the head of the President. People started fighting for them, to get one at least to wear so that they can sing for the ruler proudly in party regalia. This is 2016 whereby people should be knowledgeable enough to know that they are used and abused by the Zanu PF. Where is the national pride? Where our fathers and mothers not proud to give Smith regime a middle finger? There is no difference between Ian Douglas Smith and Robert Gabriel Mugabe, perhaps one is white and the other is black. There is no other distinct ideological difference beyond colour of their skins .It is just sad how the politicians have such a low opinion of their underlings. Some people were left stranded, their respective buses gone leaving them vulnerable in the dark, mid-night, in the middle of Square Harare.It is indeed, not so thought through gatherings of yesterday that give us the epithet "stupid Africans!" when THEY say we are stupid, we cringe! We say no we are not, but we are, evidenced by the thoughtless gathering that brought a million-men- match from all corners of Zimbabwe staged just to make some oldie of 92 years feel good about himself! It is satanic but last, to gather people together for a three hour "feel good" to a man who has done nothing to a country like Zimbabwe and we have to listen to downright dishonesty from them politicians, starting with the youth leader, the main organiser of the million-men-match, forced into our throats to make us believe that Mugabe is iconic, a revolutionary, a Father of the Nation, all that happening on the Africa Day.President Mugabe is a killer, an architect of genocide, destroyed our food securities by unprofessional farms invasions hence we are starving, destroyed homes in urban areas in 2005, killed and maimed citizens who did not want to vote for him in 2008, mavhotera papi, rigged the elections openly in 2013. Do those citizens of Zimbabwe who were dancing toyi-toyi in Square Harare yesterday know all these facts? Are they not coming from those dilapidated flats of Mbare: their permanent residence: where there is no toilet and no running water working anymore? Are they not vendors who do not know where the next plate of a meal is coming from? Children are seen playing in sewage waters right in the middle of several Zimbabwean townships. In year 2016, after the Millennium, there is no reliable clean water; urban citizens look for abandoned wells to collect water in bush-faeces-collecting-water wells. What were they doing ululating at a despot who has destroyed lives of thousand in a reckless manner? Children's deaths due to absence of clean water and sanitation are common in Zimbabwe.Where are those people today who were dancing toyi-toyi for their ruler yesterday? What has changed in their lives today having wasted time yesterday by going to polish the ego of a nonagenarian who is living in his last days of his life? Did they get the food they wanted, some hand-outs in form of mealie-meal? Idle creatures indeed! Hence home! Zimbabwe is exceptional in the sense that nowhere in this world perhaps in North Korea, can people get assembled to give praise to a despot and be happily told to go back to their miserable economic situations without complaining, but happy to have seen their ruler, how stupid can we still be? How low have we gone, I thought we reached the rock bottom long back! Physically is there any depth lower than the rock bottom? This is really the height of folly! Citizens have to be invited nearer so that they are mocked right on their faces.It remains to be seen if the indeed the Zanu PF government will be able to rig the economy as the MDC-T always put it. If Zanu PF can organize the citizens in such a short space of time to gather at the Square Harare to mark the Africa Day, what makes them fail to fix the economy since they rigged 2013 when they "won the elections with a landslide?" With all the big brains in abundance in the party, what makes them fail economically to give citizens employment they dully promised long ago? Is it not rudeness to assemble people and mock them on their faces, telling them emptiness, dishonesty and rudeness of the first order?Chimwe nechimwe chinenguva yacho! Inguva yavo. Time will come too, when the people of Zimbabwe will read these hard and sarcastic times, seemingly unending, everything just went wrong at the beginning of time, in 1980. The poverty of their Chimurenga! Who knew that the German Hitler will fall from his grace and love of absolute power? He fell indeed together with his henchmen, and now he and his bunch of criminal cabals are in the dark side of world history. Heil Mugabe, Heil Fuhrer! In the mean time let's take care of Bona's baby. Description GIS 26 May 2016: It is our duty to produce Mauritian citizens who are creative, resilient and enabled for excelling in the 21st Century changing environment. Government is fully committed to implement the education reform which is high on the agenda and to this respect, no stone will be left unturned to deliver a high standard of academic education and skills for our youngsters, said the Prime Minister, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, today at the State House, in Reduit. The Prime Minister was addressing the 2015 Higher School Certificate (HSC) laureates at a reception hosted in their honour by the President of the Republic, Dr Ameenah Gurib-Fakim. Gifts were also presented to the laureates. Several personalities including the Minister of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, were present at the reception as well as the families of the laureates and their rectors. In his speech, the Prime Minister stated that the success of laureates marks the culmination of hard work, dedication and perseverance. HSC, he pointed out, was indeed a challenge in its own right, but higher education is a further challenge still. We look forward to you keeping the flag of education flying as you now prepare to reach further heights through university education, Sir Anerood Jugnauth said. According to him, the laureateship offered by Government is an opportunity for young people to continue to excel in life. I look forward to you keeping on in the field of learning and do so in fields of need for the nation and I appeal to you to contribute to the countrys development after your studies, the Prime Minister stated. In this era of information and communication technology, you can do so even from abroad in terms of ideas and knowledge-sharing but I request you to dedicate part of your future career to serve the country as leading professionals, he added. For her part, the President of the Republic, Dr Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, while congratulating, the laureates for their outstanding and brilliant performance, observed that they are lucky and privileged to belong to this 21st Century generation since this Century offers many advantages to young people such as more career opportunities, freedom to choose from a variety of jobs and tasks. With the advent of technology and development in the field of telecommunications, you will have more flexibility in deciding how and where to work, that is, either working from home or telecommuting, with greater opportunity to express yourself and the ability to restructure and reshape your life as well as your work taking into account your values and interests and ambitions, the President said. Dr Gurib-Fakim stressed that self-employment and small business entrepreneurship will by and large become the norm as we steam ahead in this 21st Century, and for which a set of new skills, commonly referred to as the 21st Century skills, as well as new work habits and character traits will be required. The President also spoke about the importance of lifelong learning and self-education which is about educating oneself in the practical skills in order to be successful in a rapidly evolving and self-reinventing international economic environment. Description GIS - 26 May, 2016: Around Rs 2.3 million have been disbursed by the Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare for some 1,100 womens associations and the four regional committees responsible for the activities of womens associations in their region. The registered womens associations each received a grant of Rs 2,000 while the four regional Committees were granted Rs 5,000 each. Around Rs 2.3 million have been disbursed by the Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare for some 1,100 womens associations and the four regional committees responsible for the activities of womens associations in their region. The registered womens associations each received a grant of Rs 2,000 while the four regional Committees were granted Rs 5,000 each. The Grant Donation Ceremony, an annual event organised by the Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family in collaboration with the National Womens Council (NWC), was held today at Octave Wiehe Auditorium, Reduit, in the presence of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry and President of the NWC, Mr Maubarakahmad Boodhun. The aim of the ceremony is to pay tribute to womens associations for the role they play in keeping women mobilised and aware of issues that are relevant to their well-being and their empowerment. In his address, the Permanent Secretary stated that womens empowerment is a continuous battle fraught with barriers. Though much progress has been made, women still remain victims whether at home, in organisations or other institutions, he said. Mr Boodhun thus appealed to womens associations to follow through on their hard work and to uphold the concept of unity in diversity. Despite your different cultural backgrounds, you have come together for a common cause, that of advancing womens rights, he affirmed, adding that the associations should organised fund raising activities to support their endeavours. Speaking of the Rupees for Solidarity initiative, a fund-raising activity by the NWC whereby members of womens associations each donated symbolically a token amount of One Rupee, the Permanent Secretary commended the women for their contributions which have assist many women in distress. It is noted that the Rupees for Solidarity fund is provided to women who are not eligible for any financial assistance under current schemes but who still need to be supported. Recalling the role of the State in leading the way in championing womens rights and accompanying womens associations through policies, strategies, action plans, legislation and provision of resources, Mr Boodhun announced that womens centres would undergo infrastructural works to improve the environment where women meet and get training. The private sector has been roped in for this enterprise, he said. The Grant Donation Ceremony was followed by a presentation on the National Womens Council Act 2016, which was passed at the National Assembly on 3rd may 2016. The new legislation makes better provision for the functioning of the National Womens Council in order to provide a platform for women to voice their needs, concerns and aspirations. Its objectives include, among others, the improvement of the regulation of womens associations and the management of the Regional Committees responsible for the activities of womens associations. Government Information Service, Prime Ministers Office, Level 6, New Government Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius. Email: Website: (TNS) -- A California law requiring online services to post their privacy policies for customers doesnt apply to an airlines data-gathering mobile app because federal law tightly restricts state regulation of airlines, a state appeals court ruled Wednesday.The First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco said the state law cant be enforced because the federal Airline Deregulation Act, signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1978, prohibits states from enforcing any law related to a price, route or service of an air carrier.The ruling upholds a judges dismissal of a 2012 lawsuit by Attorney General Kamala Harris against Delta Air Lines. The airlines Fly Delta mobile application, available since October 2010, allows passengers to buy tickets online and stores information the customer provides during the purchase, including name, residence, email address, credit card numbers and frequent-flyer account.The suit accused the airline of violating Californias Online Privacy Protection Act, which requires operators of commercial websites and other online services doing business in the state to post privacy policies that describe the information they collect and to identify others who may have access to the data.The federal law doesnt forbid all regulation of airlines, which remain subject to state minimum-wage laws and other restrictions unrelated to services. But the appeals court said the terms of the law have been interpreted broadly for example, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that states cant regulate airlines advertising of their fares, or allow suits under state law alleging violations of their own frequent-flyer rules, because of the ultimate impact on airline prices and services.Similarly, the California privacy law would require Delta to meet state standards rather than the market forces currently dictating Deltas selection and design of the mobile app, Justice Martin Jenkins said in the 3-0 ruling. If other states could enforce their own privacy laws, he said, the airline might have to use different versions of the software in each state, and might ultimately be unable to use a mobile application as a marketing mechanism, one of the services it provides.Lawyers for Delta and Harris office werent immediately available for comment. Attorney Robert Span, who filed arguments for the Air Transport Association of America, said the ruling should help airlines avoid a patchwork of different regulations around the country. (TNS) -- NORFOLK -- The city will offer free public Wi-Fi across the Park Place neighborhood starting this fall in the first program of its kind in Norfolk.Up to 7,800 people at a time will be able to use the high-speed internet, said the citys chief information officer, Steven DeBerry.I think the city of Norfolk is really leading the way in this free public access, DeBerry said.The city is partnering with WHRO in Park Place and planning to bring the same kind of Wi-Fi to at least two other neighborhoods in the next year, but it hasnt decided which ones, DeBerry said.Norfolk libraries have long had free Wi-Fi. Its also available at the MacArthur Square train station and soon will be offered at Town Point Park.But this is the first time an entire Norfolk neighborhood will have Wi-Fi. Its part of a broader effort to improve access for businesses and residents.DeBerry said he doesnt know how much the Park Place installation will cost, but it wont be astronomical.The service will use the hard-line internet at Monroe Elementary School. A device called a concentrator will be installed there to send a wireless signal across the neighborhood, DeBerry said.That signal will go to about 61 nodes on telephone poles around the neighborhood that will function like residential routers. Each one can connect as many as 128 users at a time.DeBerry said exact connection speeds will depend on the equipment, but the service will be very high speed and should be able to handle heavy loads even everyone streaming movies on Netflix at once, for example. It could replace home Internet service , he said, or provide service to people who dont have it.WHRO will maintain the equipment once its up and running. Bert Schmidt, president and CEO of the station, said it has the staff to help thanks to its online and educational efforts.Schmidt said hes excited to help connect people who dont have service at home.Internet now is a little bit like water, he said. Everybody needs it. Its not a luxury anymore. Many of us take internet for granted, but there are still people who dont have access.Park Place, which includes the 35th Street business district, is north of Ghent and west of Granby Street. The once-thriving neighborhood was in decline for decades, with storefronts vacant and rising crime. But in recent years, the city has worked with residents and businesses to revitalize the area.There are a lot of exciting things that are happening, said Beverly McDonald, who is opening a restaurant, Croakers Spot, in the neighborhood next month.The city has provided matching grants to help property owners fix up building facades, said Vernon Fareed, president of the Park Place Business Association. He used a grant to remodel one of three units he owns.And Norfolk officials have been talking to residents about how to use $200,000 more in city money for other upgrades, which Fareed said could include street improvements.Business owners said free internet will help bring more people to the neighborhood.Randy Baker, who owns the restaurant Grannys Country Cooking and already has Wi-Fi there, said he sees a lot of people using laptops while they eat.In a presentation Tuesday to the City Council, DeBerry outlined other ways the city is working to improve internet access.Norfolk has renegotiated its deal with Cox to get higher-speed service at a lower cost for city and school buildings, DeBerry said. Its planning to expand the fiber network that connects schools and city buildings.Norfolk also plans to renegotiate its Cox franchise agreement and try to attract other providers.DeBerry pointed to the citys recognition from major technology firms.Last year, Google named Norfolk an eCity, saying its small businesses had the best online presence of any city in Virginia. And this fall, Norfolk will host a Smart City symposium with Microsoft. Bostons first chief data officer will be Andrew Therriault, an announcement Mayor Martin Walsh made May 25 Most recently, Therriault served as director of data science for the Democratic National Committee. He also has previous experience and training in machine learning and network analysis, skills he said he will bring to his role within Bostons Citywide Analytics Team, reporting to CIO Jascha Franklin-Hodge."The Citywide Analytics Team is an invaluable asset, helping to keep Boston at the forefront of data-driven solutions that provide excellent services to the people of Boston," Walsh said.Bostons data efforts are many and include CityScore , executive data dashboards to monitor city performance, a hazard information platform for firefighters called Building Intelligence System , and a data-sharing agreement with Waze to improve traffic flow in the city.One of the things thats great about this opportunity is coming in and having a team already in place thats already accomplished a lot of things, Therriault said. There are a lot of projects that teams have already taken on and all the successes theyve already had. So my starting point first and foremost will be to get in there and take inventory of all the things that are going on and find ways to build on that and do those things even better, before we get into the area of expanding into new fields.For data in Boston, expansion means shifting the citys stance from reactive to proactive, he explained. The next phase of data science centers around predicting behavior to prevent unwanted or even disastrous events before they happen. Technologies that drive those sorts of programs -- like machine learning are what Therriault said he hopes to bring to Boston. Intervening on students who are at risk for dropping out, for instance, is an area where city government can use data science to make positive societal impact, he said.Someone in my background who works on things like machine learning and programming and working with data of all kinds, theres obviously the opportunity to go into the tech sector or into business more generally, but frankly that doesnt excite me, he said. Thats not something that I get up in the morning for. What gets me going every day is not just to make money, but to help people make a positive impact on peoples lives. And whats great about it is being able to be really creative in how you do that. Therriaults official start date is June 20, 2016. The ModelCentro team has announced that they will be attending AWSummit in Romania this upcoming June 7-9 as Platinum sponsors. The event honors the live cam industry through informative seminars, opportunities to do business and lively parties and events. Attendees can meet ModelCentro at the Meet Market Noon to 6 p.m. on June 9 and Noon to 4 p.m. on June 10 in the Business Lounge, and see their presentation on June 8 at Noon, as well as other events across the summit. ModelCentro is the platform that enables models to create and run a professional membership site without the hassle of billing, hosting or complicated set-up. The platform includes a wide variety of functions and tools to help the model interact with fans, post content, and generate as well as monitor revenue. We spend a lot of time building up ModelCentro to be what it is today, said Natalie Ray, ModelCentros Project Manager. AWSummit is a great place to showcase our achievements and meet with those interested in MC. ModelCentro has also been nominated as "Best CMS Platform" at the AW Awards. Voting closes on May 31; those who wish to vote in that category may do so here. For more information about ModelCentro, visit ModelCentro.com. To book a meeting with a ModelCentro team member, click here. Fernando Alonso on Wednesday sounded surprised when told that McLaren chiefs Ron Dennis and Eric Boullier have been making very upbeat comments lately. McLaren supremo Dennis has been talking about wins and team boss Boullier declared that the MP4-31 is even better than Ferrari's. "Who said that?" Alonso is quoted by Spanish media as having responded in Monaco to the media's queries. "That's very optimistic, but if that's what Eric and Ron say, then I have to agree with them because they are my bosses," the Spaniard smiled. Honda-powered McLaren is expecting a competitive weekend in Monaco but Alonso warned: "Mercedes will be strong, Red Bull will be strong, Ferrari will definitely be competitive. "We must ensure that we are close to this group," he added. Williams' Felipe Massa also warned McLaren not to run away with optimism, despite the fact the British team is certainly improving. "They are certainly performing better, but to be ahead of Ferrari? Unlikely," said the Brazilian. "McLaren is not in the shape to get ahead of the leading teams -- I don't think they have a car that is as good as a Mercedes, Red Bull or Ferrari," he added. Alonso, however, insisted that despite McLaren-Honda's recent troubles, he is in the right place for the future. "Red Bull is absolutely a top team and has a very good car," he said. "But they have no manufacturer behind them. And Ferrari is always Ferrari." (GMM) Jules Bianchi's family is launching legal action against F1 authorities over the death of the French driver. Bianchi, 25, died last year after a late 2014 collision with a trackside recovery vehicle in fading light at Suzuka. Reports on Thursday ahead of the Monaco grand prix, where in 2014 Bianchi famously scored Marussia's first ever points, said the Bianchi family will sue the team, the Formula One Group companies and the FIA. "Jules Bianchi's death was avoidable," a lawyer representing the family said. Jules' father Philippe added: "We seek justice for Jules and want to establish the truth about the decisions that led to our son's crash." (GMM) Team supremo Ron Dennis has warned McLaren's rivals that Stoffel Vandoorne is "not for sale". The Belgian and reigning GP2 champion, who made his impressive F1 debut in injured Fernando Alonso's car in Bahrain, says he is keen to step into a full-time cockpit for 2017. "I'm pushing very hard and know I've got a very good shot at it and hopefully I'll be in the car next year, that's definitely my goal," the 24-year-old, currently McLaren's official reserve, said. "The number one priority is to be with McLaren." The implication of Vandoorne's comments is that other teams may also be expressing interest in him. Indeed, team boss Eric Boullier suggested recently that he could be loaned to a rival team if there is not room for him at McLaren, whose current drivers are Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso. But Dennis on Thursday sounded determined that Vandoorne's future is very much in a grey McLaren. "Stoffel is an extremely talented, intelligent and hard-working young driver, with an enormous amount of potential, and who importantly knows how to win," he told GMM. "As such he's an integral part of McLaren-Honda's future, and any other team that imagines they may be able to poach him away from us is very much mistaken. "As regards our 2017 driver lineup, we aren't yet ready to commit or communicate, but you may rest assured that Stoffel is not for sale," Dennis added. (GMM) Jagan Keeps Up promise: Sai Reddy For RS YSR Congress party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy has kept his promise given to his aide and auditor of his firms V Vijaya Sai Reddy by announcing him as the party candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections. Jagan made the announcement at the YSR Congress party central committee meeting held in Hyderabad on Thursday. The meeting was attended by all the party MLAs, MLCs and MPs attended the meeting. The party will get only one RS seat, out of four seats that have fallen vacant; and it can comfortably win the seat as it has more than the required number of MLAs (44) to win the seat. Vijay Sai Reddy, who had been close to YSR family for a long time as the auditor of Jagans firms, joined the party during the 2014 elections. He has been made the general secretary of the party. Sai Reddy filed his nomination papers later in the afternoon. KCR Denies RS Seat To Media Owner Telangana Rashtra Samithi president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao dealt a rude shock to media owner and industrialist C L Rajam by denying him Rajya Sabha ticket, which was promised to him two years ago. KCR selected former minister Capt V Lakshmikanth Rao and senior leader D Srinivas for the two Rajya Sabha seats which have fallen vacant in Telangana with the completion of term of two sitting MPs Gundu Sudha Rani and V Hanumanth Rao. While Lakshmikanth Rao was rewarded for his loyalty to the party and his contribution to the partys victory in Warangal Lok Sabha by-elections, D Srinivas was given the seat under BC quota. In fact, KCR had promised to give the RS seat to Rajam for giving up the ownership of Namasthe Telangana Telugu daily in favour of the TRS. He told a delegation of the Brahmin association leaders that he would reward Rajam with the RS seat under Brahmin quota. However, in the last two years, KCR did not entertain Rajam at all, though he continued to be pro-TRS in running Metro India English daily. Rajam made quite a few attempts to please KCR, but the latter did not reciprocate the gesture and finally denied him the Rajya Sabha ticket. Interestingly, Namasthe Telangana MD D Damodar Rao was also in the race for the RS seat, but he too was not considered because KCR did not want the RS seats to be given to both the upper caste people. RS Seat: Jagan Gives Weapon To Rivals YSR Congress party president Y S Jagamohan Reddy has given the Rajya Sabha ticket to his close aide and former auditor of his group companies V Vijay Sai Reddy. It was very much expected, as Sai Reddy has been the party general secretary for over two years and has been loyal to YSR family. So far so good. But, what has surprised media and political observers is the reason given by Jagan while defending his decision to field Sai Reddy for the RS seat. He said: Sai Reddy has been the co-accused in the CBI cases filed against me. He had to run around the courts and jails for my sake. At one stage, he was under pressure from the CBI to turn an approver against me, but he refused and stood by me all along. That is why, I am reciprocating his loyalty with the Rajya Sabha seat. This is shocking. It gives a sharp weapon to the rivals, particularly the Telugu Desam Party, to attack him. By saying that Sai Reddy was an accused in the CBI cases and was under pressure to turn an approver, Jagan indirectly admitted that the cases against him were genuine and Sai Reddy had protected him by not turning an approver. Moreover, it gives an impression that Sai Reddy was given the Rajya Sabha ticket only to pre-empt him from turning an approver in future. Does it not show the immature thinking of Jagan politically? RALEIGH Two Navy jet fighters crashed off the coast of North Carolina during a training mission Thursday, and their four crew members were airlifted to a hospital with minor injuries after being plucked out of the Atlantic Ocean by a commercial fishing vessel and Coast Guard rescuers, officials said. The F/A-18 Super Hornet jet fighters, based in Virginia Beach, crashed about 10:40 a.m. off the coast of Cape Hatteras, following an "in-flight mishap," said Lt. Cmdr. Tiffani Walker, a spokeswoman for Naval Air Force Atlantic. Walker did not have any further details. Earlier Thursday, the Coast Guard had said the two aircraft collided in the air before crashing. Two of the aviators were rescued by the crew of the commercial fishing vessel Tammy, and the other two survivors were hoisted out of the water by a Coast Guard helicopter, the Coast Guard said in a statement. A second Coast Guard helicopter picked up the aviators from the fishing vessel and all four survivors were taken to Norfolk Sentara General Hospital. The sea route is heavily traveled by ships entering and leaving Norfolk, one of the busiest cargo ports on the East Coast. Derick Ansley, an aviation survival technician with the Coast Guard who helped rescue two of the downed aviators, told WTKR-TV that the men had some "dings and bruises" but were in good shape, considering the circumstances. "In my opinion, the guys got pretty lucky," Ansley said. "Everything happened exactly the way it should have in that situation and somebody was looking over their shoulder when it was happening. For people to walk away from that is a pretty amazing thing," he said. Claude Morrissey, another Coast Guard rescuer, told WTKR that the aviators ejected from the jet "at a high rate of speed." Ansley said some wreckage from one of the jets was still on the surface of the water when they got to the men. The four aviators suffered minor injuries but are in "very high spirits," Lt. Cmdr. Krystyn Pecora told reporters. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said all were "alert and talking" when they were picked up. Videos taken by WAVY-TV show two aviators getting on stretchers as they exited the helicopter and were taken into the hospital. The other two walked into the hospital on their own, the videos show. "We're happy to have brought everyone home safely today," Pecora said. A safety investigation will be carried out to determine the cause of the accident, said Navy spokesman Ensign Mark Rockwellpate. The F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather fighter and attack aircraft that operates in tactical squadrons at stations around the world and from 10 aircraft carriers, the Navy says on its website. The Super Hornet, the newest model, has a longer range, aerial refueling capability and improved survivability and lethality, according to the website. Each of the planes costs at least $57 million, the Navy says. The jets that crashed Thursday were performing training exercises and are not currently assigned to an aircraft carrier, Walker said. The crew is part of Strike Fighter Squadron 211, based in Virginia Beach. A rescue helicopter was dispatched from the Coast Guard's air station in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The station's helicopters perform ocean search-and-rescue operations off North Carolina and Virginia as far east as Bermuda. RALEIGH The Navy has identified the two aircraft that collided off the North Carolina coast as F/A-18 Super Hornet jet fighters. The Navy posted the information on its Twitter account Thursday. Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer 3rd Class Joshua Canup says Coast Guard crews were notified about 10:30 a.m. Thursday of the collision about 25 miles east of North Carolina's Outer Banks. He says the four were plucked off a commercial fishing ship that pulled them out of the Atlantic Ocean and flown by Coast Guard helicopter to a hospital in Norfolk, Virginia. Their conditions were not immediately known. The helicopter was dispatched from the Coast Guard's air station in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The station's helicopters perform ocean search and rescue operations off North Carolina and Virginia as far east as Bermuda. Bob Luckey / Bob Luckey GREENWICH Arthur Fisher, 62, of Oakwood Ave., Rye, N.Y., came to police headquarters on Tuesday to face a charge of fifth-degree larceny. The arrest followed an alleged theft of a wallet from the Aux Delice cafe on East Putnam Avenue in Riverside April 25. According to police, surveillance video from a camera in the store showed Fisher taking a wallet left by a customer on the self-service coffee bar. The wallet was later retrieved, missing the cash inside it, in a nearby post-office box. An arrest warrant was issued. Something like this. Photo: Juan Monino This is about to become a trend. Londons first clothing-optional restaurant, coming this summer, accumulated a 27,000-person-strong wait list in just six days. Now two Melbourne radio DJs are getting in on the action, too. Jo Stanley and Anthony Lehmo Lehmann threw the idea out there on their show, wondering if anyone would actually attend an Aussie version of the nude-restaurant concept, only to be inundated with phone calls, texts, and emails from enthusiastic fans or maybe just a horde of well-coordinated nudists. So they hosted a one-night-only pop-up at a place called the Noble Experiment, a small-plates and cocktails restaurant. (Based on the time difference, the meal probably wrapped up just as this posted.) Restaurant owner Daniel Lemura and his staff, whom he says are down to work nude, were apparently psyched to be part of the stunt. [Yahoo Lifestyle] The pies at Petees Pie Company deserve a cult following. Photo: Melissa Hom Weve decided to wade through the piles of salted caramel Granny Smiths and lemon meringues to find the best pies in New York City. The Absolute Best 1. Petees Pie Company 61 Delancey St., nr. Allen St.; 212-966-2526 Petra Paredez started off with recipes borrowed from Moms Apple Pie Company, her familys operation, which for decades has turned out thousands of ribbon-worthy baked pies from its home base in Virginia. At first, Paredez produced a faithful rendition of her fathers almond chess pie at her excellent Lower East Side shop, until she came up with the idea to add a benthic layer of dark-chocolate ganache. She then sharpened the tart and buttery accents of the familys lemon chess pie, which manages to be perfectly flaky and gooey, usually in the same bite. The puffed-top chocolate cream is the shops sleeper hit. It deserves a cult following, along with the banana cream, which looks like something out of a Wayne Thiebaud painting and has the deep flavor of caramelized fruit. The lineup changes, and often, with grass-fed butter, organic wheat, and seasonal fruit as the through line. Petees, in fact, is not the kind of place that foists its (delicious) strawberry-rhubarb on customers at the first sign of crocuses. Paredez rolls out a plain, springtime rhubarb, followed by apple-rhubarb as ingredients become available; strawberries only enter the equation in late May or early June, depending on when the best ones hit the market. 2. Salvation Burger 230 E. 51st St., nr. Third Ave.; 646-277-2900 The whipped cream offsets the yellow grapefruit curd beneath it with a lone floral note of rosewater, and the gelled, barely set raw pink grapefruit underneath that pops with juice. The pate sucree packs a dignified wallop of butter, along with the sesame crumb, but sugar seems to be missing, or at least scarce. That none of the many-layered pies coming from April Bloomfield and pastry chef Audrey McCleods kitchen are clobbered with sweetness is intentional. The milk and corn flavor components of the popcorn ice cream work out their subtle differences without interference from the Crunch n Munchlike base of caramel. Elsewhere, a hint of Sichuan pepper helps the super-creamy Meyer-lemon curd retain its bright citrus edge in the sugar-dusted fried pie. The restaurants well-salted namesake burger is sometimes topped with the brash flavors of ramp butter, or magmalike taleggio. Maybe you should start with dessert first? 3. Four & Twenty Blackbirds 439 Third Ave., at 8th St., Gowanus; 718-499-2917 It was just a few years ago that wunderkind baking sisters Emily and Melissa Elsen started with little more than a killer caramel-apple, and a big bag of flaky salt to sprinkle atop their honey-custard pie. Now there are multiple Four & Twenty locations and pie pop-ups in L.A.s hippest precincts, and expansion has been fruitful: Theres a sweet and faintly bitter matcha pie, green like blanched broccoli, and wilder forays such as birch-beer float and minty chocolate julep. The chocolate chess still has a winning fudgelike texture, and the down-to-earthy honey-rosemary shoofly flavor continues to hit its sticky, herbal, and sweet notes in masterful succession. Moreover, watch those rims: The Elsen sisters continue to produce the finest crimp work found anywhere in the five boroughs. 4. Butter & Scotch 818 Franklin Ave., nr. Union St., Crown Heights; 347-350-8899 Its a fair bet that no place as simultaneously demure yet calorific as this exists in all of New York. Co-owners Keavy Blueher and Allison Kave specialize in handsome pies that happen to be relentlessly festive (key lime, blueberry-cranberry), or informed by booze (negroni, bourbon ginger-pecan), or both (grasshopper, eggnog). The smores, a Butter & Scotch cornerstone, benefits from a housemade graham-cracker crust and a wispy marshmallow layer thats spent some quality time near an open flame. On a recent night, two tough-looking guys in hoodies sat at the bar near the yellow-and-red neon Eat Pie beacon and devoured slices of negroni pie in rapt silence. They started giggling when asked if they were ready for their next course, something called the Mary Ellen, which consists of a hot-fudge sundae paired with a vodka martini. 5. Perfect Pie Brooklyn Roasting Company, 25 Jay St., at John St., Dumbo; 718-514-2874 Its been mere weeks since this new company debuted a line of savory (duck-and-collards, turmeric-tofu) and sweet (apple, pecan) mini-pies at Brooklyn Roasting Company locations throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. Thing is, though, these individual-size pastries blind-baked and double-crusted have been vetted by a long list of presidents, prime ministers, and popes. They are the work of Bill Yosses, the former White House pastry chef weve been following since his humbler days of chocolate-chestnut bread-pudding ramekins at Joes Citarella. His plastic-wrapped and oven-safe paper pie tins may strike purists as disconcertingly non-tin-like, but rest assured the man President Obama (awesomely) dubbed the Crustmaster is cutting no corners with his post1600 Pennsylvania Avenue endeavor. The dough is rolled by hand in a Long Island City commissary; the lattice work is exceptional. The huckleberries are West Coast and wild, and Yosses himself cant stay away from the convection ovens long enough to stop working on new ideas. 6. The Blue Stove 415 Graham Ave., nr. Withers St., Williamsburg; 718-766-7419 Guava has been known to make a guest appearance, and the chocolaty Carnie, which stacks whipped cream and caramel peanuts on a mousse layer, is the closest this underrated shop gets to a Momofuku-ifed candy-bar monstrosity. Flavors are blissfully stuck in a classic mode, for the most part: Key lime is served with old-fashioned citrus slices and an ornamental crown of cream florets; rhubarb gets dispatched into a custard base, and plums are cooked down with rose hips. The paired-off ingredients have a wholesome prewar charm, which probably has something to do with the owners cache of recipes inherited from her grandmother. The oaty pear-ginger crisp is always on point, and sugar and fruit juices combine to form a dark syrup that spouts from under the crust at the height of blackberry-apricot season. In fancy kitchens, that glazelike eruption may be considered unsightly; here its a wonderful point of pride, as it should be. Court Street Grocers Reuben is a sweet, salty, fatty package of pickled meat and zingy condiments. Photo: Melissa Hom There are two main theories regarding the invention of the Reuben sandwich, both of which revolve around men named Reuben. (1) New York City, 1914: Arnold Reuben, the owner of Reubens Restaurant, slaps together some Virginia ham, roast turkey, Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and Russian dressing on rye and calls it a Reubens Special. (2) Omaha, Nebraska, 1922: A poker-playing grocer named Reuben Kulakofsky, who must have fashioned himself along the lines of a modern-day Earl of Sandwich, takes a break during a card game and fixes himself a similar sandwich but subs corned beef for the ham and turkey and sauerkraut for the coleslaw. The former, admittedly, isnt what we now consider a classic Reuben, which is why most sandwich aficionados give the edge to Omaha. Whats not up for debate, though, is that the Reuben, whoever invented it, has everything you could ask for in a sandwich. Here are the very best Reubens in New York. The Absolute Best 1. Court Street Grocers 485 Court St., nr. Nelson St., Carroll Gardens; 718-722-7229 Unlike revenge, a Reuben is not a dish best served cold. It should be butter-griddled like a grilled cheese, not just for textural contrast but so the Swiss oozes and the flavors meld. Dry-toasting the rye, BLT-style, misses the point, as a cohesive Zen oneness is what you want in a Reuben. Regarding ingredients, there is flexibility. Pastrami or even turkey are okay substitutes for corned beef. Russian dressing standing in for Thousand Island is copacetic. Coleslaw instead of sauerkraut? Why not? Though were partial to the latter. One thing to avoid is the abomination known as the open-faced Reuben, topped with a big, sweaty rubber blanket of broiled Swiss, the way some delis serve it. Generally speaking, the Reuben enthusiast would be wise to steer clear of delicatessens even respectable ones as they tend to coast on the superiority of their meat, which they pile on thick, sacrificing balance, proportion, and technique. The buffoonish construction at Katzs, for instance, starts out by melting Swiss cheese over a sloppy scoop of sauerkraut in the microwave and goes downhill from there. And Katzs isnt the half of it. There are some incredibly bad Reubens in New York overstuffed monstrosities, abysmal grease bombs, even ones served with lettuce and tomato on hero rolls. Not so our winner, the Court Street Grocers Reuben a sweet, salty, fatty package of pickled meat and zingy condiments wrapped up tight in slices of caraway rye. Our traditionalist side likes the fact that the kraut comes straight from a jar bearing the name of the venerable Brooklyn briner Ba-Tampte, and the rye bread from uptown bakery Orwashers. Our innovationist side likes the housemade Mississippi-style comeback sauce (a spicy substitute for Thousand Island), and the quirky choice of meat corned short ribs of beef instead of the usual (often dry) brisket, thats well-marbled, cured in house, and redolent of clove and coriander. Yet another side a lazy one likes the location of the shops new Manhattan spinoff, a short post-Reuben waddle from our apartment. 2. Frankels Delicatessen & Appetizing 631 Manhattan Ave., nr. Nassau Ave., Greenpoint; 718-389-2302 Did we just say to avoid delicatessen Reubens like the plague? Well, forget that for a moment. Frankels Reuben is the exception to the rule. Although they griddle the seedless rye too lightly, theres great synergy among the ingredients, and the juicy, deep-pink shingles of corned beef are beautifully sliced and as carefully layered as a Farrah Fawcett hairdo. 3. Pickler & Co. 216 E. 45th St., nr. Third Ave.; 646-869-9026 Could it be that youll find the citys third-best Reuben at a coffee bar located inside the lobby of a midtown fashion college? Could it be that this Reuben was devised by two 20-something childhood friends from Pittsburgh whose goal it is to serve wraps, salads, and sandwiches made from ecofriendly ingredients that wont kill you? Could it be that despite the name of the place an allusion to the proclivity of one of the partners for preserving vegetables in salt and vinegar solutions they forgot to give us our complimentary pickle? And did that outrageous act of neglect cost this upstart sandwich shop a higher position on our list? The answer to that last question is Not quite. But the Pickler Reuben corned beef sliced prosciutto-thin the way some aficionados prefer, and laid out on Tom Cat rye with Greenmarket kraut, Swiss Emmentaler, and housemade Thousand Island is a contender. The beauty of this sandwich is its balance, and how the Pickler boys deploy the corned beef more like a condiment than as the featured attraction at an all-you-can-eat St. Patricks Day buffet. Its a reasonably sized sandwich designed for midtown office workers rather than upstate hay balers. If the too-lean meat (admirably made from antibiotic-and-hormone-free beef without nitrites) had just a little more fatty flavor it could have been our top choice. 4. Foster Sundry 215 Knickerbocker Ave., at Troutman St.; 718-569-8426 In fine Bushwick DIY style, they cure their own corned beef (sliced medium thick), they pickle their own kraut (good and tart), and they whip up their own special sauce (nice and tangy). You wont blame them for not making their own cheese when you taste the funky washed-rind and surprisingly Reuben-friendly Ashbrook, an excellent melter from Vermont. Darn good pickle on the side, too. But demerit points for a sharp-edged, dry-toasted marble rye sliced disproportionately thick, which leaves the eager Reuben eater with a painful case of what is known in certain sandwich circles as pressed-panini palate. It's already been revealed that this year Motorola will unveil a successor each for the Moto X Style and Moto X Play from 2015, yet this time around they will bear Moto Z branding. While the Moto Z Style and Moto Z Play will be available internationally (and possibly unlocked in the US), let's not forget about the company's ongoing partnership with Verizon for Droid-branded handsets. What you see below is the 2016 entry in the Droid hall of fame, the successor to the Droid Turbo 2 from 2015. It will probably be called Moto Z Droid Edition, and it's likely to share its specs with the Moto Z Style. It does share the looks of both the Z Style and Z Play, that's for sure - at least on the back, as you can see above. Amazingly, the Droid branding is pretty discreet with this one, not something you'd expect from Verizon. Furthermore, Big Red's own logo is nowhere to be seen, though it's possible that it will be placed on the front of the device. The Moto Z Droid Edition will support the MotoMods that Motorola will unveil this year. The company's modular accessories connect to the pins that are present on the lower side of the phone's back. The Droid will be offered in at least these three color versions - black, silver, and gold of course. Spec-wise, if the Droid Edition borrows from the high-end Style, then expect it to sport the Snapdragon 820 chipset, along with 4GB of RAM, a 5.5-inch QHD AMOLED touchscreen, 32GB of storage, a 13 MP rear camera with OIS, and a 2,600 mAh battery, all packed into a 5.2mm thin body. Source These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales. Timeline for One UI 5 rollout revealed: Galaxy S and Z models to get it by the end of the year The latest report from storage market tracking company TrendFocus shows that Samsung remains the top dog in the SSD market. According to the report, a total of 30.77 million SSDs were shipped during Q1 2016, an increase of 32% from the same period last year. The company has over 40% market share and for Q1 2016 shipped 12.93 million SSDs compared to 9.42 million last year. SanDisk follows with 12.8% of the market while Lite-On is third with 11.4% market share. Samsung's SSD business includes not only selling products to PC makers like Lenovo, Apple and HP, but also directly to customers. The company's latest SSD is the 750 EVO, which was made globally available earlier this week. Source | Via Welcome to Line Danci Read more [...] Monday, Jackson Pleteau the Director of Cabinet of the Minister of Education as announced and promised for several weeks, confirmed that the Ministry has started the process of delivery of letters of appointment to teachers in an irregular situation... Haiti - NOTICE : Precautions and measures for travelers to Haiti Tuesday, May 24, 2016, the French Government has updated its section "last minute" designed to travelers safety in general and French nationals in particular, who intend to travel in Haiti. NOTICE travelers to Haiti : "Electoral period : The second round of presidential elections, originally scheduled for 27 December 2015 and 24 January 2016, was not held to these dates. The continuity of the state is maintained through a political agreement that covers the period, at this stage, until 13 June 2016. Faced with electoral uncertainty and recurring demonstrations, it is recommended to stay away from crowd movements, to observe restrictions of movement and to keep informed of developments (local media, embassy, etc...) An upsurge of acts of brigandage and road blockade is found for some time, affecting hitherto untouched territories. If foreigners are not specifically targeted, it is recommended to exercise particular vigilance. Armed attacks at the exit of the international airport of Port-au-Prince : Faced with the upsurge of armed attacks, sometimes fatal, between the airport and place of accommodation, mainly for travelers coming to visit their family, it is recalled that it is imperative to organize its reception by relatives or trusted persons, to respect the greatest discretion on the objective and the terms of your travel, to minimize the transport amounts of cash or valuables and especially not to oppose resistance in case of aggression. These attacks can target in particular the vehicle used at the exit of the airport on the day of arrival as the next day, after spotting operated by gangs. In case of late arrival, late in the afternoon or evening, you should be particularly vigilant, to prioritize lit roads and avoid the suburbs. Attacks on National Road #2 (RN2) : Quite frequently, motorists traveling on the RN2 at the height of Petit-Goave are subject to ambushes by armed groups and are stripped of their belongings. In such a situation, it is recommended to not offer any resistance.. Aggressions consecutive to a cash withdrawal : Following the new aggression of a French national at a cash withdrawal, it is recalled that it is important to handle its payment carefully. The cash withdrawals in some bank branches and ATM located in public places should be avoided because of the violent aggression are committed in the course of these withdrawals." HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Social : Diaspora, words of sympathy to a great lady In a Sympathy Note dated May 24, 2016 the Consulate General of Haiti in Montreal "in this painful circumstance, deplores the death (of natural causes), of our compatriot Cicilia Laurent, occurred Monday, May 23, 2016 in Montreal at the age of 120 years." "[...] The 'Chef de poste' a.i. Garline Paul Sanon joins members of the Consular Mission to offer her condolences to the families and relatives of the deceased worshiped affected by this loss. Mrs. Laurent was an exceptional figure and a source of wonder, who has kept her clairvoyance until the last moment. In this circumstance, the Mission took the opportunity to associate themselves with the pain of the community and all those who had the privilege to know this great lady during her long life." Learn more about Mrs. Cicilia Laurent : According to the birth certificate issued by the Haitian government in 2005, Mrs. Cicilia Laurent was born in Haiti January 31, 1896 in Pestel (150 km west of Port-au-Prince). She had 12 children, 6 died at birth (3 are still alive), many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Cicilia Laurent had come to live in Canada with one of his grandchildren son, a few months after the earthquake of 12 January 2010, which had almost cost her life, when her house collapsed on her. Prisoner of rubble, she was recovered unharmed three days later... Note that she has never been able prove that she was the Dean of humanity, the Guinness World Record having refused to recognize the validity of the birth certificate of the Haitian Government. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17529-haiti-flash-cicilia-laurent-passed-away-at-age-120-years.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-16509-icihaiti-social-a-haitian-woman-celebrates-her-120-years-in-montreal.html HL/ HaitiLibre A joint investigation with special agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and investigators with the McEwen Police Department has resulted in the arrest of the owner/operator of a clinic in McEwen on charges related to drug diversion and prescription fraud. At the request of 23rd District Attorney General Ray Crouch, on March 23, TBI special agents, working alongside detectives with the McEwen Police Department and Tennessee Department of Health, began investigating a complaint of drug diversion and prescription fraud at the Coleman Family Care Clinic in McEwen. The clinic is owned and operated by nurse practitioner Juelda Coleman. During the course of the investigation, agents developed information that since October 2015, Coleman had been writing fraudulent prescriptions for controlled substances, and distributed controlled substances in exchange for cash. On Wednesday, agents and investigators executed a search warrant at the clinic location at 9437 US Highway 70 East in McEwen. As a result of this investigation, Juelda Coleman, 44, was arrested Wednesday afternoon. She was charged with three counts of unlawful dispensing of a controlled substance, one count of illegal sale of Schedule II controlled substance, and one count of identity theft. Ms. Coleman was being booked into the Humphreys County Jail, where she will be held on a $100,000 bond. Haiti - Health : UN supports vaccination campaign against cholera Wednesday, the United Nations Mission in Haiti (Minusah) indicated that it was supporting the Haitian government as part of a vaccination campaign against cholera, which should touch 400,000 people during 2016 (in two phases). The UN Mission, said that in this campaign, the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) also receives support from the Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO / WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The launch of the first phase of vaccination took place at the Hospital Nicolas Armand of Arcahaie, Friday, April 15, 2016. About 118,000 people will receive between April 15 and June two doses of oral vaccine "Shanchol" that ensures immunization to about 60% for a variable period of 3 to 5 years, according to Jean-Luc Poncelet, the Representative of PAHO / WHO in Haiti A second phase of the vaccination campaign is planned for the second half of the year. To be successful, nearly 563,785 additional doses are required. For these two phases of vaccination, there is provided an initial budget of about $ 3.6 million. Recall that the previous campaigns of vaccination against cholera in Haiti have so far reached 285,534 people, 102,250 in 2013 and 183,284 in 2014. "However, given the increase in population and to ensure a protective effect on the long-term activities designed to increase access to clean water are also provided by the authorities, who believe that the increase access to water and sanitation in exposed areas is the key to eliminating the disease," stressed the UN Mission. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17544-haiti-cholera-4-departments-on-red-alert.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16858-haiti-cholera-downward-trend-but.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-16598-icihaiti-cholera-more-than-300-000-haitians-will-be-vaccinated-in-2016.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-16593-icihaiti-cholera-27-communes-on-red-alert.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16230-haiti-health-98-of-cholera-cases-in-america-are-in-haiti.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-16162-icihaiti-health-new-outbreaks-of-cholera-16-communes-in-red-alert.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16055-haiti-health-monitoring-ofthe-cholera-situation-in-the-country.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-14861-haiti-health-important-and-alarming-cholera-outbreaks.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-15112-haiti-humanitarian-$7m-in-emergency-funds-for-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-14406-haiti-health-it-will-take-years-to-eradicate-cholera.html IH/ iciHaiti Haiti - News : Zapping politics... BCEN verdicts Friday, May 27 Nicole Simeon, the spokesman of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) has confirmed that the verdicts of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (BCEN) of appeals of municipal elections will be published on Friday, 27 May 2016. Following the release, the CEP should publish the final results of the municipal of October 25, 2015, probably at the same time as the publication of still expected electoral timetable on 31 May 2016. The political actors hope that the CEP take into account the recommendations of the Commission of electoral verification... Jude Celestin, confident of winning the presidential election Jude Celestin, the candidate for the presidency, qualified in the second round under the banner of "Alternative League for Progress of Haiti" (LAPEH) said he was confident of winning the presidential election. He claims not to be worried about the verifications work of the Commission, convinced that whatever the outcome, he will stay in the race. Towards a Orlando-Haiti flight ? Wednesday was held a meeting of the Consulate of the Republic of Haiti in Orlando with the Orlando County Commissioner, District 6, Victoria P. Siplin, on the establishment of a direct flight between Orlando and Haiti. Reduction of budgets of the Presidency and Parimature As part of the analysis of the amending budget, Antoine Rodon Bien-Aime, President of the Commission "Economy and Finance" of the Chamber of Deputies, announced that members of the Commission plans to reduce the funds allocated to the Presidency, the Primature and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However he indicated that the members of the Commission wish to meet representatives of the various blocks in the lower house, before taking this decision. Privert receives the parents of the police officer killed in Les Cayes Wednesday at the National Palace, President a.i. Jocelerme Privert, accompanied by Camille Junior Edouard, the Minister of Justice, met the parents of police officer Jean Louis Tisson killed in office, during the attack by a commando of the police station of Les Cayes https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17467-haiti-flash-an-armed-commando-attack-the-police-station-of-les-cayes.html "Pitit Desalin" asks law enforcement Mathias Pierre, Representative of the platform "Pitit Dessalin" at the Votes Tabulation Center has advocated for a strict application of Article 78 of the electoral decree against all those who have committed fraud during the 2015 elections and asked the judicial authorities that all those involved are punished according to law. HL/ HaitiLibre Saturday, Oct. 29 No. 19 Kentucky at No. 3 Tennessee 7 p.m. ESPN UTC at Furman 2 p.m. Arkansas at Auburn 12 p.m. SEC Network Florida vs. No. 1 Georgia (Jacksonville, Florida) 3:30 p.m. CBS Missouri at No. 25 South Carolina 4 p.m. SEC Network Middle Tennessee at UTEP 9 p.m. ESPN+ (click for more) Thanks to two second half goals by Shachar Nissim the Lee men's soccer team wrapped up the regular season in style Sunday afternoon with a 3-1 victory over Alabama Huntsville on Sunday afternoon at the Ray Conn Sports Complex. Nissim's first goal was the epitome of, "the right place at the right time," as a Charger defender was clearing the ball and hit it off the back of Nissim ... (click for more) Harlow is a former New Town in Essex with a population of 86,000. Located in the upper Stort Valley, it was built in the decades after the Second World War to ease overcrowding and London and provide homes for people bombed out during the Blitz. It includes Britain's first pedestrian precinct and first modern residential tower block, The Lawn. Old Harlow, the historic part of the town, was mentioned in the Domesday Book. David and Victoria Beckham's former home, Rowneybury House, nicknamed 'Beckingham Palace', is nearby. 11:52, 25 OCT 2022 The Georgia Department of Labor announced that the unemployment rate in the Northwest Georgia region declined to five percent in April, down six-tenths of a percentage point from 5.6 percent in March. The rate in April 2015 was 5.7 percent.The rate declined as the number of unemployed residents decreased by 2,465 to 19,926.Also, the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance declined by 1,399, or 33.4 percent, to 2,786 in April. Most of the decrease came in manufacturing.And, over the year, claims were down by 295, or 9.6 percent, from 3,081 in April 2015.Northwest Georgias labor force decreased by 2,560 to 400,361.Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.2 percent, while the River Valley region had the highest at 6.4 percent.Meanwhile, Georgias seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for April was 5.5 percent, unchanged from March. It was 6.1 percent in April 2015.State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said job seekers and employers should use the GDOLs online job listing service, www.employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employees. In April, 2,486 jobs in Northwest Georgia were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 71,092 jobs were posted. Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), the biggest alliance of employers in the country, has announced its support for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbulls economic agenda, including employment and workplace reforms, as the organisation launches its plan, 'Top 10 in 10: Ten steps towards a more competitive Australia'. Among the policies the ACCI is backing are initiatives to assist young Australians with gaining employment, and measures to counter the sharp decrease in the number of new apprentices. The ACCI hopes its ten-point plan will focus attention on budget repair and tax reform ahead of the Federal Election on July 2. The ACCI is the mouthpiece for 300,000 employers and 70 industry groups. Its chief, James Pearson, told The Australian, Without immediate and effective action on youth unemployment, we risk consigning many thousands of young Australians to the fringes of the economy. Unfortunately, opposition from the union movement runs the risk of derailing the program, despite support from business and leading social welfare groups. I call on the union movement to work with us, and government, to put the plan into action. A strong apprenticeships and traineeships system ensures our workforce has the skills its needs for the jobs of the future, the ACCI stated. The ACCI has also called for action to cut bureaucracy and allow more flexibility in workplace relations so that workers can negotiate individual agreements with workers, without unions being involved. The ACCI plan, launched in Sydney, advocates "giving managers and workers the flexibility to reach workplace arrangements that suit their needs". Speaking of the broader economic climate, Pearson said, We need bipartisan backing for business and for the company tax cut. A business with a turnover of $10m is not a big business. We dont want a two-tier tax system and believe the eventual target of 25 percent, for businesses of all sizes, is what the country needs to stimulate investment to encourage growth and to generate more jobs. inesses that dont have a distinct social purpose may be missing out on the very best of todays young talent pool after a recent study revealed the majority of new graduates chose their current employer because they were looking for more than a pay cheque. The report, conducted by PR agency Claremont, found that 60 per cent of millennials surveyed said their employers sense of purpose was part of the reason they chose to work where they do. The report defines purpose as something that goes beyond corporate social responsibility and is fundamental to how the business thinks and is at the heart of everything it does how the business makes a difference. MasterCard CHRO Ron Garrow told HRM that the trend towards valuing social purpose is one that HR simply cant afford to ignore. We really need to think about our employees as consumers and they have choices they have choices just like they have choices on the way they shop and do all other things, they have choices on how they work, he stressed. It is about driving a consumer driven HR organization. Aside from being a key attraction tool, Garrow said major organizations should find a social purpose out of benevolence rather than just business. I cant say all companies must [support a social purpose] but where I come from I think they should, he told HRM. Can we benefit from that as a company? We can but we shouldnt go at it as were only doing this for the sake of making more money, were doing it to make this a better world and if more companies did that, I do think it would progress the world along in different ways. Eight Students from the Gateway School in Lenoir, NC recently completed The Grandfather Challenge hiking program at Grandfather Mountain in Linville. The Grandfather Challenge program is sponsored by The Jason Project, Inc., which was formed by the parents of Jason Matthew Nipper, who passed away in June of 2014 at age 26. This private foundation provides outdoor/wilderness and hiking excursions and similar programs which are designed to build self-confidence in struggling youth, as well as trust and positive rapport with adult mentors. Because of Jasons abiding love of the outdoors and mountain hiking, James & Cheryl have established The Grandfather Challenge, through which students navigate all of the hiking trails at Grandfather Mountain. Although the program includes at-risk kids suffering from mental problems and/or drug addictions, the program also seeks to assist any special kids who are struggling with personal adversities, including family, school, or other personal problems or challenges. The eight very special students who just completed this program are: Hunter Absher, John Branson, Kiy Ferguson, Owen Long, Joshua Powell, Ryan Reed, Dylan Street, and Casey Yount. Special thanks are due to Caldwell County School Superintendent Dr. Steve Stone, who approved the implementation of a pilot program to be overseen by Dr. Michael Wyant as Principal of Gateway School. Not only did Dr. Wyant himself drive a school bus from Lenoir to Grandfather Mountain and back four times, but he also served as one of the school chaperones and completed each of the four rigorous hikes !! Chad Davis also served admirably as a chaperone, and bravely completed all of the Grandfather hiking trails !! Each and every one of these very special students and adult chaperones did a wonderful job of accepting and completing The Grandfather Challenge course at Grandfather Mountain ! These hikes were conducted and supervised by Curtis Batten and Maria Navarro of Appalachian Mountain Leadership, which is a highly certified, experienced, and faith-based outfitter group headquartered in Boone, NC, which provides wilderness activities of various kinds, including extended wilderness excursions, rock climbing, overnight camping, and other experiences in which they teach servant leadership, wilderness management, discipline, and character building values and goals. (You can learn more about Appalachian Mountain Leadership by visiting their website at www.amlnc.org). The Jason Project, Inc. has formed alliances with the Avery, Catawba and Caldwell County School systems, representing a total of 14 high schools and 9 middle schools. Also, the Grandfather Mountain State Park of North Carolina (through its Superintendent Sue McBean) has issued a Special Activity Permit to the project, and the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation (with the support and encouragement of Jesse Pope) has issued a special pass for entrance to the Grandfather Mountain attractions. Jasons parents are deeply appreciative of the community support they have received for this exciting program ! The Jason Project, Inc. provides hiking boots, backpacks, socks, raincoats, professional guides, and all other costs associated with this program. At the successful completion of each round of hikes, the youth participants are each given a Certificate Of Completion and a gift certificate at an awards ceremony in their honor. This current group just celebrated their achievements at Piccolos Italian Restaurant in Lenoir, NC. Once again, our deepest thanks and appreciation goes out to all of these special students and chaperones who participated in The Grandfather Challenge! Anyone seeking further information about The Grandfather Challenge and/or who may wish to sponsor a student may contact James or Cheryl Nipper at (828) 765-6561 or (904) 354-7378, or via email at [email protected], or visit their Go Fund Me page at GoFundMe.com/TheJasonProject. Share this: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pocket The following information is provided by local law enforcement agencies. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Compiled by Jessica Isaacs The following were provided by the Watauga County Sheriffs Office. May 17 INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 157 Inn at Crestwood Drive in Boone. INCIDENT: Simple assault and communicating threats were reported at 120 Campground Road Lot 12 in Vilas. ARREST: A male suspect, 29, of 650 Moore Road in Farmville, Virginia, was charged with FTA reckless driving to endanger. He was held under a $1,000 secured bond and will appear in court on June 17. ARREST: A male suspect, 21, of 239 Marich Lane Apt. 101A in Boone, was charged with contempt of court/perjury/court violations. He was held under a $5,000 secured bond and will appear in court on June 8. ARREST: A male suspect, 28, of 3614 Railroad Grade Road in Fleetwood, was charged with fraud worthless checks. ARREST: A male suspect, 40, of 564 Greensboro Road in Crumpler, was charged with failure to pay child support. May 18 INCIDENT: Breaking and entering and larceny from buildings were reported at 151 Whitewater Run in Sugar Grove. ARREST: A male suspect, 22, of 9226 Aylesbury Lane in Mint Hill, was charged with simple assault and vandalism. ARREST: A male suspect, 48, of 1935 Silverstone Road in Zionville, was charged with DWI and will appear in court on June 17. ARREST: A male suspect, 26, of 309 Meadowhill Drive Apt. 22 in Boone, was charged with felony fraud obtaining property by false pretense. He was held under a $3,000 secured bond and will appear in court on June 1. May 19 INCIDENT: Vandalism was reported at 815 Poplar Grove Road S in Boone. INCIDENT: Harassment and stalking were reported on Greenwood Road in Boone. INCIDENT: Simple physical assault was reported at 1394 Milton Moretz Road in Boone. INCIDENT: Fraud was reported at 2418 Friendship Church Road in Boone. INCIDENT: Lost property was reported in the parking lot at Harris Teeter. May 20 INCIDENT: Fraud worthless checks was reported at 2705 U.S. Highway 421 S in Boone. INCIDENT: Injury to personal property was reported at 119 Valley High Lane in Blowing Rock. INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 5356 U.S. Highway 421 N in Vilas. INCIDENT: Breaking and entering a motor vehicle and damage to property were reported at 944 Seminole Trail in Elk Park. ARREST: A male suspect, 26, of 7615 Old U.S. Highway 421 in Zionville, was charged with simple physical assault and communicating threats and will appear in court on June 14. May 21 INCIDENT: Larceny was reported at 206 Martin Lane in Boone. INCIDENT: Drug violations, possession of marijuana and DWLR were reported at 4344 U.S. Highway 321 N intersection in Sugar Grove. ARREST: A male suspect, 24, of 466 Poplar Grove Road in Boone, was charged with FTA criminal summons of citation. He was held under a $1,000 secured bond and will appear in court on July 8. May 22 INCIDENT: Breaking and entering a motor vehicle and larceny from motor vehicle were reported at 265 Elias Way in Zionville. ARREST: A male suspect, 52, of 141 Canter Lane in Zionville, was charged with failure to pay. He was held under a $578 secured bond and will appear in court on June 16. ARREST: A male suspect, 22, of 1377 Blowing Rock Road in Boone, was charged with all traffic except DWI. He was held under a $500 secured bond and will appear in court on June 17. ARREST: A female suspect, 36, of 326 Milton Brown Heirs Road in Boone, was charged with violation of court order and will appear in court on May 24. ARREST: A male suspect, 39, of 210 Howards Creek Road Apt. 2 in Boone, was charged with two counts of larceny. He was held under a $1,500 secured bond and will appear in court on July 21. May 23 INCIDENT: Communicating threats was reported at 132 Poplar Grove Connector Suite C in Boone. INCIDENT: Simple physical assault and vandalism were reported at 1895 Howards Creek Road Apt. 2 in Boone. ARREST: A male suspect, 38, of 4827 U.S. Highway 321 N in Sugar Grove, was charged with felony possession of a schedule VI controlled substance. He was held under a $3,000 secured bond and will appear in court on June 17. ARREST: A female suspect, 62, of 165 Robin Lane Apt. 221 in Boone, was charged with simple possession of a schedule VI controlled substance and will appear in court on June 17. The Georgia Department of Labor announced that Metro Daltons unemployment rate for April was 5.5 percent, down 1.3 percent from 6.8 percent in March. This is the largest April rate decrease among the 26 local areas in the state. The rate in Dalton in April 2015 was 6.6 percent.The rate declined as employers created more jobs and laid off fewer workers.The number of jobs increased by 300, or 0.4 percent, to 68,800 in April. Most of the increase came in professional and business services, along with trade, transportation and warehousing.Over the year, Dalton gained 1,500 jobs, a 2.2 percent growth rate, up from 67,300 in April 2015.Most of the job gains came in the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction, along with trade, transportation and warehousing and local government.The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance declined by 950, or 47.5 percent, to 1,050 in April. Most of the decrease came in manufacturing. However, over the year, claims were up by 117, or 12.5 percent, from 933 in April 2015.Also, Daltons labor force decreased by 1,134 to 60,627.Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.2 percent, while the River Valley region had the highest at 6.4 percent.Meanwhile, Georgias seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for April was 5.5 percent, unchanged from March. It was 6.1 percent in April 2015.State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said job seekers and employers should use the GDOLs online job listing service, www.employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employees. In April, 502 jobs in Dalton were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 71,092 jobs were posted. Dear Editor, You regularly hear American politicians tell us what a good friend we have in Israel, but you never hear the full story. For example; The U.S./Israel free trade agreement is an extension of Israel-lobby extracted American aid; $10 billion backdoor boost to the annual $3-$4 billion annual American gift. American consumers are brainwashed to believe absurd propaganda that Israel, a powerful nuclear state, funded by our government, is an innocent victim of Arabs. A Jewish state in part of Palestine is not an end, but a beginning. Our possession is important not only for itself through this we increase our power, and every increase in power facilitates getting hold of the country in its entirety Israel is a work in progress and its borders should not be fixed or even defined. Ben-Gurion A Jewish homeland in Palestine had been an ambition of Zionists since the late 19th century. Britains Foreign Secretary Balfour stated in 1917: His Majestys government view with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country. This statement was part of an agreement between Britain and Lord Rothschild facilitating a loan for Britain to continue WW1 with Palestinians paying the price. In 1947 a million Palestinians were angry when the UN gave away their land. The native Palestinians, approximately two-thirds of the population, were offered less than half of their own land in the deal. The Partition Plan never happened because the day after it was issued the 1947-1948 war began. Zionist militias then systematically ethnically cleansed large portions of historic Palestine: two-thirds of the native Palestinians. In the end, Zionist militias controlled three quarters of Palestine. Israels leaders didnt declare official borders. Israels parliament admits that Israel has no written constitution in the formal sense. About seventy documented Israeli Massacres of Palestinians were committed by Zionist terrorists: the ethnic cleansing expelled about 800,000 people, killed many others, destroying villages regardless of religion. They expelled Christians and razed ancient Christian villages. This was clearly ethnic cleansing, a crime for which Nazis convicted at Nuremberg were hanged. Israelis havent been prosecuted even though all involved are known. Paragraph 13 of the Israeli Declaration of Independence says that Israel would be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex. Israel has willfully violated conditions of membership preparing for Israels final solution for the Palestinian problem. As Israel confiscates more Palestinian land for Jews-only developments, how can anyone believe Israel is serious about accommodating a Palestinian state? In 1967, Israel moved toward Ben-Gurions goal of getting hold of the country in its entirety. In the Six-Day War, Israel militarily occupied the remaining Palestinian territories, a move the world considered illegal. Rational debate this is impossible because many still believe the Arabs, intending to annihilate Israel, were only prevented by Israels pre-emptive strike. Prime Minister Begin said in 1982; In 1967 we had a choice. The Egyptian army concentrations in the Sinai approaches did not prove that Nasser was really about to attack us, we must be honest with ourselves. We decided to attack him. Israel launched a war of aggression. In 1967 Israel also attacked the USS Liberty, clearly identified as American, killing and wounding most of the crew. To this day the survivors are forbidden to speak of that attack. Hostility between Arabs and Jews began when Zionists arrived in Palestine. Today Jews in Iran and Yemen arent persecuted. Zionist Robert Kagan helped start the Project for a New American Century, the Neocon group that convinced Bush II, that Israels fears become our wars: If we do not move against Saddam Hussein and his regime, the damage our Israeli friends and we have suffered until now may someday appear but a prelude to much greater horrors. The greater horrors came, millions dead, injured, Iraq/Syria destroyed, and ISIS rises, all to destroy Israels regional rivals. The neoconservatives acknowledge their drive for world hegemony in their public position papers. Paul Wolfowitz boasted that the pillage of Iraqs oil would pay for the entire project in a few months. He was wrong. Zionist neo-cons then began demanding a new war against Israels target, Iran. The Empire didnt attack but they succeeded in imposing crippling sanctions on Iran and secured American support for Israels invasion of Lebanon and its series of attacks against the Gaza Ghetto. Israels other objectives after Iraq/Iran; Syria, Lebanon, Libya and Yemen had to be spaced over time, because the Empire has been unable to assimilate occupied Afghanistan and Iraq. Americas relationship with Israel is against Americas interests, although our politicians benefit from massive campaign contributions. Americas corrupt campaign financing system helps politicians insist Israel is always right. Your tax money pays for these crimes. The Empire joined Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the EU in a replay of their Libyan regime change sponsoring global terrorists invading Syria. Syria has been attacked for the crimes of being pro-Palestinian, allied with Iran/Lebanon and having an independent foreign policy. The goal: to break Syria into ethnically cleansed tribal states like Iraq/Libya and to get a gas pipeline thru from the Gulf States; competition for Russian gas. Want to know who rules you? All you need to do is see who reacts the most violently to your criticism. Zionists, like mafia, has their gang mixed up with their race. Zionists own most mainstream media in the Empire. Zionism hides from polite political discussion: If you, including Jews, objectively discuss Zionism youre attacked as anti-Semitic. You find discussion of Zionism offensive because the Zionists have done a good job of educating you, determining what many think they know, and to a large extent, consumers behavior. Those who jump to anti-Semitic accusations from this presentation havent investigated reality. These are places to start. http://mondoweiss.net/ http://alethonews.wordpress.com/ https://youtu.be/Ch5XlEZoi1c Dismissing criticism of Israel as anti-Semitic is like calling criticism of Nazis, anti-German. Its the propaganda trick of labeling something you dislike to control and suppress it. How bad must Israels crimes be before our government stops supporting them. Anti-Semitism is a term used to divert attention and criticism away from Israel to equate the target with intolerance and racism. Former Israeli Minister Shulamit Aloni said: its a trick. We always use it. When from Europe someone criticizes Israel, then we bring out the Holocaust. When Americans criticize Israel, theyre anti-Semitic its very easy to blame people who criticize actions by the Israeli Government that justifies everything we do to the Palestinians. American representatives serve the interests of Israel before ours. What options are left for Palestinians, who have been ethnically cleansed from their historic homeland for 68 years? Theyre called and treated as beasts, killed at will, under an apartheid system that only grows. The corporate medias lockdown on criticism of Israeli wars is only a slight variation on its coverage of American wars. We can criticize our government without being labeled anti-American but we cant criticize Israel without being attacked as anti-Semites who want to restart the holocaust. Are Jews who oppose Zionist Israels aggression anti-Semitic? The most popular Jewish religion, The Holocaust, ignores much greater genocides, acting as if it was the worst. Why should the validity of ones own national suffering be diminished in any way by the recognition of the suffering of another nation? Never again means never again for everyone. Israeli soldiers and police regularly invade Palestinian areas to confiscate land and destroy Palestinian homes. When Palestinians dare to protest this and the other aspects of military occupation, Israeli soldiers shoot unarmed protestors. In Israel, its a crime to insult a public official. The insult can be a social media post questioning a decision or action. The fines are high, and the culprit can face prison. Israel, a democracy where protests can take place freely and freedom of speech is unimpeded doesnt exist. The Palestinians have had their country stolen and like American Indians, confined to ghettos. Israel is committing genocide, but saying this brings accusations of wanting to do to the Jews what Israel is doing to the Palestinians. Discrimination against Palestinians can be compared to the treatment of Jews in early Nazi Germany. Saying these things is called anti-Semitism. Craig Dudley Share this: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pocket (Reuters) U.S. regulators are investigating Alibaba Group Holding Ltds (BABA.N) accounting practices to determine whether they violated federal laws, the Chinese e-commerce giant said, sending its shares tumbling nearly 7 percent on Wednesday. Alibaba said the Securities and Exchange Commission launched the investigation earlier this year. Questions about its growth rate and its relations with affiliated companies have dogged the firm for years. To read this article: The preparations will be made during the course of a transitional period that will end by year-end, according to a press release from the Finnish Government. The Finnish Government has determined that the best way to mitigate the risks related to Talvivaara is to begin preparing for the controlled shut-down of the state-owned, cash-strapped nickel mine in Sotkamo, Olli Rehn (Centre), the Minister of Economic Affairs, revealed in a press conference on Wednesday. The mining activities, meanwhile, will continue in order to guarantee environmental safety and prepare for the possibility that the nickel mine can continue in commercial operation also after the transitional period. It will only be possible to ramp up and continue the mining operation in the long term, if private funding is found during the transitional period, a government spokesperson says in the press release. Rehn emphasised repeatedly that the decision was difficult but also admitted that the mining operation, even if successful, would gamble taxpayers' money on nickel prices, which is not in line with the principles of responsible governance. He estimated that the net costs arising from the shut-down will amount to roughly 300 million euros. The mining operation currently costs its state-owned owner, Terrafame Group, an estimated 24 million euros a month. Rehn also revealed that the Ministerial Finance Committee has approved a proposal to set aside an additional 144 million euros in the second supplementary budget of the year to enable Terrafame to continue its operations for the duration of the transitional period. The decision would allow the state-owned company to use the cash injection to fund its future operations, if the private funding necessary to secure the future of the mine is found by the end of the year. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Heikki Saukkomaa Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi Special agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation have obtained indictments for two Campbell County attorneys accused of taking money from a trust account intended for their clients for their personal use. At the request of 8th District Attorney General Jared Effler, TBI agents began investigating Conrad Mark Troutman on Jan. 25. During the course of the investigation, agents developed information that on several occasions between 2014 and 2016, Troutman unlawfully spent funds held in a trust account for his clients without their consent or knowledge, the TBI said. The investigation further revealed Troutman did not return the funds, concealed their use, and utilized additional client funds to replace previously used funds, it was stated. The Campbell County Grand Jury returned indictments charging the 57-year-old with one count of theft over $250,000, two counts of theft over $60,000, and one count of theft over $10,000. Troutman turned himself into the Campbell County Jail, from which he was released after posting $50,000 bond. Troutmans law license is suspended. Also at the request of District Attorney General Effler, on Dec. 28, 2015, TBI special agents began investigating complaints of theft against Campbell County attorney Wesley Lynn Hatmaker. During the course of the investigation, agents developed information that from April 2009 through November 2015, Hatmaker stole more than $250,000 in funds from the trust account for his clients. The investigation determined that Hatmaker never returned the money to the estates or the victims, and instead used the money for his personal use, it was stated. On Wednesday, the Campbell County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Hatmaker with one count of theft over $250,000, four counts of theft over $60,000, and two counts of theft over $10,000. On Wednesday evening, Hatmaker, 50, was arrested and booked into the Campbell County Jail. He was released after posting a $150,000 bond. Hatmakers law license is suspended. A Dublin mum who was left in a coma after an apparent hit-and-run is now out of intensive care and showing early signs of recovery. Mother-of-one Siobhan Geraghty (35) was seriously injured near her home in Clonsilla shortly after taking a taxi home from a night out in Dublin on May 8. She was rushed to Connolly Hospital but later moved to Beaumont Hospital, where she was put in an induced coma after doctors had to remove the front of her skull to relieve the pressure from the swelling on her brain. She had three separate injuries, but the one that was causing the most concern was at the back of her skull. Doctors last week began waking Siobhan and her brother has now said she is conscious and out of immediate danger. But he has also said her recovery will be slow and it could be some time before they know if Siobhan will suffer any long-term effects. "She is out of intensive care now and is conscious, but it is a long road ahead," Senan Geraghty told the Herald. "It's hard to predict with a brain injury what the damage or recovery will be, so we are just hoping for the best," he added. Unconscious Siobhan had been out with colleagues and friends at the Black Door on Harcourt Street and she and a friend had taken a taxi together. The taxi dropped her at the Lohunda Dale estate in Clonsilla from Harcourt Street at around 3.40am on May 8. However, the primary school teacher never made it home and was found lying unconscious by the road in the Lohunda area. The road where Siobhan was found is quiet and within an estate, and there would not have been any traffic at that time. Neighbours reported hearing "a thud" and then a car speeding from the scene. A taxi driver was arrested by gardai the weekend before last but later released without charge. A file is being prepared for the DPP. Gardai also investigated CCTV images from Harcourt Street and an ATM where Siobhan stopped to take out money before dropping her friend off. Senan said Siobhan's 17-year-old son David was distraught, as were her parents Liam and Margaret, and brother Sean. Gardai are appealing for witnesses, in particular anyone who may have been in the Lohunda Estate/Ongar Distributor Road area between 3.15am and 4.15am on Sunday morning, May 8, to contact them on 01 6667000. They can also call the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666111 or any garda station. The husband of Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan has been promoted to Chief Superintendent, it has emerged. Detective Superintendent Jim McGowan, who has worked in the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI), was among dozens of gardai who went through the interview process. The appointment is part of around 20 promotions for high-ranking officers currently at the rank of Superintendent or higher. The promotion of the Garda Commissioner's husband comes just weeks before responsibility for such appointments switches to the new independent Policing Authority. Mr McGowan has also worked at Ballymun Garda Station in the DMR North Central division, and was previously the Superintendent in Trim, Co Meath. His current role is coordinating and tasking regional policing operations in the DMR division. Speaking to the Herald, Mr McGowan said he was pleased with the promotion and that he was able to offer his service to the force at the rank of Chief Superintendent. The Garda Commissioner previously defended appointing her husband to investigate alleged leaks by members of An Garda Siochana to the media. Leaks Mr McGowan, along with Chief Superintendent Francis Clerkin, was put in charge of investigating alleged leaks of the Roma report. Miss O'Sullivan established the probe following a report by the former Children's Ombudsman into the removal by gardai of two Roma children from their families in Athlone and Tallaght in October 2013. The report found that while the HSE could not be ruled out as a source of the information that was leaked, the release of details in relation to one of the minors may possibly have come from someone in the gardai. Also promoted are four gardai who will be appointed to the role of Assistant Commissioner in vacant positions across the country. These include Det Chief Supt Michael O'Sullivan of the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau; Det Chief Supt John O'Driscoll of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation; Det Chief Supt Eugene Corcoran of the Criminal Assets Bureau; and Chief Supt Anne McMahon of the Garda College in Templemore. They will fill existing vacancies in the Dublin Metropolitan Region, the Northern Region, Southern Region and Western Region. Raise The vacancies arose as a result of a combination of promotions and retirements over the last 14 months. The successful candidates were selected following an interview process led by Dorothy Scally, Chair of the Top Level Appointments Committee. However, the decision to approve their appointment ahead of responsibility being transferred to the Policing Authority will raise some eyebrows. Throughout the entire month of May, the Ronald McDonald House, a home away from home for seriously ill or injured children, focuses their fundraising efforts to finally bring home the bacon" to raise funds for their food pantry endowment fund, called Marys Pantry. As of Thursday, theyve reached $58,000 of their $75,000 goal and are asking the community to give one last support push. The campaign ends at the end of day on Tuesday."During May, two generous local partners committed to matching every dollar donated up to $75,000.When you give a dollar, it becomes two. Once the goal is met, the income generated from the endowment fund will purchase needed food for families all year long," officials said.For more information about how you can help "bring home the bacon" or to donate, visit www.rmhchattanooga.com . "Be sure to use the hashtags #BringHomeTheBacon and #Match4MarysPantry," officials said. A homeless mother has realised her dreams after being accepted to study at the prestigious Trinity College. Erica Fleming (30) has been homeless and living in emergency accommodation with her young daughter, Emily (9), for almost a year. In a bid to fight her way out of poverty, Erica, who is a campaigner for the homeless, applied to Trinity College - an institution she felt was out of her reach financially. And now she hopes attending Ireland's top college will inspire Emily to follow in her footsteps. "I didn't dream I'd get accepted," Erica said. "I am over the moon, thrilled. "My daughter Emily was recently there on a tour before I applied, so it's a big deal for her too. She is so proud of me. I kept saying to Emily 'You're going to college,' and she said we couldn't - that we wouldn't have the money. "This has been a very tough year - I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be accepted in to such a prestigious college - but I have to say I don't think I'd even have applied if I hadn't been homeless. "This adversity has pushed me on - to fight." Erica impressed the college so much she was offered one of the 25 places on the free Trinity Access Programme. She will be studying several modules including social studies, law, and ironically, political studies. The mum, who works part-time to support her daughter, has spent recent months lobbying Government on homelessness as the toll of those in emergency accommodation hits a record high. But she insists she has no plans of entering the political arena for a career. Instead, Erica says she would like to become a social worker. Credits And after completing the access programme, she then plans to study for a degree at the college. Erica credits Dublin councillor Gary Gannon with spurring her on to apply to the institution, after he gave her a pep talk that she was capable of studying there. "I said to Gary, I couldn't afford to go to Trinity and he told me about this course and said 'Erica, you can go to Trinity. Look at all you've done without anyone holding your hand'." The single mother, who appeared in the RTE documentary My Homeless Family, is a regular contributor to TV and radio shows on the housing crisis. "Trinity College is famous across the world," Erica said. "I still can't believe I'll be going there. I could change everything now. I can change our future. "This is the happiest I've been in a long time and I know I'm inspiring my daughter after what we have been through - it makes it all the more unbelievable. "I am literally on cloud nine, I can't believe it." Lisa Fitzpatrick says that the selfie craze has gone too far TV stylist Lisa Fitzpatrick has described as "madness" the current trend of posting perfect-looking Selfies and airbrushed pics. Reacting to the news that a new phone has been launched allowing people to adjust the 'beauty' scale on their phone while also giving them whiter teeth and bigger eyes, Lisa reckons it's all gone too far. "I've never airbrushed," she told the Diary. "The only thing that I've done is changed the colours in the background of a photo. I am what I am. I think people are self-obsessed." The blonde has hit out at society's obession with technology and reckons it's time we put our phones down. "We should all put the phones in the middle of the table and just communicate with each other," she said. With celebrities like the Kardashians chronicling every facet of their lives in perfect detail, Lisa also believes that the use of some social media apps should be curtailed. "Snapchat is great for doing things like tutorials and things related to work, like if you're a make-up artist or a hair stylist, but it shouldn't be about your day-to-day life. "(People who use it become) so self-obsessed, and I think for me, if I'm putting up images relating to my business, it's a case of 'less is more.' "My advice would be, don't airbrush them. Be happy with who you are and what you look like." Having shed four stone herself, Lisa has written two hit books dispensing advice about how to look your best, offering top style tips and also about healthy eating. But she said it's all about having a healthy self-esteem and not bowing down to pressure. "Confidence is something that you have from within, it's now how you look from the outside," she said. "You have to learn how to be confident from the inside out and if you're a nice person, a positive person, you can do that, as opposed to being a toxic, negative person." The mum-of-two has appeared on several magazine covers and said that she's never had any issue with her appearance. Make-up "I've always been happy because I've looked like me. Make-up is a wonderful thing, as is concealer in the right place," she said. She insisted that she has "millions of bad days". "I don't wear make-up if I'm not in work. I never have. I love a fresh, clean face and wouldn't wear make-up if I'm not working. "Even on Ireland AM, the first thing I do afterwards is take off all the make-up," she said. Lisa will be centre stage at the Mansion House this Saturday when she joins celebs like Miriam O'Callaghan for the LauraLynn black-tie fundraiser. An issue currently facing those of us who live in Tennessee is the opportunity to vote on Constitutional Amendment 1 to preserve Tennessees 1947 Right to Work law, which ensures that people cannot be forced to join a union and pay dues against their will. Please Vote Yes on Amendment 1 to add the law to the state constitution. I work for a manufacturing company where the team ... (click for more) On the heels of the grand opening for the St. Jude Dream Home, Realtor Jeremy Callahan announced via video that he will donate $500 to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital for each new family he helps buy or sell real estate between now and August 31. My goal is to donate at least $10,000 to St. Jude, and all that would take is 20 new families jumping on board, said Mr. Callahan. We sold 816 homes last month in our association, so I believe 20 homes should be a snap, and of course, Ill do everything I can to make sure that happens. I also challenge fellow Realtors in our area to join me so our impact grows exponentially. In the video, Mr. Callahan says families dont have to close on the purchase or sale to qualify, but only need to start the initial consultation and paperwork to get things started. Proceeds will be donated once the family does close on their home, even if after the August 31 deadline. Mr. Callahan is a Realtor with Signature Brokers, a major sponsor of this years St. Jude Dream Home in Prairie Pass in Apison. Broker/owner Gina Sakich wasnt surprised to hear the announcement. Jeremy is always so giving of his time and energy, no matter whether his clients, his fellow colleagues, or to organizations he cares about, said Ms. Sakich. Were so honored that he has taken our companys sponsorship to new levels and thrilled to have him with us. "Mr. Callahan is no stranger to unconventional means of giving back in big ways," officials said. "Soon after moving back to the Chattanooga area early last year, the top producing Realtor with Signature Brokers fundraised nearly $25,000 for the elderly in our community by participating in Dancing with the Chattanooga Stars." You can reach Jeremy Callahan at 423-430-9633 or jeremy@chattahomesearch.com. HPD offers reward for information on suspect in slaying The man "should not be approached and is considered armed and dangerous," HPD said in a news release. Non-profit regional blood center Blood Assurance is offering community members an entry to win one of 18 Riverbend Music Festival wristbands when donating blood between Monday until Saturday, June 4 at a local donor center or bloodmobile. Officials said Blood Assurance is in critical need of types O negative, O positive, B negative and A negative blood, as well as A positive and B positive plasma. The Riverbend Festival is the official kick off to summer in the Tennessee Valley with more than 80 artists during nine days on five stages. The annual festival draws roughly 500,000 people to the banks of the Tennessee River in the heart of Chattanooga. A festival wristband allows guests to attend each day of the festival, and the full artist lineup is listed online. In addition to the Riverbend wristband entry, all blood donors will receive an American Blood Donor t-shirt as a thank you for helping save lives across the region. Officials said more than 540 volunteer blood donors are needed every day in order to adequately supply the demand of local hospitals, and just one donation can save up to three lives across the region. A list of Blood Assurances donor center locations can be found online along with the scheduled public blood drives. To be eligible to donate blood, you must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent), weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good health. Donors are asked to drink plenty of fluidsavoiding caffeine and eat a meal that is rich in iron prior to donating. For more information on Blood Assurance, donating blood or hosting a blood drive, visit www.bloodassurance.org or call 1-800- 962-0628. Shaun Michael Powers, 21, of Dunlap accused of shooting a Sequatchie County deputy following a Wednesday night pursuit, was arrested and charged by special agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. At the request of 12th District Attorney General J. Michael Taylor, TBI Special Agents began investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting of Sequatchie County Sheriff's Department Deputy Wallace Cunningham Wednesday night, which occurred at approximately 9:45 p.m. near the intersection of Tram Trail Road and Highway 111 in Dunlap. Officials said preliminary information indicates Deputy Cunningham was involved in a vehicle pursuit, ending at the Dunlap location, when the subject, Powers, drove his vehicle into a ditch. The deputy subsequently exited his vehicle and gave lawful commands in an attempt to approach and arrest Powers, who did not comply and brandished a weapon toward the deputy. Deputy Cunningham discharged a stun gun in the direction of the subject and an altercation ensued, during which the deputy was reportedly fired upon by Powers and struck at least twice. Despite his injuries, the deputy was able to disarm and detain Powers until other law enforcement officers could arrive.A medical helicopter flew Deputy Cunningham to Erlanger hospital in Chattanooga, where he was treated and later released. Though the deputy did not fire his service weapon, Powers sustained an injury during the incident and was subsequently treated and released.Thursday morning, authorities arrested the 21-year-old and charged him with one count of attempted first-degree homicide. He was booked into the Sequatchie County Jail where his bond amount had yet to be determined. Aspen Dental is offering free dental care for local veterans on Saturday, June 25 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., as part of the Healthy Mouth Movement.Participating locations include those in Chattanooga, Hixson, and Cleveland."Many people throughout the country and right here in Tennessee, struggle to access oral healthcare when needed, due to barriers like finances, availability, time, or fears. Those barriers kept more than 150 million Americans from visiting a dentist last year.To help address these barriers, Aspen Dental launched the Healthy Mouth Movement. The community giving initiative delivers free dental care and oral health education directly to those who need it most, with a focus on serving veterans in 2016," officials said.Call 1-844-AspenHMM to find a participating Aspen Dental office and schedule an appointment in advance. The East Ridge Police Department is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office to increase seat belt enforcement from May 23 to June 5, surrounding of one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.If you ask the family members of those unrestrained people who were killed in crashes, theyll tell youthey wish their loved ones had buckled up, said Chief JR Reed. The bottom line is that seat belts save lives. If these enforcement crackdowns get peoples attention and get them to buckle up, then weve done our job.There is no good excuse for not wearing a seat belt.This year, Tennessee celebrates its 30 year anniversary of seat belt legislation. The state first enacted a mandatory seat belt law in 1986. The law was updated in 2004 to make seat belt violations a primary offense. In 2015, the law was again updated to more than double the fine for seat belt citations.Tennessees current seat belt use rate is 86.2 percent. This classifies Tennessee as a low use state on a national level. According to the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, 343 individuals killed in traffic crashes last year were not wearing a seat belt. This group makes up over forty-eight percent of all those killed in passenger vehicles.We are putting an emphasis on nighttime seat belt enforcement, said Tennessee Highway Safety Office Interim Director Jason Ivey. The problem of unbelted vehicle occupants becomes worse at night. Nationally, 59 percent of vehicle occupants who were killed in traffic crashes overnight in 2013 were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash, compared to 43 percent during daytime hours. We are observing a similar trend at the statewide level. Looking at the last five years of data, there are significant differences in restraint use at night versus during the day.For more information on seat belt safety, visit www.tntrafficsafety.org Re-Bath and 5 Day Kitchens of Chattanooga and North Georgia announce a bathtub-to-shower conversion giveaway by random drawing for American veterans in the Chattanooga area. "Re-Bath of Chattanooga and North Georgia is proud to be able to use their skills and expertise to help those who have given so much in defense of our great nation," officials said. Nelson Wong, president of Re-Bath and 5 Day Kitchens of Chattanooga and North Georgia said, I like that we can help anyone, including veterans, increase their standard of living inside their own homes. For most people, the ability to shower in their own bathroom is taken for granted, but for some it is impossible and dangerous due to bathtub height, slippery floors, and the lack of grab bars. We can fix that and help people love their homes again. For the remainder of May and the month of June, veterans of any age can send their name, branch, and dates of service through the Re-Bath of Chattanoogas Facebook page. Entrants also have the option to send a photograph of either their time in service or a more recent photo with their entry. These stories will be shared on the Re-Bath of Chattanoogas Facebook page. Entrants can increase their chances of winning by sharing the post and asking their friends to Like and Share it. On July 1, a winner will be drawn and announced. This is a great opportunity for us to help veterans tell their stories and their experiences, which is why well be posting their stories on Facebook and asking people to share them. As we approach Memorial Day and the patriotic season of summer, we must never forget those that sacrificed to get us here, says Travis Wong, VP of Marketing, While we at Re-Bath cant solve every issue [for veterans], we can certainly provide a high quality and easy-to-use bathroom for them and anyone else. In 2008, the Brainerd High School Alumni Association (BHSAA) established a scholarship fund to provide financial assistance to deserving graduating Brainerd High School Seniors. To date, we have awarded thirty-one (40) scholarships for a total amount of $40,000. Below are the 2016 BHSAA Scholarship Recipients: 1. Micah Darden 2. Charmichael Jefferson 3. Kardarius Scott 4. Aaliyah Portis 5. Christian Sinclair 6. Isaiah Smith (Received appointed to attend Air Force Academys Prep School) In 2015, Brainerd High School started an Evening School to help improve graduation rates. BHSAA wants to continue to provide support to Evening School students who want to attend college or Trade/Technical school to continue their education. Therefore, this year, we awarded our Inaguaral BHSAA-BHS WAAY Scholarships ($500 each). Below are the 2016 BHSAA- BHS WAAY Scholarship Reciepients: 1. Quinzell Beasley 2. Alexus Jones BHS Alums, who would like to make a tax-deductible donation, please make your check payable to the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, Inc. and in the memo section of your check place BHS Alumni Association Scholarship Fund and remit to the address below: The Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, Inc. c/o BHSAA Scholarship Fund 1270 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402 The Annual BHSAA Alumni Weekend will be held June 24-26. Proceeds from the events held will benefit the BHSAA Scholarship Fund and other BHS funding priorities. For more information, please contact Chris L. Ramsey, Scholarship Chairman, at cram125@epbfi.com or 423-619-0732. WED/6.1- AM Networking at Cohutta Banking Company8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.Cohutta Banking Company: 800 Market StreetHeld the first Wednesday of every month, AM Networking brings between 75-135 business people together for an hour of networking and refreshments. AM Networking this month will be sponsored and hosted by Cohutta Banking Company. To RSVP for this event, please click here WED/6.1- An Hour with My Attorney11:00 a.m.to 12:00 p.m.TN Small Business Development Center, 100 Cherokee Blvd, First Floor, 37405Speakers: Charles G. Fisher, Grant Konvalinka & Harrison, P.C.Details: Free. Business Owners, let the attorney know your area of interest and become informed! Legal topics to be covered: Leases, Contracts, Corporate Formation, Business Transactions, Debt and Equity Funding, and other business related legal topics.Registration: Required. Visit www.tsbdc.org . Scroll & Click =LIVE TRAINING, Select Center = Chattanooga State. Topic = Business Basics** THURS/6.2- Downtown Chamber Council After Hours5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.Edney Building: 1100 Market StreetTHURS/6.2- 2016 Spring Chattanooga Insight (Day 1)8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.St. Paul's Episcopal Church: 305 W. 7th StreetOffered in the spring and fall of each year, this popular Chamber program provides business executives with an overview of Chattanooga that describes our roots, reviews our renaissance and looks ahead to future projects. Click here for Registration & Pricing THURS/6.2- China Importing 1018:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.TN Small Business Development Center, 100 Cherokee Blvd, First Floor, 37405Speakers: Jenny Li/Elizabeth Rowland/Steve Smith/Christopher J. Pascarella/Ivette RiosDetails: $15. TSBDC is partnering with TN-China Network to deliver a seminar & discussion providing the nuts and bolts of information needed to become a successful importer. Seminar topics will include: Source Products from China, Risks and Benefits of Sourcing via Alibaba, Customs and Shipping from China, Manufacturer Perspectives on Sourcing from China. Registration: Required. Visit www.tsbdc.org Scroll & Click =LIVE TRAINING, Select Center = Chattanooga State. Topic: Business BasicsTHURS/6.2- East Ridge Council Meeting11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.East Ridge Community Center: 1517 Tombras Ave.Meetings cost $10. Speaker: Jared Bigham, Chattanooga 2.0FRI/6.2- Small Business Orientation5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.TN Small Business Development Center, 100 Cherokee Blvd, First Floor, 37405Speakers: Josh Brown/Ivette Rios/Lynn Chesnutt, SBDC Small Business AdvisorDetails: Free. The counselor discusses basic business planning including financial projections and legal entity. You will receive an information packet containing phone numbers and addresses for information about business licenses and taxes and other start-up materials.Registration: Required. Visit www.tsbdc.org . Scroll & Click =LIVE TRAINING, Select Center = Chattanooga State. Topic: Startup AssistanceFRI/6.3- 2016 Spring Chattanooga Insight (Day 2)8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.St. Paul's Episcopal Church: 305 W. 7th StreetOffered in the spring and fall of each year, this popular Chamber program provides business executives with an overview of Chattanooga that describes our roots, reviews our renaissance and looks ahead to future projects. Click here for Registration & Pricing FRI/6.3- Ooltewah/Collegedale Chamber Council Coffee8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.Wired Coffee Bar: 9447 Bradmore LaneConsider attending this monthly networking event in Ooltewah to catch up with the best business connections around. This domain has expired. If you owned this domain, contact your domain registration service provider for further assistance. If you need help identifying your provider, visit https://www.tucowsdomains.com/ After a series of election defeats since 2014, its tempting to write off the Congress as a leading national force. With few visible signs of a Congress revival, some argue that Indias regional parties are now the main bulwark against the BJP. This certainly seems to be the case with the next big state election: Uttar Pradesh in 2017. The Congress is very much the underdog, with the BSP seemingly best positioned to beat back the BJP. The Congress current irrelevance was shown up if in a small way in the two recent UP by-elections where, in the absence of the BSP, voters dissatisfied with the Samajwadi Party gravitated towards the BJP. READ: Out of step with todays India But it may well be premature to write off the Congress. Even in its present nadir, the Congress is either the ruling party or the principal opposition in six of Indias 12 largest states (which account for 80% of the Lok Sabha seats). The BJP, at its current zenith, is one or the other in six states, although it clearly hopes to add UP to this list soon. Obviously ruling a state counts for more than being the opposition, but the Congress remains the only feasible alternative in a big swath of the country. Recall that the party ruled only two such states (Orissa and Madhya Pradesh) when Sonia Gandhi took over in March 1998. In military terms, the partys intentions might seem suicidal to some, but its capabilities cannot be ignored. Things will remain tricky for the party through early 2017. It will need to put in a respectable performance in UP, which at a minimum means winning enough seats to affect government formation in the state. It will have to fight off a challenge from the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab and retain some of the smaller states. This wont be easy: The BJP could lose a third of its 2014 UP vote of 42% and in a four-way race and still have a chance of winning the state. READ: In BJP-yukt Bharat, Congress must focus on national security But once the Congress is past this stage, opportunities may begin to open up in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, all of which are ruled by the BJP and together account for 91 of the 543 parliamentary seats. The Congress won just three of the 91 in 2014. As tempting as it is to project BJPs invincibility indefinitely into the future, the fact is that all of these governments are vulnerable to a challenge, and the Congress will be the only party positioned to take advantage. Gujarat has been plagued by a Patidar agitation and its chief minister is facing allegations of cronyism. The three-term Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh governments are also battling corruption charges, while Rajasthan tends to seesaw between the BJP and Congress (although the BJP will also be defending a large vote margin as the AIADMK just managed in Tamil Nadu). The Congress will be in danger of losing its last major state, Karnataka, but the risks will weigh against the BJP. READ: The battle for India: What lies ahead for Cong, BJP in 2019 elections So how does any of this matter? Despite the 2014 Modi wave, the national landscape is still shaped by state politics. While dissatisfaction with the UPA was obviously a factor, the data from the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies show that satisfaction with the ruling state government was perhaps the most important determinant of voting. Consider that the Congress 2014 vote share in Karnataka actually rose in comparison with 2009; but the BJP gained seats because of its merger with BS Yeddyurappas splinter party. It is possible, as many commentators assert, that the Indian voters disenchantment with the Congress is irreversible. But its too easy to extrapolate the most recent trend into the future. Nationally, the Congress is positioned to the left of the BJP, ready to reap any disappointment with Narendra Modis development rhetoric, possesses a deep bench of younger leaders and has more boots on the ground than any other contender. And if the party shakes off its stupor and survives the UP and Punjab elections, it has the chance to take the battle to the BJP heartland. Amitabh Dubey is an analyst of politics and economic policy. The views expressed are personal. Should the BJP and the Congress decide to project their chief ministerial candidates for the 2017 state assembly elections, it would be the first time when voters will have the choice to directly elect the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. Till date, both national parties preferred the tradition of the new MLAs electing their leader after the results were announced. A mere formality though, it still had some semblance of an exciting election in which suspense remained till the central observers flew in to thrust the party high commands choice on them. Experts recall how Narain Dutt Tiwari, minister in Rajiv Gandhis government, was summoned to Lucknow to take over as chief minister in 1988. Tiwari was on a foreign tour and had to cancel it to reach Lucknow. The fact is the Gandhis won the assembly elections for the Congress and later anointed chief ministers. READ: It will be a fight for every vote in battlefield UP Senior journalist Gyanendra Sharma explains the changing phenomenon. The few stalwarts campaigning in the state used to be the natural choice but their fate was decided by party high command more than the voters, says Sharma. The high command apparently avoided taking the risk of projecting a face as it often triggered internecine troubles, affecting their overall performance in the elections. The problem in a large party, with many claimants, is of two kinds- one is the selection of the caste, second loyalty to the party high command. However, the scenario changed after personality-driven regional forces--the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party--came on the scene, taking away the zing from the traditional election of the legislative party leader. The SP did hold a perfunctory meeting of their legislators before staking claim to form the government. There was never any ambiguity on the chief ministers name, says Gyanendra Sharma. Some uncertainty prevailed in 2012 when the choice wavered between Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh Yadav in the SP. Now the voters want to know the chief ministerial nominee of the parties before they go to the polling booth, compelling both the BJP and the Congress to seriously deliberate on projection of their chief ministerial face. The BJPs stakes are high though the Congress is inconsequential . Their hunt is for a face that could vie with formidable Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati. Though there is no one formula for all states, post Assam the BJP is of the view that a local leaders connect with the masses along with the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi could see them through. While the party won Assam with a young local face, Maharashtra and Haryana were won without a face. In between, they lost Bihar; was it on account of their decision of not projecting a chief ministerial candidate or the alliance of caste led parties? A senior BJP leader gives the entire debate a different twist, We won the states where we had a direct fight with the Congress but failed in states against strong regional parties. UP is one such state. Here it is facing stiff challenge not from one but two strong regional forces. If they adopt the Maharashtra formula where state president Devendra Fadnavis was rewarded with chief ministers position, the new UP BJP chief Keshav Maurya can hope for the same. He is young and he belongs to the backward caste that the party is trying to woo. But his caste could work to his disadvantage also as the BJP has to retain the upper caste support to win this election. They could afford a backward face when Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a Brahmin, was active in political life. Today when party has a backward prime minister in Narendra Modi, the UP chief minister could preferably from the upper caste. A senior party leader said, Or else the Brahmins would move to the BSP and Rajputs to the SP. There are several names in circulation but the two strongest are of the two Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani. While Smriti Irani is still considered an outsider like Uma Bharti despite elections they from the state, Rajnath Singh is said to be reluctant to move from his number two position in the Union government to the choppy waters of UP. Rajnath Singh had once said before the Lok Sabha elections, I am all-India president of the BJP, why should I join any ministry, it will be too small as against the position I hold? Things changed and he became number 2 in the government--Union home minister. Once again, when people are mooting his name, many ask, Why should he and for what? If the party loses, then what? And if it wins, he will be just the CM of a state. As of now, surveys are on to help the party take a call and decide on whom to bet. Coming to the Congress, there is a demand for a Brahmin face. The name in circulation is of Pramod Tiwari, an eight-time MLA and now a Rajya Sabha member. But will the Gandhis trust Tiwari or gamble with a Muslim face, knowing the long pending demand of the community? Nonetheless, neither their stakes are high nor their chances bright, at least in 2017 polls. US ambassador to India Richard R Verma on Wednesday lauded the development in socio-economic sector in the state and said there was immense scope for the US and Madhya Pradesh to work jointly on green energy sector. During his day-long visit to Bhopal, Verma met chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, visited Taj-ul-Masajid in Old City, the Gauravi Centre at JP Hospital and the Regional Science Centre. Verma told reporters the US could help the state improve in clean energy and get more business investments. The the chief minister has invited me to Global Investor Meet in October, he said. The summit will be held at Indore on October 21-23. Verma also discussed issues pertaining to investment, womens empowerment and religious freedom in MP with the chief minister, a communique issued by the state government said. Chouhan informed him that the worlds biggest ultra-mega solar power plant with 750 MW capacity was being set up at Rewa and Asias biggest 135 MW solar energy plant had already been set up in Neemuch, it said. Verma, however, refused to comment on the questions regarding Dow Chemicals repeated failure to appear before the Bhopal Court despite notices. The matter is under litigation for many years and it wouldnt be right to comment on it, Verma said. Mesmerized by the Taj-ul-Masajid in the Old City, he said: Its an amazingly beautiful place. It was an honour to meet the leaders of the mosque, their place of learning, place of history and place of culture. Appreciating the Gauravi Centre at JP Hospital the one-stop crisis centre for women for redressal of issues related to rape, domestic violence, dowry and molestation he said such models should be replicated by other states also. A day after Richa Chadha claimed her role in Sarbjit was cut short, director Oomung Kumar countered it as untrue, saying he was clear about what he wanted for the movie. Stating he was disappointed by Richas comments, Oomung said in a statement, It is completely untrue about us cutting her role. It is a bound script, the scenes were exactly the same before starting the film and I had narrated Richa the same. So no scenes were cut of hers in the film. A poster of Sarbjit shows Randeep, Aishwary and Richa. Read: Sarbjit review Based on the life and struggles of Sarabjit Singh, a wrongly convicted Indian man in a Pakistani jail, and his sister Dalbir who tried to prove his innocence, the movie also starred Aishwraya Rai Bachchan as Dalbir and Randeep Hooda as Sarabjit. Richa played Sarabjits wife. A DNA news report quoted Richa as saying, Some of my best scenes had to go. The one scene that I still have towards the end where I am shown bonding with Aishwaryas character has no context since all my scenes showing my kinship with her are gone. Its not about the length of the role. Its just that one works so hard on a film. Its heartbreaking when some of your best scenes get sacrificed on the editing table. I am not saying I was singled out for role-chopping. All I am saying is that after so much work its frustrating to have just one scene for yourself. I dont need to do this after Masaan and now Cabaret where I have the central role, Richa reportedly said. Watch Sarbjit trailer Read: Sarbjit is a dud at the box office Richa shared the details of two particular scenes to the daily and further claimed that even Randeeps scenes were cut out. She later tweeted and said that she did not mean any ill and its all about labour of love. Follow @htshowbiz for more After recently coming clean about his battle with substance abuse, Prateik Babbar is now looking to get back to work. The actor will soon be seen in a web series called Shockers that has been directed by Faruk Kabir. The series, which will feature horror stories, also stars actors like Kalki Koechlin, Amit Sadh, Dia Mirza and Amyra Dastur, among others. Faruk is a close friend, and since web series are gaining popularity in India, I decided to do this one. Web series are such an effective platform. I think theyre going to become even more popular in the future, says Prateik. Read: Dia Mirza turns to horror with new web series Shockers Read: Prateik Babbar blasts Sanjay Leela Bhansali The actor, who shot to fame with Bollywood films like Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (2008) and Dhobi Ghat (2010), was last seen on the big screen in Issaq (2013). I am keeping myself busy with small yet interesting projects like this web series. Hopefully, I will get more such work. I want to get the hang of being on a set again, before I sign a feature film, says the Bollywood actor, who was also seen in Dum Maaro Dum (2011). Read: Prateik Babbar to make his Bengali debut with Arani Takhan SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: In a big push for regional connectivity, national carrier Air India (AI) has announced plans to start operations to virgin routes having no flight connectivity using smaller turboprop planes. AI will also lease bigger widebody jets to expand its international network, Ashwani Lohani, the airlines chairman and managing director said on Wednesday. Lohani, who met representatives of 22 states and union territories, has been promised full support by state governments in the form of zero taxes on aviation turbine fuel and viability gap funding, if AI starts operations to smaller towns and cities. AI is considering connecting cities within Rajasthan, Kar nataka, Chattisgarh, Gujarat, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra, Lohani said after the meeting. AI through its subsidiary Alliance Air operates to 34 stations at present. It has a fleet of seven ATRs and two CRJ planes. By March, we will add ten more ATRs and will get another ten in 2017-18, said Lohani. State governments have expressed their full support. We have asked travel agents and tour operators for feedback on the kind of passenger load factors that can be expected. If we price right, these routes can be very profitable, the CMD said. AI, which plans to add 100 planes to its fleet in the next four years, will take five wide-body jets on lease in addition to the nine it has on order. BMW chief executive Harald Krueger is building a younger management team to drive the German carmaker into the future, as appointments of new finance and purchasing chiefs are likely, a monthly magazine reported on Thursday. Krueger, a 50-year-old who took over a year ago from Norbert Reithofer, wants to replace finance chief Friedrich Eichiner with Nicolas Peter, unidentified company sources told Germanys Manager Magazin. BMW declined to comment. Krueger also wants to install a new purchasing chief and other executive changes are possible, with the supervisory board due to decide by the end of the summer, the magazine said. Earlier this month, BMW reported lower quarterly operating profit, hit by adverse currency moves and pressure on the prices of limousines as drivers in the United States in particular switch to sport-utility vehicles (SUVs). Peter, 54, is currently head of sales in Europe. Eichiner will turn 62 shortly before the 2017 annual shareholders meeting. He had already extended his contract beyond the firms usual age limit of 60 for management board executives. Purchasing head Klaus Draeger, 59, is also leaving due to his age, but a decision has not yet been taken on his successor, although a favourite is Markus Duesmann, the magazine said. MUMBAI: After a year of euphoria around differentiated banking, payments banks as a business concept seems to have lost the charm, with 3 out of 11 licensed players dropping plans to start such a bank. When the idea payments banks was first mooted by RBI governor Raghuram Rajan in 2014, it was seen as a disruptor in the payment space. Forty-one firms showed interest by applying for it in February 2015, of which 11 received in-principle licences in August. With 18 months, three have given up their licences. Payments banks can collect deposits, but cannot lend. In March, Cholamandalam Investment and Finance dropped plan to set up a payments bank. Last week, a joint venture of Sun Pharma promoter Dilip Shanghvi, IDFC Bank and Telenor Financial Services followed suit, and on Tuesday, Tech Mahindra joined the list. We would certainly feel little aggrieved because a lot of efforts on part of the RBI goes in processing these applications, RBI deputy Governor SS Mundra had said on Monday. Mundra also hinted at possible penalty for opting out. Upcoming small finance banks and huge digitisation drive by existing banks is taking the competitive advantage of payments banks away, said Abizer Diwanji, partner and national leader, financial services, EY India. It has become a crowded space and payments bank is just half a bankHence, those who did not have a good network have backed out. Mostly telecom companies will stay, and they, too, would be rethinking their business model. This leaves eight potential payments banks Airtel M Commerce Services (a tie-up between Airtel and Kotak Bank), Department of Posts, Reliance Industries (in partnership with State Bank of India), Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Vodafone m-pesa, National Securities Depository Ltd, Aditya Birla Nuvo and Fino PayTech. The concept of unified payment interface (UPI) may also limit payments banks business in terms of expanding to other businesses, capturing unbanked customers and viability of the business model, with high volume and low-value transactions payment solutions to be offered, said Kalpesh Mehta, partner at Deloitte Haskins & Sells. UPI is payment system, which allows virtual transfer of money between two parties across banks. But not everyone agrees. Nothing has changed (since the guidelines), said GV Nageswara Rao, MD and CEO of NSDL. Dont know why they have withdrawn. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Nikesh Arora, the India-born President of Japanese telecom and internet giant SoftBank reportedly received a salary of $73 million (Rs 500 crore) last fiscal, thus making him one of the highest paid executives in the world, according to a Bloomberg report. The report also said that Aroras salary package was at par with the likes of Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc and Walt Disney Co.s Bob Iger. This is the second year in a row that Arora has figured in the Bloomberg ranking of global executives by pay. Arora, a former Google executive joined SoftBank in mid 2014 as senior vice president and quickly rose to be the President. At the time of joining he also created a record of sorts with pay package estimated at $150 million, which Softbank later clarified, included Aroras joining bonus. It was under Aroras leadership that SoftBanks investment arm became a major investor in the Indian e-commerce and internet based businesses. Amongst its major investments in India the Japanese giant counts e-commerce company Snapdeal, cab ride aggregator Ola and online real estate platform Housing.com. SoftBanks investment in India a year ago crossed the $1 billion mark. More recently the company said its investment in India will cross $10 billion in the coming years. In June last year SoftBank along with contract manufacturing giant Foxconn had partnered with Indias Bharti Enterprises (Airtel) with plans to invest $20 billion in solar power projects in India. Arora is also been identified and groomed to possibly take over the reins of the company from SoftBanks Chairman and CEO, Masayoshi Son. More recently Son had reiterated his confidence in Arora when a group of unidentified investors in US questioned Aroras abilities for the role he currently plays in the company and had sought his removal. Son had said, I have complete trust in Nikesh and one thousand percent confidence in him and know he will continue to do great things for SoftBank in the future. NEW DELHI: The third regulation of the University Grants Commission (UGC) relating to service conditions of teachers turned into a political issue on Wednesday with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress attacking the Modi government for bringing in such a regulation. Delhi University teachers boycotted the evaluation process. All 13 centres where evaluation was to be held wore a vacant look on the second day. The teachers have been protesting against the regulation which had increased their workload and could lead to around 5,000 temporary and guest teachers losing their jobs. AAP Delhi convenor Dilip Pandey along with teachers affiliated to the party held a press conference on Wednesday. They said that the new regulation by the MHRD and UGC was an attack on the autonomy of the university and an attempt by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to fill academic posts in the universities with its own cadre. Why should teachers suffer when they are not at fault? There was no recruitment in the university and colleges and now with this regulation they are all set to be out of jobs.The regulation needs to be immediately withdrawn, said SA Jafferi, assistant professor at Rajdhani College. In a statement, the AAP said the Modi government was trying to impose the decision of the previous Congress-led UPA government to introduce points system for promotion of DU teachers. Similarly, the Congress called the regulation a move towards privatization by the Modi government. DPCC President Ajay Maken with teachers of the Indian National Teachers Congress (INTEC) addressed the press conference. This regulation would lead to the complete breakdown of the public funded higher education system, said Ashwini Kumar, INTEC chairman. NEW DELHI: The Delhi convener of Aam Aadmi Party, Dilip Pandey, on Wednesday wrote to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi saying he will attend a torch light march that the Congress is planning to hold on May 28 to raise the issue of power and water scarcity in the capital. I will be present as the head of AAPs Delhi unit. It is very important to tell you two things. Sheila Dikshit (former Delhi CM) and Ajay Maken (Delhi Congress chief) were involved in corruption during the privatisation of power, the letter read. The anti-corruption branch has been snatched away from the Delhi government. Otherwise, both would have faced strict action in the case Maken himself was involved in the privatisation scam and he is now pushing you in front and protesting. I will bring all papers related to this when I come to meet you, Pandeys letter read. The rally is scheduled on May 28 and will start from Rajghat at 6.30pm. Delhi has been reeling under power cuts for the past week and tempers and temperatures have been running high. The government has blamed the discoms for the outages and has also issued an ultimatum to them. Pandeys letter also goes on to state that the water and power situation in Delhi was much better than that in several other Congress-ruled states. You should focus on improving water and power availability in those states. The Congress might get wiped out from these states as well otherwise. If you need help improving the water-power situation in any state, please let me know, the letter says. The Delhi Congress later hit out at AAP and Pandey saying it was natural for the party to be terrified as Congress and Gandhi had been raising peoples issues and AAP had lost 8 out of 13 seats in the MCD bypolls. Therefore it is genuine of @ dilipkpandey to get terrified and rattled to know that we are going to protest for people of Delhi, (sic) the units official twitter handle tweeted. PATNA: The Bihar police arrested five people on Wednesday for the murder of a senior journalist at Siwan, even as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) looked set to take over the investigation into the case. The arrested people have been identified as Rohit Kumar, Vijay Kumar, Rajesh Kumar, Vishu Kumar and Sonu Kumar Gupta, all between 20 and 25 years of age. Police said Rohit whose father has been indicted in a murder case is the main accused, and has already confessed to the crime. However, none of the five arrested people have criminal records. Rajdeo Ranjan, the bureau chief of Hindi daily Hindustan, was shot dead near the Siwan railway station on May 13. The incident, which followed the murder of a teenager by the son of a JD(U) legislator, caused a major uproar with opposition parties dubbing it as a reflection on the states deteriorating law-and-order situation. Police said Rohit was allegedly associated with one Azharuddin Beg alias Laddan Mian, henchman of former Siwan MP Mohammad Shahabuddin. Laddan arranged for the contract killing, they said, adding that he paid `15,000 in advance to the five suspects. The special investigation team constituted to probe Ranjans murder had earlier interrogated 15 people, of whom eight were believed to be Shahabuddins accomplices. The former RJD MP is imprisoned in connection with an abduction-cum-murder case. Speaking on the arrest of the five suspects, ADG (headquarters) Sunil Kumar said, We arrested them from different parts of Siwan on Wednesday morning. A country-made pistol of 7.65mm bore and two live cartridges (hidden at Sonus house) were recovered from them. Police had their eyes on Laddan from the very day of the crime, he added. Kumar maintained that while there was no indication of Shahabuddins complicity, police will not hesitate to act if he was found to be involved. The motive and the conspiracy behind the crime will become clear once the other accused are arrested, he said. Laddan, who was released from Siwan district jail on April 24, reportedly fled the city along with his family two hours after the murder. Police suspect that accomplices of Mukhtar Ansari a politician lodged in Agra jail provided Laddan with a safe hideout after he absconded. The relationship between Shahabuddin and Mukhtar is well known. Laddan was probably helped by Mukhtars associates who are active in the Mau-Ghazipur area of eastern Uttar Pradesh. We are using inputs provided by the intelligence department to locate him, a police officer said. Ansari represents Mau in the Uttar Pradesh assembly. Kumar said Ranjan was followed from his office by Vishu and Rohit on a white Apache bike, and Vijay and Rajesh on a black Avenger cruiser. The pistol recovered from the suspects match the bullets found at the scene of the murder. Three motorcycles were also seized from their possession. We will conduct forensic tests to check if the motorcycles bear any bloodstains, he added. The ADG said though the CBI has taken a copy of the FIR for conducting a preliminary inquiry, the police will continue with the probe spearheaded by Siwan superintendent of police Saurabh Kumar Sah. According to sources, police were also looking for one Vikash Kumar Singh from Balia in Uttar Pradesh. Singh, arrested earlier for the murder of BJP leader Srikant Bharti, was recently released from Siwan jail. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission on Wednesday ordered Lt-Governor Najeeb Jungs office to make public his report to the home ministry that formed the basis for the dissolution of the Delhi Assembly in 2014. The commission rejected Raj Niwas contention that its report was privileged, asserting that the Lt-Governor did not enjoy the constitutional bar on courts from inquiring into the advice tendered by ministers to the Governor of a state. Jungs report paved the way for holding of fresh polls in the Capital which was under Presidents Rule from February, 2014 after the AAP government quit after 49 days of rule. In his report to President Pranab Mukherjee, Jung had pointed out that the three main political parties had expressed their inability to form the government and conveyed that they were ready to face fresh election. The Central Information Commission cited nine reasons why the Lt-Governors office was wrong in withholding the information including the need for transparency in the decision-making process regarding dissolving an elected house in public interest. The commission directed the Lt-Governor and the union home ministry to provide copies of the report along with all documents sent to the Centre to the applicant within 30 days. The applicant is a Chhattisgarh resident. Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu also wondered why Lt-Governor Najeeb Jung was reluctant to share the information when several governors and the home ministry that is responsible for Delhis affairs has had no qualms. Citing specific instances where governors, the home ministry and the Attorney General had positively responded to requests for information, Acharyulu asked: Then, how it is logical or legal to deny the report of the LG advising the Union Government to dissolve the Delhi State Assembly and other related papers. Makeover Hasn't Redeemed Restaurant Once Called 'Everything Wrong With Humanity' By Anthony Todd in Food on May 25, 2016 7:50PM The "fish market" at Ocean Cut. Photo via Ocean Cuts Facebook Page. "It's like we're eating dinner on the Titanic," my dining companion said, not-yet-ironically, when we sat down in the cavernous dining room of Ocean Cut (formerly C Chicago). This River North restaurant, now on its third concept and with a new menu by Chef Dirk Flannigan, has a gorgeous space and, seemingly, a can't-miss concept: good, fresh fish from a restaurant group known for good, fresh steaks. We didn't know it yet, but sort of like those diners on the Titanic (but, of course, with less freezing and death), we were about to go down on a very expensive ship. The initial reviews of C Chicago, the previous iteration of Ocean Cut, were mixed, with one review by Chicago Magazine referring to it, memorably, as representing "everything wrong with restaurants, and humanity." While that's certainly an amusing quote, I was determined to go into Ocean Cut with a totally open mind. I've enjoyed Flannigan's food before, I love a good crudo eaten in a capacious space with a grand staircase, and I was ready to have a good time. The first round of cocktails came immediately, and were strong and good (if a restaurant with a steakhouse sister can't make a martini, it's got serious problems). We put in our order, beginning with a dozen delicious East Coast oysters. Then we waited. And waited. Approximately 45 minutes later (and this was on a not-slammed weekday), we got some briny sustenance. The servers were apologetic, and the oysters were good, but it was hardly an auspicious start. A scallop crudo with grapefruit and "burnt toast" was equally good, fresh, and delicious with a hint of scallop flavor and a matching hint of citrus, and a good crunch from the bits of toast. My spirits, for a moment, sang. Then I remembered that the kitchen did a good job with scallops back when Jeff Ruby reviewed it, and I got nervous. Those scallops were the high point of the meal. The ocean charcuterie at Ocean Cut. Photo via Ocean Cuts Facebook Page The ocean charcuterie was, frankly, a mix of terrible and nondescript. It's a variation on a charcuterie plate, except using seafood ingredients. This could be a good idea, I suppose, but ended up tasting mostly bland. The "seafood sausage" tasted like lobster dusted with Italian seasoning, and the foie gras and eel terrine went uneaten after the initial bite, a sad reminder of the fact that a goose (or its liver) should not under any circumstances have anything to do with an eel, unless the eel happened to leap out of the water and strangle the goose to death. The original C Chicago was focused on whole, fresh fish, and a variety remain on the menu, so I had to try one. We were offered the chance to visit the soon-to-be-dinners resting on ice at the "market" near our table, but my dining companion balked. I chose Gurnard, which our server said would be firm and flavorful, and accepted his recommendation to order it grilled, rather than salt crusted. Oddly, rather than actually flavoring the fish, the kitchen allows diners to choose a topping; in my case, bok choi with oyster sauce. The fish was utterly, completely tasteless. It needed a healthy dose of salt, which the bok choy and oyster sauce, poured tableside, didn't deliver, since it didn't actually cover the fish. If you took the time to dip each bite in the rapidly-cooling pool of sauce, you got a hint of flavor, but otherwise, you were left to contemplate the fact that you'd just spent about $50 on not very much. The "salmon with toasted grains" tasted, to steal a quip from my dining companion, like it was served on top of dry breakfast cereal. Which, given a literal reading of the menu, I suppose it wasbut it was depressingly boring. Based on the exotic name (hey, that trick works on food writers too), we ordered some Okinawa sweet potatoes, and they were starchy, flavored with cinnamon, and pretty much awful. I have a compulsion to order rapini anytime it appears on a menu, but somehow Ocean Cut managed to cook all the flavor out of the delicious vegetable while leaving only bitterness behind. And yet again, nothing at all had even a hint of salt. There were other oddities. A chocolate cake was so dry that it tasted like something out of a box; the cocktail list is on an iPad app, even though all the other menus are on paper; and a sazerac came on the rocks (strike one), so sweet it tasted like something out of a fruit cocktail can (strike two) and without any hint of anise (and you're out). The final issue, of course, is the cost. C Chicago was criticized early on for being overpriced, and while the prices have dropped somewhat at Ocean Cut, when a not-extravagant dinner for two (that just happens to be somewhere between mediocre and terrible) costs $270 with tip and tax, the prices haven't dropped enough. Ocean Cut has a lot going for it. It has a genuinely outstanding service staff, who attempted, within the limits of the kitchen's ability, to care for our every need. The space is gorgeous. They clearly know how to properly store and care for raw fish, as the oysters and crudo were as fresh as could be. But it's entirely possible that the kitchen, despite the re-concept, is somehow cursed. Hopefully, with more time with Flannigan, the kitchen will improve, but for right now, I'm going to suggest hopping in the lifeboats and making a getaway. NEW DELHI: A day after Pappu Vasudev, a 60-year-old eatery owner, was shot dead in Lapat Nagar after an argument over a ` 1,085 food bill, two Delhi Police constables have been suspended for dereliction of duty. The constables, armed with their service weapons, were on duty at the police picket opposite the eatery. They, however, neither intervened in the scuffle between Vasudev and the assailants nor challenged the attackers. They didnt even fire at the tyres of the Maruti Swift Dzire car in which the assailants fled, said a police officer. Mandeep Singh Randhawa, deputy commissioner of police (southeast), said action was taken against the two constables for dereliction of duty. He, however, denied any departmental inquiry was initiated against the two. He said that seven teams led by two ACPs were working on the murder case. We have identified the accused, who are residents of south Delhi. Raids are on to nab them. The case will be cracked soon, he said. The official driver and wireless operator of Randhawa were also present at Vasudevs eatery and getting their food packed when the assailants arrived and opened fire. Locals alleged that like the two constables, Randhawas staff, too, failed to react. Asked what action has been taken against his staff, Randhawa said they were offduty and were 50-60 metres from the spot where Vasudev was shot. Its not that my staff didnt respond. They tried to talk to the four agitated men when one of them went to Vasudev and shot him. My staff ran towards Vasudev when they saw him holding his abdomen and collapsing on the floor. Vasudev was rushed to the hospital in my official Innova car, said Randhawa. He claimed that his staff and the constables at the police picket did not fire at the assailants as the area was dark and congested and 60-70 people were running after the attackers. The streetlights were off due to the thunderstorm and firing in a dark lane full of people could have hurt anybody, he said. Vasudev lived with his family in Amar Colony area. He had been running the eatery, Sindhi Eating House, at Lal Sai Market in Lajpat Nagar for the past 40 years. He is survived by a child whom he had adopted from an orphanage 11 years ago. Vasudevs murder came as double blow for his son, Mohit, as his foster mother had died only 13 days ago. A 43-year-old Nigeria national has been arrested from New Delhi for allegedly duping a Pune-based woman of over Rs 16 lakh in online lottery fraud, police said on Thursday. The accused, identified as Igwe Festus Abraham, has been remanded in police custody till May 31, they said. The investigation was initiated by the cyber cell of Pune Police after a woman registered a complaint of losing Rs 16.18 lakh to cheaters in January this year, deputy commissioner of police (cyber and economic offence wing) Deepak Sakore said. The woman received a mail in September 2015, informing her that she has won a lottery worth Rs 4.92 crore. She provided her bank and other details as asked in the mail, the DCP said. The accused then called up the woman and asked her to deposit money from time to time under the pretext of various taxes and fees, Sakore said. The accused met her at a hotel in Pune and gave a bag, telling her that it contained US dollars and even took out four notes from the bundle. He applied some chemical on the notes to show its genuineness. He told her that since the chemical was over, he will have to procure it from the UK, so that remaining notes can be analysed. He then left by handing over the suitcase to the woman, Sakore said. The woman took the notes to the foreign exchange, where she came to know that the suitcase contained plain papers, the officer said, adding, After realising that she has been duped, the woman lodged a police complaint. We successfully tracked the accused and arrested him in New Delhi, said Sunil Pawar, an Inspector with Cyber cell. During investigation, police came to know that the accused has duped around 100 people across the country and got Rs 3 crore deposited to his various bank accounts. NEW DELHI: The doctors association from Delhi government-run Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) hospital has written to the hospital administration informing them about corruption in the hiring of junior resident doctors. There are between 150-200 posts for junior resident doctors who join the hospital after completing their MBBS. For the last six months, I have received several complaints from junior residents who have claimed that even after the examinations and interviews, the jobs were being given to people who paid for the seats. And, there is scope for corruption. The administration has not informed about the number of vacancies. During the interview process, the examiners give the marks in pencil and sign with pen. In such a case, the marks can easily be changed, said Dr Sumit Paria, president of the resident doctors association at DDU hospital. According to the resident doctors association Rs 70,000 80,000 was paid for each job. An additional Rs 20,000 30,000 was charged if the doctors wanted to work in a particular department. Usually the junior residents work in all departments by rotation, said Dr Paria. The letter written to the medical superintendent of the hospital on May 18 urges the administration to quash the interview which was held on May 11 and conduct fresh interviews for recruiting junior residents. I have received a letter from the residents about their concerns and we have set up a committee to review the process and we will go by their suggestions. Such things should not be happening in the hospital, we will address the concerns of the doctors, said Dr Savita Babbar, the medical superintendent of the hospital. The letter also states that there is corruption in other administrative processes as well. Also, from last six months corruption has crept in the administration for simple formalities like joining, completion certificate, NOC, experience certificates etc, the letter read. NEW DELHI: A day after nabbing one of Delhis most wanted gangster Pradeep Solanki, the Delhi Police arrested five other members of his gang on Wednesday. The five, police said, featured in the most-wanted list. The gangsters were arrested after a brief encounter in which at least six rounds were fired. One of the bullets, police said hit an assistant sub inspector but the officer survived because of his bullet proof vest. The five, police said, were involved in cases of murder, attempt to murder, extortion and robbery etc. One of the five, Manjeet Khandewala, was wanted in the murder of former Najafgarh MLA Bharat Singh. DCP (special cell) Sanjeev Yadav said that Solanki was arrested on Monday. On his interrogation, he revealed the names of his associates Pradeep Rathi, Ashok Gehlot, Satender Bhinda , Sumit and Manjeet Khandelwal. Rathi and Gehlot were Solankis close associates. Together they have been involved in many murders. Apart from murder, they were involved in extortion and car-jacking cases in various areas of Dwarka. Bhinda and Sumit assisted them in these extortion cases and various other cases. Another arrested member, Manjeet Khandewala, was also wanted in the murder case of Bharat Singh, he said. Yadav said Khandewala had a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head. Explaining the circumstances of their arrest, police said they had received information about the gang members travelling from Bakkarwala village to Najafgarh. Our team of 15 officers barricaded the road between the two places. As per the information, the vehicle was a white Fortuner car. On seeing the car, our men surrounded the car. When we asked them to surrender, they left the vehicle and ran. They fired at the police and one of the bullets hit ASI Krishan. The police team also fired at them and after a bit of a struggle, they were arrested, said Yadav. FARIDABAD: Four members of a family were shot dead in Utavad in Palwal on Wednesday afternoon, triggering clashes in the village. According to the police, Wednesdays incident was a fallout of old enmity between two families, which led to the killing. The family of one Yahaya, a suspended ASI with the Haryana police, allegedly had some enmity with the family of Din Mohammad. A few days a go the two families quarrelled on some issue. There were unconfirmed reports about a wedding of a girl from the victim family and the accused were not invited. This aggravated the situation, police said. On Wednesday, around 12.30 pm, Yahayas family is alleged to have shot dead four members of the other family. The victims have been identified as Din Mohammad, 50, Razdan, 39, Wasim, 18 and Hamid, 25. The incident led to violence in the village with some villagers vandalizing property of the accused family. A strong contingent of police was rushed to the village from Palwal and Hathin. The accused allegedly escaped. The families have a history of old enmity and reports suggest a suspended cop resorted to firing on the opposite side, inspector general of police, Rewari range, Mamta Singh told Hindustan Times. I am getting these reports verified, she said. The shootout triggered clashes in the village and the property of some families were reported to have been looted, she added. The police said they were verifying whether the gun used in the crime was a licensed one or pro cured illegally. We are verifying all angles of the case. Efforts are being made to nab the culprits soon, SP Palwal Rajesh Duggal said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: Two Nepalese girls, displaced in the aftermath of the devastating April 2015 earthquake, have been rescued from GB Road, the red light district of the capital. Several NGOs had raised concer ns that women and girls had become vulnerable to human traffickers last year. This is the first case in which Nepalese girls displaced by the quake have been rescued. Police officers said they are looking for one more girl. Activists claim that despite reports, very few cases have come to light due to police negligence. Many girls from Nepal had been rescued from human traffickers at the Delhi airport. Sources said the girls managed to contact their brother in Gurgaon who then called up a Nepal-based NGO two weeks ago. The NGO representatives approached the police on Monday and the girl were rescued on Wednesday. We have been saying that girls from earthquake affected of Nepal are sold at GB road. But there has been no rescue operation so far. It is only when the girls managed to communicate to some people in Nepal that the matter came to light. Now, the police should break the entire nexus, said Rishikant, an activist with Shakti Vahini. Activists had expressed similar concer ns after the Uttarakhand floods two years ago as displaced and homeless children had become vulnerable to trafficking. In the 2004 Tsunami, many women who lost their family were trafficked. Moreover, children were also trafficked as cheap labour in Odisha after the disaster struck. The 2008 Kosi floods in Bihar that affected 3.5 million people, including over a million children, saw rampant child trafficking. According to a UNICEF report, 2,500 children were trafficked in north Bihar following damages due to heavy rains in 2007. The relief camps in Bhuj, Gujarat, set up after the 26 January 2001 earthquake, had also become highly vulnerable to human trafficking, drug trafficking and sexual exploitation. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday demanded Rs.4,087 crore from the Centre as special grant-in-aid for civic bodies in the national capital. The central government has omitted Delhi and other union territories from receiving grant-in-aid following the 14th Finance Commissions recommendations. Calling the move unfair, Kejriwal wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the three municipal bodies in Delhi perform the same function as municipalities in other states. This argument is completely unfair as the omission of the local bodies of Delhi by the Finance Commission on technical grounds does not fulfil the mandate. Further, taxation and other fiscal powers of the Delhi government are also similar to other states, Kejriwal said. The chief minister said the civic bodies are already reeling under a financial crunch and the central government should consider this issue accordingly. The local bodies in Delhi and other states are in financial crunch. It is incumbent upon the Centre to consider this matter in an objective and holistic manner and in accordance with the spirit of the constitution, he said in the letter. He also urged the central government to ensure that Delhi and other union territories are allotted their dues in future by the finance commission. It is further requested that while drafting the terms of reference of future finance commissions, it should be ensured that Delhi and other union territories are also included in the scope of grant-in-aid, Kejriwal wrote. The 14th Finance Commission allocated grant-in-aid of Rs.2,87,436 crore for local bodies for 2015-2020. However, Delhi and other UTs were left out on the ground that only states are covered under the award scheme of the finance commission. Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia has accused Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung of delaying the governments proposal to regularise jobs of 17,000 guest teachers working in its schools. The proposal is pending with the L-G office since January but he is yet to approve it, Sisodia said. Officials from the L-G office said that file had been with them for less than a month and it was agreed between the L-G and the deputy CM that legal advice would be sought on the issue. The current submission of this file was done only in April end. The L-G and deputy CM met and agreed to send the file for advice as there were legal and constitutional issues with the proposal. The legal advice will come in a couple of days, officials said. Sisodia, who holds the education portfolio, has written to Jung requesting him to approve the proposal so that permanent jobs can be ensured for guest teachers. I want to ask why the L-G is not giving his nod to this proposal. He had made some suggestions which we have incorporated in our proposal. He had objected to give weightage to guest teachers experience. If we remove this weightage point, how will these guest teachers get opportunity in getting their jobs permanent? Sisodia said. As per proposal, guest teachers will be given priority while applying for permanent jobs. They will be given priority on the basis of their experience, exams and age. Sisodia has also written to the leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta to take up the issue with the Centre and request it to ask L-G to approve the proposal. Troubled by his alcohol addiction, a man murdered his 45-year-old father at his Sagarpur house in west Delhi on Thursday morning. The police said that it received information from Bhagat Chandra Hospital about Virendra Kumars death, who was brought there by his relatives. Kumar worked as a supervisor for a MCD contractor. A police team that visited the spot learnt that Kumar was stabbed by his son Nitin. Nitin is a B Tech student at a private institute in Haryana. We have arrested Nitin but are probing the involvement of his mother too. Virendras wife, Pushpa, was also at home at the time of the incident, said a police officer. According to the police, prima facie, it appears Virendra was stabbed on Wednesday night and that the family stayed with his body for a few hours before going to the hospital. Doctors at the hospital told police that there were several injury marks on his body. Police said Nitin confessed that he was angry with his father for abusing them after getting drunk. Nitin alleged that his father threatened to throw him out of the house. The family had fights very often. He has also alleged that he and his mother were beaten many times by his father, said an investigating officer. The investigating officer said that they are waiting for the post-mortem report for more clarity in the case. Police said Pushpa has been giving contradictory statements regarding the sequence of events. Virendra is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter. NEW DELHI: Delhi culture minister Kapil Mishra has complained to the Delhi Police commissioner that members of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) allegedly intimidated artists commissioned by the government. On May 20, Akhlaq Ahmad was commissioned by the Delhi government to paint the walls along with French artist Swen Simon at the DJB office on GT Road in Shahdara. Suddenly a mob of over a hundred people gathered around the artists and intimidated them because they were writing in Urdu. These people who were led by several Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) members and leaders forced the artists to paint Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan over the text they had been working on. They were shouting slogans of Jai Shri Ram and Narendra Modi and called the artists Lahoris, Mishra alleged in a letter to commissioner Alok Verma. The wall painting was part of Delhi government-supported initiative called #MyDilliStory. This was a Twitter-based competition that invited people to post stories, jokes and anecdotes about Delhi using 140 characters. The entries were invited in Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi and English. 40 winning entries are currently being painted across the city by signboard painters and artists. The basic premise of this project was to popularise the use of Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi online as well as to celebrate the dying art of hand painted typefaces, Mishra said. Urdu is one of the four official languages of Delhi apart from Hindi, Punjabi and English. These men of the RSS neither understand art nor culture, language and religion. They dont understand Delhi and its vibrant citizens. No one in their right mind would have done this to our foreign guests and lovers of Delhis culture, who are actually doing such a great service to the city, he said. Mishra said the police didnt immediately act as per the law. I am told that the police were rude, took away their phones and questioned their motives once told that they lived in Batla House. I demand that the police take immediate action against the members of the RSS who indulged in such a heinous act against our artists and violated the law, he said. The RSS refuted the allegations. A senior Delhi RSS functionary said the AAP government was deploying such tactics to take attention away from its failings. Their policies like odd-even failed, the city is reeling under power crisis, so they tried to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi by making false accusations about his degree. Now, that they have failed everywhere, they are trying to malign the RSS. The slogan which was being painted in Urdu is written by DU student Zeeshan Amjad. The couplet chosen for the jal board buildings wall refers to the city being destroyed and rebuilt seven times. It says: Dilli tera ujadna, aur phir ujad ke basna. Woh dil hai toone paya, saani nahi hai jiska (Oh Delhi, you were ruined and built several times. No city has a heart like yours). Discover The Mysterious Planet At The Edge Of Our Solar System At The Adler By Marielle Shaw in Arts & Entertainment on May 26, 2016 7:35PM Photo courtesy of the Adler Planetarium A new sky show, Planet Nine, debuts on the domed screen of Adler Planetarium's Grainger Sky Theater this Friday. It's the planetarium's first new sky show in two years, and it will introduce viewers to groundbreaking new findings on the outer limits of our solar system. Planet Nine is a story born right here in Chicago. It began a year ago, when the planetarium paired up with the Kavli Foundation to host a lecture from Caltech astrophysicist Mike Brown. (Brown is often referred to as the "Pluto Killer," for his research that got Pluto downgraded to a dwarf planet.) In the Adler lecture, Brown discussed the latest findings from NASA's New Horizons mission, which launched in 2006. In July of 2015, the mission provided the first ever fly-by of Pluto as well as images that revealed the Kuiper Beltthe area of the solar system beyond Neptunein much more detail than ever before. After the lecture, originally called "Tales from the Outer Solar System," the team at Adler reached back out to Brown and his team, hoping to turn Brown's lecture materials into a sky show. The goal was to tell the story of his research on the Kuiper Belt in a new, accessible way. Brown told Chicagoist that he's excited to be sharing cutting-edge findings with the public this way, even as more research is still underway. "I love this part of the show. Often in scientific shows presented to the public, you see an exposition of what we know. Here you are seeing an exploration of how we learn the things that we know," he said. "I find it much more compelling to bring people along on the quest than to just tell them about it when it is all done." Planet Nine's goal was to take its audience "under the hood of the scientific process," but that presented a problem. How do you tell a story that is so new? Content with science this new could change daily. And it did. Brown and his team were studying some of the other inhabitants of the Kuiper Beltlike the incredibly bright dwarf planet Eris, which can reflect 97 percent of the sun's light (compared to our moon's measly 12 percent)when they noticed something else: irregular orbits. These orbits suggested that another gravitational force was acting on these objects, competing with the sun. The source of this gravitational pull, termed Planet Nine, is located somewhere beyond Plutoand if it's competing with the sun, it's big. "It has to be huge. It has to be something like 10 times the mass of the Earth," Brown told Chicago Tonight. Brown's latest research complicated the sky show. "We were still scripting [the film] when [Brown] came back with the math that proves that this planet is living out there," Sarah Cole, Adler's vice president of visitor experience, told Chicagoist. All of this adds up to an Adler show like none other. Planet Nine promises to bring viewers a look at the bleeding edge of astronomical research. What we'll see in the reclining seats of the Grainger is emergent science, brought to the public even before some experts get a chance to see it themselves. We'll be in line to see it on opening day. "I hope people get a new appreciation for how amazing all of the worlds beyond Neptune are, and how we're using them to learn even more about the solar system," Brown said. Planet Nine debuts at the Adler Planetarium's Grainger Sky Theater Saturday, May 28. It is a ticketed show but is included in the price of All Access Passes to the Adler. For more details or to purchase tickets, visit the Adler Planetarium's website. NEW DELHI: A 13- year- old mentally challenged girl who was allegedly raped, assaulted and then left to die at the railway tracks in Southeast Delhis Pul Prahladpur early this month is battling for her life at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). The girl, suffering from Downs syndrome, has bite marks on her neck and bruises on her abdomen and private parts. The incident happened on May 13. Police on Wednesday apprehended a teenager, a local, and registered a case of rape and attempt to murder against him. Police investigation showed the teenager, a juvenile, had allegedly molested the victim a few months ago but she could not report the matter to her guardians due to her impairment. On May 13, he allegedly dragged her to the bushes where he repeatedly raped her until she fell unconscious. He allegedly tried to slit her throat with a sharp object and then dumped her on the tracks before fleeing, police said. Apart from other injury marks, there is a deep wound on the neck which suggests he tried to kill her. We suspect the involvement of more than one person. Investigation is on, a police officer said. The girl, who lived with her maternal uncle and aunt after her parents died, had gone to fetch water from a tank a kilometre away when she was allegedly kidnapped. When she did not return home till late evening, her guardians went to the police station. The locals looked for her in the forest area near her house. Four teams went to the forest, the nearby market and houses of her friends but could not locate her. The next morning she was spotted along the railway tracks by a local. She was rushed to hospital. In the past one week, she underwent two surgeries and is under observation, an investigator told HT. The girls uncle said her clothes were torn and she was bleeding from her neck and private parts. There were bite marks on her neck and she was bleeding profusely, he said. Her aunt was inconsolable. I should have accompanied her. She could not talk properly and suffers from a hearing impairment also. She could not have even raised an alarm, she said. Doctors at AIIMS said she was stable at the moment. She had undergone a major perineal repair surgery on May 18. She is in a critical condition but stable at the moment, said Dr DK Sharma, medical superintendent, AIIMS. Perineal repair surgeries are usually done after child birth to correct tears in the vagina and perineum the tissue between the vagina and the anus. It is also done in rape cases in which the victim suffers from vaginal tears. The cuts on the girls were deep. She might need another corrective surgery in a month or so, said Dr Sharma. DCW SEEKS EXPLANATION The Delhi Commission for Women has sought an explanation from police for not informing the panel about the incident. Commission chief Swati Maliwal visited the victim at AIIMS on Wednesday. It issued a notice to police station concerned. The issue is that until the police inform the commission about the rape, the commission is unable to provide legal help and counselling along with any other special requirement as seen in this particular case, the DCW said in a statement. Both chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and home minister Rajnath Singh will have to sit together, make a high-level committee and discuss steps to curb crime and atrocities against minors and woman, she said. NEW DELHI: The decomposed body of a 30-year-old woman was found at her one-bedroom apartment in south Delhis Govindpuri area on Wednesday morning. Nazia, who hails from Mumbai, worked at a private company in Delhi and had been staying in the flat for five years, police said. Her room was reportedly locked from inside and there was no sign of forced entry or exit. The landlord informed the police when foul smell emanated from her flat. Her room was locked from inside. Another door at the staircase leading to her room was locked. We had to break open the doors. The woman was lying on the floor. Since the body was decomposed, no injury marks could be seen, a senior police officer said. The body has been sent for postmortem examination and her family members were informed. The police suspect it could be suicide. The cause and time of death will be known after the autopsy is out. It appears the woman died 72 hours before the body was found. We are waiting for the report after which a case will be registered, a police officer said. Since the door was locked from inside, it does not appear to be a case of murder. There is no window. We have lifted fingerprints. Investigation is on, a police officer said. The landlord told the police that a man who used to visit Nazia often had stopped coming and she used to remain upset. The police will record the statements of her family and friends. NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal on Wednesday directed the principal committee, constituted for the rejuvenation of the Yamuna, to inspect the site on river floodplains where a threeday festival was organised by Art of Living. The World Culture Festival in March had triggered a huge controversy. The foundation was accused of causing extensive damage to the eco-sensitive floodplain and the river while building the stage for the three-day extravaganza. A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar ordered the committee to assess the damage caused to Yamuna floodplains and submit a final report within two weeks. The committee was constituted by the tribunal for implementation of Maili se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalisation Project 2017 and is headed by secretary of ministry of water resources. It also has three experts members Professor CR Babu, professor AK Gosain and professor Brij Gopal. The green court asked the foundation to file its reply within three days on an application which had alleged the spiritual guru had termed its earlier order as politically motivated. A foundation spokesperson said the Art of Living was ready with replies to applications on enzymes and alleged statements by Sri Sri to a section of media. The NGT gave three more days to file the replies. The allegation by Manoj Misra regarding Sri Sris comment on the NGT order are baseless. The petition was based on unverified newspaper reports. The Art of Living has the video of the speech that clearly shows that no such comment was made by Sri Sri. It was yet another malafide attempt by Misra to malign and tarnish his image by false claims, the statement said. The tribunal asked whether the foundation has deposited the environment compensation as directed on March 9 for damaging Yamunas biodiversity. The Art Of Living counsel replied that it was ready to furnish the amount as bank guarantee instead of payment of balance amount. Keep your bank guarantee with you, the bench said, while posting the matter for August 2. On March 9, the NGT ordered an initial environmental compensation of ` 5crore onArtof Living. The rest of the fine amount, it said, would have to be decided after a committee assessed the damage to the floodplain. NEW DELHI: No longer can police register an FIR against underage offenders accused of minor offences. But they can do so if the crime attracts imprisonment of more than seven years, or is committed jointly with adults. These are part of draft model rules unveiled by Union women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi on Wednesday for the juvenile justice law. The child-friendly provisions will be part of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, which was passed by Parliament last December. Barring crimes for which an FIR can be registered, all other cases will be handled by the special juvenile police unit or the child welfare police officer who will record the offence in the general diary. The juvenile offenders will not be put in a lock-up or jail with adults. They will get medical and legal aid while guardians have to be informed promptly after a child is detained or arrested. If the child is hungry at the time of arrest and says so, he or she must be provided food without delay. The Juvenile Justice Board and childrens court should see to it that a child offender is rehabilitated and reintegrated into society, Gandhi said. The draft rules also say state governments are required to set up at least one place of safety for rehabilitation of juveniles convicted of heinous crimes. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Think twice before accepting friend requests from unknown people on Facebook. A Delhi resident learnt it the hard way when he invited a Facebook friend over for a party and woke up the next day to find his prized possessions gone. The Delhi Police have arrested a 27-year-old scrap dealer, who, in the last one year, befriended 10 people using fake profiles and robbed them clean after a night of booze-fuelled party at their homes. After every theft, he sold off the loot on OLX and deactivated the profile and mobile phone number he had used to contact his victim. The law caught up with Imran alias Sonu after Kishan Gopen Meitei from north Delhis Timarpur filed a police complaint in the second week of May. Meitei said he became friends with Sonu in March and used to chat with him regularly on Facebooks messenger app. A fortnight ago, Sonu suggested the two meet for a night of drinking and Meitei agreed to host the party at his house, which he shared with a friend. On the fateful night, Sonu kept refilling the glasses of the two men but emptied his own glass in the wash basin. Meitei and his roommate soon passed out and Sonu made away with their cash, laptops, expensive watches, sunglasses and four smartphones. Meitei and his friend put two and two together the next morning and approached the Timarpur Police. Sonu had already deactivated his fake profile and mobile number but a second number he had used to contact Meitei once landed him in police custody on Monday. A senior officer said he had confessed to 10 such thefts across the city in the last one year. But we have received only one complaint so far, the officer said. It was not immediately clear if the police recovered any of Meiteis possessions. Joint commissioner of police (crime) Ravindra Yadav said Sonu was arrested by a team led by ACP Sanjay Sehrawat and inspector PC Yadav. Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal raised the statehood issue again on Thursday, linking it to ensuring better policing in the National Capital after a physically-challenged minor was raped and left for dead on railway tracks in southeast Delhi. Kejriwal visited AIIMS where the 13-year-old rape survivor is battling for life with multiple injuries on her body. Such crimes are cropping up repeatedly. It once again raises the issue that law and order should be under control of the elected government as it makes it easier for the enforcement agencies to work in close co-ordination with people, Kejriwal told reporters. Kejriwals comments came a week after his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government unveiled a draft bill seeking full statehood for Delhi and requesting the BJP and Congress to back the move. Read: Minor girl raped, dumped near railway tracks; battling for life at AIIMS The National Capital is governed under a complex pattern with key departments such as law and order under the lieutenant general who reports to the Union home ministry. Kejriwal, who had made statehood one of his major poll planks, have repeatedly demanded control over Delhi Police. He also accuses the BJP-led Centre of using the lieutenant general for political vendetta against his government. Speaking to reporters after his interaction with the survivors family on Thursday, Kejriwal also for a joint working mechanism with the Centre within the existing system to check such crimes. The chief minister said he has sought an appointment with Union home minister Rajnath Singh to discuss the issue. Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal, who visited AIIMS on Wednesday, also asked the Centre and state to work together to curb crime against women. Both chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and home minister Rajnath Singh will have to sit together, make a high level committee and discuss steps to curb crime and atrocities against minors and woman, she said. Doctors at AIIMS said the victim, who was found at Pul Prahladpur on May 18, remains to be critical but is stable. The girl had bruises and cuts on her abdomen, stomach and private parts. She has undergone two surgeries. The girl is suffering from Downs Syndrome, a genetic disorder which affects the physical and mental growth of children. Police detained a teenager over the incident on Wednesday. Though police suspect it to be a case of gang rape they were yet to establish sexual assault by multiple people. NEW DELHI: They may not be MLAs or in power anymore but nine sacked dissident Congress lawmakers in Uttarakhand have been provided Y-category security by the Centre a privilege usually reserved for Union ministers and top officials. Under this category, a protectee gets around 20 guards at home, at the workplace and outside when he or she is travelling. This is the third-highest category of security after Z Plus and Z. The Central Industrial Security Force, a paramilitary under the home ministry, has been asked to take over the security of these former MLAs, said a government official who didnt wish to be named. The CISF is one of the central forces that provide security to VIPs around five dozen of them, at present. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday told the Delhi high court that quick response teams, additional sign boards, private security guards had been put in place to ensure the safety of visitors to the Delhi Zoo. The Centre said that it had been taking measures to ensure the safety of visitors, including announcements from time to time regarding dos and donts. After hearing the submissions of the Centre, a bench of chief justice G Rohini and justice Jayant Nath disposed of a petition filed in public interest by advocate Avadh Kaushik to ensure the safety and security of visitors to the zoo. The petition was filed after 20-year-old Maqsood was mauled to death by a white tiger in 2014. It would be comical were it not for the fact that these things tend to spin out of control in many instances. Jumping through hoops of fire, crawling through muddy waters and attacking men dressed in skull caps and beards are part of the training that the extreme Hindutva outfit, the Bajrang Dal (BD), has undertaken in its pursuit of the defence of Hindus. It is a different matter that few Hindus have sought the might of the BD as defence, preferring rather to leave it to normal law and order outfits. The training camps are being held in Sultanpur, Gorakhpur, Pilibhit, Noida and Fatehpur even though a case has been filed against the organisation and its Ayodhya leader Mahesh Mishra arrested. The BJP has disassociated itself from these efforts, though Sakshi Maharaj, a party MP, has said there is nothing wrong in these efforts. So far these training camps have not been shut down. These are attempts to polarise society in Uttar Pradesh, which is due for assembly elections next year. The BD is hoping to create an atmosphere of fear among Hindus about some perceived threat from Muslims. However, what the organisation is doing is to create tensions and threat perceptions. It has also been organising vigilante cow protection programmes. Read : Bajrang Dal organises self-defence camp in Noida against extremist attack If the welfare of Hindus was of such concern to the BD, instead of trying to draw Hindus into a conflict, it should be trying to empower the disadvantaged among them economically and socially. The organisation has often acted as though it had the sanction of the ruling party and though the BJP has distanced itself from this particular venture, it must be made clear that a party of governance will have nothing to do with these or any other divisive tactics. The fact that these activists are brandishing weaponry is enough to put them behind bars. The state government must move quickly to scotch these so-called arms training attempts before things get out of hand. In the past we have seen how trivial incidents can flare up into a communal conflagration. Mercifully, people are increasingly focusing on development issues and it is unlikely that the Bajrang Dal will be able to transform this into a mass movement. Read: Mandaps, priests on standby as Bajrang Dal readies to wed V-day couples To counter the likes of Sakshi Maharaj, the local leadership of the BJP should make it firm that this does not have the partys sanction. As the NDA government crosses the two-year mark, the last thing it needs is the machinations of the likes of the BD or the sanction of this from any member of the party like Sakshi Maharaj. Read: Bajrang Dal, VHP seek ban on sale of meat during Navratri Vedika Agrawal, 17, has taken the Class 12 exams, and wants to pursue a career in management. Like thousands of students, she is confused about how to choose which colleges to apply to. I have realised that I should focus on colleges that offer add-on certificate courses and campus activities that can help me develop marketing and advertising skills, she says. While your top selection criteria should include the quality of the course at a particular college, and whether you can realistically make the cut-offs, experts say you should also strongly consider the co-curricular activities the college offers, especially those that relate to the field you want to pursue. Co-curricular activities are ungraded, and an extension of formal academic education. For example, they could be exercises in entrepreneurship or research, or certificate programmes in related fields. Its an excellent choice to pursue co-curricular activities along with regular academics, says career counsellor Suchitra Surve. This helps you go beyond books, and recognise hidden skills and interests. For instance, if you organise a large-scale event on campus, this will teach you about dealing with a team, budgeting, marketing and other aspects of management. Such soft skills can be integral to your career ahead. As you mull over your college choices, read our guide to some co-curricular activities that city colleges offer, in the realms of entrepreneurship, research, certificate courses and foreign language training. Read: Teachers promotions to be linked to student performance: HRD proposal Certificate courses To sensitise its students to society, Ramnarain Ruia College, Matunga, offers a six-month certificate courses in slum studies and a two-month heritage studies programme. In slum studies, students contemplate present conditions in Mumbai slums, and evaluate possible solutions such as rehabilitation. This is in addition to regular academics, and goes a long way in eradicating primitive mindsets, says Suhas Pednekar, principal, Ruia College. With the heritage course, the aim is to create awareness about neglected heritage sites. We try to show students the heritages geopolitical importance of then and now, says Louiza Rodrigues, associate professor at the history department. At St Xaviers College, students can take one-year diploma courses in counselling, forensic sciences and criminal law, and a six-month weekend course in data sciences. The forensic science course was very helpful in terms of basic knowledge, and I went to Scotland to study the subject further after it, says Sejal Shah, 29, a St Xaviers graduate who took the certificate course while she was in college, and now is a professor of the same. KC College offers short-term as well as certificate courses. Short-term courses include photography, creative writing, content development and filmmaking, and do not offer certificates. Certificate courses include one for second-year science students, which covers out-of-syllabus knowledge such as how to draft a CV, a cover letter, a job description and so on. We also have a unique Certificate Programme in Commerce and Arts (CPCA) for second-year students, says Sinha of KC College. Here, they are taught important soft skills, such as gender sensitivity, awareness of the environment, corporate etiquette and how to apply for a job. Jai Hind College, Churchgate, offers add-on courses in digital marketing, forensic science, Indian heritage, stem cell research, astronomy, and specialised software such as Tally, for accounting. Since 2014, the history department at DG Ruparel College, Matunga, conducts an ancient script deciphering workshop, where historians assist students in understanding ancient scripts and learning concepts from that era. For instance, last year we deciphered the Modi script from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajs time, and the students really enjoyed the session, says principal Tushar Desai. These workshops are open to all and students choose to attend them as per their interests. The idea is to encourage thinking outside textbooks. Research Research is an important skill to inculcate, say experts, and can prove useful in both corporate and non-corporate jobs. Ruia Colleges department of biotechnology has a research programme called Samanvay for undergraduate and graduate students, in which faculty members involve them in smaller research projects. Recently, a group of five Ruia students worked with the citys police commissioners office for a study on drug addiction and rehabilitation, and another group worked with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences for a project on early marriage and child pregnancy, in association with the United Nations. We conducted research in Bandras slum areas, and identified regions where drug consumption was concentrated, says Sahil Parsekar, TYBA student at Ruia College. It was a great experience, and a real eye-opener. We learned so many things we didnt know existed. St Xaviers College offers students opportunities in clinical research; Jai Hind College offers research training for science students, and research elements for economics and psychology students. Ruparel College encourages degree college students to assist PhD candidates, as a way to understand research methodology and analytics. For instance, Ujali Shirodkar, TYBSc student, worked on a year-long project about butterflies and floral attraction, along with a PhD student. I plan to pursue a PhD project in zoology too, so this was perfect training ground, she says. Another Ruia student, Tejashwini Havannavar, worked on a three-month project on water conservation, after training with Paris-based Suez Environment Company, which operates largely in the water treatment and waste management sectors. I studied water distribution in various localities of Mumbai. The course provided us with so much knowledge and awareness, that Im really glad I did it, says the SYBA student. Foreign languages St Xaviers College, Fort, offers Mandarin language courses on campus, conducted by Inchin Closer, a language class provider. Students from any stream of the college can apply. KC College, Churchgate, established a Bhasha Lab a year-and-a-half ago, which provides courses in seven foreign languages, including Chinese, German, French, Italian and Greek. We encourage students to learn new languages, as this will help them if they want to work in other countries or in multi-national companies, says Shalini Sinha, vice-principal, KC College. Enterpreneurship St Xaviers Colleges incubation cell helps students develop start-up ideas. For instance, they supported a project called Jal Jyoti, through which about 15 students offered slum-dwellers a novel solution to their electricity shortage a 1.25 liter PET bottle, filled with water and 10 ml of bleach, says Menezes of St Xaviers College. A hole is drilled in the roof of the slum, and the bottle installed like a light but half of it is meant to be outside the roof. When sunlight hits the upper half of the bottle, reflection disperses light into the home, acting like a 55-watt bulb. Jai Hind College has a College Social Responsibility (CSR) cell for social enterprises, and links to National Entrepreneurship Network (NEN). They recently organized a two-week seminar on How to start your own business. The seminar taught us basic and advanced business elements, such as how to compete with your rivals, copyright and trademark issues, how to take your venture to the next level, says Mayur Sharma, TYBCom student. The session involved a bidding game and mock stock market activities too. Englewood's Monthly Festival Series Is Kicking Off Saturday By Carrie Eidson in News on May 26, 2016 3:04PM Photo from a previous So Fresh Saturday event/Facebook The Resident Association of Greater Englewood is kicking off its fourth series of neighborhood festivals this Saturday, May 28, part of its ongoing effort to reclaim public parks as safe community havens. "So Fresh Saturdays" combine live performances, food and games with a campaign to use Englewood's parks and public spaces for safe neighborhood activity. RAGE started So Fresh Saturdays four summers ago by holding events in vacant lots. The festivals encourage neighbors to socialize and also challenge Englewood's reputation as a place of violence. The series is now held in partnership with the Chicago Park District as part of the Night Out in the Parks program. "Because we are residents of the community, our Nights Out in the Park are a little more special just because we live there," said Asiaha Butler, co-founder and president of RAGE. "It's for residents, by residents, but everyone is invited to come. But what we really want is the folks who live around the parks to reclaim these parks back." Butler said many Englewood residents who live near city parks are afraid to use them due to concerns of violence. But when neighbors gather in the space for peaceful activity, it creates a safe environment for everyone, she explained. "We want people to know at all of these events, we've never had an incident," she said. "Families can come and have a fun-filled time. We want residents to know these parks are our assets." In addition to peace rallies, nature-based activities for children and community workshops, So Fresh Saturdays offer a glimpse into Englewood's art scene with performances from local artists. Though Butler said musicians, rappers, poets and dancers from throughout the city perform at the events, RAGE makes a special effort to give neighborhood artists the spotlight. Previous performers have included rapper K.W.O.E., youth dance crew K Phi 9 and Legends of Chicago Hip Hop, among several others. The 2016 cycle of So Fresh Saturdays kicks off at Sherwood Park, 5701 S. Shields Ave., and will run from 3-7 p.m. on May 28. The event is free to attend. The remaining dates for So Fresh Saturdays are: June 25: Moran Park, 2-6 p.m July 16: Hermitage Park, 3-7 p.m. July 30: Ogden Park - 3-7 p.m. August 20: Hamilton Park - 3-7 p.m. October 1: Lindblom Park - 3-7 p.m. Performers or volunteers wishing to join So Fresh Saturdays can contact RAGE at joinrage@gmail.com or 866-845-1032. For anyone interested in volunteering but unable to attend the Saturday events, Butler said the organization has several other opportunities, including helping with its Back to School supply giveaway that will be held at the Hamilton Park event. The Chicago Park District's 2016 Night Out in the Parks series will include more than 1,000 events in neighborhood parks throughout the city. The Union Cabinet approved giving IIT status to the Indian School of Mines (ISM) Dhanbad on Wednesday in a move that had been a long time in coming. Col (Retd) MK Singh, Registrar ISM, while appreciating the response of the government, said, Prime Minister has done whatever he had promised during the Lok Sabha elections. We are very thankful to the Prime Minister and Union HRD minister for giving enormous attention and respect to our institution, said the registrar. Similarly, students too welcomed the development. ISM had been fighting for an IIT tag since 2013. The institute was promised it would get the label so that it gets better placement opportunities, more research funds from the government, better opportunities for international collaborations, and a positive change in perception. Last year, several students of the premiere institute had also taken to the streets against the delay in the upgrade. Over one thousand students had demonstrated at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi in 2013 and got huge support from the political leaders especially MPs across the country. The institute was formally opened on December 9, 1926, by Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy of India to address the need for trained manpower related to mining activities in the country with disciplines of Mining and Applied Geology. Earlier on April 8, Union HRD minister Smriti Irani on her visit to ISM had assured students an IIT tag would be announced soon. Suchi Mukherjee has always been driven by an urge to create something new. As she believes, in order to be able to do well as an entrepreneur, you need to have the desire to make something happen. You need to have the can do attitude; I call it the fighter gene to build something new and make something happen. Right from her college days, Mukherjee was breaking norms, doing new things. As an economics honours student of St Stephens College, New Delhi, she had played a vital role in reviving the fine arts society of the college, which had remained inactive for a very long time. As a member of the drama society at college, she hosted a drama festival and broke the conventional norm of replacing plays written by popular playwrights with ones written by students. Shes constantly on the lookout for new ideas. In fact, her venture, LimeRoad, is also an idea, conceived in the flash of the moment. LimeRoad as an idea was conceived after the birth of my second child, while snatching a few minutes of me-time flipping through a magazine, says Mukherjee. Going through the pages, she had discovered a piece of jewellery that she wanted to touch and buy. That made her realise two things There was no consumer technology that made discovery of products easy and entertaining, just like reading a nice magazine and no place where one could access the vast array of products that were being manufactured and shipped out of India. It is this seed that led to the birth of LimeRoadan online womens lifestyle platform. Read more: Think twice before taking up a startup job, say students Mukherjee who completed her masters in economics from the University of Cambridge, went on to pursue a finance course in London School of Economics and Political Science on full scholarships. For her, entrepreneurship is about passion and following it. The journey of entrepreneurship is full of ups and downs. If you are passionate about building something and keen to fight it out whenever any hurdle comes up, you can excel in the field, she says Before starting LimeRoad in 2013, Mukherjee spent two weeks every month in India, did a lot of back and forth between India and London. Despite having a six-month year old son at home, I had to give a backseat to my personal life to start with my entrepreneurial journey. I was meeting consumers, exploring the market trying to figure out the logistics business. Her priority, specifically towards e-tailing, is to enable the vendors to create beautiful online stores with an incentive to showcase their products in the most unique way possible. So, LimeRoad as a platform hosts three groups of people the vendors, scrapbookers and consumers. The vendors are the sellers who post photographs of goods they want to sell. Scrapbookers are independent people who style and mix-and-match apparel, footwear and accessories to create a look. These scrapbookers can also earn money depending on the number of users who buy something from the styled look, therefore building in extremely strong direct selling incentives. Scrapbooking for LimeRoad is a crowdsourcing forum for creating styles. Its an entirely symbiotic association between the vendor and the consumer. Vendors have access to a strong community of scrapbookers, who are essentially helping the brands make their products look gorgeous, and thereby reach out to millions of potential buyers, says Mukherjee. So, is e-commerce only about entrepreneurs? The answer is no. E-commerce sites are among the top job creators in India at present. Starting from top business school and technology institutes to tier-2 and tier-3 colleges, e-commerce recruiters are picking up talent from everywhere for different functions, including technology, digital marketing, content writing, communications and strategy building. These firms are also sought after by students for summer internship programmes. Some startups are also among the top paymasters. Indias e-commerce market is expected to reach US$ 220 billion in terms of gross merchandise value and 530 million shoppers by 2025, led by faster speeds on reliable telecom networks, faster adoption of online services and better variety as well as convenience, as per a report by Bank of America Merrill Lynch. However, with the mushrooming of e-commerce firms in India, evaluating the performance of a startup is not easy. How do you ensure that a startup you want to join is a sustainable one? As Mukherjee says, market valuation is critical and the best thing is to look for a public listed organisation. In private companies the speculation game is very dangerous. Funding is very important but that alone does not guarantee a great company. With regards to the lifestyle and fashion segment, the irrefutable fact is that great consumer brands are built from establishing a tremendously passionate loyal base of customers, who love something fundamental about the product, something that is beyond simply discounted prices. Born in 2012, LimeRoad has grown to be quite a favourite with shopping enthusiasts. About 15% of Indian women who have internet access visit LimeRoad four to 10 times in a month. As a result, 85% of the orders on LimeRoad come from organic traffic and 70% of orders come through the mobile app, says Mukherjee. LimeRoad has already raised Series C funding earlier this year, taking total funds to $50 million (`332 crore) in the past one year. Tiger Global Management has led the new round of financing with participation from existing investors Lightspeed Venture Partners and Matrix Partners India. Where are the jobs? There is an e-com startup for everything from grocery, apparel and footwear, to gadgets, eyewear and more. Suchi Mukherjee believes that one needs to have a can do attitude to do well in the industry (Abhinav Saha/Hindustan Times) E-commerce businesses are among top job creators in the country. Here are the hot profiles on offer at e-commerce startups: Human resource manager Business developer Business analyst Digital media executive Content writer Sales and marketing Android, web and software developer User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) designers Corporate communication manager Read more: Afraid of risks? Dont join startups: Mahesh Murthy How to check out an e-commerce firm: A well-funded organisation might not be the best yardstick to gauge the performance of a startup. You must do a good background check of a company before joining it. Register yourself at the Registrar of Companies website to evaluate the financial health of any startup. Also, talk to employees in the startup to get an inside picture SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the famous American university hurriedly constructed a building within its premises in 1943 for conducting research on war. Since it was constructed in an unplanned manner, it was named Building 20 as the administration intended to rename it later. That, however, was never done. It is nevertheless crucial to the history of American scientific research and innovation as it is known that at one time more than 20% of the physicists in the United States, including nine Nobel laureates, had worked in that building. The story of Building 20 gives us an important insight into the role played by spaces and architecture in shaping human endeavours. Building 20 was important not just because of an eclectic mix of innovators, engineers and scientists coming together on its premises, but it also had architecture enabling an interaction between brilliant people leading to an explosion in scientific research. IIM Calcutta was established by MITs Sloan School of Management in 1961. The first-ever IIM to be set up, IIM Calcutta, has a long history of students from diverse fields coming together and learning not only from its renowned faculty members but also from each other. Similarly, the highlight of pursuing a course at IIM Calcutta is group work. Students meet in groups for month-long projects in different parts of the campus. The state-of-the-art BC Roy Memorial Library is an important space that facilitates this activity. Ravishankar B Kommu in a light-hearted mood at IIM Calcutta campus (Handout Image) All classrooms are equipped with modern facilities which help teachers take recourse to different media while taking classes.The Finance and Trading Laboratory, the only one of its kind in India, keeps students and faculty members equipped with the most up-to-date databases and terminals required to carry out research. All hostels and academic zones are connected with high-speed broadband and WiFi, enabling students to circulate study materials, access library databases and work on their projects from anywhere on the campus. Doctoral students carry out research in the five laboratories. These are not only academic spaces, but also places where students share each others successes and failures and spaces where discussions on topics ranging from cinema to politics are held. There are over 20 clubs on campus. The choreo club and the dramatics clubs hold practice sessions in the auditorium, which is an important cultural space. The institutes lecture series is held as part of the two student-run fests Carpe Diem and Intaglio and various other activities are conducted in the auditorium. More than the utility of these facilities, it is the relationship that students develop with these spaces that makes them indispensable. The campus located in Joka is fondly called Joka Management by students, staff and even bus conductors. Students associate themselves with the campus and its seven lakes and feel a sense of kinship with anyone who comes from Joka Management, even if they didnt know them before. Infrastructure for an academic institution and especially for a B-school is not just about its intended use. Much like Building 20, these spaces are meant for the smartest people from across the country to come together and learn a lot more than what can be taught in a classroom. The author is third-year FPM student at IIM Calcutta Coordinated by Rozelle Laha The Madras High Court bench on Wednesday ordered issue of notice to the Centre and the Chairman of State Bank of India (Central recruitment and Promotion) on a PIL seeking to quash notification for recruitment of 18,000 Junior Associates and Junior Agricultural Associates. Justices R Mahadevan and S S Sundar also sought the Centres explanation within two weeks on the PIL filed by S Gurukrishna Gokul, an aspirant. Gokul submitted that as per the notification, the candidates with record of default in repayment of loans/or in whose name an adverse report in Credit Information Bureau Limited is available are not eligible to apply for the posts. This condition would prevent a large number of economically and socially backward candidates from applying for the posts. If they were appointed, after selection process, they would be able repay the loans, he contended. Read more | SBI PO jobs: Application process ends on May 24 This condition of the bank would only make more defaulters. Instead of giving employment to the candidates to make them repay loans, the bank was creating lakhs of defaulters of education loan by stipulating unreasonable and arbitrary ineligibility condition, he submitted. Besides, the application for the posts had been invited only by online registration without giving wide advertisements in newspapers, which is against the dictum of the Supreme Court, he submitted. While a major chunk of poor students were searching for jobs in government and public sector units, the ineligibility condition prevented poor students from applying for the examination, he submitted. The petitioner also sought a direction to the Chairman of SBI, Central Recruitment and Promotion Department, to issue a fresh notification so as to enable a large number of candidates to apply for the posts. WhatsApp threatening to take over your life? Time to consider alternatives. From Googles upcoming Allo (its got AI) to non-hackable Telegram, we weigh the options Do you feel WhatsApp is taking over your life? Do you get unwanted messages on the platform? Or just feel its become too mainstream, and you want to get away? Its time to take stock, and look at the alternatives. But what do you get? Viber? WeChat? Telegram? Good old BBM? Or do you wait for Googles Instant Messaging app, Allo, which is set for an India debut? We look at 8 apps to consider right now, in our flowchart below. All the chat apps you need to know about right now (Graphic: Ashwin Patil/HT) Read more: Bluetooth speakers so tough, they might survive the apocalypse Read more: Gadget review : LeMax smartphone Before boarding the air ambulance that crash-landed in Delhi on Tuesday, little did Juhi Roy know that she would have a close brush with death while sitting next to her 62-year-old unconscious father. The presence of mind that the 23-year-old Roy showed, while risking her life, has certainly given her father another chance to fight the battle of life. An MBA graduate living in Noida, Juhi accompanied her ailing father on the Beechcraft King Air C-90 twin engine air ambulance coming to Delhi from Patna with six other persons including two pilots. The plane, transporting Juhis father to a Gurgaon-based private hospital, crash-landed in Najafgarh. As the plane was nearing Delhi, the pilot suddenly informed the on-board doctor that the engine was lost. I did not know what to do. I just sat next to my father praying, Roy said while recalling the ordeal that she faced. Read more: Had just 15 secs to think about landing, says pilot of air ambulance In no time, the plane touched the bumpy ground, throwing all on board off their seats, and halted abruptly, she recalls. I had lost hopes as we bounced off our seats. Suddenly the plane halted with a screeching sound. Before I could understand the situation, the pilot shouted and asked the passengers to evacuate immediately, she said. The pilot opened the doors and all the passengers, except Juhi and his stretcher-ridden father, started crawling out. Everyone else was moving out slowly, trying to escape. But my eyes were stuck on my father, she said. Due to the impact of the crash, Juhis father, had fallen from the stretcher. I stood up and held his stretcher tightly, she said. Read more: Pilot lands plane at field after both engines fail, saves lives As the pilot warned of an explosion due to fuel leakage, everyone else wanted to save their lives. Juhi stood next to her father till a pilot came to her rescue. After shouting loud, one of the pilots came. He helped me pick up the stretcher and place it safely on the ground, she said. The two then managed to take the patient out. Despite being warned to stay away from the plane, which could have exploded any time, Roy again took a risk and fetched the life-saving oxygen cylinder for her father. I wanted to save my father. Everything else was irrelevant. I was told later that the plane could have even blown up after the crash-landing, she recalled. She didnt stop here. She went again near the plane, a virtual ticking bomb, to pick up medical files and money till local police reached and helped them. He is in the hospital now, getting treated. I am hoping for his speedy recovery, Juhi said about his father. Though Juhi sustained injuries on her head, she said nothing was more important than keeping her father alive. I am lucky that my father did not sustain any external injuries and was taken to the hospital in time, she added. Juhis father is being treated after he survived a brain haemorrhage. The worried family have also rushed to the Gurgaon hospital. I came soon as I got to know about the incident. We were worried that the incident might have caused major injuries but god saved our family. Juhi is also being administered first aid in the hospital, said Bhagwan Roy, Juhis uncle. World-renowned chef and TV presenter Jamie Oliver has always campaigned for healthy food be it in his own kitchen, in schools, or on his popular television shows. But it was his 2010 show, Jamie Olivers Food Revolution, which got him to think seriously about improving child nutrition. The show was centered on reforming school lunches in USA. This education program was targeted at not only children but also their parents and, especially, school authorities who controlled the food, says Oliver, in an email interaction. Mission nutrition Six years since the show, Food Revolution has turned into a movement with its reach in countries like Australia, Germany, Brazil, Kenya, Canada, and Nigeria, among others. The campaign was launched in India last week with a live streaming on Olivers Facebook page and a cookout by Chef Kunal Kapur and actor Jacqueline Fernandez at a city-based event. With this movement, Oliver wants to create awareness and generate dialogue about food and nutrition for children. His Instagram page is a testament to this mission. The chef regularly puts up photographs and recipes of healthy dishes to encourage more people to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Oliver also took to Twitter to reach out to US President Barack Obama, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and British Prime Minister James Cameron, among other world leaders. His message here is loud and clear: India has the youngest population in the world, and thats why it is necessary that this campaign continues to gather momentum here, he says. Oliver took to social media to announce his Food Revolution event in India last week (Photo: instagram.com/jamieoliver) It really is tough to talk about the British chef without speaking about his various causes. In the past, Oliver had also called for a sugar tax to cut down consumption of sugary products like aerated drinks. As Ive said before, business cannot come before our kids, our kids health comes first. The government has to take initiatives to ensure that children are better aware of the harmful effects of sugar, he says. Now, Oliver wants to go after giants like McDonalds and Coca-Cola who are sponsoring the Olympics to ensure they meet certain nutritional and ethical standards before becoming the official food suppliers at the event. The television chef Seventeen years ago, Oliver began his journey in television with The Naked Chef, a BBC cookery show. It starred the young chef often dressed in his home clothes with long, unkempt hair lounging around in his kitchen, preparing dishes for friends and family. It was sort of revolutionary even for those times, when cooking shows were formal and more structured. Two years after this stint, Oliver approached Channel 4 in the UK to help him with a documentary about setting up a restaurant. Thats how Jamies Kitchen was conceptualised. It was one of his most successful shows, which also led him to his restaurant Fifteen, in London. Then, he launched Jamies Italian, which has 40 branches across UAE, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Russia, Turkey, Singapore, and one in India, in Delhi. Ask him when does he plan to open one in Mumbai, he says, All I can say is soon. Read: Is Mumbai on the cusp of a fine-dining revolution? With the advent of YouTube, Olivers popularity saw a distinct spike. When YouTube was all about cat videos and flash mobs, Oliver created a space for chefs to showcase their talent. He launched FoodTube, where he would invite culinary experts and budding chefs, and collaborate with them to create interesting recipes. It was a revelation to see how influential YouTube food personalities were, considering I come from TV. I have often found that technology has helped fuel my passion, creativity and innovation in cooking, says the self-confessed geek. Today, he has over 2.3 million subscribers eager to watch him cook and talk all things food. Oliver with his mentors Gennaro Contaldo (right) and Antonia Carluccio (Photo: instagram.com/jamieoliver) Like his restaurants, Olivers food philosophy, too, is ingrained in the Italian way of life. For his restaurant, Jamies Italian, the chef collaborated with his friend and long-time mentor Gennaro Contaldo (chef and restaurateur) to combine traditional and innovative ideas on the menu. They [Italians] have managed to maintain a unique sense of traditional and village spirit, though they live life so luxuriously. Italians, whether rich or poor, have a passion for food and life itself, he adds. Thats called living a truly content life, something that Oliver, too, stands by both in his cooking and his passion for social causes. Follow the chef To know more about Food Revolution, visit foodrevolution.org; Oliver tweets as @jamieoliver SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A week after announcing the title of the fifth Transformers film, director Michael Bay has shared the first image from Cuba. Transformers: The Last Knight is only the second major Hollywood production to film in Cuba since President Barack Obama lifted sanctions. Weve already seen a collection of images and videos from the Cuban sets of Fast & Furious 8, which was the first movie to shoot in the country. CUBA! Second American Movie shot in Cuba. Transformers. Amazing place!#transformers A photo posted by Michael Bay (@michaelbay) on May 25, 2016 at 10:39am PDT Read: Transformers 5 first teaser: Optimus Prime is ready for war While this Transformers image isnt much -- its just a shot of a lime green vintage car -- its going to mean a whole lot more if this car is actually a Transformer in disguise. Weve only seen Transformers disguised as cars by companies that paid the most in product placement till now, so to get one that isnt the latest Chevrolet is going to be a surprise. Calling all #Autobots: Optimus Prime is ready for battle. Are you? #transformers A video posted by Transformers (@transformersmovie) on May 16, 2016 at 3:28pm PDT Since opening its shores, Cuba also hosted a Chanel fashion show on its streets. International celebrities and Cuban bigwigs graced the red carpet as Karl Lagerfeld showed his latest collection. Here, Brazilian top model Gisele Bundchen poses before the fashion show. Other high-profile attendees included Hollywood stars Vin Diesel, Tilda Swinton and Geraldine Chaplin. (Reuters) Transformers: The Last Knight is Michael Bays fifth Transformers movie. Mark Wahlberg will be reprising his role as Cade Yeager in the film. Comedian Jerrod Carmichael has been added to the cast along with Nickelodeon star Isabela Moner as the new female lead. The film has been scheduled for a July 23, 2017 release. Read: Transformers 5 follows Fast & Furious 8, will shoot in Cuba Follow @htshowbiz for more Johnny Depp and his wife Amber Heard are all set for separation. After 15 months of their marriage, Depps wife Amber Heard has filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. Court records published by the TMZ show that Amber Heard submitted the petition to a court in Los Angeles on Monday seeking spousal support from the 52-year-old Pirates of the Caribbean star. The separation comes within a week after the death of Depps mother, Betty Sue Palmer, at the age of 81. Amber has also asked for spousal support. Celebrity magazine People, which said it had also obtained a copy of the petition, said 30-year-old Heard cited irreconcilable differences. Read: Johnny Depps dog saga continues, Amber Heard faces year in Aussie jail Johnny Depp and Amber Heard arrive for the premiere of the British film Black Mass in London. (REUTERS) The pair, who have no children together, have been embroiled in a spat with Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce since Heard failed to declare the couples two dogs when they arrived in Queensland state a year ago for the filming of the latest Pirates of the Caribbean installment. Joyce, who is also the agriculture minister, threatened to have Pistol and Boo put down unless they buggered off back to the United States for breaking Australias strict quarantine laws. Heard last month admitted falsifying her immigration arrivals card and was placed on a $720 one-month good-behavior bond. The couple had earlier released a video apology, after which Joyce mocked Depp for looking like he was auditioning for the Godfather. In all seriousness, the one thing I will never revel in is any relationship breakdown, no matter what animosity that might be seen on the airwaves between Mr. Depp and myself, Joyce told reporters in Queensland on Wednesday when asked about the split. I have always wished the very best for people. No, I would never ever revel in something like that, Joyce added. The couple do not have a pre-nuptial agreement, TMZ reported. Heard listed their date of separation as Sunday in the documents published by the website, which make no mention of custody of the dogs. Depp and Heard met on the set of the 2011 film The Rum Diary, when Depp was still in a long-term relationship with the French actress Vanessa Paradis, mother of his son Jack and daughter Lily-Rose. Amber Heard and Johnny Depp have been married for 15 months. (AP) They married in a small, private ceremony in Los Angeles in February last year before celebrating with a larger event on Depps private island in the Bahamas. Read: Johnny Depp says Aussie minister inbred with a tomato, gets trolled Depps latest film, Alice Through the Looking Glass, is due to be released on Friday. Representatives for Depp or Heard could not immediately be reached for comment. Follow @htshowbiz for more Tom Cruise was supposed to be on the NASA space shuttle that killed Indian astronaut Kalpana Chawla and her crew, a report suggests. The 53-year-old star, who wanted to be an astronaut on the 2003 Columbia space shuttle mission, was given secret training by NASA, the Daily Mail reported. In return for being allowed to go into space, Cruise narrated a 3D IMAX film, Space Station, for NASA. Toni Myers, director of Space Station 3D, said that the Mission Impossible star, who flies his own GulfStream IV Jet and is quite qualified as a pilot, wanted to be an astronaut. Space shuttle Columbia, during lift off in 2003. (Reuters) He added that Cruise, who was very enthusiastic about doing the movie but also wanted to fly in the Space Shuttle, was given an induction course by NASA in Florida and taught how to replicate walking in a space suit by wading in a water tank. Tom wanted to be an astronaut, he flies his own GulfStream IV Jet and hes qualified as a pilot. He was very enthusiastic about doing Space Station 3D but the deal was he also wanted to fly in the Shuttle. He had a very good chance of doing so but then the accident happened and that was the end of that, said Myers. Read: Watch Tom Cruise shoot that insane Mission Impossible plane scene All seven crew members died when the Columbia shuttle exploded in 2003. Follow @htshowbiz for more Uber And Lyft Are Threatening To Leave Chicago By Emma G. Gallegos in News on May 26, 2016 5:37PM A graceful exit (Photo by Don Harder via the Chicagoist Featured Photos pool on Flickr) Earlier this month, Uber and Lyft made good on their threat of pulling out of Austin when voters there passed a referendum requiring drivers to be fingerprinted and undergo background checks. During a heated City Council debate over a similar measure here, the companies threatened to pack up and leave Chicago, too. Chicago's City Council on Wednesday considered a measure put forth by Ald. Anthony Beale that would require ride-hailing drivers to get a chauffeur's license. Drivers would have to pay a $115 fee, pass a one-day course, get fingerprinted, undergo a background check and have their vehicle inspected. No vehicles over six years old would be approved, and five percent of cars would have to be accessible to people with disabilities. After six hours of testimony yesterday, Beale's proposal wasn't voted on, but he vowed to amend his proposal in the hopes of bringing it to a vote by June 22. The ride-hailing companies made the same argument to Chicago's City Council that they made in Austin: these requirements are too stringent for a workforce that relies heavily on part-time drivers, many of whom take up driving as a second job. These drivers shouldn't have to jump through the same sorts of regulatory hoops as a full-time chauffeur, the companies say. Lyft vice president Joseph Okpaku told the City Council, "We cannot operate under a regulatory framework like this. If you cant get part-time, casual drivers on board, the model fails . . . If you shut off the critical mass of drivers, the whole system starts to crumble." Uber's Chicago general manager Marco McCottry told aldermen, "If this ordinance were to pass, ride-sharing as we know it would no longer exist in Chicago." But Beale believes these claims are overblown, and that, essentially, they're playing a game of chicken. He told the Tribune, "That means they're always going to say 'we're going to pull out.' They're always going to go to the extreme to try to scare people instead of sitting down at the table trying to work something out." The Illinois Transportation Trade Association, which represents the taxi drivers and taxi companies, has been gunning hard for Beale's measure, and has donated $35,000 to aldermen lately, according to the Sun-Times. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has sided with the ride-hailing companies. Perhaps realtedly, his brother is an investor in Uber, which is maybe worth $62.5 billion. However, Rahm has tried to temper criticism that he's in the pocket of Big Ride-Hailing by pointing out he's pushed an effort to ensure that drivers pay their debts to the cityor at least get on a payment planbefore they start driving. It turns out 10,000 of the 90,000 drivers registered with Uber and Lyft still owe the city, according to Maria Guerra Lapacek, the city's business affairs commissioner. Ridehailing drivers owed the city $15 million for things like red light tickets, water bills, and parking fees; so far they've paid back $2 million. Lyft and Uber are claiming that they're providing a service that cabs don't: service to underserved, minority neighborhoods. According to the Sun-Times, Uber driver Priscilla Beecham Joseph told the City Council "I live in the Austin community...Ain't no cabs coming over there. It would be like seeing a spaceship come down...I'm serving my people." Security guards on Wednesday allegedly manhandled Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members who were extending support to Banaras Hindu University (BHU) students observing a hunger strike against curtailment in the central library timings. A rival section of students also attacked the AAP workers on the BHU campus. Two party members sustained serious head injuries and were admitted to the Shri Shiv Prasad Gupta Divisional Hospital at Kabir Chaura. Six others, including four women, were also injured. A group of students also attacked photojournalists who were trying to capture the fracas. HT photojournalist Adarsh Gupta received scratches on his arms. The trouble began at noon when two dozen party workers assembled at the BHU main gate to support the students demanding that the library function round-the-clock. Nine students were suspended in connection with the protests against the curtailment in library timings earlier this week. It was unfortunate that students were suspended on demanding extension of library timings. We were going to give an application to the vice-chancellor to reconsider the entire matter when security guards stopped us and started manhandling us, said Mukesh Singh, district spokesperson for AAP. While a few guards were stopping us, others called students associated with the ABVP. They came and started beating us. They did not even spare the women and started abusing them, said Singh. The students chased the AAP workers out of the university and again beat them up at Lanka, he added. Manish Gupt and Manish Pal were admitted to the divisional hospital while Sanjeev Singh and Kamlesh Dubey were prescribed medicines. Ranju Bala Singh, Anjana Singh, Mohasina Praveen and Mohini received injuries, Mukesh Singh told HT. After the incident, the AAP members staged a demonstration in Lanka area of the city. Later, they went to the Lanka police station and lodged an FIR against the BHU administration, ABVP members and unidentified miscreants. Chief proctor Satyendra Singh said: Our guards only pushed the crowd to stop it from moving towards the restricted area. As far as involvement of students is concerned, there is no evidence that they were university students. If some miscreants entered the picture, what can be done? Our guards tried to stop them too. Bhumata Brigade chief Trupti Desai, who campaigned successfully to break the bar on entry of women in some Hindu temples, offered prayers at the Kapaleshwar temple here on Thursday but refrained from entering its garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum). Desai and other women activists arrived at the temple at around noon and offered prayers from outside the garbha griha amid tight police arrangements at the place, inspector PH Sapkale, in-charge of Panchavati police station, said. Later, she and the others were escorted in a police van some distance away from the temple, from where they left for Pune. Last Thursday, Desai had to return without offering prayers following strong opposition from locals, priests and trustees of the temple. In view of Desais visit on Thursday, police had beefed up security in and around the famous Kapaleshwar temple, situated on the banks of river Godavari in Panchavati area of the city. Residents had on Wednesday held a meeting at a hall behind the temple and strongly opposed Desais earlier decision to enter the sanctum sanctorum of the temple on Thursday. They were of the view that she should offer prayers from outside the garbha griha where general public is allowed. Men are also not allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum where only priests are permitted to pray. The shiva linga inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple was decorated with flowers and leaves this morning. When Desai and her colleagues arrived in the temple, its trust members and police officials explained to her the rules and traditions, following which she offered prayers but did not enter the sanctum sanctorum. The Congress is planning to counter the NDA governments elaborate celebrations to mark its two years in office with a nationwide campaign highlighting the BJPs failures on important indices of development. The theme of the campaign is Pragati Ki Tham Gayi Chaal, Do Saal, Desh Ka Hua Bura Haal and this has been given by an ordinary citizen, said Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala. Congress leaders and spokespersons will fan out across the country to highlight the governments failures on different fronts. There will be 27 news conferences on May 26 and 25 press meets on May 28. The main opposition party will also come out with a report card in the form of a booklet to nail the BJPs lies on the issues of agriculture, agrarian crisis, mis-management of economy, corruption, black money, dangers of internal security, women, youth, students and blow to their aspirations and anti-Dalit agenda of the government and the failures of its flagship programmes. Read | Two years of Modi rule have changed parameters of politics, governance Audio and video CDs on 10 key issues will also be released on the day. The Congress has maintained that the NDA governments schemes are either pale imitation of UPA programmes, ineffectively carried forward after re-branding them. It will also attack the BJP, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, over their acche din (good days) slogan to drive home the point that economy is in shambles and directionless. Read | Two cheers for two years of Modi government The Congress will also attack the government for orchestrating the murder of democracy by using muscle and money power to topple democratically-elected governments in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The party will also take on the government over its foreign policy. We will highlight the governments flip-flops on Pakistan, Modis surprise visit to that country, Pathankot attacks, and the nod given to Pakistani team to visit sensitive air-force base that defied all logic, said a Congress leader. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has identified defence manufacturing as Indias biggest job spinner, saying the government was committed to making arms and equipment at home. Talking to the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, the eve of the second anniversary of his government, Modi said India certainly wanted to go ahead with manufacturing because we have a lot of defence imports. India is the worlds largest importer of arms, accounting for 14% of global purchases. New Delhi desperately needs to modernise its aging Russian-era equipment as China and Pakistan upgrade their arsenal with latest technology and purchases. Read | Union Budget 2016: Marginal hike of 9.7% in Indias defence budget If I look at it from an economic point of view and to provide jobs to my countrys young peope, the defence-manufacturing sector can provide maximum number of jobs to my countrys youth, he told WSJ. He was working hard for it and had been talking to other countries as well. Today, unlike before, India is not standing in a corner, he added. The government has relaxed foreign investment norms for the defence sector that also figures big in its ambitious Make In India plan. Talking about Indias relationship with the US, Modi said it was a matter of great pride that the US congress had invited him to address a joint session. Modi will be in the US on June 7 and 8 for his fourth visit to the country in two years. President Barack Obama and he have developed a kind of friendship where we speak freely to each other. India sought closer ties will all its neighbours but wont compromise on terrorism, Modi said when asked about improving ties with Pakistan. Read | Sparks fly in parliamentary panel meet on poor defence readiness When he was voted to power, he had invited Saarc leaders to his swearing-in, making clear his intentions to build stronger ties with all the neighbours. The development I desire for India, I want the same for our neighbours and that is why I visited Lahore as well. Modis surprise Christmas stopover in Lahore was overshadowed a week later by an audacious militant strike on the Pathankot airbase. India blames Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed for the assault that left seven securitymen dead and derailed the dialogue process. Yes, terrorism in a concern for the whole world. We cant compromise on terrorism, nor should we, Modi said On being asked about China and US ties that have come under strain over the South China Sea dispute, Modi said there were substantial differences but there were areas where the two sides worked closely. This is the new way. If we want to ensure the success of this interdependent world, I think countries need to cooperate, but at the same time we also need to ensure that there is respect for international norms and international rules. Full coverage: Modi govt@2 In an emotional reunion, a 76-year-old man who left India and went to Pakistan nearly 50 years ago has met with his two siblings in the UAEs capital Abu Dhabi. Hamza Sarkar, who is now a Pakistani citizen, met with his brother TP Mammikutty, 75, and sister Eyyathu, 85, both from Kerala. He flew from Karachi while Mammikutty and Eyyathu came from Kerala for the reunion in Abu Dhabi. Sarkar had gone missing first time from Kerala in 1951 when he was 11 years old, Gulf News reported. He was fond of travelling. One day our mother sent him out to graze the cattle. He never returned, Mammikutty said. Sarkar boarded a train to Kolkata. From Kolkata I went to Bangladesh, which was then part of Pakistan. Later I went to Karachi, Sarkar said. After 18 years, he returned home in 1968. I risked my life and slipped through the borders near Rajasthan in India. I walked for three weeks and finally took a bus to Hyderabad. I wrote a letter to my mother and she sent me money for a train ticket to Kerala, Sarkar said. In the hope that he will stay, Sarkars family set up a grocery shop for him but he ventured out again after nine months on the pretext of buying supplies and never returned. That was the last we saw him. I still remember how my mother used to keep his picture under her pillow and would cry all night, Eyyathu said. After 48 years, Sarkars family traced him in Karachi when his daughter Aasiya living in Pakistan and Mammikuttys Abu Dhabi-based grandson Nadirshah, 23, connected on Facebook. I never thought I would see my brother and sister in this lifetime. I have waited for this moment for so long and now I do not want to leave them and go to Pakistan, Sarkar said. Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhis entourage was attacked near Dumaria in Gaya district on Thursday morning when he went to meet Sudesh Paswans family. Paswan, a Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader, was shot dead on Wednesday evening by Maoists for allegedly being a police informer. Read | LJP leader killed in Bihar, Chirag Paswan demands Presidents Rule Reports said Manjhi, who had gone to meet Paswans surviving family, escaped unhurt. A mob had reportedly torched an escort vehicle. They were dispersed when police fired into the air. However, reports by ANI news agency said Manjhi was on his way to meet supporters protesting against Paswans murder when the attack happened. Ex-Bihar CM JR Manjhi was on his way to meet the protesters protesting against LJP leader Sudesh Paswan's murder. pic.twitter.com/mXpxF0xwWd ANI (@ANI_news) May 26, 2016 Paswan and his cousin were killed during a campaign for Paswans wife ahead of the panchayat elections near Dumaria. The ninth phase of the elections is schedule to be held on May 30. The government has decided to go ahead with the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill in the Rajya Sabha despite strong opposition by the Congress and its vice-president Rahul Gandhi. This was stated by finance minister Arun Jaitley during an interaction with a group of journalists following a presentation by commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the National Democratic Alliances achievements in the two years that it has been in office at the Centre. The event, organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party, fielded its top ministers and party president Amit Shah to talk to invited editors and senior journalists from newspapers, magazines and news agencies. The other ministers who interacted with the journalists in various groups included defence minister Manohar Parrikar, urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu and railway minister Suresh Prabhu. The presentation by Sitharaman took up several of the schemes and policy changes that have been brought in by the government. Although she said she would not go through all the details and try and keep the explanations short, by the end of it all the somnolence of the event had started to affect the ministers sitting on the dais as well as the audience. Jaitley said the government would expect to pass the Constitution amendment bill on GST which would replace taxes at the Centre and the states, simplifying both collection and compliance, while easing the burden on companies regarding the multiplicity of levies. The finance minister said that almost all the parties supported the bill, except the Congress, which had taken an unreasonable stand. He said the contentious issue on the bill was still the 18% cap that the Congress wanted imposed within the bill. How can any party take the position that a cap on tax should be placed in such an amendment, he said, asking if tomorrow there was a drought in ten states and the Centre wanted to impose a higher GST for a temporary period, would it be able to do it if it has to amend the Constitution? Jaitley said he was willing to look at a cap in the rules regarding the law, but raised the issue that it was no ones position that a luxury bag like that of Luis Vuiton should also be taxed at the same rate as flip-flop slippers worn by the common man. He said there was no ideological issue in this and that almost all chief ministers, including those belonging to the Congress, were in favour of the law. Jaitley said he had met Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi on the issue, as also almost all the senior leaders of the party, except P Chidambaran, former finance minister. I dont understand their opposition, he said. Asked if they would have the numbers to pass the constitutional amendment in the upper house, Jaitley said, we will see, adding that the govenrment was determined to see it through in the next session of Parliament. The finance minister said once it was passed by parliament, there would be time to have it approved by at least two-thirds of the states, as required for a constitutional amendment of this nature, before going ahead with its implementation from April next year. Jaitley, who spent about half an hour discussing various issues with the journalists in an informal setting over high tea -- as did the other ministers and the party president -- said it was likely that both ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu and the Congress-ally DMK may support the bill, either directly or indirectly by walking out and thus reducing the numbers in the house required to see the amendment through. Talking on a possible second term for Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan, the finance minister generally parried questions, just stating that these things take time and agreed that detailed discussions were required before a final decision would be arrived at. Rajans term ends in September. Jaitley said the rquirement for 30% local content for manufacturing of foreign products would continue since this had been done to support local companies and employment. The question came up in the context of Apple CEO Tim Cooks visit to India last week where he had apparently raised this issue with the government. Cook met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed possibility of manufacturing Apple products in India. The widow of one of the Kerala fishermen, who were killed off Kerala coast in 2012, on Thursday lauded the Supreme Courts decision allowing an Italian marine accused of killing the Indians to go home. Salvatore Girone, along with another Italian marine Massimiliano Latorre on board ship Enrica Lexie, was accused by India of killing Jelestine and Ajesh Binki off the Kerala coast on February 15, 2012. Latorre went back to Italy after a stroke in 2014. The court recently allowed him to extend his stay to September 30. The top court also agreed to relax Girones bail conditions. Let him join his family. We have forgiven both marines long back. I heard one of them (Massimiliano Lattore) suffered a stroke and is undergoing treatment in Italy. It is really sad, Dora Jelestine said adding she never insisted that both should be tried and punished. Read: Second Italian marine Girone too can return home: Supreme Court Early this month, the UNs permanent court of arbitration in The Hague ruled that Girone be allowed to return to his country till the dispute is resolved. I know my husband wont come back. There is no point in pursuing the case against them. Family members of marines told me about hardships they are going through, she said adding she was thankful to the Italian government for the help rendered to her. The state government also offered a job to her in fisheries department in Kollam. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, however, criticised the centres decision to go soft on the case. All accused committed the serious crime should be tried and punished here. The Centre has been going soft from the beginning, he said. He is likely to take up the issue when he calls on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. Italy and India have been making contrary claims over the right to prosecute the marines. Italy claims the deadly shooting took place in international waters, so the sailors should be tried at home. India says it has the right to try the two men as the fishermen were killed in its waters. The marines say they mistook the fishermen for pirates and opened fire. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday put on hold the Khattar governments move to give 10% reservation to Jats and five other communities in government jobs and education. The stay came on a petition by a Bhiwani resident Murari Lal Gupta, who argued that the Haryana government had violated the basic structure of the Constitution. The stay doesnt come as a surprise. A day after the assembly passed the bill, HT wrote that the move would run into legal trouble. To extend the benefit, the government had relied on a report trashed by the Supreme Court and that was argument made by the petitioner as well. The state assembly on March 29 unanimously passed the Haryana backward classes (reservation in services and admissions in educational institutions) act, 2016, carving a new backward classes category to extend quota benefits to Jats, Jat Sikhs, Mulla Jats, Bishnois, Rors and Tyagis. It came weeks after Jat communitys agitation for job and education benefits turned violent, causing loss of life and extensive damage to property. Also Read | Would have liked govt to make my report on Jat stir public: Prakash Singh As the Supreme Court had already ruled that Jats could not be treated as backward, the assembly had no right to pass the law, petitioners lawyer Mukesh Kumar Verma said. The benefit was extended under the new act drawn on the basis of the justice KC Gupta commission report,which was quashed by the court. The governments decision amounted to revising a judicial order, which could not be done by the legislature. Only judiciary was allowed to revisit its decisions. The petition also referred to a similar failed attempt in 2014. The state government had introduced a bill to include Jats in the list of other backward classes (OBCs), but the court held that Jats were not backward socially, educationally and politically. Also Read | Ex-DGP, four DCs among 90 indicted by Jat stir probe panel The next year, the court declared as unconstitutional the UPA governments decision to include the largely agrarian community in the central list of OBCs. The court said reservation shouldnt be decided only on the basis of caste. Other marginalised sections such as LGBTs could also be considered for the benefit. The court gave the state government time till July 21 to file its reply. Some key files related to incarcerated former MP Md Shahabuddin, currently in the spotlight after the killing of Hindustan newspapers Siwan bureau chief Rajdeo Ranjan, may have allegedly gone missing. According to highly placed sources, Intelligence Bureau officials recently approached former DGP DP Ojha to gather details about the report a 265-page special document on Shahabuddin that was submitted to the government by the police headquarters during Ojhas tenure. It allegedly mentioned the former MPs links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, Kashmiri militants and Pakistans Intelligence agency ISI. The DGP had also written to the state government to take Centres assistance in the matter. The report, submitted in 2003, reportedly also cited Shahabuddins alleged meeting with Dawood in 2001 in Mecca. The DGP was removed from the post soon after the report was submitted and he had later admitted in an interview that his actions against Shahabuddin led to his ouster. After his removal, Ojha had demanded the report be made public, which never happened. Read:Murdered scribe exposed wrongdoings of former RJD MP Shahabuddin: BJP Sources said the IB was now trying to corroborate the details highlighted during Ojhas tenure. With the Bihar government recommending a CBI probe, the agency would like to gather all details before stepping in, they added. Incidentally, Ojha had also recommended a CBI probe into the activities of the former MP before his removal. In fact, I would like to move the Supreme Court for shifting the controversial RJD MP Shahabuddin to Tihar Jail in New Delhi and the CBI to take up investigation into all the 40-odd cases against him, Ojha had then said in an interview. Read:Bihar journos murder: Shahabuddin shifted to Bhagalpur jail Read:Siwan jail raided after journalist murder, Shahabuddins cell searched SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Huawei's relocation rumor highlights home price woes [File photo] Although tech giant Huawei denied a rumor that it may possibly be moving its headquarters out of Shenzhen due to runaway property prices, there are still large concerns whether this southern coastal city is losing luster as an investment destination. A media report, entitled "Don't let Huawei leave," was widely circulated online over the past weekend and has been rattling the nerves of local government officials in Shenzhen, China's first Special Economic Zone, which is faced with a possible exodus of firms in the wake of its rental cost surge. In response to the rumors, the world's third-largest smart phone maker said that it has no plan to move its headquarters out of the city, according to a statement on its official website. "Huawei has been setting up all kinds of branches and research institutions across China and even in overseas markets for the past few years to better support the company's global expansion," said the statement. In 2012, Huawei set up a device manufacturing company in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, only a one-hour drive away from Shenzhen. And it has also reportedly been moving most of its mobile device production and export operations to a division registered in Dongguan since 2014. Rumors about a possible relocation of its headquarters have been boiling for years. However, Ren Zhengfei, helmsman of the telecom conglomerate, openly expressed in June of 2014 that Huawei's headquarters will not leave Shenzhen and they haven't even thought of this scenario. However, many more manufacturing firms have felt increasing pressure due to rising costs both in terms of human resources and property rental. The southern coastal city, which is adjacent to Hong Kong, topped the global property league in 2015 and ranked among the top 5 fastest-growing property markets in the world, along with Shanghai, China's biggest city. According to figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the price for newly built commodity apartment grew by 63.4% year-on-year in April, topping 70 big and medium-sized cities in China. Faced with mounting rent prices accompanied by a housing boom, more companies are ditching the city. Figures from a statistical agency from Longgang District, in which Huawei is headquartered, shows that a total of 66 industrial firms relocated to other neighboring cities or shut down their businesses in Shenzhen as of Q3 in 2015 and only 15 newcomers have set up offices there. The local government, which is expressing a sense of anxiety, is trying hard to encourage them to stay. An analysis report about economic fundamentals issued by the district-level government has mentioned Huawei multiple times and urged the need to serve the company more efficiently. "Manufacturing is the pillar industry in the district," said Yuan Yiming, a professor at the China Center for Special Economic Zone Research at Shenzhen University. "We need to warn against the problems caused by sluggish growth and waning investment." Observers say that the city's appeal for Huawei, and many other tech firms, should depend not only on low costs but also a fair and free market environment. Lower costs, the rule of law, and non-intervention are the cornerstone of the software environment, offering what it takes to encourage brick-and-mortar businesses to stay, says Ren Zhengfei. The Italian government on Thursday expressed satisfaction and promised to fulfill all the conditions set by the Indian Supreme Court for allowing marine Salvatore Girone, accused of killing two Indian fishermen, to return home till international arbitration goes on in the case. Italian marine Salvatore Girone might be going home any day now, the foreign ministry said in a statement hours after the Indian court relaxed the bail conditions of the accused, allowing him to leave the country. The Indian court order came in the wake of April 29 ruling of the International Tribunal of Arbitration, asking both India and Italy to cooperate for Girones return till arbitration proceedings before it continue. The court, however, added fresh conditions to his bail. He has been asked to surrender his passport once he lands in Italy. Read | Happy 2nd Italian marine allowed to go home, says Kerala fishermans widow The foreign ministry said the Italian government renews its commitment to comply with the terms and conditions established by the Supreme Court of India. It said the decision was an important result that recognises the effort made by the Italian government in resorting to an international arbitration to uphold the reasons of the two Italian Marines. Italy will show the same commitment during the next phases of the arbitration proceeding. Read | Kerala blames Centre for relaxation of marines bail condition The tribunal in The Hague is holding an international arbitration to decide the question of jurisdiction between India and Italy as to who will try the two Italian marines for the murder of the fishermen during an anti-piracy mission. Normal life was disrupted on Thursday in Kashmir Valley due to a strike called by separatist groups to protest against the proposed plans to establish Sainik Colony, settlements for migrant Kashmiri Pandits and induction of new industrial policy in the state. Shops, business establishments and petrol pumps were shut in Srinagar the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir while government offices and banks witnessed thin attendance, officials said. They said public transport was off the roads, while private cars, cabs and auto-rickshaws were seen plying normally. Private schools also remained closed due to the strike, the officials said. They said reports of shutdown were received from other districts of the Valley as well. Both the factions of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF, on Monday, had jointly called for a shutdown for today against the proposed plans of creation of the separate clusters for the Pandits, establishing of Sainik colonies, induction of new anti-Kashmir industrial policy and the attempts of demographic changes in Jammu and Kashmir. While the chairman of hardline Hurriyat Conferences Syed Ali Shah Geelani continued to be under house arrest, moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq was put under house detention yesterday. JKLF chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik was arrested by police from his Abi Guzar office on Wednesday. Read: Kashmiri separatists unite after 8 years to halt colony plan for Pandits Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday criticised the Narendra Modi-led central government over its expenditure on advertisements to mark its two-year anniversary. Ashutosh, a member of Delhis ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), too questioned the Centre over the money spent for publicity. Modi govt spend on ads for jst ONE event 2 yr bash? Sources- more than Rs 1000cr All Del govt depts total spend less than 150cr for full yr Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 26, 2016 The AAP had faced criticism after a Right To Information (RTI) reply recently revealed that its government spent about Rs 15 crore on advertisements in the print media during the 91-day period till May 11. The publications that received money from the Kejriwal government for carrying the advertisements included dailies from Kerala, Karnataka, Odisha and Tamil Nadu. The Delhi government allocated Rs 200 crore as information and publicity budget for financial year 2016-17, even as political rivals accused it of wasting public money for self-promotion through advertisements in different mediums. AAP Govt was accused for Advertisements, do I need to remind how much money is spent now by MODI Govt on Media blitz. Will TV discuss this ? ashutosh (@ashutosh83B) May 26, 2016 Kejriwal, bitter critic of Modi, had targeted him on host of recent issues and even alleged that the PMs educational degrees were fake. As the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre completes two years in office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a rally in Uttar Pradeshs Saharanpur to mark the second anniversary of the government on Thursday. Read: Modi govt@2 A BSF jawan was injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded at Moirangpurel, around 20 km from Imphal on Thursday, police said. The incident occurred at around 4.30pm when jawans of the Border Security Force (BSF) were on a patrol on foot. The injured jawan has been taken to Regional Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal, the police said. The blast occurred a day after chief of army staff General Dalbir Singh Suhag visited Manipur and instructed the personnel to carry out operations to capture insurgents responsible for gunning down six Assam Rifles personnel during an ambush on May 22 in Chandel district along Indo-Myanmar border. The area has been cordoned off and search operations are on in the vicinity, police said. No outfit has claimed responsibility for the blast. Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhis convoy was attacked on Thursday near Dumariah in Bihar. A police official told IANS that villagers were angry over the delay by Manjhi, a local legislator, in meeting the family members of two brothers -- Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Sudesh Paswan and his brother Sunil Paswan -- killed by Maoists. According to police officials in Gaya, a vehicle of Manjhis convoy was also set ablaze by people. However, Manjhis party Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and the LJP -- allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) -- blamed supporters of the ruling Grand Alliance of Janata Dal-United (JD-U), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress for the attack. LJP leader Sudesh Paswan and his brother Sunil Paswan were killed in broad daylight near Tola Dubat in Gaya, about 100km from here, by Maoists on Wednesday. Maoists also torched two cars and a motorcycle used in the campaigning in support of the slain LJP leaders wife, who is in the fray for the village chiefs post. After two years in office, Narendra Modi has found a comfort zone with the world -- and the feeling is mutual. His policy priorities have become evident. But converting the small mountain of summitry legacy and diplomatic engagements into tangibles will be his next challenge. His greatest accomplishment, and arguably the number one foreign policy goal in his first year, has been to restore foreign investor confidence in the Indian economy. Foreign capital flows had fallen to $12 billion by the last year of the Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. Today, they are above $70 billion. In terms of greenfield Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), India overtook China. This has been a result of some reasonable success on the reform front, some terrible policies in other emerging economies and having Raghuram Rajan as a central banker. Prime Minister Modis most ambitious goal has been to change Indias relationship with its smaller neighbours. He successfully kicked this off by visiting Bhutan. Bangladesh has been the penthouse of this policy thanks to the land border agreement. Nepal has been the flooded basement. The lesser-known success has been his resuscitation of the countrys dormant Indian Ocean strategy. The medium-term litmus test will be the building of infrastructure links from eastern India to Myanmar through Bangladesh. The short-term will be extricating Sri Lanka from its Chinese debt trap and visiting the missing link, the Maldives. Modi has had a modicum of success when it comes to grand strategy with the two superpowers. He put the visa ban behind him and has developed something close to a working relationship with the United States, despite an isolationist Barack Obama and deep differences between New Delhi and Washington. Modi also feels he has the measure of Chinese President Xi Jinping. He has taken some risks -- putting off key defence purchases and shying away from issuing visas to Chinese Uighur dissidents. Pakistan is the perennial problem. Modi surprised most by developing a liking for his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif. But it is not clear he understands that the Pakistan military, which really runs the show there, has no interest in dialogue. The Pathankot attack was a pinprick reminder of how resistant Pakistan is to Modis tested instruments of statecraft: showmanship and economics. The past two years have not really been about a Pakistan policy as much as an educational course for the Prime Minister. Modis foreign policy has been as much about undoing the damage of Manmohan Singhs last years as it has been about pushing his own world view. He has carefully tied foreign policy closely to his economic projects, though his trade policy has been running interference. The Prime Minister recognises that he has to come through on his promises to other world leaders to maintain credibility. Now that he has raised expectations, he has about two years to go from being a visionary to a statesman, from joint statements to poured concrete. Full coverage: Modi govt@2 SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON As it steps into its third year, the Narendra Modi governments record in fostering communal harmony leaves something to be desired and dissent comes at a price, analysts say. Immediately after the BJP-led NDA government assumed power, business confidence began improving and administration was toned up. In sharp contrast, attacks on religious minorities Christian institutions and Muslims by fringe Hindu groups grew in the country. On September 28 last year, a mob murdered a Muslim man they suspected had eaten and stored beef in his home in Uttar Pradeshs Dadri, triggering an avalanche of the first serious revolt against the BJP governments failure to curb what was described as right-wing bigotry. Though some attacks on church-run institutions were later found to be petty thefts, but the damage was already done. The protests that followed were thrust into international media discourse when a host of well-known left-liberal public intellectuals returned their highest literary honours. They were also protesting the killing of a few rationalist writers such as MM Kalburgi, the incidents too attributed to hardline Hindu groups. The situation has improved much but sporadic attacks on minorities by vigilante groups continue. In March, two cattle traders were found hanged in Latehar district of Jharkhand. Those arrested included a person linked to a local cow protection group. On his part, Modi did reach out to Muslims as he participated in a world Sufi conference and called Islam a religion of peace. He also vowed, in February last year, to protect all religious minorities during an event organised by the Christian community to celebrate the beatification of two Indians by Pope Francis in 2014. Critics, however, say there has been only a feeble response to what is seen as a growing tide of cultural coercion by Hindu hardliners. If secular means a non-religious state, then, the government should keep out of religious functions and conferences. At this moment, when we face threats to secularism, freedom and minority rights, its important for the ministry of minority affairs to redouble its efforts for protection of these fundamental values rather than leave it to Sufi conferences to achieve this, said noted political scientist Zoya Hasan. The government was also seen as authoritarian, especially after sedition charges on students including JNUs Kanhaiya Kumar and a crackdown on activists protesting the suicide by Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad. Putting critics in prison or even forcing them to defend themselves in lengthy and expensive court proceedings undermines the governments efforts to present India as a modern country in the internet age committed to free speech and the rule of law, said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch. Last month, the Modi government launched the Standup India scheme aimed at helping women and Dalit entrepreneurs. But sustaining the momentum of the Dalit and Muslim outreach will be Modis key challenge as he guides his government to stand out as a truly secular and liberal country. Full coverage: Modi govt@2 SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON At first it did not make sense. Why should I give an interview? a minister asked. I have so many followers on Facebook. What I have to say, I can tell them directly. He waved away the argument that Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, with 64,935,123 followers, gives media interviews. It made sense a couple of days later. The minister wrote a Facebook post. It got hundreds of likes, and newspapers published it prominently the next day. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has befriended the social media like no other. That was to be expected from a group that won a landslide mandate in 2014 after running the countrys first truly digital election campaign holograms, hangouts, and all. At the end of it, the Prime Minister-elect used Twitter to herald the arrival of achchhe din. It became the most re-tweeted post in Indian history. As the number of smart phone users in India rise to 320 million and the country overtakes the United States in the number of internet users, Modi and his ministers continue in the same rich vein of digital communication. Whenever Indians are caught in a crisis overseas, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj takes to Twitter to share information. Last November, Namrata Mahajan, on a train in Maharashtra, sent a tweet to railway minister Suresh Prabhu that she was being harassed by a male passenger. Railway Protection Force (RPF) jawans met her at the next station, Bhusaval, and made sure she was safe. In February, Ramesh Kumar of Jalpaiguri needed to visit the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) trauma centre in New Delhi. A tweet to Prabhu got his ticket confirmed on Dibrugarh Rajdhani. Junior finance minister Jayant Sinha was doing a Live Talk on Twitter on Wednesday on #TransformingIndia. Human resource development (HRD) minister Smriti Irani can bring out the caustic quill, as she did for Priyanka Chaturvedi of the Congress on Monday. The enthusiasm percolates. Several top secretaries are on Twitter, many on Whatsapp. The Government Railways Police created a Twitter handle during the Simhastha in Ujjain to help pilgrims. Social media has brought the government closer to the people. But the Prime Minister has not stopped at that, and has built a Modi app, whose updated version Apple CEO Tim Cook launched on his recent visit to 7, Race Course Road. And thats not all. Purabi Pandey, 82 this year, is addicted to television news. A hundred wild horses cannot drag her frail self away from television between eight and 11 in the evening. But she sings a different tune some Sunday mornings. User of an old Nokia phone, whose radio does not work, Pandey yearns for the booming sets of her younger days so that she could listen to the Prime Ministers mann ki baat. Does one wish for more two-way interactions? Sure, and maybe they will happen. The minister, who was asking why he should give interviews, did give a few upon completing two years. Full coverage: Modi govt@2 SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Mohan Rao Wakode is a pleased man. On April 14, he spent 20 minutes with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and showed him around the memorial he has so carefully maintained. This is the birthplace of BR Ambedkar, the tallest Dalit icon and father of the Constitution. An Ambedkar statue marks the entrance of Bhim Janmabhoomi, rare images give a flavour of his lifes different phases, his ashes are kept carefully here and books are stocked in the complex. The Modi government has invested enormous energy in remembering him over the past year. Modi became the first sitting PM to visit Ambedkars birthplace to mark his 125th birth anniversary. Five places - his birthplace in Mhow; the house where he lived as a student in London; Deekshabhoomi, where he converted to Buddhism in Nagpur; Alipur Road in Delhi, where he spent the final few years of his life; and Chaityabhumi, where he was cremated in Mumbai - are being developed as an Ambedkar pilgrim circuit. There is nothing more important for a Dalit than samman, honour, for Babasaheb. And this government has done it, says Wakode, the secretary of Ambedkar Memorial society. His grandfather was among those who converted with Ambedkar in 1956. Read: Modi govts 2 years: Low job growth, inflation plague a growing nation A savarna dharamshala board, for those within the caste fold. (Prashant Jha/HT Photo) Read | Modi govt @ 2: Govt befriends social media to follow the electorate But while this honour is appreciated, several Dalits told Hindustan Times that the government is high on symbolism, low on substance when it comes to Dalit rights and welfare. The suicide of Rohith Vemula, for instance, came to be widely perceived as a sign of governments insensitivity. But on an everyday basis, the difficulties Dalits continue to face cannot be put merely at the doorstep of the government. The starkest symbol of persistent caste hierarchy can be found in the nearby village of Harsola. Off the main road, through a rough track, one approaches a small field where the grass is uncut, the ground littered and the place is vacant all around. And in the middle is a small, open structure. If you are born a Dalit, this is where you will bid the world good-bye. And then straight down the main village road is a Savarna Samaj Dharamshala; savarna denotes those within the caste fold. Adjacent to it is a gate with Hindi iconography, announcing entry into Mukti Dham. There is a neatly constructed spot for cremation, benches for rest, and an elevated platform where people can sit and grieve for their loved ones. This has been built with public money, Rs 15 lakh of panchayat funds. If you are born within the Hindu caste fold, this is where you will leave the world. Last year, Shiv Prasad, a young Dalit worker in IIM Indore, died and was brought back to the village. But the rains made the Dalit crematorium inaccessible. Prasad was then cremated in the general crematorium, causing much consternation among the upper castes and OBCs of the village. HT first reported the story in January. Local government officials took note, visited the village to take written commitments from members of all castes that there would be no bar on the basis of caste in using the crematorium. But Harsola reflects the gap that exists between law and practice. Read: Defence manufacturing could be Indias biggest job spinner: Modi to WSJ A Dalit crematorium in Harsaula, Mhow. (Prashant Jha/HT Photo) Read | Two years of Modi rule have changed parameters of politics, governance Vishnu Malviya, whose wife is the village sarpanch, is a Dalit from the Balai sub-caste. After last years incident, we have built a proper access road to our crematorium so that we can reach it easily in the rains. My own community wanted it, he says and adds they plan to use the general crematorium too, but this has not happened yet. Fifty three-year-old Malviya claims there has been a fundamental change in his lifetime for the better. But the mindset is still an issue. Behind us, they will speak about us with contempt. For weddings, SC families are still not invited. We will call them bhaiya; they will call us Tu. And most SC children go to government schools and their children go to private schools. When asked about the Modi governments commitment to Ambedkar, Malviya who is sympathetic to the Congress - says, He is doing it to woo Dalit votes in UP election. For his Mhow visit, Rs 10 crore were spent. The government should have used it for Dalits in the Mhow area. The story of Mhow reflects Modi governments relationship with Dalits. In the last two years, there has been a high-level commitment to giving Ambedkar his due as a global icon. But battling social hierarchies and mindset of who is pure and who is polluted will need more than just symbolism. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Gujarat is celebrating Narendra Modis second anniversary as PM with gusto but has been lukewarm in marking a similar milestone by the states chief minister. Anandiben Patel assumed office on May 22, 2014, after Modi stepped down as the chief minister. On Thursday, the Gujarat Information Bureau issued full-page newspaper advertisements highlighting Modis achievement. The advertisements in Gujarati read: Gujarat Maro Aatma, Bharat Maro Parmatma (Gujarat is my soul, Bharat is my Lord). A relatively smaller picture of Patel featured at the bottom of the page with a congratulatory message for the Prime Minister. The BJP, which rules the state, is also busy celebrating two years of Modi Sarkar in the form of a month-long Vikas Parva. But no dedicated function has been organised to mark two years of Patel as CM. Sources said the BJP chose to keep Patel away from events focusing on the partys rural vote base in view of the CMs recent setbacks. She was seen as the reason behind the partys drubbing in the recent local-body elections. Critics within the party also attacked her for not being able to tamp down on violent protests for caste quotas by the Patidar community. In contrast, Patel marked her governments anniversary at a low-key function on Smart Villages in Gandhinagar last week, which was not attended by any party leaders except her ministers. Even the Vikas Yatra planned by the BJP in the states 26 Lok Sabha constituencies from May 22 to 27 is not dedicated only to the Patel government and aims to spread the Centres achievements at the grass-root level as well. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Jack Ma gives an interview to The Beijing News on Oct. 30, 2015. [Photo from The Beijing News] Chinese tycoon and Alibaba founder Jack Ma has promised to donate a large share of his income to charity in a report released on Wednesday, The Beijing News reported. He confirmed in writing to the company's board of directors that he will donate all of his distributions of Yunfeng Capital to the Alibaba Group Charitable Fund or other entities identified by him that serve charitable purposes. The Yunfeng Capital was a private equity fund co-founded by Ma in 2010. Ma also promised that he will not claim any deductions from his applicable income tax obligations resulting from the donation. Also, Ma said that he will reduce his direct and indirect economic interest in Ant Financial Services. As Alibaba's financial arm, Ant Financial is valued at US$60 billion after completing a US$4.5-billion financing round in April. Ma made these commitments in Alibaba's annual report for the 2016 fiscal year. Alibaba estimated that the economic benefits Ma vowed to give up will amount to tens of billions of U.S. dollars. According to Forbes, Ma is the world's 33rd richest man with a net worth of US$20.5 billion. In 2014, Ma and Alibabas vice-chairman Joe Tsai donated 2 percent of Alibaba's stock rights, accounting for 24.5 billion yuan calculated by concurrent share prices, becoming the largest single donation in China at the time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will mark two years of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at a rally in Saharanpur on Thursday, a strategic district that could turn the BJPs political fortunes when Uttar Pradesh goes to the polls next year. But even before the event, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seems to have scored a point: Muslims in the area have agreed to host Modis rally on their lands. A large portion of the rally site, especially where the PMs MI helicopter will land and the stage from where he will address his audience, belongs to Muslims hailing from the minority-dominated Chunati Gada village. Saharanpur is a politically key area as Muslims are spread across the seven assembly constituencies in the district. However, they remain polarised owing to the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots --- triggered by rumours in the wake of Jat-Muslim clashes --- that resulted in more than 60 deaths and left thousands homeless. Read: Big bang reforms are a myth, fast-track growth is real: PM Modi Though Muslims are not the BJPs traditional vote base, Munawar Ali is excited to have the PM in their area. He is our Prime Minister. And we are happy that our PM is going to arrive on our land, said Ali, a resident. Mohammad Farhad, the husband of the Chunati Gada village head, agrees, but cautiously. See, as PM we welcome him. In this capacity, he isnt a leader of any party. He is the leader of the nation. But yes, we may have a different view when it comes to casting our vote, he said. Saffron strategists are aware of the mood, and have been working to ensure to strike the right chord. BJP party cadres visited Chunati Gada to invite Muslims to the rally where the weeklong Vikas Parv will be launched to mark two years of the Modi government, BJP leader Ashwani Tyagi said. About a dozen NDA ministers are also expected to attend the event. Read: Defence manufacturing could be Indias biggest job spinner: Modi to WSJ We stand by sab ka saath, sab ka vikas. Those who wish to join us are welcome. We seek the support of one and all, said another BJP leader, Chandramohan. The national party is aware that winning over a majority of the community is a mammoth task, so they need to polarise which way the non-BJP votes go. Saharanpur is the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)s bastion which shares its boundary with BJP-ruled Haryana and Congress-ruled Uttarakhand. The BSP holds four of the seven assembly seats in the district. Party chief Mayawati had also once contested polls from Haroda (now Saharanpur rural). The BJP is focusing on denting the BSPs hold. In the past week, it has managed two defections from Mayawatis party. Three days after former Saharanpur MP Jagdish Rana joined the BJP, former BSP minister Vinod Tejiyan also switched sides. A BJP insider said that more BSP leaders are expected to embrace the BJP closer to the elections. Ranas younger brother, Mahavir Rana, is a sitting BSP MLA from Behat, which is the first of the 403 assembly segments in Uttar Pradesh. Tejiyan says there is growing discontent within the BSP and the BJP is increasing in strength. Yes, frustration is growing within the BSP. Support for the BJP is growing, he said. Keshav Prasad Maurya, the Uttar Pradesh BJP chief in whose presence Tejiyan joined the party, said: Its because of this that we are sure of achieving our mission 265 plus, said At Thursdays rally, Union home minister Rajnath Singh, who has consistently opposed previous BSP-BJP tie-ups, will accompany the PM. Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar is also scheduled to attend where party workers expect at least 200,000 people. Read | Markets surge as investors repose faith on NDA, NSE breaches 8000-mark However, a local political observer said the real battle will depend on how BJP tackles the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP). While the BJP has been attacking the BSP and the Congress, which also holds two seats after winning the recent Deoband assembly by-poll, it remains to be seen if the PM, whose government has largely been treating the UPs SP government with kid gloves so far, steps up the heat on the states ruling party, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Even as the government reached out to African countries in the wake of the murder of a Congolese youth here, an African envoy on Thursday said ideas of brotherhood and friendship (between India and Africa) will remain hollow if Africans dont feel safe in India. Participating in a panel discussion on Indo-African relations, Nigerian ambassador to India, Sola Enikanolaiye, raised very serious concerns on the safety of African students and pitched for timely response from police. Read:23-year-old Congolese man killed in Delhi, police probe racism angle Read:Congolese man killed in Delhi: For African students, racial taunts never end Racism against black Africans in India is a major concern. Ugly incidents like what we consider barbaric attacks on Africans, murder in cold blood have met with outrage. Recent incidents in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Delhi last week and several such incidents in the last three years, counting Goa, has given cause for a very serious concern. The authorities need to take a more proactive step for speedy justice and take concrete action to prosecute and ensure that those responsible are punished, Enikanolaiye said. Enikanolaiye was among 30 African envoys, including those from Rwanda, Egypt, Somalia, Ghana, Malawi and Congo who participated in the annual Africa Day celebrations here. Our commitment therefore to partnership, brotherhood, friendship and solidarity will continue to remain hollow ideas as along as Africans dont feel safe in India, he said. The ambassador also raised a question. Do black Africans have any great future in the country, beyond education, exchange of skills. Will it not be best for them to acquire these skills and move on to other countries? I regret I do not have an answer to this, he said. Minister of state VK Singh said such incidents would not be repeated and he was deeply saddened by the murder of the Congolese student and condemned it. Read:Congolese mans murder: Govt faces tough questions from African diplomats No longer can police register an FIR against underage offenders accused of minor offences. But they can do so if the crime attracts imprisonment of more than seven years, or is committed jointly with adults. These are part of draft model rules unveiled by Union women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi on Wednesday for the juvenile justice law. The child-friendly provisions will be part of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, which was passed by Parliament last December. Barring crimes for which an FIR can be registered, all other cases will be handled by the special juvenile police unit or the child welfare police officer who will record the offence in the general diary. The juvenile offenders will not be put in a lock-up or jail with adults. They will get medical and legal aid while guardians have to be informed promptly after a child is detained or arrested. If the child is hungry at the time of arrest and says so, he or she must be provided food without delay. The Juvenile Justice Board and childrens court should see to it that a child offender is rehabilitated and reintegrated into society, Gandhi said. The draft rules also say state governments are required to set up at least one place of safety for rehabilitation of juveniles convicted of heinous crimes. The rules have specified a time frame to ensure speedy trial for underage offenders that is, anyone below 18 years. The board, committee or court will have to determine the age of an offender within 30 days of a petition seeking verification of a suspects age. For heinous crimes such as rape and murder committed by a suspect of more than 16 years of age, the child welfare police officer will have to produce statements of witnesses and investigation reports within a month. The revamped juvenile justice law has paved the way for trying rape and murder suspects in the 16-18 age-group as adults. But underage convicts cant be awarded the death sentence or sent to prison for life. The age factor was dubbed a flaw in the earlier law and has been hotly debated after the 2012 Delhi gang rape and murder of a paramedical student in which an accused was a juvenile. The brutal crime triggered a nationwide demand for harsher punishment for offenders below the age of 18. Such offenders were tried by the Juvenile Justice Board and sent to a child correctional home for three years if convicted. But the onus will be now on the board to decide if a case should be tried by a regular court. In a first, many new offences against children have been included in the law. Sale of children, corporal punishment in childcare institutions, forcing children to become child soldiers, and giving juveniles alcohol, drugs or tobacco products are illegal now. These are aimed at curbing trafficking, child labour, drugs abuse and shoving children into militancy. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Prime Minister Narendra Modi called himself a UP-wala and said his government had set the poor on the path to progress as he virtually launched the BJPs poll campaign for Indias most populous state on Thursday. At a rally in western Uttar Pradeshs Saharanpur to celebrate two years of the NDA administration, Modi announced an increase in the retirement age of government doctors by three years to 65, saying the move will bridge a shortage of medical professionals. I am a UP wala... I am your pradhan sewak, he said as thousands chanted pro-Modi slogans. He also appealed to doctors to serve poor pregnant women for free on the ninth day of every month, a significant move in a region with poor health indices. Read | Govt doctors retirement age to be extended to 65 years: PM Modi For the better part of the hour-long speech, Modi focussed on social and pro-poor schemes to woo voters in a state with dismal literacy, health and infrastructure indices. He promised power to all UP villages and repeated a pledge to double farm incomes by 2022, key promises in a state where over a third of the population lives under the poverty line. When I took oath two years ago, I said my government will work for the poor. Today, I have come to give an account of my work, he said. A win in Uttar Pradesh that sends the largest number of lawmakers to Parliament will cover the BJP in mid-term glory. But a defeat in the 200-million-strong state could prove to be costly for the BJP and galvanise the Opposition in Parliament. Read | As it happened: PM Modis rally in Saharanpur Governments are formed to fulfil dreams. When I was elected leader of house, in my first address, I said my govt will be govt for the poor, I have taken up those programmes which help poor fight poverty, Modi said. The BJP first came to power in the state on the back of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir movement in 1991 but has struggled to keep pace with regional rivals Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party in the last decade. Buoyed by its impressive Lok Sabha show it won 71 of the states seats the BJP is eyeing power in UP but has a fight. The western UP town of Saharanpur is dominated by Muslims, Jats and Dalits and sits in the middle of a sugarcane belt that is a Bahujan Samaj Party stronghold but might prove crucial in the assembly polls. Three years ago, Hindus and Muslims clashed violently in the town, leaving a trail of destruction and polarising votes that was said to have helped the BJP. The Prime Ministers speech sounded as if it were a refrain from 2014, when he stirred hopes for the farmers and middle-class in his poll campaign. No parent wants his offspring to get poverty as inheritance. He stressed on accountability, another major theme of his campaign two years ago. There should be accountability of every penny, every moment. In these two years, did you hear any news of corruption involving my government? he asked. Helped by lower oil prices and an increase in foreign investment, the government posted a decent economic growth last year. However, what will count in popular perception are millions of jobs that need to be created, better infrastructure and rural prosperity, where half the country resides. Read | Two years of Modi rule have changed parameters of politics, governance Thursdays gathering ran into thousands, mostly cane-growers who were responsible for the BJPs strong showing in the state in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The town was awash in saffron flags, festoons and airbrushed photos of small-time BJP leaders next to Modis on large printed hoardings. Busloads of people from nearby districts poured into the town dotted with Muslim seminaries and mosques. Union home minister Rajnath Singh spoke before Modi and invoked Ram to plead to voters. Even Rams exile was over after 14 years. I am sure you will end the BJPs exile from government in this state this time, Singh said. Four of this sugarcane-growing regions seven legislators belong to the Bahujan Samaj Party. Asked which way the political winds were blowing, 60-year-old Ram Autar Singh, a cane grower, said, Modi will ensure all our dues are cleared. For that we need to bring BJP to power. Yet, analysts say, in UPs caste-ridden politics, the path to power isnt easy for any one party. Read | Modi marks 2 years of NDA with Transforming India anthem video SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON President Pranab Mukherjee called for a resolution of the festering Sino-India boundary problem on Thursday, saying the dispute should not be left as a burden on future generations. Mukherjee said India and China have differences, but they should resolve the issues with mutual satisfaction. He mentioned Eight steps to a people-centric partnership to develop India-China relations, including academic exchanges and tourism. Mukherjee stressed that enhanced political communication was needed between the two countries. A disputed Line of Actual Control currently divides India and China along 3,488 km of mountainous terrain, but it has never been laid down on a map because the two countries have differing perceptions of the border. There are challenges, including the boundary question that still needs to be addressed comprehensively. While it is natural for neighbours to have a difference of views on certain issues from time to time, I consider it a test of our political acumen when we are called upon to draw upon our civilisational wisdom and resolve these differences to the mutual satisfaction of both sides, Mukherjee said in his speech at the prestigious Peking University. Recently, the US had said China had deployed more troops and enhanced its military capabilities along the border with India, though the Chinese state media said the Western press was trying to divide the two neighbours. Both sides should work with the aim of ensuring that we do not burden our coming generations by leaving our unresolved problems and differences to them. I am confident that by ensuring that these matters are not aggravated and by remaining sensitive to mutual concerns, we can minimise our differences and maximise our convergences, Mukherjee said. Mukherjee, who is on a four-day trip to China, will meet with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang later in the day. He is expected to raise all major bilateral issues plaguing the two countries during his talks with the top leaders of China. I would stress that political understanding between our two nations is vital for a closer developmental partnership. One of the ways it could be done is through enhanced political communication. In India, we have a bipartisan commitment to strengthening our partnership with China. The frequent contacts between our respective leaders bear testimony to this. We have broadened the common ground and learned to manage our differences, Mukherjee said. He reiterated how India has traditionally helped China in its quest for becoming members of multilateral organsiaitons, indicating that New Delhi was looking for reciprocation, for one, in its quest for membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group. In the last seven decades, our bilateral relations have been tested by difficulties and challenges; but the determination of the Indian people to safeguard their friendship with the people of China has visibly endured, he said. It was demonstrated in Indias early recognition of the Peoples Republic of China in December 1949, the establishment of our diplomatic relations in April 1950 and Indias constant public support through the 60s and 70s for the admission of the Peoples Republic of China to the UN and the restitution of its Permanent Membership of the UN Security Council. Mukherjee also made a reference to the Indian system of governance and its democratic polity. Our system of participative governance is founded on the principles of tolerance, inclusiveness and consensus. Attempts to derail our peace through acts of terrorism have not shaken our faith. Our society is resilient and public interest is protected by a free media, an independent judiciary and a vibrant civil society. As many as 10 MoUs were signed by various universities from both countries to expand contacts and cooperation among academics and students. The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed Italian marine Salvatore Girone, accused of killing Indian fishermen off Kerala coast, to go home, agreeing to relax his bail conditions. The second accused in the case returned to Italy in 2014. Girone could return to Italy while international arbitration into the case was on, the court said. The Centre backed the marines plea, saying he should be granted relief on humanitarian grounds. Girone will be home next Thursday -- Italys Republic Day, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi tweeted. Out on bail, the marine has been living in the embassy complex in Delhi. The arrest of the two marines after the shooting death of two Kerala fishermen on February 15, 2012 strained ties between the two countries, with Italy demanding the sailors be released. We confirm our friendship with India, its people and its government, said Renzi, who has been under pressure to secure the provisional liberty of both marines. And we say welcome back to seaman Girone who will be with us on June 2. A vacation bench of justice PC Pant and justice DY Chandrachud asked the Italian ambassador to give an undertaking that the Girone would return to India within a month of an order from the UNs permanent court of arbitration in The Hague. Earlier this month, the tribunal ruled that the sailor be allowed to go home till the dispute was resolved. Massimiliano Latorre, the other accused, went back to Italy after a stroke. The court has extended his medical leave to September 30. Italy and India have been making contrary claims over the right to prosecute the marines. Italy claims the deadly shooting took place in international waters, so the sailors should be tried at home. India says it has the right to try the two men as the fishermen were killed in its waters. The marines say they mistook the fishermen for pirates and opened fire. The arbitration proceedings would be completed by December 2018, the Centre had earlier told the court, which stayed all criminal proceedings in the case till the jurisdictional issue was settled. Under bail conditions, Girone must report to a police station in Italy on first Wednesday of every month and give an undertaking he will remain under the jurisdiction of the Indian Supreme Court. A violation would lead to cancellation of the bail, said the court, which on May 23 agreed to hear Girones plea following the UNs panel ruling. (With agency inputs) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Shops of a few Indians living in Congo have been attacked -- possibly in reaction to the murder of a Congolese student in New Delhi resulting in injuries, the ministry of external affairs said on Thursday. Our embassy in Congo is in touch with local authorities and, as of now, things have calmed down. Indias relations with Congo go back many years, the MEA said. India has promised swift punishment after the student from Congo was fatally attacked last week. Several African missions have asked the government to take steps to ensure the safety of Africans living in India. Thousands of African nationals study and work in India and routinely deal with rampant racism and discrimination in the country. The victim in last weeks attack, Masunda Kitada Oliver, was a graduate student who had lived in India for over six years, according to the Congolese embassy in New Delhi. He had hailed an auto rickshaw Friday night when three men insisted they had hired the vehicle. The men beat him up and hit him on the head with a stone, and he died later that night, police said. Two of the men suspected in the attack have been arrested, while police are searching for the third. The African Heads of Mission in New Delhi issued a statement Tuesday urging Indias government to address the problems of racism and Afro-phobia in the country. They also asked the government to postpone an Africa Day celebration slated for Thursday. Read: Congolese mans murder: Govt faces tough questions from African diplomats Given the pervading climate of fear and insecurity in Delhi, the African Heads of Mission are left with little option than to consider recommending to their governments not to send new students to India, unless and until their safety can be guaranteed, the statement said. In response, India promised quick punishment. We will ensure that justice is done and stringent punishment given to those involved in the attack, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement Wednesday. Congos deputy foreign minister Antoine Boyamba told UN-backed Radio Okapi that the death of Kitada was a sad event, but called on Congo residents to remain calm. The Indian authorities have assured us that they are doing what is necessary, he said. Read: Congolese man killed in Delhi: For African students, racial taunts never end Kitadas father told Radio Okapi that his younger brother will go to India in the coming days to file a complaint. The attack was the latest to target Africans in India. In February, a Tanzanian woman was beaten and stripped naked by a mob in the southern city of Bangalore after a Sudanese students car hit an Indian woman. In September 2014, a video of three African men being beaten inside a New Delhi metro station caused uproar in India, where fair skin is coveted. Alleging post-poll violence in West Bengal, state BJP said it will boycott the swearing-in ceremony of Mamata Banerjee as West Bengal chief minister in Kolkata on Thursday, even as Union finance minister Arun Jaitley said he would attend the programme. We are boycotting tomorrows swearing-in ceremony. When our workers are being attacked throughout the state, how can we join the swearing-in ceremony? state BJP president Dilip Ghosh said. State BJP sources, however, confirmed that Jaitley and a few Central ministers will attend the ceremony. Both the Congress and the Left Front, which fought the Assembly poll together, have decided against participating in the ceremony and said they would organise protests against post-poll violence. Asked if the central BJP leadership, including Union ministers who have been invited, will also boycott the programme, Ghosh, who was in Midnapore, said, I cannot comment on it. But we will try to convince them not to join the swearing-in as it would harm the party. They (central leadership) will decide what they will do regarding protocol. But we have apprised them that we are boycotting the programme, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has maintained good relations with all states pursuing with the policy of strengthening the federal structure, Ghosh said. Reiterating their stand on boycotting the programme, Left Front chairman Biman Bose questioned, How can we go there when people are being attacked? The state Congress leadership had earlier stated they would not attend the oath-taking ceremony. Five people died and 100 were injured in a blast at a chemical factory at MIDC area in Dombivli near Thane on Thursday. While chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered speeding up of relief operations, guardian minister of Thane Eknath Shinde said strict action would be taken against those guilty. According to witnesses, a boiler in the factory exploded around 11.30am leading to a major fire. More than five fire engines were rushed to the spot. The companies in the vicinity felt the vibrations, while local residents said their window panes got shattered. The injured have been taken to various hospitals near the factory. Fearing more blasts, many residents came out on the streets. The police have asked people in the area to wear masks as a precautionary measure, as many in the area complained of nausea. Saddened to know about the unfortunate & tragic incident that took place at Dombivali. (1/3) Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) May 26, 2016 The state government has announced to probe into the accident. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis tweeted, Saddened to know about the unfortunate & tragic incident that took place at Dombivli. Spoke to police officials & local authorities and asked them to speed up the relief operations. We are constantly in touch with the local administration and we would leave no stone unturned in our efforts & relief operation. We will thoroughly inquire into the incident and action will be taken against those responsible for the incidents, said guardian minister Eknath Shinde after visiting the scene of the incident. He also announced the cost of treatment of the injured would be borne by the state government. Aditya Patwardhan, a resident, said, We thought it was a bomb explosion. I was shocked to see the window panes broken and the cracks in the wall. A police inspector from Manpada police station said, We have sealed the area around the company. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Two militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Kupwara on Thursday, the Indian Army said. Search operations were on in the area -- which falls near the Line of Control to look for other militants. The encounter came days after three policemen were killed in Srinagar in two separate militant attacks and two suspected militants of the banned outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad were gunned down in an encounter by security forces on Monday. Troops guarding the Line of Control (LoC) intercepted a group of five-six militants trying to sneak into the Indian side in the Naugam sector early on Thursday, an army official said. He said the troops of 35 Rashtriya Rifles challenged the infiltrating militants who opened fire, triggering a gunbattle between the two sides. Two militants have been killed so far and their bodies are lying near the encounter spot, the official said, adding the operation in the dense bushes is still going on. Defence sources said additional reinforcements of 18 Jat and first Naga regiment have joined the operation to neutralise the remaining militants. With inputs from PTI A man in central China's Henan Province is seeking 2 million yuan (US$305,000) compensation for being wrongly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. Yang Shoufa, 53, from Zhenping County, was diagnosed during a provincial-wide check in 2004, during which more than 280,000 people were tested. It was not until 2012 that he found out the diagnosis was wrong. Zhenping disease control center still has samples from 2004, and a retest of Yang's sample also came up positive. "The test equipment did not fail, so someone must have mixed up Yang's blood with an HIV patient," said Wu Zhaofang, deputy director of the center. Yang had been taking HIV medication since his diagnosis until 2012. He had to attend annual health checks, which only tested the amount of CD4 T cells in his blood. In people with HIV, it is the strongest indicator of HIV progression. "Yang's CD4 T cells were higher than other AIDS patients, but it never raised any concerns, no one doubted his diagnosis," said Zhu Qian, director of the HIV/AIDS prevention institute in Henan. At the time of the diagnosis, Yang did have some health problems. "I had donated blood once and then I suffered from repeated fever, so when they told me I had AIDS, I was convinced. I thought it was my destiny," he said. Zhenping health authority and the township government are now discussing a compensation plan for Yang. "I don't know how much the government should pay me. Negligence cost me my health, my family. It was utter devastation," Yang said. "This was an extremely rare incident but Yang's tragic experience should ring alarm bells," said Zhu. "Extreme precaution should be taken to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again." A senior BJP leader considered the architect of the partys alliances in Jammu and Kashmir and Assam is among two RSS faces likely to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha, HT has learnt. Elections for 57 Rajya Sabha seats which will fall vacant over the next few weeks are scheduled for June 11. The ruling BJP, which has failed to push through key reforms including the landmark Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill in the Upper House, however, may not see any significant increase in numbers as gains in states such as Rajasthan will be compensated with losses in Uttarakhand and Karnataka where the Congress is in power. BJP general secretary Ram Madhav and vice president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe are in contention for Rajya Sabha seats, a party leader said, adding that seven ministers whose Rajya Sabha terms are ending, appeared set to return. A former RSS pracharak, Madhav engineered the groundbreaking BJP-PDP alliance in Kashmir which put the saffron party in power in the Muslim-majority state for the first time. He is also credited with stitching BJPs pre-poll alliance with the AGP and BPF in Assam which gave the party the numbers to form its first government in the state. Party sources said Madhav could join the Upper House either from Madhya Pradesh or Haryana, two states where the BJP is in power. BJP national vice-president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe (second from left) distributes party membership certificates at a function in Bhopal. (Mujeeb Faruqui/HT File Photo) Sahasrabuddhe, who heads an RSS-affiliated think tank, is also a claimant for the RS seats from Madhya Pradesh. Union minister Venkaiah Naidu is looking for his fourth term from Karnataka though there are doubts over Union commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman getting a second term from Andhra Pradesh where the BJP does not have the numbers to win a seat. The sources also said that Railways minister Suresh Prabhu, who represents Haryana, may be shifted to his home state Maharashtra. On the opposition side, those who are likely to make a comeback include lawyer Ram Jethmalani this time as an RJD member -- and Amar Singh on a Samajwadi Party ticket from Uttar Pradesh. RJD chief Lalu Prasads wife Rabri Devi will also make her debut in national politics as a member of the Upper House from Bihar. The Congress is likely to re-nominate Ambika Soni from Punjab and Oscar Fernandes from Karnataka. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Highlighting the alleged failures of the NDA government, former Union minister RPN Singh on Thursday suggested that the BJP should become a case study for event management companies. They (BJP) have managedevent management of schemes be it Skill India, Digital India, Stand up India. All the showcasing of these events, I think, should become a case study for event management companies, Singh said. He added that unfortunately though all these schemes have been introduced beautifully but none of them has worked. Singh alleged that a numbers of schemes were introduced but nothing was done to implement them. Swacch Abhiyan is being talked about...sanitation is very important but the country will not get cleaned by just clicking photographs. Two years have passed and the people are still waiting for achhe din (good days) which Modi had promised in his speeches, he said. Modi had promised two crores jobs every year, but labour departments figures reveal that 1.34 lakh jobs have been provided, Singh claimed. Around 3,000 farmers committed suicide, of which 1,800 were from Maharashtra, he claimed. Exports are declining since the last 17 months, he alleged. The price of petrol in Delhi is Rs 63 per litre and diesel Rs 51, which should have been even lower, Singh said. Who has received Rs 15 lakh in bank account which Modi promised after bringing back black money? BJP played a dangerous game on internal securityafter coming in power they got a person free from jail allegedly involved in Malegaon blast. In order to save its people, BJP is playing with terrorism which is dangerous for the country, alleged Singh. Modi talks of corruption but kept silent on Vyapam scam, mining scam in Rajasthan, PDS scam in Chhattisgarh. Singh asked why Modi is silent on the CAG report hinting at a Rs 20,000 crore scam in GSBC pipeline in Gujarat when he was chief minister. Daaravtha by Nishant Roy Bombarde is a brave film on gender identity, made despite several hurdles. Vindication came in the form of two National Awards this year In one of the scenes of the Marathi film, Daaravtha (The Threshold, 2015), Pankaj, the adolescent protagonist, is having a conversation with his mother as shes dressing up. He tells her, Ma, women get to wear such beautiful, colourful saris but for men, [its] the same old boring clothes. His mother playfully tells him to be born as a woman in his next birth. Since he helps with household chores, she doesnt miss not having a daughter, she adds. But Im not a girl, sighs Pankaj. As you might have guessed, the 30-minute short film explores Pankajs struggles to express himself in a world with rigid notions of what it means to be a boy. Directed and produced by Mumbai-based filmmaker Nishant Roy Bombarde (33), the film won two National awards (for producer and director) in the non-feature category. It will now be screened at Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival 2016, this Sunday. Bombarde was born in the Gondia district of Maharashtra, he studied engineering in Jalgaon, and mass communication at Symbiosis, Pune, before moving to Mumbai. While the film isnt biographical, Bombarde admits that the events depicted are based on real incidents. A male acquaintance had long hair and used to do female parts in plays. His father had a problem with it. During a fight, he told his father that this is what he is like, and he needs to deal with it. That was the germ of the film, he says. A still from the short film While Bombarde wrote the initial script overnight in December, 2013, it took him two years to write the final draft and manage production on a shoestring budget of Rs 5 lakh. Even then, Bombarde had to deal with producers backing out and technical problems. Winning the National Award comes as vindication. Recounting the initial reaction on winning the award, he says, After the call, I jumped like a child for a while. Winning doesnt suddenly make you more creative, but it turns heads and makes people take you seriously. Now, he is busy with two period feature films, and has plans to take Daaravtha to other film festivals. Watch this Daaravtha will be screened on May 29, 2.30pm as part of the Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival (May 25-29) At Liberty Cinema, Marine Lines Visit: mumbai queerfest.com SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Maharashtra governments ambitious Shivaji Memorial project which has been mired in numerous controversies over years is now once again in the news as fisher folk have demanded it to be shifted from the proposed location in the Arabian sea off Mumbai coast. The fishermen said that the memorial will sound a death knell for their livelihood and have warned of a series of agitations against the project. In contrast, the memorial committee calling the protests politically motivated said it was determined to go ahead with the project. On Thursday, the fishermen held a boat rally along with black flags to protest against the project. Rohit Pande, chief co-ordinator, Paramparik Machimar Seva Samitee, said the memorial in the Arabian sea will be an environmental disaster. The memorial project will destroy the entire marine life and adversely affect our livelihood, he claimed. He said approximately 3,500 fishermen families living in the koliwadas of Colaba, Cuffe Parade and Sasoon Dock would face the brunt. For fishermen whose sea catch has reduced in the past few years, the memorial signals further problems as apart from the catch, such a memorial where visitors would be ferried in boats and security tightened, it means curtailing their movement in the sea. However, Vinayak Mete, chairman, Shiv Smarak Samiti, criticised the protests as misleading. It is unfortunate that they are resorting to falsehood to stop this project, said Mete. We have conducted proper studies and this in no way affects fishing activity, he added. The project was first envisaged in the 1980s but it could not make much headway. It was revived in 2000 during the Congress-NCP regime with a view to wooing Maratha voters, as Shivaji was a Maratha and the community takes pride in it, but it could hardly take it to a logical end. After winning the assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party government put it on a fast track and obtained required clearances from the Centre. The ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) in December last year gave a nod for installing statute and building the memorial in the sea. Many, including Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, are also questioning the governments decision to spend more than Rs 1400 crore on the memorial when the state has about 350 forts that are in need of conservation. No one can doubt my commitment to Shivaji Maharaj but there are too many issues with the project plan and there is no transparency. The state government should focus their energies on reviving the forts built by Shivaji Maharaj and declare them as tourism spots. The forts constructed by him are in bad shape and there is no effort to refurbish them, Thackeray said. The state government recently appointed consultancy firm EGIS India consultant Pvt Ltd as the management consultant for the project at the cost of Rs 83 crore. The groundbreaking ceremony to be held on May 22 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was deferred on the grounds that it was inappropriate to hold such a grand event when the state is reeling under severe drought. After last years all-time high, the overall performance of students across the Mumbai division fell in the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exam results announced on Wednesday. Fewer students bagged distinctions and first class grade this year, while the number of students scoring below 60% soared. The poor performance of students in the science stream also brought down scores, said officials of the Maharashtra state board. The pass percentage plummeted across the city. While Greater Mumbai recorded a pass percentage of 83.2% compared to 87.61% last year, Mumbai suburb 1 and 2, which had recorded 90.16% and 91.36% respectively last year, reported only 86% and 87% students passing this year. The number of students scoring above 75%, too, slumped to 33,444 from 34,504 last year, while those securing first class grade (up to 60%) fell to 87,306 from 92,734. Compared to last years tally of 1.15 lakh students, around 1.19 lakh students scored between 40% and 50% this year. Similarly, the number of students obtaining the pass grade (around 35%) also rose to 18,148. Last year, the figure stood at 15,646. Manju Nichani, principal, KC College, said, Students are concentrating more on preparing for entrance exams, which is bringing down scores. Jyoti Thakur, former vice-principal and external co-ordinator of Jai Hind College, said, While the number of distinctions and the number of students scoring above 90s has increased in our college, the overall result is worse compared to that of last year. Divisional board officials blamed the low pass percentage on the increase in enrollment for HSC exams. There were more students taking the exams this year, which could be a reason for the low pass percentage, said DG Jagtap, divisional chairperson. Bedsides, the poor performance of repeater candidates and private candidates who took the exam after filling Form 17 further brought down scores, said officials. Around 50,000 students took the exam as private candidates. Mumbai division has the highest number of students taking the exam at the last minute. Often, these students are not well prepared for the exam, which in turn brings down the success rate of the division, said Jagtap. Even as the Maharashtra government mulls building a 300-foot-high statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji in the sea off the Mumbai coast, the city will soon play host to a unique tribute to the Great Maratha. An exhibition of 120 paintings, each 9x5 feet, created under the guidance of balladeer and historian Babasaheb Purandare, whose work, Raja Shiva-Chhatrapati, fuelled popular imagination about the warrior-king, will open at the Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai on June 14. The West knows Shivaji merely as a warrior king. But he was much more than that, Purandare told the Hindustan Times. He was a nation builder and he also built national character, which is greatly lacking in the people today. A painting of Shivaji without his headgear with his wife during his coronation in Raigad. (Kunal Patil/ HT Photo) The 120 paintings are the result of 14 years of what their promoter Deepak Gore calls tapasya. The artists are the father-son duo Shrikant and Gautam Chougule, who are still giving finishing touches to some of the last canvases. Each painting took us three to five months. It was possible to do all this because of the rapport we had with both Gore saheb and Babasaheb, said the elder Chougule. Gore first read Purandares Raja Shiva-Chhatrapati minutely. I regard this as my Bible, he said. Then he not only explained the details to the painters but took them to all of Shivajis forts and the landscape they were supposed to paint so that they would get a first-hand feel of what it would have been like during Shivajis time. This included the annual festival of Shivajis coronation held in Raigad each year they visited in all seasons and sat quietly observing the grass, the flowers, the changing colours of the landscape and some costumes from those times. A painting of Shivaji with his courtiers during his coronation in Raigad. (Kunal Patil/ HT Photo) They then drew pencil sketches like of his durbar or his shipbuilding activities or his attempt to capture of Janjira island from the African Siddis -- and sent them to Purandare in Pune. Purandare would advise them to either add or remove details from the sketches. These would then be painted in water colours on paper and sent back to Purandare to approve the colour schemes. Only then were they be transferred on to canvas. Gore is hoping that either the National Gallery of Modern Art will offer him space for a permanent exhibition or that the government will house the paintings at the proposed Shivaji memorial at sea. Once he gets to host a permanent exhibition, Gore plans to record a five-minute description of each painting in several Indian languages and as many foreign ones. The Indian languages will include Marathi, Bengali, Telugu, Hindi and Urdu. The western languages will be English, French, Spanish, German and Italian. Along with these audio descriptions that every tourist can listen to with ear phones, there will be guided tours at the permanent show with experts explaining the aspects of Shivajis life from the paintings. A painting of Shivaji examining his ship built by his engineers. He was the first Indian king to realise the importance of building an indigenous navy. (Kunal Patil/ HT Photo) The project was result of a chance viewing by Purandare of a replica of an old masterpiece in an Indian home in the US. When he remarked on the perfection of the unsigned copy, he was directed to Gore. They met in 2000 when Gore was then in charge of the Old Masters Project initiated by the late hotelier Jehangir Wajifdar to help impoverished painters. The Chougules were among those who replicated the works of the old masters under this project. A painting of procession during Shivaji's coronation at Raigad. (Kunal Patil/ HT Photo) The conversation Purandare and Gore had led to the Shivaji project. Just books are not enough. The visual imagery is absolutely necessary to bring home to people what Shivaji really was, says Purandare. Hence the huge size of each painting to capture every minute detail. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Four parties in two major alliances in Maharashtra will be burying the hatchet and may come together in the legislative council and Rajya Sabha elections to be held in the next 15 days. The election for the 10 seats of the council will be held on June 10, while the voting for six seats of the Rajya Sabha will take place on June 11. All these seats are to be elected by the 288 members of the legislative assembly. One council seat has to be elected from Thane and Palghar civic bodies on June 3. Both the elections are important for ruling the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) as it has the opportunity to increase its strength in the council as well as in the Rajya Sabha. Similarly, the council elections are important for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) as its three key leaders are retiring from the Upper House. For the 10 legislative council elections, the BJP has decided to field two candidates from four districts Osmanabad, Satara, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg where the party has no representation in the legislative assembly. Madhav Bhandari, Surjitsingh Thakur, Bal Mane, Pramod Jathar are in the fray for two seats. The BJP will allocate three seats of the five seats to be elected to three smaller allies RPI(A), Swabhimani Shetkari Paksha and Shivsangram. Shiv Sena has decided to repeat its sitting MLCs and ministers Subhash Desai and Diwakar Raote. It is not clear if Congress will field MLC Muzaffar Hussain or prefer former chief minister and senior Congress leader Narayan Rane for the only guaranteed seat it could win. In the course of the bargain, Shiv Sena may seek the support of the BJP to win the legislative council seat to be elected from corporators in various civic bodies in Thane and Palghar districts. Though Congress leaders have been claiming that the party would not support the NCP candidate and rather field its second candidate, the top state leadership may bargain for the post of deputy chairmanship in the council with its estranged ally. During the Congress legislative party meeting on Tuesday, most of the MLAs insisted on going alone in the election as the NCP had ditched it while electing the chairman of the upper house last year. The MLAs also had said that the Congress should throw its weight around to garner 16 voters that are falling short to elect the second seat, said a senior Congress office bearer. However, the high command is unlikely to go against NCP as it would send a wrong message in the state, he added. The NCP, on the other hand, has been claiming that the both the traditional partners have decided to join hands in the council elections. We have had a cordial discussion on a couple of occasions and the Congress has agreed to support our second candidate. The final decision would be taken by top leaders of both the parties in Delhi shortly, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said. The Sharad Pawar-led party, which has the highest number of the members (28) in the council, is likely to be the biggest loser in the elections as against four outgoing MLCs it would be able to elect two seats. Chairman and deputy chairman of the council Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar, Vasant Davkhare and leader of opposition in the council Dhananjay Munde and Prakash Binsale are retiring next month. Davkhare, who is facing Shiv Senas Ravindra Phatak for the council seat to be voted by 1,038 corporators from Thane and Palghar district civic bodies, is on a sticky wicket. The Shiv Sena has the highest number of corporators and with the help of the BJP, it is confident about the victory of its candidate. In the backdrop of the likelihood of Davkhares defeat, the Congress has demanded the deputy chairmanship in the council. For NCP, winning two seats of Nimbalkar and Munde would be prestigious. It is short of about 13 votes to win the second seat, while Congress has additional 14 votes if it decides not to field its second candidate. Sena has sizable additional votes which could be passed on to the BJP candidates in the council and RS elections. The Senas additional votes come in exchange of the support it needs in the council seat to be elected from Thane and Palghar. We may have been criticising each other, in the interest of the common man we will fight all the election together as an alliance, Sena MP Anil Desai said. In RS election too, the BJP will need Senas support to win the third seat. The BJP is likely to field its two Union ministers and sitting MPs Piyush Goyal and Suresh Prabhu from Maharashtra in the elections for six seats. For the remaining seats, Vinay Sahastrabuddhe and Shyam Jaju are in the fray. Sena and NCP are repeating their sitting MPs Sanjay Raut and Praful Patel, while Congress is likely to replace Sushilkumar Shinde with outgoing MPs Vijay Darda and Avinash Pande. Since the Haryana BJP unit has expressed its inability to repeat Prabhu as an RS MP when his tenure ends in next two months, the party has decided to field him from Maharashtra, along with Goyal. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Citizens affected by air pollution in their area will be able to post complaints, attach pictures and provide their suggestions through an internet application developed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The first-of-its-kind app, called Sameer, created under the guidance of the Union environment ministry will, apart from providing a forum to file complaints, also provide hourly updates on air pollution from 17 cities, including Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. The readings will be in the form of Air Quality Index (AQI). While other available apps such as Plume Air, Air Quality Index Central (AQICN) and the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) only provide real-time AQI updates and forecasts for the next day for specific metropolitan cities, Sameer allows citizens to post complaints about vehicular pollution, industrial emissions, open burning, construction/demolition activities. Along with the complaint, citizens need to upload their name, mobile number and email id. The app also allows users to compare AQI levels in the form of a list or a map view. The app is like a public forum where people can file complaints regarding pollution problems. Citizens can write a brief description and attach a photo and in turn we will be sending the complaints to city, state or central authorities to take immediate action regarding pollution problems, said A Sudhakar, additional director, CPCB. It is not necessary that complaints are filed from only the 17 cities mentioned under the app. Citizens can file complaints from anywhere across the country. Sudhakar said the app is active, but only on a trial basis,. We are inviting suggestions and objections from citizens with regard to the feasibility of the app. Based on the results, we will be officially launching it after May 31, he said. RESEARCHERS SPEAK Researchers that viewed the app said it needed to provide alerts so that people are aware of the air quality around them. The app developers to add push notifications to the app, so that metro city residents are alerted every time the air pollution becomes unsafe. This would further increase its usefulness, said Philip Earis, scientist and resident of Bandra. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON WASHINGTON: US senators questioned on Tuesday whether Indias development of a port in souther n Iran for trade access risked violating international sanctions, while a State Department official assured them the administration will closely examine the project. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday pledged up to $500 million to develop the Iranian port of Chabahar, to try to give his country trade access to Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia. The route is currently all but blocked by Pakistan, long at odds politically with India. We have been very clear with the Indians (about) continuing restrictions on activities with respect to Iran, Nisha Desai Biswal, assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs, said on Tuesday. We have to examine the details of the Chabahar announcement to see where it falls in that place, she testified to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Developing the Chabahar port was seen as crucial for India because it will not only allow New Delhi to bypass Pakistan and access global markets but also counter Chinas expanding influence in the Indian Ocean region. The United States and Europe lifted sanctions in January under a deal with Iran to limit its nuclear programme, but some restrictions to trade remain, tied to issues such as human rights and terrorism. Biswal said she believed Indias relationship with Iran was primarily focused on economic and energy issues, and said the administration recognised Indias need for a trade route. From the Indian perspective, Iran represents for India a gateway into Afghanistan and Central Asia, she said. It needs access that it doesnt have. Biswal said she had not seen any sign of Indian engagement with Iran in areas, such as military cooperation, that might be of concern to the United States. Modi i s due t o visit t he United States next month and will address a joint meeting of Congress, a rare honour. Senator Ben Cardin, the committees top Democrat, asked if Biswal expected formal security cooperation agreements to be signed during that visit. She noted that India and the United States have already strengthened their security cooperation in several areas. Were looking at what additional areas we can engage in to deepen that cooperation, Biswal said. Washington sees its relationship with India as critical, partly to counterbalance Chinas rising power. President Barack Obama has called it one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century. Grappling with a drawdown of its fighter jet fleet, India has firmed up a plan to plug the capability gap over the next 10 to 15 years. A top defence ministry source said the Indian Air Force was working towards the target of inducting around 400 warplanes by 2030 to buttress its depleting force levels that set off alarm bells about the countrys ability to tackle a combined threat from China and Pakistan. T he count of IAFs fighter squadrons ha s shrunk to 33 (a round 640 fighters) compared to a desirable strength of 42. T he squadron strength is likely to come down to a mere 19 (around 380 warplanes) by 2027, as revealed in a Parliamentary panel report earlier this month. The source said the IAF would get 120 Tejas light combat aircraft, another 120 twin-engine mediumweight aircraft to be built in India in collaboration with a foreign manufacturer, and an equal number of single-engine fighter planes. India is currently negotiating a deal with France for buying 36 Rafale fighters and 72 Sukhoi-30 fighters are on order. B ridging the capability gap is vital for the IAF that is saddled with ageing Soviet-era fighters. T he IAF also wants to deploy a total of 15 AW AC S (airborne warning and control system) over the next decade. T he IAF currently operates three Israeli Phalcon AW AC S mounted on Russian IL-76 heavy-lift planes. The system has a range of 400km. Itis also on course to induct two Brazilian Embraer airborne early warning and control (AEW &C ) system aircraft. The AEW &C systems developed by the DRDO are being installed on Embraer-145 jets imported from Brazil. In M arch 2015, India took the first step towards developing an indigenous AW AC S, with the defence acquisition council giving its go-ahead to a Rs 5,113 crore project involving mounting two such complex surveillance systems on the European Airbus A330 platform. Airbus Defence &Space was the only bidder for the AW ACS India programme, making it the first single vendor project to be cleared by the NDA government. T he finance ministry has raised some objections but the defence ministry has given a clarification emphasising the operational need for more such platforms, the source said. As per IAFs plans, eight AW AC S are required for the eastern border, and five for the western boundary. The IAF wants these monitoring systems to provide 360-degree coverage, which is far more than that offered by (AEW &C ) system aircraft. Local police said on Thursday that they have detained two individuals for posting their nude photos online in Dali, Yunnan Province. One of the lovers posted the outrageous photos on Weibo in the early morning of May 25.[Photo/weibo] The Dali police bureau's Weibo micro-blog account stated today, regarding the latest updates of the nude photo incident, that they have detained the two lovers. One of the lovers posted the outrageous photos on Weibo in the early morning of May 25. In the photos, the two posed completely nude on Dali's Renmin Road, making sexually suggestive postures. The police immediately began investigating yesterday. The police said the woman, surnamed Chen, is from Meishan, Sichuan Province, while the male, surnamed Luo, is from Nanjian, Yunnan Province. The police said the two have confessed to making both the photo-shoot and the online posting. The police have detained them for spreading pornographic materialand using the internet to do so. According to China's regulations on administrative penalties for public security, Chen will be detained for 15 days and Luo will receive13 days. Internet users furiously criticized the photos, saying that they had no artistic merit. KOLKATA: In an unprecedented move, state Congress leadership asked its newly elected MLAs to give a written undertaking that they will not switch camp, and that they will have to resign from membership of the Legislative Assembly in case of defection. Bengal Congress president Adhir Chowdhury asked the MLAs to provide this undertaking on Rs 100 stamp papers in a meeting at the state Congress headquarters here on Tuesday. All 44 party MLAs as well as an Independent who joined the Congress were present. But in Delhi, the party clarified that no such instructions were given by the central leadership. It is a voluntary exercise, chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said. If legislators on their own submit their allegiance to the party, nothing more needs to be read into it. Chowdhury, who is said to have been summoned by the central leadership, justified the action. The legislators themselves decided to do it. Perhaps, they want to spoil PM Narendra Modi and the BJ Ps dream of having a Congress mukt Bharat, he said. (With inputs from Delhi) One may not find a school easily in the city, but one can easily notice a liquor vend, commonly known as a theka or an ahaata, in every nook and corner of the city. In the city, there are as many as 140 government schools against a total of 311 liquor vends as per official record. This means the number of liquor vends is more than double the number of schools. While the number of liquor vends is increasing every year, the number of government schools has only decreased over the years. About five years ago, the number of government schools was 148. Not only the number of government schools, but the strength of teachers and students also decreased. Schools are also reeling under the problems of poor infrastructure, dearth of teachers etc. Not surprisingly, protests are being held against the rising number of liquor vends in the city. Social activists have been agitating against the opening of a liquor vend near the Shaheed Udham Singh statue at Lamma Pind Chowk. Activists are demanding the removal of the vend from the area where the statue of the freedom fighter stands. Jaswir Singh Bagga, president of the Shaheed Bhagat Youth Club, who has been protesting against the opening of the vend close to the statue of freedom fighter Udham Singh, said that it was unfortunate that liquor vends are surpassing all other facilities in the city. Liquor vends near temples and schools are a common sight and the administration should do something in this regard at the earliest, said Bagga. In the Lamma Pind area only, there are around 10 liquor vends and this is a matter of concern, he added. A resident of Lamma Pind Chowk said, It is a serious issue that should be looked into, the number of schools should be increased, the presence of so many liquor vends is having negative impact on society. A long wait ended for the 150 first-batch students of Pathankots Chintpurni Medical College on Thursday when the department of medical education and research issued orders for their re-shifting to government colleges on the basis of court-monitored merit list. On May 6, the Punjab and Haryana high court had directed the department to hold exclusive counselling for these students after a few of them had challenged the earlier criteria as abrupt and favouring students lower in the order of merit. The department then prepared a fresh merit list on the basis of the old entrance test marks and, on May 12, took it to the high court, which approved it on Tuesday. Following this, the department approved the re-shifting process on Thursday and directed the colleges concerned to complete it at the earliest, said medical education secretary Hussan Lal. The new merit list gives 30 Pathankot students each to Patiala and Amritsar; 19 each to Bathinda (Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences) and Amritsar (Guru Ravidas Institute of Medical Sciences); 16 to Banur (Gian Sagar College), 15 to Faridkot, and 11 and 10, respectively, to Ludhianas Christian Medical College and Dayanand Medical College. Students can now focus on their studies after two painful years of legal battle, said the parent of a medical student from Ludhiana. Focus moves to second batch After shifting of the first-batch MBBS students, all eyes are on the second batch of 101 that had moved court last month, seeking transfer to other recognised medical colleges in Punjab. The matter is listed for June 7 for the response of the Medical Council of India (MCI) and the state government. Like their seniors, these petitioner, too, fear for the validity of their degrees after the colleges continuous failure to get recognition from the MCI. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Arhtiyas (commission agents) across the state have decided to boycott the banks which are intentionally delaying release of cash credit limit (CCL) for payment of minimum support price (MSP) to farmers. In a meeting of the commission agents union held on Wednesday, it was decided that the commission agents would withdraw all their deposits, encash fixed deposits, return their limits and even close their savings and current accounts in case the CCL is not released within two days. Commission agents union president Ravinder Singh Cheema said Rs 2,000 crore were awaited from three main private sector banks --- HDFC, Axis and ICICI. If these banks are reluctant to release the CCL and support farmers, it doesnt make sense for us to continue our ties with these banks, Cheema said. Punjab has sought Rs 20,000 crore in form of cash credit limit, and the Reserve Bank of India has asked the consortium of about 60 banks to make arrangement for the said amount. A major portion of the CCL, to the tune of Rs 13,500 crore, has arrived but to complete the wheat procurement operations, state procurement agencies still need about Rs 4,000 crore. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday rejected the state BJP leaderships concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, saying Punjab is the most peaceful state in the country. The Punjab BJP, in its core committee meeting headed by state chief Vijay Sampla on Thursday, had urged the chief minister and his deputy Sukhbir Singh Badal to curb rising crime in the state. The law-and-order situation is absolutely fine, barring a few petty incidents of crime, which is a common phenomena and occur almost in every state, Badal said on the sidelines of a sangat darshan here. In foreign countries too, big incidents occur quite often. Im personally monitoring the law-and-order situation on a day-to-day basis, he said. The CM said he has already issued clear instructions to the top police brass to ensure security and safety of every citizen of the state. Read: HT Spotlight: Why Punjab Police cant cope with crime Badal also ruled out the possibility of revival of terrorism in the state, especially in the wake of recent arrests of some militants. He said terrorism could never be revived without the support of the people. PTU V-C row: File with Mittal, says Badal On controversy over the appointment of vice-chancellor in Inder Kumar Gujral- Punjab Technical University (IKG-PTU), Badal said technical education minister Madan Mohan Mittal had himself constituted the Board of Governors (BoG) that recommended the name of a particular person for the V-Cs post. Mittal has been blaming chief secretary Sarvesh Kaushal for the delay in the appointment of V-C. Read: PTU tussle: BJP minister says chief secy egoistic, has attitude problem Badal also denied that a file pertaining to the appointment of V-C was stuck in the chief ministers office, as claimed by Mittal in various media reports. I dont have any file. It has been sent to Mittal, who now has to take the final call. Well weigh the options in the case. Starting the selection process from scratch again is also an option, said Badal while claiming there are no differences between him and the minister over the issue. Pargat should show courtesy to call me Badal said the Jalandhar Cantonment MLA Pargat Singh --- who recently turned down the governments offer of a chief parliamentary secretarys post --- should show the courtesy to call him over the issue of solid waste management plant. Pargat is at loggerheads with the government over the project. Read: Stuck between Pargat Singh and govt, fate of solid waste plant hangs fire Its Pargats duty to meet me and discuss his problems. Look at me, I go to people and listen to their problems in the scorching heat. Its my duty, said Badal. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Wednesday accused the Centre of not releasing the funds for scholarships to students who belong to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. We have released our share of funds. But the Centre has not issued grants from the past two years due to which the students are suffering, said Badal, who was here for a sangat darshan. When asked was the Centre discriminating against Punjab, he said: You cant call it a discrimination. I have taken up the issue with the Centre and I hope it will release funds soon. According to allegations of Congress leader Sunil Jakhar, the Centre has withheld the money for scholarship schemes as the state government has failed to submit the utilisation certificates for the same. The government has used the scholarship grant for some other work, Jakhar had alleged in a press conference in Jalandhar on May 9 while showing the letters to the state in this regard by Union social justice and empowerment ministry officials. Ducks queries on Dhumma The chief minister ducked all queries on the alleged involvement of Damdami Takshal head Harnam Singh Dhumma in murderous attack on Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadarianwale. Water war: CM says be ready for struggle On the SYL Canal issue, Badal reiterated his party would never ever allow water to flow through it (the SYL canal) as we dont have a single drop of spare water to share with anyone. He said he is ready to sacrifice even his government ten times in defence of the states legitimate rights over its share of river waters. He also asked the people to be ready for struggle to safeguard our river waters. Sampla defends his ministry State BJP chief Vijay Sampla, who is a minister of state in the Union social justice and empowerment ministry said his department has released `106 crore for scholarships to students. There were some issues related to the submission of utilisation certificates by the Punjab government. Dues of many other states are also pending for the same reason. We are releasing the money as we are getting the certificates, Sampla told HT. After last years whitefly attack on cotton crop, the area under white gold at the end of the sowing season is only 47% of the governments target. In the cotton belt of Malwa, the fibre crop covers 2.39-lakh hectares against a target of 5-lakh hectares. In an embarrassment to the Punjab government, its not even close to the last years figure 4.5-lakh hectares. This dashes all the hopes of helping the cotton economy bounce back from a pest attack that devastated about two-third of the cultivated area. The government compensated farmers and prepared for the pest attack this year, yet spurious pesticides and seeds have not helped rebuild the trust. Why would farmers risk another financial disaster? said Bharti Kisan Union (Ugarahan) state general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokri, adding: The erroneous compensation policy and meagre relief have moved farmers to other crops. Punjab deputy director of cotton Sukhdev Singh Sidhu blamed the sorry coverage on the fear of the return of whitefly. Punjab to engage 500 scouts to give alerts on whitefly attack on cotton We didnt expect cover even this much area. The camps we organised helped take the figure to 2.39-lakh hectares, he claimed. Blaming the irrigation department as well, Sidhu said in spite of repeated meetings before the sowing season, it had failed to release water into minors even till today. At least 35,000 hectares have been affected just because theres no water in the Arniwala and Bhagsar minors of Fazilka district. About 25,000 hectares in Muktsar and 10,000 in Bathinda are dry for the same reason, said Sidhu. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Saying that he has no faith in the Punjab Police investigations in the May 17 murderous attack on him that left his follower Bhupinder Singh dead, Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale on Thursday demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the case. Dhadrianwale was speaking at the bhog ceremony of Bhupinder at Khasi Kalan village. Over 50,000 persons attended the ceremony, including a large number of representatives of various Sikh organisations. It is there for the world to see that we have not got justice as the mastermind of the attack is roaming scot free, said Dhadrianwale in his address. Fear of witnesses being threatened looms large and thus an impartial inquiry by the CBI is what we demand. I call upon the sangat to submit a memorandum to deputy commissioners across the state demanding a CBI inquiry, he said. Read: Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale demands CBI inquiry into murderous attack Dhadrianwale also announced that they will be holding a samagam (congregation) in the memory of Bhupinder every month. He also rejected the Akal Takht offer for a compromise with Damdami Taksal chief Harnam Singh Dhumma. The sangat has rejected you. Dont try to act as a middleman. I spoke the truth and was targeted. If leaders get angry, let them be, we are not bothered. Without naming anybody, Dhadrianwale said: Somebody is so upset with me that he plans to kill me. I will soon be releasing a video to show the reality as to who is sowing poison. I cannot imagine such an attack as I never had personal enmity with anyone. The truth will come out sooner or later and if I referred somebody as sarkari sant, I was only speaking the truth. Circumstances have come to such a stage that flowers are showered on the accused. We are being told to avoid violence. Have we ever indulged in violence? We are only preachers. Read: Punjab govt siding with Dhadrianwale, Akal Takht jathedar failed to perform his duty: Dhumma Ever since I have started preaching, I have never missed marking my attendance in the sangat. It has happened for the first time that I have not marked my attendance in the past 10 days ever since the murderous attack on me, Dhadrianwale added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Doctors of several departments at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) have alleged the institute of advertising the recruitment of vacant posts on pick and choose basis, even though many sanctioned posts are lying vacant. There are about 554 sanctioned faculty posts at the PGI, of which only 303 are filled. The the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research had issued an advertisement for the recruitment of total 111 faculty posts in various departments on April 23. Of these, 15 vacancies were of professors, 93 of assistant professors, and three of assistant professors (non-medical). One of the faculty members, who wished not to be named, said, In its advertisement for the faculty recruitment on April 23, no lateral entry posts of associate professors and additional professors were advertised. Also, among all the vacant posts (around 251), only select posts have been advertised. He asked, On one hand, the administration is crying over the increasing patient rush, and the demand of surgeries, while one the other hand, the vacant posts of senior medical professionals are not being filled, and doctors recruitments are being withheld. The sanctioned posts of psychiatry professor, pulmonary medicine and anaesthesia among others have also been withheld in the advertisement. These posts are lying vacant for over three years now. In many cases, the department heads are writing to the administration to advertise all their sanctioned posts, but it seems to be governed by the select people, and no one seems to be caring about the patient load, or manpower crisis in managing patients, he said. In the neurosurgery department, two posts professor (1) and additional professor (1) are lying vacant for long now. In the last months advertisement, the post of a professor was advertised but not that of additional professor. The department is overburdened with a lot of patient load. About 20 major surgeries are performed at the department every day; the number of surgeries has shot up from 2,200 in 2012 to 3,500 in 2015 one neurosurgeon performs nearly 200 surgeries per year. Why to leave a post of additional professor vacant when we are already suffering from excessive patient load. One additional doctor can ease the load to some extent, asked a neurosurgeon, seeking anonymity. Moreover, the professors post at the neurosurgery department that was under the unreserved category has been shifted to Other Backward Class (OBC) without citing any reason. The same post was unreserved in the previous the advertisement. When asked, Manju Wadwalkar, PGI public relation officer, said, I do not have any details about this. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The railway authorities, with the help of Punjab Agricultural University, have killed more than 10,000 rodents from Ludhiana and Jalandhar railway stations within a month. Under the project, which was initiated through techniques, provided by the PAU, rat menace will now be dealt with at six more railway stations Ferozepur, Amritsar, Jammu, Udhampur, Pathankot and even at the newly constructed Katra station falling under the Ferozepur division. The varsity had imparted technical training to the railway staff in killing mice, which create ruckus at the railway stations, by keeping eatables laced with poison on the station premises. Rats had damaged furniture at station In past, rats had burrowed holes under railway tracks, weakening their strength, and damaged the underground signalling system of the railways leading to the delay in arrival of many trains. Since the tracks used to be littered, rats found sufficient food to sustain for a long time. The rats had even damaged official records and furniture at the railway stations. The predominant species of rat, Bandicota bengalensis, was in abundance at Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Ferozepur railway stations. This species was found only in fields in the state till late 90s. But, when the railway network was extended, these rats started coming to urban areas through railway lines. Dr Neena Singla, a zoologist at PAU, said, The teams constituted at Ludhiana and Jalandhar have killed at least 10,000 rats in past one month. The teams used to send pictures of dead rats to us to show success of the project, said Dr Singla, who was among the scientists who provided technical training to railways. The technique of preparing poison bait and putting it into the burrows dug up by the rats was taught to railway staff by the PAU experts. Ferozepur division traffic manager (DTM) SP Singh Bhatia said, There are at least 1,000 rat burrows at Ludhiana railway station and 600 at Jalandhar station. The university has also asked the railway authorities to close the sewer holes and start management of garbage at the railway stations. Bhatia said, Dead rats in tonnes have been recovered from the railway tracks in past one month. Earlier, rats could be seen roaming at both these railway stations throughout the day, but now only a few rats are seen after sunset. After this success, rodent menace will now be eradicated from six other railway stations of the division. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON G7 leaders will convene in Japan for their annual summit on May 26-27, an occasion Japan wishes to use for deliberation on North Korean nuclear issues, reported Japanese media. Likewise, the White House said on May 17 that the North Korean nuclear issue would be a main topic during the two-day G7 Japan Summit. Such concerns aren't difficult to understand. First of all, although the G7 summit's agenda is mainly economic, its previous summits did touch upon security issues in international politics. Given the geopolitical importance of the Korean Peninsula, Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test in January of this year undoubtedly became an important regional issue. Japan, because of geopolitical and historical factors, has always paid close attention to North Korea's nuclear programs, while the United States, as the G7's core member, won't waste an opportunity to discuss Pyongyang's nuclear schemes. Being a primary target for international terrorism, Washington naturally worries about nuclear proliferation. Furthermore, the United States wishes to take advantage of this issue to expand its presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Therefore, discussing the North Korean nuclear issue will very likely be on the G7 agenda. Even so, I don't think that the G7 is the right occasion for discussions on the North Korean nuclear issue. First, the G7 is limited in its international representation. The G7 is a group of seven industrialized countries the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan. It was established in 1975 to coordinate economic cooperation among the seven developed countries. China acknowledges G7's role in global economic governance, given the economic interdependence between China and western powers. Despite this, as the North Korean nuclear issue is a major security concern, a proper venue for such talks should be the United Nations. Second, the G7 is unable to represent the stakeholders in the North Koran nuclear issue. For a regional hot topic that involves the interests of many countries, the best solution is to have all stakeholders sit down to talk. After the Cold War ended, the European Union along with some of its member states tried to intervene in this issue but their efforts were all in vain. The fundamental reason was that they were not stakeholders in this matter. The only stakeholders in the G7 are Japan and the United States, after Russia was temporarily suspended from the G8 over issues in the Crimea. In other words, while neither both Koreas nor such stakeholders as China and Russia are involved, whose consensus does the G7 represent when the imminent summit discusses this issue? Third, a G7 discussion of the issue will only complicate the situation. On March 3, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted resolution No. 2270, which represented the world's unanimous response to Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test. The resolution not only imposed unprecedented sanctions on Pyongyang but also offered a path for North Korea to return to dialogue. It is fair to say that this has been the best solution to the issue so far. Therefore, the top priority for all parties should be to carefully implement this resolution, rather than starting new complications. Fourth, the G7 summit discussions may possibly enhance Pyongyang's belief that it has to possess nuclear weapons in order to survive. Miscalculations by Pyongyang and Washington, and the actual standoff on the peninsula are both fundamental reasons. North Korea also claims that it is developing nuclear strength to fend off pressure from the U.S.-led western world. Bringing the North Korean nuclear issue to the negotiation table at the G7 summit won't help encourage Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear programs and would make the issue even more complicated. Even so, the author does not oppose mentioning that a non-nuclear North Korean should be a common objective of the G7 in its joint declaration. North Korea's threat to regional and international society is apparent. Its new leaders, who came to power less than five years ago, have already conducted two nuclear tests and had "possession of nuclear strength" written in the country's constitution. All signs show that North Korean leaders believe that as long as they persistently carry forward their nuclear program, the international society will eventually accept it. Therefore, a message from the international society that it would never accept a nuclearized North Korea is highly necessary. The writer is an associate searcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The article was translated by Chen Boyuan. Its unabridged version was published in Chinese. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. A day after Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal visited Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale at his headquarters near here, the police on Thursday lodged an FIR against a party leader, who was driving his car, for crushing a foot of a journalist under the wheel. In her complaint, Preet Randhawa, a TV reporter, had alleged that when she was trying to talk to Kejriwal, the driver drove on, running over her foot. She took treatment at a local private hospital and then lodged the complaint that led to the FIR against local AAP leader Karanvir Singh Tiwana, who has said the woman was lying. She alleged, After inviting the media at Gurdwara Parmeshwar Dwar to cover Kejriwals meeting with Dhadrianwale, the media team of the Delhi CM refused to arrange a press briefing. As I tried to get in touch with Kejriwal, the driver (Tiwana), in a bid to rush the SUV to avoid the media, crushed my foot under the tyre. The FIR was lodged under sections 279 and 337 of the Indian Penal Code for rash driving, at the Passiana police station. Tiwana, however, said on Thursday that he was open to any probe: She was near the vehicle, but was pushed aside by security staff before the vehicle moved. Police have the entire video recording of the convoy moving. I dont know why she has lodged a complaint, but I can say that she is telling a lie. Police, meanwhile, have decided to first examine the video footage before any action on the FIR. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Punjab and Haryana high court has stayed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ban on cutting trees for the Bist-Doab canal project. The green tribunal had on May 19 restrained Punjab from cutting any tree for infrastructure projects without its permission. The HC bench of justice SS Saron and justice Gurmit Ram passed the order on the petition of farmers of villages Katarian (Nawan Shahar) and Kadiana (Jalandhar) seeking reply of various parties by July 19. The canal is currently being modernised by the state irrigation department and the work, as per the petition, is to be completed by June 30. Appearing for farmers, senior advocate Gurminder Singh and advocate Aman Sharma submitted that that the state government had obtained necessary approval from the forest department as well as necessary clearance from the environment ministry for felling of trees on banks of the Bist Doab canal before the start of the project. It was also argued that felling of trees was necessary for the Rs 320-crore project that aims at restoring the water carrying capacity of the canal. If the project is stopped at this stage, it would result in flooding of the villages during monsoon as canal has been dismantled at various places. It will become a major source of flooding of the area endangering the life and property of the inhabitants of the area, they argued. I dont want a government job or any other benefits, my only wish is to see my father back home, said Baljinder Kaur, whose father sepoy Balwinder Singh of the 10 Sikh Regiment had gone missing in the 1971 Indo-Pak war. Speaking at a press conference organised by the United Ex-servicemen Front for the release of the prisoners of war (PoW) languishing in Pakistan jails, in Amritsar on Thursday, Baljinder said: My father was declared dead on December 16, 1971, but we come to know recently that he is alive from another war prisoner, Surjeet Singh, who was released by the Pakistan authorities in 2012. But we didnt get this information at that time as we live in far-off Chamba Kalan village in Tarn Taran district. Chairman of the front captain CS Sidhu (retd) said: The Indian government should step up efforts to ensure release of prisoners of war. If the government fails to do so, we will block the Attari-Wagah border in July and stop trade bus and train services between India and Pakistan. There are many war prisoners from Pakistan in our jails too and their families are also suffering, he added. The front has written to defence minister Manohar Parrikar seeking release of Balwinder, who according to Surjeet is lodged in Lahores Kot Lakhpat jail. Besides Baljinder, relatives of other prisoners of war havildar Dharampal Singh of the 4 Sikh Regiment from Bathinda district and nayak Bir Singh from the 15 Sikh Regiment from a village in Mansa, claimed they both are also languishing in the Lahore jail. Dharampals son Arshinder Singh said: We came to know about him from a war prisoner, Satish Kumar, who was released by Pakistan. We want him back. A Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) sleeper-cell activist arrested on Tuesday night was using a fake social-media identity to draft Sikh youth into the terrorist outfits war against India. Arvinder Singh (BKI), arrested from his Pallian Khurd village house near Rahon, was on Facebook as Mitha Singh, his page flooded with posts and pictures of terrorist leaders. He had come to the village in February and had top VIPs of Punjab, besides a dera head, retired top police officers, and Hindu right-wing leaders, on his target. Read: With arrest of two key men, Khalistani terror cells busted in Punjab Intelligence agencies have interrogated him about his social-networking campaign to recruit youth. On Wednesday, he was remanded in police custody for six days. A senior cop said Arvinder had also met Pakistan-based BKI chief Wadhawa Singh. Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Snehdeep Sharma said the outfit had radicalised Arvinder and he took instructions from its overseas handlers. Police declined to give the details of the weapons, explosives and the passports seized from Arvinder. The first-information report (FIR) says he came back recently from Doha in the Gulf country of Qatar and formed a squad to set off bombs to disturb law and order. A case under Sections 10 and 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967, and Sections 121 (Waging war against India) and 121-A (conspiracy to commit offences punishable under Section 121) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against him at Rahon. Ludhiana counterpart quizzed about killing of Sena leader Ludhiana: A Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) sleeper-cell activist arrested on Tuesday night was on Thursday interrogated about the April 23 shooting of Shiv Sena leader Durga Parsad Gupta in Khanna. Police say Mandeep Singh of Chakk Kalan was recruiting youth into a terrorist war against India, and when arrested at Mullapur Dakha near here, was also plotting bomb attacks across Punjab. A court has given the police five days to grill him. He is reported to have told police about his BKI weapon suppliers in Pakistan and the plans to attack senior cops, Shiv Sena leaders, and various dera heads, for which he was sent to Punjab a few months ago from Canada. He said one Hardeep Singh in Canada had motivated him to join the BKI and given him arms training. Mandeep visited Punjab every year but this time he had come for drafting, said the Mullanpur Dakha deputy superintendent of police (DSP). SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale said on Wednesday here that a peaceful agitation was his only option now to expedite police investigation into the May 17 murderous attack on him in Ludhiana. The investigation is incomplete until the arrest of the mastermind, he told the media after meeting Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. I trust the assurances of the chief minister and the deputy CM but see nothing concrete happening on the ground to book the conspirator, whose identity everyone knows, he added. On an appeal from the Akal Takht, highest temporal seat of the faith, asking both sides to stop provoking each other by statements, Dhadrianwale said: I expect the Akal Takht to play a responsible role in keeping with Sikh traditions; but its working is already in question. He said a week since the armed attack, he had accused no organisation or person directly, so far, and the Takht should see who is making those statements, hold a parallel probe along with police into who dishonoured the tradition of Chhabeel. He said he would decide on considering the appeal from the Takht, though he still wanted only peace and no action that leads to a bhraa-maroo jang (war among brothers). Aides bhog to be held today Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale will on Thursday attend the bhog of his aide Bhupinder Singh, who died in the May 17 attack. He said his organisation would take care of Bhupinders family. Panthic bodies at the bhog will reveal his clout. Sikh radical leaders Panthpreet Singh and Baljit Singh Daduwal are likely to attend it in Ludhiana. Dhumma calls Panthic bodies Amritsar: Amid simmering differences with Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale, Damdami Taksal chief Harnam Singh Dhumma has called a parallel meeting of Panthic organisations at his Chowk Mehta headquarters here on Thursday. Dhumma said it was for discussiing the ongoing crisis and deciding the future course of action. He will also address the media, later. The district administrations move to make the area around the Golden Temple a no-vehicle zone has hit a political hurdle, as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior leaders have come out in support of the agitating traders, and announced that if the barricades are not removed, party workers will uproot these. BJP leaders including Rajya Sabha member and former city mayor Shwet Malik, former minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla and district BJP chief Rajesh Honey on Wednesday reached Katra Ahluwalia area along with traders and slammed the government for putting up barricades to stop vehicles. BJP leaders, especially Chawla, slammed deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, while alleging he was responsible for this move, because of which and today traders are having a tough time. After meeting the traders and ensuring them of the partys total support to them, Shwet Malik said, The BJP is not against development, but we are duty-bound to look into interests of traders and the business community. There are thousands of people who run business and have residences around the Golden Temple. How will they operate if the entire area becomes a no-traffic zone? We will not tolerate this, and the administration will have to remove the barricades put up at various places. Malik said the bollards and other obstructions may also lead to delays during a time of emergency. Traders observe shutdown Opposing the move, hundreds of traders on Wednesday observed a complete shutdown. They have been protesting ever since the administration installed barricades near Chowk Fawara. The traders, accompanied by BJP leaders, also met deputy commissioner Varun Roojam at his office on Wednesday. A few days back, the traders had uprooted the infrastructure set up to install bollards, but later the administration went ahead with installing iron barricades. The government has taken the decision to demarcate a no-traffic zone as part of the beautification project of the road leading to the Golden Temple. Heavy deployment of police has been made in the area to enforce the rule. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The NRI students eyeing admission to MBBS and BDS courses against their specific quota in Punjab medical and dental colleges will not be exempted from the entrance exam, as proposed earlier. Medical education secretary Hussan Lal told HT that the ordinance promulgated by the central government on conduct of National Eligibility-Cum-Entrance Test (NEET) is very much clear that the state-level medical entrance test is allowed only for this year to fill the seats in government medical colleges and government quota seats in private medical colleges. Further, NEET will be applicable for management/private/NRI quota seats in private colleges and all India 15% central quota seats. Also read I Punjab medical entrance test to be back on June 12 as NEET deferred This effectively means that there is no other way of getting admission and hence all NRI students will have to sit for state entrance exam and NEET to claim their respective quota seats in government and private medical/dental colleges, he said. The central ordinance has been sent for legal scrutiny and fresh directions will be issued soon in this regard, he informed. As per the information, there are 102 NRI seats in Punjabs government and private medical colleges, while in dental colleges the available number of seats is 169. In March, the medical education department had abolished the mandatory PMET for them and notified their admission on the basis of their merit in Class 12 or an equivalent examination with physics, chemistry and biology as subjects. Commenting on the change in the system, Chandigarh-based PMT trainer Arvind Goyal said. It is good that entrance test is made mandatory for NRI seats also. The state government should issue formal directions in this regard at the earliest so that that the NRI students can prepare for the entrance exam timely. As per the information, the online registration for phase 2 of NEET has already been opened from Thursday. Since online registration has been closed for PMET, the state government is required to open separate registration for NRI students before the exam on June 12. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday got a six-week breather in a Delhi high court case about de-listing it as political party over contesting the gurdwara elections as well. The hearing was adjourned for the second week of July after the vacations. The Election Commission of India (ECI) submitted documents related to the 2010 public-interest petition by right to information (RTI) activist Balwant Singh Khera of the Socialist Party (India) for de-registering the SAD under the Peoples Representation Act. He argued that under the law as amended in 1989, only a secular party could contest the parliamentary or assembly elections. On Tuesday, the Delhi high court bench of justice Pradeep Nandrajog and justice Mukta Gupta heard the arguments, in which the SAD submitted that it was very much secular in character and contesting the gurdwara elections under the statute. The defence counsel stated further that the SAD remained secular even when contesting the gurdwara polls. The petitioner had accused the SAD of committing a fraud by concealing from the ECI its constitution under which it had fought the elections to religious institutions Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC). The court observed that it would examine some specific questions, including whether the decision to register a political party was legislative or quasi-judicial. It would be necessary to take a view on whether the court should interfere or not, petitioners counsel Indira Unninayar told HT over telephone after Wednesdays hearing. Unninayar had cited a Supreme Court judgment in the Congress versus the Institute for Social Welfare (AIR 2002 SC 2158) where the decision to register a party was considered a quasi-judicial matter. She said the verdict had also mentioned three exceptions where the ECI could have the power to de-register a party, one of them being where it has signed up by fraud. The court observed it would be important to examine how the SAD could claim to be secular before the ECI and religious in its own constitution. Earlier, the SAD counsel had argued that the ECI decision to register a party was statutory and not open to courts interference. However the petitioners counsel said it was a quasi-judicial matter that the court could review. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In a judgment reflecting poorly on Punjab Vigilance Bureau, a local court has found an assistant excise and taxation commissioner (AETC) let off by it involved prima facie in corruption. The court of additional district and sessions judge Parminder Singh Grewal has asked the bureaus senior superintendent of police (SSP) to get the mandatory sanction for the prosecution of AETC Jaspinder Singh under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Posted in Amritsar now after Patiala in 2014 when his private driver Rishipal Jaspal Singh was arrested with Rs 20,000 bribe money, the taxation officer is related to a DIG-level officer in the bureau. as the complainant in the bribery case in which the bureau had recorded the officers statement but given him a clean chit and no mention in the charge sheet produced in court. During the trial, the AETCs accused driver applied for summoning him, since he said the bribe was for him. The court turned it down, saying that the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, mandated sanction from the state government for prosecution. However, the judge also observed: It appears prima facie that Rishipal demanded and accepted illegal gratification in the AETCs name to buy a television set to pass on free of cost to an official. AETC Jaspinder Singh is required to be summoned under Sections 7 (public servants taking graft other than legal remuneration for an official act) and 13 (criminal misconduct by a public servant) of the Prevention of Corruption Act by invoking Section 319 (power to proceed against others appearing to be guilty of offence) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) but it cant be done because of the absence of the prosecution sanction, said the judge, directing the public prosecutor present in the court to run a special messenger to the vigilance bureau SSP in Patiala with the certified copies of testimonies and other material on record to tell him to get this sanction fast. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale, whose cavalcade was attacked on May 17, demanded a CBI probe into the assassination bid which resulted in the death of his aide Bhupinder Singh. At the bhog ceremony of Bhupinder Singh, Dhadrianwale demanded a CBI inquiry and said he had no faith in Punjab police. He further said, before the 30,000 followers present at the bhog, that the memorandum demanding a CBI inquiry will be submitted to the DCs of all states. No one is listening to us, our voices are not being heard. The mastermind is still not known as per the police. Only a CBI probe will unravel all facts, he said. Read more: No course left but stir, says Dhadrianwale Flash Cuba's President Raul Castro has met with Kim Yong Chol, a senior official of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and they agreed to deepen ties between the two countries, the official daily Granma said Wednesday. Castro talked on Tuesday with Chol, member of the Political Bureau and vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, in a "fraternal atmosphere" and they expressed common "interest to continue deepening the historical relations that bind the two parties, governments and peoples," the report said. Cuba and the DPRK have maintained excellent political and economic relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1960. In January, the two countries signed two protocols of collaboration covering trade and scientific research. Three days after a three-month-old child of a Ferozepur-based couple was abducted by a woman from the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Ludhiana police arrested the accused from the city railway station on Wednesday and rescued the kid. Amritsar police had registered a case after pilgrims, Sapna and Komal Kumar, complained that a woman, who identified herself as Rajni, took away her son Amandeep Singh when they had gone to partake of langar. Technology helps to rescue child After scanning the CCTV footage of the cameras installed at the temple, police had identified the woman and released her pictures in which she was captured taking the child away. Ludhiana Division Number 1 station house officer Sumit Sood said, Pictures of the accused woman went viral on WhatsApp till she reached Ludhiana in train on Wednesday morning. Rajni was sitting at the railway station, when a local, Mahinder Singh, identified her and informed the police, following which she was arrested. Later, Division Number 1 police informed Kotwali police in Amritsar that the accused was arrested. Parents of the child, along with Amritsar police, came to Ludhiana. Parents were happy after reuniting with their child. The accused was handed over to the Amritsar police, Sood said. Accused befriended the couple Residents of Sethan Vala Mamdot village of Ferozepur district, Komal and Sapna alleged that accused Rajni befriended them when they had gone to pay obeisance at the shrine. After gaining their confidence, she asked them to have food at the community kitchen in the evening, saying that she will keep the child with her. Both of them accepted the proposal and went to have food. As soon as they returned, they were shocked to find that Rajini and their child were not there. Following this, they had lodged a complaint at Kotwali station in Amritsar. The Ludhiana district courts on Thursday sent the alleged Babbar Khalsa International member Mandeep Singh in police custody till May 30. The Ludhiana Rural Police had on Wednesday arrested the accused from his residence at Chak Kalan village near Mullanpur. Read: With arrest of two key men, Khalistani terror cells busted in Punjab Superintendent of Police (SP) Mandeep Singh said the accused has links with Babbar Khalsa, adding his track record is being scanned to get more details. The accused was in touch with Babbar Khalsa militants in Canada and was planning something big in Punjab, he said. The police have also beefed up security and installed checkpoints at various places to nab some more people associated with the organisation, he said. In another development on Thursday, a local court in Punjabs Nawanshahr district gave six-day police remand to suspected Babbar Khalsa International terrorist Arvinder Singh. The police had on Wednesday nabbed Singh from Rahon town. Acting on a tip-off, a team comprising the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) and Rahon SHO nabbed Singh from a house where he was hiding. Earlier, the Patiala Police had on March 19 confirmed the arrest of six Babbar Khalsa militants. The police said several cases had already been registered against the arrested militants. Planning a Europe summer vacation? Editors at Lonely Planet have come up with a list of the best European destinations this year that doesnt include the predictable triumvirate of Paris, London or Rome. Read: These cities are officially the best in Europe Chosen for being under-the-radar, buzzworthy or a perennial favorite offering up something fresh this year, the top 10 list will appeal to art buffs, sun-seekers and nature lovers. Click through to see which destinations made the cut. The entrance in ancient Olympia Stadium, Peloponnes, Greece. (AFP) 1 Peloponnese, Greece Visitors to Peloponnese can hike the new Menalon trail which stretches 75 km along a river gorge, mountain slopes and valleys. It is also home to Olympia, which hosted the first Olympic games. Cottages on a quiet street in Aarhus. (AFP) 2 Aarhus, Denmark Aarhus is the 2017 European Capital of Culture and European Region of Gastronomy. Venice is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. (AFP) 3 Venice, Italy This year Venice commemorates the 500th-year history of the Venetian ghetto. A boat of tourists floating past the fillage of La Roque-Gageac (Dordogne) France. (AFP) 4 The Dordogne, France Dreamy chateaux, medieval towns and walnut groves make up the Dordogne region, which is also a food lovers dream, known for its black truffles, Garguette strawberries and foie gras. Traces of its Polish and Austro-Hungarian heritage are evident in Lvivs architecture, which blends Central and Eastern European styles with those of Italy and Germany. (AFP) 5 Lviv, Ukraine A favorable exchange rate and countless summer festivals for coffee, jazz, and Ukranian independence are expected to draw tourists to the lively city. Warwickshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare. (AFP) 6 Warwickshire, England In addition to being the birthplace of William Shakespeare, the county of Warwickshire is known for its bucolic hills, market town and castles, including Warwick Castle, which restored its 22-tonne trebuchet, the worlds largest siege machine. Old town of Caceres with the San Francisco Javier church on the background, Extremadura, Spain (Getty Images) 7 Extremadura, Spain The region is characterized by Roman ruins and medieval towns. Visitors this summer will also be able to visit Extremaduras recently restored old palaces and castles, which have re-opened to the public. Tenerife beaches takes you on a journey round the islands coastline. (AFP) 8 East Coast Tenerife, Canary Islands If you want to get away from overrun tourist hotspots, Tenerifes east coast offers simple fishing villages, dramatic cliffs, natural beaches and volcanic landscapes. On June 25, the island hosts the worlds largest catamaran race, the Ronde om Texel. (AFP) 9 Texel, the Netherlands German and Dutch visitors have long loved the island for its dunescapes, white sand beaches, pine forests and wildlife. On June 25, the island hosts the worlds largest catamaran race, the Ronde om Texel. Nature park Telascica, Dugi otok, Croatia. (AFP) 10 Northern Dalmatia, Croatia Northern Dalmatia has long been overshadowed by Croatias more popular tourist hotspots Split, Dubrovnik and Zadar. But LP editors say the region offers jaw-dropping scenery, with soaring mountains, cinematic waterfalls and blue waters. Master of None star Aziz Ansari has given out some scoop on the upcoming second season of the hit Netflix series. He says it will feature more Indian and Asian actors as American TV is going to become more diverse in coming times. Ansari along with actress Kerry Washington talked about the diversity issue in Hollywood for the Actors on Actors series and the duo struggled to find why the TV industry has received so much praise for improvements in diversity, reports variety.com. Read: Master of None Aziz Ansari is angry at Hollywoods lack of diversity I feel like everybodys talked so much about how theres more diversity on TV than in film. I dont understand why. Do you? Washington asked Ansari. To that, Ansari replied: I dont know. If I had to guess I feel like theres more diverse creators. Entertainer Aziz Ansari and his mother Fatima Ansari arrive for a state dinner for Nordic leaders at the White House in Washington, Friday, May 13, 2016. (AP) Our show (Master of None), its Indian guy, Asian guy, so theres going to be more Indian people, Asian people. Ansari shared that the whole cast of Master of None, including American actor Noel Wells and Taiwanese actor Kelvin Yu, are like a diverse group of friends. We have a diverse group of friends and we didnt even really think about it when we were making the show that oh this is diverse. We were just like this feels real, Ansari said. The lack of diversity in Hollywood became a heated topic during the 2015 Oscars and again during the 2016 Oscars. Celebrities and fans took to social media to voice their disapproval of the minimal presence of people of colour in film and TV. The second season of Master of None will be aired in 2017. Watch Aziz and Kerry Washington in their Actors on Actors segment: Follow @htshowbiz for more The Taliban is unlikely to come to the table for peace talks with the government of Afghanistan anytime soon, despite the organisations new leadership, US President Barack Obama said on Thursday. Obama told reporters in Japan, where he is meeting with other leaders of the Group of Seven nations, that he expected the extremist movement to continue in Afghanistan. We anticipate the Taliban will continue an agenda of violence, he said. Obama was speaking the day after the Afghan Taliban named Haibatullah Akhundzada as their new leader, elevating a low-profile religious figure in a swift power transition after the death of Mullah Mansour in a US drone strike. The surprise announcement coincided with a Taliban suicide bombing that targeted court employees near Kabul, killing 11 people in an assault that illustrated the potency of the insurgency despite the change of leadership. Analysts said it was not clear if Akhundzada, formerly one of Mansours deputies, would emulate his former boss in shunning peace talks with the Afghan government. He was also expected to face the enormous challenge of unifying an increasingly fragmented militant movement. The US killing of Mansour showed that Washington has at least for now abandoned hopes of reviving the direct peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban, which broke down last summer. Obama acknowledged that he was never going to find a willing negotiating partner at the helm of the extremist group. I was not expecting a liberal democrat to be appointed, he told reporters. My hope, although not my expectation, is that there comes a point where the Taliban realise what they need to be doing and start getting into a dialogue with the government, he said. I am doubtful that it will be happening anytime soon. Before his killing, Mansour had written a will handpicking Akhundzada to be his successor, Taliban sources told AFP, in an apparent bid to lend legitimacy to his appointment. The killing marked a significant shift for Washington, highlighting a new willingness to target Taliban leaders in Pakistan and risk retaliatory attacks against struggling Afghan security forces. Saturdays drone attack, the first known American assault on a top Afghan Taliban leader on Pakistani soil, sent shock waves through the insurgent movement which had seen a resurgence under Mansour. He was killed just nine months after being formally appointed leader following a bitter power struggle upon confirmation of founder Mullah Omars death. Documents show that slain Navy Seal and American Sniper author Chris Kyle misrepresented the number of medals he received. Navy documents obtained by an online magazine through an open records request show that Kyle earned one Silver Star and three Bronze Stars with valor. In his best-selling book, Kyle wrote that he had received two Silver Stars and five Bronze Stars. A Navy spokeswoman confirmed the validity of the documents and says the armed services branch is investigating the discrepancy. The Intercept first reported the discrepancy and posted the documents. Kyles widow, Taya Kyle, didnt immediately return a phone call seeking comment Wednesday. Kyle, regarded as the deadliest sniper in US military history, was killed in 2013 at a Texas shooting range. A former Marine was convicted in his death. The leaders of seven most economically advanced countries (G 7) on Thursday called for sending a strong message to China on the issue of maritime claims, and discussed ways to come up with flexible fiscal stimulus packages to shore up global economy. The leaders from US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Japan also discussed trade and foreign policy issues on the first day of their two-day summit. European countries do not share very stringent positions that Japan, US or south east Asian countries have on the aggressive stand China takes in the South and East China sea disputes, but the grouping seems to agree on sending a message to China in their summit communique on Friday. Prime Minister (Shinzo) Abe led discussion on the current situation in the South China Sea and East China Sea. Other G7 leaders said it is necessary for G7 to issue a clear signal, Japans Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshige Seko said. Briefing the media, Japanese foreign ministry spokesman Yasuhisa Kawamura said one of the leaders said that the G 7 should the lead on the South China sea, but didnt name who it was. He said countries should desist using force on finding solutions to disputes and should also take recourse to available judicial measures to solve these disputes. China is not taking kindly to the statements coming out of G 7 summit meetings. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying retorted in Beijing that the South China Sea issue had nothing to do with the G7 or any of its members. China is resolutely opposed to individual countries hyping up the South China Sea for personal gain, she said. Ahead of the summit, US President Barack Obama urged China to sort out the maritime disputes peacefully. Many south east Asian countries and Japan have maritime disputes with China. Echoing Obama, Kawamura said countries are concerned about freedom of navigation and overflight in the region. Answering a question on the leaders discussing Russia annexing Crimea, he said none could be happy about the status quo. The leaders discussed the global economy in detail. They seem to be agreeing on the need to announce a flexible fiscal stimulus, the nature of which would be decided by each country. The slowdown in China, a major market for G 7 countries, and the impact of falling oil prices on many economies were discussed. They also focussed on the growing insecurity among the middle class about the economic crisis. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for stabbing an elderly Hindu trader to death in Bangladesh, monitoring service SITE said on Wednesday, in what would be the second killing by the militant group in the country in less than a week. The Muslim-majority South Asian nation has witnessed a surge in Islamist violence in the past year in which members of religious minorities, liberal activists, academics and foreign aid workers have been killed. Debesh Chandra Pramanik, 68, a shoe trader, was found murdered in his shop on Wednesday in the northwestern rural district of Gaibandha, police said. Police found his body lying in pool of blood, police official Mozammel Haque said. The attackers slashed his throat with sharp weapons leaving him dead on the spot, he said, adding that one person had been picked up for questioning. Islamic State claimed the killing of a village doctor on Friday. The government has denied that Islamic State or al Qaeda groups have a presence in the country of 160 million and says home-grown Islamists are responsible for the wave of attacks. State minister for foreign affairs Shahriar Alam told Reuters in an interview published earlier on Wednesday that Islamic State was trying to ride a wave of religious radicalisation by falsely claiming killings, adding there was enough evidence implicating domestic militant groups. Since February last year, at least 27 people, including five secular bloggers, a publisher and two gay right campaigners, have died in attacks linked to militant groups. Islamic State has claimed 18 of the attacks since its first claim in September last year and Al Qaeda most of the rest, according to SITE. The Israeli military says its aircraft have struck two Hamas militant sites in southern Gaza in response to rocket fire toward Israel. No one was harmed in Thursdays airstrikes or in the rocket attacks that preceded them. Gaza militants have carried out only sporadic rocket fire toward Israel since the end of a 50-day war in 2014. The military says nine rockets have struck Israel so far in 2016, a steep drop off from previous periods. Israel typically responds to the attacks with pinpoint reprisals against Hamas installations that cause no casualties in order to prevent a further escalation. Recent rocket fire has often been carried out by Salafi groups who oppose Gazas Hamas rulers. Nonetheless, Israel says it holds Hamas responsible for any attacks coming from territory it controls. An accent associated with London and south-east England is increasingly being adopted across the United Kingdom, reducing the diversity of accents, according to initial results of a free app developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge. The English Dialects App was launched in January 2016 and has been downloaded more than 70,000 times. To date, more than 30,000 people from over 4,000 locations around the UK have provided results on how certain words and colloquialisms are pronounced. The university said that one of the major findings is that some features of regional accents, such as pronouncing the 'r' in words like 'arm' a very noticeable feature once considered normal throughout the West Country and along much of the south coast are disappearing in favour of the pronunciations found in London and the south-east. Lead researcher Adrian Leemann, from Cambridges Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics, said: When it comes to language change in England, our results confirm that there is a clear pattern of levelling towards the English of the south-east; more and more people are using and pronouncing words in the way that people from London and the south-east do. Co-researcher David Britain from the University of Bern added: People in Bristol speak much more similarly to those in Colchester now than they did fifty years ago. Regional differences are disappearing, some quite quickly. However, while many pockets of resistance to this levelling are shrinking, there is still a stark north-south divide in the pronunciation of certain key words. The research also shows some areas of resistance. Newcastle and Sunderland stood out from the rest of England with the majority of people from those areas continuing to use local words and pronunciations which are declining elsewhere. For example, many people in the North-East still use a traditional dialect word for 'a small piece of wood stuck under the skin', 'spelk' instead of Standard English 'splinter'. Other dialect words, like shiver for splinter, are still reported in exactly the same area they were found historicallyalthough they are far less common than they once were. The researchers said that the data shows one northern pronunciation has proved especially robust: saying words like 'last' with a short vowel instead of a long one. In this case, the northern form appears to have spread southwards in the Midlands and the West Country compared with the historical survey. Dialect words are even more likely to have disappeared than regional accents. The word backend instead of autumn was once common in much of England, but today very few people report using this word. The researchers said that perhaps one of the most surprising results of the data provided is how the use of scone (to rhyme with gone rather than cone) is much more common in the north of England that many might imagine. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Flash At least 11 Al-Shabaab militants were killed and two government soldiers wounded on Wednesday after fighting between the group and Somalia National Army (SNA) in El-Wak town in Gedo region southern Somalia. Commander of SNA's first division in the region, Col. Abdirashid Barre Gurhan said the fighting broke out after the militants attacked a military base in the town. Gurhan said the attack prompted the security forces to engage the terrorists, killing 11 of them during the firefight. "Al-Shabaab militants attacked our base in the town, but they were destroyed in the battle. We killed 11 of the militants on the spot, two of our soldiers were injured during the fighting and we pushed them back," Gurhan told reporters. There was no immediate comment from Al-Shabaab militants on the latest military victory by the Somali government soldiers. The Somali National Army backed by African Union peacekeeping forces increased operations against Al-Shabaab militants in the south and central Somalia in the past three months. India on Thursday conveyed its concerns on trans-border terrorism to China, saying that there were no good or bad terrorists but only those committed to violence. In a series of meetings with top Chinese leaders in Beijing that culminated in a 90-minute conversation with counterpart Xi Jinping, President Pranab Mukherjee said that sentiments against terrorism were strong in India and that China should be sensitive to its neighbours concerns. Terrorists, Mukherjee told Xi, have no ideology and are committed only to wanton destruction. We need to have closer cooperation (on countering) terrorism in the UN. The Chinese side also took the view that they were congnisant of the problem and that there should be cooperation (on the issue) both bilaterally and in international forum, S Jaishankar, foreign secretary, told Indian media, quoting Mukherjee. On the issue of China blocking Indias ambition to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) , Jaishankar said Mukherjee requested Xi to take personal attention on India trying to balance its nuclear energy needs and climate change. Indias NSG application again comes up in early June. India has also sought President Xis personal intervention in its quest for a NSG membership. Jaishankar said India is aware of its responsibilities as a nuclear power, adding that India wasnt looking for help from any country to boost its strategic nuclear needs. The foreign secretary described the talks as comprehensive, comfortable and candid. Both sides agreed to build foundation for mutual trust and acknowledged that as neighbours India and China will have differences but it was important to manage differences and focus on convergences. On the long and disputed Sino-Indian border, Mukherjee and Xi agreed to maintain peace and tranquility and focus on border management. In a separate briefing, a senior Chinese diplomat said there were disagreements between the two countries and that there was a need to be realistic. On the disagreements between our two countries, the two leaders agreed to work to resolve them with every effort but at the same time be realistic. It means that we will manage the issues that cannot be agreed on a very short time so that these disagreements will not stand in the way of our development and cooperation, Xiao Qian, director general for Asian affairs in the foreign affairs ministry, said. The city of Peshawar witnessed its first ever public funeral for a member of the transgender community on Thursday. Alesha, rights activist and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Trans Action Alliance coordinator, was buried after she succumbed to injuries at a public hospital following an attack in which she was shot six times. She died after delays in treatment at a public hospital, where doctors debated whether she would be admitted as a man or a woman and who would treat her. While in critical condition at the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, Alesha was kept waiting for an hour while the authorities debated on whether she belonged in the women or mens ward, a local media report said. Finally, after protests from the patients, she was shifted to the mens ward, where she was treated in front of the lavatory, as far away from other patients as possible. Some reports suggest the attack on her was a hate crime, while others claim it was the act of a criminal gang that exploits the community to shoot pornographic videos. The funeral was held at the residence of a social activist. Islamic scholars were consulted by the prayer leader on whether the prayer should be offered or not. The activist was told that since Alesha was a Muslim, there was no harm in offering her funeral prayers. "If we can offer the prayers of murderers and anti-social elements, why can we not offer prayer for a person who was transgender," asked one activist. During the prayers, Alesha was referred to as a man. Local media reported that a large number of transgender community members attended the funeral. I feel like Alesha had to leave this world to bring a change and raise a voice against injustice, said Farzana, president of Shemale Association of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, adding, I appreciate [the participation] and thank all the people who gathered for the funeral and arranged a coffin and grave. Alesha was laid to rest in Rehman Baba Graveyard, in Durrani Pur area on the outskirts of the city. Blogger Noman Ansari wrote dignity for the transgender community in Pakistan "is almost impossible to find." From birth to their death bed, they are ostracised as if they are the bearers of some invisible disease, he wrote in his blog, which was widely shared. Forced to live with their own communities, forced to take menial jobs or to beg on the streets, forced to put up with mental and physical abuse, forced to deal with sexual harassment, abuse and rape, from their fellow citizens or even those tasked with protecting them, the transgender people of Pakistan are constantly swimming against the tidal wave, "and we ignore their plight, because pretending they are invisible is easy," he said. A Thai man is recovering from a bloody encounter with a 3-meter (10-foot) python that slithered through the plumbing of his home and latched its jaws onto his penis as he was using a squat toilet. Attaporn Boonmakchuay was smiling as Thai television stations interviewed him in his hospital bed about the intimate intrusion, and doctors said he would recover. But photos of his blood-splattered bathroom in Chachoengsao province, east of Bangkok, were testimony to his ordeal. The 38-year-old told Thai TV Channel 7 that he struggled to remove the snake for 30 minutes Wednesday before he managed to free himself with help from his wife and a neighbor. After his wife tied a rope around the snake, Attaporn pried open its jaws before passing out. Emergency workers dismantled the Asian-style squat toilet, with the python still twined through it. The snake was taken away to be released back into the wild, according to an emergency responder cited by the newspaper Thai Rath. Doctors said Attaporn, bloodied but unbowed, will recover. He has a really good attitude... even though his own wife and children were in shock. Hes been smiling and giving interviews all day from his bed. hospital director Dr. Chutima Pincharoen said. Donald Trump has crossed the magic number of 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination for Republican presidential race, shutting the door to wild-card challengers considering a run. Trumps delegate count reached 1,238 on Tuesday, with Associated Press news agency reporting new pledges of support from unbound Republican delegates, taking him across the threshold. The Democratic race, on the other hand, remains open, though the front-runner Hillary Clinton has posted an insurmountable lead over Bernie Sanders in the count of delegates. Trumps new milestone came with the help of unbound delegates, as opposed to the majority of delegates who are bound to candidates that won their respective states. With no rivals left in the fray, Trump has been the presumptive Republican nominee, even though he was short of the 1,237 delegates needed to clinch the nomination. Read | Trump versus Clinton battle is all about who is more unfavourable Now, he has checked that box too, which eliminates the possibility of the tycoon facing a challenger in a contested party convention, which the Never Trump faction had planned. There was no reaction to the development from the real estate mogul till the writing of this report, but he will feel reassured and encouraged to demand the party to rally around him now. Many party leaders such as the House of Representatives speaker Paul Ryan, the senior most elected Republican in the country, remain wary of him and have not endorsed him. Some, such as former presidents George H W Bush and George W Bush and the 2012 nominee Mitt Romney, have announced they will not support him or vote for him. Read | Hillary says shell be Democratic nominee, calls Trump unqualified Trump does not worry about them much, not publicly at least, as he dissed them once again at an election rally on Wednesday, but he does want Ryans support and has canvassed for it. The billionaire, whose unexpected rise to the top for the Republican party race is being watched closely around the world, was not exactly waiting for this new milestone. He is already embroiled in a heated exchange of words, insinuations, allegations and insults from him with Clinton, who is widely expected to win the Democratic race. A Trump advertisement released this week attacked Hillary for her husband Bill Clintons infidelities, and a Clinton commercial accused the real estate magnate of having cheered on the 2008 housing collapse. Also read | Trump as president? Survey says 28% Americans may move to Canada Foreign Office minister Hugo Swire on Wednesday quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi while making a strong appeal to voters to choose to remain in the European Union during the June 23 referendum on Britains membership of the 28-nation bloc. Seeking to dismiss claims of the Vote Leave camp, Swire said in a speech at Chatham House that leaders of several Commonwealth countries wanted Britain to remain in the EU, since they saw London as the gateway to Europe. Swire said: India too sees this gateway role as vital. Prime Minister Modi during his visit to the UK last November said As far as India is concerned, if there is an entry point for us to the European Union, that is the UK. And the head of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry agreed, adding that: we firmly believe that leaving the EU would create considerable uncertainty for Indian businesses engaged with the UK and would possibly have an adverse impact on investment and movement of professionals to the UK'. Swire termed as naivefrankly irresponsible, misleading and unhelpful the Brexit camps claim that leaving the EU would allow greater migration from the Commonwealth. Our membership of the EU does not prevent Commonwealth citizens from coming to the UK. Anyone suggesting that it would be different or easier is just raising false hopes by suggesting we would water down those criteria, he said. Priti Patel, one of six ministers in the David Cameron government in the Vote Leave camp, last week suggested that the uncontrolled immigration from within the EU had made it difficult for people from India and south Asia to migrate to Britain. Meanwhile, in continuing referendum campaign, the respected Institute for Fiscal Studies said leaving the EU would add to Britains financial woes a claim dismissed by the rival camp. As many as 300 historians also appealed to voters to remain in the EU. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The wreck of a British World War II submarine which sank in 1942 with 71 servicemen on board has been discovered by an Italian diver off the coast of Sardinia, media reports said on Wednesday. Massimo Domenico Bordone, dubbed the wreck hunter, spotted the ghostly wreck of the HMS P 311 as he swept an area 100 metres (328 feet) down off the northeast coast of Sardinia, near the island of Tavolara. Immediately I thought of the destiny of the men who met their deaths down there, he told La Nuova Sardegna as he described Sundays find. It was a fate shared by so many men, submariners in particular, on both sides of the conflict. An Italian diver claims to have located the long-lost wreck of the British submarine HMS P311 that was downed off Sardinia during World War II. (AP Photo) The HMS P 311 set out from Malta on December 28 1942 on a destroyer mission. The crew had been charged with torpedoing the Italian battleships Trieste and Gorizia as they lay at anchor in La Maddalena, a port off Sardinias northern coast. But the submarine disappeared without a trace after apparently hitting mines laid by the Italian navy to protect the island. Local fisherman at the time reported hearing a loud rumble at night, according to La Nuova Sardegna, but the 84-metre-long T-class vessel was never found. Diver Massimo Bondone told the La Nuova Sardegna daily that he found the P311 at a depth of 80 metres off the isle of Tavolara. (AP Photo) Bordone said it looked like only the submarines prow was damaged from the explosion, and it remained airtight as it sank. It looks like it probably went down with air sealed inside, leaving the crew to die eventually of oxygen deprivation, he said. The wreck boasted two Chariot manned torpedos, ready to be launched underwater to carry two navy divers into action. The HMS P 311 set out from Malta on December 28 1942 on a destroyer mission. (AP Photo) The divers, known as frogmen, would enter enemy harbours on the Chariot and stick mines on enemy ships. It now seems a distant memory, but in October 1998 a situation comedy set in the Civil War White House premiered on national television and promptly ignited a firestorm of outrage. The Secret Life of Desmond Pfeiffer offended just about everyone: critics, for what one called jaw dropping witlessness; African Americans, for making a joke of slavery; feminists, for portraying Hillary Clinton as a sexual predator; and supporters of her husband, for transparently satirizing his problems with affairs, apologies, and grand juries. Most of allbefore it died a quiet death, the victim of anemic ratingsDesmond Pfeiffer offended admirers of Abraham Lincoln. The show reduced the Great Emancipator of legend to an inept, insensitive, sex-starved dolt. One scene actually depicted Lincoln fantasizing lasciviously about the brawny young male soldiers in the Union army. The irreverence was enough to inspire an attendee at a Lincoln Family symposium at Robert Todd Lincolns Hildene estate in Manchester, Vermont, to circulate an irate petition demanding the shows cancellation. The nature of this will dishonor the name and character of the man who has been rightly acclaimed our greatest national leader, the petition argued. We, the undersigned are highly indignant that television wishes to degrade Lincoln in any way. Irreverently portraying the 16th president, it maintained, constituted the desecration of an American saint, an insult to history, and a threat to national memory. But was it? Forgotten by these and other angry viewers was a contrary historical truth: Abraham Lincoln had been dragged through the mud before, and often. He was mercilessly lampooned, viciously libeled, and relentlessly satirized in his own timeand his reputation not only survived but flourished. In fact, his stoic and good-natured response in the face of such stabs from the stiletto of malicious verbal and visual abuse made him seem nobler at the time, and greater in retrospect. The national humor mill of the era made Lincoln its favorite grist. American humorists portrayed the Civil War, to paraphrase Lincoln, with malice toward one. And that one was Lincoln himself. His ungainly form, homely face, and awkward Western mannernot to mention his controversial policiesformed a combustible mixture that inflamed professional and political humorists. This frequent butt of ridicule was comically maligned in the press, in books, and in cartoons published in the North as well as the South, in Europe as well as America. Desmond Pfeiffer was no exception; it was a return to the rule. The mockery began as soon as Lincoln emerged as a national figure, following his unexpected nomination to the presidency in May 1860. Engravers and lithographers rushed to publish flattering portraits introducing the reputedly ugly candidate to a wary public. But as much as the Republicans sought to make virtues of Lincolns humble origins and miraculous rise, Democrats encouraged lampoons that mocked those very qualities. Often the same publishers who met the consumer demand for Lincoln portraits also made a lot of money churning out caricature sheets. Such cartoons usually depicted Lincoln as a country bumpkin with a wild thatch of uncombed hair, clad in ill-fitting pantaloons and open-necked shirts, and wielding a log rail to ward off serious inquiries into his supposedly dangerous views on racial equality. Currier & Ives of New York may have crafted the quintessential 1860 campaign cartoon when they portrayed The Rail Candidate astride a log rail labeled Republican National Platform, being carried to the White House by supporters. It is true I have Split Rails, the uncomfortable nominee declares, but I begin to feel as if this Rail would split me, its the hardest stick I ever straddled. Coarser variations on the theme depicted him erecting log-rail camouflage to conceal niggers in the woodpilemetaphorically minimizing attention on the stormy slavery issue by focusing voters instead on his inspiring ascent from a log cabin to the White House. Lincoln had only himself to blame for inspiring the next wave of ridicule early the next year en route to his inauguration in Washington. By donning what security advisor Allen Pinkerton described as a soft low-crowned hat and a bob-tailed overcoat to avoid recognition in hostile Baltimore while changing trains in Baltimore, Lincoln invited charges that he was a coward. Exaggerating his disguise into a Scotch plaid Cap and a very long military Cloak, cartoonists at Harpers Weekly issued a hilarious pictorial parody under the headline, The Flight of Abraham. One panel showed him quaking in fear so violently that Henry Seward, incoming secretary of state, explains to President James Buchanan that his successor is suffering only a little attack of ague. Assailing the sectional hostility that inspired the drastic evasive tactic in Baltimore, the pro-Republican New York Tribune was nonetheless forced to admit: It is the only instance recorded in our history in which the recognized head of a nationhas been compelled, for fear of his life, to enter the capital in disguise. More blunt was the denunciation by the Baltimore Sun: Had we any respect for Mr. Lincoln, official or personal, as a man, or as President elect of the United Statesthe final escapade by which he reached the capital would have utterly demolished it. He might have entered Willards Hotel with a head spring and a summersault, and the clowns merry greeting to Gen. Scott, Here we are! and we should care nothing about it, personally. We do not believe the Presidency can ever be more degraded by any of his successors than it has by him, even before his inauguration. A wave of anti-Lincoln pictorial lampoons now flooded the countryprogressively exaggerating his Baltimore disguise until one example showed him as a bare-kneed Scotsman in a tam and kilt, dancing The MacLincoln Highland Fling. For years thereafter, the Scotch cap would remain a staple of anti-Lincoln caricature, a reminder that once he suffered the worst indignity a Victorian-era gentleman could ever face: a public questioning of his manly courage. After the inauguration, Lincoln embarked on the deadly serious business of restoring the fractured American Union and managing the bloodiest military struggle in world history. Still, the humorous assaults continued unabated. Further inspiration came as more and more Americans learned that the president himself enjoyedand often toldfunny stories. As early as 1858, his rival in Illinois politics and debate, Senator Stephen A. Douglas, had acknowledged his prowess with a joke, admitting: Nothing elsenot any of his arguments or any of Lincolns replies to my questionsdisturbs me. But when he begins to tell a story, I feel that I am to be overmatched. Once Lincoln entered the White House, accounts of his fondness for storytelling spread nationwide. Lincolns admirers loved his down-to-earth style and earthy way with a comic tale. But foes leaped on such qualities as evidence of Lincolns coarseness and lack of dignity. One cartoon of the day featured him reacting to news of wartime slaughter by drawling: That reminds me of a funny story. Such caricatures used humor to make Lincolns humor a political liability. Criticism notwithstanding, Lincoln became an appreciative reader of the leading satirists of the day. He particularly enjoyed Charles F. Browne (who wrote under the pseudonym Artemus Ward), David R. Locke (Petroleum V. Nasby), and R. H. Newell (Orpheus C. Kerr). Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase remembered with huffy disbelief that the most momentous cabinet meeting of Lincolns entire administrationthe one at which he announced he would issue his Emancipation Proclamationbegan with the president reading a chapter from Artemus Wards latest book of stories and laughing heartily. If I did not laugh, Lincoln confided to a minister who questioned his irreverence, I should die. That others were laughing at him as well as with him seemed to bother him little, if at all. In one of his typical, dialect-rich comic essays, the fictional Ward visits the White House to find a babbling, confused president intent on telling his funny stories and blissfully unaware that they do not make much sense: I called on Abe. He received me kindly. I handed hum my umbreller, and told him Id have a check for it if he pleased. That, sed he, puts me in mind of a little story. There was a man out in our parts who was so mean that he took his wifes coffin out of the back winder for fear he would rub the paint off the doorway. Wall, about this time there was a man in a adjacent town who had a green cotton umbreller. Did it fit him well? Was it custom made? Was he measured for it? Measured for what? said Abe. The umbreller? Wall, as I was sayin, continued the President, treatin the interruption with apparent contempt, this man sed hed known that there umbreller ever since it was a parasol. Ha, ha, ha. Lincoln always insisted he was a retailer, not a wholesaler, of the stories that made him famous. I dont make the stories mine by telling them, he modestly maintained. But such confessions did not stop publishers from issuing books like Old Abes Jokester and The Humors of Old Abe while he was serving in the White House. Lincoln thus became the first president ever to inspire a joke bookpoetic justice for a man who listed at least one joke collection among the favorite books of his youth. Lincolns jesting ultimately did him as much harm as good. Writers twitted him with volumes like Abraham Africanus I, a raw satire accusing him of radical policies on race and tyrannical practices such as arbitrary arrests. Cartoonists continued their assaults as well. Some Confederate caricaturists portrayed him as Satan incarnate, hiding behind the avuncular mask of a bearded statesman. And some British artists depicted him disdainfully as a crafty bartender serving the public a mixture of bunkum, bosh, and brag. The vigor of such attacks only increased as the bitter 1864 election campaign heated to a boil. A riotously funny 1864 campaign biography, Only Authentic Life of Abraham Lincoln, Alias Old Abe, described him with acidic gusto: Mr. Lincoln stands six feet twelve in his socks, which he changes once every ten days. His anatomy is composed mostly of bones, and when walking he resembles the offspring of a happy marriage between a derrick and a windmill. His head is shaped something like a ruta-bago, and his complexion is that of a Saratoga trunk. His hands and feet are plenty large enough, and in society he has the air of having too many of them. He could hardly be called handsome, though he is certainly much better looking since he had the smallpox. He is 107 years old. Some of the more vicious presidential campaign cartoons depicted Lincoln as a supporter of miscegenation (the period term for race-mixing), a highly unpopular position at the time. One example showed him happily welcoming a mixed-race couple in a topsy-turvy society in which African Americans ride in carriages liveried by white servants. Such tableaux were meant to stir up a racist electorate by encouraging fears that a biracial society would be inevitable if Lincoln were reelected. Along the same line of attack, several caricatures hinted that Lincoln had African heritage. One plate by Baltimore etcher Adalbert J. Volck showed the president as an Arabian dancer, veiled to conceal his ethnic features. And in an anonymous 1864 campaign cartoon, he was an actor on stage, portraying Shakespeares evil Moor, Othello. During his reelection campaign, Lincoln became enmeshed in a bizarre comic plot that might have caused considerable political fallout had he not sensed its potential danger. The episode began on September 29, 1864, when the author of the parody volume Miscegenation: The Theory of the Blending of the Races sent the president a complimentary copy with a letter asking for his endorsement. The author gushed, Permit me to express the hope that, as the first four years of your administration have been distinguished by giving liberty to four millions of human beings, that the next four years may find these freedmen possessed of all the rights of citizenship. The authors trap failed to snare Lincoln, who saw through the wily attempt to secure a presidential declaration on racial integration that Democrats could then use to attack the Republicans. This dodge will hardly succeed, the London Morning Herald predicted, for Mr. Lincoln is shrewd enough to say nothing on the unsavory subject. The newspaper was correct. The old storyteller had a nose for a practical joke, and proved much too smart to allow this dangerous one to be played on him. Lincoln never replied to the anonymous letter. He simply pasted it into the inside cover of his copy of the Miscegenation book and filed it away without comment. It was found in his papers after his assassination. The abusein newspapers, to quote presidential secretary John Hay, rarely bothered Lincoln. At least once, however, a published itema false reportpushed him close to losing his temper. In 1864, the anti-Lincoln New York World falsely reported that during a tour of the hallowed Antietam battlefield, the president had requested a ribald song from his friend Ward Hill Lamon. This makes a feller feel gloomy, the insensitive president was quoted to have said after inspecting the spot where 900 men had fallen. Cant you give us something to cheer us up? Give us song, and give us a lively one. Concluded the World: If any Republican holds up his hands in horror, and says this story cant be true, we sympathize with him from the bottom of our soul; the story cant be true of any man fit for any office of trust, or even for decent society; but the story is every whit true of Abraham Lincoln, incredible and impossible as it may seem. Lincoln was deeply pained by the suggestiondesigned to sway the soldiers votethat he could have defiled hallowed ground littered with more dead and wounded than had ever fallen in a single day of fighting. He could not have been comforted by a pictorial accompaniment to that libel, a hostile campaign print depicting him clutching a Scotch cap as he stands among the swollen dead and bleeding wounded, urging a horrified companion to sing us Picayune Butler, or something else thats funny. It was more than even Lincoln could endure. Still, he resisted his friend Lamons repeated calls that he issue a public denial. He refused to dignify the calumny with a response. When he did finally put pen to paper to write out his own version of his visit to Antietam, he quickly instructed Lamon to destroy the result. Perhaps the act of writing down his thoughts was his way of letting off steam. Lincoln never escaped the bombardment of topical humor. When he won reelection, London Punch portrayed him as a phoenix rising from the ashes of ruined commerce, quashed civil liberties, and trampled states rights. Even his legendary love for the theater exposed him to ridicule. In August 1863, Lincoln wrote to thank the celebrated actor James Hackett for a copy of his new book on his favorite stage roles. Lincoln had his own favorites, and his thank-you letter frankly expressed his views, including his judgment that nothing equals Macbeth. Hackett made the error of publishing Lincolns communication as a means of enhancing his own reputation. The result provoked howls of laughter from the press, which mercilessly derided Lincoln for his amateurish taste. A mortified Hackett wrote back to Lincoln to apologize for the efforts by the Newspaper-Presses in publishing your kind, sensible, & unpretending letteraccompanied by satirical abuse. Lincoln replied to reassure Hackett that the affair had not upset him. Give yourself no uneasiness, he counseled the actor, adding that he was not much shocked by the newspaper comments. His skin had long ago grown thick enough to withstand the satirical abuse fired at him during his 30 years in the political trenches. As Lincoln touchingly expressed it, the endless taunts were but a fair specimen of what has occurred to me through life. I have endured a great deal of ridicule without much malice; and have received a great deal of kindness, not quite free from ridicule. I am used to it. Modern Americans should be used to it, too. American presidents from John Adams to Bill ClintonLincoln among themhave been subjected with oppressive regularity to ridicule, both poisoned with malice and not. Most learn to ignore it. If I were to read, much less answer, all the attacks made upon me, Lincoln wrote, this shop might just as well be closed for any business. Americas first humorist-president became one of its most often parodied presidents as well. But Lincoln apparently had less trouble accepting such taunts than do modern Americans scandalized by the likes of Desmond Pfeiffer; just as he could tell a joke, he could also take one. And he knew that triumph is a targets best friend. If the end brings me out right, what is said against me wont amount to anything, he pointed out. If the end brings me out wrong, ten thousand angels swearing I was right wouldnt make any difference. Perhaps Lincolns optimism stemmed in part from a realization that humorists make a difference. That was true then as well as now. Purveyors of wit can provide a troubled people an occasional laugh in the midst of great tragedy. Besides, Americans who laughed at Lincoln could always be comforted by the fact that the president laughed at himself. This article was written by Harold Holzer and originally published in the February 2001 issue of Civil War Times Magazine. For more great articles, be sure to subscribe to Civil War Times magazine today! SPEED IN VICKSBURG After reading Jerry Potters article A Tragic Postscript in your November/December 1996 issue, I journeyed to Vicksburg, Mississippi, to visit my parents. That evening while reading the Evening Post, to my surprise and pleasure I found the item in the Old Post Files under 110 years ago (1886): Judge and Mrs. Frederic Speed return to the city. I know now who Judge Speed was! I attended grammar school at Speed Street School in Vicksburg. Speed Street had the steepest hill an eight-year-old could imagine. Every day I trudged up that hill, and every afternoon I trudged down. Every decade or so we would get a snow, and then Speed Street was the place to go with your homemade sled. The curator of our museum, our local historian, confirmed that yes, indeed, Judge Speed developed Speed Addition, which included Speed Street. When I remarked that I was surprised that the townsfolk would accept such a former enemy, he replied, Why not? He killed more Yankees than any Confederate! Dean Gray Waxahachie, Texas SPEEDS WAR RECORD It was a surprise when I received my November/December 1996 copy of American History that the cover picture was of Frederic Speed. He first served under Colonel Neal Dow, Maines Father of Prohibition, as adjutant of the 13th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment and was referred to by the regimental historian as, A little man with a big voice. Major General Benjamin Butler, Colonel Dow, Adjutant Speed, four companies of the 13th Maine, and the 31st Massachusetts Infantry Regiment were passengers on the SS Mississippi when she was almost lost in a storm off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and was aground on Frying Pan Shoals, South Carolina. The voyage took 32 days between Boston and Ship Island, Mississippi, in February and March 1862. Later, when Colonel Dow was promoted to brigadier general in late April 1862, Adjutant Speed was transferred with him to Pensacola, Florida. Speeds claim to fame in that place was the capture of some furniture in the commandeered home of a Confederate major. The contents of a letter from General Butler is part of the Official Records and severely admonishes General Dow for wanting to ship that furniture to his home in Portland, Maine. Dow was directed that, if indeed the furniture had been captured, it was the property of the United States and should be shipped to the quartermaster in New York City or Washington, D.C. Thus, Captain Speed was in trouble for carrying out a command of higher authority, and not for the last time. It is doubtful that Speed ever saw much action in the Department of the Gulf, and it is interesting that he later became a citizen of Vicksburg, where he practiced law and became active in Mississippi politics. Osborne N. Ellis China, Maine FOOTNOTE ONLY TECHNICALLY CORRECT I have read and thoroughly enjoyed the article by John Ferling1796: The First Real Electionin the November/December 1996 issue of American History. Although Mr. Ferlings footnote appearing on the bottom of page 26 stating that not since 1824 has the winner of a presidential contest been decided by the House of Representatives is technically accurate, it misses the opportunity to acknowledge the role Congress played in the disputed election of 1876 between Republican Rutherford B. Hayes and Democrat Samuel J. Tilden. In this case, Tilden, while winning 250,000 more popular votes than Hayes, was one short of the 185 electoral votes he needed, while Hayes electoral shortfall was 20 votes. An additional 20 votes were claimed by both candidates. With no firm constitutional law to guide them, Congress set up a joint Electoral Commission to decide which candidate should win the disputed votes. Confusion and intrigue surrounded the deliberative process of this body, but in the end Tilden gained none of these votes, and Hayes received all 20. Thus, although Tilden won the popular vote, the U.S. Congress, through the Electoral Commission, gave the election to Hayes. Lemuel A. Moye Houston, Texas Several readers have questioned the accuracy of the footnote that appeared in Mr. Ferlings article, for which the editors of American History, not Mr. Ferling, must be blamed. Because the circumstances surrounding that 1876 contest are so complicated, we felt that it would be impossible to explain in the space available. And, as Mr. Moye states, the footnote is technically accurate; the House of Representatives did not decide the outcome of the Hayes-Tilden election. Mr. Moye notes that Congressthrough its appointment of the Electoral Commission to decide the disputed votes in Florida, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Oregongave the election to Hayes, but the commission itself was made up of five senators (three Republicans and two Democrats), five members of the House (three Democrats and two Republicans), and five Supreme Court justices (two Republican appointees, two Democratic appointees, and one chosen by consensus among the other four. A usually independent Republican, Justice Joseph P. Bradley, was selected and ultimately voted along party lines.) It was not, therefore, as some of our readers assumed, a simple vote in the House of Representatives that brought Mr. Hayes into office; in fact, the House, with its Democratic majority, disagreed with the findings of the commission. The Republican-held Senate, quite naturally, concurred. The country did not know who would be president until March 2, two days before the mandated date for his inauguration. NIAGARA CAPTAIN DESERVED PRAISE I read with particular interest James P. Kushlans article in your November/December 1996 issue concerning the USS Constitution and the US Brig Niagara because the commander of the Niagara in the Battle of Lake Erie, Lieutenant Jesse Duncan Elliott, was a distant, peripheral relative of mine. Mr. Kushlan writes on page 70 that For reasons never determined Elliott, who was supposed to engage HMS Queen Charlotte while Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry attacked HMS Detroit, kept his charge out of action and out of harms way, allowing the Queen Charlotte to join the Detroit in cutting to splinters Perrys ship, the Lawrence. In fact, Captain Elliotts performance in the engagement is exhaustively documented. After the battle, when he was criticized by junior officers on Perrys ship, he demanded an official Navy Court of Inquiry. The court not only exonerated him but praised his part in the engagement. The depositions before the Court are all in the record. The House of Representatives later approved a motion requesting that gold medals be struck in his honor, and that of Commodore Perry. Elliott went on to a distinguished career in the Navy, winding up as Commodore of the Navys Caribbean and (from 1838-43) Mediterranean squadrons. In the latter assignment, his flagship was the USS Constitution. William E. Knight Bethesda, Maryland MEDICINES GOOD OLD DAYS The Time Traveler in the January/February 1997 issue mentions the pre-antibiotic period lasting until 1943. But there is always a lag time until technology reaches the common man. I never had a penicillin shot until 1950 or so in the Army. I remember having an earache as a 13- or 14-year-old, and my mother followed the doctors directions that he gave her over the phone to make a little bag of cloth and fill it with salt, heat it in a frying pan, and place it on my earwhich she did as I continued to scream. At some point the pain subsided and that was that. Those were the good old days. My mother was born in 1895 and remembered being carried upstairs by her father by oil lamp. And of course, they had gas lamps before installing electricity later on. So 108 years for electric lights is stretching it a bit. And we dont live out in the country. Donald W. Killmeyer Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania BURMA-SHAVE DITTY Sharon Carter, who wrote the Burma-Shave article in your January/February 1997 issue, should be made aware of the ditty the boys in the then U.S. Army Air Force had in World War II, sung to the tune of the Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze. It went like this, Oh, the daring young man in the B-29, he dips down to read every Burma-Shave sign . Meredith Mayo Santa Fe, New Mexico 1919 ARMORED CADILLAC An interesting prelude to the transcontinental trip by military motor described in From D.C. to the Golden Gate (November/December 1997 issue) was conducted by Colonel Royal P. Davidson. He traveled in a cavalcade of eight Cadillac cars, one a fully armored car with cupola and machine gun, for the purpose of showing the performance and reliability of automobiles, particularly Cadillacs. Davidsons trek started in Chicago, near the military school in which he taught. The date was June 10, 1915. The route passed through Moline, Iowa City, Omaha, Denver, and Salt Lake City, over mud and rocks, arriving in San Francisco in time for the Panama-Pacific Exposition, July 14, 1915. His crew and drivers were students picked from the Northwestern Military Academy in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. My article Davidsons Armored Cavalcade, in the November/December 1966 issue of Armor magazine, covers his unique cross-country feat, with photos taken by his students/crew. Colonel Davidson should also be remembered for his work on Americas first partially armored machine gun car, built on the Duryea automobile chassis in 1898. Al Clemens Springfield, Missouri BRITISH COMMANDOS My thanks to Robert F. Clarke for his story in the Recollections: Witnesses to History section of your January/February 1998 issue. It is a delightful World War II anecdotewith only one flaw. Mr. Clarke refers to British Eighth Army Rangers when he apparently means Commandos. The Rangers were the U.S. Armys equivalent of the legendary British Commandos and were trained at the Commando Depot at Achnacarry, Scotland, in early 1942. Based on the pre-American Revolution Rogers Rangers, the World War II Ranger battalion concept was the brainchild of Lieutenant General Lucian K. Truscott, Jr., and General George C. Marshall, Army chief of staff. American History magazine is always highly interesting and revealing. Congratulations! Michael D. Hull Enfield, Connecticut REMEMBER THE OREGON! In his article This Means War! (January/February 1998 issue) Michael Haydock commented that the USS Olympia sped around Cape Horn as the Spanish-American War broke out. In fact, this epic run of 15,700 statute miles, which was completed in 66 days and captured the mind and heart of the nation, was not done by the Olympia, but by the battleship USS Oregon. The Oregons dash not only proved to the world that the men and vessels of the U.S. Navy were a modern force capable of handling such grueling tasks, but also illustrated the need for a canal across Central America. The canal was later realized as the Panama Canal. The USS Olympia is, of course, famous in her own right. This plucky cruiser was the flagship of Admiral George Dewey and led the American attack at the Spanish-American War Battle of Manila Bay. It was in this battle that the United States finally proved to the world that she had become a global power. The 1930s found the USS Oregon on her way to becoming a museum in the state of Oregon. However, with the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Oregons Governor Sprague offered to return her to the U.S. Navy. She was stripped of her superstructure and converted to an ammunition hulk. She was broken up in 1956, in Japan. The irony is that when President Franklin D. Roosevelt heard that the Oregon was to be partially scrapped during World War II, he notified the secretary of the navy that it was with great reluctance that he authorized the vessel to be turned over to meet her fate. In the same letter, Roosevelt continued that, It is my understanding that the Department will take immediate action toward the preservation of the USS Olympia as a naval relic of the Spanish-American war period. Through the efforts of many people over the years, and because of the sacrifice of the Oregon, we still have the Olympia today. She can be visited at the Independence Seaport Museum at Philadelphias Penns Landing. As the sole survivor of the Spanish American War battle fleets, this spring the Olympia will be the scene of ceremonies commemorating the Battle of Manila Bay Centennial. Visitors are invited to come to the vessel on the first weekend in May to see the ceremonies, visit with the vessels crew of living historians who recreate life aboard the vessel 100 years ago, and more. For more information, contact the Independence Seaport Museum, 211 South Columbus Blvd. & Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106, (215-925-5439). More information on the Oregon, Olympia, and Maine are available on the Spanish American War Centennial Website at http://www.powerscourt.com/war. Patrick McSherry Conestoga, Pennsylvania RIVALING THE WALDORF-ASTORIA In Meet Me at the Hyphen, (November/December 1997), author K. C. Tessendorf states that George Boldt, manager of the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, lost his zest and energy after the death of his wife, Louise. The depth of the renowned hoteliers grief is a compelling and fascinating footnote to U.S. history. In 1900 Boldt decided to honor his wife by presenting her with a full-sized replica of a Rhineland castle, which he planned to build in the Thousand Islands of New York. The popular tourist attraction, now known as Boldts Castle, is accessible only by boat because Boldt had it constructed on Heart Island, which he purchased exclusively for the erection of his mansion. With its great elegance, this 120-room castle was to have rivaled the beauty of the Waldorf-Astoria and remain as Boldts ultimate masterpiece. His creation was so opulent that it included a mini-castle playhouse for the children, called the Alster Tower. Boldt also imported exotic animals to roam the premises and even reshaped the island into the outline of a heart. Perhaps his coup de grace was stringing the island with artificial lamps to dazzle the local citizenry, who had never seen electric lighting before. Unfortunately, midway through construction tragedy struck when Louise suddenly died. Bereft by the loss, George Boldt never returned to the island and sent orders to the head foreman to halt the project at once. Workers at the site reportedly collected their tools and immediately departed for home. For almost three quarters of a century this tragic monument stood unoccupied and was left to the ravages of the elements, vandals, and souvenir hunters. In 1977 the Thousand Island Bridge Authority acquired the funds needed to restore the property. The present proprietors intend to preserve the memory of George Boldts shattered dream, however, by leaving a portion of his castle abandoned to the destructive forces of time. Joe McElwee Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania DIARY OMISSIONS I was delighted to see in your November/December 1997 issue the American Album about the Japanese delegation sent to ratify the first treaty of trade between Japan and the United States. Your readers might be interested to know that at least one artifact of that visit still exists. Colonel Samuel Colt of Hartford, ever the aggressive marketer, presented an 1885 Colt Revolving Artillery Carbine to the second in charge of the delegation. The presentation contains the individuals name in Japanese and an inscription in English, with compliments of Colonel Coltboth engraved on the upper tang. A gift along with others to prompt an increase in foreign sales! The gentleman to whom the gun was presented was the vice-ambassador, Muragaki Norimase, Awaji-no-kami, and is identified as the third Japanese gentleman from the left in the photo you reproduced. Muragakis diary has been translated into English and is interesting reading. There is some evidence that because of the strict orders given to the delegation to have the treaty ratified and returned promptly, some of their activities that were reported in the American press did not get into the diaries. Charles R. Nichols Philmont, New York Thoughts on History Magazine editors love a good anniversary. Give us an event that happened 50, 100, or 200 years ago and chances are well find someone to write about it. Theres something seductive about a nice round block of time. For one thing, those numbers provide handy temporal yardsticks. Time flows past quickly, and its helpful to stop occasionally, take stock, and see how far weve come. The big milestone anniversaries are like rocks in the stream, good places to climb out of times flood and get your bearings. In this issue were taking a long look at events from 50 years ago. Reading about them may make you think the world has changed drastically in the half century thats passed since 1948. The Soviet Union, our adversary in the Cold War that absorbed so much time and energy in the years since World War II, has now become history itself. Germany, on the other hand, has been reunited, with once-divided Berlin its capital again. When I traveled through Germany in the early 1990s, I passed from the former East into the former West and saw the old guard towers that stood on the now-vanished border. They provided mute testimony to how quickly the world changed in just a few years. Since 1948, the United States has fought wars in Korea and Vietnam. Domestically it has been involved in struggles over civil rights and womens rights and our presence in Vietnam. In those 50 years weve seen one president assassinated and another forced to resign. Thanks in large part to the Vietnam War and the Watergate cover-up that toppled Richard Nixon, Americans are more cynical about their government than they were in 1948. Weve also seen great technical advances in the past 50 years. The Soviet Union launched Sputnik only nine years after the events we cover in this issue. Today a constellation of artificial satellites rings the planet, and we routinely use it every day for phone calls and television programs. Men have walked on the moon, and people live for months at a time in a Russian space station (which sometimes functions as though it were 50 years old itself). Computers have changed the way we do any number of things. If people from 1948 had peered 50 years into the future, they would have thought they were watching science fiction come to life. However, if you think these last five decades have wrought great changes, consider what people in 1948 saw when they looked back 50 years. The half-century that started in 1898 saw not one but two world wars. When the Second World War began, units of Polish cavalrymen on horsesattempted to stave off the German blitzkrieg; that war ended with the explosions of atomic bombs. And with that horrific conflict over, the world geared up for the Cold War. In 1898 the airplane had not been invented. By 1948 it had become a weapon of war, broken the sound barrier, and was poised to enter the age of jet passenger service. That 50-year interim saw the end of the Czarist monarchy in Russia and the creation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The world witnessed the end of the Ottoman Empire and the rise of Japan as a world power, and the beginning and end of the Great Depression. There was a lot of history packed into the years between 1898 and 1948. It raises the question: what will historians write about 50 years from now? Only time will tell. Tom Huntington, Editor, American History TARLETON AND THE SWAMP FOX After reading The Devil Himself Could Not Catch Him, Paul Thomsens article on Francis Marion (August 2000), I was amused by J.B. Cheaneys sidebar on British Army officer Banastre Tarleton that whitewashed Colonel Tarleton. It stated that he did not burn civilians in churches, and he never ran them [women and children] down on horseback. Cheaney even justifies the killing of Americans flying a white flag at the Waxhaws and comments that historians, novelists, and others have exaggerated the sadistic nature of this man. But the crimes Tarleton committed to subdue the rabble were vindictive, and were not accepted then or today, even in warfare. His efforts were not efficacious but merely stirred American revolutionaries to doggedly continue the fight for freedom. Almost all of the people who came to the American colonies were seeking freedom of some sort. Certainly a key to the Swamp Fox story is that General Marions grandfather, Benjamin Marion, and his family came to America in 1686 from the French seaport town of La Chaume. The dragoons of King Louis XIV who were persecuting the stubborn Huguenot sailors of that town found serious resistance. On arriving in America the French Protestants found continuing persecution under the Church of England, which controlled Charleston. The cities and counties were organized into parishes, and they were required to support the Tories with taxes and without representation. With that heritage, the large clan of Marions (Benjamin had 13 children) became active in revolutionary activities. This important matter was not mentioned by Mr. Thomsen. I am a descendant of the Marion family, though not the Swamp Fox himself. Cloyde I. Brown Fort Worth, Texas FLAG OF FREEDOM I genuinely appreciated the article on Iwo Jima (A War in Letters, June 2000). My grandfather served in the 5th Marine Division during that time, and he remembers looking up to the summit of Mount Suribachi and seeing that proud banner of freedom unfurling through the smoke. The men who gave their lives on the beaches of Iwo Jima and all who have ever paid that ultimate cost of freedom were represented by that flag that day. Kyle Allen Chattanooga, Tennessee IDENTIFYING THE HEROES I found your Iwo Jima article to be very enjoyable. When I had finished reading it, I read James Bradleys new book, Flags of Our Fathers. As you included the famous photograph of the second flag raising, could you do your readers a service by running it again and identifying the six heroes shown in the photograph? Mike Bell Buffalo, Minnesota 2000, Primedia History Group, Inc., a division of HH-43 Facts & Figures Crew : 23 : 23 Fuselage length : 28 ft. 8 in. : 28 ft. 8 in. Rotor diameter : 44 ft 5 in. each, 47 ft. total : 44 ft 5 in. each, 47 ft. total Engines : Lycoming T-53-L-11A, 860 shp : Lycoming T-53-L-11A, 860 shp Max speed : 125 mph/106 kts : 125 mph/106 kts Cruise speed : 105 mph/89 kts : 105 mph/89 kts Max. range : 276 mi./240 nm : 276 mi./240 nm Passengers: 11 Initially designed for U.S. Navy at-sea rescues, the HH-43 had two intermeshed contra-rotating rotors to facilitate hover control and eliminate the need for a tail rotor. The first prototype flew in 1947 with a 690 shaft horsepower (shp) piston engine, but an experimental version with two gas-turbine engines was tested in 1954. The USAF ordered a later version of that prototype equipped with a single 860 shp gas turbine in 1958. The next year, the HH-43B became the first gas-turbine-powered helicopter to enter production. In March 1964, the U.S. Air Force deployed six Pacific Air Rescue Center HH-43B Huskies to Thailands Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, forming the 33rd Air Rescue Squadrons forward detachment. A year later, the 33rd launched its first Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) mission of the Vietnam War. Responding to an F-105D shoot down, an HH-43F Huskie, supported by two USAF A-1E Skyraiders, flew 17 miles north of the DMZ to rescue Captain Robert V. Baird. The buildup in Vietnam caught the Air Force with few SAR squadrons and no SAR platforms designed for the missions required. The HH-43B lacked armor and armament because the Air Force had envisioned it only for the airborne fire-fighting and air base crash rescue role. The CH-21 was considered the better SAR platform because of its greater range, but its vulnerability to fire surfaced early in the French-Algerian War, forcing a rethinking of SAR mission requirements and platforms. The Vietnam deployment came before the Air Force could select a new helicopter, so the HH-43B was quickly modified for CSAR by adding titanium armor and designated HH-43F. Most HH-43Bs were brought up to F standard. The last HH-43 Huskie left Indochina on Sept. 20, 1975, making it the first U.S. Air Force search-and-rescue helicopter to conduct a combat search-and-rescue mission and the last to leave the theater. Trained for emergency response, a Huskie crew could be airborne in under a minute. Initially they were unarmed, but early experience led some crewmen to install a Browning automatic rifle or .30-cal. machine gun in a door sling. The crews also scrounged up additional cable for the hoist, since the helos standard cable was only 100 feet long, too short for dense canopy rescues. Neither specifically designed nor particularly suitable for CSAR, the HH-43F flew more air rescues than any other aircraft in the war, though its limitations were problematic as North Vietnamese air defenses improved. As more purpose-built HH-3s arrived, the Huskies were relegated to their original role. The last HH-43 left Indochina on Sept. 20, 1975, making it the first USAF SAR helicopter to conduct a combat search-and-rescue mission and the last to leave the theater. On February 24, 1968, the first Centurion tanks of Australias C Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment, came ashore at South Vietnams Phuc Tuy Province to join Canberras Vietnam Task Force, which was based at Nui Dat. The tanks arrival followed that of a third infantry battalion, bringing the task force up to brigade strength. Well armored, mobile and easy to maintain, the Centurions would demonstrate their value in numerous small unit actions over the next three years. Built in Britain, the A41 Centurions original design was based on the lessons learned fighting German Panther tanks in World War II. Too late to see combat in that war, it more than held its own against the Soviet-built T-34/85s it faced in Korea. Australia acquired its first Centurion, the Mk 3 variant, in 1955. The Mk 3 incorporated the 20-pounder (84mm) gun with stabilizing mechanism, a more powerful engine and a 100-gallon external fuel tank to extend the range. Its coaxial L6A1 .50-cal machine gun served as a ranging gun for the main battery and was tied into the main guns fire control system, which limited it to three-round bursts. Australia upgraded most of its Centurions to the Mark 5/1 before deploying them to Vietnam. The upgrade consisted of installing infrared sighting systems and replacing the two original 7.62mm Besa secondary machine guns with .30-caliber Brownings: an L3A3 coaxial fired by the tank gunner; and an L3A4 mounted on a flex mount attached to the commanders cupola. The absence of enemy tanks in Vietnam drove the Centurion into a primarily infantry-support role, with several field modifications. Its gun fired four types of rounds: high explosive, armor-piercing, smoke and canister. The last proved very effective against close-in infantry but most often was used to clear away brush and foliage to expose enemy bunkers and defensive positions. The Centurion had good cross-country mobility but was too heavy for many of South Vietnams bridges. In spite of having a gasoline engine, it proved robust in combat and easy to maintain and repair. The Centurions presence and firepower proved criti-cal to the battles over firebases Coral and Balmoral in 1968. Of the 58 Centurions that served in Vietnam, 42 suffered battle damage (six beyond repair), but only two crewmen were killed. The last Centurion was withdrawn from Vietnam in August 1971 and from frontline service two months later as the Australian Army began its transition to German-built Leopard tanks. Published in June 2011 Vietnam magazine Forty thousand Union troops charged out of the woods at Cold Harbor, Virginia, into a spray of Confederate fire. Attackers fell by the hundreds as they approached the enemy entrenchments. The effort quickly proved hopeless, but the troops remained in the field. For the next nine hours of June 3, 1864, Union soldiers hugged the ground, digging in as well as they could. Many of them used the bodies of fallen comrades for protection while attempting to answer the Confederate fire. Union commanders repeatedly ordered their men to renew the assault, but the soldiers refused to budge. Finally Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant called off the attack. In the initial charge, which had lasted less than 10 minutes, nearly 7,000 Union soldiers had been killed or wounded. Not until World War I would an army suffer such a high-casualty rate. Grant, the Unions recently appointed general-in-chief, would one day write in his memoirs, I regret this assault more than any one I have ever ordered. But in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Cold Harbor, Grant took a very different tone as he drafted his post-action report to the War Department. Our loss was not severe, he wrote, nor do I suppose the enemy lost heavily. Why would the battle-tested commander of all Union forces call the casualties of Cold Harbor not severe when they were the worst he had ever seen? How could he get away with such a gross misrepresentation when a virtual host of press correspondents followed the Union armys every move? And why, once the truth came out, did he never come under even the mildest censure from his superiors? The answer seems to lie in a cover-up that involved not only Grant, but high-ranking members of President Abraham Lincolns administrationa cover-up that related directly to the powerful stresses that civil war was placing on the American system of representative government. If Grant purposely understated the extent of the defeat at Cold Harbor, he may have done so because he realized that bad news from the Virginia front could turn the already frustrated Northern citizenry completely against the war effort. This would present major problems for the Lincoln administration, especially now, on the eve of the Republican convention, with the party just five days away from settling on its candidate for the November presidential election. Lincoln was clearly the party favorite, but as the war dragged on and the patience of the haggard Northern populace wore thinner, he was vulnerable. And if Lincoln was vulnerable, so was his general-in-chief. The growing impatience of the Northern people was part of the reason why Grant had returned to the battle-scarred region between Fredericksburg and Richmondand led him to initiate the Battle of Cold Harbor and the disastrous charge. Grant believed he was very close to destroying General Robert E. Lees Army of Northern Virginia. If he could do so, the war would be over, and Lincoln would have no more worries about keeping the support of a people weary of war. Grant was convinced that if he could draw Lees army out into the open, he could inflict losses that Lee would be unable to replace. It was a matter of simple mathematics. Because the North had twice as many soldiers, if battlefield casualties accelerated equally on both sides, the Union army would soon be the only one left standing. As part of this strategy, the Army of the Potomac crossed the Rapidan River on May 4, 1864, and headed toward Richmond. In the Wilderness, a second-growth woodland full of short brush and twisted shrubbery, Grants army fought Lees army from May 5 through 7. The Battle of the Wilderness ended with Union losses nearly doubling those of the Confederacy, but the Army of the Potomac successfully continued toward the Confederate capital. A few days later, on May 11, Grant sent a dispatch to Washington, D.C.: I propose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer. Newspapers in the North picked up on this phrase and made it as famous as the unconditional surrender demand he had made two years earlier in capturing Fort Donelson, Tennessee. Many Northerners hoped Grant was on a campaign that would decide the war once and for all. We know it cannot be long before one or more bloody battles will take place in whichprobably the Civil War will be decided as to its continuance, or termination, wrote Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles on May 17. My faith is firm in Union success, but I shall be glad when faith is fact. Even Grant, usually an understated man, boasted of his inevitable success in a letter dated May 26. Lees army is really whipped, Grant wrote to his predecessor in command of the Union armies, Major General Henry Halleck. The prisoners we now take show it, and the action of his army shows it unmistakably. Our men feel that they have gained the morale over the enemy and attack with confidence. I may be mistaken but I feel that our success over Lees army is already assured. Grant was mistaken, and the hopes of Welles and many other optimistic patriots were dealt a severe blow. Grant erred in believing that Lees army was whipped and that his own troops would attack with confidence. True, the Union troops had fought with courage and valor in the Wilderness and again, on May 12, in a predawn assault at the Bloody Angle outside Spotsylvania Court House. But at Cold Harbor they were asked to make a frontal attack across open fields on entrenched Rebel positions. The soldiers, knowing far better than their commanders what awaited them, pinned to their uniforms slips of paper bearing their names and addresses, so their bodies could be identified after the battle. A blood-stained diary was recovered after the fight from the body of one Federal soldier. His final entry read, June 3. Cold Harbor. I was killed. For the Union soldiers, the true horror of Cold Harbor was only beginning when Grant called off the disastrous nine-hour assault. As the survivors crawled back to their trenches or dug new fortifications, thousands of wounded soldiers remained on the battlefield, crying out for help. Attempts to reach them almost certainly met death. A Captain Holmes wrote home on June 4, sharpshooters put a bullet wherever you show a head, and on June 7, you show your nose anywhere and sizzle come the bullets at it in less than the twinkling of a bedpost. For two days after the battle, Grant made no attempt to propose a truce or to otherwise make provisions for the wounded Union soldiers dying between the battle lines. Tradition held that the first commander to ask the enemys permission to bring in wounded was the loser, and Grant would not admit losing. Grant finally opened correspondence with Lee on June 5, informing him that wounded men, probably of both armies, lay exposed and suffering between the lines, and that for humanitys sake, unarmed stretcher-bearers should be sent to pick up the dead and wounded. Lee agreed but wanted a flag of truce to be accepted first. Grant did not give in to Lees demand until the next day, June 7, a full four days after the men had fallen. In the meantime, Grant would admit in his memoirs, all but two of the wounded had died. For the first time during Grants campaign in that summer of 1864, correspondents from Democratic newspapers failed to exploit a bloody Federal setback and the horror of a battles aftermath, even though the Battle of Cold Harbor had given them plenty of ammunition on both counts. In a matter of minutes, three Union corps had suffered more casualties than they had in 20 hours of terrible fighting at the Bloody Angle of Spotsylvania. And for three days after the battle, the no-mans land between the armies bore unspeakable horrors. What occurred on June 3 should have appeared in banner headlines and sparked severe condemnation in the Democratic press. When a Union defeat of similar proportion had occurred at Fredericksburg in December 1862, newspapers immediately published the reports from the field, and the nation plunged into its deepest despair of the war. Yet the stories of June 4, 5, and 6, 1864, were simply reprints of verbatim releases from the War Department or accounts furnished by reporters from pro-administration newspapers. It was more than a week before the Democratic press began reporting the actual events of June 3, and even then they relied on the syndicated reports of Republican correspondents. Stories syndicated by the Philadelphia Inquirer, New York Tribune, and New York Times served as the basis for the first detailed reports published by the anti-Lincoln press. Even as late as June 8, the Columbus Crisis, a rabidly Democratic newspaper, gave top billing to less important stories and buried accounts of Cold Harbor. By the time newspapers such as the World and the Age finally published details of the Battle of Cold Harbor, it was too late. The Republicans had already renominated Lincoln and adopted a platform calling for the passage of a constitutional amendment to prohibit slavery throughout the United States. On the military side, the Army of the Potomac had already begun preparing for its next big move. The potentially devastating news of the worst Union defeat of the war had been kept from the public long enough that its impact was muted by other, more current events. The Democratic press failed to exploit this defeat for several reasons. The three correspondents from the World who reported on the Army of the Potomac were unavailable to file reports. The principal reporter had been captured by Confederates, and the other two correspondents were ill. So they relied on the account of the June 3 fighting filed by the Times reporter. Another reason was that foul weather on the Virginia Peninsula had caused problems with telegraph transmission. A War Department statement released at 10:00 p.m. on June 3 read: Nothing has been heard from General Grant since his dispatch dated at 7 oclock yesterday morning. Grants telegraph message with the clause. Our loss was not severe was sent at 2:00 p.m. on June 3, the day of the infamous charge, but was not reported as received until 7:55 the next morning. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton promptly assigned blame: Telegraphic communication has been delayed by a violent storm on the peninsula yesterday evening and last night and cannot be re-established before sometime tomorrow. Perhaps the breakdown of the telegraph at the same time as the Cold Harbor defeat was a coincidence. If so, it was a coincidence that spared the Lincoln administration a major backlash from the populace. Some Democratic correspondents may have left the battlefield to attend the Republican nominating convention in Baltimore. Though the convention did not begin until four days after the Cold Harbor tragedy, it is very likely that on June 3 the reporters were already in transit. Southern newspapermen knew that Grants army had been dealt a devastating defeat at Cold Harbor. So when they saw innocuous descriptions of the battle in the Northern press, they assumed that Grant had telegraphed false accounts of the battle to protect Lincolns renomination prospects. In fact, in the only message Grant ever sent the War Department about Cold Harbor, the complete text read: We assaulted at 4:30 this a.m., driving the enemy within his entrenchments at all points, but without gaining a decided advantage. We now occupy a position close to the enemy and in some places within fifty yards. Our loss was not severe, nor do I suppose the enemy lost heavily. We captured over three hundred prisoners mostly from Breckenridges command. It was not simply by accident that the travesty and tragedy of the Battle of Cold Harbor was not officially acknowledged by the government until after the war. If Grant had been hesitant to report the extent of the defeat, he probably had the support of War Secretary Stanton, who also was trying to spare Lincoln from the public outcry that bad news from the front would spark. Stanton released a slightly more candid report on Cold Harbor on June 4.Another official report, not from Grant estimates our killed and wounded at 3,000, read an article in the June 6 edition of the World. Even this updated number was less than a third of the armys total loss from May 31 to June 3 and less than half of those who fell during 10 minutes of the battles initial charge. The Philadelphia Age, apparently more aware of the lost opportunity than its sister paper, the World, published an editorial on the Lincoln administrations misleading reports in its June 9 edition: We think Mr. Stanton might be a little more explicit in his telegrams about the condition of affairs in Virginia. He has of late been very meagre in giving intelligence. From his dispatches we can scarcely find out that there was fought one of the bloodiest battles of the war, yet, until yesterday, no one knew its result. If Mr. Stanton knew the public anxiety there is in the public mind to hear the truth about Virginia, he would be a little more explicit in his dispatches. They have lost all significance as candid reports of military operations. But Stanton knew all too wellperhaps better than anyone else in the countrywhat an impact the Cold Harbor tragedy could have had on the public just before the Republican convention. And no one else in the country was in a better position to screen the information that passed from the battlefield to the press. So, inclement weather or not, Stanton released vague dispatches, and in doing so confirmed that he was not only the civilian administrator of the army, but a member of the incumbent political family. The inaccurate battle reports may have stemmed from the refusal of a proud commander and a politically astute cabinet officer to acknowledge that the army had been ordered to make a suicidal attack. Or perhaps it was the general policy of the army high command to withhold or understate the truth of unfavorable battle results. Union Colonel Joshua L. Chamberlain commented on the situation in the summer of 1864 in his book The Passing of the Armies. He wrote about the movement of the Army of the Potomac as it emerged from the Wilderness in May: Then the rushing, forced flank-movements, known and overmatched by the ever-alert; followed by reckless front attacks, where highest valor was deepest loss; buffetings on bloody angles; butcherings in slaughter pens, all the way down to the fateful Chickahominy once morea campaign under fire for twenty-seven days and nights together; morning reports at last not called for and when we asked explanation our superiors answered,confidentially, lest it seem disloyal; Because the country would not stand it, if they knew. The Army of the Potomac never adopted any official policy that released officers from writing official reports that might sour public opinion. Yet if Chamberlains claim is true, a certain casualness prevailed that spring in regard to post-action reportsreports that would only help preserve horribly vivid pictures of bloody defeats. Veteran officers understood that the disclosure of certain facts would jeopardize the armys campaign. No superior would ever report them for not recording battlefield incidents that promoted the image of Grant as a butcher and fueled the campaign of the peace advocates. Chamberlain went a step further in a speech to the Society of the Army of the Potomac in 1889:I desire to say here today that in this Army of the Potomac whose suffering and losses were such in that same year of 1864 that we were not called upon or permitted to report our casualties during that whole campaign from the Rapidan and Rappahannock to the James and Appomattox, for fear the country could not stand the disclosure. After the war, one of Grants corps commanders commented on Cold Harbor in the Century War Series, published in Century magazine and later compiled as Battles and Leaders of the Civil War. On the 9th of July following, he wrote, I had a conversation with General Grant about the campaign, in which I expressed the opinion that the battle of Cold Harbor was fought in contravention of military principles, with which, after some discussion, he seemingly agreed, saying that he had never said anything about it, because it could do no good. In a report dated July 22, Grant devoted only the following sentences to the subject: On the 3d of June we again assaulted the enemys works in the hope of driving him from his position. In this attempt our loss was heavy, while that of the enemy I have reason to believe was comparatively light. For the soldiers of the Army of the Potomac, the horror of Cold Harbor had culminated a month of nearly constant exposure to enemy fire with frequent periods of high-intensity combat at places such as the Wilderness and the Bloody Angle. The cumulative effect of this relentless terror, during which a good nights sleep and normal diversions for relaxation were nonexistent, severely demoralized the army. The average soldier became less willing to accept on faith the competency of his commanders, and many began to long for the past when Major General George B. McClellan had commanded the army. McClellan never would have sent them into battle to be slaughtered needlessly in hopeless assaults that accomplished little. Less than a month after the Cold Harbor fiasco, the memory of that battle returned to haunt the army when it lost a chance to break the Rebel lines at Petersburg and capture Richmond late that July. The opportunity was lost partly because the soldiers were unwilling to attack as they had in May and June. In a June 24 letter to his parents, Captain Holmes wrote, The feeling for McClellan has grown this campaign. Adam Gurowski wrote in his diary on June 11, Ambulances cross the city in all directions; crippled, lame, wounded in all the streets; thousands and thousands under the sod in the cursed Virginia soil, and all this sacrifice seems to have been made for the glory of the politicians. Sanitary Commission member George Templeton Strong wrote in his diary on June 9,People are blue. They have found out somehow that Grant will never get into Richmond after all. Navy Secretary Gideon Welles noted misgivings about Grant on June 2, the day before the Cold Harbor charge.There is intense anxiety in relation to the Army of the Potomac, he wrote in his diary, Great confidence is felt in Grant, but the immense slaughter of our brave men chills and sickens us all. The hospitals are crowded with the thousands of mutilated and dying heroes who have poured out their blood for the Union cause. Two days later he recorded, Still there is heavy loss, but we are becoming accustomed to the sacrifice. Grant has no great regard for human life. Many people, military and civilian, were beginning to share Welless assessment of the general-in-chief. Grant had done nothing for which he could be charged or disciplined. His distortion of the truth in communications to the War Department might have been influenced by conflicting reports from the battlefield, or perhaps by faulty intelligence, or any of a number of other circumstances that can leave a commander misinformed. But his subsequent telegraphic messages did little to correct the initial error, and for the rest of his life, on the few occasions when Grant mentioned Cold Harbor, he did so with embarrassment and shame. Occurring when it did, the Battle of Cold Harbor could have caused dissension at the Republican convention in Baltimore, threatening the renomination of Lincoln or at least marring the appearance of almost universal Union support for his second term. It certainly would have brought a tremendous outcry from the Democratic press, triggering an increase in the activities of subversive Peace Democrat, orCopperhead, societies and Confederate agents in Canada. And it would have enhanced support for the already substantial peace movement in the North. If the Northern public had learned of the disastrous charge and the tragic neglect of the wounded soldiers, Lincoln and Grant might have lost their jobs after the election. The Battle of Cold Harbor was the type of incident for which the Democratic press had waited for three years. This was particularly true of Copperhead newspapers, which relished occasions to castigate Lincoln and his administration. In June 1864, they bungled their biggest opportunity. This article was written by David E. Long and originally published in the June 1997 issue of Civil War Times Magazine. For more great articles, be sure to subscribe to Civil War Times magazine today! Christian A. Fleetwood was one of 13 African-American soldiers who won the Medal of Honor at the Battle of Chaffins Farm, Virginia, on September 29 and 30, 1864. At one time he had considered making a career in the army, but in this letter to his former employer he explains his disillusionment with the army and its treatment of black troops. The original letter is located in the Carter G. Woodson collection at the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress. Fleetwoods letter appeared in the July 1977 issue of Civil War Times Illustrated under the title To Benefit My Race. Baltimore June 8th 1865 Dr. James Hall Dear Sir: I much regret that you disapprove or rather do not approve of my leaving the service at the expiration of my term of enlistment. Be assured that in this matter I am actuated by the same motives which induced me to leave your office, and light & agreeable employment and take to the arduous & adventurous duties of the camp-some personal ambition to be sure but mainly from a desire to benefit my race. From representations made by Col. [William] Birney and from the position assumed by our friends in Congress, you remember we were induced to believe or hope that on evidence of merit and ability to do our duty we should receive promotion, at least to the rank of company & regimental officers.-That I have well performed the duties of the office which I have held the past two years, it becomes me not to say, although I wear a medal conferred for some special acts as a soldier, yet am bold to say that no regiment has performed more active, arduous, & dangerous service than the 4th U.S. Cold. Troops. Leaving Baltimore in September 1863 we reported at Yorktown Va. and in less than a week were ordered on a raid, making thirty (30) miles per day, with no stragglers. We remained at Yorktown until 1/64 engaging in similar expeditions once or twice in every month. In April we were ordered to Point Lookout, Md. to guard the prisoners there, and remained until the organization of the first division of colored troops in the U.S. service, viz. the 3d Division, 18th Army Corps. Leaving Fortress Monroe with the James River Expedition in May 64 we were the first ashore at City Point, and built works, held them and made reconnaissances from then to June 15th when the first serious demonstration was made upon Petersburg, losing on that day about two hundred and fifty (250) out of less than six hundred (600) men. Assisted in the siege of Petersburg until August when we were transferred to Dutch Gap working in the canal under the shelling of the rebel batteries until the latter part of September when we were ordered to Deep Bottom and under Major Gen. Birney on the 29th September, at the taking of New Market Heights and Fort Harrison, lost two thirds of our available force. Entrenching on the lines before Richmond, we remained until Gen. [Benjamin F.] Butlers Expedition to Fort Fisher, returned to our old camp and in a few days again embarked under Gen. [Alfred H.] Terry upon his successful expedition, and have taken part in all of the marches and fighting encountered by Terrys Command until the surrender of [General Joseph E.] Johnstons Army in April last. Upon all our record there is not a single blot, and yet no member of this regiment is considered deserving of a commission or if so cannot receive one. I trust you will understand that I speak not of and for myself individually, or that the lack of the pay or honor of a commission induces me to quit the service. Not so by any means, but I see no good that will result to our people by continuing to serve, on the contrary it seems to me that our continuing to act in a subordinate capacity, with no hope of advancement or promotion is an absolute injury to our cause. It is a tacit but telling acknowledgement on our part that we are not fit for promotion, & that we are satisfied to remain in a state of marked and acknowledged subserviency. A double purpose induced me and most others to enlist, to assist in abolishing slavery and to save the country from ruin. Something in furtherance of both objects we have certainly done, and now it strikes me that more could be done for our welfare in the pursuits of civil life. I think that a camp life would be decidedly an injury to our people. No matter how well and faithfully they may perform their duties they will shortly be considered as lazy nigger sojers-as drones in the great hive. I have trespassed upon your time to a much greater extent than I intended but I wished you correctly to appreciate my motives for leaving the service. Very truly & respectfully Yours Christian A. Fleetwood Sergt. Major 4th U.S. Cold. Troops At the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, the Southeast Asia War section is seeing some changes. According to curator Jeff Duford, preparations have been underway since 2010 for updating and augmenting gallery displays to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first U.S. Air Force campaign in Southeast Asia. In May of this year, the museum opened its newest exhibit, the story of the legendary Brig. Gen. Robin Olds. Olds grew up among military aviators, attending West Point and later becoming a World War II ace and Air Force Cross recipient. He was credited with 12 aerial victories and given a squadron command at age 22. Olds eventually became the commander of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base in 1966. A charismatic and respected leader, he was a participant in Operation Bolo, an air battle fought on January 2, 1967, within the context of Operation Rolling Thunders bombardment campaign. The McDonnell F-4 Phantom II fighters from Olds fighter wing destroyed more than half of the MiG-21 interceptors that came to meet them that day. Olds F-4C, the plane in which he and Lieutenant Stephen Croker destroyed two MiG-17s in a single day, commands the center of the exhibit. Also displayed are Olds flight suit, helmet and maps. A touch-screen video shows Olds, sporting his nonregulation, bulletproof mustache, describing his missions in his own words. Tracing the Olds legacy is another new display dedicated to the River Rats. Olds and his comrade-in-arms Colonel Howard Scrappy Johnson founded the Red River Valley Pilots Association (RRVPA) in Thailand in 1967. The organization was formed to discuss and debate tactics, and improve communications between the bases in Southeast Asia, as well as being a tradition-rich social association. The RRVPA eventually became a fraternal foundation to provide assistance to active or retired military personnel. Additional exhibits are scheduled to debut in 2011. Scheduled to open in August will be a depiction of the heroics and tragedy at Lima Site 85, incorporating the story of Medal of Honor recipient Chief Master Sgt. Richard Etchberger, and in October, an Air Base Defense display. The renovations in the gallery are expected to be completed by late 2012. Newly displayed in the forward exhibit area, which encompasses the earlier days of the war, is the story of the Misty FACs (forward air controllers). The Misty FACs actually came later in the war, 1967-1970, said Duford, but we have the exhibit placed in the gallery near the plane they flew, the F-100F. The volunteer group of fighter pilots flew over enemy territory with the goal of locating the transfers of enemy supplies on the Ho Chi Minh Trail and calling in airstrikes to disrupt them. The museum exhibits added within the last two years are largely included within the area of Operation Rolling Thunder, including 100 Missions Up North, which honors the pilots who flew them. The proud symbol of 100 missionsthe patch worn by those who earned italong with the tradition of the celebratory hose downs, are depicted. The heroic story of the first to reach 100 counters, in 1965, Captain Donald Beck of the 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, begins the exhibit. A photo of Beck climbing out of his McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo sits near the touch screen video display that entertainingly tells the tale of the dog Roscoe, mascot of the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW). Roscoe sat in on mission briefings and, the story goes, he predicted the outcome. If he sleeps, its going to be an easy mission. If his ears perk up, watch out! The exhibit also honors 1st Lt. Karl Richter, 388th TFW, who flew 100 missions, then requested and received permission to fly 100 more. He was killed in 1967 when his Republic F-105D was hit by enemy fire and he ejected, hitting a limestone karst when he landed. As part of our renovation, curator Duford notes, the aircraft layout has been reshuffled. The Fairchild C-123 has nearly been restored, and several others have been repainted. Recent updates have also seen the Martin B-57B Canberra and a de Havilland C-7A restored and returned to the gallery. A 9-year-old girl stood in the darkness of a railroad station, surrounded by tearful travelers who had gathered up their meager belongings, awaiting the train that would take her from her native home to a place she had never been. The bewildered child couldnt know she was a character in the recurring drama of Americas love-hate relationship with peoples from foreign lands who, whether fleeing hardship or oppression or simply drawn to the promise of opportunity and prosperity, desperately strive to be Americans. As yet another act in the long saga of American immigration unfolds today, some U.S. citizens can recall when, during a time of anti-immigrant frenzy fueled by economic crisis and racism, they found themselves being swept out of the country of their birth. Emilia Castaneda will never forget that 1935 morning. Along with her father and brother, she was leaving her native Los Angeles. Staying, she was warned by some adults at the station, meant she would become a ward of the state. I had never been to Mexico, Castaneda said some six decades later. We left with just one trunk full of belongings. No furniture. A few metal cooking utensils. A small ceramic pitcher, because it reminded me of my motherand very little clothing. We took blankets, only the very essentials. As momentous as that morning seemed to the 9-year-old Castaneda, such departures were part of a routine and roundly accepted movement to send Mexicans and Mexican-Americans back to their ancestral home. Los Angeles Countysponsored repatriation trains had been leaving the station bound for Mexico since 1931, when, in the wake of the Wall Street crash of 1929 and the economic collapse and dislocation that followed, welfare cases skyrocketed. The county Board of Supervisors, other county and municipal agencies and the Chamber of Commerce proclaimed repatriation of Mexicans as a humane and utilitarian solution to the areas growing joblessness and dwindling resources. Even the Mexican consul stationed in Los Angeles praised the effort, at least at the outset, thanking the welfare department for its work among my countrymen, in helping them return to Mexico. The Mexican government, still warmed by the rhetoric of the 1910 revolution, was touting the development of agricultural colonies and irrigation projects that would provide work for the displaced compatriots from the north. By 1935, however, it was hard to detect much benevolence driving the government-sponsored train rides to Mexico. For young Castanedas father, Mexico was the last resort, a final defeat after 20 years of legal residence in America. His work as a union bricklayer had enabled him to buy a house, but like millions of other Americans his house and job were lost to the Depression. His wife, who had worked as a maid, contracted tuberculosis in 1933 and died the following year. My father told us that he was returning to Mexico because he couldnt find work in Los Angeles, Castaneda said. He wasnt going to abandon us. We were going with him. When L.A. County arranged for our trip to Mexico, he and other Mexicans had no choice but to go. Francisco Balderrama and Raymond Rodriguez, the authors of Decade of Betrayal, the first expansive study of Mexican repatriation with perspectives from both sides of the border, claim that 1 million people of Mexican descent were driven from the United States during the 1930s due to raids, scare tactics, deportation, repatriation and public pressure. Of that conservative estimate, approximately 60 percent of those leaving were legal American citizens. Mexicans comprised nearly half of all those deported during the decade, although they made up less than 1 percent of the countrys population. Americans, reeling from the economic disorientation of the depression, sought a convenient scapegoat, Balderrama and Rodriguez wrote. They found it in the Mexican community. During the early years of the 20th century, the U.S. Immigration Service paid scant attention to Mexican nationals crossing the border. The disfavored groups among border watchers at the time were the Chinese, who had been explicitly barred by the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, criminals, lunatics, prostitutes, paupers and those suffering from loathsome and contagious diseases. In actuality, the Mexican immigrant was often a pauper, but he was not, in the laws language, likely to become a public charge. Cheap Mexican labor was in great demand by a host of Americas burgeoning industries. The railroads, mining companies and agribusinesses sent agents to greet immigrants at the border, where they extolled the rewards of their respective enterprises. Border officials felt no duty to impede the labor flow into the Southwest. The Mexican population in the United States escalated during the years following 1910. By 1914, according to author Matt S. Meier, the chaos and bloodshed of the Mexican revolution had driven as many as 100,000 Mexican nationals into the United States, and they would continue to cross the border in large numbers legally and illegally. Immigration laws were tightened in 1917, but their enforcement at the border remained lax. While laws enacted in 1921 and 1924 imposed quotas on immigrants from Europe and other parts of the Eastern Hemisphere, quotas were not applied to Mexico or other Western nations. This disparity found its detractors, particularly East Texas congressman John C. Box, who was a vocal proponent of curtailing the influx from the south. Though none of Boxs proposals became law, his efforts drew favorable coverage in the Saturday Evening Post and other journals that editorialized against the Mexicanization of the United States. When a Midwestern beet grower who hired Mexican immigrants appeared at a House Immigration Committee hearing, Box suggested that the mans ideal farm workers were a class of people who have not the ability to rise, who have not the initiative, who are children, who do not want to own land, who can be directed by men in the upper stratum of society. That is what you want, is it? I believe that is about it, replied the grower. Those who exploited cheap Mexican labor, argued Box and his adherents, betrayed American workers and imperiled American cities with invading hordes of mixed-blood foreigners. Those who railed against quotas should visit the barrios in Los Angeles, wrote Kenneth L. Roberts in the Saturday Evening Post, and see endless streets crowded with the shacks of illiterate, diseased, pauperized Mexicans, taking no interest whatever in the community, living constantly on the ragged edge of starvation, bringing countless numbers of American citizens into the world with the reckless prodigality of rabbits. Upon taking office in 1929, President Herbert Hoover had to face the raging debate. He resisted imposing the quotas demanded by Box and others, as Hoover probably feared they would rankle the Mexican government and thus threaten American business interests there. Instead, Hoover, hoping to appease the restrictionists, chose the less-permanent option of virtually eliminating visas for Mexican laborers and by bolstering the Immigration Service, which had grown from a minor government operation to a force that included a border patrol of nearly 800 officers. After the Depression set in, the removal of foreigners who were taking jobs and services away from cash-strapped, struggling Americans seemed to be a salient solution, perhaps the only tangible recourse to the desperation that had swept the country. Under the direction of William N. Doak, Hoovers newly appointed secretary of labor, immigration officers dredged the country for illegal aliens. They raided union halls, dances, social clubs and other ethnic enclaves where people without papers might be found. Their tactics favored intimidation over legal procedure. Suspects were routinely arrested without warrants. Many were denied counsel, and their deportation hearings were often conducted in the confines of a city or county jail. Frightened and ignorant of their rights, many suspects volunteered to leave rather than suffer through deportation. While Mexicans were not the only target in the drive against illegal aliens, they were often the most visible. This was certainly true in Los Angeles, which, at that time had some 175,000 inhabitants of Mexican descent, second only to Mexico City. In early 1931, Los Angeles newspapers reported on an impending anti-alien sweep led by a ranking immigration officer from Washington, D.C. Walter Carr, the federal Los Angeles district director of immigration, assured the press that no single ethnic group was under siege, but raids in the Mexican communities of El Monte, Pacoima and San Fernando belied that official line. The final show of force occurred with a raid on La Placita, a downtown Los Angeles park that was popular with Mexicans and Mexican-Americans. On February 26, an afternoon idyll on Olivera Street was shattered by an invasion of immigration agents and local police. Agents searched every person on the scene for proof of legal residence. Though hundreds were hauled off for questioning, few were ultimately detained. The message was in the bluster, not the busts. As recounted in Decade of Betrayal, Labor Secretary Doaks efforts proved to be highly successful: Deportees outnumbered those who entered the United States during the first nine months of 1931. There were, however, some detractors. A subcommittee formed by the Los Angeles Bar Association found that Carrs tactics, such as inhibiting a suspects access to counsel, fell outside the law. Carr dismissed these charges as nothing more than sour grapes over a lost client base and justified the deprivation of counsel on the grounds that lawyers merely sold false hopes in exchange for cash squeezed from needy immigrants. Investigations into the alleged abuses began on a national level, as well, by the National Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement, which was appointed by President Hoover in 1929. Named for its chairman, former U.S. Attorney General George W. Wickersham, the Wickersham Commission had made front-page news with its investigations into the rackets of Al Capone and others. Like the L.A. Bar Association, the commission also found the methods employed by Doaks underlings to be unconstitutional. Regardless of the legality or illegality of the practices, one thing was clear: Mexican immigrants were departing in great numbers. According to a report by Carr, by May 1931, There have been approximately forty thousand aliens who left this district during the last eighteen months of which probably twenty percent [were] deportable. Even those who were here legally, he allowed, had been driven out by fear. In retrospect, other options were available. The Registry Act of 1929, for example, ensured permanent residency status a version of amnesty to those who had been in the United States continuously since 1921 and had been honest, law-abiding aliens. While this surely would have applied to many Mexicans, the acts provisions were utilized mostly by European or Canadian immigrants. In many cases, institutionalized hostility prevailed over legal rights. Anti-Mexican sentiments convinced the father of author Raymond Rodriguez to return to Mexico. His mother met with a local priest, who assured her that, as a mother of five American children and a legal resident, she could not be forced to leave. So he left and we stayed, says Rodriguez, who never saw his father again. Instead of driving Mexican aliens underground as was often the result of raids and other scare tactics it became apparent to anti-immigrant proponents that it was more expedient simply to assist them out of the country. Repatriation became a locally administered alternative to deportation, which was a federal process beyond the purview of the county and municipal officials. Repatriation is supposed to be voluntary, says Francisco Balderrama, Decades co-author. Thats kind of a whitewash word, a kind of covering up of the whole thing. Some 350 people departed on the first county-sponsored repatriation train to leave Los Angeles in March 1931. The next month, a second train left with nearly three times as many people, of which roughly one-third paid for their own passage. The repatriates were led to believe that they could return at a later date, observed George P. Clements, manager of agriculture of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. In a memo to the chambers general manager, Arthur G. Arnoll, Clements, who wanted to keep the cheap labor, wrote, I think this is a grave mistake because it is not the truth. Clements went on to state that American-born children leaving without documentation were American citizens without very much hope of ever coming back into the United States. Los Angeles later developed a highly efficient repatriation program under the direction of Rex Thomson, an engineer who had impressed members of the Board of Supervisors with his nuts-and-bolts know-how while advising them on the construction of the Los Angeles General Hospital. After the county welfare caseload nearly doubled from 25,913 cases during 1929-30 to 42,124 cases in 1930-31, the board asked the pragmatic Thomson to serve as assistant superintendent of charities. It was one of the highest paying public jobs in California, Thomson recalled during an interview nearly 40 years later. Having lost a bundle in failed local banks, he continued, I was interested in a job. Thomson proved to be a tough administrator who excised bureaucratic fat and made welfare money work for the county. Men dug channels in the Los Angeles River in exchange for room and board. He put the unemployed to work on several local projects: building walls along Elysian Park, grading the grounds around the California State Building. When Thomson visited Congress in Washington, D.C., to seek funding for his public works program, he challenged the feds to send out people to see if we arent worthy of this federal help. By the end of the week, he later reported: Ill be darned if they didnt agree. The government got the idea, and started this Works Progress [Administration], but they didnt always impose the discipline that was necessary. Along with putting the unemployed to work on government-sponsored projects, repatriation would become another of Thomsons social remedies that would merit emulation. Thomson would later describe his program: We had thousands of Mexican nationals who were out of work. I went to Mexico City and I told them that we would like to ship these people back not to the border but to where they came from or where the Mexicans would send them if we agreed it was a proper place. We could ship them back by train and feed them well and decently, for $74 a family. So I employed social workers who were Americans of Mexican descent but fluent in the language, or Mexican nationals, and they would go out and I want to emphasize offer repatriation to these people. A child in 1932, Ruben Jimenez remembers one such social worker, a Mr. Hispana, who convinced Jimenezs father to exchange his two houses in East Los Angeles for 21 acres in Mexicali. We were not a burden to the U.S. government or anybody, says Jimenez, whose father worked for the gas company and collected rental income on his property. Still, Hispana convinced the man that it was best for him to turn over his bungalow and frame house and depart with his family to Mexico, where their 21 acres awaited them. We camped under a tree until Dad built a shack out of bamboo, Jimenez recalls. Since there was no electricity available, his parents traded their washing machine and other appliances for chickens, mules, pigs and other necessities for their new life. In the clutches of the Depressions hard times, families sold their homes at low prices. In some cases, the county placed liens on abandoned property. While there is no direct authority for selling the effects and applying their proceeds, a county attorney informed Thomson, we fail to see how the county can be damaged by so doing. They are going to a land where the unemployed take all-day siestas in the warm sun, wrote the Los Angeles Evening Express in August 1931, which described children following their parents to a new land of promise, where they may play in green fields without watching out for automobiles. The reality proved to be far less idyllic. Emilia Castaneda first glimpsed Mexican poverty in the tattered shoes on the old train porter who carried her fathers trunk. He was wearing huaraches, she recalled. Huaraches are sandals worn by poor people. They are made out of old tires and scraps. Along with her father and brother, Castaneda moved to her aunts place in the state of Durango, where nine relatives were already sharing the one-room domicile. There was no room for us, she said. If it rained we couldnt go indoors. She quickly learned that running water and electricity were luxuries left back in Los Angeles. She took baths in a galvanized tub and fetched water from wells. The toilet was a hole in the backyard. We were living with people who didnt want us there, Castaneda said. We were imposing on them out of necessity. They left after her father found work. In time her brother would be working also and, to her great dismay, shuffling around in huaraches. Contrary to what was being propagated, Mexicans in Los Angeles did not impose a disproportionate strain on welfare services during the Depression. This is according to Decade and Abraham Hoffman, whose dissertation and subsequent book, Unwanted Mexican Americans in the Great Depression, examined repatriation from a Los Angeles perspective. Based on the countys own figures, Mexicans comprised an average of only 10 percent of those on relief. Nonetheless, repatriation was promoted and widely viewed as an effective means of diminishing welfare rolls, and Mexicos proclaimed plans for agricultural expansion conveniently complemented the movement. Indeed, Thomson traveled extensively throughout Mexico to survey proposed work sites and hold negotiations at various levels of the Mexican government, including the ministry of foreign affairs and the presidency. Some Mexican officials were so eager to get Thomsons repatriates, he later recalled, he was personally offered a bounty of land for each. One time I was met by the governor of Quintaneroo. He offered me 17 and a half hectares (44 acres) for every repatriated individual I sent there to cut sisal and I said Absolutely no. Thomson claimed repatriates were in high demand across the border. They brought across skills and industrial discipline, he said. At that time, if you could repair a Model T Ford, that was quite an art. Thomsons program and its seemingly fantastic results attracted the attention of state and local leaders from around the country, and his practice of engaging the Mexican government was copied as well. In the fall of 1932, Ignacio Batiza, the Mexican consul in Detroit, urged his compatriots to return home and accept this opportunity which is offered them. While Batiza may have believed his countrys promises of cooperation, others did not. A pamphlet circulated by a group called the International Labor Defense warned that thousands of workers choosing to return to Mexico would die of hunger. This was the end of 1932, and the feasibility of Mexicos grand plans was not yet widely challenged. With a population of less than 15 million in the early years of the Depression, Mexico needed more workers to attain its goal of land transformation. Even as the Depression took hold, the Mexican government proceeded with its agricultural development plans, which would include repatriated nationals especially those with farming skills. During that time, They are proclaiming workers rights, Balderrama explained. If theyre not accepting of the repatriates, that calls into question what theyre all about. In the end, however, the governments post-revolutionary zeal eclipsed a hard reckoning of the facts. The returning mass of impoverished pilgrims from the United States would strain an already fragile economy. Officially, at least, the government welcomed the compatriots from the north, underscoring its proclamation of Mexicanism and support for workers rights. Mexico struggled to cope with the deluge of new arrivals. Hungry and sick travelers crowded into border towns such as Ciudad Juarez and Nogales, where paltry food and medical supplies ensured a daily death count. There are many accounts of border towns crowded with people, as the train connections were not well organized. One repatriado reported: Many that come here dont have any place to go. They dont have any idea of where they are going or what theyll do. Some families just stayed down at the railway station. In an attempt to manage the crisis, Mexican governmental agencies joined several private organizations to create the National Repatriation Committee in 1933. The first colonization project undertaken by this august assembly was Pinotepa Nacional, located in a fertile tropical area of southern Mexico. Modern farming equipment and mules, along with food and other provisions, were made available to the farmers, who were to earn their equity through produce. And while the crops grew quickly, this highly touted proletarian collective proved to be a disastrous failure beset with complaints about mistreatment and meager food rations. The projects final undoing came from disease, as the land was rife with poisonous insects. Sixty people died within 20 days, according to a settler who had left after one month, taking his three small sons with him. Some have families and cant leave very well, he told one researcher. But my boys and I could. We walked to Oaxaca. It took us eight days. Though the government welcomed repatriates, the general citizenry often did not. Most of us here in Mexico do not look on these repatriates very favorably, remarked one Mexico City landlady. They abandoned the country during the revolution, and after getting expelled from the north, they expected their old compatriotsto greet them with celebrations of fireworks and brass bands. Castaneda remembers children taunting her as a repatriada. The word was very offensive to me, she recalled. It was an insult, as is calling someone a gringo or a wetback. As one Mexican ranch worker asked a repatriate in Torreon in the northeastern state of Coahuila: What you doing here for? To eat the little bread we have? As news about the harsh conditions in Mexico traveled north, it became more difficult to convince people to leave the United States. President Franklin D. Roosevelts New Deal provided work for some Mexicans, such as veterans of the U.S. military, and welfare was allotted to those who were barred from the work projects. But, back in Los Angeles, Thomson remained resolute in his efforts to repatriate Mexicans, eventually turning his attention to nursing homes and asylums in his desire to purge what he considered welfare leeches. In some cases, the bedridden were sent out on the back of a truck. Many American children of repatriates never lost their desire for a true repatriation of their own. Emilia Castaneda, who had relocated 17 times while living in Mexico, decided to return to Los Angeles as her 18th birthday approached, some nine years after that dark morning in 1935. Her godmother in Boyle Heights forwarded Castanedas birth certificate, along with money for the train ride. Ironically, this American citizen was again subjected to humiliation. At the border crossing, immigration officials asked to see her tourist card. I had to pay for a tourist card because, according to them, I was a tourist. Can you imagine? Me, a tourist, for nine years. It was 1944, and the train was crowded with soldiers. I sat on my suitcase in the aisle. The seats were reserved for servicemen, but some were kind and they offered me their seats. I spoke very little English by then. Here was this American girl coming back to the United States. Castaneda relearned English in the same school she had attended as a child. As she would later admit, her forced relocation prevented me from completing my education and advancing for better employment. Ruben Jimenez had attended school in Mexico, walking 12 miles a day to a one-room structure where six grades shared one teacher. When he returned to the States, the transition back into Los Angeles schools was difficult. A high school sophomore at age 17, Jimenez dropped out and joined the Army, serving as a radar operator during World War II. After several years, he completed college and eventually retired as a parole investigator. While many American citizens who were caught up in the repatriation movement returned and struggled to readjust to their native country, thousands who had left without documentation had no legitimate proof of citizenship and were denied reentry. We talked to one lady, part of her family came back, and part of it, unable to prove their residency, settled along the border so they could get together sometimes, recalls Rodriguez. But the whole family was not able to make it back. And that was not an unusual circumstance. In 1972 Hoffman noted that the history of Mexicans in the United States was largely ignored. A case in point is that of the repatriation phenomenon, he said. When I started working on it as a dissertation there was really nothing. Historians had neglected it as a topic, as they did essentially everything that today we call ethnic studies. I was interested in the topic because I was born in East L.A., and although I am not a Mexican American, I did have some concerns about what had been going on in an area where I had grown up. Repatriates often tried to forget the experience, and they did not speak about it to their children. Many saw themselves as victims of local vendettas rather than scapegoats of a national campaign. They really didnt understand the broad aspects, says Rodriguez. They thought it was an individual experience. It wasnt something pleasant. It wasnt something they could be proud of. The silence, however, did not dissuade a new generation from seeking answers. I knew that my father had spent his childhood in Mexico, despite the fact that he was born in Detroit, and I always had questions about it, says Elena Herrada, a union official and activist in Detroit. While at Wayne State University in the 70s, Herrada and other students began collecting oral histories from elders in the community, a practice she continues today. All we wanted to do was get the story told in our own families, and in our own communities, so that we would have a better understanding of why we dont vote, why we dont answer the census, why we dont protest in the face of extreme injustice. It just explains so many things for us. In the summer of 2003, the subject of Mexican repatriation went beyond the confines of family and academic circles and returned to the scrutiny of government. A hearing was held in Sacramento, Calif., presided over by state Senator Joe Dunne, who had been inspired by Decade of Betrayal. The books authors spoke at the session, and Rodriguezs voice faltered as he recalled his own fathers flight to Mexico in 1936. Other scholars spoke, as did local politicians and two repatriates. A class action lawsuit on behalf of those who had been unfairly expelled from California was filed in July, with Castaneda as the lead plaintiff. The suit was eventually withdrawn, as two consecutive governors vetoed bills that would have funded research and expanded statutory limitations. For a time, however, the civil action and the forgotten history behind it were national news. This, in a way, was the beginning of a more lasting restitution: an acknowledgement of the past. My idea is for it to be in the history books, says Emilia Castaneda, for children to learn what happened to American citizens. This article was written by Steve Boisson and originally published in the September 2006 issue of American History Magazine. For more great articles, subscribe to American History magazine today! First elected as representative of Floridas 1st Congressional District in 2001, Jeff Miller became chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee in 2011. The committee oversees the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and veterans hospitals, it reviews programs, examines current laws, reports bills and amendments to strengthen existing laws concerning veterans, reviews legislation, and it recommends new bills concerning veterans. Within the committees jurisdiction are retirement and disability pensions, life insurance, education, the GI Bill, home loan guarantees, medical care and a nationwide system of veterans cemeteries. A 53-year-old Republican, Congressman Miller recently spoke with Vietnam editors from his Capitol Hill office. As chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, what lessons do you draw from the Vietnam vet experience? Its pretty clear that our country in the Vietnam War era overlooked our war fighters and what they stood for, and let politics form our opinions of the entire military. A huge divide was created between the military and the public, unlike anything we had ever seen before or after. It has taken years to recover, and in fact we are still recovering. Only recently, I think, have we fully acknowledged the service and sacrifice of the Vietnam War veterans. I often see military personnel traveling in uniform going to or from Afghanistan, and without question the respect that is shown them is far greater than our Vietnam veterans experienced. I think we as a country broke our pledge we failed our Vietnam veterans. The VA has been led by a Vietnam vet for the last three years. How is he doing at this job? Secretary Eric Shinseki is a leader whom everyone respects. He is passionate about all veterans and ensuring they have the care they need. But the problem he has is typical in Washington: bureaucracy. The bureaucracy within Veterans Affairs is extremely hard to shake up. But little by little I think we are starting to see a shift of emphasis away from process back to the veteran. The VA needs to remain committed to providing quality and timely care to Vietnam veterans, and the Vietnam vets need to trust that the VA recognizes their service. Look, its a relationship that has been through many ups and downs over the years and there is still a lot of work to do, but I think we are moving in the right direction. The VA understands its drawbacks and my committee is constantly reviewing VA programs. I do think they are doing a better job of reaching out to Vietnam veterans. Should vets be worried about benefit cuts from efforts to decrease federal debt? As both sides of the aisle understand, taking care of our vets should not be a political issue. There will be no cuts to the VA as a result of sequestration. Ive tried to maintain the history of bipartisanship of the House committee, and I think Sen. Patty Murray is doing the same on the Senate side. Weve seen greater increases in investments in the VA budget over a number of years. The fact is that cuts are off the table in this most austere time. Thats a victory for the veteran population. Will out-of-pocket costs for those in the TRICARE system be increasing? There is not a large appetite on Capitol Hill for increasing TRICARE costs to the user. The Obama administration unfortunately has placed an increase in co-pays and fees in its budget, but I would say weve got too many economic hardships in the country right now. Too many veterans are among Americas homeless. What is being done for them? Secretary Shinseki has made decreasing the number of homeless veterans one of his top priorities, and we all agree about getting them off the streets and back into society in a meaningful way. Its been a priority for the better part of the last decade, and while we have made great strides, we still have too many vets sleeping on the streets. But the numbers are going down. We are trying to eliminate veteran homelessness by 2015, and I will work with the secretary to help meet that goal in any way possible. What did we learn from Vietnam about caring for veterans special needs such as PTSD and other psychological problems? We owe much to Vietnam vets for bringing PTSD out from under a blanket of silence. We now know that PTSD can strike at any timeit could be immediately after returning from war or decades later. I think it is because of the Vietnam veteran experience that we now have military leaders coming out to talk about how PTSD has affected their lives in order to set the example of how it could be better dealt with. Are we adequately applying those lessons? Well, we know a lot more about PTSD than we did 15 years ago, and I dont think that we would have advanced as far as we have medically or in breaking down the stigma without the Vietnam veterans. My fear for the soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan is that the VA is not prepared for the numbers of them who are going to have PTSD. Agent Orange remains controversial. What is the outlook for those suffering the effects now or in the future? The science speaks for itself. We know that dioxin has had a negative impact on the lives of thousands of Vietnam vets. We now have the protocols in place in the VA to treat veterans who were affected by Agent Orange and for veterans who may come forward in the future. The issue has also raised the awareness of environmental hazards and pollutants that our men and women come in contact with around the world. We are starting to look at other possible pollutants and what type of long-term effects they may have on veterans. The biggest takeaway for me as chairman is that we dont know what the effects of a lot of these pollutants are going to be. And we even have the situation here in our own country, such as the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. You know, when we ask people to go out and put on the uniform of our country and they do so, we have to be prepared to take care of them in the future if they are exposed to something that is harmful to their health. I think having a better understanding of exposure risks ahead of time is very important. Agent Orange was used in great quantities with millions of gallons sprayed as a defoliant. I think had the United States been more mindful of the potential human health effects of Agent Orange, how and where it was used might have been handled differently. What should be the position of the U.S. government with regard to treating Vietnamese who are suffering from Agent Orange exposure? My first priority is to our troops who were exposed and making sure they are getting the best care possible. As with any major conflict, we will see an impact on local populations. Weve seen that in every war this country has been involved in. We are cognizant of civilian life and thats what makes us different from many other countries around the world. We have provided the Vietnamese with reparations, and helping those exposed to Agent Orange represents another opportunity for us to better understand the long-term effects of dioxin on all who have been exposed to it. What is the most important lesson about committing U.S. forces to combat that you have taken from the Vietnam War? You know, I think we need to be aware of the difference of the politics of war and the support for the war fighters. What happened to our Vietnam veterans when they came home was nothing less than shameful. It was not representative of who we are as a nation. Each of us owes respect to the men and women who go to fight on our behalf. I think thats the lesson that we see playing out today. The people across the country are doing what they can to support our troops in any number of ways. Our soldiers came home from Vietnam and got attacked and treated poorly, and I would say it was a disgraceful period in our history. But I do think weve turned that corner, and I hope our Vietnam veterans today see that we as a nation have reaffirmed our pledge and promise to provide them, and our veterans of todays wars, the benefits that they have honorably earned. Do you believe that the all-volunteer army, by relegating the actual war fighting and dying to a very small group, is healthy or harmful to our country? I say that the volunteer army is working very well for the current conflicts and the wars we have been involved in during the last decadeand thats the view of our military commanders as well. Those best suited to a military life choose to adopt it and all that comes with it. And those who prefer business or another given profession do the same. I cant say whether the all-volunteer army is healthy or harmful; whats most important is how we choose to use the military we have. That being said, we should all be grateful we have men and women willing to volunteer to defend this country and thats got to be the bottom line. As we begin to mark the wars 50th anniversary, what is the best way Americans can honor Vietnam veterans? I think it is important as we mark the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War that we step forward as a nation and show the same respect and gratitude to our Vietnam veterans that is being shown today to our Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans. We should honor veterans of all eras, whether they served in peacetime or war. I agree with the Vietnam Veterans of America: Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another. So lets give Vietnam veterans the welcome home that they never received and the welcome home that they deserved decades ago. Jay Hess Lieutenant Colonel, 355th Tactical Fighter Wing May 1967-March 1973 Three weeks after arriving in Cam Rahn Bay in 1967 to fly F-4s, I received new orders diverting me to Takhli Air Base in Thailand. It was an emergency manning request that I found a little disturbing: Due to combat losses, the following individuals are diverted to Takhli Air Base in Thailand. Takhli was heavily engaged in flights over North Vietnam and at that time was one of the most highly defended air spaces in the world or in history. Once there, I got checked out in the F-105, which I had flown in Germany. On the 24th of August, 24 F-105s left on a mission northeast of Hanoi, very close to the China border, assigned a railroad repair facility at Lang Son. We were Shark flight and I was Shark 4. I had six 750-pound bombs on, lined up my target, released my bombs and immediately was hit. My reaction was, Well, Ive been hit and I ought to get away from here as fast as I can. So I lit the afterburner, which I shouldnt have done. Suddenly the cockpit filled with fire and the aircraft started down, doing an outside loop. I pulled up the ejection handles and about that time heard over my radio, Shark 4 is torching. I later learned the air rescue personnel searched for me for three hours and finally concluded that I was dead. I woke up on the ground, probably several hours later. All I could hear was my emergency locator beacon in the parachute and thought, Ive got to shut that off. Very soon a crowd gathered around and captured me. They hacked at my G-suit to get my clothes off, to keep me under control. We hiked over a couple of mountains to an impressive cave structure in the middle of the woods. A surprisingly well-dressed man, Chinese maybe, came in, looking like he worked for IBM or something, and asked a few questions in perfect English. Later, I saw a picture of Mao Tse-tung on the wall and thought, Am I in China? which was a little disconcerting. The next morning, after a night of pep rally appearances, I was tied up with wire and driven away in the back of a pickup truck. People started stomping on my feet and I resigned myself to the worst; it had to be a change from Chinese to Vietnamese control. I was flown by helicopter to Hanoi and then driven by Jeep to the gates of the Hanoi Hilton. Then, blindfolded and tied up, I was taken into a small room and questioned: Whats your name, rank, serial number, date of birth, and where were you stationed? I wouldnt answer and soon they knocked me to the floor, tied my hands behind my back, rotated them up over my head and tied them to my feet in front. I was sweating something awful, and the pain reached a point where it just didnt hurt any worse. Hours later, I was untied, but my hands were paralyzed. Not wanting to go through that again, I was ready to start answering questions. I said, OK, I can tell you what kind of plane it was. On the third day of torture, they brought in a bowl of soup and it was like water with a leaf in it, but I felt grateful for the liquid because I was dehydrated and hallucinating. That torture lasted a couple of weeks and then I was put in solitary confinement for two months. My focus began to change from how I was going to escape, to how I was going to make it through the day, to how I was going to make it through the next minute. We normally got a bowl of rice twice a day, but it took a while to be able to eat all of it. The pain eased and finally I could begin to move my fingers. Its almost a spiritual experience, because you never felt so helpless and dependent. Theres a lot of praying, a lot of reflecting back and thinking about your life, and a lot of regrets. I dreaded the thought of the Air Force car pulling up to my house and telling my wife and five children that I was missing or, worse, dead. Eventually, you realize youre going to be there for a long time. I started doing isometrics exercises, push-ups, sit ups, whatever, to build up my strength. I got cellmates and we were moved to the annex on the outskirts of Hanoi, where we spent the next two years together. We set up lessons to keep our minds sharp: One guy was German, so we all learned German words and a song, which I can still remember. We had no outside contact for a year, but later we managed to communicate with other POWs through the walls using the tap code, or something called flash in which wed pass a hand across a crack or move a foot at the bottom of a door. The tap code was a very important part of the development in our POW situation. Before they moved us to the annex, they gave us a straw mat, a cup, a blanket, a mosquito net, a pair of pajamas, a couple pairs of pants and a toothbrush. That was a big thing after going months without tooth brushing. After Ho Chi Minhs death in 1969, they moved us around to different camps and our conditions improved. We were allowed to write and receive letters; in my first letter home to my wife and five children after 2 years, I told them I was alive. One day, the interrogator had a stack of letters. He said, Would you like a letter? I could see that he had one with my name on it, but I didnt recognize the handwriting. I opened it up and it said, Dear Dad. It was from my oldest son. We all miss you, he said, and I got my Eagle last Sunday. Wow. I started to smile. We couldnt keep these letters, they just let you read them quickly and then they took them back because they suspected code messages and other stuff in there. You knew you had to read it quickly and that was it. I went back to the room. I said, Hey, guys! I got this letter! My son has his Eagle! Everybodys cheering, Thats great! And Im still smiling. And after a while, it hurts because I havent smiled and those smile muscles were gone. I think I got letters two other times. At a compound we called Camp Faith, we slept up off the floor for the first time, on platforms. The windows were not shuttered and you could see out through the bars. Then things really started to change because they had tried this rescue at Son Tay [Nov. 21, 1970], which was another POW compound nearby. It was close enough that we could see the rockets red glare and feel the ground shake from the antiaircraft fire from the bombs or whatever. After that, they moved all the POWs back to Hanoi to the Hilton. This time, they gave us the big rooms; there were 50 in a room, and more than 400 POWs. We called it Camp Unity. We had all these academy graduates and they were teaching us Russian, Spanish, history, math, etc. We decided to have movies in the evening. One of the guys, Gerry Venanzi, had been an usher in a theater all the way through school, and he remembered every movie and described them to us in great detail. If he didnt have a movie, he could make one up. Things changed again in May 1972. Not since 1968 had we heard any U.S. bombing in North Vietnam, but now the detonations started again. They moved about 100 of us to a camp we called Dogpatch near the China border. We could almost sense what was going on by the mood of the guards. Around Christmas, the guards seemed unusually anxious. In late January, all the POWs were relocated to Hanoi. Those shot down around the same time as me were put in a compound we called the Plantation and enjoyed new privileges. Our rooms were left unlocked, and they let us outside. We played volleyball, tanned up and began to feel like normal people again. Toward the end of January 1973, we had our first hopes that the POWs might be released. In February the first group left, and on March 14, I was released. The night before my release, the camp commander got a group of POWs together and said, You go home tomorrow. We were skeptical, but the next morning, the gates opened up and these buses came in to take us to the airport. We changed clothes and boarded the buses, and the farther we traveled the more it felt like maybe were getting out of there. Along the road, and kind of through and above the treetops, we could see the tail of this airplane, a C-41, and it had an American flag painted on the tail. And everybodys poking everybody else, Hey, look at that flag! One: youve been in the dark and everything has been dirty and brown. And then seeing that red, white and blue, I mean, it is outstanding because of its color, but also because of whats changed in you, about your feelings about your country. We were processed and escorted onto the plane. We flew to Clark Air Base in the Philippines and there was a big crowd. I dont know how everyone else felt, but I had stage fright from being in this solitary world for so long. They introduced each of us as we got off the plane and my hearts beating fast and the crowd would roar, Welcome Home! We got some medical treatment and a uniform. I had the first chance to talk on the telephone to my family. It just took my breath away. We flew on to Hawaii and then finally I had a flight to California, where my wife and five children were waiting to greet me. In the excitement and anticipation of landing, you look the crowd over, and finally you see them. There is a sense of affection that really deepens with separation. I had missed six Christmases with them, 2,029 days. You just want to explode and run and grab and hug. And thats when Ben Olender of the Los Angeles Times snapped the photo of my daughter Heidi running up to me. She was 3 when I left for Vietnam. Its the warmest, overwhelming feeling to touch, to talk, just to be with them. But I still wasnt home. Two weeks later, we flew to Salt Lake City, and after parades and appearances, we drove to Bountiful. Then, with yellow ribbons on the trees and the door, I put my foot in the door and was finally home. Adapted from the documentary Utah Vietnam War Stories, by KUED, Utahs public broadcasting station, www.kued.org/productions/vietnam-war-stories. Sue Haack E-5, Personnel Specialist, U.S. Army January 1969-January 1970 I was in New York working one day in 1967 when my brother called and said: Sis, I just got drafted. Im going to Vietnam. I said, Ill be there. Two hours later, I was signing up to join the Army. We were very, very close. Our birthdays are a year and three days apart. I got through my test and they said, You passed everything but you flunked mechanics. I said, Good. Then I dont have to get dirty nails. I went to basic training at Fort McClellan. And of course I was one of the firstmouthy ones there. I had to use a toothbrush to clean the tile floor in the bathroom because I was chewing gum. You know, Im 18. I got on-the-job training at the Pentagon Annex. By then I was an E2, administrative specialist. I worked for Maj. Gen. Edwin Burba, Sr. He had four sons, and he used to say I was the daughter he never had. Enlisted women couldnt go to Vietnam unless they were E4 or above, so I put in for Vietnam as soon as I was an E4 in early 1968. Then, in November 1968, General Burba called me into his office. Sue, sit down. Youre going to Vietnam, he said. But your job there is only going to be six months, because the guy who had it before you had 10 days left in Nam and went outside the hooch and shot himself. He mustve known more than he let on. All I knew was that I was going to be at U.S. Army Vietnam (USARV) Headquarters in Long Binh, and that I would be assigning E-1s through E-6s, privates through staff sergeants, within Vietnam. While I was at the Pentagon, I had made a good friend, Sue Schungel. Shed been in the Army longer than me, and in July 1968 she went to Vietnam. When I finally got to Nam in January 1969, Sue said to me: Where the hell have you been? Ive been waiting for you. I said, I couldnt get here any faster! My brother, who was in the 9th Infantry Division, had left Vietnam in 1968, so I didnt get the chance to serve with him after all. Sue and I were the only women in our office, with 26 guys.We got an hour and a half for lunch, so Sue and Id run home to tan. Sue and Sue. We werent supposed to leave the WAC detachment, but one time we stole a generals jeep and got busted because we each had a bottle of champagne. I thought I was being nice by filling up the gas tank, but I put diesel fuel in it. Well, well sit here and drink our champagne while you empty it out, I told the sergeant at the station. We also hitchhiked, which was totally, totally not cool. Overall, there were 25,000 men at our base area, and 82 enlisted women. When a plane of soldiers would come in to Long Binh, there would be a levy, and wed go get it. We had all the Army in-country, E-1s thru E-6s, to process. They had to stay in their MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) and wed assign them to the 1st Cav or the 25th Division, for instance. Everybody wanted to be a door gunner. Theyd come in and say, I want to talk to the person and theyd see us and go, Woman, round eye, wow. Sue would say, I cant do anything for ya. We were so short of men, it was frustrating at times. A guy named Gary and I were picked to do the processing of the KIAshow they were killed, when and whereand send the letters home. It sounded easy at first. I used a form letterjust added a name to it on my typewriter. Mr. and Mrs. John Doe, you know.Then it was signed by the government. But it got harder and harder to do. Then in February 69, during Tet, we got hit and spent a week in a bunker near our hooches. It was 2 oclock in the morning and Sue was on the top bunk, and the next thing I knew we were laying on the floor because they shelled the bank right across the street from us. I got dressed in all my gear and was smart enough to take my canteen. Some of the women didnt and we had little fights over water. But Sue and I got out and jumped on top of the bunker. We looked over the fence and saw dead Viet Cong everywhere. We were crying. We wanted to go home. All of a sudden, they brought in choppers and put the ladders down and wanted us to evacuate. I said: Im not that stupid. Theyll shoot me in the back. Sue said: Me too. Were staying here. The sergeant said: In the office is the gun and the hand grenades. If you get captured, blow up the safe. And if you choose to get captured or kill yourself, thats your perogative. When we got back to work nine days later, we stood on the hill at USARV with binoculars, just watching Charlie come through the perimeter. They were getting shot as fast as they were coming. We thought, Dont you think theyd quit? I didnt really have a clue what GIs were facing until we got hit during Tet that year. We were sheltered at headquarters. Initially I thought, This is a piece of cake. Went to work, came home, ate. All of a sudden, a month and a half later, you start counting bodies and it hits you. Those guys were my soldiers. I was a soldier and I was there, but I couldnt do anything about protecting them. You know, all the ones I had to put away, I guess the rest left alive are mine. Im very protective of them. Ive been that way ever since I came home from Vietnam. From the documentary Wisconsin Vietnam War Stories, by Wisconsin Public Television, www.wisconsinstories.org/vietnam. The year was 1807. Napoleon and his Grande Armee, having defeated the vaunted Prussian army the year before, was on the move again, and the Russian army was marching west to meet him. Among the multitude of Russian units was the Polish Lancer Regiment, whose recruiting parties rode alongside its line of march, trying to fill vacancies in its ranks. One rainy night in March a young man presented himself to one of those parties and politely asked to join the regiment. His only answer to the captains questions about his background was that he was a Russian nobleman who left his family to join the military in spite of its disapproval. The volunteer, who called himself Aleksandr Sokolov, enlisted as a gentleman-ranker. Nobody suspected that this slim, dark-eyed man was, in fact, a young woman named Nadezhda A. Durova. Turbulence awaited Nadezhda even before her birth on September 17, 1783. Her mother, Aleksandra Aleksandrova, was the beautiful daughter of a wealthy Ukrainian landowner. Out of many suitors, she gave preference to a dashing hussar officer, Andrei Durov. Aleksandras father was appalled at the prospect of his daughter marrying a Russian and a soldier to boot. He categorically forbade the union, but Aleksandra eloped. When she found out she was pregnant, Aleksandra dreamed about the beautiful baby boy she was going to have. The first labor pains, however, came as a shock. After a very difficult birth, she demanded to see her son, only to be presented with a girl with thick, dark hair, screeching at the top of her lungs. Aleksandra turned away in disgust. Soon after Nadezhdas birth her fathers regiment received orders to move to another town. Since it was peacetime, married soldiers families were allowed to accompany them. One day on the march, Nadezhdas mother was in a particularly foul mood. Her daughter had kept her up all night, the carriage was uncomfortable and the road was bumpy. Incensed with the girls incessant crying and the nannys futile efforts to pacify her, Aleksandra grabbed her daughter and threw her out the window of the moving carriage. Hardened veteran cavalrymen gasped in horror. Her father galloped back from the head of his troop. He dismounted, picked up his bleeding, unconscious daughter and placed her on his saddle. To everyones surprise the girl lived. From that time on, Aleksandra was allowed to take no part in raising the infant Nadya, as Nadezhda was called for short. One of Durovs troopers was assigned as a mentor to the little girl. From the very beginning Nadyas favorite toy was an unloaded pistol. She loved to pull the trigger to hear the clicking noises. Two diametrically opposed forces were pulling at Nadyas young life: a demanding, unforgiving mother and a caring, loving and understanding father. As the years went by, two more daughters and a son were added to the Durov family. Andrei retired from the army and settled on his estate near a small village he owned. For his military service he was appointed chief of police. The more Nadyas independent spirit grew, the more her mother tried to break her. The girl was forced to spend countless hours sewing and crocheting, for which she had neither talent nor interest. She much preferred to ride through the nearby fields on her fathers horse, Alchides. Aleksandras constant lamentations about a womans subservient role in society and family instilled in Nadya a deep-seated resentment for her own sex. Her skin, tanned by the sun, was also marred by chicken pox. Her manners, influenced by living among soldiers from infancy, grew less and less ladylike. She felt stifled in her mothers house. When Nadya was 18 she jumped at the chance to escape by accepting a marriage proposal from a junior court clerk named V. Chernov. In 1803 she gave birth to a son, Ivan. However, while her memoirs often describe events of her life in minute detail, Nadezhda Durova was strangely reticent about her husband and son, and what prompted her to leave them and return to her fathers house shortly after giving birth. Perhaps she found married life stifling as well. She continued to lead an unhappy life. According to her memoirs, in 1806 family disappointments drove her to leave her fathers house once and for all, to escape the sphere, predetermined for me by nature. Durovas memoirs describe how she left home at age 16 and attached herself, posing as a man, to a passing Cossack regiment. Other sources claim that she fell in love with a Cossack officer and left with him when she was 18 years old and separated from her husband and son. Once in the Polish Lancers, Durova received her baptism of fire at Guttstadt on May 22, 1807. Throughout the action, the Lancers did not fight as a regimentinstead, each squadron would make a charge and then rotate to allow a fresh squadron to take its place in line. Either in her excitement, or simple ignorance of what was expected, Nadya joined in every squadrons assault until an officer from another such unit noticed her with his squadron and chased her away. In addition to displaying her inexperience, the battle first showcased Durovas bravery. While returning with her own squadron after a charge, she saw several French dragoons surround a Russian dragoon officer and knock him off his horse with a pistol shot. Without a second thought, Nadya lowered her lance and charged. Startled, the French dragoons scattered. Showing more nobility than judgment, Durova then lent the wounded officer her horse to get him to the nearest field doctor. She was able to recover Alchides much laterafter Cossacks had stolen her saddlebags, packed with food, personal possessions and her overcoat. She spent several very uncomfortable and wet nights before she replaced the lost items with those pilfered from troopers killed in action. During the Battle of Heilsberg on June 10, a shell exploded directly under Durovas horse. Miraculously, neither mount nor rider received even a scratch. At Friedland on June 14, her memoirs described the casualties suffered by her regiment as being more than half. After the signing of the Treaty of Tilsit by Emperor Napoleon and Tsar Aleksandr I on July 12, 1807, Durovas life took a drastic turn. Earlier that year she wrote a letter to her father informing him of her whereabouts and asking his forgiveness for her running away from home. Andrei now began taking steps to have his daughter returned to him. At the same time, rumors about a girl in his cavalry eventually reached the tsar, who inquired about her. Both Durovas squadron and regimental commanders, still in the dark as to Trooper Sokolovs true identity, had only the best things to say about him. Durova was summoned for a personal audience with the tsar at St. Petersburg. Aleksandr was very impressed with her and granted her permission to stay in the army. He also awarded her the Cross of St. George for saving the life of an officer and commissioned her as a cornet (second lieutenant), with permission to join the regiment of her choice. She chose the Mariupol Hussars, known for a large number of Russian aristocrats serving in its ranks. Aleksandr provided her with initial funds to purchase a new, flashy uniform and equipment as well as a direct allowance. Finally, in order to maintain her male guise the tsar chose a new last name for her, after his own: Aleksandrov. Besides the tsar, only a few very senior officers knew Durovas true identity. Nevertheless, rumors and stories about an Amazon cavalrywoman began to circulate among the officers. At first she was terrified of being found out. After hearing conflicting descriptions of herself, however, her fears diminished. As she recorded later, some people claimed she was of giant height, some said she was beautiful, some said she was ugly. Durova felt uncomfortable around other women. On at least two occasions women recognized her true identity and addressed her as Miss. Her fellow officers often joked that Aleksandrov was too shy and afraid of women. Durovas cover was almost blown during riding practice, when her new horse sent her sailing over its head. Nadezhda landed hard and lost consciousness. She came to just in time to discover that her friends, who had rushed to her aid, had removed her jacket and cravat and were about to unbutton her blouse so she could breathe easier. This undressing, as she described it later, was the only time she came close to being found out. Durova later transferred to the Lithuanian Lancer Regiment, frankly attributing her request to her own inability to live within her means. Lancer regiments did not require as much expenditure of funds as hussar regiments did. Durova returned to combat during Napoleons invasion of Russia in 1812 and again fought with outstanding courage. At the Battle of Borodino in September she received a severe contusion to her knee, caused by a glancing blow from a spent cannonball. Rather than go to the hospital, she immediately offered her services as a staff orderly to Field Marshal Mikhail I. Kutuzov, who knew her true identity and gladly accepted her offer. After the decimation of the Grand Armee in the winter of 1812, Durova went on to participate in the 1813 and 1814 campaigns to topple Napoleon from power, during which she received several more decorations. Napoleons return to France, the Hundred Days and the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815, brought the Napoleonic wars to an end at last. In 1816 Durova, heeding her fathers requests to help him run the family estate, retired from the army with the rank of captain. By that time, her mother had died. In the postwar years, Durova continued to wear mans clothing and referred to herself as a man, even with people who knew her from childhood. She admitted that she did fancy womens clothing but never wore a dress herself. Bored with life in a small provincial town, Durova began to write. Her younger brother Vasily introduced her to the famous poet and writer Aleksandr S. Pushkin, who became a great admirer of her work and published it in his literary magazine, Contemporary, in 1836. It was also Pushkin who gave her the moniker Cavalry Maiden. Besides her memoirs, Durova wrote four novels and numerous short stories between 1836 and 1840. Nadezhda Durova lived out the rest of her life in the small town of Yelabuga, dying in 1866 at the age of 83. Fittingly, she was buried in a mans clothing, with full military honors. In the 1940s, Soviet playwright Aleksandr Gladkov wrote a play, A Long Time Ago, dedicated to Nadezhda Durova. When Eldar Ryazanov directed The Hussar Ballad in the 1960s, one of the films central characters was based on her. The Durov family crest, in existence for more than 500 years, proudly proclaims, Service to the Country. Although she never disclosed her true identity during her active duty career, Nadezhda Durova upheld the family motto, serving her country as well as any man did. This article was written by Victor Kamenir and originally published in the April 2004 issue of Military History magazine. For more great articles be sure to subscribe to Military History magazine today! Prior to receiving large-scale shipments of AK-47 and RPD machine guns, the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) was equipped with a variety of captured and supplied weaponry. Chinese-supplied variants of Soviet weapons was a main source, but the North Vietnamese didnt trust their socialist allies and worked to develop their own arms industry. The first of these indigenous weapon designs was the K-50M submachine gun. Essentially a variant of the Soviet PPSh-41, the K-50M drew upon Hanois experience with captured French weapons, especially the MAT-49 submachine gun. The K-50M fired the same 7.62x25mm round as its Sino-Soviet parents, but replaced the wooden stock with a sliding wire butt derived from the French gun. The Vietnamese also cut the cooling sleeve by nearly three inches, faired it in the barrel and removed the muzzle compensator that was intended to limit barrel climb during automatic fire. They tap welded a front sight on the barrels end and added a wooden pistol grip. The resulting gun was four inches shorter and two pounds lighter than its Soviet and Chinese counterparts. Although designed to go with a curved 35-round magazine, it could also use the PPSh-41s 71-round drum. Production ran from 1958 to 1964. The first models were captured in South Viet-nam in 1963. Like the designs on which it was based, the K-50M was a conventional blowback operated submachine gun that fired over an open bolt. A simple lever forward of the trigger enabled the soldier to shift from automatic to semi-automatic firing mode. It had an open-leaf sight that could be set for 100 or 200 yards. Most of the weapons components were forged or stamped, and its manufacturing was simple, fast and inexpensive, involving very little machining. Most fixtures were tap welded into place. Many of the K-50Ms were made by local workshops that modified readily available Chinese Type 50 or Soviet PPSh-41 submachine guns. Most of the K-50M parts were interchangeable with those of the Type 50 and PPSh-41 submachine guns. Some, however, lacked the laminated felt or leather buffer mounted behind the breech block to absorb the weapons recoil. That and the lack of a muzzle compensator reduced accuracy and placed a premium on burst control. However, Viet Cong tactics called for close-in engagements, usually at ranges below 50 yards. At those ranges, the guns high rate of fire compensated for loss of accuracy. The rounds it fired were not as powerful as those fired by its American counterparts, but the ammunition and related magazines were lighter, enabling soldiers to carry more of them. Moreover, NVA leaders believed the volume of fire it delivered at close range provided more than enough punch to win most firefights. Few that faced them in the jungle would argue that point. North Vietnam needed a weapon that was light, robust, easy to maintain and required little training to master. The K-50M sub-machine gun met that need independent of foreign supply sources. This feature originally appeared in the December 2011 issue of Vietnam Magazine. Subscribe today! As the U.S. Marine Corps fought Japanese troops for Saipan, one group of Marines there was battling on a different level. With pride and a touch of defiance, they called themselves the Montford Point Marines. If you were a Marine during World War II and you were African American, you trained at Montford Point, the segregated boot camp for men of color. Located alongside Marine Barracks at New River, North Carolina, Montford Point Camp opened in August 1942. Occupying barely five-and-a-half acres of swamp and flooded forest, the facility was the product of Marine Commandant Thomas Holcombs reluctant agreement to accept colored male citizens of the United States between the ages of 17 and 29. Acting under direct orders from the president and the secretary of the navy, the Marine Corps was the last of the armed services to accept black recruits. Of nearly 20,000 African Americans in the Marines who trained at Montford Point and served in the war, 75 percent had been to college or were in college when they enlisted, and more than 12,000 went overseas, but none saw combatuntil Saipan. There, as elsewhere, black Marines staffed depot and ammunition companies. They transported weapons and munitions, medical supplies, and food and water from ship to shore, 6,000 tons per daythe equivalent of the contents of one liberty ship every 24 hours. Loaders toiled in punishing heat among falling shells and the hammering of Nambu machine guns, but didnt see action until casualties cut deeply into Lieutenant General Holland Smiths fighting force. With no reserves left and nowhere else to turn, Smith sent armed Montford Point Marines to the front. The move stunned white Marines until they saw that a mans color didnt matter when he stood his ground and fought. One of those men was Kenneth Tibbs, an orderly to the 20th Depot Battalion commander. Tibbs was killed by an artillery round soon after landing on Saipan, the first African American Marine to die in the war. Kenneth Rollock, from Harlem, New York, joined despite what he knew of Marine culture. In the Navy, all the Blacks were either cooks, busboys, or servants, or something of that nature, he said. If I was going to fight for this country, I wasnt going to fight by cooking. Rollock got his chance to fight when the 3rd Ammunition Company filled a gap in the lines. We got caught in the early part of Saipan in the Japanese counterattack, he said. About a quarter mile from the beach, they came out screaming, and we just opened up. Anything moving we shot at. Rollock said later he would never forget the sound and sight of the enemy force closing on him and his comrades. After the battle, Marine commanders praised Rollock and the other African American Marines on Saipan for their heroism and hard work. In June 2012, the Montford Pointers were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for their World War II service. Reviewed by Peter S. Carmichael By Walter Herron Taylor Of all Robert E. Lees subordinates, few were better qualified to write a history of the Army of Northern Virginia than Walter Herron Taylor. Taylors Four Years With General Lee, published in 1877, stands as one of the standard works on the Army of Northern Virginia. A graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, Taylor was only 23 when he joined Lee as an adjutant in 1861. He continued to serve as the generals principal staff officer for the remainder of the war. In that important position, Taylor dealt with Lee on a daily basis, interacting with him on a personal as well as a professional level. He frequently complained that Lee put too much work on him, but Taylor was also devoted to his superior. He saw in the man whom he affectionately called The Great Tycoon compelling reasons to continue the war. Despite the mind-numbing amount of work, Taylor handled his onerous duties with remarkable efficiency. When the Army of Northern Virginia disbanded after Appomattox, Taylor was the only staff officer to accompany Lee back to Richmond. There, he posed on the back porch of a home on Franklin Street for the famous Brady photograph with Lee and his son Custis. Taylor returned to his Norfolk home, where he prospered as a successful businessman and politician. He also found time to enter the controversial literary arena of the Lost Cause. Many of his fellow officers like Jubal A. Early and William N. Pendleton savaged anyone who broke with the sacred canon of the postwar South: Lee was an invincible field commander whose shortcomings were not his own. Seditious subordinates or superior Northern resources explained his supposed failings. Taylor never violated Lost Cause dogma, but he also never celebrated it. This is what makes Four Years With General Lee so refreshing to read. While most Confederate veterans attacked one another with the aggressive spirit that they had once reserved for the Yankees, Taylor rose above petty disputes. He wrote a relatively objective history of the Army of Northern Virginia that dissects the war without any particular agenda. In his superb chapter on Gettysburg, for example, Taylor bluntly tells the reader it is not my purpose here to undertake to establish the wisdom of an attack on the enemys position on the third day, which General Longstreet contends was opposed by his judgment. Rather, Taylor outlines the fight and the command decisions that affected the battles outcome without condemning other officers. Taylors insightful narrative free of the petty squabbling that Lee so detested among his subordinates gives the reader an inside look at the operations of Lees headquarters. In spite of the U.S. Supreme Courts June 28 decision striking down the Stolen Valor Act and upholding citizens right to free speech, there are still laws on the books for civil and criminal fraudobtaining some advantage or material benefit from propagating liesthat can be used against veteran impostors. A Tennessee man charged in District Court on August 24 with stealing from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration pleaded guilty to four of the eight counts against him and could face up to 30 years in prison when sentenced in December. According to Knoxnews.com, Federal prosecutors said Charles Chester Kaczmarczyk, 59, an Air Force veteran who barely left U.S. shores and never saw a day of combat, swindled the government out of close to a half-million dollars in disability. Kaczmarczyk falsified combat records, faked papers for medals, including the Purple Heart and the Silver Star, and filed for veterans and Social Security benefits to the tune of nearly $458,000, Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bolitho said. Kaczmarczyks wife, Martha, 62, is also charged with falsifying documents and was to be tried in late September. Kaczmarczyk has a long history of impersonating a war hero. In 2008 he spoke to a captive audience of University of Tennessee students, telling story after story about his role in special operations missions over the past 30 years, the Universitys Tennessee Journalist reported on April 9, 2008, under the headline Special Operations Air Force Chief Tells Stories About His Missions in Vietnam, Iraq. The article describes how Kaczmarczyk discussed the final evacuation of Saigon in April 1975, the rescue of American citizens from Cambodia in 1975, a complicated rescue attempt to Iran in 1980 and a recently declassified military operation in Zaire in 1980. Many people know about William Henry Harrison, the president who died after serving just 31 days. His less well-known equivalent in the ranks of vice presidents is William Rufus King, who lived just 45 days into his term as the No. 2 man in President Franklin Pierces administration. Well-bred and handsome, King was among the antebellum eras most distinguished statesmen. A son of the North Carolina planter class, he migrated westward as a young lawyer and became one of the driving forces behind Alabama statehood. For the next three decades, he served as one of that states senators. When the modern Democratic Party formed during the 1820s, King was among its earliest loyalists. In 1852 the party rewarded the 66-year-old with a place on the lower half of the ticket for that years presidential election. Shortly after the votes were counted, however, the vice president-elect was diagnosed with tuberculosis. On a doctors advice, he went to Cuba in hopes that in the tropical climate he would find a cure. Unfortunately, his condition worsened, and by spring 1853, he was too weak to travel back to Washington for the inauguration. Instead, Congress passed a special act that allowed the U.S. consul in Cuba to administer the oath of office to Kingthe only time such an oath has been taken on foreign soil. The vice president never had a chance to perform his official duties. Just weeks after assuming the job, it was obvious he would not survive his illness. Wishing to die in his own country, he endured an exhausting two-week return trip to his Alabama plantation. He died the day after his arrival. Following the custom of the time, the vice presidency remained vacant for the balance of President Pierces term. Bayless paid $37,500 to oversee C building construction There have been four superintendents in the nine years since construction began on Cunha Intermediate Schools C building, which now has been closed for two months after potentially harmful mold was found in the walls. The work began under then-Superintendent John Bayless. He was retained as a consultant to see the project through after he retired from the district in 2007. Bayless consulting contract called for $900 a day for work billed between February 2008 and June 2009. District officials say he was paid a total of $37,500 for his time overseeing the project. While the contract allowed him to bill for services related to deferred maintenance, expulsion hearings and other services, current Superintendent Jane Yuster said all of Bayless payments over the period were coded through payroll as relating to construction management. Yuster was not employed by the district and could not comment on the nature of Bayless consulting work with the district. Clay Lambert Microsoft is apparently preparing to take it up a notch against rival consoles with the debut of a cheaper, smaller Xbox One later this year and the release of a more powerful version of the console in 2017. The smaller, more compact console is rumored to be set for launch by the end of 2016, with one source saying that it will come with a larger 2TB hard drive, which has twice the capacity of that of the current version. Three sources, who asked to remain anonymous, also told Kotaku that the 2017 Xbox, codenamed Scorpio, will come with a stronger GPU and support for the Oculus Rift reality headset. Microsoft is using these two new consoles as part of its "Project Helix" strategy, which is aimed at merging together Xbox and Windows, its two most valuable brands, according to one source. Other moves that the tech giant has made to further this strategy along include the announcement of new exclusives like "Halo 2" and "Sea of Thieves" for both Xbox and PC, and developer sources have said that the company plans on releasing the "Halo" series and future games on both platforms. The smaller Xbox One isn't the only product that Microsoft is rumored to debut this year, with the others being two new streaming devices at this year's E3 event. The first of these devices will cost $100 and be around the same size as Google's Chromecast. It will also give users access to digital content on the Xbox, such as games so that people can play them on a second TV. The second streaming gadget will cost somewhere between $150 and $175 and be a standalone offering. This device, which will be larger than the first, will also provide access to universal apps and games from the Windows store. While users will need to stream from an Xbox One console to gain access to full-blown Xbox One games, they won't need to do so for casual games that Window 10 users can play. Xbox fans will only have to wait for a few more weeks to see if these rumors are true. E3 will begin on June 13 at 9:30 a.m. PT (12:30 p.m. ET). @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Google continues to progress with its Self-Driving Car Project, announcing Thursday that it will open a research and development center for the technology in Novi, Mich. The tech giant plans to have its engineers work with local partners at the 53,000-square-foot facility, located right outside Detroit, in order to move development in autonomous technology forward. "For the past few years, members of our team have been working from the Greater Detroit area," John Krafcik, CEO of the project, said in a Google+ post. "Now it's time to lay down roots: we're establishing a self-driving technology development center in Novi, MI." Google has spent the past six years working on self-driving cars, and the latest move follows a month after the company announced that it will be working with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) to give 100 2017 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivans autonomous capabilities. The new venture will see Google work with several Michigan-based partners in the auto industry in order to make the facility a reality. Assistant City Manager Victor Cardenas noted that Google has been working with Novi for the past several months, adding that the facility's construction is the latest corporate development to take place in the city, following Harman International deciding to open a new North American headquarters in a 188,000-square-foot building earlier this year. "Google coming to town will build on that momentum, and we are very excited about that," Cardenas said. Krafcik added in his post that building the R&D center in Michigan will make it easier for Google to work with the state's best experts in engineering and vehicle development because most of the company's partners are based there. While Alphabet, Google's parent company, current has offices in Ann Arbor and Birmingham, the new facility will be the company's first office in Michigan designed for testing and developing self-driving cars. Google and FCA both say that their partnership in Novi involving the Pacificas, which will begin later this year, is not an exclusive deal and that the search giant will continue to work with other car companies. However, the development center in the city is intended to be permanent and will continue to exist after Google's deal with FCA. While Google did not reveal the exact location of the R&D center, Krafcik did say that the company will move into the Novi location throughout the year since "there's some work to do before it feels like home!" @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Gawker Media's struggles in its ongoing legal battle with wrestling icon Hulk Hogan has apparently forced the company to hire an investment banker to consider different options for dealing with the matter, one of which is a potential sale. A source familiar with the situations claims that Gawker hired banker Mark Patricof of Houlihan Lokey to look over its options as it deals with its lawsuit with Hogan, real name Terry Bollea, who sued the company in March for violating his privacy after posting a sex tape involving him and his former friend's ex-wife online. The former professional wrestler has since been awarded $140 million in damages, and Gawker is currently appealing the ruling. The report follows shortly after Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel was revealed to have financed the lawsuit against Gawker in order to put the company out of business. Thiel said that he was doing this because Valleywag, one of Gawker's blogs, posted a story almost a decade ago that outed him as being gay, along with other stories that he believes were being unfair and targeting his friends and others. Among those targeted was an executive that one story said was trying to hire a gay escort, and media backlash lead to Gawker deleting the post, resulting in two top editors resigning from the company in the process. Gawker said that it hired Patricof "recently" but did not given a specific time for when the hire took place. A company spokesman said that Gawker expects to come out on top with the appeal, adding that it is always looking into contingency plans. At the trial in March, which took place in Florida, Gawker was revealed to the jury to be valued at $83 million, and Nick Denton, CEO of the company, was said to be personally worth $121 million. Hogan's lawyer also said at the time that Gawker had a gross revenue of $48.7 million last year, and an earlier financial disclosure noted that the company turned an operating profit of $65 million on revenue of $44.3 million the year before. While Gawker said that it was considering different options on how to handle the case, it did not reveal if it would be able to pay the $140 million verdict. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A team of University of York archaeologists is capturing photos of prehistoric paintings from an altitude of 7,000 feet using laser and white-light scanners powered by car batteries. The paintings are the highest prehistoric paintings of animals in all of Europe, located 2,133 meters above sea level in the Abri Faravel rock shelter in the Southern French Alps. Using their pioneering scans, the team created virtual models of the archaeological landscape. The Abri Faravel rock shelter was discovered in 2010 and possesses signs of human activity from the Mesolithic to the medieval period, including unique prehistoric rock paintings of quadrupeds. The team's current examination of the paintings in Abri Faravel is a part of a collaborative project between the University of York and the Centre Camille Jullian, Aix-en-Provence, France that seeks to investigate human activity and development over the last 8,000 years at high altitudes in the Southern Alps. The paintings can be used to craft a picture of the human occupation and activity that took place from the Mesolithic to Post-Medieval period, which is considered to be one of the world's most challenging environments. "As this site is so unusual, we made the decision to carry out a laser-scan of the rock shelter and the surrounding landscape, plus a white-light scan of the actual paintings," said Kevin Walsh of the University of York and lead author of the study. "The scanning was logistically complex as our only source of electricity was car batteries, which, along with all of the scanning equipment, had to be carried up to the site." "This is the only example of virtual models, including a scan of the art, done at high altitude in the Alps and probably the highest virtual model of an archaeological landscape in Europe," he added. In addition to the paintings, the team has discovered numerous high altitude stone animal enclosures and human dwellings from the Bronze Age. These structures are considered to be some of the most complex from their time. They have also found Neolithic flint tools, hand-thrown pottery from the Iron Age and medieval metalwork. The findings were published in the May 25 issue of the open-access journal Internet Archaeology. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. B rixtons oldest nightclub has been saved from redevelopment for now following a heated local protest and a High Court appeal that have highlighted the ongoing clash between the ambitions of property companies and Londoners determination to save popular landmarks. Market Row Ltd owns the Club 414 building, on a prime site in Coldharbour Lane, and wants to replace it with boutiques and luxury flats. The loss of a series of famous London nightclubs and music venues has inspired the formation of a new pressure group, Nightlife Matters, which campaigns to protect those that remain. According to the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, between 2005 and last year the number of nightclubs in Britain fell from 3,144 to 1,733. Lambeth council gave permission for the Brixton scheme last autumn, despite receiving more than 400 objections and a petition signed by 2,500 people. One local said: We dont want more offices and shops replacing the culture and heritage of a richly diverse part of London. Louise Barron, who has run the venue since 1985, challenged the councils ruling in the High Court. Today it emerged that Lambeths decision has been quashed, saving the club at least for the short term. The planning application will be returned to the council for reconsideration. Lambeth has a policy of protecting Brixtons night-time economy. Ms Barron, 59, said that when she opened her nightclub, with the help of a 5,200 grant from the council, there were no legal late-night venues in Brixton. We started the night-time economy and championed the dance scene, she said. You name a DJ and they have played here. We are the character of Brixton. People met their husbands and wives at the club and our customers have become our friends. It is a cohesive force in the community. As well as awaiting a new planning decision on the club, Ms Barron faces a hearing in July to determine whether her lease on the property will be extended. Last year she appealed against a notice to quit, and a Lambeth county court judgment will determine her fate. My flat is in the building, so I would be jobless and homeless, she added. Revealed: London's top property news stories 1 /40 Revealed: London's top property news stories Southwark council moves to save historic arches A London council is stepping in to save its historic railway arches, after a rush of applications to convert them into homes. Read more > Scroll right for more of London's top property news stories... Alamy Stock Photo Canning Town revealed as the most affordable property hotspot along the new 24-hour Night Tube route New research reveals the 10 most affordable stops to buy along the newest branch of Londons weekend Night Tube network... Read more Daniel Lynch London's property hotspots for "second steppers" New research reveals the capitals top locations for first-time owners trading up in the suburbs. Here's where to start your search for good-value homes with more space... Read more New-look 2016 Monopoly board for London's first-time buyers Barking and Bexley replace Old Kent Road and Whitechapel as the capital's cheapest property hotspots. Discover the average cost of buying in every London borough... Read more Barratt London Top 30 fastest-rising hotspots for first-time buyers from Peckham to Walthamstow South-east London postcodes are a favourite with the capital's first-timers, but discover which areas are proving to be the best investment for newbie buyers... Read more Bob Comics_Flickr City of London set to ban cars and trucks at Bank Junction The junction outside the Bank of England could become a bus and bike-only zone as early as next spring in an effort to reduce regular traffic accidents. Read more 100 days after Brexit: how the UK's vote to leave the EU has impacted the property market We ask UK property experts how Brexit has effected the housing market and what the future holds... Read more > Scroll right for more of London's top property news stories... Shutterstock London borough of Redbridge is home to the capital's most satisfied residents The north-east London borough containing Ilford, Woodford and Wanstead has the best levels of life satisfaction in the capital, according to the latest data from the Office of National Statistics. So, what makes it such a good place to live? We find out... Read more Daniel Lynch The Optic Cloak at Greenwich Peninsula This gigantic energy tower in south-east London, called the Optic Cloak, is set to warm up 15,000 new homes... Read more Marc Wilmot_Greenwich Peninsula North Kensington house prices tipped to soar as council pledges to plug W10 into the Elizabeth line A new train station in North Kensington has become more likely after Kensington & Chelsea council pledged to foot the nine-figure bill to link the area to the Crossrail network. Read more Alamy Stock Photo Post-Brexit sales "better than usual": 35m of London property sells in a single day at auction Guide prices were busted at a fiercely contested property auction where sellers were more nervous than the buyers... Read more The 'world's largest smog vacuum cleaner' turns polluted city air into jewellery Winner of the 2016 Airbnb London Design Innovation medal, Daan Roosegaarde has launched his acclaimed Smog Free Tower in Beijing - and London could be next... Read more Derrick Wang Locals vow to fight demolition of Fulham Gasworks Residents are preparing to fight plans for 1,300 new homes in tower blocks of up to 27-storeys high on the site of Londons last surviving Victorian gasworks in Fulham. . Read more Post-Brexit UK property prices The pace of growth has slowed, but property prices are still rising following the Brexit vote. See how your region compares... Read more PA Quietway cycle routes: Enfield to Greenwich London's first Quietway, the cycle route from Waterloo to Greenwich, is already up and running, with six more due next year. We reveal the traffic-free enclaves along the routes that are still some of the capitals best-kept secrets... Read more Seven of the best Hertfordshire villages with 40-minute commutes to London Some of England's loveliest villages are found in family-friendly Hertfordshire, the low-profile home county just north of the capital that offers quick commutes to the centre. Take a tour of our pick of the best... Read more Alamy Quietway cycle routes: Clapham Common to Walthamstow Discover the homes along TfLs peaceful new bike routes linking the suburbs to the centre through back streets and parks and along riverbanks and canal paths... Read more Jonathan Bewley House prices in east London borough of Newham rise by more than 20 per cent in a year New figures reveal that while the pace of growth is slowing, property prices are still rising across the capital as demand continues to soar. Read more Rex Grammar school expansion plans: homes near England's top 30 state schools command premiums of up to 630k Parents face paying an average of 53k extra to live near England's top 30 state schools - and grammar schools dominate the top 10, says new report. Read more London's Zone 5 homes hotspots Thinking of moving? These are the areas you need to know about... Read more Graham Hussey Tottenham Hale masterplan row Local residents complain they will lose their views if plans for the regeneration of the the River Lee Navigation waterfront, including apartment blocks up to 21 storeys tall, go ahead.... Read more Notting Hill's skinniest home for sale for 1.25m Inside west London's 'life-size doll's house' - measuring just seven feet wide... Read more Seven of the best Kent villages less than 60 minutes from the capital - with good schools, shops and pubs Idyllic Kent villages with pubs, shops and good schools are great commuter options and only an hour - or less - from London. Read more The Tube line extensions and Crossrail homes hotspots you need to know about Transport-led regeneration is the single most important factor boosting the value of homes. These are the new routes you need to know about... Read more London's new walk-to-work homes near emerging business hubs - and mainline train stations As more creative companies and start-ups move out of central London's traditional business areas, neighbourhoods with new commercial hubs are being created with walk-to-work homes... Read more The Olympic legacy? More than 100 small start up firms in Vittoria Wharf, Hackney Wick, are being forced to move into new premises following a green light to bulldoze the area to make way for a new bridge over the River Lee Navigation. Read more Alamy Three-year forecast predicts the house price changes in your region House price growth has fallen in recent months, but is expected to start rising again by 2018, according to the latest three-year housing forecast by Countrywide... Read more Shutterstock Night Tube: Tottenham Hale revealed as the most affordable property hotspot New research reveals the 10 most affordable stops to buy along London's Night Tube network as addresses along the Central and Victoria lines benefit from 24-hour connections... Read more Rents fall for the first time in eight years as homes to let flood the market While rents are falling for the first time since the financial crash of 2008, rental prices across the capital are still far too high in relation to salaries. Read more The university areas that get top marks for return on investment For parents considering buying a property for the three-year stint, a new study of the capitals top 12 universities reveals which present the best deals for buyers compared with renting. Read more Alamy A spokesman for Market Row Ltd, a subsidiary of London & Associated Properties, which bought the freehold of Brixton Market in 2007, said today that since legal proceedings are ongoing it would not be appropriate to comment on the case. Brixton Market was saved from redevelopment after the site won listed status in 2011, though many original traders have left and been replaced by hipster cafes. Historic England formerly English Heritage gave Grade II*-listed status last month to two buildings in Denmark Street, near Tottenham Court Road, where the Sex Pistols lived and recorded. David Bowie and the Rolling Stones also recorded at former studios in the street. Known as Tin Pan Alley, Denmark Street is due to be redeveloped as part of the Crossrail scheme, and protesters fear its unique spirit will be lost. In Soho, meanwhile, actors Stephen Fry and Benedict Cumberbatch were among those who protested last year against the abrupt closure of Madame Jojos cabaret club after the revocation of its licence. Planning permission for a mixed development in its place has been granted by Westminster council, though the club is said to be reopening. The School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) have recently come together to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate and work together in the areas of Executive Education, Internship Programmes and Consultancy Services. The signing ceremony took place at the SHTM premises was presided over by Professor Kaye Chon, Dean and Chair Professor of the SHTM and Walter Kwok Foundation Professor in International Hospitality Management, and Dr Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, President of Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau. In attendance were representatives from eight universities in Thailand, they were: Chiang Mai University, Chiang Rai Rajabhat University, Khon Kean University, King Monkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, Mahidol University International College, Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna, Siam University and Silpakorn University. This strategic collaboration is in keeping with the two parties' common interests in promoting executive education for those already in the MICE industry workforce, internship programmes for students who aspire to join the industry upon graduation, and consultancy services for the advancement of the industry. In the MOU, the SHTM will provide TCEB associates with executive education either at the SHTM or TCEB headquarters. Both parties shall pursue collaboration of further training on the basis of mutual understanding and agreement. The two institutions will also work together in the area of student internship and training, with the TECB offering internship attachments to SHTM students. The number of student interns will be determined by mutual consent each year. It is also agreed that the School will provide consultancy services on areas of mutual interest to the TCEB. The MOU is signed for a period of three years. "One of the important roles of the SHTM is to feed research findings and other forms of expertise back to its principle base the industry we serve," said Dean Kaye Chon. "The TCEB provides a very good channel for internship which SHTM students will need, and also future employment in the MICE industry for these young and aspiring students." Bangkok -- aT Agro-Fisheries Food and Trade Corporation (aT), the government agency of Korea's Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Rural Affairs, has teamed up with leading Asian hospitality group Dusit International to promote a cultural exchange whereby students from South Korea will have a chance to intern at one of the chain's international hotels and resorts. The program, jointly conceived by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; and the Korea Agro-Fisheries Food and Trade Corporation (aT), seeks to contribute to the Korean government's top priority of creating opportunities for learning and career development of Korean youth. The "Good Jobs, Good People" program consists of 6-month internships in Front Office or Culinary positions that aim to prepare students for international careers in the hospitality field. "To develop truly global talents, we have decided to launch this program in Thailand, a mecca for cuisine and world leader in tourism," said Mr Kim Jae Soo, Chief Executive Officer of aT. "We have chosen to partner with Dusit International, whose over 65 years of experience in the hotel business and their expertise in hospitality education is an excellent fit for our program." Presided over the partnership agreement signing ceremony by aT's Executive Vice President for Food Industry & Export Promotion Mr Yoo Chung Sik, and Dusit International's Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Quality Assurance Mr Tan Eng Leong, the signing event also included a cooking demonstration by guest chefs from Dusit Thani Bangkok and the Young Agri-Food Fellowship. "We are delighted to participate in this excellent initiative as it aligns with Dusit's objective of promoting hospitality education throughout the Asian region," said Mr Tan Eng Leong. "The students will gain valuable on-the-job training while simultaneously developing cross-cultural communication skills and helping our hotels better serve our Korean guests. In addition, they will also have a chance to participate in some of our hospitality management and culinary programs." Currently, Korea ranks among the top 5 inbound markets to Dusit Hotels and Resorts worldwide, with the Korean market ranking number one at Dusit Thani Guam Resort, the most luxury and the tallest hotel to launch on the island. Dusit also has a long and solid heritage to contribute to human capital development for the hospitality industry through initiatives such as: Dusit Thani College, Le Cordon Bleu Dusit, and the Dusit Thani Hotel School which are hotel management, culinary and vocational hospitality schools respectively. About Dusit International Established in 1948, Dusit International or Dusit Thani Public Company Limited (DUSIT) is a leading hospitality group listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Its operations comprise five distinct yet complementary business units: hotels and resorts, hospitality education, food, property development, and hospitality-related services. The group's portfolio of hotels, resorts and luxury villas includes more than 300 properties operating under a total of six brands (Dusit Thani, Dusit Devarana, dusitD2, Dusit Princess, ASAI Hotels, and Elite Havens) across 16 countries worldwide. The group also operates culinary schools and hospitality colleges in Thailand, plus catering companies for the education sector in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Dusit International's diversified investments in real estate development, hospitality-related services, and the food sector are part of its long-term strategy for sustainable growth, which focuses on three key areas: balance, expansion and diversification. For more information, please visit dusit-international.com. Sureerat Sudpairak Corporate Manager Public Relations +66 (0) 2200 9999 ext. 3321 Dusit In year-over-year comparisons, the country's occupancy increased 6.3% to 70.2%. Average daily rate for the week was up 0.3% to CAD145.69. Revenue per available room grew 6.6% to CAD102.19. The Canadian hotel industry reported positive results in the three key performance metrics during the week of 15-21 May 2016, according to data from STR. In year-over-year comparisons, the country's occupancy increased 6.3% to 70.2%. Average daily rate for the week was up 0.3% to CAD145.69. Revenue per available room grew 6.6% to CAD102.19. Among the provinces, Nova Scotia reported the largest increases in each of the three key performance metrics. Occupancy in the province rose 25.9% to 72.0%; ADR was up 8.7% to CAD135.60; and RevPAR increased 36.9% to CAD97.65. New Brunswick (+22.2% to 66.2%) was the only other province to experience an occupancy increase above 20.0%. Three markets in addition to Nova Scotia experienced double-digit RevPAR growth: New Brunswick (+25.2% to CAD79.31), Quebec (+20.9% to CAD123.81) and Manitoba (+17.0% to CAD78.42). British Columbia saw the only decline in occupancy (-2.2% to 72.7%) for the week. Alberta reported the largest drop in ADR (-7.3% to CAD135.27). Newfoundland and Labrador experienced the largest decrease in RevPAR (-2.3% to CAD94.90). About STR STR provides clients from multiple market sectors with premium, global data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 10 countries around the world with a corporate North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and an international headquarters in London, England. For more information, please visit str.com. It looks the sequel to Kevin Gates Murder For Hire project is right around the corner. Moments ago, the Louisiana rapper took to his Instagram to announce that its dropping this Friday, just in time for the Memorial Day Weekend. I really apologize for the wait but Murder for Hire [2] will be dropping Friday on the 27th, Kevin Gates said in the IG post. The project, which follows his successful debut album Islah, appears to be come out of spite, following news that KGs label (Atlantic Records) wont let him release another album until next February. So hes releasing this mixtape instead for his fans. While weve yet to hear anything off this project, Gates did release a couple snippets on IG today as well. Check those out below and stay tuned for Murder For Hire 2 in only two days. [Via] KEvin Gates Mr. Mercedes, a crime drama, will consist of a 10 episode run. Based on Stephen King's 2014 best-selling novel of the same name, Mr. Mercedes will see Gleeson as retired cop Detective Bill Hodges who's drawn back into the forces when a demented killer is set loose. The series isn't scheduled for release until 2018 but it is one to get excited about. Gleeson will be joined onscreen by Anton Yelchin (Star Trek Beyond) who plays the psychopath murderer Brady Hartsfield. As the murders pile up, Dectective Hodges is tormented by letters and emails from Hartsfield. Hodges is left with no choice as he's forced to take matters outside of the law and into his own hands to stop the death count rising. This is the biggest endeavor Mr. Gleeson has done for TV to date. Firthermore, Mr. Mercedes is the first in King's trilogy which begs the question of whether the show will continue on Detective's Hodges expeditions. A lot will depend on the reception Mr. Mercedes opens to but with the caliber Gleeson will bring to the series we have no doubt it will be one to watch. The 10-episode series will run on AT&T's Audience Network and we've yet to hear if we will get Mr. Mercedes on our side of the Atlantic. With the series anticipated for arrival in 2018, a lot can happen in the meantime but we will keep you posted as always. "I was asked if I wanted to smoke something from a piece of tin foil. Initially I refused, but eventually agreed. It was consensual of course, just stupid," he says. To me, the gay party scene is just that: somewhere to party. I do think the gay party scene is more drug-infused than the straight party scene, but I think that's only natural having evolved from something that was essentially entirely underground. I have been with guys while high, while drunk and while entirely sober but substances were never the sole factor for any of those encounters. Generally, after a night out, there is somewhere to go. Sometimes you are invited, sometimes you find it and sometimes you spend the whole night wandering and end up going home. These range from someone's house to organised underground after-parties. Most have drugs, in some shape or form, but in my opinion they are just a place to keep the night going. A place you may regret the next day only because of the stupid amount of money you spent there. Chemsex, on the other hand, is something that I consider to be much quieter in nature. I don't think I have ever said chemsex or chems out loud as it is something that I have only ever seen online. My first, and last, experience of this was about two years ago. I was drunk, unsurprisingly, and was at the end of the night in Coppers of all places. As many gay men do, I took to Grindr to have a snoop to see who was around. No particular agenda, but was not against the idea of going back to a guy's place. I got a message from this guy. Older, maybe mid-late thirties and relatively handsome. Handsome enough to make me agree to let him pick me up and go back to his, and his boyfriend's, place. Chemsex was on his profile, I think, and it may have been mentioned but again, I was drunk. That said, driving to pick people up is not an uncommon offer in the gay community. It was just the first time I said yes. I arrived at their place. I was asked if I wanted to smoke something from a piece of tin foil. Initially I refused, but eventually agreed. It was consensual of course, just stupid. The night then became me slowly getting higher while a very strange threesome ensued. Time passed quickly and very little sex actually happened, but it just felt wrong. I had no idea where in Dublin I was, or who I was with. My phone was dead and I suddenly became paranoid. Advertisement They didn't want me to leave, I think mainly because I couldn't quite get the words out how I was feeling. They were confused but didn't stop me. One of them was going to work high (a lawyer, I believe) and offered to give me a lift. I said I had a friend who lived around the corner and left as quickly as I could. It was something like 10am. I had been there all night, hadn't slept and found myself walking around Ballsbridge alone. I found a bus to the northside and just sat on it feeling terrible trying to comprehend what had happened. I went back onto Grindr to see what was said. I wasn't making much sense when messaging them but they were obviously keen. I also did not agree to any drugs, and there was no mention of it outside of his bio. I was coming down and had to deal with people. I didn't tell anyone exactly where I'd been as I was still trying to work it out myself. I felt almost like I had been coaxed into the situation, so I wrote a long message to this guy about how irresponsible it was of them to bring me into that situation, when I was clearly so drunk. It was fucked up but, although I should have left immediately, I feel like a lot of guys would do the same as me. I also realised that he came to pick me up after having smoked a lot of whatever that stuff was. I still don't really know, presumably amphetamines of some kind. The comedown was hell. Unfortunately, this wasn't even the end of it. After blocking both guys after they tried to message me again, I started to receive messages from fake profiles. The pictures would change but I could generally spot them. Apparently, after that night, their relationship went south. Possibly because I called them out for their drug addiction, but who knows. One of them blamed me, in any case. He wasn't threatening or abusing, but kept resurfacing. I was just so angry to see them using fake profiles to potentially pick up guys that, again, I wrote a very long, detailed message about how fucked up everything that he was doing was and how he needed to stop. I heard from them only once more, a few months later, to tell me that they had broken up and given up drugs. That experience made me reevaluate a lot of my decisions in relation to sex and drugs in the future. I am not against either, by any means, but I think it's important to realise the world that you're stepping into. Impulsive decisions like mine can lead you into situations that you really don't need to be involved in. Gay men definitely know how to have fun, so this is where I bring back the distinction between the party scene and chemsex. If you're going to have sex or do drugs, do it safely and with people you are comfortable around. If the two combine, this only becomes more important. Maybe a collaboration with Clean Bandit will break the X Factor winner curse for Louisa Johnson. The Cambridge band introduced the world the then relatively unknown Jess Glynne with their break out hit 'Rather Be'. They're now taking X Factor Winner 2015 Louisa Johnson under their wings as they will collaborate on upcoming single 'Tears'. The Simon Cowell singing pageant is more notorious for its failings when it comes to 'winners ' but if all goes according to plan this duet with the electro-pop group could put Johnson down as a music force to reckon with. Mentored by Rita Ora through the competition, Johnson beat off reggae duo Reggie'n'Bollie to take the top prize. Her Christmas single 'Forever Young' peaked at No. 12 in the UK charts and since then there's been nothing to report until the 'Tears' announcement. We're really excited to announce our new single 'Tears' ft. @louisa! Stay tuned for more info... #Tears Clean Bandit (@cleanbandit) May 26, 2016 Advertisement #tears A photo posted by Louisa Johnson (@louisa) on May 25, 2016 at 12:59pm PDT 'Tears' will be the first single lifted from Clean Bandit's upcoming second album. Rumors are ripe that 'Tears' will be released tomorrow so stay tuned! The former Disney star is currently out touring and promoting his upcoming album Last Year Was Complicated. Jonas popped into BBC's Live Lounge to give a stripped back rendition of Larsson's 'Lush Life'. Showing off his falsetto skills, Jonas pops a smooth, cafe twist on the Swedish star's hit and it makes for very easy listening. Jonas' Last Year Was Complicated is set for release on June 10. The band had a special teaser on a London street last night. Julian Casablancas will premiere a new track from The Strokes during the first episode of his new SiriusXM radio show today. A recording confirming the news was posted on Twitter by The Strokes BR fan page. "on which the first episode tomorrow morning Julian will be world premiering brand new music from the strokes" AUDIO https://t.co/UHJHFah8Ip The Strokes BR (@thestrokesbr) May 25, 2016 The show, entitled Culture Void, will be broadcast for one hour on SiriusXM satellite radio today, May 26 at 10am eastern standard US time. Last night the band projected images of their logo and a short teaser video on to the walls of Casablanca's Cult Records in New York and Brick Lane in London. The video depicts the band's logo and 80's style graphics with a running figure. The words "future", "present" and "past" also seen in different shots. Cult Records' website has also been updated with the hashtag #FuturePresentPast. Well this is exciting. Saw this on brick lane tonight. #thestrokes pic.twitter.com/TsDLe10slU Ali Tant (@alistairtant) May 25, 2016 Advertisement ? A video posted by Cult Records (@cult_records) on May 25, 2016 at 7:27pm PDT All this comes after Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. directly responded to a fan asking whether or not they would play new music at their upcoming Governers Ball festival slot in New York. The Strokes last released music in 2013 with Comedown Machine. WASHINGTON - U.S. business for the law firm at the heart of the Panama Papers scandal is shrinking dramatically amid multiple investigations from federal and state regulators. In Wyoming, the local business partner of Mossack Fonseca cut ties to the U.S. operations of the Panamanian law firm, McClatchy has learned. And this week the Nevada affiliate of Mossack Fonseca abruptly resigned as the registered agent for 1,024 companies it administered in the state. Both developments came more than a month after a report by McClatchy and its partners that showed how Mossack Fonseca helped Brazilians, Russians and others hide assets from authorities in their home countries. Nevada, Wyoming and Delaware are leaders in company formations but require little information on the true owners, requiring instead only a contact person. The embattled Panamanian law firm is under investigation from the United States and Germany to the British Virgin Islands and the tiny Seychelles islands in the Indian Ocean. And each company it administered in Nevada now will have to find someone to serve as a new administrator. "This scenario is absolutely unusual," said Trevor Rowley, president of the Nevada Registered Agents Association. "I have never seen anything like this." A registered agent handles bill payments, renews incorporation and files annual required reports for companies. It's not unusual for an agent to resign from a company if the true owners are found to be breaking the law or simply refuse to pay their bills. But resigning from more than 1,000 companies at once is a highly unusual event. "I really don't know what they would do," said Rowley. More than 350 journalists worldwide, working under the umbrella of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, examined 11.5 million leaked documents from Mossack Fonseca. The stories, published starting April 3, showed how politicians, businessmen and criminals hid money and assets behind the anonymity of shell companies. The reporting led the prime minister of Iceland to step aside, forced the British prime minister to testify before Parliament about undisclosed offshore holdings and showed how close associates of Russian leader Vladimir Putin moved billions in offshore shells. McClatchy's report April 5 about foreigners using Wyoming and Nevada to hide questionable assets led Wyoming to immediately penalize Mossack Fonseca and investigate the firm. That same report documented how Nevada shell companies are tied to a corruption probe in Brazil. When approaching a new registered agent, the owner or its representative would have to disclose that the prior registered agent had resigned, and that could be a warning sign. The Panama Papers stories prompted the Obama administration to propose closing a loophole that allowed some foreign companies to escape reporting to the U.S. government that they operated U.S. shell companies but earned no money nor held any assets here. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate With the intention of building a new store in the Heights, H-E-B said Wednesday that it has been working with a political consulting firm in Austin to help change a law precluding beer and wine sales in a dry part of the historic Houston neighborhood. The San Antonio-based grocer said it has contracted with Texas Petition Strategies to collect signatures needed to secure a place on the November ballot where residents can vote to make beer and wine sales - for off-premise consumption - legal. The effort has led to a petition drive by a group called the Houston Heights Beverage Coalition, which has been seeking some 1,500 signatures needed. H-E-B spokeswoman Cyndy Garza Roberts said a location in the Heights has been identified, but the company is still in negotiations on the site and commenting on specific details would be premature. "We definitely want to be in the Heights, but in order to do so we need to make sure we provide those customers with the same quality products that they're able to find at our other stores," she said. Houston attorney and Heights resident Steven Reilley believes it is time to lift the 104-year-old restriction on selling alcohol in the original Houston Heights. The dry area is within an oddly shaped boundary roughly between Interstate 10 to the south, Loop 610 to the north, Durham on the west and Oxford on the east. "The goal here really is just to bring in a modern state-of-the-art grocery store that the neighborhood would otherwise support," Reilley said. "But it's not economically viable if these stores can't sell beer and wine for off-premise use." If the vote passes, it would level the grocery playing field for those within the dry boundaries, said John Hatch of Texas Petition Strategies. "The Heights has stores on all sides that can sell beer and wine. They can't," he said. The signatures are needed for a "local option election" for those in those original boundaries of the Houston Heights, which was its own city before it became part of Houston in 1918. Reilley, who is involved with the coalition, said other area stores support the initiative and would reinvest money in the Heights if they are able to sell beer and wine at their stores. He said a Kroger on 20th Street and a recently closed Fiesta on 23rd at Shepherd are in the dry area. If the vote passes, Reilley said, it would not allow bars and restaurants to suddenly be able to sell liquor in the area. "It won't lead to chain restaurants up and down Shepherd or lead to new bars," he said. The group has 60 days to gather the signatures from residents who live in the area formerly known as the City of Houston Heights. Once the signatures are gathered, they will be verified by the city secretary, with the Houston City Council then calling the election for November, according to a news release. The signatures are being collected by a door-to-door effort and they can also be signed at area establishments, including Coltivare and Revival Market, said Hatch. The coalition has secured more than half of the signatures needed, he said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SEATTLE - Microsoft is making further cuts to what is left of its ailing smartphone business, as sales of the devices continue to fade. The company said Wednesday that it would eliminate up to 1,850 jobs as a result of the cutbacks, about 1,350 of them in Finland, where the mobile business that Microsoft acquired from Nokia a couple of years ago originated. Microsoft will take an accounting charge of $950 million related to the cuts, it said. In an email to all Microsoft employees sent early Wednesday, Terry Myerson, executive vice president of the company's Windows and devices group, described the cuts as "incredibly difficult" but said that Microsoft needed "to be more focused in our phone hardware efforts." As downbeat a note as the layoffs were for Microsoft's smartphone business, there isn't much left of the army of people it once had working on the devices. About 25,000 workers joined Microsoft as a result of the company's acquisition of Nokia's handset business, but Microsoft quickly felt pressure to cut costs as phone sales struggled. In 2014, Microsoft announced it was cutting 18,000 jobs, most of them related to the Nokia deal. Last year, it eliminated an additional 7,800 jobs, trimmed the number of smartphones it offered and took a $7.6 billion accounting charge, writing off nearly the entire value of the Nokia deal. Microsoft has about 110,000 total employees. The acquisition of Nokia's mobile business will go down as one of the costlier missteps in Microsoft's history. The company's previous chief executive, Steve Ballmer, made the deal with the goal of transforming Microsoft, a company that was struggling to keep pace with the likes of Apple and Google in the mobile business. But the fortunes of Nokia, a once-mighty player in mobile, had already soured as sales of traditional cellphones lost ground to software-rich smartphones. The combination of its hardware expertise and Microsoft's software skills never produced the results that Microsoft had hoped for. The Sixth Doctor and River and Rose will pass through Houston this weekend for the Space City Comic Con, a fairly generous serving of principals from "Doctor Who," the long-running cult-favorite show about a time-traveling alien who zips around the cosmos correcting injustices and conflicts, with a particular soft spot for the inhabitants of our planet. "Doctor Who" is science fiction by description as it plays with space and time in its narratives, but the interaction between the Time Lord and his companions provides the humanity. And those interactions are the draw that creates obsessive viewers. Which explains in part this 43-year-old's fixation on its principals, to the point of investigating other convention appearances in Texas. Later this year, Dallas' con gets the Twelfth Doctor, Clara, Rory, "Missy" and Martha - an admirable haul. The Alamo City Comic Con in San Antonio in October has Amy Pond, which made my heart flutter, and another appearance by Rose. Conventions such as these are essentially congregation destinations for many little cultural ecosystems. "Doctor Who" isn't among the larger ecosystems, but its inhabitants are fervent. More Information Space City Comic Con When: Noon Friday, 10 a.m. Saturday-Sunday Where: NRG Center, 8309 Fannin Tickets: $30 daily passes, $75 three-day passes; 832-667-1400, spacecitycomiccon.com See More Collapse The above names won't mean much to those who haven't tuned in since the British show rebooted in 2005, and they'll mean a lot to the few who have. But they've carried forward one of TV's great, long-running stories. "Doctor Who" originally aired from 1963-87 (Colin Baker, the Sixth Doctor, is the rare visitor from the first run). In it, the unnamed Doctor travels through time and space in a machine that on the exterior looks like a British police call box from the '60s. The interior isn't as tight a space as you might think. The show disappeared for years, but for a short attempt at a TV movie in the '90s, and then began anew in 2005 with the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) on new adventures. Three Doctors have followed since. Peter Capaldi plays the Twelfth and current Doctor, Clara (Jenna Coleman) one of his companions and Missy (Michelle Gomez) a nemesis. Rose (Billie Piper) showed up for the Ninth and Tenth (David Tennant), while Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) and Clara hung around with the Eleventh (Matt Smith). These are hardly household names among American TV viewers, but they're still big draws at conventions because the show creates fervor among its faithful. As for its breadth, there's nothing like "Doctor Who" on TV, a narrative that has run for most of a half-century. There's also nothing like it on TV for its tone: smart and playful, joyful and heartbreaking. And there, I believe, has been the draw for me. "Doctor Who" clearly operates around a central hero, though he's one who almost exclusively solves dilemmas with brains over brawn, and with a tool rather than weapons. That's part of it. He's capable of mercy, but he's not a pushover, either. "Never cruel nor cowardly. Never give up. Never give in." The central conceit of personal change over time carries with it a particular resonance. Twelve actors have played the Doctor. A smart narrative device has kept the story going all these years: When the Doctor is critically injured, his body regenerates, a morphing process that yields a new body with variations also on the personality. He's the same, and he's very different. This device provides an opportunity to keep the story moving after an actor departs, but it also affords an opportunity to contemplate the self across time. "We all change, when you think about it," said Smith, who played the Eleventh Doctor, moments before regenerating. "We're all different people all through our lives. And that's OK. That's good. You gotta keep moving. So long as you remember all the people that you used to be." Presented this way, the Doctor has some common traits across time, but the differences between incarnations stand out. Tennant's beloved Tenth Doctor could shift from childlike to melancholic in an instant, particularly when contemplating the loneliness that comes with never aging. The Doctor is a creature with two big, beating hearts. He also craves companionship, which is joyous short term and devastating eventually because his story always is the longest. Smith was the youngest Doctor cast and carried forth a duality. His Eleventh Doctor also had a radiant quality at times, but his energy could be manic, as he seemed to run from a decision made in his past. Capaldi is the oldest Doctor in a very long time, bringing a cantankerous quality and a surface coldness. He said of his companion, Clara, "She cares, so I don't have to." But he did care, greatly. The "Heaven Sent" episode is one of the greatest hours of television I've seen and spoke to the depth of his caring. I don't profess to be an expert on the entirety of the series. I tuned in to Tom Baker's grand Fourth Doctor and punched out after his departure, meaning I missed Colin Baker, the Sixth Doctor, who appears at Space City Comic Con this weekend. I've dug back into the Fourth, enough to know the Sixth's Doctor was a little too fashion forward with his brightly colored patchwork jacket to inspire others to dress alike. The more recent shades of black, brown and blue, however, show up at conventions and Halloween. From what I've seen, Baker's Sixth lacked some of the pained empathy of the more recent Doctors. But then, we all go through our phases. That has been my experience with the show. It prompts reflection on an introverted youth, a frenetic young adulthood and a more muted path into middle age. These are stages that have stages within, kaleidoscopic moments in life full of decisions good and bad. They're the moments worth pondering because the bookends aren't there for us to consider. "There are two events in everybody's life that nobody remembers," the Twelfth Doctor stated. "Two moments experienced by every living thing. Yet no one remembers anything about them. Nobody remembers being born, and nobody remembers dying. Is that why we always stare into the eye sockets of a skull? Because we're asking, 'What was it like?' 'Does it hurt?' 'Are you still scared?' " We don't get those answers. "Doctor Who" instead asks questions about what comes between. DALLAS - After a decadelong push to get oil companies to help fight climate change, activist investors scored a modest but significant victory that might someday move the biggest U.S. oil company, Exxon Mobil Corp., to reconsider its approach to the issue and its business. Nearly two-thirds of the investors who voted at the Irving-based company's annual meeting on Wednesday supported a nonbinding initiative that could clear a path for a scientist or other specialist on climate change to join Exxon Mobil's board of directors. It's a sign that sentiment is shifting among Big Oil investors - and perhaps even executives - who have long resisted major changes to the lucrative fossil fuel business. The Rev. Michael Crosby, an activist shareholder, noted that the debate over a series of nonbinding resolutions marked the first time he has heard Exxon executives address climate change near the beginning of the annual meeting. "This is the biggest risk to the company's business, not to mention everybody on the planet," Crosby said. "Exxon Mobil has a chance to restore the public's trust." Critics like Crosby have argued that Exxon and the entire oil industry will have to change their business model of finding and pumping more and more oil in the face of increasing regulations aimed at limiting the greenhouse gases emitted by fossil fuels. Fighting climate change has become a priority for governments around the world; in Paris last year, 195 countries signed an international accord aimed at slowing the rise in global temperatures that threatens to melt polar ice, raise sea levels, and inundate coastal areas. Oil investors, however, are not rushing to force changes in the way companies do business. At Exxon, shareholders overwhelmingly rejected four of the five climate change resolutions, including one that would have urged Exxon executives to conduct a financial analysis of climate change policies and another calling on the company to support the Paris climate accords. The one nonbinding proposal they endorsed - also by an overwhelming vote - would give shareholders with a stake of 3 percent or more the power to nominate a director, opening the way for activists to get a climate change experts on the board. Exxon Mobil's board of directors will decide how to respond to the shareholder vote at its next meeting in July. 'A judgment of balance' Concerns about climate change are getting a hearing in the boardrooms of Big Oil even as the industry contends with the worst oil bust in a generation. European companies such as BP, Royal Dutch Shell and others have already declared their support for shareholder resolutions that call on executives to analyze how their business plans fit with goals on climate change. U.S. oil companies, however, have largely resisted such initiatives. In California on Wednesday, investors in Chevron Corp. rejected five climate-related resolutions, including one that would have put a cap on the company's greenhouse gas emissions. "On the question of climate change, what we're seeing is a bitter family feud within Big Oil," said Peter Doran, a researcher at the Center for European Policy Analysis and author of "Breaking Rockefeller," about early rivalries in the oil industry. "There's a lot at stake, not just for the oil industry, but for everyone else." Exxon Mobil chief executive Rex Tillerson framed the debate around climate change not as a disagreement on the science of climate change but rather on the policies that companies and governments have taken to address rising temperatures. The reality, he said, is there is no energy source today that could replace oil and gas in the global economy. "It's a judgment of balance between future climactic events, which could prove to be catastrophic but are unknown," Tillerson told shareholders, "and the more immediate needs of humanity to address poverty, starvation, broad-based disease control and the quality of life which many people are living today. And the only way out of that is to provide them with the energy sources we have today." 'They still compete' When Exxon Mobil makes plans for multibillion-dollar investments, Tillerson added, it already weighs the possible financial costs of tougher emissions rules that might be put in place. But those carbon-cost projections rarely deter it from starting a major project, Tillerson said. "What we typically find," he said, "is when you impose that cost of carbon, these very large oil and natural gas developments, because of their size, they still compete reasonably well." Outside the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, where Exxon Mobil's meeting was held, protestors gathered with signs saying "Regulate, baby, regulate" and "Exxon knew," shorthand for allegations under investigation by the New York attorney general and others that the company suppressed its own research after discovering decades ago that burning fossil fuels could raise global temperatures. "As the world moves forward, Exxon Mobil stands still," said Patricia Daly, a Catholic nun from New Jersey. "Decades have been lost in the fight against climate change, due in part to (Exxon's) campaign of disinformation." But many shareholders, who enjoyed sprinkled donuts and a virtual-reality tour of Exxon Mobil operations in Papua New Guinea, were largely skeptical of the climate proposals, which were sponsored by pension funds in New York and California, among other investors. Some shareholders said the issue should be addressed gradually, considering economic as well as environmental issues. One shareholder, Sol Stein, acknowledged climate change is real but said Exxon Mobil is flexible enough to adapt to it, pointing to the company's investments in solar technology and energy efficiency. "They're very smart," he said. "They'll figure it out." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Criminal justice reform advocates in Harris County called Thursday for an end to money bail requirements for minor crimes because it keeps poor people behind bars before they are convicted. The group - which included state Sen. Rodney Ellis, community leaders Deric Muhammad and Johnny Mata and officials with the Texas Organizing Project - praised a recent federal lawsuit challenging the lawfulness of the county's current system of bail at a news conference on the steps of the criminal courthouse in downtown Houston. "It's necessary to protect the rights of Harris County residents who are kept in a modern day debtor's prison-locked up because they are poor," said Ellis, D-Houston. "It's necessary to save taxpayer dollars that are paying to ship inmates out of our overcrowded jail." The group also called for a harder look at bail for more serious crimes. Sandra Guerra Thompson, a law professor at the University of Houston and an advocate of reform said the current system is illegal and dangerous. It's illegal, she said, because it violates the constitutional rights of thousands of prisoners who remain in jail waiting to go on trial. "It does not abide by Texas law that requires judges take into account a person's ability to pay," she said. "That's not done." And she said it is dangerous because accused killers who could pose a risk to the community but have money for bail, go free. "Everyone who has the money, no matter how dangerous they are, no matter how they got the money, can buy their way out of jail," she said. The federal lawsuit was filed last week by a Washington, D.C.-based group called Equal Justice Under Law, which has been challenging bail practices across the U.S. The lawsuit names Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman, who oversees the jail, and the five county hearing officers who generally review such cases and set bond. In general, more than 70 percent of those jailed in Harris County are pretrial defendants who have been accused but not yet convicted of a crime. Typically, as many as 10 percent of those are behind bars for minor misdemeanor offenses such as petty theft or trespassing. Hickman said he supports reform within the bail system. "I am deeply encouraged by the progressive steps that are being taken to reform the Harris County criminal justice system," he said Thursday in a written statement. "I agree there is a critical need to address the system of incarceration in Harris County ... As sheriff, I am mandated to comply with the courts' orders to confine defendants until their bond is met. As a result, a defendant with a low level non-violent charge who cannot afford bond can be remanded to our custody, while a violent offender with the means to pay their bond can be released into the community." 55 detainees died An investigation by the Houston Chronicle found that 55 pretrial detainees died in Harris County custody from 2009-2015, including offenders jailed for misdemeanor crimes such as trespassing. Last month, another man who detained because he could not post bail after allegedly stealing a guitar - a misdemeanor - was beaten to death by two inmates jailed on felony charges. Federal officials with the U.S. Department of Justice have been monitoring the jail, a group of massive mid-rise buildings downtown, since 2008. In part because of federal pressure, county officials have been working on reforms including obtaining a grant to increase use of diversion courts, and urging judges to increase release options for non-violent offenders. But advocates say those plans left the flawed bond hearings in place. Earlier this week, county officials announced that they are updating the screening process used to determine the risk of release for pretrial defendants. At their own press conference Tuesday, judges, the district attorney and the chief public defender applauded the implementation of the new diagnostic tool as the last barrier to widespread use of personal recognizance bonds or signature bonds. Personal bonds allow defendants to be released just on their promise to return to court without being required to pay. Historically, they have rarely been granted in Harris County courts, though they are commonly used for misdemeanor offenders elsewhere, state statistics and pretrial detention studies show. 'Lipstick on a pig'? The federal lawsuit and the push to use the new screening process are seeking similar results - the pretrial release of non-violent defendants who cannot afford bail. Although they are striving for similar goals with judges and prosecutors, reformers said Thursday they are not ready to trust the establishment to change a decades-old culture of using bail. "This is step in the right direction, but it could be considered putting lipstick on a pig," said longtime activist Johnny Mata, "We're tired of window dressing." Houston faith leaders from various religions announced their collective dismay on Wednesday about last week's comments by a city councilman's staff member who tried to block the appointment of a GOP precinct chair because of his Muslim faith. At a May 16 Harris County Republican Party meeting, Christian pastor Trebor Gordon tried to have Syed Ali disqualified based on his religion. "If you believe that a person can practice Islam and agree with the foundational principles of the Republican Party, it's not right. It's not true. It can't happen," Gordon said before the vote. He was overruled and Ali was installed as an Alief-area precinct chair. Gordon, who serves in leadership at a Houston church and as a chaplain for the Harris County GOP, was the community outreach director last week for new at-large Houston City Council member Mike Knox. He has been reassigned to handle special projects but will retain his full-time $55,000-a-year position, Knox said Wednesday afternoon. Gordon did not respond to a request for comment left Wednesday with Knox's office. The news conference with leaders from Muslim, Christian and Jewish faiths - and representatives of civil rights organizations - was held at the Islamic Society of Greater Houston's headquarters to show solidarity against religious bigotry in what is arguably the nation's most diverse city. 'No role in our society' Speakers made various calls: for Gordon to be fired; for him to apologize; for him to unblock his Facebook and Twitter pages so the public can evaluate whether he has a history of anti-Muslim views. "Mr. Gordon attacked this man and attempted to disqualify him purely because he is a Muslim - which we consider wrong and Islamophobic," said M.J. Khan, a former City Council member who is president and CEO of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston. He said he has spoken to Knox by phone and believes that Gordon's comments do not reflect the councilman's views. James Douglas, a law school professor and president of the NAACP Houston branch, was not so charitable. "I don't think a person who cannot live by the Constitution of the United States ought to be accepting tax dollars as a part of his salary. I don't think he gets a second chance," Douglas said, noting that more than a week had passed without a public apology from Gordon. "I think he said what he deep-down believes." Martin B. Cominsky, president and CEO of Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, said his organization is "dismayed and deeply concerned that an individual who is a pastor, a chaplain and an employee of the city of Houston would demonstrate such a lack of understanding of America's constitutional values and Houston's commitment to respect for all." George Gibson, Anti-Defamation League Southwest region board chair, said Gordon's "attitude has no role in our society." 'I'm going to keep him' Bishop James Dixon, pastor of the Community of Faith church in north Houston, said his religious counterparts are people Gordon can seek out for reconciliation. "If there is the desire on Mr. Gordon's part to be forgiven - because he is a pastor - he can meet with faith leaders and sit with us to share with us his convictions and his confession and receive the loving counsel ... and guidance of his brother and sisters in the faith community," Dixon said. Knox said he wasn't invited to the news conference but is willing to meet with faith leaders about the controversy. He said he will not make Gordon apologize or open his personal social media pages to the public. Gordon will be required to attend tolerance training as a condition of continued employment and will be studying the Constitution with the councilman. "We're focusing on the separation of church and state and the fact that there are no requirements of religious conviction to hold any public office," Knox explained. "It is my hope that he will enlarge his view of the world and realize that tolerance is an important part of what we're about here in this office. As long as he's making progress in that direction, then I'm going to keep him." Knox, a former Houston Police Department officer, was elected in the December runoff for the citywide Position 1. He added that his office welcomes all Houstonians. WASHINGTON - The State Department's inspector general on Wednesday sharply criticized Hillary Clinton's exclusive use of a private email server while she was secretary of state, saying she had not sought permission to use it and would not have received it if she had. The report, delivered to members of Congress, undermined some of Clinton's previous statements defending her use of the server and handed her Republican critics, including the party's presumptive nominee for president, Donald Trump, new fodder to attack her just as she closes in on the Democratic nomination. The inspector general found that Clinton "had an obligation to discuss using her personal email account to conduct official business" with department officials but that, contrary to her claims that the department "allowed" the arrangement, there was "no evidence" she had requested or received approval for it. And while other senior officials had used personal email accounts for official business, including Colin Powell when he was secretary, the rules made clear by the time she became the nation's top diplomat that using a private server for official business was neither allowed nor encouraged because of "significant security risks." Clinton's use of a private server was known by some officials beyond her closest aides, but no one in the State Department told her directly to use the department's official email. When two officials in the record-keeping division raised concerns in 2010, their superior "instructed the staff never to speak of the secretary's personal email system again," the report said. The report, as well as an FBI investigation and other legal challenges seeking information about her emails, is certain to keep alive a controversy that has shadowed Clinton's campaign. Clinton and her aides have played down the inquiries, saying that she would cooperate with investigators to put the email issue behind her. Even so, she declined to be interviewed by the inspector general, Steve Linick, or his staff, as part of his review. So did several of her senior aides. Campaign responds A spokesman for Clinton's campaign, Brian Fallon, did not respond to a request for comment about her refusal, among other questions. In a written statement, he said that the report showed that her use of a private email account was "not unique," citing the use of personal emails by some of her predecessors. "She took steps that went much further than others to appropriately preserve and release her records," the statement said. In an already tumultuous, highly polarizing election season, the reaction to the findings broke predictably along partisan lines. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, a Democratic supporter of Clinton, said the findings revealed "nothing new." Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., who previously criticized the inspector general's office as politicized, called the report a "hatchet job." Trump, who has waged an often brutal attack on Clinton's character and honesty, said in a telephone interview that the findings reflected a pattern of dishonesty. "She's always looking for an edge and always getting caught," he said. The 79-page report added considerable new detail about the former secretary of state's use of the server, as well as her motivation for setting it up. Clinton has publicly said the arrangement was a matter of convenience, but emails disclosed in the report made it clear that she worried that personal emails could be publicly released under the Freedom of Information Act. Clinton declined in 2010 In November 2010, her deputy chief of staff for operations prodded her about "putting you on State email" to protect her email from spam. Clinton declined. She replied that while she would consider using a separate address or device, "I don't want any risk of the personal being accessible." The report did not delve deeply into the issue that has become the focus of the FBI's investigation - the references in dozens of emails to classified information, including 22 emails that the CIA claimed contained information on programs or sources that were "top secret." It nonetheless called into question the risks of using a private system for what were clearly sensitive discussions of the nation's foreign policy. It noted that Clinton sent or received most of the emails that traversed her server from a mobile device, her BlackBerry. Department officials told the inspector general's office that "Secretary Clinton never demonstrated to them that her private server or mobile device met minimum information security requirements," the report said. The report also criticized Clinton for not adhering to the department's rules for handling records under the Federal Records Act once she stepped down in January 2013. She only did so in late 2014, when the State Department, under pressure from Republicans in Congress investigating the 2011 attack in Benghazi that killed four Americans, requested that she turn them over. It was only then that Clinton instructed her aides to cull through roughly 60,000 emails that had passed through the server and turn over those involving official business. Those amounted to roughly half of the total. "Secretary Clinton should have surrendered all emails dealing with department business before leaving government service and, because she did not do so, she did not comply with the department's policies that were implemented in accordance with the Federal Records Act," the report said. Effort was 'incomplete' While acknowledging that Clinton had ultimately complied with requests to turn over the emails, the report determined that the effort was "incomplete." Investigators found that she had not included those she sent and received in her first months as secretary from January to April 2009. Last year, the Department of Defense also turned over 19 emails between Clinton and then-Gen. David Petraeus that had been sent from his official email account to her private account but had not been included among those turned over. The report broadly criticized the State Department as well, saying that officials had been "slow to recognize and to manage effectively the legal requirements and cybersecurity risks" that emerged in the era of emails, particularly those of senior officials like Clinton. It said that "long-standing systemic weaknesses" in handling electronic records went "well beyond the tenure of any one secretary of state." The inspector general's review covered the practices of five secretaries going back to Madeleine Albright, when the Internet remained a novelty, especially in the hidebound bureaucracy of the State Department. A group of Memorial City residents sued the city of Houston and one of its local redevelopment authorities Wednesday, complaining that they approved area commercial development without requiring adequate stormwater mitigation, resulting in increased neighborhood flooding. Claiming federal and state constitutional violations, the west Houston group Residents Against Flooding, joined by several individuals, is asking the court to compel City Hall to prioritize neighborhood flood relief by expediting drainage projects in residential areas, temporarily halting commercial building permits for projects on large lots in the Memorial City area and appointing a 'special master' to oversee efforts to alleviate flooding. The plaintiffs also are looking to bar the redevelopment authority for Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone 17 from executing new private development agreements until drainage infrastructure in residential areas is improved. They are not seeking monetary damages. "The defendants' actions and inactions - knowingly sending storm waters into the residential neighborhoods that lack adequate infrastructure, without mitigation or necessary infrastructure improvement, and favoring projects for the private commercial interests at great expense to the residential interests - should shock our collective conscience," the lawsuit states. Mayor Sylvester Turner said the city intends to be responsive to residents' concerns and contested the claim that it has favored one group over another. "Lawsuit or no lawsuit, I will never make the representation that we can take steps to totally eliminate flooding. That's not in our control. But the city will do everything that it can to mitigate the risk of flooding," Turner said. "People are angry. They don't want their homes flooded two, four, six, seven times. I got that. I understand that. But instead of fighting a lawsuit, let's put our efforts into trying to mitigate the risks of flooding." David Hawes, whose firm manages TIRZ 17, declined comment on the lawsuit. Memorial City residents have been up in arms about stormwater detention since the area flooded in 2009 - damaging roughly 500 homes, according to Residents Against Flooding - and again took on water during last year's Memorial Day storm and this year's Tax Day flood. Among those affected was Dean Bixler, 59, whose home northeast of Memorial City Mall flooded in each of the storms. "The city's not doing enough," said Bixler, who purchased his home in 1996. "They know the area floods, yet they continue to allow development with the raising up of these large-acreage properties without mitigating, and they know (the water) has to go somewhere." Construction blamed The lawsuit cites the 2007 widening of Bunker Hill Road north of I-10 and the elevation of nearby commercial properties, among other projects, alleging that they displaced water into surrounding neighborhoods. City and county officials, however, say that new developments have been required to offset their potential flood impact since the mid-1980s. "We've been closely following the effects of the mitigation and any changes in the watershed since the criteria went into place, and so, when we get a major rainfall event, we go back and analyze it with those computer simulations to make sure that the watershed is responding the way we'd expected it to. And what we're seeing is that absolutely the mitigation that's being done with new development is producing the exact results that are expected," Harris County Flood Control District Executive Director Mike Talbott said, not specifically referring to lawsuit. "We're not seeing a worsening of the flood conditions." Newly appointed city flood czar Steve Costello echoed Talbott. "It's easy to point at change," Costello told the Houston Chronicle last week, also speaking broadly. "It's natural for someone who's not familiar with what I do for a living to say, 'Hey, they built that, and I got flooded.' It's natural for that to happen. We've got to do a better job of convincing the public that we're addressing these issues, which we haven't done in the past." Costello said government, ideally, would be able to step in to reduce flooding, since developers only are required to keep flood conditions from getting worse. "Absence of funding - we haven't been able to, over all these years, to make it better," Costello said. Similar to previous case Residents Against Flooding's lawsuit has some parallels to a case set for a rehearing before the Texas Supreme Court, Harris County Flood Control District v. Kerr, in which residents along White Oak Bayou said the county allowed upstream development without building sufficient infrastructure to detain and divert resulting floodwaters. The plaintiffs in that suit allege that constituted a 'taking' of property, and are seeking compensatory damages under state law. Harris County disagreed. "For hundreds of years there has been this concept of government immunity. Government cannot insure all communities against all acts of God," Harris County's lead attorney on the case, Melissa Spinks, told the Chronicle last year. "The reality is, Harris County has always had a flooding problem, since the Allen brothers started a community here. We have not stood by and refused to perform the acts that would prevent flooding. If there was an easy fix, we would have done it." The state Supreme Court ruled that the plaintiffs had enough evidence to call for a jury trial, but eight months later accepted the county's motion for a rehearing. Though Residents Aagainst Flooding's lawsuit, filed in federal court, also alleges deprivation of property rights, it seeks to compel the city and the TIRZ 17 Redevelopment Authority to mitigate flood risks, rather than claiming compensatory damages. "It will be interesting to see if that Kerr case sets any sort of a precedent on the arguments," said South Texas College of Law professor Matthew Festa, who specializes in property and land use law. "While the facts of today's case might be compelling, they face a high barrier on a lawsuit that asks the court to tell other governmental bodies how to spend money or what to do." Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner achieved his goal of securing unanimous passage of his first budget Wednesday, a month ahead of the typical schedule and after an unusually brief and amicable council discussion. The $2.3 billion general fund budget, which pays for most basic city services with revenues from taxes and fees, spends $82 million less than the current budget, only the second budget cut for Houston in two decades. That is in spite of the city facing an additional $27 million in mandated employee raises and $29 million more in rising pension payments in the fiscal year that starts July 1. Turner has acknowledged balancing the books for another year does not correct Houston's ongoing budget problems, driven by rising pension and debt costs, and, more recently, voter-imposed limits on property tax collections and slumping sales taxes undercut by the weak oil market. Ratings agencies Moody's and S&P cited all of those factors in lowering the city's credit rating by one notch in March. The mayor repeatedly had urged council members to grant him unanimous and early passage of the budget to signal that Houston's leaders are aware of its fiscal issues. He was downright jubilant Wednesday after getting his wish, even joking that he might run a lap around City Hall after the post-meeting news conference. "We sent a very strong message to all the credit ratings agencies that we are getting our financial house in order, and we've set ourselves up very well to deal with the other issues that are on the horizon," said Turner, who reiterated his goal of securing a deal to reform the city's costly pensions by November. To council members, he said, "I want to thank you for the trust you've placed in me." The council also approved budgets totaling $2.8 billion for the city's enterprise funds, such as the utility and airport systems, which are supported by user fees rather than taxes. Councilman Jack Christie, who chairs the council's budget committee, praised the spending plans. "We now have a lean and mean budget," he said. "He did it without burning bridges or making people too mad, and he did it without hardly any layoffs." As Councilman Michael Kubosh exited the council table after the meeting, he grinned and said, "Wow, I voted for the budget." Being the confrontational contrarian, the second-term councilman has been known to remark, is "in my DNA." Kubosh said his support came in part because of the passage of his budget amendment, which will spend $110,000 to expand an effort to pull submerged cars from bayous, and in part by Turner's consistent outreach. "I've already met with Mayor Turner more times in 150 days than I met with (former) Mayor (Annise) Parker in two years," Kubosh said. "He's so willing to talk to us." 'Consensus building' In closing a $160 million gap between revenues and expenses, the general fund budget cuts 54 vacant positions and includes roughly 40 layoffs. It pulls $10 million from reserves, makes $56 million in permanent changes - mainly cuts within departments - and relies on $94 million in one-time fixes, mostly refinancing city debt, selling public land and deferring payments. Controller Chris Brown, the city's elected financial watchdog, praised Turner's effort but also noted the need to pull expenses in line with revenues without relying on one-time fixes in the future. "That was needed to frame things for, hopefully, the future with pension reform, but we need to focus on structurally balancing the budget going forward," Brown said. "But overall, I think the mayor did a fantastic job. I'm hopeful we can carry this kind of momentum and consensus-building problem-solving toward our long-term structural problems." Members keep funds Council members submitted 23 amendments to the budget, about a third of the usual total. All but 11 were withdrawn, and only two, other than Kubosh's, carried specific costs. Councilman Greg Travis' attempt to cut an additional 1.5 percent from the budget failed, with only his vote in support. Councilman Jerry Davis' proposal to partially restore the 11 district council members' cherished service funds passed unanimously. Turner's proposal had cut that two-year-old program - which gives district members $1 million to spend in their areas - to $250,000 per district. The members will keep those general fund dollars but, thanks to Davis' amendment, each will get an additional $500,000 from cash the city receives from the Metropolitan Transit Authority for infrastructure repairs. The combined $5.5 million is part of nearly $62 million in so-called "general mobility" payments the city expects to receive from the transit agency in the coming fiscal year. That figure does not include another roughly $60 million that Metro will contribute to specific capital projects in the city. ReBuild remains The general mobility dollars are part of the city's ReBuild Houston program for repairing streets and drainage, and they typically go to pay employees to fill potholes, maintain traffic signals, repair bridges and resurface streets. Tapping Metro funds will not change the repairs that are made, Turner said, but will lock in the $8.25 million in general fund savings he had sought. The move will give council a voice in which jobs get priority, he said, for such efforts as sidewalk repairs and speed bumps. "It's work that needs to be done in the communities, in the neighborhoods, in the districts," he said. "They're all street-related anyway. There's a high demand for these street-calming devices, or for sidewalk repairs, so those are things they want, and the district council members are in a better position to determine what's important for their districts." Count technology as another and perhaps the largest difference among the generations, particularly when it concerns students. Adults like us remember a time when there wasnt technology. I remember when there was a cord attached to a phone, said Dr. Justin Patchin, co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center and a criminal justice professor at UW-Eau Claire. Consequently, adults tend to be task-oriented with technology, using it for an express purpose and then pushing away from it and moving on. Thats not at all how teens use technology. They dont log off. Theyre checking it from the moment they wake up, Patchin said. They havent known a time when they havent been able to connect with someone 24/7. If technology is not working properly, they freak out. It affects them a lot more deeply than we can appreciate. Patchin was brought in along with others by Chippewa Falls Middle School Principal Susan Kern last week to educate parents on their childrens use of social media. He cautioned parents not to get overwhelmed by it all. My biggest fear is that you will leave here with your head spinning, and think youre going to take them away from technology, he said. The thing we have to remember is that taking it away isnt really an option because for them it is so important, so necessary. Todays students are all-in on technology in its many forms, but its not a foreign experience to adults. Prior to the session at the middle school, many of the parents in attendance were using their smartphones. Counting the ways Patchin has done extensive research on youth behavior online and discovered: 92 percent of teens go online daily. 91 percent access the internet from a mobile device. 88 percent of teens either have a cell phone or have access to one. 73 percent have a smartphone. 90 percent text, with boys averaging 1,700 per month and girls 2,400 per month. Most of what they are doing is very positive, Patchin said. Using the internet for schoolwork is always near the top (in ranking uses of technology by youth). In a 2014 study of high school students it was No. 1. Thats really important. Facebook and Twitter are fast becoming old hat when it comes to social media, and teens now use a myriad of social media apps and sites on which they can view pictures, comments and videos. The youth generation, under the age of 24, is responsible for most of that, he said. Theres no shortage of what they are posting online. Snapchat was initially presented as an app where a photo is sent and disappears after 10 seconds. Or does it? We know for example we can take screenshots of it, Patchin said. Most teens realize those images are potentially somewhere, and are using it just fine. Yik Yak is an anonymous location-based feed where people can post anything they want, including pictures. Only those within a mile and a half of the location can see them. Due to the potential for trouble it could cause, a barrier (geo-fence) was thrown up around all public schools to prevent its use there. Nothing is ever completely anonymous, Patchin said, adding ultimately something can be tracked back to a person. Its important to remind your kids that it is traceable and trackable, if they are engaged in unlawful activities. If a certain line is crossed, there will be accountability. He mentioned two other popular apps: Kik is a messaging app that allows texts to be hidden from where they usually appear on a phone. The appeal is users can interact with people parents may not know, or say things they wouldnt otherwise say if parents are monitoring messages on their phone. A secret calculator app hides everything under what looks to be a calculator, but when a password is entered it opens up an area where apps can be stored, safely out of sight. There is a legitimate purpose for this app, but if you see this, theyre clearly trying to hide something, whether its from you or friends, Patchin told parents. I wouldnt jump to any conclusions, but its a cause for a conversation. School gets involved Schools have recognized if they want to reach students and their parents, they need to also plug into social media. The Chippewa Falls School District has been on board for a few years now. Its important to share our story in these formats, because thats where those parents are, said Scott Kowalski, director of educational technology for the district. Those parents keep getting younger, which means they are more familiar with social media. Using it as a tool has been very effective for us. He said the district climbed aboard Instagram within the past year, and is looking to add Snapchat. The district is also one of 17 in Wisconsin and Minnesota to work with Andrea Gribble, a consultant for K-12 schools and the founder of #SocialSchool4EDU, a company that helps schools encourage students to use social media in a safe and positive way. What I love about schools is theyre leading by example, Gribble said, stating several recent posts have gone viral. A student of the week post each Monday morning has reached up to 7,000 people. The schools Wire Choir shared a video she said reached more than 8,000. Another example came from Osseo, Minn., where she said a boy helped stop bullying at his school by providing a place for everyone to share positive comments. Take the time to share something or comment, Gribble said. It takes us seconds but it can make a big difference. However, not everyone uses social media in a positive fashion, and the UW-Eau Claire alumnus told parents she was not naive. I know theres a lot of bad things that can happen. Technology and social media are not inherently bad or good, theyre just really powerful. Her advice for parents? Connect with them, and that means interacting with technology. Stay close to them and ask what they are doing. Believe it or not, you are the best person to talk to your kids about being safe and kind online, she said. Tell them what they should do. Every week, show me something good. They like to be challenged. They can do amazing things. Set boundaries to restrict social media use at home, and as a parent, follow them as well. She cited a Pew Research Center study that found 24 percent of American teens go online almost constantly. And Im sure that numbers higher, Gribble said. As an adult, sometimes were not any better. Were constantly on those things too, so we need a bit of taming as well. Believe it or not, you are the best person to talk to your kids about being safe and kind online. Andrea Gribble, founer, #SocialSchool4EDU They havent known a time when they havent been able to connect with someone 24/7. If technology is not working properly, they freak out. It affects them a lot more deeply than we can appreciate. Dr. Justin Patchin, co-director, Cyberbullying Research Center AUSTIN - Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the Obama administration in U.S. District Court on Wednesday, locking arms with 10 other states to fight off a federal directive instructing schools to let transgender students use the bathroom they are most comfortable with or risk losing federal dollars. Paxton, who has been a vocal critic of policies allowing transgender people to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity, admitted to a lack of data indicating student safety as a concern but said the lawsuit is about President Barack Obama's administration imposing rules on states without congressional approval. "By forcing through his policies by executive action, President Obama has excluded the voices of the people. We stand today to ensure those voices are heard," Paxton said. The suit was brought both by the state and on behalf of Harrold Independent School District, a tiny K-12 system of roughly 100 students northwest of Wichita Falls with no known transgender students, said Superintendent David Thweatt. Even so, the Harrold school board installed a new restroom policy Monday stating "every multiple occupancy bathroom or changing facility shall be designated for and used by only individuals based on their biological sex." The superintendent or campus principal may make reasonable accommodations upon request when special circumstances arise, according to the policy. "Washington's mandate doesn't fit our schools, so we are suing to keep the federal government out of our children's locker rooms and restrooms," Thweatt said. Epicenter for lawsuits While Paxton said he has met with parents opposed to transgender students sharing bathrooms with students of the opposite birth sex, he said he has not met with parents of transgender students. He said he was open to such meetings. Wednesday's lawsuit was filed by 10 states in addition to Texas, eight of which have Republican governors. Texas has become an "epicenter" for multi-state lawsuits against the federal government, said Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond who has followed a similar lawsuit in Virginia. One of the latest headline-grabbing multi-state lawsuits involved more than two dozen states challenging the federal government over the president's executive action on immigration, which is pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. "Everybody knows the 5th Circuit is one of the most conservative courts politically at the appellate level, so depending on the panel draw, plaintiffs are likely to fare well there," Tobias said. Paxton argues in the lawsuit that the U.S. Department of Education, the Department of Justice and other agencies and officials are using the strong arm of the government to "turn workplaces and educational settings across the country into laboratories for a massive social experiment, flouting the democratic process, and running roughshod over commonsense policies protecting children and basic privacy rights." The Obama administration issued "significant guidance" directly to schools earlier this month instructing school leaders across the nation to allow transgender students to use the bathroom that corresponds with the gender they identify with. The move followed a new law in North Carolina outlawing such practices, which prompted some businesses to cancel expansions in protest of the law. Abbott, Patrick endorse suit Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick quickly praised Paxton's move to sue the federal government after offering comments for weeks about the state's need to protect women and girls from men using the ladies' room. "The president continues to violate the Constitution by trying to rewrite laws as if he were a king. The states serve as the last line of defense against an unlawfully expansive federal government, and I applaud Attorney General Paxton for fighting against the president's attempt to rule by executive fiat," Abbott said. The lawsuit is an attempt to ensure Texas can ignore the Obama administration's directive, which does not carry the force of law but signals that denying students access to the bathroom that matches their gender identity could come at the price of losing federal dollars for violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which bans sex-based discrimination. The issue first surfaced in Texas last year when voters in Houston repealed a wide-ranging anti-discrimination ordinance that included transgender people. Abbott and other state officials had weighed in to favor the repeal, saying men should stay out of women's restrooms. In April, the issue gained new steam in Texas when Patrick announced he would support passage of a law in Texas to mandate public restroom use be governed by a person's birth sex. Within days, Patrick was demanding the resignation of the Fort Worth school superintendent for approving a new policy on transgender use of restrooms and locker rooms without allowing for input from parents and the public. When the Obama administration issued its transgender bathroom directive, just as the state Republican Party convention was getting underway in Dallas, Patrick and other state leaders publicly directed Texas' public school officials to ignore the order. Attack on transgender people The ACLU of Texas called the lawsuit "nothing but a political stunt," adding that public-safety incidents in restrooms haven't grown due to transgender people. "This lawsuit is an attack by the attorney general on transgender Texans, plain and simple. While General Paxton sued the Obama administration, the real targets are vulnerable young people and adults who simply seek to live their lives free from discrimination when they go to school, work or the restroom," said Rebecca Robertson, legal and policy director of the ACLU of Texas. Paxton's lawsuit is joined by Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Page-turner, of sorts Regarding "Mexican-American text is courting controversy" (Page A1, Monday), If you liked your kids learning that we imported "workers" from Africa, you'll love them studying the Texas Education Agency's proposed racist text, Mexican-American Heritage. Perhaps the Texas Education Agency's members could benefit by watching the movie "A Day Without Mexicans" and listening to Tom Russell's song "Who's Gonna Build Your Wall?" Or, better yet, they could read some accurate books about the history, including the oppression and murder, of Mexican-Americans in Texas. The truth is readily available from Arte Publico Press, right here in Houston. I'm one mother who is proud to have sent my sons to private schools where they learned history, not garbage. Page S. Williams, Houston Dealing with pain Regarding "For the first time, opioid prescriptions drop" (Page A15, Sunday), all the powers that be and decision makers at the Federal Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control, or the Drug Enforcement Administration, should have prerequisites before they sit at their desk and make life decisions for others. They should have suffered stomach surgery, cancer, arthritis in the spine or neck or herpetic neuralgia/trigeminal nerve pain. Perhaps they would then have some sense when they shuffle their drugs from one tier to another, making it impossible for those of us who need it responsibly, legally and want to get it to work through the pain without becoming an addict. Judy McCleary, Houston Core GOP values Regarding "Houston - The city that could" (Section N, Sunday), in your wonderful special edition on Sunday, there was mention of Sam Houston's refusal to agree to secession before the Civil War. My great-great-great grandfather, Joshua Johnson, was a Texas legislator who, along with Sam, refused to vote for secession. Sam lost the governorship and the love, temporarily, of his fellow Texans. My grandfather had to leave the state and lost everything. Neither one of the two men ever changed their minds about their belief in the United States and their opposition to Texas leaving it. Wouldn't it be great if our Texas Republican politicians and even House Speaker Paul Ryan would love their country more than their party or jobs and refuse to vote for, in the words of Leonard Pitts, a "thin-skinned, loud-mouthed and volatile, preening bully and serial liar who shows little evidence of core values." Ellen Lancaster, League City Word play at work Regarding "Safety push brings war of words" (Page A1, Monday), the world is going crazy; this is political correctness gone awry. Not wanting to use the word "accident" when there is a collision is ridiculous. Where in the definition of "accident" does it say "letting driver off the hook?" The definition is, "a sudden event that is not planned or intended and that causes damage or injury." Do advocates really think people plan "accidents?" Jude Wiggins, Houston Not exactly Reaganesque Regarding "Cruz's role in Cleveland up in air" (Page A1, Tuesday), I'm extremely disgusted, but the people forgoing beliefs in the name of party unity, coalescing behind Trump because we must have a Republican at any cost is a sacrifice of integrity for unity. "Give me Liberty, or I'll give up" and "I have a dream that one day the nation will sit down and get along with the crowd" aren't going to go down in history as brave statements that our descendants can quote. Being a member of the flock is safe, but that doesn't make it right. The members of the Republican Party who chose to be in it because they believed in its goals, should repudiate Trump, not line up behind him. Bob Gayle, Houston Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! 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Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. omprehensive health and safety guide is essential for the wellbeing of both employees and employers but getting people to pay attention to the documents can be a daunting task now, one HR department has devised a novel way of knowing exactly who took notice.Office supply company Viking Direct were in the process of updating internal health and safety documents when they realized that, despite being important, very few staff found them engaging or enjoyable to review.To remedy this, we decided to have some fun, and test whether our employees read all of the way through the new guidelines, by including some very questionable emergency situation advice, reveals the UK-based company.The advice was impossible, improbable, or just plain terrible; and the scenarios ranged from what to do when the floor inexplicably becomes lava, to using the ink of red liquid ink pens to escape a horde of zombies.The accompanying illustrations were produced in the same style as Viking Directs standard emergency procedure instructions so as not to stand out.The campaign was a total success: before long a great number of staff had emailed the HR department asking about the images, and shortly after that, the whole office was talking about the new health and safety guidelines, reveals the supplier. This was a fantastic result for the HR department!European HR business partner Gemma Terrar said the entire team had supported the idea from the moment it was suggested.When someone in the department suggested this, we knew, without doubt, that we had to do it. Keeping it secret was the hardest part, especially since we had to find someone to help us put the images together, she said. In the end, we were really impressed with the reaction. It really shows that our staff is attentive and invested in everything that goes on here." George Rose via Getty Images LAKE LOUISE, CANADA - JUNE 27: An adult grizzly bear walks through a nearby campground and picnic area on June 27, 2013 in Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada. Major flooding along the Bow River in June washed out the Trans-Canada Highway 1 for nearly a week, forcing park visitors to cancel their vacation plans. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images) A number of ursine encounters have prompted officials to issue bear warnings around western Alberta. Alberta Parks posted a warning this week after a grizzly sidled up to a tent full of campers. It looks as if the bear had stepped on the side of the tent and then stepped off, leaving a couple of tear marks in the tent," wildlife ecologist John Paczkowski told the Rocky Mountain Outlook. Advertisement The warning covers the campgrounds of Boulton Creek, Lower Lake and Interlakes, all in Kananaskis Country. Bears break into cabins There is also a bear warning in place for Jasper National Park, where two grizzlies broke into cabins last week in search of food. Bear attacks in Alberta are rare. A larger concern for park officials is having to relocate bears that become accustomed to human contact. If a bear becomes dependent on food left behind by people, officials usually try to relocate the animal, which is costly and can create issues with other bears' territories. Advertisement A trail camera near Canmore captured this photo of a brown black bear last summer. (Photo: Alberta Parks/Facebook) Alberta Parks suggests campers carefully store their food, make lots of noise and travel in groups, keep pets on leash and carry bear spray. Parks Canada has also moved to take some precautions, closing or restricting access to three regions: Sinclair Canyon, McArthur Creek Valley and Odaray Prospect and Plateau. The area around Banff and Kootenay National Parks has had 25 bear sightings in the last two weeks, including a mother grizzly visiting a picnic area with her cubs. Advertisement People need to be aware, especially people who are coming on tour buses, said Jon Stuart-Smith, a Parks Canada wildlife specialist, in an interview with the Calgary Sun. He added there have been reports of people feeding bears in the province. Also on HuffPost: Amy Schumer has no time for your negativity, thank you very much. On Wednesday, the 34-year-old "Trainwreck" star took to Instagram to address body-shaming Internet trolls who were critiquing paparazzi photos from her recent vacation with boyfriend Ben Hanisch in Hawaii. Posting a photo of herself in a one-piece black swimsuit, the actress told her "trolls," "I hope you find some joy in your lives today in a human interaction and not just in writing unkind things to a stranger you've never met who triggers something in your that makes you feel powerless and alone." Advertisement Schumer continued, "This is how I look. I feel happy. I think I look strong and healthy and also like Miss Trunchbull from Matilda. Kisses!" I meant to write "good morning trolls!" I hope you find some joy in your lives today in a human interaction and not just in writing unkind things to a stranger you've never met who triggers something in you that makes you feel powerless and alone. This is how I look. I feel happy. I think I look strong and healthy and also like miss trunchbull from Matilda. Kisses! A photo posted by @amyschumer on May 24, 2016 at 10:44am PDT The photo has already gained 144,000 likes and numerous comments of supports from Amy's fans. "Thank you for existing just the way you are!" wrote one commenter. "In a world filled with unrealistic examples of womankind, you shine in beauty, grace and fearlessness. Thank you for being a role model my daughters can look up to!" chimed in another. This isn't the first time the comedienne has gotten real about her body image, however. Back in April, she called out Glamour magazine for including her in their "plus-size" edition without permission. Advertisement "Plus size is considered size 16 in America. I go between a size 6 and an 8," she wrote on Instagram. "Young girls seeing my body type thinking that is plus size? What are your thoughts? Mine are not cool Glamour, not glamourous." Follow Huffington Post Canada Style on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter! Also on HuffPost The slumping loonie is making it a little tougher for Canadians to travel outside the country this year. A survey by Canadian bank Tangerine found that only nine per cent of Canadians plan to vacation in the United States this year, and only eight per cent plan to travel to another country. And the loonie was largely to blame, with two-thirds saying it has affected their travel plans. But a sinking dollar alone shouldn't stop Canadians from travelling this year. For one thing, the falling cost of jet fuel means that flights this summer will be cheaper than they've been in seven years. Advertisement Another is that Cheapflights.ca has come up with a list of the cheapest average places to travel out of six Canadian cities. The website that offers cheap flight options from Canada has published a report and infographic advising travelers on where they can find affordable trips out of Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver. Cheapflights.ca came up with its list by analyzing 663,500 hours worth of searches, then crunched the numbers to see average flight costs to various destinations. Advertisement The website also devised reports for each of those six Canadian cities, showing the cheapest flights out of each one. New York showed up as a particularly affordable destination from most Canadian cities, though it was decidedly cheaper from airports in eastern Canada than in the West. Flights to Orlando also proved to be on the cheaper side. Trip prices weren't simply influenced by the distance between two points. For example, it was cheaper, on average, to fly to Orlando out of Vancouver ($506) than it was to travel there out of Winnipeg ($539). Advertisement In some cases, it was just as cheap for Canadians to fly to top vacation destinations abroad as it was to stay in their own country. The average price of a flight to Maui ($613), for example, was about the same as a flight to Vancouver ($612). A flight to L.A. ($458) was also, on average, cheaper than going to Montreal ($481). Here's the infographic listing the most affordable destinations from six Canadian cities, according to Cheapflights.ca. Paid parental leave does not exist in the U.S., which is why one California couple has resorted to crowdfunding to help cover the mom-to-bes maternity leave. Charles Webb and Rona Luo, who live in Oakland, are expecting their first child in July. While the U.S. does offer up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act, it is unpaid and only applies to those who work in companies with 50 or more employees. As a result, Webb and Luo, a video game writer and a self-employed acupuncturist, are looking to their community for help to fund Luos leave of absence. Advertisement Your support will allow Rona to take a three month unpaid maternity leave so that she can fully recover before returning to work, the couples YouCaring fundraising site reads. Your funds will also help us procure baby gear items like a car seat, stroller, diapers, changing table, nursing supplies and more. According to Webb, his partner thought crowdfunding would be more beneficial than a baby shower, as the money could help support the family while they only have one source of income. Rona struck on the idea that in lieu of a baby shower, we should reach out to our friends and family for help directly, the dad-to-be told HuffPost Canada Parents. Money for diapers and to help with her leave are more valuable than clothes which we could get as hand-me-downs or limited-use things which we could find second-hand. Advertisement Luo also added that she was inspired to crowdfund for her maternity leave after she campaigned with two friends to start a collectively-owned business in 2014. That perhaps primed me towards being open to asking for community support and generosity, she said. Since launching their fundraiser on Monday night, the couple has already raised $881 of their $4,500 goal. We've been touched by the positive responses and our community's generosity, the expectant mom said. Money for diapers and to help with her leave are more valuable than clothes which we could get as hand-me-downs or limited-use things which we could find second-hand. Luo and Webb arent alone in their fundraising efforts. Back in April, Today.com reported that crowdfunding is now a trend among parents trying to help cover costs of parental leave. Virginia mom Jennifer Warren Baker, who also crowdfunded during her pregnancy earlier this year, echoed Luos sentiments about turning to the community for support. People are crowdfunding everything else, why can't I do this? the mom-of-four told Today.com. Advertisement In the past, GoFundMe has hosted over 5,000 fundraisers for people looking to fund their maternity leave or child care, says spokeswoman Kelsea Little. Additionally, YouCaring has also seen dozens of people start similar fundraisers on their site. Were not trying to get anything out of it other than just making sure I have a place to live with my kids, said one Texas mom, Kieri Andrews, who has a GoFundMe page for her maternity leave. Ideally universal parental leave benefits would mean we would not have to fundraise like this. The U.S. is one of three countries that do not provide parents with any paid parental leave, which is why so many have resorted to fundraising. For workers without paid family leave, taking time off to care for a new baby or a seriously ill loved one can have devastating long-term financial consequences, ranging from racking up credit card debt to raiding savings to bankruptcy, Dina Bakst, co-founder of A Better Balance, an agency that fights for flexible workplace policies, told ABC News. Luo agrees that U.S. parental leave policies are troubling. When asked what she thought of the U.S. not offering any leave to new parents, the mom-to-be said: I believe paid maternity leave should be universal and available to low-wage workers, as well as the growing population of self-employed, freelance or independently contracted workers. Ideally universal parental leave benefits would mean we would not have to fundraise like this. Advertisement In Canada, maternity leave policies are strikingly different compared to the U.S., as both parents are offered up to 35 weeks of parental leave combined. In addition to this, new moms can also take up to 17 weeks of maternity leave. ALSO ON HUFFPOST: Kay Jewelers have proudly been going around for years proclaiming "every kiss begins with Kay." But after hearing one women's horrific experience with the diamond retailer, we're starting to think every kiss may begin with katastrophe. In a report by Buzzfeed, Chrissy Clarius shares the tale about her 14-karat white-gold engagement ring from the jeweller. Purchasing the $4299.99 ring in 2010 from a Kay Jewelers in Maryland, Clarius was given a certificate of authenticity from Gemological Science International, an organization that grades Kay's diamonds before they are sold. Advertisement A photo posted by Kay Jewelers (@kayjewelers) on May 10, 2016 at 11:18am PDT During one of her routine 6-month ring inspections, Clarius told Buzzfeed that her ring came back feeling different. Cue the horror. She asked Kay employers to check the diamond's certification number, yet they couldn't find it, claiming a number was never inscribed in the ring. After getting it inspected by two different jewelers, she learned the setting was not a diamond at all, but rather a moissanite, "a common, more-affordable alternative to diamonds," according to Refinery29. A photo posted by Kay Jewelers (@kayjewelers) on May 20, 2016 at 11:52am PDT Advertisement And apparently, Clarius isn't the only customer at Kay's to have had her diamond misplaced. On Kay's Facebook page, many women are are claiming their diamonds were also lost or damaged. "December we got engaged, it is now [M]ay and my engagement ring has been in 4 times for repairs, loose and lost diamonds, each repair takes to weeks. So in 12 week period I have been without my ring for 8 of those weeks. So they offer to make one in my size. I say OK (7wks til our wedding) now I'm notified they won't have it ready for our wedding day," one commenter wrote. Another remarked how her diamond was mislabelled. "My fiance was sold a diamond that was advertised as an i1 diamond, when we had some concerns about multiple bubbles inside of it, we called corporate. Corporate informed us that the diamond was really an i2," she wrote. In a statement to Refinery29, Kay Jewelers said they are taking these claims very seriously and that the company is actively reviewing this issue. The statement read: "When a guest brings their jewelry in for repair or service, it is diamond tested before it is sent out and when it is returned. As part of this process, our team members plot the guests diamond and map out each unique characteristic. Our teams review these unique details with the guest both when they come in to drop their jewelry off and when they pick up their jewelry following service or repair to ensure their confidence in the safe return of their original piece." As for Clarius, Buzzfeed reports she has been told Kay Jewelers' loss protection team is looking into the case. She has also filed a police report in Baltimore County. Follow Huffington Post Canada Style on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter! Also on HuffPost These days, the term "body positivity" is not only in our vocabulary, but it is truly a buzzword being used often. Plus-size women have come a long way, and although we still have challenges to face, we are definitely moving in the right direction. Advertisement With all of the support that our community has received over recent years, there is still not the same widespread support for plus-sized men. Although we are happy to celebrate as plus-size women, we need to keep in mind that "body positivity" is an inclusive term. It is a movement for all genders, races, orientations and sizes. The embracing of plus-size men in the fashion industry is gaining some exciting momentum with more plus-sized male models being featured in campaigns. However, there are many brands that serve larger-sized clientele, but leave them feeling unrepresented in the advertising and styling of their collections. Fortunately, incredible men across the world are working everyday to expand the acceptance of all body types. These men are breaking free from so-called "plus-size" rules and embracing a vast spectrum of aesthetics and styles. Below is a list of some of the influential men who identify as plus size and are leading the conversation about health at any size (and what that looks like). By sharing their daily lives, opening up about their battles, and showcasing some incredible body positivity, we will continue to see this inspirational movement grow in the right direction. Advertisement A photo posted by Syed Saud Sohail (@theprepguy) on Mar 29, 2016 at 9:01pm PDT Syed is one of the top plus-size men's fashion and lifestyle bloggers in Toronto. He recently shared his experience of "What It's Like To Be A Minority In Toronto's Fashion Industry" on Huffington Post Canada (this article is a must-read). He has been featured in some incredible body positive projects lately, giving plus-size men a voice in Canada and around the world. A photo posted by Kelvin | Notoriously Dapper (@notoriouslydapper) on May 15, 2016 at 8:12am PDT Kelvin is a plus-size male model and menswear blogger at Notoriously Dapper. He is also an admin of the fantastic body-positive Instagram account, @effyourbeautystandards. A photo posted by Zach Miko (@zachmiko) on Apr 27, 2016 at 9:24am PDT Advertisement Zach was the first model signed to IMG's recently launched plus-size model division, "Brawn." He shot to fame last year as Target's first ever plus-size model. A photo posted by Dexter Mayfield (@dexrated) on Mar 30, 2016 at 8:40pm PDT Dexter is a plus male model, as well as a dancer, actor, choreographer and a nightlife host. A video posted by Erik Cavanaugh (@erik_cav5493) on May 3, 2016 at 8:20am PDT Erik is a dancer and choreographer who shut down body-shamers as he showed us his graceful moves, while promoting health at any size. A photo posted by EXTRA-INCHES - Plus Size Blog (@extra_inches_plussizeblog) on May 11, 2016 at 10:22pm PDT Advertisement Claus is a male plus-size blogger at Extra Inches, as well as a plus-size model with CURVE Model Management. A photo posted by D Ghramm (@dghramm) on Mar 27, 2016 at 9:41am PDT D.Ghramm is a blogger of all things fashion, lifestyle and good eats at his blog, "D.Ghramm." He is also a plus-size model, and the admin of the Instagram hashtag #plusmalefashion. A photo posted by Troy Solomon (@abearnamedtroy) on Mar 15, 2016 at 7:07pm PDT Troy (a.k.a. @abearnamedtroy on Instagram), is a plus-size model and actor, and is incredibly inspiring in the body positive movement. He is also an ambassador of the "Own Your Pride" campaign for Los Angeles Pride. Advertisement A photo posted by Alessandro Carella (@uominidipeso) on Apr 25, 2016 at 2:42pm PDT Alessandro runs the plus-size blog, Uomini Di Peso from Milan, and is all about body positivity and body love. He is the founder of the Instagram hashtag #PlusMensRevolution and is also an admin of the hashtag #bigandblunt. A photo posted by Michael-Anthony Spearman (@thebigfashionguy) on May 9, 2016 at 8:25pm PDT Michael-Anthony is a Detroit-based blogger at "The Big Fashion Guy." He is "inspiring gentlemen of all sizes," with his extremely classy style. A photo posted by Jonathan Acosta Abi Hassan (@thejacosta) on Apr 23, 2016 at 5:56pm PDT Advertisement Jonathan Acosta Abi Hassan is a plus-size blogger and model based out of South Florida. He covers topics from fashion, makeup and grooming, along with food and even some DIYs. A photo posted by Lee's Lookbook (@francisleebaker4) on Apr 10, 2016 at 3:13pm PDT Francis runs the blog "Lee's Lookbook" and is inspiring men with his style and quotes like, "Take pride in your look. Whether it's a scar, a spot that's thinning or a few extra beer pounds, wear your style with confidence." A photo posted by Mr. Franklin (@goodboyfashion) on Jan 19, 2016 at 8:26pm PST Mr. Franklin describes himself as "a musician at heart, and stylist by discovery." He not only shares his incredible style, but also tackles issues crucial to the men's body positive movement on his blog, "Good Boy Fashion." Advertisement A photo posted by It's Dom Clark (@domclark) on Apr 10, 2016 at 9:37am PDT Dom is a plus-size style blogger at "It's Dom Clark," a photographer, and rocker of an insanely awesome handlebar moustache! Plus, he is now an official ambassador for "The Body Confidence Revolution." A photo posted by Chubstr (@chubstr) on Apr 27, 2016 at 8:20am PDT Bruce is the founder of "Chubstr," the successful website dedicated to life and style for big men. They inspire men to embrace any style they choose, regardless of size. A photo posted by Riccardo Onorato (@guyoverboard) on May 12, 2016 at 11:16pm PDT Advertisement Riccardo is a Rome-based, plus-size men's style, beauty and lifestyle blogger at the blog, Guy Overboard. On his blog he discusses how even the more recent positive wording around the plus-size women's community isn't inclusive for plus-size men, and is challenging the conversation about health at any size for men. A photo posted by Marquis Neal (@ashleytisdick) on Feb 2, 2016 at 7:49am PST Marquis showcases a continually shifting style, inspiring men of any size to wear what they love. He refers to himself as a "chubs in good outfits." I personally think "good" is an understatement. A photo posted by Darv Vader (@darv_vader) on Feb 11, 2016 at 11:30am PST As a plus-size blogger at Darv Vader, he has incredible street style and is continuing to break all the rules and inspire men of all sizes that they can wear anything they want. Advertisement Every woman, with no exceptions, deserves to feel comfortable in her own body, and to believe that the world is made just as much for her as the next person. That's why with "My Curves Have No Bounds," we're going to get real and talk about our bodies, what we put on them, and how we feel about everything in between. We want to break down the barriers and outdated notions that plus-size women encounter everyday. So check back every other week for more from "My Curves Have No Bounds," by Amanda Montgomery of Latest Wrinkle. Follow Huffington Post Canada Style on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter! Also on HuffPost TORONTO The Conservatives' first convention without Stephen Harper as leader is gearing up to be a settling of old scores and rancorous disputes over same-sex marriage and abortion. A proposal to scrap the party's belief in marriage as the union of one man and one woman may lead to contentious debate on the convention floor in Vancouver this week. Advertisement Those in favour believe the party needs to get on side with the majority of public opinion, and respect court rulings and a law passed in Parliament more than a decade ago. Conservative Leader Stephen Harper addresses supporters at an election night gathering in Calgary on Oct. 19, 2015. (Photo: Darryl Dyck/CP) "A lot of people have realized that we need this to be electable going forward," said 24-year-old Natalie Pon, one of the backers of the resolution. Advertisement "We recognize that if the Conservatives form government in 2019, this isn't something that is going to be repealed. We are going to have same-sex marriage going forward." Pon stressed that she and the resolution's backers, including the group LGBTory, are not proposing a new definition of marriage but only deleting its "limiting definition." They want to be inclusive of all views, she added, by also upholding the rights of religious organizations not to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies. Social conservatives want to be heard Social conservatives, however, see this as the latest affront to their values that augurs their diminishing place in the Conservative party. Already silenced from introducing anti-abortion motions in the Commons during the Tories' majority government, Campaign Life Coalition believes the party is further alienating social conservatives, telling them they are unwanted and their views are unwelcome. "If you delete the policy on marriage, you'll end up gutting the Conservative Party and driving away its very large social conservative base," Jack Fonseca, Campaign Life Coalition's senior political strategist, told The Huffington Post Canada. Advertisement "They won't see themselves or their values reflected in the party anymore, and their support will end," he added. "Many will stop voting and just stay home on election day. They'll stop donating. They'll stop volunteering. They'll stop asking their friends to vote. Gutting the party of these core supporters, activists and donors spells only one thing: a permanent Liberal majority for the foreseeable future." Three policy proposals mentioning, or indirectly referring to, abortion may also be debated in Vancouver. "Gutting the party of these core supporters, activists and donors spells only one thing: a permanent Liberal majority for the foreseeable future." Jack Fonseca, Campaign Life Coalition The riding association of Calgary Nose Hill popular MP Michelle Rempel's riding wants to add to the party's constitution "a belief in the value and dignity of all human life." "It is the deepest held belief of our Canadian society that all people, regardless of life situation or age, have intrinsic value and worth and therefore deserve dignity," the riding association writes in explaining their resolution. Advertisement If the motion ends up reopening the abortion debate. Fonseca said, so be it. "Pro-life, pro-family, pro-religious freedom" proposals, he said, will only help the party grow by reflecting the values and attracting support from new immigrants, who tend to come from more socially conservative areas, such as China, India, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. Abortion debate looms Other policy proposals include one that allows doctors and nurses to refuse to perform, or even to refer patients seeking abortions or assisted suicides, and another that condemns discrimination against girls through gender selection abortions. Alise Mills, a Conservative commentator and communications consultant, told HuffPost she believes the overwhelming majority of party delegates will "shutter" the anti-abortion, anti-same sex marriage group. "They are very loud, but they are small," she said. Pointing to the same-sex marriage resolution, Mills said she believes the convention is a chance for the party to decide whether it moves backwards or forwards. "I think in previous conventions everybody went, 'They are a dying breed, but they are here,' and I think this time around with leadership on the forefront, a change in national executive, an understanding of where our weaknesses were during the last election, it can't just be, 'Yes, we have a solid economic record,' we also need to move forward with a modern approach on social issues." Advertisement Tories to 'look forward' Most Conservatives aside from social conservatives, Mills said are rooted in libertarianism. "That is the majority of the party," she said. "I respect their religious beliefs, but there is no place for that on the floor." The theme of this year's convention is "look forward" but many policy proposals are reflective of past debates, past controversies and few forward-looking resolutions. Some resolutions champion tax reform. One calls for a referendum before any changes to the electoral system are made. Another wants more airline competition and suggests that the federal government allow cabotage foreign airlines' carrying passengers between domestic airports on a trial basis. Many resolutions, however, are focused on the grassroots' trying to claim more control over the party and fixing problems that emerged during Harper's last term in office. There is a resolution, supported by two B.C. riding associations, to limit the party leader to serving "no more than eight continuous years after being appointed prime minister." Advertisement Four riding associations are calling for frequent leadership reviews. Harper, who served as prime minister for nine years, faced no reviews during his time in office. Story continues after slideshow: Harper's Legacy: Top Achievements, Failures, According To Poll See Gallery "Based on past experience, it would be valuable for the grassroots to evaluate the leader of the party on a more regular basis," the riding of EsquimaultSaanichSooke says of its suggestion that the leader should face biennial reviews and retain a minimum of 80 per cent support in order to stay on. "The grassroots have an ear to the ground and can provide an objective view of the greater majority the public," they write. "Limiting the length in which a leader can be the leader of the party enables the party to sever ties with an incumbent leader who may have passed his or her prime." Harper obtained 84 per cent during a leadership review in 2005, a year before the Tories won a minority government. The riding of South SurreyWhite Rock points to the party's policy supporting the care of wounded and disabled soldiers and notes that, despite the wishes of the membership, the Conservative government fought a class-action lawsuit brought forward by injured Afghan veterans. Advertisement A mandatory leadership review at each national convention would encourage the leader to "respect the wishes and direction of the membership," it says. Dimitri Soudas leaves Parliament Hill in Ottawa on June 1, 2011. (Photo: Adrian Wyld/CP) One resolution from the ridings of KitchenerConestoga and Edmonton Griesbach notes that Harper hand-picked controversial former aide Dimitri Soudas as executive director of the party. They propose that the national council, not the leader, appoint the day-to-day party manager. "We all know how wonderful an executive director Dimitri Soudas turned out to be, and the leader's pick for executive director was an absolute disaster!," they wrote. Soudas was forced to resign from his position after interfering in a contested nomination race involving his then-girlfriend and Conservative MP Eve Adams. She abandoned that contest and later joined the Liberals, but failed to win a nomination race. Advertisement The ridings of KitchenerConestoga and Edmonton Griesbach also want "better monitoring" of the Conservative Fund Canada, the fund that Nigel Wright, Harper's former chief of staff, said he and Tory Senator Irving Gerstein were planning to use to pay senator Mike Duffy's contested expenses. Instead of having the leader nominate the fund's directors, the ridings want MPs and national council members to do it, to ensure "better and more transparent oversight." No longer the 'Stephen Harper show' They also propose an information technology oversight committee to ensure better oversight of efforts to update the Conservatives' national membership database. Between $7 and $9 million was wasted on a new database, known as C-Vote, with no oversight by the national council, they wrote. "Setting up an IT oversight would have prevented the needless waste of [the] Party's money." A handful of resolutions also seek to help the party grow. They range from lowering the cost of the membership fee, to setting up a youth wing, to creating committees in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver to help enhance the party's chances in urban areas where the Tories were completely shut out. While some resolutions clearly express the grassroots' frustrations, Tim Powers, the vice-chairman of Summa Strategies and a frequent Tory commentator, told HuffPost several proposals also recognize that in order to win, the party needs to grow. For 12 years, Powers said, it's been "the Stephen Harper show, and I think people want to say through resolutions and through appearance at convention that what worked for Stephen Harper was good. But it didn't work in the end, and we [the grassroots] need to be part and parcel of any process going forward, if we are all going to succeed." Advertisement Some resolutions are coming forward now because Harper no longer controls the machinery of the party and there is no permanent leader, he said. Party 'paranoid' about supporter class category But Powers expressed surprise that the Conservatives' grassroots had not proposed a further opening up of the party something akin to the Liberals' supporter-class category, which is credited with bringing tens of thousands of new people and new donors to the Grits. Some members' remain "paranoid," he said, that the Tories will get hijacked by interest groups, but at a time when people are less interested in partisan politics and everybody is competing for attention and time, he believes the party "can't be afraid to experiment." The Liberals, who are also holding a convention this weekend, will be debating in Winnipeg whether the party should do away completely with membership in order to attract a larger base. What some observers fear will happen in Vancouver, however, is hijacking of a different sort a return to the old battles of the conservative movement, the Progressive Conservatives versus the Reform parts of the party. Advertisement Interim Tory leader Rona Ambrose, seen here in the House of Commons on May 18, 2016, has been the subject of a 'Draft Rona' campaign. (Photo: Adrian Wyld/CP) One resolution that embodies that divide is a review of the way future leaders are selected, the current weighted point system that gives every riding regardless of the size of its party membership equal weight or whether, as proposed, the party should adopt a one member, one vote system. Mills, based in Vancouver, and Powers, who is from Newfoundland, embody that disagreement. Who will carry the day will depend in great part in who shows up. While Conservative party spokesman Cory Hann insists that some 3,000 delegates are expected this weekend, some insiders believe the figure will be closer to a thousand. Many MPs have complained publicly about the $940 attendance fee and the expense of flying and staying in Vancouver, which makes it a near impossibility for many members. A large crowd is expected to show up Thursday evening, however, when festivities kick off and Harper addresses the party faithful for the first time in public since election night on Oct. 19. Advertisement Stephen Harper leaves the stage after addressing supporters at an election night gathering in Calgary on Oct. 19, 2015. (Photo: Darryl Dyck/CP) Harper is expected to deliver a short speech. A source close to him said he wants to focus on his Conservative government's accomplishments and the need to keep the party united. "Is he going to be graceful and not give us a forward vision that can be affixed to him, or will he look to give a big epistle on the state of the country as he sees it?," Powers asked. "Harper signalled that he is prepared not to be the face and focus of the Conservative party, and for now that's a good thing, and I think if he sends a message in that vein, it sends a message to the membership that they too need to look forward and not back and I think that's absolutely crucial." Like many conventions, however, much of the action will happen behind the scenes, in hospitality suites and convention corridors. The water cooler chat will focus on who the next party leader should or will be. Advertisement So far, only MPs Michael Chong, Kellie Leitch and Maxime Bernier have officially declared their candidacy. Bigger names such as businessman and television personality Kevin O'Leary, MPs Jason Kenney, Lisa Raitt, Tony Clement, and former speaker Andrew Scheer, as well as former MP Peter MacKay are staying on the sidelines for now though a few will have speaking roles at the convention. "Harper signalled that he is prepared not to be the face and focus of the Conservative party, and for now that's a good thing." Tim Powers Interim party leader Rona Ambrose, who is expected to sit down and take the stage with the official candidates on Friday afternoon, has been the subject of a "draft Rona" campaign, although she has said she has no interest in the permanent job. It is still possible a motion could be brought forward at convention that could allow her to run for the leadership should she change her mind. The party's constitution currently prevents the interim leader from becoming a candidate in the leadership selection process. Advertisement Also on HuffPost President Bush, Patriarch Ilia, Levan Vasadze, and Dr. Carlson Inspire Over 2,000 Delegates at World Congress of Families X in Tbilisi, Georgia Contact: Larry Jacobs, Managing Director, World Congress of Families, 815-997-7106, media@worldcongress.org TBILISI, Georgia, May 26, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- President George W. Bush, Orthodox Patriarch Ilia (Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia), Levan Vasadze (Chairman of World Congress of Families X and Chairman of Georgian Demographic Society 21) , and Dr. Allan C. Carlson (Founder, World Congress of Families; President Emeritus, The Howard Center for Family, Religion & Society; former Visiting Professor, Hillsdale College) greeted the delegates to the live televised Opening Ceremony of the World Congress of Families at the Tbilisi Philharmonic Concert Hall. Patriarch Ilia welcomed more than 2,000 delegates from more than 50 countries to the Tbilisi Philharmonic Concert hall. The Orthodox Patriarch gave his support and blessing to World Congress of Families in its work to affirm the natural family as the fundamental and only sustainable unit while defending the sanctity and dignity of every human life from conception to natural death. The Patriarch spoke of the need to fix the "Deficit of Love" in society which could only be solved by eliminating the "Deficit of Family" that is happening in our post-modern, self-indulgent world. He warned against political attempts to re-define what God has created in family and marriage. As the oldest reigning Orthodox Patriarch in the world serving more than 39 years, Ilia II's wise words were inspiring to Georgians and all of the international leaders and delegates in attendance. Levan Vasadze greeted the World Congress of Families participants and spoke of building a new Christian civilization that rejects the neo-liberal ideology that infects the post-modern West. Levan spoke of the lost virtues of Western Civilization, and Georgia's desire to welcome a new geopolitical cooperation that transcends the current bi-polar paradigm. Levan asked, can we work together with both free nations of West and East to build a new East-West Christendom with universal Christian values? Levan's words clearly inspired the people of Georgia to step out and be the nation to lead these efforts to show the world that "Georgia Is Family!" Allan Carlson reminded the delegates of G.K. Chesterton's words that the family serves as a "Bulwark of Liberty and Freedom," the only sustainable protection against a bad government and a totalitarian state. Dr. Carlson described the current "Sensate Culture" described by Harvard sociologist Pitrim Sorokin, where individualism, materialism, and secularism replace the virtues of family and faith. But, in a hopeful historical forecast, Dr. Carlson reminded delegates that the decline of the family and history does not move in only one direction. Hitler, Lenin, Mussolini, and many other historical figures always believed they were on the right side of history, as claimed by the sexual radicals and the anti-family leftist elites of today. Thankfully, family cultural renewal moves in historical cycles as Dr. Carlson has described in his latest book, Family Cycles: Strength, Decline, and Renewal in American Domestic Life, 1630-2000. These cycles last for about 50 years in the United States. Dr. Carlson asks, "Are we not at a low point of family decline and poised for a great cyclic renewal of family and marriage in the U.S. and worldwide?" President George W. Bush also sent his support and best wishes for success to the gathering. Larry Jacobs, Managing Director of World Congress of Families read the following letter from the President to those in attendance: I send greetings to those gathered for the World Congress of Families X in Tbilisi, Georgia. As the first sitting U.S. President to visit Georgia, I was honored and humbled by the appreciation and enthusiasm expressed to me by the Georgian people gathered in Tbilisi's Freedom Square in 2005. I repeat the words that I spoke to them then, 'Georgia is a beacon of liberty for this region and the world. The path of freedom you have chosen is not easy, but you will not travel it alone ... the American people will stand with you.' Around the world, families provide that beacon of freedom and the source of help, hope, and stability for individuals and nations. As one of the pillars of civilization and the bulwark of liberty, families must remain strong and we must defend them. To ensure that future generations are prepared to face new opportunities and challenges, as President, I took steps to promote strong families, preserve the sanctity of marriage and protect the well-being of children. Laura and I have always believed in encouraging adoption and supporting the crisis pregnancy center programs to help us continue to build a culture of life. I commend your efforts to recognize the importance of families in building nations. Your work improves many lives and makes the world better. Laura joins me in sending our best wishes. The former U.S. President will be also honored with the "FAMLIA ET CIVITAS" (Family and Democracy) Award for his pro-life work to build a culture of life. The theme of the Tenth Jubilee, World Congress of Families X is "Civilization at The Crossroads: The Natural Family as the Bulwark of Freedom and Human Values." World Congress of Families unites leaders worldwide in defense of family, faith, and freedom by: (1) Affirming the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, (2) Promoting the natural family as the fundamental and only sustainable unit of society and (3) Defending the dignity and sanctity of every human life from conception to natural death. This award comes more than a decade after Georgians celebrated and honored President Bush, by naming the road to the Tbilisi international airport "George W. Bush" Highway in recognition of the former President. President Bush has greeted previous World Congress of Families events, including the World Congress of Families III held in Mexico City in 2004 which was also addressed by Mexican First Lady, Mrs. Martha Fox. President Bush commended the efforts of the World Congress to "recognize the importance of families in our society. Around the world, families are the source of help, hope, and stability for individuals and nations. As one of the pillars of civilization, families must remain strong and we must defend them during this time of great change. Your work improves many lives and makes the world better," declared Mr. Bush. Here is the full text of Mr. Bush's greeting from 2004 at World Congress of Families III in Mexico City, worldcongress.ge/george-w-bush.pdf. President Bush is the first sitting U.S. President to visit Georgia and his visit in 2005 to Tbilisi's Freedom Square was enthusiastically received by the Georgian people. "Georgia is a beacon of liberty for this region and the world," Mr Bush said. "The path of freedom you have chosen is not easy, but you will not travel it alone ... the American people will stand with you." Tinatin Khorbaladze, Executive Director of WCF X, commented on the President, "As Georgians, we have a special connection to President Bush as he was the first U.S. President to visit our great homeland, one of the oldest Christian nations on earth. Mr. Bush won a place in our hearts as he danced to Georgian music and declared our nation to be a beacon of liberty and freedom for the world. He gave us hope that we could maintain our Georgian traditions of family, faith, and freedom while partnering with America and the West." For more information on World Congress of Families X, visit the Congress websites: www.worldcongress.ge and www.worldcongress.org. Share Tweet Anadolu Agency via Getty Images ISE, JAPAN - MAY 26: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (R) and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (L) shake hands prior to G7 leaders summit at the Ise Jingu (Shrine) on May 26, 2016 in Ise, Mie Prefecture, Japan. (Photo by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan / Handout /Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in Tokyo this week for a bilateral visit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as well a G7 leaders summit in nearby Ise-Shima. While increasing trade is a major focus of the prime minister's visit (Japan is Canada's fifth largest trading partner), Canadians should cross their fingers that Trudeau doesn't ask his Japanese counterpart for advice on fiscal policy and the virtues of massive infrastructure spending. Japan's economy, which is now the world's third largest, developed into a powerhouse following the Second World War. From the 1960s to the 1980s, Japan's economy grew rapidly, transforming Japan from a poor country into a very wealthy one. But in 1991, real estate and stock market prices crashed and Japan's economy has been struggling ever since. Public debt is a staggering 229 per cent of GDP -- in other words, more than double the size of the entire Japanese economy. Broken down, it means every man, woman and child in Japan now owes nearly $100,000 CDN. Advertisement How did Japan dig itself into such a big hole? Look no further than a fatal conceit in the power of government deficits to "stimulate" the economy. Year after year, the Japanese government has sought to spend the country into prosperity. Infrastructure, of course, featured very prominently. The result has been that the Japanese government has run deficits every year since 1992, with no end in sight. In the 1990s alone, Japan spent around $2 trillion on building new infrastructure, including highways, roads, bridges and tunnels, many on wasteful white elephant projects now dubbed "roads to nowhere." By some estimates, as much as 70 per cent of Japan's coast is covered in concrete. But what is most troubling in the Japanese government case is its refusal to acknowledge its own policy failures, choosing instead to double down on deficit spending. And what did all that borrowed money buy? Since 1992 annual economic growth in Japan has averaged just 0.8 per cent (compared to 2.6 per cent in Canada). In other words, if the policy objective was a boost to the Japanese economy, it was a complete failure. Advertisement It is true that Japan faces some unique challenges (for example, the population is shrinking due to a low birth rate and very low levels of immigration) which make it difficult to compare directly to Canada's situation. Yet there are obvious parallels between the Japanese approach and the Trudeau government's faith in the power of deficit-financed "investments" in "infrastructure" to transform the Canadian economy. True, the amounts pledged by the Trudeau government are nowhere near the astronomical levels seen in Japan. But what is most troubling in the Japanese government case is its refusal to acknowledge its own policy failures, choosing instead to double down on deficit spending. Prime Minister Abe even plans to use the G7 summit as a platform to sell his counterparts on the need for yet more government stimulus spendingld, apparently in defiance of the well-known maxim about the wisdom of doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results. Hopefully Prime Minister Trudeau views his Japanese visit as a useful exercise in information gathering. He and his ministers have regularly claimed to be disciples of "evidence-based" decision making -- and based on a quarter century of evidence from Japan, they should think twice about repeating that country's costly mistakes. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook ALSO ON HUFFPOST: For around nine years I've been writing about the good news coming out of Canada's remote and not so remote First Nations. I wish I could write something inspirational today. I wish I could list successes, accomplishments and victories. The good news about our Anishinabek, Mi'kmaw, Cree, Blackfoot, Inuit, Mohawk kids. But today, on this beautiful spring day, I just can't. The news coming out of our Indigenous communities is discouraging. Indigenous kids are lagging so far behind in so many ways. Our girls and women are still going missing or dying violently. Our people are dying too young from lack of adequate medical services. Children are still being taken from their mothers. Educational funding is a bad joke. Families are still fractured. I want so desperately to write something that will celebrate our youth but, as we move into Aboriginal Month, I find myself searching for the right thing to say. Advertisement I know in my heart that people are generally, good. Generous. I've seen it. When I talk to people about the conditions in which our kids are living, they respond in a good way, reach into their hearts and concur. They say pretty things about how much work we all have to do. We're all Treaty People. What I find infuriating is the fact that we all still insist that our Indigenous kids take it on themselves, without giving them the tools to do what we tell them to do: Learn your history. Honour your culture. Listen to your Elders, who have been robbed of their own histories and cultures. Stay in school. Don't have kids at so young an age. Don't drink. Don't do drugs. Don't bully. Be proud. Look after each other. And do all these things while your parents fall apart because they don't have enough money to feed you because food prices are so high, and the school you go to doesn't have toilet paper and the community you live in has radioactive particles in its water. Or no running water at all. They just can't. They're kids. They don't have the capacity yet to solve the problems their grandparents are struggling to overcome. They know about generational trauma. They know, now, because of the internet, how far behind they are. They know now, what other people's expectations are for them. Which aren't very high. They know now, about every murder, arrest, disappearance, beating, failure of someone just like them. They can read for themselves the TRC's findings and take in the scope of Canada's failings and outright genocide. When I hear about more suicide pacts, attempts, successes, my heart breaks into pieces. I see their faces. I see them smiling, joking, wrestling with life's mysteries, reaching out to their grandparents and my heart bursts with love, pride and despair. When I see them dance, sing, drum, draw, write and speak eloquently about the world as they see it, my mind is overwhelmed by their potential. And I am struck dumb by the idea that their potential is being smothered. Willfully. With impunity. Advertisement I'm not sure I can find pretty words anymore. I know life isn't fair. It's just that, it seems to me, Canadians are okay with the idea that if it's less fair for some, we can all just move on. "There needs do be more action. No more pretty words. Stand up for your Indigenous children, Canada. Please." Yes, we're grappling with the task of reconciliation. Yes, we all have a lot of work to do. But when are we all going to combine the same kind of effort it takes to rescue people from other countries and reach out to Albertan fire victims? (some of whom, by the way, were Indigenous firefighters fighting the Beast while their own homes evaporated in the flames) If Attawapiskat and other First Nations can raise thousands of dollars for Albertans, why can't an entire Nation do the same for them? We're moving into 150 years of Confederation. I remember the 100 year mark, and had no idea what that meant to the Indigenous people in this Dominion. A fancy maple leaf we all learned to draw in school, Bobby Gimby's "One, little, two little, three Canadians" Expo '67...I remember lots of unbridled optimism about a young country ready to wow the world. I didn't see then the irony of a celebration that didn't take into account the nations that existed and still exist here. I didn't know on whose ground my own feet were treading. Nine years ago, I began my own education. One I didn't have when I went to school. I was given this gift when DAREarts sent me out to help design a program as an answer to a call for help from the community of Webequie. They had a cluster of suicides and were reeling from shock, grief and anger. They did all the work. I was there more as a witness to their pain, with the ability to help us all channel this pain into something remarkable. It takes generations to work through this pain. There is no magical salve. But Webequie is persevering. Those kids are adults now, working hard to make a safe, warm, nurturing home for their own kids. But it's hard. Advertisement I've been shocked by what I've seen over the past nine years. I'm still shocked by what I see, every day. We can all say pretty words about how non Indigenous kids feel about those poor kids up in Attawapiskat, and how schools are putting together letters of love and care packages. But we can't hide the dismal fact that Attawapiskat is only one of dozens of Canadian Indigenous communities affected by youth suicides. There needs do be more action. No more pretty words. Stand up for your Indigenous children, Canada. Please. Because I'm not sure I'm talking to real people out there. I hear a lot of support from Child Advocates and health and wellness and arts organizations about their good news, but I'm not hearing from my neighbours down the road who'd heard stuff on CBC and shrug because they don't know how to make it better. I'm not hearing from the cashier at the local grocery "Would you like to donate a toonie for Schools for First Nations?" I'm not hearing from you. I need to know that you, ordinary Canadian citizens, that you really care. That instead of saying," What can I do?" or "I didn't learn about that in school" to Indigenous people like me, get on the internet and find the countless Twitter accounts that can help you understand more about our history. Read the TRC's 94 Calls to Action. Get on the phone, ask the charity questions and actually DONATE some money. Organize. Go to your nearest Search Engine and type Indian Act. Educate yourself about the economics of despair. What Canada is built on. Get past guilt and YOU move on. Please. Then, maybe your children will know what THEY can do to make Canada a more equitable place as we move into and celebrate our second century. I'm done with pretty words. I'm done with preaching to the choir. I need to see what action can do. I need to see Canadians show the world how mature Canada is, and how capable we are as a caring, progressive people. DAREarts put me to a challenge; to think of others besides myself, to use my talents to help Indigenous kids explore and demonstrate the excellence in themselves. I challenge you, I DARE you to take to heart the responsibility we all share for our children's future. Advertisement Then we will truly have something to celebrate about. (photo by DAREarts Student, Craig A.) Getty Is it just me, or is all the technology that's supposedly designed to keep us more organized, really just creating more places to look when you can't remember where you've put that thing? My defacto method of keeping things I want to remember to read or do - at least as far as internet articles, links, and sites are concerned -- is to keep a tab open in my browser. But something tells me that 45 tabs spread across three Chrome windows is maybe not the most efficient way of running my laptop. Duh. Advertisement I've tried some of the apps and sites designed to keep that all that stuff in some semblance of organized chaos, but there are just too many and I never remember where I've put what. Pinterest. Google Keep. Evernote. My iPhone notes. My camera roll. My bookmark folder. Is it in the cloud? On my hard drive? On my phone? There are too many places it could possibly be! In the olden days (aka before the internet age -- I know that may be a difficult phrase to comprehend if you're under the age of 25) if there was something I wanted to read or remember, I put it on a bulletin board, which it kind of seems was what Pinterest was designed to be. But just like a bulletin board could never fully track every single thing I needed to remember (and the spillover would inevitably extend to piles of papers on my desk, collages of invitations stuck to my fridge, and a plethora of colourful post-it notes pretty much everywhere), Pinterest similarly let me down. So then I tried Google Keep. And Google Drive. And Evernote (which has a 4-star rating on the App Store, but which I've never even used once) but nothing seems to cover the gamut of my storage needs. Ya feel me? Am I the only one having this problem? Have all of you guys figured out some foolproof method of organizing your internet life into perfectly ordered folders of crystal clear logical goodness, and are currently shaking your head at my amateur organizational attempts? Or are you struggling, as I am, to keep track of all the articles, information, images, inspiration, and useful links that you come across on a daily basis? Because I swear, sometimes it feels like trying to keep up with all of the internet content I deem interesting or useful is actually becoming a full-time job (but without the promise of the much-needed paycheck at the end of that rainbow). Advertisement Maybe you've just given up entirely and have come to the (probably true) realization that internet links might be like when you feel like you've forgotten to pack some elusive item for your vacation, but can't remember what it is -- to that my mom would say, if you didn't remember it, it can't be that important. I mean really, do I really need to be able to re-visit the website for a Los-Angeles based gift basket company, a Pinterest board that consists almost entirely of funny old e-cards, a link to the soundtrack from The Great Gatsby, or the website for a design-y list-keeping app that I first came across in 2010? (I actually have four different to-do list apps bookmarked that I have never used -- the irony is not lost on me.) Well I did have a good giggle going through those e-cards, so the answer is yes! I want to keep track of all this stuff so that someday in the near future, when somebody says, "Hey, I need some new interweb inspiration, preferably of the colour-coded variety." I can say, "I have the perfect link for that!" So spill the beans. Share the goods. What are your favourite methods of organizing your digital world? What do you use to keep track of everything you want to remember to read, see, watch, and do? If you've got any good tips, leave them in the comments section below and share the wealth. And on behalf of everyone who will read your tips and benefit (and our limited computer processing power currently being sucked by Google Chrome) thank you. As Canadians, we have a reputation for modesty. While in some cases this tendency is overstated, the stereotype applies when it comes to our professional lives. Recent LinkedIn research revealed that only 29 per cent of Canadian professionals said they're proud to talk about their professional achievements, compared to 40 per cent of Americans. Only two in five feel comfortable talking about their own professional achievements to others. In a world of selfies and sharing photos of what we're eating for breakfast, it's strange that we still hold back from promoting ourselves: 53 per cent of Canadian professionals admitted that talking about their achievements feels like they're bragging, while 55 per cent said they'd rather talk about their colleagues' achievements than their own. Thing is, if you don't tell your work story well, who will? It's not about being obnoxious; it's about confidently articulating your accomplishments and giving your professional story context for colleagues, recruiters, and current (as well as potential) employers. Advertisement If you met your dream employer tomorrow, how ready would you be to wow them and land the job? This would be difficult for many Canadian professionals, given that more than one-third (36 per cent) admitted they find it hard to describe what they do. So, how do you walk this fine line and really lean into the #humblebrag? Here are a few tips to help you start shedding that unnecessary modesty and confidently promote yourself. Put Your Best Face Forward: Did you know that Linkedin users with a photo receive up to 21 times more profile views? Your photo is your virtual handshake, so upload an approachable image that aligns with your role as a professional. That said, you don't need to spend money on a professional photographer. Here's a handy guide to taking the perfect work selfie. First Impressions Matter: Take some time to craft a compelling elevator pitch (free of generic buzzwords) outlining who you are, where you want to go, and the accomplishments that demonstrate your value. Seventy-nine per cent of Canadian recruitment decision makers say they would rather read a profile that includes a creative summary of a candidate instead of just a listing of their previous jobs. Advertisement Find Your Voice: Whether it's starting your own blog, posting regularly on social media (with a professional bent) or publishing a post on LinkedIn, make sure your network knows you're on top of the issues that impact your industry. A short, well-articulated post that demonstrates your unique POV can help showcase who you are and how you think. Get Offline: Professional networks like LinkedIn are essential to building your professional brand and telling your work story to the world, but one key to building out your network is being able to make your online connections into real-life advocates for you. Remember that elevator pitch? You need one IRL too. Telling a consistent story both on and offline is crucial to making your work story memorable. Skills to Pay the Bills: Sites like LinkedIn offer you the ability to highlight your skills and demonstrate areas of expertise. By adding at least five relevant skills, you'll be messaged up to 31 times more by recruiters and other members. Location, Location, Location: More than 30 per cent of recruiters use location when searching for candidates, so make sure to include your location to make it easier for them to find you. If you're looking to make a location change, put some thought into how you can best communicate this to prospective employers. Polish up that career narrative; it's time to be the hero in your own #workstory. Bloomberg via Getty Images Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, Canada's prime minister, attends a news conference where he conceded victory on election day in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on Monday, Oct. 19, 2015. Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party has swept into office with a surprise majority, ousting Prime Minister Stephen Harper and capping the biggest comeback election victory in Canadian history. Photographer: Ben Nelms/Bloomerg Recently an article in the National Observer entitled "Is Harper the Worst Prime Minister in History?" started trending. I was a hyper vocal critic of Stephen Harper in his last two terms in office, and would find it easy to lay out why he might be considered the worst prime minister in history. I voted for Harper in his first election win and felt at the time it was imperative the Liberals be put on time out. As time in power carried on, as is the norm, the government's culture started to rot. In 2015 Canadian voters resoundingly rejected Harper in favour of the sunny ways of the Trudeau Liberals. In ten years, I'm confident we will be sending the same pink slip JT's way. Advertisement Does the inevitable stagnation that comes with a decade in power automatically cast a departed leader as the worst in history? Many will point at Harper's dictatorial approach to governance, his deficits, his disregard for science or his political gamesmanship as proof that he was. I don't think this type of hyperbole is worthwhile nor productive. We only need look South to see what this kind of hyper-partisanship does for and to a country. While I've since traded in my Conservative membership, I'm just not prepared to say that Canada's 22nd prime minister was its worst. I feel that just as those who make a case for him being the worst do, I need to point out the legacy that he leaves behind in our country that I'm going to most remember him for. It takes a skilled politician to successfully navigate through two minority Parliaments. Let's start with before he came to power. For years the right wing in Canada had been fractured and was relegated to near irrelevance. Many parties had attempted to "Unite the Right," but it wasn't until Stephen Harper actively committed to the process that any real headwinds were made. In bringing the Progressive Conservatives into the fold, for the first time in over a decade, right leaning Canadians had a credible option at the ballot boxes. Harper not only brought together progressives and social conservatives, but he kept that group united and saw them through three election wins, with each election increasing their margin of victory. That Harper was able to keep these factions in unison through his time in power is telling as to how controlling he actually was. Under Harper's watch there was no re-visitation of abortion rights, or gay marriage. He knew the socially conservative elements of his party needed to be kept at bay. It wasn't just social conservatives you saw falling into line either. Anyone notice how moderate Rona Ambrose seems on a litany of topics since becoming interim leader? Advertisement It takes a skilled politician to successfully navigate through two minority Parliaments. How did Harper do this? First off, he knew when to pick and choose his battles. At the start of his tenure, he demonstrated great skills in political decision making. While wildly controversial, proroguing Parliament became one of his favourite tools in the box to avoid votes or issues that weren't politically convenient. Nothing can tone down the outrage of the opposition and electorate better than a summer vacation. One of the things I liked about Harper in his early days was that he was a do something prime minister who followed through on commitments. Most economists disagree with his move to reduce the GST, but it was one of the first steps he took after taking office. As the country faces economic uncertainty, driven in part by lack of revenue, this move looks foolish. It's also a political hot potato the Liberals don't want to touch. Regardless of the merits of the reduction, he followed through on his promise to do so. For that, I respected him immensely. Harper's ability to improve his electoral standing in each election was driven by a conscientious effort to court votes that were typically held by Liberals. Along with Jason Kenney, who was initially tasked with outreach to ethnic communities, they prioritized relationship building with communities who traditionally have social conservative values. For decades these groups had supported leftist candidates due to those parties doing better jobs of outreach. At the same time, Harper's spirited defence of the Jewish state and opposition to anything Palestinian drew the Jewish community to the Conservatives. Without debating the merits of his approach, Harper's tough on crime agenda was generally popular with the electorate. His crime bills (while often in conflict with the Charter), dialed back years of the sense that the Liberals were soft on crime and showed that he squarely stood on the side of the victimized and their families. Under the Conservatives, Canada's debt ballooned by $150 billion. In light of the financial crises that beset the period of Conservative rule, this was both tactical and in some ways necessary in order to foster continued economic growth. While debt to GDP climbed substantially through 2008 to 2012, it did drop in each year following. Canada did fare significantly better than the majority of the G7 countries through this period, and continues to have one of the lowest debt to GDP ratios in the developed world. Advertisement Harper's legacy is quickly being dismantled by both the courts and Trudeau's Liberals. In many ways his legacy will be tainted with criminal convictions in his inner circle, spending scandals in the Senate, electoral tampering, and his secretive and controlling approach to governing. In spite of all that, Harper did make a mark on Canada in some positive ways. As we see partisanship continually seeming to escalate, I think there's value to recognizing the commitment of service of Harper, even if with values that may not align with those who read this. When we speak with such overstated rhetoric as to suggest he's the worst prime minister in history, we entrench his most vociferous supporters to the fringes and do ourselves all a disservice. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook ALSO ON HUFFPOST: Peter Glass / Design Pics via Getty Images Young woman lying on her bed They are just thoughts, no big deal, people often say when they find themselves engaging in bouts of anger, hatred, or cynicism. We hear plenty of that in this (or any other) election year where differences in opinion tend to become aggravated beyond normal. What we don't ask enough, however, is what all that negativity does to our health and well-being, not only psychologically but also physically? Advertisement Negative thoughts and emotions can cause problems for your health especially when they manifest themselves over time as permanent dispositions or habitual outlooks on the world, says Dr. Emiliana R. Simon-Thomas, science director of the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley. Their destructive nature can adversely affect a number of body functions, including metabolism, hormonal balance, and the immune system. Long-term results can be chronic stress or depression. Powerful stress hormones like cortisol are known to promote inflammation, which can lead to any number of diseases, she warns. Oftentimes it's not even outside events that cause the most damaging responses, but rather people honing in on their own shortcomings, disappointments and failures, says Wendy Lustbader, a psychotherapist and author of Life Gets Better: The Unexpected Pleasures of Growing Older. "We make our own misery," she says. "Life is hard enough, but we make things worse by exaggerating our failings and missed opportunities, [...] while giving ourselves hardly any credit for obstacles overcome and small victories attained on the way to where we are." Much of this, of course, is also a personal choice, although it doesn't always appear to us that way. We cling to these self-imposed all-or-nothing standards, Lustbader laments, that leave no room for more generous interpretations. To release ourselves from this perpetual self-condemnation, we must first acquire a different way of thinking. Advertisement That may include going back in time to the roots of our misgivings -- perhaps as far as childhood -- to make peace with unpleasant or hurtful memories. Whether you feel guilt or shame, have regrets or are sorrowful about something that happened long ago, the only meaningful thing you can do now is to learn your lessons, move on, and leave the past where it belongs. Don't drag it around with you. It will only pollute your present life and probably even your future. Memories are there to be enjoyed, and they are to be learned from in any case, whether we recall them as successes or mistakes, advises Jennifer Boykin, the author of "Breakthrough, How to Get on With It When You Can't Get Over It." We may not always find that positive thinking eases our qualms, and expressing our displeasure may be a justified reaction once in a while. But negativity as an attitude is not something anyone should cultivate for long. If for no other reason, it's not healthy. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook ALSO ON HUFFPOST: StockImages_AT via Getty Images This is a concept image for done work. Digital created shape of a person with a realistic blackboard texture and beautiful chalk drawn gears, getting an information input by a jigsaw shape also with a digital blackboard texture. Soft shadows, gradient background. Very unique professional digitally created image. The spring sitting of the B.C. Legislature has wrapped up with a lot of talk about information and transparency, but with little action. Finance Minister Mike de Jong started things off with some procedural changes. Some of these were helpful, if overdue (posting of ministerial calendars, for example), but buried in the list of small improvements, there was one that will be a major blow to transparency. Advertisement That ugly part is de Jong's plan to start posting the substance of FOI requests on the B.C. government website as soon as they are received, but well before the requesters manage to get any actual information. The government says this outing of FOI requesters is designed to improve "government accountability", but unsurprisingly they have no details on exactly how this happens. A move like this has never been recommended by a Special Committee reviewing FOI, a B.C. Information and Privacy Commissioner, or by a group like B.C. FIPA -- all of which have made other specific recommendations to promote accountability. Rather, this system is fairly clearly designed to discourage FOI requests, especially from pesky journalists using the FOI system to check on government activities. Interestingly, the ministerial directive to set up the list of FOI requesters is not yet in force. Perhaps de Jong was aware that his failure to consult with the Information and Privacy Commissioner would result in trouble -- and it has. Advertisement Commissioner Denham has already received a number of complaints about the government's move, (including a joint submission from FIPA and the B.C. Civil Liberties Association), and has said she intends to "examine all possible implications, including any unintended consequences, of publicly disclosing a description of an applicant's request for records before they have received those records." The Minister's announcement was followed two days later by the release of the report of the all-party Special Legislative Committee that had been conducting a statutory review of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). The Committee report made 39 recommendations for changes to the Act, one of which stands to conflict with de Jong's plan to post FOI request information: "Amend section 4(1) of FIPPA to establish that an applicant who makes a formal access request has the right to anonymity." Details of requests--such as the people, dates, and places they discuss--can sometimes be enough to identify requesters, especially to others in their community or area of work. The B.C. government has not yet addressed any of the Committee's recommendations -- which resulted from months of study and review of submissions and testimony from stakeholders, and which are not dissimilar to those still unaddressed from the 2004 and 2010 reviews -- it is far too busy making up its own. Despite some vaguely positive noises from the Minister responsible, there does not seem to be much appetite on the part of the current Liberal government to actually make the recommended legislative changes. In conversation with Vaughn Palmer on his Voice of B.C. program last week, de Jong said he doubted there would be a fall sitting of the Legislature. This means the only opportunity to introduce (and hopefully pass) updated FOI legislation would be in the spring of 2017 -- right before the next provincial election. Advertisement That delay will not sit well with British Columbians. In a poll conducted by Ipsos Canada earlier this year, not only did 96 percent of respondent support a legislative duty to document, but 85 percent wanted to see it passed before the next provincial election. So if the government thinks it can safely ignore the transparency issue, it should think again. British Columbians are waiting for real transparency and accountability, and they'll remember these tricky maneuvers when they cast their ballots next year. The five things you need to know on Thursday May 26, 2016 1) MIGRATION NATION Today is migration day in the EU referendum debate. From the images of the capsized boat off the coast of Libya to Donald Tusk at the G7 calling for global action, you cant escape the issue. And its also stat day, with the ONS projecting overnight a 4 million increase in the English population ahead of the 9.30am release of quarterly immigration figures. Advertisement Some in the Vote Leave camp believe that there has been a dirty tricks op by their enemies to claim they are pushing immigration as their sole weapon, purely to deter anyone from seizing on todays figures. But of course the stats will still get lots of attention. Chris Grayling tells The Telegraph the levels of migration forecast by the ONS report "will change the face of our country forever. Of course, even if we quit the EU, the Treasurys forecasts rely on immigration to keep the economy going and even some Leavers argue that non-EU migration may have to rise. Whats surprising is the way Boris Johnsons previous calls for an amnesty for illegal migrants (a call backed by fellow Brexiteer Nadhim Zahawi) has got such little play in the campaign so far. Not quite the same hymn sheet as Nigel Farage. As for Bozza, Jean-Claude Juncker has told a G7 presser in the middle of the night hed be willing to re-educate the former Mayor. "It's time for him to come back to Brussels in order to check in Brussels if everything he is telling the British people is in line with reality. I don't think so. Boriss first editor, Max Hastings (who was breezily dismissive of Boriss innovative stories as a hack on Channel 4s BorisVDave last night), has come out for Remain in the Mail today. Steve Hilton has told the Times that the PM would back Brexit if he werent PM. Spookily, this may be the only thing he has in common with Jeremy Corbyn (whom many assume would back Leave if he were a backbencher). Remainers will counter that becoming party leader or PM makes you think about the national interest, rather than party interest. Hilton also claimed yesterday he was gagged from making the quality v quantity argument on immigrants. Cant think why. Advertisement David Davis, who prefers to talk about trade rather than migration, has a speech today making the positive case for why it would be cheaper to quit the EU. His old sparring partner David Blunkett disagrees. The FT splashes on warnings from the WTO that Brexit UK wont be able to cut and paste new trade deals. Finally, there was a wonderful breakfast spat between two Tory MPs (see below) that encapsulates the way the row is going. 2) LEFT TURN Our hot news from the PCS unions conference yesterday was that it voted to take its first step towards affiliating to the Labour Party. This is a move backed by Mark Serwotka and although a final decision wont be taken until next year it shows that some in the union movement are starting to circle the wagons around Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell. If the PCS, seen as one of the most left-wing unions in the UK, does affiliate its 250,000 members will have real clout at party conference and over policy. Serwotka says: If you close your eyes when Jeremy Corbyn or John McDonnell are speaking to conference you could easily think you were listening to a member of our NEC. A senior Tory source has reacted to our story overnight: Serwotkas comments tell you everything you need to know about the current Labour Party. And not everyone is over the moon about the idea: Socialist Party members, those worried about civil service neutrality, moderate Labour MPs all seem uneasy. Yet Corbyn and McDonnell are pledging national pay bargaining, an end to the 1% pay freeze and repeal of union laws. And the PCS knows it will never get a more socialist leadership team running Labour. The FBU has already affiliated to the party and there's a wider bid to defend the leadership from any coup attempt by bolstering the leftwing presence on the NEC and policy commissions. Advertisement As it happens, former PCS official Andrew Fisher looks set (the Times says) to get a big promotion to executive director of policy for Corbyn, a role previously occupied by Neale Coleman. But Team Corbyn arent getting it all their own way. GMB rep Cath Speight, who replaced Ken Livingstone to co-convene the international policy commission, told John Woodcocks Trident review that she was backing renewal. I will fight to defend my members highly paid, high-skilled jobs that, if the successor programme does not go ahead, will be lost, she says. 3) THE TROLLING STONES The old sticks and stones argument doesnt really wash with many women who suffer vile online abuse daily. Today, Yvette Cooper is leading a cross-party coalition called Reclaim The Internet (inspired by the Reclaim the Streets campaign of the 1970s) to combat misogynist trolls. New Demos research, monitoring the words slut and whore on Twitter in a three-week period, found 6,500 individuals were targeted by 10,000 aggressive and misogynistic tweets. Cooper is joined by Tory Maria Miller, Lib Dem Jo Swinson and Labours Jess Phillips. Jess has blogged for HuffPost this morning. She writes: I want spunky women shouting up and facing honest to goodness debate and challenge. Not men with spunky names bullying women in to silence. The Guardian reports that teaching unions are backing the campaign, but points to increasing online abuse of men and women staff - often from parents. Half of teachers questioned in a survey of 1,300 said they had been targeted on social media in relation to their work. BECAUSE YOUVE READ THIS FAR Watch a high school kid flip a water bottle perfectly. Scenes. 4) EURO SAGA David Cameron has decided to target the grey vote in the EU referendum, writing in Saga magazine that a vote to leave would put pensions at risk. Brexit would also put up the cost of pensioners holidays and hit care homes with an exodus of care staff going back to the EU (a point made by Simon Stevens at the weekend but lost under the docs/nurses line). Advertisement Vote Leaves Matthew Elliott dismissed the scares, but its clear why No.10 is targeting what had previously been seen as a prime demographic for Brexit: Project Fear seemed to work well on pensioners in the Scots independence referendum. A Populus poll for the magazine of the over-50s also published today showed 42% intend to vote for the UK to remain a member of the EU up from 41% in April. Support for Brexit also nudged up by a point to 46%. 5) EGG SOLDIERS The Times Sam Coates has a delicious account of a breakfast bust-up in between two Tory MPs in the Commons Tea Room. The battle was of course over Brexit (or should that be Br-egg-sit?) as Euroscep Andrew Bridgen exchanged words with Remainer Alec Shelbrooke. It started when Bridgen welcomed the YouGov/Times poll showing Remain and Leave were neck and neck on 41%. Bridgen was eating a soft boiled egg, while Shelbrooke had a plate carrying a toasted sausage sandwich and a toasted bacon sandwich. This is the kind of colour we pray for. But Bridgen sparked a backlash when he said the poll also showed only 18 per cent of voters said they trusted the PM on Europe, suggesting that David Camerons credibility had been blown, adding Im not surprised given the outrageous claims the Remain campaign are making Advertisement His fellow Tory MP said Leavers had it all your own way until now but now youre getting it from the prime minister and just dont like it. Bridgen hit back that new waves of migrants would mean lowering the quality of life for people already here. Then it escalated with Bridgen telling his famously well-upholstered colleague: When I saw your breakfast I thought you had invited your entire office. For good measure, he is said to have added: Watch your fingers when youre eating the sausage sandwich because they are going to fall out. If this was in the bar they would have gone outside, one onlooker told the Times. Whips have been informed but are unlikely to act on the handbags at dawn exchange. If youre reading this on the web, sign-up HERE to get the WaughZone delivered to your inbox. home World Almost 150 dead from ISIS bomb attacks in Assad-held cities The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group has claimed responsibility for the simultaneous attacks on Syrian government-held cities on Monday, May 23, which left at least 148 people dead and scores more injured. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the Mediterranean coastal cities of Tartous and Jableh were hit with simultaneous car bombs and suicide bombers in civilian areas such as bus stations and hospitals. The Britain-based Observatory counted 148 people killed by five suicide bombers and two car bombs. The terrorist group released a statement through their Amaq news agency within hours after the bomb attacks announcing that they targeted "gatherings of Alawites," referring to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's Alawite minority. Reuters quoted a follow-up statement released by the group saying, "So they experience the same taste of death which Muslims so far have tasted from Russian (and Syrian government) air strikes on Muslim towns." They counted at least 10 of their fighters who died from the attacks, five each in Tartous and in Jableh. Both Tartous and Jableh are strongholds of the Syrian government that had been spared from the five-year running conflict that wracked the country. The attacks were the first to hit Tartous, capital of the Tartous province, the location for Russia's largest naval base outside the Soviet Union for more than 40 years, according to The Guardian. Fifty miles to the north is Jableh in Lakatia province where there's a Russian operated airbase nearby. "This demonstrates yet again just how fragile the situation in Syria is. And this one more time underscores the need for new urgent steps to continue the negotiating process," said Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, during a conference call with journalists. Previous peace talks held in Vienna and Geneva showed little progress. In an interview with Ikhbariya, Syria's Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi vowed to continue fighting the terrorists especially as they resort to attacking the civilians. Both the Syrian and Russian governments refer to the opposition groups and jihadi militants as terrorists. Those that know me will know I can't resist a Disney connection but sadly this is not a fun filled article, it is a serious one that has huge repercussions for the childcare industry. When I first opened a nursery 23 years ago, the qualification needed by staff was the NNEB (Nursery Nurse Examination Board), to enter this course you needed to achieve minimum grades in English and Maths and take an English speaking exam. The course content was such that when students completed their studies they were highly sought after in the world of Nannying (a sole person in charge of the care, well-being and development of children, potentially from birth), which for a very good friend of mine meant working for some very important people around the world and earning herself the reputation of 'a real-life Mary Poppins'. Fast forward 20 years though and things are very different. I chair a Hertfordshire Childcare Forum Group and there has been a common thread to all of our discussions recently - "Where are all the qualified staff?" Advertisement Everyone is desperate for good qualified Level 3 (NVQ) staff. Government recently changed the requirements for entry on to the Level 3 course - you now have to a have a minimum grade C in English and Maths. Personally, I don't think that is far enough. The Early Years is a very undervalued and down-trodden profession of late. I have heard careers advisors say 'if you can't do anything else why not do childcare". I am horrified!! To be a teacher of children from 5 years old you have to undertake a teaching degree, no one argues there, but to care for the under 5's where the very foundation of ALL skills is developed, and in particular in their first year, the requirements are only just a grade C in Maths and English? This in itself is undervaluing the profession and the well-being of children! To make matters worse both the course content and the EYFS (Early Year's Foundation Stage) Framework, which is the Government's own development programme, is appalling and the root cause of the current trend of development regression we are seeing and the constant berating of childcare and nurseries in the media! I am not being derogatory to those currently in the childcare profession, I have absolutely fantastic staff that are very dedicated and passionate and they have earned their positions and professional status through hard work, dedication and constant training. I am sure that all other setting owners would agree. However, when leaving college now, after a much shorter course time, their knowledge base is nowhere near what it needs to be (or used to be) and much more on the job training is needed (costing nurseries more time and money). Many good and outstanding settings provide this, however some don't and staff are just expected to jump in at the deep end. Advertisement Government have not listened over the past 10 years or so to those of us on the ground highlighting these issues, so we are now almost at a point of no return. Funding and budgets have been cut so severely over the years that most settings could not afford to pay for their current employees to undertake further training to raise the standards and many of those employees now have their own families and commitments and would also find it hard to do. In addition, as highlighted in my letter to David Cameron last year, over half of those leaving school last year did not achieve even a grade C in Maths or English and most of those that did would not consider the childcare profession as it is so undervalued. So what about the next generation of childcare professionals and my quest for 'Mary Poppins'. Well, just to reiterate the point - our local college, Herts Regional College only have 12 students completing their Level 3 this year. We are continually forced to follow the EYFS which in itself is damaging to children's development. We are also forced to accept Government policies on Free 15 hours education, which is grossly underfunded and will also be forced to accept the new additional 15 hours free childcare which is likely also to be grossly underfunded. However, the Government could find 3million pounds to go to an organization just to administer the new 30hrs funding scheme, which is outrageous. Childcare is not VAT Zero-rated, like it should be (due to EU restraints) and all previous subsidies on business rates etc have been withdrawn over the years. In light of the upcoming International Mathematics Olympiad 2016, I'd like to present the world with a little bit of mathematical history of Hong Kong. It's a business hub, so one would expect many people to use mathematics, but surprisingly the history of mathematics in Hong Kong is rather brief. Prominent mathematician Shing-Tung Yau came from Hong Kong. There are some significant mathematical discoveries in Hong Kong, with notable examples being Juncheng Wei's proof of de Giorgi's conjecture in dimensions greater than nine and work by the late Yung-chow Wong, who was a mathematics professor at the University of Hong Kong. Most of today's research output is from universities in the region. Mathematics competitions have a coveted place in Hong Kong. In 1974, the Northcote College of Education first held the Inter-school Mathematics Olympiad, which is now known as the Hong Kong Mathematical Olympiad. (The college and four other institutions merged in 1994 to form the Hong Kong Institute of Education, which is to be renamed the Education University of Hong Kong later in 2016.) Since then, many other mathematics contests have sprung up. In 1986, the International Mathematical Olympiad Hong Kong Committee was founded and the contest was held here for the first time in 1994. Advertisement Apart from mathematics departments in local universities, several societies for mathematics were established as well. Yung-chow Wong founded in 1972 the Southeast Asian Mathematical Society and initiated the establishment of the Hong Kong Mathematical Society in 1979. In 1988, several secondary school students established the Hong Kong Joint School Mathematics Society, and it holds an annual mathematics contest as well. In 1995 a group of mathematics educators, with Chun-ip Fung taking the lead, founded the the Hong Kong Association for Mathematics Education. One of the founders, Ngai-ying Wong, wrote several books on the history of mathematics education in primary and secondary school curriculum. Since the 1960s, Hong Kong rode on the coattails of the New Mathematics movement which began in the States, including advanced material like symbolic logic and set theory in public examination syllabi. In the 1970s some schools abandoned the new curriculum and returned to the former curriculum known as "old mathematics", while the new curriculum was progressively made simpler. In 1977, the Education Department combined the old and new mathematics syllabi, and integrated the combined syllabus into the school leaving examination, the HKCEE (short for "Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination", roughly equivalent to the GCSE). Interestingly, mathematics has been a peculiar choice among top achievers in public examinations, most of whom usually opt for business school, medicine or law in this city. Jeff Sze, who obtained 10 A's in the HKCEE, took up mathematics at Stanford University. Jeff now works for the Hong Kong government in education. Another 10A achiever, Martin Li, is now a mathematics professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. March Tian Boedihardjo, a child prodigy who finished his A-Levels in Britain, took up mathematics at Hong Kong Baptist University in 2011 and became the youngest ever university student in Hong Kong. He is now pursuing further studies in mathematics in the States. These examples are only the tip of the iceberg, and local newspapers enjoy shining a spotlight on students, gifted or otherwise, who love mathematics. Advertisement So what can be said about the future of mathematics in Hong Kong? It will remain a subject that gives mixed feelings, just as in many developed regions. People will still churn out mathematical results. Yet more importantly, I hope that this brief discussion sets the tone for a retrospective on how mathematics has been part of the city and its culture. This is because its history of mathematics is largely overlooked in the history of this financial centre. A thorough investigation will raise popular interest in mathematics and improve the state of mathematics education in this city and beyond. When visiting a foreign city it can be all too easy to stick to what you know and Barcelona is no exception. While some people look forward to trying new dishes, many others like to stick to what they already know. But it doesn't have to be so bad. And while some of the items on restaurant menus might be quite alien to you there is still plenty that you'll have no problem eating at all. So here we take a look at some typical menu items that you may like to try on your next trip to the city. Botifarra Advertisement Photo: A coil of botifarra by Pasqual Broch. Usually botifarra is served in more manageable portions. One thing you'll find in many restaurants and bars across Catalonia is botifarra, a pork sausage slightly spiced with pepper. If you're used to the kind of mass produced banger common in Britain then you may be pretty indifferent to sausage. But the botifarra is truly delicious. The typical way to serve it is with white beans cooked with garlic, but you should be able to get it served with chips instead. And botifarra sandwiches are so popular in Catalonia you'll see many fans take them wrapped in foil to eat while they watch FC Barcelona play at Camp Nou. Pa amb tomaquet Photo: Pa amb tomaquet by Jennifer Woodard Maderazo. Licenced under CC BY 2.0 Take a slice of good white bread, usually toasted. Smear it with tomato and sprinkle salt over it. Then drizzle olive oil over it, Jamie Oliver style. Then rub two pieces together to allow the bread to absorb it all. Advertisement What is so great about that? Actually it is a dish in its own right and popular across Catalonia. Many years ago my family used to stay with friends in a farm house in the mountains near Manresa, some 70 kilometres from Barcelona. I remember how excited their son, the same age as me, used to be when he found out we'd be served pa amb tomaquet. In restaurants pa amb tomaquet is usually served as an accompaniment to a meat dish. Some people like to rub the bread with garlic too. You'll also find that sandwiches made with baguettes almost always have tomato, salt and olive oil instead of butter. Bikini Photo: Ham & Cheese Sandwich by El Gran Dee. Licenced under CC BY 2.0 Visit many bars and you'll see their sandwich menus include a Bikini. Deriving its name from a concert venue and nightclub from where it is supposed to have originated, it is a toasted ham and cheese sandwich. Very simple, delicious, and cheap. Patatas Bravas Advertisement Sit down in a bar for a beer somewhere and you often want something to eat with it. Surely it's got to be tapas. But what do you order? You can get some olives, but many people hate them. You don't fancy squid in batter or anything you can't immediately identify by sight. But one thing you'll be completely safe with is a plate of patatas bravas. The dish consists of sauteed potatoes with a spicy sauce. It goes great with beer and very easy to eat. The sauce is made from ketchup, mayo and Tabasco and the heat varies from bar to bar, but it's mild compared to most curries so even if you don't like spicy food you should be okay with patatas bravas. Calcots Photo: Calcots cooking on an open fire by the author. Years ago in a restaurant in L'Escala I saw a couple with a pile of charred vegetables served in a curved roof tile. Wearing bibs they would take one, strip off the blackened outer layer and dip the tender flesh below into a sauce before lifting it above their head and eating. I had to order it! Advertisement I immediately loved the dish and eat it whenever I can, often at home. Originally from Valls, in the south of Catalonia near Tarragona, calcots are a type of specially grown spring onion and today are wildly popular in the winter months. Valls has an annual festival devoted to calcots and the calcotada. That consists of a calcot starter with grilled meat (including botifarras) as the main and accompanies, naturally, by pa amb tomaquet to mop up the sauce. These days you'll find them served in some restaurants in Barcelona if you visit at the beginning of the year. If you go for the full calcotada you're looking at 30+ a head, but a handful of calcots as a starter should cost much less may be enough for lunch anyway. Paella I bet that when you think of eating out in Spain the first thing that comes to mind is paella. Originally from Valencia, in its best-known form this rice dish contains seafood, although it doesn't need to. Advertisement However there are paellas and there are paellas. Many bars sell premade paellas that lack any kind of flavour at all. Instead, head for Barceloneta, a district near the port, where you'll find a whole load of restaurants serving good paella. Probably the best I've had was not in Barcelona but down in Castelldefels, south of the Catalan capital. Almost universally you'll have to order the dish for two or more. But if you do want to sample a little paella you'll also see it is included as a starter on the more limited menu del dia at many restaurants. It won't be as good as paella cooked to order, but it does allow you to sample the dish for a fraction of the price. With just four weeks to go before the EU Referendum, it is timely to reflect on how the single market has proved vital to our regional economies. I represent Macclesfield, a constituency in the manufacturing powerhouse of the UK, the North West. Ours is a region that has been a real beneficiary of the removal of tariffs and other barriers to our trade in goods. As the Northern Powerhouse rebalances our national economy, the North West can now look forward to benefiting from the developing single market in services too. This week, the leading accountancy firm, EY, released its latest annual UK investor attractiveness report. It highlighted how the UK continues to be the leading destination for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects in Europe. Crucially, these projects are increasingly a feature of regional economies within the UK. Almost 90% of the UK's total growth in FDI projects came from regions outside of London and the South East. The North West saw an increase of 118%. But - and it is a big 'but' - EY also highlights that access to the EU single market is important to these investors. Indeed, the proportion of investors who say that such access is a key feature of the UK's attractiveness has increased markedly from 63% to 72% to 79% over the last three years. When the Leave campaign say that they don't want us to be members of the single market, I think we are wise to pause for thought. We are stronger, safer and better off if we remain. Advertisement Of course, if there is a vote to leave, other options to secure some form of access to the EU's markets would, in time, be negotiated, but who knows quite how long it would take, or what kind of lesser-access deal we'd get. We do know that access to the single market would not be granted freely; we don't know exactly what the price would be. Drawing on my previous experience in commerce, I know that such uncertainty is bad for business and for the economy more widely. It is clear that the majority of industries that are key to the future of the economy in the Northern Powerhouse want us to stay in the EU. They want us to keep working for the completion of the single market. Take life sciences. AstraZeneca has a major presence in Macclesfield with around 3,000 highly skilled workers based on the largest pharmaceuticals site in the UK. This single site alone accounts for one per cent of all goods exported from the UK. The company was a leading signatory of a recent letter from the life-science sector in support of a remain vote. We mustn't forget that the United Kingdom drove the single market, in our own national interest, by playing our full part in making the positive case for competitive trade across the EU. And it was from 1993, when the single market in goods took effect, that the UK saw the greatest benefit of EU membership. Now we must turn our energy to completing the single market across the services sector and the digital market, and we can only do that from within. I first met Martine about six years ago. She was unemployed and regularly in trouble with the law. The truth is she had lost her way and needed some guidance. A few weeks ago our paths crossed again; and what a transformation. Martine left our Get on Track programme with the attitudes and behaviours needed to be successful. However, like so many other young people facing disadvantage across the UK she needed someone to give her a chance. Luckily for her this came in the form of Southeastern. They recognised her potential and created an environment where she could flourish. Advertisement She now co-ordinates recruitment of young people; offering them valuable work experience and a gateway to career success. This is just one example of a partner we are proud to work with at Dame Kelly Holmes Trust. However, it is concerning that many of our young people are still telling us significant barriers exist to gain and sustain employment. Growing up with a disadvantaged background is challenging for a number of reasons. It can lead to low levels of self-esteem, self-confidence and belief - all of which are needed to be empowered in the workplace. Perhaps though, the single biggest barrier we hear about from the young people we work with relates to social capital. Advertisement Studies have repeatedly shown a correlation between young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and failing to have the social networks to gain that vital first step on the ladder. The old saying: 'It's who you know, not what you know' appears to be ringing true, especially when it comes to work experience opportunities. A high proportion of the young people I speak to are often unaware about the importance of networks for progression. Some even have a strong resistance to using them as a means to get ahead, viewing it as a form of 'cheating'. What is important is that businesses realise this concern and address policies to try and rectify it. Not just on the basis of morality but because ultimately they will reap the rewards in their organisational culture, creativity, productivity and bottom line. As Employment Minister Priti Patel commented last week at the launch of our new Go The Extra Mile campaign: the benefits of a diverse workforce is proven logic. She also highlighted the high amount of untapped potential that was been overlooked. Advertisement The young people who come through our programmes leave with so much confidence, focus, motivation, determination and resilience that they would be a real asset to any company. By 2020, an expected 'soft skills' deficit is estimated to cost the UK economy 8.4 billion per year. This demonstrates a clear need for employers in today's market to adjust their recruitment processes. The days of judging candidates solely on their academic performance and experience is no longer a viable option. They must instead be judged on potential and attitudes. Indeed, it has been proven that the technical skills required for the majority of roles can be taught through effective internal training. What will be decisive in the coming years is a candidate's resilience and willpower during the challenging economic times that lie ahead. There is a definite realisation from industry that change is needed and many of the companies we work with have already taken action recruiting on potential for the future; however on a larger scale the pace of change needs to be quicker. Advertisement We are reaching a stage where an emerging generation of talent could be lost. This will impact on the life chances of hundreds of thousands of young people, along with some significant consequences for businesses themselves. Last week I sat around a table with business leaders in London, who unanimously agreed the solutions and benefits to industry were "obvious". Now is the time we need to act. Superhero's are hugely popular with people of all ages. They play a big part in many people's lives by entertaining us on the big screen and in comics. Some people are taking their love of superhero's even further however, by bringing them to life. All over the world people are being inspired by the likes of the X-Men, Superman, and Captain America. They are bridging the gap between fantasy and reality and creating extraordinary alter egos for themselves. Many create homemade outfits and don colourful masks and capes, but they are not simply cosplaying their favoursite characters. They are inventing their own superhero personas and patrolling the streets, fighting crime and taking part in social activism. These costumed adventurers call themselves real-life superhero's (RLSH). Advertisement A recent paper published by Emerald Group Publishing called '"Masked crusader": a case study of "crime-fighting" activities by a "real-life superhero" - from the Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice , explores the RLSH community and researches the motives and experiences of a self-proclaimed RLSH. It contains extracts from an interview conducted with a member of the community who describes what it is like to be a "masked crusader". He has all of the typical elements that you would expect from any superhero, like a gloomy back story, a secret identity, and what appears to be a strong sense of morality. Perhaps most importantly, he has a motivation to do good and help others, "The more I thought about it [becoming a RLSH] the more I wondered if it could be done? If I got killed saving someone else's life, so what?". The study also argues that it is important to the RLSH community that they are not seen as vigilantes. Many endeavour to work within the law and believe that RLSH's help contribute to social cohesion through other means than crime fighting, such as volunteering and outreach programs, "RLSH's are commonly portrayed by the media as vigilantes, however it can be argued that synonymising RLSH activity with vigilantism is inaccurate and misleading because RLSH activity is not exclusively concerned with criminal acts and catching an offender". As well as fighting crime, many RLSH's also act as "silent" volunteers and peacemakers. Helping the needy is also an important part of being a RLSH. For example, the RLSH in the Emerald study shares his particular concern with protecting the homeless, "I decided to guard them while they slept, but could not do so in a mask without frightening them, so I borrowed a technique from my boyhood hero, The Lone Ranger... I began to disguise myself as a homeless person. I wear the mask rolled up like a hat". Advertisement The RLSH movement has an active online presence, with people from all over the world meeting in RLSH forums to discuss their masked crusades and share tips on crime fighting. The forum covers an array of RLSH concerns, such as tips for beginners, information on hand-to-hand combat, and help with fitness and nutrition. As of May 2016, the forum had 1063 registered members, demonstrating that the movement is growing in popularity (and that's just the RLSH'S who keep in touch with each other). Some of the antics that RLSH's get up to divide opinions. Their practices often get mixed reviews from the police, with certain US police jurisdictions being less than lukewarm about their involvement with criminal matters. In 2012, masked crime fighter "Phoenix Jones" was arrested for using pepper spray on a group of people he believed were fighting one another. I am often told that I am trying to stifle freedom of speech. I've been called the thought police, the Stasi and, as is currently so very de rigueur, a Nazi. I'm not trading secrets on the streets of East Berlin, holding rallies or burning books, I'm just saying "dude don't be such a douche on the internet." The funny thing is about all the so-called libertarians on Twitter shouting up for free speech is that they are promoting the exact opposite. Let me put it this way: If you had to choose, who was best going to fight for the rights and freedoms of your children would you pick me, a democratically elected representative with a history of doing just that or Megadogyourmom485 (this is made up, don't search for it) whose personal info states "Free thinker, expect to be offended" written atop the back drop of an over-stylised naked manga woman toting a bazooka. I wouldn't trust Megadog and his mates to achieve, well, anything. The real truth is, that I and the other women behind Reclaim the Internet are promoting free speech for everyone. Yesterday I attended a meeting held by Change.org to celebrate the success of a brilliant young campaigner, Laura Coryton, and Paula Sheriff MP, who fought and won to end the tampon tax. Laura told us of the backlash she had received on the internet just because she started a petition about tampons. Other women in the room spoke of how they have held back from their own campaigns because it is just so tiring dealing with the backlash. Advertisement I know the feeling. It is not the viciousness of attacks I get on the internet that bothers me. People talking about raping me isn't fun but has become somewhat par for the course. What is a real pain is the thousands of tweets or Facebook notifications that join in. I think my record is 700 people blocked in one night. Every time a woman who has faced this internet mob goes to say anything, she pauses and thinks, have I got energy or the time to deal with this today, and she puts her phone down. She is silenced, and she might have had the wittiest, most insightful thing to say. It could have been ground-breaking. She could have been about to launch the campaign that will end the unlawful detention of pregnant women. She could have been about to start the first communication that would change the state of mental health services for all. She could have been frickin' amazing but instead she stopped. Recently Grayson Perry made a brilliant series about men and masculinity in modern Britain. I could be mistaken but I didn't notice a huge backlash from a women on the internet screaming, "why oh why is this programme all about men?" No one jumped in and started saying, "if you believe in equality why don't you ever talk about women, it is all men men men with you." If this had been a TV programme made by a woman about women you can bet your bottom dollar that Megadog and his friends would have been right there saying we cannot talk about women because it hurts the mens. On a quick glance at the comment section of a number of newspaper articles about Grayson and this documentary it seems even there women are the target for attack. One lovely trustworthy sounding commenter named Jizzodessy pipes up with this comment on the episode about men in the banking sector: "Bankers have to work long hours. Women bankers need to get home at a reasonable time to make their husbands dinner". What a time to be alive when we can so easily connect with Jizzodessy and his nuggets of wisdom which I think we can all agree give Oscar Wilde a run for his money. Advertisement I want Grayson Perry to be able to make interesting programmes about men without a female backlash, but I'd like the same for us womenfolk. Reclaim the Internet is not about being the internet police, it is not about making loads of new laws to stifle what is a magnificent, progressive, usually jolly, environment. It is the start of a conversation with the public about what we can do so that all of our voices can be heard. It is a listening project to find out what we can do to limit the kind of behaviour which offline is totally unacceptable. Have a look at the website give us your feedback, tell us your views, perhaps what you say can change stuff around here. Reclaim the Internet is trying to make sure that freedom of speech for all the amazing girls and women is not drowned out by faceless avatars. I want spunky women shouting up and facing honest to goodness debate and challenge. Not men with spunky names bullying women in to silence. For more information, visit reclaimtheinternet.com Is the discriminatory male guardianship system over in Saudi Arabia? Source: Tribes of the World With the ascension of King Salman to the Saudi throne, and the appointment of his young son Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman to oversee the country's modernisation plan, hopes have been raised that women's rights might finally start to be taken seriously in the Kingdom. In an interview earlier this year, the deputy crown prince said he believed that "women have rights in Islam that they've yet to obtain" and spoke about the need to increase women's participation in the workforce. While most activists focus on the contentious ban on women driving in the Kingdom, the real gamble will be breaking the social chains preventing women from embracing careers and becoming financially independent. Indeed, the deputy crown prince's ambivalent comment speaks to the centripetal forces at play when it comes to the position of women in Saudi society. On the one hand, led by the late king Abdullah, positive steps have been taken towards female empowerment, but these efforts have been held up by an entrenched set of cultural values and a corresponding legal system that militates against the inclusion of women in the workforce. Advertisement The reforms began in 2005 when King Abdullah allowed for women to apply for overseas scholarships for the first time. Thousands of women signed up, and in the process of studying in Europe and the US, gained exposure to societies that are more progressive in terms of women's rights. Further reforms in 2009 saw the opening of the country's first coed university in Jeddah, followed by the world's largest all-female university in Riyadh. With the number of female graduates soaring, but with few outlets beyond nursing or teaching to absorb them, the Saudi state found itself saddled with a growing social welfare bill. The situation was only exacerbated after King Abdullah raised the unemployment benefit to $530 a month in 2011 to stave off the kind of unrest among unemployed youth the led to the outbreak of the Arab Spring in Tunisia and Egypt. At the same time, several billion dollars a year were leaving the state in the form of remittances sent home by the eight million foreign workers who made up the bulk of Saudi labour force. Recognising that in the long term this constituted a losing economic strategy, the Saudi authorities embarked on the most radical plans yet, a process dubbed Saudisation, aimed at encouraging more Saudi nationals, including women, into the workplace. The exigencies of implementing this scheme have resulted in a gradual chipping away of some hidebound mores. In the past, women shopping for lingerie at their local Marks & Spencer's or for cosmetics at Boots (both companies are big players in Saudi) were forced to make their purchases from male retail assistants. However, under the new economic reform plans, these departments could now be staffed by women. Advertisement Another way in which Saudi women have managed to circumvent religious strictures preventing them from participating in commercial life is by setting up their own shops online. Instagram, in particular, has enabled thousands of Saudi women to sell their homemade goods and wares without having to leave the house, thereby skirting the prohibition on women driving. All of this has resulted in a huge increase in female employment numbers, growing by more than 48% since 2010, more than double the rate for that of men, to over 800,000. Positive as this is may be, it still means that women account for only 16% of the workforce. The next wave of economic reforms, announced this year as a part of a push to diversify the Saudi economy in the wake of plunging oil prices, should serve to further improve women's employment prospects. Besides the headline-grabbing plans to part-privatise the national oil giant, Saudi Aramco, measures have also been announced to open up a range of industries, from aviation to healthcare, to foreign investment. The latter sector is poised to see the entrance of private insurers and healthcare providers as well as increased investment into the development of generic drugs, medical equipment, healthcare IT and training. A new tourism law has, for the first time, provided for the issuing of tourist visas to the Kingdom and review of the gulf state's tourist potential focusing on the Red Sea, its deserts and heritage sites is underway. The law also stipulates that companies looking to operate in the tourism sector must abide by the country's Saudisation rules, meaning a certain percentage of all jobs created have to go to Saudi nationals. More broadly, the Companies Law, which came into effect this year, permits 100% foreign ownership of companies in all but four sectors of the economy. This should make Saudi a much more appealing prospect to multinationals than it has been in the past when foreign entrants into the market were required to take on a local partner before setting up operations. The Kingdom is the UK's biggest trade partner in the region, with some 5 billion worth of exports in 2015, ties that should increase markedly in line with Saudi's diversification and modernisation efforts. On Thursday 23rd of June 2016, I'm going to vote to remain in the EU. For those who have known me for many years, and with whom I may have had the occasional spirited disagreement over exactly this subject, that news may come as something of a shock. After all, as I have written here before, I have serious concerns about the institutions and structure of the EU; Concerns which once led me to be a registered supporter of the UK Independence Party in its pre-Farage (and Kilroy Silk) incarnations. I believed, and still believe, that the Leviathan-like institutions of the EU and its willingness to impose its will on others (like Greece, or Irish referendum voters) are at the least in need of a serious overhaul and at worst that we may be better off seeking a better plan elsewhere. It's the final part of that sentiment which, conversely, has led me to my decision regarding the referendum. In short, there is no Plan for Brexit. Advertisement There are a lot of arguments being used for Brexit, a lot of figures thrown around and debated and, of course, the same tired lines about Immigration dragged out once again by Boris Johnson and so many others. However, arguments are not a plan. Casually declaring that we will 'trade with the Commonwealth' or 'open up to emerging markets' is also not a plan. All of these are goals, goals that some may agree with and others vehemently oppose, but without thought into the logistics behind them then they might as well be empty air; 'Words are Wind' as Game of Thrones tells us. Nor does this lack of thought from the Brexit side only relate to the economic arguments that the less-insane have focussed their energy upon. It can also be clearly seen in those whose constant refrain lies in the Xenophobic language around Immigration, the brilliant minds who issue leaflets describing the EU 'importing' African and Middle Eastern migrants; as though the worst humanitarian crisis in the modern world was drawn up by bureaucrats just to annoy Middle Englanders. Here is my simple question to this group: What about the children? To be clear, I don't mean the children who arrive with their parents from all across the EU and the world (though, they are also worth considering if we are to uphold the humanitarian traditions of the UK) but rather the thousands of children born in this country to migrant families, who are raised and schooled in Britain and who have never known the country of their parents birth. If we are to 'send them all back where they come from' are we to expel these children too? Or should we just remove their parents and shift the burden of raising them onto the state, massively eclipsing the extremely limited benefit spend that actually reaches migrant families. So far, no one has even mentioned this. Is my example extreme? Yes, and deliberately so, but it nicely drives home the point I am trying to make; that the Brexit camp has relied on soundbites and playing off the worst fears of the electorate rather than the cold, hard facts that such an important decision deserves. Advertisement For comparison, let's consider the Scottish Referendum and specifically the 'White Paper on Independence' issued by the SNP. Although the math contained within, along with some of the more optimistic declarations, were hotly contested it cannot be argued that it did not amount to a Plan on what the SNP government would do if the vote went in their favour. It also, along with the rest of the Independence campaign, convinced nearly half of the population that Independence was achievable. The sheer momentum for Independence clearly caught unawares and rattled those in power, leading to the infamous 'Pledge' and Gordon Browns last minute intervention. Compare this to a Brexit campaign which has so far ranged from contested figures to absurdity and unable to make much headway against a frankly underwhelming 'Remain' camp. Likewise, observe the reaction in EU corridors (i.e not much) and you start to get the sense that no one truly believes Brexit will occur. Therein lies the greatest failure of the Leavers, by failing to make a viable case for Brexit they have also failed to ignite any further concessions from the EU, or even add political weight to those minor gains David Cameron had already been promised (but not guaranteed). This was a once in a generation chance to make clear that the UK does have very real concerns about the EU, concerns which the EU would have had to address if it appeared there was even a slight chance of 51% voting to go. Look at the lengths that went in to trying to avoid a 'Grexit', can you imagine less being done to prevent one of the EUs strongest economies cutting ties? On Monday 9th May, Parliament debated Get Britain Out's petition to 'STOP CAMERON spending British taxpayers' money on pro-EU Referendum leaflets' after the Government spent 9.3 million of British taxpayers' money sending out pro-EU propaganda. The Petitions' Committee agreed to a debate on the petition after it received over 100,000 signatures - it now has over 221,000 signatures. In December last year rumours of the Government's plans to send out pro-EU propaganda in the run up to the referendum arose and our Director decided to start this petition. At the time a Government spokesperson hit out at the claims, saying: "It is absolute nonsense to suggest the Government is working up a pro-EU pamphlet to send to families to discourage them from voting No in a referendum." On the 6th April the Prime Minister confirmed the Government would in fact go ahead and produce a leaflet to be sent to every home in the country, as well as a website designed to convince voters to vote to 'Remain' in the EU. David Cameron justified this by saying the voters needed "all the information at their fingertips". Unfortunately, as you will now know, the leaflet does not fulfil this objective. It gives handpicked biased pro-EU arguments without any opposing view, and therefore the objective of the leaflet has not been fulfilled. Advertisement The Government's leaflet goes hand in hand with an online campaign - revealed to have cost 9.3 million in total - paid for by British taxpayers. This is a huge boost to the 'Remain' campaign's coffers, which is supposed to have a legal spending limit of 7 million in total. As a result the Remain campaign is spending more than the 7 million 'Vote Leave' - the designated 'Leave' campaign is legally allowed to spend on their entire campaign activities - and this money must be raised by donations, not raided from taxpayers' pockets. The debate in Parliament was well attended by Eurosceptic MPs, with excellent contributions from across the House. Unfortunately, the only 'Remain' campaign attendees were those who were required to be there, the Government's Europe Minister, Labour's Shadow Europe Minister and the SNP's Europe Spokesperson. In fairness, two further SNP 'Remain' supporters did attend, but they could only be bothered to turn up halfway through the debate. One of them, Peter Grant, the SNP MP for Glenrothes, spent the vast majority of his time browsing 'Twitter' rather than paying attention to the debate itself! The Europe Minister, David Lidington MP, was castigated throughout the debate by his fellow Conservative MPs. This included David Jones MP who said "I find it highly regrettable that my party's Government has conducted itself in that way. I would go so far as to say that I am deeply ashamed." As a result, David Lidington kept his head down, and refused to make any eye contact throughout the entire sitting. He couldn't have looked more miserable if he tried, after several hours of unmitigated abuse. One of the stars of the debate was unquestionably Pat Glass MP, Labour's Shadow Europe Minister, who was so feckless the entire room erupted with laughter after she made one of the most ironic observations of all time. She said "about the 'Great British Public'. If we want to get this right, we must talk about the UK, not Britain." This is true. However as Labour's Kate Hoey MP pointed out "her campaign to remain is called 'Britain Stronger in Europe'?" Still undeterred Glass retorted (after the laughter died down) "It is not. It is called 'Labour In'", this is even more ironic as her campaign is in fact called 'Labour in for Britain', which completely destroyed the point she was making. Glass now joins Lord Rose in the unenviable club of 'Remain' campaigners who can't remember their own organisation's name. Advertisement Sammy Wilson of the DUP shed some light on the ridiculous claims of the 'Remain' campaigners - one claim has been that the peace process in Northern Ireland will be destabilised after Brexit. He countered this with: "I lived in Northern Ireland right through the troubles, and I never, ever heard any IRA spokesman say that he was determined to bomb the life out of people in Northern Ireland to stay in the EU". This is not the only attempt the Government has made to try and skew the debate by peddling fictions. We have recently seen two Treasury reports which have been debunked by almost everyone. The first used an inappropriate hypothetical model which isn't even linked to the UK, without any reasoning for doing this. It bases economic productivity on the amount of foreign direct investment (FDI) - putting the horse before the cart as increased productivity increases FDI, not the other way around. One of many other errors it makes is the fact it doesn't even factor in our 10 billion saving in membership fees or possible reduced regulations. The latest report is so ridiculous 'The Times' newspaper ran a feature 'Ten reasons for scepticism over the Treasury report'. George Osborne and Cameron are clearly desperate. 'Britain Stronger in Europe' has also been playing this misinformation game, sending another leaflet around the country including a quote from Martin Lewis - the leading 'Consumer Champion', who was outraged at being included in the mailing. His comments have been taken completely out of context and he is currently undecided on the referendum issue. He has responded by saying "On its own it isn't actually a glowing endorsement - just in the context of the leaflet it seems more." Advertisement We at Get Britain Out believe the 'Remain' campaign has been underhand from start to finish. It has tried to stack the deck against the 'Leave' side, and if it continues in this manner, this great constitutional question will not be settled for a generation. We don't believe the Great British Public is stupid. So, please tell the establishment exactly what you think of them on June 23rd. Tell them you're not happy with politicians swerving responsibility by saying there's nothing they can help with because of the EU - do so by voting to Get Britain Out. On 13th June, the UK Parliament will debate the proposition that the government's approach to foreign aid is flawed. This is based on a petition initiated by the Mail on Sunday and signed by over 230,000 people, and will no doubt be guided by the latest report that the Government is spending nearly twice as much on aid as any other G7 nation. The petition states that we should provide money for only "truly deserving causes" as the current approach of handing over 0.7% of national income on aid "fuels waste by focusing on targets, not outcomes". Certainly, the petition reiterates the perfectly rational idea that creating a budget before agreeing a task is back-to-front, and risks creating perverse incentives due to the need to spend a certain amount of money annually. Building a budget based on a set of agreed goals and tasks would be a better approach. I've worked for overseas charities since 1985, from Care International to International Alert, but I completely respect the point of view of those who question aid, and welcome the attention this petition brings. It is right to question whether the 0.7% target undermines effective policies and actions. It is a more or less arbitrary figure based on a calculation made at least four decades ago. Advertisement But using the expressions hand over, regardless of need, and truly deserving causes on a case by case basis, the petition does its own argument a disservice. It assumes the government simply "hands over" the money, but in fact the funds are programmed for specific purposes. It also implies that a wholesale commitment to 0.7% (12billion this year) means the volume of aid is too great, compared with the need. Would that it were so. If there are roughly 700million people living below the poverty line today, as the World Bank estimates, the UK's aid budget works out at only 17 per person. And that only includes those living on less than $1.9 per day - hardly a king's ransom. So without getting into the complex economic jargon which is used to explain aid flows, and while accepting that the UK does not and should not try to reach every poor person on the planet, it is quite easy to see that 0.7% is completely inadequate when set against the level of need. The petition rightly calls for aid to be targeted towards deserving causes. Fortunately, the UK Aid strategy clearly sets out the four such causes: Strengthening global peace, security and governance; Strengthen resilience and response to crises; Promoting global prosperity; Tackling extreme poverty and helping the world's most vulnerable. As sceptical as one may be about aid, it would be hard to argue that these are not all truly deserving causes. Estimates from the World Bank and the OECD are that between 1.3 bn and 1.5 bn people live in countries affected by violent conflict, so peace, security and improved governance are very appropriate goals. Advertisement The World Humanitarian Summit this week reminded us that the numbers and people affected by increasingly severe humanitarian crises are growing annually: hence strengthening resilience and providing succour at times of crisis must also be priorities. And promoting sustainable economic prosperity and tackling poverty are surely essential goals in any civilised view of the world. Meanwhile not only are all four causes highly deserving of the UK's attention, but addressing them benefits the UK too: the first three quite directly, and the fourth indirectly. The petition is also right that even within these overall categories, allocations should be made on a case by case basis. From my experience of working in overseas charities for more than 30 years, I can attest that, although no donor organisation or NGO is perfect, UK aid money is already allocated based on an assessment of whether or not it will make a specific difference. Even when the funds are provided to other organisations - UN agencies, NGOs, etc. - rather than being programmed by DFID directly, the intermediaries are required to spend them (and report) based on an assessment of whether they make a difference. On the question of proportionality, the petition has a point: why should we spend 0.7% if other rich nations don't? But let's be realistic: the 0.7% commitment is already enshrined in law, and there is no parliamentary time available to overturn the law, even if that were the desirable outcome. It would take many months of valuable parliamentary time, and would be unlikely to succeed anyway, given the views of a majority of MPs including party leaders and their whips. So that debate should instead be about how to encourage other wealthy nations to match our commitment. But most importantly I'd suggest the main focus of debate should be how to ensure that UK aid is spent most effectively in pursuit of the four goals listed above, so that taxpayers can have confidence that their money is well spent. Advertisement None of the four aid goals will be easy to achieve: if they were, we would have achieved them long ago. And all public policy is contestable - one has only to look at the UK's education, justice, health or energy sectors to see that. That's why we have a parliament and a proactive civil society and media. Nor do any "policy solutions" seem to last long. A decade ago, Finland's education sector was the envy of the world, and Whitehall was examining Finnish policies for clues as to what we should do here. Now, Finland - with the same policies in place - has slid down the international education league tables and is itself looking for new solutions. If international aid policy is not unique in being imperfect, it is perhaps unique in being multi-dimensional, operating as it does in diverse and changing local contexts, and covering a wide range of needs and sectors. This means all the more need for a healthy and regular debate about what works best. Websites regularly gather insights by monitoring what customers click on. But now they can judge our emotions from how we move our mouse. Jeff Jenkins, assistant Professor of Information Systems at Brigham Young University, conducted three experiments on this topic among 271 participants. His team manipulated the emotions of participants and then tracked how they scrolled their mouse as they browsed an e-commerce site. They found that the mouse movements were more jagged and sudden when participants were in a bad mood. "Using this technology websites will no longer be dumb," Jenkins claims, "they can go beyond just presenting information, but they can sense you. They can understand not just what you're providing, but what you're feeling," Should mood targeting interest brands? It's interesting academic research, but why should advertisers care? Well, it brings closer the day when brands can target consumers by their mood. That's exciting as happy people are more receptive to ads. Zenith worked with students from the University of Lancaster to quantify the effect. In our experiment participants were shown ads after either being exposed to happy or sad stimuli. Those shown happy stimuli were 9% more likely than other respondents to say they would use the advertised product in the future. Our findings are supported by other experiments. Fred Bronner, a psychologist at the University of Amsterdam, measured the effect of mood on ad recall amongst 1,287 participants. The participants flicked through a newspaper and then answered questions about which ads they remembered. When the data was split by the reader's mood the results were conclusive: readers in a good mood remembered 28% more ads than those in a bad mood. Why are people in a good mood more receptive to ads? Daniel Kahneman, the Nobel Prize winning psychologist, has provided an evolutionary explanation for this phenomenon. When we're in a good mood it signifies the absence of danger and, therefore, mitigates against the need to think critically. We're therefore far more likely to absorb ad messages when we're happy. Advertisement When advertisers can target people according to their mouse movements they should seize the opportunity. Until then they'll have to make do with targeting moments when people have a propensity to be happy. This can be achieved by weather targeting, reaching people during enjoyable events, like a cinema trip, or simply focusing on appropriate day-parts. For example, according to IPA TouchPoints people tend to be in a better mood during evenings and on Friday and Saturdays. The ever more far-fetched OUT campaign, whose leaders included Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage, now tries to scare us with the imminent arrival at Dover of five million Turkish and Albanians, depicted by them as largely gun-owning criminals and gangsters. It's time they told the very different truth. Brexit would do irreparable harm to the UK's ability to prevent and detect crime, in particular cross-border offending like human traffickers, drug smugglers, organised sex offenders and those involved in terrorism. These are now frequently thwarted by exchange of intelligence, joint investigation, speedy evidence collection and the European Arrest Warrant, all shaped, practised and integrated EU-wide over the past 30 years - a shield for our security which is effective. It works. There is nothing to replace it. The European Arrest Warrant has transformed the extradition of suspects both from the UK to other EU countries and, importantly, into the UK from across the EU so that they can be put on trial for crimes committed here. An example is when Husain Osman, suspected of a failed attack on at Shepherds Bush underground on 21st July 2005, fled to Italy. His data was put onto the Schengen Information System, a warrant issued for his arrest and in less than two months he had been seized in Rome and returned to the UK. Advertisement The EAW is underpinned by that information system - SIS2 - by which real time wanted alerts are loaded immediately onto the central database. Closely linked are the Prum decisions, which deal with the fast track exchange of DNA, fingerprint and vehicle data for combatting terrorism and serious crime. Prior to EU Joint Investigation Teams, police in the UK had to issue a letter of request in a local court to ask a foreign court to authorise police to obtain material abroad. Now one officer will ring up an EU counterpart to use his local powers in pursuit of evidence for the UK inquiry. Europol is supported by the US and other non-EU governments but it is nonetheless governed by European Union countries. From 2013 it has hosted the European Cybercrime Centre - EC3 -responding both to cyber-criminals and to attacks by terrorists and foreign intelligence agencies. It is important that wanted criminals should not be at large, endangering the European public for a single extra day yet prior to the EAW, extradition processes were labyrinthine. Some states who now fully operate the EAW would simply not, before its implementation, extradite their residents. They included Germany, France and Poland, meaning that if someone was seriously assaulted in the UK and their assailant went home there could be no justice for the victim of a German, French person or Pole, in this country. Bilateral agreements typically led to struggles such as the ten year battle the French fought to extradite Rachid Ramda, wanted for the terrorist killings of eight people on the Paris Metro. He was arrested in the UK and appealed against his deportation several times, funded by British legal aid and raising considerable diplomatic tension between the two states. Even now, extraditing unwanted criminals to countries to which the EAW does not apply is lengthy and complex as was evident in the effort required for Abu Hamza's extradition to the United States. This is not a situation to which we can return in the EU without potentially undermining British public safety. Advertisement This area is where the Brexiters usual arguments fails. Faced with any benefit from membership of the EU, they generally say that we could accomplish the same by negotiating bilateral agreements. But in the area of justice and home affairs that argument is false. Once we were no longer signatories to the Treaties that underpin these agreements, there would be uncertainty as to what intelligence, which evidence and what processes could and could not be shared with us in this inevitably legalistic territory around public protection. At the very least it would take many years to agree complex, multi-faceted bilateral or EU to UK security provisions. Norway has been trying to negotiate its way into the European Arrest Warrant, from outside the EU for more than ten years. Meanwhile, the UK would be exposed to risk, unable to reach suspects we need urgently to apprehend or to remove from the UK. And we would be letting down victims. In 2011 Operations Koala and Rescue led by Europol (which is run by a Welshman) 230 abused children were rescued from an international ring of more than 670 suspects, including 240 from the UK. In the past five years the EAW has helped us remove over 5,000 criminal suspects to EU countries, at the same time 675 have been returned from European countries to face British justice. There is strong evidence to show that foreign criminals if they get into the UK continue to offend when they are here. There must be a real risk that if we are forced out of the EAW and thus onto slower extradition arrangements than the rest of the EU that we become a safe haven for European criminals much as Spain's 'Costa del Crime' used to be for British fugitives. In 2013 the Tory Government itself recognised the key importance of these measures and opted into them. They could have removed the entire 135 Justice and Home Affairs provisions in the Lisbon Treaty from our jurisdiction, consistent with some Tory views that they were 'intruding' into our perfect justice system. Instead they selected 35 provisions including the European Arrest warrant as being vital to retain. Advertisement Former Home Secretaries, Alan Johnson and David Blunkett and former Head of ACPO Sir Hugh Orde are all agreed on the essential, virtually irreplaceable nature of these arrangements with the current Home Secretary Theresa May. She told the Home Affairs Select Committee, on 10th May, that these provisions make the UK: "Safer and more secure in the EU than out" Eretz Israel Museum Tel-Aviv is currently presenting two exhibitions of nature photography. The Natural History Museum, London owns one of them, called Wildlife Photographer of the Year. This prestigious international wildlife exhibition started in 1964, and is held annually. 42,000 photographs from 96 countries were submitted to the 2016 international competition; only 100 of them were selected for the exhibition. The competition includes a wide range of categories, such as "birds," "amphibians," "fish," "in the sky," "plants" and "urban." Millions of people from various countries come to visit this touring exhibition every year. After exhibiting the photographs throughout the UK, the exhibition hits the road. The 2015-2016 exhibition is scheduled to be displayed in no less than 35 other locations around the world. The 2015 photograph of the year, "A Tale of Two Foxes", relates to global warming, depicting a common fox devouring a snow fox. The second exhibition currently on display at the Museum Tel-Aviv is called Photo of Nature; it is a local exhibition alongside the international one. In its third year, this local exhibition presents the winning photographs in the Israeli nature photographers' competition. Of the 4000 photographs submitted to the competition, 90 were chosen to exhibit. It presents photographs and videos of wildlife in Israel, the way they live in their natural habitat and the beauty of the Israel's unique natural landscape. Categories inlcude "landscape," "nightlife of wildlife," and "social life in the underwater world." the way they live in their natural habitat" Advertisement The 2015 photograph of the year was of the friendly and melodious Tristrams' Starling birds atop a cliff above the ever-drying Dead Sea. It depicts the impact of people on nature, including wildlife. Israelis cannot walk or drive to a neighboring country; they have to fly in order to tour another country. Israelis love nature. It is estimated that in one of the holidays this year 2 million Israelis travelled in Israel -- an impressive number for a country with about 8.5 million residents. "A picture is worth a thousand words" - here are some of the pictures displayed in the 2016 local exhibition of Israel Photo of Nature. I thank the Eretz Israel Museum Tel-Aviv for providing me with the photographs and their descriptions, and giving me their permission to publish them here. Photograph of the year Ilia Shalamaev Tristram's starlings on top of a rock, on a cliff overlooking the Dead Sea. The Tristram's starlings are not afraid of people, so I was able to get close to them and take pictures from a short distance. The Tristram's starlings are very social birds with diverse and pleasant calls. They eat fruits of desert plants and parasites, which they pick from the fur of Nubian ibexes, donkeys and camels. During the past several years, the Tristram's starlings have learned to reach the parking lots at Ein Gedi and Masada in order to pick the insects, which are trapped in the front 'grille' of the parking vehicles. Advertisement Urban nature, 1st place Eli Basri Coexistence in an urban environment: a golden jackal near a hiking trail in the Yarkon Park, during the morning hours. The golden jackals, who have lived in the Yarkon Park in the past several years, have grown accustomed to the company of human beings. Sometimes the jackals leave the park and wonder among the nearby neighborhood homes, scavenging for food in the dumpsters, creating a nuisance for the residents. As the night falls, their howls can be heard carrying over a great distance. Yarkon Park, Tel Aviv, 25 July 2013 Photographic series, curator's choice Roy Avraham Shoham, April-May 2014 A pair of bee-eaters in a variety of situations: courtship feeding, in which the male feeds the female bees and other insects (after taking the sting out of the bees); battles with other male bee-eaters over the right to use the branch; and the act of copulation itself. The series was photographed from within a vehicle, which was covered by a cameo net and used as a hiding place. 1st prize - BIRDS- Wildlife Photographer of The Year London's Museum of Natural History and the- BBC. Amir Ben-Dov ISRAEL Red-footed falcons are social birds, migrating in large flocks from central and eastern Europe to southern and southwestern Africa. The closest relationships seem to be pairs or parents with first-year chicks, but otherwise, they maintain a degree of personal space. But these three red-footed falcons were different. Amir spent six days watching them on agricultural land near Beit Shemesh, Israel, where their flock was resting on autumn migration, refueling on insects. What fascinated him was the fact that two sub-adult females and the full grown, slate-grey male were spending most of their time together, the two females often in close physical contact, preening and touching each other. They would also hunt together from a post rather than using the more normal hovering technique. As so often happens in photography, it was on the last day in the last hour before he had to return home when the magic happened. The sun came out, the three birds perched together, and a subtle interaction took place: one female nudged the male with her talon as she flew up to make space on the branch for the other female. Exactly what the relationship was between the three birds remains a mystery. 57_DANIELWINTER-22.jpg Conflict between man and nature, curator's choice Daniel Winter Shades of pink, green, and white in one of the pisciculture ponds at Kibbutz Nahsholim. The source of these colors could be algal bloom, dried up salt, or other factors. It is impossible to know from the photograph. Kibbutz Nahsholim, Hof HaCarmel, 12 August 2014 Conflict between man and nature, 1st place Tomer Ofri The new border fence between Israel and Egypt creates a new reality, which influences, among the rest, the area's wildlife. Nahal Gishron is the most southern canyon descending from the Eilat Mountains to the Gulf of Eilat, and is famous for its high granite cliffs. In the past, it was permitted to travel in the area, but following the security situation, some parts of it have been closed and bracketed with iron fences. Nahal Gishron, Eilat Mountains, 8 May 2014 Birds, curator's choice Aharon Shimshon A female Palestine sunbird stands on a Pentas plant. The sunbird feeds off the nectar of flowers. Its long beak, which curves downwards, is adapted to extract nectar from flowers with very long calyxes . The Palestine sunbird is among the smallest birds in Israel. The female is much less bright than the male, who shines in metallic blue-green colors. Cliff Beach, Tel Aviv, 20 November 2013 Underwater world, 1st place Rafi Amar A common lionfish in a moment of rest, against the background of the sandy slope, which is located between two diving sites in Eilat - Satil Wreck Site and Yatush Site. The sun adds a dimension of depth to the photograph. The beautiful and flamboyant colors of the lionfish are warning colors. The fish's fin spines are rich with venom, which causes skin burns, breathing difficulties, high fever and sometimes even localized edema. Between Yatush Site and Satil Wreck Site, 10 November 2013 Photographic series, 1st place Efi Cohen A family of jackals I met while walking from my home in Nataf, in the Judean Mountains, to Ein Nataf Spring, which is located at the foothills of the settlement. For two years, I studied their walking trails and activity hours. I made myself a hiding spot between the bushes, with a cameo net and branches, and in this manner spent many hours, for several weeks. At first, the jackals sensed my presence and were suspicious, but with time they grew accustomed to me and allowed me to take pictures of them. Nataf, Judean Mountains, December 2015 Advertisement Donald Trump secured the Republican presidential nomination, so another William Kristol column declaring him a fad should arrive at any moment. The GOP killed its own water and energy spending bill which is surprising as the Republican Party never cannibalizes itself. And Orrin Hatch used all he learned from his time beneath the weirwood tree with the three-eyed raven to predict the outcome of a future meeting with Merrick Garland. This is HUFFPOST HILL for Thursday, May 26th, 2016: CONGRESS IS USING ZIKA TO SHOW HOW TERRIBLE CONGRESS IS - Mike McAuliff: "Congress managed to beat the Memorial Day vacation traffic by fleeing town on Thursday. But what it failed to do before taking 10 days off was pass a bill that gives health officials the funding they estimate they need to combat the Zika virus. What Congress did instead is offer an object lesson in whats wrong with Congress, treating the need to respond to Zika not as a public health emergency thats already affected more than 1,500 Americans, but as an opportunity to pass other things, usually things the public doesnt want. It began in February when the Obama administration, advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, asked Congress to approve $1.9 billion in emergency funding to begin dealing with Zika. The virus is especially dangerous to pregnant women, who, according to a new study, have up to a 13 percent chance of delivering a baby with microcephaly. The idea had been to begin getting ready for the mosquitoes that carry Zika well before the start of summer breeding season, and to dramatically ramp up vaccine research, education and mitigation efforts. Congress decided that the administration already had enough money. The White House had to transfer $589 million from its successful, ongoing Ebola response to get started. And thats when Congress started treating the still-standing funding request (the administration wants to replace that Ebola funding) as an opportunity." [HuffPost] Advertisement GOP KILLS ITS OWN WATER SPENDING BILL - Well, when you remember how fluoride transmits homosexuality, the rationale starts to make more sense. Jen Bendery and Matt Fuller: "House Republicans unexpectedly sunk their own $37.4 billion water and energy spending bill on Thursday because it included a provision ensuring that people who work for government contractors cant be fired for being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. The bill failed 112 to 305, with 130 Republicans and 175 Democrats opposing it. Nearly every Democrat voted against it, but that was expected. Theyd raised concerns with riders in the bill that would undermine the Clean Water Act and allow people to carry firearms on Corps of Engineers lands. They also opposed language added late Wednesday by Republicans that would prevent the federal government from revoking funds to North Carolina over its controversial law affecting transgender people going to the bathroom." [HuffPost] John Hickenlooper has some really awful socks. ORRIN HATCH CAN PREDICT THE FUTURE -- WHY ISN'T ANYONE TALKING ABOUT THIS? Wake up, sheeple. Cristian Farias and Sam Stein: "Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) said in an op-ed published early Thursday morning that a meeting with Merrick Garland hadnt persuaded him that Garland should be confirmed to the Supreme Court, despite the long history that the two men share. The meeting, however, had not actually taken place yet. Hatch and Garland were scheduled to sit down with each other on Thursday in a session that has been kept highly secret by both parties. But before that happened, the Deseret News published a piece by Hatch saying that he had come away unmoved in his belief that the next president should fill the current vacancy on the Supreme Court...Hatchs piece was published briefly at midnight, Utah time, and then deleted. The link was redirected to an error page, but a cached version remained accessible for everyone to see." [HuffPost] Advertisement Utterly arbitrary behavior is a great way to fight the Washington machine: "One of two Democrats who voted against giving D.C. control over its own tax dollars admits he did it by mistake. The GOP majority in the House voted Wednesday to strike down a ballot measure, passed overwhelmingly by D.C. voters in 2013, that would have given the District the power to allocate its own tax dollars (according to the Constitution, Congress has 'exclusive authority' to govern the federal district). Two Democrats broke ranks to join the Republicans: Jim Costa of California and Brad Ashford of Nebraska. The New Republic reached out to both congressmen for comment. Through his press secretary, Ashford declined to comment. Costa, meanwhile, said his vote was an accident." [TNR's Laura Reston] Line of the day: Wow, is that how people see me? I have these other aspects of my life that no one knows about. Im an artist, Im a musician. Nobody knows that. They just see me as the guy who tried to kill Reagan. [Washingtonian] DELANEY DOWNER - Christopher Cousins on Maine's continued wonderful treatment of food stamp recipients: "More than 3,000 Mainers face bills from the state or federal government because they received too much food stamp funding due to errors by the state. Some of those Mainers face reductions of up to 10 percent of their food stamp benefits, seizure of their income tax refunds or garnishment of up to 15 percent of their Social Security benefits. The Department of Health and Human Services said its own errors led to the overpayment of nearly $2 million to 2,257 Mainers in 2015, plus another $700,000 in overpayments to 811 Mainers in the first four months of 2016. 'You are receiving this letter because our records show that you owe us money,' reads a letter DHHS sent to one of the affected people in September 2015." Food stamps aren't exactly money, so good luck paying back the state money you don't have, Maine Food Stamp Recipients. [Bangor Daily News] Advertisement Does somebody keep forwarding you this newsletter? Get your own copy. It's free! Sign up here. Send tips/stories/photos/events/fundraisers/job movement/juicy miscellanea to huffposthill@huffingtonpost.com. Follow us on Twitter - @HuffPostHill TRUMP CINCHES NOMINATION, IMMEDIATELY OFFERS TO DEBATE PERSON WHO WON'T BE HIS OPPONENT - He crossed 1,237 today, per AP and NBC News. Harper Neidig: "Donald Trump on Thursday said he would 'love' to debate Bernie Sanders as long as the event raised money for charity'So what we can do, if we can raise for maybe womens health issues or something if we can raise 10 or 15 million dollars for charity, which would be a very appropriate amount. I understand the television business very well.'...The Sanders campaign told The Hill earlier Thursday that the Vermont senator is eager to make the debate happen, although the two sides had not discussed it." [The Hill] If you haven't already, check out Howard Fineman's terrifying interview with Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort. HILLARY WILL BE THE NOMINEE BUT THIS IS SUPER WOMP WOMP-Y - Christopher Cadelago: "Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are in a virtual tie two weeks ahead of the primary election in California, with Sanders eliminating the modest advantage she held two months ago, according to a new statewide poll released late Wednesday. Clinton leads Sanders 46 percent to 44 percent among Democrats and independents likely to vote on June 7. Her narrowing primary edge in the Public Policy Institute of California survey is well within the margin of error. Clinton was topping Sanders 48 percent to 41 percent in March. 'Definitely the race has tightened up,' Mark Baldassare, PPICs president and chief executive, said in an interview." [Sacramento Bee] AND THEN THEY CAME FOR THE JEWS - And I said nothing because I was Jewish? Jessica Schulberg: "Trump still hasnt spoken out against his anti-Semitic supporters, who also threatened New York Times reporter Jonathan Weisman, called for the death of conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro and his children, and told conservative writer Bethany Mandel she deserved 'the oven.' That silence has both Trumps neo-Nazi fans and his Jewish supporters convinced the candidate is secretly on their side. 'We interpret that as an endorsement,' Andrew Anglin, the founder of the neo-Nazi website the Daily Stormer, named for the Hitler-era tabloid Der Sturmer, told The Huffington Post in an email...And although many Jewish conservatives are disgusted that Trumps campaign has invigorated and delighted fringe neo-Nazi groups, some top Jewish Republicans have decided to simply look the other way." [HuffPost] Advertisement Corporate America is clearly not going to stand up to Trump, by the way. Your daily dose of nothing matters: "[A]t least three-dozen campaign contributors who gave money to both [Clinton and Trump], according to a Center for Public Integrity review of federal campaign finance filingsProfessional poker player Daniel 'Miami Boss' Suied also likes Trumps economic views. Suied, who gave Clintons campaign $500 last year at the behest of some Democratic Party friends in Florida, has also donated $367 to Trumps campaign, including at least $200 in April. 'I was a huge fan of Bill Clinton,' Suied told the Center for Public Integrity. 'I like Trump now.'" [CPI's Michael Beckel] BECAUSE YOU'VE READ THIS FAR - Here's a raccoon on a bike. PETER THIEL: WHADDA GUY - Dude is totally landing himself a spot on No Label's board. Emily Peck: "The secretive tech billionaire who recently admitted to funding a lawsuit meant to crush the media company Gawker is known for having some radical opinions. But in an essay published in 2009, he surprised many when he wrote that giving women the right to vote by constitutional amendment in 1920 was a blow to democracy...Thiel is well known in the tech world: he an early funder of Facebook and sits on its board. His remarks on women earned the billionaire a lot of criticism at the time. That he also seemed to blame social security and other New Deal-era benefits for the decline of democracy a fairly common conservative and libertarian view got less attention. Cato later updated the essay and Thiel clarified that he does not want to disenfranchise women." [HuffPost] COMFORT FOOD - Racism is alive in well in Chinese commercial breaks. - Great spoof of Netflix food documentaries. TWITTERAMA @MEPFuller: Whaddya think it's like to come to DC, take a tour of the Capitol, then have the first thing you watch on the House floor be #GohmertHour? Advertisement @emmaroller: I think our next president should be whoever actually uses an entire tub of salad greens before they go bad @leighmunsil: Mr. Trump, did you change your iPhone pin to 1-2-3-7?" I'm heading off to Madagascar for a reporting trip, so Eliot Nelson and Jeffrey Young will be taking over The Morning Email through June 6th! Howard Fineman sits down with Paul Manafort to talk the wall, the potential ban on Muslims, Trump's governing style and his election chances. Spoiler alert -- Manafort thinks this is in the bag. [Howard Fineman, HuffPost] On the upkeep of outdated computer systems. The nuclear program runs on floppy disks. [AP] A look at Congress's inability to properly fund a Zika response as the U.S. local transmission threat grows with the climbing temperatures. [Michael McAuliff, HuffPost] Advertisement The new report continues to chip away at Hillary Clinton's weakness: "Voters just don't trust her." [Reuters] In his book, Chris Kyle reported receiving two Silver Stars and five Bronze Stars, whereas military records show he received one Silver Star and three Bronze Stars. [The Intercept] "In a small box in her bedroom, Oulfa Hamrounni keeps the photo she treasures most. It shows one of her daughters, brown hair flowing, a smile on her round face. The photo was taken before the girl and her sister left home to join the Islamic States affiliate in Libya." [WaPo] WHATS BREWING Yeah, take a minute to let that sink in. [Deadspin] Basically, who gets all the cash. [Bloomberg] A look at the disintegration of Venezuela, in pictures. [WaPo] Turns out your block may be even more so. [The Atlantic] The two were married for a 15 months. [HuffPost] But this mansion will do for the Obamas post presidency. [CNN] For more from The Huffington Post, download our app for iOS or Android. WHAT'S WORKING "And what many casual cat lovers may not realize is that cat cafes can also be an invaluable tool to help shelter cats find homes -- especially cats who might be freaked out by being stuck in a kennel." [HuffPost] Advertisement For more, sign up for the What's Working newsletter. BEFORE YOU GO ~ The danger of the lethality of Mexico's armed forces. ~ Trump agreed to debate Bernie Sanders for charity. Can someone make this happen? ~ Could Alzheimers "stem from the toxic remnants of the brains attempt to fight off infection?" ~ Three journalists have disappeared in Colombia in the past few days. ~ Sounds like there won't be a "True Detective" season three, and we're probably the only people who agree with Vulture's Sean Collins that that's a shame. ~ Throw a party: we'll have two more seasons of "The Americans." And if you're not watching it already, start. ~ The names Emma and William have a bit of a monopoly on the most popular baby names per state this year. ~ We are zero percent happy about this potential miserable "Game of Thrones" plot twist. Just no. ~ Grade A trolling by Clintons camp with this customized snapchat filter they geotagged to a Trump event. ~ We apologize for not recognizing National Wine Day yesterday. For penance, here are wine ice cream recipes. You're welcome. Advertisement The PARCC, which is supposedly a test of the Common Core State Standards, appears to have taken liberties with regard to grade level texts. For example, on the Spring 2016 PARCC for 4th Graders, students were expected to read an excerpt from xxx. According to Scholastic, this text is at an interest level for Grades 9-12, and at a 7th Grade reading level. The Lexile measure is 1020L, which is most often found in texts that are written for middle school, and according to Scholastic's own conversion chart would be equivalent to a 6th grade benchmark around W, X, or Y (using the same Fountas and Pinnell scale). Even by the reform movement's own standards, according to MetaMetrics' reference material on Text Complexity Grade Bands and Lexile Bands, the newly CCSS aligned "Stretch" lexile level of 1020 falls in the 6-8 grade range. This begs the question, what is the purpose of standardizing text complexity bands if testing companies do not have to adhere to them? Also, what is the purpose of a standardized test that surpasses agreed-upon lexile levels? So, right out of the gate, 4th graders are being asked to read and respond to texts that are two grade levels above the recommended benchmark. After they struggle through difficult texts with advanced vocabulary and nuanced sentence structures, they then have to answer multiple choice questions that are, by design, intended to distract students with answers that appear to be correct except for some technicality. Finally, students must synthesize two or three of these advanced texts and compose an original essay. The ELA portion of the PARCC takes three days, and each day includes a new essay prompt based on multiple texts. These are the prompts from the 2016 Spring PARCC exam for 4th Graders along with my analysis of why these prompts do not reflect the true intention of the Common Core State Standards. Austrian far right Freedom Party (FPOe) presidential candidate Norbert Hofer arrives for his final election rally in Vienna, Austria, May 20, 2016. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY BERLIN -- Throughout the Western world, sympathies for right-wing strongmen are gaining strength. In the U.S., Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are tied in the polls. In Austria, it came to a showdown between the Green candidate Alexander van der Bellen and the right-wing nationalist Norbert Hofer. These societies are split 50-50, right down the middle. For Germany, such results have long been the norm. It hasn't succumbed to radicalism, but it is a sobering parliamentary reality that in two or three previous and current legislatures, the Social Democrats and the Christian Conservatives are forced to govern together. This leads to a stalemate, since the most important issues of the future cannot be addressed in deadlock. Compromises, the lifeblood of democracy, are always stretched to their max under such configurations -- and sometimes they are overstretched. Advertisement For right-wing populists, democracy is the rule of the majority over the minority. This is probably why people here are looking towards Austria with such apprehension: a sudden jump to the right or the left has never been good for Germany. Our Alpine neighbor was prepared to swear in a far-right president. In the end, the man from the Greens, the more moderate candidate, won the election by the slimmest of margins. The Green Party has long been a refreshing presence on the European party spectrum. But still, Hofer got half the vote in an election that, by the way, had a record turnout of almost 72 percent. Has a radicalization of the political scene, with voters pushed to the edges of the spectrum, revitalized democracy? Marine Le Pen in Paris on May 17. (PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images) Observers have discerned that democracy, and liberal democracy in particular, is something that must be fought for. Throughout the Western world, neo-national, anti-Islamic, homophobic and gender-hostile political forces have been agitated. With record results, they're able to get out of the stands and into state parliaments, as we can see with the Alternative for Germany party. Next year, there will be a federal election in Germany. What role will the AfD play? The fight for democracy itself is also being led from the right by the likes of Hofer, Trump and Le Pen in France. They argue for the purification of democracy from the evils being inflicted on it by certain minority groups. For them, democracy is the rule of the majority over the minority. Liberal democracies, on the other hand, as they have taken shape in the countries of the West, inversely derive their value, their functionality and their legitimacy by how well they treat minorities. Advertisement Liberal democracy must be fought for. The trend has, for a while, been going the opposite direction. People are now asking: What does it means to be French? What it means to be English? What it means to be German? In a globalized world, where all people are digitally connected to one another, questions of identity are crucial. Outside the West, some groups dream of homogeneous places: the expulsion of Christians from the Middle East is due to the so-called Islamic State's dreams of homogeneity and superiority. The same goes for the Hindu national dream of the current government in India. Trump in California on May 25. (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst) The election in Austria is therefore just an appetizer. There's the Brexit referendum in England at the end of June, opinions on which are also split right down the middle, and the election in November in the U.S., where society again appears to be split down the middle. Austria is a small country and, on today's global political stage, insignificant -- though anyone visiting Vienna immediately notices that it was once the seat of a great empire. This applies similarly to Paris and London. A return to former greatness, a mission evoked by Trump in the U.S., can be heard also in France, England and Austria with similar rhetorical fashion. I'm afraid Austria is just the beginning. Also on WorldPost: On Wednesday, Amnesty International published its policy on sex work, calling on governments around the world to decriminalize consensual prostitution and take other steps to protect the human rights of sex workers including ending discrimination against them. The published policy is the culmination of an historic vote Amnesty International's board took last August and it lays out the reasons why decriminalization is the best means to protect the health and human rights of sex workers. Its policy is based on extensive research showing that laws that criminalize the purchase and solicitation of commercial sex "often make sex workers less safe and provide impunity for abusers, with sex workers often too scared of being penalized to report crime to the police. In its press release, Amnesty concludes that laws on sex work should focus on protecting people from exploitation and abuse, rather than trying to ban all sex work and penalize sex workers. The same day, Amnesty published another report on the human cost of laws criminalizing the purchase of sex in Norway, known as the Nordic model. It began with the story of Mercy, a Nigerian sex worker, who was evicted from her apartment after she reported to the police that she and other sex workers she lived with had been robbed and raped at knifepoint. As she told Amnesty, the police put pressure on the landlord to throw her and the other women out onto the street. As Amnesty noted: Advertisement Mercy's story is not an isolated case. Amnesty International learned of another violent robbery carried out against three women selling sex around the same time in March 2014 who were rapidly deported from the country after they reported the incident to the police... Amnesty International has found evidence that many sex workers remain subject to a high level of policing and are being targeted and penalized by police in multiple, intersecting ways. Amnesty concluded that the Nordic model's stated purpose of protecting sex workers while targeting their clients isn't working. It's only making things worse. As I discovered in writing my book, Getting Screwed: Sex Workers and the Law, much the same thing has happened in Sweden after that country was the first to make it illegal to purchase (but not sell) sex. Since 2000, studies show, sex workers there have a much more difficult time negotiating safe sex (i.e. sex with condoms) and assessing dangerous clients. They've also lost many low-risk clients, leaving them exposed to more violent clientele -- both on the streets and indoors. In addition, Swedish sex workers have also faced heightened discrimination and stigmatization. Indeed in my book, I tell the tragic story of a Swedish sex worker who lost custody of her children simply because she had been an escort. She then lost her life when her ex-husband stabbed her to death during a supervised visit with her children. Advertisement The irony is that criminalizing sex clients has not reduced the overall number of sex workers in that country, according to the Swedish government's own reports. Nor has it decreased trafficking in the region either. All that laws criminalizing buyers (as well as sellers) do is further endanger sex workers, impeding their ability to seek protection from violence and obtain needed housing and health services. Authors: Amol Sarva and Jayson White With a valuation of more than $16 billion, WeWork's incredible growth, alongside the emergence of at least 100 other growing coworking brands, proves just how popular shared and flexible office spaces have become. But as valuations climb and the headlines keep coming, we may be seeing the tip of the iceberg for an incredible wave of change coming to the commercial real estate industry. What's often forgotten amongst all the focus on coworking, are the much larger, more complex and far more interesting global trends at hand. As growing companies compete in rapidly changing markets, leases have been getting shorter and shorter for years. And landlords, who constantly compete for the best and brightest tenants, continue to load their buildings with amenities and "lifestyle" services. For example, take into account the transformation of residential tract development to more inclusive community-construction. From baby boomers to millennials, people are increasingly choosing compact, mixed-use communities with reliable, convenient transit systems.The sea change at hand lies within these service layers, as coworking and its implications send ripples into the biggest commercial real estate (CRE) players. In New York, this is already being seen as 180 Maiden Lane undergoes a $28 million renovation to include a 250-seat cafeteria, 150-seat luxury conference room, and brand new fitness facility. Advertisement So, while WeWork's $16 billion valuation is staggering, commercial real estate is in the midst of a much larger transformation with hundreds of millions of square feet at stake. The high-touch, brand-forward solutions similar to WeWork may only be part of the story, but their rise will still be instructive for what the future holds. From large companies to fledgling startups, the emerging office customer will increasingly seek flexible work environments that can offer more than just a desk. The key here is to consider the decisions smaller freelancers are making about coworking; they represent what major tenants and corporations are also starting to choose upstream. Employees are now shaping the way companies go about buying real estate and office space: from the ground up. A Change in Taste Traditionally, businesses often marked their success -- either real or imagined -- by moving on up and renting space in the most luxe office towers available. Older, established companies chose to pay for these monolithic office spaces, but younger millennial employees have no desire for such a place. The stuffy cubicle setting, mixed with slow security check-ins and an overabundance of suits isn't all that appealing anymore. The informality of a shared office space, not to mention the low cost, is attracting more and more people. Perhaps the scariest thing about this shift for CRE is that all sorts of companies seem to want these things -- not just the average nomadic freelancer. When PwC modernized most of its 83 U.S. offices, they added more communal space and made each office noticeably smaller, reducing the space per employee by 30 percent. Advertisement In fact, shrinking office space is now common in the professional world. The average for all companies for square feet per worker in 2017 is projected to be under 151 square feet, compared to 176 square feet in 2012, and 225 square feet in 2010, according to CoreNet Global. And since those reports were released, the trend has steadily continued upwards. But what's more interesting is the Fortune 500's who have already opted to move some of their employees into cowork offices. While PwC made communal space available in their own offices, General Electric moved 20 workers from its new energy business, Current, into a WeWork space near Boston's South Station in February. Furthermore, KPMG, Merck, and British news publication Guardian have all started renting temporary space separate from their corporate locations. It's really no surprise companies of all sizes are moving in this direction however. As the Harvard Business Review reported, members of a co-working space actually find their work to be much more meaningful, which leads to more productivity. There's a welcome sense of camaraderie that doesn't seem to exist in other offices. Remote Connections There will also be demand for the enormous one-location campuses used by the biggest companies. For most companies, scaling in one consolidated location just isn't the best way to go. Firms with dozens of employees often have operations spread across multiple locations. Even small companies may just have a handful of people working together remotely from across the world. With more work being done remotely, coworking spaces are tailor-made for such operations. The ease of signing up and the services they provide are a welcome alternative to consolidating operations in one global headquarters. Advertisement Finding Flexibility Young businesses need to be nimble in order to succeed. Being stuck in a years-long lease is a nightmare for companies with hopes of scaling up or moving elsewhere. Even a five year lease can be too long for many larger companies. Convoluted leases with hidden catches can also be a problem. Cowork spaces provide a useful way to manage hefty real estate costs. It costs a traditional U.S. company nearly $12,000 a year for each worker it provides office space, according to experts at CBRE. While coworking spaces might be more expensive on a per-square-foot basis, it becomes easier for larger companies to move employees in and out of spaces fluidly. Naturally, companies can then shift focus to expanding rapidly into new locales rather than managing a risk portfolio tied to a long-term real estate purchase. A big appeal of shared working spaces is how easily they accommodate such growth. Spaces offer different options pricing options, but the companies are willing to pay a premium if it means they won't be stuck with office space they don't need. So What's Next? It's becoming clear that people thrive in the unstructured, communal work environment, as studies show people want (and need) something different from the traditional. And the potential to grow companies and real estate products aimed at serving millions of new workers in technology and innovation economy industries is immense. To that end, we will start to see the emergence of "high performance workplaces" designed to intentionally align with a company's business objectives and work processes, upgrading a worker's ability to be most productive. According to CBRE's Genesis Report, the traditional workplaces will be in the minority by 2030. Advertisement Further, many coworking spaces will continue to revitalize vacant buildings while also driving urban community development for the surrounding areas. As of 2015, 42 percent of cowork spaces were located in buildings that already existed 50 years ago, and only half were located in the original designated commercial units. home World Tensions escalate between Muslims and Christians over meat slaughter issue in Tanzania In Tanzania, a country that is generally considered safe for Christians, friction between Muslims and Christians has persisted for years over the issue of meat slaughter. Traditionally, Muslims are the only ones involved in slaughtering meat for public consumption to ensure that the meat sold in the market is halal, as Muslims would not eat meat that has not been ritually slaughtered. "It has been our custom since the establishment of Tanzania a and even before a to see Muslims slaughter animals for public use, and we have not seen any problem. We have to care for our traditions and customs, which is to see Muslims doing this," Mponjoli Mwabulambo, regional police commander in Geita, said. However, there has been no law that supports this tradition. Furthermore, Christians are saying that eating halal meat goes against their convictions. Muslim-owned butcheries have also suffered loss of sales from Christian-owned butcheries as more people began to buy non-halal meat. Aside from halal meat being against Christian beliefs, the ritual for slaughtering meat incurs additional costs, making it more expensive and thus driving more people to buy the less expensive, non-halal meat. In 2013, tension over the issue escalated when an Assemblies of God pastor in Buseresere was hacked to death by machete wielding Muslims. Pastor Mathayo Kachila was on his way to a friend's house when a group of men attacked him. Mathayo had been outspoken about Christians' rights to sell non-halal meat, according to a report. Before he died, Mathayo was able to identify his chief attacker. He was arrested along with other suspects, but was later on set free. Mathayo's wife Jane said seeing her husband's killer walking freely in the village gives her and her family so much pain. "The children are emotionally affected when they see the person walking around freely. It is very painful to us all," Jane Roza said. "Even though the police have visited me a few times after the murder to interview me and promised to keep investigating, we do not know what happened to the case. I just don't know." On the island of Zanzibar, the same tension can be felt as more Christians are expressing disappointment that they are not allowed to work as butchers. The Zanzibar police commander, Hamdani Makame, said Christians can sell meat, but they will not be allowed to slaughter animals for business. "This is our custom. We will not allow Christians to engage in this business, as we feel that it will create violence in society," Makame said. by Erik Shilling, originally posted on Atlas Obscura Portugal had, until very recently, been generating up to half its energy with combustible energies like coal, oil, and natural gas. But the country has also been ambitious with renewable sources, relying on renewables for 48 percent of all of its power last year, and more than tripling its output of wind energy in just three years. Still, it was remarkable when the country announced that for four days, it powered itself on renewable energy alone, according to the Guardian. For 107 hours, from May 7 to May 11, Portugal was the greenest country in the world. This wasn't exactly intentional. The output of wind and solar farms can vary based on a lot of factors, mainly, of course, how windy or sunny any given day is. And energy use can also vary--fair weather can mean that fewer air conditioners are on, for example. Advertisement A huge part of the feat involved wind power. The Iberian Peninsula is so suited for wind farms, in fact, that the country has high hopes for a new industry: exporting renewable power to the rest of Europe. This will require "an increased build-out of interconnectors, a reformed electricity market and political will," Oliver Joy, a spokesman for an industry association, told the Guardian. "But with the right policies in place, wind could meet a quarter of Europe's power needs in the next 15 years." (Photos: Porter Magazine, EBONY, Teen Vogue) By Abi Ishola It's true-the face of the young, celebrated, modern-day black feminist is light skinned, or biracial. Think Amandla Stenberg, Willow Smith, and Zendaya Coleman. It's also true that it's been the the aesthetic of popular black feminists in the past. Think Angela Davis and bell hooks. This point was rehashed on the Son of Baldwin Facebook page. The post highlighted a series of tweets from Pax Jones, the woman who launched the Unfair and Lovely photo series addressing colorism with her classmates from Sri Lanka. According to Jones: First Tweet: "I love Amandla & Zendaya, but are we going to acknowledge that the face of young black feminism is the light skinned, biracial aesthetic?" Second Tweet: "Dark gurls have always spoken up, but don't get onto vogue & receive praise for being opinionated. If ur dark, ur just 'mad'." Third Tweet: "Until yall acknowledge ur privilege, I don't care to hear another light skin black gurl with curly hair talk about how hard being a BW is." Fourth Tweet: "Your experience is not shared w/dark women, yet you're given the platform to represent all of us. No. Tired." As we unpack all of the baggage brought on by colorism, this is clearly an issue that deserves to be dissected. Let's start by acknowledging the fact that Stenberg and Coleman are smart and savvy young women doing important work. They have embraced their blackness and they use their platforms to educate the masses on how black people, particularly black women, are dehumanized, devalued, abused, and discarded by society. Neither have had to leave the comfort of their homes to do this work. They raise their voices via social media, then subsequently through larger avenues in the form of Oprah Super Soul Sessions, interviews, and magazine cover stories. But what we also know to be true is that dark (or darker) skinned women not only exist within this movement, they helped to strengthen it in ways that often go unacknowledged or underreported by the mainstream. Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi, and Patrisse Cullors, the founders of Black Lives Matter come to mind. Yes they have received recognition, and yes, they are older than Coleman and Stenberg, but their level of recognition barely scratches the surface in comparison. In fact, some seek to discredit their ability to claim that they are founders of the movement they started. I was slightly shocked when I was at an event recently and I heard someone say, "I wonder who started Black Lives Matter." It's a question that's become somewhat common despite their televised award show appearances and international travels delivering speeches on the movement. To be fair, women like Coleman and Stenberg have show biz recognition that supports their popularity as activists. And as they appear in major films and television shows and walk the most coveted red carpets, the mainstream reminds them of their blackness regardless of the privileges they enjoy. Amandla got a taste of this after she was cast in the Hunger Games, which upset white fans of the trilogy who felt a black girl wasn't a fit for the role. On first discovering her call to activism, she told Teen Vogue: Advertisement "It was when I was 12 and I got cast in The Hunger Games, and people called me the N-word and said that the death of my character, Rue, would be less sad because I was black. That was the first moment I realized being black was such a crucial part of my identity in terms of the way that I was perceived and how it would affect any line of work that I wanted to pursue. I often find myself in situations where I am the token black person. It can feel like this enormous weight." Ironically, Stenberg's mainstream recognition as an activist likely comes as a result of her appearance in such a major film project, which is largely a privilege reserved for black women who are biracial or fair skinned. In other words, they have to fight to defend their blackness within the mainstream, but their level of blackness still affords them the ability to move in spaces many dark skinned women have to work twice as hard to enter into, therefore the popular black feminist aesthetic has become a reflection of the black female position in Hollywood. For those who wish to brush this issue aside and write it off as yet another way for people to pit black people against one another and overlook the real "enemy," understand that this is another layer of the human need for representation. Wouldn't it be beautiful if snapshots of modern-day black feminists are as colorful as we are as a people? Where is Keke Palmer's Teen Vogue cover story discussing the joys and difficulties of coming out as sexually fluid? Her body of work should be enough to grant her such recognition. Can we get a Super Soul Session featuring Reagan Gomez on how she's been successfully using social media for years to discuss feminism, womanism, and LGBTQ rights? So here's a question brought on by Pax Jones' Tweets: should light skinned black women begin to acknowledge their own privileges and how it's afforded them the ability to become the poster girls of the modern-day black feminist movement? Wouldn't that be an important piece in discussing the dehumanization of black women? Or is celebrating ones blackness deemed more revolutionary when the message comes from someone with lighter skin? We sure hope not. Advertisement Visit BeyondClassicallyBeautiful.com to read more content that celebrates the diverse beauty of black women. For me, getting the numbers right--particularly when they are measuring young people's wellbeing--is critically important to how we shape meaningful youth development programs and strategies. Unfortunately, statistics around youth employment, perhaps the most significant indicator of whether a young person will lead a productive and successful life, may not paint an accurate or complete picture. Take this recent headline: Unemployment Rate in Indonesia Falls to 5.5% of Labor Force. It sounds like good news, but then I read on and learned that Indonesia officially defines a person as "employed" if he or she is older than 15 and works at least one hour per week. Even the writer acknowledged that this "rather loose definition" of employment made Indonesia's jobless rate--for young and old--artificially low. IYF's definition of employment for a young person who has graduated from one of our job training programs is stricter, and, we think, more meaningful: he or she is working 30 hours a week and earning at least the equivalent of the minimum wage. Anything less means being dreadfully underemployed. Advertisement That said, we already know how difficult it can be for a young person in Indonesia--or across the globe--to secure a job in the formal economy and build a real future. For more than a decade, IYF has been working with key public, private, and NGO partners throughout the country to expand youth economic opportunities, with a particular focus on improving the prospects of poor, vulnerable, out-of-school youth, especially young women. We know Indonesia's leaders recognize that improving the skills and productivity of its aspiring labor force must be a priority. So how can the nation become more economically inclusive? Picture of a young Hasid Jewish boy in Williamsburg, New York city. It's great to be part of a community. It can make you feel like you're not alone, like you're among people who get you and your life experience. In a community, such as the various Jewish communities, you have people to turn to, who will mobilize for you and share your joys and your challenges. Except when you don't. When your challenge happens to be depression, anxiety, an eating disorder, addiction or another emotional challenge, things are different. Then the people around you have beliefs and attitudes that make it very hard for you to reach out and get help from your community. As a result, most of the time you pretend that everything is fine while you suffer, ashamed and isolated on the inside. What makes this so absurd is that, whether or not they know it, everyone has someone -- probably a few people--in their life who suffers the same way. More people suffer from some form of mental illness every year than from the flu, and over your lifetime your chance of having some episode is around 50/50. Advertisement The stigma against mental illness is not a problem specific to the Jewish community, nor is there evidence that it is any more prevalent here than in other communities. We've made much progress over the years in addressing it. However, stigma is still a community issue that we can only address together. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time in which organizations and individuals who work or live with mental illness work to educate the rest of us about issues related to mental illness. We are also in the middle of Sefirat HaOmer, a time, between Passover and the holiday of Shavuot in which we try to correct in ourselves the failure of Rabbi Akiva's students to treat each other with dignity. It seems like an appropriate time, then, to take a closer look at how the stigma against mental illness affects us and our fellow community members. We don't see other people's mental illness the way we would see a cast on someone who's been injured, but it's just as real. Living with mental illness is hard at best, and sometimes it can be brutal. Mental illness can make you feel like someone drained all the color from the world and all the energy from your soul, like your limbs feel like lead and your brain is wading through impenetrable fog. It can make you feel like you've lost control because you're constantly terrorized by worries that you know are irrational, but that just circle around you and get stronger when you try to chase them away. You might also have to deal with side effects, sometimes serious, from medications that you hate, but that you depend on to function. So many people who suffer from mental illness feel trapped, pathetic, overwhelmed or hopeless. Advertisement As if that weren't enough, if you are battling a mental illness, you have a double burden. Not only do you suffer from the disorder itself, but also from the stigma. You might have to push through your illness and pretend that you're perfectly fine, in a way that no one would expect from someone with a physical illness. Because of the stigma against mental illness, you might live in fear that someone will notice and figure out the pain you are in. If your child has emotional or behavioral problems, you may have to endure regular judgments, spoken and unspoken, about your parenting. You may also have internalized the stigma from around you and are judging and belittling yourself. Perhaps, worst of all, stigma may be preventing you from getting help altogether, something that causes people unnecessary pain and isolation and in some cases tragically ends in suicide. Stigma is everywhere. One study found that 70 percent of employers would hesitate to hire someone with a mental illness. That's why people typically keep their illness a secret from their employers and have to sneak out to psychiatrist appointments for fear of losing their jobs. In our own communities, people who are dating for marriage with a known mood or anxiety disorder can have an extremely hard time finding someone who will date them, even worse if they are taking any psychiatric medication. Even doctors demonstrate stigma toward mental illness. A study published just two months ago found that the same doctors who effectively help patients manage chronic physical illnesses like diabetes neglect to follow up with their patients when their diagnosis is depression. There are many reasons why people with mental illness are stigmatized. One is that they are perceived as dangerous. Much of that has to do with the media, who, whenever there is a mass shooting, are quick to label the perpetrator "mentally ill" (often to counter the gun control narrative). Another reason for the stigma is that many people perceive mental illness as less real than other illnesses and its symptoms are more within the person's control. In religious communities, people are more likely to look at mental illness as reflecting some sort of moral flaw. In many Jewish communities, the stigma around mental illness also has a lot to do with marriage and fear of introducing mental illness into the gene pool. That means that parents and siblings of someone with an emotional disorder are also stigmatized. What Can We Do? The most important thing we can do to reduce the stigma of mental illness is to talk about mental illness. For many of us, this may require going out and educating ourselves about it (see sidebar for resources). The more that parents, educators, rabbis, leaders and everyone else talks about mental illness, the harder it will be for us to ignore it. We need to stop using words like "crazy" or "bipolar" in a pejorative way, and tell our children and everyone else to stop as well. Those with mental illness in their immediate family can make home a safe space where siblings or parents can be open about their experiences. In addition, every one of us needs to be reminded that mental illness is real and that people can't magically get over the symptoms. At the same time, we need to know that treatment is an available, effective and respectable option. We also need to remember that we have no idea how hard another person has it before we instinctively judge him or her. Over the years, different people who suffer from various forms of psychological problems have boldly come forward to talk about their experience for the benefit of the public. Some notable examples include Rabbi Nathaniel Helfgot's 2001 Jewish Action article about depression, Temimah Zucker's writing on eating disorders, and Ruth Roth's recent incredibly powerful essay for the Jewish Week on losing her son to suicide. However, it can't keep being that we carry stigma against people with mental illness, but that we rely on them to take responsibility for standing up to end it. Now it's time for all of us to start talking. Want to learn more and find out about what you can do? Check out these sites: Time To Change Two of the greatest things about this site are: - The #Smallthings campaign, which stresses that small things make a big difference in supporting someone with mental health challenges. It includes a wall where people post their own small things that help them - A pledge wall, where you can see others' personal pledges to do something small to support people with mental illness and also make your own pledge Mental Health America This site features, among other things: - The incredible #mentalillnessfeelslike campaign, which gives you a window on what it's like to have mental illness in the form of real-time tweets sorted by disorders - Resources for people who think they might need help, themselves, such as self-screening tools and useful self-help tools, like worksheets and tips For even more resources, I've put together a page with lots of great videos, links and infographics that I'm sure you'll find helpful. _______________________ Last month, four days after Bahrain's Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa stood next to Secretary John Kerry at a press conference and announced that dissident Zainab Al Khawaja and her baby son Abdulhadi would be released from jail, I wrote a piece here pointing out that four days was a long time to fill in some paperwork and find the prison key. Tomorrow will be 50 days, and she's still in jail. You can fly to the moon and back, sail the Atlantic and climb Mount Everest in 50 days if you put your mind to it. The Bahraini government doesn't seem to be trying very hard to make this happen. "Zainab al Khawaja will be released pending her case in the court. She will be sent to her home and to be with her family," said the Foreign Minister on April 7. The previous month Zainab started a jail sentence of over three years for a series of peaceful protests, including tearing up a picture of Bahrain's king to highlight the monarchy's abuse of power. Fifty days after publicly promising to release her and she's still in Cell 19 in Bahrain's Isa Town Prison. This incident says much about the Bahrain ruling family's relationship to the truth, and about the Bahrain-Washington dynamic. On May 9 Bahrain's Foreign Ministry repeated that Zainab was about to be released, confirming that the Bahrain government has difficulty distinguishing things it declares to be true from things that really are. Those of us who have followed Bahrain for the last five years aren't surprised that a senior government minister promised something in front of cameras that wasn't then delivered. In November 2011 Bahrain's king accepted the recommendations of an inquiry into human rights violations by his government earlier that year, promising to introduce badly needed reform. It hasn't happened. No senior government official has been brought to account for the deaths and torture of 2011. Undeterred by the facts, Bahrain's government earlier this month simply announced the recommendations from 2011 have been "fully implemented". Promising at a public event with Secretary Kerry to release Zainab and then not doing it is all rather embarrassing for the State Department, which renewed arms sales to Bahrain nearly a year ago in the hope of encouraging human rights reform. This week's stuttering State Department response to questions about what it intends to do about the unmet promise offers little hope of a firm line from Washington against its repressive ally. And no one is surprised. The State Department has responded to the Bahraini government's crushing of peaceful dissent by rewarding the regime with more arms. Weaponizing and politically supporting dictators enables their repression, something the U.S. government is willing to do in the case of Bahrain. A few weeks ago Zainab managed to get a letter out of jail. In it she wrote, "If nothing changes for the people of Bahrain, then my staying in jail or release is not of great consequence." Maybe she's right, but her staying in jail now represents something else - an embarrassing public snub for the State Department that, 50 days on, is developing into a diplomatic incident. "Everyone can dream big," says Karolyn Evans, Senior Aerospace Engineer at Sierra Nevada, "but only those with hope will actually achieve it." Her education and career path have shown her that hoping means more than wishing; having hope means remembering that "there is always another way," and utilizing every resource, in the face of setbacks. Karolyn's personal and professional experience will be a wonderful contribution to the GlobalMindED Conference, June 9-10 in Denver, where she will participate in a panel discussion on issues in STEM. Karolyn's mother and father emphasized the value of hard work and integrity to their six children. Finances prevented both parents from attending college, but they gained valuable experience--her father took on an apprenticeship in technology while still in high school, and her mother joined the Peace Corps and worked in the nursing field in Malaysia--and later took on "odd jobs ... to make sure the family was financially stable." As they encouraged Karolyn and her siblings to pursue college, they also recognized that financial support would have to come from outside sources, so Karolyn knew early on that she would be in charge of obtaining her education. Karolyn is proud of her family, and particularly proud of "how they handle diversity"; those lessons became especially important when she was not admitted to her first choice of colleges, the Air Force Academy. "My mother will tell you that I did not take the rejection well and it is still a 'thorn in my side,'" she admits, but she now recognizes that she found an equally rewarding path (particularly since she works with all branches of the military in her current position). With her family's support, she accepted a full-ride scholarship offer to attend the nearby junior college. After earning her associate's degree, she joined the Air Force ROTC and patched together scholarships to earn her bachelor's degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: one "for being 5 foot 9 inches, another one for having blonde hair, another one for wearing glasses, and another one for being a woman going into engineering." She began working at Lockheed Martin, which helped pay for her Master's degree at the University of Denver. Several things, some close to home and some on the global stage, helped Karolyn make up her mind early on to become an engineer. Witnessing the first launch of the space shuttle Columbia and Dr. Sally Ride's story provided examples of the feats engineers could achieve. She also had the support of her Chemistry, Aviation and Physics teacher at Yorkville High School. Mr. Anderson, she says, encouraged her to set her sights high and helped her determine that Aerospace (rather than Mechanical) Engineering would be the best fit. He also helped clarify her goals: "I can still hear his voice telling my parents that they had an engineer on their hands, not a teacher." She feels lucky to have lived in a small town"--Oswego, IL had a population of about 1,500 when Karolyn lived there--where teachers got to know their students well. The combination of a high-profile role model, her parents' support of her dreams, and immediate mentors thus provided Karolyn with the motivation and insight to become a pioneer in her family and in the STEM field. Karolyn's passion for science and engineering has grown. "What I love about my job is knowing that I am part of a team that has sent satellites around the Earth to help predict weather and see the stars in far-away galaxies, missions to Mars (both in orbit and on the surface), missions to Jupiter and Venus, the first mission to Pluto, and the first mission to land on an asteroid," she says. Co-workers, she adds, become like family because of the hard work everyone puts in and the deep sense of accomplishment. She is also proud of the effect her work has on society: "Ninety percent of my career is helping people understand the world around them and protecting them." Most of all, she is proud on a personal level of "graduating both high school and college, then seeing my mother, older sister and two brothers graduating from college after me. My mother once said that I was the reason she went back to get her degree." For students who come from a similar background, and for those who have ever been told "you can't do this" or dealt with not being accepted to a dream school, Karolyn offers the wise advice to hold onto the ambitions that made them apply in the first place. She also offers the practical reminder that plenty of scholarships and other financial support can come from unexpected places; with some digging, higher education costs become much less burdensome. GlobalMindED thanks Karolyn for sharing her story, and looks forward to the insights she will offer students and fellow professionals at this year's conference, where the sky's the limit. I talked with celebrity activists and allies on the Red Carpet at the 27th GLAAD Media Awards in NYC. First I spoke with Jackson Riemerschmid the teen who made news by leading the successful effort to eliminate the binary system of purple graduation gowns for boys and white gowns for girls at New Rochelle High School in New York. Next I talked to Tracey Norman who's best known for having been the first African-American transgender woman model and for appearing on a box of Clairol in the 1970s. Then I talked with Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO & President of GLAAD about issues facing our LGBT community and what projects GLAAD is working on to create more diversity in mainstream media. Next director Eric Schaeffer talked about his film "Boy Meets Girl" which stars Michelle Hendley as a transgender woman living in a small town in Kentucky looking for love that was nominated for a GLAAD Award. Then I chatted with trans teen advocate Nicole Maines who made her acting debut as a guest star on USA's "Royal Pains". Nicole won the landmark case in the Maine Supreme Court in 2014 against her school district for preventing her from using the school's girls restrooms that ignited the regulations issued by President Obama and his administration as well as the U.S. Department of Education for issuing new guidelines to ensure transgender students will be treated fairly in public and federally funded schools, including equitable access to facilities such as restrooms and locker rooms. LISTEN: Next gender queer advocate Jacob Tobia and Daniella Carter who appeared on the documentary The T-Word both talked about the broad spectrum of our transgender community and the importance of uplifting our LGBT youth with love and support. I was then joined by Jim Obergefell the lead plaintiff in last year's historic Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges that resulted in marriage equality becoming the law of the land. Jim won the GLAAD Award for Anderson Cooper's "Interview with Jim Obergefell" in the Outstanding TV Journalism Segment category. Then Kally Duling and Emily Skeggs who are currently appearing in "Fun Home" the 2015 Tony Award winning play stopped by to talk about their play and LGBT equality before performing at the GLAAD Awards. Next I was joined by Jenny Boylan, Co-Chair of GLAAD's Board of Directors who talked about all the crucial programs GLAAD is developing and her work with Caitlyn Jenner on the reality television series "I Am Cait". Then I talked with Selenis Leyva about her role as Gloria Mendoza in the Netflix comedy-drama series "Orange Is the New Black" followed by Laura Gomez who portrays Blanca Flores a member of the Hispanic group also on "Orange Is the New Black" who both gave us a little insight of the direction of the upcoming fourth season. Next Darren Young the first openly gay WWE superstar wrestler talked to me about making a difference for LGBT youth and reminding us that LGBT equality is a process. Then I chatted with CNN political analyst Margaret Hoover who's an LGBT rights activist, author and republican who attended with her husband John Avlon the editor in chief of The Daily Beast and also a CNN political analyst. Next Lea DeLaria who plays Big Boo on "Orange Is The New Black" talked about the show's fourth season that premiers on June 17th and her spin on transgender bathroom legislation. I then chatted with Noah Galvin who currently plays the role of gay son Kenny O'Neal in the ABC sitcom The Real O'Neals. Noah talked about how he hoped shows like his will help our LGBT community become more normalized. Then I talked with eye candy Daniel Newman who appears on "Walking Dead" and models for Calvin Klein about his impression of his first GLAAD Awards. Next Alex Newell best known for playing the transgender student Unique Adams on the Fox musical series "Glee" talked about his new CD and upcoming tour with Adam Lambert. Alex also performed at the event. Then I talked with the fabulous Randy Jones best known as the cowboy from Village People about his spin on our LGBT issues. Next producer Lee Daniels stopped by to talk about presenting Mariah Carey with the GLAAD Ally Award. I concluded with my good friend Laverne Cox who hosted the 27th GLAAD Awards who had a lot of good things to say about the Obama administration taking a position to support our transgender youth and more. Robert De Niro was also honored by GLAAD with the Excellence in Media Award presented by Jennifer Lawrence. (Photos by Marilyn Rosen) For More Info: glaad.org Continued from...>>> Entry 5 That night we walk to Diamond Beach Club and I see the stage where Josh DJ'd. I fall apart. Everybody thinks I am so strong. I smoke a lot of cigarettes. I take a Zanax and try to sleep. Finally Ant calls and tells us to be ready by noon. She and Tarn will pick us up, take us to lunch and then to Patang Beach where we will be met by A and we will scatter Josh's ashes. I am so happy to see Tarn. It is like having a part of Josh with me. He adored her and I like Ant, her assistant and BFF. We have a lovely lunch at "This where Josh take me I know I love him" Tarn tells me. I love her. After lunch we arrive at Patang beach and there strolls up A, Lady Boy, two of the Monks from the Temple and Joshes ashes. I am devastated. We take a Longboat out to sea and as we begin to scatter Josh, my daughter begins the most mournful wail. It starts as a cry and turns into a sobbing rush of grief and anger and hopelessness. She doesn't want to let go of the cloth and the ashes. I can barely breathe. Advertisement A has told us that we might have the baby for the night and we are over the moon. But as the afternoon turns to early evening, she has let us know that she wants to bring her friends along with her "mother" and the baby. I am appalled; does she want to turn this into a party? I tell her gently that no, we would like some time with the baby, and that she is welcome, of course, but not her friends. She declines and the baby will not be coming that night. We ask the hotel to please come and get the crib that we had requested for the night. We put away the little things that we had gotten the baby. Will we have another chance to see him? I am not even sure he is Josh's son. Mia thinks otherwise. "Mom, his toes, his middle toe crosses over his big toe, just like Josh's." I have come to the realization that I don't want the baby to be Josh's. I want to go home and never come back here, and I don't want this baby complicating my pain and sorrow. We will never be able to see him. Of course we will never in a million years get him to the US. So please, I silently pray, let this little boy be some other man's child. In the absence of the sleepover with the baby, Tarn and Ant say they will pick us up and we will have dinner on the beach. I am happy to be spending time with Tarn and Ant. I know how much Josh loved Tarn and I feel a closeness to her because of that. Tarn loved Josh for so many years, even after they broke-up, she was always in his life. They even went into business together. Selling vitamin supplements for men in China. (wink) Tarn is very smart and has cornered the market on this particular product in Thailand. With her beauty and brains, she could sell sand to the Saudis. Josh was the distributer. And they did really well for a while, at least until the Chinese figured out how to do the same thing, and no need for exporting. We go to a restaurant on Surin Beach that a friend of Ants owns and we have whole boned fish in crushed garlic, fried squid, papaya salad, minced fresh veggies and Tsing Tao beer. After dinner, Tarn takes us down to the water where men are selling huge paper lanterns 5 feet tall We buy several, light the center, hold the four corners and make wishes for Josh's safe flight to a better place and once they light we set them free. We watch them float up-up and above until we can no longer see them. You are safe my darling boy. It is the best I have felt since my arrival in Phuket. Mia however, is bereft with pain over losing her brother; if only............. Advertisement The following morning I get up early and go downstairs to the massive pool with the beds that jut out over the water. I order a Thai coffee and read Gone Girl. When I feel the grief piling on I sit at the edge of the pool, slide in and under the water and cry until I must come up for air. I do this every day. I wonder if the people there, on their vacation of a lifetime know that I am here because my son is dead and if they knew would they care? Tarn and Ant call to say that we will be going back over to Josh's house to see A and her mother and collect some things of Joshs that A says we can have. Before we go, Tarn wants to take us to a place where Josh loved to eat. It is called Flame and Josh, Tarn says, would order a whole flame broiled chicken and take it across the street to the Temple where he would sit under a tree, flinging pieces of chicken to the dogs that are always hungry, always present and always, it seems ownerless. I tell them that is so very Josh. When the swollen bodies of ten sex workers in the town of Nakuru, Kenya, were discovered in the fall of 2015, showing signs of torture and ritualistic killing, police did practically nothing to solve these serial murders. Frustrated by the lack of progress, hundreds of women and men in the Kenyan sex industry, representing numerous sex worker-led groups that have mushroomed throughout the country under the Kenyan Sex Worker Alliance, organized protests to pressure police to act. These activists are part of a determined and vibrant global movement for the rights of sex workers that has existed for decades - one of the largest labor rights movements in the world. Since 100 prostitutes in Lyon, France, occupied a church in 1975 to protest police abuse over 40 years ago, sex workers across the globe have been organizing for their rights to work and to live free from violence and discrimination in countries as diverse as Brazil, China, England, Guyana, Kyrgyzstan, the United States, Zimbabwe, and beyond. It's a strikingly inclusive movement, comprising sex workers of diverse nationalities, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and socio-economic classes. Powerful allies are now joining the call for sex workers' rights. Influential and mainstream health and human rights organizations like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, UNAIDS, and the World Health Organization have in recent years all come out publicly in favor of the full decriminalization of sex work. Advertisement I've witnessed the blossoming of the global sex workers' rights movement and its resilient diversity first-hand. Over several years, I conducted field research and in-depth interviews with 163 sex worker activists in Botswana, Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, and Uganda to document the rise of sex worker political activism in Africa, which is spreading like a brushfire throughout the continent. Although there's some historical evidence of sex worker organizing in Africa as early as the Mau Mau rebellion in colonial Kenya in the 1950s, formal African sex worker activism truly began in the 1990s with the initial organizing of Kenyan women providing sexual services in bars in Nairobi who formed the Bar Hostess Empowerment and Support Programme and the establishment of the Sex Worker Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT), the first sex workers' rights organization in South Africa. Now, sex worker activists are agitating for their rights throughout Africa, engaging in public protests, media advocacy, community outreach, and law reform efforts. Many of the sex workers I interviewed had previously worked as domestic workers, waitresses, hairdressers, or factory workers. They said they made the economically rational decision to do sex work because they could make more money in the sex industry than in their previous employment. They had generally limited economic opportunities, but their situations were no different than the vast majority of workers in Africa and throughout the world who, under global capitalism and rising income equality, also have restricted work options. Like other laborers, sex workers are simply doing the best they can to provide financially for themselves and their families. And they assert their right to agency and self-determination even in the face of economic constraints. The common debates around sex work - whether prostitution is inherently violent, whether sex can ever be commoditized - are divorced from the urgent concerns of sex workers in the industry who are focused on how they can have more power and control over their labor. And yet, too often, the voices of sex workers themselves, and the issues they raise regarding the link between the criminalization of sex work and human rights violations, are silenced. Advertisement The human rights abuses sex workers in Africa and throughout the world experience are due to the criminalization of sex work: The sex workers I interviewed report physical and sexual violence from law enforcement who demand bribes or sex in lieu of arrest and confiscate their condoms as evidence of prostitution. They face abuse from criminals posing as clients who know they can get away with beating, raping, and stealing from sex workers because when sex workers report these crimes, police don't take them seriously. They experience discrimination from healthcare workers who outright refuse them services or breach patient confidentiality by publicly revealing their private health information. And because they work in the shadows, they have no access to labor protections like overtime pay, occupational health and safety standards, workers' compensation, or employee grievance procedures. Many sex workers also face intersectional stigma and violence - targeted by police and the community at large not only because they are sex workers, but also because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, migrants, or people of color. Transgender female sex workers I interviewed face some of the harshest forms of abuse and experience severely limited economic opportunities outside of sex work because of anti-trans discrimination. In response to these abuses, the sex workers' rights movement in Africa has grown at an exponential rate, despite vocal opposition from some religious and political leaders who argue that sex work is a colonial creation, even though there is historical evidence of pre-colonial prostitution in, for example, the Asante kingdom, Akan societies of the Gold and Ivory Coast, and pre-colonial Nsukka and Igalaland. In fact, it's not prostitution itself, but anti-prostitution laws in Africa that often came with colonialism. For instance, the Ugandan penal code, which outlaws prostitution, is based on the British colonial penal code, which embraced Victorian ideals of female chastity. Customary law among ethnic groups in Uganda, on the other hand, did not explicitly outlaw prostitution in pre-colonial times. Sex worker activists in Africa reject the notion that they are cultural deviants and continue to fight for their rights. In Nigeria, for example, brothel-based sex workers of the Women of Power Initiative have taken to the streets of Lagos to protest violations of their labor rights. Ugandan activists of the sex-worker led group WONETHA successfully organized against local government efforts to shut down a drop-in center in northern Gulu, where sex workers accessed free condoms and health information. In South Africa, sex worker activists with the national sex worker-led movement Sisonke are leading a sophisticated law reform campaign calling for the full decriminalization of adult sex work. They advocate for the repeal of all criminal laws attached to sex work, and the protection of sex workers' rights, health, and safety by subjecting the industry to labor law and policy. Advertisement There's a difference between decriminalization and legalization: Sex worker activists do not advocate for legalization (the approach taken in countries such as the Netherlands and Senegal) because under this framework, sex work that takes place outside stringent and unfair legal regulations remains criminalized. Instead, they look to the example of New Zealand, which fully decriminalized sex work in 2003, and where studies have shown increased well-being, access to labor protections, and empowerment to report violence to the police among sex workers. Sex worker activists throughout the world also advocate against the so-called "Swedish Model," which criminalizes clients who buy sexual services but does not technically criminalize people who sell sex. They argue that this model makes sex workers more vulnerable to violence as they negotiate faster and go into more hidden areas in order to protect their criminalized clients from police detection. To achieve their political goals, sex worker activists in Africa have also begun to develop coalitions with similarly marginalized groups. They've engaged in intersectional movement building with labor, HIV, farm worker, harm reduction, anti-poverty, and LGBT rights movements. In Uganda, for example, sex worker activists were vocal and active participants in the civil society campaign against a now-invalidated draconian anti-homosexuality law. And contrary to the notion that sex workers' rights are anathema to feminism, women's rights activists worked hand-in-hand with sex workers to birth the movement in East Africa. Sex workers in Africa and throughout the world, through their inspired activism, continue to fight against erasure and make the simple but powerful assertion that in any discussions about sex work, it's their voices - and evidence, not emotion - that we must center. Advertisement U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) takes part in the Washington Ideas Forum in Washington, October 1, 2015. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst Is Senator Elizabeth Warren actively auditioning for the role of Hillary Clinton's vice presidential pick? At this point, it's rather hard to come to any other conclusion, since Warren has been so outspoken of late on the subject of how horrible Donald Trump would be as president. The traditional role for the vice presidential candidate is, of course, to be just such an attack dog. The presidential candidate is supposed to have self-imposed limits on what they can say about their opponent, but the veep candidate isn't as constrained by appearing "presidential" and is thus able to unleash stinging attacks against the other party's candidate. This year, however, the Republican candidate is not exactly traditional in this regard (or any other, for that matter), since it would be so hard to imagine any other Republican outdoing Donald Trump in the "attack dog" category. Advertisement But the Democrats are on the brink of nominating a much more conventional presidential candidate, so they'll also likely be looking for a more conventional role for the vice presidential candidate as well. And Elizabeth Warren seems to be putting herself front and center for this consideration. Other Democrats have taken political shots at Donald Trump over the past few weeks, but Warren is definitely the most prominent and the most fervent of all the Trump critics. Who else has gotten into an open Twitter war with Trump, after all? Would Warren be a good selection for Hillary Clinton's running mate? Well, there are pros and cons to making such a pick. Let's run through these, briefly. Pros Warren's biggest asset is that she comes with her own built-in fan base. That is no small thing in the world of presidential politics. Few Democrats are going to have to learn who Elizabeth Warren is, because for the most part they already know her. In fact, before Bernie Sanders arrived on the scene, there was a huge popular movement dedicated to convincing Warren to make her own run for president. If she had, it is likely that Sanders wouldn't have gotten anywhere near the support he has, since he'd be dividing it with Warren. Both appeal to the same ideological group within the Democratic base. This is Warren's second biggest asset, in fact. She would be the best possible person to bridge the divide between the Sanders populists and the supporters of Hillary Clinton within the Democratic Party. She would be seen as a person who could influence Clinton during the general election campaign, by making sure Clinton didn't tack too far away from populism. That would help Clinton enormously with Democrats who don't fully trust her now. Advertisement Clinton/Warren would be the first all-female ticket in American history. That a major party is even considering running two women on their ticket is a big measure of success for feminism, and would rightly be seen so by many voters. Warren would add some much-needed excitement to the ticket. Warren is already a masterful orator, for many reasons. She knows how to explain very complicated subjects in language everyone can understand and relate to. She does not sound lawyerly when speaking. And she fires up audiences better than even Bernie Sanders, at times. All of this would go a long way towards shoring up Clinton's obvious weaknesses. Warren has so far not endorsed either Clinton or Sanders. By holding out, she now can avoid being seen as a turncoat if she joins up with Clinton. She would bring anti-Wall Street credibility onto the ticket, she could reach out in a big way to disgruntled Sanders supporters, and she has already proven she'll be a great attack dog towards Donald Trump. What's not to love about a Clinton/Warren ticket? Cons Well, there would be a few drawbacks. The biggest of these is out of Warren's control, because if she were to run and if the Democrats went on to win the White House, then she wouldn't be a senator from Massachusetts anymore. This means the governor would get to appoint her replacement -- and the current governor of Massachusetts is a Republican. The Democrats are fighting hard to retake control of the Senate, and they'll already have to flip at least four seats to do so. If Warren is replaced by a Republican, that means they'll need at least five pickups to control the Senate. And no matter who is in control, we might see the return of Senator Scott Brown (whom Warren defeated to win her seat). That is a very big drawback indeed. As already mentioned, a Clinton/Warren ticket would be the first all-female ticket in American history. But this is a drawback as well as an asset. Sure, it will be inspiring for women voters. But it also might repel some male voters as well. Clinton is already beating Donald Trump among women voters by a large margin. Adding Warren likely wouldn't improve that margin all that much. But Clinton is also losing to Trump among male voters already, and adding Warren might make that margin even larger. It is a definite risk. Advertisement Warren lacks experience, although in this particular election that might not be all that big a deal. Warren has little foreign policy experience, and even her Senate experience doesn't reach back all that far (she's in the middle of her first term). Clinton is so extremely qualified and experienced, though, that this may not be that big of a drawback. After Republicans nominated Sarah Palin to their own ticket -- and since they're nominating Donald Trump at the top of their ticket this time around -- it'll be very hard for them to play the "inexperience" card against Warren. Still, people do weigh whether the veep pick would be qualified to take over when making up their minds. In traditional terms, Warren wouldn't make a lot of political sense when it comes to balancing the ticket geographically. Massachusetts isn't exactly in doubt for the Democrats this November. And Hillary Clinton is now seen as a New Yorker, so naming Warren would mean two Northeasterners on the same ticket. Not a lot of balance there, when using the traditional "pick someone to help you in a swing state" metric. Warren has already been vetted to some extent by running for the Senate, but her mini-"scandal" will reappear with a vengeance if she becomes Clinton's running mate. Trump is already calling her "Pocahontas" (although he has yet to use the more-popular online right-wing taunt "Faux-cahontas"). But the whole "she claimed Native American ancestry to get ahead" slam will only get worse. Warren already debunked the claim while running for the Senate, but that won't stop Trump from repeating it endlessly. This is not likely to change a whole lot of voters' minds, it bears mentioning, but at the same time the ridicule will be relentless from Trump. Weighing the pros and cons shows that Warren would bring a lot to a Clinton ticket, although not without drawbacks (Senator Scott Brown, especially). But then no vice presidential candidate is going to be perfect. It's already been suggested that Warren might want a different role in a Clinton administration -- perhaps heading Clinton's transition team, or accepting a cabinet position ("Treasury Secretary Warren" has a nice ring to it, don't you think?). But it certainly is unusual for any politician to actively campaign to be a vice presidential pick. Historically, before Andrew Jackson's time, presidential candidates were never supposed to campaign, never supposed to even hint that they wanted the job, and the only speeches that were deemed acceptable (and not denounced as "electioneering") were literally given from the candidate's own front porch, to whomever happened to wander into their front yard that day. Jackson changed all of that forever, but the coy "Oh, I couldn't possibly ever think of running" expectation still lives on for the vice presidential role (at least, until they're actually named at the convention). Warren seems to be bucking this tradition in a big way. She is now all but holding a sign up at a Clinton rally which reads: "Hey, Hillary, I'd make a dandy veep pick!" Advertisement But then this is certainly the election where many traditions are being tossed aside with abandon. If Warren truly does want the job, why shouldn't she actively audition for it? There's really no reason for all the traditional coyness, at this point. On the Republican side, Newt Gingrich is already actively drooling over the prospect he'll be tapped by Trump for the GOP ticket. So there's nothing inherently wrong about a Democrat taking the fight to the Republicans in a big way, early on. Warren would be a great attack dog. She's already shown the biggest skill necessary for the job this particular year: the ability to get under Trump's skin. Naming Warren would also be the best possible olive branch Clinton could offer to the millions of fervent Bernie Sanders supporters who harbor major doubts about backing Hillary. If Warren ran and won, she'd position herself perfectly for her own presidential run in the future, too. There are plenty of other possible choices to balance a Hillary Clinton ticket, of course. There are choices which make better sense geographically (Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio springs to mind). But when the Clinton team sits down to make their pick, it's a pretty sure bet that Elizabeth Warren will be somewhere near the top of the short list, through her own efforts. If Warren is auditioning for the vice presidential role, she's certainly doing a bang-up job of showing she is ready, willing, and able to attack Donald Trump on a daily basis. And this year, that's exactly what is going to be needed. Chris Weigant blogs at: Over the past few years, every time I hear someone thank me for my military service, I've responded by asking that person about his or her career. Some tell me about their public service as police officers, firefighters, emergency responders, civil servants, teachers, and so on. Others tell me about their volunteer or charity work in their own communities. To which my response is: "Well, then, thank you for your service." I've often received strange looks or a dismissal that it's not the same thing, as when Brian Lehrer interviewed earlier this year on his WYNC radio show, noting that he was not putting his physical life on the line. While that may be true, it does not diminish the importance of the deeds of journalists and others who conscientiously promote civil dialogue. "If you don't think that's important," I subtly reminded Lehrer of his duty in what was more commonly called the Fourth Estate, "then go to Syria, Iraq, Libya, or Somalia, and you'll see what happens when a country loses that." "It's one thing to defend your country; it's another to have a country worth defending," I went on, relating the fundamental element of the civil-military compact in a democracy - the partnership between the citizen and the soldier, who my friend and fellow retired Army Special Operations Officer Wayne Long described as "the defender of the social contract of which he is also a stakeholder." Advertisement Nowadays the military is the most esteemed institution in this country, for one because many see soldiers as the ultimate public servants. That's a good thing, because it wasn't always true. Prior to World War II, the regular military was kept small in peacetime due to a more traditional distrust of a large standing army. Yet, inasmuch as Vietnam may have been a low point in our civil-military relations, we have swung to another, equally unhealthy extreme. The veneration and outright hero-worship of the military is an unhealthy distortion of the time-honored yet taken-for-granted civil-military clause in that social contract. Too many of our political, economic, social, and media elites are unabashed in the use of patriotism as a prop in pursuit of their own agendas. To "support the troops" has become the contemporary equivalent of motherhood, apple pie, and kissing babies. Businesses of all kinds cash in on the good PR it generates (even though they still tend to hire proportionally fewer veterans). It has also led to the militarization of our foreign policy, given a society that perceives American power through a largely martial lens, obsessed with threats, and an ironically insular view of a world the United States has done more to globalize than anyone else. The betrayal of American identity and base values over there stems from their betrayal over here. Even though most soldiers would rather be socialized than idolized, the social psychology of our civil-military apartheid is intrinsically undemocratic and elitist - exclusive, not inclusive. Our post-Vietnam decision to pay the economic rather than social costs of the historic anomaly of a large standing peacetime army has produced a highly professional but correspondingly disconnected warrior class that describes itself as "warfighters" rather than citizen-soldiers. And the more disconnected they are, the more willing we are to employ this blunt instrument of policy in corrosively open-ended warfare against terrorism or for "humanitarian intervention." A national decision that once took a declaration of war or an act of Congress is now an Executive order authorizing a drone strike. It absolves us, as the Brookings Institute's Phil Klay lays out in his recent essay, of the moral dilemmas and public debates essential to defining the political parameters on the use of force on our behalf. Advertisement But this a matter of failed citizenship as it is failed politics. We don't have to wait to see whom we elect to the highest offices in the land this fall to start to fix this or many other problems in this country. As a former citizen-soldier, it's clear to me that a more universal sense of service would make more of us better citizens of a better nation, better able to face the complex and pervasive challenges of our day. The national mythology that summons our psychic as well as physical energies to face them should champion role models from all walks of life and every corner of our country, tapping the essential strengths and comparative advantages of a diverse society bonded under the exceptional rubric of e pluribus unum. The heroes we revere reflect the values that brand us as a people - but we don't need to wait for them to show up. We can find them ourselves, because they are already among us. It's one reason why my National Service Ride presentations at high schools start by thanking all of the members of the community present for their service - especially the public educators, whose role in shaping every citizen in this country to be everything from presidents to corporate CEOs to soldiers, now more than ever, is indispensable to the strength and security of our republic. Then we call to the stage exemplars of service from that community to explain to the less initiated what service has done for them as well as others. Setting it up this way goes beyond promoting unity rather than division. It enables an inclusive generational process of passing the baton of leadership to prepare the next cohort of Americans to take their own journey in finding their answer to the question of who we are and what we're about. As I explained to organizers of the annual Rolling Thunder ride, "It's great we veterans get together every year, three or four hundred thousand of us, every Memorial Day weekend in Washington, get thanked for our service, and then go home. But what happens after that? What happens after we die?" "Our mission," I concluded, "is not complete until we've explained to our youth what service and sacrifice has meant to us. What they do with our hard-earned wisdom is up to them, but this much at least we owe them." Advertisement That's why I've organized the National Service Ride - a motorcycle tour around the country this fall to connect us up around a more positive, constructive dialogue across multi-sectoral lines and to promote better citizenship, service, and social responsibility in and beyond America. By encouraging and empowering not just young people to do good work and show how service to others benefits everyone including themselves, as well as identify clear pathways to service learning, the growing number of people in our country looking for more meaning to their lives become better Americans and persons. And when we become better citizens, we become a better country - because, when you serve your community, you serve your country. Our long-standing penchant for charity, volunteerism, and bottom-up change is one of the things that has made the United States a great country. And like charity, citizenship begins on the block. If Americans truly wish to honor veterans and so many others in public service, in and out of uniform, who have given the last full measure of devotion, then they should strive to make this a country worth their sacrifice. The best way to honor them is to be citizens as responsible to our neighbors as to our nation, because they are one and the same. Only united can we stand. In my book Travels with Harley - Journeys in Search of Personal and National Identity, I recalled a conversation with Joey, one of our doormen at the apartment complex I lived in on the Jersey City waterfront not long after 9/11 as I was preparing to deploy the Civil Affairs battalion I commanded to Iraq. Being a good citizen was the greatest thing he could do to help us and his country, I told him. That meant three things: exercising your most basic civic responsibility in voting; informing yourself about the world around you; and doing some kind of community service. "What you do over here makes a big difference to what we do over there," I said. Joey later found volunteer work with the ambulance corps. That's because he came to understand something more of us should - that patriotism isn't flag-waving, bumper stickers, or social media posts. That's self-service, not self-sacrifice. Patriotism isn't something you feel; it's something you do. In late 2015, a D.C. Superior Court trial judge granted a new trial to Ingmar Guandique, the man who was convicted of murdering Chandra Levy, a congressional intern, in 2001. What's interesting about this decision, however, isn't just the re-opening of one of the most widely covered criminal cases of the past 50 years--it's the opportunity to cast light on how the prosecution's conduct deprived Mr. Guandique of his constitutional rights. Advertisement Contrary to what we see on Law and Order, CSI, and any number of popular crime shows, "justice" doesn't simply mean putting someone in jail. In these shows, time and time again we see how "heroic" prosecutors rationalize bending the rules--our Constitutional rights--in order to put the "right bad guy" behind bars. The facts behind Ingmar Guandique's trial provide us a disturbing look at just how ugly things can get when prosecutors who are under pressure to produce a conviction in a high profile case trample a defendant's rights in order to get it. Background There was no physical evidence tying Mr. Guandique to Chandra Levy's murder--no CSI-style fibers, fingerprints or DNA. No eyewitnesses claimed they'd seen Mr. Guandique attack Ms. Levy, and prosecutors didn't indict Guandique with the murder of Levy, who disappeared in 2001, until 2009. The core of the case against Mr. Guandique was built upon the testimony of Armando Morales, a prison inmate who alleged that Guandique confessed to the murder. Morales claimed that Mr. Guandique described the murder in detail. The prosecution then used these details to introduce testimony about earlier attacks that Mr. Guandique perpetrated on two women in a park. Because of the similarity of the details of Mr. Guandique's "confession" and the earlier attacks, the prosecution was allowed to introduce the evidence of the prior crimes as evidence of a modus operandi. Advertisement Modus Operandi and "Other Crimes" Evidence Prosecutors cannot use evidence that someone committed a past crime to demonstrate that they are more likely to have committed the crime for which they're presently on trial. There is good reason for this restriction. Courts and lawmakers have found that such "propensity" evidence is far too prejudicial against defendants. It tends to convince juries of a defendant's guilt much more than it should--so much so, in fact, that such "propensity" evidence is inadmissible. However, prosecutors can introduce this kind of evidence for purposes other than showing one's propensity to commit the crime. It can be used to demonstrate someone's motive, intent, the absence of mistake, identity, or a common scheme or plan (modus operandi). This "other crimes" evidence can be very persuasive to jurors. In the Levy case, Morales' testimony about Guandique's purported "confession" opened the door for the prosecutors to present evidence about Morales' past crimes via the modus operandi exception. As a result, not only was Morales' testimony the only connection tying Mr. Guandique to Chandra Levy's murder, it was also the bedrock for the rest of the prosecution's case. Napue and Brady Violations During the Levy case, prosecutors did two things that they were not supposed to do under any circumstances: Advertisement In order to build Morales' credibility, prosecutors allowed him to testify about numerous facts they either knew or should have known were false or misleading to the jury; They hid or otherwise failed to turn over to the defense information that would have revealed these falsehoods and strengthened Guandique's defense. By law, the government is not allowed to do this. The former is called a Napue violation, and the latter is referred to as a Brady violation, and both of these violations deprive a defendant of the constitutional rights granted to all of us. The Napue Violation The defense knew that prosecutors would attempt to have cooperating witnesses testify at trial. Before trial Mr. Guandique's lawyers requested that the prosecution disclose the names of these witnesses so that the defense could investigate their backgrounds. The prosecution, which became aware of Morales' information 20 months before trial, fought tooth and nail to oppose this request, and the judge required the prosecution to disclose the names only two weeks before trial. Advertisement All the prosecution disclosed before trial was Morales' name and date of birth, and three of his criminal convictions, and prosecutors stated unequivocally that he had "received no benefit in exchange for this testimony." As a result of the government's failure to disclose this information, the defense learned about Morales largely alongside the jury. This left the defense no time or opportunity to fully investigate the veracity of Morales' claims. After a full investigation was conducted by the defense, much of it after the trial, it became clear that Morales had repeatedly lied about facts in order to embellish his trustworthiness in the eyes of the jurors. The prosecutors were aware that many of Morales' statements were false. Regarding others, there was information contradicting Morales' testimony easily available in records kept by the FBI and the Bureau of Prisons (BOP). To make matters worse, the FBI and the BOP were both intimately involved in this case. Under the Napue doctrine, the government cannot allow a witness to testify falsely when the prosecution knows or should know the testimony is false. In Mr. Guandique's case, it seems this is exactly what prosecutors did. Advertisement The Brady Violation Whereas the government's willingness to allow Morales to lie constituted a Napue violation, its failure to disclose information about Morales and the truth of his situation constituted a violation of Brady v. Maryland, a Supreme Court decision which dictates that prosecutors must turn over to the defense information that tends to show that a defendant didn't commit the crime. This includes information that discredits government witnesses. After the trial, the defense filed a comprehensive motion detailing all the key pieces of information withheld by the government. Furthermore, the defense laid out, in detail, how the government capitalized on the information that was withheld. The defense argued that, as a result of these blatant constitutional violations, Guandique deserved a new trial. As it became clear that the prosecutors on the case would have to testify under oath at a hearing to determine what information they knew about Morales, when they knew it, why they hadn't disclosed it pretrial, and why they'd allowed Morales to testify falsely, the government withdrew its opposition to a new trial. As a result, the government avoided a finding of Brady and Napue violations and the potential scrutiny that would have accompanied such rulings. What Mr. Guandique's Trial & Retrial Shows Us The pressure on prosecutors to secure convictions in high profile cases like that of Chandra Levy or Ted Stevens leads to an "ends justifies the means" approach that is extremely dangerous. Systemic checks on prosecutors are the key to preventing this type of distortion of the judicial process. Advertisement Allowing defense attorneys expanded access to discovery in criminal cases, or "open file" discovery, including the names of government witnesses at early stages of the proceedings, would go a long way toward preventing these transgressions. The operation to liberate Fallujah from the Islamic State is underway. We know how this ends. Large numbers of ISIS fighters will be killed. Fallujah will be turned to rubble; hundreds of civilians will be killed. Prospects for reconciliation will be ruined. ISIS has administered Fallujah since 2014. The black flags of ISIS were hung by Iraq's Sunnis, not by foreign fighters. Sunnis welcomed ISIS as an alternative to the Shiite-led government in Baghdad, which marginalized the country's Sunni population and polarized the population. The sectarian divide is deep and getting deeper. The battle for Fallujah will be borne by Popular Mobilization Forces, Shiite militias trained and equipped by Iran and under Tehran's control. The militias have a reputation for revenge-taking and bloodletting. Advertisement Fallujah won't be an easy fight. Every building is booby-trapped. The city's defenders are highly motivated. Just as US Marines fought street to street in 2004, Popular Mobilization Forces and Iraqi troops will fight for every square inch. There will be massive casualties. Civilians will be seriously affected. Thousands are trapped in Fallujah. They lack food, water, and medical supplies. Many are starving. Some will die from the US air bombardment or from artillery of the Iraqi Security Forces. Others will be executed by ISIS trying to escape. A few may get out. Internally displaced Sunnis are unwanted in a deeply resentful Shiite-majority country. The pending disaster in Fallujah portends badly for Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, where ISIS is digging in for a last stand. Like Ramadi and Fallujah, Mosul may ultimately be liberated. It will, however, be turned to dust. Advertisement Liberating Fallujah is necessary. The Islamic State cannot be allowed to survive. Yet, the battle for Fallujah will not end the ISIS occupation. It will not bring peace to Iraq or lead to reconciliation between Iraqis. Sunnis will blame Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's scorched earth policy for their suffering. Iran will be vilified, deepening regional divisions and sectarian tensions. Iraq can only be saved by winning the hearts and minds of Iraqis. Iraq's survival as a state depends on restoring it as a unified, multi-ethnic and mixed sectarian country, with social harmony prevailing between its communities. This dream died long ago. Fallujah's ruin is just another nail in the coffin. The battle will be won, at great cost. Rich in culture and heritage and also home to large groups of people who could very probably drink you under the table, the Rust Belt and its cities have long provided some of the most unlikely fun you'll ever have traveling the 50 states. Never mind how tough things have been in these parts -- from world-class art museums, usually built during peak boom, right on down to the humble Friday fish fry at the local social hall, the retro charms of the region remain considerable and have always been well worth a journey. Already struggling under the weight of widespread de-industrialization when the recession hit in 2008, it's been an even tougher few years in this part of the world -- so why are the Rust Belt's cities suddenly cooler than they have been, in, well, ever? Every where you look in the region, downtowns are coming back on the grid, declining neighborhoods are filling up with young, creative types, food and drink scenes are growing like wildfire. It's almost too much to keep up with. Difficult times are no doubt still ahead, but it's safe to say that the Rust Belt's cities haven't shown this much promise in a good while. Here are four essential stops, all within easy driving distance of one another -- not to tell you your business, but it would make for one hell of a summer road trip. Advertisement 1. Detroit If you haven't been in the Motor City lately, prepare to be surprised. From a new rail line being constructed along Woodward Avenue to an influx of new businesses into relatively remote areas like the East Village to a suddenly quite promising shopping scene in Midtown of all places, things are happening in the Motor City that most people wouldn't have dared to dream of only recently. On one block of Midtown alone, you have Shinola's glittering concept store, brimming with their expensive watches, bicycles and other luxury goods (there's a coffee bar, too), alongside a massive new beer hall from Jolly Pumpkin, one of the Midwest's best brewers of Belgian-style sours. (POTUS was spotted here, not too long ago.). House envy-inducing lofts, a popular new dog park, pre-boom businesses like Motor City Brewing Works, the Traffic Jam & Snug diner (they make their own cheese) and City Bird, featuring art and products by local artisans, all add up to something well worth experiencing. Here and on plenty more blocks around Detroit these days, it can be difficult to remember that you're in the same city journalists from around the world were all but pronouncing DOA just a few short years ago. 2. Buffalo With less than half its peak population and a lifetime spent within the long shadows of two very important cities (New York and Toronto), you'd think the Empire State's second runner-up would suffer from a massive complex. How could it not, considering that pretty much everything that could has gone wrong over the past fifty years or more? Maybe it does, but visitors won't have time to notice -- they're typically too busy gaping over the architecture and wondering why in the hell everyone's so... polite. They will also be impressed to see, after years of decline, new neighborhoods coming back on the grid -- Larkin Square, a piece of the often-windswept East Side, is one of the hottest stop-offs in town for dining and nightlife right now, while entrepreneurs are breathing new life into the sleepy residential areas between busy Elmwood Village, nightlife staple Allentown and the Niagara River. Stop in at Five Points Bakery for beautiful, simple breakfasts or the brand-new Tipico Coffee for your morning espresso, then come back later for microbrews at Resurgence Brewing and Community Beer Works. In the meantime, look on Craigslist at the rents in these neighborhoods and start planning your new life. (And your new winter wardrobe.) Advertisement 3. Pittsburgh Some cities need a cookie, every time they do something remotely interesting. Others grab the spotlight and hang on for dear life, pretending to hate all the adoring press that ensues, when we all know they'd die without the validation. Then there's Pittsburgh, the left-for-dead steel town that wouldn't quit, a place that's been fighting its way forward for decades now, generally without tripping over itself to be rewarded the way other cities do. It's the Rust Belt at its best, a place that just gets on with it, even when the glass -- or the city, as remains the case in Pittsburgh -- is barely half full. From a historic and happening downtown that's a lot of fun to walk to the Brooklyn-esque scene along Butler Street (eat all of the meats at Cure) and a lively tech hub up the hill in East Liberty (there's even an Ace Hotel now, and yes, that is the Google logo atop that old factory building on Penn Avenue), you might start feeling like you're somewhere way out West, instead of on the back end of the Allegheny Mountains. Good thing there are plenty of barstools and cafe tables handy, so you can spend some time reevaluating your worldview. 4. Cleveland While the last recession was a punch in the gut to pretty much every city in the Rust Belt, no place seemed to take it on the chin quite like Cleveland. Up until that point, the city had managed to avoid at least some of the apocalyptic decline endured by, say, Detroit, for decades prior -- after 2008, the entire region felt as if it had suddenly gone into free fall. It hasn't gotten better, not yet -- last year, the city and inner-ring suburbs were dealing with the second-worst population decline in the country. Still, as is so often the case in this part of the world, there's so much more to the story -- too many working-class neighborhoods are still withering on the vine, but other parts of the city feel more alive than ever. Take a look, for example, at the Ohio City district, home to Cleveland's iconic West Side Market and one of the Midwest's best breweries ( Great Lakes) and a slew of newer restaurants, bars and a 6-acre urban farm, one of the largest of its kind anywhere. (From June to November, there's even a farm stand, open on weekends.) Here, you're just a couple of blocks west of Tremont, long a hub of Cleveland cool -- pop by for a cup of coffee and some vinyl to add to your collection at The Loop, then stick around, if you can, for Old World Wednesday, a weekly event at the Prosperity Social Club, featuring beer, pierogies and people doing the polka only somewhat ironically. So Se Pyong, North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, said it all the other day: There is no meaning, no sincerity to a word that Donald Trump says. Yet, somehow, this essential point that has penetrated the anti-reality shield that protects North Korea from the rest of the world seems to be lost on many Republicans, who have been flocking to support the New York billionaire. I get it, Donald Trump is not Hillary Clinton, and that might be enough. After all, to a large share of the electorate, she is a liar and a shapeshifter and a believer in the nanny state. She is pro-tax and anti-growth, pro-choice and anti-gun, and stands against everything that Republicans stand for--except perhaps military interventionism--and that might be enough. Driven by the hatred of the other that has become the central psychosis of our politics, there has been an urgency to find their champion in the man who is the presumptive nominee of their party, but if they believe that Donald Trump stands for anything they believe in, they are deluding themselves. Things were easier early on, when his support hovered around 20% of the GOP primary electorate and his campaign was built around a nativist appeal to beleaguered white folks who heard in his rantings about Mexicans and Muslims and building walls a man who offered an antidote to all that ails them. It was an ugly message, and one that even then was built around a lie: he never had any intention of doing what he said he would do. As So Se Pyong noted, there was no meaning to it, his rants were just words. Just words that he knew would stir the crowd. Advertisement In an ugly, anti-Washington year, Donald Trump has been the man for the moment. There is nothing quite so easy as penning a right wing rant--just probe for the soft spot of your audience and keep pounding away on it--and Trump is a demagogue of the purest sort. He bathes in the emotions of the crowd, his rhetoric ramps up as the fervor in the crowd grows, with no regard either for consistency or fundamental decency--much less how much if any of it he would ever actually do. The sky is the limit as long as his audiences never stop and pause to ask themselves who is this guy, really? As his support in the Republican Party has grown--built as much as anything around the oldest of all political maxims, the enemy of my enemy is my friend--Donald Trump has become a human rorschach test. People who want to support him--whomever they might be--can find support for their views somewhere in his words. He has not, he is not, for anything or against anything. He is the consummate Zen politician, always in the moment. He has been for cutting taxes and for raising taxes. He has been for raising the minimum wage and eliminating the minimum wage. He has been in favor of guns in schools and opposed to guns in schools. He was against political contributions, and now he is in favor of them. He has been on both sides of most any issue, often on the same day, sometimes within the same sentence. A stance. A beat. A moment of reflection. A new stance. Remarkable. And like conspiracy buffs who can find evidence somewhere on the Interweb that will support whatever their pet theory might be, any group of Republicans can find somewhere in Trump's words just enough data points that will allow them to embrace him as their own. But just as the alien landing at Roswell, New Mexico never actually took place, and just as the World Trade Center was not brought down by a government plot, and just as the moon landing was not a hoax staged by NASA, whatever any of those Republicans might want to attribute to Donald Trump is not real. They cannot know what Donald Trump would do as President for the simple reason that Donald Trump does not know what Donald Trump would do as President. It is all just words in the moment, nothing more. Advertisement This week, Donald Trump dipped into the well of conspiracy theories past and conjured up the suicide of Clinton aid Vincent Foster. When Fox personality Bill O'Reilly suggested that this might be a bit over the top, even for Trump, and undermine the oft-stated commitment of the presumptive Republican nominee to pivot to a more presidential bearing, Trump retorted "I have no choice. When she hits me on things, I have no choice." Trump's response was the perfect corollary the comments of So Se Pyong. Trump's campaign staff has tried and failed to tamp down on their candidate's use of Twitter, because Twitter is who Donald Trump is. He is the 144 character candidate. There is no deeper meaning to what he says. There is nothing of substance his words. He has no commitments. There is no sincerity to his stance on any issue. When it is time to say something, he says it. When he is hit, he hits back. All with little thought to what might transpire tomorrow, or even what he might say in the next sentence. Republicans who have searched for, and think they have found, their own reasons to support him should have no illusions. There was no alien landing at Roswell, notwithstanding whatever they might read on the Interweb. And Donald Trump is not who they might want to think he is, regardless of what he might have said at one point or another, or some assurances he might have offered them. He is, instead, what Ted Cruz said he is: a pathological liar who doesn't know the difference between truth and lies. He is a narcissist at a level the country has never seen. And in the words of Jeb Bush, he has neither the temperament nor the strength of character to serve as president. So struggle with your hatred of Hillary as you must, but Donald Trump cannot be your answer. The 18th round of negotiations on a secret deal to limit public oversight over the services economy starts today at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, and negotiators will have a new item on their agenda: how to deal with the onslaught of leaks of proposals that were supposed to remain locked away in secret until five years after the deal was concluded or abandoned. That's because WikiLeaks released draft texts on three previously unpublished cross-cutting annexes of the proposed Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) yesterday: disciplines on the way governments can regulate State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs); Professional Services, and New Provisions Applicable to All Services. With this leak, 17 proposed annexes as well as the core text have been released to the public, although none through official government channels. Updated texts on financial services, e-commerce, movement of natural persons (Mode 4), telecommunications, and transparency were also leaked. Member groups of the Our World Is Not for Sale (OWINFS) global network have analyzed earlier chapters. Advertisement The publication follows a high-profile leak by Greenpeace earlier this month of a trove of chapters of the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the United States and Europe. Given that congressional approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is on the rocks, as the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is in those countries, and given that public opposition to the TTIP is on the rise, negotiators had hoped that the TISA could slide by under the public radar. This leak makes that possibility even more remote. The New Provisions annex would restrict the job-stimulating localization requirements that governments can place on foreign services providers. These proposals, which are more extreme than existing free trade/investment agreements, would make it harder for all TISA countries to effectively regulate these companies -- including potentially in the finance sector. And they would restrict developing countries' ability to regulate foreign investment to promote development the way the industrialized TISA countries did when they were developing, according to an extensive analysis by Sanya Reid Smith, legal adviser to the Third World Network in Geneva. The U.S. Treasury Department and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative yesterday revealed a plan to go beyond the TPP in terms of localization requirements on financial services in the proposed TISA, to appease major banking industry corporations and the members of Congress who represent them. The irony of this is that the limits on localization requirements that the United States, and a few other countries, intend to impose through the TISA are the very same mechanisms by which the U.S. and other countries allege that developing countries would primarily benefit from opening their services sectors to foreign participation. Advertisement "They'll hire local workers, and your population will gain know-how" -- nope, requiring local hiring would be prohibited under the TISA. "Having foreign companies will result in the transfer of technology to locals" -- except that requiring technology transfer is also prohibited in the proposed text. Historically, the U.S., Japan, and many European countries required that domestic nationals sit on the boards of foreign companies providing services in their countries; this "local management" tool is explicitly prohibited in the leaked text. This is kicking the proverbial development ladder away, indeed. This is a core of the problem of the proposed TISA. Because it's not the participation of foreign companies in a country's market that the TISA would herald; it does not force foreign banks to provide capital to slum dwellers, or giant telecoms to ensure communications access for the rural poor, or energy corporations to ensure universal access to electricity. Instead, the TISA is designed to limit the ways in which governments can ensure that the presence of those foreign corporations in an economy can benefit the local population. In the United States, we have enough problems with the customer service of Comcast, Verizon, and the like -- imagine how it would be possible to hold a giant telecom accountable if they did not have a local presence, as the proposed TISA would prevent countries from requiring? The Professional Services annex would restrict how governments and professional associations regulate market access, cross border supply, local presence requirements, foreign capital limitations, and licensing requirements for foreign services providers in specified professional fields including accounting, taxation, architectural services, engineering, urban planning and landscape architecture, technical testing and analysis, and also potentially legal services, engineering-related scientific and consulting services, veterinary services, private education services, and construction-related engineering services. Advertisement According to a brand-new analysis of the proposed annex on SOEs by University of Auckland Law Professor Jane Kelsey: the US proposal for state-owned enterprises in TISA adapts key parts of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement chapter on SOEs as part of its strategy to create new global rules through the triumvirate of new mega-deals: TPPA, TISA and TTIP. The proposal would force majority-owned SOEs to operate like private sector businesses. It doesn't directly require countries to privatise, but removes the rationale for them to remain public entities, creating conditions for privaTISAtion by stealth. The most extreme, complicated and potentially unworkable provisions in the TPPA relating to state support are not included -- yet. But mandatory negotiations would be triggered if a country with a high proportion of SOEs wanted to join TISA. China is the real target. There is an unmistakable message: adopt the US model or stay out of the club. "Changes to the e-commerce chapter continue to be made in complete isolation from the stakeholders it affects, notably the global Internet community of users and innovators. This legacy, closed model of trade negotiation is no way to be making public policy for the digital environment," noted Jeremy Malcolm, Senior Global Policy Analyst at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. The documents, along with the analysis, highlight the way that the TISA responds to major corporate lobbies' desire to deregulate services, even beyond the existing WTO rules. Advertisement This leak exposes the corporate aim to use TISA to further limit the public interest regulatory capacity of democratically elected governments by imposing disciplines on domestic issues from government purchasing and immigration to licensing and certification standards for professionals and business operations, not to mention the regulatory process itself. Today's leak follows others, including a June 2014 WikiLeaks revelation of a previous version of the Financial Services secret text; the December 2014 leak of a U.S. proposal on cross-border data flows, technology transfer, and net neutrality, which raised serious concerns about the protection of data privacy in the wake of the Snowden revelations; and the February 2015 release of a background paper promoting health tourism in the TISA, although this issue is unlikely to be included as an annex in the final agreement. The most recent previous TISA leak was the December 2015 leak of annexes on energy and environmental services which showed that states' ability to implement their Paris climate commitments would be highly constrained if the TISA were adopted according to the existing proposals. Global civil society has long warned: [t]he TISA negotiations largely follow the corporate agenda of using "trade" agreements to bind countries to an agenda of extreme liberalization and deregulation in order to ensure greater corporate profits at the expense of workers, farmers, consumers and the environment. The proposed agreement is the direct result of systematic advocacy by transnational corporations in banking, energy, insurance, telecommunications, transportation, water, and other services sectors, working through lobby groups like the US Coalition of Service Industries (USCSI) and the European Services Forum (ESF). The TISA is currently being negotiated among 50 countries (or 23 parties counting the EU as one) with the aim of extending the coverage of scope of the existing General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) in the WTO. However, even worse than the opaque talks at the WTO, the TISA negotiations are being conducted in complete secrecy. Last year, Uruguay left the negotiations after a public uproar ensued in the wake of the publications of the documents, which resulted in a cabinet-level review of the potential implications that came back with near-universal thumbs down from the various departments. Paraguay followed shortly thereafter. Public Services International (PSI), a global union federation, published the first TISA report, TISA vs Public Services in March 2014, and PSI and OWINFS jointly published "The Really Good Friends of Transnational Corporations Agreement" report in September 2014. A factsheet on the TISA can be found here and more information on the TISA can be found at OWINFS's website. I have my own blog, with many readers (approaching 27 million hits). Lately, the readers have been debating, sometimes fiercely, the current presidential race. Many have asked them where I stand. Here is my answer. I have been consistently even-handed in the presidential race in dealing with the candidates of the Democratic party. I oppose the Republican party candidates because I don't agree with their corporate-friendly agenda and their positions on social issues, as well as their embrace of privatization as the solution to the problems in public schools. As between the Democratic candidates, I have supported neither. I have published posts critical of both Sanders and Clinton. Neither is especially good on the issues that matter most to supporters of public education. Clinton said when campaigning in New York state that she would not want her grand-daughter to opt out of the tests, and she waffled on the issue of charter schools. Sanders voted for the Murphy amendment to the "Every Student Succeeds Act," which would have retained high-stakes accountability under federal control (fortunately the amendment did not pass). Sanders also is confused about charter schools, having said that he favors "public" charter schools but not "private" charter schools, not realizing that all charter schools are publicly funded but privately controlled. Education has been a non-issue. Advertisement I like Bernie's ideas (and share his outrage), and I like Hillary's experience. What I don't like is the passionate denunciation of one or the other of them, by them or by their partisans. The overwhelming majority of denunciations are directed at Hillary. Some of our readers are as vicious towards her as Donald Trump is. If you read the comments, you would think that Donald Trump is much to be preferred over Hillary because she is allegedly dishonest, corrupt, a war-monger, a tool of Wall Street, etc. The demonization of Hillary is often times over-the-top, angry, and hateful. This internecine warfare is not admirable. It should stop. It helps Trump. One candidate will emerge from the Democratic convention in Philadelphia. It will be the candidate who gets the requisite number of delegates. It will be either Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton. When the convention chooses the candidate, I will support that candidate. Advertisement I will not sit home. I will not vote for a third party candidate. I will not write in the name of someone else. That is irresponsible. Throwing your vote away is a vote for Donald Trump. I am afraid of Donald Trump. He is not qualified to be president. He knows nothing about foreign affairs or domestic issues, other than those that affected him as a real estate developer and businessman. His statements during the campaign inflame passions, divide Americans, and make us a laughing stock around the world. Does Trump really plan to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants? How will he round them up? Will he expand the Immigration and Naturalization Service personnel so they can go door to door, searching out families to deport? Will they be placed in massive detention camps pending transfer? Will babies born in the camps on American soil be citizens? This proposal is as mad as anything else he has said. Does Trump really expect to build the Great Wall of America across the U.S.-Mexican border? Will it be 50 feet high? The New York Times recently estimated that such a wall would cost $26 billion. The idea appeals to Trump's angry constituency, but it is almost as mad as his idea to deport 11 million people, most of whom are gainfully employed in agriculture, restaurants, and the hotel industry. Will Trump really ban all Muslim immigrants from entering the U.S.? Does that include foreign emissaries and heads of state? How will Customs officials know which international arrivals are Muslims? What will prove that a person from an Arab country is Muslim, not Christian or Coptic or some other religion? Do they need religious identity cards? How will we know if they are telling the truth? How many predominantly Muslim nations will break off relations with the U.S. to express their indignation at this show of religious bias? Will we lose all our allies in the Middle East? Advertisement Will Trump impose tariffs on goods manufactured in other countries? Will he ignite a trade war that raises the prices on everything made elsewhere? This won't be good for consumers. Does Trump really believe that climate change is a hoax? Will he gut programs that aim to mitigate the actions that accelerate climate change? Will he remove environmental controls on auto emissions and other sources of pollution? Will Trump's nominees to the Supreme Court overrule Roe v. Wade? Will abortion once again be illegal? Will Trump punish women who get abortions, as he said during the campaign, and will he punish doctors who provide them? Will Trump release his tax returns before the election? How will his followers react if it turns out that he doesn't pay taxes and hasn't paid taxes for years? Trump has already said that he tries to pay as little in taxes as possible. What if "little" means none at all, or only a tiny sliver of his income? Will Trump eliminate all controls on the purchase of guns? He won the endorsement of the National Rifle Association, which fights any restrictions. Will we all be armed in the Trump era? Advertisement As for education, Trump has said that he doesn't like Common Core but has given no indication that he knows what it is. He has said that he loves charter schools, but has given no indication that he knows what they are. To whom would he turn for advice about education? The only name I have heard is Dr. Ben Carson. Scary. But setting aside matters of policy and prudence, there is the question of character. Donald Trump is everything that we teach children not to be. He is a braggart, he ridicules others, he is a bully, he blows his own horn constantly. He cozies up to white nationalists, insults Mexicans as rapists and murderers, treats women as sex objects, and calls anyone he doesn't like "losers." If he were a student, his teacher would struggle daily to correct his behavior and his treatment of others. He makes up demeaning names for those who dare to compete with him, such as "Lyin' Ted," "Little Marco," "Crooked Hillary," "goofy" Elizabeth Warren. I don't recall what he called Senator Sanders, but I am sure it was demeaning, meant to brand him in the public eye as unworthy. Trump peddles conspiracy theories without regard to fact, such as his statement on the day of the decisive Indiana primary that Ted Cruz's father was somehow implicated in the death of John F. Kennedy and his resurrection of discredited rumors that Clinton aide Vince Foster had been murdered. One of his favorite attack techniques begins by saying, "I am not going to bring up the subject of....Jeb Bush's low energy. No, I won't. I really won't mention his low energy." Now he is attacking Hillary by talking about her husband's infidelities; one assumes that The Donald does not have clean hands on this subject. Donald Trump belongs in show business, not in the White House. He is not fit to be the President of the United States, with the well-being of the nation and the world in his hands. Do we really want him in charge of our nuclear weapons? He is so quick to fly off the handle, that the thought of him with that much weaponry is frightening. He can always say, "He did it first," as he said when he posted an unflattering photo of Ted Cruz's wife on Twitter and when he began slinging mud at Hillary and Bill Clinton. But that's the response of a five-year-old (as Anderson Cooper said on CNN), not a mature and reasonable adult. If Trump is elected, I fear for the future of our nation and the world. And that is why I will not join in the vicious quarrels between partisans of Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. I refuse to give ammunition to Trump for the campaign. Sanders and Clinton--and their allies-should focus their energies on defeating Trump, not on attacking one another. Advertisement UNITED STATES - 2015/08/07: A young woman is sitting on a rock near Yavapai Point on the South Rim overlooking the Grand Canyon with clearing clouds after a thunderstorm in the Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona, USA. (Photo by Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images) The Grand Canyon, brought to you by Budweiser. Verizon signs throughout Yellowstone. The thought of advertising in our national parks is nauseating. But it could happen. Earlier this month, the National Park Service released a proposed plan to begin aggressively seeking private sponsorship for park projects to make up for dwindling public funding. Park leaders would be encouraged to spend official time soliciting donations from individuals and corporations. Anything from sponsoring a bench to designing, building, and even operating a park building would be allowed. Advertisement The plan stirs up a fundamental debate about our public goods -- what they are, who owns them, and how they should be managed. On one side, private interests are vying to influence and control America's untapped public space and resources. Like Coca Cola, which in 2011 tried to halt a planned ban on the sale of plastic water bottles in Grand Canyon National Park. The company owns Dasani, the most popular U.S. brand of bottled water, and considered the ban a hit to their bottom line. The National Park Service's new proposed plan would allow even more private influence on policies and decisions to protect our public resources. On the other side, communities across the country are standing up to corporations that want to control and profit off of the things we own in common. Just last week, after an eight-year fight, a coalition of advocates in Oregon blocked the multi-national corporation Nestle from bottling water from the Columbia River Gorge. Their unprecedented county ballot measure that bans all commercial water bottling passed by 69 percent and paves the way for other communities looking to protect public resources. Our public parks and resources allow everyone -- from working families to the wealthiest -- to enjoy and experience nature and live healthy lives. Advertisement There are a number of ways we can pray for our foster children. We need to become prayer warriors for our foster children, lifting them up in prayer on a daily basis. Not only should we pray for the children, but our foster children's case workers also need prayer. After all, their job is a difficult one, and they have emotional ties to the children, as well. Just today, as I write this, I spoke with a case worker who told me she worked with a child for over two years, who was placed back into a birth parent's home, despite the case worker's pleas. With tears forming in her eyes, this case worker told me of the concerns she had about the child's reunification with the parents came true, and that she continues to pray for the child each day. Along with this, the birth parents of the children are also in need of prayer. Indeed, despite the abuse, neglect, and other challenges and horrors the biological parents and birth family members may have placed upon these children, they are children of God, just as you and I are. This might be difficult, though. Are we praying for the well being and healing of the birth parent, or for the family to spend more time in jail? Are we praying that the children be reunified with their biological family, or that the parent's rights to the child are terminated so we can adopt the child? To be sure, you just may be the only one praying for these parents, and we need to put aside our personal judgment and beliefs and instead pray that God's healing hand and will be done, for all involved. As Christians, we are called to pray for mercy and justice, for not just the children, but for their parents, too. These parents may be victims of abuse, neglect, rape, and violence, also. To be honest with you, my friend, I need to remind myself some times that I need to walk humbly with our God, that I am a sinner just like anyone else, and that I am no better than those who would hurt their child, my foster child. We all need to keep the words of Micah 6:8 in or hearts when we pray for our foster child's family members. The words of this Scripture verse are both beautiful and powerful reminders of this directive. Advertisement "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly[a] with your God." As a foster parent, there are a number of ways we can pray for our foster children, case workers, and biological parents. Let's briefly look at these important points of prayer from the book Faith and Foster Care: How We Impact God's Kingdom. 1)We can pray for the children who are coming into foster care right at this very moment. 2)We can pray that children in foster care do not experience multiple disruptions, or move from foster home to foster home to foster home. 3)We can pray that the children remain in foster care for as short as time as it is safely possible. Advertisement 4)We can pray that the child is able to form a health relationship with his case worker, and that the case worker is one that is loving, kind, compassionate, and understanding to his needs. 5)We can pray that if the child has siblings in other foster homes, and that they are all able to stay in contact with each other and able to remain in a foster home together. 6)We can pray that God heals the trauma, pain, and profound damage that these children have not only been exposed to, but that they are able to heal from these experiences, as well. 7)We can pray that the judge, case workers, and those who decide the child's fate receive the wisdom they need in order to make the best decision that is in his best interest. 8)We can pray for those teens that have aged out of the foster care system. 9)We can pray that we as foster parents can be the hands, feet, voice, and heart of our loving God. 10)We can pray for the biological children of our foster parents, that they are instruments of God's love, and that their hearts are open to their fellow foster sibling. Advertisement 11)We can pray that more people would choose to follow the path of becoming foster parents. 12) We can pray for the birth parents and biological family members. 13)We can pray for the social workers. 14)We can pray that social workers receive the funding and resources they need from the state. 15)We can pray that the lawmakers in each state make decisions that are best for the children, as well as for the foster parents. 16)We can pray that our churches hear the call to help children in foster care, and that they answer this call from God with the grace, and mercy. For much more, purchase the new book of Faith and Foster Care: How We Impact God's Kingdom. Today President Barack Obama is taking a day off from his formal schedule at the G7 meeting in Japan to visit Hiroshima. He is first sitting American president to visit the site where an atomic weapon was first employed to horrifying effect. The mainstream media presents this visit as a chance to upgrade the Japan-US relationship in anticipation of closer bilateral cooperation. It is also, no doubt, an excellent photo opportunity for a soon-to-be ex-president who wishes to establish a legacy for himself as a promoter of peace and understanding by having himself photographed in carefully-framed pensive poses. For the bureaucrats in Washington and Tokyo, the Obama visit to Hiroshima serves as the opening for a three-act play that will highlight close cooperation between the two countries and perhaps give Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a bit of a boost. Act Two of the play will be a carefully synchronized visit by Abe to Pearl Harbor in the near future, at which he will express some form of regret and will be praised by the American corporate media for his thoughtfulness. That visit will set the stage for Act Three, in which the leaders of the two countries, basking in a largely fabricated mood of good will, present a new comprehensive initiative for bilateral cooperation on economic and security issues, probably sometime in the next US administration. The White House maintains that Obama will not make any apologies on this visit. No doubt he fears criticism from conservative groups in the United States if he makes any statements that suggest there was anything wrong about America's decision to use nuclear weapons. Advertisement There are plenty of reasons why an American should apologize when visiting Hiroshima about the decision of the United States government to drop such a terrible bomb, at the time that many members of the Truman administration doubted there was any real need. The consensus among historians is that the primary purpose of the bombing was to send a message to Moscow. Ultimately, though, this visit is wall to wall politics for an extremely political president. Obama does not have that sort of bravery to say anything significant, and even if he did, his words would not represent the political consensus in Washington D.C. (although he could find a growing disgust among ordinary citizens with American militarism if he bothered to look for it). But back to our harmonious three-act play. Dig a bit beneath the shiny surface of things and you will find that there are plenty of things for which Barack Obama should apologize during his Hiroshima visit, things that have nothing to do with Harry Truman's tragic decision and everything to do with Obama's fatal expediency at the close of his term. The grotesque irony of his visit to Hiroshima is clear if you consider his visit to Prague seven years ago, in April of 2009. Advertisement He stated in Prague: "So today, I state clearly and with conviction America's commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons. I'm not naive. This goal will not be reached quickly -- perhaps not in my lifetime. It will take patience and persistence. But now we, too, must ignore the voices who tell us that the world cannot change. We have to insist, 'Yes, we can.' Now, let me describe to you the trajectory we need to be on. First, the United States will take concrete steps towards a world without nuclear weapons. To put an end to Cold War thinking, we will reduce the role of nuclear weapons in our national security strategy, and urge others to do the same . Those were the eloquent words of a Harvard graduate and they helped to secure him a premature Nobel Peace Prize after only nine months in office. Although Obama may be hoping to rekindle some of the glory that he bathed in when, back then, he waxed poetic about a "world without nuclear weapons," any such talk this time will be unadulterated hypocrisy. What exactly has Obama done about nuclear weapons since then? A group of seventy scholars recently publicly requested in polite terms that Obama consider saying something about America's current policy of developing a new generation of nuclear weapons under the guise of refurbishing the old ones when at Hiroshima. Specifically they asked that the United States restart serious nuclear disarmament talks to follow up on the treaty with Russia known as "New START" that was signed in Prague back in 2010. Advertisement But those scholars for all their sincerity, avoided speaking too bluntly about Obama's actions in the twilight of his reign. Not only has the "New START" treaty taken a back seat as the United States rushes to increase its military presence along Russia's borders and in the South China Sea, but the imperative for disarmament which is the core of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty has been entirely eclipsed by a new U.S. program to build next-generation nuclear weapons and a panoply of creative delivery systems over the next thirty years. The manufacture of these new weapons will double the amount of spending on nuclear weapons. Obama has fully supported, out of cowardice and incompetence, this trillion-dollar program at a time when 45 million United States citizens live in poverty, at a time when we are facing many trillions of dollars in costs for adaptation to, and mitigation of, climate change. This blatant violation of the Nonproliferation Treaty opens the door wide open for other nations to develop nuclear weapons. Obama is treating possession of nuclear weapons as the privilege of an exclusive club whose members have no obligation to follow the rules themselves. The United States' failure to disarm itself in accordance with article VI of the Nonproliferation Treaty is not just unfair; it vastly increases the risk of nuclear war. Obama's new toy chest will include miniaturized nuclear weapons such as the B61 Model 12. Because such mini nuclear weapons are a tremendous temptation for military commanders to use at the tactical level, they make the transition from a conventional weapon to a multiple nuclear warhead ICBM quite easy, even natural. Escalation from a minor incident to total nuclear war will go from being an unlikely scenario to being a near certainty. Advertisement There was a time when American policy makers had a sense of responsibility. They responded to the dangerous arms race of the sixties by signing the Nonproliferation Treaty in 1968 and to the arms race of the 1980s by engaging in the negotiations on nuclear weapons that led to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty in 1991. No more. Obama is making no effort to engage China and Russia in treaty talks to limit nuclear weapons and to draw down the American military presence in Asia. Instead, he is overseeing increasingly aggressive military training near the borders of both countries in recent months--or at least he is incapable of controlling those who are doing so. Obama is encouraging reckless actions around the world that are pushing the world to the brink of nuclear war. CAIRO, EGYPT - MAY 23: An advert promoting EgyptAir is seen on the outside of a travel agency on May 23, 2016 in Cairo, Egypt. Egypt's tourism industry has struggled to recover since the uprising in 2011, the ISIS attack on a Russian metro jet and the hijacking of an EgyptAir flight in March. Despite last weeks crash of EgyptAir flight MS804 Egypt's Tourism Minister Yehia Rashed said in a statement on Sunday he hoped the country would attract 12 million tourists back by the end of 2017. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi announced Sunday that a submarine will be deployed to search for the flights 'black box'. The submarine can reach depths of 3,000 meters. EgyptAir flight MS804 crashed into the Mediterranean Sea en-route to Cairo from Paris carrying 66 passengers and crew. Wreckage including seats, personal belongings and human remains have been located 290kilometres north of Egypts port city of Alexandria and data taken from the aircrafts ACARS system show several smoke alerts near the cockpit just minutes before the flight crashed. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images) Firstly, it is important to voice my solidarity with the families of the victims of last week's horrific EgyptAir crash. It is also important to voice my solidarity with the people of Egypt and its government during this tough time, which is indeed expected to aggravate the economic crisis that has hit the country since the 2011 revolution. However, I don't think the Egyptians expect their loyal friends to only share sympathy. After all, the media must also play its role of constructive criticism, and when needed a spade must be called a spade. Advertisement Following three aviation incidents in less than one year - the Russian plane bombing in Sinai, the EgyptAir hijacking in Cyprus, and last week's crash in the Mediterranean - we cannot but say that the overall situation has become disturbing. It is sad, but true, that EgyptAir may now face the same unfortunate fate of Malaysia Airlines. The risk to tourismOf course, the bigger issue is that Egypt's tourism is now in a dire state. Despite the country being rich in antiques and ancient sites, as well as the charming atmosphere of popular venues such Sharm al-Sheikh and Hurghada, tourists can't be expected to risk their lives to go there. This is a reality that can't be changed by anything except by the facts on the ground, as such, it simply doesn't matter how much the tourism authorities encourages them to return by providing special offers and discounts. Indeed, some might argue that these incidents are fated and could happen anywhere in the world. Others may believe in a conspiracy against Egypt to destroy it and impoverish its people (including recent reports of an alien attack!) Of course, I won't comment on speculation or conspiracy theories, but at the same time I must urge Egyptians to take immediate action to save this crucial industry. 'Connections' and negligenceTo explain what I mean, here's something I experienced two days after the Russian plane crashed in Sinai in October 2015, at a time when security procedures were supposedly tighter. Advertisement I was invited to Cairo to attend an event and I chose EgyptAir to travel there. Before boarding the plane, a young woman was screaming at an airline employee on the first class counter because he refused to allow her to ship a huge package to Egypt. She then picked up her phone, called someone, then gave her phone to the employee who was frightened out of his wits once he realized who he was talking to. It all ended in the woman's favor without further inspection and without her paying for the extra luggage, as far as I could see. This is an example of how someone's "connections" can pose serious threats to security. Another problem is the practice of employees who can be unprofessional and not fulfill their duties, such as not searching a passenger either out of kindness, at best, or negligence and laziness, at worst. These practices may not seem disastrous to an employee whose logic is "so, what could possibly happen?" But the consequences are almost always bigger than one can imagine. All it takes is for one incident caused by a single security breach to paralyze tourism for months, or even years. What is now required is an immediate review of all security and safety procedures in airports and planes. There must also be a mechanism to control and assess the performance of security and customs employees and put an end to negligence. Washington Square Park is one of the best-known of New York City's 1,900 public parks. At 9.75 acres (39,500 m2), it is a landmark in the Manhattan neighborhood of Greenwich Village, as well as a meeting place and center for cultural activity. SAMANTHA TETRAULT Flagler College '17 The day I got accepted into NYU, I stayed up giggling and grinning like an idiot. All of my hard work had finally paid off. I wanted to become a filmmaker, so NYU Tisch was basically the best thing that could have happened to me. I had taken countless standardized tests. I was the captain of the cross country team, a proctor, and the head of a publication. I was basically the golden child of college acceptances. Advertisement But I turned it down. It all started when I took a gap year. I was offered the opportunity to study abroad in a gap year program, so I put NYU on hold and set sail for my year off. When I returned home, nothing felt the same. First of all, I started to realize that my dream might not be worth the cost. NYU is expensive. Like, really expensive. Did I really want to take on such severe debt just for a degree In film, of all things? I wasn't even so sure of my major anymore -- let alone taking on over $100k in loan debt to make it a possibility. Nothing seemed to make as much sense as it did that day I got my acceptance letter. For years, I imagined myself going to college in NYC. How do you give up that many years' worth of daydreams? In February of 2014, I formally withdrew my acceptance from NYU and started the college application process all over again. The deadline had already passed for most colleges, so I struggled to find schools that would even consider me. Advertisement Luckily, I was accepted to a few small liberal art schools closer to home. They were the complete opposite of NYU, but they felt right in a way NYU hadn't in months. So, here I am today, studying English at a college in a quiet town by the beach. I don't have a zillion dollars in loan debt, and I feel confident I made the right choice. This school is definitely less challenging than a more elite school would have been, but The New York Times argues that that can work to my advantage. I'm more likely to graduate at the top of my class in this environment, thus leading to more job opportunities in the future. I won't say that I don't think about what my life would have been like at NYU. I do. All the time. Sometimes with sadness, but never with regret. I've found a new passion in English, and I've discovered that there is bravery in changing one's mind. So don't feel bad about being unsure, and don't be afraid to change your mind. There's strength in recognizing when something doesn't feel right. Don't believe the hype about having to attend the most prestigious college in order to lead a successful life. Studies show that if you're a good student, what school you attended doesn't really matter at all. College is a match to be made, not a prize to be won. Graduating from high school and taking the next big step toward college can be daunting, so a growing number of students are choosing to take a gap year to focus on personal growth. Whether you spend a year traveling, volunteering or working, we'd love to share your story. If you'd like to contribute a text or video piece, please email gapyear@huffingtonpost.com and tell us all about your experience. Advertisement Having been born in Kentucky, no matter where I am in the world on the first Saturday in May, I look for a place to watch the "Run for the Roses". I've watched the Kentucky Derby in airports, hotel lobby bars and on other people's phones standing in lines. This year I found myself in Santa Ynez, California at the home of a friend of a friend. I brought my usual Derby party gift, a quality bottle Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon, which I was happy to see was broken into soon after Nyquist crossed the finish line. It was a good race even if the horse I picked didn't show, much less win. It was also great fun for me as the token Kentucky native at the party to be gathered with a lively group from Texas, Santa Ynez, and Santa Barbara singing "My Ole' Kentucky Home." After the Derby, I drove down Route 154 and onto Kentucky Road (how appropriate!) with my friends Inken and Chuck Rudd and Aurora and Rick Grimm to catch a tour of their vineyard before sunset. Advertisement The Grimm's moved to Santa Barbara about ten years ago with their children to put down roots. Not long after, they discovered Santa Ynez and decided that it might be just the place to retire. They bought their first piece of property, patiently waiting until the neighboring property became available, and they would have the space to build their dream house and winery. Today it is known as Grimms Bluff Vineyards where in addition to producing five clones of Cabernet Sauvignon, two clones of Sauvignon Blanc and a single clone of Petite Verdot grapes, they farm Tuscan Olives. After a game of bocce ball, we toured the vineyards. Besides Aurora's beautiful white roses planted at the head of the vines, what caught really my attention was when I learned about their commitment to biodynamic wine making and why it is a superior method of farming to organic. So, what is biodynamic and why is better than just plain organic? If you define "organic" as being a farming methodology, which restricts the use of certain pesticides and fertilizers one could then conclude that biodynamic is organic on steroids. Biodynamics precludes the use of all chemical herbicides, insecticides, chemical fertilizers and antibiotic contamination. Biodynamics also promotes biodiversity and spraying certain bacterial compounds to help promote healthy plants and root growth. There's also an element of planting, pruning, watering and harvesting in alignment with the biodynamic calendar. Advertisement Politics seem to come into play as well. You cannot use organic chicken manure unless the chickens are allowed to run free range for a period of time each day. One must take care that you don't kill beneficial insects such as honeybees when trying to eliminate destructive pest such as olive fruit flies. The non-profit, Demeter Association, Inc. is the United States representative and industry agriculture standard with the mission to enable successful farming in accordance with biodynamic practices and principles. In order for farms to achieve this level and refer to itself as Biodynamic, according to Demeter's website, it must achieve certification by adhering to the Demeter Farm Standard for a minimum of three years if conventionally farmed, or for a minimum of one year if organically farmed. Agriculture's version of Greenopia! Over a barrel sample tasting and a delicious assortment of cheese and olives from C'est Cheese later that evening, I learned that along with Grimm's Bluff Vineyard, Santa Ynez is vastly becoming a hot bed for biodynamic wine. Other biodynamic vintners in the region include Ampelos Cellars, Beckman-Purisima Vineyards, and Demetria Estate Winery. May 4th was a day I'd been anticipating for some time. That was the day Assistant Attorney General Karol Mason, who heads the Office of Justice Programs in the Department of Justice, publicly announced a new agency-wide policy directing her staff to stop using "disparaging labels" like "ex-convict" and "ex-felon" in all their communications. In a guest post that appeared in The Washington Post Mason urged other agencies and organizations to join her in replacing those old labels with terms like, "person who committed a crime and individual who was incarcerated, decoupling past actions from the person being described and anticipating the contributions we expect them to make when they return." I knew the announcement was coming because I and other leaders of the formerly incarcerated people's movement had met with AAG Mason on a number of occasions and had told her that changing the language was one of our highest priorities. For those of us who have experienced firsthand the horrors of mass incarceration, changing the language is a crucial step in our long march towards dignity, respect, and reintegration. The old adage about "sticks and stones" is wrong. Words can and do hurt. They are powerful reminders of stigma and exclusion. The father of our movement, Eddie Ellis (1941-2014), who spent 23 years in prison and went on to play a leading role in our struggle for human rights, understood this very well. A decade ago he wrote an "Open Letter to Our Friends on the Question of Language" in which he asked progressive publications and organizations to stop using offensive labels like "ex-con," "ex-offender" and "ex-felon" and start substituting the words "people" and "returning citizens." He wrote: Advertisement "We believe we have the right to be called by a name we choose, rather than one someone else decides to use. We think that by insisting on being called people, we reaffirm our right to be recognized as human beings, not animals, inmates, prisoners or offenders. We also firmly believe that if we cannot persuade you to refer to us, and think of us, as people, then all our other efforts at reform and change are seriously compromised." Every modern movement for civil rights has gone through the process of challenging pejorative labels and epithets used by mainstream society to dehumanize, deprecate, or demean them. The women's movement rejected "girl," "chick," and the "Mrs.-Miss" distinction. The LGBT movement rejected terms like "fag," "dyke" and "homo." In our long and still ongoing struggle for equality, African Americans have cast aside "coon," "darkie" and "nigger." It's also true that marginalized communities sometimes appropriate those epithets as a way of removing their sting. Think "Riot Grrls" and "Dixie Chicks" or "Queer as Folk." But this happens only after the movement has succeeded in changing the language in mainstream discourse, and those epithets are acceptable only when used by members of the community, not outsiders. Even using them in front of outsiders can be controversial as the storm that followed black comedian Larry Wilmore's referring to President Obama as "my nigga" during the 2016 White House Correspondents' Dinner showed. We are not there yet. We are still at the beginning of our renaming process. We are still in the early stages of reclaiming our own humanity. And although there are hopeful signs of change, the headlines are reminders of how far we still have to go. Ironically, The Washington Post's headline for Assistant Attorney General Karol Mason's Guest Post announcing her new policy was, "Justice Dept. agency to alter its terminology for released convicts, to ease reentry." In fact, headlines about positive reforms to bring about the reintegration of the formerly incarcerated into society are often undercut by these offensive labels. The Washington Examiner reports, "'Ban the box' move provides ex-convicts a chance to work." "Former felon helps other ex-convicts register to vote" according to a newspaper in Fredericksburg, PA. The ABC News website announces, "DOJ Pushes New Effort to Help Ex-Convicts and Stop 'Enormous Waste of Human Potential.'' The media is still way behind the curve. Advertisement I am an "ex-convict." I am also a husband, father, son and brother. I'm a college graduate and a former Vice President of the Fortune Society. I'm the founder and president of a social justice organization, JustLeadershipUSA. And I'm only one of millions of Americans who have come through the other side of the mass incarceration gristmill and gone on to do good things. Those are the things we want to be recognized for. Three days after the Office of Justice Programs' announcement, The New York Times editorial board wrote, "The vocabulary of incarceration--the permanently stigmatizing way we speak about people who have served time--presents a significant barrier to reintegration. Federal officials have set out the change that lexicon, so that people who have committed crimes have a better chance of being seen not as faceless abstractions, but as human beings worthy of being back in society." What happened to the link between profits and productivity, on which economic growth is based? It has broken down of late, so that profits are no longer being used by many businesses to enhance productivity. And without higher productivity, we see the standard of living for most of US no longer rising. Labor productivity has to do with the amount of output per worker, which in turn depends on the amount of capital expenditures (capex spending) on plants and equipment. The current tepid economic recovery that has averaged slightly above 2 percent GDP growth has been attributed in large part to lower labor productivity. So why, with corporations making record profits over the past 2 years as a percentage of GDP (accompanied by today's comparatively low tax rates and large tax loopholes) aren't corporations investing more in productivity that would enhance their profits as well? Advertisement In fact, such record profits seem to have created a different investment environment, one that is conducive to what Nobelist Robert Stiglitz calls monopolistic behavior last seen during the Gilded Age of the early 1900s. Monopolistic behavior means that businesses and even whole industries prefer to keep themselves in power by amassing more wealth for their shareholders and executives, rather than invest those profits to also benefit their employees and the public domain. The result is lower investments in productivity, made mostly via investments in capital, or capex spending. And studies show increased capex spending does boost productivity, as historically higher profits have in the past boosted capex spending. A 1964 NBER working paper by economist Robert Eisner highlighted that fact. "The historical correlations are indeed indisputable; periods of high capital expenditures have been periods of high profits and periods of low capital expenditures have been periods of low profits." (Therefore)"...I would suggest that capital expenditures are undertaken in the pursuit of profits, or perhaps in order to reduce the risk associated with expectations of profits...I would view the rate of investment demand as related to the expected profitability of investment, something which is quite different from past or current profits." So during this period of the highest corporate profits as a percentage of GDP and GDI in history, corporations have been hoarding their profits. This has to change; firstly, because so many working-age adults are still out of work some 7 years after the end of the Great Recession. And secondly, a return to another Gilded Age, also warned by economist Thomas Piketty in his epochal Capital In the Twenty-First Century, means another era of high income inequality, and so a period with greater economic instability. This happened during the Great Recession, due in large part to a record income inequality last seen in the run up to the Great Depression. Both private industry and governments have to invest more in R&D research, for starters. An early reading of the April service-sector PMI Flash Index showed growth in new orders, hit by weakness in investment spending, continues to slow and is among the weakest readings in the 7-year history of this series. Respondents in the sample say clients are unwilling to commit to new projects. And though April Durable Goods orders just out were strong (i.e., goods that generally last more than 3 years), a negative in the report is a sizable 0.8 percent decline in core capital goods orders which ominously is the third straight decline for this reading and the fifth out of the last seven reports. Year-on-year, orders are noticeably in the negative column at minus 5.0 percent. "These readings point squarely to stubborn weakness in business investment and uncertainty in the general business outlook," said Econoday. How does this explain today's actions of those corporations with huge profits that aren't investing in their future growth? Actually, it can. For, if businesses find more ways to line their pockets, such as using financial engineering by speculating in markets--e.g., either by hedging commodities or stock buybacks--then they will neglect to make money the old fashioned way, by creating new products and services. Advertisement A recent Reuters Special Report entitled, The Cannabilized Company, said that in the most recent reporting year, share purchases reached a record $520 billion. Throw in the most recent year's $365 billion in dividends, and the total amount returned to shareholders reaches $885 billion, more than the companies' combined net income of $847 billion. And it confirms the cost; reduced innovation spending in new products that would boost future productivity. "...among the approximately 1,000 firms that buy back shares and report R&D spending," said Reuters, "the proportion of net income spent on innovation has averaged less than 50 percent since 2009, increasing to 56 percent only in the most recent year as net income fell. It had been over 60 percent during the 1990s." Thus, maximizing shareholder value with stock buybacks has "concentrated income at the top and has led to the disappearance of middle-class jobs. The U.S. economy is now twice as rich in real terms as it was 40 years ago, but most people feel poorer," said Reuters A good example of this practice is tech icon IBM. CEO Sam Palmisano left in 2011, having received more than $87 million in compensation in his last three years at the company. Meanwhile, revenue declined for the past three years, and earnings have fallen for the past two. The stock is down a third from its 2013 peak, while the S&P 500 has risen 34 percent. To rein in costs, IBM has cut jobs. It now employs 55,000 fewer workers than it did in 2012. So it turns out maximizing stock prices is neither maximizing longer term shareholder value nor profits--since it only benefits the few. Should this be the sad fate of American business? No one likes to give up power--not our major corporations, certainly--power that was built up over the past 40 years of consolidation and reduced regulation. But such record income and opportunity inequality cannot continue indefinitely. This is what revolutions are made of. Advertisement Harlan Green 2016 Here we have a book that, as they say in the news business, has legs - and long ones at that. Twenty over Eighty, Princeton Architectural Press Aileen Kwun and Bryn Smith have interviewed 20 of the greats in 20th-century design for their new book that covers the waterfront - from graphic design to architecture to advertising to furniture. They spoke with Seymour Chwast, Milton Glaser, Denise Scott Brown, and the late Michael Graves, among others. Milton Glaser at work in New York in the 1950s. The result - "Twenty over Eighty" - is a thorough look at designers who are still creating after six decades in the profession. "Once you enter a lifelong role as a designer, you're always studying and always learning," Kwun says. "There's so much to learn still." Chwast, for example, has used his art to battle war since 1957. His newest project is "At War with War" - an anti-war book of 70 illustrations, is funded with a Kickstarter campaign. "It's interesting to see how their creativity and drive continues to motivate them into their eighties," Kwun says. Advertisement Seymour Chwast in his studio, New York 2014; Greg Preston photo There's Jane Thompson, who at 89 has no desire to stop her work at Thompson Design Group, a firm that specializes in the preservation and reuse of obsolete spaces. She once worked at MoMA as secretary to Philip Johnson. When curator Arthur Drexler left for Interiors magazine she stepped up to that, and then to Industrial Design magazine. And Phyllis Lambert, who famously wrote an eight-page, single-spaced letter to her father, criticizing his plans for the Seagram Building - eventually resulting in its classic design by Mies van der Rohe. "Hers is one of the great stories that's almost a myth - there's clarity to hear her tell it, and then there's the artifact itself," Kwun says. "Having these stories retold from the person, and then seeing the document really is a best-case scenario." Bob Gill: Serigraph selfportrait, 2012;Courtesy of Bob Gill A senior editor at Dwell, Kwun formerly worked at Princeton Architectural Press (PAP) before earning her MFA in design and criticism from the School of Visual Arts in New York. So she was a natural when PAP started looking around for co-authors for the book. "It's so cool to put into practice the ideas and methodology we were trained to use and discover," she says. "It was a learning experience, straight from the horses' mouths." We're fortunate that now, they're sharing that experience with us and not only in print. Kwun and Smith will host a panel discussion at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan on June 15 at 8 PM. Milton Glaser and Beverly Willis will be there - and you should be, too. Advertisement For more, go here. NOTE: Graphic images. Chinese activists rescue 200 dogs from the exceptionally-brutal Asian dog meat trade weeks before the 2016 Yulin Dog Meat Festival. They stayed three days until the dogs were negotiated for release, though sadly 20 dogs were already found dead inside. NOTE: 2016 UPDATES from last year's post. The Barbaric Yulin Dog Meat Festival is scheduled in China once again this June despite worldwide outrage, loud global social media coverage and despite 100,000 Chinese citizens and their furry friends protesting the event inside China. Because of the sustained pressure, the number of dogs killed for the dog-eating event has dropped approximately 80% according to Animals Asia (a group working to end the festival and the broader dog and cat meat trade in Asia) and that means the number of dogs murdered in the most gruesome ways possible has dropped from 10,000 to 2,000 which is still 2,000 too many. Advertisement The information below on Yulin's festival still holds and today there is even more relevant information on the topic. It's literally all over the internet. Please join your voice in opposition to this event; especially as it nears. Last year Huffington Post reader's helped spur an anti-Yulin Festival petition sponsored by the non-profit Duo Duo Animal Welfare Project that has recently reached 2 million US signatures - the largest in Change.org's history - along with another Canadian-based one with 5 millions names. These kinds of huge numbers make news and officials do learn about them. The organizers of the Yulin Dog Meat Festival -- and all animal abusers in all countries, including here in the United States - can run, but in the newly connected world order, they can no longer hide. #StopYulin2016, #StopYulin, #StopYulinForever, ********************************************************** The world is full of cruel, barbaric acts and images -- what with ISIS beheading people on video and human traffickers said to sell more people into slavery than in the 19th century. Some of this we can do little about as one single person, despite our hope to the contrary. Advertisement Yet, one inhumane tradition happens each summer in southern China that can be stopped -- and must be stopped -- with voices from you and I. It is as simple as 1+1+1 = the tsunamia of social media. Each June 21, the Yulin Dog Meat Festival takes place in Guangxi province. It is real, despite local government protests to the contrary. In it, the meat from thousands of dogs and cats are consumed. These nearly 10,000 sentient animals arrive to Yulin in appalling conditions -- often stuffed into cages and dragged on poles -- and the manner in which they're killed, skinned and eaten is horrific, with many clubbed, burned, electrocuted and some skinned alive, according to local activist reports. It is simply torture. (Billy HCkwok) (Billy HCkwok) The people of Yulin have celebrated the Summer Solstice with this festival since the 1990's, and use the dog and cat meat to eat with lychees and drink grain alcohol. They do not consider any of the above conditions an issue, not even the way the animals arrive or are killed, cooked and consumed. Animal rights groups and activitists for years have been trying to stop the festivities. Yet, despite huge social media protest inside China, it's scheduled to happened again this June. Advertisement Just recently, Twitter globally alit with the horrifying images of the event with hopes to shame and put pressure on local authorities to stop the festival. Learn what you can about this event. CNN has done some good reporting on it. Other media outlets have, as well. Keep up the pressure! Western consumers of Chinese products and Chinese tourism have a good deal of power. Let us use it. (Rueters) TIME reports it well: TIME. Sign the petition demanding the festival be stopped here. Here's the non-profit -- the Duo Duo Animal Welfare Project - working tirelessly to stop the festival here. A detailed article on Chinese Animal Activists fighting to stop Yulin from Humane Society International Advertisement A Facebook group working to stop the event. Frequently asked questions about the festival here. Legislators in North Carolina, Tennessee and Florida have made headlines over the last two weeks for introducing or signing into law bills designed to help families more easily afford college. These bills, not-so-coincidentally all happening at the same time, show a shared GOP philosophy about how to cut costs, stifle racial progress, and strong-arm land, property and votes all at the same time - even when black folks are fighting against it. Advertisement Tennessee Promise, the impetus for President Barack Obama's federal pitch for free tuition at community colleges nationwide, is another program designed to work in tandem with recently signed HB2578, which will give all schools outside of the University of Tennessee system board autonomy, but grants trustee appointing power to the governor. Since gubernatorial appointees tend to do the will of the governor, and the governor has already emphasized community college as the ideal college option for Tennessee students, how far off are we from reduced capacity and advocacy for schools like Tennessee State University? In Florida, Governor Rick Scott signed into law a new program which requires all state colleges and universities to publicly report their efforts to cut tuition and ancillary education costs, like textbooks and online degree offerings. But the same bill also authorizes the state's Board of Governors to create an online learning institute, offering students a range of degree programs at all levels exclusively via distance learning. But according to the eligibility standards of the bill, the only two institutions qualified for consideration to house the institute are the University of Florida and Florida State University. Advertisement Both schools, if allowed to offer a lion's share of their programs online and at reduced costs, would decimate Florida A&M University, which would have to compete against larger, bigger branded state options with costs comparable to those offered at the flagship HBCU. When added to the BOG issuing new rules on presidential searches, and tightening its review and approval of potential candidates, their compensation package, and the assessment of their credentials, you have an assault on the ability for FAMU to attract a quality president, or to dramatically increase its enrollment in any given year. Three different states, all with legitimate efforts to save college students money. But hidden within each of these plans is an agenda to marginalize or close black colleges, efforts which aren't blatantly unconstitutional, but meet the aim of attracting black bodies and appropriations to predominantly white campuses. Ideally, alumni of these schools we be consistently well-versed on the legislative action against our schools. But because our presidents don't talk to students and alumni, black lawmakers are silenced on HBCU legislation, and black communities at large are not politically astute on issues until someone is shot dead in the streets or until the media reports on damage already done, we stand little chance in reversing this political tidal wave. All we can hope for is that social media and expanding coverage of black issues in mainstream media helps us to pressure middle-aged white guys in legislative seats to wait a few more years until their next attempt at HBCU destruction. But if HB2, and the mass activity of the GOP on higher education throughout southern states hasn't convinced us that there may not be a next time, then we deserve everything that will be taken away from us. Photo by Jeff Krausse. As a pet writer and crazy dog lady, May is one of my favorite months: National Pet Month! It's a time to celebrate the benefits pets bring to our lives - and even to the lives of others. For instance, Steve Fontenot, a therapy dog handler in San Antonio, Texas, has witnessed the healing power of animals many times. His dog Bellin, a Husky who was rescued from a home where he endured severe physical abuse, now visits several times a week with patients in hospitals and children in crisis. In one moving instance at a children's shelter, Bellin sat down next to a quiet boy who was about 9 years old. The child started petting the dog and asked about him. He heard the "kid version" of Bellin's past abuse. "Then he said, 'Oh, he was beaten like me,'" Fontenot recalled. "It was one of the first times this kid had opened up about what he had gone through. To know we helped make him feel comfortable enough to begin to acknowledge and talk about it ... you walk out of a therapy visit feeling like you got therapy too." Advertisement Therapy dog Bellin with handlers Kassia Kubena, MD, and Steve Fontenot. Photo by Sandy Walker Photography. Bellin is one of approximately 14,000 therapy animals - including more than 9,000 dogs - registered with Pet Partners, a nonprofit based in Bellevue, Wash. with volunteers in all 50 states. Through the organization's various human-animal interaction programs, pets and their owners provide comfort and smiles to veterans with PTSD, seniors with Alzheimer's disease, hospital and hospice patients, people with intellectual disabilities and children with literacy challenges. "Our teams want to bring joy and spread love with their animals," said Traci Pryor, senior director of national strategic partnerships at Pet Partners. "They typically make over a million visits each year across the country." The Human Animal Bond Research Initiative (HABRI) Foundation in Washington, D.C. maintains a database of scientific research that demonstrates the health benefits of spending time with animals, such as lower blood pressure, reduced stress and depression, and increased odds of surviving a heart attack. Advertisement But these findings are no surprise to volunteers with Pet Partners, who love to share their pets with people who could use an emotional boost. Pryor said therapy animal handlers report many remarkable encounters, such as hospital patients who have emerged from comas and asked, "Where's that dog that visited me?" And often dogs visiting people with Alzheimer's disease will help spark a memory of a childhood pet. "When remembering things is such a challenge and memories are so fleeting, petting someone else's animal brings that back and will bring a smile to their face," Pryor said. "There are beautiful ways lives are impacted in a positive way." Therapy dog Chili. Photo by Kim Leeson. Pet Partners volunteer Kim Wright visits hospitals with her Goldendoodles Clarke and Callie each week. She's been particularly moved to see her dogs bond with children with autism, and surprised by how much comfort they bring to visitors and stressed hospital staff. She loves seeing people "light up" when they meet her dogs. "Every time you go in (for a therapy dog visit) you know you're making somebody's day," she said. "There's always somebody there that needs your help." Therapy dog Bellin spreading smiles. Photo by Sandy Walker Photography. Wright said her dogs enjoy the challenge and stimulation of being therapy dogs (though they aren't fans of the bath required before visits). Pet Partners therapy animal teams must pass the certification test every two years to ensure the safety of everyone involved, and to make sure the animals still excel at - and like - the work. Advertisement "They're all ready to be petted and touched and loved, and share that part of themselves," Wright said of animals in the program. Kim Wright's therapy dog, Clarke. Pryor emphasized that though most people volunteer with their dogs, Pet Partners registers a variety of species, including cats, birds, rabbits, pigs, llamas and miniature horses. "People are able to volunteer with many different pets. It's just a wonderful way to impact lives and volunteer with your animal," she said. "That makes folks happy because they'll say, 'I want to take my pet everywhere!' There are a lot of ways to get involved ... It's an excellent way to help serve folks in your community." For more information, visit https://petpartners.org/ or http://treatsandsweetsday.donordrive.com/. School children raising their hands in class A conversation with Paul Tough about his new book Helping Children Succeed - which you should really read, even if the whole "grit" thing drives you bonkers... Jennifer Berkshire: Your new book is subtitled *What Works and Why.* But if I may, I'd like to suggest a different subtitle: *Just About Everything We're Doing to Low-Income Kids in School is Wrong and Here's the Neuro-Biological Research to Explain Why.* Was it just me or does the research you write about upend some pretty fundamental assumptions? Advertisement Paul Tough: I was struck by that too. Some of the basic principles we have, in terms of discipline, in terms of pedagogy and how we run our schools are not advantageous to kids who are growing up in adversity. This research on just how boring school is really resonated with me, especially the research about how when you're growing up in a low-income community, school is more likely to be repetitive, boring and unmotivating. I hadn't really picked up on that as being a significant problem before doing this reporting, but this research was really persuasive to me, not only that it's true for a lot of kids but that it really matters in terms of their motivation. I think I was also more attuned to what happens in American schools and in classrooms because my older son is now in school. Berkshire: Do the curiosity worksheets your son is filling out indicate that he's going to be curious? And note that I didn't take this opportunity to make a crack about predictive *grit* measurement. Tough: He's not filling out curiosity worksheets. He's in first grade so there's still a lot of play and interesting stuff but it's this glimpse of what public school is like for so many kids, and how different it is from the way that he actually learns things--by doing experiments, by getting interested in something and staying interested in it for a week or even a month. The expeditionary learning model is how he naturally thinks, and I think it's the way most kids naturally think. You get interested in something and you ask questions, and if you have a parent or a teacher or a tutor who can help expand your interest rather than quash it, you can have a great experience with learning. But very few kids in school today get to have that experience and the ones who do are more likely to be well off. The expeditionary learning model is how he naturally thinks, and I think it's the way most kids naturally think. You get interested in something and you ask questions, and if you have a parent or a teacher or a tutor who can help expand your interest rather than quash it, you can have a great experience with learning. But very few kids in school today get to have that experience and the ones who do are more likely to be well off. Advertisement The expeditionary learning model is how he naturally thinks, and I think it's the way most kids naturally think. You get interested in something and you ask questions, and if you have a parent or a teacher or a tutor who can help expand your interest rather than quash it, you can have a great experience with learning. But very few kids in school today get to have that experience and the ones who do are more likely to be well off. Berkshire: Your new book is quite short and, in my experience at least, doesn't require much perseverance to complete. But on the assumption that not everyone who starts it will finish it, could you highlight a particularly disadvantageous education policy or approach? Tough: There is a lot about the way we punish and discipline kids that the research increasingly shows just doesn't work, especially for non-violent offenses. The idea that all kids need is no excuses schools and strong discipline to succeed is clearly not supported in the research. The other is the general disconnect between early childhood and K-12 schooling. My first book was about the Harlem Children's Zone, and part of what I was drawn to more than a decade ago when I first reporting on it was that Geoffrey Canada thought that we needed a pipeline that started with kids and parents at birth and continued on through early childhood, pre-k-, kindergarten and onto school. But what he did and his thinking hasn't been replicated. All the way from the federal government down to local school boards, there are very few places where we think about a continuum of schooling, where the kindergarten teachers are thinking about what's happening when kids are one or two or three. At the same time, science is pushing us towards understanding how important those early years are. To me that's a long overdue conversation. Berkshire: I want to pick up on that because I live in a state, Massachusetts, where there is a heated debate about the future of urban schools in particular, and yet you almost never hear mention of what happens before kids get to school. The idea seems to be that if we can just get the kids into the high-performing seats, then we can make up for their early adversity without ever having to do anything about the adversity itself. Advertisement Tough: You're right. There are moments that it feels kind of daunting and like we're not even close to having that conversation. Part of that, by the way, is our reluctance to spend money on low-income kids. There's more universal Pre-K now than there was five years ago, which is important. But where I'm trying to push people in this book is to think beyond Pre-K. Pre-K is great, but so much of the development of kids' brains, minds and psyches happens in the first three years. If we want kids to be able to persevere through difficulties and deal well with criticism and complications and be able to concentrate on things for a long period of time--all of these things that are really hard to measure on tests of kindergarten readiness but turn out to be really important in terms of kids overall success, it's those first three years that are so important. But because we're so focused on reading and math skills, that helps to push us towards Pre-K and kindergarten as the right place to start. There are some good programs that are intervening to support families in those early years, but those are really rare and underfunded. Berkshire: Let's talk about money. One of my takeaways from the book is that supporting kids before they ever get to school costs a lot more than just scaling up the high-performing seats. The Educare program, which I'm going to check out in Omaha this summer, costs more than $20,000 per kid per year. Is this a problem? Tough: I do talk about interventions that are less complex than, say, Educare, but I think part of the answer is that if we are really serious about leveling the playing field for kids who are growing up in serious adversity, it is going to be complicated and expensive, and it is going to take a serious investment, not just of money but of time and attention. But because the stuff that seems clearly to work is so expensive and arduous, you'll hear people make the argument that "obviously we can't do that stuff so what's the easier version?" Berkshire: Then there are the programs you're drawn to that defy what I think of as *saleability,* meaning that there's no clear way to make money off of them. How do you cash in on the Becoming a Man workshops, for example, where kids sit around and talk about their experiences? Advertisement Tough: I don't think the place we're going to a lot of help from the corporations that are involved in education because, you're right, the Becoming a Man workshops don't have an app or a textbook. There's nothing except for human interaction, which kids need more of. It's a very low-tech solution, and in a lot of ways it's fighting against a lot of the trends in education right now. My hope is that, like a lot of what I'm arguing for, the success of programs like Becoming a Man turn out to be based on science and that that pushes enough people towards a kind of rethinking that the fact that there's not a big profit opportunity becomes less important. Berkshire: It probably won't surprise you that I've already got a subtitle in mind for your next book about kids growing up disadvantaged. I'm thinking along the lines of something like *A Scathing Indictment of Capitalism.* In other words, at some point, might we have to do something about disadvantage itself beyond just helping kids triumph over it? At some point, might we have to do something about disadvantage itself beyond just helping kids triumph over it? Tough: Thanks for that suggestion. As I say at the end of the book, when you look at the situations that are contributing to the experiences that kids growing up in poverty have, there are ways that you can look at the kinds of interventions I'm talking about and say: *This is just window dressing. This isn't enough.* I understand that feeling and there are moments when I share it. But the reason that I'm drawn to educational interventions with kids is that they have the potential to be the fastest, most effective and efficient way of improving opportunity and mobility in our country, without having to do grand social re-engineering. I'm open to other ways to level the playing field but I also feel like I haven't seen lots of evidence that there's hunger for that in the country or that those interventions are working. The forces that are driving inequality at the top end are pretty powerful right now. So to me, this seems like the best lever to use. We can make things much more equal and create much more opportunity. And those are values that in the abstract at least, a majority of Americans are in favor of. My hope is that by providing more examples and the conceptual infrastructure for how that might work, for what kind of help kids need in order to succeed, we'll see more of a push towards that. But I hear you on the larger critique of capitalism. Berkshire: I'll put you down as a *maybe*... Just over a year ago, in March 2015, two Swiss engineers launched their round-the-world flight on a solar-powered airplane: Solar Impulse 2. The two men, Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard, designed the single-pilot plane, which began its odyssey in Abu Dhabi, and they alternate laps. The longest lap so far was crossing the Pacific from Hawaii: three days! They will be crossing the Atlantic early in June, and will end their odyssey later this summer, back in Abu Dhabi. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at an event at the UFCW Union Local 324 on May 25, 2016 in Buena Park, California. / AFP / Tommaso Boddi (Photo credit should read TOMMASO BODDI/AFP/Getty Images) As former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton nears her goal of securing the Democratic presidential nomination she once again is testing the loyalty of even her most ardent supporters. A State Department inspector general report, released Wednesday, found that she had not sought permission to use a private email server while she was in office, contradicting her explanation that she has repeated throughout her campaign. The report is damning, noting that she had "a personal obligation to discuss using her email account to conduct official business," but there was no evidence she sought or received approval from the State Department. The State investigation also was critical of Clinton's handling of emails under the Federal Records Act after she stepped down. While she later turned over thousands of emails, she had thousands more she considered personal destroyed. The government has now determined that more than 100 emails Clinton sent contain classified information. Advertisement Meanwhile, an FBI investigation into her email use continues, as well as other legal challenges, which all casts a dark cloud over her ongoing campaign. Clinton has repeatedly said that other Secretaries of State used a private email address. The State report found that only Secretary of State Colin Powell, who served in President George W. Bush's first term, said he used a private address for unclassified emails. But at least two emails sent to him have now been marked classified. The report also points out that the email rules were clarified before Clinton became Secretary of State to not allow the use of a private server because of "significant security risks." In November 2010, her deputy chief of operations recommended "putting you on State email" to shield her email from spam. She responded that she would consider using a separate address, but "I don't want any risk of the personal being accessible." The report says Clinton was sent a memo in 2011 warning of hackers trying to access private email accounts, and that she was given a personal briefing on the issue. Why would the Secretary of State, who should know the rules of her department, seek to use a private server? In March 2015, Clinton told reporters at a news conference, "I opted for convenience to use my personal account, which was allowed by the State Department, because I thought it would be easier to carry one device for my work and for my personal emails instead of two." She continued, "Looking back, it would have been better if I'd simply used a second email account and carried a second phone, but at the time, this didn't seem like an issue." This effort to minimize the issue flies in the face of State Department rules. While the State report found that neither Clinton nor Powell was directly told to end their use of personal email, there were plenty of warnings. The FBI is looking into whether Clinton mishandled government information, which could result in criminal charges. The investigation reportedly centers on the failure to preserve government records and exposing government information to security risks. Clinton and her top aides are expected to be interviewed by the FBI in the near future. Clinton has described the FBI investigation as a "security inquiry." But FBI Director James Comey said he wasn't familiar with that term, instead calling it an investigation and adding that there is no external deadline. "I remain close to that investigation to make sure that it's done well and has the resources that are needed," he continued, "My goal in any investigation it to do it well and to do it promptly." Advertisement Meanwhile, Republicans immediately capitalized on the State Department findings. "This report underscores what we already know about Hillary Clinton: she simply cannot be trusted," House Speaker Paul Ryan said in a statement. Rep. Elijah Cummings, the ranking Democrat on the House oversight committee, responded in a statement. "While Secretary Clinton preserved and returned tens of thousands of pages of her emails to the Department for public release, Secretary Powell has returned none." The statement concluded, "Republicans need to stop wasting taxpayer dollars singling out Secretary Clinton just because she is running for President." The ultimate impact of Clinton's email controversy on her campaign will not be known until after the FBI announces its findings. There is no question that the controversy plays right into the widely held perception that Clinton is not trustworthy. The presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump, is making the most of Clinton's troubles. He has branded her "Crooked Hillary," and he told a rally Wednesday night, "She's as crooked as they come, she had a little bad news today." However, recent polls show that Trump is even more unpopular than Clinton. And Trump's bullying, erratic behavior and outrageous statements have caused many Republicans to cautiously embrace his candidacy, and others to hold off on their endorsements. While it may be nearly impossible for Clinton's Democratic opponent, Sen. Bernie Sanders, to overtake her in the delegate count, he has pledged to take his fight to the Democratic Convention. A new poll, taken before the State Department report was released, shows Sanders has closed the gap among likely voters in the upcoming California primary. The National World War One Memorial in Pershing Park, Washington D.C. As many Americans around the country take a moment to relax with friends and family this Memorial Day, I hope they take a moment to pause over their grills and swimming pools to ponder what the holiday really represents. It's been my absolute pleasure the last 10 months to be involved in what I often consider an overwhelming project; designing the National World War One Memorial in Washington, D.C. I must admit that before I began I hadn't given much thought to WWI. For anyone who didn't know that there isn't already a National WWI Memorial in D.C., I can't say I blame you. It was a war that happened nearly two generations before I was born and events like WWII and the Great Depression greatly overshadowed learning about it while I was in school. Yet here we are, and next year is the 100th anniversary of American troops heading over to Europe. Our capital is lacking a memorial to what is commonly referred to as "The Great War" and "the war to end all wars." It was a war that changed the face of our industry, our technology and our place in the world. Advertisement As a 26 year old, I don't yet fully know what I can do to make change and progress in this country, but I do know that 100 years ago young Americans just like me were about to head off to fight in WW1, and they fought for the ideals that would go on to define the American century. When I submitted a design to this competition nearly a year ago I only had a glimmer of hope that it would progress to this stage. However, I did so with the idea that it was important to do all I could to honor the men and women who once defended freedom and self-determination for their towns, states, and country. Not only has it been a life changing experience to stand up in Washington and tell people about my ideas for a memorial park, but now it is a humbling honor to find myself at the head of this great undertaking. The memorial design in progress is a tribute to our humanity and a marker of courageous acts in the most harrowing of circumstances. Just like enlistment was in the Great War, this is a volunteer effort. Time and donations are coming solely from the citizens of this country with no tax dollars or government spending. 100 years ago more than 116,000 Americans lost their lives defending their small towns like the one in Arkansas that I came from. It is time they had a proper memorial in our nation's capital. The building of this memorial sends a signal, a signal to your families, children and grandchildren that courage, honor and sacrifice still mean something. It is a message to our current and future veterans that they will not be forgotten when their time comes. If one of my jobs as a mother is to support and nurture the emotional well-being and development of my children, then moving to Mexico has been one great step towards that endeavor. In November of 2012, we sold, donated and discarded the majority of our physical possessions, packed the remaining essentials into a 14-foot aluminum boat and immigrated from Southern California to Mainland Mexico with our eight-year-old twins and 90-pound chocolate lab. My husband had recently retired from firefighting and we wanted to show our children a life outside of the States. Mexico had long been a cherished place of family adventure and connection and we were ready to have that as our norm and not just a reality relegated to vacations only. Advertisement Within three months of arriving to the small jungle town of San Pancho, Nayarit, we became permanent residents and in a few years time we will apply for our Mexican citizenship. We have spent the past three and a half years decompressing, reconnecting and carving out new lives -- immersing ourselves in sunsets and surfing expeditions, horseback riding through high desert plains, soaking in hot thermal pools, climbing pyramids, and imbibing our senses in the rich cultural heritage of of a country that reveres the family unit. We have gone from mind-numbing traffic on five-lane freeways to commuting on dirt jungle roads and sixteenth-century cobblestone streets where there is no shortage of stimulus to engage our minds and activate our senses. Our children are bilingual and bicultural and see a world without borders. They have witnessed their parents reinvent themselves from teacher and firefighter, to writer and photovoltaic designer. They see a life without limits, that anything is possible, that dreams do come true, that shaping one's own way in this world is not just possible, but doable. Advertisement Our children see that it is not only okay, but of great value to slow down and pay attention to the details, to relish and thrive in the here and now, to be alive and awake to the magic of the moment... to value conversation and interaction that does not involve tuning the world out behind a computer screen. We have not traded in some "American Dream" for a second-hand version of a life. We are not living in Mexico by default, but by choice. And we are not so naive as to not see -- as we have lived them first hand -- the struggles and challenges and hard edges of living here. In many regards, Mexico is like the Wild West. It is not for the fainthearted or weak of constitution. Our kids are independent, artistic, thoughtful, perceptive, tuned-in. They have two hands-on, present parents who are no longer running the rat race, struggling to keep our financial heads above water. We can afford housing, food and medical care. I have recently had two major, life-saving surgeries in Central Mexico, with top notch, patient-centered care. My husband and my son's food allergies have lessened. If our contribution to the good of this world is raising decent, compassionate, wise, strong-willed children, then things are looking pretty good. Moving to Mexico has played a huge part in our parenting success. Advertisement If you are feeling courageous and up for an unforgettable life adventure, perhaps you too are ready to mix it up and get out of your comfort zone -- to see what's out there waiting to awaken your senses, shake you upside down, and see what you're really made of. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right and Turkey's incoming prime minister Binali Yildirim shake hands prior to the government's first cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Erdogan had approved the new government formed by Yildirim, one of his most trusted allies, who immediately asserted the intention to institute constitutional reforms that would expand the powers of the presidency. (Presidential Press Service/Pool Photo via AP) ISTANBUL -- How will the emergence of Turkey's Binali Yldrm as the country's latest prime minister affect Turkish foreign policy? Many analysts here are focused on the domestic policy implications of Yldrm's ascension to the prime ministerial job, but foreign policy may be the central field Turkey watchers should be looking at these days. In his first parliamentary group speech on May 24, Yldrm announced his new foreign policy strategy. "We will increase the number of our friends; we will decrease the number of our enemies," he said. Yldrm, a technocrat, is replacing Ahmet Davutoglu, a former professor of international relations whose scholarly books and articles about the Middle East had led political commentators to interpret his appointment as party leader in 2014 as indicative of a Turkish foreign policy shift in the Middle East: supportive of anti-government forces in Syria, very critical of Israel and the post-Morsi regime in Egypt and struggling for influence in the Middle East. According to what can be seen as the Davutoglu doctrine, Turkey's inheritance of a centuries-long and continents-large Ottoman legacy made it very difficult for the country to be a passive observer of the political shifts in its former territories. Advertisement 'We will increase the number of our friends; we will decrease the number of our enemies.' "The discourse of President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan's inner circle reveals that, one, Syria is seen as a failure and two, that this failure is attributed to Mr. Davutoglu," Akn Unver, assistant professor of international relations at Istanbul's Kadir Has University, told me. "To that end, an analysis of President Erdogan's advisors' political speeches indicate that a policy reversal may be in the books and they are searching for a 'graceful exit' from the current Syria policy. Exactly how that exit will take place and whether this implies a detente with the Assad government is currently mere speculation. However, Russia's presence in Syria seems to be weakening Ankara's insistence on the removal of Assad by force and unearthing voices that favor a negotiated Syria settlement, which includes Russian priorities." In August 2013, as President Bashar Al Assad was fighting against the uprisings in Syria and after former President Mohammed Morsi was ousted by a military coup in Egypt, Turkish officials started talking about the "precious loneliness" of Turkey. Turkey's foreign policy discourse has since been deeply critical of its neighbors and the country has strained relations with Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Iran and others. But, at least, it was keeping its dignity, the argument ran, and Turkey could at least enjoy the pleasure of acting morally. Morsi was toppled with a coup, after all, and few could say Assad was a great political leader. And yet, the "precious loneliness" had a detrimental effect among Turkey's populace. A man holds a newspaper that reads 'we are dying' as he joins protesters demonstrating against the bombing of Kilis by ISIS in Istanbul. (Basin Foto Ajansi/LightRocket via Getty Images) According to a survey conducted by Kadir Has University, 17.9 percent of Turkey's population thinks the country's recent Middle Eastern policy is successful, 43.6 percent consider the recent Syria policy unsuccessful and nearly 43 percent believe that Turkey should have a neutral stance toward Syria and not intervene. Interpreting the survey, Verda Ozer from the pro-opposition Hurriyet Daily News argued that Turks have had enough of the "precious loneliness" and that they wanted foreign policy to change. According to Ozer, the results show that Turkish people desire to have Turkey's "factory settings" restored: a firmer commitment to Turkey's NATO membership obligations and to its EU membership perspective. She writes: The more the internal and external security threats rise, the more Turkish people get afraid and insecure. And under such circumstances, they always start looking for an assurance, ending up taking shelter in the country's factory settings. ... Turkish people think that they are getting more and more isolated in foreign affairs and are therefore asking for revision. Developing new policies in the light of the changing dynamics in Syria; forming a 'regional Kurdish vision' in view of the new Kurdish reality in northern Iraq and Syria; opening the channels of dialogue with Egypt and Russia just like Ankara did with Israel... These are steps which would only strengthen Turkey's hand, clear its way for progress and expand its room of maneuver. How the new cabinet announced by Yldrm on Tuesday will manage this is an open question. Yldrm is a technocrat, not an international relations expert, and his reshuffle did not replace the current foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu. Cavusoglu, who accompanied Erdogan during his state visit to Washington in March, is seen as a figure close to the president whose foreign policy vision he shares. When the presidency becomes de jure, Yldrm will not be only the latest, but also the last prime minister of the Turkish republic. "I don't think we can talk about a 'Yldrm foreign policy' just like we did with 'Davutoglu foreign policy,'" Unver, the international relations professor, said. "Having a foreign policy doctrine necessitates specialization and concentration in the field with either formal training or extended in-field experience. To carry out that policy, you also need a team, including sub-specialists and policy generalists that you bring into an administration. To that end, Binali Yldrm doesn't seem to have the required human capital or background to make his own foreign policy. Once Davutoglu's cohort is gone, Yldrm will inevitably become a factor of Erdogan's foreign policy doctrine, instead of pursuing his own politics." Advertisement Yldrm has a reputation for speeding things up. His surname, "Thunder," nicely embodies the ambitions of the man: Yldrm has launched the high-speed rail system between the capital Ankara and Istanbul, as well as the considerably shorter Marmaray underwater rail tunnel, which has the symbolic role of connecting two continents -- Istanbul's Anatolian and European sides. The widest suspension bridge in the world, named Yavuz Sultan Selim, is also a brainchild of his. Lately, Yldrm signed off on what Istanbul locals call "the third airport." Still unnamed, it will be the world's largest airport. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a press conference at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul on May 24, 2016. (Kayhan Ozer/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) In this role of speeder up of things, Yldrm is expected to bring closer the political system desired by Turkey's president: an executive presidency, which most Turkey watchers agree has unofficially begun with the new prime minister's acceptance speech in which Yldrm vowed to bring the de-facto presidency to de jure as soon as possible. When it becomes de jure, Yldrm will not be only the latest, but also the last prime minister of the Turkish republic. Erdogan, who won the presidential election in 2014 with 52 percent, favors an administrative system that loosely resembles the White House in the U.S., and argues that a strong prime ministry unsettles such a system shift. Used to seeing the prime minister as the country's leader for decades, Turks are debating whether such an executive presidency can work in their country. The effect of all this on Turkey's foreign policy may prove transformational: the country seems to be getting ready for a more practical, and less idealist, way of dealing with foreign policy. "The change won't happen overnight, but the foreign policy will change," Hasan Bulent Kahraman, a professor of political and art philosophy at Kadir Has University in Istanbul who has been following the Justice and Development Party, or AKP, closely and wrote a book about the ruling party, told me. "We and the world will see how Turkey will enter a new lane. We can expect to see a more conciliatory foreign policy where Turkey will have closer ties to its partners. In the past, Turkey has gone to extremes in its foreign policy on the Middle East and on Europe. Now we will see it slowly recede." Advertisement Earlier on WorldPost: It's here! That time of year where we use our precious few days and weeks off to create wonderful memories and cram in much needed rest and relaxation. It's also vacation money saving, bargain hunting season. As someone who is passionate about getting deals and blogs about them, I'm right there with you. There's a lot of great advice out there. But every so often I come across some that is so over the top, or past its prime they should be retired. Below are four that need to go and one that is perennially on point. Take a Staycation Instead Staycation is a made up word meant to make us feel good about spending our time off at home. It's like saying "pre-owned," in place of "used." Instead of spending money on air, hotel, and expensive tourist attractions, you plan activities close to home which allows you to sleep in your own bed at night. It's a clever term for something that millions of people who don't want or can't afford to travel have been practicing forever. I guess it's worth the reminder that you don't have to travel far to have a good time. But what if you want to fly away on vacay? All of the staycation tips in the world won't help accomplish that goal, and it is not a happy making alternative when you really want to get away. Book the Cheapest Room Save money by booking the cheapest room in the cheapest hotel located as far from your destination as possible. Sounds like fun, right? It's true that reserving the cheapest room in the hotel can save money while on vacation, but what's the tradeoff? Are you next to the ice machine that constantly rattles, or the elevator that gets heavy foot traffic at all hours and disturbs your sleep? Are you spending two hours each day driving to and from the activities you traveled so far to visit? Maybe you're overlooking a parking lot. It's worth it to save money isn't it? Or is it? Advertisement Being able to travel for vacation is a splurge in and of itself, so why not have the one you want? Don't be vacation shamed. If my husband and I manage to find a beach hotel we can afford, the last thing we want to see when we look out of the window is the parking lot. Sure it saves money, but you can't put a price on the feeling of waking up to a marvelous view while sipping morning coffee (or tequila sunrise), or looking out each evening, full with gratitude and contentedness. Those memories last a lifetime. Way longer than a pricey dinner we might enjoy by booking a cheaper room. Plus it saves calories. Visit During the Off Season Like other money saving vacation tips this one is valid. Yes it's cheaper to travel to popular tourist spots when fewer people go. But what if the high season is when you really want to visit? Take Vail Colorado for instance. There are many things to do in the summer like biking, hiking, and rafting. I'm sure it's fun and beautiful. But you know what you can't do during the off season? Ski! And what if that's the reason you want to go to Vail? Can you ski down the grassy slopes in July? It's like telling me that the perfect substitute for french fries is carrot sticks. And just like eating the carrot sticks, I won't be happy. Bring Your Own Food Food is definitely one of the pricier aspects of vacationing, so bringing your own to cut costs makes sense...when done in moderation. The problem is the extreme measures suggested to achieve maximum savings. Using a cooler as a refrigerator for a week and driving around to find a park to grill your burgers because the bargain basement hotel doesn't have a refrigerator or grill? That's all kinds of ridiculous. Using the hotel's bathroom sink counter to prop your electric skillet on while you cook meals for the three of you has gotta suck. Subsisting on PB&J for a week? That's a horrible way to spend a vacation - even if you love peanut butter and jelly! Enjoying a couple of meals out is one of the great pleasures of vacationing. Treat yourself if you can. And book something with a real kitchen (or at least a refrigerator and grill). Advertisement Have the Vacation You Want Why not have the vacation you really want? I'm not talking about lavish six star resorts intended for the mega rich, but a vacation that includes the destination you want when you want it, staying where you want to stay, with a view that makes you happy, eating how you want to eat? You can. Step 1: Don't approach your vacation from a place of lack. Plan for what you want, instead of what you'll need to sacrifice. Step 2: Use every discount method at your disposal (i.e. reward points, discount gift cards, coupons, hotel specials, attraction discounts) and compare the final cost with your vacation budget. Step 3: Make extra money to close the budget gap. Photo: Child laborer in Nepal. Theirworld Education Cannot Wait: a fund for education in emergencies was officially launched on Monday at The World Humanitarian Summit -- the result of intense global efforts of key political champions, education advocates, experts, civil society, youth advocates and a technical strategy group formed in 2015. The Fund has five key functions: Inspire political commitment so that education is viewed by both governments and funders as a top priority during crises Plan and respond collaboratively, with a particular emphasis on enabling humanitarian and development actors to work together on shared objectives Generate and disburse additional funding to close the $8.5 billion funding gap needed to reach 75 million out-of-school children and youth Strengthen capacity to respond to crises, nationally and globally, including the ability to coordinate emergency support Improve accountability by developing and sharing knowledge, including collection of more robust data in order to make better-informed investment decisions, and knowledge of what works For the diverse group of advocates who have been calling for action and for education in emergencies more broadly, the primary motivation is to decrease the extreme vulnerability to exploitation of out-of-school children. Children and youth without access to a safe place to play and learn especially in the toughest environments are at exponentially greater risk of being exploited by extremists, traffickers and criminals. Violence, rape, child marriage and prostitution, and recruitment into fighting and other life-threatening, often criminal, activities rise in disasters as families are separated and communities and social systems break down. Advertisement At the launch event, donor representatives from the United Kingdom, the United States, Norway, the European Union and the Netherlands stepped up and pledged $87.5 million* or just over half of the $150 million needed to fully fund year one. The United Kingdom led the way with the highest pledge -- 30 million over the next two years and should be applauded for their continued leadership in making Education Cannot Wait a reality. Non-state pledges for the first year included a $2.5 million contribution from Dubai Cares to support initial set-up of the Education Cannot Wait secretariat bringing the total to more than $90 million. The Global Business Coalition for Education also committed to start work to 'mobilize $100 million in financial and relevant in-kind contributions.' With an annual funding gap of $8.5 billion to reach all children everywhere, these initial pledges are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what's needed and the real work starts now. Those who spoke at Monday's launch event were eloquent and united on the need to protect and provide education to children and adolescents living in conflict and crisis-affected countries as an urgent and life-saving intervention. Unicef Director Tony Lake spoke of the "moral and strategic failure" of continuing to deny children in emergencies their right to education. Lebanese Education Minister Elias Bou Saab reminded the crowd that "above all there is no future without education." And perhaps most moving were the words of a young woman from Syria who called for "action, not sympathy; for funding, not speeches." Advertisement The Education Cannot Wait Fund is a milestone in showing that the international community is not simply making promises but is becoming increasingly serious about thinking proactively about the needs for the most vulnerable children, youth and communities impacted by tragedy and loss. The Education Cannot Wait launch was a first chance for donors to step up, but it's not the only opportunity. The next key pledging moment will come in September when world leaders gather for the United Nations General Assembly and the International Commission on Financing Education Opportunities releases its final report. By itself, social media is a powerful tool. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram empower both startups and established brands to connect with customers in an environment that's friendly and highly engaging. However, a growing suite of social media marketing tools are enabling brands to maximize the utility of social media. These Nine Tools are Changing Online Marketing Social media marketing is a rapidly developing specialty that transforms itself on a regular basis. Though it's becoming difficult to imagine marketing without social media, we must remember that social media has only become familiar within the past 10 to 15 years. Advertisement It's essential to take advantage of every tool and learning opportunity you have. You need to identify what does and does not work for your brand. Here are nine tools that are expanding the reach and effectiveness of social media marketing. 1. Quill Engage As anyone who's worked with Google Analytics knows, it's one of the deepest reporting tools available. This can also make it a challenge to find exactly what you're looking for, however. There's simply too much data and too many options to choose from. This is where Quill Engage comes in. It's a free tool that connects to your Google Analytics account and sends you weekly summaries of the data. In terms of social media, Quill Engage enables you to see where your traffic is coming from, which posts have performed best (that is, in driving traffic to landing pages), as well as other critical analytical data. Advertisement This will save a lot of time and help you to get just the information you need the most. 2. KingSumo As you probably know, headlines are of paramount importance for driving traffic to your website or blog. The right headline can potentially mean hundreds and even thousands more conversions -- even if the blog post's content remains unchanged. You can't afford to merely guess which title is going to be the best. KingSumo is a tool that makes A/B testing and headline selection easy. This plugin gives you the option of creating multiple test headlines for your blog posts, up to ten at a time, and then it rotates these headlines to show which ones perform the best. Based on this information, over time the winning headline will get featured the most often. Using the data from KingSumo, you can adjust the headlines you choose to run when you share content on Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms. 3. Real Geeks Sometimes the best tools are the ones that are geared to a specific industry or purpose. There's nothing wrong with general tools -- and that's what the majority of tools on this list are -- but the more specific a tool can be, the more value it will yield for the end user. So we have to include Real Geeks on this list. Real Geeks has a Facebook marketing tool that's killing it right now. The tool is designed for real-estate agents, and it allows users to streamline the ad creation process. Advertisement Normally, the process of creating a quality Facebook ad takes an agent anywhere from 25 to 30 minutes. Armed with Real Geeks, the same level of amazing ads can be developed in just three to five minutes. The tool also offers robust reporting features that track your ad performance. 4. Canva As everyone knows, visual content is key to engagement on social media. In order to make finding and using visual content easier, many marketers have turned to Canva. This tool offers an array of templates that can make even the most inexperienced designer look like an expert. It's an absolute lifesaver if you can't afford to hire a professional. 5. Bundle Post One of the toughest aspects of social media is that it doesn't ever allow you to stop. In order to remain relevant, you have to push content constantly. This typically means a massive time investment, which is unrealistic when you have other facets of your business to run. Enter Bundle Post. When you have Bundle Post, you can schedule several days' worth of posts, shares, and curated content in just minutes. In fact, many people are able to schedule three to five days' worth of posts in less than half an hour. Advertisement As a result, you can spend more time engaging users and less time having to compose content. 6. IFTTT This is without a doubt one of the coolest tools out there ... and it wasn't even designed with social media in mind. IFTTT stands for "If this, then that" and is often described as the Swiss Army Knife of digital productivity. IFTTT is an app that allows users to connect other apps. Simply input the "if" variable, then establish a "then" variable. The result is automation between unique processes. For example: "IF I post something on Facebook, THEN send out the same post in tweet form." The options are nearly endless. The program currently works with more than 300 different apps so it makes social media management much more efficient. 7. Tagboard If custom hashtags play a substantial role in your social media campaigns, you'll undoubtedly find Tagboard valuable. This tool acts as a search engine that lets you register your custom hashtags in order to see mentions and other content across pretty much any social platform. That will save a lot of time and ensure you don't miss anything. 8. Feedly Content curation is a big portion of social media success, but the time it takes to find content often outweighs the returns. The key is to reduce the amount of time it takes. Advertisement This is exactly what Feedly does. It streamlines the content curation process by organizing all relevant articles, blogs, videos, and websites into a single platform that you can quickly browse. Since Twitter and Facebook share features that integrate directly into the platform, it's a simple matter to engage your audience in a timely manner. 9. Inkybee One of the most fruitful activities in social media is finding other influencers and forging partnerships with them. This increases the odds they'll share your content, which benefits your business in the long run. The tricky part is identifying and connecting with the right people. This is where Inkybee helps. This tool assists in searching for bloggers and influencers in your industry and ranks them based on visibility, engagement, relevance, and more. Using this information, you can tailor your outreach strategy so it yields the maximum benefits. You can also save lists and return to them at a later date. Advertisement Are You Using the Right Tools? Investing in social media without using any tools is similar to buying an apartment but not putting any furniture in it. You can still use the apartment -- i.e., social media -- but you won't get anywhere close to maximizing its potential. In the coming days, ask yourself the question: "Am I using the right tools?" If the answer is no, or at best "I'm not sure," then explore various opportunities that could enhance your social media marketing strategy. You may find some of the tools on the above list valuable, but there are hundreds of other solutions that could help move you in the right direction. The possibilities are almost endless ... but make sure you aren't overlooking the growing suite of social media marketing tools that are currently on the market. Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump holds a rally with supporters in Anaheim, California, U.S., May 25, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst Throughout the primary season, leading Republican presidential candidates vied over who could bash immigrants the hardest. And they were promising more than border walls. Donald Trump is the most extreme immigrant-blamer; according to his website, "Providing healthcare to illegal immigrants costs us some $11 billion annually. If we were to simply enforce the current immigration laws and restrict the unbridled granting of visas to this country, we could relieve healthcare cost pressures on state and local governments." As with many of Trump's claims, this one is wrong. But unlike some of his other falsehoods, the media has left this one unchallenged. Trump's $11 billion figure comes from an obviously biased study that's based on outlandish assumptions. Advertisement For instance, it counts as "immigrants" millions of U.S. citizens -- children who were born in the U.S. of immigrant parents. It also assumes that immigrant families have high health care costs, ignoring a raft of data showing that immigrants use little care. For instance, nearly half (48 percent) of noncitizen immigrant children never see the doctor in the course of a year. Finally, Trump's source assumes that every penny of immigrant kids' health care costs are borne by the taxpayers. Yet a recent study in the respected journal Health Affairs found that unauthorized immigrants families pay the vast majority of their own health care bills, either out-of-pocket, or by buying private insurance. Indeed, 40 percent of newly arrived immigrants have private insurance. Trump's numbers don't just exaggerate taxpayers' costs for immigrants' care, they ignore the billions that immigrants pay in taxes. Compared to other Americans, immigrants are younger, healthier and more likely to be male and part of the workforce. That means that an outsized share of immigrants pay the payroll taxes that support Medicare and Social Security, while few are eligible to draw benefits from these programs. Employers are required to check a Social Security card when hiring a new worker. But they don't have to check that it's valid. The IRS happily accepts (and passes on to Medicare and Social Security) payments made under invalid Social Security numbers. Advertisement Consequently, millions of undocumented immigrants work and pay taxes under fake or borrowed Social Security numbers. The Social Security Administration estimates that undocumented immigrants pay $13 billion annually into the Social Security trust funds. And, in studies we did at Harvard and the City University of New York, we found that undocumented immigrants contribute billions more to Medicare. Without immigrants -- and especially unauthorized immigrants -- Medicare's Trust Fund would be broke. Each year, immigrants pay about $11 billion more in Medicare taxes than Medicare pays for their care. And undocumented immigrants contribute the lion's share of this subsidy. And, just like everyone else, unauthorized immigrants pay sales taxes every time they shop and property taxes (indirectly) when they pay their rent, contributing $11 billion annually in state and local taxes. While unauthorized immigrants contribute billions in taxes, they use shockingly little health care. Most of the federal health programs they help pay for (like Medicare, Medicaid and the ACA's plans) exclude them. And those who pay for private coverage use very little care, so their premiums effectively subsidize other enrollees with private insurance. As physicians, we believe that medical care must be available to everyone residing in the U.S. However, if Trump and other politicians are concerned about "relieving healthcare cost pressures on state and local governments" they should champion fair immigration policies that assure a steady flow of immigrants who come here wanting to work and willing to pay taxes, and don't need much medical care. Advertisement No murder, not even a crime; yet the 1941 novel Mildred Pierce is filled with suspense and tension throughout. I had no problem getting Joan Crawford (from the 1945 film Mildred Pierce) out of my head as I read because the real Mildred Pierce (well, the fictional Mildred, but the one in the novel) is younger and more complex than Crawford's onscreen character -- and the story is rawer. Not even Kate Winslet's portrayal in the 2011 HBO mini series detracted from the vividness my readerly imagination brought to James Cain's book. "Mildred Pierce is the unicorn of crime fiction, a noir novel with no murder and very little crime," mystery novelist Laura Lippman wrote in a Slate piece titled "Pulp Valentine: My Love Affair with Mildred Pierce." For mystery purists, Mildred Pierce might not qualify as a traditional mystery story. But it has suspense in spades, there's an eerie edge in the most mundane, and, perhaps most importantly to how I classify things, I came across it in the mystery stacks at my library. I love all sorts of mysteries, and most of the ones I read have a murder case central to the plot. I also love a good heist, a smart con, and, sometimes, I crave intrigue in a library or on a college campus. If you're ready for a mystery sans corpse, take a look at these five crime novels: Advertisement Stealing Mona Lisa by Carson Morton: A con artist, an art forger, and a pickpocket plot to steal one of the most famous paintings in the world in this breezy, fast-paced historical caper -- and I thoroughly enjoyed going along for the ride. Based on a real-life case, when the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in 1911. Mildred Pierce by James Cain: Mildred starts a chicken-and-waffle (!) restaurant that grows into a successful chain, but throughout the many stages of her business and life she remains at the mercy of her manipulative, demanding daughter Veda. I could go on about this, but I already did (above). The edition I grabbed off the shelf at Seattle Public Library was a nice bundle of noir, with The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity included. The Case of the Missing Books by Ian Sansom: The title may sound like you'd have loved it in fourth grade, but trust me on this one: Grown-up you is still going to have fun reading it. Israel Armstrong is living my dream, hired as a book mobile librarian in Ireland. One problem: All the books are missing. First in the charming Mobile Library Mysteries series. Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers: A classic in the mystery world, first published in 1935, this is #12 in the Lord Peter Wimsey series. But this book is all about Harriet Vane, a mystery writer of some acclaim who returns to her college for a celebration that turns to danger. Advertisement The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro: An artist goes down a different route in order to pay her bills, creating reproductions of famous paintings. But then she's asked to do a reproduction of a reproduction of a painting that was stolen from Boston's Gardner Museum in 1990. Is she copying a copy, or copying the real thing? Art, forgery, theft, and intrigue! I'd like to start a shelf on GoodReads for "Mysteries, sans corpses." Any suggestions for what I should read next that I can add to that shelf? Though Memorial Day marks the unofficial beginning of summer, it is a somber holiday. It is a day to honor some of the true American Heroes, the members of our Armed Forces who paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving to protect Americans and our way of life. We should all take time to remember and honor those who have fallen and offer our deep appreciation to their families for the sacrifices they have made. This is a good time to look at the various financial benefits and tax breaks available to the families of the fallen. So, with great respect to the survivors, here are some tax considerations related to the very complex tax laws of survivor benefits for our military families. Tax forgiveness is one of the most valuable survivor benefits; tax that is "forgiven" does not have to be paid. A member of the Armed Forces on active duty who dies while in a combat zone, from injury received in a combat zone, or from an injury that happened as a result of terrorist or military action qualifies for the tax forgiveness provision. Any tax liability that may be owed at the time of death will be forgiven, and any tax liability paid after the date of death will be refunded. It is even possible, based on the circumstances, that the soldier's tax liability for more than the tax year in which the death occurred might be forgiven. To help survivors meet immediate expenses, the surviving spouse or family of an active duty military member who dies will receive a one-time, lump sum payment of $100,000, the Death Gratuity. If the individual dies within 120 days of retiring, the Death Gratuity is $12,420. These payments are not taxable and are usually paid within a few days of the military member's death. Advertisement Dependency and indemnity monthly compensation is another tax-free benefit a surviving spouse may be entitled to if the soldier died or became permanently disabled during active service or from a service-related incident or condition. For low-income surviving spouses and children there is an additional survivor's pension if the solider had wartime service. Other tax-free benefits include use of base housing or payment of one year of Basic Allowance for Housing, a funeral payment, medical and dental coverage for survivors, a $250 a month transitional assistance for surviving spouses with dependent children, a headstone, a burial in a National Cemetery, and a $400,000 Group Life Insurance benefit. During a time of great loss, the farthest thing from a survivor's mind is taxes, however eventually they will need to be managed, and the more you know the more financially secure you will be. The benefits you or your surviving spouse might be entitled to and all the rules and regulations that must be followed are complicated. If you are unsure how to take advantage of everything offered and what is tax-free and what is taxable, consult a tax pro to help you keep more of your money. "Sometimes Trump claims he's tough on Wall Street, tough on the guys who cheated people like Mr. Estrada. I'm sure you've heard him say that. But now he's singing a very different song. Last week, he said that the new Dodd-Frank financial regulations have, and I'm quoting here, "made it impossible for bankers to function" and he will put out a new plan soon that "will be close to dismantling Dodd-Frank." Donald Trump is worried about helping poor little Wall Street? "Let me find the world's smallest violin to play a sad, sad song." Sean Rayford/Getty Images Last week, Democratic primary voters in Portland, Oregon preferred Bernie Sanders to Hillary Clinton by 12 percentage points. Portland perfectly embodies a pro-Sanders area. It is liberal and the whitest major city in the United States. In these Sanders strongholds, white Sanders supporters talk among themselves about how the Sanders "revolution" is inclusive, progressive, and represents the "99 percent." They nod in agreement about the dishonesty of "Shrillary," the corrupt nature of the "establishment," and the blackout of Sanders by the "mainstream media." More importantly, they claim superdelegates, closed primaries, and archaic voting processes have "fixed" the election for Clinton. It seems that Sanders and his supporters have monopolized the moral high ground and cornered the market on outrage. At the same time, their moral purity is unencumbered by a morally reprehensible election strategy. This strategy, when stripped down to its basic elements, entails replacing a qualified female nominee with a white male candidate. Moreover, it requires overturning the swing votes of women and minorities largely in favor of votes by white males. Sanders' strategy In last week's primary contests, Sanders soundly defeated Clinton in Oregon and narrowly lost Kentucky. In his victory speech from Carson, California he reiterated his plan to take his nomination challenge to the convention floor in Philadelphia, "we're going to continue to fight for every last vote until June 14th, and then we're gonna take our fight into the convention." Advertisement This has been the Sanders campaign's strategy since he lost New York on April 19. At the time, Sanders' campaign manager, Jeff Weaver, articulated their strategy more precisely, "We're going to go to the convention. It is extremely unlikely either candidate will have the requisite number of pledged delegates to (win the nomination). So it's going to be an election determined by the superdelegates." Sanders currently trails Clinton in the popular vote and pledged delegates. This will almost certainly be the case on June 14 when the final primary in DC is wrapped up. When Weaver was asked if, after DC, he would use the six weeks before the convention to try to flip superdelegates to Sanders, Weaver said, "Yes, absolutely." Sanders' message Of course, the Sanders campaign does not acknowledge the voter suppression that would occur if their superdelegate strategy were successful. The Sanders campaign's pitch to superdelegates at the convention will be much more innocuous. They will argue that Sanders has the momentum, Clinton's negatives make her a flawed candidate, and Sanders is a stronger candidate against Donald Trump, the presumed Republican nominee. These arguments have some merit. If you look at polling from a year ago, it certainly looks like the Sanders campaign has gained momentum. In Carson last week, Sanders reinforced this narrative, "When we began this campaign a little over a year ago we were sixty points behind Secretary Clinton in the polls, we had no political organization, no money, very little name recognition... Well, a lot has changed in the last year." Advertisement Whether this is genuine momentum or spurred more by greater name recognition and better funding is up for debate. What is clear now, is that Sanders and Clinton are neck-and-neck in the polls. Sanders also claims to have more excitement behind his campaign. He has been packing venues almost to the extent that Obama did in 2008. His rallies are more festive than traditional campaign events. Much of this excitement is garnered from his overwhelming support among the youth. Last Tuesday in California, he said to ruckus cheers, "I am especially proud that in nearly every primary and caucus... we have received a significant majority of the votes of young people." Exit polling supports this: Sanders has won 71 percent of the youth vote; Clinton has won 28 percent. By contrast, if excitement is correlated to youth, then is boringness correlated to old age? By that measure, Clinton is much more "boring" than Sanders; she is dominating the elderly vote, with 70 percent of voters older than 65 supporting her, compared to only 28 percent for Sanders. The Sanders campaign's most persuasive argument to superdelegates is that they have a better shot at beating Trump in the general election. Recent polling supports this. The latest PPP poll from May 10 has Sanders leading Trump by 11 points and Clinton leading Trump by only 6 points. The CNN/ORC poll from May 4 shows Sanders leading Trump by 16 points and Clinton leading Trump by 13 points. Other state polls show Sanders outpacing Clinton as well. A Quinnipiac poll in the swing state of Ohio shows Clinton trailing Trump by 4 points, and Sanders leading Trump by 2 points. Sanders is losing The argument the Sanders campaign would ideally like to make to the superdelegates is that Sanders is winning the primary. But, he is not. Make no mistake about it, Bernie Sanders is losing to Hillary Clinton and it isn't particularly close. Excluding caucus states, Clinton has received nearly 13 million votes compared to Sanders' nearly 10 million votes. Even if caucus votes could be counted, it is unlikely that Sanders would reduce her 3 million-vote lead by much. By contrast in 2008, Clinton was leading Barack Obama in the popular vote, but still dropped out of the race and pledged her support to the next president well before the convention. Advertisement More importantly, Sanders is losing the pledged delegate race. Currently, Sanders trails Clinton by 271 pledged delegates. These delegates are awarded proportionally to state election and caucus results, and represent the will of the voters. In 2008, then-Senator Obama only led Clinton by 127 pledged delegates after all primaries were completed -- less than half of Sanders' current deficit. Despite this, she still suspended her campaign well before the Democratic convention and threw her campaign's full weight behind Obama (after he agreed to forgive her campaign debt, of course). Sanders supporters often complain about the role of superdelegates. They argue that these party insiders should vote in line with their state's election results. Some Sanders supporters have gone so far as to threaten these superdelegates after posting their private addresses and phone numbers online. While it is hard to find anyone who supports the role of superdelegates, it is true that Clinton has a nearly 500 superdelegate lead over Sanders. What Sanders supporters fail to realize is that if superdelegates were forced to vote in line with their state's election result, Clinton would have all but clinched the nomination already. New York times reporter, Nate Cohn, crunched the numbers and recently tweeted, "Hillary has already won enough states to win a majority of Super Delegates under (proportional assignment), even if she loses all remaining contests." But, it is not the fact that Clinton is winning that is dooming Sanders' convention strategy, it is how she is winning. Clinton is dominating Sanders with female voters and voters of color. Advertisement Clinton is winning the female and non-white vote There was some confusion early in the primary schedule about if Clinton would actually outperforming Sanders with women. It turns out she is crushing him. In the primary states where exit polls were taken, the average number of women voters supporting Clinton is 60 percent versus only 38 percent for Sanders. By contrast, the two are virtually tied in the male vote (49 percent apiece with a half percentage advantage for Sanders). Clinton is also dominating the "non-white" vote. This includes Americans of Asian, Latino, or African origins. On average, Clinton is supported by 69 percent of non-whites compared to 30 percent for Sanders. In the five primaries where exit polls were taken and where Hispanics represent a reasonably large population, Clinton is supported by 59 percent of Latino voters, on average. Sanders is supported by 40 percent. But, Clinton's biggest supporters appear to be African-Americans. In the 22 states where blacks represent a significant voting block and where exit polls were taken, Clinton has received, on average, the votes of 78 percent of black voters. Sanders has received 21 percent. Contrary to the Sanders campaign's claim that they are gaining momentum, these voting trends have remained relatively static. Women and minorities have consistently supported Clinton. The chart below shows the average percentage of voters that supported Clinton throughout the primary season. The dip after April 2nd is because the only state with exit poll data during that period was Wisconsin, a state solidly in the corner of Sanders, and 88 percent white. These trends are important because they contradict the narrative about Sanders' victory in Oregon and his narrow loss in Kentucky. Election coverage leading up to these primaries suggested that Sanders had the edge in Oregon and Clinton had the edge in Kentucky. A narrow win by Clinton in Kentucky was widely viewed as a victory for Sanders. But, when we look at the numbers this probably isn't the case. The average percentage of white people in the 18 states won by Sanders is 88.5 percent and the average percentage of white people in the 24 states won by Clinton is only 76 percent (this excludes Alaska, Hawaii, and US territories, of which Clinton won three and Sanders won two). Both Oregon and Kentucky have white populations of 88 percent (88.1 percent for Oregon and 88.5 percent for Kentucky). These are perfectly consistent with other states Sanders has won. In Kentucky, when considering these demographics and Clinton's incendiary comment, "we're gonna put a lot of coal companies and coal miners out of business" -- for a state with about 11,000 coal miners -- a narrow victory in Kentucky should be considered a major victory for her campaign. Nate Silver's FiveThirtyEight blog agrees, saying Clinton actually outperformed her projected delegate haul in the bluegrass state. Why women and minorities support Clinton Clinton's support among women should not be surprising. Clinton has fought for women's rights for decades. In 1995, she represented the U.S. at the United Nation's World Conference on Women in China, famously stating, "Women's rights are human rights" -- a mantra that has been carried by women's rights activists all over the world. She has also been a source of pride for women who understand the challenges faced by women in establishing a foothold in the upper echelons of power. Clinton is a lawyer with a degree from Yale, a first lady, a senator, a Secretary of State, and the first viable female major party candidate for the President of the United States. More importantly, in terms of policy, like Sanders, she supports issues that are important to women like equal pay and abortion rights. In terms of the black vote, the Sanders campaign has made great efforts to gain support among black communities, but with little success. This has been a source of constant frustration among Sanders supporters who see Sanders as a champion of black issues. They point out that economic inequality disproportionately impacts black communities, they highlight Sanders' activism during the civil rights movement, and point to Clinton's support of President Bill Clinton's crime bill and welfare reforms in the 1990s, initiatives that had negative impacts on African-Americans. But, black Americans have very reasonable motivations for supporting Clinton. First, Clinton is largely seen as an ally and protector of Obama's legacy. Obama's term as president is largely considered a success among African-Americans and Clinton is seen as the best steward of the president's policies. Second, Sanders is a senator from the whitest state in the union (over 95 percent white) and has little-to-no experience in representing blacks or minorities. Third, blacks emerge from a history of being lied to by politicians who promise the world. In January 1865, former slaves were famously promised 40 acres and a mule on order from Union General William Tecumseh Sherman, approved by President Lincoln, and overturned several months later by Lincoln's successor, President Andrew Johnson. In 1964, Malcolm X described this deep distrust among the black community for populist politicians, he said, in an election year, "all of the white political crooks will be right back in your and my community ... with their false promises which they don't intend to keep." Sanders seems to fit this mold with his promises of free education and free health care and a very questionable plan to pay for it (assumes a sustained economic growth rate that hasn't happened in modern American history). Disenfranchisement of Clinton supporters If Clinton's lead in votes and delegates is largely because of support from Blacks, women, and Hispanics, then who is supporting Sanders? White men. In the 12 states with exit polling that disaggregates data into one category of "race and gender," Sanders is leading Clinton in the average percentage of white male supporters -- 55 percent to 44 percent. Given this demographic truth, if superdelegates were to disregard Clinton's lead and give the nomination to Sanders, they would essentially be taking away the nomination from a qualified woman and giving it to a white man. Sadly, such an outcome would not be new to America. Women still earn only 79 cents to the man's dollar and are underrepresented in leadership positions. Moreover, overturning Clinton's lead would inevitably require overturning the votes of women and minorities in favor of the votes of white men. In 1870, nearly a hundred years after America's democracy was established, the 15th amendment to the US Constitution was adopted. This amendment ostensibly gave black Americans the right to vote. But, it wasn't until the 24th amendment in 1964 (eliminating poll taxes) and the Voting Rights act in 1965, that blacks -- and other Americans of color -- truly began to enjoy universal suffrage. For women, it wasn't until 1920, when the 19th amendment was adopted, that they too were given the right to vote. In 2016, disenfranchisement continues to be an important political issue as Republican-led voter ID laws are largely seen as efforts to disenfranchise blacks and other groups who generally support Democrats. Disenfranchisement is the dark, unspoken side to Sanders' convention strategy. When immeasurable concepts like momentum, excitement, and electability are stripped away, this is what's left: a white male candidate, supported largely by white males, attempting to overturn the primary victory of a female candidate favored by the swing vote of women and minorities. Advertisement In his 1964 speech entitled "Bullets and Ballots," Malcolm X explained the swing vote, "What does this mean? It means that when white people are evenly divided, and black people have a bloc of votes of their own, it is left up to them to determine who's going to sit in the White House and who's going to be in the dog house." Whenever my apartment is painted I get stranded and need refuge. From early morning to early evening I cannot stay in the apartment, also my studio-office, while a fresh coat of paint is lathered onto the walls. I've learned how to prep from other paint jobs. First, I set up couch-surfing nights at a friend's place. Next, I plan to be at home in the morning and early evening to let the painters in and see them out. Last, I schedule ways to kill time in the neighborhood during the day. For the last paint job I planned to finish reading a wonderful book, "Just Kids", Patti Smith's beautiful art and music history perspective of an era in New York City that I also lived through. August's surly summer heat was not inviting to read and swelter on the Promenade. Instead, I chose to read at the local public library, in an air conditioned space. I mostly visit the Brooklyn Heights branch's children's room for researching my picture book projects. I've also presented my author-illustrator programs there. The adult side on the second floor has comfortable reading chairs. In the small circle of cushy seats sat a toothless lady reading the local paper, a sleeping man snoring quietly (who might have been homeless), and an elderly gentleman who pulled his chair out of the circle and moved it to the large picture window. The entire time I was there he watched the foot and vehicle traffic along Cadman Plaza. I felt a bit spoiled knowing I had more options than the library for cool refuge. My chair mates did not look wealthy. How fortunate for us to have a place to go that is welcoming and free; a place which opens worlds with catalogues of books, magazines, newspapers, computers, and programs. I thought about the generous hearts of librarians who meet every kind of humanity each day. What a great place for refuge in any weather. Advertisement Surprisingly, I became very emotional at the end of "Just Kids". I don't often cry in public but I was weeping. Getting to know artist Robert Maplethorpe through Patti Smith's tender memories left me devastated when he died. I don't think my chair mates saw anything unusual about my tears streaming, eye wiping, nose blowing, and sighs. I was not a local author in that moment. I fit right in unnoticed in the sea of the library's daily motley humanity. Nowadays, I worry about my chair mates because there's a broken HVAC system at our branch. For the last few summers the library closed at 1pm due to the excessive heat. There are confusing stories such as the technology to fix the HVAC system is old. That does not sound right. Today's technology can send a spacecraft to Pluto and beam photos back to Earth. In 2008 the Donnell Library in Manhattan closed for similar reasons with plans for a new library built inside of a high-rise. Eight years later sketchy stories circulate that the Donnell will reopen soon. The Brooklyn Heights branch is in a strategic location. Instead of funding repairs, the city administration with recommendations by the Board of Brooklyn Public Library approved a real estate deal similar to the Donnell's. Plans include razing the existing building to build a luxury high-rise with a "21 Century Library" inside and fund repairs at a few other Brooklyn branches. My Facebook librarian friends have no idea about "21 Century Libraries" except that it's a meme. A few blocks away, in a straight land deal without the city involved, another high-rise real estate developer offered three times the amount that was offered to the city for the library. Proud to say those neighbors voted no to that offer. In a 4 hour video filmed inside the Borough President's chambers I watched neighbors who are against the high-rise debate high-rise advocates. The majority of non-local advocates seemed to read from the same script, and had a lack of understanding that what looks good on paper is not the reality of displacement, environmental hazards, traffic, construction noise, and permanent blockage of sky in our neighborhood. Nor did they seem to care that our local public school is over capacity, or that we recently lost our local hospital to build more high-rises. I felt lectured, told what was needed in our neighborhood by those who do not live here. Advertisement It's hard to keep up with the never-ending changing developments so I read the local news. On the radio this week I heard the library's real estate developer fund-raised for the mayor. Will that delay the deal? I receive emails saying the branch is closing this July with a temporary home in a neighborhood church. There are protest groups but I'm not joining. During confusing times I keep it simple and know, as a book professional and as a long time resident of Brooklyn Heights, this is a sad deal. What happens to those who cannot afford to live in Brooklyn any longer due to sky-rocketing buildings and rents? Where do my chair mates go who have limited options for places of refuge and without the proper voices to represent them? As Patti Smith says, "More people than ever are using New York City libraries. This is indeed inspiring. Let's keep it that way." Are you still finding it hard to hit top search results? Although you have remained competitive with your SEO, it's time to take a different approach. Put an effort in Google AdWords pay-per-click ads which will help your target the right audience faster and who would want to click your ad to buy from you. What is it? Have you noticed when you search for something on Google, there are results at the top, labelled "Ad." To get results, companies pay to move to the top of the list. This is called pay-per-click (or PPC) ads. When someone searches for a particular keyword that relates to your business, you set the cost per click you are willing to pay. Keywords can cost up to $100 per click. It depends on how competitive the word is compared to the others are more competitive than others, and therefore, can cost upwards of $100 per click. You have to balance our budget, so you are firm on how much you are going to pay for a click against you profit margin. Advertisement Do AdWords Work? AdWords come in handy: you can get in front of your audience faster than you would with traditional marketing, and you can use your ad as market research. You don't always have months to build up your content marketing arsenal to attract people the old-fashioned way. Or you want to test out a landing page to see if it appeals to your target market. How about you only attract a few hundred visitors to your blog, investing in AdWords ads can help you quickly reach more people. You can also get specific about who you target with your ads, ensuring that the people who click on your ads are the ones most likely to buy from you. And another perk is how easy it is to measure results! You can view how many clicks a campaign received, what you spent on it, and how many clicks resulted in sales. You now have an exact breakdown of your return on investment. What terms do I Need? It is not that hard to use Google AdWords. Use this list of vocabulary terms to help you before you get started. PPC Acronym for "pay-per-click." Refers to an ad where you as the advertiser pay a set amount each time someone clicks on your ad link. Impression The appearance of your ad on a web page. Advertisement Landing Page Clicking the link in your ad takes visitors to a particular web page, called a landing page. It should be targeted for a specific product or audience. ROI Your return on investment. Refers to how many customers you're getting per your PPC spend. Conversion Rate The percent of the people who click on your ad that actually make a purchase or take a particular action. CPA Cost per action. Rather than being charged for each click, you are charged when a specific action occurs, like someone making a purchase. CPM Cost per thousand impressions of your ad. You can opt to pay a set price per CPM or per click. Keyword The search words or phrases you bid your ad on. When someone searches a particular keyword, your ad will appear, ranked based on your budget. Click Fraud When someone (sometimes a competitor) clicks on your ad to incur costs to you, this is considered click fraud. Here are a few tips to succeed with a Google AdWords Campaign Compare other ads in your specific industry prior to starting your own campaign. There is limited space for words you use. Your words will have a significant impact on whether people click to find out more about your products. Advertisement Remember to use short, to-the-point language that instantly shows the benefit of clicking on your link or buying your product. See the examples below: Get people to click your link by creating a sense of urgency by using words like "buy now" or "limited time offer." You want people to feel like if they don't click your link, they'll miss out on something great. Make sure your keywords are clear. What word would a customer use for to find your website? Be specific, so the better targeted your ad, the less competition you'll have for the top spot. Example, let's say you run a bakery in Philadelphia, using the keyword "bakery" will not only have more competition, but it will be entered by people who live not only in Philadelphia but everywhere. Instead, choose the keyword "Philadelphia bakery," or even better: "gluten free Philadelphia bakery," and you'll be able to save money while securing the top ad position because fewer bakeries are competing for those keyword phrases. Keep an eye on your campaign once you launch it. Create and run two different ads. This is known as an A/B test on the ad, meaning you create two different ads with different words that lead to the same link. You can see which get the most action, then send the traffic to the as with the most action to your site after 7 days or a week. In years past, women suffered in silence when it came to the issue of chafing between the inner thighs. But with the increased dialogue surrounding body positivity, which allows women to share openly about things that they used to experience in shame and isolation, we are seeing more and more brands begin to create products that directly address the experiences women have with their bodies. Nowhere is this truer than with the founders of Bandelettes, thigh bands designed to prevent inner thigh chafing. Founders Julia and Rena have been friends for 11 years. They immigrated to the United States from the same city in Baku, capital city of Azerbaijan, and met while living on Staten Island in New York. The founders of Bandelettes, Rena (left), and Julia (right). "I've had this problem, and I was using other shapewear garments and spandex to address it. I also used topical solutions, like creams and powders, to try and treat the chafing that was happening between my inner thighs," said Julia, the official Bandelettes guinea pig. Advertisement The two women had been talking about starting a business and were in the phase of exploring problem / solution sets that might be right for them to tackle when Julia's chafing problem leapt forward. "She tries everything before we share it with customers," boasts Rena of Julia's product testing. "We want to be sure it's something we really like before we put it out there." "We wanted to develop a product around a solution," said the women. "It wasn't a perfect solution initially, but no one else seemed to be doing it. So we decided to dive in and see how big the problem was." Indeed, other shapewear and lingerie makers have failed to jump in and address the problem of thigh chafing as directly as Bandelettes. Most garments that might help with chafing are actually designed for other purposes, such as panty hose and shapewear shorts, and can bring their own set of issues, such as extreme compression and full leg coverage, which wearers might not be looking for. Advertisement Topical treatments are also not that effective, which I know from my own personal experience in trying to combat thigh chafing. Creams and ointments seemed to wear off over the course of a day or an evening, making them ineffective at protecting the inner thighs for the course of a whole outing. I also found that between the mess and the quick evaporation time, baby powder wasn't a sustainable solution either. Especially with the recent study that finds a correlation between the ongoing use of baby powder and ovarian cancer, the Bandelettes founders could not be more timely in stepping forward with a product specifically designed to solve this very un-sexy problem with a sexy little solution! "One of our customers shared with us that she used to find it difficult to navigate casual dating encounters with shapewear," the ladies giggled. "She said she'd run to the bathroom at the bar to take off her spandex shorts and pray that it wasn't a far walk!" Truly, these women are attuned to the voice of their customers and are interested in making sure that their product works in all possible scenarios, regardless of how intimate those scenarios may be! "We think women deserve to feel beautiful, confident and sexy in all situations, not ferreting away their shapewear like this problem is something to be ashamed of," say the Julia and Rena. "So we designed the original prototype to be sexy and ornate, like bracelets for your thighs." As Julia and Rena continue to refine their product, the diversity of their customers continually surprises them. Advertisement "We were running out of smaller sizes," they said. It seems that "chub rub" (a term the two founders disdain) is not exclusively a problem for plus size women. "We've encountered a lot of the 'chub rub' stigma. We don't use that term and we're against it. We've learned it's not about size, it's about body structure," say the ladies on the topic of this potentially derisive term for chafing that occurs between the inner thighs. And truly, based on the popularity of their smallest size, it seems that the thigh chafing affliction doesn't discriminate based on your thigh circumference. "Bandelettes customers are plus size, straight size, athletes, dancers, normal women, and even men," the founders boast. "One of our friends husbands started expressing curiosity about the product, so we now make a unisex version that is also suitable for working out and other situations where a customer may not want the lace pattern of our original Bandelette." I asked these two women about their experience working together as long-time friends and business owners. These lingerie-makers strive to decrease the friction between themselves as business women, as well as their customers' thighs! "Our #1 rule is that we always find a solution that we both can live with," says Julia, as Rena nods emphatically. "It may not be 100% what either of us want, but it has to be something we can both agree to." Advertisement So far, their product continues to evolve as these ladies work together to improve it based on what they're hearing from wearers of Bandelettes. Along the way, there has been trial and error and some mistakes, as with any business venture. One issue in particular caused them to have to choose between eating the cost of a flawed order or selling the flawed product to customers. "What's more important, our name or the money? We decided to preserve our name and take care of our customers. Customer satisfaction is the first priority. We are building a recognizable name, and we want customers to love our product," say Julia and Rena. What will you be doing this Memorial Day Weekend? Like most Americans, you'll probably go to the beach for early season tanning, enjoy a good sale at your favorite store, or just spend a relaxing weekend with your family and friends. For 22 million veterans, however, the day means something altogether different. It is a time to remember those who make the ultimate sacrifice for our country, and the families who survive them. We can never repay the debt we owe our veterans. Memorial Day, however, gives us an opportunity to think about doing more to show our gratitude. Advertisement As the president and CEO of New York State's largest private employer, it's a topic I think about frequently, and I firmly believe that our thanks must be expressed not only in words but also in deeds. Here are three actions we have taken and hope others business leaders will consider doing similar things Give Veterans a Priority: The unemployment rate among veterans may be dropping, but it's still higher than it should be. The problem is particularly dire among veterans aged 18 to 24, nearly one-fifth of whom are without work. And if searching for a job is a difficult undertaking, it's particularly taxing for those who've spent their adult lives honing military skills that may seem difficult to apply to civilian life, or who may have suffered injuries that make daily life more taxing. Veterans are some of the most dedicated, talented and promising employees out there, using the leadership skills they've forged during their service to inspire colleagues and impress clients. Pay an Honorable Wage: An honorable wage, unlike a minimum wage, is the money we should provide those who gave their all to defend us and our country. That's why at Northwell Health (formerly North Shore-LIJ Health System) we provide returning veterans a check representing the difference between what they earned as soldiers and what they would have earned in their civilian job. As reservists make up a large percentage of the armed forces - nearly half of the Americans who served in Iraq, were on reserve duty - we must be sure we compensate them for their tremendous sacrifice. Advertisement The Stress of Service Impacts Families, Not Just Veterans: We are aware of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and have effective ways to treat returning soldiers who need help. Less obvious is the burden of PTSD on veterans' families: wondering if their family would ever "get back to normal," spouses and children who fall into depression, feel guilty for their inability to help the veteran overcome symptoms, even grow angry as time goes by at the lack of desire to change. We must increase our efforts to help heal not only veterans but their families as well. We've done that by striking partnerships with the Veterans' Administration and other veterans' organizations, and offering joint rehabilitation efforts that benefit family members and provide veterans help they so need. None of these measures are easy, and some have monetary costs. None, however, equals the costs we commemorate this weekend for those who gave their lives to protect ours. Veterans must be a priority, not just on this Memorial Day but on every day of the year. Beyonce's label, Ivy Park, launched in collaboration with British fast fashion company Topshop, is quickly falling short of her stated goal to "celebrate every woman and the body she's in while always striving to be better". Not every woman is being celebrated in Beyonce's world and definitely not the women workers in South Asia, where her clothes are made. Last week's expose by a British tabloid revealed that the female workers responsible for making -- but not inspiring, designing or profiting from -- Beyonce's clothing at MAS Holdings factory in Sri Lanka are experiencing tragically ironic conditions. Advertisement While Sri Lankan women are making the clothing celebrating female empowerment, they're clearly not seeing many if any of the benefits. Despite the owner of Topshop ranking 107th on Forbes' richest list, with a net worth estimated at $6.7 billion, that wealth isn't trickling down to Beyonce's women working as sweatshop slaves in South Asia for just 64 cents an hour. Living in cramped conditions with communal showers (which the women share, unsafely, with men), no kitchens, restricted freedoms, and curfews at night, the women do not have rights of association. Beyonce's sweatshop workers, unlike our workers in the United States, are not allowed to form unions and a collective voice to improve their unsafe, unfair and inhumane conditions. These conditions, sadly, are the current fashion standard, especially in countries with little to no regulation such as Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. This is why Ivy Park's response to the scandal is so disconcerting. They stated, in response to the investigation, that they have a "rigorous ethical trading program" and that they're "proud" of their "sustained efforts in terms of factory inspections and audits". Ivy Park "expects" suppliers to meet their code of conduct, but they clearly don't ensure that laborers are, in fact, ethically treated. Advertisement While Ivy Park does not disagree with the findings, they're not taking any responsibility for the outcome. Far from it, they are "proud" of their efforts and put the responsibility for the outcome on their suppliers. This is a consistent and characteristic drumbeat by almost every major brand's corporate social responsibility desk. There is a lot of "pride", a lot of "effort", and a lot of "expectations" on suppliers. What a complete abdication of responsibility. When a company is sourcing in countries where these practices are the norm (and to be clear they are sourcing in these countries for the sole purpose of getting dirt cheap prices) we in the West cannot continue to be okay with our brands saying that the responsibility is on the factories. Nor can we continue to be okay with our brands saying they are proud of this outcome, which is exactly what Ivy Park said (and many similar brands continue to say, which deflects responsibility). We cannot continue to be okay with a company, such as Ivy Park, pursuing empowerment at the cost of the empowerment of our sisters in Sri Lanka who are responsible for the product's creation. Fashion companies need to stop shifting the burden of proof to its suppliers. Brands know full well what they're getting into. Advertisement In Beyonce and Ivy Park's case -- and every other major fashion brand's case -- there is overwhelming evidence that working conditions in countries like India and Bangladesh are dismal. This is well known. Despite this, brands continue to choose to make their products in those countries because of the cheap prices. Putting the responsibility on suppliers, then, is deeply disingenuous and categorically fails in yielding a safe outcome or fair wages for women workers. Thus, the responsibility is not on the factory, as Ivy Park claims, the responsibility is on the brand -- in this case Beyonce's own label -- to create a supply chain that contradicts what are known, and often awful, realities for women workers. Even more empowering than the buck stopping with the brand, however, are citizen consumers who ultimately sit in the driver's seat, buyers of Beyonce's brand. Let's make empowerment mean something and buy brands that celebrate every woman, from those dying the textiles to those assembling the clothes to those wearing them. "Striving to be better" won't cut it. And until Beyonce switches suppliers, this is going to be about celebrating Western women only. Michael Shank, PhD, is adjunct assistant professor at NYU's Center for Global Affairs. Maxine Bedat is CEO and Co-Founder of Zady.com. Freethinkers are often defined by their rejection of religion, or at least of any organized form of religion. For example, the Freedom from Religion Foundation describes a freethinker as someone "who forms opinions about religion on the basis of reason, independently of tradition, authority, or established belief. Freethinkers include atheists, agnostics, and rationalists. No one can be a freethinker who demands conformity to a bible, creed, or messiah. To the freethinker, revelation and faith are invalid...Reason is a tool of critical thought that limits the truth of a statement according to the scientific method." I have no issue with this as a historical definition of freethinking, but as a philosophical definition of the term I think it is problematic. First, while there are certainly many people who form their opinions about religion by irrational means, and who hold irrational religious beliefs, there are also many who "form opinions about religion on the basis of reason" and conclude that there is a God, perhaps even as this being is understood within one of the major religious traditions. The forced dichotomy between faith and reason is a false dichotomy. Many define faith as belief without or apart from evidence, but historically and philosophically this is a flawed definition. A better definition of faith is a power to believe what you have reason to think is true, and includes the "entrusting of oneself to God". Advertisement Next, consider the statement about reason as something that is limited to the scientific method. One problem with this statement is that it is not testable by the scientific method. This is because the statement is a philosophical claim about reason and science. One cannot make claims about the nature of reason and knowledge using science alone; we need philosophy for this. In fact, there is an entire branch of philosophy devoted to the theory of knowledge: epistemology. In order to understand knowledge and critical thought, we need to do some philosophy. There are many forms of evidence that are relevant and important: scientific, philosophical, historical, and experiential, depending on the particular question or set of questions we are exploring. We should be open to considering all forms of evidence that are relevant to our quest for knowledge in any particular realm of human inquiry. Freethought shouldn't rule out any conclusion at the outset. Instead, we should let reality shape our views, even if we end up in perhaps unexpected places. Peter Thiel, head of Clarium Capital Management LLC and founding investor in PayPal Inc. and Facebook Inc., speaks during the LendIt USA 2016 conference in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Tuesday, April 12, 2016. Thiel discussed his outlook for the tech industry. Photographer: Noah Berger/Bloomberg via Getty Images Billionaire Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel tells the New York Times that he secretly bankrolled the lawsuit brought against Gawker Media by Hulk Hogan as a "deterrence" in the name of the "victims" -- including himself -- of Gawker's "bullying people even when there was no connection with the public interest." He's been plotting this for years, hiring a team of lawyers to look for cases to bring against Gawker (and spending roughly $10 million) ever since Gawker's now-defunct Valleywag blog ran a post in 2007 with the headline, "Peter Thiel is totally gay, people." The post, written by Owen Thomas, now business editor at the San Francisco Chronicle, reported on what Thomas said was common knowledge about a prominent public figure in Silicon Valley. "As I've said before, I did not 'out' Peter Thiel," Thomas told the Times: Advertisement I did discuss his sexuality, but it was known to a wide circle who felt that it was not fit for discussion beyond that circle. I thought that attitude was retrograde and homophobic, and that informed my reporting. I believe that he was out and not in the closet. There's little sympathy in the world right now for Gawker, which has engaged in questionable and egregious reporting -- including the 2015 story it took down that reported on a Conde Nast executive (hardly a public figure), who was married to a woman but allegedly offered a gay male porn star money for sex. And the Hogan story itself is about private sexual activity: a snippet of a video of him having sex with a friend's wife which Gawker posted and which has now resulted in a jury awarding Hogan $140 million (Gawker is appealing the verdict). But Thiel has a lot confused here. Simply saying that a public figure who's out and open to many people is gay is not wrong -- nor is it even considered legally libelous, defamatory or an invasion of privacy in 2016 -- or comparable to these cases. Claiming otherwise is, as Thomas says, just plain homophobic. Reporting on a public figure who has been open to many people as gay, and is out in public as such, is not the equivalent of reporting on private sexual activity, but rather is equivalent to reporting on a characteristic akin to religion or ethnicity, and certainly if someone has not gone to great lengths to hide such facts. And that's why Thiel had to go and find other cases, such as Hogan's, in order to take action against Gawker. If he tried to sue Gawker himself for his supposed "outing" it would surely be thrown out of court. Advertisement Not only has the Supreme Court for decades given wide latitude under the First Amendment to reporting of simple truths such as sexual orientation about public figures --- the distinction being public figures, not private citizens who do not seek public life -- but as homosexuality itself has become more accepted, so has the reporting on it. In 2012 a New York court ruled that even falsely saying someone is gay is not "per se defamation." The court ruled that earlier cases were "inconsistent with current public policy and should no longer be followed," since they were "based on a false premise that it is shameful and disgraceful to be described as lesbian, gay or bisexual." The Associated Press reported: The decision wiped out decades of rulings, saying that society no longer treated such labels as defamation. Without defamation, there is no longer slander, the court ruled unanimously. The New York ruling followed similar rulings in states across the country, including North Carolina. But beyond the legal issues, was it ethically and morally wrong for Thomas to report on Thiel's sexual orientation? From a journalistic perspective, I've maintained that reporting on someone's sexual orientation should be relevant to a larger story, and I'd like to have seen that relevance in the post, such as Thiel's support for politicians and institutions that have backed horribly anti-gay positions. (A long-time conservative libertarian, Thiel backed virulently anti-gay Ted Cruz, for example, giving him $250,000 for a possible run for attorney general in Texas in 2009, and donated to his Senate run as well.) But Valleywag was a gossip blog about Silicon Valley's movers and shakers. And if you're gossiping about straight public figures and their relationships, and thus their orientation, then gay public figures should be treated equally. Thiel told the Times that, "If America rallies around Gawker and decides we want more people to be outed and more sex tapes to be posted without consent, then they will find a way to save Gawker and I can't stop it." Advertisement At once he conflated posting a sex tape with reporting on someone being gay. But on the latter, if attempting to "stop it" relies on what "America" may "want," then he's not been paying attention, because websites and social media have been reporting on the sexual orientation of public figures -- including when the've not wanted it out there -- for years, and judging by the interest and traffic (and little outrage), America has wanted it. Often the public figures eventually confirm what is reported -- as Thiel did, and as did many, many others, from Ellen DeGeneres to Tim Cook -- and life goes on. Or they don't, and the speculation continues. But it's less and less treated as a dirty little secret, which is a good thing for all of American society. That doesn't necessarily mean people should rally around Gawker and its array of reporting. But it should concern you if Hogan's Thiel-backed lawsuit regarding private sexual activity results in hushing writers and reporters from even discussing the sexual orientation of public figures, even in a positive light, and especially when it's journalistically relevant. As Jordan Frieman at Death and Taxes notes, the question to be asking, is "Do we feel comfortable with a system where one mega-rich (Forbes estimates Thiel is worth $2.7 billion) person with a grudge can destroy a media company they dislike?" Thiel will be attending the Republican National Convention as a Donald Trump pledged delegate. And Frieman also makes the point that Thiel, despite his support for the Committee to Protect Journalists, is backing a presidential candidate who publicly expressed support for limiting the First Amendment and making it easier to file libel suits. According to a recent quarterly earnings report, GE is doing fantastically well, bringing in $23.5 billion in orders and income during the first three months of 2016. It has done so well, in fact, it bought back $6 billion worth of stock, while also giving $2 billion worth of dividends to shareholders. In the face of this incredibly profitable three months, it seems almost laughable that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the City of Boston -- spearheaded by Governor Baker and Mayor Walsh -- have committed to shelling out over $270 million in public funds for the luxury of moving some several hundred white-collar workers to Boston's Seaport Innovation District. This sudden emphasis on attracting economic investment is new for Governor Baker, as just last year he vetoed budget line items totaling $162 million dollars in funds for early education, the University of Massachusetts, the trial court, tourism and cultural programs, and local expenditures. Ironically, these were many of the reasons GE cited for desiring to move from sleepy, suburban Deerfield, Connecticut to the trendy Seaport. Advertisement Just a month ago, the findings of an audit of the Boston Public Schools suggested the district could save up to $85 million dollars per year by closing 40 percent of its schools. Any other time and this would sound like a crazy idea, until you take into account the fact that the Boston Public Schools are facing a $50 million budget deficit for this year. I'm no ethicist, but it seems like robbing our young people of their educational opportunity for the sake of a multi-billion-dollar company is quite possibly the most unethical thing the Commonwealth could possibly do. To add insult to injury, the Boston Public Schools website has a lovely promotional video on their homepage where a GE Foundation Exec claims that creating a workforce of tomorrow doesn't start in college, but begins with "reaching back into the community, starting with the students, beginning a conversation with them." Maybe they should've had a conversation with the students of Boston Public Schools, although I doubt they would like what they had to say. Or maybe the could've had a conversation with people in Western Massachusetts, where the Housatonic River is still polluted and where GE continues to defend its right to not clean up the mess that it made. Many at the State House, in City Hall, and in the local press are flat-out giddy to roll-out the red carpet for GE. There is however, a growing resistance (both inside the State House and outside) to hold our elected leaders accountable for squandering public funds. Advertisement The unfortunate reality is that our leaders continue to under-invest in the future of the Commonwealth and its residents. Last winter, the city was paralyzed when the MBTA shut down several times. While we cannot control the weather, we can maintain and properly staff T and Commuter Rail lines. Our transit system continues to crumbling before our eyes. (And I doubt that a bureaucratic fiscal management board is going to fix these problems, but a dedicated and significant capital budget might.) Last week, State Senator Jamie Eldridge proposed an amendment to the Senate Budget (ECO 836), cosponsored by Senators Barbara L'Italien and Mark Montigny, that would require that any municipality that offers massive incentives to corporations also provide 5 percent of the total expenditure for the purpose of providing affordable housing in the region. The G7 Summit in Shima, Japan, is the first occasion for the G7 Heads of States to gather since the Paris Agreement was agreed upon last December. One would expect affirmation of the Agreement, particularly given how prominent climate and energy is on the official G7 agenda. Clearly, the aggregated commitments are not in line with the 2C target, a temperature rise no longer considered safe, let alone 1.5C. So it is incumbent for the key world forum of the major economies to deal with the ambition void rather than just celebrate what was accomplished. While the G7 Summit is very unlikely to usher in any big new initiative in the climate arena, the rapid and serious deterioration of planetary conditions, as exemplified by the bush fires in Alberta and record temperatures in India, makes the necessity to stay under a 1.5C rise a moral issue. The G7 generally boasts of highly moral and humane values so they are duty-bound to take up the issue of a safe climate. As a pro-renewables and anti-nuclear advocate, the legacy of the Fukushima disaster provides a ray of hope for more sustainable energy options. Yet Japan is a climate laggard, for one main reason - coal. Coal sullies both the atmosphere and Japan's reputation. Japan not only plans to build 49 plants, it is the largest financier of coal overseas. According to press reports, coal is not going to be discussed at the G7 this year because Japanese officials maneuvered successfully against it. Why then is Japan Inc. so addicted to coal? It is because their so-called high efficiency and low emissions (HELE) coal is simply the pride of "Corporate Japan". It is an important export item. Japan sells coal technology by claiming that energy-poor developing countries want it. Yet the justifications are fundamentally flawed. Firstly, energy consultants, Ecofys, have proven that even the highest efficiency coal is not compatible with limiting the temperature to 2C. Secondly, the experience of international faith-based and development groups demonstrates that coal is not a solution to energy poverty. Thirdly, coal causes widespread deaths - recent Greenpeace analysis warns that 10,000 Japanese will die prematurely if all the planned coal plants are built. Advertisement Few Japanese are aware of these threats as the shadow of Fukushima has stigmatized nuclear but not the lethal coal industry. This is all the more reason why other G7 countries, which are moving away from coal, must affirm the Paris Agreement as an initial tool to realize the decarbonization of our energy system. A net-zero path must deal with coal head-on. The University of Oxford recently published a remarkable new report showing that Japan is set to lose tens of billions in 'stranded assets' if the coal plans move ahead. In my mind, the Oxford study paints a juxtaposed picture of Japan versus the US. In the US, Obama is taking leadership by spearheading the shift from coal to renewables and thereby reducing possible stranding risks of coal assets of US companies. We don't have Obama's leadership here as our Prime Minister has got his coal technology peddling plan which would only increase stranding risks of coal assets in both Japan and foreign countries. The Oxford study is also a wake-up call for Japanese energy companies to start a new business approach based on their own judgements about the value of their assets. I personally hope that the G7 leaders will be bold and brave by discussing stranded assets in the context of energy transition and in the context of risk management. There is no time to waste. Ji Wenyu, Tires of the Old and Finds Joy in the New Increase Domestic Demand, 2010, oil on canvas, 162 x 130cm. Courtesy of ShanghART, Singapore. Contemporary Chinese Art Outside China: Four Approaches One of the most striking geopolitical developments of the 21st century is the rise of China as a global economic superpower. China's art scene has been likewise ascendant, with billionaire collectors setting records at auction and new museums, galleries, and art districts opening up all over the country. Outside of China, however, besides a few very recognizable names, like Ai Weiwei, Cai Guo Qiang, and Zhang Xiaogang, contemporary Chinese artists remain somewhat unfamiliar to most international audiences. It seems then, as China continues to grow in prominence, that the "contemporary Chinese group show" has become somewhat of a fixture, as a way of introducing, packaging, and marketing Chinese artists, and China's culture, abroad. Here, we examine four current exhibitions that introduce Chinese contemporary art through four different approaches and purposes--from the commercial to the non-profit, from the state-sponsored to the private collection--mirroring China's increasing global reach, and economic and cultural clout. Advertisement Modern Times ShanghART, Singapore 14 May to 10 July, 2016 Zhou Tiehai, Charles Chaplin-Modern Times 6, 2007, oil on canvas, 100 x 90cm. Courtesy of ShanghART, Singapore. Established in 1996, ShanghART is one of China's largest and most influential commercial galleries, now with five locations: three in Shanghai, one in Beijing, and one in Singapore, at the Gillman Barracks contemporary art hub. As one of the first Chinese galleries to participate in international art fairs like Art Basel, ShanghART has been instrumental in promoting contemporary Chinese art to international collectors. It represents over 40 artists, nearly all of them Chinese. Zhu Jia, Never Take Off, 2002, single-channel video, 5 mins. Courtesy of ShanghART, Singapore. The exhibition Modern Times at ShanghART Singapore features nine Chinese artists--Bird Head, Ji Wenyu, Liu Weijian, Ouyang Chun, Shi Yong, Wei Guangqing, Xu Zhen, Zhou Tiehai, and Zhu Jia--with works that explore the exhilaration and anxiety associated with the modern industrial era and its "continuous crazy surges." Shanghai artist duo Bird Head present black-and-white snapshots of daily urban life; Shanghai-based painter Ji Wenyu exhibits a canvas clustered with images of consumerism and symbols of waste bordered with classic political propaganda icons; and Beijing-based video artist Zhu Tiehai shows his video, Never Take Off (2002), of an airplane in a perpetual state of taxiing. Signs of industrial expansion--factories, machinery, mass-produced goods--square off with the symbols of Western consumer culture--Disney, Joe Camel, Coca Cola--in this gallery exhibition. Advertisement We Chat: A Dialogue in Contemporary Chinese Art Asia Society Texas, Houston 26 March to 3 July, 2016 Pixy Yijun Liao, Relationships work best when each partner knows their proper place, 2007, digital c-print. Courtesy of the artist. Group exhibitions at independent non-profit cultural centers, such as the Asia Society, are free to pursue avenues of scholarly inquiry through exhibition-making without the commercial constraints of a gallery setting. The cultural center primarily functions to promote education and mutual understanding between cultures, and their exhibitions reflect that mission. Guo Xi, There never should have been an artist named Jia Siwen, 2012-2014, installation view at Asia Society Texas Center, 2016. Courtesy of the artist, Red Brick Art Museum, and Inna Contemporary Art Space. Photo: Alex Barber. We Chat at the Asia Society in Houston, curated by Bridget Bray and Barbara Pollack, centers on the notion of communication, drawing its title from the name of a popular social media messaging app in China. The ten young Chinese artists in the exhibition--Chen Wei, Guo Xi, Jin Shan, Pixy Yijun Liao, Liu Chuang, Lu Yang, Ma Qiusha, Shi Zhiying, Sun Xun, and Bo Wang--all born between 1977 and 1988, exemplify a more globally tuned, liberal Chinese identity that has emerged with China's economic rise and the advent of the internet. The exhibition proposes that these artists are looking beyond their local culture, less concerned with their "Chinese-ness" than artists of the previous generation. Highlights include an installation by Guo Xi of the work and notes of a fictitious artist whose works are "lost" in transit between China and the U.S., a photo series by Pixy Yijun Liao that reverses gender roles in an "experimental relationship," and an installation of found romance novels and marginalia by Liu Chang. What About the Art? Contemporary Art from China Qatar Museums, Gallery Alriwaq, Doha 14 March to 16 July, 2016 Xu Zhen, Produced by MadeIn Company, Under Heaven-2902VT0149 (detail), 2014, oil, canvas, aluminum plastic composite panel, 250 x 180 x 14cm. Courtesy of MadeIn Company. Curated by renowned artist Cai Guo Qiang, this exhibition, at Doha's Gallery Alriwaq, is, in fact, a form of cultural diplomacy in the shape of an exhibition. Part of the Qatar China 2016 Year of Culture, it is one of the highest profile efforts of cultural outreach promoted by the Chinese government of late. These state sponsored cultural exchanges take place all over the world, forming the "third pillar of China's diplomacy," as China's Minister of Culture Sun Jiazheng called them. Jenova Chen, Journey, 2012, video game. Courtesy thatgamecompany Inc. Chinese Whispers: Recent Art from the Sigg and M+ Sigg Collections Kunstmuseum Bern, Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern 19 February to 19 June, 2016 Advertisement Chow Chun Fai, CY Leung, 'June 4 Incident for sure was a tragedy for China,' 2012, enamel paint on canvas, 244 488cm. Sigg Collection, Chow Chun Fai. This major exhibition of Uli Sigg's collection of contemporary Chinese art contains around 150 works by 72 artists made in the last 15 years, and takes place across two venues in Bern, Switzerland. These 150 works represent only a fraction of the former Swiss ambassador to China's systematic 2,300-piece "document" of contemporary Chinese art, dating to the late 1970s, the largest such collection in the world. This large-scale showing of the collection comes in advance of Sigg's major bequest to the M+ Museum, opening in 2019, in Hong Kong. Sun Yuan & Peng Yu, Old People's Home, 2007, installation with 13 life-size puppets on motorized wheel chairs, dimensions variable. M+ Sigg Collection, Hong Kong, Sun Yuan & Peng Yu. The exhibition is organized into four thematic sections, illustrating such topics as the divide between East and West, tradition and progress, the rapid rise of consumerism, and the changes on China's urban fabric and political system. Some truly impactful works are on display here, from Sun Yuan and Peng Yu's installation of life-size figures of old men in motorized wheelchairs, to remarkable paintings by Chow Chun Fai, Zhao Bandi, Wang Xingwei, and others. If one man's collection, whether embarked upon systematically or not, can truly represent the cultural output of a country is up for debate. As Sigg himself remarks, "What will be the canon of Chinese contemporary art? And you already see that different players try to pull the tablecloth to their side. Who has been important? Who created the names and the labels? It's in process. It's a very interesting process to see." Zhao Bandi, China Lake C, 2015, acrylic on canvas, 210 280cm. Sigg Collection, Zhao Bandi. --Natalie Hegert By Dr. Nehginpao Kipgen Manipur has been plagued by different forms of agitation on the issue of Inner Line Permit since last year. The deep division between the valley and the hill people has visibly become a serious concern over the past several months. The ongoing agitation has caused the death of an 11th grader in Imphal and 9 civilians in Churachandpur. More than 200 days have passed but the 9 tribal dead bodies remain unburied as the hill people continue to press for their demand. The latest round of agitation began in the midnight of May 17 when the Joint Action Committee Against Anti-Tribal Bills (JACAATB) enforced a 48-hour total shutdown in the hill districts of the state, which was followed by the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System's (JCILPS) 38-hour statewide bandh that began on May 20. The intensified JCILPS agitation in the valley, particularly by its women and student volunteers, targets offices of regional and national political parties in the state. The JCILPS demands that the Indian President gives his assent to the three bills passed by the Manipur State Assembly on August 31 last year. It also demands the establishment of population commission and land reforms commission as agreed between the committee and the state government last year. The fundamental problem lies in the interpretation of the bills. The valley people, who are predominantly Meiteis, view the bills as a mechanism to protect the state and its people from outsiders. The argument of the state government (dominated by the majority Meiteis) and the valley people is that the bills are largely misunderstood and misinterpreted by the hill people. They claim that the bills are meant to check the migration of people from outside the state, and that they would not disadvantageously affect the hill people. Another argument of the valley people is that there is a constitutional injustice that allows the hill people to buy and own land and properties in the valley but people of the valley (non-tribal people) are prevented from owning land in the hills. On the other hand, the hill people (the Kukis and Nagas) see the bills as a threat to their rights over identity and land. For example, clause 2(b) of the Protection of Manipur People Bill defines "Manipur People" as "Persons of Manipur whose names are in the National Register of Citizens, 1951, Census Report 1951 and Village Directory of 1951 and their descendants who have contributed collective social, cultural and economic life of Manipur." If the bill is enacted into law, a person needs to have been enumerated in all three registers - the National Register of Citizens, 1951, the Census Report 1951 and the Village Directory of 1951 - to be considered as belonging to the state. Being registered in just one or two registers/directories means he or she has not met the criteria. Hence if the bill becomes a law and is implemented strictly, many people in the hill areas face the prospect of being excluded. In 1951, many of the remote hill areas were cut off, without proper communication and transportation systems, which is still the case for some far-flung areas. Since Manipur attained statehood status only in 1972, there is a possibility that many of the local people may be listed as outsiders because of their inability to provide the required documents. There is also an apprehension that the definition of "Manipur People" could be used in other acts/bills to deny services, facilities and amenities to the people of Manipur, especially the tribal people, in seeking government jobs, admission to schools, colleges or in case of state quota in medical and engineering admissions. There is also a lingering apprehension among the tribal people that the state government would use the bills as a strategic political ploy to gain access over their land. The unwillingness on the part of the state government to implement the sixth schedule in the hill areas exacerbates the concerns of the tribal people. The short-term demand of the tribal people is the withdrawal of the three bills and the protection of their land through constitutional safeguards such as the sixth schedule provisions. And the long-term demand is a separate administration from Manipur which they believe is the only way forward to bringing lasting peace and development in their region. The politics surrounding the bills becomes so sensitive that it could further escalate into a major problem for the state as well as the central government, and more importantly between peoples of the hill and the valley. Under the present circumstances, the central government cannot simply say it is a state matter when the bills have reached the president's desk, and when the issue involves constitutional matter, Article 371C. Though any amicable solution is easier said than done, there are some viable solutions. One option is for the state government to withdraw the bills and go back to the drawing board by consulting the agitating tribal leaders. The second option is to insert a clause in the bills which clearly states that they would not in anyway affect or apply on the tribal people and their land. The third option is to implement the sixth schedule provisions in the hill areas that would protect and safeguard the history, culture, land and identity of the tribal people. The fourth option is for the state and central governments to take concrete steps to ensure the proper utilization of development funds and schemes across the state. The status quo is that the valley districts are much more developed and advanced than the hill districts. The fifth option is to review the political culture. Under the existing political arrangement, out of the 60-member legislative assembly seats, 40 are represented by the valley people and 20 by the hill people. There needs to be political accommodation in such a way that the post of the chief minister is also rotationally or periodically given to representatives from the hill areas. The immediate worrying situation is whether more bodies will join the unburied 9 tribal dead bodies. The question is will the issue of Inner Line Permit be left for the people of Manipur to decide, or will Prime Minister Modi government take up the necessary steps to address the issue. Nehginpao Kipgen is Assistant Professor and Executive Director of Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P. Jindal Global University, and the author of 'Politics of Ethnic Conflict in Manipur'. Today in Toronto we are celebrating two important Huffington Post milestones: the fifth birthday of HuffPost Canada and the fifth anniversary of launching HuffPost internationally. Five years ago, we embarked on a journey that has brought us to 14 new markets across six continents. During this time, we went from being a U.S. brand, to a budding international brand, to a truly global brand. To put the scale of this change in perspective: in May 2011, the number of people reading HuffPost outside the U.S. was modest; today, 55 percent of our nearly 200 million monthly users are international. Our newsroom has gone from being a U.S.-based team to having more than 300 editors located in nearly 20 countries outside the U.S. We're now publishing 1,500 pieces of content a day in 10 languages on our platform, and we have more than 35 million followers globally on Facebook. Here in Canada, we're the most popular digital news-brand with Canadian readers. The future of media is global, and that future has fully arrived at HuffPost. How did we get here? Back in May 2011, we decided to expand HuffPost internationally as both a journalistic enterprise and a platform. This meant creating new editions staffed by local journalists and published in their local language, imbuing them with our DNA, and powering the websites with our tech platform. The goal was for them to remain integrated into the Huffington Post's core mission, but also rooted in their local culture. We didn't want to launch a "Huffington Post France," populated with translated articles from the U.S. or pieces by foreigners reporting from Paris. We wanted to make a "French Huffington Post": a premier digital news site for French readers, with original content created by local editors, and a blog platform full of local voices having the conversations that matter to them. To further establish our local know-how, we partnered with some of the world's best publishers, from Le Monde to El Pais to the Asahi Shimbun. As a result, every HuffPost edition realizes its local approach a bit differently, and that is a good thing. It means we can go deep on the topics that matter to each local audience, and it allows us to offer something missing from the mainstream, like in South Korea, where HuffPost Korea has placed LGBT issues at the forefront of its coverage and at the center of the conversation, whereas many major Korean news outlets relegate it to the margins. HuffPost frontpages around the world after the terrorist attacks in Paris last November Advertisement The proof that this model can build a significant local following is in the numbers, whether it's having entered the top 10 rankings in markets like Germany and Spain or being the top digital "pure player" in France. Our edition in Japan, a market where the Huffington Post brand name was all but unrecognizable when we launched in May 2013, now has the largest local readership after our U.S. edition. Yet while each of these sites is focused on emphasizing the local experience and reaching local readers in their native tongues, they're not siloed off as independent franchises. Instead they're part of our expanding global network, which allows every edition to benefit from the top stories, experiments, and innovations that each team produces. It also gives us the ability to simultaneously amplify the best of what we do at a global and local level like no other news site. And as with all networks, the bigger we get and the more we expand, the greater that amplifying power becomes. The power of this local/global combination is the reason the Duchess of Cambridge served as a guest editor of HuffPost UK earlier this year as part of her focus on childhood mental health. Teaming up with us gave her the ability to start a global conversation on this topic, not only by having her message translated and featured on all our sites, but also because we could bring local voices from around the world to a UK audience to share their experience on this topic. It's for the same reason that when newly elected Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau wanted to host a "global town hall" he turned to HuffPost Canada. Our livestreamed town hall with him included questions from HuffPost editors in France, Spain, Korea, the Middle East and the U.S. reflecting local concerns, and was distributed to audiences across our global network. Advertisement We all experience moments of crisis. When we are vulnerable, it's easy to slip into helplessness. We begin to doubt and drown in despair. For some, social circles help us through. For others, it's not immediately apparent. In desperate times, verbally articulating our feelings can difficult. Our voice can expose our innermost thoughts to prying ears. On the other hand, texting has become an extension of our thoughts and evolved to help us through our darkest hour. -- Imagine Dragons "Demons" Since it's inception in 2013, Crisis Text Line has exchanged nearly 18 million text messages with people in crisis. The nonprofit leverages the privacy of text messaging, which has helped those struggling with addiction, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, sexual abuse, and other crises. Advertisement Crisis Text Line conducts its conversations exclusively by text messages, enabling people in crisis situations to text a phone number (741741) and immediately connect with a counselor who is trained to help. The nonprofit exchanges over 1.5 million messages per month and leverages Twilio Programmable SMS to power these conversations. The partnership was announced earlier this week at SIGNAL, the developer conference for communications in San Francisco. Twilio.org was launched in the same year as Crisis Text Line to equip nonprofits with communications to advance their missions, and currently partners with over 700 nonprofits. In 2015, Twilio committed 1% of the company's equity to fund Twilio.org over the next decade. "At Twilio.org, we believe communication empowers people," said Erin Reilly, Executive Director of Twilio.org. "Crisis Text Line is creating conversations that give people hope, and I'm pleased that Twilio can help extend its reach and provide reliability when it matters most." "There is a sense of urgency that comes with every crisis," said Nancy Lublin, CEO, and Founder of Crisis Text Line. "When time is limited and emotions are high, text messaging provides those in crisis a safe and private medium to reach out for help. With Twilio, we can easily extend our services, grow our platform and continue to provide hope to even more people." Advertisement According to Lublin, 30% of conversations relate to depression and suicide. While 18% is on anxiety. Furthermore, nearly 3 of 4 users are between the ages of 18 and 25. For many bullies, texting is a weapon to harm. Now it has become a tool to heal. Their data website, Crisistrends.org, is the nation's largest catalog of crisis data. This anonymized dataset has been made available for thought leaders and policy makers to understand the crises Americans face and can work together to prevent future crises from happening. I was also fortunate to meet Ellen Kaster, a counselor at Crisis Text Line. She shared how the death of a cousin and the inspiration of a friend motivated her to help others through a crisis. Although counselors may not have the same life experiences as the individual in crisis, Ellen identifies that pain is pain. The objectives are to empower individuals to come up with personalized solutions and to turn hot moments into cold moments. Some conventional public diplomacy measures are not suitable for countering violent extremism (CVE) because they are mismatched against extremists' more aggressive tactics. But this week, the U.S. State Department has taken a significant step forward by announcing that it will place greater emphasis on development aid in its CVE efforts. A joint strategy that will better coordinate State Department CVE projects with USAID should bring new substance to public diplomacy that has CVE potential. This does not diminish the importance of using hard power -- military force -- against the fighters of Islamic State, Al Qaeda, and other such groups, but it adds economic and organizational muscle to efforts aimed at reducing the flow of new recruits to terrorist organizations. As a State Department report issued this week correctly states, "In many environments where the risk of violent extremism is high, development has failed to take root, governance is weak, access to education and training is limited, economic opportunities are few, and unemployment is high." If those conditions are improved, young people who now despair about their futures may be less likely to heed the call of extremist recruiters. Advertisement This is not a panacea. Other changes in CVE strategy are required, and an important one is noted in the report: the need to "empower and amplify locally credible voices that can change the perception of violent extremist groups and their ideology." The key term is "locally credible." That means generating anti-extremist messages not in Washington or Hollywood, but rather in Jordan, Kuwait, and other places where young, indigenous information entrepreneurs know best how to reach their peers. Credibility is essential, and messaging covered with American fingerprints is viewed with great skepticism among those to whom it is directed. The report also notes the importance of "expanding the rule of law." This was amplified in a May 25 speech by Justin Siberell, the State Department's Acting Coordinator for Counterterrorism, who said that the spread of violent extremism is accelerated by (among other factors) "state-sanctioned violence and abuse [and] heavy-handed tactics by security services." The United States is an enabler in this, providing assistance to the military and police forces of U.S. "friends" such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Tear gas and riot batons are de facto recruiting tools for extremists, and the governments that employ them at every opportunity strengthen the case made by those extremist recruiters. Overall, the State Department report outlines important steps forward, but it also triggers some alarm bells. First, the new programs are in danger of producing more layers of bureaucracy (and more acronyms!) that may impair the nimbleness required in effective CVE. Also, it is important that the new efforts be adequately funded. The report cites a promising project in East Africa, for example, but states that it will have only $19 million in resources available to it. East Africa, with the strong presence of Al Shabaab and Islamic State, could well become an even more poisonous center of terrorism, and shortchanging preventive measures would be self-defeating. -- Illustration by Eliane Gerrits I drive into the port of Philadelphia and before me, towering above the other ships in docks lined with freighters, is the elegant prow of the SS United States. This is the unlikely home of what was once the most magnificient steamship in the world and the ultimate symbol of traveling in grand style. The United States made 400 trans-Atlantic crossings, carrying tens of thousands star-struck passengers to Europe and back. But unlike the ill-fated Titanic nobody remembers the United States except those who traveled on it. Yet it was more luxurious, better, bigger than any other ship -- so big that if you put the Chrysler building flat on its deck, you could walk around it. The ship was launched in 1952 in the middle of the Cold War. It was capable of such great speeds that they were kept top-secret: the ship was slipped the water before it was christened so no enemy spies could take pictures of the design of its sleek hull and propellers. What no one knew was that it could be converted into a warship overnight and used to carry 1,500 troops to an enemy shore faster than any ship ever had. Its top speed was more than 45 knots. On its maiden voyage, the SS United States set the record for the fastest trans-Atlantic crossing that still stands. But now this grande dame floats unemployed in an undignified harbor, held by huge ropes to a dock. She is exhausted, played out, a wrinkled old lady full of glamorous memories but little else. Advertisement My guide is Ray, a friendly man of about thirty who is the ship's devoted caretaker. I am allowed to board only after I sign a stack of releases that in which I take all responsibility for possible exposure to asbestos, PCBs and, for all I know, nuclear waste. It requires the utmost of my empathy to see the grandeur of the past in this stripped-out, rusting hulk. The first-class staterooms are stripped of their walls. The bar is totally dismembered, as is the rust-eaten theater, which was converted on weekends into a synagogue. The ballroom where Grace Kelly once danced is now just a bare steel floor. What was once the proudest symbol of the achievements of postwar America of the 1950s is rotting here all but forgotten. Ray loves the ship and brings it alive with his rich stories. He monitors its mooring lines and every day climbs to the top of one of its twin smokestacks to eat his lunch, alone with his sandwich and his imagination. The organization that pays him, the SS United States Conservancy (www.ssusc.org) has a primaty goal: that SS United States will be rehabilitated in all its glory. But how? The Conservancy successfully raised money to purchase the ship five years ago to save it from being scrapped. But what now? All that rust will need to be eliminated, the decks rebuilt, the ship freshly painted. And where is the furniture, the auctioned art? Everything has been taken away. The chairs are in restaurants across the country, spoons from the dining room sold on Ebay. Overall, the organization needs perhaps a billion dollars to keep the ship afloat and restored. That is an amount with nine zeros. And in a city like Philadelphia where with historic bridges with names like Whitman and Franklin that also need to be rebuilt. Ray identifies himself totally with this ship, which for him remains the icing on a cake long since eaten. Advertisement "Will it ever happen?" I ask him. "It will be difficult, but we can make America great again," he says immediately. I know Donald Trump promises the same thing without rebuilding a ship. But what time and what place does he mean when America was great? The time where a guy like Ray belonged to a proud middle class that worked hard to have a better future? A time when America ruled the oceans? With a ship that was faster than the Queen Mary, more luxurious than the Titanic? Sliding doors of emergency room in hospital When you come to the hospital for medical help, you don't expect to leave in handcuffs. But that's exactly what happened to Purvi Patel when she came to an Indiana emergency room seeking assistance in July 2013. Ms. Patel arrived at the emergency room with bleeding following a recent pregnancy, a situation many women may experience. She stated she had been pregnant, and had already disposed of the fetal remains. Ms. Patel's medical providers contacted law enforcement officers. She was then arrested on the charge of "neglect of a dependent." A month later, prosecution added the charge of feticide as well. On March 30, 2015, Ms. Patel received an unprecedented 20-year prison sentence for two implicitly contradictory charges -- feticide and neglect of a dependent. She remains incarcerated today. On May 23, Ms. Patel's case came up for appeal. After a year of silence, the medical community needs to come to her defense, and ensure that such a series of events does not come to pass again. None of us can afford to stay silent when a woman is criminalized by her own providers for seeking urgent, necessary medical care in the setting of pregnancy. Advertisement One of the laws under which Ms. Patel was sentenced was a feticide law, which was passed with the intent to punish people who attack pregnant women. Historically, courts have been reluctant to extend these laws to apply to pregnant people themselves. That's just common sense. A pregnant woman's actions and decisions regarding her own pregnancy -- and therefore her own body -- are fundamentally distinct from the actions of a criminal seeking to do harm. The decision to prosecute and convict Ms. Patel sends a clear message to women in Indiana and around the country: that hospitals are a place of judgment and suspicion, not refuge; that women's autonomy and physical wellbeing are not our system's first priorities; and that criminalization is an acceptable substitute for care. That's a dangerous precedent. Medical experts including the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologist agree that criminalizing patients in other contexts for the choices they have made about their pregnancies when constrained by illness or lack of access deters them from seeking necessary care, a major obstacle to ensuring better health outcomes for women and families. Those who already experience a higher risk of being targeted for legal action as a result of immigration status, income level, or race are particularly hard hit by shifts toward criminalization. An analysis of more than 30 years of legal arguments for arrests of pregnant women found that low-income women and women of color were significantly more likely to be reported to state authorities by hospital staff, arrested, and charged. In Indiana alone, the only other woman in history to be penalized in a manner similar to Ms. Patel was Bei Bei Shuai, an Asian immigrant who was arrested while receiving psychiatric care for a suicide attempt that resulted in the loss of her pregnancy. Rhetoric against Asian American women has been rife in the state of Indiana and elsewhere, embedded, for instance, in rhetoric in support of sex-selective abortion bans. Advertisement As a physician, reproductive health researcher, and also as a South Asian woman, I am deeply disturbed by Purvi Patel's case. It is a great injustice that Ms. Patel has now spent a full year in prison. It is time to end the tragedy of her incarceration, and to use her case as incentive to bring about important and much-needed change. My first hope is that the courts see that no one should be criminalized for seeking urgent and necessary medical care. The intent behind the laws we pass matters. The original intent of these laws, laws enacted by legislators that we have elected, should not be twisted to suit shifting political motivations. Nor should they be applied unevenly in ways that target and hurt the vulnerable. Second, I hope that my own community of obstetrician-gynecologists and other providers of reproductive health care understand that our first responsibility is to the patient in front of us. Our personal beliefs and opinions simply have no place in the care, counseling, and recommendations we offer those who come to us in need. When a bleeding woman visits an emergency room, I am trained to bear witness to her experiences with empathy, to assess the immediate danger present to her health, and to provide recommendations based on science and that patient's intentions and goals -- not my own personal beliefs. These moments occur in emergency rooms or on labor and delivery units, at all times of day. Patients may be scared or unsure, unstable or stable. Every person's circumstances and health situations are unique. My role is to provide quick, professional evaluation and support. Advertisement My final hope is that my patients know that I will always provide them with this non-judgmental, consistent, evidence-based, and confidential care, no matter their background. I will provide this care safely during the most critical and vulnerable moments in their lives. Decisions about reproductive care are best left to women and individuals, their families, and their medical providers. And we were never trained to heal with handcuffs. Who are the most inspirational people you've met and worked with and why? originally appeared on Quora - the knowledge sharing network where compelling questions are answered by people with unique insights. Answer by Chade-Meng Tan, Co-Chair of Nobel Peace Prize nominated campaign & NYT bestselling author, on Quora. Without a doubt, the most inspiring person I've ever met is His Holiness the Dalai Lama (HHDL). I met him for the first time in November 2005, during his visit to Stanford University. Back then, I was one of the major donors to Stanford for the creation of a Tibetan Studies program, so when the Dalai Lama visited, I was invited as a VIP guest to a luncheon in his honor. Advertisement Before meeting him, I was expecting to be disappointed. I had certain expectations of what a holy man should be like, and I was pretty sure HHDL would NOT be able to meet my standards. I expected him to be an over-hyped bald dude. It turned out, the Dalai Lama exceeded even my highest expectations. Wow. The first thing that surprised me was how warm and joyful he was. He was kind to everyone he met. He smiled at people, held their hands, and he laughed easily. He didn't have any of the airs and pretensions you would expect of someone with Secret Service protection. The next thing that surprised me come during his lunch talk. During the talk, the subject of Tibet came up. You could tell this was a very painful subject for Tibetans because the Tibetans around us were either weeping or holding back tears, but he talked with such serenity, without a single trace of anger in his voice, and he repeatedly emphasized non-violence, mutual understanding, and his appreciation for the Chinese people. I was sitting right in front of the stage (I was attending as a VIP), so I saw his eyes as he spoke. At that moment, I was convinced that he was the Real Deal. Despite all the pain he must have experienced in his life, this man shows no sign of anger, hatred or bitterness. I was completely awed. The next day, I was further awed by how intelligent he is. I was watching his dialog with neuroscientists on stage. Here he was on stage surrounded by prominent scholars, and he held his own among them very well. He asked very intelligent questions and made very insightful points. After a while, one begins to suspect that this laughing bald guy, who spent most of the time whispering with his interpreter, was the smartest person on stage. Advertisement The most amazing moment for me came when HHDL was responding to a question about compassion and suffering. Referring to an earlier presentation by Bill Mobley which showed that similar parts of the brain light up when a subject experiences pain versus when he empathizes with somebody else in pain, His Holiness raised a major issue that nobody else had thought of. Interrupting his interpreter, he explained in his broken English that there are at least 2 types of compassion, one for people close to oneself (which he called "limited compassion"), and one for strangers (which he called "genuine compassion"). Both are qualitatively different, and hence need to be studied separately. If the brain patterns for both are the same, "then I feel the brain is very foolish". Everybody laughed. Bill Mobley was so impressed he commented, "This is one of those experiences where you really understand how that incisive thinking completely defines a 20-year research program". As I got to know him better over the years, I realized my initial impression was indeed based on the real Dalai Lama. He is in private the same guy you see in public. He doesn't put up an act. In any case, after meeting the Dalai Lama, I told myself that when I grow up, I want to be just like him. Except I want to have hair. And sex. That celibacy thing just doesn't work for me, sorry. This question originally appeared on Quora. - the knowledge sharing network where compelling questions are answered by people with unique insights. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions: Military chocolate has sustained American soldiers from colonial days until now. Wartime rations included chocolate to aid them emotionally and physically. Rations in the Colonial Period Hand-ground chocolate formed into balls, stored in old rags or used newspapers, mixed with boiled water, all frothed into a colonial period hot chocolate. This drink was breakfast and/or supper in those days. It may have also been mixed with other ingredients to make chocolate wine. Benjamin Franklin sent six pounds of chocolate (and sugar, tea, coffee) for each officer fighting near the Forks of the Ohio in the French & Indian War in 1755. Advertisement Boston-based suppliers William Tailer and Samuel Blodgett sold chocolate regularly to the soldiers of a regiment near Crown Point, New York, also in the French & Indian War. In 1776, Chaplain William Emerson of Concord, Massachusetts wrote to his wife that once he arrived at Fort Ticonderoga "This morning I breakfasted just as I would at Home, my Porringer [small bowl] of Chocolate was brought in, in as much Order as need be." The Continental Congress specified that rations for colonels and chaplains to include four pounds of chocolate per month, majors and captains to receive three pounds, and lieutenants to receive two pounds. Chocolate beverage fortified our troops for victory. Our American chocolate has fueled the patriotism, duty and healing that we celebrate on Memorial Day. Advertisement Choosing a career is one of the most important decisions you will ever have to make. When it comes to deciding what you would like to do for the rest of your life, everyone is different. There are those who have always know what they wanted to be while for others it was a difficult, soul-searching decision. It is not always easy to decide which career should be yours. However, the question always pops up is whether you should choose a career that you are good at and for which you have a natural talent and inclination, or should you choose a career that you are most comfortable with and have the strongest attraction to. Unfortunately, these two career paths are hardly ever one and the same and people are often left to choose between careers that they like and careers at which they excel. In a perfect world, you will never have to choose between these job types. However, until that time comes, we are still left with making the difficult decision. How do you know which career to choose? Here's what you should consider when deciding Skill Set: If you are good at a job, you would have learned the requisite skills in order to perform the job well. The more skills you possess, the better you will be at your job. Possessing an enviable set of skills can be a desirable quality for employers. Being skillful also means being open to new challenges, and finding solutions to difficult, intricate problems. Whether it's your passion or simply a job you're good at, you will always need skills that allow you to be successful. However, it goes without saying that some skill sets are more difficult to acquire than others. It can take years to gather the skills and knowledge that will allow you to be a competent engineer. However, it may take you fewer years to master flower arranging. You need to ask yourself if are you willing to put in the requisite time in order to gather the knowledge you need. Are you willing to take years of classes, sacrificing your social life in order to be a doctor or engineer even while knowing that the learning doesn't end with your graduation? Knowing how much you are willing to give up will give you a better idea of what your goals should be. Advertisement Dependable Income: Whichever job you choose, you would need it to supply you with sufficient income to take care of all your needs. This is why many will advocate for the "safe" route where job seekers take jobs that will provide them with a steady income that is adequate enough for them to live. Whether you go for a safe career or one that tugs at your heart strings, understand that there is a limit to how much money you will earn. Therefore, job hunters must consider with which salary limit are they comfortable. Workers can also choose to supplement their incomes with money from freelance jobs. However this income isn't guaranteed and job seekers must take into the account the extra commitment and time required. Job seekers must also take into account the part that luck plays in finding a place to fit into. Candidates may find themselves unlucky in finding a safe job that does not pay well and vice versa. Career Longevity: Workers can create longevity for themselves by acquiring an appropriate skill set and building up years of experience. Employers need workers who are masters at their fields and who can handle any task thrown at them. These employees build up tons of credibility over the years making their opinions incredibly valuable. Employees with longevity will enjoy more respect from their colleagues and will likely have a say in major decisions made by the company. These workers are not easily replaced. In addition to this, their stock is now worth a lot and they can likely command a high salary from other would-be employers. The flip side of this, however, is that career longevity can lead to boredom and monotony. These can, in turn, lead to dissatisfaction in the workplace where workers feel as though they are not being challenged. As a result, many decide that they cure for their boredom is a change of environment. Before taking a safe job, job hunters must ask themselves if they would soon be bored with a job they've had for over a decade. Advertisement Professional Gratification: There is a lot to be said for the professional gratification one gains from performing a well-liked job. Whether it is the job that pays the bills or the job you consider your "calling", people want to feel that time spent at their jobs is time well spent. If your job is not your calling you may be dogged by feelings of unfulfillment. Feelings of unfulfillment are bothersome especially when you do not have the liberty to leave it at your own will. For example, if you have a family to raise you might be more willing to endure a job that does not leave you personally fulfilled. Therefore, before deciding on a career, everyone should ask themselves how important personal gratification is to them. Motivation: Can you muster the necessary motivation in order to perform your job at the highest ability? As an employee, you may not always find yourself fully invested in the fate of the company. Working in a job that you don't consider to be your calling can make it extra difficult to become motivated. Many times, employees find themselves going through the motions with no real desire to put their best foot forward. Not surprisingly, it's much easier to remain motivated at a job that you consider you true calling. You become personally invested when you believe that the work you do is important to you. Are you someone who finds it difficult to stay motivated? If so you might want to look for a career in which you have some personal stake. I entered this huge building 8:30 am on a Monday. As I was looking around me, a tiny Egyptian pyramid was the first thing that caught my attention. This setting was starting to intrigue my curiosity. I took two steps forward and saw a couple of pictures pinned on the wall of people brushing their teeth and others having food. I started to wonder even more when I saw a room that seems to be inspired by Russian culture. I stopped for a moment to think what this place could be. Turns out I was at the headquarter office of AirBnb that is located at the heart of the city of San Francisco! Last month my fellow Palestinian entrepreneurs and I took a tour there, and the level of creativity invested in it amazed me. This visit made me realise that Airbnb aims to create a work environment that would reflect their business model in every single aspect, without having to get into long explanations, and to give you the chance to live the experience the moment you join their network, no matter who you are. It's not difficult to see how exposure to different modes of thinking within the right ecosystem cultivates creativity and innovation. From the perspective of an outsider, this is a critical component of what makes Silicon Valley so special. There's a critical mass professional, motivated and entrepreneurial minds from a variety of disciplines that accelerates information sharing, entrepreneurship and success in the Bay Area to an extent that has mystified it to those living outside this microcosm. Advertisement Fortunately for a group of tenacious, budding entrepreneurs based out of Palestine, the US Consulate General in Jerusalem and Leaders Organization, the NGO I work for, have partnered to demonstrate the unique characteristics that together create the Silicon Valley. Twice a year we take Palestine's brightest entrepreneurs and immerse them in an intensive silicon valley experience, connect them with international entrepreneurs and facilitate a crash course in business strategy, entrepreneurship and innovation. The Palestinian House in Silicon Valley has been sponsored by the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem for the past three years. The US Consul General in Jerusalem, Mr. Donald Blome, believes it to be "a major U.S. priority [...] to help move the Palestinian economy to a model of healthy and sustainable private sector-led investment, growth, and job creation. The Palestinian House in Silicon Valley is giving a group of bright, motivated entrepreneurs the skills and exposure to funding they need to create new and innovative companies that provide growth and jobs for the Palestinian people." Mukul Agarwal, a managing partner at Bootup Ventures where we were hosted in San Francisco for the past three weeks, expressed the importance of being here, especially for those from developing countries: "Silicon Valley is the mecca of entrepreneurship," said Agarwal. "It is an eye opener towards disruption, in the way they promote entrepreneurship, communications building and the power of the network". Entrepreneurs visiting the valley will acquire critical knowledge and then transfer the entrepreneurial spirit to their ecosystem. Although they might not have the same infrastructure, this experience would allow them to create it, so that other entrepreneurs would start building innovation around it. " I believe that Silicon Valley expands your horizon," added Agarwal, "It will allow you to look at things and problems for multi-dimensional perspective." Advertisement "It's valuable for Palestinian startups to come to Silicon Valley because it's a top tier market in the tech sector, easier to find talent with prior startup experience, potential acquirers are easier to meet and will be more likely interested in acquiring you. We are fortunate that our partners in the US Consulate General are just as committed to connecting Palestinian and American entrepreneurs. Their commitment is what enabled this program to run successfully and smoothly for the past three years and continue to create new opportunities for more Palestinian entrepreneurs" -- Mohammad Ibrahim, Leaders Organization representative in the United States. MEMO From: Tyler Wigg-Stevenson To: President Barack Obama Cc: Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Re: that draft of Hiroshima remarks you were looking for [To be delivered as written] I've come to Hiroshima to say that I'm sorry. Oh, wait. Hold the phone. I can totally see where you thought I was going. Haha, no. No, I'm definitely not apologizing for America dropping the A-bomb. Come on, folks. We told you in advance that you wouldn't be getting that apology. Anyway, you don't really want me to do it. You think you do, but you're wrong. Advertisement As you may have heard, we've got an election coming up back home. My apologizing for the A-bomb would be like tossing a kitten to a pack of hyenas. Plus Hillary would have to outflank me to the right. So an apology from me might be emotionally satisfying for some of you. But it'd be the worst thing I could do for nuclear disarmament in general. And, let me tell you: "the worst thing I could do for disarmament"? As in, I, Barack Obama? Well, that's really saying something. Because - I have to be honest with you here - I've been pretty bad. That's why I'm here to say sorry. (Again: not saying sorry for dropping the Bomb. Or the second Bomb. Just so we're clear.) I'm sorry for bookending my presidency with visits to historically significant cities -- that's Prague and Hiroshima, if you haven't been paying attention -- to exploit them as backdrops for lofty but ultimately inconsequential noises about the elimination of nuclear weapons. Advertisement I'm also sorry that you're all such bad listeners. When I went to Prague and said that America was seeking the "peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons," though maybe "not in my lifetime," you all thought that my emphasis was the goal, rather than the timeline. Read to the end of the paragraph, people! "Not in my lifetime." I'm sorry that I've virtually guaranteed that promise by laying out a thirty-year, one-trillion-dollar budget for modernizing the U.S. nuclear arsenal. By the time we're through, I'll be in my eighties. But if whichever Millennial who's president then acts quickly, I suppose you could get there in time for me to see it. Stranger things, folks. Stranger things. I'm sorry that I brewed such weak tea when I had the chance to re-write America's nuclear doctrine back in 2010. That Nuclear Posture Review really could've been something, huh? And, coming out of Prague, you might have thought I'd shoot the moon. Moral authority meets bully pulpit meets the Commander-in-Chief! The President of the United States of America gives a stemwinder of a speech like that, you think he really means it. Live and learn, I guess. I'm sorry that I sacked Chuck Hagel, the highest-ranking supporter of nuclear weapons elimination to serve in my administration. I'm sorry that I made my staff look like fools or liars or both when they had to say with a straight face that we still intended to get the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty ratified in the Senate. Advertisement You know, all this apologizing feels pretty good. What else... Oh, right! How could I have forgotten? I'm sorry that my administration has done everything it can to maintain the nuclear status quo. I'm sorry that we've taken every opportunity to undermine the "Humanitarian Pledge" and the efforts of the one-hundred-twenty-plus nations rallying for a negotiated ban on nuclear weapons. Yes, I know it's the most dynamic movement for nuclear weapons elimination in a generation. Yes, I know it's exactly the sort of game-changer that you'd have thought I'd support, given my Prague speech. Yes, I know. I wouldn't be saying "sorry" if I didn't, now would I? Ahem. I'm sorry Russia is so terrible right now. On a related note, I'm sorry that U.S. nuclear weapons are still on a Cold War, hair-trigger-alert posture. But, hey, you know what I'm not sorry for? I'm not sorry for the Iran Deal, and I'm not sorry for the Nuclear Security Summits. Those were pretty legit. I'm sort of sorry for the New START agreement. I know it was a middling treaty, but I had to do it. Now I think about it, I'm probably more not-sorry than I am sorry about that, but ask me tomorrow. I'm sorry that I will soon join the swollen ranks of former public servants who develop an urgent moral conscience about nuclear weapons just as soon as they lose any power to do anything about them. Advertisement I'm sorry I won a Nobel Prize for promises I totally failed to fulfill. But listen, some of that's got to be on the award committee, right? Let me leave you with my best and biggest apology. I knew when I came here that I wasn't going to express remorse for the U.S. dropping the Bomb, or announce any new policy proposals. I knew that I was going to come here and make some pleasant sounds while standing on the graves of incinerated children. I was going to say that the United States has a moral obligation to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons. Even though I've basically squandered the past seven years on that front. So, above all, I'm sorry for wasting the first visit of a sitting U.S. President to Hiroshima, rather than leaving it for a leader who could have done something with it. The Seventh Annual Lilly Awards on May 23rd, 2016 at Signature Theatre was a rousing salute to women who made significant contributions to theater and activism. It began with a video of a recent protest in front of Dublin's Abbey Theater decrying a male-dominated commemorative season. #WakingtheFeminists is rallying everyone who is sick of this. The First International Lilly was given to Waking the Feminists and was accepted by Sarah Durcan and Lisa Tierney-Keogh. "How many slaps must she take on the ass?" was one of the lines in the opening number This Stage is Your Stage, strum and sung to Dylan's Blowin' in the Wind by Amanda Green, Georgia Stitt, and Rebecca Naomi Jones. Awards were presented by Gloria Steinem, who was enjoying her second Monday after just getting off the plane from Australia, and Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o and the women of Eclipsed. To give a sense of the spirit of the evening, Steinem said "Laughter is the only free emotion. You can't compel laughter. It's an orgasm of the mind, a moment of freedom. It is the path into the unknown. It's been said that you can't pray unless you have laughed." Advertisement When receiving the Lilly in Playwrighting for Eclipsed, Danai Gurira spoke of how we should all make sure that those who come behind us are validated. She's active in Almasi, an organization dedicated to professionalizing the dramatic arts in Zimbabwe. and in Girl Be Heard located in Brooklyn, which helps girls change their lives by giving them a voice. Gurira shared that when she was a beginning playwright, not at all sure of herself, Pulitzer Prize-winner, Sarah Ruhl, read her play and assured her that she had something. Gurira not only never let go of that something, but is determined to pass it on. "Embrace the burden in your heart," she advises, "and tell it in the only way you can tell it. Go where you're loved and don't let disappointment take hold. Be a finisher." Jesse Mueller (star of Beautiful and Waitress) received a Lilly for acting. Her character in Waitress gains the courage to leave her abusive husband and begin a pie business. A note was found pinned to the wall in the lobby of the theater thanking Jesse for giving this woman the courage to leave her own abusive husband. Mueller is a supporter of Mount Sinai's Savi, a sexual assault and violence intervention program. Emmy, Obie, and Drama Desk Award winner, Martha Plimpton, now has a Lilly for Speaking Truth To Power. Wherever she goes, she advocates for a woman's right to choose and supports A is For which counters the shame women are made to feel when they want to terminate a pregnancy. Kate Whorisky (Ruined) received a Lilly for direction. When Whorisky found out that she was pregnant, she didn't think she would be able to direct Ruined and was terrified to tell that to Lynn Nottage. But Lynn said, "Congratulations. You are now part of the world of the working mother," and Kate got the courage to stay with it! Advertisement Emily Simoness spoke on behalf of SPACE at Ryder Farm in Brewster, NY, which provides a woman playwright with a week of retreat while providing a great camp for her kids right on the grounds. The hope is that this will become a part of every retreat. Leah Ryan Prize for Emerging Writers went to Genne Murphy. Candis Jones received a Lilly from the NY Women's Foundation Directing Apprenticeship. Two-time Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz whose beloved gay sister, Teresa, was brutally murdered in a hate crime, spoke on behalf of The Angel Band Project, which gives music therapy to survivors of sexual violence. Each year, Stacey Mindich gives a Go Write A Play Award, which gives women the money to do just that. And she brings all the winners together to encourage and support each other. This year it went to Rehana Lew Mirza. Mia Katigbak received a Lilly for Trailblazing. She's the co-founder, and artistic producing director of NAATCO (National Asian American Theater Company). NAATCO breaks racial and ethnic stereotypes on the American stage. For quite a while Mia Katigbak was only offered parts as a prostitute or a nurse. Once she was thrilled to get a part playing an instrument in a Moliere production, but was horrified to find out that she was to play behind a curtain because "there were no Asians in Moliere productions." The Lilly for Activism went to Kathy Najimy (Descendants, Veep) who uses her celebrity status to champion human rights and gay rights. She goes on game shows to get money to contribute to charities. Najimy described the feeling of receiving an award from Steinem as "A jolt right down my entire body and straight out my vagina." Advertisement The Lilly Awards were founded by Julia Jordan, Marsha Norman, and Theresa Rebeck, and were named after playwright Lillian Hellman. Getting enough sleep is integral to emotional and mental health, which is why I discuss it frequently with clients. Finally, there is a book that discusses all of the benefits of sleep, as well as the risks inherent in being chronically sleep-deprived. Arianna Huffington's new book, The Sleep Revolution, was sent to me by The Huffington Post, and is an eye-opening look at the ways that sleep can impact well-being in long-lasting and meaningful ways. It's really interesting to me, as a mom of small kids, that most parents I know place their child's sleep schedule very high on their priority list, and can discuss in depth the ways that their kid's behavior is impacted by lack of sleep. And then they place their own sleep on the back burner! It is a myth that adults can deal with sleep deprivation better than kids. They may not have tantrums, but lack of sleep can lead to irritability, depression, car accidents, and risk-taking behaviors. My favorite part of this book is the consistent analogy between alcohol consumption and sleep deprivation. We wouldn't drive drunk, so why do we drive on 2 hours of sleep? Sleep deprivation leads to the same slowed reaction time, impulsivity, and propensity to pass out. As she writes, "Fact: Twenty-four hours without sleep is the equivalent of a blood alcohol level of 0.1 percent- at which point you are more than legally drunk." Advertisement Huffington also discusses the link between smartphones and poor sleep, and says that many people check their phones constantly through the night! There is no way this interrupted sleep doesn't impact our teenage kids' emotional and physical health, and reading this book may give parents the push their need to enforce no-phone-at-night rules despite kids' pushback. And then they can turn their focus to persuading schools to start later. Another great statistic from the book is that when a boarding school started school 35 minutes later, students had 20% fewer visits to the health center.. and a record increase in GPA." I also like how the book addresses how difficult it often is for couples to sleep together, and normalizes the idea of sleeping separately to get better quality sleep. One interesting finding that Huffington reports, from the University of Pittsburgh, is that women sleep better when they are happy in their relationship, whereas men feel better about their relationships after a night of better sleep. I don't know if a larger study or one that focuses on only parents of young kids would find the same thing, because I know that women who feel sleep deprived feel worse about everything, marriage included. On May 23, Jiajing Wang of Stanford University reported in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that evidence has been found to suggest that beer has been brewed in China for at least 5000 years. I'm not sure how popular the beer would have been today, however. The researchers concluded the beer would have had a sweet flavor, due to the plant minerals and grains detected in its remnants. The ancient recipe includes a combination of broomcorn millet, barley, Job's tears and tubers. While it may not quite match our modern tastes, it is a remarkable find. The evidence for this was found recently when examining artifacts found in two pits in Northern China in 2004. The pits were deemed to have been constructed by the Yangshao people between the ages of 3400 and 2900 B.C. The pits revealed a range of archeological artifacts, such as pots, amphorae, funnels, and pieces of a stove. This lead the team to conclude it was a brewing operation. Further testing showed the pieces did in fact contain residue of what would appear to be a type of beer. Advertisement Why Is It Interesting? The findings are particularly interesting because this is now the oldest known evidence of barley use in China. It predates the previous evidence by a thousand years. The researchers propose that this indicates that barley, for the production of beer, was the initial driver of the introduction of barley into the nation. They argue this suggests that the Chinese were in fact brewing and consuming beer socially at the time. Interesting stuff. Perhaps the people of the past were just like us, after all? When I graduated college in 2009, I had this naive idea that I would instantly be flooded with good job offers. Now I just laugh at my young 21-year-old self. Instead, I left North Carolina (where I went to college) and moved back home to Massachusetts. I spent the next six months crying, applying for jobs and working in a miserable retail job. I finally decided maybe I needed to give up and reevaluate things. I realized I was young, I had no responsibilities, and the whole world was open to me. This was my chance to spend a year volunteering (something I had always wanted to do). I could try the whole job search thing again in a year. I came across a website for a community for adults with disabilities located in a valley surrounded by the Blue Ridge mountains in Virginia. This community was looking for live-in volunteers to commit a year of their time. I went down for a few days to visit and I fell in love with it all. Just imagine a beautiful valley filled with people that have the most positive outlook on life. Advertisement A week later I received a good job offer as a Public Relations manager at a small nonprofit company. I had to decide between a good job and volunteering in Virginia. Despite urging from my family and friends, I chose to volunteer. Two months later, in January, I filled my dad's car and moved. I was placed in a house with two other volunteers and five adults with various physical and mental disabilities. It wasn't always easy being 22 and in charge of people's lives, but I fell in love with all of them. The people I lived with made it worth it. I mean could this place be anymore beautiful? My time in Virginia was the best of my life. It's easy to say that, but let me explain what I mean. I had never before been filled with a feeling that I wanted the ultimate best for everyone. I think this is a feeling that only comes when you are completely content with yourself. In Virginia, I felt that. I was completely in love with life and everyone around me. I remember being in Boston on a visit back home and striking up a conversation with a homeless guy. He said to me, "Why are you being so nice and talking to me? Nobody talks to me." I didn't know what to say because at that point in my life it just felt natural to be happy and talk to everyone. Advertisement In July of that year, a few new volunteers came from Germany. By the winter, I fell in love with one of them, Thomas. His visa was only good for a year, so not long after we got together we were forced to make some big decisions about life. It's a bit crazy to talk about marriage after three months of being together, but that is what we had to do. If we stayed in the U.S. that was our best option. I was (and still am) obsessed with him, so I offered to move to Germany. I figured that was a better option than getting married. Although looking back it was really crazy to move to a country I had never been to for a guy I had been with for a few months. It's been almost five years since I left the U.S. I spent over four years with Thomas in Germany teaching English and traveling all over Europe. About six months ago we decided it was time for the next adventure and started looking for a new (warmer) place to move. We now live in sunny Costa Rica and we love it. My life did not turn out the way I expected. I always planned on having that good job, a house, and kids. Looking back I realize that was never the life I wanted, just the life I felt that I was expected to have. This life, the one filled with deep love and new adventures, is the perfect life. As we approach Memorial Day this coming weekend, it's a good time to brush-up on our flag protocol. With thoughts of a fun-in-the-sun three-day weekend ahead, we sometimes forget the roots of Memorial Day. Many have defended our country's values, especially our service members. Memorial weekend is a traditional time to showcase the ultimate U.S. symbol -- our stars and stripes. Many of our readers have asked us about displaying their flag. Here are answers to the questions we receive most: Advertisement What do we need to know to display our U.S. flag? How do we know if we're doing it correctly? Just by asking the question you are honoring the flag. Thank you for setting a leadership example for younger generations. The United States Flag Code stipulates that as the symbol of a living country, the flag is considered in a living thing and should be properly cared for as follows: Raise the flag briskly and lower it ceremoniously. Never allow the flag to touch the ground or floor. Do not fly the flag in bad weather, unless you are 100 percent certain it is an all-weather flag. Fly the flag only from sunrise to sunset. It can only be flown at night if it is properly illuminated. The flag should always be allowed to fall free. The flag may not be used to carry, store, or deliver any items. Never fly the flag upside down except to signal an emergency. What is the difference between half-mast and half-staff? Our readers who are sailors (Ahoy there!) already that know the term "half-mast" refers to nautical flagpoles, or masts. "Half-staff" refers to any other flagpole, whether residential or commercial. Are there any special requirements for flying the U.S. American flag on Memorial Day? Yes, in addition to the Flag Code protocol there are special requirements for flying the U.S American flag on Memorial Day. On this day, flags are flown at half-staff from dawn until noon. At noon, the flag is raised briskly to full-staff until sunset, when it is lowered completely. Advertisement What if my flag cannot be raised or lowered to half-staff because it is mounted to the side of my residence? If your personal flag cannot be raised and lowered effectively because it is mounted to your home, you have another option. Flag protocol dictates that a black ribbon be tied on top of the flagpole, just under the top ornament, as a substitute. This Memorial Day, remember to respect our history, raise your flag, honor all who have served and use our tips to enjoy your three-day weekend. Today, mass shootings are all too common. That wasn't always the case. On a fateful August day in 1966, long before Columbine or Sandy Hook or Va Tech, Charles Joseph Whitman climbed the steps to the clock tower on the University of Texas at Austin campus. He had already killed his wife and mother. By the end of the day, 13 more would be dead and 33 wounded, one of them seriously enough to die a week later, bringing the death total to 14. Coming just three years after President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, it was the first time we, as a nation, had to contend with a crazed shooter on a school campus. It would certainly not be the last. We did not have a 24-hour news cycle then, and yet it was on every channel, an endless stream of heartbreak as victims were counted and identified. A news building was located across the square with a clear view of the tower, where shot after shot rang out for 96 minutes as they filmed. The horrifying footage seems more like a Hitchcock movie than live footage. Advertisement The Controversies Much like today, when something unimaginable happens, opinions differ. What caused the tower shooting? Could something have prevented it? What really happened? We may never know the answers. The Brain Tumor Whitman's autopsy revealed a brain tumor - an astrocytoma about the size of a pecan. The neuropathologist who conducted the autopsy, Dr. Chenar, concluded that this type of tumor would have no effect on Whitman's behavior. Governor John Connally commissioned a task force to examine the evidence, a panel of experts who ultimately disagreed with Dr. Chenar's findings. While they could not say conclusively that the tumor caused Whitman's actions on that day, they agreed that it might have contributed to his lack of control. Advertisement Who Was The Hero? During the hail of bullets, three men initially ascended the tower that day to confront the killer. Two policemen, Ramiro Martinez and Houston McCoy, and one armed civilian, Allen Crum, kicked open the door and went out on the observation deck. A third officer, Jerry Day, went back down to accompany victims to safety. When the victims were safe, Officer Day went back up and took up a position near Crum. The stories of what happened next are consistent but for one thing. Officers Martinez and McCoy each think they killed the sniper. Reports indicated that Martinez fired the first and last shots, and that he killed Whitman. He was hailed as the hero. In the initial version, as reported by Time, local news station KBTC-TV, and other stories by respected journalists, Ramiro Martinez was credited with killing the sniper. The local newspaper, The Austin American, ran a headline that read "SHOOTS SLAYER. Patrolman Ramiro Martinez put the first bullet into the sniper atop the University of Texas tower, and then emptied his police revolver as the sniper whirled and fired at him." Allen Crum stayed near the door while the two officers crept around the side of the building toward the shooter. Moments later, Crum thought he heard the shooter running in his direction and fired a warning shot into the wall. The shooter heard the shot and backed into a corner aiming his rifle in the direction of the shot, preparing for an attack. Seeing that the shooter was focused on the other direction, Martinez seized the opportunity. He broke cover and squeezed off all 6 shots from his .38 handgun in rapid succession. The shooter jerked as he was hit, fired wildly into the air, and started to rise from his crouching position, swinging his gun towards the officers. McCoy discharged his shotgun twice. Whitman spun around and slumped against the wall. Martinez grabbed McCoy's shotgun, ran to Whitman, and pumped the final shot into his head. Advertisement Years after the shooting, Officer McCoy came forward with a slightly different version. He told anyone who would listen that Martinez missed with all six shots, while his two shotgun blasts delivered the fatal wounds, and that Whitman was already dead when Martinez shot him the final time. When the Los Angeles Times ran the story in 1994, the reporter wrote that McCoy had powerful proof that he, and not Martinez, was the hero - the autopsy report. The reporter remarked about how compelling this proof was. There's only one problem. The autopsy report does not corroborate his story. It does not specify which shot killed Whitman (there's no way to tell), but does say that there were wounds from both large caliber bullets and shotgun pellets. Is this revisionist history? Comments on videos and news stories often lean disturbingly toward racism. From YouTube: There's no way to know who fired the fatal shot, but one thing is certain. All three of those brave officers and the civilian deputized on the spot risked their lives to face down a heavily armed sniper. In my book, they are all heroes. Guns Everywhere! Another subject up for debate is the endless controversy over armed citizens. When news of the shooting hit the airwaves, armed men showed up on the campus, guns at the ready. They took up stances around the base of the tower and shot at Whitman. Advertisement While some commentators lauded the civilians for pinning down the gunman, others questioned the wisdom of a law that allows vigilante justice. Officer McCoy narrowly missed a shot to the head from below. In one news video, he points to the bullet hole than nearly ended his life. With every new shooting, the questions arise and options are discussed. How do we, as a nation, move forward? Everyone on both sides of the fence realizes the need for much more safety and education on the topic. Veteran-owned website, Imminent Threat Solutions, talks about frequent training and situational awareness to protect yourself should you be confronted with an armed individual. The argument that you should put your phone down and pay attention to your surroundings when you are in public is something both sides can agree on. Mental Health Then, as now when a killer goes berserk, there was speculation of mental illness and lack of mental health care. Could psychiatric help have prevented this tragedy? By all accounts, Whitman was certainly an emotionally damaged young man. He was the son of a controlling, physically and mentally abusive father and had a court martial in his military record. Charles Whitman, 1963. Photo Source As it turned out, Whitman had sought professional help. His journal entries and suicide missive seemed to indicate that he was aware of his mental deterioration. He knew what he was planning was wrong, but was unable or unwilling to stop. He was suffering from terrible headaches. In his lengthy suicide note, he urged authorities to conduct an autopsy to find out if there was a biological reason for his actions. He indicated that he loved his wife and mother, and killed them to spare the shame and embarrassment of what was to come. By Munqeth Mehyar, Nader Khateeb, and Gidon Bromberg (EcoPeace Middle East) Despite continuing disputes over settlements, Jerusalem, borders, and refugees, there is at least one problem on which Arabs and Israelis can still make progress -- water. Much hard work lies ahead. The World Economic Forum has identified water issues, from drought to polluted water, as the biggest threat to the planet over the next decade. Nowhere on the globe do these issues pose greater risks than in the Middle East. Advertisement In our region, water is not only scarce but often contaminated as well. The aquifer below the Gaza Strip is so overexploited that seawater is now seeping into it, leaving fresh water in very short supply. Some 1.8 million Palestinians in Gaza have run out of potable water. Large amounts of sewage are released untreated, compounding the problem. An astounding 90 million liters of raw sewage from Gaza is being dumped into the Mediterranean every day. This risks causing an outbreak of pandemic diseases such as cholera and typhoid, not only in Gaza, but in Egypt and Israel as well. A stream contaminated with sewage, called Zommer by Palestinians and Alexander by Israelis, flows from Nablus in the West Bank and enters the Mediterranean Sea near Netanya. Look to models of regional collaboration Instead of a doomsday scenario there can be a win-win solution, but only if we act now. Fortunately we have successful models of regional collaboration on water issues to look to. Advertisement Ten years ago, the Jordan River was about to run dry. But since 2007, concerted regional action led by Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian mayors has made significant progress towards rehabilitating the Jordan River. The mayors are collaborating to turn what was once an open sewer into a water bank, having come to understand the economic benefits that a rejuvenated river system would bring to their respective communities. Water banking has precedents in the region. Following the signing of the Jordan-Israel peace treaty in 1994, Jordan now stores winter runoff from the Yarmouk River in the Sea of Galilee in Israel, and then gets it back in the summer. This shows how prior enemies can create positive interdependence once they start trusting each other. These successes suggest that additional progress is possible. Indeed, in 2015 Israel doubled the amount of water it sold to Gaza and supplied water to the new Palestinian city of Rawabi following years of delay. But more needs to be done. In 2013, connected with rehabilitation work by Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian mayors, fresh water flowed into the lower Jordan River for the first time in 50 years. Advertisement Palestinians need their fare share of water For the first time in history, thanks to conservation, desalination, and reuse of wastewater for agriculture, one country in the Middle East enjoys a water surplus -- Israel. An agreement to share water between Israelis and Palestinians is achievable. Water is no longer a zero-sum game. While in the past sharing water more fairly between Israelis and Palestinians would have meant less water for Israeli agriculture, advances in wastewater reuse and desalination mean that a water deal would not require cutting Israeli supplies. Palestinians need to receive their fair allocation of shared water resources. To move forward, both sides must stop holding water issues hostage to a broader Middle East peace agreement. And with careful management, Israel can work with its neighbors to clean up the mess of untreated sewage on its borders and shores. Fixing the problem is in Israel's own interest. It would prevent Gaza's sewage from polluting Tel Aviv, and West Bank sewage from polluting the shared mountain aquifer and cross-border streams. Advertisement Three steps that would benefit everyone Recently in Brussels, the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee on the Palestinian economy held its bi-annual meeting, bringing the Israeli and Palestinian governments together with the international community. For the first time, the committee identified water and energy for Gaza and the West Bank as urgent issues. This is an important achievement, signaling the willingness of the international community to help the parties move forward on resolving their water issues. It is critical that this acknowledgment results in concrete action. Such action should be taken now, even in the absence of a broader peace process. There are three measures that both sides should implement, and that the international community should encourage -- measures that are in the interests of both Palestinians and Israelis. For starters, Israel should again double the amount of potable water it sells to Gaza. The Palestinians are prepared to pay for it, and they desperately need it. Second, a wastewater plant in Gaza -- built under the leadership of the World Bank -- should be opened. It alone would treat a third of the raw sewage currently being released into the Mediterranean. Opening the plant requires Israel to supply the electricity needed to operate it, and the Palestinians to pay for it. Advertisement Finally, Israel must also provide more water to the thirstiest towns in the West Bank, based on full utilization of a new water pipeline funded by US taxpayers. A thirsty neighbor can never be a good neighbor. This would not be charity -- until a final agreement on water is reached, the Palestinians are willing to pay for these urgently needed supplies. Like no other issue, solving water and sanitation problems can improve the lives of every Palestinian and Israeli. Progress can help restore faith in the peace processwater is one of the five final-status issues. Action on water builds the type of cooperation needed so desperately in the Middle East. Munqeth Mehyar, Nader Khateeb, and Gidon Bromberg are, respectively, the Jordanian, Palestinian, and Israeli co-directors of EcoPeace Middle East, an organization leading peace efforts through diplomacy on water issues. 8th June 1945: A group of 6th Division Marines take cover behind a wall during their fight amid the wrecked homes and rubble of Naha, capital city of the Japanese island of Okinawa. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images) WASHINGTON--As President Barack Obama prepares tomorrow to become the first American President to visit Hiroshima since that fateful day 71 years ago, I've spent a lot of time thinking of friends long since gone. The atomic bombs that America dropped on Japan in August of 1945 took more than 200,000 lives. But they probably saved mine. At the time, I was a young sergeant in the United States army being readied to participate in the full-scale invasion of Japan. The previous year, I had enlisted in the service just three weeks after my 17th birthday, a skinny Jewish kid from South Philadelphia eager to follow my big brother, Buddy, into war. In the summer of '45, none of us knew how long the war in the Pacific would last. But the reports about the nearly three-month battle for the island of Okinawa were gruesome, with more than a hundred thousand Japanese killed, some by suicide. We didn't know at the time that America had suffered almost fifty thousand casualties, although we'd heard the number was massive. But we knew that the invasion of Japan would likely begin from this hard-fought island, and we all assumed that the Japanese homeland would be defended with equal ferocity. It was predicted that the mission would take the lives of more than a hundred thousand American G.I.'s -- including, most likely, me. Advertisement Then everything changed. One day in early August, I sat with a couple of guys in the barracks and puzzled over the local newspaper's story that an American plane had "dropped one bomb" on some Japanese city I couldn't pronounce and "destroyed" it. We understood how our B-29 long-range bombers had firebombed Tokyo with devastating results, taking 100,000 lives. But we were mystified to read that this so-called "atomic bomb" harnessed "the basic power of the universe" and loosed the "force from which the sun draws its power" upon a city called Hiroshima. What the hell did that mean? We scratched our heads about what the paper called this "greatest achievement of organized science in history." I tried to make sense of the following stories about Einstein and E=mc2, but had no more success than I had in my physics classes in school. What most mattered to us was whether this would shorten the war and whether we would still need to risk our lives invading Japan. When we learned about the second bomb three days later, we could see that the war was ending. Imagine our relief a week later, on August 15, when Japan surrendered. Years later, revisionist historians argued that the Japanese would have surrendered without our using the bomb or invading their homeland. They believe we used the A-bomb not so much to save American troops lives but as a first step into the Cold War with the Soviets. Some of those same arguments have been advanced again in the run-up to President Obama's visit. I became a close friend and associate in the 1970s with the pioneer and leading exponent of this revisionist view, Gar Alperovitz, a brilliant political economist and historian who earned his PhD at Cambridge, was a founding Fellow of the Harvard Institute of Politics and a long-time professor at the University of Maryland at College Park. Advertisement Gar and I are only nine years apart in age, but we're of different generations, so we have understandably looked at this issue through different lenses. While I trained for the invasion, Gar was nine. He has studied the key documents of the time with all of his considerable scholarly skills. I never have. Nonetheless, while Gar often cites some generals who believed that Japan's fall was imminent, I side with many of the other officers I knew then who believed the Samurai mindset among the military who then controlled Japan would have never surrendered -- because to surrender, in that culture, was the ultimate act of cowardice. I believe an invasion of Japan would have been a bloodbath for everyone. I believe Japanese Emperor Hirohito ordered the military to surrender only because of the A-bombs that President Harry S. Truman decided to drop. I realize my beliefs are not based on academic findings. They are existential, a product of my direct experience and the feelings I had as my buddies and I waited in our barracks for our invasion orders. But that doesn't mean that I don't look back on what happened in Japan seven decades ago with horror, because I do. In fact, the threat of another Hiroshima disturbed me so much that years later, I got deeply involved in the anti-nuclear movement. I founded an organization in the mid-1970s called the Nuclear Information Resource Service, or NIRS, so citizens could learn about the dangers of nuclear reactors and take direct action locally. I co-founded a political party in the late 70s, called the Citizens Party, that ran an anti-nuke candidate against Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter in the 1980 presidential election. In 1982, I founded a very different kind of organization called Business Executives for National Security, or BENS, which has focused on a wide range of defense and security issues ever since, including preventing the use of even one nuclear weapon while working to reduce the world's nuclear stockpiles. Advertisement *** I'm proud of that legacy, but it hasn't been enough. As America today overhauls its nuclear arsenal, Russian officials speak of their warheads as offensive weapons, and Pakistan quietly grows the world's third largest nuclear arsenal with China's help, the Doomsday Clock stands at three minutes to midnight. That, in part, is why President Obama's visit is so important: to remember what happened yesterday so we can prevent what might happen tomorrow. It does us no good to whitewash history, to change the narrative around Hiroshima, or to take decisions from 1945 out of the context in which they were made. For all the talk about whether Obama should apologize to Japan -- with some even going so far to suggest that Harry Truman should be considered a war criminal -- I can guarantee one thing: nobody who lived through the Second World War, who fought in it, who lost family and friends to it, will look back on the end of the war with anything but gratitude and relief. To this day, schoolchildren in Japan aren't taught the full story of what happened in the 1930s and '40s. They don't learn about the utter brutality of the Japanese war machine and the atrocities it committed across Asia that took more than 20 million lives and precipitated the fall of the atomic bombs. It's not hard to understand why. As human beings, it is only natural to want to push away the painful and unimaginable past, to avoid reliving the darkest moments of a proud nation's history. But we shouldn't play along. We shouldn't let the story of that time be rewritten by those who seek today to position Japan in 1945 as a victim and not the aggressor it was. We shouldn't humor those who so easily want to forget, because many of us still remember. I remember. I remember the stories from the so-called Rape of Nanking, when the Japanese Imperial Army invaded the Chinese capital in 1937 and murdered up to 600,000 men, women and children in the space of six weeks while sexually assaulting as many as 80,000 women first. Advertisement I remember the Palawan Island Massacre in the Philippines in 1944, when Japanese soldiers, wrongly believing an Allied invasion was imminent, herded 150 American POW's into an air-raid shelter and then burned almost all of them alive. I remember the massacre of Manila in the winter of 1945 when Imperial troops, surrounded by Americans who stopped their artillery fire so the Japanese could surrender, chose instead to go on a civilian rampage, slaughtering more than 100,000 innocent civilians through beheadings, machine-gun sprays, and fire set to buildings with people inside. It is hundreds of atrocities like these that America used to remember when we thought of Hiroshima, the tragically leveled city in the country that attacked us first -- drawing far, far too many of our friends and neighbors into war in the South Pacific, who were never the same when they came home, or never came home at all. Tomorrow, I hope the president celebrates the friendship that grew between America and Japan after the war, an example that all adversaries today can learn from. I hope he celebrates the living standards raised and the economies that grew through our partnership. I hope he uses the memory of 1945 to seek a new beginning in our efforts to rid the world of nuclear weapons once and for all. But I hope he doesn't seek to rewrite the past or erase parts of our common history. In the end, telling the truth about the war is the highest tribute we can pay to the dead -- and the living. Advertisement *** This column includes excerpts from Stanley Weiss's upcoming memoir, Being Dead is Bad for Business: Tales from an Improbable American Life, to be published by Disruption Books in the fall. *** Marin Mazzie in The King and I Photo: Paul Kolnik Should theatergoers who dearly love Rodgers & Hammerstein's The King and I -- a group that has by and large already made a visit to Bartlett Sher's Lincoln Center Theater production, which opened a year ago starring Kelli O'Hara -- go to the effort and expense of returning to the Vivian Beaumont to see it once more, now that Marin Mazzie is portraying Anna? I'm afraid the answer is yes, resoundingly. So many musicals to see, I know; but the show, which remains in exquisite condition, now strikes a tone -- emotionally, not just musically -- that has been absent in recent renditions. Mazzie established herself as a Broadway star in 1994; I suppose she could be described as yesterday's Kelli O'Hara, which is a full compliment in both directions. Like O'Hara, she started her Broadway career with a high-profile nude scene. This as Clara in Sondheim's Passion, which clothed or not called for virtuosic singing. She went on to star as the Mother in Ragtime and Lili in the 1999 revival of Kiss Me, Kate, both opposite Brian Stokes Mitchell. Advertisement All of which leads to the obvious: Mazzie is 55 years old. Ms. O'Hara was 38 when this production opened; recent Annas include Donna Murphy at 37, Faith Prince at 40, Marie Osmond at 38 and -- going back -- Constance Towers at 43 and even Barbara Cook at 33. Now, Broadway has always been somewhat elastic on leading ladies' ages; The Sound of Music, with its teenaged heroine, was written for Mary Martin at 45. This never seemed to bother anyone, although eyebrows might have been raised if Mary took the role as replacement for a 25-year-old Maria. What does the calendar -- and Anna's apparent age -- mean to The King and I? That is the question, and that's the surprise Mazzie brings to the production. The answer comes in Anna's first solo, "Hello, Young Lovers." Kelli and other Annas hovering around 40 sing "I've had a love of my own" in a manner that implies that it is still not altogether impossible that she might yet have another love of her own. Marin's Anna is clearly on the other side; "I've had a love of my own," but time has gone by so I herewith pass along any dreams of flying down the street in a trance with wings on my heels to young lovers. While 55 -- in the context of today -- is not past the age of possibility, it was in 1862 (when the musical takes place) and 1951 (when the show was written). And that's the key to Mazzie's success here. Because Rodgers & Hammerstein -- or more specifically, Hammerstein -- was writing for an Anna on the other side. Writing to order, in fact: Gertrude Lawrence optioned the underlying material (the 1944 novel "Anna and the King of Siam," which was successfully filmed in 1946 starring Irene Dunne and Rex Harrison) and commissioned R&H to write and produce the musical as a vehicle for herself. Lawrence -- a top-of-the-line, international star/celebrity since 1926 -- was 52, with a 33-year-old daughter, when The King and I opened. And she was playing against a King who was 21 years younger than she was. While Yul Brynner always had an ageless quality, he was ferociously vital. He kept performing the role until his last gasp in 1985. Lawrence -- who died of cancer a year into the show's run -- was replaced by an actress who was 48; later replacements in the original production were similarly older than Brynner. (Dunne, in the non-musical film version, was almost a decade older than King Rex.) But as Yul grew older, his Annas grew younger. In the 1956 motion picture version, which cemented the show -- and the image of Brynner-as-King -- in the public conscious, Yul was playing against the glamorous Deborah Kerr: A year younger than Brynner, and twenty-two years younger than Gertie when she created the role. Advertisement Flash forward, and Anna has become a young and vibrant musical comedy leading lady like Kelli O'Hara (or Donna Murphy in 1996). But Hammerstein was writing for an Anna past romance. That is the pedal that Mazzie and Sher sustain in the new version at the Beaumont. Those who dearly love the show have never seen it in this guise, unless they were attending musicals during Eisenhower's first term. And yes, it makes a difference. Marin Mazzie and Daniel Dae Kim in The King and I Photo: Paul Kolnik Oscar preceded The King and I with South Pacific, in which he was tackling mid-century prejudice. Naive heroine Nellie Forbush couldn't accept the notion of romance with Emile de Becque because he was much older, foreign (French), and most critically because he had lived with -- that is, slept with -- a non-white local woman. At a key moment, Nellie is horrified to learn that those native tots who charmed her by singing "Dites-Moi" are Emile's children. How can she place herself in that man's bed? In The King and I, Oscar devises a perhaps-conceivable romance made downright impossible by different cultures, different social stations, and different skin color. One of the key moments of the show -- written into Hammerstein's stage directions -- is when the King breaks off his dance with Anna (in "Shall We Dance") because he realizes that unlike the British dancers, they are merely holding hands. In Oscar's words: KING: Was like this. No? (Looking very directly into her eyes, he advances on her slowly and puts his hand on her waist) ANNA (Scarcely able to speak) Yes. The orchestra plays two extended notes, corresponding to the unspoken words "shall... we...", and then plunges into a wild polka. (This is, perhaps, the defining image of the show.) In this current King and I -- as in the original, with Lawrence and Brynner -- Hammerstein confronts us with another immediate reason why the hand on the waist is unthinkable: she is too old. The current King's number one -- and oldest -- wife is played by an actress who is 22 years younger than Mazzie. Tony Award-winner Ruthie Ann Miles, that is, who remains just as dynamic as she was when the show opened. Korean actor Daniel Dae Kim, on the other hand, is a marked improvement over the King who O'Hara played opposite. And while maturing child actors can have an adverse effect on a show, Jon Viktor Corpuz -- who has now turned nineteen -- adds stature to Prince Chulalongkorn. Instead of being a child apprehensive of the day when he takes the thrown, Corpuz is now practically an adult facing the knowledge that the day is approaching and he is still unprepared. In the same way that Ms. Miles' Lady Thiang elevated what we once thought of as a minor character, Corpuz' Chulalongkorn is now a major presence in the drama. Advertisement Mazzie is giving a thoroughly fine and intensely moving performance. So much so that the backstory is irrelevant if gripping. The actress was diagnosed with Stage 4 ovarian cancer last May -- ironically, while singing Kander & Ebb's "Life Is What You Do" ("while you're waiting to die") in the Encores Zorba. She has fiercely worked her way out of surgery and treatment, and back onstage. Here she is now, doing this grueling three-hour show eight times a week. Mazzie and her husband Jason Danieley have seen fit to publicize her illness, as encouragement for other patients and survivors, so it is only proper to mention it here. To see her up there on stage at Lincoln Center is certainly convincing. She glows during "Hello, Young Lovers"; charms one and all as schoolmarm to those ever-adorable Royal Children in "Getting to Know You"; and veritably snorts with musical comedy rage in her fiery "Shall I Tell You What I Think of You?" But she is also playing that age difference, written into the material but overlooked for sixty years. Marin Mazzie and Company in The King and I Photo: Paul Kolnik By Sharon Bowen, Advisor Students Rising Above As high school graduations wind down, many college-bound students are setting their sights not only on entering college come fall, but also making sense of what can be complicated financial aid packages. Free online tools, such as the Students Rising Above (SRA) Budget Builder, available on SRA's College2Careers Hub, can help decipher financial aid packages by comparing grants, loans, work study, and scholarships to the school's cost of attendance. But, did you know that the cost of attendance on the school's website is typically estimated based on average situations? So what if your situation isn't the average? Here are 10 potential ways to knock down college costs: 1. Request a triple on your housing application Single rooms are the most expensive, triples or quads are the best bargains, and doubles are in the middle. For example, for the 2016-17 school year, a triple at the University of California, Davis costs $2565 less than a single. Also, check to see if some dorm buildings are cheaper than others, but remember if you're too far away to walk to your classes you might need to budget for a bike. 2. Consider a a less expensive meal plan Definitely sign up for enough dining hall meals to keep you healthy, but don't pay for meals you don't need. Why pay more if you don't want to get up early enough to go to breakfast before your classes, you have a small appetite, tend not to eat big meals anyway, or are willing to use groceries for simple meals in your dorm? You could save hundreds or even a thousand dollars a year by choosing a lower meal plan instead of the highest. Advertisement 3. Buy groceries instead of eating out or at dining halls Many dorm buildings have common area kitchenettes, with a microwave and stove for you to use. Just buy non-name-brand or sale-priced instant oatmeal, granola bars, cans of soup, just-add-water soup cups, peanut butter and bread, ramen, frozen burritos, or other filling, somewhat healthy, bargain-priced foods at grocery or discount stores. Having food on hand can save you money, compared to eating out or using a dining hall meal swipe three times every day. Be quick to wash dishes, take out trash, and put food away in containers with tight-fitting lids to keep unwanted insects and animals away. 4. Minimize your meal plan's "cash" or "bucks" Meal plans often include money to use like a debit card at coffee shops, cafes, fast food places, and convenience stores around campus that charge normal dollar prices instead of dining hall swipes. Choose the smallest amount of cash/bucks because you'll get a better price on snacks and quick meals when you stock up at grocery stores, instead of grabbing them on campus or in restaurants. 5. Be a smart textbook shopper Unless your major has particularly expensive textbooks (like pre-med or engineering), budgeting $1000 for freshman year books should work. Also, plan to: Buy used books instead of new. If your professor says you need the latest edition of a textbook, ask if it is truly necessary or if you can adjust for the differences. Sell your books online or to other students at the end of each semester. Trade similarly-priced textbooks with other students instead of you both selling back and repurchasing. Share a book or course pack with a classmate; be organized and communicative so you both have enough time to read and study. For classic fiction and other non-textbooks, look for used copies on Amazon or similar sites where you pay a penny (seriously, one penny!) for the book and about4 for shipping, or find out if the text is available for free online. Check books out of the library, make copies of your textbook, or go there to read the reference texts that cannot be taken out of the building. You can also rent books online. Look over your class syllabus to see how many chapters of a book you need to read. If it's only a few, could you photocopy them at the library instead of buying the whole text? 6. Choose smart, efficient classes Talk with your advisor before choosing your first year's classes, and strive to be organized and get all the courses you need in 3-4 years. If you're thinking about transferring to another school at any point, be absolutely certain that all your credits will count. Also, find out if you can take inexpensive classes at a community college in the summer and apply the credits to your bachelor's degree. 7. Ask about health center fees You have to be careful because you don't want to get stuck with high medical bills when you're sick or in an emergency. But, you can call your school and health insurance company to find out if the plan you already have at home can cover you at college and let you opt out of the school plan. If it works out, make sure you fully understand what you are waiving and what services you can use. Keep written confirmation of everything, like emails, forms, or policies. 8. Do not have a car or pet at college Both of these have numerous costs associated with them that add up quickly! Don't bring a car unless you absolutely cannot make walking, biking, or public transportation work. Wait until after college when you're employed to see if you have room in your budget for pet food, equipment, toys, medicine, and vet visits. 9. Become a Resident Advisor (RA) Once you're beyond your freshman year, this is a leadership experience that might also offer free or discounted room and board. 10. See if you qualify for "food stamps" Most full-time college students do not qualify for money for groceries from the federal government, especially if their school meal plan covers more than half of their meals. However, you might be eligible for this type of assistance if you do any one of the following. Read more details : Participate in a college work study program Work at least 20 hours a week in work study or another job Are taking care of a child or other dependent member of your household Get public assistance benefits under a Title IV-A program like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Final Thoughts College can be one of the biggest financial investments you will ever make. But by planning ahead, it is possible to save money on college education costs while minimizing overall student loan debt. Do you have a creative money saving tip not mentioned above? Join the discussion below and let us know! Sri Lanka's cabinet of ministers recently gave its approval that an Office of Missing Persons (OMP) be established. The OMP is one of the main pillars of Sri Lanka's transitional justice agenda. The OMP still needs to be approved by parliament, though the cabinet's decision is a development that merits attention. What's really going on here? Unfortunately, it does not appear that victims have been properly consulted about the OMP. At this point, it's not even clear precisely what the cabinet has agreed to. It's helpful to keep in mind that consultations with the public are a key part of any meaningful transitional justice package, yet Colombo appears to have little interest in doing this. In fact, members of the country's Tamil community recently expressed concerns about the creation of the OMP. Given the cabinet's recent decision, the letter that the group had sent to Mangala Samaraweera, the island nation's foreign minister, looks eerily prescient. Advertisement "For several months, there has been a secret process on drafting the bill for OMP, even as government had committed to a parallel public consultation process," says Ruki Fernando, a Colombo-based human rights activist. He believes that Colombo is hoping to finalize the OMP before the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights delivers an oral update on Sri Lanka this June, during the 32nd session of the U.N. Human Rights Council (HRC). "This [finalizing the OMP] seems to be a bigger priority than transparency and actually facilitating the involvement of families of victims, civil society and others. But they [government officials] also want to show consultations are happening," notes Fernando. Here's more from Fernando: Despite serious reservations about government's intentions, I and several activists and families of disappeared persons had made written and oral submissions, highlighting serious concerns about the OMP and with practical and specific suggestions. We have no idea how much of it had been taken on board during the last few weeks before cabinet approval. Now that cabinet approval has been given, it's likely that a draft bill will finalized by the legal draftsman, gazetted, tabled in parliament and passed. Technically, there's still space for families and others to give input during these phases, but it's extremely unlikely input at this stage can influence the OMP. Since the turn of the century the middle classes of the global South have taken centre stage in economic policy circles. Animated by diversification of some countries' economies, a handful of economists from international agencies and think-tanks began a discourse that then entered African and development studies. This in turn led to calls for policies to be redirected. Countries were urged to strengthen their middle classes. The leading proponents were the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) followed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The OECD's view is evident in its Global Development Perspectives 2012 report and the UNDP's in its 2013 Human Development Report. Advertisement They define middle class as a group of people with a minimum of anything from US$2 to $10 monetary income/expenditure a day. But such a reduced approach misses much of what is required for a proper analysis of a class - its character, and its positioning in and impact on society. Rather, the discovery of the middle class was linked to its anticipated role in promoting social change to which those in the "business of development" could pin their hopes. This, however, shifts the debate away from the critical assessment of obstacles to development. It thereby gets in the way of a proper diagnosis of the real challenges to promoting more social equality and justice in some of the most unequal societies in our world. The problem with the definition Defining the middle class as a group of people with a minimum of anything from $2 to $10 monetary income/expenditure a day is itself fuzzy. Advertisement With reference to the $2 threshold, the African Development Bank declared one-third - 300 million - of the continent's population as middle class in 2011. A year later it adjusted its size up to 500 million. It considered this a key factor for development. It takes quite some fantasy to imagine how, based on the living costs in Africa's urban centres, a $2-a-day threshold catapults someone from the $1.99 margin as criteria for poor into a middle-class existence. And then into playing a pioneering role in the continent's future transformation. It seems, therefore, that all those not starving are nowadays considered "middle class". Limiting the debate to purely monetary categories also ignores a range of other important aspects. These include employment or social status, sources of income, lifestyle-related attributes, cultural norms, and religious or ethnic identities as contributing factors. Rigorously explored differentiations - not to mention any substantial class analysis - have been largely absent. This turns the "middle class" into a "muddling class", devoid of any true meaning in terms of social analysis that seeks to identify a social agenda and the role members of society can play in transforming societies. The new demand for supporting the middle classes within developmental policy therefore remains a vague appeal. Who, after all, should be supported for what purpose? Advertisement African studies have more recently offered much more nuanced assessments from the point of view of social anthropology and cultural studies, political science and economics. These offer a better diagnosis of how certain segments within societies change, adapt and adjust. And how a higher income, combined with other factors, might have an impact on policy orientations and social positions. Misplaced expectations A closer look at the widely held assumption that middle classes by definition play a positive - meaning socially progressive - role is not convincing. History suggests a rather mixed balance, if not mainly opportunistic behaviour, of middle class members. They usually do not tend to bite the hand that feeds them. The new Chinese middle class is anything but known for its opposition towards an authoritarian state. The Chilean middle class of the early 1970s in its majority did not side with Salvador Allende, but supported the military coup by General Augusto Pinochet. Politically, middle classes seem not as democratic as many of those singing their praises believe. According to a recent Afrobarometer survey, a majority of those with higher education argue that the less educated should not have the same say in democratic elections, as they would not know what is best for their country. Advertisement In South Africa the black middle class is no more likely to hold democratic values than other black South Africans. But it is more likely to want government to secure higher-order survival needs over basic ones. It is also dubious that African middle classes by their sheer existence promote economic growth. Their increase was mainly a limited result of the trickle-down effects of the resource-based economic growth rates during the early years of this century. Their position and role in society hardly has the economic potential and dynamics to induce further productive investment that contributes to sustainable economic growth. And there is also little evidence of any correlation between economic growth and social progress, as even a working paper of the International Monetary Fund admits. Even the African Development Bank concedes that income discrepancies as measured by the Gini-coefficient have increased, while six among the ten most unequal countries in the world are in Africa. Real sociopolitical influence is hardly owned by a growing middle class. While the poor partly became a little bit less poor, the rich got much richer. Myth of Africa's growing middle class The celebrated growth of the African middle class(es) is also questionable. The UNDP's 2013 Human Development Report predicted that by 2030 80% of middle classes would come from the global South, but only 2% would be from sub-Saharan Africa. Advertisement Recent assessments suggest that it is not the middle of African societies that expands, but the lower and higher social groups. According to a report by the Pew Research Centre only a few African countries had a meaningful increase of those in the middle-income category. Multinationals in the retail and consumption sector have already reacted to the dwindling purchasing power of the middle class. They have reversed earlier investments. The world's biggest food producer, Nestle, has reduced its presence in Africa by 15% of its employees. Debate shows signs of shifting Fortunately the discussions following the middle-class hype have created sufficient awareness to trigger a debate separating fact from fiction in the assumed transformative power of a middle class. This includes challenging the myth that a middle class is the cure for the social woes of countries considered "less developed" and affected by massive poverty. Rather, its variety of members will most likely continue to act in their own best interests. Deconstructing and demystifying the trendy discourse, and thereby dismantling the proclaimed middle-class torch bearers, brings back the sobering need to properly analyse and assess social structures. The aim would be to offer a more realistic diagnosis of where the dividing lines between a policy for the rich and one for the poor should or could be drawn. Advertisement If we are serious about the need for social change and transformation, we should be as serious about class analysis. Henning Melber, Extraordinary Professor, Department of Political Sciences, University of Pretoria One small aspect of a trip I took to El Paso, Texas, back in the 1970s remains in my mind: the weather. No, not the weather in El Paso, which is more or less the same much of the year, but the weather on the local television news. I remember watching a weatherman begin his report in -- of all places at the time -- the Persian Gulf and sweep swiftly and dramatically across the globe (and its various weather perturbations) before finally reaching El Paso where things were, of course, predictably hot and dull. It might have been my earliest introduction to the charms of the weather to television news, which could be summed up this way: plenty of drama -- storms, floods, droughts, fires, wrecked homes, weeping survivors, shipwrecked people -- and no politics to muck things up. Just Ma Nature, just The Weather! What was then a strange phenomenon on one city's news has since become the definition of all TV news. At this point who hasn't watched countless weather reporters struggling against the slashing winds and driving rain of some oncoming hurricane while shouting out commentary or heading into the waters of what had only recently been a town or city in the hip waders that are now requisite gear for flood coverage? Advertisement Only one problem: climate change threatens to screw up the formula. That phenomenon has complicated weather coverage by inserting human (that is, fossil fuel) politics where only the periodically awesome destructive power of nature and raw human emotion once were. All too often, bad weather may now be traced back, at least in part, to our endless burning of fossil fuels. On the whole, however, onscreen news coverage continues to ignore that reality even as it features the weather ever more prominently. In a sense, the news has been co-opting climate change. A small sign of this is the way the tag "extreme weather" has become commonplace as reports of floods ravaging the Southwest, fires the West, and tornadoes the South and the Great Plains proliferate. Extreme weather, in other words, has gained its place in our consciousness largely shorn of the crucial factor in that extremity: the increasing amounts of greenhouse gases humanity has been dumping into the atmosphere. Case in point: the staggering fire that continues to ravage the tar sands regions of Alberta, Canada, after an uncomfortably hot and dry winter and early spring that left local forests little more than kindling (in a world in which fire seasons are extending and intensifying globally). With the industry that extracts those carbon-heavy tar-sands deposits endangered -- their work camps incinerated, the city of Fort McMurray, which supports their operations, devastated, and tens of thousands of climate refugees created -- you would think that some sense of irony, if nothing else, might have led the onscreen news to focus on climate change this one time. But no such luck (at least as far as I could tell), even if the extremity of that fire was indeed big news. There were, of course, mainstream exceptions to this -- in print. Among others, perhaps our finest environmental journalist, Elizabeth Kolbert of the New Yorker, weighed in early, as did Justin Gillis of the New York Times with a similarly themed front-page story. Otherwise, to this day, extreme weather remains the great-grandchild of the TV weather reporting I first saw in El Paso four decades ago. Advertisement Cross-posted fromUN Women This is my second time living in communal camps, second time running away from civil war to protect myself. What made me leave [Burundi] was the problem of random people invading others homes, attacking those without husbands. They would enter with knives. Before they kill you, they would first rape you. When I saw those attacks, and people dying, I left with my one-year-old son. I didnt have the chance to get all my children because it was a case of everyone for themselves, running for their lives. When I got to the Lusenda Camp [in Democratic Republic of the Congo], I had no hope. UN Women gave me hope, motivation and empowerment. After some time, I was appointed committee member of the womens group. I found a job [through a cash-for-work programme] and that money helped me cross back to get my children. I have five childrenfour girls and one boy. Camp life is another challenge. Two of my children have now matured into young women. When they go walking around, I remain in constant fear, because at any time they could get raped. The food is also insufficient and gets depleted even before the next ration. Advertisement I survive by farming to get a little cash. Women farm together, growing several types of crops. Once they are ready to be harvested, we sell the produce. One must always think about how you can get your hands dirty to attain your goals and feed your family. Happiness begins with you. Nahimana Fainesi [Finess], 30, fled her native Burundi in July 2015 and has since been living in the Lusenda refugee camp in Fizi, Democratic Republic of Congo. She works as a farmer in a UN Women cash-for-work programme there, which is funded by the Government of Japan. Her work is directly related to Sustainable Development Goal 2, which seeks to end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular people in vulnerable situations, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food; and SDG 16, on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development. Cross-posted from UN Women The day I fled to Jordan there was heavy shelling in my neighbourhood. There were bombings close to our house. It was very dangerous. We had no choice but to run away. In those moments of panic, my brothers and my sister could not be found and leaving behind part of my family has been the hardest thing to do. After a while we heard that my brother was killed on that day. My mother was devastated. On that day, many mothers were grieving. I hope the war will finish soon, so that we can go back to Syria and be reunited with my other brother and sister. When I arrived in the Zaatari refugee camp, I went back to school and started to build new friendships. I come to the UN Women Oasis every day because I want to meet my Jordanian and Syrian friends. Many of my girlfriends left school and got married at age 15, and they already have children. Many people ask me why Im not married yet but I think its too early. Luckily my family is supportive that I finish school first. My dream is actually to go to university. My mother works in the Oasis producing handicrafts along with my father, who is teaching women how to produce accessories, such as jewellery made from dates and coffee beans. I work as a journalist for the camp magazine, helping to share information and practice my English. In the camp I learned English also because I want to be a translator, so that maybe one day I can tell the whole world what has happened in Syria. Advertisement Zaad Al-khair, 17, is a Syrian refugee living in the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, home to approximately 80,000 Syrians80 per cent of whom are women and girls. Working hard to complete her studies and access higher education, she was among the first girls to work as journalists for the camps magazine. Both her parents are enrolled in a cash-for-work programme at one of UN Womens three Oasis safe spaces in the camp, which also provide literacy classes, daycare, protection services and more to some 16,000 people a year. This work is directly related to Sustainable Development Goal 1, on ending poverty and SDG 4, on ensuring equitable quality education for all. Zaad also contributes to SDG 16, on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, including by ensuring public access to information. Oh, dear. Not pretty. Yes. Already. The upcoming presidential campaign is ugly now and destined to ratchet up to epic uglier as soon as Bernie Sanders decides to bow out. Which is imminent. Not soon enough for Hillary Clinton, but not long. The Vermont Senator has turned into that drunken cousin who hasn't noticed he's been the last guest for over an hour, cracking open another beer threatening to put his cigarette out in the kids' wading pool. Starting to channel Hotel California. "You can check in any time you like, but you can never leave." How ugly will the race get? Think randomly -- shaved, rat -- terrier with a fourth premolar infection, mange and a lazy eye... ugly. Naked Sumo mud-wrestling ugly. If this campaign were a baby, you'd have to tie pork chops to its ears to get the dog to play with it. Even the rat- terrier of which earlier we spoke. Advertisement The hard part is the timing. On both sides. Has the public had its fill of Hillary bashing? She's been taking the hits and shaking them off since first becoming a mote in the national public eye back in 1991. You remember what Republicans said when she was First Lady. "She's a liar, a thief, a lesbian. She cheated widows and orphans and murdered Vince Foster. With her bare hands. And then ate him." That's when she was First Lady. Now, as opposition nominee, the kid gloves are coming off. "Alien Space Queen Vampire: here to suck dry our precious bodily fluids. Originally the Clintons had 3 children but sold two to a Bangkok brothel. To which Bill makes twice yearly visits." On the other side, if you don't think the Clinton Machine has had at least a dozen investigators devoted to opposition research for months, you are probably extremely confused by the dampness on days when it rains. They undoubtedly have dug so deep, they know which way Trump's small intestine turns, 30 feet in. Advertisement In his patented gracious style, Trump christened his upcoming opponent, "Crooked Hillary," and that's the tame end of the ugly stick. He calls it counter punching, but flick him with a fly swatter and he'll drop your with an elephant gun. Ask any elephant. The Aerodynamic Coif responded to accusations of his own randy behavior by calling Hillary an enabler of Bill's infidelities. But he needs to tread carefully or risk sharing a crying towel with her 2000 US Senate opponent, Rick Lazio. Who? Exactly. There's two ways of looking at it. Either Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton has more baggage than the first United flight out of O'Hare after a freak spring blizzard, or there's no meat left on her scandal bone. Like a single sardine tossed over a stone- wall into a cat sanctuary. And conversely, it should be fairly easy to uncover evidence of the Donald's extra- marital shenanigans and voluminous shady deals and suspicious deaths of folks who opposed him. Oh, come on. We've all seen Law & Order: there's a New York developer knocking off enemies and depositing them in the foundations of soon- to- be- erected condominiums every other episode. The only difference is, with Trump's supporters, that's not necessarily a negative. Be afraid. Be very afraid. Do you have a child who hates to read? I have two. As a heedless, promiscuous lover of words, I find it hard not to see my children's resistance to reading as anything but the ultimate karmic bitch-slap. Children resist reading for different reasons -- dyslexia, limited attention span, inability to focus or visualize the story in their heads. All I know is that on any given day either of mine would rather cuddle a porcupine than crack a book. Reading for pleasure, my son would tell you, is the ultimate oxymoron. Of course, he could only tell you this if he knew the word oxymoron. Which of course he doesn't because... well, you see the problem. Advertisement Author Maria T. Lennon refers to kids like ours as "reluctant readers." But while I just complain about it, Maria has come up with a remarkable fix. A unique reading app that I hope you'll find as exciting as I do. Unless, of course, you've abandoned reading this piece and are instead clicking your way through 10 Celebrities You Never Knew Had Webbed Feet. In which case I suggest you redirect your attention because it sounds like you desperately need this app. Diagnosed dyslexic herself in the third grade, Maria understands the struggle of reluctant readers from the inside out. One of her four children is also dyslexic. It was in reliving her own early struggles through her son that Maria began to see a way toward opening the world of reading to kids like hers and mine, and transforming the act of reading from burden to multi-sensory adventure. But she can tell the story better than I. Click below to learn more about her app and its Kickstarter campaign, and I'll be back after to ask Maria a few questions. Advertisement When did the idea of creating an app for reluctant readers first occur to you? While out promoting my last two books for middle grade readers, Confessions of a So-Called Middle Child and Watch Out Hollywood, More Confessions of a So Called Middle Child, I visited a lot of schools and read to kids. Let's face it-- book reads can be boring. Kids lose interest pretty fast. Their eyes wander. They start talking. Teachers run up and down doing all kinds of weird things to signal that they better be quiet or else. But I totally understood their lack of attention. So I decided to print up my reading segment and put it on my computer. I then plugged it into the school smart board, turned off the lights and read from my computer. As I read I scrolled down the page. Their eyes were glued, gripped! I could see them reading along with me. There's something about the words moving down a page -- like the ticker on the bottom of CNN or the lines of a foreign film, that just grabs your attention. So I did it everywhere I went, and the kids loved it. Was there a lot of trial and error turning this discovery into an app? I had a strong idea of what I wanted because of my experience with kids on book tours. I wanted the words to scroll down and illuminate as the narrator read so that they popped. I wanted cool images that created mystery, and music to set the tone of the book. I found a great producer, Jonny Zwick, who fell in love with the story and the project. We found the right narrator, we shot the film and had musician friends give us a score. So many people pitched in for the mock version of the app. It was amazing. It takes a lot of work to create the images and get the color and mood just right. It's like a visual shot of the plot lies under the text on each page. Think about it -- three levels of storytelling layered one on top of the other. Advertisement Tell me about the book shown in your video. It's the first book, the one I wrote for my son, The Poet Thief. If we get funded on Kickstarter, our goal is to make many more books available for kids in elementary, middle and high school. Guidelines for future books would be the same as the ones I've tried to employ in The Book Thief: short chapters, lots of space on the page, a fast-moving plot with little extraneous detail, and thought-provoking, adventure-filled subject matter. I love the term "reluctant readers." I have two of my own. Did you coin the term? No, I didn't, but I like it because reluctance implies conflict. I've never met a kid who doesn't love a story -- it's built into our DNA. But the struggle of reading makes some kids reluctant because the experience of reading is difficult. So I thought, let's make the experience fun. Remove the reluctant part. How did you become aware of/interested in reluctant readers? Well, for starters, I come from a long line of dyslexics, so I have always been keenly aware. I struggled, ripped up papers, hit my head against desks for so long. I was diagnosed in the third grade, as so many are, and I started going to special schools for dyslexia where I learned how to cope better. I went on to attend great schools and I wrote books and didn't really think too much about it until my son was held back in kindergarten. He struggled even more than I did. In third grade he was diagnosed with both ADHD and dyslexia, which is kind of a double whammy. He's so smart and so impatient -- "a Ferrari brain with bicycle brakes" -- isn't that they way you described kids with ADHD, Bill? That's a wonderful description I learned from Dr. Edward Hallowell, a psychiatrist who specializes in treating kids with ADHD. My son loves it. Advertisement Well, that's my boy too. He loved stories, and he craved smart ones. Of course, he found most books too slow, or too confusing, or too long. I set out to write a story he could not resist. What's The Poet Thief about? It's about a group of neighborhood kids who discover a tent in the canyon below them. Inside the tent they find stakeout photographs of a Beverly Hills jewelry store. They realize that whoever is sleeping in the tent is planning on robbing a jewelry store. So they follow him. They meet him. They talk to him. He tells them his plan and tries to convince them that what he's doing is good. I read him the first chapter and from that point on, it was all he wanted. I was sure that others like him would like this story as well. But I wanted to try a new delivery mechanism that would engage him fully, something different than a book, or an ebook. So I came up with the idea of creating an app -- it's easy and it's cheap and it's so accessible. They've got a multi-sensory book in their back pocket or on their tablets at school. How did your background feed into the idea for the creation of the app? Well, I write children's books. As I mentioned, I am dyslexic and have a son whose dyslexic and has ADHD. The way I see it, it's both my destiny and my duty to help kids get past their reluctance. I see their brilliance, and being dyslexic, I see a way around the obstacle. The goal isn't to get kids to just read the words, it's to feel their meaning and provoke thought. Auditory and visual books are the only way for them to do this. Advertisement I love the malleability of the app, the ability to add or subtract music, sound effects, etc. What works best for your son? Ah, that's my son's favorite part too. It's liberating for a child who has always seen a book as constraining. Imagine for a moment what it's like for a struggling reader -- that's 1 in 5 kids -- to look at 250 pages of tight small words on a black and white page. It's overwhelming and for some it's claustrophobic. And then you give them this. It's still a two-hundred-page novel, but it feels alive. Boundless. Images change; there is motion. They can control their experience. They can listen and read and watch all at once -- or they can take the images away and just have the text and the music. Is there a version of the app readers of this article could try with their kids? At the moment there is only the mock-up sample that one can see on the Kickstarter page. But in the first video, you can see how the experience is layered. Images and video shot for each book are the backdrop, with text on top of that and then sound and music. This creates almost a filmic experience. The reader is enveloped because both auditory and visual senses are being stimulated and supported. There will be hyperlinks under certain words. The user can tap those words and get a definition or maybe another image will pop up, like a map or a picture to reinforce the story. If your Kickstarter campaign is successful, how soon do you think the app would be ready? November. The story is done. We will hire actors for the roles of the neighborhood boys and the homeless man who is also an enlightened man who is also a robber.... Then the scenes are filmed, the narrator reads and records the text, the music and the sounds are carefully selected to enhance but never to overwhelm. Once these pieces are completed it goes to lift off, a tech company founded by Jon Kraft, co-founder of Pandora, and they turn it into the finished app. Advertisement I can't wait. To learn more about the Kickstarter campaign click here. * * * * * More Spilled Milk: Back to (Catholic) School Our daughter's disastrous debut in religion class Homo's Odyssey A family road trip goes horribly wrong, then horribly right Tea and Coco Our daughter's tea with her drag-queen fairy godmother, Miss Coco Peru Brokeback Bethlehem How Jesus got two dads for Christmas Stritch: A Memory of Elaine Elaine Stritch gave me a lift once; I wrote down every word Dads and Bras Why I have no business in the bra department Scouting for My Son's America Why our son won't join the Boy Scouts of America SUSANSAM via Getty Images Neyyappam-Neyyappam is a Kerala specialty. Neyyappam literally means sweet rice fritters fried in Ghee Android, Google's popular mobile operating system, is about to get an upgrade. This presents a peculiar opportunity, for those who care about these things, to leave an indelible mark in the annals of technology. Google is crowdsourcing names for the next version of Android. During its I/O conference this month, it invited users to help name the latest version. Android nomenclature has, since its third release in 2009, followed a confectionary theme in alphabetic order. So far there have been Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, KitKat, Lollipop and Marshmallow. It's now the turn of N, and Malayalis are smacking their lips in anticipation. Advertisement A name suggested by users, which gets the most number of votes, will what Android N be finally called, although Google could well go with another name. While initially Indians went berserk suggesting everything from Bengal's 'narkol naru' to Maharashtra's favourite 'Nankhatai', the excitement lasted for just a few days and soon fizzled out from Facebook and Twitter. It was clear that Nankhatai or Naru was not going to get anywhere close to winning the race. However, the Malayalis had a different strategy up their sleeves. A favourite Malayali snack--Neyyappam--was also one of the names suggested during the initial social media frenzy following Google's announcement. However, unlike their peers from other states, Malayalis were determined to give the race an earnest shot. The result--Neyyappam has pride of place on the site Google runs for the naming contest. While Google hasn't said anything on the matter, for many, this is sufficient evidence that Neyyappam is leading the race. Malayalis are perhaps also pinning hopes on the fact that even if no one else in Mountain View, California, might have ever heard of Neyyappam, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, a native of Tamil Nadu, will certainly know the snack--although of Kerala origin, it is popular in Pichai's home state and Sri Lanka as well. For those unaware of what Neyyappam is, here's what professionally made Neyyappams look like. Good homemade Neyyappams may look like this. It's a deep fried snack made from rice flour, jaggery and ghee. A resolute campaign by Malayalis everywhere seems to have propelled Neyyapam to within striking distance of global familiarity. Given that Android is India's most popular operating system, and due to the numbers, among its largest markets, an Indian snack would be entirely appropriate as the name for the new version. Advertisement Silicon India reports that Twitter handles have been created to support the movement, apart from a dedicated website. However we found that @AndroNeyyappam doesn't have too many followers. But the Twitter handle does direct a visitor to a website which provides the voting link and urges people to submit Neyyappam as a suggestion for the next version of Android. However, it is actually #AndroidNeyyappam which seems to be doing the job for Neyyappam. Tweets with the hashtag have flooded the micro-blogging site. Some fans of the snack have even created logos to support the 'movement'. Here's a sample: "Apparently, Bangalore based Android user and PHP developer Arun Kumar initiated the stir which has become more of a trend in social media. Although Google reserves the right to pick the final name, it appears to have felt the waves given a sticker with bold letters Neyyappam stands tall on the official page for submitting suggestions. Judging based on an analogue perception it could be predicted that Nuts+Nachos and Navy Bean are other suggesting gaining support," reports Silicon India. Advertisement Anindito Mukherjee / Reuters Roadside eatery hawkers use a plastic sheet to cover themselves from a rain shower in front of India Gate in New Delhi, India, June 23, 2015. Officials at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) say the northern states will receive heavier monsoon rains this week but that current weather patterns still point to total rains of just 88 percent of the long-term average, as predicted in early June, due to an El Nino weather pattern. REUTERS/Anindito Mukherjee The Morning Wrap is HuffPost India's selection of interesting news and opinion from the day's newspapers. Subscribe here to receive it in your inbox each weekday morning. Essential HuffPost After a video of a 85-year-old woman being thrashed by her 60-year-old daughter went viral on social media, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) visited Gurcharan Kaur at her residence in south east Delhi's Kalkaji area to find no food in the house except stale kneaded flour and fungus-ridden slices of bread. Advertisement IPS officer Merin Joseph lashed out at a vernacular daily newspaper for objectifying women by compiling a list of "most beautiful" IAS and IPS officers in India, following which the article was pulled down by the media house. A BJP MLA, best known for his claim that 3,000 condoms and 500 abortion injections were used in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) everyday, has now said that rapes in the university are a daily occurrence. Beat this: an Indian man broke the world record by hugging 79 humans in just a minute. The Guinness Book Of World Records describes him as the most "affectionate record breaker". Main News A Bajrang Dal leader has been arrested in Ayodhya for holding a weapons training camp. He has been charged with hurting religious sentiments of Muslims and spreading communal hatred. Advertisement The El Nino, which is believed to be the primary reason for poor rainfall in the past two years, has finally ended, according to the Australia Bureau of Meteorology. The Indian government went into damage-control mode on Wednesday after African diplomats said they would discourage students from African nations to visit India because of stereotypes and racial prejudice against Africans in India. The Congress yesterday launched a misguided missile against actor and cultural icon Amitabh Bachchan, questioning the government's decision of inviting him to host a show in the national capital on 28 May to highlight the Narendra Modi government's achievements in the last two years in power. Bachchan clarified, saying he was only doing small segment on the government's Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme for women's empowerment. Off The Front Page A 75-year-old farmer died of 'joy' in Rajasthan after the spelling of his name was finally corrected in the land records. He had struggled for 55 years to get the misspelling of his name rectified on land records, as he was unable to benefit from any farmer schemes due to the error. If you click on the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) website link for the Taj Mahal, it shows you images of St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican instead, according to reports. Even the websites for UP Tourism and the Agra administration have incorrect historical information on the Taj Mahal. Advertisement A 'rain temple' in Uttar Pradesh can apparently predict good or bad monsoon or at least that's what the locals there believe. The size of the water droplets on the century-old temple's ceiling is said to indicate how the rainy season will be. Opinion Two years since it came to power, the contradictions in the Modi government are still muddying its identity, writes Pratap Bhanu Mehta in The Indian Express: "This is a government where swagger often overshadows truth... Its backward-looking instincts keep pulling down its forward-looking mission." A new TRAI consultation paper puts net neutrality under threat, again, writes Nikhil Pahwa in The Times of India: "Its important to remember that the issue is not with giving free access, but of limiting that free access to a selection of sites who are willing to pay or partner: a collusion which the department of telecom committee had warned against last year." The BJP did not understand the cultural ethos of West Bengal, writes Swapan Dasgupta in The Telegraph: "The public faces of the BJP in West Bengal tended to be imports from northern India who invariably spoke in Hindi and made little attempt to understand the distinctive cultural inclinations of the people they were dealing with. This failing has cost the BJP dearly." Advertisement SAM PANTHAKY via Getty Images Volunteers of Bajrang Dal participate in the air rifle training session at a youth camp on the outskirts of Ahmedabad in the early morning of May 17, 2012. Some 168 students, 18 instructors and 15 organisers are participating in a Bajrang Dal Basic Youth Camp from May 13 - 20. Bajrang Dal, a hardline Hindu organization in India, is the youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and is based on the ideology of Hindutva. Apart from safeguarding 'holy cows', other goals include protecting India's Hindu identity from the perceived dangers of communalism, Muslim demographic growth and Christian conversion. AFP PHOTO / Sam PANTHAKY (Photo credit should read SAM PANTHAKY/AFP/GettyImages) Earlier on this week, a viral video allegedly involving members of the right-wing outfit Bajrang Dal surfaced. They are seen 'training' in 'self defence' with rifles, swords and lathis and 'shooting down' volunteers wearing skull caps at a school in Ayodhya. The outfit's head, Mahesh Mishra, has since been arrested on charges of inciting hatred between religious groups. But in the capital, an outfit called the Hindu Sena says it plans to do exactly the same. And they want to do it in Connaught Place, at the heart of Delhi, mere kilometres away from Parliament and the Prime Minister's Office. Advertisement Vishnu Gupta, National President of the fringe right-wing organisation, says his training camp in New Delhi will train young leaders to "fight against Islamic terrorism." The training will be held between 1-5 June near Connaught Place, Gupta said, adding that the exact location is a secret. "Every person should be a militant," Gupta told HuffPost India explaining the need for such a training. "This training is not to attack anybody, this is for self protection. There's no harm in that," Gupta said. The Hindu Sena leader said that they will train about 100 'young leaders' belonging to the age group of 20-30 years. The organisation has hired more than hundred guns for the training camp, Gupta said. Advertisement It has also arranged for several 'ISIS dolls' to use them as aiming targets. The two-hour training will include fire rings for the trainees to jump through and will also have sack races. However, Gupta clarifies that this is not the first time they are holding such a training session. "We do this everyday, only this time we will have special amenities like rifles," he said. The group will be trained by a retired Army officer. The Hindu Sena is a little-known outfit that has been in the news for headline-grabbing stunts. Earlier this month, the Hindu Sena leaders conducted prayers in the capitals Jantar Mantar to show support for Donald Trump and pray for his win. The group said it supports Trump because he is opposed to Islamic terrorism. Last year, the Hindu Sena leader was arrested for allegedly making a false complaint about beef being served at Kerala House. Delhi police, along with some Hindu Sena leaders, had raided Kerala House after Gupta had complained that beef was being served there. Gupta said his scheme did not have support from the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party or its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He said Hindu Mahasabha's national president Chandra Prakash Kaushik has supported them 'whole-heartedly'. Advertisement Gupta also hopes that the BJP government too will back this initiative. "We are writing a letter to Home Minister Rajnath Singh and the Delhi police, asking them to give us permission to host this training session," he said. "Everyone is saying the action taken by the Uttar Pradesh police against Bajrang Dal wasn't right. But, in Delhi, it will be BJP's call to decide. We want to see what the party's reaction will be to this," he said. But, what if they don't get permission? "Who cares, we will still host it. We are not scared," Gupta said. Also See On HuffPost: Tyrone Siu / Reuters HTC 10 Android-based smartphones are displayed during the launch event in Taitung, Taiwan April 12, 2016. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu Hoping to better the mild response in India to their last flagship smartphone, HTC, the Taiwan based phone manufacturer, unveiled their latest flagship phone, the HTC 10 in New Delhi today. The phone which has been keenly awaited by the tech community, as well as by the consumers, will be available for a not-so-pocket-friendly price of 52990. Featuring a 4GB RAM, HTC 10 runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 820. HTC is touting the phone's "unibody" design, which means that each individual phone's body has been crafted from a single piece of metal. It has a 5.2-inch QHD super LCD 5 display with 3000 mAh battery that is Quick Charging 3.0 compatible. Advertisement HTC also claims that the phone display is a big improvement over HTC M9, the previous version of the flagship phone, being "30 percent more colorful and 50 percent more responsive." HTC 10 runs on Android Marshmallow 6.0 software with Sense UI customization. The phone will be upgraded to Android N later this year. It features a 12 MP rear camera with ultra pixel (bigger pixel sizes for better quality) and OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) technology. The camera has dual tone LED flash and laser auto-focus. The front camera has a 5 MP shooter with a f/1.8 aperture. Both cameras have an ability to shoot in 4K video. The company has also added OIS in the front camera. HTC has always prided itself for its dual front speakers and BoomSound technology. And, for HTC 10, they have included a 24-bit audio experience throughout the smartphone with BoomSound HiFi. The phone also has personal audio profiling with DAC support and Dolby surround sound output in 'Music' and 'Theatre' modes. HTC 10 comes with a pair of high-quality headphones. Advertisement ASSOCIATED PRESS Italian outgoing Premier Mario Monti, left, shakes hands with marine Salvatore Girone upon his arrival from India at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport, in Fiumicino, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. Italian marines Girone and Massimiliano Latorre have been allowed by the Supreme Court in India to travel home to vote in this weekend's general elections. (AP Photo/Angelo Carconi) NEW DELHI -- The Supreme Court on Thursday said an Italian marine under investigation for the killing of two fishermen is free to go home while international arbitration into the case goes on. Salvatore Girone, who has been living in the Italian embassy in New Delhi, was one of two marines arrested in 2012 on suspicion of killing the fishermen during an anti-piracy mission on an Italian oil tanker. The other marine is already back in Italy after suffering health problems. Advertisement The Supreme Court ruled that Girone can return to Italy while an international tribunal decides on a jurisdictional issue between India and Italy. The marine must surrender his passport when he arrives in Italy and will be required to return to India within a month of an order from the tribunal, the court said in its order. Italy's foreign ministry said it was "satisfied" with the court's decision. "Salvatore Girone will be able to return home in just a few days' time," the ministry said. The dispute has strained relations between India and Italy and its European Union partners. In an effort to end four years of legal wrangling, both countries last year agreed to move their dispute to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. Italy argues that the case should not be heard in India because the incident occurred in international waters. India has said it remains confident the tribunal will decide in its favour. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also see on HuffPost: MANJUNATH KIRAN via Getty Images Activists from various women's rights organisation and children stage a silent demonstration against sexual assault and rapes on women, in Bangalore on April 22, 2015. AFP PHOTO/Manjunath KIRAN (Photo credit should read MANJUNATH KIRAN/AFP/Getty Images) NEW DELHI--The Supreme Court today asked the Centre to formulate a national policy for providing adequate relief to rape survivors. The apex court bench also pointed out that setting up a separate fund like the 'Nirbhaya fund' was not enough and amounted to "just a lip service". "Different states have different schemes. There is no national plan as how the rape victims are to be compensated. Setting up of the Nirbhaya Fund is not enough and it is just paying a lip service. The Union of India must ensure that adequate relief is being provided to the victims of sexual offences," a vacation bench of Justices P C Pant and D Y Chandrachud said. Advertisement The bench also issued notice to the Centre, all states and Union Territories and sought their responses on the effective implementation of Section 357(A) of the CrPC and status of victim compensation schemes, along-with the number of victims of rape who have been compensated. During the hearing on a batch of petitions, senior advocate Indira Jaising, who is assisting the court as an amicus curiae, said that the implementation of the "Victim Compensation Scheme" is a matter of concern as only 25, out of 29 states, have notified the scheme. "There is complete lack of uniformity in the said schemes and the States have not yet indicated whether appropriate funds have been allocated in pursuance to the notification of the said schemes, as well as the number of rape victims that have been compensated under the said schemes," she said adding that some states pay Rs 10 lakh as compensation while few others pay as less as Rs 50,000 to such survivors. The bench, while prima facie agreeing to the plea that there was lack of uniformity in such schemes, said that there are some states, which even provide compensation to victims of sexual offences just on registration of the FIRs. Advertisement "Some states even provide interim compensation to sexual offence victims of particular class just on registration of FIR. Delhi has different scheme, UP has different. There has to be some national model on this," the bench observed. Six petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court between 2012-2013 after the Nirbhaya gangrape in Delhi on December 16, 2012 raising various concerns on safety and security of women. All the petitions were tagged by the apex court and several directions have been passed from time to time in this regard. Senior advocate Indira Jaising said Delhi's scheme of victim compensation is a model scheme which could be replicated in other states also. "There is no provision of interim compensation while in scheme being implemented in Delhi has a provision to do so. It is a model scheme which could be replicated in other states also," she said. Advertisement The senior advocate who was appointed amicus curiae in the case last year said that it was suggested by various petitioners that a national register for sexual offenders should be maintained but in her point of view it was not desirable as it will affect the right of privacy. She said that there were some suggestions in various petitions which needs to be referred to law commission for further study comparing with the practices in other countries. Jaising also sought implementation of Witness Protection Program Schemes saying that in most of the rape case the acquittal rate is very high. "The rate of acquittal in rape cases is very high. It is due to for two reasons one is witnesses turning hostile and the second is delay in trial due to which witnesses looses their interest in cases. There is urgent need to have a witness protection scheme like it is in Delhi to protect the witnesses," she said. Jaising also raised concerns on various other issues like setting up of one stop crisis centres in every district for rape survivors saying only 14 districts out of 653 disricts have so far complied with the scheme. Advertisement She also highlighted lack of data on the buses plying on All India Tourist Vehicle Permits and absence of regulations on vehicles plying with tinted glass. To this the bench said some laws and regulations have been framed under which the issue of tinted glass has been taken care of. Jaising also raised the issue of regulation of radio taxi operators and web based taxi aggregator companies, saying that there is inadequate data available as how these services are being regulated in most states. "This is of utmost important since many women use these taxi services and there have been repeated reports of molestation and instances of sexual assault by drivers employed by these companies. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also see on HuffPost: STR via Getty Images Incoming Chief Minister of the southern Indian state of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan (C) stands alongside Governor of Kerala P. Sathasivam(R)as he takes part in a swearing-in ceremony in Thiruvananthapuram on May 25, 2016. / AFP / STR (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has begun well and everybody seems to be extremely happy about it. Even veteran leader and the CPMs star-campaigner VS Achuthanandan, who many thought would stick out like a sore thumb, is not sulking. The capital city and most parts of the state were celebrating on Wednesday. Advertisement The jubilation and euphoria certainly denote peoples earnest desire for change. The outgoing Oommen Chandy government was drowning in allegations of corruption, misuse of office and even sexual offences. Reportedly, some of the ministers tried to cash out even at the last minute and every poll survey, notwithstanding the science behind them and credibility, showed that people indeed thought that the government was very corrupt. Pinarayis team is the cleanest one could hope for. Therefore, it was easy for the CPM-led LDF (Left Democratic Front). All they had to do was to promise a corruption free government. Early this week, Pinarayi reiterated the promise again and on Wednesday, when his government took over, what was on display was a line-up of ministers who could remain clean. Corruption-prone ministries which handle a lot of public works and money have been given to people with proven integrity, and there was no division to appease caste and communal constituencies. Regular prime time TV commentators were unanimous in their opinion that Pinarayis team is the cleanest one could hope for. Thats a greatly reassuring first step which will keep the LDF government in good stead; but of equal importance is the question if the same team will be able to deliver? Advertisement For the LDF, keeping its promises on the manifesto will be a daunting challenge that will require substantial growth and welfare in equal measure. Being corruption-free is rather easy, but ensuring growth and efficiency will require governance-skills and imagination. People would expect both. In this context, the Left-ruled Bengal and the Chandy-ruled Kerala offer interesting insights. Chandy had done a good job on socio-economic development. During the 34 years of Left rule in West Bengal, there were hardly any allegations of corruption, but there wast any worthwhile socio-economic progress either. By the time Mamta Banerjee ousted the Left in 2011, the state was in an absolute mess. Even today, its unable to free itself from the burden of its corruption-free, inefficient past. People wanted jobs and better healthcare, education, roads, water and sanitation, law and order and so on which the Left failed to deliver. Probity alone was not a virtue that people aspired for. More over, the rule by party cells for three decades frustrated them. Finally, the take-aways for people in West Bengal were inefficiency and misrule and not corruption-free governance. Advertisement On the other hand, people were apparently very happy with the Oommen Chandy governments development record, but were thoroughly disappointed by its corrupt ways. The Lokniti-CSDS post-poll analysis bears this out. According to Lokniti-CSDS data, close to two-thirds of their respondents said that Chandy had done a good job on socio-economic development. He scored extremely well on roads, education, health, drinking water, law and order, and public transport; but 80 per cent of the same happy respondents also said that his government was corrupt. One-third of them preferred to term it very corrupt. Obviously, as the data shows, a large number of people who were really happy with his work voted against him. Left ruled Bengal that was clean, but terrible on governance. In comparison, his predecessor, VS Achuthanandan, whose government (2006-2011) had no major growth story to boast of, had a far better rating than Chandy because his government was perceived to be clean. But that was not good enough to return him to power because being corruption-free alone doesnt make sense. So, the Pinarayi government has three models to learn from: Left ruled Bengal that was clean, but terrible on governance; Chandy government that was high on growth and governance, but terrible on graft; and its own government during 2006-11, which was clean, but not as good a performer as the Chandy government. Ensuring development and good governance in a system thats besieged with corruption will not be easy. Just as economic growth breeds inequality, development efforts by governments breed corruption. Chandy government may have achieved quite a bit, but corruption also would have eaten up a lot of public wealth. The African Union recently had estimated that about 25 per cent of the GDP of African countries was skimmed off by corruption. This is where Pinarayis iron-fist and the integrity and governance-capabilities of his ministers will be put to test. Since most of them are new-comers with absolutely no knowledge of how the government functions at the state level, it will be an uphill task. In its manifesto, the LDF has promised the moon on every front and to deliver on it, the ministers have to find ways not to shut down development while weeding out graft. They should be nimble-footed, but should not trip on the invisible obstacles. Advertisement The government also should ensure that the CPM doesnt indulge in party-cell rule. The era of Local Committee rule is over. The street thugs should be asked to go home. The promise is growth and welfare, good governance and order. And that will be what people will judge the government for. Contact HuffPost India Also see on HuffPost: ImagesBazaar via Getty Images Manager checking workers in factory The Union government has written to states asking them to amend laws that will allow women to work night shifts at factories to help boost their participation in the workforce, according to a Mint report. The labour secretary has written a letter to the states, pointing out socioeconomic realities and the opportunity for states to play a vital role and urged necessary action as the Centres draft labour bill is still delayed. Some states such as Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have already amended laws to work night shifts, the report pointed out. Advertisement India has had a bleak record of women in the workforce, according to data by Labour Bureau. Indias labour laws mandate that women can work between 6 am and 7 pm in certain sectors. According to data by the International Labour Organization, between 2004 to 2011, India witnessed a dramatic decline in female participation in the workforce, falling from over 35 per cent to 25 per cent. Traditional gender norms dominated the reason behind the fall despite an increase in education -- women in India still choose to not work, according to data analysed by The New York Times. Also see on HuffPost: The Kingston Trio comes to Hutchinson All three current members, have links to and experience with the original group. Music Publishing News Roundup: Massive African Copyright Lawsuit Google EU Music Deal Spotify Revenue Report The Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) has filed an N16 Billion lawsuit against telecommunications giant, MTN, for copyright infringement. The lawsuit, which is the biggest copyright lawsuit ever in the continent of Africa, alleges copyright infringement by six of MTNs brands. COSON is Nigerias sole government approved collective management for musical works and sound recordings, and is resolute that the labour of Nigerian musicians and investors in the music industry who toil every day to make people happy will no longer be in vain. ICE, Europes music licensing body, has signed its first agreement with Googles music streaming service, Google Play Music. ICE, a collaboration between PRS for Music in the UK, STIM in Sweden, and GEMA in Germany, represents around 250,000 rights-holders across Europe and hopes this agreement will help streamline licensing, resulting in growth and more profit for artists and rights-holders. Google Play Musics Head of International Music Publishing Partner Operations, Victoria Campoamor says, We look forward to building a constructive relationship with ICE and to the realisation of operational efficiencies from the new platform and its benefits to composers and publishers. Spotify has reported a dramatic increase in revenue, a slowdown in losses, and an increase in total users in 2015. 28 million of the streaming services 89 million users are on the subscription tier, a 75% increase, which is twice as many subscribers as Apple Music at its last report. Free listening only brought in about 10% of the platforms total revenue, while the subscription tier brought in 1.7 billion, or 89.7% of total revenues. Spotify paid the record industry 1.63 billion, about 83% of its revenue, in royalties last year. Share on: There could be trouble for supporters of the proposed $37 billion deal between Aetna and Humana.Following a series of approvals from various state regulators, Missouri Insurance Commissioner John Huff became the first to issue a preliminary order barring the health insurance giants from offering certain plans if they complete the deal first announced last year.The 43-page order, which was issued Tuesday, directs Aetna and Humana to stop selling comprehensive individual, comprehensive small group and certain Medicare Advantage plans if they move forward with their plans to merge.Though the order is not yet in effect, industry observers say it could influence the actions other states take when considering consolidation in the health insurance industry.Specifically, the move could embolden other states and the DOJ to block the merger entirely, David Balto, a former attorney within the antitrust division of US Department of Justice, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.Aetna, which plans to acquire Humana, needs to secure 20 state approvals as well as the approval of the Justice Department to complete the deal. So far, the company says it has gained the approval of 10, including California.Aetna stressed that the Missouri decision does not impede the DOJ approval process, though noting it is disappointed with the order, and expects to work with state officials to address concerns. The company has 30 days to submit a replacement plan.In his order, Huff criticized the merger as decreasing competition in the health insurance marketplace. Specifically, an investigation into the market suggests that Aetnas market share in indvidiual Medicare Advantage plans would exceed 70% in 33 counties. In the individual market, Aetna is already the largest insurer, and acquiring Humana would bring its share up to 39%.The Missouri Hospital Association, which was among groups lobbying to block the merger in Missouri, praised the decision.[It] will ensure that consumers have access to plans from a competitive marketplace and that providers can continue to negotiate fairly, Chief Executive Herb Kuhn said. We appreciate their decision.Meanwhile, Martin Gaynor, professor of economics at Carnegie Mellon, says Missouris actions may not be enough to block the deal, but if Balto is correct and other states follow suit there could be a problem.If enough states, or enough big important states, nix the deal, then it becomes a question whether the deal is still worthwhile for Aetna and Humana, Gaynor said. Demand for flood insurance reform has resurged following a controversial report from National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting system, suggesting private insurers pocketed up to $406 million annually by administering flood policies in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.While the 2012 storm left some heavily in debt and with damaged homes, the NPR and PBS Frontline series says insurers earned between $240 and $460 million annually a margin of 30%.Nearly 80 firms participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, which extends subsidized policies to homeowners. Through the Write Your Own (WYO) program, these private insurers receive fees and commissions for writing and servicing policies, usually retaining 30% to 40% of flood insurance premiums as reimbursement and payment.A General Accountability Office report said this rate was excessive when compared to actual expenses, even overpaying private companies by as much as 16.5%. To just six of the participating carriers, FEMA was found to have paid $327.1 million more than their actual expenses.Though all participating carriers declined to comment on the reports findings, industry representatives say the 30% estimate is flawed and profits are closer to 10% or 15%.Robert Hartwig, head of the Insurance Information Institute, said these profits are reasonable, given the service provided.It is always going to be the case in the event of a major catastrophic loss where hundreds of thousands of people will have seen damage or complete destruction of their property in some instances they will believe they are due more than in fact the claim was ultimately adjusted for, Hartwig said.This is a fee-for-service operation. The federal government determines what the appropriate payment is.But in the wake of complaints over how Sandy claims were handled, that determination may change.A series of allegations that surfaced during the claims process suggested that many engineering reports were doctored to exclude flooding as the cause of loss following the storm. Though Hartwig said insurers have no financial interest in altering reports, the controversy led to inquests and several changes in NFIP administration.In fact, the Inspector Generals Office with the Department of Homeland Security wrote that FEMA oversight of participating insurers was so lax, the agency had in many cases given up on enforcing its own rules.As an example, the report shared that FEMA is meant to appoint one of its own attorneys to monitor a case in which an insurer is sued by a policyholder. Yet, the inspector found that auditors were not following through because it did not have the necessary staff.Similarly, FEMA upheld several claims denials issued by private insurers without taking time to consider the appeal. In other cases, FEMA sent the case back to the insurer who made the initial decision.Lawmakers in the House and Senate have responded to both the Inspector Generals report and that of PBS and NPR by proposing reforms to NFIP including cutting out private insurers altogether.Senator Bob Menendez, who has historically been critical of NFIP and private insurance companies, said:FEMA was happy to give these Write Your Own insurance companies a blank check to litigate against Sandy victims with every hard-nosed tactic imaginable, wasting millions of policyholders dollars in never-ending court costs to cover up widespread underpayment, rather than using even a fraction of that money to pay storm survivors.He also called the claims appeals process a total shell game and renewed his call for FEMA to reopen all Sandy cases and consider dropping private insurers from the program. The Independent Investor: How to Avoid the Pitfalls of Multi-Level Marketing So you want to be your own boss, make lots of money and do it all from the comfort of your home? It is the siren song of direct sales that has recruited legions of Americans through the years. Some make it, most do not. Here are some tips to help you in your new adventure. Whether you want to sell jewelry, vitamins, candles, cosmetics or home products, a healthy dose of skepticism should be applied to the promises these companies make on their websites. Many reports, including those filed with the Federal Trade Commission, warn that almost 99 percent of multilevel marketing (MLM) distributors lose money. In addition, the dropout rate is upwards of 60-70 percent per year. Those are daunting statistics. Consider them well before jumping on board an MLM. Critics argue that this style of personal retailing is a thing of the past. Retailing directly to friends and family on a one-on-one basis requires people to change their buying habits. The future wave of selling is largely internet based where convenience, price and a myriad of choices are just a keyboard away. Remember too that despite the existence of MLM companies since the Eighties; their combined market share of retail sales in the U.S. is under 1 percent. Over the years, quite a few of these companies have gone bankrupt. In addition, disgruntled ex-recruits have waged a good many lawsuits against several of these MLM businesses. The chief complaint: that they are simply pyramid schemes or just out-and-out scams. Lawsuits allege these companies promise you the world, but only after you buy your way to success through increasing product purchases. In the end, they conclude, many victims are left with nothing to show for their efforts but a mountain of debt. Unfortunately, accusations of deceptive marketing against these firms are hard to prove. The legality of the MLM sector is largely based on a 1979 ruling on one company. There seems to be a lack of government legislation and oversight by state and Federal authorities, nor are they subject to the same rigorous regulations as a franchise might be. Given that many state anti-pyramid statutes are vague or weak, it could take many years and a lot of money to prove guilt. Most supposed victims have failed to receive any satisfaction in the courts. Armed with those facts, if you still want to embark on a career (part time or otherwise) in individual selling, there are some obvious questions you should ask before joining an MLM. Where is this company's focus? Is it on recruiting rather than selling? If so, it is an immediate warning sign. Are you given any training by the company? Do they provide you with actual business techniques to increase product sales? Do they offer any support, or is it all about convincing new recruits to join? How much product inventory are you required to buy? Watch out for "fast track" purchasing deals or buying expensive business packages to pay for "extra training." High-pressure sales pitches by your company rep should also be a warning sign. You should never have to make a decision "right now" in order to get a great deal or a special price. Most legitimate companies allow you to discuss their proposals with family or take a few days to decide if their proposition makes sense to you. Finally, as in most things, if it seems too good to be true, than it probably is. If you are promised outsized rewards for little effort than buyer beware. Are the products truly as good as they promise and if so, ask for proof. If you are promised back-up and support, once again ask for details. A good dose of healthy skepticism should keep you out of trouble. Not all MLM companies are scams. Just do your homework because who knows, you may actually make a little money and have fun while you are doing it. Bill Schmick is registered as an investment adviser representative with Berkshire Money Management. Bills forecasts and opinions are purely his own. None of the information presented here should be construed as an endorsement of BMM or a solicitation to become a client of BMM. Direct inquires to Bill at 1-888-232-6072 (toll free) or email him at Bill@afewdollarsmore.com. Holiday Hours: Memorial Day Photo Courtesy of U.S. Army Arlington National Cemetery is the nation's first federal military cemetery. A ceremony is held each Memorial Day at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Memorial Day is being celebrated Monday, May 31. It is a federal holiday observing the sacrifices of the nation's servicemen and -women. It started as a day to decorate the graves of fallen Civil War soldiers, particularly in the South, and many states adopted the day as Decoration Day to commemorate all U.S. soldiers after World War I. Memorial Day was established as a federal holiday in 1971 by Congress. It falls on the last Monday in May. Closed: Federal, state and local offices; no mail delivery. Banks Public colleges and schools, most private schools Public libraries Most offices and businesses BRTA is not running Open: Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many parades and observances have been canceled or limited. If you are aware of any observances or events, let us know at info@iBerkshires.com. Adams: On Sunday, May 30, the American Legion Post #160 Past Commanders Club will be making their 86th pilgrimage to the monument on top of Mt. Greylock. Past Commander Don Sommer the Dean of the Past Commanders along with Past Commander David Smachetti will conduct the ceremonies. All Legion Posts in the county have been invited. The Legion invites the public to participate in these ceremonies. Participants will leave the Adams American Legion at 7:30 a.m. A ceremony will be held at the Maple Street Cemetery at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 31, with a program to honor the memory of those who gave their lives in defense of freedom. The memorial address will be delivered by Lt. Col. Francis Bourdon, who served 35 years in the Massachusetts National Guard and retired as intelligence and security chief for the commonwealth. The firing squad of American Legion Post 160 will render a rifle volley. Cheshire: The Memorial Day Parade will take place beginning at 1 p.m. from School Street and march down Church, Dean, Richmond and Route 8 back to Church and to the War Memorial at Town Hall. A short ceremony will take place at the memorial. Egremont: Starting from the South Egremont Fire Station at 12:30 p.m., marching to the Village Green, where a short ceremony recognizing the lives lost will be held, then the parade will return to the South Egremont Fire Station. George Blanco will be Grand Marshal. Lenox: The Lenox VFW hosts a wave parade starting at noon from Town Hall that will travel along Church, Housatonic, Crystal, Walker, East, Delafield, Pine Knoll, East, New Lenox and Route 20 to return to Main Street. Lenox Dale: The Annual Memorial Day Parade in Lenox Dale has been canceled again this year due to public health reasons. There will be an abbreviated ceremony to honor our war dead at Veterans Memorial Park on Memorial Day, May 31 beginning promptly at 9:00 a.m. Face masks and social distancing regulations will be required. North Adams: There will be no parade this year. This years ceremony will be held at the American Legion at 10 a.m. on Memorial Day. The Drury High School Band will play the "Star-Spangled Banner" followed by a few words from Mayor Thomas Bernard. Major Jacob Schutz, Mass Army National Guard is the keynote speaker. Pittsfield: Ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. at Pittsfield Cemetery on Wahconah Street, rain or shine. The event lineup includes Mayor Linda Tyer and guest speaker Staff Sgt. P.J. Hunt with the Army National Guard. The master of ceremonies is Fran Tremblay, former Marine, commander of Vietnam Veterans Association, Chapter 65. PCTV will televise the ceremony on CityLink 1303 and its other access platforms including on its Facebook page. Monterey: There will be a ceremony at the Veterans Memorial Park at 10:30 a.m. Richmond: The Selectmen, Local Veterans and Students of Richmond Consolidated School as we honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice Monday, May 31 at 9:00 a.m. - rain or shine at the Richmond School West Stockbridge: The parade will begin at 10 a.m. at South Street and continue on through Main Street to end at Town Hall, where there will be a short ceremony at in front of the War Memorial at 10:30 a.m. Williamstown: The American Legion honor guard will be holding brief observances in each of the cemeteries and Field Park and will finish by calling the honor roll at Eastlawn Cemetery. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is urging the public to plan ahead if traveling Memorial Day Weekend, and to expect an increased volume of travelers this year. In addition, travelers should note that Massachusetts COVID-19 prevention health protocols remain in place during the weekend holiday, with most restrictions lifting as of Monday, May 29. All scheduled road work around the Memorial Day Weekend is postponed. The I-93 Boston-Quincy High Occupancy (HOV) lane will deploy early for the holiday weekend, opening at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 27, and opening at 1 p.m. on Friday, May 28. The HOV lane will not be deployed on Monday, May 31. The Cape Flyer beings service on Friday, May 28, through Sept. 6. Find the full schedule here. Sign up at the 511 Traveler Information Service to receive personalized travel information alerts via email, text or telephone. MassDOT as always reminds drivers to avoid using cell phones while driving. Call into the 511 service before departing. Download Waze, the real-time traffic navigation app that provides motorists with real-time traffic conditions across Massachusetts. CapeFLYER weekend rail service to Cape Cod and the Islands resumes Friday, May 24, through Labor Day. Visit www.capeflyer.com for complete schedules and ticket information. McCann senior Samantha Dorwin stands in front of a machine she used to design a gumball machine that is more accessible to those with disabilities. Samantha Dorwin speaks about going to Canada to participate in a SkillsUSA competition. PreviousNext McCann Senior Named U.S. Presidential Scholar NORTH ADAMS, Mass. McCann Tech senior Samantha Dorwin is going places. Or, to be more accurate, she is going MORE places, as the 18-year-old already has logged 15,000 miles in the air in last two years participating in SkillsUSA conferences. This coming summer, while attending SkillsUSA's National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, Ky., she will fly to Washington, D.C., for a couple days to be honored for receiving one most prestigious awards a graduating high school senior can earn: the U.S. Department of Education's Presidential Scholar award. Appropriately for Dorwin, daughter of Daniel and Pamela Dorwin, she learned she was a finalist for the honor while on a trip away from her North Adams home at a SkillsUSA event in Canada, Competences Quebec/Skills Canada. "I was in my hotel room in Quebec City," Dorwin recalled Tuesday morning, less than a week before she graduates from McCann as salutatorian of her class, excelling not only in academics in her machine technology program but also playing varsity softball and participating (and medaling) in figure skating at the Bay State Games, serving on the District Attorney Youth Advisory Board, and performing hundreds of hours of community service. McCann Principal Justin Kratz said Dorwin is one of only four Massachusetts students to be named a Presidential Scholar this year, one of only 160 nationwide and only the third student in Berkshire County ever to receive the honor (according to the "unofficial official record-keeping" of local history buffs at McCann). The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 to recognize and honor some of the nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors. The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, appointed by President Obama, selects honored scholars annually based on their academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership, and demonstrated commitment to high ideals. In 1979, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts. In 2015, the program was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields like Dorwin. One young man and one young woman from each state is selected as a finalist, plus 20 in career and technical fields, after a long process of being nominated at the state level and completing essays and applications. While Dorwin said the process was difficult, the outcome of being named a finalist suits her just fine. "I've really pushed myself beyond the high school experience," she said. "I think this recognition has helped me realize that had really paid off." Dorwin, who will enter Bentley University in the fall to major in finance and management, said she hopes to secure a career as a corporate financial manager. "I love math, so finance makes sense to me," she said, adding that her dream job would be to work for HGTV someday. Kratz said he believes Dorwin will succeed at anything, recalling how she was a bit of a shy student who "flew under the radar" when she entered McCann. "It just kind of snowballed into this senior who is incredibly confident ... poised and prepared," he said. "What Sam has accomplished has set the bar for future students, even if they don't realize it yet." For her part, Dorwin said she is happy to inspire future generations of McCann students. "There are challenges if you push yourself enough to find them," she said. "Just because we're a smaller school out in Western Massachusetts [doesn't mean] it's impossible to become something." Mount Greylock School Committee member Richard Cohen has formally complained about Open Meeting Law violations by the chair of his committee and of the elementary school committees in Williamstown and Lanesborough. Mount Greylock School Committee Member Charges Open Meeting Violation WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. A member of the Mount Greylock Regional School Committee on Tuesday lodged an Open Meeting Law complaint against the committee's chairwoman and the chairs of the two elementary school committees that comprise the Williamstown-Lanesborough Tri-District. Richard Cohen alleges that Carolyn Greene, along with Williamstown School Committee Chairman Dan Caplinger and Lanesborough School Committee Chairwoman Regina DiLego have been deliberating and taking action in secret meetings in violation of state law. Among other things, Cohen's complaint alleges that the trio usurped the authority of an established Tri-District subcommittee, but a careful reading of the Tri-District's policy makes it unclear whether his complaint accurately characterizes the subcommittee's role. The complaint stems from a March decision by Tri-District Superintendent Douglas Dias to submit an application to serve as the part-time superintendent of the Shaker Mountain School Union 70. The application was submitted on March 7, and the Mount Greylock School Committee was notified of the move on March 15 in an executive session. On Tuesday, Greene acknowledged that the matter was not an appropriate topic for an executive session and apologized for raising it there. But Cohen's complaint makes only passing reference to the fact that the item was not among the stated purposes for the full committee's executive session. Rather it focuses on what he alleges to be the illegal deliberations of what he calls the "Chairs Committee." He cites a series of emails on March 4, beginning with one from Dias to the three school committee chairs informing them he might apply for the Shaker Mountain post. According to Cohen's complaint, within 90 minutes, all three chairs replied to Dias that they were OK with the idea. In Cohen's words, this constituted a "vote." Cohen's complaint notes that the Tri-District has two committees designated to facilitate the shared services agreement among the three school district: Superintendency Union 71, a joint venture of Williamstown's and Lanesborough's elementary schools, and the Administrative Review Subcommittee. The second part of his complaint deals with the latter, alleging that the three committee chairs, his "Chairs Committee," on May 13 "continued to take collective actions in secret." This time, the issue was the evaluation process for Dias, a process that is handled independently and concurrently by SU71 and the Mount Greylock Regional School Committee, the two hiring authorities. "Note that ARS [the Administrative Review Subcommittee] has jurisdiction over the process of evaluating superintendent [sic], but the fourth member of ARS was not made aware that the CC [Chairs Committee] was meeting," the complaint reads. When asked after Tuesday's four-hour School Committee meeting about the fact that the Tri-District website explains ARS' purpose as existing "for purposes relating to hiring shared administrative personnel," Cohen reiterated the claim that ARS has a role in evaluating the superintendent. "I'm not making this up," he said, and he suggested that the questioner look at the SU71 agreement on the district's website. Early Wednesday morning, Cohen emailed a screenshot taken from the website with the words "evaluation procedure" underlined in red for emphasis. However, a full reading of the clause he cites paints a different picture. "The subcommittee shall be responsible for the initial development of a Superintendent contract, job descriptions, and evaluation procedure, then to be brought to the [Mount Greylock] 'Committee' and the [Superintendency] Union' for approval. The subcommittee is also responsible for the initial review of other shared contracted services, administrative contracts, job descriptions and evaluation procedures, as developed by the Superintendent of Schools, then to be brought to the 'Committee' and the 'Union' for approval." The full agreement can be found here. The use of the word "initial" twice in the paragraph in question appears to confirm the website's depiction of ARS' role in facilitating the transition between superintendents. After that, the elected school committees jointly in the case of SU71 have jurisdiction. In his complaint, Cohen notes that the three school committee chairs are ex officio members of the ARS, but afterward, he said that he was not alleging ARS (which requires all four members for a quorum) met in violation of the Open Meeting Law. Rather, he is asserting that the three chairs are "assuming too much power outside the Open Meeting Law process." Open Meeting Law Complaint Chairs Committee by iBerkshires.com Visitors Bureau CEO Lauri Klefos and Chamber CEO Jonathan Butler. Those in attendance were asked to mark a spot on murals that will hang in the 1Berkshire board room. A short cocktail hour was held before the business meeting. Mick Callahan leads off the joint meeting. Peter Stasiowski was the closing speaker. PreviousNext Berkshire Chamber, Visitors Bureau Merge Into 1Berkshire John Toole led a toast after the meeting to honor the occasion. PITTSFIELD, Mass. After living together for three years, the Berkshire Visitors Bureau and the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce announced their engagement on Wednesday. The two organizations will become one as of July 1 as part of the 1Berkshire Strategic Alliance, joining Berkshire Creative and the Berkshire Economic Development Corp. and cementing a relationship the organizations have been growing for a decade. "The whole is greater than the sum of our individual parts. Our capacity is larger, our voice is louder, and our influence is stronger," Berkshire Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jonathan Butler said. The four organizations moved in together in 2013 when Berkshire Bank donated the Central Station on Allen Street to house them. That was just the second step in a three-phased plan to merge the four into one. The first step had been done to become affiliated organizations in 2010 and the final phase of becoming one organization will be effective on July 1. According to Berkshire Visitors Bureau President and CEO Lauri Klefos, the concept was first proposed in 2007 with the Berkshire Blueprint. That plan called for the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce to merge with the Berkshire Economic Development Corp. as well as the creation of the Berkshire Creative Economy Council. In 2010, the plan was hatched to bring all of the organizations into one. Berkshire Creative and Berkshire Economic Development Corp. merged into 1Berkshire and awaited the final two organizations. "Berkshire Economic Development Corp. and Berkshire Creative Council have already merged into 1Berkshire so tonight we are here as members of the Chamber and of the BVB to do the same," Klefos said. In a joint membership meeting at Berkshire Community College, the chairs of both boards called for and received a motion and a vote on the merger, followed by a champagne toast to commemorate the occasion. "We can honestly say you are getting more bang for your buck," Butler said. "It has been critical to create a value proposition to both of our memberships as well as the larger region we serve." The members of the individual groups will be merged with businesses being able to pick a track either business or tourism with a discounted rate for any one wanting both services. Both organizations will continue the services already provided but the larger impacts is the ability to unify efforts and, using the skills and expertise of each agency, grow and promote all the Berkshires have to offer. "We can take the marketing expertise of the Berkshire Visitors Bureau and instead of just talking to visitors we are talking to residents. We can talk to businesses. We can talk to people who might want to come here and start a business. We are building on that capacity," Butler said. The Berkshire Visitors Bureau heads marketing campaigns for the entire county but mostly focused on bolstering the tourism economy. Now the two can combine and jointly market to prospective businesses or possible new residents. 1Berkshire recently launched a Berkshire Initiative for Growth to combat the declining population, a Berkshire Starts entrepreneur program which creates a network to help those with ideas state businesses, and joined forces with a "Life is Calling" branding campaign that promotes all aspects of the Berkshires. "We can effectively champion the message of the whole Berkshire experience. It can lead the way to incredibly powerful, positive outcomes," former Berkshire Chamber of Commerce President Peter Stasiowski said. For Berkshire Visitors Bureau members, the market reach will grow to reach thousands of residents living here and potential visitors. "Our single biggest success has been in the social media circle," Klefos said. Together the group will have more influence over helping businesses receiving funding for cultural institutions, ushering in development projects, and draw more people to the county. Klefos said the merger will cause no layoff of the 16 staff members at 1Berkshire. Chamber Board Chairwoman Linda Febles and BVB Board Chairwoman Eva Sheridan convened the meeting. "Like everywhere, we have our challenges but today we have what many others do not. We have momentum," Stasiowski said. "With a unified voice in 1Berkshire there is no challenge that we cannot overcome." Both Klefos and Butler outlined the histories of their organizations, both of which date back to the early 20th century. The concept of the Berkshire Visitors Bureau was proposed in 1927. "It was exactly this date 75 years ago, May 25, 1938, the state of Massachusetts passed an act incorporating Berkshire Hills Conference, as they are still known today, and authorized it to spend money to promote the county," Klefos said. Since then, the organization has had 12 leaders and moved locations 11 times, the last from the Visitors Center in Adams to Central Station. Its budget has grown from $27,000 in 1938 to now $1.2 million. "The job has always been to promote the beauty of the Berkshires. While our messages have changed over the years, our goal was always the same: bring people here, have them spend money in our hotels, our restaurants, experience our cultural and recreational attractions, shop in our stores and most importantly come back again and again," Klefos said. The Berkshire Chamber of Commerce was established in 1911 as the Berkshire Association of Business and Commerce. In the 1960s, it merged with the Berkshire Development Corp. to become the Pittsfield Chamber of Commerce. It changed its name in the 1970s to the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce and in the early 2000s it merged with the Northern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce. "Throughout the last 15 years, the Berkshire Chamber has been an influential voice and a force in crafting of regional policy," Butler said. The organization grew into taking more active roles with the burgeoning tourism and creative economy which was evolving and supported a number of downtown redevelopment projects and the expansion of the Pittsfield Municipal Airport. Before the vote on Wednesday, Mick Callahan led off the meeting with thank-yous. Butler then took the stage and read a 1985 quote from Callahan: "I believe we can accomplish collectively what no business can do alone." Thirty years since he uttered that quote, the concept remains and Wednesday's vote is a testament to that principle. The School Committee voted to hire Robert Putnam as interim candidate, feeling he was the optimal choice rather than beginning the search over again. Adams-Cheshire Hires Interim Superintendent CHESHIRE, Mass. The Adams-Cheshire Regional School Committee has unanimously voted to hire Robert Putnam as its interim superintendent. The committee held a short meeting Wednesday to vote on hiring the former Central Berkshire Regional administrator. "I will reach out to Dr. Putnam tonight and wish him congratulations," Chairman Paul Butler said. "We have a new interim superintendent this coming year and I look forward to good things." Putnam will replace Kristen Gordon, who agreed to leave at the end of the school year. She has been hired as principal of Conway Grammar School. The goal of the School Committee has been to put an interim leader in place until it could determine its next steps on a permanent replacement. The school district had come up with three finalists: Putnam, former Taconic High School teacher Christine Canning and a third candidate who withdrew early Monday morning before the final round of interviews. After a tense interview Monday night that turned hostile between Canning and the School Committee, Canning withdrew her application and left the meeting. School Committee member James Ryan asked if it would be beneficial to reopen the selection process so the committee had more than one candidate to pick from. Chairman Paul Butler said it could do this but it would have to restart the whole process. "It would start the process all over again and, unfortunately, we are running down into the time limit," Butler said. "We run the risk of losing the candidate we already have so there are some real risks if we decide to do that." Committee members Darlene Rodowicz and Regina Hill said they both favored Putnam and would not want to reopen the search process. "There were no other strong candidates that I would entertain considering, and I think Dr. Putnam is an excellent choice," Hill said. "He comes to the district with a proven record. He has formerly been an assistant superintendent and a superintendent so he knows the overall workings of the office. For an interim position I think he would do a great job." Putnam has 14 years experience in administration; he left his post at Central Berkshire Regional School District for personal reasons and has for the past year been a music teacher at Monument Mountain Middle School in Great Barrington. After dropping out of high school and earning his General Equivalency Diploma (GED), Putnam earned an associate degree in liberal arts at Berkshire Community. He completed post-graduate studies at the University of Massachusetts, earning a bachelor's degree in history, a master's in education and doctorate in curriculum study. On Monday, he said he enjoyed being a teacher again but wished to return to an administrative role. Committee member Stephan Vigna said because Putnam's contract will be for the interim, he would like the committee to come together and create specific duties and goals he should have for the year. Putnam will start July 1 pending a successful contract negotiation. Butler also responded to a comment Canning left on Monday night's iBerkshires story in which Canning stated that the School Committee is under investigation by the attorney general's office. He said he and district counsel are unaware of any pending investigations. "The comment was put out there simply as rumor with no basis in fact to what ends I can only speculate," Butler said. "This type of commentary, although perfectly legal, insults the integrity of this board and denigrates the hard work of our administrators and teachers and all employees of the district." Butler said everyone should be focused on moving the district forward. "We should be focused on moving ahead and improving the education of all of our students. Once again, this type of negativity moves us backwards instead of forward," he said. "I choose to move forward and I hope the majority of us wish to move forward as well." Page Content ICAOs Secretary General, Dr. Fang Liu (left), undertook a mission to Saudi Arabia during which she met H.E. Sulaiman Al-Hamdan, Saudi Arabias Minister of Transport (right), and addressed Arab Civil Aviation Commission (ACAC) delegates at the organizations 23rd General Assembly. MONTREAL, 26 MAY 2016 Pointing to traffic growth and high levels of safety compliance in some States, ICAOs Secretary General told delegates at the Arab Civil Aviation Commission (ACAC)s 23rd General Assembly that the Middle East Region is poised to demonstrate leadership in sustainable aviation, provided a regional approach to safety is developed and enhanced. Effective implementation of ICAOs Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) leads to safer and more secure local air transport, which in turn fosters increased connectivity and greater prosperity for States. The Middle East Region is no exception to this dynamic, and safer and more secure air transport services still have a more significant role to play in helping your States to eradicate poverty, fight inequality, and build peaceful, inclusive, and resilient societies, said ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu. In light of your Regions tremendous recent growth, and the projections for even greater expansion in flight and passenger volumes in the years ahead, the Middle East Region should seek to become a global example of how air transport growth can be effectively managed. Dr. Liu highlighted that the sometimes wide variance in States safety oversight capacities in the region underscored the importance for a regional approach to the issue. In particular, she stressed that States, ACAC and ICAO should heighten their collaboration to facilitate the implementation of a Regional Safety Oversight Organization (RSOO). If we cannot set in place an RSOO mechanism, some States may not be able to develop the human and financial resources needed to correct their differences alone. ICAO recognizes years of steady progress in this region, notably in terms of effective SARP implementation. Failure to support States adequately would result in greater risks to local operations, running contrary to the continuous improvements we have seen, she said. Compliance with ICAO SARPs is a prerequisite for accessing the socio-economic developmental opportunities offered by the global aviation network. Accordingly, ICAOs strategic objectives closely support 13 of 17 UN Agenda 2030 Strategic Development Goals (SDGs), and the Organization is working to ensure that all States have the resources and assistance to implement ICAO SARPs through its No Country Left Behind initiative. As we now confront the challenges of sectoral growth, globally as well as in the Middle East Region, we need to ask ourselves how cooperation between ICAO and ACAC can drive even further progress on targets and needs for this region, Dr. Liu declared, concluding that if the Region can continue to work toward establishing itself as an aviation leader, those results would also contribute to the greater prosperity and long-term sustainability of Middle Eastern societies in general. 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 Press Release: AFRITAC South Supports Strengthening Central Bank Communication Press Release No. 16/245 May 27, 2016 On May 2327, 2016, the IMFs Regional Technical Assistance Center for Southern Africa held a seminar at the Africa Training Institute in Mauritius on Central Bank Communication. The event brought together a mix of policymakers, management, and staff from the central banks of Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zambia. Experts from central banks with advanced communications shared their knowledge with participants and supervised training in hands-on workshops. Mr. Stefan Ingves, Governor of Sveriges Riksbank, noted that a large part of his work involves translating complex issues into everyday language. Speaking so that people understand is an important part of a central bank governors work, he stated. Mr. Vladimir Tomsik, Vice Governor of the Czech National Bank, stressed that communication and transparency have become key elements of monetary policy implementation in the 21st century, providing accountability and boosting the effectiveness of monetary policy actions. The seminar discussed how communication will differ depending on a central banks capacity, its monetary policy framework, and the prevailing domestic environment. Discussions included the role of communications units, the nature of communication in the daily work of a central bank, relevant strategic documents, the tools and channels for communication, and relations with the media. In a peer sharing environment, participants exchanged experiences of different aspects of communication through presentations, discussions and group work. As the central banks in the region develop, they also become more transparent, which may not necessarily be the same as communicating. The art of communication takes time and experience to fully master. For some central banks, this seminar worked as a first step into communication, while for others, it was a vehicle for further enhancing their communication skills. Imperial Valley News Center 3D Laser Scanner Runoff Pushes New Standard Towards the Finish Line Washington, DC - Large-volume 3D laser scanners play an essential role in manufacturing large products (e.g., airplane wings), making measurements for large-scale construction (e.g., bridges), and other applications where very large structures must be measured in three dimensions. At present, however, there is no comprehensive standard to judge how well the instruments perform. As part of an effort by NISTs Physical Measurement Laboratory to produce an international performance evaluation standard for these instruments, scientists at the Engineering Physics Division (EPD) designed and constructed a calibration facility to evaluate proposed tests in a draft ASTM International standard, which is being developed under the EPDs leadership. In May 2016, major manufacturers of 3D laser scanners from all over the world converged at NIST to put their scanners through the paces. This laser scanner runoff was orchestrated by EPDs Bala Muralikrishnan, Meghan Shilling, and Prem Rachakonda, with key assistance from Gerry Cheok of the Engineering Laboratory at NIST and Luc Cournoyer from the National Research Council (NRC) of Canada. An invitation was sent to all leading manufacturers of 3D laser scanners to visit NIST and run the approximately 100 tests specified in the draft standard. Four of the manufacturers traveled to NIST (one each from Germany and France) to participate in the runoff. Another sent an instrument during the week for testing. Two other manufacturers who could not attend in May have expressed interest in visiting NIST soon to try out the tests. These seven manufacturers represent about four-fifths of the entire market for large volume laser scanners. Additional participants included representatives from a company interested in entering the 3D scanner market and a company manufacturing precision spheres that are used as targets. The draft standard specifying the test procedures was the product of three years of work by a standards committee led by Muralikrishnan that met biweekly. "With large volume 3D laser scanners, you basically put them in the center of the room, and they sweep across the room, producing 3D point clouds," Muralikrishnan explains. The only current standard for these types of instruments evaluates the instrument only along one axis. That standard was released in 2015. The standard released in 2015 was envisioned to be one of several standards. Thus, we decided that we should extend this so that it covers the entire volumetric space. We started work in the summer of 2013 to come up with test procedures that would evaluate the performance of these instruments over the work volume. After three years, we had a document that was mostly complete," Muralikrishnan explains, "but we didnt want to publish it until we could realize all of the test procedures. Thats what we did here at NIST this month. The NIST team set up facilities to enable all the test procedures from the draft standard in the NIST dimensional metrology facilities, and participating manufacturers brought their instruments to NIST. There were three full days of testing across two NIST labs containing multiple experiments, each of which contained multiple tests. Often, two manufacturers were running tests on the same day with staggered times and locations. On average, it took each manufacturer an entire day to complete the full suite of tests. One set of tasks involved measuring point-to-point distances on a calibrated grid of spheres in the EPD's large-scale laboratory at NIST. Once performance testing was completed, the manufacturers met with NIST and NRC staff to provide feedback on the process. While the manufacturer's overall experience was extremely positive, the clear consensus was that the number of tests needed to be reduced in order for the standard to become more practical to use. This will be a key consideration as the draft standard is revised. Cournoyer elaborates: We want the test to be useful, but we also want it to be feasible. It shouldnt take a day. It should be done within a few hours at the most, without sacrificing too much of the performance evaluation. We think we can accommodate most of the concerns that the manufacturers were discussing. We will revise the document and discuss again. The standard needs to be practical for both end-users, who might not have access to ideal measurement facilities, as well as the manufacturers, while maintaining sensitivity to known error sources. And, in cases where the users do not have the necessary facilities to run the tests, there needs to be a way for manufacturers to generate an accurate set of specifications. If someone in an organization wants to know which scanner to buy, he or she will look at the specs," Cournoyer explains. "And the specs will mean the same thing because they were tested against the same type of standards and the same type of objects. Today, thats not the case at all. Thanks to the NIST run-off, users are an important step closer to having these comparable specifications available. The willing participation of the worlds major manufacturers of 3D scanners in this effort, at their own expense, indicates the importance of performance evaluation standards in the buying and selling of manufacturing technology. Along with the important next step of revising the draft standard, the NIST scientists will be spending many hours perusing the vast quantity of data acquired during the runoff. "Now that weve had the opportunity to test all of the instruments and get data from all of the instruments, we can now analyze all of the data and see what type of algorithms make sense, Muralikrishnan explains. That is something that was not possible before this runoff. By having the manufacturers bring their instruments here and scan them in our facility with us controlling how they collected the data, we have the chance to do that now. NIST's role in orchestrating the runoff, acquiring these important data, and completing the standard is critical according to Cournoyer: None of this wouldve happened without the NIST installation, the NIST people, and the NIST desire to complete the standard. Imperial County Vote by Mail Ballots El Centro, California - Debbie Porter, Registrar of Voters, reminds all Imperial County residents registered to vote that all individuals expecting a Vote by Mail ballot should receive their ballot by Friday, May 27, 2016. Those who have not received their ballot or would like to request one, they should contact the Imperial County Registrar of Voters office. Vote by Mail ballots may be requested through May 31, 2016. Requests may be made by using the application on the back of the County Sample Ballot Booklet or by calling the Registrars office. Completed Vote by Mail ballots may be returned to the Registrars office via U. S. Postal Service. There are also drop boxes at your local city hall and the Salton Community Services District. The Registrar of Voters office hours of operation are, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and they are located at 940 West Main Street, Suite 206, El Centro, CA. For more information, contact the Registrars office at (442) 265-1060. Game of Loans Washington, DC - For companies that peddle phony student loan debt relief, we have a message for you: Winter is coming. The FTC and the Florida Attorney Generals Office just filed suit against two outfits pitching bogus debt relief. The new wrinkle is that the defendants focus is on purported relief for student loan debt. The FTC also announced a settlement in an action filed earlier this year against another operation making debt relief claims for people struggling with student loans and mortgages. Consumer Assistance Project The first case challenges representations by Coral Springs, Florida-based Chastity Valdes and the creatively-named Consumer Assistance Project. According to the lawsuit, the defendants who charged hefty upfront fees and monthly costs of as much as $300 roped folks in with pitches like GET RID OF YOUR DEBT TODAY. After allegedly pretending to evaluate consumers for eligibility, the defendants told them they qualified for debt reduction of 50%-70% or more, thanks to government student loan forgiveness programs. But according to the FTC and AG, what consumers werent told was that it costs nothing to apply for those programs and that many people wouldnt be eligible. The lawsuit also alleges that the defendants falsely claimed they would repair consumers credit and would audit consumers loans for errors that would reduce or even invalidate what people owed. What about those glowing reviews on social media praising the companys services? The FTC and AG say at least some were posted by employees of the company or their associates. Among other things, the complaint charges violations of the FTC Act, the Florida Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act, the Telemarketing Sale Rule, and the Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA). Student Aid Center The second case challenges the practices of Doral, Florida-based defendants Damien Alvarez and Ramiro Fernandez-Moris, who do business under the name Student Aid Center. In addition to its online presence which featured URLs like studentaidcenter.org and studentloanforgiveness.org the company advertised on the radio, via text message, through telemarketing, and on social media, including a picture on Instagram of an aerial promotion. Don't look for the Student Aid Center next to the Deans Office or in the Student Union. According to the complaint, they lured people in with promises like Get Your Student Loans Forgiven Now! and $17,500 in Up Front Forgiveness? But the only thing upfront were the companys fees. The FTC and AG also challenge the defendants claims that consumers were approved or pre-approved for loan forgiveness or reduced monthly payments. Whats more, the defendants assuaged consumers with the promise of a 100% money-back guarantee. But according to the complaint, many people got refunds only after complaining to the BBB or to a federal or state agency. Other consumers report that when they asked for their money back, the defendants threatened to send their accounts to collection. Good EBusiness The FTC also announced a settlement in a pending lawsuit against defendants Tobias West, Komal West, Student Loan Help Direct, Select Document Preparation, and continuing todays theme of ironic company names Good EBusiness, Inc. According to the complaint, the defendants charged upfront fees of between $500 and $800 and falsely claimed they could renegotiate, settle, or alter the payment terms of student loans. But thats not all. The complaint also alleged that Tobias West and Good EBusiness this time using the name The AAP Firm deceptively marketed student and home loan modification services and illegally charged advance fees of between $1,000 and $5,000. In addition to violations of the FTC Act and the Telemarketing Sales Rule, the lawsuit charged West and Good Ebusiness with violations of the Mortgage Assistance Relief Services (MARS) Rule (Regulation O). The settlement bans Tobias West and Komal West from marketing debt relief products or services, prohibits a host of misleading claims, and puts protections in place so they cant profit from consumers personal information. In addition, the settlement imposes a $2.3 million judgment that will be suspended when they surrender all remaining business assets. The total will become due immediately if it turns out they misrepresented their financial condition. Default judgments against the corporate defendants are pending. The FTC-AG actions against the Consumer Assistance Project and Student Aid Center defendants are ongoing. What consumers and businesses should know Everyone knows someone or is someone struggling with debt, including student loans. To warn consumers about fraudulent student loan debt relief services, the FTC has resources in English and Spanish. Check out the latest in a series of graphic novels offering advice on how to spot a debt relief scam. Weve also posted a list of individuals and companies that courts have banned from selling debt relief services as a result of FTC actions. (More about that in the next Business Blog post.) It may not be a spoiler of the magnitude that Jon Snow is still alive, but heres the message that companies here and across the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros can take from the announced actions: Misleading claims about student loan debt relief are on the law enforcement agenda. PCAH Announces Partnership With The John F. Kennedy Center For The Performing Arts Washington, DC - As part of todays Turnaround Arts Talent Show, the First Lady will announce the future and legacy of Turnaround Arts: As part of todays Turnaround Arts Talent Show at the White House, the Presidents Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH) and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced a new strategic partnership to implement Turnaround Arts at the Kennedy Center. The Presidents Committees Turnaround Arts initiative empowers high-need, low-performing schools with innovative arts programming and resources to help address broader school challenges and close the achievement gap. The new partnership will fulfill the President's Committees vision for expanding Turnaround Arts and aligns with the Kennedy Centers more than 40-year legacy of providing high-quality arts education programming across the nation. For more information on the Turnaround Arts, visit: http://turnaroundarts.pcah.gov. For more information on the Presidents Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, visit: www.pcah.gov. Wednesday, May 25th The White House * 4:00PM ET -- As part of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, the First Lady will welcome students and artists from across the country to perform at the White House Turnaround Arts Talent Show. To showcase America's budding artists, the students will perform alongside Turnaround Artist mentors including Keb Mo, Alfre Woodard, Tim Robbins, Bernie Williams, Charles "Lil Buck" Riley, Citizen Cope, Damian Woetzel, Irvin Mayfield, and Paula Fuga. Turnaround Arts is a national program created by the Presidents Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, in coordination with the White House, the U.S. Department of Education, the National Endowment for the Arts, and several foundations and corporations. Turnaround Arts empowers high-need, low-performing schools with innovative arts, dance, theater and music programs, arts integration across subject areas, arts resources, musical instruments, and high-profile artist mentors, as a proven strategy to help address broader school challenges and close the achievement gap. Since 2011, Turnaround Arts has empowered 27 school districts across 13 states and Washington, DC with an infusion of arts and music education. In 2014, the First Lady hosted the inaugural White House Turnaround Arts Talent Show. The First Ladys remarks and the afternoon performances will be available via livestream at wh.gov/live. Return of Nadiya Savchenko to Ukraine Washington, DC - Secretary of State John Kerry: "I welcome todays news that Nadiya Savchenko has returned to Ukraine and the Government of Ukraine's humanitarian decision to release two Russian service members captured on Ukrainian soil and convicted of terrorism-related charges. "Nearly two years ago, Nadiya Savchenko was captured in combat in eastern Ukraine and forcibly taken against her will into Russia. Her release, after a long ordeal that included solitary confinement, is an important part of fulfilling Russias commitments under the Minsk agreements and should now provide impetus for their complete implementation. This includes a real, comprehensive, and sustained ceasefire in eastern Ukraine; full access for the OSCE to the area affected by the conflict; elections under Ukrainian law that meet OSCE standards and are monitored by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR); the withdrawal of foreign forces and equipment; and the return to Ukraine of full control over its international border. We also call on Russia to abide by its Minsk commitments by releasing all hostages and unlawfully detained persons." UK Train Passenger Praised for Refusing to Give Up Her First Class Seat to Old Woman 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 The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Euro Disney is on trial for racial discrimination after it was revealed that its theme park Disneyland Paris arranged job applicants according to ethnicity. A court was told on Wednesday (25 May) how the regime was enacted in a bid to 'weed out' people from deprived areas of the French capital. Dating back to 2006, it's alleged that a discriminatory advertisement requested their job applicants have "European citizenship." Moreover, Disney employees were said to be categorised under headings including "Africa outside the Maghreb," and "West Europe." The legal action was brought around by anti-racist association La Maison des Potes with Euro Disney facing up to 225,000 (171,000) if found guilty. It has since admitted that the advertisement was worded clumsily denying any discriminatory intent and branding it an "isolated blunder." Disneyland Paris - which opened in 1992 - attracts around 15 million visitors a year - more than any other attraction in Europe. 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 The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The live-action Ghost in the Shell adaptation is in pretty hot water of late; so hot, someone's probably already collected the tea mugs in preparation. The film has courted major controversy due to Scarlett Johansson's casting as the (clearly Japanese) Major Motoko Kusanagi, now only amplified by the first image of the actress in the role. Defining voices in the backlash included Ming Na-Wen, the voice of Disney's Mulan and current star of Marvel television series Agents of Shield, and comic writer Jon Tsuei; who argued the original manga is deeply rooted within Japanese identity. The decision, however, has been defended by the Japanese publisher of the original manga; claiming that Johansson is "well cast", and that "we never imagined it would be a Japanese actress in the first place." Now, The Hollywood Reporter reveals Rila Fukushima is set to join the cast; with the Japanese actress elsewhere known for her roles as Yukio in 2013's The Wolverine, and Katana on The CW's Arrow. The hope is that her relative familiarity with American audiences here means she won't be relegated to a minor role, perhaps giving some balance to the heavily white-led cast, with the film's few Asian actors pushed into supporting roles. Really, though, Fukushima should have been playing the lead. Or if not her, perhaps the equally talented Rinko Kikuchi? Ghost in the Shell will adapt Masamune Shirow's iconic manga of the same name; with Johansson's Major being a special ops, uniquely fashioned human-cyborg hybrid who leads the elite task force Section 9. Her job, to lead her unit in the elimination of the most dangerous threats to society; which sees her tested when she must face off against an enemy whose only goal is to destroy the cybernetic technology which saved her life. Hollywood whitewashing controversies Show all 11 1 /11 Hollywood whitewashing controversies Hollywood whitewashing controversies Scarlett Johansson cast as Motoko Kusanagi in Ghost in the Shell Blonde, white US actress Scarlett Johansson was announced to be playing the clearly Japanese character Motoko Kusanagi in Hollywood's Ghost in the Shell remake, much to the dismay of Asian film fans Hollywood whitewashing controversies Tilda Swinton cast as The Ancient One in Doctor Strange Marvel sparked outrage when Anglo-Scottish actress Tilda Swinton was cast as Tibetan mystic The Ancient One alongside Benedict Cumberbatch in Doctor Strange Hollywood whitewashing controversies Zoe Saldana was criticised for 'blacking up' to play the considerably darker-skinned soul singer Nina Simone in Nina AP Hollywood whitewashing controversies Jake Gyllenhaal stars in Prince of Persia The half Jewish, quarter Swedish actor was cast to play a Middle Eastern Prince in Disney's 2010 film Hollywood whitewashing controversies Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily in forthcoming film Pan Mara was been cast in the role of American Indian Tiger Lily, sparking an online protest from angry film fans Warner Bros Hollywood whitewashing controversies Christian Bale plays Moses in Ridley Scott's Exodus: Gods and Kings Ridley Scott claimed he would never cast 'Mohammed so-and-so from such-and-such a country' in a lead role in his Biblical epic, and went on to cast an entirely white cast instead Hollywood whitewashing controversies Jim Caveziel plays Jesus in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ Catholic star Mel Gibson chose to cast a Caucasian American actor in the role of Jesus for his controversial film AP Hollywood whitewashing controversies Micky Rooney plays a Japanese neighbour in Breakfast at Tiffany's Who better to play Holly Golightly's Japanese neighbour IY Yunoishi than American actor Mick Rooney. At least Hollywood has come some way since 1961 YouTube Hollywood whitewashing controversies Ben Affleck as Tony Mendez in Argo Ben Affleck became the subject of a few editorials in Latin American newspapers for casting himself (an American with English, Irish, Scottish and Swiss ancestry) as a Mexican CIA operative Hollywood whitewashing controversies Jennifer Connelly plays Alicia Nash in A Beautiful Mind Alicia Lopez-Harrison de Larde was a naturalised US citizen from El Salvador, but was played by an actress of Jewish, Irish and Norwegian descent YouTube Hollywood whitewashing controversies Chinese actresses cast in Memoirs of a Geisha What better way to alienate Japanese cinemagoers than to cast three Chinese actresses in the lead roles in a film about Japanese culture REUTERS Snow White and the Huntsman's Rupert Sanders is directing, with filming taking place in Wellington, New Zealand. Ghost in the Shell hits UK cinemas 31 March 2017. Sign up to Roisin OConnors free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Roisin OConnors email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Its been some time since Radiohead were last seen on stage and Thom Yorke knows it. This feels mad, he says, looking out at the crowd. Ninth studio album A Moon Shaped Pool ends the longest period the band have gone without putting out a new record and harks back to some of the bands best work, and this gig - one of three sold-out London shows - marks their first in the capital in four years. On opener Burn the Witch it's impossible not to recall Hail To The Thief's Wolf at the Door. Don't look in the mirror/At the face you don't recognise Yorke moans as Jonny Greenwood holds a violin bow to his guitar and draws out those orchestral notes, blood-red lights flashing (surely his film score credentials have something to do with this dramatic set). Following the end of his long-term relationship in 2015, it feels as though Yorke is delving back into traditional songwriting structures on this latest work - not as cohesive as 2007s In Rainbows but close, and an album where Yorke opens up about personal truths and self-doubt, admitting them to his audience. Jonny Greenwood plays piano during Radiohead's Roundhouse show (David Jensen/PA Wire) But calling A Moon Shaped Pool a "breakup album" doesn't really do it justice: "Theres a spacecraft blocking out the sky," Yorke sings on 'Decks Dark', world weary. And "dreamers they never learn," he croons as Greenwood draws out those shivering notes on the piano for 'Daydreaming' - this is serious stuff. Fans crane their necks and gaze at the stage with religious fervour at Yorkes gaunt features, rapturous at those wordless moans that could rouse the dead from their graves. These are fans who fall over one another to try and deconstruct the meaning behind a single still from one music video. Theyre given a setlist that showcases the sheer versatility of a band who have consistently avoided yielding to what was expected of them and have no qualms in continuing that tradition here. Fans scream and bellow as Yorke teases out an intro then falter, wrong-footed, as he changes tack with a knowing grin. "Were gonna stay and play everything" he says, looking out at the crowd "not". British rocks bravest and perhaps most unique rock group are, unfortunately, still not flawless, but the odd hiccup allows for Yorke to play the clown. Greenwood, on the other hand, is deadly serious; darting from guitar to piano to drums. The lights plunge out after each track but '2 + 2 = 5' somehow manages to bleed into Nude'. Since this tour began, each gig has come with a major surprise; until their gig in Paris at Le Zenith, Creep hadnt made an appearance in one of their live setlists since a 2009 headline slot at Reading Festival. Earlier in Amsterdam they dusted off My Iron Lung, and tonight, out come 'Talk Show Host', and Myxomatosis' with its bone-crunching synths. "'Fake Plastic Trees' it is not," Yorke announces as the night draws to a close and fans shriek out song names with tentative hope. Its 'Paranoid Android'. As they draw towards the close with one of their most renowned works, it seems incredible that after nine albums, Radiohead are still finding new ways to astonish us. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyArts email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The first season of True Detective is an undeniable modern classic; a brilliantly realised crime anthology that contained, not only searing imagery and breathless set pieces but two performances of a lifetime from both Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey. Season two is considered a sprawling mess. Pizzolatto's follow-up was heavy on the big names (Colin Farrell, Vince Vaughn, Rachel McAdams) but low on that effective ingredient which set his debut apart from the HBO crop. The second outing may have its apologists (this writer, in particular, believing it to be a little unfairly maligned), but it does seem the California-set season may have killed off True Detective altogether; reports indicate that a third season is unlikely. True Detective, Season 2 in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 True Detective, Season 2 in pictures True Detective, Season 2 in pictures True Detective, Season 2 Rachel McAdams and Colin Farrell True Detective, Season 2 in pictures True Detective, Season 2 HBO True Detective, Season 2 in pictures True Detective, Season 2 Colin Farrell stars in 'True Detective' HBO True Detective, Season 2 in pictures True Detective, Season 2 Vince Vaughn in True Detective season 2 HBO True Detective, Season 2 in pictures True Detective, Season 2 HBO True Detective, Season 2 in pictures True Detective, Season 2 HBO True Detective, Season 2 in pictures True Detective, Season 2 HBO True Detective, Season 2 in pictures True Detective, Season 2 HBO True Detective, Season 2 in pictures True Detective, Season 2 HBO True Detective, Season 2 in pictures True Detective, Season 2 HBO True Detective, Season 2 in pictures True Detective, Season 2 HBO True Detective, Season 2 in pictures True Detective, Season 2 HBO True Detective, Season 2 in pictures True Detective, Season 2 HBO True Detective, Season 2 in pictures True Detective, Season 2 HBO True Detective, Season 2 in pictures True Detective, Season 2 HBO With Casey Bloys taking over the role of HBO programming president following Michael Lombardo's departure last week, a Hollywood Reporter article has hinted that, instead, a new series from Pizzolatto has more chance of happening. The Hollywood Reporter: "While juggernaut Game of Thrones and the final season of Damon Lindelof's Peabody-winning drama The Leftovers shouldn't require too much of Bloys' time, other decisions, including the fate of True Detective, now fall to him. (HBO sources suggest a new project from creator Nic Pizzolatto is more likely.)" There are no firm details on either series but if the sources are to be believed, this could herald an announcement expressing HBO has decided to cut their detective-shaped losses. It's a shame considering it felt there was life in this particular beast yet but, going by the words spoken in Leonard Cohen's second season opening titles track, perhaps the war is indeed lost. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Harbour porpoises are among the most skilled hunters in the animal kingdom, capable of catching more than nine fish a minute, scientists who tracked animals in the wild have discovered. And, because they live in such cold water, they need to eat almost constantly just to generate enough energy to stay alive. The researchers warned that this hectic lifestyle meant that the porpoises were particularly vulnerable to noise from ships and marine industries that interferes with their echolocation calls, which they use to track and catch their prey. Dr Danuta Wisniewska, of Aarhus University in Denmark, said: Our results show that porpoises hunt small fish, typically less than five centimetres, nearly continuously day and night at ultra-high rates, attempting to capture up to 550 fish per hour, and frequently more than ten per minute. We were surprised by the efficiency with which these small predators feed. A success rate of over 90 per cent, translating into as many as 3,000 fish caught per day, means that porpoises are amongst the most successful known hunters. She and other scientists from Denmark, Germany and Scotland attached miniature computers to five wild porpoises to study their lifestyle, they reported in the journal Current Biology. By analysing the sound of their echolocation they were able to work out how often they tried to catch fish, how often they succeeded and even estimate the size of the fish. This is the first time we have been able to measure simultaneously how a marine mammal hunts and how often it is successful, Dr Wisniewska said. The trick here was to tap into the echolocation sounds that porpoises use to sense their environment. Porpoises make hundreds of clicks a second as they approach prey, and the echoes coming back give us incredible detail about what the prey are doing. They constant nature of the porpoises quest for food prompted the researchers to describe them as aquatic shrews, after the tiny land animals that eat up to two times their own body weight a day and also use echolocation. Dr Wisniewska, who described their hunting skills as remarkable, said the porpoises were targeting fish that are not of interest in commercial fisheries because they are too small. But this strategy is threatened by the noise created by ships engines, submarines sonar and other underwater sounds created by humans. Relying on such small prey makes porpoises especially vulnerable to disturbances, because there is no room for compensation, Dr Wisniewska said. The Hebrides of the west coast of Scotland is home to one of the largest populations of harbour porpoises in Europe. Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary According to the Hedridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, they are normally seen only briefly, when they surface to breathe. When they do surface, the blow is not normally visible but a puffing sound is often heard, earning this animal the nickname puffing pig, the trusts website says. They are commonly seen in groups of two to five animals. Generally thought of as being quite elusive animals. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Apple is gearing up to make an iPhone made almost entirely out of glass, according to one of its biggest suppliers. The company will look to differentiate itself by dropping the metal that it is currently constructed out of, according to the firm that makes much of that same metal. Many rumours have suggested that the phone set to be released later this year likely the iPhone 7 will appear mostly similar to the existing 6 and 6s. But in 2017, the company is expected to completely re-design the phone, bringing in new screen technologies and an entirely new look. That rumour had led to some speculation among local suppliers that the Taiwanese company that makes much of Apples metal casing would lose business to the ones that make its glass screen covers. But Allen Horng, CEO of Catcher Technology, said that the company will still be able to supply products to some of the phones while apparently confirming that Apple will bring in the glass design. As far as I know, only one [iPhone] model will adopt glass casing next year, Mr Horng said after the annual shareholder meeting on Thursday. I don't think this move will have an impact on Catcher's revenue as glass casing still needs a durable metal frame which requires advanced processing technology and would not be cheaper than the current model. Google Chrome to stop backspace being a back button Google Chrome is finally going to stop people from accidentally deleting everything theyve been doing. A future version of the app will stop the backspace button from also functioning as a back button, helping avoid people accidentally pressing it and so destroying everything theyve done on that site. The feature has already been rolled out in some experimental versions of the app, and has upset some users. Developers have said that the feature is only being partly enabled for now, in case there is sufficient outcry and it needs to be rolled back. Future Macs to be unlocked with fingerprint sensor People will very soon be able to unlock their computer remotely. Upcoming versions of Mac OS X will be able to tell when a persons phone is near the computer and then use its TouchID fingerprint sensor to unlock it, according to MacRumors. That update could be announced in June, at Apples Worldwide Developers Conference. Its likely to be a part of the new version of Mac OS X, called 10.12, which will be made available to the public in the autumn. Facebook home page could be split apart Facebook is testing potentially the biggest change to its news feed since it launched. The site is planning to split the feeds up into separate topics, according to screenshots that seem to show versions of the new look being tested. Some users are already seeing their news feed divided up into categories. Those can include topics like TV and movies, music or travel. People who have the new feeds are instructed to add different subtopics into those particular feeds. So if a person has a TV & Movies feed, for instance, theyll be given the option to tick all of the films they like and Facebook will show stories and posts that are about those topics. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Until this week the only thought I had connecting the iPad to air travel was that it was annoying having to take it out of my hand luggage at security. But it turns out that airlines like British Airways make use of the iPad, with purpose-built apps, in ways that are saving time and money. The Independent was escorted airside at Heathrow Terminal 5 to see how it works. After exhaustive security checks and being equipped with steel toe-capped boots (health and safety) I was given a glimpse of the briefing that takes place before every BA flight, where pilots and cabin crew meet to discuss details such as weather, passenger capacity and more. There are plenty of iPads on board. As the pilot, Captain Spencer Norton, revealed, I used to have to carry two huge bags of manuals and charts, now I have every chart in the world on my iPad. Were taking this a step further the iPad will be connected to the aeroplane and be able to talk directly to the plane so well get live data. Much of this is done to prevent or minimise delays, which are taken so seriously at BA that when the turnaround at stand slips by more than three minutes, its reported to a senior manager. Planes used to have print-outs of certain figures brought to the cockpit manually, literally by a staffer running up flights of stairs. Now this is done electronically. The combination of removing the bags of manuals and charts, paper passenger lists, time reduced through electronic data transmission and so on has led to a staggering fuel saving of one tonne of fuel per long-haul flight. The manuals alone weighed 25kg per set. Even ground staff have access to flight data on their iPads (British Airways) And dont worry, if an iPad were to break, the co-pilot has another, and theres a spare. Plus, theyre clipped into a case thats mounted on the plane and plugged into the mains, so the battery wont die. The cabin crew have an exceptionally detailed app called the Passenger Information List which includes remarkable levels of information about passengers and flights. So the Cabin Service Director knows how many people have connecting flights, the weather at destination, the possibility of turbulence and even when it might happen. A seat map (which can be neatly reconfigured so it shows the seating from the point of view of the front of the plane or the rear, according to user preference) indicates any empty seats. Cabin Service Director Sally Kennedy explained, I can use the seat map to see that if there are empty seats, that I can utilise those better, maybe for customers with reduced mobility. With the iPad I can be pro-active instead of reactive. 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 Theres also extensive information about passengers. Special meals are detailed and theres room for staff to add messages. This means that crew can note if a passenger is a nervous flyer, so that the staff on the return flight know to take extra care of them. It also means that if someones off on holiday, a message can be left for the return crew to ask how the vacation went. These can be small details that make the customer experience hugely better. Staff can even be proactive when it comes to delays. Captain Norton said: If a flight has been delayed and a customer is not going to make their connection, we can rebook them on to another flight so its all done by the time we land. There are more iPads in use than just on board. The ground crew, overseeing the fast-paced turnaround for a plane use them to share information. Timings are recorded for the start time of loading, when the chocks are applied, how soon the jetty arrives, how long it takes for passengers to leave and more. The iPad has replaced the reams of paper which pilots had to carry (British Airways) As passengers disembark from the front of the aircraft, cleaners are boarding at the back, whizzing through the plane in a number of minutes. The aircraft sits facing a display which shows a digital clock counting down the minutes until it has to be ready again, placed on the wall of the terminal so everyone can see it. The ground crew still go on board to make some checks, so running around is not completely gone. This is a pressurised, intense period that regular customers never see (well, weve got enough to do shopping at duty-free). Throughout the airport, British Airways is using iPads with apps custom-built for specific purposes. BAs reputation for innovation meant it had its customer app available on day one of the App Store on the iPhone. The initial impetus was to replace paper, beginning with the passenger information list. Each apps purpose has slowly grown with extra features added. Now, data is kept up to date on tablets across the airport from air crew to ground staff through to customer service staff. A check-in app means if a plane is cancelled, staff can be quickly deployed to use the Flight React app: instead of passengers queuing for one desk, staffers with iPads can work their way down the line simultaneously, since the data is live and identical on each, saving time in ways impossible before. Every app I saw looked familiar because it uses the same interface common to most iPad apps: tap a button to turn it off or on, swipe to move up or down a list, tap the button in the top left to return to a previous menu and so on. This is something that helps regular iOS users to become adept at using new apps quickly. We can use the Check-in app so customers dont have to go to a kiosk, we can rebook and re-ticket them, and check them in. We can even use the iPad camera to snap the bag tag to ensure it travels with the customer, a BA crew member told me. As Sally Kennedy, the Cabin Service Director, added, I dont know how wed manage without the iPad now, it does so much. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Amnesty International has called for the formal decriminalisation of adult sex work after research showed criminalisation interferes with prostitutes' human rights. The human rights organisation released the results of a study of sex workers in Argentina, Hong Kong, Norway and Papua New Guinea, showing that sex workers received little or no protection from police. The announcement comes nine months after delegates voted to pass a resolution calling for decriminalisation at their International Council Meeting (ICM) in Dublin. The vote prompted outrage from some feminist campaigners at the time who said it violated the basic human rights and dignities of prostituted individuals. Confirming the policy decision, the charitys senior director for law and policy Tawanda Mutasah said sex workers were "at heightened risk of a whole host of human rights abuses including rape, violence, extortion and discrimination". "Far too often they receive no, or very little, protection from the law or means for redress," she said - while calling for laws to be "refocused" on making sex workers' lives safer, and improving the relationship they have with police. We want governments to make sure no one is coerced to sell sex, or is unable to leave sex work if they choose to," she added. Amnesty has stressed the decision does not mean it recognises that buying sex or benefiting from the sale of sex by another person - known as "pimping" - are human rights. Sex workers still fear violence and discrimination in countries which have adopted the 'Nordic' model of policing sex work (Getty Images) But it believes those selling sex need to be better protected from violence and discrimination - and said the criminalisation of adult consensual sex work "interferes with the realisation of the human rights of sex workers". The organisation found that sex workers face fear and persectution even in countries which practiced the Nordic model favoured by some campaigners, where buying sex is illegal but selling it is not. Researchers also found Oslo sex workers had a smaller pool of clients to draw on since buying sex became illegal in 2009, giving them less negotiating power and forcing them to turn to bad clients - who can be violent or refuse to pay. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty One Norwegian sex worker told researchers: If a customer is bad you need to manage it yourself to the end. You only call the police if you think you are going to die. If you call the police, you lose everything." The report also found that while statistical data is scarce, the majority of people who engage in sex work appear to be living "on the margins of society" and are "most at risk of discrimination and oppression. It found some women sell sex because they have limited opportunities to work elsewhere - and criminalising these people only perpetuates their marginalisation. Another woman interviewed by Amnesty, a street-walker in Buenos Aires named Laura, said she had been grabbed by the neck by a client in the street and held at knife-point until she gave him money and her mobile phone. But she said she did not report it to the police because it would be a waste of time. They wont listen to me because Im a street worker," she added. Selling sex in Buenos Aires is not explicitly illegal but it is illegal for street walkers to make ostentatious offers of sex in public places to prevent public nuisance. Anti-trafficking laws in the country do not distinguish between those trafficked into the industry and those who enter willingly. A London Metropolitan University survey suggested six per cent of sex workers are trafficked into the industry (Getty Images) (Getty) The English Collective of Prostitutes (ECP), an organisation which campaigns on behalf of sex workers, hailed the announcement and said it was the first time an international organisation of such status had recognised sex workers "not as victims or happy hookers, but as workers with rights that are being violated". ECP spokeswoman Cari Mitchell said: We are your mothers, daughters and friends and we are sick of living under the prostitution laws which mean we suffer arrest, imprisonment, exploitation, extortion, and discrimination. We appreciate Amnestys commitment to oppose human rights abuses and call on governments to follow their lead. The ECP also said the often repeated statistic that 80 per cent of sex workers enter the industry through trafficking is not true - and cited research by Dr Nick Mai at London Metropolitan University in 2011 which said the figure was closer to six per cent. Fiona MacTaggart MP, who is the secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Prostitution and the Global Sex Trade, told the Independent she thought it was the policy advocating decriminalisation was "a fantasy" and "inevitably creates more exploitation in human rights clothes". Fiona MacTaggart MP said the policy would "create more exploitation in human rights clothes" (Alamy) She said: "The problem is that governments are unable to protect women exploited through prostitution except in those countries like Sweden where they decriminalise the women and criminalise the sex buyer. "Selling your body is not a profession that any one aspires to, it is not a free choice, but most usually a consequence of exploitation (most prostituted women start while they are still children) poverty, addiction etc. "I was a supporter of Amnesty, but this decision made me give that up, there is no human right to be a prostitute, but there is a human right not to be exploited. "There is equally no right to purchase another persons body for your own sexual pleasure, and its time we regarded that as the exploitation and violence which in real life it is. "The buyer has choice, the bought do not, and that is why the Swedish model is much more effective at preventing human trafficking and violence towards women than any other". For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Bank of England has been accused of getting a big call on private bank regulation wrong by the architect of the Governments post-crisis financial reform drive, Sir John Vickers. The Bank today announced it will be sticking with its controversial plans to require private banks to fund their balance sheets with a level of equity regarded as inadequate to withstand a new crisis by many outside experts, including Sir John, who chaired the Independent Commission on Banking (ICB). Its disappointing that the Bank has stuck to its soft policy on bank capital. Parliament gave the Bank scope to strengthen capital requirements a good deal further but it has fallen short Sir John told The Independent. Recommended Read more Banking reform is more confusing than it needs to be He added: The Governor recently said that the Bank gets the big calls right. This is a really big call but I dont think its the right one. In January the Bank of Englands Financial Policy published a consultation paper on its new framework for a Strategic Risk Buffer (SRBs) of equity for ring-fenced banks and large building societies. Sir John submitted a paper to the Bank arguing that it was badly under-cooking its equity demands by proposing that high-street lenders fund themselves with SRBs equivalent to only around 1.3 per cent of their risky assets. Sir John said his own commission, whose 2011 conclusions were accepted by the Chancellor and Parliament, had said these particular buffers ought to be equivalent to at least 3 per cent of their risky assets. But the FPC said today that there was no new evidence that it had seen to affect its judgement on the overall level of equity it should demand that banks use. It added: Having carefully considered the comments received during the consultation period, the committee decided to adopt as final a framework that was broadly the same as that on which it had consulted. Equity absorbs losses incurred by banks in a financial crisis. If the equity buffers are too low then there is a risk that the bank will have to be rescued by taxpayers to prevent catastrophic damage being inflicted on the rest of the economy, as happened with the Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds in 2008 and 2009. In 2011 the ICB recommended that large banks should be required to ring-fence their high-street retail arms, to protect them from blow-ups in their investment banking and trading operations, and for ring-fenced institutions to use substantially more equity capital in order to make them more resilient in a downturn. Earlier this month the Banks Governor Mark Carney told the BBC that we get the big calls right , while responding to criticism from pro-Brexit campaigners about the Banks performance in recent years. Minutes of the FPCs meeting on 13 May suggest that there was some sympathy from one member of the committee for a more rigorous approach on the SRB buffer, but that the member ultimately came to the view that it would make only a small difference to resilience and fell into line with the eight other members of the committee, including Mr Carney. However, the FPC did also note that it has to review the SRB framework at least every two years, starting in 2018. And in an apparent concession to one of Sir Johns concerns, the Bank clarified the interaction of the SRB with a similar buffer for the worlds most systemically important banks which is set by the Financial Stability Board in Basel. It said banks that are covered by both sets of rules should make sure they hold enough equity to cover their ring-fenced arm and the rest of the group "to ensure that sufficient capital was held within, and distributed appropriately across, consolidated groups to address both global and domestic systemic risks. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} McDonalds French headquarters were searched on 18 May as part of an ongoing tax probe, according to police sources. A preliminary inquiry has been opened after former investigating magistrate and politician Eva Joly filed a lawsuit in December on the behalf of an employee committee. French authorities suspect McDonald's of illegally lowering its tax bill by channelling French earnings to Luxembourg, where its European headquarters is based, and where corporate taxes are much lower. Recommended Read more Google Paris headquarters raided as part of tax payment probe In April, McDonald's France was sent a 300m (220m) bill for unpaid taxes on profits that are said to have been funelled through Switzerland and Luxembourg, according to L'Expansion magazine. McDonald's has declined to comment on the search. The fast-food chain previously said that it is proud to be one of the biggest tax payers in France. McDonalds complies with all tax laws and rules in Europe and pays a significant amount of corporate income tax. In fact, from 2010-2014, the McDonalds Companies paid more than $2.1bn just in corporate taxes in the European Union, with an average tax rate of almost 27 per cent," the company said in December. A spokeswoman for the French budget ministry declined to comment due to confidentiality. Biggest business scandals in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Biggest business scandals in pictures Biggest business scandals in pictures Volkswagen emissions scandal VW admitted to rigging its US emission tests so that diesel-powered cars would looks like they were emitting less nitrous oxide, which can damage the ozone layer and contribute to respiratory diseases. Around 11 million cars worldwide were affected. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Martin Shkreli and Turing Pharmaceuticals Martin Shkreli became known as the most hated man in the world after his drug company, Turing, increased the price of a 62-year-old drug that treated HIV patients by 5,000% to $750 a pill. He was charged with illegally taking stock from Retrophin, a biotechnology firm he started in 2011, and using it pay off debts from unrelated business dealings. Shkreli, who maintains he is innocent, and says there is little evidence of fraud because his investors didn't lose money. Biggest business scandals in pictures Panama Papers: Millions of leaked documents expose how worlds rich and powerful hid money - April 2016 Millions of confidential documents have been leaked from one of the worlds most secretive law firms, exposing how the rich and powerful have hidden their money. Dictators and other heads of state have been accused of laundering money, avoiding sanctions and evading tax, according to the unprecedented cache of papers that show the inner workings of the law firm Mossack Fonseca, which is based in Panama. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Google's tax avoidance Google reached a deal with the HM Revenue and Customs to pay back 130 million in so-called back-taxes that have been due since 2005. George Osborne championed the deal as a major success. But European MEPs have since called for the Chancellor to appear in front of the committee on tax rulings to explain the tax deal. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Rogue trader A French court cut the damages owed by rogue trader Jerome Kerviel from 4.9bn (4.2bn) to just 1m (860,000). The court ruled on that Kerviel was partly responsible for massive losses suffered in 2008 by his former employer Societe Generale through his reckless trades. Kerviel has consistently maintained that bosses at the French bank knew what he was doing all along. AP Biggest business scandals in pictures Barclays CEO under investigation for trying to identify whistleblower - Monday Paril 10 Authorities have launched an investigation into Barclays chief executive officer Jes Staley for trying to identify a whistleblower, the bank said on Monday. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) are both investigating Mr Staley after the bank notified them that Mr Staley had tried to identify the author of two anonymous letters, which were sent to the board and a senior executive in June 2016. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures UK to crack down on bank money laundering after reports of 65bn Russian scam, City minister says - March 2017 The Economic Secretary to the Treasury has vowed that the Government will crack down on money laundering practices, after several of the UK's biggest banks were accused of processing money from a Russian scam, believed to involve up to $80bn (65bn). Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Former HBOS bankers convicted of bribery and fraud over 245m loan scam - February 2017 Two former HBOS bankers were among six people found guilty of bribery and fraud that cost customers and shareholders hundreds of millions of pounds, the BBC reports. Lynden Scourfield, 54, a manager at HBOS, forced struggling clients to use the services of his friends David Mills, 60, and Michael Bancroft, 73. In return, the two businessmen arranged sex parties, cash and lavish gifts. On Monday, the three were convicted at Southwark Crown Court on accounts including bribery, fraud and money laundering. Mark Dobson, another manager at HBOS, Alison Mills, and John Cartwright were also convicted. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Lloyds chief apologises for damage caused by affair allegations - August 2016 Antonio Horta-Osorio, the chief executive of Lloyds Bank, has broken his silence over allegations about his private life admitting he regrets any "damage done to the group's reputation". In a message sent to the bank's 75,000 employees, the banker said that anyone can make mistakes while insisting that staff had to maintain the highest professional standards. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Christine Lagarde faces court over 340m Bernard Tapie payment - July 2016 The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde, must stand trial in France over a payment of 403 million (now 340m, then 290m) to tycoon Bernard Tapie, a France's highest appeals court has ruled. The court rejected Ms Lagarde's appeal against a judge's order in December for her to stand trial over allegations of negligence in her handling of the affair. Ms Lagarde could risk a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of 15,000 euros if convicted. Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures HSBC senior manager arrested in FX rigging investigation at JFK airport in New York - July 2016 A senior executive at HSBC has been arrested at New York's JFK airport for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to rig currency benchmarks, according to reports. Mark Johnson, global head of foreign exchange cash trading in London, was reportedly arrested on Tuesday. He will appear before a federal court in Brooklyn on Wednesday charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Bloomberg said. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Former PwC employees found guilty in 'Luxleaks' tax scandal - June 2016 Two ex- PricewaterhouseCoopers staffers were found guilty in Luxembourg of stealing confidential tax files that helped unleash a global scandal over generous fiscal deals for hundreds of international companies. Antoine Deltour and Raphael Halet face suspended sentences of 12 months and 9 months and were ordered to pay fines of 1,500 (1,230) and 1,000 (822) for their role in the so-called LuxLeaks scandal. Despite the minimal sentences, the ruling was described by Deltours lawyer as shocking and a terrible anomaly. The ruling puts on guard future whistle-blowers, Deltour told reporters.The LuxLeaks revelations sped beyond Luxembourg, causing European Union regulators to expand a tax-subsidy probe and propose new laws to fight corporate tax dodging, while EU lawmakers created a special committee to probe fiscal deals across the 28-nation bloc. Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Goldman Sachs dealmakers lavished Libyan officials with prostitutes to win contract - June 2016 A former Goldman Sachs dealmaker trying to persuade Gadaffi-era Libya to invest $1 billion with the investment bank procured prostitutes and invited Libyan officials to lavish parties in the hope of winning the business, the High Court heard on Monday June 13.The Libyan Investment Authority sovereign wealth fund is suing Goldman Sachs for inappropriately coercing its naive staff into giving its sovereign wealth fund cash to the bank to invest in products they did not understand. The products were designed to generate big profits for Goldman, the LIA claims.Goldman denies wrongdoing and says the LIA was treated as an arms-length customer Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Former boss of BHS said his life was threatened - June 2016 Darren Topp, the former boss of BHS, has said former owner Dominic Chappell threatened to kill him when he challenged him over a 1.5 million transfer out of the business. MPs on the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee asked Mr Topp about a 1.5 million transfer Mr Chappell made from BHS to a company called BHS Sweden. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley admits paying workers below the minimum wage - June 2016 Mike Ashley admitted paying Sports Direct employees below the minimum wage at a hearing in front of MPs. The company founder said that workers were paid less than the statutory minimum because of bottlenecks at security in an admission that could result in sanctions from HMRC. Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Mitsubishi admits improper fuel tests - April 2016 Mitsubishi has admitted to using false fuel methods dating back to 1991. The scale of the scandal is only just coming to light after it was revealed in April that data was falsified in the testing of four types of cars, including two Nissan cars. AP Biggest business scandals in pictures Quindell, the scandal-ridden insurance firm Quindell was once a darling of AIM but its share price fell in April 2014 when its accounting practices were attacked in a stinging research note by US short seller Gotham City. In August the group was forced to disclose that the 107 million pre-tax profit it had reported for 2013 was incorrect, and it had in fact suffered a 64million loss. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Toshiba Accounting Scandal The boss of Toshiba, the Japanese technology giant, resigned in disgrace in the wake of one of the countrys biggest ever accounting scandals. His exit came two months after the company revealed that it was investigating accounting irregularities. An independent investigatory panel said that Toshibas management had inflated its reported profits by up to 152 billion yen (780m) between 2008 and 2014. Biggest business scandals in pictures FIFA Corruption Scandal Fifa, football's world governing body, has been engulfed by claims of widespread corruption since the summer of 2015, when the US Department of Justice indicted several top executives. It has now claimed the careers of two of the most powerful men in football, Fifa President Sepp Blatter and Uefa President Michel Platini, after they were banned for eight years from all football-related activities by Fifa's ethics committee. A Swiss criminal investigation into the pair is ongoing. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Libor fraudster City trader Tom Hayes, 35, has become the first person to be convicted of rigging Libor rates following a trial at London's Southwark Crown Court. Hayes worked as a trader in yen derivatives at UBS before joining the American bank Citigroup in Tokyo. He was fired from Citigroup following an investigation into his trading methods. He returned to the UK in December 2012 and was arrested following a two-and-a-half year criminal investigation by the SFO. Getty The news comes days after Googles Paris headquarters were raided on Tuesday as part of a tax investigation. Google said: We comply with French law and are co-operating fully with authorities to answer their questions. Additional reporting by Reuters For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A former pension minister has issued warnings over the Governments plans to cut pensions benefits to save Tata Steels UK operations. Steve Webb said the proposed changes could take ministers down a dangerous path and create an adverse effect for other pensioners. The pension security of hundreds of thousands of workers, well beyond the steel industry could be affected, he said. Recommended Read more Four charts that show why the UK steel industry is in crisis His warning comes as the Government has confirmed it is looking at solutions in relation to Tatas 15bn UK pensions liabilities, which are seen as a major obstacle to a successful sale. A new consultation on the changes which could enable a restructuring of the Tata pension fund is expected to be launched on Thursday. Labour urged the Government to tread carefully and ensure workers pensions are protected. Steel workers pensions must be protected, they've earned them with hard graft over many years, said Owen Smith, the shadow Work and Pensions Secretary. So if ministers are considering measures which might see those pensions reduced, MPs from all parties, especially those representing steel communities, will want a chance to question the plans, along with the trade unions who are playing such a vital and impressive role standing up for Tata workers, he added. The British Steel pension scheme has 130,000 members and it is yet unclear how many of those would be affected by the changes. Britain's steel industry has been hit by cheap Chinese imports, high energy costs and a global supply glut and, in March, Tata said it wanted to sell its remaining plants in the country, putting 15,000 jobs at risk. Hundreds of steelworkers marched through London on Wednesday to put pressure on Tata and the Government to save the crisis-hit industry. 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. Tata announced on 9 May that it was considering seven expressions of interest in its UK business and bidders were required to submit their proposals by Monday. A shortlist of bidders had been expected following a Tata board meeting on Wednesday. But finance director Koushik Chatterjee said bids were still under active consideration. Sign up for a full digest of all the best opinions of the week in our Voices Dispatches email Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Voices Dispatches email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Families across the country are willing to spend hundreds of thousands more on a house if it means they can get their child a place at a desirable state school. Properties located near outstanding Ofsted rated schools are being sold for a fifth more than the local average, with parents in Brighton spending more than 150,000 extra on catchment area houses. Research from online estate agents HouseSimple.com found St Lukes Primary School in Brighton and Hove to be the most desirable state school in the country, with houses nearby costing around 45 per cent more than the average for the local area. Of the primary schools surveyed, more than half with the biggest draw for parents are in the south of England. Crowland Primary School in Haringey came in close second, with buyers willing to spend an 193,816 more on average, to live near high-achieving Crowland Primary School. According to the figures, there are some areas offering better value to live close to outstanding schools properties surrounding The Mayflower Primary School in Essex, Henry Cavendish Primary School in Lambeth and Highfields Primary School in Leicester all sold for slightly less than the average price for the local area, despite obtaining enviable results from inspectors. While a years boarding school fees at Eton College cost the nations aristocrats 32,000 per year, parents are paying a national average of almost 44,000 in order to secure places near the best state-funded schools. Last month, thousands of children missed out on primary school places due to oversubscription One in four primary schools is now said to be full or overcapacity, causing alarm among new parents who face vying for places along with a further 295,000 more pupils expected to enrol by 2020. Alex Gosling, CEO of HouseSimple.com said: Private education is out of reach for many families, which is why there is high demand for places at top rated state primary schools. But there arent enough places to go around, which has led property prices in the catchment areas of popular primary schools to rocket in recent years. Attending an outstanding state school can offer an education as good as, if not better, than paying to go private, but with property prices close to the best state schools commanding average premiums of 18%, paying the price to live close by certainly doesnt equate to a free education. The most desired schools in Britain: Sign up for a full digest of all the best opinions of the week in our Voices Dispatches email Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Voices Dispatches email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A teacher in Utah is under investigation for allegedly telling students to duct tape their mouths shut. School officials in Salt Lake City were alerted of the incident after one parent received a selfie from their 12-year-old son, who said his teacher told him tape his mouth for talking too much. According to local news broadcasters, the students mother said she was blown away by what happened, and that the schools punishment system had gone way too far. A school district spokesman told KSL news station: I don't think this behaviour is indicative of bad kids. I think kids are kids, and teachers recognise that, by and large. But asking a student to place duct tape on their mouth would never be an appropriate response. The district said the teacher has 29 years of experience, but is now on administrative leave pending an investigation. It is believed that potentially a handful of students were involved. Recommended Read more Student walks for the first time on graduation day The mother of the child who sent the selfie said that she didn't plan to share the incident with the media, but an anonymous person shared the photo of her son to media outlets. She said she would forgive the teacher and does not want the teacher to be fired. I don't think that this makes her a bad person or teacher. I just think this particular thing is a problem for me, she said. I dont want this to happen to any other kids. I just wish the teacher would have called me to tell me if this was a persistent problem. It's our responsibility to teach [children] at home how to behave with adults, how to behave socially, what responsibility is, taking responsibility for your actions. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Avigdor Liberman, the Israeli hardliner and leader of the secular-nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu party, has been formally appointed as Israels defence minister. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed the deal for the controversial cabinet decision on Wednesday, shoring up his fragile one-seat majority in the 120-member parliament. Mr Netanyahu invited Mr Liebermans Yisrael Beiteinu party into government last week in an attempt to bolster his small governing majority last week. In turn, Mr Lieberman reportedly demanded he be appointed as Defence Minister as a condition, thus forcing Mr Netanyahu to ask the current defence minister Moshe Yaalon to stand aside. Chickpea wars: Israelis up in arms at bid to stop them selling hummus Show all 11 1 /11 Chickpea wars: Israelis up in arms at bid to stop them selling hummus Chickpea wars: Israelis up in arms at bid to stop them selling hummus 60093.bin Quique Kierszenbaum Chickpea wars: Israelis up in arms at bid to stop them selling hummus 60092.bin Quique Kierszenbaum Chickpea wars: Israelis up in arms at bid to stop them selling hummus 60091.bin Quique Kierszenbaum Chickpea wars: Israelis up in arms at bid to stop them selling hummus 60090.bin Quique Kierszenbaum Chickpea wars: Israelis up in arms at bid to stop them selling hummus 60082.bin Quique Kierszenbaum Chickpea wars: Israelis up in arms at bid to stop them selling hummus 60083.bin Quique Kierszenbaum Chickpea wars: Israelis up in arms at bid to stop them selling hummus 60084.bin Quique Kierszenbaum Chickpea wars: Israelis up in arms at bid to stop them selling hummus 60085.bin Quique Kierszenbaum Chickpea wars: Israelis up in arms at bid to stop them selling hummus 60086.bin Quique Kierszenbaum Chickpea wars: Israelis up in arms at bid to stop them selling hummus 60094.bin Quique Kierszenbaum Chickpea wars: Israelis up in arms at bid to stop them selling hummus 60088.bin Quique Kierszenbaum Resigning last Friday, Yaalon said he no longer had faith in the Israeli Prime Minister and warned the government had been taken over by extremist and dangerous elements. According to immediate polls, Israelis prefer Mr Yaalon to Mr Liberman in the role of defence minister. A poll broadcast by Israels Channel 10 television on Thursday found that 51 per cent of Israeli Jews considered Yaalon to more suitable for the role, while 27 per cent favoured Mr Lieberman. Two other polls revealed similar margins. The Palestinian President's adviser condemned the appointment, saying Mr Lieberman was a fascist minister who will promote settlements. Mr Liberman works in one of the most important and sensitive jobs in Israeli politics and will head up Israel's military and intelligence agencies and oversee Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories and the four million Palestinians who live in the region. This is by no means the first time Mr Liberman has been in the public eye. Known for his inflammatory statements, he is one of the countrys most controversial and polarising politicians. Immigrant upbringing Born into a Russian-speaking family in Kishinev in the Soviet Union in 1958, his father served in the Red Army and spent seven years in a Siberian exile under Stalins rule. Growing up in Russia, he was instilled with a strong sense of Jewish identity, with his family only teaching him Yiddish up to the age of three. In 1978, he and his family emigrated to Israel where he was conscripted into the Israel Defence Forces and later studied International Relations and Political Science at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. While studying, he worked as a nightclub bouncer. Route into politics Mr Liberman entered politics in the 1990s as an aide to Mr Netanyahu but later broke away and founded Yisrael Beitenu, an ultranationalist party whose support base includes immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Both an ally and an opponent of Mr Netanyahu, he has held a number of high-level Cabinet posts over the course of his career. He has served as the Minister of National Infrastructure, Minister of Transportation, Minister of Strategic Affairs, Deputy Prime Minister, and twice served as the Foreign Affairs Minister - once between 2009 and 2012 and again between 2013 and 2015. Sharp tongue Over the years, Mr Lieberman has dominated headlines for his controversial remarks. In a 2015 election campaign speech, he said, Those who are with us deserve everything. Those against us, it cannot be helped, we must lift up an axe and behead them - otherwise we will not survive here. Back in 2003, he reacted to an agreement made by then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to America, where amnesty could be given to roughly 350 Palestinian prisoners. Mr Lieberman turned down the opportunity to participate in the associated committee, saying, It would be better to drown these prisoners in the Dead Sea if possible since that's the lowest point in the world. 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. Tumultuous relationship Mr Liebermans relationship with Mr Netanyahu has had its ups and downs over three decades. At times, he has been his closest ally and at other times he has been an intense rival. He surprised fellow politicians when he revealed he would not join Mr Netanyahus government after his own party's unexpectedly good performance in the elections. He claimed the coalition has been opportunist and not nationalist and said he and his party had chosen principles over ministerial portfolios. Mr Lieberman has often revealed his scepticism about peace efforts with Palestine. Mr Netanyahu distanced himself from Mr Liebermans outspoken speech at the United Nations in 2010 and said is wasnt an accurate reflection of Israeli policy. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Peter Thiel has confirmed long-rumoured speculation he has been secretly funding Hulk Hogans lawsuit against Gawker Media. Hogan sued the media company for invasion of privacy after it published a sex tape of the wrestler and was awarded $140 million in his lawsuit in March. In an interview with The New York Times on Wednesday, the billionaire tech entrepreneur and co-founder of PayPal accused the publication of bullying and said his decision to help Hogan was motivated by deterrence. Thiel said he is supporting at least one other lawsuit against the digital media company. 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. Thiel once described Gawker as the Silicon Valley equivalent of Al Qaeda and was outed as gay by the publication. Its less about revenge and more about specific deterrence, he told the paper. I saw Gawker pioneer a unique and incredibly damaging way of getting attention by bullying people even when there was no connection with the public interest. Thiel said Gawker published articles that were very painful and paralyzing for people who were targeted, adding, I thought it was worth fighting back. Thiel argued that the majority of people they target do not have the finances to defend themselves. "Even someone like Terry Bollea [Hulk Hogan] who is a millionaire and famous and a successful person didnt quite have the resources to do this alone." The way Ive thought about this is that Gawker has been a singularly terrible bully, he added. In a way, if I didnt think Gawker was unique, I wouldnt have done any of this. Gawker is appealing the decision. The companys founder, Nick Denton, suspected the lawsuit was being funded by a third party but didn't know for sure until now. Just because Peter Thiel is a Silicon Valley billionaire, Denton said, "his opinion does not trump our millions of readers who know us for routinely driving big news stories including Hillary Clinton's secret email account, Bill Cosby's history with women, the mayor of Toronto as a crack smoker, Tom Cruise's role within Scientology ... and just this month the hidden power of Facebook to determine the news you see. Thiel is a libertarian and is a pledged delegate for Donald Trump for the 2016 Republican National Convention. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Justin Trudeau has revolutionised many of the customs associated with a world leader, from balancing babies on one hand, displaying impressive yoga moves to physically going down to the airport to welcome Syrian refugees arriving in Canada. Now, hes proved that work-life balance is important for everybody, regardless of your job. Mr Trudeau cleared his all-important schedule on Wednesday to celebrate his 11th wedding anniversary with wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau. The actual anniversary is in a few days time. According to Mr Trudeaus official itinerary of his trip to Japan, Wednesday was reserved for a private day while all other days were filled with important meetings, trade visits, media briefings and the grouping of the G7 members at Ise-Shima on Thursday. 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. Speaking to reporters, the Prime Minister said: The fact of the matter is weve been working extremely hard today and will be at the G7 meetings on Thursday and Friday, and in the middle of all this, Im taking a moment to celebrate - on personal funds - my wedding anniversary with my wife, reports the Canadian Press. This is the kind of work-life balance that Ive often talked about as being essential in order to be able to be in service of a country with all ones very best and thats certainly something Im going to continue to make sure we do. Trudeau and Gregoire married on May 28, 2005 in Montreal, they have three children Xavier, Ella-Grace and Hadrian. Sign up for a full digest of all the best opinions of the week in our Voices Dispatches email Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Voices Dispatches email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A rare genome has been identified in an ancient body pulled from a sarcophagus on a site near ancient Carthage, in a discovery which could throw new light on the history of human movement. The DNA of the 2,500-year-old remains of the Young Man of Byrsa , discovered in 1994 and believed to be that of a young male Phoenician, was sequenced by a team of scientists. They found it contained an extremely rare type of genome sequence, known as U5b2c1, which is almost unknown among modern populations. The research has now been published in the scientific journal Plos One. This is first example of an ancient Phoenician genome, Professor Lisa Matisoo-Smith, co-leader of the study with Dr Pierre Zalloua, told The Independent. The DNA was found on the site of Byrsa, a citadel close to the ancient city of Carthage, which now just outside Tunis, Tunisia. Though the Phoenicians were an influential people, relatively little is known about them. They are believed to have originated from the Lebanon now is and their influence expanded across the Mediterranean as far as the Iberian Peninsula. Along the way, they established settlements and trading posts. The city and trade centre of Carthage in Tunisia, North Africa, is believed to have been established as a Phoenician port by colonists from Lebanon. However, the U5b2c1 sequence has not been found in modern Lebanon. Just one person - in Portugal - has been found to carry exactly the same genome. Moment huge ship full of refugees capsizes To find European lineage in North Africa dating from 2,500 years ago was very unexpected, the professor said. The scientists were expecting to find DNA of indigenous North African lineage, because of the location, or from the Near East, because of the history of Carthage. However, because of known trade networks linking Carthage and the rest of the Mediterranean, the find is not unexplainable, the researchers said, despite the surprise it caused them. This is the earliest European lineage recorded in North Africa, so in a way it not only helps us understand Phoenician history, but also makes people [re]think about the history of human mobility, said Prof Matisoo-Smith. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Analysing ancient DNA (known as aDNA) has allowed researchers to identify where different people were at different specific points in time. Before, when we only looked at modern DNA, we had to guess or try to reconstruct how and when different lineages may have appeared, said the professor. This means that we missed a lot of prehistoric population history, since we now know that many populations were replaced by incoming farmers and so on. In reconstructions of genetic variation in the Mediterranean, there hasnt been much consideration of Phoenician trade networks and the likelihood of people moving long distances and spreading those genetic markers widely. Similarly to Roman Britain, although several hundred years earlier, the research shows Phoenician cities were diverse and often moved with trade networks. Prof Matisoo-Smith and her team hope this finding is the first result in what will become a major study of ancient Phoenician remains, in collaboration with archaeologists across the Mediterranean. Sign up for a full digest of all the best opinions of the week in our Voices Dispatches email Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Voices Dispatches email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Strange ring-shaped structures that were made about 176,000 years ago could change our understanding of our closest extinct relatives. The strange structures, fashioned out of broken stalagmites deep inside a cave in southwestern France, appear to show that Neanderthals were far more adept than had previously been thought. The mysterious arrangements, deep in a dark cave, could be an indication that they were used for ritual social behaviour. And there may have been many similar examples of Neanderthal culture that have since been lost, according to experts. Recent archaeological discoveries Show all 11 1 /11 Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries Divers Alberto Nava and Susan Bird discover the world's oldest skull found in an underwater cave in Mexico, believed to be the earliest trace of first Americans Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries Paleontologist Gary Morgan stands over the fossil of a stegomastodon skull discovered in a remote area of Elephant Butte State Park, N.M. in June 2012 AP Photo/Albuquerque Journal, Roberto Rosales Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries Scientists discovered the worlds oldest face, which belongs to this 419 million-year-old fish - an ancient sea predator that might also re-write the history of our evolution from the seas Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries An archaeologist discovered a tomb of an intact mummy of the Wari prehispanic culture in Lima's Huaca Pucllana ceremonial complex, at Miraflores district Reuters Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries One of the 46 fossils found at the site in southern Chile Wolfgang Stinnesbeck Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries Archaeologist James Best holding a Roman skull found during the building of a utility tunnel at Crossrail's Liverpool Street station site, London PA Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries In 2012 archaeologists unearthed two skeletons from the Middle Ages pierced through the chest with iron rods to keep them from turning into vampires. They were discovered in the Black Sea town of Sozopol, Bulgaria AFP/Getty Images Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries Several horse shoes dating from the 2nd century AD have been found stuck in cart ruts in this area. Archaeologists believe the metal shoes, which were strapped rather than nailed to horses, came off as the animals were led up to a timber bridge over the Walbrook River PA Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries An archaeologist digs out a skull from the site of the graveyard of the Bethlehem, or Bedlam, hospital Reuters Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries Archaeologists discovered a dinosaur tail in Mexico's desert with the 50 vertebrae of the tail completely intact AP Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries Archaeologist found a terracotta warrior at the excavation site inside the No. 1 pit of the Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses, on the outskirts of Xi'an, Shaanxi province, in June 2010 Jason Lee / Reuters The structures were made out of hundreds of stalagmites pillar-shaped mineral deposits. They were each chopped to a similar length and then put into oval patterns that go 16-inches high. They were found by accident in 1990, after they were cut off for tens of thousands of years by a rockslide that shut the mouth of the cave. Previous research had shown that the structures came before humans arrived in Europe about 40,000 years ago. But the idea that they had been fashioned by Neanderthals was a problem for some who believed that our ancient relatives wouldnt have had the kind of complex behaviour required to make them while working underground. But using new and sophisticated dating techniques, researchers have shown that the stalagmites must have been broken off 176500 years ago "making these edifices among the oldest known well-dated constructions made by humans, according to the team led by archaeologist Jacques Jaubert of the University of Bordeaux. "Their presence at 336 meters (368 yards) from the entrance of the cave indicates that humans from this period had already mastered the underground environment, which can be considered a major step in human modernity," the researchers concluded in a study published in Nature. Recommended Read more Neanderthals might have contracted diseases from early humans The research rules out theories that the rings came about by chance or have been assembled by other animals. To build the strange structures, the Neanderthals must have decide on a project to go deep into the cave and outside the reaches of natural light, according to Professor Jaubert. Its likely that they went into the cave as a group and lit it using fire traces of which can still be found on the structures. Paola Villa, an archaeologist at the University of Colorado at Boulder who wasn't involved in the study, said the site "provides strong evidence of the great antiquity of those elaborate structures and is an important contribution to a new understanding of the greater level of social complexities of Neanderthal societies." There might have been even more examples of Neanderthal culture that have since been lost, according to Wil Roebroeks, a Neanderthal expert at the University of Leiden, Netherlands. "Bruniquel cave (shows) that circular structures were a part of Neanderthals' material culture," said Roebroeks, who called the rings "an intriguing find, which underlines that a lot of Neanderthal material culture, including their 'architecture,' simply did not survive in the open." We have previously found other Neanderthal structures, like hearths and rock workshops. But we have never before found structures of this magnitude, and in this deep cave context, said Professor Jaubert. Not having found any other similar structures makes it very difficult to understand exactly what they were used for or how they came about, according to researchers. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} One of Britains top diplomats in the United States is to jump ship and join Blippar, the fast growing visual search browser and augmented reality developer, valued at $1.5 billion. Blippar will announce the appointment of Danny Lopez, the British Consul General in New York for five years, as its new Chief Operating Officer in charge of global development on Thursday. The youngest person ever appointed Consul General when he took up the position in 2011, Mr Lopez, then just 37, has led the UKs efforts in New York to lure American companies to invest in Britain while at the same time promoting British tourism and culture in the United States. In the post, Mr Lopez gave a widely felt jolt of energy to the UKs trade office in New York, which has for the past several years also stewarded the Britain is GREAT campaign across the United States. Among its goals has been to highlight the growth of Londons so-called Silicon Roundabout tech start-ups, among them Blippar. The company, which recently completed a Series D round of $54 million, was co-founded by CEO Ambarish Mitra, who recently admitted to the BBC that he ran away from home in Delhi as a child to work on a stall in the slums selling tea and magazines. Ive enjoyed a front-row seat over the years watching Blippar grow from an upstart company in the UK to a major presence in New York and across the globe, Mr Lopez said in a statement that will accompany the announcement of his appointment. Having seen the company develop industry-leading technologies, Im bullish on Blippars vision. Danny has been a transformative leader, integrating a key public sector body and driving it forward with private sector precision and delivery, Mr Mitra offered. His extensive international business and economic development experience will prove to be an invaluable asset to us. The company, which raised the new capital with help from an investment fund of the Malaysian government, has made headlines with an app that allows a user to point their phone at any object and then receive fresh information on it. Aim the smartphones camera on a potted rose and in theory it will tell you things like the location of the nearest nursery or flower shop to buy another of the same type. As digital people we think we've made it and you think Google or Yahoo is the answer but there is still a big gap in the market. You still can't point at everything in the world and describe it and get to know more about it, Mr Mitra recently told CNBC , the business cable channel. Mr Lopez is to be replaced in his New York role by Antonia Romeo. A civil service economist for fifteen years after a career at Oliver Wyman, she will become the first woman to serve as Consul General in New York. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Government is coming under pressure to justify why it imprisons pregnant women and their babies, after a report suggested that the practice can cause significant harm to infants and mothers without benefiting public safety. Campaigners, MPs and midwives have called for urgent reform in the light of evidence suggesting babies may be suffering mental and physical disabilities as a result of being held in prisons and claims that pregnant women are being watched by male guards while giving birth. Some 600 pregnant women are held in prisons in England and Wales every year, with at least 100 babies being born while their mother is serving a prison sentence. Unlike many countries, the UK does not make sentencing allowances for women who are pregnant in the criminal justice system. Following assessments, some are allowed to keep their baby with them in prison after birth until they are 18 months old in a specialist Mother and Baby Unit. Others have their baby taken from them shortly after birth to be placed with a family member outside the prison or to enter the care system for fostering or adoption. Women tend to continue in standard prison cells as usual while pregnant, being taken out to scans and check-ups at nearby hospitals by prison guards and transferred to local maternity wards for the labour, before returning to prisons or Mother and Baby Units after birth. The concerns are highlighted in a report published by Birth Companions, an organisation helping women who are pregnant inside the prison system, which raises concerns that many women and babies are being seriously failed by the criminal justice system. The report highlights growing research suggesting babies born in prisons are much more likely to develop ADHD, autism, mental health problems, have a lower birth weight and suffer attachment issues than other babies. The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons Show all 6 1 /6 The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons GETTY IMAGES The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons GETTY IMAGES The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons PA The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons PA Research has suggested this is partly caused by hormonal disruption caused in the womb due to acute distress experienced by pregnant women in prison. The issue is thought to be further compounded by restrictive and repetitive prison environments which mean babies do not experience new faces, sounds or sights during key developmental periods, causing them to suffer developmental delay. There are also concerns pregnant women are not receiving adequate nutrition as they eat heavily processed, unhealthy food from prison canteens meaning they and the babies risk becoming seriously underweight during pregnancy and breast feeding. One woman said: We are meant to be able to eat, were meant to be able to drink. We shouldnt be dehydrated. The prisons may say we are feeding them but Ive still got my [medical] notes that say I was dehydrated and starving - thats what the midwife was saying: This girl is starving and dehydrated were keeping her in [hospital]. One woman told The Independent spending limits in prison shops mean women have to chose between extra food or telephone credit, she said: I had to decide, do I get extra food for me and my baby or do I phone my mum so I can talk to her about how the baby is doing and get support? There are also concerns rising prison violence could represent significant risk to pregnant women. One woman told The Independent: When I was pregnant there were fights kicking off around me all the time, I was so frightened something would happen to my baby. Another woman told The Independent of her distress when she was handcuffed while eight-months pregnant on her way to a scan. She said: It was so stressful and humiliating - where did they think I was going to run to, while eight months' pregnant? Women also say prison staff are present during labour. One woman told The Independent that two female guards were stationed in the hospital room while she was in labour. She was acutely distressed by their presence and felt unable to push when she felt contractions while they were watching. She says she subsequently had to have an emergency c-section because of this. One woman said: When I was there, every single mother had a caesarean section - we all felt that it was because we were stressed and the officers were in the room all the time. I was in deep labour and I couldnt really speak but I know they were there, I can still see their faces. Another woman said male guards were present at her birth until she had a c-section and they were excluded from the operating room on medical grounds. They later returned and she had to ask them to leave so she could breastfeed. She had suffered a high risk birth and experienced heavy bleeding throughout her pregnancy while in prison. She says shortly after the emergency c-section and arduous birth the prison guards pressured her into returning to prison instead of recovering in hospital, telling her prison staff had to be paid extra to guard her during overnight stays in the hospital and the prison governor was worried about costs. Unlike many countries which make allowances for women who are pregnant in the criminal justice system, the UK imprisons pregnant women and babies until 18 months (Getty Images) Birth Companions is calling on the Government to issue clear guidance on how prisons and prison staff should treat pregnant women and babies inside jails. Director Naomi Delap told The Independent that some prisons treated women and babies well and were aware of their statutory duties to them, but many others seemed unaware of how to treat them with appropriate care and dignity. She said: Prisons were designed with men in mind. Women are a small population, pregnant women are an even smaller one within that and many of the institutions havent really addressed the issue and the impact of current policies. Prison staff and healthcare workers often dont know what they should be doing. Some prison staff can be hugely supportive, but others dont know what theyre doing. Women need to have choice and to have their wishes and dignity respected in these difficult circumstances. Brazilian prisons - where inmates run the show Shadow Lord Chancellor, Charlie Falconer, told The Independent: I welcome the work done by Birth Charter and urge the Government to include measures to reform the way the criminal justice system treats pregnant women and mothers with children in its forthcoming prison reform bill. Sending pregnant women, or a woman who has a child they are caring for under 18 months old, to prison, should be a last resort and implemented only for the most serious of offences. Womens Minister, Caroline Dinenage, told The Independent: As the Prime Minister has made clear, this Government is committed to improving the treatment of female offenders. We are looking into options including tagging, problem solving courts and alternative resettlement units to improve our care for female offenders. This is particularly important if they are pregnant or have young children. I was pleased to meet Birth Companions last month, and look forward to working with them and learning from their expertise as we work to create a Criminal Justice System that better meets the needs of women. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The British Government has refused to answer the plea of a Pakistani man desperate to know whether he is on America's secretive kill list after surviving four drone strikes. Malik Jalal believes he is being mistakenly targeted because of his work with the North Waziristan Peace Committee, which mediates between local tribes, government agencies and the Taliban. He left his home and family for their own safety after seeing friends and relatives die around him and visited the UK last month in the hope of clearing his name. I dont fear for my own life because I believe that when my departure is due, nothing can stop it, he told The Independent. Malik Jalal at the Diana Memorial in Hyde Park during his visit to the UK in April 2016 (Supplied) The bigger fear for me is the safety of my family and extended family. I came with the hope that I can clear the misunderstanding in my case because my role has always been as a negotiator and peace-maker." Unable to gain an American visa, he hoped that the Government would make an intervention with its ally to confirm whether he was being targeted and prevent any future attacks. MPs from the UK's full largest parties supported his appeal but have received a reply from the Foreign Office refusing to intervene. Tobias Ellwood, the minister responsible for national security issues, wrote a letter saying that although British drones operated in neighbouring Afghanistan, there were no operations in Pakistan. "I cannot offer comment on any issues relating to alleged actions by governments other than the Government of the United Kingdom, he wrote. "Furthermore, it is our longstanding policy not to comment on intelligence matters. We do not feel that it would be appropriate to raise this case with the US Government and therefore we do not believe that any purpose would be served by a meeting. Artists in Pakistan target drones with giant posters of child victims Show all 5 1 /5 Artists in Pakistan target drones with giant posters of child victims Artists in Pakistan target drones with giant posters of child victims Pakistan A poster bearing the image of a Pakistani girl whose parents, lawyers say, were killed in a drone strike, lies in a field at an undisclosed location in the northwestern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. A group of artists in Pakistan are hoping to generate "empathy" among US drone operators by placing giant posters of children in the country's troubled tribal regions Artists in Pakistan target drones with giant posters of child victims Pakistan Crowd gather next to the poster, which targets predator drone operators in Pakistan Artists in Pakistan target drones with giant posters of child victims Pakistan The portrait of the nameless child was released with the hashtag: #hashNotABugSplat Artists in Pakistan target drones with giant posters of child victims Pakistan In military slang predator drone operators refer to victims as 'bug splats' because when you view the bodies from a grainy video they appear to look like crushed insects Artists in Pakistan target drones with giant posters of child victims Pakistan Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a heavily bombed area home to many drone attacks; the artists hope that the image of the young girl might make operators think twice Jennifer Gibson, a lawyer from Reprieve campaign group, said the Government had failed to answer the simple question of how Mr Jalal can stop the strikes and had previously refused to meet with him. The Government has simply decided to hide behind a policy not to comment on intelligence matters', she added. "We cannot have a situation where people are condemned to death, in secret and without due process or any form of appeal. "Yet by following the US down the Kill List route, this is what the UK government is proposing." A group of MPs who met with Mr Jalal during his visit to London had asked Philip Hammond to seek information on his case from the US in the absence of help from the Pakistani government or "any realistic way" to contact decision-makers himself. They asked for confirmation or denial of whether he was on a "kill list", targeting procedure, details of any way to challenge the designation and clarification of legality regarding civilian casualties. Pakistani tribesmen gather for funeral prayers before the coffins of people allegedly killed in a US drone attack on 15 June 2011 in the North Waziristan village of Tapi (AFP/Getty Images) Tom Brake, who was among the signatories, said he was disappointed by the Government's refusal. "The US is clearly our main ally in that part of the world and I would have thought it was perfectly appropriate to make the request," he told The Independent. "I'm worried that the reason the Government won't take it up is simply some sort of tacit understanding between governments that they are allowed to get on with this type of covert activity without being held to account, and that's a mistake." The Liberal Democrat MP said he would now write a letter to the US ambassador on the case. "I have never in 19 years as an MP come across a case like this," he added. The letter was also signed by David Davis, the Conservative MP for Haltemprice and Howden, Clive Lewis, the Labour MP for Norwich South and Kirsten Oswald, who represents East Renfrewshire for the Scottish National Party. A Pakistani boy during a protest against US drone attacks on North Waziristan in Islamabad on December 10, 2010 (AFP/Getty Images) Mr Lewis said he found Mr Jalal's experience disturbing and had been told by a former US drone operator that a "kill ratio" was in place, allowing strikes to be approved even if innocent civilians were likely to die. Recommended Read more I am on the Kill List This is what it feels like to be hunted "It doesn't take a genius to work out that for militants it's a recruitment tool," he added, calling for more transparency and accountability in decision-making processes. Mr Jalal said the strikes started in 2010, with the first blowing up his car at a garage, the second destroying a vehicle travelling behind him and his nephew and two more hitting friends' houses as he approached. His cousins, nephews and friends have been among those killed and injured, while Mr Jalal also claims to have narrowly missed the deadliest drone strike ever to be officially acknowledged in Pakistan, which killed at least 40 civilians at a tribal assembly on 17 March 2011. Pakistani protesters burn a US flag during a protest in Multan on April 22, 2011 against US drone attacks in Pakistani tribal areas (AFP/Getty Images) After resorting to sleeping under trees to prevent his family home from becoming a target, Mr Jalal fled Waziristan after the fifth strike in 2013 and now lives with his wife in a different province of Pakistan. He claims officials close to the security services warned him that he was on the kill list, officially known as the Disposition Matrix, but says he was never affiliated with "crazy" Taliban militants. The names it carries are a closely-guarded secret and Mr Jalal has never had any confirmation his is among them. Americas drone strikes have killed between 400 and 950 civilians in Pakistan since the CIA campaign began in 2004 according to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. Mr Jalal argued that the programme is counter-productive and makes terror attacks more likely by fuelling anti-Western sentiment in the volatile region. Theyre not getting rid of militants - for every two militants hit, 10 more will spring up in their place because their families and friends have been killed, he added. When contacted by The Independent, a spokesperson at the US Central Command admitted that US entities operate in Pakistan but said information on targeting could not be disclosed. Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Nadine White Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter The Race Report Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Race Report email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Muslim women are experiencing a double-bind of religious and gender discrimination which sees them subjected to abuse and harassment in the workplace, online and in public life, new research has warned. Muslim women have been found to face significant barriers in the workplace, including pregnancy discrimination, an enlarged pay gap and racial profiling in job applications. The report, titled Forgotten women: The impact of Islamophobia on Muslim women in the UK was commissioned by the European Network Against Racism and British group Faith Matter to ascertain the experiences of British Muslim women. Muslim women with degrees have been found to be much less likely to have a graduate level job than White Christian women with the same qualifications. They are also much less likely to receive replies to job applications when submitting CVs. 1 in 8 Muslim women said they had been illegally asked in a job interview if they plan on getting married or having children, compared to 1 in 30 non-Muslim women. Furthermore, 1 in 4 employers admit that they would be hesitant to hire Muslim women due to concerns that childcare will be an issue for them on the basis of cultural assumptions and stereotypes. Women report being spat at and strangers trying to rip off their veils

'Forgotten Women' report

43 per cent of Muslim women in the UK feel they are treated differently or encountered discrimination at job interviews because they are Muslim. The figure rises among women who wear a hijab, whereby 50 per cent feel they have missed out on progression opportunities because of religious discrimination and that the wearing of the hijab had been a factor. The reports authors suggest that as hijabs are perceived as visibly marking out a womans faith, wearers can be particularly targeted for their beliefs compared to other faiths with less visible attire. Verbal harassment in public areas was another common issue raised by women in the study. Women reported being spat at and strangers attempting to rip their veils off, particularly after high-profile terrorist attacks such as the Brussels bombings or Paris attacks. Online harassment was also found to be a concern, with troll accounts on social media websites singling out and targeting Muslim women for wearing hijabs or other religious garments. Women are shouted at to not go beheading people- in a clear reference to Isis

'Forgotten Women' report

The reports authors suggest: Muslim women face multiple discrimination when searching for employment, in career progression, and in gender-based pay equity. This multiple discrimination is a [combination] of gender-based, ethnic, and religious factors. Often women are more identifiable [than men] due to their expression of religious identity through clothing and this might trigger attacks. Hate crimes usually occur in public spaces and one of the most common crimes includes spitting at women who wear the hijab or pulling their clothes in order to remove it. Women are shouted at to not go beheading people- in a clear reference to Isis. World's most popular religions Show all 7 1 /7 World's most popular religions World's most popular religions Christians Source: Pewforum Getty Images World's most popular religions Muslims Source: Pewforum World's most popular religions Hindus Source: Pewforum World's most popular religions Buddhists Source: Pewforum World's most popular religions Folk Religions Source: Pewforum Getty Images World's most popular religions Other religions Source: Pewforum World's most popular religions Jews Source: Pewforum Getty Labour MP Tulip Siddiq said the reports findings show Islamophobic discrimination is still a prevailing and urgent issue which needs to be tackled. She told The Independent: Unfortunately, the reality that Muslim women are experiencing a double-bind of discrimination whilst seeking employment is unsurprising. Sexism presents itself in a number of different ways, and Muslim women have to incur the additional prejudices related to misconceptions surrounding their beliefs whether it is the clothes they wear, or harmful stereotypes about the faith they practice. Ms Siddiq said political institutions and social justice movements such as feminism must also ensure they do not exclude or forget about Muslim women, saying: There is no doubt that voices within a particular political movement, such as Muslim women within feminist circles, can be marginalised to a point where they are virtually excluded. I believe that feminism should be a movement that carries all women, regardless of faith or creed. She added the Government must ensure legal frameworks are not blind to the particular issues which Muslim women can face: We must have a robust framework for anti-discrimination laws to ensure that we do not have a two tiered system of treatment. In order to achieve suitable protections, it may be difficult to itemise each aspect of difference, whether thats clothes or otherwise. However, in the spirit of intersectionality, the laws that govern our workplace must not leave anyone behind. It is perfectly possible to have laws that protect all employees, and that is what we must strive for. Beyond legislative change, it is clear that a cultural change could be ushered in through changes to equality and diversity training in the workplace. There are an estimated 2.7 million Muslim people living in the UK. Muslims tend to be younger on average than the general UK population, with 49 per cent of British women being under 25 years old. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Horrified London commuters have described hearing a woman's screams after she fell into the gap between a Tube train and platform. The woman was getting off a Jubilee Line train at around 8.20am when she got her leg caught, causing Canning Town station to be evacuated as the emergency services worked to free her. Nicole Evariste, who was on the same train, said passengers did not immediately realise why it had stopped at the east London Undergound station. Crowds evacuating Canning Town station (Abu Typo ) (Abu Typo) "We could just see running on the platform and hear screaming but people seemed concerned," she told the Evening Standard. "It was such a horrible thing to hear and then the emergency services were arriving and we could hear sirens." Another witness, Georgia Riley, the woman was shouting about being in a lot of pain. "I didn't see but somebody said if tube moved, her leg would have just gone, she added. She sounded like she was in so much pain." Man shoves woman on tube platform into oncoming train A spokesperson for Transport for London (TfL) said staff immediately stopped services to attempt to free the woman's foot but had to get a jack to lift the entire Tube train so it could be removed. Building crowds at Canning Town station caused it to be evacuated at 8.45am, as thousands of commuters were delayed across London. The London Fire Brigade was called to help the rescue, bringing specialist equipment to assist paramedics and station staff. A spokesperson for the London Ambulance Service said the woman escaped with minor injuries and did not need to go to hospital. We sent a number of resources including an ambulance crew, an incident response officer, an advanced paramedic, and our hazardous area response team to the scene, he added. Our paramedics treated a woman at the scene for a minor leg injury but she was not taken to hospital." Canning Town station was evacuated after a woman's leg became trapped between a Tube train and the platform on 26 May (Seema Mariam Hakim ) The Jubilee Line was temporarily suspended between Stratford and North Greenwich and DLR services were not allowed to stop at Canning Town because of the risk of overcrowding. Those arriving at the station at the height of morning rush hour found their way to work blocked and photographed huge crowds outside attempting to find alternative routes. A spokesperson for TfL said Canning Town station reopened at 9.30am and all services had resumed but warned of continuing delays. He added: Our staff were present, along with all emergency services, to help the passenger and resolve the situation as safely as possible. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Britain is set for glorious and dry Bank Holiday weekend - but heavy downpours could cut any barbeque plans short on Monday. The Met Office has warned people in the eastern half of Britain to make the best of Saturday and Sunday as a band of torrential rain will sweep across the UK from Monday. A spokesman for the Met Office, Grahame Madge, told The Independent the overall picture looked rosy with quite a large amount of dry weather across most of Britain. It is going to be dry and bright over most of the country. He said on Saturday there are likely to one or two showers in southern England, below the M4 corridor, and in the north of Scotland, and temperatures will be around the high teens or low 20s. But the warned that it was likely to be much cooler on the east coast because of wind blowing in from the North Sea. On Sunday, it should also remain dry in England, but there may be a few showers in parts of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. That easterly wind will bring in thunderstorms on Monday with the entire eastern half of England from Suffolk to Newcastle being covered in rain clouds by midday. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 New Conservative Party leader and incoming prime minister Rishi Sunak waves as he leaves from Conservative Party Headquarters in central London having been announced as the winner of the Conservative Party leadership contest AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA UK news in pictures 7 September 2022 Police officers stand guard after Animal Rebellion activists threw paint on the walls and road outside the Houses of Parliament in protest, in London, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 6 September 2022 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss during an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2022 Visitors at the PoliNations garden in Victoria Square, Birmingham, which is made up of five 40ft high tree installations and over 6,000 plants. The PoliNations programme aims to explore how migration and cross-pollination have shaped the UKs gardens and culture PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2022 Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews take part in the traditional Pier Walk along the harbour walls of St Andrews before the start of the new academic year PA As the day progresses, the rain will sweep further across the UK and by midnight all of England and Wales is likely to see wet weather. Despite this, Ladbrokes is offering 6/4 odds that there will be somewhere in the UK which is hotter than Spain over the Bank Holiday weekend. A spokesman told Mirror Online: "The Bank Holiday weekend's going to be a sizzler as far as the odds are concerned. "It wouldn't surprise us if workers pull a sickie on Tuesday to extend time spent basking in the sunshine." For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} In a move likely to confuse traffic wardens everywhere, a businessman has bought a car park and immediately made it free for anyone to leave their vehicle there. Rob Braddicks gesture, in the small Devon seaside village of Westward Ho! has won praise the world over, with people from America to Australia posting messages of congratulations on Facebook. Bloody awesome as they would say here in Oz, said Lizzie Warrener. Community spirit at its best. Closer to home, one Devon woman told Mr Braddick: Fainted that you used the word 'free' - seriously well done Rob. No one ever does anything like that anymore. Mr Braddick, who spent thousands of pounds buying a 50-year lease on the car park and announced an hour later that it would be FREE, yes FREE, told The Independent he had been amazed by the fuss he had caused. All I have done is give something for free, he said, And its gone nuts. I think people are especially excited by the fact its free car parking, he added, Because its not what normally happens in that world. Everywhere you go, people are clamping cars. Mr Braddick, 44, the director of Braddicks Leisure and the owner of several local bars, restaurants and holiday centres, bought the lease on the Seafield Car Park on the edge of Westward Ho! on Tuesday afternoon. Previously, the car park, with space for about 20 vehicles, had been a council-run facility charging drivers 3 a day. The parking race: Clever alternatives to pay-and-display and multi-storeys Show all 4 1 /4 The parking race: Clever alternatives to pay-and-display and multi-storeys The parking race: Clever alternatives to pay-and-display and multi-storeys 275205.bin The parking race: Clever alternatives to pay-and-display and multi-storeys 275206.bin The parking race: Clever alternatives to pay-and-display and multi-storeys 275207.bin The parking race: Clever alternatives to pay-and-display and multi-storeys 275208.bin But Mr Braddick announced on Facebook that things had changed. Hot off the Press, he wrote, As of 4pm today my company 'Braddicks Leisure Ltd' has acquired a long lease on Seafield Car Park. With immediate effect I'm making it FREE, yes FREE for the community and the public to use. Mr Braddick, who owns the Pier House bar and restaurant about 400 yards from his newly acquired car park, suggested to Facebook users: Please do park up and stroll over to The Pier House for a coffee or a cold pint. (not free!) Enjoy. Driver taught a lesson for parking in disabled bay The day after buying the lease on the car park, Mr Braddick also went to an auction and bought the neighbouring 12-bedroom property, Seafield House, for 414,000. He insisted, however, that the deals on the car park and the house, which he would like to convert to part-business, part-residential use, were separate. He told The Independent that in an ideal world people would park up and go and spend money in his Pier House bar, but he did not seem unduly bothered that they might do something else. If you go out of the car park and turn left, he suggested, You can go on a lovely coastal walk. And if you want to do that or just stroll into Westward Ho! without going to my place, thats absolutely fine. Mr Braddick explained his family had been running businesses in Westward Ho! for five generations, ever since his great-great-grandfather Hobart Braddick set up a holiday park in the village in the 1930s. Our family has been in business in the village for 80 years, he said. Its not the end of the world if you give something back, is it? Sometimes, its not about the money. Refuting the suggestions of some social media users that he might be unwell, Mr Braddick suggested: Im neither mad nor eccentric. Definitely not. Mr Braddicks previous community ventures have included trying to erect what would be a contender for the worlds largest surfboard on a roundabout near Westward Ho! to attract passing motorists to the village. The idea is to make people aware of Westward Ho! and put it on the map, he said in 2013 when announcing his plan to put a 42ft surfboard on a roundabout on the A39. "The roundabout gets a lot of traffic and people just drive straight across it to Bude and on to Cornwall. It would be great to make people realise there's a three-mile beach just down the road. Mr Braddick told The Independent that the roundabout was currently sponsored by McDonalds, but added: I might try and resurrect the surfboard plan in January. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Boris Johnson has branded his own manifestos policy on immigration cynical, arguing that it is impossible to achieve inside the European Union. The former mayor of London said the pledge to bring immigration numbers down to the tens of thousands rather than the hundreds of thousands was unachievable in the current circumstances. He branded the policy, which was included in the Tory manifesto and on which he stood as an MP last year, a mistake. New immigration figures out today show net migration has risen to 333,000 in 2015 the highest level on record. Of that, 184,000 people came to Britain from the EU, a record number. Mr Johnson said the figures showed the scandal of the promise made by politicians repeatedly that they can cut immigration to the tens of thousands and then to throw their hands up in the air and say theres nothing they can do because Brussels has taken away our control of immigration. People deserve to think that their politicians are able to determine [immigration] and have some say in the matter, he told BBC News. If they elect them on a manifesto to bring it down to the tens of thousands then I think they have a right to see that pledge fulfilled. What I think is cynical and unacceptable is to say that you can fulfill that pledge when manifestly you cant because of the EU regime. The only way to sort it out is to take back control The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit Show all 7 1 /7 The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 22 May 2015 In his regular column in The Express Nigel Farage utilised the concerns over Putin and the EU to deliver a tongue in cheek conclusion. With friends like these, who needs enemies? PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 13 November 2015 UKIP MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Mike Hookem, was one of several political figures who took no time to harness the toxic atmosphere just moments after Paris attacks to push an agenda. Cameron says were safer in the EU. Well Im in the centre of the EU and it doesnt feel very safe. Getty Images The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 19 April 2016 In an article written for The Guardian, Michael Gove attempts to bolster his argument with a highly charged metaphor in which he likens UK remaining in the EU to a hostage situation. Were voting to be hostages locked in the back of the car and driven headlong towards deeper EU integration. Rex The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 26 April 2016 In a move that is hard to decipher, let alone understand, Mike Hookem stuck it to Obama re-tweeting a UKIP advertisement that utilises a quote from the film: Love Actually to dishonour the US stance on the EU. A friend who bullies us is no longer a friend The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 10 May 2016 During a speech in London former work and pensions secretary Ian Duncan Smith said that EU migration would cause an increasing divide between people who benefit from immigration and people who couldnt not find work because of uncontrolled migration. The European Union is a force for social injustice which backs the haves rather than the have-nots. EPA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 15 May 2016 Cartoon character Boris Johnson made the news again over controversial comments that the EU had the same goal as Hitler in trying to create a political super state. Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically. The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods. PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 16 May 2016 During a tour of the womens clothing manufacturer David Nieper, Boris had ample time to cook up a new metaphor, arguably eclipsing Goves in which he compares the EU to badly designed undergarments. So I just say to all those who prophecy doom and gloom for the British Business, I say their pants are on fire. Lets say knickers to the pessimists, knickers to all those who talk Britain down. Getty Images I do think that it was a mistake to say to people that we could control immigration and bring it down to the tens of thousands when in the EU system we simply do not have the tools to do so. The manifesto promise to cut immigration was included in the Tory manifesto in 2010 and 2015. Conservative backbenchers warned against dropping the pledge. In 2010 Mr Cameron said of manifesto: This is our contract with you. I want you to read it and if we win the election use it to hold us to account. If we don't deliver our side of the bargain, vote us out in five years' time. The Prime Minister won some changes to EU migration rules in his renegotiation of British membership terms of the union. He achieved tapered reductions in-work benefits for EU migration, a weaker policy than he had initially promised. Mr Cameron claimed that such benefits were pull factor for migration. Labour ahs suggested that areas which are in receipt of high immigration from the EU should be sent additional funds by the bloc to help prop up public services. Leader Jeremy Corbyn has suggested EU-wide minimum wage regulations tied to the cost of living in order to reduce demand to move to Britain from people looking for work in other EU countries. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} David Cameron has rejected Tony Blair's call to commit ground troops to the battle against Isis. The Prime Minister insisted the UK had the "right policy" of participating in air strikes against Isis in Iraq and Syria while offering support to fighters on the ground. Mr Cameron acknowledged the strategy would "take time" to bear fruit and said the decision by Western nations not to send in ground troops made the fight against Isis more difficult. However, he rejected Mr Blair's suggestion the Government had not been honest with voters about what would be needed to defeat the Islamist terror group. In pictures: The rise of Isis Show all 74 1 /74 In pictures: The rise of Isis In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters of the Islamic State wave the group's flag from a damaged display of a government fighter jet following the battle for the Tabqa air base, in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters from Islamic State group sit on their tank during a parade in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters from the Islamic State group pray at the Tabqa air base after capturing it from the Syrian government in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters from extremist Islamic State group parade in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis kidnapping A video uploaded to social networks shows men in underwear being marched barefoot along a desert road before being allegedly executed by Isis Getty Images In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis kidnapping Haruna Yukawa after his capture by Isis In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis kidnapping Khalinda Sharaf Ajour, a Yazidi, says two of her daughters were captured by Isis militants Washington Post In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Spokesperson for Isis Vice News via Youtube In pictures: The rise of Isis A pro-Isis leaflet A pro-Isis leaflet handed out on Oxford Street In London Ghaffar Hussain In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Isis Jihadists burn their passports In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis controls Syrian Aid A man collecting aid administered by Isis in Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis controls Syrian Aid A woman collecting aid administered by Isis in Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis controls Syrian Aid Local civilians queue for aid administered by Isis. Since it declared a caliphate the group has increasingly been delivering services such as healthcare, and distributing aid and free fuel In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces detain men suspected of being militants of the Isis group in Diyala province In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Mourners carry the coffin of a Shi'ite volunteer from the brigades of peace, who joined the Iraqi army and was killed during clashes with militants of the Isis group in Samarra, during his funeral in Najaf In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi Shiite Turkmen family fleeing the violence in the Iraqi city of Tal Afar, west of Mosul, arrives at a refugee camp on the outskirts of Arbil, in Iraq's Kurdistan region In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi A photograph made from a video by the jihadist affiliated group Furqan Media via their twitter account allegedly showing Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi delivering a sermon during Friday prayers at a mosque in Mosul. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared an Islamist caliphate in the territory under the group's control in Iraq and Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Islamic extremists destroying mosques in Iraq Shiite's Al-Qubba Husseiniya mosque explodes in Mosul In pictures: The rise of Isis Islamic extremists destroying mosques in Iraq Smoke and debris go up in the air as Shiite's Al-Qubba Husseiniya mosque explodes in Mosul. Images posted online show that Islamic extremists have destroyed at least 10 ancient shrines and Shiite mosques in territory - the city of Mosul and the town of Tal Afar - they have seized in northern Iraq in recent weeks In pictures: The rise of Isis Islamic extremists destroying mosques in Iraq A bulldozer destroys Sunni's Ahmed al-Rifai shrine and tomb in Mahlabiya district outside of Tal Afar In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces celebrate after clashes with followers of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi, in front of his home in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces arrest a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces arrest a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi at his home after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces arrest a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis A vehicle burns in front of a home of a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi woman holds her exhausted son as over 1000 Iraqis who have fled fighting in and around the city of Mosul and Tal Afar wait at a Kurdish checkpoint in the hopes of entering a temporary displacement camp in Khazair In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees Displaced Iraqi women hold pots as they queue to receive food during the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, at an encampment for displaced Iraqis who fled from Mosul and other towns, in the Khazer area outside Irbil, north Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria A militant Islamist fighter waving a flag, cheers as he takes part in a military parade along the streets of Syria's northern Raqqa. The fighters held the parade to celebrate their declaration of an Islamic "caliphate" after the group captured territory in neighbouring Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters wave flags as they take part in a military parade along the streets of Syria's northern Raqqa province Reuters In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters travel in a vehicle as they take part in a military parade along the streets of Syria's northern Raqqa province In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Fighters from the Isis group during a parade with a missile in Raqqa, Syria. Militants from an al-Qaida splinter group held a military parade in their stronghold in northeastern Syria, displaying U.S.-made Humvees, heavy machine guns, and missiles captured from the Iraqi army for the first time since taking over large parts of the Iraq-Syria border In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters during a parade in Raqqa, Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Fighters from the Isis group during a parade in Raqqa, Syria. Militants from the splinter group held a military parade in their stronghold in northeastern Syria, displaying U.S.-made Humvees, heavy machine guns, and missiles captured from the Iraqi army for the first time since taking over large parts of the Iraq-Syria border In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters hold a military parade in their stronghold in northeastern Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters during a parade in Raqqa, Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria A member loyal to the Isis waves an Isis flag in Raqqa In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi anti-government gunmen from Sunni tribes in the western Anbar province march during a protest in Ramadi, west of Baghdad. The United Nations warned that Iraq is at a "crossroads" and appealed for restraint, as a bloody four-day wave of violence killed 195 people. The violence is the deadliest so far linked to demonstrations that broke out in Sunni areas of the Shiite-majority country more than four months ago, raising fears of a return to all-out sectarian conflict In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces hold up a flag of the Isis group they captured during an operation to regain control of Dallah Abbas north of Baqouba, the capital of Iraq's Diyala province, 35 miles (60 kilometers) northeast of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Iraq Isis fighters parade in the northern city of Mosul In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Volunteers, who have joined the Iraqi army to fight against the predominantly Sunni militants from the radical Isis group, demonstrate their skills during a graduation ceremony after completing their field training in Najaf In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Kurdish Peshmerga troops fire a cannon during clashes with militants of the Isis group in Jalawla, Diyala province In pictures: The rise of Isis Lieutenant General Qassem Atta speaks during a press conference Iraqi Prime Minister's security spokesman, Lieutenant General Qassem Atta speaks during a press conference about the latest military development in Iraq, in the capital Baghdad. Iraqi forces pressed a campaign to retake militant-held Tikrit, clashing with jihadist-led Sunni militants nearby and pounding positions inside the city with air strikes in their biggest counter-offensive so far In pictures: The rise of Isis A police station building destroyed by Isis fighters An exterior view of a police station building destroyed by gunmen in Mosul city, northern Iraq. Iraq's new parliament is expected to convene to start the process of setting up a new government, despite deepening political rifts and an ongoing Islamist-led insurgency. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani issued a decree inviting the new House of Representatives to meet and form a new government In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Iraq Smoke billows from an area controlled by the Isis between the Iraqi towns of Naojul and Tuz Khurmatu, both located north of the capital Baghdad, as Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces take part in an operation to repel the Sunni militants In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An elderly Iraqi woman is helped into a temporary displacement camp for Iraqis caught-up in the fighting in and around the city of Mosul in Khazair In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi Christian woman fleeing the violence in the village of Qaraqush, about 30 kms east of the northern province of Nineveh, cries upon her arrival at a community center in the Kurdish city of Arbil in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi woman, who fled with her family from the northern city of Mosul, prays with a copy of the Quran AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Iraq The body of an Isis militant killed during clashes with Iraqi security forces on the outskirts of the city of Samarra Reuters In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi civilians inspect the damage at a market after an air strike by the Iraqi army in central Mosul EPA In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Members of the Al-Abbas brigades, who volunteered to protect the Shiite Muslim holy sites in Karbala against Sunni militants fighting the Baghdad government, parade in the streets of the city AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Shia tribesmen gather in Baghdad to take up arms against Sunni insurgents marching on the capital. Thousands have volunteered to bolster defences AFP/Getty In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis A van carrying volunteers joining Iraqi security forces against Jihadist militants. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced the Iraqi government would arm and equip civilians who volunteered to fight AFP/Getty In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters of the Isis group parade in a commandeered Iraqi security forces armored vehicle down a main road at the northern city of Mosul In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq An Islamist fighter, identified as Abu Muthanna al-Yemeni from Britain (R), speaks in this still image taken undated video shot at an unknown location and uploaded to a social media website. Five Islamist fighters identified as Australian and British nationals have called on Muslims to join the wars in Syria and Iraq, in the new video released by the Isis In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Al-Qaida inspired militants stand with captured Iraqi Army Humvee at a checkpoint belonging to Iraqi Army outside Beiji refinery some 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of Baghdad. The fighting at Beiji comes as Iraq has asked the U.S. for airstrikes targeting the militants from the Isis group. While U.S. President Barack Obama has not fully ruled out the possibility of launching airstrikes, such action is not imminent in part because intelligence agencies have been unable to identify clear targets on the ground, officials said In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants attacked Iraq's main oil refinein Baiji as they pressed an offensive that has seen them capture swathes of territory, a manager and a refinery employee said In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants from the Isis group parading with their weapons in the northern city of Baiji in the in Salaheddin province In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq A smoke rises after an attack by Isis militants on the country's largest oil refinery in Beiji, some 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of the capital, Baghdad. Iraqi security forces battled insurgents targeting the country's main oil refinery and said they regained partial control of a city near the Syrian border, trying to blunt an offensive by Sunni militants who diplomats fear may have also seized some 100 foreign workers In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group stand next to captured vehicles left behind by Iraqi security forces at an unknown location in the Salaheddin province. For militant groups, the fight over public perception can be even more important than actual combat, turning military losses into propaganda victories and battlefield successes into powerful tools to build support for the cause In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq An injured fighter (C) from the Isis group after a battle with Iraqi soldiers at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters from the Isis aiming at advancing Iraqi troops at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters from the Isis group taking position at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters from the Isis group inspecting vehicles of the Iraqi army after they were seized at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq One Iraqi captive, a corporal, is reluctant to say the slogan, and has to be shouted at repeatedly before he obeys Sky News In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Iraqi captives held by the extremists Sky News In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Iraqi captives held by the extremists Sky News In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group force captured Iraqi security forces members to the transport In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group transporting dozens of captured Iraqi security forces members to an unknown location in the Salaheddin province ahead of executing them In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq A major offensive spearheaded by Isis but also involving supporters of executed dictator Saddam Hussein has overrun all of one province and chunks of three others In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group executing dozens of captured Iraqi security forces members at an unknown location in the Salaheddin province In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Isis militants taking position at a Iraqi border post on the Syrian-Iraqi border between the Iraqi Nineveh province and the Syrian town of Al-Hasakah In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Isis rebels show their flag after seizing an army post AFP/Getty Images In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Isis militants waving an Islamist flag after the seizure of an Iraqi army checkpoint in Salahuddin Getty Images In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Demonstrators chant slogans as they carry al-Qaida flags in front of the provincial government headquarters in Mosul, 225 miles (360 kilometers) northwest of Baghdad. In the week since it captured Iraq's second-largest city, Mosul, a Muslim extremist group has tried to win over residents and has stopped short of widely enforcing its strict brand of Islamic law, residents say. Churches remain unharmed and street cleaners are back at work Speaking at the G7 summit in Japan, Mr Cameron said: "I think we are being very straight about this, because we are saying this is going to take time and it is difficult for the very reason that we are not putting in Western ground troops. "We are working with the Iraqi security forces, we are working in Syria with moderate opposition and Kurdish forces and the rest of it. This takes time. "So I accept it does take time, because you need to build the capacity on the ground, but in the end I think that is the right answer. I think we've got the right policy." Earlier this week, Mr Blair insisted a "proper ground war" was needed to defeat Isis. Isis - awards ceremony for Quran memorization "There is no way of defeating these people without defeating them on the ground. Air strikes are not going to defeat Isis, they have got to be tackled on the ground," he said. To defeat Isis "you are going to have to go and wage a proper ground war against them," the former Prime Minister said. He added: "We are not being honest with our public if we are saying it is possible to defeat these people without making the commitment to defeat them and to do what it takes to defeat them. "In my view, defeating them is absolutely fundamental because if we don't defeat them they are going to come and attack us here. This is not someone else's fight, it is our fight as well." Additional reporting by PA Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A member of the audience participating in the first major debate on the European Union referendum blamed insults and deflections from politicians for not knowing how to cast his vote. The BBC debate in Glasgow, hosted by Victoria Derbyshire, had an audience made up of 18-29 year-olds who were able to ask questions to a panel of politicians about the EU and Brexit throughout. After two audience members participated in a frosty exchange over immigrants and housing in the UK, a 21-year-old man in the audience said to the panellists: I just want to say to you all: here we are again. Once again weve got deflections, insults, petty name calling Do you actually believe your own campaigns? Greeted with applause and laughter, he added: What are we supposed to do? I do not have a problem admitting I have no idea what to and I blame you lot entirely for that. There were four panellists in total, split equally among the Remain and Leave camps. On the Remain side was the SNP MP Alex Salmond, the former First Minister of Scotland, and Alan Johnson MP, a former Home Secretary during Gordon Browns premiership. Arguing the case for Leave was Liam Fox, the Conservative MP and former Secretary of State for Defence, and Diane James, a UKIP MEP and party spokesperson on Justice and Home Affairs. Mr Salmond said that he did not buy into some of the "scaremongering" put out by the Remain side, but he added: "It wouldn't be economic apocalypse if we left the EU but there are more jobs and more choices if we stay in." He added: "That's not the way to conduct referendum campaigns ... The remain campaign can't afford to lose one per cent a month, otherwise they will lose. To win a campaign to motivate people you have got to argue a positive case." Ukip deputy chairwoman Ms James was challenged by host Victoria Derbyshire about whether a visa system would be introduced for travel to and from the EU in the event of Brexit. She said: "Victoria, we just don't know because we have a prime minister who has said there is no Plan B, he has not presented a single bit of detail as to what happens if we vote to leave, he has left it completely open." What has the EU ever done for us? Show all 7 1 /7 What has the EU ever done for us? What has the EU ever done for us? 1. It gives you freedom to live, work and retire anywhere in Europe As a member of the EU, UK citizens benefit from freedom of movement across the continent. Considered one of the so-called four pillars of the European Union, this freedom allows all EU citizens to live, work and travel in other member states. What has the EU ever done for us? 2. It sustains millions of jobs A report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, released in October 2015, suggested 3.1 million British jobs were linked to the UKs exports to the EU. What has the EU ever done for us? 3. Your holiday is much easier - and safer Freedom to travel is one of the most exercised benefits of EU membership, with Britons having made 31 million visits to the EU in 2014 alone. But a lot of the benefits of being an EU citizen are either taken for granted or go unnoticed. What has the EU ever done for us? 4. It means you're less likely to get ripped off Consumer protection is a key benefit of the EUs single market, and ensures members of the British public receive equal consumer rights when shopping anywhere in Europe. What has the EU ever done for us? 5. It offers greater protection from terrorists, paedophiles, people traffickers and cyber-crime Another example of a lesser-known advantage of EU membership is the benefit of cross-country coordination and cooperation in the fight against crime. What has the EU ever done for us? 6. Our businesses depend on it According to 71% of all members of the Confederation of British Influence (CBI), and 67 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the EU has had an overall positive impact on their business. What has the EU ever done for us? 7. We have greater influence Robin Niblett, Director of think-tank Chatham House, stated in a report published last year: For a mid-sized country like the UK, which will never again be economically dominant either globally or regionally, and whose diplomatic and military resources are declining in relative terms, being a major player in a strong regional institution can offer a critical lever for international influence. She added: "I don't believe we will need visas. It's all part of the Project Fear, it's about 'if we leave, all of a sudden Fortress Europe puts up the barriers and stops all of this happening'." Her comments came after Labour In campaign chief Alan Johnson questioned whether visas would be necessary. "How are you going to differentiate between the Polish plumber and the Polish tourist? It means surely a system of visas and if you haven't got a system of visas then how are you going to deal with ... you are telling people we are going to stop free movement, but you are not going to introduce visas so free movement will still be there," he said. "Unless you put a border and watchtowers on the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland you are going to have people coming across there because it would then be an EU country and a non-EU country." Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Britains National Health Service would face a staffing crisis if the country were too pull out of the European Union and medical research would be materially damaged, a survey of hospital leaders has found. Brexit campaigners have put the future of NHS front and centre of their efforts to persuade the public to back a vote to leave in the referendum. Senior figures like Boris Johnson have claimed that up to 350 million more a week could be spent on the health service that, they say, currently gets sent to Brussels. But the survey of NHS Trust chief executives and chairs reveals deep scepticism about the claims made by the leave campaign with 75 per cent saying that Brexit would have a negative impact on the NHS as a whole. No respondents felt that leaving the EU would have a very positive impact. Among the findings of the survey by NHS Providers that represents 96 per cent of the 238 NHS Trusts were: More than third of those questioned felt leaving the EU would have some or a very negative impact on the amount of funding the NHS receives. However 40 per cent felt leaving the EU would have no impact on the amount of funding the NHS receives. Almost two-thirds (65%) felt that leaving the EU would have a negative impact on access to knowledge from clinical trials, networks or other research and innovation while 80 per cent felt that leaving the EU would have a negative impact on access to funding for research and innovation. However over two fifths (42 per cent) felt that leaving the EU would have some or a very positive impact on procurement and competition rules affecting their trusts. Perhaps the most significant finding was on staffing where 8 in 10 respondents felt that leaving the EU would have a negative impact on trusts efforts to recruit health and care staff. Around 17,000 (17,138) nurses and health visitors are from EU countries accounting for 6 per cent of the total staffing numbers. The figure for doctors is even higher with just under 10,000 hospital doctors coming from EU countries around nine per cent of the total. Commenting on the findings, NHS Providers chief executive, Chris Hopson, said overall it was clear that NHS leaders were sceptical about the case for Brexit. The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit Show all 7 1 /7 The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 22 May 2015 In his regular column in The Express Nigel Farage utilised the concerns over Putin and the EU to deliver a tongue in cheek conclusion. With friends like these, who needs enemies? PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 13 November 2015 UKIP MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Mike Hookem, was one of several political figures who took no time to harness the toxic atmosphere just moments after Paris attacks to push an agenda. Cameron says were safer in the EU. Well Im in the centre of the EU and it doesnt feel very safe. Getty Images The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 19 April 2016 In an article written for The Guardian, Michael Gove attempts to bolster his argument with a highly charged metaphor in which he likens UK remaining in the EU to a hostage situation. Were voting to be hostages locked in the back of the car and driven headlong towards deeper EU integration. Rex The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 26 April 2016 In a move that is hard to decipher, let alone understand, Mike Hookem stuck it to Obama re-tweeting a UKIP advertisement that utilises a quote from the film: Love Actually to dishonour the US stance on the EU. A friend who bullies us is no longer a friend The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 10 May 2016 During a speech in London former work and pensions secretary Ian Duncan Smith said that EU migration would cause an increasing divide between people who benefit from immigration and people who couldnt not find work because of uncontrolled migration. The European Union is a force for social injustice which backs the haves rather than the have-nots. EPA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 15 May 2016 Cartoon character Boris Johnson made the news again over controversial comments that the EU had the same goal as Hitler in trying to create a political super state. Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically. The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods. PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 16 May 2016 During a tour of the womens clothing manufacturer David Nieper, Boris had ample time to cook up a new metaphor, arguably eclipsing Goves in which he compares the EU to badly designed undergarments. So I just say to all those who prophecy doom and gloom for the British Business, I say their pants are on fire. Lets say knickers to the pessimists, knickers to all those who talk Britain down. Getty Images In response to the big question on whether leaving the EU would have a negative impact on the NHS, the vast majority of NHS leaders in our sample believed it would, he said. This is not an exit poll and we do not claim this to be extensive research of the whole NHS, but it does show us the strength of feeling on what could be a generation-defining decision. Our survey shows the concern NHS leaders have about a range of issues if the UK were to exit the EU. High up this list of concerns is the impact on recruiting staff and access to funding for research and innovation. NHS Providers added that around 25 per cent of chairs and chief executives from Englands hospital, ambulance, mental health and community trusts had responded to the survey which is in line with other surveys carried out by the organisation. Professor Martin McKee, Professor of European Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and a member of the campaign group Better In said it was clear that leaving Europe would open the NHS up to future risk From the leaders of NHS trusts, to doctors, former health secretaries and the Chief Executive of NHS England himself, the people who work in and care about the NHS are clear that it is stronger in Europe, while leaving would put it at risk, he said. Being part of the EU also means the NHS benefits from funding for vital medical research, co-operation in fighting diseases like cancer, and the hard work of over 100,000 EU citizens in our health system. Our NHS is stronger in Europe, while leaving would be a leap in the dark that would put it at risk. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The official Vote Leave campaign has been accused of trying to "hit the racist issues" with a negative campaign focusing on immigration. Khalid Mahmood - one of a small number of Labour MPs backing Out - said the tactics were driving ethnic minority voters to support Remain. He also strongly criticised Boris Johnson's "totally racist" comments about President Barack Obama's "part-Kenyan" heritage and called on him to apologise. Vote Leave said it had always made clear that it wanted a "fairer" immigration system and would continue to make the "positive case" for Brexit. Mr Mahmood, Birmingham Perry Barr MP, quit Vote Leave some months ago, and said he had left because of its tactics on immigration. Khalid Mahmood: Labour MP "Everybody on the Leave campaign was trying to hit the racist issues," he told BBC2's Newsnight. "Vote Leave decided they were going to concentrate on immigration on a very, very negative basis and try and frighten people away on the issue of migration. "That's why I think most of the BME community in the UK is now pushing very much towards In Europe." He said ethnic minority voters had been "totally horrified and appalled" by a Vote Leave poster showing Turkish migrants queuing to get into Britain if it remained a part of the EU. "This is again what makes people really frightened about their own status in this country," he said. The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit Show all 7 1 /7 The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 22 May 2015 In his regular column in The Express Nigel Farage utilised the concerns over Putin and the EU to deliver a tongue in cheek conclusion. With friends like these, who needs enemies? PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 13 November 2015 UKIP MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Mike Hookem, was one of several political figures who took no time to harness the toxic atmosphere just moments after Paris attacks to push an agenda. Cameron says were safer in the EU. Well Im in the centre of the EU and it doesnt feel very safe. Getty Images The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 19 April 2016 In an article written for The Guardian, Michael Gove attempts to bolster his argument with a highly charged metaphor in which he likens UK remaining in the EU to a hostage situation. Were voting to be hostages locked in the back of the car and driven headlong towards deeper EU integration. Rex The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 26 April 2016 In a move that is hard to decipher, let alone understand, Mike Hookem stuck it to Obama re-tweeting a UKIP advertisement that utilises a quote from the film: Love Actually to dishonour the US stance on the EU. A friend who bullies us is no longer a friend The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 10 May 2016 During a speech in London former work and pensions secretary Ian Duncan Smith said that EU migration would cause an increasing divide between people who benefit from immigration and people who couldnt not find work because of uncontrolled migration. The European Union is a force for social injustice which backs the haves rather than the have-nots. EPA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 15 May 2016 Cartoon character Boris Johnson made the news again over controversial comments that the EU had the same goal as Hitler in trying to create a political super state. Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically. The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods. PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 16 May 2016 During a tour of the womens clothing manufacturer David Nieper, Boris had ample time to cook up a new metaphor, arguably eclipsing Goves in which he compares the EU to badly designed undergarments. So I just say to all those who prophecy doom and gloom for the British Business, I say their pants are on fire. Lets say knickers to the pessimists, knickers to all those who talk Britain down. Getty Images "That was really negative, that was just absolutely abysmal in terms of a national campaign going forward. These people are isolating them." He said that Mr Johnson had "a lot to apologise for" over his remarks suggesting President Obama was hostile towards the UK due to his "part-Kenyan" heritage. "I think Boris's exploration of Obama's heritage and pointing out where he came from is totally racist," he said. "Boris has a lot to apologise for in relation to those sort of remarks and dividing our community." Vote Leave said: "We have always said that we want a fairer immigration system which allows us to prioritise the brightest and best around the world, not just people who happen to be born in other EU countries. "We will continue to make the positive case for voting to leave the EU." Press Association Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Government is to launch an investigation into whether sharia courts operating in the UK discriminate against women legitimising forced marriages and issuing unfair divorce settlements. The Home Office said it would examine claims that sharia courts or councils - may be working in a discriminatory and unacceptable way, seeking to legitimise forced marriage and issuing divorces that are unfair to women, contrary to the teachings of Islam. However, it will also seek out examples of best practice among sharia councils. The Home Office inquiry, which is part of the Governments counter-extremism strategy, will be led by Professor Mona Siddiqui, an expert in Islamic studies, and include family law barrister Sam Momtaz, retired high court judge Sir Mark Hedley and specialist family lawyer Anne Marie Hutchinson. An estimated 30 sharia councils exist in the UK, giving Islamic divorce certificates and advice on other aspects of religious law. They have garnered fierce criticism, particularly for their treatment of women seeking religious divorces, who make up the core clientele. Sharia is the Islamic legal system, derived from the Koran and the rulings of Islamic scholars, known as fatwas. As well as providing a code for living including prayers, fasting and donations to the poor sharia in some countries such as Saudi Arabia also lays down punishments as extreme as cutting off a hand or death by stoning for adultery. Two religious and theological experts Imam Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi and Imam Qari Asim will advise the Government panel on detailed religious and theological issues. It is due to report next year. Professor Siddiqui, said the review would be wide-ranging. Its a privilege to be asked to chair such an important piece of work, she said. At a time when there is so much focus on Muslims in the UK, this will be a wide ranging, timely and thorough review as to what actually happens in Sharia councils. Sharia courts: Legal status in the UK Show all 3 1 /3 Sharia courts: Legal status in the UK Sharia courts: Legal status in the UK There are believed to be dozens of Sharia courts operating in the UK. However, although they adjudicate on religious matters, they do not have the legal status of courts, acting more as councils or tribunals Getty Sharia courts: Legal status in the UK Weddings and divorces overseen by Sharia councils are religious matters and are not necessarily recognised by the state. Likewise, a civil divorce or wedding isnt necessarily recognised by the Sharia council Sharia courts: Legal status in the UK Sharia councils can have legal status as mediation and arbitration bodies under the Arbitration Act 1996. Any divorce agreements made in this capacity, however, have to be approved by a law court if they are to be recognised under civil law, and can be overturned. Sharia councils can also provide advice on the religious law on matters such as wills, law contracts and fatwas The Home Secretary, Theresa May, said that many British people followed religious codes and practices, and benefit a great deal from the guidance they offer, but there was the potential for abuse of such systems. A number of women have reportedly been victims of what appear to be discriminatory decisions taken by sharia councils, and that is a significant concern, she said. There is only one rule of law in our country, which provides rights and security for every citizen. This review will help us better understand whether, and the extent to which, sharia is being misused or exploited, and make recommendations to the Government on how to address this. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Day Two of the EU Referendums Down With The Kidz drive and anyone whos anyone was walkin, cyclin, tubin, hoverboardin or just generally headin down to east London tech hub Second Home to hear from Londons brand new son-of-a-bus-drivin Mayor what theyve just been electin. Whether Second Home was meant to look like a three-storey dedication to a Latvian futuretroelectropop Eurovision entry is uncertain, but it certainly helped. Once youd registered in reception with the teenage daughter from The Jetsons peering out from a gap between two sheets of corrugated iron lovingly corniced in translucent orange plastic, it was straight in to the central space to take a seat in one of about 150 chairs of which I do not exaggerate no two were the same. Second Home is the brainchild of former Treasury spad turned tech guru Rohan Silva. It is, according to itself, a Creative accelerator a workspace and cultural venue for thinkers, makers, artists and entrepreneurs. There they all were, staring into their Macbooks, clamped into their Beats by Dres, twiddling their iBeards, eating their smartcroissants and drinking their driverless coffee. To the uninitiated, it is hard to work out what tech guru Silvas contribution is to this great hive of creativity beyond sticking some plant pots to the walls and charging 350 a month for wifi access. Though it cant be denied he's entrepreneurial. In the very near future, it is predicted that robots might be smart enough to rent out a building in east London, stick plants on the walls and charge 350 a month for wifi. In fact, early trials are already showing signs of success but the first prototypes have thus far refused to write newspaper columns calling themselves tech gurus when all theyve done is stick plants to the walls and charge 350 a month for wifi. The trick in these places is trying to work out whos doing it ironically. The bloke in the polished metal T-shirt and cartoon torturers spectacles who got up to introduce the Mayor appeared to be deadly serious. This was an outfit that had clearly spent weeks in the planning stage and was not merely the consequence of having come straight from playing second synth in a Babylon Zoo tribute band. It could be argued some people here are trying a bit too hard to be cool. You could, if you wanted, draw attention to Second Homes website, secondhome.io, its vowel-only domain name the result of it having been registered in the British Indian Ocean Territory. Whoever knew consecutive vowels were so rad? Old MacDonald was ahead of his time. Anyway. The response to the Governments youth-engagin, awareness raisin, vote registerin campaign has not been good. Every political journalist between the ages of 18 and 32 has been angrily bloggin about how patronisin it is, apparently unaware that its not directly aimed at people who write about politics for a livin. In any event it was too late to get Sadiq Khan to go off message on the g-droppin front. When it comes to doin the explaininin for remainin, there's no one more entertainin. Thank you for comin to this amazin space this mornin, he began, his tie wisely off. Remainin is the best way we can be true to our British values. Learnin languages. Cultural exchanges. Fundin. Studyin. Workin abroad. Crackin the glass ceilin. When the room had emptied, out came a young woman in a floral jumpsuit and a haircut straight from the Galactic Senate. It looked like was her job to stack chairs. Not easy when all 150 are completely different. Useful if you're looking for a metaphor for a federalist superstate though. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} More than half the public say they can "never forgive" Tony Blair for embroiling the UK in the war in Iraq. A survey carried out by the pollsters YouGov ahead of the publication of the Chilcot Report at the start of July found only 8 per cent think he did nothing wrong. The former Prime Minister has admitted he "profoundly" underestimated the complexity of Middle Eastern politics and the chaos that would ensue in Iraq and the wider region following the 2003 invasion. More than 200,000 Iraqis are believed to have died since the conflict began and in the subsequent instability, and many believe it was indirectly responsible for the rise of Isis in the region. The YouGov research confirms the dim view that the public still has of Mr Blair once one of the countrys most popular politicians. Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on Show all 31 1 /31 Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on 20169.bin GETTY IMAGES Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on 20158.bin GETTY IMAGES Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on 20159.bin GETTY IMAGES Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on 20160.bin GETTY IMAGES Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on 20161.bin GETTY IMAGES Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on 20157.bin AFP/GETTY IMAGES Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on 20162.bin GETTY IMAGES Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on 20163.bin GETTY IMAGES Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on 20164.bin GETTY IMAGES Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on 20136.bin GETTY IMAGES Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on 20165.bin GETTY IMAGES Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on 20138.bin GETTY IMAGES Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on 20139.bin GETTY IMAGES Where are they now? 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The faces of the Iraq war five years on 20145.bin GETTY IMAGES Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on 20144.bin GETTY IMAGES Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on 20143.bin GETTY IMAGES Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on 20135.bin GETTY IMAGES Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on 20166.bin GETTY IMAGES Where are they now? The faces of the Iraq war five years on 20167.bin GETTY IMAGES A majority (53 per cent) say that they could never forgive him. Just 8 per cent think Mr Blair did nothing wrong, whilst 15 per believe its time we forgave him for his misjudgements. Only 25 per cent of the Labour Party supporters are in favour of forgiving the former Labour PM, demonstrating the extraordinary dismantling of the reputation of this one-time hero of the party. YouGov research since 2003 has shown a fluctuating but steady decline in public support for the Iraq war. In polls between March and December 2013, an average of 54 per cent of the public felt it was right to take military action against Iraq, falling to just 26 per cent last year. The research also showed big discrepencies between the number of people that supported the war at the time, and those that claim to based on recall. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Why is the cost of our EU membership an issue in the referendum? One of the main slogans of the Vote Leave campaign is that being part of the EU club means giving 20bn a year or 350m a week to Brussels .The Remain camp insists the figure is highly misleading because our gross contribution is not handed to Brussels, since the rebate won by Margaret Thatcher in 1984 is deducted first. Our membership fee does vary from year to year; Vote Leave says it is rising and will increase further if we stay. Treasury figures put the gross payment at 18.2bn in the 2014-15 financial year, and the rebate worth 4.8bn. In addition, the EU spent about 4.6bn in the UK, mainly in payments to farmers and regional aid for poor areas. Private sector receipts such as EU research grants were worth another 1.4bn. When all that is taken into account, the net cost of membership was 7.3bn a year or 140m a week, well under half the amount claimed by the Leave camp. So whos right? Sir Andrew Dilnot, who chairs the UK Statistics Authority, said the 350m-a-year figure is potentially misleading. The National Audit Office, using a different formula and measured over the EU's financial year, put the UK's net contribution for 2014 at 5.7bn. So did the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies. Vote Leave has ignored calls from Remain to stop using the 350m-a-week figure. It insists that it is valid because the money Britain gets back from Brussels comes with strings attached and the Government does not control how it is spent. Would leaving the EU allow the UK to spend more money on the NHS? A bit. Vote Leave argues that NHS underfunding could be eased by ending our 350m-a-week EU budget contribution enough, it claims, to build a new hospital every week. It said: We will be able to spend our money on our priorities like the NHS. Gisela Stuart, the Labour MP and groups vice chair, said: I'd rather that we control how to spend that money, and if I had that control I would spend it on the NHS. Boris Johnson, the former Mayor of London, has said that Brexit would reduce waiting times at accident and emergency units. 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Show all 21 1 /21 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Portugal drinks more wine than France Tindo - Fotolia 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Young Italians, by some distance, are the most likely to live at home with their parents 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Britain is on course to overtake Germany as Europes most populated country 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Greek workers work the longest hours in the EU 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Estonia has, per capita, more drug-related deaths than anyone else 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe The fastest download speeds are to be found in Romania 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Slovenia, Malta and Poland have the smallest gender pay gaps 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe France hates its leader more than other European countries 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Eastern and Western Europe are very divided on the issue of gay marriage 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Germany has the most millionaires 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Everyone likes Christmas, apart from France 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Germany accepts by far the most asylum applications 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe The UK and France have some of the most positive views of Muslim people 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Europe's largest Muslim population is in Germany 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Danes are the most trusting Europeans, and Cypriots the least 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Finland has the worst economy in the EU 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Italy has cut back its military spending more than any other major European Nato member 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Everyone is sad about the refugee crisis 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe People in Spain are also the most likely to live in flats (Brits are most likely to live in houses) 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Spain is the most likely to feel neighbourly 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Luxembourg is home to the highest proportion of foreign nationals What do supporters of EU membership say? That the Out campaign is misleading the public since spending our gross EU budget contribution on health would mean, for example, ending aid to poor regions, payments to farmers and research grants, which no government is likely to do. Our net payment to the EU would fund the NHS for 19 days a year, according to NHS England. The In camp accuses its opponents of hypocrisy, pointing to previous statements by prominent Outers, including Johnson and Nigel Farage, that questioned their commitment to the NHS. Even some supporters of Brexit think Vote Leaves claims about extra money for health are over the top. Sarah Wollaston, Tory chairman of the Commons Health Select Committee, said: The current preoccupation with exploiting the NHS, and its protected branding, to support the Leave campaigns argument on the EU is a cynical distortion which undermines the credibility of its other arguments. What does the NHS say about Brexit? Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England, has warned that the NHS could be hit by the effect of Brexit on the economy. It would be very dangerous if at precisely the moment the NHS is going to need extra funding actually the economy goes into a tailspin and that funding is not there, he said. What about the pressures that EU migration puts on the NHS? For Vote Leave, Priti Patel, the Employment Minister, claimed: It is becoming clear that our membership of the EU is putting the NHS under threat.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. Michael Gove, the Justice Secretary, claimed that up to 5.2m EU migrants could enter the UK by 2030 if Turkey, Serbia, Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro all join the EU, warning that A & E attendances would double to 12.8m a year and that the NHS would need another 9.4bn. What does the In camp say about that? It points out that the NHS and care sector employs 135,000 EU migrants, including 10,000 doctors and 20,000 nurses, some of whom might choose to leave the UK after Brexit. Does EU membership encourage health tourism in the UK? Vote Leave says that the UK has paid 6.2bn since 2007-08 to other EU countries for giving health treatment to British citizens, but recouped only 405m from EU members for treating their citizens in the UK. But the In camp points out that this is due to British tourists and the 190,000 UK pensioners living on the continent being big users of EU health services. It is doubtful whether the bill would fall after Brexit. Some 40m visits to EU countries are made by British people every year and 27m have a European Health Insurance Card, a benefit that might not be guaranteed after Brexit. Would a proposed EU-US trade deal threaten the NHS? Trade unions, Jeremy Corbyn and some Leave campaigners have warned that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) could lead to the privatisation of the NHS. They are worried that investor protection rules could allow American health corporations to sue if they lost NHS contracts. But the European Commission and the UK Government insist that this would not happen and reject claims that TTIP would force governments to put public services out to tender. An unlikely alliance of Tory Eurosceptics and the Labour Opposition forced the Government to make a tactical retreat to avoid an embarrassing defeat on the Queens Speech. Ministers accepted an amendment regretting the absence of a Bill to protect the NHS from TTIP. But they insist there is no threat from it. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Refugee has been chosen as Childrens Word of the Year after a dramatic increase in youngsters using the term in their creative writing. Analysis of the 123,436 entries to BBC Radio 2s 500 Words short story competition found 339 uses of the word. This is a 368% increase from 2015, when it cropped up just 67 times. Researchers from the University of Oxford found that the attitudes towards refugees were generally empathetic and positive. Young writers showed particular sympathy for the plight of their fellow children, with a focus on what it would be like to leave home and undertake a difficult journey. Issues tackled included the war in Syria, journeys across the Mediterranean, life in refugee camps, lone travellers, and the feeling of not being wanted anywhere. There were also 34 uses of migrant, but it was used interchangeably with refugee, according to the research. Other words to see a rise in usage include boat, camp, dinghy, crisis, border, shelter, journey, sea, desperate, safe, flee, travel, and trek. Refugee may be less controversial than last years pick, when the hashtag symbol # triumphed as Word of the Year despite not being a word. The research also traced the influence of astronaut Tim Peake, blockbuster film Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare's death on the young writers, who are all aged between five and 13. Major Peake, who is currently on the International Space Station, notched up 586 mentions and made his debut in the Top 10 list of famous people appearing in the stories. Shakespeare also made his entry into the Top 10 for the first time, at number five with 736 mentions. Children frequently brought characters from real life and fiction including one contestant who wrote: The next morning his business partner Donald Trump came in and he fired Luke Skywalker for horrible work. 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 influence of Star Wars could be seen in the 332 mentions of Darth Vader (up from 69), 267 of lightsabers (up from 48) and 123 of stormtroopers (up from 19). Vineeta Gupta, the head of childrens dictionaries at Oxford University Press, said: The children writing in this years competition have demonstrated a sophisticated use of language in their storytelling. They have used rich descriptions to convey emotion and have produced powerful stories that resonate with the reader. Head judge, the Radio 2 presenter Chris Evans said: OUPs research has shown how aware and engaged children are with the world around them, not just at home, but globally and even inter-galactically! The imagination of kids never ceases to amaze me and I'm so proud that BBC Radio 2s 500 Words has again fired up their creativity and shown how talented and inspiring the young people of the United Kingdom are. The final of the 500 Words competition will take place on Friday at Shakespeare's Globe in London, with honorary judge the Duchess of Cornwall presenting prizes to the winners. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Search teams have detected emergency signals from the wreckage of EgyptAir flight MS804, Egypt's lead investigator has said. Captain Ayman Al Moqadem said signals coming from the aircraft's fuselage will narrow down the search radius from 40 miles to three, the Wall Street Journal reports Mr Moqadem said investigators had not yet located the plane's black boxes, which could explain what brought down the Paris-to-Cairo flight as it entered Egyptian air space. The black boxes are thought to be lying up to 3,000 metres underwater. In pictures: Wreckage from EgyptAir flight 804 Show all 5 1 /5 In pictures: Wreckage from EgyptAir flight 804 In pictures: Wreckage from EgyptAir flight 804 EgyptAir wreckage The Egyptian army published photos showing wreckage and debris from EgyptAir flight 804 on 21 May Egyptian army In pictures: Wreckage from EgyptAir flight 804 EgyptAir wreckage The Egyptian army published photos showing wreckage and debris from EgyptAir flight 804 on 21 May Egyptian army In pictures: Wreckage from EgyptAir flight 804 EgyptAir wreckage The Egyptian army published photos showing wreckage and debris from EgyptAir flight 804 on 21 May Egyptian army In pictures: Wreckage from EgyptAir flight 804 EgyptAir wreckage The Egyptian army published photos showing wreckage and debris from EgyptAir flight 804 on 21 May In pictures: Wreckage from EgyptAir flight 804 EgyptAir wreckage The Egyptian army published photos showing wreckage and debris from EgyptAir flight 804 on 21 May On Wednesday, officials investigating the cause of the crash said no technical problems were detected on the plane before it took off from Paris. Members of the Egyptian investigation committee said the aircraft did not swerve before disappearing from radar in under a minute after entering Egyptian airspace. Their account contradicted that of Greece's defence minister, who said the plane abruptly swerved to the left and then turned in a full circle before plummeting into the Mediterranean Sea. A forensics official said human remains retrieved from the area where the flight crashed point to an explosion on board. Egypt army shows objects found among debris of Egyptair plane crash He told the Associated Press that all 80 body parts retrieved so far are small and that there isn't even a whole body part, like an arm or a head", adding: The logical explanation is that an explosion brought it down...but I cannot say what caused the blast." However, the head of Egypt's forensics authority denied there was evidence of an explosion later on Tuesday. Everything published about this matter is completely false, and mere assumptions that did not come from the forensics authority, Dr Hisham Abdel Hamid said in a statement quoted by Mena news agency. The Egyptian military spokesman released pictures of debris that the search teams found in the sea after the EgyptAir Airbus A320 crashed in the Mediterranean (Getty Images) Records from the aircraft's Acars system indicated smoke may have been detected in a toilet and the avionics bay, as well as reporting faults with the autopilot and flight control system. The cause of the disaster, which killed all 66 passengers and crew on board the flight, remains unknown. Egypt has asked European firms to help search for the plane's black boxes. Personal belongings and other wreckage from EgyptAir flight 804 (AP) EgyptAir chairman Safwat Musallam said French and Italian companies were able to carry out searches at a depth of 3,000 metres. A robotic submarine has already been deployed, along with a ship equipped with sonar, but it was unclear whether either of them can detect signals emitted by the flight recorders, lying in waters up to 10,000ft deep. The location beacons have a battery life of 30 days. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A 70-year-old Christian woman has been stripped naked, beaten and paraded through the streets by a mob of around 300 Muslim men in a village in southern Egypt. The mob also burned down seven homes belonging to Christian families, according to an unusually outspoken statement issued by the local Orthodox Coptic church, after rumours circulated in the village that a Christian man was having a relationship with a Muslim woman. The violence started at around 8pm on 20 May, and the local diocese said it was two hours before police responded, by which point the mob had already dispersed. The woman who was stripped naked was reported to be the mother of the man involved in the rumoured affair. She has since met with church leaders, the Diocese of Minya and Abu Qirqas said. The violence is representative of the tensions between the two religions in the province south of Cairo, where extra-marital affairs between Muslims and Christians are strictly taboo. But it appears the Coptic church has finally had enough of what they say is unfair treatment from the authorities over such cases. Christians only make up around 10 per cent of Egypts population, the majority being Muslim. Human rights attacks around the world Show all 10 1 /10 Human rights attacks around the world Human rights attacks around the world China Escalating crackdown against human rights activists including mass arrests of lawyers and a series of sweeping laws in the name of national security. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Egypt The arrest of thousands, including peaceful critics, in a ruthless crackdown in the name of national security, the prolonged detention of hundreds without charge or trial and the sentencing of hundreds of others to death. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Gambia Torture, enforced disappearances and the criminalisation of LGBTI people; and utter refusal to co-operate with the UN and regional human rights mechanisms on issues including freedom of expression, enforced disappearance and the death penalty. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Hungary Sealing off its borders to thousands of refugees in dire need; and obstructing collective regional attempts to help them. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Israel Maintaining its military blockade of Gaza and therefore collective punishment of the 1.8 million inhabitants there, as well as failing, like Palestine, to comply with a UN call to conduct credible investigations into war crimes committed during the 2014 Gaza conflict. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Kenya Extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances and discrimination against refugees in its counter-terrorism operations; and attempts to undermine the International Criminal Court and its ability to pursue justice. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Pakistan The severe human rights failings of its response to the horrific Peshawar school massacre including its relentless use of the death penalty; and its policy on international NGOs giving authorities the power to monitor them and close them down if they are considered to be against the interests of the country. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Russia Repressive use of vague national security and anti-extremism legislation and its concerted attempts to silence civil society in the country; its shameful refusal to acknowledge civilian killings in Syria and its callous moves to block Security Council action on Syria. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Saudi Arabia Brutally cracking down on those who dared to advocate reform or criticise the authorities; and committing war crimes in the bombing campaign it has led in Yemen (pictured) while obstructing the establishment of a UN-led inquiry into violations by all sides in the conflict. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Syria Killing thousands of civilians in direct and indiscriminate attacks with barrel bombs and other weaponry and through acts of torture in detention; and enforcing lengthy sieges of civilian areas, blocking international aid from reaching starving civilians. Getty Images And speaking in an uncharacteristically candid TV interview on Wednesday night, Minyas most senior cleric Anba Makarios said the response if it had been a Muslim man having an affair with a Christian woman would not have been anything like what happened. The elderly woman meets with church leaders to discuss the mob's actions, in this image released by the Diocese of Minay and Abu Qirqas He said police had been warned the day before of threats towards the Christian family from villagers, yet gave the mob ample time to do whatever they wanted. No one did anything and the police took no pre-emptive or security measures in anticipation of the attacks, he said. We are not living in a jungle or a tribal society. It's incorrect for anyone to declare himself judge, police and ruler. Cairo: Women lead to safety from angry mob after mosque attacked The local governor in Minya, Tarek Nasser, has tried to play down the incident, despite multiple security officials confirming to the Associated Press that a woman was beaten and insulted while being paraded through the village. Mr Nasser denied the elderly woman was stripped naked, and accused the Muslim Brotherhood of exploiting the situation which, he said, was always going to be sensitive when it involved an alleged relationship between a Muslim and a Christian. Some irrational youths threw flammable missiles at the houses of Christians in the village and some women ran away in their nightgowns, he said, adding that the matter was being resolved. The incident took place in the village of Al-Karm where, according to local media, similar violence has flared up in recent years. In his TV interview, Makarios despaired that he knew exactly how officials would handle the new case, and how little difference it would make. He said the crisis in the village would most likely be handled through a government-sponsored meeting of the two sides, in which the Christians would be forced to accept humiliating conditions for reconciliation. Christians in Egypt have long complained about discrimination and victimisation when involved in disputes with Muslims. Since taking power in 2014, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has changed some laws to ease restrictions on Christians building churching and entering politics, but many grievances remain. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} This week, President Obama will become the first sitting US president to visit Hiroshima, the Japanese city that the United States nearly destroyed with a nuclear bomb in 1945. While the bombing is estimated to have killed as many as 150,000 people, Obama is not expected to apologise during his visit. It's reasonable to ask, after more than 70 years, why not apologise for Hiroshoma? One well-worn argument is that the bombing of the city (and the atomic bombing of Nagasaki that followed) was morally justifiable as it was the quickest way to end World War II a conflict that had already taken millions of lives. Hiroshima anniversary But another argument is broader and perhaps even more persuasive: Apologising simply isn't something the United States does, nor do many other countries. "We dont apologise, ever," said Jennifer Lind, a professor at Dartmouth College and the author of Sorry States: Apologies in International Politics. This isn't a unique facet of American diplomacy, either. "Countries in general do not apologize for violence against other countries," Lind added, noting that Germany and, to a lesser degree, Japan are outliers, as they have actually apologised. In pictures: 70th anniversary of atomic bombing of Hiroshima Show all 15 1 /15 In pictures: 70th anniversary of atomic bombing of Hiroshima In pictures: 70th anniversary of atomic bombing of Hiroshima Japan Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C) leaves the cenotaph after delivering his speech during the memorial ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Peace Park in Hiroshima In pictures: 70th anniversary of atomic bombing of Hiroshima Japan People crowd as they pray for victims in front of the cenotaph for the victims of the 1945 atomic bombing, at Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima In pictures: 70th anniversary of atomic bombing of Hiroshima Japan Doves are released as a sign of peace during the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park on the day of the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima In pictures: 70th anniversary of atomic bombing of Hiroshima Japan Boys and girls offer flower bouquets on an altar during the 70th memorial service for the A-bomb victims at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima In pictures: 70th anniversary of atomic bombing of Hiroshima Japan People offer prayers before a memorial monument during the 70th memorial service for the A-bomb victims at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima In pictures: 70th anniversary of atomic bombing of Hiroshima Japan A girl (R) offers a prayer for victims of the atomic bombing during World War II in 1945, in front of a cenotaph at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park In pictures: 70th anniversary of atomic bombing of Hiroshima Japan Representatives of bereaved families of victims killed by the atomic bombing strike the Peace Bell for a moment of silence for the victims during the peace memorial ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the nuclear bombing of the city at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima In pictures: 70th anniversary of atomic bombing of Hiroshima Japan Attendees place flowers for victims killed by the atomic bombing during the peace memorial ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the nuclear bombing of the city at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima In pictures: 70th anniversary of atomic bombing of Hiroshima Japan Representatives of A-bomb survivors carry a wreath to lay for victims killed by the atomic bombing at a cenotaph during the peace memorial ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the nuclear bombing of the city at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima In pictures: 70th anniversary of atomic bombing of Hiroshima Japan Doves fly over the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park during a memorial ceremony to mark the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima In pictures: 70th anniversary of atomic bombing of Hiroshima Japan Visitors pray for the atomic bomb victims in front of the cenotaph at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima In pictures: 70th anniversary of atomic bombing of Hiroshima Japan People are seen visiting the Atomic Bomb Dome at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park In pictures: 70th anniversary of atomic bombing of Hiroshima Japan Local residents hold paper lanterns in front of the Atomic Bomb Dome during a procession commemorating the victims of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima, western Japan. Japan will mark the 70th anniversary of the attack on Hiroshima, where the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on August 6, 1945, killing about 140,000 by the end of the year in a city of 350,000 residents In pictures: 70th anniversary of atomic bombing of Hiroshima USA Dr. Jimmy Hara (R) from the Physicians for Social Responsibility and Buddhist Monk Ryuzen Hayashi (L) pray during the 'Never Again - Hiroshima and Nagasaki 70th Anniversary Commemoration' vigil and moment of silence at the Chain Reaction Peace Sculpture showing a atomic bomb mushroom cloud in Santa Monica, California In pictures: 70th anniversary of atomic bombing of Hiroshima USA 86-year old Hiroshima survivor, Juni Sarashina (R) prays during the 'Never Again - Hiroshima and Nagasaki 70th Anniversary Commemoration' vigil and moment of silence at the Chain Reaction Peace Sculpture in Santa Monica, California But what else has America not apologised for? Here are a few ideas. Agent Orange in Vietnam A warning sign stands in a field contaminated with dioxin near Danang airport, during a ceremony marking the start of a project to clean up dioxin left over from the Vietnam War, at a former U.S. military base in Danang, Vietnam, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012. The sign reads: "Dioxin contamination zone - livestock, poultry and fishery operations not permitted." During the Vietnam War, the United States sprayed about 12 million gallons of Agent Orange, a herbicide, over areas of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in a bid to both remove cover for Vietcong and North Vietnamese fighters and kill food crops. Former President Jimmy Carter talks about his cancer diagnosis during a news conference at The Carter Center in Atlanta (AP) Since then, the Red Cross of Vietnam has estimated that about 1 million people were disabled or suffered health problems because of contact with the herbicide. While the United States has sometimes disputed the link between Agent Orange and health problems, it has contributed more than $100 million to help clean up the herbicide aftermath. Congress has also allocated (far smaller) sums to health and disability programs that often target those who may have been harmed by Agent Orange. However, there has been no apology for this or for other controversies of the war, such as widespread U.S. use of landmines. The 1953 coup in Iran President Jimmy Carter toasts the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran during New Years Eve dinner at Niavaran Palace in Tehran on Saturday, Dec. 31, 1977. (AP Photo) In 1953, democratically elected Iranian Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh was overthrown in a coup. In Mossadegh's place, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was reinstalled as the shah of Iran, overseeing policies that were widely seen as restrictive and corrupt. The shah was in turn ousted from office by the 1979 Iranian revolution, which installed Iran's current Islamic theocracy. In declassified documents, the CIA has acknowledged that the overthrow of Mossadegh was "carried out under CIA direction as an act of US foreign policy, conceived and approved at the highest levels of government," with the aid of the British Secret Intelligence Service. However, the United States and Britain have never apologised for their role in the coup, with the Obama administration recently stating that it had no plans to. The negative effects of the coup have been acknowledged by some US figures, notably former secretary of state Madeleine Albright. "The coup was clearly a setback for Iran's political development," Albright said in 2000. "And it is easy to see now why many Iranians continue to resent this intervention by America in their internal affairs." The 1973 coup in Chile The United States is also widely suspected of involvement in a bloody 1973 coup that ousted socialist Chilean President Salvador Allende in 1973 and put dictator Augusto Pinochet in control of the country. Pinochet would go on to lead the country for 17 years, during which his regime was accused of the rampant use of abduction, torture and murder. The CIA has denied any direct involvement in the coup, though it acknowledged it had been opposed to Allende's presidency. In 1977, Brady Tyson, deputy leader of the U.S. delegation to the U.N. Human Rights Commission in Geneva, did attempt to offer an apology for the US involvement in the coup, but he was quickly disavowed by the State Department. When Obama traveled to Chile in 2011, he brushed aside a request for an apology from a Chilean reporter. "The history of relations between the United States and Latin America have at times been extremely rocky and have at times been difficult," Obama said. "But we're not trapped by our history." The West African slave trade The US Congress offered an apology for slavery to African Americans in 2009 (though it was specifically worded in a way that meant it could not be used as a legal rationale for reparations). But what apologies have been made to the African countries whose modern history the slave trade helped shape? Not a lot, it turns out. Bill Clinton came close to making an apology during a presidential trip to Uganda in 1998. "Going back to the time before we were even a nation, European Americans received the fruits of the slave trade," Clinton had told a crowd in a village outside Kampala, the Ugandan capital, in what were said to be impromptu remarks. "And we were wrong in that." At the time, critics quickly argued that the wording of the comments implied regret rather than a formal apology. And the location was odd: Most slaves came from West Africa, not Uganda. Clinton had been in Senegal just a week before, where the comments may have carried far more weight. Support for Congo's dictator Patrice Lumumba was the first democratically elected prime minister of Congo. However, he was ousted just 12 weeks into his term and then killed four months after that on July 2, 1961. The assassination, which took place just seven months after his country's independence from Belgium and in the heat of the Cold War, has come to be viewed as a disaster for the troubled country. (AP (AP) Belgium would acknowledge its role in the assassination in 2002 and offer its official apologies for the move. It's unclear whether the CIA had any direct link to that plot, but it is known that it carried out huge covert operations in Congo during this period. The United States would soon go on to support dictator Joseph-Desire Mobutu (who later changed his name to Mobutu Sese Seko) and his immensely corrupt regime for decades. No apologies have been made. The 2003 invasion of Iraq The US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 is clearly one of the most controversial moments in recent history. Even if the war took out dictator Saddam Hussein, many would argue that it brought chaos to the wider region that persists to this day. At the least, the death toll among Iraqis was huge, though estimates are depressingly vague: Most suggest that a few hundred thousand people lost their lives, at the least. Tony Blair and Bill Clinton in 2000 (AP) George W. Bush, the U.S. president who ordered that invasion, has expressed some remorse for the faulty intelligence touted in the run-up to the conflict, but he has refused requests to apologize for the invasion itself. "I'm convinced that if [Hussein] were in power today, the world would be much worse off," he told CNN in 2010, denying that the war had been a "lost cause". Iran Air Flight 655 On July 3, 1988, the USS Vincennes fired two surface-to-air missiles at an aircraft it mistakenly believed was an Iranian F-14 fighter flying over the Persian Gulf. Instead, the plane was actually Iran Air Flight 655 a civilian airliner flying from the nearby Bandar Abbas International Airport, bound for Dubai. All 290 passengers and crew on board were killed. The shoot-down happened at a time of tension between Iran and the United States, which was at that point backing Iraq in its war with Tehran. Despite the tragic nature of the incident, Washington offered little contrition. George H.W. Bush, the U.S. vice president at the time who was then on the campaign trail for the upcoming election, was even quoted as saying, I will never apologize for the United States I dont care what the facts are (though this was not in direct reference to Iran Air Flight 655). In 1996, President Bill Clinton expressed regret over the incident, and the United States paid the Iranian government $131.8 million in compensation, with around $61.8 million going to the families of those killed. But no formal apology or acknowledgment of wrongdoing was ever made. What apologies have been made? Looking over this short list (and thinking of the numerous other events out there that we missed), it might be reasonable to wonder when America has actually apologized for foreign events. There are a few pretty clear examples: The United States apologized in 2010 for American experiments on Guatemalans in the 1940s, for example, and in 1993, it said sorry for its role in the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. Also, Washington does tend to apologize more readily for smaller-scale incidents: In 2012, Obama apologized profusely for U.S. military involvement in the burning of copies of the Koran in Afghanistan in 2012. But overall, apologies tend to be the exception and nonapologies the rule. The logic here is not moral but rather political. Apologies are often controversial from the apologizers' side, Lind explained, which means that the apology may be tempered or halfhearted. In turn, people in the country receiving the apology are often not satisfied, creating more political headaches. There are further discussions about what actually constitutes an official apology and how it could affect calls for legal reparations. In the end, many countries including the United States tend to avoid apologies, apparently believing that the past is best left buried. Copyright: Washington Post Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Detroit prosecutor announced criminal charges against two families linked to separate accidental shootings involving children handling unsecured firearms - one child died, the other was injured. The charges come amid a torrent of injuries and fatalities caused by children playing with guns in the home. The office of Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy filed manslaughter charges against Frederick Davis, 65, and Patricia McNeal, 65, whose 5-year-old granddaughter, Mariah Davis, died from a gunshot wound to the neck. Mariah had found the gun under her grandparents pillow, according to the Detroit Free Press. Ms Worthy also announced charges against Joseph Williams, 80, and Andrea Drewery, 30, the great-grandfather and mother of a 4-year-old boy who accidentally shot himself in the hand with an unsecured gun found in the house. The two were charged with second degree child abuse. Everybody in this universe knows that Detroit has an issue, Ms Worthy at a told reporters on Wednesday. Detroit and Wayne County have huge issues with children dying from firearm use. And no matter how much we sugarcoat it or say its not so or try to cover it up with stats about crime going down, it still remains an issue that we have to address. Ms Worthy cited the number of recent accidents involving children handling unsecured guns, saying that it was an urgent public health matter for the city. In the past 17 months, eight children in the county were killed or wounded because they handled guns left unsecured in households. In these cases, the guns were legally owned, but the owners did not take proper precautions to secure them. Most of the time, children know where they are, even if parents think they don't, the prosecutor added. And all of this is totally and completely and absolutely preventable. According to Centers for Disease Control data, 868 children under the age of 14 have been killed in accidental shootings. In October of 2015, the Washington Post found that at least one person had been shot per week in incidents involving toddlers with firearms. Of the 43 counted at the time of the report, 31 suffered self-inflicted gunshot wounds - 13 of which were fatal. The John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health published a study in February that found that seven states in the US - Kentucky, West Virginia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Tennessee - high significantly high rates of accidental gun deaths. Researchers pointed out that none of the states had laws requiring the safe storage of the guns, NBC reported. In Michigan, gun merchants are required to include a lock or gun-safe with all sales, but owners are not required to use them. To address what she called a troubling crisis in Wayne County, Ms Worthy said she is speaking with heads of hospitals in the county to launch a campaign about responsible gun ownership. She added that the state of Michigan needed to pass child access prevention laws that require gun owners to secure their firearms. So far, only 18 US states have such laws. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An Irishman is among five people killed after the skydiving tour plane they were in crashed and caught fire in Hawaii. The pilot was named locally as Damien Jimmy Horan, from Tullamore, Co Offaly in central Ireland. The incident happened on Monday morning on the island of Kauai. Mr Horan, two skydive instructors and two tandem jumpers were believed to be onboard the small plane when it crashed. The two jumpers are believed to have been brothers visiting from Oklahoma. Four people were pronounced dead at the scene and a fifth died later in hospital, according to reports. Local county councillor in Offally, Thomas McKeigue, said Mr Horans family were well known in the area as a friendly, hard-working and a very decent family. He told the Irish Times: "It's very tragic when a young person dies like this. "He was known as a very genuine, easy-going and talented young man." World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The plane was a single-engine Cessna 182H, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration, which is investigating the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board is also working with officials to determine the cause of the incident. The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs said it was providing consular assistance to the family. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The journal of a hiker detailing her extraordinary final days before she died after going missing on the Appalachian Trail has been found. Geraldine Largay, 66, from Tennessee tried in vain to contact her family with SOS messages and survived at least 26 days before succumbing to starvation. The day after her disappearance she texted her husband: In some trouble...Got off trail to go to br [bathroom]. Now lost. Can you call AMC, but the message never arrived. The journal reveal details of Largays protracted ordeal, including her attempts to hike to higher ground to get phone signal. One of her final messages read: When you find my body, please call my husband George...and my daughter Kerry after losing the trail between West Virginia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. The farewell message continued: It will be the greatest kindness for them to know that I am dead where you found me - no matter how many years from now. Her husband reported her missing in late July 2013 after she missed a rendezvous with him and her body remained undiscovered for over two years. At one point a search crew with dogs came within 100 yards of her campsite but failed to find her remains, according to the Portland Press Herald. George Largay told detectives his wife was fulfilling a lifelong ambition to hike the famous Appalachian Trail, which stretches 2,200 miles through the eastern United States. The top 10 peaceful summer walks Show all 10 1 /10 The top 10 peaceful summer walks The top 10 peaceful summer walks 230236.bin VisitScotland The top 10 peaceful summer walks 230237.bin The top 10 peaceful summer walks 230238.bin British Tourist Authority The top 10 peaceful summer walks 230239.bin Dave Willis The top 10 peaceful summer walks 230241.bin The top 10 peaceful summer walks 230240.bin Visit Wales The top 10 peaceful summer walks 230242.bin British Tourist Authority The top 10 peaceful summer walks 230243.bin The top 10 peaceful summer walks 230244.bin Visit Peaks & Derbyshire The top 10 peaceful summer walks 230245.bin visitessex.com Geraldines remains were eventually found in a collapsed tent by a contractor performing a forestry survey. The final entry in her log was penned on 18 August 2013. Items found near her body included her mobile phone with a dead battery, a first aid kit and the journal she kept through her final days. Largay had been travelling with a companion before her disappearance, but the other hiker had left the trail due to a family emergency. The journal was released by the Maine warden service in response to a Freedom of Access Act request by several media organisations. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A city in Kentucky has been ordered to remove a century-old statue commemorating the death of Confederate soldiers who fought in the Civil War. Critics had objected to the 70-foot monument, calling it a symbol of slavery and honoring a very dark period in American history. Louisville mayor Greg Fischer said he would work to relocate the monument after judge Judith McDonald-Burkman, who had deliberated on the matter for three weeks, decided to accept their case. Recommended Read more US House passes controversial Confederate flag ban In doing so, she ruled against the plaintiffs, a group of local residents and male descendants of Confederate soldiers who had sued to keep the monument next to the University of Louisville and who claimed the floodgates had opened to destroy all Southern heritage. They fear the monument will end up in the landfill as a new location has not been disclosed. The plaintiffs won a temporary restraining order while the judge considered their arguments that the monument was not owned by the city, that it could be damaged and violate historic preservation rules. A university diversity group countered those claims, and became part of a national push to remove Confederacy symbols which, they argued, fostered racism. I think the community and country is better for this decision today, said Ricky Jones, professor and chair of Pan-African Studies, told the Courier Journal. Flags, monuments and other Confederate emblems have become a political hot potato since a white gunman who posed with the Confederate flag allegedly killed nine black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina, last July. In the 29th century, the state of Kentucky was on the side of the Union, yet many Kentuckians fought on behalf of the South, which wanted to have its own government and retain its slave trade. The split led to the US Civil War between 1861 and 1865. On 29 April 2016 the mayor and the university president, James Ramsey, announced that the 1895 monument would be dismantled from the campus grounds and would be moved to an undetermined location. One of the plaintiffs lawyers, J Andrew White, questioned the judge if the state of Thomas Jefferson - a slave owner - outside the Louisville mayors office would also be taken away. The 1895 monument cost $12,500 to erect and the money was raised by women who knew men who had died in the war. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The number of American adolescents with marijuana-related issues is declining, a new survey has found as more US states legalise the drug. Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine examined drug use data of more than 216,000 adolescents between the age of 12 and 17 across all 50 states. The number becoming dependent on cannabis, having trouble at school or in relationships has dropped by 24 per cent between 2002 to 2013. In addition, the survey found the rate of marijuana use by teenagers has dropped despite more states legalising the drug. Between 2002 and 2013, the number of 12 to 17-year-olds having used marijuana in the last 12 months dropped by 10 per cent. The study's first author, Dr Richard A. Grucza, said the reductions were linked to the diminution of behavioural problems such as fighting, property crimes and selling drugs. He said: "We were surprised to see substantial declines in marijuana use and abuse. "We don't know how legalization is affecting young marijuana users, but it could be that many kids with behavioural problems are more likely to get treatment earlier in childhood, making them less likely to turn to pot during adolescence. "But whatever is happening with these behavioural issues, it seems to be outweighing any effects of marijuana decriminalization." Mile high city: Inside Denver's billion-dollar marijuana industry Show all 8 1 /8 Mile high city: Inside Denver's billion-dollar marijuana industry Mile high city: Inside Denver's billion-dollar marijuana industry 5591453.jpg Sam Adams Mile high city: Inside Denver's billion-dollar marijuana industry 5591446.jpg Sam Adams Mile high city: Inside Denver's billion-dollar marijuana industry 5591448.jpg Sam Adams Mile high city: Inside Denver's billion-dollar marijuana industry 5591452.jpg Sam Adams Mile high city: Inside Denver's billion-dollar marijuana industry 5591449.jpg Sam Adams Mile high city: Inside Denver's billion-dollar marijuana industry 5591450.jpg Sam Adams Mile high city: Inside Denver's billion-dollar marijuana industry 5591451.jpg Sam Adams Mile high city: Inside Denver's billion-dollar marijuana industry 5591454.jpg Sam Adams The data used in the study was gathered in a confidential computerised survey of young people from different ethnic, racial and income groups about their drug use, abuse and dependence. Dr Grucza added: "Other research shows that psychiatric disorders earlier in childhood are strong predictors of marijuana use later on. "So it's likely that if these disruptive behaviours are recognized earlier in life, we may be able to deliver therapies that will help prevent marijuana problems and possibly problems with alcohol and other drugs, too." Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Where there is a will there is a way, and drug smugglers do what they can to sneak their valuable contraband into the the US market. But for one woman, disguising methamphetamine as a favourite handheld Mexican food delicacy was not enough to fool US Customs and Border Protection officials. Recommended Read more The death of Mexican news in the age of drug cartels Border Patrol arrested a 23-year-old woman found smuggling more than $3,000 (2,046) worth of meth into Nogales, Arizona. The narcotics were wrapped in tortillas, dressed up to look like unassuming burritos. US Customs and Border Protection Drug-sniffing dogs confirmed the presence of the drugs inside of the one-pound bag containing the meth. KTLA 5 reports that the Arizona-born woman told officers that she was a hired mule, paid $500 to smuggle the drugs across the US-Mexico border. The arrest was one of a series of busts made on the Nogales border, netting about $929,000 worth of narcotics, the CBP said in a statement. Five other men and one woman were arrested after they had tried to smuggle significant amounts of cocaine, meth, and heroin in their vehicles. One man was discovered to be carrying $311,000 worth of cocaine inside the dashboard of his Chevrolet truck. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} President Barack Obama has acknowledged world leaders concerns about presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump and said they are rattled by the rise of the businessman. Speaking at a press conference in Japan where he is meeting with G7 leaders, Mr Obama discussed the 2016 election campaign and said that his foreign counterparts are taken aback by Mr Trumps success in the US primaries. I think it's fair to say they are surprised by the Republican nominee, they are not sure how seriously to take some of his pronouncements, but they're rattled by him, and for good reason, Mr Obama said. Recommended Read more The Weeknd cancelled his Kimmel appearance because Trump was on it A lot of the proposals that he's made display either ignorance of world affairs or a cavalier attitude or an interest in getting tweets and headlines, instead of actually thinking through what it is that's required to keep America safe, secure and prosperous, and what's required to keep the world on an even keel. The annual meeting welcomed leaders such as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, as well as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Show all 8 1 /8 People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Miley Cyrus 'God he thinks he is the f***ing chosen one or some shit! Honestly f*** this sh*t I am moving if this is my president! I dont say things I dont mean!' Jemal Countess/Getty Images People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Whoopi Goldberg 'I dont think thats America. I dont want it to be America. Maybe its time for me to move you know' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Samuel L. Jackson 'If that mother**er becomes president, Im moving my black ass to South Africa' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Raven Symone 'My confession for this election is, if any Republican gets nominated, Im gonna move to Canada with my entire family. Is that bad? I already have my ticket. I literally bought my ticket, I swear' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Cher 'If he were to be elected, I'm moving to Jupiter' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Neve Campbell 'Im terrified. Its really scary. My biggest fear is that Trump will triumph. I cannot believe that he is still in the game ... [I'll] move back to Canada' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Jon Stewart 'I would consider getting in a rocket and going to another planet, because clearly this planets gone bonkers' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Randy Blythe 'He could just be a clown. If he is the president, though, I am leaving America 'till he's gone' Things don't roll together so well if the United States is not making good decisions, said Mr Obama, answering another press question about Mr Trump. He specifically avoided commenting on his own party, according to Politico, but when asked whether it would be nice for the Democratic nominee to have time off, he responded: Absolutely. I guarantee you that the eventual nominee sure wishes it was over now. Hillary Clinton and Mr Trump won the Washington state primary on 24 May. Also on the G7 agenda was the European refugee crisis, gender equality, the Brexit referendum on 23 June, terrorism, the economy and infrastructure. Mr Obama will visit the peace park at Hiroshima before he leaves, becoming the first sitting US President to visit the site where the US dropped an atomic bomb in 1945. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Lawmakers in Ohio have approved legislation to legalize medical marijuana, just months after a convoluted bill to legalize recreational weed was defeated. Ohios Republican-led legislature approved House Bill 523 by a three vote margin on Wednesday, sending the bill to Governor John Kasich who will either sign or veto the bill. Twenty-four states and Washington DC have legalized medical marijuana, while only a few states allow recreational use. However, the legislation will not allow patients to smoke or grow the marijuana. The Ohio Department of Commerce will regulate who is able to grow and test products. With a doctors recommendation, patients can use oil, tinctures, plant material, edibles and patches as treatment beginning in 2017. "This bill is not perfect, but its what Ohio patients need," Ohio Senator Kenny Yuko, a Democrat, told reporters before the bills approval. "Marijuana is not a gateway drug, but a gateway off drugs. In November 2015, voters rejected a statewide initiative to legalize recreational marijuana that would have granted exclusive rights for commercial growing to a small group of wealthy investors. Ninety percent of Ohio voters support medical marijuana, and 53 percent support legalizing weed for personal use, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released in October. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Their names are Ted and James, and they look like the kinds of men you might bump into on the streets of Richmond, Virginia., where their father was born. But theyre speaking perfect North Korean and wearing badges of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, the first two leaders of North Korea, over their hearts. Oh, and the younger one, James, is a captain in the North Korean army. Theyre the Pyongyang-born sons of James Joseph Dresnok, the former American GI who defected to North Korea in 1962 when he was stationed in South Korea after the war. And they've just appeared in an extraordinary video published online by Minjok Tongshin, a pro-Pyongyang news service based in the United States that runs the kind of stories that wouldnt look out of place in North Koreas official media. "I want to advise the US to drop its hostile policy against North Korea. Theyve done enough wrong and now its time for them to wake up from their delusions," said Ted Dresnok, 36, who goes by the Korean name Hong Sun Chol. He was wearing a navy blue suit with a red Kim badge on it. His younger brother, James, or Hong Chol, was wearing a North Korean army uniform and said he held a rank equivalent to a captain in the US Army. His comments also sounded like they came out of the propaganda department. "The American Imperialists caused the division of the Korean peninsula," James said. Inside the daily life in North Korea Show all 19 1 /19 Inside the daily life in North Korea Inside the daily life in North Korea People reading a newspaper at the metro station Inside the daily life in North Korea Thoughts of the leaders on the tram. They have about a dozen of these on every tram, all with different thoughts Inside the daily life in North Korea Young people training for a big upcoming festival Inside the daily life in North Korea People at the Pyongyang's annual marathon Inside the daily life in North Korea Many stars on one of the trolleys in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea An intimidating poster in a primary school in North Korea. Inside the daily life in North Korea Solar panels installed on a street lamp. Inside the daily life in North Korea A poster on the window next to one of the venues we visited in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea Kids playing football next to the Arch of Triumph. After a while tourists were allowed to join, so some of us did Inside the daily life in North Korea Class in an educational center in Pyongyang (where people over 17 years old can attend any classes they choose after school, for free) Inside the daily life in North Korea People waving at me during the Pyongyang marathon Inside the daily life in North Korea People having a great time dancing at a public park Inside the daily life in North Korea A metro driver in a metro station in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea Fireworks to mark the birthday of the Eternal President Kim Il Sung on our last night in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea My wonderful tour guide at a public park Inside the daily life in North Korea One of the parks in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea A person rowing some boats for the day at a river in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea The National War Museum Inside the daily life in North Korea Public park in Pyongyang This led to a bizarre situation in which Roh Kil-nam, the ethnically Korean, naturalized US citizen who runs Minjok Tongshin, asked the ethnically Caucasian, North Korean citizen brothers if they considered him among such ilk. "No, I mean the very top leaders of the US," James clarified. Ted and James are the sons of Dresnok, known as Joe, and a Romanian woman, Doina Bumbea, who was reportedly abducted by North Korea. Charles Jenkins, another US serviceman who defected to North Korea but was allowed to leave in 2004, described Bumbea as a Romanian abductee in his memoirs and said she died of cancer in 1997. Dresnok is then thought to have married the daughter of a North Korean woman and a Togolese diplomat, and they are said to have had a son, Tony. (North Korea is big on blood purity and generally won't allow foreigners to marry Koreans, meaning that the foreigners get matched up among themselves.) Ted and James said that Tony was at school at the time they did the interview, which was apparently carried out in Pyongyang after the much-hyped congress of the Korean Workers Party this month. All three sons, along with Dresnoks third wife, appeared in Crossing the Line, a British documentary about the former American and his life in North Korea. That film showed the older boys speaking English with a Korean accent. Dresnok came from a difficult background and was going through a difficult period his wife had left him and he was in trouble with his superiors when he decided to cross the demilitarized zone into North Korea in 1962. He was 21. He taught English and appeared in television shows and movies always playing the evil American". Like their father, the two sons also have appeared as Americans in North Korean dramas. Now 75 and in poor health, Dresnok hasnt been heard of for several years. But his sons were apparently trotted out to extol the glories of the socialist paradise into which they were born. Each contact with the media is highly scripted in North Korea, but it's impossible to tell whether the men were saying what they'd been told to say or if, after spending their entire lives in North Korea, they really think this. Heres what they said: Ted: He said he was born in Pyongyang on 13 December 1980. "Under the generous care of Kim Jong ll," he went to an elementary school and foreign language schools and then the Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies, majoring in English and Japanese. He said he is now working at a defense education facility, part of the Workers Party. He is married to 36-year-old Ri Ok, and they have a seven-year-old daughter and a six-year-old son. James: Prompted, he said he volunteered to join the military in 2014. "Thanks to the general's hospitality, we receive gifts on every national holiday. Im very grateful for the socialism system. Due to the worsening situation on the Korean peninsula, I decided to work for the military." He said he met his wife through workmates, and that they have a six-year-old daughter. On their father: Ted: I heard a lot about his life. The more I hear, the more I think he chose the right path. Had he not come to North Korea, it wouldnt have been possible for him to live as he does. He was much loved by the country and his small achievements were appreciated greatly. I think about the different life I would be living had my father been living in the U.S. James: He was an orphan, but his misery wasnt due to his or his familys fault, rather it was due to American society. Its due to policies made by the privileged in the U.S. On their dreams: Ted: My precious dream is to become a Workers Party member and pay back my gratitude to my general [Kim Jong Un]. I want to stand in a unified country by my general. James: My lifelong dream is similar to my brothers. I want to serve my mother country with my life and bring about the unification of the Koreas so the world will see the superiority of Kims Korea. On North Korea-US relations: Ted: As Kim Jong Un said at the congress, the U.S. should sign a peace treaty with North Korea and withdraw its forces and nuclear weapons from the Korean peninsula. Its the quickest way to solve the current issue. James: The US keeps talking about the North Korean threat, but it seems that's the only way they can justify their East Asian strategy. When two kids fight, and one kid hits the other with a wooden stick, the other kid picks up a wooden stick too. When the enemy makes nuclear weapons and threatens us with them, we make nuclear weapons to defend ourselves. Suggestions for the United States: Ted: The US wants to make a big deal out of North Korean human rights issues. We are enjoying very equal and free lives here. But look at the US A white police officer shoots a black citizen in clear daylight, treating black people's lives as if they were as worthless as flies. I want to tell Americans to break away from their leaders mindsets and begin peace negotiations with us. Thats the only way to save yourselves. Yoonjung Seo in Seoul contributed to this report Washington Post Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Two US Navy F/A-18 fighter jets have collided mid-air off the North Carolina coast during a routine training mission, hospitalizing four servicemen. The jets were based in Virginia Beach and accidentally collided at 10:40am off the coast of Cape Hatteras, officials announced on Thursday. Three of the servicemen were unharmed, while one suffered a minor leg injury, Geoffrey Pagels, a US Coast Guard rescue specialist, told NBC News. A commercial fishing ship pulled the four survivors out of the Atlantic Ocean to safety. They were later flown by a Coast Guard hospital to a hospital in Norfolk. Officials added that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} It would be billed the showdown of the populists. Bernie Sanders may have been declined an opportunity to debate with Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, but perhaps he is set for an unprecedented appearance with Donald Trump. In an appearance on television on Wednesday evening, the presumptive Republican nominee said he was willing to participate in a debate with the Vermont senator. "If I debated him, we would have such high ratings, the New York tycoon said on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show. I think I should ... take that money and give it to some worthy charity. Mr Sanders is still engaged in a primary battle against Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, while Mr Trump effectively clinched the Republican Partys nomination earlier this month when his two remaining rivals dropped out. Mr Sanders had challenged Ms Clinton to a debate ahead of next months primary in California, but the former secretary of states campaign declined. Mr Trump and Mr Sanders have gone through a series of debates against rivals within their parties but Republican and Democratic presidential candidates usually do not debate each other until the parties have selected a nominee. Yet on Thursday, the 74-year-old socialist suggested on Twitter that he was ready for the challenge. he hashtag #BernieTrumpDebate began trending in the US with news of the possible debate. Game on, he said. I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary. The two candidates have both energised their own supporters with their willingness to attack the political establishment and to position themselves as political outsiders, even though Mr Sanders has been a politician for decades and Mr Trump had twice before pondered a presidential run before announcing his campaign in 2015. A number of people attending Mr Sanders' rallies during the primary season, told The Independent they would vote for Mr Trump as their second choice, given his willingness to attack the political establishment and his refusal to take corporate money, two things the candidates have in common. Mr Sanders has no mathematical hope of closing the gap with Ms Clinton, who leads him by a large margin in the delegate haul and is all but certain to become the party's nominee. Yet he he has made clear - to the anger of many Democrats - that he will keep campaigning until all the primaries are finished in order to further promote his platform. A number of leading Democrats have said that by doing do, he is allowing his own ego to distract Ms Clinton from preparing for a showdown with Mr Trump in November. It is likely that if the debate goes ahead that Mr Sanders would face more criticism, as Mr Trump would all but certainly use the event to attack Ms Clinton as much as the Vermont senator. Mr Sanders has said he will do everything he can to ensure that Mr Trump does not win the White House. Mr Trumps spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, said in an email to Reuters on Thursday there were no formal plans yet for such an event. Representatives for the Sanders campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mr Kimmel said he asked Mr Trump about the debate at the suggestion of Sanders, who is scheduled to appear on the show Thursday night. Mr Sanders, who was elected to Congress as an independent and has made economic equality a keystone of his campaign, was disappointed when the former secretary of state declined a debate. The Clinton campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment to a possible Trump-Sanders showdown. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The US government department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has mistakenly declared more than 4,000 retired military staff dead and stopped paying their benefits over the past five years. The mistake happened thousands of times due to employee error or incorrect computer cross-checking names against the so-called Death Master File, according to Florida representative David Jolly, who corresponded with the VA. Although these types of cases represent a small number of beneficiaries in comparison to the millions of transactions completed each year in our administration of benefits, we sincerely regret the inconvenience caused by such errors and work to restore benefits as quickly as possible after any such error is brought to our attention, a VA spokesman said in a statement. Vietnam War veteran Michael Rieker, 69, who was declared dead twice by the VA, contacted congressman Jolly to ask for help in proving that he was still alive. The VA had simply mistaken his middle initial. Every time I call they have been responsive, said Mr Rieker, who was starting to be greeted as "the dead guy" in his local sandwich shop. Personally I believe they are just inundated; they are so overstacked with things to do, they cant keep up." According to the Washington Post, about 400,000 veterans die every year and their benefits are canceled. Of the two million declared dead in the past five years, 4,201 cases were still alive. The most mistakes happened in 2015. Mr Jolly also helped 79-year-old US Air Force Master Sergeant Joseph Kane, whose wife opened a letter addressed to their home in May 2014, saying the VA was "sorry" to learn of Mr Kane's death and would supply one further month of benefits for his wife along with help towards the cost of a funeral. "I was really shocked," Mr Kane told the Tampa Bay Times. "I felt like I had been resurrected." The VA uses the death match program to prevent people from taking advantage of benefits still being paid out to dead veterans. In 2020, the VAs inspector general said the program had resulted in 382 arrests and they managed to claw back $40 million in fraudulent payments. The new system, instated in 2015, sends out a letter to the person the VA believes is deceased and waits 30 days for a reply before terminating benefits. There is no official data yet to suggest whether the new system has reduced errors. The news comes the same week that VA secretary Bob McDonald compared the amount of time veterans have to wait for medical treatment to waiting in line at Disneyland. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} As 2nd Lt. Alix Schoelcher Idrache stood at attention during the commencement ceremony at West Point, N.Y., on Saturday, he was overcome with emotion. Tears rolled down both cheeks, but his gloved left hand held firm on his white, gold and black cover, the dress headgear that Army cadets wear. The photograph of Idrache, by Army Staff Sgt. Vito T. Bryant, was published Tuesday on the Facebook page of West Points U.S. Military Academy, and it almost immediately went viral. Part of that is Idraches background: He worked his way through one of the nations most prestigious military schools after immigrating to the United States from Haiti, earning his citizenship and serving for two years as an enlisted soldier with the Maryland Army National Guard, according to Army records. "I woke up this morning and found my face all over Facebook and with it myriad of amazing comments about my accomplishments, Idrache wrote Tuesday on Facebook. I am humbled and shocked at the same time. Thank you for giving me a shot at the American Dream and may God bless America, the greatest country on earth." On West Points Instagram page, he left another message thanking people for their support. Bryant, the photographer, "captured a moment that I will never forget", Idrache said. He credited past generations of soldiers and Capt. Kristen Griest, 1st Lt. Shaye Haver and Maj. Lisa Jaster, the three West Point graduates who last year became the first women to graduate from the Armys grueling Ranger School. "Three things came to mind and led to those tears," Idrache wrote. The first is where I started. I am from Haiti and never did I imagine that such honor would be one day bestowed on me. "The second is where I am. Men and women who have preserved the very essence of the human condition stood in that position and took the same oath. Men who preserved the Union [in] a dark period of this countrys history. Men who scaled the face of adversity and liberated Europe from fascism Women like CPT Griest, LT Haver, MAJ Jaster who rewrote the narrative and challenged the status quo to prove themselves worthy of being called Rangers." The third thing Idrache thought about, he wrote, is his future. Shortly after he leaves West Point, he will report to Fort Rucker, Ala., to start flight school. Knowing that one day I will be a pilot is humbling beyond words, Idrache wrote. I could not help but be flooded with emotions knowing that I will be leading these men and women who are willing to give their all to preserve what we value as the American way of life. To me, that is the greatest honor. Once again, thank you. A selection of the most powerful millennials in the world Show all 5 1 /5 A selection of the most powerful millennials in the world A selection of the most powerful millennials in the world Kim Jong-un A selection of the most powerful millennials in the world Mhairi Black A selection of the most powerful millennials in the world Neymar A selection of the most powerful millennials in the world Kim Kardashian-West A selection of the most powerful millennials in the world Alexander Wang Idrache was a leader in his class of 950 cadets. According to a West Point news release, he was named a regimental commander last summer. Army officials at West Point said that he was on leave Thursday and not available for comment. His home town is listed as New Carrollton, Md., a Washington suburb. Copyright: Washington Post For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Buses in India will be fitted with panic button alarms in an effort to protect women from sexual violence on public transport. The buttons will be placed above the front doors and, when pressed, send an emergency alert to the control room at a local police station. New vehicles will also be equipped with GPS tracking devices and CCTV cameras, allowing officers to observe incidents happening in real time. India transport minister Nitin Gadkari announced that the new safety measures will be installed on all vehicles by law from June 2 onwards. Twenty buses now have alarms in the state of Rajasthan in the north of the country, leading the way before the measures are rolled out across the entire country. All buses currently in circulation will have to be remodelled in the same way. Gadkari said: "To ensure the safety of women after the unfortunate incident, we have decided to make it mandatory for public transport buses to install emergency panic buttons, CCTV cameras and GPS-enabled vehicle tracking devices." The brutal gang-rape and disbowelment of a 23-year-old student on a New Dehli bus in December 2012 was the unfortunate incident to which Gadkari was referring. The horrific attack sent shockwaves across India and the subsequent widespread protests against the government were reported around the world. Vigils were held in honour of the victim and the national authorities agreed to take legislative action to help prevent future attacks. India protests against sexual violence Show all 20 1 /20 India protests against sexual violence India protests against sexual violence April 2015 School girls wear black bands on their faces during a protest rally against the rape case of a 16-year-old girl at Dhupguri town in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal Reuters India protests against sexual violence March 2015 Students of Convent of Jesus and Mary School participate in a protest against the alleged gang rape of a nun in her 70s AP India protests against sexual violence March 2015 Official figures for the number of women raped in India are often disputed by Women's Rights experts who claim the numbers are far higher SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP/Getty Images India protests against sexual violence March 2015 Women protest after the horrific rape and murder of Jyoti Singh in India BBC India protests against sexual violence June 2014 Women in India protest against rape and other attacks on women and girls in the country AP India protests against sexual violence June 2014 Indian activists from the Social Unity Center of India (SUCI) shout slogans against the state government in protest against the gang rape and murder of two girls in the district of Badaun in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh and recent rapes in the eastern state of West Bengal, in Kolkata AFP/Getty India protests against sexual violence June 2014 Supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were protesting against the rape and hanging of two girls Reuters India protests against sexual violence May 2014 Members of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union shout slogans during a protest against a gang rape of two teenage girls in Katra village, outside the Uttar Pradesh state house, in New Delhi. A top government official said the northern Uttar Pradesh state has sacked two police officers who failed to respond to a complaint by the father of the two teenage girls who went missing and were later found gang raped and killed. The placard at right reads, "Punish the culprits of gang-rape and murder of two Dalit girls" AP Photo/Manish Swarup India protests against sexual violence January 2014 Student protesters outside a Suri hospital where a rape victim is being treated Andrew Buncombe India protests against sexual violence January 2014 West Bengal Women's Forum activists walk a protest rally against a rape case in Calcutta, eastern India. A young girl was gang-raped on October 25 and afterwards repeatedly threatened by the accused, following which the disturbed girl set herself on fire December 23. She was admitted to the hospital with 40 percent burns and finally succumbed to her burn injuries on 31 December EPA India protests against sexual violence August 2013 Republican Party of India supporters protest in Mumbai against the rape of a female photographer Reuters India protests against sexual violence May 2013 Indian demonstrators shout slogans at the police during a protest calling for better safety for women AFP/Getty Images India protests against sexual violence April 2013 An Indian woman holds a poster as she protests with others against how Indian authorities handle sex crimes near the Parliament in New Delhi, after a second suspect was arrested in the rape of a 5-year-old girl. Child rights activists say the rape of the girl is just the latest case in which Indian police failed to take urgent action on a report of a missing child. Three days after the attack, the girl was found alone in locked room in the same New Delhi building where her family lives AP India protests against sexual violence March 2013 Indians protests against all-too-common gang-rapes in their country Getty Images India protests against sexual violence January 2013 Indian students of various organisations hold placards as they shout slogans during a demonstration in Hyderabad Getty Images India protests against sexual violence January 2013 A protester chants slogans as she braces herself against the spray fired from police water canons during a protest against the Indian government's reaction to recent rape incidents in India, in front of India Gate on December 23, 2012 in New Delhi Getty Images India protests against sexual violence January 2013 Indian children paint messages during a gathering to mourn the death of the 23-year old rape victim. Her statement was used in the trial AP India protests against sexual violence January 2013 Indians hold a candlelight vigil in Delhi in memory of a gang-rape victim. Five men have been charged with murder AP India protests against sexual violence December 2012 Indian protesters are escorted by police as they demonstrate against the brutal gang-rape of a woman AP India protests against sexual violence December 2012 Indian protesters destroy a police van during a violent demonstration near the India Gate against a gang rape and brutal beating of a 23-year-old student on a bus AP In March, a 28-year-old mother was raped on a bus in Utter Pradesh by two men in front of her daughter. Last month the government announced that all mobile phones purchased in India must have panic buttons built in by the start of 2017. The button would allow users to call emergency services by pressing a single key on their phone. However extreme violence against women in India continues unabated, and three men were held by police in early May over the brutal rape and murder of a young law student in Perumbavoor. Hundreds of human rights advocates launched a protest following the latest case, in an effort to pressure the government to tighten up the legal protection of sexual assault victims. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Indian women are being sold like products for just 4000 in Saudia Arabia and 2000 in Bahrain, according to Indias welfare minister. Palle Raghunatha Reddy claimed that women from the southern Andhra Pradesh region of India are being held in horrific conditions in Gulf state jails after fleeing their husbands and employers. In a letter to Indias foreign minister, Reddy appealed to the national government to protect women from overseas recruitment agents who sell them on as if they came from a retail shop after luring them from their homeland on the promise of triple pay. Female migrants in Saudi are tricked into overstaying their visas and jailed on petty offences while their cases are heard before being sold to the highest bidder, the minister alleged. Experts estimate that over twenty thousand Indian women have been detained in poor conditions having travelled from Andhra and neighbouring state Telangana. There have been complaints of physical abuse, mistreatment, non-payment of salary and denial of fundamental human rights. Reddy confirmed that more than 25 women currently in Gulf jails have sought help from the Andhra Pradesh state government in the past few months. He added: Necessary steps should be initiated to bring them to their native areas safely by providing free travel and necessary visa documents at the earliest possible opportunity. 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Show all 10 1 /10 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In October 2014, three lawyers, Dr Abdulrahman al-Subaihi, Bander al-Nogaithan and Abdulrahman al-Rumaih , were sentenced to up to eight years in prison for using Twitter to criticize the Ministry of Justice. AFP/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2015, Yemens Sunni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi was forced into exile after a Shia-led insurgency. A Saudi Arabia-led coalition has responded with air strikes in order to reinstate Mr Hadi. It has since been accused of committing war crimes in the country. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Women who supported the Women2Drive campaign, launched in 2011 to challenge the ban on women driving vehicles, faced harassment and intimidation by the authorities. The government warned that women drivers would face arrest. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Members of the Kingdoms Shia minority, most of whom live in the oil-rich Eastern Province, continue to face discrimination that limits their access to government services and employment. Activists have received death sentences or long prison terms for their alleged participation in protests in 2011 and 2012. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses All public gatherings are prohibited under an order issued by the Interior Ministry in 2011. Those defy the ban face arrest, prosecution and imprisonment on charges such as inciting people against the authorities. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2014, the Interior Ministry stated that authorities had deported over 370,000 foreign migrants and that 18,000 others were in detention. Thousands of workers were returned to Somalia and other states where they were at risk of human rights abuses, with large numbers also returned to Yemen, in order to open more jobs to Saudi Arabians. Many migrants reported that prior to their deportation they had been packed into overcrowded makeshift detention facilities where they received little food and water and were abused by guards. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses The Saudi Arabian authorities continue to deny access to independent human rights organisations like Amnesty International, and they have been known to take punitive action, including through the courts, against activists and family members of victims who contact Amnesty. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Raif Badawi was sentenced to 1000 lashes and 10 years in prison for using his liberal blog to criticise Saudi Arabias clerics. He has already received 50 lashes, which have reportedly left him in poor health. Carsten Koall/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Dawood al-Marhoon was arrested aged 17 for participating in an anti-government protest. After refusing to spy on his fellow protestors, he was tortured and forced to sign a blank document that would later contain his confession. At Dawoods trial, the prosecution requested death by crucifixion while refusing him a lawyer. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was arrested in 2012 aged either 16 or 17 for participating in protests during the Arab spring. His sentence includes beheading and crucifixion. The international community has spoken out against the punishment and has called on Saudi Arabia to stop. He is the nephew of a prominent government dissident. Getty "Instructions should be issued to Indian embassy officials in Gulf countries to interfere in the matter and provide necessary help in terms of food, clothing and shelter." In response the Indian government confirmed it would send ministers to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. next month to investigate the conditions migrants are being held in. An official from Andhra Pradesh meanwhile said the state authority is in the process of appointing lawyers to provide legal aid to Indian prisoners in the Gulf region. The Independent has contacted Amnesty International for comment. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Indonesia has introduced the death penalty and chemical castration for child rapists. President Joko Widodo said the sanctions intended to overcome the crisis caused by sexual violence against children, the BBC reports. The maximum sentence for rape, of a child or an adult, was previously 14 years in prison. Those jailed for child sexual offences may also be electronically tagged after their release. The change follows public outrage over rising levels of violent crimes in the past year, including the gang-rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl as she walked home from school on the western island of Sumatra last April. Bali Nine pair executed Show all 22 1 /22 Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed People attend a vigil for the prisoners to be executed in Indonesia at Martin Place on April 28 Getty Images Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed Crosses for condemned drug convicts (from L-R) Australians Andrew Chan (L) and Myuran Sukumaran (C), and Nigerian Okwudili Oyatanze AFP/Getty Images Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed Brintha Sukumaran, a sister of Australian death row prisoner Myuran Sukumaran's screams as she arrives to see him for a final time Getty Images Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed Brintha Sukumaran, the sister of Myuran Sukumaran, cries during her final visit to see him in prison on 28 April AP Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed Michael Chan, brother of Australian drug convict and death row prisoner Andrew Chan, arrives at Nusakambangan island on 28 April AFP/Getty Images Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed The back of a painting by Australian death-row prisoner Myuran Sukumaran is shown, signed by the eight other condemned people EPA Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed A lawyer carries a painting by Myuran Sukumaran at Wijayapura port in Cilacap on 28 April Getty Images Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed A woman places a tribute on a flower wall that reads '#keephopealive' as part of an Amnesty international vigil for the pair Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed People at a vigil in Sydney on 27 April against the execution of Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran Amnesty International/Sitthixay Ditthavong. Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed Activists hold a banner during a protest in front of the Indonesian embassy in Manila on April 27, 2015 AFP/Getty Images Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed The lawyer for Australian death row inmates Myuran Sukumaran carries a painting after visiting Indonesia's Nusakambangan island on April 26 AFP/Getty Images Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed A lawyer carries a self-portrait drawn by Myuran Sukumaran after visiting the prison island of Nusakambangan on 27 April AP Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed Workers load coffins into a lorry ahead of the execution of nine prisoners in Indonesia Getty Images Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed Indonesian soldiers stand as guard at Wijayapura port near the prison island of Nusa Kambangan on Monday Reuters Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed Chintu Sukumaran (L), brother of Myuran Sukumaran, stands next to Michael Chan, brother of Andrew Chan in Indonesia on 26 April, 2015 Reuters Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed Raji Sukumaran (R) and Brintha Sukumaran (L) family members of death-row prisoner Myuran Sukumaran cries as they talks to media after visiting Myuran at Kerobokan Prison in Bali, Indonesia EPA/MADE NAGI Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed Indonesian police stand guard as the Bali Nine duo Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran arrive at Wijaya Pura Port where they will be transferred to Nusa Kambangan prison ahead of their execution in Cilacap, Central Java, Indonesia Getty Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed Halen Chan, the mother of death-row prisoner Andrew Chan, wipes away tears during a press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia EPA/MAST IRHAM Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed Andrew Chan, right, and Myuran Sukumaran, centre, talking to their lawyer EPA Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, the two members of the Bali nine who could be executed within days, appear at court in 2006 Jason Childs/Getty Images Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed Two Australian drug traffickers Andrew Chan (L) and Myuran Sukumaran (R) were sentenced as the ringleaders of the "Bali Nine" drug ring in 2006 JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images Bali Nine pair executed Bali Nine pair due to be executed Myuran Sukumaran is due to be executed EPA It was introduced by presidential decree and will come into effect immediately, although the country's parliament could overturm the measure at a later date. President Widodo was elected in 2014, having previously served as mayor of Surakarta and governor of Jakarta. Having allowed the implementation of the death penalty on a widespread basis against convicted drug users and traffickers, his stance on execution has drawn international scrutiny. Brits Lindsay Sandiford, from Teeside, and Gareth Cashmore, from Yorkshire, are among those currently on death row, facing death by firing squad, after being convicted of drug smuggling. Last April, the country was widely condemned after a group of prisoners was executed on Nusakambangan Island including Australian men Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, Brazilian Rodrigo Gularte, Nigerian men Martin Anderson, Sylvester Nwolise, Okwudili Oyatanze and Raheem Salami, and Indonesian Zainal Badarudin. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A British woman has died and a British man is feared missing after a speedboat capsized near Koh Samui, Thailand. Another British national was injured in the accident, the Foreign Office said. Thai tourist police said 32 passengers and four crew were on board the Ang Thong Explorer, which was travelling from Mo Ko Ang Thong National Park when it hit a "big wave" and capsized at 5pm local time. A second woman from Hong Kong also died, while a British man and German woman are missing, police added. Police named the missing Briton as Jason Robert Parnell who was in Thailand with his wife Puga Parnell. She is said to have been unhurt. Several people were rescued by another speed boat while the rest were picked up later by an official rescue boat, the Bangkok Post reported. Two bodies were recovered from the sea. A senior police spokesman told the Press Association: "We're still trying to check everyone. One British woman has died and one from Hong Kong. Two people are missing." He added that the bodies of the two women had been recovered from the sea. According to a port official, the boat capsized because of strong winds and high waves. Some of those on the vessel were thrown overboard and became trapped beneath it. At least one person had to be pulled from the hull after rescuers used a hammer to smash through it. The boat's captain, Sanan Seekakiaw, said he had asked all tourists to wear a life vest but that some had taken them off during the journey. A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "We are supporting the family of a British woman who has sadly died following a boat accident near Koh Samui, Thailand. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty "Another British national has received treatment in hospital for injuries suffered in the same incident. We remain in contact with local authorities in Thailand for further information." It is believed there were other British people on board the boat but they are understood to have been released from hospital following treatment for any injuries. Four people remained in hospital on Friday, one with a broken shoulder and another with a skull fracture. The other two suffered from lack of oxygen and were being monitored for lung infections. Koh Samui is among the most popular Thai island destinations for backpackers and luxury holidaymakers alike, and is known for its beautiful beaches, coconut plantations and waterfalls. Additional reporting by Press Association For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Muslim schoolboys in Switzerland have been told they must shake their female teachers hands or see their parents pay a fine of up to 5,000 SFr (3,500). The Canton of Basel-Landschaft said it would enforce the rule in all cases following an incident that caused uproar at a school in Therwil earlier this year, when two students refused to shake their teacher's hand because they said physical contact with a woman outside their family went against their religion. The pupils were given a temporary waiver from shaking any teacher's hand, which is a common greeting and sign of respect in Switzerland, while local authorities discussed the issue. (Getty (Getty) In a decision released on Wednesday, Canton officials said all schools had been informed of the new rules enabling parents to be fined up to 5,000 SFr and children disciplined in a necessary and proportionate manner if they continue to refuse. A teacher has the right to demand a handshake, a statement by the local department of education, culture and sport said. The public interest with respect to equality between men and women and the integration of foreigners significantly outweighs students' freedom of conscience (freedom of religion). Refusing to shake a person's hand on religious grounds amounted to a religious act separate from permitted expressions like wearing a headscarf or declining swimming lessons, the decision said, adding: The social gesture of handshake is important for students' employability later in their professional lives. Switzerland: Protesters call for open borders and scrapping Dublin regulations The Local Switzerland said children are taught to shake hands from an early age as a sign of respect and that the Therwil case was seen as an affront to Swiss culture. The custom starts with children shaking hands with teachers at the beginning and end of lessons and continues through life, from business meetings to social gatherings and trips to the dentist and hairdresser. The Canton of Basel-Landschaft said the issue resulted in a broad societal discussion and heated Facebook debates that caused Office for Migration officials to caution a person for glorification of violence on social media. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty A spokesperson said the refused handshake in Therwil was one of a number of challenges in the field of integration, which do not only affect schools. The authority did not comment on the students' nationality or residence status in Switzerland. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Pope Francis has urged fellow Christians to pray that Gods compassion can convert Isis jihadists, while admitting that prayer is not a magic wand. The head of the Catholic Church used his weekly address in Saint Peters Square to ask for eternal rest for the victims of terror atrocities and consolidation to their relatives. Pope Francis also highlighted his belief that God can convert the hearts of those who sow death and destruction and condemned the actions of Islamic State in killing defenceless civilians. The comments came after Isis attacks on the Syrian towns of Jableh and Tartus on Monday, in which 160 people were killed. Pope Francis said the country was beloved in his speech. It is the duty of everyone to protect children, most of all those exposed to a high risk of exploitation, trafficking and deviant behaviours, he said. The Pontiff concluded by acknowledging that prayer is not a magic wand, but is our daily bread, our powerful weapon and the staff for our journey. In January 2015, the Pope prayed for the perpetrators as well as the victims of the Charlie Hebdo terror shooting, asking that the Lord might change their heart. Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Live and let live.' GETTY IMAGES Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Proceed calmly" in life' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Be giving of yourself to others' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Even though many parents work long hours, they must set aside time to play with their children' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Sunday is for family' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Respect and take care of nature' OSSERVATORE ROMANO/AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Stop being negative' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: Respect others' beliefs' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Peace sometimes gives the impression of being quiet, but it is never quiet, peace is always proactive' FP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness AFP/Getty Images Last week Cardinal Kurt Koch, a prominent Vatican official, said that Christians have a mission to convert all those except Jewish people, including Islamic extremists. It was announced today that Pope Francis has been invited to address the United Arab Emirates Islamic council in efforts to improve relations between Christians and Muslims. Vatican officials suggested the Pontiff could be invited to speak at the next round of talks which will take place in either Cairo or the Vatican. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Italian ship captain who saved 562 refugees from a capsized migrant vessel has described the moments leading up to the tragic accident. Italian Navy patrol boat captain Francesco Iavazzo came across the overcrowded Libyan fishing vessel on its way to Italy across the Mediterranean. He said that he tried to calm people down and tell them not to to move, but at least five people have since been reported dead by the Italian Navy. Some reports claim even more bodies have been recovered. Captain Iavazzo told Radio 4's Today programme: "Although I tried to keep people calm, shouting to them: 'Please sit down, do not stand, do not move because the boat isn't stable'. But fear is fear so the people were not listening basically." The scared passengers did not heed his warning and the boat capsized. Navy rescue swimmers entered the water while the patrol boat came as close to the overturned vessel as possible, throwing flotation devices into the water. "The boat was already taking in water, so the stability was even worse, so what we could do was make our transfer as fast as possible," Captain Iavazzo said. "But at a certain point, it capsized. All I did was take my ship as close as possible to the wreck and order my crew to throw into the water everything that was floating to give people something to hold on. "We've been rescuing five bodies, they are now on my ship, but we cannot exclude that there were more people inside the ship." The refugee crisis - in pictures Show all 70 1 /70 The refugee crisis - in pictures The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Syrian refugee holding a baby in a lifetube swims towards the shore after their dinghy deflated some 100m away before reaching the Greek island of Lesbos The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A refugee raises a child into the air as Syrian and Afghan refugees are seen on and around a dinghy that deflated some 100m away before reaching the Greek island of Lesbos The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Syrian and Afghan refugees fall into the sea after their dinghy deflated some 100m away before reaching the Greek island of Lesbos The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A refugee cries as he holds a child on the Serbian side of the border with Hungary in Asotthalom Reuters The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees stand in front of a barrier at the border with Hungary near the village of Horgos, Serbia Reuters The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A refugee from Syria prays after arriving on the shores of the Greek island of Lesbos aboard an inflatable dinghy across the Aegean Sea from from Turkey. Greece sent troops and police reinforcements to Lesbos after renewed clashes between police and migrants, the public broadcaster said, while Syrian refugees on the island were targeted with Molotov cocktail attacks The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Police try to stop refugees going under a fence to board a train at a station near Gevgelija, Macedonia. Several thousand refugees in Macedonia boarded trains to travel north after spending a night in a provisional camp. Macedonia has organised trains twice a day to the north border where they cross into Serbia to make their way to Hungary The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees push each other as they try to board a bus following their arrival onboard the Eleftherios Venizelos passenger ship at the port of Piraeus, near Athens, Greece The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees are welcomed by locals after their arrival at the main railway station in Frankfurt, Germany. Over 1,000 more refugees arrived in Germany to cheers and "welcome" signs, but calls grew for a European solution to its worst refugee crisis since World War II The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A young Syrian boy arrives on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing in a dinghy with other refugees from Turkey AP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees walk on the railway tracks between Bicske and Szar, some 40 kms west of Budapest, trying to reach Germany EPA The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Hungarian policemen stand by the family of refugees as they wanted to run away at the railway station in the town of Bicske, Hungary The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A family is arrested by local police after their local train coming from Budapest and heading to the Austrian border has been stopped in Bicske, west of the Hungarian capital The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A man is arrested by local police after his local train coming from Budapest and heading to the Austrian border has been stopped in Bicske, west of the Hungarian capital The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict More than 2,500 refugees have died trying to reach Europe this year and the struggle continues as they travel through the continent Getty Images The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees protest in front of a train at Bicske railway station. Hundreds of people, were stranded on a train in Hungary for a second, demanding passage to Germany in a standoff with riot police The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Syrian refugees arrive on the shores of Lesvos island Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Syrian refugees on the Greek Macedonian border Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees storm into a train at the Keleti train station as Hungarian police withdrew from the gates after two days of blocking their entry The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees storm into a train at the Keleti train station in Budapest The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees cross the border between the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Greece, near the town of Gevgelija, Macedonia. The Gevgelija-Presevo journey is just a part of the journey that the refugees, the vast majority of them from Syria, are forced to make along the so-called Balkan corridor, which takes them from Turkey, across Greece, Macedonia and Serbia to Hungary, the gateway to the European Union, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A refugee helps up an exhausted fellow refugee as they cross the border between Macedonia and Greece, near the town of Gevgelija, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict People breaking through a police cordon and crossing the border between Macedonia and Greece, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees pass the border between Macedonia and Greece, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Macedonian policeman carries a child across the border between Macedonia and Greece, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Syrians sleep on railroad tracks waiting to be processed across the Macedonian border in Idomeni, Greece, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Czech police officer marks a refugee with a number after more than than 200 refugees were detained, mostly from Syria, on trains from Hungary and Austria at the railway station in Breclav, Czech Republic, September 2015 AP Photo, CTK/Igor Zehl The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A baby is lifted on to the Norwegian vessel Siem Pilot during a search-and-rescue mission off the Libyan coast, September 2015 AP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Budapest's main international railway station ordered an evacuation as hundreds of people tried to board trains to Austria and Germany, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict People wave their train tickets and lift up children outside the main Eastern Railway station in Budapest, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict People protest at the Eastern (Keleti) railway station of Budapest, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugee children sleep in the surrounding green area of the Keleti railway station in Budapest, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Syrians cross under a fence into Hungary at the border with Serbia, near Roszke, August 2015 Reuters The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees who have just crossed the border from Serbia into Hungary walk along a railway track that joins the two countries, August 2015 Getty Images The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Police arrest refugees at Cobham Services on the M25 in Surrey, August 2015 Twitter: @bigwheeluk The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Men hold a boy as they are stuck between Macedonian riot police officers and fellow refugees during a clash near the border train station of Idomeni, August 2015 AFP/Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Syrian father holds his children close as his arrives on the Greek Island of Kos, August 2015 Eyevine The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A tourist offers water to Iranian refugees as they arrive by paddling an engineless dinghy from the Turkish coast (seen in the background) at a beach on the Greek island of Kos, August 2015 Reuters The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Syrian holds his 30-day-old baby on an overcrowded train as they travel through Macedonia. Tens of thousands of refugees, mainly from the Middle East and Africa, use the Balkans route to get into the European Union, passing from Greece to Macedonia and Serbia and then to western Europe, August 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A man rests on a platform at the train station in Gevgelija, on the Macedonian-Greek border, August 2015 Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees react after boarding the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) ship MV Phoenix some 20 miles (32 kilometres) off the coast of Libya. Some 118 refugees were rescued from a rubber dinghy off Libya. The Phoenix, manned by personnel from international non-governmental organisations Medecins san Frontiere (MSF) and MOAS, is the first privately funded vessel to operate in the Mediterranean, August 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Authorities are being overwhelmed as they try to fight off hundreds of refugees, prompting France to beef up its police presence, July 2015 AFP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict People escape from the French Police as they try to catch a train to reach England, July 2015 EPA The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A man jumps over a fence as he attempts to access the Channel Tunnel, in Calais, northern France, July 2015 PA/Thibault Camus The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Two men cling to the roof of a freight truck as it leaves the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone, July 2015 Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A man climbs a security fence of a Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles near Calais, July 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Men help a man squeeze through a gap in a fence near the Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles in Calais, July 2015 Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Desperate for entry to the EU, the group of people risked being washed away by the sea at Ventimiglia rocks, June 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Stranded refugees spend night on rocks - they were supplied with emergency blankets after a cold night next to the sea, June 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees climb in the back of a lorry on the A16 highway leading to the Eurotunnel in Calais, June 2015 Getty Images The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A police officer sprays tear gas to men trying to access the Channel Tunnel on the A16 highway in Calais, northern France, June 2015 PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP/Getty Images The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Men jump out of a lorry after being discovered by French gendarmerie officers, June 2015 AP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A man sits under the trailer of a lorry, June 2015 AP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Belgian navy sailor passes life vests to refugees sitting in a rubber boat as they approach the Belgian Navy Vessel Godetia, June 2015 AP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict People on the Belgian Navy vessel Godetia after they were saved during a search and rescue mission in the Mediterranean off the Libyan coast, June 2015 AP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Iraqis wait as they are detained by Hungarian police after crossing the Hungarian-Serbian border illegally near the village of Asotthalom, Hungary, June 2015 Reuters The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Syrian refugees walking on train tracks through Macedonia on the Western Balkans migration route, after entering Europe through Greece, June 2015 Reuters The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A group of people huddle together during an operation to remove them from the Italian-French border in the Italian city of Ventimiglia. Italy and France engaged in a war of words as a standoff over hundreds of Africans offered a graphic illustration of Europe's migration crisis. Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano described images of refugees perched on rocks at the border town of Ventimiglia after being refused entry to France as a "punch in the face for Europe", June 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A man is carried by Italian police in Ventimiglia, Italy. Police reportedly removed refugees from under a railway bridge, June 2015 EPA The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict People queue after disembarking from the Royal Navy ship HMS 'Bulwark' upon their arrival in the port of Catania on the coast of Sicily, June 2015 GIOVANNI ISOLINO/AFP/Getty Images The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Syrian child holds a drawing as he waits to disembark from Belgian Navy vessel Godetia at the Augusta port, Italy. Around 250 refugees from Syria arrived at the Sicilian harbour from a Damascus refugee camp, June 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A dinghy overcrowded with Afghan refugees arrived on a beach on the Greek island of Kos, May 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict An Afghan child is helped off a rib on the Greek island of Kos, May 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict An Afghan girl holds the hand of a woman as they arrive on a beach on the Greek island of Kos, after crossing a part of the Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece, May 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees crossed part of the Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece, May 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Afghan refugees arrive on a beach of Kos, May 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Rescuers help children to disembark in the Sicilian harbor of Pozzallo, Italy in April 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A boat transporting refugees arrives in the port of Messina after a rescue operation at sea, April 2015 Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Armed Forces of Malta personnel in protective clothing carry the body of a dead man off Italian coastguard ship Bruno Gregoretti as surviving refugees watch in Senglea, in Valletta's Grand Harbour, April 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Rescued people talk to a member of the Malta Order after a fishing boat carrying refugees capsized off the Libyan coast, is brought ashore along with 23 others retreived by the Italian Coast Guard vessel Bruno Gregoretti at Boiler Wharf, Senglea in Malta, April 2015 Over the last two years, more than 320,000 refugees have landed in Italy in boats. An estimated 7,000 people have perished while attemtping to cross the Mediterranean. "When something like that happens it touches you inside," Captain Iavazzo added. "You would like to save everybody, you would like to magically push them out of the water at once, then you crash with reality. We did all that was possible to be done." For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Dozens of refugees are feared to have died after a boat trafficking people to Europe sank off the Libyan coast, according to the Italian coastguard, the second major deadly incident in as many days. A spokesman said 88 people had been rescued from a capsized wooden fishing vessel by coastguard vessels working as part of the EU mission in the Mediterranean. Coastguard officials said the exact number of those drowned was unknown. The Italian news agency Ansa, quoting sources at the EU mission, said between 20 and 30 were feared dead, while the Reuters news agency initially reported as many as 80. Recommended Read more Five refugees drown after boat capsizes off Libya coast The vessel was spotted in trouble around 35 nautical miles off the coast of Libya by a helicopter provided by Luxembourg, EU officials told Ansa. According to Ansa, a second helicopter, working as part of the EU's Operation Sophia, arrived on the scene on Thursday and threw life-jackets into the water. A Spanish ship from the EU NavFor Med team, the Reina Sofia, and two Italian coastguard vessels were reported to be in the area. Moment huge ship full of refugees capsizes It is the second incident in the same part of the Mediterranean, known as the Sicilian Channel, in two days. On Wednesday, five refugees drowned and more than 560 were saved after a large fishing vessel capsized, in dramatic scenes captured on camera by the Italian Navy. Boat arrivals in Italy have risen sharply this week amid warm weather and calm seas, and about 20 rescue operations are currently under way, the Italian coastguard spokesman told Reuters. Refugee crisis - in pictures Show all 27 1 /27 Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugee crisis - in pictures A child looks through the fence at the Moria detention camp for migrants and refugees at the island of Lesbos on May 24, 2016. AFP/Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Ahmad Zarour, 32, from Syria, reacts after his rescue by MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station) while attempting to reach the Greek island of Agathonisi, Dodecanese, southeastern Agean Sea Refugee crisis - in pictures Syrian migrants holding life vests gather onto a pebble beach in the Yesil liman district of Canakkale, northwestern Turkey, after being stopped by Turkish police in their attempt to reach the Greek island of Lesbos on 29 January 2016. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees flash the 'V for victory' sign during a demonstration as they block the Greek-Macedonian border Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants have been braving sub zero temperatures as they cross the border from Macedonia into Serbia. Refugee crisis - in pictures A sinking boat is seen behind a Turkish gendarme off the coast of Canakkale's Bademli district on January 30, 2016. At least 33 migrants drowned on January 30 when their boat sank in the Aegean Sea while trying to cross from Turkey to Greece. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A general view of a shelter for migrants inside a hangar of the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin, Germany Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees protest behind a fence against restrictions limiting passage at the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Since last week, Macedonia has restricted passage to northern Europe to only Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans who are considered war refugees. All other nationalities are deemed economic migrants and told to turn back. Macedonia has finished building a fence on its frontier with Greece becoming the latest country in Europe to build a border barrier aimed at checking the flow of refugees Refugee crisis - in pictures A father and his child wait after being caught by Turkish gendarme on 27 January 2016 at Canakkale's Kucukkuyu district Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants make hand signals as they arrive into the southern Spanish port of Malaga on 27 January, 2016 after an inflatable boat carrying 55 Africans, seven of them women and six chidren, was rescued by the Spanish coast guard off the Spanish coast. Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee holds two children as dozens arrive on an overcrowded boat on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures A child, covered by emergency blankets, reacts as she arrives, with other refugees and migrants, on the Greek island of Lesbos, At least five migrants including three children, died after four boats sank between Turkey and Greece, as rescue workers searched the sea for dozens more, the Greek coastguard said Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants wait under outside the Moria registration camp on the Lesbos. Over 400,000 people have landed on Greek islands from neighbouring Turkey since the beginning of the year Refugee crisis - in pictures The bodies of Christian refugees are buried separately from Muslim refugees at the Agios Panteleimonas cemetery in Mytilene, Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures Macedonian police officers control a crowd of refugees as they prepare to enter a camp after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee tries to force the entry to a camp as Macedonian police officers control a crowd after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees are seen aboard a Turkish fishing boat as they arrive on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing a part of the Aegean Sea from the Turkish coast to Lesbos Reuters Refugee crisis - in pictures An elderly woman sings a lullaby to baby on a beach after arriving with other refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A man collapses as refugees make land from an overloaded rubber dinghy after crossing the Aegean see from Turkey, at the island of Lesbos EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures A girl reacts as refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees make a show of hands as they queue after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures People help a wheelchair user board a train with others, heading towards Serbia, at the transit camp for refugees near the southern Macedonian town of Gevgelija AP Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees board a train, after crossing the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Macedonia is a key transit country in the Balkans migration route into the EU, with thousands of asylum seekers - many of them from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia - entering the country every day Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures An aerial picture shows the "New Jungle" refugee camp where some 3,500 people live while they attempt to enter Britain, near the port of Calais, northern France Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A Syrian girl reacts as she helped by a volunteer upon her arrival from Turkey on the Greek island of Lesbos, after having crossed the Aegean Sea EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Beds ready for use for migrants and refugees are prepared at a processing center on January 27, 2016 in Passau, Germany. The flow of migrants arriving in Passau has dropped to between 500 and 1,000 per day, down significantly from last November, when in the same region up to 6,000 migrants were arriving daily. In Libya, a navy spokesman said its own coastguard had rescued 766 refugees in two operations that also took place on Thursday. Col. Ayoub Gassim told The Associated Press that the rescued migrants were found in two groups: one of 550 near the western coast city of Sabratha and the second of 216 off Zwara. He also said that two boats were found empty in the area between the two cities, and only four bodies were retrieved while the rest of its migrants are feared dead. He didn't elaborate, saying that he doesn't have enough details about the empty boats. Altogether, the missions bring the total number of refugees rescued from the Mediterranean to more than 7,000 since Monday. That's despite a drop of 9 per cent in the number of sea arrivals in Italy this year compared to 2015. Save The Children said 650 refugees were scheduled to arrive in the Sicilian city of Porto Empedocle later on Thursday, along with the five dead bodies from Wednesday's sinking. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A young Pakistani woman had her skin burned off in a brutal acid attack for turning down a marriage proposal. Saima Mehmood, 21, from North Karachi, had acid thrown in her face as punishment for refusing to marry a suitor, leaving her with horrific injuries. The victim recently got engaged to another man, resulting in the revenge attack, according to The Express Tribune. Ms Mehmoods story has been shared widely on Facebook after the Depilex Smileagain Foundation reported the circumstances of the crime. The post read: [The perpetrator] threw acid on her badly damaging her face, arm and front of her body. She is in the hospital and needs white blood cells every day. Her parents cant afford the expenses, before going on to appeal for donations towards Saimas medical bills. Ms Mehmood is now undergoing treatment and photographs were released of her wearing heavy bandaging around her face and chest. Campaigner Mohsin Sayeed said: Good news has come in. Saimas treatment has started. Acid attacks: facing a heinous crime Show all 7 1 /7 Acid attacks: facing a heinous crime Acid attacks: facing a heinous crime 548641.bin Simon Rawles Acid attacks: facing a heinous crime 548642.bin Simon Rawles Acid attacks: facing a heinous crime 548663.bin Simon Rawles Acid attacks: facing a heinous crime 548681.bin Simon Rawles Acid attacks: facing a heinous crime 548701.bin Simon Rawles Acid attacks: facing a heinous crime 548743.bin Simon Rawles Acid attacks: facing a heinous crime 548761.bin Simon Rawles But its a long journey to rehabilitation and reconstruction. As many as 750 Pakistani women fall victim to acid attacks every year according to ABC, leaving them disfigured and socially ostracised. Earlier this week it was reported that a woman who lost her eyesight in a similar attack in Layyah in 2002 had been gang-raped by a group of men. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Its been a big week for fossil fuel divestment as two major UK universities announce they will commit to changing their investment policies, while Australias La Trobe University has become the countrys first to confirm it will divest within five years. After the issue was raised by student activists, Newcastle University has pledged to embed Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations into its investment strategy. The University of Southampton, meanwhile, made an internal community announcement over the appointment of Kames Capital as the new fund manager for the institutions endowment investments in its aim to focus on funding an investment portfolio that would complement the universitys ethical considerations. Mark IAnson, chair of Newcastle Universitys Council, said the institution is committed to furthering environmental sustainability, adding the university already has a strong track record in doing so. He said: As an organisation, we continue to score highly in the influential People and Planet Green League table. So its right our investment decisions are consistent with these values. We took the concerns raised by our student body very seriously and I am grateful to the Carbon Advisory Group for its considered approach to this complex issue. It is hoped the decision will allow the university to address ESG considerations across its investment portfolio, and reduce the universitys exposure to investments linked to explicit environmental damage. Newcastle University Students Union (NUSU) president and member of the Carbon Advisory group, Dominic Fearon, described climate change is one of the key issues facing us globally with 2015 the hottest year in recorded history. He said: As students, we can be incredibly proud our university is making the most progressive divestment commitment of any UK university and contributing to a more sustainable future. Hopefully this will inspire other universities and organisations to divest from companies profiting from unethical practices. According to a Southampton-based climate change blog, the universitys divestment decision includes major players in coal, tar sands, and most oil and gas operations, as well as committing its full endowment to a new dark green investment fund...a major victory for the fossil fuel divestment campaign in the UK. The University of Southampton has yet to respond to the Independents request for comment for more details on its plans. Meanwhile, in Melbourne, Australia, La Trobe University announced on Wednesday it will phase out its investments in listed companies with a strong involvement in fossil fuels. UK: See Boris Johnsons SMEAR OIL on faces at fossil fuel protest Vice-chancellor, Professor John Dewar, said the institution was committed to getting the best possible return on its investments while also being true to its commitment to sustainability. He said: At La Trobe, we believe economic profitability and environmental sustainability are not mutually exclusive. We are committed to divesting from the top 200 publicly-traded fossil fuel companies ranked by the carbon content of their fossil fuel reserves within five years. In addition, we will disclose the carbon exposure of our investments and provide annual reports of our divestment progress over the next five years. The University of Cambridge recently faced growing pressure - from both student activists and the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams - to withdraw its investments from fossil fuel companies. More than 100 staff, students, alumni, and others affiliated with the institution signed an open letter saying the university has always made a remarkable impact on the world. However, when it comes to the climate, the signatories said Cambridge is making exactly the wrong kind of impact. A Cambridge spokesperson told the Independent the institution seeks to invest responsibly for the good of the university in accordance with its mission to contribute to society, and that its Endowment Fund has been set up to support this. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} From the caves of Slovenia to Latvian microbreweries, Europe has plenty to surprise even the most well-travelled - and despite the pounds recent fall against the euro you dont have to spend much to enjoy some of our continents best cities and beaches, if you get off the beaten track. The Post Offices Holiday Costs Barometer, which ranks destinations annually by expenses like a bottle of beer, has shown a consistent drop across many parts of the EU. This year the Algarve, Portugals southernmost stretch of white sand and little fishing villages, is rated the cheapest of the 20 European destinations surveyed, closely followed by Bulgarias Sunny Beach resort, on the Black Sea. Yet, the cost of a plate of mezze is incidental if transport is astronomical, so if you want to save in that respect, avoid the school summer holidays (23 July-28 August in most cases) if you can. Shoulder season - May to mid-June and September to early October - sees a marked reduction in flight costs and accommodation, and holiday resorts should still be in business, if a little quieter. You can use a flight comparison site like Skyscanner (skyscanner.net) to find the cheapest dates by location, or the cheapest destination by date - though you'll need to click through to the airline for the most accurate price. No-frills airlines usually offer the cheapest flights, and weve picked out a few examples of low-cost routes below, with prices valid for June unless otherwise specified. Camping and hostelling are often the cheapest options for accommodation, but Europe has plenty of alternatives. For the brave, couchsurfing (couchsurfing.com) promises a free night on the sofa of a stranger; renting out a room on Airbnb (airbnb.co.uk) is often key to finding somewhere central - and affordable - to sleep; and monasteries, convents and farmstays offer novelty at low cost. City breaks The Bulgarian capital, Sofia, has preserved its heritage despite an influx of tech companies and their young workforces. The centre boasts spectacular churches such as Sveti Aleksandar Nevski and excellent local restaurants. The city is also well placed for excursions like snowboarding at Vitosha mountain resort and sunbathing by the Black Sea, a three-hour drive away. Flights from Stansted start at 50 return with Ryanair (ryanair.com), and you can find a double room in the city centre for as little as 30 including breakfast at the Orient Express Hostel (orientexpresshostel.com). Riga, the Latvian capital (Getty Images) (GETTY) On the Baltic Coast, Riga, the capital of Latvia, is an architectural feast, known for its medieval Old Town, Art Nouveau buildings and 18th-century wooden houses. But its also in the middle of a craft beer Renaissance: try a tipple from Latvian microbreweries at trendy Labietis (labietis.lv). Return flights from Doncaster with Wizz Air (wizzair.com) cost from 80, and a night at the Firefighter Hostel (firefighter.lv) in the Old Town is 9 per person in a three-bed dorm, room only. Beach holidays Soak up the sun away from the crowds of neighbouring Croatia on Montenegros pristine beaches. eastJet (easyjet.com) flies from Manchester to Tivat from about 110 return. The seaside town has smartened up in recent years since its naval base was turned into the grand Porto Montenegro marina, and if you look beyond the five-star hotels you can find bargains. The Hotel Anderba (hotelanderba.com) in Krasici sits across the bay from Tivat, has a private beach and charges from 79 for a double room, including breakfast. Santillana del Mar, in Cantabria, northern Spain, is a little-known gem. Perched between the sea and the mountains, the medieval town is a short trip from the Cave of Altamira and its world-famous paleolithic paintings (sadly, only available to view in a replica cave at the National Museum and Research Center of Altamira). The beaches of Cantabria are quieter than those in the busy south, but theres plenty of life in the coves around Santander, 30km away. The Old Town is pedestrianised - hotel guests are allowed to drive into the city to unload - and is dotted with good-value posadas (hotels in historic buildings). Posada de la Abadia (posadadelabadia.com), a restored Cantabrian-style home, has doubles for 55, B&B. Fly from Edinburgh to Santander with Ryanair for about 100 return. Magdalena beach, Santander (Shutterstock) Active escapes Head west from Lithuanias capital, Vilnius, to the coastal town of Klaipeda and rent a bike (duratai.com) for around 9 a day to explore the otherworldly Curonian Spit, an inhabited sand dune that runs down to Kaliningrad. The riding is easy: a 35-mile route south along empty roads with the odd, gentle dune and forest pub. Theres cheap camping at the southernmost point, the fishing village of Nida, and boats back. Flights from Luton to Vilnius start at 60 return with Ryanair and a pitch at Nidos Kempingas (kempingas.lt) costs 6.50. In Slovenia the 5km network at Postojna will take your breath away (postojnska-jama.eu; 23.90 entry). Theres another park at Skocjan (tours 21) and experienced speleologists can arrange visits to Logatec caves. Return flights to Ljubljana start at 50 from Stansted with easyJet and a night in the three star Hotel Center Ljubljana costs 75 for a double, room only (hotelcenter.si). Skocjan caves, Slovenia (Shutterstock) Family trips Istria, the Croatian peninsula that juts into the Adriatic Sea, boasts beaches, castles and Roman amphitheatres as well as rural peace and truffle hunting (karlictartufi.hr). Children under four can stay for free at beachside campsite Bijela Uvala (lagunaporec.com), 5km to the south of Porec, on the western coast, which also offers kids clubs and a childrens beach. Pitches from 17.41 per night, minimum seven-night stay. Fly from Stansted to Zadar with Ryanair from 160 return in the school holidays. Outdoorsy types should head to Marseille, in southern France, for snorkeling in and kayaking on the Med. Frances oldest city is surrounded by Provencal countryside: take advantage by staying on a farm like Domaine du Bas Chalus (baschalus.fr), in Forcalquier, which has rooms in the farmhouse and the mill from 96 for four people, and camping for 8 per person per night. Fly to Marseille from Bristol during the summer holidays from 80 return with easyJet. Old favourites Travelling on a budget shouldnt mean skipping big cities - theyll have the widest range of cheap flights, and theres plenty of scope to make further savings if you get creative with accommodation. European countries are dotted with monasteries and convents that offer cheap rooms; the website Monastery Stays (monasterystays.com) lists options across Europe and in Rome, for example, you can stay on the doorstep of the Vatican for 85 in a double at Casa di Accoglienza Paolo VI, room only. You can find budget accommodation close to the Vatican Or stay under canvas: you can camp for free in Oslos fjords on Langoyene island for up to two nights (visitoslo.com) or on the banks of the Seine in the French capital for 24 at Indigo Paris (camping-indigo.com). Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Germany has been among the most vocal opponents of Brexit. So it was perhaps surprising that it was from here that a mini-missile was launched into the referendum campaign, with leaked details of a defence White Paper pushing the creation of a European Army. For the UKs flailing Brexiteers, this was just what was needed. Veterans for Britain duly popped up to warn of the threats to UK sovereignty and to Nato, the alliance that had kept the country safe through the Cold War and beyond. Recommended Read more Why the US is finally dropping its calls for Assad to go From Remain advocates came a flurry of disclaimers. The very notion of an EU army was, they said, a figment of an outdated federalist imagination. Not only was it not going to happen - because EU treaties stipulate unanimity for such a project but, in the improbable event that it ever did, the UK would show the same disdain as it had shown towards the Schengen treaty on borders. All this was supposed to put minds at rest to scotch talk of young Britons being called up by Brussels, UK troops saluting a French or Croatian commander, and our lads fighting under the blue and gold flag. A more reasoned response, however, would be: mores the pity. EU Referendum: Latest Poll For while this reminder of Germanys support for an EU army might seem an unhelpful intrusion into the EU referendum for Remainers with an inflated idea of the UKs exceptionalism, that should not discredit the idea itself. A single EU military force offers a better answer than the status quo to the host of security problems that beset the UK, the European Union and the region as a whole. In the recent past, EU countries, and especially the UK, have become embroiled in conflicts they had no need to enter. There was no good rationale, other than solidarity with the United States as big chief ally, for why British forces joined the intervention in Afghanistan, and even less reason to join the US invasion of Iraq. France took quite a different view, but the UK was seduced by its fealty to the US and the supposed superiority of its shared intelligence. These two disasters alone should militate in favour of giving precedence to European, rather than transatlantic, security interests from now on. The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit Show all 7 1 /7 The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 22 May 2015 In his regular column in The Express Nigel Farage utilised the concerns over Putin and the EU to deliver a tongue in cheek conclusion. With friends like these, who needs enemies? PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 13 November 2015 UKIP MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Mike Hookem, was one of several political figures who took no time to harness the toxic atmosphere just moments after Paris attacks to push an agenda. Cameron says were safer in the EU. Well Im in the centre of the EU and it doesnt feel very safe. Getty Images The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 19 April 2016 In an article written for The Guardian, Michael Gove attempts to bolster his argument with a highly charged metaphor in which he likens UK remaining in the EU to a hostage situation. Were voting to be hostages locked in the back of the car and driven headlong towards deeper EU integration. Rex The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 26 April 2016 In a move that is hard to decipher, let alone understand, Mike Hookem stuck it to Obama re-tweeting a UKIP advertisement that utilises a quote from the film: Love Actually to dishonour the US stance on the EU. A friend who bullies us is no longer a friend The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 10 May 2016 During a speech in London former work and pensions secretary Ian Duncan Smith said that EU migration would cause an increasing divide between people who benefit from immigration and people who couldnt not find work because of uncontrolled migration. The European Union is a force for social injustice which backs the haves rather than the have-nots. EPA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 15 May 2016 Cartoon character Boris Johnson made the news again over controversial comments that the EU had the same goal as Hitler in trying to create a political super state. Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically. The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods. PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 16 May 2016 During a tour of the womens clothing manufacturer David Nieper, Boris had ample time to cook up a new metaphor, arguably eclipsing Goves in which he compares the EU to badly designed undergarments. So I just say to all those who prophecy doom and gloom for the British Business, I say their pants are on fire. Lets say knickers to the pessimists, knickers to all those who talk Britain down. Getty Images Recent attempts at independent action were not always more successful. UK action in Sierra Leone and French-led operations in Mali were modest in scale and produced passable results. But when these same two EU countries took it upon themselves to protect the Libyans of Benghazi, and misguidedly extended the mission to remove Gaddafi, they had to call on a reluctant US for help. They were not short of money so much as capability, which is another defect of the transatlantic alliance. The whole concept of Nato dictates that Europes defences should be incomplete, because part of the point is to keep the US involved in Europe. Is it not time for the EU, with 28 members, to be able to mount protection and peace-keeping missions in and around its own region? It has made tentative efforts under the Common Security and Defence Policy, yet it is only now, and still with some hesitation, that a joint border force is coming into being. A common border, as per Schengen, requires common patrols and enforcement, as the refugee crisis has shown many times over. The EU has nobly aspired to be a different, perhaps kinder, sort of power. But kinder cannot mean chaotic or lacking in credibility. Reluctance to raise defence spending, as the US often complains, is a part, but only a part, of the story. At least some of what EU members do spend is squandered because of duplication or incompatibility, plus an element of national pride. But other spending may not always reflect European needs. EU expansion has been met at times with ambivalence in Washington. While it wants European Nato members to pull their weight, it has until very recently resisted EU moves towards military and defence autonomy - and the UK, seduced by the special relationship has been its willing helper here. A case can be made that, with a few tweaks and some US encouragement, Natos European members could soon become an effective EU armed force in fact, if not in name. Arrangements similar to those that facilitate the European Economic Area could allow Norway, (in Nato but outside the EU), to contribute, while Sweden and Finland (in the EU, but outside Nato) might find an EU alliance preferable to one that crosses the Atlantic. An additional bonus from an EU security alliance shorn of its dominant transatlantic wing might be better relations with Russia; the fear factor would be reduced and the pressure to cooperate greater. Such a change would be opposed by the East and Central Europeans, who would have to trust the defence capability of the EU more than they do now. But as the UK, France and Germany foot most of the security bill, their arguments should in the end prevail. The day when the Europeans have to defend themselves might anyway come sooner than the EU and its present leaders imagine. Whether or not Donald Trump wins the US presidency, American sentiment is for the Europeans to do much more to help themselves. With that, and the US pivot to Asia, the transformation of Natos European arm into an EU defence structure would be a logical solution. What to believe about the EU referendum The clout and credibility of such a force would be greatly enhanced by a solid UK vote to remain. There is already a separate defence agreement between the UK and France. The British could reasonably claim co-leadership of EU defences, participating fully in decisions about how to use European power in ways that are compatible at once with its capability and its ideals. Such a role for the UK could also help to compensate for its non-membership of Schengen or the single currency, and the absence of its voice on these central issues. Then again, were the vote on 23 June to be a landslide for Remain, a future UK government might be persuaded to re-open those two dusty files. It may seem a vain hope today, but tomorrow - who knows? Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Ayu is only 13 years old, but has already worked for several seasons on her familys tobacco farm in West Java, Indonesia. Every year, she says she gets sick while carrying tobacco leaves during harvest time. My stomach is like, I cant explain, its stinky in my mouth. I threw up so many times. Thousands of children work on Indonesias 500,000 tobacco farms. Many, like Ayu, get sick in the process. Human Rights Watch interviewed more than 100 child tobacco farmers, half of whom reported nausea, vomiting, headaches, or dizziness symptoms consistent with acute nicotine poisoning, which happens when nicotine from tobacco plants is absorbed through the skin. Ayus father sells his crop to a local village leader, who sells it on to a tobacco trader in Central Java. That trader sells it on the open market to tobacco companies from around the world, including two British firms, British American Tobacco and Imperial Tobacco. An opaque supply chain means neither company knows if Indonesian children helped farm the tobacco they buy, much less if they fell sick for their troubles. Smokers buying a pack of Dunhills or Lucky Strikes likely light up in ignorance too. Child labour rife in India's coal mines Around the world some 450 million people work in global supply chains. They include factory workers making clothes for big brand names, small-scale miners digging gold for jewellery and watches, and farmworkers growing tobacco and other crops. These chains are often complex, and span multiple countries with radically different legal and regulatory standards. Good practice in one area is no guarantee that the other end of the supply chain is not tainted by child labour or miserable working conditions. A big part of the problem is that the international standards that guide companies on good practice are voluntary. Some companies take them seriously, and actively try to prevent human rights abuses in their supply chains and address abuses that occur. Some make good faith efforts but fail, lacking concrete guidance on how to fix problems. Other firms simply ignore them. A combination of poor government regulation and feeble due diligence by companies can have catastrophic results. Take the 2013 Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh, when over 1,100 workers died and scores more were injured when their 8-story factory building collapsed. Most international brands operating there had shown no interest in structural concerns raised until it was too late. Human rights abuses can be found in many industries, and persist in wealthy and poor countries alike. In Ghana, children risk death as they climb deep into unstable pits to mine gold, while teenagers in Bangladesh risk poisoning and horrific industrial accidents in the countrys lucrative tannery industry. The current laissez fair systemwhere companies are too often expected to regulate themselvesjust isnt working. But that can change. This week at the International Labour Conference in Geneva, governments, trade unions, and employers will open talks on how to prevent abuse in global supply chains. Delegates should start by negotiating a new, legally-binding international standard, setting out mandatory due diligence measures on human rights. Governments would then require companies based in their territory to adopt these measures throughout their supply chains even when they operate in other countries. Some companies, of course, will resist any new regulations, no matter how measured, viewing them as too onerous or anti-business. But mandatory rules would put all businesses on a level playing field and avoid the race to the bottom, where companies try to gain a competitive advantage by exploiting weak labour laws and lax enforcement present in some countries. Recommended Read more Farewell to the glamorous life of the social smoker Some examples of how this might work already exist. The UKs new Modern Slavery Act obliges companies to report annually on steps taken to ensure neither slavery nor human trafficking exist in their operations or supply chains. In the US, the Dodd Frank Act requires companies to ensure minerals they mine do not fuel armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. And in Brazil, a strict government ban on child labour in tobacco farming is working mainly because its penalties apply not only to farmers, but also to the companies buying the tobacco. Delegates in Geneva should seize the chance to fix a broken system, because if Brazils children no longer have to get sick toiling in tobacco fields, neither should Indonesias. Jo Becker is the childrens rights advocacy director for Human Rights Watch Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The 26th May is not a noteworthy date in Britain. But Down Under, it is when Australians remember the mistreatment of their countrys indigenous people on National Sorry Day. By coincidence, its also when the South American nation of Guyana celebrate their independence from British colonial rule in 1966. Britain has no such Sorry Day to acknowledge the harm our small nation has caused in the world. The UK has formally apologised for the millions of deaths caused by the Irish Potato Famine and colonial atrocities against the Kenyan Mau Mau. But diplomatic gestures aside, there is much more Britain has to be sorry for. Here are four things the UK could apologise for if we had a National Sorry Day. Fantastically corrupt political systems One argument against the UK apologising for its imperial history asks us not to fixate on the past. Another points to the strong institutions left behind by colonial administrations. But these positions crumble if we look at colonial legacies of corruption a term so often used to label African countries. The 5 of the worst atrocities carried out by the British Empire Show all 5 1 /5 The 5 of the worst atrocities carried out by the British Empire The 5 of the worst atrocities carried out by the British Empire 1. Boer concentration camps During the Second Boer War (1899-1902), the British rounded up around a sixth of the Boer population - mainly women and children - and detained them in camps, which were overcrowded and prone to outbreaks of disease, with scant food rations. Of the 107,000 people interned in the camps, 27,927 Boers died, along with an unknown number of black Africans Hulton Archive/Getty Images The 5 of the worst atrocities carried out by the British Empire 2. Amritsar massacre When peaceful protesters defied a government order and demonstrated against British colonial rule in Amritsar, India, on 13 April 1919, they were blocked inside the walled Jallianwala Gardens and fired upon by Gurkha soldiers. The soldiers, under the orders of Brigadier Reginald Dyer, kept firing until they ran out of ammunition, killing between 379 and 1,000 protesters and injuring another 1,100 within 10 minutes. Brigadier Dyer was later lauded a hero by the British public, who raised 26,000 for him as a thank you The 5 of the worst atrocities carried out by the British Empire 3. Partitioning of India In 1947, Cyril Radcliffe was tasked with drawing the border between India and the newly created state of Pakistan over the course of a single lunch. After Cyril Radcliffe split the subcontinent along religious lines, uprooting over 10 million people, Hindus in Pakistan and Muslims in India were forced to escape their homes as the situation quickly descended into violence. Some estimates suggest up to one million people lost their lives in sectarian killings The 5 of the worst atrocities carried out by the British Empire 4. Mau Mau Uprising Thousands of elderly Kenyans, who claim British colonial forces mistreated, raped and tortured them during the Mau Mau Uprising (1951-1960), have launched a 200m damages claim against the UK Government. Members of the Kikuyu tribe were detained in camps, since described as "Britain's gulags" or concentration camps, where they allege they were systematically tortured and suffered serious sexual assault. Estimates of the deaths vary widely: historian David Anderson estimates there were 20,000, whereas Caroline Elkins believes up to 100,000 could have died The 5 of the worst atrocities carried out by the British Empire 5. Famines in India Between 12 and 29 million Indians died of starvation while it was under the control of the British Empire, as millions of tons of wheat were exported to Britain as famine raged in India. In 1943, up to four million Bengalis starved to death when Winston Churchill diverted food to British soldiers and countries such as Greece while a deadly famine swept through Bengal. Talking about the Bengal famine in 1943, Churchill said: I hate Indians. They are a beastly people with a beastly religion. The famine was their own fault for breeding like rabbits Described by David Cameron earlier this month as fantastically corrupt, Nigeria (like many former colonies) inherited political institutions rooted in corruption. Not only were these top down political systems designed to extract wealth rather than distribute it, colonialists also used ethnicity instead of merit to select those in positions of power. Britains tradition of selective prosecution also nurtured a corrupt justice system. Troublesome national borders Looking as close to home as Northern Ireland, Britains geographic slicing of communities has been a major cause of conflicts across the world. The Berlin Conference of 1884 sowed seeds for civil wars in Africa, as the continent was carved up into territories by European colonisers with no regard for the cultural ties of local populations. In 1947, the Indian subcontinent suffered an arbitrary split along religious lines when the British drew a border between India and the newly formed Pakistan. It is estimated over 10 million people were displaced and one million killed in the violence of Partition, and deep tensions between the two countries and their Hindu and Muslim communities remain today. What has the US not apologised for? Ethnic divisions and civil wars Conflicts in Asia and Africa are often put down to ethnic tensions. While ethnic diversity is a feature of these regions, divisions between groups were reinforced or sometimes introduced by colonial administrations. Killing over one million people, the Biafra or Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970) is in part a result of tensions following British bias towards groups in the north. With Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Tamils having lived on the island for more than a millennium, prior to British colonialism the notion of distinguishable difference between these groups was absent. But under colonial rule, ethnic tensions grew as the Tamil minority held positions of power in the elite colonial administration. Independence governments then implemented affirmative action in favour of the Sinhalese, leading to their majority domination and the Tamil rebel uprisings of Sri Lankas 26 year long civil war. Torture and massacre of freedom fighters Across the British Empire, independence movements were met with brutal resistance from their colonisers. In 1919, men, women and children gathered in Amritsar to peacefully protest against British rule in India. Between 379 and 1,000 were massacred by colonial troops, ordered to fire until they ran out of ammunition. And while children in UK schools learn about Nazi torture and concentration camps, similar activities of the British in South Africa, Kenya and Malaya (now Malaysia) get little attention. In fear of a Communist insurgency in Malaya, ethnic Chinese peasants were detained by the British in hard labour camp and denied access to food and information from the outside world. During the freedom struggle in Kenya, 1.5 million people were placed in concentration camps, where executions, mutilations and acts of sexual violence against women and men were carried out by the British. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Tony Blair, the youthful elder statesman, returned to the fray this week, but the British people, who three times elected him with larger total majorities than any other prime minister, did not want to hear him. He made the case again for Britain staying in the European Union, and for deploying troops in Syria. But he attracted as much attention for a YouGov poll carried out after his interview with Prospect magazine on Tuesday, which found that 53 per cent of the public said they could never forgive him for what he did wrong. It should be borne in mind that, for many Britons, what he did wrong was to allow unrestricted immigration from the new EU members when they joined in 2004, rather than joining the American invasion of Iraq the year before. For whatever reason, however, Mr Blair is a prophet without honour in his own country. On the subject of Europe, this is a shame, as he would otherwise be one of the most persuasive makers of the case for the UKs membership of the EU. He is head and shoulders above most of his successors in arguing for an open Britain that should play an active and leading role in an open Europe. Indeed, there are many subjects on which we can learn from Mr Blairs experience. His governments many achievements should not be eclipsed by his failings. On the reform of public services, he showed more grip in his later years than has been applied since. David Cameron, whose mismanagement has contributed to the crisis in the NHS, should have listened to his predecessor rather than to his Conservative colleague Andrew Lansley. On the subject of the Middle East, on the other hand, Mr Blairs continued advocacy of western military intervention deserves to fall on deaf ears. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Brexit campaigners say that leaving the EU would enable us to spend 350m extra a week on our cash-strapped health and care system. Remain campaigners argue that the economic shock following Brexit could hit NHS funding at the worst possible time and that the impact of extra migrants on the NHS is massively overblown. But what of those who actually lead and manage NHS trusts? What do they think? Heseltine:Brexit is about jobs NHS Providers, the membership organisation for NHS hospital, ambulance, community and mental health trusts, asked trust leaders what they thought. Europe is frequently identified with red tape, unnecessary rules and limiting laws, often with good reason. In terms of procurement and competition rules, over 40 per cent of trust leaders felt that leaving the EU would have some positive impact or even a very positive impact. "EU procurement rules are unnecessarily labyrinthine" summed up the general mood. Though, of course, that assumes we would have the freedom to set something different. Surprisingly, on the impact of Brexit concerning the money available for the NHS, the view from the frontline is neutral: 40 per cent felt that leaving the EU would have no impact, and just over a third believed it would have some or a very negative impact. However once we get to the heart of what the NHS is about its staff, its knowledge base, its research capacity, what matters to patient care it is clear that staying in the EU does matter, and our trust leaders have strong views. None of our respondents believed that leaving the EU would be positive for research and innovation. Indeed, 80 per cent felt that it would have some or very negative impact. The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit Show all 7 1 /7 The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 22 May 2015 In his regular column in The Express Nigel Farage utilised the concerns over Putin and the EU to deliver a tongue in cheek conclusion. With friends like these, who needs enemies? PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 13 November 2015 UKIP MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Mike Hookem, was one of several political figures who took no time to harness the toxic atmosphere just moments after Paris attacks to push an agenda. Cameron says were safer in the EU. Well Im in the centre of the EU and it doesnt feel very safe. Getty Images The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 19 April 2016 In an article written for The Guardian, Michael Gove attempts to bolster his argument with a highly charged metaphor in which he likens UK remaining in the EU to a hostage situation. Were voting to be hostages locked in the back of the car and driven headlong towards deeper EU integration. Rex The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 26 April 2016 In a move that is hard to decipher, let alone understand, Mike Hookem stuck it to Obama re-tweeting a UKIP advertisement that utilises a quote from the film: Love Actually to dishonour the US stance on the EU. A friend who bullies us is no longer a friend The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 10 May 2016 During a speech in London former work and pensions secretary Ian Duncan Smith said that EU migration would cause an increasing divide between people who benefit from immigration and people who couldnt not find work because of uncontrolled migration. The European Union is a force for social injustice which backs the haves rather than the have-nots. EPA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 15 May 2016 Cartoon character Boris Johnson made the news again over controversial comments that the EU had the same goal as Hitler in trying to create a political super state. Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically. The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods. PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 16 May 2016 During a tour of the womens clothing manufacturer David Nieper, Boris had ample time to cook up a new metaphor, arguably eclipsing Goves in which he compares the EU to badly designed undergarments. So I just say to all those who prophecy doom and gloom for the British Business, I say their pants are on fire. Lets say knickers to the pessimists, knickers to all those who talk Britain down. Getty Images Likewise, 80 per cent believed that Brexit would impact negatively on the recruitment of health and care staff. Not entirely surprising when you consider just how dependent the NHS is on EU staff. Were struck, for example, by just how many hospital trusts weve visited over the last two years who have mounted successful and much needed nursing recruitment campaigns in Portugal, Greece, Ireland and Spain. Nearly two thirds of our leaders feared for what Brexit would mean in terms of sharing learning and knowledge, which is fundamental to clinical outcomes and providing the best possible care to patients. Many of our senior doctors depend on European networks not just for funding research but for testing and developing their learning and knowledge. Medical innovation is, patently, a global activity and our trust leaders felt that being part of a wider community in the EU was profoundly beneficial. Recommended Read more Vote Leave has unleashed its inner Farage And the response to the big question was clear cut. A substantial majority 75 per cent of leaders felt that leaving the EU would have a very negative impact or some negative impact on the NHS as a whole. Of course, this is not an exit poll nor is it extensive research of the whole NHS. It is a survey of trust leaders. But it does show the strength of feeling on what could be a generation defining decision. As we have told the Commons Health Select Committee, their overwhelming conclusion is that Britain should remain in the EU. Chris Hopson is Chief Executive and Dame Gilll Morgan is Chair of NHS Providers, the membership organisation for Englands 238 hospital, ambulance, community and mental health trusts Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} I argued yesterday that, before we can decide whether to remain in the European Union (EU), or to leave it, it is important to understand what sort of thing the EU is. In describing the early history of the European Union and its predecessors, I sought to show that it was designed largely in the interests of France. And in turn Frances decisions were driven by its fear of a resurgent Germany. France, after all, had been invaded three times by Germany in the previous hundred years. I ended my account with De Gaulles veto of Britains first application to become a member. At a press conference, he said: The Treaty of Rome was concluded between six continental states, states that are, economically speaking, one may say, of the same nature. Indeed, whether it be a matter of their industrial or agricultural production, their external exchanges, their habits or their commercial clientele, their living or working conditions, there is between them much more resemblance than difference 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. 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Show all 21 1 /21 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Portugal drinks more wine than France Tindo - Fotolia 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Young Italians, by some distance, are the most likely to live at home with their parents 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Britain is on course to overtake Germany as Europes most populated country 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Greek workers work the longest hours in the EU 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Estonia has, per capita, more drug-related deaths than anyone else 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe The fastest download speeds are to be found in Romania 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Slovenia, Malta and Poland have the smallest gender pay gaps 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe France hates its leader more than other European countries 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Eastern and Western Europe are very divided on the issue of gay marriage 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Germany has the most millionaires 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Everyone likes Christmas, apart from France 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Germany accepts by far the most asylum applications 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe The UK and France have some of the most positive views of Muslim people 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Europe's largest Muslim population is in Germany 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Danes are the most trusting Europeans, and Cypriots the least 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Finland has the worst economy in the EU 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Italy has cut back its military spending more than any other major European Nato member 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Everyone is sad about the refugee crisis 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe People in Spain are also the most likely to live in flats (Brits are most likely to live in houses) 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Spain is the most likely to feel neighbourly 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Luxembourg is home to the highest proportion of foreign nationals She has in all her doings very marked and very original habits and traditions. This exaggerated analysis was designed to mask the reality. What De Gaulle was really saying was that the European Economic Community or Common Market, as the EU was then called had not been created with Britain in mind and France wouldnt change its nature now because, rather late in the day, Britain wanted to participate. Or, to put it more succinctly, if Britain comes in, we may lose control. Admittedly, the differences between Britain and its continental neighbours are profound. We are by history Protestant and the Six, the founding countries, are Catholic (with the exception of the Netherlands and parts of north Germany). A prominent feature of our legal system is the common law, under which judges, guided by precedents, develop the law as they go along. Continental legal practice is based on Roman law. In Britain, Parliament has been the focal point of the nation for some 800 years, whereas the parliamentary tradition on the continent is much weaker. Finally, we have had a long attachment to free trade, sometimes fanatically so, whereas trade protection is an old habit on the continent. Recommended Read more How the European Union went from war baby to problem child As Robert Tombs, the Cambridge historian describes it in his magnificent 900-page tome, The English and their History, In Victorian England, there was a near consensus over free trade, as much a moral as an economic policy. From the 1820s onwards, there developed a visionary programme to transform the world by means of free tradeit ran from c1850 to c1930. Britain allowed free access to its domestic markets to all, including countries such as the United States that limited British access to theirs. The last time that France was able to control Germany was at the time of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. In French eyes, Germany divided was reassuringly weak; Germany united would be frighteningly strong. Faced with this, the French President, Francois Mitterrand, came to believe that a single European currency was the only way for other European countries to regain the sovereignty they had already lost to Germany and in particular to the German central bank, which maintained a super-strong Deutschemark. Hans Kundnani tells in his recent book, The Paradox of German Power, how, in September 1989, the French President remarked to Thatcher that without a common currency we are all already subordinate to the Germans will. In due course this deal was enshrined in the Maastricht Treaty of 1992. EU Referendum: Latest Poll Thus the eurozone and the euro were created not for profound economic reasons but to assuage Frances perennial fear of German power. With such origins, it is not surprising that it has not worked well. Nor did its invention prevent Germany gaining leadership of the European Union with France trailing behind. Rather the reverse. It facilitated Germanys transformation from a country with a current account deficit in trade to one with a huge surplus. Kundnani describes the steps. German manufacturers began outsourcing production to central and Eastern Europe. The end of the Cold War, Kundnani claims, had suddenly created an arc of low wage economies with skilled workers on Germanys borders. Increasingly, German branded manufactured goods, including automobiles, were actually produced elsewhere and merely assembled in Germany. Much of central Europe became part of the German supply chain and this gave Germany an inbuilt competitive advantage relative to other eurozone economies. In turn, offshoring put downward pressure on wages of skilled workers within Germany. The creation of the eurozone was also a benefit. It produced a credit boom (that could be spent on German goods) and since the common currency was weak compared to the Deutsche mark, German exports beyond the eurozone benefitted. Germanys economic nationalism emerged in a new form. This centred on Germanys world beating exports, which replaced the deutsche mark as the symbol of German economic success. As a result, writes Kundnani, at the end of the 2000s, there was once again a triumphalist mood in Germany. In particular, there was an increasing scepticism about - and even contempt for Anglos Saxon ideas, whether about statecraft or about economics. So more than 40 years after we joined an unbending European Union, we have ended up in a body, led by Germany, which despises us yet can influence our laws. Michael Gove, the Justice Secretary and one of the leaders of the Leave campaign, has described what this means: It is hard to overstate the degree to which the EU is a constraint on ministers' ability to do the things they were elected to do, or to use their judgment about the right course of action for the people of this country. I have long had concerns about our membership of the EU, but the experience of Government has only deepened my conviction that we need change. Every single day, every single minister is told: 'Yes Minister, I understand, but I'm afraid that's against EU rules'. Inevitably this brings to my mind the thrilling speech on plans to enter the Common Market that Hugh Gaitskell, then leader of the Labour Party, gave to his party conference in 1962: We must be clear about this: it does mean, if this is the idea, the end of Britain as an independent European state. I make no apology for repeating it. It means the end of a thousand years of history. You may say Let it end but, my goodness, it is a decision that needs a little care and thought. In tomorrows edition, I propose to devote a little care and thought to weighing up the pros and cons of remaining in the EU. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Heres a heart-warming story from Northern Ireland. Its now so peaceful there that, in order to give the police something to do, the authorities have prosecuted a teenage woman for taking an abortion pill that would be legal anywhere else in Britain. The Catholic and Protestant church in Northern Ireland agree almost any abortion must be illegal. Its touching that, after all thats gone on in the past, at last the two religions can come together as friends. It shows the answer to the problems all along was to come up with laws suited to the times before Protestants broke from Rome in the first place. To bind the communities together even further, they should bring in more rules from the 12th century, like the ducking stool, or setting fire to people with a birthmark as they must be the Devil, which is why the beetroots went mouldy. Before long theyll be wondering why they ever fell out at all. Protests in Poland over proposed abortion ban They even call the law that bans the abortion pill an act against taking noxious poison. Its so important to preserve this rarely used language. It goes to show, if feminists got their way wed lose quaint phrases such as "arrested for imbibing of a noxious poison, the witch", and our speech would be all the poorer. At the same time, the Northern Ireland authorities are looking ahead, because its one of Donald Trumps wishes for women to be punished for having an abortion, so you have to give the Northern Ireland Assembly credit for being in advance of Trump. Theyre probably already building a wall along the bottom of County Antrim, to keep out lost Mexicans who try to creep in. The Catholic group Precious Life explains its case with points such as these drugs have unpleasant side-effects. This may be true, and it could explain why the Catholic Church is also opposed to contraception if a child got hold of one of those rubber things and pinged it thinking it was a toy, it could go in someones eye. All the priesthood wants is a bit of health and safety. Is that so wrong? Even if a woman has become pregnant after a rape, its illegal for her to seek an abortion or take one of the pills in Northern Ireland. But as they can give you unpleasant side-effects, thats not surprising. If a woman becomes pregnant after a rape, the last thing she needs is a period of drowsiness or being unable to lift heavy objects. After an ordeal like that, shell probably want to move a piano to take her mind off things. Its possible the Church has other motives for wishing all abortion to be illegal, such as their belief were all born with original sin, that sex is dirty and desire is disgusting, that our souls are filthy and all sperm belongs to GOD, who we love to bits though we cant think why he gave us these horrible,vile, wicked, lustful thoughts, but I expect that wouldnt fit on the leaflet. Even so, you can understand why a government would wish to run its social laws in accordance with the teachings of the Irish church, as they have such an unblemished record when it comes to sexual matters. Recommended Read more A woman has just been sentenced for the crime of abortion in the UK For example, the 2,600-page Ryan Report into child abuse in Ireland concluded, Rape and sexual molestation were endemic in the Irish church. But the priests were working extremely hard to save everyones souls, so it was only natural they fancied a bit of relaxation in their free time. Children born as a result of these incidents were often transported to Australia, to protect the church, which proves how much the priesthood cares for children, giving them free round-the-world trips like that. But now three women in Derry, who dont seem to accept the dominance of the church, have turned themselves into the police, declaring theyve been buying the abortion pills for women afraid to have them delivered to their own house, in case theyre arrested. The three are daring the government to have them arrested instead, knowing that would spark a mass campaign. Their hope is that Northern Ireland becomes as liberal as Sierra Leone, which recently legalised abortion. But while it may be fine for advanced nations like that to introduce fancy politically correct measures, when they have no problems apart from a spot of Ebola to worry about, you cant expect the same in the country only recently discovered and referred to as the United Kingdom. It would be unfair to give the Catholic Church all the credit for this situation. For example, Edwin Poots, who was Democratic Unionist Party health minister, was the character who insisted the display at the Giants Causeway should add a section stating the cause of the rock formations may have been that GOD created them like that 6,000 years ago. To be fair, this shows an advantage of creationist thinking: it makes displays at geological landmarks much shorter and smaller, saving on costs rather than taking up huge paragraphs like the science people. Unionists like Poots and his party have fought a century-long battle in their desperation to remain part of Britain a country in which, in every other region, the abortion pills are available on the NHS, and dont appear to be all that noxious. It makes you realise the whole conflict in Northern Ireland has been a silly misunderstanding, a result of everyone getting their countries mixed up. Soon the DUP will say: Hang on, whats the place that stops the poorest women having any say over whether theyre pregnant or not, on account of some made up nonsense? Ireland? Oh bollocks, we got it the wrong way round. Its Ireland we demand to be part of, quick, take down the Union Jacks and paint everything green. Ulster is Gaelic; we will never surrender. Never. 15 Ways to Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Cincinnati-Style Chili Cincinnati-style chili is celebrating its 100th birthday on Oct. 24. By Danny Cross, Maija Zummo and CityBeat Staff Oct 24, 2022 Certain cities are in part defined by their native cuisines. Although at times stereotypical, one cannot debate the value of partaking in a hot slice of New York-style pizza in the Big Apple, a hunk of deep dish in Chicago or a greasy cheesesteak topped with Cheez Whiz in Philadelphia... Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Im getting a bit tired of reading about the US-backed alliance of Syrian militias and their advance against Isis. The alliance is largely Kurdish which is why, I suppose, the Americans talked about northern Syria when they announced the visit of General Joseph Votel, the head of US Central Command, to the little Kurdish enclave. General Votel could only set foot in the tiny strip of territory along the Turkish border partly held by Kurdish and a sprinkling of Turkmen groups. A visit to northern Syria by an American general is thus a lot less impressive than it sounds. Its interesting to see a US commander crossing the border to cheer on participants in a civil war. Thats also what the American military has been doing in Iraq, where forces have been encouraging Shia militias fighting on the outskirts of Fallujah, and even providing air support to the forces of the perilously weak government in Baghdad. For Iraq now meets many of the definitions of civil war. Yet in Syria, the Americans started by supporting democratic forces fighting to overthrow Bashar al-Assad and mysteriously supported the same men (and women) when they were ready to fight Isis for Ain al-Arab (or Kobani for those who prefer the Kurdish version of the name). Drone video shows levels of devastation in Homs, Syria How did this transfer of allegiance come about? Are the Kurds supposed to fight their way into Raqqa and when Isis has turned tail and run across the Iraqi border, to fight on against the Syrian government army and its Lebanese militia allies and its Iranian allies? Has anyone in northern Syria looked at any maps? And do the Kurds think that Turkey will allow their mini-state to survive? We do, absolutely, have to go with what weve got, according to General Vogel. And I couldnt agree more. What that means is that the Assad has got to go routine is changing. We havent heard many Americans saying that recently, and weve hardly noticed it. US Army General Joseph Votel (AP) The Russian military is still in Syria (albeit scaled down), but we saw plenty of them at Palmyra after its recapture. Assads forces want to take back Deir El-Zour, where their soldiers are still fighting under siege. I suspect that the Assad-must-go campaign is going to be gently dropped thanks to Isis, of course, which is even more hateful for the Americans than the Syrian government in Damascus. Certainly, Isis still exists on the border with Lebanon. Incredibly, nine soldiers are still being held in an enclave on the Lebanese border after being captured almost two years ago. The father of the Lebanese soldier Mohamed Hamieh, executed at the time by the Jabhat al-Nusra Front (recently credited as moderates by Saudi Arabia and Qatar), this week went to the Lebanese home of his killers nephew (Sheikh Mustafa Hujeiri is a well-known figure on Islamist tapes) and shot the 20-year old 35 times. He then left the corpse on the grave of his own son. It was a bad week in Lebanon. The government staged the usual military parades to mark Liberation Day when guerrilla fighters finally persuaded the Israeli army to flee across the border after 22 years of occupation in 2000. Tanks and armoured vehicles drove through the streets of Beirut amid public assurances (and private fears) of inter-communal violence amid the generals. In pictures: Syria conflict Show all 40 1 /40 In pictures: Syria conflict In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis Syrians carry children amid debris following a air strike by government forces in the northern city of Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis A Syrian man carries a girl on a street covered with dust following a air strike by government forces in the northern city of Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis Syrians react as they stand amid debris following a air strike by government forces in the northern city of Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis A Syrian man carries a girl amid debris following a air strike by government forces in the northern city of Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis An injured Syrian man walks out from the rubble of a destroyed building following a air strike by government forces in the northern city of Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis A Syrian woman makes her way through debris following a air strike by government forces in the northern city of Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis People stand on the rubble of collapsed buildings at a site hit by what activists said was a barrel bomb dropped by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, in the Al-Fardous neighbourhood of Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis Syrian residents stand amid the rubble of destroyed buildings In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis A Syrian resident grasps a mattress amid rubble in the al-Firdous neighborhood of the northern city of Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis A view taken from Tel al-Sawadi shows a large explosion allegedly at the Wadi Deif Syrian army base in northwestern Idlib on May 14, 2014, which opposition fighters have been trying to capture for more than a year. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Islamist rebels detonated explosives planted in a tunnel under the army base killing or injuring dozens. AFP In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis A bullet-riddled parking sign stands amid debris in a deserted street leading into the old city of Homs In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis A general view shows abandoned buildings on a deserted square in the old city of Homs after Syrian government forces regained control of rebel-controlled areas In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis A military vehicle that belongs to the Free Syrian Army is seen in Al-Amariya district in Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis A mosque is pictured through shattered glass in the old city of Homs, as rebel fighters withdrew from the city centre in line with a negotiated withdrawal deal with the government after having held out under tight siege for nearly two years In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis Buses carrying Free Syrian Army fighters leaving Homs. Exhausted and worn out from a year-long siege, hundreds of Syrian rebels left their last remaining bastions in the heart of the central city of Homs under a cease-fire deal with government forces. The exit of some 1,200 fighters and civilians will mark a de facto end of the rebellion in the battered city, which was one of the first places to rise up against President Bashar Assad's rule, earning it the nickname of "capital of the revolution" In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis Syrian government forces hold up a portrait of President Bashar al-Assad (L) while others raise the national flag on top of a pole in the old city of Homs In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis Forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad run through Aleppo's Bustan al-Qasr crossing after their release by rebels. They were freed as part of a larger deal which saw the last remaining Syrian rebels in central Homs city evacuate their positions and free captives in several locations in northern Syria In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis A Syrian woman and two children walk past heavily damaged buildings in the northern city of Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis A man carries a wounded girl following a reported bombardment with explosive-packed "barrel bombs" by Syrian government forces in the al-Mowasalat neighborhood of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis A wounded man sits as he is treated at a makeshift hospital following a reported bombardment with explosive-packed "barrel bombs" by Syrian government forces in the al-Sakhour district of the northern city of Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis Debris rises in what Free Syrian Army fighters and Islamic rebels said was an operation to strike Al-Sahaba checkpoint, which is considered a gateway to Al-Dayf valley, and remove forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar Al-Assad in Maarat Al-Nouman, Idlib province In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis Men try to put out fire at a site hit by what activists said was an air strike by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in the town of Azaz, north of Aleppo, near the border with Turkey In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis Civil Defence members try to put out fire In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis Survivors react at a site hit by what activists said was an air strike by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in the town of Azaz, north of Aleppo, near the border with Turkey In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis Residents queue as they wait to receive food aid distributed by the UNRWA at the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk, south of Damascus In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis Belongings of Syrian rebels inside a chapel at Crac des Chevaliers, the world's best preserved medieval Crusader castle in Syria. The village was destroyed in fighting between the government and rebel forces while the castle, listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, also has been damaged over the past two years In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis Hosen Sabah, a 16-year-old student is comforted by his mother at a hospital in Damascus. Nosen was wounded by a mortar outside his school, while 14 other students were killed and over 80 wounded In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis A Free Syrian Army fighter works on a locally made launcher before firing it towards forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar Al-Assad in Mork town In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis Syrian policemen and citizens inspecting the site of a car bomb at the entrance of Moadhamiyet al-Sham neighborhood in rural Damascus. According to Syria's Arab News Agency (SANA), a car bomb explosion has gone off in the countryside of Damascus and initial information say there are casualties, where a car rigged with explosions was remotely detonated at the entrance of Moadhamiyet al-Sham neighborhood in rural Damascus during engineering units it was trying to dismantled it In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis Opposition fighters carrying a rocket launcher during clashes against government forces in the Sheikh Lutfi area, west of the airport in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis A Syrian man helps a woman to make her way through debris following reported air strikes by government forces in the Halak neighbourhood in northeastern Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis A Syrian man reacts as he carries the body of injured boy following reported air strikes by government forces in the Halak neighbourhood in northeastern Aleppo. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 33 civilians were killed in the attack In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis Syrian rescue workers carry the body of a woman following reported air strikes by government forces in the Halak neighbourhood in northeastern Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis A Syrian woman walks past the burning wreckage of a car following reported air strikes by government forces in the Halak neighbourhood in northeastern Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis A man and two children run to a safer place following reported air strikes by government forces in the Halak neighbourhood in northeastern Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis A man holds an injured child after, according to activists, two barrel bombs were thrown by forces loyal to Syria's president Bashar Al-Assad in Hullok neighbourhood of Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis An injured man talks on a walkie-talkie after, according to activists, two barrel bombs were thrown by forces loyal to Syria's president Bashar Al-Assad in Hellok neighbourhood of Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis A man walks inside a mosque damaged by, according to activists, a barrel bomb thrown by forces loyal to Syria's president Bashar Al-Assad in Old Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis Syrians gather at the site of reported air strikes by government forces in the Halak neighbourhood in northeastern Aleppo In pictures: Syria conflict Syria crisis Rebel fighters carry their weapons as they run to avoid snipers loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in the town of Morek in Hama province Many of those resistance men who drove out the Israelis are now fighting and dying for the Assad regime in Damascus. Thus has the Syrian war touched Lebanon again. The fears are, of course, of a Sunni-Shia conflict starting in the Beqaa Valley. The Syrian war has already divided Lebanon, not least because so many Hezbollah men have perished in Syria. They are martyrs to the militia and many Shiites, but the source of great anger to Lebanons Sunnis. The Islamists up at Arsal, including the Nusra Front men, are Sunnis. And still, in Syria as well as Lebanon, there are no plans for a future. No plans for post-war development. No plans for future policy towards Assad. The Syrian army is going to have a role in any New Syria. Maybe the Russians realise this, which is why they intervened so dramatically. But Syrian military casualties are so high half the government soldiers I have met since the start of the conflict in 2011 are now dead that it was probably inevitable that Moscow decided to bring its air force to Lattakia and Tartous. If Isis is beaten and the recapture of Fallujah and Raqqa will not achieve that then there must be projects for those Syrians who fought on both sides. The Syrians are specialists on mediation committees, but this will have to be far greater than that. And what do we have? Turkey threatens Isis, and Nusra and Isis remains a threat right across the Middle East. Saudis support Isis and Qatar supports Nusra, and Hezbollah supports the regime. The Americans seem to have left the air bombing to the Russians (after complaining about it) and Putin is not afraid to say the obvious: that the government in Damascus is a better bet than Isis. We shall see who wins. We do, absolutely, have to go with what weve got. That pretty much sums it up. Canadian Ambassador to Ireland Kevin Vickers wrestles with a protester, left, during the ceremony at Grangegorman Military Cemetery, Dublin A diplomat hailed a hero worldwide for shooting a gunman who stormed the Canadian parliament has wrestled with a protester at a military ceremony. Kevin Vickers helped subdue a demonstrator who began chanting "insult" at the service commemorating more than 100 British soldiers killed trying to suppress the Easter Rising a century ago. Mr Vickers, 59, was attending the State ceremony as Canada's ambassador to Ireland when a man in his 40s attempted to disrupt it. Dressed in a suit and raincoat, he grabbed the protester by his black leather jacket before police moved in, forced the suspect to the ground and arrested him. The former House of Commons sergeant-at-arms in Ottawa became a household name after confronting rifle-wielding Michael Zehaf-Bibeau on October 22 2014 during a gun fight in the building. In what was described as a terror attack, Zehaf-Bibeau had earlier gunned down Corporal Nathan Cirillo, 24, who was assigned to the honour guard at the city's national war memorial. Mr Vickers, who has a strong Irish-Canadian background, was later appointed ambassador to Dublin. After the latest incident, a spokeswoman for the Canadian embassy in Dublin said Mr Vickers "intercepted a protester who ran up to the podium". "Ambassador Vickers is safe and was not injured during the incident," she added. Gardai confirmed a man in his mid 40s was arrested at around midday. The suspect was detained at Cabra Garda station on suspected public order offences. He was heard shouting "this is an insult" at the start of the invite-only event. Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan laid a wreath in memory of up to 125 British soldiers killed during the 1916 rebellion against British rule. They came from across Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland and further afield. The ceremony commemorating their deaths is one of a number organised to mark the 100th anniversary of the insurrection, which ultimately led to the creation of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. British Ambassador to Dublin Dominick Chilcott also laid a wreath on behalf of the British Government. Mr Flanagan said the service was about recognising the many different narratives and experiences in one of the most defining episodes of recent Irish history. "Like those that died a hundred years ago, those of us participating in today's event are a diverse group of individuals, with different backgrounds, beliefs and aspirations," he said. "Such differences do not divide us and need not hinder us from coming together to reflect upon the moments that have shaped our islands' history. "In the century since the events of 1916 we have learned, through painful experience, the importance of mutual respect for the different traditions and multiple narratives across these islands." Members of the Irish Defence Forces, together with members of the British Armed Forces also participated in the ceremony. Some of Ireland's best-known beaches have lost their Blue Flag status Four of Ireland's most popular beaches have been forced to lower their coveted Blue Flag. Portrane in north Dublin lost out on the sought-after international hallmark because of a dip in water quality. Surfers' favourite in Garretstown, Co Cork, as well as Redbarn in Youghal have also been stripped of their top-quality status this year. Ross Killala in Co Mayo lost the honour because of inadequate lifeguard cover. There were a number of winners, too, with the likes of Brittas Bay North in Wicklow and Ballymoney North Beach in Wexford both hoisting the flag this year. Kinsale Yacht Club is also celebrating after taking back the quality stamp it lost in 2003. Altogether, 85 Blue Flags were awarded across the country in the latest prize-giving ceremony - a drop of one since last year. Some 79 were to beaches and six to marinas. Environment Minister Simon Coveney said more work was needed to bring up the standard of bathing waters throughout Ireland. "While the quality of Ireland's bathing water remains very high, we must not become complacent," he said. "We must continue to invest in improving water services infrastructure so as to improve the quality of our waters. "This will support the great effort being put into the Blue Flag Programme by the local authorities and coastal communities." Another 56 beaches were bestowed with the Green Coast Award, which recognises a clean environment, excellent water quality and natural beauty. This was two fewer than last year. These beaches usually do not qualify for Blue Flag status because they have not got built facilities for visitors. The insurance industry frequently points out that whiplash claims in Ireland typically cash in at about 15,000. In the UK, the figure is typically 5,000. "We've got the highest number of actuaries per capita in the world," says Kevin Thompson, the chief executive of Insurance Ireland, an industry lobby group, as he sips on a glass of water in a meeting room at the Burlington Hotel in Dublin. You wouldn't know whether to laugh or cry. The optimistic view of it is that Ireland has done well in attracting so many global insurance operations to Ireland that the demand for qualified personnel is intense. Pessimistically, it could be taken as a sign of how banjaxed Ireland's motor insurance market has become. The volatility demands constant vigilance and number-crunching. Motor premiums have risen 34pc in the past 12 months, and are still trending upwards. That's largely a result of an expected market correction after years of firms pricing policies too low to secure business, married with judicial munificence that has resulted in the cost of settling a claim in the Circuit Court having risen 14pc in 2014, and by 34pc in the High Court. But the 2014 collapse of Malta-registered Setanta Insurance has also put a rocket under premium costs. The Court of Appeal has ruled that other insurers here must cover the cost of the collapse, which left 90m in unpaid claims. That ruling is being appealed to the Supreme Court. Most claims, meanwhile, never make it as far as a judge peering over their reading glasses at the file. But Mr Thompson says the courts set the benchmark for those cases that are settled outside that system. Expand Close People need to be mandated to turn up (at Injuries Board hearings) and provide necessary medical information, because at the moment theyre not, says Kevin Thompson. Photo: Robbie Reynolds / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp People need to be mandated to turn up (at Injuries Board hearings) and provide necessary medical information, because at the moment theyre not, says Kevin Thompson. Photo: Robbie Reynolds "There is the argument that not every case gets to court, but the court decisions set the benchmark," says Thompson. "So if I suffer a whiplash, the first thing a solicitor or barrister will do is look to see that level of awards being made in court decisions. That's their starting point. It has a waterfall effect down through the system. It's a very challenging environment." The insurance industry frequently points out that whiplash claims in Ireland typically cash in at about 15,000. In the UK, the figure is typically 5,000. Thompson argues that even if whiplash payments alone were benchmarked against international payments, it would go some way towards improving the overall claims environment. About 80pc of all motor claims are related to whiplash injuries, Thompson points out. "Just benchmark that. That would have a material impact in terms of reducing costs and bring stability to the market." He also believes that the Injuries Board, which was created in 2004 as a result of the last major Government review of the insurance sector, needs an overhaul. "People need to be mandated to turn up (at Injuries Board hearings) and provide necessary medical information, because at the moment they're not. And we have an anomaly also whereby if there's any psychological trauma attached to an injury, that falls outside the remit of the Injuries Board," says Thompson. A review of the so-called Book of Quantum used by the Injuries Board to determine what awards are made to claimants is due soon. "The thing is to standardise what the level of awards should be," Thompson explains, adding that this would result in stability in the insurance sector. Some solicitors proudly assert that they can secure higher payments in court for claimants in virtually all instances where the Injuries Board has assessed an award. Indeed, the Injuries Board was established with the intention that solicitors would not be required, helping to keep costs of claims down. But today, about 90pc of claimants at the Injuries Board are represented by solicitors. This week, Thompson and his team at Insurance Ireland are playing host to 650 delegates from around the world for the International Insurance Europe Conference. It's a major coup for the Irish organisation, which pitched against France and Spain for the event. He says the event takes place against a backdrop of significant change in the industry. Technological integration and innovation is changing the way products are pitched to people, perhaps for instance rewarding them if they use devices that relay how active they are. "Insurance is moving in a very different direction." He laughs when asked if insurance is becoming sexy. "The dress won't be above the knee-line, put it that way." When the opportunity came to head up Trinitys school of business, Andrew Burke thought he should effectively put up, or shut up. From his vantage point in Britain, the Dubliner had been harping on that Ireland lacked a truly world-class business school. The UK is leagues ahead of Ireland in this regard, he says. Friends would ask him on trips home if he would consider relocating to an Irish university, having worked at both Warwick and the Cranfield School of Management, where he established the Bettany Centre for Entrepreneurship. That would be like playing for Southampton, and deciding to come back home and play for Shamrock Rovers, he would tell them. I worked at Warwick and Cranfield and both of those institutions achieved a world-class position within a single generation of faculty and neither had a great university to feed back on in terms of a platform to work with, Burke (51) says. Neither of them was located in a particularly advantageous place, and they certainly couldnt piggy back on the back of a famous city. One of the things that used to frustrate me quite a bit, was I thought why on earth are the Irish business schools and the Irish universities not having a greater presence in the market? Look at Barcelona, he tells me, as we sit in his office in the bowels of Trinitys campus. If we went back 20 years ago and said which city is likely to have a world class business school, Dublin or Barcelona, youd put your money on Dublin. And yet over that period, Barcelona has not only produced one world class, but produced two. And when I say world class, I mean one top ten and one top 20. The highest an Irish business school has ever been is in the top 50. And so, when Trinity came calling with the aim of growing its business school, Burke said he felt compelled to take the challenge. I could hear myself saying, put your money where your mouth is. Trinity, Burke believes, has always had an impressive offering in terms of its business school. The undergraduate business degree continues to be among the strongest in the country and is complemented by the MBA programmes, specialist MScs, Phds, and Executive Education programmes. But its always been quite niche, he adds. The aim now is to broaden its appeal further. And Burke doesnt seem all that bothered about the competition from the other school down the road, UCDs Smurfit Graduate School, which has a higher profile. The real competition is from outside the State, he feels. Were now competing in an international market. The consumer doesnt care about the differences; theyre weighing up UCD, Trinity, against the Warwicks, the Cranfields, the Manchesters. If we both go international, to our full potential, theres plenty of room in that market. So I see the way forward in the Barcelona example. As we up our game, sure it will put pressure on them to up their game, but it will enhance the overall brand of Dublin. And Trinity is certainly upping its game, at least in terms of infrastructure. Last summer, the university was given the green light for a 70m new business school development on the Pearse Street side of the campus, funded in part through a combination of a European Investment Bank loan and donations from wealthy philanthropists. It will be the centre piece of a relaunched business curriculum at the university, which, according to Sean Melly, the chairman of the board of the universitys business school, in a 2014 Financial Times article, was no longer fit for purpose. The building is to be ready for 2018 entrants. Like the future businesses that Trinity hopes will be created by its students, business schools must grow to survive, Burke says. Along with prospective Irish students, lucrative international students are being sought, and Trinitys brand, in the US especially, helps that cause. One of the constraints that other schools have is that they can get the European, and they can get the Asian, but they struggle to get the American because the American business school brands are so strong internationally. But we are able to get a good proportion of American students on our programme. Attracting students is a top priority. But attracting top-class staff is also vital, and at times, that has proven difficult thanks to pay caps for professors, coupled with the high levels of personal income tax here. Burke says theyve managed to get around the pay cap problems by appointing at associate professor level and discussing promotion opportunities. But attracting top-level professors hasnt proved as easy to overcome, with some conversations ending when the issue of pay comes up, he says. Ive had a number of conversations where really top profile professors have heard about whats happening in Trinity and have expressed an interest in joining us, and when Ive mentioned the pay cap, theyve already worked out the taxation, so theyre already primed to ask the question, how are you going to compensate for the taxation? Ive said we have a cap, and I can probably make a case for x percent, but Im not sure how far it will go. A lot of those conversations just ended on the spot, Burke says. Professors at TCD can earn up to 136,276, while the ceiling for associate professors is 103,261. If we talked about setting up a world class sports team in Dublin, and we provided that team with a world class stadium, a world class backroom staff, all the technology, but we placed one constraint. We said you cannot pay more than half of what your international competitors are doing. We all know that it will be an absolute non-starter, he says. And yet, thats the situation that business schools in Ireland find themselves, particularly at the professorial level. Were not competitive at the top level. Mr Burke said that after tax, business school Associate Professors salaries outside of Ireland are higher than salaries for full (chaired) professors here. So if we are to attract top international talent to Ireland in order to generate export earnings to fund our business schools, bearing in mind that in seven years time around just 10pc of our business School income will come from the taxpayer - then we need to be able to compete in the international labour market, he added. The irony is that removing the wage cap would enable Irish business schools to attract more top international talent to capture more global market share which generates extra private income to both fund their own activities and make an additional surplus which could help plug the funding shortage in other parts of universities, ie save the taxpayer money. Burkes own appointment in 2014 was somewhat controversial because of his own pay packet. He argues that when Trinity came calling, he already had a substantially greater offer on the table from another university. So he negotiated with Trinity to close the gap, although the final offer (less than the 185,000 reported in the media at the time, he says) still remained some way off the other universitys, he stresses. But he said he also pushed it because he believed that if they werent going to make a special case for a dean to breach the Haddington Road constraints, they would never ultimately do so to get a top professor. I was quite surprised that Ireland Inc thought it was going to be able to compete in an international business school industry and not pay competitive salaries. That was a bit of a wake-up call, he says. Pay, he says, is a battle for a later date with the Government. For now, his focus is on developing the school, and boosting its presence. And a feature of that is the inaugural Trinity Global Business Forum, which takes place today. Its aim is to allow the entire Trinity business community to engage with issues facing the business community, and to network with industry representatives. Panel discussions include the future of work in the 21st century, social entrepreneurship, the accommodation shortage and the future of Irish manufacturing. Keynote addresses with be given by Paul Drechsler, president of the Confederation of British Industry, and Frank Murray, the former manager of The Pogues, a throwback to the days when Burke was a young Ents Officer at UCD. Therell also be panel discussions on ethics and leadership, and whether weve done enough to prevent another financial crisis - topics of particular interest to Burke and his staff. When I joined Trinity, the first thing I did was I arranged to meet everyone who works in the school for a coffee for an hour. What became really clear to me was that everyone had a strong view that we should have ethics and values [engrained in the curriculum], he says. We want our students to have a moral compass leaving Trinity. The business school has a strong ethical focus, with plans for students to sign a charter at the outset of their course. Focus will also be placed on the well-being of graduates. The industry is failing to speak about stress in the workplace, he adds. At the centre of any business education, he says, should be academic rigour. The financial crisis wasnt just about a lack of values. It was also about a lack of rigour in education. A lot of business schools had drifted into the zone where they were trying to please the customer too much, particularly on MBA programmes. If you look at the MBA market globally, I think the MBA market had been dumbed down incredibly, to the point that a lot of decision making had been made on rules of thumb and trust, not trust in terms of personal trust, but trust [in the system], that it works. Irish medical firm Mainstay Medical has received the CE approval mark for its implantable system to treat disabling chronic back pain. After acquiring the mark for its ReActiv8 system, Mainstay can now begin the commercialisation of the product in Europe. Mainstay chief executive Peter Crosby said the marking is a "pivotal" moment for the firm. "We believe ReActiv8 has the potential to change the lives of millions of people who currently have limited treatment options for their chronic low back pain." During patient-controlled sessions, ReActiv8 stimulation causes repetitive contractions of the key stabilising muscles in the back to support recovery from chronic low back pain and related symptoms. An orthopedic surgeon at the University Hospital in Bonn, Dr Robert Pflugmacher, outlined the potential patients for the new device. "We see several new chronic low back pain patients every week who are not indicated for surgery and who meet the indications for ReActiv8. "Rather than sending them home untreated, we now have an exciting new option we can offer them," he said. In September Mainstay posted increased expenses, which it said was largely attributable to costs associated with hiring and increased activity in the ReActiv8-A clinical trial. Mainstay was established in 2008 in the US before being moved to Ireland. Davy analyst Jack Gorman described the newly acquired CE mark as a "catalyst" for the commercialisation of the product in the European market. "Initial marketing efforts will focus on Germany, in particular the hospitals segment. A direct sales force will be utilised to achieve this, supplemented by field clinical specialists. "This is a very positive development for the business as it moves towards revenue generation," Mr Gorman said. Mainstay said it will look to develop further data after the sale of the product and has signalled plans to launch the ReActiv8-B clinical trial in support of an application for Premarket Approval (PMA) in the US. Sana Hospital neurosurgeon Dr Stefan Schu expects strong adoption of ReActiv8 in the German market, where the firm will initially focus sales. There is always a power dynamic between consumers and service providers in an industry. Sometimes the power rests with the consumer - usually when there is plenty of demand and plenty of competition. On other occasions the power shifts towards the provider. This was true of the mortgage market after the property crash when consumers felt like they had to beg for a loan. It was also true back in the days of State monopolies in things like airlines and telephone services. Remember the cost of flying with Aer Lingus to London or waiting weeks to get a phone in? The power dynamic has shifted dramatically in recent years in the motor insurance industry. Twenty years ago, customers had to just accept massive insurance premiums. Then greater competition and legal reforms combined to shift the power back to the customer. You could hunt for a better deal. Now it has gone back the other way again. Drivers feel powerless when it comes to understanding why their insurance premiums are increasing so much. The insurance companies, which lost money underwriting motor insurance for several years, are hiking prices with very little credible explanation as to how the customer's premium is calculated. You can tell when the power has shifted in an industry from your own dealings with the service providers. My motor insurance was up for renewal and I got a renewal notice which quoted me an increase of 13pc. I was very firmly told, before I even had a chance to ask, that there was no way my insurance premium could be reduced at all. When I pointed out that I was being asked to pay 740 for a motor insurance policy after driving for 24 years without a single claim, she cut across me saying my policy should actually be even higher. Particular staff having a bad day etc excluded, I was left with a strong sense that the insurance company was in the driving seat. I don't believe I am alone in feeling that way. This company was either confident enough that I wouldn't get a better price elsewhere or could live without my business. It was 'take it or leave it time'. If the insurance companies are telling the whole truth and they are simply trying to get back to writing profitable insurance, how is it they don't come across as struggling operators keen to hang to or win valuable business? Surely when times are bad, an industry will battle for valuable business. With a regulator and a government backing them, they are in a strong position. It is extraordinary to think that Irish politicians get so worked up about 160 per year in water charges but do nothing about insurance price hikes of double or treble that amount. There are a number of factors at play here. Firstly, the insurance companies have shown that their underwriting was unprofitable. They have the blessing of the Central Bank which is effectively encouraging premium increases to help them rebuild their balance sheets. They have the backing of the Government which up to now has done nothing to tackle this enormous and growing problem. Michael Noonan ordered a Department of Finance review of the sector a month before the general election. Getting your department to look into something is a real sign of a pre-election fig leaf. Why not have an independent commission with set terms of reference and a short term deadline to find out what is going on? Insurance companies are hiding behind the apparent mystery of actuarial calculations and pricing of risk which leaves us all in the dark. For example, why will an insurance company only apply a no-claims discount where you are claim free for five years? Why not 25 years? The principle is surely the same. A maximum no-claims discount of 75pc seems very generous. In other words you premium is 75pc lower than it would be if you had a claim. But how did they calculate the original pre-discount premium in the first place? Why is there repeated anecdotal evidence that insurance companies are penalising drivers of older cars when every car has to be passed by an NCT? The insurance companies will say their statistics point to higher claims from these vehicles. Very young drivers who are prone to more accidents might drive older cars because they are cheaper. Applying a higher risk to an older car with an older driver, which is fully NCT compliant, doesn't seem right. Insurance companies say that higher premiums are driven by higher claims costs and there is some evidence to support this, but it has also been called into question by others. Different companies seem to be shifting the focus of their business into different market segments. Some don't want young drivers, which reduces the number of firms competing for that segment of the market. Some have stopped insuring cars over 14 years of age altogether, which leaves that market segment weakened in terms of competition. The role of penalty points in the insurance system needs to be clarified. Government policy is to increase the points and increase the number of offences that can attract them. With this in mind speed vans have been set up in places where the likelihood of an accident seems very low. It is a money collection point. Yet, insurance companies don't seem to spell out precisely what the impact of penalty points is. Most people believe you don't get loaded if you have four points or fewer. That was equivalent to two offences. But the system changed to three points for some offences, raising the question of whether you avoid insurance loading below six points. Insurance is a genuinely complex industry. It is about managing risk. But surely insurers should be obliged to provide more information as to how they came up with your premium quote. For example, break down the contribution to the price made by different factors, such as where you live, the age of your car, your own age, penalty points etc. In the meantime, we don't know when enough is enough. One insurance broker with years of experience said in January that price increases in 2014 and 2015 should be enough to restore profitability to the sector and there should not be any need for major hikes in 2016. Yet, they keep coming. We won't know the profitability of the sector in 2016 until well into 2017. At that point it could be too late and we may all have been fully fleeced. Michael Noonan's review isn't due to be published until the end of 2016. He is in no hurry. When complete it will have zero statutory status but will simply be the results of a fact-finding mission. If it concludes that changes are needed, it could take another one to two years before anything happens. Meanwhile, we are supposed to just soak it up and hand over the cash. Fond memories: Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a trip to Roches Stores for the finest culinary delights The Roche family hit the headlines in 2006 after selling most of its empire to British giant Debenhams for 29m plus. The Roche family, that once owned Roches stores, are still landlords at a number of Debenhams' outlets. Details of a clash between the two sides emerged in court documents associated with an examinership process of the Irish Debenhams arm. The media-shy Roches still own properties on Henry Street, Dublin and St Patrick's Street, Cork where upward only rent agreements are in place. Family member Richard Roche has accused Debenhams of filing a "tainted" examinership application. Debenhams rejected the accusation and accused him of looking for commercially sensitive information, according to reports in the Irish Times. The hugely successful empire was founded by William Roche, a farmer's son who had trained in Cork's most famous department store, Cash's (now Brown Thomas). After the major setback of seeing his premises burned during the infamous attack on Cork by the Black and Tans in 1920, William Roche's business took off. By the late Twenties, the family were able to buy a key premises on Henry Street in Dublin - and, 10 years later, added another major shop in Limerick to their operation. After William's death on the eve of the Second World War, the family fortunes continued to soar under the guidance of his widow Kathleen, who ran the business until her son, William Jnr, was able to take the reins himself. William Jnr worked in the family business since 1937, two years before his father's death, and was later joined by his two younger brothers, Raymond and Stanley. By 1950, all three brothers were working with the family business, which switched in emphasis from Cork to Dublin. William Jnr ran the increasingly important Dublin operation while his two younger brothers gravitated towards the provinces, Stanley taking the helm in Cork and Raymond in Limerick. In the 1960s and Seventies the operation grew to include Galway and various booming suburbs such as Wilton in Cork and Blackrock in Dublin. By now, their operation was financially directed from the Isle of Man - a fact which ensured that no accounts ever had to be published in Ireland. Control of the firm remained firmly within the family though scions of the Roches emigrated both to England and America. Properties in Henry Street, Dublin and St Patrick Street, Cork are still owned by the media-shy family. STATE forestry agency Coillte generated profits last year of 47.6m, two thirds more than the previous year. The company paid a dividend to the State 5m. Last year saw the company agree the sale of land in Ballymahon in Co. Longford to holiday resort company Center Parcs, a deal that was the catalyst for 230m of new investment. Coillte said earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) stood at 89.6m at the end of last year, 12pc. During the year the board and management concluded a new, ambitious five-year growth strategy for the business which will see Coillte becoming the leading forestry and land solutions company in Europe. Commenting on the results the Chief Executive of Coillte, Fergal Leamy said: We are pleased with our financial and operational performance in 2015, which showed excellent progress across a number of key areas and is a really good start towards achieving our new five-year strategy to turn Coillte into the best forestry and land solutions company in Europe. Coillte said its land solutions business has become one of the leading renewable energy developers in Ireland and has the potential to become the leading company of its kind in Europe over the next five years, providing solutions that enable the implementation of Government policy in areas of renewables, infrastructure development, tourism and job creation. Irish fruit and vegetable company Total Produce is raising its earnings target for 2016 following a "satisfactory" opening four months of the year. In a trading update issued to shareholders yesterday, the company said it is upping its earnings per share target into the top half of the previously announced 10.5c to 11.5c range. Since the start of the year the firm has completed the acquisition of a 65pc shareholding in LA-based Progressive Produce. Progressive is a grower, packer, and distributor of conventional and organic produce to the retail and wholesale sectors in the US and Canada. At the time Progressive president Jim Leimkuhler described the link up as an "excellent long-term combination of skills and expertise". The Progressive deal was part of its plan to ramp up sales in the North America region. Last year Total Produce chairman Carl McCann outlined the firm's ambitions to increase sales in the US business to match its EU revenues. "We have become a meaningful operator in North America and we have a very good operation over there. "We would like to develop our American business to be the same size as or larger than our European one," he said. Total Produce also completed a 20m share buy-back programme at the end of January and has signalled the potential to purchase shares in the market as appropriate. The company has also set out a final dividend of 2.027c per share, which is due to be paid on May 26, representing a 15pc increase on last year. Davy analyst Declan Morrissey said Total Produce continues to demonstrate "consistent progress" in what he described as a positive trading update. "It increased its target full year earnings per share (EPS) to the upper half of the range announced in March (10.50-11.50c). "A supportive pricing environment in mainland Europe and more favourable foreign exchange are the likely catalysts. "We will likely move our full year EPS forecast up to around 11.3c (up 2pc)." The news follows on from a strong performance in 2015 in which revenues at the company increased by 10.4pc to 3.45bn. Total Produce's profits rose by 13.3pc last year, rising to 58m. Shares in Total Produce were up by 0.24pc to 1.26 (1.66) at 2pm yesterday. If Ireland misses its EU renewable energy targets for 2020, taxpayers will end up paying out between 195m and 360m in fines, the chief executive of an Irish solar company has said. According to Solar 21 bossMichael Bradley, Ireland looks set to miss its targets by around three percentage points. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland estimates the country will be fined between 65m and 120m per percentage point. To put it in context, Solar 21 predicts EU energy fines could cost Ireland 21 times more than potential water fines. "Ireland has just over four years to achieve the target of 16pc of national energy consumption to derive from renewable sources. "Based on current performance and the fact that 60pc of wind projects are tied up in the High Court on planning objections, it would seem unlikely that Ireland will hit the target," Mr Bradley said. At a meeting in Galway this week tech giant Apple committed to using renewable energy at its proposed new 850m data centre in Athenry. The new data centre is said to use 300MW of power which is the equivalent of 8pc of national capacity. Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Mary Mitchell OConnor, Malcolm Hughes, chief executive of OSG Vericlaim, and Mike Arbour, division president, international accounts, Sedgwick, at yesterdays announcement. Photo: MaxwellsIreland Risk solutions firm Sedgwick has acquired Irish-owned outsourcing provider OSG Group for an undisclosed fee. The deal, announced yesterday, marks the United States-headquartered company's first investment into Ireland as it continues to expand its global footprint. Under the agreement OSG's team of over 400 staff across eight locations in Ireland will join Sedgwick's international operations and its subsidiary, Vericlaim. OSG chief executive Malcolm Hughes said becoming part of Sedgwick is a "terrific opportunity" for the company's staff. "We will all benefit from their unparalleled depth of resources and knowledge," Mr Hughes said. "Sedgwick's investment in OSG demonstrates the confidence of an industry leader in our talented team and the strength of the financial services market in Ireland," he added. OSG provides property and liability loss adjusting services, as well as third-party administration, motor and specialist claims and customer support. Sedgwick president and chief executive Dave North described Ireland as a "natural fit" for the firm's next move. Ulster Bank is to cut 124 front line jobs in its branch network, in a move that has been condemned by the banks main employee union. The redundancies are being made on a volunteer-led basis, the bank said, and are part of a previously announced job reduction programme. A spokeswoman said Ulster bank will also create 23 new roles in its branches, in addition to 11 new retail banking positions being announced in the coming weeks. The Financial Services Union (FSU), which represents workers at Ulster Bank said there was no sound business rationale for the cuts, and said any further job losses in Ulster Bank will exacerbate difficulties arising from what it called chronic understaffing affecting both staff and customers. Customers are likely to face more queues, the union said. Property prices nationwide rose marginally last month as a shortage of homes to buy continues to push up values. Dublin led the rise, but there was a fall in prices outside the capital. Property experts said the moderate price growth was despite a deepening accommodation crisis across the country. The new Government has said that Housing Minister Simon Coveney will come up with an action plan for housing inside 100 days. Prices across the State were up 0.3pc in the month of April, and have now risen by 7.1pc in the previous 12 months. The Central Statistics Office said that Dublin prices were up 1.6pc in April. When compared with a year ago, prices were 4.6pc higher. However, there was a fall outside Dublin. Residential property prices in the rest of Ireland fell by 0.6pc in April. But over the past year prices were 9.5pc higher. Across the country, prices are down by a third since the market crashed in 2007, the CSO said. Property Industry Ireland, the Ibec group that represents companies working in the property sector, said that the moderation in growth was masking an ongoing accommodation crisis, especially in the rented and social housing sectors. Director of Property Industry Ireland Dr Peter Stafford said: "While moderation in house price growth is good for those looking to buy their own home, there is little good news in these figures for tenants or those looking for social housing where a crisis of accommodation still exists." Economist with stockbroker Merrion Capital Alan McQuaid said a lack of supply of houses has clearly pushed up prices, particularly in the Dublin area in the past three years. Director of research at Savills Dr John McCartney said the shift to renting means the Dublin market may become increasingly like London with expensive properties, many of which are owned by investors. The EU is to impose geographic film quotas on Netflix, Amazon and other online television broadcasters. Photo: Bloomberg The EU is to impose geographic film quotas on Netflix, Amazon and other online television broadcasters. Under a revised Europe-wide legal directive, on-demand film providers will be required to reserve at least 20pc of their catalogue for EU-made movies and television series. The change is being adopted, says the European Commission, to protect European culture and promote diversity. However, observers say that it is a response to pressure from non-English speaking EU members about the spread of English as the continent's default language. France and Spain, in particular, have complained about creeping anglicisation. Under the new rules, large on-demand film providers must now guarantee prominence to EU content. "It will oblige on-demand providers to ensure that at least 20pc share of European content in their catalogues," said a spokesman for the Commission. "The proposal also clarifies that member states are able to ask on-demand services available in their country to contribute financially to European works." At present, Netflix, Amazon and Apple iTunes all exceed a 20pc threshold on EU-made content. However, online companies have reacted to the new directive negatively. "We appreciate the Commission's objective to have European production flourish," said Joris Evers, a senior Netflix spokesman. "However, the proposed measures won't actually achieve that." Mr Evers said that Netflix currently had productions under way in all of Europe's biggest countries. The service's film 'Jadotville', depicting the Congo-based battle where nine Irish peacekeeping troops were killed in 1961, is also being filmed in Ireland. "Our investment in European programming, including Netflix original titles created in Europe, is growing," said Mr Evers. The new directive does not specify that the European films should be presented in a particular language, opening the door to increased activity for Irish and British production companies. However, the European Commission will not yet ban 'geo-blocking' of movie content from one EU country to another. Despite European commissioners condemning the practice of copyright-holders preventing users in one EU country from seeing content in another EU country, there is no official move to restrict the protectionist activity. The new rules "will ensure that consumers seeking to buy products and services in another EU country, be it online or in person, are not discriminated against in terms of access to prices, sales or payment conditions", according to a European Commission spokesman. The European Parliament will now review the proposed measures. The court said that the revelations by the US whistleblower Edward Snowden demonstrated that US authorities are indiscriminately snooping on European citizens' personal communications. Stock image Facebook, Google, Twitter and other multinational tech giants in Ireland face new uncertainty with the Irish Data Protection Commissioner saying that their data transfers may not be in compliance with European law. Irish Data Commissioner Helen Dixon said yesterday that her office now has doubts over the legality of so-called "model contract clauses", data transfer instruments relied upon by many businesses in their transactions with US firms. Ms Dixon, who is the primary European data regulator of the world's biggest social media and online firms, said that she will now refer the question to the High Court and the European Court of Justice. If the ECJ strikes model contract clauses down, as many observers expect it would, it leaves thousands of European companies in a new limbo over their data transfers to the US. Last year, the ECJ struck down the 'Safe Harbour' treaty between the EU and US, on the grounds that it was insufficient to protect the data privacy of EU citizens. The court said that the revelations by the US whistleblower Edward Snowden demonstrated that US authorities are indiscriminately snooping on European citizens' personal communications. Technology firms are among Ireland's biggest employers. On stage in Dublin, in 1999, during his first concert in Ireland since his Irish-American father's death, Bruce Springsteen took a moment to survey the crowd. "Are there any O'Farrells out there? Are there any McNicholases out there? Are there any O'Hagans out there? Because if you are, you're my relatives." There must have been quite a few in the crowd thinking: "Oh, my great-grandfather was a McNicholas - Bruce and I must be cousins!" Well, most likely there are many Irish fans who do share common ancestors with Bruce. His paternal lineage is made up of generations of Irishmen and women - Garritys, Farrells, McNicholases, Sullivans, O'Hagans, McCanns. While he regards his paternal grandmother Alice as Irish she was actually born in New Jersey. It was, in fact, his great-great-grandparents, Ann Garrity and Patrick Farrell, who made the trip (separately) across the Atlantic and began the family line that would produce the Boss. Their life in the farmlands of Monmouth County, New Jersey, would have been a tough one, and there was tragedy and hardship along the way, but they had escaped poverty and the Great Famine and, to some extent, they had their American Dream. If they could only have known what they had started: they married in 1875, exactly 100 years before their great-great-grandson recorded his break-through album, 'Born To Run'. Ann Garrity was born in the 1830s and it appears from parish documents that there are two possibilities as to where she was from. The first is that Ann's family hailed from Co Westmeath, most probably near the town of Mullingar. The second option is that Ann was the daughter of a Christopher Garrity from County Kildare, who emigrated to the United States and later sent for his wife and children. Whichever line is correct, we know much more about Ann's life in America as records there are intact. Ann left Ireland in 1852 and found a home among the Irish community of Freehold, New Jersey. Video of the Day The family house was at 87 Mulberry Street (later renamed Randolph Street), a working class neighbourhood to the south of the centre of Freehold. Ann's first marriage, to another Irish immigrant, John Fitzgibbons, brought six children. But the American Civil War veteran committed suicide in 1872 and Ann was left with no income of her own and with little time to grieve. She needed another husband to support her and her family, and she was remarried by 1875 to another Irishman named Patrick Farrell. Ann and Patrick are Bruce's great-great-grandparents. Patrick was a shoemaker and by 1880, Ann was bringing home some much needed extra cash by working as a washerwoman. Shortly after they were married, the couple had twin girls, Amelia and Jennie. Jennie is Springsteen's great-grandmother. The couple had enjoyed almost 20 years of happiness before Patrick died of kidney disease in 1894, aged 60. His requiem mass was held at the St Rose of Lima Church on the corner of McLean Street and Randolph Street. Three years later the church would be the focus of a happy occasion for the family when on St Patrick's Day, 1897, 19-year-old Jennie married labourer John McNicholas, aged 21. Around the same time the parish would open a church school and convent for the Sisters of Francis. This would later be the scene of Springsteen's rather traumatic schooling - on one occasion he claimed a nun pushed him into a waste paper basket as that was "where he belonged". John McNicholas had grown up in Baltimore, but his father Richard and mother Annie Sullivan were both born in Ireland. Springsteen would reference the McNicholas surname in his immigrant song, 'American Land'. Jennie and John had three children including Bruce's grandmother, Alice. Alice's Irish granny, Ann, lived with them. It was during this childhood that Alice would develop the strong Catholic faith and Irish wit which years later would have such an influence in shaping her grandson. And it was through Alice that Bruce got something else: his surname. Alice married a local Freehold boy named Fred Springsteen. Fred's father, Anthony, was of Dutch descent but his mother, Martha, provides yet another Irish branch to the Springsteen family tree: her parents, John O'Hagan and Sarah McCann, were both born in Ireland. Fred's son, Doug, married Adele Ann Zerilli and Bruce Frederick Springsteen was born in Monmouth Memorial Hospital on September 23, 1949. The family were living at number 87 Randolph Street in Freehold - the very same house which Irish immigrant Ann Garrity had made home almost a century before. Greg Lewis is the co-author of 'Land of Hope and Dreams', a book about Bruce Springsteen in Ireland. See www.springsteeninireland.com The final episode of the first season of First Dates Ireland didnt disappoint, In fact, the show has been popular that 4,500 singletons have applied to take part in season two. And the last episode was as Irish as it comes, with a Garda, conversations about tea and crisps and rows about Leinster versus Munster. Lets discuss First in to the restaurant, Katie is a tall gal and men are intimidated by her height. However after competing in Miss Curvy Ireland she feels like shes accepted herself for who she is and is ready to meet someone. Shes in luck because Daniel likes tall, big boned women with child-bearing hips. Were sure thats meant to be a compliment. Daniels ready for a relationship. Hes mature at 34, and has made the transition from journalism to medicine. He likes Irish women, the poor sod. If she covered her eyes in Prittstick, they couldn't be more glued to him... #FirstDatesIRL Philip Nolan (@philipnolan1) May 26, 2016 #FirstDatesIRL the awkward bathroom phone call....cringey to say the least....go on Katieeeee Megan Kelly (@megs_kelly1989) May 26, 2016 Katies interest in making prolonged eye contact was quite obvious. and on the phone to her mammy she told said he was educated, tall and handsome and revealed she was wearing her mothers shoes on national television. Katie reached Peak Irish when she said she couldnt go a day without a bag of Taytos. The nation LOLed collectively. They both felt the spark, and another date was on the cards. SUCCESS! Next in, English literature student Tadhg has never had a boyfriend, and is looking for love. He sees his romantic nature as his downfall because hes been let down in the past. His blind date is recruitment exec Joe, and the first words out of his mouth on screen are I love myself. Single for a while, he fears its made him selfish. Hes also worried that theres nobody he doesnt already know in Dublin. Great date and then he never called or text, aw story of my life Tadgh pal #FirstDatesIRL Kate Fitzsimons (@katefitzzz) May 26, 2016 Another match that look like brothers. #FirstDatesIrl Carole (Ducky) (@IrPsych) May 26, 2016 Straight off the bat, Twitterers were quick to point out that the two lads looked pretty alike, and thats not the first time this has happened on the show. The two lads bonded right away over Pokemon, and whether they preferred Jigglypugg or Scyther. What about Pikachu guys?! Ah jaysis Pokemon! Jigglypuff's song was hypnotising #FirstDatesIRL Aoife Murphy (@Smurfjocks) May 26, 2016 A poem by Tadhg.... Roses are red, So is my hair, SHUT THE FRONT DOOR HE LOVES POKEMON ASWELL#FirstDatesIRL Siobhan Doyle (@thekickart) May 26, 2016 Video of the Day The lads swapped dating horror stories, but was Joe a little too experienced for poor oul Tadhg? The lads swapped coming out stories and bonded over the shared experience. You can almost see the alarm bells go off in Joes head when Tadgh says hes never dated anyone #FirstDatesIRL Shane Keane (@Skeane12) May 26, 2016 However, Joe put Tadhg in the friend zone. Boo. Single mum Sinead is looking for someone to share her life with, and shes nervous. Shes a teetotaller for four years, and thinks life is simpler without alcohol but dating isnt! 60 shades of tae #FirstDatesIRL Lor (@monkeygirl25) May 26, 2016 Sineads date Niall says hes been single for ever, and hasnt had a relationship longer than a couple of months. He hasnt a clue what his bad single habits are, but he wants to find out. The two soon bond over a mutual fondness for rugby, but they dont seem to have much in common. Niall says he anticipates settling down, but doesnt seem to know how to go about it. And his chat wasnt exactly up to scratch even he knew things were bad when he started talking about tea. Neither of them felt a connection, but many were disappointed for the very cool Sinead or Siobhan, as Niall called her. Katie has really bad taste in men. Shes been told shes good looking but hasnt got a great personality and says she tends to go for charmers who play the field. When she said I dont know where all the nice guys are, a nation collectively nodded along. Katies date is Garda Barry. Hes been single for eight months after an eleven year relationship. Hes looking for a girl to bring home to Limerick thatll talk to his friends and family. Katie is a friendly sort, so its looking promising. Until she became very enthused by the thoughts of him being a Garda. When talking about Barrys past relationship, Katie could empathise despite not ever having been in love. She knows there are no guarantees in matters of the heart, though sure just look at poor Cheryl Cole! Twitter was beguiled with Katies innocence and enthusiasm. She was thrilled at how white his shirt was, he was delighted she didnt want a starter, and they had a scintillating conversation about tea. Is this real life? "Do you have a little Garda car?" Cringe alert! #firstdatesirl Susan Cloonan (@susancloonan) May 26, 2016 Read More Everyone was surprised when Katie rejected poor oul Barry and after letting him go first and all. And the last dater of the series, Doris, is a self-described giddy goat. She knows she talks too much, but wants to slow down her words per minute. The Cork native has been single for eight years because she swore to her eighteen year-old self that she wouldnt bother with a man again until she was madly in love. Right off the bat, barman Aidan recognises Doris from college. A promising sign or worrying symbol of just how small this feckin country is? Is there anything more Irish to do on a first date than to ask 'how do you have your tea?' #IrishThings #FirstDatesIRL Colum Carville (@columc123) May 26, 2016 Read More Aidan is a man comfortable discussing fashion and even noticed Doris top and earrings matched. He even goes salsa dancing, the modern man himself. Doris does pole-dancing a match made in lithe, swivelly-hipped heaven? Twitter fell in love with Doris giddy goat personality, but wasnt so sure about Aidan. He did talk about his mammy a lot, and how thrilled she was that he wasnt gay. Errr Still, the Internet was gunning for them as a pair. The salsa dancer and the pole dancer... A match made in heaven #FirstDatesIRL Shauna OConnor Flynn (@shaunaocf14) May 26, 2016 Read More And we were rewarded! After a season where the Friend Zone dominated, there was hope at the end. Thats how you draw us in RTE! See you next season for more chat about tea. 3rd year students Lauren Delaney, Ruth Ryan and Aoife Nolan as they head off to the UK. Picture Colm Mahady / Fennells Aoife Nolan and Ruth Ryan waving from the bus as they depart from the school. Picture Colm Mahady / Fennells An Irish school choir who hit headlines for their Britain's Got Talent performance have failed to reach the show's final. But the Britain's Got Talent judges had only praise for the 62-strong choir of Presentation Secondary School, Kilkenny. Millions of viewers tuned in to watch all-girls choirs sing 'Ave Maria' on the show's semi-final in Wembley Stadium. "Awh gosh that literally brought a tear to my eye," judge Amanda Holden said after the performance. "It's a silly thing to feel but I feel so proud of you all." Simon Cowell had only praise for the girls; "You are honestly special, it was like you came from heaven, dropped down to earth, did this performance. What I love is the subtlety, at the same time you have all these different harmonies." Expand Close 3rd year students Lauren Delaney, Ruth Ryan and Aoife Nolan as they head off to the UK. Picture Colm Mahady / Fennells / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 3rd year students Lauren Delaney, Ruth Ryan and Aoife Nolan as they head off to the UK. Picture Colm Mahady / Fennells Speaking to RTE Radio One's Ray D'Arcy Show earlier, choral director Veronica McCarron said the group were "very excited and thrilled" to make the semi-final. "If they deliver a performance like [the audition], everyone will be totally inspired and everyone in Ireland will be moved," she said. "We have an amazing team." McCarron officially retired from the school a couple of years ago but still travels from her homestead in Donegal to teach the choir for two weeks each month. "I came to the school 22 years ago, they wanted a choral programme. We now have 300 children from first year to sixth year," she continued. The students have described the choir director's enthusiasm as 'infectious'. Video of the Day The group did not apply for the competition, but were spotted on YouTube by the show's bosses. Watch one of the group's previous performances here: The Secret Life of Pups on Channel 4 The Secret Life of Pups on Channel 4 You might have seen #HumanPups trending on Twitter, heres what its about. The internet went into meltdown on Wednesday night when Channel 4 aired Secret Life of Human Pups, a documentary which explores the community of men around the UK that dress and behave like dogs. Expand Close The Secret Life of Pups on Channel 4 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Secret Life of Pups on Channel 4 It gave us an insight into the lives of the otherwise unknown 10,000-and-counting men in Britain that puppy play as dogs, wear latex costumes and partake in canine activities. The undeniably baffling documentary raked in viewers across the UK and Ireland, and many took to Twitter to express their thoughts on the show. Jury deliberations in the trial of four former bankers accused of conspiracy to defraud the public have been suspended because a juror has been hospitalised. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard this morning that the juror needed to attend hospital but that she expected to be better by next week. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned proceedings until Monday morning. The jury has been deliberating for over 23 hours so far after a 78 day trial, the longest criminal trial in the State's history. Anglo's former head of capital markets John Bowe (52) and the bank's then finance director Willie McAteer (65) along with former chief executive of ILP Group Denis Casey (56) and ILP's former finance director Peter Fitzpatrick (63) have been on trial since January last. It is the longest running criminal trial in the State's history. Bowe from Glasnevin, Dublin, McAteer of Greenrath, Tipperary Town, Co. Tipperary, Casey from Raheny, Dublin and Fitzpatrick of Convent Lane, Portmarnock, Dublin have all pleaded not (NOT) guilty to conspiring together and with others to mislead investors by setting up a 7.2 billion circular transaction scheme between March 1st and September 30th, 2008 to bolster Anglo's balance sheet. A company selling free range eggs has been refused a permanent High Court injunction restraining a competitor using allegedly similar packaging for its product. Mr Justice Tony O 'Connor dismissed a claim by Galway Free Range Eggs Ltd, who sell eggs under the "Galway Free Range Eggs" brand against rivals Hillsbrook Eggs Ltd, Tuam, Co Galway, and its directors Kevin O'Brien and his daughter Carmel O'Brien. It was claimed the defendants passed off its product by offering goods for sale under the name "O'Briens of Galway Free Range Eggs." Galway Free Range Eggs Ltd of Craigmore, Claregalway sought an order restraining the defendants from continuing to packaging their eggs under the name "O'Brien's of Galway Free Range Eggs". The defendants had denied the claims, and had opposed the action. Mr Justice O'Connor said Galway Free Range Eggs had failed to establish the defendants used the O'Brien name and the geographic name of the eggs county of origin in a manner which did not accord with honest practises. A young man who beat his mother to death with a mug has pleaded not guilty to her murder by reason of insanity. A young man who beat his mother to death with a mug has pleaded not guilty to her murder by reason of insanity. The trial of Bijan Afshar (23), from Killarney Road, Bray, Co Wicklow, is expected to last three days. Mr Afshar is charged with the murder of his mother Lynn Cassidy (50), on June 26 or 27, 2014, at her home in Deepdales, Bray, Co Wicklow. Counsel for the prosecution, Paul Burns SC, told a jury at the Central Criminal Court that they will hear from two psychiatrists. He said it would be up to the jury to decide whether they agree that Mr Afshar was "unable to refrain from committing the act, the killing in question" because of his mental condition. Detective Sergeant Eamonn O'Neill of Bray Garda Station agreed with Mr Burns that Bijan Afshar is the eldest of four sons and lived with his father and one of his brothers since his parents split in 2008. Mr Afshar had a difficult relationship with his mother, often only communicating with her through messages passed between them by his brothers. In 2008, he was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, a condition on the autism spectrum. Garda O'Neill said this meant he found it difficult to interact with others. As a teenager, he became increasingly difficult and stopped going to school. When his father became concerned about his over-use of the internet, he took away his modem but the boy became even more reclusive. Det Sgt O'Neill said that in an interview with gardai on June 27, 2014, Mr Afshar said that before he attacked his mother he was worried about losing the house he shared with his father as it was being sold. He called over to his mother's house, and when she said she couldn't slow down the sale, he said he "kind of lost control" and hit her over the head with a mug. The trial continues. Gardai at the scene of the fatal shooting of Gareth Hutch A man arrested in connection with the murder of Gareth Hutch gave himself up to gardai on his mother's advice, it has emerged. The suspect (29) was still being questioned in Mountjoy Garda Station last night about Gareth Hutch's murder while gardai continued their search for a murder suspect believed to be a 30-year-old dissident republican. The arrested man's mother is understood to have close links to the Hutch family. Gardai in the north inner city called to her home to warn that her son might be regarded as a suspect in the killing of Gareth Hutch on Tuesday morning. They warned the woman that her son's life was in grave danger. She is said to be "totally shocked" that he would be suspected of being involved in the murder as she is a personal friend of relatives of the slain man. It is believed that she then coaxed her son to hand himself in to gardai. He appeared at Mountjoy Garda Station at 8pm on Tuesday after talking with his mother. Expand Close Gareth Hutch, who was shot dead in Dublin on Tuesday / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gareth Hutch, who was shot dead in Dublin on Tuesday Sources say that the suspect denies any involvement in the brutal murder of dad-of-one Gareth Hutch. Gareth Hutch, who was in his 30s and the father of a young boy, was murdered in the Avondale House complex in Cumberland Street North in Dublin, a few hundred yards from O'Connell Street. He is the seventh victim of the bloody dispute between the Kinahan and Hutch families. Yesterday gardai appealed for information about the car which is believed to have taken the killers from the north inner city to Finglas. "Gardai investigating the murder of Gareth Hutch at Avondale House are seeking the public's assistance in tracing the movements of a silver Skoda car registration 05 D 15049 either before or after the shooting incident. "This car was observed on Sean McDermott Street after 10am on Tuesday following the murder of Gareth Hutch. It was seen on Rutland Street Lower and was later found in the Dubber Cross area of Finglas in a burnt-out condition," a garda spokesman said. Expand Close A burnt-out Skoda Octavia is removed at Dubber Cottages near Finglas / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A burnt-out Skoda Octavia is removed at Dubber Cottages near Finglas The second suspect in the murder of Gareth Hutch, who remained at large last night, is also now being investigated for other murders linked to the deadly feud. Both he and the arrested man are associated with convicted killer Michael Taylor Jnr (35). In November 2011, Taylor Jnr was found guilty of the 2007 murder of Paul Kelly (26) at an apartment block in Clontarf, Dublin. Searches continued in north Dublin last night for the on-the-run suspect, who is a member of the so-called 'New INLA' gang. Expand Close Floral tributes left at the murder scene / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Floral tributes left at the murder scene The suspect was in the same pub when a dissident Republican was shot dead on the orders of the Kinahan cartel. Just days after the murder of Michael Barr in the Sunset House pub in Summerhill, the north-inner-city criminal was then himself officially notified by gardai of an active threat against his life. This warning came amid mounting underworld speculation that he played some role in setting up Barr on the night he was shot dead. Gardai are now actively investigating the New INLA's links with the Kinahan cartel. Meanwhile, arrangements have not yet been finalised for the funeral of Gareth Hutch, whose murder has further increased gangland tensions in the capital. Expand Close A Garda forensic officer at the crime scene / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Garda forensic officer at the crime scene He was preparing to appeal to Dublin City Council housing officers to move him to a different flat in the Avondale House complex as he was in fear for his life. A feared gangland figure and a man who previously acted as a chief State witness against the Dundon-McCarthy gang have been arrested as part of a garda investigation into a horrific 'crucifixion' (Stock picture) A feared gangland figure and a man who previously acted as a chief State witness against the Dundon-McCarthy gang have been arrested as part of a garda investigation into a horrific 'crucifixion'. The sickening attack took place last year in Limerick when a man had his feet nailed to the floor by a vicious INLA thug who is well known to gardai in Dublin from his links to the criminal underworld. A dissident republican was arrested for the Limerick attack yesterday. Testified He was previously found guilty of the murder of a man but released on appeal. A second person also arrested previously testified against members of the Dundon-McCarthy gang after they waged a campaign of extortion against him. His evidence resulted in the break-up of the feared gang in Limerick and the jailing of the gang members. Officers have also detained a third man in relation to the crucifixion attack. All three were arrested for allegedly causing harm and false imprisonment of a Limerick man last year. All three men were last night being detained in Limerick garda stations. It is believed the victim was targeted in the crucifixion attack over a business deal dispute. It is understood he was lured to a meeting at a house in Limerick when a gang forced him into a chair. A nail gun was then used to nail his feet to the floor, before he escaped. The house at Summerville Park, Rathmines, Dublin where the mans body was discovered on Monday night. Photo: Collins A man who was found dead at his home in Rathmines in south Dublin on Monday night had been due to renew his vows with his partner later this summer. Des Sullivan (59) is believed to have been strangled. Mr Sullivan was discovered in an unresponsive state at his home in Summerville Park, off the Upper Rathmines Road. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A 67-year-old man, believed to have been known to the deceased, was arrested on Tuesday morning in Dublin in connection with the incident. He was questioned at Rathmines garda station before being released without charge yesterday afternoon. A file is to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. Friends of Mr Sullivan arrived at the quiet row of terraced period red-brick homes in Summerville Park to pay their respects and leave flowers. Expand Close A rose is left at the deceaseds door Picture: Caroline Quinn / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A rose is left at the deceaseds door Picture: Caroline Quinn Mr Sullivan had previously worked for the Mrs Green's shop in Ranelagh, which raises funds for Cheeverstown House in Templeogue. Locals said Mr Sullivan had been in a long-term relationship with his partner and the pair had married abroad in a civil ceremony in the past. "He was due to renew his vows with him this summer in light of the change to the marriage referendum last year. They were devoted to each other," a friend, who knew the couple, told the Irish Independent. Summerville Park is a small cul-de-sac of terraced, period red-brick homes. Expand Close Summerville Park, Rathmines, Dublin. Photo: Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Summerville Park, Rathmines, Dublin. Photo: Collins The couple's neighbours were reluctant to comment except to say that Mr Sullivan had lived on the street for many years and was a quiet and reserved man. "We don't even know what happened. It's hard to believe. It's a very quiet street, but nobody seems to have heard anything or know anything about what happened," said one local resident. "The first we knew about it was when we saw the emergency services and the gardai." "It's very sad, really. Nothing like this has happened here before," said another. Gardai and the Dublin Fire Brigade attended the scene on Monday night after receiving a call that there had been an incident. Mr Sullivan was pronounced dead at the scene and his body remained there overnight while the house was sealed off pending a forensic examination by members of the garda technical bureau. State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy attended the scene on Tuesday morning and later carried out a post mortem on the body at the City Morgue in Marino. Gardai have now launched a murder investigation. A protester is led away by gardai at the state event marking the deaths of British Soldiers in The Easter Rising at Grangegorman cemetery today. Photo: Tony Gavin Kevin Vickers Ambassador of Canada to Ireland tackles a protester this morning at Grangegorman Military Cemetery. Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. Kevin Vickers Ambassador of Canada to Ireland tackles a protestor who attempted to disrupt proceedings during a State ceremony to remember the British soldiers who died during the Easter Rising, 1916 pictured this morning at Grangegorman Military Cemetery.Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. A protester is tackled by the Canadian Ambassador to Ireland, Kevin Vickars at the state event marking the deaths of British Soldiers in The Easter Rising at Grangegorman cemetery today. Photo: Tony Gavin A protester is tackled by the Canadian Ambassador to Ireland, Kevin Vickars at the state event marking the deaths of British Soldiers in The Easter Rising at Grangegorman cemetery today. Photo: Tony Gavin What does Canada think about Kevin Vickers, ambassador to Ireland, tackling a protester at a ceremony in Ireland? The Canadian ambassador, who made global headlines when he took down a terrorist gunman, has been hailed a hero by many at this side of the Atlantic after he tackled a protester at a 1916 ceremony in Dublin yesterday. Mr Vickers also previously took down a terrorist gunman in his native Canada. At the beginning of a ceremony marking the deaths of British soldiers in 1916 at Grangegorman Military Cemetery, during the welcome by MC Commandant Stephen MacEoin, a man in his 40s stood up shouting that the event was "an insult", before he was approached by the Canadian Ambassador. Expand Close A protester is tackled by the Canadian Ambassador to Ireland, Kevin Vickars at the state event marking the deaths of British Soldiers in The Easter Rising at Grangegorman cemetery today. Photo: Tony Gavin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A protester is tackled by the Canadian Ambassador to Ireland, Kevin Vickars at the state event marking the deaths of British Soldiers in The Easter Rising at Grangegorman cemetery today. Photo: Tony Gavin The former Sergeant-at-Arms intercepted the protester and physically moved him away. The moment made the headlines both here in Ireland and in Mr Vickers' native Canada. And on social media, everyone from Canadian MPs, journalists and former politicians took to Twitter to give their view. Some applauded Mr Vickers' actions, while others saw his tackle as wholly inappropriate... Who needs superheroes when you've got Kevin Vickers? https://t.co/t4sYopCuUA Jason Kenney (@jkenney) May 26, 2016 Listen world, don't mess with Kevin Vickers. https://t.co/QZYNriYg3T Michelle Rempel, MP (@MichelleRempel) May 26, 2016 Kickin' ass and taking names! Don't mess with Vickers nuff said. https://t.co/DWAuwL7ygF Min Dhariwal (@MinDhariwal) May 26, 2016 Is there any possible defence of Vickers behaviour here? Did someone forget to explain to him what sort of creature an ambassador is? Colby Cosh (@colbycosh) May 26, 2016 I wonder how those celebrating Kevin Vickers' actions in Dublin would feel about China's ambassador assaulting Tibetan protesters in Ottawa. Michael Karanicolas (@M_Karanicolas) May 26, 2016 Canadian Ambassador completely out of order, He has no right to attack an Irish citizen, if a crime was committed1/2 https://t.co/mXICBfCAjq Sean O' Shea (@SeaniieOShea) May 26, 2016 Kevin Vickers is a Canadian hero, but he was totally in the wrong to interfere with a peaceful Irish protester on Irish soil. Peter Scowen (@scowen13) May 26, 2016 Mr Vickers was hailed a hero after shooting gunman Michael Zehaf-Bibeau who had killed a soldier at the Canadian House of Commons in Ottawa in October 2014. After the incident, he received a standing ovation in parliament. The former Sergeant-in-Arms was later appointed Canadian Ambassador to Ireland. Expand Close A protester is tackled by the Canadian Ambassador to Ireland, Kevin Vickars at the state event marking the deaths of British Soldiers in The Easter Rising at Grangegorman cemetery today. Photo: Tony Gavin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A protester is tackled by the Canadian Ambassador to Ireland, Kevin Vickars at the state event marking the deaths of British Soldiers in The Easter Rising at Grangegorman cemetery today. Photo: Tony Gavin Read More An eye-witness described how Mr Vickers was the first to react when the event was interrupted. "It was just before the wreath party was coming in. The colour party were carrying a Union Jack. "This man just ran forward and started screaming 'It's a disgrace'. He was tackled by somebody and it was only after that I realised it was the Canadian ambassador. "The whole thing lasted about a minute. The Canadian ambassador grabbed him. there was a struggle and gardai wrestled him to the ground. Expand Close Kevin Vickers Ambassador of Canada to Ireland tackles a protestor who attempted to disrupt proceedings during a State ceremony to remember the British soldiers who died during the Easter Rising, 1916 pictured this morning at Grangegorman Military Cemetery.Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kevin Vickers Ambassador of Canada to Ireland tackles a protestor who attempted to disrupt proceedings during a State ceremony to remember the British soldiers who died during the Easter Rising, 1916 pictured this morning at Grangegorman Military Cemetery.Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. "Without hesitation he [Mr Vickers] jumped out from the middle of dignitaries" A garda spokesman said: "A man in his 40s has been arrested in relation to a public order incident at a ceremony in Grangegorman just after mid-day. "He has been arrested under section four of the criminal justice act." Expand Close Kevin Vickers Ambassador of Canada to Ireland tackles a protester this morning at Grangegorman Military Cemetery. Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kevin Vickers Ambassador of Canada to Ireland tackles a protester this morning at Grangegorman Military Cemetery. Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. One attendee said the incident did not interrupt the remainder of the ceremony. Attendees included Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan TD, Minister for Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts & the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys TD, Minister of State for Defence Paul Kehoe TD, and British Ambassador Dominick Chilcott. Speaking at the event Minister Flanagan said the commemoration was "symbolic of the reconciliation" between Ireland and Britain. The ceremony included readings of accounts of the Rising, music and prayers. There was a solemn wreath-laying ceremony followed by a minute of silent reflection and a piper's lament, and the raising of the National Flag to full mast. A spokeswoman for the Canadian ambassador said: "We are not commenting on this incident." Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald is to ask GSOC to probe two conflicting accounts of a meeting held between two gardai and the whistleblower Maurice McCabe. The meeting took place in Mullingar in 2008. Independent TD Mick Wallace last night named the gardai in the Dail as Superintendent Noel Cunningham and Sergeant Yvonne Martin. Fianna Fail's Micheal Martin said it was wrong to use Dail privilege to name people in the circumstances. Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan said she had asked the Justice Minister to seek a probe "in order to resolve any public disquiet, misplaced or otherwise, which may arise, and in the interest of fairness to all involved". Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald also revealed that she is to ask the Policing Authority to review the way that garda whistleblowers are dealt with and to find better ways of testing the veracity of their allegations. Referral She said: "The commissioner has asked me to use the legal powers available to me to ask the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission to investigate matters alleged to have occurred in relation to a meeting in Mullingar involving certain officers. I intend to do this and I am consulting with the Attorney General about the precise nature of such a referral." Water protesters shout at former Environment Minister Alan Kelly as he enters Leinster House last night. Photo: Rolling News Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin attacked British Prime Minister David Cameron for refusing to release documents on the 1974 Dublin-Monaghan bombings. Mr Martin said Mr Cameron was creating a "fundamental barrier" for real closure on the issue as the Dail voted on a motion to release papers on the attack. "It is clear from the evidence that loyalist paramilitaries undertook the bloody deed," Mr Martin said yesterday. "However, the sophistication and co-ordination of the attacks raises serious issues around the potential orchestration of the explosions by elements of British security forces. "The refusal of Prime Minister Cameron to release the relevant documents is a fundamental barrier to achieving real closure." Taoiseach Enda Kenny said he raised the issue when meeting Mr Cameron and had called for an "independent international judicial figure" to review the files. Mr Kenny also told relatives that their suffering will "never be forgotten". Expand Close David Cameron: Putting up a fundamental barrier. Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp David Cameron: Putting up a fundamental barrier. Photo: PA The bombings, which were recently commemorated on its 42nd anniversary, were on one of the worst days of the Troubles, as 34 people died. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are on a collision course over Taoiseach Enda Kenny's plan to allow TDs take almost three months off over the summer. Mr Kenny told his TDs last night the Dail will go into recess on July 7 and will not sit again until mid-September. This is despite the fact a new Government was only formed on May 6, more than three months after the Dail was dissolved for the General Election. The Fine Gael parliamentary party heard that due to repair works to be carried out on Leinster House over the summer, they would not have to be back for sittings until mid-September. However, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has indicated that his party may not support the minority government on the issue. "It's a surprise because it hasn't been communicated to me. I think it's too early and it's too long," he said. Mr Martin said he will be having "further discussions" on the matter with other parties "and the Government as well". He said he had spoken to the Ceann Comhairle and the Clerk of the Dail two weeks ago and they indicated that the Dail would rise in the middle of July "around the 18th". "The clerk did explain about the structural problems with the old part of Leinster House. From his perspective it required urgent remedial works in terms of securing it," Mr Martin added. Fianna Fail did help the Government win a vote on water charges in the Dail last night, by abstaining on amendments made to a Sinn Fein motion. It was the first time, apart from the election of the Taoiseach and ministers, that Fine Gael needed the help of Mr Martin's party to win a Dail vote. The Sinn Fein motion sought the immediate abolition of water charges and Irish Water. But the Government won the vote by 59 to 38. The Anti-Austerity Alliance's Richard Boyd-Barrett attacked Fianna Fail for abandoning its "General Election promises" to scrap the body. He said the motion specifically matched the wording of Fianna Fail's pre-election pledges. Earlier, outside Leinster House, Paul Murphy criticised a number of Independent TDs in Government in front of 200 anti-Irish Water around protesters. "We already know the motion is unlikely to pass because political forces who were voted on a platform to end water charges and Irish Water are going to vote against or abstain," Mr Murphy said. "That goes for John Halligan, that goes for Katherine Zappone, that goes for Finian McGrath and that goes for Fianna Fail." Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe hit out at Opposition TDs for tabling the bill. "There has to be evidence of a new attitude to make new politics work... This (vote) is nothing about water, nothing about water services." He said the motion was "the worst of old politics masquerading as something new". Tributes have poured in for an Irish pilot described as a "true gent" who was killed alongside four others during a horrific plane crash in Hawaii. Tullamore native Damien Jimmy Horan (30) was flying a single engine light aircraft being used by a group of skydivers at 9.30 am (local time) on Monday, when witnesses said the plane "fell out of the sky" and burst into flames. An investigation into the tragedy has been launched According to local reports, the Cessna 182H plane had only lifted off the runway when its engine began to sputter and fail. Four of those on board were killed at the scene, while a fifth person later died in hospital. Both the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are examining the wreckage of the plane. Expand Close The crash scene / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The crash scene Retired Air Force mechanic Cisco Campos said he was fishing Monday morning when he saw the Skydive Kauai plane take off and noticed that the engine sounded strange. In an interview with Hawaii New Now, he said the plane was only about a flag pole's height off the ground when the engines appeared to be sputter and then cut out. Campos said the plane looked to be turning back to the airport when the engine caught fire and burst into flames. The plane "fell out of the sky," Campos said, and exploded on impact. Widely travelled, Damien had been living in Hawaii for a number of months following an extended stay in Tammin, Western Australia. Expand Close The crash occurred on Kauai, Hawaii. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The crash occurred on Kauai, Hawaii. A local source said it had always been the young pilot's dream to live in the US, because his mother was American. "We only got the news this morning...everyone who knew him is in shock. You could never have met a more genuine guy." Local Tullamore councillor Thomas McKeigue said: "A stunned silence has descended on the area. "Damien's family would be well-known to most people in the town as his father is a stone-cutter...for this to happen to them is unbelievable. "This will be a big blow for them. He was the oldest child and had been away for a number of years seeing the world." The family are understood to be making preparations to travel to the US. On Facebook and Twitter there was an outpouring of grief when news of the young pilot's death was announced. "Cannot believe I'm even writing this...To a true gent, may you rest in peace," wrote one person. While another described him as "the most gorgeous bloke you could meet". Offaly TD Marcella Corcoran Kennedy offered her condolences to the Horan family, saying: "This tragedy will leave a huge void for Damien's parents, extended family and friends. I know the wider community in Tullamore will do everything they can to assist them." One in four rural dwellers now says they would be forced to move to a city or large town without proper broadband, according to a major new survey. Stock photo: PA A growing proportion of Ireland's rural population say there is pressure on them to abandon their homes and move to cities because of poor regional broadband infrastructure. One in four rural dwellers now says they "would be forced" to move to a city or large town without proper broadband, according to a major new survey. The Vodafone survey, conducted by Amarach Research among 1,000 people outside Ireland's biggest cities, says that at least one in five Irish homes has no broadband access at all. Of those that do, almost half of households outside towns report insufficient speeds to perform ordinary tasks. And one in five now says they have to leave home to access the internet. The figures will come as a stark warning to Government planners preparing a timeframe for the State-subsidised National Broadband Plan. The plan, which promises to connect every rural home to fibre-speed broadband, is currently not scheduled for completion until 2022. And it is not planned to even begin a roll-out until the second half of 2017. However, the Vodafone survey could cause Government strategists to rethink the State's timetable, with parts of rural Ireland now facing an increasingly bleak future because of the lack of broadband. "The results suggest that both businesses and potential employees won't consider places with poor broadband infrastructure," said Gerard O'Neill, chairman of Amarach Research. "It also suggests that having proper broadband improves the chance of attracting returning emigrants, many with skills." Senior telecoms industry figures now say that the National Broadband Plan could be delivered much quicker than 2022, even with the Government's delayed 2017 commencement date. And local chambers of commerce have been pleading with State planners to speed up delivery of the services, arguing that local businesses are being starved of vital resources. Of rural homes that have some form of broadband, almost one in four uses the internet at home for work. And nearly 150,000 of those say that they avoid commuting some or all of the time because they can connect to work through the internet. But one-third say slow and unreliable internet speeds prevent them from working from home. The child weighs the same amount as the average six-month-old and is reportedly twice the size of the average baby. A mother in India has given birth to a 15-pound baby girl, believed to be the heaviest female infant ever born. The child weighs the same amount as the average six-month-old and is reportedly twice the size of the average baby. The baby, who is unnamed, was delivered by cesarean section to her 19-year-old mother, known only as Nandini. Doctors believe her weight overtakes the alleged current record holder, Carisa Rusack, who was born weighing 14lb 5oz in Massachusetts in 2014. Dr Venkatesh Raju, the local health officer, said: "In my 25 years of experience, I had never seen such a big baby. "She is a miracle. I believe she is not only the heaviest baby born in India but the heaviest baby girl ever born in the world." Doctors and family were surprised by the size of the baby, because the pregnancy had gone smoothly. Nandini, the mother, weighs 14.5 stone and is 5'9 tall, and was unaware she was going to give birth to such a large child. Medics are monitoring the child in an intensive care unit to check her developments, before letting her go in a few days. The gynaecologist who delivered the baby, Poornima Manu, said: "She came as a big surprise for all of us. The surgery took place for nearly half an hour and it was free of any risk. She is really big and beautiful. "She does not have any health issues like irregular sugar levels or thyroid and is breathing well. We were initially concerned about her sugar levels but that is normal. "The mother had made regular visits for check-ups at the hospital and never showed signs of gestational diabetes or thyroid disorders." Despite being "big and beautiful", the unnamed baby is far off the current Guinness Record holder for heaviest birth. This is held by a baby boy born in Italy who was born without any health issues at 22 lb 8 oz to Sig. Carmelina Fedele (Italy) at Aversa, Italy in September 1955. Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] Premium Your personal finance questions Should I give up my tracker mortgage now that interest rates are rising fast? Q I am on a tracker mortgage so my mortgage bills have gone up twice since last July as a result of the two European Central Bank interest rate hikes. The interest rate on my tracker mortgage was 1.5pc before the ECB started to increase its rate in July. Now it is almost twice that at 2.75pc. Tracker mortgages have always been considered gold dust but I am now considering fixing my mortgage as I am worried the ECB may increase its rates again in the coming months, which would push my mortgage bills even higher. Would it be a good idea to give up my tracker and fix my mortgage? One-quarter of Irelands rural population would be forced to move to urban locations if it wasnt for broadband, a new study into digital connectivity in rural Ireland has revealed. And while broadband penetration is as high as 90% in some rural locations, one-in-five respondents in the countryside say they still cant get access to broadband at all. These findings and more are contained in the research report, Connected Futures: Bridging Irelands Urban-Rural Divide, produced by Amarach for Vodafone Ireland. The study is based on face-to-face interviews with 1,000 adults as well as a telephone survey of 100 micro businesses across rural Ireland and uniquely asks respondents about their current experiences and aspirations for a digital future. This report gives an insight into the views and realities of people living in rural Ireland, explained Vodafone CEO, Anne OLeary. Theyre embracing online but they need better speeds, better quality and a more joined-up approach is needed between telcos, the government, stakeholders and local communities themselves We need to remove the barriers and restrictions to make it happen. Ireland can be turned into a gigabit society and compete with anyone in the world. SIRO is a venture between Vodafone and ESB that uses the existing ESB infrastructure to provide fibre into homes and buildings and is the first of its kind in Europe being trialled in places such as Skibbereen in West Cork. Can Skib now compete with Singapore? Ludgate in Skibbereen is a fantastic example of a small town in rural Ireland that said enough is enough, said OLeary. The recession, the boarded-up shops, the young people leaving, they had enough and decided to do something about it. A local businessman, John Field, donated the local bakery for 80 hotdesks and high speed fibre with speeds on a par with Singapore is being used by the businesses in this new digital hub space. People are returning to the area now and creating employment as a result. SIRO is then going to move on the to local businesses who want to trade and sell online by providing them with fibre connectivity. This is a cost effective solution which will be providing technology and speeds future-proofed for the next 25 years to drive economic growth and prosperity across the country. So how can connectivity enable rural dwellers to maximise home and work life outside of the main cities? Of the estimated 1.8 million broadband users in rural Ireland, nearly 1 in 4 (430,000 adults) uses the internet at home in relation to their work: and nearly 150,000 of these choose to avoid commuting some or all of the time because they can connect to work through the internet (thats about 1 in 13 workers in Ireland as a whole). Almost seven in ten micro-business owners (69%) agree that slow and unreliable internet speeds currently prevent them and their staff from working efficiently. But, the digital divide prevails: - There is a 22% gap between broadband penetration in villages (69%) and suburbs (91%). - Broadband penetration in small towns is 84%. One in five (18%) say they cant get access broadband at all, rising to one in four (26%) in villages. - A quarter (24%) of respondents say their broadband speed is too slow (rising to 44% living in detached houses in countryside) and one in five (20%) are currently forced to go to venues outside the home to access the internet. - While nearly half the respondents (44%) would be willing to pay more for access to higher speeds at home, the vast majority (81%) disagree that that they should be expected to. - One-third (30%) say that slow and unreliable internet speeds currently prevent them and/or family members from working from home and that their internet speed at home isnt fast enough for all their family requirements (33%). Gerard ONeill, chairperson of Amarach Research which carried out the study, says that it shows just how embedded tech is in peoples lives and by not having internet access it would affect them negatively. 25% of those surveyed said they would move from rural Ireland if they had no broadband while, conversely, more people said they would move to the countryside if they had the same levels of connectivity as the cities and towns and which would enable a better quality of life in turn. The majority of the population three million live in rural Ireland, explained ONeill. But it is extremely difficult for a lot of people to access broadband. It shows the extent to which equality does not exist and how far the digital divide still has to go. As for SMEs and the improvements they need, ONeill says the economy as a whole would grow if rural businesses were helped with better broadband speeds. As part of the study, one hundred SMEs were surveyed and over 80% said they wuold be able to hire more people and grow their business more if they had access to better digital connectivity. Were nowhere the real and full potential that can be achieved until better connectivity is attained. With 10-12 billion to be spent online by Irish consumers by 2020, ecommerce is a huge growth area to be developed to meet the needs of Irish consumers and to keep money in the local economy. The possibilities and benefits of digital connectivity are endless not just for rural Ireland, but the country as a whole, added Anne OLeary. The majority of our population still live in rural Ireland and it will be critical that all of society is in a position to take equal advantage of the digital revolution. The full Connected Futures report can be viewed here. Sponsored by: There is nothing quite as soothing as a good to-do list when faced with the planning of your wedding. Quite apart from the obvious practicalities, a good check-list serves as a handy reminder throughout all of the fuss and fun during the months ahead (as well as the 'friendly' advice and the self-proclaimed VIPs) that logic and action are always your best allies. Whether you are the type of person who has had your wedding planned since childhood or the thought never crossed your mind before now, every bride and groom can benefit from a little master-planning. "Planning your wedding should be an enjoyable and exciting experience," Edel Becton, wedding planner with Frog Prince Weddings & Events says. "A wedding is one of the most important days in a couple's life. It can also be one of the most stressful, but it doesn't have to be. Putting together a wedding planning schedule and doing things step by step can help you to overcome what can be an overwhelming process. And it ensures that you never lose sight of the real reason for the wedding; the fact that you are celebrating your love. It is important to start ticking off your list in a logical order so you don't take on too much too fast at any one time in the lead up to the big day." 12 months to go The budget: Once you and your other half have agreed upon a loose date for the big day, the next step is to determine your budget. There is always one half of every couple who is more sensible with money than the other, so pick a number in the middle of your individual estimates and go with that. Certain venues will offer more affordable wedding packages during off-peak times of the year and/or the day of the week, which may be something to consider before you set a more concrete date in your diary. The wedding budget will no doubt fluctuate en route, but it is vital to have some idea of what you hope to spend before you start looking around and falling in love with venues that you simply cannot afford. The venue: The way to your guests' hearts, according to The Wedding Expert Blaithin O'Reilly Murphy, is through their stomachs, so remember to sample the cuisine of any prospective venues before your head is turned by any fancy decor or fairy tale staircases. And when you have made a decision on your location, be sure to block-book accommodation at (and if needs be around) your venue for your guests. It's important at this point to also make contact with the relevant parties regarding your ceremony, be it a religious or civil celebration. The photography: Whether you are having a photographer, a videographer or both on the day, some of Ireland's best wedding snappers are often booked up to 18 months in advance, so get in there quick. Video of the Day Follow the advice of Niamh Fisher, of Little Bird Weddings, and be sure that whoever you choose to go with on the day understands both who you are and what you want from them. "Leaving out a wedding video is the number one regret for most Irish couples," Niamh says. "We have found that most couples are put off by the cheesy videos of the past or think their budgets won't stretch; so it's important to find the right people for you and your personality and the right package. We like to be the alternative eyes and ears, and capture all of the things throughout the day that the bride and groom might miss because they are so busy, and that way there are no regrets." Engagement photoshoots are also growing in popularity in Ireland, not only for capturing the happy occasion but as a practice run for the couple for being in front of the lens. The music: Music can make or break the atmosphere at your wedding reception and ceremony, but good wedding bands and musicians, who know not only how to work the crowd but how to capture the sentiment of the day, are in huge demand. Early booking is essential to prevent disappointment. "Spend as much as your budget will possibly allow on your music; it is a major part of the day," says planner Blaithin O'Reilly Murphy. 9 months to go The dress: Shopping for your wedding dress will not only give you more of an idea of how you'd like the rest of your wedding to look, but it may also be a huge relief as if all else fails, at least you'll have some idea of what you'll be wearing on the day. "Approach shopping for your gown with a sense of adventure," head of bridal at popular chain Folkster, Roisin Hennessy, advises. "It should feel fun and wonderful. In a lot of cases, everyone will want to be part of your dress adventure - which is lovely and such a compliment. However, we find that it's really important that when you start shopping, you keep your crew limited to just a couple of your absolute inner circle. Too many opinions can distract and upset a bride." And Roisin believes that keeping an open mind is key to success. "It is a nice idea to be open to trying on a couple of styles which you had previously ruled out," Roisin adds. "Gowns can look completely different to how they seem on the hanger." The flowers: "Book and meet with your florist," Edel Becton of Frog Prince Weddings says. "From the moment you walk down the aisle to the moment you throw your bouquet, flowers will mark the occasion. So bring along your Pinterest board and any photos of floral designs that have impressed you. This will help your florist create a floral design that is unique to you." The transport: Whether you are travelling in modern style or old fashioned glory, pick a plane, train or automobile to suit your day and bridal party needs. And try not to forget that the father of the bride may need a lift back from the church! 6 months to go The bridesmaids' dresses: Choose your bridesmaids' dresses or at least begin on what can often be a long and arduous road towards some sort of consensus. And remember if you are going down the online route to keep an eye out for short returns policies. The cake: There are so many wedding cake options out there these days, from alternative cheesecakes (ie tiered wheels of cheese), to pies and cakes of every description - such as the less traditional wedding cake table or cupcake offerings - so you can quite literally have your cake and eat it. Just make sure you give the bakery plenty of notice, particularly if you want a better deal. The documentation: Regardless of the type of wedding ceremony you are having, you will need to prioritise your paperwork. In order to marry in this State, you need to give your local civil registrar a minimum of three months' notice of the marriage, providing your birth cert amongst other documents - miss this window and you will just be having a big party. Check out hse.ie/go/marriage for more information. Those getting married in the Catholic Church, will also need to provide the church with additional documentation including a new long form baptismal certificate issued within six months of the proposed date of marriage from the parish of your baptism. For more information see accord.ie The Hen/Stag: Most hen and stag parties will typically take place anything from six- to 10 weeks before the big day, which will allow just enough time for any little blunders to rectify themselves (ie the groom's eyebrows to grow back). However, for a truly great pre-wedding send-off, Siobhan Scanlon, founder of hen party specialists The Peacock Bride, believes that the planning needs to start much earlier in the year, so now may be time to start dropping those hints thick and fast. "Hen parties can be a bit of a chore to organise, but I've found that if you get the ground work done well in advance, about six months or so beforehand, it makes for a much smoother experience," suggests Siobhan. "My advice is to go to the group with a solid plan in place, as that way people are less likely to give their two cents and you have them on board from the get-go. Arrange as much as you possibly can in advance, things like food, costumes, even taxis, so there's transparency in the cost." Relax and go with it... Your wedding is a very special occasion, a public declaration of your love and an incredibly special commitment. There is no doubt that there will be hiccups, but hopefully you will be enjoying yourself too much to care. "Soak up every moment of this very special day," Edel of Frog Prince Weddings advises. "The morning of your wedding is such a special and happy time, getting ready with the people that mean the most to you. Make sure to steal some time away on the wedding day for just the two of you, as the day goes by so quickly." 3 months to go The ceremony: Decide upon readings, prayers and music for your ceremony and discuss these details with your celebrant or priest. "Think about how you can really personalise your ceremony," The Wedding Expert Blaithin O'Reilly Murphy suggests. "A truly personal ceremony is very important, but often a lot of couples get absorbed into this Pinterest fantasy of wedding receptions and forget what the day is all about. The best weddings I have ever been at have been the ones where the couples have put a great deal of thought and consideration into their ceremonies." The suits: Book or buy the suits for the groom, groomsmen and both the father of the bride and father of the groom, if required. The style: Book your make-up artist and hairdresser and begin trying out looks for your big day. Start your dress fittings. The tasting: Pick your wedding menu and wines with balance in mind. "It's important to get the right balance between feeding a large amount of people and your menu not being too bland or predictable," Blaithin O'Reilly Murphy suggests. The stationery: Order your invitations and other stationery for your day including menus, place cards, signs and ceremony booklets. Gather your guests' addresses. 2 months to go The gifts: Choose gifts for your bridesmaids, flower girl(s), page boy(s), groomsmen and parents. The shoes: Buy your wedding shoes and start wearing them in pronto, but maybe just around the house! The invites: Send your invitations and create a spread sheet to keep track of your RSVPs as your guests respond. The rings: Choose and order your wedding bands. 1 month to go The final details: "Meet with your florist and make the final decisions," Edel Becton of Frog Prince Weddings advises at this point. "Discuss playlists with your band and DJ and meet with your venue coordinator to confirm the timings and details for the day." Now is also the time to call any guests who have yet to RSVP before creating your seating plan. * Call all wedding suppliers and re-confirm details. * Confirm your final numbers with the venue. * Finalise your table plan. Dylann Roof (right) in court, charged with nine murders (Reuters) Federal prosecutors will seek the death penalty for a white man accused of killing nine black parishioners in a racially motivated attack at a church in Charleston, South Carolina last June, the US Justice Department has said. Dylann Roof (22) is accused of opening fire on June 17 last year during Bible study at Charleston's historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in a massacre that shook the country and intensified the debate over race relations. He faces 33 federal charges, including hate crimes, obstruction of religion and firearms offences. In a court filing, federal prosecutors cited a number of factors for seeking the death penalty, saying Roof singled out victims who were black and elderly and showed no remorse. They also cited "substantial planning and premeditation". A friend of Roof, Joseph Meek (21), pleaded guilty last month to concealing his knowledge of Roof's intention to carry out the attack. He said Roof planned the shooting for six months and wanted to start a race war. Roof's lawyers have said that he would agree to plead guilty, rather than face trial, if prosecutors ruled out capital punishment. Roof also faces the death penalty if he is convicted on separate state murder charges in a trial that is set to begin in January. The state prosecutor trying the case said last September that some of the victims' families were opposed to a death sentence due to their religious beliefs, while others felt that it was appropriate. Steve Schmutz, an attorney representing families of three victims, said his clients "support whatever decision the US government is making in this case, and I'm sure they support this decision." Some relatives of the slain worshippers tearfully offered words of forgiveness during Roof's initial court appearance. Roof is due back in federal court in Charleston on June 8, when prosecutors are expected to discuss a trial date. In one of the presidential campaign year's more grisly spectacles, protesters in New Mexico opposing Donald Trump's candidacy threw burning T-shirts, plastic bottles and other items at police officers, injuring several, and toppled rubbish bins and barricades. Police responded by firing pepper spray and smoke grenades into the crowd outside the Albuquerque Convention Centre. During the rally, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee was interrupted repeatedly by protesters, who shouted, held up banners and resisted removal by security officers. The banners included the messages "Trump is Fascist" and "We've heard enough". Trump lashed back, tweeting: "The protesters in New Mexico were thugs who were flying the Mexican flag. The rally inside was big and beautiful, but outside, criminals!" At one point, a female protester was physically dragged from the stands by security. Other protesters scuffled with security as they resisted removal from the convention centre, which was packed with thousands of cheering Trump supporters. Trump responded with his usual bluster, instructing security to remove the protesters and mocking their actions by telling them to "Go home to mommy". He responded to one demonstrator by asking, "How old is this kid?" Then he provided his own answer: "Still wearing diapers." Trump's supporters responded with chants of "Build that wall!" Trump later tweeted "Great rally in New Mexico, amazing crowd!" A Mexican student said she participated in disrupting Trump's speech because she felt he was attacking members of her family who are living in the country illegally. She said she believes Trump is using them as scapegoats for the nation's problems. Meanwhile, Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton and Mr Trump each won primaries in Washington state. Trump's win on Tuesday moves him to within 28 delegates of clinching the Republican nomination. Clinton's win might give her some momentum, but it won't get her any delegates as Washington Democrats already awarded their delegates based on party caucuses in March, in which Bernie Sanders got 74 delegates and Clinton got 27. Republicans in Washington will allocate all 44 delegates to their national convention based on the primary results. Trump won at least 40 delegates on Tuesday, with four still left to be allocated. The billionaire businessman has 1,209 delegates. It takes 1,237 delegates to win the GOP nomination. There are no more Republican contests until June 7, when the last five states vote. With a total of 303 delegates at stake in California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota, Trump should easily clinch the nomination that day. Trump is the only remaining candidate in the GOP contest. But his former opponents, John Kasich and Ted Cruz, were still on the ballot because they suspended their campaigns after the ballots were printed. Ben Carson was also still on the ballot. None of the former candidates got enough votes to qualify for delegates. The only question for the remaining four delegates in Washington is whether they will go to Trump or be uncommitted, under state party rules. Sanders trails Clinton in the delegate count and he is running out of contests in his bid to catch up. Clinton is just 78 delegates short of clinching the nomination. She is on track to do so in early June, even if she loses all the remaining contests. Clinton has 1,768 pledged delegates won in primaries and caucuses. Sanders has 1,497. Clinton's lead is even bigger when superdelegate endorsements are included. These are the party leaders and elected officials who can support the candidate of their choice. Overall, Clinton has 2,305 delegates and Sanders has 1,539. It takes 2,383 delegates to win the Democratic nomination. Republican Donald Trump signed off on a controversial business deal designed to deprive the US government of tens of millions of dollars in tax. The billionaire approved a $50m (45m) investment in a company - only for the deal to be rewritten several weeks later as a 'loan'. Experts say the effect of this move was to skirt vast tax liabilities and court papers seen by the 'Daily Telegraph' allege that the deal amounted to fraud. Independent tax accountants and lawyers said the documents that Mr Trump signed - copies of which were obtained by the 'Daily Telegraph' as part of a three-month investigation - contained 'red flags', indicating that the deal was irregular. But the Republican presumptive presidential nominee signed nonetheless. Bob McIntyre, director of the US-based Citizens for Tax Justice campaign group, said the disclosures raised serious questions about Mr Trump's judgment, as well as that of his advisers. Mr Trump's tax affairs have come under scrutiny in recent weeks after he broke with US political convention and refused to disclose his tax returns before this November's presidential election. The outspoken tycoon - who revealed last week that he had earned more than $500m (450m) in the last year - has previously boasted of how he pays as little tax "as possible". Jack Blum, chairman of the Tax Justice Network and a financial crime attorney, said Mr Trump was a "poster child" for tax-avoidance property schemes and that these ultimately harmed middle-income Americans. The allegations centre on Mr Trump's business alliance with Bayrock Group, the property company that was building Trump SoHo, the mogul's prized New York building, as well as two other projects to which he had licensed his name. In 2007, Bayrock struck a deal with FL Group, an Icelandic company that had agreed to invest $50m in four of Bayrock's subsidiary partnerships. However, the deal was later relabelled as a loan. In New York, the sale of a stake in a partnership would make the existing partners liable to pay more than 40pc in tax on their 'gain', based on the highest tax rate. However, if the investment is classified as a loan, no tax would be payable. Former employees of Bayrock have alleged in a case against the company that the deal was intended to fraudulently evade some $20m in tax through a disguised sale of partnership interests. They also claim that the participants mislabelled the sale as a loan in order to avoid paying a further estimated $80m taxes on the projected profits from the real estate. The newspaper obtained copies of the letters that Mr Trump signed for both the original version and the new form as a 'loan'. He and his lawyers were sent copies of the relevant paperwork, including the final loan agreement. Alan Garten, Mr Trump's lawyer, claimed that the billionaire "had nothing to do with that transaction" and that by signing the letters he was simply acknowledging the deal as a "limited partner". "He was not signing off on the deal," Mr Garten insisted. But copies of the final agreement, which were seen by the 'Telegraph', reveal that the deal required Mr Trump's approval because he was a key player in Bayrock's investments. He had a 15pc stake in Trump SoHo. Independent experts who have reviewed copies of the final agreement have said the documents appear to be an equity investment disguised as a loan in order to avoid tax payments on the profit that FL was expecting to receive. Howard Abrams, professor of law and director of tax at the University of San Diego, said: "Converting the original equity into debt improved their tax position dramatically. However, they have changed the labels, but they didn't really change the economics at all. "It's not a loan, it's really equity. I don't think they would survive a challenge (by the Internal Revenue Service)." Experts said that the matter would usually be one for the IRS, which could audit, or re-audit, the deal and attempt to recover any tax that should have been paid. In such cases, the IRS can subsequently pursue fraud charges if there is sufficient evidence of intentional wrongdoing. A former federal prosecutor in the Department of Justice's tax division said that if action was to be taken by the IRS, it could see Mr Trump deposed from the presidency in court. A source at FL Group - which went bankrupt in the Icelandic banking crisis in 2008 - stated: "Whether it was structured as a loan or an equity investment, we were always buying an interest in certain projects." Mr Trump's lawyer said the tax implications of the deal were not relevant to him because the presidential contender was not a "party" to the transaction. "Our interests are protecting our rights," said the lawyer. Bayrock described the allegations, in the legal complaint by Jody Kriss, its former finance director, as "baseless". The company said the deal was "vetted and approved by outside accountants and tax counsel". It also claimed that the deal's "tax treatment" was subject to an "extensive field audit conducted over many months" by the IRS, which "concluded that it was entirely appropriate". However, the company refused to provide proof of the audit or answer a series of questions about what information had been made available to officials. Frederick Oberlander, the tax lawyer who has represented Mr Kriss in his complaint against the company, said: "Being audited only means they didn't catch anything. It doesn't mean there isn't anything to catch." The Afghan Taliban has named an Islamic legal scholar, who was one of former leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour's deputies, to succeed him, after confirming Mansour's death in a US drone strike at the weekend. Within an hour of the announcement, a Taliban suicide bomber attacked a shuttle bus carrying court employees west of the Afghan capital, Kabul, killing as many as 11 people. The new Taliban leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, was named in a UN report last year as the former chief of the sharia-based justice system under the Taliban's five-year rule over Afghanistan, which ended with their ousting in 2001. Sirajuddin Haqqani, the head of a feared network that is blamed for many deadly bomb attacks in Kabul in recent years, and Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, son of Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, will serve as his deputies. Akhundzada, who is believed to be around 60 years of age and a member of the powerful Noorzai tribe, was a close aide to Omar. He is from Kandahar, in the south of Afghanistan and the heartland of the Taliban. However, there was no indication of whether the appointment would lead to a shift in the stance of the Taliban, which, under Mansour, had ruled out participating in peace talks with the Kabul government. The Taliban has made big gains since NATO forces ended their main combat operations in Afghanistan in 2014, and now controls more of the country than at any time since it was toppled by US-led forces in 2001. Three pieces of debris found washed ashore in Mozambique and Mauritius will be examined by investigators in Australia to see if they came from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Two pieces were found on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius, and one in Mozambique, according to Australian transport minister Darren Chester. Other debris from the Boeing 777 that vanished two years ago has previously been found in both countries. The Malaysian government is arranging to collect the items, Mr Chester said, and they will be flown to Australia for examination. He did not release details on what the debris looked like or who found it, saying only that the items are "of interest". Two weeks ago, officials said a piece of engine cowling found in South Africa and an interior panel piece from an aircraft cabin found on Rodrigues Island off Mauritius were almost certainly from MH370. Those parts were the fourth and fifth pieces of the plane recovered since it disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. An extensive underwater search of a vast area of the Indian Ocean off Australia's west coast has turned up empty, with crews expected to complete their sweep of the search zone this summer. Crews have less than 5,800 square miles of the 46,000 square mile search area left to scour, and there are no plans to extend the hunt beyond that. Martin Dolan, chief commissioner of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, acknowledged it is looking less likely that Flight 370 will be found as the search nears the end. "That's just a statement of the obvious," said Mr Dolan, whose agency is heading the search effort. "We've covered a fairly significant proportion of our total search area without finding the aircraft and so we have to start considering the alternatives. But we've still got 15,000 square kilometres to go - which is a big chunk. So it's not as though we've given up." Drivers line up as they wait to buy fuel in Paris (AP) Riot police have used tear gas during violent clashes in central Paris to disperse crowds who attacked shops during a protest against a divisive labour law reform. Police say they have so far made 16 arrests during the disturbances in the capital. A police spokesman estimated that between 18,000 and 19,000 people are taking part in the protest, which took a violent turn in the afternoon. Several masked protesters charged the windows of high street shops, smashing them amid banner-waving and shouts from other demonstrators demanding that the government scrap the bill that will make it easier to hire and fire workers and loosen the work week. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls called it "unacceptable to bring a country to standstill". Earlier, t housands of dock workers poured into the square in front of the city hall of the French port city of Le Havre, setting off smoke bombs throughout the area. Tensions are particularly high in Le Havre, where workers are blocking one of the country's main oil terminals. The workers set off multi-colour smoke bombs and threw some in fountains, kicking up plumes of water. France's public electricity provider EDF said nearly 15% of its national workforce has taken part in the strike. EDF spokeswoman Geraldine Foucher said that staff from its nuclear, hydraulic and thermal divisions, as well as engineers and administrators, participated in Thursday's day of action. EDF employs some 120,000 people in France. Ms Foucher tried to allay fears over several nuclear power stations that the strikes hit, saying that there is always a "minimal team" present to maintain the site's safe operation. She added that normal supply of EDF electricity was not interrupted during the strikes over the divisive labour law reform. Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reached a deal to expand his coalition government by bringing in the ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party and appointing its leader, Avigdor Lieberman, as his new defence minister. The development caps a tumultuous political week that began with Mr Netanyahu negotiating with the moderate Labour Party, against a backdrop of international pressure to relaunch peace efforts with the Palestinians, before choosing Mr Lieberman's hawkish party instead. Mr Lieberman is one of Israel's most polarising politicians and has a reputation for making inflammatory statements. In a joint signing ceremony in Jerusalem, Mr Netanyahu and Mr Lieberman insisted that they have put their past differences behind them and sought to soothe fears over their new alliance by making calming statements in both Hebrew and, with an eye towards the outside world, in English as well. "I am committed to promoting the peace process. I am committed to make every effort to reach an agreement," Mr Netanyahu said, adding: "I intend to seize those opportunities. A broader government, a more stable government will make it easier to do so." With the deal, Mr Netanyahu expands his coalition to 66 of parliament's 120 members. He previously only had 61. Mr Netanyahu also made another feeble plea for Labour to join his government but this will almost certainly be rejected. Mr Lieberman will take over as defence chief in place of former military chief Moshe Yaalon, who resigned earlier this week following the political shake-up. His departure leaves the cabinet dominated by religious and ultra-nationalist ministers who oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state and have close ties to the West Bank settler movement. Mr Lieberman himself is a West Bank settler. In a three-decade political career, Mr Lieberman has made headlines for a series of incendiary comments. At one point, he called for bombing Egypt's Aswan Dam and suggested toppling the internationally backed Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. Just a few weeks ago, he threatened to kill a Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip. He has repeatedly voiced scepticism about pursuing peace with the Palestinians. Those close to Mr Lieberman, though, say he is far more pragmatic and level-headed in person than he appears in public and he seemed to be trying to convey that yesterday. "My commitment first of all is to responsible, reasonable policy," Mr Lieberman said in English. "All of us have commitments to peace, to the final status agreement, to understanding between us and our neighbours." 2 shot, possible 3rd victim at large in shooting at Anderson gas station Two are wounded and undergoing medical treatment after a shooting in Anderson. There is potentially a third victim at large. Deshanti Martin cries as she hugs her aunt Renae Edwards after accepting her diploma at Belton-Honea Path's graduation ceremony at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 in Greenville. SHARE Ali Madden smiles after accepting her diploma during Belton-Honea Path's high school graduation ceremony at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 in Greenville. Zipporah Anastajia Quiona Scott smiles up at family and friends before crossing the stage to accept her diploma during the Belton-Honea Path High School graduation ceremony at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 in Greenville. By Mike Ellis of the Independent Mail Right after he grabbed his Belton-Honea Path High School diploma Wednesday, Terry Thomas gave three people big bear hugs. Thomas enveloped his ROTC instructor, Master Sgt. Willie Bolden, his choral teacher, Melissa Henderson, and his band teacher, Jon Michael Brock, in warm embraces on the floor of the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Henderson said she's known Thomas, and many of the other graduates, since elementary school. She came over from Belton Elementary and Belton Middle schools along with her students. "They've grown so much," she said. Thomas, and his twin brother, Quintorious, were only a part of their high school's 50th graduating class with 244 students listed in the program. Their mother, Barbara, said she never wanted anything less for her sons than to come out successfully from her school. And the twins have even bigger dreams. Terry already is a licensed firefighter and wants to get a doctorate in emergency management. Quintorious is headed to the University of South Carolina and hopes to be a civil engineer. "I've always wanted to say we all came from the same alma mater," Barbara said. "Now I can." Terry said he's proud to be part of 50 years of successful students. The school has come a long way, with expansions and innovations, in the past half-century, said principal Lester McCall. There were less than 150 graduates back then, he said. McCall singled out senior class secretary Katie Epps. He said she embodied the spirit of Belton-Honea Path's mascot, the Bears, when she took special needs students to prom, looking after them like a mama bear. "And like bears," McCall said, "our graduates are intelligent." He said they care for each other and would do anything to protect each other, because they are Bears. The students are intelligent and caring, but there is a bit in each of the students that is like a cub, with lessons yet to be learned, McCall said. He said one of the students, who went unnamed, recently bought a duck at the Jockey Lot. The student bought some bread and took the duck home. "That's when he learned ducks can fly," McCall said. "Never stop learning." When the ceremony was done the graduates and their families filled the lobby in a throng of excited jumps and cheers. Destiny Hill screamed in joy, bouncing up and down with her mother and dancing. "I feel fantastic," she said. Hill's father, Timothy Davis, was part of the 25th graduating class. It's special to be a part of the 50th, and even more so to know that her father was where she was 25 years ago, Hill said. "I'm excited for what's next," she said. Follow Mike Ellis on Twitter @MikeEllis_AIM SHARE By Ray Chandler, Special to Independent Mail WALHALLA James William Toward was sentenced to 48 years in prison on Wednesday for the 2014 murder of Scott Andrew Johnston in Seneca. Judge Letitia Verdin made the sentence despite the urging of prosecutors, law enforcement officers and family members of the victim for a life sentence. Under South Carolina law regarding violent crimes, Toward must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence, or about 41 years, to be eligible for parole. Toward, 21, pleaded guilty Monday to murder, kidnapping and first-degree burglary in the case of Johnston's death, just before his trial was to start. Toward had asked for less than a life sentence because he hoped to get out of prison before his mother dies. Before the sentencing, Toward's attorney, Gordon Senerius, shared with Verdin information about what he described as Toward's troubled childhood. That included being abused by a father who later deserted the family and being raised by an often homeless and unemployed mother. Toward suffered from an array of diagnosed mental illnesses, including perhaps being bipolar, Senerius said. Toward had tried to commit suicide at age 14. Senerius described him as a person "society has turned its back on. There but for the grace of God go a lot of other people." Toward also was sentenced Wednesday to 48 years for first-degree burglary, 30 years for kidnapping and five years for grand larceny. The sentences will be served concurrently. He was 18 in January 2014 when he and Donte Robert Bacon, then 16, were arrested and charged in the home invasion that led to the death of the 32-year-old Johnston, a Washington State native. Bacon pleaded guilty in March to voluntary manslaughter in the case and is awaiting sentencing. His sentencing was postponed until after Toward's trial, at which he was to testify. The home invasion occurred early on Jan. 2, 2014, on Ames Street in Seneca, where Johnston was living with Jody Corley. Investigators said Toward and Bacon were closely acquainted with Johnston and Corley and intended to steal three electric guitars. In the course of the robbery, Toward shot Johnston, and Corley was assaulted and tied up. Assistant 10th Circuit Solicitor David Wagner said Wednesday that the circumstances of the crime could have warranted the death penalty, but Johnston's family had preferred the solicitor's office seek a life sentence. "When someone breaks into a house, chases the victim down a hall and murders them, we feel that deserves a life sentence," Wagner said. State psychiatrists, Wagner said, had also found that Toward had a history of sadistic torture of animals beginning around age 12. Ever letting Toward out in society, Wagner said, would be a danger to the public. Lt. David McMahan of the Oconee County Sheriff's Office, speaking for the investigators involved in the case, seconded Wagner's recommendation. Mariam Johnston, sister of Scott Johnston, asked that Toward get a life sentence. She said her brother's death left her as her elderly parent's only child. "I struggle to find some purpose in life," she said. "Nothing compensates for not being able to see my little brother again." James Staley, stepfather of Jody Corley, also asked that Verdin sentence Toward to life in prison. Staley broke down in tears as he described how the murder of Johnston had driven his stepdaughter into a depression that led her to commit suicide in Virginia about four months after the murder. Toward, wearing a jailhouse jumpsuit, showed no telling emotion Wednesday as he stood looking at those who asked that he be locked away for life. He also showed no discernible emotion as his mother, Donna Lee Bretz, tearfully asked that Verdin give him at least a glimmer of hope for a life beyond prison bars. "He's had a hard life," Bretz said. "I raised him on my own, and it was hard to get him the help he needed. "I sympathize with the victims's families," Bretz added. "I feel their pain. My son has repented and given his life to God. I hope (the families) can forgive him some day." Toward offered his apologies to Johnston's and Corley's families. "I do feel bad for what I've done," he said. "I didn't mean to do it." Verdin told Toward she took a lot of factors into account with his sentence, including his age, the impact on the victims' families, and his pleading guilty rather than forcing the families to relive the crime through a trial. The first factor, though, the judge said, was the seriousness of the crime. Toward's crime, Verdin said, "was horrible. There is no other way to describe it." The city of Warwick approved a controversial ordinance Monday night clearing the way for the use of license plate readers in the city. The move comes a year after the city of Cranston made a similar move and is touted by officials as a way to improve safety by alerting police officers if a certain license plate is detected. Critics of the ordinance, including the Rhode Island chapter of the ACLU, expressed concern over the use of such cameras, expressing concerns over privacy, how data would be used and who they might target. Do you support the use of license plate recognition cameras in your community? Why or why not? Let us know in this week's poll question below. You voted: The expanding world and the increasing aspirations of buyers have created a great scope for marketers in the digital era. Every brand wants to create lasting and unique customer experiences for its customer/consumer base, which is now completely absorbed in a world of rich digital experiences. As traditional offline channels struggle to keep pace, digital has emerged as the key marketing medium for building, growing & retaining customers and increasing topline growth.Digital has created more avenues for brands to engage meaningfully with their consumer. Fuelled by the increase of portable devices and internet penetration into the Indian heartland, digital is the best and more ROI centric medium for all brands, categories and sectors. Real Estate is no exception.Today, an integrated digital strategy includes a lot of techniques such as Search engine optimization (SEO), Search engine marketing (SEM), Content marketing, Influencer marketing, Content automation, Campaign marketing, E-commerce marketing , E-mail and SMS marketing etc.The Indian real estate sector is expected to touch US$ 180 billion by 2020. The housing sector alone contributes towards 5-6 % to the Country's (GDP). Recent government initiatives have raised hopes for both developers and buyers of a better marketplace which is already starting to translate into improved sentiment, sales and growth.Real estate companies in India are trying to shift towards a digital led marketing strategy designed around great online experiences, online generation of leads and bookings. India consists of approx. 250 million users online, which makes for Indias real estate marketplace consisting of potential homebuyers across the top 50 urban hubs. According to sources, real estate firms in India spend around Rs. 2,500 crore per annum on campaigns and various other promotional activities, of which over 30% is already being spent in digital. Industry estimates this to increase to over 50% in the next few years.As per trends, 90% of the searches for property is done primarily online because it provides ease of parsing through variety of options within a few clicks. Growth on the basis of comparison is observed as it makes the decision making process of the potential customer far easier and aided. Communication and messaging tailored to online buyer behavior ensures more eyeballs, clicks and better conversions.Quality and authentic content is the key to success of any Real estate marketing campaign in the digital medium as it creates interest in the mind of the potential customer and moves them to taking actions for registering interest. High quality content includes information which contributes towards effective discovery of quality content. For instance, a more relevant search result is expected by usage of more specific keywords. Also, if a more real experience based feature is added, then it adds huge value to the search results of the potential customer. A 360 degree online tour of a property is likely to remove any initial misgivings that the customer might have about the project while giving him a quick on the easy product experience.Also Social Networking can be an equally effective real estate marketing tool with Facebook tools like canvas ads, 3D videos etc. over 90% of the leading real estate brands use social media sites for promotion, generation of leads, consumer engagement and other marketing activity and the numbers are only growing.Lead generation campaigns, lead management platforms, mobile responsive sites and online reputation management (ORM) play a crucial role in driving marketing activities to their end outcome sales and revenue growth while creating a positive recall and preference for the brand.Digital has emerged as a very significant technique for targeting customers for Real estate developers. Use of digital marketing depends on the needs of the developer. For example, for a project costing between 20-30 lakhs by a small developer, spends on digital marketing are also smaller. Customers can be targeted via SMS & database marketing. However, the case is different for a mid segment or a big developer. Majority of the customers come from the digital savvy class, so targeting via digital medium is more effective. Depending on the target, postings could be made on most visited sites like Forbes, Telegraph, Money Control etc. The whole approach to digital marketing has become very dynamic.Geo-targeting has become the new buzz today. Real Estate companies try to target specific areas to promote business in the form of Hyper-local marketing since it is primarily a micro-market sport. This helps them focus on smaller number of prospects and build local brand recognition early. Also it facilitates them to understand the market easily and measure their success results on the basis of early responses. The more confined is the area; the more easily one can target the strong prospects within that region.The emergence of Assisted Buying Platforms is another step taken up by online sites like IRFS to showcase properties within a time span of 3-4 days with a discount of 20% for buyers who wait for the prices to go further down with ties with the famous builders. Hence the buyers can use the given coupons after the event and book their respective property accordingly. The properties showcased are available for all the budgets starting from Rs 45 lakh to near about Rs 10 crore.Social Media contests have been beneficial in many ways in order to engage more customers, build a relationship with them via an online platform, increase the customer database and help promote the product throughout. Real Estate contests could be about coupons, music, related to captions, video contests or related to referring to a friend. A good plan for the contest ultimately helps to reach the desired goal. Along with this, the full screen ads loaded with rich media containing images, videos, and graphics in form of Canvas ads on Facebook have created a lot of impact in improving and increasing the number of leads for the Real Estate Industry. The buyers scroll down the posts as per their content channels and get targeted on the basis of their interests.Automation for speed, scale and conversion in a real estate company can generate on an average of around 15,000 leads, which may increase upto 30,000 depending on the campaign. For every lead, there could be events like an ad creative, site or a page visit, an e-mail, a missed call or contact in any other form that can be captured and recorded. Any event or campaign nearly has 50 data attributes which approximately comes down to 7.5 Million data points on a yearly basis. Result Highlights: (Rs. in crore) Reported Results IIFL Estimates Variance (%) Consolidated Revenue 2562.63 2459 4.21 Consolidated Net Profit 116.13 107 8.53 Godrej Industries Ltd, manufacturer of oleochemicals, reported consolidated net profit of Rs.116.13 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, registering decline of 16.43% yoy and 16.44% qoq. The companys revenue stood at Rs. 2,562.63 crore, up 10.99% yoy and 5.41% qoq.Its consolidated core operating profit of Rs. 105.23 crore for the quarter, declined by 11.57% yoy and 23.87% qoq. Operating profit margin for the current quarter at 4.11% contracted by 104 bps yoy and 158 bps qoq.For the year ended March 31, 2016, the company reported consolidated net profit of Rs. 484.43 crore, growing by 20.36% yoy. Its consolidated revenue for the period stood at Rs. 10,753.15 crore, registering growth of 16.5% yoy.Godrej Industries Ltd's core operating profit stood at Rs. 630.79 crore, recording growth of 29.95% yoy. Operating margin for the current period at 5.51% expanded by 29 bps yoy.On standalone basis,Godrej Industries Ltd, reported standalone net profit of Rs.31.73 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, registering decline of 27.72% yoy and 35.3% qoq. The companys revenue stood at Rs. 326.75 crore, up 5.67% yoy and 9.54% qoq.Its standalone core operating profit stood at Rs. 9.99 crore for the quarter. However, the company had reported core operating loss of Rs.8.63 crore in the same quarter of the previous year and Rs. 0.79 crore in the preceding quarter. Operating profit margin for the current quarter at 3.06% contracted by 17 bps yoy and 29 bps qoq.For the year ended March 31, 2016, the company reported standalone net profit of Rs. 157.30 crore, growing by 5.71% yoy. Its standalone revenue for the period stood at Rs. 1,309.51 crore, registering decline of 9.98% yoy.Godrej Industries Ltd's core operating profit stood at Rs. 89.38 crore, recording growth of 19.09% yoy. Operating margin for the current period at 6.07% expanded by 91 bps yoy.Consolidated EPS for the quarter stood at Rs. 3.45.Godrej Industries Ltd ended at Rs. 348.75, up by 2.1 points or 0.61% from its previous closing of Rs. 346.65 on the BSE.The scrip opened at Rs. 348.85 and touched a high and low of Rs. 352.9 and Rs. 343.65 respectively. A total of 692457(NSE+BSE) shares were traded on the counter. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 11647.05 crore.The BSE group 'A' stock of face value Rs. 1 touched a 52 week high of Rs. 411.55 on 10-Aug-2015 and a 52 week low of Rs. 290.35 on 29-Feb-2016. Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 356.65 and Rs. 338.1 respectively.The promoters holding in the company stood at 74.81 % while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 17.43 % and 7.77 % respectively.The stock traded above its 200 DMA. Result Highlights: (Rs. in crore) Reported Results IIFL Estimates Variance (%) Consolidated Revenue 1517.26 1456 4.21 Consolidated Net Profit 154.75 165.88 [6.71] MphasiS Ltd, Bangalore based IT services company, reported consolidated net profit of Rs.154.75 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, registering decline of 10.88% qoq and 12.91% yoy. The companys revenue stood at Rs. 1,517.26 crore, clocking growth of 0.03% qoq and 6.17% yoy.It's consolidated operating profit of Rs. 233.50 crore for the quarter, grew 7.74% qoq and 15.83% yoy. Operating profit margin for the current quarter at 15.39% expanded by 110 bps qoq and 128 bps yoy.For the year ended March 31, 2016, the company reported consolidated net profit of Rs. 669.37 crore, down by 0.78% yoy. It's consolidated revenue for the current period stood at Rs. 6,087.88 crore, registering growth of 5.06% yoy.MphasiS Ltd's consolidated core operating profit for the current period stood at Rs. 896.30 crore, increasing by 3.01% yoy. Operating margin for the current period at 14.86% contracted by 15 bps yoy.On standalone basis, the company reported net profit of Rs.78.65 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, registering decline of 35.69% qoq and 39.2% yoy. Its revenue stood at Rs. 698.29 crore, declining 4.66% qoq and 5.3% yoy.MphasiS Ltd's operating profit of Rs. 109.18 crore for the quarter, declined 19.1% qoq and 15.05% yoy. Operating profit margin for the current quarter at 15.64% contracted by 279 bps qoq and 179 bps yoy.For the year ended March 31, 2016, the company reported standalone net profit of Rs. 458.36 crore, down by 17.12% yoy. It's standalone revenue for the current period stood at Rs. 2,926.66 crore, registering decline of 3.3% yoy.MphasiS Ltd's core operating profit for the current period stood at Rs. 523.95 crore, declining by 13.9% yoy. Operating margin for the current period at 17.47% contracted by 264 bps yoy.Consolidated EPS for the quarter stood at Rs. 7.35.Bloomberg estimated the companys consolidated net profit at Rs. 181.96 crore.MphasiS Ltd is currently trading at Rs. 464, down by 11.3 points or 2.38% from its previous closing of Rs. 475.3 on the BSE.The scrip opened at Rs. 480 and has touched a high and low of Rs. 480 and Rs. 461.3 respectively. So far 62853(NSE+BSE) shares were traded on the counter. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 9990.39 crore.The BSE group 'A' stock of face value Rs. 10 has touched a 52 week high of Rs. 534 on 29-Oct-2015 and a 52 week low of Rs. 362.5 on 03-Jun-2015. Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 487 and Rs. 462.6 respectively.The promoters holding in the company stood at 60.47 % while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 31.86 % and 7.5 % respectively.The stock is currently trading above its 50 DMA. Indian commercial real estate offers investment opportunity worth USD 43 - 54 billion (INR 2,88,758 crore-INR 3,60,948 crore) across the top 8 cities via REIT-eligible ready stocks as per RICS and Cushman & Wakefield report entitled Commercial Real Estate: Steering Growth in Indian Cities. The report was released at RICS Real Estate Conference 2016 Commercial Real Estate: Corporate Catalyst with Cushman & Wakefield as research partners for the conference. A key focus of the conference discussions was evolving occupier demand, REITs and international standards. The report estimates that the value of REIT-eligible stock is seen to be the highest in Bengaluru (USD 15.8 billion[2])/INR 1,05,213 crore) primarily due to the high volume of investible Grade developments. Mumbai (USD 14.5 billion/INR 96,461 crore) comes a close second due to higher capital values of commercial properties, despite having roughly half of Bengalurus REIT-able stock. The estimated value of REIT eligible stock in NCR is USD 11.04 billion / 73,423 crores which is the third highest. Further, it is estimated that approximately 315 million square feet (msf) of office inventory is eligible for REIT across the cities. The REIT-eligible inventory includes existing non-strata sold Grade A inventory, wherein Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi-NCR cumulatively account for over 67%. Delivering the keynote address, Ms. Barnali Mukherjee, Chief General Manager, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), said We have come out with the IPO guidelines for the issuance of units of INVits. On same lines, we are working on the IPO guidelines for units of REITs. Since there are no accounting standards for REITs and INVits, we have set up sub-committees looking at the financials to be brought out with the offer documents as also the continuous disclosure to be made; also set up a sub-committee for issuance of valuations, who will come out with their report. On the valuations side, a separate chapter has been included in REIT regulations where lots of rights and responsibilities have been given to the valuer who has to comply with International Valuation Standards. We have already received 4 applications for infrastructure investment trusts (INVits), where two applications have been processed and two are registered. We have come out with amendments on REIT regulations to bring more clarity and make it more acceptable but as of now, we havent received any applications for REITs. Whatever SEBI could do has already been done, in terms of removing key roadblocks such as capital gains tax and DDT and now we are looking forward to applications for REITs so that the REIT market can take off. Sachin Sandhir, Global Managing Director Emerging Business, RICS said Commercial real estate is expected to see continued demand, fueled by positive business sentiment (especially in IT/ITES and new age digital businesses) based on major policy reforms undertaken by the Government. There is also likely to be considerable international investor interest in income yielding assets and the first REITs and Invits are not far away. REITs will drive the need for Indian commercial real estate to speak the language of international investors which, in turn will create demand international standards and corporate governance; professionalism and skills which are all the things that the RICS Stands for. Sanjay Dutt, Managing Director, India, Cushman & Wakefield said REITs can provide a huge opportunity for developers and investors in India given the potential in the Indian real estate market. REITs would help developers resolve their fund-raising issues and allow them to focus on completing their projects in a timely manner. Apart from the top 3 cities, Chennai and Pune have immense scope for REITs with approximately 34 msf each of REITS-eligible stock. Going forward, by the end of 2017, Hyderabads REIT-able stock is expected to reach approximately 41 msf. This would place Hyderabads REIT-able stock at 4th place, surpassing that of Chennai and Pune. With investor and occupier interests rising in Hyderabad, a high number of Grade A projects are likely to be completed enabling high REIT-able stock. Apart from the office sector, the retail sector too has high potential to generate rental income for investors. Since last year, private-equity firms have shown interest in investing in malls in India, indicating that there is acertain attractiveness in the retail shopping centre space owing to future prospects. Sachin Sandhir further added, RICS will continue to work to promote International Property Measurement Standards (IPMS) a global collaborative initiative with 70 global professional bodies, which will bring in a common basis of measuring assets. RICS is also advocating International valuation standards (IVS) and the RICS red book as a basis for valuations of these REITABLE assets. With a common basis of measurement and a common basis of valuations and skilled professionals to undertake delivery of grade A office space coupled with ease of doing business initiatives of the Government, Indian commercial real estate will surely realize its true potential. Devina Ghildial, Managing Director - South Asia, RICS says - 2016 looks to be a bright spark for commercial real estate. The asset class looks to be on solid footing with all the policy reforms and initiatives from the Government. The industry will see the emergence of not only REITs and Invits but new asset classes including new suburban business districts which will propel commercial real estate to produce a lot more grade A office space in the times to come. In fact, in Q1 2016 alone, the market has seen absorption to the tune of approximately 5 msf. Going forward, we will also see corporate occupiers and investors starting to demand international standards and focus on creating sustainable assets, which will create long term value for international investors in the form of higher yields. This would be a key expectation from the development community. Now more than ever, the potential of commercial real estate is apparent, and this makes it an opportune time for REITs to find their way into the market. Of the REIT-eligible stock across the 8 cities, Bengaluru has over 100 msf of REIT-eligible stock (33% of total REIT-able stock), more than double of that of Mumbai. Approximately 75% of the total (all grades) office stock in Bengaluru is eligible for REIT investments. Delhi-NCR (56 msf) and Mumbai (51 msf) are expected to follow Bengaluru in terms of REIT-able stock as of Q1 2016. REITs once implemented in India would enable investors to generate a stable source of income and also earn profits by trading the units of REITs, thereby increasing the attractiveness of REITs as investing medium. With the government exempting Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT) for Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) of REITS in the Union Budget, the investment vehicle is likely to be more attractive for investors. MALL STOCK OF 39 MSF ELIGIBLE FOR REIT INVESTMENT IN INDIA The top 8 cities have REIT-eligible mall supply of approximately 39 msf, with Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR and Mumbai together accounting for about 64% of the retail inventory. Owing to the presence of large mall developers in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and Bengaluru that operate some of the best malls in India, investors are likely to concentrate their investments in these cities. Mumbai (11 msf) has the highest stock of REIT-able malls i.e. non-strata sold grade A malls followed by Delhi NCR (7.4 msf) and Bengaluru (6.5 msf). Moody's Investors Service says that India's new bankruptcy code will significantly boost the bargaining power of creditors against large debtors for the resolution of distressed assets."The current weak legal framework for asset resolution has been a key structural credit weakness for Indian banks," says Srikanth Vadlamani, a Moody's Vice President and Senior Credit Officer."The proposed new rules address several key inefficiencies in the current resolution regime," adds Vadlamani.Moody's analysis is contained in its just-released report titled "Banks India: Bankruptcy Law Is Credit Positive for Indian Banks, but Challenges Remain," and is authored by Vadlamani.Moody's report explains that the proposed bankruptcy law would:1) Introduce a unified framework to replace the current collection of separate laws drafted in piecemeal fashion across overlapping jurisdictions2) Reduce threshold for creditors to invoke the insolvency resolution process (IRP)3) Introduce third-party insolvency professionals (IP) as intermediaries to oversee the IRP, replacing the debtor's existing management and operate the company as a going concern upon initiation of an IRP4) Give creditors overriding authority to approve terms of any restructuring package5) Limit duration of IRP to maximum of 270 days, after which a company will be automatically liquidatedThese features are positive for Indian banks because they will act as an incentive for corporate borrowers to avoid loan default and improve the recovery of assets. In addition to increasing banks' influence over the restructuring process, the mandated replacement of the existing management during the process should act as a key disincentive for debtors to default in the first place.Moreover, the limited timeframe strengthens the banks' bargaining power over delinquent borrowers.However, Moody's report also points out that significant infrastructure constraints need to be overcome before the framework can become fully operational, including1) Development of the required infrastructure required support new restructuring procedure, particularly legal resources and information utilities2) Time required for various stakeholders to accumulate the requisite legal experience and precedents for the new system to be fully up and running3) Limited impact that the new law may have on the liquidation process Moody's report concludes that the new law may only a have a limited benefit in addressing the current asset quality issues facing Indian banks. In particular, the banks will still have limited avenues available to dispose of distressed assets, and will in general remain reluctant to make appropriate haircuts to reflect their current weak operating conditions. Prevent Unauthorized Transactions in your demat / trading account Update your Mobile Number/ email Id with your stock broker / Depository Participant. Receive information of your transactions directly from Exchanges on your mobile / email at the end of day and alerts on your registered mobile for all debits and other important transactions in your demat account directly from NSDL/ CDSL on the same day." - Issued in the interest of investors. KYC is one time exercise while dealing in securities markets - once KYC is done through a SEBI registered intermediary (broker, DP, Mutual Fund etc.), you need not undergo the same process again when you approach another intermediary. No need to issue cheques by investors while subscribing to IPO. Just write the bank account number and sign in the application form to authorise your bank to make payment in case of allotment. No worries for refund as the money remains in investor's account." www.indiainfoline.com is part of the IIFL Group, a leading financial services player and a diversified NBFC. The site provides comprehensive and real time information on Indian corporates, sectors, financial markets and economy. On the site we feature industry and political leaders, entrepreneurs, and trend setters. The research, personal finance and market tutorial sections are widely followed by students, academia, corporates and investors among others. State Bank of India (SBI), the largest bank in India, will announce its financial results on May 27 for the fourth ended March 31, 2016.IIFL estimates the banks net profit to decline to Rs.1,517 crore, at a rate of 58% yoy; however, the same is likely to go up 41% qoq.As per IIFLs forecast, the banks net interest income for Q4 FY16 is expected to dip to Rs.14,221 crore, at a rate of 3% yoy; however, the same is likely to increase 5% qoq.Net interest margin is estimated to be at 2.7%, with a yoy fall of 43 bps.Our preview coverage universe of 374 companies, representing ~75% of Indias equity market cap is expected to report 4.2% yoy drop in net profit in Q4 FY16. On a qoq basis, profits will rise by 17% on account of low base of preceding two quarters, which had witnessed sequential PAT declines.Other key quarterly results on May 27 include BEML, Bharat Electronics, Bombay Dyeing, Canara Bank, Crompton Greaves, DLF, Dr Lal Pathlabs, Dynamatic Tech, Eros International, HPCL, IMP Power, Indoco Remedies, IOCL, JMC Projects, Oil India, PNC Infratech, Punj Lloyd, PVR, Sarda Energy, Tata Communications, TIL Ltd, and VST Tillers. More than 20 years ago, a community group known as the Martin Luther King Dream Team (MLKDT) was created in east central Indiana to promote civil rights education. Since its inception, the group has offered college scholarships to Indiana students and other learning programs, but its latest project has been in the works for more than 10 years. The Freedom Bus project targets students in the fourth and fifth grades and gives them the opportunity to learn about the history of civil rights in Indiana aboard a renovated city bus. By far, the Freedom Bus is certainly our most ambitious project. It started with the death of Rosa Parks, and the team at the time was inspired by her legacy, said MLKDT member Beth Messner. They wanted to do something to promote civil rights education in our community that took civil rights to the schools in a new way. Once our founder, Bea Moten-Foster, realized the symbolism between Parks and the Montgomery bus boycott, she thought what better way to do this, both physically and metaphorically, than to use a bus. In 2005, Muncie Indiana Transit System decided to retire many of its busses and donated a city bus to the MLKDT. That donation then attracted other community partners such as Minnetrista, a museum center for cultural exploration, and community schools that wanted to be involved with the project. During the same time period, the organization was granted $10,000 by the Community Foundation of MuncieDelaware County to design the art for the bus exterior. The Freedom Bus emphasizes local civil rights history for a good reason, explained Messner. When we were talking to teachers and students, it became clear people had a fairly good understanding of the national movement, but they were not aware of their own local history, Messner said. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, many classrooms neglect to teach civil rights history outside of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month. In addition, The National Assessment of Educational Progress commonly called The Nations Report Card finds only 2 percent of high school seniors in 2010 could answer a question about the U.S. Supreme Courts landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision. The project came to a screeching halt when Moten-Foster, a former newspaper publisher and civil rights activist, became ill and passed away. In addition, the bus was in need of costly mechanical repairs, but in the fall of 2014 the MLKDT, composed of about 20 members, found hope in students at Ball State University through its immersive learning experience. They have done a pretty sizable investment in the project in terms of financial investment, the teaching and learning components and also supplying me with the ability to work with students on this project. For the first month or so, we worked on the students own civil rights education. Many of them were passionate about social justice, but we only had a few history majors on the team, mentioned Messner. Members of the MLKDT and Ball State students began their development of the bus interior activities by visiting civil rights museums in Atlanta, Cincinnati and Memphis, Tennessee, and even found themselves at the Childrens Museum of Indianapolis. Once activity prototypes were made, pilot testing began in east central Indiana. Now that the bus is fully completed, the project plans to revisit those pilot testing schools, as well as a few popular summer events, such as the Muncie Black Expo and Anderson Black Expo. Due to the bus age and 50-mile-radius driving span, the Freedom Bus, which can hold up to 12 students at a time, will not be able to travel to Indianapolis in 2016, but project coordinators hope they can expand the project within the second year or encourage Indianapolis schools to visit the bus outside of Marion County. Students who participate in the project experience a multi-tier curriculum. A video is shown and discussions take place prior to the students interaction with the bus. Once a visit is scheduled, students are walked through the more than eight exhibits on the bus, including History of Oppression, Acts of Hate, Employment, Oral Histories and more. For more information on the Freedom Bus, visit thefreedombus.org. As of May 8, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department reports there have been six non-criminal homicides and 44 criminal homicides in the city this year. While previous research has shown many individuals who commit crimes are repeat offenders, with the school year coming to a close, there are more opportunities for youth the become part of the crime wave. Recently, the Indiana Youth Institute (IYI) released a report on youth violence in Indiana and what factors contribute to a path of crime for minors. IYI found Indiana youth are involved in a variety of violence that includes a wide range of behaviors, including bullying, physical fighting, fire setting, intentional destruction of property, sexual assault, gun violence and homicide. While the report found 47.9 percent of youth are uninvolved in violent activities, 16.6 percent have been the victim and perpetrator, 17.3 percent have been the perpetrator and 18.2 percent have been victims. Tami Silverman, president and CEO of IYI, said the organization has a data team that focuses strictly on gathering youth data year-round. As selected by The Annie E. Casey Foundation, a private charitable organization dedicated to helping build better futures for disadvantaged children, IYI is the designated youth data center for the state and has filled that role for a number of years. It is that teams job to look for all different sources of data, because there is so much in different places, like the Department of Education, Department of Health and the CDC. We know its really hard for folks to keep up with all of that, and we want to make it easier for them to access it, said Silverman. Using the IYI website or attending one of the organizations Youth Worker Cafes, the public has the opportunity to learn more about todays youth through a variety of topics. Information can be found for not only the state level but also the county level. Following are some of the report highlights: Homicides by youth n As of July 1, 2015, the four juvenile corrections facilities in Indiana housed 431 youth, and another 56 youth were on parole. n In 2013, Indiana youth ages 1217 committed 20 homicides, and victims of these crimes ranged in age from 1250 years of age. n 65 percent of homicides committed by Indiana teens were committed by Black males. n Of homicides committed by Indiana teens, half of the victims were white and the other half were Black. n Firearms were used in three quarters of homicides by youth under age 18 in Indiana. Gang violence n Between 20072012, the number of U.S. gangs increased by 8 percent, the number of gang members increased by 11 percent and gang-related homicides increased by more than 20 percent. n According to the FBI, there are 64 gangs in Indiana, many of which involve youth. n Youth involved in gangs consider membership between the ages of 1214 and usually join around age 15. Impact of mental health n Mental health issues can contribute to youth violence. n Youth who have certain behavior disorders such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) or Conduct Disorder (CD) are often labeled as defiant and aggressive, rather than mentally ill. n In Indiana, 1 in 19 children ages 217 have a diagnosis of ODD or CD. n Approximately 5070 percent of U.S. juvenile offenders have a diagnosable behavioral health disorder. The feedback has been tremendous, and the number of people that attend our Youth Worker Cafes continues to grow, said Silverman. In fact, in Marion County, there have been many times when weve had to do duplicates of a session, because there is so much interest. One thing professionals admire about this cafe is that not only is there data, its interactive because we have discussions. Once you get over about 75 participants, you lose that ability to do those things, so we like small groups. The topic on the impact of meth labs on Indiana youth and communities has a tremendous demand. IYI continues to consider topics proposed by the community and is set to hold 200 Youth Worker Cafes throughout the state by the end of 2016. We also know when youre in one channel of service, it can be difficult to keep up with the other topics you know may be floating around, but you dont have access to information in your immediate space, mentioned Silverman. Several city officials and community members are attempting to discover the daily challenges of youth and find solutions to help them stay healthy and out of crime. In early May, the second National Public Safety Forum of 2016 was held and was titled Challenges & Solutions for Youth. This forum brought together IMPD Chief Troy Riggs, Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Lewis Ferebee and other leading experts for a candid conversation about Indianapolis youth and crime, education and other basic needs. With one in three Indianapolis children born into poverty, now is the time to come together as a community and identify what we can do to assure a better future for our citys youth, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said. We owe it to the children of this community to reject a spirit of hopelessness, and instead seek solutions that will assure a stronger, safer Indianapolis for all. Riggs honed in on increased victimization and violence in youth, along with the role mental health issues play. When we have had community conversations with our youth, we have heard four key messages from them over and over again, Riggs said. No one loves me. No one cares about my future. They are hungry when school is not in session, and they are concerned about their interactions with police. We need to change that. In next weeks edition of the Recorder, find summer resources and activities for youth. For those highly active in the religious community, they may have no problem understanding ones Christian denomination. Though numerous people are familiar with Catholics, Baptists and Methodists, many lack the understanding of what those classifications actually mean. The Indianapolis Recorder did some research to identify some of Christianitys most well known denominations to explain what they are and how they differ from one another. Baptist: Advocate that baptisms should be performed by believing adults who receive Jesus Christ as their personal savior. Those of the Baptist denomination believe in the Holy Bible and hold all information to be truth. They believe information in the Bible serves as the final written authority for living out the Christian faith. Catholic: Those of the Catholic denomination believe Jesus is the Son of God, the creator, and that the Holy Bible is error free. One must love and serve God in the world to have happiness in heaven. God is revealed as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, which encompasses the belief in three divine Persons in one God, the mystery of the Blessed Trinity. Churches of Christ: Believe in God the Eternal Father, who is supreme and the creator of the universe. One will be punished for their sins, and a second coming of Jesus Christ will happen. Church of Christ beliefs also see appropriation of laying on of hands for: ordination, blessing of children, confirmation and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and healing of the sick. Jehovahs Witness: Worship one God, who is the creator and named Jehovah. He is the God of Abraham, Moses and Jesus. While the Bible is believed to be true, they recognize parts of the Bible are written in figurative or symbolic language and are not to be understood literally. They learned from the Bible that Jesus is not Almighty God. Lutheran: Proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior by believing in the Triune God (trinity) that Jesus revealed. It should be noted that Lutherans do not worship Luther, as they worship none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. They practice a closed communion where not everyone who worships receives the bread and wine, until theyve been faithfully instructed and confirmed in the same faith that is taught. Methodist: Believe God is three persons the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Those of Methodist denomination read the writings of the Old Testament and New Testament, as they are believed to be Gods final words. John Wesley, a clergyman of 18th century England and the founder of the Methodist movement, established three basic principles to live by: doing no harm, doing good and using the means of grace. Mormon/Latter-Day Saints: Believe in the Book of Mormon and often refer to themselves as Latter-day Saints or, sometimes, just Saints. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and Christs Atonement allows mankind to be saved from their sins and return to live with God and their families forever. Pentecostal: Do not believe in the idea of Trinity, that God is comprised of three different persons. They do believe that when it comes to health, modern day doctors play a vital role, but ultimately God is the source for healing. Pentecostal women practice modesty by wearing hemlines of dresses below the knee, while sleeves should reach past the elbow. Presbyterian: Are protestant and believe in the Bible. They rely heavily on others in the Presbyterian community to keep their faith and servitude alive. Often they act as missionaries all around the globe, completing activities in a specific community. They believe in two sacraments: baptism and the Lords Supper. Seventh-Day Adventist: Accept the Bible as their only source of belief, while holding 28 fundamental beliefs that can be organized into six categories: the doctrines of God, man, salvation, the church, the Christian life and last day events. Seen as a gift of Gods freedom, Seventh-Day Adventists observe the weekly Sabbath by pausing self-striving, day-to-day business and seeking to serve and bless others by doing good. Sources: LifeWay Christian Resources, American Baptist Churches USA, Church of Christ, jw.org, elca.org, umc.org, mormonnewsroom.org, adventist.org. Back in 1492, before Christopher Columbus set off for his epic voyage all the way to India, he stacked his ship (talking massive bags here) with enough stash to last the entire trip. Two things happened eventually - he ended up on the wrong side of the planet, and he got very, very high while doing so. While being stoned could be a reason for why the explorer went a bit too far wandering in the ocean, experts believe that the bags of Cannabis Sativa were to calm the troops down, just in case, you know, the Earth turned out to be flat. Luckily, the Earth ended up being spherical and America was discovered by the rest of the world. But pot is even older than Columbus and his misinformed decisions. In fact, marijuana consumption dates all the way back to 2900 BCE when Chinese emperor Fu referred to it as a herb with very high medicinal purposes. So how did it fall behind the much more toxic tobacco and alcohol in the pecking order and become a drug? Why did a god loving (or fearing) country like India, go against their 'religious beliefs' and ban a plant that has played such an important role in the scriptures? To uncover this absurdity, we need to go back to the time it all started in India. businessinsider The origin Going by the number of times it gets mentioned in the Atharva Vedas (holy scriptures), which, it's said, was written anywhere between 2000-1400 BC, cannabis was the favourite form of recreation. The Vedas called it a source of happiness, joy-giver, liberator that was compassionately given to humans to help us attain delight and lose fear and anxiety. Legend has it, that Shiva once wandered off into the fields after squabbling with his family. Spent from the scorching heat and the feud he had with his family, he passed out under a leafy plant. When he woke up hours later, his hunger and curiosity led to him sampling the leaves of the plant. Rejuvenated by the effects of the cannabis plant, Shiva liked being stoned so much, that he made it his favourite food. hindufaqs.com The Middle Ages Skipping centuries, as all the major clans of the world were going to war during the middle ages, soldiers would often down mugs of 'bhang' before entering the battlefield. Much like their foreign counterparts, who would take shots of whisky right before the battle. If stories are to be believed, it is said that Sikh leader Gobind Singh's army was being terrified by an attacking elephant carrying a sword in its trunk. Absolutely petrified of what was going on, people say that the men nearly left him alone for dead before he made a deadly concoction of bhang and opium. This drink apparently gave him so much strength and agility that he ended up slipping under the elephant and killing him without putting himself in harm's way. Gobind Singh's army went on to win the battle. emaze East India Company The Brits were so taken aback by the amount of cannabis being consumed in colonial India that they commissioned a large-scale study in the late 1890s. The rulers back then wanted to know if the abuse of the plant was putting lives of the natives in danger or making them go mad. They asked the Indian government to appoint a body that would take a look at its cultivation, the preparation and sale of the drugs and the social and moral impact of its consumption and if possible, its prohibition. Their sample was as big as it was diverse with people from different walks of life, from farmers to doctors, being studied. It took them years to churn out the results of the study and The Indian Hemp Drugs Commission Report was born with six volumes of research data. They concluded banning the substance wouldn't be justifiable. The herb had a rich religious history and was harmless when consumed in moderation. In fact, alcohol does more damage to the human body than cannabis. They were also afraid that banning such a substance, apart from a mass outcry, would push people to use more dangerous narcotics. The Indian Hemp Drugs Commission Report of 1894 holds a lot of relevance even now. redscarabtravelandmedia.wordpress Then WTF happened? Here's what happened. Things were going great till 1985. Marijuana and other forms of cannabis were legally available in authorised retail shops until the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in the same year banned practically everything related to cannabis. Word has it that the bill, passed by both the houses of the parliament, was carried out under pressure from the United States (surprise, surprise) who pushed the marijuana trade underground. The decision to put cannabis along with other hard substances was heavily condemned all across the country, especially when cigarettes and alcohol were so readily available, and what followed was something feared by many of the critics. Dealers and consumers were invariably pushed towards more harmful drugs like smack or heroin, complications of which can still be seen and felt in most parts of Punjab. Rolling Stone What is the government's problem? There are two problem areas. One, the mindset over the years towards the plant has changed a lot. People, instead of perceiving the herb as a form of recreation, have formed a very negative outlook towards it. Secondly, and the bigger issue here, are the big tobacco and pharmaceutical lobbyists backed by huge private sector companies, and sometimes, big suits from the governments. Some governments do realise legalising it would help them curb the illegal trade and add to their revenue, but for the amount of money being put into the pockets of some of the sharks in the food chain. Which is why even if some state governments ban the use of chewable tobacco, cigarettes will always be available in every nook and corner. The fight for marijuana was never about public health, it is and will always be about the Gandhi in our pockets. Read: Why I Want The Freedom To Roll A Joint And Enjoy It Out In The Open For a while" is a phrase whose length can't be measured. At least by the person who's waiting. Drishyam Films While most of us are always waiting for something to happen or someone to return, a large part of our life is already spent. Who could have thought that two individuals with a massive age gap can get into an unlikely friendship as they meet at a hospital while nursing their spouses in a comatose state? That is what Kalki and Naseeruddin Shah will be seen doing in Anu Menon's upcoming film Waiting! As weird as it might sound, the trailer of the film has already left us wanting for more. Watch the trailer here if you haven't already: Trailer of Naseeruddin Shah and Kalkis film definitely gives us a fair idea of their tragic yet beautiful story and there is definitely much more to it which deserves to be watched. If you still havent made up your mind to watch the film, wait till you read our reasons! 1. The plot: Two grieving individuals with a massive age difference come together at the saddest juncture of their lives. Drishyam films The trailer shows that Natraj spends most of his time on frustrating doctors because they've given up on his wife while he hasn't and Tara is mostly angry and wants to reason with the universe as to how can something as terrible as his husband's accident could happen to her, and that too just weeks after her marriage. While they're struggling to be sane during the troubled times, they meet at the hospital only to befriend each other later. 2. Even when they have a major age gap, Shiv and Taras chemistry manages to strike the right chord (Trailer is a proof!) Drishyam Films The last time we enjoyed an unconventional love story was in Irrfan and Nimrat's Lunchbox. After watching the trailer, we got a feeling that this could just be another beautiful take on friendships that conspires between two people with a contrasting difference. Remember how Tara boasts about her Twitter followers count and Shiv replies, what is Twitter? You had me there! 3. Representing urban India and its ethos, the storyline of the film juggles between how two individuals inspire each other to cope up with grief Drishyam Films Remember how Shiv advises Tara on why it is important to never give up on the daily routine of life, no matter what the situation is? How amazing would it be to watch two people instilling hope in each other to give life another chance! 4. The film's 'progressive' take on marriage is what makes it different from usual films with similar storylines. In one of the scenes from the trailer, a curious Tara asks why Shiv never decided to have kids to which he replies that 'they didnt have a child by choice'. Such delightful conversations from the trailer prove that you will be on a joyous ride with Naseer and Kalki. 5. Kalki and Naseer. #EnoughSaid Drishyam films What happens when you put together an exceptionally talented cast? We dont need a single word to describe how brilliant both the actors are. When you bring together such powerhouses of talent (Thank you for this, Anu Menon!), you dont ponder much but invest your full faith and book your tickets. Get it? 6. Playing the role of Shahs character's wife in the film, National Award winning South Indian Cinema actress and director Suhasini Maniratnam makes her debut in Hindi cinema. And yes, she is Mani Ratnam's wife too. 7. Last but not the least, in a world full of cynics, we definitely deserve this film that will subtly tell you why it's important to be hopelessly hopeful sometimes. While our generation thinks that the best for them lies in the 'next job', 'next relationship', 'next road trip', we are often told that giving up is okay because what lies ahead could be much greater. Stop. Breathe and watch this film. Even when doctors have almost given up on their respective spouses, the beautiful journey of 'waiting' surely lures us to unfold it. To see how an aching journey of a terrible wait turns into a less painful ride for two individuals, go book your tickets. Waiting releases on 27th May 2016. huffingtonpost Rishi Kapoor has no qualms in expressing his thoughts and opinions without a filter, even on political issues. Just recently he gave a fitting reply to Congress party for naming a public toilet after him! The veteran actor has now taken a dig at the old political party giving a reference to his blockbuster film Amar Akbar Anthony. It all began when reports emerged that Amitabh Bachchan will throw a party for the Modi government to commemorate its second anniversary. In an ugly reply, the Congress took a pot shot at the Centre, keeping Big B under it's target. The party questioned the participation of Bachchan, considering he is under scanner for the Panama Paper leaks. (Also read: Amitabh Bachchan Finally Breaks His Silence Over Panama Leaks, Says His Name Has Been Misused) indianexpress Keeping in view the entire controversy around senior Bachchan's name in the BJP event, Kapoor came out in full support of him. He said considering the stature of Bachchan in the industry, his involvement in the celebration was well in place. In its follow-up, Rishi even veiled an attack on Congress saying that their third co-star from the 1977 movie Vinod Khanna was the only one left to join him and Bachchan before they could sing the film's song. Khanna had joined BJP in 1997 and has been serving as one of it's leading politicians ever since. Agar kissi tareeke se Vinod Khanna ji ko bhi uljha len ,they could sing and have "Amar AkbarAnthony" pic.twitter.com/WKEadRl3BC Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) May 25, 2016 thewire Rishi Kapoor, who played Akbar in the action-comedy film, has been at the center of several attacks from the Congress party members for his timely tweets in support of the Narendra Modi government. The 63-year-old actor had spoken against the practice of naming all the major national assets after the Gandhi family members during the Congress rule, which didn't go down too well with India's main opposition party. In return, some Congress workers named a public toilet in Allahabad after Kapoor's name. However, Kapoor took a jibe at the entire episode and made fun of the Congress one more time. "I am thrilled. At least, I will be of some use to someone. These people (Congress loyalists) are of no use to anyone. I take pride in the fact that the "Sulabh Shauchalaya" is named after me because it is the Prime Minister's pet project right now." - Rishi Kapoor Read these chain of tweets he has been posting. THINK. There are 64 prominent places named after them only in New Delhi! Do you need that many to commemorate them? pic.twitter.com/zdmVEAaal7 Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) May 19, 2016 Why Indira G airport International ? Why not Mahatma Gandhi or Bhagat Singh Ambedkar or on my name Rishi Kapoor. As superficial! What say? Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) May 17, 2016 Imagine Mohamad Rafi Mukesh Manna Dey Kishore Kumar venues on their name like in our country. Just a suggestion Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) May 17, 2016 Film City should be named Dilip Kumar,Dev Anand,Ashok Kumar ya Amitabh Bachchan ke naam? Rajeev Gandhi udyog Kya hota hai? Socho doston! Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) May 17, 2016 Change Gandhi family assets named by Congress.Bandra/Worli Sea Link to Lata Mangeshkar or JRD Tata link road. Baap ka maal samjh rakha tha ? Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) May 17, 2016 Amitabh Bachchan, who avoids all kinds of political controversy around him, has cleared the air over reports that he is hosting the BJP's celebrations. He said he will simply be organising a small gathering to boost the initiative of "Beti Bachao Beti Padhao", which he endorses. Rather it is actor R Madhavan who has been roped in to host the mega event on May 28. Tech giant Microsoft announced Wednesday that the company will be laying off 1,850 more employees following its withdrawal from its phone business. Only last week, 4,500 job cuts were announced in its devices segment, in the same breath as the sale of Microsoft's feature phone business. Employees in Finland will bear the worst brunt of the decision as Microsoft-owned Nokia is based out of there. Markus Schreiber/AP Microsoft's acquisition of Nokia couldn't prevent the giant conglomerate to win against Apple's iPhone and all devices operating on Google's Android. pocketnow It won't be a final goodbye, however. According to Microsoft chief Satya Nadella, "We are focusing our phone efforts where we have differentiation - with enterprises that value security, manageability and our Continuum capability, and consumers who value the same. We will continue to innovate across devices and on our cloud services across all mobile platforms." Microsoft may still roll out smaller phone devices next year in 2017, as per its previously announced plans. Until January this year, Indias biggest flag was a massive 99 X 66 feet, and it was hoisted to mark Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's birth anniversary. Now, a Telangana couple is about to beat that, with a massive 72ft by 108ft tricolour. deccanchronicle Kambampati Sanjeeva Rao and Padmavatha are making what promises to be Indias biggest flag, and theyre working round the clock to weave it, for hoisting on the states Formation Day (June 2). But they have 72 hours to hand it over to the government, so that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao can unfurl it at Sanjeevaiah Park. A flag so big even Lahore can see it toi The flag was commissioned to the couple in recognition of of Sanjeeva Raos flag collection hobby - hes the only Indian member of the International Federation of Vexillological Association. Hes handmade flags of over 200 countries on his own, and travelled to 11 countries for flag exhibitions. It is indeed an honour for me. I am on cloud nine, to be a part of the official Telangana Formation Day celebrations. I feel that making the flag is not an order from the government, but an honour from it, Mr Sanjeeva Rao told Deccan Chronicle The couple sourced the material from Hyderabad for the flag: We will prove our love for Telangana as well as our country by completing the responsibility entrusted on us on time, she said. Indias biggest flags ozzmodz Until now, the biggest flag was a 66x99 ft tricolour hoisted in Ranchi (Jharkhand). India's Tallest Tricolour Hoisted In Ranchi, On A Hill Where Many Freedom Fighters Were Hung An Indian flag will be installed at the Attari-Wagah border by January 2017, and the 350 feet height will allow the mast to be visible from both from Lahore and Amritsar. Ashok Kumar Yadav, the officiating Inspector General of BSF Punjab told the Indian Express:"At that height, the flag would have to be proportionately sized, therefore it would also be the largest tricolour. There is an intense atmosphere of patriotism during the Retreat ceremony, and the crowds are highly charged. The flag will serve as a beacon for them." A 26-year-old jobless man from a Muzaffarnagar village makes a one-seater aircraft out of sheer anger that he could not secure a job all these years. A resident of Kaserva village, a riot-affected region in the district, Abdul Wajid took up the gigantic mission when all his endeavours to secure a job failed. Wajid, during his stint in National Cadet Corps (NCC), had trained in aero-modelling at Safdarjung airport. Now the aircraft, built at a cost of Rs 5 lakh, is ready and awaits necessary approval as does his entire village, he told TOI. TOI "All I want is to show to all those who have found me worthless what I can do. I do not want anything more," he said. "The day this plane makes its first sortie, I am sure aviation industry will take note of it. Someone may employ me, train me further and utilise my services. At least the Uttar Pradesh chief minister will provide me some monetary assistance as he has done in several other cases in the past," The wooden structure weighing around 350kg and measuring a metre in length is supported by a sturdy steel frame and looks like a small aircraft ready to fly. Earlier, Wajid used two bike engines for the aircraft, but those could not give the propellers the required thrust. Eventually, he fitted the structure with the engine of an old Maruti van he purchased from a scrap dealer. The aircraft has cost him Rs 5 lakh which he collected from family, friends and generous villagers. Also Read: This Helicopter Displayed At Make In India Week Was Assembled On A Rooftop By A Pilot Wajid claims his plane, which runs on petrol and is fitted with a 25 litre fuel tank, can sustain in air for 10 km. Asked about the safety measures in case his experiment fails, he said "When I get the required permission to fly this, I'll keep a parachute with me." cardekho Wajid did his schooling from a local school and then completed his graduation from Delhi University. During his days in Delhi, he joined the NCC and got a C-certificate from its Air Force wing. It was during this stint that he developed interest in aero-modelling and was given an opportunity to train at Safdarjung airport. He also attended various NCC camps, like Vayu Sena camp, where he was learned finer nuances of aero-modelling. Later, he applied for various government jobs, but couldn't get one. Heartbroken, Wajid decided to prove his worth to those who matter and "force them to take note of his capabilities". Also Read: This Vertical Take-Off And Landing Plane 'Lilium' Can Make Your Every Day Commute Damn Easy! Hemant Verma, aero-modelling instructor at Safdarjung airport who guided Wajid all through his endeavour, said, The experiment has created an unprecedented buzz in the area. Mohammad Akhlaq said , the village head. "This will be a historic moment for the village. Earlier, we used to think it was some kind of a joke, but this boy actually made a small plane ready to fly. Now, he has the support of the entire village," BCCL The real challenge is now to seek the mandatory permission to fly the aircraft. However, nobody seems to know how to obtain it. Muzaffarnagar additional district magistrate Manoj Singh, who recently visited Wajid and inspected the aircraft, said: "This is the first time such a request has been made. District administration cannot do anything in this matter. Only the civil aviation ministry can grant this permission, but it is easier said than done." Wajid is now planning to meet the civil aviation minister to secure permission to fly the aircraft. He said beaming with confidence. "If I can construct an aircraft in a remote village of UP, I can also secure permission to fly it." A 26-year-old jobless man from a Muzaffarnagar village makes a one-seater aircraft out of sheer anger that he could not secure a job all these years. A resident of Kaserva village, a riot-affected region in the district, Abdul Wajid took up the gigantic mission when all his endeavours to secure a job failed. Wajid, during his stint in National Cadet Corps (NCC), had trained in aero-modelling at Safdarjung airport. Now the aircraft, built at a cost of Rs 5 lakh, is ready and awaits necessary approval as does his entire village. 1. Sweden Is Leading A Renewable Energy Revolution, Aims To Go Completely Free Of Fossil Fuels EnergyPress With the world's fossil fuel stocks running out there is an increasing awareness globally on switching to renewable energy sources. It's perhaps best evident in Sweden, a country which currently meets around 52 percent of its total energy needs through renewable sources. The country which since 2013 has been gradually increasing its dependency on renewable energy has set a goal of going fossil fuel-free by the year 2020. 2. This Is How Food Delivery Service Zomato Lost 500 Crore Trying To Make 184.97 Crore bccl Online restaurant discovery and food ordering service Zomato's losses are shooting up significantly as it invests heavily on online food delivery services amid the struggling food-tech category in the country. Zomato's loss before tax has shot up by 262% to Rs 492.3 crore for the financial year ended March 31, 2016, from Rs 136 crore loss in the previous year, the company's majority investor Info Edge has disclosed in its earnings results. The Gurugram-based company's operating revenues has also nearly doubled to Rs 184.97 crore for the year from Rs 96.7 crore in the previous year. 3. Stuck With An Unconfirmed Rajdhani Ticket? Fret Not, Air India Will Fly You For The Same Cost BCCL Train passengers, who could not take their journey because of unconfirmed tickets, will now be able to fly Air India flights at the fare that will be similar to AC first class fares of trains. Air India Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani today said that the airline has entered into an agreement with IRCTC, which will sell those tickets. Lohani said. "Any passenger, who could not get a confirmed ticket, will be given option of booking in Air India flights over the next twenty four hours. The fares will be AC first fares for AC first class passengers and AC II passengers will be charged AC II fares plus Rs 1,500." 4. Bengaluru Live-In Couples Fight So Much The City Cops Have Created A Helpline For Them! intoday/Represenatational image With live-in relationships becoming a common phenomenon in the city, the Bangalore City Police's helpline for women, Vanitha Sahayavani, has had to create a new section to deal with squabbling couples who live together, but aren't married. In the last one year, it has seen nearly 95 such cases. On an average, they say, every month at least five to six cases are reported. 5. The Chinese Company That Makes Apple's iPhone, Has Replaced 60,000 Workers With An Army Of Robots! qzprod About 60,000 workers at a China factory of Foxconn, which produces Apple phones, have been replaced with robots, according to reports. Foxconn has 12 factories in China. "The Foxconn factory in Kunshan has reduced its employee strength from 1,10,000 to 50,000, thanks to the introduction of robots. The teenager, a juvenile, who has been held for the assault on the girl on Wednesday, is said to have molested her in the past which the girl could not report owing to her ailment. She suffers from Down's Syndrome. The Police told Hindustan Times that the boy had dragged the victim into the bushes on the evening of May 13 and raped her till she lost consciousness. He then tried to slit her throat and dumped the body along the railway track of Pul Prahladpur in South Delhi. Apart from the wound of the slit mark, the police have also found bite marks all over her body, including her genitals. BBCL The girl is battling for her life at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) after having undergone a series of surgeries to stop the bleeding from the injuries she sustained. She had undergone a major perineal repair surgery on May 18. She is in a critical condition but stable at the moment, said Dr DK Sharma, medical superintendent, AIIMS. "She might need another corrective surgery in a month or so. The girl had been living at her maternal uncle's house since her parents died. On May 13, she left the house to fetch water from a tank for the house but when she did not return till late night, her family filed a report with the police. Wikimapia "Four teams went to the forest, the nearby market and houses of her friends but could not locate her. The next morning she was spotted along the railway tracks by a local. She was rushed to the hospital. In the past one week, she underwent two surgeries and is under observation, an investigator told HT. Speaking to the media, her aunt kept crying, "I should have accompanied her. She could not talk properly and suffers from a hearing impairment also. She could not have even raised an alarm, she said. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal went to AIIMS to meet the family of the girl this morning. In yet another sexual harassment case in the armed forces, a young naval doctor has accused her senior of molesting her twice earlier this month in New Delhi. indiannavy The Navy has sent the accused, a surgeon commander, on forced leave and promised stringent action if he is found guilty of the charges. The surgeon commander (equivalent to a Lt Colonel in Army), who was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal on Republic Day this year, is posted at the naval administrative and logistics establishment in the capital called INS India. indiannavy The Board of Inquiry (BoI), headed by a Captain-rank officer, has submitted its report on the matter to Naval Headquarters, which is now finalising the proceedings. officer said: "The Navy has a zero-tolerance policy on such matters. If the accused is found guilty, he can be summarily dismissed from service." The first incident of molestation allegedly took place at a Vice-Admiral's residence on May 6. The two doctors were there to examine the bed-ridden mother of the Vice-Admiral, who was away on official duty. The surgeon lieutenant has complained that the accused 'groped her' when she went to use the bathroom at the house. The woman complained to senior officers, including the commanding officer of INS India and the controller of personnel services, but that did not deter the accused from misbehaving with her yet again the next day. reuters The officer said: "The BoI was instituted on May 9. Wait for the full inquiry to conclude and we can assure you that justice will be done." The armed forces have been rocked by several sex scandals over the last few years. The IAF had sacked a fighter pilot for having an affair with a senior officer's wife in Jodhpur. The Navy, in turn, sacked two officers in Mumbai, for having an extramarital affair and for sending lewd text messages. The Indian Supreme Court has relaxed the bail condition of Salvatore Girone, an Italian marine who is accused of killing two Indian fishermen, paving the way for him to return home. PTI The SC on Thursday while allowing his plea, sought an undertaking from the Italian ambassador that he would bring Girone back to India to face trial. It also clarified that the UN Tribunal will decide on which country will have the jurisdiction over the case. The other marine, Massimiliano Latorre is already in Italy after India allowed him to return home on health after he suffered a stroke in 2014. The duo are accused of shooting dead two Indian fishermen without provocation near the Kerala coast in 2012 while guarding a merchant ship Enrica Lexie. What happened on 15 Feb 2012? MV Enrica Lexie was on its way to Singapore when it came across a 'suspicious boat' in the Indian Ocean near Kerala coast. The two marines, Latorre and Girone who were guarding the ship opened fire at those on the boat "mistaking them to be pirates". Safety4Sea Two fishermen on the boat, Ajesh Binki and Valentine were killed in the firing. The ship was later intercepted and the marines were arrested by Indian authorities. Dispute over jurisdiction Italy protested the arrest of the two marines by India claiming that the incident happened in international waters and according to the international maritime rules the duo should face trial in Rome. PTI India however maintained that the shooting took place within the country's marine boundaries and they will be tried under Indian law. The dispute blew up into such proportions that at one point of time both countries had almost reached the level of ending diplomatic ties. Allowing marines to go home Latorre and Girone were first allowed to go home in December 2012 for Christmas on an undertaking by the Italian envoy that they will return to the country to face trial. Latorre was allowed to travel to Italy for treatment after he suffered a stroke while he was staying in the Italian Embassy in Delhi. PTI What is happening now? Italy had approached the UN's Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague against the trial by India. The court had earlier this month ruled in favour of Italy and had asked India to relax the bail condition of Girone. The arrival of the southwestern monsoon is predicted to be just days away. The rains which expected to be above average this year and are expected to bring huge relief to many parts of India which had witnessed acute shortage of showers in the past couple of years due to the El Nino. BCCL There is even more good news this time around, the El Nino weather phenomenon which is blamed for droughts across the world is over, the Australia Bureau of Meteorology has announced. What is El Nino? El Nino which means The Little Boy, or Christ Child in Spanish is a weather pattern caused by an unusual warming of sea surface temperatures in equatorial Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Peru and Ecuador in South America. AP The harsh weather has dried up rice crops across Southeast Asia, cocoa fields in Ghana, coffee in Indonesia and sugarcane in Thailand since last year. It had also pushed the temperatures to record heights year after year. Usually the weather cycle is replaced by La Nina, as the ocean's surface is starting to cool down, which signals more moderate climate. Even though there has been no official announcement, La Nina is expected to begin between May-July. What is La Nina? La Nina means The Little Girl in Spanish, a climate phenomenon characterised by significantly below-average temperatures in the equatorial Pacific. Scientists say this pattern typically contributes to more hurricanes in the Atlantic, drought in Brazil and heavy rain in Indonesia and India. What does La Nina mean to India ? With the ocean cooling down, typically it should result in more rains and moderate temperatures compared to the past couple of years. BCCL This means, after two years of depleted rainfall, this monsoon could bring good rainfall. However with the prediction of above average rains there is also a fear that it could result in floods across the country. A conversation conducted using sticky Post-it notes on the windows of two offices in Lower Manhattan has delighted passersby and drawn a number of neighboring advertising agencies to join what is now a highly contested art battle. Reuters It all began when employees at one firm, Havas Media, replied to an anonymous "HI" message that was left across from its office building on Canal Street. There are now hundreds of colorful notes decorating windows in the area. Reuters "It's kind of just ballooned organically and become something that no one's quite controlling and you don't know where it's going next," said Greg James, chief strategy development officer for Havas Media, a unit of French advertising and communications group Havas SA. Reuters After the Havas team replied with its own "SUP," the fight began. Others in the building took part, and agencies across the street fired back with creative window art featuring characters from HBO's "Game of Thrones," the Snapchat logo, popular song lyrics and cartoons from the Angry Birds mobile app. Reuters More than a week after it started, the Post-it art war now involves other local advertising agencies including Horizon Media, Biolumina, Harrison and Star, Getty Images and Cake Group, which is part of the Havas network. And it has spread to Havas offices as far afield as London, Toronto and Dublin. Reuters Using the hashtags #postitwar and #canalnotes, many social media users, agency employees and even clients are taking to Twitter and Instagram to share their favourite portraits. Reuters James said Havas is discussing how the firm could make the impromptu contest more meaningful or tie it somehow to a greater cause. Reuters "We don't want to control it too much because I think what's nice is that it's so fluid and that everybody owns it individually or in little teams," he said. Reuters Across the street at Horizon Media, some employees have been using client brands to inspire their window portraits. Reuters Molly Reich, a digital strategist for Horizon Media, said she is excited that the competition is taking off, despite a temporary delay caused by building supervisors. Reuters "Our landlord wouldn't allow us to participate," said Reich, whose window includes a Post-it note depiction of the cartoon characters featured on GoGo sqeeZ applesauce, a Horizon Media client. Reuters "But then someone from offices and hospitality talked to them and they finally agreed," she said. Reuters Employees in France can now leave their work commitments at work once they leave office. In a bid to protect employee rights, France is moving to make professional emails illegal outside of work hours. Fortune The amendment will be introduced to a French reform bill that was recently made a law on May 10. A section of the law titled 'The Adaptation of Work Rights to the Digital Era' was met with severe criticism for interfering with an employee's 35-hour long work week - by stretching it to 46 hours, making it more favourble for the employers. Article 25 of the law states, "The development of information and communication technologies, if badly managed or regulated, can have an impact on the health of workers. Among them, the burden of work and the informational overburden, the blurring of the borders between private life and professional life, are risks associated with the usage of digital technology." stormcart What France wants is simple - give employees a legal right to "disconnect", make them more entitled to their personal time, and do away with the answerability to official communications on weekends. Companies will now have to rework their policies to incorporate this effort to limit post-work communication that seeks employee participation at the cost of their personal time. Debesh Chandra Pramanik, a Hindu businessman from Gobindaganj in Bangladesh was hacked to death by unidentified assailants on Wednesday. Pramanik, a shoe-store owner was found murdered inside his shop with his throat slit. BDNews24 The assailants slit throat using sharp weapons leaving him dead instantly, a police officer said. Even though police have arrested one person, whom the victim's family claim is a drug addict and had tried to extort money from Pramanik, the investigators are yet to ascertain the reason behind the murder. Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom-Alo reported that the Islamic State has claimed responsibility of the incident. prothom-alo This is however yet to be validated by the government or agencies. The government have in the past rejected the claims of ISIS on similar incidents and blamed it on local extremist groups. Pramanik is the latest religious minority community member to be killed in Bangladesh. Earlier another Hindu tailor, a Sufi and a Buddhist monk were hacked to death by suspected extremists. A number of secular activists have also been killed in the country in the recent times. Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn which manufactures some of the world's top gadgets like the Apple iPhone, Xiaomi Lumia and other smartphones has revamped its manufacturing line. As part of cutting down on the dependence on manpower, one of its manufacturing units in China now have a lineup of robots to assemble the devices. The Foxconn factory in Kunshan have replaced almost 60,000 workers and cut down its employee strength from 1,10,000 to 50,000, thanks to the introduction of robots. Reuters It has tasted success in reduction of labour costs," said a government official, adding that more firms were likely to follow suit. Also Read: The iPhone Could Soon Be Manufactured In Maharashtra This doesn't bode well for Kunshan's 2.5 million residents, most of whom are migrant workers who moved to the city for jobs in its numerous electronics factories. qzprod Also Read: iPhone Maker Has Begun Manufacturing In India, But Is That Really Good For Us? However, Foxconn denies that the change will result in long-term job losses. The company said the robots have only taken over the most repetitive tasks, so human workers can be trained to focus on "higher value-added elements in the manufacturing process," like research, development and quality control. "We will continue to harness automation and manpower in manufacturing operations," a spokesperson said. Also Read: China Is Freaking Out Over Apple Showing Interest In #MakeInIndia As the Euro 2016 kickoff nears, France is doing everything possible to ensure that there is no compromise on security. After the Paris terror attacks late last year, the government is not prepared to any risks. Twitter/Reuters Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said 77,000 police and paramilitary police will be deployed, along with 13,000 private security guards. The Stade de France, which will host the opening game and final, was targeted by suicide bombers during the attacks by the Islamic State group on the French capital in November. The assailants tried unsuccessfully to get inside the security perimeter. AFP However, even while such measures are being taken, the minister said there is no perceived threat to the event. One can only hope that the tournament goes off without a hitch. The last thing the beautiful game needs is the dark shadow of terrorism over it. The head of international relations forsupreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told N this week that Tehran is against the declaration of an autonomous Kurdish territory in the north of Syria , while emphasizing that an independent Kurdish state in the Middle East is not a viable entity. President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with all Nigerian children on the occasion of this years Childrens Day celebration, which comes up on Friday. The president, who noted that the 2016 Childrens Day celebration comes just two days before his first anniversary in office, reassured the children and youth that his administration is fully committed to fulfilling its promise of a better Nigeria for all the citizens. In a statement he personally signed on Thursday and made available to journalists, President Buhari reaffirmed his belief that it is the right of every Nigerian child to have access to quality and affordable education, as well as healthcare and other basic necessities for a good life, in a peaceful and secure environment. The good health and well-being of Nigerian children remain a top priority on our agenda for national development and we have demonstrated our strong commitment in this regard with the allocation of N12.6 billion in the 2016 budget for vaccines and programmes to prevent childhood killer diseases such as polio, measles and yellow fever, he said. The president added that other measures in the 2016 budget, such as the school feeding programme for children at a cost of N93.1 billion, will ensure that more children of school age go to school and enjoy the fun of learning and growing together with their peers. Mr. Buhari also assured that in spite of the current economic downturn and funding challenges confronting the nation, his administration will continue to do all within its powers to achieve better living conditions and greater access to quality healthcare and education for all the countrys youth. It is a thing of joy that on this years Childrens Day, we can also celebrate the safe return of one of the Chibok girls, Amina Ali Nkeki, and many other abducted women and children who have been freed from the clutches of Boko Haram by our gallant troops. I assure all Nigerians and friends of the country, once again, that my administration will not rest on its oars until the ungodly terrorist sect is totally eliminated from our country. As peace gradually returns to the insurgency-ravaged North-Eastern States, the Federal Government will continue to work diligently to ensure the rapid and full reintegration and rehabilitation of all internally displaced persons, including orphaned children in the region. We will also sustain and strengthen ongoing actions to protect children more effectively from violence, child-labour, child-trafficking, forced marriages and other related offences, President Buhari asserted. In return, the president urged the children and youth of Nigeria to imbibe and exhibit in greater measure, the virtues of hard work, diligence, discipline, honesty, prudence, selflessness and patriotism, which are essential for the actualisation of our vision of a truly great nation. According to Buhari, as the world now looks up to Nigeria as an exemplary model of democratic ideals following the smooth transition that ushered in his administration to power, the children and youth have a very significant role to play in ensuring that democratic institutions of governance are continuously nurtured, improved and strengthened to underpin national development and prosperity. President Buhari further assured that under his leadership, the Federal Government will continue to do its best to prepare and equip the children and youth to show the world that with its brilliant, resourceful and resilient people, Nigeria is a country of incredible potential and opportunity. He wished all Nigerians a Happy Childrens Day celebration. Donald Trump has won enough delegates to clinch the Republican Presidential nomination at the July Convention. AP has confirmed that Trump has surmounted the benchmark by one as he gained the support of 1,238 delegates out of the 1237 needed to win the Republican nomination for president. Among them is Oklahoma GOP chairwoman Pam Pollard. According to New York Post, she said I think he has touched a part of our electorate that doesnt like where our country is, Pollard said. I have no problem supporting Mr. Trump. With 303 delegates at stake in five state primaries on June 7, Trump will easily make up his total for an advantageous position at the convention in Cleveland in July. Trump has long been favorite to clinch the Republican nomination edging out candidates such as Dr. Ben Carson, Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush. Workers in Ekiti State on Thursday commenced an indefinite strike action over non-payment of salaries. The strike action was sequel to a stay at home order given to Ekiti civil servants by the state chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). In the same vein, the Ekiti Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Kolawole Olaiya, has said that the inability of the Governor Ayo Fayose administration to pay workers salary is an indication that Ekiti has become a failed state. In a joint statement signed by NLC Secretary, Comrade Olayemi OJP; Joint Negotiating Committee Secretary, Blessing Oladele and TUC secretary, Adebayo J. A, the organised labour reminded Fayose of the 48 hours ultimatum given to him to pay all deductions and five months salaries, which expired yesterday. Speaking with reporters in Ado Ekiti, the state capital yesterday, the TUC chairman said prevailing shortfall of allocation from the Federation Account was not strong excuse not to pay workers, warning that unless the state government acceded to the demands of labour by midnight of yesterday, industrial action would commence today. Olaiya said, Every government is created for the security and welfare of the people and it is criminal for any government not to pay its workers their salaries. A government that cannot pay for five months is a failed government. Senator Ali Modu Sheriff may be fighting a lost battle to retain his seat as national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the withdrawal of support of members of his own National Working Committee (NWC). The NWC members yesterday unanimously agreed to recognize the Senator Ahmed Makarfi caretaker committee, which emerged at the national convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State last weekend. Mr. Sheriff, who stormed out of Port Harcourt in anger after his announcement canceling the convention did not stop the PDP from sacking him as national chairman, vowed to remain in office. His decision to stay-put in office pitched him against the Makarfi-led caretaker committee, which enjoys the support of the powerful bloc of PDP governors, National Assembly members and other major organs of the party. However, the tide changed against Mr. Sheriff on Wednesday as members of the NWC unanimously pledged their allegiance to the new caretaker committee. A statement signed by the outgoing national vice chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus; the deputy national secretary, Barrister Onwe Solomon Onwe; national legal adviser, Victor Kwon; national woman leader, Amb Kema Chikwe; national youth leader, Abdullahi Maibasira; national financial secretary, Bolaji Anani and national treasurer, Alhaji Buhari Bala, said as products of the partys convention in Port Harcourt, they accepted all the decisions and resolutions reached. The national caretaker committee constituted by the national convention on May 21, 2016, is fully within the powers of the national convention under Section 33 (5) (e) of the partys constitution. We recognise the Sen Ahmed Makarfi-led national caretaker committee of the PDP and offer the committee all our support and cooperation, the statement said. 30-year old woman, Mrs. Joy Ogundare, will appear before a Federal High Court in Kano today for allegedly implanting a substance suspected to be cocaine in the apartment of a cleric, Pastor Richard Ekenne. Ogundare, who confessed to the crime, said she wanted to plant the cocaine in Ekennes house in order to implicate him, because of the misunderstanding between the two of them. She said: I am not in good terms with Pastor Richard. We even have a pending case at the Magistrates Court here in Kano. That was why I wanted to plant cocaine in his apartment to implicate him but I was caught in the process by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) officers. The Kano State NDLEA Commander, Mr. Hamza Umar, said preliminary investigations revealed that Ogundare, who lives in the same compound with Ekenne, was caught implanting 2.2 grams of cocaine in the clerics apartment apparently to implicate him for what he did not know anything about. Umar said the woman was paying for the evil she committed. The NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Col. Muhammad Abdallah (rtd.), promised that the case would be diligently prosecuted. He said: The agency will continue to uphold the rule of law. The agency respects the rule of law and will remain meticulous in its operations. We are pursuing this case to a logical conclusion. Everything possible will be done to prevent the innocent from being punished while the guilty will never escape justice. Source:NewTelegraph The Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for deregulating the petroleum downstream sector. The group described the presidents action as the beginning of economic rebirth for the country. The NDMG further said Buhari, who doubles as the Minister of Petroleum and Ibe Kachikwu, the Minister of State for Petroleum, have earned a place in Nigerias history and deserving accolades for daring to do what it termed the right thing. A statement issued yesterday by the United Kingdom Coordinator of the group in Abuja, Adeka Onyilo, said: The inherited rot that left Nigerians suffering on fuel queues was becoming an international embarrassment until President Buhari took the bull by the horn. The cartel that acquire FOREX from government under the guise of importing petrol only embark on round tripping has been severed from the supply chain and should leave the government with some money to invest in other sectors that will touch the lives of citizens across board. We however urged that the judicious and prudent management of the resources of Nigeria vested in the custody of the present government because this is important to the nations prosperity. Onyilo, however, called on the president and the minister to ensure that Nigerians who now have to pay realistic prices for petrol are not short-changed by fraudulent marketers who tamper with their meter to under dispense the product. We further urge the Minister to enforce the price cap as reports indicate that some outlets still sell above the computed N145 per litre. Such development can only create the cover for those opposed to change to creep on the government and populace with another price hike or petrol scarcity citing the willingness of the people to pay more as excuse, the group said in the statement. Yesterday, the Lagos state government signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the 4th Mainland Bridge but the designs were yet to be released. The 4th Mainland Bridge design is an innovative and prototype design of the floating structure in the heart of the metropolitan city. The design metaphorically suggests a progressive movement towards consolidating efforts to transformation Lagos to the much sang Mega-City. This is to situate its navigation system on a world class pedestal, that spans an enormous competitiveness among investors. As well as, to create and sustain the narrative that the state is rising. The designs were created by Kunle Adeyemi. Kunle Adeyemi, born and raised in Nigeria, is an architect, designer and urbanist with a track record of conceiving and completing high profile, high quality projects internationally. He is the founder of NLE, currently developing a number of urban, research and architectural projects in Africa; one of which is Chicoco Radio Media Center; the amphibious building in Delta city of Port Harcourt in Nigeria. Adeyemi studied architecture at the University of Lagos where he began his early practice, before joining the world renowned Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) in 2002. At OMA, working closely with founder Rem Koolhaas for nearly a decade, he led the design, development and execution of numerous projects in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Among these projects were the award winning Samsung Museum of Art, the Seoul National University Museum, NM Rothschild Bank in London, Shenzhen Stock Exchange tower in China, Prada Transformer in South Korea, Qatar National Library and the Qatar Foundation Headquarters Here are designs of the Bridge that is to serve as an alternative route to the Eastern axis and decongest traffic in the state. The Enugu State Police Command will train 472 Neighborhood Watch Groups to compliment security services at grassroots level to forestall attacks by Fulani herdsmen in any community in the state. This followed the last Fulani herdsmens invasion on April 25 of Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of the state where 46 natives were slaughtered. Traditional rulers in the 472 communities in Enugu State converged on the Enugu State House of Assembly Hall where they vowed to tackle cases of insecurity in communities,collaborating with the Police to protect their subjects from further attacks and invasion. The command engaged all the traditional rulers of Enugu State where issues relating to community security and partnership were highlighted and discussed with a view to ensuring that our communities are made safe and secure, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Ebere Amaraizu said in a statement. Violent herdsmen who have been killing people and destroying farmlands across the country may have links with the Boko Haram, says the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai. Speaking on Thursday when he paid a courtesy visit to the Governor of Ogun State Ibikunle Amosun, Buratai said timely information on the activities of the herdsmen is one of the best ways to tackle them. We want to call on all Nigerians to be security conscious and to report any suspicious persons or group of people that are roaming about in their communities, Buratai said. One may not be too far from the fact that some of these herdsmen that are attacking communities across the country may have some affiliation with the Boko Haram terrorists. This we are further investigating and also pursuing them so that we can address the situation, so lets be security conscious. Lets report quickly movement of suspicious persons carrying arms. If you suspect any individual within your community, we should be able to report immediately. Timely information is very important. We have our troops deployed in certain areas and I believe the Police are working with them to be able to tackle any challenge that comes, he said. About 24 hours after it unveiled its plan to construct Oshodi Transport Interchange at a cost of $70 million, the Lagos State Government wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding with a consortium of investors that agreed to fund and construct Fourth Mainland Bridge. The consortium, which agreed to fund and construct the bridge at N844 billion comprise Visible Asset Limited, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Hi-tech Construction Limited, J.P. Morgan, Eldorado Nigeria Limited, Nigerian Westminster Dredging and Marine, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and Access Bank. Designed to cover a distance of 38 kilometres, the project will be constructed under a build, operate and transfer (BOT) concession and the states public-private partnership programme for a period of 40 years. The agreement was signed at the State House, Alausa, by assigned representatives of all corporate organisations making up the consortium that partnered to construct the bridge deemed to be the longest anywhere. The signatories include the Chief Investment Officer, Africa Finance Corporation, Mr. Andrew Alli; Group Managing Director OF Access Bank, Mr. Herbert Wigwe and Executive Chairman, Visible Assets Limited, Mr. Idowu Iluyomade, Senior Country Officer, J.P. Morgan Nigeria, Mr. Tosin Adewuyi and Consultant, Advanced Engineering Consultants, Mr. Ger Horgan. After signing the agreement, the state Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, acknowledged that the state had recorded another major milestone with the signing of the MOU to build the 38-kilometre bridge. He explained that the significance of this bridge will be fully appreciated if we can imagine Lagos of today without 3rd Mainland Bridge. Almost 30 years after 3rd Mainland Bridge was built, the state has experienced phenomenal growth to become a megalopolis with a population of over 21 million. The governor noted that the increase in the population of the state and expanded commercial activity has led to frequent traffic congestion. This has made it imperative for us to construct 4th Mainland Bridge that will serve as an alternative route to the Eastern axis and decongest traffic in the state. More importantly, the governor explained the this bridge would definitely provide the required transportation complement to the rapidly growing industrial activities on the Eti-Osa -Lekki-Epe corridor of the state. He explained that the proposed alignment passes through Lekki, Langbasa and Baiyeiku towns along the shoreline of the Lagos Lagoon estuaries, further running through Igbogbo River Basin and crossing the Lagos Lagoon estuaries to Itamaga Area in Ikorodu. It then crosses Itoikin road and Ikorodu-Sagamu road to connect Isawo inward Lagos-Ibadan expressway at Ojodu Berger axis. The bridge would be made up of 8 interchanges to facilitate effective interconnectivity between different parts of the state. The governor added that the structure will be a four-lane dual carriageway with each comprising three lanes and two metres hard shoulder on each side, while the bridge will be constructed to have a generous median to allow for both future carriageway expansion and light rail facility. There is no gainsaying the fact that huge benefits will be derived from this project but most importantly, it will make life more comfortable for Lagosians. We have started the process with the signing of this MoU which is an expression of the commitment of major stakeholders, including the government and the consortium of consultants and investors to the delivery of the project within the scheduled time frame. Speaking after signing the agreement, Horgan said the initial cost of the project operational from 2016 to 2021 was N844 billion, noting that the follow-up 10-year programme for structural pavement repair of the project between 2018 and 2033 is put at N5 billion. According to him, to add overlay plus line and refurbish beforehand back between 2055 and 2061 would cost N10 billion while five years refresh programme of work along the route between 2030 and 2061 is put at N19 billion, saying that annual operating cost between 2021 to 2061 is N20 billion. Cumulatively, Horgan, a consultant at Advanced Engineering Consultants, noted that the entire project cost is put at N844 billion, while the bridge will have three tow plazas for the collection of tows. Iluyomade, who pioneered the project, commended the state government for giving the consortiums the opportunity to handle it, saying with all things in place, the project would be completed in three years. He assured that the Fourth Mainland Bridge project is achievable. The infrastructure is so critical that it has a very high social returns. It will create jobs and reduce traffic gridlock in Lagos metropolis. At the end of the 40-year concession, the project would be handed over to the Lagos State Government. Source:ThisDay Erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, has indicated willingness to return the N400 million he allegedly unlawfully received from the embattled former National Security Adviser, NSA, Sambo Dasuki. Mr. Metuh and his company, Destra Investment Limited, were accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of receiving the sum for a contract not executed and for allegedly laundering the sum of $2 million. They are currently standing trial on seven count charges at a federal high court in Abuja. Speaking to journalists in court on Wednesday, lawyer to the former PDP spokesman, Onyechi Ikpeazu, said that since his client has shown sufficient evidence that he (Metuh) did not know the source of N400 million transferred to his company account by Dasuki, he is willing to refund the said amount to government coffers. Chief Metuh had shown sufficient evidence that he was not aware of the source of the N400 million made available to him by the former President and he has shown his willingness, since the commencement of this matter, to refund the said sum even when there is no guilt knowledge (mens rea), Ikpeazu said. The lawyer further said that having lost his no-case submission, which was rejected by Justice Okon Abang of the federal high court and also upheld by the Appeal Court yesterday, Metuh has the right to go ahead to the Supreme Court to seek an upturning of the judgments of the lower courts. There are issues in the Appeal Court ruling the defence team is not comfortable with, after due consultation with our client, he will instruct us on the next action. The client has the right of appeal all the way to the Supreme Court, he added. Nigerias development has been slow because the country lacks think-tanks, thought leadership for development. Founder, Centre for Values in Leadership, CVL, Professor Pat Utomi decried the level of decline in quality leadership in Nigeria at the 33rd Centre for Values In Leaderships Leader Without Title, LWT, Leadership Colloquium in honour of His Majesty Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha as part of activities to mark his 75th birthday. One of the objectives of CVL is to raise the level of thought leadership today. Around the world one of the most important thing is to have thought leaders, Utomi, a former presidential aspirant said. The event had eminent Nigerians in attendance, including former Finance Minister, Kala Idika Kalu, Representative of the Governor of Anambra State, Ogbuefi Nnacheta, Igwe of Oki, Prof. Laz Ekwueme; former Ambassador of United States of America, George Obiozo; former Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch Magazine, Ray Ekpu; Executive Vice Chairman, Ibadan School of Government & Policy, Dr. Tunji Olaopa; President, Aka Ikenga, Chief Goddy Uwazuruike, among others. President Muhammadu Buhari has said that Nigeria made a very big mistake by depending on oil as the mainstay of the economy. Speaking while bidding the outgoing Iranian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Saeed Koozechi, farewell in Abuja, President Buhari said he was convinced that with greater diligence, hard work and patriotic determination, Nigeria would achieve self-sufficiency in most of the goods on its import list, as the government continues pushing for diversification of the economy. We made a terrible mistake by becoming a mono-product economy hinged on oil and we are now in a volatile situation, due to the crash in oil prices, Buhari said. We have seen the benefits of diversification which helped Iran to survive many years of sanctions and still come out strong. We are now fully committed to economic diversification. Punch A governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State, Chief Olusola Oke, has said the party must be united in order to defeat the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state Vanguard New militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers, Thursday, destroyed the main pipeline supplying gas that provides electricity to the Escravos tank farm in Delta state owned by Chevron. Thisday Tomato Crisis Spreads Panic in Nigeria Tomatoes, one of its main ingredients and a staple of Nigerian cuisine, are going for $2 each at local markets, with wholesale baskets costing as much as N42,000 or $212, Kaduna State Agriculture Commissioner, Manzo Daniel, told AFP. The Sun The Nigerian Army has acquired six vehicles to enhance communication in its fight against insurgency in the North-East. Daily Times Lagos State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mr. BabatundeDurosinmiEtti has announced plans by the government accelerate job and wealth creation for the unemployed and under-employed in the state. Guardian The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, said in Abuja on Wednesday that N1.5 billion, being excess bank charges, was recovered and paid into the Federation Account. Daily Trust The Senator Ali Modu Sheriff-led National Working Committee (NWC) members of the PDP have thrown their weight behind Sen Ahmed Makarfi, who was chosen as the partys caretaker chairman at the Port Harcourt convention. Leadership Edo State government has withdrawn a letter earlier issued on the Oba of Benin, saying it was issued in error. Tribune CORPS Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, has expressed concern that about 70 per cent of drivers attached to most state governors across the country operate with expired licences and are not well trained in the act of driving in a convoy. The Nation As part of the ongoing probe of the laundering of over $200billion loot in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by former political office holders, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) yesterday stormed the office of a Dubai property firm, The First Group Company, in Abuja. Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, Wednesday, described the recent increment in the pump price of petrol as one of the gifts of President Muhammadu Buhari to Nigerians to celebrate his one year in office. In a statement titled; Petrol Price Increment as Buharis 1st Year Anniversary Gift to Nigerians, the governor said the Federal Government was indirectly collecting N58.50 naira tax from suffering Nigerians on each litre of petrol they buy. Despite his electoral promise to reduce petrol pump price from the N87 per litre that he met it, President Muhammadu Buhari increased the price to N145! With this increment, Buhari has further impoverished Nigerians, Fayose said. Nigerians should be reminded that on April 14, 2015, President Buharis ally and former Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Prof. Tam David-West, told Nigerians that Gen. Mohammed Buhari (who was then President-elect), will reduce the fuel pump price from N87 to N40 per litre. Buhari did not debunk this statement made by his friend and major supporter. Also, when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government of Dr Goodluck Jonathan reduced the petrol pump price from N97 to N87 per litre in January 2015, former Lagos State Governor who is now Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola said N10 reduction of the petrol pump price was too low and that Nigerians will get a better deal under Buhari. Fashola tweeted on January 18, 2015; On PMS price reduction by N10. Now they listen. Oil the raw material drop over 50%, N10 is just about 10%. Good try but Nija can get a beta deal. In rewarding Nigerians for electing him as president, President Buhari opted to increase petrol pump price by N58.50! The first justification of the increment was removal of subsidy. But Nigerians were later stunned when the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo said pump price of petrol was increased because Nigeria was broke! In other words, President Buhari increased petrol pump price because the country was broke and it needed to shore up its revenue base. The N58.50 added to the previous pump price of N86.50 was an Indirect Tax imposed on each litre of petrol purchased by Nigerians. Simply put, the Federal Government is indirectly collecting N58.50 naira tax from suffering Nigerians on each litre of petrol they buy. Buhari is no doubt acting like the proverbial Agbalowomeri Baale Jontolo (A king that exploit his extremely poor subject to further enrich himself). It is on record that on May 2 this year, the federal government, in the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) Template released in Abuja, told Nigerians that it was subsidising petrol at N12.62 per litre. In 2012 when the Dr Jonathan removed fuel subsidy and increased petrol price to N141 per litre, crude oil was selling at $111 per barrel. If not wickedness, how can petrol price be increased to N145 per litre when crude oil is now selling at $49 per barrel? Increasing petrol pump price by N58.50 when the federal government claimed it was subsidising the product at N12.62 per litre is clear wickedness on the part of President Buhari. In the history of Nigeria, increase in price of petrol has never been as high as it was done by Buhari, putting Nigerians in severe hardship as the product affects every sector of the economy. Too bad, those who opposed removal of fuel subsidy in 2012 and funded the Occupy Nigeria protest are the ones canvassing support for this Buharis wicked one year anniversary gift to Nigerians. The labour unions are now completely cowed, dashing completely hope of the common people of Nigeria. Interestingly, this is not the first election promise by APC/Buhari that have been jettisoned since they got into office. The N5,000 unemployment benefits promised the downtrodden was derisively put down by this President as largesse with the president spurning the emotional plea of his own wife to the contrary. To add salt and insult unto injury, he traveled abroad to make the statement. Despite the mindless and indefensible hike in fuel price, the commodity is still not available. Minister of state for Petroleum says there is no forex to pay for fuel import; yet there is forex to indulge Buharis foreign-trip profligacy. Presidential spin doctors and APC chieftains labouring to hoodwink the people speak glibly of how so-called deregulation will make products available, reduce cost through competition and the interplay of market forces as well as encourage private sector to build more refineries. But thank God who loves Nigerians so much, the lies of these people was by divine arrangement, I suppose, revealed by no less a person than the junior minister Ibe Kachikwu himself when he said importation of fuel continues till 2019. Nigerians should be reminded that the manner of hardship being faced now was also faced during Buharis first coming as a military dictator when people had to queue for essential commodities. Now, Nigerians cant even afford common tomato to prepare soup. So Nigerians you have heard the truth: Under Buhari/APC, it is almost certain that our suffering will continue till 2019. Nigerians, remember I warned you before Buhari was elected; I have been warning you since Buhari became president and I am warning now that if nothing is done urgently, the economy of Nigeria will collapse, Fayose said in the statement. A police sergeant, Yusuf Bello, has been arrested and detained by the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly snatching motorcycles and selling them in the Iyana Iba area of the state. Bello, who is attached to the Itire Police Division, was detained along with an accomplice, Idowu Badmus on Tuesday. Their arrest came after a victim, identified only as Aramide, reported that he was robbed of his motorcycle at Iyana School bus stop on the Lagos State University-Iyana Iba Road. Officers from the Igando Police Division who made the arrest, recovered three stolen motorcycles from the sergeant and his accomplice, while the buyer and a motor mechanic had also been detained. Aramide was said to have identified his motorcycle among the three recovered by the police. The victim narrated to the Punch how the sergeant, who wore a black police T-shirt, and his accomplice, Badmus, who was in mufti, had accosted him at the Iyana School bus stop on Sunday. The duo, who also came on a motorcycle, were said to have slapped Aramide, and ordered him to come down from the motorcycle after Badmus displayed a police ID card and a pair of handcuffs. They allegedly told their victim they were from the Iba Police Division, adding that they were taking his motorcycle into the police station. Aramide said, Around 1pm, I took a lady from Iyana Iba to Adolf, near Iyana School bus stop. While I was waiting to take her back in front of a pharmacy, two men on a motorcycle stopped in front of my motorcycle. One of them showed me a police ID card and the other slapped me. They asked me to stand up from the motorcycle. They said they were from the Iba division and they were taking it to the station. Immediately I got down from the motorcycle, one of them jumped it and zoomed off, while the other followed on the motorcycle they brought. They did not go to the Iba station. I was shouting, thief thief but no one could help. I took a motorcycle to Obadore junction, but I could not find them. I went to my house in Akesan and in the evening, I learnt that a suspected motorcycle snatcher was arrested and had been taken to the Igando division. I went there and saw that it was Badmus. A landlord on Makinde Close, who did not want his name in print, said it was residents who arrested Badmus, and handed him over to the police at Igando. He said, I was in front of my house around 4pm. I saw a man riding a motorcycle into our close being followed by another man on a motorcycle who was shouting, help help, thief, thief. That got everyones attention. When we stopped both motorcycles, the man, who gave his name as Idowu (Badmus) showed us an ID card, saying he was a policeman from the Ikotun division. He said he seized the motorcycle from the man at Iyana Iba. So, I asked him how his jurisdiction got to Iyana Iba from Ikotun. We took all of them in a car to the Ikotun division. It was at Ikotun that he was discovered to be a fake policeman and the police arrested him and transferred him to Igando. When they interviewed him, he confessed to have snatched about three motorcycles and identified a police sergeant in Itire as his accomplice. That was how the sergeant was arrested. We heard that there are some fake policemen working with real policemen to perpetuate crimes on the LASU-Iyana Iba Road. The police should investigate them, the landlord added. The Lagos State Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, DPPRO, DSP Damasus Ozoani, confirmed Badmus arrest, adding that the suspect mentioned a policeman as his accomplice. The complaint was made against Badmus and three motorcycles were recovered from him. The suspect named a policeman as his accomplice. We have begun investigation into the case, the DPPRO added. SOurce:Dailypost Nearly one year after ex-President Goodluck Jonathan handed over power to President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC, fresh facts have emerged on why one his formidable allies and former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, worked against his re-election. Amaechi, who was Chairman of the powerful Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, parted ways with Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the twilight of his eight years reign as Rivers governor. Mr. Amaechi was Speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly for eight years and Governor for about seven years on the platform of PDP before he, along with four other governors, defected to the APC over some major political disagreements; a move that proved costly for the PDP. Until now, the general belief was that the former governor now Minister of Transportation, turned against Jonathan after the latter succeeded in dividing the NGF in the now infamous 16 is greater than 19 chairmanship election of the forum. However, the Commissioner of Information in Rivers State during the administration of Mr. Amaechi, Ibim Semenitari, has revealed that her former boss parted ways with the former president to save Nigeria from the brink. In an interview in the current issue of The Interview magazine, Mrs. Semenitari, who is currently Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Company, NDDC, said Mr. Amaechi believed that Nigeria needed a different person as president to save the country. She told the magazine that, Amaechi believed that Muhammadu had all it took to change the trajectory and envisioned that Nigeria was heading in a different direction. For him (Amaechi) having Buhari there was great for the integrity of the country and also to pull back the country from the brink. In the tell-it-all encounter, Semenitari told The Interview that Amaechi did not expect any personal reward for supporting Buhari. She was responding to a question whether her own current position and the double ministry assigned to Mr. Amaechi by President Buhari were rewards for the ex-governors electoral contribution. Muslims in the country have been urged to look out for the lunar crescent of Ramadan, which is expected to appear around sunset on Sunday, June 5. The National Space Research and Development Agency, NASRDA, which made the call in a statement Thursday, said the first astronomical lunar crescent will appear between 5:12pm and 7:33pm on June 5 with Kaduna and Sokoto being the first to witness it while it will be sighted lastly in Jos between 6:02pm and 7:14pm. The spokesperson for NASRDA, Dr. Felix Ale, who signed the statement on behalf of the agency, said All other states of the federation will experience the first lunar crescent between the estimated time of 5:12pm and 7:37pm on 5th June, 2016. The sighting of lunar crescent signals the commencement of compulsory fasting for Muslims also known as Ramadan. Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, Chief Dan Orbih, has exonerated himself and members of the party over the N700 million campaign fund they received to prosecute the 2015 presidential election. Mr. Orbih said PDP members in the state believed that the money came from the national headquarters of the party, which raked in over N20 billion during a fund raising dinner for then President Goodluck Jonathans re-election. However, investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have traced the source of the N700m to a $115 million (N23 billion) slush fund allegedly operated by former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke. The EFCC has in the last few weeks interrogated some PDP officials and top officials of Fidelity Bank, through which the N23b was disbursed, in connection with the slush fund, which was for the purpose of bribing electoral officials to rig the 2015 presidential election results in favour of former President Jonathan. Mr. Orbih, who is one of several PDP leaders to have been arrested and quizzed by the EFCC on how the N700m campaign fund was expended in the state, said he told his interrogators that there was no way he could have questioned the source of the money or know whether the money was stolen. In a chat with journalists Thursday in Benin City, the Edo State capital after his release from EFCC custody, the PDP chief noted that the money was judiciously expended to the satisfaction of the former president. It is a standard practice all over the world for political parties to raise money for election The money we received was sent to us from Abuja and we believed it was from the money realized during the fund raising dinner. Edo State PDP was not in a position to know where the money came from, Mr. Orbih said. Known for its super cheap pricing, Xiaomi has announced its latest product today. Xiaomi is making a foray into the crowded drone market and has once again chosen to stand out by delivering the cheapest price. The Chinese company announced its latest product priced at $456 for a model with a 4k camera and $380 for a version with a lower resolution 1080p camera. Xiaomi says that a pre-orders will begin for the 1080p version tomorrow, while a beta version for the 4k version will be given out to selected users. In line with Xiaomis usual strategy, the device is relatively cheap compared to other competitors products. Model Chinese manufacturer Djis phantom 3 drone, for example sells for $800 which is on the high side compared to Xiaomi. Xiaomis says that the cheaper model will be crowd funded inside the companys Mi home app from 26 May 2016, while the 4k drone will be made available for early testing via an open beta program at the end of July. Once again, Microsoft has unleashed the GWX Kraken, with no explanation and no description. The latest KB 3035583 appears as a Recommended optional patch for Windows 7 and 8.1. Those with Automatic Update turned on and Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates checked -- the default settings -- will see the patch as a checked, optional update, and it will be installed the next time Automatic Update runs. If you previously hid KB 3035583, its now unhidden. Im sure there are a dozen people on earth who still have Auto Updates turned on, Recommended updates checked, and who havent yet accepted Microsofts kind invitation for a free copy of Windows 10. This ones for them. In late March 2015, Microsoft released the first version of KB 3035583. Described as Update enables additional capabilities for Windows Update notifications in Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 SP1, the patch immediately raised eyebrows. In April of last year, a German researcher named Gerard Himmelein, writing at heise.de, figured out that Microsoft was sneaking a Windows 10 upgrader onto Win7 and 8.1 machines. Life for Win7 and 8.1 customers since then has degenerated into Win10 whack-a-mole. Microsoft describes the now-notorious method for dismissing the upgrade, hidden in a tiny link on the Windows 10 is a Recommended Update for this PC dialog, in its explanatory post KB 3095675. I was quite surprised to find that, as of early Thursday morning, the Windows 10 upgrade: How-to information on scheduling and notifications post has not been changed. Its still at Version 12, dated May 18. Theres a lot of speculation online that this new version of GWX may implement a U-turn on Microsofts Win10 upgrade ramrodding, as described yesterday in a report by Jane Wakefield on the BBC. Although the headline, Microsoft U-turn on 'nasty trick' pop-up, seems to me at odds with the content, which says: Based on "customer feedback," Microsoft said that it had added another notification that provided customers with "an additional opportunity for cancelling the upgrade." The pop-up design had been described as a "nasty trick." Microsoft told the BBC it had modified the pop-up two weeks ago as a result of criticism: "We've added another notification that confirms the time of the scheduled upgrade and provides the customer an additional opportunity for cancelling or rescheduling the upgrade." I may not be reading that correctly, but it looks to me like the U-turn being reported is, in fact, the tiny popup on the GWX icon described in KB 3095675, shown in the screenshot here, taken from the KB article dated May 18. Upgrade ready popup on the GWX icon If Microsoft added a "notification that confirms the time of the scheduled upgrade and provides the customer an additional opportunity for cancelling or rescheduling the upgrade" U-turn, it was long before the statement made to the BBC. This new version of GWX, dated May 26, clearly doesnt cover the remonstrations made to the BBC. That leaves an open question then: What, exactly, does this new KB 3035583 do? How is the May 26 version different from the KB 3035583 we got on in 2016 on May 3, March 23, Feb. 23, and Dec. 15 and then in 2015 on Oct. 5, Oct. 1, July 9, May 14, April 3, or March 27 and any other versions I may have missed? Does it nag more? Snag less? Somewhere deep in the bowels of the Win10 development team theres a tiny core of people who are responsible for releasing the GWX Kraken. Theyve been plunking away at it for 14 months, likely under confusing and conflicting instructions from on high. Perhaps one of them would like to comment? If you can shed some light, please comment here or -- completely anonymously -- on AskWoody.com. A jury in San Francisco on Thursday cleared Google of copyright infringement in a case brought by Oracle over Googles use of Java in Android. The jury of eight women and two men took three days of deliberation to reach its verdict. Oracle was seeking up to $9 billion in damages, making it a huge victory for Google and its legal team. "Your work is done," Judge William Alsup told the jury after the verdict was read. Oracle's lawyers sat stoney faced after the verdict was read, but shortly afterward the company said it would continue the battle. We believe there are numerous grounds for appeal and we plan to bring this case back to the Federal Circuit on appeal, Oracle General Counsel Dorian Daley said in a written statement, referring to the U.S. appeals court in Washington, D.C. The reaction from Google's legal team was also muted at first, though they stood smiling and embraced after the jury was led out of the room. "We're grateful for the jury's verdict," lead Google attorney Robert Van Nest said later. Judge Alsup said he wished to thank the jurors personally in the jury room. They announced they had reached their verdict just moments before they were due to break for the day. A previous jury failed to reach an agreement on the fair use question, and there was a chance this jury might have done the same. At issue was Googles decision to copy 37 Java application programming interfaces, including thousands of lines of "declaring" code, into its Android operating system. Since the trial began on May 10, the jury has heard evidence from a parade of Silicon Valley bigwigs including Google's Eric Schmidt and Larry Page, Oracle CEO Safra Catz, and former Sun Microsystems CEO Jonathan Schwartz. Google's message to the jury was that Sun intended Java to be free for anyone to use, which is why it made the Java language open source in the first place. It cited a blog post from Schwartz, congratulating Google on Android's release, as evidence that Sun had no problem with Google's use of Java. Oracle's lawyers painted a very different picture. Google was desperate to get its mobile operating system to market quickly, they told the jury, and after failing to secure a licensing deal with Sun, Google went ahead and used Java anyway. They dismissed Schwartz's blog post as a way to make Android look like a win for Sun. They knew they were breaking the rules, they knew they were taking shortcuts, and they knew it was wrong, Peter Bicks, an attorney for Oracle, told the jury in his closing statement. But the jury didn't buy Oracles argument. The outcome is a small victory for software developers, who were alarmed by an earlier decision in the case that application programming interfaces can be protected under U.S. copyright law. Many developers had assumed APIs werent eligible for protection, viewing them as functional elements of software that are required to make two programs interoperate. The earlier decision that APIs are protected still stands, meaning some developers may be wary of using another companys APIs without permission. But the fact that Googles fair use defense prevailed could make large vendors like Oracle think twice about bringing similar lawsuits in future. The company stood by its allegations in a statement following the verdict. "We strongly believe that Google developed Android by illegally copying core Java technology to rush into the mobile device market," Oracle counsel Daley said. "Oracle brought this lawsuit to put a stop to Googles illegal behavior. In the trial, Oracle accused Google of infringing its copyright when it decided to use 37 Java application programming interfaces in its Android OS. Android has gone on to dominate the smartphone market, netting Google billions of dollars in profit. Google originally argued that APIs like those in Java arent eligible for protection. The federal district court judge in the case agreed, but an appeals court overturned his ruling. Google asked the US Supreme Court to reconsider the matter, but it declined. Googles defense turned next to the legal doctrine of fair use, which allows copying of creative works under limited circumstances, most commonly for things like criticism, satire and educational use. The jury had to consider four factors in deciding whether Googles use was fair. They included whether its use of Java was transformative, or whether it created something new and different from the original copyright work, which in this case was Java Standard Edition. They also had to consider the extent to which Android harmed Java in the marketplace. Google's lawyers argued that Sun never succeeded in the smartphone market because it never built a decent smartphone OS - not because of Android. It's a civil case, which means Google had to prove by a "preponderance of the evidence" that its use of Java was fair. That's a lower burden than in a criminal trial, when Google would have had to prove its case "beyond reasonable doubt." The jury was required to reach a unanimous decision. A previous trial over the same issue ended with a hung jury, so the case had to be retried. In the earlier case, a majority of jurors concluded Google's use of Java was fair. Chop Before the Move Monica Kingsley - 1 hour ago Todays S&P 500 analysis will be short as the price action is unfolding as anticipated stocks made an inroad into the key 3,795 3,810 zone (actually a couple of them), and after prolonged overnight... Adidas ends partnership with Ye over antisemitic remarks AP - 1 hour ago LONDON (AP) Adidas has ended its partnership with the rapper formerly known as Kanye West over his offensive and antisemitic remarks, the and a decision that the German sportwear company said would... $SPX : 3,849.10 (+1.36%) $DOWI : 31,762.09 (+0.83%) $IUXX : 11,648.48 (+1.91%) FB : 196.64 (+0.51%) John D. Rockefeller IIIs fascination with Japan led to his founding of the Asia Society. In July 1942, Rockefeller joined the navy, where he worked on a task force that planned post-war policy for Japan. Although he was mustered out in 1945, after the war, he was appointed as a cultural consultant to then ambassador-at-large John Foster Dulles during the Japan peace treaty negotiations. As Rockefeller fostered improved U.S.- Japan relations, he came to love the country and its people. He and his wife Blanchette began collecting Asian art. It didnt take long for more war to wrack the continent. In an attempt to promote greater understanding and closer ties between Asia and the United States, Rockefeller founded the Asia Society in 1956. It was just two years after the French had been beaten in Vietnam by Ho Chi Minhs army and three years after the end of the Korean War. That's a pretty glamorous backstory, but how's the Asia Society doing six decades later? How has its mission evolved? And, most importantlyfor our purposes, anywayhow's it doing on the funding front? As part of our ongoing series on nonprofit development operations, Inside Philanthropy spoke with Christine Davies, Asia Societys vice president of global partnerships and development, about how the organization funds its annual budget of more than $35 million by tapping individuals, governments, corporations, and foundations. The reason I was brought on board was because there was a desire for a transition or transformation of Asia Society to no longer be about just Asia-U.S. relations, but to really make Asia Society about Asias role in the world, Davies said. The business and economic picture couldnt be clearer. Some of the best opportunities for growth these days are in Asia, and so whether you are a consumer products company or are a financial service company or an industrial company, or youre a general service company, consulting and the like, Asia is a large region you cant afford to ignore. So the real opportunity for us is to be a trusted partner that helps to signal the value of commitment to Asia. Today, Asia Society is headquartered in New York, in a gorgeous building on Park Avenue, but has centers in Hong Kong and Houston, as well as offices in Los Angeles, Manila, Mumbai, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, Sydney, Washington, D.C. and Zurich That's a pretty extensiveand, we imagine, expensiveinfrastructure for carrying out Asia Society's mission of promoting "mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among peoples, leaders and institutions of Asia and the United States in a global context" through an array of channels, including the "arts, business, culture, education, and policy." So where does all the money come from? In priority order from largest to smallest support, we get 40 percent [of our funding] from individuals, 40 percent from companies, foundations and then governments, Davies said. She adds: Our educational program has gotten the most government and institutional support. Davies credits the societys emphasis on problem solving for its government and institutional backing. Its not just about drawing a list of grievances for someone else to tackle. We have a real focus on metrics and results. Without naming names, we do have significant seven-figure backers within the individual and corporate space, and then on the foundation side, its several backers in six-figures. Over the last couple of years, Asia Societys significant foundation supporters have included the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, MetLife Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Houston Endowment, the Monteforte Foundation, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and, as would be expected, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Like most other nonprofits, Asia Society finds unrestricted support hard to come by. So its development team spends a lot of time hustling for project supportaided by a strong portfolio of activities that includes its policy institute, its center on Asian arts and culture, its global competency education, and much more. Davies says that the development folks at Asia Society are always looking to bundle things by "applying for a number of multiple-year grants that can support several projects or a number of activities that are being conducted, as opposed to going through that rhythm piece by piece for all the different things that we are doing." Of course, that's a familiar strategy of nonprofits with a lot going on. Maybe you can't land that big two-year general support grant from X foundation, but the next best thing is a commitment that stitches multiple project grants together into something that looks similar. One major shift in Asia Society's funding strategy, which Davies was brought onboard to orchestrate, has been "to develop a bit more of a partnership mindset when it comes to how we fundraise." This has involved reducing staff in the organization's external affairs department and redirecting these resources to cultivate "foundation, institutional, and government relations, because our goal there is to grow those partnerships, hopefully multi-year partnerships, by a significant percentage over the next several years." Making a point that will be familiar to many veteran development officers, Davies said that the "investment needed to establish and grow these partnerships takes a great deal of time." Putting them front and center, she said, has "really been an effort that weve been focused on at least during the majority of my tenure so that we can have even more and larger numbers of those partnerships supporting all aspects what Asia Society does." It's not that Asia Society has sworn off galas. We still see events as a very important way to steward folks who are giving unrestricted support and (who) like those types of events," Davies said. "But we are spending more dollars with special event firms to help us deliver those events, as opposed to strictly doing them in-house." Asia Society's biggest event is the Asian Game Changer awards dinner, held at the United Nations headquarters in New York, now in its third year. The event honors people and organizations that are making a huge impact on Asia. The inaugural game changer was Jack Ma, the 51-year-old founder of the Chinese ecommerce site Alibaba who, according to Forbes, is worth $23 billion. But there are other key Asia Society events, including ones connected to Art Basel in Hong Kong, and Asia Week in New York. Meanwhile, the Tiger Ball, pulled together by the Asia Society's Texas arm, has become a highlight of the Houston social calendar. In March of 2016, the Tiger Ball raised more than $1 million. What advice does Davies offer for other nonprofits? Stay really focused on keeping your members and supporters well served and stewarded," she said. "Make the experience one of real delight and of consequence for them. That puts you in on a pathway where trying to get renewals and continued support isnt that hard." Davies added: Be externally focused to be aware of what else is going on in the marketplace by similar organizations and how they are positioning themselves. Be willing to look at how you might tweak or position your organization and value proposition as a result, because those are critical pieces to keep that differentiation in some way. So if, at the end of the day, someone has got to make a decision between spending their time and treasure among organizations, hopefully they will choose yours. See more fundraising case studies at The Ask. Who knew that an imbroglio surrounding a relatively small gift in Bozeman, Montana, could stand in as a case study for many of modern philanthropy's complexities and ambiguities? That was our initial reaction upon learning that an advocacy group has called upon the Montana University System Board of Regents to refuse an $8 million gift to Montana State University from Greg Gianforte, the Republican gubernatorial candidate running against incumbent Democrat Steve Bullock. Indeed, many of the thornier elements of big donor giving are in play here, including a donor's political persuasions, the financial struggles of public universities, and far trickier concepts like balancing need versus some of the potentially unsavory elements surrounding a gift. It's a heady stew, so let's start from the beginning. Fact number one. Greg Gianforte is an American engineer and businessman. In 1997, he and his wife Susan founded RightNow Technologies, a customer-experience software company that was sold to Oracle Corporation for $1.5billion in 2011. In 2006, he and his wife founded the Gianforte Family Foundation. The foundation's primary mission is to "support the work of Christian organizations engaged in education, poverty, and outreach work" and "protecting the unborn." As such, it has donated millions to Christian and conservative groups including Focus on the Family and the Heritage Foundation. Which bring us the Gianfortes' $8 million gift to MSU's Department of Computer Science. The department will be renamed the Gianforte School of Computing and a classroom in the College of Engineering will be called the Gianforte Auditorium. Forward Montana, a left-leaning advocacy group that called upon the board to refuse the donation given Gianforte's philanthropic history. "Accepting funds from individuals whose values don't align with the publicly stated values of the university is troubling and sends the wrong message to our young people," said Rachel Huff-Doria, executive director of Forward Montana, in a statement. In particular, Forward Montana points to the Gianfortes' support for the Family Research Council, identified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a "hate group with an agenda against people who are LGBTQ." OK, so what to make of all of this? First off, there's the controversy surrounding Gianfortes and their philanthropic history. Unlike other gifts, which might cause recipient organizations to soberly consider the source of a donor's wealth, the Gianforte give is another animal entirely. No one is questioning the morality of how the couple created their fortune. They built a technological platform that tickled Larry Ellison's fancy. Rather, Forward Montana's concern is the Gianfortes' philanthropic track record, namely its previous recipients. And yet during a time in which philanthropists are bankrolling free tuition and scholarships at private schools and Ivy League schools sit on massive endowments, public universities are struggling to stay afloat. Forward Montana acknowledges this, noting that the in state support for the Montana University System over the past three decades has "forced university administrators to turn toward dollars from private philanthropists." Needless to say, the Gianfortes' gift would certainly help the beleaguered system. According to Kevin McRae, deputy commissioner of communications for the Montana Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, the gift would create faculty positions in the computing program, create summer internships for computer students, and provide funds for faculty to expand the computing curriculum. Lastly, there's the issue of Gianforte being a candidate for governor while simultaneously showering the state university system with cash. What's it all mean? Moving forward, both donors and recipients organizations alike should expect more of this, especially as modern philanthropy sheds its black-box-like tendencies and becomes more transparent. In other words, it's becoming increasingly clear that people not only care about how a donor made his or her fortune, but also how they've spent that fortune. Related: Does It MatterWheretheMoney Came From? Philanthropy and theSources of Wealth Corporate though its origins may be, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation is remarkably willing to back workers. And as a new push for labor rights gains steam around campaigns like the "Fight for 15," Kellogg has been a stalwart grantmaker funding grassroots activists and policy wonks alike. Not long ago, we looked at the foundation's support for farmworkers groups in Florida. Here, we take a look at some nice money going out the door to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), a D.C. think tank that's among the premier advocates of stronger labor rights inside the Beltway. Kellogg has long funded EPI, and this latest grant, for $750,000 over two years, will finance EPIs research into "growing race and gender inequities in the nature of work and the pay for work," as well as employers' use of forced arbitration to settle disputes out of court. Looking back over a decade, Kellogg's early funding to EPI had an initial focus on early childhood. Further grants pivoted to jobs and workforce equity, especially when it comes to gender and race. EPIs annual budget is relatively modest, around $6 million, making Kelloggs latest grant comparatively sizeable. EPI notes on its website that the bulk of its funding from 2010-2014 came from foundations (57 percent) and unions (27 percent). Other organizations and corporations contributed only 7 percent. Translation: it's wrong to simply describe EPI as a "union-backed think tank," as some media outlets do. Who else backs EPI? Besides Kellogg, major funders in recent years have included Ford, Annie E. Casey, the Open Society Foundations, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Public Welfare Foundation. As we've noted before, EPI's funders tend to stick around for the long haul, and you can understand why: It has a strong research staff of economists looking to advance the well-being of workers, which is a rarity in Washington. Many of the other think tanks that engage in high-level economic analyses are either conservative (like AEI) or have close ties to corporate funders (like the Peterson Institute for International Economics.) Meanwhile, most other progressive think tankssay, like Demosdon't have EPI's scholarly muscle. Related: While EPI's core work touches on class (mission: "to include the needs of low- and middle-income workers in economic policy discussions"), the current grant promises continued research into gender and race, the other big fault lines of structural inequality. Check out EPIs research on race and ethnicity here, and its research on wages and wealth here, which includes material on the female-male pay gap and abiding glass ceilings at work. As youre probably aware, Kellogg has been engaged in an ambitious effort to fund racial equity, calling itself an anti-racist organization. On top of supporting research on racial disparities, Kellogg has funded a number of direct initiatives to improve outcomes for young men of color, teachers of color, and chronically underprivileged Latino farmworkers. We shouldnt leave out forced arbitration, the other component of Kelloggs research grant to EPI. While the issue is new and hasnt gotten much attention from funders, a recent New York Times investigation raised awareness about corporate abuses in this area. So far, weve seen some action on this issue from Public Citizen, and since its legal in nature, groups like the American Association for Justice and the National Employment Lawyers Association have taken it up. EPI has been working the forced arbitration issue for a while now, arguing that this practice "robs workers and consumers of basic rights." Now, with Kellogg's support, it should be able to ramp up such work. Related: Passionate coverage of arts and social issues, with a strong emphasis on local, live music. This program is not currently airing on CKCU. Expect passionate coverage of arts and social issues, with a strong emphasis on local, live music. A Voice of America reporter was arrested and beaten by police in Angola while on assignment Tuesday, May 24. I am outraged that VOAs journalist in Luanda was so viciously attacked simply for doing his job, VOA Director Amanda Bennett said. Intimidation of VOA reporters will not be tolerated and it will not deter us from reporting the truth. Coque Mukuta, a contributing reporter for VOAs Portuguese to Africa Service, was in a Luanda market doing a story on police corruption, when he witnessed law enforcement officers intimidating merchants, and demanding bribes and goods. Several uniformed and plain clothes officers arrested Mukuta and confiscated his camera before he was able to photograph the scene. They placed him in the back of a police car and beat him. He again was assaulted by authorities at a local police station. An officer told Mukuta, You have to be beaten, so VOA will not get its story. Mukuta was released after spending several hours in custody. He credits his release in part to intervention by the countrys National Union of Journalists, whose secretary-general telephoned authorities and demanded that Mukuta be freed. Mukuta has filed a formal complaint with the provincial police. The Broadcasting Board of Governors calls on Angolan authorities to stop immediately the attacks on journalists and hold accountable those responsible for this assault, BBG CEO and Director John Lansing said. Violence against journalists is unacceptable, and this denial of basic human rights must come to an end. ABOUT The VOA Portuguese to Africa Service broadcasts to Lusophone Africa and other countries that have sizable Portuguese-speaking communities. Our Portuguese broadcasts also reach East Timor, a Portuguese-speaking country in Southeast Asia as well as Brazil via shortwave and the Internet. Programming includes news, discussions, interviews and a wide variety of features, including music and art. Roughly ten percent of the services audience is in Angola. www.voaportugues.com When you first arrive in Lagos, the noise of Africas largest city is overwhelming. Horns blare in the endless traffic, vendors bark at passersby, clubs blast music onto the streets, and churches and mosques appeal to the faithful around the clock from public loudspeakers. Worried that the din is damaging the health of the citys 17 million inhabitants, the state government recently launched a crackdown, closing more than 100 clubs, hotels and places of worship earlier this year. There is another, more insidious sound that you gradually notice once youve been on the ground. Its a low-level hum, the chorus of the thousands of diesel generators that keep the city going in the face of a chronic electricity shortage. At shopping malls and hotels, generators the size of shipping crates sit in parking lots, often secured in locked cages; on the streets people carry briefcase-size models. At outdoor markets such generators are passed from stall to stall as the need arises, which is often: Nigeria gets an average of three hours of electricity a day from the national grid, usually in short bursts. The average Nigerian uses barely one hundredth as much electric power as the average American just enough to keep a lightbulb on. When the grid goes dark, the generators fire up with a loud roar before settling into a steady background drone. Solving the power shortage is arguably the biggest development challenge for Nigeria, and for much of the African continent. Now, after years of talk, there are glimmers of progress. In a field of red dirt halfway between Lagos and the countrys main oil and gas fields, a consortium of local and international investors is building a gas-fired plant. The $877 million Azura-Edo Independent Power Project, as its called, is modest in scale, with an expected generating capacity of 459 megawatts when it comes on line in 2018. (By comparison, China installed 33 times as much capacity just in solar power last year.) Yet the project, which brings together an array of Nigerian entrepreneurs, foreign infrastructure investors and multilateral development banks, promises to have a much bigger impact by creating a financial and regulatory model that can be replicated elsewhere. The principal equity investors include Amaya Capital, a Mauritius-based firm founded in 2008 to invest in energy projects in West Africa; American Capital Energy & Infrastructure, an Annapolis, Marylandbased private equity fund headed by Paul Hanrahan, former CEO of U.S. utility operator AES Corp.; and Aldwych International, a British developer of African power projects. A variety of public and private lenders are providing $622 million of debt finance. They include International Finance Corp., the for-profit lending arm of the World Bank, and Netherlands Development Finance Co.; such foreign banks as Standard Chartered and South Africas Rand Merchant Bank; and Nigerias state-owned Bank of Industry, which is providing funds in naira to cover the projects local currency costs. The World Bank Group has provided a political risk guarantee that has been crucial for attracting private investors. This transaction has managed to get about 20 investors comfortable with participating in the Nigerian power sector, and we expect most of them will look at more transactions, says Richard Arkutu, manager of the IFCs Africa Special Initiative for Infrastructure. Indeed, some of the participants in the Azura-Edo plant have been working to get a similar project, a 550-MW plant in the countrys oil-producing Niger Delta region, off the ground; the backers are already in negotiations to sell the project to Black Rhino Group, a Blackstone Group vehicle created to develop infrastructure projects in Africa. Black Rhino hopes to reach a gas-supply agreement with the government and begin construction later this year. Extending power in Nigeria, Africas largest country, will be a major achievement. Roughly 42 percent of the population of 180 million has no access to the electricity grid. Such collaborative efforts could have a far wider impact across the continent, where the needs are, if anything, even greater: The World Bank estimates that as many as 600 million of Africas 1 billion people lack access to electricity. The Power Africa initiative, launched by President Barack Obama at a Washington summit meeting two years ago, set a target of adding 30,000 MW of new generating capacity across the continent and connecting 60 million more homes and businesses to the grid by 2030. Overseas Private Investment Corp. (OPIC), a U.S. government agency thats playing a key role in Power Africa, has provided $50 million in loans to the Azura-Edo plant. The hope is that when enough power plants are built, grids rehabilitated and payment-collection systems overhauled, investors will no longer ask for help before committing to build. The result will be more power, more jobs, faster growth and higher living standards. Power is the missing link in Nigeria, says Brian Herlihy, CEO of Black Rhino. Its going to create huge productivity gains once its there. The country badly needs the push that projects like the Azura-Edo plant can provide. Muhammadu Buhari generated high hopes for change last year when he became the first challenger in the countrys history to defeat an incumbent president in an election, but Nigerias woes have intensified since he took office in May 2015. The collapse in global oil prices has undermined the countrys biggest source of hard currency earnings and government revenue. Exports plunged by 40 percent last year, pushing the current account from a slight surplus to a deficit of 2.4 percent of gross domestic product and causing the government budget deficit to double, to 3.7 percent of GDP. The Central Bank of Nigeria initially spent a chunk of its foreign reserves to defend the naira, then let the currency depreciate by about 20 percent in late 2014 and early 2015 before targeting a fixed exchange rate of 199 to the dollar and imposing capital controls in April 2015. Oil production has fallen further in recent months, touching a 22-year low of about 1.7 million barrels a day in early May, because of a resurgence in violence by militant groups in the Niger Delta region. These groups had been quiet in recent years thanks to an amnesty program that provided stipends and job training, and a government initiative that gave them security contracts to guard the pipelines they used to attack. But Buhari has adopted a harder line, canceling the security contracts, cutting funding for the amnesty program and prosecuting a former rebel leader known as Tompolo, who may be linked to the Niger Delta Avengers, the group behind several recent bombings. Contrary to the advice of the International Monetary Fund, Nigeria refuses to let its currency float and has rebuffed the Funds offers of financial assistance. Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun defended the governments stance at a panel discussion during the IMFs spring meetings in Washington. If we are sick, we have our own local medicine, she told the audience. IMF deputy managing director Mitsuhiro Furusawa responded: We aim to be a good doctor to you. Its better to have many doctors. Buhari has introduced some much-needed reforms, notably at Nigerian National Petroleum Corp., the states famously opaque oil arm. When Lamido Sanusi, former governor of the central bank, alleged two years ago that NNPC had failed to turn over nearly $20 billion in revenue to the Treasury, he was removed from office by then-president Goodluck Jonathan. Buhari has injected transparency into the oil company. It now publishes a monthly newsletter with production and revenue updates. A full audit and annual report, the first since 2005, are expected later this year, says Alexandra Gillies, director of governance at the George Sorosfunded Natural Resource Governance Institute. The president has led a military campaign to reduce terrorist group Boko Harams impact and has consolidated cash from the various bank accounts held by ministries and other agencies into a single one at the Central Bank of Nigeria, making financial flows easier to track. But in many areas the pace of change is slow because Buhari appears reluctant to delegate matters to anyone he doesnt trust, says Soji Apampa, a businessman who helped found a Nigerian anticorruption group called the Convention on Business Integrity. If the president has a wider plan beyond intervening in areas where he sees a need, he has yet to share it. The campaign machine repackaged someone considered to be a brutal old soldier into the statesman Nigerians sought, but he seems to have jettisoned that persona, Apampa says. Instead, Buhari is now popularly known as Baba Go Slow, a play on the term Nigerians use to describe traffic jams. Nigerias electric plants have the capacity to generate up to 6,000 MW of electricity, or about 80 percent of what it takes to power Los Angeles. The system rarely runs at full capacity, though, typically generating less than 3,000 MW. Dilapidated power plants and an aging and inefficient power grid are major shortcomings. Roughly 35 percent of the power generated is either lost in transmission or effectively given away. Distributors in many cases either fail to bill customers accurately or cant collect payment from them, a problem common to much of Africa as well as to other developing countries, such as India. In addition, the state regulator usually sets tariffs at levels too low to leave room for investment, even if the operators could collect all their revenue. Unpaid bills pile up, usually on the balance sheets of state-owned utilities, crippling their ability to borrow or attract outside investment. The economic and social costs of this backward system are manifest. Nigerian businesses suffer an average 239 hours a month without power, according to the World Bank. The lack of a reliable supply of electricity impedes efforts to develop manufacturing industry, which Nigeria, home to Africas largest pool of workers and consumers, would otherwise be well placed to attract. In 2014 roughly 76 million Nigerians lived in households that were not connected to the grid, according to Copernicus, an Africa-focused geospatial data-analytics platform. Those who can afford them use diesel-powered generators Nigeria is the worlds largest market for them, with total capacity of 5,000 MW, according to the IFC. But generators are expensive, producing power at a cost of at least 40 cents per kilowatt hour, compared with about 15 cents for grid power. The environmental costs may be as great. In the average home energy use means cooking over an open fire. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 80 percent of the countrys energy consumption in 2012 came from burning charcoal, wood, manure or other foraged matter. Household air pollution caused by cooking fires causes some 4.3 million premature deaths worldwide from pneumonia, strokes and heart and lung diseases, estimates the World Health Organization. Nigerians daily frustration is compounded by the knowledge that their country is so rich in energy resources. It has the worlds 11th-largest oil reserves and the second-largest reserves in Africa, after Libya, according to the 2015 BP Statistical Review of World Energy. Nigeria ranks No. 9 globally in natural-gas reserves, just behind Venezuela, and first in Africa. The country also has potential to develop renewables, with several working hydroelectric plants and some solar power projects in development. The government aims to increase generating capacity to 20,000 MW by 2020 and to 40,000 MW by 2040. That would give a massive boost to the economy and greatly improve the lives of ordinary citizens. Reliable power makes more investment possible, says Suresh Samuel, a structured-finance specialist at OPIC who focuses on lending for large infrastructure projects. Power to homes allows people to have light at night and own a fridge. To reach those goals, Nigeria will have to overcome a legacy of neglect and missed opportunities, and enlist a full range of actors, from multilateral and national development agencies to foreign and local banks and equity investors. All these groups are involved in the Azura-Edo project, making it an important test case. Nigerias natural gas is a key piece of the power puzzle: Local companies are getting more involved, reviving fallow fields and investing in pipelines and gas-processing plants that provide the connective tissue thats been lacking in the power sector. The local players include Amaya Capital one of the firms backing Azura-Edo and Aliko Dangote, Africas richest person, whose Dangote Industries has secured financing to build what will be Africas largest oil refinery. Nigeria has been trying for years to attract big foreign investors to develop its power infrastructure. The efforts began under former president Olusegun Obasanjo, who served two terms, from 1999 to 2007, following the restoration of democracy after 16 years of military rule. The government signed a deal with two Chinese state-owned corporations Sepco Electric Power Construction Corp. and China National Machinery and Equipment Import and Export Corp. to build two 335-MW plants. The companies are operating those plants with a Nigerian partner, Pacific Energy. The Obasanjo government also built ten plants itself, but just one of those is currently producing power; the others couldnt obtain natural-gas supplies. In 2005 the government restructured the industry, breaking the state-owned electricity agency into individual companies, each holding a power plant or a distribution territory, in preparation for eventual privatization. In the energy sector Obasanjo sought to boost domestic participation in the oil and gas industry by encouraging oil majors to relinquish acreage they considered too small or depleted to be commercially viable and redistributing it to local outfits. The thinking was that small start-ups with lower overheads could turn a profit from these properties. In nine cases thats what happened. The Uquo field, for example, discovered in 1958, was in an area licensed to Royal Dutch Shell but never developed. Lagos-based Frontier Oil won the rights in a 2003 auction and brought in a partner Seven Energy, which is controlled by Amaya Capital to provide capital. According to a 2014 bond prospectus, the field generated $4.4 million in revenue in the first half of 2014. That would hardly qualify as a rounding error at Shell, which had revenue of $421 billion in 2014, but for Frontier and Seven it was enough to justify building a gas-processing plant and pipelines to reach customers. Gas is the issue that was holding up the power sector, so for smaller entrepreneurs there was a real market opportunity, explains OPICs Samuel. Obasanjos successor, Umaru YarAdua, focused his attention on the energy sector. He introduced legislation to restructure state-owned NNPC, taking away some of its operations to boost its efficiency and increasing the states cut of oil and gas revenue. The bill was never brought to the National Assembly, however; since 2007, various versions have been proposed that would raise the states share of revenue from 61 percent to as much as 73 percent. Foreign oil companies delayed new investments until they had clarity on the issue; theyre still waiting. Production, meanwhile, has languished. Oil output has fallen by a third since peaking at just over 2.5 million barrels a day in 2005, while gas production has fallen by about 10 percent from its peak in 2012. The U.S. Energy Department estimates that new fields ready to be tapped could produce an additional 875,000 barrels of oil a day, or more than 50 percent of the current total, and could boost gas output by roughly 10 percent. When YarAdua died in May 2010, vice president Goodluck Jonathan took over and quickly announced that power would be his top priority, starting with the privatization process designed by Obasanjo. Amaya Capitals Ladipo helped draft Jonathans plan, called the Road Map for Power Sector Reform, and devoted himself full-time to getting Azura-Edo off the ground. In 2012 the government sold controlling stakes in four natural-gas-fired power plants, as well as distribution rights across the country, divided into 11 different districts. It also auctioned off concessions to operate three hydropower plants, with the government retaining ownership. The winning bidders were consortia dominated by local investors, including former military dictator Abdulsalami Abubakar, former United Bank for Africa CEO Tony Elumelu and Femi Otedola, the third-wealthiest Nigerian. The transactions netted $2.9 billion for the Treasury. Privatization alone failed to provide the magic solution, though. One key problem was that the government didnt follow through on its promise to increase tariffs to boost profit margins and encourage new investment. In fact, president Jonathan slashed tariffs by half in a bid to win reelection in the spring of 2015. The ploy failed he was soundly defeated by Buhari but low tariffs have left the power industrys overall generating capacity stuck at 6,000 MW. Under Buhari the state is now loosening control. In February 2016 the government boosted electricity tariffs to a level considered high enough to justify investment. The Senate unsuccessfully attempted to block the move. Starting with Azura-Edo, gas contracts for new plants are now negotiable. During Jonathans administration local investors stepped up their acquisitions of oil and gas fields from multinationals, beginning with Seplat Development Co.s purchase of three blocks of drilling rights from Shell in 2010. In the largest transaction ConocoPhillips Co. sold its entire portfolio of gas interests to Oando, a Lagos-based energy outfit, in June 2014 for $1.5 billion. By May 2016, Nigerian companies had acquired at least 19 properties from major foreign companies. From 2004 to 2014 the combined share of production held by marginal-field owners and independents (the category in which NNPC captures local production) more than doubled, to 9.8 percent. Dangote Group, businessman Aliko Dangotes holding company, took minority stakes in some of these fields. But the group is focusing its efforts on building a refinery that will be Africas largest, with a capacity to refine 650,000 barrels of oil a day. The complex, located in a free zone on the southeast edge of Lagos, will also produce fertilizer and petrochemicals. Dangote has been able to leverage his own net worth which Forbes estimates at $17 billion to raise $3.3 billion in financing. He has said proceeds from the refinery will help in his quest to buy Englands Arsenal Football Club, archrival to Roman Abramovichs Chelsea, Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyans Manchester City and the Glazer familys Manchester United in English soccers Premier League. The gas activities by Nigerian independents have spawned additional investments. Seven Energy built pipelines to supply gas from its Uquo field to two power plants and a cement factory. Seplats acreage provided an opening for the Azura-Edo power project, which signed a 15-year gas-supply agreement in May 2014. The supermajors still control the vast bulk of production, but the independents are building the infrastructure, says Amaya Capitals Ladipo. More blocks are for sale, but at this point local buyers may be tapped out, says Dolapo Oni, a Lagos-based energy analyst for Ecobank, a regional lender based in Lome, Togo. Most of the sales took place when crude prices stood at $100 a barrel or higher, more than double todays level. The local companies relied heavily on local banks to finance their purchases, and they are now struggling to service those debts. Several banks already have warned the market about the outlook for earnings and defaults. Theres capital available for specific gas projects, but right now the banks arent likely to lend for oil or power, Oni says. The final elements that got the Azura-Edo project rolling started falling into place in 2014. These included a unique form of insurance: a put-call option agreement negotiated with the Ministry of Finance. It releases Azura-Edo from its obligation to sell power to the state if Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading, the state-owned body that buys electricity from plants, doesnt pay for the power it takes or if there are gas supply interruptions. If one of those things happens, Azura-Edo can force the government to buy the plant from its investors through a standard arbitration process. The agreement helps set guidelines on how to value the plant in such a situation. Both sides would get something, and that makes it different than a government guarantee, says Justin DeAngelis, a senior member of the power deal team at Denham Capital Management, an energy and resources private equity firm that develops African power projects through a subsidiary, Endeavor Energy. DeAngelis says the firm is evaluating multiple power projects in Nigeria. This structure is part of what makes Azura-Edo a template, as it is already being considered elsewhere in Africa, says Ranjani Sankaran, director of project and export finance at Standard Chartered in London. The Ghanaian government has now decided to use the put-call option agreement as well. Another layer of protection negotiated in 2014 comes from a partial risk guarantee provided by the World Bank. Under this instrument, if Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading defaults on payments to Azura-Edo, the plants owners can collect as much as $117 million through a letter of credit from a commercial bank. In that scenario the World Bank would then negotiate with the state to recover what is owed. The guarantee gives the Bank the authority to pause or cancel any of its other loans or projects in the country until the money is repaid a forceful stick for ensuring payment by the Treasury. Azura-Edos backers obtained additional insurance from the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), a separate arm of the World Bank, that will cover as much as $420 million in losses from war, terrorism or civil disturbance; from breach of contract; or from restrictions on repatriating profits from the plant. OPIC chipped in an additional $20 million in political risk coverage. With all of this coverage in place, a ground-breaking ceremony was held in October 2014, with president Jonathan attending. But it would take 14 more months to close the deal financially and begin construction in earnest. The problem: The partial risk guarantee required a legal opinion confirming that the state would honor its terms rather than invoking sovereign immunity. Attorney general Mohammed Adoke failed to provide the guarantee. The delay led to speculation about graft, with local media reporting that a bribe of $20 million had been requested. Adokes term in office ended with that of president Jonathan. Buhari learned about the problem soon after he took over and by late July had signed the necessary documentation himself. That action was telling, says anticorruption campaigner Apampa. Buhari hasnt announced a detailed plan to implement the campaign promises he made before the election, but the president does take action on an ad hoc basis, Apampa notes. Anything that manages to reach his attention he will act on fast, he says. The time it took to secure the presidents signature presented a problem for Azura-Edo, however, as some of its contracts had to be confirmed and re-signed because of the delay. With a deadline of midnight on December 31, 2015, most of the ingredients came together in the last week of the year. The final step a payment to the contractor was made at 9:30 p.m. on New Years Eve, Amaya Capitals Ladipo recalls. Construction is now well under way at the site, and the plant is due to begin generating power in two years time. The equity investors are eager for it to go live. They expect the project to produce an internal rate of return of just over 13 percent. For leveraged investors like Amaya Capital, the return is projected to be an even juicier 16.8 percent. Ladipo and his team are already considering sites for their next independent power project. The other financial architects of the deal are on to their next project as well: The power plant that Black Rhino is in negotiations to acquire has already secured a partial risk guarantee and MIGA insurance, and some of the same development agencies are likely to lend money and risk instruments. Ladipo identifies two principal risks to leveraging the intellectual capital Azura-Edo has created: the short-term risk of continued vandalizing of the pipeline network by militants and the long-term risk presented by the transmission grid. The African Development Bank, which has a partial risk guarantee program similar to that of the World Bank, said it could consider using the structure to encourage investment in the grid, according to Alex Rugamba, the banks director for regional integration and trade. As of early May both the World Bank and the African Development Bank were expecting to receive from the government a list of other power projects that will be eligible for partial risk guarantees. The World Bank has thus far set aside $700 million for guarantees on Nigerian power projects, and the African Development Bank has allocated $180 million. Given a debt-to-GDP ratio of just 13 percent, Nigerias balance sheet has room for more sovereign guarantees, says Brett Rowley, an emerging-markets strategist for TCW Group in Los Angeles. Investors would be more concerned if these investments ultimately did more to line someones pockets than provide meaningful relief to Nigerias power deficit, he contends. Other financiers are equally optimistic about the outlook for more investments in the power sector. We believe there is financing available for power projects in Nigeria provided they are well structured, says Standard Chartereds Sankaran. Were working on the power projects coming after Azura-Edo, and were seeing that there is definitely interest from some of the same lenders. The support from local government is very promising. This content is from: Research In a tumultuous year, new analysts rise to the top as their firms compete for leading spots in the 51st annual ranking. A global IT firm has revealed plans to launch an international insurance operating system in the Australian market thanks to a partnership with an Australian project managing firm.Capgemini Australia and Adaptra have joined forces to try to redefine the way insurers and brokers address key industry challenges using their Insurance Connect platform.Insurance Connect, which was launched in North America last year, is a platform-as-a-service solution for policy administration, billing services, claims management and business intelligence, and Capgeminis senior vice-president, Manoj Khera, believes the innovation could change the Australian insurance industry.There are a couple of things that will really enable a brokerage firm or other client. The launch of service or time to market for launching a service or product would reduce drastically as we would have accelerators that will be deployed and the capital investment or expenditure will go away as it will be a platform-as-a-service model.At the operational level, it will offer more functionality. We will use GuideWire as a platform and AWS as a hosting partner which will give the best of both worlds to clients.Capgemini has released a World Insurance Report for the last seven years which looks at trends in the insurance industry globally and found that customer experience in Australia has fallen 4.6 points over the last 12 months.I am very confident that in 18 months time when our clients have gone live, it will demonstrate an improvement on the customer experience index for brokerage firms and retail insurance, said Khera of the imminent launch.Khera revealed that Insurance Connect already has a major client lined-up and they have taken the end-to-end offering from Capgemini but admitted that the biggest challenge facing the launch is Australias slow rate of technological adoption.The challenge would be how quickly the Australian market can adopt these offers.As weve seen in the past, these are the tools, technologies, techniques, accelerators which Australia has struggled to adopt fast, and that is where we come in with our global expertise and experience.We try to educate and share with our clients, industry veterans and analysts to give them an insight and view to how Australia can improve.We need to be sure that we continue innovating. It all starts with a $20 to $30 purchase. Thats the average street price of heroin today, according to Framingham, Massachusetts, Police. But if that one purchase is a bad batch, too strong, or if the user injects too much, thats all it takes to cause an overdose. Although the proliferation of the overdose-reversal drug Narcan the market name for naloxone has saved innumerable lives, more than 1,000 people are dying a year in Massachusetts from heroin and other opioid overdoses. When you crunch the numbers, that overdose costs a whole lot more than $20. As Framingham Police Chief Ken Ferguson can attest, emergency workers in every community are responding to more and more overdoses. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker recently announced a new $250,000 Make the Right Call initiative a campaign to encourage people to call 911 if somebody is overdosing. According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, in 2015 emergency personnel statewide responded to 11,884 opioid-related incidents, up from 6,315 in 2013. Of those incidents, naloxone was used 9,127 times. In 2,976 of those incidents it had to be given to the patient more than once. Addiction to heroin is a sickness and we respond when people are sick, Ferguson said. Framingham Police recently announced a partnership with the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative, which will include the addition of a full-time clinician to the department. When police respond to an overdose, the clinician will follow up with the patient or the patients family to encourage and help them to get treatment for addiction. So what happens when the 911 call comes in that a person is overdosing? According to Ferguson, police and EMTs dont always know if its an overdose or not. Frequently, calls come in as generic medicals where first responders are unsure what theyll find. Police tend to be first on the scene. All 132 Framingham officers now carry Narcan whenever they are on patrol and they are all trained to use it. In Framinghams case, the department funded its Narcan stock with a $15,000 grant from the Department of Public Health. Although some police departments in Massachusetts have not yet made the leap to carrying Narcan, more are getting on board. In March, Hudson Police were among the most recent in MetroWest to announce they would begin stocking it. For a typical response call, two officers will be present, along with three or four firefighters and at least one ambulance with two EMTs, plus two additional medical staff. Framingham Police are paid about $35 an hour, on average, $45 an hour with overtime. A single fully-staffed ambulance costs about $150 per hour, according to Chris Stawasz, regional director at American Medical Response, which supplies ambulances for Framingham and Natick. According to Stawasz, emergency personnel may spend about an hour on a single overdose scene, from resuscitation to hospital transport. Framingham Police Lt. Stephen Cronin estimates about an hour and a half. Emergency workers are never sure what they are going to encounter at a scene either, Cronin said. Often, when a patient is taken out of the overdose by Narcan he or she will become angry, combative and may immediately go into withdrawal meaning police must stick around to provide security. In 2015, many cities nationwide saw prices of a single dose of Narcan double. But in Massachusetts, police pay $20 a dose, plus $3.76 for the atomizers used to administer the drug nasally. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey was a major proponent of keeping the life-saving drug affordable. Last summer municipalities were paying anywhere from $30 to $65 per dose, making it more expensive than the heroin its meant to counteract. According to Healey, the state and her office worked to reach a settlement with Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, the maker of Narcan, paying $325,000 to offset the price. To date, 115 municipalities have affordable Narcan at $20 a dose. This is about saving lives, Healey said. Without a decrease on the price, the drug could not be as available to first responders as it is now. At Milford Regional Hospital, doctors in the emergency department are seeing overdose patients with alarming frequency. According to Dr. Jeffrey Hopkins, chairman of the department of emergency medicine, patients arent just showing up in ambulances, but friends or family may leave them at the door. Because Narcan only has a half-life of 60 minutes, its possible that patients can fall back into an overdose if they have taken a particularly strong batch or heroin or other opioids. The spread of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and frequently cut with heroin, is sending more people to the ER. Doctors will try to keep patients under observation for at least 90 minutes, to ensure the Narcan has worked, but because the patient is now legally sober, they are under no obligation to stay. We want to advocate for our patients. If someone is awake and alert they dont have to abide by what we say, he said. Often, patients will storm out of the emergency department. If a patient cannot be revived with Narcan, he or she may need to be sent to the Intensive Care Unit, which can rack up more costs. According to Dr. Gert Paul Walter at Emerson Hospital in Concord, doctors are frequently unaware of what drugs patients have taken. Some may be on four or five different substances and medicines may not work to reverse the effects of all of them. In the ICU, patients may be hooked up to ventilators, given blood pressure medication to keep their heart rate up and treated with fluids. Because emergency room doctors will take any patient, regardless of ability to pay, hospitals tend to lose a lot of money on ER visits. But where economics truly take a toll on addicts is in post-treatment. While there are patients who will leave the hospital and go right back to using, many more will attempt and frequently fail to get into inpatient rehab programs. Hopkins said there is a pressing need for mental and behavioral health parity among insurance companies, who traditionally have not reimbursed for mental health and substance abuse issues. And since MassHealth and Medicaid reimburse facilities less than private insurance companies, rehab centers are unable to take all patients. Facilities cant stay open if all payers are uninsured or on MassHealth, Hopkins said. We cant get people into the services they need. They either have the wrong insurance, are too acute or not acute enough for detox, there are huge barriers. These same barriers dont exist for physical medical issues. Mike Duggan, founder and CEO of Wicked Sober, knows a lot about getting treatment because he has been through it himself. His organization works with addicts to get them into programs where they can get clean. Insurance will pay for 14 days of detox and care, but trying to find long-term treatment can be a struggle. Inpatient programs can cost patients and their families upwards of $16,000 to $20,000. With private health insurance youre paying for convenience, Duggan said. With Medicaid, unfortunately, the reality is there is a lack of beds available. And by the time a bed opens up they may not be willing to get treatment anymore. In the private sector, deductibles and out-of-pocket costs seem to be getting higher. Its a barrier to people getting care and to receive a bill after the fact can be another stresser in their lives, or an upfront barrier. Treating addiction can be difficult enough, but, unfortunately, it doesnt always end at one disease. Opioid addicts frequently find themselves contracting physical diseases as well, including HIV, liver damage, abscesses and hepatitis. Although hepatitis C can be a devastating illness, there is a treatment for it but like Narcan it is caught in a price war. The Attorney Generals Office is working to combat the price of an expensive hepatitis C drug known as Sovaldi, manufactured by Gilead. The entire treatment can cost between $84,000 and $94,000, Healey said, and Gilead made more than $20 billion on the drug in the first 21 months it was on the market. Between 2002 and 2014, Healey said, there was a 138-percent increase in hepatitis C cases among 15- to 29-year-olds. Where Im coming from is that we have an infectious disease that is on the rise and here we have a drug to cure it, Healey said. And unfortunately, that drug is too expensive. In spite of the number of lives saved by the use of Narcan, the number of deaths from heroin and now fentanyl is continuing to skyrocket. Long-term drug treatments such as suboxone, Vivitrol and methadone exist, but many addicts continue to relapse. If no one calls 911, or if a person is too far gone by the time someone calls for help, its possible the drug user becomes another face of an epidemic that is crashing down on families in all communities. At Fitzgerald & Collins Funeral Home in Marlborough, owner Richard Collins is seeing the real cost of the epidemic up front. Most of the families, he said, come unprepared. Just look at the number of GoFundMe pages, Collins said. Theres an increase in families needing to raise money. Its an unexpected expense for a 25-year-old who planned on getting up the next day. A funeral he said, including burial, costs about $8,000. Direct cremation with no services is $2,700. Back at Milford Regional Hospital, Dr. Hopkins is treating patients regularly and just last week he sat down with a woman in her 60s who came in seeking treatment. The woman, he said, had become addicted to heroin after her pain medication ran out and she needed a rehab program. After sitting down for an hour, struggling and failing to find a place that could accept her immediately, she left in frustration and has not come back. I can guarantee that woman went out and said `they didnt do anything for me, Hopkins said. We are trying our best, but we need the resources. I want to advocate for my patients. They should be treated like any other. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Law Enforcement Massachusetts Drugs The South Dakota Division of Insurance has issued a bulletin to surplus lines insurance brokers of changes in store for the filing of surplus lines policies. The changes are due to the wind down of the Nonadmitted Insurance Multi-State Agreement (NIMA), which was established for the uniform filing and allocation of surplus lines premium taxes. South Dakota became a signatory to NIMA in 2012. On April 28, 2016, the board of directors of NIMA voted to wind-down operations and dissolve the organization. The last day for brokers to report new multi-state policies to the Surplus Lines Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse) is Sept. 30, 2016. Policy endorsements or cancellations for polices effective on or before Sept. 30, 2016, may be reported to the Clearinghouse until Sept. 30, 2017. The Florida Surplus Lines Service Office (FSLSO) will continue serving as the Divisions vendor for all surplus lines filings and premium tax submissions. Beginning Oct. 1, 2016, all new and renewal multi-state surplus lines policies will be filed as single-state policies with the FSLSO when South Dakota is the home state, with 100 percent of the premium being reported to and taxed by South Dakota. Source: South Dakota Division of Insurance Topics Agencies Excess Surplus The city of Omaha, Neb., has billed a Minnesota excavation company nearly $104,000 for the costs of fighting a fire that erupted after a natural gas explosion. The city and safety regulators say North Central Service of Bemidji, Minn., workers struck a natural gas line Jan. 9 in front Ms Pub in the Old Market area. Gas leaked into the basement of the building and exploded. An Ms Pub employee was taken to a hospital with cuts and a firefighter was treated after slipping on ice. A letter sent to the company last month says the reimbursement is being sought under an ordinance that lets the city recover expenses incurred during a hazardous material emergency. A company spokesman didnt immediately return a call from The Associated Press. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Minnesota A Williston, N.D.-based oil field service company will pay $250,000 to a worker it fired after he complained of harassment to settle a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The lawsuit filed a year ago alleged that a white manager for American Casing & Equipment Inc. harassed Matthew Clark, a worker of Filipino heritage who came to the North Dakota oil patch from his home state of Washington, by directing racial slurs at him, jabbing him with a finger in the stomach and chest, and once urinating on his leg while he worked under a truck. This case has conduct that clearly shocks the conscience of any decent human being, attorney Joshua Newville, who represented Clark, told The Associated Press. The EEOC said the harassment began in November 2012 and continued for more than a year, and that a supervisor made no attempt to stop it. Clark ultimately was fired in January 2014 when he complained to the companys safety manager, the federal agency said. They cannot simply ignore harassment and fire employees who complain about being abused rather than doing something about it, Tina Burnside, an EEOC attorney in Minneapolis, said in a statement. In a court filing last year, the company denied the allegations and maintained that Clark was an at-will employee, meaning he could be fired at any time. Under U.S. labor law, an at-will employee can be dismissed without warning for any reason other than an illegal one, unless the presumption is modified by an employment contract, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Defense attorney Nicholas Grant was out of the office on Wednesday and did not immediately respond to an emailed Associated Press request for comment on why the company chose to settle. Under the settlement reached earlier this month and approved on May 24 by U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland in Bismarck, American Casing and Equipment will pay $250,000 to Clark and train all employees on the federal law prohibiting racial discrimination and retaliation. This settlement sends a strong message to employers that race and national origin harassment and retaliation will not be tolerated in the workplace, John Hendrickson, regional attorney for the EEOCs Chicago District, said in a statement. EEOC hopes that the changes implemented under the consent decree will serve as a model for creating a workplace free of discrimination in the oil field service industry. American Casing and Equipment has operated for nearly a quarter century in the Williston Basin oil production area in the Dakotas, Montana and Wyoming. The company provides services ranging from pipe work to hole drilling. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits USA Energy Oil Gas Crews were evaluating the damage Wednesday after tornadoes destroyed several homes and left two people critically injured in western Kansas as a series of severe storms swept across the Plains. Meanwhile, one person drowned in central Oklahoma after a vehicle was swept off a road and a 13-year-old boy was found safe in northeastern Arkansas three hours after falling into a flooded drainage pipe. The most damage in Kansas was reported in Ford and Hodgeman counties, where a storm dropped multiple tornadoes during a two-hour span Tuesday night, said meteorologist Andrew White of the National Weather Service office in Dodge City. He said less damaging tornadoes were reported in two other Kansas counties. Emergency management officials in Ford County reported that two people were critically injured Tuesday night and taken to a hospital in Dodge City, the Kansas Adjutant Generals Department said in a statement early Wednesday. No fatalities were reported. Preliminary reports indicate that at least one of the Kansas tornadoes was a half-mile wide. White said crews were working to determine how many tornadoes touched down, their strength and how long they were on the ground. Besides damaged homes, White says U.S. 50 was temporarily closed because a tractor-trailer was toppled in the storm. He said a large propane tank tipped over and leaked near Dodge City, where 3-inch hail also was reported. In Oklahoma, the drowning happened early Wednesday when a vehicle was swept into a drainage culvert near the small town of Davenport, about 50 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, the highway patrol said. The National Weather Service said 3 to 6 inches of rain fell in parts of Oklahoma, and that a flood warning was in effect through Wednesday afternoon. In Arkansas, the boy who fell into a storm drain wasnt seriously hurt. Police Cpl. Jason Chester tells television station KAIT that the boy said he clung to a pole. He was rescued after two officers heard his cries for help and pulled him to safety. Elsewhere, several structures were damaged when a probable tornado touched down in northeast Oklahoma, near Bristow, according to the weather service. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said no one was injured. In Michigans Upper Peninsula, two weak tornadoes snapped pine trees, the National Weather Service said. No injuries were reported. The agency said the first tornado was detected near Republic, Michigan, on Tuesday afternoon and the second a short time later nearby. Tornado warnings were issued in parts of eastern Colorado and the Texas Panhandle, and the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, said storms can be expected throughout the week in the Great Plains. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Windstorm Homeowners Oklahoma Kansas The manifest is complete with 500 veterans for the June 6 Vietnam Combat Veterans Flight. Veterans from almost 200 Nebraska communities will travel with their comrades to visit the Vietnam Wall, possibly triggering memories they have pushed into the recesses of their minds for 40+ years. Jim Knotts, President & CEO of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund in Washington, D.C., said, This is the largest group of Vietnam veterans from a single state to ever visit the Vietnam Wall. Mr. Knotts will emcee a brief ceremony at the Vietnam Wall at 11a.m. on June 6. The day will also include stops at the Korean War, World War II, Iwo Jima, and Air Force Memorials, and at Arlington National Cemetery for the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Mr. Peter Smith, a Vietnam combat veteran from Australia, will accompany the American veterans from Omaha. He represents the Returned Services League (RSL) and will be met by RADM Steve Gilmore, representing the Australian Embassy. Australia was a key ally in the Vietnam War. The flight will be preceded by a Pre-Flight Dinner, to which members of the public are invited while seats last. Tickets are $50 each (open seating) or a reserved table for eight is $500 (More information at: www.PatrioticProductions.org). We anticipate thousands of citizens will take the time to WELCOME HOME our Vietnam veteransa chance to give them the proper welcome they never received. The welcome home will take place Monday, June 6 from 9-10 p.m. at Eppley Airfield, Omaha. A note about our Vietnam combat veterans: * Over 50 of them are Purple Heart recipients * 161 of them (32%) have been diagnosed with Agent Orange, creating many health issues, including cancer * Six have received the Distinguished Flying Cross * Some were severely wounded (missing limbs, blinded) * One veteran will be seeing his half brother in D.C. for the first time in 40 years * One veteran provided a copy of the list of 72 wounded & 4 KIAs from April, 1971 * Veterans from the Banner-Press readership area include: Larry Sabata, David City, E-4, US Army; Larry Urbanek, Dwight, Sst-E6, US Army; Vernon Lockman, Shelby, Sgt, US Army; Dick Shanahan, Shelby, E-4, US Navy; Bruce DinsLage, Schuyler, SP4, US Army; Dan Jakub, Schuyler, Spc, US Army; and Gary Zeleny, Schuyler, Sgt, US Army. Also on the flight will be Dr. Vic Thoendel of David City, who is one of the medical team volunteers. Thanks to the hundreds of generous donors throughout the state, these veterans will finally have the opportunity to feel appreciated for their service. The Flight Sponsors of the three charter jets are: The Theodore F. & Claire M. Hubbard Family Foundation and AuctionTime.com and TractorHouse (Sandhills Publishing Company) Patriotic Productions organized nine previous Honor Flights that took 2,100 WW II and Korea veterans to Washington D.C. since 2008. Patriotic Productions has a mission of honoring our military, including the creation, production and touring of Remembering Our Fallen photo memorials. More information: www.PatrioticProductions.org or www.RememberingOurFallen.org. It may not be a climate change summit for the ages like last years Paris meeting in which world leaders hashed out a historic agreement to reduce carbon emissions, but it does have two things in common with the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP 21 as its often called. Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler next week is holding a climate risk summit at the University of Washington to raise awareness among insurers of the need to consider climate risks when providing insurance products to customers. The summit will also call on insurers to manage their investment portfolios with climate change in mind. Regulating, or directing if you will, insurer investments toward a greener goal has been a hot topic lately. State and local businesses, representatives from the insurance industry, legislators, government representatives, academics, and environmental and consumer advocates are expected to attend or speak at the half-day affair titled Break in the Ice: Climate Risk and the Insurance Industry. The first thing the summit has in common with the Paris meeting is that its likely to be a prelude to some potentially game-changing policy suggestions depending on whom you ask and in which state you reside, these could become more than mere suggestions. Its a good bet the summit will have some teeth and will go beyond the typical ad nauseam jabber heard at these sort of get-togethers. Kreidler, the nations longest serving insurance commissioner, chairs the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Climate Change and Global Warming Working Group. He has for the past few years been calling out the insurance industry for being unprepared for climate change and has said insurers are not taking climate change seriously enough. Fossil Fuels He and California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, vice chair of the NAIC group, have been pushing for insurers to get rid of investments in fossil fuels. Jones earlier this week lent his voice to a conference call to discuss a report out from sustainability leadership advocate Ceres that shows leading U.S. insurers have nearly half-a-trillion dollars invested the fossil fuel energy and the electric and gas utility sectors. Jones and authors of the report urged other state insurance regulators and board members of insurance companies to help move insurers out of such investments. On the call Jones said insurers are at risk of having their investments stranded as these energy sectors lose money and continue to fall out of favor in the public eye, and said hed like to see other state regulators follow steps hes taken in California. Voluntary Divestment Jones in January asked all insurance companies doing business in California to voluntarily divest from their investments in thermal coal, and last year he announced plans initiate a data call that requires insurance companies to annually disclose their carbon-based investments. Jones is also behind the climate risk disclosure survey that has gone out to insurers since 2010. I took these steps because of the concern that I have as an insurance regulator that the oil, coal and gas assets will become stranded assets on the books of insurance companies, Jones explained. For next weeks meeting, Kreidlers office partnered with the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group, which supports the development of climate resilience by advancing understanding and awareness of climate risks. Joe Casola, the groups deputy director, will speak at the event about the climate mapping tool they use to predict how climate change will affect Washington in coming years. One of the industrys biggest names is also set to speak. XL Group CEO Mike McGavick is giving a talk titled Reflections on global insurers and reinsurers in response to the Paris Call to Action. McGavick chairs the Geneva Association, an international think tank for the insurance industry, and is considered proactive for his efforts to raise awareness of climate risks the insurance industry faces. Oddly, last year Insurance Journals sister publication, Carrier Management, quoted him while speaking during a session at the Global Insurance Forum of the International Insurance Society that the idea that were going to divest in carbon is nonsense. McGavick argued that its too large a part of the economy and reinsurers would be failing our shareholders if we werent investing in a prudent way. He did further explain how the industry is, as he believed it should be, devoting investment dollars and underwriting resources to support alternative energy projects. XL Group spokespersons recently contacted for comment declined to expand on McGavicks stance on fossil fuel investing. McGavicks stance that insurers must be allowed to make prudent investments may or may not be in conflict with his interest in educating the industry on climate risks, but it would be interesting to delve into this with him hopefully its a topic he addresses at the Seattle summit. If not, theres sure to be plenty of talk about how climate change impacts investment portfolios, which is the topic Alex Bernhardt, a principal in the responsible investment group of consulting firm Mercer, is set to tackle. It could also come up in a reinsurer panel that includes Steve McElhiney, president of EWI Re Inc., Alex Kaplan, vice president of global partnerships for Swiss Re, and Dennis Burke, vice president of the Reinsurance Association of America. So whats the second thing the Seattle summit has in common with last years meeting in Paris? It inserts the insurance industry squarely into climate change discussion. It may not be well known, but the topic of insurance is implicit throughout the massive Paris agreement. A report from the Geneva Association put out in the spring that analyzes what the Paris agreement means to the insurance industry states that by 2020 the reinsurance sector will not only be providing a wider range of risk-transfer solutions, but also will be supporting emission reduction efforts and transitioning to a low-carbon economy through its investment strategies as well as actively managing its carbon footprint. Parlez-vous francais? Past columns: Topics Carriers California Energy Washington Reinsurance Oil Gas Climate Change Market Education Universities Data released at a May 24 hearing to determine the competitiveness of earthquake insurance coverage in Oklahoma shows that four insurance companies have 55 percent of the market in the state. Thats a concern for Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak, who called the hearing after carriers filed significant rate increases, dropped lower deductible options or decided to stop writing new earthquake insurance policies. My number one priority is to protect the citizens of Oklahoma, said Doak. Due to several factors, including market concentration and very low loss ratios, I believe the Oklahoma earthquake insurance market may not be competitive. If true, we must take action to protect consumers. Data Presented OID Market Regulation Chief Brian Gabbert released the following data at the hearing: 119 companies write earthquake insurance in Oklahoma 1,094 earthquake insurance claims were filed from 2010-present 208 claims, or 19 percent, were paid Most claim activity occurred in 2011 Approximately half of the 208 paid claims resulted in payments less than $5,000 Insurers collected more than $76 million in earthquake insurance premiums from 2010-2015 Insurers paid out $4.3 million in claims from 2010-2015 Current pure direct loss ratio for all earthquake carriers since 2010 is 3 percent OID has received 12 rate increase filings ranging from 4 percent to 300 percent since Aug. 2014 Five companies have stopped writing new business since August 2014 Under state law, property and casualty rates adhere to the use and file system. Under the use and file system, insurers may implement a rate increase then notify the OID after the fact. However, if the line of business is found to be not competitive the rating laws revert to a file and use system, sometimes called a prior approval system, where rates must be filed and draw no opposition from the Commissioner before they can be used. Insurer Push Back Insurance trade groups, such as the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America and the American Insurance Association, have weighed in against increased regulation. In testimony submitted in advance of the hearing, the AIA urged mitigation rather than further regulation in order to alleviate concerns over lack of competition. While recognizing increased quake activity in the state in recent years, the AIA maintained that the market for coverage is competitive. Insurers appear to be adjusting to manage their risk, solvency and policyholder surplus while avoiding cross subsidization, the group said. Joe Woods, in a statement released by PCI (see below), said with 119 carriers offering coverage the market is competitive in Oklahoma. Consumers have choices if they are willing to shop the market, he said. With only around 10 percent of property owners choosing to purchase the product, the low take-up rate is concerning to insurers, however. While we recognize cost is a factor in the purchasing decision for a consumer, in order to make the coverage available, insurers must charge rates that reflect expected losses, Woods said. Companies have to be prepared for a Northridge-type earthquake, he said. More regulation is likely to make the market concentration situation worse because it puts more pressure on smaller companies that might just give up. AGs Support Julie Bays, Oklahoma assistant attorney general, praised the work of Commissioner Doak and said he has the full support of the AGs office. Our offices work together to protect consumers and hes done a fabulous job at that, she said. Doak said he will announce his decision on what action he will take, if any, in the next 30 days. In the meantime, the Oklahoma Insurance Department is continuing to host earthquake outreach events across the state. At these events, consumers can speak one-on-one with an OID representative. The remaining schedule is listed below. Perry May 31, 3:00-5:30 p.m. Perry Public Library 302 N. 7th St. Woodward June 16, 4:00-7:00 p.m. High Plains Technology Center 3921 34th St. Room 20 Edmond June 30, 4:00-7:00 p.m. Edmond Downtown Community Center Banquet Room 28 E. Main St. Topics Carriers Catastrophe Natural Disasters Legislation Oklahoma Earthquake Louisiana-based insurance carrier, LCTA Workers Comp (LCTA), has hired Christine Martin as chief financial officer (CFO). A certified public accountant, Martin brings more than 20 years of financial management experience to the casualty insurance company. In her new role, Martin is tasked with developing financial operations and strategy within the organization, in addition to the monitoring of control systems to preserve company assets and maintain accurate reporting that continues to meet regulatory compliance. Most recently, Martin served as director of accounting and controller at Myron F. Steves and Co. for 11 years, overseeing financials and driving the annual audit. Martin also previously held various positions at subsidiaries of HCC Insurance Holdings Inc., including vice president and CFO. LCTAs mission is to provide cost effective workers compensation solutions to Louisiana businesses with superior service, to optimize control of losses, care of the injured worker, and their safe return to work. Source: LCTA Workers Comp Topics Workers' Compensation Lawmakers in the House have spurned a proposed program that would allow law enforcement agencies to automatically scan motorists license plates. The House and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 7-3 to kill the Senate-backed bill by Lake Charles Sen. Ronnie Johns, a Republican. Johns had previously tried to launch the program, only to have former Gov. Bobby Jindal veto the bill. Supporters said the pilot program with nine parishes participating was aimed at catching car thieves and insurance scofflaws. Johns said the technology would allow police to cross-check license plates with databases to determine if vehicles are stolen or uninsured. Critics worried about the involvement of a private vendor slated to get part of the fine money and about data collection privacy. The measure was Senate Bill 54. Related: Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Legislation Louisiana QBE European Operations has appointed Alfonso De Mares as Business Development manager for Latin America. Alfonso joined QBE European Operations International Markets division in April and will be based in Miami. Reporting to Tim Harris, director of Overseas Business Development, De Mares will act as a lynch pin for International Markets and QBEs Latin American office network. He will target marine, energy, and specialist property and casualty business in the disciplines underwritten by International Markets, including oil and gas, ports and terminals, cargo, and political violence that does not come into the London Market. In addition, De Mares will be responsible for expanding reach in the region where QBE does not have a local presence. We have a strong track record supporting businesses in Latin America via Lloyds and we will continue to write those risks that come into the London market. The volume of business transacted locally however continues to grow and Alfonsos appointment is our first step towards developing a specialty underwriting operation in Miami that brings us closer to brokers and clients in the region and enhances the product offering of QBEs existing Latin American network, said Sam Harrison, managing director, International Markets. De Mares joins QBE from Guy Carpenter Miami where he was a senior vice president responsible for planning and development for facultative business in Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to this he was head of Latin America Property in the UK. De mares also spent five years with JLT in London as a placing broker responsible for Central and Latin American wholesale property, following time in a similar capacity with Heath Lambert in Miami. Topics London A federal judge in Tampa, Fla., has sentenced a 76-year-old doctor to 25 years in prison for the deaths of three patients who were prescribed pain medications at his clinic. U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore told Edward Neil Feldman at sentencing Monday that the doctor became a drug pusher and will have the rest of his life to think about that. The Tampa Bay Times reports Feldman showed no remorse. Feldman suggested he didnt know he was breaking the law and asked the judge to show mercy on his 66-year-old wife Kim Feldman, who managed her husbands office and was also scheduled for sentencing this week. The Feldmans were convicted during a 17-day trial on multiple counts in a drug and financial conspiracy. Edward Feldman was held accountable for the three deaths. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Florida Drugs California has accused Johnson & Johnson of failing to warn doctors and patients about the severity and frequency of complications associated with its pelvic mesh devices. According to the lawsuit filed by the states attorney general on Tuesday, J&J and its Ethicon unit falsely marketed the devices as a safe and superior option to non-mesh treatments for pelvic floor disorders, when it was aware that they could cause pain, bleeding, loss of sexual function and other side effects. Johnson & Johnson put millions of women at risk of severe health problems by failing to provide critical information to doctors and patients about its surgical mesh products, California Attorney General Kamala Harris said in a statement. Her office led a multi-state investigation into J&Js mesh products, which included 46 states and the District of Columbia. The lawsuit seeks monetary penalties and an order halting any unfair advertising for mesh. J&J said in a statement that the lawsuit was unjustified and could discourage women from seeking treatment for incontinence symptoms. The evidence will show that Ethicon acted appropriately and responsibly in the marketing of our pelvic mesh products, said spokeswoman Samantha Lucas. J&J is one of several manufacturers that sold the devices to treat conditions like stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse in women. Those companies are facing tens of thousands of individual lawsuits from plaintiffs who said they were injured by the meshs poor design and substandard materials, which plaintiffs say led to serious complications that require surgery to repair. According to Californias attorney general, J&J sold more than 787,000 pelvic mesh devices in the United States from 2008 until 2014, including more than 42,000 in California. Also on Tuesday, Washington states attorney general, Bob Ferguson, filed a similar consumer-protection lawsuit against J&J over its marketing of pelvic mesh devices. Over the past several years, the devices have come under increasing scrutiny by regulators as well as private litigants. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it has received thousands of reports of complications in connection with mesh used to treat pelvic organ prolapse. Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration said it was reclassifying mesh used to treat pelvic organ prolapse transvaginally from class II, or moderate risk, to class III, for high-risk devices, which will require manufacturers to submit extensive data to establish the devices safety. (Additional reporting Nate Raymond n New York; Editing by Bernard Orr and Matthew Lewis) Topics Lawsuits California Ironshore Inc. has named Tara Houvenagle wholesale West branch executive for the Western region. Houvenagle, who is based in Ironshores St. Louis, Mo. office, will report to Joseph L. Boren, president of U.S. field operations. In her additional role as branch executive, Houvenagle will be responsible for distribution strategies for the wholesale business in the Western U.S. Houvenagle has more than 12 years of experience as a specialty underwriter in the casualty insurance industry. She joined Ironshore in 2009 as a senior production specialist, focusing on excess, umbrella and general liability lines. She was named casualty manager for the wholesale West region in 2014. Houvenagle was with AIG WorldSource in Houston, Texas prior to joining Ironshore. There she was responsible for primary casualty business lines, including general liability, workers compensation and foreign liability package programs. Ironshore provides broker-sourced specialty property/casualty insurance coverages for varying risks. An employee of a Southern California school district has been arrested on charges of workers compensation fraud for allegedly racking up $33,000 in treatments and disability payments. Juanita Denise Schmittle, 50, of Baldwin Park, Calif., was arrested by California Department of Insurance detectives on two counts of workers comp fraud after allegedly misrepresenting her injuries and mental health conditions suffered while working as an instructional aide for the Baldwin Park Unified School District. Schmittles misrepresentations resulted in $33,000 in unnecessary treatment costs and unearned disability payments over the course of three years, according to the CDI. Schmittle allegedly suffered injuries to her right wrist, left knee and left hip after slipping and falling onto a wet floor while at work. Schmittle claimed these injuries became progressively more severe and she developed psychological problems. The CDI launched an investigation after Schmittles employer reported suspected fraud. The investigation reportedly revealed Schmittles treating physician referred her to a psychologist after she claimed she was depressed from not being able to return to work. After being evaluated by a psychologist it was apparent that Schmittle exaggerated her symptoms and intentionally misled others while malingering, according to the CDI. Workers compensation fraud is a costly crime that we all pay for, Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said in a statement. Insurers pass along the cost of their losses to businesses through higher insurance premiums and those costs are passed onto to consumers through higher prices for goods and services. Ultimately, there is a ripple effect on our economy. Schmittle faces up to five years in county jail if convicted. Bail is set at $30,000. The LA County District Attorneys office is prosecuting the case. Topics California Workers' Compensation Fraud Education SCHUYLER Law enforcement officers have been cleared of any wrongdoing in connection with the death of man struck by a train earlier this year in Schuyler. A Colfax County grand jury determined Tuesday there was no evidence to indict officers involved in the Feb. 20 incident that led to the death of 40-year-old Zane Smith. Smith, a Texas man who was living in Schuyler, was killed around 9 p.m. after he entered the Union Pacific Railroad tracks at the G Street crossing and was struck by a westbound train. Law enforcement officers in the area were attempting to apprehend Smith for trespassing at the time of the incident. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Schuyler Police Department and Colfax County Sheriff's Office both responded to the incident, which was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol. State law requires a grand jury to be called whenever someone dies while they are being apprehended by law enforcement or in custody. Because an indictment wasn't produced, additional details about the case, including autopsy results and information on the officers involved, were not released. Pillar two will change the international tax system forever. Here Christian Kaeser, global head of tax at Siemens, looks at how businesses and tax administrations can simplify pillar two compliance. Oltre 26 milioni di americani hanno gia votato anticipatamente per le elezioni presidenziali che vedono in gara, in un testa-a-testa Donald Trump e Hillary Clinton. Si tratta di circa il doppio di quanti usarono learly voting (voto anticipato) una settimana prima delle presidenziali del 2012. A molti lentourage di Trump ha chiesto di rivotare in considerazione delle ultime rivelazioni sullex First Lady Grazia di Clinton a Rich, file Fbi su web LFbi ha infatti pubblicato via Twitter i documenti dellinchiesta sulla grazia concessa dallallora presidente Clinton (nellultimo giorno del suo mandato, il 20/1/2001) al finanziere Usa, Marc Rich, morto in Svizzera nel 2013, accusato di 60 reati, tra cui frode, evasione di 48 mln di tasse e traffico di petrolio con lIran. Rischiava 300 anni di carcere. I file sono stati diffusi a 7 giorni dalle elezioni e dopo la bufera scatenata dallannuncio dellFbi sullapertura di una nuova indagine sulle email della candidata Hillary Clinton. Fbi: carte grazia Clinton note per legge LFbi ha pero difeso la propria decisione di pubblicare a una settimana dalle presidenziali le carte di una inchiesta archiviata sulla controversa grazia concessa da Bill Clinton nel 2001 a un finanziere amico, Marc Rich, scappato in Svizzera per sfuggire alle accuse di evasione fiscale. Per procedura standard spiega lFbi questi materiali diventano disponibili per la diffusione e sono postati automaticamente ed elettronicamente nella sala di lettura pubblica dellFbi nel rispetto della legge e delle procedure Evocato limpeachment per Hillary Evocato anche lo spettro di una messa in stato di accusa per Hillary se fosse eletta alla Casa Bianca. Lo ha fatto il senatore repubblicano Ron Johnson, presidente della Commissione per la Sicurezza nazionale e per gli Affari governativi. Johnson ha detto al Beloit Daily News che Hillary ha deliberatamente aggirato la legge usando un server privato per trattare affari pubblici quando era Segretario di Stato. Il senatore ha accusato la candidata dem di aver intenzionalmente nascosto e distrutto materiale riguardante la difesa nazionale. Hacker, NYT: nessun legame Trump-Putin E Trump oggi ha piu di un motivo per sorridere. Non solo le nuove accuse alla rivale, non solo i sondaggi lo vedono in crescita, ma lFbi non ha trovato finora alcun legame diretto tra il candidato repubblicano alla Casa Bianca Trump e il governo russo. Secondo i servizi Usa, gli attacchi di hacker contro i democratici sono volti a minare le elezioni presidenziali piu che a favorire Trump. Lo scrive il NYT, citando fonti investigative. Queste rivelazioni, se confermate, sconfesserebbero le convinzioni dei democratici sui legami Trump-Putin. What Is a Patent Troll? A patent troll is a derogatory term used to describe a company that uses patent infringement claims to win court judgments for profit or to stifle competition. The term may be used to describe a number of business activities that utilize patents and the court system to earn money. While the practice of patent trolling is not illegal, a company that acts as a patent troll files patent claims without any intention of ever developing a product or service. The end result is bad faith infringement threats and licensing demands that require companies to spend a significant amount of money to settle these claims without any addition to the public good. A patent troll may also be called a "patent shark," "dealer," "marketer," or "pirate." A patent troll operation may be called a "patent assertion company," "entity," or a "non-manufacturing patentee." Key Takeaways A patent troll exploits existing structural issues within the U.S. patent and court systems in order to generate revenue. Patent trolls use a number of legal activities and loopholes that involve patents and the court system to earn money, including filing false patent infringement claims. While the practice of patent trolling is not technically illegal, a company that acts as a patent troll files patent claims without any intention of ever developing a product or service. How a Patent Troll Works A patent troll may use a variety of methods and exploit legal loopholes to generate revenue without producing any material benefits and without any intention to use the patent in question. One analogy for a patent troll's actions would be earning the right to charge tolls on a toll road without performing any kind of improvements to the roadway. Hypothetically, the patent troll would earn money from charging huge fees for the use of the roadway or from imposing severe penalties for anyone who uses the road without knowing the terms of use. Patent trolls are more common in the U.S. because patent trolls can take advantage of existing structural issues within the U.S. patent and court systems. Patent trolls are less prevalent in Europe because many European countries stipulate that losers in patent claim court cases pay the legal expenses of both parties. This has effectively eliminated a majority of frivolous lawsuits. In June 2013, former President Barack Obama addressed the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office about the abusive practices of patent trolls: "They don't actually produce anything themselves, they're just trying to essentially leverage and hijack somebody else's idea and see if they can extort some money out of them." In April 2014, the final ruling on the court case, Octane Fitness, LLC v. ICON Health & Fitness, Inc., filed in the U.S. Supreme Court, made it easier for courts to impose the legal expenses of both parties on the losers in patent claim court cases in the future. The term patent troll may have originated from an educational video, called the Patents Video, produced in 1994 by Paula Natasha Chavez, a U.S. Intellectual Property Law attorney. The goal of the video was to alert corporations and individuals to what some considered the weaponization of patents, as well as to dissuade future patent trolls. Types of Patent Trolls Patent trolls may employ one or more the following practices, though understanding the full breadth of patent troll practices would be difficult because of the many methods they use: Enforcing a patent without any intent of manufacturing a product or providing a service based on that patent, or without using it to conduct research, or otherwise utilizing it for the greater good Pursuing patent infringement claims that are baseless with the intent of stifling competition (These claims are ultimately easier and cheaper for competing companies to settle than to litigate.) Buying a patent (usually from a bankrupt company at auction) with the intent of suing a competing company by claiming that it has a product that infringes upon the newly purchased patent Any utilization of a patent to enforce patent rights only Patent trolling may also involve venue shopping. For example, in 2015, 45% of patent cases in the U.S. were filed in the Eastern District of Texas, home to a judge with both patent expertise and a track record of favoring plaintiffs. The U.S. Supreme Court's final ruling in the 2017 court case, TC Heartland LLC v. Kraft Foods Group Brands LLC, has since limited the practice of venue shopping by patent trolls. When universities or non-profit research institutions file claims for the protection of unutilized patents, it is not typically considered an act of patent trolling. What Is the Knowledge Economy? The knowledge economy is a system of consumption and production that is based on intellectual capital. In particular, it refers to the ability to capitalize on scientific discoveries and applied research. The knowledge economy represents a large share of the activity in most highly developed economies. In a knowledge economy, a significant component of value may consist of intangible assets such as the value of its workers' knowledge or intellectual property. Key Takeaways The knowledge economy describes the contemporary commercialization of science and academic scholarship. In the knowledge economy, innovation based on research is commodified via patents and other forms of intellectual property. The knowledge economy lies at the intersection of private entrepreneurship, academia, and government-sponsored research. Knowledge-related industries represent a large share of the activity in most highly developed countries. A knowledge economy depends on skilled labor and education, strong communications networks, and institutional structures that incentivize innovation. 1:35 Click Play to Learn What the Knowledge Economy Is Understanding the Knowledge Economy Developing economies tend to be heavily focused on agriculture and manufacturing, while highly developed countries have a larger share of service-related activities. This includes knowledge-based economic activities such as research, technical support, and consulting. The knowledge economy is the marketplace for the production and sale of scientific and engineering discoveries. This knowledge can be commodified in the form of patents or other intellectual property protections. The producers of such information, such as scientific experts and research labs, are also considered part of the knowledge economy. The Bayh-Dole Act of 1980 was a major turning point in the treatment of intellectual property in the U.S. because it allowed universities to retain title to inventions or discoveries made with federal R&D funding and to negotiate exclusive licenses. Thanks to globalization, the world economy has become more knowledge-based, bringing with it the best practices from each country's economy. Also, knowledge-based factors create an interconnected and global economy where human expertise and trade secrets are considered important economic resources. However, it is important to note that generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) do not allow companies to include these assets on their balance sheets. The modern commercialization of academic research and basic science has its roots in governments seeking military advantage. Knowledge Economy and Human Capital The knowledge economy addresses how education and knowledgethat is, "human capital" can serve as a productive asset or business product to be sold and exported to yield profits for individuals, businesses, and the economy. This component of the economy relies greatly on intellectual capabilities instead of natural resources or physical contributions. In the knowledge economy, products, and services that are based on intellectual expertise advance technical and scientific fields, encouraging innovation in the economy as a whole. The World Bank defines knowledge economies according to four pillars: Institutional structures that provide incentives for entrepreneurship and the use of knowledge Availability of skilled labor and a good education system Access to information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructures A vibrant innovation landscape that includes academia, the private sector, and civil society. Example of a Knowledge Economy Academic institutions, companies engaging in research and development (R&D), programmers developing new software and search engines for data, and health workers using digital data to improve treatments are all components of a knowledge economy. These economy brokers pass on the results of their research to workers in more traditional fields, such as farmers who use software applications and digital solutions to manage their crops better, advanced technological-based medical procedures such as robot-assistant surgeries, or schools that provide digital study aids and online courses for students. How Big Is the Knowledge Economy? Because it is not a clearly-defined category such as manufacturing, it is difficult to put an exact price tag on the global knowledge economy. However, it is possible to gain a rough estimate by gauging some of the major components of the knowledge economy. In the United States, the total intellectual property market is worth $6.6 trillion, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and IP-intensive industries account for over a third of GDP. The market size of the country's higher education institutions accounts for an additional $568 billion. What Are the Most Valuable Skills in the Knowledge Economy? While higher education and technical training are obvious assets, communication and teamwork are also essential skills for a knowledge-based economy, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Since it is unlikely that any single knowledge worker can generate groundbreaking innovations alone, these interpersonal and workplace competencies are essential to surviving in a knowledge-based workplace. Detention Center The inmate count at the Platte County Detention Facility Wednesday was 61, with 43 from Platte County and 18 from out of county. Police April 29 12:35 p.m. In the 2900 block of 22nd Street, traffic accident. Drivers were Michael Swanson, 41, 3020 22nd St., and Nickolas Borgman, 16, Platte Center. April 30 5:20 p.m. At 2404 23rd St., Brandon Cordero, 23, 1819 11th St., No. 2, was cited for theft-shoplifting. May 12 2:26 p.m. At 818 E. 23rd St., Randy Weltikol, 54, and Cindylee Fechner, 55, both 3783 SE 16th St., were each cited for shoplifting. May 19 2:51 p.m. At the intersection of East 23rd Street and East 14th Avenue, traffic accident. Drivers were Bonnie Cyza, 70, 2076 141 St., and Mario Velozo, 27, Schuyler. 5:51 p.m. In the 1300 block of Fourth Street, a vehicle driven by Dustin Podoll, 21, 458 13th Ave., struck a parked vehicle owned by Tim Heywood, Dodge. May 20 Noon At 2513 21st St., Kristina Colvin, 27, 2513 21st St., was cited for possession of marijuana-one ounce or less. 12:56 p.m. At the intersection of Howard Boulevard and 19th Street, traffic accident. Drivers were Mary Shevlin, 70, 62 Cottonwood Drive, and Brianna Keyes, 15, 4317 60th St. May 21 3:09 a.m. In the 2900 block of 23rd Street, Rosalia Ramos, 25, 3728 23rd St., was cited for speeding, 60 mph in a 35 mph zone, and no operators license. 3:49 p.m. At the intersection of 18th Avenue and 17th Street, traffic accident. Drivers were Manuela Chavez, 47, 1865 27th Ave., and Stephanie Wood, 22, 1172 20th Ave. 6:34 p.m. At the intersection of East 11th Avenue and East 23rd Street, Samuel Lozano Jr., 24, 4151 E. 28th Ave., was cited for operating an unregistered motor vehicle. 8:08 p.m. At the intersection of 23rd Avenue and 23rd Street, traffic accident. Drivers were Lynne Coulter, 56, 562 24th Ave., and Kyle Ainsworth, 30, 3164 E. 17th Ave. Coulter was cited for a traffic signal violation. May 22 6:44 a.m. At the intersection of 33rd Avenue and 23rd Street, a vehicle driven by Matthew Greiner, 21, 35 Lottie Lane, lost control and struck a state road sign. 3:23 p.m. In a parking lot in the 4300 block of 23rd Street, a vehicle driven by Karen Vanicek, 61, 3916 22nd St., struck a light pole. 6:57 p.m. At the intersection of Howard Boulevard and 33rd Avenue, traffic accident. Drivers were Tristann Jones, 22, 2728 31st St., and Eric Wemhoff, 21, Humphrey. May 23 10:54 a.m. At the intersection of 33rd Avenue and 15th Street, traffic accident. Drivers were Erwin Reiser, 76, 6455 Country Links Place, Cindy Shatto, 40, 2803 Ninth St., and Eric Ceder, 32, 2115 19th St. May 24 3:19 p.m. Theft at 3019 14th St., bicycle stolen, $100 loss. 3:20 p.m. Criminal mischief at 2420 22nd St., tires slashed, $200 loss. Sheriff May 17 6:55 a.m. In a parking lot at 1851 E. 32nd St., traffic accident. Drivers were Tristan Baetz, 20, 2315 22nd St., and Blanca Ramirez, 45, 2569 E. 30th Ave. May 24 6:23 a.m. Traffic violation at mile marker 365 on U.S. Highway 30, Danny Ramirez of Texas cited for speeding. 6:59 a.m. Traffic violation along Highway 30 at T-Bone Truck Stop, Jesse Moody of Duncan cited for speeding. 12:21 p.m. Traffic violation at the intersection of Monastery Road and 415th Street, Dennis Everson of South Dakota cited for speeding. 12:39 p.m. Traffic violation at the intersection of U.S. Highway 81 and 310th Street, Charles Otis of Schuyler cited for failure to yield to a pedestrian. 3:05 p.m. Traffic violation at the intersection of 370th Avenue and 140th Street, Liam Coghlan of New Zealand cited for no operators license. Fire May 23 8:48 a.m. In the 3600 block of 20th Street, medical. 10:56 a.m. In the 600 block of 13th Avenue, medical. 10:57 a.m. Accident in the 1500 block of 33rd Avenue, medical. 11:18 a.m. In the 1300 block of Eighth Street, medical. 2:21 p.m. In the 4000 block of 38th Street, medical. 2:35 p.m. In the 4200 block of 17th Street, medical. 2:44 p.m. In the 2000 block of 10th Street, medical. 5:32 p.m. Silent fire alarm in the 5300 block of 33rd Street. 11 p.m. In the 5400 block of South Ninth Street, medical. 11:03 p.m. In the 3900 block of 14th Street, medical. May 24 12:45 p.m. - In the 3000 block of 23rd Street, medical. Top News - Investor Idea Mullen (NASDAQ: MULN) Continues Acquisition Path With Purchase of ELMS Assets Including Factory in Mishawaka, IN., Enabling EV Production for Retail and Commercial Vehicle Lines BREA, Calif. - October 19, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), an emerging electric vehicle ("EV") manufacturer, announces the US Bankruptcy Court approval on Oct. 13th, 2022 of its acquisition of electric vehicle company ELMS's (Electric Last Mile Solutions) assets in an all cash purchase. Top EV Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking EV Stock News: Mullen (NASDAQ: MULN) Announces the I-GO, New Urban Commercial Electric Delivery Vehicle Available Now for European Markets BREA, Calif. - October 24, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), an emerging electric vehicle ("EV") manufacturer, announces today it has secured exclusive sales, distribution and branding rights to the new compact urban delivery electric vehicle, the I-GO, which is fully EU Standard homologated and certified for sale in select European Markets. Top EV Stock News - Investor Idea EV Stocks Driving Higher: (NASDAQ: $MULN) (NASDAQ: $TSLA) (NYSE: $NIO) (NYSE: $F) Vancouver, Delta, BC - October 20, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Investorideas.com, a leading investor news resource covering EV and automotive stocks releases a special report featuring Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), covering the continued growth of the EV market as government policy and infrastructure plans sync up with consumer and investor interest in the EV space. Top AI Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking AI Stock News: FatBrain (OTCQB: LZGI) Acquires Confidential Computing Platform ZeroTrust to Protect Data Privacy and Accelerate Innovation for Millions of Growth Businesses NEW YORK, NY - October 19, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) FatBrain AI (LZG International, Inc.) (OTCQB: LZGI), the leader in powerful and easy-to-use artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for star enterprises of tomorrow, has acquired the confidential computing and privacy intellectual property (IP) plus software assets of Zero2A PTE LTD ("ZeroTrust Platform"), a software company based in Singapore. Check out our Podcasts for great investor ideas: Get new posts by email: Subscribe Powered by Investorideas.com Newswire: Subscribe to Investor Ideas Newswire The British Immigration Minister James Brokenshire announced this afternoon that 7-year old Australian Lachlan Brain no longer faces immediate threat of deportation from Scotland. The announcement came after intense public and political pressure was placed on the UK government to allow the young Gaelic speaker and his parents to remain in the Highlands, their home for the past five years. The public campaign to stop the family's deportation also resulted in a job offer for Lachlans mother, Kathryn Brain, which should allow the family to comply with their visa requirements. Despite being fluent in Gaelic, the Celtic language native to Scotland that is very closely linked to the Irish language, Lachlans family had been given until next Tuesday to leave Scotland, as Kathryn and her husband Gregg had not succeeded in finding jobs that completely fulfilled the terms of their visa application. Lachlan moved from Australia to Dingwall in the Highlands almost five years ago with his parents Greg and Kathryn as part of the Highland homecoming program, a scheme heavily advertised in Australia which encouraged those of Scottish descent to return to the country and help to repopulate the Highlands. Both having Scottish roots, Kathryn enrolled in a degree in Scottish history and archaeology to earn a student visa, listing her husband and son as dependants. The familys visa expired in December 2015 after Kathryn finished her degree and the Home Office rejected their case to stay. On moving to Scotland, the family had planned to apply for a post-study work visa, a program which the government has since canceled. The familys local MP Ian Blackford has been a vocal supporter of the familys case, bringing the question of their deportation to debate in British parliament. The Scottish National Party leader Angus Robertson also raised the case at prime ministers questions, where he urged Chancellor George Osmond, filling in for David Cameron, to reassess the familys situation. It's difficult to convince an employer you're worth a 4000 signing bonus" - Greg Brain's family faces deportation https://t.co/WGGjeoMVo7 Victoria Derbyshire (@VictoriaLIVE) May 25, 2016 As a result the family are no longer believed to be in any immediate risk. I am meeting the honourable member for Ross, Skye and Lochaber [Blackford] again this afternoon to further discuss this matter, said Brokenshire. He can be assured that the family does not face an imminent risk of immediate deportation. The massive media drive by the Brain family highlighting their deportation order despite moving to Scotland during a time when attempts are being made to repopulate the area has resulted in Kathyrn Brain securing a job which should comply with UK immigration rules. She will now begin on a part-time basis with GlenWyvis Distillery near Dingwall, a project that aims to be the worlds first community-owned, renewables-powered facility of its kind. In short, Kathryn is highly qualified and exactly the person were looking for, said GlenWyvis owner John McKenzie, speaking on the radio phone-in of former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond. Weve just hit the halfway point in our funding with 750,000 [$1.1 million] of the 1.5 million [$2.2 million] were looking to raise and were at the point where we can start recruiting for further staff for marketing during the final phase of fundraising over the next 30 days. Kathryns qualifications, her degree in Scottish history and archaeology is absolutely ideal, and to find somebody with that qualification so close is tremendous. In fact the family have been living in the street where I was born, just a couple of doors down so its a match the high profile nature of the GlenWyvis project and the frustration of the Brains predicament hopefully a last-gasp job offer might save the day. The Brain family's home is in the Highlands of Scotland. The UK Govt must look again so this family can stay. #PMQs pic.twitter.com/8RBpx1surU The SNP (@theSNP) May 25, 2016 Initially the job is in a temporary capacity until they reach their full funding potential the share closing is on June 24 with a view to that position becoming permanent, continued Kathryn Brain. It would fit perfectly with the qualifications Ive received as a result of the degree that Ive just completed. But the way things stand, were supposed to be out of the country by Tuesday and I dont have the right to work just now, so its an impossible situation as things stand. Salmond has also called the job-offer a game-changer. If its a temporary job it will require ministerial discretion, but from what Kathryn is saying shes got the prospect of a job under whats called tier two in a permanent capacity, he told The National. Gregg Brain has now called on the UK Home Office to live up to their side of the deal, commending the local community for their support. We have been overwhelmed by the response and it just reinforced our belief that this is the community where we want to bring up our son, he said. The family are due to meet with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon this afternoon, who last week wrote to UK Home Secretary Theresa May on their behalf. A headstone for a heroic Titanic seaman has been unveiled in Jersey City. Robert John Hopkin s was honored last Sunday, alongside the four other survivors of the White Star Liner tragedy buried at Holy Name Cemetery. Hopkins was an able-bodied seaman. During the evacuation of the Titanic First Officer Murdoch assigned Hopkins to lifeboat 13. The Belfast man was instrumental in cutting the ropes to free the boat, which coincidentally carried Delia McDermott and Elizabeth Dowdell (buried in the same cemetery) to safety. Hopkins was born in Belfast, County Antrim, on November 30 1868, to John and Catherine McMullen Hopkins. He and fireman Fred Barrett were instrumental in cutting the falls to free boat 13 before it was crushed by boat 15, which was being lowered onto it from above. Long before he got a spot on the Titanic Hopkins had emigrated to America, in 1900, with his wife, Annie Graham Hopkins. The couple lived in Manhattan where their two sons, Robert and James, were born. Following the untimely death of his wife, on February 3 1907, Hopkins returned his sons to family in Liverpool, England, where they were raised and educated. Hopkins returned to the United States and lived in West New York, New Jersey, and later in nearby Hoboken . He was still living there in his later years. He worked as a stevedore on the docks until his death on November 17 1943. For nearly 73 years the body of Robert John Hopkins has rested in an unmarked grave. Ealier this month a polished black granite headstone bearing his name was unveiled by his family and blessed by Bishop John W. Flesey, of the Archdiocese of Newark, during a ceremony that included prayers and a floral tribute to remember Hopkins and four other Titanic survivors buried at Holy Name Cemetery. The headstone for Hopkins was commissioned and placed in his memory by the Titanic International Society and the Archdiocese of Newark, and with the assistance of Hopkins descendants. The four other Titanic survivors buried at Holy Name Cemetery are Margaret Delia Devaney , Elizabeth Dowdell , Thomas Joseph McCormack , and Bridget Delia McDermott . Members of the Titanic International Society followed also visited the Titanic survivors' graves after the ceremony. They paid their respects and placed flowers on the graves. They also unveiled Thomas McCormacks newly inscribed family headstone. Margaret Delia Devaney Margaret Delia Devaney (20) boarded the Titanic as a third-class passenger at Queenstown (now Cobh ), intending to settle in New York City, where her brother and two sisters lived. Devaney was rescued by Collapsible C and loaned her pocketknife to the seaman in charge to enable him to cut the oars free. Read more: Titanic survivors belongings find their way from Texas to Sligo She was born on May 15 1891 in Kilmacowan , near Ballysodare , in County Sligo , to John and Margaret Gunning Devaney . After the Titanic experience she worked as a domestic in Manhattan until her marriage to John Joseph ONeill , in 1919, in St. Patricks Cathedral. They relocated to Jersey City, where they raised four children. After the death of her husband in 1960, Margaret moved to Clifton, NJ where she passed away on June 12, 1974. She was 83 years old. Elizabeth Dowdell Elizabeth Dowdell (31) of Union Hill, NJ, boarded Titanic at Southampton. She was employed as a nurse to six-year-old Virginia Ethel Emanuel, whom she was escorting to Virginias grandparents home in New York City. Elizabeth had been born on September 6, 1880 in West Hoboken , NJ, to Matthew and Alice Carey Dowdell . She and her young charge were rescued in lifeboat 13, along with Hopkins and McDermott . She later worked as a domestic for several wealthy families in Manhattan until her marriage to Harry Fierer on February 23 1933. She passed away in the Bronx on November 16 1962. She was 82. Read more: My grandmother was supposed to be on the Titanic Thomas Joseph McCormack Thomas Joseph McCormack was born on December 11 1892 in Glenmore , County Longford , to Bernard and Maria McKenna McCormack . He boarded Titanic, at 19 years of age, at Queenstown . He was a third-class passenger. He was returning to his home in Bayonne, NJ, following a visit with his elderly parents in Ireland. Accompanying Thomas were his two cousins, John and Philip Kiernan . McCormack survived after immersion in the freezing water, but lost his two cousins. After his rescue, he returned to Bayonne, where he worked as a bartender. He served during World War I and received a Purple Heart. Following the war, he married Mary Ellen Donovan, but they had no children. After the death of his wife in 1962, he retired to Elizabeth, NJ, where he lived with his nephew during the last years of his life. Thomas McCormack died on November 4 1975 at 82. Bridget Delia McDermott Bridget Delia McDermott embarked at Queenstown at the age of 28 and was traveling third class. She was born in Knockfarnaught , Lahardane , County Mayo, on March 8 1884, to Michael and Bridget Rowland McDermott . She was one of only three Titanic survivors from Addergoole parish in Lahardane , County Mayo. The other 11 from the group all perished in the disaster. Read more: A Mayo village recalls the Irish who perished aboard the Titanic Bridget escaped in lifeboat 13 having jumped some 15 feet into the boat. Following her rescue, she went to her cousin in St. Louis where she worked as a domestic. She later moved to Atlantic City, NJ, and then to Jersey City, where she met and married John Joseph Lynch. The couple had three children. For many years, she ran a boarding house on Union Street in Jersey City, where her husband worked for the railroad. She died in Jersey City on November 3 1959. Speaking about the memorial ceremony and unveiling, Charles A. Haas, co-founder and President of Titanic International Society, thanked the archdiocese and the cemetery for their support. He added, In a very real way, todays ceremony brings further closure to his family, and ensures his place among the heroes of that tragic night of 1912. Dozens of Titanic International Society members from as far away as Switzerland, England and Canada joined their American friends at the service, part of the Societys three-day convention held in nearby Elizabeth. Also participating were Hopkins grandchildren, great-grandchildren and extended family, who expressed their gratitude to the Society and the Archdiocese for initiating the project and providing the headstone. Titanic International Society is a non-profit historical organization based in Midland Park, NJ founded in 1989. Its mission is to preserve and perpetuate the memory and history of the Royal Mail Ship Titanic, and those who sailed aboard her maiden and last voyage. Read more: Why do we care about the Titanic more than the Lusitania? To learn more, visit www.titanicinternationalsociety.org. Former government minister Brendan Howlin is the new leader of the Labour Party in Ireland. His unopposed election was a bitter blow to the main contender, Alan Kelly, who highlighted his ambition on "The Late, Late Show" six days earlier but, in a major snub by his parliamentary party colleagues, he couldnt find anybody to second him. Kelly, 40, who was the partys deputy leader, didnt even show at the press conference to announce Howlins selection in succession to Joan Burton, who resigned following the partys disastrous general election result. Howlin, 60, didnt enter the leadership battle when others considered putting their names forward. He agreed to his election when, finally, the only contender, Kelly, couldnt get a seconder. Howlin, who was a high-profile minister for public expenditure and reform in the last government, denied that he is a reluctant Labour leader but said he is committed to rebuilding the party. The party only has seven TDs compared with 37 elected in 2011. Read more Irish politics news here After he was announced as leader, Howlin said he hoped Kelly would be "a very integral part of advancing the Labour Party." Kelly, nicknamed AK-47 because of his brash style, is popular among the party grassroots, but his parliamentary party colleagues were openly hostile to his bid to become leader. He said the wishes and entitlement of Labour Party members were denied by the lack of a contest, but added that he wished Howlin well. After Kellys bruising humiliation, he tweeted a photo from a pub in his constituency showing seven pint glasses with the first one full of Guinness and diminishing amounts in the others until the last one which was empty. He tweeted: The seven stages of leadership! Sources within Labour said Kelly has no intention of leaving the party and the tweet was not designed to signal dissatisfaction. ARE YOU A TOP COMPANY? What it Really Means to be a Top Company! To be a Top Company in Irish Construction Industry Magazines Top Companies listing means far more than just a rank and position in an ordered catalogue of names. To us, it means that your efforts to be the best you can be and to excel in your industry and sector have been effective and have paid dividends. To us, it means that your determination and commitment to develop and instil a positive work culture and environment have brought your business due success plus satisfaction. We see it as you being a supportive and inclusive place in which to work that strives to bring the best out of everyone across every level of the organisation. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE Update 12.30pm: Speaking in the Dail this morning Sinn Feins Mary-Lou McDonald said it would be absolutely unthinkable to rise so early and not return until September, writes Elaine Loughlin of the Irish Examiner. This was echoed by Fianna Fails Michael Moynihan who asked how a break of around three months could be justified. Speaking in the Dail he said: There was a general discussion at the Whips' meeting yesterday but from reports we have received from the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting last night, it seems to have been confirmed to that meeting that the House will rise on 7 July this year. How can that be justified with the amount of work required and the amount of business that needs to go before the Dail concerning a whole variety of urgent areas that I could mention? Ms McDonald said that if works need to be done in the chamber, alternative accommodation should be sourced and she suggested the Round Room in the Mansion House as an appropriate venue. She added: Having stalled for ten weeks while there were negotiations and no small amount of sham battling between different parties, it would be absolutely unthinkable that the House would rise on 7 July and not return until the end of September. We cannot have a situation where we are barely in and just about off to a spluttering start with Dail business and then we go into recess again. There are too many serious issues to be dealt with to allow that to happen, Ms McDonald said. Labour TD Jan OSullivan said TDs would not have appropriate time for legislation if a lengthy break is taken over the summer. I add my voice to the others in respect of not having an overlong recess. I understand the work to be done in the Chamber is not major. While other work needs to be done around the House, could we not sit in the chamber while this work is being carried out and find accommodation, if necessary, for us in other places? she asked. Update 12pm: The Ceann Comhairle has said that it is his understanding that the building work to be carried out in Leinster House does not require the Dail to go into recess on July 7. There have been objections raised in the Dail this morning to a plan revealed at the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party last night to suspend Dail sittings for as much as 12 weeks. Fianna Fail questioned how it can be justified while Sinn Fein says such a move would be unthinkable and suggested moving the Dail to the Mansion House for the duration of the works. However, after Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald suggested the building work was necessary, Ceann Comhairle Sean O'Fearghail said that he believed the Dail doesn't need to be vacated so early. Its my understanding that while there is very important work to be undertaken, such work would not require the House to rise on the 7th, and what briefings are given, or are not given are not a matter for discussion here on the Order of Business, he said. Earlier: Politicians will vote on a proposal to extend their summer holidays later. The longer summer recess, of nearly three months, is expected to be raised during the order of business today. The holiday is to allow renovations in the Georgian buildings of Leinster House. If passed the Dail would break up for the summer on July 7 and would not return until late September. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin described it as "too early and too long". It is a surprise because that hasnt been communicated to me, although I did speak with the Ceann Comhairle and the Clerk of the Dail two weeks ago and they were indicating it would be the middle of July, around the 18th. The clerk did explain about the structural problems with Leinster House, the old part of Leinster House from his perspective, required urgent remedial works, in terms of securing it and so on. Deputy leader of Sinn Fein Mary Lou Mc Donald plans to raise the issue this morning. Unjustifiable its nuts, she said. Ill be on my feet in the space of a couple of hours challenging it on the Dail floor. Taoiseach Enda Kennys decision to allocate responsibility for the provision of rural broadband to Rural Affairs Minister Heather Humphreys led to confusion as to whether her department or the Department for Communications had ultimate responsibility for the plan. Newly appointed Communications Minister Denis Naughten sought to clarify the issue this week, claiming the weight of two departments is being brought to bear on the plan. In a departure from the understanding Ms Humphreys department had assumed onus for the NBP, Mr Naughten went on to say his department will continue with the procurement for a high speed telecoms network, and will develop proposals for an entity to manage all the States Broadband contracts. Ms Humphreys will be responsible for ensuring the rollout can be delivered quickly once the contract or contracts are in place, he added. A national mobile phone and broadband taskforce is to be set up to examine temporary measures to alleviate service deficits. Ms Humphreys will also work with local authorities, Local Enterprise Offices and other relevant agencies to help accelerate the build-out of the rural broadband network, Mr Naughten said. Fianna Fail regional development spokesperson Eamon O Cuiv has called on the Taoiseach to clear the issue up once and for all and put an end to the turf war that could further delay the NBP rollout. The roll out of a high speed broadband service should be one of the top priorities for this Government. However, the fact that responsibility for the project appears to be falling between two departments is an extremely worrying development. I am extremely concerned this could result in major communications problems and a completely disjointed strategy. Government departments do not have a great track record when it comes to joined up thinking and the fact the National Broadband Plan now appears to be falling between Communications and Regional Development sounds alarm bells. "What we need is a coherent and workable plan which falls entirely under the remit of one minister, who can take full ownership of the project. The Taoiseach needs to urgently clarify the situation and ensure that the National Broadband Plan is pursued. We cannot run the risk of it falling through the cracks, Mr O Cuiv said. The nature of the alleged crime and the resulting harm compelled this decision, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in a statement. Dylann Roof, 22, is accused of opening fire on June 17, 2015, during Bible study at Charlestons historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in a massacre that shook the country and intensified debate over US race relations. Some 1,400 staff are directly employed, while 500 concession staff and 300 cosmetic staff also work in the 11 stores nationwide. Earlier this month, Debenhams Retail (Ireland) Ltd (DRIL) sought examinership, because of consistent losses sustained since the recession, in 2007, and after the withdrawal of support by UK parent company, Debenhams Retail plc. Kieran Wallace, of KPMG, was appointed interim examiner, after the court was informed the company had a reasonable prospect of survival, if certain steps were met. The conditions include court protection and the approval of a survival scheme with the companys creditors. That would involve reducing costs, including rent, which the company says is well above market rates. The company, represented by Rossa Fanning, BL, said it had incurred losses of 22.6m in the last three years. While revenues increased in 2015 and 2014, it continues to be loss-making in the current year. The matter was returned before Mr Justice Brian McGovern, yesterday, who confirmed Mr Wallace as examiner. Mr Wallace now has up to 100 days to put together a scheme of arrangement with creditors, which, if approved by the High Court, will allow the company to continue to trade as a going concern. There were no objections to the application. However, lawyers for Dooroy Ltd, the landlords of DRILs stores in Henry Street, in Dublin, and Patrick Street, in Cork, expressed some concerns about the examinership. John Gleeson, SC, for Dooroy Ltd, said while it was not objecting to the examinership, it was their case that the DRILs parent must be involved in the process. It was the parents decision to withdraw support that caused the company to collapse, counsel said. Counsel said his client said the UK parent had been calling the shots in negotiations it had about the stores and it could not stand outside the examinership process. Counsel added Dooroy Ltd disputes suggestions made by DRIL that negotiations the parties had concerning rents had been unsuccessful. James Doherty, SC, for the examiner, said that, based on the information he has collated to date, Mr Wallace agrees with the independent experts view that the company does have a reasonable prospect of survival. Steve Rowe, a 26-year M&S veteran, replaced Marc Bolland as chief executive of the 132-year-old UK retailer last month with a remit to revive clothing, which contributes about 60% of profit but has seen five years of falling sales. Mr Rowe said he would focus on M&Ss most loyal customer, a 50-year-old woman he called Mrs M&S, who had been neglected in the chase for younger shoppers. The Telepresence Robot Could be Journalism's Biggest Hit Share Tweet By Steve Anderson Contributing Writer By Steve AndersonContributing Writer Video conferencing's general benefits are well-known by now; most are already familiar with the notion that video conferencing lets users get better connected without having to spend a lot of money on travel, regardless of the physical locations involved. When these benefits are applied to specific fields, new, unexpected uses start to show up as a Boston Herald report noted. Video conferencing is getting one unusual new use case as part of journalism, letting reporters use telepresence robots. A telepresence robot is a small, generally mobile robotoften looking like a selfie-stick on wheelsthat can go just about anywhere in a room and transmit a signal back that makes it seem like the person is actually in a certain location. Throw in virtual reality (VR) headsets like the Oculus Rift and suddenly it really does feel like that journalist is in the room. Immersion factor aside, there's also a great practical value here, as the telepresence robot can go where it needs to be, the reporter can experience the event that needs to be experienced. Plus, all of this can be done without the need to send a journalist anywhere. Imagine the relief on newsroom floors as, suddenly, there's no longer a need to send a camera crew to a particular location, paying for travel, for hotel stays, for per diems for food. Now, the newsroom can send the robotor in some cases access local robots already in placeand carry on with a reasonable approximation of actual, on-the-scene reportage. Sounds great, particularly for news businesses who have been hit by multiple hardships of declining readership and advertising revenues of late, but this is a move that's got purists deeply disturbed. Michelle Johnson, multimedia journalism associate professor with Boston University, described a future in which misbehaving politicians could simply declare an interview over just by tossing a towel over a telepresence robot and escaping. It's a situation that straddles the line between acceptability and sheer necessity. Many newsrooms simply can't afford travel any more, as revenues drop off thanks to ad-blocking software online and a general disdain for print media. While the idea of dispatching the robot to cover a show might not be the best idea, it's certainly the most cost-effective idea short of losing that coverage altogether. For those who find telepresence distasteful, it's often down to a question of cover it this clearly sub-optimal way or don't cover it at all. That and there's the novelty factor to consider; when the telephone and email started up, they were likely regarded as sub-optimal tools as well, but today these are every bit as indispensable as the pen. Technology changes every business sector it touches. Telepresence (News - Alert) robots and video conferencing are no different in that regard. How we respond to it as a society, however, is what determines if the new technology is a valued success or part of a slippery slope to depravity. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Article comments powered by Disqus Edited by Stefania Viscusi However, the lifespan of the highly-rated Barruecopardo tungsten mine, near Salamanca, is likely to be lengthened, from the original estimate of nine years, up to 14 years. This is because the original estimate was based on drilling results from depths of 80-250 metres. However, a drilling update, published by Ormonde earlier this week, detailed good tungsten results from drill depths of over 400 metres. The excellent drilling results achieved from the recently completed drilling programme, below the base of the planned open pit, are most satisfying, confirming our belief that there is significant potential to substantially extend the mine life at Barruecopardo, through the development of a stage-two underground mine. "Works in this project, including further drilling, will continue during the project construction and initial production periods, said Ormondes managing director, Steve Nicol. Ormonde owns 30% of Barruecopardo, having sold 70% to US private equity firm, Oaktree Capital Management, last year, in order to fund the projects development. The mine had been expected to become commercial by the end of this year, but this is likely to be delayed into next year, unless a local government administrative appeal relating to a compulsory land-acquisition process is concluded quickly. Elsewhere, yesterday, Shannon-based engineering services firm, Mincon, reported a 13% year-on-year increase in first-quarter revenues; largely driven by acquisitions made last year. The company which, back in March, said it was in discussions with a number of potential acquisition targets also noted, in its latest trading update, that its balance sheet remained strong, with net cash standing at 35.5m, as of the end of March. The company which makes industrial drilling tools said it had seen little demand for capital equipment in the current environment, and might move towards a rental model, to utilise its investment in that category. Nonetheless, management said it foresaw a pick-up in trading, as the year continued. Overall, taking account of trading in the first three months of the year, we expect some improvements in the market for our products in 2016, it said. Back in March, Mincon reported a near 30% rise in annual revenues, to just under 70.3m, but a 3% dip in operating profit, to just shy of 10m. In the context of the weak commodity backdrop, Mincons statement provides comfort on the groups ability to weather the difficult conditions, as noted by peers, said Nuala McMahon, of Goodbody Stockbrokers. The agreement with Guangdong Airport Authority has identified a wide range of opportunities for mutually beneficial spinoffs. It will seek to promote close co-operation between the airports of Guangdong province and Shannon Group-Shannon Free Zone in areas including cross-border investment, e-commerce, logistics, and the whole aviation industry value chain. Guangdong Province is Chinas most populous and richest province, centred on the heavily industrialised Pearl River Delta region in the south of the country. Guangdong Airport Authority is a state-run entity that includes Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, which in 2015 was Chinas third busiest airport with 55 million passengers. The agreement is a follow-on from the signing of a wide-ranging agreement to boost ties between the Irish and Chinese governments in 2014. The new agreement was signed at Shannon by Shannon Group chairman Rose Hynes and Wen Wenxing of Guadgong airport. Also present was the vice-governor of Guangdong Province Mr Xu Shaoha. Ms Hynes said: Over the years Shannon Airport and the wider region has forged deep ties to the east and west. "In a Chinese context, there is a longstanding relationship with the Shannon region in particular, as evidenced by last years visit here by Chinese premier Li Keqiang and by the visit in 2012 by current Chinese president and then vice-president Xi Jinping. Our intention is to build on these very positive relationships by developing economic ties that will lead to tangible and mutual benefits between this region of Ireland and China and the signing of this memorandum of understanding today with Guangdong Airport Authority is a very positive development in that regard. We are continuing to build our relationship and there is much work to be done but it is an important first step and we look forward to working closely with our counterparts in the Guangdong Airport Authority in the years ahead. Shannon Group is a semi-state company established almost two years ago. It includes four businesses Shannon Airport, Shannon Heritage, the International Aviation Services Centre and Shannon Commercial Enterprises. Shannon Commercial Enterprises trades as Shannon Commercial Properties. However, hes not one to let the grass grow under his feet. On the back of much talk of fear and flight cancellations, following recent accidents and terrorist incidents, many airlines are considering scaling back their operations, particularly to perceived hot-spot destinations. Fresh from Mr OLearys advice to the British to stay in the EU, Ryanair sees whats happening in the industry as a major business opportunity. Its simple response is to reduce its prices and its belief is that flights will be filled. Its only a question of finding the right price to get people over their fears. After all, despite terrorist threats, flying is still one of the safest modes of transport. Happily for Mr OLeary, given his recent focus on a more customer-focused company and on targeting business travellers, he is no longer reliant on holiday or leisure travellers. Nevertheless, low-cost travellers still form the major element of Ryanairs customer base. When we spend our own money, rather than when we are on expenses, we are inclined to go the cheaper option particularly for leisure. It gives us a few more bob in our pockets. Ryanair is firmly focused on our itchy feet and everyone having a price. Even risk-averse people take risks every day. Other airlines have warned of rising competition from low fares, and analysts feel that all of them, the legacy airlines included, will have to follow Ryanairs lead. As was reported on Tuesday, Ryanair has thrown down the gauntlet to its budget-airline rivals. OLeary is an extremely shrewd businessman. Earlier this week, Ryanair reported annual profits of 1.24bn; up by a whopping 43%. Not bad for a company that very nearly never got off the ground, 30 years ago. Its clearly better to be lucky than smart, but, to sustain, you need to be smart, too. Despite the begrudgers, Ryanair is an Irish success story. But Mr OLeary is not without his idiosyncrasies. Besides throwing down the gauntlet to its rivals, Ryanair also announced that its senior and middle management had agreed a 12-month pay freeze. Lest we forget, Ryanair has just reduced its costs by 2% and is targeting another 1% in the coming financial year. Strange that the lads and lassies who helped make it happen get hit with a pay freeze. I am reminded of a story I heard more than 10 years ago, from someone who worked, at the time, in Ryanairs head office. OLeary had called all of the staff to the top floor of the office at Dublin Airport to announce, and celebrate, the achievement of another major milestone. This was a time of success and celebration. It was a company on the move, and the move was upwards. Its celebration lasted less than 24 hours, as, on the following morning, staff, the story goes, learned that coffee, which had been hitherto free, would now have to be paid for. And a decision was taken some time later to ban the recharging of personal mobile phones in Ryanairs offices. Given the number of employees and the cost of electricity, it was a large cost. It could have been worse. OLeary could have suggested that they bring their own toilet paper with them. Funnily, spending a penny was also suggested for the airline itself, but that was before OLeary became customer-focused. Urban legend, maybe, but I see no reason not to believe it. It could just be a case of keeping the boys and girls on their toes, so that theyll take nothing for granted. Harsh, but it makes sense. Complacency is one of the biggest problems most successful companies face. Michael OLeary is not going to allow that to happen. Hes brought the airline a long way, but hes done it his way. Getting a successful successor will be no easy job. Their reasons include the natural beauty: "Its the kind of natural beauty that belongs more in a fairytale." The "mild" weather: "During the course of a single day, youll have bright sunshine and drizzly rain and then sunshine again." The electric-powered Transit Elevated Bus runs on rails and is designed to operate high above the ground - so that traffic can drive underneath it, like through a tunnel. In practical terms, it means that, in one of the most gridlocked countries in the world, the bus can avoid traffic jams simply by passing over them. The Dail yesterday heard that children as young as 13 are being paid to sell these drugs but lack of legislation means gardai cannot tackle the problem. Taoiseach Enda Kenny told the Dail the Government will not be intimidated by criminal gangs and would be working to fully resource the gardai. He said the current escalation of gangland murder and crime is different to previous instances in Limerick and Dublin as there is now an international aspect where murders are ordered from abroad. Leaders Questions in the Dail was yesterday dominated by the spiralling gangland feud in Dublins inner city which culminated in the seventh murder in 100 days earlier this week. Members of the opposition told the Dail the recent escalation of the Kinahan-Hutch feud doesnt exist in a vacuum and the Government now has to look at supporting the wider community. Fianna Fails Micheal Martin called on Mr Kenny to tackle the wider issues which have fuelled the recent violence and said children can earn a fortune by selling prescription tablets and Z-drugs. He said: They are giving up to 200 or 300 to 13-year-olds and 14-year-olds to distribute tablets on the streets. They are telling the other children that they are mugs not to be involved because it is lucrative. He said new regulations are required to give the gardai the power to arrest those who are distributing tablets across the city. Incredibly, the Garda is not in a position to move effectively on that particular phenomenon, which is a huge source of revenue to the drug lords and which is damaging young people in those communities. The Taoiseach said the minister for health is preparing primary legislation to extend provisions under the Misuse of Drugs Act to deal with this. However, Mr Martin interjected by pointing out that his has been going on for years. Mr Kenny replied: We cannot introduce the regulations until we have the primary legislation. He added: It is distressing to read of the lock-down of schools and the fears of parents, who are afraid of what is going to happen to their children. Government are not going to be intimidated by this sort of murderous feud. He said a task force dealing with the local issue will be set up and a national strategy to deal with drugs is to be developed. However, Mr Kenny said that it would take time, more Garda resources, and funding to jail those responsible for the recent spate of murders. It took years to deal with the McCarthy-Dundons, it took years to deal with Gilligan, it took years to deal with The General, he said. Mr Martin said this weeks killing shows the degree of power that these gangs are wielding on our streets despite extra Garda resources being put in place in the area. Referring to the criminals as parasites who thrive on the deprivation and desperation of communities the Labour leader Brendan Howlin said crimes like this, feuds like this dont exist in a vacuum. Asking for specific details on how the Government intends to respond, he said words are not enough today, adding: This is not about any member of this house, its not about scoring points. Its about a community under siege. Just over 1.7m census forms have now been collected by census enumerators across the country, which represents around 96% of the total issued. The enumerators in some regions of the country are still calling to collect forms but will conclude this work on Friday. The CSO is encouraging all householders to return their census form by post if it has not yet been collected. Senior statistician at the CSO, Deirdre Cullen said, despite the delay in forms being returned, thousands were being sent back by post. Not every householder has managed to make contact with their enumerator and some people have already begun to post their forms to the CSO. Weve received over 15,000 forms by post over the past three weeks, and 3,000 since Monday this week, she said. In April, the CSO reported that enumerators were having difficulty accessing apartment buildings. Ms Cullen said there were still some parts of the country where enumerators were struggling to make contact with householders. In some parts of Dublin city centre, Galway, Limerick, and Waterford City, as well as parts of Donegal it is proving challenging for the enumerator to make contact with householders. I urge all householders to check if they still have their census form and to return it by post to CSO as soon as possible. First results will be published in July and its essential that every household is included, she said. Ms Cullen reminded householders about the importance of the census, stating it was a criminal offence not to return the document. Because of the importance of census data in decisions for local areas, its absolutely critical that everyone is included in the census, and that every form is returned to the CSO. Everyone in Ireland is required by law to be included in the census, she said. Mr Sarzynski died on August 26, 2014, as a result of numerous superficial cuts to his arms, a resumed inquest into his death, at Dublin Coroners Court, heard. State pathologist, Professor Marie Cassidy, carried out an autopsy on August 27, 2014. She said the mans entire body was coated in blood and there were three sets of cuts to his neck, right arm, and left arm. The cuts to his upper arms severed the cephalic vein, a superficial vein just under the skin, resulting in a slow bleed, Prof Cassidy said. It would take a considerable amount of time for him to bleed to death, Prof Cassidy told the court. The cuts were self-inflicted and consistent with wounds resulting from a disposable razor, Prof Cassidy said, and death was due specifically to the injuries to Mr Sarzynskis upper arms. Eight days before his death, Mr Sarzynski had attended Navan Courthouse, in connection with a family law matter, but he had jumped out a window at the court, 20ft above street level. He had done so during a break in the hearing. Mr Sarzynski, who was from Poland, had spoken briefly with his solicitor, before jumping up and running across the courtroom to the window. He had sustained a broken pelvis and had later told a prison officer it was a suicide attempt, not a bid to escape. Former chaplain at Cloverhill Prison, St Margaret ODonovan, told the court she had known the deceased since his first day in prison, in autumn 2013. She had visited him almost every day, brought him communion, and prayed with him. He had a very deep faith. He couldnt reconcile with what hed done. He had a terrible guilt, she said. The court heard that Mr Sarzynski asked for a razor to shave the day before he died. He was returned to Cloverhill Prison on August 26, where he was found injured in his cell, shortly after midnight. His cell was covered in blood stains. Asked about the nature of the blood stains, Prof Cassidy said they were of a smearing and dripping nature. Asked to estimate the length of time it would take for Mr Sarzynski to die of the injuries sustained, Prof Cassidy said she could not be specific. Id be surprised if this had taken half an hour, I would expect it would have taken considerably longer, she said. The cuts to his upper arms were vertical, which is unusual, according to Prof Cassidy, and measured between 4.5cm and 5cm long. The inquest continues. Mathew Ginnifer of 4 Plunkett Road, Ballyphehane, Cork, denied all the charges against him and said he was pleading not guilty to all counts. Detective Garda James Nagle arrested and charged Ginnifer with threatening to kill the schoolboy on March 4. He also charged the defendant with stealing a car belonging to the boys mother on the same day and multiple counts of dangerous driving and driving a stolen car the following day. Ginnifer was also charged with having no insurance and causing criminal damage to cars at Blackpool shopping centre and at Lavitts Quay. Det Garda Nagle said, in his objection to bail: These are serious offences. The likely sentence on conviction is long. The nature of the evidence is strong. A number of gardai allegedly observed the defendant driving the vehicle on the dates in question. It is alleged there is a witness who heard the threats being made. I am of the belief that [remanding him in custody] is necessary to prevent further serious offences. I believe if this defendant is given bail there is a strong possibility he will not turn up to meet his court case. Also I am of the belief that the injured party in the alleged threats is only 14 and I believe there is a possibility witnesses could be interfered with in this case, Det Garda Nagle said. Solicitor Frank Buttimer submitted to Judge Leo Malone the court was being asked to decide the case on the basis of what the detective believed rather than on any evidence being put before the court. Ginnifer, meanwhile, stated: I wont be committing any offences when released. I will have no communication [with witnesses]. I would accept anything at all [by way of conditions] if granted bail. The accused, in answer to Inspector Gary McPolin, said he was not guilty on all counts. Judge Malone refused bail and remanded Ginnifer in custody to appear in Cork District Court today by video link from prison. Last year the European Court of Justice (CJEU) struck out the so-called Safe Harbor data exchange agreement between the EU and the United States following complaints from Max Schrems, an Austrian legal student who argued that the agreement did not provide adequate provisions to protect European citizens data, particularly in light of revelations surrounding US surveillance operations. Mr Schrems brought his specific complaint against Facebook to the Irish Data Protection Commissioner, as the social media companys international headquarters are based in Dublin. After it was struck down, companies such as Facebook depended on model contracts between its Irish and non-EU operations that contain specific provisions dealing with data protection to facilitate transferring citizens data outside the EU. However, Mr Schrems has now suggested that these contracts are equally unfit for purpose a concern that the Data Protection Commissioner is to refer to the European Court for their opinion. This is a very serious issue for the US tech industry and EU-US data flows, said Mr Schrems. As long as far-reaching US surveillance laws apply to them, any legal basis will be subject to invalidation or limitations under EU fundamental rights. I see no way that the CJEU can say that model contracts are valid if they killed Safe Harbor based on the existence of these US surveillance laws. All data protection lawyers knew that model contracts were a shaky thing, but it was so far the easiest and quickest solution they came up with. As long as the US does not substantially change its laws I dont see now there could be a solution. The Data Protection Commissioner yesterday confirmed it is their intention to seek declaratory relief in the High Court and a referral to the CJEU to determine the legal status of data transfers under Standard Contractual Clauses. We will update all relevant parties as our investigation continues. The Ludgate Hub is in the old cinema in the town and it is the brainchild of a group of business people including John Field who donated the building and Leonard Donnelly who is the former chairman of Dublins Digital Hub. While the hub does not officially open until July it is already operational with 30 business people in situ. The main reason that the hub was possible and is attracting businesses to set up there, is because of the buildings internet connectivity. The town and every building will have one-gigabyte connectivity which puts it on a par well beyond Tokyo, well beyond Seoul in Korea, we are on a level-playing field with Shanghai, tech entrepreneur and local man Leonard Donnelly told the Irish Examiner. Mr Donnelly is part of the voluntary group that came together to make the Ludgate Hub possible. Other Ludgate team members include RTEs new director general Dee Forbes, and Vodafone CEO Anne OLeary. The five-year plan at a high level, has the objective to create 2,000 jobs and to increase the local economy in Skibbereen and west, west Cork by 37.5m annually, Mr Donnelly said. How the hub works is that individual business people can rent a desk there from as little as 15 per day. For this, a business person has access to things such as super fast fibre optic broadband, printing facilities, meeting rooms and a canteen. The hub will be formally opened on July 29, but of the 80 places that we have to fill, there are already 30 people in there and there will be another 50 very, very fast. By October that building will be completely filled, said Mr Donnelly. Were already looking at Ludgate two and three, he added. Mr Donnelly said the idea came from the heart of those involved. Im from Skibbereen. Its a combination of a very deep recession which has been worse in rural areas, with an awful lot of young people away, the fact that were of a certain age and we have more time. We are all connected with the area, we all have kids, it was from the heart, he said. Furthermore, it is not just the old cinema building where the hub is housed, that has access to the one- gigabyte broadband connection, but every building the town. So far the hub has attracted Irish emigrants, from Barcelona and Chicago home to work. It has also attracted foreign businesses, with no previous connection to Ireland or Cork, to set up parts of their business there. One family from New York and one family from LA have relocated to Skibbereen because of the hub. Speaking ahead of todays 20th anniversary commemoration concert in memory of the Limerick garda, Ann McCabe said the pain of losing her husband will never go away. She agreed that the world is even more dangerous for gardai since her husbands killing in the village of Adare, Co Limerick, on June 7, 1996. It probably is, when you consider whats happening as late as in Dublin... But when they join the force they know what they are going into, and thats their job, so it is very dangerous. But I think maybe punishment should fit the crime and maybe longer sentences would be an option, she said. Mrs McCabe made her comments on Limericks Live95FM where Jerry McCabes brother Pat Kearney echoed her view. The gardai have an impossible job, because the criminals are better equipped than the gardai; as regards motor transport, as regards weapons the gardai are hamstrung. They are an unarmed force, they are going into the unknown whenever a report comes in of a crime, they dont know what they are facing. Its a tough tough job. In 1999, four men were convicted of the manslaughter of Detective Garda McCabe. By 2009, all four had been released from prison. I genuinely can say that there isnt a day that goes. if I am in town somebody will stop me and speak about Jerry, said Ann McCabe. A special commemoration concert takes place today at University Concert Hall, Limerick, to mark the anniversary of Detective Garda McCabes death. People from across North Munster, especially in Ballylongford, Co Kerry, where the late detective came from, are expected to attend the event. Detectives believe the Kinahan crime cartel are using around five two- or three-man groups in the north inner city in their murderous onslaught on the Hutch gang. They believe lieutenants of the cartel on the southside, and their bosses abroad, are pulling the strings and getting guns for hire in the north inner city to shoot their neighbours. And senior gardai have claimed that key legislation criminalising participation in an organised crime gang is bordering on useless with less than a handful of convictions in six years. It came as Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin called for full implementation of these laws against gangs who were really challenging the State. Taoiseach Enda Kenny announced he was setting up a task force for the north inner city before meeting Garda Commissioner Noirin OSullivan last night to discuss the escalation in the Kinahan-Hutch feud. The Garda Representative Association claimed the gangland murders were a direct result of Garda cuts and called for accelerated recruitment to the force. Its unprecedented [the feud violence], six people murdered in 100 days, GRA president Ciaran ONeill told the Irish Examiner. The murders are not restricted to night-time, they are happening day and night. And he said: I think the situation will only get worse. Without more resources and more people on the street, the situation can only get worse. He said the gunmen had no fear of gardai and said there had been a checkpoint close to where Gareth Hutch, a father of a six-year-old boy, was shot dead on Tuesday morning. They have no regard, or respect, for members of An Garda Siochana, he said. Asked was he concerned for the safety of members, he said absolutely and added: If a guard came onto the scene yesterday or the Regency we could be looking at another fatality of a garda. Hopefully, that will not happen. He said the number of gardai in the Dublin North Central Division was down 140. The recent gangland killings can be seen as being a direct result of under-investment in An Garda Siochana over the last number of years, he claimed. Responding to the comments made by the Taoiseach in the Dail yesterday, he said he would like to see less talk and more action while John Jacob of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors described the comments as rhetoric. Mr Kenny told the Dail the Government would not be intimidated by gangs and he was setting up a task force to deal with local issues. Its very distressing when I read of the lockdown of schools and the fear or parents that something is going to happen to their children, he said. He said what made the feud different was that there was an international aspect where murders were being ordered from abroad. Mr Martin called for the full implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 2009 which made participation in, or direction of, a criminal organisation an offence. Several Garda sources told the Irish Examiner the laws were very weak. That legislation is bordering on useless, said one senior garda. While significant numbers have been arrested under the legislation 259 up until May 2015, there have been less than a handful of convictions in the last six years. The number of arrests is all very good, but the key test is prosecutions and convictions, the garda said. Speaking last night, Mr Martin said the wave of murders trumps everything else the gardai and the commissioner had to deal with and said criminal gangs, the drug dealers are really challenging the State. Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier The board earmarked $1.54 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds for the dredge, designed to keep channels open and supply sand to nourish eroding beaches up and down the York County coast and beyond. Ken Curtin, a Cork east candidate for the Social Democrats who took issue with the Churchs blanket opposition to abortion, was recently removed from the reading rota at Cobh Cathedral by its administrator Fr John McCarthy. Last night he met for an hour and a half with Fr McCarthy along with the Bishop of Cloyne William Crean. Afterwards, he said he was disappointed that, despite a detailed conversation, his removal from the rota remained in place. Plans were outlined for a general dialogue to continue between himself and the bishop. The diocese stressed that dialogue will not see him returned to this rota it was only just formed and will remain in place for the next year. This outcome, from a personal perspective, is very disappointing, said Mr Curtin. I believed at the time it was the wrong decision and I still believe that. My biggest fear is the precedent it sets. He questioned what would happen every time a Catholic expressed a contrary opinion to the Church on issues such as contraception and sex before marriage. This sends out an awful message. It is the reason why there are so few people coming through the doors, Mr Curtin said, adding while he may have campaigned for a yes vote in the same-sex marriage referendum and joined a party that is seeking a repeal of the Eighth Amendment, his faith meant a lot to him and he felt the decision which had been taken singled him out in Cobh. So many Catholics would be of the same view as me or more liberal, he said. Mr Curtin said that, during last nights meeting. those present spoke about the precedent the decision set and about the different viewpoints people held. He said they also spoke about material put online about Mr Curtinand some of what had been written had been horrendous. Speaking in the Dail yesterday, Mr Varadkar said while there is a requirement to disclose attendance records for children over the age of 16, at present there is no such requirement for those younger than that under current legislation. He said the monitoring of children is beyond his remit and is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The programme for government states that monitoring of child benefit will be reformed by amalgamating two existing monitoring systems, to address poor attendance within some families. This initiative has been spearheaded by Communications Minister Denis Naughten. However, Mr Varadkar yesterday ruled out any move to link the payment to attendance. Child benefit is a payment that is not means tested nor is it taxed and I have no intention of changing that. For those under 16 it is not linked to school attendance, he said. I had some discussions with [Childrens Minister Katherine] Zappone and [Education Minister Richard] Bruton and our view is that those involved in monitoring truancy do not believe the further tool to enforce attendance would be useful. I see no reason in changing the law. Fianna Fail social protection spokesman Willie ODea said concern had been raised following media reports about the inclusion of the measure in the programme for government, but that he welcomed Mr Varadkars ruling it out. We are happy with that and I thank the minister, he said. Mr Varadkar was also pressed about the 2.5m cost to the taxpayer in meeting the statutory redundancies at Clerys in Dublin. He said legal action could be instigated in order to reclaim the monies from the company, which was folded in controversial circumstances last year. He said the redundancies were paid out of the Social Insurance Fund from PRSI contributions to 134 former employees at Clerys. He said: Arising from the Clerys liquidation, the Department of Jobs examined protection law for employees and unsecured creditors to see that limited liability or company restructuring is not used to avoid obligations to employees or creditors. It is my firm view that companies should stay true to the spirit and letter of company law. My department is now examining how the monies can be recouped. Mr Varadkar said legal action would have to take into account any burden of proof involved, the cost of taking such an action, and the level of assets in the company. Labour TD Willie Penrose criticised the response, saying it reflects the conservative nature of bureaucracy. He called for Mr Varadkar to make the most of existing law to recoup monies for the taxpayer. Mr Varadkar was also asked about his decision to scrap the JobBridge scheme. He told the Dail he felt the scheme was now out of date. The incursion, described as a peaceful symbolic action, occurred at around 6am. It involved two known peace activists who attempted to reach a US military aircraft with the intention of searching it. One of the men is in his 70s and a regular protestor at Shannon Airport and outside the Dail. The second man is understood to be in his 50s. Both are believed to be from Dublin. At the time, the Learjet, operated by the US military, was being protected by members of An Garda and the Defence Forces. The men are thought to have been about 1,000 metres from the aircraft when they were spotted by gardai. They were quickly apprehended and removed from the area. They were later formally arrested and taken to Shannon Garda station for questioning. They were detained under the provisions of the Air Transport and Navigation Act and questioned about entering the airport and also in relation to alleged criminal damage. The pair are believed to have been carrying a large Irish Tricolour and another banner as a well as a can of red paint at the time. During a follow up patrol of the airport perimeter and runway, authorities discovered a large red cross painted in the hard shoulder of the runway. Its understood that evidence of paint was also found on a building on the airfield. A spokesman for Shannon Airport said: We can confirm that two men were apprehended by Airport Police at 6am in relation to a security matter on the airport grounds. The men were handed over to An Garda Siochana and taken into custody. Operations at Shannon were not affected during the incident and a patrol of the airport perimeter was undertaken after the men were detained. It was during this patrol that the location where the men are believed to have breached the security fence was found. Gardai seized several items for forensic examination while the location where the men are believed to have entered the airport was also technically examined. A spokesman for ShannonWatch, a group that monitors US military movements at Shannon, said: This incident not only highlights Irelands complicity in the slaughter in the Middle East and Central Asia, but how easily security at Shannon warport can be breached. It is time to end this scandal at Shannon. However, a charity that works for alcohol-related issues , said that while it does not dispute the contribution the drinks industry makes to economies, further supports to local communities are needed through legislating to counter the damage inflicted by alcohol misuse. The Hospitality in Dail Constituencies Report 2016, compiled by Dublin City University economist Tony Foley and commissioned by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland, sought to put a value on the direct value of the drinks industry in Ireland, and the indirect employment generated by the production and sale of alcoholic products. Mr Foleys report finds that there are 7,193 pubs, 3,233 off licences, 631 licenced hotels, and 2,406 licenced restaurants across Ireland and that the hospitality sector has a combined turnover of 7.1bn. The report further states that drinks manufacturing companies purchased 884m in materials last year, including agricultural products and 564m in services purchases. The national economic impact of the drinks industry and wider hospitality sector is substantial, said Mr Foley. Of note is the fact that the drinks industry and wider hospitality sector makes a significant contribution to the economic life of towns and villages outside of urban centres. This is supported by the vast network of pubs, restaurants, hotels, and independent off-licences which have a presence in every constituency across Ireland. The report breaks down the number of pubs, restaurants, off licences, and hotels in each Dail constituency and estimates the contribution drinks industry makes in terms of the number of jobs and the amount of wages paid to those benefitting from the industry. However, the national charity for alcohol-related issues said while it does not dispute the contribution made by the drinks industry to the economy, it said any balanced discussion needs to also take into account the cost of alcohol abuse to the exchequer, and the toll it takes on Irish society. Alcohol Action Ireland highlighted a report that states that alcohol misuse cost the exchequer over 2.3bn in 2013, in terms of the cost to the healthcare system, and costs brought about through alcohol-related crime, road traffic accidents, workplace absenteeism and accidents, suicides, and premature fatalities. We should support our local communities by legislating to reduce alcohol harm, said Conor Cullen of Alcohol Action Ireland. This isnt just about health gains though. To continue to allow vested interests dictate health policy in this country does not make economic sense either. The health service simply cant cope with our chronic disease crisis and, with an ageing population, it is also a serious threat to our recovering economy and is deepening existing inequalities. The poorer you are, the greater your chance of ill-health and the worse your health outcomes. Anthony Hussey, 24, will be sentenced next month. He was wearing a balaclava and dressed in dark clothing when the woman found him in her bedroom. He told her that his boss was making him do it and that he didnt want money. Its just one thing and you are going to like it, Hussey said before he told the woman there were three more men outside. She screamed and struggled with him but he pushed her to the floor and placed his hands over her mouth. He bent the woman over her bed, removed her trousers and underwear and sexually assaulted her. He then raped her both vaginally and anally. Afterwards he said you enjoyed that didnt you? He covered her whole body with a duvet and left. Hussey of Ardshillane, Sneem, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to rape and anal rape at the womans home on September 20, 2014. Sergeant Michael Quirke told Tom Creed SC, prosecuting that Hussey had been at the womans house earlier that morning. She had woken to loud knocking and banging on the doors and windows of her house. He claimed he had gone there by mistake having been drinking heavily through the night and went home. He then returned, broke into her house and raped her. She called the emergency services to report the rape just before 8am. He was a bar manager at the time and has never come to Garda attention before or since. He was registered as a sex offender when he entered his plea last March. The woman read her victim impact statement. She said after the rape she was sobbing uncontrollably like a small child, broken, terrorised, waiting for my death. This phantom out of the darkness, standing in front of me demanding sex. I had no option but to fight. I was too weak or clumsy to defend myself, which seemed to amuse him. He started mocking me. When I pulled at his balaclava he said ah you want to see my face now. The belittling comments continued. He threatened me with a gang outside... I knew I had no chance of winning his game. How can he behave with such brutality? A woman three times his age. He could be my grandson. She said it was more than a year and a half since the rape and she felt ashamed, naked, raw and so old, disgusted, betrayed and humiliated. There are not enough words. I cant stop screaming inside. My heart is bleeding with shock... I feel ripped open, stood naked to the core of my being, reduced to nothing. I feel so hollowed out. I feel so small, having been reduced to a puppet like from a Punch and Judy show, the woman continued. She added she felt gutted in the truest sense of the word. She spoke of a hill near her home that she used to walk up but could no longer do so without company. The day will come when I walk to the top of my hill, stand tall, lift up my arms to the sky and scream, scream for all those children and women who have been abused and who cant cry out in despair, those who had to suffer in silence. Hussey was remanded in custody until June 7 for sentence. He asked the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) to talk to him about the issues of concern, around which flexibility has been agreed with two other teaching unions. Having decided in a ballot, finalised last week, to stop doing the 33 hours a year that have been additional since the 2011 Croke Park Agreement, ASTI members face the loss of pay restoration and pay increments that are due to public servants whose unions have signed up to the Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA), to take effect in July. The union reiterated last week that it would ballot members for industrial action, up to strike, if the Government moved to worsen their terms and conditions, which would include the delayed pay restoration, as a result of withdrawing from the Croke Park hours. But yesterday, the minister said that, having opted out of the LRA, there had to be consequences. He said the agreement provides extra pay, access to increments and, for teachers, increases equivalent to the payment ended for supervision and substitution. If ASTI decide to opt out of that, it has consequences. If they proceed, thats the way it will go, he told Today with Sean ORourke, on RTE Radio 1. The union says the extra hours have been restricted to non-productive meetings and other duties which do not benefit teaching or learning for students. They also argue that they should not have their pay restricted, because the requirement for the extra hours ends with the termination, this summer, of the Haddington Road Agreement. The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) executive is recommending that its members accept an agreement, provisionally reached with the Department of Education, that would allow more flexibility in the use of the Croke Park hours in schools. The deal would also allow the implementation of reforms aimed at improved job security for newer teachers, as well as access to mechanisms that could see part-restoration of allowances that were withdrawn for post-2011 entrants to the profession. The TUI would effectively be brought inside the terms of the LRA, including the pay restorations, if members decide to agree to the new deal . Organisers of the Cork Summer Show confirmed, last night, that the Cork-born, Cambridge-based GP, the presenter of RTEs new TV medicine show, You Should Really See a Doctor , would have a free pop-up clinic there next month. The event, one of Irelands longest-running agricultural shows, will take place the weekend of June 18/19. Dr Pixie and her co-presenter, Dr Phil Kieran, will also be at Puck Fair, in Killorglin, in August to examine attendees for various lumps, bumps, pains, aches, tingling, and toilet troubles. Dr McKenna became a household name presenting, with Dr Christian Jessen, Channel 4s hugely successful Embarrassing Bodies series. But she launched an Irish version of the show on RTE One last year, with fellow Cork-based GP, Dr Phil. She has also presented Pixies Sex Clinic, on RTE. The producers of You Should Really See a Doctor issued an open invitation, last night, to people planning to attend either of the festivals, and who may have a health issue theyd like to share with the nation on TV, to present for a consultation. They will be assessed first, to be deemed suitable for filming. Recording at the Summer Show is on June 18 and at Puck Fair on August 10. You can apply for a free consultation by calling 017088188, or emailing doctor@indiepics.ie. Meanwhile, the Cork Summer Show organisers have urged people to sign their competing dogs. The dog show is sponsored by the Evening Echo , and, with 10 award categories, it is one of the biggest in Munster. Last year, we had more than 400 dogs and owners participate in the competition, chairman of the Munster Agriculture Society, Gerard Murphy, said: Our Pet Dog Show is open to all canines mutt or pedigree. Our highly skilled judges will be looking for dogs that are fun, happy, talented, and charming, so if you think that your dog fits the bill, then be sure to bring your dog this year. This year, our judges are also going to award young exhibitors 12 years and under who display excellent handling skills, while showing their pet dogs. The 2 entry fee, per dog, will be donated to Pieta House. To register, see www.corksummershow.ie. - Additional reporting by Elaine Loughlin *** This article was subject to the publication of the following apology ... APOLOGY - SUPERINTENDENT NOEL CUNNINGHAM In the Irish Examiner on 13, 17, 18 and 26 May 2016 we carried a number of articles referring to the OHiggins commission and the actions or intended evidence of certain Garda Officers. In the course of these articles a reference was made to two Garda officers who attended a meeting in Mullingar with Sergeant Maurice McCabe. One of the Garda officers who attended that meeting was superintendent Noel Cunningham. Insofar as there was any suggestion that, had it not been for Sergeant McCabes recording of the meeting in question, the two Garda Officers intended to give a false account of the said meeting, we unreservedly withdraw any such suggestion and accept that the report prepared by Superintendent Noel Cunningham of the meeting, was in accordance with the recording which subsequently came to light. We acknowledge that Superintendent Cunningham is a person of the highest personal and professional integrity. We unreservedly apologise for the damage, hurt and distress which the articles in question caused to Superintendent Cunningham. *** The decision was made by Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald yesterday, as the fallout from the inquiry continued with Taoiseach Enda Kenny forced to correct the record of the Dail over the resignation of ex-justice minister Alan Shatter. Ahead of her private meeting with the Policing Authority today to address the OHiggins report, Garda Commissioner Noirin OSullivan denied ordering her legal team to impugn the integrity of Mr McCabe or make the case he was acting maliciously. Transcripts from the inquiry published by the Irish Examiner show at the outset of the inquiry, senior counsel for Commissioner OSullivan claimed evidence would be produced to show Sgt McCabe had told two officers he was only making the complaints out of malice. The inquiry was told the two officers named in the Dail last night by Independents4Change TD Mick Wallace as Superintendent Noel Cunningham and Sgt Yvonne Martin had taken notes of that meeting. However, Sgt McCabe produced a tape recording of the same meeting showing the claims not to be true. In a statement yesterday, the commissioner said the leaked documents outlining the instructions to her lawyers were selective and threatened public confidence in her force being damaged in a very unfair way. The senior garda said she was legally restrained from dealing fully with the accusations because evidence to the OHiggins Commission was confidential, as are instructions between lawyers and their clients. However, while defending her own actions in the case, she said the Garda Ombudsman (GSOC) should now open an investigation into the 2008 allegations. In a lengthy Dail debate on the O Higgins report yesterday, the justice minister ratified the request, creating another investigation into the Garda whistleblower scandal. However, despite the move the Government continued to be heavily criticised over the controversy, with the opposition rounding on Fine Gael for the ongoing failure to fully clarify the issue. In a strongly worded response to the commissioners statement, Independents4Change TD Clare Daly said the countrys most senior garda still has questions to answer, noting while Commissioner OSullivan labelled the references to her legal teams tactics as selective leaks she doesnt say they were not true. While welcoming the GSOC investigation, Ms Daly said thecommissioner has been aware of the issue for more than a year and failed to act and questioned its timing. She told the Dail a number of gardai have been pictured holding images of Maurice McCabe as a rat, claiming the vilification of whistleblowers continues. AAA-PBP TD Mick Barry said under Dail privilege if Commissioner OSullivan is found to have been culpable in the framing of Sgt McCabe she should resign, in fact, she should be sacked. News: 6 Editorial: 12 Analysis: 13 The vote was won by 59 votes to 38, on foot of Fianna Fails abstention. Independent TD Micheal Fitzmaurice voted with the Government on one of the amendments, despite not signing up to the deal with the other Independent Alliance TDs three weeks ago. A Labour amendment was voted down minutes before by 59 votes to 47, as Fianna Fail abstained after two nights of debate. During the exchanges last night, Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe said the abolition of water charges will mean limited tax revenues will have to be re-directed from crucial services in order to fill the hole. He severely criticised Sinn Fein for engaging in the politics of old rather than acting in the best interests of the country. This has nothing to do with water. This is more to do with the politics of old and if we suspend water charges, then tax revenues will have to be re-directed from elsewhere, he said. Mr Donohoe became embroiled in heated exchanges with Sinn Fein TD Dessie Ellis, who he accused of shouting down anyone who disagreed with his position. Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar said a water charges system based on how much people use is what is needed. He said there is agreement more investment in water is required but said water charges is the best way to fund that investment. Junior minister Damien English called on TDs to use the nine-month period to arrive at a consensus as to decide the future of Irish Water. The shouting and roaring hasnt gotten us anywhere. We accept mistakes have been made. But lets have the conversation as to how to get it right, he said. He denied the privatisation of Irish Water is the Fine Gael agenda, as claimed by Opposition TDs. Clare Daly slammed Mr Donohoes comments. She said the previous governments efforts to cut the tax bills for high income earners and big corporations undermines his credibility. A host of Sinn Fein TDs voiced their desire to have charges scrapped, saying that is the will of the people. Dublin Central TD Mary Lou McDonald criticised Fianna Fails U-turn on charges and pre-election commitments to abolish Irish Water. Cork South Central TD Donnchadh O Laoghaire also piled on the pressure on Fianna Fail. I listened to some of the Fianna Fail contributions to the debate last night. They seemed rather sore and their contributions were worthy of pantomime season in the Everyman Theatre or the Gaiety Theatre, he said. We heard of magic money, grandstanding, and empty rhetoric. It was all very entertaining stuff but it was part of a vain attempt to distract from the fact that Fianna Fail will vote with the Government against a simple and clear motion calling for the end of water charges and the end of Irish Water, which will not fool anyone, he added. Independent Cork North Central TD Mick Barry added his voice in opposition to the water charges regime. Earlier, Sinn Fein and the Right to Water campaign held a rally outside the Dail. Independent TD Michael Lowry was jeered as he made his way through the crowd on his way to Leinster House. A short time later, former environment minister Alan Kelly was also subject to jeering from the crowd of several hundred people . Best recent book: Two standouts are Max Porters debut novel Grief is the Thing With Feathers and Marion Couttss memoir The Iceberg. They are both so beautifully written and incredibly moving. Im also a huge fan of every word Kevin Barry has ever written. Best recent film: Room. The original novel by Emma Donoghue is one of my favourite books ever so I was both excited and apprehensive about the cinema adaptation. Emma and Lenny Abrahamson did such a magnificent job in translating this wonderful novel into an equally wonderful film. Best recent show/exhibition/gig youve seen: Ive really been enjoying the series of Rehearsed Readings in the Everyman by female playwrights from Cork. Its a great response to the Waking the Feminists campaign. What formats do you access music? Definitely iTunes. I primarily listen to music when Im running as I need it to distract me from the fact that I am running and to keep me moving forward. Best piece of music youve been listening to lately: This year it feels as if weve lost so many musical greats. When David Bowie and Prince died I started listening to them both again and was reminded of how much I love their music. First ever piece of music or film that really moved you: The first film I ever saw was Star Wars. I was only three but my late father took my brother and me to the Capitol Cinema in Cork to see it. I was so terrified that I would only open my eyes when Princess Leia was on the screen. The best gig or show youve ever seen: I have enjoyed so many of Corcadorcas productions over the past 25 years. Their production of Midsummer Nights Dream in Fota was truly magical. TV viewing: Recently Ive really enjoyed The Night Manager and the latest series of Girls. Im also a huge fan of the Graham Norton Show as it always looks as if his guests are having so much fun. It was really exciting having him as part of last years West Cork line-up. Radio listening: A recent highlight was Gloria Steinems appearance on Desert Island Discs. It made me even more excited about her upcoming visit to West Cork. Name three of your fave readings from previous Bantry festivals: Mary Robinson; Simon Garfield speaking about fonts; and last year Kirsty Logan and Emma Hooper reading from their debut novels. Your best encounter: Several years ago I got George Clooneys autograph at Cannes Film Festival. He was right in front of me so I took a photo of him (this was in the pre-selfie era) but in my nervous state I ended up with a photo of his shoe. Im sure George remembers the moment as fondly as I do. Most expensive item of clothing youve ever bought: I walk absolutely everywhere so Im always happy to invest in boots and shoes and have spent up to 250 on a pair of boots. Tech habits: I have a Mac laptop and Samsung tablet and smartphone and its so handy being able to check emails wherever I am. Im pretty addicted to WhatsApp and Viber but am pleased to admit that Im one of the few people in the world who isnt on Facebook or Twitter. Unsung heroes: A friend of mine recently volunteered with Care4 Calais. They are doing incredible work to assist refugees and to bring dignity back into their lives. A friend of mine recently volunteered with Care4 Calais. They are doing incredible work to assist refugees and to bring dignity back into their lives. You are queen for a day whats your first decree? Sunshine. And a day off for the entire country so that they can enjoy it. Sunshine. And a day off for the entire country so that they can enjoy it. I was desperate, Id have tried anything. I came home from the spinning class and couldnt get out of bed for two days It feels like somebody has got their two fists balled up and theyre kneading into my back and hip. When its very bad, its like somebodys sticking hot needles into me. Niamh Nestor, student advisor at UCDs School of Veterinary Medicine, has no problem describing the constant lower back pain she has suffered since 2011. But new research shows over half of people living with chronic pain in Ireland find it difficult to describe their symptoms so 26% delay discussing their pain with their doctor. Recently launched, the mypainfeelslike campaign has a website (www.mypainfeelslike.ie), a questionnaire a tool to enable communication between patients and their doctors and a series of images that visually interpret pain symptoms such as burning, stabbing and crawling under the skin. These images are on display around Dublin and in GP surgeries countrywide. The pain in 39-year-old Niamh Nestors lower back and buttocks first struck while she was writing her PhD in Sociolinguistics in 2009. It continued on an on/off basis until 2011 when it became constant. I thought I must have sat badly. People said maybe you have fallen arches. Maybe its your shoes. I was trying to sit properly, tuck my stomach in. I never wore high heels. The then 32-year-old went to a GP but got no joy. He said everybody has back pain. I see 100 people a week with it in my surgery. He asked me to touch my toes. I had very debilitating pain but I could do that. He said youre a young person, do a bit of exercise, youll be fine. Frustrated at not being taken seriously, Niamh attended a female GP, who in contrast to the first doctor put the pain down to her getting older. She said youre 32. In their 30s, people start slowing down and getting aches and pains. Whats going on is youre getting older. But she advised me to do Pilates and she was right about that it did help. But the pain didnt go. A third doctor told Niamh her problem was due to stress. I knew stress wasnt causing it. The pain was the same all the time, even on days when I was fine about the PhD. When the pain attacks worsened in intensity in 2010, Niamh could sit for 40 minutes at a time. Then Id be in agony. Id have to get up and move around or lie on the floor and do some exercise. By early 2012, it got so bad I could only sit for five minutes. Id be typing, squirming in the chair. I tried typing in bed. Firmly believing exercise would cure her, she went on an exercise bike, did intense cardio and went to a spinning class. I was so desperate, Id have tried anything. I came home from the spinning and couldnt get out of bed for two days. Her mum, Rita, declared this isnt normal and took her to the family GP in their native Co Mayo. He said youre only 35, youre not old and people dont get back pain because theyre stressed. MRI showed a bulge in one of Niamhs discs. Finally, there was a root identifiable cause. I wasnt demented. I was so relieved. Now on a pain management plan, Niamh takes daily medication. Acupuncture has helped and she continues to find Pilates helpful. On a scale of one to 10, her pain is worst in the mornings, when its a five. Otherwise, its about a two or three. Its there all the time. When I pay attention, I realise yes, there it is. The pain is manageable but it continues to impact her life. If Im anywhere, like at a wedding, a work meeting, the cinema, I know immediately if Im going to be able to sit in the chair [provided]. A bad chair is one where the back is lower, where the seat is slanted backwards. It has to have a full back and have me supported upright. Niamh cant stand for the length of time it takes to peel carrots. She has to refuse her small nieces and nephews requests to be lifted up. Pre-pain, she used to run and go to the gym. If I run now, Im in agony. Ive gotten very unfit. She has re-learned how to sleep on her side. I loved to sleep on either my back or tummy. I cant now. I sleep on my side with my knees pulled up. I rarely get a full nights sleep. She feels lucky her job allows mobility. Im always moving between various offices. Im not locked to my desk. She hopes in a disbelieving kind of way that one day the disc in her back might un-bulge. Her consultant tells her to be realistic. He says I must appreciate there will be some pain all the time. The mypainfeelslike campaign a collaboration between Grunenthal Pharma Ltd and Chronic Pain Ireland is supported by Multiple Sclerosis Ireland and The Parkinsons Association of Ireland. Visit www.mypainfeelslike.ie. And, last weekend, many thousands more passed through thanks to the 2016 Ballymaloe LitFest, as the villages reputation for tourism and top sustenance gains further traction. New to market is Shanagarrys only pub, the Goalpost, and its only become available because the owners Margaret and Seamus Crowley are set to retire. When they bought it 17 years ago, Seamus had been working as an agricultural contractor but wanted to change for health reasons. We knew nothing about the business, and had no previous experience, but a CERT course helped set us up, says Margaret Crowley. Since then, the neighbouring Ballymaloe Cookery School has grown up almost alongside the Goalpost, and now runs three, 12-week cookery class sessions each year. It has helped dozens, if not hundreds, to take the step into guesthouse, cafe, restaurant and markets stall business set-ups and ownership. Bars and gastro-pubs too, more than likely, got a start with that cookery school, and its students have been frequent visitors at this Irish pub exemplar. Wholl now rise to the top to take on the Goalpost pub now that the Crowleys are selling for entirely practical reasons of retirement? The business and premises is for sale now with veteran bar seller Maurice Cohalan of Cohalan Downing, who says: Its refreshing to be selling a pub for all the right reasons, after recent years of bank and distressed business sales. He describes it as a lovely pub of great character and considerable charm, and it does a very good food business, especially during the summer months, with fish landed up at Ballycotton. The Goalposts right next door to the local GAA club and the Kilkenny Store; it has just over 2,000 sq ft at ground, with basement cellar with hoist, plus front and side bars, dining room and commercial kitchen. Upstairs theres a further 1,737 sq ft with five bedrooms, two of them en suite, with living room, bathroom, and yet another kitchen. The knives may well be sharpened now too for a cut at this bars open goal and business opportunity. Details: Cohalan Downing, 021-4277717 A criminal civil war is how one experienced detective described the bloodbath on Dublins streets. But its a very one-sided war, where the aim of the Kinahan cartel is to wipe out as many of the Hutch gang as possible. Its a war where the cartel bosses, based on the southside of the city and abroad, are pulling the strings and paying former associates and friends of Hutch gang members to do the dirty work. These spotters and guns for hire are neighbours of the Hutches in the north inner city and know their movements. They are living around the corner from one another, they are drinking in the same pubs, their mothers pass each other on the streets, said the detective. These are former friends and, as you would say, former comrades in arms. They have done armed robberies together in the past, even gone to the same school. He said they know where the Hutch members live and were familiar with their movements. Some gardai estimate there are four to five small groups, sometimes involving two or three people, who are guns for hire living in the community who have sided with the Kinahan cartel. The detective said: Their thinking, Ill get X amount for shooting such and such. Ive shot people for less. He said they can see which is the dominant gang and who has the money. Another Garda source said: It is local lowlifes that are guns for hire. Theyre being offered, say 50,000, to kill someone. But at the same time, you can see with the murders of Gareth Hutch and Eddie Hutch how sloppy they are. In Gareth Hutchs murder, the car being used by the two gunmen wouldnt start and they had to abandon their handguns and flee on foot before getting into another car. One man subsequently handed himself into gardai. A Garda source said the best way to protect his life was to put himself into custody. These shootings involve a bit of organisation and a bit of luck on their part, said a garda. They are not half as clever as people make out. Theyre reckless, they dont think strategically. Gardai say they have good intelligence on who is involved in the shootings, but that building up evidence sufficient for prosecutions was a long, torturous process and that progress was beginning to show. Said the garda: The Kinahan gang imploded with the murder of Gary Hutch [in Spain last October] and what we have since is a bit like a criminal civil war. Its very one-sided. All but one of the seven murders are by the Kinahans, but they are throwing money at it and they are getting criminals to shoot their neighbours, who are really soft targets. He said armed checkpoints cant stop these people: These people can walk out their front door and shoot. He said the Kinahan lieutenants in the Crumlin-Drimnagh-south inner city areas, and their boss abroad, were pulling the strings all the time. They are putting the word out that X amount is there to shoot someone. A second source agreed: There would be an element of trust in who they use, their favourites, as such, in the north inner city. A third source, a high-level officer, said they had operations to target these individuals, some of whom are household names. Gardai point out that the core of the Kinahan cartel in this area is based around five or six main families and numerous individuals many of which are inter-related and closely knit. They have a sprawling network, are well resourced, and have the finances and the weight of the Kinahans in Spain, said a source. The Hutches are not as well oiled, not as well structured, and cannot match the resources the Kinahans have. Senior gardai agree that no previous feud matches the ferocity of this one. Its an extremely intense feud, theres no doubt about that, said one. It is very fast moving and one side is getting all their retaliation in first. The Crumlin-Drimnagh feud claimed up to 16 lives spread out over roughly 10 years, while the Limerick feud claimed in the region of 12 lives over a slightly longer period. In its worst period, during three days in November 2005, three people were killed in the Crumlin-Drimnagh feud and four died in all that year the highest during the conflict. What is the end point [in this feud]? asked one garda. There is no sign of the Kinahans stopping. Is it when all those involved in the Regency attack are dead? Is it when Gerry [The Monk] Hutch is dead? We dont know. The violence is relentless, but we are just as relentless. VICTOR Stevenson is bitterly grieved today by his loving wife Beverly and his children Sam and Emma. He will be buried this afternoon in Clandeboye Cemetery, Bangor, Co Down, after a ceremony reflecting his worth as a human beloved of the human family, though his birth was deemed, he told me, a disaster by his family of origin. The contrast between the beginning and the end, at only 57, of this gentle mans life will be stark because of the humanity of the man who adopted Victor from the notorious Westbank Orphanage in Co Wicklow 50 years ago. Victor told me how this happened and his words are burned into my brain. Paraded as a singing munchkin on the stage of a Gospel Hall in the North by Westbanks supremo, Adeline Mathers, he ran off the stage and clutched the trousered leg of a man standing in the congregation. The child must have seen a special quality in the man and he was right. Victors future adoptive father looked down at the child and resolved not to abandon him. The child was filthy. As Victor later said, I hadnt been changed in weeks. The man resolved to take him away from the hell of Adeline Matherss Westbank home for a holiday in relative heaven. As the holiday drew to a close a Methodist minister came to visit and as he was leaving, asked about the extra child. By coincidence, he knew the childs birth family, a family called Kingston from Cork. So an adoption process began which lasted more than two years and ended up with Victors adoptive father bundling a crying child into his car outside the Westbank Orphanage and driving him off to a brighter future north of the border. Victor seems to have settled so fully into his new life in the heart of a loving family that he didnt engage with his past at all. He married and had his own family. He told me it was only when he happened upon an article on Protestant orphanages in this newspaper four years ago that he began to connect with the truth of his own past in the abusive Westbank Orphanage. I cant be glad this connection happened through an article I wrote because I dont know whether it made him happier or more stressed. I would only be glad if it had changed anything for the surviving victims of Adeline Matherss Westbank regime and it hasnt. Not yet. Victor Stevenson goes to his grave today without the recognition from this State of the suffering he endured as a child which he craved for himself and for others. Recognition was all he wanted. That Westbank was an abusive environment first came to light in 2011 in Mike Peelos RTE documentary, Aunties Family Secrets, which chronicled children being beaten up, whipped with electric cables, being injected with unknown substances, and being made to eat dog biscuits. Stevenson recalled a boy who was beaten so badly he had to stay in bed in an outhouse. The other children were forbidden to bring him food and to this day break down remembering the fear they felt as they brought scraps to the boy. This was abuse which hid in plain sight. Why did the doctor not ask questions about the beaten boy who visited his surgery? Why did the primary schools such as St Patricks, and Greystones accept that the Westbank children all had the surname, Mathers? Colm Begley only discovered that was not his surname when Newpark Comprehensive School refused to accept it; my school, St Andrews College, accepted the Mathers surname for the boys who attended, as did Rathdown School for the girls. I went to school with Westbankers because St Andrews College, a fee-paying Protestant school, kindly waived the fees in respect of the boys. But when one of them fell or was pushed off a train on his way home from school one day and was left brain-damaged for life he was never mentioned in school again. He is disremembered by most staff and students and there was no enquiry. Awntie was what a girl at my primary school used to call Adeline Mathers although she pronounced all her other words in a Dublin accent. Four decades later her tone of deep, dull dread still sends a shiver up my spine. She was the girl with the unexplained jaundice. What was going on there? A woman trained to ask questions, I asked none regarding these erstwhile classmates in nearly two decades as a journalist. When I did, I was cut off by several of my Protestant connections and am ostentatiously snubbed by others. We are a small, tight-knit community and like other such communities Travellers, Irish-speakers we usually do our dirty washing in private. Unlike other such communities, we always succeed, because neither state nor society asks any questions of Protestants. The Ryan Commission into abuse at industrial schools and orphanages, which reported in 2002, included no Protestant homes. The Murphy Commission into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters, which is now sitting, includes the Bethany Home in its remit but not Westbank the destination of many Bethany babies despite then tanaiste Joan Burtons reassurance in the Dail in January 2015 that cases from institutions such as Westbank will not be excluded. I have seen Judge Yvonne Murphys letter of last June to Victor Stevenson and can only imagine the heartbreak it must have caused. She encloses the terms of reference for the Commission, informs him that Westbank is not one of the homes to be investigated and provides him with a list of the included homes, adding If you think you were in one of the listed homes feel free to contact us again. Judge Murphy takes shelter in the terms of reference given to the Commission by Government. But the Commission has the power to ask the Government to expand the terms of reference to include Westbank and it has not done so. The Westbank Trustees hold all documents relating to the Westbank inmates, because the Protestant Adoption Society (PACT) handed them over when Mike Peelo began researching his programme. The Murphy Commission could compel them to hand them back if Westbank were within their remit. Victor Stevenson knew he was born in St Finbarres Hospital in Cork and was taken to the Braemor Rescue Home for Protestant Girls on the Old Blackrock Road but he called it a crushing thing that he had no documents relating to identity or early life. It was as if, he said, I didnt exist. Beverly, Sam, and Emma Stevensons terrible grief today testifies not only that Victor existed but that his life was a great gift. Every life is a gift, from Inishannon to Idomeni, from Raqqa to Rathmelton and every life disremembered destroys others. Thats why Victor Stevensons memorial must be justice for Westbank survivors. The EU is trying to keep a deal on track which would allow Turks visa-free travel to the bloc in return for Turkey continuing to stop illegal migrants reaching Europe from its shores. So far, Turkey has declined to fulfil all the EUs conditions which include changing its anti-terrorism laws. Rights groups say Ankara uses them to stifle dissent but Turkey says it needs them to fight threats from Islamic State and Kurdish militants. I am not concerned, we just need more time, Ms Merkel said after a cabinet meeting outside Berlin. She has championed the deal, saying it will help to stem the flow of migrants to Europe after more than 1m arrived in Germany last year. Critics accuse Ms Merkel of softening her stance on EU candidate Turkeys human rights record to save the deal. Ms Merkel reiterated that Ankara had to fulfil all 72 conditions stipulated by the EU to win visa free travel and said it would hold further talks with the European Commission. But fundamentally we on our side are standing by our agreements, she added. EU officials and diplomats have said an end-of-June deadline for the visa issue is likely to be missed. Yet there is little sign of a change in stance from Ankara. Just days after Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan appointed a new prime minister to consolidate his grip on power, his new minister for EU affairs, Omer Celik, warned that while relations with the EU were important, they were not the sole option. Celik told reporters that Turkey wanted the EU to drop what he called its double standards in the fight against terrorism. Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has warned that Ankara could cancel a range of agreements with the EU if it fails to keep its promises. Meanwhile, 3,000 migrants were saved off the Libyan coast on Tuesday in 23 separate rescue missions. The Italian coastguard said this meant more than 5,600 migrants had been rescued from various boats and dinghies in the southern Mediterranean in just two days, with every ship in the area being called on to help with the complex operation. Humanitarian organisations say the sea route between Libya and Italy is now the main route for asylum seekers heading for Europe, after an EU deal on migrants with Turkey dramatically slowed the flow of people reaching Greece. Officials fear the numbers trying to make the crossing to Italy will rise as weather conditions continue to improve. The exchange spanning half the globe is the latest in a war of words that started a year ago when Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce threatened to have Depps pet dogs, Boo and Pistol, put down. Joyce bluntly said it was time the Yorkshire terriers that had been illegally smuggled into Australia buggered off back to the United States. Peter Van de Wetering, 48, had previously pleaded guilty to multiple charges including rape and kidnapping for the August 2013 attack on the 19-year-old woman two weeks after she arrived in Australia. This offending involves an entirely ruthless pursuit of a young and innocent woman for your sexual gratification, Brisbane District Court Judge Terry Martin told Van de Wetering at the sentencing hearing. EgyptAir flight 804 crashed last Thursday with 66 people on board including 30 Egyptians and 15 from France in an area of the Mediterranean where the waters can be 3,000m deep. We have contracted a French and an Italian company to conduct deep sea searching in the Mediterranean, 3,000m deep, Egypt-Air chairman Safwat Moslem told a news conference. The plane and its black box recorders, which could explain what brought down the Paris-to-Cairo flight as it entered Egyptian air space, have not been located. Investigators are looking for clues in the debris and human remains recovered so far from the Mediterranean. The EgyptAir jet that crashed last week showed no technical problems before taking off according to an Aircraft Technical Log signed by its pilot Egypts state-owned newspaper Al-Ahram said. It published a scan of the log on its website. The paper said Egypt-Air flight 804 transmitted 11 electronic messages on May 18, about three and a half hours before disappearing from radar screens with 66 passengers and crew on board. The first two messages indicated the engines were functional. The third message came at 01.26 on May 19 and showed a rise in the temperature of the co-pilots window. The plane kept transmitting messages for the next three minutes before vanishing, Al-Ahram said. Earlier, the head of Egypts forensics authority, dismissed as premature a suggestion that the small size of the body parts found since the Airbus 320 jet crashed indicated there had been an explosion on board. The Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) warned that people leaving it late to book their break may find it more difficult than normal amid notable increases in bookings to Spain (26%), Portugal (29%), and Cyprus (18%) this year. Demand for destinations such as Tunisia and Egypt has fallen following terrorism incidents, the organisation added. A survey of more than 1,600 people found that almost two-thirds (65%) of those planning to take a summer holiday have already booked. Holidaymakers are being advised to consider alternative destinations such as the northern coasts of Spain and Portugal, or travelling outside the peak months of July and August. Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer said: We are seeing a significant increase in summer holiday bookings to western Mediterranean destinations, so I would urge holidaymakers who are looking to travel not to delay in making their booking. My advice to those who have left it late is to be flexible when making their booking and seek the advice of a travel professional who will be able to advise them on the best options and destinations still available, as well as recommending less well-known and less crowded areas. Thirty Britons and three Irish people were killed by a gunman on a beach in Sousse, Tunisia, in June last year. The countrys ambassador to the UK has urged the Foreign Office to relax its travel advice, which warns against all but essential travel. Flights between the UK and the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh have been suspended since November after a plane operated by Russian airline Metrojet blew up over the Sinai Peninsula, killing 224 people. The Tunisian ambassador to the UK, Nabil Ammar, called on the government to take into account security improvements that have been made over the past 12 months. He told the BBC there was now a gap between the perception of the level of security, and the real security on the ground. The Foreign Office said the safety of Britons is its main concern. Last week an EgyptAir flight from Paris to Cairo carrying 66 people crashed into the Mediterranean. The cause of the crash has not been confirmed but reports suggest that smoke was detected in parts of the Airbus A320 before it disappeared from radar. Meanwhile, a Sunday newspaper report last week claimed that Britons already pay more than their European counterparts for almost identical holidays. A seven-night bed and breakfast stay on Spains Costa Blanca was found to be a third more expensive on a travel agents UK website compared to its German site, while a camping holiday company was selling Britons a week-long break in the Dordogne in south-west France for 19% more than the price on its Dutch website. Frank Brehany, of Holiday Travel Watch, told the Sunday Mirror: British consumers could be forgiven for thinking theyre being ripped off. Fashion model agencies might have colluded to squeeze higher fees out of retailers and consumer brands, a British antitrust agency said. Storm Model Management Ltd (which discovered Kate Moss), Models 1, Premier Model Management, Viva, and FM Models might have exchanged confidential information, the Competition and Markets Authority said. An industry group also sent emails urging them to reject some customer fees to get a better deal. In Beijings harshest attack on Tsai Ing-wen, since her inauguration last week, the new president was denounced as a flawed human and as a strident advocate of Taiwans formal independence from China, which Beijing says it will use military force to prevent. Tsai, Taiwans first female president, has been criticised by Beijing for refusing to endorse the one-China principle that defines Taiwan as part of China. The 60-year-old, whose daughter died of cancer in 2011, lost an action at the High Court last year, but is now asking Court of Appeal judges to rule in her favour. Her QC, Jenni Richards, told the judges that the woman wants to fulfil her daughters wishes that her mother should carry a child created from her frozen eggs and raise that child. Ms Richards said that if the court did not overturn the High Courts ruling, the inevitable consequence would be that the eggs will simply be allowed to perish. The woman and her 59-year-old husband are challenging the decision of Mr Justice Ouseley last June to dismiss their case. During the proceedings, the judge was told that the daughter, referred to as A for legal reasons, was desperate to have children and asked her mother to carry my babies. Her parents, who are referred to as Mr and Mrs M, launched legal action against an independent regulators refusal to allow them to take their daughters eggs to a US fertility clinic to be used with donor sperm. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) said the eggs could not be released from storage in London because A did not give her full written consent before she died at age of 28 of bowel cancer. Mr Justice Ouseley heard that A would have been devastated if she had known her eggs could not be used. But he ruled that the HFEA had been entitled to find the daughter had not given the required consent. He declared there had been no breach of the familys human rights. He said: I must dismiss this claim, though I do so conscious of the distress this will bring to the claimants, whose aim has been to honour their daughters dying wish for something of her to live on after her untimely death. Ms Richards argues that there is clear evidence of what A wanted to happen to her eggs after she died, and that all available evidence showed she wanted her mother to have her child after death. She told James Munby, president of the High Courts family division, sitting in London with Lady Justice Arden and Lord Justice Burnett, that the regulators refusal decision was not based on any matter relating to the age of Mrs M, or family connection, or any child welfare issues. She said the case was not about scientific or ethical principles. The decision was based on an evaluation of the evidence relating to As wishes. The appeal is opposed by the HFEA, which argues that Mr Justice Ouseley did not err in concluding that the HFEAs decision was lawful. Burma Police Allegedly Beat and Extort Villager in Arakan State A resident of a village in Pauktaw Township was allegedly beaten by local police after a dispute with his wife, and extorted for 100,000 kyats. RANGOON Four police officers allegedly assaulted and extorted 100,000 kyats (US$85) from a resident of Kyan Khin village on Phayonka Island, located within Pauktaw Township of Arakan State. The police officers beat and handcuffed the victim, Aye Thein Chay, 37, before demanding the bribe as a condition of his release, according to the testimony of a local resident and a state parliamentarian. Aung Kyaw Htwe, an Arakan National Party (ANP) lawmaker representing Pauktaw Constituency (2) in the Arakan State parliament, spoke with The Irrawaddy on Thursday. He claimed that Aye Thein Chay was not guilty of any crime, but that Lt-Corp Than Htun and three other police officers had punched him and knocked him down. At midnight on May 25, Aye Thein Chay was admitted to Pauktaws hospital for medical treatment. A case was filed on his behalf at the Pauktaw Township police station. The ANPs Aung Kyaw Htwe said the township police had informed him that the four offending police officers had already been summoned to the station, and would be charged with unethical conduct. Aung Kyaw Htwe cited the words of Burmas police chief Zaw Win, who had held a meeting at the office of the Rangoon Division government on Saturday to discuss the policies included in the polices new 100-day plan. The police in Burma operate under the military-controlled Ministry of Home Affairs. In response to the recent death of a suspect in police custody in Thaton town of Mon State, police chief Zaw Win warned his junior officers against brutally investigating suspectsand also forbade the taking of any bribes. Let us change and leave behind past practices, the police chief had said, acknowledging previous abuses by Burmas police force. Thein Aung Kyaw, chief of Pauktaw Township Police, confirmed that the violent incident had taken place on May 25. He said that, on May 24, the victim Aye Thein Chay had had a confrontation with his wife, Hla Khin Ye, because she had signaled her intention to divorce him. Thein Aung Kyaw said that, as the domestic quarrel intensified, four police officers arrived from neighboring Ngaratvat Chai village, where a police post is located. Aye Thein Chay was drunk and began verbally abusing the police officers in front of the assembled villagers, according to Thein Aung Kyaw. This humiliation suffered by the police officers may have prompted them to beat Aye Thein Chay, even though he was already handcuffed, said Thein Aung Kyaw, who played down the severity of the injuries sustained. Thein Aung Kyaw said they had recalled the policemen, but at the time of speaking they had not yet reached the Pauktaw police stationa 30 mile-distance from their sub-station in Ngaratvat Chai village. However, he would not comment on the alleged extortion of 100,000 kyats, and noted that this was not mentioned in the complaint filed on the victims behalf with the police. Thein Aung Kyaw added that the Pauktaw Township Police had formed a committee to investigate the incident, which will begin its work soon. A local resident of Kyan Khin village, Ngwe Thein Nu, 32, spoke with The Irrawaddy over the phone on Thursday. She confirmed that the victim Aye Thein Chay is still under medical care at Pauktaw hospital. She rejected the allegation that Aye Thein Chay was drunk during the incident. Although Ngwe Thein Nu was not present, she claimed there were many eyewitnesses to the beatingwhich took place outside a local video halland the subsequent extortion of 100,000 kyats as a condition for releasing Aye Thein Chay from handcuffs. She claimed that the police officers had demanded the bribe to cover travel expenses to Kyan Khin village, although they estimated this at only 20,000 kyats (US$17). The Irrawaddy tried to contact other witnesses to confirm the various allegations, but they could not be reached at the time of publication. In October of 2015, a fisherman was allegedly killed by three police officers on Maday Island in Kyaukphyu Township, also in Arakan State. A verdict on the case subsequently filed against the police officers has not yet been reached. Burma Mandalay Will Appoint Court Ombudsman Mandalays chief minister says the city will appoint an ombudsman to monitor local courts, highlighting one of the regional governments planned reforms. MANDALAY Mandalay Chief Minister Zaw Myint Maung said he would submit a proposal to appoint an ombudsman to the local courts after seeking approval from the regional parliament and central government. The move highlights just one of the reforms discussed during an event held on Thursday where he met with local political organizations, lawyers and rights activists. The idea was proposed by lawyers representing the Independent Lawyers Association of Myanmar as part of their mission to promote an independent judiciary in the country. The ombudsman wont pressure or influence the courts, said lawyer Thein Than Oo, adding that the individual in the role would monitor the judiciary during a transitional period and help promote access to justice. We can monitor whether the courts issue fair charges, Thein Than Oo said. There are cases in which the courts can drop charges but dont [do so] because of outside pressures, and other cases where defendants are let off with sentences that are too lenient. According to the lawyer, the position is not intended to monitor all court cases but only cases pertaining to political issues, press freedom, land rights, human rights, drug abuses, public tranquility and other proceedings that were handled unfairly in the past. Local activists used Thursdays meeting to voice their complaints about other local government institutions as well, which they say have remained unchanged. In Meikthila Township, most government offices lack transparency, said a representative of Mandalay Divisions Meikthilas 88 Generation Student group. He said people had hope for the new National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government, which took office in March, but that change had not yet been delivered as they had expected. He urged the chief minister to put more effort into reforming government institutions. During the meeting, local civil society representatives and activists asked the regional government to prioritize environmental preservation and the livelihoods of local farmers when considering development plans, reminding officials that many local farmers have had their land confiscated in the past and currently face severe weather and natural disasters. As part of the regional governments 100-day plan, Zaw Myint Maung has held a series of meetings with local administrators, police, civil society organizations and activists. He said he plans to collaborate with them to promote change, but asked for understanding regarding the challenges of solving deeply rooted issues. To uproot bad behavior and undemocratic practices, we need time and patience, the chief minister said, adding that he would need the peoples help, as he anticipates many problems will need to be addressed in Parliament. Zaw Myint Maung also met with a local committee to take up the issue of squatters in Mandalay, saying he would register the squatters and investigate who legitimately needed housing and who could potentially be fabricating such a need in order to take advantage of the governments new relocation plan. He said that under the former government, some squatters were given land and housing which they sold for a profit before returning to live on private or government land illegally. The chief minister added that after a complete record is made of the squatters, the government would have a better idea for a proper solution. Thursday, May 26th, 2016 (10:06 am) - Score 1,158 Residents of The Parks development in Bracknell (Berkshire, England) are celebrating today after Taylor Wimpey and BT reached a deal that will finally improve local broadband connectivity by upgrading two local street cabinets to support an up to 80Mbps capable Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC) service. The development itself consists of about 730 new homes on the site of Ramslade House (former RAF training college), including various different sized apartments and houses. The project began a few years ago and much of it has already been completed, although unfortunately Taylor Wimpey (property developer) paid little attention to the need for good broadband provision and this left many residents to suffer slow connectivity. However the Government and Local Authorities have recently been putting a lot of pressure on both property developers and telecoms operators (here) to ensure that they dont build new homes without also ensuring that residents will be able to get a good broadband connection. In keeping with that Taylor Wimpey has now agreed to contribute 25,000 towards the cost of upgrading two local street cabinets, which Openreach (BT) had previously said were commercially unviable. Dr Phillip Lee, Bracknell MP, told residents (Get Reading): I am grateful for Taylor Wimpey for stepping up to the plate and helping to resolve this issue. I am only sorry that it should have come to this before we can provide adequate broadband speeds to the residents of a new estate in the most technologically advanced area of the country. I will continue to monitor this situation to see if we can get something completed sooner than the current 12 month estimate. The Bracknell MP also added that he thought BTs 12 month wait for the upgrade to be delivered was frankly ludicrous, although in fairness such a time-scale is fairly common for newly approved cabinets and not least because Openreachs engineers are being kept busy by the state aid supported Broadband Delivery UK programme. Various surveys and planning work will also need to be performed, all of which tends to take a fair bit of time and thats before the build itself begins. CIOs: How to Get Your Teams to the Next Level A lot of IT professionals find themselves in positions they never really envisioned themselves being in: leadership positions. They had always felt fulfilled career-wise by meeting technology challenges, and never really aspired to be leaders of anyone. And yet here they are, with responsibilities involving the professional well-being of other people. To whom should they turn for advice? Id start with Justin Constantine. He knows what its like to be in a position he didnt expect to be in. On October 18, 2006, Constantine, a U.S. Marine Corps officer deployed to Iraq, was on patrol when a shot rang out from an enemy sniper. In that split second, Constantines life changed forever. The bullet entered his head behind his left ear, and exploded out of his mouth. That he survived is attributable to the miraculous efforts of a brave Navy corpsman on the scene. Today, he cant see out of his left eye, and part of his tongue is missing. But he can speak, following multiple surgeries to rebuild his jaw with bones from other parts of his body. He also suffers from post-traumatic stress and a traumatic brain injury. Constantine encapsulated all of that in one sentence: Im the luckiest person youll ever meet. If you think that sounds like someone who might have something important to say, and whos worth listening to, youre right. In his book, My Battlefield, Your Office: Leadership Lessons from the Front Lines, Constantine shares the kind of extraordinary insight that can only arise from those who have overcome obstacles that most of the rest of us have no way to fathom. I had the honor of speaking with Constantine last week, and the first question I asked him drew a response that told me I was in for a fascinating ride. I said to him that on the battlefield, he confronted a very tangible enemy, and leadership was all about defeating that enemy. Can you define the enemy that business executives need to defeat? I asked. Thats a much more difficult enemy, Constantine said. Its complacency. We saw this in Iraq, he said. We actually had a sign right next to the gate, visible as you went out, that read, Complacency kills. It was a reminder to stay sharp and stay vigilant, and to always be as attentive as you can be. He said the same is true in business. Business is hard, and no matter what business youre in, you have a lot of competitors. If you get complacent, youre not going to succeed against them, Constantine explained. If your people are complacent, thats going to affect your bottom line. Im an entrepreneur, and I own my own business, so Im not complacent. But I think in large corporations, and maybe in smaller ones, too, complacency can creep in. Constantine also spoke about complacency in terms of failing to keep employees motivated and inspired. What I talk a lot about in the book is making sure that your people feel appreciated, are on the same page as you, and are in position to work to their full potential. Everyone in the organization is a leader in some sense of the word, he said. So if youre focusing on each one of them, their wellbeing and their betterment, everyone wins. When I talk about empowering your employees, its about giving them the tools to succeed, ensuring they fully understand your vision. All that is to make sure theyre actually engaged present in the moment, but looking downfield with you, as well. We discussed the relevance of all of this to IT professionals, many of whom pursue a technical track in their careers, rather than a management track. Constantine reminded me that management and leadership arent synonymous. Theyre members of a team, and someone has to lead that team, he said. Someone has to be in charge I dont think a completely flat organization, where theres no one in charge and everyone gets paid the same, is a good model. But I think whatever field youre in, certainly including IT, you have to be able to lead other people. If youre in IT, and you have good leadership skills, and you enjoy the challenge of leading people, I think the skys the limit for you. I asked Constantine what the one thing is that he most wants readers to take away from reading his book. He said its that taking care of your people has to be your No. 1 priority. I say that from a business sense, and I also say that from a human sense, he explained. Ive been extremely fortunate in my recovery. Im no one special its not because I had some superhuman strength. Its because of the people around me, starting with my wife, and a lot of other people who helped in many different ways. No one succeeds on their own, Constantine said. So its incumbent on all good leaders to take care of those around them. On that note, here is a list of 10 leadership tips from Constantines book: When you make a command decision, act swiftly, using all the intelligence at your disposal. Honorable actions are contagious. Inspire others around you by doing the right thing. Being a great leader means that you are willing to take a good, hard look at yourself and honestly identify your strengths, as well as your weaknesses. You cannot lead everybody the same way and realistically expect the same results. You often have to paint with a fine stroke, not a broad brush. The most productive leaders are often those who regularly engage with their employees. Remember what it felt like when a leader put your needs first. Strive to regularly replicate that. Not asking for help is counterproductive, shortsighted, and can adversely affect others. When someone identifies a fear to you, recognize the strength displayed in doing so. Never miss an opportunity to pay those you lead a compliment or tell them that you appreciate something about them. Relationships are critical to our wellbeing. Make the time to invest in them. A contributing writer on IT management and career topics with IT Business Edge since 2009, Don Tennant began his technology journalism career in 1990 in Hong Kong, where he served as editor of the Hong Kong edition of Computerworld. After returning to the U.S. in 2000, he became Editor in Chief of the U.S. edition of Computerworld, and later assumed the editorial directorship of Computerworld and InfoWorld. Don was presented with the 2007 Timothy White Award for Editorial Integrity by American Business Media, and he is a recipient of the Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award for editorial excellence in news coverage. Follow him on Twitter @dontennant. Verizon strike may have impeded the daily needs and financial stability of the union workers but it is also undeniable that the tech firm is now experiencing the boomerang effect of the strike. It has been noted that the tech giant's last resort is to hire temporary workers to keep the operations running. It is undeniable that Verizon pretended to be strong despite the massive strike that it has experienced for almost 7 weeks now. The company is facing tremendous pressure specially in keeping the operations afloat and running. State regulators have delayed an investigation into Verizon and its investment in its landline network until Verizon and its unions end their current contract standoff, reports Timesunion. We are in this fight for the future of our families. We need good, union jobs for the next generation #VerizonStrikehttps://t.co/dh55cBUTOo CWA District 1 (@CWADistrict1) May 23, 2016 Since about 38,000 unionized Verizon workers throughout the Northeast, including 800 in the Capital Region, went on strike last month and owing to a failed contract agreement with Verizon, it has led to more tumultuous times for the tech giant. Verizon was scheduled to submit its first responses this month in a state Public Service Commission review on how it is maintaining and investing in its copper and fiber optic network in the state, but it asked to delay the deadline until after the strike is over because its non-union employees are busy filling in for the striking workers, according to the same post. The standoff was further prolonged, thus rendering Verizon more unprecedented outcomes. iTech Post relayed that the union workers of Verizon have stood their ground, and they are not backing down until Verizon meets their requirements or better yet gain better bargain. It is undeniable that the Verizon strike indicated the decision of the union workers into not backing down if the tech company continues to outsource. And even with the White House's involvement, there are no certainties that the rift will end soon enough, as cited in the same post. As Verizon enlisted the service of temporary workers, it could be speculated that Verizon is finally feeling the effect and impact of the strike. A boomerang effect has been laid against the tech giant. Even though the firm resorted to temporary hiring, it remains unsettled on how far the operations would fare and whether it would attain stability in the long run. PayPal will discontinue its mobile app service for Blackberry, Microsoft Phone and Amazon OS users . On the other hand, the e-payment company will upgrade its mobile app for Apple iOS and Google Android devices. According to a blog post on Paypal's official website, the company has decided to discontinue its support for Windows Phone, Blackberry and Amazon Fire OS. By June 30, Paypal will no longer provide services for those mobile platforms, reports The Verge. "It was a difficult decision to no longer support the PayPal app on these mobile platforms, but we believe it's the right thing to ensure we are investing our resources in creating the very best experiences for our customers," said Joanna Lambert, VP of Global Consumer Product & Engineering at Paypal. Fortunately, Windows Phone, Blackberry and Amazon Fire users can still access Paypal through browsers on their devices. Windows Phone owners can access the service through Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge and Outlook.com. While Blackberry users can make PayPal payments through the BBM app Investors.com has suggested that the company's decision to break ties with the mobile platforms could be a sign that they are obsolete. Windows Phone and Blackberry have not been doing well on the market with shares falling to below 1%. Meanwhile, Amazon's Fire Phone was a failure, despite its success with the Kindle tablets. On the other hand, all Android and iOS users are required to upgrade the e-pay app to version 6.0 from June 3 to June 30. The new version includes enhanced features like balance and transaction history. The new upgrade for the app supports Android devices running OS 4.03 or greater. As for Apple devices, version 6.0 supports those running iOS 8.1 or higher, iPhone 4S or greater, iPad 2 or greater and iPod Touch 5th gen or greater. Needless to say, almost every gamer and fan alike knows that "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" final DLC is fast approaching. However, it was only recently when people finally get a hold of the "Blood and Wine" launch trailer as well as its official release date. According to Gamespot, CD Projekt Red has officially released the "Blood and Wine" launch trailer for "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt." The said trailer, which is named "Final Mission," finds the iconic character Geralt in the midst of his final hunt. The "Blood and Wine" launch trailer also provides a look-see at the beautiful yet mysterious city of Toussaint. It is said to be packed with monstrous beasts while hiding dark, deadly secrets. Players will find themselves in a land unspoiled by war. However, they will be up against a beast that has terrorized the town. It is worth noting that "Blood and Wine" will serve as the last and final content for "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt." The studio has already revealed its intentions not to pursue any follow-ups and/or spinoffs for the series. BreatheCast reports that "Blood and Wine" will arrive in "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" on May 31. It will be made available across all platforms, namely, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. The upcoming DLC is expected to introduce 90 new quests as well as 40 total interest points to cover. In early reports, "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz has expressed his interest to go back to the franchise. He has always hoped for an opportunity to do more for the series, a thing that he has done for almost 12 years. Unfortunately, Tomaszkiewicz said that the decision is still up to CD Projekt Red. The Poland-based video game company has reiterated for the nth time that "Blood and Wine" will serve as the final chapter for "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt." Most of the reviews agree that the Samsung Gear VR is comfortable, light and considerably cheaper than many of its rivals. Virtual reality (VR) headsets such as Samsung Gear VR can take gaming to another level but they can also be embraced by the wider public for various other applications. It is certain that virtual reality is one of the biggest themes and trends in 2016. According to the online publication Director, Marc Mathieu, chief marketing officer at Samsung Electronics, said that the company aims to make VR more accessible to a broader audience by partnering with the best in the industry to deliver rich and engaging content for its Samsung Gear VR. Samsung is engaging with the creative community to bring new technological advancements. The Samsung Gear VR headset can have a future in the retail sector. The light, cheap and comfortable VR headset can provide many benefits to companies advertising their products. A travel agent, for example, can use the VR headset from Samsung to provide an immersive experience to its customers and allow them to explore far away destinations. Thomas Cook and Audi are just two companies among the growing number of enterprises that are starting to use VR headsets that allow customers to 'try before you buy.' Samsung Gear VR headset works with all Galaxy S6 and S7 phones. Before they get started, users need to install the Oculus app and create an account. The rest of the setup is very simple. A review published by the online publication IT Pro says that the padding around your eyes and nose is comfortable and the headset's straps are very secure. For the most part, the Gear VR feels good to wear. You can also simply hold the headset up to your face and remove the head strap altogether in case that you are passing it around to other users. The Gear VR can make the best choice when it comes to delivering a smooth virtual reality experience. Samsung's VR gadget has more powerful components than any of Samsung's S6 phones. As it has a higher pixel density than the 5.5-inch S7 Edge, its 2560 x 1440 screen resolution will also provide a sharper picture. The International Space Station will enjoy a little bit more real estate in the near future if everything goes according to plan, This is due to the utilization of the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM), an innovative, inflatable habitat that will be attached to the space station today. The BEAM module special due to its structure. Utilizing a kevlar-like weave, the BEAM module is extremely lightweight, portable and very easy to maintain. NASA has also stated that decommissioning the expandable modules is very simple since its fabric-like structure would just burn up during re-entry, reports CNET. Even its metal components, which are created out of aluminum, are also designed to simply burn up once it enters the Earth's atmosphere. Preparations for today's test are already underway. ISS crew members have already installed computer cables and other pertinent hardware leading up to the test date. During the test the expandable module will be filled with breathable air, fully expanding to about 10 feet by 13 feet in diameter. Once fully inflated, it will take about a week before the ISS crew is able to enter the habitat. According to CNN, NASA is planning to have one ISS crew member enter the BEAM module every three or four months to run a number of tests, including pressure analysis, radiation testing, as well as how the expandable structure is adapting to the otherwise harsh conditions of open space. The BEAM experiment on the ISS is set to run for two years. However, NASA has also stated that the module could last far longer, up to about 5 years or more. If the BEAM experiment does succeed, the modules could one day be utilized for deep space exploration missions, such as the planned manned Mars expeditions that are scheduled within the next couple of decades. NASA BEAM Deputy Manager Steve Munday asserted that the modules could easily be used as surface habitats. "Just as in the movie, 'The Martian,' only without the catastrophic explosion that nearly killed Matt Damon. Expandable habitats have the advantage of being small, taking up less volume on launch vehicles and in transit and then become big later, expanding to full volume in space or even after being pre-deployed to the surface of Mars," he said. HP is hoping to bounce back into the gaming market with its new line of Omen laptops and desktops. The tech company launched a brand new gaming lineup today, The Verge reported. The Omen line has initially introduced four products, two laptops, a tower and a monitor display. At prices starting at almost $900, the Omen line seems to cater high-end consumers. The Omen line kicks off with two gaming laptops on its roster. Aesthetically, the laptops look gorgeous with its sleek black and red color theme. The keyboard is all decked out with cool "Dragon Red" highlight, reports CNET. The smaller laptop has a 15.6-inch display and runs on an Intel Core i3 processor. The larger model has a 17.3-inch display and starts with an i5 processor. Both units can be configured with up to an i7 processor and 16GB of RAM. Consumers can also choose to upgrade either unit with a GeForce GTX 965M GPU and 4K display. Meanwhile, the batteries on both laptops are pushed towards the front, making the dual fans more efficient and preventing the units from overheating during heavy gaming sessions. The smaller laptop will cost $899.99, while the larger one will sell at $979.99 and will be available for purchase on HP's website and Best Buy starting July 10. Meanwhile, the Omen desktop is also a sight to behold with glowing LED lights running along the edge of the machine. The HP desktop from the Omen line is designed to be fully compatible for VR gaming, hinting that the base specs must be powerful enough to handle it. HP is also introducing a 32-inch monitor as possibly the perfect partner to the Omen desktop. The desktop monitor has a 5-millisecond response time and a 75Hz refresh rate. It also comes with two HDMI outputs and a built-in USB port. The monitor supports AMD's FreeSync Technology, allowing smoother gameplay by synching the GPU output with the display's refresh rate. The Omen desktop and monitor is set to come out in August. HP has not revealed the price tags for the two products, but it will probably be more expensive than the Omen laptops. The Omen line is an impressive move on HP's part, having failed previously with its attempt at building a gaming rig known as VoodooPC. The tech giant has hopefully taken note of the errors committed in the past, making Omen a truly promising gaming lineup that can compete with other established gaming names in the industry. Google has been battling to get smartphone manufacturers and carriers to update devices to the latest Android version for some time now. Its latest tactic appears to be publicizing statistics revealing exactly how much the latter have been lagging behind in this issue. Google Going to Tattle on Slow Updaters According to a Bloomberg report, Google has compiled a list of Android phone manufacturers where ranking depends on how timely their software updates have been. Thus far, only its partners have been privy to this list, but the report claims that Google plans to make it public in order to shame Android phone vendors and carriers into long-delayed action. Only 7.5 Percent of Android Phones Totally Updated This is not surprising news, as fragmentation has been a problem faced by Google for a few years now. The term refers to a mixture of many Android versions being used in handsets all over the world. According to a recent Developers report, the latest Android version, Marshmallow, which was released last year, is only installed in 7.5 percent of all the Android phones currently in use in the world. This is due to extended periods of time taken by smartphone makers and carriers for testing successive versions of the popular operating system. This delay in facilitating software updates to the users deprives them of access to Google's latest apps and security patches. Google has been in talks with its partners to expedite the process of testing, and at least one (Sprint Corp.) has confirmed that it has agreed to speed up its approval. Releasing Features Independent of Operating System Google has also been taking other measures to rectify the situation. It has recently made several new features available to users of older versions of Android. Some features have been made into apps independent of the operating system. With the latest Android version N to be released soon, it needs to get the fragmentation under control. It is hard to predict if Google's plan to make the list public will produce the results it hopes for, or even if Google will actually choose to publicize it. Nevertheless, the need to persuade Android phone makers and carriers to speed up software updates is acute. Peter Thiel, a billionaire who made his money as an entrepreneur and investor in Silicon Valley, revealed himself to be the one financing the lawsuit filed by Hulk Hogan against Gawker Media. Wrestler Terry Gene Bollea, popularly known as Hulk Hogan, had filed a suit for invasion of privacy against the online news agency, following the latter's publishing of a sex tape in 2012. Gawker Media had earlier expressed its suspicions regarding a secret backer behind the Hogan lawsuit, which ultimately led to Thiel's confirmation that he was bankrolling the suit in an interview with the New York Times yesterday. Thiel's issue with Gawker dates back to 2007, when the now-defunct Gawker Media blog, Valleywag, published a story titled "Peter Thiel is Totally Gay, People," which revealed several professional and personal details of Thiel's life. He also stated in the Times interview that many of his friends have been victimized by Gawker, which led him to strike back by funding more than one lawsuit against the news agency. Thiel claims that his actions are meant to deter Gawker Media from bullying people, according to CNN. Incidentally, a Florida court awarded $140 million to Hulk Hogan earlier this year. Gawker intends to appeal the decision. It defended itself in the Times by mentioning several stories it has brought to light over the years. Apart from the hostility between Thiel and Gawker, the former's revelation has sparked a discussion over what this means to the freedom of speech, as well as the right to privacy. Many feel that a billionaire and co-founder of Paypal financing a lawsuit against the press is a threat against one's right to free speech. But the fact remains that there is no legal objection to a third party financing a lawsuit, and it will by no means lead to a retrial if the same does not affect the merits of the case. Over half of Australias small business owners believe the federal governments budget proposal to lower the company tax rate to 27.5% for businesses with up to $10 million in revenue will have a positive impact on the SME sector. According to a survey by cloud accounting software company MYOB, 56% of SMEs have reacted positively to the measure, believing the instant tax write-off eligibility to include businesses generating up to $10 million would benefit their business. The survey also revealed that 72% of SMEs agreed growth would be encouraged through widening the definition of a small business, and MYOB chief executive, Tim Reed, says he believes the move will result in SMEs feeling less restrained when it comes to planning for business success. While this years budget has come under fire for favouring big business, the results show that the majority of Australian SMEs believe that lowering the company tax rate is an important reform and will encourage growth. Its encouraging to see these barriers to growth removed. The previous system discouraged SMEs to grow beyond $2 million in revenue because they lose the benefits of being a small business. Small businesses often rely on bigger businesses as customers without stimulating investment in bigger business, small businesses wont receive the positive flow-on effect. For every dollar a small business spends with a big business, big businesses spend $2 with small businesses it is an ecosystem and we need to make sure all parts are healthy. The MYOB survey also asked small businesses if they were in favour of the reduction in GST codes from seven to three as part of the governments BAS simplification trial, with half of them 47% in favour of the new measure. And, asked how likely they would be to employ someone under the age of 25 through the federal governments new PaTH initiative, almost a third of SMEs (31%) confirmed they were likely or very likely to consider hiring a job seeker through this program. Younger business owners, aged under 40, said they were more likely (58%) to use the program. I believe we all should be very encouraged by these results. If just a small portion of Australias 2 million SMEs took part in this new initiative and consider hiring a young Australian it will be a big success. There are nearly a quarter of a million young Australians out of work, so it is great to see SMEs becoming part of the solution to youth unemployment, Reed said. With millennials set to define the future of the Australian workforce, we encourage small businesses to be a part of this internship program, and do what they can to create opportunities for the younger generation. Sophos Clean uses multiple technologies to scrub malware and other unwanted items from Windows PCs. Sophos Clean uses progressive behaviour analytics, forensics and collective intelligence to discover and remove code from zero-day threats, trojans, rootkits, polymorphic malware, irritating cookies, spyware and adware, the company said. "I'm thinking of a crime scene," vice president of product marketing Marty Ward told iTWire. Sophos Clean "is like the forensic team" that can work out what happened and how it should be cleaned up. Sophos Clean is based on technology from SurfRight's Hitman Pro. Sophos acquired SurfRight around six months ago, Ward said. The software does not need to be installed. Instead it is simply run when required, which is an advantage when malware is tinkering with the security software running on a computer. "It's incredibly easy" to use even for non-technical staff, he said. Sophos Clean cleans up the root causes of problems, taking into account changes in system configuration, unusual software, web history, emails, and so on, Ward explained. It also eliminates adware and spyware, and other "mess," he added. It can be used on a computer regardless of the endpoint security software installed, and Sophos Clean has found unwanted items on computers that have supposedly been cleaned by other products, Ward said. "Sophos Clean can complement any installed anti-malware software by providing a second opinion on suspected files," said general manager and senior vice president for end-user security, Dan Schiappa. The program is able to replaces infected Windows resources with safe original versions. "Using the latest removal technology, Sophos Clean is able to remove all fragments of a malware infection and return the system to a pristine state," claimed SophosLabs vice-president Simon Reed. Sophos Clean requires just 11MB and can be started directly from a USB flash drive, CD/DVD or network attached storage device. A typical scan with Sophos Clean takes less than five minutes, officials said, and the combination of behaviour analysis and a database of trusted applications dramatically reduces false positives. A 30-day free trial is available from the Sophos website. Pricing is "on application", with officials merely stating "Sophos Clean is affordable for companies of all sizes." The minimum purchase is five licences, and Sophos Clean can be bundled with Sophos Endpoint Protection. Ellucians range of education software and services, which includes student information systems, analytics, and retention software, will help Australias higher education industry to embrace digital technologies in the quest for better student experience (SX). Dimension Data Australia has announced an exclusive Australian partnership with Ellucian, a leading global provider of higher education software and services. It will sell and deliver Ellucians portfolio of software and solutions, and provide consulting and implementation services, supported by its recently acquired consulting service, Oakton. The education sector is Australias largest services export, and this agreement will boost universities ability to transform in response to the challenges of digital disruption. It will make Ellucians cloud-based solutions more widely available to Australias higher education providers. More than 2400 institutions in 40 countries rely on Ellucian to help in higher education. Ellucian provides student information systems (SIS), finance and HR, recruiting, retention, analytics, and advancement software solutions. With more than 1400 institutions subscribing to Ellucians cloud services and SaaS offerings, the company is one of the largest providers of cloud-based solutions. Jeff Ray, president and chief executive officer, Ellucian, said: Delivering Ellucian software through the cloud means that years of carefully-developed best practices for higher education are now available on a broader scale, on a more user-friendly platform, and on a more rapid cycle of innovation. We are so fortunate that Dimension Data Australia has the world-class services and reach to ensure customers in Australia are getting the most out of Ellucian solutions. Rodd Cunico, chief executive officer at Dimension Data Australia, said: Like much of the world, Australia is experiencing a massive economic shift away from an industrial economy and towards one driven by knowledge and information. Higher education is central to this new economy and our partnership with Ellucian is grounded in the belief that technology should, above all, empower students with the education and skills they need to succeed in todays business world. Neil Wilson, chief executive officer at Oakton, a Dimension Data company, said: Australias higher education sector is facing increasing cost pressures, resulting in an even greater need to differentiate from competitors. Todays student population has never known the world without the Internet, so universities are turning to digital channels, such as mobile applications, to customise and simplify the student experience. At Oakton, we understand these pressures and this partnership is another way we help our customers address the needs of their customers. By combining their deep knowledge of higher education, along with complementary services and capabilities, Ellucian, Dimension Data Australia and Oakton are well equipped to support campus modernisation in Australia. The partnership will ensure customers are empowered to embrace the cloud in their way, at their pace, by leveraging solutions built exclusively for higher education. Google has begun the process of trying to spin itself out of a security mess, with leaks about placing pressure on other companies using Android to provide security updates in a more timely fashion. At its recent I/O conference, Google also floated the idea of doing away with traditional passwords for Android apps, instead relying on a collage of collected data to authenticate users. But this should not distract attention from the mess that Android security is at the moment. Android has spread like a cancer and is now present on more than 80% of smartphones that are sold. Google's method of managing an open-source ecosystem sharply resembles the "drop it in your backyard and run" approach. It is only after the Stagefright bug in July last year that Google showed any inclination to issue monthly updates for Android. But these are only available as updates for the more expensive Nexus devices that Google itself sells and hardly any other vendor that uses Android bothers to issue updates. I have used Android devices since March 2012 and the only time I saw regular updates was when I rooted my first device - an LG Optimus Black - and ran Cyanogenmod which was then a community project. Since then I have used, at various times, phones from MicroMax, Lenovo and Alcatel and in more than three years have seen just one update - from Lenovo. Whether there were any security fixes in this update is unknown but it did bring in a new user interface and a few fancy features which I didn't need. Google is extremely good at not taking responsibility for its actions and also in always asking to be judged by a different yardstick than other technology companies. No better example of the latter can be given than the encounter that Oracle chief executive Safra Catz detailed during the ongoing trial in California, where a jury is trying to decide whether Google's use of 37 Java APIs in Android can be covered under fair use. During her time on the witness stand, Catz cited a chance meeting with Google's general counsel, Kent Walker, at a bat mitzvah. She said Walker had approached her and claimed that what he characterised as the "old rules" did not apply to Google as it was a special company. Catz said she responded with a one-liner: "Thou shalt not steal." It's also noticeable that lots and lots of Google software is perpetually in a beta state. When I tested Google Maps recently, I first encountered a warning that it was in beta and therefore could make mistakes! By any developer's yardstick, Maps has been around long enough to be in a stable state. Notice Google's YouTube and the number of copyrighted videos it hosts. Now Google can easily determine what should, and should not, be on YouTube using its own software to detect what is, and is not, kosher. But the company will not do a thing unless there are complaints. Plausible deniability. That should be Google's motto, not its better-known line, "Do no evil". Back to Android. Google's tactics to dominate the smartphone market are very similar to what Microsoft employed in the 1980s and 1990s when Windows was one of the operating systems vying for the PC market. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates was perfectly happy for all and sundry to use copies of Windows, reasoning that his company would be able to collect in the end. Piracy was a means to an end for Gates. It is noticeable that while Android commands more than four-fifths of the smartphone market, only 7.5% of those phone run the latest version, called Marsmallow. In sharp contrast, Apple has about 15% of the market but nearly 85% of its phones in use run the latest version of iOS. Google apologists will, of course, argue that only a fraction of those Android smartphones are directly manufactured by Google. But it is naive to pretend that Google did not foresee a situation like this; indeed, I have no doubt that the company would have reasoned that it could get out of this mess the same way it has got out of other messes in the past. Patience is wearing thin. Recently, a Dutch consumer group sued Samsung for neglecting to update many Android devices. And in the US, the Federal Communications Commission asked carriers, manufacturers, Google and Apple how they could ensure quicker updates. It is only government action that will force Google to act. One cannot expect that in the US, given the cosy relationship that the company has with the Obama administration. It is noticeable that in Australia, the moment the goverment showed it was serious about collecting overdue tax from Google (among others), the company immediately restructured in order to ensure it paid more of its overdue tax bill. Google should not be treated as though it is some kind of benign behemoth. It should be put through the wringer and forced to bring some sanity to the Android ecosystem. Else, governments should threaten penalties. Ultimately, it is good for governments to realise that consumers, who also happen to be voters, are facing the impact of poor security practices. I met Jake Dyson last night eldest son of British inventor James Dyson and perhaps a modern take on his fathers pioneering footsteps. It hasnt been a hindrance going down the same path as my father. I find it easier to invent than replicate. The Dyson family have a motto There must be a better way to do it. They apply their unique style to solving issues that dogged vacuum cleaners, hair dryers, blade hand dryers, fans and so much more. Dyson make great, but expensive gear and have no apologies for the latter as quality is remembered long after price is forgotten. In fact, last night a few selected media had to sign a very strict non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to see some of Dysons new lighting technology to reduce the incidence of "it being copied in some third world" factory. So here is what I can tell you. Dyson has invented a new LED light system using heat tube technology. It forms the basis of a new range of its CSYS floor, desk clamp, and desktop lighting, and Cu-Beam, a special office system that replaces traditional fluorescent batten downlights with energy efficient and very cool looking fittings that can produce both up light and down light. And in true Dyson-esque style, they look great. CSYS task lighting Dyson said the first issue was that LED lights lost their "whiteness" too soon as they operate at up to 130 as that damages the phosphorous coating they produce worse quality over time. He invented a heat pipe technology essentially a vacuum copper tube that wicks away heat and brings the LED operating temperature down to 55. Add this to a specially designed light "head" mounted on a beautifully designed stand and cantilever system and you have something truly special. The eight-watt, 8 LEDs produce 560 lumens and are hidden in 60 conical cones that produce an even spread of light, so they are highly efficient without using diffusers. Using 3-Axis Glide motion, CSYS task lights adjust horizontally, vertically and rotationally with the touch of a fingertip it all looks a little like a modern crane! These uber desirable Desk/clamp lamps cost A$850, and the floor mount costs $1200. Cu-Beam - A new way to light the office or home. I am not sure how much I can say under the NDA but here goes sorry, first born! The larger Cu-Beam suspension light hangs from the ceiling and provides targeted down or up light. It produced a massive 5700 lumens from a LED about the size of a 10-cent piece. Turning it on without a heatsink would completely destroy it within two minutes, said Dyson. It also lasts at least 180,000 hours that is 20 years continuously on! Dyson said, Rather than a space lit with a grid of crisscrossing downlights and direct overhead lights the ideal lighting for any room is a combination of indirect lighting upward-firing lights, reflecting off a ceiling and distributing luminance evenly around a space and task lighting, focusing on the job at hand, whether thats a kitchen table or a sofa, or an office desk or a corporate boardroom table. The Cu-Beam up-light provides 7570-lumen ambient lighting for open spaces. Using a custom-engineered bubble optic lens, it casts a wide pool of light across the ceiling. This eliminates hot spots and creates soft, ambient light throughout the room. The Cu-Beam downlight provides 5120-lumen focused lighting for task surfaces. Using a custom-engineered lens and employing precisely calculated optical geometry, it takes a single light source and creates a targeted pyramid of light over a task area. What were trying to do its not about seeing the light, its about seeing pieces illuminated and seeing that wonderful contrast. But it requires re-thinking the mechanism of a task light and also providing very, very even illumination. And having that performance for a lifetime, he added. Cu-beam does not have a price yet and will be sold via architects and serious commercial lighting companies. My take, as one who has designed many offices over the past 40 years, is that this is a revolution in office lighting, it should reduce energy costs as well as total cost of ownership. And it looks great too. A survey of 4000 adults in the UK and the US has found that older people, the so-called baby boomers, are more inclined to use stronger passwords that cannot be cracked easily. The study, carried out by Gigya, a company that sells a customer identity management platform, found only 16% of the respondents bothered to set up a unique password for each of their online accounts. Among respondents aged 51-69, a total of 65% created five or more passwords across their online accounts. This dropped to 44% in the case of millennials, or respondents aged 18-34. The Gigya study found that 56% of those questioned used passwords they knew were insecure. These included passwords including their names or dates of birth. Once again, baby boomers were more cautious when it came to protecting their identities, with 53% saying they never created passwords that were easy to recall but insecure. Among the so-called generation X respondents, 42% said they were guilty of opting for passwords that were easily remembered but insecure while among the millennials the figure was 33%. Gigya pointed out that as identity fraud was costing Americans US$16 billion per year, consumers could be expected to be more careful in protecting their online bank accounts. But again, a quarter of all respondents in the survey said they did not bother to create more complicated passwords for accounts linked to financial information. The use of two-factor authentication, another safety mechanism for online transactions, was higher among the older respondents. The survey said baby boomers were nearly twice as likely as millennials to use this feature when using an online account. More than a quarter of the respondents said they had had an online account compromised in the past 12 months. For millennials, this was 35% which, Gigya said, could be tied to the failure of this group to set up secure passwords. By contrast, for baby boomers the figure was below 20%. Securing those 20 billion Internet of Things (IoT) devices is not as easy as running an anti-virus program on them. Many are legacy, purpose-built devices and lack of standards hamper attempts to secure them. Yet an IoT device consumer or commercial is a computer, it connects via the Internet to a cloud or network, it's capable of sending data and alerts and is potentially a prime attack vector for cyber criminals. The new dependence on the cloud has created critical security challenges: Securing the data stream from interception, alteration and theft as it is generated, collected and analysed Protecting IoT devices from potential use as attack vectors Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) resident IoT expert (South Pacifics head of enterprise security products) Shane Bellos has penned a really interesting article on IoT. In his opinion its the data integrity that matters especially where personally identifiable information is involved. Big data and IoT an ecosystem with expanded security risks Most big data projects include real-time analytics for operational insights, and centralised data acquisition or staging for other systems. These projects can include massive quantities of sensitive payment card, personally identifiable and protected health information (PCI, PII and PHI). These projects alone hold major risk and now, with the advent of IoT, sensor data from devices (like fitness trackers) adds to the sensitivity, risk factors and urgency. The risk of data breach is high. HPE Security research indicates that 70% of consumer IoT devices are vulnerable to attack, with an average of 25 vulnerabilities per IoT product analysed. The research covered a range of popular consumer IoT devices from manufacturers including televisions, webcams, remote power outlets, hubs for controlling multiple devices, door locks and alarms. All devices analysed had mobile applications which could be used to access or control the devices remotely, and a majority of devices included some form of cloud service. Attackers first build a network map laying to identify which systems are located where. Their goal is to set up mechanisms to acquire data over as long a run as possible and monetise it. When a business builds a big data environment, the target has already done a lot of work for the attacker. With big data, the enterprise has created a single collection location for the data assets the attackers are seeking. While perimeter security is important (secure the network at the edge), it is increasingly inadequate. On average it takes over 200 days before a data breach is detected and fixed, leaving the most sensitive data assets exposed while attackers funnel data out of their target, with the breach scale growing every day. With IoT connected devices, physical risk is added to the data breach risk. For example, there are Internet-connected devices that allow consumers to open and close the door to their homes from their cell phones. What prevents the attacker from doing the same thing to a business? Imagine an HVAC system (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning;), gas appliance or medical device. If an attacker can control these systems, it becomes an attack on the individual, where the attacker can sit anywhere in the world. This is why everyone needs to be concerned about security in the IoT age. With IoT devices there are multiple attack vectors such as impersonation of the device user, or of the service provider. These vectors can be protected against through the use of SSL technology, 2-factor authentication, and certificate pinning, so that SSL certificates only enable the device to connect to a server when the certificate matches certain criteria and can be trusted. IoT devices can be designed not to accept inbound connections directly, but rather to accept a request to call me now for connection to the genuine service provider. Device software security can be enabled through best practices in the application development process. Data-centric protection from the device to the big data platform To protect sensitive data assets whether in a business or at home, a new approach is needed one that actually protects the data itself. Consider the most advanced payment security technologies to protect credit card data. Strong encryption is implemented inside the card reader to protect data as it enters this hardened device and before it ever gets to the Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal. Data passed from the card reader to the POS terminal is thus not usable by attackers. A similar approach is needed in IoT. Since each device is different in terms of the data it collects and sends to the backend server, it is important to understand what data is sensitive. With that understanding, it is a best practice to use data-centric, field-level encryption to protect individual data fields. This should be done through a special form of encryption referred to as Format-Preserving Encryption (FPE), implemented throughout the ecosystem in the devices, the communications channels and the Big Data platform. FPE is proven and in the process of being recognised by key standards bodies such as NIST (publication SP800-38G). It is a form of AES encryption that has been in use for some time but unlike AES, which encrypts data into a large block of random numbers and letters, FPE encrypts the original value into something that looks like the original, so that, for example, a credit card number still looks like a credit card number. Sub-fields can be preserved so that the inherent value of this information can be maintained for analytical purposes. Analytics can almost always be done with the protected data, securing sensitive data from both insider risk and external attack. Encrypting the Internet of Things The Internet of Things, with double-digit growth and billions of devices, creates great new opportunities but also new levels of risk for companies and consumers alike. Traditional security measures alone are not enough. Enterprises implementing IoT strategies need to apply a data-centric security solution end-to-end from the big data platform to the IoT infrastructure. Using FPE to encrypt data values on a field level, from the device to the infrastructure and remote control element, removes risk and enables protection against remote takeover of an IoT device the biggest threat to IoT security. While Samsung reserves its Galaxy mantle for its flagship phones like the new Galaxy S7 and Edge, what happens to those Galaxys far, far, away? A lot of the technology trickles down to its mid and mass-market handsets like the Galaxy J2 that, at $199, has been called "the most affordable premium handset of 2016". Bang for buck that is not far off the mark. You get a 4G, Cat 4 LTE, Super AMOLED 4.7, 960 x 540, 234 ppi screen, quad core Exynos 3475 processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage and microSD support to 128GB, Wi-Fi N, FM Radio, GPS, Bluetooth 4.1, and a removable 2000 mAh battery with a 67-hour endurance rating. Even with the removable battery/back cover it is a svelte 136.5 x 69 x 8.4 mm and weights 129g. So its a Galaxy, but from not very far, far, far, away. In reality, it borrows a lot of the tech from the S4/5 series. In international markets it has become one of the best-selling value phones where the corners cut to meet a price dont really affect build quality or usability. Having an AMOLED screen at that price puts it ahead of the pack. It also uses the familiar TouchWiz user interface that is very good. My call in this end of the market a brand like Samsung adds significant value over the plethora of lower-cost handsets. Boost Mobile in Australia has the Galaxy J2 exclusively. Boost Mobile is an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) and includes: Great coverage 4G on the Telstra Mobile Network Big data Get up to 11GB of data Awesome value Pre-paid plans starting from $20 with 30-day expiry Freedom No lock in contracts Big weekends Extra data and 2 for 1 adventures on weekends Ian Blackhall, chief marketing officer at Boost Mobile, said, We know our customers are always looking to see how they can get more for less, so we cant wait to bring this new phone to our customers exclusively. It is available at Boost Mobile retailers and online. Major retailers include JB Hi-Fi, Big W and Target. The sun is a powerful source of energy. So powerful, in fact, that Damon McMillan is betting his boat can cross more than 2,000 miles of ocean using only its rays. McMillan is the captain of Seacharger, which is on a mission to become the first unmanned, autonomous boat to cross an ocean using only solar power. Its a project that McMillan and three of his friends have worked on for two and a half years, after being inspired by a robotic sailboat competition. Constructing the boat took a lot of trial and error, McMillan says, and at times it seemed an impossible task. If I had started believing that I had to get to the end tomorrow, I never would have continued. So its always just one step at a time, he said. Judging by the intricate design, its no wonder the craft took over two years to build. It's powered by two ultra-thin, 100-watt solar panels and a brushless motor. Batteries store any surplus power, so Seacharger can travel for up to three days without needing more sunlight. A satellite modem, an Arduino-based autopilot system, and some homegrown software help the boat stay on course. Martyn Williams The Seacharger on display at Maker Faire in San Mateo, California on May 20, 2016. McMillan plans to launch the boat from Avila Beach, midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, on May 30, Memorial Day. From there, Seacharger will travel southwest towards Hawaii, where McMillan hopes to retrieve it a month later. You can track the boats progress online at www.seacharger.com. Google is doubling down on its commitment to the business analytics market with the launch of a new free data visualization tool. The company has launched Data Studio, a free version of the data visualization tool it introduced as part of an analytics suite it unveiled earlier this year. It includes a wide variety of data connectors to let customers visualize data from Google AdWords, Google Sheets, and other Google products. It also integrates with BigQuery, and the company plans to launch a connector for SQL databases later this year. The product competes against Microsoft's Power BI data visualization suite, which has been one of that company's most-hyped products under the guidance of CEO Satya Nadella. As companies collect more and more data, tech firms want to provide them with a way to better understand it. Data Studio lets businesses take in information from a variety of sources and then compose it into reports that they can then share internally or externally to give viewers a better understanding of potentially complex raw data. Those reports can include graphs, charts, and heat maps, similar to other products. Businesses that want more premium features still have to purchase a subscription to Google's Data Studio 360 service, but this free tier will give companies a way to get a taste for the functionality that's available to them. The biggest difference between the two products is the number of reports users can create -- free customers are limited to only five while Data Studio 360 users will get an unlimited number. Data Studio 360 is only one part of the company's premium analytics offering, which also includes tools for A/B testing and audience targeting. This vendor-written tech primer has been edited by Network World to eliminate product promotion, but readers should note it will likely favor the submitters approach. Solid state drives (SSDs) can help IT managers maximize storage efficiency in a rapidly evolving data center environment. New technologies such as Vertical NAND (V-NAND), Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe), and PCI Express (PCIe) help SSDs deliver high bandwidth and low latency, while hard disk drives (HDDs) still offer efficient storage of large quantities of data with lower performance demands. The key to maximizing efficiency and savings is aligning performance and capacity to dollars spent. By combining SSDs and HDDs in the right mix, performance gains are possible while keeping costs under control. According to analyst firm IDC, about 90% of the worlds data is considered cold data, which means it is accessed infrequently after capture. The remaining 10% of the worlds data is hot, meaning it is captured and accessed frequently. Take Twitter for example; recent Tweets are pushed into feeds and liked, retweeted, or favorited becoming hot, while most Tweets older than a week cool down but are still searchable. It is needlessly expensive to store all data in high-performance, low-latency storage devices, hence the use of tiered storage architectures, where each class of storage provides unique performance qualities that are best-suited to the data in that tier: CPU cache and in-memory processing form the hottest tier, with small amounts of data in flight. A hot tier handles data spilled from memory to storage, supporting high-performance writes. PCIe NVMe SSDs offer unprecedented transactional speeds and write endurance necessary for these demands. A warm tier with increased data capacity uses 2-bit and 3-bit MLC Serial ATA (SATA) SSDs as they still offer solid transactional performance and endurance with lower cost per gigabyte. A cold tier archives the bulk of the data in HDDs at the lowest cost per gigabyte. Data should flow naturally from the hot to warm tiers and eventually to the cold tier. Should archival data suddenly find itself in higher demand, it can be migrated back to the warm or hot tier for processing. This approach allows each tier to be fully optimized around the right technologies, increasing overall data center performance without driving unnecessary costs. Better SSDs with V-NAND technology When it comes to NAND flash technology, it is important to understand the evolution of NAND and the performance, endurance, and cost differences between versions. For years, NAND flash advances made it possible to pack more and more bits into each cell. But at some point NAND flash cells became so tightly packed they actually interfered with each other, reducing reliability. Smaller cells also became more susceptible to wear, and NAND flash endurance began to reach a limit. With V-NAND technology, cell towers are created by stacking multiple layers, with scaling shifted from 2D to 3D. Rather than making cells smaller as in 2D NAND, V-NAND features relaxed intercell dimensions while still achieving significantly higher capacities with stacking. The result is that V-NAND delivers improved performance and endurance over planar NAND. The V-NAND technology also enables increased performance and endurance in data centers. Benefiting from a larger cell geometry lowers the Error Correction requirements seen in the smaller Planar NAND geometries. This means that V-NAND SSDs operate with less energy than traditional planar NAND SSD, and far less energy than HDDs with spinning motors. Faster V-NAND flash also allows SSDs to take full advantage of faster interfaces. V-NAND based SSDs are also deliver higher endurance due to the reduced ECC requirements and lower energy consumption. Depending on the application, the benefits can range from more users able to access data on the same network, improved response times for data analytics, or increased drive-writes on the SSD storage space. Improve speed and performance with PCIe and NVMe While huge strides have been made to improve NAND structure for better endurance, capturing the full performance gains requires improvements to the software interface connecting the SSD to the computer. Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) and PCI Express (PCIe) SSD technologies are transforming the speed and performance of data centers. With the PCIe interface and NVMe protocol, storage subsystems deliver higher bandwidth, lower latency, and avoid performance bottlenecks, all of which drive high-caliber data center performance. The switch from SATA or SAS to a PCIe interface provides data centers substantially more bandwidth than was ever possible with the earlier generation SATA interface. PCIe SSDs can be connected directly to the CPU without Host Bus Adapters, further reducing latency. In addition to the electrical interface, operating systems also need an improved software interface for higher storage performance. Historically, SSDs and HDDs used Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI), which posed a bottleneck effect for SSDs since it was originally designed for high latency HDDs on SATA interface. The AHCI stack adds additional translation layers and, based on its design, can only support one queue with up to 32 outstanding commands. By the nature of the technology, SSDs are inherently capable of much higher transfer speeds at lower latencies, but without an optimized software interface they can not reach their full potential. The road there has been bumpy, and is finally starting to smooth out. Prior to any standard approach, SSD vendors incorporating PCIe interfaces had to write a proprietary driver for improved performance. NVMe emerged as a new specification, using a simplified, low latency stack between the application and SSD to reduce I/O overhead and provide higher performance and improved efficiency. Where AHCI supports one queue and 32 commands, NVMe includes a vastly improved queueing system with support for thousands of queues, each allowing for up to 65,536 outstanding commands. The transition to NVMe and PCIe SSDs contributes to improved random and sequential performance compared to SATA interface SSDs using the AHCI protocol. Data centers that benefit from high transactional input/output operations per second (IOPS) will experience up to four times faster performance with these new and improved technologies. Now, data centers can maximize speed and improve performance using PCIe and NVMe SSDs, particularly in hot tiers with more frequently accessed data. Handling the most intense transactions At the single drive level, bringing in V-NAND SSDs with PCIe interfaces and NVMe drivers can substantially boost transactional speeds at critical points in a data center. With data increasing exponentially, understanding what data is hot and what is cold becomes important to devising an architecture to handle it cost effectively. A tiered storage approach uses technology most cost effectively. In most data centers, the cold tier with HDDs already exists, and a warm tier of mid-range SSDs may be informally in place. Adding a hot tier with high-performance, high-endurance SSDs and focusing the most intense transactions there can take data center performance to new levels without breaking the bank. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. Get unlimited access to all content and features at ivpressonline.com with our Full Online Access Subscription. Read our E-Edition, the digital replica of the print newspaper online, access content in exclusive sections including Family, Teen, Business, Databases, Farm and more. This option does not include daily home delivery of the Imperial Valley Press newspaper. For home delivery service, please select Premium or Premium Plus. Library bond unanimously approved Voters waited in line for 45 minutes Tuesday to participate in an eight-minute meeting that resulted in the unanimous approval of a $600,000 bond to help renovate the North Road... Ferryboat business told to halt operations The ferryboat company operating from the municipally owned docks at East Ferry is illegally using that space, according to correspondence mailed to business owner Bill Munger. Town Administrator Jamie Hainsworth... A DOGGONE NEW BUSINESS A former business that used to clean peoples clothes is reopening as a groomer to tidy up the fur of those peoples four-legged companions. The defunct laundromat at the McQuades... Fresh updates regarding Verizon strike 2016 indicated that desperation has taken its toll for the tech firm. Also, to counter the shortage of workers, Verizon enlists the aid of scabs amidst the ongoing labor strike crisis. Telecom giant Verizon has put out an urgent call for temporary employees as the company's bitter feud with thousands of striking workers enters its seventh week and just last month, some 40,000 Verizon technicians and service employees walked off the job after a year of labor negotiations failed to produce a new contract, reports Motherboard. Thank you Congressman @RepMarkTakano for joining us on the #VerizonStrike picket line this morning in DC! pic.twitter.com/5Z6xa0A8xx CWA (@CWAUnion) May 25, 2016 The workers, who are represented by the Communications Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, argue that Verizon wants to freeze pensions, slash benefits, and outsource jobs to Mexico and the Philippines but the unions also say that the company has refused to negotiate improvements to wages, benefits and working conditions for a group of Verizon Wireless workers who joined CWA in 2014, as reported by the same post. Talking with the great Tony Ross from CWA Local 2336. Stand up for Verizon workers! #verizonstrike pic.twitter.com/XAw3QzARnu Rep. Keith Ellison (@keithellison) May 25, 2016 After the heated negotiations, the workers picketed against Verizon but the company remained firm on their actions and implied that the company can function without the employees on board. To prove the latter, Verizon had "trained thousands of non-union Verizon employees to carry out virtually every job function handled by our represented workforce-from making repairs on poles to responding to inquiries in our call centers." The strike led to the involvement of various sectors. It has even gotten the White House and the congress involved. A former post from Jobs & Hire has revealed that Verizon strike has been foreseen to finally come to an end or so it says and with the talks underway, many are thinking on whether the rift and division will finally settle and ultimately find a resolution in Washington. The move by Verizon is a direct indicator that the company is in utilizing desperate measures. It is made evident by the company enlisting temporary workers to meet the demands on operations. This is one of the longest and biggest strikes in the United States and it has already entered its second month. Verizon Communications Inc. Has announced that the continuing protest against the company could possibly impact it's second quarter financial results. The company's Chief Executive Officer, Lowell McAdam, revealed that the on-going strike involving over 40,000 union represented workers is slowly killing the second quarter financial results. Reuters has it that among those who have walked off during the day, back in April, were network technicians and customer service representatives of the company's Fios segment. Fios lines of businesses include Internet, telephone and television services. Because of the lack of support, the company has pushed off its new Fios service installations. The strike has crippled the company's ability to carry the order volume. "We're doing a lot of installations but we're not doing the same volume that we had before," Lowell explained. "So we won't be driving similar numbers in second quarter that we would in first from an installation perspective." CRN details that Verizon has decided to stall its new services. The Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers is still undergoing negotiations with the executive leaders of Verizon but there is no word yet if their negotiations have come to a final decision. After being prompted by the Obama administration to put an end to the strike, both sides promised to continue with their discussions. Verizon Communications and representatives from the two striking unions are in contract discussions with the help of the U.S. Department of Labor. The company fears that if it the strike continues for a longer period of time, their financial results won't look as optimistic. The discussion points tabled include job relocations, offshoring call-center jobs, pensions and healthcare coverage. Email Links to our top local news stories of the day, Monday through Saturday. SHARE By Omaha, Neb. Cabela's said it plans to outsource the design work for its catalog and advertising to Sussex-based Quad/Graphics Inc. Cabela's spokesman Nathan Borowski said Thursday the company decided last fall to move its design work over to Quad/Graphics before it began evaluating its strategic options in December. Activist investor Elliott Management has urged Cabela's to consider selling its credit card unit or possibly the entire company. Elliott owns 7.4% of Cabela's shares and holds options to buy another 3.8%. Cabela's strategic review is still ongoing, Borowski said. The company hasn't announced any major decisions since that review was announced. Cabela's decisions are being watched closely in its hometown of Sidney, Neb. The company employs about 2,000 people in the western Nebraska town of about 7,000. It's not yet clear how many Cabela's jobs will be eliminated by the move, Borowski said. Quad/Graphics plans to open an office in Sidney by August and hire qualified Cabela's employees for the jobs. Cabela's CEO Tommy Millner said Quad/Graphics has an impressive history of innovation and success. Quad/Graphics has worked with Cabela's for more than 25 years to print and help distribute the catalogs. Joel Quadracci, Quad/Graphics' chairman, president and CEO, said he is confident his company can help make Cabela's marketing more effective and efficient. The company already does similar design work for 20 other retailers. Cabela's was founded in 1961 when Dick Cabela started selling fishing flies through the mail from his kitchen table with his wife, Mary, and brother, Jim. The company is known for its elaborate in-store wildlife displays. SHARE By of the Concluding that federal court in New York not Milwaukee is the best place to resolve a dispute between Glendale's Guaranty Bank and the Wall Street firm Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., a U.S. judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed here by the bank. Judge Pamela Pepper of the Eastern District of Wisconsin U.S. Court ruled the Southern District of New York, where other cases involving Lehman's bankruptcy are consolidated, is the appropriate venue to decide issues like those raised by Guaranty and might be able do so more quickly than if the case stayed in Milwaukee. Peppers' decision means Guaranty would have to go to court in New York to fight Lehman's claim that the bank owes it $26.4 million for allegedly selling it defective mortgages during the housing bubble. Doug Levy, president of Guaranty, said Thursday he cannot comment because the matter is in court. Guaranty, which filed in Milwaukee against Lehman a year ago, contends that under terms of a previous settlement with Lehman, the Wall Street firm isn't justified in seeking that large of an amount. Guaranty said it had a deal with Lehman going back to a 2010 case in which Lehman sued Guaranty and demanded the bank pay for loans it sold Lehman that allegedly breached loan purchase agreements. Guaranty argued that under settlement terms in that case, Lehman is limited to asking for repayment of what Lehman has distributed to creditors, not the full $26.4 million in Guaranty mortgages that Lehman sold to third parties. Guaranty said Lehman was seeking an "amount substantially in excess of Guaranty's maximum liability." Guaranty also asked the Wisconsin judge to decide whether the statute of limitations had expired on Lehman's claims because the bank's last loan sale to Lehman occurred in 2007. Lehman argued that Guaranty was "forum shopping" by filing its lawsuit in Milwaukee, and that the appropriate place for the case was in New York. Lehman said officials overseeing the massive Lehman bankruptcy are familiar with arguments like Guaranty's, and that Guaranty already has been named in court there by Lehman. Without commenting on the merits of Guaranty's arguments, Pepper sided with Lehman on the venue, noting that the bankruptcy court in New York was in the best position to handle the case. According to a court document, Pepper told Guaranty she "understood why the plaintiff would be leery of entering the New York fray," but said the judge there Judge Shelley C. Chapman was uniquely suited to decide Guaranty's claims because of her long-standing familiarity with Lehman's bankruptcy. An attorney for Lehman said he could not comment on the case. Guaranty was among banks hit hard in the Great Recession and housing crisis. It had a loss of $4.1 million in its fiscal year 2015, which ended in September. The bank lost $878,000 in the quarter ended March 31 of this year, according to data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Guaranty's capital levels, which are a measure of a bank's strength and a cushion against loans that go bad, are lower than demanded by regulators, and the bank remains under regulatory pressure to improve its financial condition. Rap superstar Lil Wayne is one of the biggest acts playing Milwaukee during an incredibly busy concert season this summer. Credit: Michael Tullberg By of the Every Thursday at 8 a.m. on WYMS-FM (88.9), 88Nine Radio Milwaukee program director Jordan Lee and I talk about shows to see, local music you'll love and more on "TAP'd In." But in case you missed it on air, you can hear the latest episode below. It's a crazy busy week for concert reviews, between John Fogerty Sunday, the 1975 Tuesday, and Beyonce at Soldier Field in Chicago Friday. And it's just the beginning of a jam-packed summer concert season. And that's excluding Summerfest. Beyond the Big Gig we'll have big acts in the area like Lil Wayne with Jeezy (June 12, UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena); Blondie (June 12, Pridefest); Kenny Chesney with Miranda Lambert and Little Big Town (June 18, Miller Park); and Dead & Company with three former Grateful Dead members and John Mayer (July 9 and 10, Alpine Valley Music Theatre). Jordan and I talk about these four shows in our summer concerts preview this week, and I have a full concert guide up today at jsonline.com/music. Jordan and I also go over some concert highlights starring local musicians, including Gloss Weekend Friday through Sunday, celebrating the Milwaukee DIY label; a farewell show from guitar duo Sara and Kenny; and the Burnhearts Pabst Street Party on July 2. Five stats that say the Brewers will be better in 2023 (and five that say they won't) SHARE Joshua Larson, Milwaukee firefighter, was charged Thursday with two counts of intoxicated use of a vehicle. By of the A Milwaukee firefighter was driving more than 70mph last month when he struck a minivan on a West Allis street, killing the driver and a passenger, according to drunken driving homicide charges filed Thursday. Joshua Larson, 31, faces two counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and two counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle with a prohibited blood-alcohol concentration. He remains on paid suspension pending an internal investigation, according to the Milwaukee Fire Department. He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance June1. According to the criminal complaint: Larson and his passengers in a Ford F-350 Super Duty pickup were speeding south on S. 60th St. after attending the Milwaukee Brewers opening day game on April 4. He struck a minivan pulling out of Johnson Controls, 801 S. 60th St., and then hit a northbound Mazda. The collision occurred just south of the Hank Aaron Trail overpass. The crash killed Yoruba E. Sly Lundasi, 64, of Milwaukee and Wendell K. Johnson, 38, of Chicago, who were in the minivan. Lundasi was driving the minivan for Uber, a ride-sharing service, and Johnson, a consultant with KPMG who was working at Johnson Controls, was his passenger. Both died at the scene from massive internal injuries, according to the complaint's description of autopsy reports. According to the criminal complaint, witnesses said Larson appeared to be racing south on 60th against another pickup truck, and investigators estimated Larson's truck was going about 70 mph shortly before braking to 54 mph at the point of impact. Larson cut Lundasi from his seat belt and attempted to give him aid at the scene until other emergency personnel arrived. Larson, who police said had an odor of alcohol, slightly slurred speech and glassy eyes, told police he had consumed four cans of Coors Light at the baseball game, and estimated he was going about 35 mph down S. 60th St. He failed some field sobriety tests, and a preliminary breath test showed his blood-alcohol concentration to be 0.164, more than twice the legal limit, and he was arrested by West Allis police. A later blood test showed a blood-alcohol level of 0.172. Larson was booked into jail on April 5 and released three days later with approval from prosecutors, according to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office. Records show Larson has not been the subject of any disciplinary decisions before the city's Fire and Police Commission. Among other duties, the civilian commission is responsible for hearing disciplinary appeals for suspensions for five days or longer, demotions or terminations. An open records request for his Fire Department personnel file has been denied while the internal investigation is ongoing. His attorney has said Larson has "spent his entire adult life saving lives" and was very upset about the crash. Larson has a prior misdemeanor conviction in Langlade County for possessing a firearm while intoxicated. He was fined $100 and ordered to forfeit his firearm in 2015, according to online court records. SHARE By of the Dustin Diamond, the "Screech" actor-turned-Port Washington resident, is back in the Ozaukee County Jail on a probation hold, less than two months after serving three months for a Christmas 2014 bar stabbing. The Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office, in a news release Thursday morning, provided little additional info other than that he was booked into the jail at 2:57 p.m. Wednesday. He was arrested by Saukville police, a spokesman for the Wisconsin Department of Corrections said without elaborating. Saukville Police Lt. Robert Meyer confirmed that a corrections official requested the Saukville department's assistance around 2:30 p.m. in taking Diamond into custody and transporting him to the jail, but Saukville police are not part of the investigation. I know the universe is waiting for the latest Screech update, so ... Saukville PD just the agency that took him to jail, not investigating. David Paulsen (@thisispaulsen) May 26, 2016 Diamond's attorney, Thomas Alberti, when reached Thursday morning by email, had no information to provide. Diamond, best known for his role as Screech in the 1990s TV sitcom "Saved by the Bell," was found guilty in May 2015 of two misdemeanors carrying a concealed weapon and disorderly conduct with a concealed weapon in connection with the stabbing during a brawl at the Grand Avenue Saloon in Port Washington. He was sentenced to 120 days in jail and 15 months of probation but we released from jail in April a month early for helping with jail cleanup work. Diamond earned 30 days of "good time," or one day for every 24 hours worked, the Sheriff's Office said at the time in a news release. Diamond's fiancee, Amanda Schutz, also was found guilty of disorderly conduct in the 2014 bar incident and fined $500. The couple were ordered to pay $1,501 in restitution to the victim. Then Wednesday night, news broke that Diamond was back in a jail, this time on a probation hold. Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office, in an update posted Thursday morning on its Facebook page, made reference to the intense national media attention Diamond's case has received. When one Facebook user asks, "Who cares?" the office responds: "This post was mainly intended for the nation-wide media that has been calling us continuously since the moment he was booked in. We understand the locals are over this story... but this is our best attempt to slow the barrage of media inquiries. Thanks!!" Surrounded by friends and family, Destiny Boone (center) signs her daughters casket at the funeral in Graceland Cemetery for Zalayia Jenkins, the 9-year-old girl who was struck by a stray bullet while watching TV in her home. Credit: Mike De Sisti By of the A horse-drawn carriage pulled Za'layia Jenkins to her final resting place. She was 9. Before the white horses began their solemn walk to Graceland Cemetery on Thursday, hundreds of mourners filled the sanctuary at Holy Redeemer Church of God in Christ in Milwaukee. Purple and white flowers surrounded Za'layia's casket. Her family wore the same colors shirts, jackets, ribbons, ties, all purple and white. Her mother, Destiny Boone, sat close, in the front pew. Three weeks earlier, Za'layia was watching TV when she was struck by stray gunfire. Police say two groups armed with rifles and handguns were responsible for the bullets that tore through her home near W. Meinecke Ave. and N. 15th St. on May 5. Officers recovered more than 40 shell casings. The Hi-Mount Elementary School student clung to life for nearly two weeks before she was pronounced dead on May 16 one day before her 10th birthday. On the same day as her funeral, Milwaukee police announced they were talking with a "person of interest" in the case, but officials cautioned that detectives had yet to determine if the person was in fact connected to her death. "Damn cowards," John Jones said of the killers, as he stood outside the church. Jones, 31, a cousin, said Za'layia was like a daughter to him. Za'layia loved to dance, rap, draw and play with her siblings, cousins and friends. She listened when her mother bent down to tell her she loved her, that she was smart and beautiful and didn't need to worry about what other kids said or did, her first-grade teacher recalled. "I remember thinking how lucky this little girl was to have a mother who loved her so much," said Wendy Landvatter, addressing the filled church. Weeks before the shooting, the teacher had lunch with her former pupil and remembers being "so impressed with the little lady she had become." They hoped to make plans for another lunch, she said, but instead the next time she saw Za'layia was in the hospital. Landvatter read Dr. Seuss books to her. During Wednesday's service, Hi-Mount Principal Jacqueline Richardson offered a proclamation on behalf of the school. Officiant Tony Paige offered words of comfort during his eulogy. "Grief is something that happens to all of us when we lose someone very, very close to us," he said. "As Christians, we believe that we can find comfort in the word of God. We're not alone." And state Rep. LaTonya Johnson (D-Milwaukee) offered an apology. "On behalf of the state of Wisconsin, I apologize," she said. "I apologize because we've been here too many times. As elected officials, we haven't done enough." But they will continue trying and fighting "as hard as we can," she added. "You shouldn't have to risk the safety of your children to call Milwaukee home." Mike De Sisti of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report. Editor's note: Za'layia's mother gave permission for a Journal Sentinel reporter to observe the service. Cameras were not permitted inside the church. Reward offered A $40,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in this case. Anyone with information is asked to call Milwaukee police at (414) 935-7360 or 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324). SHARE Za'layia Jenkins, 9, was shot in the face by a stray bullet on May 5 while inside her home in the 1500 block of W. Meinecke Ave. Za'layia was pronounced dead on May 16. Family photo Milwaukee police announced Thursday they are talking with a "person of interest" about the shooting death of 9-year-old Za'layia Jenkins. The brief news update indicates that detectives have yet to determine if the person is in fact connected to the girl's death. Za'layia was watching TV when she was struck by stray gunfire that tore through a home in the 1500 block of W. Meinecke Ave. shortly before 8:30 p.m. May 5. The Hi-Mount Elementary School student clung to life for nearly two weeks before she was pronounced dead at 5 p.m. May 16 at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Wauwatosa. Police and the FBI have offered a $40,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the people responsible for Za'layia's death. SHARE By of the Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele and the County Board have reached a compromise on creating an Office on African-American Affairs as an independent department rather than a unit within the administration reporting to the executive. The administration soon will begin a nationwide search for an office director, officials said Thursday. Even so, the board has not released $300,000 in office operating funds included in the 2016 budget. On a unanimous 18-0 vote Thursday, the board adopted a resolution by Supervisor Michael Mayo Sr. urging Abele to establish an independent office to resolve racial inequities in education, housing, jobs, health and imprisonment. Supervisor James Schmitt said the office "should have an independent voice." If the office was not independent, "the board would get no oversight over who the director is," Supervisor Supreme Moore Omokunde said. By creating a separate department, the County Board would have authority to confirm or reject Abele's appointment of the office's director. Mayo's resolution would make release of the $300,000 contingent on Abele appointing a director for board confirmation. "At the board's suggestion, I am creating the Office on African-American Affairs as a new and distinct department within county government in order to emphasize the importance of the office and its mission," Abele said Thursday in a statement. "Once supervisors vote to release funding for the Office on African-American Affairs, we can hire staff," Abele said. The board in November unanimously endorsed establishing the office but does not have authority to create a department. Although Abele has said reducing racial disparities in the county will be the top priority for his second term in office, he had pushed until this week to keep the office solely within executive control. Then the executive personally could be held accountable for performance of the office, Abele has said. After the board's Finance Committee on May 19 unanimously approved the Mayo resolution, there appeared to be a showdown over how to jump start the office. Abele's stance changed Tuesday with a proposed resolution to release the funds and create an independent office. But County Board Chairman Theodore Lipscomb Sr. decided Tuesday that he would not schedule a special Finance Committee meeting Thursday morning to act on Abele's resolution immediately before the board meeting. Lipscomb said Thursday that Abele's proposal came too late in the week and there would not have been sufficient time to review the resolution and schedule a special meeting prior to a deadline for providing public notice. He urged Abele to sign the board-approved resolution, create the department and submit an appointment for confirmation. In other action Thursday, the board: Accepted a report without discussion of a projected transit deficit of $2 million this year. Lost revenue from declining ridership and the popularity of a board-approved free ride pass for residents 65 years or older and those with disabilities are primarily responsible for the projected deficit, according to the report. The board accepted a report without discussion of a projected revenue deficit of $270,000 this year at the Mitchell Park Conservatory due to the temporary closing of the Show, Desert and Tropical domes. The Domes closed in early February to protect public safety. The Show Dome reopened April 29 after installation of a stainless steel mesh lining to catch pieces of concrete flaking off its internal frame. The other two domes remain closed pending lining installation. The Natural Resources Board approved a deal to pay $3.5 million for an easement on 7,090 acres. Credit: Coldsnap Photography SHARE By of the The state Department of Natural Resources is adding more than 7,000 acres to its holdings in northwestern Wisconsin after a state board approved funding on Wednesday for an easement on forest land in Douglas County. The Natural Resources Board approved a deal to pay $3.5 million for an easement on 7,090 acres land that will be added to the Brule-St. Croix Legacy Forest, the state's largest land conservation project. The forest consists of 65,867 acres in four northern Wisconsin counties and now will grow to nearly 73,000 acres. The state is purchasing the easement from Lyme Timber Co. of Hanover, N.H. According to state officials, the transaction provides assurance the land will be logged sustainably by Lyme but also remain open for recreation. SHARE By It's every parent's greatest nightmare: losing a child. When my son Brian lost his battle with addiction four years ago, I experienced the same devastation and heartache that tens of thousands of families face when they lose a loved one to abuse of prescription painkillers or heroin, both of which are in a class of drugs called opioids. It is life-shattering. Addiction to these drugs is now a national crisis, surpassing car accidents as the No. 1 cause of accidental death in our country. More than 30,000 of our loved ones will die this year from an overdose of opioids. Right here in Wisconsin, 630 people died from an opioid painkiller or heroin overdose in 2014 almost two a day. But these aren't just numbers. They are our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, friends and neighbors. I am heartened to see this public health crisis finally getting the federal attention it deserves. President Barack Obama has made it one of his top priorities. The CDC and FDA have taken action to encourage alternative treatments to pain. And now Congress is on the verge of enacting the first major federal law to address the epidemic. The House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate both passed opioid bills over the past several weeks. Both contain good ideas. Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) has been a staunch leader on this issue, and I am deeply grateful to him for his efforts. But I am asking him and his colleagues for more. Because we as parents deserve more. The final bill must include a clause that restricts federal grants to states that require doctors to use their state-run prescription database to check a patient's prescription history, and share prescribing information with prescribers in other states. The Senate's bill includes this clause, but the House version does not. This will save thousands of lives but only if lawmakers such as Sensenbrenner use their influence to include it in the final law. These databases, called Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs), help doctors spot early signs of addiction, such as requesting drugs from multiple doctors. They also prevent doctors from prescribing a drug that could be lethal in combination with another drug the patient is taking. For example, using an opioid like Vicodin along with a sedative like Xanax quadruples the risk of overdose. These PDMPs exist in 49 states. But only eight including Wisconsin, thanks to the leadership of state Rep. John Nygren require their use. Where PDMP use is voluntary, studies show they rarely get used. Tying federal grants to this requirement will make the difference in the life or death of so many. If the final law does not include this provision, then doctors in Wisconsin will not know what a patient has been prescribed in another state whether away at college, just moving here or simply doctor shopping across state lines. Sensenbrenner will be serving on the House-Senate conference committee that combines the two bills into a final law. He has done so much for this cause already, but I sincerely hope he will use his influence to ensure the PDMP provision is included before it goes to the president's desk for signature. Because without it, your son or daughter could be next. This disease can and does hit anyone. I know this better than anyone. Brian died in 2011. He was just 25 years old. I often think of the last time he came home to visit. That night, we were sitting on the back porch talking about the Giants and the Mets. Our conversation turned to addiction. He turned to me and said, "Dad, some day people will realize that I'm not a bad kid. I just have a disease and I am trying my hardest." I have made it my life's mission for "some day" to be now. We must find solutions that will save other parents from the suffering my wife and I had to endure. It's clear that PDMPs should be part of that solution. They could save thousands of lives from being shattered. Gary Mendell is founder and CEO of Shatterproof, a national nonprofit devoted to reducing the devastation to our families caused by the addiction to prescription drugs, illicit drugs and alcohol. SHARE Regulating guns The Second Amendment clearly states its purpose as being for "a well regulated militia." When there are straw buys, drive-bys, suicides and homicides, guns are not well-regulated enough. Gun owners should come to a range monthly and fire their gun witnessed by a sheriff's official and a National Rifle Association member. The NRA should keep gun ownership records and provide them to police authorities with a court order. If the gun owner is woozy from a bump on the head going up the attic stairs, or from chronic drug use, etc., then medical exam and removal of guns should occur if the owner is determined mentally impaired. Disqualifiers should also include outstanding warrants, restraining orders, physical impairment, depression and others. Screening roadblocks should be employed by duly authorized regulating officials, such as are used to screen for impaired drivers, with NRA observers all recorded. If strict no-excuses voter ID can be used to disenfranchise "no taxation without representation," shutting out taxpayers in the electoral process by which those imposing taxes are chosen, a legal principle going back before our Constitution, then strict imposition of well-regulated gun use, so as to approach quality standards reached by industry, and as provided for in the Second Amendment, is correct (and so the Supreme Court should decide). G.F. Bird Milwaukee Learn English As an almost lifelong Milwaukee south side resident, I have to weigh in on the Leon's Frozen Custard controversy. Leon's has long been a source of enjoyment and even a kind of unofficial landmark that's been visited by locals, entertainers, politicians and more. The owner's policy about speaking English is nothing new. It was brought to everyone's attention when one customer was insulted and felt the need to take it to the media. The poor owner of Leon's has suffered more negative attention and controversy than he deserves. When many of our Milwaukee European ancestors immigrated here, there was no push for Polish, German or any other languages. They came here and learned the national language of their new chosen country. Not only did they do that, but they helped to build some of the finest churches that grace our city St. Josaphat's Basilica and St. Adalbert's are just two I know of personally that were built in the spare time of Polish immigrants. My point is they were happy to be here and gave back to their locale and acclimated themselves to be Americans. I say shame on you to the customer who pulled the race card; your time may be better spent in an ESL (English as Second Language) class. Denise Sokolowski Milwaukee Smoking at gas stations Many people believe that it's OK to light up or have a lit cigarette around the gas station when people are filling their vehicles with gas. I have seen it time and time again. They just don't care. I had a woman empty her garbage container with a lit cigarette in her mouth while I was pumping gas. There was a time a guy was sitting on his motorcycle lighting up a cigarette after he was done filling his bike. If you say something because you have your wife and children in the car and they tell you not to worry about it, it's none of your business. I have called corporate offices of gas companies, and all they do is warn the owners that there was a problem with their station. The smoking problem also is with employees who do the same. A law should be passed to protect the public's safety. The state made it a law not to smoke in public places like bars, restaurants, malls, etc., why not gas stations? John E. Thoennes Waterford SHARE Women and IDs I recently called the Department of Motor Vehicles in regard to obtaining a Wisconsin ID and was told what documentation I would need. This included all name changes that are different from the name on my birth certificate. I have a driver's license, but thought for the future, I would apply for the ID. Having been married twice I needed my first marriage certificate, my divorce record and my second marriage certificate. Having married the second time out of state, it was more difficult. After much searching on the Internet, telephoning and letter writing, I received information on what I needed to do, including checks to pay for the paperwork. However, in some instances, I received the incorrect information and had to send a second request. I wonder if some woman who does not have a computer or the education to know how to accomplish this would be able to gather this information. I believe the National Organization for Women and the League of Women Voters should file suit against the state of Wisconsin on this issue. This part of the law applies mostly to women, as they are the ones who have this name problem. Dorothy J. Andrews Grafton Voter photo ID needed Why do so many other states think it necessary to have photo ID for voting? And why is it an acceptable idea for most of us? Columnist Ernst-Ulrich Franzen, the Journal Sentinel Editorial Board and a minority of others are dead set against it ("Photo ID card easy but," May 23). The rest of us think it is important to keep voting as pure as we possibly can. All people need some kind of ID for almost everything else how can someone go without ID? The answer: One can't. We need proper, government-issued, photo IDs with signature for dozens of things. Why shouldn't voting be one of those things? It is only political because the Journal Sentinel has twisted it that way. In Wisconsin, we've had this ridiculous same-day voter registration for years. Well, guess what, picture ID makes that even more possible and easier than ever before. Jeff Fuller Brookfield No choice on young criminals Reader Marian Speerless bemoans the recidivism rate at Lincoln Hills and believes Wisconsin should adopt a liberal feel-good program called "Real Alternative Project" (RAP) ("Give RAP a try," Letters, May 20). Instead of incarcerating youths, RAP is supposed to turn their lives around by among other things "helping kids acquire job skills while going to school part time and summer employment." Really? The fact is, Lincoln Hills is full of violent, young criminals. These young criminals may never have been taught a work ethic or the value of education and apparently quickly learned the ways of the street hustle. This lack of proper parental nurturing rarely can be reversed. RAP is simply a pipe dream. Speerless claims to have taught at Ethan Allen Correctional Facility before it closed and states that locking up the youths does no good. Speerless couldn't be more wrong. Locking up violent youths actually does society a lot of good, since they are not out on the street in a position to be sticking a gun in a motorists face as they demand their car, or engaging in street gun battles that put innocent citizens in the cross-fire. If these dysfunctional youths are not properly nurtured and taught how to be a productive, legitimately employed citizen on the front end, society has no choice but to warehouse them on the back end. Neil Saari Menomonee Falls Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (left) on Thursday unveiled a package of bills to tackle government waste. He is being challenged in his re-election bid by Democrat Russ Feingold. Credit: AP SHARE By of the From streamlining the sale of federal property to making permanent a ban on federally funded oil portraits, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson introduced a legislative package Thursday to take on government waste, fraud and abuse. The bill is called the BADGER Washington Act, or, more formally, the Bolster Accountability to Drive Government Efficiency and Reform Washington Act. The package includes 19 bipartisan bills that have been voted out of the committee Johnson chairs, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Johnson, a Republican from Oshkosh, is in a tough re-election fight against former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, a Democrat. During the campaign, Johnson has stressed his role as a fiscal conservative taking on big-government spending. But he has also been eager to tell voters that he has tried to work in a bipartisan fashion on the committee he leads. "I want to ensure that all the important work this committee has done to reduce wasteful spending and to make the federal government more efficient and effective for the American people does not fall by the wayside," Johnson said in a statement. "We may disagree on the proper size of the federal government, but we all agree that what government we have must be more efficient, effective and accountable." Johnson said committee members have been working for "years to try to pass some of these reforms, only to be blocked by the undisclosed concerns of one or two dissenters. It's time these bipartisan, common-sense proposals get a public discussion and a vote." Among the provisions, the bill would improve federal property management and establish a board to reduce the size of the government's property inventory. The Office of Management and Budget would be required to create a complete list of federal programs, while agencies would be aided to coordinate and address duplicative programs. There are also expanded whistleblower protections for employees and strengthened independence for inspectors general. To cut wasteful spending, the bill would stop improper payments to deceased people by expanding agency access to the death master file maintained by the Social Security Administration and prohibit bonuses to federal employees who have engaged in misconduct. In a small yet symbolic move, the bill would make permanent a ban on taxpayer-funded oil paintings of government officials, including the president and members of Congress. The prohibition was initially put in the 2014 spending bill and provides a cost savings of around $500,000 annually. Feingold spokesman Michael Tyler said: "If Senator Johnson actually listened to Wisconsinites, he'd know that they want a leader who protects taxpayer dollars in a way that prioritizes their needs over those of corporate interests. You can't just do your job (only) when your re-election is on the line; the people of Wisconsin are smarter than that." Meanwhile Thursday, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has asked his backers to support Feingold's Senate bid. Feingold has not endorsed Sanders or former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and refused to say who he voted for in Wisconsin's April primary. Feingold has said he will back whoever is nominated. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Reddit Email 0 Shares By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani on Wednesday called on both regular Iraqi army forces and the popular mobilization units (Shiite militias) to avoid killing innocent noncombatants as they close in on Fallujah. An hour west of Baghdad and largely peopled by the Sunni Arab Dulaym tribe, Fallujah has been in trouble since the US invaded in 2003. In the late Baath period under Saddam Hussein, in the 1990s and early zeros, Fallujah was a center both of Baathism (secular Arab nationalism and socialism) and of a growing Salafi fundamentalism, inspired in part by the brutality of the Israeli regime toward Gaza and in part by Jordanian truckers and smugglers who had come under Saudi, Wahhabi influence. The George W. Bush administration overthrew the Baath and put a condominium of religious Shiite parties and Kurdistan nationalist parties in power in Iraq, demoting the previously dominant Sunni Arabs to second class citizens. Some in Fallujah took up arms against the US and the new, Shiite-dominated government. Others accepted the new reality and joined the local police. One of the groups that became ensconced in the city was Abu Musab al-Zarqawis al-Tawhid (Unity), which morphed into al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia and ultimately into Daesh (ISIS, ISIL). Bush destroyed Fallujah in November of 2004, allegedly in an attempt to wipe out terrorism there. It turns out destroying a city just doesnt make for social peace. If anything, al-Qaeda and then Daash were strengthened by the governments hard line against them. Fallujah fell to Daesh in January of 2014, which turned out to be a harbinger for the entire Sunni Arab region of the country. By mid-June, the major city of Mosul had fallen. The Iraqi government feels that it has to retake Fallujah before launching an assault on the metropolis of Mosul in the north. But as Sistanis statement suggests, there are many who fear that the popular mobilization units are just Shiite vigilantes and may be looking for reprisals against Sunnis. Sistanis spokesman in Karbala, Abd al-Mahdi al-Karbalai, underscored that it is necessary to abide by the laws of jihad, which forbid killing innocent non-combatants, even when non-Muslims are being fought. On the other hand, some of the shine on this campaign may have come off a little when al-Karbalai described it as a jihad. The Iraqi military and the Shiite militias have closed in on Fallujah since Saturday, liberating a dozen or so villages. Related video: France24: Iraq: The battle to retake Fallujah Reddit Email 0 Shares TeleSur | The writers condemn Trumps appeals to the most violent elements of society, while encouraging aggression, intimidating his opponents and promoting racism. Stephen King, the master of horror, is among at least 600 renowned U.S. writers that have signed an open letter condemning presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trumps abusive language. Cheryl Strayed, Dave Eggers, Junot Diaz, Amy Tan, Mary Roach, Tobias Wolff, Richard Russo, Michael Chabon and Roy Blount, Jr. are also among the authors that signed the letter, which includes more than 10 Pulitzer Prize winners. As writers, we are particularly aware of the many ways that language can be abused in the name of power, the letter reads. American history, despite periods of nativism and bigotry, has from the first been a grand experiment in bringing people of different backgrounds together, not pitting them against one another. The writers also highly condemn Trumps message that they say appeals to the most violent elements of society, while encouraging aggression, intimidating his opponents and denigrating women and minorities. The authors say Trump demands, from each of us, an immediate and forceful response. The letter was published online Tuesday morning and since then over 200 writers have added their names to the list of signatories. No word yet on whether King will make Trump the villain in his next novel; America may not be ready for something that terrifying. There is also an open letter that anybody can sign, which so far boasts about 8,000 names. No word yet on whether King will make Trump the villain in his next novel; America may not be ready for something that terrifying, Mashable said on Wednesday. Via TeleSur Related video added by Juan Cole: Wochit News: Stephen King And Other Authors Condemn Donald Trump May 26, 2016 / TheNewswire / Vancouver, British Columbia- Nevada Energy Metals Inc. "the Company" (TSX-V: BFF; OTCQB: SSMLF) (Frankfurt: A2AFBV) is pleased to announce that it has completed an orientation survey at Teels Marsh, Esmeralda County Nevada. Nevada Energy Metals collected twenty-seven shallow auger sediment samples from the Teels Marsh West Project area April 18 - 20, 2016. The sampling program was primarily a test of the sampling method to see if it could be used to collect samples beneath low sand dunes and alluvial gravel. This goal was met in most locations. Samples were collected using a powered auger to reach a maximum depth of 2.9 meters (9.5 ft.) below the surface. The holes were initially drilled with an electric auger and bottom hole samples were collected with a hand tulip style sampler. Sampling was conducted by Pediment Gold LLC of Sparks, Nevada. Samples were collected on site and transported to the ALS Global preparation facility in Elko, Nevada by the Nevada Energy Metals project geologist. Samples were analyzed by ALS using their MEMS41 multi-element package. QA/QC standards and blanks were inserted into the sample stream to assure accuracy. Lithium values ranged from 8.9 to 104.5 ppm. The two best results (93.2 and 104.5) were obtained downstream of thermal springs on the western part of the property. A general increase in values was noted at the playa margin with lower values in the alluvial fan on the southwestern part of the property. Many of the sites on the alluvial fan did not penetrate to the maximum depth due to boulders. Sampling was supervised by Alan J. Morris CPG who serves as the project geologist and Qualified Person on the Teels Marsh West Project. About Nevada Energy Metals: http://nevadaenergymetals.com/ Nevada Energy Metals Inc. is a well funded Canadian based exploration company who's primary listing is on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company's main exploration focus is directed at lithium brine targets located in the mining friendly state of Nevada. The Company has recently completed (1) a 70/30 farm-out option JV on 77 claims in Clayton Valley, approximately 250m from the Rockwood Lithium mine, the only brine based lithium producer in North America; (2) acquisition of 100% of the Teels Marsh West project (100 claims covering 2000 acres/809 hectares) in Mineral County, Nevada; (3) acquisition of 100% ownership of the Black Rock property (128 claims covering 2,560 acres/1,036 hectares) located in southwest Black Rock Desert, Washoe County, Nevada; (4) acquisition of 100% ownership in the San Emidio Project (155 claims, 3,100 acres/1,255 hectares) near Empire, Washoe County, Nevada; (5) the acquisition of the Alkali lake Project, 60% Option from Dajin Resources Corp. (191 claims covering 3,820 acres/1,558 hectares) in the Esmeralda County, Nevada. On Behalf of the Board of Directors Rick Wilson, President & CEO Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the contents of this news release. Copyright (c) 2016 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - May 26, 2016) - Cordoba Minerals Corp. (TSX VENTURE:CDB) ("Cordoba" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that ongoing drilling within the Company's San Matias Copper Gold Project in Colombia has continued to intersect large zones of shallow, high-grade copper-gold mineralization at the Alacran copper-gold discovery. The current three drill holes of the preliminary 3,000-metre diamond drilling program all returned significant intercepts of near-surface copper and gold mineralization. Drilling to date at Alacran covers +270 metres of strike length at the northern end of a 1,300-metre defined mineralized trend. The mineralized trend remains open in all directions and at depth. The initial 3,000-metre drilling program has been extended to test a number of geophysical targets generated during the recent Typhoon Induced Polarization (IP) and Electromagnetic (EM) survey in conjunction with airborne magnetics and geological targets identified in the vicinity of the defined Alacran mineralization. Alacran drilling highlights (refer to Table 1): ACD-009: 150 metres @ 0.73% copper and 0.49 g/t gold (1.15% CuEq) ACD-007: 169 metres @ 0.48% copper and 0.33 g/t gold (0.77% CuEq) Mario Stifano, President and CEO of Cordoba, commented: "The current 3,000-metre drilling program has clearly demonstrated the potential for Alacran to host a large skarn copper-gold deposit within what we believe is potentially a large and prolific copper gold district. I am very pleased and excited that Cordoba and our partner High Power Exploration will immediately expand the drilling program at Alacran by an additional 2,100 metres to test areas peripheral to the currently defined Alacran deposit where recent drilling, geophysics, surface expressions and soil sampling have indicated the potential to further enlarge the discovery." Cordoba and High Power Exploration ("HPX") are finalizing the next phase of the exploration program at the San Matias Project. Current plans will include an expansion of the Typhoon survey, follow-on drilling at Alacran and the drilling of high priority targets defined by Typhoon IP and detailed airborne magnetic surveys with additional details to be provided in the coming weeks. OVERVIEW The Northern Alacran area was the focus of the three drillholes that were targeting both extensions along strike and vertically from previous drilling. All holes successfully intersected both large zones of copper-gold mineralization associated with both shallow and high-grade zones and the mineralization remains open in all directions. Drillhole ACD-007 (figure 3) was located on section 855720mN where it tested the up-dip extensions of historical drillhole ASA-012 (175m @ 0.74% copper and 0.26 g/t gold) as a 50- metre step-out. Drilling successfully intersected a large, continuous zone of copper-gold mineralization of 169 metres @ 0.48% copper and 0.33 g/t gold (0.77% CuEq) with mineralization remaining open both up- and down-dip on section. This mineralization was also successfully intersected in drillhole ACD-008, a 50-metre step out hole along strike to the south. Copper-gold mineralization in ACD-008 on section 855670mN intersected 109 metres @ 0.54% copper and 0.24 g/t gold (0.75% CuEq) and remains open both up- and down-dip on section and along strike to the south. Drillhole ACD-009 (figure 4) drilled on section 855760mN targeted the southern strike extensions of the high-grade interval located in drillhole ASA-051 (111 metres @ 1.01% copper and 0.38 g/t gold) as a +60-metre southerly step out. The drillhole intersected a large and continuous zone of copper-gold mineralization of 150 metres @ 0.73% copper and 0.49 g/t gold (1.15% CuEq) from shallow depths that correlates with step-out holes ACD-004 and ACD-001 on section. The successful intersection indicates the large widths of mineralization remain open on section both up- and down-dip and along strike to the south. DETAILS Alacran Copper-Gold System The Alacran copper-gold system is located within the Company's San Matias Copper-Gold Project in the Department of Cordoba, Colombia. The Alacran system is located on a topographic high in gently rolling topography, optimal for potential open-pit mining. Access and infrastructure are good. Alacran is approximately two kilometres southwest of the Company's Montiel porphyry copper-gold discovery, where recent drilling interested 101 metres of 1.0% copper and 0.65 g/t gold, and two kilometres northwest of the Costa Azul porphyry copper-gold discovery, where recent drilling interested 87 metres of 0.62% copper and 0.51 g/t gold (Figure 1). The copper-gold mineralization at Alacran is associated with stratabound replacement of a marine volcano- sedimentary sequence in the core of a faulted antiformal fold structure. The deposit comprises moderately to steeply-dipping stratigraphy that is mineralized as a series of sub-parallel replacement-style or skarn zones and associated disseminations (Figure 2). The copper-gold mineralization is composed of multiple overprinting hydrothermal events with the main ore phase comprised of chalcopyrite-pyrrhotite-pyrite that appears to overprint a large-scale early magnetite metasomatic event. High temperature potassic feldspar-biotite-amphibole-albite alteration in the host geological sequence, indicates that the copper-gold mineralization is proximal to a source intrusion. At least two intrusive phases, locally occurring as sills, confirm an intrusive source for the mineralizing fluids. The overall size and complexity of the hydrothermal system indicates a significant mineralization event. Mineralization occurs within all members of the sedimentary and volcanic sequence, where it can be traced over a strike length of greater than 1,300 metres and local thickness of more than 90 metres true-width from the current drilling and surface sampling (Figure 3). Alacran Exploration In addition to the ongoing diamond drilling program, extensive soil sampling and detailed geological mapping programs are underway to further define the extent of copper-gold mineralization at Alacran and to determine if additional mineralized zones exist. The hydrothermal alteration halo associated with the known mineralization is of kilometre-scale dimensions, indicating the potential for a substantial mineralized zone and the high probability of additional mineralized areas. A Typhoon IP and EM survey also has been completed over the northern parts of the Alacran project and data is currently being interpreted. Typhoon Typhoon is a proprietary deep IP technology, developed by HPX that generates high signal-to-noise ratios enabling accurate inversions to identify prospective targets. The recently completed Phase One Typhoon program at San Matias, which covered Montiel and the northern area of Alacran, will be expanded north and south of the currently surveyed areas as the trends and targets remain open. The Joint Venture is currently planning the next phase of the Typhoon survey. About San Matias Project The newly discovered San Matias Copper-Gold Project comprises a 20,000-hectare land package on the inferred northern extension of the richly endowed Mid Cauca Belt in Colombia. The project contains several known areas of porphyry copper-gold mineralization, copper-gold skarn mineralization and vein-hosted, gold-copper mineralization. Porphyry mineralization at the San Matias Project incorporates high-grade zones of copper-gold mineralization hosted by diorite porphyries containing secondary biotite alteration and various orientations of sheeted and stockwork quartz-magnetite veins with chalcopyrite and bornite. The copper-gold skarn mineralization at Alacran is associated with stratabound replacement of a marine volcano- sedimentary sequence. The nature of mineralization encountered at San Matias is similar to other large high-grade copper-gold deposits. Technical Information The technical information has been reviewed, verified and compiled by Christian J. Grainger, PhD, a Qualified Person for the purpose of NI 43-101. Dr. Grainger is a geologist with over 15 years in the minerals mining, consulting, exploration and research industries. Dr. Grainger is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG) and Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM). All samples have been prepared and assayed at ALS laboratory in Medellin, Colombia with gold assays being carried out as 50 gr Fire-Assays with AAS finish and all trace elements and base- metals being assayed using four Acid Digest with ICP-MS finish. The CuEq values have been calculated using a US$1,250 per ounce gold price and US$2.10 per pound copper price. The company utilizes an industry-standard QA/QC program. HQ and NQ diamond drill-core is sawn in half with one-half shipped to a sample preparation lab. The remainder of the core is stored in a secured storage facility for future assay verification. Blanks, duplicates and certified reference standards are inserted into the sample stream to monitor laboratory performance and a portion of the samples are periodically checked for assayed result quality. Joint Venture Agreement The San Matias Project is a joint venture between Cordoba and HPX, a private mineral exploration company founded by mining entrepreneur Robert Friedland. HPX has entered Phase One of the Joint Venture Agreement whereby HPX can earn a 25% interest in the San Matias Project by spending C$6 million. In Phase Two of the Agreement, HPX can earn a 51% interest in the San Matias Project by spending an additional C$10.5 million and can earn up to a 65% interest in the project by carrying it to feasibility. About High Power Exploration HPX is a privately owned, metals-focused exploration company deploying proprietary in-house geophysical technologies to rapidly evaluate buried geophysical targets. The HPX technology cluster comprises geological and geophysical systems for targeting, modelling, survey optimization, acquisition, processing and interpretation. HPX has a highly experienced board and management team led by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert Friedland and co-chaired by Ian Cockerill, a former Chief Executive Officer of Gold Fields Ltd. TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - May 26, 2016) - Denison Mines Corp. ("Denison" or the "Company") (TSX:DML)(NYSE MKT:DNN) is pleased to report receipt of uranium assay results from the winter 2016 exploration drilling program on its 60% owned Wheeler River property, located in the infrastructure rich eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin region in northern Saskatchewan. In most cases, the final assay results have resulted in an increase in the grade of the previously reported downhole radiometric probe results. The winter drilling program included 32 drill holes totalling 21,761 metres, and was primarily designed to test targets in the vicinity of the Gryphon deposit. The assay results, received from multiple high grade intercepts, confirm the expansion of the recently discovered mineralized zone located within 200 metres north and northwest of the Gryphon deposit. Similar to the Gryphon deposit, the new zone of mineralization is interpreted to occur as a series of stacked lenses. The assay results further confirm the interpretation of multiple new lenses of mineralization, which have been added to the Company's geological model for the Gryphon deposit. The lenses, designated the D-series lenses, are open along strike to the southwest and northeast and occur roughly parallel to the known strike of the adjacent Gryphon deposit. Assay highlights from D-series lenses located immediately north of the Gryphon deposit include: 5.3% U 3 O 8 over 11.0 metres (from 718.5 to 729.5 metres; drill hole WR-641), including 12.6% U 3 O 8 over 4.5 metres (from 725.0 to 729.5 metres) O over 11.0 metres (from 718.5 to 729.5 metres; drill hole WR-641), including 12.6% U O over 4.5 metres (from 725.0 to 729.5 metres) 11.9% U 3 O 8 over 1.5 metres (from 670.5 to 672.0 metres; drill hole WR-651) O over 1.5 metres (from 670.5 to 672.0 metres; drill hole WR-651) 2.9% U 3 O 8 over 6.0 metres (from 759.0 to 765.0 metres; drill hole WR-633D1) O over 6.0 metres (from 759.0 to 765.0 metres; drill hole WR-633D1) 2.3% U 3 O 8 over 4.0 metres (from 750.5 to 754.5 metres; drill hole WR-633D1) O over 4.0 metres (from 750.5 to 754.5 metres; drill hole WR-633D1) 6.2% U 3 O 8 over 2.5 metres (from 584.5 to 587.0 metres; drill hole WR-646) Denison's President and CEO, David Cates, commented, "Given that these assay results rank among the best received since Gryphon was discovered in 2014, and that we have only finished drilling on one section in this new area north of Gryphon, we are enthusiastic about the potential to add significantly to the estimated resources for the Gryphon deposit with our summer 2016 drilling. This follows the completion of a successful Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") for the Wheeler River project, which was released earlier this year and studied the co-development of the high grade Gryphon and Phoenix deposits. With Gryphon expected to be mined first in the PEA plan, growth in the resource at Gryphon is expected to have a significant impact on the overall project economics - as it could extend the life of the low cost Gryphon deposit and defer the capital required to develop Phoenix." In addition, assay results received from the winter drilling completed to the southwest of the Gryphon deposit, along the K-North trend, confirmed the prospectivity of this trend with weak mineralization intersected in almost every hole. Summer Exploration & Evaluation Plans The summer exploration program planned for the Wheeler River project is expected to consist of approximately 28,000 metres of diamond drilling, focussed on systematic step-out testing of the D-series lenses and additional testing, in areas where mineralization remains open, around the Gryphon deposit. Depending on results, an initial 50 x 50 metre drill spacing pattern is expected to be employed, with the objective of delineating additional inferred resources at or around the Gryphon deposit. Exploration drilling is expected to commence on or around May 30th, 2016. This summer, the Company will also be undertaking other field activities to support the ongoing Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") for the Wheeler River project - including further geotechnical work and environmental studies. Evaluation activities for the Wheeler River project have been budgeted at CAD$2.6 million for the year (Denison's share, CAD$1.6M), which relate primarily to the initiation of the PFS. Beyond Wheeler River, exploration drilling is also planned for the summer on several of the Company's exploration pipeline properties. With the focus on a variety of high-priority exploration targets, the summer exploration program will include drilling at Waterbury Lake (61.55% Denison, 2,500 metres), Crawford Lake (100% Denison, 1,650 metres), Hatchet Lake (64.36% Denison, 1,600 metres) and Turkey Lake (100% Denison, 750 metres). Soil and radon surveys are also planned for the summer at South Dufferin (100% Denison) and Hatchet Lake. Summer 2016 drill programs are also planned for Denison's non-operated joint venture projects, including Mann Lake (30% Denison, 2,200 metres) and McClean Lake (22.5% Denison, 2,500 metres). At Mann Lake, the 2016 exploration program has been increased to allow for 3 holes to follow-up on highly anomalous geochemistry and alteration associated with a 100 metre sub-Athabasca unconformity offset identified in the southern portion of the property. The Mann Lake project is operated by Cameco (52.5%), and the McClean Lake project is operated by AREVA Resources Canada Inc. ("ARC")(70%). Gryphon Expansion Assay Results Following the discovery, this winter, of new high-grade mineralization in drill hole WR-633D1 (located immediately north of the Gryphon deposit), a further nine drill holes were completed. Five holes were completed on Section 5200GP (the same section as WR-633D1) and two holes on each of Section 5150GP and 5250GP (located to the southwest and northeast of Section 5200GP, respectively). The drilling pattern resulted in an approximate 50 x 50 metre spacing - the same spacing used to obtain the initial inferred resource estimate for the Gryphon deposit. Table 1 provides a summary of assay results from Section 5150GP, 5200GP and 5250GP. Table 1 : Summary Assay Results from I ntersections on Section 5150 GP, 5200GP and 5250 GP Section Drill Hole Down-Hole Total Gamma Probe1,5 Assay5 From (m) To (m) Length6 (m) eU 3 O 8 (%)2,3 From (m) To (m) Length6 (m) U 3 O 8 (%)4 5150GP WR-646 584.6 587.4 2.8 4.2 584.5 587.0 2.5 6.2 (and) 642.7 643.8 1.1 0.20 642.7 643.7 1.0 0.27 (and) 679.3 680.3 1.0 0.18 679.9 680.9 1.0 0.26 (and) Below cut-off grade of 0.1% eU 3 O 8 686.7 687.7 1.0 0.11 WR-651 562.8 564.5 1.7 0.69 563.0 564.5 1.5 0.99 (and) Below cut-off grade of 0.1% eU 3 O 8 641.0 642.0 1.0 0.10 (and) 649.4 650.4 1.0 0.11 Below cut-off grade of 0.1% U 3 O 8 (and) 669.9 671.9 2.0 7.1 670.5 672.0 1.5 11.9 (and) 683.0 684.0 1.0 0.20 683.5 685.5 2.0 0.11 5200GP WR-633D1 Below cut-off grade of 0.1% eU 3 O 8 675.1 676.1 1.0 0.57 (and) Below cut-off grade of 0.1% eU 3 O 8 682.1 685.1 3.0 0.18 (and) 751.5 754.7 3.2 2.0 750.5 754.5 4.0 2.3 (and) 757.7 765.3 7.6 1.7 759.0 765.0 6.0 2.9 WR-633D2 748.3 749.6 1.3 0.76 749.2 750.2 1.0 1.1 (and) 758.3 759.3 1.0 0.18 759.2 760.2 1.0 0.19 (and) 785.0 786.0 1.0 0.30 786.0 787.0 1.0 0.98 WR-638 725.7 726.7 1.0 0.12 727.0 731.0 4.0 0.15 (and) 727.6 729.5 1.9 0.13 Merged with above interval (and) 738.5 739.5 1.0 0.12 740.0 743.0 3.0 0.16 (and) 740.4 741.6 1.2 0.16 Merged with above interval (and) 747.4 748.4 1.0 0.32 749.1 750.1 1.0 0.36 (and) 760.2 761.2 1.0 0.13 Below cut-off grade of 0.1% U 3 O 8 (and) 763.7 764.7 1.0 0.11 765.2 766.2 1.0 0.13 (and) 781.4 782.4 1.0 0.98 783.3 784.3 1.0 1.3 (and) 785.0 786.0 1.0 0.14 Below cut-off grade of 0.1% U 3 O 8 WR-641 575.3 576.3 1.0 0.20 575.5 576.5 1.0 0.33 (and) 718.1 719.1 1.0 0.62 718.5 729.5 11.0 5.3 (and) 721.1 730.3 9.2 3.9 Merged with above interval WR-644 558.3 560.6 2.3 0.20 559.5 561.5 2.0 0.46 (and) 647.8 649.1 1.3 0.23 649.0 650.5 1.5 0.17 WR-648 606.7 607.7 1.0 0.19 607.1 608.1 1.0 0.11 5250GP WR-650 772.8 773.8 1.0 0.15 775.0 776.0 1.0 0.22 WR-654 663.1 664.1 1.0 0.13 Below cut-off grade of 0.1% U 3 O 8 Notes: Probe results were previously reported, see Denison news release dated April 18, 2016 eU 3 O 8 is radiometric equivalent uranium from a calibrated total gamma down-hole probe Composited above a cut-off grade of 0.1% eU 3 O 8 Composited above a cut-off grade of 0.1% U 3 O 8 Composites compiled using 1.0 metre minimum ore thickness and 2.0 metres maximum waste As the drill holes are oriented steeply toward the northwest and the basement mineralization is interpreted to dip moderately to the southeast, the true thickness of the mineralization is expected to be approximately 75% of the intersection lengths Potential for Resource Growth at Gryphon The current resource estimate for the Gryphon deposit, completed in November 2015, includes the A, B and C series lenses - a set of parallel, stacked, elongate lenses that are broadly conformable with the basement geology and dip moderately to the southeast and plunge moderately to the northeast. The mineralization intersected during the winter 2016 program is interpreted to represent an additional series of stacked lenses, designated the D series lenses, which are similar to and conformable with the Gryphon deposit A, B and C lenses. The D series lenses, occur with the Basal Pegmatite unit immediately footwall to, and to the northwest of, the Gryphon deposit. The D series lenses are considered to be open in all directions. Three priority target areas have been identified for immediate follow up this summer. The target areas are discussed below and are shown in Figure 2: Between the newly defined D series lenses (Section 5200GP and 5150GP) and the previously identified D series lenses (Section 5100GP and 5050GP), which occur approximately 100 metres up plunge to the southwest, and were intersected in 2014 but were not included in the initial resource estimate for the Gryphon deposit, due to insufficient drilling at the time; Up plunge and along strike to the southwest of the D series lenses identified in 2014 (Section 5100GP and 5050GP), roughly parallel to the Gryphon deposit - which extends approximately 250 metres in this direction. Down plunge and along strike to the northeast of the newly delineated D series lenses (Section 5200GP and 5150GP). On Section 5250GP, the northeastern most drill section at Gryphon, the weak mineralization intersected by the first two follow up holes in this direction, as well as the continuation of faulting, hydrothermal alteration, and sub-units of graphitic pelitic gneiss, suggest the mineralizing system continues in this direction. Assay Results Southwest of Gryphon along the K-North Trend During the winter 2016 program drill testing for unconformity and basement hosted mineralization continued to the southwest of the Gryphon deposit, along the K-North trend. Drilling commenced on Section 3200GP, approximately 1.5 kilometers to the southwest of Gryphon, and proceeded on sections at 200 metres, 600 metres, 1,000 metres and 1,400 metres to the southwest respectively. Assay results for 12 of the 13 drill holes completed during the winter program have been received. Assay results confirm weak mineralization in almost every hole over the strike length of 1.4 kilometres, including 0.12% U 3 O 8 over 3.5 meters in drill hole WR-634 and 0.52% U 3 O 8 over 1.0 meter in drill hole WR-655. The mineralization is generally located at or proximal to the unconformity. The trend remains open and untested for approximately 3.5 kilometres along strike to the southwest before reaching the K-Central target area. Additional drilling is warranted along this trend to test targets at the unconformity and within the basement. A summary of assay results from Section 3200GP to 1800GP is provided in Table 2. Table 2: Summary of assay results from Section 3200GP to 1800GP Section Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Length (m)4 U 3 O 8 (%)1,2 Length to Unconformity (m) 3200GP WR-629 No significant mineralization 548.5 WR-629D1 No significant mineralization 492.8 3000GP WR-634 473.5 474.5 1.0 0.16 474.1 (and) 478.5 482.0 3.5 0.12 474.1 (and) 487.0 487.5 0.5 0.10 474.1 (and) 492.5 493.0 0.5 0.64 474.1 WR-634D1 No significant mineralization 493.2 WR-634D2 455.5 456.0 0.5 0.17 458.5 2600GP WR-643 No significant mineralization 463.9 WR-645 465.9 2200GP WR-647 520.2 520.6 0.5 0.10 476.2 WR-6493 520.5 520.8 0.3 0.11 437.4 (and) 548.9 549.3 0.4 0.14 437.4 WR-655 481.5 482.5 1.0 0.12 476.7 (and) 484.5 485.5 1.0 0.52 476.7 (and) 487.0 487.5 0.5 0.17 476.7 WR-656 431.4 1800GP WR-652 No significant mineralization 448.6 WR-653 466.5 467.5 1.0 0.19 462.3 (and) 466.3 466.6 0.3 0.13 462.3 (and) 522.7 522.8 0.1 0.06 462.3 Notes: Composites compiled using no minimum ore thickness and no maximum waste Intersection interval is composited above a cut-off grade of 0.05% U 3 O 8 Chemical assay results not yet received. Grade reported as radiometric equivalent uranium (eU 3 O 8 ) from a calibrated total gamma down-hole probe. Probe results were previously reported, see Denison news release dated April 18, 2016 As the drill holes are oriented steeply toward the northwest and the basement mineralization is interpreted to dip moderately to the southeast, the true thickness of the mineralization is expected to be approximately 75% of the intersection lengths Illustrative Figures & Further Details A property location and basement geology map is provided in Figure 1. A plan map of the northeast plunging Gryphon deposit mineralized lenses, projected up to the simplified basement geology at the sub-Athabasca unconformity, is shown in Figure 2 with the location of the D-series lenses interpreted from winter 2016 drilling results. At present, mineralized lenses are defined using a 0.05% eU 3 O 8 (radiometric equivalent uranium) grade shell and minimum thickness of two metres. The grade shells will be updated in due course using the recently received assay data. Further details regarding the Gryphon deposit and the current mineral resources estimated at Wheeler River are provided in the report titled "Technical Report on a Mineral Resource Estimate For The Wheeler River Property, Eastern Athabasca Basin, Northern Saskatchewan, Canada.", dated Nov. 25, 2015, authored by William E. Roscoe Ph.D, P.Eng. and Mark B. Mathisen C.P.G of RPA. A copy of this report is available on Denison's website and under Denison's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). Sampling and Assay Procedures Drill core with anomalous total gamma radioactivity (>500 counts per second) is selected for sampling and uranium assay over 0.5 metre intervals. Sampling is undertaken on site by splitting the core in half, with one half submitted for analysis and the other half retained in the core box for future reference. Uranium assays are performed by the Saskatchewan Research Council ("SRC") Geoanalytical Laboratories using an ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accredited method for the determination of U 3 O 8 weight %. Sample preparation involves crushing and pulverizing core samples to 90% passing -106 microns. The resultant pulp is digested using aqua-regia and the solution analyzed for U 3 O 8 weight % using ICP-OES. Qualified Person The disclosure of a scientific or technical nature contained in this news release was prepared by Dale Verran, MSc, Pr.Sci.Nat., Denison's Vice President, Exploration, who is a Qualified Person in accordance with the requirements of NI 43-101. For a description of the assay procedures and the quality assurance program and quality control measures applied by Denison, please see Denison's Annual Information Form dated March 24, 2016 filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. About Wheeler River The Wheeler River property is a joint venture between Denison (60% and operator), Cameco Corp. (30%), and JCU (Canada) Exploration Company Limited (10%), and is host to the high-grade Gryphon and Phoenix uranium deposits discovered by Denison in 2014 and 2008, respectively. The Gryphon deposit is hosted in basement rock and is currently estimated to contain inferred resources of 43.0 million pounds U3O8 (above a cut-off grade of 0.2% U3O8) based on 834,000 tonnes of mineralization at an average grade of 2.3% U3O8. The Phoenix unconformity deposit is located approximately 3 kilometres to the southeast of Gryphon and is estimated to include indicated resources of 70.2 million pounds U3O8 (above a cut-off grade of 0.8% U3O8) based on 166,000 tonnes of mineralization at an average grade of 19.1% U3O8, and is the highest grade undeveloped uranium deposit in the world. On April 4th, 2016 Denison announced the results of a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") for the Wheeler River Project, which considers the potential economic merit of co-developing the high-grade Gryphon and Phoenix deposits as a single underground mining operation. The PEA returned a base case pre-tax Internal Rate of Return ("IRR") of 20.4% based on the current long term contract price of uranium (US$44.00 per pound U 3 O 8 ), and Denison's share of estimated initial capital expenditures ("CAPEX") of CAD$336M (CAD$560M on 100% ownership basis). Results from the winter 2016 drilling program have not been incorporated into the resource estimate or the PEA. Additional definition drilling is required to improve the confidence in the existing mineral resources estimated for the Gryphon deposit, and is expected to be completed as the Company advances the project towards the completion of a Pre-Feasibility study ("PFS"). The PEA is preliminary in nature and includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the preliminary economic assessment will be realized. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. About Denison Denison is a uranium exploration and development company with interests focused in the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan. Including its 60% owned Wheeler River project, which hosts the high grade Phoenix and Gryphon uranium deposits, Denison's exploration portfolio consists of numerous projects covering over 350,000 hectares in the eastern Athabasca Basin. Denison's interests in Saskatchewan also include a 22.5% ownership interest in the McClean Lake joint venture, which includes several uranium deposits and the McClean Lake uranium mill, which is currently processing ore from the Cigar Lake mine under a toll milling agreement, plus a 25.17% interest in the Midwest deposit and a 61.55% interest in the J Zone deposit on the Waterbury Lake property. Both the Midwest and J Zone deposits are located within 20 kilometres of the McClean Lake mill. Internationally, Denison owns 100% of the Mutanga project in Zambia, 100% of the uranium/copper/silver Falea project in Mali, and a 90% interest in the Dome project in Namibia. Denison has recently entered into an agreement with GoviEx Uranium Inc. (CSE:GXU) to sell its African interests, with an expected closing date in late May or early June, 2016. Denison is also engaged in mine decommissioning and environmental services through its Denison Environmental Services division and is the manager of Uranium Participation Corp., a publicly traded company which invests in uranium oxide and uranium hexafluoride. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain information contained in this press release constitutes "forward-looking information", within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian legislation concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Denison. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "believes", or the negatives and/or variations of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur", "be achieved" or "has the potential to". In particular, this press release contains forward-looking information pertaining to the following: exploration (including drilling) and evaluation activities, plans and objectives; potential mineralization of drill targets; and the estimates of Denison's mineral resources. Forward looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Denison to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Denison believes that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable but there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and may differ materially from those anticipated in this forward looking information. For a discussion in respect of risks and other factors that could influence forward-looking events, please refer to the "Risk Factors" in Denison's Annual Information Form dated March 24, 2016 available under its profile at www.sedar.com and in its Form 40-F available at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml. These factors are not, and should not be construed as being, exhaustive. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Denison does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information after the date of this press release to conform such information to actual results or to changes in its expectations except as otherwise required by applicable legislation. Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources: This press release may use the terms "measured", "indicated" and "inferred" mineral resources. United States investors are advised that while such terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize them. "Inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of measured or indicated mineral resources will ever be converted into mineral reserves. United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource exists, or is economically or legally mineable. TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - May 26, 2016) - Honey Badger Exploration Inc. (TSX VENTURE:TUF) ("Honey Badger" or the "Company") announces that it has entered into an agreement, subject to certain terms and conditions, to acquire 29 claims located approximately 20 kilometres south-east of Wemindji, in the James Bay region of Quebec. The claims totaling 1,388 hectares are located in the same fertile kimberlite area as the Company's LG Diamonds Project. The Wemindji claims host a kimberlite sill (1.6 metres to 2.6 metres thick) and a kimberlite dyke that has yielded microdiamonds1. Kimberlite indicator mineral anomalies have also been found on some of the claim blocks and geological interpretations by previous operators indicate that the sill is possibly part of a much larger, and still undiscovered, kimberlite pipe on the property. In addition, the Wemindji kimberlite appears to sit in the eastern extension of the structure that hosts the magnetic anomalies of the LG Diamonds property2. Quentin Yarie, President & CEO, commented: "We are very excited to add the Wemindji claims to our portfolio. To date, only shallow drilling has been done on the property. It is possible that a larger kimberlite pipe is present at depth. Also, the favourable diamond-bearing structure at Wemindji seems to extend to our LG Diamonds Project and our team is eager to initiate an exploration program to investigate this further." Acquisition Terms The consideration for the acquisition is the issuance of 3,000,000 common shares of the Company and the payment of $5,000 cash to the property vendor, Resources D. Villeneuve Inc. ("RDVI") and the issuance of 1,000,000 shares and the payment of $5,000 cash to Sparton Resources Inc. ("SRI"). Honey Badger will also grant of a 2% net smelter return ("NSR") royalty to the property vendors (1% in favour of RDVI and 1% in favour of SRI). All, or the 2% NSR may be bought back from the vendors for $2,000,000. The vendors are at arm's length to the Company. Closing is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval and certain other customary closing conditions. About Honey Badger Exploration Inc. Honey Badger Exploration is a diamond and gold exploration company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with properties in Quebec and British Columbia. The Company's common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "TUF". The Company is currently focused on the advancement of the LG Diamonds Project located in the James Bay region of Quebec: Total of 55 claims covering 2,765 hectares situated close to roads and power lines 9 claim blocks are centered on circular magnetic anomalies Each magnetic anomaly could be a potential kimberlite pipe Lake sediments near the magnetic anomalies contain kimberlite indicators The local geological environment is favourable for diamondiferous kimberlites Exploration agreements are in place with local First Nations Qualified Person Quentin Yarie, PGeo. is the qualified person responsible for preparing, supervising and approving the scientific and technical content of this news release and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company's exploration programs. For more information about the Company visit www.honeybadgerexp.com 1 Hartzler, J.R., 2007, The geological exploration of kimberlitic rocks in Quebec: Unpublished Master thesis, McGill University, Montreal, 116 p. 2 Moorhead, J., Perreault, S., Berclaz, A., Sharma, K.N.M., Beaumier, M., and Cadieux, A.-M., 2000, Kimberlite et diamants dans le Nord du Quebec: Geologie Quebec, Ministere des Ressources Naturelles, Report PRO 2000-05, 10p. 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. This News Release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements which relate to future events. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may", "should", "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "predicts", "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our or our industry's actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Officials in 11 states filed a lawsuit [complaint, PDF] on Wednesday in the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas [official website] challenging the Obama administrations recent guidance letter [press release] on transgender students. The statesTexas, Alabama, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Utah, and Georgiaas well as the Arizona Department of Education and the governor of Maine assert 10 claims against the guidance provided by the administration earlier this month, ranging from procedural claims to constitutional arguments. According to the plaintiffs, the new Rules, Regulations, Guidance and Interpretations at Issue: Are Being Imposed Without Observance of Procedure Required by Law Are Unlawful by Exceeding Congressional Authorization Are Unlawful by Violating the Tenth Amendment Are Unlawful by Violating the Fourteenth Amendment Unlawfully Attempt to Abrogate State Sovereign Immunity Are Arbitrary and Capricious Are Unlawful and Violate Constitutional Standards of Clear Notice Are Unlawful and Unconstitutionally Coercive [and] Were Issued Without a Proper Regulatory Flexibility Analysis. The plaintiffs are seeking declarations that the guidance is unlawful based on any reason asserted, as well as a preliminary injunction preventing enforcement and a resulting permanent injunction to prevent the letter from ever having legal effect. Rights of transgender individuals have become a hot button issue globally. Last week the Oklahoma legislature approved a resolution [JURIST report] asking Congress to impeach President Barack Obama over his administrations guidance on ensuring the protection and inclusion of transgender individuals in federal civil rights law. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced [JURIST report] legislation last week that would ban transgender discrimination, including it within Canadas hate crime laws. Also last week the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), along with several other organizations, asked a federal court [JURIST report] to block the enforcement of a North Carolina law that they claim targets transgender people for discrimination. The Massachusetts Senate advanced [JURIST report] legislation earlier this month aimed at protecting transgender individuals from discrimination. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley [official website] signed a bill [H 3114 materials] on Wednesday banning abortions at the 20-week mark, making it the seventeenth state to pass such a ban. The bill, passed [JURIST report] includes exceptions [Huffington Post report] only for protecting the mothers health and a fetal anomaly, meaning in reasonable medical judgment, the unborn child has a profound and irremediable congenital or chromosomal anomaly that, with or without the provision of life-preserving treatment, would be incompatible with sustaining life after birth. Although it does not provide exceptions for rape or incest, the bill follows along with the idea of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act [HR 36 materials], which claims that evidence exists showing unborn fetuses feel pain at the 20-week mark, although the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists still holds to a 2005 study showing the contrary [CNN report]. South Carolinas law will also make it a misdemeanor for doctors to break the law, with possibilities of a fine and up to three years in prison. Abortion remains controversial across the US, with state legislatures continuing to pass various regulations. Last week the Oklahoma Legislature approved a bill [JURIST report] that would criminalize performing abortions, although Governor Mary Fallin later vetoed the bill. Also last week the Louisiana state Senate approved a bill banning [JURIST report] dilation and evacuation abortion procedures. In March Utah became the first state to require doctors to administer anesthesia [JURIST report] to women receiving an abortion after 20 weeks. Also in March the US Supreme Court heard arguments [JURIST report] on a Texas law that would require abortion clinics to upgrade facilities to hospital-like standards and would require doctors to have admitting privileges at local hospitals. The Stockholm District Court [official website, in Swedish] upheld the arrest warrant [press release] for Julian Assange on Wednesday, finding he was not illegally detained in absentia. Assange has been held on allegations of rape [Reuters report] dating back to 2010. The court found there was probable cause to support the accusation. Assange has been at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London for over three years. He fears that Swedens efforts to extradite him will result in extradition to the US due to the fact that his company, WikiLeaks, released thousands of classified government documents. However, he has not been charged in the US. WikiLeaks, and its founder Assange, have created significant controversy since the website began openly publishing government secrets. Last May the Swedish Supreme Court rejected [JURIST report] an appeal by Assange seeking to overturn a 2010 arrest warrant for alleged sexual assault that was reissued [JURIST report] by a lower court in late 2014. The warrant requires Assange to leave the Ecuadorian embassy in London where he has found asylum and travel to Sweden in order to be questioned about the allegations. The WikiLeaks documents [JURIST op-ed] have also garnered much debate in the US. Last year US Army Major General Jeffery Buchanan upheld [JURIST report] Private Chelsea Mannings conviction and prison sentence for turning over classified information to WikiLeaks. In September 2013 Manning filed for a presidential pardon of the 35-year sentence [JURIST reports] she received in August. The sentence came a month after she was found guilty [JURIST report] of violating the Espionage Act but was acquitted of the more serious charge of aiding the enemy. A spokesperson for the UN human rights office urged [press release] Gaza authorities to end the use of the death penalty on Wednesday. Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the office is deeply concerned about recent statements made by the authorities in Gaza, including the Attorney General, of their intention to implement a number of death sentences, and fear that the first executions may be imminent. The UN feels that Gazas standard in execution cases is lacking and are concerned of reports that these executions are to be held in public places. Executions in Gaza have been an international concern previously. In August 2013 Human Rights Watch urged [JURIST report] authorities in Gaza to halt all executions, especially those of child offenders. Also in 2013, then UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay urged [JURIST report] Hamas not to go through with the executions. The UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories [official website] called on Israel [statement] to end its blockade of the Gaza Strip in June 2013. Israels policy in the Gaza Strip has been a subject of controversy [JURIST report]. NEWSLETTER Sign up Tick the boxes of the newsletters you would like to receive. Just Drinks Daily News The top stories of the day delivered to you every weekday. Just Drinks Weekly News A weekly roundup of the latest news and analysis, sent every Monday. Just Drinks Magazine The industry's most comprehensive news and information delivered every quarter NEWSLETTER Sign up Tick the boxes of the newsletters you would like to receive. Just Style Daily Update The top stories of the day delivered to you every weekday. Just Style Weekly Update A weekly roundup of the latest news and analysis, sent every Monday. Just Style Magazine The industry's most comprehensive news and information delivered every quarter. Cabelas, the outdoors retailer under pressure from an activist investor, will outsource its division that produces catalogs and other advertising, the company said Wednesday. The retailer, based in Sidney will sub out its creative services division to an outside company, which said it would open an office in Sidney. Nathan Borowski, a Cabelas spokesman, wouldnt say how many employees would be affected, but said the new company, Quad/Graphics, expects to hire many current Cabelas employees with relevant experience. Cabelas employs more than 2,000 people in Sidney, a Panhandle city of about 6,800 people six hours west of Omaha. Quad/Graphics, based in Sussex, Wis., will open the Sidney office in early August. The company will handle catalog and advertising designs, concepts, layouts, page production, photography and videography for Cabelas, among other things. Cabelas will retain some employees from its creative services division to work with Quad/Graphics, Borowski said. He said the company would be continuing business and business relationships as usual. Joel Quadracci, Quad/Graphics chairman, president and chief executive, said the company will look forward to sharing the knowledge weve gained over many years performing similar work for 20 other retailers. We are confident that we will help Cabelas advance both the efficiency and effectiveness of its marketing spend, Quadracci said. Hedge fund Elliott Management Corp., since declaring its 11 percent ownership stake in Cabelas last October, has been pressuring the company to sell all or parts of the business. On recent earnings calls with investors, Cabelas executives have been touting the cost-cutting measures they are employing to boost profits. Cabelas stock is down about 5 percent over the past year. It closed Wednesday at $49.03 a share on the New York Stock Exchange, up about 1 percent on a day the broader market gained about 0.7 percent. LINCOLN The troubled Nebraska Tourism Commission fired its director Thursday, and pledged to correct lax financial oversight uncovered in a recent state audit. Kathy McKillip, who had headed the commission since 2011, was fired on an 8-0 vote. The commission then appointed the current deputy director, Heather Hogue, as temporary director until an interim director, and later a permanent replacement, can be found. The dismissal came in the wake a scathing state audit that found the Tourism Commission lacked basic financial oversight and accountability procedures. The state audit also faulted the tourism agency for allowing its ad contract with Bailey Lauerman to be overspent by $4.4 million over the past three years; for hiring a speaker for $44,000 to headline a tourism convention for 150 people; and for paying $18,000 to move a tourism employee 200 miles from Sidney to Kearney. McKillip, who did not attend the meeting, had been paid $86,364 a year. She did not immediately respond to a phone message left after Thursdays meeting. The commission voted to fire her after meeting in closed session for about 50 minutes, and after three people addressed the board, questioning how it was unaware of the spending decisions made by McKillip. John Chapo, the chair of the nine-member Tourism Commission, declined to comment on whether commissioners were aware of the spending issues. Previously, though, he has said that board members could act only on information that was provided to them. This has been a challenging time, said Chapo, who is director of the Lincoln Childrens Zoo. We were very concerned when we received the audit, thats why weve addressed it very aggressively. We do not take it lightly. McKillip has been criticized for failing to communicate major financial decisions with the commission, including the decision to seek a $750,000 deficit appropriation from the Nebraska Legislature to solve a budget shortfall. The World-Herald also found no documents to show that McKillip had informed commissioners about the renewal of multimillion contracts with its advertising and public relations contractors. The Director exercised unilateral control ... and the commissioners were not adequately involved in the overall operations, the audit stated. The commission had suspended McKillip with pay on May 13 pending completion of an internal investigation. That came two weeks after the release of the audit, which prompted Gov. Pete Ricketts, former Gov. Dave Heineman, the Nebraska Travel Association and a group that represents local visitors bureaus to call for the dismissal of the director. On Thursday, Todd Kirshenbaum, president of the Nebraska Travel Association, said he supported the decision to dismiss McKillip, who he accused of misleading his association and the State Legislature about the financial status of the tourism agency. Kirshenbaum, a former state tourism employee who is now vice president of the Seward Chamber of Commerce, said that the Travel Association and some members of the Tourism Commission had been trying to dig into the finances of the tourism agency but had been rebuffed in those effort. McKillip, he said, wrapped herself in a cocoon and didnt share information. It was an adversarial relationship with the industry, Kirshenbaum said. It shouldnt be that way. He said the Travel Association will be drafting proposed changes in the membership of the Tourism Commission board to increase oversight by the Legislature and governors office, and include a member with banking experience. Chapo said the commission would also be working with Gov. Pete Ricketts and state lawmakers to make changes and improve financial oversight. The audit also rapped the agency for improperly reimbursing Bailey Lauerman for alcohol and cigarettes and for using McKillips daughter in an advertising campaign. The hiring, the audit by State Auditor Charlie Janssen said, might have broken state laws that prohibit state officials from obtaining something of value for a family member, and ban contractors for offering something of value to a manager in charge of state contracts. McKillip has denied that any laws were broken. An investigation by the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office is continuing, an official said last week. Chapo said the commission hopes to have an interim director hired within a month. He could not give a timeline on hiring a permanent director. The agency, best known for its Nebraska Nice marketing slogan, has 11 employees and a $6 million annual budget. Were not going to drag our feet, he said. Saskatchewan Party leader Brad Wall speaks to supporters at a Saskatchewan Party rally in Regina on April 1, 2016. Wall says he is flattered by a push to have him run to become the next federal Conservative leader, but he has no interest in the job.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michael Bell FILE - In this Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015 file photo, Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, right, visits Coptic Pope Tawadros II, center, during Christmas Eve Mass at St. Mark's Cathedral, in Cairo, Egypt. A Muslim mob ransacked and torched seven Christian homes in a province south of the Egyptian capital, Cairo, after rumors spread that a Christian man had an affair with a Muslim woman, according to a statement by the local Orthodox Coptic church. Released late Wednesday, it said that during the May 20, 2016 attack, the mother of the Christian man, who had fled the village, was publicly stripped of her clothes by the mob to humiliate her. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty, File) In its early years, the Big Spring Presbyterian Church was not very lucky in finding and keeping a pastor. Presbyterians who settled in the Big Spring area first organized a religious congregation in the spring of 1737, when the original meeting house of the church was built (the stone structure was later completed in 1789). Shortly after, the people of Hopewell petitioned to draw a call to the Rev. Thomas Craighead. Craighead became the churchs first pastor in 1738. But Craigheads pastorate was a short one, as he died the following year. He is said to have held strong in his preaching despite his declining health. Some of Craigheads followers were deeply moved by his dedication, and are said to have been unwilling to leave him even after being dismissed for the day. After Craigheads death, the church went without a regularly installed pastor until 1742, when the Rev. John Blair was installed as his successor. But Blairs tenure as pastor, though much longer than Craigheads, did not last very long either. Blair is said to have been driven from the area by incursions from Indians in the mid-1750s. Previously, the area had never experienced such issues, but after the defeat of General Braddock in 1755, the valley became occupied by Indians who are said to have been hostile toward current residents. Blair was just one of hundreds of residents who fled to larger cities. From this point, the church did not gain another pastor until 1759, when the congregations of Carlisle and Big Spring united in a call to the Rev. George Duffield. One third of Duffields time was to be spent at Big Spring and two thirds were to be spent at Carlisle. This agreement was debated at first, but held until 1769, when Duffields relation with Big Spring dissolved over salary issues. Several other pastors later, the church remains standing to this day on Big Spring Avenue in Newville. It holds worship services and Sunday school meetings each week. Revolutionary War-era soldiers can be found buried in the churchs graveyard. 182 Shares Share I very distinctly remember March 16, 2015. I was the chief surgical resident on call for trauma at my busy urban training program. Like any other springtime trauma call I was steadily busy, running back and forth from penetrating and blunt trauma victims in the trauma bay to inpatients, OR cases, and attending rounds. The characteristically hectic flow of the day was interrupted when I got a call from my mother: My father was having diaphoresis and chest discomfort. At this time, he was 65 years old and healthy. He had just recently retired, exercised almost every day, and took no medication. Like any other doctor who hears family complaints, my first instinct was to reassure my mother that everything was fine. She felt that the situation was serious, and I could sense the urgency and panic in her voice, so I advised her to go to the emergency room. Several hours later, we were all surprised to find out that my healthy father had elevated cardiac enzymes. Over the next 24 hours, my father remained in the emergency room under observation. There were no inpatient hospital beds, so we waited and trended troponins. On every lab draw, they steadily increased. I was able to see my dad the next day after my 30-hour trauma shift was over. This is when I saw for the first time what it feels like to be on the other side of healthcare. As a surgical resident, I had some semblance of control in many situations. As a visiting family member, however, I was powerless. It was at this point that I learned my first lesson: It is incredibly important to communicate with patients and their family members. I saw the hospital through the eyes of my mother and older brother; they perceived every flashing light and incessant alarm to signal impending doom. For me, these were an insignificant part of my daily routine to which I had become so accustomed. Every vital sign check and medication administration was a source of confusion and anxiety. Not only did my family need my love and support, but they also needed me to interpret a new language and explain the intricacies of the foreign place that they were visiting. I was tempted to puff my chest, raise my voice, and start barking orders. This was the attitude that I had perfected in the trauma bay when a critical wounded patient rolled through the door. This situation was different. I was not the trauma team leader with an unidentified patient; I now had an obligation not to panic my family, and I held that side back. Eventually, after what seemed like hours of waiting, I met my fathers primary doctor and his cardiologist. These physicians taught me a second important lesson: Never diminish a patients condition. When I met these doctors, they told me that my father needed a cardiac catheterization, but we had time to wait. The cardiologist informed us that since my father had no ST elevations, this was not an emergency. He even made a joke about insurance reimbursement. What he perceived as an opportunity to make light of the situation, we all saw as an insensitive remark on one of the worst days we had experienced as a family. At this point we did the only thing that we had the option of doing, we waited. For three days, my father remained in a stretcher in the emergency room with troponin values that steadily increased. I knew that the only thing I could do was remain calm and patient until the day came for his cardiac catheterization. This is where I saw firsthand how truly terrifying it is to wait for a family member having a procedure. My surgical training has helped me develop an almost ritualistic operating room routine. In the OR, it is second nature for me to know where everything belongs. Being behind the closed doors of the cardiac catheterization lab, however, felt ominous. At one point while we waited, there was a code blue called overhead. At that moment, I felt my heart beating so fast that I thought I would be the second member of my family to have a myocardial infarction. When the interventional cardiologist was done with the catheterization, we were all surprised to learn that my previously healthy father had triple vessel disease and needed a coronary artery bypass. The attending physician offered to get a surgical consult, but I knew that this hospital was not the right fit for my family. I wanted my father transferred to my hospital, where I had spent the past four years training. As soon as we spoke to the interventional cardiologist, I called my chair and program director. In a short time, the wheels were in motion to have my father transferred directly over to my cardiac ICU, and his name was immediately added to the operating schedule. Although I was relieved that he was coming, the situation was incredibly stressful. I was the one who made the call to transfer him. Not only was he coming to Philadelphia, my mother and brother were also going to become my new roommates. The next day, I again was the trauma chief on call. Like any other day, I ran back and forth between the trauma ICU, floor, and emergency department. Instead of spending free time in my on-call room or in the cafeteria with my team, I waited in what would shortly become my fathers room. As soon as the stretcher rolled on to the unit, I broke down and cried. I was in the middle of the cardiac ICU in front of my program director and the chairman of surgery, my co-residents, and a several nurses. This will always stay with me as my worst experience at work, but led me to learn the most important lesson of all. Despite my busy schedule and the amount of time I spend either present at or thinking about the hospital, I am human. I recognized in this moment that I had unconsciously been dehumanizing my patients and myself. I was confronted with all of the emotion that comes with facing the mortality of a parent in front of my peers. I learned that it is normal to connect with the people that I treat. They are more than just their disease process or laboratory values. Like me, all of my patients have a unique experience that shapes their experience and decision-making. My father went to the operating room the next morning and did remarkably well after his bypass. It was hard for me to give up some control, but I made a decision not to be my dads doctor. When he was an inpatient, I was his son. I did not check his labs or his vital signs as much as I would for a patient under my care; but of course, I still had to look. When on-call residents called me at night with different issues, I tried not to get involved. I did not want to cross that boundary, both for my sanity and the sanity of my family. The remainder of my fathers postoperative course was uncomplicated, and he went home with my mother after a little less than a week in the hospital. Today he is back to being himself. My fathers illness taught me to be a more humanistic and compassionate physician. Our patients and their families are scared and confused. It is not only our job to know anatomy in the operating room, clinical guidelines, or how to manage fluids and antibiotics; to truly heal a patient, we must understand what theyre dealing with along the entire course of an illness. I know that my fathers situation was not unique, but it forced me to confront the way that I practice medicine and forever shaped the way that I treat my patients. Michael Goldberg is a surgery resident. Image credit: Shutterstock.com Many of our clients have not retained an attorney for many years. Perhaps an attorney once helped them to buy their house or to prepare a will after their children were born. Other clients have had some experience during their working years interacting with an attorney about business or organizational issues. Who expects to need an attorney after the house is paid for and family has left an empty nest? Although most medical bills are paid by insurance or Medicare, legal expenses come out of your personal bank account. Initial treatment of a medical issue usually starts with a general practitioner, but often a referral is made to another physician who is considered to be a specialist for a particular health issue. Lawyers refer less frequently, and the legal community regulates use of the term specialist. A Pennsylvania attorney may not claim to be a specialist unless the attorney is accredited by an organization that has been approved by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The accrediting organization for elder law is the National Elder Law Foundation (NELF), which offers a designation of Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA). To become a CELA, an attorney must have at least five years of experience and have been focused on elder law for at least three years of practice. The CELA application process involves peer review, documentation of a variety of cases to demonstrate that the attorney has specialized knowledge, skills, and training in the area of elder law, and a rigorous exam. Keystone attorney Jessica Greene recently passed the CELA exam, which had a 16 percent pass rate in 2015. Jessica also recently earned an LL.M. (Master of Laws) in elder law as a graduate of the Stetson University College of Law in Florida. These credentials demonstrate a high level of knowledge and expertise. Although Keystone Elder Law avoids use of the term specialist, we advertise that we practice elder law. In Cumberland County there are seven law firms that have an attorney who is a member of The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), and four firms that have a lawyer who makes the additional investment to join the Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys (PAELA). Keystone Elder Law is the only firm that has more than one attorney who is a member of both organizations. Heres how NAELA explains the practice of elder law: Elder law attorneys focus on the legal needs of the elderly, and work with a variety of legal tools and techniques to meet the goals and objectives of the older client. Under this holistic approach, the elder law practitioner handles general estate planning issues and counsels clients about planning for incapacity with alternative decision making documents. The attorney would also assist the client in planning for possible long-term care needs, including nursing home care, locating the appropriate type of care, coordinating private and public resources to finance the cost of care, and working to ensure the clients right to quality care. These services are all part of the elder law practice. Since much of the law is state-specific, PAELA is vital to Keystone Elder Laws ability to provide the best solutions for our clients. Meeting twice a year with other PAELA members has allowed us to develop a helpful network as a resource for our clients needs. While I believe that the best elder law attorneys in Pennsylvania are members of PAELA, I recognize that not all of them choose to follow what NAELA terms to be a holistic approach. Before starting Keystone Elder Law six years ago, a prominent PAELA member urged me to investigate the Life Care Planning Law Firm Association (LCPLFA). He was responding to my interest in including care coordination in the practice of elder law; but he said, I dont have a care coordinator because I dont want to do get involved in all of those complications. Keystone Elder Law is a member of LCPLFA and employs a care coordinator as part of our holistic approach. Elder Counsel is another organizational resource that we have chosen to obtain. In addition to making information available on an exclusive and subscription basis to member attorneys, this national organization convenes periodic seminars around the country, as well as offers on-line webinars. Elder Counsel organizes national experts to insure that we stay on top of elder law issues related to the Veterans Administration, the IRS, and important federal regulatory changes. One of the primary ways that individuals may identify a potential elder law attorney is through the recommendation or referral from a trusted family member or friend. Testimonials of personal experience can speak volumes about a legal professionals approach to services . Thats why we put brief videos on our website to have our clients share how we have helped them. Some additional considerations are: Does the attorney seem willing to take extra time to explain the issues to an older person who may have more difficulty comprehending all of the technicalities involved? Does the attorney involve the older person in decision-making, or work primarily through the younger relatives or friends who have accompanied the older adult to an appointment? Does the attorney offer counseling in a manner that allows you to unload your issues and feel a sense of peace of mind? Some law firms offer a free initial appointment and others, like Keystone Elder Law, do not. We offer periodic free seminars. Prospective clients may have a free phone call with our care coordinator before scheduling an appointment in our office. Sometimes our care coordinator can redirect a caller to a free service or a more appropriate service provider. Occasionally, we can completely address a potential clients needs and questions in the first consultation. That is rare, since usually the preparation of legal documents, an asset preservation strategy, or a care coordination plan will require additional activity. We think it is important that, before we begin providing services, every client arrangement is explained in writing in an Engagement Agreement. Naturally, we hope you choose us! Passover has been over for several weeks (it started April 22), but on April 23, as part of the second Seder, we started Counting the Omer. Omer means sheaf of barley. We count the Omer each day for 50 days; those 50 days end with the holiday of Shavuot. How do we do that? We recite the prayer Today is the first (tenth, fifteenth, fortieth, etc) Day of the Counting of the Omer, adding this recitation into our daily prayers. Why do we count sheaves of barley? Passover marks not only the miracle of the Jews deliverance from Egypt, but also marks the beginning of the barley harvest in ancient Israel. Most ancient people depended entirely on agricultural yield, like the barley harvest, to feed them throughout the year. Therefore the spring was a period of great concern, because they were running out of stored food and because it was uncertain how good the harvest would be. Therefore during the period of the counting of the Omer, Jews refrained from celebrations, from dancing, from feasting and from holding weddings until after the harvest was in. It was as though they felt that they needed to refrain from happy events until they were sure of the harvest yield. However, there is one day on which weddings and other celebrations may occur during the period of the Omer counting. This holiday, known as Lag Be-Omer, meaning the 33rd day of Omer, occurred this year on May 26. Lag Be-Omer is a holiday based on events that occurred about year 130 of the Common Era, which was 60 years after the Romans destroyed the Second Temple (year 70 CE). At that time, Bar Kochba led an unsuccessful revolt against the Romans, who were attempting to impose their religion on the Jews. During the spring of that year, many of the students of Rabbi Akiva were sickened by a terrible plague. However the plague suddenly stopped on the 33rd day of the Omer. Also during this period of time, many famous rabbis were in hiding from the Romans, who forbade them from teaching. Rabbi Simeon Ben Yochai lived in secret in a cave in the Galilean hills for 13 years. Each year, the children of Galilee would visit the Rabbi on the 33rd day of the Omer, dressed as hunters and carrying picnic lunches, to fool the Romans. This was the origin of the holiday Lag Be-Omer, which is now the only day between Passover and Shavuot on which weddings are allowed. The holiday is also known as Yom ha-Moreh, the day to honor teachers. The counting of the Omer continues for 50 days (seven weeks) and ends on the holiday of Shavuot, the Festival of Weeks, which will be on June 11-13 this year. Shavuot is a holiday with two meanings. First, it is a day to celebrate the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people at Mt. Sinai. Second it is the festival to celebrate the grain harvest and the first summer fruits. In ancient days, two loaves of bread, made from the newly harvest grain, were brought to the temple as a gift to God. Also the first fruits of the land such as grapes, figs, and honey were brought to the temple for God. Thus Shavuot is a holiday for double celebration. We celebrate Gods great gift of the Torah to each of us, and we also celebrate the bounty of the harvest. I wanted to mention that on Sunday, May 15, the Carlisle Bahai community held a wonderful World Religion Day gathering at the First United Church of Christ. I attended as the representative of the Carlisle Jewish Community, as did representatives of several other Carlisle faith communities, and we all read messages of unity from our own faith traditions. Rev. Schwabs reading was about the Christian holiday of Pentecost, which had occurred that day (May 15). She reminded us that Pentecost was based on the Jewish holiday of Shavuot ... occurring 50 days after Passover. The apostles who experienced the Holy Spirit on Pentecost were gathered for the Shavuot holiday 2,000 years ago. We did note that this year, since Passover was much later than Easter (due to the extra month of Adar to adjust the Jewish lunar calendar), that Pentecost and Shavuot occur nearly a month apart. At Shavuot we express our gratitude to God for the fruits of the earth that sustain our bodies, and for Gods teaching, the Torah, that sustains our lives and souls. As we have come into beautiful spring weather after a very long winter, we are grateful that we do not face the risk of wholesale starvation every spring and fears of a poor harvest. Hunger in our country and our community is caused by how our society allocates resources, not by scarce food supplies. I am also grateful for the wonderful diversity of faith communities in the Carlisle area, such as were represented at the recent World Religion Day celebration. We need a lot more celebrations like that, to emphasize our unity and our common humanity. We all need to remember that all of us, regardless of our race, religion or gender, are children of God and children of the earth. We are far more alike than we are different in our religious beliefs. I believe that God delights in the many different ways that we seek to connect to divinity, through the myriad of religious practices that have developed throughout the earth. Let us also delight in our freedom to worship and believe. But let us also remember that we must insure that this freedom exists for everyone, not just those who worship like us. Let us focus our gratitude for the coming of spring and the bounty in which we live, by working to make the blessings of good food available to all Gods children. And let us stand with our neighbors, regardless of race, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity, to uphold every persons right to seek God according to his/her own lights. Bag-A-Cats Theatre Company, will premiere a new play by award winning, Piltown, playwright Ger Bourke at Brewery Lane theatre Carrick-on-suir on Wednesday 8th June and Thursday 9th June. The production will then go to Garter Lane Arts Centre Waterford Friday 17th June. And also to Dunmore East Food Festival for two outdoor performances at Aggie Hayes pub Friday 24th and Sunday 26th June. Plans are also in place to further tour the play in the autumn. Curse On a hill somewhere in modern day Ireland, Jo Jo, a small turnip grower is not doing so bad. The foreign discount stores have sprung up like mushrooms. The cheap migrant workers have arrived in their droves. The boom is booming. He might even have found what he thinks is happiness. So why is he constantly looking over his shoulder?. Then bang!. Bang!. Bang!. And Jo Jo is on his knees. Curse tell the story of one mans titanic struggle against a changing, commercial, landscape. An indifferent society. A frightened and damaged soul. But above all it is a torrid tale about the void left to fester by the unspoken word. A poignant and often hilarious take on loneliness, isolation and death. Hold on to your heartstrings on this emotional rollercoaster of a play. Ger Bourke Ger Bourke is an award winning playwright from Piltown. His awards include, The RTE, PJ O Connor Play Of The Year Award. The Corcadorca New Play Award. The Hughes And Hughes, RTE Drama Award. W.B Yates Bursary for drama. He was short listed for a Stuart Parker Award For Drama. His plays include, The Necklace Man (Impact theatre company) Banshee Makers (Corcadorca theatre company) Snap (Corcadorca theatre company) Ballad Of Sonny And Nonie (Impact theatre company) Last Beauty Spot (Corcadorca theatre company). His plays for RTE include, Lets Play Pretend. Happy Birthday Dear Blue Boy. The Moon Is A Quiet Referee, A Time Of Street Angels. Ger Bourkes plays have been performed throughout the country. He also has work performed at, The Dublin Fringe Festival, The Theatre Development Centre Cork. (TDC) And rehearsed readings of his work at, Druid theatre company, Galway. Boy Scout Troop 1541 assistant scout master Carl Olson (left) along with Scouts Hayden Posey,12, (center) and Matt Olson,17, place flags Thursday on veterans markers at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Bremerton. SHARE By Kitsap Sun Staff PORT ORCHARD Unclaimed remains of six deceased veterans will be remembered in ceremony and song at The Unforgotten, Run to Tahoma VII Celebration of Life on Saturday. The ceremony will begin at 9:15 a.m. at the Kitsap County Administration Building plaza, 619 Division St. After the ceremony, the veterans' remains will be escorted to Tahoma National Cemetery near Kent. The unclaimed veterans are: John Elmer Malick, Army; Johnny Monrow Chrisco, Army; John Russell Williams, Army; David G. Lunney, Navy; Michael Kenneth Wilson, Navy; and James Lynwood Madigan, Army, Vietnam. Family members or friends of other deceased veterans have asked that they be included. They are: Michael Joseph Brommel, Navy, Persian Gulf War; Ralph Mullford VanDyke, Navy, World War II; and Larry "Digger" Alexander, Marine Corps, Vietnam. Family members of a deceased veteran who would like to have the veteran honored at next year's event can contact Stacey James, of the county Veterans Assistance Program and Veterans Advisory Board, at 360-337-4811 or sjames@co.kitsap.wa.us; or Leif Bentsen, deceased veterans volunteer liaison of the Kitsap County Coroner's Office at lbentsen@co.kitsap.wa.us. Other Memorial Day events in Kitsap County include: Forest Lawn Cemetery Bremerton's Fleet Reserve Association, Branch 29, will hold a Memorial Day ceremony beginning at 11 a.m. Monday at Forest Lawn Cemetery on Kitsap Way. Bremerton City Councilman Jerry McDonald will be the guest speaker. Active duty Navy and Marine Corps service members will play "The Star Spangled Banner," "Taps" and perform a rifle squad salute. The ceremony is open to the public. Bainbridge Island American Legion Colin Hyde Post No. 172, of Bainbridge Island, will conduct Memorial Day services at two locations Monday. Services will begin at 10:45 a.m. at the veterans memorial at Bainbridge High School. A brief service will be conducted and members will decorate the area around the memorial with flowers and flags. After, all are welcome for the main program, which will start at 11:20 a.m. at the post hall, 7880 NE Bucklin Hill Road. Guest speaker will be Father Joseph P. Mitchell, pastor of St. Cecilia's Catholic Church and a Navy veteran. Legionnaires also will be decorating the graves of veterans with flags at the five Bainbridge Island cemeteries plus the St. Barnabas interium and the Bethany Lutheran columbarium. Grave decoration will be Saturday morning, and the flags will be removed Monday evening. Poulsbo Veterans of Foreign Wars No. 2463 and American Legion Post 245 will host a ceremony scheduled for noon Monday in the gazebo at Liberty Bay Waterfront Park. Mayor Becky Erickson will be the guest speaker, the North Kitsap High School band will perform patriotic music, and the Coast Guard Auxiliary will perform a wreath-laying ceremony. Turner Joy A Memorial Day ceremony starting at 10 a.m. Monday will take place on the fantail of the USS Turner Joy, on the downtown Bremerton waterfront. Lt. Col. Scott Reed, commanding officer of Marine Corps Force Security Battalion Bangor, will be the guest speaker. The event is sponsored by the Bremerton-Olympic Peninsula Council of the Navy League. If you know of a local Memorial Day ceremony that's not listed here, send information about it to sunnews@kitsapsun.com. Could a hospital district help to fund medical care in Kitsap? An inside look at how a special government district could be used to expand access to health care in Kitsap County. SHARE Jim McDonald, Bremerton Caucus system doesn't represent us The recent Kitsap Sun Our View column, encouraging the nation-wide implementation of vote-by-mail, couldn't have been more timely, after the release of the recent state Democratic primary election results. ("Export the vote-by-mail process," May 22) We can only hope that the state Democratic party is one of the first to adopt this participatory form of government. While the recent caucus system recorded a tiny percentage of the registered voters, with a large percentage in favor of candidate Bernie Sanders, the vote-by-mail system recorded over 660,000 votes (at the time of this writing) with a majority supporting candidate Hillary Clinton. While local caucuses may be a good way to get to know your neighbor, it certainly doesn't produce results that represents the voters as a whole. If the Democratic Party wants to keep that "folksy" feel, maybe they should resort to block watch parties or cake sales. Their current caucus system is clearly misguided and does not represent the majority. Linda Larsen woke up one day in 1969, distraught from her life as a law office receptionist, convinced that she was ready to die. I remember lying in bed and I remember thinking I couldnt live like this anymore, Larsen said. I couldnt do it. And then the words started playing in my head like they were on a loop. Over and over again I heard, I am ready to die. Later that morning, Larsen was taken hostage by a gun-wielding man. The man kidnapped Larsen from her desk after escaping from police custody, stealing a gun and demanding money and car keys from Larsens co-workers. He took me to an abandoned house and there he held me hostage for over five hours, Larsen said. At one point, he allowed me to sit in a chair. All of the sudden, out of nowhere, he slowly raised the gun, he pointed it between my eyes, he cocked the hammer and his exact words were Are you ready to die? Larsen eventually escaped the situation unharmed, but she said the experience served as a well-timed revelation. In that moment I knew that, no, I was not ready to die, Larsen said. I say that (being held hostage) is the greatest gift that I have ever been given in my life because it taught me my own strength. Larsen, a motivational speaker and author, told this story as part of her keynote address to the 22nd annual Business Womens forum at Messiah Colleges High Center Wednesday. The daylong conference, a product of the Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce and the West Shore Chamber of Commerce, is annually geared toward female professionals, following a mission of providing opportunities and insight to business women of all professional levels. It is the largest one day professional development conference for women in the Central Pennsylvania region. Larsen used her story to highlight the importance of resilience, a trait she described as vital to maintaining stability and happiness in the professional world. There are things that happen in your life that probably should never happen, Larsen said. There are bad things, and you have to grieve those things sometimes. But there comes a place when you say, You know what, I learned a lot from that and I am a stronger, more caring person because of it. That is resilience. Larsen also discussed techniques for women in the workplace to build and maintain self-esteem and eliminate negative self-talk. She described a hypothetical scenario where a male and female co-worker are both presented with a challenging task at the same time. Here is what happens: a woman immediately starts thinking Am I qualified enough for this (task)? Do I have enough experience for this?, Larsen said. While she is doing this in her head, (the man) goes Ill do it, because there is a fearlessness there. Men do that. It is not that he knows anything more than her, its that he knows (he will) say he will do it and then figure it out as he goes. The woman wants to have everything figured out before she says yes. There is your hesitation. There is the place that stops us. We under-value ourselves and we doubt ourselves and then we dont get those opportunities, Larsen added. So it takes a strong level of standing up to yourself. Larsens discussion segued into the presentation of the 2016 CenturyLink Business Woman of the Year Award. This year the award went to Patricia Husic of Centric Bank. I am very humbled and very honored to be recognized with this award, Husic said. I thank everyone from the nomination committee and everyone here today for supporting women in business. Other award nominees included Monica Gould of Strategic Consulting Partners, PJ Heyman of Village Artisans Gallery, Linda Johnston of Renewal by Andersen, Maria Keen of Bessies Best Lactation Cookies, Deborah Kelly of Greenawalt & Company P.C., Jordan Rhone of Brenner Family of Dealerships, Karen Scolforo of Central Penn College, Kristen Tuckey of the greatest gift and Judy Zimmerman-Walter of Zimmermans Automotive Service Inc. SHARE Nick Shiach, Bainbridge Island It's time to can food drives Like most in the Puget Sound region, I believe in the power of food banks to combat hunger in our communities. A common way we support food banks is by giving canned food, through food drives. Food drives, however, are self-serving, inefficient, and unhealthy. When we support food drives, we offer our food banks bad food. Every time a food drive comes around, people donate the food from their pantry that they least want to eat. We have the luxury of uncluttering and feeling good about it at the same time. "Expired beans? Twizzlers from last Halloween? Well I'm not gonna eat it, but I bet the poor will." The effect? The L.A. Times reported that up to 50 percent of food drive donations are expired, feeding only trash cans. Slate.com reported that almost 50 percent of the food donated does not meet basic nutritional standards. Food banks deserve the best food, and the solution is easy. Give food banks cash. Food banks can purchase up to 20 times more food with your dollars than you can, through bulk and charity discounts. Northwest Harvest, the largest food bank network in Washington, can feed a family of three a nutritious meal for just 67 cents. Compared with what food banks are capable of providing with monetary donations, food drives provide old, unhealthy and expensive food. The next time you are asked to support your local food bank, donate cash instead of cans. It's time we make a real stand against hunger. Stuff reports: A Wellington furniture-maker is being forced to pack up his tools, after the death of his longstanding benefactor. Rick White secured his workshop in Leeds St 31 years ago, thanks to a handshake deal with former district court judge Ian Borrin. But Borrin died in March, leaving the building as part of a $30 million bequest to create a charitable trust. White, owner of Waywood Furniture, was paying $800 a month in rent, which never changed while Borrin was alive. The commercial monthly rate today would be about 10 times that. So for 31 years he paid a peppercorn rental. And the owner has died, and now that no longer applies. What is unexpected or unusual about that? He planned to carry on working there until he died, happy, over his workbench. Then he should have approached Judge Borrin and asked him how much would it cost to buy the building. He said he had a duty to the judges estate and the foundation to maximise the revenue stream from his properties. There was a prospective new tenant who had made an unconditional written offer to take a lease and redevelop the property. Patterson said he spoke to Borrin before his death, and it was his wish that the redevelopment proceed. There was no written record of the judges wishes with regard to Whites workshop: The judge wanted him to exit in a friendly manner, but also in a timely manner. White had now been given 3 months to leave. Hes getting on a bit, hes just trying to maximise the value of his tenancy. The worlds moved on, Im afraid. Were now in a commercial world, and Im afraid Rick is a minor casualty. Nikau Foundation manager Louise Parkin said the group did not yet have Borrins assets in the trust, as they were still in probate. She confirmed Borrin had the discretion to hold Whites rent unchanged for 31 years, and said the full commercial rate for the premises would be about $80,000 a year. But at present, once rates and insurance were paid, the property was actually losing money. Strictly, it would be unethical for us to subsidise an individual business owner at the trusts expense, for charitable purposes. If Judge Borrin wanted him to retain it for life, he would have said so in the will. If I was Mr White Id be grateful for the 31 years of peppercorn rentals, rather than complaining they have ended. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr Stuff reports: Donald Trump has reached the number of delegates needed to clinch the Republican nomination for US president, completing an unlikely rise that has upended the political landscape and set the stage for a bitter autumn campaign. Trump was put over the top in the Associated Press delegate count on Thursday (Friday NZ Time) by a small number of the partys unbound delegates who told the AP they would support him at the national convention in July. Among them is Oklahoma GOP chairwoman Pam Pollard. I think he has touched a part of our electorate that doesnt like where our country is, Pollard said. I have no problem supporting Mr Trump. It takes 1237 delegates to win the Republican nomination. Trump has reached 1238. Union Cabinet approves India, Maldives MoU for cooperation in field of tourism Published: May 25, 2016 The Union Cabinet has given its approval to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Union Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Tourism of Government of Maldives. The MoU was signed to strengthen cooperation in the field of tourism and under it Maldives will be instrumental in increasing arrival from this important source market. Objectives of MoU Expand bilateral cooperation between both countries in the tourism sector. Exchange data and information related to tourism sector. Encourage cooperation between tourism stakeholders, including tour operators and hotels. Establish exchange programme for cooperation in tourism sector in Human Resources Development. Exchange visits of Tour Operators/Opinion Makers/ Media for promotion of two-way tourism. Exchange of experiences in the areas of promotion, destination development, marketing and management of tourism. Promote safe honourable and sustainable tourism and participate in travel exhibitions/ fairs in each others country. Month: Current Affairs - May, 2016 Topics: Cabinet Decisions India-Maldives Tourism Sector Latest E-Books Kate French, center, a representative for Montana based Western Organization of Resource Council (WORC) was the first speaker for a crowd of about 30 protesters gathered at a rally of community groups at the East TN Historical Society Thursday, May 26, 2016. The rally was planned for Krutch Park but moved inside because of the rain. (MICHAEL PATRICK/NEWS SENTINEL) SHARE Cornelia Overton and Corey Dugan play for a crowd of about 30 people gathered at a rally of community groups at the East TN Historical Society Thursday, May 26, 2016. the rally was planned for Krutch Park but moved inside because of the rain. (MICHAEL PATRICK/NEWS SENTINEL) By Ed Marcum of the Knoxville News Sentinel Environmental groups held a rally drawing scores of people into downtown Knoxville Thursday and coinciding with a Bureau of Land Management public meeting on possible reforms to the federal coal leasing program. Members of the Sierra Club, Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment (SOCM), Appalachian Voices and other groups from as far away as Montana gathered in the auditorium of the East Tennessee Historical Society to listen to speakers talk about the problems with allowing coal mining on public lands. "The key is these are people who are pushing for reforms to a broken and outdated system that robs taxpayers, harms our air and water, props up aging coal plants and fails to take account for impacts to our climate," said Jonathan Levenshus, with the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign. He termed the leases a chance for companies to mine coal at cut-rate prices on public land at a cost to taxpayers of $1 billion a year in lost royalties. David Wasilko, a Roane County farmer and SOCM member, said he lives next to TVA's Kingston Fossil Plant, which was the site of a massive coal ash spill in 2008. He claimed that most of the coal burned at the plant comes from the Powder River Basin. Located in Montana and Wyoming, this area provides about 40 percent of the nation's coal and most coal reserves there are owned by the Bureau of Land Management. Amy Kelly, with Appalachian Voices, said coal industry jobs are decreasing while solar industry jobs are increasing and it would be better to put a moratorium on coal leasing and put money into renewable energy sources instead. Kelly and others with the group also addressed Bureau of Land Management officials who were at the Tennessee Theatre on Thursday to take public comments. The U.S. Secretary of the Interior has ordered a review of the federal coal program to identify potential reforms, and placed a pause on new coal leases on public lands while this takes place. The bureau scheduled six public meetings, including the one in Knoxville, to get public input on the issue. Not everyone at the meeting spoke against coal leasing. Harry Childress, president of the Virginia Coal and Energy Alliance, said coal companies are not taking advantage of taxpayers the taxpayers are getting an excellent return from the companies instead. Federal and state tax burdens on coal production on federal land add up to $4.28 on every $11 worth of coal sold, he said. "That's a tax rate of 39 percent," he said. "Who in this room would like to have a state income tax or a state sales tax rate of 39 percent?" Union Cabinet approves MoU between ISRO and United Arab Emirates Space Agency Published: May 26, 2016 The Union Cabinet has approved Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the United Arab Emirates Space Agency (UAESA) for cooperation in the exploration and user of outer space for peaceful purposes. Decision in this regard was taken by Union Cabinet meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. The MoU seek to set up a Joint Working Group with members from ISRO and UAESA. It will further work out the plan of action including the time-frame and the means of implementing the MoU. Background During the visit of Prime Minister of India to UAE in August 2015, promoting space cooperation between both countries was highlighted. It was also discussed earlier at the 11th meeting of India-UAE Joint Commission for Economic and Technical Cooperation held at New Delhi in September 2015. Subsequently, ISRO and UAESA had signed MoU in New Delhi in February 2016 considering their mutual interest in expanding the applications of space technology for peaceful purposes. Month: Current Affairs - May, 2016 Topics: Cabinet Decisions India-UAE ISRO National Space Cooperation Latest E-Books Matt Ward/Special To Go Knoxville The community-supported Birdhouse, 800 N. Fourth Ave., features a radio station and an art gallery and serves as host for numerous musical and spoken-word events. Fourth and Gill is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Knoxville. On the eastern edge of the neighborhood, cut off slightly by a freeway overpass, is Fourth Avenue. On Fourth are two nightlife establishments. The first is Sassy Ann's, a former blues club that now has one of the more popular dance nights in Knoxville. The other is the Birdhouse. Both houses are Barber houses. Barber houses were designed by architect George Barber and his team, who lived in Knoxville for a few decades at the turn of the 20th century. Barber's team didn't fall for the simple cookie-cutter way of designing homes that began to plague our country in the 1950s. In fact, his team of architects is responsible for nearly 20,000 sets of building plans that were delivered to every state in the United States. The homes were built in sections and shipped all over the country by train. This may be part of the reason I love Fourth and Gill, Old North Knoxville and Happy Holler so much. All three neighborhoods have a concentration of Barber-designed homes. Fourth and Gill itself has the most dense concentration of these homes. I love any structure that can withstand more than a century of weather, economic changes and new development. These homes have big front porches, allowing socialization with your fellow neighbors. The Birdhouse is the name given to 800 N. Fourth Avenue in downtown Knoxville. It acts as many things, but primarily as the Fourth and Gill Neighborhood Center. Besides that it is an art gallery, spoken word venue, music venue, radio station, community organizational meeting space and much more. Essentially, if the community has a need for a space, Birdhouse is there to welcome it. On the night I arrived they were having a hip-hop open-mic called Cypher Saturdays. I had never been to a hip-hop open mic so I was intrigued. I arrived early before the mic had begun and parked down the street in front of Sassy Ann's. Some folks were gathered outside smoking, and a small line of young folks was gathered in the entryway. When you first walk in the front door, bookshelves line the wall to the right and left. To the right is also a set of stairs that leads to the second floor. Entering the main "living room" of the house I saw the stage area was off to the left and people were gathered on the perimeter of the room. They were sitting on couches, chairs and some of the floor. I found a spot on the floor where I wasn't blocking anyone and plopped myself down. The host, Angel Ibarra, got the show started by going over the guidelines for the show and letting the audience know the mic was celebrating two years going. The mic got started and I was immensely impressed with the talent that performed. Shernora Singz belted out a few tunes on piano getting the crowd going. After that a young man named Ja Thomas took the stage and blew me away. His vocal ability and raw passion in his voice was very surprising. He played electric guitar and sang a bluesy number, then closed with '7 Years' by Lukas Graham and crushed it. The mic was great. The space doesn't have a beer permit. It acts as a BYOB space, so a few folks had tall boys and others were just drinking coffee. As I departed some stood outside and smoked, talking about what they had prepared for the evening. Upstairs at Birdhouse in the back is where Community Radio WOZO 103.9 operates. The radio station plays the most diverse selection of music and odd tracks of anything in our city. It is one of my favorites. Any station that plays k.d. lang followed by Tupac wins my heart. Since the Birdhouse is community supported, they have recently relaunched their "Sustainers Program." This allows individuals or organizations to become an official partner in making sure the Birdhouse can continue to offer community services into the future. https://birdhouseknoxville.com/join-the-birdhouse/ Birdhouse 800 N. Fourth Avenue Phone: N/A Website: https://birdhouseknoxville.com/ Hours: See Web site for event schedule Smoking Indoors: No Free Wifi: Yes Knoxville Police cruiser at an accident Friday, May 8, 2015. (MICHAEL PATRICK/NEWS SENTINEL) SHARE By News Sentinel Staff KNOXVILLE A driver struck a vacant police cruiser Wednesday afternoon while the officer was assisting another person on Chapman Highway, authorities said. "The officer had stopped to help a stranded motorist and was out of his car," Knoxville Police Department Sgt. Sammy Shaffer said. No one was injured. The driver swerved to avoid stopped traffic near the intersection with East Redbud Road and hit the police cruiser at about 4:18 p.m., Schaffer said. He didn't give the driver's name or say whether charges would be filed. More details as they develop online and in Friday's News Sentinel. Joseph Leslie Slusher (Submitted photo) SHARE By Bob Fowler of the Knoxville News Sentinel LOUDON A boy willing to testify in court against the man who sexually molested him when he was 8 years old "went a long way toward bringing about a successful result" in a criminal case, a prosecutor said following a plea-bargain agreement in Loudon County Criminal Court. Rather than face a trial and that potential testimony, Joseph Leslie Slusher, 29, formerly of Hotchkiss Valley Road in Loudon, pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of aggravated sexual battery. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison. While Slusher received credit for the two years he's already been behind bars, he's classified as a violent sex offender and will be required to serve 85 percent of his prison sentence before he's eligible for parole. Assistant 9th Judicial District Attorney General Alyson Kennedy said the key to conviction in most child sex abuse cases "is having a victim strong enough to face the person who committed the abuse in an open courtroom," according to a news release. She credited Lenoir City Police Department Capt. Kevin Condee, who investigated the case, "for his tremendous support and rapport with the victim in this regard." The crimes occurred between October 2012 and October 2013 while the boy was living in Slusher's home in Lenoir City. The abuse was later disclosed to authorities in Arkansas, where the boy had moved with his mother, according to the news release. After he's released from prison, Slusher will be placed on the state Sex Offender Registry and be subject to community supervision for life, an enhanced form of probation for violent sex offenders. "Justice has been served in this case," Kennedy said. Wesley Lynn Hatmaker SHARE Conrad Mark Troutman By News Sentinel Staff Two Campbell County attorneys have been indicted on theft charges after a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation probe found each had allegedly taken money from clients' trust accounts. The alleged crimes are not related. A grand jury returned indictments Wednesday charging Wesley Lynn Hatmaker, 50, and Conrad Mark Troutman, 57, with theft, according to the TBI. The agency began investigating Hatmaker on Dec. 28 and found he had withdrawn more than $250,000 from the trust account between April 2009 and November 2015, according to the indictment. The money was never returned and Hatmaker kept it for his personal use, authorities said. Hatmaker has been charged with one count of theft over $250,000, four counts of theft over $60,000 and two counts of theft over $10,000. The probe into Troutman began on Jan. 25, and TBI agents said they found the lawyer had "on several occasions" spent money from a client's trust without their consent or knowledge. He kept the money, concealed how it was used and then used additional client funds to replace the missing money, according to authorities. Troutman has been charged with one count of theft over $250,000, two counts of theft over $60,000 and one count of theft over $10,000. Both attorneys have had their law licenses suspended. More detail as they develop online and in Friday's News Sentinel. SHARE By MJ Slaby of the Knoxville News Sentinel The student disparities shown in Knox County Schools data are not new, and will take community support and added funds to address and reduce, according to school board members. The Disparities in Educational Outcomes task force presented data and action items at a Wednesday board meeting. The board is expected to vote on it next month. The task force, formed in November 2014, aims to reduce disparities in discipline and education that might be connected to race, income, disability, language or gender. In a summary of the data, John Beckett, director of research and evaluation for the district, told the board that disparities in discipline exist for the following groups: students who are black, students with disabilities, students living in poverty and male students. He said that poverty has an impact on educational outcomes for all groups of students and there is a negative correlation between suspension rates and academic performance. And while the school district has progressed in closing some academic achievement gaps, significant inconsistencies still exist, Beckett said. But that isn't new, several board members stressed. "How receptive are we to really dig deep and do what we need to do?" board member Glorida Deathridge asked. Her question and a request from fellow board member Lynne Fugate to know the costs of recommendations such as adding support staff led to applause from members of the Coalition to Stop School Pushout who were in the audience. The coalition is a group of community members that includes teachers, parents and others. The group has been monitoring the task force and made its own recommendations to address disparities. Members have also criticized the $56,000 in the upcoming school system budge for implementation of task force ideas as not enough. Coalition member Carl Wheeler said he and other members are ready to serve on the district steering committee that would oversee implementation of task force recommendations. Other board members suggested the task force's presentation of data and action items be shown to local and state government leaders who approve funding for the school district. Board members also asked for data points to share about programs already in place like community schools to show what works. Also during Wednesday's workshop meeting, the board discussed a third-party report of the district's transportation department that was released in March. They discussed a need for student training about bus ridership and safety, but also the possibility of a way for students to report bus drivers who text while driving. Russ Oaks, chief operating officer for the district, told the board about the changes the district has made in transportation since last summer and said the process to "implement everything (from the report) is evolutionary" and may take time. He said planning for student training is coming up as well as making sure every bus has a radio. Oaks also said the goal is to hire a new administrative position focused on bus safety by mid-July. That position was funded in the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. SHARE Jefferson Middle School Principal Phil Cox, second from right, inspects a student team's design for various improvements to Oak Ridge. (BOB FOWLER/NEWS SENTINEL) Jefferson Middle School student Eden Gee, lower right, gestures as she explains she and her student teammates would upgrade some of Oak Ridge's older houses to attract new families. (BOB FOWLER/NEWS SENTINEL) By Bob Fowler of the Knoxville News Sentinel OAK RIDGE From new "tiny houses" and residences made from shipping crates to knocking out walls inside the city's vintage homes, Jefferson Middle School students have brainstormed some innovative solutions to the Atomic City's housing issues. Six teams of seventh- and eighth-graders in a special course also came up with new designs for the long-awaited revamp of the Oak Ridge Mall area. One proposal has an overview of a new retail mecca forming a wildcat's paw a tribute to the high school's mascot out of parking spaces surrounding a pedestrian-friendly cluster of stores. "It's great to see their energy and passion and their tying it into the community," said Phil Cox, principal of the 720-student school. He said students "worked together as groups to come up with ideas to make things better for the community." The weekslong project, wrapped up Thursday, was a joint effort of social studies educator Chris Layton and Chris Jaeger, the schools' technology education instructor. This problem-based learning project started with a question, Layton said: "How can we attract more people to live in Oak Ridge?" "If they (the students) stay in Oak Ridge, maybe they can help solve some of the city's problems," Layton said. The students' efforts included surveys on social media to gauge housing and shopping preferences and using computer-aided design software for housing renovations. The ideas of incorporating the "tiny house" trend as well as homes built from huge shopping crates into the city's housing stock "are a little out there, but it gets your attention," student Jadyn Jackson said. As for the city's older housing stock, "We wanted to jazz them up and make them look modern" by knocking out walls to create bigger spaces, she said. The concept of making interior spaces bigger by removing walls was also endorsed by another team, said member Eden Gee. The students even came up with an estimated price tag for that renovation of a larger house $870. Hardwood flooring was proposed, said Lucy Sabine but not laminate flooring, fellow student Ashtyn Knipp added, because "that doesn't look as good." Quizzing the students Thursday was a panel of judges Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers; City Council member Charlie Hensley; Holly Cross, the school system's career and technical education supervisor; and Cox. Layton said the project was devised to solve "real world problems using state standards and curriculum to find skills that can be applied to solve these issues." TIMOTHY JOSEPH/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS SENTINEL Secret City Excursion Train chugging along take a ride. SHARE By Frank Munger of the Knoxville News Sentinel OAK RIDGE It looks like the Secret City Excursion Train, an Oak Ridge tourist attraction, may be derailed. The owner of the rail line Utah-based EnergySolutions said Thursday it will no longer allow passenger traffic because of liability concerns. The change is effective May 31. For the past seven years, EnergySolutions has allowed the Southern Appalachian Railroad Museum, a nonprofit entity that sponsors the Secret City Excursions, to use the Heritage Railroad short line at no cost. However, in a statement released Thursday, John Christian, the president of EnergySolutions Logistics, Processing and Services, said the company had recently reassessed its business and made the decision to suspend passenger services on the rail line. EnergySolutions has a radioactive-waste processing center in Oak Ridge, and the company uses the short line as a connector to ship wastes by rail to its landfill at Clive, Utah. "The primary use of the Heritage Railroad is to transport cargo and not intended as a passenger line," Christian said. "While passengers have safely enjoyed the use of this rail line we have evaluated the use of the line for anything other than cargo and determined we should discontinue transporting passengers on the railroad." Scott Lindsey, president of the Southern Appalachian Railroad Museum, was unavailable for comment. The group's board of directors was reportedly scheduled to meet Thursday evening to discuss the situation. As of Thursday afternoon, a volunteer was still taking reservations for rail trips on the first three Saturdays in June. Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said he understood the EnergySolutions decision. "On a pure tourism standpoint, we're disappointed about losing a tourist attraction that addressed of number of visitor needs in our community," Watson said. "But we also have to look ahead at some of the exciting economic development activities that may be happening out there (at East Tennessee Technology Park)." The Department of Energy site is being cleaned up and converted to a private industrial park. Lawrence Young, the president of the Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee, said the decision was disappointing but understandable from a business standpoint. CROET coordinates redevelopment of the site and has also supported the railroad excursions. "It's unfortunate," Young said Thursday. A UT student and Contact Care Line volunteer, Marta, makes a safety call to a homebound senior recently. All Contact volunteers remain anonymous, using pseudonyms to answer calls. Contact asked that the News Sentinel not show Marta's face. SHARE By Kristi L. Nelson of the Knoxville News Sentinel Contact Care Line closed its Knoxville office at the end of 2007, but it never really went away. The agency then known as Contact Helpline, part of the national Contact USA organization simply rolled Knoxville calls over to the only Contact line left in the region: Anderson County's, which has operated more than 40 years. That number is 865-584-4424. But having an office only in Oak Ridge was inconvenient for volunteers, on whom the nonprofit depends to answer callers who need suicide or crisis intervention, information and referrals, reassurance or simply a sounding board for problems they're working through. That's what led the nonprofit to again open a second call center in Knox County, said executive director Bruce Marshall. "The Interior Design Society of East Tennessee has volunteered to help us renovate and decorate the space," Marshall said. "It'll be very professional and attractive," welcoming to what Contact hopes will be an influx of new volunteers. Marshall said the call center's location will remain private to protect the volunteers answering the crisis line who also use pseudonyms to protect their identities but that it will be convenient to the University of Tennessee. Four years ago, the UT Department of Psychology began offering a course, Psych 399: Supervised Field Work/Research, through which students gain academic credit for going through Contact's "active listener training" and volunteering on the crisis line. Now, students who must be at least college juniors and always have more experienced volunteers as backup answer a fourth to a third of calls to the crisis line. The office has been able to expand its hours to 8 a.m.-11 p.m. daily. "With the Knoxville office, we're hoping to extend back to 24-hour coverage," as Contact originally had, Marshall said. When Contact is closed, the lines don't go unanswered. Calls roll over to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. But "with UT being on summer break, we really need about another 20 volunteers to come and get us through the summer," Marshall said. Crisis line volunteers must take Contact's 16-hour "The Art of Active Listening" training, a combination of lectures and role-playing, which the nonprofit offers several times a year, on either Tuesdays and Thursdays during business hours or evenings over four weeks, or over three consecutive Saturdays. All volunteers must have the training, which costs $25, but going through training doesn't commit one to volunteering and Marshall said many people take the training simply to gain skills to help with work or relationships. The next training session starts May 31 and will be at Concord United Methodist Church. Contact also needs volunteers for its Reassurance program, which offers daily safety checks, social calls and medication reminders for seniors and homebound individuals in the 865 area code. Those volunteers take four hours of training, part of which can be done online. There's a form to apply for the program on Contact's web site, www.contactcarelinetn.org. Marshall said the crisis line now has close to 80 volunteers and fields around 10,000 calls a year, although some are repeat callers. Volunteers work to establish a rapport with callers, help them explore their problem, then help them work toward resolving it by listening and referring to other resources, when applicable. SHARE The Vietnam War 50th anniversary commemoration seal. By News Sentinel Staff Fred Hunter Richmond III of Knoxville and Claude Edward Goble of Loudon are two of more than 300 Vietnam veterans to be inducted this year into the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund's In Memory Program, according to a news release. The program honors Vietnam veterans whose lives were cut short as a result of their service in Vietnam, but are not eligible for inscription on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial under Department of Defense guidelines. Richmond, born July 24, 1939, served in the Navy. He died Jan. 26, 2005. Goble, who served in the Army, was born May 7, 1945, and died Sept. 30, 2012. Other 2016 inductees from Tennessee include Charles Edson Crone (June 5, 1947-June 7, 2013) of Shelbyville, who served in the Air Force; Royce Allen Davenport (Oct. 28, 1947-July 1, 2014) of McMinnville, Army; John Joseph Donnelly (Nov. 30, 1931-Dec. 21, 2013) of Henderson, Air Force; Lynn Richard Johnson (Aug. 24, 1949-Feb. 14, 2015) of Fall Branch, Army; William Roger Jordan (Nov. 14, 1943-Dec. 1, 2013) of Lewisburg, Army; Weldon Gene Keymon (Feb. 1, 1946-June 17, 1998) of Savannah, Army; Larry Eugene Letterman (Aug. 3, 1946-April 9, 2013) of Elizabethton, Army; William Robert Paschall (Oct. 11, 1943-Nov. 6, 2013) of Linden, Army; and Jimmy Ralph Perkins (Nov. 19, 1943-Nov. 15, 2008) of Chattanooga, Air Force. On June 18, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund will host more than 2,000 attendees at the annual ceremony on the East Knoll of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. This year, 312 service members will be honored. The master of ceremonies will be Capt. Denis Faherty. During the ceremony, names of all honorees are read aloud and certificates bearing the honorees' names are placed at the memorial. The certificates are later collected by the National Park Service and stored in a permanent archive. The In Memory program began in 1999 and has honored more than 2,500 veterans, according to the news release. A plaque honoring the veterans was dedicated as a part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 2004. It reads: "In Memory of the men and women who served in the Vietnam War and later died as a result of their service. We honor and remember their sacrifice." For more information on the In Memory program, please visit: www.vvmf.org/inmemory. To learn more about VVMF and the Education Center at The Wall, visit www.vvmf.org or call 866-990-WALL. SHARE Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam was wise to wash his hands of the Legislature's misguided quest to sue the federal government over its refugee resettlement program. Attorney General Herbert Slatery III needs to be next in line at the sink. Last week Haslam allowed a joint resolution clamoring for a lawsuit to go into effect without his signature, a signal of the governor's disdain for the effort. Inspired by the Obama administration's plan to accept up to 10,000 refugees from war-torn Syria, the resolution calls on Slatery to take some sort of legal action against the federal government. Slatery already has explained to lawmakers in an advisory opinion that the federal government has exclusive authority over the acceptance and resettlement of refugees. If Slatery opts not to file a lawsuit, the resolution authorizes the House and Senate speakers to hire outside counsel. According to supporters of the measure, a Michigan-based nonprofit public interest law firm is willing to provide free legal services to the state. The resolution is based on two erroneous contentions. First, the measure claims that forcing states to provide Medicaid services to refugees amounts to unconstitutional coercion. Second, it asserts the federal government has violated the law by not consulting with the state on refugee resettlement. The resolution cites the U.S. Supreme Court's 2012 decision making Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act optional for states. The court determined that the Affordable Care Act's original requirement that states expand Medicaid to cover new categories of recipients or risk losing existing Medicaid funding amounted to a new program that states had no choice but to accept. The ruling also reaffirmed the federal government's authority to attach conditions on programs using federal funds, however, and left the existing Medicaid program intact. Refugees already are eligible for Medicaid. The resolution also contends the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement has not consulted quarterly with the state as required by the Refugee Act of 1980. Tennessee opted out of the federal refugee program in 2007, however, and Catholic Charities subsequently was designated to operate the Tennessee Office for Refugees. ORR provides funding to the state refugee program, which offers services such as case management, medical screening, English language training, limited cash assistance, job placement and more, all with the goal of promoting self-sufficiency. The Tennessee Office for Refugees essentially acts as a stand-in for the state in working with ORR. The state's refugee coordinator, Holly Johnson, told the News Sentinel ORR complies with the law's consultation requirement. "ORR and the State Department talk to us and they're also talking to the governor's office, so they're fulfilling their obligation," Johnson said. If legislators want to talk to her or ask her to make presentations to committees, she added, all they need to do is call. The resolution is little more than political grandstanding in an election year. Denying resettlement to refugees, who are fleeing oppression at home, would be cruel and illegal. Slatery should follow Haslam's lead and refuse to participate in such a scheme. It was the largest military invasion in history. By the end of D-Day, June 6, 1944, nearly 160,000 Allied troops, Marines, Airmen, and Naval personnel had successfully breached Hitler's supposedly impenetrable Fortress Europe at four large beachheads along a 50-mile stretch of the heavily fortified Normandy coastline of France. Everything about the operation was gigantic in scale. More than 5,000 ships and 13,000 aircraft contributed to the success of the operation. The Allies even brought along with them from England two gigantic seaborne harbors made of concrete and steel which allowed large quantities of military supplies to be unloaded offshore for the battle. Even so, the invasion was also costly as more than 9,000 Allied fighting men lost their lives on the invasion's first day. Meanwhile, thanks to skillful Allied deception with phony "leaks" about the impending invasion, the Germans were completely surprised. Indeed, Hitler had slept through the crucial early hours of the invasion because he had given his staff strict orders not to awaken him early under any circumstances. Making matters for the Nazis, the dictator's chief officer assigned to lead a counterattack against any Allied invasionthe celebrated commander Field Marshal Erwin Rommelwas also in Germany celebrating his wife's 50th birthday. Because Allied planes controlled the air over this part of France, Rommel was forced to make the long trip to the combat zone by automobilewhich further delayed any major German response to the invasion. Part of the massive story about D-Day, as told by veterans of that campaign both American and German is the subject of a film to be shown on Saturday, beginning at 3 p.m. on the large screen at Cozean Memorial Chapel. For the past 11 years the Farmington funeral home has presented special film programs about the lives of Americans in combat as part of its celebration of veterans on the Saturdays before Memorial Day. This year's documentary film, "Omaha Beach, D-Day" was produced by Larry Cappetto as part of his "Lest They Be Forgotten" series that looks at various American military battles from the perspective of individual solders. The program will be introduced by Jon Cozean, who will briefly describe the major events of D-Day. There is no admission charge and refreshments will be served following the program. More information is available by calling 573-756-4541. 11:10 a.m. May 26, 2016 Pellissippi State graduate earns double degree Fred Williams, a Pellissippi State Community College graduate, earned a degree from Pellissippi State and from Austin Peay State University on the same day. Image courtesy of PS. On the morning of May 6, Fred Williams rushed from his commencement ceremony at Austin Peay State University to another at Pellissippi State Community College -- but his path to a degree hasn't been quite so fast. Williams first stepped through the doors of Pellissippi State in 1988. He continued with school, off and on, while working full time until 2000, when he earned an associate's degree in Electrical Engineering Technology. But Williams didn't stop there. He stayed enrolled at Pellissippi State until 2006, when he and his wife adopted their son. He decided to take time off from school to help raise him. "When he started going to kindergarten, I started back to school too," Williams said. "I wanted my son to see me graduate. That's a memory I always wanted him to have." Williams came back to Pellissippi State in 2010, and in 2013 entered the Austin Peay 2+2 program, which allows students to earn a bachelor's degree in Engineering Technology at Pellissippi State's Hardin Valley Campus. He completed the 2+2 program this spring, earning a general associate's degree from Pellissippi State and a Manufacturing Engineering Technology degree from Austin Peay. On May 6, Williams walked the stage at both Pellissippi State and Austin Peay's commencements. He rushed from Clarksville to Knoxville in order to take part in both ceremonies. "As I walked across the stage to shake Dr. Wise's hand, I leaned in to say, 'You know I walked the stage at Austin Peay this morning, don't you?'" Williams said. "He got a chuckle out of that, and after the ceremony came to track me down." "I thought it was an accomplishment to graduate twice in one day, so I knew I wanted to be in both ceremonies," said Williams, who is a senior electrical designer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Spallation Neutron Source. This fall, Williams plans to return to college. He lacks only six courses to earn a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology, another 2+2 program offered by Pellissippi State and Austin Peay. He hopes the additional degrees will allow him to continue to improve and grow his career at ORNL. "I like Pellissippi State. It's helped me out a lot over the years." For more information about Pellissippi State, visit www.pstcc.edu or call 865-694-6400. Published May 26, 2016 Look for red flags to avoid being swindled NASHVILLE To help consumers make the most of their hard-earned money, the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurances (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs provides ways to recognize and avoid unscrupulous businesses. The Division of Consumer Affairs strives to advocate, educate, and protect Tennesseans against fraud, false advertising, misrepresentation, and deceptive business practices, said TDCI Deputy Commissioner Bill Giannini. When in doubt, contact us to ask if complaints have been filed against a company or individual you are considering doing business with. The Division offers the following guidelines to help consumers identify red flags and avoid bad business. Red Flags: The company does not list a physical address. This does not necessarily mean the company is illegitimate, but if the company does not have a physical address, you will not be able to visit the business location to request a refund or resolve your dispute in person. The companys phone number does not work. Do not conduct business with a company or individual that does not offer a working phone number. The company requests an excessively large, upfront deposit. Do not offer personal information or payment in advance of service unless you have verified the company is legitimate. Once you pay the deposit, make sure you are given a receipt. Consumer Tips: As a general rule, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Research, research, research. Before making an expensive purchase, be proactive and inquire as much as you can about the company, customer service and quality of products or services. Ask questions and request documentation. If you are unsure about a product or service, dont be afraid to contact the company or salesperson. When in doubt, ask for written documentation to ensure you understand and are being told the truth. Read customer reviews. If you are attracted to the price of a product or service, but you feel unsure about the company or legitimacy of the purchase, read customer reviews to see what others experienced. Before purchasing a product or service online, make sure the company lists a WORKING telephone number or customer service line. Before purchasing a gift certificate, request the terms of the gift certificate in writing to ensure it is redeemable. Beware; if the company goes out of business, it is extremely unlikely the company will refund you for the gift certificate. Read the fine print. Make sure you understand the terms of use for the product or service. Read the return policy. Make sure you understand whether or not the company will offer you a refund. Call the company to ask what they are willing to offer if you are unsatisfied with the product or service. Keep your receipts. It is more likely you will be refunded if you have your receipt on-hand. If you are considering purchasing a product or service through websites like Craigslist or Groupon, contact the company directly to ensure the offer is valid. Ask about the companys return policy. Furthermore, do not invite someone into your home unless you are sure the company or individual is legitimate. When in doubt, contact the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs at 800-342-8385 or your local Better Business Bureau to ask if complaints have been filed against the company or individual. Published May 25, 2016 Campbell County attorney arrested for stealing from clients accounts Campbell County attorney Wesley Lynn Hatmaker. Image courtesy of TBI. KNOXVILLE An investigation by Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has resulted in the arrest of a Campbell County attorney after being indicted on multiple counts of theft. At the request of 8th District Attorney General Jared Effler, on December 28, 2015, TBI Special Agents began investigating complaints of theft against Campbell County attorney Wesley Lynn Hatmaker. During the course of the investigation, Agents developed information that from April 2009 through November 2015, Hatmaker stole more than $250,000 in funds from the trust account for his clients. The investigation determined that Hatmaker never returned the money to the estates or the victims and instead used the money for his personal use. On Wednesday, the Campbell County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Hatmaker with one count of Theft over $250,000, four counts of Theft over $60,000, and two counts of Theft over $10,000. On Wednesday evening, Hatmaker, 50, was arrested and booked into the Campbell County Jail. He was released after posting a $150,000 bond. Hatmakers law license is currently suspended. Published May 26, 2016 The American Red Cross urges blood and platelet donors to choose their day to give and help ensure blood is available for patients all summer long during its annual summer awareness campaign, sponsored by Suburban Propane. Many Americans will be celebrating the unofficial start to summer this Memorial Day weekend, but seasonal activities that bring joy to so many can also lead to a shortage of blood and platelet donations when regular donors become busy, said Donna M. Morrissey, director of national partnerships for the Red Cross Biomedical Services. Patients dont get a summer holiday from needing lifesaving blood and platelet donations and are counting on generous volunteers to help maintain a sufficient supply this summer. To encourage donations around the Memorial Day holiday, those who come to give blood or platelets from May 27-31 will receive a Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last. The Red Cross relies on volunteer donors for the 14,000 blood donations needed every day to support patients at about 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide. However, during the summer months of June, July and August, about two fewer donors schedule an appointment to give blood at each Red Cross blood drive than what patients need. Suburban Propane supports the Red Cross summer campaign As official national sponsor of the summer campaign, which begins Memorial Day weekend and runs through Labor Day weekend, Suburban Propane will help promote the need for blood and platelet donations and will encourage its employees and customers to give. Suburban Propane is proud to partner with the Red Cross and help raise awareness of the ongoing need for blood and platelets especially during the crucial summer months, said Suburban Propanes Chief Development Officer Mark Wienberg. By expanding our partnership with the Red Cross this year, we can continue to support the life-changing work of the Red Cross and make an even bigger difference in communities across the country. Suburban Propane employees will also volunteer at Red Cross blood drives nationwide in one of the largest national volunteer commitments to the Red Cross Blood Services from a corporate partner. Additionally, this year Suburban Propane is expanding its partnership with the Red Cross to include participation in the Home Fire Campaign in some markets, as well as support for disaster relief efforts and Service to the Armed Forces. The Red Cross has touched the lives of many Suburban Propane employees including Debbie Traub. In May 2014, her 74-year-old father fell from a ladder while power washing his home and suffered life-threatening injuries. He spent 20 days in the intensive care unit and received many blood transfusions. Traub said that she now knows the importance of giving blood and makes a point to donate in honor of her father at the Suburban Propane headquarter blood drives. Her story is just one of many reasons Suburban Propane continues to advocate for blood and platelet donations to the Red Cross. The Red Cross has partnered with Suburban Propane since 2012, and last years 100 Days of Summer. 100 Days of Hope. campaign marked our first nationwide, summerlong partnership, said Morrissey. The Red Cross depends on corporate partners like Suburban Propane to help ensure blood and platelets are available for patients in need of lifesaving transfusions and to help our communities prepare for and respond to disasters large and small. A model promotes Samsung Securities' Samsung China A50 Futures ETN exchange-traded notes in this file photo. / Courtesy of Samsung Securities By Nam Hyun-woo Samsung Securities said Thursday it will offer investment opportunities through three exchange-traded notes (ETNs) containing different approaches to the Chinese market based on FTSE China A50 Index Futures (Singapore Exchange). Samsung China A50 Futures ETN seeks to track the daily performance of FTSE China A50 Index Futures. The ETN is suitable for investors who hold an optimistic view of the Chinese market. For those seeking more aggressive investments, the company recommends Leverage China A50 ETN. The third is the Inverse China A50 Futures ETN, which seeks profit when the market falls. The company said the three ETNs hedge foreign exchange risks so that investors can make decisions without worrying about the volatility of the exchange markets. ETNs listed on the Korea Exchange (KRX) are issued based on various underlying assets ranging from stocks to raw materials. Those based on foreign indices attract investors as an alternative foreign investment method because they allow investors to trade in real time, unlike other foreign investment products. Samsung Securities has listed 23 ETNs so far. They are led by the U.S. Large-cap Growth Stock ETN which invests in leading U.S. IT stocks such as Facebook, Amazon, Google and Apple. Other ETNs include Samsung Bio Theme Stock ETCN and Samsung Cosmetics Theme Stock ETN, which make diversified investments into five blue chip stocks in promising sectors in Korea. Investors of the U.S. Large-cap Growth Stock ETN can choose whether to go for a foreign exchange hedge or not, allowing simultaneous investment into the U.S. market and the won-dollar exchange rate. /Yonhap By Lee Jin-a Married actress Kim Se-ah is sued for 100 million won ($84,000) over an alleged affair with the vice-president of an accounting firm, according to media reports Thursday. The wife of the vice-president, who was not named, has sued the mother of two children because the relationship was the reason she filed for a divorce. The vice-president allegedly gave Kim 5 million won a month and an officetel apartment in the rich town of Cheongdam-dong, Seoul, according to reports. Kim also drove a car owned by the man's company as her own, they said. Kim, 42, denies the allegations. The actress debuted in the MBC drama "If We Love" in 1996. She married cellist Kim Kyu-sik in 2009 and they have a son and daughter. President Park Geun-hye arrived in Ethiopia on Wednesday on a 12-day, four-nation tour to Africa and France that is expected to boost bilateral ties. The trip, which will also take Park to Uganda and Kenya, comes as South Korean companies are pushing to expand business opportunities in these foreign markets that could give a much-needed boost to Asia's fourth-largest economy. Africa has emerged as a continent of opportunity in recent years, though South Korea has yet to make significant forays into these markets. The country's outbound shipments to Africa accounted for just 1.4 percent of its total exports last year, according to government data. South Korea's chief executive is set to meet with Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and President Mulatu Teshome during her trip to Addis Ababa from May 25 to 28. In Ethiopia, Park is also scheduled to deliver a speech at the headquarters of the African Union and meet with African Union Commission chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between the two sides. The trip is then set to take the president to Kampala for talks with Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni on Sunday. This meeting will mark the first time that a South Korean president has visited Uganda since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1963. Seoul said the trip could serve as an important occasion to boost ties with major countries in Africa over North Korea's nuclear weapons programs, citing Uganda is a key hub of operations for North Korea in Africa. President Park Geun-hye on Thursday vowed to further cement a cooperative partnership with Ethiopia, emphasizing that South Korea will remain a "reliable partner" for the African state's growth and development. In her contribution to the state-run Ethiopian Herald daily newspaper, Park also touted Ethiopia's potential to grow as Africa's economic powerhouse in the "not-too-distant" future, highlighting Seoul's commitment to forging "mutually beneficial" relations. The contribution was published Wednesday (Ethiopian time), when Park arrived in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, the first leg of her four-nation trip to Africa and France. "My tour of Africa will provide a valuable opportunity for the Republic of Korea to share the vision of 'an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa' and, in particular, expand and further develop cooperative partnerships with Ethiopia and other African countries," she said. Park chose Ethiopia as her first destination in Africa as the two nations have shared a "special affinity" stemming from Ethiopia's participation in the 1950-53 Korean War in support of South Korea, she pointed out. "Though geographically far apart, Korea and Ethiopia became brothers by blood in the 1950s during the Korean War," she said. During the first major armed conflict of the Cold War, Ethiopia deployed to the Korean Peninsula more than 6,000 troops of its battalion, named "Kagnew" -- meaning establishing order from chaos. To honor those "Kagnew heroes," Park plans to participate in the ceremony on Friday to commemorate the 65th anniversary of their participation in the war, she said. Beyond the expansion of economic cooperation, Park pledged to bolster South Korea's support in the areas of health care and nutrition through its "Korea Aid" project, share its know-how on socio-economic development with Ethiopia, and increase cultural and people-to-people exchanges. "I hope that through all such forms of cooperation, our two nations will further cherish and nurture our bonds of blood and friendship, and establish a mutually beneficial partnership in which we can learn and grow together," she said. South Korea is seeking to explore new business opportunities in the African continent, while Ethiopia hopes to gain development support from the Asia's fourth-largest economy. Ethiopia has been pushing for an ambitious 10-year growth plan, called "Vision 2025." Under the initiative, Ethiopia aims to annually raise its gross domestic product by 11 percent and its manufacturing sector by 25 percent over the next decade. (Yonhap) The government will announce steps to counter violent crimes targeting females next week as witnessed in a recent random murder of a woman at a bar's bathroom in southern Seoul, the gender equality minister said Thursday. "Everyone can be a victim (of violent crimes), and thus it's urgent to beef up the social safety network, especially for women, children and the elderly," Minister Kang Eun-hee said during a government-ruling party meeting on female safety. "Countermeasures against violent anti-woman crimes will be made public on Wednesday at a ministerial meeting to be presided over by the prime minister," she said. Kang's remarks came in the wake of the murder of the 23-year-old woman by a 34-year-old man with a knife at a bathroom in a building near the crowded Gangnam subway station last Tuesday. He had no personal acquaintance with her before the murder. During a police probe, the suspect is known to have testified that he committed the crime out of hatred toward women as he had always been ignored by them. The case immediately sparked off a large-scale campaign against sex discrimination among young people, although police later said that the homicide seems to have been committed due to his mental illness. (Yonhap) By Kim Da-hee A female celebrity is being investigated on suspicion of being involved in a sex-for-money deal, police said Wednesday. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA) booked without detention the 30-something celebrity, whose identity remains unknown, for providing sexual services to a stock investor surnamed Park. The stock investor in his 40s, who had been fined for prostitution in the past, allegedly paid about 10 million won ($8,467) for sex. Park told police he had sex with the celebrity after he met her through a broker. The celebrity denied the charge of prostitution, though she admitted meeting Park. Police are also investigating the broker for arranging the illicit meeting between Park and the celebrity. In March, police busted a prostitution ring involving several female celebrities. By Jun Ji-hye Most North Koreans who defected to the South in recent months were in their 20s with good family backgrounds, meaning that the Kim Jong-un regime is losing trust among young people. Defectors say an increasing number of young North Koreans are willing to flee their impoverished country and start new lives in South Korea. Their "South Korean Dream" is evident in recent cases. According to the Ministry of Unification, three female North Korean restaurant workers recently deserted their workplace in China in pursuit of lives in Seoul. Believed to be in their 20s, they are reportedly in Thailand now and waiting to be sent to Seoul. This follows the mass defection in April by a group of 13 North Koreans one male manager and 12 female employees who fled from a Pyongyang-run restaurant in Ningbo, northeast China. Among them, 11 of the females were in their early 20s, while the male and the other female were in their 30s. Experts and officials here are paying attention to the fact that the three defectors in the most recent case pushed ahead with their defection even though the North is enforcing a strict crackdown on some 5,000 restaurant staff working abroad in the wake of the April's mass defection. This reflects that the desire to defect among young North Koreans is strong. Other young defectors, who have already settled in South Korea, say that the generation in their 20s and 30s in the North, often called the "jangmadang generation," has become individualistic and capitalistic having grown up shopping in informal, private markets. Defectors also note that the young people born in 1980s and early 1990s experienced the 1990s famine, which killed hundreds of thousands, as small children. This has made them less loyal to the ruling family, which has passed its power down through three generations. Recent testimonies indicate that the defections might have been an inevitable choice for better lives. A 24-year-old defector, who escaped in 2002 and is currently studying at Kookmin University in Seoul, said that the many young people in the North no longer trust the boasts made by the Kim regime about economic development. "They hope to follow their relatives or siblings who have already fled to South Korea," he said, asking not to be named. Defectors and experts alike attributed a change of mind among the young generation because of the wide access to outside media and information such as K-pop videos and DVDs, which are available in the markets of the North. "Seeing movies and music videos from South Korea have inspired many North Korean youngsters to talk openly about wanting to live here," Park Yeon-mi, 22, who escaped in 2007, wrote in an op-ed for the Washington Post, co-written by Casey Lartigue Jr., in 2014. One notable thing that experts cited is the increasing number of the elite willing to defect, which indicates that doubts have also been growing among even those with high social status within the North Korean system. According to the Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights, Tuesday, some 20 North Koreans, currently staying in China, have been asking the group to help them defect since the beginning of this year. This group includes people in charge of trade affairs, who were apparently handpicked by the Kim regime. Experts said that the recent defections could become a prelude to the possible collapse of the Kim regime. "It seems certain that a big change in the North is already taking place," said a former government official who specialized in North Korean affairs in 1990s, on condition of anonymity. Ahn Chan-il, head of the World North Korea Research Center, also told reporters that the young generation and the elite could become a major force for change in the reclusive state as their desire for reform and openness is apparently growing. By Kim Hyo-jin Speculation is growing that outgoing National Assembly Speaker Chung Ui-hwa may run in the 2017 presidential election. Chung, whose two-year term ends Sunday, launched a think tank on Thursday called "Vision for New Korea," which political watchers say could be linked to making a presidential bid. He is expected to use the institute to pursue greater political influence in the run-up to the 2017 presidential race, said political watchers. Chyung Dae-chul, a senior advisor of the minor opposition People's Party, said Chung shared his intention to join the presidential race when they met early this year. "Chung unveiled the vision for a new centrist political group during a meeting with me in February, mentioning the need to reorganize the political system worsened by President Park Geun-hye's way of managing state affairs," Chosun Ilbo reported Wednesday, citing Chyung. "When I said he appears to have a dream of being the president, Chung admitted, saying he is willing to run for the presidential election if a chance arises." Chung's move is being interpreted as preparation for raising his political profile and influence. "It may have started off as a think-tank; but ahead of the presidential election, the institute can become a springboard for Chung to launch a new party which will help him step up as a presidential candidate," said Hwang Tae-soon, a senior analyst at Wisdon Center. Park Hyung-joon, National Assembly secretary-general and Chung's aide who will assume the head of the "Vision for New Korea," also implied the possibility of Chung running for the presidency. "The think-tank won't be turned into a political party right away but I believe it could function as its platform," Park said. "It could play a role to form a new political force with help of the participants." Some 120 supporters of the think tank included a wide range of "reformist" lawmakers from the rival parties. Saenuri Party members categorized as reformists Gyeonggi Governor Nam Kyung-pil, Jeju Governor Won hee-ryong and Rep. Choung Byung-gug were enlisted as well as independent lawmakers who quit the Saenuri Party in opposition to the factional hegemony Reps. Cho Hae-jin, Kwon Eun-hee, and Yoo Sung-kull. Reps. Chin Young of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea and Kim Dong-cheol of the People's Party also joined. Chin defected from the Saenuri Party to the MPK in the run-up to the general election, denouncing the nomination controlled by the mainstreamers. Its advisors are Park Se-il, emeritus professor at the Seoul National University who lead the New Right group in the conservative bloc and Kim Byung-joon of Kookmin University, policy director at the presidential office under late Roh Moo-hyun administration. Characteristics of the members convince the possibility of Chung's new party even further, according to political watchers. Chung said he will build a "big tent" to embrace centrist powers and create a new political order during the press conference marking the end of his term, Wednesday. However, they said it remains to be seen if Chung be a competent candidate. "He won't be a speaker from next week nor an incumbent politician. It's doubtful how much he can show influence as a leader when politics revolve around incumbent politicians," said Yoon Tae-gon, an analyst at Moa Agenda Strategy. "Even if lawmakers who are not affiliated to President Park drop out of the Saenuri Party and come under Chung's wing, his lack of personal charisma and power will remain as a major hindrance." By Kim Bo-eun The Constitutional Court dismissed a petition from the ruling Saenuri Party, Thursday, against the law stating that a bill can only be put to a National Assembly vote when 60 percent of the sitting lawmakers consent to it. The court's nine justices dismissed the petition unanimously, recognizing the legitimacy of the law. In January 2015, 19 Saenuri Party lawmakers filed the petition with the court, claiming the National Assembly Advancement Act was unconstitutional as it clashed with the simple majority principle and "stifled free discussion at the Assembly by forcing an agreement." "Not putting a bill to a direct vote does not and is not likely to violate the petitioners' right to vote," the court said. It said the act limits the Assembly speaker's right to put a bill to a vote, not the right of the lawmakers to vote. Regarding the petitioners' claim that it was unconstitutional for the speaker to avoid putting a bill to a vote when more than half the Assembly members request it, the court said the claim was not related to the law. The advancement act was introduced in May 2012, outwardly as a means "to prevent the ruling party from railroading bills." Up until then, bill-pushing by powerful parties often occurred, resulting in physical scuffles. Despite limited opposition within the party, the law was proposed by lawmakers of the then Grand National Party (precursor to the Saenuri Party), who saw it as a safe move because it could easily earn 60 percent approval for self-proposed bills as it was the majority party at the time. Park Geun-hye, who was then a presidential hopeful for the 2012 election, also strongly pushed for the act to be passed, claiming it would reform politics. While violence has virtually vanished at the Assembly in the four years since the act went into effect, it has instead put the Assembly in a vegetative state, as key bills have remained stalled due the ruling party's failure to earn approval from the opposition. In December 2014, Saenuri Party lawmakers requested Assembly Speaker Chung Eui-hwa to put 11 bills, including one on human rights in North Korea, to a full-house vote. But Chung dismissed the request as the bills did not have 60 percent approval as stated by the act. This prompted the lawmakers to file the petition with the Constitutional Court. Regarding the court ruling, the Saenuri Party stated that it respects the ruling. But it said the 20th Assembly, which will begin soon, will have to make efforts to "improve" the act so that parliament can maintain order and deal with contested bills at the same time. By Jun Ji-hye General Electric (GE) of the United States was selected Thursday as the preferred bidder to supply twin engines for Seoul's indigenous fighter jets, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). "GE's F414-GE-400 engine was picked over European engine maker Eurojet's EJ200 engine," DAPA spokesman Col. Kim Si-cheol said after a subcommittee meeting that made the decision. The fighter-jet development project, KF-X, is aimed at locally developing the twin-engine combat jets equipped with state-of-the-art aviation electronics equipment by 2026 to replace the Air Force's aging fleet of F-4s and F-5s. Developing the fighter is estimated to cost 8.5 trillion won ($7.2 billion), with an additional 10 trillion won needed to produce 120 jets by 2032. The DAPA said that it chose GE over Eurojet after considering various aspects including the engine performance, price, offset program and technology transfer. Sources familiar with the issue told reporters that the price was a decisive factor in the selection of the American infrastructure and technology firm. Observers in the defense sector have also speculated that GE had a competitive edge because Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has used GE's products when developing the T-50 supersonic trainer and the Surion utility helicopter. KAI, the nation's sole aircraft maker, signed a contract with DAPA at the end of last year to manufacture the fighter jets. KAI will continue the further negotiations with GE and sign a formal contract by as early as next month. The F414 has been selected to power fighter jets in Australia, Brazil, India, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States. More than 1,500 F414 engines have been sold around the globe, according to GE. GE Korea CEO Chris Khang told reporters last year that GE will transfer its manufacturing technology, as well as maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities, if it is chosen to work with KAI. The DAPA said it plans to finalize the basic designs for the KF-X by September next year and come up with a detailed design by January 2019. The KF-X project has been boosted by the U.S. government's pledge to transfer some of its jet technologies. But Seoul is still facing the challenge of finding an alternative as Washington made it clear that four core technologies will be excluded. On April 20, Hanwha Thales, the defense arm of Hanwha Group, was selected as a preferred bidder to produce active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for the KF-X. The AESA radar was among the four technologies that the U.S. rejected to transfer to Korea. The other three were infrared search and track (IRST), electronic optics targeting pod (EOTGP) and radio frequency (RF) jammer. Two were seriously injured in an accident Tuesday at 10:25 p.m. off Route F in St. Francois County. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Leslie Melone, 27, of Farmington, was driving westbound on Route F just east of Best Road in her 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer when she swerved to avoid an animal in the road, ran off the left side of the road and struck a tree. Leslie Melone was not wearing her seat belt and was airlifted by Survival Flight to Mercy Creve Coeur with serious injuries. Her passenger, Bethany Melone, 18, of Ste. Genevieve was wearing her seat belt and was also airlifted to Mercy Creve Coeur by Arch Helicopter with serious injuries. Three people were injured, one seriously, in a one-car accident that occurred at 5:20 p.m. Wednesday on Route N, eight-tenths of a mile east of King School Road in St. Francois County. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the wreck took place when an eastbound 2006 Saturn Ion driven by Brianna C. Drapp, 21, of Arnold, failed to negotiate a curve to the left. The car traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree head-on. The driver and an occupant Ryan R. Larose, 22, of St. Louis were transported to Iron County Hospital by St. Francois County Ambulance where they were treated for moderate injuries. Another occupant Epley J. Cozic, 13, of Arnold was taken by Air Evac helicopter to Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis with serious injuries. The Patrol reports that none of the three were wearing seat belts at the time the accident occurred. On Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. in Ste. Genevieve, two Perryville men were injured in a one-vehicle accident off Saline Creek Road. According to the patrol, Kyle Allen, 21 was driving eastbound on Saline Creek Road west of Route N in his 1979 Chevrolet 1500 when the vehicle went off the right side of the road and overturned. Allen was wearing his seat belt and was taken by private conveyance to Perry County Memorial Hospital with minor injuries, while his passenger Jared Rothweiler, 20, was not wearing his seat belt and was also taken by private conveyance to Perry County Memorial Hospital with moderate injuries. Allen was arrested for suspicion of driving while intoxicated and assault. On Monday morning at 7:57 a.m. in Washington County, a Potosi man was seriously injured after a one-vehicle accident off Highway 21. The patrol reported, Terry Baker, 28, was driving northbound on Highway 21 just south of Highway 47 in his Volkswagen Jetta when it went off the west side of the road and overturned. Baker was airlifted by Air Evac to Mercy Creve Coeur with serious injuries and he was wearing his seat belt at the time of the accident. Later that same afternoon, a Fletcher man was injured and arrested after a one-vehicle accident off Highway 21 at 1:05 p.m. in Washington County. The patrol reported, Robert Bay, 23, was driving northbound on Highway 21 at Tindall Road in his 2003 Jeep Wrangler when it went off the right side of the road and hit a utility pole. Bay was not wearing his seat belt and was taken to Washington County Memorial Hospital by Washington County Ambulance with minor injuries. Bay was arrested on suspicion of two counts of possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia. Andrew Jensen stages a one-man protest in front of Oxy Reckitt Benckiser Korea's office in Yeouido, Seoul, Thursday, calling for the company to take responsibility for the deaths of more than 100 consumers who used its humidifier disinfectant. / Yonhap By Kim Se-jeong Andrew Jensen, 54, from London, spent part of his vacation in Korea to protest against Oxy Reckitt Benckiser (RB), the Korea unit of the British company blamed for more than 100 deaths caused by its humidifier disinfectant. He stood in front of the Korean office in Yeouido, Seoul, Thursday, for a one-man protest. Earlier that day, Jensen joined two of the victims' families in front of the British Embassy in Seoul who requested a meeting with the British ambassador to Korea. "They (RB) could have made amends a long time ago without any harm to their company. But, they've acted cowardly, unfair, and cruel way up until now. I hope this protest will shame them into changing their ways," he told The Korea Times. He also protested last week in front of the Government Complex in Seoul, calling for the Korean environment minister's resignation. The scandal surfaced in August 2011 when the government announced that the humidifier disinfectants caused the deaths of many pregnant women and children. In early May, five years after the scandal, Oxy RB apologized to the victims and met with them face to face to discuss negotiations for compensation. The motive for Jensen's action was a meeting with Kim Deok-jong earlier this month in London. Kim, who lost his child to the Oxy RB product, visited the U.K. to protest at the head office. Kim met the RB CEO, Rakesh Kapoor, who said that he was sorry personally for what had happened. "It wasn't quite the company apology (I wanted)," Jensen said. He said the scandal changed his perception of the company. "I'd certainly boycott these products." The world's leading consumer goods producer reported its net income for 2015 at $2.52 billion. He said the scandal has reached the British public. The BBC recently covered the scandal extensively. "People in the U.K. are beginning to hear about it as well," he said, adding that the company will lose the trust of British consumers if it continues to act against their interests. He shared his views about the Korean government. "I've been married to a Korean for 16 years. I am interested in Korean social issues. We've been watching closely what happened at the Jeju naval base and the comfort women. In all of these things, you have an uncaring government acting against the interests of its population." Part of his inspiration comes from his wife, he said, who has been active about keeping the story of the Sewol ferry disaster alive in the U.K. She organized the screening of a film and a discussion earlier this month when the two victims' families visited London. "An activist is a person who feels so strongly about something that she or he wants to change things. In that sense, we are activists." More than 8 million people are believed to have used humidifier disinfectant products. So far, the government has recognized 530 victims, including 146 dead. Among the 146, 103 used the Oxy RB product. In January, the prosecution began a full-scale investigation, arresting the former CEO and interrogating other former executives of the company. A boycott is also underway against Oxy RB. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, left, meets with Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on the sidelines of a forum at International Convention Center in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, Thursday. / Yonhap By Kang Seung-woo Tough challenges lie ahead for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon if he decides to run in the 2017 presidential election on the Saenuri Party ticket, political analysts said Thursday. On Wednesday, Ban gave the clearest indication yet of his presidential ambitions, saying that he would contemplate what he would do once he finishes his term and returns home. Ban's U.N. term expires at the end of this year. Although the longtime bureaucrat does not belong to any political party, loyalists to President Park Geun-hye inside the ruling party have been courting him for their party that is struggling to field a competitive candidate for next year's presidential race. Critics say his presidential run may violate a U.N. General Assembly resolution stating the U.N. chief's responsibilities after retirement. The resolution stipulates that a secretary-general should refrain from accepting government positions "immediately" after retirement because confidential information learned in the course of their duties might be a source of embarrassment to other members. "The resolution can bother Ban in his presidential bid," said Cho Jin-man, a professor of political science at Duksung Women's University. "It is not legally binding, but should he run for the presidency shortly after retiring from the U.N., he may be criticized for exploiting confidential information obtained while in office to seek his own political gains and invite negative responses from the public as well as political circles." Previously, some former U.N. secretaries-general have accepted government positions, but they did so in due course. The U.N.'s first Secretary-General Trygve Lie became Norway's trade and industry minister 11 years after retirement. Its fourth chief, Kurt Waldheim, won Austria's presidential election five years after leaving the U.N. Also, fifth Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar, who stepped down in 1991, was named prime minister of Peru in 2000. Cho added that if there is overwhelming support for Ban, the issue may be easily overcome, but for now, although he is a leading candidate, he is not untouchable. In a survey conducted by Realmeter last week, Ban was favored by 38 percent of those polled, but former opposition leader Moon Jae-in trailed him with 34.4 percent, within the margin of error. People's Party Co-Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo had 21.4 percent. When Ban hinted at a possible presidential run Wednesday, loyalists to President Park welcomed him as a potential candidate for the Saenuri Party, whose high-profile presidential hopefuls, including former Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and former Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-soo, had their presidential hopes dashed in the April 13 general election after failing to win National Assembly seats. However, analysts say support from Park and her loyalists is not enough for the candidacy. "Although the Park loyalists are a dominant force within the party, it is still suffering a factional feud and President Park is becoming a lame duck, both of which may adversely affect Ban's presidential bid," said Cho. In last month's election, the ruling party won 122 seats, and was demoted to the second-largest party at the National Assembly. The candidate nominations, led by the pro-Park faction, were pointed to as the main culprit for the defeat. In addition, President Park's approval rating stood at 32.3 percent on Monday. "It is a problem that the regressive pro-Park members are backing the secretary-general, given that it was harshly judged in the general election for its President-centered politics," said Yoo Chang-sun, a political analyst. "The faction's support may label Ban as a man of the past, rather than the future." It is another lingering question whether Ban will survive the political verification from the non-mainstream faction as well as the opposition bloc. "He has lived as a bureaucrat and largely in diplomatic circles, meaning that it would be difficult for him to endure the political offensive," People's Party floor leader Park Jie-won said in a radio interview, Thursday. On May 26, Georgia celebrates its Independence Day, commemorating the adoption of the Act of Independence in 1918, which outlined the main principles of the nation's democratic development and formed a Democratic Republic. After being incorporated into the Soviet Union, Georgia once again regained its independence on April 9, 1991. This year Georgia celebrates the 25th Anniversary since the restoration of its independence. Present-day Georgia is a dynamically developing democratic state. Continuous legislative and economic reforms brought the country a well-deserved image of one of the world's successful reformers and allowed to eradicate corruption, minimize bureaucracy, improve living standards and create a business friendly environment. According to the World Bank data Georgia is characterized as "one of the most open countries to foreign equity ownership as measured by the Investing Across Sectors indicators". As research of world-wide known Heritage Foundation shows, Georgia is on the 3rd place among 178 countries in 2016 Trade Freedom Scores. Georgia remains at the leading position in the list of the safest countries in the world. Georgia's government is committed to continue on the path of reforms leading to economic growth and strengthening of the democratic institutions. While modernizing its own economy, Georgia takes an active part in regional and international economic projects aimed at developing infrastructure, interconnecting transport and energy networks, facilitating trade and investments. Being a reliable partner, Georgia's importance is gradually increasing as a key logistics and transit element of the Europe-Asia transport corridor, which significantly cuts the costs and duration of transportation of cargo from Asia to Europe. Following Georgia's proposal at the UN General Assembly in 2014, the first Annual Silk Road Forum was held in Tbilisiin October 2015, where around 700 participants representing Governments and business circles discussed transport, energy and trade related issues. This initiative closely relates to President Park Geun-Hye's "Eurasian initiative", also aimed at development and interconnection of transport and energy systems. Therefore, Georgia welcomes and supports Korea's intentions and is ready to cooperate in that direction. The main standing objective of both our internal and external policy remains the issue of territorial integrity. In August 2008, Russian military aggression resulted in occupation of the inalienable Georgian territories of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia. Though Georgia's efforts to normalize its relations with Russia brought some results in terms of increased trade and renewed cultural ties, there is still no progress on the political and human rights issues. In fact, the situation is worsening on a daily basis. Russia conducts military drills in Georgia's occupied territories and signs illegal treaties with their proxy regimes. Thus it attempts to legitimize the annexation, undermine Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and threaten peace and stability in the whole Caucasus region. Our request is legitimate and firm: Russia should fulfill the 6-point Ceasefire Agreement of 2008, and withdraw its troops from Georgia's occupied regions. Georgia's foreign policy priorities and the choice of its people remain resolute and clear - full integration into EU and NATO. The historic signature of the Association Agreement with the EU in 2014 marked an important milestone in the EU-Georgia relations and opened a qualitatively new phase in our cooperation. Through gradual establishment of European norms and standards, the Agreement sets our country on the course of political association and economic integration with the EU. In this context, the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area is particularly important as an integral part of the Association Agreement. Since September 2014, once DCFTA entered in force, Georgian export to the EU increased by 15% and in the long run, this will contribute to 4% GDP growth. It creates opportunities in the biggest and most stable common market, equally accessible by the Georgian and international business. Trade with the EU without tariffs and barriers, and the high level of investment security will further improve the business environment in Georgia. At the end of 2015, the European Commission published its fourth and final progress report regarding Georgia's implementation of the Visa Liberalization Action Plan that leads country to visa-free regime relations with Schengen Agreement member countries. Now Georgia awaits EU political decision, expected to be taken in the summer on visa-free regime for the Georgian nationals. We also hope that our intensive cooperation with NATO will soon lead Georgia to a Membership Accession Plan. In 2015 NATO Training Center was opened in Georgia as a part of a package of measures to boost Georgia's defense capabilities. Georgia strives to diversify its economic and political partnerships, and to that end its interaction with the Republic of Korea is considered strategic. In the beginning of 2016 we further developed our bilateral legal framework by signing an agreement between Georgia and the Republic of Korea for the avoidance of double taxation. Our economic and cultural ties are strengthening. Bilateral trade volume has increased significantly as well as the flow of Korean tourists to Georgia. A number of important large-scale infrastructure and energy projects in our country are being implemented by leading Korean corporations. A huge Korean investment, the construction of Nenskra HPP operated by the K-Water was launched in September last year. K-Water gave an impetus to other Korean companies to commence talks on their possible entry into the Georgian market. We hope that they will follow suit to invest in other sectors of Georgia's industry. In November 2015 the Georgian Embassy in Seoul hosted the exhibition dedicated to the Georgian unique scripts. We are proud of Georgian national dance ensemble "Khorumi" winning the Grand Prix of the Cheonan World Dance Festival in October 2015. Special gratitude goes to Yonsei University Professor Cho Ju-kwan for his translation of the XII century Georgian renaissance period epic poem "The Knight in the Tiger's Skin" by Shota Rustaveli. The long-awaited decision of the Korean Government on opening its diplomatic mission in Georgia was implemented last year and we strongly hope that we can double the efforts to strengthen our partnership and the benefits of our bilateral cooperation. The beginning of 2016 was marked with two high-level visits: the Georgian Parliamentary delegation headed by Chairman David Usupashvili visited Seoul in February and later, the delegation of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea headed by Speaker Chung Ui-hwa met their counterparts in Georgia in April. We hope that the MoU on Cooperation which was signed in Tbilisi will further deepen the ties between our legislative bodies and, hence, between the two countries. The Georgian embassy in Seoul will continue to further reinforce cordial relations between Georgia and Korea in political, economic, cultural as well as people to people sphere and open ways for Korean tourists, students, businessmen, sportsmen, representatives of media, culture and arts to discover Georgia. Georgian Ambassador Nikoloz Apkhazava contributed this article. U.S. President Barack Obama said Wednesday he has agreed with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to strengthen defense capabilities against threats posed by North Korea. Obama made the remark during a joint press conference in Japan after holding a summit meeting with his Japanese counterpart. The two leaders talked for little over an hour. "Given the threat from North Korea, we agreed to continue reinforcing deterrence and strengthening our defense capabilities," Obama said. Later this week, Obama will make a historic visit to the Japanese city of Hiroshima. He earlier said it is to demonstrate his commitment to a nuclear-free world. The South Korean Navy and Air Force on Thursday conducted a joint firing exercise in the country's waters off its east coast in a bid to boost their capacity to hit North Korean warships with guided missiles, military officials said. The drill involved South Korea's warships and planes' conducting attacks on imaginary North Korean naval corvettes, according to officials. "The drill helped us strengthen the war fighting capabilities of the Navy and Air Force to conduct joint military missions and to counter the enemy's maritime provocations," a Navy official said. The exercise involved military assets, including the Aegis destroyer, about 10 warships and maritime patrol aircraft, the source added. Speculation has risen that North Korea could conduct its fifth nuclear and launch ballistic missiles at any time. The reclusive country detonated a nuclear device in January and fired off a long range missile the following month that fueled tensions on the Korean Peninsula. (Yonhap) The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has embarked on projects aimed at helping North Korea to minimize the damage from natural calamities such as droughts and floods, a U.S.-based media report said Thursday. The IFRC's North Korea support project is designed to help the country deal with natural disasters and was formally launched on May 1, the Voice of America (VOA) said, citing a Finnish Red Cross official. According to the Finnish official, a full-fledged assistance project will begin soon in the two farming areas of Hamju and Kumya in North Hamgyong Province in North Korea. The disaster control and management project seeks to increase the ability to reduce the impact of droughts and floods on the country's rural districts as much as possible. In preparation for the calamity, the IFRC is poised to supply various items and relief goods such as tents, sanitary fittings and irrigation equipment. The IFRC has supported the North Korean Red Cross in four areas: health and care, water and sanitation, disaster management, and organizational development. The disaster management program is strongly focused on community-based disaster risk reduction, including strengthening community-based mechanisms for disaster preparedness, generating awareness, and setting up an early warning system. It also strives to push forward mitigation measures like building river dikes, culverts and irrigation channels, and planting trees as a long-term mitigation measure. In this way it hopes to improve the livelihoods of ordinary people by reducing their vulnerability to disasters. Under the project, various kinds of exercises, including emergency evacuations, will be conducted for local people in rural areas to prepare for when they suffer from a natural disaster. Of the total US$450,000 needed for the project in North Korea, some $340,000 has been financed by the European Union and the rest by the Red Cross offices of Finland, Denmark and Sweden, according to the VOA report. The United Nations Security Council imposed heavy sanctions based on the North's provocative actions earlier this year, but such sanctions exclude humanitarian assistance for ordinary North Korean residents. (Yonhap) Top nuclear envoys of South Korea, Japan and the United States will meet early next month to discuss North Korea's nuclear program, Seoul's officials said Thursday. Kim Hong-kyun, South Korea's Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs, will leave for Tokyo later this month and meet with his counterparts from Japan and the United States on June 1, according to Cho June-hyuck, the spokesperson for the foreign ministry here. (Yonhap) The South Korean government has canceled or postponed officials' visits to the border region between North Korea and China out of terrorism concerns, a public institute under the unification ministry said Thursday. The Institute for Unification Education said that it has indefinitely postponed its education program for government officials and those from publicly owned enterprises, which was initially slated to start at the end of this month. About 60 senior and mid-level officials from several government ministries and public enterprises were to visit areas near North Korea and China as part of the institute's tour program for national unification policy. According to an official at the institute, 30 other trips to the border area for the education of public officials have been scrapped, with the trips being diverted to other regions. The National Unification Advisory Council, meanwhile, sent official documents to organizations under its wing asking them to refrain from making trips to the Sino-North Korean border. The council noted the foreign ministry's recent travel warning advisory amid North Korea's provocative actions, as well as tense Northeast Asian relations. On May 16, Seoul called for cooperation from local tour agencies to discourage its nationals from visiting areas bordering North Korea. The Foreign Ministry hosted a rare group meeting with representatives of around 10 major firms specializing in arranging overseas tours. It was meant to enhance awareness on the need to take stronger safety measures for South Koreans abroad and solicit cooperation. Concerns have grown about the possibility of North Korea kidnapping South Koreans or carrying out other unpredictable terror attacks. An ethnic Korean pastor, who assisted North Korean defectors, was recently murdered in the Chinese northeastern province of Jilin. North Korean agents are allegedly behind the killing. Pyongyang also openly threatened to "retaliate" unless Seoul repatriates 13 North Korean restaurant workers who defected here last month. Many South Koreans visit the North Korea-China border area, where Mount Paektu and relics of the Koguryo kingdom (37 B.C.-668 A.D.) are located. (Yonhap) By Lee Han-soo Ted and James, the sons of James Joseph Dresnok, the former American soldier who defected to North Korea, have appeared in an exclusive interview with Minjok Tongshin, a pro-Pyongyang news agency based in America. Their perfect Korean pronunciation with a North Korean dialect and badges with faces of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il - the state's former leaders - on their clothes were the only distinguishing traits for Ted and James, who looked like any other Westerners. The interview, posted on YouTube Sunday, touched on subjects such as their father, their dreams, the North Korea-United States relationship and their suggestions for the U.S. The senior James came to North Korea in 1962, aged 21. In a recent documentary with the BBC, it was stated he had taught English and appeared in TV skits, always playing an "evil American." With his health failing at the age of 75, it seems that his sons have taken on his role in North Korea's propaganda. The sons have Korean names, are married to Korean women and have children. Older brother Ted, also known as Hong Sun-chol, works at a defense education facility. James is a captain in the North Korean army. The brothers were clear on their stance against America. "I want to advise the U.S. to drop its hostile policy against North Korea," Ted said. "They've done enough wrong and now it's time for them to wake up from their delusions." James said the division of Korea was done by "American imperialists." He said the American imperialists were the leaders who were focused on conquering the world and issuing anti-Korean policies. At the end of the video, the brothers said the U.S. has no basis for attacking North Korea's human rights. Drawing the race card, they argued that the U.S. has had violations of its own, such as white police officers shooting black people. Ted also urged Americans to break from their leaders' imperialistic views and start talking peace with North Korea. He said this is the only way to save America. By Yi Whan-woo U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for a resumption of dialogue with North Korea, Thursday, saying he is ready to "contribute in any way." "Good relations between the two Koreas are essential for lasting peace, not only on the Korean Peninsula but also throughout the region," he said at a forum on the second day of visit to his home country. "We must find a path back to dialogue. I welcome all efforts to move forward." Ban did not say whether he was willing to visit North Korea; although he has been reportedly seeking to travel to the country for a meeting with its young leader Kim Jong-un. In a separate forum hosted by a group of South Korean journalists, Wednesday, he said he is "the only one that has been maintaining a dialogue channel with Pyongyang." He also said it is crucial to pressure North Korea and pursue inter-Korean dialogue on humanitarian issues simultaneously. Ban has been frequently suggested as a potential presidential candidate. He said he would contemplate what to do when he returns home after completing his tenure at the U.N. later this year. "Korea needs a leader who can unite the country and heal ideological and regional divisions," he said. A local tattoo shop recently held a two-day event to help raise money to donate to St. Louis Childrens Hospital. Rockstar Tattoo Studio Owner Carolyn Bullock said her employees came to her because they felt they needed to do something. They said Carolyn, lets do this. We have plenty of friends and family who have had cancer and different things, said Bullock. There are kids who are always sick and are in need of help. In raising money for children's hospital May 13-14 they offered one color, business card-size tattoos for $20 and any additional colors were $10. They also did piercings for $10 a poke and also received donations from throughout the community. We have had people donate soda, meat to grill, water and different things to sell to help raise more money, said Bullock. The first day alone we tattooed close to 100 people between three artists and did over 200 piercings. Bullock said she did 17 tattoos and 200 piercings herself. She is the only one trained to do piercings in her shop. I want to mention how big of a crew I have, because I think that is important, said Bullock. These guys are working from slim to nothing this week and some of them are working for free by volunteering their time, my parents included. They have been here with me and the kids are involved also. Bullock said the kids know this is for a good cause, too, so that makes a big difference. She added they also had a lot of cash donations in addition to the tattoo fee. Friends and family support has been a big thing for me and I couldnt do this without them, said Bullock. We like to call it out tattoo family because they arent asking for anything. They just showed up and said What can I do to help?. A large line could be seen in front of Rockstar Tattoo Studio May 14 as customers waited to get their tattoo or piercing for a cause. Inside the studio, Bullock gave her employees, family and friends words of inspiration before they let the crowd start to trickle in. As each person entered the studio they grabbed a clipboard and began filling out the required form before getting a tattoo. Someone was there to assist anyone with questions and check IDs to make sure they were old enough before they were able to go to the counter to pay. As the forms began to stack up, the tattoo artists jumped to action and began their first tattoos of the day. Bullock handled the piercings and pierced a womans ear right off the bat. The buzz of the tattoo guns filled the air as each booth filled up with a customer anxious to get a new tattoo. One woman got one on her wrist, while another woman got one on her ankle. Bullock has been a tattoo artist for nine years and has owned her own studio for two years now. She added they have done other events where they have done single poke piercings and cheap tattoos to try and raise money for specific people who needed it. We do have people who are underage who do get pierced and tattooed as long as they have their birth certificate and we check their parents ID to make sure that is in fact their parent, said Bullock. We are cool with that because we'd rather them do it here, than in somebodys basement. If its a kid, as long as they are of reasonable age, 14 or 15 for a piercing and 16 or older for a tattoo we are OK with that. Bullock added there are a lot of people who get memorial tattoos and that is a big deal to her. She said thats what they like to see, people who get tattoos to recognize a loved one. It helps that person cope and that is cool, said Bullock. Not only are they helping someone, they are helping themselves at the same time. Those people who want memorial tattoos, they get something out of it and we get to help them cope with their loss. Bullock said people have made it down from all over, just because they were raising money for Childrens and that is a big thing. She said a boy, only known as Chase, came down when he heard what they were doing. He told me his life has been saved seven times by Children's Hospital and when he heard about our special, he had to come down and check out our shop, said Bullock. He is 18 years old and he cannot wait to get his first tattoo at Rockstar Tattoo Studio. Right now he is sick, but he is getting healthier and stronger every day. As a matter of fact, he just found out that he thought he was going to have to have a kidney transplant, but they just told him that the news is even better, his kidneys are healing. Bullock said it is really great to know that they are helping out the public. Chase was a surprise she didnt expect during her fundraiser, and that made it all worthwhile. I want to thank the community for pulling together and showing up to our event to help raise money for a very good cause, said Bullock. By Kim Sun-ae What would be the traditions of Korea that should be maintained? I think that harmony with nature is one of Korea's traditions which needs to be kept. When constructing buildings, our ancestors tried to minimize harm to nature and valued their balance with the landscape. Byeongsanseowon, a Confucian academy in Andong that produced many scholars in the Joseon period (1392-1910), is a good example of buildings in harmony with nature. In front of Byeongsanseowon flows a river and before and behind the academy are mountains. The columns of Mandaeru, a building for study and rest, are made of bent tree trunks just as they were originally. On a trip to Andong, I read an explanation of Mandaeru that our ancestors "considered even buildings as part of nature." The trees on the mountain before the building danced gently with the wind. The wooden columns and roof tiles of the academy buildings went with green trees and mountains. Nevertheless, in contrast to the tradition that pursued a balance between buildings and the landscape, we in the modern era are destroying nature rashly. A representative case is the Four Major Rivers Project that constructed dams in the Han, Geum, Yeongsan and Nakdong rivers, blocking their flow and storing water. Rivers must flow but the four rivers can't flow as they did. So they are rotting and algal blooms have become a serious problem. During and after the project, many creatures in the rivers died, including numerous fish. Moreover, endangered plants and animals are disappearing faster due to this project. Nakdong River was previously the habitat of a small fish named "Gobiobotianakdongensis." These sand-colored fish are an endangered species found only in Korea. However, their population has fallen because of the Four Rivers project. Now they are found only in Naeseong Stream, a branch of the Nakdong, and are diminishing even there, according to the May-June issue of Green Review magazine. In Sangju, many willows by the Nakdong riverside were cut down for the Four Rivers project. The fallen trees were so big that an adult hugging them could not touch his hands together on the other side. If we destroy nature, the damage is reflected back on us too. Rivers are our drinking water and agricultural water source. But a Korea-Japan joint survey conducted in 2015 on green algae in the four rivers detected a high level of toxins (microcystins). The consequences of interfering with the rivers' natural flow are threatening our health. Also, after the Juksan Barrage was constructed in Yeongsan River, nearby farmland suffered because the rice paddies could not drain. This was because the barrage raised the water level of the river, also raising the groundwater level of farmlands in the area, according to a book by the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement and the Korea Water Society, titled "Would You Drink Green Algae Latte?" Now is the time to restore the four rivers to their natural state before the construction project, stage by stage. Humans are part of nature, so we should live in harmony with it. Destroying the environment is the path to our destruction. Our ancestors lived together with nature for a long time. Nonetheless, we have dug up too much land in the name of "development" over several decades. From now on, we should stop overdevelopment and live a life that harmonizes with the environment. No human can live without nature. The writer translates writings about agriculture and rural communities. Her blog address is blog.naver.com/dancinglf. By Joschka Fischer BERLIN On May 16, 1916, in the middle of World War I, Great Britain and France signed a secret pact in London. Officially known as the Asia Minor Agreement, the deal, negotiated by the diplomats Mark Sykes and Francois Georges-Picot, has determined the fate and political order of the Middle East ever since. But not for much longer. A century ago, Europe's soon-to-be-victorious powers, concerned with dividing the region (then part of the Ottoman Empire), drew a "line in the sand" (as the author James Barr called it) stretching from the Mediterranean port of Acre in northern Palestine to Kirkuk in northern Iraq, on the border with Iran. All territories north of that line, in particular Lebanon and Syria, would go to France. Territories to its south Palestine, Transjordan, and Iraq would go to Great Britain, which mainly sought to protect British interests along the Suez Canal, the main naval route to British India. Simultaneously, however, the United Kingdom was negotiating with Arabs who had sided with the British and French in an uprising against Ottoman rule first and foremost with Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca. Hussein had been promised Syria in the event of a military victory over the Turks. But under the Sykes-Picot agreement, Syria had been awarded to France. So one of the two sides was certain to be cheated out of the spoils of its victory, and it was clear from the beginning which side was weaker, namely the Arabs striving for independence. The secret agreement negotiated by Sykes and Picot subsequently led to the formation of states that served the great European colonial powers' geopolitical interests, not the social, religious, and ethnic realities of the region. A political order was forced upon the Muslim Middle East by Christian European powers that had flouted their commitments to Arab independence an order that has been at the root of a century of war and conflict. In the Arab world, the trauma of that betrayal and the defeat of the national movement has lingered. But Sykes and Picot did bring about a reconciliation between the two great Entente powers, and the regional order they created in the aftermath of centuries of Turkish/Ottoman rule endured. The European hegemons, Britain and France, took the place of the Sublime Porte, guaranteeing this order either directly or via regional proxies. After World War II, the United States assumed the role of ultimate guarantor of the Sykes-Picot system. But America's experience in Iraq following its 2003 intervention, and spreading turmoil there and elsewhere, led the US to withdraw its forces and reduce its involvement in the region. With that, the Sykes-Picot system began to collapse. That is why today's main crises in the Middle East are playing out precisely in the heartland of the Sykes-Picot Agreement: Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq. The "Kurdish question," too, has returned to the fore. Only Israel and Jordan seem to be stable with an emphasis on "seem." Without reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians, it is only a matter of time before the Palestinian powder keg ignites once again. And Jordan's stability rests largely on the loyalty of the army and the Bedouin tribes to the monarchy, as well as a highly efficient secret service. But these are insufficient bases of resilience, particularly given the tectonic shifts occurring next door, in Iraq and Syria. Those two countries are now the main theaters in the battle for a post-Sykes-Picot Middle East order. Both had been unstable for a long time, ruled by secular Ba'athist dictators who faced popular majorities that adhered to a rival Muslim sect, in addition to a large population of Kurds, who have long dreamed of independence. The post-Sykes-Picot order will be the result of fighting in the coming years between regional powers first and foremost Iran and Saudi Arabia and their religiously motivated auxiliaries, such as the Shia Hezbollah or the Sunni Islamic State. Any Western military intervention would only exacerbate the situation. The era when a Western hegemon could maintain control of the Middle East, by military force if necessary, is over. Regional forces, not external powers (including Russia ), will create the new order in the Middle East emerging out of the remains of the Sykes-Picot system. By the time proxy wars like the one in Syria have finished their work, the Sykes-Picot Agreement will be history. But the new order could be slow to emerge, because none of the region's powers is strong enough to impose its will on the others. Should they opt for a useless struggle for hegemony, the Middle East will face a major political and humanitarian calamity. In the end, total exhaustion on all sides will force reconciliation and the first steps in the direction of a regional peace settlement. One thing is clear: The longer the breakthrough to a new order takes, the worse off everyone will be. A prolonged process and period of balkanization in the Middle East would result in nothing but more misery and suffering constituting an enormous ticking time bomb for world peace. For those outside the region, the only hope is that no one within it can have a serious interest in that. Joschka Fischer, Germany's foreign minister and vice chancellor from 1998 to 2005, was a leader of the German Green Party for almost 20 years. The government has unveiled a roadmap for the construction of a storage facility for spent nuclear fuel. The plan calls for selecting a site for the permanent underground facility by 2028 and completing the construction by 2053. In the interim, the government plans to build a temporary storage facility at the designated site by 2035 as storage installations within nuclear power plants are running out of space where they can store high-level radioactive waste. An underground research laboratory will also be built to study the safety of the permanent facility. The roadmap appears leisurely though, considering the urgency of how to manage spent nuclear fuel, which increases by more than 700 tons every year. Currently, Korea has 24 reactors in operation and its cumulative high-level nuclear wastes being stored within the power plants amount to 14,000 tons owing to the lack of a permanent storage facility. The finalized plan represents a long delay in the government's schedule for the facility, given that an independent advisory group recommended last year that the site be selected by 2020. It will take 25 years before the permanent facility is completed even after the site is selected. The government's cautious approach is understandable, taking into account the potential dangers of high-level nuclear materials. But Korea can ill afford to wait too long. According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the nuclear power plant in Wolseong, North Gyeongsang Province, will face the first saturation of its spent nuclear fuel storage capacity in 2019, and other plants will follow suit through 2038. The ministry plans to cope with this by encouraging management at the nuclear power plants to expand their in-house storage facilities. But this will prompt residents nearby to react angrily over safety problems arising from the storage of increasing amounts of nuclear waste in small spaces. Also, it's doubtful if the selection of the site will proceed as planned. Boosted by the opening of the low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste disposal facility in Gyeongju last year, the government has adopted a similar open procedure to select the venue for the permanent facility in which the consent of residents will be mandatory. But given the far higher peril of spent nuclear fuel, it remains to be seen if any local government will dare to file an application to host the hazardous facility. So the government might have to exercise its authority to select a site after all. In that case, who would be responsible for the lost time and cost? Even now, the government needs to ask itself if its roadmap is best. Japan's birthrate plan has lessons for Korea Korea and Japan are both battling a low birthrate crisis and the problems of an aging society. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has placed boosting the birthrate at the core of his agenda to turn around Japan's demographic descent. President Park Geun-hye has also stressed increasing the birthrate as a policy priority. The difference between the two leaders is the urgency and strong leadership to implement policies that actually work for women and encourage them to have more babies. A recent report said that Japan's rate recorded its highest in 21 years, with 1.46 children per woman. In 2005, the figure dropped to 1.26 during the height of Japan's recession. The increase is a result of consistent implementation of policies which were created in the mid-90s. Policymakers in areas of employment, healthcare and family issues need to vigorously study and benchmark Japan's example for boosting birthrate. Park should show Abe's level of determination to stem the low birthrate. The first thing Korea needs is to establish a ministry devoted to the population problem. In Korea, it is uncertain which ministry is in charge of birthrate programs; they are scattered among various ministries. This new ministry should focus on creating policies to assist women to reach their full potential at work, while having a happy home life. The unprecedented birthrate crisis stems from many reasons, but the one of the biggest is that more women shun having children because of rising costs and other burdens related to childcare. Many working moms have come to believe that Korea is one of the worst countries in the world to have and raise children. Changing this perception around is a lofty task, but one that must be addressed as a national priority to turn around the birthrate decline. Korea's birthrate of just 1.21 is lower than Japan and is already one of the lowest among OECD countries. This will fall even further as the number of economically-active people will start to decline from 2017. Unlike Park, Prime Minister Abe has demonstrated a strong determination to deal with Japan's low birthrate, and has pledged to increase the figure to 1.8 children per woman. This is part of his plan to stabilize the population at 100 million in half a century, from the current 126.88 million. For the "100 million Active People" policy, Abe created a new cabinet minister post in charge of tacking the country's population decline. The prime minister named Katsunobu Kato, a former finance ministry official and a father of four girls, as his top policymaker for boosting the birthrate and support for families with children. Abe's decision to establish a minister post devoted to this is laudable for two reasons. First, such a bold policy decision will assure the Japanese people that the government is serious about doing something for their nation's future. This is in stark contrast to the situation in Korea where there is a glaring lack of continuity, and sense of responsibility and expertise among policymakers in charge of family planning. Second, it is refreshing that the nation's leader is thinking about what will happen to the nation 50 years from now. This kind of long-term and future-oriented thinking is sorely missing from the Park administration's population policies. This is one of the reasons that Korea's birthrate policy has no credibility in the eyes of the public. A recent report by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs showed that only 2.5 percent of the respondents believed that the government's birthrate policies were effective. This kind of negative response is natural toward an administration that has backtracked on the few pro-families policies such as the Nuri Program for providing daycare subsidies. Korea spent 17.7 trillion won ($14.6 billion) on birthrate policies last year. If the government is spending this much money and the people are not feeling the effect, then there is a serious problem. Ven. Wolju By Jhoo Dong-chan Song Wol-ju, or Ven. Wolju, established a non-governmental organization (NGO), The Good Hands, to help poor people across the world in 2003. The 81-year-old Buddhist monk and The Good Hands have visited remote areas in poor countries, including Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia, to build water supply systems and schools. Nepal is also one of the countries where the organization has worked since 2008, building schools, a youth education center and social enterprises. "Last year's earthquake in Nepal killed 8,700 and injured 22,000 people. A total of 1.6 million children lost their schools," said Ven. Wolju. "I believe education is fundamental in fighting poverty and improving the economy. The Good Hands have thus far built one youth education center, two public schools and three elementary schools." When the earthquake struck the country in April of last year, The Good Hands carried out six different relief projects to help 60,000 Nepalese in need. The goodwill organization has already spent over 900 million won ($758,000) to help students in its mission to Nepal this year and is now building another eight schools there. Ven. Wolju said that the local people's participation in their school building operations is important. "The Good Hands' ultimate goal is to help them stand on their own feet. Their participation in building the schools helps them develop self-reliance in fighting poverty," said Ven. Wolju. "The Nepalese people have not only provided manpower but also filed civil complaints with the government over construction licensing. The Good Hands also stay for awhile even after completing the construction to help set up the school management." In order to help The Goods Hands' overseas operations, some 18,000 people regularly make generous donations. Sometimes, private companies make huge donations as well, he said. So far, The Good Hands have built a total of 2,300 water supply systems, 58 educational institutions and five social enterprises in 14 different countries including Nepal. It also carried out nine relief projects in regions struck by natural disasters as well as landmine removal operations in Southeast Asia. "More than 900 million people are living on less than a dollar a day. Korea was once such a poor country after the Korean War, but overcame its economic difficulties with foreign aid. I believe that now is the time for us to help others in need." The number of patents registered by South Korea's Samsung Electronics in the United States last year jumped nearly two-fold from six years ago, a company official said Thursday, as the tech player battles for an upper hand in the ongoing global patent wars. The world's No. 1 maker of smartphones and memory chips said it registered a total 5,072 patents in the U.S. last year, up 1.7 times from 2009, which is the second-greatest number of patent filings in the U.S. after multinational technology firm IBM. "In order to effectively deal with patent-related disputes in the U.S., we hold the most accumulated number of patents there," a Samsung official said. A total of 110,145 patents have been filed by Samsung Electronics there so far. The numbers of Samsung's patents in South Korea, Europe, China and Japan are 30,741, 15,654, 1,030 and 6,746, respectively, the officials said. "Most patents are related to smartphones, smart TVs, and memory, and they will be used in products for strategic businesses," Samsung said. The tech giant also invested 14.8 trillion won ($13.9 billion) in the research and development of new technologies last year, up two-fold from 7.3 trillion won in 2009. Samsung is engaged in patent battles with tech players such as Apple Inc. around the globe. Earlier this week, Samsung's Chinese rival Huawei Technologies Co. launched lawsuits claiming Samsung's infringement of its patents. (Yonhap) By Yoon Sung-won Science, ICT and Future Planning Minister Choi Yang-hee speaks during a meeting with the media at a restaurant in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. / Courtesy of Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning Science, ICT and Future Planning Minister Choi Yang-hee said Thursday he has complained to the chief of the antitrust watchdog, Jeong Jae-chan, about the delayed review process of SK Telecom's proposal to merge with CJ HelloVision. Choi, stressing that the review's conclusion has been delayed longer than he expected, said he had voiced his concerns and the ministry is prepared to expedite the process once the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) concludes its review and transfers the case to the ministry. "When I met the FTC chairman at an official occasion, I personally told him that the process of the merger review has been slow," Choi said during a meeting with reporters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. "I have raised questions about how far the review has progressed and when the case will be transferred to the ministry. And the antitrust watchdog chief's answer was that the reviewing process is quite complicated and it is taking much time. "Though we cannot forejudge how the watchdog will conclude the case, the ministry has been preparing to speed up the process. I hope that we can draw a conclusion early and announce it." On Dec. 1, SK Telecom proposed the merger of its subsidiary SK Broadband and the nation's top cable television operator and budget mobile service provider CJ HelloVision to the telecom ministry, FTC and Korea Communications Commission. But the FTC has not yet concluded its review. Choi disagreed with calls from the merger's opponents such as KT and LG Uplus that the ministry should further postpone the review because the integrated broadcasting act is being revised. "I do not find a need to seriously think about postponing the reviewing process further," he said. "As a person in charge of a certain task, I believe it is not right to avoid dealing with the task on concerns of what may happen in the future." When asked his view of the recent patent dispute between Samsung Electronics and Huawei, Choi said the Chinese company has made a strategic move to solidify its presence as a global enterprise. "Huawei has always claimed that it is not just a Chinese business but a globalized one operating research and development centers outside the country and generating more profit in global markets," he said. "In line with such efforts, I think its move to start a patent dispute with Samsung Electronics has been made under a well-calculated strategy to make it seem as a disagreement between global businesses. As one of the leading global businesses, Samsung Electronics is also expected to respond strongly." Jang Hyuck, executive vice president of Samsung Electronics' technology center, introduces the company's latest quantum dot display technology during a forum at the Ramada Plaza Jeju Ocean Front on Jeju Island, Thursday. / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics By Kim Yoo-chul The world's top TV manufacturer will further sharpen its LCD technology using quantum dot materials rather than investing more in OLED TVs, a senior Samsung Electronics executive said Thursday. "Progress in TV's viewing quality has so far been in line with the development of new materials. Samsung believes quantum dot is the right material to guide companies for product innovation," Jang Hyuck, executive vice president of Samsung Electronics' technology center, said in a forum held in the Ramada Plaza Jeju. The executive said efforts to develop electronics devices have been stalled on the hardware front, though display companies were consistent in striving to satisfy consumers' tireless appetite for improved electronic displays. "You should acknowledge that accomplishing that goal has as much to do with color as it does with resolution. Therefore, quantum dot technology gains steady momentum," Jang said during the forum. "Quantum dot is expandable and we will never stop enhancing this fancy material." The executive didn't specify whether or not Samsung has a plan to skip OLED TVs, though he stressed Samsung is on track to advance LCD technology with quantum dots. While cadmium-based quantum dot tech has been around since the mid-1980s, more recent advancements in the chemical makeup of quantum dot have new market potential without a performance trade-off. Samsung Electronics was the industry's first to release its LCD TV with cadmium-free quantum dot materials in 2015. The Samsung executive said quantum dots help display makers to integrate their products. While the quantum dot industry is complicated, the investment required to integrate them into a manufacturing process is minimal, according to experts. This is the factor that impressed Samsung management, as unlike OLEDs, which require an expensive overhaul of production lines, quantum dot tech has the leverage to use existing LCD infrastructure, enabling Samsung partner companies to develop new products without high expenses. Samsung's longtime TV rival LG Electronics is focusing on pricey OLED TVs, which Samsung has no appetite to mass produce, which comes as negative news for LG because LG needs the global TV leader Samsung to bolster up its OLED TV business. "Quantum dot has a better lifespan. On technology fronts, quantum dot is clearly better than OLEDs by efficiency and productivity to manufacture larger TVs," he said. The key issues with OLED remain high production cost, low production yields _ simply defect rates. Samsung earlier developed OLED TVs, but the company failed to mass produce those sets. Head of SK Telecom's network business support group Shim Sang-su, third from left, poses with senior manager of SK Telecom's network research technology center Ryu Takki, second from left, and Ericsson's head of LTE business Marten Lerner, left, after SK received two awards with Ericsson and Accedian, each, both in the category of Wireless Infrastructure Innovation at the GTB Innovation Awards 2016 held in London, May 25. / Courtesy of SK Telecom By Kim Yoo-chul SK Telecom has received two awards in the category of Wireless Infrastructure Innovation at the GTB Innovation Awards 2016 in London. Launched in 2007 by Global Telecoms Business, the GTB Innovation Awards are designed to honor innovative projects involving telecommunications operators and service providers around the world working with their vendors and suppliers. SK Telecom said Thursday the company and Ericsson of Sweden jointly received the award this week for Lean Carrier, a technology that minimizes signal interference between cells by turning on-and-off Cell-specific Reference Signals depending on data traffic. SK Telecom teamed with Ericsson in October 2015 to apply the Lean Carrier concept to SK's nationwide long-term evolution (LTE) network. "SK Telecom is honored to receive this award with Ericsson as it recognizes our efforts to develop advanced LTE network technologies," Park Jin-hyo, head of SK Telecom's network technology research center, said. "SK Telecom will continue to focus on developing and introducing innovative network technologies to achieve early commercialization of the LTE-Advanced Pro and 5G network." Per Narvinger, head of Ericsson's LTE business, said: "Drawing on our experience from high-performance networks and projecting forward to what will be possible with 5G, we were able to innovate a solution that optimizes signaling levels in today's 4G LTE network." "Networks that employ the Ericsson Lean Carrier software upgrade will provide a better user experience. And with the shift to small-cell architecture in 5G, addressing signaling interference now puts us firmly on the path to meet 2020 requirements." SK Telecom said it and Accedian were also named the winners of the Wireless Infrastructure Innovation category with their Virtualized Network Monitoring Solution. The company said the system measures and analyzes the real-time performance of end-to-end networks from base station to core network to identify and resolve network errors and traffic congestion promptly. Existing systems provide traffic quality statistics in five-minute intervals, at best, making it difficult to recognize instantaneous traffic surges and bottlenecks. "SK Telecom is delighted to receive this award as it is a meaningful outcome achieved by combining our strength in LTE technologies with Accedian's sophisticated solutions," Shim Sang-su, head of SK's network business group, said. "We will continue to develop innovative technologies and solutions, and share it with our global partners so as to contribute to the enhancement of the quality of LTE services across the globe." Accedian founder Patrick Ostiguy said: "This award underlines the positive results achievable when innovative operators and vendors work together with a common goal in mind." "By integrating virtualized network performance instrumentation with network management and SDN control, SK Telecom and Accedian are delivering a better customer experience while elevating the operator's competitive differentiation and revenue opportunities." Christopher Warren and his wife, Twyla, were recently honored with resolutions from the Missouri Senate and House of Representatives for their years of volunteer service providing Civil War programs and education. Warren, a Bonne Terre resident who grew up in the Arcadia Valley, said the Civil War has always been "deep in his blood." "I would go to my grandparents' church sometimes to visit with them and I thought you had to be a minimum of 65 to even go there because a lot of the people were born in the 1880s or '90s," he said. "So, I got to hear one-generation-removed stories about the Civil War. Then my grandmother would jump on board and tell me how she had actually stayed with my great-great-great-grandmother, who was my Civil War ancestor's widow, taking care of her back in the early 1900s. That kind of sparked my interest. "About the only common ground my dad and I had when I entered my adolescent phase was to talk about history. He would quiz me on the Civil War. I also liked to do re-enacting and dress up, trying to portray the soldier. I tried to join up whenever I was 12 years old with a re-enactment group. At that time they didn't really encourage that especially kids without parents involved so that kind of got put on hold." Warren's re-enactment plans were further delayed when his father passed away from cancer right before the boy turned 13. Because of that, it wasn't until Warren turned 15 or so that he began re-enacting. "I've been doing that now for 21 or 22 years now," he said. The founder of the 47th Missouri Infantry Company E of the Sons of Veterans Reserve, Warren also founded and commands the Gen. James R. McCormack Camp Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War in the Mineral Area. "The Sons of Veterans Reserve is kind of a military honor guard system branched off of them," he explained. "It falls under their military districts. They actually served back in the late 1800s/early 1900s as National Guard units and they trained soldiers for the Spanish American War and World War I. By about World War II, the guys were aging. Most of the Civil War veterans had died off by that time. By the 1950s, the Grand Army of the Republic was getting to the point where they only had a handful of guys and Congress legally transferred the GAR over into the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. "That kind of left the Sons of Veterans Reserve in limbo until the 1960s when the centennial re-enacting began to peak. So, through the 60s, 70s and into the 80s, they tried to branch away from necessarily being just re-enactors to being more of an educational honor guard with seven or eight military districts throughout the nation. You have a chain of command. I have a lieutenant colonel in the Branson area that's our district commander over eight states in the Midwest." Warren served in another Sons of Union Veterans camp, but because there wasn't a camp in southeast Missouri, Warren decided to start one himself. While Warren loves re-enacting, it's obvious that educating the public about the Civil War is of utmost interest and importance to both Warren and his wife who hails from Ontario, Canada. "Twyla and I have been doing programs for almost 10 years since we've been married and I probably started giving Civil War programs about five or six years before that," Warren said. "We've given programs to various Civil War roundtables around Missouri, different civic organizations, genialogical societies, historical societies both on a local scale and regional. We've volunteered for at least seven different state parks or historic sites to where we've gone in and done programs or some type of Civil War educational living history. "Most people just lump us in as just being Civil War re-enactors. We consider ourselves living historians. Re-enactors are sometimes out there portraying the role of a soldier or what-not. Some of these people are not able to interact with the public a whole lot or explain a lot of what they do. We go into public schools, do programs for at least a dozen different Scouting packs and troops and things of that nature over the years. We try to do a lot of hands-on, especially for kids. We bring things in. My swords and stuff are not sharpened. The guns are made so the kids can hold them. If we're going to fire them, we make sure they are a safe distance away." The couple's 2-year-old daughter, Abbie, is even a part of the Civil War programs. "She's been participating in our Civil War program since she was 2 months old so, she's been doing it for over two years, herself," he said. "She loves dressing up." At last year's Farmington School District annual Pioneer Day program for fourth graders, Abbie made quite an impact on the students playing with her Civil War period toys. "I gave her a toy because it was the first kids program we had done for a while," Twyla Warren said. "She was just a little over a year old, so I figured she would sit and look at her toys and she started laying them out on the floor. I got a little video of her organizing it all. "Even now she isn't talking much, but I asked her, 'Are you setting up for the kids?' She nods her head and keep rearranging the toys. I said, 'Are you ready for the kids to come and do show and tell?' She looked at her daddy as if to say, 'Well, I'm ready if he is.'" Sri Lanka has been unanimously elected to be the next Chair-in-Office of the 17 member Abu Dhabi Dialogue (ADD) among Asian Countries of Labour Origin and Destination. Senior Officials representing member governments of the ADD at a meeting on 11- 12 May 2016 in Dubai, agreed to Sri Lankas proposal to host a meeting of Senior officials and the 4th Ministerial consultation in Colombo in January 2017. The Ministers responsible for Foreign Employment of the ADD countries will attend the Colombo Meeting. Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam are members of the ADD. Kuwait is the current Chair-in-Office of the ADD. The ADD which brings together Asian labour sending and receiving countries, seeks to boost protection and improve conditions of employment for millions of foreign workers in the Gulf, in its 'Kuwait Declaration' of November 2014 noted that "recognizing that individual government's efforts may fall short, we resolve to work together to prevent and sanction exploitative recruitment practices that place workers at great risk and undermine fundamental rights". The recent Senior Officials meeting in Dubai among other matters discussed increasing labour mobility in destination labour markets, where foreign workers can move from one employer to another. It highlighted the benefits of labour market flexibility and internal mobility to workers, employers and in terms of the broader labour market outcomes, notably in terms of increased labour productivity, better job matching and an improved skill mix. It explored model policies and operational tools to facilitate internal mobility and empower governments of destination countries to leverage its benefits. The upcoming 4th Ministerial Consultation in Colombo will focus on bilateral and multilateral cooperation in confronting challenges that are associated with labour recruitment and consider alternatives to the prevalent recruitment models as a main item of the Consultations agenda. It will further review ongoing programmes of cooperation in the field of skills development, certification and recognition and the leveraging of occupational skill recognition in the development of model admission and mobility policies. It will also consider the findings of the IOM-commissioned report on the recruitment industry in the Asia-GCC corridors and alternative models of labour recruitment for Asia-GCC corridors. Additionally the Colombo Ministerial Meeting will discuss a model policy framework that ties skilling in COOs to mutual recognition of original and acquired skills up-skilling in CODs, admission policies, mobility policies and policies on the re-integration of returning workers in their home communities. The review and discussion of a paper on the leveraging of technology to improve the administration of cross-border labour mobility, is also on the agenda. The Sri Lanka delegation to the meeting led by Secretary Sena Witanage, included Sri Lankas Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ravinatha Aryasinha and the Additional General Manager of the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau W. M. V. Wansekara. Sri Lankas Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates S. J. Mohideen and Minister A.S.K. Senavirathne were also associated with the delegation. In addition to delegations from the ADD member states, the meeting was attended by an observer delegation from the GCC General Secretariat, the Executive Bureau of the GCC Council of Ministers of Labour, the Government of Switzerland, IOM, ILO, ESCWA, Migrant Forum Asia, academic institutions in Bahrain, the United States and Bahrain and private sector executives. Sri Lanka is also the current Chair of the Colombo Process (CP), the Regional Consultative Process on the management of overseas employment and contractual labour of Asia which comprises 11 labour sending countries - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam, provides a regional platform to engage in dialogue and exchange good practices on issues related to contractual labour migration. Sri Lanka Mission Geneva The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary Read more This article appears in the May 27, 2016 issue of Executive Intelligence Review. Is Japan Really Going To Do This? by Michael Billington [PDF version of this article] May 21 (EIRNS)New initiatives emerged in East Asia this month, largely through the efforts of Russian President Vladimir Putin, with consequences that have greatly damaged the ongoing Anglo-American war drive, while opening up the potential for the integration of all East Asia into a zone of peace, defined by the economic development perspective of the New Silk Road and Chinas One Road, One Belt policy. On May 6, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held an extremely successful summit with Putin in Sochi on the Black Sea, despite intense pressure from the Obama White House to cancel the visit. Sources close to the negotiations have informed EIR that Abe and Putin agreed on a path towards solving the territorial dispute that has prevented the signing of a peace treaty to end World War II between Russia and Japan. The two leaders also discussed a wide range of potential Japanese investments, mostly in the Russian Far East, in oil and gas production, energy generation, medical facilities, transportation, ports, and more. The launching of such extensive joint development will also have significant implications for the Korean Peninsula, because the potential for joint China-Japan-South Korea-Russia projects in the Russian Far East, involving skilled North Korean labor, is a necessary basis for resolving the other crisis spot left over from World War II. Then, on May 19-20, President Putin hosted the summit of Russia and the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN), also in Sochi. The title of the summit, Towards Strategic Partnership for the Sake of the Common Good, is, in and of itself, a strategic statement of the utmost importance, and it makes clear that Russias intention is not to turn ASEAN against the United States, but against geopolitics itself. Before the summit, the government leaders of nearly all of the ASEAN nations issued strong endorsements of Russias crucial role in Asia, calling for expanding Russias relatively low level of trade and investment in the region. U.S. President Barack Obama will be in Asia from May 21 to 28, visiting Vietnam and Japan. As a result of Putins initiatives, this trip will now take place in an environment in which his carefully nurtured anti-China alliance is beginning to fracture and collapse. It was in October 2011 that his anti-China policy, which Obama dubbed his Pivot to Asia, was first announced by his sister-in-war Hillary Clinton, in an article in Foreign Affairs, the journal of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), entitled, Americas Pacific Century. Obamas approach is that of the British Empireimperial geopoliticsbased on the notion that nations function in the same manner as the Hobbesian view of individual men and women: bellum omnium contra omnes, the war of all against all, or each against all. This bestial view of man is the bedrock of the imperial strategy of divide and conquer. As a result of Vladimir Putins flanking initiatives, Obamas intentions have been dealt a huge blow over these recent days. Russia, in conjunction with Chinas leaders, has moved decisively to defeat not only Obamas war plans, but geopolitics itself. The ability to manipulate nations against each other depends on convincing those nations that the degraded imperial view of man and nations is true, that a nations self-interest requires the forming of military and economic blocs to protect against stronger neighbors, that there is no such thing as the common aims of mankind. China is seen as a threat to the Anglo-American imperial alliance precisely because the New Silk Road concept introduced by Chinese President Xi Jinpingtogether with the BRICS New Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)is based on a win-win concept of mutual development for all nations. This challenges Obamas we make the rules mentality, and his effort to encircle China with U.S. military bases and real or imagined U.S. allies ready to join in a U.S. war on China. This war policy depends on Japan as the core of the military alliance. But Putin has now weighed in with a brilliant flanking operation in East Asia, just as he flanked Obama through Russias intervention in Syria, which exposed Obama as the backer of the very terrorists he claimed to be fighting. Putin-Abe Breakthrough and Imperial Reaction At the May 6 Sochi summit, President Putin invited Prime Minister Abe to attend the second Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Sept. 2-3. Abe is expected to attend, and to hold a second summit with Putin. The forum will bring together international business and government representatives to discuss the economic potential of Russias Far East and the Asia-Pacific region, and the investment opportunities. Yury Trutnev, the Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District, followed the Sochi summit with a visit to Tokyo this past week. At the same time, the Chief Executive Officer of the Far East and Baikal Region Development Fund, Alexei Chekunkov, announced, The Far East Development Fund has updated its portfolio of promising projects. We are offering 29 projects worth a total of $16 billion to Japans investors, according to TASS. Putin and Abe also agreed that Putin will visit Japan before the end of the year, and will meet with Abe in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Abes home region. In a frantic response to this dramatic intervention by Putin, the trans-Atlantic establishment is warning that the West has lost sight of Russias potential role in Asia, describing it as extremely dangerous. Foreign Affairs released an article May 17 warning of an emerging geopolitical reality: no Western leader knows quite what to do about Russia as it wields its strategic influence across Eurasia. . . . Russia, declining as it might be, is yet a serious Eurasian power to be reckoned with. The West has essentially treated Russia as a rival European power, largely failing to manage its Eurasian challenges since 2014. . . . From Serbia to Afghanistan, Russia is using a combination of energy deals, arms supplies, and covert actions to solidify its stakes in Eurasias arc of instability. Authors Joshua Walker of the German Marshall Fund (and a former State Department officer) and Hidetoshi Azuma of the American Security Project protest in the article that not only is Putin threatening to destroy Washingtons effort to get Japans military on the side of the war against China and Russia, but he even has the gall to speak out on Obamas provocative operations in the South China Sea: As Beijings latest solicitation for Moscows support for its South China Sea policies demonstrates, Russia is also emerging as a significant actor in Asian seas, the stability of which is crucial to European economies. The CFR duo try to find some light in the matter by pathetically claiming that Abe is trying to bring the United States and Russia together, based on cooperation against the rise of China, where Russian and Western interests are aligned. Even here, Abe has taken an important step to improve the tense relations with China due to Chinas legitimate concern over Abes effort to change the Japanese Constitution to allow Japan to join the United States in a war on China. In fact, however, there has been no decline in the extensive economic relations between the second and third largest economies in the world. China is Japans largest trading partner, and Japan is Chinas second-largest. Japan is the largest investor in China, with direct investment of more than $100 billion as of 2014, or $30 billion more than the next largest source, the United States. Now, Abe has appointed a new Ambassador to China, Yutaka Yokoi, who is a China expert with deep experience in China, and is fluent in Chinese. In his first press conference at the Japanese Embassy in Beijing on May 16, Yokoi said, I will do my best to move the gears steadily forward. I want to boost mutual trust by communicating well with the Chinese side and cooperating on many common interests and challenges. China Daily wrote an editorial calling Yokoi a precious asset for handling the tricky relations at such a sensitive juncture. In discussions this week, Lyndon LaRouche pointed to the profound implications of these recent developments. He asked, Is Japan really going to do this? If so, he said, what is in prospect is the closest, trusted cooperation among Russia, India, China, and Japan in Asia, in the political, economic, and security dimensions, which will revolutionize Asia and the world. Putin-ASEAN While Japan is supposed to be the core of Obamas anti-China bloc in Asia, the Philippines and Vietnam are the two front-line states in his effort to provoke a war over the South China Sea, where these two members of ASEAN have significant, conflicting territorial claims with China. The Philippines has been central to aggravating tensions, where outgoing President Noynoy Aquino has served as a willing tool of Obamas drive to destroy Chinas leadership of a new global economic order based on win-win development. In particular, Aquino set in motion the extremely provocative and dangerous re-occupation of the island nation by the U.S. military. But Vietnam has also been courted by Obama to join in the military confrontation with China and Russia. Obama will be dangling the potential of lifting the U.S. ban on arms sales to Vietnam, which has existed since the ringing defeat of the United States in Vietnam War of the 1960s and 1970s. The arms sales are intended to endear Vietnam to the U.S. military confrontation with China. Vietnam has in fact been in conflict with China over conflicting sovereignty claims in the Paracel (Xisha) Islands in the South China Sea, including some minor military confrontations at sea. While Vietnam will welcome the dropping of the arms sale ban, it has had no trouble finding other sources of military suppliesit is the eighth largest arms importer in the world. Nor has Vietnam allowed relations with China to collapse, as in the Philippines. Here again, Putins initiatives with both Japan and ASEAN have thrown a huge monkey wrench into the Anglo-American war drive, as the potential for great economic development projects, including the participation of Japan, has redefined the dynamic and potential direction for the entire region. Vietnam has continued to maintain close relations with Russia over the past decades, and newly appointed Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc traveled to Moscow before the summit for bilateral meetings with Putin and Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev. The newly appointed Defense Minister, Ngo Xuan Lich, made Moscow his first foreign visit from April 23 to 29. Ministry of Defense At the same time, the Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam, Hong Xiaoyong, met with Defense Minister Ngo on May 19 in Hanoi, where the two sides agreed to further strengthen military cooperation. Defense Minister Ngo praised the friendly neighborliness, comprehensive cooperation, long-term stability, while looking towards the future as good neighbors, good friends, good comrades, and good partners. Even the Philippines The results of the May 9 presidential election in the Philippines has been a wake-up call for the western sponsors of the semi-colonized Philippine nation. Outgoing President Aquino ignored his own nations constitutional ban on foreign bases on Philippine soil by opening up military bases to U.S. occupation. Aquino was also praised by his sponsors for the nations supposedly great economic progress, with the highest rate of growth in ASEAN. The fact that that growth appears on the books purely as a result of financial speculation, helps to account for the fact that the poverty and hunger rates have increased under Aquinos rule, while foreign control of the economy has increased. The result is that a political outsider, Rodrigo Duterte, the Mayor of Davao City on the impoverished southern island of Mindanao, swept the election against the chosen candidates from the elite who have largely ruled the nation on behalf of Wall Street since the U.S.-orchestrated coup against nationalist President Ferdinand Marcos in 1986. Duterte is a wild cardand a bit of a wild manwhose policies are unclear. However, among his many promiseswhich include such outrageous promises as to kill all the criminals and feed them to the fish in Manila Bayare several serious ones, which threaten to sever Obamas control over the nation and potentially to stop Obamas intention to use the country as a base for war on China. Office of the City Mayor, Davao City One of Dutertes first meetings was with Chinas Ambassador to the Philippines, Zhao Jianhua, on May 17. Duterte had said during the campaign that he wanted to cultivate friendly relations with China, and was open to direct talks over the issues in the South China Sea. If the ship of negotiations is in still waters and there is no wind to push the sail, he said, I might just decide to talk bilaterally with China. Following the meeting, Ambassador Zhao said that Duterte has expressed his willingness to improve and develop relations between China and the Philippines, and strengthen bilateral cooperation to benefit the peoples of the two countries. This is sending fearful tremors through the war party in Washington. It has spent the past months preparing to use the expected ruling against China by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, in a case brought by the Philippines over sovereign rights in the South China Sea, as justification for a major military confrontation with China. But the question of real development, through win-win agreements among nationsrather than geopolitical confrontation and austerity under the collapsing economic financial system of New York and Londonhas led the Philippines, at least potentially, to choose progress over war. Duterte has called on China to invest in his country through its New Maritime Silk Road and the AIIB, for the development of railroads, ports, and other infrastructure, a process desperately needed in the Philippines. This is not only progress, but the end of imperial geopolitics. This article appears in the May 27, 2016 issue of Executive Intelligence Review. Ma n i n th e Sola r Syste m an d Beyond by Kesha Rogers [PDF version of this article] Kesha Rogers addressed NASA veterans and others in Houston on May 14. This is an edited version of a transcript of her opening remarks there. Okay, good afternoon, Im Kesha Rogers, and Im a member of the LaRouche PAC Policy Committee, and former candidate nominee for U.S. Congress. So, what we want to do today is to have this discussion in which I hope all of you have thought about some questions and ways to participate. And this is the first step which we must take to look at the reason were taking up the fight for understanding a completely new conception of what our space program has to represent. Theres a lot that we still dont know, and we have yet to discover about the Universe in which we live, and the Solar system in which we live. LaRouche PAC So what I want to do, just to start off the discussion, is to read a statement I just wrote: The commitment to space exploration must be based on the defense of the creative identity of the human mind. Human beings are a space-faring species, not meant to be confined to Earth: a species with a mission to discover and come to understand who we are as mankind in the Universe. We must bring about a unified human mission that establishes a completely new view of the Solar system, defined not by the compartmentalization of space, but by a unified galactic system. Visionary leaders like space pioneer Krafft Ehricke and President John F. Kennedy understood that the industrial development of the Moon and beyond is not just a worthwhile undertaking, but an extraterrestrial imperative. Today, China is leading the advance toward this extraterrestrial imperative with the steady progress of its lunar program. For the last six years I have led a national campaign to defend our U.S. manned space program, which is fundamental to the progress of our nations economic development, and provides the basis for peaceful relations among all nations. Our manned space program and the future of our nation have been under brutal attack since 2010, with the egregious cuts and dismantling of our space program, starting with Obamas cancellation of the Constellation program, and the cuts to the fusion science-driver program, important for the development of fusion propulsion technology, which is absolutely essential for the exploration of space. We must restore our commitment to a unified national mission dedicated to the exploration of space, starting with the development of the Moon (including its unique fusion resource, helium-3). Where Are the Formulas? This national mission will lay the basis for a much greater expansion of mankind throughout the Solar system, with Mars as the next target for human exploration and development. America needs a robust space exploration and development program to draw our nations attention away from petty problems on Earth and to refocus attention once more on the excitement of exploration of the Universe, the thrill of discovery, and the conquest of new frontiers. This passion for adventure and yearning to stretch our horizon will surely drive the next generation of space explorers and inspire our nation for the next 100 years in space. What I would like to do is to attempt to draw on more of these conceptions throughout the course of this discussion today, and the questions and comments that you have will help us to develop those ideas further. But, let me just say that for the past several years that Ive been leading this national fight in defense of the space program, one thing thats been very clear is that theres a very crucial aspect that has been missing from the equation. And this is the continued targeting of our space program by the enemies of progress, and well talk a little bit more about Krafft Ehricke, and what Krafft Ehricke actually understood about the enemies of progress, as being really exemplified by the limits-to-growth Malthusian system, which asserts that there are limited resources on the planet Earth, and that there are limitations to mans understanding of the Universe in which we live. NASA Krafft Ehricke had a completely different conception about that. And thats what has really been an underlying flaw and problem with the thinking amongst those mathematicians or the accounting figures that have taken over the control of the space program. They try to put limitations on mankinds progress. Now, when you think about it, the human factor is the most essential factor in understanding what the mission of a unified space program has to be, the factor of human creativity and the human mind. So, when you look at our campaign, dont just look at it from the standpoint of, Oh, where are the technical aspects? Where are the formulas? What is your formula to actually justify your understanding of man as a space-faring species? Youre not going to find this formula. You have to find it within yourself, as a human being, with what must be a completely new conception of the identity of human beings on planet Earth, and throughout our Solar system, throughout the Universe and the Galaxy that we live in. And so, this conception of the creativity of the human mind, the human factor, is very critical. Its a principle to understand when you think about what the great pioneers of space exploration defined as our mission and purpose in the space program, what is our extraterrestrial imperative? And many times we have talked about the visionary role of Krafft Ehricke. I think he is extremely important to continue to go back to, because the conception of the playful, creative mind doesnt really exist in the domain of the society in which we live right now. You really want to think about how you imagine something that you have never known before, and how you create something which is totally new to the understanding of the human mind. And Im going to go through that and expound on that, because thats going to be the basis of what I want you to take from my discussion today. I want to read again, Krafft Ehrickes conception of space travel. He says: The concept of space travel carries with it enormous impact, because it challenges man on practically all fronts of his physical and spiritual existence. The idea of traveling to other celestial bodies reflects to the highest degree the independence and agility of the human mind. It lends ultimate dignity to mans technical and scientific endeavors. Above all, it touches on the philosophy of his very existence. And thats something to think about, because the problem is that we have been denied access to understanding what is the real philosophy of the existence of man. And this has been an ongoing fight since the development of mankind, that the existence of man is something which in many eyes is disconnected from, and has no relationship to the Universe in which we live. So this is something that for the past several decades, Mr. LaRouche has taken up as a critical principle in understanding the exploration of a true mission for space conquest. That is not just something that you do because you have a bunch of money, and you want to go build tourist attractions on the Moon, and you want to turn space travel into Wall Street profiteering: get up there cheap, get up there quick. But unless you talk about the ability of the human mind, the nature of creating a culture in society that fosters human creativity, then what youre doing with the space program is just a fraud. What We Dont Know This is completely essential to what Mr. LaRouches program for the space program has been, as a continuation of what President John F. Kennedy had set into motion. President John F. Kennedy knew that the development of space, development of new frontiers in technological discoveries, as did Krafft Ehricke, as did the great pioneers before him, Wernher von Braun, Oberth, Goddard, these pioneers, and rocket scientists, knew that we have an imperative to conquer the Solar system, so that we can actually bring about a new conception of the unified development of mankind as a whole. And in a paper written in 1986, I believe it was, Mr. LaRouche talks about a very important concept called Spiritual Imperative for the Conquest of Space, and I think this really gets at the spark which has to be understood. Now before I read this quote, I want you to think about this from the standpoint that there are technological and other things that have to be developed, in terms of developing space. When you talk about whats necessary for the colonization of the Moon, for building colonies on the Moon, for the exploration of Mars, Do we just go up there? Is it just, OK, we just got there. I said this before, I take people who come into Houston, sometimes, and theyre mesmerized by the Saturn V rocket. And if you go to visit the Saturn V rocket, you see this masterpiece, and this giant rocket, its being preserved, sitting in this warehouse, that everyone from all over the world comes to see. Something that, when this was developed, nations throughout the world were participating in. But more so, they were gaining the benefits of what the Saturn V rocketas a continuation of that programwas to represent. John F. Kennedy Library But my point is that if you look at this great masterpiece, you cant just say, Oh, this was just thrown together. This was an engineering feat. What was the skilled labor, the engineering, every single facet of economy, that went into the building of this work? And even more, what was the human factor that went into it? The human factor also of people who dedicated their lives to the establishment of this great project which took men to the Moon. And that was almost a mission that did not happen, because lives were lost. And as we experienced in the battlefields of war, and when people commit themselves to a fight in military warfare, they know that theyre going in with the understanding that they may not come out. Their lives may not exist any longer. But the commitment always has to be to the betterment and the progress of mankind, coming from your society as a whole. And thats the difference from the conception that we see today, with the policy toward our space program that is murderous, that does not take human life truly into account. When you want to put Wall Street, and the financial private institutions at the forefront of the development of our space program, and they say, Oh, Ill give you a few pennies, if we have something left over. Every single thing, every single penny, has to go into the development of space exploration based on the idea that the human mind and the human life has to be protected and preserved. What LaRouche says makes the point clear: Human beings are absolutely distinguished from the beasts by virtue of the fact that every newborn infant has the divine spark of reason. This spark, if developed, enables each of us to develop the power of creative reasoning, the quality of reasoning typified by the work of the best scientific discoverers. He goes on to say, One new, useful idea, discovered by such an individual mind is a benefit for all mankind. And its very similar to the idea that when mankind goes out into space, when you have an astronaut go out and orbit the Earth, when we go to the Moon, this isnt just something that the astronaut is doing to go on a joy ride. He is actually doing this because the entire nation is going with him to participate in this. The entire world is benefitting from this discovery, as all of the world benefits from a great scientific discovery, such as a discovery of Einstein, or a musical discovery of a great Classical composer. EIRNS/Stuart Lewis And thats the culture which we have to re-instill in our society, and thats the culture which has right now been eliminated by the lack of a space program policy under President Obama, who is putting trillions of dollars into upgrading the nuclear arsenal, and putting missile defense weapons on the borders of China and Russia, instead of actually calling for collaboration with these nations, based on the idea that mankind has to commit itself to a new paradigm based on cooperation among nations. I thought it was very fitting, that just recently, the cosmonauts from the International Space Station sent the message down on the 71st anniversary of the defeat of fascism, defeat of the Nazis in Germany, saying that peaceful relations, cooperation, and scientific development among nations is only going to be possible in a world without war. A world without war starts with understanding what we have to commit ourselves to from the standpoint of a new paradigm based on the cooperation among nations for shared achievements, for the advancement of mans mastery over new fundamental principles, and for the implementation of new forms of technology. That really gets to the conception of why were looking, with great excitement and vigor, at what China is doing with its space program. But you have China doing something that no other nation has yet embarked on: Venturing out to discover, based on the idea that it is our imperative to go to and master what is out there on the far side of the Moon. Now were not necessarily going, already knowing whats there. We have some ideas, but thats the beauty of the discoveries of mankind, youre not going and saying, Oh, okay, this is what were going to look for, and this is what we want to find. It takes away a sense of creativity if youre already thinking, Oh, were already there. Weve already mastered everything. And thats what is so unique about what China is doing, and China really continues to follow what we exemplified in the past under leadership such as that of President John F. Kennedy. Everybody remembers John F. Kennedys Moon speech, but it had this principle: Were going to do something that we dont know. We went to the Moon. When we stepped foot on the Moon, we didnt know what was going to happen. We didnt know what we were going to find, but we knew that it was our imperative, our prerogative, to embark on this mission. And I was reading about how the people within mission control, like Gene Kranz, were saying, I dont know about this President, but he really believed in us, and he believed in this nation, and I thought that this was too far out there. But I saw that we had a President that had vision, and who said, where there is no vision the people will perish. That was the idea that Kennedy had committed to the people. Tim Pearce Why Bach? So thats the idea, and thats the conception right now, that youre getting from nations like Russia and China, nations that want to have mankind embark on a new frontier of cooperation and collaboration in which we can participate if we have the right leadership. Its very fitting that while, On the one hand you have a drive for war and economic collapse coming from the United States, and coming from under the directives of President Obama, and those Wall Street operations that he submits to. You think about the difference in that drive toward war, which actually creates more suicides, as were seeing, more killing in the society which has been completely devastated, but, on the other hand you look at the optimism that youre seeing coming from what Russian President Vladimir Putin just didwhich was a beautiful indication of his commitment to the progress of mankindwhen just recently, the Russians held a concert in Palmyra, in the ruins of Palmyra, in what was an ancient amphitheater in Syria, just afterjust a few months ago, this area was just used for brutal warfare, and killing of human beings. And President Putin of Russia called for a concert. And Id just like to just say this, just think about this. This concert, as was reported in a recent article, did not begin with a piece by a Russian composer. Instead, the Russians chose to begin with a potent piece by Johann Sebastian Bach, the famous Chaconne, Partita for Solo Violin No. 2 in B minor. The writer says that the great violinist Yehudi Menuhin called the Chaconne the greatest structure for solo violin that exists, and violinist Joshua Bell has said, the Chaconne is not just one of the greatest pieces of music ever written, but one of the greatest achievements of any man in history. Its a spiritually powerful piece, emotionally powerful, and structurally perfect. If you disconnect these things, you will say, OK, thats nice, but why did you bring that up? Well, I bring that up because there has to be a connection between space exploration and a culture that fosters human creativity, Classical culture, the culture of the human mind. If you go back and look at the role of the great pioneers, such as Krafft Ehricke, they brought with them the greatest of Western culture and Classical culture, as an expression of what our space program has to be. You cant have a space program with Beyonce and Jay Z, and so forth. You have to have a space program that exemplifies a true commitment to the human creative identity. This editorial appears in the May 27, 2016 issue of Executive Intelligence Review. LaRouches Triple Curve [PDF version of this editorial] Great endeavors in human history have been lost for the sake of a pseudo-religious belief in what are considered by popular opinion to be the necessary prerequisite steps for victory. Moses himself encountered such corruption as he led his people through the desert some 3,000 years ago. Although such prerequisites are often identifiedin the hindsight of a successful outcomeas necessary steps, only the foolishness of a mathematician would make possible the belief that such formulae resemble anything like the basis for actually accomplishing a fundamental transformation in the historical trajectory of human development. It is a unique accomplishment within trans-Atlantic society and over the last 50 years of cultural degeneration, that Lyndon LaRouche has rejected any tendency toward, and overcome all influences of, reductionist thought in his strategic intervention, and for this reason, the FBI has failed to eliminate his international influence. But it has been successful in corrupting much of his organization, although the leading participants in LaRouches movement could not deny that they had been warned of such corrosive intellectual tendencies. His unjust imprisonment in 1989 at the hands of George H.W. Bush and his British Crown controllers left his organization susceptible to the insidious conceptions of Bertrand Russell and his opportunistic sycophants that LaRouche had clearly rejected as his first step towards achieving the foundation of a higher economic and strategic program of human development. Above all, LaRouches intent was not simply a new economic system, which we finally see manifest in the Eurasian Systemalso referred to as the BRICS, based largely on the collaboration of Russia, China, and Indiabut the scientific recognition of the higher domain of human creative thought and its willful development through the power of creative imagination, based upon the classical compositional principles of especially Bach, Mozart, Beethoven. The Folly It was this higher ordering principle of thought which was manifest in 1995 when LaRouche defined the Triple Curve function of economic collapse. In presenting the concept at a conference of associates in February 1996, he opened his presentation with remarks such as these: What is dooming us is our people; what our people believe. Because these people we like to blame, we talk about the crooked politicians, we talk about the conspirators on Wall Street, we talk about this, we talk about that, always blaming someone else. And if theyre a public figure, as in the old days, when some people wore top hats, it was more fun to throw a snowball at a top hat. So we always blame somebody else. Now, the job of a leader is not to blame leaders. We can point out some are bad, some are defective, some are utterly immoral, some are barely human. But the problem lies in the people, not in the leaders. The problem, often, of oppression, lies in the oppressed. Because they will not accept any proposition that is not consistent with the assumption that they must remain the oppressed. The Collapse Reaches a Critical Point of Instability View full size EIR , Jan.25, 2002 It may be that LaRouches driving intention behind the Triple Curve function was to make clear that the tragedy befalling our nation and civilization itself, is not simply found in the relationships among the accelerating increase of financial instruments, the even greater increase in the acceleration of the monetary supply, and the accelerating collapse of real physical productionalthough they are important. It is that our very conception of our human identity in the universe has become fatally flawed, perhaps not irretrievably so, but recoverable only with serious repentance for the grave systemic errors of society which are so often nobly cloaked in the justifications of popularity, statistical probability, or the Hamlet syndrome, by which ungodly steps are taken merely to fight another day, a dayor a fightwhich never seems to come. Perhaps the greatest proof of such evil corruption of our society is seen in LaRouches own unjust imprisonment. For only by putting the leading economist and political figure in the United States behind bars, were then the economic compromises, made in the wake of the Fall of the Berlin Wall that LaRouche had uniquely forecast six years earlier, even feasibleeconomic folly so accurately captured in the Triple Curve function. It is now time to learn the lessons of the past, to join with Lyndon LaRouche in the most ennobling mission in mankinds history, and find success in doing what is considered by most to be the impossible, which is actually the practical, since it is in that mission, and only in that mission, that success is ever to be found. Conjure up an image of a former mega-church pastor and you will almost certainly not envision Rob Bell. Tall, slender and dressed with the casual hipness of a tech entrepreneur, Bell greets me in his airy West Hollywood home office looking less like your mothers Sunday-service leader than he does Tony Hawk. (A limited-edition Dennis Busenitz skateboard deck mounted on the wall, as well as a multitude of neatly racked surfboards, add to the effect.) If Im at a party, Ill introduce myself as an author, says Bell. If I start with Im a spiritual teacher, people are like, Get away from that guy,' he jokes good-naturedly. What, do you have a white robe in the trunk? Despite the fact that Bell subverts preacherly expectations, there are tells. He forgoes my introductory handshake for a brotherly hug. He has a penchant for the phrases Oh my word! and a barely suppressed, caught-in-the-nick-of-time What the F-what? To the left of his desk, alongside a semi-opaque, sea-glass-colored surfboard fin, hangs a carved wooden cross. I am reminded that in his latest book, How to Be Here: A Guide to Creating a Life Worth Living" (HarperOne: 224 pp., $25.99), Bell devotes a chapter to the importance of surrounding oneself with objects that are vital to your path, [p. 162] a kind of Marie Kondo-lite, and that Bells path has by no means been a straight or narrow one. I sort of came up through this world where I didnt fit, he says. I remember going to a pastors conference early on and thinking, 'Im trying to do something very different.' How to be Here, as well as upcoming events at Wanderlust Hollywood (sold out, on Memorial Day) and Largo (see box for more info), bring that difference to light. Bell seems constitutionally incapable of being limited to one vocation he is a pastor, speaker, author, podcast host, surfer, filmmaker, husband, and dad. His refusal to define himself by any of these single roles, and instead embrace hybridity, may make him the consummate Angelino. He is constantly open to being redefined. Indeed, Bell left a thousands-strong Christian congregation at Mars Hill Bible Church, which he founded in his native Michigan, not long after questioning the existence of hell in his wildly contentious, bestselling book Love Wins. (In a recording of his live talk Everything is Spiritual, Bell recalls with amused fondness a protestors sign: Believe in Hell, Not Rob Bell.) Since relocating to California in 2012, Bell has gone on to spread the word in an entirely different manner: his first formal appearance wasnt at a church at all, but at the Viper Room. Oprahs Life You Want Tour followed two years later, and his own events and workshops, which fuse science, spirituality, and self-help, routinely sell out. As we discussed his latest endeavors, a sleek outdoor pool trickled soothingly in the background. God is good, but speaking engagements with Deepak Chopra and Elizabeth Gilbert have their rewards. Discussing his current obsessions, Bell rattles off Icelandic prog-rockers Sigur Ros (Im bonkers about that band), David Simons miniseries Show Me A Hero, and the LA Comedy Store book Im Dying Up Here: Heartbreak and High Times in Stand-Up Comedys Golden Era. He quotes Jesus and Yeezus with equal fluidity: How to Be Here pulls from both the bible and Kanyes Twitter feed. He is a proponent of inclusivity, including support for women in church leadership, gay marriage, and considering spiritual practice outside of the confines of a pew.The sermon, he says, has been forgotten as an art form, one that, in its ideal state, should fall somewhere between guerilla theatre and performance art. No matter how hard you try, if youre in a church service on a Sunday, people have all these cultural preconceptions. No matter how accessible you make it, for many people its already been co-opted by something, he says. Where do we exchange ideas? Where do we tell stories? The sermon ought to take place in the larger cultures exchange. So rock venues, theaters, and comedy clubs, as much as churches have become his spiritual home. Yes, this is where this goes, he says of hosting his events at Largo, where he will be speaking on May 31st to what he anticipates to be an eclectic crowd. Besides, he says, when he appears at venues that cater to the larger cultures public eye, It also has to be good. Bells years as a preacher certainly inform the ambitious, profound, and category-defying talks he gives now, but there are also parallels between his current work and that of a comedian. He has toured with Pete Holmes, who had an Evangelical upbringing, and whom he counts as a close friend. (Pete started coming over to our house every Saturday. He said My goal is to Uncle Buck your kids. Despite those corruption efforts, Bell says, I think we spent Christmas last year together.) Its clear that Bell enjoys a good joke as much as the rest of us, but its the comedians potential carte blanche to prod at societys taboos that he finds most compelling. Whenever anybody stiffens up -- I dont know if we can talk about that. We probably should avoid that Thats like red meat to a comedian. Its like chum in the water. Why dont we talk about that? Why is that word off limits? Why are you ashamed of that? Thats where a comedian does her finest work: all of the places in us that we dont really want to talk about, Bell explains. What I realized is there was this cultural Pastor Politeness: whatever you do dont offend In the world that I came out of, it gets people fired and gets people up in arms. In comedy it sells tickets. It also sells books, although How to Be Here is by no account controversial. It is less prescriptive than many self-help titles, sitting slightly apart within the genre. Bell writes about confronting failure, surrendering outcomes, and finding your ikigai, a Japanese concept akin to a raison detre. That the title of the book sounds like a mindfulness practice doesnt bother Bell one bit; he is eager to explore murky, intangible, concepts without pigeonholing them. I think theres something more going on here, he says of our lives on earth, and of his sense that if were able to truly be present for them, there is much to marvel at. And I think for many people, spirituality, religion, God, Jesus, whatever has been trivialized. I think were way beyond one particular religion, were about what does it mean to be human. French is a writer in Los Angeles. State regulators have approved the purchase of battery storage for electricity to support Southern Californias energy supply, which faces potential shortages because of the troubled Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility. The California Public Utilities Commission wants Southern California Edison to expedite plans to acquire electricity storage using batteries to help prevent potential blackouts. The commission and other state energy agencies have warned that without the Aliso Canyon field, the states largest natural gas storage facility, Southern California could face blackouts during as many as 14 days this summer. In addition to increasing use of battery storage, the energy agencies have urged consumers to look for ways to conserve energy. Advertisement See more of our top stories on Facebook >> Southern California faces a number of energy reliability challenges for electricity and for residential heating this summer, next winter, and at least for the next summer after that, all related to the loss of gas storage at Aliso Canyon, commission President Michael Picker said of Thursdays action. Historically, our energy system in the L.A. basin was built around that facility. Now were doing what we can to expedite the next generation of energy solutions in that very constrained piece of Californias infrastructure, Picker said. This is one important part of the overall effort. The Aliso Canyon facility, owned and operated by Southern California Gas Co., drew national attention after a leak in one of its 115 wells last October. It took Southern California Gas four months to stop the leak and seal the well. The leak forced thousands of residents in the nearby Porter Ranch community to flee their homes after complaints of illness. SIGN UP for the free California Inc. business newsletter >> Gov. Jerry Brown ordered a moratorium on injecting any more gas into the storage facility until it is deemed safe. The utility company has been inspecting and testing the remaining 114 wells to ensure safety. But it remains unclear whether the gas still contained in the facility will be available during periods of high demand for natural gas by power plants and residential customers. Critics of blackout warnings have argued that the state needs to seriously investigate alternatives to using Aliso Canyon. They have characterized the warning about blackouts as little more than a threat by Southern California Gas if the utility isnt allowed to continue using the storage facility. MORE FROM BUSINESS Watchdog group shows cozy emails between state regulators and utility executives Uber and Lyft drivers are safer than the average American driver, according to new report Pending U.S. home sales hit highest level since 2006 ivan.penn@latimes.com Follow me at @ivanlpenn Casual California elegance meets traditional East Coast charm at this two-story, found just blocks from the sand in Manhattan Beach. Designed by architect Louie Tomaro, with landscaping by Scott Martin, the home offers a classic look with front-facing gables, a covered entry and a white picket fence. Inside, sunlit spaces feature a chefs kitchen and formal living and dining rooms that open onto a patio with saltwater pool. Address: 1200 10th St., Manhattan Beach, 90266 Price: $4.150 million Built: 2013 Lot size: 7,467 square feet House size: 4,600 square feet, 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms Features: Open-space floor plan; recessed lighting; walnut hardwood floors; two-story vaulted entryway; chefs kitchen Calcutta gold marble island, double Wolf ovens, Sub-Zero fridge and freezer, six-burner stove with griddle; retractable glass pocket doors; upstairs master retreat with sitting area; indoor and outdoor fireplaces, two patios, fire pit; fireplace; saltwater swimming pool and spa; retractable patio awning Advertisement About the area: The median sale price for single-family homes in the 90266 ZIP Code in April was $2.4 million, based on 29 sales, according to CoreLogic. That was a 34.8% increase in median price compared with April 2015. Agents: Kofi Nartey, (424) 230-3756; Kristin Regan, (424) 488-1013; The Agency To submit a candidate for Home of the Day, send high-resolution color photos via Dropbox.com, permission from the photographer to publish the images and a description of the house to neal.leitereg@latimes.com. Follow Bonnie McCarthy on Twitter @ThsAmericanHome Snapchat Inc. has broadly expanded its shareholder base over the last year, going far beyond the few venture capitalists who bankrolled the Venice firm when it was merely an app for sharing self-destructing photos. Now operating a complex social media app that teenagers cant seem to look away from, Snapchat added close to 120 investors and $1.3 billion in cash to its fold since last May. The figures come from a regulatory filing early Thursday. Combined with data from previous filings, Snapchat appears to have about 200 distinct investors and has raised more than $2 billion from them. Advertisement Many start-up executives squeeze their fundraising activities into a few weeks, often creating a sense of scarcity that allows them to play different investors against each other to get the best price for shares and the least strings attached. It also means entrepreneurs can get back to focusing on running their businesses sooner. But Snapchat Chief Executive Evan Spiegel keeps the door open, in part because theres intense demand to be a shareholder in Snapchat, which was valued at more than $15 billion a year ago. This week, Techcrunch, citing anonymous sources, reported that some of the more recent investments valued Snapchat at over $17 billion. The batch of U.S. companies finding such outsized interest from investors is small -- ride-hailing apps Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. among them. If youre a super-hot company, everyone wants to go in, said Mairtini Ni Dhomhnail, a start-up finance expert at Accretive Solutions. You can raise over many months and give up less of the company because if you keep growing, a dollar today usually buys less shares than it did yesterday. The latest Snapchat investors are paying high prices for shares, upwards of $30 per share, but theyre betting that they will be worth much more when Spiegel takes Snapchat public, as he has said he plans to do. The money is going into hiring (approaching 1,000 employees across a handful of countries), buying and investing in smaller start-ups (about eight deals, including digital face-swapping tech maker Looksery) and researching and developing new offerings (smart glasses among the rumors). See the most-read stories this hour >> But less is known about why Spiegel and his chief strategy officer, Imran Khan, are taking money from certain companies and groups. After launching out of Spiegels fathers house five years ago, Snapchat soon accepted funds from Lightspeed Venture Partners, General Catalyst, Benchmark, SV Angel and Institutional Venture Partners -- established Silicon Valley venture capitalists with a history of backing start-ups like Yelp, Instagram, Airbnb and Shazam. The elite cadre of tech investors helped Snapchat rope in engineers and designers as it surged into one of the worlds most popular smartphone apps. Since then, Snapchat has turned to mutual and hedge funds and other private-wealth managers for big sums of cash. The group includes Coatue, Rizvi Traverse, Fidelity Investments and Glade Brook Capital Partners. T. Rowe Price joined in recent months, online news outlet TechCrunch reported Thursday. Snapchat also hit up private companies such as Alibaba. Other venture capital funds have piled on, including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, followed by New Enterprise Associates and reportedly Sequoia Capital. And investment groups led by former entrepreneurs, namely HDS Capital and Entree Capital, have nabbed stakes in Snapchat. TechCrunch named private equity firm General Atlantic and hedge fund Lone Pine Capital as other investors. The venture-capital tracking firm PitchBook says Chilean firm Grupo Arcano, Singapores sovereign wealth fund and billionaire Len Blavatniks Access Industries also have positions in Snapchat. Widening the slate of investors could have political motivations beyond getting capital, said Timothy Lipton, a partner at the investment firm Momentum Partners and an outsourced chief financial officer for several start-ups. Snapchat may want to limit investors from holding too much power, and attracting many disparate, smaller investors can make it difficult for shareholders to corral a bloc. Companies also sometimes spread the wealth to generate goodwill or plant the seeds for relationships among key individuals, he said. For instance, mutual funds generally dangle more cash than venture capitalists. And providing them early access to shares may increase the odds that they will buy additional shares for long-term holding when a company goes public. Some investors say they buy into Spiegels vision that Snapchat represents the future of TV, an on-the-go distribution service for content from both media companies and amateurs. Snapchat still has a way to go before an initial public offering, given heightened scrutiny from Wall Street over cash flow at tech companies such as Twitter Inc. and LinkedIn Corp. Revenue at Snapchat should reach the low hundreds of millions of dollars this year, mostly from ads that run alongside videos on the apps. Its a big jump from the mid-tens of millions of dollars last year. But its far from enough to cover costs, considering the rapid hiring, expensive beachside leases and the computing infrastructure needed to support an estimated 150 million daily users. Snapchat declined to comment. The new cash adds to the $538 million Snapchat raised last spring and closes a $1.8-billion Series F round of funding, according to Thursdays filing. paresh.dave@latimes.com Twitter: @peard33 MORE TECH & BUSINESS NEWS: SpaceX to launch a satellite and try another booster landing today Faraday Future and Snapchat stand to gain millions in state tax breaks for adding jobs Whos got the most cash in corporate America? For the first time, 5 tech firms UPDATES: 2:50 p.m.: This story was updated to include comments from Mairtini Ni Dhomhnail, a start-up finance expert at Accretive Solutions, and Timothy Lipton, a partner at the investment firm Momentum Partners. This story was originally published at 11:56 a.m. Harold Bloom subtitled his magnum opus on Shakespeare The Invention of the Human in recognition of the Bards unprecedented ability to imagine the lives of others. The question Ive been pondering of late is what would Shakespeare, the greatest detective of the soul of man in literary history, have made of Donald Trump? Is there anything in the plays that could offer us some insight into the motives and machinations of this New York billionaire turned political firebrand? The comedies, which I naturally turned to first, failed to supply a figure who combines Trumps peculiar combination of arrogance and unpreparedness, pugilistic vehemence and showmans pandering. The histories provide the richest trove of Shakespeares political thought, but theres no Falstaffian equivalent to the Donald. (Trump might be able to match the braggadocio of Prince Hals drinking buddy, but his playground-quality insults fall short in linguistic brio and satiric bite.) My project was beginning to seem like a fools errand, but then sick in bed and bored with the novel I was reading, I turned to two Shakespeare tragedies: Julius Caesar, which I hadnt read since Denzel Washington brought the play to Broadway, and Coriolanus, which I saw earlier this year via the National Theatre Live broadcast of the sensational Donmar Warehouse production starring Tom Hiddleston. Denzel Washington in a scene from the modernized revival of Julius Caesar at Broadways Belasco Theatre in 2005. (Joan Marcus / AP Photo / Boneau / BryanBrown) (Joan Marcus / AP Photo / Boneau / BryanaBrown ) These historical dramas, set in ancient Rome, startled me with their almost prophetic reading of our current moment. Indeed, the senatorial squabbling in these tragedies might easily be relocated to Washington, D.C. Not that theres a blustering toga-clad noble with a shock of clown hair, a problem with women and a put-down for every oppressed group among the characters. Shakespeares worldview is astonishingly comprehensive, but a playwright from the Elizabethan-Jacobean era would need a time machine to dream up Trump. If even Marshall McLuhan, the 20th century expert on the merging of media and politics, would require a crash course in Twitter, Facebook and The Apprentice," how could we expect Shakespeare to shed light on this reality TV star turned standard-bearer of the GOP? A stroll through Shakespeares Rome suggests how. For those assuming that a Trump-Julius Caesar connection is up my sleeve, I can only quote the late, great Shakespeare scholar Anne Barton, who in reviewing a book that made a comparison between the Roman statesman and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, simply declared, It is unfair to Caesar. What Julius Caesar and Coriolanus illuminate isnt Trump himself but the Trump phenomenon. Shakespeare may have no equivalent for the businessman who successfully transformed himself into a brand before redeploying his marketing acumen to the political arena, but the playwright understands the voters who are drawn like moths to the fiery glow of Trumps candidacy. The political background of the Roman plays resonates sharply with our own situation. Democratic pressures continually tested the ancient Republic, as the equilibrium between patricians and plebeians shifted. Today a similar contest for power is taking place between elites and everyday workers. To anyone bewildered by the eruptions of violence at the Trump rallies, Julius Caesar and Coriolanus reveal just how easy it is to transform anxious citizens into mobs. The personality of the demagogue isnt a central concern in either tragedy, but the plays carefully expose the wily business of political control and the ease with which unscrupulous leaders can manipulate the fear and frustration of the masses. Anti-Trump protesters clash with Trump supporters outside the Anaheim Convention Center during a rally on May 25. (Mark Ralston / AFP / Getty Images) (Mark Ralston / AFP / Getty Images ) Shakespeare recognizes that the political immaturity of the people is the one constant. Exploiting this requires a shrewdness that can take many guises. But a good talking game is a necessity for any demagogue, and no play better demonstrates the potency of this art than Julius Caesar. As always, Shakespeare works through contrast and comparison. Brutus, after killing Caesar at the Senate house, appears before his countrymen to explain his rationale for the murder. His speech, as straightforward as it is succinct, makes a direct appeal to his auditors reason. This turns out to be a mistake arguably as fateful as his questionable decision to take part in the assassination. For though Brutus sways his audience initially with his argument that he and his fellow conspirators took Caesars life for the good of Rome, his listeners dont want to be persuaded by an abstract case for democracy. Shakespeare, with brilliant economy, clarifies what the crowd really wants: an emperor to replace the father figure theyre now mourning. When one of the plebeians cries out after Brutus speech, Let him be Caesar, the affirmation leaves Brutus nonplussed. This bookish patrician wants his principles endorsed, not his personality. Mark Antony makes no such mistake in his funeral oration, which whips the crowd into a rabid frenzy. His eulogy, fobbed off as the sentiments of a man too bereaved for rhetoric (My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar), transforms the citizenry into an instrument of revenge so blind that, in the ensuing rampage, a poet is killed simply for having the same name as one of the assassins. The irony is that the citizens believe that logic has won them over. Me thinks there is much reason in his sayings, says one of the plebeians of Antony's speech. If thou consider rightly of the matter, Caesar has had great wrong, says another. Antony claims hes no orator, as Brutus is, just a plain blunt man. No doubt the kind of guy ordinary Romans would enjoy having a glass of vino with. But Shakespeare allows us to see through this aristocrat's pose of solidarity with the common people. When Trump said in his victory speech in Nevada, I love the poorly educated, he was expressing the same sentiment Antony was no doubt muttering to himself as the mob drove Brutus and Cassius out of the city gates. What Trump loves, of course, is the effectiveness with which his populist message does his dirty work for him. Donald Trump signs autographs after he speaking at the Lawrenceville National Guard Armory on May 19 in Lawrenceville, N.J.. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) (Spencer Platt / Getty Images ) "[Trump] wins voters over by appealing to their spleens rather than their minds" Charles McNulty He wins voters over by appealing to their spleens rather than their minds. Grievances are replayed like tunes in a music library. His attacks are rationalized as self-defense and his most divisive remarks are framed as a holiday from America's great scourge, political correctness. In an impressive rhetorical sleight of hand, Trump discredits the opposition by claiming that any criticism of him stems from personal animus. In this respect, he follows the playbook of Antony, who as Maynard Mack observed in the essay The Modernity of 'Julius Caesar,'" convinces the mob that all rationality is simply a surface covering up private grudges. This is the ad hominem strategy that allowed Trump to emerge unscathed from the Republican debates despite his unsteady performances. Coriolanus, or Caius Martius as he was known before his conquest of the Volscian city of Corioli, is in many ways the anti-Trump, a warrior who is disgusted by the pageant of politics. After returning home victorious over the Volscians, Romes relentless enemy, he refuses to exhibit his wounds to the public to gather the necessary votes to be made consul. Rome, to Coriolanus, is an ideal that can only be sullied by the marketplace of politics. Hes too proud to bend to the commoners, believing his martial service should speak for itself. Coriolanus is Shakespeares most explicitly political tragedy, one in which the fatal flaw seems to rest as much in the body politic as in the protagonist, whose astonishing virtue in war, his implacability, turns out to be his terminal vice in peacetime. The play dramatizes what happens when a leader, lured into the show-and-tell of electoral politics, scorns the many-headed multitude. Tom Hiddleston as Coriolanus at the Donmar Warehouse in 2013. (Johan Persson) (Johan Persson ) At the same time, Shakespeare shines a light on the way the system is open to brazen manipulation by career politicians. The tribunes, the plebeians representatives, fear that if Coriolanus is made consul he will diminish their power. They urge the crowd to renounce him, playing on their fears and reminding them continually of his arrogance. Coriolanus exposes the cynical maneuvering of the democratic process. Idealism is not only defeated but fundamentally doubted. And only imminent annihilation seems capable of restoring a sense of the common good. At the root of this tragedy is economic inequality the kerosene that allows these political conflagrations, as much today as in Coriolanus era, to burn out of control. The starving plebeians are furious that the nobles arent sharing their food stores. Their protests are legitimate even if their fury is being co-opted to serve other agendas. The modern parallels dont end there. Coriolanus, who joins forces with the Volscian enemy after being exiled, grandiosely believes his own patriotism is worth more than the patriotism of the rest of the population. (I banish you! he jeers when the common curs cry out his sentence.) Like many an egomaniacal politician, Coriolanus insists he must destroy the state to make it great again. In his commentary on Julius Caesar in Shakespeare the Thinker, A.D. Nuttall raises a paradox of democracy posited by philosopher Karl Popper: What is one to do when the demos, the people, freely decides to resign its power to a despot? Nuttall reminds us of democracys freedom to commit suicide, but Shakespeare seems to retain a modicum of faith in the fickle, self-seeking and, yes, chronically ill-informed citizenry. For all their shortcomings and shortsightedness, the plebeians of Coriolanus come off slightly better than their counterparts in Julius Caesar (a play set later in history but written earlier). Progress rests in their fallible hands as Rome transitions from a militarized society to a more pluralistic system. Republicanism was a largely foreign concept for Shakespeare, whose livelihood depended on the good will of monarchs. Yet his work evinces an intuitive understanding of the old line made famous by Winston Churchill about democracy being the worst form of government, except for all the others that have been tried. Julius Caesar and Coriolanus help us to contextualize Trumps political rise as the price of something dangerous yet indispensable our liberty. They also serve as cautionary tales, warning us in this volatile election year that politics is inherently a public relations war and that Reason, that poor campaigner, is in for the race of its life against stoked Fury. MORE: More than 600 American authors are trying to stop Trump Review: Shakespeare gone wild - City Garage's renegade 'Othello/Desdemona' Op-Ed: Shakespeare's work has thrived for 400 years. Here's how to improve it Anthony Atamanuik and James Adomian have turned 'Trump vs Bernie' into a comedy hit That time Keith Richards pulled a knife to have Donald Trump fired: A very special Rolling Stones memory charles.mcnulty@latimes.com Country Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, 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Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu US Virgin Islands Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe The Caribbean waves lap up against a decaying concrete wall outside artist Cirenaica Moreiras home studio in the fishing village of Cojimar. The house is perched on a sun-bathed inlet that flows into a nearby harbor. Ernest Hemingway once docked his boat within eyeshot of the artists now-crumbling back patio. A faded, multicolored pinwheel spins in the wind, and Cuban pop blasts from a nearby boat. Inside, about 18 travelers from Los Angeles and New York gather in Moreiras bedroom, a bright and tidy space with stacks of books on the floor, dried flowers in lace-wrapped vases and vintage-looking postcards tacked to the wall. Standing by her bed, Moreira gingerly holds up one large black-and-white photograph after another. Artist Cirenaica Moreira displays her photographs at her home in Cojimar, Cuba. (Deborah Vankin/Los Angeles Times) (Test) One is a nude self-portrait, the artist draped in the Cuban flag, from her series Eyes That Saw You Leave. It was created in the early 90s, after the fall of communism, when scores of Cubans left the country because of dire economic conditions. Another photograph from that period, when art supplies were scarce and artists relied on the creative repurposing of everyday objects, depicts Moreira wearing a bow in her hair crafted from bent spoons and a prosthetic baby bump made from tin soda cracker cans. Its called Best Consumed No Later Than 30 Years After Opening. Selma Holo, director of the USC Fisher Museum of Art, stands nearby, nodding enthusiastically as Moreira turns over each photograph. Theyre beautiful so poetic, Holo says. All of a sudden, we feel we can go there, make studio visits, see the artists and understand where theyre coming from. Selma Holo Holo has made the pilgrimage to Cuba for a tour of artists studios. with L.A.s Couturier Gallery, which specializes in Cuban artists. As U.S.-Cuban relations continue to improve, and travel to the island becomes easier, art world fascination with the region is mounting. Collectors, museum and gallery directors, artists and tourists are flocking to the area. Cross-cultural collaboration is all the rage. This month alone, shortly after President Obamas visit to Cuba in March, several Cuban-specific art exhibitions opened in Los Angeles. CalArts Center for New Performance organized El Acercamiento/The Approach, a multimedia exhibition featuring student and professional artists from the U.S. and Cuba. It opened in Havana in March and in Los Angeles on May 7, and it will show in Miami this fall. Lois Lambert Gallery in Santa Monica premiered Straight From Cuba: A Womans Perspective, featuring five Cuban artists, on May 14. I think it really is the moment of awakening and awareness and possibility, Holo says. All of a sudden, we feel we can go there, make studio visits, see the artists and understand where theyre coming from. Its the reality of contact that allows a curator to be excited about collecting and thats whats happening now: We can go. Holo is with her husband, son and daughter-in-law on a weeklong tour with L.A.'s Couturier Gallery, which specializes in Cuban artists. She has a small budget for museum acquisitions, which, as of Day 2 of the trip, she says she may or may not dip into. Though the museum has a robust collection of more than 200 objects of Latin American art, it doesnt own any works by Cuban artists something Holo is hoping to rectify should the right works materialize. Cirenaica Moreiras Paris, 13th of July, 1793 (Death of Marat), " purchased for the USC Fisher Museum of Art. (Couturier Gallery) (Test) When Moreira presents Paris, 13th of July, 1793 (Death of Marat) to the group, however depicting a cast of the artists leg resting on pillows Holo connects immediately. I bought it instinctively because I thought it was just very beautiful, Holo says later that afternoon. But then you start peeling away the layers, and its very deep. It refers to history. It refers to contemporary art and the use of the body. Its almost surrealistic. It belongs in a university museum. Over the course of the trip, Holo visits 11 art spaces, an itinerary that includes some of the countrys leading artists, almost all of whom have shown in international biennials or whose work is on display at Cubas national museum, the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. She stops at Fabrica de Arte, one of Cubas earliest (and the only privately run) multidisciplinary artist spaces and a hotbed for emerging talent. She also stops at the ArtSpace studio of Alex Hernandez, Frank Mujica and Adrian Fernandez, as well as the family home of the late, pioneering printmaker Belkis Ayon, whose first retrospective outside of Cuba will come to the Fowler Museum at UCLA in October. Samurai (after Donatello), which USC Fisher Museum of Art Director Selma Holo called gender fluid and sexually ambiguous. (Rene Pena) (Test) Winding her way through the artists' walk-up apartments, Art Deco homes, '40s-era casitas, midcentury modern studios and DIY galleries, Holo says she found much of the work to be particularly complex, both rooted in where it comes from and also universal. "As isolated as Cuba has been," she says, "somehow or another, it's in the world art conversation in a way that is very engaged." The second Fisher Museum purchase is from photographer Rene Pena, whose work deals explicitly with race, sexuality and identity. Penas Samurai (after Donatello) depicts the artist, nude but for a green corduroy cap, clutching a glinting metal sword. Its gender fluid and sexually ambiguous, says Holo, whos now envisioning a pop-up exhibition at USC later this year, to display the new acquisitions. In the end, Holo acquires seven pieces by five artists for the museum, including works by Mujica, conceptual artist Jose M. Fors and experimental portraitist Eduardo Leyva. So much of the art seen on the trip, she says, is about memory. Scarcity of materials is the memory in sculptor and printmaker Abel Barrosos crude hand-cranked smartphones made of wood, part of his Mango tech products series. The memory of yesterdays seemingly pedestrian moments a lone tree or construction crane drive Mujicas dated, stamped visual diaries, meticulously detailed graphite drawings that look like old photographs. With artist Jose Fors in the foreground, USCs Selma Holo looks at Fors Small Bundles of Memories. (Deborah Vankin / Los Angeles Times) (Test) Ephemeral paper memories are preserved in Fors installation of bundled letters and photographs, bound with string. Artist Enrique Rottenberg at Fabrica de Arte recalls positive memories of artistic encouragement by, counterintuitively, a controlling communist government. Even in the most isolated of times, Cuban artists enjoyed privileges others didnt, he says. Artists were seen as cultural ambassadors of sorts and therefore allowed to travel more freely and exhibit their work abroad. Artists always have had good living in this country, Rottenberg says. These works may be rooted in memory, gallerist Darrel Couturier says just as all artworks are reflections of their surroundings. But many of them also are pointedly about moving forward and joining a global conversation. It is about memory, about recollection. Were all an accumulation of fragments of memory. But this accumulation is about what informs our next step, Couturier says. The art we saw is more about universal things, wanting to connect and being part of the world. Perhaps Moreira, in her soft-spoken voice, puts it best while reflecting on the Fisher Museums acquisition of her work. Standing by her open bedroom windows as wind chimes ping in the background, she says, Its just great to know that its important to other people in the world what I do. deborah.vankin@latimes.com ALSO: Unlocking Cuba: Travel tips, guides, photos and more A dance music festival comes to Cuba and magic ensues From ancient Persian poetry rises 'Feathers of Fire,' billed as largest shadow-theater play L.A. helps Havana's vintage neon signs glow again: 'It marks a new era, a return of the light, of hope' The late Cuban artist Belkis Ayon's mysterious world unfurls at the Fowler Museum A new show that explores the painterly set designs of a Los Angeles artist. Art that is about art, not market. Chronicles of a changing downtown Los Angeles. Plus, a documentary about the iconoclastic Chris Burden, a group show that explores the idea of the window (both literal and figurative) and wild drawings inspired by fashion. Here are seven exhibitions and events to check out in the coming week: Gronks Theater of Paint, at the Craft and Folk Art Museum. The Los Angeles artist Gronk (born Glugio Nicandro) is widely known for his career as a painter and conceptual artist, and for his work with the inventive 1970s collective Asco. He is also a longtime set designer, one who has built and painted elaborate sets for performances, plays and avant-garde operas, including works by the celebrated director Peter Sellars, such as The Indian Queen. Altogether, its an exhibition that tracks a long-running practice that melds art and architecture with the theatrical. Opens Wednesday and runs through Sept. 4. 5814 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles, cafam.org. Routine Pleasures, at the MAK Center. Michael Ned Holte, who served as curator on the last Made in L.A. biennial at the Hammer, has put together a group show that focuses on artists who value focus and process over producing shiny objets termite art as opposed to white elephant art. This includes works from L.A. artists such as Harry Dodge, ceramists Magdalena Suarez Frimkess and Michael Frimkess, sound artist Steve Roden and others. Just the antidote to overheated art market shows. Through Aug. 14. Schindler House, 835 N. Kings Road, West Hollywood, makcenter.org. John Humble, DTLA, at Craig Krull Gallery. Humble has been shooting Los Angeles since 1979, capturing its asphalt, signage and its buffed graffiti. His newest show at Craig Krull explores downtown Los Angeles, with a focus on the neighborhoods wild contrasts in architecture and its overlapping cultures. There will also be a show of paintings by Dan McCleary, as well as prints by Javier Carrillo, Roberto Ortiz and Jairo Perez of the Art Division Print Collective. The office gallery will show drawings by Gilbert Magu Lujan. Opens Saturday at 5 p.m. and runs through July 2. Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica, craigkrullgallery.com. After 5: DJ Brown Recluse, at Hauser Wirth & Schimmel. The new downtown gallery kicks of its regular evening music program with a set by by DJ Brown Recluse presenting some Latin-infused sounds. Thursday at 5 p.m. Admission is free but an advance ticket is required. 901 E. 3rd St., downtown Los angeles, hauserwirthschimmel. Helen Rae, at Good Luck Gallery. Rae produces drawings that take fashion magazines as a point of inspiration for bright scenarios that channel the otherworldly. In each piece, something familiar remains, but coupled by elements that feel inventively sci-fi. Opens Saturday at 7 p.m. and runs through July 2. 945 Chung King Road, thegoodluckgallery.com. Refenestration, at Tif Sigfrids. A group exhibition inspired by the window, from the opening on a wall to the computer program of the same name, features works by key photographers such as John Divola, Uta Barth and Jeff Welling, who have used the object or the idea of the object in wildly experimental ways. Opens Saturday at 4 p.m. and runs through July 2. 1507 Wilcox Ave., Hollywood, tifsigfrids.com. Advertisement Burden, film screening and conversation, at the Getty Research Institute. This is the Los Angeles premiere of the new documentary devoted to exploring the life of the seminal Los Angeles conceptualist, whose performance and installations helped redefine what art could be. The films directors Timothy Marrinan and Richard Dewey will join the Gettys Rani Singh for a discussion after the show. Tuesday, May 31 at 7 p.m. 1200 Getty Center Drive, Brentwood, Los Angeles, getty.edu. FINAL WEEK Gerald Davis, House With Buried Figure, at Ltd. Los Angeles. The Los Angeles painter has his first solo exhibition at the gallery with a series of eight, large-scale expressionistic canvases that depict quivering house-like structures obscuring a human figure within. Through Friday. 7561 Sunset Blvd., No. 103, Hollywood, ltdlosangeles.com. Ramiro Gomez, On Melrose, at Charlie James Gallery. Known for creating works that insert the often invisible laborers who makes luxury possible, the Los Angeles artist turned his sights to Melrose Avenue creating a series of paintings that take on iconic sites such as the Paramount Studios and Fred Segal. Through Saturday. 969 Chung King Road, Chinatown, Los Angeles, cjamesgallery.com. Catherine Fairbanks, Two Chimneys, at Wilding Cran Gallery. A pair of chimney sculptures crafted out of geologic layers of papier-mache evoke the ruined domestic buildings throughout the West. But while they may call attention with their scale and their dexterous construction, dont miss the pair of abstractions, on a rear wall, exquisitely woven together from different shades of horse hair. Through Saturday. 939 S. Santa Fe Ave., downtown Los Angeles, wildingcran.com. TRI(ed): Revisiting TRI Gallery, at Wilding Cran Gallery. In 1992, artist Rory Devine established a gallery in his home on Hayworth Avenue in L.A., in which he showed one work by three artists in one room of the house. That evolved into a storefront in Hollywood that lasted for 4-1/2 years. Over its life, the gallery presented more than 30 exhibitions. This show gathers work by artists who showed in the space, including figures such as Mary Heilmann, Kathleen Johnson and Leonardo Bravo, Trudie Reiss and George Stoll. Through Saturday. 939 S. Santa Fe Ave., downtown Los Angeles, wildingcran.com. DO NOT MISS: Margie Livingston: Holding It Together, at Luis De Jesus Los Angeles. Livingston doesnt make paintings; she makes paint objects canvases wrapped in acrylic paint skin that she straps to her body, then drags through the citys streets. Part penance, part performance, these actions leave behind a work that is as ethereal as it is gritty, as much a wall hanging as it is evidence of something darkly destructive. Through Saturday. 2685 S. La Cienega Blvd., Culver City, luisdejesus.com. Delicious Taste, Re-Corded History, at C. Nichols Project. The duo of Grant Levy-Doolittle and Bruce Yonemoto, known as Delicious Taste, has created an installation that takes on the ephemera of our digital lives and marries it to pre-Columbian tradition. Phones, monitors and surveillance cameras are connected by a vast array of knotty wires that evoke ancient Andean quipus, the knotted strings that served as record-keeping devices. Through Saturday. 12613 1/2 Venice Blvd., Mar Vista, cnicholsproject.com. Prison Arts Collective Presents, Through the Wall, at CB1 Guest Gallery. The downtown gallery has donated its arts space for an exhibition that features paintings, drawings and handmade objects by participants from the Cal State San Bernardino Prison Arts Collective, which offers art-making classes in three California state prisons: the California Institution for Men and the California Institution for Women in Chino and the California State prison in Los Angeles County. Any works sold help raise money for this program. Through Sunday. 1923 S. Santa Fe Ave., downtown Los Angeles, cb1gallery.com. Lily Simonson, Midnight Sun, at CB1 Gallery. The painter known for her electric renditions of icy snowscapes is having her third exhibition at the gallery, showcasing work that was inspired by a recent trip to Antarctica with the National Science Foundation. Expect otherworldly vistas from both above and below the ice. Through Sunday. 1923 S. Santa Fe Ave., downtown Los Angeles, cb1gallery.com. Popol Vuh: Watercolors of Diego Rivera, at the Bowers Museum. The Popol Vuh is a nearly 500-year-old Mayan text, written in Quiche, that recounts that cultures creation myths. This sacred text inspired a series of watercolors by Mexican muralist Diego Rivera, an artist who was preoccupied with indigenous themes. Seventeen of these paintings, on loan from a museum in Mexico, are on view at the Bowers. Through Sunday. 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana, bowers.org. John Kilduff, at Daniel Rolnik Gallery. Kilduff, known as Mr. Lets Paint for his wild painting performances on treadmills, has a show at Daniel Rolnik that is part conceptual flower shop, part paean to vintage Americana. For the former, the artist is painting specially commissioned canvases of flowers for $100 a pop and in the area he calls The Cavern he is featuring works inspired by the show American Pickers, which includes renderings of bits of garage sale detritus, as well as a full-blown pinball machine crafted out of cardboard. Through June 1. 2675 S. La Cienega Blvd., Culver City, danielrolnikgallery.com. ONGOING EXHIBITIONS Amy Park, Ed Ruschas Every Building on the Sunset Strip at Kopeikin Gallery. Park takes Ruschas iconic 1966 photo book, which documented every building on West Hollywoods Sunset Strip, and re-creates it as a series of watercolor paintings a 97-foot immersive environment that wraps the gallery and therefore the viewer. Its a new way of seeing a familiar Los Angeles work. Through June 4. 2766 S. La Cienega Blvd., Culver City, kopeikingallery.com. Joan Snyder, Womansong, at Parrasch-Heijnen. The prominent abstract painter has seven new canvases on view at this new Boyle Heights space, which explore aspects of landscape and the female figure, as well as one of the early stroke paintings for which she is well known. These are canvases composed of bold strokes of paint on gridded backgrounds works that ride the divide between abstraction and conceptualism. Through June 10. 1326 S. Boyle Ave., Los Angeles, parrasch-heijnen.com. 43: From Ayotzinapa to Ferguson, at Self Help Graphics & Art. In partnership with the Social Public Art Resource Center (SPARC), the venerable Eastside print workshop and gallery is bringing together a panoply of L.A. artists including David Botello, Sandy Rodriguez and Eye.One to take on the issue of abuses of the state around the Americas. Through June 10. 1300 E. 1st St., Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, selfhelpgraphics.com. A Shape That Stands Up, at Art + Practice. A group show that treads the line between abstraction and figuration features works by Amy Sillman, Henry Taylor, Sadie Benning and a host of other interesting names. Through June 18. 4339 Leimert Blvd., Leimert Park, Los Angeles, artandpractice.org. Elliott Hundley There is No More Firmament, at Regen Projects. The Los Angeles-based artist is known for his wild fusions of collage, assemblage, photography and painting producing wall objects that come off as totally painterly, yet providing endless layers for the viewer to get lost in. For his fourth show at Regen, he has created a series of works inspired by the work of 20th century French dramatist Antonin Artaud. Expect a riotous, engrossing, obsessive tour examining different states of anxiety. Through June 18. 6750 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, regenprojects.com. Ivar Wigan, The Gods, at Little Big Man Gallery. In recent years, the Scottish photographer has devoted himself to capturing the street culture associated with the urban music scene of the American South in cities as varied as Miami, Atlanta and New Orleans capturing fall-of-Rome revelry but also social marginalization. Through June 21. 1427 E. 4th St., downtown Los Angeles, littlebigmangallery.com. Morgan Fisher and Karina Nimmerfall, Past Future Housing, at the MAK Center. This exhibition brings together two artists one German, one from Los Angeles who look at the question of mass-produced housing in the United States. This includes the creation of a fictional prototype for a new utopian city inspired by historic development plans for Los Angeles. Through June 25. Mackey Garage Top, 1137 S. Cochran Ave., Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles, makcenter.org. Peter Opheim: Fables of the Eleven Rooms and Six Houses, at Zevitas Marcus. Opheim paints clay renderings of bulbous Venus of Willendorf-ish figurines that are charmingly grotesque. The show includes 11 paintings, as well as a series of sculptures made from the discarded clothing of friends and family members. Through June 25. 2754 S. La Cienega Blvd., Culver City, zevitasmarcus.com. Wallace Berman, American Aleph, at Kohn Gallery. This is the first comprehensive Los Angeles retrospective for the pioneering Southern California assemblage artist in roughly four decades. The artist, who was also the publisher of the influential arts and literary magazine Semina, had an international influence. The exhibition gathers works from the 1940s to his death in 1976, including numerous examples of his Verifax collages, photocopied and painted assemblages that play with the tropes of popular culture. This is one not to miss. Through June 25. 1227 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood, kohngallery.com. Ed Moses, Moses@90, at William Turner Gallery. To celebrate the prominent L.A. painters 90th birthday, this survey exhibition gathers works from throughout his career. This includes drawings from the 1950s to the 1970s, his more gestural paintings from the 1990s, as well as a slew of recent works. Through June 25. Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave., E-1, Santa Monica, williamturnergallery.com. Making Waves: Japanese American Photography, 1920-1940, at the Japanese American National Museum. In the early 20th century, groups of Japanese American photographers all along the Pacific coastline launched photography clubs, through which they published and exhibited their work. Their striking imagery ranging from abstract compositions to scenes of everyday life drew the attention of artists such as Edward Weston and Laszlo Moholy-Nagy. Unfortunately, much of their work was destroyed or lost when Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps by the U.S. government during World War II. But examples remain and JANM has gathered more than 100 of these prints for a show that explores the history and legacy of the clubs. Through June 26. 100 N. Central Ave., Los Angeles, janm.org. Olayami Dabls, Flags Erotic Rights, at Henry Taylors. An artist, historian and curator from Detroit, Dabls is known for his extensive collection of African beads, textiles and other cultural objects. But he is also an artist, and for his Los Angeles exhibition, he is showing three bodies of work created over three decades. This includes his flag paintings from the mid-1980s, a series devoted to civil rights from that same era and an African erotica series from the mid 2000s. Through June 30. 810 E. 3rd St., downtown Los Angeles, facebook.com. Salomon Huerta, at Christopher Grimes Gallery. A new series of works by the Los Angeles artist features his watercolor portraits of celebrated boxers, including Muhammad Ali, Rocky Marciano and Mike Tyson an intimate look at the hyper-masculine figures of one of the worlds most brutal sports. Opens Saturday at 6 p.m. and runs through July 1. 916 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica, cgrimes.com. Urbanature, at the Alyce de Roulette Williamson Gallery at ArtCenter College of Design. A group exhibition looks at the increasingly fraught ways in which the urban intrudes on natural world and the ways in which nature has adapted to this new human-centric reality. Through July 3. 1700 Lida St., Pasadena, artcenter.edu. C.O.L.A. 2016, at the L.A. Municipal Art Gallery. Every year, the Municipal Art Gallery features work by the winners of the City of Los Angeles (C.O.L.A.) Artist Fellowships, which honor a dozen mid-career artists from around the city one of the rare municipal programs to directly fund artists in the United States. This year, the visual arts winners include Paolo Davanzo, Marsian De Lellis, Keiko Fukazawa, Megan Geckler, Won Ju Lim, Sarah Maclay, Blue McRight, Sandeep Mukherjee and Christine Nguyen. A separate public event in Grand Park will honor C.O.L.A.s three literary winners: Sarah Maclay, Claudia Rodriguez and Lynne Thompson. The art exhibition runs through July 3; 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. A reading with the literary winners will take place at Grand Performances on June 11 at 7 p.m. at California Plaza, 350 S. Grand Ave, in downtown Los Angeles, lamag.org. Marilyn Minter: Pretty/Dirty, at the Orange County Museum of Art. The New York-based painter and photographer has long played with the tropes of feminine beauty in works that seamlessly stir the alluring with the mildly grotesque. Through July 10. 850 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach, ocma.net Alex Israel, at the Huntington. In 2012, the San Marino library and museum unveiled the first of its contemporary interventions with low-key works by Ricky Swallow and Lesley Vance. Now the museum is getting bolder, with a series of installations by painter Alex Israel, whose pop-inspired canvases and objects touch on topics such as celebrity, glamour and power. Through July 11. 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, huntington.org. Fred Reichman and Eleanor Ray, at the Landing. Artists from opposing coasts (he from postwar San Francisco, she from contemporary New York) produce paintings that ruminate on mundane settings. Reichman depicts spare backgrounds and quiet scenes: A sleeping figure, a brooding cat, an open window. Ray, in the meantime, depicts quiet studios and fragments of urban settings. Through July 16. 5118 W. Jefferson Blvd., West Adams, Los Angeles, thelandinggallery.com. Jose Montoya, Abundant Harvest: Works on Paper / Works on Life, at the Fowler Museum. Throughout his life, activist, poet and painter Jose Montoya drew on whatever was at hand: napkins, hotel stationery and notebooks. And in those drawings he recorded the quotidian aspects of Mexican American life in the United States: dogs and children, women and sailors, pachucos and pachucas, the architecture of low-lying Central Valley neighborhoods, industrial warehouses and agricultural settings, as well as the glamorous profile of lowrider cars. It is the first comprehensive look at this vital Chicano artists drawing practice. Through July 17. UCLA, 308 Charles E. Young Drive North, Westwood, fowler.ucla.edu. Robert Mapplethorpe, The Perfect Medium, at the L.A. County Museum of Art and the Getty Museum. A two-part exhibition spread over a pair of L.A. museums explores the photographic legacy of an artist who brought as much grace to images of flowers as he did to S&M. The LACMA portion features early drawings, collages, sculptures, Polaroids, still lifes and archival material. The Getty will present his more formal portraits, along with the infamous X Portfolio, with its elegant S&M imagery. The LACMA runs through July 31. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Miracle Mile, Los Angeles, lacma.org. The Getty exhibit also runs through July 31. 1200 Getty Center Drive, Brentwood, Los Angeles, getty.edu. Royal Hawaiian Featherwork: Na Hulu Alil, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. For centuries, long cloaks, capes, and other attire were painstakingly layered with the bright plumage of birds. Today, fewer than 300 examples of these exquisite garments exist which makes this show of feather works, once donned by Hawaiian royals as far back as the late 18th century, a rare treat. Through Aug. 7. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles, lacma.org. Sam Maloof Woodworker: Life/Art/Legacy, at the Maloof Foundation. The foundation is celebrating the centennial of the birth of the renowned Southern California woodworker, whose elegant objects and furnishings are in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the L.A. County Museum of Art and the Smithsonian. The exhibition will feature more than 60 objects from throughout the artists life, including furnishings, drawings, photographs and other ephemera. The show is part of a years worth of events that will celebrate Maloofs life and work. Through Aug. 27. 5131 Carnelian St., Alta Loma, malooffoundation.org In Focus: Electric! at the Getty Museum. Electricity: It powers your home, it powers your work and it powers the phone on which you are likely reading this post. This photographic exhibition at the Getty gathers historic images that showcase the allure of light and power. Through Aug. 28. 1200 Getty Center Drive, Brentwood, Los Angeles, getty.edu. Art of the Austronesians: The Legacy of Indo-Pacific Voyaging, at Fowler Museum. A look at the legacy of Austronesian-speaking peoples gathers art and artifacts from the Philippines, Indonesia and other points in the South Pacific. This includes nearly 200 works, from wood sculptures to ceremonial textiles to canoe prow ornaments. Through Aug. 28. 308 Charles E. Young Drive N., Westwood, fowler.ucla.edu. Duchamp to Pop, at the Norton Simon Museum. Drawing mostly from the Norton Simons permanent collection, this exhibition looks at the influence Duchamp likely had on generations of artists, from assemblagists to pop painters figures who have appropriated elements of the everyday world and transformed them into art. Through Aug. 29. 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, nortonsimon.org. Revolution in the Making: Abstract Sculpture by Women, 1947-2016, at Hauser Wirth & Schimmel. The debut exhibition at the citys newest gallery tackles more than half a century of sculpture by women, featuring key works by important international figures (Louise Bourgeois, Lee Bontecou) and key California artists (Ruth Asawa, Clare Falkenstein). Pieces range from the ethereal (Lygia Papes golden threads) to downright hilarious (Lara Schnitgers lacy/cat/fur assemblage sculptures). Altogether, the show offers an alternative to the narrative of the macho man postwar painting scene that has so dominated the story of 20th century art. Through Sept. 4. 901 E. Third St., Los Angeles, hauserwirthschimmel.com. Claire Falkenstein: Beyond Sculpture, at the Pasadena Museum of California Art. The 20th century California artist, whose name has is circulating once again after being included in the debut exhibition at Hauser Wirth & Schimmel, is now the subject of her own retrospective, tracking her entire career, from the 1930s to the 90s. (She passed away in 1997.) The artist, who worked in San Francisco and Los Angeles as well as Paris produced prints and murals, among other works, but she is best known for her sculpture: in particular, her often gritty assemblages made out of wire studded with chunks of glass. Through Sept. 11. 490 E. Union St., Pasadena, pmcaonline.org. Hito Steyerl: Factory of the Sun, at the Museum of Contemporary Art. A video installation by the German artist takes the viewer into a dystopia where the movements of workers are harvested to create artificial sunshine. The piece, which debuted at the Venice Biennale in 2015, is a mash-up of contemporary communication, told as video game, news report documentary film and Internet video. Through Sept. 12. MOCA Grand Ave., 250 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, moca.org. Reflections on the Self, at the California African American Museum. Drawn from the museums permanent collection, this wide-ranging exhibition looks at the representation of the self, examining the idealized and mythicized ways that artists have portrayed pop and cultural icons, from Malcolm X to Thelonious Monk to a New Orleans grand marshal. Also on view at the museum is Oh Snap! West Coast Hip Hop Photography, which will feature an array of hip-hop artists who came up in the 90s, such as Ice Cube, Tupac Shakur and others. Through Sept. 18. 600 State Drive, Exposition Park, Los Angeles, caamuseum.org. MOLAA at Twenty: 1996-2016, at the Museum of Latin American Art. The Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach is celebrating two decades in existence with a show that draws from the museums permanent collection of more than 1,600 objects. These include works by renowned Modernists Joaquin Torres-Garcia and Wifredo Lam, Argentine conceptualist Leon Ferrari as well as contemporary figures such as Alexandre Arrechea and Patssi Valdez. Through Jan. 1. 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach, molaa.org. Senses of Time: Video and Film-Based Works of Africa, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. For one of its long-term installations, the museum has gathered works of video or film by contemporary African artists that explore the body and the looping nature of time. This includes pieces by figures such as Yinka Shonibare, Sammy Baloji, Berni Searle, Moatax Nasr and Theo Eshetu. Through Jan. 2. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire, lacma.org. Non Fiction at the Underground Museum. An emotionally charged exhibition curated by the late Noah Davis, in collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles brings together works that explore issues of race and violence. This includes important works from MOCAs permanent collection by artists such as Robert Gober, Kara Walker, Henry Taylor and David Hammons. Through March 2017. 3508 W. Washington Blvd., Arlington Heights, Los Angeles, theunderground-museum.org. Geographically Indeterminate Fantasies, hosted by Providence College Galleries. Dont worry if youre nowhere near Providence College in Rhode Island. A new digitally-minded exhibition by the art writing team at Art F City features more than two dozen works by artists who use animated GIFs to create work from Brenna Murphys dizzying electronic architecture to Jacolby Satterwhites pulsing alternate universe. Its the sort of thing that will encourage you to spend quality time online (and away from awful Facebook). pcgalleries.providence.edu. Islamic Art Now: Part 2 at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Contemporary works from LACMAs permanent collection by 20 artists who live in or have roots in the Middle East look at questions of society, gender and identity. Runs indefinitely. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire, lacma.org. Find me on Twitter @cmonstah. If you want to see a production starring John Cho of the Star Trek and Harold & Kumar movies, you could check out the viral phenomenon #StarringJohnCho, the hashtag website and Twitter account that photoshops Cho into posters for Hollywood movies starring white men, highlighting the industrys diversity problem. Or even better, you can watch Cho in real life Saturday at a staged reading of Dinner With Friends at Pasadenas Armory Center for the Arts. The reading, a fundraiser by the Los Angeles collective Artists at Play, does similar work on a more intimate scale. Artists at Play produces shows by Asian American playwrights featuring mostly Asian American casts. The group began almost by accident, according to director Peter J. Kuo. He and actress Julia Cho had worked together on a play a few years back, enjoyed the collaboration and wanted to work together again. She brought him the play Ching Chong Chinaman by Lauren Yee. Advertisement Marie-Reine Velez, left, Peter Kuo, Stefanie Wong Lau and Julia Cho are the founders of Artists at Play, a theater group devoted to producing plays written by Asian Americans. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times ) Kuo and Julia Cho recruited Stefanie Wong Lau and Marie-Reine Velez as producers, and as the four worked on their first production, We realized, This is good, we get along, we get things done, and through that process, the idea came about to make it an official group, Julia Cho said. That was in 2011. Since then they have produced one show a year. I think we kind of marvel at the fact that were still around year to year because theater is not easy, she said, adding that the group is neither a nonprofit nor a business, though hobby is too light a term for the amount of work they do. Theres still a lot of tweaking that continues to happen, but it also gives us a lot of freedom, Cho said. Were all theater nerds at heart, and also, on a grander scale, we realize there is a niche that needs to be filled. Added Kuo, A lot of our early works were plays that had been in the Asian American canon for a good five if not 10 years but for whatever reason hadnt hit Los Angeles. Theyre gearing up for their sixth main-stage production this fall, and their first world premiere, The Two Kids That Blow [Stuff] Up, by Carla Ching, whos a writer on Fear the Walking Dead (and whose original title uses a word thats unprintable here). The group doesnt have a permanent location; instead it finds a site that suits each production. This years play opens Aug. 21 at the Lounge Theatre in Hollywood. The group also holds a spring reading series as a way to introduce more Asian American playwrights to the community without the cost of a full production. By contrast, Artists at Plays summer salon takes plays that arent specifically about white identity but are cast that way, and it recasts them with Asian American actors. Preceding Dinner With Friends were staged readings of Christopher Durangs Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike and Beau Willimons The Parisian Woman, which had premiered at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa with Kuo as assistant director. (He received Willimons blessing to present it.) See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour >> Actors Kerri Higuchi and John Cho during a recent reheasal. Artist at Play also holds a summer salon in which plays usually cast with white actors are presented as staged readings with Asian actors. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times ) Kuo, who will direct the Dinner With Friends reading, spoke while waiting for a plane from New York to Los Angeles. Hes on sabbatical from Artists at Play while hes earning his MFA in directing at the New School for Drama. He applied, in part, because he noticed white colleagues were getting directing opportunities that passed him by, and I couldnt help but feel like I might be slighted because it wasnt an Asian American show, he said. So working on a show like this for me, but also for the actors, is like, I did a Donald Margulies play, thats on my resume now. In Dinner With Friends, John Cho, Kerri Higuchi, Melody Butiu and Reggie Lee play two sets of married friends. When one couple break up, theyre all pushed to reexamine their life paths. Butiu and Lee play Beth and Tom, the couple breaking up; Cho and Higuchi, a couple in real life, play the ostensibly happy Gabe and Karen. Its just great to be able to see these performers who we know and love, who dont necessarily always get the meaty roles that we know theyre capable of, Julia Cho said. Added Kuo, You get to see the StarringJohnCho hashtag come to life; its fantastic. But at some point, the fact that the actors are Asian kind of melts away, and you fall in love with the characters themselves. Then you get to tell people, I got to see someone like me create something three-dimensional and beautiful. ------------ Artists at Play summer salon When: 11 a.m. brunch, noon reading of Dinner With Friends, Saturday Where: Armory Center for the Arts,145 N. Raymond Ave.,Pasadena Tickets: $70, e-mail AAP.BoxOffice@gmail.com Info: artistsatplayla.blogspot.com ALSO The musical family reunion that has Quetzal fans and East L.A. talking The theater of Trump: What Shakespeare can teach us about the Donald In Havana, following a USC museum director in search of great Cuban art UPDATES: For the Record This article has been corrected to fix the spelling of the writers name. Three weeks after FXs Reagan-era spy drama The Americans was more or less ignored by Emmy voters last year (again!), the Television Critics Assn. named it the best televised drama in the land. You could view the award as a rebuke to the Television Academy or just read it at face value as a celebration of the shows artful, seamless storytelling and extraordinary acting. The question now is: Will Emmy voters remember that award, along with the Peabody that The Americans won last year, and finally nominate the program for drama series? Advertisement As much as Id like to think that Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields show and its cast -- particularly leads Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys -- will finally break through for its fourth and, arguably, best season, Im not optimistic. For this to happen, the 19,000-plus voting members of the academy (specifically, the ones who havent been voting for The Americans the last three years) will probably need to know the events of its first three seasons for the current betrayals and soul-crushing disappointments to fully resonate. (The series is streaming on Amazon Prime for voters looking for a great homework assignment.) The Emmy drama series landscape hasnt changed appreciably from last year. Of the seven shows then nominated, only Mad Men has left the air. Given voters penchant for returning previous nominees (provided the shows havent completely skidded off the track), we could well see a rerun of last year: Better Call Saul Downton Abbey Game of Thrones Homeland House of Cards Orange Is the New Black Of these six, four are slam-dunk nominees: Game of Thrones (last years winner), Better Call Saul (second season just as great as its first), House of Cards (nine nominations last year) and Downton Abbey (its final season was no more heavy-handed than recent years and sentiment will be on its side). Orange Is the New Black might be in trouble, though. After moving from the comedy to drama categories last year, the Netflix series came away with just four nominations, down from the dozen it received for its debut year. And its third season, while interesting, dropped nearly a year ago. Will voters remember? Homeland, meanwhile, delivered another solid season. The Showtime series recovered last year to return to the nominees circle after being left off the list for its divisive third season, but it might be reaching the point in its shelf life where voters move on to the next great new thing. And this year, there are plenty of choices, many coming from networks not known for producing Emmy-friendly fare. Theres Lifetimes UnREAL, a dark satire of reality TV that also manages the neat trick of empathizing with its female characters. USAs Mr. Robot is also dark and caustic, a Feel the Bern-era cyber-thriller about an avenging hacker looking to eliminate debt and level the financial playing field. WGNs Underground became one of springs breakout shows, telling the story of a group of plantation slaves trying to escape and connect with the Underground Railroad. Any of these new programs, along with Louis C.K.'s brilliant, self-distributed Web series Horace and Pete, would be excellent choices. But there are only seven Emmy series spots, too few in an era where it seems like every outlet is hellbent on getting in on the Golden Age of Television. From this group of newcomers (and attention should also be paid to Jessica Jones, The Path and The Man in the High Castle), Mr. Robot has the obvious edge of having already won numerous honors, including the Writers Guilds new series award. With just one exception, every program taking that WGA accolade has gone on to earn an Emmy series nomination. (Did In Treatment hit too close to home for voters?) So ... early predictions: Look for Mr. Robot to join the six returning Emmy drama series favorites when nominations are announced July 14. And expect the usual weeping and gnashing of teeth from the television critics who adore The Americans. Because what would Emmy nominations be without the outrage? glenn.whipp@latimes.com ALSO: Homelands Claire Danes will be happy when shes done with the cry face Havent we seen this before? TV networks opt for safe bets in the 2016-2017 season For Mr. Robots Rami Malek, the connection to Elliot goes far deeper than the hoodie Horace and Pete should be there with People v. O.J. Simpson on Emmy noms morning The Blur: Does anything but where we watch separate film and television anymore? What the melding means for storytelling glenn.whipp@latimes.com As the Cannes Film Festival wound down last weekend, the festival jury offered a reminder of how large a shadow one small country has cast on this gathering. The Romanian director Cristian Mungiu took the directors prize (he shared it with the French filmmaker Olivier Assayas) for Graduation, a story-slash-parable about a father who skirts ethical lines in the name of his family. The trophy became the latest prize for a country that, with apologies to Donald Trump, just seems to win, win, win. It was fully 11 years ago that Cristi Puius The Death of Mr. Lazarescu, about the ways a healthcare system fails a dying man, took the Un Certain Regard prize at Cannes, kicking off the so-called Romanian New Wave. Two years later Mungiu won the Palme dOr for his period abortion drama 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days. Advertisement Ever since, the Romanians have turned out complex, interesting and subtle work, reliably, every year, often by using their signature long shots and rigorous minimalism. California Dreamin, 12:08 East of Bucharest, Beyond The Hills and Police, Adjective have all won major prizes at Cannes in recent years. If youve never seen Radu Munteans infidelity drama Tuesday, After Christmas, which was at Cannes in 2010, stream it tonight; it will immediately make your life more profound by a factor of three. Other films, such as Childs Pose, Tales from the Golden Age and Aurora all have their virtues too. This is less a new wave than a persistent surf-pounding. But the beach can become a crowded place, to beat up a metaphor (something the Romanians would never do). And even as the Southeastern European nation continues to represent a surprisingly potent cinema movement Puiu also had a new film at the festival this year, the excellent Sieranevada (its combustible family-reunion drama as youve never seen it) -- the Bucharest gang is at a crossroads of sorts. How much to continue in a style thats served it well but could grow stale, like all styles, is an open question, as is the challenge of keeping on in a nation where even leaders admit theyve failed their filmmakers. And maybe most uncertain of all is the outcome of a rivalry fraught enough it could have walked in and sat down (for an aptly long period of time) in a Romanian film drama. You see, because Puiu kick-started the movement but Mungiu took it to the Palme finish line, the former is a little bristly about it all. And because Mungiu knows that Puiu believes that and because Puiu thinks his style has been aped by others -- well, you see how it could get a little thorny. And because theyre as different as personalities get Puiu the no-nonsense man and exacting artist; Mungiu the extrovert and polished statesman there is enough spice to fill a giant plate of jumari. Both filmmakers are too adult, or savvy, to discuss it openly. But there it is percolating, undeniably, just below the surface. I think all in all its rather a good thing that this festival supports this kind of cinema and people are paying attention to it, Puiu said. But I think its obvious. What happened was I got this prize in Cannes, and then lots of directors saw that, and it pushed this style direct cinema, Romanian realism, neo-realism, black realism, whatever you want to call it. Because I made a movie in 2001 and no one copied that, he said, alluding to Stuff and Dough, a scruffy little gem of a road movie, and then nodded to Mungius Occident, in 2002, which was not in the Romanian New Wave style. A few days later, as Mungiu talked to The Times, he offered a slightly more coy acknowledgment of the tension. True, we were all being influenced in films that were done in the country that were successful, he said. But when you take life as an inspiration and not films, and you try to put life on screen, you can end up with certain types of films. Cinema rivalries are strange. Because directors dont actually get a chance to play each other head-to-head the placement of both Graduation and Sieranevada in competition at Cannes this year is as close as it gets it doesnt manifest in the way of, say, a matchup between Kevin Durant and Steph Curry. But who can claim a leadership mantle, especially in a place as small as Romania, is essential. The U.S. auteur world has room for Spike Lee and Richard Linklater and Steven Soderbergh and other trendsetters. A country like Romania, with less than 1/15th the population of the States, may be less accommodating. I believe Puiu is the icebreaker and had the power and the very uncanny personality necessary to be a leading figure. He is the context-creator, said Corina Suteu, Romanias Minister of Culture, in an interview with The Times here, playing it admirably and understandably neutral. And Mungiu is the force who broke through. She added, You have these polar opposites. Puiu is the daring one who made things move and Mungiu established it and put it down. Born a year apart (Mungiu, in April 1968, came second) and growing up at similar historical moments, they culled from the same influences. Many of the concerns of Romanian cinema, and Mungiu and Puiu in particular, involve a country that is supposed to have repudiated and escaped from the corruption that characterized the Communist period. Yet more than a quarter-century after the execution of Nicolae Ceausescu, these films make clear that there remain vestiges of the old system, and similar self-justifications. Graduation focuses on a man, Romeo, who basically just wants his daughter, a graduating high school senior, to get the chances he didnt and is willing to wheel and deal in ways that are decidedly below board to ensure that happens. We live in a world and society that is not very moral but is made up of people who believe they are moral. Romanian director Cristian Mungiu We live in a world and society that is not very moral but is made up of people who believe they are moral, Mungiu said. I come from a country where everyone talks about corruption but they blame someone else. You can create a lot of problems this way what is compromise and what is just laziness? Puiu, meanwhile, in examining the ways various family tensions play out in his Sieranevada, also offers a critique about personal accountability, as relatives at a wake (while waiting to eat a meal that, Godot-like, continually seems out of reach) hash out competing views on everything from old grievances to 9/11 truther theories. I think its very serious whats happening. We need to rely on some kind of truth. And you look around and its impossible to find, Puiu said. We keep saying this is truth, and we keep on forgetting and letting ourselves choose the comfortable way, and dont ask ourselves questions that put our own decisions in the discussion and not the decisions of others. He continued, We tend to believe this is what happened on 9/11/2001 in the United States but know nothing about whats happening next door. This is a kind of illusion, a way of escaping real responsibilities. If those sound like similar sets of concerns, well, the irony of the Mungiu-Puiu rivalry is, some small stylistic and other differences aside, their films would not read as fundamentally different to most viewers. (Which, of course, also underscores the rivalry if the heap is so specific, is there room for more than one at the top?) That theyre even making these films is remarkable in its own right. A tax-incentive program, so critical to film production in many nations, is nonexistent in Romania. Film culture in general has been shrinking. Since the fall of Communism, the number of movie theaters has actually gone down drastically, from nearly 450 theaters in 1990 to about 130 today. The situation inside the country, in other words, is much more depressed than the noise on the film-festival circuit would suggest. Suteu, who was installed less than a month ago with a mandate to revamp how government funds the arts, says earlier regimes did not sufficiently support film. I think people like Puiu and Mungiu have been doing it despite the system, said the minister, who in a previous job as head of a Romanian cultural institute in New York helped establish a Romanian New Wave film festival. Our job is to make sure they have the support, which they have not had. Its to support people who are making films, not old [sweetheart] deals from the days when people just got money without producing anything. Suteu is pressing a piece of legislation that would create a rebate system and also hopes to incentivize the building of art-house theaters. (Of course, as any U.S. indie filmmaker could tell you, sometimes the best creativity comes out of the tightest constraints.) As to why the country has turned out such compelling stuff, Suteu has an interesting theory. Instead of the standard social explanations of a post-Communist need to understand the past and/or critique the alleged improvements since, she chalks it up to media in the 1970s and 1980s when many of these filmmakers were growing up. There wasnt much Romanian film on TV. So we were seeing French, German, British, Russian film. It was an indirect education through cinema, and even though Communism later banned a lot of these films, we were nourished in this universe.... The worlds history became our history, she said. She added, in an Eastern European flourish, Its like living in Venice and having a sense of beauty. 1 / 89 French actress Marion Cotillard leaves after the screening of Juste la Fin du Monde (Its Only the End of the World) during the 69th Cannes Film Festival. (Julien Warnand / EPA) 2 / 89 British director Ken Loach reacts as he receives the Palme dOr award for his movie I, Daniel Blake. (Sebastien Nogier / EPA) 3 / 89 French Moroccan director Houda Benyamina poses with the Camera dOr award for her movie Divines. (Ian Langsdon / EPA) 4 / 89 Spanish director Juanjo Gimenez, center, receives the Best Short Film award for Timecode from French actress Marina Fois, right, and Japanese director Naomi Kawase. (Sebastien Nogier / EPA) 5 / 89 Iranian director Ashgar Farhadi, right, and Iranian actor Shahab Hosseini pose during the award winners photo call after they won the Best Screenplay award and the Best Performance by an Actor award for the movie Forushande (The Salesman). (Julien Warnand / EPA) 6 / 89 Canadian director Xavier Dolan with his Grand Prix award for Juste la Fin du Monde (Its Only the End of the World). (Ian Langsdon / EPA) 7 / 89 Filipina actress Jaclyn Jose with her Best Actress prize during a photo call at 69th Cannes Film Festival. (Loic Venance / AFP/Getty Images) 8 / 89 Romanian director Cristian Mungiu with his trophy during a photo call after he was awarded the Best Director prize for the film Graduation (Bacalaureate). (Loic Venance / AFP/Getty Images) 9 / 89 Mel Gibson and girlfriend Rosalind Ross (Sebastien Nogier / EPA) 10 / 89 British director Andrea Arnold poses with her trophy during a photo call after she was awarded with the Jury Prize for the film American Honey at 69th Cannes Film Festival. (Loic Venance / AFP/Getty Images) 11 / 89 Actress Marion Cotillard and director Xavier Dolan arrive at the screening of the film Its Only the End Of The World. (Thibault Camus / Associated Press) 12 / 89 Singer Iggy Pop, left, and director Jim Jarmusch arrive at the screening of Gimme Danger. (Thibault Camus / Associated Press) 13 / 89 Actor Leonardo DiCaprio conducts an auction during the amfARs 23rd Cinema Against AIDS Gala. (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images) 14 / 89 Faye Dunaway, left, and actor Kevin Spacey perform on stage during the amfARs 23rd Cinema Against AIDS Gala. (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images) 15 / 89 French actress and singer Stephanie Sokolinski arrives for the screening of the film Its Only The End Of The World at the 69th Cannes Film Festival. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 16 / 89 Actress Valentina Acca, left, producer and member of the jury Valeria Golino, director Stefano Mordini, actress Marina Fois, actor and producer Riccardo Scamarcio and producer Viola Prestieri arrive for the screening of the film Pericle (Pericle il Nero) at the 69th Cannes Film Festival. (Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP/Getty Images) 17 / 89 Eric Anzalone, front, Ray Simpson, Jim Newman, Felipe Rose, Bill Whitefield and Alex Briley of the band Village People pose as they arrive for the amfARs 23rd Cinema Against AIDS Gala. (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images) 18 / 89 Producer Harvey Weinstein and his wife, British actress Georgina Chapman, pose as they arrive for the amfARs 23rd Cinema Against AIDS Gala. (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images) 19 / 89 Director Olivier Assayas, actress Kristen Stewart and actress Nora von Waldstatten attend the Cannes Film Festival screening of the film Personal Shopper on May 17. (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images) 20 / 89 Milla Jovovich attends the De Grisogono party at the Cannes Film Festival on May 17. (Jean Christophe Madnenet / AFP/Getty Images) 21 / 89 Kristen Stewart poses during a photocall for the film Personal Shopper at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday. (Loic Venance / AFP/Getty Images) 22 / 89 From left, Inma Cuesta, Emma Suarez, Rossy de Palma, Adriana Ugarte and Michelle Jenner pose during the Julieta photocall at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday. (Guillaume Horcajuelo / EPA) 23 / 89 From left, Viggo Mortensen, Annalise Basso, Nicholas Hamilton, Charlie Shotwell, Samantha Isle, Shree Crooks and director Matt Ross pose for photographers during the Captain Fantastic photocall at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday. (Thibault Camus / Associated Press) 24 / 89 French model Cindy Bruna arrives for the Chopard Wild party at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday. (Jean Christophe Magnenet / AFP/Getty Images) 25 / 89 Former boxer Roberto Duran, left, and actor Robert De Niro pose for photographers at the screening of the film Hands of Stone at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday. (Joel Ryan / Associated Press) 26 / 89 Jason Derulo performs at the Harmonist cocktail party at the Plage du Grand Hyatt during the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday. (Samir Hussein / Getty Images for The Harmonist) 27 / 89 Usher Raymond IV, left, Ana de Armas and Edgar Ramirez during a photocall for the film Hands of Stone at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday. (Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP / Getty Images) 28 / 89 Edgar Ramirez, left, Robert de Niro and Usher Raymond IV at the Hands of Stone photocall. (Loic Venance / AFP / Getty Images) 29 / 89 Adam Driver poses during a photocall for the film Paterson on Monday in Cannes. (Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP / Getty Images) 30 / 89 Actor Adam Driver, left, actress Golshifteh Farahani and director Jim Jarmusch after Mondays screening of the film Paterson. (Valery Hache / AFP / Getty Images) 31 / 89 Chris Pine, left, and Ben Foster share a laugh at a photocall for the film Hell or High Water on Monday. (Loic Venance / AFP/Getty Images) 32 / 89 Salma Hayek Pinault attends Kering Women in Motion talk at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday. (Vittorio Zunino Celotto / Getty Images for Kering) 33 / 89 Susan Sarandon, from left, Salma Hayek, Geena Davis and Kering CEO Francois-Henri Pinault arrive for the Kering Women in Motion Honor Awards during the 69th Cannes Film Festival. (Guillaume Horcajuelo / EPA) 34 / 89 Actress and jury member Kirsten Dunst arrives at the premiere of Loving on Monday. (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP / Getty Images) 35 / 89 Mischa Barton on the red carpet at the Loving premiere. (Loic Venance / AFP / Getty Images) 36 / 89 Actors Murielle Telio, left, actor Russell Crowe, actress Angourie Rice, actor Matt Bomer, actor Ryan Gosling, director Shane Black and producer Joel Silver pose upon arrival at the screening of the film The Nice Guys at the 69th Cannes Film Festival. (Joel Ryan / Associated Press) 37 / 89 Actors Matt Bomer, left and Ryan Gosling and director Shane Black arrive for the screening of The Nice Guys. (Ian Langsdon / EPA) 38 / 89 Actor Russell Crowe takes a picture at The Nice Guys premiere. (Ian Gavan / Getty Images) 39 / 89 Actress Geena Davis attends The Nice Guys premiere during the Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals. (Tristan Fewings / Getty Images) 40 / 89 Actress Marion Cotillard poses as she leaves the screening of the film Mal de Pierres (From the Land of the Moon) at the 69th Cannes Film Festival. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 41 / 89 Model Kendall Jenner poses for photographers upon arrival at the screening of the film Mal De Pierres (From the Land of the Moon). (Thibault Camus / Associated Press) 42 / 89 Actress Sonam Kapoor poses as she arrives for the screening of the film Mal de Pierres (From the Land of the Moon). (Loic Venance / AFP/Getty Images) 43 / 89 Actress Kirsten Dunst arrives for the Kering Women in Motion Honor Awards during the 69th Cannes Film Festival. (Guillaume Horcajuelo / EPA) 44 / 89 Actors Sasha Lane, Shia LaBeouf and Riley Keough leave the American Honey premiere during the 69th Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals. (Ian Gavan / Getty Images) 45 / 89 Actress Aishwarya Rai poses as she arrives for the screening of the film Mal de Pierres (From the Land of the Moon). (Loic Venance / AFP/Getty Images) 46 / 89 Actresses Sonam Kapoor, left, and Araya A. Hargate pose as they arrive for the screening of the film Mal de Pierres (From the Land of the Moon). (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 47 / 89 Actress Salma Hayek arrives for the Kering Women in Motion Honor Awards during the 69th Cannes Film Festival. (Guillaume Horcajuelo / EPA) 48 / 89 Actors Gael Garcia Bernal, Salma Hayek and Diego Luna arrive for the Kering Women in Motion Honor Awards. (Guillaume Horcajuelo / EPA) 49 / 89 Actor Shia LaBeouf poses for photographers during a photo call for the film American Honey. (Lionel Cironneau / Associated Press) 50 / 89 From left: Director Jodie Foster, actress Julia Roberts, and actor George Clooney pose together before leaving the Festival Palace after the screening of their new film"Money Monster at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday night. (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images) 51 / 89 Blake Lively on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival premiere of Ma Loute (Slack Bay) on May 13. (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images) 52 / 89 Juliette Binoche arrives for the screening of Ma Loute (Slack Bay) at the Cannes Film Festival on May 13. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 53 / 89 Aishwarya Rai poses for the cameras at the Cannes Film Festival premiere of Ma Loute (Slack Bay) on May 13. (Antonin Thuillier / AFP/Getty Images) 54 / 89 Lily-Rose Depp poses at a Cannes Film Festival hotocall for the film La Danseuse (The Dancer) on May 13. (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images) 55 / 89 Diego Luna, a member of the Un Certain Regard jury, waves during a Cannes Film Festival photocall on May 13. (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images) 56 / 89 Juliette Binoche smiles during a Cannes Film Festival news conference for Ma Loute (Slack Bay) on May 13. (Laurent Emmanuel / AFP/Getty Images) 57 / 89 Director Jodie Foster and actor Jack OConnell discuss Money Monster in Cannes on Thursday. (Ian Gavan / EPA) 58 / 89 Julia Roberts of Money Monster at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday. (Loic Venance / AFP/Getty Images) 59 / 89 Money Monster director Jodie Foster, center, with stars George Clooney and Julia Roberts at the Cannes Film Festival. (Thibault Camus / Associated Press) 60 / 89 George Clooney of Money Monster waves to photographers at the Cannes Film Festival. (Thibault Camus / Associated Press) 61 / 89 George Clooney and Julia Roberts at the Cannes photo call for Money Monster. (Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP/Getty Images) 62 / 89 Actress Vanessa Redgrave and director Jim Ivory of the 1992 film Howards End, which is screening in the Cannes Classics section. (Thibault Camus / Associated Press) 63 / 89 Director Woody Allen, actress Kristen Stewart and actor Jesse Eisenberg arrive for the screening of Cafe Society"and the opening ceremony. (Ian Langsdon / EPA) 64 / 89 Festival director Thierry Fremau, from left, producer Jeffrey Katzenberg, actors Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake and festival president Pierre Lescure at the Cafe Society premiere and opening night gala. (Andreas Rentz / Getty Images) 65 / 89 Actors Corey Stoll, left, and Blake Lively arrive for the screening of Cafe Society. (Ian Langsdon / EPA) 66 / 89 Eva Longoria on the red carpet at the premiere of Cafe Society at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday. (Neilson Barnard / Getty Images) 67 / 89 The scene outside the Cannes Film Festivals opening night gala. (Clemens Bilan / Getty Images) 68 / 89 Actress Kristen Stewart and actor Jesse Eisenberg arrive for the screening of Cafe Society and the opening ceremony of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday. (Ian Langsdon / EPA) 69 / 89 From left, actresses Julianne Moore, Susan Sarandon and Naomi Watts pose for photographers at the Cannes Film Festival screening of Woody Allens Cafe Society on Wednesday. (Thibault Camus / Associated Press) 70 / 89 Cannes Film Festival jury member Donald Sutherland attends the Cafe Society premiere and opening night festival gala at the Palais des Festivals on May 11. (Tristan Fewings / Getty Images) 71 / 89 Actress Gong Li arrives at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday. (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP / Getty Images) 72 / 89 Actress Jessica Chastain smiles as she arrives at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday. (Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP / Getty Images) 73 / 89 Actor and festival juror Mads Mikkelsen appears on stage during the opening ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 74 / 89 Actress and festival juror Kirsten Dunst waves to the crowd during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 75 / 89 George Miller, president of the Cannes Film Festival jury, fourth from right, poses with jury members, from left, Arnaud Desplechin, Kirsten Dunst, Laszio Nemes, Vanessa Paradis, Donald Sutherland, Katayoon Shahabi, Mads Mikkelsen and Valeria Golino at the 69th edition of the festival in France on Wednesday. (Thibault Camus / Associated Press) 76 / 89 Actress Anna Kendrick, left, and Justin Timberlake, right, arrive by boat to the photocall for Trolls at the 69th annual Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday. (Jerome Roux / EPA) 77 / 89 Among those attending the Trolls photocall at the Cannes Film festival Wednesday, are, in front row, starting second from left, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Justin Timberlake, director Mike Mitchell, Anna Kendrick and director Walt Dohrn. (Neilson Barnard / Getty Images) 78 / 89 Actress Kristen Stewart attends a photocall for the film Cafe Society at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday. (Thibault Camus / Associated Press) 79 / 89 From left, director of photography Vittorio Storaro, director Woody Allen, and actors Jesse Eisenberg, Corey Stoll, Blake Lively and Kristen Stewart attend the Cafe Society photocall during the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday. (Andreas Rentz / Getty Images) 80 / 89 Actress Blake Lively poses Wednesday during a photocall for the film Cafe Society at the 69th Cannes Film Festival in France. (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images) 81 / 89 Jury member Vanessa Paradis arrives at the 69th Cannes Film Festival. (Joel Ryan / Associated Press) 82 / 89 Cannes Film Festival jury member Valeria Golino arrives in southern France for the festival. (Joel Ryan / Associated Press) 83 / 89 Jury Director George Miller poses for photographers upon arrival at Cannes for the 69th international film festival. (Joel Ryan / Associated Press) 84 / 89 Jury member and actor Mads Mikkelsen at the 69th Canness Film Festival. (Joel Ryan / Associated Press) 85 / 89 Jury member Donald Sutherland arrives at the Cannes Film Fetival. (Joel Ryan / Associated Press) 86 / 89 A beach artist creates an image with sand on the beach in front of the entrance of the Festival Palace in Cannes. (Joel Ryan / Associated Press) 87 / 89 Jury members actress Kirsten Dunst, left, actress and director Valeria Golino and actress and singer Vanessa Paradis on the balcony at the Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez. (Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP/Getty Images) 88 / 89 Iranian producer and jury member Katayoon Shahabi arrives at the Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez. (Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP/Getty Images) 89 / 89 Hungarian director and jury member Laszlo Nemes arrives at the Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez. (Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP/Getty Images) The number of films from Romania at Cannes this year, across all sections, was, remarkably, the third-highest of any country, behind only the cinematic powerhouses of the U.S. and France. The effect of the New Wave has been so complete that the critical breakout of the festival the German film Toni Erdmann, which fits firmly in a Western European tradition of human seriocomedy actually set much of the action in Bucharest, a result of its director, Maren Ade, taking an interest in Romania as cinematic backdrop. Historically, waves dont last long; audiences grow tired and filmmakers become restless, leaving all that energy to dissipate. Some have quietly begun to question the New Wave style, which, as well-executed as it is, can verge into cliche. (If more people knew about Romanian cinema, it would be ripe for a great Saturday Night Live parody.) Mungiu himself said he debated not shooting Graduation with the same long takes and naturalism, whether to opt for an approach a little slicker and modern, before deciding the New Wave style suited the story he wanted to tell. And after five features apiece, it wouldnt be hard to imagine that Mungiu and Puiu decide to work outside the country or change their styles in a way that makes their work seem like less a part of a wave. Then again, a little rivalry tends to go a long way. @ZeitchikLAT MORE: Welcome to the mad circus of the Cannes market Cannes 2016: Ken Loachs I, Daniel Blake wins Palme dOr; Xavier Dolan takes Grand Prix Putting money where the gender diversity is: How international film boards are pushing the cause of female filmmakers Feminism, Spielberg and a German showstopper: Times staffers make sense of Cannes Helena Bonham Carter brings her brand of formal oddity to Alice Through the Looking Glass For a brief but dazzling period, from 1947 through 1949, Carol Reed was the director of the moment in the English-speaking world. Two of the films of that era, Odd Man Out and The Third Man, have been widely admired, but the third, 1948s The Fallen Idol, has been more difficult to experience. Now, thanks to the excellent work of reissue specialists Rialto Pictures, a new digital restoration of the film opens Friday, demonstrating that Idol is every bit as worthy as the movies that came before and after. Like The Third Man, Idol has the advantage of a script by Graham Greene based on his own fiction, in this case a short story he considered unfilmable. But the trio of Greene, Reed and producer Alexander Korda, as well as an expert cast toplined by Ralph Richardson, turned a story involving adult secrets and childhood fantasies into a classically well-made movie that is both unexpected and exceptionally gripping. Advertisement As The Third Mans admirers can testify, impeccable construction, keen psychological acuity and moral complexity are the hallmarks of Reeds pictures from this period. In Idol, a terrific amount of emotional tension is added to the mix, a sense of possible impending doom that bespeaks a movie that knows what it is about. Richardson plays Baines, a butler who makes one of Londons enormous foreign embassies (country unnamed but likely France) run like a clock. The film opens on a Friday, with the ambassador leaving for the weekend to bring his wife, whos been recuperating from a serious illness, home for the first time in months. We are introduced to Baines through the eyes of the ambassadors 8-year-old son Phil (Bobby Henrey), a young man who, in the absence of parental attention, has taken to idolizing Baines. (Director Reed, ever crafty, got the appropriate admiring look on young Henreys face by filming him watching a magician doing tricks.) Baines enjoys the boys admiration and clearly has a soft spot for children, but there is something about him, something about the way he says some lies are just kindness that gives the character an intriguing hint of moral relativism. Much easier to understand, though not to like, is his wife, the authoritarian housekeeper Mrs. Baines (Sonia Dresdel), a spiritual sister to the frightening Mrs. Danvers of Rebecca. Her spiteful presence gives the film one of its signature qualities, its sense of impending doom, the anxious notion that something is going to happen and its not going to be good. Completing the picture is Julie (Michele Morgan), a typist at the embassy, whom we glimpse from afar, as does the boy. Shes bidding a brief Friday afternoon goodbye to Baines in a way that gives a hint of an attachment that might go beyond the professional. That look is at the heart of The Fallen Idol, which is very much about the gap between what children see and think they understand versus the reality of a more complex and more complicit adult world. All this gets beautifully played out during what should have been a quiet weekend in that near-empty embassy. Helping with Fallen Idols disturbing air are the odd, unsettling angles that cinematographer Georges Perinal used to capture the enormous London mansion (owned by the British Red Cross) with a huge staircase and a disconcerting checkerboard-patterned entrance hall that was the films prime location. The best part of this picture, however, is the performance of Richardson, an actor not enough celebrated these days whose quietly insinuating voice and brilliantly equivocal presence make a marvelous impression, so much so that it seems appropriate to give him the last word. According to the Rialto press kit, Richardson had this to say near the end of his life: Fallen Idol! What a wonderful, economical film -- 90 minutes, so tight, a perfect little film. Our films today are all so long. That pretty much says it all. No MPAA rating. Running time: 1 hour, 35 minutes. Playing Laemmles Royal, West Los Angeles. More resonant in theory than in execution, the post-Holocaust drama To Life never truly embraces the promise of its title or the roiling emotion beneath its surface. Director Jean-Jacques Zilbermann, who co-wrote with Daniele DAntoni, was inspired here by the experiences of his late Auschwitz-survivor mother, Irene, and her two fellow camp deportees and lifelong friends (warmly glimpsed in the films coda). Despite an earnest effort to evoke these women and their extraordinary circumstances, the filmmaker has trouble zeroing in on an effective tone and pace as well as a credible dynamic for his fictionalized version of this trio. The movie opens with a murky prologue set at Auschwitz, followed by the post-war return to Paris of Irenes proxy, Helene (Julie Depardieu, Gerards pencil-thin daughter), to pick up the pieces of her disrupted life. In short order, she reconnects with lost love Henri (Hippolyte Girardot), also a Holocaust survivor. Theyll eventually marry, but not without complication. Advertisement In a jarring jump, we cut to 1962, when Irene and her Auschwitz friends/soulmates Dutch native Lily (Johanna ter Steege) and Montreal emigre Rose (Suzanne Clement) reunite for the first time since the war for some sun, fun and catharsis at the French coastal resort of Berck-sur-Mer. Despite the thrill of seeing each other after so long, theres a seeming lack of chemistry and cohesiveness among these very different women as they navigate painful memories and latter-day choices. Except for Helenes fling with a younger man (Benjamin Wangermee), events and conversations are mostly too measured and perfunctory to keep us fully invested. ------------- To Life Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes. In French with English subtitles Playing: Laemmle Music Hall, Beverly Hills Forget parting -- season finales are such sweet sorrow, especially all these months later when its time to remember what they wrought. As summer shows make their return, let us help with the memory jogging. Mr. Robot, USA Network, July 13 (10 p.m.): It was the finale that had our internal dialogue going haywire. Elliot (Rami Malek) faced the reality that the man he knew as Mr. Robot was actually his long-dead father. Season 2 picks up with Elliot trying to recall what transpired in the three days during the massive off-screen hack that unfolded. And it seems E-Corp is still up to no good despite the financial hit it took in the finale. Advertisement FULL COVERAGE: See our complete Summer TV preview UnREAL, Lifetime, June 6 (10 p.m.): When we left the two at the end of Season 1, Rachel (Shiri Appleby) and Quinn (Constance Zimmer) had successfully wrecked what was supposed to be Adam and Annas live wedding on Everlasting, sabotaging the creator of the series and Adams chance of a spin-off series. Rachel and Quinn are back and changing things up by casting a black bachelor (are you listening, ABC?). Orange Is the New Black, Netflix, June 17: To binge OITNB is to accept that you wont remember about 75% of what happened. But it was hard to forget that finale, which saw Caputo (Nick Sandow) blocking the prison guards pursuit to form a union by accepting a promotion to run Litchfield. The move causes the guards to walk out; as a result, all the prisoners escaped to a nearby lake. Of course, there are also two busloads of new inmates arriving at the prison, meaning there are surely a few more characters to get acquainted with in the new season. Difficult People, Hulu, July 12: The series, which stars Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner as two BFFs/struggling stand-ups trying to make it in New York City, ended with a Christmas-themed episode that found the two booking a coveted stand-up gig. Oddly (or sweetly?) enough, Billy has to back out due to family obligations and/or his desire to join the Gay Dad Mafia. The new season is sure to have the besties in even more colorful situations, considering its healthy dose of guest stars, who include Nathan Lane, Tina Fey, Debbie Harry, Amy Sedaris, Method Man and Joel McHale. Bloodline, Netflix, May 27: As if the family gatherings werent awkward enough, the first season of the drama ended with John (Kyle Chandler) killing his brother Danny (Ben Mendelsohn) and Meg (Linda Cardellini) and Kevin (Norbert Leo Butz) helping to cover it up. But that wasnt even the the dun-DUN-dun moment. The finale ended with a cliffhanger in the reveal of a young boy looking on as the family enjoyed a dinner outside -- a boy who identified himself as Dannys son. Our reaction practically matched the expression on Chandlers face in the photo above. This story is part of The Times special summer television issue. Read more here. MORE FROM ENTERTAINMENT: The theater of Trump: What Shakespeare can teach us about the Donald Roots grows deeper in new version of slavery epic on History Helena Bonham Carter brings her brand of formal oddity to Alice Through the Looking Glass yvonne.villarreal@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter: @villarrealy Almost four decades after its premiere, Roots still stands as an elite landmark in TV history. The saga of author Alex Haley tracing his ancestral roots to a young African boy kidnapped and sold into slavery was a phenomenon when it first aired on ABC in 1977, gripping a nation with its brutal but ultimately triumphant tale. Even the power of later projects such as 12 Years a Slave has done little to dull the brand identification of Roots. That continuing resonance strengthened Mark Wolper, the son of original Roots producer David L. Wolper, to resist whenever he was approached about making a new version. Networks and studios have been coming to me for years, saying Lets do Roots again. said Wolper, who inherited its rights from his late father. But I was scared to death. Why would you want to remake the greatest television show ever made? And why would you want to follow in your fathers footsteps on something so great? Advertisement But his resistance crumbled when confronted with a reality check when he tried to get his 16-year-old to watch it. Said Wolper, I could not get him to sit still -- I physically had to hold him down. Afterward, he said, OK, Dad, I get and understand why this is so important. But its like your music. It doesnt speak to me. That blunt revelation prompted Wolper to do what he said hed never do -- plant his own Roots. The result is a four-night, eight-hour miniseries premiering May 30 on History. Positioned as a re-imagining of Haleys story, the new Roots is a more extensive, historically accurate account of Mandinka warrior-turned-slave Kunta Kinte and the trajectory of his familys story through American history. The revised Roots is just one of several projects this year revolving around slavery, including the WGN series Underground and the upcoming feature film The Birth of a Nation. But Roots is different, Wolper maintains. Roots is not a slice of history. Its the story of a family through history. 1 / 11 Roots (Clockwise from left: ABC Photo Archives / ABC via Getty Images; Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times; Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times; ABC) 2 / 11 Now: The original members of the TV show Roots, pictured on May 11, 2016: John Amos, left, Lynne Moody, Ben Vereen, Leslie Uggams, Georg Stanford Brown, Louis Gossett Jr., Sandy Duncan. Here are some photos from their roles in 1977 and now. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 11 Now: LeVar Burton on May 9, 2016. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 11 Now: John Amos on May 11, 2016. (Amy Sussman / Invision / Associated Press) 5 / 11 Then: Ben Vereen as Chicken George in a scene from ABCs Roots, which aired in 1977. (Amy Sussman / Invision / Associated Press) 6 / 11 Now: Ben Vereen on May 11, 2016. (Amy Sussman / Invision / Associated Press) 7 / 11 Now: Lynne Moody on May 11, 2016. (Amy Sussman / Invision / Associated Press) 8 / 11 Now: Leslie Uggams on May 11, 2016. (Amy Sussman / Invision / Associated Press) 9 / 11 Now: Sandy Duncan on May 11, 2016. (Amy Sussman / Invision / Associated Press) 10 / 11 Now: Georg Stanford Brown on May 11, 2016. (Amy Sussman / Invision / Associated Press) 11 / 11 Now: Louis Gossett Jr. on May 11, 2016. (Amy Sussman / Invision / Associated Press) And despite its vivid depictions of oppression, the new Roots, like the original, remains a story of perseverance and triumph that Wolper believes has value in the current political dialogue surrounding race. . Joining him in the project is LeVar Burton, who portrayed the young Kunta Kinte in the original Roots. Burton, who is a co-executive producer of the History project, was unhappy when he learned that a new Roots was being developed. I was incredulous, and felt a little bit of outrage, Burton said. I was skeptical at best -- I just could not come up with a reason why this needed to be done. However, Burton, who followed his Roots debut with Star Trek: The Next Generation, the educational series Reading Rainbow and other projects, said Wolpers reasoning made immediate sense to me. I got it right away. He also sees himself as the keeper of the spiritual flame between the old and the new. I figured it would be better to be involved and try and help make this as good as possible instead of being on the sidelines and judging. The cast of the new Roots includes Laurence Fishburne, Forest Whitaker, Anna Paquin and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Unlike the original, one actor -- London-born Malachi Kirby-- plays Kinte both as a youth and an adult. I was very aware of the original -- I watched it several years ago and it impacted me greatly, said the soft-spoken 26-year-old Kirby. I felt a huge weight when I got the part, because I was scared of getting it wrong and how the retelling would affect those who had seen the original, positively or negatively. Fans of the original will see some familiar touchstones in the new Roots, including a scene when Kintes father, Omoro (Babs Olusanmokun), holds the infant Kunta up to the heavens and proclaims, Behold the only thing greater than yourself! But its clear that much is different in the retelling. More time is spent detailing the educated culture of the Mandinka people of Gambia where Kintes family lived. In the ABC version, the young warrior Kinte is captured by white slave traders. In this Roots, Kinte is ambushed by a rival tribe and sold to slave traders. Nancy Dubuc, president of A+E Networks, which oversees History, said this Roots is much more complex and detailed than the first edition. (The new series will be shown on A+E and Lifetime as well as History.) The original sparked a lot of work in academic circles, and technical advances really fleshed out the complexity of the original story, said Dubuc. And while viewers of the original may recall being horrified by its numerous scenes of oppression and brutality, those sequences pale to the rawness of the new Roots. In one of the pivotal scenes of the story, Kinte is mercilessly whipped into submission and forced to say his slave name, Toby. In the ABC version, Kinte is whipped by a fellow slave about 10 times. In this Roots, Kinte receives 30 lashes across his back by a sadistic white overseer using a spiked whip. Said Wolper: The original misrepresents the intensity and the pain of the slave experience. Thats as good a reason as any to do this again. Burton said he believes fans of the original and a new generation will respond to this new version: If you are alive and living in this democracy, Roots is your story. greg.braxton@latimes.com FROM THE L.A. TIMES ARCHIVES: Lots of firsts for Alex Haleys film Roots: Producer Stan Marguilies wants success, but theres more at stake Recalling a milestone moment: LeVar Burton joins tributes to the historic miniseries Roots Sour notes linger between Gerald Fried and Quincy Jones after Roots airs Espionage is a lonely profession, as KGB officer Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell) knows all too well. This Soviet agent does enjoy emotional intimacy with her spy husband Philip (Matthew Rhys) and their teenagers Paige (Holly Taylor) and Henry (Keidrich Sellati). Plus, KGB handler Gabriel (Frank Langella) is always up for a game of Scrabble and cup of tea. Advertisement But Elizabeth has just one gal pal: Young Hee Seong (Ruthie Ann Miles). And that relationship is built on lies. Using the alias of Patty, Elizabeth befriended Young Hee because her scientist husband Don (Rob Yang) conducts research inside the U.S. Armys top-level biological warfare lab at Fort Detrick. William (Dylan Baker), a Soviet mole also working at the Maryland facility, has orders from Moscow to sneak into Dons lab and obtain samples of an incredibly lethal virus. If weaponized, this biological agent would liquefy human organs. Despite getting to know Young Hee under false pretenses, Elizabeth develops a genuine affection for this cheerful door-to-door distributor of cosmetic products. Elizabeth also likes the Seong children, adorable Sarah (Kasey Lee), Bobby (Zach Lee) and Sue (Blythe Sim). However, Job One for Elizabeth is manipulating Don to obtain his bio lab access code. And that means she must obliterate her friendship with Young Hee. Elizabeth and Gabriel hoped there was another way, but their KGB overlords said nyet. Elizabeth began the operation by drugging Don and tricking him into believing he had sex with her. Now in Episode 411 (Dinner for Seven), Elizabeth startles Don by pretending to be pregnant and desperate. You cannot have this baby, Don nervously insists. That would destroy everything! Dont worry, Elizabeth bitterly replies. I wont upset your perfect little life, OK? Soon the KGB delivers the coup de grace. Philip, claiming hes Pattys brother, confronts Don at his office. Posing as Pattys distraught parents are Gabriel and Theresa (Marceline Hugot). Pattys dead, Philip blurts out, claiming his sister committed suicide due to the unwanted pregnancy. You killed her, Gabriel chimes in. You killed my beautiful girl, you bastard! Reeling with shame and fear, Don quickly agrees to pay Pattys funeral expenses. And when Don takes Philip to the bank, Gabriel and Theresa stay behind and copy computer files. As for Elizabeth, she calls her answering service and hears a tearful message from Young Hee, whos devastated by Dons strange behavior. I need to talk to you, Young Hee pleads. Where did you go? In other Cold War action: FBI Agent Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich) crashes a dinner party the Jennings host for Pastor Tim (Kelly AuCoin) and his pregnant wife Alice (Suzy Jane Hunt). Stan seems like an odd guest, Tim later remarks, given Philip and Elizabeths clandestine activities. But you cant pick your neighbors, Elizabeth points out. And besides, the Jennings moved there first. Defying the demands of his superiors, Stan extends a professional courtesy to KGB agent Oleg Burov (Costa Ronin) by refusing to blackmail him. Too many good people have been destroyed on both sides of the Iron Curtain, Stan says, and he wont add to his guilt by targeting Oleg. This is the last time were gonna see each other, Stan says, offering a warm handshake to a longtime foe. While leaving church late at night, Paige witnesses a chilling demonstration of Moms deadly martial arts skills. Two robbers want Elizabeths wallet, which she immediately hands over. But when she realizes the men intend to rape Paige, Elizabeth goes on the offensive. She expertly punches one predator and stabs the other man in his neck. Lets go, Elizabeth yells at her horrified daughter. Paige! Now! Name of restaurant: Sushi of Gari. Sushi of Gari Hollywood, to be specific, to distinguish it from the four restaurants in New York by the same name, owned by chef Masatoshi Gari Sugio, who began a career in Japan as a sushi chef when he was a teenager and later came to the U.S. to work at sushi restaurants before opening them himself. Gari is also the Japanese name for the pickled ginger you get at sushi bars. Where you are: This new sushi bar, which opened two weeks ago, is in the swank new Eastown mixed-use complex on Hollywood Boulevard. Why this might sound vaguely familiar: Its where the new Hollywood Shake Shack is opening. Get a parking spot while you can. Kinmedai with fried seaweed at Sushi of Gari. (Amy Scattergood / Los Angeles Times ) Advertisement What youre eating: If youre going for lunch, theres a la carte sushi and sashimi, rolls (one has natto!) and specials. But if you go at night, as you should, its omakase-only. So sit there and let one of the four sushi chefs two of whom are veterans of Mori Sushi in Sawtelle, back when Mori Onodera owned that beloved sushi bar determine your dinner. Start a conversation with them, which is half the fun of omakase anyway; ask them about the enormous, shiny knives they each have at their stations. This is not exactly Edomae sushi, the minimalist nigiri sushi favored by purists, but rather stellar fish and well-cooked rice paired with specific flavors, from sauces, vegetables or other flavorful components. (You will not get soy sauce or wasabi with your sushi, though you will get plenty of gari.) So: snow crab with uni, Hokkaido scallop with ume sauce, King mackerel with mushroom sauce, Japanese red snapper with fried lotus root. They also make some odd combinations, also on the menu in New York, such as a salmon topped with onion sauce and seared tomato, and halibut paired with poached quail egg and truffle oil. Lobster sushi at Sushi of Gari. (Amy Scattergood / Los Angeles Times ) PSA: Yes, theres blue fin tuna on the menu. But the sushi chefs point out that its farm-raised in Spain, and thus not quite as egregious as the wild Atlantic blue fin, which is endangered. What youre looking at: The space, which was recently constructed as part of the Eastown project, is well lighted, with clean lines and pale wood. Theres a small room off the hallway with sliding doors decorated with cherry blossom branches, a 16-seat dining room and an 11-seat sushi bar. Imagine if Ikea had an upscale showroom in Harajuku. Halibut sushi with poached quail egg and truffle oil. (Amy Scattergood / Los Angeles Times ) What youre drinking: For some of us, repeating cups of green tea in cups decorated with sumo wrestlers and kanji. For others, maybe the $800 bottle of Dassai Junmai Daiginjo Beyond on the extensive sake list. Are we suggesting you blow $800 on a bottle of rice wine? Not really, but if you do, maybe figure that all those meals at Shake Shack will average out your dining budget eventually. Info: 6201 Hollywood Blvd., (323) 400-6300, Hollywood, www.sushiofgari.com. ALSO Step back in time at Q, dedicated to the craft of Edo-style sushi Eat what Obama and Bourdain ate: Where to find great bun cha ha noi How to get Philippes French dip sandwiches delivered. Seriously. If youre a man whos tried (or considered trying) online dating, chances are youve worried you might meet a woman looking to use you for a free expensive dinner. It seems trivial in comparison to what women have to worry about when they filter through men on dating sites, but its still a concern, and it still happens to the best of us. Im a high school teacher and a freelance writer, but Im also the son of a Michelin-awarded restaurateur. My online dating profile doesnt mention my dads accomplishments, but in moments of insecurity, Ive been known to name-drop in order to keep the woman interested. Its never gone well, and its never attracted the right women. The women who see me as Giorgio the teacher or Giorgio the writer have never tried to use me for a free dinner. In fact, many of them seemed to feel guilty when I took them to expensive restaurants too early in the dating process. But the women who saw me as Giorgio the restaurateurs son had no such reservations, and even that was fine, as long as we were having fun. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> Advertisement Last December, I met someone who finally crossed the boundaries. She made the initial move by liking my profile, so I liked her back. Her profile was laced with the razor-sharp wit that I look for in a romantic partner, and one of her stated life goals was to try all 101 of Jonathan Golds top restaurant picks. Without promising anything, I noted that I too was a fan of Mr. Gold and was also hoping to one day frequent all 101 of his restaurant choices. We had the same dry humor and were equally excited about the then-new Star Wars movie, so I thought those would be our primary points of connection. It wasnt until I asked her out for a drink that I suspected something was off. Im not huge into drinking but maybe we can grab dinner sometime, she replied, followed by a smiley face emoticon. Nobody has to be huge into drinking to join you for a cocktail on a first date; this was a push that men whove dated in Los Angeles know all too well. The woman was setting the expectations high from the beginning, letting me know that her evenings were in high demand and that if I wanted one I was going to have to cough up more than $15 for a cocktail. I told her my Tuesday night was open, and she wrote back, Im booked for Tuesday. Lets do Saturday instead. I was starting to find her pushy, but I thought maybe it was just in my head. I was lucky this girl wanted to offer her Saturday night to me, wasnt I? Are you a veteran of L.A.'s current dating scene? We want to publish your story I suggested we try a new Italian restaurant in Silver Lake where an old friend of mine works. I wasnt looking for a free dinner, but I was hoping to surprise him, and I was hoping that once this girl saw my restaurant connections, shed be impressed enough to take me seriously as a romantic partner. The stakes were high for a first date. I felt like I was being pressured to overplay my hand, but I wanted to try this restaurant anyway, and going there with a pretty girl felt better than going there alone. When we sat down for dinner, she suggested we order a bottle of wine. So much for not huge into drinking. Then she started suggesting items to share, which slowly crept into the $80 range. I declined on the bottle of wine but was too tempted by the various entrees to let her starve. We ordered four dishes to share, and I didnt have to fight her for the privilege of paying the whole $130 check myself. Our conversation was mostly superficial. I found myself retelling her key information that Id mentioned in my profile, as though shed never read it; she kept talking up her past accomplishments and future ambitions, even though for the time being she was living with her parents. She kept mentioning that she had a high standard when it came to Italian restaurants, and eventually I reached a point where it seemed appropriate to name-drop my father. She had never heard of him, nor had she heard of his restaurant. More L.A. Affairs columns When the waiter brought us our check, he gave us a spiel about how their establishment is unique because customers have the privilege of being allowed to tip the kitchen as well as the servers. I asked my date how much I should tip. Thats always a bad sign: when youre so desperate to impress your date that you have to ask her how much to tip, even though she has no intention of even attempting to pay. She told me to tip 20%, so I did. As we left, she told me without hesitation that she would love to see me again. I loved the reassurance. I hate spending the next few days after a date staring at my phone, waiting for a follow-up text message that never comes. I hugged her goodbye and watched her step into an Uber, hoping it would all lead to something as we got to know each other better. Two days later, I received a text from her, excitedly informing me that she had made a reservation at my dads restaurant. She was going there on a Saturday night, company unspecified. Could it be that another poor sucker had been roped into sating this girls fine-dining craze? No, why would she text me to tell me about it? That would be shameless. Even so, it made me uncomfortable. This girl hardly knew me. We had been out one time, and we hadnt even kissed yet. Imagine if a man had gone to a womans fathers workplace after a first date. That would be creepy, right? What was the difference? Was she testing me to see how Id react? I told her, Wow, youre going to meet my dad. Weird Oh, yeah, I guess I am. Well, Ill put in a good word for you! Her creepiness had officially killed any charm shed once had on me. I didnt pursue her after that, but about a week later she contacted me again. She told me the person who was taking her to my dads restaurant had flaked on her and suggested, as though it was no big deal, that we go there together instead. This was too weird for me. I took a screenshot of the text, sent it to my best friend and asked what I should do. I say bail, he advised. I composed our parting text: Im going to have to say no. To be honest, it makes me really uncomfortable that you would make a reservation at my dads restaurant when weve only been out one time. I think youre a great girl, though, and I wish you the best. She promptly came back at me with three consecutive texts: Im sorry. I didnt mean to make you uncomfortable. I really dont take this stuff too seriously. Good luck to you. I had so many questions for her, like why she expected expensive dinners and bottles of wine if she didnt take it seriously, but I thought asking would be in poor taste. So instead I just wished her good luck too, and in the end I didnt even get to do that because my number had already been blocked. Some men, frustrated after not getting a second date or not getting any action on the first, will wrongly accuse women of just dating for the free meals. Im not that man. If a woman doesnt want a second date, its not my business why, and I dont know her well enough to hurl those kinds of accusations. I also dont really mind if women are out there using men for free meals, because there are plenty of men out there using women for other things, and in the end our job is to learn from our experiences and spot the red flags so we arent the one getting used. The author is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer, whose website is GiorgioSelvaggio.com. And if you must know, his father is Piero Selvaggio, owner of the famed Valentino restaurant in Santa Monica. L.A. Affairs chronicles the current dating scene in and around Los Angeles. We pay $300 a column. If you have comments or a true story to tell, email us at LAAffairs@latimes.com. MORE FROM L.A. AFFAIRS I wonder who Ill be kissing when L.A.'s 6th Street Bridge reopens... I was sure I was flirt-texting with The One. Until he saw me on Instagram Who needs Tinder? How a random meeting at an L.A. jazz club changed my life The U.S. Justice Department has joined a whistle-blower case against Prime Healthcare Services, adding significant weight to allegations of widespread Medicare overbilling at 14 of the companys hospitals in California. A Los Angeles magistrate judge granted the agencys request to intervene in the case Tuesday, one day after the government declared in a court filing that its investigation of the Ontario- hospital operator has yielded sufficient evidence that the facilities submitted or caused the submission of claims to Medicare for unnecessary inpatient stays. Prime finds itself under federal scrutiny because of a whistle-blower complaint submitted in 2011 by Karin Berntsen, a registered nurse and director of quality and risk management at Alvarado Hospital in San Diego. Berntsens lawsuit accuses Prime of routinely making Medicare patients illnesses seem more severe than they really were in order to justify billing for additional services and increasing hospital admissions. Advertisement See the most-read stories this hour >> Berntsen alleged that this practice occurred not only at Alvarado but also at 13 other Prime properties. Most of these hospitals are in Southern California, including Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood, Encino Hospital Medical Center, Sherman Oaks Hospital and Huntington Beach Hospital. Berntsens litigation estimates the total amount of overbilling at $50 million, an amount that now could result in a significant financial payoff for her and potentially large damages against the company. Anti-fraud statutes allow fines of $5,500 to $11,000 plus triple damages under certain circumstances for each false or inaccurate bill submitted by hospitals and other healthcare companies. Whistle-blowers are entitled to 15% to 25% of the money recovered in cases involving the Justice Department. In 2012, for example, pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline agreed to pay $2 billion to the federal government to resolve accusations that it overbilled for the prescription drugs Paxil, Wellbutrin and Avandia. In 2006, Tenet Healthcare was crippled after paying $900 million in a case involving alleged Medicare bill-padding, kickbacks and changing of billing codes to obtain higher reimbursements. Prime has denied Berntsens allegations, calling them speculative nonsense after her complaint was unsealed in 2013. In a new statement issued after the federal governments intervention, the company was a bit more subdued. It said Medicare billing is complex and that there is a lack of clarity between what federal regulators and physicians believe is necessary to adequately document medical necessity for hospital admissions. Prime also said its hospitals have successfully undergone Medicare billing audits conducted by an array of organizations, including the Joint Commission, the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program, the California Department of Public Health and government recovery audit contractors who are rewarded for spotting billing irregularities. The company currently owns 43 hospitals across 14 states. Over 600 medical records that were appealed to the Administrative Law Judges and Medicare Appeals Council, all had rulings in Prime Healthcares favor, with no exception, Primes statement said. Given this precedence of successful appeals on thousands of claims, Prime Healthcare is confident it will prevail and ultimately be exonerated. NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >> Dr. Prem Reddy, founder of Prime Healthcare Services, at his office in Ontario in November 2014. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) But the Justice Department in a wide-ranging investigation referenced in its court filing this week cited multiple witnesses who have worked at different Prime hospitals who told the government that Dr. Prem Reddy, Primes chairman, president and chief executive, criticized emergency department physicians and demanded their termination if he decided they were passing up opportunities to cause the admission of Medicare beneficiaries. The agency said those witnesses also accused Reddy of requesting increased work schedules for [emergency department] doctors whose patients had a relatively high rate of admission, of decreasing or discontinuing such shifts for physicians with low rates and of telling emergency department doctors to find a way to admit all patients over 65 because they all have insurance. In contrast, the government said, Reddy allegedly worked to minimize hospital stays for uninsured patients instructing that they should stay in the emergency department for only six to eight hours to get test results and then be discharged. The Justice Department also cited the results of a Medicare contractors review of the companys hospital admissions that put Prime on notice of the same pattern of seemingly unnecessary inpatient admissions. Kathleen Clark, a Washington attorney who is an expert on the False Claims Act that governs whistle-blower cases, said the governments involvement raises the stakes, given that federal regulators participate in only about one-quarter of such cases. It is actually quite significant when the government decides to intervene in one of these cases. The government brings to bear significant investigatory resources and leverage, Clark said. Intervention is seen not as a guarantee of a win, but its a very good sign for the whistle-blower and [his or her] lawyers. Marlan Wilbanks, an Atlanta attorney who is one of several lawyers representing Berntsen, said the governments involvement could turn up additional evidence in the case disproving Primes assertion that previous audits proved the companys billing practices are sound. Those entities were not designated to look for fraud, he said. Prime was given the benefit of the doubt. However, those entities did not have the evidence and the documents that the government and [Berntsens party] now possess. Its unclear how long the legal discovery phase might take, especially because the Justice Departments intervention will likely spur a series of procedural adjustments in the case, which is being fast tracked before Magistrate Judge Patrick J. Walsh. paul.sisson@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @paulsisson ALSO SeaWorld attendance sinks while other theme parks rise in 2015 First 365 by Whole Foods opens in Silver Lake. See how the prices compare Another investor criticizes Tribunes moves, but a 2nd proxy advisor backs its board Focused on Trump, Bernie Sanders reminds supporters of the birther movement 'In America, if you work 40 hours a week, you should not be living in poverty,' says Sanders in Pomona. pic.twitter.com/iCOFfC8u1Q Kurtis Lee (@kurtisalee) May 27, 2016 Bernie Sanders wanted to offer a quick history lesson about Donald Trump to supporters here Thursday evening, so he asked them to think back a few years. Not so many years ago, before he was a candidate, he was involved in a so-called birther movement, Sanders said about Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. The birther movement was delegitmizing President Obama by claiming that he was not born in the United States. Indeed, Trump was among a vocal group of Republicans who early on in Obamas first term questioned whether he was born in the United States. (Trump, in his quest for the GOP nomination, also questioned the citizenship of rival Ted Cruz, who was born in Canada to an American mother and a Cuban father.) Eventually, in 2011, Obama made his birth certificate public to quiet his detractors. But as early as last year, Trump was still expressing unease about Obamas citizenship. That was very ugly effort to delegitimize the presidency of the first African American president in our history -- not acceptable, Sanders said to applause from supporters huddled on the football field of Ganesha High School, the same place where former President Bill Clinton campaigned last weekend on behalf of his wife, Hillary Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination. Sanders did not mention Hillary Clinton, who is outpacing him in delegates, but instead focused on Trump. For much of Thursday, Sanders campaign pressed Trump to debate him in California, while the billionaire businessman joked that he would. Hes prepared to debate, Sanders said. And Im very excited about it. Political tension ramps up at legislative hearing on Newsoms gun control initiative Backers of a gun control initiative proposed for the November ballot argued during a legislative forum Tuesday that it is needed to make California safer, while opponents said it will unfairly harm law-abiding gun owners and is primarily aimed at getting Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom elected governor. Newsom turned in 600,000 signatures last week for an initiative that would require background checks for ammunition purchasers, ban large-capacity magazines, make gun thefts a felony and require those convicted of serious crimes to give up their firearms within 14 days. The Assembly and Senate Public Safety committees held a joint hearing on the proposal Tuesday in anticipation of the measure qualifying. Craig DeLuz, head of the Firearms Policy Coalition, told lawmakers that most of the provisions in the initiative have been rejected by the Legislature or the governor as too extreme or unworkable. He said the real purpose of the initiative is to get Newsom elected as governor in 2018. Its for one individual to get his name in the paper so he can run for higher office, DeLuz told the lawmakers. That drew a rubuke from state Sen. Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley), chair of the Senate panel. I do take offense at the personal attacks on the proponents of the intiative, Hancock said during the hearing. Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore) responded, saying the initiative is unnecessary. I am equally offended that the person who came up with this initiative isnt here today to address this body, she said. Thats incredibly disrespectful. Newsom, who has fueded with legislative leaders who are pursuing their own gun control bills, did not attend the hearing, instead participating in a memorial service held for California Highway Patrol officers, a representative said. Attorneys for the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which co-wrote the initiative, told lawmakers it will plug serious loopholes in Californias tough gun laws. We believe reasonably that more can and should be done to protect California families and keep lethal weapons out of dangerous hands, added Ari Freilich, a staff attorney at the center. The initiative was criticized by Los Angeles County Deputy Dist. Atty. Michele Hanisee, president of the Assn. of Deputy District Attorneys of Los Angeles, who predicted many people will not obey the new laws requiring them to get rid of high-capacity magazines. The initiative places additional burdens on an already overburdened court system, she added. None of the lawmakers at the hearing commited to endorsing the initiative. Lawmakers raised questions about the cost of enforcing the initiative, but the Legislative Analysts Office said the bulk of costs may be recovered by fees authorized by the measure. Hancock said she is interested in alternative approaches to addressing gun violence, including a look at improving mental health services. Rosaura Roa came to Nightingale Middle School on Wednesday to make sure L.A. Unified Supt. Michelle King knows about the problems at her childrens school, Arroyo Seco Museum Science Magnet. Instead, she didnt get to meet or talk to the superintendent, and she heard a similar overview of priorities that King has offered at other recent town halls, part of her self-described listen and learn tour to help her formulate a plan for the district. That tour has included about 20 visits to schools, parent groups and community organizations, said Antonio Plascencia, the leader of Kings transition team. Advertisement Its not a Michelle vision, King told the group. Its going to be an LAUSD plan. Its about all of us. ... Its going to be done from the ground up. King addressed about 150 parents, community members and district staff shortly after 8:10 a.m. and talked about her priorities: giving decision-making power to schools and local districts, ensuring that parents and students can choose between schools, access to safe campuses, a rigorous curriculum, and making sure specialized programs are available from kindergarten through high school. See the most-read stories this hour >> She answered questions from school board member Ref Rodriguez and about six questions from audience members, who wrote their questions and contact information onto note cards. In response to one question from a parent who mentioned a daughters bullying at Nightingale, King said parents should be able to talk to principals and local district staff members about specific issues. King then pivoted to talking about district-wide initiatives to address bullying in middle school in person and online, through appropriate consequences for bullying and restorative justice. If there is a concern that you have, you should be able to call the school, King said. A contingent of about a dozen mothers from Arroyo Seco Museum Science Magnet came to the meeting with complaints about their school. Half of them crowded around Plascencia afterward. He listened as the mothers told him, in Spanish, of the problems they said their families facelack of communication from school administrators, not enough space or equipment for sports, discrimination from school staff who favor parents who can speak English and fewer academic demands than theyve seen in past years. Roa, a mother with two students in Arroyo Seco, said she went to Nightingale to ask King to change the staff, to bring people with new ideas to the magnet school. She said parents have met with local district leaders multiple times, but they have yet to see changes. How much longer will we have to wait? she asked Plascencia in Spanish. Follow the Times education initiative to inform parents, educators and students across California >> She and other parents feel they have a right to be heard. King told the crowd she was there to listen, Roa said, but spent much of the time promoting her own plans. Roa said she will reserve judgment for the future, to see if King or her staff follow up. Plascencia said he will follow up with the local district office to make sure they talk to parents this school year to understand the root causes of their concerns, and he will follow up with parents to make sure their concerns are being addressed. Other parents and principals came from local charter schools, including from the network Rodriguez founded. Some said they were relieved to hear King talk favorably about charter schools and sharing best practices. We have a number of different models, and to me thats the beauty of our district, King said. Join the conversation on Facebook >> King will host a best-practices forum in July for schools that share campuses to discuss the ways that theyve collaborated, Plascencia said. I see us as all working together and all the models sharing across the aisle, King said, Not being really separated off into these silos. The town hall was supposed to last from 8 a.m. until 9:30, but King stopped answering questions by 9 and left the school at 9:20 after meeting principals and parents who surrounded the stage to talk to her. She left behind district staff to take down the complaints of groups of parents who didnt have their questions answered. sonali.kohli@latimes.com Twitter: @Sonali_Kohli ALSO Romania continues an unlikely cinematic domination at Cannes Several arrested after Trump supporters and opponents square off at rally in Anaheim Condoms, tampons and feces: Oregon fraternity suspended after disgraceful trashing of Shasta Lake The California Supreme Court decided unanimously Thursday to uphold a sentence of 50 years to life for an inmate who was 16 when he fatally shot another teenager in 2011. The court said a recent state law giving such offenders the chance of parole after 25 years satisfied legal concerns about life sentences for juveniles. Tyris Lamar Franklin was 16 when he shot and killed another teenager for beating up his younger brother. He was sentenced to 25 years to life for murder and a consecutive term of 25 years to life for using a firearm. He had a possibility of parole after 50 years. Advertisement See the most-read stories this hour >> In the year before he killed Gene Grisby, Franklin had been involved in several altercations with a group of boys who lived in a Richmond housing project. At first, the boys engaged in fistfights, the court said. Then they began arming themselves. Franklin blamed the housing project gang for a shooting into his familys home when the family was inside and for an incident in which the tires of his mothers car were slashed and the windows shot out. After Franklin shot him, Grisby ran into an apartment he shared with his aunt and died there. He had bullet wounds in his head and body. After Franklin, now 21, was sentenced, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that mandatory life without parole for juvenile killers violated the Constitutions ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Franklin contended his sentence amounted to life without parole because he would not be entitled to release until he was 66. The Legislature, however, trying to address concerns about lengthy sentences for youths, passed a law giving juvenile offenders parole hearings after 25 years behind bars and directing the parole boards to give great weight to the fact the inmates committed their crimes as youths. The court said that law, which became effective in 2014, mooted Franklins challenge of his sentence as unconstitutional. The law reflects the Legislatures judgment that 25 years is the maximum amount of time that a juvenile offender may serve before becoming eligible for parole, Justice Goodwin Liu wrote for the court. NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >> The court also agreed, 6-1, to send Franklins case back to the trial court to determine whether a legal record should be made showing how his age affected his behavior, information the parole board might later need in deciding whether to release him. Juvenile-justice experts had urged the court to reject Franklins sentence on the grounds that there was no guarantee a parole board would release him after 25 years. But the court noted that the parole board has yet to adopt new regulations for youth offender hearings, and said it would be premature for this court to opine on what the board should consider. We cannot say at this point that the broad directives set forth [by the law] are inadequate to ensure that juvenile offenders have a realistic and meaningful opportunity to obtain release based on demonstrated maturity and rehabilitation, Liu wrote. ALSO Accomplice of notorious Freeway Killer fatally beaten in prison Missing California teen last seen bleeding and screaming for help as gunman drags her away Marine veteran gets 26 years in girlfriends death and dismemberment maura.dolan@latimes.com Twitter: @mauradolan UPDATES: 3:05 p.m.: This article was updated with additional reporting and background. 11:50 a.m.: This article has been updated with the courts statement. This article was originally published at 11:05 a.m. Police in Anaheim arrested 14 protesters Wednesday during a rally for presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, according to authorities. Most of the arrests occurred after some demonstrators threw objects at police, prompting authorities to declare the protest gathering an unlawful assembly. In total, 11 protesters were arrested on suspicion of failing to disperse or of vandalism, Anaheim police Officer Laura Lomeli said. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> Advertisement Two other arrests were made for public urination. A T-shirt vendor also was arrested before the rally began for selling without a license, she said. Those arrested included five juveniles. No injuries were reported, despite reports that objects were tossed. Demonstrations continued through the evening, even after Trump had left, and eight more protesters were arrested, Lomeli said. Law enforcement had been preparing for weeks for Trumps visit to the Anaheim Convention Center, which came a day after demonstrators and police went head-to-head in New Mexico following a Trump rally there. On Wednesday, protesters held a rowdy but largely peaceful demonstration, a contrast with the violence that broke out after a Trump rally last month in Costa Mesa. After speaking in Anaheim, Trump appeared at a taping of Jimmy Kimmel Live in Hollywood, then headed to the Los Angeles home of investor Thomas Barrack Jr. for a campaign fundraiser. Interested in the stories shaping California? Sign up for the free Essential California newsletter >> Trump has rallies scheduled later this week in San Diego and Fresno. veronica.rocha@latimes.com For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter. Times staff writers James Queally, Cindy Carcamo and Anh Do contributed to this report. ALSO Carjackers shoot, then drag man from Toyota Prius in East Hollywood Dad turns himself in after starting blaze that killed 5-year-old son, Bay Area police say Manhunt over: Arrest made in shooting of West Covina police officer after weeklong search Two men shot and dragged a driver from his vehicle in an early-morning carjacking Thursday in East Hollywood. The shooting occurred about 3:40 a.m. in the 5000 block of Sunset Boulevard, said Officer Jenny Houser, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department. Two gunmen approached a driver who was seated in his vehicle and shot him, she said. Advertisement See the most-read stories this hour >> After shooting the driver, the unidentified men pulled him out of his vehicle and drove away in it. The man was taken to an area hospital, where he was listed in stable condition, Houser said. City News Service described the vehicle as a Toyota Prius. veronica.rocha@latimes.com For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter. ALSO Dad turns himself in after starting blaze that killed 5-year-old son, Bay Area police say Manhunt over: Arrest made in shooting of West Covina police officer after weeklong search PETA offers reward to catch the man who killed a dog on an L.A. sidewalk A California Highway Patrol officer was injured Wednesday night when a driver struck her in the Santa Monica Mountains and fled the scene. The crash occurred about 9:15 p.m. along Topanga Canyon Boulevard north of Pacific Coast Highway, CHP Officer Leland Tang said. The officer was responding to a traffic collision in the area. The officer was injured and airlifted to UCLA Medical Center in unknown condition, Tang said. Advertisement The driver was found a few miles away and taken into custody, the CHP said. See the most-read stories this hour >> The CHP shut down a mile-long stretch of Topanga Canyon Boulevard about 9:45 p.m. Officials said it was unclear when the road would reopen. matt.hamilton@latimes.com For more California news, follow me @MattHjourno. This story will be updated as more information becomes available. ALSO Romania continues an unlikely cinematic domination at Cannes Several arrested after Trump supporters and opponents square off at rally in Anaheim Condoms, tampons and feces: Oregon fraternity suspended after disgraceful trashing of Shasta Lake Misdemeanor cases filed by city attorneys are driving a surge in competency cases that is overwhelming Los Angeles Countys mental health court, according to a preliminary report released Wednesday. The report suggests that the increase might be linked to the countys rising homeless population, to criminal justice reform measures that may have resulted in fewer people participating in mandated treatment programs, and to the scarcity of psychiatric hospital beds. But it leaves more questions than answers, and the authors say they need to do more work. Advertisement County supervisors ordered an analysis after The Times reported that the number of cases referred to mental health court to determine defendants competency had swelled from 944 in 2010 to 3,528 in 2015. It has strained the resources of the court system and led to a backlog of defendants being evaluated and sent to treatment facilities. The report, released by a working group headed by the countys Office of Diversion and Reentry, found that while felony case referrals had increased some, the number of misdemeanor cases had skyrocketed. In 2010, 225 of the competency referrals were misdemeanor cases filed by city attorneys; in 2015, the number was up to 2,178. It was unclear whether the increase resulted from city attorneys filing more misdemeanor cases or from more defendants being flagged by defense attorneys as potentially incompetent. The report did not specify what the defendants had been charged with, but noted, It is likely that a large number of these misdemeanor defendants are homeless, as many of their alleged misdemeanor crimes are often associated with homelessness, such as trespassing and other quality of life offenses. It also attributed some of the increase to a greater awareness of mental health issues on the part of defense attorneys, and to the increasing number of mental health patients who appear to be using methamphetamine. But the report authors said these were likely secondary to a pair of changes in state law that altered the landscape of the criminal justice system: AB 109, which passed responsibility for supervising many nonviolent felons from the state to the county, and Proposition 47, which downgraded several drug and property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. The changes may have had the unintended consequence of ending post-release support services and court-mandated drug and alcohol treatment for many offenders with mental health and substance abuse issues, the group said. The report also pointed to the shrinking number of beds available for acute psychiatric care as a major contributing factor. Statewide, the number of psychiatric beds decreased by 30% between 1995 and 2010, according to the California Hospital Assn. The number of public acute psychiatric care beds has remained flat at 101 in Los Angeles County over the last five years. The report recommended expanding court-ordered mental health treatment and building more acute and subacute beds and structured housing options for people with acute mental illness. If beds are not created, we will continue to see increased numbers of persons with severe mental disorders in jail and in the court system, the authors wrote. At a meeting Wednesday, staff for some of the county supervisors questioned the assertion that AB 109 and Proposition 47 were major driving factors and asked for more information on the timing of the increases. The authors of the report said they would do more research and come back in a month with a final document. Advocates with the National Alliance on Mental Illness said the report confirms an assertion they have made for years: that a shrinking inpatient mental health system is funneling people with serious mental illness into the jails. Imagine if we had another 100 acute beds -- do you think wed make a dent in the incompetent-to-stand-trial population? said Mark Gale, criminal justice chairman for the L.A. County Council of the alliance. I think so. See the most-read stories this hour >> ALSO Several arrested after Trump supporters and opponents square off at rally in Anaheim Condoms, tampons and feces: Oregon fraternity suspended after disgraceful trashing of Shasta Lake California to audit Alliance charter schools after anti-union allegations abby.sewell@latimes.com Twitter: @sewella Authorities announced Thursday that a partially burned body found in a trash bin in San Bernardino last week had been dumped there by a father and his two sons. Enrique Jimenez Sr., 46, and his two sons, ages 17 and 14, were arrested Friday after a deputy saw them lighting a body on fire in a trash bin on Sixth Street near Sterling Avenue, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> Advertisement When the deputy tried to stop them, they fled in a pickup. The teenagers eventually got out of the truck, but their father continued driving. Jimenez led police on a 60-mile chase on the 10, 57, 710 and 105 freeways, authorities said. California Highway Patrol units eventually stopped Jimenez in the 8100 block of Golden Avenue in Paramount, where he crashed into two Downey police cruisers, the sheriffs department said. Jimenez was taken into custody. The boys, whose identities were not released because they are minors, also were arrested. The father and sons live in Highland. After the pursuit, deputies returned to the trash bin, where they found the partially charred remains of Morris Barnes, 51. Barnes had been stabbed multiple times, sheriffs officials said. Interested in the stories shaping California? Sign up for the free Essential California newsletter >> Deputies say Barnes was killed on Elmwood Road in Highland, but they have not revealed a motive in the killing. Jimenez remains in custody on suspicion of murder and felony evading. His two sons were booked on suspicion of being accessories to the murder, deputies said. ALSO Accomplice of notorious Freeway Killer fatally beaten in prison Slow-moving pursuit ends in Seal Beach; SUV occupants in custody The Shield actor Michael Jace said he wanted to wound his wife, not kill her, transcript reveals For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter. A man who was on the run after a West Covina police officers shooting was taken into custody Thursday, a day after a $20,000 reward was offered for his arrest, officials said. Jose Luis Chavez, 47, was arrested about 2:06 a.m. in a home in the 1200 block of Foxworth Avenue in La Puente, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. Sheriffs homicide detectives believed he was hiding in the home. Advertisement Manhunt is over, the West Covina Police Department tweeted Thursday. Suspect taken into custody this morning. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> Authorities on Wednesday had announced a $20,000 reward for information leading to Chavezs arrest and conviction. The West Covina police officer was shot in the chest Friday during a gun battle. Chavez will be taken to a hospital and examined for any injuries. Sheriffs officials said Chavez was riding a bicycle on North Yaleton Avenue near Badillo Street at 11:18 p.m. Friday when the on-duty officer approached him. The officer tried to detain him and a gun battle ensued, deputies said, with numerous rounds fired at the officer. The officer was released from the hospital Sunday and is recovering at home. Using helicopters, the Sheriffs Department and West Covina police searched for Chavez during the weekend, but were unable to find him. For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter. ALSO Condoms, tampons and feces: Oregon fraternity suspended after disgraceful trashing of Shasta Lake Headless, limbless body found at foot of Bay Bridge in West Oakland Boy, 8, hit and killed by trash truck in Newport Beach The hard work of dozens of Marina High School students and their woodwork teacher paid off Friday when the group set sail for the first time on a Viking ship they built together. Bob Meade, who led the effort and has been a woodwork teacher at the Huntington Beach school for six years, said he has been building ships for years on his own but that this was one of the largest he created and the first hes made with his students. Since September 2014, he and his students have studied original Norwegian blueprints for Viking ships the schools mascot is a Viking collected money, gathered wood and constructed the 30-foot-long ship behind Meades classroom. Advertisement The project cost more than $3,500, with most of the money being spent on the plywood and polyurethane. Meades classes built and sold lifeguard chairs to help fund the construction, and the schools art classes designed and painted the shields. The Marina High School Education Foundation donated $1,200, Ganahl Lumber gave $100 and boating supply company West Marine offered Meade a 60% discount on all purchases. On Friday, when the boat was launched for the first time, it made two trips of a half-mile each around the Sunset Aquatic Marina. Each time, a couple dozen students and several faculty members worked to steer the vessel. Meade said it was a good team-building exercise. The rowing was all encompassing, he said. Everyone was trying to get in sync with each other. They really had to work together. I think thats something I didnt expect ... the ability for this particular activity to develop so much teamwork. The boat will remain a fixture at the high school, Meade said, and perhaps make the rounds in city parades. He also plans to take the boat into the ocean within two years, with planned stops at the Queen Mary in Long Beach and Catalina Island. Times Community News reporter Anthony Clark Carpio contributed to this report. brittany.woolsey@latimes.com Twitter: @BrittanyWoolsey President Obama said Thursday that world leaders are rattled by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and that he doesnt blame them for being worried about the real estate moguls political rise. They are not sure how seriously to take some of his pronouncements but theyre rattled by him, and for good reason, Obama said. A lot of the proposals that he has made display either ignorance of world affairs or a cavalier attitude or an interest in getting tweets and headlines instead of actually thinking through what it is required to keep America safe. Though it was one of Obamas sharper criticisms of Trump, the president did not call the billionaire candidate by name in his public remarks. Advertisement Still, he pulled no punches as he described what foreign leaders have told him as he travels through Asia this week, a tour that took him first to Vietnam and then to Japan for a summit of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations. Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | Track the delegate race | Sign up for the newsletter To be clear, none of the leaders Obama has been meeting with have made any public statements of their own about Trump. But in a news conference at the end of the G7 summit, Obama said that even critics of the U.S. have made clear to him that they are paying close attention to the election and its possible reverberations around the globe. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> They know that ultimately things dont hold together so well if the United States is not making good decisions and count on us to provide a certain level of stability and direction, Obama said. I think its fair to say that they are surprised by the Republican nominee. Obama has a personal interest in the outcome of the election, as many of his most significant policies were enacted by executive action and depend on his successor to carry them out. Even with his legacy in the balance, Obama said Thursday that he doesnt plan to step in to cut off the Democratic primary before the voting is done next month and maybe not even until one of the candidates has conceded to the other. He suggested he has a feeling the primary between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders will be resolved and the party will pull together around a common vision, likely by the time of the convention in July in Philadelphia. In the meantime, he said he has asked both sides to stick to the issues and not make the kind of personal comments that make people grumpy. It weighs on you more, being criticized by folks who are in your own party, he said. It always hurts just a little more. Follow @cparsons for news about the White House. ALSO Obama presses Vietnamese on human rights abuses as dissidents are barred from meeting him At a rowdy but peaceful rally in Anaheim, Trump hits immigration hard Hillary Clinton broke the rules for using private email, State Department says As far as camping trips go, the Oregon police chiefs squirrel-hunting excursion in April ended poorly. The Portland police chiefs hunting partner ended up getting shot in the back, and Larry ODea -- glassy-eyed and shaking, investigators said -- found himself trying to explain to authorities just what had happened. A cop for more than 30 years, ODea originally told investigators that 54-year-old pal Robert Dempsey had somehow managed to shoot himself in the back as the two were hanging out with a group of fellow hunters while camping in southeast Oregon on April 21. Advertisement See more of our top stories on Facebook >> But as word leaked out about the incident, authorities said ODea modified his story, confirming it was his own .22 rifle that had wounded Dempsey, who is now recovering. Beyond that, ODea provided few if any details, authorities said -- only that the shooting was a case of negligent discharge. ODea, 53, appointed chief last year, has since been placed on paid administrative leave while Oregon State Police investigate the shooting and the sheriffs version of what happened in Harney County. Now, a newly released report from Oregon Fish and Wildlife offers fresh detail, and more conflict. Almost all those camping with ODea had been drinking, an investigator noted, and they originally clung to a story that Dempsey had shot himself. Though Dempsey said ODea later admitted shooting him, he also said that the chiefs gun was faulty and may have misfired. ODea was in the wilds to hunt ground squirrel, a short-tailed rodent that prefers higher altitudes and is known locally as a sage rat. According to the Fish and Wildlife account, first reported by the Oregonian, Dempsey and ODea were among seven overnight campers, many of them current or former law enforcement officers. When the shooting took place, they were sitting in lawn chairs at a campsite where they could easily pick off rodents running along a nearby dirt bank, the report noted. A copy of the report, which includes statements given by Dempsey, ODea and others to a Harney County sheriffs deputy, quotes one witness as saying there was a steady amount of gunfire and then Dempsey suddenly began yelling profanities, saying hed been shot. In that initial interview, the witnesses, including ODea, all seemed to agree that Dempsey had shot himself in the lower left back while attempting to holster his pistol. Almost all also smelled of alcohol, wrote the deputy, Chris Nisbet. He does not say whether he was aware ODea was Portlands police chief. During the interview, Nisbet wrote, I noted I could smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from [ODeas] breath. He also said the chief had glassy, watery and bloodshot eyes and seemed visibly nervous and shaky during the interview. Prior to the interview, I noticed Mr. ODea consume a bottle of water and during the interview he also consumed another bottle of water, the deputy wrote. ODea told investigators he had placed his gun on a chair and walked a couple steps away to a cooler, where he opened a drink. He said that he was standing by the cooler when he heard Dempsey yell out in pain. Nisbet was not able to interview Dempsey -- who was airlifted to a Boise, Idaho, hospital -- until May 14. But when he did, the victim gave a different version of the shooting. Mr. Dempsey said Mr. ODea put his gun down and went to get something to drink, Nisbet wrote. Mr. Dempsey said when Mr. ODea returned, he picked his gun back up and Mr. ODea accidentally shot him [Mr. Dempsey]. Dempsey said ODeas rifle had been jamming and misfiring during the day, but that he continued to use it. Mr. Dempsey informed me that his friend Mr. ODea called him after the incident and was very emotional and apologizing for shooting him. That is when Mr. Dempsey learned that Mr. ODea shot him, the deputy reported. The deputy, who concluded that the incident involved faulty equipment, careless handing of firearms and apparent use of intoxicants, told his boss, Sheriff Dave Ward, of the new version of events. The sheriff informed Oregon State Police. Mr. Dempsey said Mr. ODea talked with his bosses and told them about the incident, the deputy noted. Mr. Dempsey did not elaborate on who the bosses were. Portland Mayor Charlie Hales has acknowledged that ODea told him about the shooting three days after the incident, but did not say why the city kept the incident private until it was revealed in news reports last week. ALSO Louisiana adds blue lives matter police protections to hate-crime laws In the final stretch, how will a divided Supreme Court rule on these big cases? LGBT divide grows as 11 states sue feds over transgender bathroom rule Anderson is a special correspondent. The tears streamed down Alix Idraches face. In the photograph, the streaks reach almost to the high collar of his gray dress uniform. The moment, captured by a military photographer Saturday during commencement exercises at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., marked the culmination of a journey that began in 2009, when Idrache came to Maryland from his native Haiti, barely able to speak English. Now 24, he graduated at the top of his class in physics, was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army, and is headed to Alabama to train as a helicopter pilot. Advertisement Idrache, who served in the Maryland National Guard before enrolling at West Point, said his past, present and future flashed through his mind on the graduation field. I am from Haiti and never did I imagine that such honor would be one day bestowed on me, he wrote on Instagram. I could not help but be flooded with emotions knowing that I will be leading these men and women who are willing to give their all to preserve what we value as the American way of life. To me, that is the greatest honor. The striking image of Idrache spread across the Internet this week after the Military Academy posted it on social media. I am from Haiti and never did I imagine that such an honor would be one day bestowed on me. Alix Idrache The photographer, Staff Sgt. Vito T. Bryant, said he was looking to capture the emotion of the commencement exercises, when cadets complete four years of grueling intellectual and physical training, take the oath of office and are commissioned. Bryant had a wide lens ready to photograph the hat toss when he noticed Idraches tears. He quickly switched to a long lens and trained the camera on the cadets face. He made it easy, Bryant said. Idrache was not available for interviews Thursday, a West Point spokesman said. But representatives of the Military Academy and the Maryland National Guard were happy to share his story. Idraches father, Dieujuste, came to the United States in search of economic opportunity. In 2009, he was able to bring Idrache here as well. Idraches military career began in the Maryland National Guard. He was drawn to the guard, he told a military reporter, by the offer of a free T-shirt. Idraches sister gave him a sticker that had been handed to her at school by a recruiter from West Point. He thought his chances of getting into the elite military academy were slim, according to an Army account of his career. But his lieutenant in his National Guard unit helped him start the application process, and an administrator, Sgt. 1st Class Christi McKinney, guided him through the process. Idrache enrolled at West Point in 2012. He is now on his way to Ft. Rucker, Ala., where the Army trains helicopter pilots. This is the country that comes to help when very few people do, Idrache said, his voice cracking, in a video made by the Maryland guard. This is the 82nd Airborne being in Haiti within a few hours of the earthquake to help people. This is a place where, like, a guy who was born with nothing can become a pilot, and to me that means so much. I love Haiti but I would probably think twice before I go to war for it. But if I had to die for this, Id do it. Idrache had watched the U.S. military conduct humanitarian missions as a child, according to the Army account, and was amazed by its helicopters. The first time I saw a Chinook, I ran after it and I was like, this thing kind of looks like a flying telephone, he told a military reporter, speaking with a slight accent. And I was like How is this up? The moment faded from his mind. But when it came time for Idrache to choose a military career, he knew what he wanted to do. I was like, yo, I could be in one of those flying telephones and up there having some random kid in the Third World running after me with no shirt on, he said. I asked myself, what is one thing I could never be if I didnt come to West Point and thats a pilot. McKinney followed Idrache through his West Point career, and was there to watch him graduate and get commissioned as an officer. Once his lieutenants bar had been pinned on, she was the first enlisted soldier to salute him. READ MORE: In Little Saigon, some Latinos are learning Vietnamese to get ahead Could anger over Donald Trumps rhetoric reinvigorate the push for immigration reform? Advocates hope so Frustrated by new U.S. program to take in migrants, Central American parents turn to smugglers Ian Duncan writes for the Baltimore Sun. Two Navy jet fighters collided off the coast of North Carolina during a routine training mission on Thursday, sending four people to the hospital, officials said. The F/A-18 Super Hornet jet fighters, based in Virginia Beach, Va., collided about 10:40 a.m. off the coast of Cape Hatteras, N.C., said Navy spokesman Ensign Mark Rockwellpate. Four crew members were taken to a hospital in Norfolk, Va,. but Rockwellpate said he didnt have information about the extent of their injuries. An investigation will be conducted to determine the cause of the accident, he said. Advertisement See the most-read stories this hour >> The four survivors were plucked off a commercial fishing ship that pulled them out of the Atlantic Ocean. They were flown by Coast Guard helicopter to a hospital in Norfolk, said Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer 3rd Class Joshua Canup. The helicopter was dispatched from the Coast Guards air station in Elizabeth City, N.C. The stations helicopters perform ocean search-and-rescue operations off North Carolina and Virginia as far east as Bermuda. ALSO Condoms, tampons and feces: Oregon fraternity suspended after disgraceful trashing of Shasta Lake Faraday Future seeks approval to build electric cars in California An Idaho town grapples with an ugly mix high school football, racism and rape UPDATES: 10:47 a.m.: This article was updated with additional information throughout. This article was originally posted at 9:51 a.m. Im Davan Maharaj, editor-in-chief of the Los Angeles Times. Here are some story lines I dont want you to miss today. TOP STORIES The Battle for the Golden State Advertisement When three presidential candidates hit Southern California for a day of campaigning, you know there will be fireworks. Fortunately, they were mostly of the rhetorical kind. Donald Trump hit immigration hard in his stop at Anaheim, while the demonstration outside was rowdy but mostly nonviolent. In Buena Park, Hillary Clinton hammered Trumps foreign policy. And in Cathedral City, Bernie Sanders took on the rigged economy and urged his followers to have faith that change will come. Those Damn Emails By now, Clinton had hoped to set aside the controversy over her use of private email for government business when she was secretary of State. As an FBI investigation continues, the State Departments inspector general found she clearly broke department rules. It also found a Republican predecessor, Colin Powell, to have committed similar violations. More From the Campaign Trail -- Is Sanders a socialist? Some on the far left say sellout is more like it. -- A new poll shows Clinton and Sanders neck and neck in California. -- Those polls showing Trump catching up with Clinton: Really? -- George Skelton: Why Gov. Jerry Brown hasnt endorsed a presidential candidate. The Quiet Research on Hiroshima President Obamas planned visit to Hiroshima on Friday is putting a renewed focus on the legacy of the atomic bomb. Unbeknownst to many, a group of U.S. scientists has been quietly working there for decades with Japanese researchers to study the effects. Theyve collected and analyzed data from hundreds of thousands of survivors and their children. Their work has become the basis for radiation-exposure guidelines for X-ray technicians, airline pilots and more. SoCals New Dusty Trail Its been a long and winding path to making the Backbone Trail an uninterrupted stretch running 67 miles through the Santa Monica Mountains. After more than five decades, the final pieces of the puzzle are coming into place. Escrow just closed on a donation of 40 acres by Arnold Schwarzenegger and fitness pioneer Betty Weider, and two remaining parcels should be transferred to the National Park Service within a week and a half. Heres how the Backbone Trail was blazed. Dont Let the Banana Trip You Up Reporter Matt Pearce was on assignment in Minneapolis when he visited the Maashaaallah Restaurant for his first traditional Somali meal. His $14 rice and lamb plate came with what he thought was an appetizer: a banana. But on Twitter, lots of Somalis set him straight. Read on to see the bananas true place in Somali cuisine. CALIFORNIA -- Inglewoods former budget and accounting manager says the city cooked its books to lure an NFL team. The mayor denies it. -- The state is relying on the sale of carbon credits to fund the bullet train project, but buyers in the latest auction bought just 2% of them. -- The teacher tenure battle is being reignited by an appeal to the state Supreme Court and a new bill. -- A University of Oregon fraternity was suspended after the trashing of a campsite at Shasta Lake in Northern California. NATION-WORLD -- President Obama races to cement the big Pacific Rim trade deal that all his potential successors oppose. -- The LGBT divide grows as 11 states sue the federal government over its directive about school bathrooms and locker rooms. -- More states in India are banning liquor, though that hasnt stopped the drinking. -- The Talibans new leader is seen as more of a teacher than a fighter, but dont expect the attacks to end. -- Scientists believe half a dozen mysterious structures in a cave in southwestern France were built by Neanderthals 176,000 years ago. HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS -- An electronic dance music festival comes to Cuba, and despite all the obstacles, magic ensues. -- Video: Actress Tracee Ellis Ross discusses her work on the TV show black-ish. -- Beth Howland, who played the waitress Vera on Alice, has died at age 74. -- Is the era of blindly following Mickey Mouse over? A Chinese billionaire planning to build his own theme parks thinks so. BUSINESS -- A new wave of natural gas power plants planned for Southern California has stoked a high-stakes debate about how best to keep the lights on. -- The U.S. Justice Department has joined a lawsuit accusing Prime Healthcare of bilking the Medicare system. -- How to get the struggling golf business to grow? Think nine holes instead of 18, for starters. SPORTS -- Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s trips to Manny Pacquiaos gym in Hollywood is spurring talk of a rematch. -- Rams quarterback Case Keenum knows hes listed as the starter in pencil, after the team drafted franchise quarterback Jared Goff. OPINION -- Director Oliver Stone and history professor Peter Kuznick write that bombing Hiroshima changed the world, but it didnt end WWII. -- Why feminists have an obligation to see the all-female reboot of Ghostbusters. WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING -- I just want to dispel myths: The author of a book that documents every day of Adolf Hitlers life talks about a project that took him 25 years to complete. (Vice) -- Go inside an etiquette school for bouncers. (Wall Street Journal) -- The era of Peak TV is changing a lot of longstanding conventions for viewers. (Flavorwire) ONLY IN L.A. Anarchy in the L.A. area! Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles and South Central Los Angeles have long been home to a vibrant punk rock scene. The documentary Los Punks: We Are All We Have examines a new wave of bands with names like Psyk Ward, Rhythmic Asylum, Las Cochinas and Corrupted Youth. Step into the tattooed, pierced and mohawked world of backyard mosh pits here. Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj. With the exception of a handful of quacks and deniers, the vast majority of scientists believe that human activity primarily the burning of fossil fuels is driving up temperatures around the world, and that the pace of global warming is accelerating faster than earlier believed. Warmer temperatures unleash more extreme weather systems, exacerbate drought cycles, and melt the poles and glaciers, leading to rising sea levels that in the not-distant future will have disastrous effects, such as swamping swaths of Bangladesh, submerging the Marshall Islands and flooding low-lying coasts around the U.S., including Marina del Rey and other Southern California seaside communities. The scientific evidence is clear: Change is already happening. Record-high temperatures in the Arctic in January and February were described by one scientist as startling. World temperatures in February set a record so far above the previous one that a researcher referred to it as a shocking increase. After that, March and April exceeded that record gap by even wider margins, making it nearly inevitable that 2016 will be the warmest year on record (just as 2014 and 2015 were). Climate change is, as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently put it, one of the most crucial problems on Earth. Yet the issue has been largely absent from the current presidential campaign. Wed like to say that is surprising, but unfortunately it is to be expected. Like many Republicans, Donald Trump denies climate change even exists, which should serve as further proof, if more is needed, that he is unqualified to run the country. Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders both believe the science and have issued detailed proposals for increasing solar and other renewable energy sources while throttling back our reliance on fossil fuels. And they both recognize the absolute necessity for the U.S. to lead the world in efforts to limit the looming damage as much as is possible. But they too realize that climate change is not good campaign material: Its depressing, its complicated, its hard for voters to comprehend, its solutions are scary because they require lifestyles changes and personal sacrifice. Advertisement So what forms the core of our political discourse instead? Its ranged from the size of Trumps, uh, hands to whether Clinton enabled her husbands philandering to how to make Mexico pay for a wall the length of the border, along with international trade agreements, under what circumstances the military should be deployed, and whether the multi-nation deal with Iran to freeze its nuclear program was wise or foolish. Given the severity of the threat, the issue should play a far greater role in the national discussion. Climate change barely resonates. An assessment in March by Media Matters found that across 20 debates among candidates in both major parties, global warming accounted for only 1.5% of the questions asked 22 out of 1,477 questions. Nearly a third of the questions came in two Florida debates after some of that states mayors asked that the issue be addressed. And voters havent particularly cared, either. A February Gallup poll found climate change low on the list of issues that voters say matter to them especially for Republicans, for whom it was the least-significant issue included in the survey. Thats a lot of heads in the sand dangerously so if the sand happens to be near the rising seas. The globe is teetering on the edge of catastrophic change. Nearly 200 nations agreed in Paris six months ago to work together to stop global temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. It was a good start, but some experts doubt it will be enough for the world to avoid the worst ravages of climate change. Still, thats no excuse for inaction. The world needs to continue and hasten the shift in how it creates and uses energy; it must invest in technological innovation and craft programs to mitigate the effects of the changes well be unable to stop. In Louisiana, the federal government already is spending $48 million to move a village of about 100 Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw Indians whose land is being consumed by the Gulf of Mexico. Another project using mostly state money is relocating the remote native village of Newtok, Alaska. A 2009 Army Corps of Engineers report questioned the viability of at least two dozen more Alaskan villages similarly threatened by the shrinking ice cap and thawing permafrost, which increase flooding and shoreline erosion. Confronting the challenges of climate change will require significant political leadership, particularly since a cluster of deniers hold influential congressional positions. Given the severity of the threat, the issue should play a far greater role in the national discussion. Yes, Islamic State is a destabilizing force, income inequality may have knocked the nations middle class on its heels and theres way too much money skewing our political system. But climate change, with its mass variations in weather patterns, disappearing coastlines, longer and drier droughts and ensuing conflicts over access to water and habitable terrain, is a looming problem that threatens to upend world politics. Unless we stop looking at it as a back-burner issue, were going to pay the consequences much sooner than we think. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook President Obamas visit to Hiroshima on Friday has rekindled public debate about the U.S. atomic bombings of Japan one largely suppressed since the Smithsonian canceled its Enola Gay exhibit in 1995. Obama, aware that his critics are ready to pounce if he casts the slightest doubt on the rectitude of President Harry S. Trumans decision to use atomic bombs, has opted to remain silent on the issue. This is unfortunate. A national reckoning is overdue. Most Americans have been taught that using atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 was justified because the bombings ended the war in the Pacific, thereby averting a costly U.S. invasion of Japan. This erroneous contention finds its way into high school history texts still today. More dangerously, it shapes the thinking of government officials and military planners working in a world that still contains more than 15,000 nuclear weapons. Truman exulted in the obliteration of Hiroshima, calling it the greatest thing in history. Americas military leaders didnt share his exuberance. Seven of Americas eight five-star officers in 1945 Gens. Dwight Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur and Henry Arnold, and Adms. William Leahy, Chester Nimitz, Ernest King and William Halsey later called the atomic bombings either militarily unnecessary, morally reprehensible, or both. Nor did the bombs succeed in their collateral purpose: cowing the Soviets. Advertisement Leahy, who was Trumans personal chief of staff, wrote in his memoir that the Japanese were already defeated and ready to surrender. The use of this barbarous weapon at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no material assistance in our war against Japan. MacArthur went further. He told former President Hoover that if the United States had assured the Japanese that they could keep the emperor they would have gladly surrendered in late May. It was not the atomic evisceration of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that ended the Pacific war. Instead, it was the Soviet invasion of Manchuria and other Japanese colonies that began at midnight on Aug. 8, 1945 between the two bombings. For months, Allied intelligence had been reporting that a Soviet invasion would knock Japan out of the war. On April 11, for example, the Joint Intelligence Staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff predicted, If at any time the USSR should enter the war, all Japanese will realize that absolute defeat is inevitable. Truman understood the stakes. He knew the Soviet invasion would end the war. ... But he decided to use the atomic bombs anyway. The Americans, having broken Japanese codes, were aware of Japans desperation to negotiate peace with the U.S. before the Soviets invaded. Truman himself described an intercepted cable from July 18, 1945, as the telegram from the Jap emperor asking for peace. Indeed, Truman went to the mid-July summit in Potsdam to make sure that the Soviets were keeping their Yalta conference promise to come into the Pacific war. When Stalin gave him the assurance on July 17, Truman wrote in his diary, Hell be in the Jap War on August 15. Fini Japs when that comes about. Truman reiterated this in a letter to his wife the next day: Well end the war a year sooner now, and think of the kids who wont be killed. In quickly routing Japans Kwantung army, the Soviets ruined Japans diplomatic and military end game: keep inflicting military losses on the U.S. and get Stalins help negotiating better surrender terms. The atomic bombings, terrible and inhumane as they were, played little role in Japanese leaders calculations to quickly surrender. After all, the U.S. had firebombed more than 100 Japanese cities. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were just two more cities destroyed; whether the attack required one bomb or thousands didnt much matter. As Gen. Torashiro Kawabe, the deputy chief of staff, later told U.S. interrogators, the depth of devastation wrought in Hiroshima and Nagasaki only became known in a gradual manner. But in comparison, the Soviet entry into the war was a great shock. When Prime Minister Kantaro Suzuki was asked on Aug. 10 why Japan needed to surrender so quickly, he explained, the Soviet Union will take not only Manchuria, Korea, Karafuto, but also Hokkaido. This would destroy the foundation of Japan. We must end the war when we can deal with the United States. Japanese leaders also feared the spread of Soviet-inspired communist uprisings and knew the Soviets would not look kindly upon their paramount concerns protecting the emperor himself and preserving the emperor system. Truman understood the stakes. He knew the Soviet invasion would end the war. He knew assuring Japan about the emperor might also lead to surrender. But he decided to use the atomic bombs anyway. While at Potsdam, Truman received a report detailing the power of the bomb tested July 16 at Alamogordo, N.M. Afterward he was a changed man, according to Winston Churchill. He began bossing Stalin around. And he authorized use of the bomb against Japan. If his newfound assertiveness at Potsdam didnt show Stalin who was boss, Truman figured, Hiroshima certainly would. Stalin got the message. Atomic bombs were now a fundamental part of the U.S. arsenal, and not just as a last resort. He ordered Soviet scientists to throw everything they had into developing a Soviet bomb. The race was on. Eventually, the two sides would accumulate the equivalent of 1.5 million Hiroshima bombs. And as Manhattan Project physicist I.I. Rabi astutely observed, Suddenly the day of judgment was the next day and has been ever since. Oliver Stone is an Academy Award-winning writer and director. History professor Peter Kuznick is director of the Nuclear Studies Institute at American University. They co-authored the Showtime documentary series and book, The Untold History of the United States. MORE FROM OPINION Climate change is the most pressing issue of our time. So why isnt it getting more play in the election? To understand Chinas President Xi Jinping, dont look to Mao Tse-tung, look to Chiang Kai-shek Polls show Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in a virtual tie. Should Democrats be worried? Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook I have this friend who is always gleeful when she catches me saying something pompous or dumb. As soon as I arrived for a visit with her in San Francisco last Saturday, she began giving me grief about something I wrote in a column last week. Getting a ride from Uber, I had declared, would make me feel morally compromised. Well, OK, I admit the phrase was overly dramatic, (not to mention that I easily allowed myself to be compromised when my friends husband called up Uber and we all jumped into the hired car for a ride across town). My point was not that Uber is more exploitative than many other sectors of our economy, but that Uber is symbolic of how American capitalism has evolved in the last few decades -- thanks to technological change, globalization, lax regulation, political stupidity and good old greed -- to give ever-expanding power to people with vast amounts of money while throwing the majority of us into a frantic pool of cheaper and cheaper labor. Economic columnist Rana Foroohar does a much better job describing the demerits and perils of our new economy in the current issue of Time magazine. Foroohars cover story may be the most enlightening article I have read this election year, and I recommend it to everyone, in particular all the candidates running for high office who generally spout ideas about the economy that seem stuck in 1980, if not 1955. Advertisement 1 / 51 la-1491523602-y7ephyarj1-snap-image (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 51 la-1491368625-0bgh58ihw8-snap-image (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los angeles Times) 6 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 51 Trump inspires millions to take to the streets -- to oppose him. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 51 Cartoon caption contest winner at the DENT conference in Sun Valley, Idaho: Jon Duval, executive director of the Ketchum Community Development Corporation. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 51 Old radicals and big media descend on Selma (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 51 Horsey imagined the creation of the Ann Coulter phenomenon in this cartoon from 2007. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 51 This David Horsey drawing is a reconfiguration of a cartoon he first published in 2006. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 51 Donald Sterling, owner of the L.A. Clippers, should give Cliven Bundy a call. After Sterling loses his NBA franchise and the deadbeat Nevada rancher loses his cattle, the two old racists will both need a buddy. Maybe they can team up together and open an all-white rodeo. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 51 Besides sending a chill up the spine of the international community, Vladimir Putin has accomplished one other thing by seizing Crimea and threatening the rest of Ukraine: Putin has brought back the bear. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 51 The right-wing insurrection at the Bundy ranch in Bunkerville, Nev., has taken another weird turn with new revelations about the family history of Cliven Bundy. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 51 David Horsey / Los Angeles Times (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) Foroohars thesis is that the decline of the American middle class, the sluggish labor market and anemic business development can largely be attributed to an extreme imbalance in global economics that favors the financial sector over all else. According to Foroohar, Americas economic illness has a name: financialization. Its an academic term for the trend by which Wall Street and its methods have come to reign supreme in America, permeating not just the financial industry but also much of American business. It includes everything from the growth in size and scope of finance and financial activity in the economy; to the rise of debt-fueled speculation over productive lending; to the ascendancy of shareholder value as the sole model for corporate governance; to the proliferation of risky, selfish thinking in both the private and public sectors; to the increasing political power of financiers and the CEOs they enrich; to the way in which a markets know best ideology remains the status quo. In the new American economy, banks would rather put money into high-yield, risky financial schemes than loan money to small businesses. Short-term gains for stockholders and CEOs are invariably given priority over the well-being of employees and the long-term viability of companies. Dangerously, debt has become the prime economic driver, whether one is talking about consumers, banks or businesses. Foroohar points out that the financial sector gobbles up a quarter of corporate profits while creating just 4% of American jobs. This has the effect of sucking all the economic air out of the room, she says, quoting a former Goldman Sachs banker who described the economy as a zero-sum game between financial wealth holders and the rest of America. On a gut level, this should be no surprise to most Americans. Economic unease is inspiring much of the rebelliousness among voters in the current campaign season. Yet few people diagnose the problem especially well. Instead, there is a lot of useless noise about the Chinese and the Mexicans, about immigrants and bureaucrats, about poor people mooching off hardworking folks and billionaires squirreling away their money in offshore bank accounts. Bernie Sanders is the only presidential candidate who has reached beyond platitudes and tired cliches to talk about what is really happening in our economy, but it would be misleading to look at this as a left/right issue, or a cleft that separates Republicans and Democrats. Financialization is bad for everyone, both business and labor, for the poor, the middle class and, yes, even for the rich because it is unsustainable. It will bring on another financial collapse or a social upheaval -- perhaps both. Capitalism is imperiled by this distortion of the capitalist system. For now, we can save a few bucks riding Uber -- or make a few bucks by driving. We can push prices down on all sorts of things, hoping that will keep pace with the dive in incomes, but, at the bottom of that spiral is not the United States we have known. It is a place more like Venezuela. Forget what I said about feeling morally compromised. Its time to feel morally outraged. David.Horsey@latimes.com Follow me at @davidhorsey on Twitter A raft of polls in recent days has shown a sharply tighter presidential race, with Hillary Clinton's lead over Donald Trump shrinking to just a couple of points. Those polls have generated a lot of questions: Just how reliable is polling this far in advance of an election? What's causing the polls to shift? Can Trump actually win? Here are some key questions and answers. I keep seeing new polls that show Trump catching up with Clinton. That's just noise, right? Nope. Polls conducted in May can't tell you who will win in November, but they do answer a big question about what's going on among voters right now. What question? Will Republican voters unify behind Trump? A month ago, when Trump was still battling Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Ohio Gov. John Kasich for the nomination, and most GOP leaders were keeping him at a distance, we didn't know whether the GOP could unify. Now we know they can. Most Republican voters not all, but the large majority have swung into line behind their presumptive nominee. What's the evidence for that? Several polls have shown the percentage of Republicans with a favorable view of Trump shooting upward since he became the party's presumptive nominee. In Gallup's surveys, for example, the share of the GOP with a favorable view of Trump has gone from just over half in April to two-thirds now. The share of Republicans saying they'll vote for Trump has similarly risen. Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | Track the delegate race | Sign up for the newsletter So what impact has that had on the polls of head-to-head matchups? A month ago, if you averaged all the recent polls, you'd have found Clinton leading Trump by about 10 percentage points. Now, that lead in the polling average has shrunk to about a point and a half. The shift has come about mostly because Trump is doing much better among voters who identify themselves as Republicans or Republican-leaning independents. If the end of the Republican primaries boosted Trump, will Clinton get a boost when the Democratic primaries finish? That could be the single most important question in the campaign. And? And we don't know the answer. If Democrats do unite behind Clinton the way Republicans have united behind Trump, we'll probably see her lead expand again. If not, the race could remain extremely tight, and a Trump victory much easier to envision. So what you're saying is that the current polls give a picture of what a fractured party would mean for Clinton's chances of winning? Exactly. Which Democratic voters are most problematic for Clinton? The former secretary of State does well among voters who identify themselves as Democrats. Her biggest problem is among self-identified independents who normally vote Democratic. That group includes a significant chunk of voters who are further to the left than the average Democrat. They tend to favor Bernie Sanders, and many of them have a very negative view of Clinton. Can those sorts of negative views change? Trump just proved that they can. I thought Trump was extremely unpopular among voters. Among voters who aren't Republicans, he still is. In the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, for example, Trump's net image rating the percentage of registered voters who hold a positive image of him minus the percentage who hold a negative image sits at negative 29. That's several points better than his rating in April, but it's still worse than any major-party nominee. Clinton's not doing so well either, is she? No. Her net score in the NBC/WSJ poll is negative 20. Have previous races gone through similar ups and downs? Absolutely. In 2008, for example, after Sen. John McCain clinched the GOP nomination, he had a lead in polls over then-Sen. Barack Obama, who was still locked in a primary fight with Clinton. Once Democrats unified, Obama moved into the lead. Speaking of Obama, what's up with his poll numbers? Up is the operative word. The president's popularity has risen steadily since the start of the year and now stands at about the level it was when he won reelection. That's good news for the Democrats since the popularity of the incumbent president is a strong factor when voters decide on his successor. I hear people say that some of the new polls have flaws. All polls have flaws. No sample is perfect. But focusing on the pluses or minuses of each individual survey can just be a distraction from the overall picture. Better to keep an eye on the averages. The same polls say Sanders would do better than Clinton against Trump. Is that real? We can't know for sure, of course, but there's reason to doubt it. Like what? Sanders has gone through the entire campaign without a single negative ad aired against him: The Clinton campaign didn't want to rile up his voters, and Republicans wanted to build him up as a rival to her. His positions, including higher taxes for most Americans and big increases in government spending, as well as his past statements, such as praise for Fidel Castro, would provide lots of fodder for Republican attacks if he were to somehow become the nominee. History suggests those attacks would cause his standing to drop. The polls you've been talking about are all national, but presidential elections get fought out state by state, right? Yup. A candidate can win the popular vote nationally and still lose, as Vice President Al Gore proved in 2000. Victory requires winning enough states to gain 270 electoral votes. How do the key states look? There are fewer state polls than national ones, but so far, Clinton leads in battleground states including Florida, Ohio and Virginia where recent polls have been taken. An analysis of the NBC/Wall Street Journal poll suggested that Trump was running somewhat ahead of Mitt Romney's 2012 pace in rural areas but that Clinton was matching Obama's performance in urban ones. david.lauter@latimes.com For more on Politics and Policy, follow me @DavidLauter ALSO: Analysis: Ahead of the California primary, Clinton focuses on beating Trump while Sanders seeks to prolong 'the Bern' Bernie Sanders is a socialist? Some on the far left say 'sellout' is more like it Donald Trump has done the unthinkable: Unite Silicon Valley Sen. Bernie Sanders sat down with Times reporter Kate Linthicum for a brief interview Wednesday night before his rally in Lancaster. This transcript of the questions and answers has been lightly edited for clarity. LAT: A new poll shows you trailing Hillary Clinton by a few percentage points in California. Lets say you did squeak out a victory here. What would that mean? Sanders: Right now in terms of pledged delegates, we have about 46%. Now that is a pretty good vote when you consider a lot of the primaries that we have participated in are closed primaries, which means independents are not able to participate. Advertisement If we can do well in the last six states, it is possible if we do very, very, very well, we can end up with a majority of the delegates. Thats a steep climb. It requires us doing very well here in California, and thats why were running all over the state, and why we intend to speak to at least 200,000 people face-to-face. Now Hillary Clinton has a huge lead in superdelegates. The case that were going to make to the superdelegates is a very simple case: If you look at all of the polling that has been done in the last couple of months, every national poll, and virtually every state poll has us beating [Donald] Trump by much larger margins than Hillary Clinton. In fact theres some states where shes losing to him. In the case of the superdelegates, 400 of whom decided to back Clinton before anyone else was in the race, the case we make to them is that if they want to defeat Trump, they want the strongest candidate. I think our campaign is that campaign. LAT: Campaigning nonstop can be a really intense experience. I dont know how much time youve had for self-reflection... Sanders: And you think I will tell that to you, right? LAT: Well, what have you learned about yourself during this campaign process? Sanders: Well weve been doing this for a year. You see your strengths in action, the things you do well, and you see your weaknesses. Because youre out there every single day under public scrutiny. Both your strengths and your weaknesses, you see them more clearly than under normal circumstances. LAT: Is there any hope for party unity with Debbie Wasserman Schultz at the helm of the DNC? Sanders: Well I have said that if Im elected president, I would ask Wasserman Schultz to step aside. I think as youll see here tonight, virtually all of the crowds that we bring out are people who are really not involved in Democratic Party process. They dont feel welcome. They dont know much about the party. If you went into the crowd and asked people if theyd ever been to a Democratic Party meeting, my guess is they would say, Whats that about? But I say, You, know what? You are the future of America. I want you in. And you dont have to be a member of Congress, you dont have to be a major donor. I dont think Debbie Wasserman Schultz has done that. And thats the kind of party that were going to fight for. LAT: What are the specific changes that you think need to be made to the Democrats primary process? Sanders: Well Ill give you the easy ones. Im still thinking about some of the harder ones. LAT: And is this going to be your new mission? Sanders: Well I wouldnt say new mission. Its one of many. No. 1, I think we have to do away with closed primaries. And I say that not just because they work against me, but in the sense that the fastest growing political segment of American society are independents. They come in, and theyre not happy with the Democrats, theyre not happy with the Republicans. The process now in many states is to say to the fastest group of American voters: You cant participate in the Democratic nominating process. I think thats counterproductive. No. 2, I think this whole issue of superdelegates has got to be rethought in a very profound way. I dont have the answer yet. But the idea that 400 superdelegates came on board Hillary Clintons campaign before anybody else was in the race, what that is is a hierarchy, a top-down process by which the establishment has decided who to nominate. LAT: One of the people you chose to help shape the DNC platform at the Democratic convention this summer is a pro-Palestinian activist. Do you think that the Democrats and the U.S. should recalibrate their position toward Israel? What would that look like? Sanders: Lets be clear. I am 100% supportive of Israels right to exist, not only to exist, but to exist in peace and security, and to take all actions that are needed to protect itself from terrorism. But I believe that for too long our country and our government have not given the Palestinian people the respect that they need. And I think that long term, if theres going to be peace in the Middle East, a lasting peace, the Palestinian people are going to have to be treated with respect and dignity. And I think the ideas that were bringing forward will be the ideas that are adopted by the overwhelming majority at the Democratic convention. LAT: You named Cornel West to the same committee. Sanders: Oh yes, my dear friend. LAT: Did you agree with his phraseology when he called President Obama a Rockefeller Republican in blackface? Sanders: Look, Cornel West is brilliant. Hes a prolific writer. Hes one of the leading public intellectuals in the United States. Im quite certain there are many things that Cornel has written and said, including that, that I do not agree with. And theres much that I have said and written that Cornel does not agree with. But Cornel has played a great role in our campaign. Hes a man of passion and brilliance. And Im delighted to see him on the platform-writing committee. LAT: Last question. Are you having fun? Sanders: (Laughs heartily) Sometimes. In general I am. MORE ON 2016 ELECTION: Poll shows close contest between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in California Why Jerry Brown (probably) wont endorse Bernie Sanders Bernie Sanders is a socialist? Some on the far left say sellout is more like it kate.linthicum@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter: @katelinthicum Donald Trump showed no sign of letting up on his harsh immigration rhetoric as he returned to California on Wednesday with a message decidedly out of step with a state that has roundly rejected a hard-line approach to the issue. Build that wall! Trump chanted along with the crowd at the Anaheim Convention Center, playing up his pledge to seal the U.S. border with Mexico. Outside, demonstrators held a rowdy but largely peaceful demonstration, a contrast with the violence that broke out after Trump rallies last month in Costa Mesa and Tuesday night in Albuquerque. Advertisement Trump, the all-but-certain GOP presidential nominee, no longer faces a competitive California primary on June 7, and the states strong Democratic tilt puts it out of Republican reach in November. But at a time when he needs to expand his appeal for the general election, Trump played to his partys base of conservative white voters at the rally across the street from Disneyland. Trumps rhetoric also exposed the limitations of his attempts to modulate his language to strike a less offensive posture toward women. He mocked his presumed Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, suggesting that shed recently broken her habit of shouting in an attempt to appear more presidential. Ill be honest with you, I cannot listen to her, he said. Trump also used the demeaning nickname that he has bestowed on Elizabeth Warren in the weeks since the Massachusetts senator emerged as one of his fiercest critics: Pocahontas, a reference to her claim of Native American heritage. Trump met privately with a group of California businesswomen just before the rally and brought several of them on stage. Im telling you, women do like me, he said. Those comments came a day after Trump attacked one of his own partys most prominent Latinas, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez. She responded that she would not be bullied into supporting his candidacy. Trumps visit to Orange County, where a surge of new Latino and Asian voters has eroded Republican dominance, came as Clinton was campaigning nearby in Buena Park ahead of a closely fought state Democratic primary against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Trump used the Vermonters words against her. She doesnt have the temperament to be president, Trump told several thousand supporters. Shes got bad judgment. Shes got horribly bad judgment. And that was stated by none other than Crazy Bernie. Donald Trump supporters and opponents clash at a rally in Anaheim. At least seven adults and one juvenile are arrested. Trump criticized Clinton for voting to authorize the Iraq war when she was a U.S. senator and called her handling of Libya as secretary of State a catastrophe. If she wins, you better get used to it, because youll have nothing but turmoil, he said. And youll have nothing more than four more years of Obama, and you cant take that. Our system and our country cant take it. Most notable, however, was Trumps emphasis on illegal immigration in a state where Republicans have paid a heavy price for their tough rhetoric on the issue. The opening speakers at Trumps rally were family members of people killed by assailants they referred to as illegal aliens. On stage, Trump pointed to a sign saying, Latinos for Trump. Youre all here legally, he said. You have houses. You have homes. Were going to keep your houses and your homes. Youre going to have them forever. And your jobs arent going to be taken away by people that are just coming across the border. Later, he said he loves Mexicans. Theyre going to vote for me like crazy, the ones that are legally in this country, he said. Look all these Mexicans, theyre voting for Trump. From Anaheim, Trump traveled to Hollywood to tape Jimmy Kimmel Live for a national audience, then headed to the Los Angeles home of investor Thomas Barrack Jr. for a campaign fundraiser. Trump plans to return to the state Friday to meet with agricultural executives in Fresno and hold a Memorial Day rally with veterans in San Diego. His appearance Wednesday was relatively tame, by Trump standards. A few demonstrators were ejected from inside the rally, and a handful were arrested outside. But the disruption was modest in scale, thanks to law enforcement officers who worked to keep antagonists apart and some conscientious demonstrators who took it upon themselves to help police the crowd. Enrique Lopez was at last months rally in Costa Mesa and said he came to Anaheim on Wednesday to help prevent the same chaos from erupting. Clutching a sign that read lets smoke bud together adorned with a pot leaf, the 20-year-old Santa Ana resident put himself between protesters and a Trump supporter who began shoving near the Convention Center entrance. People just started attacking each other, and that shouldnt be happening, Lopez said. You have the right to vote for whoever the hell you want to. ... You shouldnt have to get punched in the face for it. As Lopez finished speaking, a crowd of protesters threw a Trump pinata to the ground and tore it to pieces. Five feet away, a Trump supporter clutching a Bible repeated his claim that the protesters should burn in hell. See the most-read stories this hour >> CAMPAIGN 2016 Bernie Sanders is a socialist? Some on the far left say sellout is more like it Donald Trump has done the unthinkable: Unite Silicon Valley L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti says Bernie Sanders supporters wont turn to racist Donald Trump Times staff writers Mark Z. Barabak, Anh Do, Brittny Mejia, Cindy Carcamo and Kenia Mendez contributed to this story. michael.finnegan@latimes.com Twitter: @finneganLAT The California Assn. of Realtors has put more than $207,000 toward getting Assemblywoman Cheryl Brown (D-San Bernardino) reelected in a tough intra-party fight in the Inland Empire. But instead of sticking to a single candidate, the political power player has also quietly been funneling money into a committee thats backing the races sole Republican, Aissa Chanel Sanchez, a 24-year-old regional sales training manager for SolarCity who has no political experience and who has raised no money of her own. Sanchez has gotten about $10,000 in mailers and other support from a group called the California Alliance for Progress and Education, which is bankrolled by the Realtors association, and by the California New Car Dealers Assn. Both groups also have contributed to Brown, a highly unusual circumstance as the incumbent faces a challenge from her left. Advertisement JobsPAC, a committee headed by the California Chamber of Commerce and supported by various business interests, has also kicked in $16,869 for mailers supporting Sanchez. JobsPAC has not endorsed Brown, but a chamber committee has given her money this year. The race for Assembly District 47 already is one of the most hotly contested this campaign season. More than $2 million in outside spending has flooded into the election, with nearly all of that going to support the races two Democrats, Brown, 72, and Eloise Reyes, a 60-year-old Colton attorney who has garnered the backing of liberal players inclduing the Sierra Club and the SEIU. Why would these well-heeled interests be spending on a political neophyte? The short answer is they could be trying to game Californias relatively new top-two primary system, under which the two candidates with the most votes advance after the primary, regardless of political party. The relatively meager $27,000 in spending to support a Republican could help bolster GOP turnout in the working-class district that stretches from Fontana to San Bernardino and siphon votes away from Reyes, another Latina in a district where more than half of registered voters are Latino. That investment could mean the difference between Brown running a virtually uncontested race in November, or facing a huge battle royale against a fellow Democrat with backing from powerful progressive groups, said Parke Skelton, a Democratic consultant. The calculation is based on the conventional wisdom that even in a district where Democrats hold a 49%-22% voter registration advantage, Republicans will vote for GOP candidates in a primary race, even one who has no money and no real campaign. In that case, the two Democrats could split the remaining votes. In a phone interview, Sanchez said she was initially surprised by the support from the Realtors and other groups. I think its because Ive made a lot of good contacts with people, she said. I have a background in politics. That was actually my degree when I went to school. When asked about a stark contrast between Brown and Sanchez and why the groups would spend money for both, only one offered praise for Sanchez. In a statement, a California Real Estate Political Action Committee spokeswoman said it supports many committees that support pragmatic candidates seeking elected office. CREPAC is focused on helping to elect Cheryl Brown, said Laiza Garcia, the PAC director of the association. She said the Sanchez-backing organization is supported by many groups and has many objectives. The California Chamber of Commerce declined to comment, with a spokesperson saying in an email, As a matter of policy, we do not comment on matters involving our political strategy. Brian Maas, president of the California New Car Dealers Assn., said it is supporting the candidates that we believe are the two best, since its a top-two primary, for franchise new car dealers and the motoring public. And those would be Ms. Brown and Ms. Sanchez. The Reyes campaign is crying foul. Clearly the one person they dont want in there is ... the one who isnt going to be looking out for special-interest groups because Im going to be looking out for the interests of voters, Reyes told The Times. Asked about Sanchez, Reyes said, I have not met her, I have not seen her ... and I have yet to meet someone [in the community] who has met her. When asked about the spending, Brown said she is focused on serving her constituents and on her campaign. She said she knew nothing about the independent expenditure committees, or about allegations that Sanchez may have been recruited. Leo Briones, a Reyes consultant, said he thinks the groups are trying to split the Democratic vote and edge out Reyes. But theyre wrong, Briones said. They underestimate the will of Eloise, for one, and most importantly, they also underestimate the will of our allies, like the United Food and Commercial Workers, whose regional council and local affiliates have poured more than $200,000 into committees to support her. Sanchez, who lives with her parents in Fontana in the northwest corner of the district, says she didnt enter the race expecting to win. Since the new primary system began, two Democrats have advanced after the last two primary elections. It was just more of a confidence booster, she said. I know people are looking at how young I am, but its just a learning experience. Sanchez does not have an official campaign manager or a campaign website. She has not raised or spent any money, she said. It was just more of a confidence booster. ... I know people are looking at how young I am, but its just a learning experience. Aissa Sanchez, first-time Republican candidate for Assembly District 47 Election 2016 | California politics coverage | Sign up for the newsletter On the day of the candidate filing deadline, when her papers to run for the seat were submitted, Sanchez was on a trip in Hawaii, according to her Facebook page. (Notarized documents accompanying her candidacy papers were dated a week earlier, according to county elections officials.) A day later, Sanchez wrote on Facebook, I may or may not come back home to SoCal #movingtohawaii. You better! wrote her father, a local politician himself. Another commenter wrote, Madam candidate you must live in the district, to which her father replied, Lol and Yeah Madam candidate the IE needs you, referring to the Inland Empire. Sanchez said she was on a business trip and that she travels frequently for work, leaving her little time to campaign. Sanchezs father, Idilio Sanchez, a Fontana city planning commissioner and chairman of the local Chamber of Commerce, told The Times that his daughter wanted to get her feet wet in politics. Reyes supporters also have pointed out that Sanchez and her father call California GOP Chairman Jim Brulte a family friend. He is an influential political consultant in the Inland Empire, and despite being a Republican, he endorsed and contributed to Browns campaign in 2012. Sanchez said Brulte has encouraged her to run for office in the past. Both Sanchez and Brulte said he did not recruit her. The idea that an outside group might back two candidates in a race is not new. Keeping Californians Working, another pro-Brown group that has spent more than $275,000, has used the tactic at least two other times in recent elections. In 2014, the group spent $40,000 on mailers supporting a Republican and $48,000 to back Democrat Patrick ODonnell in a safe Democratic race for Assembly District 70, where only 21% of registered voters are Republican. The Republican candidate only managed to raise $80,000, but was able to get past the top-two primary with 32% of the vote, ahead of ODonnells Democratic rival. ODonnell coasted to victory in November. When Assemblywoman Autumn Burke (D-Marina del Rey) was facing a crowded field of Democrats in an open seat for Assembly District 62, Keeping Californians Working spent just under $9,000 to support the sole Republican in the race. Republicans made up only 13% of registered voters, but the GOP candidate received 20% of the vote with a split Democratic field. Burke went on to defeat him with 76% of the vote in the general election. Skelton said he expects these kinds of moves to increase as the most influential political players settle into the top-two system. It will become more and more common as ... people realize that shaping the opposite partys candidate field is just as important a factor in determining who survives the runoff, he said. Theres too much incentive to engage in mischief. Times staff writer John Myers contributed to this report. ALSO San Bernardino Assembly race could define what it means to be an Inland Empire Democrat In this Glendale Assembly district, Armenian Americans could be key Im an independent voter and want to vote in Californias presidential primary: Now what? A farmer and a former UCLA football player are running for Congress. Heres why you should pay attention Updates on California politics For more on California politics, follow @cmaiduc Gov. Jerry Brown has endorsed a candidate for the U.S. Senate. He has also embraced one running for Congress in Compton. And for Sacramento mayor. But Brown still has not taken sides in the presidential race between fellow Democrats Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders, even with Californians already voting in the June 7 primary. Does it matter? To the outcome? Unlikely. To the candidates followers? Perhaps. To the candidates themselves? You bet. Candidates tend to take it personally when theyre not endorsed. Advertisement Politicians have thin skins, notes veteran Democratic strategist David Townsend. The Clintons are known to have an especially long memory, says Dan Schnur, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC. But does an endorsement influence votes? Not for president, Townsend says. It does if its an endorsement for attorney general or a ballot proposition. But everyone has their own opinion on candidates for president. Schnur: The less people know about a candidate, the more important an endorsement is. If youre running for president and have a 99.5% name ID, endorsements dont matter nearly as much. Yes, Im assuming that if Brown did endorse someone before the primary, it would be Clinton. Sanders and Brown do share one trait: Theyre both mavericks, unafraid to buck the establishment. At least Brown was in his more formative and ambitious years. But he has gradually learned its best to focus on battles that are actually winnable. In an earlier era, Brown might have backed Sanders. But the Vermont senator, I suspect, is way too big a spender Medicare for all, free college tuition for a fiscal centrist who has made budget prudence the legacy of his second governorship. Anyway, high-profile political endorsements are almost always about the business of politics, not personal likes. Odds are that Clinton will be the next president. And Brown will have two years remaining as governor. Hell want his favors granted and his phone calls returned. Politicians staffs get especially emotional about endorsement refusals. A classic example was the Bridgegate scandal in New Jersey. Top aides of Gov. Chris Christie closed lanes of the George Washington Bridge, snarling traffic, allegedly to punish a mayor for refusing to endorse Christie for reelection. Very few of these endorsements are expressions of the heart, says Darry Sragow, a longtime Democratic strategist. Theyre about joining a potential winners team. Building coalitions. And networking the same reason local merchants join the Elks or Rotary. Whatever, Brown owes the Clintons. Former President Clinton endorsed Brown and stumped the state for him at a key point in the 2010 gubernatorial campaign. Yes, they did have a rocky past. When Brown challenged Clinton for their partys presidential nomination in 1992, he famously called him the prince of sleaze. He also characterized him as a union-busting, scab-inviting, wage-depressing, environmental-disaster governor of Arkansas. And, although Brown was thoroughly beaten, he refused to endorse Clinton before the convention. But that was an eon ago. And, strange as it might seem, I always thought Brown pulled his punches considering the blows he might have landed on Clinton. In 2008, Brown stayed neutral in the nomination battle between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. The next year, in what was widely viewed as Clinton retaliation for past grievances, the former president initially endorsed then-San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom for governor over Brown. But Newsom soon dropped out. Brown doesnt endorse much. And, as with most things, he doesnt respond well to pressure. Hes rather mulish that way. In 2012, he didnt even endorse a ballot initiative to end the death penalty, a lifelong cause. He apparently didnt want to risk angering some voters and jeopardizing his soak the rich tax increase on the same ballot. Recently he endorsed Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris for U.S. Senate, state Sen. Isadore Hall for Congress and former state Senate leader Darrell Steinberg for Sacramento mayor. In the presidential race, Brown seems most concerned about keeping tempers under control and the party healthy enough to beat Donald Trump. Without mentioning Sanders by name, he warned last weekend about seeking the Democratic nomination with a scorched-earth policy. A Brown endorsement of either candidate could risk his personal standing with their fans. A poll published Wednesday by the Public Policy Institute of California showed that Democratic primary voters who approve of Browns job performance are pretty divided. Clinton is favored over Sanders by 52% to 42%. Among all likely Democratic primary voters regardless of what they think of Brown Clinton has only a thin edge: 46% to 44%. The Clinton-Brown saga continued Monday. The former president and the governor met for 90 minutes in the same breakfast room of the executive mansion where John F. Kennedy sought then-Gov. Pat Browns endorsement in the 1960 presidential race. Gosh, you think Bill and Jerry may have talked about a potential endorsement? That would be logical, but a Brown spokesman said no. They discussed the election and politics only generally. No matter. Both old pols are skilled at communicating in nuances with winks and nods. Kennedy got Pat Browns endorsement sort of but Jerrys dad badly botched making it worth anything. Thats a long story. Will Brown endorse Hillary Clinton before the primary? There are no plans, Im told. But the governor is unpredictable. Should he? Yes, if he thinks shes the best candidate. Its called candor and getting on board. george.skelton@latimes.com Follow @LATimesSkelton on Twitter ALSO Analysis: Clinton has more California friends than Sanders and why that matters All but four California House Democrats are with Clinton. Heres why Updates from Sacramento An ancient Chinese beer recipe brewed 5,000 years ago calls for some unusual ingredients by todays standards: barley, broomcorn millets and Jobs tears, as well as bits of bulbous root vegetables such as snake gourd root, yam and lily. The Yangshao people, who inhabited northeastern China, made their beer by following a complicated fermenting process of malting and mashing together starchy plants, not unlike todays methods. They added tubers the snake gourd, yam and lily to sweeten the concoction. Researchers at Stanford University were able to piece together the formula for Neolithic beer by analyzing a yellowish residue found on the remains of various clay funnels, wide-mouthed pots and jars discovered at a Yangshao site, according to a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. Advertisement See the most-read stories in Science this hour >> Around 2005, archaeologists unearthed the pottery from two different pits while excavating a site known as Mijiaya. When the sites contents were reported in 2012, Stanford archaeologist Li Liu suspected the items might have been used to make alcohol. The pits were dated to between 3400 and 2900 BC, in the late Yangshao Period. The earliest written record of beer in China wouldnt appear until much later, toward the end of the Shang Dynasty between 1250 and 1046 BC. Chinese scholars have speculated for years that the Yangshao culture brewed beer, but they lacked evidence until now, said Jiajing Wang, another Stanford archaeologist and the studys lead author. The findings suggest that the Mijiaya site was home to Chinas earliest brewery. Wang and her colleagues analysis of the 5,000-year-old beer residue revealed the tell-tale signs of an ancient beer-making toolkit, they wrote in the study. So the team set up their own Yangshao-style experimental brewery. After identifying the types of grains in the potterys residue, the researchers let various combinations of millets and barley sit in water until they began to germinate, a process called malting. During malting, enzymes in the sprouting grains break down starches into simple sugars. That process creates distinctive pits on the grains, which the researchers noticed on both the ancient samples and their own test brew. Once the grains had been sufficiently soaked, it was time to create the mash. The malt was drained, dried, crushed and mixed with hot water. The mashing process caused the grains to swell, fold over and gelatinize. The researchers found similarly distorted grains in the historical samples. The mash was then cooled to room temperature and fermented for two days in an airtight brewing container. Further analysis confirmed the presence of calcium oxalate inside the pottery. This is the main substance in beerstone, a byproduct of the steeping, mashing and fermentation of cereals. Beerstone settles at the bottom of brewing vessels, and archaeologists use it as an indicator of barley beer fermentation in ancient vessels. The beerstone, together with the microscopic analysis of the grains, left little doubt in the researchers minds that the Yangshao people were crafting their own brews. The team members were surprised that the beer contained barley, Wang said. In China, barley would not become a staple crop for another 3,000 years. Perhaps barley was brought to Chinas Central Plain not for food, as scholars previously thought, but for beer-making, the study authors wrote. Mijiaya farmers would have treated the barley as a rare, exotic food and cultivated it alongside other cereals. This beer recipe indicates a mix of Chinese and Western traditions barley from the West; millet, jobs tears, tubers from China, she said. Follow me on Twitter seangreene89 and like Los Angeles Times Science on Facebook. ALSO Meet some amazing animals and plants that are new to science Holy bat sounds! Unusual library will help scientists track bat species The work of Neanderthals: Ancient ring-like structures from 176,000 years ago Even with very different messages, politicians may sound the same, new research finds. Scientists who analyzed the vocal stylings of four presidential contenders in the 2016 race Hillary Clinton, Carly Fiorina, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump found that all four candidates altered their voices in similar ways, depending on the audience. The findings, described at the Acoustical Society of America meeting in Salt Lake City, offer some insight into the vocal strategies of political speakers. Politicians use voice as a very powerful behavior to convey their charisma, Rosario Signorello, a postdoctoral researcher at UCLAs Department of Head and Neck Surgery and one of the researchers behind the work, said at a briefing this week. Advertisement See the most-read stories in Science this hour >> When it comes to politics, its not what you say, its how you say it. Theres a good reason that some of the most successful politicians, for better or worse, are also known as outstanding orators, able to persuade large and diverse crowds with powerful speeches. But its not just about the words they choose; the same paragraph on chopped carrots might sound boring in a monotone speakers voice but riveting when recited by a Shakespearean actor. Seasoned politicians know this all too well; some presidential hopefuls in this once-crowded election campaign may have learned it the hard way. Politicians, Signorello said, are the best public speakers because they face every type of audience, from elementary school to very old people. Signorello wanted to see whether there was any way to pin down what makes a politician an effective speaker, by analyzing the strategies they use. So he analyzed the fundamental frequency (the pitch) of the voices of two Democrats and two Republicans: Clinton, Sanders, Trump and Fiorina (who has dropped out of the race). The researchers looked at three different settings political rallies, discussions with other political figures, and talk show interviews that did not feature political subject matter. After analyzing three different speeches for each of the three scenarios featuring each candidate, the scientists found that the four politicians shared some similar vocal behaviors in spite of their differences in party or gender. When speaking to large crowds, the politicians used a wide pitch range a strategy that Signorello and his colleagues showed in previous work would help them be seen as charismatic. When the candidates addressed [an] audience of perceived and assessed lower status, lower social status, they would use a high vocal pitch range, a high vocal pitch average and a wide loudness range, Signorello said. This makes sense given the audience, he added. They have to diversify in their speech because they address an extremely diverse audience, so its like theyre focusing on subgroups of their audience and trying to fulfill each ones expectation of what a charismatic leader sounds like, Signorello said. But when the politicians were addressing other politicians, such as when Clinton spoke to a United Nations commission, when Sanders spoke to the U.S. Senate or when Trump and Fiorina spoke at the New Hampshire Republican Leadership Summit, the candidates limited their pitch to the low and medium frequencies. Thats a pattern thats meant to signal power and dominance and its a well-worn strategy across the mammalian kingdom. A politician may lower their pitch range in this context because they want to hold their own among perceived equals, the scientist said. When they address leaders, the audience diversity is very, very restricted, he pointed out. Theyre probably mostly male listeners of a certain age. So this is why the vocal behavior is adapted to that. When on a talk show chatting about nonpolitical things, however, the politicians all used their normal pitch range, without stretching their frequencies or loudness, he added. So it sounds like politicians have tapped into some vocal strategies for impressing an audience. But that didnt mean that they all share the exact same behaviors; different candidates had their own particular quirks. Clinton and Fiorina, for example, tended to lower their fundamental vocal pitch when addressing large crowds, while Trump appeared to raise his. Sanders had a markedly wide pitch range over the course of a speech. Given that he has a very diverse audience in terms of age, cultural background, gender, he has to diversify a lot because he wants to be perceived as charismatic by everyone, Signorello said of Sanders. Next, the scientists also want to see whether politicians in other countries share similar behavioral patterns to those in the U.S., he added. amina.khan@latimes.com Follow @aminawrite on Twitter for more science news and like Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook. MORE FROM SCIENCE Meet some amazing animals and plants that are new to science A single hormone shot put diabetic animals into long-term remission, study says Found: First-ever evidence of comets beyond the solar system orbiting a sun-like star People living in Glendale and nearby communities are more likely to be smokers, die from breast cancer or have difficulty getting access to healthcare services when compared to L.A. County averages, according to recent findings by a nonprofit study. The data was presented to about 50 healthcare professionals gathered at Glendale Adventist Medical Center on Tuesday who will help prioritize a Community Health Needs Assessment to address the biggest health issues in the area. NEWSLETTER: Get the latest 818 headlines straight to your inbox >> Nonprofit hospitals are required to put together an assessment every three years, and it ultimately dictates how resources can be directed, said Maura Harrington, vice president of consulting and chief operating officer for the Center of Nonprofit Management, which is compiling the report. Locally, the assessment will impact the three main hospitals in Glendale: Glendale Adventist Medical Center, Dignity Health Glendale Memorial and USC Verdugo Hills Hospital. Harrington presented a list of illnesses and healthcare issues, including that 11.7% of adults living in the service area of Glendale Adventist in 2014 not those who were necessarily treated there are smokers. The county average is 10%. That figure for adults living in the service area of Glendale Memorial was 12%, while it was 11.6% for USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, according to the presentation. Service areas are composed of the Zip Codes immediately adjacent to each hospital. Theresa Murphy, chief nursing officer at USC Verdugo Hills, said smoking is one of the top issues shed like to deal with down the road. It may be time to start offering smoking-cessation support groups, she said. We have a health fair coming up. One possibility would be to have a booth to talk about smoking cessation and connect people with cessation resources, Murphy said. Thats one idea we would consider. Another key statistic that stood out for some was breast cancer rates. Figures from 2008 showed that 29 out of 100,000 women with breast cancer in Glendale Adventists service area died, while the mortality rates were 26 and 30 for Glendale Memorial and USC Verdugo Hills, respectively, according to the findings. The county average is 21 deaths in 100,000. Join the conversation on Facebook >> That raised concerns from some at the meeting, and led to even more questions for Julianne Hines, vice president of external affairs for Planned Parenthood Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley. When you look at breast cancer [death] rates, theyre pretty dramatic and so that was surprising, she said. I would like to see how that compares to more of a little bit of a larger geographic swath and to look around at what environmental factors could be contributing to breast cancer rates in this region. In addition, 19.6% of adults living in Glendale Adventists service area in 2014 were uninsured compared to the 16% county average, according to the findings. The adult uninsured figure for the service areas of Glendale Memorial was 21%, while it was 17.4% for USC Verdugo Hills, the data showed. But there were some positive statistics as well. The diabetes-diagnosis rates in the service areas for all three hospitals were on par with the countys average of 9.7% of residents, and obesity rates were nearly 3% lower than the county average, according to the data. Harrington said the first draft of the report will likely be ready in July and will rely on additional data pooled from local hospitals. Bruce Nelson, director of community services at Glendale Adventist, said the finalized assessment will be used in a proactive manner between the three hospitals as well as many nonprofits that specialize in areas such as mental healthcare. Well be able to share information more effectively Well move forward in the future with a plan to share the information together, he said. "[The assessment] helps us identify where the needs are and then concentrate our efforts on how to respond to them. Cassie McCarty, director of mission integration and spiritual services at Glendale Memorial, agreed, saying this assessment is something that brings the medical community together. Its not just about one hospital or the other, its really about impacting the community in a positive way with respect to health, she said. -- Arin Mikailian, arin.mikailian@latimes.com Twitter: @ArinMikailian -- ALSO: Glendale Kiwanis Club awards local students with college scholarships Former Glendale mayor Ara Najarian keeps title in campaign for supervisor seat Glendale city clerk blasts campaign ads from backer of councilwoman, opponent in state Assembly race The Armenian American Museum may receive $5 million in state funds to help pay for its construction on a potential downtown Glendale site. State Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian appropriated state general fund money for the project in the upcoming budget, which still needs legislative approval and Gov. Jerry Browns signature by mid-June. The museums foundation in 2014 first pitched its proposal for a 30,000-square-foot museum to house artworks by Armenians and artists from other cultures. Nazarian said hes followed the project since then and understands its potential. Something like this museum can play a common denominator for furthering intercultural relations, he said in a phone interview. The museums representatives and the city were initially looking to build on a 1.7-acre lot across from Glendale Community College, but an outpouring of concerns about traffic from nearby residents compelled City Council members to recommend changing the location. In February, the council directed members of the museum foundation to examine building the project at Central Park in downtown Glendale, adjacent to the Glendale Central Library, the Adult Recreation Center and the newly opened Museum of Neon Art. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Council members felt a downtown location would be better suited for foot traffic. Nazarian said it was the decision to relocate that was the final push for him to get involved. I think the fact its in downtown, its a much better location for integrating the museum into the fabric of Glendale itself as well as for tourism or closer access to long-existing transportation lines, he said. Nazarian said hes been in talks with museum officials, who requested the $5 million. That money will be earmarked for construction only; ongoing operational costs would have to be covered through fundraising and donations, he added. To that end, Berdj Karapetian, chairman of the museums development committee, expressed his gratitude toward the assemblyman and other state legislators. We look forward to working with leaders from the California State Legislature to help make our vision for the Armenian American Museum a reality in the city of Glendale and build an educational center that will serve local residents and visitors from throughout our great state of California, Karapetian said in an email. Despite the state funding, construction costs will likely surpass $5 million, said Tigranna Zakaryan, spokeswoman for the museum. And Nazarians appropriation likely wont speed up the construction process either, she added. Museum officials still need to secure a ground lease for Central Park something Zakaryan hopes can be achieved by this fall. There also needs to be an environmental review and economic feasibility study conducted, she said. Once open, the museum will house permanent and traveling exhibitions. Recently, museum officials helped with an exhibit titled Armenia: An Open Wound at the Brand Library & Art Center that will be on display through June 11. -- Arin Mikailian, arin.mikailian@latimes.com Twitter: @ArinMikailian -- ALSO: Former Glendale mayor Ara Najarian keeps title in campaign for supervisor seat Glendale city clerk blasts campaign ads from backer of councilwoman, opponent in state Assembly race La Canada, Burbank, Glendale among group of cities weighing formation of new regional council Things could be getting cooler at two south Glendale parks as the City Council is looking to add shade structures at the sites by the end of the year. Maple Park is slated for four of them, while the smaller Maryland Park could be getting two as the council voted 4-0 to open the bidding process to solicit a contractor to build the amenities. NEWSLETTER: Stay up to date with whats going on in your community >> Councilman Vartan Gharpetian said hes been pushing for the shade structures since his campaign days. This is something the community has been asking for for a long time, he said. Maple Park and Maryland Park, which opened two years ago, were identified by city staffers as popular open spaces. While Maple Park has plenty of trees, they dont provide enough shade, staffers said in a report. Three areas of Maple Park, including this spot, will have shade structures built to give shade to those visiting the Glendale park. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer) At Maryland Park, the recently planted trees arent mature enough yet to provide any shade, according to the staff report. Maryland Park would receive synthetic fabric shades that would cover the playgrounds. They would be mounted on polls, with one covering 3,000 square feet and the other suspended over 1,200 square feet, according to Roubik Golanian, the citys public works director. The four shade structures at Maple Park would be placed over picnic tables and have metal roofs to provide better shade when people are sitting, Golanian said. Councilman Zareh Sinanyan asked if the Maple Park structures could be made to look a bit more creative, like the ones at Maryland Park and not so old school. Gharpetian said the ones at Maryland Park dont provide as much shade. "[The Maryland Park ones] are more appealing because theyre colorful, but the [Maple Park] ones are more practical, he said. City Manager Scott Ochoa said that including some decorations with the Maple Park shade structures could be done to make them more suitable for a park setting. The structures are expected to cost about $318,000 and be installed by the end of the year, Golanian said. These would be the first projects to be completed with money from the citys development-impact-fee fund, which contains money paid by developers of mixed-use projects in downtown Glendale. -- Arin Mikailian, arin.mikailian@latimes.com Twitter: @ArinMikailian -- ALSO: Glendale Kiwanis Club awards local students with college scholarships Former Glendale mayor Ara Najarian keeps title in campaign for supervisor seat Glendale city clerk blasts campaign ads from backer of councilwoman, opponent in state Assembly race Back to the Future fans were thrilled to see the original, painstakingly restored DeLorean DMC-12 A movie car unveiled last month at the Petersen Automotive Museum, but now owner/drivers and petrolheads can go back to where it all began. Fans from 19 countries are flying into Belfast, Northern Ireland- the city where the original the gull-winged cars were built 35 years ago--for the once-every-five-years DeLorean Eurofest. It runs May 26-29 this year. Events include a tour and visit to the original factory where, thanks to chainsaws triumphing over brush, owners can drive their stainless steel four-wheelers around the original Proving test track. Advertisement There are speeches, screenings, a meet-and-greet with former employees, plenty of souvenirs to buy and historic documents to pore over, and of course the streets will be thronged with the iconic time machines. German DeLorean drivers are finishing a worldwide tour, and a convoy of 75 DeLoreans will try not to hit 88mph as they make for Titanic Belfast attraction and the dockside shipyard, where theyll be lining up for an Instagram moment. Many of the 6,000 or so DeLoreans remaining from the original 9,000 or so that came off the factory line ended up in California, which is home to the Delorean Owners Assn. The Belfast plant was open only about a year. With Back to the Future Day just in the rearview, association President Ronald Ferguson noted that This will be one of the best celebrations of the car ever held. ALSO: Memorial Day last-minute deal: Hop a private jet from Burbank to Las Vegas for $129 See Disneys lineup of 2017 fall cruises from San Diego to Mexico If you want to stay in a pop-up apartment in Paris Eiffel Tower, answer this question Waves crashing on the rugged Mendocino Coast offer a striking contrast to the bland urban landscape of Los Angeles. So when I felt the urge to escape and read about the recently opened seven-room Inn at Newport Ranch, 20 minutes north of Fort Bragg, I booked a stay. My husband, Paul, and I flew to Santa Rosa and drove three hours northwest, a long, but scenic trip, and well worth it: The Inn sits on a 2000-acre cattle ranch that stretches from spectacular ocean cliffs to a forest where redwoods were logged in the 19th century. We were captivated by the breathtaking setting, the craftsmanship of the whimsical ranch-meets-forest design and the hospitality of the innkeepers. The tab: $500 for two nights, with breakfast; $200 for other meals; $190 for horseback riding; $306 for a rental car; plus taxes and airfare. The bed At the Inn at Newport Ranch [31502 N. Highway 1, Fort Bragg; (707) 962-4818, www.theinnatnewportranch.com], sustainably harvested redwood rules, from the furniture crafted by local artisans, to the 24 tree trunks that anchor the three suites in the Redwood House. Our room was the cozy Chute, named for the metal contraption by which logs were once transported from the cliffs to waiting schooners, bound for San Francisco. I coveted the ship-like decor of the Captains Quarters room next door until I saw the Birdhouse Suite, where a colossal redwood burl divides the living from the sleeping area. Advertisement The meal Since we werent enticed by a restaurant in Fort Bragg and we were so comfortable, we dined at the Inn both evenings. No regrets. A Johnson and Wales-trained chef, innkeeper Creighton Smith prepared terrific organic salads, scampi and filet mignon, and his apple crumble and bread pudding were killer. The find We rode horses from a Fort Bragg stables along the beach in MacKerricher State Park. (FYI: the Inn is building stables on property.) Afterwards, we visited Glass Beach, a glittering marvel that resulted from past decades when Fort Bragg dumped bottles, along with other trash, into the ocean. Visitors were combing the pebbles for jewel-like nuggets of shimmering green, brown and clear sea glass, their edges magically smoothed over time by the surf. The lesson learned Our first day, Paul and I explored the Inns 1.5 miles of windswept ocean cliffs, spotting seals sunbathing on the rocks below. At dinner, another couple coaxed us to experience the propertys 20 miles of trails that head east. As a result, the next day we joined an ATV excursion. Our guide drove us through pastures where Angus cattle grazed, up to a 900-foot peak. We stopped to admire the panoramic coastline view, then plunged into a shadowy forest. We were mesmerized as the ATV threaded through second-growth redwood trees and the moss-covered stumps of redwood behemoths felled 150 years ago. I felt grateful that the Inn at Newport Ranch is committed to protecting this fairy-tale forest. Crashing waves, rugged cliffs and redwood trees. Californias Mendocino Coast offers a striking contrast to the urban blandscape of Los Angeles. When I felt the urge to escape and I read about the recently opened seven-room Inn at Newport Ranch, 20 minutes north of Fort Bragg, I booked a stay. My husband, Paul, and I flew to Santa Rosa and drove three hours northwest, a long but scenic trip, and well worth it: The inn sits on a 2,000-acre cattle ranch that stretches from spectacular ocean cliffs to a forest where redwoods were logged in the 19th century. We were captivated by the setting, the craftsmanship of the whimsical ranch-meets-forest design and the hospitality of the innkeepers. The tab: $500 for two nights, with breakfast; $200 for other meals; $190 for horseback riding; $80 for an all-terrain-vehicle excursion, $306 for a rental car; plus taxes and airfare. The bed At the Inn at Newport Ranch [31502 N. Highway 1, Fort Bragg; (707) 962-4818, www.theinnatnewportranch.com], sustainably harvested redwood rules, from the furniture crafted by local artisans to the 24 tree trunks that anchor the three suites in the Redwood House. Our cozy room was the Chute, named for the metal contraption that carried logs from the cliffs to waiting schooners bound for San Francisco. I coveted the ship-like decor of the Captains Quarters room next door until I saw the Birdhouse Suite, where a colossal redwood burl divides the living from the sleeping area. When I returned home, I wasnt surprised to see the Inn at Newport Ranch listed among the best new hotels in the U.S. by Conde Nast Traveler. Advertisement The meal Because we were so comfortable, we dined at the inn both evenings. No regrets. Innkeeper Creighton Smith, a Johnson & Wales-trained chef, prepared terrific organic salads, scampi and filet mignon; his apple crumble and bread pudding were killer. The find We rode horses from a Fort Bragg stable along the beach in MacKerricher State Park. (The inn is building stables on its property.) Afterward, we visited Glass Beach, a glittering marvel that resulted from the decades when Fort Bragg dumped bottles, along with other trash, into the ocean. Visitors were combing the pebbles for jewel-like nuggets of shimmering green, brown and clear sea glass, their edges magically smoothed over time by the surf. The lesson learned Our first day, Paul and I explored the inns 1 miles of wind-swept ocean cliffs, spotting seals sunbathing on the rocks below. At dinner, another couple coaxed us to experience the propertys 20 miles of trails that head east, so the next day we joined an excursion in one of the inns ATVs. Our guide drove us through pastures where Angus cattle grazed up to a 900-foot peak. We stopped to admire the panoramic coastline view, then plunged into a shadowy forest. We were mesmerized as the ATV threaded through second-growth redwood trees and the moss-covered stumps of redwood behemoths felled 150 years ago. travel@latimes.com Nacogdoches, TX (75965) Today Mostly cloudy early, then sunshine for the afternoon. High around 70F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Tonight A clear sky. Low 42F. Winds light and variable. As sex videos go, this one was pretty tame: two minutes of shaky cell phone images showing little more than the nude back and shoulders of a moaning woman. In front of her, the skyscrapers of Shanghais Lujiazui financial district glittered through floor-to-ceiling windows. No celebrities; no frontal nudity; no fetishistic quirks. Yet the video became a viral sensation this week in China, where pornography is strictly banned. The countrys censors have scrubbed it from the web on Thursday, searches for Lujiazui on Sina Weibo, Chinas Twitter equivalent, yielded nothing video-related. But a flurry of chatter on popular chat apps, and even a surprising stock price fluctuation, suggest that the countrys public discourse moves in unusual ways that even the worlds most sophisticated censorship apparatus hasnt quite been able to shut down. Advertisement The video appeared on social networking sites on Tuesday, and within a day, Web surfers had searched for it 280,000 times on Baidu, the countrys leading search engine. They identified the videos setting as a room at a Four Seasons Hotel; they discovered that a sleek, white chair in the corner was manufactured by the Qumei Furniture Group, a company in Beijing. On Wednesday, Qumeis stock price soared by nearly 10%, perhaps buoyed by the publicity. Then came the crackdown. That day, police raided the Four Seasons hotel, according to the web portal Sohu. At 6:11 p.m., Sina issued a statement claiming to have purged the video from the network and shut down five accounts which used the video as bait, inducing fans to follow them. Sina Weibo has tracked the origin of the video and reported [details of the case] to the police, it continued. Weibo has always maintained great efforts to handle pornographic information. The website will deal with any third parties that are involved with erotic service transactions according to [regulations]. By Thursday afternoon, Lujiazui and Lujiazui video were the top two censored items on the site, according to the censorship tracking website FreeWeibo.com. See the most-read stories this hour >> Yet the deletions only seemed to fan web users curiosity about the video. Who were the stars? Who put the clip online, and why? On Wednesday night and Thursday, the video continued to circulate on WeChat, a chat app with nearly 700 million users. One Beijing-based finance worker said that the tape became a hot topic in one of his WeChat friend circles, a group of about 500 professionals. (He requested anonymity to avoid government reprisals.) Speculation swirled about the identities of the people involved, and the motives of whoever posted the clip online, he said. Answers were not forthcoming. That chair isnt too bad, one group member commented. The incident recalls another sex tape that went viral in China last summer, clips of a young couple having sex in a Beijing Uniqlo dressing room became an Internet sensation. Police arrested five people in connection with the incident, including the couple, but that didnt dampen the hype. For weeks, young people descended from across the city maybe even country to snap selfies in front of the Japanese clothing chain. Sexual repression has been around in China for a very long time, said Hu Xingdou, a social commentator and economics professor at the Beijing Institute of Technology. When things open up just a bit, Chinese peoples curiosity becomes a dreadful monster. Yingzhi Yang and Nicole Liu in the Times Beijing bureau contributed to this report Follow @JRKaiman on Twitter for news from China ALSO Chinas dream of a new Silk Road runs into hurdles at its first stop: Pakistan A womans slaying in Seouls tony Gangnam district stirs emotions in South Korea Even in fast-changing India, kushti wrestling is a wellspring of power, pride and identity Even today, almost 71 years after the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima during World War II, Michiko Yamaokas 91-year-old mother hates fiery sunsets. It reminds her of the red sky after the blast, says Yamaoka. The bombing of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945 and three days later, another blast at Nagasaki was not necessary, Yamaoka believes. Even now, many Japanese people and Americans think the bomb ended the war. But I think Americans knew that Japan was weak and would surrender soon, she says. I believe the bomb was used to show Americans supremacy to the USSR after the war. On Friday, President Obama will visit this southern Japanese city, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to do so. During his brief stay in Hiroshima, he will visit the atomic bomb memorial, lay a wreath and deliver some remarks on the subject of nuclear weapons. Advertisement Although aides say he will not offer an apology for the bombings, Obamas visit has struck a powerful chord among both Americans and Japanese. Stateside, supporters see the trip as an inspiring example of moral leadership on a topic nuclear disarmament that often gets short shrift. Detractors say the move is a display of weakness and even perhaps an affront to U.S. veterans who fought in the war. Historically, the American position has been that the bombings saved lives by forestalling an invasion of the Japanese mainland. This file photo taken in 1945 shows the devastated city of Hiroshima in the days after the first atomic bomb was dropped by a U.S. Air Force B-29 on Aug. 6, 1945. (AFP Photo / AFP/Getty Images ) In Japan, the apology question is present, but somewhat surprisingly is not as charged. Japanese officials have gone on record as saying they see no need for Obama to say hes sorry. And even Hiroshima residents like Yamaoka, who would like to hear some words of regret from the U.S. government, say they still welcome Obamas trip. Its very important for us. Obamas visit will help stir interest in the issue of nuclear weapons and we hope be a step toward abolishing them, says Yamaoka, a 65-year-old widow who volunteers at Hiroshimas Peace Memorial Museum and started learning English eight years ago so she could share her mothers story with foreign visitors to the city. Koji Fujibayashi agrees. Obama is finishing his job soon, but its still brave of him to come here, says the 64-year-old Hiroshima resident. The visit, the retiree hopes, will help get young Japanese engaged in questions of war, peace and whether Japan should modify its U.S.-imposed, postwar pacifist constitution as some Japanese politicians, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, advocate. Some people say it was not made by Japanese, but by the Americans, and we should get rid of it, said Fujibayashi, whose father was one of the pilots who flew the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, a feared long-range Japanese fighter plane, during the war. These days, Fujibayashi volunteers as a docent at a Hiroshima elementary school-turned-museum, where many children died in the atomic bombing. He fears what might happen if Japan walks away from its pacifist principles. Weve had 70 years of peace; that shows its been effective. I think we should keep [the constitution] as is. Schoolchildren write down what a guide says at the site of the Atomic Bomb Dome on May 26, 2016, in Hiroshima, Japan. (Jean Chung / Getty Images ) Although Obamas visit is aimed in part at strengthening the U.S.-Japan military alliance forged after the end of World War II, Nobuko Morikawa says she hopes it might get young Japanese to question whether their own government has shown sufficient commitment to issues of denuclearization and peace. Abes government has not done enough on the issue of disarmament, says Morikawa, whose mother was 14 when the Hiroshima bomb was dropped. Im uncomfortable with changing the constitution. I fear it could go back to the way things were. Until now, we havent been able to get into a war because of the constitution, and thats been a good thing. Some Americans visiting Hiroshima this week said they were supportive of Obamas decision to come. As an African American woman, Im very proud that it took the first black president to come over here. He should be honored, and he should go down in history for that, said Andrea Jackson, a counselor who works in the Detroit public school system. Im very proud that he has a heart. Frederic Pearson, director of the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Wayne State University in Detroit, said Obamas visit might prompt Americans to look more deeply at the wartime history. If you look at the bombing [of Hiroshima], the targeting was over the center of the city. They [the U.S.] gave the excuse that there were military bases on the fringes, said Pearson, who was touring the Peace Museum with Jackson on Sunday. Two of those pictures of the mushroom cloud [displayed in the museum] were taken from the military bases, neither of which were hit. So there was absolutely no excuse for bombing the center of the city, he said. Marina Sanders, an engineer from the Netherlands who was touring Hiroshima this week, said Obamas visit was even resonating with Europeans. Having now visited the site of the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown and the atomic bomb memorial in Hiroshima, she said her skepticism about the costs versus the benefits of nuclear technology had only grown. I think its good he came, Sanders said. Its about time. Follow @JulieMakLAT for news from Asia Ikuko Murai remembers when the American Jeeps would come after school to take her and other young survivors to a lab at the top of a hill. This was the 1950s, just a few years after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. They examined my head, and measured my height, she said in an interview this week. At that time, Japan still had nothing, so I still remember the candy they gave us, with Disney characters on the wrappers. Murai had been an infant when the Enola Gay flew over Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, unleashing the first nuclear weapon ever dropped in war. Now 71, she spends her days as a volunteer at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, donning a green shirt and explaining how she survived while the blast and radiation effects left 140,000 dead within months. Advertisement Such oral histories are a key part of World War IIs legacy. But in the immediate years after the destruction, American scientists knew that the bodies of Murai and other survivors would also have stories to tell about the unprecedented bombing -- and began collecting data on them. Almost seven decades later, some American scientists -- working side-by-side with scores of Japanese colleagues -- are still up in Hiroshimas foothills at the Radiation Effects Research Foundation, collecting and analyzing data from hundreds of thousands of A-bomb survivors, their children and control subjects, and publishing studies on their findings. While largely unheralded outside of scientific circles, and unknown even to many younger Hiroshima residents, the researchers joint efforts are a unique example of how the two former adversaries forged a collaboration amid the ashes of hate and war, creating a project to benefit people worldwide. With funding from the U.S. and Japanese governments, foundation scientists have produced a body of knowledge that has become the basis for radiation-exposure guidelines for X-ray technicians, airline pilots and even nuclear power plant workers around the globe. RERF studies have elucidated the links between radiation and not just cancer, but also cardiovascular disease and other ailments. And researchers expertise has been tapped to deal with emergencies such as the 2011 meltdown at Japans Fukushima nuclear power plant. This is a treasure trove for the world for research, said Eric J. Grant, the foundations associate chief of research who has spent two decades in Hiroshima. There are basically no studies that have tracked such a large group for so long. Shown are the Quonset-hut buildings, opened in 1950, that house the Radiation Effects Research Foundation. (Julie Makinen / Los Angeles Times ) Walking into the lobby of the foundations Quonset-hut headquarters, opened in 1950, feels more like entering a doctors office than a world-class research lab. At the front desk, a smiling woman in a white lab coat offers a hushed irrashaimase! welcome to anyone who passes through the door. For almost 60 years, more than 20,000 atomic bomb survivors have been tracked in the foundations Adult Health Study, coming in every two years for physical exams, electrocardiograms, chest X-rays, ultrasounds and biochemical tests. They are among 120,000 people in the foundations Life Span Study, an epidemiological research effort that tracks hospital and death records, aiming to investigate the long-term effects of atomic bomb radiation on cancer and causes of mortality. Participation rates in the clinical study have hovered between 70% and 80% for decades -- a remarkable feat considering that subjects are not paid for coming back, nor do they receive any direct medical care from the foundation. Treatment is left to doctors at local hospitals. The continued willingness of survivors to participate is all the more notable given that the foundations predecessor organization -- a U.S.-funded entity called the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission -- was initially regarded by many locals with suspicion or even hostility. Twenty years from now, there will be almost no survivors left. So does that mean no RERF? Ohtsura Niwa, chairman of the Radiation Effects Research Foundation They would not treat the patients. So the people felt that we were guinea pigs twice -- first as targets of bombing, and secondly as a sample for scientific medial research, recalled Setsuko Thurlow, who was 13 when Hiroshima was bombed. A close friend of mine as a child was taken to ABCC occasionally. In front of the [male] medical staff, she had to undress, totally naked, said Thurlow, who ended up marrying a Canadian. She still remembers the sense of shame and embarrassment and talks about it even today. That sense of antagonism faded, though, as the U.S. occupation ended, and conditions in Hiroshima improved. In the 1970s, the ABCC was reorganized into a nonprofit foundation, with bi-national oversight committees and funding from the U.S. Department of Energy and Japans Ministry of Health. At its peak, the research center had more than 1,000 employees. Today, its down to about 230, and fewer than 5% are Americans, though they hold key positions, including vice chairman and chief of the statistics department, and serve on advisory boards. While the foundation owes its existence to Americas use of one of the most horrific weapons ever devised, current employees say they dont feel burdened by historical tension on the job. The march of time, the overarching U.S.-Japan alliance and cultural understanding built up over the decades -- not to mention the camaraderie forged by doing groundbreaking science together -- has bridged whatever chasms initially existed. Kazunori Kodama, the foundations chief scientist, had a cousin who perished in the bombing. Still, he said, I never blamed the U.S. for my cousins death. Such a perspective is not uncommon among Hiroshimas Japanese residents, though it often catches Americans off guard at first. I was surprised when I came here and found there was no palpable animosity related to the bombings in this organization, said Harry M. Cullings, a Pennsylvania native who first arrived in the late 1990s and is now the head of the statistics department. There are cultural differences -- Americans are more brash and opinionated. ... They are less reserved about being intellectually competitive in ways that might offend their colleagues. They are willing to get into big arguments, he said. In the Japanese culture, people are more reserved and respectful to each other but also less willing to debate -- but thats about it. Harry M. Cullings is chief of the Department of Statistics at the Radiation Effects Research Foundation. (Julie Makinen / Los Angeles Times ) On Friday, President Obama will visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial to lay a wreath and deliver remarks about the perils of nuclear arms. Residents of this port of 1.1 million are largely welcoming him with open arms. Many Hiroshima natives see the first visit by a sitting American president to their forever-scarred city as not only a fresh step for global disarmament efforts, but also a momentous, if long-overdue, move to cement the reconciliation between two mortal-enemies-turned-allies. But Obama has no plans to visit the foundation, and scientists here acknowledge that doing so might be tough for the president. Already, his trip is under fire by some Americans who see it as tantamount to an apology (although White House officials insist he wont use that word). I dont think the political optics are favorable to his coming to the foundation, said Cullings. Still, other foundation staffers say Obamas trip could at least re-focus politicians attention on issues of nuclear research and safety -- and underscore the importance of continued funding for the organization. Obamas visit [to Hiroshima] certainly wont hurt, said Douglas Solvie, the foundations chief of secretariat. While 95% of the foundations funding still comes from the Japanese and U.S. governments, its leaders have acknowledged they need to diversify their sources of support by competing for grants and soliciting donations. Part of ensuring the foundations viability also entails articulating a vision for the organization after the last A-bomb survivors pass away. Although there were still more than 187,000 survivors alive last year, according to a Japanese government census, the youngest are now in their seventies, like Murai. Twenty years from now, there will be almost no survivors left. So does that mean no RERF? asked Ohtsura Niwa, a Stanford-trained PhD who took over as chairman last year. No. We intend to keep on going, to do something for the next generation. The foundation plans to keep studying the children of A-bomb victims to determine whether they have higher rates of cancer or other ailments that could be related to their parents exposure. So far, there have been no discernable effects, but this cohort is now moving into the age range where cancer and other disease become more prevalent, so researchers are keen to track them in the coming decades. Beyond that, as new technology is developed, researchers hope to be able to apply it to their trove of biological samples. Stored in more than 70 freezers at -112 degrees Fahrenheit, at least 900,000 samples of blood, urine and other material from tens of thousands of survivors of the blast and their children have been collected at the foundation over the decades. Improved technology, for example, might finally allow scientists to pinpoint whether there are unique radiation-induced changes at the DNA level that cause cancer. Currently, for example, scientists can say that out of 100 cases of a certain type of cancer among A-bomb survivors, 10 are induced by radiation, Kodama said. But there is no way to distinguish clinically which one is which, he said. If we can identify a radiation-specific change at the DNA level we can use that for very early detection of radiation-induced cancer. This is one of the dreams. The foundation is also looking to study new populations exposed to radiation -- including the 20,000 people who worked on remediation efforts at the Fukushima nuclear plant in the wake of its 2011 meltdown. Right now, plans call for them to be tracked, like the A-bomb survivors, for the rest of their lives. This is a new area for us, said Kodama. The foundations extensive biosamples could also be a gold mine for researchers looking into questions of aging and disease that have nothing to do with radiation. Other questions can be asked of this cohort beyond just the scope that RERF has created, said Grant. Theres a very rich future for research here, not just in terms of radiation effects, but also in terms of aging in general. We can see our role expanding. Follow @JulieMakLAT on Twitter for news from Asia. Countries with poor human rights records succeeded Thursday in blocking U.N. status for a well-regarded international press rights organization in what some diplomats see as a blow to free expression throughout the world. The United Nations committee that credentials nongovernmental organizations, or NGOs, voted down an application from the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, which advocates on behalf of reporters in some of the most dangerous and repressive countries. Among the 10 nations voting against the group were Russia, China, Cuba and Venezuela, all countries that place onerous restrictions on journalists. Advertisement See more of our top stories on Facebook >> The United States, which the Committee to Protect Journalists has also criticized for government practices that restrict reporters, cast one of six ballots in favor of its accreditation, and three countries, including Iran, abstained. Accreditation gives an NGO greater access to U.N. activities and venues, providing a vital voice on behalf of civil society, dissidents, journalists and other people whose rights are infringed upon, advocates say. Without such status, the Committee to Protect Journalists said in a statement that it cannot provide a counter-narrative to states at U.N. bodies. The organization, which has about 40 people working on five continents, called the accreditation process Kafkaesque. A small group of countries with poor press-freedom records are using bureaucratic delaying tactics to sabotage and undermine any efforts that call their own abusive policies into high relief, said the organizations executive director, Joel Simon, who testified before the U.N. committee this week. The nature of what we do requires us to be highly critical of governments, Simon said. As a journalist, you dont want a government to have authority over you, [forcing you] to pull your punches. David Kaye, the U.N. special rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, called the denial a stain on the system. Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said her government was extremely disappointed by the vote. It is increasingly clear that the NGO committee acts more and more like an anti-NGO committee, she told reporters at the U.N. in New York. That countries try to keep an organization like CPJ away from the U.N., away from the accreditation that is so basic to functioning here, is outrageous. The troubles for the journalists group come at a time when independent NGOs are increasingly being outlawed, expelled or curbed in countries where they try to work. Western diplomats say one cause lies in a growing demand by civil societies for greater accountability from their governments, which see such activism as a threat. In the 21st century, these are the fault lines, said a Western diplomat familiar with the NGO committees work, who requested anonymity to be able to speak candidly about internal U.N. politics. There is an organic drive for transparency and accountability, an epic struggle to open closed doors. Some countries dont believe that such a thing as an independent NGO exists, and suspect they are fronts for enemy governments, nefarious causes or often Washington. The committee has also been criticized by human rights groups for frequently rejecting NGOs that work on behalf of gay rights. A spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon offered support for the journalists group, saying he hoped to continue working with the organizations leadership despite Thursdays setback. The spokesman, Farhan Haq, briefing reporters at the U.N., was asked whether the NGO committee was overly political. Haq responded by urging U.N. committees and their member states to go about their work independently and fairly. Simon said he hoped the U.N.'s Economic and Social Council, which has ultimate authority on the credentialing of NGOs, would override the committees decision. The 54-member council meets in late July. Also voting against the Committee to Protect Journalists were Azerbaijan, Burundi, Nicaragua, Pakistan, South Africa and Sudan. In favor, in addition to the U.S., were Greece, Guinea, Israel, Mauritania and Uruguay. ALSO In Hiroshima, Obama visit stirs warm but complex feelings U.S. scientists have been quietly working in Hiroshima for decades It may have been quickly censored, but a sex tape is the talk of China For more news on global affairs, follow @TracyKWilkinson on Twitter. Dismiss the thought that the key to Africas financial well-being lies in oil or other standard bearers of economic prosperity. Agnes Kalibata looks to the future and sees smallholder farmers as the answer. Today, the countries that have depended so much on oil are suffering the most, said Kalibata, the head of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, the continents largest agricultural non-governmental organization. We mine it and send it out. If we had used it to invest in agriculture, we would have seen much greater economic benefits. We can sell oil and make money, but we miss opportunities to invest in agriculture, which reaches the most numbers of people. Advertisement Kalibata says greater investment in Africas farming sector is imperative and should take priority over economic drivers, such as oil. A former minister for agriculture for Rwanda, Kalibata says that the $35 billion Africa spends on importing food from other countries would be better spent on farmers. She contends that if they were helped to become agropreneurs, they could efficiently replace many of the imported produce with domestically grown food. In a conversation with The Times, Kalibata shared some of her views on the benefits of putting farmers first. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. How can agriculture boost economic development in Africa? Today we are talking about 70% of the people in sub-Saharan Africa who earn their income from agriculture. Because of that, agriculture ends up being between 25% and 40% of the gross domestic product of these countries. Thats an extremely significant figure. And its not just that agriculture is contributing to GDP; its also the inclusivity of agriculture. The benefits are spread more evenly across society, particularly to the benefit of the poor. You are able to reach people in deeper ways in terms of reaching them with investments that can transform their lives, than you could do with any other sector. Investment in agriculture is 11 times as effective in reducing poverty in sub-Saharan Africa compared with investment in other sectors. In other developing countries, its said to be about four times as effective. Give us a success story. The real success story has been that by really focusing on the role that agriculture plays in food security and nutrition, in the last 15 years, 22 countries have been able to cut hunger by half. Also the framework for agriculture that African countries have put together has enabled them to put their own investments into agriculture. And for the first time, because of all these combined efforts, in the last 10 years, we have seen an upward trend in the output of African agriculture. Also in some economies, including countries like Ethiopia, Burkina Faso and Rwanda, agriculture led to a reduction in poverty levels. But also its contributing to GDP growth and economic growth in these countries. They are some of the fastest growing on the continent, and agriculture is the No. 1 or No. 2 contributor to this growth. So there is real evidence of success, and these are the stories we want to build on and show that agriculture is actually not a lost cause. Its a very serious opportunity to grow African economies. What specific policies are needed to help farmers? Some of the things we really have to worry about are policies that would allow them to access the technologies that they need. In this case, were talking about simple things like seeds and fertilizers. Policies that allow farmers to have access to seeds, policies that allow the private sector to set up businesses that deliver supplies to farmers and policies that allow markets and trade environments to function for farmers are going to be very critical for farmers to be able to produce more and reinvest in agriculture. At the end of the day, agriculture is a private business. You can help [farmers] get the initial capital, but they should be able to continue investing in their businesses and grow their businesses. We want them to be able to make money, and the only way they can make that money is if there are policies to allow them to affordably access seeds and fertilizers and knowledge on when to plant and the markets that they need. Sometimes they produce more than they need, and they dont know where to put it so it goes to waste. We need to ensure that what they produce becomes a source of income as opposed to being a burden for them. Its not rocket science. What are some of the solutions to alleviating the impact of drought on African farmers? There are several things that can be done right now. Again, using technologies, this time meaning the use of seed varieties that have the ability to survive drought because they have better genes, like were doing in Malawi. We have some farmers [there] that have been growing potatoes and cassava and cow peas because they are more resistant to drought. These farmers tried to grow maize four times before they gave up. Theyve been able to plant these varieties of potatoes and have been able to get a crop, whereas farmers who insisted on planting maize have nothing. The other thing is helping them access fertilizers so that the crops they grow are more resistant, and giving them the knowledge to be able to deal with the changes that are happening in the environment. There are also other things we could do, such as working with other financial institutions to start looking at insurance mechanisms that can support farmers in these times, so that as countries are looking at how to adapt and how to move forward, we ensure that people are not starving. Frances deeply unpopular President Francois Hollande is facing the greatest challenge to his authority and that of his socialist government as widespread strikes threaten to paralyze the country. Union activists have blocked oil refineries and fuel depots during the last week, forcing authorities to dip into gasoline reserves to avoid shortages at the pumps, as part of protests against a labor bill that would loosen protections for workers. Already faced with economic stagnation and unemployment at about 10%, many of Frances workers have taken to the streets, at times resulting in violent clashes with authorities. Advertisement On Thursday, activists disrupted services involving nuclear power plants, public transportation, ports and roads. As baton-wielding riot police fired tear gas into the crowds in central Paris, one woman escaping the melee said: This government has a real problem. Thousands of protesting dock workers reportedly went to the public square in the French port city of Le Havre. Police said about 150,000 people demonstrated across the country Thursday, while union activists said twice that number participated. Authorities said at least 77 people were arrested nationwide. The actions are being led by the left-wing General Confederation of Labor (CGT) union, which wants Frances socialist government to scrap the labor bill. Provisions include making the countrys 35-hour work week less restrictive for employers. CGT leader Philippe Martinez, who referred to the proposed law as a return to the 19th century, said either the government would listen to protesters and withdraw the bill or the workers speak ... and the action continues. As long as the government refuses to discuss this, theres a risk that the mobilization will escalate, he told journalists. Officials say the bill seeks to boost hiring during tough economic times. The International Monetary Fund says the reforms do not go far enough, but protesters claim it threatens workers rights and makes their position more precarious. Faced with opposition to the bill from its own ranks, the government used emergency constitutional powers to push it through the lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, this month without a vote, which it would almost certainly have lost. The bill will be debated by the second house, the Senate, next month. The right-wing majority is expected to attempt to reintroduce clauses the government dropped to appease the unions before a final reading in the National Assembly. Prime Minister Manuel Valls said Thursday that there may be changes to the bill, but that it would not be withdrawn. The CGT doesnt make the laws, Valls said. Blocking a whole country is unacceptable. At the heart of the dispute is a rejection by unions of hated Anglo-Saxon capitalism, seen by French workers as a threat to their hard-won social rights and privileges. Political scientist Matthew Fraser, a professor at American University of Paris, said it is also a left-on-left battle; left-wing voters are bitterly disappointed with the socialist governments free market and economically liberal leanings. The communist CGT union and its far left political allies are attacking a weakened Socialist Francois Hollande a year before the next presidential elections. The far left is hostile towards Hollande because he has taken a centrist approach to economy policy in the name of reform, Fraser said in an interview. Fraser said France has remained stuck in a rigid status quo for four decades because politicians have feared the consequences of taking on the unions. France is constantly paralyzed by strike actions because the work force enjoys tremendous entitlements and privileges short work weeks, long holidays, security of employment, and other perks and refuse to concede on tier privileges to allow outsiders to gain access to the workforce, he said. The system is centralized, hierarchical and rigid. There is no room for pragmatic compromise. ALSO Romania continues an unlikely cinematic domination at Cannes Several arrested after Trump supporters and opponents square off at rally in Anaheim Condoms, tampons and feces: Oregon fraternity suspended after disgraceful trashing of Shasta Lake Willsher is a special correspondent. UPDATES: 2:38 p.m.: This article was updated with Times reporting. 4:25 a.m.: Updated with additional details This story was originally posted at 3:52 a.m. National oil companies such as Pemex and Petrobras will look to government support to meet funding needs this year On 16 May Chile's supreme court (CS) announced that it will ask the US to extradite three former police agents from its disbanded national intelligence directorate (Dina), Chiles secret police under the military government led by General Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990). The three individuals are suspected of being responsible for the 1976 murder of a United Nations diplomat in Chile. In a unanimous verdict, the CS agreed to ask the US to hand over Chilean national Armando Fernandez Larios, US national Michael Townley, and Cuban national Virgilio Paz. All three, who are currently living in the US, are wanted in Chile for the detention, torture, and murder of Spanish-Chilean Carmelo Soria Espinoza, who was arrested as he travelled home from his office in Santiago and was taken by Dina officials to a torture centre on the outskirts of the city. Townley and Fernandez are currently in the US witness protection programme after assisting in the investigation of the murder of Orlando Letelier, a leftist Chilean exile executed by Pinochet operatives in Washington DC in 1976. Paz was released in 2001 after spending a decade in a US prison for his role in Leteliers murder. End of preview - This article contains approximately 831 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options A Harvard University grad drove more than 2,000 miles, over nearly three full days to make sure her undocumented immigrant mom would be able to attend her graduation. Norma Torres Mendoza recently finished work on her Master's in Public Policy and International Affairs degree and desperately wanted her mom to be able to share in her big day. Millions Saved From Possible Deportation by DACA As a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient, Mendoza is free to travel the country using the renewable two-year exemption from deportation she's been granted. In all, nearly five million immigrants are saved from facing possible proceedings by the actions taken by the Obama administration in November of 2014. Given her status, according to NBC News, Mendoza flew from Massachusetts to Texas to pick up her mom and together the two made the drive back to Cambridge and the Ivy League institution. Carmen Torres would have surely been detained attempting to board any flight, an action that could have ultimately ended in her facing deportation actions. "I was pretty excited to show my mother where I've been for the past two years," said Mendoza, showing off the pictures the two snapped of themselves stopping off at each state crossing. Torres has been in the U.S. since she was 16 and works as a housekeeper. "My mother always told me that education was the only thing that no one could ever take away from me," said Mendoza. Indeed, Mendoza appears to have taken those lessons to heart. Prior to attending Harvard, she worked for Deloitte Consulting where she was a Human Capital Analyst. She earned her undergraduate degree in Political Science and Hispanic Studies from Rice University, where she co-founded the Young Owls Leadership Program (YOLP) that has helped nearly 200 Houston area students become the first in their families to attend four year universities. Even before the official festivities at Harvard kicked off, Mendoza walked arm and arm with her mom at the school's second annual Latino Graduation, a student-led initiative launched to celebrate the accomplishments of Latino graduates. "It's unbelievable because my mother comes from a very humble background," said Mendoza. "I don't think she's ever imagined that she would be at this point in her life where her daughter is getting a Master's from Harvard." Mendoza Aims to Mobilize Latino Voters Upcoming plans call for Mendoza to drive back to Houston as part of a mission to mobilize Latino voters for the upcoming 2016 presidential election, where presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump has already vowed to deport millions of immigrants if he is elected. After that, she's leaving her options open. "I'm still going through a few offers for a full time job beginning in August," she said. She later added of her mom, "She taught me the value of working hard, preserving and ensuring that we leave this country better than we found it." Donald Trump supporter Jeffrey Lord hints he's convinced New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, the nation's first and only Latina state governor, does not owe any added allegiance to the Hispanic community. "She's not a Latino," she's an American citizen," Lord recently told CNN. Lord's words come on the heels of a series of harsh criticisms recently lobbed in Martinez's direction by Trump himself, who after emerging as the presumptive GOP nominee for president had recently vowed to do all he can to unite the fractured Republican party. Trump Insists Martinez not Doing job But after taking the stage during a May 25, rally in Martinez's home state, Trump immediately went on the offensive, accusing the governor and chairwoman of the Republican Governor's Association of "not doing her job." Prior to their public rift, Martinez had been critical of Trump and did not attend his recent rally in Albuquerque, telling reporters she was "really busy" running the state. Trump responded by telling thousands of New Mexico residents at his rally the two-term governor is most responsible for the state's mounting economic problems, including a splurge in the number of residents now receiving food stamps. "We have got to get your governor to get going," Trump said to a cheering audience. "She's got to do a better job. Okay? Your governor has got to do a better job. She's not doing the job. Hey! Maybe I'll run for governor of New Mexico. I'll get this place going. She's not doing the job. We've got to get her moving." Trump also took Martinez to task for what he sees as her allowing "large numbers" of Syrian refugees to resettle in the state. "If I was governor, that wouldn't be happening," he said. Martinez's press secretary, Mike Lonergan later chalked the Trump insults up to nothing more than mere politics. "The Governor will not be bullied into supporting a candidate until she is convinced that candidate will fight for New Mexicans," he said. "Governor Martinez doesn't care about what Donald Trump says about her - she cares about what he says he will do to help New Mexicans. She didn't hear anything about that today." Once mentioned as a potential vice presidential candidate, Martinez has been critical of Trump, who has vowed to deport millions of immigrants if he is elected as Barack Obama's successor. Martinez Bothered by Trump's Immigration Rhetoric Back in April, Martinez told a crowd of wealthy Republican donors gathered for a retreat in Florida that she is offended by some of the rhetoric Trump has used in referring to immigrants. She added that Trump's plan to build a wall along the southern border and force Mexico to pay for it was both unrealistic and irresponsible. More recently, Martinez has dodged questions about Trump, including whether or not she will ultimately come to publicly support him. "I'm the governor of New Mexico, and I'm really focused on what's going on here in New Mexico," she said. Trump also used his Albuquerque rally to attack Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton and Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Thank you for reading! To read this article and more, subscribe now for as little as $1.99. LBPD Public Information Officer Marlene Arrona tells LBREPORT.com that at roughly 12:27 a.m. on May 24, officers were dispatched to a shots-heard call in the 1300 block of Walnut Avenue Officers found evidence of a shooting -- an unoccupied parked vehicle sustained damage -- but no injured parties were located. LBPD's investigation is ongoing. Earlier this month (May 3), a man was shot two blocks north in the 1500 block of Walnut Ave. A few days earlier on April 28, man was shot in the area of Walnut/14th St. (a block north of the May 24 crime scene.) Eleven contractors sought information about a playground project at Easton's Hugh Moore Park but none of them bid on it. Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr. The few scattered bids on the fit-out for Farmers Insurance in the new Easton city hall came in way higher than expected. The reason? Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr. said contractors are put off by a Project Labor Agreement approved by the city six years ago. The agreement requires contractors of jobs $250,000 or higher to seek out union labor. If they can't find any, they need the union to sign off on non-union labor. Council agreed to raise the limit to $1 million for the Farmers Insurance and Billy's Downtown Diner fit-outs in city hall as well as Hugh Moore Park. But they balked at setting the limit at $1 million for future projects before sitting down with labor leaders to discuss it. "It's going to destroy the PLA," said councilman James Edinger. "It will be virtually unusable at that threshold." Panto said small contractors looking for jobs under $1 million are confused about how to follow the rules, so they don't bother to pursue the work. He said landscaping contractors looking to bid on the Hugh Moore Park job didn't know where to find any landscaping unions. The mayor said the city only got one HVAC bid for the Farmers Insurance office looking to move into city hall. That bid was way above what he expected. The lowest bids on electrical, plumbing, HVAC and general construction came in at a combined $780,000. The initial estimate for the work was $450,000, although that figure was quickly scrapped as unrealistic. The mayor got permission from city council to award contracts for the Farmers Insurance space if he can get the total cost under $750,000. Farmers was supposed to move in by June 1. "I'm not sure we're going to get them in by July 1," the mayor said. Edinger warned council that watering down the labor agreement will give contractors leeway to short-change workers. They'll cut corners to avoid paying prevailing wage when given a chance, he said. "If they're offering you a discount, it's always on the backs of the workers," Edinger said. Panto said he supports the labor agreement for most projects, including the multi-million-dollar parking garages in the city's near future. He noted city hall was built entirely with union labor. But the agreement is hampering the city's ability to move ahead with smaller projects, he said. For the city hall projects, the city as landlord pays for drywall, basic plumbing and electrical systems, as well as HVAC. Any frills or amenities beyond that are paid for by the tenants. Billy's Downtown Diner hopes to be in by Aug. 1, the mayor said. Hopefully the $1 million threshhold on the labor agreement will expedite that move in, he said. On the decision to raise the limit for the three pending projects, the mayor said, "I think that's a good compromise." Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. A woman who was caring for a 6-month-old in a Palmer Township hotel was picked up Wednesday on an arrest warrant and Northampton County sheriffs found crack pipes in plain view in an open bag in her room, Sheriff David Dalrymple said. Maureen Duarte, 43, who was staying in the Quality Inn near the 25th Street Shopping Center, will face additional charges of endangering the welfare of a child and possession of drug paraphernalia, Dalrymple said. Maureen Duarte Duatre, whose son Troy is serving a 10.5- to 25-year sentence on two counts of conspiracy to commit homicide, was taken to Northampton County Prison, Dalrymple said. Maureen Duarte, who was given $25,000 unsecured bail after a Sept. 1 arrest on a charge of possession with intent to deliver drugs, missed a March 18 hearing where her bail was revoked. Her trial was supposed to be April 4, court records show. A bench warrant was issued for her arrest. Duare is the baby's grandmother, sheriff's department Sgt. George Volpe said. The child was turned over to the county's Children, Youth and Families Division, Volpe said. Maureen Duarte is also a witness to the July 2014 shooting of two men near 1505 Washington St. in Wilson Borough, authorities have said. Tchella Bellamy is charged with two counts of attempted homicide in that case. Maureen Duarte alleged the shooter was "Tchell Bell," although she didn't testify at his preliminary hearing. Sheriffs in a separate operation arrested Lamar Williams, of the 600 block of Northampton Street in Easton, on a 2014 heroin warrant out of Warren County, Dalrymple said. They checked warrants as they served Williams with a Protection from Abuse Order. The two arrests were "more outstanding work by the sheriff's department," Dalrymple said. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. East Stroudsburg University is the first Pennsylvania state school to go SAT- and ACT-score optional. Starting with the spring of 2017, the university is piloting eliminating the mandatory submission of an applicant's SAT and ACT scores. East Stroudsburg is the first school in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education to go to test-optional admission for all applicants, but it is joining more than 850 colleges and universities that have made the change, such as Temple, Duquesne and St. Joseph's universities. The scores have been primarily used to place freshman in English, math and science courses rather than selecting students, the school said in a news release.. The university in Monroe County has been discussing how the focus on test scores prevents attracting otherwise talented and qualified prospective students, the release states. "There are students who do not fare well on these standardized tests but present a record of solid grades," said David Bousquet, vice president for enrollment management. "By removing the stigma of poor standardized test results, we hope to remove a barrier for students who don't think their SAT or ACT scores are accurate indicators of their academic ability." East Stroudsburg plans to give the pilot a try and then assess the results, said Peter Hawkes, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. As part of the pilot, the school plans to review the academic performance of students who submit scores and those who do not. "There is evidence that standardized tests are not the best predictor of college success," Bousquet said. "Rather, the level of courses selected and the grades received in those college preparatory courses continue to stand as the best predictor of college success." Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Coroner: Sommer is homicide victim; Bortz killed self Pennsylvania State Police identified the two people who died Wednesday night in a Washington Township, Lehigh County, shooting, but declined to say what happened. Joseph Stephen Sommer Jr., 48, of Northampton, and Harry Ralph Bortz Jr., 34, of Northampton, were pronounced dead at the scene, police and the Lehigh County coroner said. The men died between 10:30 and 11 p.m. in a home in the 6700 block of Route 873, police said. "Everything is still under investigation," Coroner Scott Grim said earlier. "I would say preliminarily we are investigating a double shooting incident." State police spokesman Marc W. Allen earlier said it was "an ongoing shooting investigation." But in the news release issued late Thursday morning, police didn't mention gunfire. "Investigation has determined that this was an isolated incident specific to the persons involved, thus there is no danger to the public as it pertains to this investigation," police said in the news release. In addition to police and the coroner's office, the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office is involved in the investigation. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. CLLR Willie Aird has questioned a Laois County Council decision to grant planning permission for a filling station on the Dublin Road in Portlaoise which will include a new roundabout, as he claims he has been waiting a decade for the council to provide funding for a roundabout at Fielbrook. CLLR Willie Aird has questioned a Laois County Council decision to grant planning permission for a filling station on the Dublin Road in Portlaoise which will include a new roundabout, as he claims he has been waiting a decade for the council to provide funding for a roundabout at Fielbrook. The councillor voiced his objection at last weeks electoral area meeting in Portlaoise, after he learned that there is no funding currently available for a roundabout at the entrance to Fielbrook, even though planning permission has recently been granted for the immediate provision of a roundabout at the junction of the Dublin Road and the Block Road. At the old Texaco station on the Dublin Road, Laois County Council have granted permission for a petrol station and it includes a roundabout there. This has now gone to An Bord Pleanala, he said. For at least ten years weve been looking for a roundabout at Fielbrook. Is it the case that were granting planning permission for a roundabout to someone whos building something? On what grounds have the county council granted planning permission? The councillor went on to say that he had not been informed that a roundabout was to be included at the new filling station and he asked that the councillors be allowed to see the road design. Town manager, Mr Michael Rainey said that he would pass the councillors request on to the roads department. Cllr Alan Hand said that there were four or five estates off the Dublin Road which were landlocked, where it was nearly impossible to get out in the morning due to traffic. Theres a small village off the Dublin Road and its landlocked, said Cllr Hand. Area engineer, Mr Tom OCarroll said that the new roundabout at the Block Road would hopefully help to break the traffic. Replying to Mr OCarroll, Cllr Aird recommended that the councillors visit the An Bord Pleanala website, where objections have been lodged against the new development. In a written response to the councillors from PJ Dempsey of the roads department, it was explained that Fielbrook has been through the part VIII planning process and it is currently awaiting funding. Laois County Council are not in a position to indicate a time scale for this scheme as they have no indication when funding will be forthcoming. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Dedicated to the memory of the late Cllr Willie Crowley, the Gerard Manley Hopkins Festival 2016 promises to be as entertaining, enlightening and enjoyable as ever. Once again participants will travel from all over the globe to attend. For the first time a representative from Mexico, Mario Margin, Professor of English, Translation and Comparative Literature will be in attendance, said the organisers. The festival runs from Friday, July 22 to Thursday, July 28. One of the highlights of the festival is always the trip to Maynooth University followed by the Festival Banquet in the Pugin Hall. Teresa Redmond (NUIM Hopkins Society) will welcome guests to Maynooth while Terry Dooly (NUIM) will give a brief history of Maynooth and Carton House. This will be followed by a guided tour of the 1916 Exhibition at Maynooth and the Russell Library. Jeanne Morell Walsh (NUIM) will bring guests on a short tour of the College Chapel. Jeanne gave a fascinating presentation on Pugin (her illustrious ancestor) last year, added the spokesperson. A sherry reception and music will precede the banquet. The festival committee is very pleased to report the British Ambassador, HE Dominick Chilcott, and his wife Jane will once again be in attendance. They have been wonderful friends to the festival since their arrival in Ireland but, alas, the Ambassador will shortly be reassigned so this will probably be the last time they will be able to attend, she added. This years Irish Music Night will feature Tomas Poole and his group Cathan. They will be supported by Conor Mahony and Peter Byrne. The event will take place on Wednesday July 27 in Newbridge College Theatre. Tickets cost 15 and may be purchased on line on the Festival website. Tickets for the Classical Concert featuring Hans Palsson, renowned Swedish pianist, may also be purchased online. For further details log onto the festival website - gerardmanleyhopkins.org. Tickets for NUI Maynooth may be purchased online on the website and are priced at 35 each. All are welcome. Sean Quinn has left his role as a consultant to Quinn Industrial Holdings Limited after a difference of opinion between himself and the Board of Directors of the company. In a statement this week, the Board of Directors said it has become evident that Seans expectations for his role and the ownership structure of QIHL are at odds with the strategic direction of the businesses. Relations between Sean Quinn and Sean Quinn Jnr and the Board of Directors, including US investors in the company, are reported to have been fraught in recent months. Matters appear to have come to a head this week with the announcement by QIHL that it was terminating his reported 500,000 a year contract. After months it has been mutually agreed between the parties that QIHLs consultancy arrangement with Sean Quinn and Sean Quinn Junior will be discontinued, albeit Sean will have continued access to office facilities for his own personal use. The Board of QIHL is pleased that it has been possible to reach agreement on this matter and we were keen that staff should hear the news directly from the company. The full wording of QIHL's statement is: On 22nd April Quinn Industrial Holdings Limited (QIHL) published an overview of our financial and operating performance for 2015, our first full year of ownership since the business was bought in December 2014. As we mentioned in our statement it was a transformative year of business stabilisation and growth, increased employment and a renewed sense of pride and confidence for the future. Credit for this transformation rests with our locally based management team and our 743 staff whose collective commitment, hard work and determination ensure a robust and sustainable business for the future. Importantly, it should not go unnoticed that the success that we have collectively delivered has had a multiplier effect on our local community and the resultant economic impact extends well beyond our directly employed staff, as we estimate QIHL sustains more than 2,500 jobs in the local area. Under local management, employment has grown by 13%, wages have increased by over 5%, revenues have grown by 25% and EBITDA has more than doubled. QIHL is on very strong financial footing and is poised to deliver continued growth. As a reminder, QIHL was formed in 2014 to support QBRC Limiteds (QBRC) two pronged mission of returning the former Quinn Group businesses to local management, and growing the businesses and stabilising employment, restoring pride and value in these very important local businesses that support the economic viability of the region. QIHL and QBRC have delivered on their word and will continue to support and invest in the business to support a robust local economy. Following the acquisition of the businesses by QIHL we entered into a consultancy agreement as a framework to facilitate Sean Quinns involvement in the businesses. We believed that this would enable us to benefit from the wealth of experience that Sean had built up since he founded the businesses and was a role intended both as a mark of respect for Sean and to assist in creating a unified sense of purpose in support of a local management team and local businesses that sustain local employment and prosperity. As time has progressed it has become evident that Seans expectations for his role and the ownership structure of QIHL are at odds with the strategic direction of the businesses. Accordingly, it has been mutually agreed between the parties that QIHLs consultancy arrangement with Sean Quinn and Sean Quinn Junior will be discontinued, albeit Sean will have continued access to office facilities for his own personal use. The Board of QIHL is pleased that it has been possible to reach agreement on this matter and we were keen that staff should hear the news directly from the company. In conclusion we would like to thank all staff for their hard work and assure you that QIHL continues to perform well and is optimally positioned to take advantage of the recovering Irish economy as well as strong and continuing demand from the UK construction market. With your continued support and our continued investment, QIHL is well placed to continue on our journey of business and employment growth in 2016. In a statement to a Co Fermanagh newspaper last week, Sean Quinn signalled that his family had not burnt its bridges with QBRC and that they would continue to work with management. He said that he had reached an agreement with QBRC which "creates a pathway for the Quinn family to potentially realise its ambitions over time". Next on the To-Do List: Ikigai Many moons ago, I worked as a career counselor, first for a college and then for a nonprofit in a... Voters need a third option at the polls I ran for a public office a few years ago. After winning a battle with Genesee County Parks the NRA... Wendy Wolcott best choice for Mott College We have a very special candidate running for Mott Community College Board of Trustees in Wendy Wolcott. Mrs. Wolcott is... Smith and Goyette are not fine men I am responding to Tamara Carlones editorial regarding Davison School Board members Matthew Smith and Nicholas Goyette. I disagree with... There is a reason I have spent so much time and energy over the past decade trying to get Alex Cole-Hamilton elected to the Scottish Parliament. I hope the video of his debut speech this morning will help you understand it too. I had pretty high expectations, if Im honest. The subject, the EU, is one of his strong points. Last year he won best speaker in the Charles Kennedy Memorial Debate on our continued membership of the EU. Alex managed to exceed even my lofty expectations today. He paid tribute to his immediate predecessor and to Margaret Smith, who, as Liberal Democrat MSP for Edinburgh West until 2011, had played such a huge role in getting Free Personal Care through. On Europe, he highlighted the role of the EU in preserving the peace. Only the last two generations of his family have been free from the losses of European war. As well as preserving the peace, the EU helps us tackle the challenges facing our world which know no borders, like climate change and human trafficking, he argued. The case he made for the EU was persuasive, inspiring and optimistic. The full text is below: As I rise to deliver my first speech in the Scottish Parliament, I feel the sense of awe that I have seen on the faces of my fellow newcomers to this place; they have given excellent speeches, both yesterday and this morning. My journey to this chamber has been a long one, and I am grateful for the kindness of parliamentary staff, journalists and indeed members of all parties for the good will that they have shown me in these first weeks. It has been good will tinged with surprise, I might add, at my appearance here, but that surprise was eclipsed by my own when I was plucked from the ranks of new Liberal Democrat MSPs and immediately promoted to the front bench. That was something of a shock. [Laughter.] Before I address the substance of the debate, I pay tribute to my immediate predecessor, Colin Keir. He is a kind and generous man and I wish him every success in his future. I also pay tribute to the previous Liberal parliamentarian to represent Edinburgh Western, Margaret Smith. Margaret served in this Parliament for 12 years and delivered many of the changes that brought about free personal care for the elderly. All of us can attest to the honour that it is to represent the great communities of Edinburgh Western. The constituency is steeped in history that goes back to Roman times and it flanks the beautiful fringes of the Forth estuary. It is in the shadow of our own world heritage site: the Forth rail bridge. I am sorry to say that, following my election, the area is no longer available to the SNP for parliamentary group photographs. I am sorry about that. My first act as a parliamentarian for Edinburgh Western is to make the case that my constituentsand yours, Presiding Officerare demonstrably better off as part of the European Union. One hundred years ago almost to the day, my great grand-uncle, a private in the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles out of Saskatchewan, at the age of 23, was killed along with 80 per cent of his battalion on the first day of the battle of Mont Sorrel on the Ypres salient. His name was Alexander Bennett and I am named for him. Just a generation later, his sacrifice was met by that of two of my grandfathers four siblings, who were killed on active service, this time in world war two. It is a measure of the success of the European project that I am only the second generation in the recorded history of my entire family to never have to contemplate taking up arms against our nearest European neighbours. It is a comfort that I would extend to my three children, Finn, Kit and Darcy, and to theirs to come. It is from the shared desire for a continued and lasting peace that the originating treaties of the European Union emerged. First, there was the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951, so that no country could ever again build a war machine, and then there was the treaty of Rome, which led to a single market in which the free movement of goods, people, capital and services has come to represent the most important charter for freedom that the world has ever seen. It is a solidarity of nations that has become a family. The Brexiteers such as Margaret Mitchell and her colleagues paint a very nice picture of what it would be to reclaim all our sovereignty, but it is a doctrine of isolationism, pure and simple. I put it to you, Presiding Officer, that in this increasingly globalised world, human traffickers will never recognise that isolation. Climate change will not recognise it, and neither will terrorists. If we were to leave, we would be a tiny archipelago of islands adrift in a sea of economic uncertainty. That is why those on the Liberal Democrat benches are so proudly and full-throatedly backing the remain campaign. I am delighted, and heartily glad, that my first speech is on an issue on which there is such consensus, and that I find myself on common ground not just with those in other Opposition parties but with those on the Government benches. I hope that there are many days like this to come in my parliamentary service because, with consensus, this place can move mountains and it has done so. When I worked in the childrens sector, from outside the chamber I helped to broker a consensus that led to a change in the age of leaving care and that will change lives as a result. However, there will be days of discord, and that is good and right because, as John F Kennedy said, without criticism and debate no Administration can succeed and no republic can survive. It is incumbent on Opposition parties, particularly in a minority Government situation, to challenge and scrutinise, so I will offer that debate and scrutiny. It will at times be fierce, but it will always be reasoned and it will always be Liberal. However, today, let us put aside those differences and embrace that common ground on which we find ourselves. A sense of real optimism is currently sweeping the Liberal Democrats, and I know that it is sweeping other parties as well, because we have so much to gain by remaining as members of the European Union, so we must gather together to vigorously campaign for a remain vote on 23 June. Thank you. In Dutch government and politics, it is a rare occasion indeed when the reigning monarch makes a clear political pronouncement. He only can do that with full political backing by the prime minister and his Cabinet, and that implies that the pronouncement reflects a very broad national consensus. Usually, speeches by the Dutch monarch contain diplomatic and political platitudes; when it gets more specific the Dutch nation sits up and takes notice. The Dutch constitution contains an article: The King is immune; the government is responsible; there have been occasions where cabinet- or prime ministers threatened stepping down if a stubborn king (19th century king William III) or queen (Juliana) wanted to insert a personal point in an official speech. Those ministers got their way; the monarch scrapped the specifics. That constitutional and political-historical context should tell you the importance of what king Willem Alexander of the Netherlands just today said in a Dutch EU presidency speech in the European Parliament. According to Dutch news reports, he said: The European Bouquet isnt complete without the Spanish carnation; (..) the Croatian iris, the Dutch tulip. And not without the English rose. He also mentioned the serious worries the EU causes average EU citizens, and counseled the EU institutions, and the European parliamentarians themselves, to practice critical introspection, and to remain open to criticism from outside Brussel. The EU should make policymaking in areas like the banking- and the migrants crisis more decisive: anticipating isnt a EU strong suit. To get an efficient EU, better co-operation between Brussels and EU Member states is necessary, the king said. If a pronouncement of Dutch political sentiment is done by our king, it doesnt get any stronger than that. This reinforces the argument that if the UK leaves in a fanfare of Trumpish, co-operation disrupting rhetoric (or bombast), the Dutch will feel sorely betrayed by their old (Marlborough, RAF, sober EU budgeting, see my previous postings) allies. And hell hath no fury like a woman scornd. * Dr. Bernard Aris is a historian, a D66 parliamentary researcher and a LibDem supporting member. On 23 June 2016, Britain will face one of the greatest electoral questions of this decade. Voters will be asked to decide whether or not they wish to see the UK remain in the European Union. Yet as this crucial election draws ever-nearer, there is an important issue which must be contemplated: registering to vote. The deadline to register to vote for the referendum is midnight, 7 June. The party-neutral Bite The Ballot (of which Lord Roberts is Honorary President) is running an innovative #TurnUp campaign in the week approaching this deadline. I urge everyone to support this cause. Its vital to ensure that the 30% of young people missing from the roll are able to have their say. Regardless of how you choose to vote, it is crucial that all eligible voters turn up to vote and have their say on the future of Britains membership of the EU. That said, Lib Dems have adamantly chosen to become the party of remaining IN the Union. Our party chooses this path because its not only the right thing to do, but its the smart thing to do. There are economic benefits to remaining in the Union which will benefit a substantial portion of the British public. The GNP per capita will remain higher, the UK will retain its access and influence to the single market, and unemployment will remain lower. British citizens will retain their right to live and work in other EU member states a fact that affects over 2 million Britons today. Finally, remaining in the single market allows Britain the continued access to trade agreements with other nation states. This means there will be no need for renegotiation of bilateral trade agreements between the US and UK, or between Canada and the UK. If these sorts of economic benefits are not enough to encourage an in vote, there is another side to the argument for remaining in. The social benefits of remaining in the Union are many, but in my mind there are two at the forefront: 1) cultural exchange, and 2) sustainable peace. The EU has maintained sustainable peace within its borders for 70 years thanks to the alignment of goals and working together to achieve them. Yet this is also because of the first point; a cultural exchange of ideas, customs, languages and values. By engaging with the Continent, the UK has become culturally enriched and open. Though this is my personal opinion, this seems to me a beautiful reason to remain in the EU. Why not continue to partake in benefits such as Erasmus+? Why cut ourselves, and future generations off, from the world? For more information about why Lib Dems support remaining in the European Union, please check out the #INtogether campaign. But most importantly of all as a Party we must remember to inspire every we meet and work with to get registered, get informed, and #TurnUp to vote! * Anne Curie works for Lord Roger Roberts Thank heaven we have had no major crises while our Government is weak and split. The lordly predecessors of the present set must have turned in their graves when Cabinet responsibility was temporarily abandoned, in defiance of historic practice. The ghosts should then have howled when leading Tories began to spit insults at each other and denounce the supposed lies of their colleagues. Yet we are stuck with this Tory Government, in or out of the EU. This collection of sophisticated predators, who systematically promote the interests of their own kind and seek the further enrichment of the moneyed classes despite the deep inequalities in Britain, know how to survive. Where was Iain Duncan Smiths consciousness of his Governments preferring tax cuts for the wealthy when poor and disabled people, hit by his benefit cuts, were struggling to survive? Those were the days when David Camerons response to Nick Cleggs attempts to adjust the balance of taxation in favour of the poor was But our donors wouldnt like it, and the reply to requests for more public housing was It would only create more Labour voters. Yet, only this year did Duncan Smith apparently find his conscience and notice that the parrot-cry of We are all in this together was false. We do not have a Government that can be trusted with the welfare of all its people. So it isnt strange to see that many, vaguely aware of the falsity of care and uneasy at the obvious Government divisions, project their unconscious fears on to the Other immigrants: be they East Europeans doing useful jobs here and paying taxes, or hapless refugees. But our job is to keep demanding that government looks out for everyone, and insisting that fellow Europeans coming here is usually of benefit to us, and refugees have a right to come. If the Remain campaign succeeds in fighting the folly of the Outers and winning, Liberal Democrats will of course gain no credit despite our whole-hearted efforts. The Government will claim victory, and thank their wealthy friends. Even if Cameron fell, who would succeed him? Failed Osborne, hard-hearted May or self-serving Boris? Is this the leadership we can look forward to in 2020, given the disastrous divisions in Labour? Liberal Democrats must expect far more battles with this Government, which is no longer restrained by us and will not be much longer restrained by the divisive Referendum campaign. The prospect of further welfare cuts in pursuit of Osbornes deficit-denouncing dream still savagely threatens poor working families and must be fiercely resisted. We have a Government prepared blatantly to protect and further the interests of the few at the expense of the mass of the people. Insidiously, they are subverting democracy. It is oligarchy which is being quietly spread throughout Britain. Heads of schools must have more power than elected LEAs, ultimately subject to the Education Secretary. Mayors must have more power than elected local authorities. Police and Crime Commissioners must have more power than police authorities. Local services will continue to be diminished, because they are out of control of the ruling classes that this Government represents. As Democrats, as Tim shows the way, we have to communicate to all our people that we will fight as passionately as the Corbynistas, but more effectively, against these existential threats. * Katharine Pindar is a long-standing member of the Lib Dems and an activist in the West Cumbrian constituency of Copeland and Workington. Last night, Sal Brinton hosted an online meeting for party members on the subject of refugees. Also taking part were Baroness Shas Sheehan and Bradley Hillier-Smith, who have been on several visits to the refugee camps and Liberal Democrats for Seekers of Sanctuarys Suzanne Fletcher who, among many other things, has campaigned successfully to end the appalling red doors for asylum seekers policy. Suzanne was recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement award from ALDE. I consider myself reasonably well informed on the Refugee Crisis, but I found that I learned things during the webinar. The panel outlined a series of things that we can do to help the refugees, from making the case by writing to the local papers to donating money and equipment to the camps. Brad described the conditions in the camps in France appalling and unsanitary. None of the big charities are allowed to work there so the relief effort is carried out only by teams of volunteers. Sal also told us that Syrian refugees still in the massive camps in the region are locked in. They cant go anywhere else. This is the case in all the countries except the Lebanon. Our sister party there has ensured that they can get out, mindful of the experience of the Lebanese refugees during their civil war 30 years ago. Shas has another trip to the camps planned for next week and will be putting out another appeal for supplies. She is also trying to organise a co-ordinated Liberal Democrat volunteer event for the end of July. During the webinar, the part launched a new campaign site devoted to the issue of child refugees. Theres a timeline of all the issues and a link to Alf Dubs petition. If you missed the webinar, you will get a chance to hear the recording. A link will be emailed either later today or tomorrow if you are a party member. The next webinar, on the EU Referendum, will take place on 8th June. If you are not a party member and you like how Tim Farron has been leading the campaign for us to do our humanitarian duty as a country, you can join the party here. * Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings LifeStyle The best LifeStyle shows are right here, from Australia and around the world. Catch up with the experts on home design and interiors, food and cooking, the property market, and get fresh ideas with the savviest of renovators. Whether you need inspiration for cooking up a storm, to refresh a tired room, or tips to sell your property, Foxtel LifeStyle will always something new for you to watch. Enjoy your favourite experts like Andrew Winter and Neale Whitaker, or Deb Hutton and Jamie Oliver live or On Demand. Get Foxtel IT was standing room only in the South Court Hotel as 100 local residents attended a meeting expressing opposition to plans by Irish Cement to burn tyres. The cement firm is looking to stop the burning of fossil fuels at its plant in Mungret, and instead incinerate tyres at 1,500 degrees Celsius. Irish Cement is seeking planning permission from the council and a licence from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the 10m project, which it says will secure the future of the 80 workers on site. But the plans have proven unpopular with local residents, who are concerned that burning used tyres will release a number of toxic emissions into the air including dioxins, furans and sulphur dioxide, which in turn can cause a range of health problems. Ivor Casey, Fr Russell Road, said although major blow outs such as the one which happened last summer and coated cars in white dust are a rare occurrence, smaller episodes like this still happen. Everything is released nothing goes through a filter. This is toxic emissions going into the atmosphere. Children and older adults are most affected by these particles. What harmful toxins could be contained in these emissions? There is the potential for products of incomplete combustion. These would not be burnt off fully in the kiln. Then you have dioxins and furans, where there is no safe level of exposure to, he said. Mr Casey said the fine particles are so small, they can get deep into the lungs and cuase serious health problems, including asthma, decreased lung function, coughing and difficulty breathing, with Fine Gael councillor Daniel Butler who has an eight-month-old son saying these conditions can be irreversible if they infect a child in early life. The point was made by many people in the audience over Limerick City and County Councils major plans for the former Mungret College site. Shane Cullinane, who lives near there, said: We are talking about populating this area with all these schools and playgrounds. Then, 500 metres away, we are talking about sticking an incinerator in. What really is the plan here? Can the cement factory overshadow all the good which is going on? Who will want to come to these schools when there is an incinerator overhead? One member of the audience who did not wish to be identified said the factor of new jobs should not even be brought into the equation. It doesnt matter if it is 50 jobs, five jobs or 50,000 jobs. If there is a risk to any child, or any person, it is just not appropriate. Cllr James Collins, Fianna Fail, said when he approached Irish Cement about the project, the told him the motivation behind the change of fuel was to make the plant more viable. They said, he claimed, it is cheaper to use the new fuels. Cllr Collins added that it is expected the council will be making a formal submission to the EPA, something which members of the authority have no legal right to see. However, members of City West, he said, will be lobbying the council to make this available to them for approval. Cllr Cian Prendiville, Anti-Austerity Alliance, expressed concern that the EPAs testing facility at the Park Road in Rhebogue has been out of use since 2011. This, he claimed, would pick up any problems from Irish Cement, as opposed to another facility in Askeaton which wouldnt due to wind directions. Derek ODwyer, Fr Russell Road, said: This is being pitched as a process change factory. It is a municipal incinerator, there is no getting away from it. This is not about nimbyism, this is not about paranoia. Dioxins cannot be measured, they cannot be filtered. They are not understood. THE Minister for Public Expenditure has confirmed Limericks local authority has sought approval to build flood defences in the Mill Road area. Pascal Donohoe was speaking in the Dail following a question from city TD Willie ODea. Following representations from a constituent, Mr ODea asked if the council had applied for funding to carry out urgent works at the flood-hit Corbally thoroughfare. Residents are under constant pressure down there. Something urgent needs to be done. I was advised the council would make an application or residents put in place their own protection, the Fianna Fail TD told the Limerick Leader. Speaking in the Dail, he added residents whose property has been damaged are contemplating legal action due to the loses. He also asked if Mr Donohoe is aware of the considerable flooding damage already caused in this area. In response, Mr Donohoe said: I am advised by the Commissioners of Public Works that Limerick City and County Council has written to the Office of Public Works (OPW) seeking approval and funding to proceed with the appointment of consultants to design and procure works to upgrade flood defences in the area in question. He said the overall flood risk in Limerick and its surrounds is being assessed under the Shannon Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (Cfram) project. The draft Flood Risk Management Plan, to be completed under the Shannon Cfram study will consider all the viable options to address flood risk in Limerick city and, along with the other Cfram plans and recommended measures therein, will allow the OPW, in consultation with the Local Authorities, to identify the priority flood relief measures on a national basis to be taken forward, he added. LIMERICK Council is to call on Health Minister Simon Harris to appoint a consultant to the infectious diseases clinic at the University Hospital Limerick. It comes after a motion by Independent councillor John Loftus, which also called on him to ensure those infected with the Hepatitis C virus can get adequate infectious disease assessment and treatment here in Limerick. Cllr Loftus has also spoken about living with the condition which affects the liver, one of an estimated 16,000 people here. It is seen as a taboo thing as a lot of people do not realise how bad it is, or how many people have it, he told the Limerick Leader, Every month more people are being diagnosed. It is a major problem. Cllr Loftus contracted Hepatitis C almost 30 years ago. Taking up the story, he said: On the birth of my second daughter in Glasgow, my ex-wife had to have a blood transfusion. She was given contaminated blood. Four years after the birth of my daughter, I gave blood to the blood transfusion unit, and they discovered I had Hepatitis C too. He admits he was a bit shocked when he was given the diagnosis. I knew what Hepatitis C was, but I didnt know much more. I asked what it meant, and I was told it can lead to cancer of the liver, cancer of the stomach, and cancer of various other internal organs, and there was a chance I would not make 50. However, the councillor, who is now 61, would not allow himself to be beaten, and said: I have always had a positive attitude. When I was diagnosed with it, I decided there was no way I was going to die I am going to be here for my children. Now I have grandchildren too. Having the condition means that regular diseases hit him harder than most people, however. This year, I got the flu, and for a period of two months, I have never felt as bad as I did. I had no energy. I couldnt do anything. I couldnt eat. I just laid in my bed, and drank liquid, and had my wife looking after me, Cllr Loftus said. He said if the HSE could sink money into the infectious diseases unit in Limerick, it would represent a huge boost to people like him. They have got great staff care there, there are some great nurses. But anyone who has a condition has to go to Cork, Galway or Dublin for treatment or further testing, Cllr Loftus concluded. A COUNTY Limerick man who threatened to rape and kill the wife and children of a taxi driver will be sentenced in July. Gerard Ward, aged 40, of Glenma, Croom, has pleaded guilty to several charges, including robbery, relating to an incident on January 25, 2013. During a sentencing hearing, Garda Tom Flavin said Ward had been socialising in the city and approached the driver at a rank at around 10pm. The driver a Nigerian national told gardai that Ward seemed friendly at first but suddenly turned on him as they entered a remote cul de sac near Croom. He had earlier instructed the victim to travel the 18km to the village via back roads claiming it was quicker than travelling on the motorway. After the taxi pulled over, Ward - who has a number of serious convictions threatened him and demanded that he hand over his cash. Garda Flavin said the victim was then ordered to get out of the car and warned he would be killed if he looked at his (Wards) face. After he handed over his drivers licence, the victim was told to get into the boot of the car by Ward who threatened he was going to ride me and my wife. The defendant also ordered the driver to fall on his knees threatening he was going to kill him. After picking up an iron bar, the father-of-three then ordered the taxi driver to go to a tree where he was going to whip him. The driver kept pleading with him to stop, Michael Collins BL, prosecuting, told the court. Ward then drove the taxi into Croom where he wiped his finger prints off the steering wheel, and walked off into the night. As he did so, he told the victim he knew where he lived. Ward was later identified on CCTV approaching the taxi and a mobile phone belonging to the taxi driver was found at his home. In a victim impact statement, the taxi driver said he was particularly disturbed by threats against his kids and is still fearful more than three years after the incident. While he continues to work nights, he is constantly apprehensive and anxious as a result of what happened. Mark Nicholas BL, defending, said his clients guilty plea was important in the context of the case. He accepted there had been a deplorable threat of violence but added that no violence had actually occurred. Ward will be sentenced on July 28, next. THE Department of Transport has confirmed proposals to build a motorway between Limerick and Cork may be resurrected in the coming months. Plans to upgrade the N20 were shelved in October 2013 by the then Transport minister, Leo Varadakar, who said the cost likely to be around 1bn - was not feasible given the state of the countrys finances. Just over a year ago, his successor, Paschal Donoghue (now Minister for Public Expenditure), reiterated the government position, despite strong pressure from local business groups and poliiticans. In response to comments by Minister Simon Coveney, this Wednesday, a spokesperson for the department said the matter is likely to be reviewed. The Department can confirm it is expected that the position of the N20 Cork to Limerick route will be looked at as part of the proposed mid-term review of the Capital Plan, he said. Earlier, Minister Coveney told the Evening Echo it was his hope and instinct that the motorway would be put back on the capital spending programme when a review of the Governments Capital Investment Plan is complete. Look, you need to be able to connect Irelands second and third biggest cities in a better way than we have. We were simply being honest in the last capital programme when we said we could either spend 1bn on Cork-to-Limerick road and forget about the rest, said the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government The indications that the N20 may be back on the government agenda is likely to be welcomed by all quarters. THE front-page story in the Limerick Leader which led directly to an independent investigation into financial and HR matters at the University of Limerick has been voted News Story of the Year in the inaugural Local Ireland Media Awards. Leader journalist Anne Sheridan was presented with the prestigious award just two days after UL confirmed that it was dropping the High Court proceedings launched last year against the paper and its editor, Alan English. The story, which was followed by numerous further reports, concerned allegations made by two whistleblowers in the universitys finance department who remain suspended after a year. Along with a third whistleblower, former UL employee Leona OCallaghan, they were thanked for their participation in the Mazars review into matters at UL, commissioned by the Higher Education Authority. David Burke, the president Local Ireland and managing editor of the Tuam Herald, presented Anne with her award and described the winning entry an outstanding example of a local newspaper doing its job and standing by its story in difficult circumstances. The inaugural awards, open to Local Irelands 44 member titles, including journalists, photographers and advertising executives, attracted almost 300 entries. They were presented at a gala presentation dinner in Tullamore last Thursday. The Leader was shortlisted in six categories more than any other title and also claimed one of the nights other big awards, for Best Digital Coverage. The judges praised the Leader websites 16-hour rolling blog from the general election count at UL, produced by a 12-strong team, saying it had made an extraordinary impact, both locally, nationally and in numerous countries around the world where readers followed the constantly updated coverage by the Leader. Another Limerick Leader journalist, Aine Fitzgerald, was shortlisted in the Feature Story of the Year category for her riveting account of how 14-year-old Mary Corkery ran away to be with circus performer Valentine McCormick, 48, to whom she became very happily married. The Leader was also shortlisted in the categories for Best Designed Newspaper, Best Advertising Supplement and Best Advertisement. A distinguished judging panel was chaired by Professor John Horgan, the former Press Ombudsman. In his address, David Burke, said: These awards are a recognition of the many talents that combine to produce our titles in both print and digital format every week. We have outstanding journalists, photographers, designers and advertising executives the length and breadth of the country, and it is high time their contributions to our industry were recognised. Professor Horgan complimented this extraordinary network of Irish regional newspapers for their initiative in devising and promoting this competition. The number of the entries, and their strength, is a powerful indicator if proof were needed of the vitality and importance of this section of Irish media. This competition demonstrates that the business of providing not just what people are interested in, but what they should be interested in is as vital to the mental and political health of our country and its communities as it has ever been. Perhaps it is even more necessary than ever before: in the tsunami of information which threatens every day to engulf us, we need a steady hand on the tiller: authentic, reliable, and indeed sometimes courageous media. Your publications are an essential part of this national enterprise. Privacy Overview This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. TEN cases of measles have been reported in the West Limerick and Kerry area over the past two weeks. This compares with a total of six cases reported for the entire country last year. So far, only half of the ten cases have been confimed through laboratory tests while the results on the remaining five are pending. Dr Rose Fitzgerald, a specialist in Public Health Medicine has, however, stressed that most people will have nothing to worry about as the vast majority of the population have either had measles infection or been fully vaccinated. We are being very cautious in this instance because measles is potentially a serious condition, she said, before adding: We are currently very close to eliminating measles here in Ireland. So far, the HSE has traced all known contacts of the reported cases and advised them of the risks and will continue to identify those who may have been exposed to warn people and prevent further transmission. Measles is highly infectious and is spread easily and according to a HSE spokesman, there is a high chance that individuals who have not been fully vaccinated will develop measles if they are exposed. As it may not be possible to specifically identify all those who have been exposed, the HSE is seeking to highlight the signs and symptoms of measles, she said. Those who may be at risk of getting measles, the HSE has pointed out, include anyone who did not have measles in the past and those who have not received the MMR vaccine. To maximise protection against measles, the recommendation is for two doses of MMR. MMR is routinely given at age 1 year and 4-5 years, but may be given at any age. Most people born prior to 1978 have had measles infection, according to the HSE. But it has advised that people born since 1978, who have not had the MMR vaccine and who have never had measles to make arrangements with their GP to get the MMR vaccine, which is free of charge, as soon as possible. Symptoms usually appear about 10 days after exposure and these include irritability, a runny nose, conjunctivitis (red eyes), a cough and an increasing fever that comes and goes. These symptoms usually last two to four days and can be mistaken for a cold. A measles rash usually appears about four days after the early symptoms. The rash typically starts on the forehead and spreads downwards, over the face, neck and body. The rash consists of flat red or brown blotches, which can flow into each other. It lasts about four to seven days. Symptoms may also include diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal pain. The advice to anyone with signs or symptoms suggestive of measles, particularly if they have not been fully vaccinated or had measles in the past, is to stay at home, not go to school or work and phone their GP. Deafness connections on U.S. stamps much wider than originally thought: U.S. Stamp Notes Apr 29, 2021, 9 PM The stamp on the left of this 1993 American Sign Language pair uses an image derived from a photograph of a mother signing I love you to her baby. President James Garfield also is honored by a sculpture at Gallaudet University. He has been featured on many stamps, including this definitive. Frederick Law Olmstead, commemorated as a landscape architect on this 1999 33 stamp, designed the campus of Gallaudet University. Some people believe that Daniel Chester Frenchs sculpture for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., has a connection to sign language. Both parents of Lon Chaney were deaf. Two U.S. stamps depict the actor, including this 1997 stamp. Daniel Chester French created a sculpture of Thomas Gallaudet for Gallaudet University. The sculptor is honored on a stamp in the Famous Americans series of 1940. By John M. Hotchner Several readers responded to my U.S. Stamp Notes column in the Jan. 19, 2015, Linns regarding the models for the 1993 29 American Sign Language pair of stamps. In that column, I also listed several U.S. stamps related to the subject of deafness. It turns out that I missed some. Linns reader Yazid Afrit added several stamps to the list, including three related to Lon Chaney, the son of deaf parents. Connect with Linns Stamp News: Sign up for our newsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter A caricature of Chaney is pictured on a 29 stamp (Scott 2822) in the Silent Screen Stars issue, and he is featured as the title character in the Phantom of the Opera on a 32 stamp in the 1997 Classic Movie Monster issue (3168). Another stamp in that set shows his son, Lon Chaney Jr., in the Wolf Man (3172). Afrit also noted the 1999 33 stamp honoring architect Frederick Law Olmstead (Scott 3338). In addition to designing Central Park in New York City, Olmstead designed the campus of Gallaudet University, the worlds foremost institution of higher learning for the deaf. Lawrence Guenzel added two more. The first is the 5 stamp in the American Artist set from the 1940 Famous Americans series. This stamp honors Daniel Chester French (Scott 887), who sculpted the statue of Thomas Gallaudet on the campus of the university. Guenzels second entry is the Lincoln statue, also sculpted by French, in the Lincoln Memorial as shown on a 4 stamp in the 1958-59 Lincoln Sesquicentennial issue (Scott 1116). Some people have claimed that French deliberately sculpted Lincolns hands in the shape of an A and an L in sign language alphabet (equating to Abraham Lincoln). Not everyone agrees, and there are experts who feel the hands are, at best, subject to interpretation. Others, including the National Park Service, call it a myth. Only the right hand of the sculpture is shown on the stamp. In looking at research about the Lincoln statue, I stumbled upon the fact that President James A. Garfield, shown on several U.S. stamps, including the 6 definitive in the 1922-25 regular issue (Scott 558), had a major connection to Gallaudet University. During his many years in Congress before becoming president, Garfield was a strong advocate for the institution and was much beloved by the deaf community. As president, he visited the campus in May 1881, giving what is known to be his last public address before being assassinated that July. After Garfields death, Gallaudet students raised money to commission a bust of Garfield (by French), which sits in Chapel Hall at the university. At least 30 presidents honored on U.S. stamps had connections to deafness issues. Of these, seven (George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Herbert Hoover, and Ronald Reagan) had hearing loss of one type or another, some during their presidency and others toward the end of their lives. Bottom line, this is a topic that with research can probably encompass many more U.S. stamps. My thanks to those who wrote in with information. More U.S. Stamp Notes: Celebrating the Alaska statehood vote Using stamps as a promotional tool Messages on airmail covers promote the use of special delivery service Dinos of Canada stamps: more faces only a mother could love May 2, 2021, 8 PM The five stamps in Canada Posts second Dinos of Canada set depict Troodon inequalis, Cypretherium coarctatum, Dimetrodon borealis, Acrotholus audeti, and Comox Valley elasmosaur. The cover to the 10-stamp 2016 Dinos of Canada booklet offers an unusual view of Dimetrodon borealis: half colorful fright, half ashy fossil. Artists such as Sergey Krasovskiy, who created the illustrations for striking stamps, specialize in bringing exti Tiny silhouettes of four of the five prehistoric creatures form the black, cyan, magenta and yellow plate markings at bottom left on this perforated five-stamp souvenir sheet with moisture-activated gum. The upper right corner of the uncut press sheet includes the Troodon inequalis stamp as the eye of a Tyrannosaurus rex. In addition to the single stamp, the uncut press sheet contains seven souvenir sheets. By Fred Baumann This year, the eyes have it an unusual point of view for the second installment in the Dinos of Canada series issued May 26. The series was begun by Canada Post last spring with five booklet stamps and a souvenir sheet issued April 3, 2015. Heading this years creative effort was Subplot Design Inc. of Vancouver, British Columbia, including Roy White, Matthew Clark, Steph Gibson and Liz Wurzinger. Connect with Linns Stamp News: Sign up for our newsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Steph came up with the idea of showing the reflection of the creature through the eyes of another. Each eye is a unique frame, so it helps to create an interesting storyline for the stamp. Whos watching? Predator? Prey? They inspire the imagination without having to depict an entire scene, said White in an article in Canada Posts May-July issue of Details. Our first challenge, White also said, was to find an engaging illustrator one who was also an expert in the subject. That led the design team to Ukrainian Sergey Krasovskiy, who specializes in illustrations depicting dinosaurs and other extinct creatures. His work has been featured in many textbooks and popular magazines, including National Geographic, but these are his first stamps. Capturing the likeness of one extinct creature in the eye of another posed challenges, but seeing all five of the new Dinos of Canada stamps together makes the unusual technique work. This is especially true in the uncut press sheet, in which a single stamp appears as a reflection in the eye of a ravenous Tyrannosaurus rex. Its not just an illustration to me, said Krasovskiy, I enjoy the process. I hope that it reflects in my work, and that the audience feels that passion. Canada is fertile ground for paleontology, with important fossil discoveries from the Atlantic to the Pacific and, this year, from islands off both coasts. The first of the five se-tenant permanent-rate (currently 85) self-adhesive stamps in the booklet of 10 features Troodon inequalis, which means wounding tooth in Greek, alluding to deep serrations on its teeth. Judged likely to have been an omnivore like early primates and modern raccoon, troodon was well-equipped for predation, with long, sickle-like claws on its feet, heavy talons on its upper limbs, and a physique prepared for pursuit. Its relatively large brain suggests greater mental abilities than most contemporaries 75 million to 77 million years ago. Though described in Details magazine as a tiny, birdlike creature, it was in fact almost 8 feet long and two-thirds the size of a man. In Canada, its remains have been found in southern and southwestern Albertas Dinosaur Park and Horseshoe Canyon formations. The stamp appears to picture an infant or juvenile. The most recent and mammalian of the creatures on this years stamps, the piglike Cypretherium coarctatum and its entelodent relatives were apex predators in North America in the early Miocene era some 23 to 18 million years ago. Its generic name, which translates as Cypress beast, is based on the Cypress Hills Formation in southwestern Saskatchewan and southeastern Alberta, where its remains have been found. With a head similar to that of a wart hog and a bisonlike body, it could and did eat everything it encountered, but appeared to prefer meat. Its nickname is hell pig. Dimetrodon borealis lived in the early Permian period about 270 million years ago. Though often described as mammal-like on the basis of key anatomical traits, the layman might be unlikely to recognize a heavy-set, toothy, thick-jawed, sail-backed dinosaur as such. Based on a jaw found around 1845 when a well was dug in Spring Brook, Prince Edward Island, this was the first dinosaur to have been found in Canada. Acrotholus audeti, the most recently identified of the creatures in this Dinos of Canada set, might be the oldest of its type of thick-headed herbivores. Its generic name means high dome, alluding to a crowned skull almost 4 inches thick, while its species name salutes Alberta rancher Roy Audet, from whose property in 2008 the best example is said to have been recovered. Six feet long and weighing almost 90 pounds, it looks more likely to have been a good neighbor than this years other extinct animals. Comox Valley elasmosaur refers to the remains of an 80-million-year-old, 4,400-pound plesiosaur, an unusually long-necked, paddle-limbed ocean-dweller and a very capable carnivore. In Vancouver Islands Comox Valley in November 1988, fossil hunter Mike Trask, ably assisted by Heather, his 12-year-old daughter, came across the remains of this voracious 46-foot-long aquatic reptile, the first found west of the Canadian Rockies. The square 40-millimeter by 40mm stamps were printed in four-color offset lithography with varnish by Lowe-Martin. A souvenir sheet, measuring 160mm by 110mm, contains perforated moisture-activated versions of the five stamps. An uncut press sheet, measuring 608mm by 358mm, includes seven souvenir sheets and a single permanent-rate stamp. The uncut press sheet features an enlargement of a slavering Tyrannosaurus rex with a reflection in its eye of the young troodon from the stamp. The pictorial cancel on Canada Posts first-day covers shows stylized dinosaur tracks. The cancellation site is Courtenay, on British Columbias Vancouver Island, home of the Courtenay and District Museum and Palaeontology Centre and the Comox Valley elasmosaur. Canada Post printed 260,000 10-stamp booklets containing the five designs, or 520,000 of each of the self-adhesive stamps. The $8.50 booklet of 10 stamps is Canada Post item 414018111. In addition, 140,000 five-stamp souvenir sheets are being issued at $4.25 each, and are Canada Post item 404018145. Priced at $30.60 apiece, only 2,500 press sheets, Canada Post item 404018149, are being offered. Some 10,000 official FDCs of the souvenir sheet bear horizontally se-tenant strips of the five stamps on an envelope with an overall image of a fern-edged forest. Priced at $5.25, these are Canada Post item 404018144. Not specifically promoted as a collectible, but a colorful must-have for Dinos of Canada completists is a Stuck on Stamps! 2016 kit for the issue, with the stamps, StampFacts cards showing the set with information and a guide to pronunciation, the designs, and information about dinosaurs. The cover of this kit For Kids urges recipients to collect these genuine Canadian stamps and trade them with your friends, and notes that as a Bonus! there are Five matching temporary tattoos inside! Priced at $5.95, Stuck on Stamps! 2016 No. 2 is Canada Post item 402056102. Canada Post products are available online. Stamps and FDCs are available by mail order from the Canada Post Customer Service, Box 90022, 2701 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, ON K1V 1J8 Canada; or by telephone from the United States or Canada at 800-565-4362, and from other countries at 902-863-6550. Canadas stamps and stamp products also are available from many new-issue stamp dealers, and from Canada Posts agent in the United States: Interpost, Box 420, Hewlett, NY 11557. Related Articles: Five dinosaurs of Canada roar forth on stamps April 13 Check out photos from Canada Post's Dinos of Canada unveiling We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page. Dangers in Paradise (Image credit: Visun Khankasem | shutterstock.com) The beach may conjure up gorgeous images of crashing waves, tan lines and afternoon siestas. But this primo vacation hotspot isn't only about fun and serenity it's also filled with dangers that, if you're unaware of them, can wreak havoc or at least cause bad sunburns. Live Science assesses these hazards, from deadly riptides and destructive tsunamis to venomous jellies and harmful algae blooms. Heatstroke (Image credit: Davdeka | shutterstock.com) Usually, the body cools itself off by sweating. But if the body's temperature control system is overloaded, beachgoers can get heatstroke, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports. During heatstroke, the body's temperature rises quickly up to 106 degrees Fahrenheit (about 59 Celsius) or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. This can damage the brain and other vital organs, according to the CDC. Heatstroke often happens when humidity is high (sweat doesn't evaporate as rapidly in muggy weather, making it harder to cool off), the CDC said. Other risk factors include old age (65 years or older), youth (children ages 4 or younger), obesity, fever, dehydration, heart disease, sunburn and alcohol use, the CDC said. Symptoms include high body temperature; red, hot and dry skin (that is, no sweating); rapid pulse; throbbing headache; dizziness; nausea; confusion; and unconsciousness, the CDC said. To help, get the person to a shady area, cool him or her down with cool water, and call emergency services, the CDC said. Tsunamis The 2011 tsunami in Tohoku, Japan, killed about 16,000 people and wiped out entire communities. With more people living in coastal regions every year, the risk of tsunami deaths only goes up. (Image credit: Dylan McCord. U.S. Navy) Beaches are prime real estate for tsunamis, so it's good to be aware of an escape route in case you're sunning on the sand when disaster hits. In fact, if you hear a tsunami warning, get out of the water, stay away from beaches and evacuate to higher ground, according to the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program, a U.S. government program. Tsunamis are a series of waves that are formed by sudden displacements in the seafloor, landslides, volcanic activity or earthquakes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The name itself is pretty literal. In Japanese, "tsu" translates to "harbor" and "nami" means "wave," NOAA said. Since 1850, tsunamis have killed more than 420,000 people. The Sumatra tsunami was one of the deadliest in recent years, killing about 230,000 people on Dec. 26, 2004, NOAA reported. Many coastal areas now have tsunami-warning systems that monitor for earthquake activity and the passage of tsunami waves but these instruments still can't give exact predictions of the timing and size of tsunamis, NOAA said. Algal blooms An image of the Lake Erie algae bloom acquired by NASA's Aqua satellite on October 9, 2011. (Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory.) Who knew something so small could be so dangerous: Harmful algal blooms, also known as red tides, happen when a colony of algae grows out of control, according to NOAA. These blooms can release toxins that harm people, fish, shellfish, other marine animals and birds, NOAA said. One of the most famous algal blooms happens almost every summer along Florida's Gulf Coast, and it usually ends up killing fish and making shellfish unsafe to eat, NOAA said. Even nontoxic algal blooms can have disastrous effects on the ecosystem. For instance, when masses of algae die and decompose, they can deplete oxygen from the water, leaving marine creatures breathless, NOAA said. People shouldn't eat shellfish from areas affected by toxic algal blooms. In 1990, six fishermen almost died after eating steamed mussels that they had collected from an area near Cape Cod, Massachusetts, according to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The water may not be as tempting for swimmers, but there aren't always real health concerns linked to taking a dip in waters affected by these blooms. "Although some people can experience skin irritation and burning eyes, swimming during a red tide is safe for most people," NOAA reported. "However, never swim among dead fish, because they can be associated with harmful bacteria." NOAA added that "If you experience adverse symptoms, get out of the water and thoroughly wash off with fresh water. Shark attacks Face-to-face with a great white shark in full breach. The cameras slow shutter speed lends a 3D effect to the image. (Image credit: Daniel Botelho) Shark attacks get a lot of attention, but they're relatively rare. For instance, 2015 had a record number of 98 unprovoked shark attacks, resulting in six deaths, the International Shark Attack File reported. Shark biologist George Burgess, curator of the world shark-attack data at the Florida Museum of Natural History, gave Live Science some tips to prevent these rare, but terrifying, attacks: The most important tip is to use your common sense, Burgess said. Avoid swimming near fish. "Where there are fish, there are predators," he told Live Science. Stay away from fishing boats and areas with diving seabirds; both indicate fish are in the water. Avoid deep channels, troughs between sandbars and underwater drop-offs. Fish also congregate in these areas, attracting sharks. Stay out of murky water that makes it hard for you to see sharks, and for sharks to see that you're a human, not a fish or a seal. Don't swim alone. Sharks are less likely to go after groups of swimmers or divers. Don't swim at dawn or dusk, when sharks are more likely to be actively feeding close to shore. "A nighttime swim may be very romantic, but it's certainly not the smartest thing to do," Burgess said. Avoid wearing shiny jewelry or watches in the water. They gleam like fish scales. Rip currents A rip current near Melbourne, Fla., after Hurricane Jeanne. (Image credit: NOAA) Toothy sharks devouring beachgoers may get the most splash in headlines, but a more likely killer may be lurking at your favorite beach spot. Much like the name implies, rip currents are fast-moving currents of water that can pull even the strongest swimmers away from shore, according to Texas A&M University. These tides are dangerous, killing at least 100 people a year at surf beaches within the United States, the U.S. Lifesaving Association (USLA) reported. Rip currents, also called riptides, can happen at both the seaside and large lakes, and frequently form at low areas or breaks in sandbars or structures such as piers, according to Texas A&M. People can spot them by looking for a break in the pattern of an incoming waves, a channel with churning, choppy water, a place with noticeably different water color, or a line or foam, seaweed or debris moving seaward, the university said. If caught in a rip current, don't fight it directly. Instead, swim in a direction that follows the shoreline, and swim back to shore once you're out of the current, Texas A&M said. If that doesn't work, float or tread water until the current stops, or call for help, the university said. Jellyfish (Image credit: Pete Niesen | shutterstock.com) Jellyfish may look squishy and pretty, but some are deadly and others can leave a stinging sore on swimmers. Of the estimated 2,000 species of jellyfish, about 70 can cause serious harm, or even death, NOAA reports. So exercise proper jellyfish safety when chilling at the beach this summer: Look for jellyfish warning signs or announcements, and don't touch jellies that wash up on the shore, as their wet tentacles can still sting. What's more, it's a myth that urinating on a jellyfish sting will reduce the pain, Live Science reported. Instead, find a lifeguard, who can give first aid for stings, and see a doctor if you have an allergic reaction, NOAA said. If you're on your own, get the wound out of the water, and remove the tentacles with something other than your bare hand, Jennifer Ping, an emergency medicine physician at Straub Clinic and Hospital in Honolulu, told Live Science. Then, splash vinegar or another acidic solution on the wound, she said. Sunburns (Image credit: lavizzara/Shutterstock) Slather up with sunscreen and take cover under shade to protect your skin from painful sunburns while at the beach, the CDC says. It takes as little as 15 minutes for the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays to damage your skin, the CDC reported. These sunburns can increase the risk of skin cancer, which 1 in 5 Americans will develop, Live Science reported. At the expense of getting a ticket from the fashion police while relaxing on the balmy beach, to keep your skin sunburn-free, try wearing long-sleeve shirts, long skirts or pants. But make sure your clothing is dry, as wet clothes offer less UV protection than dry ones, the CDC said. If you only have a swimsuit, just remember to apply sunscreen amply and often. Gross water (Image credit: Jurjen Veerman | Shutterstock.com) The beach can be a pristine place, so long as it's not contaminated. Avoid these bad beach days (or simply, unsafe beaches) by checking for beach closures or advisories, NOAA said. Advisories are usually posted because of water that's contaminated, from such sources as untreated sewage from boats, pets, failing septic systems, fertilizers and hazardous spills, NOAA said. In addition, bacteria such as E. coli and harmful chemicals in the water can cause gastrointestinal illness, NOAA reported. Beach trash (Image credit: Fotos593 | shutterstock.com) Keep your distance from rusty metal, broken glass and other debris that is left on the beach or that washes ashore. These may even include derelict fishing gear and broken boats, NOAA reported. "Often this debris, or litter, ends up on our beaches, damaging habitats, harming wildlife and making it unsafe for beachgoers to walk along the shoreline and swim in the water," NOAA said in a statement. Beachgoers can help clean up by getting involved with NOAA's Marine Debris Program or the nonprofit program, Ocean Conservancy. Collapsing Sand Holes (Image credit: Martin Christopher Parker | shutterstock.com) Beachgoers, especially kids, often enjoy digging deep into the sand. But these holes can collapse and bury people within them, physicians report. A 2007 report, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, documented 52 fatal and nonfatal cases of these sandy collapses over a 10-year period. The victims ranged in age from 3 to 21, and 45 (87 percent) of them were male, the report found. Most cases happened near the shoreline, with holes both small and big, ranging from 2 feet to 15 feet (0.6 to 4.6 meters) in diameter, and 2 feet to 12 feet (0.6 to 3.7 m) deep. "Typically, victims became completely submerged in the sand when the walls of the hole unexpectedly collapsed, leaving virtually no evidence of the hole or the location of the victim," the researchers said. These collapses are often triggered by digging, tunneling, jumping or even falling, and led to the deaths of 31 people. The other 21 people survived because of swift rescue and medical care, the report said. Follow Laura Geggel on Twitter @LauraGeggel. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Hanauma Bay Beach Park in Oahu, Hawaii, is a world-class snorkeling destination. With its incredible views, crescent-shaped beach and beautiful white sand, it has long been a popular spot for people looking to swim with tropical fish. This stunning destination was named the best beach of 2016. Looking for a last-minute summer vacation spot? Try Hanauma Bay Beach Park in Hawaii. It's the best beach of 2016. Hanauma Bay's new title represents the third in a streak of winners from the island of Oahu in the annual "Best Beaches" rankings, which are put together annually by Stephen Leatherman, a coastal researcher at Florida International University also known as "Dr. Beach." Leatherman ranks the top 10 public beaches around the United States based on factors ranging from sand softness and wind speeds to wave height and pollution. He even considers sand color, smell and noise. Amenities such as picnic areas are in the mix, too. "Frankly, the United States is blessed with hundreds of wonderful beaches," Leatherman told Live Science. But this year, he said, top honors go to Hanauma Bay, with its dramatic volcanic landscape and waters "choked with tropical fish." [See Photos of the Best US Beaches of 2016] A snorkeling paradise Hanauma Bay on eastern Oahu ranks highly on many of Leatherman's criteria. It's "stunning in every respect," he wrote in his description of the spot. The sand is white, and the crescent-shaped beach actually sits inside a breached volcanic crater, making for stunning views. The snorkeling is also world-class, he said. "You're just surrounded by tropical fish," Leatherman said. "It's like a different world." Formed within a volcanic cone, Hanauma Bay was named a protected marine life conservation area and underwater park in 1967. Today its a snorkelers paradise. (Image credit: Denise Chow for Live Science) The beach is closed on Tuesdays to give the reef fish a break from snorkel-clad observers; visitors also have to watch a video the first time they visit Hanauma Bay State Park to educate them on conservation and respectful snorkeling and swimming practices. There are lifeguards on duty, and shuttle bus service is offered from the tourist center of Waikiki because of limited parking. Best of all, Leatherman said, Hanauma Bay is a nonsmoking beach. This year, nonsmoking beaches have been awarded bonus points in his ranking because of the prevalence of cigarette-butt litter on public beaches. Although, in terms of volume, there is more plastic littering beaches, cigarette butts are the main form of litter by number, Leatherman said. "Beaches are not big ashtrays," he said. All of Oahu's beaches are now smoke-free, as is the runner-up beach in the 2016 rankings, Siesta Beach in Florida, he noted. The runners-up Here is Leatherman's full list of the top 10 beaches for 2016: Hanauma Bay Beach Oahu, Hawaii Siesta Beach Sarasota, Florida Kapalua Bay Beach Maui, Hawaii Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach Outer Banks of North Carolina Coast Guard Beach Cape Cod, Massachusetts Grayton Beach State Park Florida panhandle Coronado Beach San Diego, California Coopers Beach Southampton, New York Caladesi Island State Bark Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida Beachwalker Park Kiawah Island, South Carolina Previous winners have included Waimanalo Beach in Oahu (2015), Duke Kahanamoku Beach in Oahu (2014) and Main Beach on Long Island, New York (2013). In previous years, the No. 1 beach has been "retired" from the list. In 2017, however, Leatherman plans to begin with a clean slate, reopening the contest to former winners as well as beaches that haven't taken the top spot before. Only Hanauma Bay will be ineligible. Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook& Google+. Original article on Live Science. Live American alligator hatchlings (Alligator mississippiensis) in the American Museum of Natural History exhibit about modern crocodilians and their ancient relatives. NEW YORK The decades-old rumors of alligators inhabiting the depths of New York City's sewer system are no more than urban legends. But live alligators have, in fact, temporarily taken up residence here on Manhattan's Upper West Side, in a new museum exhibit. Beginning this Saturday (May 28) at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), visitors can get up close and personal with crocodylomorphs, the ancient and intriguing animal lineage that includes modern crocodiles and alligators. The new exhibit, "Crocs: Ancient Predators in a Modern World," introduces the biology and evolutionary history of the animal group, which emerged about 200 million years ago. Crocodylomorphs are archosaurs a group that includes pterosaurs and dinosaurs. Their contemporary descendants crocodiles, alligators, caimans and slender-snouted gharials are known collectively as crocodilians. The exhibit offers a glimpse at the past and present adaptations and lifestyles of these predators, fossils of which have been found on every continent on Earth even Antarctica. [Crocs: Ancient Predators in a Modern World (Photos)] Modern crocodilians vary greatly in size, from Cuvier's dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus), which measures about 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 meters) in length, to the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), which can grow to be more than 15 feet (4.6 m) long. Life-size models of these and other species are presented in the exhibit in dioramas undeniably the safest way to closely observe physical features of these toothy beasts. Tremendous diversity Whether big or small, all crocs inhabit similar environments areas close to the water's edge in both marine and freshwater habitats and share a similar body plan: a scaly, armored trunk built close to the ground; short, stocky legs; elongated snouts; and muscular tails. Their extinct ancestors exhibited a greater variety of forms there were dolphin-like swimmers and ambush predators that never went in the water, short-snouted plant eaters, and insect eaters that leaped to catch their prey, according to Mark Norell, the exhibit's curator and chair of the AMNH's Division of Paleontology. "Some looked like cats," Norell told Live Science. "Some were armored, like armadillos. Some were thought to be tree climbers. Some were bipedal, or had hoofs. Some had no teeth. There's a tremendous diversity of these animals that existed in the past." These extinct crocs, with their wide variety of body shapes, are thought to have been outcompeted by dinosaurs, Norell said. And while modern crocs may present a less diverse range of physical features, they are still full of surprises that will challenge visitors' expectations, he added. Visitors can touch this replica of Steneosaurus bollensis, an ancient marine crocodylomorph that lived 176 million to 183 million years ago in what is now Europe. (Image credit: AMNH/C. Chesek) Norell told Live Science that because crocs originated alongside dinosaurs, people may be tempted to think of them as primitive reptiles. But the truth is that crocs have advanced sensory systems and are highly adapted for different habitats and for hunting different types of prey. "These animals are fantastically specialized," Norell said. "They might physically resemble something that lived in the distant past, but metabolically, they're quite different. They're not just relics of the dinosaur era." [Alligators vs. Crocodiles: Photos Reveal Who's Who] "Typical babies" Life-size models of crocs crouch in habitat settings, introducing a handful of the species that share our world today, while hands-on activities invite visitors to touch replicas of snouts and skulls, explore the sounds crocs make, and try a strength test that approximates the force of a croc's powerful bite. Live crocodilians also make an appearance, with four species represented. Unquestionably the most endearing are the highly active half dozen American alligator hatchlings, which are about six months old and currently measure about 15 inches (38 centimeters) in length. Hazel Davies, who manages living exhibits for the AMNH, described them as "typical babies," swimming around and exploring their habitat. Young alligators grow rapidly: Davies estimated that the gator "babies" will likely be about 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 cm) longer by the end of the exhibit's run. "So they're not going to get huge," she said. "Thank goodness." But as big as they may grow in the wild, these and other crocs today still face challenges that their ancestors never did: human activities such as hunting and habitat destruction. George Amato, director of the Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics at the AMNH, has conducted DNA analysis of crocodilian skin samples to help government agencies identify whether endangered species were targeted by the illegal wildlife trade. Amato told Live Science that protecting crocodilians is important not only to preserve threatened species but also to maintain the overall health of their ecosystems. "Crocodilians are usually the top predator in their environment," Amato said. "And as such, they help structure their ecosystem. If you want to conserve an intact ecosystem, they have a big impact." Feeling the heat Climate change is also a looming threat to modern crocs, said Evon Hekkala, a research associate with the AMNH herpetology department. Hekkala uses DNA extracted from archived specimens in museum collections to study how populations of crocodiles have changed over the past few centuries. Hekkala said crocs may be particularly vulnerable in a warming world because the sex of their young is determined by the temperature of the incubated egg. "There's a lot of research right now trying to model what would happen if we have a 4-degree [Fahrenheit] temperature increase, and how that would affect populations of these species," Hekkala said. "On the other hand, their ability over the last 12 million years to move around the planet and to colonize habitats freshwater and saltwater may indicate that they have certain innate resilience that we can learn from," she added. Follow Mindy Weisberger on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science Check out our latest E-Edition Accessible anytime and anywhere on your desktop, tablet and smart phone devices. The Lodi News e-Edition is enhanced with the latest digital tools, including RSS feeds, social networking and much more. Check out our latest E-edition! Local News, Home & Garden, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: May 26 2016 Village Lofts, an apartment complex located in the Village of Hempstead, was recently recognized by the Manufactured Housing Institute in the category of Modular Home Design-New Modular Multifamily or Duplex Design (Production). Hempstead, NY - May 23, 2016 - Village Lofts, an apartment complex located in the Village of Hempstead, was recently recognized by the Manufactured Housing Institute in the category of Modular Home Design-New Modular Multifamily or Duplex Design (Production). Village Lofts is the first modular multifamily rental development in Nassau County, and the first to receive two National Awards. Developed by La Cite Development, LLC, a Manhattan developer, Village Lofts received the award for creating an energy efficient modular apartment community. The award is given to developers whose work displays architectural excellence, technical innovation, sustainability and cost effectiveness. As the Village of Hempstead progresses with revitalizing the downtown, we are honored to acknowledge the success of those developers in the Village who set a high standard of architectural and technological excellence, said Village of Hempstead Mayor Wayne J. Hall. Village Lofts showcases the kind of development possible within the Village, creating the kind of high-quality, affordable housing that is key to our community. La Cite announced completion of Village Lofts in December 2013, with the first residents moving into the apartment community in January of 2014. Clayton Building Solutions, a division of Clayton Homes, the buildings modular contractor, collaborated with La Cite to build the 29-unit modular apartment community. The Village Lofts development showcases many energy-efficient aspects intrinsic to modular construction, including the reduction of waste and the conservation of water and energy. Cost savings are then passed on to residents. We build with the intention of improving communities. We strive to create housing for all people within all income brackets. Village Lofts is a great example, said La Cite Developments President Dan Bythewood, Jr. Village Lofts comprises one and two bedroom units, and offers residents both market-rate and affordable housing options. Modular construction is the current direction of the industry, surpassing expectations on energy efficiency and construction costs, said Clayton Building Solutions Director of Operations Doug Henriquez. Weve seen countless examples of positive, long-term effects in communities in which we build. Residents are able to enjoy a higher quality of life at a fraction of the initial and ongoing costs of traditional units. Developed specifically with affordability in mind, Village Lofts meets New York State affordable housing requirements, offering 20 percent of the units with rents as low as 50 percent below area median income (AMI). The new units are located on Front Street with easy access to transportation amenities and commercial retail. By continuing this kind of construction in the Village, we hope to take advantage of growing university enrollment and graduates entering the job market, as well as provide existing Village residents in the workforce with better access to transportation and a higher quality of life, said Village of Hempstead Deputy Mayor Luis Figueroa. For more information about the Village of Hempsteads Village Lofts project, call the Village of Hempstead at 516-489-3400. Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: May 26 2016 Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano announced Nassau Countys 2016 Senior Citizen 'Man of the Year' and Woman of the Year. (L to R): Dolores Hofman, Ms. Senior NY; Victoria Meyerhoefer, Asst. Dir. Vocational Services; Joseph Borelli, Senior Citizen Man of the year; County Exec. Edward P. Mangano; Patricia OBrien, Senior Citizen Woman of the Year; Lisa Murphy, Commissioner, Dept of Human Services; John Cochran, Dep. Dir., Executive Division. Nassau County, NY - May 25, 2016 - Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano announced that Joseph Borelli is Nassau Countys 2016 Senior Citizen Man of the Year and Patricia OBrien is Nassau Countys 2016 Senior Citizen Woman of the Year. Mr. Borelli and Ms. OBrien were presented their award at the 42nd Annual May Conference in Observance of Older Americans Month on May 19th at the Marriot Grand Hotel in Uniondale. The Nassau County Office for the Aging hosted 350 residents this special event. It is my distinct honor to proclaim Mr. Joseph Borelli as Nassau Countys 2016 Senior Citizen Man of the Year [and] Ms. Patricia OBrien as Nassau Countys 2016 Senior Citizen Woman of the Year, said County Executive Mangano. [Their] tireless efforts to improve the lives of others within the community are inspiring and I thank them for their service to Nassau County. Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: May 26 2016 As we approach Memorial Day, CEO Michael Dowling took a moment during Northwell Healths Annual Veterans Luncheon Ceremony today to honor Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano. Lake Success, NY - May 25, 2016 - As we approach Memorial Day, CEO Michael Dowling took a moment during Northwell Healths Annual Veterans Luncheon Ceremony today to honor Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano with an award for his partnership and support on services for veterans. The Mangano administration has partnered with Northwell Health on initiatives that helped hundreds of hometown heroes and active duty military find career opportunities. The Nassau County Veterans Service Agency has also assisted thousands of veterans with obtaining benefits to which they are entitled. I thank Northwell Health for their continued leadership and commitment to our veterans and active duty military, said County Executive Mangano. My administration is proud to assist those who served in the United States Armed Forces and I urge all those in need of assistance to contact the Nassau County Veterans Service Agency. The luncheon, which honors past and current members of the military, was held at the new headquarters of Northwell Healths Office of Military and Veterans Liaison Services, located at 2000 Marcus Avenue in Lake Success. In October 2015, County Executive Mangano partnered with Northwell Health to host a free Barracks to Business program at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building in Mineola. The program provided assistance in translating the invaluable military skills earned as a veteran into civilian work experience and focused on resume development and interview skills. Veterans were also given the opportunity to apply for positions at Northwell Health and 238 veterans have since been hired by the health system. Additionally, the Mangano administration has partnered with Northwell Health to host an Annual Active Duty Military Holiday Party. This years Memorial Day Luncheon Ceremony featured keynote speaker Kevin Lacz - a former Navy SEAL sniper, breacher, and combat medic, who served two platoons in Iraq with real-life American Sniper Chris Kyle. Kevin starred as himself in the Academy Award nominated film - American Sniper. For more information on Veteran Service Agency programs, veterans may visit the Nassau County Veterans Service Agency at 2201 Hempstead Turnpike, Building Q, in East Meadow or can call (516)-572-6565. If transportation is needed, veterans may call (516) 572-6526. Local News, Business & Finance, Press Releases, Seasonal & Current Events By Long Island News & PR Published: May 26 2016 PSEG LI is prepared to meet peak demand during extreme heat situations in the upcoming summer months. More than $500 million in infrastructure investments made to continue to deliver best-in-state reliability. Uniondale, NY - May 24, 2016 - Throughout the last two years, PSEG Long Island has invested millions of dollars to significantly upgrade and maintain best-in-class electric reliability. These investments have allowed PSEG Long Island to achieve and maintain the best reliability of all overhead systems in New York. The continued improvements prepared the system to meet peak demand during extreme heat situations in the upcoming summer months. The upgrades included substation, transmission and distribution improvements, as well as circuit and equipment inspections, including helicopter inspections across Long Island and the Rockaways. The investments weve made are critical and allow us to continue providing our customers reliable service each and every day, even in extreme weather conditions, said John OConnell, PSEG Long Island vice president of transmission and distribution. We continuously monitor and identify areas where we can upgrade the equipment or complete preventive maintenance work, increasing performance and delivering the reliable, resilient service our customers expect. PSEG Long Island has invested more than $500 million in infrastructure upgrades, making the system more reliable and resilient. Some of the recent major improvements include: A new substation in South Manor to help meet the growing load in the Town of Brookhaven A new transmission capacitor bank at the Nesconset substation to maintain acceptable voltage levels in the Town of Smithtown. New protective equipment installed at the Ridge substation in the Town of Brookhaven. Expanding the Amagansett substation in the Town of East Hampton to mitigate voltage risks. Installing a new transmission cable between the East Garden City and Meadowbrook substations in the Town of Hempstead to maintain reliable service to Nassau County Medical Center and the surrounding area. Routing an existing, nearby circuit into the Southampton substation in the Town Southampton. This additional supply prevents a single point of failure and maintains acceptable voltage levels in the area. Upgrades to the Southold substation, increasing its capacity by more than 200 percent to meet with the areas growing needs. The implementation of the storm hardening program funded by FEMA to strengthen Long Islands distribution system also continues. The multi-year program focuses on strengthening main-line primary wires that were most damaged by Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy. This work includes tree removal, strengthening the poles, installing stronger wires that are more resistant to tree damage and new automatic switching devices. To further minimize storm damage to the electric system, arborists from PSEG Long Islands Tree Trimming program work throughout the year to identify and trim tree limbs in rights of way and along easements that could potentially cause outages during or after a storm. Tree limbs that come in contact with electric lines remain a major cause of customer outages during storms. In 2014-15, as a direct result of its move to the industry best practice clearance standard, PSEG Long Island reduced the number of tree-related outages by approximately 60 percent on circuits that were trimmed. OConnell continued, With the ongoing improvements and surplus capacity, we are prepared to meet the summertime demand of our customers and stand at the ready to promptly restore power in the event of any outages. PSEG Long Island has also continued to improve the customer service experience through technology advancements. In 2015, a new mobile site, My Account and MyAlerts service was launched. My Account allows customers to do business with the utility from nearly anywhere without having to download an app. The new mobile site enables customers to report an outage and check the status of a current outage from their smart devices. Through the MyAlerts service, customers have the option of signing up for several billing, account and outage alerts that can be sent to their email address or text-enabled device to keep informed about an outage. PSEG Long Island operates the Long Island Power Authoritys transmission and distribution system under a 12-year contract. PSEG Long Island is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (NYSE:PEG), a publicly traded diversified energy company with annual revenues of approximately $10.4 billion. Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Home & Garden, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: May 26 2016 Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued a statement on the NYS Assemblys passage of the Abandoned Property Neighborhood Relief Act of 2016. Albany, NY - May 24, 2016 - Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued the following statement on the New York State Assemblys passage of the Abandoned Property Neighborhood Relief Act of 2016, which requires a loan servicer bank or otherwise to maintain the property on a delinquent mortgage: Years after the housing crash, too many New York communities are still stuck in the crisis of foreclosed, abandoned zombie homes. I applaud the Assembly for taking a strong step by passing the Abandoned Property Neighborhood Relief Act, which enjoys the support of local elected officials, law enforcement, and fair housing advocates all across New York. As of 2014, there were still 16,701 zombie properties in New York State. These abandoned homes drag down property values, burden local code enforcement, and threaten the safety of the neighboring communities. I call on the Senate to follow suit and finally get the zombie crisis behind us. 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 This post has been updated on May 26 as an official Taliban spokesman denied that an audiotape attributed to Mullah Haibatullah was released by the new emir. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied that the group has issued an audio message from its newly-appointed emir, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada. Reports of the audio appeared in Reuters, AFP, Dawn, and other news outlets. The Reuters report below corrects the record: The official spokesman for the Afghan Taliban said on Wednesday that an audio tape purporting to be from newly named leader Haibatullah Akhundzada rejecting peace talks was not issued by him and was not from the new insurgent chief. Two Taliban commanders had provided the audio to reporters late on Wednesday, saying it was an official statement. One of the commanders said he had received the recording directly from Zabihullah Mujahid, the official spokesman who earlier announced Akhundzadas elevation. Mujahid later issued an email from his official account denying the movement had issued an audio. Reached by telephone, Mujahid said the Taliban were launching an investigation to learn who was distributing the recording. It will be interesting to see where this audio originated from, and who distributed it. But the odds are good we will never know. This incident highlights the difficulties in tracking jihadist groups and their official propaganda in a turbulent time such as a leadership change. The Talibans Voice of Jihad website has been down for nearly a week (it has only returned online today, the information in the English language section is a week or more old). Original posting: In his first public statement since being named the Talibans new emir, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada has rejected peace talks with the Afghan government and the West. Dawn reports: In an audio message released in Pashto, circulated by Taliban commanders, Haibatullah stated the Taliban will never bow their heads and will not agree to peace talks. Afghan Talibans new chief added that people thought we will lay down our arms after Mullah Mansours death, but we will continue fighting till the end. President Obama justified the controversial May 21 airstrike in Pakistan by saying Mansour was an obstacle to peace negotiations. Mansour rejected efforts by the Afghan government to seriously engage in peace talks and end the violence that has taken the lives of countless innocent Afghan men, women and children, President Obama said on May 23 when confirming Mansours death. The Taliban should seize the opportunity to pursue the only real path for ending this long conflict joining the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to lasting peace and stability. The Taliban has refused to enter into peace talks with the West since the US invasion in 2016. It has consistently said it will only accept the return of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the withdrawal of all foreign forces. And it has said that it would not reject al Qaeda, despite Western demands. Haibatullahs position on negotiations should come as no surprise. Haibatullah appears to be following in the footsteps of his predecessors. He is an old school judge who issued religious edicts between 1996 and 2001, when the Taliban meted out horrific punishments to women who committed minor infractions of the groups harsh interpretation of Islamic law. As the Talibans top judicial figure, he issued fatwas or religious rulings which permitted suicide assault teams to target civilian, government, and military installations. Haibatullah should not be considered a moderate by any stretch. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. Khalifa Umar Mansour, who leads the Tariq Gidar Group (TGG), as seen in Taliban propaganda. Image from Dawn. The US State Department today added two Pakistani jihadist groups to its list of global terrorist entities. Both Jamaat ul Dawa al Quran (JDQ) and the Tariq Gidar Group (TGG) have now been sanctioned, meaning Americans are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with the jihadist organizations. The Jamaat ul Dawa al Quran (JDQ) Jamaat ul Dawa al Quran (JDQ), which is based in Peshawar, Pakistan, and eastern Afghanistan has long-standing ties to al Qaeda and Lashkar e-Tayyiba, according to State. JDQ, which is also known as the Jamaat al Dawa ila al Sunnah, Jamaat ud Dawa il al Quran al Sunnah, and the Salafi Group, operates in Kunar province, Afghanistan. In January 2010, JDQ pledged an oath of allegiance to then Taliban emir Mullah Omar. That pledge was accepted by the Taliban. It is unclear if JDQ renewed its oath after Omar died, or will pledge again in the wake of the May 21 airstrike that killed Omars replacement, Mullah Mansour. The US military began targeting JDQ in special operations raids in August 2010. Two months later, US Navy SEALs accidentally killed Linda Norgrove, a British aid worker who was held by JDQ in Kunar, during an attempt to free her. Several members of the JDQ were once held at the American detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. [See LWJ reports, US targets Salafist group allied with the Taliban in Kunar and Ex-Gitmo detainee killed in Afghanistan.] One of these former Guantanamo detainees, Haji Sahib Rohullah Wakil, was identified as the JDQs overall leader. In a leaked 2005 threat assessment, JTF-GTMO (Joint Task Force Guantanamo) concluded that Wakil was a high risk to the US and allies and should be retained in the Department of Defenses custody. Nearly three years later, on Apr. 30, 2008, Wakil was transferred to Afghanistan. In Apr. 2009, the US government included Wakil on its list of former Guantanamo detainees confirmed or suspected of reengaging in terrorist activities. The threshold for labeling a former Guantanamo detainee a confirmed recidivist is higher than for suspected cases. Wakil was listed as a suspected recidivist. The reason given was his alleged association with terrorist groups. The Defense Department did not provide any more details. A few months later, in July 2009, McClatchy published an account in which Wakil and other sources denied that he was ever a terrorist, let alone a recidivist. Wakil claimed that he was a loyal servant of Hamid Karzais post-Taliban government. While admitting that he was a member of the JDQ, according to McClatchy, Wakil said he was never a fighter and that his group promoted a certain thread of Islam, not terrorism. But the story told in JTF-GTMOs threat assessment was quite different. Wakil became the head of the JDQ after his uncle was assassinated. There were rumors that Wakil had even engineered the assassination of his uncle, according to JTF-GTMO. US intelligence officials concluded that Wakil was a supporter of al Qaeda and its global terrorist network. Wakil allegedly assisted Arabs associated with al Qaeda to infiltrate/exfiltrate from Pakistan and Afghanistan. US officials also suspected that while Wakil ostensibly supported Karzais government in post-Taliban Afghanistan, he was really playing a double game, with the assistance of Pakistani intelligence. Reporting indicates [Wakil] worked in conjunction with Pakistan Intelligence Service Directorate (ISID) to undermine the current Afghanistan government under Karzai, the JTF-GTMO noted in its file for Wakil. An explanatory note from JTF-GTMOs analysts was included in the next line: Rogue factions of the ISID have routinely pursued private interests and acted against the stated policy of the Government of Pakistan. In January 2002, the file continued, ISID financed efforts of several factions in Kunar province in order to destabilize the Afghan government. Then, in March 2002, the ISID reportedly provided [Wakil] with $12,000 to finance military operations against the [Afghan government] in hopes of destabilizing the new government. The State Department does not identify JDQs overall leader in todays designation. It is not clear if Wakil is still active, or a leader in the organization today. In Sept. 2011, Afghan and coalition forces killed Sabar Lal Melma, who also once held at Guantanamo. JTF-GTMO found that Melma was a former member of the JDQ, while McClatchy referred to him as Wakils military commander. ISAF referred to Melma as a key affiliate of the al Qaeda network. The Tariq Gidar Group (TGG) According to State, the Tariq Gidar Group (TGG) is linked to the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan (Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, or TTP) and is responsible for multiple large-scale, fatal attacks, including the Dec. 16, 2014 massacre at the Army Public School in Peshawar, Pakistan. The TGGs assault on the school left 132 school children and nine staffers dead. The State Department notes the assault was the deadliest terrorist attack in Pakistans history. The TGG has claimed credit for a number of other attacks, including the Sept. 2015 assault on a Pakistani airbase in Peshawar (29 killed) and the Jan. 2016 attack on a school in Charsadda (29 killed). According to State, the TGG was responsible for the 2008 kidnapping and beheading of Polish geologist Piotr Stanczak in Attock, Pakistan. According to reports, a Taliban commander known as Zakir Mehsud was responsible for kidnapping Stanczak. Fighters loyal to Qari Hussain Mehsud, the former head of the TTPs suicide teams, beheaded Stanczak. [See LWJ report, Taliban feud over murder of Polish hostage.] Khalifa Umar Mansour is the TGGs top man and has led the TTPs forces in Peshawar and Darra Adam Khel. Mansour proudly claimed credit for the Dec. 2014 suicide assault on the Peshawar high school that resulted in 141 deaths. Mansour is said to be close to Mullah Fazlullah, the leader of the TTP. Multiple designated terrorist organizations in Pakistan Pakistan hosts a plethora of jihadist groups that have been listed by the US as terrorist organizations. Some of these target elements of the Pakistani state, while others have been supported by Pakistani intelligence. The US has designated multiple Taliban factions based in Pakistan, including the Haqqani Network, the Mullah Nazir Group, and the TTP. Other jihadist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba/Jamaat-ul-Dawa and Harakat ul Muhajideen are on the US terror list, but operate openly with the support of the Pakistani state. And, of course, al Qaeda has long operated inside Pakistan, often with the help of allied groups. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. Luton is a large town, borough and unitary authority area of Bedfordshire. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 258,000. Luton is home to Championship team Luton Town Football Club, London Luton Airport and The University of Bedfordshire. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter. For all the latest news from Luton sign up to our newsletter here. Linn County is among several Oregon counties that will file a lawsuit on Friday charging that the state of Oregon's new sick-leave law is an unfunded government mandate and that the county therefore is not obliged to follow it. Roger Nyquist, the chairman of the Linn County Board of Commissioners, said as many as six other Oregon counties would also be plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which will be filed in Linn County Circuit Court. He declined to identify the other counties. Were not seeking money," Nyquist said, "but we are asking the court for a ruling that we do not have to participate in this state-mandated program because it does not come with funding." Nyquist said the county's case is based on Article XI of the Oregon Constitution. It reads: A local government is not required to comply with any state law or administrative rule or order enacted or adopted after January 1, 1997, that requires the expenditure of money by the local government for a new program or increased level of service for an existing program until the state appropriates and allocates to the local government reimbursement for any costs incurred to carry out the law, rule or order and unless the Legislative Assembly provides by appropriation, reimbursement in each succeeding year for such costs. The economic threshold needed to trigger the litigation is based on a percentage of the countys budget. In Linn Countys case, the threshold is about $14,000 annually, but Nyquist said based on last years personnel data, the new law mandating paid sick leave will cost the county about $41,000 per year. The states new law requires employers to provide one hour of sick time for every 30 hours an employee works, or 1 1/3 hours for every 40 hours worked. The counties are being represented by the law firm of Rietmann & Rietmann LLP of Salem. Pushing back the State Legislature on things they do that have negative financial impacts is nothing new for Linn County, Nyquist said. He noted that in 2003, the county opted out of a Community Corrections program that would have placed control and the costs of parole and probation within the county. We save about $1 million annually because of that, Nyquist said. Nyquist testified several times before legislative committees about the negative effects of both mandatory paid sick leave and increased minimum wages, but the Legislature approved both measures. . A portion of Fridays legal filing reads: Plaintiffs are responsible for providing public services to approximately 120,000 Oregonians. Plaintiffs ability to provide public services is strained by losses in federal timber revenues, unfunded PERS liabilities and various other state and federal requirements, which impact Plaintiffs budget but are beyond Plaintiffs power to control. Nyquist said that once the minimum wage laws go into effect, the county might seek a second declaratory judgment targeting that mandate as well. Nyquist estimates the new minimum wage law will cost Linn County about $2 million per year. The lawsuit will be the second Linn County has filed against the state this year. In March, the county filed a $1.4 billion lawsuit arguing that the state's management of state forest trust lands over the decades has resulted in a multimillion-dollar loss of revenue for Oregon counties. That suit is still pending in Linn County Circuit Court, although the state has filed motions asking for its dismissal. It would be nearly impossible to gauge how many hours Duane McGuire's logged behind big-rig steering wheels over the last 63 years, but he estimates that he's hauled everything from cattle to cyanide more than 5 million miles. That would be about 833 round-trips from Portland to New York City, by the man who's driven for Van Dyke Trucking of Tangent for the last seven years. On Saturday evening, the 79-year-old Sweet Home resident who turns 80 in September will be honored for his many years of service to the trucking industry at a banquet during the annual American Truck Historical Society National Convention & Truck Show at the Oregon State Fair & Expo Center in Salem. My dad bought a new Chevy truck in 1946 and I drove that, McGuire said. I started driving big rigs when I was 16. Serving as a boiler tender on the USS Princeton aircraft carrier from 1956 to 1960 cut into his driving time, but as soon as he mustered out of the service, he returned to his first love: hauling cattle. I loved it, McGuire said. I worked out of Roseville, California and traveled California, Oregon, Nevada and Arizona. I really enjoyed getting to know the ranchers. They are wonderful people. He hauled cattle for 10 years before moving to Great Falls, Montana, where he transported lumber and even cyanide. We would haul cyanide to the gold mines in British Columbia, he explained. McGuire said he enjoyed the work, although it can be really hard throwing a strap or tarping a load when its 30 below and the winds blowing. McGuire and his late wife, Lottie, moved their family to Oregon in 1988 to be closer to her father, who was in ill health. I worked for Ken Ward Trucking for 10 years and then owned my own truck for 10 years, McGuire said. In 2009, he went to work for Van Dyke Trucking in Tangent. Hes one of the best drivers we have ever had, owner George Van Dyke said. He's a good guy, and he is extremely dependable. McGuire said he's always enjoyed his job, because I get to see the sun come up every morning, see the countryside and get paid to do it. McGuire said his current job is extra nice because hes home every night. He drives locally, sometimes to and from Tacoma, but mostly in the Salem and mid-valley area. His loads range from paper to Pepsi Cola products. Well haul bricks, anything that fits on a flatbed, he said. McGuire said many things have changed during his career, starting with more comfortable and more powerful trucks. One long haul he used to make would take almost 17 hours, but today, thanks to improved, more powerful engines, that same haul can be done in nine hours. Also, highways are better and the interstate system has helped greatly. But he's also seen a decline in driver courtesy and friendliness. In the old days, if your rig broke down, guys would stop to help you, McGuire said. Now, they blow right past you. How much longer does he plan to keep working? McGuire said he's considering retirement at the end of the year, but he hasnt made a final decision yet. McGuires wife died three years ago, but his son, Gary, a mechanical engineer, lives in Keizer, and his daughter, Cathy Kotzian, resides in Sweet Home. Hes a very good father, Gary McGuire said. Hes always been attentive and exemplified a good work ethic. He teaches everyone around him to respect others and to follow the law. The US Navy released updates to the Special Duty Assignment Pay (SDAP) for eligible enlisted Sailors in NAVADMIN 120/16, May 25. The SDAP program enhances the Navy's ability to size, shape and stabilize the force by encouraging qualified Sailors to serve in designated Special Duty Assignments (SDAs) for a monetary incentive ranging from $75 to $450 a month. Changes to the program update will redistribute SDAP resources to help ensure Navy's priorities are being addressed. The NAVADMIN includes additions to SDAP eligibility for: Afloat Training Group Instructions at level SD-1 ($75 per month); Navy Military Training Instructors at level SD-2 ($150 per month); and Nimitz class reactor department conventional Sailors at level SD-1 ($75 per month). The update also increases SDAP for TACAMO E-6 Fight Engineers from SD-1($75 per month) to SD-2 ($150 per month), and reduces recruiters from SD-6 ($450 per month) to SD-5 ($375 per month). SDAP reductions will go into effect 60 days after the release of NAVADMIN 120/16. SDAP processing will be slowed while the decrease is input into the system. In order to qualify for SDAP, Sailors must be assigned to and working in a valid SDA billet on the command's current manning document, and certified by their commanding officer. For certification, a Sailor must hold the Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) for any SDAs requiring an NEC, and have completed all qualifications for the billet -- including Personal Qualification Standards and Under Instruction watches. The current SDAP Eligibility List approved by the Bureau of Naval Personnel is available at http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/career/enlistedcareeradmin/Pages/SRB.aspx/. Annual recertification of each eligible command's SDA billets is required to be complete by August 31. The NAVADMIN providing guidance for the recertification process will be released in the near future. For more information, check with your Enlisted Community Manager, read the current SDAP NAVADMIN at http://www.npc.navy.mil/. In response to the Government of Canadas announcement of a series of enhancements to strengthen the National Shipbuilding Strategy, Seaspan Shipyards president Brian Carter issued a statement commending the governments efforts and reinforcing the shipbuilders role in producing ships for the Canadian Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy. We are pleased to receive the Government of Canadas support for the National Shipbuilding Strategy, and applaud its commitment to continuous improvement, Carter said. We take great pride in our role as a trusted and reliable partner to Canada to build its National Shipbuilding Strategy Non-Combat vessels for the men and women of the Canadian Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy. Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, Seaspan will continue to grow a shipbuilding center of excellence on Canadas West Coast that is already delivering significant results to Canada, its taxpayers and an increasing number of Canadians who are choosing shipbuilding and ship repair as a career. To date, Vancouver Shipyards has awarded more than $400 million in contracts to suppliers in Canada, with more than 160 Canadian companies having already benefited from these investments. We are seeing great progress and continuing momentum on the production and delivery of the first two Non-Combat ships the first and second Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels (OFSVs) at Vancouver Shipyards. Construction on the third OFSV is slated to begin later in 2016. In the meantime, our Engineering, Planning and Procurement Teams are all fully engaged and working hand-in-hand with the Canadian Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy to continue moving the Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel and Joint Support Ship programs though the necessary pre-production phases of engineering design, design for production, and the procurement of equipment and material. Seaspan has a long and established track record of working with the Canadian Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy to build vessels for Canadians. We are committed to collaborating with our federal partner to support the implementation of its new enhancements to the National Shipbuilding Strategy. Rolls-Royce has signed a contract with shipyard Astilleros Gondan in Spain to design and equip a second Service Operation Vessel for ship owner stensj Rederi. The repeat order is for a new ship design from Rolls-Royce developed specifically to support operations in shallow waters at offshore wind farms. The new vessel order follows on a wind farm vessel construction contract to Astilleros Gondan announced in October 2015. Both vessels will support wind farm operations for DONG Energy, serving as the base for technicians while they perform maintenance work on offshore wind farms. The first vessel ordered will work on Race Bank Offshore Wind Farm, while the second will work on the Hornsea Project One wind farm, both off the coast of the U.K. The UT 540 WP was developed by Rolls-Royce in close cooperation with the customer and builds on over 40 years of UT ship design experience across 800 vessels. Rolls-Royce said the new design for offshore wind farm support has a high focus on seakeeping capabilities, station keeping performance, improved comfort and safety on board, and reduced fuel consumption. As well as designing the vessel, Rolls-Royce will supply the diesel electric main machinery, consisting of frequency controlled electric driven azimuth thrusters, super silent mounted transverse thrusters, DP2 dynamic positioning system, power electrical system, deck machinery, and the latest generation Acon automation and control system. A motion compensated gangway system with an adjustable pedestal will be installed to ensure safe operations and optimal uptime. Bureau Veritas announces the appointment of Nicolas Tissot as Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer. He replaces Sami Badarani, who has decided to leave the company to pursue new professional opportunities. Nicolas Tissot has solid management and finance experience gained in key roles within international groups. Before joining Bureau Veritas, he was Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Executive Committee member of SCOR. He previously held various roles, including finance director positions at Alstom and ENGIE (GDF Suez). Didier Michaud-Daniel, Chief Executive Officer of Bureau Veritas, said, "I am very happy to announce the arrival of Nicolas Tissot, who will hold a key post within Bureau Veritas. His experience in corporate financial matters, acquired throughout his career with major international industrial companies, represents a strong asset for Bureau Veritas and will be invaluable as we implement our 2020 strategic plan." "In the name of all the members of the Executive Committee, I would like to thank Sami Badarani for his work at Bureau Veritas. He has contributed strongly to the company's development of solid relationships with the investor community. I wish him the very best for his future career." Biography Nicolas Tissot, 49, has been the Group Chief Operating Officer and a member of the Executive Committee of the reinsurance company SCOR since 2015. Before that, he was the Chief Financial Officer and a member of the Executive Committee of Alstom from 2010 until 2015. Previously, he worked for ENGIE (GDF Suez), where he started in the Financial Planning and Analysis Department which he led from 2000 to 2003. Then he became successively Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Suez Energy International (2003-2005), Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Electrabel (2005-2008), both from Brussels, and finally Deputy Chief Executive Officer of GDF Suez's Global Gas & LNG Division (2008-2010). Nicolas Tissot started his career at the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry (1995-1999). He is a graduate of HEC and Ecole Nationale d'Administration and a Finance Inspector. Prosafe, owner and operator of semi-submersible accommodation vessels, informs that its Chairman, Harald Espedal, has notified the company that he will step down from his position as Chairman and Director of the Board for work load reasons. Prosafes board has accepted the resignation and appointed Glen O. Rdland as interim Chairman of the Board. Rdland, currently a senior partner at HitecVision, has 25 years experience in shipping, oil and gas and other industries, with extensive experience as an analyst and in corporate finance. He also has considerable experience as a board member and chairman of several Norwegian public companies and other international companies. He is currently Chairman of Spectrum ASA and Aqualis ASA. Rdlands earned an MBA in finance from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (NHH). Philippine President Benigno Aquino on Thursday accused China of breaking a U.S.-brokered deal between the two nations on the Scarborough Shoal, an uninhabited rocky outcrop in the South China Sea. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, believed to have rich deposits of oil and gas. Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines also claim the waterway, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne goods pass every year. Beijing seized control of Scarborough Shoal, near the main Philippine island of Luzon, in June 2012, following a three-month standoff after a Philippine Navy vessel tried to arrest Chinese fishermen found illegally hauling giant clams there. On Thursday, Aquino said the United States moved in quickly to resolve the standoff, brokering a "face-saving" deal by asking both nations to pull out their ships, but only the Philippines withdrew. "Now, their continued presence is something that we have continuously objected to," Aquino told reporters in his hometown in Tarlac, north of the Philippine capital. "There was a deal, which we observed religiously. We hope the other side will do what we have done." China's embassy in Manila did not respond to Reuters' request for comment on Aquino's remarks. Beijing has denied ever making a deal with Manila and Washington, a Philippine diplomat who was involved in the negotiations told Reuters, on condition of anonymity, because he was not authorised to speak to the media. China has reclaimed seven reefs in the Spratlys islands, building two airfields, ports, lighthouses radars, and other military structures, which the United States has called a clear move to militarise the disputed area. In March, Washington warned that China might next reclaim the Scarborough Shoal, after Beijing sent survey ships to the area, although a Philippine military aircraft despatched to check the reports did not find a survey ship there. "China is not reclaiming Scarborough Shoal," Aquino said, allaying the fears that Beijing might reclaim the shoal, just outside the former U.S. naval base in Subic. There have been many "red lines" in China's assertive behaviour in the South China Sea, Aquino added, such as harassing a survey ship hired by an Anglo-Philippine firm seeking oil and gas in the Reed Bank. Both Reed Bank and Scarborough Shoal lie in the Philippines' 200-mile exclusive economic zone, Aquino said, calling China's actions a violation of a 2002 pact on the South China Sea between China and ten Southeast Asian nations. Reporting by Manuel Mogato More coal cargoes, rising oil prices could support rates. Freight rates for large capesize dry cargo ships on key Asian routes are likely to rise next week on an increase in coal cargoes and higher fuel prices, ship brokers said. That comes as Brent crude futures breached the psychologically important level of $50 a barrel on Thursday for the first time in nearly seven months. "I'm kind of positive on how the fuel price will drive the capesize and dry bulk markets," said a Shanghai-based capesize broker. "I think rates from Western Australia to China will hold above $4 per tonne and increase to around $4.50," the broker added. "If coal prices provide support and there are more cargoes, and with the same amount of iron ore cargoes, then the market can be driven up." That would follow capesize rates from Western Australia to China falling from last week's six-month high after a drop in the number of charters to around 23 fixtures in the week to Wednesday, data on the Reuters Eikon terminal showed. "Overall sentiment is depressed but there is a hope we are at the bottom and there will be more demand," Norwegian ship broker Fearnley said in a note on Wednesday. Ship fuel prices, which are this week pushing close to the highest level since Nov. 11, are set to climb following the increase in oil prices. That will help support freight rates, brokers said. Shipowners with vessels on the spot market pay for their own fuel and add a bunker premium to freight rates if fuel prices move higher, brokers said. Longer term there is more optimism the dry bulk market will improve next year on increased cargo demand and cancelled new ship deliveries. "If demand picks up in 2017 and half the slipped tonnage of 2016 gets cancelled, the market should be better in 2017," Aristides Pittas, chief executive of New York-listed shipper Euroseas, said in an earnings call. Freight rates for the Brazil-China route fell to $7.84 per tonne on Wednesday, down from $8.46 last week. Capesize charter rates for the Western Australia-China route slipped to $4.05 per tonne on Wednesday, from $4.36 on the same day last week. Charter rates for smaller panamax vessels for a north Pacific round-trip voyage trended lower at $4,700 per day on Wednesday, against $4,829 a week earlier, on lower cargo volumes. Freight rates in the Far East for smaller supramax vessels were again largely unchanged, Fearnley added. The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index fell to 605 on Wednesday, down from 642 last week. Reporting by Keith Wallis Vietnam's leading dairy company has expanded into Cambodia with a new factory that opened on May 25. The plant costs $23 million and covers 30,000 square meters. During phase one from 2016 to 2024, the plant will produce 19 million liters of milk, 64 million cups of yogurt and 80 million cans of condensed milk each year. In phase two, the plant will increase its output to 38 million liters of milk and 192 million cups of yogurt. Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam On said at the launch ceremony that the plant will contribute to the development of Cambodias economy as well as bring long-term benefits to local people, especially children. At the event, Vinamilk donated 500 barrels of fresh milk worth $10,000 for poor children in Phnom Penh. The Angkor dairy plant is under control of Angkor Dairy Products Co Ltd, a joint venture between Vietnams Vinamilk and its Cambodian partner BPC Company. Vinamilk holds a 51 percent stake in the company, while BPC hold 49 percent. Follow VnExpress International on Facebook and Twitter A migrant boat capsized in the Mediterranean on Thursday and about 100 of its passengers have been rescued while the number of dead is unknown, officials said. It was the second shipwreck in two days as sea crossings accelerate amid good weather. Five people were confirmed to have died when a large fishing boat flipped over in the sea on Wednesday. Europe's worst immigration crisis since World War Two has led to more than 8,000 deaths in 2-1/2 years, the International Organization for Migration estimates. Boat arrivals in Italy have risen sharply this week amid warm weather and calm seas, and about 20 rescue operations are currently under way, a coastguard spokesman said. Based on initial pictures from the aircraft that spotted the overturned boat, between 20 and 30 people are feared to have died in the shipwreck, a spokesman for European Union's Sophia naval mission said. Italy's coastguard declined to estimate how many may have died. "We don't know how many people were on board," the coastguard spokesman said. Separately, the non-profit organisation Sea-Watch, which has a rescue ship in the area, said it was about to recover one body from the sea following a shipwreck and that it had picked up 115 migrants from a rubber boat. "Aboard the boats are many Syrian and Iraqi people," Sea-Watch said on Facebook, adding that the EU deal to send migrants back to Turkey from Greece is forcing refugees to travel from North Africa to Europe. Most migrants who come to Italy by boat hail from Africa. The coastguard has coordinated the rescue of around 900 migrants in seven different operations on Thursday. That brings the total of migrants who have been rescued since Monday to more than 7,000. Through Tuesday, total sea arrivals in Italy had fallen by 9 percent this year to 37,743, according to the Interior Ministry. The country's migrant shelters are under pressure to house 115,507 migrants, about twice as many as two years ago. Some 650 migrants and the five dead bodies picked up by the Italian navy docked at the Sicilian city of Porto Empedocle, where they will receive food and clothing. Officials will try to identify them before sending them to shelters. (Reporting by Steve Scherer; Editing by Isla Binnie and Tom Heneghan) Egypt will tender next week to import 10 cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for delivery in July and August, an official from the state gas company, EGAS, said on Thursday. The official said Egypt would consider importing a further 10 cargoes of LNG, either through direct contracts or through a further international tender, once next week's tender is complete. Egypt relies to a large extent on LNG to generate electricity for its 90 million people. Reporting by Ehab Farouk Following the delivery of Harmony of the Seas on May 12 in Saint-Nazaire, the American group Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. signed an order for three additional vessels, one for its brand Royal Caribbean International (RCI ) and two brand Celebrity Cruises. This exceptional order, which remains subject to customary conditions and documentation of financing, complete the order book of the yard until 2023. Oasis 5 to complete the largest class of ships in the world Long 362 meters for a tonnage UMS 227,000, equipped with 2,750 passenger cabins to accommodate more than 6,000 passengers, class ships Oasis of the Seas make the largest class of ships in the world. Comforted in the success of these ships outsized whose last has just been delivered to him (Oasis 3 / Harmony of the Seas), and then the next (Oasis 4) is under construction for delivery in 2018, Royal Caribbean International decided already to order a new unit available in 2021. EDGE class finalizing design but already has four units with their 300 meters long and nearly 38 meters wide and a feeler approximately 117,000 UMS, these luxury ships will be equipped with 1,450 passenger cabins and can accommodate 2,900 passengers. While the prototype ship is still in study phase for launch production in autumn 2016 and delivery in the fall of 2018, Celebrity Cruises, a premium brand of RCCL group, decided to confirm the item of the third vessel asked when ordering from December 2014. It also wished to attach the firm order for another unit. These vessels will be delivered in 2021 and 2022. Two firm orders and seven control intentions for until 2026 backlog After confirmation by the MSC group last February of the option of two class ships MSC MERAVIGLIA + and its control for four ships for a new class ( "World class") in April, the addition of these three ships the order book brings to nine the number of orders since the start of the year by STX France. It is a volume of almost 75 million hours of overtime for the site and its co-directors with a delivery rate of two ships per year from 2018 to 2022. In total, including the ships already in book controls, the volume will amount to 100 million hours of work. Cheniere Energy Inc. plans to start exporting liquefied natural gas in August from a second plant at its Sabine Pass terminal in Cameron Parish, according to a report from Bloomberg News. Cheniere began exporting LNG in February from its first unit at Sabine Pass. In its fourth-quarter report, Cheniere said the second unit could begin producing LNG by mid-2016. When completed, the Sabine Pass facility will have six LNG units. The first two units have a combined production capacity of 9.9 million tons LNG per year. Actual project progress supports the achievement of substantial completion for Trains 1 and 2 by late May 2016 and September 2016, respectively," the company said in the filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. US-based FedEx Corp. completed its 4.4 billion ($4.9 billion) acquisition of Dutch TNT Express, , with integration of the companies to start immediately. The companies say customers will interact with each company as they always have and once the integration is complete, FedEx says they will benefit from an expanded global offering. FedEx chairman and CEO Frederick Smith said the deal combines the worlds largest air express network and an unparalleled European road network. This acquisition is a significant accomplishment and marks the beginning of a new era, filled with promise for our people, customers and shareowners, said Smith. We are proud to celebrate the joining of two iconic companies and the approximately 400,000 team members who are committed to serving customers around the world. The timing of this historic event is important, particularly in the current market environment where global e-commerce is growing at double-digit rates, Smith added. Adding TNTs capabilities to our existing world-class suite of services, including GENCO and the recently relaunched FedEx CrossBorder, will further expand the ability of FedEx to support business connections around the world. FedEx had to overcome a number of regulatory hurdles that slowed the takeover process. At the end of April, it received unconditional approval from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) for its takeover of TNT the final major obstacle to the deal. TNT has been preparing for the deal. Earlier this month it said it would sell its overnight distribution subsidiary TNT Innight to the private equity firm Special Situations Venture Partners III, as it wants to concentrate resources on strengthening its core express delivery activities. The Dubai Council on Marine and Maritime Industries (DCMMI) and the World Ocean Council (WOC) have agreed to collaborate on ocean sustainable development and corporate ocean responsibility. The WOC is increasingly working with and through maritime clusters to advance these goals. The World Ocean Council is a unique global business leadership organization committed to advancing ocean sustainable development, stewardship and science, DCMMI Chairman, Khamis Juma Buamim, stated. We look forward to working with DCMMI to better engage leadership companies from Dubai and the UAE, WOC CEO, Paul Holthus, added. Advancing coordinated, international efforts by the ocean business community to tackle sustainable development challenges is especially critical in this region of global importance to the economy. State-run Polish gas company PGNiG will receive its first spot delivery of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Norways Statoil on June 25, it said on Tuesday, taking advantage of cheap and abundant global supply. Reuters reports that on 25 June Swinoujscie will also take delivery of a 140,000-tonne spot cargo from Statoil of Norway, which has agreed to supply at least one such spot cargo to the terminal. Gas will be transported from the Norwegian port of Snohvit on the Arctic Princess. The first cargo of LNG under the Qatar contract is expected at the Swinoujscie terminal is due on June 17 and a spot cargo from Statoil is scheduled for June 25," says a company statement. On 3 May, Polish gas company PGNiG issued a tender for five cargoes for delivery in June and July, making its first foray into the LNG spot market. Seven years ago, Poland signed a 20-year LNG supply contract with Qatargas, which is due to deliver a second contracted cargo in July. Qatargas delivered the cooldown and commissioning cargoes to Swinoujscie in December and in February. The Q-Flex Al-Nuaman tanker will bring 206,000 mt as the first delivery and a second will come mid-July, it said. The Al-Nuaman brought one of the commissioning cargoes, in February. 1943 - USS Saury (SS 189) attacks a Japanese convoy south of Kyushu and sinks transport Kagi Maru, about 10 miles north of the Nansei Shoto. Also on this date, USS Whale (SS 239) sinks Japanese gunboat Shoei Maru (which is transporting men of the Guam Base Detachment) about 17 miles north-northwest of Rota, Mariana Islands. 1944 - USS England (DE 635) sinks its fifth Japanese submarine in a week, (RO 108), 110 miles northeast of Manus. 1952 - The feasibility of the angled-deck concept is demonstrated in tests conducted on a simulated deck by Naval Air Test Center and Atlantic Fleet pilots using both jet and prop aircraft on board USS Midway (CVB 41). 1958 - Medal of Honor recipient Hospitalman William R. Charette selects the World War II Unknown Serviceman onboard USS Canberra (CAG 2) off the Virginia Capes. 1990 - USS Beaufort (ATS 2) rescues 24 Vietnamese refugees in the South China Sea. (Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division) Alphatron Marine announced that Arno Metzemakers will join the company's management team as General Manager responsible for all operational matters worldwide, effective June 1. Next to Metzemakers, Karin Hoogendam will be appointed as COO. Together with Wil Walhain (CFO), they will be the day-to-day management of the Alphatron Marine Group. Luuk Vroombout will maintain responsibility as President CEO and will remain member of the Executive Board together with Dick Slingerland. Vroombout will also be directly responsible for all commercial activities such as product development, marketing and sales. DONG Energy's has set a potential $16 billion price tag on its stock market debut, giving investors a chance to buy into the growth in offshore wind power, but also into a business heavily reliant on government subsidies. State-controlled DONG Energy on Thursday set a price range for its initial public offering at 200 Danish crowns to 255 crowns per share. This would give the group a market value of 83.5 billion to 106.5 billion Danish crowns ($12.6-16.0 billion), potentially making it the Europe's biggest IPO this year. The company has grown rapidly since its creation 10 years ago, having built more than a quarter of the world's offshore wind farms with large projects in Britain and Germany. But offshore wind power is one of the most expensive sources of renewable energy and still reliant on government subsidies. DONG has a handful of large attractive offshore projects in Britain and Germany for development until the end of the decade. "But the time after 2020 is quite a black box for investors," Morten Imsgaard, analyst Denmark's Sydbank, said. "The five projects up until 2020 are extremely attractive, but that might not be representative of the landscape after 2020," Imsgaard said. DONG said Thursday last year it derived 62 percent of its revenue on operational offshore wind farms from subsidies or other financial support such as Green Certificates in Britain. It expects a significant portion of future revenue on wind power projects to come from subsidies. It has made a net loss for each of the last four years totalling 22.3 billion Danish crowns ($3.36 billion), mainly due to impairment losses on its oil business. "We expect to see a profit this year," DONG's chairman Thomas Thune Andersen told Reuters. "Much of the growth will be in wind power." DONG said all of the countries in which it has offshore wind farms operating had long-standing support schemes, but it also said it could not guarantee that retrospective changes to support schemes for offshore wind farms would not occur. In Britain, DONG's biggest market for offshore wind, the ruling Conservative government has been reining in spending on all renewables subsidies since it took power a year ago, saying the cost of technology has come down sharply and subsidies should reflect that. The European Commission expects established renewable energy sources to become "grid-competitive" between 2020 and 2030 and that subsidies will be phased out accordingly. Sweden's Vattenfall expects to be able to build offshore wind power projects without subsidies by the middle of the next decade. DONG said it would sell up to 17.4 percent of its shares in the initial public offering and that the Danish state would keep a 50.1 percent stake. The government sold 18 percent of DONG to a group of investors led by Goldman Sachs in January 2014. If DONG is valued at 100 billion crowns at the IPO that stake would have increased in value to 18 billion crowns from 8 billion in 2014. DONG said the final offer price would be determined through a bookbuilding process from Thursday through to June 8. Shares will start trading on Copenhagen's stock exchange from June 9. JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley and Nordea are global co-ordinators for the listing while Citigroup, Danske Bank, UBS, RBC, Rabobank and ABG Sundal Collier are also involved. ($1 = 6.6521 Danish crowns) (By Teis Jensen; Additional reporting by Nikolaj Skydsgaard, Editing by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen, Jason Neely and Jane Merriman) Besides over $16 billion signed in aviation and energy deals, the United States will continue to strengthen its commercial relationship with Vietnam through trade and investment. The U.S. Export and Import Bank will engage in future opportunities to finance U.S. exports to Vietnam and will also support Vietnams private sector in renewable energy and aviation infrastructure, according to a statement released recently by the White House. Exim Bank will remain actively engaged to fund U.S. exports to the Southeast Asian country, particularly those that support Vietnams infrastructure development needs. The Washington based bank also expressed interest in supporting U.S. exports for nuclear power projects in Vietnam. Since 2009, the official export credit agency of the U.S. has authorized over $800 million in loans, guarantees and insurance to support U.S. exports to Vietnam. These exports have supported Vietnam - U.S. economic engagement across multiple sectors including renewable energy, aviation and manufacturing. U.S. exports not only support thousands of jobs in the United States, they also create jobs and boost infrastructure investment in Vietnam. As the U.S. governments development finance institution, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) will use its newly-opened office in Southeast Asia to unlock opportunities to support Vietnam's economic development through private sector investments, with particular attention to renewable energy and aviation infrastructure. Since 2003, OPIC has provided more than $40 million in financing and insurance for seven projects in Vietnam. OPICs investments cut across communications, manufacturing, consulting and economic development services, aquaculture and power. The United States is continuing to strengthen its commercial relationship with Vietnam, a rapidly-growing country that offers U.S. businesses and workers substantial opportunities for expanded trade and investment, by promoting economic growth and development and supporting jobs. Two-way trade between the U.S. and Vietnam totaled $451 million in 1995, the year the United States and Vietnam normalized diplomatic relations, and since then has increased nearly a hundredfold to $45 billion. Follow VnExpress International on Facebook and Twitter Taiwans Foreign Affairs Minister David Lee said that the government is slated to start maritime negotiations with Japan by late July in an effort to better protect Taiwan fishermen's rights on the high seas. Taipei and Tokyo will kick off two-way talks by the end of July and Lee pledged that the government will do its best to safeguard Taiwanese fishermen's rights, Lee said. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen vowed in her inaugural address on Friday to seek regional cooperation, increase the islands international profile and clear people wronged in the past. To settle fishery and other disputes with Japan, Taipei and Tokyo had decided to establish a mechanism for maritime cooperation at the end of July, cabinet spokesman Tung Chen-yuan said. The new government has decided to resort to negotiation rather than a legal approach in resolving the latest dispute, Tung said, referring to Japans seizure of a Taiwanese fishing boat when it sailed near the Japanese reef of Okinotori last month. Japan said the boat had violated its 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone. The preceding government of Ma Ying-jeou had taken a more confrontational approach to the dispute, threatening the deployment of security forces to guard Taiwanese fishermen in the contested area. Ma declined to recognize Japan's claims to Okinotori's status and an EEZ extending from the geographical feature; he described the outpost as "rocks," not an island, a distinction under UNCLOS which would disallow an EEZ claim. The Defense Material Organization has awarded three contracts to Goltens Worldwides Green Technologies business unit for the engineering and turnkey installation of sixteen Optimarin Ballast Systems (OBS) on 10 Naval vessels. An official signing ceremony was held May 25 at the Defense Material Organization in The Hague whereby Captain RNLN J. F. Kwak, Head Projects Procurement Division, officially signed the contract on behalf of the Ministry of Defense. M. C. Jeronimus, Vice President of Goltens Europe, signed on behalf of Goltens Green Technologies. Goltens Green Technologies will engineer and install the UV based Ballast Water Treatment Systems (BWTS) onboard the Royal Netherlands Navy vessels during 2016 and 2017, ensuring compliance with both the pending IMO and existing US Coast Guard regulations on ballast water treatment. Optimarins DNV-GL type approved system is fully compliant with the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention, which is currently just shy of the 35 percent of global tonnage it requires for ratification, and holds an AMS certificate from the USCG. In addition, it is now in the final stages of full USCG approval, having satisfied all marine water tests, with certification expected in the second half of 2016. This will ensure that Goltens provides The Royal Netherlands Navy with a BWTS that is fully compliant for all future operations. Landing Platform Dock (LPD) vessels HNLMS Rotterdam and HNLMS Johan de Witt, the frigates HNLMS Tromp, HNLMS Evertsen, HNLMS De Zeven Provincien and HNLMS De Ruyter, as well as special purpose vessels MOV Van Kinsbergen, HNLMS Pelikaan, HNLMS Luymes and HNLMS Snellius will all be fitted with ballast treatment systems during their scheduled maintenance periods. Damen Shiprepair Oranjewerf (DSO) has become the latest Damen ship repair yard to receive ISO 9001:2008 certification, demonstrating that the yard fulfils the requirements of the defined management system standards to consistently provide a high quality service that meets all customer, statutory and regulatory requirements through a process of continuous improvement. This specifically refers to the repair, maintenance, inspection and drydocking of inland vessels, seagoing vessels and other steel constructions. Located in the port of Amsterdam, DSO undertakes the full range of maintenance, repair and conversion projects on all classes of vessel. In 2015 the management of the yard commissioned an external auditor to review and document the yards processes over a number of months and make recommendations regarding any that needed to be brought up to standard. Improvements were made where necessary and, after a second, internal, audit to ensure that everything was in compliance, the ISO inspectors were invited to the yard. A proven quality management system according to ISO standards, with evidence by means of certification, is important for many of our customers, said DSOs commercial manager Jeen van der Werf. Operators in the offshore sector and elsewhere value the confidence they get from knowing that independent inspections have validated the quality and operational standards of their industry partners. And we are not stopping there, he continued. Our next goal is certification for ISO 14001:2015, which will demonstrate our commitment to international environmental standards across all our activities. We see it as our duty to meet and exceed our customers expectations when it comes to quality and responsibility. Coenraad Tool, Quality Manager at Damen Shiprepair & Conversion added:,The success of Damen Shiprepair Oranjewerf in achieving ISO certification is another milestone in our process of increasing customer satisfaction across the group through enhanced customer focus. This includes establishing a set of harmonized and documented procedures and routines that exceed the ISO standard requirements, as a basis for the update of yard Quality Management Systems. With the release of ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015, we are now reviewing and updating the current implemented Quality Management Systems ahead of September 2018." The Port of Caen/Chamber of Commerce & Industry Caen Normandy (Chambre de Commerce et dindustrie de Caen Normandie) has placed an order for a Damen ASD Tug 2810. This follows Damen winning a public tender on December 8, 2015. Caen Normandy Chamber of Commerce & Industry has a port concession in both the Port of Caen Ouistreham and Cherbourg. The new Damen vessel will be deployed in the latter, hence its name Cherbourg 1. Bernard Leger, Chief Master of the port authoritys towage department, comments: We needed a much more powerful vessel to replace our tug in Cherbourg, which is nearly 40 years old. We also wanted the new vessel to carry out a wide variety of tasks including offshore work. The Port of Caen/Chamber of Commerce & Industry Caen Normandy operates a fleet of four tugs, three in Caen and one in Cherbourg. The main duties of the new tug are the berthing and de-berthing of ferries and different kinds of vessels that call into Cherbourg and carrying out light offshore duties and dredging assistance. Damens ASD 2810 is a versatile design, which is equally suited to typical harbor duties such as mooring and towing, as well as operations in open water. The tug is compact and easy to handle. Mr Leger explains that the Port Authority asked Damen to carry out some modifications to the standard ASD 2810 including an aft deck double drum winch, towing pins, stern roller and cargo rails to allow it to carry out offshore jobs such as towing, anchor handling and buoy deployment. With this deck configuration, the tug is the only one of its kind in the area. Including the requested modification Damen was able to accommodate a short delivery time and the new vessel is due to be delivered by end-August. The Damen ASD 2810 is equipped with Fire Fighting, which delivers a water spray of 1200 m3/hr. Spacious, modern accommodation is provided for six crew. The propulsion system consists of two Caterpillar 3516C TA HD/C main engines delivering a total power of 3,730 bkW at 1,600 rpm. It is fitted with two Rolls-Royce US 205 azimuth thrusters. Classed under Lloyds Register, the 28.67 m long tug has a beam of 10.43 m and a bollard pull ahead of 60 tonnes. The maximum speed, both ahead and astern, is around 13 knots. Damen will assist with training the tugs captains, both on board the vessel and at 360-Control in Ijmuiden in the Netherlands. Here the training will take place on 360-Controls simulator, based on a Damen ASD 2810. The vessel is being built in very close cooperation with the national flag state authorities to sail under French Flag and she will also feature a predominantly French crew. Upon handover, the vessel will sail with a joint Damen and Port of Caen crew from Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania to Cherbourg. Wilhelmsen Ships Service, a provider of products and services to the shipping industry, is advising vessel operators to wage war on soot. According to WSS, soot accumulation in a ships exhaust gas boiler (EGB) is a serious issue, leading to reduced EGB efficiency, significant cleaning costs, corrosion, and the risk of soot fires. However, a simple post-combustion fuel treatment can solve all these problems, at negligible cost. Refined heavy marine fuels are full of contaminants, such as Vanadium, Sodium, Aluminium, Silica, and Potassium, which leave deposits when burnt. These particles, soot, pass through vessel exhaust valves and turbo chargers, continuing with the flue gases until they reach the EGB. Here they stick to the boilers heat transfer surfaces and impair its efficiency, as Jonas Ostlund, WSS Product Marketing Manager, Marine Products, Oil, explains: Just like any heat exchanger, an obstructive deposit will reduce the transfer of heat and therefore reduce the efficiency of the equipment, he notes. Soot deposits are particularly effective at reducing heat transfer as they insulate extremely well. A 1mm layer of soot can reduce EGB efficiency by 10%. Left to build up to a 3mm layer, EGB efficiency can be reduced by up to 50%. Obviously this calls for cleaning, with typical EGBs requiring around five hours of cleaning during port calls, usually every two to three months. This means labour, equipment, and the disposal of wash water that contains acidic soot the latter being something currently up for regulatory discussion, with an expectation that it will have to be disposed of onshore, at extra cost. So, the cleaning task is more than a minor hassle its a major inefficiency, cost and labour burden for the engine room. Cleaning and EGB inefficiency are the most obvious problems, but it doesnt stop there. Ostlund states that un-burnt fuel and lubricants can also be deposited in the EGB. These lower the ignition temperature of soot, and increase the risk of soot fires. These can permanently damage the ECB and, although uncommon, pose a very real threat, he says. In addition, cold corrosion is also a factor. Sulphur in the fuel reacts with oxygen during combustion to form Sulphur Dioxide and Sulphur Trioxide. When the temperature drops below 135C, which occurs in EGBs operating at low velocities, the Sulphur Trioxide reacts with the moisture in the air and forms sulphuric acid. This is very corrosive to tube surfaces, and affects metal in a similar way to rust. The problems are myriad, but the solution is simple, according to Ostlund. He stresses that post-combustion fuel treatments such as WSS Unitors FuelPower Soot Remover Liquid Plus provide easy relief, adding fuel treatment shouldnt just end in the fuel tanks. In the case of WSS proprietary Unitor offer, it is automatically dosed four times a day, dispensed as a fine mist that condensates onto the soot and continues to oxidize it. The result being that almost no soot is deposited in the EGB. The solution is active from 180C, making it suitable for the low exhaust gas temperatures associated with slow steaming. Unitors FuelPower Soot Remover Liquid Plus has been thoroughly tested over the course of the last year on board Wilh.Wilhelmsens 76,500 GT RoRo MV Tnsberg. Prior to its daily dosing, the vessels EGB required regular cleaning every two months. However, after ten months of regular treatment, every six hours, the vessel, which has a busy trading pattern between Europe, the US and Japan, has yet to require EGB cleaning saving time, money and a lot of work. Stein Gravdal, Chief Engineer on the M/V Tnsberg, refers to the product as a magic potion that works wonders, adding that the EGB still looks almost completely clean after the extensive test period. And the best thing about this, Ostlund concludes, is the cost. The outlay is negligible when measured against the very real efficiency gains the treatment delivers. It amounts to less than half a per cent of daily fuel cost. The ROI on this is, to say the least, compelling. MAN Diesel & Turbo has won the order to supply Danaos Shipping Co. Ltd. with fixed pitch Kappel propellers, propeller boss caps with fins, and Engine Power Limitation for two container vessels the 8,500 TEU CSCL Europe and CSCL America. Mr. Dimitrios Vastarouchas, Technical Director & Deputy Chief Operating Officer of Danaos said: At Danaos we look forward to have the vessels upgraded. Our R&D Department has conducted very thorough investigations before concluding what the right upgrade solutions for these vessels are and we are confident that the vessels will be highly competitive in the market once upgraded. Both container vessels are powered by MAN B&W 12K98MC-C main engines rated at 68,520 kW at 104 RPM. In connection with the propulsion upgrade the main engines will be limited to 44,000 kW at 89.7 RPM however; top speeds of more than 23 knots will still be available. Along with the upgrade of their propulsion systems, the vessels will also enter dock to rebuild their bulbous bows. Combined with the already installed Turbo Charger Cut Out these comprehensive upgrades are expected to reduce fuel consumption at the new optimization speed of 18 knots by a total of more than 15% compared to the vessels as they were delivered from the new building shipyard in 2004. The upgrade packages will make the Danaos container vessels among the most competitive mid-size container vessels in the market. Vessel & Engine Specific Study Most mid-size container vessels were often originally designed and build to operate at much higher speeds than it is the case today and accordingly, their propulsion characteristics can be optimised. To this end, MAN PrimeServs Retrofit & Upgrade Departments in Copenhagen and Frederikshavn started up a Vessel & Engine Specific Study in 2015. The project researched 12 different potential solutions for optimising propulsion using diverse MAN Diesel & Turbo technologies and products individually and in various combinations. Concurrently, Danaos ran some 35 concept studies on the optimisation of its vessels at their in-house R&D department before concluding on how to proceed. Before the final choice of solution was made, exhaustive CFD-simulations and model tank tests were also carried out at the Krylov State Research Centre (KSRC) in St. Petersburg, Russia. Besides verifying the performance of the new Kappel propellers and the new bulbous bow design a primary reason for carrying out model tests was also to ensure that the new propellers for the CSCL Europe and CSCL America would have the correct light running margin (LRM). A temptation with optimisation projects can be to deliberately reduce the LRM below the optimal in order to give the propellers a slightly higher efficiency. Ultimately, a propeller layout with a reduced LRM will however be at the expense of the engines SFOC whereas the full potential of the propulsion upgrade will not be exploited in full scale. Instead, the philosophy at MAN Diesel & Turbo is to avoid looking at individual components alone and to look at the complete propulsion drive train in a holistic fashion where components are viewed in terms of the mutual influence they have on each other. Apart from the new Kappel propeller and propeller boss cap with fins both designed for the reduced engine output the container vessels will also, while in dock, have their bulbous bows altered to a design that better matches their future operation profile an operation popular known as a nose job. Alfa Laval saiys it continues to move swiftly towards the submission of a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) type approval application for Alfa Laval PureBallast 3.1. The company has performed half of the required land-based tests and is set to conclude the remainder of these within Q2. Alfa Laval remains on track to submit its application for USCG type approval after requisite tests of PureBallast are finished in Q2 of 2016. Half of the required land-based procedures have now been completed using the USCG-approved CMFDA/FDA (staining) method. The tests, which have been performed at DHI in Denmark, have all returned strong biological disinfection results. Alfa Laval has a robust biological disinfection technology and has mobilized quickly following the USCGs rejection of most probable number method, says Stephen Westerling Greer, Global Business Manager for PureBallast. As a dedicated supplier approaching 100 years of marine service, we have made USCG type approval a top priority. Westerling Greer concludes, Alfa Lavals vast experience in marine engineering, combined with specific knowledge in the design of ballast water treatment systems, is allowing us to secure a fast and positive testing outcome. Raytheon Anschutz Selected as INS Provider for Canadas OFSV Thales, a major system integrator in Canada, has chosen Raytheon Anschutz as the supplier of the Integrated Navigation System (INS) for the Canadian Coast Guards (CCG) new Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels (OFSV). As part of the OFSV program, three new vessels are being built for the CCG at Seaspans Vancouver Shipyards. The 63-metre vessels are designed to operate in the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans. Their mission profile is to conduct fishing and acoustic surveys and collect oceanographic data to monitor changes in the ecosystem. Seaspan is the Government of Canadas National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) Non-Combat capability provider and is responsible for building the next generation of Non-Combat vessels for the CCG and RCN. Under the contract, Raytheon Anschutz provides the customer with a Canadian version of their globally proven Synapsis Intelligent Bridge Control system. The new OFSVs are equipped with advanced Synapsis Integrated Navigation Systems. The INS features five Synapsis NX multifunctional workstations for radar, ECDIS and conning for the main bridge console. Further multifunctional workstations are supplied for installation at the bridge wings, for the aft fishing and starboard stations, and as chart station. The workstations are based on ultra-compact and powerful Small Marine Computers which serve as the standard hardware platform for all bridge applications. All workstations receive and share data through the Ethernet network, where sensor integration is simplified with the versatile NautoPlex data collectors. This enhances flexibility and reduces complexity in system design and cabling. To further enhance the interoperability of ship systems and reach a higher degree of integration, the Synapsis INS decouples central services from individual applications and concentrates them on an innovative infrastructure software framework which follows service oriented architecture and is built entirely on a stack of open source solutions and standard industrial components. The INS framework provides functional integration of AIS, charts, radar, centralized target management and alarm management, system health status display and reliability indication for important sensors. The alarm management is enhanced to display alarms generated by the Ship Control and Monitoring Systems (SCMS). The INS also integrates an onboard training simulator to provide simulated data for the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT). The navigation system is fitted with the advanced NP 5400 autopilot system which offers customized algorithms for precise cruising and trawling operations as well as low speed side operations. The navigation system also includes a redundant gyro compass system featuring the maintenance-free Horizon MF sensors, and the new generation of NautoScan NX network radar transceivers. The NautoScan NX transceivers generate a raw radar video, which is distributed via Gigabit LAN without any analogue losses, enabling optimized performance for end-user applications. Raytheon Anschutz, in cooperation with their long-term service partner Imtech Radio Holland Canada, will also provide training to Thales in Canada and Vancouver Shipyards and technical support during factory acceptance test, setting-to-work and sea acceptance test, as well as ongoing maintenance and support as needed during operation. Nearly two dozen vessels were queued outside the French oil import terminal in Fos, southern France on Thursday, held up by a strike organised by the hardline CGT and FO unions over planned labour reforms. A spokeswoman for the port of Marseille told Reuters that yesterday 29 oil, LNG and chemicals vessels were waiting between the wharf and harbour on Wednesday. This morning, 21 vessels including 12 carrying oil, LNG or chemicals, were waiting. During normal busy operations, about 5 vessels would be waiting, the port authority said. CGT port workers and dockers joined the nationwide rolling strike on Thursday and Friday. The stoppages hitting the power, fuel and transport sectors is aimed at forcing the government to withdraw the planned labour reform bill. CGT oil refinery and oil depot workers at Fos-Lavera have been on strike since Monday and have blocked oil terminals, preventing some fuel deliveries and leading to shortages. The terminals supply PetroIneos Lavera, Total's La Mede and Exxon's Fos refineries on the southern coast. Reporting by Valerie Parent and Bate Felix DONG Energy has awarded offshore energy support vessel operator Seacat Services with the supply contract for all crew transfer services at its 258MW Burbo Bank Extension project under development in the Irish Sea. The four-vessel charter contract, with durations of three to 11 months, is the second such agreement signed between Seacat Services and DONG Energy in 2016, following the confirmation of a four-workboat construction support deal for the Race Bank Offshore Wind Farm in April. With a handful of remaining Round 2.5 extension projects due for installation in U.K. waters in 2016 ahead of the upcoming Round 3 construction phase, this latest supply agreement is a further vote of confidence in the ability of domestic vessel operators to deliver the high standards of support required to keep increasingly complex projects on track. The Burbo Bank Extension project will see the installation of 32 MHI Vestas 8MW turbines, significantly boosting the capacity of the existing 90MW Burbo Bank Offshore Wind Farm in Liverpool Bay. With offshore construction due to commence in May 2016 and complete in Q2 2017, Seacat Services will deploy four of its class-certified catamarans, including Seacat Defender, Seacat Volunteer, Seacat Vigilant and Seacat Endeavour, to support the installation of turbines and offshore transmission infrastructure. The price of Vietnamese bananas has halved since orders from China started to dry up. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developments estimates that each year Vietnam produces about 1.4 million tons of bananas, and a huge proportion of that reaches the Chinese market. After a couple of months doubling or even tripling 2015 figures, the price of banana exports is on a downward spiral. A banana trader from the southern province of Dong Nai told VnExpress that in the first quarter, his company received export orders worth around VND14,000 ($0.63) per kilogram, but that figure has fallen to about VND7,000 ($0.3) per kilogram. The majority of Vietnamese bananas are exported to China because it doesnt have strict quality standards. During the first few months of the year, China was in need of bananas so our exports rose along with the price. In the second quarter, China started harvesting its own banana crops so our prices have tumbled, he added. Banana traders across the country are in the same situation. Tran Van Can, a trader from the northern province of Hung Yen, said that export prices have fallen to VND6,000 ($0.27) per kilogram, adding that export contracts also declined significantly in the second quarter. Follow VnExpress International on Facebook and Twitter Knut rbeck-Nilssen, CEO Maritime, DNV GL discusses the future of class DNV GL is now integrated and fully armed to address the challenges of the day. Drones for tank inspections? Virtual surveyors? Unmanned ships? DNV GL leaves no stone unturned in the quest to bring class into the future as Knut rbeck-Nilssen, CEO, DNV GL Maritime, explained to MR in March. Among classification societies DNV GL seemingly perpetually pushes the edge of innovation, with a combined Norwegian and German pedigree and a cumulative maritime experience more than three centuries. It was a little more than three years ago when it was announced that classification societies DNV and GL would merge into one, and according to Knut rbeck-Nilssen, CEO, DNV GL Maritime that process is, for all intents and purposes, completed. With that box ticked, rbeck-Nilssen and crew now turn attention to battening down the proverbial hatches and riding out the current market slowdown, all the while planning for and investing in a future that may not provide growth anytime soon. Many of the markets are quite depressed at the moment, so we, having merged two and a half years ago, are in a really good position now, said rbeck-Nilssen. In 2013 we had already started to enjoy the synergies of the connection and to take out costs. So we have now created an excellent platform to deliver in challenging markets. In counting his classification blessings, rbeck-Nilssen contends that DNV GL has: The widest distribution of offices serving the maritime industry A streamlined organization with many of the double functions (of the two organizations) removed, allowing it to reduce its cost base significantly. A scale and set-up that is ideal for the coming 5 years. DATE Night While DNV GL talks up the role of emerging technologies as well as anyone, rbeck-Nilssen contends that his teams mission is simple and focused: to be very close to the maritime industry and to the customers as a class society, providing excellent services on safety and quality. In fact the merger process truly allowed management to strip down to the bare essence of class, effectively keeping the good and jettisoning the bad. We reached out to the major stakeholders to strategically position the rule set 2,000 comments from more than 800 stakeholders led to 700 rule modifications, said rbeck-Nilssen Thats the way we like to work, to really engage the industry, getting better proposals in hands. While the merger process resulted in a number of enhancements across the organization, rbeck-Nilssen is most keen to discuss DATE, which means Direct Access to Technical Experts. Speed matters a lot in the maritime industry, and to be able to respond fast to our customers requests is a top priority, said rbeck-Nilssen. We have set up a system called DATE (Direct Access to Technical Experts). This is five centers that we maintain in different time zones around the world, staffed by technical experts dealing with requests from customers 24/7/365. The goal is seamless global coverage established to answer customers questions quickly and effectively courtesy of five hubs situated in Singapore, Houston, Piraeus, Hamburg and Oslo. Take for example a request coming into Hamburg at 8 p.m. Friday evening. If Hamburg is unable to resolve the matter, the problem will be shifted to Houston for resolution, who works with the customer directly. With this, we are delivering a response in less than 6 hours on more than 75% of the cases, said rbeck-Nilssen. I think that this is really leading in the industry, and there is no added cost to the customer. The key to DATEs success is not simply bolting on staff, rather deploying existing staff and knowledge more intelligently. We had all of the experts onboard, it was more about how we move these experts not physically but virtually moved closer to the action and the customers, said rbeck-Nilssen. For us, taking class to the next step is really about being data smart, and how we can utilize digitalization in the effort. More Tech Tools As the shipping and shipbuilding world evolve, so too does class. DNV GL in particular is keen to invest in technologies that it views as not simply cheaper, rather more efficient and effective too. To that end it offers: ECO Insight We developed a product that we feel is at the vanguard of digitalization in ECO Insight, said rbeck-Nilssen. ECO Insight is designed to help owners and operators optimize vessel performance. For example, fuel cost continues to be a large area of focus, and even though the cost of fuel has come down, it still represents a significant cost for the ship owner. According to DNV GL, ECO Insight offers a better way of benchmarking their operations, not simply vessel to vessel, but vessel to fleet, and ultimately vessel to world fleet. ECO Insight is a unique product in the way in which it combines all of the data that DNV GL has on the vessels, and combines with the AIS system so that we at any one point in time know where the vessel is, where it is going, and we can combine with fuel and weather data, said rbeck-Nilssen. We can combine various data streams to determine how the vessel is doing, how well the fleet is doing. I think we will see much more of this in the future; the way in which you can combine different data streams. Drones DNV GL is eagerly exploring the use of drones in its work, with the aim of increasing quality while reducing risk during the survey process. We need to look at new technologies to see how we can use them to modernize the way we work, how we interact with our customers, said rbeck-Nilssen. If you are inside of a tank, you can fly that drone, outfitted with a flash and a video camera. You can fly it all the way up to the underside of the deck and you can get a very clear close visual inspection to check corrosion, cracks and to see if there is a need for closer inspection. By doing this, you save much effort and the need for scaffolding. The next step in this development is to see how you can make the drone system explosion proof. If you are able to put a drone in that situation where it is guaranteed not to produce any sparks, you dont even have to gas free the hold, saving cost and time for the operator. Virtual Surveyor We are open to look to other industries for inspiration and ideas, and to that end we have had for a couple of years an interesting project with the German Aeronautical Institute, looking at ways to see how can we put a camera on our surveyors helmet, to digitize the results of the inspections, said rbeck-Nilssen. This is not simply a system to take photos, rather a complete video imaging set up including measurements on photos so that it is provided to scale. Once captured, the photos are immediately correlated to the exact place on the vessel courtesy of the electronic drawing or 3D model, allowing the next inspector to see the past inspection trends. In short the system will create a digital model where the vessel is represented virtually with data and images added from inspections. The system is in its development phase through 2016. For the ship owner it provides readily available data that can be streamlined immediately to its headquarters, allowing them to engage not only with the crew onboard, but the company experts at the home office. You get a much more interactive dialogue, rather than post-inspection back and forth. You really integrate, and it brings us much closer to the customer, said rbeck-Nilssen. If you project this a little bit further into the future, you can ask: who is carrying the helmet, who is flying the drone? It could be a surveyor, it could be the crew. This has the possibility to really take the business of surveying to the next step, giving us a virtual presence onboard the ship versus having a surveyor onboard as often as today. Naturally we would like to be onboard at certain intervals, but if some of the physical presence of today can be replaced by virtual presence, it could create some really interesting opportunities. Data Smart When talk inevitably turns to Big Data, rbeck-Nilssen contends that there is a lot of fluff in the industry conversation, and he thinks discussions should center on practical application of data to shipping operations. For DNV GL it is really important to try and make this as concrete as possible, said rbeck-Nilssen. As an example, we were really fortunate to get six months of operating history from an advanced vessel from a ship owner, a vessel with about 10,000 sensors. DNV GL had a pair of its data scientists examine the data, extracting some useful information. As engineers we are always preoccupied with understanding why, so if this breaks down, why is it happening, said rbeck-Nilssen. In examining the data it was found that one critical piece of equipment consistently had an increasing the temperature pattern throughout the six months trial, meaning the friction was also rising. If it had gone unnoticed long term, it would have resulted in a breakdown or an early maintenance event. In examining the data, the heat spike was correlated to a specific crew, and by talking to the crew members, they could release the torque a bit, the friction and temperature came down, and the equipment was saved from failure or early maintenance. But rbeck-Nilssen admits that change does not come quickly or easily. These things come with investment, said rbeck-Nilssen. You need sensors on the ship, you need to access, store and analyze the data. I think really its about demonstrating how this can be useful to save costs, increase efficiency or increase safety. GOST (Global Ocean Security Technologies), a world leader in marinesecurity, tracking, monitoring and video surveillance systems, announced today that it has partnered with Phantom Rescue in its fight against child trafficking. Phantom Rescue is a non-profit organization that provides awareness and deterrence for the prevention of child trafficking, enhanced global networking to stop the underground activities that contribute to human sex trafficking and most importantly, the organization takes direct action to locate, rescue, and return taken children to the safety of their loved ones. Everyday, 46 children are stolen and forced into sex slavery or labor in the United States. That is 17,000 kids per year in this country alone, said Jay Keenan, president and CEO of GOST. We are committed to helping Phantom Rescue in any way we can, from providing equipment, to raising funds andraising awareness. There is no more worthwhile goal than to keep our children safe and we are humbled to be involved with this incredible group of individuals. Phantom Rescue is comprised of the Operational Team and the Information, Resources, and Crisis Planning Center. The Operational Teamis an elite group of retired and former U.S. Military Special Operations soldiers from all branches including Army Special Forces, Rangers, SFOD-D (DELTA), Special Operations Aviation, Intelligence, and Navy SEALs, as well as professionals from U.S. State Department Embassies and Consulates, the law enforcement community, the FBI, the FederalCyber Task Force, the Internet Crimes against Children Task Force, and the CIA.Each member has unparalleled tactical training with experience in conventional and special operations ranging from humanitarian relief, humanitarian assistance, disaster assistance, crisis management, and combat operations. Phantom Rescues Information, Resources, and Crisis Planning Center provides critical real time data to rescue teams when they are deployed globally and also has responsibility for the management of a twenty-four hour hotline for information on human trafficking and child abduction. Developing analytics on the abductors, buyers and the underground network that facilitates these activities, as well as where and how the next generation of traffickers plan to evade law enforcement, the Crisis Planning Center also monitors trends on targeted areas for abductions and provides awareness and risk mitigation information on key events that attract human trafficking. The Center also is building a depository of missing children data. We have been rescuing children since 2007 and now we have elected to come out of the shadows of silence and formally announce Phantom Rescue and our mission, said Tony Sparks, founder, Phantom Rescue. Our story began when we took an oath to protect and defend our country. Even though we retired from our careers, we could not set aside that oath. We believe destiny has brought our team together to tackle one of the greatest injustices known to mankind, the abduction of children. Now, it is our unwavering vision to use our years of specialized training and experience to combat human trafficking and keep our countrys children safe. For more information on the GOST and its full line of security products, contact [email protected] or visit www.gostglobal.com. For more information of Phantom Rescue or to support its cause, please visit http://www.phantomrescue.org. U.S. Marines formed a human barricade alongside members of the French National Gendarmerie to protect a simulated U.S. Embassy during a riot control exercise at the National Gendarmerie Training Center in St. Astier, France, May 12-15, 2016. The Marines held their ground while rioters threw flaming Molotov cocktails and rubber bricks, dispersing the crowd with CS grenades and other riot control techniques practiced earlier in the week with the Gendarmes, a French military federal law enforcement organization. Its a great opportunity to improve our skills together, said Maj. Andre Rakoto, training coordinator between the Gendarmerie and U.S. Marines. The French Gendarmes have good expertise in riot control and crowd control so we exchange our practices and techniques with the Marines. And the Marines have a great level of efficiency as kinetic units so we also learn from their expertise in combat. This partnership allows us to train together and gain from each others experience. This training not only reinforces the strong relationship between the United States and France, it also prepares the Marines and Gendarmes to work together in possible real-world scenarios at embassies around Europe and Africa. Were very honored and proud to train with the Marines, said Rakoto. We are very proud that our expertise in riot training and crowd control training is known and appreciated so we are very happy to share it with the Marines. Its a very rewarding experience to work with such great warriors. Is There A Stocks Bear Market in Progress? The SPX topped out one year ago, on May 20th, 2015 at 2134.72. One year has gone by in the SPX and has still not made a new high. It could be many years before we breach that high! The SPX chart below indicates why it is not making any new highs and why a trend change is due any day, now! From the lows of 2009, the SPX has risen in a parallel channel while never breaking/closing below it with the exception of the beginning of this year at which time it broke down the channel and then closed below it. However, it has since recovered, as indicated in the chart below, however, it is facing significant overhead resistance in the 2110 levels. There is a lower high formation during all of the pullbacks, after the corrections, as can be viewed, in the chart below. Whenever a long trending channel is broken, it weakens and the odds of a breakdown increases. The next move is the break of the channel which will change the uptrend into a downtrend. Allow me to analyze what the targets of the long-term break of the uptrend are. The pattern breakdown becomes confirmed below the 1810 levels. The break will form a pattern target of 1490 on the SPX. The targets usually overshoot in a bearish market, therefore,1490 is merely a ballpark figure that the markets can go much lower while falling. Along with breakdown of the channel, the SPX is also making a long-term bearish rounding pattern as indicated, in the chart below. The long-term chart patterns are negative, however, unless the shorter time- frame also becomes negative, a buy or a sell signal is not triggered. Lets see what the short-term time frame chart patterns are suggesting! The short-term pattern shows a classic textbook example of a bearish head and shoulder pattern as depicted in the next chart below. The pattern will be confirmed when the SPX breaks and closes below the neckline at 2040. Below the 2040 level, the next support level comes in at the psychological 2000 level. Most traders who have been buying the dips will buy close to this level, and I expect to see a bounce. The professional traders will use any bounce off these levels to short the market, to take advantage of its long awaited downtrend. The bearish head and shoulder pattern target, on the lower end is located at the 1970 levels. However, these targets are only a rough levels for reference. The markets can easily overshoot these levels. On the shorter time frame, there are various levels which can offer support during the next major decline. As explained above, the 2000 level is a psychological support area and 1970 is the pattern target. However, upon studying the charts, I can see that 1950 levels, which had earlier acted as a resistance, will now offer support. If the markets break below the 1950 levels, then there is no support until it drops to the lows of 1810. Once the SPX breaks below the 1810 levels, it will enter into its multi-year bearish trend decline. The markets do not honor any support levels once it enters a confirmed bearish trend! Hence, although 1490 is the target, markets can go much lower as long as the bearish trend continues. I have provided all of the important levels which you should watch out for. However, no pattern plays out exactly the way we expect it should, hence, it is important that you keep watching my daily morning video forecasts, as I will keep updating new breaking market trade set-ups, to subscribers. This way you will see the latest changes on the charts and the accompanying action to be taken. Continue watching and be prepared to engage in this market, at the right time via my ETF trade alerts. My cutting edge analysis will reveal all of the new twists and turns in all of the markets in which all of the big investment houses trade. Get My Daily Video Forecasts & Alerts: www.TheGoldAndOilGuy.com Chris Vermeulen Join my email list FREE and get my next article which I will show you about a major opportunity in bonds and a rate spike www.GoldAndOilGuy.com Chris Vermeulen is Founder of the popular trading site TheGoldAndOilGuy.com. There he shares his highly successful, low-risk trading method. For 7 years Chris has been a leader in teaching others to skillfully trade in gold, oil, and silver in both bull and bear markets. Subscribers to his service depend on Chris' uniquely consistent investment opportunities that carry exceptionally low risk and high return. Disclaimer: Nothing in this report should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. Technical Traders Ltd., its owners and the author of this report are not registered broker-dealers or financial advisors. Before investing in any securities, you should consult with your financial advisor and a registered broker-dealer. Never make an investment based solely on what you read in an online or printed report, including this report, especially if the investment involves a small, thinly-traded company that isnt well known. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report has been paid by Cardiff Energy Corp. In addition, the author owns shares of Cardiff Energy Corp. and would also benefit from volume and price appreciation of its stock. The information provided here within should not be construed as a financial analysis but rather as an advertisement. The authors views and opinions regarding the companies featured in reports are his own views and are based on information that he has researched independently and has received, which the author assumes to be reliable. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content of this report, nor its fitness for any particular purpose. Lastly, the author does not guarantee that any of the companies mentioned in the reports will perform as expected, and any comparisons made to other companies may not be valid or come into effect. Chris Vermeulen Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. Will The Swiss Guarantee 75,000 CHF For Every Family? The Swiss public will have to approve or reject a change in the constitution that would allow for an Unconditional Basic Income (UBI), or a preset, monthly minimum income to be paid out by the government to every adult and child in the country if their income falls below a specific threshold. Even though details of this proposal have been few and far between, the most commonly cited amount of this guaranteed income would be 2,500 Swiss Francs for adults and 625 francs for children. The architects of the proposal stress that this government-guaranteed payment, unlike the current benefit programs, will be entirely no questions asked, i.e. it will not be means-tested and it will apply for every person legally living in Switzerland. Currently, these are all the details that the Swiss have at their disposal to make their decision. No plan has so far been put forward to specify how such a proposal would be financed, whether an increase on income tax or VAT will be enforced, which specific existing welfare programs it would replace or how they would avoid the glaringly obvious exploitation possibilities of such a plan, without any kind of means test or without asking any questions, as is one of their campaigns catchphrases. The main argument of the supporters of this initiative is that it would support the people that will, or already do, lose their jobs to automation and technological progress; a defensive move against the rise of the robots as they put it. They also claim that such a measure will give people the opportunity to grow, to learn and to pursue skills or professional goals that are now rendered prohibitive by their current meaningless and mundane jobs, that they are forced into for simply paying the bills. What would you do if your income were taken care of? asked the pro-UBI campaign in Geneva, with a poster that officially made it to the Guinness Book of Records as the worlds largest. The Free Lunch A Fantasy As Old As Methuselah The promise of a free lunch is by no means a new thing in politics. Getting something for nothing is an age-old shiny trinket that has been dangled before the eyes of the public since time immemorial. In fact, it has appeared so excruciatingly often in our political history, for centuries on end, that one would think that it wouldnt work anymore; not in 2016, surely. And yet it does. UBI is the proof that there are still people who choose to believe that no strings attached freebies and gifts are promises one can rely and build an economy on, especially when they are coming from their governments and rulers. However, there are always some strings attached to such gifts and if history has taught us anything on this matter is the distinction between a gift and a bribe. Unsavory political ideologies and catastrophic cultural philosophies often tend to make their debut in front of the public hidden inside a Trojan gift horse. Unrealistic yet enchanting promises have always been a reliable political tool and it was always quite unchallenging as a strategy, to corrupt the people by granting the majority something they have stolen from minorities. We can easily spot the parallel in the promotion of Basic Income: Even though the architects of UBI in Switzerland, quite wisely, omit any reference to the realistic and structural aspect of their scheme, at the end of day, someone will have to pay for it. Tax the 1%!, argue their international fellow basic income supporters, which, rather predictably, makes UBI even more attractive to a large portion of the public. This whole discussion about UBI reminds us of the following quote by Thomas Jefferson: A government big enough to give you everything you want, is a government big enough to take away everything that you have. Thomas Jefferson knew a thing or two about the true nature of government. By accepting a free lunch offered by the government, one is no longer free, but becomes dependent on the whims of the ruling elite which is of course precisely what the ruling elite wants. In other words, what happens in reality is the exact opposite of what the UBI supporters imagine will happen. They assert that a basic income distributed by the State will free people, as they will no longer be forced to deal with the drudgery of having to earn a living. Thus, in a quite Orwellian twist, dependency is marketed as freedom. The Cultural Argument For Collectivism Key figures of the pro-UBI camp take pride in claiming that the main motivation behind the campaign is not economic but cultural. They say this proposal aims to make people think about the nature of life and work, it is a way to liberate them from the jobs they dont like but need, a status which the schemes advocates, quite unhistorically, equate to the indignity of slavery. On top of this, they claim, UBI will help society survive the imminent unemployment apocalypse: they believe that with the help of automation and artificial intelligence 50% of all the existing jobs will be taken over within the coming decade by computers and machines. Such an argument might sound rational, but goes deeper than that: It presupposes that we as human beings see ourselves downgraded and equated to a machine, like just another cog that can be replaced at any time, in a system where man is defined as a human resource, literally. The truth is that it is indeed a cultural debate, far more than it is an economic one. The only conceivable aim of such a factually unhinged and unfounded proposal can be to gage the mind-set of the Swiss people in this moment in time. The outcome of this referendum can provide a valuable insight about the Swiss mentality, and whether they are prepared to accept collectivism over individualism. Such a signal could serve as cue for further escalation of government empowerment: After all, the collapsing centralized system, is bound to show symptoms of desperation by doubling down and accelerating and maximizing its centralization efforts. Thus focusing on the symptoms and secondary effects is futile; a real difference can be made by addressing the root cause, the system itself. Despite the economic non-sequiturs and plain utopianism that lie at the core of the idea of Universal Basic Income, the concept seems to be gaining popularity worldwide. Canada is set to conduct an experiment with this idea later this year. The city of Utrecht in the Netherlands is launching a pilot program, Finland is planning a two-year trial and a British proposal is gathering interest, while this month, the nonprofit group GiveDirectly will start providing a guaranteed income to 6,000 Kenyans in a decade-long scheduled program and track the results. The western left seems to be gaining traction for this idea, however the polls in Switzerland paint a dramatically contrasting picture: the UBI initiative is projected to suffer a crushing defeat. A Bastion Of Liberty The Swiss have been voting counterintuitively for years: When they held a referendum for or against 6 weeks of vacation, or when they were called upon to vote for an initiative advocating less working hours, or even when they made their choice on the issue of minimum wage, they always deliver outcomes that seem surprising to the rest of the West, especially the rest of Europe. Up to now, the Swiss consistently reject interference by the state when it came to this kind of topics and they refuse to grant more powers to their government. Even in recent years, when the trend for aggressive state expansionism seems to be stronger than ever, Switzerland appears to still hold the fort, as the last standing bastion of liberty. So whats so different about the Swiss then? Switzerland is indeed very different, because it became a nation by its peoples own will, based on limited government, strong private property rights and a direct democracy founded on the principles of subsidiarity. This has always required open dialogue and being exposed to different ideas and values: Debate itself, leads to an enlightened society. Thus, the essential difference lies in the nations culture, mentality and philosophy. The Swiss have grown up in an environment where the people were always able to decide for themselves, but they have also a long tradition of doubting and of dissenting. Every critical issue is discussed and decided on by the people, the actions of government are subject to and limited by the citizens. All viewpoints are heard, even anti-establishment voices have their say, and critical thinking provides the basis for the societys future. However, this is only possible when people use their own mind to think about a specific topic individually and independently. High up in the Swiss Alps, where they are playing strange instruments. The Swiss have always stood up for the rights of the individual against the State. They successfully defended themselves against the Hapsburg dynasty and other would-be conquerors, and attempts to introduce collectivist decay from within have been consistently rejected as well. Switzerland is, therefore, quite the hostile terrain for those who wish to promote their free lunches and their no strings attached gifts. Their long history of independent thinking, of consequential analysis and of government limitation, makes it very easy for them to see past the populism-fueled empty promises and their matching publicity stunts. Their rejection of the UBI proposal on June the 5th will and should serve as a reminder that the Swiss still remain the exception to the rule. By Claudio Grass, Managing Director at Global Gold Switzerland. About the author: Claudio Grass is a passionate advocate of free-market thinking and libertarian philosophy. Following the teachings of the Austrian School of Economics he is convinced that sound money and human freedom are inextricably linked to each other. Source: http://goldandliberty.com/libertarian-thoughts/will-swiss-guarantee-75000-chf-every-family/ 2016 Copyright - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors. 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. The United States will provide Vietnam $30 million to help it implement the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the White House said in a statement, without giving any time frame. The funds will be used for work to ensure freedom of association, including independent unions, and other internationally recognized labor rights; protection and enforcement of intellectual property; and environmental protection and sustainable growth, the White House said. The U.S. government will commit resources and technical expertise to support not only Vietnam but also other TPP partners to implement and effectively enforce the obligations of the agreement, according to the statement. TPP is central to our goal of deepening the U.S.-Vietnamese economic relationship, the White House said. The Obama Administration has made securing ratification of the TPP a top priority and is working with Vietnam and other TPP partners to help them complete the implementation of their TPP commitments. The TPP, which is considered the trade deal of the 21st century, will create new opportunities for American and Vietnamese workers and businesses, including small businesses; promote innovation and the digital economy; foster fair competition, transparency, and good governance; and promote workers rights, conservation and sustainable growth, the White House said. Is it a good year to take a Memorial Day trip, considering gasoline prices? No doubt about it, Gregg Laskoski, a senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy, said recently. According to GasBuddy.com, as of Tuesday afternoon, the average price for regular unleaded gas was $2.30 in the United States (down 44.5 cents from last years average of $2.75) and $2.13 in Virginia (down 38.1 cents from last years average of $2.51. Locally, the average price for regular unleaded gas ranged from $1.98 to $2.12 for businesses recorded on the GasBuddy.com website. According to its website, GasBuddy.com is a group of local websites which offers an online method for website visitors to post and view recent retail gasoline prices. Based on history, prices are likely to peak in May or June, Laskoski said. He forecasts that nationally, gas prices will peak at between $2.43 and $2.74, probably at the lower end of that range and that Virginias average gas price will peak at 20-25 cents less than the national average. Gasoline prices declined from June 2015 through February 2016, he noted. AAA projects that more than 38 million Americans will travel this Memorial Day weekend, defined as from Thursday, May 26, through Monday, May 30, according to AAAs national travel forecast released May 19. That number of travelers is the most since 2005, about 700,000 more people than last year, and is spurred by the lowest gasoline prices in 11 years, according to a news release. Nearly 34 million travelers (89 percent) are projected to drive to their Memorial Day destinations, 2.1 percent more than last year as a result of lower gas prices, the release said. About 2.6 million Americans (1.6 percent more than last year) are projected to travel by air to their destinations. Travel by other modes of transportation, such as cruises, trains and buses, is projected to fall 2.3 percent to 1.6 million travelers. AAA.com and AAA travel agency sales indicate the top destinations this holiday weekend are: 1. Orlando; 2. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; 3. Washington, D.C.; 4. New York; 5. Miami; 6. San Francisco; 7. Boston; 8. Honolulu; 9. Los Angeles; and 10. South Padre Island, Texas. According to AAAs Daily Fuel Gauge Report (http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/), the national average price for regular unleaded gas was $2.29 on Tuesday morning, compared with $2.22 a week ago, $2.13 a month ago and $2.73 a year ago. Virginias average price for regular unleaded gas was $2.12 on Monday, compared with $2.06 a week ago, $1.96 a month ago and $2.50 a year ago. A news item Monday on the AAA website said that gas prices were at the highest point for the year, with the national average having increased for 12 days in a row. At the Valero station on Memorial Boulevard in Martinsville Tuesday afternoon, Jemal Walton of Martinsville said that if he didnt have to work Friday and possibly Saturday, Id be gone, maybe to Charlotte, maybe to Virginia Beach. With gas prices down for this time of year, its a good time to take a trip, he said. Its looking good. Stacey Manns of Martinsville said she plans to take a trip to the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, but the comparatively lower gas price is not much of a factor. I aint big on travel, Manns said, but if I want to go, Im going. Eric Hughes of Eden, North Carolina, and formerly of Patrick Springs, said, Im thankful for the prices. Lower prices help not only people taking trips but people in their everyday travel, freeing up money for them to spend in stores, according to Hughes. He added he will be taking a trip to Nags Head, North Carolina, but that the price of gas didnt have much to do with it. Who says toys are only for children? According to Tom Wilson, the founder of Toy Time Museum in Meadows of Dan, no person is too young or too old to play. Wilson discovered a special talent when he realized that with a lot of tinkering and plenty of wood, he could turn small childrens toys into large scale models. Toy Time Museum is an interactive, hands-on experience. Unlike a typical museum, kids are encouraged to touch the museum pieces, all of which Wilson crafted by hand. The museum serves the purposes of both enjoyment and learning. Wilson is not a newcomer to operating museums. In fact, he has been in the museum circuit for the past two decades. Ten years ago, Wilson made several of the pieces found in Toy Time Museum for a traveling museum that required no electricity to operate. Wilson, who lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, saw an opportunity for his traveling museum to plant permanent roots in the Meadows of Dan area after his daughter and son-in-law, Jill and John Clark, moved to the Virginia mountains several years ago. Wilson purchased the space for Toy Time Museum in March of 2016 and is looking forward to the grand opening on Saturday. With more than 50 exhibits largely inspired by old-timey Appalachian toys, Wilson hopes that Toy Time Museum in Meadows of Dan will become the Folk Toy Capital of the World. Wilson said that when people come in the museum which has been open on Saturdays and Sundays prior to the grand opening they typically stay for an hour to an hour and a half. One fan favorite exhibit is the puzzle station, which hosts 15 wooden puzzles at any given time. The skill level needed in order to complete each puzzle varies, making the station fun for all ages. Theres one puzzle here that I have been making for 40 years, Wilson said. Wilsons granddaughter, Kaitlyn Clark, liked the variety of puzzles more than anything else in the museum. I really like the puzzles because its kind of cool how you can do them and I like challenges, Clark said. At Wilsons museum, children are encouraged to be loud and have fun. One noisy exhibit is the Flipping Fireman, a toy where a wooden block painted like a fireman descends a ladder using the force of gravity. Another exhibit, Ball Track, allows children to race one another with balls down a zigzag path. Climbing Cousins is another racing game, where participants get an arm workout while playing; they race each other by pulling back and forth on cords while the characters climb toward the ceiling. Sarah Shrewsberry said she enjoyed the Physics Science Area of the museum best. She liked a machine that depended on a pendulum to function. Shrewsberry drew pictures with the machine, which had a pen attached to one end. It draws for itself and it makes cool creations, Shrewsberry said about the pendulum exhibit. Grayson Gorton enjoyed an exhibit that was more like a ride. Wilson created an Air Chair that uses air to hoist people up toward the ceiling. I like going up in the air. You can see everything and everything else you can do, Gorton said. April Gorton, who accompanied Grayson Gorton and Sarah Shrewsberry, said, Its so engaging and everyone is so helpful. The adults enjoy it just as much as the kids. Were really excited to have them in the community. Wilsons favorite piece, he said, is whatever people are enjoying the most. Developing things over time is the best part. Building things comes easily; the work is in figuring it out, Wilson added. Although Wilson has sold some designs, like the Air Chair, to places like Ripleys Believe It or Not! Museum, the best collection of Wilsons work is in Meadows of Dan. Starting off the summer with a grand opening at 10 a.m. Saturday, Toy Time Museum hours will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays. Admission costs $5 per adult, $4 per child, and is free for children younger than 2. For the grand opening, Wilson will be giving away finger tops with each paid admission. There also will be finger top-spinning contests at noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m., as well as live music on the front porch from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Toy Time Museum is located at 2554 Jeb Stuart Highway in Meadows of Dan, right off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang (L) and U.S. President Barack Obama (R) in the official arrival ceremony on May 23. Photo by Reuters/Carlos Barria The United States will continue to strengthen its commercial relationship with Vietnam following contracts worth more than $16 billion signed during President Obamas trip that concluded on May 25, the White House said in a statement. During Obama's visit, VietJet Aviation Joint Stock Co. and Boeing agreed a deal for 100 aircraft worth $11.3 billion, the largest ever single commercial airplane purchase in Vietnam's aviation history. VietJet Air also signed another $3.04 billion contract with engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney on May 23. U.S.-Vietnam goods trade has increased nearly a hundredfold to $45 billion in 2015 from $451 million in 1995, the year the United States and Vietnam normalized diplomatic relations. In 2015, U.S. exports to Vietnam grew by 23 percent, the largest year-on-year increase of exports to any of Americas top 50 export markets, the White House said. Vietnam was the second fastest growing of Americas top 50 export markets from 2010 to 2015. U.S. export growth focused on integrated circuits, aircraft, cotton, dairy and other agricultural products. In the last five years Vietnam has developed an important role as a supplier of high-tech consumer products to the United States, the statement said. Trading between the two countries included small and family businesses and large firms. As of 2014, 6,031 small and medium American enterprises exported to Vietnam, while 5,895 imported Vietnamese goods. The White House said the United States employs a whole-of-government approach to support U.S. exports and investments in Vietnam. This includes programs that promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth, encourage legitimate and accountable governance while addressing trade barriers, support corporate social responsibility, and strengthen the rule of law and the business climate, according to the statement. White-collar worker Vu Duy Kien spent months planning the robbery but it turned out to be as simple as driving away in a car loaded with gold. In October last year, Kien came up with an ambitious but risky plan of robbing a profitable jewelry shop in Ha Dong District where he lives in Hanoi. Kien had fallen into debt and owed the banks and his friends $18,000. As the detailed plan came together, he also stole the equipment he would need such as gloves and tools to break into the vehicle used by the shop to transport jewelry. As a communications officer, Kien had previously made some short films about crime, so he had a basic idea about what he was doing. In January, he drove a pickup truck to the shop on a trial run to see whether he would be able to break into the owners car, and he succeeded. He then drove his truck away and walked back to see what the owner's reaction would be when he found the car open. To his amazement, the owner hadn't noticed and was loading a large amount of gold into the vehicle. Gold thief captured four months after daring half a million dollar heist Cuop oto cho vang o Ha Noi When the owner returned to the shop, Kien hopped into the car and drove off, much to the surprise of local people. He then dumped the car and took a taxi to where he'd left his truck and made his getaway. In total he made off with gold and cash worth $670,000. He then melted the gold down and hid it in a deserted temple near his house. When the owner reported the case to police, they thought he had made the story up because they didn't believe someone could be so careless with such a large volume of gold. After an initial investigation, the police started to believe the owner but the only clue they had was that the robber had used a pickup truck. Another search found that there were about 1,500 trucks in the city that matched Kien's. Kien was arrested four months after the heist. Photo by VnExpress. However, police finally caught up with him after he sold a large amount of gold to buy a luxury apartment and car, and opened billion-dong bank accounts. Police have seized the stolen gold and Kien will face criminal charges. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc is heading to Japan to attend the outreach meeting of the G7 Summit from May 26 to May 28 on the invitation of his counterpart Shinzo Abe. This is the first time Vietnam has attended the Group of Seven (G7) Summit, so the country will play a part in discussing global problems like climate change, the global economy, trade and sustainable development, Phuc said. The 42nd G7 Summit will be held from May 26 to May 27 in Japan, with the attendance of leaders from the G7 members including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the U.S. and the U.K., as well as representatives of the European Union. During his visit, Phuc will hold talks with Abe about measures to promote cooperation between the two countries. We hope to deepen the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Japan, bringing benefits to the two peoples as well as boosting cooperation in the region, Phuc said. The PM added that Japan is one of Vietnams leading economic partners. The two countries recorded bilateral trade revenue of more than $25 billion last year. Vietnams Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said Wednesday the ministry does not cover the truth about the mysterious mass fish deaths in the central region. We know people are looking to hear about reasons behind the mass fish deaths in the four central provinces. It is not true to say that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment hides information about the incident. We provide what we have. Each announcement should be based on scientific evidence, Vice Minister Nguyen Linh Ngoc told a briefing May 25. On May 14, Vice Minister of Science and Technology Pham Cong Tac said the authorities have collected sufficient scientific evidence about the causes for the fish deaths and will announce their findings soon. But more than a month has passed since the first dead fish was found and it remains a mystery until now. Since early April, tons of fish have washed up dead in the central coastal provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien - Hue. On April 27, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said there are two possible reasons for the mass fish deaths. One is toxic chemicals released by human activities. The other is an abnormal natural phenomenon that causes algae in the water to bloom at an accelerated rate, commonly known as a red tide. A new website aimed at enhancing appreciation of the Yellowstone River has been created by the Our Montana nonprofit organization. The website, http://www.exploreyellowstoneriver.org, offers a near-complete guide to access sites, history, points of interest, community parks and trails, and bird-watching opportunities along what is arguably the nations longest undammed river. By: David Crisp See more at: http://lastbestnews.com/site/2016/05/new-website-promotes-celebrates-yellowstone-river/#sthash.aKX17SpQ.dpuf Baldwin says the shows website, called "Americas Greatest Makers: An Intel Experience, https://www.americasgreatestmakers.com/ has already had 3.5 million visitors, with a 70 percent completion rate among those who watch the sites videos. The site, she says, has "enjoyed the highest levels of engagement of any online effort that Intel has ever done before. By Patrick May, [email protected] Full Story: http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_29934737/intel-breaks-into-reality-tv-americas-greatest-makers Vietnam's Minister of Defense has proposed the establishment of a Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) for aircraft operating in the South China Sea (Vietnams East Sea), on top of the expansion of the existing CUES for military vessels reached in 2014, reported the Vietnam News Agency. The idea is part of the confidence-building measures being taken by ASEAN members and China to resolve regional issues. It was suggested by Vietnamese Defense Minister Ngo Xuan Lich during the sixth unofficial ASEAN-China defense ministerial meeting held yesterday in Vientiane, Laos. Lich said the establishment of the CUES for aircraft and the inclusion of official vessels in the existing CUES will help reduce the chance of miscalculations and prevent incidental encounters at sea from escalating. In another proposal, Lich said theres a need to increase the exchange of information on both bilateral and multilateral levels between ASEAN countries and China. He suggesteded establishing hotlines between ASEAN and Chinese defense ministers. According to Lich, strengthening cooperation between ASEAN countries and with partners in the defense and military sectors will create an environment of peace, stability, development and equality. Besides the efforts of ASEAN, this also requires the support and contributions of partners outside ASEAN, especially China, he said. Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan said China and ASEAN countries should strengthen cooperation through joint patrols and counter-terrorism and maritime drills. Defense ministers of ASEAN and China agreed that the security situation in the region is peaceful and stable but there is always a potential threat. The ministers reiterated their determination to implement their commitments to the region, resolving issues through peaceful means without using or threatening to use force. Governor Steve Bullock and Montana Department of Commerce Director Meg OLeary announced the award of $50,000 in grant funds to seven Montana communities through the Montana Main Street Program. The recipients of the downtown improvement grants include Butte, Deer Lodge, Libby, Miles City, Sheridan, Stevensville, and Thompson Falls. The Department of Commerce is also pleased to announce that the Main Street Program has accepted Red Lodge and Roundup as new community members. Full Story: https://t.e2ma.net/message/pafqp/1vvibo Tuesday morning begins one of the busiest, most important two weeks of MCTs year. On that morning, 47 new Tour Actor/Directors will enter the MCT Center for the Performing Arts for the very first time to begin their journey with the Missoula Childrens Theatre. During the next two weeks of their initial training, they will come into contact with nearly every member of the home staff, as each department will take a turn to prepare them for the road. They will be fitted for costumes, learn the movement of their shows, discover how to teach and direct, absorb the business aspects of the job, receive the keys to a Ford F150 and pack up that truck. In short, the Tour Actor/Directors will begin to understand how to be an ambassador for the arts. They will then join the ranks of the 43 current veteran Tour Actor/Directors who are continuing their MCT adventure of developing life skills in children through participation in the performing arts. http://us9.campaign-archive1.com/?u=c7989fa3ee76b484604e10737&id=4c1559efd7&e=dec83255d7 Management of Souq Al Haraj for Cars in Sharjah announced that the standardized contract for the sale of used cars is in the final process of drafting and will soon be approved. The announcement was made during the meeting which was held in Souq Al Haraj where there were discussions regarding the final details of the new contract. The meeting was attended by representatives from Souq Al Haraj management, Sharjah Police and Sharjah Economic Development Department. Speaking on the occasion, Mohammed bin Essa, Chief Asset Management Officer at Sharjah Asset Management, said: The standardized contract for the sale of used cars is aimed at ensuring fair and transparent sale and purchase process. The new agreement format will include such terms and conditions as the purchase invoice with names of the parties: seller, buyer and dealer, car specifications, car purchase value, mode of payment, delivery time, place and fees, the necessary services if any and the signatures of the two parties or their legal representatives. He added: Souq Al Haraj for Cars in Sharjah is the largest car dealership market in the region. Therefore, we are striving to improve all services to end-users and to facilitate all the procedures, the most important of which is the unified contract. The standardized contract for the sale of used cars is based on the template proposed by the Sharjah Economic Development Department to the higher committee of Consumer Protection. Lt Colonel Saif Al Suwaidi, Head of Vehicle Licensing Department at the Sharjah Police Headquarters, emphasised the importance of the standardized contract in protecting the consumer. He added that the importance of conducting vehicle tests at approved inspection centres is highlighted in the new contract, particularly when buying and selling cars overseas. Unapproved tests may result in troubles in the car registration procedure in the destination country. It is required from the dealers to make both the agreement and its details clear to avoid any potential troubles for the buyer in the future, he clarified. Ali Fadil, Head of Commercial Control and Protection Section at the SEDD, reiterated the significance of this step which will effectively improve the services provided to consumers in Souq Al Haraj for Cars and serve the interests of buyers from inside the country and abroad. Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) expressed thanks and appreciation to SEDD, Sharjah Police Headquarters and Management of Souq Al Haraj for Cars for the continued collaboration with the SCCI s used car trading business group. The great attention and follow up from those entities has significantly helped the vital used car industry achieve its desired goals in contributing to the stability and growth of economic activities in the Emirate of Sharjah. Representative committee of the SCCIs used car trading business group has reviewed the draft standardized contract and made sure that the new agreement format will add advantages to the used car dealership market, solve many challenges faced by this sector and boost customer confidence, which, in turn, will help increase the traffic and sales in Souq Al Haraj for Cars, which is considered as one of the regions largest used car marketplaces. The new agreement template includes terms and conditions which the buyer must make sure of before signing, such as specifying the manufacturing year accurately and adding any other terms and conditions to the contract. The buyer must make sure that there is an agreed on mode of inspection between seller and buyer, and that the full vehicle inspection is recommended. The mode of payment must be specified and the seller must handover all the vehicle documents to the buyer. The seller shall be liable for any hidden damage, according to the new contract. If the vehicle specifications found to be in compliance with those specified by the seller, and the buyer does not agree on such specifications, the seller must refund the buyer the entire cost. During the warranty period the seller is responsible for repairing any defects, replace the vehicle or refund the buyer. All costs of vehicle inspection, transfer, registration, licensing and insurance shall be incurred by the buyer, unless otherwise is agreed in writing. Souq Al Haraj for Cars is a premier destination for car dealers and buyers. It is the largest of its kind in the region and the destination of choice for car dealers and lovers. It is aimed at regulating this industry and ensuring more value, diversity, transparency, trust and convenience for dealers and buyers, alike. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires The exotic land of the past, especially Vietnam's subsidy period when everything was drip-fed by the government, seems to be an endless inspiration for youngsters craving a taste of a time they have only heard of. But now the memories of a centralized economy have been encapsulated through the appearance of retro style cafes in Hanoi. This year marks 30 years since the end of Vietnams subsidy period. A marriage that lasts that long is celebrated with a Pearl Wedding anniversary. The subsidy period doesnt require an anniversary to be remembered. Most subsidy themed cafes have been accepted for what they are, especially in Hanoi, the capital. Many customers have no recollections of that time, mainly because they weren't even born then, but for some reason, the millennials still have a certain attachment to these cafes. Canteen 109 Canteen 109 is located at the Ministry of Public Securitys dormitories opposite Alley 198, Xa Dan Street. The cafe has recently become the hottest chill out spot for Hanoian youngsters. The name says it all: Canteen 109 looks exactly like canteens did during the subsidy period, with its steel sheet roof, yellow walls and green doors. Xoan Cafe Emerging as a new interesting place for Hanois youngsters recently, Xoan still manages to attract a large number of customers despite its location outside the center of the city. Weekends here seem to be a tranquil experience, judging by the check-in photos on Instagram, that all point to a time lost where life flowed slowly. Cong Cafe One of most successful Vietnamese cafe chains, Cong's name is synonymous with a retro experience in today's busy world. Every Cong Cafe in the city boasts a different design without derailing from the military-green color that has helped it brand awareness to the same level as Starbucks among Hanois youth. Almost always an instant success wherever they open, the chain has a broad loyal clientele and covers a large area of Hanoi. Nha Kho 247 Nha Kho 247 (translates as warehouse, and you know what 247 means). With its warehouse design in mind and a nostalgic feel, the owners at Nha Kho have managed to keep the original vibe alive through the use of retro-style posters dating back to the war with a space that intrigues the young and moves the elderly. Xi Nghiep Xi Nghiep (Factory) at A60, TT11 Van Quan, Ha Dong, was one of the first cafes in the capital to move back in time. Narrow and sophisticated, Xi Nghiep even has an entire motorbike hanging on the wall. It takes effort to find Xi Nghiep, but it's worth it for the chance to immerse yourself in the ambience of a different era. Bao Cap Cafe Bao Cap (Subsidy) Cafe at 1 Alley 189, Giang Vo Street, tells customers what to expect through its name, and delivers with a decor that takes you back to the days of rationing. Nha San Nha San (Stilt House) immediately evokes images of the countryside and ethnic minority houses, but finding one in a rapidly developing city? Yes, there is one at Alley 462 on Buoi Street that offers various spaces ranging from the countryside to the subsidy period. According to the owner, the cafe is a real Muong stilt house brought here from the mountainous province of Hoa Binh in 1993. Source: Ngoisao.net Follow VnExpress International on Facebook and Twitter The Obama Administration touts its new overtime rule as a quick and easy way to raise salaries, but many economists argue that it will instead add significant labor and administrative costs to the economy, possibly reducing employment and limiting workplace flexibility. Particular attention has been paid to the rules effect on colleges, which may incur millions in payroll costs. I have sympathy for the extra burdens the Administrations rule will place on higher education, but these established institutions will hardly be the biggest losers from the new regulation. To paraphrase Albus Dumbledore: do not pity the colleges, Harry, pity the startups. Under current regulations, most workers who earn below $23,660 per year are eligible for overtime. In other words, employers must track hours carefully and pay their employees time-and-a-half if they exceed 40 hours in a given week. Broad exemptions from overtime requirements apply to salaried workers who earn above this threshold. The Labor Departments latest move is to double that earnings threshold to $47,476 per year, making millions of workers newly eligible for overtime. Paying overtime and meticulously tracking workers hours will burden employers with new costs, in dollars or time. That employers will need to make distortionary adjustments to comply with these requirements should be obvious. After all, regulation cannot generate higher salaries out of thin airthe money has to come from somewhere. One might think that colleges, with their legions of adjunct professors and student employees, might be particularly susceptible to the new regulations. But as with any rule, there are exceptions. Some workers are exempt, meaning they are not entitled to overtime pay if they work for more than 40 hours in a week. Most college professorsfrom tenured to adjunctare exempt from the rule if they teach, along with administrators who manage a schools academic functions. Undergraduate and graduate students employed as teachers, researchers, or resident assistants get an exemption too, since the Department considers their relationship with the college to be educational rather than outright employment. These exemptions have existed for some time, and the new rule does not touch them. While these exemptions do not apply to most employees in the economy, a large number of employees on college payrolls fall into exempt categories. Using data from a National Center for Education Statistics report, I identified the share of college employees who fall into categories that are definitely exempt from the overtime rule, along with those who are possibly exempt. For example, instructors and graduate assistants fall into the exempt category, while other professors and administrators are possibly exempt, since their roles might have a large academic component that falls under the exemption. Among all colleges, nearly 40% of employees fall into categories exempt from the rule. This share is even higher (57%) at public two-year colleges, which include community colleges. Public four-year colleges have a somewhat lower share of exempt workers (36%), but many of these schools have additional flexibility to offer their workers, who are considered government employees, comp time instead of overtime. (This option isnt available to most workers in the private sector.) None of this is to suggest that colleges will not face financial pressure from the overtime rule. Postdoctoral researchers are, controversially, not exempt from the rule and must start tracking their odd hours to be paid overtime. Neither are employees in nonacademic roles, such as maintenance workers, cafeteria staff, or guidance counselors. The regulations could force colleges to cut these workers hours, or simply hire fewer of them. But the new rule is unlikely to disproportionately harm colleges. If anything, higher education will be less affected by the regulations than other sectors, given the exemptions for professors and other academic staff. From a political economy perspective, the reasons for such carve-outs are clear. Professors work, which includes time away from the workplace grading papers and lesson planning, does not fit neatly into the clock-in-clock-out paradigm Congress had in mind when drafting the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. Since universities and their business models have been around for centuries, these established institutions were able to secure exemptions from overtime rules for a sizeable chunk of their employees. Newer businesses have a similarly strong case for exemptions, but lack the political clout to secure them. As SUNY economics professor Liya Palagashvili explained in an interview with my colleague, Jared Meyer, many jobs at startups involve telecommuting or tasks outside of the office. The reality is that we are now becoming an information economy, and in many jobs it no longer makes sense to pay by the hour, she noted. For instance, at home last night I read a Wall Street Journal article on the overtime rule. Does that count as work, since it informed research for this column? If so, then does any time I spend reading the news also count as work? If not, then would the time I spend at the office doing research for columns not count toward my weekly hours? A satisfactory answer to this question is impossible, which is why it makes more sense for my employer to pay me with a salary rather than by the hour. Yet the Obama Administration insists on asking businesses to fit their information-economy employees into an hourly-pay framework. Colleges, with their established operating models, have already secured carve-outs for many employees for whom hourly pay is not appropriate. Startups, which do not yet have the political sway to lock down similar exemptions, must instead find a way to shoehorn their 2016 workforce into a 1938 labor law. This column originally appeared on Forbes. Preston Cooper is a policy analyst at the Manhattan Institute. You can follow him on Twitter here. Interested in real economic insights? Want to stay ahead of the competition? Each weekday morning, e21 delivers a short email that includes e21 exclusive commentaries and the latest market news and updates from Washington. Sign up for the e21 Morning eBrief. The U.S. Treasury Department has put in place sanctions against Libyan Speaker and President of the House of Representatives Agila Saleh Issa for undermining the political transition in Libya. As a result of this designation, all property and interests in property of Mr. Issa that are within the jurisdiction of the United States or in the control of U.S. citizens are blocked, and Americans are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with him. Agila Saleh Issa is responsible for stalling political progress in Libya, and this action sends a clear message that the U.S. Government will continue to target those who undermine the peace, security, and stability of Libya, said John Smith, Acting Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control. We will continue to support Libyas Government of National Accord and its efforts to build a better and more stable future for the Libyan people. Mr. Issa repeatedly blocked votes by the House of Representatives needed to support Libyas political transition. In October 2015, Mr. Issa presided over a legislative session that was scheduled to hold a vote to endorse the Libyan Political Agreement and the government of National Unity, or GNA. The session ended prematurely because Mr. Issa listed four new conditions for the legislature to approve the GNA, then departed, forestalling a vote. In early November 2015, the House of Representatives vote was again postponed due to Mr. Issas trip to Saudi Arabia, which appears to have been another deliberate act to prevent a vote on the Government of National Accord. Despite repeated Libyan calls to hold the vote, Mr. Issa began to travel again as part of his delay tactics. On January 25, 2016, the House finally voted to ratify the Libyan Political Agreement and endorse the Presidency Council. Since that time, however, Mr. Issa has prevented a vote on the Government of National Accords Cabinet despite broad support for the Cabinet by the membership of the House of Representatives and in violation of the Libyan Political Agreement. The United States fully supports Libyas Government of National Accord and will not tolerate actions by individuals who undermine the political transition in Libya. A revolutionary court in Tehran has reportedly issued an additional ten-year prison sentence for prominent Iranian journalist and human rights activist Narges Mohammadi because of so-called crimes against national security. Ms. Mohammadi, a former spokesperson for Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadis now-banned Center for Human Rights Defenders, has been an advocate for womens rights, religious and ethnic minorities, political prisoners, and is a committed opponent of the death penalty. Ms. Mohammadi has been repeatedly incarcerated because of her human rights work, and is currently serving a six-year term in Evin prison. She is reported to be in dangerously poor health. Human rights monitors have expressed outrage over the recent reported action against Ms. Mohammadi. Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani of the Geneva-based Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, called the sentence appalling, saying it is illustrative of an increasingly low tolerance for human rights advocacy in Iran.Amnesty International said it was another chilling example of Irans use of vague national security charges to crackdown on peaceful freedom of expression. UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran Ahmed Shaheed said there is absolutely no reason why Narges Mohammadi should spend one more hour in prison, let alone 16 years. He called for her immediate and unconditional release and access to medical treatment. State Department Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Tom Malinowski tweeted that No one should be sent to prison for 16 years for peaceful civic activism. Iran should release Narges Mohammadi immediately. And US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power called the news terrible, adding that Ms. Mohammadi is unjustly jailed and should be free. President Barack Obama has said that strong and vibrant civil societies are an essential component of strong and successful countries: Human progress has been propelled not just by famous leaders, not just by states, but by ordinary men and women who believe that change is possible; by citizens who are willing to stand up against incredible odds and great danger not only to protect their own rights, but to extend rights to others. Narges Mohammadi is one such citizen. The United States joins the international community in calling on the Iranian government to release her and all members of Irans civil society who have been unjustly imprisoned for the peaceful exercise of their fundamental rights. Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank. by Chuck Martin , Staff Writer, May 25, 2016 While still the potential darling of retailers, beacons are moving way out of that arena. The little radio-transmitting devices, which can either quietly or blatantly tap into authorized smartphone apps to trigger things or gather information, are graduating into all areas of life. Or at least to any areas where consumers may go. Google, which recently introduced an upgrade to its Eddystone beacon standard, is now planning to use beacon technology to support targeted ads and information. The idea is to use beacons to trigger location-based advertising, much like early retail attempts, except linked to Google search, of course. One person in charge of online for a large regional bank chain told me this week that, through their agency, Google installed beacons in all of their branches as a pilot a few months ago. This is yet another indicator of the expansion of beacons. Citibank and beacon-maker Gimbal recently introduced beacons integrated with the Citi app so that consumers in New York can open an ATM door via app rather than having to swipe their banking card. And at the start of this horse racing season, Kentucky Derby home Churchill Downs installed more than 1,500 beacons so attendees could more easily find their seats, betting windows and concessions. Beacons are even in London buses, so riders can receive real-time travel updates on the route theyre on, along with relevant ads. The latest beacons tracking by ABI Research shows the number of beacons will pass 400 million within five years. In addition to traditional advertising, beacons are being used to provide services, like unlocking doors at banks and hotel rooms and useful information based on location, such as airport check-ins. Some marketers who deal with consumer location issues are dabbling with beacons. Leading edge players already have dived in. The Huffington Post, Wednesday, May 25, 2016 5:19 PM Employees in France have won "the right to disconnect." The French labor reform bill has banned companies with 50 or more employees from sending emails after work hours. The goal of the legislation is to decrease the amount of stress that workers feel in an always-on world. Read the whole story at The Huffington Post by Richard Whitman , Columnist, May 25, 2016 Indonesian ad agency Ceritera ran a recruitment ad featuring a mini-skirted flight attendant (the ad used the word stewardess) and copy which read, "We have an ex-stewardess on board. Things are looking good. Not only business-wise, but also view-in-the-office wise, since we had a former flight attendant join us a while ago." The ad seeks a Senior Video Editor and goes on to read, "here at Ceritera, you can impress her with your warm, romantic and savvy editing skills, and woo her with your leadership & mature work ethic." *face palm* Where oh where do I start? Predictably, the ad has received an onslaught of criticism. It would have been bad enough if the agency ran this ad, succumbed to the criticism, pulled it and apologized. But the agency initially defended the ad vigorously. advertisement advertisement In reaction to criticism, the agency wrote on its Facebook page: "Thank you for your input. We ran out of ideas and this disgusting piece of sexism is all we could think of right now. We'll try to do better." To a Facebook post which read: "At least you are honest that you hired a woman to create a 'beautiful scenery' at the office. Are we still living in the Mad Men era?," the agency responded, posting: "You are assuming: This girl is highly qualified, and apparently she's an ex-stewardess. Did we ever say we hire someone (particularly the ex-stewardess) because of their good looks? You should see how ugly the other girls are in the office. Hideous." Seriously? Seriously? Joke or not, referring to employees as hideous is, well, I just don't have a word right now. Please feel free to insert your own. Another Facebook user Devi Asmarani said, "Ceritera You guys really f****d up, just admit it. This isn't 1950s, when this kind of ads might be called 'witty'. Wake up, it's 2016!" In a Facebook post which has now been deleted, the agency's creative director, Edward Suhadi, reportedly posted a ten-point rebuttal to critics explaining why the ad isn't sexist and why everyone coming to that conclusion is just way off base. He noted the ad was "bloody brilliant" and everyone should just "lighten up." Displaying a complete misunderstanding of how things have changed since the 1960s, Suhadi included in his ten-point list, "I work in marketing and communication with brands. I know sexism, harassment, so on and so on. I handle brands for a living. So I know a stuff or two. This, is not sexism. Its a naughty copy edging on it, but not sexism." Again, *face palm* Anyway, while the agency did try to ride out the backlash with embarrassing attempts at witty Facebook posts, Suhadi ultimately caved and posted an apology which read: "I tried to make an unconventional vacancy ad, trying a different take. Some of you loved it, and obviously some of you despised it. I never meant for this ad to be sexist, and it never crossed my mind to hurt or harass anyone. I sincerely apologized for any discomfort or disrespect that is caused by it." The agency's Join the Team page reads: "If you think you're the right BOY/GIRL for the job, contact hello@ceritera.id with the subject: CR." Yup, BOY/GIRL. Not surprising this ad came from an agency that refers to potential employees as boys and girls. by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, May 26, 2016 Google and Microsoft have separately mapped out plans to eliminate traditional passwords for something new. At Google that something new is called Project Abacus, which will become available on Android devices by the end of 2016. Rather than relying on passwords or two-factor authentication to open an Android phone, the device will authenticate the owner based on how she uses her device. Phones should have sensors to identify the person using them, according to Dan Kaufman, director of Google Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) at the company's developers' I/O conference. Project Abacus monitors how people use their phone from the keystrokes and the speed at which they type. It identifies patters of speech, location, facial features, and even the rhythm of the person's walk. All this, along with the way the person swipes the phone, proves the individual's identify and creates what Kaufman calls a trust score. advertisement advertisement The service continually runs in the background of the phone keeping track. During the past year engineers at Google created a Trust API that the company will begin testing in June with a limited number of developers. Alex Simons, director of program management of Microsoft Identity Theft, wrote in a blog post that it will stop users from choosing passwords that can be easily guessed in an effort to prevent a repeat of LinkedIn's password security fiasco. "Based on the latest research, there are some straightforward, concrete steps you can take as a user or as an administrator to help protect your accounts," Simons wrote. In addition to Simons, Microsoft researching are looking at ways to secure consumer technologies and commercial activities such as access to bank records. They will release the findings at the 37th annual IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy, a security conference that begins Monday. A group of researchers at Microsoft and the French research organization INRIA, along with collaborators from Hamburg University of Technology and Johns Hopkins University, are presenting technology that would prevent types of serious vulnerabilities and attacks like Freak and Logjam from even being possible. Microsoft Researchers also are looking at using gestures to secure privacy and protect identities in applications. They are looking at incorporating it into an application beyond gaming and the system they are proposing is called Prepose, which is built on top of the Microsoft theorem prover Z3 and the Kinect SDK. While marketers are not likely to have heard of theorem prover Z3, the Kinect SDK is used in the add-on gesture-based app for Xbox. by Joe Mandese @mp_joemandese, May 26, 2016 Pure-play digital media companies ranked among the top 30 largest media suppliers in the world, but the list continues to be dominated by media companies that were founded on the basis of non-digital media. Thats the finding of an analysis released this morning by Publicis Zenith unit, ranking the volume of Madison Avenues biggest supply-chain players. Google parent Alphabet continues to dominate the list at No. 1, but other than Facebook (No. 5) and Chinas Baidu (No. 9) traditional media suppliers represent the rest of the top 10. The other pure-play digital suppliers -- Yahoo (No. 15) and Microsoft (No. 17) -- have not exactly been ascendant in recent years, although Googles, Facebooks and Baidus market power have been growing significantly as Madison Avenue reorganizes itself around the biggest-scale suppliers of digital media inventory. To illustrate how much the media supply chain is becoming stratified -- and stratified among digital's Big 5 -- consider that the five pure-plays now represent about 19% of all global ad spending, but Google alone represents 12%, according to Zenith. advertisement advertisement The categorization of digital vs. non-digital may be an anachronism itself, as all of the companies on the list are now significant suppliers of digital media inventory too. The traditional media owners in our top 30 ranking have been scrambling to scale up their own digital businesses, to various degrees of success, Jonathan Barnard, Zeniths head of forecasting, said in a statement released with the report. As digital ad technology -- such as programmatic buying -- spreads to traditional media, it will further shake up the businesses of traditional media owners, but also provide them with new opportunities for growth. Source: Zenith Top Thirty Global Media Companies Report by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, May 26, 2016 Interest in bots that help individuals keep track of news continues to grow. Microsoft recently introduced one called Rowe, which gathers articles when users ask it to make recommendations. The app lives inside its Bing-powered personalized news reading app, News Pro. Rowe is an experiment to help individuals keep up with their news interests. The bot will serve up news for an individual or for those who look like that individual when sent a selfie. When users unload images, Rowe will search for stories based on the content in the photo, according to Microsoft. advertisement advertisement Bots, which attempt to change how people search for information and interact online through artificial intelligence, are being previewed in apps like Kik, Skype, and Telegram, and have a long way to go before being released globally. Microsoft Rowe allows users to type in a topic and it provides all the news related to it on the Web -- similar to Google News. The bot debuted in January and is now made available on the Web and as an app running on iOS. It gives users the ability to locate articles from more than 10,000 publishers and bloggers, but it offers a few other quirky features. For example, it gives users the ability for the bot to talk about the news with the user. We believe group discussion is a natural extension of news reading, especially when its about work, wrote Yumao Lu, a principal development manager whose team works on Bing news products, in a post. A very natural move after reading news is to share and comment with people who have common interests." Microsoft want to fill a gap, giving individuals an opportunity to express opinions with others. This was an app that focused on news reading, and now you can chat with the app and with others to create communities, according to Yumao. by Larissa Faw , May 26, 2016 WPPs Geometry Global Toronto and sibling shops Ogilvy & Mather, Neo@Ogilvy and OgilvyOne and PR firm Neat Marketing Communications are introducing the first-ever, agency-led awareness campaign for Mercy Ships, an international charity that uses medical ships to provide free medical care. The concept illustrates the realities of life on board the Africa Mercy ship - the worlds largest run hospital ship - through images shot by Canadian photographer/director Matt Barnes. The campaign includes print ads depicting familiar hospital scenes with unexpected nautical twists, three 15-second television spots as well as digital and social media support. The Mercy art exhibit appears at the Struck Contemporary Art Gallery through June 5 as part of Torontos Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival. The original collection of 25 photos will be sold at the gallery and limited edition prints will be sold through an eBay auction. All proceeds will be donated to Mercy Ships. advertisement advertisement Attendees can also make an instant donation to Mercy Ships using the Shazam app. By scanning an image with their mobile device, a donation can be made for a specific treatment or medical supply in real time. Mercy Ships Canadian office is based in Vancouver and the work the organization does is incredible yet most Canadians are totally unaware, stated Nuala Byles, executive creative director, Geometry Global, Toronto. Our goal is to bring Mercy Ships into the Canadian consciousness. To do this we needed to reach a new audience. Our research shows that millennials will get involved with a cause if they are inspired by a sense of community and the chance to drive real, positive change, and stats show that 57% report a desire to directly see the impact of their donation." In the first analysis of its kind, researchers find that unemployment and reduced public sector healthcare spend in the 2008-2010 global economic crisis is linked to an increase in cancer deaths. They also find universal healthcare coverage appears to protect against this effect. Share on Pinterest The researchers suggest people in countries without universal healthcare coverage rely on the health insurance provided by their employers, and without employment, they may be diagnosed late, and face poor or delayed treatment. For countries in the Organisation for Economic Development (OECD), they estimate the crisis is linked to over 260,000 additional cancer deaths, including 160,000 in the European Union. The researchers, from institutions in the United States and the United Kingdom, discuss their analysis in a paper published in The Lancet. In their paper, they explain how the crisis that hit economies around the world in 2008-2010 was accompanied by a substantial rise in unemployment and caused many countries to cut their spending on public sector healthcare. Several studies have shown that these changes are linked to negative effects on public health for instance, increases in suicide and cardiovascular diseases. Lead author Dr. Mahiben Maruthappu, of the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London in the U.K., explains as cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, it is very important to look at the effect economic changes may have on cancer survival. He notes: We found that increased unemployment was associated with increased cancer mortality, but that universal health coverage protected against these effects. This was especially the case for treatable cancers including breast, prostate and colorectal cancer. He and his colleagues also found that public healthcare expenditure was tightly linked with cancer deaths suggesting cuts in healthcare may cost lives. If health systems experience funding constraints, says Dr. Maruthappu, this must be matched by efficiency improvements to ensure patients are offered the same level of care, regardless of economic environment or employment status. Unemployment effect disappears with healthcare The researchers obtained economic data from the World Bank and figures on cancer deaths from the World Health Organization (WHO) Mortality Database to analyze links between unemployment, public healthcare spending, and cancer deaths. The overall data spanned 2 decades from 1990-2010 and covered 2 billion people in over 70 countries. Fast facts about cancer Globally, there were 8.2 million cancer-related deaths in 2012 cancer-related deaths in 2012 The number of new cancer cases per year is expected to rise from 14 million in 2012 to 22 million within the next 2 decades Tobacco use, alcohol use, unhealthy diet, and lack of physical activity are the main risk factors worldwide. Learn more about cancer The analysis included deaths from prostate cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and lung cancer. Cancers with survival rates exceeding 50 percent were classed as treatable, while those with survival rates under 10 percent were classed as untreatable. In analyses looking at deaths from all cancers, the researchers set strict inclusion criteria to ensure only high-quality data was used. For example, they excluded countries with less than 90 percent civil registration coverage of cause of death for the study period. They deemed countries to have universal healthcare coverage if they met certain criteria. These included, for example, legislation mandating universal healthcare coverage, some form of health insurance being available to 90 percent of the population, and over 90 percent of the population having access to skilled birth attendance. The results show that increases in unemployment were tied to increases in deaths to all types of cancer, but this link disappeared when the figures were adjusted to take universal healthcare into account. The authors note that although treatable cancer mortality was significantly linked with unemployment, they could find no such significance for untreatable cancers. They suggest this finding highlights the importance of ensuring access to healthcare. Co-author Professor Rifat Atun, of Harvard University in Cambridge, MA, says people in countries without universal healthcare coverage rely on the health insurance provided by their employers, and suggests: Without employment, patients may be diagnosed late, and face poor or delayed treatment. A large national Norwegian study shows that workaholism frequently co-occurs with ADHD, OCD, anxiety, and depression. Researchers at the University of Bergen in Norway have examined the associations between workaholism and psychiatric disorders among 16,426 working adults. "Workaholics scored higher on all the psychiatric symptoms than non-workaholics," says researcher and Clinical Psychologist Specialist Cecilie Schou Andreassen, at the Department of Psychosocial Science, at the University of Bergen (UiB), and visiting scholar at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. Workaholics score higher on all clinical states The study showed that workaholics scored higher on all the psychiatric symptoms than non-workaholics. Among workaholics, the main findings were that: 32.7 per cent met ADHD criteria (12.7 per cent among non-workaholics). 25.6 per cent OCD criteria (8.7 per cent among non-workaholics). 33.8 per cent met anxiety criteria (11.9 per cent among non-workaholics). 8.9 per cent met depression criteria (2.6 per cent among non-workaholics). "Thus, taking work to the extreme may be a sign of deeper psychological or emotional issues. Whether this reflects overlapping genetic vulnerabilities, disorders leading to workaholism or, conversely, workaholism causing such disorders, remain uncertain," says Schou Andreassen. The pioneering study, published in the open-access journal PLOS One, is co-authored by researchers from Nottingham Trent University and Yale University. Affects identification of disorders According to Schou Andreassen, the findings clearly highlight the importance of further investigating neurobiological deviations related to workaholic behaviour. "In wait for more research, physicians should not take for granted that a seemingly successful workaholic does not have ADHD-related or other clinical features. Their considerations affect both the identification and treatment of these disorders," says Schou Andreassen. Seven diagnostic criteria for workaholism The researchers used seven valid criteria when drawing the line between addictive and non-addictive behaviour. Experiences occurring over the past year are rated from 1 (never) to 5 (always): You think of how you can free up more time to work. You spend much more time working than initially intended. You work in order to reduce feelings of guilt, anxiety, helplessness or depression. You have been told by others to cut down on work without listening to them. You become stressed if you are prohibited from working. You deprioritize hobbies, leisure activities, and/or exercise because of your work. You work so much that it has negatively influenced your health. Scoring 4 (often) or 5 (always) on four or more criteria identify a workaholic. Accordingly, the Bergen Work Addiction Scale operationalizes workaholism by the same symptoms as traditional addictions: salience, mood modification, conflict, tolerance, withdrawal, relapse and problems. In line with previous research, 7.8 per cent of the current sample classified as workaholics, which is close to an estimate (8.3 per cent) found in a (and, to date, only) nationally representative study conducted by Dr. Andreassen and colleagues in 2014. Ophthalmologists find retinal bleeding, abnormal blood vessel development and lesions in infants born to mothers who showed signs of the viral infection during pregnancy. Researchers studying babies with a Zika virus-related birth defect say they have found previously unreported eye problems possibly linked to the virus that could result in severe visual impairment. In three Brazilian infants with microcephaly, the researchers observed retinal lesions, hemorrhaging and abnormal blood vessel development not noted before in relation to the virus. The findings are being published online in Ophthalmology, journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Zika virus is now known to cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by smaller head and brain size.1 In Brazil, the site of the most serious outbreak, nearly 1.5 million people reportedly have the virus. Some 4,000 infants were recently born with microcephaly, according to reports.2 As a result, the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency in February, bringing added urgency to the need for more research. A prior study of 29 Brazilian babies with presumed congenital Zika infection showed that a third had eye problems. These included ocular lesions, optic nerve abnormalities and chorioretinal atrophy, a withering of the retina and choroid, the latter of which provides oxygen and nutrients to the retina.3 For this case study, ophthalmology researchers from Brazil and Stanford University examined the eyes of three infant boys from Northern Brazil born in late 2015 with microcephaly. All had mothers with suspected Zika virus infections during the first trimester of pregnancy. Among the findings, the researchers identified several types of ocular issues not previously observed in relation to Zika virus, some of which could cause severe visual impairment if untreated. These included: Hemorrhagic retinopathy, or bleeding in the retina, the light-sensitive layer of cells lining the back of the eye; Abnormal vasculature in the retina, including signs of missing blood vessels in the retina where the cells may have died; and Torpedo maculopathy, identified by torpedo-shaped lesions in the macula, the central portion of the retina. While retinal lesions have been observed in prior papers on Zika-related ocular findings, the authors note that this type of lesion has not been observed in cases of microcephaly. In addition to these observations, the infants in this study also exhibited other ocular symptoms noted in the previous study. Specifically, all three babies in this case study showed signs of pigmentary maculopathy, lesions that appear as speckles of pigment on the macula. Four eyes had symptoms of chorioretinal atrophy marked by a darkly pigmented ring. The study is small with limited observational data. However, the findings add to a growing body of clinical information about how the Zika virus may affect children's eye development and vision. The authors noted that it remains unclear whether the viral infection itself causes eye abnormalities or if they are a consequence of Zika-induced microcephaly. "To my knowledge, the eye problems we found have not been associated with Zika virus before," said Darius Moshfeghi, M.D., senior author and a professor of ophthalmology at the Stanford University School of Medicine. "The next step is to differentiate what findings are related to the Zika virus itself versus microcephaly caused by the virus in order to better understand which infants will need screening." For now, the authors are calling for all babies with microcephaly in areas hit by Zika to be examined by an ophthalmologist. This is consistent with recent screening recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.4 "Until further notice, health professionals in regions endemic for Zika infection are advised to submit all newborns with microcephaly to retinal examinations," the authors wrote. "The procedure can contribute significantly to our understanding of the infection." Article: Expanded Spectrum of Congenital Ocular Findings in Microcephaly with Presumed Zika Infection, de Miranda et al., Ophthalmology, doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2016.05.001, published online 24 May 2016. Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends. Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice. Advertisement Fasting before a lipid test is not routinely required . Several studies indicate that lipid levels do not change much under most circumstances with normal food. However, a high-fat fast food meal may be avoided on the day of the testing to prevent high triglyceride levels. . Several studies indicate that lipid levels do not change much under most circumstances with normal food. However, a high-fat fast food meal may be avoided on the day of the testing to prevent high triglyceride levels. A minor decrease in LDL concentration has been noted when the levels were measured 1 to 3 hours following a meal. However, this decrease has also been noted when water is permitted during a fasting state due to dilution of blood. Therefore, the test can be done in the non-fasting state, but the patient should be asked to restrict water intake before the test. Measurement of triglycerides may be repeated in fasting state if the non-fasting plasma triglyceride concentration is more than 5 mmol/L (440 mg/dL) . A fasting test may be necessary for those recovering from hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis. Children may also require the test to be repeated in a fasting state to diagnose a lipid disorder that requires treatment. . A fasting test may be necessary for those recovering from hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis. Children may also require the test to be repeated in a fasting state to diagnose a lipid disorder that requires treatment. Very high levels require immediate referral for treatment. B.G. Nordestgaard et al. Fasting is not routinely required for determination of a lipid profile: clinical and laboratory implications including flagging at desirable concentration cut-points-a joint consensus statement from the European Atherosclerosis Society and European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. European Heart Journal doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehw152 A typical lipid profile measures total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides. Remnant cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol which are important determinants of cardiovascular risk are calculated based on these results. Lipoprotein (a) [Lp (a)] levels should be measured once but need not be repeated. Apolipoprotein B and apolipoprotein A1 estimation may be used instead of non-HDL and HDL cholesterol estimation, respectively.. Since people eat several meals a day with snack breaks in between, on an average, more time is spent in a non-fasting than a fasting state. Therefore, non-fasting levels may provide a more accurate picture of the lipid profile. A repeat test in the fasting state may be required in patients with very high triglyceride levels.The patient can combine the testing with a routine visit to the doctor and does not have to go in separately only for the test. The trouble of going to the laboratory in a fasting state, only to find out that you are not the first and will have to bear the rumbles in your stomach for some more time can be avoided. A diabetes patient is saved from the risk of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar levels.Thus, non-fasting lipid test may be more convenient for the patient, who is likely to do it more regularly and thereby receive appropriate and adequate treatment. Several other blood tests like hemoglobin A1c also do not require fasting and can be done together.The European Atherosclerosis Society/European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EAS/ EFLM) has proposed some recommendations regarding measuring cholesterol levels. According to their joint consensus statement published in theThe 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines recommend fasting levels to calculate LDL cholesterol levels before starting treatment with statins (drugs used to treat high cholesterol levels), or for those with very high non-HDL cholesterol or triglyceride levels (non-HDL cholesterol 5.7 mmol/L (220 mg/dL) or triglycerides 5.7 mmol/L (500 mg/dL)).Fasting may not be required for screening for lipid disorders but may be needed for coming to a specific diagnosis of the cause of abnormal lipids. The reference levels for lipids may differ in a non-fasting and fasting state. Therefore, discuss with your laboratory if you can come in the non-fasting state before going for the lipid profile test.Source: Medindia Switching a baby from bottle to cup could be a challenging task for first-time parents as the child gets dependent on the sucking and swallowing habits that are used for bottle feeding. For some, the process could be as daunting as toilet training. However, proper understanding of the process and a few tips could make it a simple and pleasant experience for the parents as well as for the baby. The sucking and swallowing by a baby is a coordinated process by various parts of the mouth. During suckling, the tongue thrusts forwards towards the gums, just behind the upper teeth area. This process helps in expelling breast milk or the bottle milk and pushes it towards the back of the mouth. This process contrasts the swallowing pattern in adults which involves pressing of the middle part of the tongue towards the hard palate and then swallowing it. So, if you feed an infant with a spoon, the baby may seem to spit it right back outside. Most pediatricians recommend the introduction of the cup at around 6 months of age. If this period is missed out, you can start weaning within the next year. By the end of 2 years, your toddler should be drinking from a normal cup. Drinking from a bottle may be comfortable for the baby and convenient for the parents. But using a bottle for longer than required may cause harm in later life. Bottles can Accelerate Tooth Decay: Milk contains lactose a type of sugar that may stay on the teeth and attract bacteria. Drinking juice from bottles is even worse as juice contains acid that harms teeth. Some babies are put to sleep with a bottle as a part of the baby-sleep training process. The saliva in the mouth washes away most of the milk or juice when awake. But when the child is sleeping, there is less secretion of saliva, which means that the drink will stay longer in the mouth. Advertisement Prolonged Bottle Use may Cause Obesity: Research shows that kids who use bottle till the age of 2 years are more likely to be obese by 6 years. Some kids have a habit of having a bottle filled with milk or juice even between meal times, just because it gives them comfort. This can cause a lot of calorie intake, which may lead to obesity. Further, the child may be become a very picky eater and skip main meals that are healthy and nutritious. Bottles can Cause Mal-alignment of Teeth: Prolonging the infant sucking pattern can cause malocclusion or altered alignment of teeth. As the tongue thrusts towards the upper gums, the upper teeth may protrude forward. The development of the palate, the roof of the mouth, is also affected. The forward protrusion of the teeth leads to overbite, which needs to be corrected with braces in later years. Increased Chances of Ear Infections: When babies drink from a bottle, they need to lie down to facilitate the milk flow into the mouth. The swallowing movements cause the ear canal (Eustachian tube) to open, allowing the contents to flow into the middle ear cavity. This can cause ear infections. Using "Sippy Cups" Weaning from breastfeeding or a bottle is ideal if started at the age of 6 to 9 months. This is the time when the baby starts moving and also starts to hold the bottle with its hands. Most parents use a special cup, called sippy cup, as an intermediate step for weaning from bottle to cup. A sippy cup is a cup that is closed from all sides except for a spout that has three to four tiny holes. The cup has two handles to which the baby can hold on to. The sucking action is similar to that used with the bottle feeding. The baby can be introduced to sippy cups with the following steps. Hold the cup to the babys mouth and let a few drops of milk dribble down to her mouth or lips. Let the baby hold to the handles of the cup and put the cup into her mouth. Show the cup in a fun way, encourage with claps or saying yummy. You can also have a separate cup for yourself and encourage your baby to imitate you. Squeeze the cup at the bottom end so that milk squirts out into your babys mouth. Initially, give one feed with the sippy cup and the other meals using the bottle. Slowly replace the rest of the meals with the sippy cup or other semi-solid weaning food. Remove all the bottles from the babys view during the weaning process. Night weaning for bottle feeders must be done as the last part of switching from bottle to cup for babies. Bottle feed is a means of comfort for the baby. Add a bit of hugging and cuddling during the babys transition period of bottle to cups. Advertisement Some children may resist the use of sippy cups with crying, refusing to drink milk from them or even use tantrums to get the bottle back. Bottle battles can be overcome with the use of cheering the baby, saying encouraging words and the necessary actions to comfort the child. Do not make the experience of using a sippy cup or an adult cup a negative experience for your baby. Using the sippy cups for weaning from bottle to cup is convenient for parents too. It is fully sealed and spill-proof. So, it does not create any mess on the carpets or floors. Further, a spill-proof cup is an ideal mealtime companion during travel. Do's: Use sippy cups only as means of transition towards switching baby from bottle to cup. Use encouraging words and keep the sippy cup meal time a pleasant activity. Don'ts: Never let the baby go to sleep with the sippy cup in her mouth. Dont let the child carry the sippy cup or keep it in her mouth all the time or between meals as it could result in tooth decay. Do not use punishments or show your anger when the baby is resisting a sippy cup. Weaning from a sippy cup is also necessary, as the sippy cups may result in the same problems as the bottle feeding. Further, the hard spout of the sippy cup could cause malformations of the hard palate and the soft palate and deviations in the alignment of the teeth. Once the child has got used to the fact that food can be consumed from cups also, it is time to go for regular cups. Let the child sit in an upright position. Using a high-chair at the dining table along with other family members at meal time is a great way of encouraging and supporting the baby. Russia-NATO Update is a new monthly review by the MEMRI Russian Media Studies Project, covering the latest news on Russia-NATO relations from the Russian and East European media. Quote Of The Month : State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee head Alexey Pushkov: "In our confrontation with NATO our advantage is that we have a clear mind, while the other side is clearly paranoid." (Lenta.ru, May 17) Russian Reactions To Negotiations On Montenegro's NATO Membership On May 19, the foreign ministers of NATO member states signed an accession protocol for Montenegro, granting it observer status at NATO meetings. The signing ceremony, which was attended by Montenegro's Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, took place at a North Atlantic Council (NAC) session in Brussels. The next step is that Montenegro will be granted membership in NATO once the accession protocol is ratified by all 28 NATO member states. (See MEMRI Special Dispatch, Russian Reactions To Negotiations On Montenegro's NATO Membership, May 20, 2016) State Duma vice-speaker Sergei Zheleznyak said: "Montenegro's accession to NATO demonstrates once again the U.S. and its European allies' pressure on a country [emphasis added], which has a sovereign right to conduct an independent foreign policy and defend its own national interests. Montenegro...is being dragged into NATO, despite the fact that the majority of the population wants to hold a referendum on the issue." (Ria.ru, May 24) Russian Security Council Deputy Secretary Yevgeny Lukyanov assessed that Montenegro's accession to NATO would not pose additional military risks to Russia. (Interfax.ru, May 23) Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said: "The continued efforts to draw [Montenegro] into the [NATO] alliance are based on secret agreements [emphasis added] that have been signed with the Montenegrin leadership with disregard for the peoples' opinion and in violation of democratic principles and procedures, the commitment to which NATO claims to honor so strictly...This latest NATO move - undertaken to change the military and political landscape in Europe, especially in light of the bloc's declared policy of containing Russia - will definitely affect Russia's interests and force us to react [emphasis added]." (Mid.ru, May 19, 2016) Russia is also trying to support opposition parties to stop NATO's expansion. The Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that Russia's ruling United Russia party has signed a declaration with the head of Montenegrin People's Democratic Party (PDP), Milan Knezevic, and the head of Montenegrin People's Socialist Party (PSP), Sran Milic. The declaration affirms the will to establish neutral states in South-East Europe (Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina), and have Kosovo reincorporated in Serbia. This decision also appears motivated by Serbian disinterest in joining NATO's, although Belgrade is part of NATO's Partnership for Peace program. The declaration states further that the neutrality of Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina should be guaranteed by both Russia and NATO. It is worth noting that the PDP opposes a dialogue with the Montenegrin authorities and favors changing the government. In October 2015, Milan Knezevic headed a 5,000 man protest march on parliament to demand the resignation of Montenegro's Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic and the scheduling of immediate elections. (Kommersant.ru, May 10; Sputniknews.com, March 9, 2016) Russian Reactions To The "Aegis Ashore" Missile Defense System Deployment In Romania On May 12, 2016, the NATO's "Aegis Ashore" ballistic missile defense system became operational at a U.S. naval support facility in Deveselu, Romania. The day after, on May 13, the construction of another ballistic-missile defense site officially started in Redzikowo, Poland. Aegis Ashore was first announced by U.S. President Barack Obama in 2009, as part of the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) aimed at defending Europe against ballistic missile threats originating from outside the "Euro-Atlantic Area." The deployment of NATO's missile defense base in Romania prompted strong criticism in Russia. (See MEMRI Special Dispatch, Official Russian Campaign Against NATO's Ballistic Missile Defense System in Europe - Part I, May 16, 2016. See also MEMRI Special Dispatch, Official Russian Campaign Against NATO's Ballistic Missile Defense System In Europe - Part II, May 17, 2016; See also MEMRI Videoclip, Anger in Russian Media at U.S. Missile Defense System in Romania NATO Base - Military Expert Talks about Possibility of Use of Tactical Nuclear Weapon against System, May 10-16, 2016) Russian Permanent Representative to NATO Alexander Grushko said, "Making the Deveselu base operational is another step in the series of measures creating considerable risks to the Russian Federation's security." (Tass.ru, May 12) TASS reported that Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that the U.S. is finding artificial arguments to substantiate the necessity for a missile defense system. "For the Russian Federation, a situation where medium-range ballistic missiles are employed against targets in Europe is unthinkable. This can only be carried out by terrorists, who by definition are incapable of possessing such weapons and controlling them," Ryabkov said. (Tass.ru, May 5) Aegis Ashore site in Romania. (Source: US. Missile Defense Agency) Russia's Comments On Soltenberg's Remarks On Organizing A NATO-Russia Council Meeting Prior To The NATO Summit In Warsaw Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov commented on NATO Secretary General Jens Soltenberg's remarks regarding a "broad agreement" that NATO should convene a new meeting of the NATO-Russia Council before the NATO summit assembles in Warsaw next July. Lavrov said: "On what grounds did [Soltenberg] say that? The Russia-NATO council acts as a result of a consensus. If they want to discuss this - they should discuss this with us and not reach out for a microphone." The Russian Federation's Permanent Representative to NATO Aleksander Grushko also criticized Soltenberg's remarks. Grushko said: "As of now, we have not received any official request...No consultations have been made, hence a [NATO-Russia] Council meeting is out of question." (Rbc.ru, May 20) Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova also commented on Soltenberg's remarks about convening the NATO-Russia Council before July. She said: "If you want to work with us - the door is open. We are always ready to hold a dialogue based on equality and constructiveness. [But] propaganda through microphones is not going to work, because we don't have time for meaningless verbiage." (Ria.ru, May 20) Ria.ru, Vitaly Podvitsky, May 20, 2016. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov surveys a the miniaturized NATO Secretary General Jens Soltenberghanging on a microphone bearing the heading: "Russia-NATO." Russia's Military Response To NATO Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov: "The Russian side will take all required steps to fend off the emerging risks and threats to our national security... [emphasis added] We hope commonsense finally prevails in NATO, and our Western partners find the strength to give up confrontational schemes conditioned by the desire to ensure their own security at the expense of others." (Tass.ru, May 25) Ria.ru's defense analyst, Aleksandr Khrolenko, wrote: "NATO is planning a full scale war. [However,] why should Russia go to a war against Europe that pays for our gas? ...If there is a war tomorrow, three dozen anti-missiles systems, and four Aegis destroyers won't stop a thousand of warheads (at least one thousand)...The impression is that the U.S. and NATO's main goal is not to defend Europe (by the way, [there is no threat] to defend it from), but to impede an emergence of a peaceful, economically effective association of European nations in conjunction with Russia... Europeans are being scared with the 'Russian threat' in order to bolster NATO's military budget." (Ria.ru, May 19) Russia Deputy Minister of Defense Nikolai Panko said that Russia would not increase military personnel as a countermeasure to NATO's activity. (Interfax.ru, May 19) Russia plans to deploy a ballistic missile early warning system in Crimea. The Russian Defense Ministry wants to restore and modernize the Dnepr early warning radar station near Sevastopol. According to the Russian news agency Ria.ru, the system will allow Russia to intercept any cruise or ballistic missile fired from the Black Sea region and the Mediterranean. (Ria.ru, May 17) On May 10, Russia's Strategic Missile Force (SMF) Commander Sergey Karakayev said that Russia is developing new intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) with special focus on their ability to penetrate the U.S. missile shield. According to the Russian official, "threats from the U.S. missile defense system in Europe" do not critically reduce the combat capabilities of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, [emphasis added] because Russian missiles are constantly upgraded. (Tass.ru, May 10) On May 10, the Russian news agency Tass.ru reported that a state-of-the-art heavy liquid-propelled intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the RS-28 Sarmat missile, is currently being developed for the Russian army. According to the report, it "is designed to replace the old Soviet R-36M missile Voyevoda, codenamed Satan by NATO, as the heavy silo-based component of Russia's nuclear deterrence. The RS-28 has been in development since 2009 and is scheduled to start replacing the old ICBMs in 2018." (Tass.ru, May 10) The Russian media outlet Zavtra.ru mentioned that the RS-28 Sarmat and the R-36M missile Voyeyoda are both capable of wiping out territories as big as Texas and France. However, the testing of the Sarmat has been postponed, for unidentified reasons. (Zavtra.ru, May 11) On May 4, 2016, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that Russia is to deploy two new divisions in the west and one in the south of the country to counterbalance NATO's increased military presence near Russia's borders. Shoigu had also previously announced the establishment of the three new divisions, on January 12, 2016. (Rt.com, May 4; Tass.ru, January 12) Vk.com/13studiya, May 24, 2016. Russian bears fly over the Gulf of Mexico and frighten the U.S. Eagle. Russia's Comments On Ex-NATO Deputy Commander Sherriff's New Book State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee head Alexey Pushkov commented on retired Deputy Supreme Commander of NATO Richard Sherriff's new book, "War With Russia", describing the possibility of a nuclear war between Russia and the West over the Baltic nations. Pushkov said: "[Sherriff] assumed the possibility of nuclear war with Russia during the current year... It looks like [in NATO] they hire for jobs like this only lunatics." (Twitter.com/Alexey_Pushkov, May 18) Ria.ru, Vitaly Podvitsky, May 23, 2016. Retired Deputy Supreme Commander of NATO Richard Sherriff writing his new book, War With Russia. Russia's Reactions To NATO Commander's Comments About A Threat Coming From The East The Russian Foreign Ministry commented on statements by the chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Petr Pavel, about a threat from the East: "We took note of the NATO military chief's false and unethical statements regarding the supposed Eastern threats to the exclusively 'peaceful and defensive' NATO. Specifically, the general claimed that Russia employs hybrid tactics against the West, including torture and deception, and may strike at the alliance's Baltic territories. He also speculated on the possible deployment of seven divisions in Poland and the Baltics in order to stave off defeat in the region...The leadership of the NATO Military Committee seems to have completely lost touch with reality or any understanding of cause and effect in the current processes underway in the sphere of European security...Public statements regarding the need to eliminate risks to NATO countries - which are, in fact, caused by the bloc's unprecedented buildup of military activity and infrastructure in direct proximity to Russian borders - represent the height of cynicism." (Mid.ru, May 16) NATO's Exercises In Eastern Europe A NATO spearhead force has started the second phase of the Brilliant Jump Exercise in Poland. Brilliant Jump Exercise 2016 is composed of two phases: an Alertex (Alert Exercise, April 1-10, 2016, which took place in Spain) and a Deployex (Deployment Exercise, May 17-27, 2016, which is taking place in Poland). (Jfcbs.nato.int) On May 11, joint Georgia-NATO military drills were officially launched in Georgia. The two-week Noble Partner exercises opened at the Vaziani military air base with the participation of 500 Georgian, 650 U.S. and 150 British soldiers. The military drills were regarded as one of the most important events in Georgia-NATO relations. (Agenda.ge, May 11) On May 9, NATO launched the "Platinum Lion 16-3" exercise at Bulgaria's Novo Selo Training Range (southeastern Bulgaria).Bulgarian media outlet Novinite.com reported that the one-week military drill was part of the Black Sea Rotational Force 16.1 training exercise. The drill involved about 315 troops: 90 from Bulgarian ground forces, 150 from the U.S. Marine Corps, 25 from the Romanian Army, 40 from the UK armed forces, and 11 from the French Army. (Novinite.com, May 9) On May 6, 2016, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that Russia views the preparations for the U.S.-Georgia military exercises (Noble Partner 2016), set for May 11-26, as a provocation. "[The] declared goal is to train the Georgian Army for participation in the NATO Response Force and enhance Georgia's territorial self-defense capability. The drills will include deployment of NATO member-states' combat equipment in Georgia. Last year, infantry combat vehicles were deployed and now Abrams tanks have also been delivered by ferry from Bulgaria. We regard this ongoing 'exploration' of Georgia's territory by NATO forces as a provocative step aimed at escalating the military and political situation in the South Caucasus. To a large extent, this is encouraged by Washington's and its allies' open connivance with Tbilisi's revanchist ambitions," it said in a press release. (Mid.ru, May 6) On May 3, 2016, joint Moldova-U.S. military drills, part of NATO's Dragon Pioneer-2016, began in Moldova. Moldova joined NATO's Partnership for Peace program in 1994. (Sputniknews.com, May 3) Eastern European Leaders Comment On Russia-NATO Relations On May 10, on a visit to Canada, Polish President Andrzej Duda, stressed the importance of consolidating NATO's presence in Poland and other member states in Central and Eastern Europe. He said that support is still needed, "not only for Poland being in NATO, but for NATO being in Poland." (Thenews.pl, May 10) On May 9, Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said that Central European countries should form a lobby to press for their interests in the EU and NATO. "We would like this region to develop within the European Union and NATO, [we want] countries in the region to form a lobby group in these institutions working for the implementation of our security interests, our economic and infrastructure interests," Waszczykowski said. (Thenews.pl, May 9) Sputniknews.com, Vitaly Podvitsky, May 23, 2016. Polish children learn that a NATO tank is a member of their family . Follow the MEMRI Russian Media Studies Project on Facebook and Twitter. On April 26, 2016, the Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta published an article, titled "Russia and the Arms Race", by Alexei Georgievich Arbatov, head of the Center for International Security at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), member of the Russian Academy of Science and member of the Presidium of the Council for Foreign and Defense Policy.[1] Arbatov writes that despite statements by Russian officials that Russia won't be dragged into an arms race, the reality is that Russia is engaged in a large-scale military rivalry with the U.S. and NATO countries.[2] According to Arbatov, the new arms race will be more costly and more dangerous than the Cold War version. Arbatov argues that the difference between the current arms race and the Cold War's competition is that hitherto, the race was limited by a series of treaties, whereas in the future all "limitations may be cast aside." He also suggests that nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation systems may collapse and the "the probability of military, accidental or terrorist use of nuclear arms" is high. Following are excerpts from Arbatov's article: RS-12M ICBM TOPOL (NATO designation SS-25 Sickle) during a military parade in Moscow's Red Square . (Source: Sputniknews.com) " The New Arms Race May Prove To Be More Complex, Costly And Dangerous Than The One During The Cold War" "Despite occasional official statements that Russia will not be dragged into an arms race, the real situation is different. [Russia] is already being drawn into a large-scale military rivalry, mostly with the U.S., and the new arms race may prove to be more complex, costly and dangerous than the one during the Cold War. At the moment, one can detect at least four directions that this process is taking. In this case we are talking notably only about strategic arms, leaving general-purpose forces aside. Their technical re-equipment according to [Russia's] State Armaments Programs [SAP] for 2020 and 2025 also has a clear competitive aspect vis-a-vis the aviation, land forces, and fleet of the NATO countries. "Firstly, developments in the sphere of offensive Strategic Nuclear Forces (SNF) are proceeding at full speed. SAP-2020 stipulates the deployment by 2020 of 400 new intercontinental ballistic missiles, 8 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, the creation of a new generation of heavy bombers (PAK-DA) with air launched long-range dual mission cruise missile X-101/102, and prior to that - re-launching the manufacture of the modernized Tu-160 bombers. These systems are intended to replace outdated equipment being withdrawn from operational use; i. e. they are aimed at renewing Russian strategic forces under the New START Treaty of 2010.[3] "The U.S., in accordance with the life cycle of its strategic systems, will start their renovation after 2020; during the first decade of the process, 350 billion dollars will be allocated to it, whereas the sum for the 30 years of the complete refurbishment of the nuclear triad is approximately 1 trillion dollars. Of course, the U.S. program will have as its aim standoff [capability] against the currently deployed systems of Russia (and China). It is quite possible that Russia, in its turn, will be compelled to react to this in its further development of SNF. Thus, the classical offensive nuclear arms race will start in only a few years. A buildup of land-based intermediate-range missiles may be added to it, if the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty of 1987 is denounced, which is a measure advocated by several Russian experts and even senior state officials deem it possible.[4] U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev exchange pens during the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty signing ceremony in the White House East Room in Washington, D.C. on December 8, 1987. Gorbachev's translator Pavel Palazhchenko stands in the middle. (Source: Wladamosci.gazeta.pl) "The Entire Nuclear Disarmament And Non-Proliferation System May Collapse" "All this is more or less familiar: during the Cold War, this was the direction that the rivalry between the two superpowers took. The only difference is that in the past, after 1972, this race was limited by a series of treaties - SALT/INF/START/SORT, whereas in the future all such limitations may be cast aside. Since the START Treaty was concluded in 2010, for the past six years, no negotiations have taken place, due to both political reasons and the parties' inability to overcome their differences on missile defense and other issues. Earlier, new negotiations started immediately after the conclusion of yet another treaty, and both parties approached them with their agenda prepared in advance. Now, the two powers take different attitudes towards nuclear weapons in general - in a sense, they have exchanged places in comparison with the last decade (after 2000). U.S. President Barack Obama, right, waves next to Czech President Vaclav Klaus, center, and then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev before the signing of the New START treaty in Prague, Thursday, April 8, 2010. (Source: State.gov) "There is less and less time for negotiations on a new treaty, and it appears that this fact does not bother the Russian political elite at all. Thus, following the expiration of the current START Treaty in 2020, a gaping hole may appear in the vital sphere of nuclear weapons control for the first time in 45 years. As a result, the entire nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation system may collapse - a system created over the last half-century by the tireless efforts of state leaders, diplomats, politicians, and the military and civilian experts of the leading world powers. "But this is notthe entire story. Even now, long before 2020, the second channel of the arms race has been opened: Russian offensive nuclear arms vs. the American missile defense system. This channel did not exist in the Cold War, because nobody had such defense systems before 1972, and they were strictly regulated after 1972 by the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABMT) that the U.S. withdrew from in 2002. New Russian offensive nuclear arms and dual purpose systems (including operational-tactical systems) have been created not only to renovate Russia's strike potential; they have the additional goal of serving as a means for overcoming the missile defense systems of the U.S. and its allies." "The Cooperation Between Russia And the U.S. About Increasing The Safety And Security Of Nuclear Materials And Facilities Has Ceased" "The third channel of the arms race - the most innovative - is offensive high-precision long-range conventionally armed systems, including existing subsonic (cruise) missiles and future hypersonic missiles. It is probable that [Russian] president [Vladimir] Putin had these systems in mind when he noted in his 2012 article [outlining his policies prior to the presidential elections] : 'All this will provide fundamentally new instruments for achieving political and strategic goals in addition to nuclear weapons. Such weapon systems will be as effective as nuclear weapons but will be more acceptable from the political and military point of view. Therefore, the strategic balance of nuclear forces will gradually lose its significance in the matter of deterring aggression and chaos.' "Russia's goal is to catch up with the U.S. as soon as possible in the matter of such systems. This channel of the arms race may prove to be extremely costly, since the newest strike power mandates creating perfect information and control systems, including space-based ones. And such systems will, in their turn, offer an inducement for development of countermeasures: anti-satellite, radio-electronic, and cybernetic ones. "Finally, the fourth channel is Russian Aerospace Defense vs. the American means of air and space attack. In June 2013, during a visit to an air defense missile manufacturing plant, president Putin said: 'Effective aerospace defense is a guarantee of our strategic deterrent forces' survivability, and the country's protection from aerospace strike threats.' It is still unclear, however, what weapon systems exactly fit this category, but one may conclude that it is primarily high-precision conventionally armed systems, both subsonic and hypersonic. Moreover, as often happened in the past, in the competition between strategic defense and attack, it is defense that sustains much heavier costs. "Such a multi-channel race of strategic offensive and defensive, nuclear and non-nuclear, weapons did not exist in the Cold War years. The current situation is aggravated by the economic inequality of the parties, especially in the context of the financial and economic crisis in Russia. Besides, Russia, as opposed to the U.S., cannot count on any significant help from its allies and partners. Another important difference from the past is that the new arms race will not only be multi-channel, but also multilateral. Offensive nuclear weapons are being intensively built up in China, Pakistan, India and North Korea, they are maintained and upgraded by Great Britain, France, and Israel. In addition, China develops hypersonic high-precision non-nuclear systems, and in this [field] it leads Russia and the U.S. Unlike the Cold War era, the arms race will take place in at least two trilateral formations: Russia-U.S.-China and China-India-Pakistan. Moreover, if previously missile defense systems were the monopoly of the USSR and U.S., in the future they will be developed, separately or collectively, by the NATO countries, China, India, Israel, Japan and South Korea. "With all this as the background, the nuclear non-proliferation regime will inevitably collapse; and the failure of the 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) attests to this fact.[5] The treaty is almost 50 years old, it was created for another world and has a lot of gaps, primarily in what concerns the distinction between peaceful and military uses of nuclear power. The 2015 agreement with Iran could have become a step towards resolving this issue, but that agreement states directly that all its conditions pertain exclusively to Iran and cannot furnish a precedent for other similar cases. The NPT gaps are not patched, because no agreement between the great powers about it exists. What is worse, the cooperation between Russia and the U.S. about increasing the safety and security of nuclear materials and facilities has ceased, and Russia even refused to attend the latest nuclear security summit in spring 2016.[6] "The Development Of The Nuclear Power Industry Will Make A Huge Leap In The Next 20 Years" "Meanwhile, the development of the nuclear power industry will make a huge leap in the next 20 years. At the moment, there are 435 nuclear reactors in the world, 65 more are under construction, and 167 are in the planning stage, including those in the most unstable regions of the world: the Middle EastSouth-East Asia, Africa and Latin America. This means that the proliferation of nuclear technologies and materials will erupt with the ever growing probability that they will fall into the hands of terrorist organizations that are hunting for a nuclear warhead, an explosive device or at least some radioactive material for a 'dirty bomb'. "Finally, new problems have appeared, such as threats of cyber attacks, which may, inter alia, be directed against information and control systems of nuclear forces. " This entire array of issues should be central for ensuring international security, but it is not -it is on the margins of world politics. Without negotiations and regular contacts between military and civilian state representatives, the views of Russia, the U.S. and a number of other states on the rules and limits of nuclear deterrence, the role of nuclear weapons, scenarios and methods of their use are becoming increasingly divergent, which may lead to a fateful miscalculation or incident. Therefore, the paradox of the current situation is that over the past quarter of a century, the quantity of nuclear weapons has declined by a factor of five or seven thanks to treaties and unilateral reductions, but the probability of their use has grown considerably. If no urgent measures are taken to strengthen the regime of reduction, limitation and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, then, in the light of new threats and challenges, the probability of military, accidental or terrorist use of nuclear arms will continue to grow with catastrophic consequences for modern civilization. "Strengthening the system of control over nuclear arms in the foreseeable future will require multinational efforts, but without the initiative of Russia and the U.S. the process will not get off the ground. These two powers still possess up to 90% of nuclear weapons and materials on the planet. The first urgent steps must be finding a solution for the clashes of opinion and preserving the validity of the INF Treaty, as well as starting negotiations on a new START agreement for the period after 2020. This will provide momentum to other channels of reduction and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and materials, and involve other nuclear states in the process. "All the existing world problems, including migration, climate, economic crises, ethnic and religious conflicts, can be solved sooner or later, one way or another, if we manage to prevent a nuclear catastrophe. If not - there will be nobody to deal with those problems." Endnotes: On April 13, 2016, 'Ali 'Eid, a journalist and columnist for the Syrian oppositionist website Zamanalwsl.net, published an article in the form of a letter to President Assad calling on him to commit suicide before a member of the Syrian people takes revenge on him for the death and destruction he has caused to Syria and its people. The following are excerpts from the article:[1] "How many times have you stood before a woman over the past five years? How many times did you tell yourself that you could face the mother of a child you killed? And that you [can] be in the same room with her without guards or rifles? How many times have you been plagued by the suspicion that the victims do not die without [eventually naming] their killer? Do you share your pillow each night with the images of the 300,000 dead? With the wails of 300,000 mothers? The grief of the lovers? Or even the silence of those who died in their sleep without screaming, but merely by [inhaling] poisonous air and emitting a few moans? "Bashar Al-Assad, did you sleep well after receiving the pictures of the 600 victims in [the city of] Darayya, [the town of] Jdaidet Al-Fadl, [the village of] Al-Qubeir, and [the town of] Taldou? Did you predict the gender of each victim as you listened to the sound of barrel bombs being dropped on Darayya, which is within your earshot?... "Bashar Al-Assad, are you pleased with yourself when you and your wife promise your crippled fighters talking clocks [aids for the handicapped] and crutches and tell them that [these items] are merely delayed due to the Western embargo [on Syria],[2] while the Panama Papers reveal that you took tens of billions from Syrian food [funds] and deposited them in banks and projects stretching from Venezuela to China? "Did they tell you that 13 million Syrian [refugees] dream of returning, even to the ruins of the homes you destroyed and sat atop their rubble, and that every one of those millions simply dreams of laying eyes on the olive tree in their yard or the grave of [their] brother, son or mother, [after] you denied them even [the mercy] of shutting their [loved one's] eyes for the last time? "Bashar Al-Assad, if you had an olive tree or memories of a small vineyard and a poor neighborhood like Syrians have, you would have known the anguish that is overwhelming the sons of Homs, Deir [Al-Zour], Hauran, and Ghouta in the places they migrated to. Bashar Al-Assad, if you knew how a farmer saved up his income for five years of suffering in order to marry off his son and invite all the villagers to eat and celebrate with him, you would have understood people's yearning for human fellowship... "Bashar Al-Assad, as you sit at your table tomorrow morning, leave one chair empty and try to imagine that one of your children had been killed. Then you will think as I do, like a Bedouin [wanting to avenge his loved ones]. What will you think then? After that, picture that you, who have killed hundreds of thousands [of Syrians], take back control of all of Syria. But you cannot kill the memory of their sons. Do you know what the next day will bring, or at whose hands, or where, you might die? "I know you are scared and tired, but you have become like a small mouse that entered a pumpkin through a little hole, ate the insides, and grew so big that he could not leave through the same hole. "Bashar Al-Assad, I suggest that you shoot yourself in the head, because if you don't, the people around you will eventually sell you out and make you commit suicide with three bullets instead of one, just as you and your family has taught them." Endnotes: VANCOUVER, British Columbia Rye Patch Gold Corp. announced this week that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire ownership of the Florida Canyon Mine. The gold mine is located in Pershing County. It was purchased for $15 million in cash and 20 million common shares of the company payable at closing, subject to adjustment for outstanding liabilities, plus certain contingent payments. The company has also signed a commitment letter for a $27 million credit facility with Macquarie Bank Limited to fund the proposed redevelopment of the Florida Canyon mine. The company has engaged Macquarie Capital Markets Canada Ltd. and Canaccord Genuity Corp. with regard to a proposed equity financing to fund the cash portion of the purchase consideration. The Florida Canyon gold mine is fully permitted, has been in continuous production since 1986, and is currently producing gold from its existing leach pad facilities. The company proposes to redevelop the mine, including constructing a new heap leach pad and waste storage facility as well as mine a planned expansion of the Florida Canyon ore body. Rye Patch expects Florida Canyon to achieve commercial production from the new leach pad in the first quarter of 2017. Mine Development Associates completed a preliminary economic assessment for the company, based on a $1,000 per ounce gold price for the first two years and a $1,150 per ounce gold price for the remaining life of mine. Following the restart of Florida Canyon, Rye Patch will have cash flow from both a producing mine and from its existing NSR royalty along with a pipeline of nearby, advanced-stage projects to ensure future growth. This is truly a unique and transformational opportunity that has fantastic synergies with our existing projects at Lincoln Hill, Gold Ridge and Wilco located 30 kilometers to the south, stated Rye Patch President and CEO William Howald. We are creating a new and exciting company with anticipated initial annual production of 75,000 ounces gold expected to begin in 2017 with the potential to expand the existing Measured and Indicated Resource of 1.1 million ounces. This acquisition represents a tremendous opportunity for both existing and new Rye Patch shareholders to realize significant value, he added. Florida Canyon was acquired from Jipangu International Inc., Imlay Mining Co. Ltd. and ADM Gold Co. Rye Patch U.S. will acquire all of the outstanding shares of the companies which own the Florida Canyon mine and related assets including the nearby Standard gold mine. ELKO Residents in the Elko area were able to interact with candidates Wednesday at a meet-and-greet in the Elko Convention Center. Elected officials and hopefuls from the Elko County Commission, the city council and the Justice of the Peace campaigns filled the room with their ideas and experiences about how to best serve the community. Contested races of 2016 include county commission District 3 and the Justice of the Peace. Elko County Commission District 3 Ralph Sacrison, who said his forte rests in mining as a small-businessman, would like to continue his work with issues related to natural resources impacting the county. The sage grouse executive policies (have) been levied even more strictly than the initial instruction memorandum to the BLM field offices, he said. Sacrison said wind generation, natural gas development, mining and ranching have been affected, summing up the bulk of Elkos economic potential. I see the economic challenge of regulations as affecting all of us in the rurals, he concluded. Jon Karr had three focal points when speaking to the Free Press: roads, sage grouse and the county inheriting the fire protection district from the State. He called the roads a fiscal responsibility in maintenance and prioritization, even with the options of new road technology. The sage grouse is a bigger picture of the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) regulations on not really following science, but following politics on closing down land, said Karr, discussing how graduate students told him the No. 1 kill problem is the ravens eating the eggs, not predominantly humans. Karr hopes to look at the bigger picture, proceed with it, but remember the priority of daily operations. He said the third facet, concerning the fire district, can create far more expenses than is realized. The candidate wants to look at it from a different perspective by protecting the countys assets and citizens. Jeff Dalling said he wants to focus on paving the roads in areas such as Rydon, Osino and Last Chance Road and focus on fiscal matters. Dalling, as a businessman, said his experience gives him the understanding of working a budget and making a good product. Justice of the Peace Department B The judicial candidates main issues involved proper application of justice to experience. Elias Goicoechea said he wants to focus on improving fair and consistent judgments on issues stemming from traffic to civil. This would be done on a case-by-case basis and within the parameters of what the charge is. He also said he wants the public to know he is committed to them and will give 100 percent. Andrew Mierins looking to his experience as a judicial officer and three years as a judge pro tem in the Elko Justice and Municipal Court as beneficial is hoping to focus on how drug and alcohol abuse is addressed in the community, as well as supervising offenders. I think we need to look at some type of pretrial supervision program, he said, explaining this could help when enforcing the stipulations of a suspended sentence, such as a no-drinking clause. You dont have to be an attorney to be a Justice of the Peace, said Dennis Parker, explaining the office was created for a common person to represent the people. Parker said his business background gives him experience in civil court matters and a new perspective. David Loreman, who cited over 30 years of experience in law from being a defense attorney to a judge pro tem, would like to look at grants and personnel for DUI and domestic violence court programs on the justice and municipal court level. I think they would be very important for this community at that level, he said. Loreman said there could be better docket control in the courts by monitoring cases to utilize time in the best way. He has considered a staggered system, such as one judge working from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. and another judge from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. SPRING CREEK For concerned citizens who wanted to discuss the possibility of becoming a town, as well as other issues that affect Spring Creek, the association hosted a community forum Tuesday to help start a dialogue with residents. One of the main topics of conversation was the possibility of becoming a town or otherwise changing Spring Creeks designation from a homeowners association to another entity. Spring Creek resident Steven Trainor said he found the possibility of Spring Creek becoming a town to be troublesome and worried that changing from an association to a town would bring more government than what Spring Creek residents need. The thing that got me off my seat and in here was the threat of township, he said. Government only does one thing good and thats grow government we dont brave the summit during the worst part of the winter just because we want to come over here and have a bigger yard. We came here to get away from government. Trainor was one of the more vocal residents at Spring Creek Elementary where the forum was held but residents also brought up other issues about the infrastructure of the community and how to improve their living situations. Topics of discussion included the lack of sidewalks, deteriorating road conditions, and the possibility of building a dog park to so that dog owners had a place to let their dogs off the leash without the dog wandering onto a neighbors property. SCA President Jessie Bahr was there along with the rest of the board members to talk with residents and take note of their concerns. The various issues were written on a large sheet of paper for the association to address. With a lengthy list compiled by the end of the two-hour forum, Bahr said she was surprised more residents didnt bring up their concerns with changing the associations designation. I thought there would be more discussion about what the RFQ was and the feasibility study of becoming an unincorporated town or a general improvement district, she said. I think there was some good discussion of what were going to be doing and how were going to be doing it. Bahr went on to say the association does not intend to persuade Spring Creek residents one way or another on the issue of changing its designation, and hopes to present the information from their consultant to the residents to allow them to decide the future of the association. With all of the topics that were brought up by Spring Creeks residents at the forum, Bahr is hoping to get a better handle on the issues important to the residents with more focused discussions later on this year. This is the first step for us at the community forum to hear all the issues that we have, she said. This is going to be a long process, until December, of forums and meetings and really getting a good volume of people to give their input. Pope Gregorio XVIII with his girlfriend Nieves. PEPE MARIN Pope Gregorio XVIII now just plain Gines Jesus Hernandez is laying low. Once the former spiritual leader of the Palmarian Catholic Church, he is now holed up with his girlfriend Nieves in Spain's Sierra Nevada. And not without reason. Not only has he turned his back on this dubious offshoot of the Roman Catholic Church, whose saints include Adolf Hitler and Francisco Franco; he has also decided to bring the organization to its knees with revelations of underhand dealings and tax evasion. Its all a set-up, particularly a financial one, he declares after 32 years in the sect. Theyre just using the miracle of the Virgin Mary as a front. The former pontiffs revelations have also lifted the lid on an isolated world where children and adults have been brainwashed with manipulative religious texts pronouncing, among other things, the coming of the Antichrist. But money has been the driving force behind this ultra-conservative religious movement, according to internal documents and personal accounts from bishops and former members, with tax evasion on the millions pouring into their coffers being standard practice. La Iglesia de El Palmar de Troya was founded in Seville in 1974 after four young schoolgirls swore they had seen a vision of the Virgin Mary. A creed was established that promoted the Roman Catholic Pope Paul VI as a martyr, while subsequent popes from Rome, thanks to more visions, were excommunicated and the Holy See transferred to the tiny community of El Palmar de Troya, in Seville province. El Palmar de Troya was founded in Seville in 1974 after four young schoolgirls swore they had seen a vision of the Virgin Mary The number of followers increased over the next 40 years, with the families of believers having as many as 15 children so as to swell the ranks that, according to Hernandez, have come to number 5,000. But what sets El Palmar de Troya apart from the other 250 sects flourishing on Spanish soil? Mainly its healthy cash flow, thanks to international donations of around 2 million a year from an international following in Latin America, Switzerland and Germany. Before they introduced the euro, I saw donations of $250,000 come in month after month from just one person, says a former Palmarian bishop, Father Guido, who left the sect 15 years ago and is today a businessman who says he prefers to remain anonymous. According to one member who also asked to remain anonymous: Only a year and a half ago a missionary brought 500,000 taped to his body from Augsburg in Bavaria the proceeds from the sale of a house belonging to the church. I drove the car from Germany. I was a witness. He says the sale of church properties has helped shore up funds as donations fell due to the crisis: this kind of unorthodox international transfer was not a one-off. Father Damaso, otherwise known as Jose Carrasco, says that the sect distrusts the authorities. Gines knows there were tax evasions and mafia-like money laundering operations he says. This is a great opportunity for the taxman to get to the bottom of El Palmar de Troyas accounts. They should investigate everyone from Clemente de Dominguez, who was pope from 1978 to 2005, to his successor Manuel Alonso, as well as Gines Hernandez, and find out exactly how their finances worked. Damaso, who moved to Ireland after he left the sect, goes on to recall: I was the companion of Father Elias, who was previously El Palmars accountant. The leadership held secret meetings with bankers from Banesto and consultants from Utrera to tie up business deals. They emerged from the banks with suitcases and were constantly looking over their shoulder. They told me, You should always be one step behind, keeping an eye on the money. After a crisis of faith, Pope Gregorio XVIII left the sect, taking with him documents that he has threatened to make public in the event of any legal comeback from the leadership of the church. As long as they dont bother me, I will leave Palmar alone, says Hernandez who denies suggestions that he has stolen 2 million, along with a BMW X6 Popemobile. Im registered as unemployed, he says from his refuge in Monachil, Granada. El Palmar has managed to keep its financial activities quiet over the past 40 years thanks to a fierce policy of isolation that keeps the faithful isolated from the rest of the world. But things may be about to change. Not only has the business side of its outfit been rumbled, members are also wising up to discrepancies about the sect's predictions. 'Pope' Gregorio delivering a sermon. According to one of its religious texts, The dragon incarnate, the Antichrist in the form of man, the evil one, was born in the year 2000 in Bethlehem, the City of David. This was followed by another text, proclaiming, The Antichrist or evil one, with divine permission, will be shown to us at the age of 12, before he has been freed from his chains. He will come in the guise of a prodigy and he will show wisdom and convince us of his power with fraudulent miracles which will be spread around the world by his infernal mother and other devotees. The year 2013 came and went without a trace of this devil, planting a seed of doubt in the community. The promised expansion of the Palmarian kingdom sung about by the churchs 70 monks and nuns as the biggest known to man hasnt materialized either. The churchs leadership has withdrawn such religious texts on three occasions, once under Hernandezs orders so that the unfulfilled predictions could be removed. The excuse was that they had to bring the popes details up to date, but while they were at it, they got rid of anything that could be construed as untrue. It didnt matter, however, that Dominguez, Alonso and Hernandez had lied about visions of the Virgin. The important thing was a blind faith in a religious order. Miguel Perlado, a psychologist specializing in religious cults and founder of the Ibero-American Association for the Investigation of Psychological Abuse, has treated seven former members and considers them to be severely damaged psychologically. The young people who get out are lost, he says. They have a big problem with their identity. They have been emotionally abused and brainwashed into feeling terrified of Satan. After years of being subjected to the sects radical doctrine, they suffer psychopathological conditions that lead to serious problems such as drug addiction and anxiety attacks. Perlado defines the sect as a money-making machine. The worst thing is how they brainwash the children who are not allowed to speak to anyone outside the church, says Father Guido. So how did a movement like this, initially buoyed by nothing but fabricated apparitions, manage to attract so many members? Apparently Dominguez was blessed with an irresistible charisma, which he used to seduce potential followers. And while he was enjoying sexual relations with various partners, he demanded absolute celibacy from his followers, who worshiped his leadership qualities. He had an opinion on everything and a lively personality. Manuel Alonso, who would be the next Pope, worked in the wings translating ultraconservative texts into a range of languages to gain a worldwide following. They nurtured an us-and-them mentality with enemies including the Roman Catholic Church, masons, communists and the political classes. What sets El Palmar de Troya apart from the other 250 sects flourishing on Spanish soil? Mainly its healthy cash flow The current Pope, Pedro III, declined to comment on the revelations concerning his church. We dont give interviews, he told EL PAIS over the phone. Meanwhile, Perlado concludes: Movements that are driven by money are brutal. You can only get in via the Al Capone route. Rules and more rules Gines Jesus Hernandez maintains that he relaxed the rules for members during his five-year term as pontiff. However, psychologist Miguel Perlado contests this: Far from the rules being relaxed, they became much stricter. There were far too many demands made on young people who can never attain this kind of pure state. For example, the sect has imposed increasingly stricter rules on members, banning them from going to the movies or wearing short sleeves. Meanwhile, Hernandez has imposed his political views under the guise of religion.In a sermon delivered on 20 November, 2011 that coincided with a general election in Spain, Hernandez told members to do the following: prayer and penitence; prayer and penitence; obedience to the hierarchy and humility. This is Christs way. This or nothing. The cross or nothing." Refering to Spain's system of regional autonomy, he said: Every autonomous region wants more concessions so that they can steal more. The Bilderberg group manages the world, them and other small groups that are interrelated When a government annoys them, they give them a call. Change or your life is over. Just look at the Italian prime minister Aldo Moro. He added that El Palmar de Troya has had to shed followers in recent years: We had to excommunicate nearly half the church. Almost all our followers in Ireland have been excommunicated, also in Germany and in many other places, he explained, highlighting the dangers posed by society: The internet, like all other means of communication, is managed by the masons, my dear children, he said. English version by Heather Galloway. At the invitation of Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Mardas, who is a co-chair of the Greece-Azerbaijan Joint Interministerial Committee (JIC) on Economic, Industrial and Technological cooperation, Azerbaijans Energy Minister and the Azeri co-chair of the JIC, NatigAliyev, arrived in Athens yesterday, Wednesday, 25 May 2016, for the 4th Meeting of the Greece-Azerbaijan JIC. Mr. Aliyev is accompanied by the Deputy Minister for Telecommunications and High Technology, IltimasMammadov, Deputy Healthcare Minister ElsevarAgayev, the Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, IntigamBabayev, and a team of experts in sectors of particular interest, including energy, transport, agriculture and tourism. The JIC proceedings will begin today, Thursday, 26 May 2016, with negotiations on a technical level, and will culminate on Friday, 27 May, with the JIC plenary session and the signing of the relevant Protocol by the two co-chairs, at the Foreign Ministrys Venizelos Hall (5 Vas. Sofias Ave.). Following the signing of the Protocol, at approximately 13:00, statements will be made to the news media. The Alternate Foreign Minister for European Affairs, Nikos Xydakis, today received the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjrn Jagland, noting that it is a great honor and pleasure for us to welcome the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Mr. Jagland. Mr. Jagland, in particular, is a person who knows European and Greece very well, and the Council of Europe is an organization that has always supported the Greek people and the Hellenic Republic in difficult times. During the meeting, which took place today at the Foreign Ministry, they discussed the refugee and migration issue and, more broadly, the implementation of the policies for the protection of human rights in Europe. The collocutors highlighted that the refugee crisis is a European issue that cannot be dealt with individually or piecemeal by a few member states. Mr. Jagland expressed his solidarity with the Greek people and noted the need for the European Union to show solidarity through providing the necessary support on both the political and material levels. He also noted the need for material support and specialized personnel to be sent to support the efforts of the Greek state. We are impressed with the way Greece is handling this issue, with the limited resources it has at this time. Greece is making every possible effort to ensure that every refugee has the option to submit an application for asylum, Mr. Jagland stated, adding that Greece needs the support of all the European states and, of course, of the European institutions. This is the principal message I have to deliver when I return to Strasbourg and speak with the 47 member states of the CoE. Mr. Xydakis highlighted that there needs to be support from the European Union for the refugee relocation programme, which, as shown by the European Commission data, is so far producing minimal results. Also highlighted during the talks was the need for coordination of everyones efforts in order for the EU-Turkey agreement to function with respect for the rights of the refugees. Finally, Mr. Jagland briefed Mr. Xydakis on the issues the CoE is being called upon to handle and the need for all of its members to cooperate with the aim of the CoEs achieving optimum results. The Cocoli lock in the Panama Canal. Alejandro Bolivar (EFE) The Spanish-led consortium working on the expansion of the Panama Canal is planning to hand over the completed project on May 31, after suffering major delays and cost overruns. But the Grupo Unidos por el Canal (GUPC) consortium, which is headed by Spanish company Sacyr, still does not now how much money it will receive for what it terms the biggest engineering project in the world. That is because a legal battle is still underway to decide the price of the construction work. Depending on what a Miami arbitration court decides, the project could mean losses for the builders. When ships start to transit through the new canal it will be easier to negotiate a happy ending Sacyr chief Manuel Manrique Consortium leaders told a group of Spanish journalists in Panama that it is going to be very difficult for this project to make money. The expansion of the century-old waterway was awarded to GUPC in 2009. The project had an initial budget of $3.2 billion (around 2.85 billion), but Sacyr says that the costs have spiked to 5.58 billion, triggering company demands for more money from Panama Canal authorities. So far, the contractors which also include Belgian, Italian and Panamanian companies- have managed to get an additional $460 million provisionally recognized as due, although Spanish sources said they expected to ultimately receive around 50% of their cost overruns. The Canal in numbers The Panama Canal Authority estimates that traffic will increase from 350 million tons a year to 600 million. Nearly 14,000 ships currently cross the canal annually, in a journey that takes between 18 and 20 hours. The expansion involved 11,000 workers from 40 countries, 4.5 million m3 of concrete, and 220,000 tons of steel as much as was used on the Eiffel Tower. This excess expenditure was caused by the quality of the basalt, unexpected problems with the terrain, worker strikes and regulatory changes. The consortium has claimed that the Panamanian authorities provided them with inaccurate geological studies that downplayed he real building difficulties. Sacyr chief Manuel Manrique said he is convinced that GUPC and the government of Panama will reach a reasonable agreement, and underscored that the expansion of the waterway has been a success story. We are working to initiate a process, and when ships start to transit through the new canal it will be easier to negotiate a happy ending, said Manrique at a press conference. Manrique also said that the agreement did not have to be exclusively financial, and that other types of compensation could be sought. The chairman of Sacyr would not advance a date for the completion of this deal. Also present at the conference was Carlos Espinosa de los Monteros, the High Commissioner for the Spain Brand, who underscored the projects importance as a way to showcase the ability and technology of Spanish construction firms in the world. Over 100 vessels have already booked dates to make the crossing between the Atlantic and the Pacific between now and September The Spanish representative said that the real significance of the project resides in its sheer scope, and insisted that relations between both countries have not deteriorated over the legal dispute. Although the completion date is May 31, the inauguration of the new Panama Canal will not take place until June 26, coinciding with general elections in Spain. This means that acting prime minister Mariano Rajoy will be unable to attend. Nearly 70 heads of state and government have been invited to come witness the crossing of the first ship, a container barge named Andronikos owned by the Chinas COSCO. The new locks built by the consortium will allow the passage of triple E class ships, a type of very large container ship. Over 100 vessels have already booked dates to make the crossing between the Atlantic and the Pacific between now and September. English version by Susana Urra. These are the responsibility of the editor and convey the newspaper's view on current affairs-both domestic and international Albert Rivera during his visit this week to Venezuela. MIGUEL GUTIERREZ (EFE) The recent visits to Venezuela by former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and Albert Rivera, the head of Ciudadanos, has obliged Spains parties to make their position clear regarding the crisis in the South American nation. The Popular Party (PP), the Socialists (PSOE), and Ciudadanos have all expressed their support for democracy and against the imprisonment of opponents of President Nicolas Maduro. Meanwhile, Unidos Podemos, the new coalition between the Communist Party-led United Left and anti-austerity grouping Podemos, has backed the Venezuelan government, insinuating that opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, who has been in prison for several months following a show trial organized by the government, is a coup leader. Some commentators have questioned the visits to Caracas in the run up to the June 26 elections, but the trips are entirely justified. The Socialist Partys Zapatero went there to mediate between the government and the opposition; Rivera was invited to speak by the countrys opposition-controlled National Assembly. On both occasions, the visits have been backed by the Spanish embassy in Caracas. In any event, it is perfectly legitimate for candidates in the Spanish elections to discuss the situation in a country that is clearly of interest to Spain. The situation in Venezuela is sufficiently serious as to require Spains political parties to make their position clear: following elections in which the overwhelming majority of voters backed the opposition, President Maduro has dug in, backed by the judiciary and armed forces that for the moment he controls. In the meantime, the country is sinking deeper and deeper into poverty and violence. President Maduro has dug in, backed by the judiciary and armed forces that for the moment he controls. In the meantime, the country is sinking deeper and deeper into poverty and violence In response, Mariano Rajoy, Spains acting prime minister (in the form of an article in EL PAIS), along with Rodriguez Zapatero and Albert Rivera (through their visits to Caracas), have done what might be expected of three leaders who defend democracy: highlight the situation in Venezuela and express their support for an electorate that has voted for change and is suffering the consequences of a totalitarian regime that locks up dissidents and has led the country to the brink of ruin. The recently created coalition between the Communist Party-led United Left and anti-austerity party Podemos supports Maduro, as its leadership has done all along. We should remember that Podemoss leader Pablo Iglesias voted in the European Parliament last year against a call for opposition leaders to be freed. His new partner, Alberto Garzon, has backed Maduros description of Leopoldo Lopez as a coup leader, while Iglesias has said that the law must be respected. The position of Spains political parties is clear: the only question is whether Podemos is defending the regime created by Hugo Chavez (its leadership worked for it for several years), or out of fear that a change of position would prompt Maduro to say how many millions his government has handed over to the party since its foundation. If Podemoss leadership believes in transparency, it should address this question immediately. English version by Nick Lyne. Albert Rivera with Lilian Tintori, wife of dissident Leopoldo Lopez. M.G. (EFE) More information Venezuela and Spains general election The head of Spain's emerging Ciudadanos party returned to Madrid on Thursday after a three-day visit to Venezuela to show support for the opposition there. I have seen a very difficult humanitarian situation in Venezuela, said Albert Rivera. I was surprised at the unity of opposition parties, who are very clear about the fact that they need to stick together. Rivera, whose reformist party came fourth at the inconclusive Spanish elections of December 20, is one of several Spanish politicians to have flown to the Latin American country in recent months. If it can be proven that someone committed crimes of terrorism, it is my view that its sensible that this person might be in jail Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias On Wednesday, he exchanged views with former Spanish prime minister Felipe Gonzalez, who has been an active campaigner in defense of the Venezuelan opposition. Rivera is also expected to meet with another former Spanish leader, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who was recently in Venezuela himself as part of an international commission. On his last day in Caracas, right before taking his flight home, Rivera attempted to visit leading opposition figure Leopoldo Lopez, who has been held in a military prison since 2014. Sign up for our newsletter EL PAIS English Edition has launched a weekly newsletter. Sign up today to receive a selection of our best stories in your inbox every Saturday morning. For full details about how to subscribe, click here. On Wednesday, Rivera accused Spains other emerging party, the leftist Podemos, of turning a blind eye on the plight of the Venezuelan people because of its old ties with the Venezuelan regime. In my country there are parties that support what is happening here, who claim that these people [the dissidents] are coupmongers, said Rivera in Caracas. Most parties in Spain, save for Podemos because of its support for Chavismo, agree that dialogue [in Venezuela] must be supported. Campaigning abroad Meanwhile, back in Madrid, Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias accused Rivera of using the trip to campaign ahead of the Spanish general election on June 26. But he fell short of asking for Leopoldo Lopezs release, as all other Spanish parties have. In March 2015, the European Parliament voted on a resolution asking for the release of Venezuelan dissidents: all parties voted in favor save for the European Left, which includes Podemos. Now, the anti-austerity party is trying to keep the issue out of the Spanish electoral campaign. Nobody should be in prison for defending their ideas, said Iglesias. But if it can be proven that someone committed crimes of terrorism, I think its sensible that this person might be in jail. I dont know if this is the case. Earlier this month, Spain granted citizenship to six members of the Venezuelan opposition, including relatives of Leopoldo Lopez and the head of national daily El Nacional. English version by Susana Urra. Wrestling with frequent moves, deployments and erratic schedules of their service member mates, military spouses have an unemployment rate of up to 18 percent, compared to last month's national jobless rate of 5 percent. The problem is not new to the Pentagon, and in recent years has triggered a flood of new programs aimed at encouraging companies to hire military veterans and spouses. The latest study was commissioned by Blue Star Families, a group that coordinates services for families with a loved one who is currently serving or has served in the military. And it found that up to 42 percent of military spouses or as many as 95,000 are jobless, compared to about 25 percent of a comparable civilian spouse population. In addition, it estimated that military spouses with a bachelor's degree earn 40 percent less than their civilian counterparts. The report noted that various groups have done studies on military spouse unemployment that yielded varying statistics. But there was broad agreement on the overall conclusion that they face higher unemployment rates than civilians, especially those of comparable age. "The math is shocking, but it also shows the way forward," said Kathy Roth-Douquet, founder and chief executive officer of Blue Star Families. "If we work together to reverse the crippling employment trends facing military spouses, we will add money back to our economy." And she called on the government and private companies to do more to battle spouse unemployment in the same way they did to beef up the hiring of veterans. "Military spouses are faced with unique challenges in starting and maintaining a career as a result of the military lifestyle they lead that requires frequent moves and sometimes being the single parent while their military spouse is deployed," said Marine Lt. Col. Gabrielle Hermes, a Pentagon spokeswoman. Defense Department data from surveys comes up with different numbers, finding that 23 percent of military spouses identify themselves as unemployed. According to the study, the estimated cost of the problem is largely borne by the federal government, including unemployment and health care benefits and lost income taxes. The study estimated that those costs ranged from about $710 million to $1.07 billion per year. There has been increased attention on veteran and military-related unemployment issues over the past decade, particularly as service members came home from repeated deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and found it difficult to find jobs after they left the military. That focus has also expanded to spouses, who often find themselves moving every two or three years and often can't find jobs that are flexible enough to compensate for the long hours, absences and irregular schedules of their spouses while still meeting any child care needs. The study found that getting meaningful employment is a major concern for spouses. And more than half of them say that having a spouse in the military has a "negative effect" on their ability to find a job that meets their education and experience levels. As of 2015, there were about 564,000 female civilian spouses of active duty military members nationwide, and 70 percent of them were under the age of 35. The Pentagon and military services have a number of websites and jobs programs, including ones aimed at military spouses. The Military Spouse Employment Partnership has job listings, resume tips, career counseling and other assistance. According to the Defense Department, partner employers have posted more than 4 million jobs in the past five years. The Joining Forces initiative launched by First Lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden in 2011 has helped more than 1.2 million veterans and spouses get hired or trained, according to numbers announced earlier this month. Of those, Hermes said that about 95,000 were military spouses. Another program provides up to $4,000 in scholarships to eligible spouses to pursue certifications, licenses or other degrees. Hermes said that the department is assessing the effectiveness of the programs, adding that getting information about them can be a challenge especially when so many military spouses transition out of the military every year and new spouses join. She said the department relies on experts who work for the military services as well as other organizations, employers and communities, to help get the word out. "The big-picture stuff is pretty much settled out," Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Hildenbrand told The Associated Press in a phone interview. The state budget office confirmed that the framework of an agreement was in place with Hildenbrand and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Al Pscholka. The Republican governor and GOP legislative leaders still have to sign the accord, but unsettled details were described as small. House Speaker Kevin Cotter said earlier Tuesday that a final budget deal for the fiscal year that begins in October was "very, very close." Negotiators had to adjust after anticipated tax revenues were recently lowered by $333 million and Medicaid cost estimates were raised $127 million. Hildenbrand said "target" spending levels for individual departments and major budget areas have been sent to members of the House and Senate budget committees and are roughly $390 million below what Snyder proposed in February. The governor's proposal to spend $165 million more on the Flint emergency is intact. About $70 million has been allocated so far toward the disaster that began when the city's water source was switched while it was under state management and improperly treated water leached toxic lead from old pipes into households and businesses. Snyder's proposed new $165 million fund to address water pipes and other aging infrastructure statewide would instead receive $5 million. "We had to go and find reductions," said Hildenbrand, a Lowell Republican. A commission Snyder created in the wake of Flint's disaster is working on a statewide infrastructure assessment and recommendations due by December. "The concept was good, but we're not quite ready yet," Hildenbrand said. "Part of the thought process was, 'We'll see what this task force comes up with.' Next year, maybe it's something we can beef up and align a little more closely with what the recommendations are." K-12 schools would still see per-student increases ranging from $60 to $120 in line with Snyder's plan and proposals passed earlier by the House and Senate. But a House-Senate school aid conference committee will have to trim $40 million from other parts of the K-12 budget. State universities' operations funding would rise roughly $40 million, or 2.9 percent, instead of $60 million, or 4.4 percent, as sought by Snyder initially. There also is consensus to prospectively end a tax credit inadvertently awarded to auto insurers and that is costing the state $60 million to $80 million a year. "There's general agreement about the fact that it was not meant to exist in the form that it is and that it does have budget implications that we just can't afford at this time," said Amber McCann, spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof. "It's just a matter of working out the details as to where it will start, when we'll do it, when we need to do it so it's wrapped up with the budget as well." Cotter said he has no "final position" on the issue, while Hildenbrand cautioned that "we still have to get the votes" in the face of opposition from the insurance industry, which has characterized the tax break's elimination as imposing a "car tax" on drivers. "It was something that was not intended," he said. "We ought to make it right." Lawmakers, who plan to break for the summer in mid-June, will enact a $55 billion budget once conference panels finalize specifics such as whether a prison should be closed to trim $27 million from the proposed Department of Corrections budget. The Legislature also faces the prospect of Detroit Public Schools running out of money after June 30 but is at odds over an overhaul. While legislators agree on paying off the district's estimated $467 million debt and launching a new district, the Senate has favored providing $200 million in additional transition funds while the House backs $33 million. The Senate previously voted to create a commission of mayoral appointees to make decisions about opening and closing Detroit schools, including publicly funded charters in the city. It has faced stiff resistance from the school-choice lobby and House Republicans. Snyder and the leaders said Tuesday they see no need to directly tie the budget and Detroit bills together. "I think we can get both done and there isn't one holding up the other," Cotter said. More information New night of street protests over Barcelona squatter eviction Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau on Thursday admitted to the difficulty of intervening in a conflict that erupted on Monday in the district of Gracia. For the third consecutive day, the neighborhood awoke to a scene of destruction as trash containers, urban furniture and storefront windows were attacked by protesters over the eviction of squatters at a nearby building. Two people have been arrested and 33 more sustained injuries as a result of clashes with the regional police force, the Mossos dEsquadra. Let them talk and listen and seek formulas; perhaps we can find the formula through the neighborhood fabric Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau The squatters who lived for five years at a former bank branch-turned-community center renamed Banc Expropiat (The Expropriated Bank) are refusing to talk to the authorities. If they want nothing from the administration, that leaves us in a very difficult position to intervene, said Colau, herself a former social activist who once campaigned against home evictions by banks. This is a very complex situation that we must address through common sense. Colau noted that it was a private company, Catalunya Caixa, that initiated the proceedings ending in the court-mandated eviction. The Can Vies precedent In May 2014, the city halted the demolition of Can Vies, a popular squatter center, after extensive rioting broke out. The mayor at the time, Xavier Trias of the center-right nationalist CiU, made the decision after four nights of street protests by thousands of demonstrators that resulted in dozens of arrests. The mayor underscored that the larger issue underlying the present conflict is the presence of empty premises in the city, whose owners are waiting to rent or sell them for speculative purposes. She also noted that for four or five years, this place has been home to community activities, giving it a social purpose and defending the view that there should be no spaces lying empty in the city, and that they should be run by local residents. Given that the squatters are refusing to deal with local authorities, Colau suggested that they talk to their neighbors instead. Let them talk and listen and seek formulas; perhaps we can find the formula through the neighborhood fabric, she said. Asked about the use of force by the Catalan police force, the mayor said she was not aware of the details of the operation and that she trusted an action that is not simple because of its complexity. Colau was voted mayor at municipal elections held in May 2015. Her victory, despite her complete lack of experience in politics, was held up as an example of a rising tide of leftist popular platforms following a protracted economic crisis. English version by Susana Urra. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has researched and approved for release four species of parasitic wasps that naturally target the larval and egg stages of the ash borer, which has killed an estimated 38 million ash trees in urban and residential areas. The estimated cost of treating, removing, and replacing the lost trees is $25 billion, according to a report written by USDA and U.S. Forest Service entomologists earlier this month. On average, federal and state resource managers spend more than $29 million per year to manage ash borer populations. The tiniest of the wasps looks like a pepper flake on a white surface. It lays eggs inside ash borer eggs, preventing them from hatching. Three other wasps, one the size of a gnat, lays eggs inside ash borer larvae halting development into adult beetles. They were identified in China in 2002 and studied for several years before scientists concluded they could be safety released in the United States to fight the ash borer. The wasp release program is in 24 of the 26 states where the ash borer has been found, said entomologist Ben Slager, the manager of the laboratory in Brighton, Michigan, producing the wasps run by the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, a USDA agency. Plans are to also distribute wasps to Texas and Georgia, the final two states not yet in the program. "This isn't going to save anybody's tree in their yard or in the city. What we're working to do is to protect the next generation coming up," Slager said Tuesday. "It's really a long-term management strategy." Ash was the most commonly planted tree species used to replace elm trees decimated from the 1920s through the 1980s throughout North America by Dutch elm disease. Scientists believe the ash borer was accidentally introduced into North America in the 1990s, most likely in wooden shipping crates from Russia, China, Japan or Korea. The ash borer feeds on tree tissue beneath the bark, destroying the ability to move water and nutrients to branches. Iowa, the latest state to introduce the wasps, will begin distribution in the next few weeks in a 133-acre timber near Fairfield, about 100 miles southeast of Des Moines. The ash borer was found there in 2013 and continues to spread, said Mike Kintner, the ash borer program coordinator for Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Iowa has about 52 million rural ash trees and about 3.1 million more urban areas, the USDA Forest Service said. CASS CITY It is feast or famine when it comes to having a grocery story in the village of Cass City. Two businessmen are eyeing the community of about 2,375 residents to develop a grocery store. The town has been without a local grocery store since Erlas Food Center and Packaging at 6233 Church St. closed about three years ago. There also used to be an IGA store along M-81, but that closed several years ago. Texas businessman Mark Molter explained his plan to the Cass City Village Council this week to open Farm Fresh Supermarket in the heart of the downtown. His proposal for a 22,000-square foot supermarket will change the dynamics of the downtown. His plan is to demolish the former Fairway (store) and the building that houses Cass City Antiques, and to relocate Rotary Park to another area, said Steve Erickson, director of the Tuscola County Economic Development Corp. The estimated cost of Molters proposal is about $4 million. The properties are under (purchase) contract. One market study has been done. It will be a Spartan brand store, Erickson said. He hopes to start demolition in October or November, and to build about six months after that. So it might be ready to go next year. When the supermarket is operational, it is expected to have 38 to 40 full-time employees. When it is completed, it will be a wonderful revitalization to the downtown. It will mean a lot to the community and the surrounding area. There hasnt been grocery store here in a few years, said Village Manager Peter Christiano. There is a push nationally and in the state to revitalize downtowns. This would help do that here. It is an exciting opportunity. Molter has been interested in operating a grocery store in Cass City for several years. Initially, he was going to buy Erlas back when it was for sale. But he had a couple of deaths in the family. The sellers didnt want to wait, so Erlas was sold to someone else, Erickson said. (Molter) has a strong background in the grocery business. His father has 37 stores in Texas. Erickson is working with Molter economic incentives such as tax breaks and checking for grants to help with downtown revitalization. According to Christiano, Jim Zarzawski, who owns Bens Supermarkets in Brown City and Marlette, is also interested in building a grocery store where the old lumber yard used to be located. He is expected to make a presentation on what he plans with his store, said Christiano, noting it is his understanding Bens store would also carry a variety of non-grocery items, and the development would be in partnership with Frankenmuth Credit Union. The credit union has an ATM machine on the location now. Christiano thinks the two stores will compliment each other. We had two grocery stores before for many, many years. he said. Competition is good. A bipartisan group of 31 senators want to block a plan that would privatize some commissaries and likely raise prices before a report on the impacts of such a plan is ready. The measure, introduced by Sen. Jim Inhofe, an Oklahoma Republican, and Sen. Barbara Mikulski, a Maryland Democrat, would instead require the Defense Commissary Agency to complete a study on the impacts of privatization ordered in 2016's annual National Defense Authorization Act. Last year, my Senate colleagues and I fought to block language to privatize military commissaries until a study can take place to assess the impacts, costs and benefits of such drastic action, Inhofe said in a statement. That study is currently underway, and once it is completed, Congress needs time to thoroughly review and consider the recommendations. Currently the commissary is required by law to sell goods at cost plus a five percent surcharge. Commissary operating costs are covered by an over $1 billion taxpayer subsidy. The 2016 legislation ordered the Pentagon to produce a report on how privatizing commissaries, and allowing prices to fluctuate, would impact military shoppers. Congress asked that the study include information on common business practices, how privatizing only part of the system would work and impacts of privatization on the military's Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs. It also asked for an examination of different pricing plans, including a scheme that would base prices at the commissary on an as-yet unspecified savings over the price at stores immediately surrounding each base. But a plan included in this the Senate's 2017 defense legislation, currently under review by lawmakers, would instead bypass that study and require the Pentagon to pilot privatization at five commissaries nationwide. Doing so would require agency to increase their profits by raising prices so that they can cover their operating costs without waiting for the results of the current study. The Senators, with the backing of over 40 military-interest groups, including the National Military Family Association and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, say that waiting for the previously ordered study is important. Privatization could place an undue burden on many of our military men and women and their families, Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat who co-signed the measure, said in a statement. Launching a privatization pilot before careful study on its potential impacts is completed would be wildly premature. This amendment will sensibly prevent such a pilot from being launched until the report that Congress requested is completed. --Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @amybushatz. The National Guard Association is criticizing as "shameful" an Army investigation into a fraudulent recruitment program recently investigated by the CBS News program "60 Minutes." The investigation made soldiers into scapegoats and even the service admits it was badly managed from the start. The May 22 episode of the news program examined the Army's extensive review of the Guard's Recruiting Assistance Program, an effort launched in 2005 to help the service meet manpower needs during the Iraq war. The program paid soldiers who signed up as informal "recruiting assistants" between $2,000 and $7,500 for each person they helped to enlist. The service suspended the effort in 2012 after auditors flagged suspect payments. That same year, the Army set up a special unit of 60 full-time agents to investigate every one of the 105,000 soldiers who received bonuses. So far, the Army has spent nearly $28 million to uncover $10 million of alleged fraud, "60 Minutes" reported. Over 100,000 soldiers have been cleared of wrongdoing with more than 4,000 still under investigation. "When you zero in on the time that this program was initiated in 2005, the Army was under a lot of stress. We were fighting in two wars. The National Guard was 20,000 soldiers under strength and attempting to grow," Lt. Gen. Gary Cheek, director of the Army Staff, told David Martin of CBS News. "We had a program with the best of intentions, but unfortunately it was poorly designed," Cheek said. "We left ourselves vulnerable to fraud." The National Guard Association of the United States released a statement about the episode, criticizing the conduct of the investigation that treated many soldiers as guilty until they could prove their innocence. "Scrutiny of this lengthy investigation is long overdue. What the Army calls the largest investigation of fraud in the history of its Criminal Investigation Division (CID) has been largely fruitless and shameful," retired Maj. Gen. Gus Hargett, the NGAUS president, said in the statement. Lt. Gen. Flora Darpino, the Army's top lawyer, defended the investigation that went after soldiers who took advantage of the program to commit criminal misconduct. "When it comes to crime, it isn't really about the cost of what it takes to investigate," Darpino told the news program. "It's making sure that people are held accountable for criminal misconduct. And that's why we investigate." The investigation has indeed uncovered wrongdoing. In one case in Texas, former Spc. Xavier Aves, of San Antonio, collected $244,000 alone, according to the program. He pleaded guilty to abusing the program by referring people who had already enlisted and providing kickbacks to recruiters who supplied him with their names and Social Security numbers, it reported. He was sentenced to serve almost five years in prison., it reported. But many other soldiers have been brought up on charges that failed to hold up in court. Master Sergeant Jerry Wilson is one of the 105,000 soldiers who fell under investigation, according to the program. He collected $43,000 from the program for recruiting 22 soldiers, it reported. Wilson, who faced up to 12 years in prison, defended his innocence and his decision to go to trial, it reported. "Why would I go to court and put myself through everything I put myself through if I didn't think I was innocent?" he told "60 Minutes." Wilson's trial lasted four days, and he was found not guilty of theft, but his troubles didn't end after the trial, according to the program. The commanding general of the Colorado Guard "placed a reprimand in Wilson's file, killing his chances for promotion, according to "60 Minutes." It cited "compelling and substantive evidence that you defrauded the government," the program reported. Wilson responded by accepting "some responsibility" saying "if I could go back and do it all again I would keep a very specific record of everyone I talked to," according to the segment. But he disputed he had acted "through nefarious means," it reported. Many Guard members, "thinking they did nothing wrong, have cooperated with investigators, only to face criminal charges for minor violations of program rules that changed multiple times," Hargett said in his statement. "Those in our ranks who intentionally defrauded the taxpayers deserve to be punished, but this investigation appears no longer to be about fraud. It has become an increasingly futile attempt to make ridiculous allegations seem a little less ridiculous, no matter what the cost," Hargett said "This investigation has needlessly harmed soldiers and their families. It needs to end." --Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. Spanish journalist Salud Hernandez-Mora A. VEGA (AFP) More information Santos apunta a que la periodista espanola no esta secuestrada Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced on Wednesday that there is a chance that Salud Hernandez-Mora, a Spanish journalist who has been missing since Saturday, has not been kidnapped. The president said that the reporter may have decided to embed in the jungle with the armed group National Liberation Army (ELN) for a story. What I know of Salud Hernandez, the information that I have, which I am verifying, [is that] she went to do a report of her own free will, that she met with ELN, and ELN is waiting to see how she can come back to freedom, Santos said during a visit to Choco (western Colombia). What I know of Salud Hernandez, the information that I have, is that she went to do a report of her own free will President Santos Hernandez-Mora, a correspondent for the Spanish newspaper, El Mundo, and columnist for El Tiempo newspaper in Bogota, was last seen on Saturday in El Tarra, a municipality in the region of Catatumbo. She was there to report on the area where ELN groups live alongside members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), Popular Liberation Army (EPL) and drug-trafficking gangs that have broken off from paramilitary groups. Santos admitted that the information is not completely confirmed, and the reporters whereabouts remain unknown. Still, his hypothesis has a logic to it because she told many people, including the director of El Tiempo [Roberto Pombo], with whom she was in constant communication, that she was doing a report. She is now unreachable, Santos added. John de Jesus Reales, the driver who took Colombian journalists Diego DPablos and Carlos Melo from Tibu to El Tarra, where they went missing on Monday night while reporting on Hernandezs disappearance, resurfaced on Thursday. RCN says Reales was set free in the early hours on Wednesday morning. The authorities found him in a place near the town of Filogringo. The RCN crew say they were stopped by a group of armed men who may have been ELN rebels. Santos said he has no further information regarding the two missing Colombian reporters but that his administration believes something like that must have happened. The representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia has called for calm in the midst of a confusing situation RCN has reported the disappearances as kidnappings but neither Colombian officials nor the rebels have confirmed that suspicion. Todd Howland, the representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia, has called for calm in the midst of a confusing situation. First, there is a lot of confusion... We are, firstly, sad because we know the important role that journalists play. Hernandez-Mora was doing an interview with an illegal group, he said. Then, a day later, police and military units descended on the area to search for her, which may have complicated her situation, Howland added. The UN diplomat said she will not find it easy to leave whenever she wants since there is a military operation underway and it is very complicated. Howland has called for all parties involved to be calm and to put the rights of journalists first. English version by Dyane Jean Francois. Despite Flipping in Surf 4 Times in a Year, Marines Say New ACV Is the Future of Amphibious Warfare Some Marine veterans familiar with the vehicle and its operations have worried about the reliability of the ACV. Georgians unable to pay visit to graves of loved ones in South Ossetia Georgians living in regions adjoining the breakaway territory of South Ossetia have once again been unable to pay their traditional Easter visit to the graves of loved ones buried across the administrative border. The de facto boundary, secured on the South Ossetian side by guards from Russias Federal Security Services, has in some cases cut villages and fields in half. South Ossetia has claimed independence from Georgia since a conflict in the early 1990s. Moscow recognised it as a sovereign state following the Russian-Georgian war of August 2008 and took control of the border the following year. Georgias insistence that South Ossetia lies firmly within its borders is supported by most of the international community. The residents of the Shida Kartli region, which borders the conflict zone, have lost access to pastures, agricultural areas, forests and in some cases their homes because they found themselves on the wrong side of the dividing line. The problem becomes particularly acute each spring when people traditionally visit the graves of relatives the day after Easter, which according to the Orthodox church this year fell on May 1. Residents of South Ossetia can simply use Russian passports to visit cemeteries in Georgia, as they often do to access education or medical treatment across the administrative border. But those on the other side of the dividing line have to apply for access, which is usually denied. What kind of Christians are they? They could allow us to go at least for one day. After all, the cemetery is right here, Kokashvili said. My parents are buried there, our church is there, but they do not allow us [to go there]. His fellow villagers have repeatedly appealed to the Russian border guards asking for an exception for Easter, but their requests were turned down. On May 2, Kokashvili and other Khurvaleti residents walked to the barbed wire marking the administrative border and handed wine and Easter eggs over to an elderly villager, Data Vanishvili, on the other side. He visited the cemetery on their behalf and left the gifts at the graves of their deceased relatives. Vanishvili, an 83-year-old citizen of Georgia, suddenly became a resident of South Ossetia and Russia on the day Russian troops marked the border and his house ended up on the other side of the boundary. Visiting graves is also problem for thousands of internally displaced persons (IDP), who for the eighth year in a row cannot access the occupied territories. Leila Zubashvili lives with her husband in Karaleti, a settlement for IDPs. The grave of their son lies in their former village of Eredvi, which they were forced to leave in 2008. Instead, the Zubashvilis gathered photographs of their child, and lit a candle in front of them for Easter. For years, the Georgian side has petitioned for these humanitarian issues to be addressed in meetings held under the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM). This is a forum facilitated by the OSCE and the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) since 2009. However, the Russian and Ossetian sides have refused to respond to these petitions. ROUTINE DETENTIONS Georgian citizens who cross over to the Ossetian side, whether on purpose or by accident, are often seized by Russian guards and charged with breaching the border, even in places with no fences. According to Georgias State Security Service, 2,481 citizens were detained by Russian forces between 2009 and 2015. Of these, 840 had crossed into South Ossetia and 1,641 into the other secessionist territory of Abkhazia. Detentions are on the rise. In 2014, a total of 142 people were arrested for crossing into South Ossetia, up from 84 in 2014. Last year, 162 Georgians were caught and detained in the prison in the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali. In one recent incident in mid-April, Erosi Takadze, a Georgian citizen from Kirbali, let his cows graze on unmarked territory next to his village and was arrested by Russian border guards. He told IWPR that armed men put him in a car and took him to the village of Gromi on the Ossetian side for interrogation. He was then taken him to the Tskhinvali prison and only released five days later after paying a 2,000 ruble (30 US dollars) fine. Takadze was one of 39 Georgian citizens detained, fined and released from Tskhinvali so far this year. The borders appear sometimes to be arbitrarily determined by the Russian guards. They came to the Lomisi church and held some map, said Gogi Papitashvili, another Kirbali resident. They pointed to half of the cemetery and said that this is where the border runs and prohibited us from c rossing it. This is where the family cemetery of the Takadze family is located and the relatives cannot go to it because there is a Russian post in the forest and they go out and kidnap people. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) conducted a human security assessment in 55 villages along the administrative line in late 2013. Their report concluded that the majority of the population felt threatened, insecure and worried about their future. Inability to access fields, pastures and markets has reduced both income and employment opportunities, according to UNHCR, and further limited communication between families living on opposite sides of the boundary. According to the Georgian Public Defenders report for 2015, the problem is exacerbated by the fact that international human rights organizations do not have access to the occupied territories. MOVING THE DIVIDING LINE In 2010, border signs were put up by Russian border guards in the villages of the Gori and Kareli municipalities on the Georgian side. A year later, Russian border guards began to mark the territory of the fields of the villages of Dvani, Ditsi and Khurvaleti with poles, later stretching barbed wire between. The process of establishing an actual border began in earnest in 2013. In some locations, the dividing line was moved deep into Georgias territory, which the Georgian side has called a creeping occupation. In 2014, a 50 kilometre barrier was installed along the 350 km dividing line and the process has steadily continued. Most recently, in March, Russian border guards paved a road on land owned by farmers in the village of Djariasheni and prohibited the owners from approaching it. Georgian politicians believe that Russia is trying to provoke another confrontation due to Tbilisis pro-Western trajectory. It is part of their (Russian side) agenda to occupy Georgia, said Ani Mirotadze, a lawmaker from the ruling Georgian Dream coalition. They are not satisfied with what is happening on our territory, and they want to have a certain influence in Georgia. We use all communications to avoid provocations and to not give Russia the opportunity again to draw us into a bloody conflict, which is most likely what they wish. The Georgian government has repeatedly protested the movement of boundary markers deeper into their territory. However, Russias foreign ministry said that it supports the position of Tskhinvali (known in Ossetia as Tskhinval), according to which the work is carried exclusively on the territory of the Republic of South Ossetia and does in no way violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia. Goga Aptsiauri works for RFE / RL and is the winner of the European Union's 2014 Peace Journalism prize. IWPR, Georgia, South Ossetia, CRS 814 GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A 12-story office tower planned for downtown's Heartside Neighborhood has stalled after its developers failed to draw sufficient interest from potential office and retail tenants. Twelve Weston is not dead, but may be revived as a residential project, said Charlie Secchia, a principal with SIBSCO LLC, the developer of the project with Rockford Construction Co.. "It's tough to get traction," said Secchia. "People don't want to sign a lease on a piece of dirt." The site for the building at the southwest corner of Division Avenue and Weston Street SW remains ready for the start of construction. The site was formerly home to a pair of crumbling buildings that were demolished in 2014. Plans for the 150,000-square-foot glass curtain-wall building included restaurant and retail space on the ground floor, a multi-story parking deck and several stories of offices. SIBSCO had hoped a "bonus height" calculation to exceed the 85-foot limit on buildings in the Heartside neighborhood. City code allows developers to build higher if certain amounts of ground floor retail and "urban open space" are included. Secchia said it may have a future as a residential project. Unlike the uncertain downtown office market, demand for residential housing is strong downtown. The Twelve Weston project had Adtegrity, a digital advertising agency, on board as an anchor tenant, but other tenants were harder to land because the market for "Class A" office space in the downtown area has become uncertain with several large building projects in the pipeline, he said. Although 90 percent of the downtown office market is filled, there are several office buildings that will be built and renovated that will soak up much of the market's demand, he said. Renovations have recently begun on the Calder Square Plaza Building, a 10-story office building that is largely vacant after Miller Johnson, a large downtown law firm moved into Arena Place, a new 11-story office, residential and retail project at 45 Ottawa Ave. SW. In coming years, much of the Fifth Third Building at 111 Lyon Street NW will become available after the law firm of Warner Norcross and Judd completes an office tower nearby parking lot at the southeast corner of Lyon Street and Ottawa Avenue NW. Meanwhile, Frankin Partners has announced plans to invest $10 million in renovating the Keeler Building, a seven-story office building at 56 N. Division Ave. Jim Harger covers business for Mlive Media Group. Email him at jharger@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook or Google+. Document of Genocide recognition handed over to museum (video) Today the documents of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by three Italian cities have been handed over to the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute at the RA Ministry of Diaspora. In the interview with A1+ Deputy Director of the Museum-Institute Suren Manukyan stressed the importance of that step by the Italian cities, noting that any recognition is important to us, Recognition both by such small cities, states or NGOs is important from two different viewpoints. First, any recognition raises awareness on the Armenian Genocide, the second important issue that we solve is raising the topic of the genocide to the international arena and raising the level of Armenias security by that. As long as it is spoken about, we put pressure on Turkey, forcing it to defend itself and make counter-steps and not attack first. This process has no end. We should constantly work in this direction. The documents have been handed over to Suren Manukyan by Head of the Armenian Union of Italy, Professor Paykar Svazyan. According to his words, the Mayors themselves asked him to transfer them to Armenia. To remind, on April 3, April 7 and May 16 the city councils of Italian Civita Castellana, Canosa and Monate unanimously recognized the Armenian Genocide. ANN ARBOR, MI -- The hunt for dioxane in the West Park area of Ann Arbor has begun. Workers from the city of Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County Public Health and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality were on the scene on Wednesday as the DEQ collected shallow groundwater samples in the park. The DEQ is taking the samples back to its lab in Lansing to be tested for the toxic chemical 1,4-dioxane, which has been spreading through the city's groundwater from the former Gelman Sciences site on Wagner Road for decades. It's uncertain if the plume of contamination has hit West Park yet, but the test results due back within a couple of weeks could give some indication. Jennifer Lawson, the city's water quality manager, took Dan Hamel and Kevin Lund of the DEQ on a tour of a few places in the city where there is groundwater seeping out of the ground, including directly in West Park, along Eighth Street next to Slauson Middle School, and near State and Fuller streets. Dan Hamel of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and Jennifer Lawson, the city of Ann Arbor's water quality manager, look over a map in West Park on May 25, 2016. "We're continuing to work with the state and offering information we have available," Lawson said. "Today we're looking at known groundwater seep locations, where we have high groundwater or groundwater that surfaces to the land area." Hamel and Lund dug a small hole on the northwest side of West Park near Seventh Street, where the ground is soggy from groundwater. The hole they dug filled in with surrounding groundwater, samples of which were collected in small vials. No samples were collected in any other areas on Wednesday. Hamel said he'll probably come back to collect some samples from the pond in West Park, though the water there includes stormwater runoff and it has been exposed to ultraviolet light from the sun. Hamel said he'll need to get permission from the property owner on Eighth Street before collecting groundwater samples there. As for the area near State and Fuller, which is very close to the Huron River, Hamel said that likely won't be tested anytime soon as the immediate focus is on the West Park area, where there have been concerns that dioxane could be seeping out of the ground and even infiltrating nearby basements. That's a theory put forward by multiple citizen activists tracking the plume, including Dan Bicknell, president of Global Environment Alliance LLC. Based on a review of hydrogeological cross-sections and monitoring-well data, Bicknell, who discovered the Gelman plume in 1984 and later worked as an enforcement officer for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, believes there are unsafe levels of dioxane moving through shallow groundwater. He and others, including local officials, have argued the current monitoring-well network is inadequate, with wells spaced too far apart. An estimate of the extent of the Gelman dioxane plume. Plume boundaries shown here are based on a map created by Washtenaw County in February 2016. Bicknell argues more investigation is needed to be sure people aren't being exposed to dioxane in the West Park area. DEQ officials say there's not enough information at this point to say whether there's any danger to public health. "We don't have information to identify that there is that much of a concern, and that's what we're gathering," Hamel said. "We're going to come in and get information and see if it is a concern that the venting groundwater has detectable levels. And then it could go further, depending on what we find." Hamel noted there's a monitoring well near Seventh and Miller that has never shown any detectable levels of dioxane. Following the testing of the West Park seeps, the DEQ is planning to have some shallow groundwater monitoring wells installed in June, likely along Seventh Street. At least until those results are known, the DEQ isn't planning to go inside people's basements to do any testing. Bicknell said last week he believes it should be the responsibility of Pall Corp., the company that acquired Gelman in 1997, to pay for investigating the concerns about the West Park area, not taxpayers. A spokesman for Pall declined to comment when contacted on Wednesday, saying the company isn't commenting to the press about dioxane at this time. Evan Pratt, Washtenaw County's water resources commissioner, said he's personally concerned about the issue because his field staff workers enter large drain pipes throughout the city to check conditions as part of preventative maintenance. That includes large pipes under West Park. "So we support and are eager to see results from the sampling," he said of the testing being done now. However, due to the limited exposure and body contact with damp or wet basements, Pratt said, his greatest concern remains the contamination of residential drinking water wells in surrounding township areas. The DEQ is encouraging property owners with concerns about potential dioxane contamination to contact Hamel, the DEQ's project manager for the Gelman plume site, at 517-780-7832 or hameld@michigan.gov. In addition to Lawson and the DEQ workers, Alex Rosen, an intern in the city's systems planning unit, and Jennifer Conn, an environmental analyst for the county, were on hand for Wednesday's tour of seep locations. A local hydrogeologist recently presented an alternate theory for how the plume may be spreading, suggesting it's likely it already has reached the Huron River by branching out into preferred flow pathways underground. Ryan Stanton covers the city beat for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at ryanstanton@mlive.com. YPSILANTI, MI -- Scott Snyder has been named the new principal of Ypsilanti Community High School, effective July 1. Scott Snyder Snyder has served as the school's interim administrator for the last six weeks, following previous high school principal Tanya Bowman's arrest on a federal bribery charge, which stemmed from her time at Detroit Public Schools. Bowman pleaded guilty to the felony charge on May 3. Snyder was hired on a one-year contract, with an annual salary of $90,000 as the Ypsilanti Community High School principal. "Our students and staff not only trust in Scott Snyder's leadership, but he has an infectious energy that incites hard work and collaborative efforts in the community," said Superintendent Ben Edmondson, in a press release. "I have complete confidence in his leadership, expectations for all and vision. He had been a great asset and now he is an even greater one for more students, staff and families." Snyder was hired going into the 2015-16 school year as principal of Ypsilanti New Tech High School, which will relocate to the main high school campus at 2095 Packard Road by the start of the 2016-17 school year. Ypsilanti Community Schools will now house its three high school small learning communities -- New Tech, AC Tech and STEMM Middle College -- in the same building. The board of education and district administrators are still discussing options for re-purposing or potentially selling the building at 2100 Ellsworth Road that currently houses New Tech High School, said district communications specialist Yen Azzaro. Snyder earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan and holds a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Wayne State University. He has previously served as a classroom educator, assistant principal and principal in other school districts. Lauren Slagter covers K-12 education for The Ann Arbor News. Contact her at 734-255-1419, lslagter@mlive.com or on Twitter @LaurenSlagter. AA Ypsi_Twp_Senior_Housing.jpg 142 "senior targeted" condos could soon be built along Tuttle Hill in Ypsilanti Township. (Tom Perkins | For The Ann Arbor News) Construction on 142 "senior-targeted" rental units planned near Tuttle Hill and Textile roads in Ypsilanti Township could begin this summer. The project, called Nautica Pointe, is part of a long-planned development called Majestic Lakes that includes 377 condos and single-family houses. At its Tuesday night meeting, the Ypsilanti Township Planning Commission unanimously approved the final site plans. The Ypsilanti Township Board of Trustees will next consider the project at a June or July meeting. Township Planning Director Joe Lawson said the builder, Redwood Management, is ready to start construction as soon as the board of trustees approves the plans. The Majestic Lakes development also includes a controversial provision that bars the developer from accepting section 8 housing and limits the number of rentals. The Justice Department and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development are investigating the township over possible housing discrimination related to the rules. Lawson said the Justice Department investigation doesn't impact the approval process. "We're moving along as planned," he said. West Bloomfield-based developer SR Jacobson is selling the Nautica Pointe property to Ohio-based Redwood. The township's elected officials have been cool toward the idea "senior-targeted rental units," but Lawson said Redwood was able to provide evidence of demand among empty nesters or those looking to downsize. Units in a similar Lake Orion Redwood development stared at $1,400 per month, but high demand allowed the company pushed rent up to $1,750 per month, Lawson said. The development agreement limiting rentals and barring section 8 in Majestic Lakes also addressed planning officials' concerns. "People in that age bracket don't want to be labeled (seniors), so they're less likely to reside in such a development," Lawson said. "But after looking at a lot of numbers and taking care of any issues that we have with rentals through the development agreement, the planning commission is comfortable to move forward." Redwood representatives previously described the properties as apartments "with a luxury feel" that would be targeted to local empty nesters for $1,400 per month. Each unit would have two bedrooms and a bath, and an attached garage. The company said its tenants are "mostly empty nesters living within a three mile ring" who want to remain in the area but no longer want to live in a larger home. Around 65 to 75 percent of Redwood's tenants are at least 55 years old, according to the company, and their younger residents are typically looking for a quiet neighborhood. But no deed restriction or lease policy barring younger residents could be put in place due to housing discrimination concerns. Redwood also previously noted it maintains on-site management 24 hours per day, and its leases include termination clauses in case there is a problem tenant. No more than four residents would be permitted to live in a unit. Redwood said it performs extensive background and credit checks said many of its clients are moving out of homes valued at at least $250,000. The rest of the development is owned by SR Jacobson and Lombardo Homes, but no other site plans have been sent to the township. The remaining plans call for: * 37 new detached homes at the Ponds of Lakewood off Textile Road on which 16 condo units were previously built. * 81 new single-family homes on 50-foot lots in the Villages at Majestic Lakes off Tuttle Hill. * 116 new single-family homes on 60-foot lots in the Majestic Lakes Estates. Planned Development stage 1 plans for Majestic Lakes were approved in 2002 and remain in place. That plan called for 202 attached condos and 213 detached units, and was submitted by then-developer Burton-Katzman, which went bankrupt in 2006. The current developer, S.R. Jacobson, bought the property out of tax foreclosure and drew up revised PD plans, which include selling a portion of the land to Redwood Management. Plans were delayed by the Planning Commission in September 2014, but the commission subsequently recommended the board approve the project. The board rejected the plans in February and asked the commission to take another look and asked SR Jacobson to make some revisions. Those revised plans were recommended for approval on Tuesday. "It has been a long process and we're happy to get it moving forward," Lawson said. MONITOR TWP, MI - The Cracker Barrel restaurant in Monitor Township was evacuated Thursday, May 26, after employees and customers noticed that a cluster of three trees along the side of the building had caught fire. The Bay County Sheriff's Office and Monitor Township fire department responded to the scene at 2854 Wilder Road. The fire was put out by 2:40 p.m. Minor damage was done to the metal siding on the east side of the building where the trees stand. No one was injured. Monitor Township Assistant Fire Chief Harvey Feinauer said he believed the fire was caused by a cigarette. Feinauer said the location of the fire meant it was unlikely to be caused by utilities or an electrical issue. Feinauer said that recent dry weather conditions could have contributed to the cause of the fire. Read MLive's coverage of high fire danger in Michigan here. SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully Google Ad The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh USA Embassy Message for U.S. Citizens ANCA Issues National Call to Action to Stop Taxpayer Funding of Aliyevs Aggression BAY CITY, MI -- A mother duck and her brood of ducklings stopped by the Bay County Court Facility, but no word on if she was looking for back pay from an absentee mallard drake. About 3:30 p.m. Thursday, May 26, Bay County Circuit Court Probation Agent Michael Lockwood was returning to the courthouse at 1230 Washington Ave. As he neared the employee door, he noticed the duck huddled up against the entry with her brood of roughly a dozen ducklings, he said. Lockwood recorded a video of the duck family as they walked along the courthouse wall. Lockwood speculated the ducks were nesting amid some bushes, but were disturbed by the clatter of lawnmowers. By about 4 p.m., the ducks had waddled away. Cleveland Smelley, Detroit police image.jpg Cleveland Smelley, Detroit police image McKenzie, 2-year-old shot on Fairmont in Detroit. UPDATE: MLive learned from the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office at 3:30 p.m. Thursday that an earlier statement made by Detroit police the child died was incorrect. The infant remained in critical condition. Detroit Police Officer Jennifer Moreno told MLive there was a miscommunication between relatives of the girl and police. A Detroit 2-year-old was in her father's car when gunfire erupted following a neighborhood dispute in Detroit Wednesday. An argument led to gunfire on the 14000 block of Fairmont in east Detroit. Shortly after, police said they were looking for 30-year-old Cleveland Smelley, who is a "person of interest" in the shooting. Smelley was arrested Thursday afternoon. Relatives identified the girl by her first name as McKenzie for WDIV-TV, Channel 4 News. She remained in critical condition as of Thursday afternoon, according to Detroit Police Officer Jennifer Moreno. "He fired at the guy, and he's such a good aim that he missed, and hit a kid," Detroit Police Assistant Chief Steve Dolunt told WDIV. "I have no use for this individual right now; however, I want him arrested. I want to see him alive." Michigan Department of Corrections records indicate Smelley is 30, approximately 5-foot-10 and 225 pounds. He has tattoos on his left arm, stomach and lower-left back. He has a prior record, convicted of assault with a deadly weapon in 2011; and assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and felony firearm in 2006. Smelley is listed as discharged in online MDOC records as of Jan. 10, 2015. Anyone with information is asked to call Detroit police, 313-596-5940 or 313-596-1616. Since March 27, two other children -- 3-year-old A'Naiya Montgomery and 6-month-old Miracle Murray -- have been killed by gunfire in Detroit. Cleveland Smelley, Detroit police image.jpg Cleveland Smelley, Detroit police image Cleveland T. Smelley, MDOC image DETROIT -- Detroit police have released a photo of Cleveland Smelley, named a "person of interest" in the Wednesday shooting that critically injured a 3-year-old girl. He's believed to be "armed and dangerous." The shooting occurred Wednesday afternoon at a residence on the 16400 block of Fairmont in east Detroit. WDIV-TV, Channel 4 News reports the gunfire occurred after a feud between neighbors. The girl, who was with her father, was struck while inside a vehicle. While Detroit police list Smelley's age as 31, Michigan Department of Corrections records indicate Smelley is 30. He has a prior record, convicted of assault with a deadly weapon in 2011; and assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and felony firearm in 2006. Smelley is listed as discharged in online MDOC records as of Jan. 10, 2015. Anyone with information is asked to call Detroit police, 313-596-5940 or 313-596-1616. Since March 27, two other children -- 3-year-old A'Naiya Montgomery and 6-month-old Miracle Murray -- have been killed by gunfire in Detroit. PONTIAC -- A homicide suspect was captured and arraigned this week in relation to the strangulation death of Marie Elizabeth Colburn. Kevin J. Wiley Kevin Jermaine Wiley, Colburn's parolee boyfriend, was seized in Elizabethtown, Kentucky and was arraigned Monday, May 23 in Pontiac's 50th District Court. Police first tracked Wiley's whereabouts to Kentucky two weeks ago. Wiley was charged with first-degree murder, denied bond and has another scheduled court appearance at 1:30 p.m., May 31. "I want to take the time to thank all of the men and women that worked relentlessly to find Kevin Wiley and bring justice to the victim's family," Oakland County Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard said in the release. "All of the agencies involved should be commended for their diligent work on this case." An autopsy determined Colburn's death to be a homicide by suffocation. Her body was discovered in her bedroom by her family April 22. She was 30 years old. Colburn's car was missing from her Pontiac residence but was later recovered in Detroit. The Oakland County Sheriff's Office announced the capture and charges in a Thursday afternoon press release. At the time, Wiley, 33, of Pontiac, was wanted as a parole absconder as he has previous manslaughter, drug and home invasion convictions, as well as multiple parole and probation violations. Wiley was convicted of manslaughter in 2005, and served more than four years behind bars. He was convicted of second-degree home invasion in 2012. Michigan Department Of Corrections records show he was released on parole in March 2015. Wiley was captured and extradited with help from the U.S. Marshals Service and the Oakland County Fugitive Apprehension, according to the release. "Contrary to popular folklore, the fact is that 80% of those incarcerated in our prisons are there for violent crimes," Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper said in the release. "The current legislative intent to release these individuals early and without adequate supervision all too frequently results in the loss of a human life or serious injuries to another. "This is a tragedy." On an 80-degree Thursday morning, the lingering odor of a decomposing body wafted from an open apartment window in Detroit, hours after an abandoned toddler was found dead inside and taken away by authorities. It was the foul smell that spurred a maintenance worker to enter the unit about 3 p.m. Wednesday. He found the apartment empty, except for the body of 3-year-old Aaron Minor, decomposing in a bed. An autopsy was performed Thursday, but the cause and manner of death is still pending. On Thursday morning, a glass of water stood on the inside windowsill. Through gaps in the bent blinds, a spot on the bed where the child was found could be seen. In the kitchen, a stroller and open can of Rip It energy drink were visible. It's not clear how long the child had been there unsupervised, nor how he died. An autopsy was pending Thursday. Detroit police said an ambulance transported the mother, who was having a medical issue, from the apartment more than a week prior, on May 16. Detroit Police Capt. Darin Szilagy didn't know if the mother was conscious and coherent when the ambulance took her away. "She was transported to Detroit Receiving Hospital and subsequently on the next day transferred out to University of Michigan Hospital," he said. "It's going to take us time to figure out why she was transported." It's not clear whether another guardian was tending to the child when the mother was hospitalized in mid-May, or if Detroit EMS knew she had a child. MLive asked the Detroit Fire Department about EMS protocol regarding checks for dependents when transporting patients. The Fire Department hadn't responded as of 2:30 p.m. Thursday. The boy's mother was located at a psychiatric facility Thursday morning. His father has been jailed for "quite some time," Detroit Police Officer Jennifer Moreno told The Detroit News. Four residents of the apartment complex talked outside Thursday morning, about 20 yards from the half-open window to the bedroom where the body was found. A man who lives in the complex -- who declined to be named -- said the mother clearly had mental illness. "Literally, every time you'd see her, she'd be pushing the baby in a stroller wearing winter clothes -- even in the summer. The baby (Was wearing winter clothes) too," he said. "She had a mental problem." He said the mother moved in to the apartment last summer, and that she and the child were the only ones living there. A man and woman who said they live upstairs from the apartment carried a TV out of their apartment to a car in the parking lot Wednesday. "You moving out?" a man in the parking lot asked. "I just can't be here right now," the woman replied. Other tenants at the complex grabbed items from throughout the parking lot, including an advertising mailer and stick, to try and prop open the door and air out the putrid smell in side. MLive contacted Ace Investment Group, the Detroit management company for the property. A representative said, "We have no comment," repeatedly to several questions. Police haven't revealed whether they intend to arrest the mother in connection with the death of her son. DETROIT -- Police have located the mother of a toddler found dead Wednesday afternoon in a Detroit apartment. She was in a psychiatric hospital. The decomposing body of the boy, described by police as 2 or 3 years old, was discovered by a maintenance worker in a unit at the Madison Estates apartment complex on Trumbull Avenue in Detroit's Woodbridge neighborhood about 3 p.m. Wednesday. "The mother was located at a psychiatric ward early this morning," Detroit Police Officer Nicole Kirkwood said Thursday morning. She said no further details were available and did not release how long the mother is believed to have been in the hospital. "The apartment maintenance person noticed a foul odor coming from the apartment," Kirkwood said. "He opened the door and found the deceased lying in bed." Detroit Police Capt. Darin Szilagy of the 3rd Precinct on Wednesday said paramedics were dispatched to the same address earlier this month. At the time, it's believed the child's mother was having a medical issue and was found "out front on the grass." Szilagy didn't know if she was conscious and coherent at that time. "She was transported to Detroit Receiving Hospital and subsequently in the next day transferred out to University of Michigan Hospital," he said. "It's going to take us time to figure out why she was transported." It's not clear if another guardian was tending to the child when the mother was hospitalized in May. Following the discovery of the body, Detroit police said they were searching for the mother and father. Szilagy said the father is not a criminal suspect, but police wanted to locate him for a "well-being check." Police had no information that he'd been contacted as of Thursday morning. The child's autopsy is pending, and a cause and manner of death hasn't been released. "It's a suspicious death right now," Szilagy said Wednesday. "Our detectives are working and treat every suspicious death as if it could be a murder." LANSING, MI - The City of Flint claims it was acting as an "arm of the state" when decisions were made that led to the city's water crisis. The claims were made when attorneys representing the city filed notices Friday, May 20, transferring two lawsuits against the city from the Genesee Circuit Court to the state's Court of Claims. In the notices, the city argues "that at all times in which the city was controlled by an emergency manager appointed by the state, the city was an 'arm of the state' and therefore subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Court of Claims ..." City officials could not be reached for comment on the transfers. The notices were filed in lawsuits brought by Erma Vale and Doris Collins. Vale's suit seeks refunds for those who paid water bills for a product that was unsafe and cancellation of pending charges. Collins' case also stems from payments over the city's unsafe water supply. The Court of Claims only hears allegations against state agencies. Christopher Hastings, a professor at Western Michigan University's Cooley Law School, said the move could signify the city's intention to place the liability for the water crisis at the state's feet. Anna Heaton, a spokeswoman with Gov. Rick Snyder's office, declined to comment on the cases. However, Hastings said the real benefit of the transfer could come from who would hear the case. Hastings said the case, if it's allowed to remain in the Court of Claims, would be heard by a judge, rather than a jury. The city previously filed change of venue motions, arguing that it would be improper for the case to be heard by a Genesee County jury. Attorneys argued the city would be unable to get a fair trial in the Genesee Circuit Court due to the extensive media coverage the case has received locally and the number of potential jurors who could be included as class members in the lawsuits. "It's a nice idea," Hastings said of the transfer. "I'm a little surprised they didn't try it earlier." The lawsuits were filed after the city's drinking water source was switched to the Flint River by a state-appointed emergency manager. The water was not properly treated and cause lead to leach into the city's water system. Elevated blood lead levels were discovered in some of the city's youngest residents. Kildee unites 25 Congress members to hear Flint residents amidst water crisis U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, leads a Congressional delegation team of 25 people as they come to listen to Flint residents and understand the water crisis on Friday, March 4, 2016 at Grace Emmanuel Baptist Church in Flint. (Jake May | MLive.com) FLINT, MI - U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee was joined by several members of Congress on the steps of the U.S. Capitol building as he made a plea for lawmakers to remain in session ahead of the Memorial Day holiday break and work on funding to help in the Flint water crisis. Congress is set to recess at week's end and not return to work until 10 days later on June 6, but a group of Democratic congress members gathered outside the Capitol to urge Republic lawmakers to stay and deal with a number of issues, including the water crisis, Zika virus, and Supreme Court appointment. "I represent Flint, Michigan, a city of 100,000 people that for the last two years has not been able to drink their water. It has been poisoned by lead," said Kildee during brief remarks, with each speaker using the rally cry of "do you job." While noting the federal government had not created the crisis, he added Congress has not yet taken any action to help the city more than two years after the water crisis initially began after a switch from Detroit to the Flint River. "Congress needs to do its job and help the people of my hometown. They have waited far too long. And we know what we need to do," said Kildee, of providing help with the city's infrastructure and health care for residents. After a funding proposal attached to an energy bill stalled out, Democratic U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters announced in late April a package for Flint was included in the Water Resources Development Act. The bill includes $100 million repair water infrastructure, $50 million for health care needs and allowance for the state of Michigan to forgive $22 million in previous drinking water loans to Flint. "We could do it today," Kildee said. "Congress needs to do what it must do to stand with the people of Flint, Michigan, and help them through this crisis. Congress needs to do their job." This is the opinion of The Flint Journal News Leader Bryn Mickle. With liberty and justice for all. "Except in Flushing." It was with that final add to the Pledge of Allegiance that you knew a Flushing City Council meeting was ready to start. Elva Cook, the woman who for years uttered those words at countless Flushing meetings, died Sunday at 88. Elva Cook Cook was a rock in the shoe of many a public official. A firebrand who knew the rules of FOIA better than some reporters, Cook was not afraid to speak her mind when it came to the spending of taxpayer money. I first met Cook in the 1990s when I covered the City of Flushing for the former Flushing Observer. I couldn't tell you what the issue was -- maybe the streetlights -- but I can assure you she had a better handle on it than I did. Rain or shine, I could count on Cook to speak up at public meetings with a question or the occasional potshot at whichever unlucky public servant had drawn her ire. ''I am a taxpayer with a big mouth,'' Cook told The Flint Journal in 2000. ''But you have to have the brains and facts to go with it. If you don't then you shouldn't open your mouth." Sadly, the political activism practiced by Cook is too often lacking at public meetings these days. In an age where too many people skip voting entirely, public meetings are sometimes ghost towns where the empty seats outnumber the full ones by a 10-1 margin. While I always hope our elected officials are looking out for the public's best interests, the cynic in me knows that is not always the case. And, let's face it, it's always easier to do the wrong thing when no one is watching. Yet, the Flint water crisis is a reminder of what an engaged electorate can accomplish. Were it not for the constant cries of citizens complaining about water quality and the doctors who heard those cries, the city's lead problem may have never come to light. Likewise, it is caring citizens who have helped keep the issue in the spotlight these many months later. You don't always to agree with activists to recognize their value. I'm sure Cook's use of the Pledge to dig at Flushing officials rankled more than a few folks along the way, as well as her constant questions. But in the long run, I have to believe just her presence at those meetings did far more good than harm. Longtime Flushing politico Archie Bailey said he does not recall Cook missing a meeting during the 10 years he served on the city's council and as Flushing mayor. "She always picked up an agenda prior to a meeting and was well prepared to open fire if she saw something worth commenting on," said Bailey, who found himself in Cook's crosshairs from time to time. "Every community needs someone like Elva Cook." Now, more than ever. Services for Cook will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Reigle Funeral Home - Sunset Chapel, 5501 W. Pierson Rd., in Flushing. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A man convicted in a 2001 rape in East Grand Rapids was sentenced Wednesday to 35 to 55 years in prison. Jody Alan Howland, 52, was linked to the crime last year after his DNA matched a sample taken from the victim. "This was a very brutal rape," Kent County Circuit Judge George Buth said. A woman seated with his supporters gasped as the judge handed down the sentence. The victim, then 23, was walking home from an Eastown bar along Wealthy Street in February 2001 when she was grabbed by a man and raped between two houses. The case went unsolved until Howland was arrested last year in Macomb County on a drug charge. State law now requires DNA samples be taken from those accused of felonies, but Howland's DNA was not in a police database prior to his Macomb County arrest. Howland pleaded no contest to first-degree criminal-sexual conduct. His attorney, John Grace, told the judge his client wanted to spare the victim from having to testify. Howland has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder, Grace said. Howland didn't talk but looked back toward the gallery several times at his supporters. He whispered as sheriff's deputies took him from the courtroom to a holding cell. Police said Howland was surprised when told of DNA evidence linking him to the crime. Confronted with the evidence, he allegedly said, "No ... Oh no God, please don't do this to me," according to court documents. Police said DNA has since linked Howland to two sex assaults in Texas in the early 2000s. It was unclear if the victim was in court. She did not speak during the brief hearing. The sentence was within advisory sentencing guidelines, the judge said. John Agar covers crime and other issues for MLiveE-mail John Agar: jagar@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ReporterJAgar GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A registered nurse is accused of stealing credit cards and cash at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, allegedly victimizing a resident and co-worker, court records say. This comes as state officials announce that Grand Rapids Police, who arrested the nurse, and the state Attorney General's Office are looking into complaints alleging mistreatment of veterans at the facility. James Redford, director of the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, has asked Grand Rapids Police to investigate possible crimes at the facility, including theft or physical harm to residents, spokeswoman Suzanne Thelen said. Redford, a former Kent County Circuit Court judge, wants all suspected crime reported to police, she said. For instance, a report of a worker pushing a wheelchair in anger at a resident was referred to police. The veterans home will also share surveillance video with police. Grand Rapids Police investigated a recent case involving the alleged theft of credit cards and cash. Anne Marie Bigger, 39, is charged with two counts of stealing/retaining a financial transaction device and larceny of money at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, Grand Rapids District Court records showed. She waived a probable-cause hearing and had her case bound over to Kent County Circuit Court. She was described by police as cooperative and turned herself in earlier this month. The charges involved a co-worker and resident at the veterans home as victims, Chief Assistant Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said. It's unclear how word of this arrest is being conveyed to state authorities overseeing the vets home. In an interview with another media agency on Tuesday, May 24, Redford said he was "not aware" of any arrests linked to investigations at the facility. Meanwhile, state Democrats attacked Attorney General Bill Schuette for allegedly politicizing the issue of problems at the vets home after earlier ignoring veterans' complaints, even fighting them in court. "It is unbelievable that Bill Schuette is now inviting veterans at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans to call him with their concerns," state Democratic Party Chair Brandon Dillon of Grand Rapids said in a statement. "Veterans have been voicing their concerns about abuse and neglect at the Home for years, but rather than investigate, Bill Schuette chose to shut them down in court. Bill Schuette has been siding against the veterans in Grand Rapids from day one - his politically-motivated about face is too little, too late." Dillon said Schuette sided against veterans in a lawsuit opposing privatized healthcare staff. State Rep. Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, however, issued a statement welcoming the investigation. "This is the investigation I have been requesting for three years, ever since veterans and their families began telling me about substandard care, abuse and neglect at the home," she said. Both Redford and Major Gen. Gregory Vadnais, director of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, backed the investigation by the Attorney General's Office. Schuette encouraged witnesses or victims of mistreatment over the past several years to come forward with information to help an ongoing investigation into patient treatment. "If you, or someone you know, were a resident of the Home, or spent time visiting and witnessed potentially criminal misconduct, I encourage you to contact my office immediately," he said in a statement. The Health Care Fraud Division began investigating on Feb. 23, days after a Michigan Auditor General report alleged veterans were not being properly cared for. The Grand Rapids Home for Veterans is one of two State of Michigan run homes for veterans. The report said workers falsely claimed to have checked on patients after being alerted to possible falls, didn't properly investigate allegations of abuse and neglect and took too long to fill prescriptions. Anyone with information can contact the Healthcare Fraud Division at 800-24-ABUSE. John Agar covers crime and other issues for MLiveE-mail John Agar: jagar@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ReporterJAgar CADILLAC, MI -- The list is long -- cars, boats, ATVs, rifles, televisions, canoes and even shoes. Those are some of the items being auctioned off today by the Traverse Narcotics Team at the state police post in Cadillac. Almost everything up for sale was seized by police during drug raids. State Police Lt. David Street said authorities hold the auction every few years, or whenever they accumulate enough stored items to warrant an auction. This year's auction is being handled by Don Hower Auctioneers and a list of items can be seen at the company's web site. All of the proceeds go back to TNT operations. During one past auction, the proceeds nearly totaled $100,000. Street said he's heard the criticism about drug forfeitures and how police are unfairly taking personal property. But he said anyone who loses something during a drug raid has the right to contest the seizure. "The people we take things from have a right to file an appeal on the forfeiture," he said. "A judge then determines whether or not there was enough evidence to take the item." Those with seized property are required to post a $250 bond as a precursor to any appeal. "A lot of times people don't ever post bond on the stuff," Street said. "What we have to show is the items were gained with illegally obtained money from narcotics operations." Today's auction is 10 a.m. at the Cadillac state police post, 7711 U.S. 131. All of the guns being auctioned are rifles or shotguns, no handguns. E-mail John Tunison: jtunison@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/johntunison GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Not knowing when they'll be home again next, Monica Gill and her relatives stuffed their suitcases and bags full of necessities Wednesday night. It was a quick stop to their Southeast Side apartment before they returned to a Grand Rapids area hotel -- the third one they've stayed at in five days. Gill, her brother, daughter and two grandchildren were forced to evacuate their place at the corner of Hall Street and Madison Avenue SE last week due to air contamination of tetrachloroethylene (PERC) -- a manufactured chemical used for dry cleaning and degreasing that studies say might cause cancer. The shuffle, with two young kids in tow, has been exhausting. But perhaps even more stressful is the potential health concern. "Today we went and had our blood work done and [we're] just praying and hoping," said Gill, a breast cancer patient who is worried about recent nosebleeds and her grandson's trouble breathing. She was among a handful of residents to voice frustrations during an informational meeting Wednesday with the U.S. EPA, the Michigan DEQ and the Kent County Health Department at the LINC gallery. The agencies laid out how the chemical contaminated the soil at 413 Hall St., the site of a former dry cleaning business that operated from the 1950s to 1995. The odorless and colorless chemical has gotten into the groundwater, but officials said it isn't expected to pose an issue for residents, as the vast majority of properties receive city water from Lake Michigan and not a well. Test results received by the health department Thursday, May 19, showed that air vapor levels were 4 to 8 times the acceptable level for PERC at a building that houses 401 Hall St. SE, and 1168 and 1170 Madison Ave. SE. Gill's family and another tenant, as well as the nonprofits Red Project and Seeds of Promise, were forced to leave until the levels are deemed safe. It's unknown when they'll be able to return. Twenty-eight people from the evacuated building have had their blood tested. The results are expected to come back next week. Outside, part of the building is fenced off while the EPA continues testing at the site. The agency has also identified an area of homes that will be tested for vapor intrusion as a precaution, U.S. EPA on-scene coordinator Betsy Nightingale said. "That contaminated air can get into the basement if you have a leaky basement. And once it gets into the basement, then it can move upstairs through the rest of your house," Nightingale said during the presentation. The MDEQ was alerted to the issue when the site of the former dry cleaning business was redeveloped to make room for apartments around 2013 and 2014. During the property transaction, a report indicated the presence of contaminated ground water, soil and soil gas around the building. The MDEQ requested funding to assess the contamination, leading to the latest discovery. Tenants of the newly-built apartment building aren't impacted because a vapor barrier was installed to prevent hazardous chemicals from rising through the floor. Studies have shown that exposure to tetrachloroethylene might lead to a higher risk of bladder cancer, multiple myeloma, or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, though the evidence is not very strong. A few attendees at Wednesday's meeting said they found it hard to believe no one was aware of the contamination until recently. Nightingale said because the chemical is odorless and colorless, it requires specialized tests to be detected. Others expressed disappointment that the meeting was announced only one day in advance, thus the message didn't reach many residents. "I honestly believe a lot of people just didn't know what was going on with this," said Robert Gill, Monica Gill's brother. He said his family has received little information and not much support to fall back on aside from hotel vouchers from the American Red Cross. "When you vacate someone from their home, they're displaced. Their food is in their home. Their necessities are in their home," he said. Adam London, the county's administrative health officer, said he's identifying other organizations that could help in the worst case scenario that more people need to leave their homes. "I know it's not easy," he said of the family's current housing situation. "The first priority was getting people out of those unsafe dwellings." While Marthea Jager doesn't live in the neighborhood and isn't impacted by the contamination, she said learning about the situation was infuriating because it has "health implications that poor and disenfranchised people don't know about." "I see racism underneath all of this that it happens to poor people or poor areas," she said after the presentation. Red Project, which offers needle exchange, overdose prevention education and HIV testing, has moved its daily harm reduction services to 343 Atlas Ave. SE but is looking for help identifying a temporary office space for employees. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Police have a suspect in custody for a Wyoming home invasion and assault that allegedly involved a person impostering a Salvation Army worker. Wyoming and Grand Rapids police made the arrest Thursday, May 26 about 1 p.m. Authorities said he's the same man wanted for a May 12 armed robbery in the parking lot of Woodland Mall in Kentwood. The home invasion victim, a 30-year-old woman, told police that a man came to her door Wednesday, May 25 while wearing a badge or insignia that appeared as if he was a Salvation Army worker. The man then barged into the home as the woman went to get something to donate, as the man requested. A Wyoming police cruiser is parked next to a Chevy Impala stopped Thursday, May 26 at a Mobil gas station on Burton Street SW. A man inside was arrested and is a suspect in Wyoming home invasion and assault She was then assaulted and robbed by the man, who had a gun. She fought back and the man then fled the house. Related: Home invasion victim told police her attacker wore Salvation Army badge In the incident outside Woodland Mall, a woman reported the suspect helped her get to her car and held an umbrella for her in the rain. He then asked for a ride to his car. Inside her vehicle, he pulled out a gun and made her drive to an ATM and withdraw money, police said. A surveillance photo shows a man suspected in an armed robbery outside Woodland Mall on May 12. Police believe the man, who was arrested Thursday, May 26, is responsible for an armed home invasion in Wyoming. Grand Rapids and Wyoming officers about 1 p.m. Thursday stopped a Chevy Impala at the Mobil gas station on Burton Street near Buchanan Avenue. A man and woman were in the vehicle and surrendered without a fight. Wyoming Police Capt. Kim Koster initially deemed the man a "person of interest," but later Thursday said he is suspected in the home invasion. Police interviewed both the man and woman after the traffic stop. She said police used tips and information from the public to identify a possible suspect prior to the traffic stop. Police said the woman in the Impala was a family member of the suspect and they do not believe she was involved in the home invasion. Wednesday's home invasion happened about 12:30 p.m. in a neighborhood near 56th Street and Byron Center Avenue. The victim was in the house with two young children at the time. Police said the suspect tried to force the woman to drive to an ATM and withdraw cash. A relative of the woman on Thursday said she had a head injury and broken toe, but otherwise would be OK. She is expected to recover. "She kicked ass," the man said. Roger Snyder, a Salvation Army spokesman, could not comment on the criminal investigation. But he said Salvation Army workers do not do door-to-door solicitations. Investigators believe the suspect was using a Salvation Army tag he'd received for his participation in a treatment program. E-mail John Tunison: jtunison@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/johntunison LANSING, MI -- The Senate Energy and Technology Committee on Wednesday passed legislation that aims to overhaul the state's energy law with tweaks from what was originally introduced. The legislation addresses many facets of how the state regulates utility companies and how customers interface with those companies. Senate bill 437 passed the Senate Energy and Technology Committee 6-1-3 and SB 438 passed the panel 7-0-3, with the Democrats entering "pass" votes on both measures. The House Energy Policy Committee passed its version of an energy overhaul last year. This is the Senate answer, and Senate Energy and Technology Committee Chair Sen. Mike Nofs, R-Battle Creek, said he's poised to talk with House leaders as the bills move forward. The bills reflected more than two years' worth of workgroups and months of testimony from industry experts and energy advocates. All that input meant they were constantly evolving. But here's what came out of committee: 35 percent clean energy by 2025 goal. This ups the ante from what the House Energy Policy Committee passed, which was 30 percent by 2025. Nofs said that the goal takes previous efficiency and renewable progress into account. "It goes back to 2008 and already incorporates what we've already done," Nofs said. So really the state would have to get to 15 percent more clean energy by a combination of adding renewables or increasing energy efficiency. The goal isn't not good enough, though, for Democrats, who had hoped to increase mandatory renewable portfolio standards instead of creating a goal. "Renewables was a priority for us going into this process and we just didn't get enough support for that program," said committee Minority Vice Chair Hoon-Yung Hopgood, D-Taylor. Sen. David Knezek, D-Dearborn, said during the meeting he'd like to keep the good things from the last energy overhaul in 2008 going, including the renewable portfolio standard. So how will the utilities move to meet the goal? Consumers Energy President and CEO Patricia Poppe said the company would look at the best options with the lowest cost to its customers. "The way the goal is written, we have options," Poppe said. That was a big point for Nofs, who emphasized that he didn't want to put in mandates like the old renewable portfolio standards had. 10 percent choice retained The Senate Energy and Technology Committee retained 10 percent of a utility's load to pursue electric choice by purchasing energy instead from an Alternative Electric Supplier. The bill also puts in a provision allowing facilities purchasing their energy from other those AESs to keep doing so, even if that 10 percent cap is exceeded. At the same time the committee version of the bill tightens requirements on AESs, requiring them to prove their ability to serve customers. "In my opinion it keeps choice alive," Nofs said. But the Michigan Freedom Fund, which advocates for more choice, said it would kill the choice market in Michigan. "We urge members of the Senate to stand up for the free market and the principles that got them elected by rejecting this handout to Big Energy and any effort to strip Michigan families of economic choices and competition," said MFF President Terri Reid. But the change met approval from utility companies. "Over the last several months, Sens. Nofs and Proos have worked hard to find common ground with various stakeholders on provisions that would preserve the current 10-percent retail energy market in Michigan, but provide common sense protections to assure that all energy providers are planning to meet the needs of their customers. If retail energy marketers are unable to serve their customers, they put reliability at risk for all Michigan electric consumers," said DTE Energy in a statement. Efficiency incentives boosted The state incentivizes utility companies to implement energy efficiency or energy waste reduction programs. Why? As Poppe puts it, "Not too many companies would want to encourage people to use less of their product." Under the legislation the amount of reimbursement utilities can get for energy waste reduction programs goes from 15 to 20 percent. Nofs said it was a good investment, and that in some testimony people said every $1 the state spends on incentives generates $4 in savings. Right now efficiency requirements are at 1 percent per year. The Senate bills would keep that in place until 2021, when efficiency would be incorporated into an Integrated Resource Plan utilities submit to the Michigan Public Service Commission. Nofs said he expected to talk with his Senate colleagues about the plan during a Republican caucus meeting next week. Emily Lawler is a Capitol reporter on MLive's statewide Impact Team. You can reach her at elawler@mlive.com, subscribe to her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter: @emilyjanelawler. LANSING, MI -- A preliminary examination for former lawmakers Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat will continue June 14 when Gamrat's estranged husband Joe Gamrat testifies. The hearing, which went for two days this week, will determine if there is enough evidence for Courser and Gamrat's criminal cases to go to trial. Both have been charged criminally after an investigation into their affair and subsequent cover-up. Joe Gamrat was behind a series of texts to Todd Courser telling him to come clean about his affair with Gamrat and to resign. Courser claims the texts, anonymous at the time, put him under duress and led to him sending out a false flag email to cover up the affair. Both Courser and Gamrat are charged with felony misconduct in office, Courser with three counts, Gamrat with two; and Courser also faces a charge of perjury. While they have separate criminal cases, they have a joint preliminary examination. The hearing on Wednesday, May 25, and Thursday, May 26, included testimony from former staffers Josh Cline, Keith Allard and Ben Graham, as well as a former IT specialists who sent out a 'false flag' email for Courser to direct attention away from the couple's affiar, and House Business Director Tim Bowlin, who wrote a report accusing the lawmakers of misconduct in office. Bowlin testified Thursday that conversations with staff members working for Courser and Gamrat led him to conclude misconduct after he was told staffers had signed the draft of a bill -- blue backs, as they are called, are required to be signed by the lawmaker that sponsors the bill. Former Courser staffer Josh Cline testified this week that he signed a bill draft with Courser and Gamrat's names -- although attorneys argued that neither lawmaker implicitly told him to do so. Cline testified that Courser and Gamrate implied he should sign the draft bill, but never directly told him to. Bowlin testified had he known that at the time of his report, he may not have alleged misconduct in office by Gamrat - but said he stands behind his report in regards to Courser. Tim Bowlin, CFO and Business Director at Michigan House of Representatives, testifies at the preliminary hearing for Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat. "When you have to feed your family, you sometimes do what your boss tells you to do," Bowlin testified about Cline's role. Also on Wednesday, Clerk of the House Gary Randall testified about his knowledge of blue backs. Attorneys asked him where someone would go to ask if they could have a staffer sign a blue back for him or her. "Nowhere," Randall said. "It's not allowed." A detailed line of questioning, along with repeated objections over the way questions were asked, touched on Bowlin's knowledge about Courser's furniture at his Lapeer law office, Bowlin's opinion of the nature of Graham's May 19 visit to Courser's office, Bowlin's credentials and investigative experience, and other details about the House investigation. Bowlin testified earlier in the day that he believed Gamrat had some knowledge of the emails sent in an attempt to discredit the real scandal of the lawmakers' extramarital affair. The bizarre email accused Courser of having sex with a male prostitute and doing drugs. Courser earlier dubbed the strategy a "controlled burn" designed to discredit any revelations of his relationship with Gamrat. Gamrat said at a press conference last year she had no knowledge of the emails until a reporter told her about them. -- Brad Devereaux is a public safety reporter for MLive.com. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook. LANSING, MI -- Attorneys peppered Michigan House of Representatives officials, trying to establish whether or not Cindy Gamrat had knowledge of emails sent at Todd Courser's direction meant to discredit an affair between the two then-lawmakers. House officials were called to the stand on the morning of Thursday, May 26, during the second day of a preliminary hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to take the cases to trial. The former legislators face a total of six felony charges following an investigation of their in-office affair and the cover-up that followed. Both are charged with felony misconduct in office, Courser with three counts, Gamrat with two; and Courser also faces a charge of perjury. While they have separate criminal cases, they have a joint preliminary examination. Tim Bowlin, CFO and Business Director at Michigan House of Representatives, said he first had contact with Courser and Gamrat in November 2014 during orientation for new representatives. Tim Bowlin, CFO and Business Director at Michigan House of Representatives, testifies at the preliminary hearing for Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat. In August of the following year, Bowlin said he was asked, at the direction of House Speaker Kevin Cotter, to investigate the two lawmakers, after media reports made parts of the lawmakers' scandal public. He testified he conducted interviews with Courser, Gamrat and others and asked questions about whether state resources were used to cover up the affair, and if anyone was asked to do anything unlawful related to the affair and cover-up. Bowlin testified that Gamrat told him she didn't know anything about the "false flag" emails before they were sent out and that she found out about it from a news reporter. The bizarre email accused Courser of having sex with a male prostitute and doing drugs. Courser earlier dubbed the strategy a "controlled burn" designed to discredit any revelations of his relationship with Gamrat. Other witnesses testified Wednesday, May 25, that Todd Courser wanted to send the emails in an attempt to discredit information about their affair. An IT specialist testified during the hearing that he sent the emails to more than 4,000 email addresses at Courser's direction. Gamrat said during a news conference days before a conversation with Bowlin that she did not know about the emails until after they were sent, Bowlin testified. "I said, 'Representative, I know you did. I've heard the tapes, I've talked to people," Bowlin testified he told Gamrat during a private meeting. "I know you knew." "I'm sorry, representative, I know nothing about your personal life, but you lied to me." On cross examination, Gamrat's attorney, Mike Nichols, questioned Bowlin about investigative interviews and asked why he chose not to record audio of the meeting. "I was advised not to record it," Bowlin said. The preliminary examination, in its second day, is continuing the afternoon with more testimony. Check back with Mlive.com for more. -- Brad Devereaux is a public safety reporter for MLive.com. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook. Photo Gallery - Little House on the Prairie actress Melissa Gilbert visits the Mott Author Melissa Gilbert takes questions after reading her latest children's book at the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital Family Center in Ann Arbor on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014. (Patrick Record | The Ann Arbor News) LANSING, MI -- With actress Melissa Gilbert withdrawing from Michigan's 8th Congressional race, Democrats are out a candidate just months before the election and face an even tougher uphill climb in what's been a solidly Republican district. Late Tuesday evening, Gilbert said head and neck injuries from two accidents in 2012 forced her to drop out of the race against incumbent Rep. Mike Bishop, R-Rochester. Democratic sources said Michigan's Democratic congressional delegation met Tuesday to talk about replacement candidates. Gilbert's only declared challenger, Linda Keefe, will come before the state Board of Canvassers Thursday for a final determination on her ballot status in the Aug. 2 Democratic primary. But a Bureau of Elections review of her nomination petition determined she came up short in signatures. Despite Gilbert's intentions to vacate her run, Bishop's congressional seat remains a top target for Democrats nationally in 2016, said Sacha Haworth, spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Bishop is up for his first re-election after winning the seat in 2014, replacing Republican Mike Rogers, who chose to step down after seven terms in Congress. Bishop is a former majority leader of the Michigan Senate. Longtime East Lansing political consultant Mark Grebner said the district is tough for any Democrat willing to enter the race, but Gilbert taking herself out of the running is "certainly not an improvement." The district includes Ingham, Livingston and a portion of Oakland counties. "The opposing army was already in pretty good shape, spent two months digging in preparing this battle and they don't plan to lose it -- they're defending the territory, and they've dug themselves in very well," Grebner said. Chris Savage, owner and publisher of the progressive political website Electablog, said in a post following the news that Gilbert's chances of winning were always pretty remote, but concluded upon her announcement that "unless a miracle happens, you can get used to at least two more years of Congressman Mike Bishop." Gilbert's name will still be on the ballot in the district's August Democratic primary, Secretary of State spokesman Fred Woodhams said. As for the general election, a person could be removed from the ballot if they leave the state, are physically unfit or pass away before the election. Woodhams said he can't yet speak to how exactly the Secretary of State would handle Gilbert's case, as the situation is uncommon and no formal documentation has been submitted. Gilbert told People magazine in an interview that a long history of neck and spine issues -- coupled with injuries suffered from a fall on the television show Dancing with the Stars and a balcony collapse in a house she was renting -- has led to nerve damage and herniated discs that require surgery. Although she told People magazine she was "devastated" to drop out of the race, her surgery hadn't been scheduled and recovery was expected to take three months. The latest campaign finance records from the Federal Election Commission show Gilbert had $413,771 in cash on hand, while Bishop had $721,692 available. During her campaign, Gilbert was criticized for the money she owed in back taxes and for her relatively recent move to Michigan. She has lived in Livingston County with her husband since 2013 and is most widely known for her turn as Laura Ingalls in the "Little House on the Prairie" television series. Michigan Republican Party spokeswoman Sarah Anderson said they wish Gilbert the best of luck as she deals with her health issues. "Congressman Bishop has done a great job representing the citizens of Michigan's 8th Congressional District, and we know that he will continue to work hard to earn their vote," she said. The National Republican Campaign Committee used Gilbert's announcement as an opportunity to slam the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, or DCCC, with spokesman Chris Pack calling the news "just the latest example of the mass incompetence emanating from DCCC headquarters." "After this latest high profile embarrassment, hopefully the DCCC will do us all a favor and stop pretending they have even the slightest chance of winning control of the House this November," Pack said in a post on the committee website. Lauren Gibbons is a political reporter on MLive's Impact team. She can be reached at lgibbon2@mlive.com. FLINT, MI -- Gov. Rick Snyder is asking that a state investigation related to the Flint water crisis be suspended after requests from U.S. Department of Justice and attorney general Bill Schuette. In a letter Wednesday, May 25, Schuette and Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said a state administrative investigation of the crisis has the potential to "cause the guilty to go free, obstruct justice, and result in gross injustice to the families of Flint and to the families of Michigan." Two months ago, Snyder asked Auditor General Doug Ringler and Alan Kimichik, inspector general for the state Department of Health and Human Services, to investigate the way DHHS handled the Flint water emergency, saying a preliminary internal review showed an immediate and thorough investigation was warranted. The decision to request a suspension of that investigation was announced Thursday, May 26, in an email by the governor's office, which also released copies of letters from Schuette, Leyton and U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade. The letter from Schuette and Leyton says they are "concerned that the inspector general/auditor general investigation is having a chilling effect on the criminal investigation that the Flint Water Crisis Investigative Team is conducting." "Although we are sure this is unintended, the result may be an obstruction of justice," the letter says. McQuade's letter says the federal criminal investigation into the Flint water emergency is compromised by the administrative investigations and a written report of the civil investigation "poses a significant risk to our federal criminal investigation. A court could find that statements obtained in the administrative investigations are " 'compelled' statements, and the Fifth Amendment would therefore prohibit their use in any subsequent criminal prosecution of the employee," the letter says. "This prohibition goes beyond simply barring the use of the compelled statement at trial; it prohibits 'derivative use' as well, meaning that the prosecution must establish that its case was not in any way tainted by the compelled statement," McQuade wrote. Anna Heaton, a spokeswoman for Snyder said in an email that the state attorney general was notified of the administrative investigations of the Department of Environmental Quality and DHHS. "No agency has raised any concerns with our office before now," Heaton said. "The administrative investigation at the DEQ that was initiated at the request of the department director has reportedly been concluded. The attorney general's office was alerted to the department's investigation while it was underway and the results have been shared with his office, so there is no action for us to take in that regard." IT specialist testifies in Courser/Gamrat case Immanuel Eickholdt testified May 25 and May 26 during a preliminary hearing for former lawmakers Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat about sending an email that Courser intended to discredit information about an affair the two lawmakers were having. (Brad Devereaux | MLive.com) An IT specialist testified he sent thousands of emails when asked to do so by former Michigan lawmaker Todd Courser meant to spread lies and discredit information about Courser's affair with another legislator. Immanuel Eickholdt testified May 25 and May 26 during a preliminary hearing for former lawmakers Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat about sending an email that Courser intended to use to discredit information about an affair the two lawmakers were having. The former legislators face a total of six felony charges following an investigation of their in-office affair and the cover-up that followed. Both are charged with felony misconduct in office, Courser with three counts, Gamrat with two; and Courser also faces a charge of perjury. Thursday was the second day of testimony in the preliminary examination. Several witnesses, including former aids Ben Graham and Keith Allard, testified Wednesday. Courser asked Eickholdt to send an email to a "large distribution list" from the lawmaker's "nation builder" database, Eickholdt said. "We had a little talk about it first," he said. The IT specialist testified he has done database work for Courser and he had concerns about the email. "He kind of wanted to burn himself down," he testified. "He was under a lot of duress about the things he was encountering, he was stressed out." A former staffer of Courser's, Ben Graham, testified May 25 that Courser invited him to his law office in Lapeer on the night of May 19 and asked him to send an email like the one Eickholdt described. Graham met with Courser and recorded a conversation about the email, but later declined to send it, he testified. Eickholdt agreed with the plan and sent the email out under three different names to more than 4,000 people in a "broad spectrum" encompassing the state of Michigan. He told Courser he sent the email, but testified he did not tell him at the time he sent it to about 4,500 addresses, instead of the approximately 47,000 he and Courser spoke about. When a reporter got wind of the email and contacted him, he told a different story. "I did tell (Detroit News reporter) Chad Livengood I didn't send it out," he said. The questioning went on, asking if Courser kept a loaded gun at his law office, which the witness testified, "I believe he does." "I've seen various weapons in his office, yes." He testified the email blast was also done because of a person sending extortion text messages to Courser. Testimony is expected to continue on the morning and afternoon of May 26. -- Brad Devereaux is a public safety reporter for MLive.com. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook. WASHINGTON D.C. -- "Stereotypical" ended Lakeview Middle School fifth-grader Leila Overbeek's run in the National Spelling Bee on Wednesday afternoon. The correct spelling of "vinculum" in the morning round on May 25 sent Leila to the second preliminary in the afternoon where she incorrectly spelled "stereotypical." However, the only Michigan speller in the national competition who's not in the seventh or eighth grade, isn't letting "stereotypical" define her trip to Washington D.C. While she won't be participating in Thursday's finals, she has other plans for the next few days. "Since I didn't make it, tomorrow we're going to go to the Holocaust Museum and I'm excited to do that," Leila said. Leila and her parents will attend Thursday night's National Spelling Bee Final, which is at 8 p.m. on ESPN. On Friday, she will take a guided tour of Washington D.C. with trips to the Washington Memorial and Smithsonian Museum. Leila Overbeek, left, waits to spell at the National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C. on May 25, 2016. She visited the Smithsonian's National Zoo on Monday and Mount Vernon -- George Washington's home -- on Tuesday, with studying in between. While she wanted to go further, Leila said it's helpful to know she still has other years to complete her goal - making it to the finals in the national bee. "When we went into everything, it was kind of like, 'Work hard, give everything your best effort,'" said Leila's father Chris Overbeek. "(I said) there's no pressure, enjoy yourself. I think we still are trying to reel from everything, even from her winning the fifth-grade bee at her school. It's really been surreal." Leila earned her trip to the national bee by winning the MLive/Jackson Citizen Patriot Spelling Bee in March. Leila just started the spelling club at her school this year. She said reading is one of the main reasons she is able to spell so many words. "I get exposed to a lot of words," she said. "Other people like reading, but I don't think they realize the impact that it can have on everything else. It's actually proven to be the most helpful thing in school for careers." Her favorite genres are realistic fiction, sci-fi and fantasy. When asked about her favorite book, she narrowed it down to a few book series', including "Divergent" and "The Hunger Games." Leila had a following back home in Battle Creek. Her old elementary school was watching the ESPN3 live stream whenever she came to the podium to spell. Leila said her mother received numerous texts of encouragement after Leila spelled - even after spelling her word incorrectly. "I first spoke in public probably in college and earliest in late high school," Chris Overbeek said. "I (said), 'Leila, you're on national TV speaking in front of a bunch of adults and a huge audience. It's amazing. The hope is that you inspire other people.'" All of the 11 Michigan spellers at the bee made it through the first preliminary round and five of the 11 made it through the next wave of words. With 171 spellers remaining at this point, the field was narrowed to 45 based on Tuesday's written test. Troy eighth-grader Divya Aggarwal was the only Michigander to advance to the finals. JACKSON, MI - The three men found guilty in a "murder for hire" case will be spending the rest of their lives behind bars without the possibility of parole. Circuit Court Judge Thomas Wilson sentenced Cortez Butler, Clifford McKee and his nephew Rodney McKee to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of 28-year-old Frances Craig, who was killed in 2014 by mistake; she was not the intended target. For the first-degree murder charge, all three were sentenced to life without parole and life for the charge of conspiracy to commit murder. For the charge of first-degree home invasion, Butler was sentenced to 50 to 75 years, Rodney McKee to 12-20 years and Clifford 30-60 years. Clifford McKee refused to attend his sentencing. "I wanted him here to face the family, but there is a high likelihood someone would be hurt," Wilson said, adding that the last option would be to use pepper spray, Tasers and tie him to a chair to bring him in. All three men were found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree and first-degree home invasion on April 7, after the prosecution made the case that Clifford McKee hired Butler for $10,000 to kill a Jackson man who witnessed Rodney Mckee commit arson. Ryan Marshall, the witness to the arson, is a friend of Eric Wolfe, Craig's fiance, and lived with the couple before they moved into a home in Summit Township. Prosecutors said Butler thought the witness still lived with Craig and Wolfe when he broke into the home through the unlocked garage door, tied Craig up and fatally stabbed her at least 20 times. "I am disgusted I have to breathe the same air as you," said Frances Craig's mother, Robin Craig. "You left her on the floor for her babies to find her there. The world does not need you in it." Craig held back tears, shaking in anger as she voiced her disdain towards the men who took her only daughter away from her. "Losing her is the most excruciating pain I have ever felt," she said. "I hold you all equally responsible." Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kati Rezmierski rallied behind the family, asking Wilson to show no leniency towards the convicted men. "I never imagined I would stand here and ask you to sentence someone for their third murder conviction or their second," she said pointing to Butler who is currently serving 25 year sentence for a second-degree murder conviction of an elderly Detroit man. Prior to Wilson handing down sentence, Butler and McKee were asked if they had any words for the courtroom. McKee remained silent, while Butler only said, "It is what it is." BLACKMAN TWP., MI - In what seems to be a new tradition in Jackson County, graduating seniors are donning their caps and gowns to bid farewell to high school while visiting elementary schools. This most recently happened in Northwest Community Schools on Tuesday, May 24, when members of the 190-student Northwest High School class of 2016 traveled to the district's two elementary schools. The practice gives the older students a chance to reminisce about their school years while serving as inspirations and role models to younger students, Northwest Superintendent Geoff Bontrager said. "This is the first time we've done this," Bontrager said. "It's even neat for the elementary school teachers to see their former students 'all grown up.'" Northwest seniors graduate at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 26, in Mountie Stadium on the high school campus. As government departments and state and regional chief ministers set out their plans for the next 100 days, The Myanmar Times spoke to Commerce Minister U Than Myint about his efforts to expand international trade, raise quality standards, develop relations with neighbours and combat smuggling. What will the Ministry of Commerce do in the next 100 days? First we will reduce the kinds of items for which export-import permits are required. We plan to cut the list by 50 items every month. We will also allow the importation of commercial vehicles, including heavy- duty vehicles, that were banned by the previous government. In the past, only 10 heavy-duty vehicles could be imported in a year. But now we will allow as many as are necessary. Soon we will officially open a trade portal, where anyone can find out about our policies, regulations and application forms, and access information about ASEAN countries and their import and export regulations. Were listening to importers and exporters, including traders in northern Shan State and across the border in Chinas Yunnan province. We want to know more about the problems faced by companies in Myawaddy and Mandalay, and to hear their suggestions. Soon we will start buying emergency reserve rice in case of drought and floods. Were preparing to sign a contract with India for exports of beans and pulses. Another initiative is to coordinate permit procedures with the Ministry of Industry and reduce the fees. Car import permits will be available in Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw. With help from Europe and the United States, we hope the triple our export volume [over five years]. Indonesia will take an additional 500,000 tonnes of rice, and China will also increase rice imports from Myanmar, as will Japan, Korea and Thailand. We will export SME products and handicrafts as well as agricultural products, while embarking on long-term strategies to increase export volumes and quality. In the short term, we have to solve logistics problems such as transportation, vehicle quality and warehousing capacity, so as to lower commodity prices for consumers including the container congestion problem in Yangons ports. How did your recent discussions go with your Indian counterpart? He said India would buy more rice and beans, including 25,000 tonnes of beans each season, under a tax-free government-to-government contract. Discussions are continuing. India also wants to sign contracts with private companies, as long as they can guarantee a stable supply. We expect to sign within 100 days. India has already cut its tax on products from Myanmar by 95 percent, and will now cut the tax on beans as it imports more from us. They want all our beans. They have also agreed to invest in our agricultural and transportation sectors to develop trade between our two countries. Will you re-establish mobile customs teams to target smugglers? The teams set up by the previous government ceased operations [at the end of last year] because of various problems. I believe the suppression of smuggling is primarily the responsibility of state and regional authorities. We are considering blocking illegal border trading gates that have opened up as a result of instability. Some people are taking advantage of the unrest in some border areas. The best way to deal with that is to restore peace and the rule of law, but we will consider the deployment of mobile teams to counter smuggling and measures to deal with repeat smugglers. Will this entail discussions with neighbouring countries? We have notified the authorities in Yunnan about the illegal border trade near Muse. Our exports of rice and corn are legal on our side, but not on theirs because they do not meet Chinas quality requirements. This covers produce like watermelons, cucumbers, corn and sugar. They agreed to try to rectify the problem. Our foreign ministry will also get involved. We have also raised the problem with Thailand and India, but the problem is a difficult one. Yunnan officials told us they wanted to open new border gates, which we will consider. Yunnan will also establish quotas for rice, corn, fruit and sugarcane from northern Shan State, and they have invited me to a trade exhibition that I will attend next month. How do you plan to triple exports, primarily from the agricultural sector and SMEs? World markets are more open to us now, but there is a problem of quality. Vietnam has increased its exports fivefold in eight years. Our export levels are low compared to those of our neighbours because of our logistical problems. We are now talking to international organisations about upgrading machinery and skills. We are already discussing raising exports, and weve formed an economic planning commission to lay out policy. What role will international organisations play? We will build on progress made by the previous government, including the relatively good trade review carried out by the World Trade Organization. We also have a trade promotion strategy conducted in collaboration with the World Bank. These reviews are excellent, and contain remedies and strategies. We will conduct a series of workshops over the coming months, bringing in other government departments, to promote trade. What effect will recent changes to US sanctions have on trade? We have more access to international markets. This means more business for state-owned banks, provided we can rise to the challenge of meeting international standards and legal frameworks. The next step is entry into the United States Generalized System of Preferences. The prospects are good, so long as we can meet the standards and make our procedures transparent. Translation by Thiri Min Htun It was a cool December afternoon, in a field outside Mawlamyine, Mon State. Fourteen-year-old Ko Aung (not his real name) stood sentry over his familys herd, watching the cows as they munched on knee-high weeds. When he looked down, the snake was already poised at his feet. Brown with black spots and 4 feet long, it was a Russells viper, one of Asias deadliest and most aggressive snakes. Ko Aung froze. Without warning the triangular head snapped forward, and the serpent sunk its teeth into his foot, releasing about 70 milligrams of venom into his bloodstream. The strike started an anatomical stopwatch. From the moment he was bitten, Ko Aung had about three hours to get the proper dosage of anti-venom before his body entered a fatal stage of kidney failure. Bites like Ko Aungs happen every day in Myanmar. The Ministry of Health logged 18.3 cases of poisonous snakebites and 1.4 deaths per 100,000 people in 2012, its most recent report. That amounts to about 28 known poisonous bites per day, with more likely unreported. But in Mandalay and Sagaing regions, known instances go up nearly 80 percent from the average. In Magwe Region, mortality more than doubles. The entire Myanmar heartland a fertile, primarily agrarian stretch where snakes lurk throughout hundreds of thousands of acres of rice paddy is one of the most dangerous places in the world to get bitten by a snake. The Myanmar Snakebite Project (MSBP), or more formally Improving the outcomes for snakebite patients in Myanmar, an Australian/Myanmar effort between the two governments, is working to address the snakebite threat. Begun in 2014, the A$2.3 million grant (US$1.66 million, or K1.96 billion) from the Australian government has transformed the way Myanmar produces, distributes and uses anti-venom. Theres never enough, said David Bacon, the project manager based in Mandalay. The MSBC began after Daw Aung San Suu Kyi drew attention to Myanmars snakebite problems during a 2013 speech in Sydney. Cyclone Nargis had ravaged the country in 2008, and anti-venom stores never recovered from the spike in snakebites during the crisis. Myanmar was producing just 15,000 vials per year well below the international standard of 80,000. Clinical Associate Professor Chen Au Peh from Adelaide University worked with Myanmar colleagues to develop a project with Myanmars Ministry of Health, which administers and distributes anti-venom, and the Ministry of Industry, which produces it. Australian and international experts advise Myanmar staff on best practice across the anti-venom supply chain, from producing vials to distributing them more widely. Myanmar provides the anti-venom for free, as well as dialysis treatment if necessary, but travel costs are a heavy burden on poor rural families like Ko Aungs. Shortening the distance to treatment is another aim of the MSBP. After Ko Aung was bitten, his family rushed him to the nearest township health centre in Paung township, where he received four vials of anti-snake venom before transferring to the Mon State hospital several hours away. The venom, which causes blood clotting as well as a host of other life-threatening conditions, created a hemorrhagic blister that ruptured his foot. Even though he received anti-venom within the three-hour time window, he still suffered a severe loss of kidney function. Doctors in Mon State transferred him to Yangons Specialty Hospital, where six sessions of dialysis probably saved him from organ failure. Sitting in a hospital bed, he surveys the mangled mess of bandages around his foot. The dressings hide a gaping wound where his flesh once was, but Ko Aung is one of the lucky ones. Health education According to Dr Khin Thida Thwin, the renal physician at Yangon Specialty Hospital and head of the Snakebite Unit who treated Ko Aung, many victims end up turning to traditional healers, who often treat snakebites with tourniquets, cutting or tattooing all of which are more harm than help. This traditional medicine has been around a long time, she said. Some people still believe in it. Thats why we have to provide health education. Thats the primary thrust of the MSBPs public health work in Mandalay Region. Using Myanmars education resources, the team is supporting community prevention and education programs across Kyaukse and Madaya township areas in Mandalay Region. Bacon said the project team was helping local health professionals create a pilot model for early treatment and improved referral of snakebite victims. Ko Aungs case was a model in that the township health centre communicated with the regional hospital, which then managed a rapid transfer to Yangon. Most cases dont flow so smoothly. By organising training for more than 700 healthcare workers, the project hopes to streamline the treatment process while at the same time building the capacity of an educated professional workforce that knows exactly what to do when the next farm worker gets bitten. In early May, the Ministry of Health ordered the Mandalay Region Rural Health Centres to stock a minimum of four vials. The doctors and health workers in the townships and RHCs can now demand that [snake anti-venom] be provided and make sure that it arrives, said Mr Bacon. Production A visit to the Ministry of Industrys new anti-venom production facility, which Industry Minister U Khin Maung Cho opened on May 20, reveals a shiny world-class laboratory filled with state-of-the-art equipment. Deputy general manager Dr Aung Zaw said K5 billion (US$4 million) went into the structure, which contains a large freeze-drying machine that will allow the anti-venom to be stored as powder. Australian experts advised the ministry on what equipment to buy and partly funded the freeze dryer. As for the horses used to generate the anti-venom, veterinarians helped Myanmar staff make key changes. Because the horses are so large, they can develop more anti-venom antibodies. These antibodies are extracted, purified and concentrated for human use. But horse mortality reached 20pc, an expensive loss of investment and time. Part of the problem was treatment; They were keeping nearly 300 horses on a 9-acre pasture, repeatedly injecting them with the venom. There was a shortage of anti-venom because there was a scarcity of healthy horses, Dr Aung Zaw said. At the time we could only produce 15,000 vials a year. Now, after consulting with Australian veterinarians, horse mortality has been improved by half. And with the new facility, freeze-dried anti-venom will soon be available to rural townships that lack electricity for refrigeration. The Australian government has donated 30 solar-powered refrigerators to selected rural health centres in Madaya and Kyaukse. The refrigerators will serve until the new, German-engineered freeze-drying equipment begins producing the powdered versions that do not require refrigeration. Its a turning point for one of Myanmars deadliest problems. After years of producing well below the national requirement of 80,000 vials per year, Dr Aung Zaw said 2016 would be the first year that Myanmar met international standards. The MSBP will run its course by the end of 2018, and Dr Afzal Mahmood, an expert on healthcare in developing nations, says the goal is to leave behind a sustainable blueprint for the Myanmar government. International aid is not sufficient for improving the healthcare of a country. Its local government that must do it, he said. Our role is to create, and assist the local government in creating, a model. Hundreds of people were still working yesterday in the jade mines of Hpakant, Kachin State, despite continuing downpours that had triggered a lethal landslide on May 23. Local resident U Kyaw Myint told The Myanmar Times that nearly 300 itinerant workers were mining yesterday morning in the immediate vicinity of the deadly landslide, which killed at least 14 miners and left at least 200 missing. People were mining at the place where the landslide occurred, he said yesterday. I was amazed. They were digging at the top of the landslide area. We cannot ban them. There is no one to ban them. The May 23 disaster occurred around 8:15pm at a site owned by Yadanar Star Company. The company had ceased operations for the day, but as many as 200 itinerant freelance scavengers continued the search for precious stones on the banks of the mine. The catastrophe has been blamed by township officials on heavy rain. U Kyaw Myint said that more than 100 people may have been killed in the collapsing slag heap. There were about 200 scavengers in the area. There was a creek flowing down the middle from the heavy rain, which was displacing the soil from the hill, he said. The people who are still mining there estimate that more than 100 people are still missing. They cannot guess the final death toll. Following the landslide, Hpakant administrators, police, a funeral service team, social aid workers and the fire brigade worked together with three backhoes from Yadanar Star Company. They sent 10 people with injuries to Hpakant Hospital, but others may have gone to private clinics on their own. Daw Nilar Myint, a deputy officer of the Hpakant township government, said 14 bodies had been recovered before the search was called off due to heavy rain and the continuing danger of landslides. U Sin Wah Naw, a member of the Thingara social aid group, said they would resume the search if requested to do so by families of the missing. We collected the dead and the injured from the top part of the slide, U Kyaw Myint said. We could not retrieve bodies from the bottom of the slide. If we tried to remove them, the land from above would collapse again. Other companies cant provide machinery for this work, and we cant do it by manpower alone. Deaths are not uncommon in Hpakant due to the dangerous jade-mining conditions. A slag heap at a mine run by Yadanar San Shwe Company and Triple One Company collapsed on May 5. Ten miners were killed but only four bodies were recovered. On January 25, a mine run by the Yadana Yaung Chi, Yadana Adipati and Myitsone Ayeyar companies suffered two landslides, killing at least 30. Only five bodies were found. The highest death toll occurred on November 21, 2015, when a landslide at an operation run by Triple One Company killed at least 114 miners but possibly up to 200. Translation by San Layy Two MPs who tried to urge parliament to act to stop outbreaks of fighting in Rakhine and Shan states say they have been sidelined by the Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker. Last week, Daw Khin Saw Wai, an Arakan National Party MP for Rathedaung township, Rakhine State, tried to submit an urgent proposal pressing the government to support the delivery of aid to displaced people in the north of the state. Speaker U Win Myint rejected the proposal. And when Shan States Manton township MP Daw Nan Moe made a similar proposal on May 23 for aid to displaced families, the Speaker asked her to frame her remarks in a way that would not oblige the government to act. When I was about to submit an urgent proposal about displaced people and about education for displaced children, the Speaker asked me to change my proposal into a question, Daw Nan Moe told The Myanmar Times on May 25. It was like asking a woman about to give birth to hang on for a bit, she said, adding that she intends to pursue the issue. Daw Khin Saw Wai said her urgent proposal relating to Rakhine State was rejected on the grounds that a similar measure was already under discussion in the upper house, Amyotha Hluttaw. When Daw Khin Saw Wai took to the media, including Facebook, she says Speaker U Win Myint warned her to avoid acts which could bring parliament into disrepute. Sai Thiha Kyaw, an ethnic Shan MP for the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, told The Myanmar Times on May 25 that the parliamentary manoeuvre asking an MP to convert an urgent proposal into a question had been used in the previous parliament. It happened to me three times. If an MP makes a proposal, MPs have to debate it, and if it passes, the government has to act, he said. But the response to a question is that a minister or civil servant will come to parliament to make a reply that need not commit the government to act, he said, adding that it looked like the Speaker was trying to shield the government from pressure. But that doesnt mean the Speaker has presented these issues to State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. He has to have a certain amount of room for manoeuvre. He probably handled the issue in accordance with guidelines handed down by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, said Sai Thiha Kyaw. Both Daw Khin Saw Wai and Daw Nan Moe said MPs had a responsibility to bring their constituents problems before parliament for action. Daw Nan Moe said she was particularly worried about displaced children because the new academic year was about to start. Translation by Zar Zar Soe The International Committee of the Red Cross will soon establish two new orthopaedic centres in Kachin and Shan states, two regions of Myanmar heavily affected by armed conflict. The ICRCs director of operations, Dominik Stillhart, told The Myanmar Times in an exclusive interview that the centres will provide prosthetics and other necessities for people living with disabilities. The committee has already established three orthopaedic centres in Myanmar in Yangon, Mandalay and Hpa-an. The two new facilities will be funded by the ICRC at a cost of nearly US$3 million. The new centres will be in Kengtung in Shan State and Myitkyina in Kachin State, Mr Stillhart said. These are large physical rehabilitation centres that we are establishing in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, which will significantly enhance Myanmars capacity to cater to people living with disabilities. He added that the three existing facilities have provided prosthetics and other services to about 3000 patients. Jean-Yves Clemenzo, communications coordinator for the ICRC, said in an email to The Myanmar Times that the ICRC will provide technical expertise at the new centres while the Ministry of Health will supply water and electricity. We plan to help cover some running costs and maintenance for the first two to three years, and we will also provide qualified international staff for the first several years until a new Myanmar orthopaedic team is able to provide physical rehabilitation services to the patients, Mr Clemenzo said. We will continue to technically supervise the centre. The ICRC supports the material and equipment for the patients. Finally, the ICRC will also cover transport and accommodation at the centre for the patients referred by the Myanmar Red Cross Society, he added. The ICRC said it provided emergency assistance including access to water, shelter, healthcare, essential items and cash to support more than 50,000 people affected by conflict in northeastern Myanmar in 2015. In addition to delivering assistance to communities affected by armed conflict, the ICRC also runs training programs for police officers to improve their knowledge of international policing standards and of international humanitarian law. Advocacy groups are urging the government to amend the constitution and other laws to reduce the number of political prisoners held in the countrys jails. The call was made yesterday by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) and the Former Political Prisoners Society (FPPS) as they released a joint report on the challenges faced by ex-political prisoners trying to reintegrate into society. Advocates said at the reports launch in Yangon that the government must take three steps to reduce the number of political prisoners: stop civil war, amend the constitution and other laws to remove unfair provisions, and establish a judiciary in which the people can place their trust. They urged the government to review, revoke and redraft repressive legislation used to detain activists to ensure an end to the cycle of repression. We believe the new government can take steps to reduce the number of political prisoners, but at the moment they are struggling under the current laws, said U Tin Maung Oo from the FPPS. The joint AAPP and FPPS report titled After Release I Had to Restart My Life from the Beginning: The Experience of Ex-Political Prisoners in Burma and the Challenges of Reintegration is divided into several sections, including an overview of the political prisoner situation, misuse of the judiciary, torture and misconduct in the prison system, and barriers to reconciliation and treatment. According to the report, between 7000 and 10,000 political prisoners have been held in Myanmar since 1962. The AAPP and FPPS spent two years collecting data, obtaining information from 1621 former prisoners and getting detailed accounts from 35 people. Advocates said they hope the new report will raise awareness about the plight of political prisoners past and present. The report also makes recommendations for the recognition, restitution and rehabilitation for ex-political prisoners, and the implementation by the government of truth-seeking measures to work toward national reconciliation. In April the new government freed a number of students and other activists facing jail time, but advocacy groups would also like to hear apologies from police and other officials who were responsible for arresting and jailing the activists in the first place. The National League for Democracy has pledged to release all political prisoners, and create no more prisoners of conscience. We would like apologies from responsible individuals out of their personal choice, not apologies from a committee. This is a necessity, said AAPP secretary U Tate Naing. The report was published with support from the US Department of States Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor; the Project 2049 Institute; the University of California Irvines School of Law International Justice Clinic; and the International Center for Transitional Justice. The new government is making all the right noises, but it remains to be seen if and how it can ensure water resources are sustainably prioritised, say water experts. At a three-day conference bringing together international experts in Yangon starting on May 24, participants noted the data gap needs to be closed before strategies can be drafted. We do not having enough data, nor reliable data, and sometimes [there is no] data at all, said Daw Ni Ni Thein, secretary of the Myanmar Water think tank. Myanmar faces no shortage of water-related challenges from seasonal droughts, sanitation issues and cylones but fresh efforts to address the problems are significantly hampered by a legacy of mismanagement. The previous projects [under the former government] happened in an ad hoc manner and were not cohesive, well-planned or holistic, Daw Ni Ni Thein added. In the last days of former president U Thein Seins reign, the National Water Resources Committee was disbanded and has yet to be replaced. This means there is no long-term plan for water security in Myanmar. It would be a grave mistake to consider water as just another aspect of the environment, said Daw Ni Ni Thein. The agricultural sector, which employs more than half of the countrys labour force, accounts for 91 percent of the total water usage. With no systematic water allocation or accounting structure, every year only 5pc of residents in the dry zone have adequate water in the rainy season. The 2014 census showed that almost 30pc of the population lacks access to clean water, and the sector lacks policies or targets to improve the situation, according to the Global Water Partnership (GWP), an international coalition. As one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change and natural disasters, Myanmar is in dire need of water management planning. In 2008, Cyclone Nargis killed at least 38,000 people, and in 2015, Cyclone Komen hit 12 states, causing severe flooding, displacing 4.6 million people and inflicting K6 billion in damages. Hydroelectric dams approved by the previous administration, add further threats to the ecosystem and flow of the Ayeyarwady River, and could cripple Myanmars main rice basket the Ayeyarwady delta. In an attempt to find solutions, GWP gathered senior-level water experts, UN staff and government officials at round-table discussions in Yangon. They linked water to several of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals put forward by the UN in 2015 and agreed to by the government, including food security, gender equality, poverty, climate action, and access to clean water and sanitation. The fact that the National League for Democracy-led government has engaged with the UN and development partners on water management was viewed by many as a step in the right direction. I think the most important detail is that the new government is willing to host such a meeting, one where you listen to all the parties before deciding what you are going to do, said Alice Bouman, chair of the Global Water Partnership. Watt Botkosal, chair of GWP Southeast Asia, explained to The Myanmar Times how Myanmar could learn from its neighbour, Cambodia, in making water a priority. We have an integrated master plan for water security because water affects everything, life, people, the economy and the environment, he said. Myanmar representatives at the conference including Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein admitted they do not have a master plan on water security yet because there isnt enough information to create one. But starting from scratch on water management policies leaves room for Myanmar to make the right choices. Many governments have made expensive mistakes. They do things, sometimes with the best of intentions, according to the state-of-the-art knowledge that they have at the time, Ms Bouman said. For Myanmar we are saying, Let us not run before we can walk, but first find out where we have to intervene and what we have to do. The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology is already preparing a new hydro-informatics centre in Yangon which will collate all the available information. For Yangon, Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein will sign off on a new water system on May 29 to improve the drain system. Myanmar is very rich in water resources, but all people have a responsibility to maintain them, he said. We are working very hard to solve the problems of flooding, distribution of drinking water, water transportation, food hygiene foods, public health and electricity shortages in Yangon, U Phyo Min Thein said. These problems are due to the unsystematic plans of the former directors of the respective sectors. The issues are not limited to only Yangon City, he said. While Myanmar continues to face significant obstacles in improving water security and management, it still lacks a successor to the NWRC, conference attendees were optimistic for the future. Just over 50 days into the new governments tenure, baby steps are being made. Additional reporting by Ei Ei Thu Parliament has axed a junta-era state protection law that MPs say was drafted with the intention of imprisoning activists and politicians. The 1975 State Protection Act, also known as the Law to Safeguard the State Against the Dangers of Those Desiring to Cause Subversive Acts, was enacted under the Burma Socialist Program Party. It allows the government to declare a State of Emergency and to suspend citizens basic rights. Many opposition figures, including State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, were imprisoned under the law. Both the upper and lower houses voted to strike the act. The Bill Committee, which had proposed revoking the law, argued that it was not in the publics interest, and was also redundant as the 2008 constitution already contains provisions for calling a State of Emergency, should the nation come under threat. Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker U Win Myint said on May 24 that both hluttaws had approved revoking the bill with no caveats, so it will not be debated in a joint Pyidaungsu Hluttaw session, but instead cut, and recorded in the minutes. Pyithu Hluttaw representative U Pe Than of the Arakan National Party said that the law was outdated. That law should not exist. It was enacted with the sole purpose of arresting politicians. We cant have laws like that existing today, he said. Translation by Khant Lin Oo Landless , extorted and often violently evicted, Yangons unofficial tenants will now be shipped into rehabilitation camps as part of the new governments plan to address the squatter issue. Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein announced yesterday his long-awaited scheme to assist the hundreds of thousands of families living in shanty towns. He told media the first step will be to conduct a census to determine the exact number of squatters in the city. The number of informal tenants in Yangon has surged from an estimated 65,000 at the end of 2013, and could be as high as 2 million although no official survey has been made. In the run-up to the elections, the region government tallied 300,000 migrant workers and squatters. But according to the Hlaing Tharyar ward administration lists, there are over 400,000 unofficial residents in that township alone. U Phyo Min Thein had pledged to tackle the issue by helping landless families, many of whom had been pushed to the city outskirts in the wake of 2008s Cyclone Nargis. He added that his administration intends to assist real squatters but will not tolerate other forms of unofficial residence such as landlord squatters, professional squatters and anarchistic squatters. We will help only those who are really in trouble, he said at yesterdays conference. But let me be clear that breaking the law and being deceptive about the truth wont be accepted in Myanmar anymore. The chief minister did not say when the planned census was expected to be completed, but added that it was being carried out to verify identities and determine the number of camps that would need to be created. After counting, we will inspect their backgrounds and we will give ID cards to real squatters so they can live in the camp, U Phyo Min Thein said. We wont allow them to stay freely in these camps. They will have to work in order to learn to stand on their own feet. Tenants who are found to be fake squatters, with somewhere else to live, will be evicted from the camp. He added that the government will support the real squatters until they can reach a stable condition with a job. The regional government plans to increase security during the counting period and the government said it will take action if the unofficial tenants being tallied annoy census staffers. As of today, no new squatters will be permitted, meaning that anyone who attempts to set up any further unofficial residences will face legal action. The previous government largely dealt with the issue through violent forced evictions staged with security forces and bulldozers. Such forced evictions in Yangon and Mandalay led to the creation of a new breed of roadside squatters, according to the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission. Rights groups have long lobbied for more affordable housing in urban centres, but such apartment blocs were not part of the chief ministers agenda yesterday. Yangon needs as many as 100,000 new apartments a year just to keep up with the inflow of new residents, a number that far outstrips slated construction projects. Affordable housing options are limited in the extreme: There are only 1200 apartments under construction at the low-rent Mahabandoola housing project, which will charge tenants K30,000 per month. According to the Yangon governments estimates, there are 157,040 unofficial tenants in the Eastern district, 8180 in the Eestern district, 93,483 squatters in the Southern district and 170,975 squatters in the Northern district. More heavy rain is expected in southern Myanmar over the next few days, after which the southwest monsoon will make its way north and envelop the entire country in rain, according to the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology. Heavy rain is expected in the delta area, Mon and Kayin states, and Tanintharyi Region because of a strong monsoon. But the monsoon there will be moderate after May 27, said U Kyaw Lwin Oo, director of the department. Strong monsoon winds of approximately 40 miles per hour (64 kilometres) in the Bay of Bengal are expected to eventually bring rain to the entire country as a consequence of the unstable atmosphere, the director said. The monsoon will reach central Myanmar around the end of May and northern Myanmar sometime between June 5 and 10, according to the forecast. The monsoon reached the southern end of the country on May 20 and the delta three days later. Heavy rainfall inconvenienced residents of Yangon earlier this week. Daw Tin Marlar Win, a resident from Mingalar Taung Nyunt, said that an overflowing ditch flooded her shop. The ditch floods every year. The water reached up to my knees on May 23. I closed my shop because there was water everywhere, she said. A 46-year-old resident said also she faced floods every year, even though Yangon City Development Committee had cleaned the sewers. I think that the floods happen in Mingalar Taung Nyunt because there is a lot of garbage in the ditches. Officials should clean the environment systematically and residents should have the discipline to pick up their waste, she said. U Maung Kyi, a resident from the same township, said he worried that the floods could hamper transportation for the elderly and children. In the morning of May 25, 5.31 inches of rainfall was measured in Paung township, 3.77 in Thaton township 3.74 in Thanbyuzayat township and 3.43 in Bilin, all in Mon State. An amount of 4.09 fell in Hpa-an in Karen State and 3.03 in Yangons North Dagon township. Severals years ago, when my energy levels were higher, I pursued then-Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas quite relentlessly for an interview until he gave in. It was not easy, as these conquests never are, especially since the famous but media-averse Alatas was physically drained from overwork and was later rushed to hospital suffering from a suspected heart attack. My long session with him was not responsible for that near-death episode so far as I know, but it did generate one of the most impactful question-and-answer articles Ive ever written. It took place in December 1998, in a secluded corner of the lobby of the Horison Hotel in Hanoi, where a crisis summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was being held. Crisis was an understatement. In his opening remarks at the summit, the then-mild-mannered Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong admitted, This has been a traumatic year for ASEAN members. The continuing effect of the Asian Financial Crisis, which had begun wrecking regional economies the previous year, was the main culprit. But there were other issues, ranging from disputes over the admission of Cambodia to the relevance of the groups once-inviolable principle of non-interference in each others affairs. As I wrote in my introduction to the Alatas interview, Never before have the members differed with each other so intractably and so publicly leading many observers to even fear for ASEANs very survival. Of course, Alatas, ever urbane and hugely experienced, quietly demurred and assured me that ASEANs solidarity would remain intact and that the association would survive as indeed it has managed to do. But increasingly people now ask: Is that all it has done? Merely survive? Many of them, especially in Indonesia, the groups dominant big brother member, have once again begun to wonder whether ASEAN has any point. Their concern is that with one or two exceptions most of the regions economies are still under-performing, while authoritarian regimes spread, and racial and religious issues multiply and foster violent discord. Then there is the over-arching impact of China, whose own economy is faltering and whose relationship with Southeast Asian nations is being torn by conflicting sovereignty claims over islands in the South China Sea. In trying to deal with that issue, ASEAN members have, at least in public, always tried to sing the same tune, namely that they have greater strength and influence with China when they act collectively rather than individually. Unfortunately, when turbulence threatens, as it has due to Chinas recent aggressive actions, that stance gives way to naked self-interest and members ignore group solidarity and sing their own tunes. It happened again last month when Brunei, Cambodia and Laos reportedly agreed with China that territorial disputes between claimants should be settled bilaterally and that other nations should not interfere. That upset several members of ASEAN, especially the Philippines and Vietnam, who are locked in a fierce conflict with China over large swathes of the resource-rich sea, which China claims almost in its entirety. To their chagrin, it became apparent that Beijing had split the groups ranks and persuaded three members to block discussion of the topic at ASEAN meetings and to urge claimants to settle between themselves. Of course, when one claimant is a behemoth like China and the other is a relative weakling like the Philippines, there is no contest China wins. That is why Manila, like Hanoi, has begun ramping up military ties with the US and has also taken its own case to a United Nations tribunal in The Hague, which is due to make a ruling next month. Beijing has already said it will ignore the tribunals decision, which is likely to favour the Philippines. If so, what will ASEANs reaction be? Given that three members have already broken ranks and that Thailand and possibly Myanmar may join them, it appears that a united response supporting Manila is unlikely. Which brings us back to Indonesia and a growing sense of dismay about how the administration of President Joko Widodo has adopted an inward-looking and nationalistic foreign policy. Regional affairs, particularly those concerning ASEAN, seem to be near the bottom of his foreign ministrys priorities. That perception was reinforced by the appointment of neophyte foreign minister Retno Marsudi, a former ambassador to Norway and Iceland. With little experience of regional complexities, she gets no respect. Indeed, eyes roll in Jakarta when her name is raised and she is compared derisively to her savvy predecessor Marty Natalegawa, let alone to former greats like Ali Alatas and Adam Malik. So, cognisant of the groups endemic weakness, Jakarta decided to ignore ASEAN and unilaterally resolve its own dispute with Beijing over waters around the Natuna Islands in the southern part of the South China Sea and that is what it has done. The issue of fishing rights has not yet been firmly settled, but China has conceded that the Natunas are Indonesian territory. That resolution suits Jakarta and it mightily pleases Beijing to take the regions big brother out of the picture. For that almost certainly confirms that ASEAN will be unable to reach a unified stance on how to respond when China rejects the decision at The Hague. This pitiful outcome recalls Kiplings Law of the Jungle: The strength of the pack is the wolf and the strength of the wolf is the pack. Indonesia was the wolf of ASEAN and it has now deserted the pack. In doing so, it has handed victory to China and once again threatened the survival of ASEAN. Poor Alatas must be writhing in his grave. Good health is the mainstay of a good life. This may seem like a truism, but for too many people it does not reflect their lives and their childrens prospects. Hundreds of millions of people are currently denied health services or are plunged into poverty because they are forced to pay unaffordable fees. In some situations, women and children are even detained in hospitals because they cannot pay their medical bills. This flies in the face of human dignity, and is at odds with countries human rights obligations. Following the agreement on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) last September, all countries are now committed to achieving universal health coverage (UHC) by 2030. UHC means that everybody receives the health services they need without suffering financial hardship. The World Bank, the World Health Organization and other international institutions all agree that UHC saves lives, boosts economies and stabilises societies. This is why The Elders have launched a new initiative to campaign for universal health coverage. We believe UHC makes political and economic sense. When peoples lives are stunted or end prematurely, this is not only a terrible tragedy for them and their families it is also a loss for the community at large. Unmet health needs also reduce economic productivity and stop children and adolescents from realising their full potential in school, at home and later as adults. Some will say that in a world plagued by conflict, terrorism and economic insecurity, UHC is a utopian dream. But we know this is not true. Before World War II, many countries even in prosperous Western Europe did not enjoy universal health coverage and there was a huge discrepancy between the health prospects of the rich and poor. The post-war human rights revolution changed this forever. Initially across Europe, but then across Asia and the Pacific too, countries launched publicly financed health systems as the bedrock of a new social contract. In Norway, one of the architects of the public health system, Karl Evang, pioneered this international approach by co-founding the World Health Organization in 1948. UHC reforms also extended to Latin America and are now spreading to Africa. Poor countries like Rwanda and Ethiopia lead the way. If this has been achieved in 70 years, how can we possibly say it cannot be achieved in all nations by 2030? UHC is critical for the SDGs to become a reality. Money should not be the deciding factor for access to healthcare. Heads of state, ministers of health and, crucially, finance ministers must show they have the political will to make UHC a reality. Tough decisions need to be taken and powerful vested interests faced down. Universal coverage is the ultimate destination but we must get there equitably. Good-quality health services should be provided free at the point of use for women, children and adolescents as a first step in a nations UHC strategy. To improve access to services and maximise efficiency, countries should focus their UHC packages on primary healthcare delivered close to where people live. We firmly believe that only public financing can deliver universal health coverage. A free market where medical services are traded like a commodity will never deliver decent healthcare to the poor and vulnerable. But UHC is about more than just financing. Countries will need to strengthen their health systems in areas such as human resources, medicines, infrastructure and information systems. Nelson Mandela, founder of The Elders, once said that there were four basic and primary things people wish for: to live in a safe environment, to be able to work and provide for themselves, to have access to good public health, and to have sound educational opportunities for their children. We believe UHC is key to realising this vision, and are encouraged by the growing international consensus that it is an affordable dream. That is why we urge the G7 nations to show leadership and to make political and financial commitments to UHC at their upcoming summit in Japan. This would be a clear signal from the most powerful economies that business as usual will not do if the world is serious about implementing the SDGs. Access to healthcare is a fundamental human right. No mother should lose a child, or lose her own life, because she cannot afford healthcare. When ministers decide their actions and priorities, The Elders will act as a voice for the voiceless and campaign for truly universal healthcare as a human right for all. Gro Harlem Brundtland and Graca Machel are the former prime minister of Norway and the first education minister of Mozambique respectively. They are both founding members of The Elders, the group of independent global leaders working together for peace and human rights. [May 26, 2016] eServGlobal and Zain Win GTB Innovation Award for Mobile Money eServGlobal (News - Alert) (LSE:ESG.L) (ASX:ESV.AX), the provider of end-to-end mobile financial services to emerging markets, and the Zain Group have been named as winners of a Global Telecoms Business Innovation Award for mobile money deployments in Jordan and Iraq. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160526005512/en/ eServGlobal and Zain win GTB Innovation Award for Mobile Money. From left: Emre Gurkan, Zain Group (News - Alert) Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer; James Hume, CTO, eServGlobal. The Global Telecoms Business Innovation Awards recognise innovative projects in the global telecommunications industry, highlighting the collaboration and partnership between operators and vendors. The award winners were announced during a ceremony held in London on 25 May. eServGlobal and Zain were recognised for launching a new service, which allows users to access convenient and secure financial services through their mobile. Through the service, called 'Zain Cash', customers can have a mobile wallet linked to their SIM card, enabling financial transactions easily and at any time (Cash-In/ Cash-out, transfer money from wallet to another, recharge for prepaid account & bill payment for postpaid account). Zain Cash is currently live at Zain operations in Jordan and Iraq and aims to provide a mobile wallet to millions of customers in the two countries in coming years. The service is built on eServGlobal's flagship technology platform, PayMobile. eServGlobal's PayMobile is an end-to-end platform for mobile financial services and advanced recharge. It is a market-proven, state-of-the-art platform which currently supports deployments around the world, adapting to the differing needs of each market. James Hume, CTO, eServGlobal, said, "The collaboration between eServGlobal and Zain highlights what can be achieved when two innovative companies work together to launch life-changing services. Early customer reception for Zain Cash has been positive. eServGlobal is proud to be recognised as a leader within the rapidly developing space of mobile financial technology. We look forward to continuing our work with Zain to launch these services in more markets." Scott Gegenheimer, CEO of Zain Group, said, "This recognition confirms Zain's position at the forefront of the mobile money revolution in the region and that eServGlobal are the right partners for our continued success in this space. We are not just innovating for innovation's sake, but that the services and initiatives we are developing are really impacting people's lives positively, further supporting our aspirations on becoming a digital lifestyle operator." eServGlobal has a framework agreement with the Zain Group to provide an end-to-end mobile money and EVD (electronic voucher distribution for prepaid recharge) solutions across Zain Group's operations. Mobile financial services have a transformational effect on unbanked populations as they open financial systems to formally excluded population segments. This kind of change is crucial in emerging markets where financial inclusion is key to economic development. Mobile money, mobile financial services, mobile recharge and distribution are key elements in the Zain Group strategy. Zain Group coverage extends to more than 45.5 million customers spanning Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, South Sudan and Sudan. Notably, in several of Zain's markets, over 90% of the population does not have access to banking facilities. About eServGlobal eServGlobal (AIM:ESG, ASX:ESV) offers mobile money solutions which put feature-rich services at the fingertips of users worldwide, covering the full spectrum of mobile financial services, mobile wallet, mobile commerce, recharge, promotions and agent management. For more than 30 years, eServGlobal has been a source of innovation for telcos and financial institutions. Using carrier-grade, next-generation technology, eServGlobal aligns with the requirements of customers around the globe. Together with MasterCard (News - Alert) and BICS, eServGlobal is a joint venture partner of the HomeSend global payment hub, enabling cross-border money transfer between mobile wallets, cards, bank accounts or cash outlets from anywhere in the world. Paris Headquarters 244, avenue Pierre Brossolette T: +33 1 46 12 58 85 92245 Malakoff Cedex F: +33 1 47 35 07 88 France www.eservglobal.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160526005512/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Fort Coenraadsburg or Conraadsburg, also Fort Sao Jago da Mina, is a fort on the Dutch Gold Coast, built in 1652 to protect Fort Elmina from attacks. It was built on the site of a fortified chapel that the Portuguese had built and that the Dutch had burned to the ground in the Battle of Elmina (1637). The Dutch ceded the fort to Britain in 1872, together with the entire Dutch Gold Coast. Wikipedia Fort St Jago is known to the indigenes as Sinsowdo, from afar I was impressed with the majestic look of the fort standing firmly up on the hill. It has a commanding look over the Elmina township and visible from almost every corner of the ancient town. The climb up the sloppy hill demands some energy to complete. At first glance it looks like you can stride it over with ease but dont be deceived. I would advise you take an occasional pause to look back and take in the view of the town as the horizon over the Atlantic keeps stretching. The fort also serves as the residence of some locals whom am sure work for the museums board. The structure is quite strong considering the age of the building. I was however disappointed when I went round the rooms. Due to the damp nature of the environment the white walls were gradually turning green and the rooms were all empty. Some replica of the furniture used back in the days when it was occupied would breath some life into it and make the tour more interesting. The western corner of the structure is however closed to the public due to the weak nature of that part, a peep inside revealed a caving roof and looks more like a permanent abode for bats. The view from the the fort is truly breath taking. Visiting the fort is a must if you happen to be in Edina [Elmina], so after going to the castle tell your tour guide that you want to visit the fort or you will miss out. Droning Droning [#3drsolo, #fly3dr] here can be a little challenging if youre a beginner most especially when the winds are at full blast. All the same its quite interesting flying around the fort to get the best shots. Due to the thick nature of the walls dont try going low into the fort whiles standing behind the walls you will loose radio contact. I advise you do low flights and go slow to take in the scene as you fly past the various angles. For the video that I did I used one MPCC for the open shot and one orbit. The rest was manual flight. I prefer to do more of manual flying though the smart shots are great to use they do really come in handy and it saves the day. Enjoy this visuals by Michael Kunke President Mahamas advisor on Governance and Corruption says the Ghanaian leader does not seek praise from anyone for his anti-corruption fights in the country. Daniel Batidam says the continuous lament of President Mahama about how corruption is bleeding the nation and its economy is evident that he does not need to be given a pat on the back. The former head of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) the local chapter of Transparency International disclosed this in an interview with Joy News Manasseh Azure Awuni. President Mahama was recently invited to an anti-corruption summit organized by the UK Prime Minister, David Cameroun in Britain. He was among some few Heads of State from Africa invited to the global summit. However, many Ghanaians have questioned the commitment of the President to rooting out corruption in his government. Even though the Ghanaian leader agreed in an interview with the BBC that he has not taken a bribe before as a person, many people are pointing to some key members of his government. A probe into operations of the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Agency (GYEEDA) in 2013 led to the revelation that about 429 million cedis had been paid to some sixteen service providers for services they had not delivered. Later, the government said it had retrieved 14.5 million cedis as part of the Illegal money paid to contractors of GYEEDA. The government has also been hit by what is termed in Ghana as the Smarttys bus branding saga. A revelation that the rebranding of 116 Metro Mass buses cost the country the sum of 3.6 million cedis generated debate compelling the government to retrieve 1.5 million cedis from the wholly Ghanaian company which executed the contract, Smarttys Management, and productions. Pointing to efforts aimed at retrieving money duped the country in the above scandals, Ghanaians believed President Mahama and his government have not done enough. However, the anti-corruption crusader believed same. Mr Batidam said In 2014 a year after I said heads must roll, I sat in the studios of Joy FM and was asked whether I thought what had been retrieved for GYEEDA in relation to what had been lost was enough and I said it was not enough and more needed to be done. Ghana has had a checkered history of continuously confronting the issue of corruption and this is also evidence of the kind of result that we have from our surveys that Ghana has participated in notably the Corruption Perception Index between 2009 and now we have moved from 39 to 48 that is 9 points, he said. So even though we agree like many other countries that corruption is a problem we are working at it and I think we are making more progress so it would be strange and it would also not represent the fact of the situation, he added. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brako-Powers | Email: [email protected] File Photo 26.05.2016 LISTEN The purpose and intent [of a true leader] shall be to elevate mankinds faith and to fill the world with justice -- Maimonides, Laws of Kings, 4:10. A leader can be defined as a person who is appointed, elected or informally chosen to direct and co-ordinates the work of others in a group (Fiedler, 1995). This definition acknowledges the relevant truth that the formally appointed leader is not always a real leader, but it is also confines the notion of leader to a group context. If we take the word group literally, this definition excludes leaders of nations, large corporations and so on, except in so far as they lead a small group of senior colleagues. On the other hand, leadership can be considered to be the personal qualities, behaviours, styles and decisions adopted by the leader. In other words, it concerns how the leader carries out his/her role. Hence while the role of leader can be described in a job description, leadership is not so easily pinned down. The point is frequently overlooked that the dynamics of leadership when followers do not have direct contact with the leader may differ from those when they do. Waldman and Yammarino (1999) have argued that similar concepts can be used to describe leadership styles in these two situations, but the ways in which followers form the impressions of the leader differ. For those close to the leader, impressions are derived from day-to-day interactions, whereas for others, impressions depend more on the leaders stories, visions and symbolic behaviours and also on how well he/she performs. Early investigations, which focused on the personal characteristics or the behaviours of individuals who emerge as leaders, were followed by those that considered the influence of situational factors of leadership behaviour. For example, most recent research interest has centred on relationships between leaders and followers, with some experts on the topic stressing the need to study followership. This has been argued as important, not so much because all leaders are also followers, but also because modern notions of leadership place considerable emphasis on the power and importance of followers in ultimately legitimizing and enabling leadership. In Ghana today, we have in our midst people we may call leaders; in government, in business, in education, in the arts. Nevertheless, we are enduring the deficiency of true leadership. Where are these lousy shepherds actually directing us, and why the unabated and unpardonable incompetence? After attesting to so much duplicities and such frequent abuse of power, many Ghanaians have ceased believing these leaders. Unfortunately, however, no matter how sardonic we may grow, we abdicate ourselves to the fact that we require someone to keep our nation in order. Since we are engaged with our own lives, we are acquiesced to elect or appoint officials to manage the affairs of the nation. Nevertheless, the big question is: do we have the right leaders to direct us to the promise land? Yes, we do need leaders. Obviously, we need someone who has vision, direction, and strength to reach our goals. A leader provides a new direction, inspiring us to abandon our old ways of doing things. And when we are imbibed with our self-interests, be infinitesimal or gargantuan- a leader sends out a wake-up call, alerting us to seek the true priorities in life. This sense of urgency is just as important in a leader as a sense of vision. Leadership today is basically lacking the quality of urgency and afflatus. Needless to say, we have politicians in our midst whose rhetoric inspires millions of citizens to support them. However, what these leaders do not provide is simple - and essential: a vision of life itself. In practice, genuine leadership must give people a long-term vision that guzzles their lives with meaning; it must point them in a new direction and show how their every action is an indispensable part of a positive change ahead, for it is not enough for our leaders to teach us to be productive or efficient; they need to inspire us to change or improve the world in a productive, meaningful way. And this creates a compelling sense of urgency: to fulfil this vision of life. With so many people purporting to be leaders these days, how do we distinguish between a true leader and demagogue? To answer the preceding question, we must sigh deeply and ask: What is it that a leader is actually trying to achieve? Apparently, a true leader wants nothing more than to make people independent, as leaders in their own rights. Instead of trying to inebriate us with his or her rhetoric, a true leader reflects our own light back to us. Biblically, for instance, Moses was a paradigmatic leader. We read in Exodus that he was a shepherd - a rather unpretentious beginning for the man who would speak to God. He kept watch as thousands of sheep grazed the fields. Moses noticed that one sheep was missing and went off to look for it, finding it at a distant apart. When the sheep had finished drinking, Moses lifted it onto his shoulders and carried it back to the flock. When Jehovah God saw this, he became aware that Moses was a man of reason, empathy and selfless devotion, a man truly worthy to lead His people; a man who would put his empathetic qualities at the disposal of the needs of his subordinates. After all, no one was keeping an eye on Moses; Moses could easily have thought to himself, why be concerned with one sheep when there are thousands? In our anfractuous society, we tend to believe that a leader is a person who is well-connected, who is powerful or charismatic or wealthy. We judge our leaders by what they have. But a true leader should be judged by his/her extraordinary qualities, not -- ego, impertinent boldness, and self-interest. A true leader sees his/her work as altruistic service toward accomplishing a goal. As the sages say, Leadership is not power and dominance; it is service to mankind. Fellow Ghanaians, I think it is about time we distinguished between a demagogue and a true leader, in this way, we would avert the apocalypse of our dear nation sinking deeper and deeper into the mire. The big question, however, is how do we stop backing the losing horses? K. Badu, UK. The Founder of the Progressive People's Party, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom has opined that Ghana does not need a holiday to commemorate the African Union Day. 25th May of every year is set aside as a statutory holiday in member countries in Africa. But Dr. Nduom in his recent post on Facebook said such holiday reduces productivity hence must be scrapped. Lets get rid of it. This will be on my hit list as the President of the Republic of Ghana, he added. Though Dr. Nduom said he supports the commemoration of the AU day, he insisted that there is to build strong institutions, good economies and the empowerment of citizens. I am for commemorating this day to remember those who fought for our liberation and independence and to think through what we must do to guarantee African people a high quality of life. Below is Dr. Nduom's full piece: WE DO NOT NEED AN AFRICA DAY HOLIDAY LETS GET RID OF IT. Another holiday, to celebrate Africa Day? Why? I am for commemorating this day to remember those who fought for our liberation and independence and to think through what we must do to guarantee African people a high quality of life. But we need to WORK for stronger institutions, good economies across the continent and prosperity for our people. These will not be achieved through holiday upon holiday. We lose productivity and reduce the opportunity to become competitive nations this way. Lets get rid of it. This will be on my hit list as the President of the Republic of Ghana. Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana Follow @AlloteyGodwin 26.05.2016 LISTEN The chairman of the NPP UK, Mr. Michael Ansah has stated that the New Patriotic Party is ready to form the next government that will bring much desired transformation to Ghana. He was speaking to the Ghanaian Community, NPP sympathisers and members of the party at the formal inauguration of the Nottingham Chapter of the NPP UK. Mr. Ansah stated that 2016 is a defining year in the history of the party and the country. He recounted his recent visit to Ghana and noted how he saw many young people on the streets because there are no jobs for them. He urged the crowd to begin to ask themselves questions as to what they can individually do and contribute to help the party come to power. He stated the NPP UK will leave no stone unturned in its effort to help bring the party into power in November 2016 with Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo and Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia at the helm of affairs. In his welcoming address, the Chairman of the Nottingham Chapter, Mr. Emmanuel Osie expressed concern about the state of affairs in Ghana. He highlighted the deplorable state of the economy and the lack of job opportunities for the youth and added that the need for change of government is more urgent now than ever. He encouraged members to give generously to support the party to win the forthcoming presidential and parliamentary elections and bring the change Ghana needs and want. While awarding certificates of appreciation to the founding members and interim executives, the branch Secretary, Dr. John Kissi urged all members to emulate the sacrifices of the founding fathers of the party and of the chapter and give their best to help the party take over the governance of the country. Present at the function were branch executives; Richard Dombo, 1st Vice Chairman, Saeed Duah, Organiser, Ray Ankrah, Financial Secretary, Mr. Alex Dadey, Chairman of the Finance Committee, Nana Ansah Obofour and Yaw Twum Barima, both Deputy Communication Directors, Chapter executives and other senior members of the party. Several thousand Zimbabweans joined a march through Harare in support of veteran President Robert Mugabe on Wednesday after the main opposition party staged its own rally last month. The marchers, many of whom were transported to the capital by bus, sang songs praising Mugabe and wore t-shirts displaying his image as they gathered at a central square to hear him address the crowds. We are happy that we are marching for our president to prevent the opposition from distracting the country's leader, Taremedzwa Chikara, 56, a housewife and supporter of Mugabe's ZANU-PF party, told AFP. Our president has the people at heart and we support that a lot. Learnmore Muzarabani, 28, a farmer, said he was marching to show his loyalty to Mugabe over controversial land reforms to resettle landless blacks and government policies that force foreign firms to cede majority stakes to locals. We are here because we love our president. He has done a lot for us. He gave us land and now we are supporting his indigenisation programme, Muzarabani said. ZANU-PF supporters, many of them young and waving small national flags, arrived in Harare from across the country by bus, train and truck to attend what organisers had dubbed a million-man march. Comrade Mugabe is not sick, people lie, supporters sang in one song defending the 92-year-old president, who has been the subject of regular stories about his alleged ill health or even death. Forward with president Mugabe, others chanted, as they carried placards carrying messages such as Youths march in solidarity with the visionary and iconic leadership of President Robert Mugabe. Police in anti-riot gear surrounded the speech venue, searching people while heavy security patrols were on the streets of Harare in vehicles and on horseback. Last month, thousands of supporters of the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party attended the biggest public protest in nearly a decade calling on Mugabe to step down. Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, has vowed to stand again as president in elections due in 2018. His decades in office have been marked by economic decline, repression of dissent, vote-rigging and mass unemployment and emigration. The ZANU-PF party has been divided between rival factions jostling to succeed Mugabe, who has avoided naming a successor. Despite signs of ageing, he still appears regularly in public walking unaided and gives long speeches that often blame the west for Zimbabwe's troubles. 26.05.2016 LISTEN From the office of Sir Article, a Pan-African teenager... Today; May 25, 2016, is an African Union (AU) Day, and it is expected of the black race to celebrate it. However, AU Day appears to have lost its significance in contemporary Africa. Why? The AU has failed to ensure an incredibly transformed Africa over the years as a politically independent continent. And the teeming youths of Africa seem too enervated to resist our self-imposed troubles. A chunk of these young Africans are somehow ignorant of the unadulterated African story to help them forge ahead with their commitment to develop Africa. No wonder Kofi Annan once opined that, "You need a sense of history to know how to handle the future." Yes, Pan-Africanism, a panacea for the general progress of Africa, needs to be our preoccupation as a united people bound by a common black culture. Unfortunately, the supposed "dark continent" has been plagued with a myriad of common problems which are actually avoidable and solvable. My goodness, why should poverty, ignorance, conflicts, diseases, and the like, be seemingly insurmountable? Oh are we so dumb to find lasting remedy for these old problems? Well, "Africa's inability to identify its developmental problem and design an appropriate development programme is the reason for the poverty that has engulfed the continent" (Asare-Bediako and Asare-Bediako, 2007). Above all, black folks have a disgusting attitude of always lamenting our sickening challenges without applying problem-solving techniques to fix them. That is why our dear continent continues to lag behind the rest of the world in global progression. In fact, the fortunate continent of Africa, the true pride of planet earth, cannot afford to be stuck in stasis even in the midst of a plethora of economic opportunities. Freedom: economic freedom, not political freedom, is Africa's greatest need. This is the Africa the black race deserve! A continent which will be flowing with milk and honey in everyday African life. A continent where poverty, ignorance, conflicts, diseases etc. will be brought to the barest minimum. A continent where its people will enjoy the fullness of prosperity in peace. A continent where many young African champions will be making a huge impact on the global stage in diverse ways. A continent which will be regarded as a world power anywhere on planet earth. So how can we do it? First off, "As Africans, we need to share a common recognition that all of us stand to lose if we fail to transform our continent," as Thabo Mbeki, former South African President, warned. Africa is for Africans - at home and abroad, as Marcus Garvey declared. Indeed, Malcom X did not mince words when he uttered that, "Help Africa in its struggle to free itself from Western domination. No matter where the black man is, he will never be respected until Africa is a world power." Therefore, African youths in every nook and cranny need to empower themselves and build their capacity to innovatively pursue a variety of change oriented initiatives. Forget bad African leadership; let's wise up and solve our own problems with all priceless wisdom. God bless mother Africa... Source: sirarticle.blogspot.com Information gathered indicates that there is a rapid increase in eye diseases the world over leading to blindness and low vision on many men and women. According to information from the World Health Organization (WHO), 285 million people are estimated to be visually impaired worldwide today. With 39 million of them being blind while 246 having low vision , about 90% of the worlds visually impaired live in low-income settings including Africa with 82% of the blind aged 50 and above. Globally, uncorrected refractive errors are the main cause of moderate and severe visual impairment while cataracts remain the leading cause of blindness in middle- and low-income countries. Some of the eye diseases are trachoma, diabetes and others. To deal with the eye problems, the World Health Organization has taken an initiative through Vision 2020 to eliminate avoidable blindness through many individuals, non-governmental development organizations, government agencies, and ministries of health that work in the field of prevention of blindness. In spite of the introduction of this initiative and others, nations such as China are experimenting innovative but controversial means of solving increasing avoidable blindness in that nation. In a research by Angela Caito is a professional freelance writer Chinese scientists have spent the last ten years working on an artificial cornea made from the eyes of pigs. This artificial cornea will begin to go into mass production this July. Huang Yuanzhen, a 52 year old farmer from the Songzi Township in Central Chinas Hubei Province, has been able to see due to the implantation of a pig cornea in her right eye for the last five years. Huang was injured in 2010 when a piece of bamboo jabbed her right eye while working the fields. When she was able to open her eye after the injury, she was unable to see. Doctors deemed that she had an ulcer covering more than 50% of her right cornea, thus causing blindness in the right eye. Zhang Mingchang, a physician at Wuhan Union Hospital asked Huang if she would be open to have a transplant operation on her eye to implant an artificial cornea. The physician explained that the cornea would be from a pig. Huang stated that when the suggestion first came to light, she was not only scared but also felt disgusted at the idea. She stated, "I felt scared about it being a pig's eye but the doctor said if I choose this, the company that developed the cornea would pay for the surgery." Due to the constant throbbing pain in her eye as well as the fact that she found herself falling and walking into others, she decided to proceed with the implant surgery. Cornea surgery in Wuhan hospital Pukhtunkhwa Times Post-surgery Huang said that after surgery her eye-sight was blurry. Unknown to her at that time, she was the first pig cornea transplant recipient in China. Her poor right eye has healed over time and she now has around 80% vision restored. It is compatible with her left eye. When doctors saw the success with Huangs surgery, they performed 114 more transplants of which 109 were successful as well. They found that in each of the successful operations, the artificial, or pig corneas, worked very closely to the way human cornea transplants work. The China Food and Drug Administration provided a medical certificate to Aixintong, the cornea replacement derived from the research team. This grants the company the approval to proceed with the transplants and recognizes the product as the first cornea bioengineered and patented by Chinese scientists. For years, corneas were able to be sourced from executed criminals. In January 2015, the National Health and Family Planning Commission stated that human organs could only be received from donors. This would greatly lessen the number of organs available for transplant. Aixintong will now be mass produced beginning in July and the pig corneas will be provided through a pig farm in Shenzhen in the Guangdong Province. Each pig has an ID number and it will be easy to trace if they locate a cornea that is not faulty. The hospital is currently working to bring in around 100 new doctors to be able to perform the surgeries and maintain the transplant program. The Fourth Military Medical University, China Where this began Research began nearly 10 years prior to Huangs transplant surgery when a research scientist and professor at The Fourth Military Medical University, Jin Yan, was sent a request from China Regenerative Medicine International, a company located in Hong Kong, to assist with the development of artificial corneas. With nearly 5000 cornea donations annually, a very trivial number of patients can be helped each year. Karatitis, a swelling of the cornea, affects more than 4 million people in China each year and has been steadily rising by more than 100,000 annually. Cornea transplant is the only viable solution for the disease. Many scientists worldwide have worked for many years to create an artificial cornea, yet none have been successful thus far. The eye had to have similar traits to a human eye and the animal needed to be raised in a healthy environment. Scientists had initially considered using cats or goats but eventually decided to use pigs. Researchers worked for several years to find ways to combat rejection after transplant surgery. During studies, more than 10,000 pigs were used as test subjects by the team. The artificial cornea has been named Aixintong, an entirely made up name, in order to keep the fact that the corneas are from pigs. Medical research lab in China Getty Images Diminishing Doubts Jin Yan said that there were many that did not believe in his cornea research when he started several years ago. Many were in complete doubt there would be success. A U.S. research team published a paper in the Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology that pointed out the many imperfections that are currently used in decellularization. They specifically noted Jin Yans research with cornea replacement. Physicians in China were very skeptical as well. Huangs physician, Zhang Mingchang, said he had high doubts that the surgery would work as he wasnt sure Aixintong was safe at all. He kept other corneas, from human donors, to use in case the surgery did not go well. When he saw Huang again in 2013, three years after surgery, his doubts began to subside as he saw how well her vision had improved. Zhang has now performed nearly 50 transplants using Aixintong and has a 90% success rate with them. Huang herself was not told there were doubts about the cornea replacement surgery. She is happy that she is able to see now and says that the cornea replacement works well. With the pig eye cornea replacement, Huang will now be able to work in the fields and farm again to be able to provide financially for her family. Others that have had the transplant surgery using Aixintong are able to continue leading productive lives with their site restored. Chinese scientists have spent the last ten years working on an artificial cornea made from the eyes of pigs. This artificial cornea will begin to go into mass production this July. Huang Yuanzhen, a 52 year old farmer from the Songzi Township in Central Chinas Hubei Province, has been able to see due to the implantation of a pig cornea in her right eye for the last five years. Huang was injured in 2010 when a piece of bamboo jabbed her right eye while working the fields. When she was able to open her eye after the injury, she was unable to see. Doctors deemed that she had an ulcer covering more than 50% of her right cornea, thus causing blindness in the right eye. Zhang Mingchang, a physician at Wuhan Union Hospital asked Huang if she would be open to have a transplant operation on her eye to implant an artificial cornea. The physician explained that the cornea would be from a pig. Huang stated that when the suggestion first came to light, she was not only scared but also felt disgusted at the idea. She stated, "I felt scared about it being a pig's eye but the doctor said if I choose this, the company that developed the cornea would pay for the surgery." Due to the constant throbbing pain in her eye as well as the fact that she found herself falling and walking into others, she decided to proceed with the implant surgery. Cornea surgery in Wuhan hospital Pukhtunkhwa Times Post-surgery Huang said that after surgery her eye-sight was blurry. Unbeknownst to her at that time, she was the first pig cornea transplant recipient in China. Her right has healed over time and she now has around 80% vision restored. It is compatible with her left eye. When doctors saw the success with Huangs surgery, they performed 114 more transplants of which 109 were successful as well. They found that in each of the successful operations, the artificial, or pig corneas, worked very closely to the way human cornea transplants work. The China Food and Drug Administration provided a medical certificate to Aixintong, the cornea replacement derived from the research team. This grants the company the approval to proceed with the transplants and recognizes the product as the first cornea bioengineered and patented by Chinese scientists. For years, corneas were able to be sourced from executed criminals. In January 2015, the National Health and Family Planning Commission stated that human organs could only be received from donors. This would greatly lessen the number of organs available for transplant. Aixintong will now be mass produced beginning in July and the pig corneas will be provided through a pig farm in Shenzhen in the Guangdong Province. Each pig has an ID number and it will be easy to trace if they locate a cornea that is not faulty. The hospital is currently working to bring in around 100 new doctors to be able to perform the surgeries and maintain the transplant program. The Fourth Military Medical University, China Where this began Research began nearly 10 years prior to Huangs transplant surgery when a research scientist and professor at The Fourth Military Medical University, Jin Yan, was sent a request from China Regenerative Medicine International, a company located in Hong Kong, to assist with the development of artificial corneas. With nearly 5000 cornea donations annually, a very trivial number of patients can be helped each year. Karatitis, a swelling of the cornea, affects more than 4 million people in China each year and has been steadily rising by more than 100,000 annually. Cornea transplant is the only viable solution for the disease. Many scientists worldwide have worked for many years to create an artificial cornea, yet none have been successful thus far. The eye had to have similar traits to a human eye and the animal needed to be raised in a healthy environment. Scientists had initially considered using cats or goats but eventually decided to use pigs. Researchers worked for several years to find ways to combat rejection after transplant surgery. During studies, more than 10,000 pigs were used as test subjects by the team. The artificial cornea has been named Aixintong, an entirely made up name, in order to keep the fact that the corneas are from pigs. Medical research lab in China Getty Images Diminishing Doubts Jin Yan said that there were many that did not believe in his cornea research when he started several years ago. Many were in complete doubt there would be success. A U.S. research team published a paper in the Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology that pointed out the many imperfections that are currently used in decellularization. They specifically noted Jin Yans research with cornea replacement. Physicians in China were very skeptical as well. Huangs physician, Zhang Mingchang, said he had high doubts that the surgery would work as he wasnt sure Aixintong was safe at all. He kept other corneas, from human donors, to use in case the surgery did not go well. When he saw Huang again in 2013, three years after surgery, his doubts began to subside as he saw how well her vision had improved. Zhang has now performed nearly 50 transplants using Aixintong and has a 90% success rate with them. Huang herself was not told there were doubts about the cornea replacement surgery. She is happy that she is able to see now and says that the cornea replacement works well. With the pig eye cornea replacement, Huang will now be able to work in the fields and farm again to be able to provide financially for her family. Others that have had the transplant surgery using Aixintong are able to continue leading productive lives with their site restored. The success story of medical scientists in china might be extraordinary, it remains to be seen whether all people especially in Africa middle east north Africa and parts of Africa who have doubts about the success of the experiment and those who hate pigs to adapt to the use of pig cornea to cure the blind to be able to see once a gain EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EANFOWORLD FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 0244 370345/ 0274853710/0208844791 [email protected]/[email protected] Residents of East Ashiyie, in the Adentan Municipality on Wednesday demonstrated against the poor nature of the road leading to Kpone Akatamanso, Ashaiman and its environs. The angry residents wielded placards with inscriptions and blocked a section of the road, preventing commercial and private drivers from plying the road, while chanting no road, no campaign, no water, no campaign. According to the Chairman of the East Ashiyie Resident Association (EARA), Mr. Mark Amlor, he residents were fedup and angry about the poor nature of the road and lack of water in the community. Mr. Amlor noted that the road project was awarded to a contractor about two years ago and was expected to be completed in February this year. He said the contractor whose identity was not known brought in the chippings for construction but collected them without explanation. According to Mr. Amlor, the contractor used some of the chippings to construct a road, which was not part of the original plan. He said that the contractor quickly came to level the road when he called into a radio show to complain about the nature of the road to the Minister of Roads and Highways, Alhaji Inusah Fusieni, who was a guest at the radio station. Mr. Amlor said residents have been suffering from lung diseases and constant flu as a result of the dusty nature of the road. We also do not have water in the community thereby share a pond of water with cattle in the community, he said. In an attempt to get water for the residents, he said, the Ogbojo branch of the Ghana Water Company Limted (GWCL) asked the residents to pay GHc1,000,000 before they would be connected to the main service pipeline, which was along the main road. Mr. Amlor said some developmental projects in the area were done by the association, and it could not add road and water project to its work. We are giving the contractor and government a minimum of 14 days or we would advise ourselves, he warned. Mr. Amlor also cautioned political parties not to consider campaigning in the community until the road has been repaired and water supplied to the people. A resident of the community, Mrs. Abena Asantewaa Debrah, said during the dry season, the road becomes dusty, and unmotorable in the rainy season. We have to service our vehicles often due to the nature of the road, she added. On May 12, 2016, I listened to the passionate debate organised by Joy FM in which the panel debated about whether the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) should be scrapped or maintained. I agree with the Dr. Kwesi Aning and Osei Bonsu Dickson who argued that the BNI should be maintained. This article is intended to contribute to that rich debate. Intelligence, narrowly defined, refers to the collection, processing, analysis and dissemination of information on one's enemies and rivals. As such it provides an essential input into any country's defence and foreign-policy making.[1] As an intelligence agency, BNI is the subdivision of Ghanas government tasked with making sense of current and future security challenges and providing accurate information and estimates to national security decision-makers. Given the relative stability in Ghana and the disorder, chaos and insecurity in Ghanas neighbourhood particularly in Mali, Nigeria, Niger, Guinea Bissau among others, there is no doubt that the BNI and other security agencies in Ghana have served the country well. The BNI in particular has been indispensable in protecting the security of the Republic of Ghana. As a key pillar in Ghanas security architecture, the BNI has played a major role in averting efforts by Ghanas enemies to harm the country, its free democratic order, the economy and the people. . The world is going through massive economic integration, and competition as a result of globalisation of capital. In this hyper integration and competition, governments and states that are well informed will survive. Intelligence agencies globally are actively gathering information and informing their authorities about the development in the global economy, science and new technologies and how to cope. Depriving Ghana of a key intelligence agency able to gather information and inform policymakers about the challenges and opportunities in the global economy will push Ghana to the periphery of the global economy. Moreover, the current global security environment faces serious uncertainties than ever before. In almost every country and region there is a major struggle between the forces of good and bad. The forces of bad include powerful non-state actors like Al Qaeda and Islamic State and other transnational terrorist organisations that are hell bent on destroying or overthrowing the current global economic, political and security order. Al Qaeda and Islamic State for instance are actively seeking weapons of mass destruction to attack and destroy their so-called enemies. They are seeking nuclear weapons, harmful bio-pathogens and other destructive biotechnologies to cause mass casualties globally including in Ghana and other West African states. For Ghana to defeat these evil forces or thwart their diabolical efforts will require a strong commitment and dedication on the part of the state security apparatuses particularly the intelligence services like the BNI. The security challenges confronting Ghana is not limited to the activities of transnational terrorist groups. Ghana and the countries in the West African subregion continue to be the main focus by other transnational criminal groups seeking financial benefits through the export of conventional arms, drugs smuggling, maritime piracy and cyber fraud. In the past several months, the Ghana Police Service has routinely seized several weapons in vehicles bound for several destinations in the country. These weapons are being smuggled into the country for criminal purposes. BNI has been deeply involved in stopping the flow of these weapons and drugs into the country. In future, stopping the flow of these weapons and the intended criminal operations in Ghana will require better intelligence. Scrapping the BNI will therefore grant the transnational terrorists, cyber fraudsters, illegal arms dealers, drug smugglers and pirates the room to operate with impunity. Currently there is a heightened tension between Fulani herdsmen and farming communities in parts of Ashanti, Eastern, Northern, and Volta region. The herdsmen have had to abandon their traditional grazing areas in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Northern Nigeria in search of fresh water, and pasture for their animals. This has become necessary because climate change which has been described as a "threat multiplier" is altering the rainfall pattern in the subregion making life unbearable for the nomadic cattle herders. Predictions by scientists indicate that climate change will pose more threat for communities in West Africa. This means that more herdsmen may head to Ghana in future. Ghana needs BNI to gather information about the flow of Fulanis and other migrants and inform the government in order to avert any undesirable catastrophic incident between the migrants and the host communities. BNI CHALLENGES As any human institution, the BNI is fallible. It has had its own shortcomings and failures. However, these failures should not warrant its total abolishment. The French intelligence services the General Directorate for External Security (DGSE) and Directorate-General for Internal Security (DSGIS) were not scrapped after terrorists struck Paris in January 2015 and again in November 2015. Belgium has not disbanded its intelligence services after the recent Islamic State assault in Brussels. Similarly, in the United States, the 9/11 Commission did not recommend the CIA and the FBI to be abolished after the terrible tragedy of the 9/11 terrorists attack in Washington, New York and Arlington. Likewise the 1975 Arrant Commission did not recommend the Israeli foreign intelligence service i.e. the Mossad or the military intelligence (AMAN) or the domestic intelligence agency (the SHABAK) to be disbanded after their failure to prompt the Israeli political leadership to prepare the countrys military to respond to the then impending combined Egyptian and Syrian assault in 1973, a failure that led to monumental catastrophic outcomes for Israel in the beginning of the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Also the MI5 and MI6 intelligence agencies in Britain were not scrapped after Al Qaeda bombed the transport networks in London on July 7, 2005. Spain did not disband its intelligence agencies after Al Qaedas deadly Madrid train bombings in March, 2004. The problem facing the BNI which has made its work difficult has to do with the broad functions (tasks, powers, and fields of work) assigned to it by the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act (Act 526) 1996 that set it up. While the Act lets the BNI functions as a Domestic Intelligence Agency, the organisation sometimes doubles as adomestic and foreign intelligence agency. Combining these two functions continue to overwhelm the agency. In many countries including the United States, Britain, Israel, Russia, France and Germany the work of domestic intelligence and foreign intelligence are performed by two different bodies. In the United States for example, the FBI is concerned with domestic intelligence while the CIA concerns itself with foreign intelligence operations. In Britain the Security Service (popularly called MI5) functions as a domestic intelligence agency while the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) conducts foreign intelligence to protect Britains interests abroad. In Israel, the Mossad is responsible for gathering foreign intelligence while SHABAK is responsible for domestic intelligence. Similarly, in Germany, the Federal Intelligence Service (Bundesnachrichtendienst or BND)) acts as an early warning system to alert the German government about threats to its interests, while Bundesamt fur Verfassungsschutz (BfV) has a duty to protect the internal security of the Federal Republic of Germany. In Russia, domestic intelligence falls on the Federal Security Service (FSB) while foreign intelligence functions fall on the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). In France, the General Directorate for External Security (DGSE) is the foreign intelligence agency responsible for protecting Frances interests abroad while Directorate-General for Internal Security (DSGIS) functions as France's domestic intelligence agency with duties that includes counter-espionage, counter-terrorism, countering cybercrime and surveillance of potentially threatening groups, organisations, and social phenomena. As a result of the division of intelligence powers, functions and fields of operation into domestic and foreign, these intelligence agencies are some of the effective in the world. They are able to focus on their core mandates and not dabble in other functions which are beyond their capabilities. The Israeli Mossad, Americas CIA, the British MI6 are some of the worlds premiere and effective secret intelligence services in the world. Likewise the MI5 of Britain, the FBI of USA and the BfV of Germany are noted for their role in maintaining internal security, preventing foreign intelligence services from gaining foothold in their home countries and preventing terrorists from harming their countries. They work to prevent the activities of money launderers, cyber criminals, pirates, drug lords and other criminals from gaining access to the domestic economy. Therefore, if Ghana is to have an effective intelligence agency capable of protecting Ghana, then the BNI should be restricted to its role as a domestic intelligence agency while another agency is created purposely as a foreign intelligence agency to protect Ghanas interests abroad. This will free BNI to focus on its core mandate. Another challenge that makes the BNI less effective has to do with the issue of politicisation. Politicisation here is defined as the manipulation of intelligence to reflect policy preferences. To be precise, it is any external intervention in the elements of intelligence work which should be kept objective, autonomous, and free of political influence. Included are three stages of the intelligence process collection, processing, and productionas well as certain elements of the planning, direction, and dissemination stages, which should be carried out solely on the basis of professional considerations.[2] Critics of BNI assert that the agency suffers from political manipulation often by the government in power. They argue that the BNI often comes under political pressure to please the government of the day by often overreacting to issues associated with the political opposition. The critics point out that BNIs decisions are often coloured by political considerations especially when they arrest members of the political opposition while allowing politicians on the government side to go scot free for similar or related offences. The critics claim these arrests are not based on objective, autonomous, and non-political interference assessment of the offence in question but rather they are carried out to meet the mindset or political needs of the government in power. There is some truth in this criticism and the BNI must work hard to be objective, autonomous and free of political control so as to gain the trust and support of all Ghanaians. In fact currently the BNI is one of the organisations in the country that does not enjoy the trust and prestige of the public. One way to free the BNI from undue politicisation is for the agency to ensure that its officers express their positions/estimates in a strong and clear voice, even when confronting opposing policymakers/politicians who might take measures to silence them for nonconforming. The BNI must again object to any overly close relationship between its officers and policymakers (politicians) because doing so will compromise its intelligence objectivity and credibility. As has been suggested by Columbia University professor Richard K. Betts, policy interests, preferences, or decisions must never determine intelligence judgments, and that on crucial questions, intelligence professionals should fall on their swords.[2] By Lord Aikins Adusei E-mail: [email protected] Reference [1] Levite, A. (1987) The role of intelligence in Israel's foreign policy, Defence Analysis, 3:2, 177-179 [2] Bar-Joseph, U. (2013) The Politicisation of Intelligence: A Comparative Study, International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence, 26:2, 347-369 Jim Yong Kim 26.05.2016 LISTEN SENDAI, Japan, May 21, 2016The World Bank Group today launched the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEF), an innovative, fast-disbursing global financing mechanism designed to protect the world against deadly pandemics, which will create the first-ever insurance market for pandemic risk. Japan, which holds the G7 Presidency, committed the first $50 million in funding toward the new initiative. Pandemics pose some of the biggest threats in the world to peoples lives and to economies, and for the first time we will have a system that can move funding and teams of experts to the sites of outbreaks before they spin out of control, said Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group. This facility addresses a long, collective failure in dealing with pandemics. The Ebola crisis in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone taught all of us that we must be much more vigilant to outbreaks and respond immediately to save lives and also to protect economic growth. The announcement came a week ahead of the May 26-27 Summit of Group of Seven Leaders in Ise-Shima, Japan. G7 leaders had urged the World Bank Group to develop the initiative during their May 2015 summit in Schloss-Elmau, Germany. Japan is proud to support the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility, which prevents pandemics from undermining important development achievements", said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Japan Taro Aso. Innovative financing for crisis responses by the PEF, together with financing for preparedness and prevention in peacetime including through IDA, are important to mitigate human and social losses and to help quickly recover in the event of a crisis. It is cost-effective and should be emphasized at all stages of economic development. The new facility will accelerate both global and national responses to future outbreaks with pandemic potential. It was built and designed in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the private sector, introducing a new level of rigor into both the financing and the response. Recent years have seen a dramatic resurgence of the threat from emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, said Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization. WHO fully supports the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility as a critical contribution to global health security and a crucial line of defence against high-threat pathogens. The PEF includes an insurance window, which combines funding from the reinsurance markets with the proceeds of World Bank-issued pandemic (catastrophe, or Cat) bonds, as well as a complementary cash window. This will be the first time World Bank Cat Bonds have been used to combat infectious diseases. In the event of an outbreak, the PEF will release funds quickly to countries and qualified international responding agencies. The insurance window will provide coverage up to $500 million for an initial period of three years for outbreaks of infectious diseases most likely to cause major epidemics, including new Orthomyxoviruses (e.g. new influenza pandemic virus A, B and C), Coronaviridae (e.g. SARS, MERS), Filoviridae (e.g. Ebola, Marburg) and other zoonotic diseases (e.g. Crimean Congo, Rift Valley, Lassa fever). Parametric triggers designed with publicly available data will determine when the money would be released, based on the size, severity and spread of the outbreak. The complementary cash window will provide more flexible funding to address a larger set of emerging pathogens, which may not yet meet the activation criteria for the insurance window. All 77 countries eligible for financing from the International Development Association , the World Bank Groups fund for the poorest countries, will be eligible to receive coverage from the PEF.The PEF is expected to be operational later this year. Recent economic analysis suggests that the annual global cost of moderately severe to severe pandemics is roughly $570 billion, or 0.7 percent of global GDP. A very severe pandemic like the 1918 Spanish flu could cost as much as 5 percent of global GDP, or nearly $4 trillion. During the past two years alone, pandemic threats have included the devastating Ebola crisis in West Africawhich crippled the economies of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and cost them an estimated $2.8 billion in GDP losses ($600 million in Guinea, $300 million in Liberia and $1.9 billion in Sierra Leone); the MERS outbreak, which took a toll on the South Korean economy; and the Zika virus that is spreading in the Americas and putting thousands of unborn children at risk. Four global expert panels that were convened over the past year in the wake of the Ebola crisis concluded that the world must urgently step up its capacity for a swift response to outbreaks before they become more deadly and costly pandemics. The PEF will do a number of important things to prevent another Ebola crisis: It will insure the worlds poorest countries against the threat of a pandemic. In the event of a severe infectious disease outbreak, it will release funds quickly to the countries and/or to international responders, to accelerate the responsesaving lives and reducing human suffering. By mobilizing an earlier, faster, better planned and coordinated response, it will reduce the costs to countries and their people for response and recovery. It will promote greater global and national investments in preparing for future outbreaks and strengthening national health systems. It will combine public and private resources to advance global health security, and create a new insurance market for managing pandemic risk. The World Bank Group estimates that if the PEF had existed in mid-2014 as the Ebola outbreak was spreading rapidly in West Africa, it could have mobilized an initial $100 million as early as July to severely limit the spread and severity of the epidemic. Instead, money at that scale did not begin to flow until three months later. During that three month period, the number of Ebola cases increased tenfold. The Ebola epidemic has claimed more than 11,300 lives and cost at least $10 billion to date. International assistance has totaled more than $7 billion for Ebola response and recovery. Kampala (AFP) - The Ugandan ringleader of a 2010 bombing by the Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab that killed 76 people in Kampala was found guilty on Thursday of masterminding one of the region's worst attacks in decades. Judge Alfonse Owiny-Dollo said Issa Luyima had been shown during the trial to have played a key part in planning the attacks. "I therefore find Issa Luyima guilty for the offence of terrorism of which he was charged, so I convict him," Owiny-Dollo said. The judge was reading the verdicts against 12 other suspects also in court. File Photo 26.05.2016 LISTEN Crucial to the realization of inclusive and equitable quality education and promotion of lifelong learning opportunities for all (SDG 4) is decentralized participation involving community members and other important stakeholders. Education is among the top priorities by governments across the world. In the United States, both Policy reform advocates and Politicians are concerned about how to revive and enrich public education to maintain economic competitiveness and world influence. In china, efforts to consolidate status as the worlds manufacturing hub has received considerable support through significant education reform and investment. In Ghana, the discussion is gradually migrating from getting more people into school to improving the quality of the learning experience. The task to ensure quality outcomes and quality investment into critical areas at the basic, secondary, technical, vocational and tertiary educational levels is however beyond the government; hence the need for community ownership and participation in facilitating a successful educational reform in the country. VIAM Africa Center for Education and Social Policy undertook a consultation exercise on behalf of the Education Commission, a global initiative under the chairmanship of Gordon Brown, United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education. VIAM organize sessions in selected communities in Accra, the capital city of Ghana to gather input of key education stakeholders, including technocrats, policy makers, relevant stakeholders and consumers of education, around stipulated research questions to support the Commissions development of a strong and comprehensive final report. This falls in line with VIAMs commitment to serve as a resource for government departments and agencies, education institutions, philanthropic foundations and others committed to improving access, quality and management issues in education. Over 50 people participated in this exercise. Consultation sessions were held at three different locations; first two sessions in the afternoon and the last session in the evening. These locations were of close proximity to the settlement of participants. Each session began with an overview of the Commissions work as required, after which discussions around key questions began. Owing to differences in literacy among participants, some of the discussion questions had to be rephrased in a language semi-literate and illiterate participants can understand. Questions were also translated into the main local dialects for some participants to understand (Ga, Twi, and Ewe). From my interactions with participants, I observed that parents and guardians are very much interested in the education of their children. For some, it is an issue of giving their children a privilege they never had. For others, it is about preparing their children for future demands and opportunities. Their interest is however constrained by socio-cultural and economic factors. Unemployment, poor family planning, broken homes as a result of divorce, among others are some reasons parents find it difficult to educate their children. A more dangerous constraint is skepticism at the importance of education due to the prevailing condition of graduate unemployment; what is the point of spending millions of cedis educating my child, only for her to graduate and sit at home because there is no job, a parent lamented. This however is an expression of frustration, than an outright devaluation of education. According to participants, poor community involvement, backward socio-cultural norms, outdated curriculum, bad economy, poor parental supervision, to mention a few, are obstacles to raising educational quality in Ghana. 14 years from now, participants project school fees will skyrocket beyond the reach of parents, confidence in public schools will plummet, private schools would outnumber public ones, technical and vocational education will gain momentum, and wholesale education finance for both the rich and the poor will cease. Education finance remains a vexed and contentious matter. The discussion on the extent to which government, the private sector and parents should be financially involved is useful for building consensus and deploying much needed reforms. Just as important is the involvement of those at the bottom of the pyramid which comprises consumers of public education, mostly the poor, in the discussion. Also, the skepticism and negativity can be put to rest if requisite reforms and financially viable alternatives for the funding of public schools are developed and implemented. Ernest Armah is the Programmes Manager of VIAM Africa Centre for Education and Social Policy. Contact: [email protected] Dr. kwame Nkrumah 26.05.2016 LISTEN It was pass the first hour of the morning that followed Easter Sunday of twenty fifteen. The sky was clear. Behind the darkness of the clouds a half-moon was shining bright visible only to the eye of someone able to see beyond the obvious into the far distance of space and time. Left and right little stars surrounded the moon giving the impression of godly harmony in heaven and orderly manner among GODs creation. Out of nowhere as it seemed to me, he was standing right in front of me. I had never seen him before alive, only on old photos and TV reportages. He looked older than I had anticipating him. Compared to me, he was actually small which made me laugh a bit inside myself. Upright, in presidential statue like a bronze figure sculptured from a fabulous artist, did he stand a handshake away from me. I discovered a certain tender, boyish like smile on his face letting him appear like an old man understanding the short-comings of people, especially in his native country that once overthrow him and subsequently took his life. He was complaining about his high Blood Pressure showing me his medication given by his master saying, this is what Ghana had done to him, shameful he added looking down to the ground he once was walking on. Doctor Kwame Nkrumah, a man of great vision for his people and the African continent, was not a man like Jesus Christ, flawless and without sins. As a human being he had his mistakes, something that finally was ending his walk as the first President of the independent country Ghana leaving the Gold Coast behind in history books. As a Politician he did anticipate that the problem for a united Africa and a prosperous Ghana was not the White Man as the focus of all evil and limitations, but the limited mindset of his fellow people in his own country and the continent at large. Doctor Kwame Nkrumah, so he told me sitting next to me on my bed holding my hand like a father does to transfer his ideas into my body and soul, started off with a Vision for Africa and especially Ghana. In his soft voice lie something magical, something like of a man that was send by GOD for a purpose, not by his own power. With his right hand he was holding on to his medication against High Blood Pressure making his life difficult. With great compassion and love for his people he explained to me that he observed with great sadness the current Government and President. John Dramani Mahama had decided to set up a National Committee to develop a plan for the next forty years how best to develop the country of Ghana. GOD created the world not based on a plan, rather a vision in which he placed light and darkness, plants and animals, a male human and his female companion. As time passed on, he assigned human helpers like Moses, Noah, Abraham, King David, Jacob, King Solomon and others to come and perform his plan in details on earth. When things got out of hand, he even decided to send his only begotten son Jesus Christ to teach, heal, and promise eternal life and the forgiveness of sins. Doctor Kwame Nkrumah looked straight into my eyes in which I was able to discover small tears. He opened his mouth with a strong voice coming into my ears. His mind was always on a vision for Ghana and Africa, not on a plan. A Plan is something for Technocrats, nothing for political Leaders. They need to have enough time to think and come to conclusions after which they communicate this to their helpers to form an Agenda and Plan to execute the vision over time. Better Ghana Agenda is a Plan for a Party in power not for the development of a country to lift it up from poverty to richness to stand out among African Nations as their Leader and Hero. Now the drama had increased, he lamented while looking at his BP results that he found in his medication package. He was taking it out to show to me saying with a slow voice that this is what Ghanaian Presidents had done to him and the country, causing unnecessary problems for themselves instead of enjoying the GOD given Paradise they live in. He added with open eyes the quotation from the Bibel that who so ever can see should see. I did not dear to respond to him with adding that who so ever can hear should hear due to the great respect this old man from far had planted into me. In his great wisdom he shared with me his insight that a plan can always fail especially when done for a period of forty years as it has no inner power but falls apart when problems seem to be unimaginable high and impossible to overcome. In such cases a rescue plan is needed to save the plan from collapse while in a vision for Generations ahead the power of passion to overcome any obstacle in its way is implanted and has the power and impartation to carry divers views along the way to victory for all at the end to see the Black Paradise Ghana was assigned to be and Africa at large to rule the world. When he paused starring me into my eyes, I was clearly feeling through his hands the warmth of his heart touching mine, giving me the ever lasting impression history is like a red ribbon around, an endless knot that connects humans with the past and hold them tied in the present to create and vision the future. Most people do not walk along the red ribbon rather embark on their own way and will only to find themselves in the midst of trouble. I looked him into his eyes and saw deep into them discovering a man that had truly a great heart for his people underestimating the character shortcomings of his so beloved people. But he know in his heart, the time will come and is near, someone will again touch the red ribbon of history, embrace it and hold unto it for the generation he lives in to set the pace for generations to come. It became obvious to me that this was obvious to him, he had no doubt about it. For a moment he laid down his medication by his side, took my both hands into his, looked emotionless into my eyes and asked me to promise him not to leave his people alone in darkness but help them to see the light no matter the cost. I felt his warm touch of his hands and promised him with his eyes to do all that stands in my power to follow the red ribbon. Author: Dipl.-Pol. Karl-Heinz Heerde, Sakumono Estate, Block D10, Aprt.9, Tema West, Ghana, phone +233(0)265078287, [email protected] , 24.05.2016 26.05.2016 LISTEN Today in many years ago, a new Africa was born out of great hominids( Mum of Africa and Daddy of Africa) Some years later , it became very necessary for uncle OAU to change its name to AU by swearing an affidavit. Mum and dad of Africa 'IS' blessed with 53 biological children with Morocco being a Step son. As a result of the binding ties between the children of Africa, Morocco is regarded as one of us even tho, they were against the western Sahara membership. Among the numerous objectives set forth by people I call pioneers of the new Africa(such as the Nkrumah's , the haile Selassie's, the sekou toure's , the Ghadafi's, Azikewi's, the W. E. B Dubois' etc ) to ensure a consolidated African front are as follows To achieve greater unity and solidarity between the African countries and the peoples of Africa; To defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its Member States; To accelerate the political and socio-economic integration of the continent; Today, my heart was saddened as I woke up to witness a day being set aside to celebrate African union. I was wondering and pondering on what at all Africa has been able to achieve with regards to the few but necessary points or objectives delineated above ... As I continue to wonder and ponder, I had a strange call from my father, ROBERT MUGABE, the man I refer to as an epitome of leadership in the 21st century... Hahahaha, thus the PUTIN of Africa . He gave me some mind boggling proverbs that I had to consult JJ rawlings to find meaning for them coz the punchlines were too heavy for my brains to rack. All that the REVOLUTIONIST told me was and I quote in no equivocal terms '' Angoo of Africa, keep calm, there's still hope for Africa '' Without uttering a word, I again asked myself, where lies the unity we've been preaching of if Ghanaians in south Africa are living in fear??? where lies the solidarity if African leaders are killing fellow beings here and there all because of their parochial taste for power???? what about the current happenings in Nigeria??? This is the food for thought I want every pan africanist to find answers to... On this note, I will urged African leaders to come up with life-changing solutions to many of the problems in the continent, as well as to ensure that the African Union (AU) is successful in providing the continent with strong leadership.. Long live AU. Long live Africa Long live Ghana Long live Pan africanism Have a happy African Union Day @ANGOO of AFRICA Responding to a higher calling Former President Jerry John Rawlings 26.05.2016 LISTEN A Special Aide to the Flagbearer of the Convention People's Party (CPP), James Kwabena Bomfeh, has fired back at Ex-President John Jerry Rawlings for tagging followers of Ghanas first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah as Criminals and "dumb". Nkrumahists are people who subscribe to the ideals and principles of Ghanas first President Kwame Nkrumah. Late President John Mills, who served as Mr Rawlings vice president before becoming a president himself in 2009, was one such Nkrumahist. In Mr Rawlings view, however, such Nkrumahists have been a disappointment to the country, since, according to him, they have veered off Nkrumahs principles. Buttressing his point, Mr Rawlings said the late President Mills was disappointing and shallow, adding that he failed to take advantage of his presidency to correct some of the ills perpetrated by politicians. We did everything possible to lift up this country and thats why people kept wishing we were back. But as soon as we handed over, the guy turned the wheels 180 degrees. Some of the most outrageous things were happening. I remember trying to tell Mills and giving him details about some of the issues, but it surprised me though that for a brilliant man like him, he couldnt see. He was so shallow. Crime perpetuates itself if you dont deal with it, and how Mills couldnt see through this is something I couldnt understand, Mr Rawlings lamented, adding: But our brother Mills had been so badly persuaded. As he put it to me, he had been advised to let things be and the money will flow. Mills was disappointing. Some of your so-called intellectual creatures are dumb. But clearly not happy with former military ruler and Founder of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC)'s remarks, Kabila, as the CPP activist is affectionately called, in a sharp riposte rather described Mr Rawlings as a criminal and coup maker. Someone like Rawlings will never let Ghana progress. The man is a criminal and a coup maker. He overthrew Limans government. This criminal [referring to Rawlings] is a walking contradiction. That is what I will tell him, he furiously said in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show dubbed Ghana Montie. FLASHBACK....What Rawlings said about Nkrumahists The former president, at a recent meeting (a day before African Union Day) with a delegation from the Association of Cuban Trained Ghanaian Professionals at his residence, described Nkrumahists as "criminals". Can you believe that those of us (we dont even regard ourselves as Nkrumahists) those, who call themselves Nkrumahists, are the worst offenders criminals; from Mills till now, not even one single policy resembles anything Nkrumah stood for or believed in, Mr Rawlings said. Mr Rawlings also said the country has deteriorated. We are worst today than we were before, he said. You know we did our bit from the 80s. In 1979, we had no choice; people were angry and it was a time of rage. We had to handover, but then we had to come back in 81 or 82. We could have stayed on for another eight or sixteen just to work to consolidate situations very well and proper. And I made a suggestion to my colleagues that considering that people are becoming saturated with us or with me, let me let Justice Annan takeover and I can be his number 2 or step aside. ...He can serve four years or eight years then I could come back and that will be sixteen years of consolidation because what we had noticed was that his characters will destroy anything and everything, so lets not allow it. Some of my comrades said no and that its never been done before. Is that not what Putin did recently? We would have been the first to do it here. "...That would have helped to consolidate, because quite often, we make reference to institutions, but the institutions rely on the human factor and if those human entities are not bold enough to defy that which is wrong that institution will be weak; am I lying? he asked. 26.05.2016 LISTEN Assault on a journalist by presidential staffer, Mr Stan Dogbe, murder of radio broadcaster -George Abanga and the absence of Right to Information Law are among key factors that have led to Ghana's drop in the latest global world press freedom ranking by the US-based Freedom House. In a statement, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) notes that for ten years now, Ghana has remained one of two or three countries on the African continent rated as having a free press freedom environment. This ranking has always reflected extremely positively on Ghana's reputation in the global community as far as press freedom is concerned. But in its recently released ranking for 2015, Ghana has been downgraded from Free to Partly Free. In a report that extensively cites MFWA's work, Freedom House notes that Ghana's decline in ranking is as a result of stepped-up attempts to limit coverage of news events and confiscation of equipment; increases in violence directed at journalists by the police, the military, political party members, and ordinary citizens. Other reasons for the decline, according to the report, are violations against journalists that went unpunished by the state; inaction by the President on a petition by 155 journalists on the attack by his staffer on a journalist; and attacks on journalists by political party activists and security forces. The report also cited censorship attempts through a Content Authorisation Law by the National Media Commission; and directive of the Information Services Department (ISD) requiring journalists working with foreign media organisations to seek approval from ISD before filming and after filming, submission to the ISD for approval before filming. Also cited is the power crisis that had a heavy toll on media businesses in the country. This decline in press freedom ranking comes after MFWA had warned about increasing incidents of press freedom violations and the possibility of such trends affecting the country's ranking. The MFWA urges the government, security agencies and political parties to act in ways that fosters press freedom and protects press freedom. The MFWA wishes to also remind President Mahama about the petition submitted by the Foundation and 155 journalists to which he has since not acted on. The following is the full report. Change explanation: Ghanas status declined from Free to Partly Free due stepped-up attempts to limit coverage of news events and confiscation of equipment; increases in violence directed at journalists by the police, the military, political party members, and ordinary citizens, including the first murder of a journalist in more than 20 years; and continued electricity outages that impaired media production and distribution. Overview Ghana's reputation as one of the freest media environments in sub-Saharan Africa was tarnished in 2015 by a series of physical attacks against journalists, often by state officials, as well as by intensifying legal and financial pressure on reporters and media outlets. Key Developments In December 2015, Parliament adopted guidelines requiring the operators of public electronic communications or broadcasting services to submit content to a government media commission for approval before dissemination. The failure to do so can result in fines or a jail sentence of up to five years. Two senior judges sued a number of journalists and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) advocacy group for defamation in connection with an expose implicating them and other members of the judiciary in a widespread bribery scandal. Radio journalist George Abanga was shot and killed in September, marking the first murder of a journalist in connection with their work in more than 20 years. Frequent power outages forced media outlets to turn to costly alternative power sources in order to publish or broadcast. Legal Environment: 8 / 30 While freedom of the press is legally guaranteed, protections for the media have eroded under the administration of President John DramaniMahama. In December 2015, Parliament approved content standards regulations that compel operators of public electronic communications or broadcasting services to obtain authorization from the National Media Commission (NMC) before the content is disseminated. Violations can result in fines or a jail sentence of up to five years. The measure's passage prompted concern among media freedom advocates that authorities were effectively reintroducing criminal penalties for journalistic activity. Criminal libel and sedition laws were repealed in 2001, but the publication of false news with intent to cause fear and alarm to the public or to disturb the public peace remains a misdemeanor under Ghana's criminal code. Current and former public officials, as well as private citizens, sometimes pursue civil libel suits with exorbitant compensation requests against journalists and media outlets. In September 2015, a High Court judge, Justice Paul Uuter Dery, sued prominent investigative reporter Anas Aremeyaw Anas, three other journalists, and the executive director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) advocacy group for contempt of court in connection with an expose Anas had produced over a period of two years that implicated Dery and more than 30 other judges, as well as over 100 judicial service staff, in a widespread bribery scandala story that had a major impact on Ghana's political and judicial systems. Dery also sought an injunction against a video Anas had produced that featured footage of the alleged bribe-taking. In November, Gilbert Ayisi Addo, another High Court judge implicated in the scandal, sued nine parties including journalists, media outlets, and the MFWA for defamation in connection with the public screening of the video, and is seeking heavy damages. The cases were pending at the year's end. The 1992 constitution provides for freedom of information, but there is no legislation to implement this guarantee. After more than 10 years of consultation between lawmakers and civil society organizations, a draft right to information bill went through a second reading in Parliament in 2015; it had not been passed at the year's end. Observers praised the draft bill for its robust provisions, many of which were inserted following pressure from civil society groups in Ghana. In February 2015, the National Communications Authority awarded Afriwave Telecom a contract to establish a single clearinghouse through which all voice and data communications would pass. Civil society activists expressed concern that its establishment could permit government monitoring of phone calls, text messages, e-mail, and other communications, and could introduce the possibility of a large-scale telecommunications shutdown for political reasons. They also said it could prompt an overall increase in the cost of telecommunications services for consumers. Political Environment: 12 / 40 (2) While the constitution protects the state-run Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) from government interference, political parties attempt to influence coverage. Private media face editorial pressure from their owners, particularly those with political connections. Mahama has called for increased regulation of the media in order to avoid the spread of false information that could damage the country's international reputation, and, citing increasing partisanship, has called for radio stations to invite fewer political party representatives to their talk shows. The constitution prohibits censorship, but Parliament's approval of new content regulations for broadcasters in December 2015 has raised concerns about the issue. Additionally, in August the Ministry of Communication's Information Services Department (ISD) issued guidelines requiring that ISD officials accompany foreign media workers when filming, and that they submit final newsreels to the ISD before they are aired publicly. Journalists who refuse to accept the conditions will be denied permission to work in Ghana. Journalists faced an increased risk of physical attacks while performing their jobs in 2015, from government and military officials, the police, and members of the public. Such attacks typically went unpunished. In February, police officers attacked reporters who were trying to film a dispute between the police and a motorist. An official investigation was promised but no results had been issued at the year's end. In May, military officers attacked Michael CregAfful of the private radio station Oman FM while he was photographing a construction site being developed by a firm owned by the president's brother, who was on the scene at time. The officers also seized Afful's phone and deleted photographs he had taken. The same month, supporters of the opposition New Patriotic Party attacked a Starr FM journalist who was attempting to interview them at a meeting. In June, residents attacked journalists from multiple outlets who were covering a demonstration against the demolition of homes in Accra's Old Fadama neighborhood; police failed to protect reporters during the incident. In September, Stan Dogbe, a top aide to Mahama, assaulted and smashed the tape recorder of a GBC journalist he had accused of eavesdropping; the incident took place at a hospital where members of the presidential press corps were being treated following a car accident. The GBC declined to file a police report, treating the case as an internal matter. Subsequently, the MFWA and 155 journalists jointly petitioned Mahama to sanction his aide, but they did not receive a response from the president by year's end. In September, George Abanga, a reporter with the radio stations Success FM and Peace FM, was shot dead in the western BrongAhafo region by unknown assailants as he was returning from covering a dispute between cocoa farmers. According to local reports, his killing was likely related either to his coverage of defections from the ruling National Democratic Congress party, or to his coverage of the theft of fertilizer from cocoa farmers in the region. His death represented the first time a journalist had been murdered in Ghana in over 20 years, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Economic Environment: 11 / 30 (1) Ghana has a total of 58 authorized television operators and 390 FM radio stations, of which 37 are state-owned, 273 are private, 63 are community-owned, and 17 are operated by universities. Dozens of newspapers, including two state-owned and two private dailies, publish regularly. Use of the internet is growing, but penetration remains low, at approximately 19 percent in 2014. Blogging and social networking have increased in urban centers. Economic sustainability is a challenge for Ghana's media. The GBC receives inadequate funding from the government and must sell advertising to support operations, which leaves the outlet dependent on the large corporations that can afford its rates. Meanwhile, electricity fluctuations, known as dumsor, had adverse effects on media houses in 2015, forcing them to turn to costly alternative power sources in order to publish or broadcast. Journalists are poorly paid, and many are willing to accept money in exchange for covering particular events. In April, Mahama's chief of staff came under criticism for giving between 500 and 1,000 cedis ($130 and $260) to prominent journalists he had invited to a meeting, including some known for criticism of the government. Most reportedly accepted the money. Although there are no credible national statistics on suicidal behaviour in Ghana, there are indications that suicide is gradually becoming a public health problem in the country. In recent times, there have been numerous media reports on suicide in Ghana. In as much as these reports may not be as credible as those from coroners, they point to the urgent need for preventive measures, public education and debate on the risk factors for suicide. We know that people from all walks of life have succeeded in taking their own lives: children and adults, the old and young, the religious and the irreligious, the educated and non-educated, etc. Our heart-felt condolences go to the families that have lost a member through suicide. It is a long road to recovery for them and we believe healing is expedited with help from psychologists and counsellors who are available through the Ministry of Health and trained counsellors in many churches, as well as among Religious leaders of various faiths. It is important to share the pain with those persons to facilitate their healing. For those who have attempted suicide or are contemplating it, we also urgently encourage them to seek help as above. In interviews with affected persons in Ghana, we have learned that reasons for suicide include crisis in romantic relationships (mostly observed in young and adult women), financial crisis (mostly observed in adult men), sexual abuse and forced marriages (mostly observed in young women), shame (mostly observed in adult men), and school underachievement (mostly observed in students). We also believe that the use of alcohol and other mind- altering drugs such as cannabis (wee), cocaine, heroine, etc., facilitates suicidality. Research evidence is almost converging on the general fact that suicidal behaviour in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC) including Ghana is more psychosocial than psychiatric. Furthermore, we do not rule out other potential psychiatric related causes such as depression and abuse of substances which may lead to suicidal behaviour in Ghana. This is because there is evidence of psychological distress in the country. In a nation-wide survey in Ghana, 21% of respondents reported feeling moderate to high levels of psychological distress. Further, a WHO situational analysis of mental illness in Ghana reported that 650,000 people living in Ghana are suffering from a severe mental disorder and a further 2,166, 000 are suffering from a moderate to mild mental disorder. It is however important to emphasize here that there is no strong evidence that all those who kill themselves suffer from a psychiatric illness. The important news is that although suicide is not always predictable, it is a preventable public health problem. It is important therefore if we pick up warning signs early enough, and the general public can play a useful role in this regard if they know how to identify warning signs for suicidal crisis, from what people say , do or feel as listed below, and refer them to appropriate areas for support. What people who are suicidal may say Better to die than suffer shame (fre fa nyinam owuo) I am about to embark on a long journey where people may not see me I dont feel I have any good reason to live I wish I am dead My pain is too much to bear now I wish or I am praying to God to take my life What people who are suicidal may do Increased use of alcohol or other substances such as weed, cannabis Acting recklessly and aggressively Looking for methods e.g., weapons to kill themselves Loss of interest from activities Isolating from friends & families Calling people or visiting them to say goodbye Moods suicidal persons may show Humiliation Anxiety Depression Rage Loss of interest The Ghana Psychological Association calls on government to expunge the law that criminalizes attempted suicide in Ghana and rather put in place a national framework for suicide prevention in the country. We further call on the various media houses to be circumspect in the publication of suicide stories and pictures since they may lead to copycat suicide among vulnerable persons. The general public should be supportive and encourage, support and refer to mental health centres for professional attention. To anybody who is presently experiencing crisis in any area of life and contemplating suicide, we advise that you rather seek support and help from qualified mental health practitioners such as psychologists, psychiatrists and counsellors. Please tell a friend, family member or church member and ask them to stay with you until the urge has passed. Get help. Suicide prevention is everyones business! You can also call the numbers below for help. Signed Dr. Kingsley Nyarko Public Relations Officer (GPA) Contact information: Dr. Joseph Osafo (Suicide Expert): 0207373222/0244296435 Professor Angela Ofori-Atta: emai: [email protected] ; whatsapp: 0202015050 Dr. Kingsley Nyarko: 0548006675 Email: [email protected] Thurday May 26, 2016, Odumase-Krobo: Residents of Djerkiti, a rural community in the Lower Manya-Krobo municipality, say they are angry with government over its failure to honour its promises to provide them with a good source of drinking water after the breakdown of their borehole for a number of years now. This according to the residents, have forced them to rely on a small hand-dug pond as their only source of drinking water which is not only always muddy, contaminated and dehumanizing, but poses a serious health threat to their lives. The chief and opinion leaders of the village said all appeals made to government through the municipal assembly and other political heads of the municipality to honour their promise to construct at least a bore hole or a well for them have all fallen on deaf ears. This was made known by the Chief of the Village, Dadematse Moses Tetteh Padi, during a community durbar which was organized last Sunday to welcome Kloma Hengme, the Krobo advocacy and heritage association, which visited the village to embark on a number of developmental activities, and in the company of his elders took the leadership of the association and to a tour of their source of drinking water. Dadematse Moses Tetteh Padi said their continuous reliance on the unhygeniec source of drinking water often results in frequent outbreak of cholera, strange skin rashes, dysentery and other water-borne diseases in the village. Speaking further, he said the unsafe water source often discourages teachers who are posted to the area to accept their postings, and added that the few who eventually honour their postings rely on bags of water sachets for cooking and drinking. ''Now teachers do not accept postings here. When they come and see our water source, they run away. Only a few of them [teachers] are here, but they bring water sachets they bought from Odumase or Otrokper for cooking and drinking purposes. Most of our classrooms are empty without teachers. Our school children are the worst losers here''. The chief, on behalf of his elders and people, is therefore reminding government of their incessant appeals to them on the need to come to their aid. He has also extended his appeal to all corporate bodies, agencies and philantropists to come to the aid of the community by providing them with a safe source of drinking water. The Chairman of the Kloma Hengme Association, Isaac Tamatey Otu, reacting over the water issue of the people of Djerkiti and their subsequent appeal made, lamented over the fact that the Krobo region hosts two important water treatment plants (at Kpong and Bukunor) and treated water is the most scarce commodity on Krobo soil. ''It still beats the imagination of many of us that the Krobo enclave hosts water treatments plants at Kpong and Bukunor and are served to the people of Accra, Koforidua, Nsawam and other places and we are dying out of thirst here. Something is definitely wrong somewhere''. ''I am therefore joining the people of the Djerkiti community to remind government to, as a matter of urgency, come to the aid of our people in Djerkiti here since they also deserve a part of the national cake, and am also appealing to all NGOs and corporate bodies to also come to the aid of our people'', he added. 26.05.2016 LISTEN The West African Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo) says government has given assurance to pay its 100 million dollar debt it owes it soon. We have held discussions on the debt issue and government has indicated its commitment to pay its debts, Mrs. Harriet Wereko Brobbey, General Manager, Corporate Affairs of WAPCo, disclosed. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Tema, she said the gas transporter has no reason to doubt government's assurances on the matter. According to her, the huge debt was hampering its efforts to invest in its operations and facilities. Mrs. Wereko Brobbey hinted that the Volta River Authority (VRA) is funding the upgrading of the gas pipeline facility as an interested off taker to handle 120 million cubic metres a day, fifty million more than its peak flow at the moment. The second phase will take the capacity to more than 200 million cubic metres The pipeline which feeds Sunon Asogli Power Plant and VRA thermal units is currently pumping 10 million cubic metres. Source: GNA The Africa Center for Energy Policy (ACEP) has urged government to scrap the levies and taxes imposed on electricity, saying these levies have led to the immense increase in the electricity tariffs. According to ACEP the Energy Levies Act which imposed these levies and taxes on electricity consumption are crippling local businesses. The Center also argued that the scrapping of the levies would be more prudent than a reduction in electricity tariffs. Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, the Executive Director at ACEP, Mohammed Amin Adam explained that levies on power consumption were directly responsible for the significant increase in tariffs. Another reason is the levies and taxes. Now you have 10 percent levies on every kilowatt per hour consumed then you have the commercial consumers, 17.5 percent VAT then you also have a 7 cedi flat rate on every meter for all consumers. Withdrawal of levies more crucial than reduction in tariffs There have been frequent calls from businesses for the reduction of the electricity tariffs, most recently from the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) who called on government to reduce the tariffs for local industries and address the over-billing errors. According to the AGI, its members are paying more than the agreed utility tariffs announced by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission in December last year. But Mr. Amin is of the view reducing the tariffs will not be the best course of action because that may negatively impact utility providers like the Electricity Company of Ghana. He insisted that a withdrawal of the levies is instead needed. We don't think that reducing the electricity tariffs is the best way because that is what goes to ECG. That is what goes to the other utilities and if we reduce it, we will amplify the financial challenges or the financial viability of these companies. What we will opt for is the withdrawal of the energy levies act which imposed these levies and taxes on electricity consumption, Mr. Amin explained. Government should consider long term effect of levies The government has argued that its impositions of these levies was geared towards raising revenue for development and also addressing the deficit problem but the ACEP Executive Director has implored government to factor in the long term effects of these levies. but what about the opportunity cost. Industry is collapsing. Some of the companies are relocating to Ivory Coast and they are all complaining about high cost of electricity. What about them? They create the most jobs in the economy, they pay taxes to our government and these are the industries that actually subsidies the consumption of electricity by residential consumers. By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana 26.05.2016 LISTEN By Pascal KafuAbotsi Mr. Stan Dogbes attack on a reporter with state-owned Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Yahayah Kwamoah, who he accused of eavesdropping on his conversation with the Minister of Communications, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra, has been ticked as a contributory factor to the injury on Ghanas press freedom. This was contained in a report by United States-based Freedom House in its latest global world press ranking, which highlighted Ghana's drop in respect of the liberty and unrestrained circumstances under which media practitioners carried out their duties. The assault of the journalist happened when President Mahamas darling boy and Dr. Omane Boamah went to the hospital to visit members of the presidential press corps, who were involved in a gory accident that led to the death of Ghanaian Times correspondent, Samuel Nuamah. The duo were said to be strategising on how to convey the death of the journalist to his family when Mr. Kwamoah popped up. Even though he was under public pressure to apologise and replace the voice recorder, Stan Dogbe remained arrogant and defiant. It, however, took the benevolence of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) to have the recorder replaced for the journalist. Following the replacement of the gadget, the MFWA petitioned President John Mahama, after it had solicited the signatures of over 100 journalists, to take action against Stan Dogbe. After about three months, an unsatisfying response to the petition that only sought to dance around the matter, came from the Office of the President. In the letter, which was addressed to the MFWA and copied to the National Media Commission (NMC), the Secretary to the President, Mr. Kwesi Quartey, communicated President Mahama's receipt of the petition and acknowledgement of the concerns raised by the petitioners. It stated: I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 14th October, 2015, addressed to His Excellency the President on the above subject. His Excellency has taken note of the concerns raised in the letter. He wishes me to assure the Media Foundation that due attention would be paid to the matter in the interest of protecting the reputation of the Presidency. Apart from Stan Dogbes assault on the journalist, the murder of radio broadcaster George Abanga and the absence of the Right to Information Law were also captured by Freedom House, as circumstances that had led to Ghana's drop in the latest global world press freedom ranking. In a statement, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) noted that for ten years now, Ghana had remained one of two or three countries on the African continent rated as having a free press freedom environment. This ranking has always reflected extremely positively on Ghana's reputation in the global community as far as press freedom is concerned. But in its recently released ranking for 2015, Ghana has been downgraded from Free to Partly Free. In a report that extensively cites MFWA's work, Freedom House noted that Ghana's decline in ranking was as a result of stepped-up attempts to limit coverage of news events and confiscation of equipment; increases in violence directed at journalists by the police, the military, political party members, and ordinary citizens. Other reasons for the decline, according to the report, were violations against journalists that went unpunished by the state; inaction by the President on a petition by 155 journalists on the attack by his staffer on a journalist; and attacks on journalists by political party activists and security forces. The first UN climate change meeting since governments adopted the landmark Paris Agreement has closed amid a suite of positive outcomes that will support the treatys widely anticipated early entry into force and stronger, sustained action world-wide into the future. The nearly two week meeting saw countries push ahead with implementing stronger climate action and constructing the global climate regime rule book in order to guarantee the treatys fairness, transparency and balance between nations. Funding Flows While work towards the agreed flows of USD 100 billion per annum by 2020 continues, two of the key international funding armsthe Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF)underlined how they are supporting the Agreement. The GCF told delegates that its board had set an aspirational goal of 2.5 billion USD in 2016 for both adaptation and mitigation programmes and projects. The GCF urged countries to submit ambitious proposals for funding as soon as possible. The GEF announced that it had put together forward-looking work programmes for the funding of both mitigation and adaptation projects. On mitigation, 450 million USD is available for new projects while current projects to the value of 106 million USD are already being implemented. On adaptation, some 250 million USD is available for projects. The GEF will also assist the Moroccan Government to green COP22. The session featured several events on ensuring early and adequate support for the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and their integration into national economic plans while ggovernments also began exploring how to directly link climate-friendly technology cooperation to the funding arrangements of both the GCF and the GEF. Segolene Royal, President of the COP21 United Nations Climate Change Conference and French Minister of the Environment, Energy and the Sea, praised the Esprit de Paris evident throughout the nearly two weeks of the Bonn session. Countries with different levels of development and from different regions and often differing views on many issues, found a common vision in Paris. That work and that vision has continued, and continued positively here in Bonn, as countries look towards the next major milestone event in Marrakesh in November, she said. The substantive work across three technical bodies, as well as the constituted bodies under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), includes developing rules for accounting financial resources, overall reporting and transparency arrangements and how science should inform the implementation of the agreement. It also includes technical work to improve the delivery of capacity building and technology cooperation and to evolve a credible regime covering loss and damage from climate change. The Paris Agreements central aim is to limit an average global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius with a preference for holding this to a safer 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial temperatures. Scientific data shows that around one degree of this rise has already occurred. The agreements goals therefore require an early peak in global emissions followed by a very rapid reduction, which must go hand in hand with a significant strengthening of social and economic resilience to climate change. Science in Support of the Agreement Countries followed up with in-depth discussions on the role of science in the implementation process. In this context, the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) agreed to include the 1.5C temperature target in the next overall assessment report on climate science. Further, the IPCC will issue the report to match the timing of the 2018 stocktaking on collective progress towards the goals of the Paris Agreement. The May meeting has laid solid foundations for the next annual UN climate change conference, in Marrakech, Morocco, in November. In preparation for their political leadership of COP22 the incoming Moroccan presidency is expected to conduct several consultations over the next few months. Incoming President of COP22 , Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister Salaheddine Mezouar, said: We count on the support of all the parties to COP22 to translate our solidarity and hope into action for our future generations and the planet. And we are convinced that the success of COP22 will be based on the active contribution of each and every one of us. Championing Global Climate Action In line with the outcomes from Paris, two high-level champions have been appointed to advance a Global Climate Action Agenda by so called non-party stakeholders ranging from local authorities to companies and investors. The Champions, who are Hakima El Haite, Morocco's Delegate Minister in Charge of the Environment and Ms. Laurence Tubiana, France's Lead Negotiator of the Paris Agreement, were formally introduced to delegates here in Bonn. Ms El Haite said: The solidarity and trust built in Paris must be indicators of the success in Marrakech. COP 22 needs to be an action COP, launched on the work done in Bonn. It needs to strengthen tangible solutions and actions whilst maintaining the spirit of Paris. Ms. Tubiana echoed this and added: Now is the time to fully connect government actions, and in particular NDCs, with the many initiatives and coalitions carried out by Non State Actors : let's bring the good energy of the outside in the inside! The champions will drive the action agenda with a focus on Africa and developing countries, as well as through signature meetings such as the 12 September 2016, Multinationals of the South Summit, in Rabat, Morocco. Entry into Force The speeded up pace of progress in Bonn reflects the expectation that the agreement will enter into force reasonably soon after there have now been no less than 177 signatories to the agreement and 17 countries have already deposited their instruments of ratification, which is the final step for a nation formally joining. At COP22, countries are likely identify ways to integrate their work on the rule book with a possible early entry into force of the Paris Agreement. The agreement will enter into force as soon as 55 countries representing at least 55% of global emissions deposit their instruments of ratification. Advancing Pre-2020 Ambition The Conventions technical bodies are developing the tools and mechanisms for the implementation of the Paris Agreement by moving forward climate action before 2020 both a springboard and a foundation for strengthened climate action. This includes the successful Technical Expert Meetings, which allow delegates, experts, businesses, investors and other stakeholders to identify proven and innovative ways to boost both adaptation to climate change and emission reductions before 2020 through, for example carbon pricing and advancing sustainable transportation solutions including alternatively-fueled vehicles. Following on from developed countries public sharing of views on their actions to reduce emissions, the Bonn meeting also launched a sharing of views on mitigation and adaptation actions by developing countries in order to further strengthen and focus climate action. The meeting also showcased wider societal action towards faster, pre-2020 ambition including a capacity-building event and an exchange of best practices in building public awareness and access to environmental information under the Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) initiative. A workshop on gender, which underlined the central role women must be able to play in raising national and community responses to climate change, was also a highlight. Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC said: The Paris Agreement is a highly sophisticated blueprint for a better, more climate secure world. Every working part needs to spin in synch for the extraordinary potential of this treaty to deliver its multiple goals and contribution to sustainable development. This understanding was alive and well here in Bonn. Indeed we find ourselves at an exciting time of implementation that is a mixture of positive motivation, ongoing action and necessary technical work. As a planning meeting for the COP22 Climate Change Conference to be held in Marrakech, Morocco at the end of the year, the Bonn conference has sent a very encouraging signal! The Ghana Police Service has said it is considering shutting down social media services in the country on November 7, the day of the general elections. According to the Inspector General of Police, John Kudalor, the abuse of social media platforms by both political parties and ordinary Ghanaians has often created unnecessary tension in the country. He believes that given the strain that preparations towards the elections have put on the countrys security apparatus, it would be unwise to ignore the potential of social media as an incendiary point for violence. At one stage I said that if it becomes critical on the eve and also on the election day, we shall block all social media as other countries have done. We're thinking about it, John Kudalor said. Facebook and Twitter are two of the most popular Social Media platforms in Ghana. Photo: promaxbda In February, the Ugandan government shut down social media in the country in what president Yoweri Museveni called a security measure to avert lies as he was re-elected for a fifth term in office. This was repeated when he was sworn into office in May, with many human rights activists advocates accusing the government of suppressing free speech. Jonh Kudalor said that the police were following the example set by other countries but added that the police was also mulling over the possibility of setting up social media accounts of their own. He said this would enable them to counter the actions of potential troublemakers who might compromise security operations during the elections. We are also thinking about the other alternative that the police should be IT compliant and get our own social media [account] to be able to stop these things on time, John Kudalor explained. We are looking at the variables and come D-Day, we'll come out with a decision, he added. By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana Follow @EdKwakofi Dakar (AFP) - Senegal's heavily forested southern region of Casamance will have no tree cover left by 2018 if illegal logging driven by Chinese demand is not addressed, a Senegalese ecologist warned Thursday. Gambian loggers have long benefited from lax oversight of the area's forests to take prized rosewood timber over the border into the Gambia before exporting the logs to China. Ecologist Haidar El Ali, a former environment minister, said the loggers' activities had "reached a point of no return," speaking at a press conference in Dakar on behalf of the environmental group he heads, Oceanium. A reporting trip to the region by Oceanium captured images of a secret border market showing the collusion of Senegalese and Gambian loggers and Chinese middlemen, he said. "Senegal has lost more than a million trees since 2010 while farmers in Gambia have pocketed 140 billion CFA ($238 million, 213 million euros) exporting the wood to China where the desire for furniture has exploded in the last few years," he added. Chinese customs data shows the Gambia was the second largest exporter of rosewood in 2015. Nigeria, which ranked top, exported almost four times as much. El Ali said trafficking had become so lucrative that he had observed "Senegalese migrants coming back from Europe to chop down this wood because it is so valuable." The ecologist accused the Senegalese government of failing to do enough to tackle the problem and enforce the law, which states that exporting timber is illegal in Senegal. The knock-on effects of desertification and less rainfall would be "irreversible", El Ali said. According to environmental campaign group Forest Watch, Casamance has 30,000 hectares (74,000 acres) of forest remaining with 10,000 hectares already felled. By Hafsa Obeng, GNA Accra, May 26, GNA - The Supreme Court on Thursday in an unanimous decision dismissed the case in which two judges implicated in the judicial bribery scandal are challenging the Judicial Council for withholding their full salaries. The two, Justice Paul Uuter Dery and Justice Gilbert Ayisi Addo, sued the Judicial Council, the Chief Justice and four other institutions for serving them notices to slash their salaries by half and also suspend payment of their allowances with the exception of rent allowances. The Justices, in delivering their judgement, said the suit was dismissed without giving any reasons for the unanimous decision. They indicated that they would give reasons for their judgment in seven days. The plaintiffs are among of the 12 High Court judges captured by Anas Aremeyaw Anas's audio and video recordings, which allegedly showed them collecting bribes from litigants to pervert the course of justice. After the Committee's exercise, the two, who were still under investigation, received letters from the Judicial Council, stating that they would receive half of their salaries. They are, therefore, in court seeking a declaration that the decision of the Judicial Council in December 2015, which were contained in letters dated January 8 to January 11, 2016 purporting to suspend payments of all their allowances except rent was inconsistent in law. They claim the move was also in contravention of Article 127 (5) of the 1992 Constitution and therefore unconstitutional, null and void. The plaintiffs prayed the court for an order to nullify the decision of the council. GNA By Morkporkpor Anku, GNA Accra, May 26, GNA - Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, is to implement the criminal information system to manage its operations. The system, which is a management information arrangement, would be interfaced with the Judicial Service and the Ghana Prisons Service for biometric data of accused and suspected persons. Alhaji Yahaya Zakaria Osman, Director of Operations, GIFEC reflecting on the Fund's Achievements as part of its 10th Anniversary said it has distributed 27, 500 laptops to state institutions and other organisations. The Anniversary, which is being marked on the theme: "10 years of Bridging the Digital Divide in Ghana, GIFEC Experience," commences from Monday, May 23 and is expected to end on Friday, May 27. The lined up activities, include symposiums, lectures, stakeholder engagements, medical outreach, donation and thanksgiving service. In July 2004, the government set up Ghana Investment Fund for Telecommunications as an agency of the Ministry of Communications to facilitate the provision of universal access to basic telephony by the unserved and underserved communities in the country. The Electronic Communications Act 775 promulgated in 2008, gave the legal backing to the agency, which started operations in January 2005, changed the agency's name to GIFEC and widened the scope of its mandate. This include the provision of access to electronic services including ICT, broadcasting, internet, multimedia service and basic telephony, by the unserved and underserved communities in Ghana. He said the Fund has also fully furnished and equipped about 639 ICT laboratories with accessories and internet connectivity for various educational institutions. He said GIFEC has mounted 51 sites as part of the telephony project, while 7, 000 mobile handsets has been distributed to rural communities. As part of ongoing projects, he said, the Fund is building a satellite hub to provide communities with communication accessibility. 'We are extending the emergency response system and supporting the birth and death registry,' he added. He said GIFEC is supporting government to implement the broad objective of tele-medicine to improve on health care delivery. The Director of Operations said the Fund is working with government on tax waiver for provision of internet service. 'We are having strategic partnership with network operators for subsidised bandwidth for its projects,' he said. GNA By Prosper K. Kuorsoh, GNA Issa (UWR), May 26, GNA - Ghanaians have been urged to make maximum use of the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) project dubbed; 'I am aware' to demand accountability and better service delivery from duty bearers. The project presents data in a user friendly manner as a tool for empowering citizens, particularly the poor and the vulnerable, to be able to engage service providers and demand accountability. Mr Salifu Issifu Kanton, the Executive Director of Community Development Alliance (CDA), the organisation implementing the project in the Upper West Region, said this at a district level engagement on the State of Public Service Delivery in Ghana, held in Issa in the Daffiama-Bussie-Issa District of the Upper West Region. He said the lack of adequate information on service delivery in the Public Service weakened accountability which was one of the effective ways of improving service delivery for a better society. Mr Kanton said the information was not provided with the aim to shame any metropolitan, municipal or district assembly but to be used as a tool for improving service delivery. He urged the districts to concentrate on how to improve on their weaknesses to ensure maximum development. The 'I am aware' project is an initiative of CDD Ghana and the Flora and Hewlet Foundation in the United Kingdom with the CDA serving as the local implementing partner for the Upper West Region. GNA Accra, May 26, GNA - Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyeman, the Minister of education, has expressed worry about the current abuse of the educational protocol, regarding the admissions of students into senior high schools. She said the massive abuses of the protocol is creating problems both for the Ministry as well as the Ghana Education Service (GES), and undermining the smooth implementation of the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS). Prof Opoku-Agyeman raised the concern at the closing ceremony of a GES stakeholder review workshop in Accra. She said there was the need for a stakeholder dialogue, to agree on the prescribed qualification for beneficiaries of the protocol. She said the current situation is unacceptable and undermines efforts being made to ensure quality, equity and fairness in the educational system. The Minister said she is worried because the huge number of protocol list from certain institutions, make it impossible for other students, who have gone through the genuine process of the CSSPS to gain admission. She said the act is not fair at all, especially to the underprivileged in the society. 'I am of the view that we should allow every child to be placed in school after their exams based on merit instead of being aided due to one reason or the other. 'Otherwise the poor may not have the opportunity of changing their situations, neither would the affluent learn good lessons in life,' she said. She said the protocol, must cover just a few special cases, particularly the underprivileged, and not a host of students who sometimes even fail to meet the mark and requirement of the schools. Prof Opoku-Agyeman expressed the need for transparency in the CSSPS. She said a dialogue has started to find a sustained solution to the challenges of the CSSPS, to help reduce the stress on the institutions as well as on parents and students. She said the Ministry is hopeful that the partnership with the key stakeholders, which includes Heads of Senior High Schools, Educationists, CSSPS Processors and Coordinators, representatives of Parent Teacher Associations and Old Student's Associations. 'We also need to also improve the quality of more schools to make them attractive to students and parents,' she said. Prof Opoku-Agyeman called for the strengthening of supervision, improved school leadership, enhanced support by Parents, Teacher Associations, as well as Old Students Groups, as is being done by the schools referred to as 'endowed'. Prof Akwesi Ameyaw Asabere, the Chairman of the Ghana Education Council, said all the concerns raised and contributions made by the participants have been well noted, and they would be worked on, to ensure that a good consensus is reached for quality and high standards in education. GNA By Dennis Peprah, GNA Sunyani, May 26, GNA - Ghana is to host the first-ever regional women's conference on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Sub-Saharan Africa. The three-day meeting would be held in Tamale, from September 21-24, under the theme 'Mainstreaming the SDGs-Translating as a global agenda into a national action'. It is being organized by the Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF), in collaboration with the United Association for Africa Affairs, an international NGO. More than 100 women from across Africa are expected to attend. Mr. Raphael Godlove Ahenu, Chief Executive Officer of GLOMEF, an anti-corruption and media advocacy NGO, broke the news to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani. He said the focus would be on the SDG goals, which deal with healthy lives and promotion of the well-being for people of all ages, inclusive, equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities, gender equality, empowerment of all women and girls and access to water and sanitation. These, he noted, would require an integrated approach to achieve them. The conference was going to map out strategies to ensure active involvement of women at both the regional and national levels in the implementation of the SDGs. He stated that empowering women was crucial to accelerating sustainable development. Mr. Ahenu said efforts must therefore be intensified to address gender inequalities, to create equal access particularly to paid employment. He expressed concern about the lack of access to water and sanitation facilities by millions of people globally and warned that if frantic measures were not taken to deal with the situation by year 2050, at least one in four people was likely to live in a country affected by chronic shortage of fresh water. GNA 26.05.2016 LISTEN Accra, May 26, GNA - A Supreme Court judge has appealed to judges and magistrates to be fair and firm in adjudicating election related cases, so that political parties would not take the law into their hands. Mr Justice Jones Victor Dotse, tasked members of the lower bench to be consistence in sentencing so that they do not send wrong signal to the society. He was speaking at a training programme on election (Registration of Voters) Regulation, 2016, Constitutional Instrument (CI 91) for selected judges and magistrates in Accra. The programme held in collaboration with the DFID and UK government, would offer the judges the opportunity to dispense justice in objections raised during Voter Registration and exhibition of Voters Register. While the lower courts would be members of District Registration Review Committees, those at the High Courts would be an appellate body by exercising their duties as Chief Registration Review Officers. Mr Dotse noted that when judges and magistrates give different sentencing on election related cases, it creates unpleasant situations in the society. He reminded the trainees of the powers vested in them by the Constitution, adding that Parliament or the Presidency could not take those powers, hence the need to be abreast of Voter Regulation CI 91. Mr Justice Dotse, who is the Chairman of the Judicial Training Institute, told the Judges and Magistrates that CI 91 is quite different from the previous laws as presently there is no use of National Health Insurance Cards. He said as Judges and Magistrates they would have friends in the society but they should clothe themselves with absolute integrity and competence and dispense justice without fear or favour. 'If anybody falls foul to the law, sanctions must be applied,' he added. Mr Justice Sule Gbadegbe, a Supreme Court Judge, urged the Magistrate and Judges not uses technicalities to dismiss cases and determine each case on its merit. Mr Justice Gbadegbe who is a also member of the Election Taskforce Committee, tasked them to ensure that parties in a matter are given equal opportunities in court and desist from delaying in judgement delivery as election related cases are time bound. He also charged them to readily make available their decisions to the Electoral Commission and parties in a matter. GNA By Prosper K. Kuorsoh, GNA Funsi (UWR), May 26, GNA - Mr Salifu Issifu Kanton, the Executive Director of Community Development Alliance (CDA), a non-governmental organisation, said the inability of Ghanaians to demand accountability from government was affecting development. Mr Kanton said this during a stakeholder engagement on the state of public service delivery in Ghana in Funsi in the Wa East District. The campaign is under the 'I am aware' initiative by the Center for Democratic Development (CDD) and supported by UNICEF with CDA acting as the local implementing partner in the Upper West Region. Mr Kanton said the 'I am aware' initiative was, therefore, meant to ensure that citizens were empowered with evidence-based data that would enable them to improve on their demand for accountability in their localities to ensure better service delivery. He said the project focused on seven thematic areas namely education, health, water, sanitation, roads, security and agriculture. Mr Kanton said data on the six thematic areas, right from national, regional and to the district levels, was available on the 'I am aware' website for citizens to access and be informed about the state of public service delivery in their localities. He said the data was also there to help address the information deficiency in the country's local governance system and urged citizens to access this information and become properly informed to be able to engage service providers and demand accountability. Mr Edmund Badie, the Assemblyman for Buffiama Electoral Area, a participant, said accessing data from the assembly was initially very difficult adding that the initiative had come to address that challenge. Ali Saudatu, a staff of the District National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), bemoaned the low skilled delivery rate in the district as revealed by the data and called for more midwives to be posted there to help pregnant women deliver safely. She called for the grading of the roads in the district to facilitate easy transportation of pregnant women to the health centres since it was a major contributory factor to maternal mortality in the district. GNA you are here: business You can't suddenly get rid of the public sector: Modi In an interview with Wall Street Journal, Modi said his government has undertaken the maximum number of reforms since his party came to power but an enormous task lies ahead. business Buy NHPC, TV18 Broadcast, HUL: Manoj Murlidharan Manoj Murlidharan of Religare Securities is of the view that one can buy NHPC, TV18 Broadcast and Hindustan Unilever. Now the rise of the Chinese consumer has begun. And its gotten businesses frantically pushing their products into Asia. Its no surprise that China isnt the same as it once was. Over the years China has transformed into a consumerist nation. Before that, China was known for its industrial might. But now the rise of the Chinese consumer has begun. And its gotten businesses frantically pushing their products into Asia. In the coming decade, China is likely to be the most important consumer nation on the planet. Theyve already taken the second spot when it terms of total consumption. Theyre still behind the US; but Chinas total consumption increase is arguably larger. As you can see in the graph below, Chinas estimated consumption was larger than the US in 2013. Source: The Economist Why is China increasing consumption? It all boils down to income. Chinese citizens now enjoy wealth theyve never had. More households are moving into a higher income bracket. They are moving into whats known as the middle income class. With all this extra income, buying necessities is no longer a worry for many. Instead of saving, Chinese citizens are looking to spend more on products mainly foreign products. Today, China is a very important lever for foreign revenues. With their buying habits, Chinese consumers clearly display their desire to Westernise. They could be buying European designer bags one day. And buying their second German-engineered car the next. Regardless, the Eastern world is looking a lot more Western. McKinsey & Co demonstrated Chinas income shift in their book, The One Hour China Consumer Book. They showed that Chinas total income dwarfs that of others by far. To grasp how China stacks up against other nations, take a look at the graph below. Source: Credit Suisse; World Bank Data Book Chinas total income is more than US$5 trillion a year. This makes total household incomes of Brazil, Russia and India look small by comparison. Common sense will probably tell you that China should have a larger total income. They have population of 1.381 billion, after all in other words, more incomes to add to the total. A more meaningful statistic would be income per household. Even better would be discretionary spending per household. Through surveys, McKinsey has estimated how Chinas spending will change in the coming decade. In 2030, spending growth on necessities is expected to decrease. This additional income will be channelled towards discretionary items. These could be things like personal items, luxury cars or multiple mobile phones. The graph below will give you a better idea of how household spending will change over time. Source: McKinsey Analysis But instead of talking about predictions and forecasts, lets look at the present. We already see today that Chinese consumers are having an effect on the foreign goods market. Take baby formula as an example. In 2015, Bellamys Australia [ASX:BAL] and other food producers rose to fame on the back of Chinese consumers. Formula was being bought in bulk. Large quantities were bought up by Chinese consumers. And some even tried to selling Australian baby formula out of their homes. By marking up the prices severely, they were able to make enough to quit their 95 job. Eventually, supermarket chains started putting restrictions on baby formula. No one person was allowed to buy more than four containers of formula. The shocking rise in demand was a big reason why Bellamys was such a success last year. Investors who bought into Bellamys at the start of 2015 enjoyed returns of more than 700%. All because Bellamys profit guidance just wouldnt stop increasing. Blackmores [ASX:BKL] was another product Chinese consumer took a shining too. Blackmores shares reached above the $200 mark in 2015, posting returns of 519.43%. But is the party over? Has China gotten over Australian products they once loved so dearly? Regulatory changes that might not change much An article in the Australian Financial Review this morning highlighted a growing fear. The message was that Australian businesses couldnt rely on Chinese consumers. A major Australian retailer has seen a significant drop in sales of vitamins and other products favoured in China. Many are pointing to regulatory changes Beijing instigated six weeks ago. Policymakers imposed an e-commerce tax on foreign foodstuffs bought online. The tax could be as high as 11.9%. But before you start panicking, lets use a bit of common sense. The e-commerce tax is aimed at boosting Chinas consumer industries. And while this might pose a temporary drop in sales, it wont last forever. Already Chinese policymakers have delayed the regulatory changes. The delays have seen importers increase their orders. And within the e-commerce tax there is whats called a positive list. This list allows goods to be exempt from the value added tax. Many investors are still confused about what is actually included in this list. The goods that are expected to be safe are wines and pet foods. Yet businesses are still unconcerned about the proposed regulations. As time goes on, the positive list will be amended and expanded according to market demand. So instead of being fearful of potential regulations, be pessimistic of the pessimists. Harje Ronngard, Junior Analyst, Money Morning PS: China has propped up the commodities market for a while through its infrastructure spending. But mineral commodities are now in their down cycle. Yet this doesnt mean we cant profit from Chinese consumers anymore. Money Mornings emerging trends analyst, Ken Wangdong, has written a report showing you how to profit off China in the future. Chinas market gives Australia access to 120 million new customers. Every Aussie consumer item could feed, potentially, a $150 billion market. Kens report, Chinas New Boom, will show you how to profit off of Chinas emergence. To get your free copy of Kens report, click here. Perseus Mining Ltd[ASX:PRU] was up by 6.32% by early afternoon trading today. Since December 2015, the stock has outperformed the ASX200 benchmark index by more than 50%. What happened to the PRU share price? Perseus Mining Ltd[ASX:PRU] was up by 6.32% by early afternoon trading today. Since December 2015, the stock has outperformed the ASX200 benchmark index by more than 50%. At the beginning of May, the stock had a 100% out performance over the index. The stock has pulled back since that time. The pull back in May is reflective of the general softening in gold price momentum. This presents a great opportunity for short term traders. Why did PRU shares do this? I am expecting the gold producer to generate more sales this year and in the next. However, I also expect to see earnings capped. Although the company is in a healthy financial state with a high current ratio and a low debt to equity reading, the return on equity on the company is actually less attractive, at 2.36% (TTM). What investors need to realise is that gold stocks such as PRU are, naturally, extremely sensitive to the changes in the gold price. Over the last five years, the commodity bear market has punished PRU severely. In the first four months of 2016, gold has had a rare-occurring rally. The price of gold outperformed other commodities in a big way. This has caught the attention of a lot of momentum investors, and I believe the strong rally in April is evidence of that. However, in comparison to a stock such as AngloGold Ashanti [ASX:AGG], investors have been relatively late to discover PRU. It was well into the month of April when investors started to drive the rally in PRU. This was eventually capped and reversed in the recent softening of the gold price. As far as fundamentals are concerned, Perseus does not have a very promising outlook. I believe commodity prices are going to provide a level of support to Perseus, but it will not be enough to produce another rally like the one we have just experienced. Remember, a lot of the recent hype in gold has been driven by volatilities in other markets. With more capital following back to risky assets, gold is poised to calm down. What now for PRU? Over the long run, I am not overly optimistic on PRU. I believe the price of the stock will gain, but it will be a prolonged process. Relative to stocks such as Newcrest Mining Ltd [ASX:NCM], PRU also lacks on momentum. Over the short term, PRU is extremely oversold, and I believe this presents an opportunity to short term traders. I believe todays rally was due to more bargain hunters stepping into the trade. You would want to have a long position in the stock and anticipate a short rally. A useful technical indicator called the Relative Strength Index (RSI) can be used to measure the degree of overbuying and overselling in a stock such as PRU. Short term traders may want to offload a potential long position after PRU RSI returns to a reading near 50 points. Ken Wangdong+ Emerging Market Analyst, New Frontier Investor May 26, 2016 Clinton Arrogantly Declines To Debate Sanders - Who Counters And Wins May 23 2016 - Hillary Clinton declines invitation to debate Bernie Sanders in California Hillary Clintons campaign said on Monday that she will not participate in a California debate against Bernie Sanders before the states primary on June 7. The two campaigns had agreed to additional debates beyond the slate of events that had been scheduled by the Democratic National Committee. The Sanders campaign had hoped to schedule a final debate in California and Fox News had agreed to host in San Francisco. In a statement, Clintons communications director Jennifer Palmieri confirmed that they do not intend to participate. Instead, Palmieri indicated that Clinton would prefer to instead continue her pivot to the general election fight against Donald Trump, the likely Republican nominee. Clinton was obviously afraid to lose votes in California should she keep her promise and again debate Sanders. She arrogantly sees herself as inevitable winner of the primaries as well as the general election. I believe she will lose either one. Her "private" email sever during her time at the State Department was against all rules says the State Department Inspector General ina newly released report. Clinton declined to be interviewed by the IG even after she had promised to help with the issue. This does not only look bad. It is bad. It will cost her dearly. Should she have to compete against Trump she would get ripped apart over this issue alone. Additionally her record at the State Department, which she touts as experience, is a collection of miscalculations and misdeeds to anyone taking a deeper look. Sanders now made the perfect countermove to Clinton's arrogant rejection of another debate: May 25 2016 - On late night TV, Sanders and Trump agree to a debate maybe Thirteen minutes into his interview with Donald Trump, ABC late night host Jimmy Kimmel said he had a question from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). The Democratic primary underdog, who has camped out in California all week, was set to appear on Thursday night's episode. "Here's the question from Bernie," said Kimmel. "Hillary Clinton backed out of an agreement to debate me before the Democratic primary. Are you prepared to debate the major issues facing our largest state and the country before the California primary?" "Yes, I am," said Trump. "How much is he going to pay me? If I debated him, we would have such high ratings, I think I should take that money and give it to charity." Sanders responded immediately: @BernieSanders Game on. I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary. Trump has good media expertise. That debate will indeed have huge ratings. Clinton will be left out. This will catapult Sanders far in front of Clinton in the California primary. It will also showcase to the super-delegates at the Democratic convention that Sanders, unlike Clinton who has huge disliked numbers, is able to defeat Trump in the general election. The overwhelming majority of the super-delegates is promised to Clinton and could give her the majority. But if they see that the party will lose with Clinton as candidate and may well win with Sanders then they have all reason needed to switch their votes. The debate will also help to finally decapitate the Democratic National Committee (DNC) chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz who had unfairly favored the already well known Clinton by, for example, scheduling televised debates at times of lower viewership. The preparations for her dismissal are well along: There have been a lot of meetings over the past 48 hours about what color plate do we deliver Debbie Wasserman Schultzs head on, said one pro-Clinton Democratic senator. Clinton has not yet lost the nomination. But she clearly lost this round of the fight. Her arrogant step of avoiding another debate with Sanders will cost her dearly and might be the final issue that takes her down. Posted by b on May 26, 2016 at 11:07 UTC | Permalink Comments Vote for experience The Voters within the Morgan Hill Unified School District will have a clear-cut choice to make in the election on June 7. Candidate Pamela Torrisi is a former paraeducator who worked for the district for over 30 years. She has proven leadership skills from several years as head of the classified employees union. Pam has been a member of our community for many years and is accepting campaign donations only from the local community. Her opponent Thomas Arnett has received $7,000 in campaign contributions from a group in Washington, D.C., called Leadership for Educational Equity. This is a pro-charter political action committee. He works as a researcher at an educational think tank that promotes disruptive innovation, yet he has limited experience as an educator in Teach for America and holds an MBA, but not a regular teaching credential. Voters must ask themselves what future they wish to see for our school district. Will it be a locally controlled free public education for all of our students, or a collection of for-profit corporate charter schools which could be controlled from anywhere in the country and selectively admit students to make their test scores look better and turn public tax dollars into profits for investors? Steven Spencer Morgan Hill Editors note: See related news story on this website, in which Arnett says he is not in favor of charter schools that are just trying to enroll students to make money. Election should be about the issues The June 7 election is fast approaching, and as the national election gets more and more contentious, Ive noticed that certain negative campaigning tactics have encroached upon the school board election here in Morgan Hill. I personally dont feel that these methods have any place in a local election that involves two local Morgan Hill residents who both obviously have a deep dedication to education and to our school district. With that in mind, Im writing to explain why, without cutting down the merits and reputation of Pam Torrisi, as a longtime Morgan Hill resident and alum of Live Oak High School, my family and I are supporting Tom Arnett in his run for MHUSD School Board. Ive known Tom for over 15 years, my husband even longer, and graduated with him from Live Oak. At Live Oak, Tom was well known by other students, particularly in the music program in which we participated, for being a truly honest, caring person. It was no surprise to any of us when he was chosen to be the drum major of the Emerald Regime our senior year, and I wasnt surprised either to see him pursue a career in education as his leadership skills were obvious even as teenagers. It seems like in the discussions Ive seen on social media and in various local media outlets, there have been questions about Toms trustworthiness, even suggestions that hes somehow shady or accepting money from nefarious sources who are seeking to, in the six-month time frame that Tom would be on the board, drastically change our school district in some way. Anyone who personally knows or has had a conversation with Tom would find these assertions almost comical, but I think it speaks to a bigger question of distrust in anyone running for political office. I often have those same misgivings where politics are concerned, but, fortunately, the decision to elect Tom or Pam does not need to be one based on who is corrupt or not. My family and I support Tom because we know he is dedicated to our district, we are interested in having someone with young children like we have with a voice on the board, and we are excited by Toms research and knowledge about innovative education methods. This election should be about the issues and policies that the candidates will be facing in the next six months. I urge you to make your decision in this election based upon which candidate best represents your interests and addresses your concerns. Sincerely, Hylary Locsin Gilroy Active fund investors are taking a different approach to their passive fund peers amid market volatility in developed markets, fund flows data from Morningstar Direct shows. When looking into the same Morningstar category, modest inflows in exchange-traded funds suggest that ETF investors are less sceptical about the outlook of markets in the US and the UK while open-ended fund investors are selling out quick. In April, the UK large-cap blend equity sector in ETFs saw inflows of 1.5 million while in the same sector in open-ended funds, outflows jumped by about 475 million in April. Similar scenarios are applicable to the UK equity income sector and the US large-cap blend equity sector. ETFs in the UK equity income sector recorded 3 million inflows year to date, however open-ended funds in the same sector saw 99 million outflows year to date. Likewise, ETFs in the US large-cap blend equity sector saw 2.3 million inflows in April, adding to 5.3 inflows year to date while open-ended funds in the same sector saw 36 million outflows in April, contributing to 211 million outflows year to date. Fund flows highlight a change of how investors invest in different types of funds. As a wider range of investors become more aware of ways to utilise ETFs in their portfolio, strategists at BlackRock told Morningstar earlier in May that they believed ETFs are becoming more popular. A more diversified set of investors have a better understanding and a more positive stance towards ETFs than in the past. This is happening across asset classes and across geographies. However, the biggest challenge of the growth of ETFs is how to increase education and awareness, said Matthew Tucker, head of iShares US fixed income strategy at BlackRock. Which are the Most Popular ETFs? The Vanguard FTSE 100 (VUKE) ETF in the UK large-cap blend equity sector topped the chart as the most popular sector among Morningstar readers last month. Morningstar analyst Hortense Bioy believes that this ETF is a strong choice for investors looking to gain exposure to the pure large-cap segment of the UK market. This ETF provides exposure to the 100 largest UK stocks at a very competitive price of 0.09%, one of the cheapest ETFs tracking the FTSE 100 index, boasts a minimal level of tracking error, and exhibits some of the tightest spreads on the London Stock Exchange, according to Bioy. Another ETF in the same sector, iShares Core FTSE 100 (ISF) comes seventh on the most popular list. This ETF also offers a super low fees at 0.07%, reduced from 0.4% in March 2015. The fund has lagged its rival FTSE 100 ETFs over the trailing three-year period but Bioy expects tracking performance to improve significantly in the future thanks to the fee cut. She believes that this ETF can be used as a core holding for investors looking to build a UK-centric portfolio and wishing to complement an allocation to mid-caps and small caps. The Vanguard FTSE All-World (VWRL) ETF in the global large-cap blend equity sector comes second in the most popular list among Morningstar readers. US Large-cap ETFs The third most popular ETFs among Morningstar readers is Vanguard S&P 500 (VUSA) in the US Large-Cap Blend Equity. The ETF provides low-cost access to 500 of the largest companies in the United States, according to Morningstar analyst Monika Dutt. The ongoing charge is 0.07%. Given the U.S. equity market is highly efficient, a solid body of evidence shows active managers struggle to outperform U.S. large-cap benchmarks, therefore Dutt believes that taking a passive approach to this asset class makes a lot of sense. Dutt adds that this fund is one of the cheapest passive offerings providing exposure to the U.S. large-cap equity market. She sees this fund as an excellent above-average investment proposition, likely to consistently continue outperforming its category peers. ETFs in UK Equity Income Sector iShares UK Dividend (IUKD) in the UK equity income sector came fourth on the most popular list. The fund has an ongoing charge of 0.4%, which is at the high end of the range of ETFs providing exposure to UK dividend stocks. This ETF offers exposure to the 50 highest-yielding UK stocks and as such is suitable for investors seeking a regular income stream. It is, however, perhaps less suitable for those looking for long-term capital appreciation, as companies that pay large dividends may do so at the expense of their growth or overall financial health, Bioy says. The Bank of Canada whispered its worry about certain real estate markets in its recent rate announcement, according to one leading economist but should The Bank be concerned?What I highlighted is the final paragraph of the report, which alluded to Canadian household debt vulnerability which is bank-speak for they are still worrying about the housing market, Dr. Sherry Cooper, chief economist for Dominion Lending Centres , told MortgageBrokerNews.ca. Its nothing new; theyve been saying this for years now.But as the prices in Vancouver have risen exponentially, there has been widening concern and the media has put the spotlight on this.The Bank of Canada said in its overnight rate announcement Monday that household vulnerabilities have become an increasing concern. It also mentioned divergences among certain markets.Those two statements, when coupled together, allude to concern about Toronto and Vancouvers housing markets, according to Cooper.Much of that concern surrounds the impact foreign investors are having on Canadas two hottest markets. Its an area Cooper is currently researching.Im working on a research paper on the Chinese inflow of capital in Canadian real estate and whether it is sustainable. And the bottom line is yes, it is sustainable, unless barring some sort of cataclysm, she said. None of us know what the net inflow is in Canadian real estate markets, either Vancouver or Toronto, but everyone is clear that its meaningful.In Vancouver, especially, its visible. You cant walk through the Vancouver airport without seeing Chinese signs everywhere.However, Cooper argues the concern around foreign investment is overblown.I think its an important issue; you know U.S. hedge funds and hedge funds around the world have been shorting Canadian bank stocks thinking this was a bubble thats going to burst and its a big negative for the Canadian banks [but] I dont believe thats the case, Cooper said. They are misinformed about how different the housing structure is in Canada, how different the banking regulations are in Canada. A recent study emphasized the governments central role in addressing Canadas long-festering home affordability crisis as soon as possible, with social housing in particular being a top-priority item for authorities to consider. In a study published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) and released on Wednesday (May 18), CCPA senior economist Marc Lee said that the Canadian government on the federal and provincial levels can act on the issue decisively via social housing funding to the tune of around 5,000 to 10,000 units annually. As reported by Wanyee Li of CBC News, the study noted that to reliably address the crisis, the central and local governments should aim to maintain at least $200 million worth of social housing every year. The report added that such measures would significantly cool down the inflamed situation in the highly competitive residential real estate sector by helping at least 145,000 households who spend a disproportionate amount of their income on housing, and at least 3,000 homeless individuals in the Metro Vancouver area alone. The surge in real estate prices has further increased the gap between rich and poor, creating profits for homeowners that are more like lottery winnings than a reward for hard work, the CCPAs Lee said in a press release. In addition, Lee suggested a progressive property tax system as well as an increase in the taxes levied on foreign investors, who have been repeatedly blamed by various quarters for the out-of-control price growth in Canadas most in-demand metropolitan markets. Lee clarified that such taxes should not be applied on the basis of foreign nationality alone, though. We should welcome people who are immigrants, who want to live and work in the city. But I think it is a problem when we have growing amounts of absentee ownership, where people are essentially treating the city's housing market as a place to park their capital, he explained. Wells Fargo has agreed to pay a $70 million penalty to end its five-year battle to settle claims over foreclosure failures in the wake of the financial crisis. Regulators announced the penalty Wednesday, according to a Bloomberg report. The $70 million fine is part of an agreement that will free Wells Fargo, the nations largest mortgage lender, from servicing restrictions imposed on it last year. Wells Fargos troubles in the case began when the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency accused the bank of not moving fast enough to remedy problems outlined in several settlements over improper activity, including the robo-signing of foreclosure documents, Bloomberg reported. The agency said the bank is now in compliance. Five years ago, Wells Fargo and other banks settled allegations that theyd fraudulently endorsed legal papers used in home foreclosures and mishandled loan papers. But last year, the OCC imposed restrictions on Wells, along with JPMorgan Chase and four other banks, because they hadnt yet met settlement demands. Other affected banks have since settled, including JPMorgan, which paid $48 million in January to resolve the case. Wells Fargos settlement leaves only HSBC still facing OCC restrictions, Bloomberg reported. Wells Fargo said in a statement that it was pleased that the OCC accepted its work on the settlement. Saudi Arabia has been fighting with fellow OPEC members since the oil rout started two years ago. For the first time next week, it can argue convincingly that its strategy of squeezing rival producers is succeeding. By stifling high-cost suppliers, the Saudi approach has now almost eradicated the global oversupply, spurring a price rally of 80 percent to above $50 since January. All but one of 27 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg said the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries will stick with the strategy rather than set output limits when ministers gather in Vienna on June 2. It might not look a victory compared with when oil was $100 a barrel, but the Saudi strategy is working as youve got significant production declines showing up in a lot of places, and prices are grinding higher, said Seth Kleinman, head of energy research at Citigroup. Which makes the odds of them abandoning the plan even more remote. Lower prices have taken their toll on production from the United States to Nigeria. Analysts from the International Energy Agency to Goldman Sachs say the crude glut is dissipating as supply and demand move back into balance. That shift may mean a less contentious meeting than the last gathering in December, which ended with public criticism of Saudi Arabias position from fellow members Venezuela and Iran. Oil production outside OPEC is headed this year for its biggest drop since 1992 as the U.S. shale-oil boom that fostered the world surplus sputters out, the Paris-based IEA forecasts. U.S. output has fallen for 11 weeks to its lowest since September 2014, and will average 8.5 percent lower this year than 2015, the Energy Information Administration estimates. Kuwaits acting oil minister Anas Al-Saleh, said on May 18 that OPECs policy has been working well. Any action that raises prices would only rescue U.S. drillers and jeopardize the return to equilibrium, said Mike Wittner, head of oil market research at Societe Generale in New York. The Saudis might be concerned that if prices go a little higher and sustain it, that could nip the re-balancing in the bud just when its getting going, said Wittner. I dont know they have a whole lot of incentive to particularly do anything. While the economies of OPEC members such as Venezuela and Nigeria remain under strain, they are probably resigned to the course set by Riyadh, said Jason Bordoff, director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University in New York. Countries like Venezuela have been pushing OPEC for over a year now to do something to get the prices up, said Bordoff. They probably recognize that thats a futile effort at this point. The Saudi strategy of allowing low prices to do the work of low prices is working. The chances of reaching any supply agreement look especially dim after OPEC failed to complete an accord with Russia and other non-members on freezing supply levels in Doha last month, according to Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of consultant IHS Inc. The deal collapsed at the last minute when Saudi Arabias Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman insisted that political adversary Iran, which had ruled out participating, would need to join. The clash between Iran and Saudi Arabia makes it very difficult for OPEC to do anything, Yergin said in a Bloomberg television interview. Its pretty hard to have any deal at this point. Iran -- a key advocate of output restraint in previous years -- is unlikely to push for a new group limit as it remains focused on restoring exports previously constrained by sanctions, Societe Generales Wittner said. The only analyst surveyed who predicted an agreement, Phil Flynn at Price Futures Group in Chicago, expects the group to follow up on the aborted Doha initiative by deciding to freeze production at current levels. OPECs previous ministerial meeting in December ended without any agreement on a group output ceiling, abandoning the target of 30 million barrels a day that the organization had held -- and mostly ignored -- since late 2011. While prices collapsed after that gathering amid OPECs inaction, just as they had when the approach was first revealed in November 2014, the response will probably be subdued this time as the market has accepted the laissez-faire policy is here to stay, said Harry Tchilinguirian, head of commodity markets strategy at BNP Paribas in London. The Vienna meeting will be the first opportunity to assess the stance of new Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih, appointed this month when Ali al-Naimi stepped down after two decades, according to Tchilinguirian. Al-Falih is close to Prince Mohammed, whos plan to partly privatize the state oil company has sparked speculation it may further expand production capacity and market share, severing its ties to OPEC. That change in Saudi leadership means the meeting will still be pivotal for the cartel and its future, said Tchilinguirian. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate As Odessas Saulsbury Industries prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary next year, the company born in the Permian Basin oil patch has been exploring other industries. A lot of our growth, most has been in the oil and gas industry, Bubba Saulsbury, senior vice president, business development, said in a phone interview. We set out a few years ago, knowing how volatile the industry is, to see if those skill sets could transfer to other industries, he said. We dont want to forget what brought us here, but we also want to guard against a downturn, he said. He said diversification requires discipline to expand, and there are those who dont think it will work. Others think diversification is a good thing but say, Well worry about it tomorrow, Saulsbury said. But tomorrow is too late. Saulsbury said the company also sought to expand geographically as well as by industry. Among the industries Saulsbury has ventured into is taking on maintenance projects in the power generation industry, including nuclear power. The company recently was awarded an extension to its current maintenance and modification contract for South Carolina Electric & Gas Co.s VC Summer Nuclear Station Unit 1 in Jenkinsville, South Carolina. The renewal follows the completion of the first refueling and maintenance outage with Saulsbury in 2015. The project is an integral part of Saulsburys overall nuclear strategy that includes maintenance services, modifications, capital projects and decommissioning services. Saulsbury continues to expand its nuclear business, currently serving clients in South Carolina, Georgia, California and Louisiana. Well continue to grow those as part of our business, Saulsbury said. The company has also turned its attention to the Gulf Coast, moving into Houstons petrochemical industry. Were going to grow in Houston with a focus on downstream and petrochemicals, he said. To that end, the company last month opened a new office in La Porte to accommodate engineers, designers and support personnel, as well as a shop and laydown area for construction services. Saulsbury said its location in the heart of the Houston Ship Channel will let the company pick up a number of projects in the petrochemical industry. Weve been able to take the foundation of what weve built and used those resources to turn into a national, multiple industry engineering and construction company, he said. One thing weve learned is you have to find the right leadership. We dont want to win the work and then find workers. Were only as good as our people. So we hire people who are well-known in that industry and make a commitment to them. This is not a short-term initiative. Were not running to these industries because theyre popular. Were looking at long-term prospects. The right leaders have helped the company penetrate certain markets. In some cases, opportunities presented themselves and there were leaders interested in joining Saulsbury, he said. Expanding into these new industries has resulted in hiring locally in support areas for those new industries, he said. The company has expanded locally. Last fall it moved into the former SandRidge Energy property on Interstate 20 between Midland and Odessa, which is near its headquarters. It was a great opportunity for us but also unfortunate that SandRidge had to lay off so many employees and move out, Saulsbury said. The company had been looking to expand when the SandRidge facility became available, he said. We had bought property across Interstate 20 to build a shop and warehouse and leave the Andrews Highway property (where wed been 15 or 20 years), he said. The company had even outgrown its headquarters and was considering a project to add 40,000 square feet, almost doubling the property. Because the SandRidge property included a 36,000-square-foot office building, that alleviated the need to expand headquarters and also the need to construct a new shop, yard and warehouse closer to the headquarters. It saved us a couple of years of building and addressed our needs. The timing was perfect. We got it at a good price compared to what construction would have cost us, Saulsbury said. That good fortune was similar to the companys acquisition of its headquarters facilities in 2010, when Telvista closed its call center there. He said the company was considering building a new headquarters office when the Telvista building came available. When we moved in, it was bigger than wed been considering. If we had built a new office building, it would have been smaller and wed have outgrown it more quickly, he said. The company has been impacted by the downturn, but has had to downsize less than 1 percent of its full-time workforce, he said. He pointed out that in construction, head count will fluctuate. The head count of 2,600 that Saulsbury employs hasnt fluctuated a lot over the last few years, he said. Overall, from a companywide standpoint, we forecast revenues will be down 10 to 15 percent from last year. We wish it wasnt so but we hear of other companies that are down a lot more. Were debt-free, which helps us through this downturn, and were a privately held, family owned, conservative company, he said. The challenge going forward is no one really knows whats going to happen. We think things will come around in the next couple of years but we dont think theyll be where they were. Next year well celebrate our 50th year in business. Weve been through these downturns many times and come through stronger than we were, he said. Despite an oil price-fueled downturn that has slashed billions in spending, thousands of jobs and sent the nations rig count to historic lows, some are still driven to build a Permian Basin oil company. Our whole management team still has a lot of fire a lot of desire, said Michael Marziani, who served as vice president and chief financial officer of Tall City Exploration and will remain in that position with the newly formed Tall City Exploration II LLC. The Midland-based company has just closed on a $300 million equity commitment from energy and resources-focused global private equity firm Denham Capital, which also partnered with the founders of the first Tall City Exploration in 2012. When considering a company for an equity commitment, Denham looks for operational and technical experience and expertise, personal character and integrity. (and) the ability to capture and create opportunity in the midst of a weak but nonetheless competitive marketplace, Jordan Marye, partner at Denham Capital, told the Reporter-Telegram by email. This new iteration of Tall City will be led by Michael Oestmann, president and chief executive officer. In addition to Marziani, the management team will include Angela Staples-Guerrero, vice president, land and general counsel; Dennis Kruse, vice president, drilling, and Gary Womack, vice president, operations and engineering. Chris Cuyler will join the firm as vice president, exploration and geosciences. The new Tall City Exploration is being formed beneath a far different backdrop than its predecessor, Marziani said in a phone interview. When Tall City I was formed, oil prices were at $90 and we were still on the tail end of horizontal Wolfcamp and Spraberry being recognized, he said. We were on the leading edge of a land grab. This time oil prices are low but the team remains focused on the Permian Basin, he said. But rather than being focused solely on the Midland Basin, Tall Citys management team will also be eyeing opportunities in the Delaware. Well study the Delaware more than we did the first time. There are some wells there where the results equal or exceed what weve seen in the Midland Basin, he said. Marye said his associates at Denham believe this downturn is creating opportunities for the right teams with the right strategic focus. Tall Citys track record shows that they are a group ideally suited to thrive in todays volatile price environment. Having sold its exploration and production assets between November 2014 and November 2015 for more than $1.2 billion, the company has a clean slate, Marziani said. Were looking for the highest-quality, low-risk properties with running room. We recognize thats not unique but maybe, with the tumult in the industry, it would open up some opportunities, he said. The management team has been looking for opportunities the last several months while the equity agreement with Denham was being finalized, he said. The Permian has been, and probably always will be, very competitive. And although oil is at $40 to $50, there are no obvious screaming bargains. The difference in seeking assets now compared to a year ago, is that buyer expectations and seller expectations are more aligned, Marziani said. The downturn has been prolonged enough that sellers arent holding out for high prices and buyers arent holding out for bottom-of-the-barrel bargains, he said. The company was fortunate the assets it had put together in a $80-to-$90 oil price environment sold well in a declining price environment, which spoke to their quality, he said. Marziani said that when the original Tall City was formed in 2012, it was with the mindset of acquiring assets that could be developed, de-risked and eventuallymonetized. The three-year time frame fit that mindset, he said. As the new Tall City Exploration takes shape, everyone is excited to keep the team together, he said. They are particularly excited to continue their partnership with Denham, he said. Weve had a good relationship with them the whole way through. Its easier when you know your capital partner; you know what youre signing up for, he said. For us, its about investing with our management team partners who have the specific know-how to capture and create great oil and gas assets, Marye said. The Permian Basin remains one of the lowest-cost oil basins in the world. Partnering with a great team like Tall City gives us the opportunity to build a successful business in spite of a currently weak oil price. With an extensive background in the Permian Basin, the management team is confident it can find opportunities in the highly competitive region, Marziani said. The Permian remains the premiere place to be in this business and to be an exploration and production operator, and its not just because our team is primarily from Midland. The best rocks, the best assets anywhere are here. If there is anywhere you can make it work at $45 oil, its the Permian Basin, Marziani said. Wayne Christian is the Republican Party nominee for railroad commissioner. Barring a political miracle, he will defeat Democrat Grady Yarbrough in November and join Christi Craddick and Ryan Sitton on the commission. This is a time when we are supposed to celebrate his victory, but we just cant do that. You see, we think David Porter served the commission very well and set a high bar that we arent confident Christian can reach. We arent high on Christian. The best we can say about him is that hes not Gary Gates, a businessman who was even more disappointing en route to going 0-for-7 in running for office. Gates didnt run a campaign on making the Railroad Commission better. He buried the electorate on the negatives of his opponents and reminded people of the things they dont like about the Obama presidency. Empower Texans Michael Quinn Sullivan was right when he wrote, Gates campaign is as absurd as it is disingenuous. The best we can say about Christian was that he served on the House energy committee when he was a member of the states House of Representatives. We point to an article from Jim Malewitz of the Texas Tribune who wrote that Christian didnt know one of the agencys key duties regulating natural gas utilities until a reporter told him. We have our fingers crossed that Christian rises up to the challenge in front of him. On a larger scale, the Railroad Commission race might show a bigger problem for the states Republican Party. Texas Republicans seem to be showing a weak bench when it comes to statewide leaders. Attorney General Ken Paxton and Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller are being plagued by problems, leaving us to wonder, Couldnt have this been avoided? and Were these men the best Republicans could offer? So, in our view, this is quite simple. Republican nominee Christian, are you ready to prove your doubters wrong? Are you going to fill the shoes of quality RRC commissioners such as Porter, who served before you, or Craddick and Sitton, who serve now? The Railroad Commission needs people who are serious about oil and gas issues and who can make sure the energy industry achieves everything it can. These are important times for Texas. Even as we write this, the price of oil is creeping as close to $50 a barrel as it has in months. We have reasons in the heart of the oil patch to be optimistic, but we need our best at the controls of the commission. Were sorry that we couldnt be more celebratory about Christians win. We expect more than you have shown. Maybe one day we will have to eat these words. Heres hoping that day is coming. In an attempt to intimidate his nephew, Aemond threatened to take out Lucerys' eye and later went after the young prince on dragon's back. The situation escalated to a bad one when Lucerys' dragon Arrax blew fire on Aemond's dragon Vhagar. "If it requires removing all cabinet ... Mother Lode Fairground CEO and Fair Mgr. Stacey Dodge View Photos View Video Sonora, CA There were more fireworks and surprises at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds Board meeting Wednesday night. Immediately after adjourning, Fair Manager and CEO Stacey Dodge, in the role since 2014, voice cracking and wiping away tears, resigned. I dont want to be in anybodys way or part of your problem, she said. So, this is my resignation. Id like to see the fair throughId like to prove to some of your board of how wrong you are, and my last day will be July 22, or you can fire me now. The move brought gasps from the crowd and some screams of no. Some people heckled Board President Dan Brown as he later left the meeting chastising him for his lack of support for staff. Earlier during public comment, one person not only called Brown a bully, but called for Browns resignation after witnessing an argument Tuesday at the fairgrounds office between Brown and Dodge. Before Dodges surprise announcement, Brown had apologized stating, I was out of line, raising my voice, both of us did. So, I will make a public apology for that. This is not the first time tempers have flared as accusations of missing money, monkey business and charges of harassment by board members Jan Costa and Peggy Lee led to staff filing complaints to the California Department of Human Resources. As previously reported, last months meeting also began with a surprise as it was announced that member Bryan Adcox had resigned and Costa and Lee were absent leaving the board without a quorum to conduct business. That brought up allegations that the two purposely missed the meeting to avoid scrutiny over implementing policy changes, costly legal fees and travel expenses. It is a charge Costa denied at Wednesdays meeting defiantly stating, It wasnt a conspiracy or strategy. I didnt know of anyone else not being at the meeting. Im also tired of hearing about policy and procedures and by-laws and legal fees. We did what we had to do. Changes have been made and were moving on. Attending his first meeting after being appointed to the board by Governor Jerry Brown just this week, Albert Barreno had this remark about Dodges resignation, I did not see that coming. I am saddened by it. I really believe that we could make this whole thing workThe past is what it is Im more concerned about the future and moving forward than fixing blame. Board Vice President, Missy Marino and member Marge Kiriluk were disappointed with Dodges resignation and called on the public to come out in force and demand she stay on as CEO at next months meeting on June 22nd at the Creekside Building. A gesture Dodge appreciates but tells Clarke Broadcasting she is done, stating, I want to work through fair and get the audit complete so I have evidence that theres no monkey business or money missing anywhere and move on. Lifes too short. Regarding whoever replaces her, Dodge offers this advice, If this board remains, good luck. A Lake County child care worker has been arrested after video shows her pulling a chair from underneath a child, causing him to fall. Belinda Greer accused of pulling a chair out from under a child at a day care Greer says the child wouldn't stop putting his feet on the table DCF investigating Belinda Greer, 57, of Leesburg was arrested Tuesday on a charge of child abuse for the incident that took place April 18. A surveillance camera in the Childrens House of Learning captured Greer pulling a chair from under a four-year old boy, causing him to fall. After the incident, the daycare moved Greer to their Tavares location. Investigators were tipped off about the incident earlier this month. It just seems like one of those situations where she lost her cool, lost her composure and acted impulsively, said Sgt. Fred Jones of the Lake County Sheriffs Department. Greer told investigators the child wouldnt stop putting his feet on the table so she moved him and he fell, and said she didnt help him off the ground because he was throwing a fit. She says he never hit his head in the chair. That is hard to see there. The detective couldnt determine if he hit his head on the chair or not. There were no marks on the head from what they saw when they did a forensic interview, said Sgt. Jones. While being interviewed, the boy, who refers to Greer as Miss B, said she had punched him in the leg before. But investigators have no evidence of that because the child didnt remember when it happened or specifics. The Lake County Sheriffs department says Greer has no previous incident against her at the school and no criminal record, but they are continuing to investigate. The Department of Children and Families is currently looking into the case. Greers next court appearance is June 20. Pluris has finally responded to growing concerns about the water coming from the east Orange County this week, defending its service to Wedgefield. Water tests at some Wedgefield homes show high levels of TTHMs, a byproduct Wedgefield's water is handled by Pluris, a private company The FDEP says Pluris will have to do additional testing The private water company said Wedgefields water is safe to drink, despite elevated levels of certain chemicals. The company also asserted that every utility is challenged by disinfectant byproducts, such as Total Trihalomethanes, or TTHMs. Managing member and principal engineer Maurice W. Gallarda, PE, issued this statement on behalf of Pluris Wednesday: "Our Florida staff has been and continues to work with the [Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection]. As with the other utilities in Orange County where elevated TTHM levels have occurred, Pluris is actively investigating the matter with civil engineering firms and will prepare a corrective action plan and present it to the FDEP for approval and implementation to lower the level and remain in compliance." Theyre not doing a good enough job at providing the safe drinking water supply to the residents of Wedgefield," said Commissioner Ted Edwards, who represents Orange County District 5. Last week, Edwards office sent us the FDEPs response to neighbors, as it relates to their water sampling. The FDEP told Wedgefield residents that the water plant must make changes to its operations, but theres no imminent health risk. Pluris will also be required to do more sampling, and the DEP will make results available to the community. The water company said since the company is investor owned, rates and charges are set by the Florida Public Services Commission. And because it is a smaller utility and has to treat area water with advanced methods, it is more costly. A parent who refuses to let her child take a standardized test says school administrators in Seminole County have notified her that her daughter will have to repeat the third grade. Seminole County mom says her daughter will repeat 3rd grade Mother opted daughter out of FSA Says she will take legal action against the school district Gabi Weaver says her daughter Camryns reading ability is well-above her grade level. She entered third grade with a seventh grade reading level, and shes leaving third grade with an eighth grade reading level, said Weaver. Weaver says shell get official notice on the last day for Seminole County schools on Thursday that her daughter will not be allowed to advance to the fourth grade. Students have to score above a certain level on the FSA Language Arts test to pass third grade. Florida Department of Education officials say there are other tests a student can take. But Weaver says none of those accurately assess her daughters ability to read. Its not fair to say to our third graders, 'It doesnt matter what youve done in 180 days, thats not going to pass you,' said Weaver. The only thing that will pass you is one test. Weaver is one of hundreds of parents in Central Florida, and across the state, whove decided to opt their children out of any standardized testing. We reached out to the Seminole County School district. SCPS district spokesperson Michael Lawrence released a statement that said, in part: We cannot comment on confidential matters regarding individual students. However, generally speaking, Florida law requires SCPS and all SCPS students to participate in the statewide, standardized assessment program. Specifically, Section 1008.22(3), F.S., states, 'Participation in the assessment program is mandatory for all school districts and all students attending public schools...except as otherwise provided by law.' Florida law does not include an opt-out clause or process for students or for parents to opt their children out of the mandatory assessment program - neither does SCPS. Another option state education officials say students who opt of testing have is to do a portfolio review of their work. But Weaver says the review still includes questions that are formatted similar to FSA testing. Weaver said she doesnt want to back down on her stance against standardized testing, but she also doesnt want her daughter to have to repeat third grade, either. She says she plans to take legal action against the school district and maybe eventually state education officials to keep her daughter Camryn from having to repeat a grade. After hours of problems, NASA called off an attempt to expand an inflatable room at the International Space Station on Thursday morning. Bigelow Expandable Activity Module is an inflatable habitat BEAM designed to be lightweight for rocket launches NASA called off 1st attempt to expand BEAM after problems The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, or BEAM, an experimental, expandable module, wasn't inflating as it should. NASA astronaut Jeff Williams started letting air into a vent to inflate the expandable module at about 6:10 a.m. But despite the air, the room wasn't expanding to what NASA expected. Unfortunately were going to have to stand down with the BEAM operations today," said Jessica Meir of NASA Mission Control. "Weve been assessing all the perimeters from the ground, and due to our setup, no-go conditions and not seeing any noticeable movement, were going to have to reassess further from here. NASA managers will now review data to see what went wrong. A SpaceX cargo capsule delivered the BEAM to the space station last month. After the BEAM is expanded, NASA will look at how the harsh conditions of space including extreme temperatures, meteorite debris and radiation impact the expandable habitat over the next two years. NASA says these expandable habitats take up less room on a rocket, but should provide greater volume for living and working in space. Eventually, inflatable modules could be used as a place for astronauts to live on the surface of Mars, or it could be attached to Orion spacecraft while astronauts are traveling on a deep space mission. NASA said it may try again tomorrow to expand the module. Deputies are looking for a suspect in connection with the shooting of a 25-year-old man and 34-year-old woman at an Orlando-area home early Thursday. 2 people shot on Bolling Drive in Orange County Man, woman taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center Man has refused to cooperate further, deputies say According to the Orange County Sheriff's Office, the two had just pulled into the yard of the home on the 5900 block of Bolling Drive just before 5 a.m. when shots were fired at their vehicle. They were both struck. Orange County Fire Rescue took the man and woman to Orlando Regional Medical Center with non-life threatening gunshot wounds. They are expected to recover. The man, who was driving, has refused to cooperate further with deputies, and they were not able to get a statement from the female passenger of the vehicle. Anyone with information about this shooting is asked to call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477) or the Sheriff's Office at 407-836-4357. Excerpts of a journal kept by Chericia Brown are shedding more light on why she asked the courts for help in the months before she and her two children were slain in an April murder-suicide. Sheriff's Office releases excerpts of Chericia Brown's journal Chericia Brown, 2 children were slain in murder-suicide in April Deputies say her estranged husband killed her and kids, then killed himself In the redacted journal excerpts, released Wednesday by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, Brown writes that her estranged husband, Henry Brown, threatened to kill her. On Dec. 14, 2015, she wrote: "(He) said the only way I would get a divorce is if I signed over all rights of children to him." Then, three days later, she wrote notes in the left-hand margin: "Told me he would find someone to kill me." "Told me he would kill me himself." Investigators say that over several hours starting late in the evening April 17, 2016, Henry Brown stabbed his estranged wife, Chericia, 15 times outside of a Chili's restaurant on Lake Mary Boulevard, ran over her and two bystanders who jumped in to help the woman, fired several shots at law enforcement inside the lobby of a hospital where his wife was taken and then fatally shot their two children, ages 1 and 4. According to court records, Chericia Brown told authorities that she thought her husband was capable of killing and had even threatened to harm her and her children. On Dec. 18, 2015, Chericia Brown told an Altamonte Springs Police officer that Henry Brown threatened to kill her and their two small children, Aleah and Henry. In January, a judge signed off on an injunction to keep Henry Brown from going near his wife, citing an immediate and present danger of domestic violence. Excerpts of Chericia Brown's journal SOURCE: Seminole County Sheriff's Office A former Patrick Air Force Base staff sergeant has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for trying to entice a girl for sex. Thomas Allen Vaughn tried to entice a girl for sex, prosecutors say Court documents say asked her for 'sexy' photos Staff Sgt. Thomas Allen Vaughn, 34, communicated online with someone last year who he thought was a 14-year-old girl, but was actually an undercover agent, according to federal prosecutors. According to Justice Department documents, between Oct. 23 and 28, 2015, Vaughn discussed with the "girl" his interest in performing sex acts with her. He sent her a photo of himself naked from the waist up and asked for "sexy" pictures in return. On Oct. 28, Vaughn made plans to meet the "girl" in the evening. She said she was still at school and wouldn't be home, so Vaughn drove to the school he thought the "girl" attended. He was arrested and had condoms in his possession, the documents say. The case was investigated by Air Force Office of Special Investigations in Tampa. One mans desire to fly to Texas did not go according to plan Wednesday as Sanford Airport Police say he presented a fake drivers license and then twice tried to run from authorities. Man trying to fly 1-way to Texas gave fake drivers license, police say Cops say Christopher Campbell ran from Sanford Airport Police twice 2nd time he tried to escape, he was handcuffed Christopher Campbell went to a checkpoint at Orlando Sanford International Airport to board Allegiant Flight 750 to fly one-way to McAllen, Texas. But according to a police arrest report, the 30-year-old man presented a fake drivers license from the U.S. Virgin Islands bearing the name of Marlon Bryant. The checkpoint supervisor thought the drivers license was suspicious and called a police officer to verify the license, which was determined to be fake because it had the wrong hologram identifiers, police said. At this point, police said that Campbell ran away, but officers were able to catch him after he ran about 200 yards. While at a patrol car as police were trying to record his fingerprints, a handcuffed Campbell tried to escape again. But officers were able to capture him after he ran two steps, authorities said. Police say that Campbell refused to give them his real name, saying that his name was on the drivers license. But a fingerprint search revealed his identity, along with several warrants under his name, police said. Campbell was charged with resisting arrest without violence, fraud impersonation and attempted escape from law enforcement custody. An investigation is underway after fire officials said it appears someone attempted to blow up an Orlando-area nightclub early Thursday morning. Firefighters noticed a small fire and burning materials leading to the entrance way Fire fighters shut off a 20-pound propane tank to prevent an explosion Orlando Fire Department officials said firefighters prevented an explosion at GILT Nightclub, located at 740 Bennett Road, after crews shut off a propane tank that was leaking gas vapors discovered when they responded to an automatic fire alarm. The Orlando Fire Department Arson/Bomb Squad is investigating the incident as a "malicious fire" after firefighters discovered a small fire near the entrance when they responded to the business around 2:17 a.m. When crews arrived at the scene, they found the parking lot empty and a small fire halfway up the sidewalk to the front entry doors to the club. Outside of the entrance to the club were two plastic tubs stacked inside one another. Both were tipped over, and a small amount of a burning material on the ground was extinguished. Firefighters noticed the right side entry door was smoked out and the left door looked different than the right. Firefighters also noticed the security roll-down metal door was halfway open. Once the metal door was opened all the way, the sprinkler system came up and the fire alarm began to ring. Once in the entryway, fire crews reported smelling gasoline, fire officials said. But that wasn't the only discovery firefighters made upon entering the building. About 6 to 8 feet inside the building, a 20-pound propane tank was on its side, and gas vapor could be seen discharging from the hose, fire officials said. Firefighters shut off the tank and removed it from the elements inside to prevent an explosion. No one was in the building and no one was hurt, the fire department said. Frank Bond, the club's owner, said vandals broke through the glass at the front door and poured gasoline inside and then lit a match. Bond said the sprinkler system was quickly activated. Kerry Thelwell, a business owner across the street from GILT, said her security cameras didn't capture the incident. Thelwell also said this isn't the first time she has seen crime at the club. "I don't think it's the club itself," Thelwell said. "I think it's the people or something. ... (It's) not a good crowd sometimes." Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS (8477) or the Orlando Fire Department at 407-246-FIRE. An Ocala woman who fatally shot her husband won't be charged, because prosecutors say the case falls under Florida's "stand your ground" law. State cites 'stand your ground' law in clearing wife in husband's death Authorities say Michelle Dinkins-Penland feared for her life, son's and mother's She has a Florida concealed weapons permit Prosecutors think that Michelle Dinkins-Penland was justified to use deadly force because, under the stand-your-ground law, there was a reasonable fear that her life and others were in danger. Mark Penland, 53, had been verbally and physically abusing Dinkins-Penlands 14-year-old son, which several witnesses confirmed, the Marion County Sheriffs Office said. It all started on Tuesday night, March 22, 2016, when the teenager invited a friend over to the familys Ocala house to celebrate his birthday. But later in the evening, authorities say that Penland started to beat Dinkins-Penlands son. The boys grandmother and mother tried to stop the beating, but the grandmother was thrown to the ground by Penland, authorities say. Dinkins-Penland pleaded with Penland to stop beating her son, but Penland told her he was going to kill the juvenile, the Marion Sheriffs Office said. She obtained her weapon and shot her husband twice to stop him from causing any more harm to her son. Dinkins-Penland has a Florida concealed weapons permit and a .38 revolver. The teenager called 911 while his mother tried to help Penland. Marion deputies arrived at the scene, and Penland was taken to a hospital by medics. He died in the early morning hours of Wednesday, March 23. Prosecutors think Dinkins-Penland was justified to use deadly force because, under the state's stand-your-ground law, there was a reasonable fear that her life, her mothers life and certainly her sons life were in danger. Texas Rangers have joined in the investigation into the death of a motorist in Central Plainview shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday. According to a press release from Assistant City Manager Andrew Freeman, Plainview police were dispatched to the scene of an apparent traffic mishap in the 1600 block of Kokomo Street. Upon arrival, the found a Dodge Ram pickup abandoned in the front yard of a residence in the 1600 block of Kokomo. They also discovered several damaged vehicles in the 1600 and 1800 blocks of Kokomo, and speculate that the driver may have lost control of the pickup before driving up into the yard at 1602 Kokomo. Witnesses on the scene reported to police dispatchers that the driver was armed, according to Freemans press release. Other reports indicated that the motorist was traveling at a high rate of speed through the area. After arriving at the scene, police officers found a person they think had been driving the pickup. He was unresponsive when they found him in the backyard at 1604 Kokomo St. Officers summoned Plainview Fire Department EMS. They tried unsuccessfully to revive him using CPR. Justice of the Peace Sheron Collins was called to the scene about 4:45 p.m. After she completed her investigation, she left about two hours later without making a statement to the media. Instead, she said a formal press release would be forthcoming from the City of Plainview. Although Judge Collins would not reveal a possible cause of death, several individuals at the scene privately suggested that the victim had suffered an apparent gunshot wound. Officials decline to identify the victim, pending notification of his relatives. Texas Ranges are leading the investigation into the motorist's death, local police said. Officers and first responders from as many as seven agencies came to the scene to help cordon off the area, control sightseers who flocked to the area, and to assist in the investigation. Among those departments were Plainview Police, Hale County Sheriffs deputies, Precinct 1 and Precinct 3 Constables, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Rangers and Plainview Fire Department/EMS. BERLIN Food trucks are all the rage and now four-legged residents can enjoy the experience too. Local company Bark Body and Bowl will roll out the Bark Bus at the first day of the towns farmers market, Saturday, June 11. The all-natural dog product business was launched nearly a year ago by two best friends and 2005 Berlin High School graduates, Allison Catalano and Daniela Johnson. Their goal was to create healthier treat and products for dogs. Our pets cant advocate for themselves, said Catalano, Its our responsibility as their owners to do our best to provide them the nutrients they need. Bark Body and Bowl sells products like flea, tick and mosquito repellent as well as anti-itch sprays and shampoos, all made with natural ingredients. Its safe for dogs and its safe for you, Catalano said. The dog treats are also made with all-natural foods, with the key ingredient being coconut flour. Theyre all made in the owners kitchens during the week and are sold online. This summer the treats will be sold on the Bark Bus at the Berlin farmers market, as well as the market in Cromwell. Berlins Market Master Jane Georgini says shes excited to have Bark Body and Bowl as the only dog treat vendor at Hungerford Park this year. It couldnt be a better fit, Georgini said. Hungerford Park, where the market will be held for the second year, is home to a farm-yard and trails that Georgini says people frequently visit with their dogs. While Bark Body and Bowl has sold at the market before, this will be the first year that they bring in the Bark Bus to sell treats. Catalano and Johnson debuted the bus at the Made in Connecticut Expo in Farmington earlier in May. Though they do not have a storefront yet, Bark Body and Bowl sells products at several places in town including Good Cause Gifts on Main Street and Hair and the Hound pet grooming and spa facility on Lower Lane. Berlin Economic Development Director Chris Edge looks forward to when the business is ready to branch out into a store, but for now he says the way they are currently growing is successful. Were excited about what theyre doing, he said. The Berlin farmers market opens Saturday, June 11 and will run every Saturday after until Sept. 24. MERIDEN Kyley Fiondella credits her faith, her family, and her fastidiousness for her top spot among the H.C. Wilcox Technical High School Class of 2016. Fiondella, 17, of Wallingford, studied health technology at Wilcox. She said she didnt expect to be valedictorian, but when the first whispers about class rank put her near the top sophomore year, she made it a goal. I didnt realize how much I wanted it until I realized I could reach it, she said. Shes the first in her immediate family to go into the medical field, and if she graduates from Southern Connecticut State University as she plans to, shell also be the first to graduate from college. Julie Fiondella, her mother, said she and husband Drew Fiondella are beyond proud of their daughter. Hope Fiondella, her sister, is a student at Moran Middle School in Wallingford with an eye toward attending Wilcox in the fall. Kyley Fiondella said her grandmother, who works in an elderly care facility, inspired her to pursue the field. She would tell me about her work, and it just kind of went from there, Fiondella said. The soon-to-be graduate is looking to work on the other end of the spectrum though, as a pediatric nurse. Shes already had a lot of experience working with kids. As a teacher in the childrens ministry at New Life Church in Wallingford, Fiondella volunteered with the youngest participants in the program. Marie Mordarski, childrens ministry director at the church, said Fiondella has been an integral part of the program. She started as someone that was in our program for kids and as soon as she graduated she started helping, Mordarski said. Shes such an up-beat, encouraging person. She always has a smile on her face and the kids just love her. Shes kind of like the little Pied Piper; shes just a great teacher and shes great with the kids. Kris Bellemare, youth pastor at New Life Church, said Fiondella is one of the most remarkable young ladies Ive ever met; shes a mold-breaker. Bellemare has been leading the youth program at the church for 15 years, and said Fiondella is seriously just a fantastic person. My life is better because of who she is, Bellemare added. In addition to teaching in the childrens ministry, Fiondella leads the youth band at the church and volunteers as a councilor for its summer camp. Though she was raised in the tradition of the church, she said a weekend-long retreat in middle school helped cement her faith. If I didnt have that, Fiondella said of her faith, who knows what Id be doing. At Wilcox, Fiondella was similarly active in various groups. She was a member of the National Honors Society, Peer Leaders, Student Council, Unity Club, and Skills USA, where she took third place in the state this year in the health tech competition. She also ran cross country for the schools varsity team. She amazes me, Julie Fiondella said. Shes an exceptional kid. Kyley Fiondella said shes hoping to continue helping people in her career. Im looking forward to being that nurse, sending joy to people and their families. mcallahan@record-journal.com 203-317-2279 Twitter: @MollCal MERIDEN The Meriden and New Britain/Berlin YMCAs will soon be one organization after both boards of directors voted unanimously to merge at a special meeting Wednesday. The boards met at the Berlin YMCA program center, mingled and then split into separate meetings to discuss and vote on a merger. The measure, approved unanimously Wednesday, will go into effect June 30. A new name, Nutmeg YMCA is under review by the national organization. Officials said they saw only benefit to the merger. Dave Hayward, resource director for YMCA USA, said the national branch is fully supportive when YMCAs can collaborate and better serve their communities. Improving service in the respective communities specifically, bulking up YMCA presence in Berlin is one of the expected benefits. Berlin has been covered by the New Britain YMCA for more than 20 years, but lacks certain YMCA facilities present in its neighboring towns, such as a workout center. There are obvious benefits to this, Hayward said, when both YMCAs can have a greater impact and greater service to the communities. Hayward noted there are certain financial benefits, as well, including an economy of scale in purchasing and providing services. Following the vote Wednesday, Meriden YMCA board president Liz White said, This is the result of a year of hard work by many people on both boards, and Im happy to say weve merged. By joining together, we can serve more people. White is also the executive vice president and assistant publisher of the RJ Media Group, which publishes the Record-Journal. New Britain/Berlin board president Ken Griffen said he was very excited about the merger. In discussing it with his board over the past year, he said there hadnt been any substantial downsides. He noted one member was initially concerned about losing the identity of the New Britain/Berlin YMCA. But then, were sort of becoming part of the history of the YMCA as a whole, Griffen said, adding that the members concern was quickly assuaged. Griffen added Wednesday that he hoped the joint organizations could be a success story of regionalization and serve as an example for the state of how it can work. Under the agreement, a 30-person board of directors will oversee the merged YMCA. That board will include equal representation from each of the three municipalities. Current Meriden YMCA Executive Director John Benigni will oversee the merged YMCA. In fact, since March, Benigni has been overseeing both organizations under a management agreement. The former New Britain/Berlin executive director, Rich McGarty, left earlier this year to head the New Rochelle, New York, YMCA, leaving a void in leadership in New Britain. Benigni said the merger will afford him more time to do the things I love with the Y in all of our communities, noting hell no longer need to attend the duplicate governance meetings of both existing boards. Im honored to be the CEO of the Meriden/New Britain/Berlin YMCA, and Im excited to start this new chapter, he said. mcallahan@record-journal.com 203-317-2279 Twitter: @MollCal The Wonder Years star Jason Hervey spent last weekend behind bars to serve time for a 2015 DUI arrest in Tennessee, according to police. Hervey, 44, known for playing big brother Wayne Arnold on The Wonder Years, was charged Jan. 16, 2015 with driving under the influence in Williamson County, which is south of Nashville. RELATED: Supermodel Stephanie Seymour arrested in Connecticut for DUI On top of his DUI, Hervey was charged with possession of a handgun while under the influence and violation of implied consent, which means he refused a blood draw at the time of his arrest, Williamson County Sheriffs Office spokeswoman Sharon Puckett said in an interview with mySA.com. Hervey pleaded guilty to his DUI charge on April 22 of this year during a plea hearing, according to online court records. He served his 48 hours in jail last weekend, Puckett said. Tennessee law enforcement officers told TMZ.com they received a call about a swerving pickup and were able to locate it, driven by Hervey. He reportedly was disoriented, had slurred speech and red eyes. RELATED: 'Walking Dead' star arrested in Georgia on DUI, marijuana charges Hervey told TMZ.com that he has a prescription for Ambien and took one before driving his truck for a quick errand. He also said hes thankful that officers got him off the road before someone got hurt. TMZ also reported Hervey failed a field sobriety test. Besides his tenure on The Wonder Years, Hervey also was in Back to the Future, Pee-wees Big Adventure and 1984s Frankenweenie," according to IMDb.com. RELATED: Amanda Bynes arrested for DUI in Los Angeles Ambien, also known as zolpidem, is a commonly prescribed sleep aid for adults who struggle with insomnia, and is recommended that people using the medication wait eight hours before getting behind the wheel of a vehicle, according to WebMD.com. twhite@mysa.com Twitter: @tylerlwhite This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Warner Bros. Pictures Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Associated Press Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Me Before You: Game of Thrones meets The Hunger Games in the forms of Emilia Clarke (an Emmy-winner as Daenerys Targaryen in the former) and Sam Claflin (Finnick Odair in the latter). Hes a wealthy Londoner in a wheelchair; shes a small-town Brit who comes to be his caretaker. Will romance bloom? A theater director, Thea Sharrock, is making her film debut in this adaptation of Jo Jo Moyes 2012 best seller. Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping: The Lonely Island guys (Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone, whose hip-hop spoof Im on a Boat was nominated for a Grammy) are back with their second shot at a full-length movie; the first, Hot Rod (2007) has become a cult classic. The title character, thick-headed Conner4Real (Samberg) faces a career crisis after his second album tanks. Lots of music and comedy-star cameos, plus graphic nudity, which youd expect from a Judd Apatow-produced comedy. Love & Friendship is a mashup of two distinct styles, that of novelist Jane Austen and of filmmaker Whit Stillman. Stillman is known for making movies (Metropolitan, Barcelona) about well-to-do, self-obsessed young people, who talk in loping sentences. He takes this style and transplants it completely into his adaptation of Austens novella Lady Susan, and the result is so seamless, it feels revelatory. In an ideal mash-up, the ability of two elements to blend illustrates good things about both. And so we come away from Love & Friendship seeing the timelessness of Stillmans style as well as the modernity of Austens. In the latter case, there are lots of moments and motifs in Love & Friendship that seem like the present-day additions of the adaptor, but theyre not. They come directly from Austen. Lady Susan is an early work that Austen never tried to publish in her life, and one can see why. Susan is no conventional heroine. She is brilliant, conniving and charming. A widow, she has had a number of scandalous affairs, which she denies, and she is plotting a lucrative second marriage, while carrying on an affair with a married man. To encounter this story on screen is to realize, Oh. This is what Jane Austen was up to all along. Her idea of a heroine was about 200 years ahead of her time or at least 100. Some of Austens epigrams, which Stillman preserves in the screenplay, sound straight out of Oscar Wilde. Love & Friendship *** Quick take: So is this the real Jane Austen? See More Collapse So what a lovely meeting, a novelist who was ahead of her time and a filmmaker determinedly, irretrievably outside his own. Its like two very different people meeting on a blind date and suddenly sparks are flying. In his last previous film, Damsels in Distress (2011), Stillman told a modern story set on a college campus, and his style just seemed like pointless affectation. The solution seems obvious in retrospect: Dont try to keep up with the times. Go back in time. Lady Susan makes a fine showcase for everything Kate Beckinsale can do, including things we didnt know she could do. She is light, tripping and loquacious, her speech sprinkled with lots of commas and few periods. She is always thinking, and lets us see just how easy thinking is, when everyone around is not as smart. Beckinsales Susan is steps ahead of every character she meets, and though she is entirely amoral selfish, and a cold and indifferent mother we root for her because we know what she knows: She is alone. She has nothing to protect her but her intelligence and cunning. Love & Friendship reunites Beckinsale with her co-star in Stillmans The Last Days of Disco (1998), Chloe Sevigny, who plays Annas American confidant, Mrs. Johnson. She doesnt get a lot of screen time, but Sevigny gives the role a slyly comic galumphing-American quality, a down-to-earth contrast to Beckinsales grace. As for the story well, its the same as in every Austen story, about the politics of courtship and the dreadful abyss that awaits all those who tumble from the upper class. But theres something a little different about Love & Friendship. The gloves are off this time. Romance is at a minimum and intrigue rules the world. Its strange, but we rarely think of the classic authors as compromising in order to gain an audience. But if this kind of caustic, comic story was really at the bottom of Austens artistic impulse, it says something. Finally, it must be mentioned that everyone in Love & Friendship looks splendid. If the costumes by Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh (Cavalry) were any more beautiful, theyd be too beautiful. Running time: 94 minutes SAN ANTONIO An Alamo Heights student, who had plans to attend Trinity University, died just days ahead of her graduation after battling leukemia throughout her high school career. Valeria Cortez, 18, died on May 22 ahead of her June 1 graduation from Alamo Heights High School, the district said. Despite her illness she was diagnosed with in fall 2012, the teen maintained her academics and was a National Merit Scholar, according to AHISD. RELATED: Texas teens line street to grace classmate's funeral procession with this moving tribute Daniel Cortez, the teen's brother, told mySA.com he is not only mourning the loss of his "perfect sister," but his "best friend." "I have never known anyone stronger than my sister and doubt I ever will," he said. "Over the last few years, my sister knew the inside of a hospital better than her own bedroom. She bounced around from clinic to clinic across the United States." Valeria Cortez's brother continued, saying his sister was "poked and prodded with every instrument imaginable," throughout her treatments and procedures some of which were new and 'radical.'" RELATED: Friends remember Judson student, graduate killed in apparent murder-suicide "She paved the way for others to follow and broke new ground without knowing what would happen to her body," he said. "And she persisted." Though her family could tell Valeria Cortez felt "exhausted," "lonely" and "scared" at times, Daniel Cortez said she was "confident" she would be able to pursue her goals after graduation. She was accepted into Trinity University and planned to study medicine, hoping to work with children fighting cancer, he said. "She wanted to see herself as a normal girl and we did everything in our power to fulfill that wish," the brother said. "We took advantage of every moment she was feeling better to celebrate life. RELATED: Somerset High School alumna, Midnight Rodeo bartender remembered after dying in a head-on collision Valeria Cortez's relentless will to fight is evident in one of her final social media posts on April 20 a little more than a month before her passing. "This morning felt like a start to better days, a sudden urge to motivate myself more," she said. "I hope to follow through with positive thoughts to keep me going forward in coming weeks." Patti Pawlik-Perales, spokesperson for AHISD, said "we are all hearbroken" over the loss of the student who had been a part of the district since kindergarten. RELATED: Alamo Heights student was a victim of bullying before committing suicide, family says Counseling staff has been available to Valeria Cortez's classmates at the school since her death, the district said in an email sent to parents. "While she will not be able to attend her high school graduation with those friends who loved her, she has, in a sense, graduated to a new world," Daniel Cortez said. "Every family says goodbye to their children at some point in life one just hopes it's not in a permanent way." The rosary for Valeria Cortez will be Friday at the Sunset Funeral Home in the 1700 block of Austin Highway at 7 p.m. and the funeral service will be held Saturday at St. Peter Prince of the Apostles Catholic Church, 111 Barilla Place, at 10 a.m., school officials said. mmendoza@mysa.com Twitter: @MaddySkye The mother of an eighth grade student in Copperas Cove filed a complaint with the local school district and board after her daughter was asked to change her pro-LGBT shirt Monday morning. Ali Chaney, 13, arrived at SC Lee Junior High School wearing a t-shirt reading "Some people are gay. Get over it." in rainbow-colored letters. She was sent to the school's office where she was told her shirt was violating the district's dress code due to it being "disruptive," according to KCEN-TV.com. RELATED: Report: Texas pastor says Whole Foods 'did nothing wrong,' drops lawsuit over gay slur on cake Cassie Watson, Chaney's mother, took to Facebook Monday expressing her concerns over what had happened with her daughter. RELATED: 11 states sue over Obama's school transgender directive "(Ali) was met by all the administration in one office was she was essentially bullied," Watson wrote. "She was told she could not leave the office until a parent brought her another shirt. She asked why and was told they weren't going to tolerate 'that' in their school." Watson said her daughter was so upset that she checked her out of school for the day. "Our purpose at CCISD is to educate children, first and foremost. According to CCISD's dress code in the student handbook and code of conduct, clothing that is disruptive to the learning environment based on reactions by other students is prohibited. The student was offered a school shirt to wear and declined," District Spokeswoman Wendy Sledd told the NBC affiliate in a statement Monday. RELATED: Sextet of alleged child predators arrested in Central Texas sting operation near Fort Hood KCEN-TV reported that Sledd said multiple students were distracted by Chaney's T-shirt. Chaney offered up an alternative photo of student wearing a T-shirt that called President Barack Obama an Islamic Communist who was not told to change clothes to the district. Sledd told KCEN that the dress code is fairly enforced within the district citing a student that wore a shirt with Miley Cyrus twerking on it who was asked to change. Sledd could not be immediately reach for comment. kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 Its official: HOV lanes are coming to two highways near you. The Texas Transportation Commission approved plans to build the lanes on parts of U.S. 281 and Interstate 10 in San Antonio at its meeting Thursday. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate After three years of bad weather and flooding, tubing is expected to make a big comeback this Memorial Day Weekend on the Comal and Guadalupe Rivers, officials say. "We're hoping to have a much better weekend this year," said Judy Young, director of the New Braunfels Convention & Visitors Bureau. RELATED: 21 places to go swimming in Texas Colie Reno, owner of Texas Tubes located on the Comal River, said he's expecting to reach full capacity this weekend with 1,400 tubes total at his store and advises families and visitors to leave early. Sunday, he said, is typically the busiest day for tubing in Central Texas. The Guadalupe River is flowing at 5,300 cubic feet per second and the Comal is moving at 384 cfs, which Young says will make for a nice tubing weekend. Flash flooding will be a concern across Texas this weekend given recent rainfall and nearly saturated soils, National Weather Service forecasters said Wednesday. Young said in case of an emergency a warning system of sirens are in place on the Guadalupe River and throughout Comal County. "Anything is better than a flood," said Reno. RELATED: New Braunfels will hire up to 30 new 'reserve' officers to help patrol rivers for tubing season He said during the outfit's peak time, around 1 p.m. or 2 p.m., there's a 2 hour wait for a one of the 1,400 tubes. "(The rivers) won't be anymore congested than it is in San Antonio during Fiesta," Young said. Tourists from Dallas and Houston tend to stay in Central Texas overnight to tube, compared to San Antonio and Austin residents who make day-trips to the rivers, Young said. At Texas Tubes, about 60 percent of the customers are from Dallas and Houston during Memorial Day, Reno said. Families will be out in full force to tube this weekend as well. "This is a big family time," Reno said. "The Comal (River) is generally families." RELATED: Highways will be jam-packed with travelers, police on Memorial Day Weekend Travelers who bring their own tube to the Comal River, instead of renting one from an outfitter, will have to pay a $2 fee, "less than a cup of coffee," to access the water, Young said. The fee, however, is not expected to deter anyone from the river. And neither will an overcast day, Reno says. "If it's just cloudy, (tubers) will still come," he said. kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (Source: VNA) This is the first visit to Japan by Nguyen Xuan Phuc as head of the Vietnamese Government. It takes place in the context that the extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia between Vietnam and Japan is thriving. The trip, which is made at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, aims to affirm Vietnams consistent foreign policy of deepening the bilateral ties, for the interests of the two countries people, and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large. During his stay in Japan, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc is scheduled to attend a high-level economic policy dialogue between Vietnam and Japan, attend the expanded G7 Summit Japan and hold talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. Vietnam and Japan established diplomatic ties with in 1963. The two countries upgraded their relations to a strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia in 2009, and to an extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia in 2014. Japan has become one of Vietnams leading important economic partners. It is now the fourth largest trade partner of Vietnam, with two-way trade hitting over USD28 billion last year and about USD6.4 billion in the first quarter of this year. The country ranks second among 114 countries and territories worldwide investing in Vietnam, with over 3,000 direct investment projects worth over USD39 billion as of April 20th, 2016. Japan remains the largest provider of official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam, making up about 30 percent of the total ODA committed by international communities for the Southeast Asian country. Japan is the first G7 member country to have established a strategic partnership with Vietnam and recognised Vietnams market economy./. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Two men have been arrested in connection to a body that was found near a hand-dug grave located atop a marijuana farm in North Texas. RELATED: 3 men charged in connection to woman's burned body in Wilson County after brutal slaying Adan Gaona, 32, was charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence Tuesday, according to a Johnson County Sheriff's Office news release. Russel Lutz, 60, was charged with tampering of evidence and is being held on a $50,000 bond. The body of Antonio Galvan, 45, Gaona's step-father, was found Monday morning by a hand-dug grave found in a "large marijuana operation" on Co Road 410 near Alvarado, just outside of Fort Worth. Galvan, who is from Arlington, had been missing since Sunday evening when the Sheriff's Office received a missing person's report from his family. RELATED: Sheriff: Woman killed at Kerrville radio station in 'random act of violence' Both Lutz and Gaona face multiple drug charges as a result of the body being found in a pot farm. Gaona is also facing unauthorized use of a motor vehicle charge. He is being held on a $200,000 bond in the Johnson County Jail. RELATED: Whataburger, Pizza Hut robberies on North Side leave SAPD searching for suspects kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 SAN ANTONIO A man who was hired to do lawn service at an Alamo Heights home allegedly burglarized the residence, stealing 16 pieces of equipment totaling $4,000 with the help of his wife, according to records. Francisco Rios-Cerda, 38, and Alma Jessica Gonzalez, 37, are accused of stealing equipment including a lawn mower, sawzall and multiple tool bags from the residence where Rios-Cerda, owner of Cutting Edge Landscaping, was hired to do lawn services on Jan. 22, 2016, according to an arrest warrant. SAN ANTONIO Bexar County Sheriffs Office Deputies are searching for a suspect accused of fatally shooting a man in Northeast Bexar County early Thursday morning and critically wounding another. According to BCSO, deputies called to the intersection of Glen Heights and Glen Castle around 3:15 a.m. found two men bleeding in the street when they arrived. One of the men was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other was taken to the San Antonio Military Medical Center in critical condition with multiple gunshot wounds. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAN ANTONIO Three men wanted in connection with the death of a woman whose body was found torched in Wilson County have been arrested. Wilson County Sheriff Joe Tackitt said Alejandro Marroquin, 33, and Christopher Kine, 36, were both taken into custody over the weekend for their alleged roles in the death of 25-year-old Jessica Edens. The woman's body was found burning on County Road 202 in Wilson County, about 45 miles southeast of downtown San Antonio on May 11. Marroquin faces a charge of murder, while Kine has been charged with a felony arson count, according to arrest warrant affidavits for each man. RELATED: Man fatally shot Tuesday hours before East Side standoff identified The third suspect in the case, Ronald Jacobs, 31, was taken into custody on Wednesday evening, according to Bexar County Jail records. He also faces a felony charge of arson. Tackitt said a man and woman driving on Country Road 202 in Poth spotted Edens flaming remains as they were passing by around 9:30 p.m. They stopped and put the fire out, but Edens was already dead, police said. The affidavit for Marroquin said the Bexar County Medical Examiner later identified the womans cause of death as strangulation and head trauma. According to the document, Edens had been at a house in the 1400 block of Delgado Street with Marroquin and several other men on May 10. RELATED: Police: Man shot in head after possible drug deal gone bad on North Side Witnesses told investigators that Edens could be heard screaming after she was taken into a room, and was later seen lying motionless on the floor covered in blood, the affidavit said. After the slaying, Marroquin and other male suspects loaded Edens into her own car and drove to an EZ Pawn in the 800 block of Castroville Road. The men pawned a television and a womans ring, then drove out to Calaveras Lake where they tried to dig a grave, according to the document. The report said the suspects failed to dig a grave, then headed south toward Floresville. RELATED: Sheriff: Woman killed at Kerrville radio station in 'random act of violence' The document did not specifically mention when or where they dumped Edens remains. When the group returned to San Antonio they drove around in Edens car on the West Side until they got stuck in the mud in a vacant lot. The suspects got out of the car and torched it, then left the scene. While Jacobs has been connected to the torched car, it is unclear whether he had a direct role in the death of Edens. Tackitt said detectives are still investigating the case, and that more charges could follow. mdwilson@express-news.net Twitter: @MDWilsonSA An American gun company's take on the classic M1911 pistol might be one of the most original recreations in memory. Cabot Guns, a Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of custom handguns and knives, has taken the wraps off its latest project: A pair of M1911 pistols hewn from a chunk of Gibeon meteorite. The set, appropriately titled "The Big Bang Pistol," is priced at $4.5 million. The Gibeon meteorite collided with our planet some 4.5 billion years ago in what is now the country of Namibia. The ancient peoples who had occupied that southeastern portion of Africa used the ore from that meteorite to fashion weapons and tools. The Western world wouldn't learn about it until the 1800s. RELATED: A photo history of the service pistols used by the U.S. military The ore itself, at least the material used by Cabot Guns, is 85 percent iron with trace quantities of nickel, cobalt and other metals. Gibeon ore is prized by jewelers for its crystalline qualities, particularly its Widmanstatten pattern. In the pictures above, you can see the intersecting etches of that pattern on the pistol. Of course, the aesthetic beauties of the ore did not offset the technical challenges of constructing the pistols. Cabot Guns founder and president Robert Bianchin said his team conceived the idea of a "meteor pistol" sometime in 2015 and approached it very much like a problem in need of a solution. "It's not the ideal material to create a fully functional pistol," Bianchin said. "But our objective was to make a gun that worked. A lot of structural issues had to be overcome." RELATED: Readers submit their ideas for an official state firearm He didn't go into specifics, but he said the design and manufacturing processes that went into the Big Bang Set could likely comprise a book. Cutting the meteorite was an 11-hour process, and the team had to use some incredible technology to get everything in order, including embedding metals into parts of the receiver in order to make sure it could hold up when firing. Even more harrowing, the team had only one shot with the meteor ore. "The resources we put into the gun were far larger than we could imagine," he said. "We're a small producer, and it was an enormous amount of time. We could have failed. It could have split in two." RELATED: The Army didn't want the Beretta M9A3, but you can In the photos above, you should be able to make out that almost every part of the pistol has been constructed from that ore, save from the barrel, springs and grip screws. Each component included the exterior of the meteorite, and the team made sure to cut all of them in such a way that exhibited the unique patterns natural to the rock. "There's something magical," Bianchi said about holding the metal. "The transference of the voyage, its history, what it's seen it's an emotional experience. I just remember holding it. It was the coolest thing I've ever held." As we approach another budget preparation season for the city of San Antonio, we should all be concerned about the status of the collective bargaining agreements with the police and fire associations that expired Sept. 30, 2014. Fire union representatives have yet to agree to negotiate with the city, and there appears to be no movement with police union reps to get back to the bargaining table. Police and fire expenses consume two-thirds of the general fund budget, so they are significant drivers in the preparation of the budget next year. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Italian Ambassador Cecilia Piccioni (Photo: baochinhphu.vn) Hailing the ambassadors contributions in the past year, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hoped that she will further her efforts to promote the strategic partnership between the two nations. The Vietnamese leader wished that the two Governments will increase visits by high-ranking delegations while deepening bilateral collaborations. He also asked for Italys support for Vietnam in high-quality labour training, especially in software and other sectors of mutual interest. The Italian Ambassador laid stress on her responsibility to promote effective multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries. Italian leaders have seen Vietnam as an important partner, she said, adding that this was demonstrated through Italian President Sergio Mattarellas visit to Vietnam as his first destination in Asia in November, 2015. She noted that along with trade and investment, Italy wants to cooperate with Vietnam in science, education and culture and she will put efforts into connecting Italian enterprises with Vietnamese partners. By the end of 2015, two-way trade was estimated at over USD4 billion. Vietnam is currently Italys largest trade partner in ASEAN. Italian brands like Ariston and Piaggio have been flourishing in the Vietnamese market./. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and ADB Country Director (Source: VNA) The PM made it clear that the Vietnamese government supports ADBs comprehensive strategy to 2030, that helps member states deal with poverty, development gap and climate change, as well as promote their private sectors. Vietnam backs ADBs continued reform of operations and personnel work, he said, adding that the Vietnamese government and the State Bank of Vietnam also value the implementation of the 2016-2020 Country Partnership Strategy between ADB and Vietnam. He said the 50th founding anniversary of ADB and the 20th anniversary of launching its representative office in Vietnam is a chance for both sides to review and improve their roles in the region. Sidgwick, for his part, lauded Vietnam for stabilising its macro-economy, which he said, reflects the governments capability. ADB is ready to share experience with Vietnam in the time to come, particularly in infrastructure, response to climate change, enhancing competitiveness, development of the private sector and macroeconomic policy consultation, he stated./. NEW YORK CITY Earlier versions of taxes on sugar-sweetened drinks have failed with the exception of Berkeley, Calif., which approved a penny-per-ounce tax on soda and other beverages sweetened with sugar. In an op-ed in the New York Times, Mark Bittman, a fellow at the Union of Concerned Scientists, posited that other locations will soon follow Berkeleys example. The Berkeley tax works: Prices have gone up, and some stores have stopped selling taxed beverages altogether, although its too soon to tell whether consumption has declined or how much money has been generated, he wrote. Other California citiesAlbany, Oakland, Richmond and San Franciscoare also considering a tax on soft drinks. Britain will have a nationwide tax on soda in 2018. Philadelphia is also on the brink of adding a tax on soft drinks, with a proposal to add 3 cents per ounce to sugared drinks as part of Mayor Jim Kenneys budget. But instead of billing the tax as anti-obesity, supporters are framing it as anti-poverty. Until now, every proposed soda tax has been sold first as a health measure; income from the tax has been secondarydestined for the general fund in Berkeley and, in Mexico, for establishing safe, free drinking water. Mayor Kenneys plan is different. The tax is being pitched as one that will pay for services for the citys needy, and especially childrencommunity schools, universal prekindergarten (which has overwhelming support), parks, recreation centers, librariesrather than as one that will discourage people from consuming a damaging product, Bittman wrote. We are going to a source where there is substantial profit, Kenney told Bittman, and one that has the ability to take that hit and not skip a beat. They sell more of their product in poor communities than elsewhere, and for generations none of that profit was passed on to those communities. There is no downside to this other than that the three major soda companies may make a little less money. Bittman concluded that the logic of taxing sugar-sweetened beverages has been clear for a decade; every delay in doing so means dooming another percentage of our children to the increased threat of diabetes and other diseases. As Philadelphia and other cities consider this move, the federal government should follow their lead. By Martin Khor, Executive Director of the South Centre, Geneva. Originally published in The Star Western countries commonly proclaim the great benefits of free trade and the evils of protectionism. In reality, many developed countries practise double standards, insisting on free trade in areas where they are strong, whilst using protectionist measures in sectors where they are weak. In the worst case, within the same sector they have designed rules that impose liberalisation on developing countries but allow themselves to maintain high protectionism. An outstanding example is in agriculture, in which the rich counties are not competitive. If free trade were to be practised, a large part of global agricultural trade would be dominated by the more efficient developing countries. But until today, agricultural trade is dominated instead by the major developed countries. For many decades they got an exemption for agriculture from trade liberalisation rules. This exemption ended when the World Trade Organisation (WTO) was created in 1995 and the rich countries were expected to open their agriculture to global competition. But in reality, WTOs agriculture agreement allowed them to have both high tariffs and high subsidies. The subsidies have enabled farmers to sell their products at low prices, often below production cost, yet allowed them to get adequate revenues (which include the subsidies) that keep them in business. This has four negative effects on developing countries. Firstly, those countries that are agriculturally competitive cannot penetrate the rich countries markets. Secondly, the developing countries are deprived of other markets because the United States and Europe can export the same farm products at artificially cheap prices. This is a complaint of African cotton-producing countries. Thirdly, by exporting a product cheaply, the developed country reduces the demand for a competitor substitute product. If the US did not subsidise its soybean, enabling soybean oil to be cheaper, Malaysian or Indonesian palm oil would have a bigger market. Fourthly, these cheap products (such as chicken from US and Europe) have entered many developing countries, damaging the livelihoods of their local farmers. In 2001, the WTO launched a Doha development agenda whose chief goal was to liberalise the agriculture of developed countries. Much energy was spent over many years to devise methods and formulae to liberalise agricultural trade, and a high degree of consensus was reached. However, the US, backed by Europe, has now made it clear they do not intend to conclude the Doha Round. Future WTO negotiations have to be on a new basis, and not based on existing texts. An article by Chris Horseman in the bulletin Agra Europe (May 12) analysed why the US now cannot accept the existing text. A reduction in the maximum limit of one type of allowed subsidies (called de minimis) would have pushed the US to increase by 58% another type of disallowed subsidies (known as AMS). This partly explains why the US is keen to move away from the formulae on the table and to negotiate a fresh approach, said the article. Due to its powerful farm lobbies, the US will not change its domestic policies (embodied in its 2014 Farm Bill) to meet the Doha agendas new limits on the allowed amounts of domestic subsidies. The same article also shows how the European Union has meanwhile changed the types of subsidies it provides, in order to better comply with WTO rules. This also allowed the EU countries to maintain their total domestic subsidies at around 80bil (RM356bil) annually from 2004 to 2013. Two decades after the WTO was set up, the rich countries have continued the high level of their agricultural protection. There is little prospect that they will agree to changes in the trading system that will effectively eliminate or reduce the massive subsidies that keep their farming systems afloat. The poorer countries simply do not have the money to match the subsidies of the rich. If they want to defend their farmers and their food security, they can only put up tariffs to levels that keep out the cheap subsidised products. But those developing countries that sign free trade agreements with the US and the EU have to cut their agriculture tariffs to zero or very low levels. At the same time, at the insistence of developed countries, agricultural subsidies are kept off the FTA agenda. Thus, the rich countries can keep their subsidies and swamp developing countries with their farm products. The US and EU are also taking protectionist measures in other areas against developing countries. For example, the US successfully filed a case against India at the WTO, that the latters National Solar Mission favours local firms through its domestic content requirements for solar cells and modules. This kind of objection makes it extra difficult for India or other developing countries to take action against climate change. The European Parliament recently voted to refuse giving China the status of a market economy in the WTO, although WTO members are obliged to recognise China as a market economy by December 2016, 15 years after it joined the WTO in 2001. By denying China this status, it is easier for other countries to succeed when taking anti-dumping cases against China, and thus to place extra tariffs on Chinese exports. China and India are fighting back. India last week announced it will file 16 cases against the US for violating WTO rules when providing subsidies under its renewable energy programmes. China won a case against the US in the WTO for wrongly imposing countervailing duties against 15 Chinese products including solar panels, steel sinks and thermal paper. However, the US has not complied with the panel decision to withdraw the duties, and China is now starting action at the WTO to get the US to comply. It seems impossible to prevent or reduce the rich countries high protection of their agriculture. And it also seems they will continue using protectionist measures against products or policies of developing countries. There is indeed a big gap between the rhetoric and practice of free trade. Did Canuck the crow swoop off with a knife from a Vancouver crime scene? CBC The men who live as dogs: Were just the same as any person on the high street Guardian (furzy) Reclaim the Internet research reveals huge scale of social media misogyny Guardian. Note that women bully women as much as men do. But at least the examples used (calling women sluts and whores) are about 1. alleging that the targets do not conform to approved gender stereotypes and 2. chastising them for it. If a man was called a slut, hed laugh or even take it as a compliment of sorts. And if a woman who was either celibate or highly sexed (as the British like to call it) and was comfortable was called a whore, shed also dismiss it and regard the attacker as a nut or a prude. So IMHO the underlying issues go way deeper than the style of bullying. Getting babies to stop crying and not die may have made humans smarter ars technica (Chuck L) New Study Predicts an Intolerably Hot World TakePart ExxonMobil CEO: ending oil production not acceptable for humanity Guardian (furzy) US military uses 8-inch floppy disks to coordinate nuclear force operations GAO (Chuck L) China? ECB warns of populist risk to financial stability Financial Times. As if central banks have done such a great job? But recall that the depression early in Andrew Jacksons presidency was caused by banks to show him who was boss. Refugee Crisis Over 500 migrants rescued in capsize Financial Times Brexit? Grexit? Fearing Russian Bear, Sweden Inches Toward NATO Foreign Policy (Swedish Lex) French labour dispute: Nuclear power plant workers to join strike BBC Syraqistan Big Brother is Watching You Watch Companies Not Saving Your Data Bruce Schneier Imperial Collapse Watch Clinton E-mail Hairball 2016 FEC Deadlocks Over Employer Political Coercion American Prospect (martha r) These States Are Stepping Up To Reform Money In Politics In 2016 PopularResistance (martha r) Black Injustice Tipping Point Citi traders 2008 manipulations revealed Financial Times Craving Growth, Walgreens Dismissed Its Doubts About Theranos Wall Street Journal Brent Crude Rises Above $50 a Barrel Wall Street Journal Just Released: Hints of Increased Hardship in Americas Oil-Producing Counties Liberty Street Economics. Hints? I was hearing of more than hints on a trip to Dallas earlier this year Was April Retail Sales Data Rigged? Barry Ritholtz (resilc) Blackstone President Pretty Sure Hedge Fund Fees Are Total B.S. DealBreaker (DO) Guillotine Watch Class Warfare Antidote du jour. Bob K: Three new kids in my Chicago neighborhood! Days old! See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. Yves here. Some of the facts in this article are stunning. For instance, more Americans die from opoid overdose than from car accidents. And this article gives only a partial tally of Purdue Pharmas predatory conduct. The drugmaker targeted overly-busy, not very well trained general practitioners in communities which were likely to have high incidence of pain (think communities with a lot of jobs that involved manual labor). In other words, its no accident that OxyContin has become a plague in rural America. By Kathleen Frydl, an historian studying US state power, policies, and the institutions that shape American life. Originally published at Huffington Post The LA Times investigation of Purdue Pharmas manufacture and marketing of the narcotic painkiller OxyContin published last week should be regarded as a standard case study in corporate fraud. Except this particular tale also features a body count. This fact does nothing to call into question the validity of corporate fraud framework for understanding the story of OxyContin; it only makes its principal victims more visible, and the misbehavior in question more abhorrent, than is typical for the genre. All the major features of Purdues handling of OxyContin conform to similar acts of corporate fraud perpetrated in recent years: it encompasses not only what the company did (lie to generate profit), but what government regulatory agencies failed to do (detect and expose those lies), as well as the absence of any serious legal or other penalties imposed on Purdue Pharma as a result (a $634.5 million fine on a drug that has earned it $31 billion in revenue, or 2 percent of earnings). Still the story is peculiar in some key respects. Many times corporate fraud originates in some fairly innocent business model. Not so with OxyContin, a dubious affair from the start. As the LA Times investigation shows, Purdue formulated the drug because a patent on another its painkillers was set to expire. Anticipating competition from generic brandsand a subsequent loss of revenuethe company pursued an innovation that would render a narcotic painkiller eligible for a new patent, and consequently insulate it from competition. Purdue scientists pioneered a slow-release methodology designed to release a drug into a persons system incrementally instead of all at once. The problem was, although the innovation was real, the claims made on its behalf did not materialize for many of the drugs users. In early drug trials, OxyContin failed to ensure twelve hours of pain relief in a substantial number of patients. But without twelve hour scheduling, the drug represented no genuine innovation, and no comparative advantage, when compared to other less expensive, long-lasting drugs. So Purdue Pharma chose to simply ignore inconvenient data, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chose to let them. They could not alter the facts, but they could try to avoid them. Nevertheless, as the saying goes, facts are stubborn things. One study conducted in 2002, seven years after Purdue secured application approval for OxyContin from the FDA, found that almost 87% of people taking the drug were taking it more frequently than every 12 hours. In drug trials and in subsequent clinical use, patients told their physicians that OxyContin wore off after five to eight hours, subjecting them not just to bouts of pain but narcotic withdrawal. Unwilling to forfeit the feature deemed necessary to persuading insurance companies to continue to reimburse for the high cost of the drug, Purdue formulated a disturbing response. According documents revealed by theLA Times, the company instructed doctors to prescribe stronger doses, not more frequent ones, when patients complain that OxyContin doesnt last 12 hours. As the reporters note in a measured tone, this approach creates risks of its own. More accurate would be the assessment of Professor Egilman, a family health doctor who has served as expert witness in lawsuits filed against Purdue: the 12 hour dosing schedule, he told the Times, is an addiction producing machine. Higher doses only compounded the withdrawal problems patients encountered. Periodically plunged into a ravine of agony, patients were subsequently guided to jump off a higher cliff. To this day, the FDA has not asked Purdue to change its recommendations regarding higher dosing, despite the fact that a recent examination of medical records in Ontario, Canada concluded that one in 32 patients on high doses of the drug fatally overdosed. Added to this disgrace is the way in which Purdue presented OxyContin as less addictive than its peer narcotics, and therefore a candidate for use in settings previously not treated with opioids. Just like a mortgage securitization machine that eventually resulted in mortgages for homeowners who did not qualify for them, Purdue Pharma recommended OxyContin be prescribed to patients and for durations unprecedented in modern medical practice. The LA Times makes the key point: other drug companies quickly followed suit. Since the approval of OxyContin in 1995, the United States has been overdosed with prescription narcotic painkillerswith only 5% of the worlds population, the US consumes 80% of its painkillersand spiraling rates of addiction, suicide and deaths from overdose are the inevitable result. Only recently, in the face of complete and ongoing regulatory failure by the FDA, the Center for Disease Control stepped in to provide new recommendations for the protocols on prescribing narcotic painkillers. The dire circumstances of the opioid epidemic would seem to dictate more rigorous action, but a political establishment under the sway of large corporate donors has yet to summon the will. Another recurring feature of corporate fraud makes an appearance in the OxyContin saga as well: the revolving door between government and industry. In an age of at least ostensible government regulation, no truly massive corporate fraud scheme can be perpetrated without government complicity, discernable as either a bewildering set of decisions or inexplicable complacency. At critical moments, sometimes nothing more than venal self-interest is in play. In the case of OxyContin, Dr. Curtis Wright, charged with medical review of the drug for the FDA, left the agency shortly after he approved the drug. According to the Times, Wright was working at Purdue on new product development within two years of his departure. In the absence of confession or other material evidence of motive, these sorts of career moves are more than merely suggestive; they are, in and of themselves, suspicious. For all its similarities to other kinds of corporate malfeasance, the shadow of death cast by OxyContin, which, according to federal government surveys, has been abused by more than 7 million Americans over the past 20 years, places Purdue Pharma in exceptional standing among other serial offenders of corporate America. Thats not just because of the incalculable harm that resulted from its actions. After all, other comparable incidents of fraud inflicted grievous personal damage as wellthough the news media makes no serious or consistent attempt to measure or take account of this trauma. In the case of opioid overdoses, they sometimes have to. While newspapers decide what to print in their articles, they cannot tell people what to write in their death announcements. Not surprisingly, thousands of obituaries submitted to commemorate the victims of opioid overdose omit any mention of a cause of death or addiction. Still, its undeniable that a growing number of families and loved ones opt to reveal both, often in unvarnished terms. As families refuse speak euphemistically or elliptically about the opioid use in their death announcements, an organic movement of obit activism is underway across America. Deprived of a voice on the front page, victims advocates find one in the few remaining media platforms available to them and under their control. And it is agonizing to read what they have to say. The mother of Kelsey Endicott reminds us that it is not true that everything happens for a reason; her daughters death from overdose only weeks ago had no possible reason to justify for the loss. Another family chronicles a life of homelessness and injuries as the result of the untreated mental illness and substance dependence of Jaime Noelle Velarde, who died, in their words, in a dry tent curled up in a warm sleeping bag. The obituary for Alex Michael Hesse strikes a familiar note in the world of obit activism: Growing up [Alex] was just like any other young man, his family says, but he made some mistakes that ended up costing him his life. In his obituary, Sean Stems family urged communities to tear down whatever obstacles exist in the way of treatment. We have learned the hard way that no amount of love can cure this illness of opiate addiction, his family acknowledged, in a confession that implicates us all. In explaining their decision to declaim heroin overdose as cause of death in their daughters obituary, Alison Shuemakes parents told USA Today that Shame doesnt matter now. A Massachusetts father agreed, asking his local news station, If parents are too afraid to put it in an obituary, how is the rest of the world going to see it? Only days ago Molly Parks parents reached the same conclusion. I see a lot of obituaries from families losing 20-somethings, 30-somethings, and 40-somethings and they are all saying they died suddenly, her father said. But thats not the truth. In the United States, fatal overdose from opioids exceeded deaths from car accidents in 2014; it is the leading cause of acute preventable death in America. A non-trivial number of these deaths come at the hands of illicit heroin, not OxyContin or other prescription opioid. However, many of these victims found their way to an underground painkiller because of their initial use of a prescribed one. As government officials point out, almost half of all young people using heroin today reported abusing prescription opioids before they turned to the cheaper illegal street version of the drug. And in fact, most overdoses do come at the hands of legal substances: unintentional poisoning deaths from prescription opioids quadrupled between 1999 and 2010, outnumbering deaths from heroin and cocaine combined. Too often the call to deliver meaningful justice for corporate fraud is cast as a jeremiad, a retroactive bid to underscore our resentment. The case of Purdue Pharma, which admitted no wrongdoing in its financial settlement with the Department of Justice and was not forced to change the way it instructed physicians and dentists to prescribe OxyContin, shows us that justice has prospective, even preventive, components. Unless forced to change cost to benefit analysis, corporations will continue to defraud and endanger the American people. A metaphorical back page, community-driven obituary section exists for every meek corporate fraud settlement; in the case of Purdue Pharma, it happens to be real. Delegates waiting to enjoy Vietnam's beef noodle soup (Photo: VNA) The workshop was attended by some ambassadors from ASEAN countries in Berlin, the Germany - Vietnam Association and German friends. Speaking at the workshop themed Promoting Vietnams tourism and culture at the European School of Management and Technology (ESMT), Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Doan Xuan Hung stressed the cooperation relationship between Vietnam and Germany is developing very well, notably, the very successful State-level visit to Germany by State President Truong Tan Sang in 2015 helped the two countries be closer, and opened great cooperation opportunities for the two sides. According to the Ambassador, Vietnam and Germany have close and effective cooperation and in 2016, the two countries will mark 5 years of strategic partnership. The Ambassador also emphasized, during the framework of the workshop, that Vietnam would recommend to German friends about the friendly and safe country, which is an increasingly attractive destination for international visitors. Besides, APW this year is also an opportunity for Vietnam to introduce to German friends about pho, a unique and highly appreciated dish of Vietnam. At the workshop, Chairman of Asia-Pacific Forum Berlin (APFB) Professor Gert Bruche emphasized that the Vietnam-Germany relations have been expanded over the past 40 years and in 2011, the two sides established the strategic partnerships. He also expressed his belief that the bilateral relations, especially economic cooperation, will continue to reap success in the future. In addition, Chairman of the Advisory Council of the Germany - Vietnam Association, Professor Wilfried Lulei shared some information, and his practical experience about the country, people, culture and politics of Vietnam. As someone who arrived in Vietnam 52 years ago and then returned to Vietnam many times over the years to study and work, Professor Lulei is very engaged and knowledgeable about Vietnam, as well as moves of Southeast Asian nations. According to Professor Lulei, the application of renovation policies has helped bring great progress for Vietnam. He also referred to some factors leading to the positive development of Vietnam, in which an important factor is the wise leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam from the war period to the construction and development of the country today. During the workshop, the participants viewed clips introducing famous tourism destinations of Vietnam such as Ha Long Bay, Son Doong Cave and Hoi An. In addition, the participants also watched a film about Vietnam's pho, which covered the processing of the dish, famous noodle shops in Hanoi, and the recognition of the world for the famous cuisine of Vietnam. Then, the participants enjoyed beef noodle soup prepared by Viet Pho restaurant of Vietnamese people in Berlin. APW is an annual event organized by the Ministry of Economy, Technology and Research of Berlin state under the auspices of the German President, with partners, including Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce. In the framework of APW, "Embassy Day" is also organized for embassies of Asian-Pacific countries in Berlin, introducing their political and economic situation, investment environment, business and cultural and art performances./. SHARE By June Fletcher of the Naples Daily News A new study shows that homes owned by single women in Southwest Florida generally are worth less than those owned by single men. An analysis of tax assessor data on 2.1 million homes nationwide released Thursday by housing research firm RealtyTrac showed a home value "gender gap" in both Collier and Lee counties. In Collier County, the Irvine, California-based company found that the average estimated home value of homes owned by single women is $305,852, or 13 percent less than the $349,955 average value of homes owned by single men. In Lee County, the gap is less at 9 percent: single women own homes valued at $189,024, compared with $208,495 for single men. There is only one subcategory in Southwest Florida where single women's homes are worth more than single men's, said Daren Blomquist, vice president of RealtyTrac: homes owned by widows, who have inherited the couple's accumulated wealth. In Collier, widow-owned homes are valued 26 percent higher than ones owned by single men, while in Lee County they're worth 9 percent more. But overall, homes owned by single women across the country average $229,094, or 10 percent less than the value of homes owned by single men, which is $255,226. Blomquist attributes the gap to the fact that nationally, women are paid 19 percent less, on average, than men, quoting Bureau of Labor Statistics. Their lower purchasing power, he said in the report, is having "a domino effect on their ability to build wealth through homeownership as quickly as single men." . He also noted that because they have less money to spend, single women tend to buy in less desirable areas, with higher rates of criminal offenders. So it's no surprise that nationally, homes owned by single women have appreciated at a slower pace since time of purchase than homes owned by single men: 31 percent versus 33 percent. Their total equity earned was smaller, too; $53,809 compared with $63,921 for single men. Fortunately, in both Southwest Florida counties, rising prices during the past several years has allowed both men and women to accumulate wealth at a faster clip than the national average. "In both counties, homes are realizing nearly equal appreciation to homes owned by single men," Blomquist said. In Collier County, both genders realized an average appreciation of 35 percent since they bought their homes. But because the homes owned by single women were less expensive to start with, the total dollar amount of appreciation was less: $79,914, compared with $90,820 for single men. In Lee County, single women slightly underperformed men in terms of average appreciation since purchase: 34 percent compared with 35 percent. But there, too, because women started with less valuable homes, their total gain was less: $47,547 compared with $53,842. RealtyTrac's analysis showed the gender gap widens the longer a home is owned. For instance, throughout the United States, homes owned at least 15 years resulted in a 145 percent return on purchase price for single men, compared with a 127 percent return for single women. Monique Arias can't help but smile as her son Tlanexli, 8, struggles to hold a bag full of chicken quarters Tuesday May 24, 2016 outside of the YMCA in Naples. Meals of Hope, a nonprofit organization based out of Naples, sets up a van outside of the YMCA to distribute food to anyone who might want it. By the end of the night the group had served over 230 families in two hours alone. The group gave out fresh produce and other basics items like cereal, canned goods, and chicken. (Luke Franke/Staff) These days, Steve Popper's office is the cab of a 2009 International Harvester refrigerator truck. After nearly a decade of running Meals for Hope, an organization that has packaged millions of meals for the area's hungry, Popper and his volunteers are hitting the road, distributing food directly to low-income residents at the Naples YMCA and, coming soon, other locations too. From its inception, Meals for Hope has packaged ready-to-cook meals of beans and rice, macaroni and cheese and other staples, and given them to the Harry Chapin Food Bank in Fort Myers. The food bank ships them out to pantries, which in turn give them to the needy. Popper saw a hole in the system, particularly as it pertains to coastal Naples. "There just aren't enough pantries," Popper said. Poverty in Immokalee is widely reported and there are sufficient food pantries there. But in Naples, distribution points are lacking. Meals for Hope sought to build its own pantry to serve Naples but found the costs of building and the bureaucracy of permitting were too cumbersome. The solution came in the form of the used refrigerator truck, which for the past few Tuesdays has parked in the YMCA lot on Pine Ridge Road and welcomed all comers willing to provide a few bits of information about family size and income. This week, more than 200 families received not just the prepackaged meals but also fresh produce, frozen meat and canned goods from the Harry Chapin shelves. More than 10,000 pounds of it, all told. Food insecurity, the condition of not always knowing where the next meal is coming from, is prevalent in Collier County despite the area's affluence. More than 60 percent of children in the schools qualify for free or reduced price lunches, to cite one statistic. The need gives rise to multiple efforts, including the Naples Daily News' Satisfy the Hunger campaign, which runs through June 3. Click here to learn more about Satisfy the Hunger The YMCA has been posting notice of the Meals of Hope food giveaway on its marquee fronting Pine Ridge Road. Other than that, word-of-mouth has been the only advertising. The first event, about a month ago, drew 80 families. The YMCA's clientele closely mirrors the county demographic, said Greg Knight, the YMCA's communications director, making hosting the Meals of Hope truck a natural decision. "It's one of the best possible extensions of our Christian values. What better way to take care of someone than to feed them?" he said. The partnership between the YMCA and Meals of Hope began to form soon after what Knight calls "the fortuitous fire" of Labor Day, 2013 that destroyed much of the Y's main building. Many community groups formed connections with the Y in its time of need and the new facility that has been built since allows the Y to take on a greater role community. On Tuesday, as cars jammed the Y parking lot, YMCA CEO Paul Thein looked on with a certain amount of pride. "This is where we want to be," Thein said. "We don't want to be a fitness center. We want to be a service center. Our challenge is to articulate what a YMCA is all about." The logistics will be worked out to accommodate the growing crowd, he said. "I hope it triples." A sampling of the hundreds of people in line Tuesday reflects the demographic Popper wants to serve. Working people struggling with the double whammy of low wages and high cost of living. Ania and Liduan Rives of Golden Gate never were without food before coming to the Meals of Hope mobile pantry, Ania said. But their jobs, his cleaning condos and hers in hotel housekeeping, barely covered their bills. The heavy boxes of groceries they loaded into their pickup will help, she said. Sharon Johnson lives next to the YMCA and heard about Meals of Hope from YMCA staff. Her rent just went up by $225 a month, she said, taking a bigger chunk of her paycheck. "I don't get any kind of assistance. It stretches the budget. We have more month than money," Johnson said. Monique Arias, a single mother of two boys, works in an insurance office, a job she says she was lucky to find after 10 years living in Mexico and not building a resume. She especially likes that fresh vegetables are included in the boxes provided by Meals of Hope. "I like to give my kids fresh food," she said. In June, Meals of Hope plans to set up the mobile pantry on Mondays at Lely Presbyterian Church in East Naples. On Thursdays the group operates out of a building at the Senior Center in Golden Gate. "Our goal is to find areas that are underserved," he said. "By spending the money on the truck, we can be here and at Lely Presbyterian for half the cost," he said Tuesday. Meals of Hope, which operates with the help of cash donations and volunteers, doesn't ask recipients for any documentation to prove need. "We're just hoping people are going to be honest, and for the most part, they are," Popper said. Recipients are uniformly grateful and will turn down items if they have some left over from the week before. "They say, "No, give that to someone else.' That's a really gratifying experience," Popper said. (Connect with Brent Batten at brent.batten@naplesnews.com, on Twitter@NDN_BrentBatten and at facebook.com/ndnbrentbatten) The orchestra plays patriotic songs during Tuesday's flag dedication ceremony at Gulfview Middle School. Ashley Collins/Staff SHARE Students take turns talking about the U.S. flag that was a gift from troops in Afghanistan during the flag dedication ceremony on Tuesday at Gulfview Middle School. Ashley Collins/Staff The choir at Gulfview Middle School perform a set of songs, honoring the U.S. flag that was a gift from troops in Afghanistan. Ashley Collins/Staff One of the military's U.S. flags is on full display inside Gulfview Middle School's cafeteria. The flag is encased with a certificate and photos showing the troops in Afghanistan enjoying the candy and posters students sent them last year. Ashley Collins/Staff By Ashley Collins of the Naples Daily News Students at Gulfview Middle School received a special gift from American troops overseas a U.S. flag, which was flown over a base in Afghanistan. In honor of that gift, the band, orchestra and choir performed a variety of songs inside the school's cafeteria on Tuesday, recognizing the men and women who've served or are currently serving overseas. The flag served as a 'thank you' for a sweet gift Gulfview's music and technology students gave to the troops stationed at the U.S. tactical base called Gamberi last year. The gift was in the form of boxes filled with Halloween candy, shipped to the base in time for the holidays, said Gloria Gulley, the school's orchestra and choir director. The cause hits close to Gulley's heart. Her daughter was deployed to Afghanistan and was stationed at Gamberi as a psychologist. After arriving back to the states, Gulley's daughter helped her students connect with the troops, miles away from home. "The kids got so excited, and we started bringing in the candy. Before we knew it, we had over three huge boxes that we filled up," Gulley said. "I remember when my daughter first returned from deployment from the deserts in Afghanistan. She smelled the fresh air and said she had missed itThat's what today's about, pausing, and not taking for granted all we have here." Each candy box included a large poster with heartfelt comments from students. The flag is currently on full display inside the cafeteria, along with a certificate and photos of the troops enjoying the candy and posters. "All the kids got to see (the flag) and touch it and understandit is a sacred thing," Gulley said. Seventh grader Hannah Schneider said she was honored to recite the Pledge of Allegiance during the flag dedication ceremony. "I thought it was really cool and was honored to do it because it means so much because these brave Army soldiers are defending our nation every day. And just to give something to them and have them give something back to us and be able to play a part in that is just really cool," she said. Clifford Bussell, a sixth grade chorus student, lent his voice during Tuesday's ceremony. "It just makes my heart feel awesome that we get to have them speaking to us, communicating and us giving back to them for helping us," he said. Another chorus student, seventh grader Stephanie Bird added, "We didn't think we would get anything back. We just wanted to get them something to have." This isn't the school's first time giving back to the men and women in uniform. Last year, students from the National Junior Honor Society and student council raised thousands of dollars to sponsor Joe Izzillo, a World War II veteran, for the Nov. 7 Collier County Honor Flight trip to Washington D.C. Principal Kevin Huelsman said he's proud of his students and hopes to continue supporting troops overseas and veterans at home. SHARE Commissioner Penny Taylor shows Gulfview Middle School students Stephen Bole and Grace Sullinger how to use the microphone system at a mock Collier County commission meeting Wednesday, May 25, 2016. (Greg Stanley/Staff) By Greg Stanley of the Naples Daily News They expanded the county bus system, found room for another middle school, voted down a proposed ban on new development and then imposed a curfew on themselves. Seventh graders at Gulfview and Immokalee middle schools tried their hands at running local government Wednesday afternoon from the austere chambers of the third floor of a government building that none of the students had been to before and few really knew existed. The county attorney and commissioners turned over their seats on the dais as the students took turns filling official rolls during a mock meeting. As a commissioner for the day, Chloe Quintero of Gulfview fought to keep the bus lines open an extra two hours every day, and wanted to make sure that any changes to the Collier Area Transit system wouldn't affect paratransit services for the disabled. "We should do this for those who want the extended hours," Quintero said. As commission chair, seventh grader Grace Sullinger fought to keep order, asking hecklers from the crowd for quiet and keeping public speakers on point. Commissioner Penny Taylor, who helped set the event up, and County Attorney Jeff Klatzkow relished their chance to speak from the public's side of chambers, playing devil's advocate in the students' debate and threatening to sue them, at times, over development rights. The students had to gently remind the two that "we all know we're in America." Taylor came up with the idea of hosting a mock meeting after taking students on a tour of the county building and seeing their interest in the live microphones and order of debates. Interest in local issues is there, even among middle schoolers, if you can just find a way to spark it, Taylor said. "I listened to a speech about a year ago on the problem of getting folks interested in local politics and the problem of getting candidates to run," Taylor said. "What we need to do is get kids to participate. It moved me how seriously they took this. You can't overstate the importance of the public participating in what takes place in this chamber." The students were given full status reports from Michelle Arnold, who oversees the county's transit system, and Mike Bosi, planning and zoning director. The two helped put the issues in context and lay out the legal and financial hurdles to expanding services or changing land uses. Finding the balance between competing interests and making the best out of limited resources is what public debate is all about, Klatzkow said. "Most people don't know we exist to be honest," he laughed. "Everyone talks about Washington and the state, but this board is the most important to you. What happens in this room affects your life every day. If you want to go to a library or a park, flush a toilet. This is where it all happens." The mock meeting provided a great immersion into how the daily operations of the county are run, said Nicole Coy, civics teacher at Gulfview Middle School. "This just helps show them how things work and how decisions are made that effect them day to day," Coy said. "I think they got even more out of it than I expected." Family members Troy King, 50, from left, Kurtis King, 15, and Allison King, 18, view the grave of Heather King, 21, Thursday, May 19, 2016 at Palm Royale Cemetery in Naples, Fla. It's been a year since Bonita Springs resident Heather King's body was found in a wooded area a short distance from the Days Inn on Tollgate Boulevard. She disappeared from the hotel on May 21 after leaving a friend's party. Her headstone reads, "Let her be free." "I hold a lot of anger for the Collier County Sheriffs Department," Troy said. "It's an 'open death investigation' which don't mean (expletive), because I don't think they've done anything and I don't think they have. I think they are waiting for someone to walk in and confess and I don' think that's going to happen." (Corey Perrine/Staff) By Alexi C. Cardona of the Naples Daily News Time has not done Troy King any favors. It has been a year since his daughter, Heather King, disappeared from a hotel on Tollgate Boulevard in East Naples. A year since his desperation drove him to search for her in a wooded area behind a nearby motel. A year since he found her body being preyed on by buzzards. "It doesn't get easier with time. At least it hasn't for me," King said, sitting outside his Bonita Springs home last week. "That saying, that time heals? I don't know. Maybe someday." His pale blue eyes stare at the trees in his side yard. He lowers his gaze when he talks about the day and the way he found her. There wasn't much of her left, he said. He takes a long mouthful of Bud Light as if swallowing the bitter memories and lights a cigarette to exhale them away. *** Time hasn't done much for the investigation, either. A seven-month-long investigation by the Collier County Sheriff's Office yielded no answers. Neither did an autopsy. The Collier County Medical Examiner could not determine how or why Heather King died. Her remains were found May 26, 2015 by her father a short distance from the Days Inn where she was last seen on May 21, 2015. The night she went missing, a Days Inn employee told investigators he confronted two men who looked like they were throwing away a purse. A sheriff's office report states the autopsy found no trauma to King's remains. "There was no indication or evidence that there was any foul play," said Lt. Jason Wrobleski of the sheriff's office Special Crimes Bureau. A toxicology report shows the presence of high levels of morphine and ethylone, a designer drug, among other drugs in King's system. The chief deputy medical examiner believed the drugs were a likely cause of death but could not say definitively. Heather King went missing from a friend's birthday party at a Days Inn at 3837 Tollgate Boulevard five days before her remains were found. Those who were with her told detectives the 21-year-old Bonita Springs resident had taken some molly, a form of ecstasy, that she said made her feel "icy" and strange. Everyone else at the party avoided taking the rest of her supply, according to sheriff's office investigative reports. Security footage from the Days Inn shows King's mother, Pamela Truax, dropping her off at the hotel around 2 p.m. that Thursday. At 3:38 p.m., King is seen on video walking in a hotel hallway looking impaired. At 3:52 p.m., King and a friend walked outside the hotel, then went back inside when they saw a patrol car. Three minutes later, she is seen running alone in the hallway. The patrol car left at 3:56 p.m. About 30 seconds later, King is seen for the last time climbing over a wall by the hotel pool and walking alone out of the camera's range. RELATED: *** Too much time was being wasted for Troy King's liking. Five days passed since Heather King's mom reported her missing. In that time, Collier County Sheriff's officials called area hospitals, sent a news release to the media, issued an alert to look out for her and entered her into a national database as a missing person. Those who last saw her were questioned. Nothing in reports say anyone was ever instructed to search for her on foot. So Troy King decided to go looking for his daughter on his own. He drove his van down a short dead-end street and onto a dirt road southeast of Tollgate Boulevard. He saw buzzards circling something about 500 feet from the start of the dirt road. Around that same time, deputies, who had printed flyers with Heather King's photo, were about to canvass businesses near where she was last seen, according to a sheriff's office report. They didn't make it out the door. "(Investigators) were preparing to walk out ... when we were notified that a body had been discovered and that Heather's father believed it was Heather," the report states. From the time he parked the car, it only took Troy King 15 minutes to find her. Her remains were in the grass near a small lake, 0.3 miles from the hotel from which she went missing. A six-minute walk. "I thought it was an animal at first," Troy King, 50, said. "I walked right up on her. It was the buzzards. I saw the buzzards." He recognized a tattoo on his daughter's hip. It was the only way he could identify her. Troy King expected authorities to do more. "I don't think they did enough. They should've found her, not me. A police car could've driven right there and found her," he said. Wrobleski said investigators never had much to go on. "Deputies were not sure where she could be. We were working with bits and pieces. That was the biggest problem initially with this case," he said. Troy King had to let Truax know he found their daughter; he went home to tell his younger daughter and son. He took three weeks off from his construction job. "I didn't sleep for a while," he said. "When you wake up, reality is still there. Sleeping does nothing. I drank. I don't think I knew what else to do." *** The people who love Heather King make no excuses for her rebelliousness and drug addiction. "She's been struggling with drugs since she was 15," said Alicia Clouse, 23, her longtime friend. "We all struggled. It was tough to see her when she got bad again. I got to a point in my recovery when things were pretty good. I wanted that for her, too." Clouse at one point told her friend she wouldn't go to her funeral if she overdosed. "I told her I wouldn't be able to handle it," Clouse said. "I had to give her some tough love. " But of course, she went. In his Bonita Springs home, Troy King has the black purse that was disposed of the night his daughter disappeared. Her makeup bag and wallet are still in it. The straps of her bag are decorated with dangling Narcotics Anonymous key tags. "She tried to quit," he said. "She went to meetings. She did OK for a while." No matter how hard she tried to keep herself straight, it appeared that Heather King couldn't escape the influence drugs had on her life. "There were always people in her life that were using, and she couldn't get away from them," Clouse said. "It wasn't like she could just walk out. It was literally surrounding her. It's hard to overcome that stuff when you're around it all the time." Troy King wonders if things would have turned out differently for his daughter had he not let her go live with her mother when she was 15 or 16. Truax started using drugs when the couple's son was 4 years old and left the family, he said. Troy King fought hard for custody of Heather and her siblings, Allison, 18, and Kurtis, 15. When their mom left, Heather King got kicked out of school. "I think about that a lot," he said. "She was acting out. Wanted to be with her mom. I let her go. I wonder if they did drugs together. If her mom enabled her." *** In his spare time, Troy King visits the site where he found his daughter's body. Right where he found her, he built a cross memorial for his daughter out of steel and more than 4,000 pounds of concrete. Her name is cut out in the steel center of the cross. It took him three days to build. When he's not sitting on one of the three concrete tiers that hold up the cross, he's sitting by her headstone at Palm Royale Cemetery. An angel of grief weeps over the plot where she was laid to rest. A lyric from one of their favorite songs, Crystal Eyes by L.A. Guns, is engraved in the stone: "Let her be free." He sits with his daughter and tells her about his day. What he and the kids did on the weekend. Tells her he misses her. "I didn't love the cut marks, tattoos, drugs or trouble," King said. "But she was the best person I knew. She had a lot of love in her heart and would do just about anything for anyone." When Allison was younger, her sister was a mother figure to her. "It gets easier, but I have my days when it's like I just found out," she said. When Heather King wasn't living like a gypsy, as her father says, she spent her time fishing, four-wheeling and camping with her family. She still goes with them sometimes. Troy King has a small urn with a bit of her ashes that he takes on camping and fishing trips. Allison has a necklace with her sister's fingerprint on the front and a bit of her ashes inside. "She's always with us," Troy King said. SHARE Three doves are released, representing the holy trinity, as Councilman Steven Slachta, center, officiates and Derek Phillips, left, son of the late Paul Phillips, looks on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at Bonita Springs Fire Control and Rescue District Station 4 in Bonita Springs, Fla. Family and firefighters, local and beyond, came to witness the dedication of its training tower in honor of Capt. Paul Phillips. A firefighter for 32 years, Phillips, 58 years old, worked as a captain and training officer at the fire department. Late last year, Phillips, less than two weeks from retiring, fell during a hunting excursion with his son and died. (Corey Perrine/Staff) Jaci Fitch, daughter of the late Paul Phillips, wipes a tear Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at Bonita Springs Fire Control and Rescue District Station 4 in Bonita Springs, Fla. Family and firefighters, local and beyond, came to witness the dedication of its training tower in honor of Capt. Paul Phillips. A firefighter for 32 years, Phillips, 58 years old, worked as a captain and training officer at the fire department. Late last year, Phillips, less than two weeks from retiring, fell during a hunting excursion with his son and died. (Corey Perrine/Staff) Family of the late Paul Phillips check out the view atop the newly-dedicated training tower Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at Bonita Springs Fire Control and Rescue District Station 4 in Bonita Springs, Fla. Family and firefighters, local and beyond, came to witness the dedication of its training tower in honor of Capt. Paul Phillips. A firefighter for 32 years, Phillips, 58 years old, worked as a captain and training officer at the fire department. Late last year, Phillips, less than two weeks from retiring, fell during a hunting excursion with his son and died. (Corey Perrine/Staff) Derek Phillips, son of the late Paul Phillips, from left, Jennifer Phillips, daughter-in-law of the late Paul Phillips, Bella Phillips, 5, granddaughter of the late Paul Phillips, Jaelyn Phillips, 3, granddaughter of the late Paul Phillips, Josh Fitch, son-in-law of the late Paul Phillips, Jaci Fitch, daughter of the late Paul Phillips, Linda Phillips, wife of the late Paul Phillips, Nathan Phillips, son of the late Paul Phillips, Douglas Phillips, father of the late Paul Phillips and Michele McDaniel, sister of the late Paul Phillips, applaud as the tower is dedicated Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at Bonita Springs Fire Control and Rescue District Station 4 in Bonita Springs, Fla. Family and firefighters, local and beyond, came to witness the dedication of its training tower in honor of Capt. Paul Phillips. A firefighter for 32 years, Phillips, 58 years old, worked as a captain and training officer at the fire department. Late last year, Phillips, less than two weeks from retiring, fell during a hunting excursion with his son and died. (Corey Perrine/Staff) Related Photos Capt. Paul Phillips Training Tower Dedication Ceremony By Patrick Riley of the Naples Daily News Capt. Paul Phillips has been long gone, but Lt. Jason Brod can still hear his voice whenever he visits the training grounds next to Bonita Springs Fire Station 4. "Every time I've been out here since he left us come out here to train, come out here to do stuff I hear that voice echoing off these walls," said Brod, standing in front of the station's redbrick training tower, surrounded by Phillips' friends, family and former colleagues. "I bet if we sat here for a minute we'd probably hear that voice. Or we'd hear that laugh and you know the laugh I'm talking about echoing in that building in here." Phillips, a firefighter for 32 years, passed away late last year when he fell off a tree stand during a hunting excursion with his son. He was 58 years old and less than two weeks from retiring when he died. Wednesday, scores of firefighters from nearly every corner of Southwest Florida gathered to honor Phillips, dedicate the training tower in his name and share stories about the man who had taught so many of them. Like Calvin Payne, who has worked as a firefighter at the Bonita Springs fire district for four years and learned under Phillips. "Even with Paul's superior experience and rank, he never stood above us, barking orders," Payne said. "He'd rather work next to us, guiding us." Phillips' successor, Training Captain Eric Madden, said he is still amazed about the constant, even-keeled demeanor Phillips exhibited "in a world full of alpha males." "Not one single time did I hear Paul Phillips raise his voice," Madden said. "I have no idea I've been doing this job for six months I have no clue how he did that." Phillips spent much of his time with the fire district where he worked for more than a decade on the training ground. He would run through the pitch black rooms of the 5-story training tower, crawl through its built-in, 3-story maze or lug heavy hoses up and down the building's stairwell. Through scorching heat and biting smoke, he would lead his men through the burning metal barracks now named "Paul's House of Pain" in his honor on the other side of the training ground. And he loved every second of it. "The training ground you see really was his playground," Payne said. "Like a kid in a candy store, it was always apparent how happy he was to be here." After a long day at work, a tired Phillips would return to his Buckingham home where his wife Linda would be waiting for him. "I know how hard that man worked," said Linda Phillips, 60, her voice cracking beneath heavy tears. "He was exhausted, but he loved it. It was a good exhaustion." Wednesday's ceremony, which Linda Phillips and her family watched from the front row, was "bittersweet," she said. "It was happy and sad," Linda Phillips said. "He was one-of-a-kind." After hearing Phillips' former colleagues share their memories, each family member touched a white dove meant to represent Phillips before it was released into the cloudless sky alongside three other doves representing the holy trinity. Firefighters then took turns taking pictures in front of the shimmering commemorative plaque affixed to the tower, which was built in 2004, as family members toured the hulking building. For Deputy Chief Cesar Sanchez, Phillips was an inspiration even away from the tower that now bears his name. He still remembers the last conversation he had with Phillips, in the station's parking lot. "I had just received some undesirable news about promotions. I was real down on myself. Angry," Sanchez recalled. "And that morning I saw Paul and Lt. Brod walk over to me, hands extended, almost as if they were ready to congratulate me and I couldn't say a word to them. I couldn't even look Paul in the eyes. Here was the man who was my mentor, the closest thing I've ever had to a father and I () felt like I had disappointed him." Later, that same day, Phillips stopped by the station to talk to Sanchez. "He said, 'You know, I've never seen you lose at anything,' " Sanchez said. "He goes, 'You always win or you learn.'" Phillips' words lifted Sanchez's spirit. "He pulled me out of the darkness that day," Sanchez said. "To me this tower is the beacon of strength and faith that represents Paul." SHARE A few words in a judge's ruling this week in a Southwest Florida property rights case deserve the rapt attention of anyone who has noticed that widespread growth has returned to the region. "An interest in the environment alone is insufficient to give standing," the ruling states, using the legal term for the right of any person or group to get involved in a lawsuit. Further, the Lee circuit judge's decision cites another ruling by a Florida appeal court that concluded "a negative impact on wildlife and habitats is insufficient to establish standing." The Southwest Florida ruling involves Corkscrew Farms, a planned 1,325-unit development east of Estero in the Density Reduction/Groundwater Resource area, a conservation region long considered important to wildlife and the water supply. Developers of the subdivision, to be called The Place at Corkscrew, plan to preserve 700 acres of the tract, 6 miles east of Interstate 75 off Corkscrew Road. The suit was filed by the Estero Council of Community Leaders and the Responsible Growth Management Coalition. Essentially, the ruling tells those citizen groups they don't have a right to block a project based on concerns about traffic, the environment and wildlife because they aren't directly affected property owners. Corkscrew Farms is in unincorporated Lee; county government backed the project. This week's decision, coupled with the Legislature's insistence that voters in 2014 didn't intend for a substantial portion of Amendment 1 money to be used to acquire land through Florida Forever, show that the growth vs. preservation issue is squarely back in Southwest Florida's cross-hairs. Growth vs. preservation For two years since 75 percent of voters backed Amendment 1, the Legislature hasn't come close to allocating the $300 million yearly that went into the state's Florida Forever land-buying program before the recession. In fairness, the Legislature did make up ground in 2016, including $188 million for Everglades restoration. The Department of Environmental Protection budget includes nearly $57 million primarily from trust funds for land acquisition along with $15 million for Florida Forever conservation lands. Even so, other recent developments on the growth vs. preservation front make the words in this week's ruling resonate: -- Dozens of citizens and organizations attending a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hearing last month suggested major Collier landowners shouldn't be allowed to develop their property across 152,000 acres near Immokalee. Is the proposed 45,000 acres for development and 107,000 acres for conservation a fair balance of property rights vs. species protection? -- Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet agreed this month to spend $3.75 million to buy a conservation easement on 1,600 acres of a cattle ranch south of Oil Well Road and east of State Road 29. That's a lot of state money for a prominent Collier family. Even so, it has value because it's considered prime panther habitat and eliminates any potential the land could fall to mining or development. -- Lee Commissioner Larry Kiker recently suggested acquiring Edison Farms, 3,500 acres of mostly wetlands east of Interstate 75 between Corkscrew and Bonita Beach roads, if the state won't. -- There's a push to acquire 2,841 acres in southeast Lee County north of Corkscrew Swamp in the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed. Advocates want $13.7 million from Florida Forever. Timely The Corkscrew Farms ruling, the Legislature's intractable position on Florida Forever and these other recent developments come at a significant time. A majority of seats are at stake on both the Lee and Collier commissions this year, giving voters a chance to find out where candidates stand on land acquisition. Lee commissioners wisely decided to ask voters this fall if they want to renew the 20-year-old tax to buy land under the Conservation 20/20 program. The equivalent Conservation Collier program tax lapsed in 2013 and its advisory board says in a draft report the bonds have been repaid. That report goes to Collier commissioners. They, like candidates running for their seats, should address the millions-of-dollars question: What's next? SHARE Irene Ketover, Naples Educated voters I have always advocated "educated voters." The very premise to give a candidate your support is that you are of like minds, and your objectives will have a "voice" in government. We have been inundated with delegate counts on both sides of the aisle. The equations are so out of touch with reality all through the primary season that it is truly a time for "one man, one vote." We have been told that although the Democratic winner in Wyoming (Bernie Sanders) won by 12 percent of the vote, Hillary Clinton will win 11 delegates to his 7, because of four super delegates. Before moving to Republican shenanigans, I am a Clinton supporter, but a firm believer of allocating winning contests to the winner. Listening to the Republican explanation to their delegate allocations is nothing short of insanity. They are working to disenfranchise the lead runner and ignore the delegate count he has amassed. This is not the "democracy"we were taught in school. In both examples, neither one is the candidate of my choice that would benefit from this weird math. Politics aside, I believe more in democracy and fair game than party politics. We, as citizens, must start to work toward the "one man, one vote" and take the vote out of the hands of political hacks and give it to the "voters." SHARE Kathleen Reynolds, Marco Island Federal funds Three School Board candidates at the Norris Center forum in Naples weren't as adamant about rejecting federal funding for schools as they were at the previous forum on Marco Island. Then, John Bruner, Lee Dixon and Louise Penta all responded yes, they would refuse federal funding. Candidate Stephanie Lucarelli had it correct when she said rejecting $58 million in federal funding would make Collier County a laughing stock across the U.S. and that taxpayers are actually looking at a loss of $116 million. This includes the initial $58 million and $58 million that would be raised to fund programs supporting students with special needs, migrants and the homeless. What Lucarelli didn't include in the equation is millions in litigation, since these programs are required by law. Should the district fail to provide them, lawsuits, sure to be lost, would follow. This is a critical election, the results of which determine how 50 percent of tax dollars will be invested. Will they be invested to the benefit of future generations, or to support political ideology? One sitting board member has already discussed a referendum to increase tax rates to address the loss of federal funding. The answer to how tax dollars will be used rests in the hands of Collier's voters. Register if you have not already by Aug. 1. If you are leaving town, request an absentee ballot at www.CollierVotes.com this can only be sent to the address where you currently reside. It cannot be forwarded from your Florida address. Most importantly, vote in the Aug. 30 primary because that is when School Board members may be determined. This is a countywide, nonpartisan election, and everyone gets to vote on who will be the future leadership for education in Collier County. The IDA and Enterprise Ireland have been asked to take immediate action in the wake of the loss of over one hundred and thirty jobs at a Clonmel pharmaceuticals manufacturing company. The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Mary Mitchell OConnor has arranged for both agencies to meet Tipperary Oireachtas members today (Wednesday) in Dublin. Minister OConnor, who was urged to intervene in the Dail by Deputies Mattie McGrath and Seamus Healy, has tasked the agencies to take action following the abrupt closure of Suir Pharma. Workers at the Clonmel plant were devastated on Tuesday of last week by the appointment of a provisional liquidator in the High Court. Public representatives hit out this week at what they called the total lack of human decency in the manner in which the liquidator was appointed and described the treatment of workers as nothing short of a disgrace They hit out at the statutory redundancy payments offered by the company and the way the workers were called into a meeting, told their jobs were gone and to clean out their lockers immediately, while the workers on the night shift were told not to report for duty. Of the one hundred and thirty four employees who lost their jobs, a small number remain on to assist the liquidator to see that stock can be converted to finished goods and existing orders fulfilled at the manufacturing plant. Tipperary County Council executive Sinead Carr confirmed this week that the sale of the company as a going concern had been advertised and told public representatives that a replacement industry wouldn't happen overnight. It is expected that Tipperary Oireachtas members will avail of the opportunity provided by the meeting with the IDA and Enterprise Ireland today to demand action for South Tipperary which has had to deal with two major job blows in its pharmaceutical sector. The Suir Pharma job losses combined with the closure of Ranbaxy in Cashel earlier this year has resulted in a loss of up to two hundred and thirty four hundred jobs in the pharmaceutical sector in South Tipperary in recent months. More inside on Pages 3 and 4. An employee of Suir Pharma, who's also a County Councillor, has hit out at what he claims was "the total lack of human decency" involved in the appointment of a provisional liquidator to the Clonmel pharmaceutical plant last week, which has led to its closure and the loss of 134 jobs. Cllr. Andy Moloney has also stated that the deployment of five or six security staff on the gate of the plant on the day that the news broke was uncalled for. The workers had been told only five days previously that the company was trading as normal. It was upsetting that the company, who had taken over the plant last June, could now walk away from the situation and leave the workers with only statutory redundancy. Action needed to be taken immediately to stop this from happening in any other company. Cllr. Moloney, who worked for Suir Pharma for 13 years, said there were couples working there, as well as people with young children and mortgages. Speaking at a meeting of Clonmel Borough District Council the day after the appointment of a liquidator to the company in the High Court, he said it was a very abrupt closure, although it had since emerged that the IDA had been aware of issues there. Over the last number of years the workers had given concessions above and beyond the call of duty, including working hours free gratis. Cllr. Moloney didn't believe the liquidators understood how hard it was to close down a pharmaceutical company. He hoped that a new buyer could be found for the plant. The other council members offered their sympathy to Cllr. Moloney and the other employees on the loss of their jobs. District Mayor Pat English said he was totally shocked and appalled at the news. He described the manner of the closure as "nothing short of a disgrace" and it was a terrible way to treat any worker. It was upsetting that the employees would only receive statutory redundancy. Cllr. English said he was deeply saddened for the workers - who had given loyal service to the company over 43 years - and their families. He knew a number of those workers and they had given serious concessions to the company when it was taken over last June, which they understood would secure the company's future. It was nothing short of a disgrace for them to be called into a meeting, told their jobs were gone and to clean out their lockers immediately, while the workers on the night shift were told not to report for duty. He called on County CEO Joe McGrath to ensure that a co-ordinated response to the closure was put in place, which would ensure that the workers were upskilled. He also requested that a deputation would be sent to the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O'Connor, and the IDA to secure a replacement industry that would re-employ as many of the employees as possible. Cllr. Martin Lonergan said that the facility had been synonymous with the town for the past 43 years and had been known as a great employer. His thoughts were with the employees and their families and the manner in which they heard of the closure was a source of sadness. He encouraged the state agencies and the County Council to get together. With a cross-agency and national approach hopefully a replacement industry could be found. Cllr. Siobhan Ambrose expressed her sadness at the closure of a company that had been opened by a Clonmel person at the Gas House Bridge 43 years ago. She sympathised with the employees and their families. It was a big blow to the town because 99% of the employees were from Clonmel and the company had given the town centre and local businesses a huge boost. She said the County Manager had given assurances that an inter-agency group, which had met when the Ranbaxy plant in Cashel closed, would be meeting again, while Deputy Jackie Cahill had raised the closure in the Dail. Cllr. Richie Molloy said the Dail would have to legislate to ensure that companies wouldn't be allowed to get away with closing plants in this manner. The present owners were there twelve months and they were let down tools and walk away, and it seemed crazy that this should be allowed. It was a very poor state of affairs when you heard that the workers would only receive statutory redundancy. People should at least have been given a couple of weeks notice and it was a terrible way to do business. Cllr. Molloy said that people with families, mortgages and car loans had been let go with the stroke of a pen. Cllr. Michael Murphy described the closure as "an absolute tragedy for the employees and a huge blow to Clonmel and its economic future". His thoughts were with the employees, many of whom were friends and whose jobs were ended so abruptly. The company had pointed to a a downturn in sales as a reason for the closure, but there was no excuse for the abruptness with which the liquidator had arrived in town and terminated the jobs of people who had made so many sacrifices to keep this company afloat. It was important that all of the supports of the state were made available to the employees and it was also important that a deputation should go to the Minister. The IDA should get their hands on the site and work to attract a new tenant for the plant. Cllr. Micheal Anglim said the closure had been handled very badly by the company. It was a disgrace the way the workers had been told to pack their bags, it's finished today. He said the council, TDs and government had to bring the various bodies together to see if a replacement industry could be found. The council's Director of Services Sinead Carr said it was a very anxious and devastating time for the employees.She knew there had been issues with the company and the IDA was working closely with the owners behind the scenes but the suddenness of the closure had still come as a shock. County CEO Joe McGrath had met with the minister and the IDA that afternoon to discuss the closures of Suir Pharma and Ranbaxy. An inter-agency meeting in Tipperary would also be held and Mr. McGrath also hoped to meet the Borough District members. The council would support the workers as much as possible. It would link them with other employment opportunities as well as making them aware of their social welfare entitlements and upskilling opportunities. Other companies were recruiting and they had to make sure the employees' skill sets were aligned with those opportunities. However Ms Carr also stated that a replacement industry wouldn't happen overnight.The sale of the company as a going concern had also been advertised. The head of the Federal Housing Administration has informed lenders that loans receiving down payment assistance can continue to benefit from government insurance, despite past questions over the legality of certain assistance programs. Ed Golding, HUDs principal deputy assistant secretary for FHA, wrote in a recent letter to lenders "that loans that include down payment assistance provided by state and local housing finance agencies continue to be eligible for FHA insurance." The FHA eligibility for loans benefiting from such down payment assistance programs has been somewhat in doubt after HUDs inspector general raised issue last year about loans that were priced higher because of assistance. The dispute led to concerns that loans receiving down payment assistance could not receive federal backing. But Golding said following "a thorough and deliberative process," the department determined that "government entities may provide funds to borrowers to help make down payments on FHA loans." Last summer, HUD Inspector General David Montoya took issue with two down payment assistance programs in Arizona. The watchdog alleged that NOVA Financial & Investment, a Tucson-based mortgage lender, violated HUD rules by charging borrowers nominally higher mortgage rates in return for assistance. The IG also wanted NOVA to indemnify the FHA for up to $48.5 million, depending on defaults, for 709 loans. Pete Mills, senior vice president for the Mortgage Bankers Association, said Goldings memo to lenders was "a very positive development." There has been a "cloud hanging" over the down payment assistance program since the HUD IG issued two audit reports in the past year, Mills said. "Now it appears that we have this resolution between HUD program officials and the inspector general," he added. "It looks like this is a green light for the lenders and the finance agencies to continue to participate," Mills said. HUDs inspector general could not be reached for comment. Barbara Thompson, executive director of the National Council of State Housing Finance Agencies, said Goldings letter brings more certainty to the situation. "We needed a resolution and we feel that we got one," Thompson said. "The Housing Finance Agencies can go ahead with their down payment assistance programs knowing that HUD says they are in compliance with law and regulation." Caliber Home Loans in Irving, Texas, has agreed to acquire Fairfield, Calif.-based First Priority Financial. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Following the deal, Caliber would operate in all 50 states, with a servicing portfolio of $90 billion and a salesforce of more than 1,000 loan officers across 250 retail locations. Caliber chief executive Sanjiv Das said in a news release Wednesday that First Prioritys presence in Northern California made the deal attractive. The target also has a presence in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Iowa. "With the addition of First Priority Financial, Caliber continues its strategy of expanding into high-growth, regional markets with attractive long-term opportunities," Das said in the release. The deal is expected to close by early July. American Advisors Group has released its jumbo reverse mortgage loan product to its wholesale network in California. Brokers and loan officers in California can originate reverse mortgages through AAG on properties valued up to $6 million, well above the $625,500 limit set by the Federal Housing Administration for Home Equity Conversion Mortgage loans. These originators can also offer the product, called AAG Advantage, to owners of Ginnie Mae-approved condominiums. The Orange, Calif.-based company, which does business nationwide through retail and third-party channels, introduced AAG Advantage last September. The product works similarly to a HECM loan: Borrowers age 62 or older use the product to convert a portion of their home equity into cash to use for retirement spending purposes. AAG caps the possible proceeds from the product at $3 million. AAG said in a news release Wednesday that it plans to roll out the product to other states through retail and wholesale platforms in future phases. The product was initially rolled out to "select states," but AAG did not specify which states those were. The NATO Secretary Generals Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, Marriett Schuurman, met the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lt Gen Viktor Muzhenko, on 18 May 2016. They discussed Ukraines recently adopted National Action Plan on implementing United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, and how NATO could support this. Ambassador Schuurman welcomed the recent nomination of Capt Daria Malakhova as a Gender Advisor to the Minister of Defence to oversee the implementation of the National Action Plan. She will receive special training for gender advisors at the Nordic Centre for Gender in Military Operations in Sweden, as part of the Professional Training Package to Ukraine. NATO and the Ministry of Defence will co-host an event in Kyiv on 23 June to mark the adoption of the Action Plan and to discuss various roles of government and oversight, involving both parliament and civil society, in its implementation. Ukrainian military already has 8.2 % women in their ranks, not far from the NATO average of 10.3%. Lt Gen Muzhenko emphasised the governments commitment to removing barriers to women in the armed forces, including combat positions, and recounted a recent meeting with women parliamentarians and women in the armed forces to discuss progress. Ambassador Schuurman stressed the importance of participation of women in the modernisation and reform of the armed forces and as means to increase effectiveness. The equal participation of men and women will be a core part of a comprehensive assistance package to Ukraine that is expected to be endorsed at NATOs upcoming Summit in July. The Special Representative and the Chief of the General Staff also discussed the importance of leadership in promoting reforms and gender equality. As a demonstration of leaderships commitment, Lt Gen Muzhenko will be sending two of his senior staff to the Key Leader Seminar at the Nordic Centre for Gender in June. He also invited Ambassador Schuurman to bilateral meetings with the Ukrainian government in June. General Petr Pavel, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee chaired the first Military Committee in Permanent Session (MCPS) today (26 May 2016) with Montenegro participating as an Observer. On 19 May 2016, the NATO Foreign Ministers undertook the historic signing of the Accession Protocol for Montenegro. Following the signature of the Protocol, Montenegro has Invitee status, allowing its representatives to participate as observers in Allied meetings. Opening the session, General Pavel stated: Both militarily and politically, Montenegro has made enormous strides in the past ten years. Since is rebirth as an independent Nation, Montenegro has contributed to NATO, EU, and UN Operations and it has encouraged regional cooperation and compromise in the Balkans. Montenegro is committed to progress. Progress within her borders; progress in the Balkans, progress in the Mediterranean; and progress in the greater European region. Addressing the Allied Military Representatives, Captain Dragoslav Pumpalovic, Acting Military Representative for Montenegro emphasised: I am honoured and privileged to address the Military Committee in Permanent Session on behalf of Montenegro for the first time. Let me assure you that the NATO integration process is and will be a number one priority for the Montenegrin Ministry of Defence and General Staff for the years to come, the goal being to achieve capabilities, interoperability and implementation of NATO standards. Montenegro will be a reliable member committed to NATOs values and contributing to all efforts to promote stability and security. Once all 28 Allies have ratified the Accession Protocol, Montenegro can accede to the Washington Treaty and become a full member of the Alliance. Some pregnant moms diverted to wards 30 miles away 'This is not good enough' (NaturalNews) Slowly but surely, and unbeknownst to most people outside the country, Britain's vaunted "free" national healthcare system is failing, and as it does, millions of residents are being put at risk of bad outcomes, including some of England's newest citizens.As reported by Britain's, failing maternity units all around the country are putting tens of thousands of new mothers and their newborn babies at risk , according to a recently released inspection report from an independent watchdog organization.In the report, more than half the country's maternity units were rated either "inadequate" or "require improvement" in order to meet safety standards. A dramatic shortage of midwives has meant that babies are being delivered by medical students, while women are being refused pain-relieving medications, the report noted.In one unit, the independent health inspectors found blood on the walls, while at another, C-sections were being done in a makeshift operating room that actually doubled as a storage room.The report from the Care Quality Commission, the non-governmental regulator of all health and social care services in England, has, so far, inspected maternity services in 150 hospital trusts, and of those, 65 were graded as "require improvement" while 13 more were rated "inadequate" for safety.Thenoted of the findings:Earlier in March, a separate study found that British moms are sent home from the hospital after spending just a day and a half on average in National Health Service maternity wards, which researchers said was less time than nearly anywhere in the developed world.In addition, December figures showed that half of maternity wards had been forced to close doors at least once to women who presented in labor over the previous 12 months, because they were too busy and full to handle additional pregnancies.The latest CQC report also noted several maternity units where inspectors discovered midwives who were failing to perform hourly exams of the heart rate of fetuses, and were not carrying them out properly. The offending hospitals included the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, near Worcester, where staff members were "misinterpreting" vital signs and other measurements.Meanwhile, at Addenbrooke's in Cambridge, a newborn found to be at high risk of infection had been left overnight, for 10 hours, without any observation at all. At Wexham Park Hospital near Slough, Berkshire, inspectors found a "bullying culture," where midwives failed to disclose serious incidents over fears they would trigger a "witch hunt."And the Royal Berkshire Hospital maternity unit in Reading was found to close its doors at least once per month because it was too busy, which left women in labor having to be diverted to other facilities 30 miles away."Maternity services are struggling to cope with rising levels of immigration and higher numbers of older and obese women, who have more complex labours. Many departments are severely short-staffed and do not have enough experienced midwives or obstetricians," thereported.Also, in March the NHS announced some reforms to maternity services that include providing pregnant women with funds of up to 3,000 (about $4,300) to have their babies at home, to alleviate overcrowding. However, critics of that plan worry that mothers are being pressured into choosing that option only because it's cheaper."This is not good enough," said Professor Sir Mike Richards, CQC's Chief Inspector of Hospitals, of the findings. "There is no doubt that improvements are needed in order to narrow the variation that exists.""It is disappointing that some women are not receiving the high-quality care they deserve," added Dr. David Richmond, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, as quoted by the"Long-term investment is needed to ensure health care professionals can deliver a high-quality service to all of their patients."Translation: Three doctors conspire to corner the local drug market and get rich selling prescription drugs for cash Medical system is becoming one giant pill mill that takes advantage of uninformed patients (NaturalNews) 78-year-old prescription drug lord Dr. Alan Summers of Ambler, Pa. has been indicted along with his pharmaceutical drug-peddling accomplices, Dr. Azad Khan, 63, of Villanova, Pa. and Dr. Keyhosrow Parsia, 79, of Ridley Park, Pa.The drug dealing ring operated under the name NASAPT the National Association for Substance Abuse, Prevention & Treatment. Pretending to help patients with drug addictions, the con artists instead sold addictive prescription drugs like Suboxone for cash. In a short period of time, they were able to sell $5 million in pills, while getting their clients addicted to them. Every month, nearly 1,000 patients came to Dr. Summer's pill mill looking for easy drugs. Dr. Summers and his cohorts handed out the pills for cash payments."These are doctors who, rather than helping people, are contributing to this absolute crisis in our society," Assistant U.S. Attorney Lou Lappen toldThe pill mill took advantage of drug addicts, selling pills to them, while totally ignoring the treatment protocol required by law. Drug dealers were another client of the pill mill, and they ultimately helped peddle the prescription pills to the streets of Philadelphia and beyond. Highly addictive drugs like Suboxone and anti-seizure medication Klonopin were given out with no medical reason.The conspiring threesome worked together, and as such have been charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of controlled substances, health care fraud and money laundering. The Justice Department even uncovered the three doctors' 10-year financial plan to corner the local drug market. Allegedly they conspired to attend Narcotics and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings to hand out business cards and win clients over. They planned to set up a satellite office in Upper Darby, and invest $100,000 to develop their venture."This to them was nothing but a business, an illegal business," said Lappen. "But it was a money-making business, not designed in any way, shape, or form to help some of the neediest people in our society.""Rather than helping people who needed help because they were addicted to drugs, these doctors turned into nothing but drug dealers," Lappen stated.Meanwhile, the attorneys representing the three drug dealing doctors say that their treatments were "completely appropriate."As insurance companies, Medicaid and Medicare programs make it easy for doctors to write prescriptions and get paid, it seems like the whole system of medicine has become just a drug pushing conveyor belt. At the end of the conveyor belt are nursing homes, housing countless sick and pharmaceutically-dependent elderly persons (who don't deserve to be abused like this).These three Philadelphia doctors are an extreme example of what the pharmaceutical model of healthcare has become: one giant drug deal, a conspiracy against people's health, a profiteering racket, far removed from the holistic, personalized, compassionate approach. A real doctor teaches people how to get off medications. A real doctor empowers their patients with information to prevent disease through lifestyle changes There is much more drug dealing going on throughout the medical system that the justice system cannot accurately pinpoint; the problem is pervasive. Just a year ago, another Philadelphia doctor and a receptionist conspired out of their pill mill office and wrote prescriptions for Xanax and oxycodone without any legitimate medical purpose. (Is there ever a legitimate purpose for Xanax, a pill with side effects that include suicidal thoughts ?)So many health problems, addictions and deaths are caused by pharmaceuticals, in this system of drug dealing, where the patient is a mere lab rat, no longer in charge of their own health. Noise pollution reaching shocking levels Missiles, torpedoes, bombs and explosions (NaturalNews) Few people are aware that the U.S. Navy is actually allowed by law to disrupt the lives of all manner of sea life, even if it means they end up injured or dead.An examination of the Navy's Northwest Training and Testing Environmental Impact Statement, along with data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), was recently carried out by a watchdog group known as the West Coast Action Alliance (WCAA).Their findings were alarming: the Navy has made life miserable for nearly 12 million dolphins, whales, seals, porpoises and sea lions throughout the North Pacific Ocean in a period of just five years. This comes in the form of incidental "takes" involving marine mammals, which is a type of harm caused to animals that might entail harassment, injury or death. Even disruptions that cause behavioral changes can be thought of as harmful, since they can interrupt the animals' feeding or breeding schedules, or even drive them out of their safe habitats altogether, where they may meet some form of harm they would not ordinarily have encountered.WCAA spokesperson, and former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service assistant regional director, Karen Sullivan, told: "The numbers are staggering. When you realize the same individual animals can be harassed over and over again as they migrate to different areas, there is no mitigation that can make up for these losses except limiting the use of sonar and explosives where these animals are trying to live."Even more disturbingly, these estimates are actually believed to be rather conservative. Moreover, they only account for marine mammals and not other species such as fish, turtles or birds.Activities carried out by the Navy which are affecting wildlife include the use of explosives, sonar, underwater and surface drones, submarines, aircraft, explosives, and even the troops themselves training on beaches. This type of activity has been on the rise, with the October 2015 EIS showing a 50 percent increase in the disposal of explosive ordnance in Hood Canal and Crescent Harbor, a 778 percent increase in the number of torpedoes, a 3,500 percent jump in the number of sonobuoys, and a 400 percent rise in air-to-surface missile exercises. Noise pollution is one big area of concern , particularly when you consider just how vital hearing is to the survival of marine species. The threshold for human hearing damage is 85 decibels. The noise a Growler jet makes while passing overhead at 1,000 feet is one thousand times that, while Navy sonar can be 10 trillion times more intense than the human hearing threshold at the source.points out that underwater noise can reach 140 decibels from as far as 300 miles away a level that can vibrate and rupture internal organs, and that the French government considers "a weapon to kill people." This is what our sea life is being subjected to.The Navy carries out two ship-sinking exercises every year with a large number of bombs, missiles and torpedoes. The 12 million takes that the Navy is allowed to cause do not even include proposed takes for the Gulf of Alaska, where the navy is proposing 36,522 takes each year. Some of the animals that suffer as a result of Naval activity in the Gulf of Alaska include endangered species such as the sperm whale, gray whale, blue whale, humpback whale and sea otter. Other affected species include the harbor seal, harbor porpoise, Pacific white-sided dolphin and northern elephant seal.Similar activity in the waters around Southern California and Hawaii landed the Navy in court, where they were ordered to back off in a few areas deemed critical for marine mammal life . That agreement is set to expire in 2018, and does not extend to northern waters. To make matters worse, the Navy plans to boost its exercises in May, which is a major migratory season for a number of species that pass through the Gulf of Alaska. The Pacific Ocean is being hit from all angles, from Fukushima radiation , to Navy activity, to over-fishing, prompting experts to liken the ocean to a "war zone," as countless animals wash up on the shore dying or already dead. The destruction of the ocean could have serious ramifications for human life before ending it altogether, which is why more should be done to protect this essential resource. (NaturalNews) Federal and state governments under authoritarian Left-wing regimes are increasinglythat parents subject their children to potentially dangerous vaccine regimens , but when it comes to migrants and refugees coming into the country, that demand hypocritically vanishes despite the fact that more thanof them in parts of the country test positive for a dangerous disease.As reported by Breitbart News in recent days, a shockingwho the Feds have resettled in Minnesota (already home to a burgeoning immigrant population), tested positive for tuberculosis in 2014, according to the state's health department That compares with just 4 percent of the entire U.S. population, according to the most recent information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The April 2016 edition of the Refugee Health Quarterly, published by the Minnesota Department of Health reports that:[latent tuberculosis infection]By the way, about 10 percent of latent tuberculosis cases progress to active disease, killing about half of those affected, according to the World Health Organization, which also notes in a March 2016 fact sheet about the disease that one-third of the world's population harbors latent TB, making it the top infectious disease killer in the world.Twenty-six percent of all foreign-born cases of TB in Minnesota were from people born in Somalia, the state health department said. Somalians enter the state almost exclusively via the refugee resettlement program, which is handled by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.Over the past three decades, more than 70,000 have been resettled in the U.S. by the federal government each year.As further noted by, it isn't just tuberculosis that is being imported along with the refugees measles, whooping cough, diphtheria and other diseases are also being brought in, diseases that had long been eradicated or were on their way to becoming eradicated.In fact, as reported previously , a recent outbreak of measles occurred in Memphis, Tenn., at a center for refugee resettlement, a local mosque.As for the Minnesota TB statistics, the news comes on the heels of reports from the CDC that in 2015 the incidence of tuberculosis in the United States increased."Data from 2015 show that the number of TB cases has increased (by 1.7 percent) nationally [in the United States] for the first time in 23 years, with a total of 9,563 TB cases reported," the Minnesota Department of Health reported.These statistics and reports should make all Americans angry, but unfortunately, they won't.One of the primary arguments made by Leftist vaccine thugs in the United States is that so-called "herd immunity" won't really protect our children from getting diseases, even if most kids have been vaccinated. Well, what willinto the country do make our kidsor? But, because they are afraid someone might label them racist bigots for daring to suggest that theis to always put our own country and its people first, they stay silent when a refugee population is 20 percent more likely to harbor a deadly disease than citizen populations.That's worse than hypocrisy, it's stupidity.Meanwhile, our kids are being put at double risk risk of catching an imported disease, and risk of being severely disabled by mega-doses of vaccines. Some choice. Children and adults with hidden knack for scientific experiments can now conduct small scale experimentations at the tip of their fingertips with the help of a new app developed by Google dubbed as Science Journal. The Science Journal app is the latest handy way of conducting an experiment. The app uses various sensors mounted in Smartphone, such as accelerometer, light sensor and microphone to measure light, motion and sound. The app can also be used to as a note to record observations. It can also provide substantial help in visualizing data through graphs and tables. "Science is also fundamentally about improving the world around you. It's not just memorizing facts, wearing a lab coat or listening to a lecture. It's observing the world around us to figure out how it works and how we can make things better through experimentation and discovery," Google explained in a blog post. At present, Science Journal can only be used for small scale experiments. That is why Google decided to team up with San Francisco-based Exploratorium to develop and assemble creative hands-on learning activity kits, including inexpensive sensors, microcontrollers and craft supplies, to accompany the Science Journal app. These kits are available for purchase in the United States and can easily be assembled. "Though we love seeing visitors on our museum floor exploring everything from sound to speed to color, what we love even more is inspiring a world of curious learners. We're excited about making hands-on exploration accessible to people in a place where they already are-their mobile devices. Every time you have a mobile device in your hand is an opportunity to ask questions about the world around you," Exploratorium said in a statement. Google's Science Journal app is available for download in Google Play Store and can be readily installed in all devices powered by Android 4.4 Kitkat. Google's commitment to encourage future scientist doesn't end in their Science Journal app. According to a report from PC Mag, Google sent over 120,000 kids to their local museums as part of Google Field Trip Days. The tech giant has also distributed more than 350,000 pairs of safety glasses at schools, makerspaces and Maker Faires around the world. The EgyptAir flight MS804 bound for Cairo from Paris went missing last May 19. Some human remains and debris were recovered by officials, which are causing an uproar because of conflicting pieces of evidence. The gathered remains suggest an explosion. However, there is no trace of explosives found. Reports say that 23 bags of body parts were recovered and were relatively small in size, a sign that a blast happened right before the plane disappeared from the radar. Conspiracy theorists say a meteor might have caused the downing of the plane. "The size of the remains points towards an explosion, the biggest part was the size of a palm," said an unnamed forensic expert in an interview with Aljazeera. What baffles the investigators is the fact that there are no signs of explosives found, what could have then caused the crash? This is where the new theory comes into play. A meteor was reportedly spotted in Maine last week, the sighting was confirmed by the American Meteor Society (AMS) in a report. Although the meteor was spotted on May 17, two days before the crash of EgyptAir Flight 804, conspiracy theorists say that the meteor tore down in thousands of pieces and could have caused the explosion of the EgyptAir plane. In a report by Mirror in the UK, conspiracy theorists say that the fragments of the 10,000-ton meteorite began shooting down in Greenland, Australia, and in the Middle East between Wednesday and Friday. The report added that the estimated size of the fragments is 60 cm in diameter and could potentially cause disruption if they hit flying objects. Fueling the new bewildering hypothesis, an article on the internet claimed that a meteor warning was issued by the Russian government hours before the EgyptAir Flight 804 went missing. But there is no evidence yet proving whether or not the Russian warning really took place. Although the cause of the incident is yet to be identified, experts believe that an explosion likely happened before the radar lost the plane. "There isn't even a whole body part, like an arm or a head," said an unnamed forensic official, in an interview with Associate Press. Climate change is a global problem that has been plaguing us for years. And while experts around the world are persistent in finding ways to curb the effects of climate change, Cambridge engineering professor Michael Kelly says the attempts to fix it could actually be making the situation worse than it already is. In his peer-reviewed article published at Review Journal, MRS Energy & Sustainability, Kelly describes the efforts to cut carbon emissions as "total madness" and argues that it would not make "serious reduction." In December, nearly 200 nations signed the Paris Agreement, the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate deal that aims to end fossil fuel era. The pact set a new goal to reach net zero emissions in the second half of the century, conveying a strong command that all global markets shall speed up the shift from fossil fuels to a clean energy economy. Kelly argues in the paper that decarbonization will simply not be possible without a significant reduction in standards of living. According to him, high culture would be quite impossible without fossil fuels. "The call to decarbonize the global economy by 80% by 2050 can now only be described as glib in my opinion, as the underlying analysis shows it is only possible if we wish to see large parts of the population die from starvation, destitution or violence in the absence of enough low-carbon energy to sustain society," he writes in the review. As mentioned by Ecology.com, statistics from Energy Information Agency show that only about 7 percent of the world's energy needs is supplied by renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind and hydro power. This means that the other 93 percent of the world's energy resources come from fossil fuels, along with nuclear energy. Because of that quantity Kelly believes that removing fossil fuels from the equation is not that easy and will take longer than predicted by some experts. Alternative energy is an attractive concept when you think about it. But the trouble is that fossil fuels are limited. Whether we like it or not, they will be depleted. Aside from that, he also said the some steps to curb the effects of climate change are actually making things worse. Citing the closure of UK's aluminum smelters as an example, he said that while it indeed reduced nation's carbon dioxide emissions, aluminum imported from China is making the global emission problem worse since China uses more primitive coal-based sources of energy. Kelly suggests that a more feasible alternative is to utilize another generation of fossil fuels-as to not weaken the already crumbling economic conditions of the world, especially those in the third world countries. Kelly believes there are more alternate solutions which can be explored and developed, rather than looking for fossil fuel subsidies. As the global population is set to increase from 7 billion to 9 billion in 2050, there is a need to rethink about it as alternative source of energy may not be enough to fend for the whole population. Titled lessons from technology development for energy and sustainability, the article was published as part of an open discussion on the critical issue of energy, sustainability and climate change. Researchers from Aarhus University in Denmark have calculated that Earth's core is actually 2.5 years younger than its surface, debunking previous claims that the core is "a day or two" younger than the surface. Previously, scientists have widely accepted theoretical physicist Richard Feynman's claims in the 1960s stating that the center of the Earth is a day or two younger than its surface due to the curvature of space and time caused by gravity. According to the report from Science Alert, Einstein's theory of general relativity states that the more massive an object, the more the fabric of space-time is 'warped' by its existence, creating a gravitational pull that in effect slows time in the object's general surrounding area. Since then, Feynman's prediction has been cited in various scientific papers and even used as a material for university textbooks. However, according to the report from Gizmodo, no one bothered to check Feynman's calculation. Due to this, Ulrik Uggerhj from Aarhus University in Denmark tried to check the previously accepted calculation. Using back-of-the-envelope calculation and more elaborate analysis, researchers were able to determine that the center of the Earth was in fact two and half years younger than the surface. Their calculations, elaborated in a paper published in the European Journal of Physics, involves solving the difference in gravitational potential or the measure of the work done by gravity in moving a mass from one location to another between Earth's center and surface. New Scientists reported that plugging the differences into the equations of relativity yields a time dilation factor of around 3 x 10-10, which basically means that time moves slower in the center of the Earth compared to surface. Factoring the age of the Earth, about four billion years, the cumulative effect of the time dilution adds up to a difference around a year and a half. However, using a more accurate model of Earth's density resulted in difference of age around two and a half years. Their calculations seem on the spot but it can't be really proven experimentally. Researchers also want to clarify that they did not intend to prove Feynman wrong. Instead, the researchers want their solution to be used for educational purposes, as an example in the classroom. The origin of the cosmic giant, the supermassive black hole, is a mystery to scientists. But recent findings by Italian astrophysicists may explain how they came about. According to their findings, potential seeds give birth to massive black holes. They also identified two potential seeds found in the universe. The European Space Agency (ESA) said that a team of Italian astrophysicists identified two objects from the early Universe, and they believe it to be the origin of supermassive black holes. These seeds are the most 'promising' candidate so far, added the agency. Findings from the Hubble Space Telescope and two other telescopes, namely the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Spitzer Space Telescope of NASA and ESA, were gathered and scrutinized. The black hole seeds were seen less than a billion year after the Big Bang occurred. The seeds are also relatively large in mass at about 100,000 times than the sun. There are a lot of theories claiming how the supermassive black holes were formed but only two are generally accepted by scientists. One theory says that the black holes grow from seeds 'about ten to a hundred times greater than our Sun'. The seeds then grow and merge with other seeds by pulling in the surrounding gas from their environment. However, the new data from Hubble space telescope and the two other machines, point toward the second theory which states that the supermassive black holes are formed when a giant massive cloud of gas collapses, creating black hole seeds with 100,000 times the mass of the Sun. In this scenario, the birth of black holes happens more quickly. "Black hole seeds are extremely hard to find and confirming their detection is very difficult. However, we think our research has uncovered the two best candidates so far", said Andrea Grazian, a co-author from the National Institute for Astrophysics, in a press release by ESA. The black holes have created much interest but it is only today that astrophysicists are positive with the success of their findings. "Our discovery, if confirmed, would explain how these monster black holes were born," said Fabio Pacucci, lead author of the study, in a report by Phys.Org. The Italian experts proceed in examining more data using X-rays and infrared to find out if the two possible seeds indeed have properties to give birth to black holes. Zoonotic diseases also known as animal-to-human diseases kill millions of people each year. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 6 out of every 10 infectious diseases in humans are spread from animals. A recent study shows for the first time forest-dwelling Cercopithecus monkeys feeding on bats. The question is, could this new discovery lead to figuring out how Ebola epidemic spread in humans? Bats became the leading culprits in the outbreak, having been suspected for serving as the natural reservoir of ebola. The footage captured by Elizabeth Tapanes of Florida Atlantic University, could hold clues into how zoonotic pathogens spread to other animal groups, including humans. "Cercopithecusmonkeys are highly prized as bushmeat by humans and are also hunted by chimpanzees (Linder and Oates 2011;Moussoun et al. 2015; Watts and Mitani 2002). Chimpanzee meat is also valued as bushmeat (Hicks et al. 2010), and directly implicated in viral transmission to humans (Olival and Hayman 2014). Thus, predation on bats by Cercopithecus monkeys specifically may have implications for zoonotic disease transmission to humans," the study said. Scientists have captured images of the animals eating bats in Gombe National Park in Tanzania and Kakamega Forest in Kenya. The behavior has been studied since 1979, with the primates being habitually followed by the group. The photos were sent to Nature World News. According to the study, 13 bat predation events had been documented over years. The researchers noted that they were not able to identify all the bat species because carcass consumption was often well under way when first detected. They also mentioned that while feeding on the bats, the primates elicited behaviors such as long bout alarm calls, which implies that the bats are desirable food items for them. All cases of monkeys hunting or feeding on bats occurred in or near human-modified or forest-edge habitats, which suggests that the omnivorous behavior is caused by habitat changes. "While effects of habitat change on bats are unknown and merit further study, our observations suggest that Cercopithecus monkeys preying on bats may be habitat specific, and possibly affected by anthropogenic habitat changes," said Elizabeth Tapanes, first author of the study and a recent graduate of the master's in arts program in the Department of Anthropology at FAU in a press release sent to Nature World News. Fishermen have caught two rare blue lobsters off the coast of Canada and these creatures look like it came from the science-fiction world were discovered in the waters off Alder Point, Nova Scotia. Blaine Marsh has been a fisherman for so long, and last week, he made his first crustacean discover. He showed the blue lobster he caught for his daughter, who named the creature Blueberry. "It's a good luck sign for the fisherman. I hope the fishermen have a good season this lobster season." Mary Marsh, wife of the fisherman, told CNN's affiliate CTV. Marsh did not intend to make the creature as a pet, but he released it back in the ocean on Sunday. On May 23, Monday, another fisherman caught blue lobster about 93 miles away near Low Point, Nova Scotia. Scott MacKinnon told the source that the lobster is not the same lobster that Marsh caught because Marsh's lobster was undersized, and his was a pound and a half. Unlike Marsh, MacKinnon plans to keep the crustacean in the tank until the end of lobster season, and he named it Opal. A blue lobster is truly rare because about one in two million of lobster has a special gene mutation that affects their coloring according to University of Maine Lobster Institute. This phenomenon produces high levels of protein, thus giving the crustaceans their bright bright blue colors. Blue lobsters were first captured in 2012. A Canadian lobster boat captain nabbed one rare lobster in that year, and he showed it to a nearby ocean research institute. However, scientists were not interested in the creature. Aside from blue lobsters, there is albino lobster, which is so uncommon and the chances of catching this kind creature is one in 100 million. A new study suggests that there is a possible link between irregular heartbeat and cancer, especially in women. "We found a significant relationship between atrial fibrillation and cancer," said lead researcher Dr. David Conen of the University Hospital in Basel, Switzerland. But this should not cause alarm. According to the study, which was published in the JAMA Cardiology journal, there is only an association existing between atrial fibrillation and cancer, particularly colon cancer, but this does not prove that irregular heart rhythm directly causes cancer. Researchers analyzed the data from a previous study by Harvard University that followed nearly 35,000 women for about 20 years. Among the subjects, researchers found that those who developed atrial fibrillation had a 60 percent increased risk of being diagnosed of cancer. The study may have found a connection between atrial fibrillation and cancer, but it should also be considered that the subjects might have shared other common risk factors, such as smoking and obesity, Conan explained in an article published in WebMD. Men could also have the same risk, according to Conan. The researchers said that atrial fibrillation was a significant risk factor for cancer, even after consideration of other risk factors. The risk of getting cancer was higher within the three months after developing atrial fibrillation. But the risk persisted beyond three months, and researchers also noted an increased risk of dying of cancer. Researchers explored lung, breast and colon cancer, but the strongest association with atrial fibrillation was detected in colon cancer. Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of abnormal heart rhythm, and is also said to increase the risk of stroke and other heart problems, researchers said. According to Dr. Emilia Benjamin, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Boston University School of Medicine, atrial fibrillation is a common condition affecting 33 million people worldwide, and that people with this condition should not worry about getting cancer, she said. Recife is known for its beaches and is the 6th largest metropolitan city in Brazil, and the area is also home to some amazing beaches. But tourists are apprehensive to visit Recife's beaches because they hold the title as 'one of the most shark-infested beaches' in the world. The shocking number of fatal shark attacks turns the tourists away. In a span of 20 years, there were 56 attacks recorded in 2012, according to a report by BBC. Of the 56, 21 are fatal, with a death rate of 37 percent. Due to the devastating numbers, less and less people are enticed to visit the beaches on the Northeast Coast of Brazil. In Boa Viagem, Recife, there are people seen frolicking by the beach despite warning signs of shark attacks according to a report by TechInsider. Although people still show up to watch the sun and stay by the shores, locals are unbending when it comes to swimming in the beach. They tend to ward off tourists; too, saying shark attacks are common in the area. But the surprising thing is that before shark infestation, Recife is a bustling haven according to Green Global. Some people believe that the building of nearby port disrupted the sharks' breeding and hunting patterns causing them to go nearer to the Recife beaches. The Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE) said in an interview with BBC that the disturbance in the environment plays a big role in the increase of deadly tiger sharks and bull sharks in the area. To mitigate the problem the Dr. Fabio Hazin, a professor at the Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco implemented a shark monitoring program in 2014. They suggested that the possible cure to alleviate shark infestation in the area is to 'capture and release' sharks which will lead to a safer Recife beaches without killing the animals. A girl we will identify as Michelle said she was molested by her stepfather for years, starting when she was in the second grade. She said she reported the crime to San Jose police after gathering the courage to speak out. Then she waited. And waited. Michelle finally turned to the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit for help nearly two years after filing her police report. She said the police and the Santa Clara District Attorney failed to protect her and she didnt know why. I thought no one was going to help me, she said. But after this television station called to inquire about the case, the Santa Clara District Attorneys office realized it had misplaced or misfiled or lost the case, issued an arrest warrant, and apologized to the teen. It was human error, assistant district attorney Terry Harman said. A tremendous apology is owed to the victim. I apologize to her. Harman said a prosecutor in her office feels terrible about what happened but declined to say if any disciplinary action was taken against him, noting he is an exemplary employee and has taken responsibility. As a result of this case, 50 active sexual assault cases are now under review to make sure no others are languishing or lost, according to Harman. This is really serious and we recognize this and we feel very badly about what happened. Her case is going to be handled with extreme professionalism, Harman said. I have every expectation that when the case is concluded that she will feel that justice has been served. HISTORY OF ABUSE Michelle, whose name we changed to protect her identity, said her stepfather molested her too many times to count until she became a teenager. She says she was seven the first time it happened. We were playing hide and go seek with his grandkid. I remember when I went to go hide under the bed and he came in the room. When he found me, he was touching on top of my clothes. From then on, this happened every day. The alleged abuse made her question her value. Why go on with life? Like what did I do to deserve all this, she said, fighting back tears. For seven years I hid. I wanted to speak up so bad but I was scared. Michelle said she was afraid that if she told anyone what was happening, her stepfather would carry out his repeated threats to hurt her mother and deport her family. But finally, she found the courage to confide in her mother. I felt that I was going to die. I believed her right away, her mother said. At first he (the stepfather) denied it, but then he said, Tell me how much. Tell me what you want and how much money and Ill give it to you. But dont report me. TIMELINE Police records show mother and daughter reported the crime to the San Jose Police Department in July 2014. Eleven months later, detectives submitted the case to the Santa Clara DA in June 2015. The DA requested an additional interview, and records show SJPD resubmitted the case in August of 2015. Nothing happened for seven months. When Michelle called the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit to share her story, the Unit contacted the District Attorney on March 23, 2016. The DA issued an arrest warrant two days later on March 25, 2016. The stepfather is now in jail, facing 11 felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child. He plead not guilty. Harman said the DAs office was aware of the case before the Unit called, because SJPD followed up with DA in February 2016 to inquire about the case status. It is unclear why the DA did not expedite the case or issue an arrest warrant in February. Sometime between then and March 23, prosecutors realized they lost Michelles file. QUESTIONS ABOUT OTHER DELAYED CASES An NBC Bay Area review of records for child molestation cases submitted to the district attorney from 2013-2015 revealed this was a rare, but not isolated delay. Records show, on average, the DA files charges within a month (26.6 days) of receiving a case. But at least 19 cases took anywhere from six months to more than three years before the DA took action. Harman reviewed those cases and told NBC Bay Area the delays were warranted due to the circumstances and investigative process. When asked how confident she is that no other cases are lost like Michelles, Harman responded, I'm confident in the quality of the people that work in this office. I'm extremely confident in the intelligence, the work ethic, and the commitment to justice. SAN JOSE POLICE UNABLE TO PROVIDE RECORDS The San Jose Police Department was unable to provide similar records showing how long it takes for the department to investigate reports of child molestation. We don't track the time because the time is really not a priority for us, said Lt. Jason Ta, who oversees the Sexual Assaults Investigation Unit at SJPD. We do a thorough investigation and that investigation done thoroughly takes an hour, ten hours, or several years, Ta said. We don't look at and measure how effective we are on how quickly a case is done because we don't want to put a deadline or a time limit on a case. Other police agencies, including Campbell, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, and Sunnyvale, provided data showing the time elapsed between when a person files a report of a child molestation case to the time that case is sent to the DA. Ta said SJPD is the largest agency in Santa Clara County, I think our department is unique in the sense that we are the largest agency in the area. Having 2,100 cases and managing the data for 2,100 cases is a lot different than managing data for a small agency. Ta said its possible to look at the timelines for specific cases, but that the department does not use length of time as a metric to measure whether its sex assault investigations are effective or conducted in a timely manner. He said he personally reviewed Michelles case, and does not think 11 month investigation took too long. The detectives did a very good interview on everybody involved in the case. It is a good case, Ta said. He indicated cases can take longer to investigate when the alleged acts occurred in the past, over a multi-year time period. It's a little disappointing that it took that long, Howard Blume, training manager for Bay Area Women Against Rape, said. I think it's important for [survivors] to have their cases resolved because it gives them a sense of personal justice and more importantly I think it's about having their voice heard. I think especially if molestation happens when theyre very young, children don't really have a voice, Blume said. For Michelle, reclaiming her voice has given her back some power, after her trust in her stepfather, the police, and the justice system took it away. As soon as I spoke about this, I felt relieved, Michelle said, sending a message to other survivors of abuse, I know there's girls that have been through this and I know how they feel. I want them to know that you're not alone and you could speak up any day. You have a voice. If you have a tip for the Investigative Unit email Vicky Nguyen at vicky@nbcbayarea.com or you can email theunit@nbcbayarea.com or call 888-996-TIPS. Follow Vicky Nguyen on Twitter @vickydnguyen and Facebook www.facebook.com/VickyNguyenTV A retired U.S. Marine who pleaded guilty to killing his girlfriend and dismembering her body with a machete will spend 26 years in prison, a judge ruled Wednesday. Brian Brimager, formerly based at Camp Pendleton north of San Diego County, pleaded guilty in February 2016 to second-degree murder in the 2011 death of his girlfriend, Southern California resident Yvonne Baldelli. Baldelli vanished five years ago when she traveled to Panama with Brimager. Her remains were found nearly two years after her disappearance on a remote island near Panama. Brimager was sentenced in a San Diego courtroom Wednesday in front of dozens of Baldelli's loved ones, many of whom were in tears during the three-hour sentencing hearing. They addressed the court and Brimager directly, calling him "evil" and saying his lies over the years "tormented" Baldelli's family, prolonging the painful ordeal. "Your life would have been easier if you just sent Yvonne home," Baldellis mother said. "You will have to answer to a higher power and I will never forgive you." Baldelli's childhood friend, Adrienne Markes, called the slaying a "disgusting, heinous crime" that warranted the maximum sentence. "The hardest thing Ive ever had to do was to fly to Panama to help her family search for her body. He was arrogant enough to think he could get away with it," she said of Brimager. At the sentencing, prosecutors said Brimager published a social media post about the machete used to dismember Baldelli, which read, in part: "I bought it in the states before I moved down there...don't worry I only dismembered one stripper with it so it's hardly used:)" Prosecutors said Brimager lacks remorse. Brimager offered the family an apology, but Baldellis loved ones called it a "hollow attempt to save himself." The couple left from Dana Point, California, in September 2011 to stay on Isla Carenero, an island off the Panamanian coast accessible only by boat. Baldelli was last seen at a restaurant with Brimager on Nov. 26, 2011. When entering his guilty plea, Brimager admitted he stabbed Baldelli in the back on Nov. 27, 2011, then used a machete to chop up her body. According to prosecutors, Brimager drugged and beat Baldelli, too, breaking her nose before he stabbed her. After dismembering Baldelli's body, Brimager stuffed her remains into a military-style duffel bag and garbage bags, according to court documents. He then hiked 1 1/2 miles to another side of Isla Carenero, where he threw the bags down an embankment into the remote Panamanian jungle. After the slaying, Brimager withdrew money from Baldelli's bank account and used it to buy drugs and alcohol, according to prosecutors. He also admitted to using a computer to communicate with Baldellis family members to conceal her death. Brimager sent emails from Baldelli's laptop for about a month in an effort to convince her family that Baldelli was not only still alive but was happy and had traveled to Costa Rica with another man, authorities said. "Those emails cruelly gave Yvonnes family false hope that their loved one was still alive," court documents state. "As the familys emails went unanswered, the pleas from her family became more desperate and heart-wrenching." The emails, prosecutors said, caused the family to delay reporting Baldelli's disappearance to authorities for about two months because they thought she was still alive. Court documents show Brimager also used the laptop to search for information on how to remove blood stains from a mattress. Prosecutors said Brimager lied to investigators about Baldellis disappearance and told them she had taken her laptop while traveling. In 2012, he was found with Baldelli's computer in his possession, at which point Brimager changed his story but said he never used the computer to send emails. Baldellis skeletal remains were found off the Isla Carenero coastline in 2013 21 months after her disappearance by a Panamanian who found stumbled upon the duffel bag. Scientists identified Baldelli's body using DNA analysis on her skull and bones. Brimager has been in U.S. custody since June 2013 on charges of obstruction of justice, giving false statements to a federal officer and falsifying records. In April 2015, he was indicted by a federal grand jury in San Diego on a charge of foreign murder of a U.S. national. Brimager initially pleaded not guilty before reversing his plea in February 2016 after DNA evidence revealed Baldelli's blood to be under the handle of the machete. In addition to his 26-year sentence, Brimager was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and to pay restitution of more than $11,000 to Baldelli's father. 'Voices for Yvonne' Baldellis niece, Lauren Beyer, said all those delivering victim impact statements in the courtroom Wednesday were speaking as "voices for Yvonne." "Life was much simpler before even hearing Brimagers name," said Beyer. "After he murdered her, he teased the family by acting like he was Yvonne. He has a dark soul. Why did he have to do this and carry it on for so long?" Baldelli's father, James Faust, spoke of the hope he clung to after receiving Brimager's emails and the pain he will endure for the rest of his life. "I am traumatized by guilt and anger," he said. "I am ill physically and emotionally. I cant sleep at night." "Its my understanding he cut her hands off and threw them over a cliff," he added. "Remorse is not in this man." Lorraine Michelle Faust, Baldellis younger sister, said she "had not seen evil like this before." "My sister was tortured for months before she was stolen from all of us," she said. "He is a monster." A day after an Amtrak train slammed into an SUV in San Leandro, killing a mother and daughter, investigators said construction may have been a factor in the crash. Roadwork cones marked the area along Washington Avenue on Tuesday, and there was congestion where Vanessa Henriquez stopped her Toyota RAV-4 on the railroad tracks just moments before the train barreled into the vehicle, killing her and her 3-year-old daughter Saidy. Police said the construction zone may have caused Henriquez's vehicle to get trapped in the rail crossing arms. PG&E, which was doing work in the area, released a statement Wednesday saying it is cooperating with investigators, but it doesn't appear the incident was directly related to their worksite. Investigators also were working with Amtrak on Wednesday to get data from the train's computer that would show not only the train's speed, but also when the brakes were applied, Lt. Robert McManus of the San Leandro Police Department said. Capitol Corridor Train 532 struck the SUV on the tracks at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday near Washington Avenue in San Leandro, according to Amtrak. McManus said Tuesday the SUV was parked on the track on the other side of the guardrail. "There is a construction zone which could have created some confusion," he said. There were no injuries to the 39 people on board, Amtrak said. The maximum train speed in that area is 79 mph, but it was not immediately known how fast the train was going, Amtrak said. "I dont know what speeds the Amtrak train was traveling at but do know that as they pass these rail crossings they do go at a very high rate of speed, which would explain why that car was trapped on the tracks," McManus said. According to police, the train pushed the SUV about a quarter-mile down the tracks. McManus said motorists should always be extra cautious and keep a safe distance around rail crossings. "Anyone who stops at a railroad track not going two to three lengths from the rails when you're looking out the window, that is dangerous," he said. Donald Trump might have reached the magic number on Thursday of GOP delegates needed to clinch the Republican nomination for president. But that isn't stopping hundreds of authors around the country - including several high-profile, and Pulitzer Prize-winning liberal authors from the Bay Area - to grab their pens to voice their disapproval of Trump for president. Amy Tan, Dave Eggers, and ZZ Packer of San Francisco, Michael Chabon of Berkeley, Tobias Wolff of Stanford and Maxine Hong Kingston of Oakland, are just a few of the nearly 500 authors who have written an "Open Letter to the American People: Writers Speak Out Against Donald Trump." LitHub posted the letter on Tuesday. Among the reasons that Trump should not be president, the writers say, is that the United States should be wary of "dictatorship is the history of manipulation and division, demagoguery and lies." As of Thursday, more than 17,000 people had signed the authors' online petition. Some Bay Area authors are defiantly not on the list. Michael Savage, the conservative political radio host and author, sent an email to The Chronicle saying: I AM THE AUTHOR OF MANY BEST SELLING BOOKS AND I APPROVE OF DONALD TRUMP. One LitHub commenter wrote that literary outcry "should give Trump a two-point bump." And Trump probably doesn't need to worry about hundreds of authors, as he secured more than 1,200 Republican delegates to support him. The builder of the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge now blames Caltrans for high profile troubles that have dogged the project since 2013 and claims the agency owes it $40 million as a result of bungling, NBC Bay Area News has learned. In a complaint lodged to the state Office of Arbitrative Hearings filed Monday, American Bridge/Fluor, the joint venture contractor that constructed the suspension bridge, says Caltrans owes it $40.7 million for various problems of its own making. The war over costs comes as the bridge project is running $100 million in the red for various costs related to everything from the railing on the still to be completed bike path to shoring up an unstable hillside on Yerba Buena Island. The self-anchored part of the project was slated to cost $1.43 billion back in 2006, but after a string of changes and overruns, the final cost is close to $2 billion. The entire project is put at more than $6.4 billion. One of the major issues now in dispute is over responsibility for dozens of high-strength steel rods that broke in 2013 a debacle that ended up costing close to $50 million to fix. American Bridge has been told it owes $8 million back for the problem, as has Caltrans and the chief design firm on the project, T.Y. Lin International. Caltrans is refusing to pay, and T.Y. Lins $8 million remains uncollected. But, according to the complaint, Caltrans was to blame for the problem all along. Specifically, American Bridge/Fluor accuses the state agency of blundering by disregarding the risk of using high-strength, galvanized rods for various parts of the project. Such rods, experts say, are notorious for snapping after an electrochemical reaction that caused them to absorb hydrogen normally trapped in water. The rods failed after stewing in rainwater for several years. Caltrans allegedly knew about internal documents existing prior to and during the contract that questioned and recommended against using the grade of rods used on the project, the complaint asserts. Caltrans chose to use the rods without alerting the contractor about the issues, according to the claim. As a result, Caltrans has been claiming improperly that American Bridge/Fluor was to blame and owed $8 million with respect to its defective specifications. American Bridge separately is challenging the finding that it failed to properly seal rods at the base of the tower of the bridge with grout. More than a hundred of the sleeves at issue later became flooded when rainwater got in and later when bay water infiltrated the foundation. The claim says it was Caltrans decisions during construction that led to the problem with the grout. Rather than weld the sleeves to keep water from getting in, the complaint alleges, the state allowed an earlier contractor to use plumbers putty and even duct tape. The agency even allowed the sleeves to have holes that would allow water in and let the grout escape, according to the complaint. American Bridge installed the grout as specified in the contract and then sealed around the rods per the contract. After the disputes emerged, Caltrans circumvented the contractual process that would allow a three-member independent panel to resolve differences, repeatedly canceling meetings and refusing to pay for the panel to do its business. The lawyer who signed the complaint, Robert Leslie, declined to comment. Caltrans issued a statement to NBC Bay Area late Wednesday, saying that the complaint only contains the facts and legal theories that support the plaintiffs allegations against Caltrans, and leaves out Caltrans defenses and counterclaims. The facts and theories will be presented throughout the administrative process and arbitration. Attorney General Kamala Harris and Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed two separate consumer lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson. The complaints allege J&J neglected to inform both patients and doctors of possible severe complications and misrepresented the frequency and severity of risks from surgical mesh. The mesh, also known as transvaginal mesh or pelvic sling, is commonly used to treat women for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP). The lawsuit alleges that J&J misrepresented the safety of these devices by concealing the possibility of serious and irreversible complications caused by mesh, including permanent pain with intercourse and/or loss of sexual function, chronic pain, permanent urinary or defecatory dysfunction, and potentially devastating impact on overall quality of life. As the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit reported in February, more than 3,000 women have filed complaints with the Food and Drug Administration about serious health concerns related to mesh. Johnson & Johnson put millions of women at risk of severe health problems by failing to provide critical information to doctors and patients about its surgical mesh products, Attorney General Harris said. Johnson & Johnsons deception denied women the ability to make informed decisions about their health and well-being. My office will continue to hold companies accountable for misleading consumers and patients for financial gain. California co-led a multistate investigation that included 45 other states and the District of Columbia. The investigation looked into J&Js surgical mesh products for women. The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief and monetary penalties. The suit claims J&J misrepresented the severity and frequency of common complications, and that J&J knew about potential risks and side effects prior to the launch of their mesh products, yet omitted that information from educational and marketing materials provided to doctors and patients. According to Harris office, J&J sold 787,232 devices nationally from 2008 to 2014, including more than 42,000 in California for that same time period. Worldwide, more than 2 million women had been implanted with these mesh products. In a statement Johnson and Johnson said: The decision by the Attorneys General to file suit against Ethicon and Johnson & Johnson is unjustified, and the company plans to vigorously defend itself against the allegations. The evidence will show that Ethicon acted appropriately and responsibly in the marketing of our pelvic mesh products. The use of implantable mesh is often the preferred option to treat certain female pelvic conditions, including pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence, and is backed by years of clinical research. Synthetic midurethral slings are the worldwide standard of care for surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence. The American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS), the nation's leading association of urogynecology doctors, has stated the polypropylene midurethral sling has helped millions of women with [stress urinary incontinence] regain control of their lives by undergoing a simple outpatient procedure that allows them to return to daily life very quickly. Ethicon is concerned that the Attorneys Generals decision to file its lawsuit will keep women from obtaining treatment for the often-debilitating symptoms of stress urinary incontinence. Against the advice of his two attorneys, convicted double-murderer Darnell Williams will testify in the penalty phase of his trial, his attorneys said Wednesday. Testimony in Williams' penalty phase was wrapping up Wednesday and the judge in his case was ready to adjourn the trial for closing arguments when his lawyers suddenly announced that Williams, a 25-year-old Oakland man, wants to testify. Alameda County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Horner then sent jurors home for the day and asked them to return on Thursday morning, when Williams will take the witness stand. Williams was convicted on May 6 of two counts of first-degree murder for the shooting death of 8-year-old Alaysha Carradine at an apartment in the 3400 block of Wilson Avenue in Oakland on July 17, 2013, and the unrelated fatal shooting of 22-year-old Anthony Medearis in Berkeley about seven weeks later. He also was convicted of three counts of premeditated attempted murder and the special circumstance of lying in wait for the Oakland shooting, the special circumstance of murdering Medearis during the course of an attempted robbery and the special circumstance of committing multiple murders. At the end of the penalty phase of his trial, the same jury will choose between recommending the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. In making their decision, jurors can take into account the facts of Williams' crimes, the suffering of the victims, the impacts the murders had on their survivors and Williams' difficult childhood. At a brief hearing outside the presence of jurors Wednesday, Deborah Levy, Williams' lead attorney, told Horner, "Against our advice and request, Mr. Williams has decided that he wants to testify." Darryl Billups, Williams' other attorney, said he wanted to make it clear on the record that Williams made the decision to testify on his own and point out that prosecutor John Brouhard will be able to cross-examine Williams about his crimes in addition to his childhood and background, which generally have been the subjects of the penalty phase of his trial. Brouhard told jurors in the guilt phase of the trial that Williams fired at least 13 shots into the apartment on Wilson Avenue in retaliation for the fatal shooting of a close friend in Berkeley about five hours earlier. He said the shots fired by Williams killed Alaysha and injured a 7-year-old girl, a 4-year-old boy and their 63-year-old grandmother. Brouhard said Williams fatally shot Medearis on Sept. 8, 2013, because he thought he was a snitch and also because he wanted to rob him because he had run out of money to buy guns, drugs and jewelry. Brouhard told jurors at the beginning of Williams' penalty phase last week that he should get the death penalty because he has a history of committing violent acts. But Levy said they should spare his life because he had a difficult childhood since his parents were frequently in jail or prison. A group of South Bay students who were on the verge of dropping out as freshmen have defeated the odds and will graduate with a high school diploma this year. The students at Andrew Hill High School in San Jose will graduate with the help of a program run by the Firehouse Community Development Corporation. The program focused on students who had bad grades with truancy and behavioral problems. "It starts with moral support," said Israel Lara, who brought the group of students to the program. "You'd be surprised when you have someone who believes in you." Lara has an office on the Andrew Hill campus, where his team holds weekly sessions with students. The students can also drop in for help or advice. Eighteen of an initial 40 students Lara sent to the Firehouse Community Development Corporation program are graduating this year. "I'm excited," said Angel Cruz, a senior student. "My whole family is going to be there." One of the graduating students received six F grades his freshman year. That same student graduated from Andrew Hill with a 3.9 grade point average. College was in illusion for many of the students years ago, but is now a reality made possible by a group willing to believe in students even when the the students did not believe in themselves. "Nervous," senior Malrese Quiterio said of life after graduating. "Never-racking because now I'm going to go to college." In the wake of yet another freeway shooting Tuesday night, mayors from five East Bay cities will meet Thursday to discuss asking Gov. Jerry Brown for state funding to install surveillance cameras on freeway on-ramps and off-ramps. The call for security cameras follows a shooting in Hercules on Interstate 80 Tuesday night that injured a man. California Highway Patrol officials said four people have been killed in more than 20 shootings on East Bay freeways since November. NBC Bay Area spoke with another victim of Tuesday's shooting who was lucky enough to escape injury. The woman, who requested not to be identified, said she saw a car on I-80 weaving in and out of traffic with no headlights on. She then heard four loud pops and thought someone was having car trouble. Then the rear window on the driver side of her car shattered. "I cant believe it lodged in the roof of my car," the woman said about the bullet. "It could have hit me; it could have hit my dog." She said she didn't see where the shot came from. Investigators have said that most of the shootings appear to be gang related. The mayors from Richmond, San Pablo, Hercules, Pinole and El Cerrito also want Caltrans to update its existing live camera network so they will have the ability to record video to help in the investigation. "The number one thing here is public safety," Hercules Mayor Dan Romero said Wednesday. "The state and the locals, we need to come together to make sure the public knows we are doing everything possible to keep them safe." In their meeting Thursday, the mayors will draft a declaration to Brown, and if all of them sign it, they plan on driving to Sacramento to request the governor sign it immediately. Last week, the Pittsburg City Council voted to spend $100,000 to install cameras along a stretch of Highway 4. NBC Bay Area staff contributed to this report. Stanislav Petrov repeatedly apologized and pleaded for help as two sheriffs deputies delivered at least 30 baton blows on him that a use of force expert deemed grossly excessive, according affidavit supporting the assault charges obtained by NBC Bay Area News. A key piece of evidence for prosecutors is the body camera video -- apparently inadvertently activated -- during the Nov. 12, 2015 arrest of Petrov by Luis Santamaria and Paul Wieber. The two deputies entered not guilty pleas at their arraignment today. Their attorneys, Michael Rains and William Rapoport, both said after court that their clients actions were justified. But a use of force expert, brought in by prosecutors to review the videotaped evidence, Charles Key, concluded in a statement in support of the charges that Petrov was not resisting and the use of force in the incident causing several broken fingers and head injuries was grossly excessive. Key said that the officers continued to rain blows upon Petrov, while he was on his on his knees with his hands behind his head/neck or on the ground and that his actions at that point would lead any objectively reasonable and well trained officer to believe that he was complying and that no more force could be used against him. Key concluded the actions of the deputies at the scene belied their claims in police reports submitted after the incident that they were fearful for their lives or an ambush, saying that their decision to tackle him was evidence that they were not in fear that he was armed. Key said the use of force was not objectively reasonable. Prosecutors opted not to go with another use of force consultant who considered the incident out of policy but concluded they were not criminally responsible because of the fact that they were fearful, exhausted and under stress. San Francisco District Attorneys Office investigator Eric Tejada said he could not rely on that consultants findings to make a determination of whether a crime occurred. The affidavit described the video taken from the body camera worn by one of the officers, Wieber. Tejada says the video gives support to the conclusion that the beating was in retaliation from Petrov having struck one deputy as he fled being arrested in Castro Valley. He hit one of our guys, Santamaria tells a fellow officer after the 2 a.m. clash. Based on Wiebers body cam and a security videotape of the incident, Tejada concluded that Petrov had already surrendered when thedeputies beat him repeatedly, unnecessarily, and excessively with their batons. The deputies had said in their reports that they feared for their lives in the confrontation, that Petrov kept trying to get up and would not heed commands to get on the ground. But in the body cam video, one of the deputies can be heard demanding that Petrov get up from the ground. One deputy calls Petrov a Mother f---er as he ordered him to show his hands. Belying their written account that Petrov sought to get away, the body camera video reveals that Santamaria at one point barked at Petrov to Stand on your feet! and called Petrov a "bitch." For his part, Petrov says variously: Im sorry, Help me, and Oh my God. Petrov later told investigators that he tried to shield his head with hands to avoid the blows. He said that all he did was give up and put up his hands around his head. My exact words, Im stopped, Im done. Not one time at any point I was resisting. As for orders to get down, Petrov said: I couldnt get down. How much downer could I get? According to Tejadas sworn affidavit, the clash in San Francisco followed a 110 mph pursuit that started in Castro Valley. Petrov, who was in a Mercedes that had been reported stolen out of San Jose, allegedly rammed patrol cars and injured one deputy in the leg. That deputy remained at the scene. The document recounts in detail the ensuing 2 a.m. confrontation with Petrov near Stevenson Street that left Petrov with broken bones in hands and Bleeding from the head. According to Tejada, Wieber recounted in his report that Petrov crashed the Mercedes near Stevenson and 14th streets and fled. The deputies could not get the police dog out of their car so they chased Petrov on foot. Tejada said that he watched the surveillance video of the incident more than a dozen times. The video shows Petrov slowed his run, stopped, turned, and began to put his hands in the air while he said something that sounded to me like, Alright, (expletive) Wieber closed on Petrov and tackled him to the ground, Tejada said. Petrov was now in a prone position on the pavement with his hands on his head, with Wieber kneeling over him on his side. It was at that point, Tejada said, that Wieber delivered at least two blows with his right hand or fist to Petrovs head. Santamaria deployed his collapsible baton and, with both hands, began hitting him with his baton. At that point, Wieber stood up and got on the radio to report that the deputies were fighting with one suspect, according to Tejada. The surveillance video has nine-second gaps, but it shows that at the next point, both deputies were hitting Petrov. Tejada said that based on the videotape evidence, it took about 40 seconds to deliver at least 30 baton blows. Although the deputies repeatedly order Petrov to get on the ground and give up his hands, Petrov appears confused, asking for help and at another point, saying: I am on the ground. In his official report which he was allowed to modify after a surveillance video became public -- Wieber said that he was concerned for his safety because the alley where Petrov ran was poorly lit and had multiple homeless encampments. I felt Petrov was luring me into a possible ambush or position of disadvantage, he said, causing him to fear for his and Santamarias safety. Wieber said he then tackled Petrov, but lost control of him. Sensing Petrov was trying to get up and unable to control him, Wieber said he punched him twice in the face to subdue him. But, he said, the punches were not effective because he was semi-prone. The punches seemed to have little effect as Petrov continued to resist. It was that point, he said, that he pushed Petrov to the ground and swatted, radioing back that he and his partner were in a fight. Wieber recounted in his report that he believed Petrov was armed, as he kept reaching for his waistband and refused to surrender. Petrov refused to heed commands, he said, and attempted to get up unsuccessfully. I believe the baton strikes temporarily prevented Petrov from standing. Wieber said he became exhausted from fighting with Petrov, who continued to resist. Santamaria, who is heard barking orders for Petrov to stand, said in his report that he ordered him to stop running when he first got out of the stolen car. He too said he was worried about the dimly lit location, given Petrovs apparent effort to reach into his waistband. I was uncertain if Petrov was trying to stand up or access a weapon hidden in his pants, Santamaria recounted in his report. He said Petrov continued to refuse to heed commands as delivered baton blows that had little effect but caused Santamaria to become exhausted and dizzy. It also details the reluctance of a San Francisco police officer and District Attorneys office investigators to press the case against the two deputies, who are now on leave. In the affidavit, Tejada recounted how took over the investigation two months after the incident in part because of the apparent reluctant of another investigator in his office and police to pursue the case against the deputies. He said that the findings of one of his own office investigators and the police sergeant assigned the case initially draw conclusions counter to the evidence. Their reports and investigative steps also in my opinion reflect an inordinate amount of time spent exploring allegations about Petrovs criminal history that could not have been known to the deputies, and pursing alternate theories to explain Petrovs injuries. The initial District Attorneys office on-call investigator expressed reluctance to take part in the case, Tejada said. The investigator also asserted in early December that the video evidence was not clear on whether Petrov was actually trying to get up. Tejada asserted that an objective view of the evidence is actually quite clear. I believe it shows Petrov did not push up from the ground. At one point, a supervisor recounted how the initial investigator in the case for the District Attorney had expressed reluctance to pursue fellow police officers as he was not part of the normal special prosecution team assigned such efforts. The on-call investigator wanted to try to show that Petrovs injuries may have happened before the beating, even though there was no photographic evidence to support that premise, Tejada said. By January, the District Attorneys office management was beginning to have doubts about the on-call investigators handling of the case. One supervisor later told the police inspector in the case that the on-call investigator seemed to me to suffer from an insurmountable pro-police bias. He was removed from the case in February. Central Marin police are investigating hate graffiti that was found on the side of a building at Sir Francis Drake High School in San Anselmo last week. The school's principal sent out a letter on Friday to the school community addressing the incident that happened May 17. The letter from Principal Liz Seabury describes the graffiti found on the school's bus barn as a swastika, crosshairs, hate speech, and other insulting, intentionally provocative language. Both the police and the school are treating the incident as hate motivated, the letter said. "Behavior motivated by hate and prejudice that targets even one student on our campus or in our community wounds us all and is an affront to what we stand for and strive to demonstrate," Saebury wrote in the letter. "This incident caused our community to be the target of a hateful barrage of symbols and words intended to intimidate and cause fear. We will not stand for that." The letter said if a student from Drake is involved, the school will consider discipline options to the full extent, including expulsion. Hillary Clinton lambasted Donald Trump at packed rallies in Silicon Valley and San Francisco Thursday. Speaking to a couple thousand supporters at Parkside Hall in San Jose, the Democratic presidential frontrunner picked apart the presumptive Republican presidential nominee's views on immigration, foreign policy, nuclear weapons and a tax plan that was created "by a billionaire for billionaires." She also slammed his refusal to release tax returns. "He roots for himself, not for you," Clinton said, accusing Trump of seeking a "good result for himself," without a care for "who gets hurt in the process." Responding to news that as of Thursday Trump has picked up enough delegates to clinch the GOP nomination, Clinton said President Obama, who is currently attending a G-7 summit, reported that world leaders are "rattled" by what Trump says, promotes and stands for. She urged attendees to vote in the upcoming California primary and encourage others to do the same so a "loose cannon" like Trump "never gets close to the White House." A presidential candidate's value is based on the ability to produce results, protect citizens as Commander-in-Chief, and unify the country, Clinton said. "Donald Trump fails every one of those tests." Despite joking that presidential hopefuls single out nearly every election as being "most important," Clinton stressed, "I happen to think every election is important, but, you know what, this is the most important election because we've got some big decisions to make as a country." Clinton's fans flocked to the South Bay venue hours before she took the stage around 2:30 p.m., while a small group of protestors took up their post outside and one heckler made his way into the crowd. Rally signs bobbed up and down on the sidwalk, reflecting the dozen or so protestors' desire to "Say No to War," "Say No to Wall Street," "Say No to Prison Lobby," and "Say No to Super PACs." They also urged "Peace and Prosperity For All" and asked "Where's Our Debate?" likely in response to Clinton's decision not to debate fellow Democratic hopeful Bernie Sanders before the high-stakes June 7 primary. Clinton said Thursday that she was proud of the positive and issues-based campaigns run by Sanders and herself. With less than two weeks to go before the high-stakes California primary, Hillary Clinton is campaigning at full speed in the Bay Area, with two pit stops slated for Thursday. Jean Elle reports. The former Secretary of State was introduced by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, Assemblyman Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley) and San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, among others. "The other guy wants to build a great wall. With Hillary Clinton, we will build a great country," Liccardo said. Describing Clinton as "a dreamer and a doer," Newsom also lauded her desire to build bridges, not walls. He pointed out Clinton does not mistake climate change for a "hoax" and "understands that a great society does not make it harder to vote than to buy an assault rifle." In San Francisco, where a line snaked around the Jones Street building before the boisterous event, Clinton was ushered onto the stage after Board of Supervisors president London Breed, Mayor Ed Lee and Newsom backed her. Clinton highlighted plans to simultaneously combat climate change and earn the United States the honor of being the first "clean energy superpower." If elected, she said she plans to push to deploy half a billion more solar panels by the end of her first term, and create enough clean energy to power every household in the country by the time her second term concludes. In both speeches, Clinton lauded Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area for their entrepreneurial spirit and relentless focus on the "future." "We have to get back in the future business" by growing the economy, making it "fairer" and uplifting each other, she said. Clinton opposed Trump's proposal to spend an estimated $25 billion to build a wall on the United States-Mexico border. That money would be better spent on 1,500 new, state-of-the-art elementary schools or paying for college for 300,000 veterans, she said. Speaking in support of early childhood education, free community college and more technical education, and debt-free tuition, Clinton said, "The economy does better when we have a democrat in the White House." Clinton also came out on behalf of improving the affordable health care plan, helping people with mental health issues and addiction problems, marriage equality, commonsense gun safety reform, and women's healthcare rights. She also promised to "appoint Supreme Court justice who will overturn Citizens United." Blasting Trump for insulting women, disabled people, Muslim people, immigrants and even Sen. John McCain, a war hero, Clinton said, "Honest to goodness, there's nobody left to criticize." In conclusion, though, Clinton reminded attendees that she can't achieve any of her goals without the voters' help. "We cannot stand this kind of hate talk and demagoguery," she said. "If you will vote for me California, I will work my heart out to get you the future that we deserve." In a change of pace, Clinton plans to attend a meeting with community leaders in Oakland's Home of Chicken and Waffles at 9 a.m. Friday. Two women were arrested Wednesday after allegedly stealing a large, but undisclosed amount of baby formula and hightailing it out of a Pacifica store. Police said officers were dispatched to a Safeway at 1380 Linda Mar Blvd. around 5 p.m. after a store employee reported the theft. The employee said two women climbed into a white Dodge Caravan and drove northbound on State Route 1. Upon noticing the car and conducting a traffic stop, officers identified the suspects as the pair accused of robbing the store. Officers said they also found evidence in the vehicle that connected the women to a theft ring operating throughout the Bay Area. The suspects Akasia Palmore, 20, of Rodeo, and Zanae Jones, 21, of Antioch have been arrested, police said. The duo has been booked into San Mateo County Jail on a litany of charges, including burglary, criminal conspiracy and providing a false name to a police officer. They also face a number of warrants for theft, filed by law enforcement agencies outside San Mateo County. Although baby formula seems like a banal item, it is among the most commonly shoplifted items across the United States, Vocativ reports, noting that the black market for formula is booming as it used to concoct drugs, including cocaine and heroine. In the big spectrum of retail crime, infant formula is one of the top items, Joe LaRocca of the National Retail Federation told Vocativ. Grocery chains will tell you that formula is targeted so often that in some cases they have locked it up, moved it behind the cash register, strategically put it on the floor, and in some cases they put a limited supply on the shelves. Talk about a city of extremes. On one hand, you have multi-million dollar properties and rents surpassing Manhattan's, neighborhoods where one bedrooms average $3,500 per month. And then, there are landlords like Yick On Wong, who the city of San Francisco is suing for letting his rental properties in the Richmond District and Nob Hill sink into such a terrible state of neglect that they are infested with rodents, feces, and a multitude of other violations making it a public nuisance as well as threat to public safety. The lawsuit was filed after Wong ignored warnings from the city's Department of Building Inspection about building code violations and ignored abatement orders for over a decade, continuing to collect rent from his tenants the entire time. Attempts to reach Wong this week were not immediately successful. The buildings names in the lawsuit are located at 505 26th Ave. and 1254-56 Leavenworth St. At least 19 complaints have been filed for the city with for the Leavenworth property. The city has received at least 112 complaints for the building in the Richmond District. For more than a decade, Wong has refused to meet his most basic obligations as a landlord including providing heat to his tenants, said City Attorney Dennis Herrera. Herrera said that Wongs combination of deferred maintenance and patchwork illegal construction, including hazardous unpermitted electrical wiring and an unstable rear deck and stairs, has endangered his tenants. The egregious number of violations rob tenants of the safe and habitable home they are entitled to as paying renters, Herrera said. It is time Wong complies with the law and his obligations as landlord. Herrera's office told NBC Bay Area that Wong was making at least $15,000 a month in rental income from the Leavenworth property alone. Other violations detailed in the lawsuit include damaged and dilapidated walls and ceilings, peeling paint posing a lead hazard, water damage, mold, gas leak, failure to provide heat, hazardous plumbing conditions, an illegal unit subdivision, missing smoke and carbon dioxide detectors, and the list goes on. The lawsuit alleges that since 2002, Wong has "endangered the health, welfare and safety of the neighbors, the residents of the City and County of San Francisco, and the people of the state of California." Saying that 28 freeway shootings in about six months is "unacceptable," five East Bay mayors along Interstate Highway 80 signed a letter Thursday asking for emergency state funds to buy surveillance cameras. The mayors signed the letter to Gov. Jerry Brown at the West County mayors' and Supervisors Association meeting in El Cerrito. The mayors also want Caltrans to update its existing live camera network so they will have the ability to record video to help in the investigation. A pricetag was not mentioned in the letter. But the mayors wrote that the shootings along I-80 and Highway 4 have reached "crisis proportions," which is "of increasing concern to those who feel "our communities are under siege." The letter was signed by Richmond Mayor Tom Bates, Hercules Mayor Dan Romero, El Cerrito Mayor Gregory Lyman, Pinole Mayor Roy Swearingen and San Pablo Mayor Richard Kinney. "Twenty eight shootings on our freeways are totally unacceptable," Kinney said. Romero added that Brown lives in the East Bay. "He knows more than anyone else," adding that he hopes to hand deliver the letter to the governor by the end of this week. The mayors' action to get funding for security cameras follows on the latest freeway shooting, this one in Hercules on Interstate 80 Tuesday night that injured a man in his leg. California Highway Patrol officials said four people have been killed in nearly 30 shootings on East Bay freeways since November. As the mayors were signing the letter, the California Highway Patrol confirmed they've made a total of five arrests in connection with the freeway shootings since November. A spokeswoman would not say more, including who was arrested or when and where the shootings took place. Investigators have said that most of the shootings appear to be gang-related. Last week, the Pittsburg City Council voted to spend $100,000 to install cameras along a stretch of Highway 4. NBC Bay Area staff contributed to this report. Detroits prosecutor wants firearm owners to secure their weapons, citing a wave of accidental shootings by children, NBC News reports. Eight children have killed or been seriously injured with unsecured guns Wayne County, according to Prosecutor Kym Worthy. Most of the guns were legally owned by people who didnt secure them, even though Michigan requires gun dealers to include a lock or safe-storage container with all sales. Worthy wants to hold a meeting with hospital executives to plan a campaign to teach gun-owning parents how to keep their kids safe. Laws requiring safe-storage have led to a decline in accidental shooting deaths nationally. But researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found a higher rate of these deaths in seven states that didnt have safe-storage laws. Since 2001, 868 children aged 14 and under have been killed nationally in accidental shootings and an estimated 10,543 children were injured during the same period, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A link may have been discovered between antibiotics fed to livestock and global warming, according to a study published this week, NBC News reported. Researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder helped conduct the study, and fed antibiotics to 10 cows in Finland. According to the study, the manure from cattle fed a common antibiotic produced even more methane than normal. The antibiotics kill off bacteria that compete with methane-producing microbes, the researchers reported in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. "We know that there are negative consequences of antibiotics, particularly this effect of antibiotic resistance," said researcher Tobin Hammer. "But this was a pretty unexpected link between antibiotics and this other important environmental issue that we care about greenhouse gases." Chicago Public Schools will take its plea for funding to the governor's front door Thursday as the district faces drastic cuts without help from Springfield. CPS CEO Forrest Claypool and Chief Education Officer Janice Jackson join pastors, parents, students on a bus trip to Springfield for rally for fair education funding. They'll board buses here at Westinghouse College Prep in East Garfield Park, as well as several other locations throughout the city. CPS officials say they will be forced to cut budgets from already cash-strapped schools by up to 30 percent if additional funding doesn't come through. That could lead to much larger class sizes and massive cuts to special education and extracurricular programs. This comes after hundreds of CPS parents marched through the loop Wednesday demanding funding to save their children's schools. The rally began with a so-called Billion Dollar Bake Sale at the Thompson Center Wednesday, where they sold items such as misfortune cookies, coming-up shortbread and seven-layoff cake following threats from Cps. They're calling on lawmakers in Springfield and Gov. Bruce Rauner to increase funding for CPS before Tuesday's budget deadline. "Roots" arrived on Jan. 23, 1977, three days after the inauguration of President Jimmy Carter, a white, liberal Southern Democrat elected in the turbulent wakes of Vietnam and Watergate. The divided country came together around TV sets to watch the story of an enslaved American family. Just under 80 million votes were cast in the relatively close 1976 presidential race, but some 100 million people (about 45 percent of the population at the time) tuned in for the final chapter of the 12-hour miniseries, broadcast over eight nights on ABC. The latest chapter in the "Roots" saga unfolds Monday with the start of a remake, via the History Channel. The current take on the television landmark comes as a new identity crisis faces the country, still struggling to come to terms with its origins. The retelling of Roots unfolds across political and media landscapes both familiar and vastly altered from four decades ago, when author Alex Haley's at least partially fictionalized account of his family's epic journey hit bookstores. The country is in the midst of a hard-fought election season brimming with ideological clashes, confusion and uncertainty perhaps not seen since the post-Nixon years. Yet the first African-American president, who was in high school when "Roots" debuted, is winding down his second term, and it appears a woman is on the verge of heading a major-party presidential ticket for the first time. People are inhaling more media than ever but from many more sources. When "Roots" premiered in 1977, three networks drew the vast majority of TV viewers. Now seemingly endless television channels are in a pitched battle with online outlets for attention, making for few mass viewing opportunities beyond the Super Bowl, which pulls in "Roots"-like numbers. The "Roots" reboot will be simulcast on History, Lifetime and A&E in hopes of reaching a wide audience during four installments spanning eight hours. But while the success of the 1977 edition grew night by night thanks to the water-cooler effect, the new version could sink or swim via social media the same fickle force that's helped propel everything from the Kardashians to Donald Trump. The biggest question remains whether trying to match or exceed the quality and sterling collective memory of a classic is worth the gamble. The new "Roots" appears to be in good hands with producers Mark Wolper (the son of original producer David L. Wolper) and LeVar Burton (who played the young Kunta Kinte in the first "Roots"). Media reports and previews suggest viewers can expect an even more unvarnished look at the horrors of slavery with a top-notch cast that includes Laurence Fishburne, Forest Whitaker and Aniki Noni Rose. Still, the Roots revival faces a steep challenge in gripping the nation again with a powerful story that still vies to help us to view our present and future through the defining chapter of the country's past. Jere Hester is Director of News Products and Projects at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is also the author of "Raising a Beatle Baby: How John, Paul, George and Ringo Helped us Come Together as a Family." Follow him on Twitter. The U.S. Justice Department asked the city to turn over policies on how Chicago police officers use their personal cell phones to record video and audio while on duty. The request is part of a federal probe following the death of LaQuan McDonald, the teen shot 16-times by Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke in October 2014. Van Dyke, charged with first-degree murder, has entered a plea of not guilty. In December Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced a pattern and practice investigation of the Chicago Police Department. City officials have received four requests for documents dating back to December 30, 2015, according to information released through a Freedom of Information Act request. The latest request was issued April 18. Among the documents requested: The name, rank and assignment for each police officer The organizational chart for the Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA) All policies dealing with use of force Collective bargaining agreements for CPD employees How citizen complaints of misconduct are resolved How officers respond to a mental health crisis How canine units are used to locate and apprehend a suspect. Policies concerninguse ofpersonal cell phone, camera, video- or audio-recording equipment in the performance of their duties. I think one of the important lessons for people over the course of the last 6 or 9 months is we need to demand transparency and we need to be prepared to fight for it, said Matt Topic, the attorney who successfully sued the city requiring the release of the LaQuan McDonald video. His current target is the hundreds of emails released by the city in December, many of which have sections blacked out. I think we still dont have a full accounting of everything that happened, he said. We know what happened in the shooting. We know that the official account was wrong. There are a lot of unanswered questions about how that happened. In the six months since the video was released the mayor, fired former Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy; hired a new Superintendent, Eddie Johnson; reformed IPRA; moved to abolish IPRA apologized before the City Council; and saw his political power challenged. Though the big public demonstrations are gone, smaller protests continue to pop up and anger remains as the mayors popularity plunged to a 25 percent approval rating, according to a recent New York Times poll. The city law department declined an interview request regarding the lawsuit involving the redacted emails, but noted in a written statement that it sought to provide complete transparency by releasing more than 3000 pages of emails. We informed each requestor that, if they did not feel the response satisfied their original request, we would work with them to identify and produce any other materials that may have not been captured by our extremely broad search and production. To date, no one has followed up on this offer with the exception of Mr. Smith, who chose to have Mr. Topic file a lawsuit rather than articulate to the City what additional records he seeks, the statement concluded. But questions remain, according to Topic, about how transparent the city was in releasing hundreds of official, but redacted, emails on New Years Eve. There were a lot of materials that were redacted in which people seemed to be discussing circumstances of the case or how it was going to be handled or what information might be released, Topic said. They were redacted and we dont think that was properly redacted. One man was killed and another wounded in a shooting at Powells Barber Shop, a staple in the Englewood neighborhood, Thursday afternoon on the South Side. The men, ages 36 and 37, were inside the business at 3:11 p.m. in the 1100 block of West 63rd street when another male outside fired shots into the establishment, according to Chicago Police. The 37-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to the arm and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. The Cook County medical examiners office could not immediately confirm the fatality. The younger man was shot in the leg and was also taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition, according to Chicago Fire Department Cmdr. Walter Schroeder. Powells is well known in the South Side community for hosting events such as spring clean-ups, community meetings, job fairs, and mentoring groups. Both the shop and owner Sunni Ali Powell appeared in the Spike Lee film Chiraq. A Gold Coast man told his ex-girlfriend she looked cute with a black eye before raping her in his apartment, Cook County prosecutors said Wednesday. The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that Christopher Buford also punched the woman because she had moved his bottle of Xanax, Assistant States Attorney Matthew Howroyd said. During the May 1 attack, Buford told the woman she could be with him and do whatever he says or leave and he would smash his face with a frying pan and blame her, Howroyd said. Buford and the woman had broken up a year ago after a 2-year courtship, but kept in touch, Howroyd said. They were at the apartment in the 1100 block of North Dearborn when Buford grew enraged because his Xanax was missing, Howroyd said. The 27-year-old woman had moved the anti-anxiety medication into the bedroom. When she gave it Buford, he started striking her, Howroyd said. Buford also grabbed her by the hair, knocked her to the ground, smothered her with a pillow, kicked her and said hed kill her, Howroyd said. After he allegedly slammed the woman to the ground, she told him she thought he had broken her neck, but Buford just laughed, Howroyd said. He took her to the couch, wrapped his arms and legs around her to keep her from leaving, then told the woman he was sorry, Howroyd said. The two fell asleep. When they woke up, Buford told her he wanted to have sex and she looked cute with a black eye, Howroyd said. Thats when the sexual assault occurred, Howroyd said. The woman later was able to get Buford to leave the apartment, so she could run downstairs and call a friend. The friend saw the womans bruised, swollen face, Howroyd said, and the two went to police. Later, she was treated at a hospital. Buford majors in business and music at Columbia College, his lawyer Bill Murphy said. Murphy, who described himself as a friend of the family, told Judge James Brown he knows the 29-year-old Buford to be a good polite kid. He called the allegations hard to fathom, noted alcohol was involved and said Buford was not a danger to anyone. Buford has two misdemeanor convictions for disorderly conduct and aggravated assault, according to Howroyd. Buford surrendered to police Tuesday. Bufords father was in court Wednesday sitting with lawyers, not in the courtroom gallery where relatives of defendants usually sit. Brown ordered Buford held in lieu of $50,000 bail for aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated battery and aggravated kidnapping. More than 100 protesters camped out overnight at McDonalds headquarters in Chicagos western suburbs to get an early start on their push for higher wages. Thousands of activists and fast-food workers prepared to disrupt the companys annual shareholder meeting in Oak Brook Thursday for a second day of rallying in the Fight for $15 movement. "Nothing is going to stop us until we win," said Anggie Godoy, a McDonald's worker in Los Angeles. "Now is the time that we have to unite and be stronger because it's time that we have a decent wage. We are just trying to survive." Organizers have promised to keep fighting for $15 an hour minimum wage and the right to unionize. "We are all living in poverty regardless of what area we live in and McDonald's just made $1 billion in profit the first three months of this year," Godoy said. Another McDonalds employee, Naquasia LeGrand, told NBC 5 that she makes $7.25 per hour working as a store manager in North Carolina. The minimum wage increase would nearly double her paycheck, which is why she was one of the hundreds who stood outside of the fast-food giants main gate on Jorie Boulevard in the pouring rain Wednesday. At McDonalds, we take seriously our role in helping strengthen communities. Every year, we and our franchisees separately employ hundreds of thousands of people, providing many with their very first job, Lisa McComb, a McDonalds spokesperson, said in a statement. We offer McDonald's employees the opportunity to develop the valuable skills and work ethic necessary to build successful careers even beyond our restaurants. Last July, we raised wages for all employees at our company-owned restaurants to $1 dollar above the local minimum wage and gave them the ability to earn paid time off. And because so many are just starting out in their careers, we invest in Archways to Opportunity, a set of programs for everyone that provides free high school completion courses and college tuition assistance so they can work toward earning a high school diploma or a college degree. Oak Brook police planned for about 8,000 demonstrators Wednesday night, but heavy downpour and storms kept many away. More than 3,000 protesters were expected Thursday, though no arrests had been reported. A 41-year-old man is facing a misdemeanor charge for allegedly attacking a local icon in Chicago known as The Walking Man. Perry McCarlton was charged with reckless conduct in the beating of Joseph Kromelis, a man known to many who walk the citys downtown streets as "The Walking Man" or "The Walking Dude." Authorities said the incident happened around 11 a.m. Tuesday on Lower Wacker Drive, when Kromelis was walking and had a conversation with a man who then began to strike Kromelis with fists and a bat. Officers arrived at the scene and we able to separate the two, police said. Kromelis was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital with cuts to his face and bruising to his body. The attacker was also taken to an area hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. Details on what prompted the attack werent immediately known, authorities said. Police said Kromelis didnt want to press charges in the incident. Kromelis nephew, Vytas Vaitkus, started a GoFundMe page to raise money for his uncle and the medical bills related to the attack. As of Thursday afternoon, the page had raised more than $17,500. Vaitkus said his uncle suffered serious injuries to his face and may not be able to regain use of his eyes. "If he is left blind at this point, he is not going to be the Walking Man in Chicago," his niece Vilija Vaitkus said. Kromelis has gained fame among many Chicago residents, becoming a staple in the city as he walks up and down downtown streets day after day, with his unmistakable hair and mustache. "Everyone. Everyone seems to know him," Vilija Vaitkus said. His family is hoping to raise $50,000 for his care. "The response has been phenomenal," said Vytas Vaitkus. "I'm truly amazed." A measure that prohibits new state regulations for yoga teachers will be sent to Gov. Bruce Rauners desk Thursday to be signed into law. The bill would exempt yoga instruction and yoga teacher training from state oversight as a trade, occupation, vocation or professional school. The measure, which is sponsored by Sen. Don Harmon and Rep. Daniel Burke, received bipartisan backing in the Illinois legislature in recent month. Supporters call it a pro-business move that cuts into unneeded government regulation. Theres simply no reason for Illinois to regulate something that, for most people, is a personal pursuit, not a profession or a career, Harmon said in a statement. It makes no sense from a business standpoint, from a government standpoint or from a practical standpoint. According to a release provided by Harmons office, some yoga teacher training programs received notifications this year from the Illinois Board of Higher Education informing them that they would be subject to state regulation as vocational schools and that they would need IBHE approval to operate in Illinois. The measure passed unanimously in the Illinois Senate in April. It passed unanimously in the Illinois House of Representatives Wednesday. A man from suburban Chicago reportedly survived being mauled by a bear while camping in southeast Alaska. Kenneth Steck, who moved to Alaska four years ago after enrolling in an outdoor studies program at Alaska Pacific University, was visiting friends and family with his wife in the town of Yakutat two weeks ago when they decided to travel to Disenchantment Bay for a trip, Steck told the Alaska Dispatch News. The next morning, Steck had left the camp to fill up some water jugs at a nearby snowmelt waterfall and as he was gathering the water, he heard something in the woods behind him. Thats when he turned around and saw a brown bear in a full charge heading for him, he told the publication. Steck began to walk backwards, but fell on his back and started screaming as loud as he could. The bear swiped at Stecks right foot, which was in the air as Steck tried to distance himself from the bear, putting a major gash in his leg, he told the Dispatch. Then the bear went for his upper body. Steck suffered numerous injuries to his scalp, chest and calf and a wound to his right shoulder, but has reportedly been released from the hospital. He told the Dispatch he is happy it was just him and not his family members attacked. An Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologist who interviewed Steck when he arrived for treatment at Anchorage Hospital determined the bear should not be killed for the attack, saying it didnt appear to be predatory, but rather a case of a human surprising the bear at close quarters. The attack lasted only seconds just long enough for the surprised bear to neutralize a perceived threat. The bear then ran away, spokesman Ken Marsh said in an emailed statement. With this information, our biologist determined that subsequent attacks from the animal are unlikely and that little would be gained in seeking and destroying the bear. It is also worth noting that the attack site is located in a remote area that sees few visitors. In rare cases when a bear appears to have gone out of its way to attack a human, wildlife officials said they would attempt to kill the animal for public safety reasons. Marsh noted this is the third bear mauling reported to the department so far this year. All three incidents have involved brown or grizzly bears. DNA from Stecks attack was collected and preserved, should another attack occur in the area, Marsh said. Drew Peterson was planning an alcohol-fueled prison celebration after arranging for another inmate's uncle to kill the prosecutor who helped convict him in his ex-wife's death, according to wiretapped conversations played in court. The former suburban Chicago police officer can be heard telling Antonio Smith "there was no turning back" on the hit in recordings played this week in a southern Illinois courtroom, the Chicago Tribune reported Wednesday. He is also heard saying he hoped to get "some booze" to "celebrate that night." Peterson is accused of plotting to kill Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow in retaliation for his 2012 conviction in Kathleen Savio's death eight years earlier. He has pleaded not guilty. Smith told authorities of Peterson's efforts to find a hit man and was enlisted as an informant. The Chicago gang member known as "Beast" is serving a 40-year sentence for attempted murder, home invasion and robbery. The secret recordings, made over three days in November 2014, include no direct mentions by Peterson of trying to kill Glasgow, who testified on Monday at the trial's start. Peterson's public defender has dismissed the recordings as fanciful prison boasts. Peterson, 62, is serving a 38-year sentence and faces another 60 years if convicted in the current case. His first-degree murder conviction is under appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court. Prosecutors say Peterson hoped to win a reversal of the case once Glasgow was dead. "You know this (expletive) gonna be all over the news," Smith says in the recordings. "This is about to be huge." "But the first thing they will identify him as the guy that got me," Peterson responds. "That's what he's known for, the guy that prosecuted Drew Peterson." Told by Smith that his uncle whom he never actually called would commit the crime by the next month, Peterson suggested that Glasgow's death would be a "nice Christmas present." The recordings show that Peterson also discussed selling drugs in Mexico if he gets out of prison, as well as his fears that Glasgow would also charge him in the death of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, who remains missing. On Wednesday, prosecutors played recordings in which Peterson tells Smith how he attempted to mislead authorities about Stacy Peterson's whereabouts. Peterson said he conveyed those false details to his previous attorney in the trial for Savio's death, believing that Glasgow's office was monitoring those phone calls as well. Another portion of the recordings indicated a photo of Glasgow that had been staged by authorities raised Peterson's suspicions. Smith sent Peterson the photo of Glasgow outside his Joliet office, saying it had been taken by his uncle, Smith testified. In reality, Smith had been wearing a wire for days and law enforcement officers had staged the photo and provided it, the Tribune reported. "I mean, are you kidding me? ... It looks like it was staged 'Here, you stand here,'" Peterson says in the tape. The producer of an HBO series and another man are facing federal narcotics charges in the drug overdose death of a Long Island dermatologist who was found unconscious in the vestibule of a Manhattan apartment complex last fall, according to a criminal complaint. Marc Henry Johnson, who was a producer on an HBO series called "The Deuce," and James Holder were arrested at their homes in Manhattan Wednesday by a team of Drug Enforcement Administration, NYPD and New York State Police investigators, sources said. Their arrests come eight months after the death of Dr. Kiersten Cerveny, a Manhasset dermatologist who was found in the vestibule of Holder's apartment building on West 16th Street in Chelsea on Oct. 4. Sources have previously said Cerveny and Johnson were in a relationship at the time of her death. Provided to NBC 4 New York According to the complaint, Johnson, 51, met Cerveny and another individual at a bar on the Lower East Side after texting about meeting Holder, 60, for "a pickup." While at the bar, he allegedly told Cerveny, who had been using cocaine before he arrived, he had more of the drug and offered to share it with her and the other person. Later that night, Cerveny and Johnson left the bar together in a taxi and went to Holder's apartment, according to the complaint. They went upstairs and weren't seen again for hours. The complaint alleges that Holder and Johnson emerged four hours later and dragged the unconscious Cerveny along the hallway to the first-floor vestibule. Holder left afterward and Johnson called 911. Johnson allegedly refused to give the dispatcher his identity and didn't say what had happened to the 38-year-old. He left after paramedics got to the scene, according to the complaint. Emergency medical technicians attempted to resuscitate Cerveny as they loaded her into the ambulance and took her to the Lenox Health emergency room in Greenwich Village. She died at the hospital. Medical examiners ruled her death resulted from acute cocaine and alcohol intoxication. Top Tri-State News Photos According to the complaint, Holder -- who went by the nickname "Pepsi" -- had allegedly sold drugs out of his apartment since about 2013. He generally sold "hundreds," bags of cocaine costing $100, the complaint says. "We believe Mr. Holder has been selling drugs in this city for a long time," said NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton. According to multiple media reports, Johnson stepped away from "The Deuce" after Cerveny's death. The show's executive producer, "The Wire" creator David Simon, called the death a "greivous tragedy." "As evidence has yet to be presented it would be irresponsible to say more at this point," he said. Cerveny, originally from Washington Township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, had been an assistant professor of clinical dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College, according to a Dec. 12, 2009 announcement of her marriage to Andrew Cerveny Jr., also a dermatologist, in The New York Times. She graduated magna cum laude from Duke University and earned her medical degree at Tulane University. She met her husband in 2004 while both were residents at the Medical Center of Louisiana at New Orleans. They had three children together. Information about whether the men had obtained attorneys who could comment on the charges wasn't immediately available. [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More A billionaire tech mogul rumored to be behind Hulk Hogan's high-profile lawsuit against Gawker has admitted he bankrolled the case, telling The New York Times Wednesday that he wanted to put the gossip website out of business. According to the Times interview, PayPal founder Peter Thiel quietly put $10 million into funding lawyers to find people Gawker had written about and plan cases against them. A Florida jury awarded $140 million to Hogan in March in a verdict against Gawker, which had posted a video of him having sex with his then-best friend's wife. The case threatens to put Gawker and its sister websites, like Deadspin and Jezebel, out of business. This week, rumors swirled that Thiel paid for the case, with reports in Forbes and the Times citing anonymous sources that the billionaire paid for the suit. They also noted that Hogan's legal team decided not to file a claim that would trigger a payout from Gawker's legal insurance, which they said struck legal observers as odd. "I saw Gawker pioneer a unique and incredibly damaging way of getting attention by bullying people even when there was no connection with the public interest," Thiel said in the interview with columnist Aaron Ross Sorkin, which was posted online Wednesday night. Thiel, who co-founded PayPal and was an early investor in Facebook, was outed as gay by a Gawker-owned website in 2007, and the Gawker empire has run a number of stories skewering Facebook; he still sits on the social network's board. "The way Ive thought about this is that Gawker has been a singularly terrible bully. In a way, if I didnt think Gawker was unique, I wouldnt have done any of this," Thiel told the Times. Thiel did not release any other public statements Wednesday night. Hogan's lawyers wouldn't comment on the Thiel story earlier Wednesday for The Associated Press, before Thiel spoke publicly. Gawker reacted to the initial reports by saying: "There are very serious questions about whether Hulk Hogan financially benefited, and this case is far from over." Legal experts say there is nothing illegal or even unethical about someone financing a lawsuit. There are entire companies that invest in contingency claims, usually in product liability, personal injury, patent infringement and copyright cases. It is called "litigation financing." But a billionaire doing it out of what may be spite? That's a little different, experts say. "As much as this is not at all illegal or unethical, it just smells and feels wrong," said Scott Greenfield, a New York lawyer who is managing editor of Fault Lines, an online legal magazine. "When a rich guy can basically afford to bring down a media outlet, that has horrible social ramifications, even if the particular outfit is one that everybody hates, like Gawker." Actress Julia Roberts visited the Childrens First Academy in Phoenix, Arizona, where all of the students live below the poverty line and receive care thanks to new funding for their school nurse. Her visit was part of Red Nose Day, a celebrity-packed telethon to help lift kids out of poverty. The Red Nose Day Special" is airing Thursday, May 26 (9-11 p.m. ET) on NBC. "It's amazing how much they can provide in this small space for a huge amount of children who are entitled to care and love," Roberts told NBCs Joe Fryer of her visit to the school. The Oscar-winning actress was there along with Red Nose Day executive producer Richard Curtis, who brought the U.K. tradition to the U.S. last year. Children First Academy provides busing and social services to its students and the clinic, guided by nurse Lacey, help kids suffering from poor nutrition, lack of sleep, asthma, mental health issues, lice and other health problems. "These are children with the toughest lives, with worst health because of that. Without this work they wouldn't get any health care," Curtis said. Roberts called nurse Lacey "a bright light in a dark hallway" and said "we can all rise up and participate in altering" the lives of children living in poverty by raising money. "I'll do anything for these kids I met today," Roberts said. Last year, Roberts offered a comic contribution to Red Nose Day in a sketch exposing her true voice on national television. Roberts' "natural" voice, many octaves lower than her real voice, was dubbed over famous movie scenes starring the actress. Republicans in Connecticut said they want to scale back the state's involvement with the federal law mandating that motor vehicle departments help with voter registration. Were talking about a dramatic technology increase that is being used to register voters with a link to the Department of Motor Vehicles," said Sen. Mike McLalchlan. Republicans want DMV to stop the ramp up for automated registration and updating with the Secretary of the State and instead have DMV customers fill out paper forms that the DMV would then mail to the Secretary of the State, who would then process them, and send them to the town registrar where it belongs. The argument from Republicans is that DMV has had enough problems dealing with its computer upgrade, which has led to long lines. We would argue that DMV cannot handle more in the area of motor-voiter programs because they cant get their own house in order" said Sen. Toni Boucher. But, Connecticut has a recent problem with the "Motor Voter" law, as it's known. The Department of Justice sent a letter to Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, a Democrat, earlier this year, saying the state wasn't in compliance and needed to change quickly. After legislation to address the issue didn't go anywhere during the General Assmbly's Regular Session, Merrill determined she could make changes and upgrades without lawmakers' help. I really believe this is a much better, more efficient, more cost effective, more accurate system to help people register to vote at the DMV," she said, in response to the GOP complaints. Her proposal would take effect by the middle of 2018 and would provide a cross-reference of computer databases between DMV drvier data and voter data. The information needed to register to vote is the same as that needed to get a license, and when that information changes as DMV, it could be changed with the Secretary of the State's database. Merrill admits the system may not be perfect, but maintains it will work, and it won't be a large burden on DMV. Most importantly she said, it complies with the federal government and could fend off a lawsuit. In the short term we do need to comply with the federal law but in the longer term I think it behooves all of us to have a more technologically based system. Republicans said Merrill needs to scale it back and if they had it their way, the DMV would have no role in expanding voter registration. Boucher said, "Their charge is not about registering voters. That is a core function of the Secretary of the State. A man charged in connection with the death of a 5-month-old baby boy he was babysitting in Manchester admits to shaking the infant, according to arrest documents. Police officers and paramedics responded to an apartment on Channing Drive in the Squire Village Complex around 9 p.m. on Sunday when they received a medical call for a choking infant, Manchester Police said. Joshua Maldonado, 23, is accused of killing the 5-month-old and he turned himself in to police on Wednesday. The child died at Manchester Memorial Hospital and the autopsy revealed that the baby died from a blunt trauma to the head and the death was ruled a homicide, police said. After changing his story several times, according to the police affadavit, Maldonado admitted to becoming "annoyed" when the crying baby woke him up from a nap and then shaking the infant, but said it was not on purpose. Police said Maldonado is not related to the infant and family members said he and the child's mother were dating and he'd babysat before. "I know my son is innocent. I just feel sorry for him and the baby's family," Maldonado's mother told NBC Connecticut. Maldonado, of Hartford, has been charged with first-degree manslaughter, first-degree assault and risk of injury to a minor. His bond was initially set at $350,000, but was raised to $4000,000. A New Haven man is accused of stabbing his girlfriend in her chest, police said. On Monday, police arrested Michael Graham for allegedly stabbing his girlfriend in her left breast and puncturing her lung. Police said they were dispatched to Yale-New Haven Hospital on Saturday evening after 49-year-old Cassandra Harrison was being treated for a stab wound. Harrison told police she had been stabbed the night before while trying to break up a fight between two men, according to New Haven Police. However, when police searched the Harrison's apartment, with her consent, they found the handle of the knife that had stabbed her. A second interview with Harrison revealed that she had been stabbed by her 52-year-old boyfriend, Graham, during an argument, police said. When Graham was arrested, he told police he and Harrison were drinking and doing crack-cocaine when they began to argue and he stabbed her. He told police he meant to strike the area next to her but missed. Graham is accused of first-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment and unlawful restraint. Wethersfield police and state police are making an effort to get to know community members through an initiative called Coffee with a Cop. Thursday was the first one and it was held at Chips Family Restaurant in Wethersfield. It was an opportunity for police to talk with the public in a comfortable setting outside of a traffic stop or emergency situation. "We in law enforcement are approachable. Unfortunately, there are some incidents that get national attention, but overall, we are all out here, trying to do a good job and we are here to help," State Police Trooper Chaun Jones said. Trooper Jones said the questions he gets asked most often from the public are about the new body cameras his troop is testing out. "How do I feel about it? Does it make my work harder or easier? And the answer is, it makes it a little easier. Most people, sometimes, if they are upset and they see the camera and realize they are being recorded, they bring it down a couple of notches," Jones said. Jon Peetoskey traveled from Vernon to Wethersfield to speak with police and show them his support. I just want them to know they have my support as an old vet, sitting around here, doing a little bit of nothing but drinking coffee," Peetoskey said. Art Karas, of Wethersfield, enjoyed talking with police in a low-key setting and said the recent incidents across the country have not changed the way he feels about police in Connecticut. "It is very easy to take a single isolated event and blow it up so that it appears like it is a national trend, when I really in fact do not believe it is," Karas said. This was the first time state troopers have held Coffee with a Cop and troopers said they plan to continue it in the future. Friends and family of a Shelton High School senior who was killed in a crash in February, are fighting for him to be recognized and receive an honorary diploma at what would have been his graduation. Eddy Conklin's mother said she never thought she would be in the situation she is in now. If you could relive just one day, what day would it be? I know for certain what day we would pick. Thats February 28," said Barbara Conklin because that was the last time her son was alive. The popular Shelton High School student-athlete was killed in a single-vehicle crash on Bridgeport Avenue. Police are still investigating the details surrounding that deadly crash. Closure," said Mrs. Conklin. "I want everyone to go on peacefully. Many people from Shelton were pleading with the Board of Education on Wednesday night for Eddy to be able to receive an honorary diploma at what would have been graduation ceremony scheduled for June 10. They werent asking for music to be played, confetti to fall or the heavens to open," said a family friend. "They simply wanted their son recognized along with his classmates," she added. Please use your hearts," another woman pleaded. "Allow Eddys name to be called at graduation. Even before dozens of people spoke out to the Board of Education, the board had already voted not to take up the Conklin's request at Wednesday's meeting. "The Board agreed to start a new tradition - awarding an Honorary Diploma to the families of students who were in good standing, but died before meeting graduation requirements," Mark Holden, a chairman on the Board of Education, wrote on Facebook earlier this month. NBC Connecticut reached out to the district multiple times for comment. Eddy's father, meanwhile, said he will keep fighting for his son's honorary diploma right up until the graduation ceremony begins. The suspect involved in an East Hartford murder has been arrested, police said. Michael Gaston, 27, of Hartford, is wanted for his involvement in the murder of Marshall Wiggins on May 16. He was arrested by warrant early on Thursday morning in Clinton, Massachusetts, East Hartford Police said. Police responded to Rector Street at 11:16 p.m. to investigate reports of gunshots and found Wiggins, a resident of the street, inside a car and suffering from gunshots. Wiggins was brought to Hartford Hospital, where he died from his injuries. Gaston is accused of murder, felony murder, first-degree robbery, criminal possession of a pistol/firearm and carrying a pistol/revolver without a permit. He is being held without bail as a fugitive for justice in Clinton pending extradition. The director of Secondary Education for the Torrington Public Schools has been arrested, accused of harassing another board of education employee. Eric Baim, 41 of Southington, was arrested on Thursday and charged with second-degree breach of peace after a month-long investigation into the harassment complaint. Police said an employee of the Torrington Board of Education assigned to the Torrington High School filed the complaint on April 27. "The Torrington Public Schools administration recently learned of the arrest of Eric Baim. Mr. Baim has been on administrative leave since April 25, 2016. As this in an ongoing personnel matter, we will not and cannot comment on the circumstances surrounding Mr. Baims arrest at this time. We have and will continue to cooperate fully with the police on this matter," said the school's released statement. Baim was released on a $2,500 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Bantam Superior court on June 6. A 7-year-old boy faced an armed robber head-on while shopping for a toy with his parents at a GameStop store in Silver Spring, Maryland. Surveillance video shows two hooded men wearing masks rush into the video game store on 10100 Colesville Road on Friday, May 20, just before 9 p.m. One suspect can be seen trying to grab the little boy before the boy punches the suspect in the stomach a couple of times. "Well, he's tough. He's tough and, you know, I think instincts come out in situations like that," said the boy's mother, who did not want to be identified. The pair of armed robbers ordered the boy and his parents, who were the only customers inside, to get against a wall near the store's counter, Montgomery County police said. "It was scary. You're never prepared for something like that. You're not. So, you don't wish it on your worst enemy," said the boy's father, who also did not want to be identified. The suspects then told two store clerks to get on the floor while they took cash and personal property, police said. They ran out of the store through the front door, police said. No one was hurt during the robbery. The boy's parents told News4 in D.C. they hope police catch the suspects to give their son peace of mind. "When it's a young child, it's especially upsetting and infuriating for us because there's some innoncence that's lost there and there's some fear introduced into his life that, of course, he doesn't deserve," the father said. Police described the suspects as two males in their 20s, about 5 feet 6 inches and 170 pounds. They were both wearing black hooded sweatshirts, black pants, gloves and masks. Anyone with information is asked to call (240) 773-5070 or call anonymously at 1 (866) 411-8477. Two Navy jet fighters crashed off the coast of North Carolina during a training mission Thursday, and their four crew members were airlifted to a hospital with minor injuries after being plucked out of the Atlantic Ocean by a commercial fishing vessel and Coast Guard rescuers, officials said. The F/A-18 Super Hornet jet fighters, based in Virginia Beach, crashed about 10:40 a.m. off the coast of Cape Hatteras, following an "in-flight mishap," said Lt. Cmdr. Tiffani Walker, a spokeswoman for Naval Air Force Atlantic. Walker did not have any further details. Earlier Thursday, the Coast Guard had said the two aircraft collided in the air before crashing. Two of the aviators were rescued by the crew of the commercial fishing vessel Jamie, and the other two survivors were hoisted out of the water by a Coast Guard helicopter, the Coast Guard said in a statement. A second Coast Guard helicopter picked up the aviators from the fishing vessel and all four survivors were taken to Norfolk Sentara General Hospital. The sea route is heavily traveled by ships entering and leaving Norfolk, one of the busiest cargo ports on the East Coast. The four aviators suffered minor injuries but are in "very high spirits," Lt. Cmdr. Krystyn Pecora told reporters. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said all were "alert and talking" when they were picked up. Videos taken by WAVY-TV show two aviators getting on stretchers as they exited the helicopter and were taken into the hospital. The other two walked into the hospital on their own, the videos show. "We're happy to have brought everyone home safely today," Pecora said. A safety investigation will be carried out to determine the cause of the accident, said Navy spokesman Ensign Mark Rockwellpate. The F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather fighter and attack aircraft that operates in tactical squadrons at stations around the world and from 10 aircraft carriers, the Navy says on its website. The Super Hornet, the newest model, has a longer range, aerial refueling capability and improved survivability and lethality, according to the website. Each of the planes costs at least $57 million, the Navy said. The jets that crashed Thursday were performing training exercises and are not currently assigned to an aircraft carrier, Walker said. Navy officials did not provide details on the extent of the damage the planes sustained. A rescue helicopter was dispatched from the Coast Guard's air station in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The station's helicopters perform ocean search-and-rescue operations off North Carolina and Virginia as far east as Bermuda. Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor's eight-game suspension has been reduced to seven games, according to MLB.com. Odor appealed the suspension handed to him after he decked Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista during a game on May 15 in Arlington. The right cross was in retaliation for an illegal hard slide into second for which Bautista was called out. The fight cleared both benches and resulted in the suspension or discipline of more than a dozen players, including Bautista. MLB.com said Odor will begin his suspension Friday when the team hosts the Pittsburgh Pirates in a three-game weekend series. In his absence, the Rangers are bringing up infielder Jurickson Profar. The mother of a North Texas teen whose lawyers used an "affluenza" defense in a deadly 2013 drunken driving crash has been indicted on two felony charges by a Tarrant County grand jury. Because of a gag order, the Tarrant County district attroney's office could say little about the case Thursday other than to confirm Tonya Couch had been indicted on charges of hindering the apprehension of a felon and money laundering. She was accused of taking $30,000 and fleeing to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in her pickup truck with her son Ethan Couch in December 2015. Ethan Couch was 16 and driving drunk in June 2013 when he crashed his pickup truck into a small crowd of people trying to help stranded motorists, killing four. His defense attorneys used an "affluenza" defense, saying a privileged upbringing prevented Ethan Couch from understanding the consequences of his actions. He was sentenced to 10 years' probation in juvenile court and was prohibited from drinking or leaving Tarrant County. Authorities believe Ethan Couch and his mother fled Texas after a video surfaced online appearing to show him at a party where people were drinking. He was apprehended with his mother in the Mexican resort city of Puerto Vallarta on Dec. 28, after a call for delivery pizza tipped off authorities to their whereabouts. Tonya Couch was extradited back to Texas Jan. 7 and was released on $75,000 bond a few days later after being charged with hindering an apprehension of a felon. Ethan Couch was extradited and returned to Dallas-Fort Worth on Jan. 28. His case was later transferred to adult court and he was given two years in county jail. Tonya Couch's money laundering charge came later. According to Texas law, a person commits money laundering when using funds "intended to further the commission of criminal activity," which in this case is the $30,000 taken when the mother and son fled to Mexico. Tonya Couch's trial has not yet been scheduled. Attorney Don Carter said he had no comment on the indictments because he'd just started representing Couch. Attorney Don Carter said he had no comment on the indictments because he'd just started representing Couch. Police said a standoff is over after taking two people into custody who were aremed and barricaded inside a home in Dallas Thursday morning. [[380957731,C]] A Dallas SWAT team responded to assist police at the home in the 2600 block of Peabody Avenue, just west of Fair Park, at about 7:30 a.m. The incident began with an argument over a parked car, according to Dallas Police Corporal Tramese Andrews. A woman approached her neigbor to ask him to move the car that was blocking her driveway. That request turned into an argument, police said, which resulted in the man retrieving a rifle from his apartment and threatening his neighbor. Dallas police tweeted that they took two people into custody just after 10 a.m. The man has been charged with aggravated assault for threatening his neighbor with the rifle, according to Cpl. Andrews. The woman was in the apartment with the man and has not been charged with a crime, according to police. No one was hurt during the incident. Check back and refresh this page for the latest update. As this story is developing, elements may change. Dallas Police are investigating a deadly shooting in the southeast part of the city overnight. [[380933431,C]] Officials said a woman called 911 and told dispatchers she'd found 57-year-old Clarence Edward Davis inside the house in the 300 block of Palm Oak Drive at about midnight Thursday. Davis was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators said Davis appeared to have been shot multiple times after opening his front door. Witnesses told police they saw a man drive away from the scene shortly after. The case remains under investigation. The Dallas Police Department says one way to prevent a surge in summer violence around the city--is to continue focusing heavily in one two-square-mile stretch of the city in North Dallas. Theyve put hundreds of extra officers in recent months into the Forest Lane-Audelia Road patrol beat off Interstate 635, and the police say the strategy is working. Police Chief David Brown acknowledged that the crime-fighting strategy may seem "counter-intuitive" ---if murders, shootings, and robberies are up around the city, why devote so much manpower to a geographically-insignificant area? "Every area of the city is benefiting from the larger deployment in Forest-Audelia. Its counter-intuitive," Brown said. "You usually have to get to 10 hot-spots, but we dont have the resources to do that right now." In explaining the strategy this week to city council members, Brown said Forest-Audelia is the "hornet's nest" of this year's violent crime spike, where the shootings and gang activity is disproportionately getting out of hand. "Much of the drug trade is about demand. We are seeing increasing drug demand in the Forest-Audelia area, which means drug dealers fighting over turf," Brown said. Local businesses see the problems first-hand, every day. Andy Tran opened up Bos Chicken and Seafood along Forest Lane last May. Tran thought the nearby bus stop and busy foot traffic would be good for his take-out business. "Everything is fried, fried rice, fried chicken, fried seafood," Tran said, packing up a to-go fried chicken order. But he's seen a lot of violence through his windows. Usually, it appears to be a drug deal gone bad. Someone ends up stabbed or assaulted; people scatter in all directions. Occasionally, he hears gunshots. It's bad for business. "When the bad crime happens around this area, we dont do much business that day," he said. This year there have been close to 300 fights, shootings, stabbings or robberies in this small cross-section of north Dallas streets. "I think I want police to do a little more. They need to do more patrol during the day time, during the busy hours, to help us out," Tran said. The police department says they have to keep adding resources there. Right now, 200 officers drive these streets daily. "It just so happens that the crime trends, like a hornets nest, go back to Forest Audelia. The gang, drugs, stuff just goes back to the area," Brown said. "So the effectiveness of us being in that area is how we get the greatest success that weve seen to reduce crime in other places." "Criminals dont have boundaries. They dont have beats, or divisions or units," he explained. NBC 5 found one man walking along Audelia Road, with a gun at his hip. He showed NBC 5 his license to carry, and said he got it for personal safety. "I actually prefer to open carry in this area just because its so bad. Weve lost quite a few people who used to live in the neighborhood," said Carlton Tillman. "I see the police. I know they're out here. But I'm worried especially for the females in my family, when they have to leave their apartments." The police are organizing more community events, and spending more time walking the apartment complexes and visiting mom-and-pop businesses and storefronts. They've also posted electronic signs in the area advising people that there is a heavy police presence and the "Violent Crime Task Force" is deployed in the area. A DPD-organized carnival last week brought out dozens of families. Some residents say its a good start, but it'd be nice if the department could get more officers to live in the community, too. "If they was to put their officers in the apartments, instead of looking over at them like somethings going to fly away, I think that would be better for us moving forward," said Alexander Jordan, a songwriter and car-detailer. "There are a lot of kids that live here, you know what I'm saying, and having an officer that's in their apartment communities with them is better for the positive message they want to get out." Andy Tran agrees more can be done, especially responding to 911 calls faster. "They respond not that quick. Its a little late. Once they get here, all the people are gone already,' he said. But Tran said the last few weeks have been pretty quiet, and that's good for business. Police say violence is down 13 percent from this time last year, thanks in large part to various task forces - Narcotics, Violent Crime and Domestic Violence Warrants - that are embedded in the area during the day. The chief is worried about a summer crime spike, though, over the next few months. He said he's prepared to move officers around even more if it's necessary for public safety. A phony Facebook account claiming to belong to slain North Texas fitness instructor Missy Bevers sent friend requests to Bevers' family and friends after her death, investigators said. Bevers, 45, was found dead April 19 inside Creekside Church of Christ in Midlothian, where she had planned to host an exercise camp. Surveillance video captured a person wearing what appeared to be tactical gear inside the church just before the mother of three arrived. Investigators hoped Bevers' Facebook account would help them identify the person seen on surveillance footage, believed to be between 5-foot-2 and 5-foot-7. Police have not determined whether that person is a man or woman. After her death, a second account was created using Bevers' name and image, police said. The fake account sent friend requests to people Bevers knew, including students of her Camp Gladiator fitness class and her mother-in-law, police told NBC News. Police said they have been trying to find the person responsible for the account, which has since been taken down. "[The] best we can tell so far, the profile is gone, which means a dead end for us," Midlothian Assistant Police Chief Kevin Johnson told NBC News. Investigators said the account may have been a scam, glitch or even a joke. Police continue to investigate the incident and ask the public for help. A $10,000 reward has been offered by Oak Dairy Farms for information resulting in an arrest. Relatively recent changes at Fort Worth-based Bell Helicopter have led to increased air traffic over parts of Tarrant County. "We have done a lot of consolidation of Bell Helicopter over the last several years," said Brian Chase, Director of Global Public Affairs for Bell Helicopter, "Since about 3 to 4 years ago we've done a lot of work in the North Texas area bringing our office space together; part of that was bringing our flight operations and training activities together." The Bell Helicopter Training Academy is located on the company's main campus off East Hurst Boulevard in Fort Worth. "So, we moved our flight operations for training, as well as, classroom activity back down to our main plant. That was for efficiency within the company, but also because we needed more space for full motion-based simulators," Chase said. "So, a lot of this was driven by that consolidation, so now we're basing our training aircraft down here at our main plant off of Highway 10 in Fort Worth, but our training field still exists up at Justin Field, which is just northwest of Texas Motor Speedway. So, that's why we have to transit up through that space to get to Justin field - as we didn't just about a year and a half ago." The original flight path took both northbound and southbound helicopters alongside the 377 corridor, but after some voiced concerns, the company shifted northbound air traffic along Rufe Snow Drive. "As a result of that first pattern, we really knew that we were putting a lot of impact on the 377 corridor based on how we were flying," Chase said. "So, we split that up and were able to reduce that 377 impact really by 50 percent, but it did add helicopter operations up Rufe Snow." The change was made in late March, and was a change that brought helicopter noise to Karin Benningfield's North Richland Hills neighborhood. "They get so loud. There's a couple pictures on our wall and a cross that actually rattle when they go over," Benningfield said. "They're pretty low on some days, especially cloudy days." Benningfield's 19-month-old son naps both morning and afternoon the times she says the majority of helicopters seem to fly. "[It] continually wakes up the baby," Benningfield said. "That's why we were noticing it so much, because he would just sit straight up in bed after he should have been asleep." She understands the need for Bell Helicopter to operate the training, but is hoping for a better solution. The company says it's looking at several options to help mitigate the noise. "We're in contact with the FAA and with Alliance Airport right now," Chase said. "We're looking at a variety of ways of how can we continue to gain altitude in certain parts of that route - don't know what the solution is for that just yet. We're also looking at a longer-term solution with the FAA and carving out a special corridor within the airspace of D/FW, but that can be a very long-term process. It's measured typically in years to do that." "I don't expect - I don't want to tell Bell - 'Hey, I want to live in the country, I want silence,' because I know I don't. I live in the suburbs of Fort Worth and there are people mowing and we have several neighbors with loud mufflers. I get noise in the city. That's not my problem," Benningfield said. "I feel like if we are going to share Tarrant County together, they need to respect us. Their business is important and what they're doing is important, but it doesn't trump just being able to have a quiet neighborhood, not have babies waking up all day long." Those with questions, comments or concerns can email Bell Helicopter at communityinfo@bh.com or call 817-280-9009. A North Texas mom's Facebook live video of herself laughing when putting on a Chewbacca mask went viral during the weekend visited NBC 5 to talk about her sudden rise to fame. "I was just being a stay at home mom, running some errands, really, nothing more than that," Payne said during a recent visit to NBC 5. Grand Prairie's Candace Payne has been on a whirlwind media tour thanks to the wildly popular video that received more than 146 million views and more than 3 million shares as of Wednesday morning. [[380492891,C]] "It's the giggles that you can't stop," Payne explained. Payne found the mask at Kohl's, which sold out of the masks nationwide. "Well, I was trying to find yoga pants and I didn't really find any that worked for me. so, that's another story. I ended up going to the toy section and thought, you know what, I'm here, I'll just get something for the kids, you know how mom's do, you don't buy for yourself, you buy for the kids." Candace Paynes video of her in a Chewbacca mask is the most watched video ever on Facebook Live with 141 million views. The Grand Prairie mother of two came to the NBC 5 studios to talk about how her life has changed since becoming an internet superstar. That's when she literally ran into the mask. "I'd seen it, all the time. but I bumped against it and it made the noise. I didn't even realize it made noise," she said. "I picked up the box and I'm looking at it and I'm thinking I need this, like for me, need this, my kids don't need it, I need it." Kohl's thanked Payne for the publicity giving her more masks for her kids, "Star Wars" toys and $2,500 in gift cards. They even gave her 10,000 rewards points for her birthday. The 4 minute video catapulted Payne to instant celebrity status. North Texas actor Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca in the "Star Wars" movies, called Payne's video "absolutely wonderful" on a Reddit post. He later told Payne, via the "Late Late Show," that he's carved out time to meet her during an upcoming visit to Texas. Payne even met "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" director J.J. Abrams on the show. Her love of Chewy continued during her trip to Facebook's headquarters where it all started. [[380878431, C]] Mark Zuckerberg invited Payne to meet the real Wookie. The two visited and even rode bikes around the Palo Alto campus, which Zuckerberg posted on Facebook. [[380878321, C]] Through it all, Payne remains humble. "I love the love that I'm getting but I'm really not attaching myself to this idea of fame because its so fleeting, it is a flash in the pan," she said. "I just know that what has happened has not been lost on me. I appreciate every single moment of it." u0022Chewbacca Momu0022 Visits NBC 5 Two seniors at South Oak Cliff High School in Dallas will walk across the stage with incredible honors. Landon Finely and Martina Zuniga will be part of a graduating class of 220 students at Ellis Davis Field House. Landon Finely Landon is the youngest of six siblings, all raised by his father Kelvin Finely. My dad always pushed me and encouraged me to be better, he said. Landon's mother died when he was 3 years old, which left an emotional and financial strain on the family. He said he still grieves her. I miss her, but my dad would always remind me to reach for the stars just like my mom did," he said. She was valedictorian in her high school and she was going to college when she died. In the fall, Landon will attend Texas A&M and major in accounting. He received the prestigious Bill Gates Scholarship, meaning his undergraduate and graduate tuition will be paid for in full. My dad is going to be cheering for me the loudest when I walk across the stage," he said. "I think my mom will be clapping for me, too. Martina Zuniga Martina also worked hard during her four years of high school. Not only is she the president of the National Honor Society, she is also mom to 3-year-old Genesis. When I first got pregnant people said Oh, youre going to drop out. Maybe youll finish high school but thats it," she said. "People really looked down on me." While Martina was raising her daughter, she was also taking care of her mother who is on dialysis. Martina is the oldest of eight siblings and wants to set a good example for her family and other teen moms. Getting my diploma will prove that, even though you have a child, you can still achieve so much," she said. "Im a teen mom, but I was also class representative, president of the National Honor Society, I was in the band and I was on the dance team. I didnt let my circumstances stop me. Martina was recently faced with another setback when her father, the biggest supporter in her corner, suffered a stroke the day after prom. Even though he cant move or talk, he'll attend graduation. "I asked the doctors if he could leave the hospital at least for a couple of hours to attend my graduation, " she said. "When I walk across the stage, Im going to staring straight at him. Martina will be the first person in her family to graduate from high school. She was accepted to University of Texas in Dallas, but is still waiting on scholarship money. I want to be close to my parents and continue to help them, but I would love to go to that school," she said. "I hear they have a great education program. My dream is to be an elementary teacher." The Continental Viaduct hike and bike path over the Trinity River was renamed the Ronald Kirk Pedestrian Bridge Wednesday, but it came with bumps in the road at City Hall. Attorney Ron Kirk served as United States Trade Representative for President Barack Obama and before that he was the first African-American to serve as Dallas mayor. "He was a great bridge builder, a consensus builder, bringing together individuals," Dallas City Councilman Erik Wilson said. The viaduct was converted into a pedestrian path after the new Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge beside it made the old span obsolete for vehicles. It has since become a popular gathering spot for exercise and sightseeing. Dallas Pastor Zan Holmes said some people consider bridges "walls turned sideways." "Indeed it was a bridge moment when walls were turned sideways and we walked across those walls to elect Ron Kirk," Holmes said. Kirk is also an original supporter of the 1998 referendum to build a park and toll road along the Trinity River in Dallas. Several Dallas City Council members voted against the name change Wednesday, chiefly because of Kirk's longtime support for the still-controversial roadway. Councilman Philip Kingston said the road alignment Kirk backed will wreck the eastern approach to the bridge renamed for Kirk Wednesday. "It absolutely will ruin that park," Kingston said. "To name this bridge for Ambassador Kirk is a provocation." Councilman Mark Clayton said too many people still oppose the roadway Kirk supported. "They're going to see something that stuck them in the eye," Clayton said. "I'm going to vote no, because to honor a man is give him something that everyone in the community can view as something that honors his true legacy." Councilman Lee Kleinman, a parkway supporter, lashed back at the renaming opponents. "Really, shame on my colleagues, some of my colleagues, for taking this opportunity to grandstand on a controversial topic to take something good, to take something positive for this city and turn it into adversity. It really speaks to the integrity of the council members that want to tear down this city and it upsets me very, very much," Kleinman said. The renaming passed 11-to-3 with Councilman Rickey Callahan, a parkway supporter, absent. Reached by phone, Kirk said he was in New York City on business Wednesday. He said he was humbled and honored by naming the span in his honor. It made her feel like a Princess. Thats how Candace Balbarais describes the wedding dress she planned to wear in two weeks. Now, shes not sure if shell ever put that dress on again. I feel I have anxiety inside. I feel scared, too. What if theyd come inside? she said. On Wednesday morning, Balbarais says she walked out of her home in La Jolla to take her son to pre-school, but found her 2004 Gold Mercedes Benz was gone, with her wedding dress inside. Someone had also broken into the familys SUV. Balbarais had left the dress in the car because shed been meaning to take in to get altered before the June 12th wedding, leaving her to question now why she didnt do it sooner. If Id just done this, if Id just done that, then my dress would still be here. Balbarais filed a police report, and says officers told her theres an 80% recovery rate for stolen cars in San Diego, but its not the car shes most concerned about. The dress maker told her theres not enough time to order a new one. I cant even think about having to buy another one right now, she said. I almost dont feel bad about my car, its just, I really want my wedding dress. So, shes hoping someone sees something or the person who stole the dress hears her plea. Can you please return my stuff. Can you please return my wedding dress. The stolen car is a 2004 Gold Mercedes Benz with tan interior and a childs car seat inside. Anyone with any information is asked to call San Diego Police. It has been nearly four years since a young Antelope Valley father was shot 12 times and killed in broad daylight in a fight turned fatal. Wednesday, investigators arrested the man they believe was man who pulled the trigger on Nov. 29, 2012, killing Brandy Brandon Houston. Cedric Burton has been charged with murder. Sheriff deputies and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office pursued the case despite three men previously being convicted of second degree murder and another man as an accessory in connection with the deadly shooting. The victims family said they always held out hope that the gunman would finally be caught. It's justice, but you know everybody wants to know why, said Chrishonda Coulter, Houston's sister. The same question still looms in the home where family members put up a memorial blanket of Houston. Wednesday, relatives received the call that the man detectives believe shot the 21-year-old dead has been arrested. It was like it's over with, but we still have to relive everything if he choose to take it to trial. It's like a bittersweet thing, Coulter said. For Houstons mother Sheila Kaufman, years of tension are now gone. (Its) scary, she said. By us not knowing him, he might know us, knowing the family. It's scary out there. Chrishonda Coulter said the crime is still puzzling. My brother wasn't a gang-banger. He wasn't out in the streets like that, so for you to kill him and shoot him that many times behind his back... it just makes me feel some type of way. The family said there is not one day that passes without thinking of Brandon. "He was just a warm soul. I mean you get around him and he was like cuddly lovey like a little bear. He was just awesome. He was a new father when he was killed. That baby, Brandon Jr., is now four years old. He is just so goofy. He is like every bit of his daddy but he has a little edge on him, Coulter said. We will show him pictures of Brandon holding him. She said that will remind him of his daddy who now lives in heaven. We still keep him living in our home because, like I said, it still seems so unreal. A reality that years later is still hard to comprehend. Justice is a relief, but peace is never, because that person is not here, so how could I be at peace, she said. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders will appear on the late-night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live'' and hold a rally at Ganesha High School in Pomona on Thursday night on the fifth consecutive day he has campaigned in the Southland. Sanders is expected to discuss the usual themes for his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination at what his campaign has dubbed "A Future to Believe In" rally getting big money out of politics, making public colleges and universities tuition free, combating climate change and ensuring universal health care. Sanders is also scheduled to conduct an afternoon rally at Ventura College as he tries to win votes for the June 7 California primary. Sanders on Thursday sent an email to his national fundraising list to support former Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold's bid to defeat Sen. Ron Johnson in a rematch of their 2010 race. "We are going to have to elect candidates up and down the ballot who recognize that it is too late for establishment politics and economics," Sanders wrote. "Russ led the fight with me to make the Affordable Care Act much stronger in 2009. He voted against the USA Patriot Act and the war in Iraq. He authored and passed landmark campaign finance reform legislation and his campaign is powered by small-dollar contributions like ours." Sanders has previously sent fundraising emails on behalf of congressional candidates in Nevada, New York, Washington and Florida and eight candidates for state legislative seats. "Bernie has always said this movement is about something bigger than him," said Jeff Weaver, Sanders' campaign manager. "Electing more candidates like Russ Feingold means progressives in the Senate can ensure the debates in Washington put working families ahead of corporate profits." On Wednesday, the 74-year-old Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist who would be the nation's first Jewish president, held a midday rally in Cathedral City in Riverside County, and returned to Los Angeles County for a evening event at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds in Lancaster. Also on Wednesday, Sanders announced his support for an initiative that will appear on the November ballot intended to lower the cost of prescription drugs by prohibiting state agencies from paying more for a prescription drug than the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. "We think it's a great start and we applaud the people of California for standing up to the pharmaceutical industry," Sanders said after meeting backers of the initiative in San Bernardino, including actor Danny Glover. Opponents say the measure would cause shortages of prescription drugs, mimicking the lack of affordable apartments under rent control. His death was a robbery, that's how the family of Clifton Hibbert sees his murder on March 28, 2008. "They robbed me big time. They robbed me of the fruit of my labor," said the victim's mother Donna Brown. Brown looks back on the day her son was killed eight years ago and still can't form the words to explain how it changed her life forever. "I realize that love does not die. That's why I'm standing here now, seeking justice for him," Brown said. Hibbert grew up in Santa Monica. He was home for Spring Break from California State University, Northridge -- where he was about to graduate in just two months -- when LAPD detectives say someone stole his future. "This wasn't just a regular birthday party or something going on, this was a double murder," said Det. Jason Turner. Turner, who works in LAPD's South Bureau Criminal Gang Division, is the lead on what has now become a cold case -- eight years after 22-year-old Hibbert and 23-year-old Kenneth Patterson were shot at point-blank range in the 4200 block of South Figueroa. The identities of the two killers, a man and a woman, remain unknown. Crime scene photos show shell-casings scattered on the pavement, blood trails that show one of the men tried to run for his life. Detectives say they believe the woman involved may be a prostitute who worked in the area, but they are still waiting for the clue that helps close the case. "This is Kenny when he was little," said Shelia Kines as she points out photos. Kines, who is Patterson's mother, has never spoken publicly about her son's murder until now. "Right today now, I know exactly who did it," Kines said. Kines has a theory on the shooters and thinks one of them even attended her son's funeral. "Come walking up to me and I said this is my son's killer. He hugged me," she said. LAPD has not been able to link any evidence to that, though, still hoping for someone to come forward -- claim a $75,000 reward -- that eight years later remains active. Clifton's family and friends lean on his memory. "The world lost an amazing person that would have made a difference in this world," Brown said. It was May 27, 1936 when the Queen Mary made her maiden voyage. In the years that followed, the cruise liner would cement herself in the history books. Built in the United Kingdom in the 1930s, the Queen Mary was designed to link the Old World with the New, carrying passengers from England to New York. But when World War II broke out, it became a transport ship for thousands of troops, including William Spurrier. "It was a journey and it was an adventure," Spurrier said. The Southern California native was 20 years old and in the Army Air Corps the day he boarded the ship on his way to war. "They said it was the Queen Mary and we all said Wow, this is big!" he remembered. Built to carry about 2,000 passengers in luxury, the ship had to be converted to carry up to 15,000 troops at a time. Spurrier said there were bunks everywhere, including in the elaborate Art Deco pool, which was drained and filled with bunks. "The tiered bunks were about five bunks high and if I remember there wasn't much room, like 18 inches in between bunks, so the bunk above you when the guy got in it, it was touching your nose." During the war the Grand Salon was tuned into a mess hall, which was in constant use throughout the day. Troops had 20 minutes to eat before the next shift came in. Eggs had to be boiled 1,000 at a time using steam jetted up from the boiler room. "She's a remarkable ship. She clearly was a military weapon but she was ultimately the ship that provided our freedoms and liberties and that's very moving, said Randolph Churchill, great-grandson of Great Britains wartime prime minister, Sir Winston Churchill. The elder Churchill used the Queen Mary as his headquarters at sea during the war. "She's living history and seeing the thrill on people's faces when they come on board and to simply feel that part of history is a great excitement, as it was for me today." It's a history which lives on 80 years after her maiden voyage. The Queen Mary, long docked in Long Beach, admission to the ship will be free Friday in celebration of the 80th anniversary celebrations. Surveillance video shows the bizarre confrontation as two victims fight off a woman with a knife before police open fire on the suspected carjacker in Santa Ana Tuesday. Witnesses said the wild interaction began at Newhope and 5th streets when a woman in her 20s grabbed a water jug, acted as if it were a canteen of gasoline, and began dumping it over cars in a parking lot. "She was going after pretty much everybody. She was going nuts," Jose Reynoso, a manager at El Mercado La Rancherita, said. People began running into the market to get away from the woman, later identified as 27-year-old Alma Ramirez, surveillance video from El Mercado La Rancherita showed. But as people began running inside, they realized they couldn't lock the door. Seconds later, the video shows a couple struggling to keep the woman with a large kitchen knife out. They held the door shut tight, but the woman managed to pull it open and lunge toward the couple, the surveillance footage showed. The couple, Lorenzo Folch and his wife, was closing up shop at their hair salon when the woman lunged at them with the knife, Folch said. Folch said the woman grabbed his keys and tried to steal his car before the bizarre confrontation, and he and his wife ran to the market. Folch suffered a cut from the knife amid the struggle to shut the market's door. At some point, two other men tried to intervene and were cut as well. After Ramirez fled on a bike, Santa Ana police officers responded to the 3300 block of West 5th Street. Snapchat video captured a Santa Ana police officer opening fire on Ramirez as she fled with the knife. She was taken to the hospital and had surgery. Ramirez was arrested on suspicion of carjacking and assault with a deadly weapon. Police records revealed Ramirez was arrested the week before on suspicion of public intoxication. No officers were injured. Two months after a Southern California barber cited scripture as a reason for denying a haircut to a transgender Army veteran, Kendall Oliver has filed suit, alleging a violation of civil rights. Oliver, an Army reserve sergeant who served in Afghanistan, filed a lawsuit against The Barbershop in Rancho Cucamonga, citing an incident last March when the shop refused to cut Oliver's hair. "What I'm looking for today is to make sure this never happens again to someone else," said Oliver, who was born female but identifies "more as male." Owner Richard Hernandez said in March that his Christian religious beliefs forbid him from cutting a woman's hair. "It is a shame for a man to have long hair. But if a woman has long hair, it is her glory," Hernandez told NBC4's Mekahlo Medina in March, paraphrasing scripture, the Apostle Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, 11:15. "I don't want to be one who's taking away from her glory," Hernandez said. Oliver's attorney contends the central issue is equal rights. "Freedom of religion is important and it's protected," said attorney Peter Renn of Lambda Legal, which works on behalf of LBGT rights. "What it doesn't do is give anyone the right to cause harm to someone else, or for one person to inflict their religious beliefs on someone else." The Barbershop declined comment on the lawsuit Wednesday. An employee said the owner was out of town. "The odds of the barber being able to implement this policy are extremely low," said Michael Helfand, a legal scholar not involved in the case. An associate professor at Pepperdine University School of Law, Helfand is an expert on religious law and religious liberty. Unless the owner operated The Barbershop as a private club, it would be considered a public accommodation, and as such cannot discriminate on the basis of sex under California law, Helfand said. The calculus likely would be different in other states that have enacted what are known as religious freedom laws, modeled after the 1993 federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, according to Helfand. "In those states, he might have a fighting chance. In those states, a law that prohibited him from implementing his religious beliefs in his commercial enterprise -- such a law might be deemed to actually substantially burden his religion, and therefore he'd be protected," Helfand said. "But California doesn't have such a law. California only prohibits laws from discriminating against religion. As a result, anti-discrimination laws don't discriminate against religion, they just implement neutral laws against everybody. As a result, he's unlikely to be successful in defending this suit." Helfand personally favors state laws that enable courts to consider religious burden in complying with a law. "In a case like this, though -- again -- to be clear, it's very likely that the public policy is extremely strong," he said. "But cases like this do raise the question as to whether or not California law should reconsider the fact that it does not have any kind of law in place that allows you to balance religion against other public policy interests." Oliver spoke of feeling humiliated at being denied the same treatment provided to other customers that day at The Barbershop. In the view of Oliver's attorney, this case is about more than a haircut denied. "No business has the right to inflict moral judgment," said Renn. Jack Black is probably best known for comedies like "School of Rock" and his voice work in the "Kung Fu Panda" films. So some fans may have been startled a year ago to see how he was affected by his encounter in Uganda with a homeless boy named Felix. "People were very moved and also a little shocked to see me in that kind of context, because usually I'm just clowning around and making people laugh," Black told NBC's Joe Fryer in a segment that aired Wednesday on "Today." Black's trip to Uganda was part of the first U.S. edition of Red Nose Day. He is returning this year with a lighter segment for The Red Nose Day Special, airing Thursday, May 26 (9-11 p.m. ET) on NBC. Craig Ferguson will host the live, two-hour extravaganza, which will feature Black, Ellen DeGeneres, Paul Rudd, Key and Peele and many more celebrities. Red Nose Day, a global movement to fight kids' poverty, has raised over $1 billion globally in the last 25 years. A man and a woman were shot and injured while sitting in a car in Miami Beach Thursday morning, officials said. According to Miami Beach Police, two vehicles were involved in the shooting at Ninth and Collins avenues just before 8 a.m. The two victims were taken to Mt. Sinai Medical Center. Their conditions were not released, but their injuries were said to be non-life threatening. Surveillance cameras from a nearby hotel captured the drive-by shooting and show a white car driving past and opening fire at the other car. Police have one person of interest in custody. They said Kareem Stuart was arrested on unrelated charges but said he was driving a car that matched the description of the one from the shooting. A gun was also recovered at the scene, police said. Police are working to confirm whether the shooting was connected to an earlier shooting at the Mokai Lounge nightclub, located at 235 23rd Street in Miami Beach. No further information was immediately available. A man accused of giving buttocks-enhancing injections that resulted in the death of a woman in Miami-Dade in 2013 appeared in court Thursday where he was ordered held on $350,000 bond. Jose Robusto, 43, was arrested over the weekend on charges of manslaughter and practicing medicine without a license in the death of 28-year-old Suyima Torres. His bond had been revoked because of certain violations. Robusto didn't qualify for a public defender and said he would be hiring his own attorney in the next couple weeks. "The facts in the A-form are absolutely horrific and the state believes he is an extreme flight risk," prosecutor Warren Eth said. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Yvonne Colodny agreed with prosecutors and issued the large bond amount. If he does bond out he'll be on complete lockdown on house arrest wearing a GPS ankle monitor. Torres had gone to a clinic on West Flagler Street where she paid $2,300 for butt injections. About 10 hours after the procedure allegedly administered by Robusto, Torres was dead. Robusto went back to his home in Venezuela, but came back to Florida three years later, this past weekend. Police arrested him at the airport. Robusto is due back in the courtroom on June 20th to be formally charged with manslaughter for the death of the 28-year-old mother of two young children. Suspected criminals, busted during Operation Save Our Streets, faced a judge Wednesday. Mike Mendoza, 20, was caught during the operation in Brickell Tuesday evening and was in bond court Wednesday, facing charges of burglary and grand theft. His alleged partner-in-crime is Mark Lodigensky, 62. "Two cases April 19, one from April 13 and one from April 14," said Judge Mindy Glazer, Miami-Dade Bond Court. Detectives said the duo targeted homes in Downtown Miami and the nearby areas. Both wore hats and latex gloves, according to the arrest report. One victim told police she surprised the burglars in her apartment, as they left with backpacks full of her jewelry and electronics. One of the defendants appealed to the judge to lower his bond. "I have a heart condition. I have atrial fibrillation and it's pretty bad, and I'm not getting any medication," Lodigensky said. The judge was not swayed and gave him a total bond of $60,000. Mendoza got $35,000. Operation Save Our Streets is an anti-crime initiative by the City of Miami Police Department, with a focus on robberies, burglaries, thefts, graffiti and other crimes. "During this operation, we were able to put an end to this duo pulling off burglaries in the Brickell area," said Officer Kenia Fallat with Miami Police. Both defendants have prior convictions, with some dating back to the 80s. They will be back in court later this month for their arraignments. It's unknown whether they have attorneys. A male riding a bicycle was shot and killed and his body left in an alley way in Liberty City overnight Monday. Miami Police say the male's body was found in an alley at 650 Northwest 49th Street lying next to the bicycle. Police believe the shooting may have occurred around 2 a.m. Monday. The victim has not been identified by police. No further information was immediately available. This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available. The Broward Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help in identifying a man who allegedly drugged his date and then stole from him. According to BSO, an Oakland Park man woke up dazed and confused after having possibly been drugged by a man he met at a bar the previous night. The victim told detectives he does not remember anything that took place after they arrived at his home. Detectives are searching for the suspect, who was captured on video leaving the victim's home on May 22. The suspect stole a laptop, an iPhone 6S and the victim's wallet. He's described as having a medium complexion, shaved head, 5'8" and 165 pounds, and approximately 38-45 years of age. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-TIPS. She's in charge of five fire stations in the north end of Miami and also oversees the Miami Fire-Rescue's dive team and technical rescue team. But Melissa Llera is even more than that at Miami Fire-Rescue, she's the department's first female chief fire officer. "I spent time as a firefighter and as a lieutenant and as a captain before getting to the rank of chief," Chief Fire Officer Llera said. It's the highest rank ever held by any female in the history of the department. "I always knew that it was possible one day, I just didn't think I would be the first one," Chief Fire Officer Llera said. A department where, similar to the profession, women are largely under represented. Currently, the agency has 749 firefighters and only 38 of them are women. That's less than six percent. Those are numbers the fire chief is working to get up. "I've been on staff from one position or another since 1994, always seen this as a challenge and been chief since 2009. So now in a better position to do things about it," said Chief Maurice Kemp. Chief Kemp said one thing he's done is make it a priority for the department to recruit more women. All recruits for Miami Fire-Rescue train at a facility where another high ranking female is one of those in charge. "If anything, I personally hold the female recruits in this academy to a higher level, knowing what it's like to be in this profession," said Capt. Dena Burton. Capt. Burton knows all about the challenges female firefighters face. She said the greatest is physical. "Because of their upper body strength, they have to work twice as hard for the physical complement," Capt. Burton said. Of course, fighting fires isn't all physical. It requires bravery and a certain amount of selflessness. If you spend time with Chief Fire Officer Llera, you would find out those qualities exist, but in addition, she's very humble. During our interview about her success as a woman, she took the spotlight off herself. "There's been a lot of women before me. I thank them for what they had to live through. So they really paved the way for the women in the fire service today," she said. When asked what it all means to her, she mentioned the children in her life, especially the 9-year-old, whose picture sits on her desk. "My son is very proud of me. I've done countless school presentations for family and friends and I really do take pride in the fact that I'm showing these kids, especially the girls, that they can be firefighters some day and really be whatever they want," Chief Fire Officer Llera expressed. A Florida day care worker has been arrested after deputies say she pulled a chair out from underneath a student. Orlando-area news outlets report Belinda Greer was charged Tuesday with child abuse in connection with last month's incident at the Children's House of Learning in Sorrento. Lake County sheriff's deputies say surveillance footage appears to show Greer walking over and pulling out the chair from underneath the 4-year-old boy. Deputies say the child fell to the floor and hit his head. Video shows he remained on the floor for about five minutes. Another teacher in the room reported the incident to the day care's director. Deputies say Greer admitted to pulling the chair but said he didn't hit his head. It's unclear if she has an attorney. Two South African campers had a close encounter with lions who licked the tent they were in at a campsite in Botswana. Danie and Fransie Lubbe said Wednesday that they were in their tent at the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park earlier this month when they heard a sound and looked outside to see two female lions licking the moisture off the tent's canvas. A third lioness was nearby. "My wife said 'There are lions at the tent!'" said Danie Lubbe. She closed the tent flap, but Danie quickly reopened it to see the lions right at their tent. "We were actually more excited to have them so close than being scared in their presence," said Fransie Lubbe. "I think it was a very big privilege to be in their presence, so close to nature." Danie Lubbe took photos of the lions as they circled the tent and their barbeque grill and then eventually ambled away. He said he and his wife were not scared and felt privileged to be so close to the lions. Kgalagadi park straddles the borders of Botswana and South Africa. A 4-year-old boy died Thursday after he fell down an elevator shaft at a private parking garage in Brooklyn, authorities say. FDNY responded to 841 Union St. in Park Slope at about 8 p.m. Wednesday and found the boy at the bottom of the shaft, officials said. Police said the boy was on the third floor of the garage with a parking attendant and his parents before he fell. The parking garage is for private condos and residents own individual spots. Although residents normally don't go up to their cars, the parents wanted to grab something quickly, so an attendant made an exception and went up with them. The parents lost sight of the boy for just a moment and he somehow fell through a 10-inch gap between the elevator and the third floor. First responders rushed the boy to New York Methodist Hospital, where he died Thursday. Three men or boys were stabbed early Thursday morning during a large fight near a major Manhattan hospital, police said. First responders were called to the corner of 168th Street and Broadway in Washington Heights just before 12:15 a.m. for a report of a stabbing. The corner is adjacent to New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, one of the largest hospitals in the U.S. Three males it's unclear if they were men or boys got into a fight with a larger group of males, according to police. The three males were stabbed during the fight and walked into the hospital with stab wounds. Their conditions weren't immediately known. The NYPD said they were being uncooperative with police. After the heroic rescue of a straphanger who fell onto the subway tracks, some New Yorkers are wondering what to do if they suffer the same fate. A young man sprang into action Wednesday after watching a subway patron become ill and fall onto the tracks at Canal and Lafayette streets. The 19-year-old jumped onto the tracks and pushed the man under the platform as the 6 train approached. Knowing how to react in situations like these, as the young man did, can be the difference between life and death for the 5.7 million people who ride the subway each weekday. Transit experts give these survival tips for falling on the tracks: Try to climb out with the help of someone who can help hoist you. Lie down between the tracks, depending on the depth of the tracks. Get to the side of the track. Step between the girders that separate tracks (but this involves stepping over the third rail, which carries more than 600 volts of electricity). Try to outrun the train as it stops in the station. There is no blanket solution when it comes to falling onto the tracks of a subway, and it is to be taken case by case. Just about any risk is worth taking," Jim Gannon, spokesman for the Transit Workers Union told the AP, because "if you get hit by a train, your chances of survival are not good." A popular Upper East Side pizzeria has been selling slices without a permit for nearly a year since it reopened down the street from its old location. Zestys was a neighborhood fixture for nearly 30 years before the restaurant reportedly lost its lease and had to relocate to an old laundromat at the corner of Third Avenue and East 93rd Street. Now called Zesty Pizzeria & Salumeria, the restaurant opened last June without getting the required green light from the Health Department. The department this week cited the restaurant for operating without a permit and other violations including food temperature and rodent activity. Those are relatively common violations among restaurants in the city. The Buildings Department previously cited Zesty for building its back deck without a permit. Asked by NBC 4 New York on Wednesday why the pizza place didnt have a letter grade in the window, owner Salvatore Grimaldi said they just got it yesterday. The company was inspected on Tuesday, and was told told to apply immediately for a permit, the Health Department said. Grimaldi said "of course" his restaurant could open before receiving their letter grade. But the Health Department said that while a restaurant gets a grace period, it doesnt last as long as Zesty has received. Most customers Wednesday didnt care whether the shop has been cutting corners along with its pies. "Not at all. I just go cause it tastes delicious, said Christian Minich. Added another customer, Merita Purellku: "If I had to give it a grade, I would give an A-plus." Grimaldi, who is reportedly not related to the founders of the famous Grimaldi's pizzeria in Brooklyn, said those who complain just want a slice of his success. "People are jealous. I think so," he said. If the company fails to apply for a permit, additional enforcement actions will be taken and the restaurant risks being shut down, the Health Department said. Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino announced on Thursday a series of initiatives to combat the potential threat of Zika virus in the area, including passing out larva-eating fish to residents. There have been no locally acquired cases of Zika in Westchester. Nevertheless, I want to assure you that Westchester County is working diligently to address Zika. The Countys action plan includes education, surveillance and mosquito control, he said. Astorino, joined by the countys health commissioner, spoke at a playground in Valhalla Thursday afternoon to announce the plan. The county will give residents minnows that can eat mosquito larva for backyard ponds; apply larvacide to basins and county roads; double the number of mosquito trap sites; and target specific areas for ground spraying, if Zika is found in the county. On Thursday, county health department workers were out and about, spraying spots with stagnant water with larvacide. As many as 45,000 catch basins were treated across the county. "Thst disrupts the growth cycle of the mosquito," said John Ruggiero of the Westchester Health Department. Westchester Health Department officials were also advising residents to do things around their house to keep mosquito populations at bay. They said to clear out storm drains, make sure to avoid letting items like kayaks or buckets fill with water and to treat bird baths with "mosquito dunks," which keep mosquitos away but dont' harm birds. Any resident who would like mosquito repellent or dunks can visit westchestergov.com. The county asks residents to report standing water at abandoned pools and other places to the health department at (914) 813-5000. Most suicide attempts in the American Armed forces come from those who haven't been deployed, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association's JAMA Psychiatry. The period of highest risk was just two months after starting military service, according to the study of more than 163,000 men and women in the Army from 2004 through 2009. It found that 61 percent of those who tried to take their own lives had not yet been deployed. It's not precisely clear why suicide attempts as opposed to completed suicides go up at these times. Other research shows the risk for a completed suicide has little to do with whether someone has been in actual combat. "They are transitioning out of training and into regular service," Dr. Robert Ursano of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, who helped lead the study, told NBC News. A Utah man said he was assaulted by another customer for taking his young daughter with him to the mens room at a Wal-Mart, NBC News reported. Christopher Adams told NBC affiliate KSL a confrontation ensued at a Clinton, Utah, Wal-Mart over the weekend when he took his 7-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter, Emery, to the restroom. Adams said the other man said he objected to Emery being in the mens room. The man then allegedly punched Adams in the face and kicked him in the knee multiple times. Police said the aggressor was cited at the scene for disorderly conduct. The city attorney was screening a potential assault charge, according to KSL. Editor's note: This article was first published in May 2016. A powerful image of a West Point cadet standing at attention, tears streaking his face, has come to symbolize the raw emotion surrounding graduation from the prestigious military academy. "At this moment, I was overwhelmed with emotions," 2nd Lt. Alix Schoelcher Idrache, who came to the U.S from Haiti in 2009, wrote in a comment on West Point's Instagram post. Idrache was one of nearly 1,000 cadets honored at West Point commencement on May 21. The academy's top-ranking physics graduate, Idrache will attend the Army Aviation Center for Excellence in July to pursue his dream of becoming a pilot. That dream was born years ago in Haiti, where Idrache watched in awe as Chinooks on humanitarian missions descended on his native Port-au-Prince, according to the Army. "People where I'm from don't grow up to be pilots right? Like they don't dream of flying a helicopter, that's not something you do," Idrache said in an interview posted on the Army's website. Inspired and motivated by his father, who dropped out of school at 14 to provide for his family, Idrache devoted himself to his studies. In 2009, he joined his dad in the U.S. and enlisted in the Maryland Army National Guard, where he served until 2012. While in the National Guard, Idrache was drawn to West Point, but applying there, he thought, was a shot in the dark. Four years later, he graduated with honors. He paid homage on Instagram to the cadets who have gone before him. "Men and women who have preserved the very essence of the human condition stood in that position and took the same oath. Men who preserved the Union is a dark period of this country's history. Men who scaled the face of adversity and liberated Europe from fascism and nazism," he wrote. "Women like CPT Griest, LT Haver, MAJ Jaster who rewrote the narrative and challenged the status quo to prove themselves worthy of being called Rangers." The image posted on Facebook and Instagram has garnered thousands of likes, shares and comments. Idrache thanked those who shared kind words and said he would never forget that moment. "Knowing that one day I will be a pilot is humbling beyond words. I could not help but be flooded with emotions knowing that I will be leading these men and women who are willing to give their all to preserve what we value as the American way of life. To me, that is the greatest honor." An NBC10 investigation found public housing executives earning more than the federal limit. According to Housing and Urban Developments latest records, 302 federally funded public housing executives earned more than $157,100. The federal government wont cover salaries above that limit. The extra money comes from local sources. Eight Philadelphia public housing executives currently earn more than the federal limit, including Philadelphia Housing Authority President Kelvin Jeremiah. His salary is $243,390.66, according to housing authority records. You have to pay them a rate that would attract and retain them, Jeremiah said when asked why the salaries exceeded the federal limit. This year, the Philadelphia Housing Authority will have to come up with an extra $146,031 to pay excess executive salaries. According to documentation provided by the housing authority, $24,967 will come from the sale of obsolete equipment including sidewalk sweepers, duct tape rolls and electrical wire. Jeremiah said investment income will cover the rest but did not provide documentation showing the source of that money. The housing authoritys 2015 financial audit shows it earned $14.1 million from investments last year. Use it for what the purpose of public housing is for safe, affordable housing, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa said. Grassley has introduced legislation to stop housing authorities from using local money to pay executives. In 2014, the Department of Housing and Urban Development found six public housing authorities using federal money to pay excess executive salaries. Three of them are in Northern New Jersey. All had to return the excess money. A young boy found his fathers loaded gun inside his book bag while in school. The boys father, who works as a security guard and has a permit to carry, told police he was rushing to put out the trash Wednesday morning and placed his gun inside his sons bag but forgot that he put it there. He then dropped his son off at Grover Cleveland Mastery Charter School in the Tioga section of Philadelphia. The boy, who is a second-grade student, was in class when he discovered the weapon inside his bag. The boy told his teacher who removed the gun and notified police. No one was hurt during the incident. Officials at the school later sent a letter notifying parents. Police told NBC10 the entire ordeal appears to be a bad mistake but no charges will be filed. A Pennsylvania school district -- with the motto "thriving: every heart, every mind, every day" on its website -- apologized after quotes from Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin and an Islamic State terrorist leader were printed in the graduating class section of this year's high school yearbook. Quaker Valley School District sent out an email to parents Wednesday that stated that, "though the content of the quotes was reviewed thoroughly, the attributions clearly were not," reported the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "This is a regrettable mistake, as the school district would never knowingly condone this messaging in a school-sponsored publication," said the statement signed by superintendent Heidi Ondek, high school principal Deborah Riccobelli and yearbook sponsor and English teacher Tamra Rosa. "We are well aware of the emotions this has conjured in many of our students and their families, and for that we are sorry." The Hitler quote is "Words build bridges into unexplored regions" while Stalin's statement is more menacing: "Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, so why would we let them have ideas?" The third quote is from Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: "Be just: the unjust never prosper. Be valiant. Keep you word, even to your enemies." Students can get a refund on the books -- which cost range for $69 to upwards of $100 -- or stickers to cover up the quotes. The high school features 637 students in grades 9 to 12, according to the district website. A teenage boy was taken into custody after he allegedly threatened to bring a gun to school to commit a murder-suicide. On Wednesday, a student at Triton Regional High School in Runnemede, NJ, told the Vice Principal that Steven Gilboy, 18, planned on coming to the school during dismissal with a gun to shoot and kill two students before turning the weapon on himself. Officials say Gilboy is a Senior at the school and was at home on suspension. School officials immediately notified police who went to Gilboys home in Blackwood, New Jersey shortly after 1 p.m. The officers searched the house but did not recover a weapon. Gilboy was taken into custody and charged with one count of terroristic threats before being released. While being questioned, Gilboy denied the accusations against him. He denies everything, said Captain Paul Dailey of the Runnemede Police Department. But as you well know, due to the tragedies weve had in Boston and Connecticut, we cannot take these threats lightly. We have to act on every threat, regardless of how small it is or how large it is. Sources tell NBC10s Nefertiti Jaquez that Gilboy has been arrested in the past as a juvenile. Triton High School officials sent a message to parents, informing them of the alleged threat. Both Runnemede and Gloucester Township Police searched through the school property but did not find anything. Officials say there was no immediate threat to any students in the school. A San Diego County Grand Jury is recommending changes to the City of San Diegos police oversight board that include revisions to the board member recruitment process, independent legal counsel for the board and compensation for board members. The citys police oversight board, the Citizens Review Board (CRB) on Police Practices serves as watchdog designated to hold San Diego Police Department (SDPD) officers accountable for alleged misconduct and protect police from unfair discipline. Last year, two former board members told NBC 7 Investigates, the board has a fixed and ineffective review process. They said the process subverts the board's intent, something thats detrimental not just for citizens but for SDPD officers as well. The Grand Jury report was initiated after it received several citizen complaints related to police officer behavior in San Diego, according this news release. The issue of independent review and openness of the review process was a common thread in all of those complaints, Melinda Richards, Foreman for the San Diego County Grand Jury said in an email to NBC 7 Investigates. The recommendations outlined in the report for the Citizen Review Board include: Provide independent legal counsel to the CRB Prepare and submit annual reports of its actions Revise the recruitment and appointment processes for board members to encourage broader citizen involvement Provide limited compensation for board member time and involvement The City of San Diego has until August to respond to the Grand Jury's recommendations. San Diego City Council members and the City of San Diegos Charter Review Committee have been discussing changes similar to the recommendations included in the Grand Jury report released Wednesday. The Board was approved by voters in 1988 to help relieve tensions in the city after the shooting death of a police officer by a young black man in southeast San Diego. According to the Grand Jury report, all local cities meet the state requirements for reviewing police behavior complaints but not all cities have a formal citizen oversight board. There is no mandate by the state that an oversight board exist, Richards said. The state requires a written procedure for complaint review. The Grand Jury believes a citizen oversight board ensures a more open process and increases trust in local law enforcement. In San Diego County, the Citizens Review Board handles cases within the City of San Diego and the San Diego County Sheriff's Department Citizens' Law Enforcement Review Board, CLERB, handles cases from Santee, Vista, Lemon Grove, Poway, San Marcos, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Imperial Beach, Encinitas, San Diego County Sheriffs Department including all deaths inside county jails and juvenile detention facilities. The police agencies in El Cajon, La Mesa, Escondido, Oceanside, Carlsbad, Chula Vista, and Coronado review complaints internally and do not have a review process that involves the public, according to the report. Click here to read the full report. In the report, the Grand Jury recommendations for CLERB include: Review CLERB recruitment and appointment processes to encourage broader citizen involvement. Provide limited compensation for board member time and involvement. The Grand Jury recommendation for the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, Escondido, Oceanside, Carlsbad, Chula Vista and Coronado include: Establish a Citizen Review Board or Commission or consider the formation of regional review boards that serve more than one jurisdiction According to its report, the Grand Jury interviewed members of CLERB, the CRB, San Diego City Council members, police chiefs and Sheriff's Department staff; it also surveyed the seven cities in the county that do not have independent review boards. All cities provided a response, according to the report. NBC 7 Investigates is working for you. If you have more information about this or other story tips, contact us: (619) 578-0393, NBC7Investigates@nbcuni.com. To receive the latest NBC 7 Investigates stories subscribe to our newsletter. When faced with a lawsuit, it's the San Diego City Council that decides if the city should fight or settle a case. If there's a payout, it isn't the San Diego Police Department or the individual officers that are held financially responsible. Its taxpayers. It's a matter of risk management," Frederick Schenk, personal injury attorney said. "The members of the City Council have to weigh the merit of the case, the likelihood of outcome and whether the plaintiff is going to have credibility with a jury. Then they have to weigh that against what is the cost of going to trial versus the cost of settling the case." NBC 7 Investigates reviewed every settled lawsuit involving SDPD since 2008. Payouts, categorized by fiscal year, range from $1.1 million in 2008 to nearly $5 million in 2013, and $9.5 million in 2015. "If you look at it, there are two years where there are peaks and its reflective of incidents that occurred. Otherwise the numbers aren't particularly burdensome, Schenk said. Car accidents, property damage, insurance claims and police officer misconduct allegations are just some of the incidents settlement payments have covered, according to city data. On average, according to the date, SDPD settles 177 claims per year, the majority being for $10,000 or less. The data shows some of the biggest individual payouts involve police officer misconduct allegations. In 2013, Ashley Brooks received $350,000 dollars after she said she was slammed to the ground by an SDPD officer outside Qualcomm Stadium during a Chargers game. The data shows Pablo Gomez was paid over $5 million in damages between 2010 and 2012. He said he fractured his skull as he was knocked to the ground by an officer. Last year, the annual settlement amount increased to $9.5 million dollars. One woman receiving more than $2 million after former SDPD officer Christopher Hays pleaded guilty to illegally detaining and groping her and three other women. Another victim, paid $5.9 million after former cop, Anthony Arevalos was convicted of sexually assaulting her and other women while on duty. The victim said the 18-year police veteran lead her to a convenience store bathroom, assaulted her and asked for her underwear in exchange for letting her go without a DUI arrest. Attorney Joseph Dicks represented that victim. He said, if there is any outrage to be had it should be had at the conduct underlying the settlement. Not the settlement, not the courageous person who dared to stand up against a very strongly entrenched governmental agency. Neither the City of San Diego or SDPD would comment on the settlement data. Last year a federal review of SDPD found, "gaps in policies and practices, a lack of consistent supervision at many levels, and a failure to hold personnel accountable within SDPD led to the series of misconduct cases. Click here to read full audit. http://ric-zai- inc.com/Publications/cops-w0756- pub.pdf Schenk, who was not involved in any of the large settlements but represents people who make similar claims, says SDPD has already implemented some of the recommendations made in the report. Chief Zimmerman has instituted important changes. There is mandatory reporting for misconduct on part of another officer. She has also instituted a review process that looks at misconduct that was not there before and she also instituted the body cameras. Dicks says he believes it's not enough. This audit was a nice start. It didn't go nearly far enough. It didn't demand change it only made suggestions. The problem is we don't have complete transparency. Images of four people wanted in the brutal beating of a University of San Diego student in Mission Beach were released Thursday by San Diego Police. Three men and one woman got into an argument with two men on San Luis Rey Place at 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 21, police said. The fight moved into the alley near Strandway at Asbury Court where it was captured on surveillance video. The mixture of student tenants and weekend visitors came to a boil in Mission Beach over the weekend. NBC 7s Dave Summers reports. One USD student was knocked to the ground, beaten and kicked. His head was stomped on the concrete and the blow caused a brain bleed and a concussion, police said. "One of the suspects jumped into the air and landed both of his feet on top of one of the victims head, rendering him unconscious," according to a San Diego CrimeStoppers alert. Another student was kicked and hit but suffered no serious injuries. The whole incident lasted less than a minute. Residents heard screams and rushed to help. Just painful screams and people yelling stop you're going to kill him, witness Misha Osinovskiy. In a statement released Tuesday, University of San Diego administrators said they have contacted the students involved in the incident. "We are committed to working with students on being responsible citizens wherever they live," Pamela Gray Payton, MSEL, Asst. Vice President, Media Communications said in a written statement. She said the university "will follow up accordingly" after the SDPD investigation is complete. Police have made no arrests in connection with this fight. Witnesses say besides those involved were from out of town and had been renting a house nearby for the weekend but have already returned home. Male suspects are described as in their 20s, 5-feet, 10-inches to 6-feet tall with brown hair. Other information includes full beard, with burgundy t-shirt, light colored pants, and black shoes; Thin build, with a black hooded sweatshirt, long sleeved white t-shirt, black shorts, and black shoes; Wearing black hooded sweatshirt with High Times written on the back, brown pants, and black shoes. The woman was described as in her early 20s, with a thin build and wearing a light colored t-shirt and black shorts. Anyone with information on the identity or location of the suspects can call SDPDs Northern Division at (858) 552-1700 or the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580-8477. The body found inside a car at the bottom of ravine in Poway yesterday has been identified. Aaron Kyle Mahaffey, 25, a resident of Sorrento Valley area, was reported missing since May 20. A mountain biker discovered Mahaffeys body Tuesday afternoon while riding along Scripps Poway Parkway, east of Danielston Street, according to theSan Diego Sheriffs Department (SDSO). Deputies said the vehicle appeared to have been traveling westbound on Scripps Poway Parkway when it drove off the road into the canyon. According to SDSO, the actual crash happened sometime between Thursday and Friday night last week. SDSO Sergeant David Cheever told NBC 7 someone did report the vehicle in the ravine on Monday but there were no reports made of a body in the car. If there had been an initial report of a body discovered, the sergeant said that would have made the call a higher priority and deputies would have responded immediately. Veteran Broadway musician David Geist will return to his old stomping grounds next week to perform at his alma mater, Crawford High School, in San Diego. Geist, a San Diego native, is set to headline a benefit concert at his former school on June 1 at 7 p.m. The show will raise money to support educational enrichment programs at Crawford High School. Geist a concert pianist, cabaret performer, composer and conductor has performed in more than 30 hit Broadway shows including Cats, Wicked and The Boy From Oz starring Hugh Jackman. He has also directed Tony Award-winning artists in their own concerts. When he isnt on Broadway, Geist runs a cabaret room in Santa Fe, New Mexico. However, the pianist calls San Diego home and credits Crawford High School as the place that prepared him for musical success. Geist graduated from the school in 1980. As a student there, he remembers directing school productions of Guys and Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof and Cabaret. It was a great time for me. I really believe that Crawford is the reason I was able to develop as an artist, Geist said in a press release. I have been given a major musical career in New York and beyond and I owe a large part of my success to Crawford High School. Geist says hes happy to give back to the place that gave him so much. The benefit concert is organized by the Will C. Crawford High School Foundation and the Crawford Class of 1980. Organizers say proceeds from the show will be used to build a parent and community room at the campus where students and their families will have expanded access to tutors and computers. Organizers say the concert takes place at the auditorium of Crawford High School, located at 4191 Colts Way. Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased online or at the door. The show will also feature actress and vocalist Hannah Kornfeld. As a proud alumnus of Crawford High School, Geist says hes certainly in good company. Actress Kathy Najimy and gospel music star Sandi Patty are both also graduates of the high school. I cant think of another high school that has nurtured such brilliant and diverse talent, said Geist. I wholeheartedly applaud Crawford High School and I want to see the school thriving. Im just grateful that I can share my talents. This is a wonderful homecoming for me. Del Mar Union School District has canceled classes at an elementary school after 60 to 100 people were struck by a virus and "vomiting at school" Wednesday. In an official statement, the district said it is treating the outbreak as norovirus. Parents were instructed to send their children to the school as normal Thursday after custodians disinfected classrooms. However, approximately 300 to 400 students did not attend class Thursday. The school enrolls approximately 600 students. Then, by mid-afternoon, district officials began instructing parents to pick up their children as soon as possible. Deputy Public Health Officer at County of San Diego Eric McDonald estimated 60 to 100 students and staffers fell ill Wednesday at Sage Canyon School in Carmel Valley. Since Monday, there has been an increasing number of students, staff, teachers absent from the school, the county health official said. McDonald said the outbreak may be norovirus, but he won't know for sure until a specimen sample is given to the health department. The school has reached out to the states Department of Health Services, which recommends all children with symptoms stay home from school until theyre free of symptoms for 48 hours. The district will bring in a special cleaning crew to disinfect classrooms, common areas, carpets and filters. Sage Canyons principal, William Cameron, sent out a note to parents Wednesday alerting them of the apparent virus outbreak at the school. "As a precaution, we cleared all classrooms at approximately 10:30 a.m. to have our site and district custodial staff sanitize the classrooms and common areas," Cameron said. In addition, Thursday's open house has been postponed until May 31. Oakland police believe that a headless, limbless torso found near the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Wednesday afternoon has been in the water for at least a month and on the rocks for a couple of days, based on the rate of its decomposition. Oakland Police Department spokesperson Johnna Watson said investigators believe the torso might be of a young man, but it will take a few days to determine the age and gender. The torso was discovered on rocks near the bay by a contract worker who was in the area, Watson said. She said the worker was on lunch break taking pictures of the bridge when he noticed the torso off of Burma Road near the foot of the eastern span of the bridge. [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More Investigators will try to find out if the death is related to a boating accident, suicide or a missing persons case. As of 3 p.m., the torso was still at the scene of its discovery. Police and investigators were also there. There are indications that the limbs may have been lost due to interactions with marine wildlife or contact with large rocks in the bay, according to Watson, who said the condition of the remains could possibly be explained by the length of time in the water. "The more time a body's in the water the more it's apt to be exposed to all the different elements," Watson said. Part of one femur was protruding from the torso, but the lower portion of the bone was gone. So far the coroner has been unable to determine the decedent's ethnicity, but investigators will attempt to identify the remains using DNA. Watson said the investigation is ongoing. Bay City News contributed to this report. Maryland officials met to discuss plans and prevention strategies for fighting the Zika virus if it appears in the state. The town hall meeting was held Thursday evening in Silver Spring at the Dennis Avenue Health Center. Howard Haft, deputy director of public health for the state health department, spoke. His talk was followed by an update on local activities related to prevention and protection from the virus. Dr. Ulder Tillman, Montgomery County's health officer, and Earl Stoddard, director of the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, were also there to discuss Zika. The virus is transmitted by infected mosquitoes that have actively been transmitting the virus in the Caribbean, South America and Central America. There has been no local transmission from Maryland mosquitoes. What to Know Officers testified Alecia Schmuhl was coherent while Andrew Schmuhl appeared to be in and out of consciousness. Andrew Schmuhl's lawyers are conceding he attacked the couple on that night but are using an "involuntary insanity defense." Tuesdays court proceedings followed two emotional days of testimony by the victims, describing what they went through that night. A vicious home invasion attack on a Virginia couple could have been far worse, according to prosecutors. Attorneys Andrew and Alecia Schmuhl were charged abduction and malicious wounding for the 2014 attack on a lawyer, Leo Fisher, and his wife, Sue Duncan, in a McLean home. The Schmuhls are being tried separately with Andrew being tried first. Alecia Schmuhl will be tried in the fall. Fisher is a partner in an Arlington law firm that fired Schmuhl's wife, Alecia, two weeks prior to the attack. Fisher and Duncan suffered serious injuries in the attack, but the prosecution presented physical evidence Wednesday suggesting the ultimate plan was to kill them. Police dashcam video shows the Schmuhls surrendering. Their SUV was packed with incriminating evidence, which a crime scene detective showed to jurors, Wednesday. Schmuhl was wearing only a diaper when he was arrested. Clothing left in the SUV included a white men's shirt with a reddish stain -- likely blood. Inside a suit jacket pocket was a Taser with two darts missing. Fisher had been tased twice when Andrew Schmuhl burst into the house. A semiautomatic handgun with one cartridge gone was in a Best Buy bag. Duncan was shot once, the bullet grazing her head. Investigators also found a folding pocket knife. Both victims were repeatedly stabbed. A more curious discovery was gasoline in a plastic bottle, a pair of men's shoes soaked in gas and an automatic timer device altered with clamps. At the couples house, a detective found the entry way rug also soaked with gasoline. "I put that together that we have the components of an incendiary device," the detective testified. Prosecutors think Andrew Schmuhl intended to activate the timing device when he left the house and torch it with the victims still inside. But prosecutors believe before Schmuhl could finish setting it all up, Duncan hit the house panic alarm and the defendant fled. Some physical evidence shown to jurors may help the defense. Items seized from the Schmuhl home include lots of prescription medication. Schmuhls attorneys have said they will use an involuntary intoxication defense, arguing their client was so heavily medicated he didn't know exactly what he was doing the night of the attack. Protesters rallied outside a McDonald's for higher wages, and the company says employees at its headquarters were working from home Wednesday ahead of more planned demonstrations tied to its annual shareholders' meeting. The world's biggest burger chain also told employees to work from home last year, when protesters calling for pay of $15 an hour and a union gathered outside its buildings. This year, the protests began Wednesday with a strike at the Rock N Roll McDonald's in Chicago. Organizers say thousands are expected to demonstrate at the company's headquarters in suburban Oak Brook on Wednesday evening, and set up tents overnight until the shareholders' meeting Thursday. "Employees were strongly encouraged to work from home and the majority of them are taking advantage of the opportunity," said Lisa McComb, a McDonald's spokeswoman. The push for a $15 minimum wage began in 2012. Since then, the growing demonstrations have helped make hourly pay a political issue. In the first quarter, McDonald's reported $1.1 billion in profits on sales of $5.9 billion. Two Holyoke, Massachusetts, men have been arrested in connection with the shooting death earlier this year of a 71-year-old Springfield man. The suspects, identified by Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni as 32-year-old Jose Villegas Rodriguez and 24-year-old Edward Gonzalez are scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in Springfield District Court. Police responded to a reported shooting around 5:45 p.m. on Jan. 25 outside a city home. Upon arrival officers located Juan Zayas, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not released a possible motive. It's not clear if the defendants had lawyers. Zayas, whose son is a state trooper, was the city's first homicide victim of 2016. For the first time since last September, Boston's high temperature officially reach 80 degrees. That splash of summer left the city's Greenway busy on Wednesday. "The Greenway is some of the best that Boston has to offer," said one woman out enjoying the warmth during her lunch break. A mid-week surge of warmth sending temperatures in the 80s rejuvenated winter weary new englanders. "When I see days like this I wake up and smile," said Rebecca Parchment of North East of the Border, a downtown food truck. For her, this is just the beginning of crunch time. "I have to get extra staff, we have to prepare a lot more, we do a lot more shopping," she added. "I'm falling in love with the city, it's so beautiful," said one tourist visiting from Canada, while enjoying a taco in the beautiful weather. In South Boston, Carson Beach attracted those who managed a day off. "First of many beach days to come," said one beach-goer excitedly. Even water temperatures in the 50s didn't keep sun bathers on the sand. "Up to the waist, but that was it. It felt brave because it was super cold," said another woman enjoying the warmth. While many like her just skimmed the surface, one man from Randolph jumped right in. "Well, you see, it's high tide now so the water had to go over the warm sand so you got to play your cards right," he said while explaining his reasoning. "Memorial Day is coming, but this is my unofficial start to summer," he added. The warm weather, which will last the next few days, stands in contrast to the start of this year's warm season so far. April, and May to this point, featured below average temperatures. A New Jersey couple was injured when a box truck they were driving rolled over on I-95 south in Cranston, Rhode Island, overnight Wednesday. According to necn affiliate WJAR, the U-Haul truck was carrying cement bricks when the right tire blew out. The crash scene has since been cleared. The couple is currently recovering in a hospital with minor injuries. New Hampshire State Police say a woman is dead and a man has been charged with negligent homicide and DUI following a wrong-way two-vehicle crash in Lebanon Wednesday night. The crash happened around 9 p.m. on Interstate 89 just south of Exit 20. Police say a Subaru Legacy Operated by Daniel Cowdry, 38, of Hartland, Vermont, was traveling northbound in the southbound lane. New Hampshire State Police He collided with a Nissan Versa driven by Ellynn Koelsch, 34, of North Kingston, Rhode Island. A 4-year-old child was also in Koelsch's vehicle. Koelsch suffered life-threatening injuries and died at the scene. The child was taken to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon with serious injuries. Cowdry was taken to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center with minor injuries. He was arrested at the hospital for aggravated DUI. Cowdry was arraigned in court and was held on $25,000 cash bail. The crash remains under investigation. The driver who police say crashed into a Massachusetts State Police trooper's cruiser, killing him, is expected in court Thursday. David Njuguna, 30, has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and other charges. Prosecutors say Njuguna smoked marijuana just before the March crash that killed state trooper Thomas Clardy. Clardy had stopped a car for a traffic violation in Charlton on March 16 when his cruiser was hit by Njuguna's vehicle. Witnesses say Njuguna's car had swerved across all three travel lanes without slowing. Clardy was later pronounced dead at a hospital. The 30-year-old Njuguna was hospitalized with serious injuries. Njuguna's attorney says he denies being high on the drug. A Limington, Maine, woman is recovering in a hospital after she rescued her two children after their home went up in flames early Thursday morning. According to necn affiliate WCSH, the home on Doles Ridge Road is a total loss. The woman was able to get her children out of the home, but was burned in the process. She's currently recovering at Maine Medical Center. The cause of the fire is under investigation and the Red Cross is assisting the family. Police in Manchester, New Hampshire, are investigating after a report of shots fired on Manchester Street. Multiple reports have been received about shots fired in the area of 263 Manchester St. Manchester Police Lt. Brian O'Keefe said both Central High School and the adult learning center at 521 Maple St. were both in secured campus mode; it has since been lifted. Classes went on as usual. The suspect is described as a male in his late twenties, about 5'8" tall, with a slim build. He was wearing tan or khaki shorts, blue boxers, and a white tank top or T-shirt. In Maine, there aren't enough cooks in the kitchen. Restaurants from Kittery to Portland to Bar Harbor are reporting chef shortages heading into the busy summer season. "Everyone is in the same boat," said Steve DiMillo, owner of DiMillo's floating restaurant in Portland. He is looking to fill three line cook positions for broiling and sauteing - and said many applicants simply do not fit the bill. "Those are a bit more skilled positions," he said. "You've got to have a touch for that." At Robert's Maine Grill in Kittery, owner Michael Landgarten is looking to hire five or six line cooks. "We're short - we're just not seeing applicants," said Landgarten, who also owns Bob's Clam Hut and Lil's Cafe in Kittery. He said there are a number of factors that have caused this chef shortage statewide. First, there's increasing competition from other restaurants. The food scenes in Portland; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; and neighboring communities are exploding. As more restaurants open, there is a greater demand for line cooks. "There isn't necessarily a corresponding number of folks who want to cook for living," said Landgarten. Many restaurants depend on seasonal workers from other countries to fill positions in the summer, but Landgarten said there's a delay this year getting visas. "Because of Justice Department complexities, I think because of security reasons, we are delayed," he said. He is offering a $1,000 referral incentive to his employees, and even sending his Human Resources Director overseas to Romania to recruit workers. Even James Beard Award nominated restaurants in Portland are having a tough time filling positions. The owners of Hugo's, Eventide, and the Honey Paw are looking to immediately hire kitchen help as they head into Memorial Day weekend. An off-duty Boston Police officer was caught on camera pinning a man to the ground in an altercation Tuesday evening. The video purportedly shows the officer, wearing a Red Sox jersey and not presenting a badge, holding the man to the sidewalk and dragging him down the street to his car around 5:30 p.m. Necn has chosen to blur both men's faces. The altercation appears to have been over jaywalking. "I started to tape it because it didn't look right," said Stephen Harlowe, who was on his way home from work when he saw the incident unfold. "I said, 'What did he do, what did he do? Where is your ID?' and he would not answer me," Harlowe said. "You can see in the tape the victim turns around and he said, 'he cut me off in the intersection and he was mad.' So it was complete road rage at that point." According to Harlowe, the man said he had crossed at the intersection of Boylston Street and Arlington Street - he reportedly used a crosswalk, but had a don't walk sign. When the undercover police officer came around the corner in his car, the man says the car cut him off, so he banged on the window with his umbrella. The officer said the man cracked the window. "I saw it with my eyes," Harlowe said. "It's absolutely not scratched." Harlowe told necn he's talked to the man in the purple shirt since, and that so far, he has not been charged with a crime. "He acted like he had shot somebody," Harlowe said of the officer. "It was very uncalled for, it was completely unnecessary." "The video was recently brought to our attention," Boston Police said in a statement. "It has been turned over to the internal affairs division who has initiated an inquiry. This inquiry will including speaking to the officer and attempting to contact witnesses and parties involved." "I don't know what happen before it," Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said of the video. "Certainly during it, it seemed a little aggressive, but again, we're going to wait and see what happens with internal affairs before we take any action, before I make any further comment on it." Boston Police confirm that the man was never arrested. Walsh said he was not yet sure whether the officer would be allowed to work during the investigation. In a statement, the ACLU of Massachusetts said this incident "shows why Boston police need to join their colleagues in most other large cities in using body worn cameras, so neither members of the public nor the BPD would have to rely on bystander videos to understand situations like this, and to protect people on both sides of the badge." Police in Arlington, Massachusetts, are asking for the public's help in locating a missing woman. Authorities say Min Tsu Chen is missing from Teel St. She is unfamiliar with the area, but may be walking in the Alewife/Bike Path area. She is 5' tall and is wearing greenish/gray pants and glasses. She is wearing the shirt pictured in the photo below. She often walks with a red umbrella. Arlington Police Min speaks little to no English. If you have any information, or have seen Min, please call: (781) 643-1212. A convicted sex offender has been arrested on charges he allegedly sexually assaulted a Maine woman after pretending to be interested in a car she was selling. The Morning Sentinel reports 41-year-old Christopher Cates was charged Wednesday with unlawful sexual contact and violating conditions of release. He is being held at the Somerset County Jail without bail. The assault was reported on May 9. Authorities say Cates went to the 60-year-old woman's Smithfield home under the premise that he was looking at a vehicle she had for sale. Authorities say the Bingham man then sexually assaulted her at her home. Cates has convictions for unlawful sexual contact in 1996, 2000 and 2004. He's a lifetime registrant of the Maine Sex Offender Registry. What kind of political party would Jesus lead? Regular columnist James Knight wonders what the perfect political party would look like. For obvious reasons theres no such thing as a perfect political party, because nothing is perfect when it comes to human beings. But given that all of our political parties are such worthy candidates for criticism from the far left of the Greens or Corbyns current Labour Party, right through to the staunchest libertarian parties I was pondering a development of the oft-asked question What Would Jesus Do?. My version of that question for this article is, What Kind of Political Party Would Jesus Lead? Its a difficult question involving some pretty courageous speculation (not least because the Bible is mostly too low-resolution to be translatable to modern political theory) but one thing I feel pretty sure about is that Jesus Party would be far removed from the kind of parties weve been used to so for long. If we assume all the foundational conditions necessary for a successful society to flourish under governance, such as rule of law, democracy, and all the basic human rights we enjoy, I have 4 key areas that I think this party would adhere to. Naturally, the four overlap quite substantially. 1) Realising the qualities of the market A government that genuinely cared about the interests of its people would want to rigorously adhere to truth, logic, evidence and reason. Such a party would be radically different from the current mainstream crop in that it would want to ensure our citizens benefit as fully as possible from the free market and that none of its policies brought about overall negative effects. Gone would be all the price controls and other regulatory measures which hamper growth and shut out the information-carrying signals that convey what we humans value. The party would realise that the free market is, in fact, the most "human" of all the worlds systems. It provides the greatest amount of material prosperity, the highest quality services, the greatest efficiency, lifts the most people out of poverty and, lest we forget, is the thing that pays for all forms of government too. Our perfect party would be able to redress all the ways we are living under a thrall of government interventions that discourage or prevent the free market from doing its work, and it could do this because it wouldnt need to bend and distort the truth to court popularity disingenuously. It would no longer expropriate many of the important funds that would otherwise be invested in further economic growth, and it would no longer endorse the strictures that retard the freeing up of opportunities. 2) Realising the limits of the market All that said, being perfect, our party would understand that the free market is not the panacea some claim it to be. It would understand that there is a legitimate role for the State to play, particularly in the areas of guarding against some of the undesirable monopolies that an unfettered market could engender, and also in bringing an end to crony capitalism. Being a perfect party, there would no longer be any concerns about corruption or malfeasance or unethical relationships between politicians and businesses, as our perfect party would be centred on whats objectively best for its citizens. Furthermore, given how easy it could be for consumers to fall foul of asymmetry of information (where a provider knows things about a good or service that its customers do not), it is important that these regulatory protocols, and ones that affect peoples health & safety and well-being in the workplace, are firmly in place. By equal measure, our party would understand the value of free choice, which means it would not want to encroach on many of our decisions (or ability to legally make them) in the way that current politicians do. To give you a little perspective, albeit a US one, according to economist Donald Boudreaux this week, the US government spends $3.9 trillion annually. That means that for every man, woman and child in Americas current population of about 322 million theres an annual per-capita spending of a whopping $12,110 per person. I dont think even the staunchest redistributionist would be bold enough to claim that the average American is enjoying $12,110 worth of value per year from the American government. 3) Looking after the vulnerable Fairly straightforward one this - our perfect party would be small enough to not interfere detrimentally in all the activities that humans are better at by themselves, but sizeable enough to provide a safety net for people that need help and support. The taxes earned by workers and managed by our perfect party would involve ensuring that the least able and most vulnerable in society are safe and looked after. Naturally, youd expect a perfect party to make the necessary revisions to our welfare system, particularly the way it easily creates welfare dependents and engenders a toxic conflict between whether a claimant is better off working or on benefits. I'd suggest a perfect party would resemble something like a large charity that's low on bureaucracy and perverse incentives, but proficient at distributing money to places where it will do a lot of good and is badly needed. 4) Actively Promoting Noble and Virtuous Principles Our perfect party would understand that although the market has been a key driver in the progression-explosion weve seen in the past 200 years, not everything the market provides is good for human beings, particularly not through a Christian lens. The market, rather like science, is amoral it is what people do with it that confers the moral judgements. Where I part company with many of my fellow libertarians is in the extent to which I think freedom and the market have all the solutions to our problems. Unlike them, it's clear to me that while freedom and the market are terrific vehicles for growth and progression, there are also one or two pretty sad and negative consequences too. A good way to summarise the negative side effects is to say that because competitors in the market are always looking for new ways to make money, they are also looking to use any form of manipulation to get people spending their money - telling people what society says they need, and trying to instil the impression that they are somehow incomplete or socially marginal if they don't look a certain way or have the latest gadget. Feeding into this is the corollary effect of creating quite new and unwholesome aspirations, whereby folk can find themselves on the fringes of acceptability if they don't even aspire to have certain things. On top of that, there is another reason why freedom and the market can lead people astray - because ultimately humans are status-mongerers. Social status drives the lives of a large proportion of our society, and is an adjunct to an even bigger instinct - the instinct to belong to groups. The consequent effect is that in a free market with an abundance of trade and marketing, a system is created that plays hard on our striving for higher social aspirations, which obviously generates an awful lot of purchasing of goods and services beyond what people actually need or reasonably want. Granted, that's a value judgement I'm making, but it's one that only a short-sighted person could fail to see - that a lot of people's behaviour in the marketplace is driven by keeping up with the Joneses and impressing those in their peer groups. One of the most harmful elements of the decline in quality of Christian wisdom we are seeing, not to mention Christian belief, has been the thrall of consumer-based thinking. Our perfect party would do well to govern with a positive message against this, because the most overwhelming change in attitudes we've seen might have been how greedy and acquisitive this generation has become. Sadly, material possessions, while excellent for us in so many ways, have on the down side turned into bargaining tools under the thrall of a god of avarice like a Plutus or Lakshmi figure that treats status and possession as divinity. We know how prescient St Paul was when he said that love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, and I think this insidious threat begins with acquisitiveness. It would be too straightforward to comment on how acquisitive many young people are today they seem to want everything, and the more they seem to want, the less they value what they do have. Our perfect party would find the delicate balance between extolling the virtues of free trade, and exposing just how much business drives things like the binge culture, celebrity worshipping, sport obsession, and media manipulation (to name but four). The real driving force behind these is love of money. If the invisible hand that drove Adam Smiths economy is the consumers liberty in freely chosen acquisition and the sellers liberty in freely chosen products, then what drives the modern consumer-based ethos is sometimes more like an invisible fist. Behind the scenes of broken Britain be it the drugs, celebrity obsession, binge culture, or what have you is an invisible fist that tries to alter peoples psychology. Beliefs and values are psychologically driven, therefore the way to drive people into the habits consistent with acquisition is to wave the invisible fist in a way that consumers see nothing but an innocuous hand. The teenage girl who wants to get on reality TV and be like her idol may feel like she is pursuing an innocent ambition, but unbeknown to her she is under the thrall of the invisible fist of greed acting behind the scenes. Whether the attention is on subscription to TV channels, travelling, hotels, cosmetics, clothes, media magazines, CDs, DVDs, concert tickets, Websites, or whatever the girl (like millions of others) is ensnared by corporate machinations, intent on making themselves richer and her poorer. Moreover, to assess business one cannot really avoid enjoining oneself to ideas about media manipulation too. The main objective of the corporations is to maximise profit and market share, which involves the willingness of the consumer. The main objective of the consumer based public relations industry is not to just to sell you the particular product it wants you to buy it is to get you to subscribe to a particularly futile materialist ideology whereby what one has, and how one is perceived through the lens of fashion and status and reputation, are the two most important things. Another example of the ill-effects of a money-driven society is the porn industry, which is, I'm told, so large now that it out-earns Google, Apple and Amazon combined. What's worse is that the average age of porn addicts is 12-15 year olds. So the internet is a great thing, but it's a technology that acts as a substrate for negative things like that too. Another example, the fashion industry works hard to implant the largest fashions in the highest social groups and then try to make them filtrate downwards through lower and lower social levels, creating pressure-led demand based on status-mongering and courting prestige and acceptance. Just like porn, this can set in at a young age, and go a long way to shaping adults into people with all kinds of insecurities, vulnerabilities and countless emotional problems. Final word Two main points have been distilled from the above observations: first, that our perfect party would be a party that retained all the good things about human nature and dispensed with all the bad things: and second, that for obvious reasons our real life political parties are woefully short of what an ideal form of governance would look like. But that, of course, is the very nature of being human and knowing God - we are forever creeping along that wide threshold between imperfection and perfection, being helped along the way day by day by God's grace, as He is gradually turning us into little Christs. The views carried here are those of the author, not of Network Norwich and Norfolk, and are intended to stimulate constructive debate between website users. j.knight423@btinternet.com If youve been putting off software updates on websites that youve developed, been bamboozled into managing, or somehow become inexplicably responsible for, youre not alone. All of the major content management systems (CMS) website brands are out of date much of the time. Magento-built websites are running on aging software 97 percent of the time, according to a security firm that handles clean-ups of attacked website. Magento was the worst of the bunch, but WordPress-, Joomla- and Drupal-driven websites also are not being updated, reveals Sucuri in its first Website Hacked Trend Report (PDF), covering 2016 Q1. In its study, Sucuri found that over half of the WordPress platform sites (56 percent) it attended to were using obsolete software. About three-quarters of the 11,000 infiltrated websites (78 percent) that were analyzed over the period were running WordPress. + More on Network World: Analyzing real WordPress hacking attempts + The other CMSs followed far behind in terms of platform distributions. Joomla was the second most-distributed platform, with only 14 percent of the installs. Running outdated software is a bad idea, experts say. It can pose a security risk and allow attackers easier access. Piercing a website's defenses can allow attackers to contaminate the site with phishing exploits and malware, among other things. Notably, the infections found by the security company included more than the as-expected basic phishing elements. Phishing is where users are tricked into sharing information. Holes in websites are used in the ploys. Much more than phishing exploits Phishing infections made up only 3 percent of the defilements. Backdoors, where files are used to keep access open indefinitely to the intruders for the purposes of reinfecting the website, were the most prevalent scheme. A massive 4,900 of the 11,000 penetrated sites contained backdoors, the report says. Malware was found on 60 percent of the sites, and a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) genre of spam crossed the line third with 2,300, or about a quarter, of the infections uncovered. Spam-SEO is where hackers scupper a websites SEO result pages. Sucuri also found Hacktool, which is a DDoS tool; redirects; mailers; and defacements of the sites. Over a third of websites online are powered by four key platforms: WordPress, Joomla, Drupal and Magento, Sucuri says. Magento is becoming popular because of its online commerce functions, and Drupal has a following from large, enterprise and federal organizations, the firm says. Inexperienced website administrators A problem, it says, is that with the migration of websites overall to CMS systems rather than hand-coded sites, as has been the practice in the past, there is now a large influx of unskilled webmasters and service providers responsible for the deployment and administrations of these sites. Thats a challenge because CMSs need regular updating. Sucuri stresses that it doesnt think the three main culprits for outdated installs (WordPress, Joomla and Magento) are any less or more secure than othersjust that they are the ones the company is coming across during its work. In most instances, the compromises analyzed had little, if anything, to do with the core of the CMS application itself, but more with improper deployment, configuration, and overall maintenance by the webmasters and their hosts, the security firm says. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. High 67F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Showers this evening becoming a steady light rain overnight. Low 44F. S winds shifting to NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%. NOTICE: This Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) is intended for persons living in Australia. Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) summary The full CMI on the next page has more details. If you are worried about using this medicine, speak to your doctor or pharmacist. Why am I using Ikorel? Ikorel contains the active ingredient nicorandil. Ikorel is used to treat some forms of angina pectoris (chest pain). It works by widening blood vessels and increases blood supply to heart muscle. For more information, see Section 1. Why am I using Ikorel? in the full CMI. What should I know before I use Ikorel? Do not use if you have ever had an allergic reaction to nicorandil or any of the ingredients listed at the end of the CMI. Talk to your doctor if you have any other medical conditions, take any other medicines, or are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding. For more information, see Section For more information, see Section 2. What should I know before I use Ikorel? in the full CMI. What if I am taking other medicines? Some medicines may interfere with Ikorel and affect how it works. A list of these medicines is in Section 3. What if I am taking other medicines? in the full CMI. How do I use Ikorel? The standard adult dose of Ikorel is 10 mg to 20 mg twice a day. A lower starting dose (e.g. 5 mg twice a day) may be needed in some patients. Your doctor may have prescribed a different dose Ikorel is swallowed whole with a full glass of water, in the morning and evening, with or without food. More instructions can be found in Section 4. How do I use Ikorel? in the full CMI. What should I know while using Ikorel? Things you should do Tell all the doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking Ikorel If you are about to be started on any new medicine, tell your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking Ikorel If you plan to have surgery that needs a general anaesthetic, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking this medicine If you become pregnant while you are taking this medicine, tell your doctor or pharmacist immediately Things you should not do Do not take more than the recommended dose unless your doctor tells you to Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you Do not use this medicine to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to Do not stop taking Ikorel, or lower the dosage, without checking with your doctor. Your doctor may want you to gradually reduce the amount you are using before stopping completely Driving or using machines Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Ikorel affects you. Ikorel may cause dizziness or light- headedness in some people. Drinking alcohol It is not recommended that you drink alcohol while taking Ikorel as the effects of alcohol could be made worse while taking Ikorel Looking after your medicine Keep the medicine in a cool, dry place where the temperature stays below 25C Keep Ikorel tablets in the blister pack until it is time to take them. Ikorel tablets must be protected from moisture. For more information, see Section 5. What should I know while using [insert medicine]? in the full CMI. Are there any side effects? Common side effects include: headache, dizziness and cough; Serious side effects include: rash, high blood pressure. Refer to the CMI for the complete list. For more information, including what to do if you have any side effects, see Section 6. Are there any side effects? in the full CMI. Why am I using Ikorel? Ikorel contains the active ingredient nicorandil. Ikorel belongs to a group of medicines called "potassium channel openers". This means it increases the exit of potassium from certain muscle cells, particularly those found in arteries. This widens the arteries and reduces the workload required by the heart to pump the blood. In addition, Ikorel has a "nitrate" property, which relaxes smooth muscle in the blood vessels, particularly in the veins. Ikorel is used to treat some forms of angina pectoris (chest pain). It works by widening blood vessels and increases blood supply to heart muscle. What should I know before I use Ikorel? Warnings Do not use Ikorel if: you are allergic to nicorandil, nicotinic acid, nicotinamide or any if the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet. Some symptoms of an allergic reaction include skin rash, itching, shortness of breath or swelling of the face, lips or tongue, which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing. Always check the ingredients to make sure you can use this medicine. you have a low blood pressure (which could make you feel faint, weak or dizzy, especially when you stand up suddenly) you suffer from any other type of serious heart diseases you have been prescribed a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor by your doctor (medicines used to treat impaired sexual function, e.g. sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil (Levitra)) you have been prescribed any soluble guanylate cyclase stimulators e.g. riociguat (Adempas) the blister in which the tablets are stored has been open for more than 30 days the expiry date has passed the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering Check with your doctor if you: have any allergies to any other medicine, any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet, any other substances, such as foods, preservatives or dyes liver disease renal disease diverticular disease (a condition affecting the muscles of the bowel) low blood pressure (which can make you feel faint, weak or dizzy, especially when you stand up suddenly) other types of serious heart diseases depression glaucoma hyperkalaemia (high potassium levels in the blood) mouth, stomach or skin ulcers have or have had any other medical conditions, especially the following: take any medicines for any other condition are pregnant or intend to become pregnant if you are breast feeding or planning to breastfeed During treatment, you may be at risk of developing certain side effects. It is important you understand these risks and how to monitor for them. See additional information under Section 6. Are there any side effects Pregnancy and breastfeeding Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of taking it if you are pregnant Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. It is not known whether nicorandil passes into breast milk, hence it is recommended that you do not breastfeed while taking Ikorel. Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of taking it if you are breastfeeding Use in children Do not give Ikorel to a child. There is no experience with its use in children. What if I am taking other medicines? Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any medicines, vitamins or supplements that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop. Some medicines may be affected by Ikorel or may affect how well it works. These include: phospohdiesterase 5 inhibitors (e.g. Viagra, Cialis, Levitra) - medicines often used to treat impaired sexual function soluble guanylate cyclase stimulators (e.g. Adempas) other vasodilators - medicines used to widen blood vessels tricyclic antidepressants (e.g. Endep, Tofranil, Sinequan, Allegron, Surmontil, Prothiaden, Anafranil, etc) - medicines used to treat depression other nitrates - medicines used to treat angina medicines used to treat high blood pressure corticosteroids (e.g. prednisone or cortisone) aspirin or other Non Steroidal Anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) e.g. ibuprofen, diclofenac Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about what medicines, vitamins or supplements you are taking and if these affect Ikorel. How do I use Ikorel? How much to take The standard adult dose of Ikorel is 10 mg to 20 mg twice a day. A lower starting dose (e.g. 5 mg twice a day) may be needed in some patients. Your doctor may have prescribed a different dose. Follow the instructions provided and use Ikorel until your doctor tells you to stop. Do not stop taking the medicine till your doctor tells you to stop. When to take Ikorel Take Ikorel in the morning and in the evening, either with or without food. How to take Ikorel Swallow the tablet with a full glass of water Take Ikorel at about the same time each day. Taking your tablets at the same time each day will have the best effect. If you forget to use Ikorel Ikorel should be used regularly at the same time each day. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to. Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose you missed. If you use too much Ikorel If you take too much Ikorel, you will probably feel light-headed or dizzy, or your heart may beat faster than normal. If you think that you have used too much Ikorel, you may need urgent medical attention. You should immediately: phone the Poisons Information Centre (by calling 13 11 26 in Australia), or (by calling 0800 764 766 in New Zealand), or contact your doctor, or go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital. What should I know while using Ikorel? Things you should do Tell all the doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking Ikorel If you are about to be started on any new medicine, tell your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking Ikorel If you plan to have surgery that needs a general anaesthetic, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking this medicine Call your doctor straight away if you: become pregnant while you are taking this medicine, tell your doctor or pharmacist immediately Things you should not do Do not stop using this medicine suddenly Do not take more than the recommended dose unless your doctor tells you to Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you Do not use this medicine to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to Do not stop taking Ikorel, or lower the dosage, without checking with your doctor. Your doctor may want you to gradually reduce the amount you are using before stopping completely Do not stop taking your tablets because you are feeling better, unless advised by your doctor or pharmacist Things to be careful of If you feel light-headed, dizzy or faint, be careful when getting up from a sitting or lying position. Get up slowly. This may help when getting out of bed or standing up. Driving or using machines Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how Ikorel affects you. Ikorel may cause dizziness or light- headedness in some people. Make sure you know how you react to it before you drive a car, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you feel dizzy. Do not drive if this occurs Drinking alcohol Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol. The effects of alcohol could be made worse while taking Ikorel. It is not recommended that you drink alcohol while taking Ikorel. Looking after your medicine Keep the medicine in a cool, dry place where the temperature stays below 25C. Keep Ikorel tablets in the blister pack until it is time to take them. If you take the tablets out of the blister pack they may not keep well. Ikorel tablets must be protected from moisture. This is the reason why Ikorel tablets are packed with a desiccant Any unused tablets held for 30 days after opening the blister strip should be discarded Follow the instructions in the carton on how to take care of your medicine properly. Store it in a cool dry place away from moisture, heat or sunlight; for example, do not store it: in the bathroom or near a sink, or in the car or on window sills. Do not use this medicine after the expiry date. Keep it where young children cannot reach it. When to discard your medicine Any unused tablets held for 30 days after opening the blister strip should be discarded Getting rid of any unwanted medicine If you no longer need to use this medicine or it is out of date, take it to any pharmacy for safe disposal. Are there any side effects? All medicines can have side effects. If you do experience any side effects, most of them are minor and temporary. However, some side effects may need medical attention. See the information below and, if you need to, ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any further questions about side effects. Less serious side effects Less serious side effects What to do headache dizziness and light-headedness, especially when getting up from a sitting or lying down position tiredness, drowsiness cough nausea, vomiting, indigestion diarrhoea constipation stomach ache flushing, sweating loss of appetite, weight loss fever leg, neck, back, chest or muscular pain, pain in the arm or general pain trouble sleeping nervousness depression itching double vision nose bleed skin abscess Speak to your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects and they worry you. Serious side effects Serious side effects What to do high blood pressure fast or irregular heart beats swelling of the face, hands, ankles or feet difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath tingling or numbness of the hands or feet rash ringing or other persistent noise in the ears persistent mouth and tongue ulcers or genital, anal or skin ulcers dark bowel motions and/or bloody diarrhoea inflammation of the bowel wall (fever, vomiting and stomach pain or discomfort high potassium levels in the blood nerve paralysis Tell your doctor or pharmacist immediately if you notice any of the following Allergic reaction: swelling of the face, lips, mouth or throat, which may cause difficultly in swallowing or breathing Call your doctor straight away, or go straight to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital if you notice any of these serious side effects. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else that may be making you feel unwell. Other side effects not listed here may occur in some people. Reporting side effects After you have received medical advice for any side effects you experience, you can report side effects to the Therapeutic Goods Administration online at www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems (Australia) or the Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring (CARM) within the New Zealand Pharmacovigilance Centre https://nzphvc.otago.ac.nz/reporting/ (New Zealand). By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine. Always make sure you speak to your doctor or pharmacist before you decide to stop taking any of your medicines. Product details This medicine is only available with a doctor's prescription. What Ikorel contains Active ingredient (main ingredient) either 10 mg or 20 mg of nicorandil Other ingredients (inactive ingredients) maize starch croscarmellose sodium stearic acid mannitol Potential allergens None Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of these ingredients. There are no dyes, sucrose, lactose, gluten or preservatives in Ikorel tablets. What Ikorel looks like 10 mg tablet: round, scored, white tablet, marked "IK/10" on one side and plain on the other side. Pack size: 60 tablets (Aust R 56845). 20 mg tablet: round, scored, white tablet, marked "IK/20" on one side and plain on the other side. Pack size: 60 tablets (Aust R 56846). New, screen-printed, flexible MRI coils may be able to reduce the amount of time it takes to get an MRI scan. Researchers funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), have developed light and flexible MRI coils that produce high quality MRI images and in the future could lead to shorter MRI scan time periods. MRI scans can reveal life-saving information about patients that other types of scans such as CT or PET cannot. However, the opening of the machine is small and can be uncomfortable even for patients who don't suffer from claustrophobia. In addition, the machine makes loud noises for long periods of time during the scan as the images are being generated. But the chief difficulty is that MRI machines can take a long time, sometimes more than an hour, to produce the images needed by the doctor, and patients must stay perfectly still in the machine the entire time. These issues can make it difficult for many patients, but it is especially challenging with pediatric patients. To help immobilize infants, doctors will often use anesthesia, which is an added risk for this fragile patient population. MRI scans take so long because they have a very low sensitivity. In some challenging pediatric cases where the patient is moving, the images may be degraded with artifactsleading to useless data that can get in the way of a clear picture. The problem is that the main magnetic field has a big job to do. It needs to manipulate protons found in the water of the human body and it is difficult to affect enough of them simultaneously so the resulting picture is clear. One way to get clearer pictures would be to use a stronger magnetand some new MRI machines do exactly this; but MRI machines are expensive -costing anywhere from $300,000 to a million dollarswhich can strain a hospital's budget. Another way to increase the sensitivity of MRIs is to use high-density MRI coils arrays . These can be used to increase the strength of the received MRI signal as well as accelerate the acquisition of the signal, in order to get clearer and higher quality images. But, current receiver coils are often anatomically unmatched for the human body; they are heavy, inflexible, restrictive, and are uncomfortable for many patients. To solve all these problems, Michael Lustig, Ph.D., and Ana Arias, Ph.D., both Associate Professors in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, and their team have developed new flexible MRI radiofrequency coils. The coils can be individually crafted with a screen-printer to fit patients of various sizes, such as infants or toddlers, or custom made for individual patients if needed. Screen-printing is the technology used for printing designs on T-shirts. Because these coils are light and flexible, they can be wrapped snugly around the patient's body that increases the sensitivity of the exam and provides clearer pictures. The coils are designed to work with the MRI machines that most hospitals already have (1.5 Tesla and 3 Tesla), and can be reused rather than having to be printed specifically for each patient. Arias, Lustig and their team developed a prototype of a blanket with the coils inside that can be wrapped around an infant. With printing technologies becoming more commonplace, this new design could, in the near future, be made practical for mass manufacturing and provide a low-cost way to help doctors get the information they need with the least amount of patient discomfort.. To achieve this, the team has joined forces with pediatric radiologist Shreyas Vasanawala at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, and GE healthcare to translate this technology to clinical practice. "This technology could greatly increase patient comfort at a relatively low cost," said Guoying Liu, Director of the program for Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy at NIBIB. "Not having to experience the trauma of long MRI exams is a significant benefit to pediatric patients and their parents during what is often a trying time. This new development is an excellent example of how new technologies can come together to create a better experience for the patient." Eleven-year-old Martin Mwita, of Omaha, has made more than 300 visits to health care facilities since he was a baby. Because of sickle cell disease, he's suffered three strokes and countless other health episodes. A therapy now available through Nebraska Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, will significantly reduce the risk of stroke for children and adults with severe sickle cell disease. The medical center recently began offering the state's first pediatric chronic red cell blood exchange in conjunction with the American Red Cross. It offers a more effective and efficient treatment. Sickle cell disease can lead to many complications including stroke, chronic leg ulcers, frequent pain crises and blood clots. It can result in an increased susceptibility to infection. About 1 in 600 African-Americans has sickle cell disease. Those who could benefit from the therapy are children and adults with a history of stroke or those whose imaging tests show a high risk of stroke. Physicians involved in the new service are Sara Shunkwiler, M.D., Scott Koepsell, M.D., Ph.D., and James Harper, M.D. "Red cell exchange is not only an iron neutral procedure, it also can more quickly and more efficiently decrease the percentage of a patient's red blood cells that are sickled," said Dr. Shunkwiler, assistant professor, UNMC Department of Pathology and Microbiology and medical director of Blood Bank and Tissue Services at Nebraska Medicine. "This is the first time that chronic red cell exchanges for pediatrics patients have been performed in this area." For sickle cell patients who have already had a stroke, having frequent blood transfusions (chronic transfusion therapy) can decrease their risk of having a second stroke by as much as 90 percent. However, frequent blood transfusions can lead to a buildup of iron in the body which can lead to organ damage and eventually organ failure. Red blood cell exchange offers the risk lowering benefit of frequent blood transfusions but does so without increasing the iron stored in the body. Patients are connected to an apheresis machine which removes sickled red cells and replaces them with normal red cells from donors. Patients typically have red blood exchanges every three to four weeks. The exchange usually takes two to three hours and uses a special kind of chest port that gives children more freedom to participate in activities such as swimming. This is in contrast to chronic transfusion therapy which is required as frequently as every other week, takes most of a day to complete and can cause scar tissue, making it difficult to get and maintain good vein access. Currently four patients at the medical center are being treated with the therapy. Dr. Shunkwiler collaborates with Dr. Harper to identify children who need the service. Dr. Harper is a UNMC associate professor and pediatric hematologist/oncologist at Nebraska Medicine and Children's Hospital & Medical Center. The American Red Cross has been providing therapeutic apheresis services to patients at Nebraska Medicine/UNMC for more than 30 years. "We are excited to be a part of this new program and work with the hospital to serve pediatric sickle cell patients," said Carri Harford, nurse and apheresis clinical services manager, American Red Cross Western Blood Services Division in Omaha. "Our previous experience has been in performing acute red cell exchange procedures to relieve symptoms and complications of sickle cell disease. This is the first time that chronic red cell exchanges for pediatric patients have been performed in this area." Dr. Koepsell said the availability of the therapy better serves children in the area suffering from sickle cell disease. "For the right patient, participating in red blood cell exchange can be life-altering," said Dr. Koepsell, assistant professor, UNMC Department of Pathology and Microbiology, and medical director of the Nebraska Medicine Division of Transfusion and Transplantation Services. Drs. Shunkwiler and Harper said it's not uncommon for young children to have strokes. By the age of 14, 8 percent will have had a stroke and by 20-years-old, 11 percent. New evidence suggests that many sickle cell patients have small vessel frontal lobe strokes that can cause significant cognitive and functional deficits. Dr. Harper said newborns are screened for sickle cell disease and those found with the disease are screened yearly for potential strokes beginning at two years of age using transcranial Doppler ultrasound, a painless screening tool. Jacinta Mwita , mother of Martin Mwita, said the therapy improves the quality of the family's life. "The difference in his health since changing from transfusion to red blood exchange is incredible," said Jacinta Mwita, a single mom who works full time. The best they could get his sickled red cells down to before was to 50 percent. Now it's 5 percent. "The longer intervals in between treatment will be one of the biggest benefits of finding more life balance so we don't have to take much time away from everything else, especially school. It's not just him, it's everyone," Jacinta said. She is thankful to the blood donors who have improved not only Martin's quality of life, but his family's too. Though the family doesn't know the identity of the donors who live in various states, the Red Cross contacts 20 who donate blood specifically to Martin because their blood matches Martin's at a more complex level than just blood type. "Isn't that amazing? It's incredible that someone we don't even know would do this. I would love to meet them and say 'thank you,' she said. "I thank the staff and particularly those in the Lied Transplant Center. The nurses are incredible and the doctors care. Martin has practically grown up at the unit and they all know him by name." Teaching is an occupation with a high risk of developing vocal problems -- teachers have more than twice the voice problems than people in other professions, as the voice is the major tool in classroom instruction and is often used for long periods of time and in noisy environments. Additionally, females face a significantly higher risk than men of developing long-term vocal problems. Therefore female teachers, the predominate population of teaching workforce, face a dual risk for developing prolonged voice problem. In a collaboration between Harvard Medical School and the Gould Voice Research Center, researchers displayed that the cost of teachers' voice injuries to the U.S. economy is estimated at US$2.5 billion per year. As a result, many scientists have worked on finding the physiological causes to help teachers prevent and treat voice problems. Vocal fatigue is a common complaint among teachers and one of the most debilitating conditions that can lead to vocal damage. The typical symptoms include hoarseness, vocal tiredness, muscle pains and lost or cracked notes. However, the actual physiological mechanism of vocal fatigue is still being explored, and it is often difficult to accurately diagnose the cause as the patients' vocal folds may look normal during an exam. Now, a group of researchers from Michigan State University and the University of Utah have found a potential link between pulmonary function and the symptoms of voice fatigue unique to women. The study proposed a common, simple, low-cost tool that could aid medical experts in detecting potential voice fatigue at an early stage, which would help teachers to better prevent and treat voice problems. The researchers will present this work at the 171th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA), being held May. 23-27, 2016 in Salt Lake City, Utah. "The higher incidence of prolonged problems among women has been associated with a number of gender differences including physiological differences in the laryngeal system, differences in the endocrine system, and differences in pulmonary usage," said Eric Hunter, the lead investigator and Associate Chair of Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders at the Michigan State University. "Our study is the first to connect voice fatigue problems with gender-based physiological differences in lung functions, pointing to respiratory function as a source of the gender inequality in voice problems." Hunter said the study is part of a larger research project funded by the National Institutes of Health, aiming to investigate underlying risk factors for voice problems and gender differences in speech. "Females teachers are particularly at risk of developing voice problems, affecting teaching quality and leading to increased teacher absenteeism, increased health care costs and sometimes even early retirement. Teachers' voice disorders also hamper students' learning, especially for those students with learning or hearing difficulties," Hunter said. Inspired by earlier studies, Hunter noticed seven years ago that there might be a link between vocal health problems and pulmonary functions. After preliminary studies, the researchers are now exploring this link through a study of 122 elementary and middle school faculty members (96 females, 26 males), relating the teachers' Vocal Fatigue Index scores with the results of spirometry measures. The Vocal Fatigue Index is a standardized survey tool that can help identify individuals with vocal fatigue and characterize their complaints. A spirometer is a medical tool often used in vocal health clinics to assess asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other breathing problems. Spirometry calculates pulmonary function from measuring how much air one inhales, and how much and how quickly one exhales. By comparing the Vocal Fatigue Index and spirometry measures from the teachers, that increased vocal fatigue symptoms would result in reduced pulmonary function measures. "This correlation can only be applied for female teachers. No such relationship was observed for males," Hunter noted. The evidence from this study supports the use of spirometers as a simple and low-cost tool that could aid caregivers in vocal health clinics in tailoring therapies for patients with low spirometer measures. Previously, these patients may have received less individualized treatment, Hunter said. In addition, the spirometer could also be used as a vocal fatigue screening device for teachers. Reduced pulmonary function measures would warn the teachers of their increased risk for potential voice problems, which would remind them to do preventative exercises as well as pay attention to voice rest while teaching. The team's next step, Hunter said, is to continue studying other underlying risk factors for vocal problems, such as how stress, hormonal changes and age-related changes affect teachers' voice health.